Mr. Escalator
G&W Guru
Smash Bros. DOJO said:
Hey everyone. Mr. Esc here with a new chart showing the amazing things you can stick in a bucket!
Oil Panic, when given the chance to utilize it, is arguably the strongest move in the game. Some bucket loads can deal impressive damage, and kill at the incredibly low percents. The strongest category of bucket loads deals up to 60% damage and can kill an opponent at 0% even if they DI! Very powerful. The bucket grants invincibility frames on capturing, and can capture consecutive projectiles in a row. It has long range, fairly short lag time, and any stock in your bucket stays even if you die.
This is a work in progress showing what exactly you can absorb and what that stock does to the opponent. Everything that is listed is using three of whatever projectile that I mention.
But first, here's our old chart for reference. This was released a while back, and one can tell it's outdated by calling Bowser and Charizard by their pre-release names. Anyways, props go to Sodacova for this.
Here it is for reference:
There you have it.
I've done some testing in my spare time and am trying my hand at an updated chart.
I haven't done serious testing at kill percents with DI (they left it out) so I'm banking off of what Sodacova put together for killing areas without DI but I may very well add that. I'm keeping it in the format that Omega put my old chart in, so that it will fit better with the guide (if he chooses to add it).
Key:
Red Characters - 18% Damage, Lowest Killing Power
Orange Characters - 25% Damage, Low Killing Power
Yellow Characters - 33% Damage, Fair Killing Power
Green Characters - 42% Damage, Moderate Killing Power
Blue Characters - 50% Damage, High Killing Power
Purple Characters - 60% Damage, Highest Killing Power
Explanations are at the bottom.
18% Damage, Lowest Killing Power
:bowserbrawl: - Bowser - Fire Breath (Multi-Hit *1)
tbrawl: - Charizard - Flamethrower (Multi-Hit *1):icsbrawl: - Ice Climber - Blizzard (Multi-Hit *1)
:nessbrawl: - Ness - Pk Fire Pillar (Multi-Hit *1)
:nessbrawl: - Ness - Pk Thunder Tail (Multi-Hit *1)
:lucasbrawl: - Lucas - Pk Thunder Tail (Multi-Hit *1)
:foxbrawl: - Fox - DThrow
:foxbrawl: - Fox - BThrow
:falcobrawl: - Falco - Dthrow
:falcobrawl: - Falco - Bthrow
:foxbrawl: - Fox - Blaster *2 (Long range)
25% Damage, Low Killing Power
:foxbrawl: - Fox - Blaster *2 (Short range)
:falcobrawl: - Falco - Blaster
:lucasbrawl: - Lucas - Pk Fire
:samusbrawl: - Samus - Charge Shot Uncharged
eachbrawl: - Peach - Toad's Spores (Multi-Hit *1):dededebrawl: - Dedede - Waddle Doo Beam (Multi-Hit *1)
33% Damage, Fair Killing Power
:nessbrawl: - Ness - Pk Fire
:yoshibrawl: - Yoshi - Pound Stars
:zssbrawl: - ZSS - Paralyzer Uncharged
:kirbybrawl: - Kirby - Frying pan *3
42% Damage, Moderate Killing Power
:mariobrawl: - Mario - Fireballs
itbrawl: - Pit - Palutena's Arrow :dededebrawl: - Dedede - Stars
:robbrawl: - R.O.B. - Optic Blast
:lucasbrawl: - Lucas - Pk Fire Explosion
:lucariobrawl: - Lucario - Aura Sphere Uncharged *4
:kirbybrawl: - Kirby - Final Cutter *5 (Short range)
50% Damage, High Killing Power
:kirbybrawl: - Kirby - Final Cutter *5 (Long range)
:luigibrawl: - Luigi - Fireballs
:zssbrawl: - ZSS - Paralyzer Charged
:wolfbrawl: - Wolf - Blaster
ikachubrawl: - Pikachu - Thunder Jolt *6 (Both forms)60% Damage, Highest Killing Power
ikachubrawl: - Pikachu - Thunderbolt:zeldabrawl: - Zelda - Din's Fire
:robbrawl: - R.O.B. - Optic Blast Charged
itbrawl: - Pit - Palutena's Arrow Charged :samusbrawl: - Samus - Charge Shot Charged
:lucariobrawl: - Lucario - Aura Sphere Charged *5
:lucariobrawl: - Lucario - Force Palm *5
:nessbrawl: - Ness - Pk Flash
:nessbrawl: - Ness - Pk Thunder Head
:lucasbrawl: - Lucas - Pk Freeze
:lucasbrawl: - Lucas - Pk Thunder Head
:zssbrawl: - ZSS - Dsmash
1. : Multi-Hit is when you can catch at least 2 units per second
2. : Fox's Blaster gun deteriorates as it travels. It gives a more powerful bucket load when closer, and gives the weakest bucket load away.
3. : Kirby, while having G&W's power, uses the Frying pan. Surprisingly, it has different properties than Game and Watch's normal pan, and it can be bucketed.
4. : Lucario's Aura Sphere and Force Palm actually do two percent more than listed. With Lucario's "Aura" ability, his attacks can actually be stronger than listed.
5. : Kirby's Final Cutter gives a stronger bucket load the farther it has traveled, opposed to deteriorating moves like Fox's blaster.
6. : Pikachu's Thunder Jolt comes in two forms; the one that travels as a ball through the air, and the one that jumps across the ground or a platform. The Ball form is as strong as Pikachu's Thunder.
Now that you've seen the chart, we may as well talk strategy. While the bucket is rather powerful, opponents are usually on the look out against this move. It forces a lot of characters to play more cautiously with their projectiles. It'll be a rare day that Lucario will fully charge three aura spheres in a row and launch them to be absorbed by your bucket. That's why there are some ways to bait them into using a projectile, though a decent deal is character specific.
· Reeling In With Chef_
A general strategy on getting the Bucket filled against laser toting "spacies" and pits is to start up the move Chef a good deal away from them. Properly spaced, this gives them an opportunity to use their projectile without getting punished. Or at least, that's what they think. If you expect them to use their projectile, AKA take the bait, you immediately drop out of chef into your bucket. There is some lag time out of Chef, but it's not that large, and you're bucket can easily make it out in time with decent prediction. You don't exactly need prediction against Fox, though, as he likes to string off multiple shots, making the bucket come out rather quickly after taking a hit. Besides Fox, Falco, and Pit you can possibly trick Lucario, Pikachu, R.O.B. , Zelda, and most others who have long to mid ranged projectiles. Chef should stop R.O.B.'s Gyro and force him into a laser. Zelda likes to move point blank with Din's Fire, but you can still cancel Chef into Oil Panic you're used to the timing.
· Placement_
Depending on stage position, you can bait them into using their projectile. For example, if you're high above a grounded Pikachu, they may go for a Thunder. The signs are fairly obvious, and bucketing it should be simple enough, but be careful that you don't mistime it. Thunder will kill. If you're off stage recovering, expect Lucario's to use their Aura Sphere on you. Zelda's may go for a Din's Fire, if you're in your parachute. If in a position to do so, drop out of it and bucket. Spacing by itself works wonders. Just being far enough can get you another bucket stock.
· Teaming Up_
A lot of people already know this and take advantage of this, but for those of you who don't know, it involves G&W being on a team. Considering that you have Friendly Fire/Team Attack ON, you can take advantage of you're teammate to fill the bucket. Any quick projectile works wonders; ZSS' DSmash, Luigi's Fireball, Pikachu's Thunderjolt in balled form. Some other things worth noting is that breath attacks work wonders. They may not be the most damaging attack, or have the best knockback, but it's surprisingly easy and quick to get Oil Panic to have three stocks. Most Multi Hit attacks can work, but breath attacks can trap your opponents as you simultaneously fill up.
· Picking to Win_
Taking advantage of choosing a stage can give you a way to fill your bucket, even if your opponent has nothing to be absorbed. Corneria has three things that you can take advantage of; The Great Fox, the Arwings, and the Wolfens. The Great Fox's laser turns out to be the weakest, but occasionally shoots multiple lasers. The Arwings/Wolfens are much more convenient, though. This stage is looking to be banned, and may not be the best choice for G&W because you're recovery will see little use save for attacking, and you'll die at low percents. It's a novelty way to get the bucket filled, but there's little things more satisfying than releasing Oil Panic on a Toon Link or Metaknight.
· Mother Gimping_
A particularly nasty way to fill the bucket is to chase a Ness or Lucas player off the stage and take advantage of their recovery. When they use PKT, pull out the bucket and watch them plummet helplessly down.
One other thing you may do vs Ness is purposefully get hit by his PKFire and DI out quickly. Quickly bucket all the parts of the pillar, and you'll be invincible throughout the whole thing, and he wont be able to do any of his combo's out of the PKFire. Plus, it's a free full bucket, so what's not to like?
Getting Oil Panic stocked and ready for use may be challenging, or it may be easy, but too consistently hit them with this powerful attack can be a challenge. There are a few really good ways to set them up into getting hit by the bucket, but you don't necessarily want to only use one of these methods, as you'll become predictable fast. Thats why I'm going to try listing as many of the known ways to combo off Oil Panic. If you know a way, let me know and I'll add it!
Greenhouse -> Oil Panic
This method is a pretty common one for a lot of G&W users. The goal here is to get them caught in your Jab Combo, and when you notice them to start DIing back out of it, to cancel into a bucket. The reason this works often is because they're usually just trying to back out, and not shielding.
Dthrow -> Tech Chase - > Oil Panic
The most reliable way to hit with Oil Panic, in my opinion, because it's going off of your prediction skills vs. theres. Other factors like DIing or powershielding don't have much influence on this strategy. All you have to do is get them into a Dthrow and predict whether they'll roll, get up, or use their get up attack. You can condition them into acting a certain way, and use this to get a more reliable hit. The worst thing that can happen is that you do it a little bit late and hit their shield, which makes it just about to break; assuming it wasnt powershielded.
Chef -> Oil Panic
A neat little trick in getting the oil out on an unsuspecting foe. The idea of this is the flip out a piece of food stuff or two, and proceed to run at the enemy. If the food hits them, it puts them in hitstun, allowing you to get the bucket off on them. I normally do this, except with the Fair instead of Oil Panic, but it's certainly viable.
Key Spike -> Oil Panic
I hadn't thought of the possibility of this, but it sounds like it would work. What you want to do is catch them with your key at point blank range, and it should carry them to the ground. As they're still in shock because of the impact, hit them with the bucket.
Grab -> Release -> Oil Panic
As far as I know, this only works on the Pk Users; Ness and Lucas. When the two get out of a grab, they suffer from a long Break Out Animation. Because of this laggy animation, you can quickly Down B and get them with a batch of oil. Be careful though, because if you hit down too early, you'll dthrow, and too late and you'll miss.
Laggy Move -> Oil Panic
This is pretty self explanatory. If your opponent has a tendency to use a move that puts them in a laggy cool down time, or a free fall animation, take advantage of this and let it spill. An example of this may be Lucario using counter, and you using Oil Panic as it ends, or Lucas falling after PKT2. It's common sense to capitalize on their mistakes.
Taunt -> Oil Panic
This **** wins tourneys.
Yeah! It's time to touch on the subject of techniques possible to perform with the bucket. I'll mention obvious things like Bucket Stalling and some less obvious things like B Move Momentum Shifts. I'm hoping to get a lot more into this section, and I feel as if I missed some things. Please help me get this section bulky with good information!
Bucket Stalling:
This is similar to what some of you know as Shine Stalling. For those who don't recognize this, Shine Stalling is when Fox uses his reflector repeatedly off the stage to give himself a much slower descent. Fox lowers slightly between reflectors, but he stays in a similar position for the most part, where it can help his recovery, or do as it's name implies, and stall.
Now, in G&W's case, the bucket also stops any aerial momentum, but it doesn't have the quickness that Fox's Shine Stalling is known for; the bucket takes a bit of time to put away. Never-the-less, this is a great tool that can fit into a couple different scenarios and can be a valuable tool for those who can utilize it.
This doesn't do much in the case of stalling, but the bucket helps his already beastly recovery. Not so much as when you're already below the stage edge, but it's an interesting way to recovery from high places. Similar to how the Dair gets you down quickly, this tactic gets you down at a slower rate.
A second way this can be used is for... ahem... MINDGAMEZ. Ack. This works more closely to Wolf's Reflector, I believe, than to Fox's or Falco's. Wolf has invincibility frames in his, and these frames are used to break the stride of an opponents attacks. While the bucket doesnt have these invincibility frames, it can also be used for messing an opponent up. Messing up an opponents spacing game is a pretty cool feat, but the recovery aspect of Bucket Stalling is probably what you'll be wanting to do more.
Bucket Canceling:
No, as far as I know there isnt any universal technique on how to cut the lag time of the bucket to just the invincibility frames. To my knowledge there are only two situations where canceling the lag of absorbing a projectile is possible.
The first is Spring Canceling. As you already know, G&W's bucket cancels out his momentum, like many other moves in the game, and this can be abused on a spring. The spring cancels your move immediately and sends you straight up. The bucket will stop this rising motion, and you can use the bucket repeatedly on the spring. The spring will also cancel the lag of absorbing a projectile, as I've found out. The problem is, the only stages that come to mind with Springs are Pictochat, which is usually legal, and Flatzone 2, which is banned. You can also use Sonic's Spring in a 2v2 environment, but this form of canceling is very situational.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=pNMqz06_zmY
Starting at 3:17 of this video, G&W showcases his Spring Canceled bucket and key.
The second will probably see more use, as I have even done this at one point (successfully even!). In a recent topic someone claimed to have found a way to cancel the ending lag of the bucket, but couldn't recreate this. Spurred on by the hope of making fights with people like Pikachu easier, I did some testing. I couldn't find any way to cancel the lag on the ground, in the air, on the edge, etc. What I did find out was that there was actually a way to cancel the bucket, but this method required something that my previous tests lacked; Water. When your character hits the water, any action taking place is ended and they begin swimming. This is known almost universally, but people hadn't though of using Oil Panic in this scenario.
This will certainly see more use than the rare occurrence of spring canceling, because of two stages. The Pirate Ship, and the stage that most people know and love, Delphino Plaza. The Pirate Ship may end up banned, but you'll likely find yourself using this mostly on Delphino. Almost all the transitions have either one of two things; Water or a wall. This stage just got a lot more in G&W's favor.
Sadly, these are the only two ways I know of to cancel the bucket. One thing that I find myself doing is absorbing off the edge, though. Most characters don't chance chasing you off the edge, and Game and Watch has a beastly recovery, so there's not much harm in doing this. It's probably the smartest choice. If you absorb on one side of Final Destination, the other character can usually make it from the other side to you while you're busy absorbing their projectile. Mostly Pika though.
Boost Ledge jumping:
Now this is where things get awesome.
This was brought to my attention when browsing through SamuraiPanda's **ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED** Links to In-Depth Game Analysis Threads!. Tyr_03 had made yet another interesting thread, to say the least.
B Move Edge Momentum Shifts
http://smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=158881
As I'm lazy, I'll just quote the parts I think are relevant...
I did some testing, and the boost you could get was quite big. You don't need to B-Stick this once you get the timing down, and this has having some good use. For example, with this, you can gimp a far away Lucas or Ness player in a short amount of time. It is also a generally good way to get to the boundaries quick, but this only to a lesser extent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16e40V2L6hU
Both momentum shifts shown in video by Kupo15
This video shows G&W performing his various specials in the beginning of the film, and is an excellent reference to what this technique is. The last Bucket Boost pulled shows how beastly this can be when timed right.
Oil Slicking/Spilling/Gelling:
CREDIT TO NEB
COMING SOON...
COMING SOON...
The Effect of Stale Moves?
Small pictures for the combo's
Miscellaneous Section
Media Section
Credit goes to...
· Sodacova for laying the ground work and giving me a good reference
· Nato. for the revisions and suggestions he made.
· Neb for being a god and making this guide look so magnificent. He Discovered Oil Slicking, and made several key suggestions. Amazing amazing amazing.
· Anyone and Everyone who made a comment, pointed out an error, or contributed a combo to the guide.
