Air Man's Unbeatably Fun U-Air Analysis Thread

[BBC7]

Even Wily is stumped on how this move works, as shown above

This thread is about the discussion of Mega Man's U-Air/Air Shooter and how it works, since it is a difficult move to gather information about and deserves its own thread as such.

1. Basic Findings:
- Air Shooter will never kill a grounded opponent if they don't act while in the Air Shooter, even at 999%.
- A clean hit does 20%-21% and hits 7 times
- Since it is a projectile, it can be reflected, absorbed, or pocketed.
- Initial hit does minor hitstun, rest will just carry target.
- The force of the just is reversed if reflected.
- Only one Air Shooter can be shot out at a time.
- Beats Marth/Lucina/Ike/Palutena counter, does not beat Mac/Greninja/Shulk counter, not sure about Peach

2. Interesting Findings:
- Air Shooter will never kill a grounded opponent if they don't act while in the Air Shooter, even at 999%.
- Air Shooter can still kill grounded opponents early despite the info above(see video below)
- Villager can pocket the shot even while inside of it, proving that you can act while inside the shot
- A U-Air kill is almost never indicated by the "electric" effect.
- Beats Marth/Lucina/Ike/Palutena counter, does not beat Mac/Greninja/Shulk counter, not sure about Peach
- You can Rush Trap, which is using a fresh, grounded U-Air then buffering Up B in order to shoot out another U-Air.


Now here is a fun little video that may help towards understanding Air Man's lil' tornado of vertical terror

(credit to Z1GMA, thanks mate)

 

[SimonBarSinister]

A few points:
- As far as I know, only the initial blast can cause minor hitstun, the remaining duration will just carry the target while doing damage.
- Should it be reflected, the force of the gust is reversed, meaning the gust will push downwards.
- If the target jumps while caught, a KO is all but guaranteed, provided they are hit high enough.

That's all I got for now.

 

[Knight Dude]

I didn't know it wouldn't be able to kill an opponent that's on the ground. Or are you talking about someone who's stuck deep in the ground, like they are buried? Either way, interesting. But it makes sense, it's an air move.

But I do find Air Shooter useful, not Mega Man's best kill move, but you can get some mileage out of it. Very few people see to reflect it once they get hit by it.

 

[SimonBarSinister]

I didn't know it wouldn't be able to kill an opponent that's on the ground. Or are you talking about someone who's stuck deep in the ground, like they are buried? Either way, interesting. But it makes sense, it's an air move.

But I do find Air Shooter useful, not Mega Man's best kill move, but you can get some mileage out of it. Very few people see to reflect it once they get hit by it.

I mainly use Air Shooter as a damage racker, after a grab usually. But I'm aware of its killing power, so that's a big bonus.

 

[Knight Dude]

I mainly use Air Shooter as a damage racker, after a grab usually. But I'm aware of its killing power, so that's a big bonus.

Yeah, I should use it a bit more myself. Especially after an Up-Throw. I mostly use Spark Needle as a damage racking move. It has a pretty forgiving hitbox for a move that's only above Mega Man's head. Though that can kill too.

 

[---]

I usually use it as a follow up, or as a juggle (given it's the only move MM has to juggle with). It's always fun hitting a character with a dive attack D-Air and watching them get stuck.

Even Wily is stumped on how this move works, as shown above

Are you trying to start a fight?

 

[Blade Knight]

It also instantly beats Marth, Ike, Lucina, and Palutena's counters. The first hit they're struck by will activate the counter but then be instantly interupted by the following hits. It's good for catching players who like to use counter as they fall back to the ground or after being thrown for free damage or a KO. Mac, Shulk, and Greninja's counters beat it out, but Greninja can lose to it if he counters up or down instead of two the sides. Mac's and Shulk's get them out of the way but still leave them open afterwards.

 

[SimonBarSinister]

Yeah, I should use it a bit more myself. Especially after an Up-Throw. I mostly use Spark Needle as a damage racking move. It has a pretty forgiving hitbox for a move that's only above Mega Man's head. Though that can kill too.

Spark Shock is another option I consider, though it can be punished easier if I happen to mistime it or something like that. But yes, Spark Shock's good killer, too.

 

[Z1GMA]

Imma post the clip again where a grounded Greninja gets KO'd at 81%:

@ BBC7 , you can put it in te OP if you like.

Also, I have a feeling Uair can't kill at very low% even if the opponent touches the north Blast Zone.
I have no proof - it's just a feeling.

 

[Kiyosuki]

I have a feeling this move's going to become a hell of a lot more dangerous once people are using c-sticks for their aerial moves, I've already seen some crazy uses of it while approaching someone from their side in the air.

The moment that first hit lands you're just going for a vertical ride no matter what.

 

[ChopperDave]

I have a feeling this move's going to become a hell of a lot more dangerous once people are using c-sticks for their aerial moves, I've already seen some crazy uses of it while approaching someone from their side in the air.

The moment that first hit lands you're just going for a vertical ride no matter what.

The nice thing about Air Shooter is that if you sweet spot that first hit it often pseudo-combos into an UpB+Air Shooter chase, because the first Air Shooter will hold them in place during your inactive frames on Rush.

I love to hit an opponent on the ground with a first Air Shooter, chase them up with Rush, hit them with a second Air Shooter, fast fall and send up a third Air Shooter before bouncing off Rush, then sweet spotting the first hit on a fourth Air Shooter. It's a nice little sequence that does a lot of damage when it doesn't outright kill and seems pretty tough to avoid, though I haven't been able to test it against all weight classes and vectoring strategies yet.

 

[Z1GMA]

The nice thing about Air Shooter is that if you sweet spot that first hit it often pseudo-combos into an UpB+Air Shooter chase, because the first Air Shooter will hold them in place during your inactive frames on Rush.

I love to hit an opponent on the ground with a first Air Shooter, chase them up with Rush, hit them with a second Air Shooter, fast fall and send up a third Air Shooter before bouncing off Rush, then sweet spotting the first hit on a fourth Air Shooter. It's a nice little sequence that does a lot of damage when it doesn't outright kill and seems pretty tough to avoid, though I haven't been able to test it against all weight classes and vectoring strategies yet.

I love it as well. We should call that technique Tornado Storming, or sumthin'.

 

[BBC7]

I think the fact that U-Air kills are never indicated by an electric effect is pretty important to note, since it supports my theory of U-Air not being a regular kill move.

 

[Locke 06]

Questions I have:
- is the windbox pushback a set distance or does it scale with % (like Greninja's hydro pump)
- how far does it go up? (Tomadachi life stage could be useful)
- how does jumping in the tornado effect it?
- quickest way to send multiple up (avoiding landing lag)

 

[Blade Knight]

-It scales with percent, that's what allows it to KO later on.
-Need to test exact distance
-Scales with percent and character's Gravity
-Short Hop Fast Falling is the best way, but you can't have more than two out at a time.

 

[ChopperDave]

-Short Hop Fast Falling is the best way, but you can't have more than two out at a time.

You can send up two in quick succession if you fire the first one just before bouncing off Rush.

You can get three out at once this way. UpB, Air Shooter at top of jump, fast fall to rush, Air Shooter before bouncing, Air Shooter again after bouncing.

This is the best way to cover a wide area with Air Shooters, but they're probably not going to do much damage or knock back because you're likely not sweet spotting any of them on the initial frame.

ETA: Nevermind, I'm wrong. Just tested it, you can only get two out at once even with this method.

 

[Conda]

I think the fact that U-Air kills are never indicated by an electric effect is pretty important to note, since it supports my theory of U-Air not being a regular kill move.

Is it not just an air-effect with a damage value, like greninja's hydro pump? But also with hitstun, unlike Hydro-pump.

 

[~Burst~]

You cannot have more than 1 out at once. The first one will disappear when the second one is activated.

 

[Z1GMA]

I was wrong. It can kill at very low %'s. I killed a Fox Player at 26% after a Rush Trap.
That's just cheap. Sky Gimp ftw.

 

[Opana]

Does a whopping 21% now.

 

[SimonBarSinister]

I was wrong. It can kill at very low %'s. I killed a Fox Player at 26% after a Rush Trap.
That's just cheap. Sky Gimp ftw.

I have yet to use this technique, but it's just another reason to love the Air Shooter. Also, is there a name for this technique? There should be a name for it.

 

[Z1GMA]

Does a whopping 21% now.

I have yet to use this technique, but it's just another reason to love the Air Shooter. Also, is there a name for this technique? There should be a name for it.

I think "Rush Trapping" is a good name.

You can set it up by hitting the opponent with a Usmash at low %'s > buffered up+b, or by simply predicting their landing.
What's good is that they can't airdodge through Rush.

 

[Opana]

That sounds amazing

 

[Locke 06]

Danger: they can act right out of Rush, while you cannot (if it's your initial up-B). This leads to stuff like this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksMduEXItBU

 

[Blade Knight]

After a little more testing I can confirm Up air beats Shulk's counter every time if you hit him with the first hit. The next hits will knock him out of it before he moves and rack up the full damage amount. This means we can safely opt for Up Air vs Shulk coming down in almost every scenario since it also beats his Nair and Dair.

 

[SimonBarSinister]

After a little more testing I can confirm Up air beats Shulk's counter every time if you hit him with the first hit. The next hits will knock him out of it before he moves and rack up the full damage amount. This means we can safely opt for Up Air vs Shulk coming down in almost every scenario since it also beats his Nair and Dair.

I just did this some time ago against a Shulk player, and thought it was just a lucky shot. Is there anything this move can't do?

 

[Pazzo.]

That's fantastic...
And to think that @ Hong called me crazy when I said the move looked like a killer.

 

[Locke 06]

Has anyone gotten 21% and the windbox? I was messing around in training mode, and could not get everything to connect and get the wind effect.

 

[Hong]

That's fantastic...
And to think that @ Hong called me crazy when I said the move looked like a killer.

Are you sure you have the right person? I've always said this move is cray.

 

[Opana]

Has anyone gotten 21% and the windbox? I was messing around in training mode, and could not get everything to connect and get the wind effect.

IIRC I did when trying to find things that may have been changed after the patch, although I don't remember much else aside from it being a short hop fast fall into them. Don't recall whether the wind effect kicked in or not.

Also, I believe it'll always counter Shulk's vision regardless of when it hits, as it carries him in a wind hit box, almost as if it's some weird platform or something.

Curious if Ganon can wizkick through Uair,

 

[Pazzo.]

Are you sure you have the right person? I've always said this move is cray.

Hrmm.. I may be wrong then. Sorry for the mixup.

In any case, Mega Man's U-Air has great potential.

 

[BBC7]

As obvious as this may be, stages with close ceilings reduce the amount of percent you need to deal in order for U-Air to kill. I actually think FD is one the worst stages for U-Air, and Battlefield, Prism Tower, and Mute City(if it's legal) are the better stages.

 

[Jackaraia]

I think "Rush Trapping" is a good name.

You can set it up by hitting the opponent with a Usmash at low %'s > buffered up+b, or by simply predicting their landing.
What's good is that they can't airdodge through Rush.

Another great way to get them on Rush at low percent (Under 30 I believe), is to place rush first, leap over them and hit them with a Fair. Since they just leave the ground, if they are close enough to Rush, they'll spring up. Then, gimping if they are over 20 is pretty easy, like you said.

 

[SimonBarSinister]

IIRC I did when trying to find things that may have been changed after the patch, although I don't remember much else aside from it being a short hop fast fall into them. Don't recall whether the wind effect kicked in or not.

Also, I believe it'll always counter Shulk's vision regardless of when it hits, as it carries him in a wind hit box, almost as if it's some weird platform or something.

Curious if Ganon can wizkick through Uair,

I did this against a Falcon Kick, which slowed the Captain down significantly. I don't know how Gdorf will respond to an Air Shot, as I rarely ever fight him online.

 

[Jackaraia]

I did this against a Falcon Kick, which slowed the Captain down significantly. I don't know how Gdorf will respond to an Air Shot, as I rarely ever fight him online.

Most players handle it the way they would with Falcon, they down kick to slow the upward pull of the tornado. It's actually great cause a lot of people will do it twice in row if you throw up another one, and it's a great way to get some free % on your opponent.

 

[SimonBarSinister]

Most players handle it the way they would with Falcon, they down kick to slow the upward pull of the tornado. It's actually great cause a lot of people will do it twice in row if you throw up another one, and it's a great way to get some free % on your opponent.

It could work, but I'd figure that my opponent would try to get out of the way rather than be hit by another Air Shot. At least that's what I would do, knowing the almost-OP damage racking abilities of this move. But then again, my opponent isn't me.

 

[Sleek Media]

It's a very intimidating and easy to avoid move...excellent for setting up some wubwubwub landing punishes.

 

[Azazel]

Lel Greninja's fallspeed is so great that Uair > Uair is an Easy true Combo to pull off doing 40%

 

[Azazel]

Did more testing here's more Uair > Uair
Uair > 19 frames of Landing Lag > Full Hop >Double Jump> Uair Combo works on the following:
,, super effective Full 40-41%
The rest Fly out of it on the last few hits
,, 35%
,,32%
,,,,,,, 30%

There are others such as yoshi, lucario, wii fit trainer but its incredibly hard and not worth.

 

[-Champ-]

Not sure if this will work but, when you get launched off stage and your recovering from the bottom blast zone, if your opponent is over you, you can try U-air > Rush Coil > D-air. Someone should give it a try