Alternative to airdodging.

[Rango the Mercenary]

Compared to nearly anyone in the roster, Ike's aerial defense among the worst in the game. All of his aerials have startup time, and his Counter starts at the longest frame in the game. You can't hit a Nair and tell your enemy to just get off of you. Once you're hit in a string, you're stuck in it. Worried about a follow up? You airdodge.

That airdodge just got read and you just got spiked off stage or you landed and got hit by an FSmash. What are your best options when you feel like airdodging and need to break the habit?

 

[JWaltz]

This is the most frustrating part about Ike... curious for info on this

 

[GhostUrsa]

I've used QD sometimes as a defensive move to get some space from a grounded opponent. You pull it off an uncharged one low enough to the ground so you get the auto-cancelled landing and surprise your opponent since they expected a more traditional aerial defensive strategy. You can't use it too often or insert predictability advice here but the few times I've used it, it has given me the breathing space I needed to get back into the game.

Counter I've worked into my recovery when I read a smash coming my way. It's slow to startup, yeah, but since I know that they are going for the smash it has given me plenty of breathing room in the past as well. It's hard to rely on Online at times since connections can make it hard to get the timing right, but with lag free matches it's helped. (Got to pull it off slightly earlier than you think though, that usually is what gets me if I fail to pull it off.)

Both of these are situational, but I find that Ike works best when he's both unpredictable and his opponent isn't. Trying to return to the stage when sent flying is difficult though, as I can never seem to get the spacing right for preventing a U-smash with other defensive options. (beating it out with a n-air or d-air, for example or trying to tech the landing so I can get out of range fast enough.)

Other advice that comes up I'd be interested in reading as well, as it seems that I am missing an element that will up my recovery game that is just out of reach.

 

[Zatchiel]

Much of what I would've had to say is covered above me. Try to resist airdodging into the ground at all costs. The only reasonable exception I can think of is if you know the opponent is going to overextend enough to where they can't punish you for it.

or trying to tech the landing so I can get out of range fast enough

This. I still very much love escaping with this. If you still have your midair jump you can either jump away to get breathing space (throwing out an aerial is optional) or fastfall into a tech.

Tech rolls are generally the safest thing to do, but be mindful if you're near a ledge because a tech roll away from the opponent won't get you much further away from them than a tech in place. Try to avoid being in that predicament, as some attacks can cover both options at the ledge.

Be safe you guys.