Having some trouble.

[keronshb]

I really hope this is the right place to post this, if not, my bad.

I don't remember having this sort of problem in Melee or Brawl, though the only one I really played seriously was Brawl. Honestly I only went "competitive" with Snake in Brawl, since that was the character I only really knew how to use. Hell, I only stopped using items about one or two years after Brawl's release. I've noticed a pattern that I have in fights for this new Smash, a few patterns actually.

The first is that I can never seem to win a dodge war against a lot of people. Meaning when everyone does nothing but dodge left/right/down and then grab you afterwards when either someone messes up or when someone is close enough. I keep trying to bate them so that they're in front of me, but when it seems like I do, I get the bad end of the stick and I whiff the grab.

Another pattern, or more problem I should say, is that my dash attacks tend to get beat out a lot (no matter who I'm using) and whenever I try to punish someone's whiffed dash attack (or even air attack) with a side smash/side tilt/special, I always seem to get beat out despite their lag. Whenever I try it, the landing lag/attack lag is the death of me, but not so much for the other person.

The last one is that I can never seem to get aerials right. For example with Bowser, I can hit sometimes with NAir, but when I go for Bair, Uair, or Fair, I'm always coming up the short end of the stick and/or I get out prioritized by someone else. The same has happened when I played DHD, Doctor Mario, and Shiek.

Would anyone be able to give me any tips to improve my game? I'm noticing my problem areas more and more, I just seem to be stuck in a rut when trying to fix them.

 

[keronshb]

Time for a BUMP

 

[B0NK]

B U M P B O Y S

 

[keronshb]

Thanks for the assist bump!

 

[SamuraiPanda]

The first is that I can never seem to win a dodge war against a lot of people. Meaning when everyone does nothing but dodge left/right/down and then grab you afterwards when either someone messes up or when someone is close enough. I keep trying to bate them so that they're in front of me, but when it seems like I do, I get the bad end of the stick and I whiff the grab.

Your read is correct, your timing is not. Try punishing spotdodges with something easier to time like jab combos or smashes that have lingering hitboxes. Trying to punish a spotdodge with a delayed grab takes good timing which can be hard in the competitive setting when you're nervous. The safe option is the easier to time one.

Downsmash, back airs, or dash grab beat rolls but you need good timing to do that. The safest would probably be doing a back air because you can jump away if you mistime it.

Seems like the problem here is your timing and choices for punishing.

Another pattern, or more problem I should say, is that my dash attacks tend to get beat out a lot (no matter who I'm using) and whenever I try to punish someone's whiffed dash attack (or even air attack) with a side smash/side tilt/special, I always seem to get beat out despite their lag. Whenever I try it, the landing lag/attack lag is the death of me, but not so much for the other person.

This is again a timing issue. You should try to predict running in AS THE MOVE IS HAPPENING so you can time you running in with dodging the hitbox. If you start moving AFTER the dash attack has ended then you are moving too late.

Also, it sounds like you are trying to dash attack when you shouldn't be dash attacking. If the opponent continues to punish you for doing dash attacks then you may be trying to use them when they are not safe (like when you opponent is just standing there... dash attacks are not safe on shielding).

The last one is that I can never seem to get aerials right. For example with Bowser, I can hit sometimes with NAir, but when I go for Bair, Uair, or Fair, I'm always coming up the short end of the stick and/or I get out prioritized by someone else. The same has happened when I played DHD, Doctor Mario, and Shiek.

Timing again. Aerials are not instant, they take a second to come out. You need to familiarize yourself with the timing of them.

Seems like your overarching problem is that your timing is just a split second too slow. Fix that by trying to think about your next move or next attack as you are doing the first one. Use it a split second before you naturally feel like you should do it, and see if that makes a difference.

 

[keronshb]

Thanks SamuraiPanda! I really couldn't figure it out on my own, but timing does seem to be the key on my part. I am probably rushing things sometimes too and that doesn't help a lot on my end. I'll take all these into consideration and use them to improve my game, thanks again!