How do I beat abusive IC?

[spacer`1]

My friend plays IC, and he's objectively worse than me in every conceivable respect; he can't wavedash, no gamesense, his techskill is ****e... But he knows how to ledgeguard and my style of Cap always allows him to destroy me on approach. Once I'm off the edge, I'm pretty much dead, since I'm at low percents most of the time, and ice blocks destroy vertical recovery.

Is there any advice/sets of videos that exist that I can use to beat his abusive IC?

 

[gravy]

I would watch mango vs wobbles at KoC2. The thing about playing against icies is that they're super weak to knees. Often even if popo shields a knee, nana will still get hit. The shield stun is also tremendous and tends to render them useless. Also, nana doesn't DI, so you can totally triple knee her face off. The matchup is definitely in our favor once you get used to it, I'm sure you'll be stomping this friend in no time

 

[taylosun]

Focus on taking Nana out first. Approach with knees or stomps. Raptor boost is supposed to be safe too. Control center stage and stay away from the edge. Sopo is a lot easier to deal with.

 

[spacer`1]

Focus on taking Nana out first. Approach with knees or stomps. Raptor boost is supposed to be safe too. Control center stage and stay away from the edge. Sopo is a lot easier to deal with.

Wait, so people use Cap's down b for more than just recovery? I'm sort of new to the scene.

 

[Zelmar]

Wait, so people use Cap's down b for more than just recovery? I'm sort of new to the scene.

Raptor boost is Falcon's side-b, not down-b. His down-b isn't really useful on stage,but some people still use it in rare occasions.

 

[Zhea]

First off drop that attitude immediately. You are setting yourself up for a smash career full of disappointment. When trying to beat someone, taking that stance is going to be a bigger obstacle to your growth as a player than anything short of physical disablement. This is why fighting games are awesome, you can empirically tell who played the game better that round by who won.

From what it sounds like, you are describing your self as more technical, but it sounds like your friend is finishing his combos(getting the edge guard) more than you are against him. Falcon vs IC's is one of Falcon's best high tier matchups, but it is also very spacing oriented. It would help if we knew more about your friends tactics. If he just spamming smashes or tilts than the problem is you are running into hem too much and you need to improving your spacing game.

This all being said, Falcon isn't a very good character until you have got a good amount of control (read 1 - 2 years of regular practice along with tech practice). He doesn't have 'easy' stuff he can fall back on like a good ground game. Falcon takes a lot of dedication to get those good matchups to be in his favor. So keep working at it and it will come in time.

Keep getting more technical, start concentrating on your spacing and reading and keep at it. I was in a very similar state of mind and situation when I started with Falcon, and it's taken me the better part of 2 years to finally get this through my head.

 

[spacer`1]

First off drop that attitude immediately. You are setting yourself up for a smash career full of disappointment. When trying to beat someone, taking that stance is going to be a bigger obstacle to your growth as a player than anything short of physical disablement. This is why fighting games are awesome, you can empirically tell who played the game better that round by who won.

From what it sounds like, you are describing your self as more technical, but it sounds like your friend is finishing his combos(getting the edge guard) more than you are against him. Falcon vs IC's is one of Falcon's best high tier matchups, but it is also very spacing oriented. It would help if we knew more about your friends tactics. If he just spamming smashes or tilts than the problem is you are running into hem too much and you need to improving your spacing game.

This all being said, Falcon isn't a very good character until you have got a good amount of control (read 1 - 2 years of regular practice along with tech practice). He doesn't have 'easy' stuff he can fall back on like a good ground game. Falcon takes a lot of dedication to get those good matchups to be in his favor. So keep working at it and it will come in time.

Keep getting more technical, start concentrating on your spacing and reading and keep at it. I was in a very similar state of mind and situation when I started with Falcon, and it's taken me the better part of 2 years to finally get this through my head.

As for my attitude, I don't think it's unwarranted. I kick his ass all up and down the street with every other character vs his every other character, and he acknowledges this. He just plays a really abusive IC style that's got my number.

Anyway, with regard to his playstle, he just camps at the edge on Dreamland. Ice blocks until I get close, and when I do, he usually donwtilts me and then backairs me over the ledge. Then I can't recover. I'm fine with Falcon, I spent 6-7 hours a day, 4-5 days a week split between Fox and Falcon my freshman year of college (read as: last year). I don't think it's my tech skill, nor my control; I think it's exactly what you said: spacing.

 

[Aggromidget]

If you get edge-guarded, I'm guessing that at times, you jump out to edge-guard them. Don't jump off-stage. That used to be my biggest problem. I'd lose like 2 stocks each match like that. Not good.
SHFFL knees are amazing. Even on shield. If they're on stage (not platforms) with you, Mango approached with knee a lot
If they're above you, u-air is quite good.

 

[Smokey Huntz]

Also your DI is awful. D-Tilt bair is far from guaranteed and to be frank you shouldn't even be getting bit by the down tilt in the first place. Your knee is positive on his shield. Learn to space better. Doesn't even sound like he's grabbing you but don't get grabbed regardless. Stomp recks nair recks bair is good but not optimal in many cases. Juggle them with up airs. Raptor boost pushes you far enough to avoid a follow up(even he wave dashes out of shield to attack you can either put your shield up or roll away). Always kill nana if she's open. Always.

All that being said it would sound like C. Falcon has the advantage in this match up but I absolutely don't think so. It's even or at the very least 55 45.