How should I deal with pressure?

[Emerlad_Element]

As Samus mains, we all know that one of her biggest weaknesses is getting rushed down and pressured. Once you start getting pressured as Samus it can be very difficult to get away from your opponent without losing a stock. So what options do we have? I often try to bomb hop away, challenge the opponent with D-Air, attempt to retreat to the ledge or air dodge when ever possible or when it seems best to do these options. However against good opponents, none of those options seem to work. I'd like to assume that there is something that I am missing, if so please let me know. How do you deal with pressure? How do you keep an opponent from pressuring you. Between the missiles, charging the Neautral-B and avoiding my opponent, I have a lot of trouble with this. If anyone can help, PLEASE post below. Thank you ahead of time

 

[Zylach]

As a Samus main, you'll want to be the one applying pressure but not with missiles unless you're using the custom relentless missiles. Samus' main pressuring tool is zair which has a long reach and practically no landing lag. If an opponent gets in on you, remember that you have up-B OoS. If they're properly spacing against your shield, try retreating zairs or retreating fairs. You can also answer their up-close pressure with SH uairs and jab 1 as it comes out on frame 3.

Don't just run away. Running away means you're giving up position, putting yourself closer to the ledge where its easier for your opponent to KO you (As Samus, you want control over mid-stage since you're so heavy and die so late. Don't give them an opportunity to KO you earlier than they ought to). Also, airdodging isn't nearly as safe as, for example, FG makes it seem. Smart players will take advantage of airdodges and punish them hard. Smarter players will bait airdodges out of you so they can punish them. If you're airdodging too much, it just makes their baiting game easier.

You have to mix up your defensive options and that means throwing out attacks especially when your opponent is grabbing since attacks beat grabs. Attacks can be just as much defense as they are offense. Just look at Luigi's nair for an example. Samus' best combo-breaking move is probably uair unless you're confident you can get a screw attack out and actually land it. Other than that, keeping pressure off of yourself is what Samus is designed to do (albeit not designed too well). Use zair liberally as its her best tool for pressure, zoning, chipping away at your opponent, etc.

 

[Xygonn]

Shoot missiles less. You should really only use those at pretty long rang so you can't be punished for it. Retreating SH zair and SHAD zair are both great pressure relievers. UpB OoS is key for punishing poorly spaced aerials. Uair is your aerial combo breaker tool, not dair (which has a super long wind up).

 

[Jackal Eire]

I second all of what has been already said, and ill add to be aware of your opponents throw options. I find personally my bad habits when getting pressured are stubbornly trying to edge my attack in first or start throwing out fsmashes, which although they come out fast you'll be punished during cool down. If your opponent doesn't have a kill throw or a guaranteed kill set up off of one based on your percent, just try relax and shield/SHAD for a moment, if your opponent thinks they have you on the ropes they will get riskier on their commitment to attacks so exploit that, and try note any patterns that may be more obvious while they are throwing the kitchen sink at you.
This of course is all well and good until yoshi and his obnoxiously good frame data is beating you all around the stage and you just can't stop the punishment...:'-(

 

[JAZZ_]

Some things I've found against rushdown characters like sheik, Cp. Falcon, and lil mac is that they tend to try and bum rush you when you charge your CS. Cp. Falcon especially. Now I may not be an expert in options or frame data and the like. But as an average player I found 2 things useful to use at the start of a match.
I like to start out charging which baits certain characters to do two things. For example lets use one of my favorite match-ups, Cp. Falcon. Most every falcon player expects you to shield cancel your CS, they're first move is to sprint grab your butt and start their Dthrow combos. But because theyre reading either a shield or a roll their totally vulnerable to 2 things you can do while charging.

1. Is pretty obvious, just release early. To some this catches them off guard and followed by a dash attack you'll be landing the first blow and can even combo off that dash. Use early release as a change up too. Remember that your CS is much more than a kill option, its great easy damage, and at kill percents people will expect you to go for a full charge but switch it up and get them staggered enough for a different kill stroke.

2. Is my favorite, grab out of charge. With falcon expecting a roll or shield he's going to try to get in your face asap. Knowing your grab distance and hitting it straight out of charge cancels the charge and gives you a free down throw combo. This will catch 98% of Falcons off guard. The other 2% have a SH approach combo which is punishable with OoS UpB or roll toward center, or spot dodge. I have rarely seen this approach because by charging at the start you seem like a CS spammer who does nothing but charge and shoot, You appear naive.

then its just a matter of using the affore mentioned techniques to mix it up and pull out a win. My experience as the average Joe trying to hold his own out their is that if you make a good play at the start you feel WAY better about your chances. It also throws off your opponent. Most nearly everyone doesnt see option 2 coming. its one of the reasons I win the Cp. Falcon matchup 90% of the time, It gets my rhythm going and disrupts or delays theirs.

We as Samus players revolve around our CS, Either to inflict pain, or to play mind games when we hold it in for ages. Why not use it as bait.
I dont know, just a thought.

 

[Emerlad_Element]

Thank you all for your tips and information! :D This has been something crippling my performance for an absurdly long time now and I couldn't figure out how to get around it on my own. I'll take what has been said and apply it as best I can. Again, thank you all so much!

 

[Boney]

Once you're already being launched, fast fall air dodge to the ledge is a good pressure reliever because zair can come out at any time and how fast it is.