Landing Successful Kills when behind

[SSGuy]

This question is geared more towards players who have experience with the full game but anyone is more than welcome to participate.

It's obvious that our character has a lot of kill moves. In fact, almost every move can be a kill move. The problem I seem to have when playing in tournament or high level friendlies is struggling to seal the deal. Basically, I stay pretty even percent wise (at times leading by a healthy amount) I then end up getting ko'd and I try and fish for a kill to bring it back to even stocka and find myself getting a ton of unnessecary damage.

It could be a lack of character experience, but its discouraging when you know you can play well but have a character with unknown kill set ups or kill strategies.

Maybe its a reflection of me but I am curious to know how you read with him and if you have been successful with getting good ko's and maintaining % leads.

 

[Diamond Octobot]

*(feeling alone intensifies)
Uhhh... So, since i could only train against Lvl9 CPUs, I can only tlell that the main trick is to edgeguard. You can rack up distance with Fair/Nair, spike with Dair, or even punish returns with CB/FSmash/Dsmash. I dunno, on the ground he feels underwhelming. I still want to know it by staying close enough to your opponent you can chain the CB's blow with a Fsmash or a Utilt. Someone get on that please.

 

[zeriph]

Lots of Megaman's moves CAN kill, but only a few of them are actually practical. Bair and Fsmash are going to be his most reliable kill moves. To a lesser extent, Dsmash, Dair and Utilt work as well. I don't find myself getting kills on the stage too often, so I usually go for Bair or Dair off the stage (with the occasional Fair used to gimp but it's not as reliable). Fsmash can also be used to edgeguard if they don't choose to recover particularly low or high.

Now, it's still totally possible to get kills on the stage with him, you just have to set your opponent up for it. Try to use Dsmash and Utilt as little as possible - and by that I mean don't use them at all until they're at kill percentages. If you notice they try to roll behind you quite often, a well timed Dsmash can make for an easy kill. If they have a high ending lag move, try to bait it out and counter with an Utilt. You can throw out the a random charged Fsmash as a hard read as well. It's a gamble, but if you notice your opponent getting more aggressive, you can sometimes get a low percentage kill that you wouldn't have otherwise gotten. That kind of play, when it works, can really mess with your opponent's head.

Uair and Usmash can also kill but I prefer to use them as zoning and juggling moves, respectively. Uair is great for punishing opponents that like to recover high, and Usmash is just a good move all around.

 

[SSGuy]

I only use U-Smash for juggling if I can. If DACUS returns in the Wii U version and MM has a good one, never expect me to use it as a kill move. Part of me wishes they gave made one of his throws a kill move.

 

[zeriph]

They don't kill but back throw does 12% which is fine by me.

 

[A2ZOMG]

Megaman has decent potential for edgeguarding, so you can always focus on getting grabs and pressuring people offstage if you're looking for KOs.

Unless I'm mistaken, U-tilt has invincibility frames right? If that's true, that means you can beat ledge attacks with it directly. Either way, the main point to get out of this is Megaman's offstage and edge game is relatively solid and should be abused.

 

[BBC7]

I only use U-Smash for juggling if I can. If DACUS returns in the Wii U version and MM has a good one, never expect me to use it as a kill move. Part of me wishes they gave made one of his throws a kill move.

I wouldn't count on Mega Man having a good DACUS, honestly. The good DACUS's were usually good because the character has a DA that can slide a far distance. I'm pretty sure that the Top Spin doesn't offer enough slide for a good DACUS. Not to mention that the move is a multi-hit move, which I believe were next to impossible to DACUS with. (I tried many times with Luigi and Kirby, and failed every time. I could do it perfectly with every other character though, even Sheik)

 

[Abortion Doc]

For me, I find that keeping my mind off "getting the kill" actually helps me get kills, somewhat ironically. I seem to be better able to corner my opponents into pressure situations when I'm just playing Mega Man's natural game. Signs that I may be neglecting Mega Man's "natural" game are overaggressive punish attempts, relying too heavily on smashes (particularly fsmash), or forgetting to use certain moves in situations that warrant them.

That said, Mega Man will probably struggle to kill at times. Don't let it get to your head, be patient, and remember all of the tools that you have. You may have to be crafty.

EDIT: Also, edgeguard, edgeguard, edgeguard. Do not be afraid to go way out there and meet your opponent with aerials, especially with Mega Man's amazing recovery. Learn Mega Man's range and the spots he can and can't reach with his jumps/aerials.

 

[SSGuy]

That is very true. Every time I pick up this game, the more I ask myself, "When will the Wii U version come out?" I feel like everything about him will click and feel more precise when it does.

 

[AirShad]

I played a few rounds tonight against a good Fox/Marth online...

After winning 4/5 matches, 2 of which were from behind I can say it is possible to come back from behind. In preparation for the Nintendo tourney I've been implementing a LOT more of the metal blade and it seems to have been working pretty well as opponents see the metal blade on the ground and almost have to go for it which leaves them vulnerable. (Even good players go for it). Coming from behind is definitely stressful but I've noticed that if you start bouncing around with Rush when your down you can usually catch your opponent doing something uncharacteristic and capitalize. Rush canceling is CLUTCH against Fox's combos; I find that dashing into a pivot bair is extremely useful and can start a combo such as pivot bair - dash attack - fsmash. Using lemons towards the end of the match definitely helped out with spacing so that I couldn't get hit with a smash.

Also, Rock's UTilt paired with rage mode is ridiculous. It saved me in one of my matches.

 

[BBC7]

I played a few rounds tonight against a good Fox/Marth online...

After winning 4/5 matches, 2 of which were from behind I can say it is possible to come back from behind. In preparation for the Nintendo tourney I've been implementing a LOT more of the metal blade and it seems to have been working pretty well as opponents see the metal blade on the ground and almost have to go for it which leaves them vulnerable. (Even good players go for it). Coming from behind is definitely stressful but I've noticed that if you start bouncing around with Rush when your down you can usually catch your opponent doing something uncharacteristic and capitalize. Rush canceling is CLUTCH against Fox's combos; I find that dashing into a pivot bair is extremely useful and can start a combo such as pivot bair - dash attack - fsmash. Using lemons towards the end of the match definitely helped out with spacing so that I couldn't get hit with a smash.

Also, Rock's UTilt paired with rage mode is ridiculous. It saved me in one of my matches.

Do you have Tap Jump set off? If so, how much does it help to pull off the U-Tilt with consistency? I find U-Tilt borderline unusable with Tap Jump, since you can't just walk up to someone and U-Tilt. (I'm not saying that's a good strategy, but it does still help to have that option if they don't expect it)

 

[AirShad]

Do you have Tap Jump set off? If so, how much does it help to pull off the U-Tilt with consistency? I find U-Tilt borderline unusable with Tap Jump, since you can't just walk up to someone and U-Tilt. (I'm not saying that's a good strategy, but it does still help to have that option if they don't expect it)

I actually have the demo on my 3DS right now and it is impossible to use UTilt in any useful manner in the demo... My friend and I went half on the Japanese version and with tap jump off it is SO much better. Actually, to respond to your point, at mid-high percentages you can read and walk up to people and UTilt much like luigi'is UpB. But yeah it's MUCH better in the full game.

 

[BBC7]

I heard that Mega Man in general, is improved in the full game in terms of buffs/nerfs. I heard that he's been buffed from the 3DS demo. Another thing, I heard that Uair is an great kill move in the full game. I'm not feeling it in the 3DS demo, and I'm assuming that's just because Uair has been buffed in the full game as well. Although, I'm just guessing.

 

[AirShad]

I heard that Mega Man in general, is improved in the full game in terms of buffs/nerfs. I heard that he's been buffed from the 3DS demo. Another thing, I heard that Uair is an great kill move in the full game. I'm not feeling it in the 3DS demo, and I'm assuming that's just because Uair has been buffed in the full game as well. Although, I'm just guessing.

He feels exactly the same to me in both... Uair generally dissapoints me.

Edit:
I'm an idiot... Uair is good. Usmash dissapoints.

 

[Abortion Doc]

Mega Man's aerials are amazing. So are his utilt and dsmash, both valuable killing moves. The C-Stick will save us all...

 

[Z1GMA]

Keep fighting and don't throw out too many kill-moves just because his/her % is high.
The kill will happen eventually.

I feel like everything about him will click and feel more precise when it does.

This I can garantuee you.

 

[Fenrir VII]

This is a classic problem, imo... If you only try to land a killmove, it's pretty easy for the opponent to play defensively and get 20-30+% on you before you land it.

With Mega Man specifically, when you come back, don't immediately go for a kill. Keep up the lemon spam and force them out of their shield (either by roll or jump), then punish. If you space their roll, you can actually punish with Upper. then Fair/Bair both have good aerial priority (or just usmash if you are late and they're coming down on top of you), so you should be able to control that corner situation that will arise most times after you die.

Other option is just to land the grab. Mega is a great edgeguarder, so a "gimp" above 100% isn't a terrible thing. lol.

 

[ChopperDave]

I find that Crash Bomb can be really useful for setting up kills, especially at high percents. I usually fire it forward while short hopping backwards to send it at my opponent slightly higher than from the ground. This often gets opponents who are short hopping, shield rolling, and/or who just whiffing an attack, and sometimes shield stabs as well.

When the Crash Bomb successfully lands you can either shield pressure with a fsmash, Metal Blade, or dash attack (if your opponent reacts defensively) or you can put up Leaf Shield and go for a throw (if your opponent reacts by trying to dash/roll towards you).

When I play it right, a Crash Bomb often results in my opponent getting thrown, smashed, launched into the air, or getting his shield broken. If they get launched by the Crash Bomb near the ground, a quick follow up bair or uair is often unavoidable and good for a kill. If their shield gets broken... well, you know what to do.

 

[---]

When behind? To be honest, I don't think you can really kill while behind. Since Slash Claw's a multiple hit attack, with the final hit being the one with knockback you can't really short hop it. That said, while it doesn't kill, the Metal Blade does cover some options and is a good way to keep pressure on opponents. Mess up a Top Spin/silde? Just quickly throw out a backwards MB before you can be punished in full.

To be quite frank, most of Mega's kill moves are either situational (Mega Upper, Hard Knuckle, Air Shooter) or are easily punished (Smahes). Mega's definitely going to be a major edge guarding force, however. The Charge Shot is hard to deal with while recovering if you don't have a reflector like Mario/Fox, while tools such as Rush Coil, Wall Jumping, Hard Knuckle, and the Slash Claw are good for a more direct approach.

Crash Bomber may be an option when recovering, but it needs more testing against actual human players, but at best I see it as situational.

 

[ChopperDave]

When behind? To be honest, I don't think you can really kill while behind. Since Slash Claw's a multiple hit attack, with the final hit being the one with knockback you can't really short hop it. That said, while it doesn't kill, the Metal Blade does cover some options and is a good way to keep pressure on opponents. Mess up a Top Spin/silde? Just quickly throw out a backwards MB before you can be punished in full.

I think @ SSGuy was using "killing from behind" more figuratively, as in "landing a kill [when behind in a match.]" In other words, netting a revenge kill.

Your answer to your literal read of the question was still perfectly right, of course :D

 

[Opana]

Nair and utilt seem somewhat effective, fsmash on reads. I'll hardly ever use dsmash, it lags for years with no lasting hit box.

MM seems like a character that doesn't get his kills from launching though, I think gimping works best seeing as he has the tools. I'd attempt to keep my cool, and focus on pressuring them to the edge. A throw should get them off the stage effectively if you can land it, probably with a shield grab or something.

Don't take anything I say to heart though, I base a lot of what I say off a demo, and base human reaction off my Brawl experience.

 

[Abortion Doc]

A lot of people are talking bad about down smash. I think it'll be a much more useful move once the C-Stick is available again.

 

[Diamond Octobot]

[Praise the New3ds's C-Stick]

 

[AirShad]

A lot of people are talking bad about down smash. I think it'll be a much more useful move once the C-Stick is available again.

Dsmash isn't bad. It's actually a good KO move. The problem with it is it's terrible ending lag which is easily punishable if missed or shielded.

 

[errcs]

Gimp with down-A and Leaf Shield (works like a charm I tell ya). Dont chase the kill, protect yourself and let the opponent make a mistake than punish-KO.