Recovery as Ike

[danzibr]

In particular, I'm looking at side B to up B. I've seen videos (and read) that you can do this, but whenever I side B I go into free fall. I wonder if my timing is wrong, or maybe it got patched out without Nintendo consulting me (j/k).

I've watched a good few Ike videos and read what Ike guides I can, but haven't found a lot of discussion on recovery.

 

[san.]

If you slash with sideB, you can perform any action afterwards for a few seconds before going into freefall. If you don't slash, you go into freefall.

 

[Aninymouse]

Recovery is one of Ike's biggest weaknesses, since it's so predictable and linear. Probably the single biggest reason why Custom Ike is so much better than vanilla Ike: it gives you options in recovery to mix it up.

One of the best things to do is to recover low with Aether. You can be under the stage and still make it back, and a lot of people get smacked by Aether this way because they don't take Ike seriously or haven't learned what Ike can do.

If you're going to recover with Quick Draw 1, probably the best thing you can do is recover as high as possible. Just don't keep doing this. Always try and switch up recovery from time to time to prevent yourself from becoming predictable.

Someone posted a video of Shiek shield grabbing Ike out of Aether. Honestly, that was depressing to watch. Shiek is already one of Ike's worst matchups, I think, and being able to gimp Aether just sucks.

 

[GhostUrsa]

You do have to be careful using Aether against characters with good meteor attacks, as Aether's movements can be predictable. I've seen plenty of Ike's get bashed by a good Ganondorf or Captain Falcon because they set Ike up for an Aether and were just where the sword needed to be to give Ike a good foot in the teeth.

QD I'd say is a very decent recovery option. Though the path can be linear, it can be held as long as necessary. This allows you to bait out a counter for it and then slip past when they don't expect it. Also, if you work on the timing so you'll touch the ground right as QD ends, you'll have (next to) no landing lag and can move into any offensive or defensive option. I've been able to QD into a Shield to catch a punish, and then OoS into some great attacks myself. Or slid past their attempts to gimp, and pivoted right into a f-tilt or f-smash to send them flying.

You have to be careful with going too high, as you'll enter the helpless state san. mentioned. You'll be right back into the air if your opponent is fast enough.