Nodrak
Smash Ace
List off any seemingly useless AT's or T's and how to perform them and I'll spend some time learning it and trying to find (or force) a use out of it.
Here's why my Wii was out of commission for a while, in case anyone was wondering.
Finished
In progress
Haven't started.
A-stick = c-stick set to 'attacks', will cause you to do tilts (a button tilts)
B-stick = c-stick set to 'specials', will cause you to do specials (b button attacks)
C-stick = c-stick set to 'smashes', will cause you to do specials (a button smashes) (this is the default layout for the c-stick)
Note: I'm marking B-Sticking and Pseudo-sticking as done since there's quite a bit there, but I think I've only breached the surface when it comes to this. Honestly, I think there's enough on B-sticking and pseudo-sticking to have it's own topic.
Note #2: There is a 1 in 100 chance you will trip any time you dash, this includes turning around after/during a dash. So any "Dash" or "Pivot" techniques mentioned here are all hindered by the fact that you might trip. Remember this when deciding to use any of these.
B-Sticking: (Requires b-stick)
How: Jump and hold forward on the control stick, hit backwards on c-stick set to b
Usefulness:
On the ground:
-While running, if you hold the opposite direction on the b-stick you will full hop RAR
-While running, if you tap the opposite direction on the b-stick you will short hop RAR
In the air:
-Force palm will push Lucario back a considerable distance compared to most other characters, aura sphere will push Lucario back about the same distance.
-Easy way to rush people who are on a platform above you (the flame of FP may cause them to trip too.
-B-sticking a charged aura sphere is a great mindgame. Makes them think you're charging at then, blast an AS in their face and the momentum from that will back you up, from there your in the perfect position to follow up.
-Can be used on the while on the edge (fall from the edge, jump, b-stick) to get back on. B-stick a charging aura sphere to do some damage and charge a sphere, while you recover.
-B-sticking is NOT an option for recovery. It doesn't have an effect unless you're the one who jumps, and you get more height and distance from just mid-air jumping back to the stage, b-sticking back puts you much lower and doesn't give as much vertical distance.
Psuedo-sticking:
How: jump > use a special > immediatly hit opposite direction as your jump momentum
This won't work if you hit forward, up or down, it takes practice to get the timing, and even more practice to do it consistently. B-sticking will keep you facing the same direction as it reverses momentum, pseudo-sticking will turn you around and change your momentum
A lot of this is for pseudo-sticking an aura sphere; I'm still working on getting the pseudo sticked force palm down consistently
Usefulness:
-Not useful as a recovery right after being hit
-It can turn an escape into an approach. Run away, pseudo-stick an aura sphere (you will now be flying towards and facing your opponent) and blast it in their face.
-From the edge, Pseudo-sticking an aura sphere would be a good recovery but I cant get him to land on the stage, he comes up short. It IS possible, and makes for a great recovery if they're trying to dtilt you on the edge but it'll take more practice to pull off reliably.
-A neat mindgame is to send someone flying off the side of a stage, run away from the edge, making them feel safe, then pseudo-stick an aura sphere so that you turn around and start flying towards them.
-RAR > pseudo-stick makes a B-stick
CrouchDash:
How: Walk one way, crawl and release in the other direction (works best when you tilt forward then roll the stick down and back)
Normally I'm not so quick to judge but after quite a while practicing this, I can get decent distance with Luigi and good distance when landing on an angled edge. I can even get shiek and squirtle's crouchdash a decent distance.
Lucario on the other hand gets negative distance from this. His crawldash gives an extremely poor slide; it's actually faster to just crawl away. Even on the angled edge which helps increase distance when you land with a crouchdash you might be able to get about the lenght of Lucario paw distance back .. In the end, not worth it. Just crawl away if you really need to, Lucario's friction is too high.
Usefulness:
-None
Teleport:
How: jump + upB at the same time
Usefulness:
Backwards Double Team (BDT):
How: DT or RDT so that the distance Lucario teleports would put him inside a wall.
When facing the wall and performing a DT or facing away from the wall and performing an RDT, one of 3 things will happen.
1. Lucario will successfully perform a typical RDT or DT, if this happens, you aren't close enough to the wall
2. Lucario will teleport half-inside the wall, if this happens, you still aren't close enough
3.Lucario will perform a backwards double team.
In a BDT Lucario will teleport in place, will re-appear already in his attack stance and facing the direction he normally would. Then he will fly backwards until he hit's the wall.
All of Lucario is a hitbox during this, from the time he teleports, the entire time he flies backwards, until he hits the wall. If performed in the air, it will cause Lucario to travel in an angle down towards the wall, but still facing backwards.
What I think happened in Jeepy Sol's video (here at 1:30) is that the angled edge of Lylat cruise and with possible aid of the stage tilting, it saw the floor as 'vertical enough' to be considered a wall or obstical, and so the BDT happened.
Personally I'd recommend doing it when possible, it will pull you away from any kind of counter attack they may try.
In using this, you must be near a wall, so it's very situational (no walls in tournament legal maps) but it does have it's perks. Besides making people go "wtf" at you, it can be used as a hit and run tactic. Hit the opponent, slide backwards, jump > walljump away. It can also be used for spacing, unless your opponent is Marth or Link or someone with ranged attacks who wasn't standing beside you when they hit, you've just set yourself in a good spot to fsmash
Usefulness:
-Travels shorter then a regular DT, ends quicker, less punish time.
-It keeps it's hitbox throughout the animation unlike a regular DT
-If the opponent is close enough, it'll hit first THEN back you away
-Many options out of this attack including fsmash (if the opponent wasn't knocked too far away), jump > walljump > escape .. ect
Wierd Pivot Slide:
How: Dash left > Pivot
As Kitamerby found here
Ignore what the original post says about how to perform it, it's a dash > pivot. Basically you still have the dash's momentum during and slightly after you've turned back around.
Usefulness:
-Lucario doesn't slide too far, can be a spacing technique
-A neat dodge I guess.
-Very good at destroying your control stick, just hearing it slam against the plastic so fast makes me cringe
Wierd Nair Slide:
How: Looking into it (trying things mentioned in replies to this thread)
I'll try to recreate this. It's the one where Jeepy came out sliding backwards in his pivot after a nair.
Usefulness:
Extreme Dodge:
How: How do you actually do this?
Usefulness:
Dash Pivot Cancel: (a-b-c-stick will each get different results)
How: Dash > Pivot > Attack in the opposite direction
For example: Dash towards the right, then dash towards the left, then attack towards the right. Takes practice to make perfect.
Using the ABC-stick is much harder to learn as you're prone to jumping or dash attacking if you time it wrong but once you get it right, it can be just as good as using the a or b button (though the A-stick may be easier for tilts)
**** tripping. I guarantee if you use this frequently in a match, you'll trip more then once.
Usefulness:
-Great for spacing attacks (keeping in mind that most aura attacks sweetspot at the tip)
-Creates a new approach style (since most people seem to be either dash attacking or sh > dair ing)
-dash pivot cancel > ftilt pointed down is a good way to hit someone holding into the edge since they wont expect it.
-Learning to tilt ftilt up or down can work wonders for this technique, but even if you don't, fsmash or ftilt can work well as an approach.
-If you want to utilt out of it as an approach, dash > pivot > attack, don't bother to turn around a second time. Since the utilt will hit behind Lucario first, it only makes sense to not change directions again
-It's extremely awkward to try to dtilt out of this, most of the time I still end up dash attacking.
-I personally don't like using Force Palm out of this, it eliminates the grab entierly because of the space. I guess it could be used to tip the FP flame to cause your opponent to trip but it's only what 30% chance to do that? I'd rather just fsmash.
Jump-Canceled Up-Smash (Requires c-stick)
How: Run > SH > immediatly Usmash
Useless because of the tactic below which does exactly the same thing but is quicker and easier.
Dash-Canceled Up-Smash (c-stick recommended but not needed)
How: Dash > immediatly Usmash
If done right, Lucario will slide one and a half Lucario's across the ground. I guess the best use for this is when the opponent is on a platform. Instead of running directly under, using the usmash, then waiting for the hitbox to come out, you can: run, slide (and while sliding, the first few startup-frames are eaten up), so that as soon as you're done sliding and you're directly under your opponent, the hitbox is already out. Since this can be pulled off relatively fast, you can use it as an offensive tactic too. You can literally slide into a slow opponent (quick opponents may get an attack out, but it's still possible to catch them off-guard) and because all of Lucario's body is a hitbox for the first few frames of the Usmash, the opponent will be sent up.
Now, if you are running, and you tap up on the c-stick, you will slide a bit too, but if you can time your Usmash to the very start of your dash, you'll slide a lot further which is important since Lucario has such high friction.
Usefulness:
-Takes less time lining up an opponent
-usmash startup-time is performed while still moving.
-Help's make this a useful attack when opponents are grounded. Can slide into them while usmashing (since Lucario's body is a hitbox in the startup of his usmash)
-Juggling someone who's DI-ing away while falling back down? Make it seem like you'll miss, then use this tactic and hit him again.
Edge Canceling:
How: Aim ES at the edge?
The one where you point Extreme speed to the edge of a stage and it skips the landing animation so you can attack instantly once you hit the ground
I basically just want to know how to do this consistently and possibly help others do it too.
Usefulness:
Edge-cling:
How: One way is to DT or RDT into an edge, that will cause a wall cling.
I figure I'll try to do it, it'll help us learn how to avoid it later.
Usefulness:
Galloping:
How: dash > dsmash > dash > dsmash ect...
Make sure to dsmash while still in the dash animation or running, not when you've come to a stop
Also, doing dash > grab > dash > grab Looks hilarious
Usefulness:
-Can make a deceptive approach
-Can mindgame into a stutter step, dash-grab, dash cancled up-smash
Grounded Dair:
How: SH > immediate dair
Basically you go from standing to immediatly dair'ing just barely above ground level. This was originally thought to make Lucario god tier because it could bring back SHFFL'ing to Brawl. We now know better but since then it was seen as completely useless to do.
Usefulness:
-Breaking stages: Sonic's floor, Shadow Moses walls, Luigi's Mansion's pillers, Great fox's gun in corneria ect
-It's still a good way to go from a run or a dash to a complete stop.
-If you find yourself in close quarters with an opponent and you're on the ground, this has enough knockback to send them away quickly.
-An amazing edgegaurd if your opponent has to grab the edge. Stand on the edge and do the grounded dair, it makes a nice semicircle of aura around the lower part of the edge so unless they have superarmor or a tether, they won't be grabbing the edge
Short Hop Air Dodge (SHAD):
How: Short hop then airdodge
I see this most often as just a jump, then realizing an attack is about to hit so the person air dodges, not so much as a technique.
Personally I think SHFFAD is much better. You can attack or do anything if your airdodge touches the ground before it finishes. If you don't FF it and your air dodge ends before hitting the ground, you get a bit of landing lag, making SHFFAD better.
Usefulness:
-Can be used to approach spammy characters
-Can be used to escape
Usefullness of SHFFAD:
-Can be used to approach spammy characters
-Can be used to escape
-Can be used to approach more then just spammy characters
-Can shield or better yet, double team directly out of it.
Dair Stall: (c-stick recommended but not required)
How: Fall through a platform then immediatly dair
You don't actually perform the dair, what you should see is Lucario crouch and dust goes flying
I believe it can be done on ALL fall-through platforms, but some have different windows of opportunity. I've been able to do it very easily on the platforms in the maps Jeepy mentioned (Lylat cruise, halberd ect) but other maps (Delfino plaza, battlefield ect) I've managed to do it but it was a lot harder to get the timing.
Lets say you're on top of a platform and someone is under you. It's very useful to know which levels you can't fall through platforms and immediatly dair easily, though personally I think SHDair is a better choice but some platforms are too high like Lylat cruise which is why you might try it there. (bad idea) But you can do it on all stages, it's just that some are much easier to do this then others.
No hitbox comes out when you do this, there is no attack value to this.
Usefulness:
-It's very useful to know which levels you cant fall through platforms and immediatly dair easily
-Looks cool, how many characters do you know crouch so hard dust flies up?
-Makes a good taunt?
Here's why my Wii was out of commission for a while, in case anyone was wondering.
Finished
In progress
Haven't started.
A-stick = c-stick set to 'attacks', will cause you to do tilts (a button tilts)
B-stick = c-stick set to 'specials', will cause you to do specials (b button attacks)
C-stick = c-stick set to 'smashes', will cause you to do specials (a button smashes) (this is the default layout for the c-stick)
Note: I'm marking B-Sticking and Pseudo-sticking as done since there's quite a bit there, but I think I've only breached the surface when it comes to this. Honestly, I think there's enough on B-sticking and pseudo-sticking to have it's own topic.
Note #2: There is a 1 in 100 chance you will trip any time you dash, this includes turning around after/during a dash. So any "Dash" or "Pivot" techniques mentioned here are all hindered by the fact that you might trip. Remember this when deciding to use any of these.
B-Sticking: (Requires b-stick)
How: Jump and hold forward on the control stick, hit backwards on c-stick set to b
Usefulness:
On the ground:
-While running, if you hold the opposite direction on the b-stick you will full hop RAR
-While running, if you tap the opposite direction on the b-stick you will short hop RAR
In the air:
-Force palm will push Lucario back a considerable distance compared to most other characters, aura sphere will push Lucario back about the same distance.
-Easy way to rush people who are on a platform above you (the flame of FP may cause them to trip too.
-B-sticking a charged aura sphere is a great mindgame. Makes them think you're charging at then, blast an AS in their face and the momentum from that will back you up, from there your in the perfect position to follow up.
-Can be used on the while on the edge (fall from the edge, jump, b-stick) to get back on. B-stick a charging aura sphere to do some damage and charge a sphere, while you recover.
-B-sticking is NOT an option for recovery. It doesn't have an effect unless you're the one who jumps, and you get more height and distance from just mid-air jumping back to the stage, b-sticking back puts you much lower and doesn't give as much vertical distance.
Psuedo-sticking:
How: jump > use a special > immediatly hit opposite direction as your jump momentum
This won't work if you hit forward, up or down, it takes practice to get the timing, and even more practice to do it consistently. B-sticking will keep you facing the same direction as it reverses momentum, pseudo-sticking will turn you around and change your momentum
A lot of this is for pseudo-sticking an aura sphere; I'm still working on getting the pseudo sticked force palm down consistently
Usefulness:
-Not useful as a recovery right after being hit
-It can turn an escape into an approach. Run away, pseudo-stick an aura sphere (you will now be flying towards and facing your opponent) and blast it in their face.
-From the edge, Pseudo-sticking an aura sphere would be a good recovery but I cant get him to land on the stage, he comes up short. It IS possible, and makes for a great recovery if they're trying to dtilt you on the edge but it'll take more practice to pull off reliably.
-A neat mindgame is to send someone flying off the side of a stage, run away from the edge, making them feel safe, then pseudo-stick an aura sphere so that you turn around and start flying towards them.
-RAR > pseudo-stick makes a B-stick
CrouchDash:
How: Walk one way, crawl and release in the other direction (works best when you tilt forward then roll the stick down and back)
Normally I'm not so quick to judge but after quite a while practicing this, I can get decent distance with Luigi and good distance when landing on an angled edge. I can even get shiek and squirtle's crouchdash a decent distance.
Lucario on the other hand gets negative distance from this. His crawldash gives an extremely poor slide; it's actually faster to just crawl away. Even on the angled edge which helps increase distance when you land with a crouchdash you might be able to get about the lenght of Lucario paw distance back .. In the end, not worth it. Just crawl away if you really need to, Lucario's friction is too high.
Usefulness:
-None
Teleport:
How: jump + upB at the same time
Usefulness:
Backwards Double Team (BDT):
How: DT or RDT so that the distance Lucario teleports would put him inside a wall.
When facing the wall and performing a DT or facing away from the wall and performing an RDT, one of 3 things will happen.
1. Lucario will successfully perform a typical RDT or DT, if this happens, you aren't close enough to the wall
2. Lucario will teleport half-inside the wall, if this happens, you still aren't close enough
3.Lucario will perform a backwards double team.
In a BDT Lucario will teleport in place, will re-appear already in his attack stance and facing the direction he normally would. Then he will fly backwards until he hit's the wall.
All of Lucario is a hitbox during this, from the time he teleports, the entire time he flies backwards, until he hits the wall. If performed in the air, it will cause Lucario to travel in an angle down towards the wall, but still facing backwards.
What I think happened in Jeepy Sol's video (here at 1:30) is that the angled edge of Lylat cruise and with possible aid of the stage tilting, it saw the floor as 'vertical enough' to be considered a wall or obstical, and so the BDT happened.
Personally I'd recommend doing it when possible, it will pull you away from any kind of counter attack they may try.
In using this, you must be near a wall, so it's very situational (no walls in tournament legal maps) but it does have it's perks. Besides making people go "wtf" at you, it can be used as a hit and run tactic. Hit the opponent, slide backwards, jump > walljump away. It can also be used for spacing, unless your opponent is Marth or Link or someone with ranged attacks who wasn't standing beside you when they hit, you've just set yourself in a good spot to fsmash
Usefulness:
-Travels shorter then a regular DT, ends quicker, less punish time.
-It keeps it's hitbox throughout the animation unlike a regular DT
-If the opponent is close enough, it'll hit first THEN back you away
-Many options out of this attack including fsmash (if the opponent wasn't knocked too far away), jump > walljump > escape .. ect
Wierd Pivot Slide:
How: Dash left > Pivot
As Kitamerby found here
Ignore what the original post says about how to perform it, it's a dash > pivot. Basically you still have the dash's momentum during and slightly after you've turned back around.
Usefulness:
-Lucario doesn't slide too far, can be a spacing technique
-A neat dodge I guess.
-Very good at destroying your control stick, just hearing it slam against the plastic so fast makes me cringe
Wierd Nair Slide:
How: Looking into it (trying things mentioned in replies to this thread)
I'll try to recreate this. It's the one where Jeepy came out sliding backwards in his pivot after a nair.
Usefulness:
Extreme Dodge:
How: How do you actually do this?
Usefulness:
Dash Pivot Cancel: (a-b-c-stick will each get different results)
How: Dash > Pivot > Attack in the opposite direction
For example: Dash towards the right, then dash towards the left, then attack towards the right. Takes practice to make perfect.
Using the ABC-stick is much harder to learn as you're prone to jumping or dash attacking if you time it wrong but once you get it right, it can be just as good as using the a or b button (though the A-stick may be easier for tilts)
**** tripping. I guarantee if you use this frequently in a match, you'll trip more then once.
Usefulness:
-Great for spacing attacks (keeping in mind that most aura attacks sweetspot at the tip)
-Creates a new approach style (since most people seem to be either dash attacking or sh > dair ing)
-dash pivot cancel > ftilt pointed down is a good way to hit someone holding into the edge since they wont expect it.
-Learning to tilt ftilt up or down can work wonders for this technique, but even if you don't, fsmash or ftilt can work well as an approach.
-If you want to utilt out of it as an approach, dash > pivot > attack, don't bother to turn around a second time. Since the utilt will hit behind Lucario first, it only makes sense to not change directions again
-It's extremely awkward to try to dtilt out of this, most of the time I still end up dash attacking.
-I personally don't like using Force Palm out of this, it eliminates the grab entierly because of the space. I guess it could be used to tip the FP flame to cause your opponent to trip but it's only what 30% chance to do that? I'd rather just fsmash.
How: Run > SH > immediatly Usmash
Useless because of the tactic below which does exactly the same thing but is quicker and easier.
Dash-Canceled Up-Smash (c-stick recommended but not needed)
How: Dash > immediatly Usmash
If done right, Lucario will slide one and a half Lucario's across the ground. I guess the best use for this is when the opponent is on a platform. Instead of running directly under, using the usmash, then waiting for the hitbox to come out, you can: run, slide (and while sliding, the first few startup-frames are eaten up), so that as soon as you're done sliding and you're directly under your opponent, the hitbox is already out. Since this can be pulled off relatively fast, you can use it as an offensive tactic too. You can literally slide into a slow opponent (quick opponents may get an attack out, but it's still possible to catch them off-guard) and because all of Lucario's body is a hitbox for the first few frames of the Usmash, the opponent will be sent up.
Now, if you are running, and you tap up on the c-stick, you will slide a bit too, but if you can time your Usmash to the very start of your dash, you'll slide a lot further which is important since Lucario has such high friction.
Usefulness:
-Takes less time lining up an opponent
-usmash startup-time is performed while still moving.
-Help's make this a useful attack when opponents are grounded. Can slide into them while usmashing (since Lucario's body is a hitbox in the startup of his usmash)
-Juggling someone who's DI-ing away while falling back down? Make it seem like you'll miss, then use this tactic and hit him again.
Edge Canceling:
How: Aim ES at the edge?
The one where you point Extreme speed to the edge of a stage and it skips the landing animation so you can attack instantly once you hit the ground
I basically just want to know how to do this consistently and possibly help others do it too.
Usefulness:
Edge-cling:
How: One way is to DT or RDT into an edge, that will cause a wall cling.
I figure I'll try to do it, it'll help us learn how to avoid it later.
Usefulness:
Galloping:
How: dash > dsmash > dash > dsmash ect...
Make sure to dsmash while still in the dash animation or running, not when you've come to a stop
Also, doing dash > grab > dash > grab Looks hilarious
Usefulness:
-Can make a deceptive approach
-Can mindgame into a stutter step, dash-grab, dash cancled up-smash
Grounded Dair:
How: SH > immediate dair
Basically you go from standing to immediatly dair'ing just barely above ground level. This was originally thought to make Lucario god tier because it could bring back SHFFL'ing to Brawl. We now know better but since then it was seen as completely useless to do.
Usefulness:
-Breaking stages: Sonic's floor, Shadow Moses walls, Luigi's Mansion's pillers, Great fox's gun in corneria ect
-It's still a good way to go from a run or a dash to a complete stop.
-If you find yourself in close quarters with an opponent and you're on the ground, this has enough knockback to send them away quickly.
-An amazing edgegaurd if your opponent has to grab the edge. Stand on the edge and do the grounded dair, it makes a nice semicircle of aura around the lower part of the edge so unless they have superarmor or a tether, they won't be grabbing the edge
Short Hop Air Dodge (SHAD):
How: Short hop then airdodge
I see this most often as just a jump, then realizing an attack is about to hit so the person air dodges, not so much as a technique.
Personally I think SHFFAD is much better. You can attack or do anything if your airdodge touches the ground before it finishes. If you don't FF it and your air dodge ends before hitting the ground, you get a bit of landing lag, making SHFFAD better.
Usefulness:
-Can be used to approach spammy characters
-Can be used to escape
Usefullness of SHFFAD:
-Can be used to approach spammy characters
-Can be used to escape
-Can be used to approach more then just spammy characters
-Can shield or better yet, double team directly out of it.
Dair Stall: (c-stick recommended but not required)
How: Fall through a platform then immediatly dair
You don't actually perform the dair, what you should see is Lucario crouch and dust goes flying
I believe it can be done on ALL fall-through platforms, but some have different windows of opportunity. I've been able to do it very easily on the platforms in the maps Jeepy mentioned (Lylat cruise, halberd ect) but other maps (Delfino plaza, battlefield ect) I've managed to do it but it was a lot harder to get the timing.
Lets say you're on top of a platform and someone is under you. It's very useful to know which levels you can't fall through platforms and immediatly dair easily, though personally I think SHDair is a better choice but some platforms are too high like Lylat cruise which is why you might try it there. (bad idea) But you can do it on all stages, it's just that some are much easier to do this then others.
No hitbox comes out when you do this, there is no attack value to this.
Usefulness:
-It's very useful to know which levels you cant fall through platforms and immediatly dair easily
-Looks cool, how many characters do you know crouch so hard dust flies up?
-Makes a good taunt?