dettadeus
Smash Lord
Some of this is grabbed from the Brawl Pokemon Trainer guide, the rest is P:M specific or otherwise not directly grabbed from the Brawl guide.
Dash Pivot Stuff (ShellShifting etc)
Shellshift
Shellstalling
Shellslinging
Hydroplane Techniques
Hydroplane u-smash
Hydroplane d-smash
Hydroplane f-smash
Forward Hydroplane u-smash
Hydrojab
Hydrotilt
Itemplane
Hydrotoss
Hydrograb
Jump-Cancelled Hydrograb
Note: Due to the lack of buffering in P:M, the True Hydroplane technically cannot be performed. However, there is a similar technique (the HydroPivot) explained below which achieves essentially the same effect.
True Hydroplane
HydroPivot
Video version - Everything but Itemplane, Hydrotoss, and HydroGrab
Feel free to suggest stuff to add (and also a good name for the SlingDashing thing?)
Dash Pivot Stuff (ShellShifting etc)
Shellshift
Description- Squirtle goes into his shell out of a dash as he pivots in the opposite direction.
How to perform- Hit back on the analog stick while you're dashing. This is Squirtle's regular dash pivot, but how quickly and how smoothly he turns is so special that it gets its own name, and allows for many of the following ATs. Shellshifting is simply a way of changing your direction of motion very quickly. Dart in and out of your opponent's range and try to bait attacks or read patterns that can be exploited later on. Note that you can dash in the original direction again if you change directions while still in the pivot animation, or you can wait for the pivot animation to finish and pivot again to change directions. Mix it up, and use Squirtle's great manouverability to your advantage.
Project: M Addition: Shellshifting has a 3% hitbox right as he turns around.
How to perform- Hit back on the analog stick while you're dashing. This is Squirtle's regular dash pivot, but how quickly and how smoothly he turns is so special that it gets its own name, and allows for many of the following ATs. Shellshifting is simply a way of changing your direction of motion very quickly. Dart in and out of your opponent's range and try to bait attacks or read patterns that can be exploited later on. Note that you can dash in the original direction again if you change directions while still in the pivot animation, or you can wait for the pivot animation to finish and pivot again to change directions. Mix it up, and use Squirtle's great manouverability to your advantage.
Project: M Addition: Shellshifting has a 3% hitbox right as he turns around.
Shellstalling
Description- Squirtle enters his shell as he does in his shellshift, but stays in it and doesn't move at all for about half a second.
How to perform- Do a pivot but let the analog stick return to neutral as quickly as possible.
Alternate method: While holding an Attack input and running, flick the C-Stick in the direction opposite to that which you are running in and continue to hold the control stick in the original direction. This causes a very long stall. (during any point of a Shellstall, you can move the control stick into the direction you would have ShellShifted in and you will begin moving as if you had performed a normal ShellShift)
How to perform- Do a pivot but let the analog stick return to neutral as quickly as possible.
Alternate method: While holding an Attack input and running, flick the C-Stick in the direction opposite to that which you are running in and continue to hold the control stick in the original direction. This causes a very long stall. (during any point of a Shellstall, you can move the control stick into the direction you would have ShellShifted in and you will begin moving as if you had performed a normal ShellShift)
Shellslinging
Description- Squirtle is dashing forwards, then quickly jumps forward while turning around, getting a sort of "sling" to his jump.
How to perform- Dash forwards, then input a pivot and jump and the same time. You shouldn't see Squirtle turn around at all, but when he jumps he'll be facing backwards.
Project: M Addition: ShellDash/SlingDash/Some other cool name for it? : Wavedash in the direction you were running right out of a ShellShift. This gives you a really long wavedash because you have a lot of pre-existing momentum.
How to perform- Dash forwards, then input a pivot and jump and the same time. You shouldn't see Squirtle turn around at all, but when he jumps he'll be facing backwards.
Project: M Addition: ShellDash/SlingDash/Some other cool name for it? : Wavedash in the direction you were running right out of a ShellShift. This gives you a really long wavedash because you have a lot of pre-existing momentum.
Hydroplane Techniques
Hydroplane u-smash
Description- As Squirtle comes out of his pivot, he slides a big distance while unleashing a u-smash. The u-smash can be charged or uncharged.
How to perform- Do a shellshift, and when you're heading in the opposite direction (but still in the pivot animation), input Up+A at the same time. Hold A if you want to charge it. If you turn Tap Jump off, you'll need to hit Up+Jump(X/Y)+A. How much you slide depends on the timing of your Up+A - maximum distance should be about 2/3 of Final Destination. This applies to all hydroplane techniques - timing is important.
How to perform- Do a shellshift, and when you're heading in the opposite direction (but still in the pivot animation), input Up+A at the same time. Hold A if you want to charge it. If you turn Tap Jump off, you'll need to hit Up+Jump(X/Y)+A. How much you slide depends on the timing of your Up+A - maximum distance should be about 2/3 of Final Destination. This applies to all hydroplane techniques - timing is important.
Hydroplane d-smash
Description- As Squirtle comes out of his pivot, he slides a big distance while unleashing a d-smash. The d-smash can be charged or uncharged.
How to perform- Do a shellshift, and when you're heading in the opposite direction, hit the c-stick at a 45 degree angle between the down position and the position opposite from where you're facing. If you want to charge the d-smash, press Z as you c-stick and hold it. This can travel nearly the entire length of FD if timed perfectly (and charged).
How to perform- Do a shellshift, and when you're heading in the opposite direction, hit the c-stick at a 45 degree angle between the down position and the position opposite from where you're facing. If you want to charge the d-smash, press Z as you c-stick and hold it. This can travel nearly the entire length of FD if timed perfectly (and charged).
Hydroplane f-smash
Description- As Squirtle comes out of his pivot, he slides a big distance while charging an f-smash, eventually releasing it.
How to perform- Do a shellshift, and when you're heading in the opposite direction, hit the c-stick away from where you're facing and hold Z (or any Attack input). You should be charging an f-smash aimed backwards. Note that the f-smash must be charged because it stops any sliding momentum you have when you release it. Aiming the f-smash forward (in the direction of your slide) is also possible. You need to input an extra direction - just before you c-stick you'll want to hit backwards one more time, then c-stick in the forward direction. The time between the backwards on the analog stick and the forwards on the c-stick should be so small that Squirtle doesn't actually turn around a second time. So to smash forwards, you need to shellshift, then hit backwards on the analog stick, forwards on the c-stick and Z, basically all at the same time. This can reach about 3/4 the length of FD when fully charged and timed perfectly.
How to perform- Do a shellshift, and when you're heading in the opposite direction, hit the c-stick away from where you're facing and hold Z (or any Attack input). You should be charging an f-smash aimed backwards. Note that the f-smash must be charged because it stops any sliding momentum you have when you release it. Aiming the f-smash forward (in the direction of your slide) is also possible. You need to input an extra direction - just before you c-stick you'll want to hit backwards one more time, then c-stick in the forward direction. The time between the backwards on the analog stick and the forwards on the c-stick should be so small that Squirtle doesn't actually turn around a second time. So to smash forwards, you need to shellshift, then hit backwards on the analog stick, forwards on the c-stick and Z, basically all at the same time. This can reach about 3/4 the length of FD when fully charged and timed perfectly.
Forward Hydroplane u-smash
Description- Squirtle quickly propels himself forward out of a dash and unleashes a u-smash. He propels himself in the direction he was dashing.
How to perform- While dashing forward, quickly input backwards on the analog stick followed by Up+A. This should be done as quickly as possible for the maximum slide distance. What you're doing is you're shellshifting, cancelling your shellshift with a jump, then cancelling your jump with a u-smash. If you're having trouble with your inputs, think of it as a quarter circle. If you're dashing to the right, you need to do a quarter circle from left to up and hit A. Alternatively, you could hit diagonally up-back on the analog stick while pressing Y+A at the same time. This will register the pivot with your analog stick still in a position to u-smash, while jumping with Y. This is how you'll need to do it if you turn Tap Jump Off.
How to perform- While dashing forward, quickly input backwards on the analog stick followed by Up+A. This should be done as quickly as possible for the maximum slide distance. What you're doing is you're shellshifting, cancelling your shellshift with a jump, then cancelling your jump with a u-smash. If you're having trouble with your inputs, think of it as a quarter circle. If you're dashing to the right, you need to do a quarter circle from left to up and hit A. Alternatively, you could hit diagonally up-back on the analog stick while pressing Y+A at the same time. This will register the pivot with your analog stick still in a position to u-smash, while jumping with Y. This is how you'll need to do it if you turn Tap Jump Off.
Hydrojab
Description- As Squirtle comes out of his pivot, he does his jab while still getting the same slide as the hydroplanes.
How to perform- Perform a shellshift, but instead of hitting straight backwards to pivot, hit diagonally backwards-down. Once you're heading the other direction, with the analog stick still held diagonally, hit diagonally backwards-down on the c-stick. To be clear, your analog stick and c-stick should both be pointing diagonally side-down, one on each side, separated by 90 degrees. This can also be done with the analog stick diagonally-up, so your analog and c-stick would form a 180 degree angle instead.
How to perform- Perform a shellshift, but instead of hitting straight backwards to pivot, hit diagonally backwards-down. Once you're heading the other direction, with the analog stick still held diagonally, hit diagonally backwards-down on the c-stick. To be clear, your analog stick and c-stick should both be pointing diagonally side-down, one on each side, separated by 90 degrees. This can also be done with the analog stick diagonally-up, so your analog and c-stick would form a 180 degree angle instead.
Hydrotilt
Description- As Squirtle comes out of his pivot, he does his Forward Tilt while getting a slightly shorter slide than other Hydroplanes (but the momentum is constant; he doesn't slow down until the end of the animation)
How to perform- Perform a shellshift, and right before you exit your shell, gently tilt the control stick backwards and press A. This will cause you to slide backwards while performing a Forward Tilt. His other tilts do not get a noticeable slide from this method.
How to perform- Perform a shellshift, and right before you exit your shell, gently tilt the control stick backwards and press A. This will cause you to slide backwards while performing a Forward Tilt. His other tilts do not get a noticeable slide from this method.
Itemplane
Description- Squirtle can perform the hydroplane f-smash while holding an item too. This is most useful in the Diddy Kong matchup, where you can keep holding the bananas while hydroplaning.
How to perform- Same inputs as the hydroplane f-smash.
How to perform- Same inputs as the hydroplane f-smash.
Hydrotoss
Description- Squirtle will slide the distance of a hydroplane while tossing a held item up or down. Again this is most useful in the Diddy Kong matchup, as it can be used with bananas.
How to perform- Follow the same inputs as a hydroplane u-smash to hydrotoss up, or a hydroplane d-smash to toss down.
How to perform- Follow the same inputs as a hydroplane u-smash to hydrotoss up, or a hydroplane d-smash to toss down.
Hydrograb
Description- Out of a pivot, Squirtle lunges forward while doing a grab. If the grab lands, he'll slide with his opponent a decent distance. If you reach the edge and they break out when you still have momentum, you'll both fall off, which can lead to a footstool gimp.
How to perform- Do a shellshift, then hit R and c-stick away from the direction you're facing.
How to perform- Do a shellshift, then hit R and c-stick away from the direction you're facing.
Jump-Cancelled Hydrograb
Description- Out of a ShellShift, Squirtle performs a JC Grab and slides a massive distance. If you run into an edge you will likely slide off and momentum is generally preserved even when you perform a throw.
How to perform- Do a ShellShift, then perform a JC Grab (X/Y + Z).
How to perform- Do a ShellShift, then perform a JC Grab (X/Y + Z).
Note: Due to the lack of buffering in P:M, the True Hydroplane technically cannot be performed. However, there is a similar technique (the HydroPivot) explained below which achieves essentially the same effect.
True Hydroplane
Description- As Squirtle comes out of his pivot, he stands up and slides the length of a hydroplane. He is in his standing animation while he slides, so he can do any move.
How to perform- Perform a shellshift, and just before you come out of your pivot, buffer a pivot by hitting back on the analog stick one more time. Timing is the important factor here - if you input the last direction too quickly you won't get much of a slide, and if you input it too late you'll simply initiate a dash backwards.
How to perform- Perform a shellshift, and just before you come out of your pivot, buffer a pivot by hitting back on the analog stick one more time. Timing is the important factor here - if you input the last direction too quickly you won't get much of a slide, and if you input it too late you'll simply initiate a dash backwards.
HydroPivot
Description- As Squirtle comes out of a ShellShift, he performs a short standing pivot animation while retaining full momentum from the SS. It's possible to travel the entire length of FD with this if timed absolutely perfectly.
How to perform- While holding an Attack input (A or another button set to Attack), perform a ShellShift, and towards the very end (possibly right as Squirtle comes out of his shell), flick the C-Stick diagonally up and backward to the direction you face after the SS.
How to perform- While holding an Attack input (A or another button set to Attack), perform a ShellShift, and towards the very end (possibly right as Squirtle comes out of his shell), flick the C-Stick diagonally up and backward to the direction you face after the SS.
Video version - Everything but Itemplane, Hydrotoss, and HydroGrab
Feel free to suggest stuff to add (and also a good name for the SlingDashing thing?)