Dire Creeper
Smash Apprentice
As many of you readers may already know, Luigi's fireballs in Smash 4 were greatly buffed, gaining better range, travel speed and being able to act out of the animation earlier. All this led me to discover what I call the Luigi Fireball Lock. before I explain what it is, take a look at these GIFs:
Note: This is a follow-up for a non-teched ending of Luigi's chain grab.
Take note of how far away Luigi can be for it to still be performed.
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As you can see, the Luigi Fireball Lock enables Luigi to lock the opponent with 1 to 3 fireballs as a punish for not teching and even land an easy up special as a finisher (if they're at high enough percentage), kind of like Falco's laser lock in Brawl, but allows a finishing move afterward. While this may sound extremely useful, it completely depends on the opponent missing a tech or not even teching. It's also pretty situational since many players who are falling to the ground would most likely choose to tech or air dodge onto the ground rather than falling. That being said, the best thing to do for setting this up is a chain grab (when they slam on the ground after down air).
Note: The less fireballs you use, the safer, but less damage from fireballs. The more fireballs you use, the most risky, but extra damage from extra fireball(s).
To summarize things, here's how to perform it naturally:
1. Wait for opponent to fall (or almost fall) on the ground.
2. Throw out fireballs at the fastest rate possible. If they don't tech, they'll get locked. If they tech, you should be safe even after one fireball. If they air dodge, you'll land a free fireball. To react properly, watch the opponent as you shoot the first fireball so you don't accidentally shoot an unintended fireball and possibly get punished.
3. IMMEDIATELY after your last intended fireball, go in for the finisher (up special being the best and most reliable). If you're close enough, you'll have enough time to run up and land it.
Note: If you feel you're just too far away, try using an initial dash and start your fireballs out of that. You can see Luigi do this before he locks Bowser above.
To use it as a follow-up for the chain grab (see lock against Fox above for a visual example):
1. Down throw to down air at high enough percentage so they will slam if they don't tech.
2. Begin fireball(s) AS SOON as you land.
3. Finish appropriately (up special is most reliable).
Final Note: You don't have to finish with an up special. You can try predicting their next move off the ground with an attack or even a re-grab.
If you enjoy my findings, please experiment more with this as much as your Luigi-loving hearts want.
Note: This is a follow-up for a non-teched ending of Luigi's chain grab.
Take note of how far away Luigi can be for it to still be performed.
--------------------------------
As you can see, the Luigi Fireball Lock enables Luigi to lock the opponent with 1 to 3 fireballs as a punish for not teching and even land an easy up special as a finisher (if they're at high enough percentage), kind of like Falco's laser lock in Brawl, but allows a finishing move afterward. While this may sound extremely useful, it completely depends on the opponent missing a tech or not even teching. It's also pretty situational since many players who are falling to the ground would most likely choose to tech or air dodge onto the ground rather than falling. That being said, the best thing to do for setting this up is a chain grab (when they slam on the ground after down air).
Note: The less fireballs you use, the safer, but less damage from fireballs. The more fireballs you use, the most risky, but extra damage from extra fireball(s).
To summarize things, here's how to perform it naturally:
1. Wait for opponent to fall (or almost fall) on the ground.
2. Throw out fireballs at the fastest rate possible. If they don't tech, they'll get locked. If they tech, you should be safe even after one fireball. If they air dodge, you'll land a free fireball. To react properly, watch the opponent as you shoot the first fireball so you don't accidentally shoot an unintended fireball and possibly get punished.
3. IMMEDIATELY after your last intended fireball, go in for the finisher (up special being the best and most reliable). If you're close enough, you'll have enough time to run up and land it.
Note: If you feel you're just too far away, try using an initial dash and start your fireballs out of that. You can see Luigi do this before he locks Bowser above.
To use it as a follow-up for the chain grab (see lock against Fox above for a visual example):
1. Down throw to down air at high enough percentage so they will slam if they don't tech.
2. Begin fireball(s) AS SOON as you land.
3. Finish appropriately (up special is most reliable).
Final Note: You don't have to finish with an up special. You can try predicting their next move off the ground with an attack or even a re-grab.
If you enjoy my findings, please experiment more with this as much as your Luigi-loving hearts want.
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