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Guide Super Fighting Robot! - Mega Man Base Moveset Guide

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鉄腕
Super Moderator
BRoomer
Joined
Jan 27, 2008
Messages
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3DS FC
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Switch FC
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This guide has been made by the Mega Man/Smash Community for those seeking help in learning the basics of how to play as the Blue Bomber. As such, please give the following people who helped put this together a round of applause:

@ --- --- @BBC7 @ChopperDave @fromundaman @Indigo Jeans @ Locke 06 Locke 06 @ Opana Opana @ SSGuy SSGuy @ Yink Yink @ Z1GMA Z1GMA

This guide will hopefully be updated over time as the meta game evolves. Given this is a community guide, if you interested in writing/re-writing a section feel free to let us know and you could be added to the list of awesome users above.



Table of Contents:

Ix - Acknowledgements
I - Background Info & Character Description
II - Mega Man's Pros & Cons
III - Main Moveset Analysis
IV - Special/Custom Moveset Analysis
V - General Advanced Techniques (courtesy of @ Opana Opana )
VI - Helpful Links and Other Useful Guides
VII - Guts Man's ***


I - Background Info:

Capcom's Super Fighting Robot has finally joined the battle after many years of anticipation. Also known as the Blue Bomber, Mega Man (Rock Man in Japan) debuted in 1987 for the Famicom/NES and has since then spawned a vast franchise that is well recognized on Nintendo systems.
Following the Classic series, who's incarnation of Mega Man appears in Smash, created in the Year 200X, the scientist: Dr. Light created the helper robot: Rock. But when rival scientist, Dr. Wily steals several of Dr. Light's other robots (known as Robot Masters), Rock has himself upgraded to become: Mega Man, in order to stop his robot brethren and stop Dr. Wily from taking over the world. Using his iconic Mega Buster and Copy Ability, which allows him to use weapons of defeated Robot Masters, Mega Man fights for everlasting peace!

Character Description:

True to his games, Mega Man is all about jumping and shooting, hence, the majority of his moveset is centered around projectiles rather than punches and kicks. As a result, Mega Man does not play like any other character thus far in the Smash series, and may come off as somewhat niche in terms of playstyle.

Mega Man excels at mid-range gamplay and spacing, being able to move in and out of mid/close range attacks with ease (in particular in the air). The Mega Buster has a lot of priority and minor hitstun, allowing him to approach other projectile centered characters and disrupt close range characters with ease. Specials such as the Metal Blade and Crash Bomber help provide additional pressure, zoning, and mind-game opportunities.

For what few close range attacks he has they each allow for good follow ups and racking up damage after grabbing an opponent. Additionally, Mega Man is very good at edge guarding and gimping, pursuing opponents with the Slash Claw or attacking at a distance with a Charge Shot or Meteor Smash (Hard Knuckle). Unlike other characters, Mega Man's Down Specials can also let him keep an active hitbox while shielding/dodging,
However, most of Mega Man's killing attacks are situational or are easily punished. Combos do not exist with this character and juggling is almost non-existent in the standard sense. Being a fast faller and having an above average weight leaves Mega Man easily combo'd at lower percents.

Characters who have reflectors or have chargeable projectile attacks, while not outright counter-picks, also force Mega Man to play much more defensively. Mega Man is very much a character who requires the ability to make good reads and know the limits of each of Mega Man's moves.





II:

Pros:
  • Heavier than average (102 weight)
  • Great Recovery Options that can be acted out of, nor use up his 2nd jump
  • Can Wall Jump
  • Above average air speed
  • Very good at edge guarding/gimping/foot-stooling
  • Excels at Mid-Range Spacing/Pressuring/Gameplay and Edge Guarding
  • Custom Specials are more diverse compared to most characters and can help cover certain match-ups
  • D-Specials allow for an active hitbox while defending/grabbing
Cons:
  • Nearly every kill move is either situational or are easily punished
  • Ability to rack up damage is lower than average
  • Suffers from lack of conventional standard attacks, forcing the need for good reads (often off of pellets)
  • Reflectors can give him a harder time than most of the cast
  • Technically a Fast Faller, leaves him vulnerable to certain combos (like Up-Tilts from Mario/Sheik)
III - Main Moveset Analysis:

**Hitbox and Frame Data** ~ @Indigo Jeans



Jab/Forward Tilt/Neutral Air: Mega Buster (aka Lemons)
Damage: 2%, 3% (Sweet Spot), 4% (N-Air Sweet Spot)
Kill%: ~240% (N-Air Sweet Spot)


Mega Man’s Mega Buster is by far the most interesting and at times incredibly in-depth tool that he has in his move set. Instead of being a jab, it is also his N-Air (Neutral Air) and his F-Tilt (Forward Tilt). By first impression, you could say that he is a more controlled Falco with his lasers from previous games. However, Mega Man’s Mega Buster is much more versatile than either iteration of Falco’s neutral B. While Melee Falco’s laser was a vital part in approaching and Brawl’s being a pivotal way to keep enemies away, Mega Man is able to play both offensively and defensively with his buster and this allows him more opportunity to fully take advantage of his preferred range.
You would think that these three moves are all the same, but they are quite different and often are a big deal in regards to the scenario that you are in.

The full duration of F-Tilt can keep opponents at a full Jab Lock while approaching. This allows him to follow up with a Jab Lock more efficiently than others as well and can lead into huge punishes and even kills with U-Tilt and D-Smash.

The strongest part of his Buster will be the actual tip of the cannon (Sweet Spot). This will be the only part where Bowser will receive stun of any kind. While mini hit stun will be dealt with each pellet fired, he will provide stun similar to a normal jab at the tip of the Mega Buster. Applying this with N-Air will provide you with actual knock back that can reach as far as his back leg. This makes retreating N-Air a really strong option when looking to retreat or play it safe in the neutral game. This move can also gimp really well but considering how much you have to commit yourself, but it is not as practical as F-Air (Forward Air) or B-Air (Back Air).
Just like every move Mega Man has, he has to commit a lot when using Jab or even F-Air. This allows characters like Diddy, Sheik, Pikachu and Fox to kite really efficiently and punish accordingly. However, this is where the uniqueness of his Jab comes into play. Being slippery and even short hop retreating can really keep those pesky characters at bay. Zucco has released an excellent video demonstrating how to "short hop pellet" efficient.
~ @ SSGuy SSGuy

For further basics, look at @ Opana Opana 's Advanced Technique Section



Up-Tilt: Mega Upper (Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, Marvel Vs. Capcom)
Damage: 17% (Sweet Spot), 12% (Mid Animation), 8% (Ending Animation/Peak of Jump)
Kill %: 89% (Sweet Spot), ~165%,


SHORYUKEN!! Possibly the most satisfying kill move in the entire game, Street Fighter's Shoryuken is a staple within Capcom games, having made it into Mega Man's moveset in various arcade titles and now Smash Bros.

While it can serve as a somewhat effective anti-air attack, this move is at it's best when used on the ground during it's initial sweet spot, which makes a HUGE difference in terms of kill percents if missed. This sweet spot only works on the ground with the opponent being about less than a half character away. As such it can be difficult to pull off, however, this move can be stringed into through an angled Metal Blade or through a Mega Buster chain when the opponent is in a fallen position on the ground. Most importantly though, this move can be acted out of shield, allowing for powerful punishes.

This move does provide invincibility frames (around 5-8), causes Mega Man to leap into the air and half character forward, and is not interruptible until after the peek of the jump. However, after that, it leaves Mega Man heavily vulnerable, making it all the more important to land the sweet spot.

If you are able to land on a low platform somehow (such as on the tip of the platform on Yoshi's Island Brawl) this does cancel out the majority of the ending lag. Additionally, because it carries Mega Man slightly forward, when done on an edge Mega Man will automatically do a ledge grab, allowing for some potential pressuring situations.




Down Tilt: Slide (Mega Man 3)
Damage: 5%, 8% (Sweet Spot)
Kill%: ~228%


Both used as a dodging/mobility option, the recently missing slide (MM9/10) serves as Mega Man's D-Tilt and a Pseudo-Crawl, lowering his hitbox and moving him about 2 characters forward.
Hitting an opponent with this move at the start of the animation deals more damage and knocks the opponent in a 60 degree angle, while the mid-end of the move knocks them in a 45 degree angle.

Like Top Spin, this move is not safe on shield and is easily punished, and follow ups (ex. Flame Sword/Metal Blade) are based on punishing an opponent's landing. Since this move does pop opponents up higher than Top Spin, an opponent may use up their second jump, for some potential gimps.

While this move does lower Mega Man's hitbox somewhat, most projectiles can still hit him compared to just crouching. Thus this move does not serve as a viable approach option.



Side Smash: Charge Shot (Mega Man 4/5)
Damage: 12-13% (Uncharged), 15-18% (Partially Charged), 19-20% (Fully Charged)
Kill %: ~145% (Uncharged), ~100% (Partially Charged), ~80% (Fully Charged)
Minimum Range ~2 characters Max Range ~Half of Final Destination


Technically based off the Super Mega Buster that first appeared in MM5 onward, the Charge Shot acts as one of the few projectile smash attacks in the series. As one charges it increases in size, range, and power, and all forms of it ignore other projectiles. This move is both risky and rewarding and is often dependent on specific match ups.

As it is a projectile, it can be both reflected and or power shielded, meaning you'll have to use this conservatively or be left open for punishment. Against characters with reflectors it's highly advised not to attempt in most situations. However, against characters who have either poor range, recovery, mobility, this is one of Mega Man's better killing moves, especially when edge guarding (though it may not be the best option mind you).
That said, this move is great to throw out as an opponent is landing, such as potentially after a F-Throw or Z-Dropped Metal Blade, or when an attack if whiffed. Additionally, if an opponent foolishly chooses to shield a Crash Bomber, throw this out immediately for an easy punish/major shield damage.



Up Smash: Spark Shock (Spark Man, Mega Man 3)
Damage: 15-16% (Uncharged), 18-19% (Partially Charged), 21-22% (Fully Charged)
Kill %: ~132% (Uncharged), ~115% (Partially Charged), 93% (Fully Charged)


The most reliable/conventional of Mega Man's Smash attacks, this move works completely differently from it's in-game counterpart.

This move is a multiple hit attack and has a slightly disjointed hitbox so this move is good against air dodges/spot dodges and is a viable ledge guard option. Additionally since it comes out somewhat fast, this move is viable as a running U-Smash (and DACUS if you have before V1.04 on the 3DS).



Down Smash: Flame Blast (Flame Man, Mega Man 6)
Strong Hit Damage: 18% (Uncharged), 22-22% (Partially Charged), 24% (Full Charged)
Weak Hit Damage: ~9-11%
Strong Hit Kill %: 96% (Uncharged), ~73% (Partially Charged), 60% (Fully Charged)


As shown in his E3 trailer, this unarguably deals the most knockback out of Mega Man's moveset, killing most of the cast uncharged around ~85%. However, is very risky, as only the initial blast on the ground (technically a sweet spot) deals any form of knockback, and the large amount of ending lag will leave you open.

There is no hitbox around Mega Man himself in the center, it can leave him vulnerable in certain situations. Also, because the flame pillars are narrow, they can be DI'd (Directional Influence) out of. This move is one that should only be attempted, if at all, if you are able to predict a roll or shield drop from an opponent.





Forward Air: Flame Sword (Sword Man, Mega Man 8)
Damage: 8.5%, 5% (Ending Animation)

Kill%: ~265%

A literal flame sword that would make Roy jealous, this move is mainly for racking up damage, spacing, and following up attacks like D-Throw. Despite its looks, because this move has pitiful knockback and is slower than Slash Claw by about 5 frames, this move is not as good for edgeguarding. However, the size of the hitbox, slightly less landing lag than Slash Claw, and the fact that it tends to linger make it for a good move to fast fall with.



Back Air: Slash Claw (Slash Man, Mega Man 7)
Damage: Yellow 3%, Red 4%, Blue 5%,
Kill %: ~145% (If All Hits Connect)


A weapon that's normally used for ripping enemies to pieces also serves as arguably Mega Man's most reliable KO attack. This move is divided into three hits with about 3 frames in between each with each hit being more powerful than the last, with the final hit being the one to send the opponent flying. As all hits need to connect to make this move worthwhile, this move is not very good for short hopping.

Generally you'll want to use this as an edge guarding tool for opponents coming in mid/high, it may also help to grab the ledge while attempting this move. And while on stage, this move is perfect for RARing to the extent that it's a near must for learning how to play this character. Backwards Metal Blades can be used for additional assistance.


*Rule of thumb generally is if the opponent is under you, Flame Sword, if high/horizontal then Slash Claw.



Up Air: Air Shooter (Air Man, Mega Man 2)
Damage: ~3-20% (Depending on Number of Hits)
Kill %: NA


A move that's tough to "beat," this move makes fighting Mega Man from the air very annoying. Dealing up to a whopping 20% (that's fairly reliable), this move creates a small vertical tornado* that forces opponents up into the air (only one tornado at a time), or keeps them hovering in the air if done against a dive-bomb attack, and at high percents/top of the stage can kill.

This move varies in effectiveness, depending upon the opponents weight/air speed/fall speed, but regardless it's a great move for spacing/pressuring/stage control, especially if the opponent has used their 2nd jump already. It has a slightly disjointed hitbox so short hopping with this move for a surprise attack can be a viable form of approaching (it should be noted that OFG this move will never kill).

Throwing out Danger Wrap can allow for additional pressuring, and using any of the Up-Specials (especially Rush Coil) may allow for pursuing. It should be noted that this move only causes minor hitstun during the first couple frames so opponents will still be able to act during it, so pursuing can be risky at times (often double KOs).

*The Wii U version creates a larger tornado. It is not known if this means the hitboxes vary between versions, though most likely this just accounts for it's disjoints.



Down Air: Hard Knuckle (Hard Man, Mega Man 3)
Damage: 14% (Starting Animation), 12% (Ending Animation)
Kill %: Meteor Smash (Ending Animation), ~195% (On the Stage),


The only projectile Meteor Smash in the game, moving ~1.5 characters downwards, this move isn't as reliable as it seems.

While the starting animation does deal more damage, only the middle/near end of the animation causes a Meteor Smash. If the opponent hits the starting animation (which is around Mega Man himself), it'll generally do moderate upwards knockback, which is no good.

While possibly safer, unlike other Meteor Smashes or the rest of Mega Man's moveset, this move does require a set distance between you and your opponent (about .75/1 character), and can really only be used reliably when an opponent recovers low/horizontal. It is a decent move, but is entirely situational and is by no means Mega Man's go-to edgeguarding tool.




Dash Attack: Top Spin (Top Man, Mega Man 3)
Damage: 1%, 3% (Final Hit), 10% (If All Hits Connect)


The most useless move in the series returns as Mega Man's dash attack. This move carries Mega Man around 2.5 characters, covering a lot of distance. This move has very little vertical knockback allowing for potential follow ups with Metal Blade, Lemons, Flame Sword, and another Top Spin (though the latter two are risky).

While you "Cant Stop the Top," opponents can easily punish it by shielding or rolling. It's a move that is ultimately high risk/high reward.



Pummel Attack: Super Arm (Guts Man, Mega Man)
Damage: 3%


A fairly amusing animation, sadly Mega Man's Pummel, while it deals good damage, is very slow and should only be attempted at higher percents. Arguably the best set up into throws is off of Metal Blade due to it's large hitstun, as well as off of Leaf Shield/Plant Barrier, which can increase damage output to around 20% per throw.



Forward Throw
Damage: 8%

The basic throw attack. Like B-Throw this is for stage control/throwing opponents off edges. Aside from maybe Metal Blade and a thrown Leaf Shield, follow ups are hard to pull off. While weaker damage makes this less preferable to B-Throw, one might be able to follow up into a Charge Shot in certain situations.



Up Throw
Damage: 7%
Kill%: 226%


Compared to D-Throw, this move does deal more damage but at the cost of throwing the opponent higher off the ground making follow ups harder. However, unlike the former, one does have enough time to use/pick up a Metal Blade for additional pressuring, and like the former, jumps/air dodges can potentially be punished if predicted.



Back Throw
Damage: 11%
Kill%: ~187%


Like F-Throw, this move is primarily for stage control rather than attacking, though because it deals the most damage of the two this is probably the preferred option. Additionally at higher percents, this move can serve as a decent killing option.



Down Throw
Damage: 4%

Arguably the cornerstone of Mega Man's bread and butter combos, this is the throw one will most likely use the most as it allows for set ups into Flame Sword (potentially x2), Danger Wrap, Air Shooter, Slash Claw, and N-Air Lemons.

It's best at low %s, however, an opponent can still Air Dodge or jump to avoid a follow up. If that's the case, you can attempt to punish them upon landing with moves such as the Charge Shot, Danger Wrap, and Ice Slasher. For best results it may be best to try and mix up your options and test what your opponent goes for the most often.



Ledge Attack
Damage: 7%
 
Last edited:

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鉄腕
Super Moderator
BRoomer
Joined
Jan 27, 2008
Messages
13,483
Location
Michigan
NNID
TripleDash
3DS FC
1719-3728-6991
Switch FC
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IV - Special/Custom Moveset Analysis:

Current Sets That Are Automatically Avaliable (As of March 2015):
  1. 1313
  2. 1312
  3. 1311
  4. 1323
  5. 1322
  6. 1112
  7. 1122
  8. 3323
  9. 3313
  10. 1333


Neutral Special 1: Metal Blade (Metal Man, Mega Man 2)
Damage: 3% (5% if thrown)

The strongest and most infamous weapon in the Mega Man series...has been toned down for Smash...

That said, it is one of the most versatile projectiles in the game, in particular, because of it's ability to be thrown in any of 8 directions. Throwing it where your opponent is, especially when backwards, helps keep Mega Man on the offensive. Additionally, because of the hitstun it creates due to passing through opponents (which also means good shield damage) allows follow ups into a Dash Throw, Slash Claw, or Mega Upper.


However, the Metal Blade counts as an item throw, so opponents can grab it midair or as it's stuck in the ground (it should be noted can be very annoying on curved stages such as Lylat Cruise/Kongo Jungle). But this also means that Mega Man can throw it downwards on stage to pick it up (or through a Fast Fall). As an item throw you can only throw it in the standard 4 directions, but the knockback is slightly increased. Z-Dropping it midair (similar to throwing it downwards) can be used for edgeguarding or setups on-stage into a Charge Shot or Mega Upper.

Additionally, the Metal Blade can be Glide Tossed (quickly cancelling a roll into an item throw) can be used for helping approach and additional setups such as down throwing into a Mega Upper.
One of the more interesting set ups involves DACIT (Dash Attack Cancelled Item Toss), in which Mega Man is the character most primed to abuse this technique.

When an opponent picks it up or is stuck on the stage, this heavily limits Mega Man's options. As frustrating as it can be, a thrown Metal Blade can be defeated with Lemons. Against greedy opponents, some mindgames might even apply.



Neutral 2: Hyper Bomb (Bomb Man, Mega Man)
Damage: 10% (8% on indirect hit)


Based more closely on how Bomb Man (the playable character) uses it in Powered Up!, Hyper Bomb is currently among the least explored of Mega Man's customs.

This move spawns a item bomb that can be thrown in 8 different arcs. Like Link/Toon Link's bombs, this projectile notably bounces off of shields before exploding allowing for debate-ably easier punishes (since the explosion does not harm Mega Man).

The slow arch it moves in is a mixed blessing. Due to it, it is arguably the best of Mega Man's Neutral Specials for edge guarding as well as being easier to counter-act when reflected. However, it is much harder to catch and use as an item, which receives no benefits/changes when Smash Thrown (albeit DACIT is still possible).

Overall this move sacrifices the versatility of Metal Blade for greater standard rewards. However, as of Patch 1.11, this move has been significantly buffed, dealing twice the damage of a Smash Thrown Metal Blade in addition to being able to act out of it faster and having a faster projectile speed.





Neutral Special 3: Shadow Blade (Shadow Man, Mega Man 3)
Damage: 2% per hit


Because everyone loves Robot Ninjas. This move creates a large shuriken that can be thrown in 8 directions and travels about 2.5 characters before returning back to the spot where it was spawned (not back to Mega Man himself). It's also a regular projectile compared to the previous Custom Neutrals, and thus cannot be caught by an opponent.

Because of the trapping effect this move has when you catch an opponent (it's safe on shield BTW), this move allows for a multitude of potential follow ups (at least at lower %s) that arguably expands upon several of the set ups mentioned in the Metal Blade section. It has been argued that this move may be best against close range/rush down opponents. Though this move may be predictable and can be punished if an opponent short hops over it. It's very much a high risk, high reward move in higher play.




Side Special 1: Crash Bomber (Crash Man, Mega Man 2)
Damage: 8% (upon explosion)


Originally used to break walls and get past the cheap *** Boobeam Trap in Wily Stage 4, Crash, or "Clash" Bomber functions a gooey bomb in Smash Bros.

This move creates a bomb that travels up to 3/4 of Final Destination and will stick to fighters (fails if they're shielding) and the surfaces of the stage if it collides with them. After about 3 seconds this move will cause an explosion and send the victim flying in the direction the projectile originally traveled. As it's a gooey bomb this move at all times can hurt Mega Man back if caught in the explosion, and can be transferred to him if he makes contact with the given opponent's body part the bomb is stuck to. Ex. If stuck to the opponent's head, it'll transfer to you if you use a headbutt/attack high

The Bomb will not transfer if stuck to a stage, and will automatically explode if it touches an NPC object like Luma or Villager's Tree.

This move's primary function is that it forces an opponent to do something. Be it shielding, air dodging, spot dodging, or running into you to transfer it back, this move forces a mindgame. If you notice your opponent acting a certain way when they're hit, punish them (especially if they're foolish enough to shield, and let you go for a full Charge Shot/Metal Blade). Additionally, Crash Bomber does stick to opponents if they're invincible (such as after a re-spawn), giving Mega Man some options the rest of the cast does not have.

Mixing this move together with Metal Blade also serves as Mega Man's primary pressuring/out-camping plan. Beyond that there are many potential combos that can be done through this move through purposely hitting yourself (Skull Barrier can negate this BTW). However, this move can be dependent on certain match ups due to it's lack of killing power, and is best against characters with many projectiles, and is a near must when fighting Rosalina or Villager.



Side Special 2: Ice Slasher (Ice Man, Mega Man)
Damage: 4%


With the fire and electric elements being covered in Mega Man's standard moveset, Ice Man provides the chill in this custom side special. True to its game, however, Ice Slasher is not the fastest projectile* and travels strictly horizontally. *Has received projectile speed buffs as of Patch 1.11.

This unique physical projectile either freezes the opponent or does as much hit-stun/knockback as a pellet. This is dependent on your opponents' % and weight (16-23% is first freeze% for the lightest vs heaviest). The amount of time your opponent is frozen is dependent on their %. When Ice Slasher freezes the opponent, it launches them up in the air, ripe for juggling or a quick aerial if they don't mash out quick enough. More importantly, you gain stage control. This projectile, however, is slower, has less range, and a bit more activation and end lag than the default side-B,
Crash Bomb.~ @ Locke 06 Locke 06

**It should be noted that for both Ice Slasher and Danger Wrap that there is a landing glitch that summons two projectiles at the near same time (about a 1 frame difference between the two). The timing on this is VERY specific and only doubles the damage dealt. It shouldn't be purposely attempted in a match but it's awesome when it happens. This has been shown to work in both versions of the game as of Version 1.0.9.



Side Special 3: Danger Wrap (Burst Man, Mega Man 7)
Damage: 13%
Kill %: ~142%


What may burst most people's bubbles, this is arguably the custom move you'll see be used the most when they're allowed. While it can no longer place a landmine on the ground nor does it trap opponents, it is the only projectile (bar Charge Shot) that Mega Man has for killing, let alone being reliable to boot.

This move creates a bubble bomb about 3/4 ~ one character in front of Mega Man that rises at a curved 45/60 Degree angle (it should be noted that doing this while overlapping an opponent will cause the bubble to appear behind and miss). Because of the speed at which it rises and it's lingering hitbox this move is very difficult to air dodge, and the angle at which it moves is one that Mega Man cannot normally cover bar the Metal Blade (which is not good as a vertical attack anyway), this move is fairly reliable against opponents approaching through the air.
This move is easily followed up after an Up/Down Throw at lower percents, maybe followed up with Flame Sword due to hitstun, and is good for additional vertical pressure together with Air Shooter. Additionally because of the angle, this is a good move to throw out before Slash Claw when an opponent recovers high, or deterring edge guarders when Mega Man recovers low (if it hits the stage ledge, some of the explosion may hit the opponent).



Up Special 1: Rush Coil (Mega Man 3)

Mega Man's famous sidekick, Rush the Dog, appears as his primary recovery through Rush's coil feature. Near instantaneous (to the extent it was a frame 1 cancel before Version 1.04), this move launches Mega Man vertically in the air an above average distance.

Like Sonic's Spring, when used on-stage, Rush will stay out for a couple seconds, allowing for Mega Man/Opponents to jump an even higher distance. If Mega Man does this, it counts as landing on the stage allowing for Rush to be summoned again. Because of this feature, Mega Man has the ability to stall/pursue (Air Shooter) vertically, and force approaches depending on the situation. This can also be used to cancel the ending lag of certain specials and aerials such as our Down Specials and Hard Knuckle.


Also noteworthy is that Rush stays active mid-air. In certain situations this may save Mega Man from a Meteor Smash, or may allow for a doubles partner some extra recovery options. Though this does also mean that an opponent may sometimes benefit from this as well. Because of these options, and about 5 frames of invincibility (6-11), this seems to be the go-to recovery move for Mega Man.


***It should be noted that none of Mega Man's Up-Specials leave him helpless afterwards, nor do they prevent him from using his other specials (unlike Sonic) or use up his second jump. Keep this in mind when recovering as you may want to mix up your opponent's edge guard or minimize gimps.***

***Additionally all of Mega Man's Up-Specials do have increased landing lag despite the landing animation being the same as a regular jump. This can be negated by using the Neutral Air Pellets before landing. This is important for maintaining momentum and aerial pressure.***



Up Special 2: Tornado Hold (Tengu Man, Mega Man 8)
Damage: 5-6%


One of the two moves you can get from Tengu Man, this served as one of Rush Coil's replacements in Mega Man 8. This move creates a pad underneath Mega Man that generates a tornado, pushing Mega Man and opponents caught in it up into the air.

This move provides the worse recovery option of the given customs, and is only good vertically, but is the only one that can damage an opponent. You can act of this move to an extent, but it can be difficult due to directional influence from an opponent. Interestingly, this move can pass through the bottom of stages similar to Ike's Aether, allowing for some potential options against edge guarders such as using the ledge to cancel the end lag/animation while keeping the hitbox on-screen.


Generally this move works best as an on-stage trap for opponents, allowing for decent follow ups into Slash Claw or Danger Wrap. Offensively this is one of Mega Mans more interesting customs.



Up Special 3: Beat (Mega Man 5/7)

Created by Doctor Cossack, this support robot was originally used for homing in upon and attacking enemies. In Smash, Beat functions as he did in Mega Man 7 onwards, saving Mega Man from falling into pits.

This move provides the largest recovery option of the three, allowing for great vertical and horizontal distance almost comparable to Villager's Balloon Trip, however, this move also has the largest start up and end lag of the three. As such, this move is debate-ly predictable, but does allow for Mega Man to pursue opponents off-stage and is said to have good chemistry with Plant Barrier.


There is a glitch that helps decrease the start up of Beat that involves being attacked during it's initial frames, but is very situational and tough to pull off during the middle of a match.



Down Special 1: Leaf Shield (Wood Man, Mega Man 2)
Damage: 2% per leaf, 8% maximum, 3% (if thrown)


Don't be fooled by the word "shield" -- this is an offensive tool best used for covering your approach, pressuring, and mind games.

Leaf Shield shuts down a lot of Mega Man's options, leaving him with only the ability to walk, dash, run, jump, shield, dodge, roll, air dodge, grab, pummel, throw, grab items, throw items, and z-drop items. (Any other attack input will result in Mega Man tossing the Leaf Shield.) In exchange, he gets four hitboxes that hover around him, effectively allowing him to attack during shield and invincibility frames.

This move works well with Power Shield approaches and Shield Grabbing, as the leaves can help you avoid hitstun from your opponent's attacks and will punish their attempts to Dodge or Shield Grab. If you land a grab, be sure to Pummel as the leaves will add damage.

The Leaf Shield toss can combo into a Dash Grab or Spark Shock when used on stage, and into a Double Jumped Flame Sword or Lemons when used off stage. If you toss it while jumping it will occasionally hit twice for 6% damage total.
Because items can still be used when Leaf Shield is up, Leaf Shield has nice synergy with Metal Blade. Keep in mind that when you have a Metal Blade in hand, the A Button will toss the Metal Blade and the B button will toss the Leaf Shield, so use this for mix-ups.
Other uses for Leaf Shield include setting up Footstool gimps, quickly switching your air momentum using B-reversing or Wave Bouncing, pressuring ledge recoveries (as the leaves rotate through the stage, and allow you to effectively ledge trump and attack simultaneously), and baiting and punishing Counter moves. ~ @ChopperDave



Down Special 2: Skull Barrier (Skull Man, Mega Man 4)
Damage: 2% (only if thrown)


Skull Man's barrier kept out most projectiles that Mega Man had access to in Mega Man 4. This is continued in Smash Bros. where Skull Barrier reflects all projectiles with the notable exceptions of fully charged Charge Shots (Samus), Shadow Balls (Mewtwo), and Aura Spheres (Lucario ~110%) as it only has a reflector health of 25%.
This custom down-special trades the active-hitboxes of Leaf Shield & Plant Barrier for active-projectile reflection. As one of the most unique reflectors in the game, Skull Barrier allows you to have all of your mobility/defensive options (sans up-B), grab and item throwing, and a special projectile the size of Bowser that can combo into moves while reflecting. It is limited by its long activation, so in order to reflect projectiles on reaction, you should be at mid-long range. A great way to use this move is to activate it in order to help approach projectiles users. Note that the move does not reflect while it is being thrown. ~ @ Locke 06 Locke 06



Down Special 3: Plant Barrier (Plant Man, Mega Man 6)
Damage: 3% per petal, 9% maximum, 4% (if thrown)


Plant Barrier is a lot like Leaf Shield but with some important differences.
Plant Barrier has the longest startup time of Mega Man's down specials. It also does not travel as far when thrown as Leaf Shield, and does not last as long. In exchange, its pedals have stronger, bigger hitboxes which do not disappear on hit and do a slightly better job shielding Mega Man from enemy attacks. Because it rotates more slowly than Leaf Shield and undulates in and out, it hits twice when tossed surprisingly often.
With Plant Barrier, you're trading Leaf Shield's quicker startup speed and greater toss range for more power and hitboxes that undulate in and out. Thus Plant Barrier tends to work best against slow, powerful, projectile-less bruisers like Bowser and Ganondorf. Because of way it undulates when rotating around Mega Man, Plant Barrier can also help against characters with strong disjointed attacks and/or spacing moves, like Shulk and Rosalina. It's less useful against short, speedy rushdown characters with good projectiles, like Pikachu and Luigi. ~ @ChopperDave
 
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V - General Advanced Techniques ~ @ Opana Opana @ Z1GMA Z1GMA @ChopperDave

  • Advanced Techniques ~ @ Opana Opana

Jump Canceled Throw: Not limited to Mega Man, I believe most if not all can do this. Why it's useful for Mega Man though, he can produce his own throw-able item, Metal Blade. This is easily performed by initiating a dash, jumping, and canceling that jump with an item throw. This can be performed going forward or backward, with the blade going any direction. This is a good tool for helping MM maintain his distance, as well as a less lag inducing method of tossing an item. This can be done out of a pivot as well. It also has combo potential as close range, not too useful due to the close range requirement though. Not necessary to learn, but it wouldn't hurt.
1.)Dash
2.)Jump
3.)Cancel that jump with an item toss

ZDrop Aerial Catching: For lack of a better name, this involves dropping a Metal Blade with grab(Shield and Standard Attack works as well.), and catching it with an aerial. This can be done with Neutral Air, likely with the others as well. Good to know, as nobody wants to aimlessly throw their blade in an effort to attack someone midair.

1.)Drop an item with grab(Not throw, drop!)
2.)Catch with an aerial, possibly requiring a slight shift in direction towards the gear

Ledge Sliding: A bit difficult to do in succession, although it has potential for sure. Using down to ignore the ledge, Rush Coil past it. Following this, move forward slightly in order to gain momentum, then use any special not including the coil to slide off the edge and renew your jump. This can be chained, adding to MM's already strong edge guarding. The ability to slide off while throwing a Metal Blade, and follow up with another slide or an aerial is an exciting thought and pretty good mix up. Can set up a Leaf Stool, essentially using Leaf Shield's leaves to create enough hit stun to footstool them down to their death.

1.)While offstage, use Rush Coil.
2.)Hold down to ignore grabbing the ledge
3.)Move forward slightly towards the ledge
4.)Use Metal Blade(Not as an item), Crash Bomb, or Leaf Shield to Slide off the ledge

Pivot Tossing: When dashing, pivot and throw an item to produce a slide not unlike the above JCT.

1.)Dash
2.)Pivot + Item Toss

Air Dodge Ledge Sliding: Largely the same as Ledge Canceling, although requiring you to be a bit more close to the ledge as well as facing and holding the direction of the ledge. This allows to to ski the specials step of the above, and get out your aerials faster.

1.)While offstage, use Rush Coil.
2.)Hold down to ignore grabbing the ledge
3.)Move forward slightly towards the ledge
4.)Use an Air Dodge while facing and holding the direction of the ledge to slide off

Moving out of Pellets: This is easily done by jumping at any moment during the three shot jab, or after. On top of that, initiating Forward Tilt by walking on the last shot allows you to walk away instead of jump. This is a pretty big tech to know, as otherwise you're left with the lag of the jab.

1.)Initiate a jab
2.)Jump or Ftilt to avoid the lag of jab

Auto Canceled Dair: After jumping a bit of height with the first jump, use the second with a rising D-Air and it'll auto cancel, meaning you'll not suffer the usual lag it induces upon landing, This may have combo potential, I've played around with this and Crash Bomb and they seem to work well together.

1.)Jump around a short hop's distance
2.)Jump while using dair, do not fast fall

Dair Gliding: At the apex of any jump, including Rush Coil, D-Air will keep you suspended in the air momentarily, during which you can move left or right. Out of a short hop, this tech can be great for getting meteor smashes, or even continuing a combo/string started out of the glide when they're onstage.

1.)Reach the apex, meaning max height, of any jump or the coil
2.)D-Air

Phantom Lag: Not necessarily an AT, although it's advanced knowledge and should be covered. Using Rush Coil onstage or jumping off a staged Rush Coil creates lag upon landing. This can be remedied by grabbing the ledge, and delayed through the use of pellets, meaning N-Air and any variation after the first shot. U-Tilt suffers from this as well should you grab the ledge, so be cautious.
(How it is induced)
1.)Use an onstage Rush Coil, whether that be a special or an already staged one

2.)Grab a ledge out of utilt

Invinciblade: Airdodging while holding an item, like Metal Blade, allows you to dodge and attack at nearly the same time by airdodging and pressing a standard attack or grab.

1.)Grab a Metal Blade
2.)Airdodge
3.)Press Standard Attack or Grab

Claw Dragging: Using multi-hit moves this time around has dragging properties, meaning they get dragged around wherever you go. Canceling this before all hits connect though, that sends them shooting down much like a meteor smash. Some are strong, some are weak, we're one of the lucky ones with a strong one that even extends from our body, allowing it to be used much more easily than a body type attack like Zelda.

1.)Catch an opponent in B-Air.
2.)Cancel this by landing on the stage during
3.)Don't connect the final hit

Leaf Shield. Worst move in Mega Man’s repertoire, and possibly worst move in Sm4sh. Right?

Wrong.

I’ve logged over 500 battles with Mega Man so far and have an 85% win rate on For Glory with Mega Man, and I can tell you that Leaf Shield isn’t a terrible move at all. In fact, it may even be one of Mega Man’s best moves, and it has become part of my bread and butter play. It enhances Mega Man’s already great ledge guarding game and gives him approach options that other characters would kill for.

But don’t take my word for it. Wood Man is here and he is prepared to show you the error of your ways.


I. THE BASICS

Leaf Shield creates four hitboxes that circle around Mega Man. These hitboxes do 2% each and disappear on hit. They never suffer a stale move penalty. When thrown, the leaves will do 4% damage on hit no matter how many are left. It is possible for the thrown Leaf Shield to hit twice for a total of 8% damage. Thrown Leaf Shields do modest knock back in the same direction as the attack is traveling; this knock back scales up with damage and rage effect. The leaves have normal projectile priority, even when rotating around Mega Man.

When Leaf Shield is up, your only options aside from throwing the Leaf Shield are grab, pummel, throw, shield, dodge, pick up items (including items such as Metal Blade and turnips), throw items, and z-drop items. You can also still attack on get-up or from ledge. You cannot use any other A or B moves while Leaf Shield is active.

Sounds pretty lame so far, right? But here is what makes Leaf Shield special: it allows you to break certain rules of the game in a way that no other character can do. Here is a list of some amazing things Leaf Shield can do for you:

· You can have an active hitbox while shielding

· You can have an active hitbox while spot dodging or roll dodging

· You can have an active hitbox while air dodging
· You can have an active hitbox while grabbing the ledge
· You can have an active hitbox while shielding next to the ledge
· You can have an active hitbox immediately before and while footstooling
· You can grab and pummel while the leaves hit for extra damage

In the following sections, I’ll describe some techniques for getting Leaf Shield out and using these qualities to give your Mega Man a unique tactical edge.

II. ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUE: LEAF SHIELD SHORT HOPPING [credit: BBC7]

Ever notice how Leaf Shield freezes you in place when you activate it while on the ground? Don’t do that. You should get in the habit of activating Leaf Shield from the air at all times.

One of the interesting qualities of activating Leaf Shield is that it cancels your upward momentum when jumping. You can use this quality to perform the Leaf Shield Short Hop.

To perform this technique, hold down (to jump straight up and down) or diagonal down in the direction you would like to move (to jump forward or back), then press Y immediately followed by B. The hop is just enough to jump over most projectiles and many dash attacks, and you will be ready to use the Leaf Shield by the time you land. This makes it an excellent mix up for your short hop game.

This technique can be performed on double jump and Rush bounce as well. Normally, players cannot short hop their double jump, but Mega Man actually can by using this technique, giving him still more good mix-up and fake out options. Similarly, if you don’t want to gain full height when bouncing off Rush, simple activate Leaf Shield immediately after you bounce to jump up half as high.

III. ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUE: HEADSHOTTING

Leaf Shield can essentially be thrown at four heights: standing, “short hop”, full hop, and double jump.

For full hop and double jump height:Throw the Leaf Shield just just before reaching the apex of your full hop or double jump, respectively.

For “short hop” height: Perform a full hop, then begin the throw just after reaching the apex. The timing is a little tricky but if done correctly Mega Man will complete the throw at short hop height.

You want to throw the Leaf Shield at “short hop” height most of the time. When thrown at this height, Leaf Shield becomes very hard to avoid for most characters. It will usually catch standing, short hopping, and full hopping characters, even when they spot dodge, roll, or air dodge. Against shielding opponents, the leaves will shield poke and sometimes hit the exposed hurtboxes above the shield bubble. When you successfully damage an opponent who is shielding in this way I like to call it Headshotting. Headshotting can be an effective long range snipe that can let you put on some pressure and open up some follow-up opportunities.

IV. ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUE: COURSE CORRECTION

Like on activation, Leaf Shield will freeze Mega Man in place if he is standing on the ground. Like with activation, you should really avoid throwing Leaf Shield from the ground whenever possible.

This rule doesn’t apply when Mega Man is in the air. Mega Man retains his full lateral air mobility even during the Leaf Shield throw animation.

Does it look like an opponent is going to double jump over your incoming Leaf Shield? Try moving Mega Man backward as he is throwing it. Very often the new trajectory will catch your opponent as he is in the downswing of his double jump---evasion attempt denied! This technique is also useful for avoiding your opponents’ attempts to hit you before you complete your throw animation.

V. ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUE: REVERSE AERIAL RUSH AIRDODGE (RARA)

You're probably familiar with the Reverse Aerial Rush (RAR) as a way to quickly get out turn-around bairs. But did you know that you can do the same thing with an airdodge?

To perform, dash toward your opponent, smash in the opposite direction while jumping, then air dodge. If done correctly, you’ll perform an air dodge and switch directions in midair.

This has a useful application for Leaf Shield. Mega Man can dash or foxtrot toward his opponent, perform a short hopped Reverse Aerial Rush Airdodge (RARA) to sail safely over that opponent’s head while the leaves do hitstun or shieldstun, then land facing his opponent’s back and ready to do a grab (if the Leaf Shield is still up) or a utilt (if the Leaf Shield expired during the RARA). Against many opponents this is a pretty safe approach that sets you up in a strong position.

Note that it can also be plenty effective to simply air dodge and land in front of an opponent with Leaf Shield up, but this is a riskier option than the RARA because they can still potentially hit you with a jab.

VI. ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUE: LEAFSTOOLING [credit: StylesX2]

Leaf Shield gives Mega Man the option to footstool some opponents who recover low. Normally, you can’t footstool an opponent who is in the middle of an attack or airdodge. But the brief hitstun from a leaf hit is all you need to get a successful footstool. Sometimes you can even get one against a standing, shielding opponent if the leaves chip his shield enough to hit him out of it. I call this Leafstooling.

Certain characters hate this technique. Fox, Falco, Caption Falcon, Ganondorf, Diddy, and Ness all come to mind. If the character’s UpB has low damage, long start up, and/or low priority, a Leafstool is a very good option for gimping his recovery.

Be careful using this technique against characters with invulnerability frames and/or high priority in their UpBs, though. Characters like Mario, Dr. Mario, Marth, and Lucina can power right through your Leafstool gimp attempts and possibly even stage spike you.

VII. ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: LEAFSTOOLING WITH Z-DROPPED METAL BLADE AND/OR DAIR

Having a metal blade in your hand can make leafstool even harder to avoid. Simply z-drop the blade while above an opponent to give you an even bigger opening for a footstool.

A powerful chase, when timed right, is the leafstool to dair combo. If you short hop your leafstool and your Leaf Shield has dissipated, fast fall into a dair. If performed correctly, you’ll spike your opponent just as they are emerging out of their footstool stun. It’s a brutal offsage finisher when you can pull it off.

Naturally, these two techniques can be combined to give recovering opponents a very bad day.

VIII. ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: INVINCIBLADE WITH LEAFSHIELD AND RARA

Leaf Shield works well with most Metal Blade ATs, but it has especially nice synergy with the Invinciblade AT, which allows you to z-drop a Metal Blade and Air Dodge simultaneously. Attacking during invincibility frames is fun! Learn how to perform the Invinciblade here: http://smashboards.com/threads/ligh...discovery-thread.367985/page-14#post-17842426

It's also possible to perform a RARA + Invinciblade approach. To execute, you have to do the normal RARA motion, but then let the circle pad return to neutral before executing the Invinciblade. The timing is pretty tough, though, so good luck pulling it off consistently!

IX. ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: LEAF SLIDE

Leaf Slide is a technique that uses Mega Man's aerial momentum to slide off the stage into a ledge grab just as he touches down from a Leaf Shield activation. When done correctly, this is the quickest way to get from into a ledge grab with Leaf Shield up. Here's a video explaining how:


The best way to do this I find is out of a Leaf Shield Short Hopped double jump. Be careful, though, as if you mess it up you might end up self destructing. Better to err on the side of landing on the stage than miss the slide.

X. APPLICATION: LEAF SHIELD FRAME TRAPPING

One neat thing about Leaf Shield is that it rotates just fast enough to frame trap many attacks. A lot of (but not all) attacks will only have time to complete the first frame(s) but not enough to complete the move before getting hit by the next leaf.

So for example, if you have a Metal Blade in hand, a simple but effective approach is to glide toss the Metal Blade, then boost grab. The combined hitstun/shieldstun of the Metal Blade and Leaf Shield will often be enough to trap many opponents into getting grabbed.

Another interesting thing about the lead hit boxes is that they kill your opponent’s aerial momentum.

There are some fun applications for this. For example, try jumping toward an airborne opponent and air dodging. The leaves will often catch them and frame trap their aerial moves, leaving them with nothing to do but fall down right beside you taking damage the whole way. You can then easily grab them as soon as you both touch down on the ground (provided they are still trapped by the leaves at that point). This can be an effective way to keep up the pressure against opponents falling back to stage after an Air Shooter juggle.

But be careful: some characters have powerful and quick aerials with lingering hitboxes that can catch you if you try to do this. Yoshi’s and Ness's nairs comes to mind.

XI. APPLICATION: ROLLING BUZZSAW

As mentioned earlier, Leaf Shield gives you an active hit box while you’re roll dodging. This has the effect of making your rolls safer, because your opponent will frequently get hitstunned by the leaves if he tries to do something like hit you with a dsmash. It’s not 100% effective and a well-timed attack (usually a tilt) can still hit you, though, so be careful.

If you find yourself backed into a corner by an aggressive player, consider short hopping into a Leaf Shield and rolling right through him, doing damage the whole way. Sometimes the simplest techniques work the best.

Your opponent may roll with you in an effort to get out of the way. If they do this, your leaves may frame trap them and give you an opportunity to grab.

Sometimes both players will fail to accomplish what they want in a rolling contest like this, but you'll probably still inflict 2% or even 4% damage if you have Leaf Shield up.

XII. APPLICATION: WHIFF BAITING [credit: Z1GMA]

People, even good players, tend to get more offensive when you Leaf Shield near them, because they don't want to get grabbed. They've probably met Mega Men who activate LS and simply rush in for a grab, so they'll try to attack you. Use this to your advantage to play mind games with them.

Rather than simply rushing in for a grab, mix it up by shielding or dodging their attack, THEN punish with a grab. Use Foxtrotting to make your approach less predictable. Of course, you should mix this up and sometimes go for the immediate grab, just to keep them guessing.

Watch out for your opponent's grabs though, since a well timed shield grab will make your leaves go away.

XIII. APPLICATION: CAMP COUNTERING [credit: Z1GMA]

Keep in mind that Leaf Shield will nullify and power through almost every projectile except for a few particularly powerful ones and transcendent projectiles (e.g. a fully charged Samus Neutral B, R.O.B.'s laser). Against some characters, you can use this to your advantage to nullify their Projectile Momentum, and give Mega Man a fresh start.

This is useful when you feel the opponent currently has the upper hand in a camp-war. Fullhop, double jump, activate Leaf Shield, and throw it as you land. Many times, Mega Man will have a time-advantage after the Leaf Shield has hit the opponent or their shield, allowing him to close the distance and start his own barrage of projectiles.

XIV. APPLICATION: LEAF SHIELD TECH CHASING

Just sent an opponent flying away from you and they are now in position to tech on the ground? Try short hopping into a Leaf Shield in preparation for a tech chase.

If you think the opponent will tech roll toward you, the Leaf Shield will usually trap them and give you a throw.

If you think the opponent will tech roll away from you, a thrown Leaf Shield will usually catch them.

If you think the opponent will tech up, you can boost grab them.

If you think the opponent will perform an attack wake-up, you can airdodge, RARA, or simply run up to them and shield, then grab them after hit confirming a leaf.

If you think the opponent will not tech, the leaves can Leaf Lock them (see below), giving you a free utilt.

XV. APPLICATION: EDGE GUARDING WITH LEAF SHIELD TOSS

I find that the best time to use Leaf Shield is when you send your opponent far enough away from the stage that you know he will need to use a recovery move to get back. This gives you a few options that can be useful for edge guarding and gimping his recovery.

Sometimes you can put up a Leaf Shield, grab someone, immediately throw him, then toss the Leaf Shield so that it will hit him before his first IASA. Do this when possible because the knockback is pretty good.

A thrown Lead Shield is your farthest-traveling projectile, and it will send a massive hitbox your opponent’s way that will nullify and projectiles he uses to cover his recovery (useful in the Mario, Link, and Samus matchups, for example) and knock him back into a better position for you to follow up with a bair.

Throwing a Leaf Shield in this way can be a good way to disrupt your opponent’s potential recovery routes. What you want to do is try to force them to either recover low or eat a hit that will knock them back and temporarily kill their aerial momentum. This puts your opponent in a tricky situation and yourself in a better position to gimp with any one of Mega Man’s aerials (or a Leafstool!).

XVI. APPLICATION: MISTAKE FORCING AND LEDGE GIMPING

If you think (or know) your opponent is going to go for ledge, Leaf Shield can be an effective way to disrupt that recovery route and force mistakes that can lead to punishes and KOs.

You have two options here: (1) fire up Leaf Shield, run up to the edge of the stage, and shield, or (2) fire up Leaf Shield, run or Leaf Slide, off the stage, and snap to a ledge grab for the invincibility frames. If necessary you can immediately get up off the ledge for more invincibility frames. Both approaches can be useful in different situations. Here are two videos showcasing how this can lead to KOs:


As you can see, using Leaf Shield in this way can be a good, low-risk way to force mistakes at the ledge that can lead to early KOs and painful punishes. If you work it into your edge guard game you can catch many opponents by surprise.

XVII. APPLICATION: ANTI-JUGGLE

Did you just get knocked high over the stage by an opponent’s usmash or uair? Or did you just use Rush and are afraid your opponent will hit you on the way back down to the stage?

Never fear, Leaf Shield is here!

If you activate Leaf Shield high up, then fast fall down and air dodge, you can avoid many of your opponent’s attacks! And the leaves can help protect you against dash attacks and projectiles during your landing lag, as well. Just because it’s a simple tactic doesn’t make it any less effective. I use Leaf Shield to cover many of my falls back to stage.

XVIII. APPLICATION: COUNTER COUNTERING [credit: Z1GMA]

This is an effective way of getting under the skin of people who are confident with their counter-game. Because leaves are separate from Mega Man, if they get countered you can shield the Counter hit and punish it. Not that getting countered is a scary proposition given that leaves only do 2% damage, so you're only looking at taking ~3% damage from most counters anyway.

Using Leaf Shield to counter counters is more of a mix-up than a solid method, however. And it's best used when the opponent is falling down from high above, although it can be used on grounded foes as well. If you're running towards an opponent and predict a counter, you can use the RARA technique to get safely through their invincibility frames and in a superior position at their backs.

Keep in mind that the rest of you leaves can reset the opponent after you've shielded their counter if you're unlucky.

XIX. APPLICATION: LEAF LOCK SET UP AND LEAFSTOOL 0-TO-DEATH COMBO

Mega Man can Leaf Lock grounded opponents, bouncing them with his Leaf Shield as long as it's out. Once the final leaf has hit or disappeared Mega Man can immediately combo into a utilt.

As far as I know there's no perfect combo that will reliably set up this situation. The first half of the following video shows the best lead-in I've found, but it relies on your opponent missing an opportunity to get up after the footstool spikes him into the stage:


The second half of this video shows a variation on this combo that can be used as a zero-to-death against most of the cast. Here's how you do it: z-drop a metal blade to pop a grounded opponent offstage into the air, shorthop footstool him into Leaf Shield, then leafstool him again and again until he dies. As far as 0-to-deaths go, this is a pretty simple one to execute and not excessively situational.

XX. SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE FROM SKULL MAN AND PLANT MAN!

So, are Mega Man’s custom DownBs any good?

Skull Barrier has an instant start up and lasts for about 1 second. It does no damage when rotating around Mega Man and 2% damage when thrown. It doesn’t travel very far when thrown, and loses the reflect quality as soon as it leaves Mega Man's hand. It also doesn’t reflect certain particularly powerful projectiles, such as Samus’s and Lucario’s fully charged Neutral Bs.

For these reasons, I think Skull Barrier kind of sucks, even against characters who rely on projectile camping. It's easily the worst of Mega Man's DownB options, in my opinion. You just lose so many of the options that Leaf Shield gives you and the trade off isn’t worth it. I can’t really think of any situations where I would recommend taking Skull Barrier over Mega Man's other DownB options.

Plant Barrier, on the other hand, has its uses. The Plant Barrier’s pedals do 3% on hit while rotating around Mega Man and 5% when thrown. Unlike Leaf Shield, the pedals “undulate” in and out from Mega Man and don’t disappear when they hit something. They also seem to have a slightly stronger spiking effect when combined with a footstool. (Try footstooling a stationary AI in training with both Leaf Shield and Plant Barrier to see what I mean.) However, Plant Barrier doesn't travel as far as Leaf Shield when thrown, making it somewhat less effective for ledgeguarding in my experience. Plant Barrier lasts 2 seconds.

I think Plant Barrier is best used against opponents with a lot of powerful disjoints and big hurtboxes, such as Bowser and Charizard. This can give you a little more breathing room and make techniques like the Leafstool a little easier to pull off. I wouldn’t recommend this move against smaller targets like Pikachu and Kirby, as they can often sneak attacks between the pedals while they are undulating outward.

IN MY OPINION, having played around with all three moves, I would say that Leaf Shield is actually the best option among Mega Man’s DownBs. How do you like that?

XXI. CONCLUSION
I hope you found this guide useful. If you think there are any tricks, techniques, or applications I missed here, please reply below and I’ll try to integrate them into the guide. Also, if there are any people I failed to credit with discovering a technique—anything not credited here is something I discovered myself, though someone else may have beat me to it—let me know and I’ll fix that.

And now, just for fun, here's a video of me 2 stocking a Ness in For Glory by abusing some of these Leaf Shield tricks:

Happy Leaf Shielding!


  • All about Rush Coil ~ @ Z1GMA Z1GMA
Some random stuff on Rush Coil:

Mixing up your recovery.

Mega Man is the only character in the game that can use his Double Jump after his up+B.
This can be used as a mix-up to make yourself less predictable when recovering.
Sometimes it can even grant you a free attack on the opponent when you recover, as they're not always expecting a Double Jump after you've already used your up+B.
Hopefully, you'll turn the tables by sending him/her out, with one of your aerials, to be Edge Guarded instead.
In rare occasions, though, it's best to use up+B only, thus saving your Double Jump if you would happen to be knocked away when trying to reach the stage.

Rush Rescuing / Rush Salvaging

In 2on2's Mega Man can drop down Rush Coil over the ledge to help his partner recover.
The timing is pretty tricky and is different depending on who your partner is, but it's worth its weight in gold when properly executed.

Rush Trapping

Rush Trapping is the art of forcing and/or tricking your opponent to bounce off of your Rush Coil.
It can often lead to great juggling-opportunities for damage, as well as surprising or early KOs.
You can Rush Trap your opponent when:


  • he wants to juggle you with aerials.
  • he wants to Ledge Drop > Double Jump onto the stage.
  • he's Air Dodging. (As Rush Coil cancels Air Dodging.)
  • he wants to land in general.
  • you've hit him with a move that has vertical/semi-vertical knockback. Preferably at low %'s.
  • he is recovering low beneath the stage. By dropping down Rush, you can "fish" him up, thus setting him up for an aerial - preferably Dair/Bair. Useful against characters that likes to lurk below the stage with the help of Multi Jumps, such as Dedede. (The evil version of Rush Rescuing:skull:)
Rush Pushing

If you deploy Rush right next to your opponent, Rush will push him/her away.
It has no current use, but it exists, thus worth a mention.


For further information please check out the: List of Mega Man's Techniques and Tricks thread
 
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Anthinus

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I've been reporting everything I found in my tests on the previous thread. I'm still testing a lot of stuff to optimize my Mega Man gameplay. @ --- --- and @ Yink Yink I'll gladly help with data/info, just let me know.
 

TheReflexWonder

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I've been sharing bits here and there, and I've logged a lot of time with the early demo since Sunday, all using Mega Man. I'd be glad to help if you want it.
 
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Anthinus

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I was watching Shofu's stream yesterday and his friend was playing Mega Man. He used Leaf Shield in a very effective way: He activates the shield when the opponent is trying to recover, then he jumps off stage to gimp him with the shield, after that he double jump + UpB to grab the edge. I tested it too and it seems you can easily footstool after your second jump while LS is activated.

Dtilt is so quick. It seems to have no startup... I mean, as soon as the dtilt begins the hitbox appears. I think is a very safe option to buffer after spot dodges and rolls. I saw some one do this: Grabbing the edge press forward to just stand over the edge, then dtilt to attack as soon as the invi-frames ends. Surely one can catch more than one opponent off guard with that.
 

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People are welcome to use my percents as a reference for guides. I myself am somewhat interested in writing a guide, but can't say I will.
 

qwillinallthefish

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Hi. I was just using Mega Man in the demo, and I thought I would point out that Mega Man's up-air killed Mario off the top at 89% when he was high-mid stage.
 

TheReflexWonder

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Was it a CPU? Oftentimes they jump while still in the hit, significantly lowering the percents it KOs at. You can't expect that to happen against a human player.
 
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SSGuy

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Will you be posting frame data in this thread as well or will that be in separate thread?
 

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鉄腕
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Will you be posting frame data in this thread as well or will that be in separate thread?
It will get it's own unlocked thread definitely, and eventually a summary of the data will be merged into one of the updates. It just depends on when someone is able to go through and study each frame, which I would imagine won't happen for a while now given the 3DS.
 

Jhaman

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So I'm currently testing kill percents in the demo. No idea how helpful this is. I don't know mega man's weight class. This is versus a level 1 CPU so he might be jumping or being relatively silly.


Kill Percents Mega Man Versus Mega Man (lvl1 CPU)

D-Smash . Fully Charged: 61%
D-Smash . Uncharged: 100%

F-Smash . Uncharged: 175% (From center of stage on omega mode)
F-Smash . Fully Charged: 90% (From center of stage omega mode.)
F-Smash . Uncharged: 135% (From edge of stage on omega mode.)
F-Smash . Fully Charged: 75% (From Edge of Stage on omega mode.)

U-Smash . Uncharged: 165%
U-Smash . Fully Charged: 95%

B- Air: 120% (From edge of stage on omega mode.)

U-Tilt: 91%
D-Tilt: 225% (From edge of stage on omega mode.)
 
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TheReflexWonder

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Don't use a CPU. For all we know, they could hold a random direction and skew the data.

Probably better to use Mario as the victim, too.
 
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Z1GMA

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Is this thread meant for discussing his moves one at a time, in the future?
 

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Is this thread meant for discussing his moves one at a time, in the future?
This is meant to be a general thread, but if there's a move you think warrants enough discussion for it's own thread then by all means.

DW -> Up Throw
SB -> Grab
SB -> U-Smash?

Vulnurable to air mobility (better on the ground), fast attacks that can cancel it and prevent the returning hitbox, shielding doesn't cancel the blade out

http://www.twitch.tv/teamsp00ky/b/631416618?t=5h13m35s


SKull
Frame 1
windbox
http://smashboards.com/threads/dr-l...d-critique-thread.368755/page-8#post-18605227
 

OnFullTilt

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Maybe I simply don't know enough about the game, but Megaman's up smash (most notably out of shield) seems absolutely amazing as a defensive tool. It hits grounded opponents to either side with good range, it will easily hit aerial opponents, it seems to me like it comes out frame 2-3, it does 16% when fully uncharged, and it is even ko's if your opponent is around 20-30% out of your real ko moves (I think at least), and finally since it's an up smash it's easy to do out of shield. If defensive Samus up B's in Melee are any indication I could see this becoming a very important tool, possibly even a staple Megaman thing.
 

Azazel

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Megaman's approach is pretty solid. With his jab/fitlt he can snuff many projectiles.
He can rack up damage safely by positioning himself so his ftil/jab is just within range, full jumping just after his last shot. during the jump he has two good options: falling nair and reposition or falling fair to snuff out any approach attempts or rack up damage faster (low percent fair -> dtilt). well spaced fairs are safe for the most part though possibly punishable on shield. Mixing up these options can rack up damage quickly and safely. Megaman can further mix it up with jumping after 1st, or 2nd jab instead of third.
Upsmash is good OoS
Glide toss (dash jump cancel item toss) gears -> dtilt
rush air rush air camping is useful when in the lead
walljump=ledge options: walljump bair/item toss(gear)

his edge gaurding capabilities are great but for character that have great recoveries is kill options are limited. Utilt is his earliest kil move if sweet spot. landing utilt requires lucking out on aread or OoS utilt and highly punishable.
His next best move is a charged fsmash. you may score kill on an opponent on the ledge if they make the wrong move.
upsmash kills at high percents (100-120) about 10% more than it takes utilt to but its easier to land.

(edit) fair on shield is not safe, throw it out to cover options instead. Also beats tilts well
 
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Doval

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I'd like to point out that Charge Shot (side smash), Flame Burst (down smash), Spark Shock (up smash) and Air Shooter (up aerial) have transcendent hitboxes. Spark Shock has a regular hitbox around Mega Man's body during the start of the attack but the electric ball is transcendent.
 

Azazel

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Throwing (shooting?) the leaf shield is a special so it is possible to b-reversal (though not necessarily pressing b) and/or momentum shift.
 

SmashBroPlusB

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Despite not being able to use normal attacks or special moves, Mega Man can throw held items while wearing the Leaf Shield. This includes his own Metal Blades, picked up after lodging them in the ground. I've been playing around with the tactic of throwing Metal Blade diagonally down from a full jump or double jump, dash-attacking to the hit enemy and picking up Metal Blade at the same time, then raising Leaf Shield. The rotating leaves offer sliiiiiiight coverage / pressure / whatever versus melee approaches, and I have a faster and more reliable attack option (smash throw Metal Blade) than either tossing the Leaf Shield or attempting a grab approach.
 

Azazel

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workin on figuring out utilt.
(Edit) does seem to have invincibiltiy frames when the hitbox comes out. Hitlag freezes on invincibity frames. Perhaps use it as pseudo-marth dolphin slash /luigi shoryuken w/o being able to land on platforms.
(Edit) confirmed invincible frames. They are very noticable since the hitlag is long and freezes on invincibility frames. You can't pause to see these frames(try a roll/spotdodge/airdodge and pause). utilt an explosive if you're skeptical.
 
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Azazel

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leafshield disapears once you get grabbed :(
megaman not grab-proof with leafshield
i've seen leafshield used to footstool gimp.
I've also seen footstool→gear zdrop→followup
leafshield→short hop→footstool→zdrop gear→ followup might be feasible.
Shorthop jumps over grabs. Leaf shield fades quickly (especially if yOu consider using it at asafe distance then closing said distance).
 

SSGuy

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workin on figuring out utilt.
(Edit) does seem to have invincibiltiy frames when the hitbox comes out. Hitlag freezes on invincibity frames. Perhaps use it as pseudo-marth dolphin slash/luigi shoryuken w/o being able to land on platforms.
It would make sense to have invulnerability on his Up-tilt but I just don't see it being their. I guess I need lab it some more. Can someone test this out and maybe provide video if they have time? I can't tell most of the time.
 

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Haven't started the PM to get things organized, but I thought I'd make a list here of things in case the community wants in.

  1. Damage %
  2. Pictures of Moves and Alternate Costumes (can probably take snap shots with the Pause Screen)
  3. Frame Data (probably not going to happen for a while)
  4. Kill % on Moves - I would think testing it out on the Default Mii would be the best way
  5. General Descriptions of Moves and their uses -
  6. Pros/Cons
  7. Combos (probably not going to get far until things are tested on human players)
  8. What the Mega Buster has priority on/cancels out - can probably get it's own thread, but it's worth a discussion
If I forgot something feel free to just go ahead and post it. Let's try to make this a community effort. :)
 

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The PM has been created, if you are interested in helping out feel free to let me know.
 

Dpete

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UpB seems to give Megaman unique vertical options that can really throw your opponent off. Angled Metal Blades and well timed Dairs can be frustrating off the coil.
 

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Has anyone else noticed a weird hit on his bair? Every once in a while I'll trade with my bair and it will send the opponent in a downwards (slightly diagonal) direction. It's pretty rare, but whenever it happens it catches the opponent off guard resulting in a KO.
 

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Confirming that Mega is a monster of an edgeguarder. Between bair and pellets, I feel fairly safe going offstage to harass.
 
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I have noticed that Mega's forward B will stick to an opponent during their invincibility phase just after respawn.
I think this is nice because it gives you an option during their invincibility other than ran away and gives them something to worry about.
 

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Thought I'd share some progress, so here are rough estimates of kill percents:

Slide - 213
Mega Upper- 87 (Sweet Spot), Non (~175)
Charge Shot - Uncharged (155-160), Part-charged (~115+), Charged (86)
Flame Sword - 280
Air Shooter - ??? (~135+)
Hard Knuckle - (210 On the Stage)
Slash Claw - 156 (had the Mii jump so all hits would connect)
Spark Shock - Uncharged (124), Part-charged (110), Charged (91)
Flame Blast - Uncharged (83), Part-charged (73), Charged (59)
Danger Wrap - 138

Probably needs more testing, especially the Air Shooter (I had % all over for it). Didn't bother with every move, tested it all with a default Mii on FD Pac-Maze (it's easy to tell where the center is).

Am very surprised by the Mega Upper, there's almost a 100% difference.
 

Locke 06

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Yeah, I'm surprised at that too... That makes me a little disappointed about my favorite move (Mega Upper). This is at what % does landing the move result in a kill, not the % after you land the move, correct?

Also... 59% for the Flame Blast. That is pretty low for someone who has quite a bit of shield pressure (crash bomb). [I just tested Ganondorf's reverse warlock punch. It kills at 20%...]

2 Kill%'s I'm interested in, one of which might be hard to test:
- The kill% of the crash bomb. While it should never get to that point...
- The kill% of a sour spotted Hard Knuckle.
 

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鉄腕
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It's the percent the opponent was in order to kill them, not the percent after the kill move landed. All kills were done on FD Pac-Maze in the center of the stage with the default Mii size (as they have the most balanced weight of the entire cast).


Crash Bomb I think was around 280%, didn't list it since there was no point. Any other move I didn't list because they either didn't kill at 999% (Buster, Shields) or there was no point (Ice Slasher, Tornado Hold, Metal Blade)

Hard Knuckle probably needs another look, as I didn't know there was a sweet spot, unless you're talking about the fist after it has launched/hit it's farthest distance in which case it's 210% as stated.


Air Shooter is by far the hardest to test for. The 135% is my best guess at a minimum, it's tough to guess. Sometimes I tried it and it didn't kill at 200%. The opponent would just hang in the air for a second rather than being pushed up.
 
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Locke 06

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It's the percent the opponent was in order to kill them, not the percent after the kill move landed. All kills were done on FD Pac-Maze in the center of the stage with the default Mii size (as they have the most balanced weight of the entire cast).


Crash Bomb I think was around 280%, didn't list it since there was no point. Any other move I didn't list because they either didn't kill at 999% (Buster, Shields) or there was no point (Ice Slasher, Tornado Hold, Metal Blade)

Hard Knuckle probably needs another look, as I didn't know there was a sweet spot, unless you're talking about the fist after it has launched/hit it's farthest distance in which case it's 210% as stated.


Air Shooter is by far the hardest to test for. The 135% is my best guess at a minimum, it's tough to guess. Sometimes I tried it and it didn't kill at 200%. The opponent would just hang in the air for a second rather than being pushed up.
Thanks for clearing up the % question and the crash bomb. I wonder if they made it under 300% just for sudden death.
With the hard knuckle I was thinking the fist and then also MegaMan when he launches it. In my experience, it either spikes (the fist post launch) or it hits them up diagonally (sour spot).

And yeah. Air shooter is weird. I wonder if the final hit has a set push/knock back. I killed a Yoshi at 100% after shooting it at the top of a double jump... Iunno.
 
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Next part of the revamp seems to be discussing basic options/uses for moves individually.

Let's start with the bread and butter: Jab/F-Tilt/N-Air
 

BillNyeTheSamusGuy

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stand at max lemon range and fire

if they shield- more lemons

if they jump- punish with more lemons

if they spotdoge- punish with more lemons

if they roll towards- punish with more lemons

if they roll away- walk forward, punish with more lemons

also megaman's ftilt means he can immediately go from running one way to walking the opposite direction thanks to the turnaround cancel
 
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