Advancing the Mac Meta

[Solreth]

(Original Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/48zuvy/advancing_the_mac_meta/ )

So Ive been working on applying effective new options in competitive and am starting to have major breakthroughs.

https://gfycat.com/ApprehensiveHandsomeHartebeest

In short, this is an amazing mixup against anyone without a frame 1-3 option in the air. Air dodge works across cast but results in a ff to up-smash frame trap, or worse if it was baited. That said, it isnt new.

Mac nation has to accept that to compete on an even level we're going to have to squeeze every available ounce out of our characters kit.

So, be it: https://gfycat.com/FabulousBronzeGermanspaniel

Whether we abuse the deadzones of our huge hitstun shieldbreakers into momentum based ledge cancel insta-kills

or do something as simple as B-reverse platform abuse:

https://gfycat.com/UnlinedOblongAyeaye

We can not rest on our laurels and presume we have all of the answers. We must not simply accept our kit as is.

After TNS ive had several brainstorms in optimizing macs options. Some of our biggest problems are lack of followups on throw, easily read DI, and hey -who wouldnt like a couple extra platform shenanigans (among many other notable weaknesses).

Some thoughts I wanted to extend into the community.

Lets turn our opponents Momentum and Direction against them. Do they always Di out on your grab? Pivot the grab and immediately downthrow. Their reaction will di them directly into the follow-up Up.B. It mixes up and subverts their expectations, giving a means of converting grab to a stock at 100%

Are they just below kill percent for a downtilt to jump-cancelled up-B? B-reverse that down-tilt to jumpcancelled up-B. Its visually indistinguishable, picks up from both sides, and turns their "Best Di" into the literal worst Di, netting kills up to 10% earlier.

Did your opponent just roll on platform? That means he pushed himself to an edge. Take a running D-air and it'll slide him off. Untechable. you can even follow up with a B-reverse Ko punch to seal the stock and more.

Perfect pivot up-tilt is the new name of the game on safe approaches, and its a fatal combo to up-B at certain percents. Are you applying it? can we as a community do MORE with it? We need to look into this. It is all ready a gold standard.

You can B-reverse a Gazelle Punch for christs sake.

Basically, I want you all to take this, and get into the lab. Don't rely on others to find it, most of this stuff has existed since day one. Its out there, its waiting to be explored, and Mac nation needs to push the envelope to be relevant. Dont just practice these options, try to extend their utility. I know im going straight to lab tonight myself and I hope to hear word back from you lot.

Feel free to contact me with any findings at my twitter Solreth

Dms are open to everyone. Lets hit this metagame hard and force opponents to next level thinking. If anyone finds something of note ill start posting it out with full creditation over twitter.

Thank you for your time, I dont anticipate this post to do amazingly, but a man can hope. We can not just settle on our preconceived limitations, we have to push our limit. Lets start today.

 

[Zoramine Fae]

(Original Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/48zuvy/advancing_the_mac_meta/ )

So Ive been working on applying effective new options in competitive and am starting to have major breakthroughs.

https://gfycat.com/ApprehensiveHandsomeHartebeest

In short, this is an amazing mixup against anyone without a frame 1-3 option in the air. Air dodge works across cast but results in a ff to up-smash frame trap, or worse if it was baited. That said, it isnt new.

Mac nation has to accept that to compete on an even level we're going to have to squeeze every available ounce out of our characters kit.

So, be it: https://gfycat.com/FabulousBronzeGermanspaniel

Whether we abuse the deadzones of our huge hitstun shieldbreakers into momentum based ledge cancel insta-kills

or do something as simple as B-reverse platform abuse:

https://gfycat.com/UnlinedOblongAyeaye

We can not rest on our laurels and presume we have all of the answers. We must not simply accept our kit as is.

After TNS ive had several brainstorms in optimizing macs options. Some of our biggest problems are lack of followups on throw, easily read DI, and hey -who wouldnt like a couple extra platform shenanigans (among many other notable weaknesses).

Some thoughts I wanted to extend into the community.

Lets turn our opponents Momentum and Direction against them. Do they always Di out on your grab? Pivot the grab and immediately downthrow. Their reaction will di them directly into the follow-up Up.B. It mixes up and subverts their expectations, giving a means of converting grab to a stock at 100%

Are they just below kill percent for a downtilt to jump-cancelled up-B? B-reverse that down-tilt to jumpcancelled up-B. Its visually indistinguishable, picks up from both sides, and turns their "Best Di" into the literal worst Di, netting kills up to 10% earlier.

Did your opponent just roll on platform? That means he pushed himself to an edge. Take a running D-air and it'll slide him off. Untechable. you can even follow up with a B-reverse Ko punch to seal the stock and more.

Perfect pivot up-tilt is the new name of the game on safe approaches, and its a fatal combo to up-B at certain percents. Are you applying it? can we as a community do MORE with it? We need to look into this. It is all ready a gold standard.

You can B-reverse a Gazelle Punch for christs sake.

Basically, I want you all to take this, and get into the lab. Don't rely on others to find it, most of this stuff has existed since day one. Its out there, its waiting to be explored, and Mac nation needs to push the envelope to be relevant. Dont just practice these options, try to extend their utility. I know im going straight to lab tonight myself and I hope to hear word back from you lot.

Feel free to contact me with any findings at my twitter Solreth

Dms are open to everyone. Lets hit this metagame hard and force opponents to next level thinking. If anyone finds something of note ill start posting it out with full creditation over twitter.

Thank you for your time, I dont anticipate this post to do amazingly, but a man can hope. We can not just settle on our preconceived limitations, we have to push our limit. Lets start today.

You're ****ing insane, man. I can't even do half the stuff you all can do with Little Mac with jab locks using Down Air and all that - I just rely on my fundamentals!

I'm adding all of this information to the guide I'm currently making for Little Mac where I cover everything that he has, even things that I can barely preform. That way so I can make personal footage for it, I have to practice these lol. I might be suffering as well due to having to rely on a 3DS and not owning a Game Cube Controller, a Wii U, or an adapter. Which sucks.

But you are amazing, please keep doing stuff like this.

EDIT: How do you do a Gazelle Punch? I've been trying for the past about 10 mins after viewing this and I've had absolutely no luck. Like, what frame should I look out for? Is there any specific timings for it? Would be really helpful

 

[inconspikuous]

(Original Post:
Are they just below kill percent for a downtilt to jump-cancelled up-B? B-reverse that down-tilt to jumpcancelled up-B.

B-reverse that down-tilt? how do you b-reverse a down-tilt? did you mean pp-reverse?

 

[Xcelerator]

Solreth meant B reversing the jumpcanceled upB, so dtilt > B reversed jumpcanceled upB

 

[Solreth]

yes it was poorly worded there and since corrected on the reddit post. Apologies for any confusion, I had presumed b-reverse implied on the B Move of the string, but I see how the terminology was sketchy.

 

[jet56]

Like the idea here a ton. i have always been an advocate of the idea that mac is being beyond underutilized.
capitalizing and optimizing is the name of the game for little mac. he should be able to get in as much damage as possible, and there are very good ways to do that.
https://gfycat.com/EagerDearestFlyingsquirrel - Mac combo
A combo i came up with on the fly. if i were to get that same opportunity now, i would have done one more utilt instead of an Up B, and then tried for an upsmash and if the upsmash connected, then i would have done an up B. it is very easy for mac to slap 50+ % combo's using his Dtilt, Jab, and Utilt as in conjunction with each other while using perfect pivots, before ending it in a smash attack, and then having them in a bad position so you can continue juggle them. Optimizing macs combos will make it that much easier for him to take the stock, because he will only have to win neutral once or maybe twice in order to get him into kill percent.
https://gfycat.com/DarkFelineAmericancrow movement
This is how i feel little mac should look in neutral. The amount of control that you can have in the stage, and the ability to be able to do literally ANYTHING in any position is what makes him so solid. mixture of perfect pivots, dash dancing, and other movement techs gives him a control on the ground that no other character can even attempt.
https://gfycat.com/VillainousTightJapanesebeetle punch mixup
Creativity, and One read, as well as knowledge on when a string will work will net you very early kills with the K.O. punch, and even a smash attack. the more practice and polish, the more this character will shine.

 

[Solreth]

Note the distinct application of perfect pivots in nearly everything. PPivot is mac future

 

[jet56]

Note the distinct application of perfect pivots in nearly everything. PPivot is mac future

Probably the only character to actually be able to use the tech to its fullest.

 

[DrRek]

This post is great! It warms my heart to see people getting behind such an under-used, but great character.