Approaching Olimar

[Yakt-NJ]

Because I'm a kind person, I promised a few friends of mine that I'd take the liberty of asking the fine Smash World Olimar community what they think about approaching the little bugger. I'm generally able to shield grab 80% of approaches. Obviously coming in from the air makes a little more sense, but fairs that make characters fall quickly, combined with the lack of difinitive L-cancelling make shield grabbing a breeze. Considering how lethal blue throws can be, my opponents try to avoid this.

I suggested coming in by shorthopping forward with a fair, and then retreating with the joystick so that they didn't land right in front of me. This also applies to character with long range bairs.

Coming in from above seems like a great option at first until Olimar KO's you with his up smash.

Grabbing Olimar is another adventure all together. I think Olimar's grab range with blue and white pikmin is even longer than the other "hookshot" grabbers', and it has significantly less lag than any of those. Even the yellow and red have a pretty long range, and purple's is modest.

I know this forum is primarily comprised of Olimar players, but do any of you have any character-specific strategies for an offensive approach or things that your opponents have done which allow them to get the jump on you?

This thread is not about other characters with projectiles that can camp like Olimar; I'm well aware that Pit can fight from far away with arrows until the opportunity to approach presents itself; what I'm more conserned with is the approach itself.

 

[Mercury]

well, MK, i get totally ***** by normally, ESPECIALLY when i first started playing because i would pikmin throw all the time, and all he has to do is just AAA all the Pikmin into little tenderloins. a common MK tactic on olimar would be to "jog" or walk towards olimar AAAing every time he throws pikmin, and either start aerial **** with your initial jump out of his Asmash/grab range, or just wait for him to try plucking.

it'd be easier to if there were specific characters your friends play, because if you aren't playing MK or other swordsman/characters with good jabs that kill pikmin, then it gets a little difficult.

 

[dmauro]

Bow first.

 

[Rhyme]

offensive approach

No such thing.

This matchup is essentially like fighting Melee Falco--even though Falco can **** you close up, you need to constantly be close and pressure him because you're sunk out of range. It was probably even harder to fight Melee Falco because the lasers have hitstun while Olimar's pikmin do not.

 

[Ultimatum479]

The best way to get past the forward-B is for YOU to watch Olimar's Pikmin order as well. If you see a purple Pikmin coming up, dodge on your way in, but if you see any other type, just deal with the damage and come in swinging. People always waste their time knocking Pikmin off of themselves; just attack Olimar and your attacks will knock the Pikmin off simultaneously. Also, don't forget that you can use his forward-B against him. If too many Pikmin are latched on to you, his Up-B recovery becomes useless, so keep him off the stage and he's screwed.

Aside from the forward-B, the other methods he has to prevent a safe approach are not so easily countered. Just by charging up an Fsmash, Olimar holds a Pikmin in front of him as a useful projectile shield, so firing on your way in doesn't make an approach much easier. Aerial approaches tend to fail due to Olimar's godly Usmash. A slow, careful ground approach doesn't help that much either due to his grab, which has reach similar to Link/Samus/etc's grabs while it has a better recovery. My only suggestion is either to go for the aerial approach and air-dodge on your way in or to out-range Olimar, depending on your character. For example, the space animals should have no problem using ranged attacks to force Olimar to come into their territory instead of the other way around, and Olimar's easily punishable when he tries to approach. The same goes for Samus and Pit and some others. Out-ranging Olimar is possible with melee attacks for some characters too; MetaKnight's sword pwns Olimar's Pikmin if you do a Drill Rush or Tornado on your way in, for example.

Good luck. ^_^

 

[Florida]

I've done a couple of Olimar dittos, and from what I can tell, most Olimar players will use a smash attack to defend against an incoming attack (that would be down smash, up smash, and forward smash). Even though these attacks have incredible range, there's a certain weak spot that you should be aiming for in this situation.

Note that both the forward and down smashes cover the bottom-front areas of Olimar, while the up smash covers above him; leaving the corner/shoulder part of Olimar exposed. The best approach would be to short hop forward aerial, or a different aerial if you'd want. I've used this on a couple of my opponents, and it gets them until they realize that I'm tricking them the same way each time (takes about 2-4 times ).

If you're approaching a Olimar that is airborne, shield-grab! Shield-grabbing is insanely useful in Brawl, and you can pull it off much more simply and easier than before. For airborne opponents, there are also always mindgames and the reading of their next movements. Just play wise, and take your time.

 

[nelohalo]

How do you deal with an Olimar that is rolling away when you approach from a diagonal angle?

 

[Rhyme]

How do you deal with an Olimar that is rolling away when you approach from a diagonal angle?

Empty short hop.

If you know that Olimar is going to roll, do a short jump without attacking, then simply fast fall to the ground and persue in whichever direction the Olimar rolled in with a shield canceled grab. An attack likely won't work because it's easy to get a shield up immediately after a roll, but it's difficult to get the timing for a second frame-perfect side dodge.

The other alternative is to A cancel your aerial.

 

[Ultimatum479]

nelohalo, I deal with Olimars that are rolling away by taking the time to forward-B so that the Pikmin latches on just as the roll is done. It's the safest way to punish a roll. If you _can_ get in close, obviously grabbing is better, but if not, just F-B.

 

[redgreenblue]

I personally use Falco's lasers and reflector to space olimar away from me. His reflector has a deceptive reflection hitbox and usually Olimars I face throw a pikmin so that it hits me just as my reflector is about to disappear, which reflects it back. SHDLs are also helpful with olimar since his only projectile (throwing pikmin) doesn't go far.

After I've accumulated maybe 20-30% with lasers I jump from above, swiveling left and right around him in the air while I fall, then hit him with a bair to reflector/shield grab. Bair and Dair are really your best choice in approaching him, if you really need to approach him. But really olimar is hard to approach.

Also, I've forgotten one more move. Phantasm is good for getting Olimar up in the air, and it has a higher priority than his pikmin throws. After he's up in the air you can Uair him, Utilt, Usmash, whatever combo you want to do. If he tries to come back with a Dair, shield until he falls and then shield grab/smash him. Just remember that the phantasm really messes pikmin's flow up.