As Samus, Do you prefer to play Defensivly? Offensivly? Campy? How?

[theopenlink22]

Just wondering which play style you prefer as Samus, list what one you prefer, and how you do so.

 

[RoachCake]

Depends entirely on the MU.
Rushdowns make it hard for me to play aggressive so I'll usually stick to a more defensive kind of play, when they're offstage though, I'll go all in, and SD.
But usually I play a mix of offense and defense, a lot of high-risk Dash Attacks and Grabs get thrown every which way during offense and D-tilt + Z-air spam in defense.

 

[Afro Smash]

Constantly mixing it up is best imo. Zone with zair for a bit, then go in with a dash attack for combo damage, retreat and lay a bomb to give some space to charge, force aerial approaches with missiles then meet them with fair.

Ultimately though as roach its dependent on the MU. There's no point in going offensive vs a Ganon when he can only deal damage up close, and can deal a lot more of it than you, when you can zone him safely

 

[MegaRiff]

I've been playing very defensive lately and let me tell you, people hate it. They always leave after 1 or 2 matches. But I find it odd that when they do it, it's ok, but when I do it, it's a no-no.

 

[Cu29]

I voted Offensively, but I'm in the middle. I don't really do one or the other. I play defensively while they're below ~40% - 60% depending on the character, and then I start moving in on them.

 

[theopenlink22]

I prefer Defensive, by charging up neutral special and shooting missiles, and making them come to me, then you go for Zairs and d-tilts to push them back.

 

[Hark17ball]

I said offensive. I'm probably 60/40 in favor of offense. I tend to try mixing things up so they never get a good rhythm going.

If I learned anything from Hajime no Ippo is even a far better player when they can't establish anything can get frustrated and than make big mistakes.....and that's when I try to capitalize most.

 

[Xygonn]

I play defensively the vast majority of the time. If they figure out my wall, then I'll change it up and see if I can start something with dash attacks, zair, and SHAD approaches.

 

[-_ellipsis_-]

Usually I'm playing offensively. I find myself only charging CS on downtime or when I'm just feeling chargy in general, but I really like being within dash attack threatened space and I find myself uncomfortable when I'm too far away. I guess you can say I'm a very aggressive zoner. My more defensive MU tend to be against rushdowns, but not really. I'm super aggressive towards Captain Falcon and Pikachu, but more defensive against Sheik and ZSS.

 

[JAZZ_]

I mix it up.
I start defensive, charging and throwing missiles and such. HOWEVER, once I'm charged I go for a more offensive approach, using the CS as a mind game. I love playing against fighters with a reflect, because they'll rely heavily on it and its sooo much fun to punish reckless reflect spamming.

 

[theopenlink22]

I start defensive, charging and throwing missiles and such. HOWEVER, once I'm charged I go for a more offensive approach, using the CS as a mind game. I love playing against fighters with a reflect, because they'll rely heavily on it and its sooo much fun to punish reckless reflect spamming.

Good strategy, The Neutral Special is a great mind game, where you can punish dodges and shields.

 

[VidyaJames]

I tend to switch it up throughout a match. I start somewhat aggressively, doing what I can to grab stage control with zair and spacing bair on shield to see what my opponent does in response. When I feel like I've got an idea how they respond to pressure (or at least how they react to a surprisingly aggro Samus), I throw homing missiles, dash attacks, and the occasional grab (if I can get away with it) into the mix.

If the aggerssion is working out, I try to keep up the pressure as long as I can get away with. I try to keep my opponent overwhelmed as long as possible. If they adapt and are able to successfully get me away a few times, I'll back off and play what I like to call "offensive camping". I use missiles and zair not primarily to keep them out, but to find a chip in their armor to let myself in. If they're able to get around the camping, then I play defensive until I see openings to capitalize on and turn around the momentum.

I guess I'd summarize it as starting off low-key offensive before going full aggro, then transitioning between offensive and defensive play as needed.

 

[Crystanium]

Neither. My preferred style is strategically.

 

[Parker Sullivan]

Space with zair, missle, bair, etc and see how they react. I also do a lot of walking with Samus. When I see a mistake I get aggresive. I've found a mix of both is most effective. Your play style needs to be constantly reactive and fluid with Samus.

 

[Crystanium]

Space with zair, missle, bair, etc and see how they react. I also do a lot of walking with Samus. When I see a mistake I get aggresive. I've found a mix of both is most effective. Your play style needs to be constantly reactive and fluid with Samus.

On the contrary. Your play style needs to be proactive. Being reactive requires little to no thought. It's simply a stimulus of the environment around you. If you're proactive, you can take control. Being proactive requires thinking.

 

[Dancer]

Offensive. Mainly. The way I play Samus ends up a lot like playing Lucario for me. I win hard and lose hard. But, both being somewhat heavy and floaty, I try to make the loss as toothy as possible.

I like to take center stage before charging. This initial moment is reactive. What they do in that first moment tells me a lot. When they're just a bit too far away to threaten, I throw out dash attack. If they move in, f-tilt. If run and shield, I just turn around slightly (slightly hitbox adjustment) and wait a second. Then throw out dash attack. If I get it, yay up air combo, start charging when I get back to the ground. Nair them if they fall into me.
From here it's all in. Dash attacks, grab attempts aerials, running f-tilts. Totally random dairs, SH nairs if I ever get too close to a shield, erratic movement and zairs. If I win neutral a few times like this, I'll charge some CS and shoot it halfway through. Begin charging again. When they move in again, make a read. SHAD nair or bair if they dash into me, nair a jump in attempt, etc.
If I lose in neutral, I just...do stuff. Odd, much unexpect stuff that might net me a whiff or OOS punish, or a random aerial, or just run right past them. Maybe I can cross them up with bomb movement.

I use u-tilt a lot, trying to read a OOS jump to get out of the way of a potential grab/dash attack situation, that also beats a lot of attacks and shield pressures from a good distance.
I frustrate by spacing jumps into zairs and f-tilts. I try to match my mind to my opponent's rhythem so I can catch them with dash attack when they think they could hit a button. I absolutely go for random grabs. I fish particularly hard for landing grabs.

Btw, does anyone else think landing against Samus is terrifying? Charge shot, missles, dash attack, huge chain grab, GG aerials.

I don't bust out power missle much. Gives my opponent to much room to move and think.

I just generally move and jump around a lot, at a distance. Perhaps at some point my opponent will be so frightened by the horizontal potential punishes they'll try going over me. Which will get noped on with u-air and screw attack.

Unless it's Marth.
Kinda have to play different when it's Marth.

I'm not heavy on my shield. I'm all about the movement. I do get the d-tilt and screw attack OOS punishes sometimes though.
The way I play her ends up being really unsafe, but so fun. I either body someone and leave them with no clue at all when to do anything ever, or get mashed myself. Although, I find, with Samus's nature, I end up getting a lot more out of it than my opponent does when I mess up.