~automatic
Smash Legend
As some people may know I’m a pretty casual player who also happens to really enjoy playing Smash (all 3 games) and since I’m a competitive person I enjoy partaking in smash tournaments as a way to have fun, waste time, relax a bit, hang out and test myself in a dumb game.
Lately I have made (or tried to) an honest effort to improve since I really didn’t care much. With Genesis 2, Pound5 and Winter Game Fest coming up I think I can place well if I try to be a better player. At the last 3 national tournaments (Genesis, Active and WGF10) I have attended I have been one match from making the bracket.
One Nair, a F-smash, a simple punish or hit from being pitted against the cream of the crop of the smash community.
I want to break that barrier and show people that I’m not the player that’s “just ok since he doesn’t care” or the player that “sucks but can still win so be careful I guess.” Imma need help from my locals, the Pikachus and anyone else who has been or is in this fork in the road.
I got this.
We got this.
“Pro vittoria quod the lulz, ego hebeas ist.”
-----
Stuff+observations.
Originally posted on October 6 2010 (post Terry’s smashfest)
1st revision: Oct. 8 2010 (Practice w/ Migve)
As Pika
ika:
• Vs MK
Mid range zoning. Long range may be better against Chill and Havok; I should develop the patience to keep them far away. I guess I should keep my distance as you can kinda tell from the last sentence. Recovery isn't much of a problem for me; however I should try to mix up the QA pattern. jab only once looking for a trip+grab string. MK can D smash me out of jabs.
1. Havok
Don’t get within his tilt/smash range. Avoid his grabs. Will usually D-smash after a failed F-air shield poke. Don't try that **** when MK's shield is full. Mildly vulnerable to U-air under a platform. Mid-long range seems to be the best place to be against him as seen in the first 2 stocks of our last match on Delfino.
2. Chill
Camping from long range works well against Chill. Not has effective up close as Havok but since MK outclasses Pika there I shouldn’t hang out there. Off rhythm in his Dair Camping allows me to punish w/ B-air once I see an opening. continous rhythm helps in getting in w/ U-air or B-air. DIs to the longer zone of the stage when getting U-aired. Try to read him into thunder or Nair. Vulnerable to U-air under a platform.
Where I need help:
Keeping continuous pressure.
Pressuring the shield effectively.
Finding a way to keep MK off stage without a predictable thunder/jolt pattern (it's hard I know).
• Vs. Marth
Not as problematic as it was for me a while back. U-Air out of a wall jump as a way to step back on the stage if Marth is up close looking for a U-smash on the ledge. Long range zoning. Does Pika's U-tilt clash with Marth's F-smash? Grabs and N-air are safe options to punish Marth's failed smash attempts.
1. Chill
Power shielding works wonders. Long range jolts. Grab/Nair Marth as a safe punish out of his smashes. He plays this match up (Pika's worst imo) really well but it isn't much of a problem at a long range.
Where I need help:
Putting Marth offstage.
Applying pressure to Marth's shield.
Finding safer KO options.
• Vs. Ness
Grab release into tilts near the edge. Not much to say since the Ness I played quit 2 matches after 1 stock.
• Vs Snake
1. Chill
Will always "read" towards safe areas out of a D-throw allowing an easy escape for my 'chu (and any other character really). Snake has not been a problem for me as Pika since January of 09 so I don't really have much to be self critical about atm.
• Vs Yoshi
1. Migve
Knows my Pika really well. Will throw an egg out of F-throw or release in order to chase another grab. Stay grounded at higher percentages since he uses U smash and Ground Pound as KO moves. He's into dash grabs, pivot grabs closer to the edges. Avoid multiple jabs since Yoshi can grab, N-air, smash or down-B Pika. Jab once looking for a trip only. U-air as primary kill aerial. Dangerously precise w/ F-air spike (more than Dyz and Burntsockz) so recover at an uncomfortable angle for yoshi. Extremely patient, will wait for me to smash when it isn't safe. Predictable air dodges, Nair him at high percentages.
My bad habits as Pika.
• Continuous F-air into shield.
• Dmash OOS instead of tilts or Nair.
• Not patient enough.
• Rolling into short area of stage after full hop T-jolt.
---
As Ike (low tier char)
• Vs. Snake
Chill
His 'nade strippin is a bit off at times. Recovers high like most proficient snakes, however he is still within Aether range at the edge. Scared of F tilts. Take him to Delfino?
• Vs. Marth
F-air going back isn't punished easily, look out for grabs if I do have landing lag. N-air or grab at short range.
1. Chill
Punish w/ Nair. Reverse ^B recovery. Against my Ike his Marth wasn't much of a problem playing seriously.
• Vs. Meta Knight
Just no.
-----
I'm opening up this to anyone who would like to help me, those who also want to improve (I know for a fact out of the members of the Pika boards I'm NOT EVEN close to being the worse Pikachu, as cocky as that may sound) or those who need a bit of insight into their own match up problems since I'll be posting my observations here. Feel free to add to this, advice me or correct me if I'm wrong in some areas. I'll be continously adding to this after practice sessions, smashfests and tournaments.
Lately I have made (or tried to) an honest effort to improve since I really didn’t care much. With Genesis 2, Pound5 and Winter Game Fest coming up I think I can place well if I try to be a better player. At the last 3 national tournaments (Genesis, Active and WGF10) I have attended I have been one match from making the bracket.
One Nair, a F-smash, a simple punish or hit from being pitted against the cream of the crop of the smash community.
I want to break that barrier and show people that I’m not the player that’s “just ok since he doesn’t care” or the player that “sucks but can still win so be careful I guess.” Imma need help from my locals, the Pikachus and anyone else who has been or is in this fork in the road.
I got this.
We got this.
“Pro vittoria quod the lulz, ego hebeas ist.”
-----
Stuff+observations.
Originally posted on October 6 2010 (post Terry’s smashfest)
1st revision: Oct. 8 2010 (Practice w/ Migve)
As Pika
ika:• Vs MK
Mid range zoning. Long range may be better against Chill and Havok; I should develop the patience to keep them far away. I guess I should keep my distance as you can kinda tell from the last sentence. Recovery isn't much of a problem for me; however I should try to mix up the QA pattern. jab only once looking for a trip+grab string. MK can D smash me out of jabs.
1. Havok
Don’t get within his tilt/smash range. Avoid his grabs. Will usually D-smash after a failed F-air shield poke. Don't try that **** when MK's shield is full. Mildly vulnerable to U-air under a platform. Mid-long range seems to be the best place to be against him as seen in the first 2 stocks of our last match on Delfino.
2. Chill
Camping from long range works well against Chill. Not has effective up close as Havok but since MK outclasses Pika there I shouldn’t hang out there. Off rhythm in his Dair Camping allows me to punish w/ B-air once I see an opening. continous rhythm helps in getting in w/ U-air or B-air. DIs to the longer zone of the stage when getting U-aired. Try to read him into thunder or Nair. Vulnerable to U-air under a platform.
Where I need help:
Keeping continuous pressure.
Pressuring the shield effectively.
Finding a way to keep MK off stage without a predictable thunder/jolt pattern (it's hard I know).
• Vs. Marth
Not as problematic as it was for me a while back. U-Air out of a wall jump as a way to step back on the stage if Marth is up close looking for a U-smash on the ledge. Long range zoning. Does Pika's U-tilt clash with Marth's F-smash? Grabs and N-air are safe options to punish Marth's failed smash attempts.
1. Chill
Power shielding works wonders. Long range jolts. Grab/Nair Marth as a safe punish out of his smashes. He plays this match up (Pika's worst imo) really well but it isn't much of a problem at a long range.
Where I need help:
Putting Marth offstage.
Applying pressure to Marth's shield.
Finding safer KO options.
• Vs. Ness
Grab release into tilts near the edge. Not much to say since the Ness I played quit 2 matches after 1 stock.
• Vs Snake
1. Chill
Will always "read" towards safe areas out of a D-throw allowing an easy escape for my 'chu (and any other character really). Snake has not been a problem for me as Pika since January of 09 so I don't really have much to be self critical about atm.
• Vs Yoshi
1. Migve
Knows my Pika really well. Will throw an egg out of F-throw or release in order to chase another grab. Stay grounded at higher percentages since he uses U smash and Ground Pound as KO moves. He's into dash grabs, pivot grabs closer to the edges. Avoid multiple jabs since Yoshi can grab, N-air, smash or down-B Pika. Jab once looking for a trip only. U-air as primary kill aerial. Dangerously precise w/ F-air spike (more than Dyz and Burntsockz) so recover at an uncomfortable angle for yoshi. Extremely patient, will wait for me to smash when it isn't safe. Predictable air dodges, Nair him at high percentages.
My bad habits as Pika.
• Continuous F-air into shield.
• Dmash OOS instead of tilts or Nair.
• Not patient enough.
• Rolling into short area of stage after full hop T-jolt.
---
As Ike (low tier char)
• Vs. Snake
Chill
His 'nade strippin is a bit off at times. Recovers high like most proficient snakes, however he is still within Aether range at the edge. Scared of F tilts. Take him to Delfino?
• Vs. Marth
F-air going back isn't punished easily, look out for grabs if I do have landing lag. N-air or grab at short range.
1. Chill
Punish w/ Nair. Reverse ^B recovery. Against my Ike his Marth wasn't much of a problem playing seriously.
• Vs. Meta Knight
Just no.
-----
I'm opening up this to anyone who would like to help me, those who also want to improve (I know for a fact out of the members of the Pika boards I'm NOT EVEN close to being the worse Pikachu, as cocky as that may sound) or those who need a bit of insight into their own match up problems since I'll be posting my observations here. Feel free to add to this, advice me or correct me if I'm wrong in some areas. I'll be continously adding to this after practice sessions, smashfests and tournaments.
