Being Campy vs Being Aggressive

[rhan]

I recently went to a Melee tourney last weekend that was probably the biggest tourney in my area. 41 people came and some from from border states. But I digress.

My perception on this has been close minded until now.

I use to be an aggressive Young Link, mainly using projectiles and such to approch the opponent. I never really had to play a campy style. I was kinda against camping until I played a few Captian Falcon's and Marth's that forced me to camp. Once I started camping I found out it's actually easier to win rather than being aggressive and always charging in. I understand that some character you have to be aggressive in the match-up if you don't want to be overpowered. Like Falco or Fox. But others like Marth and Shiek you have to play campy or it's doom.


The reason for this thread is to really discuss anyone else's thoughts on this. I'm still caught in the middle between the two. Both plat styles can show how much Young Link can be a threat and can be a challenge in any match up.

All in all, which play style would you rather prefer?

 

[Skyson]

I highly prefer playing aggressively. I play aggressively with just about any character I'm using, and I find Young Link's versatile moveset to be a great advantage when approaching. I know I haven't been in a competitive scene more than once, and that one time I didn't use Young Link outside of a friendly, though I did 3-stock a good Fox player on Fountain of Dreams. I was too nervous to experiment in tournament play with Young Link, just from first-timerness. I went 0-10 in pools with Sheik, and I honestly think I could've done better as Young Link.

I find the boomerang to be a very useful approaching tool. If you know it's going to be shielded, you can DI away after the throw and let the minor shieldstun prevent you from getting shieldgrabbed. If it connects (either weakly or sweetspotted, and **** that sweetspot does damage) then it can lead into just about any other move for a nice combo. The boomerang's low knockback is perfect for comboing with/into Young Link's fast aerials and tilts, both which stack damage quickly and effectively.

The big problem I usually find with playing aggressively is approaching. Young Link doesn't have anything "big" to charge an opponent with that can't be responded to with a simple shieldgrab. You have to play smart to bait the other player into whiffing a grab/attack, then you can start an offensive.

Some players like doing both and playing to whichever benefits the moment. Camp from the start, continue camping to put pressure on the opponent, go aggressive when they try to break the camping and mess up, finish a combo and return to camping to bait another opening. I respect smart Young Link players like this, but it seems too drawn out for me to manage. I have a thing against drawing out matches, even strategically. I'm more interested in outmaneuvering someone with quick attacks than overpowering them and shutting them down.

I don't think Young Link can really "overpower" an opponent in the same way that Fox/Falco can. I think Young Link's dominance comes from punishing a confounded foe. There's no proven way to play Young Link and start something so that your opponent has no way to escape, so a lot more of the fun (in my opinion) comes from outspeeding the other player into picking the wrong option to fight back. If you mix up your options while comboing, camping, or being aggressive against an opponent, you're more likely to land a KOing move when they react with a move that doesn't give them the result they expect.

If you're comboing an airborn Marth with SHFFL'd back-airs, a sudden spotdodge to dodge a potential forward smash (in my experience, Marth's top choice for the "get the **** away from me" attack) can open the opportunity for you to punish them with a down smash or start a new combo.

It's a little erratic, but it works for me. I don't always finish a combo when I think the other player can escape at a certain point. I'll stop and wait for them to get out of a combo that they might still be thinking I was going to continue/finish.

I respect campy Young Links and their patience, but I find Young Link's style of aggression extremely unique. He has so many options for maintaining pressure and keeping an opponent guessing that playing Young Link never gets old.

When I start going to some tournaments or playing at a higher level, I'll look back on this. For now, that's all I have to say. I like playing aggressively.

 

[elvenarrow3000]

I prefer being proactive and throwing only enough projectiles to get an opening. Camping isn't completely safe, and a lot of characters can punish gaps a lot harder than Young Link, so I'd only do it as much as necessary. Also, being proactive always puts you at least a step ahead of someone who's being reactive.

 

[Caleb Wolfbrand]

A good mix of the two works for me. I am against spam and I play that way with all my chars, even Falco.

Sometimes it's good to bait, then others it's fun to chase. I feel like YL is more complicated than being played one way or the other. Perhaps it's only me

 

[rhan]

Yeah a mixture of both obviously is good. It's bad to play too aggressive because it can make you become very predictable at times, but on the other hand it can also get you ahead of your opponet. Same for being campy. No one should play campy when you're opponet is at about 150% cause projectiles won't get you no where in the match. -.-

The way I look at it is that there are times to lay campy and times to be aggressive for that K.O. But what feels better is all depended on the player.

 

[Laijin]

I obviously prefer campy and projectile spammy. YL becomes one of the top characters in the game to rack up damage the fastest(Only being beaten by Ganon of course) with projectile combos(What other character can get 40% damage off of 3 "does'nt matter if you DI'ed that or not" gaurenteed hits? lol).
I only switch to being aggressive when my opponent's damage is high and they are not dead yet, but you have to be very careful since most of the high tier's close range attacks have far better priority, speed and range than your attacks. So you have to know how to approach.

 

[*P*L*U*R*]

It's been a long time since I've played Ylink seriously but last time I did, I'd switch on and off between campy and aggressive. Rangs and bombs control a good amount of space when playign defensively and I love using bombs when I'm approaching.

You can do some weird, like psuedo shield-pressure with his bombs just by SH-throwing. IF they shield it, I'll sometimes waveland and grab them. Sometimes I'll jump, regrab the bomb, drop/throw it down again and aerial their shield.


Arg, I miss Ylink. D:

 

[Laijin]

Sometimes I'll jump, regrab the bomb, drop/throw it down again and aerial their shield.

I do this, except I regrab the bomb, throw it again, regrab the bomb, throw it again, repeat until their shield drains or they let g of shield

 

[Skrah]

I say a mix of the two is the best answer.

Camping can really rack up some damage, if you know how to use your projectiles, and d*mn Y. Link has a sh*tload of projectiles. While I use Link, I find it that the strategies that I use with him work pretty well with Y. Link too. Only exceptions is that Link´s nair is a lot safer, and I'm always skittish about approaching with Y. Link since his low weight can really make him pay.

So basically, throw them bombs, have the rang out, and make an opening to get on the offensive.