• Welcome to Smashboards, the world's largest Super Smash Brothers community! Over 250,000 Smash Bros. fans from around the world have come to discuss these great games in over 19 million posts!

    You are currently viewing our boards as a visitor. Click here to sign up right now and start on your path in the Smash community!

C-Stick Aerials

Northern

Smash Rookie
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Messages
4
Hi guys, so to keep it short I'm in a control setup crisis right now. After watching some gameplay from Frostbite I kept hearing the c-stick being mentioned for aerial usage here and there for various matches. I've done some research on my own but I haven't found a consensus or recent answer for if using c-stick for aerials is the optimal way to play competitvely in Smash 4 (I know it is for Melee). I've been trying to use c-stick for aerials recently but committing accidental nairs offstage when a bair would've won me the game has started to happen frequently now. Sorry if using or not using the c-stick for aerials is common knowledge as I only picked up SSB4 in August so I wasn't able to watch the meta develop that much or be a part of these early debates. Also if after your response you could tell me some of the best players that use each option that would be great, thanks!
 

Uffe

Smash Hero
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
5,500
Location
Fresno
I'm curious if using the c-stick for aerials is actually something all professional players use, or if it's just something some use and some don't. I don't use the c-stick for aerials. I use them specifically for f-smash and d-smash. F-smash, because there have been times I used PK Fire to trap my opponent, and I'd follow up with an f-tilt rather than an f-smash, which is what I wanted to use, therefore accidentally freeing them from the flames. And d-smash, because against, accidental tilts have given me no other choice.
 

MarioManTAW

Smash Ace
Joined
Jun 10, 2016
Messages
843
I think that often depends on the player. I almost always use the C-stick, other players almost never use the C-stick.
 

FINNTHEGREAT

Smash Rookie
Joined
Jul 23, 2017
Messages
15
Location
Indiana, U.S.A.
NNID
FINNTHEGREAT
Switch FC
SW 0590 7208 0815
I think that often depends on the player. I almost always use the C-stick, other players almost never use the C-stick.
I agree with this. It really comes down to personal preference and what suits you. I have grown up using the C-Stick a lot for aerials, as I prefer easier and quicker FAirs and BAirs.
 

Funkym0nk

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 23, 2018
Messages
1
I actually just changed my c stick to regular attacks over smash attacks. Lets me get tilts more consistently in pressure situations where I need a quick ftilt over a f smash or something similar
 

Northern

Smash Rookie
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Messages
4
Alright so what I'm learning here is that using the c-stick really comes down to personal preference, which if that's the case then I'm going back to control stick + A, lol. But just in case I ever feel the need to switch back, do those of you who use c-stick aerials frequently commit accidental nairs or know of a good technique of how not to do so. And would there be any characters specifically who almost need to be used a certain way and whose top players almost exclusively use one way or another?
 

DX_97

Smash Cadet
Joined
Aug 5, 2015
Messages
47
NNID
kwakdohyun97
I use c stick when I need to do retreating aerials or double stick up air, other then that I'm used to using control stick and A
 

MarioManTAW

Smash Ace
Joined
Jun 10, 2016
Messages
843
But just in case I ever feel the need to switch back, do those of you who use c-stick aerials frequently commit accidental nairs or know of a good technique of how not to do so. And would there be any characters specifically who almost need to be used a certain way and whose top players almost exclusively use one way or another?
C-stick nairs only happen with diagonal inputs with tilt stick on or on wi-fi with heavy lag. I personally don't have issues very often, and part of that my be my controller (Wii U Pro). If you're on GC, try to avoid going into a diagonal corner.
 

NINTENDO Galaxy

Smash Ace
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
906
Location
Texas
NNID
NINTEN_Galaxy
3DS FC
2836-0624-6177
Switch FC
SW 0903-5888-6097
What Mario said. C-stick aerials (tilt-stick) is commonly used for aerials. Using them for aerials allow you to maintain your movement while attacking which can help you space attacks and lower your chances of getting punished for using an aerial.

Contratlry to popular belief, some players do want tilt-stick n-air as it helps their character perform tactics that would otherwise be unavailable.

To me, I first thought people used tilt stick because they would hit the control stick too hard and get smash attacks, so i thought transitioning from smash stick was lame.

Later on, I tested it out and immediately hated it because I was so used to using the smash stick as a reflex to reflect projectiles.

I'll admit that transitioning your c-stick takes work. It took me a week to get comfortable with it. I just did not like the way the c-stick felt when using aerials; it was digusting. Also I initially panicked as I would keep using tilt-stick expecting an f-smash to come out and instead got a f-tilt. I was so scared and greatly missed smash-stick f-smash as Control Stick + A attempts to smash attack gave me f-tilts instead. I was like "I can't do this!!!"

The main reason I switched was because I wanted try it out and test retreating f-airs. As a bonus, switching to tilt-stick now allows me to land b-air meteors consistently. I have found that it also helps me when using d-air resets, as now I have full control over my drift instead of pausing in the beginning.

Really it's just growing pains, it will feel like second nature if you put enough work into it.
 

Northern

Smash Rookie
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Messages
4
What Mario said. C-stick aerials (tilt-stick) is commonly used for aerials. Using them for aerials allow you to maintain your movement while attacking which can help you space attacks and lower your chances of getting punished for using an aerial.

Contratlry to popular belief, some players do want tilt-stick n-air as it helps their character perform tactics that would otherwise be unavailable.

To me, I first thought people used tilt stick because they would hit the control stick too hard and get smash attacks, so i thought transitioning from smash stick was lame.

Later on, I tested it out and immediately hated it because I was so used to using the smash stick as a reflex to reflect projectiles.

I'll admit that transitioning your c-stick takes work. It took me a week to get comfortable with it. I just did not like the way the c-stick felt when using aerials; it was digusting. Also I initially panicked as I would keep using tilt-stick expecting an f-smash to come out and instead got a f-tilt. I was so scared and greatly missed smash-stick f-smash as Control Stick + A attempts to smash attack gave me f-tilts instead. I was like "I can't do this!!!"

The main reason I switched was because I wanted try it out and test retreating f-airs. As a bonus, switching to tilt-stick now allows me to land b-air meteors consistently. I have found that it also helps me when using d-air resets, as now I have full control over my drift instead of pausing in the beginning.

Really it's just growing pains, it will feel like second nature if you put enough work into it.
Thanks for the encouragement, I guess I'll give it a shot for a week or so, but one of the biggest things to me is that it feels slower getting tilt stick aerials out as my thumb rests on the A button so it needs to move down to the c stick to hit the aerial, so how do tilt stick users get quick aerials out? Do they use a claw grip or have a special technique to make it so their aerials come out just as soon as a+control stick users?
 

NINTENDO Galaxy

Smash Ace
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
906
Location
Texas
NNID
NINTEN_Galaxy
3DS FC
2836-0624-6177
Switch FC
SW 0903-5888-6097
No clue about the claw grip since I do not use that.
 

MarioManTAW

Smash Ace
Joined
Jun 10, 2016
Messages
843
Thanks for the encouragement, I guess I'll give it a shot for a week or so, but one of the biggest things to me is that it feels slower getting tilt stick aerials out as my thumb rests on the A button so it needs to move down to the c stick to hit the aerial, so how do tilt stick users get quick aerials out? Do they use a claw grip or have a special technique to make it so their aerials come out just as soon as a+control stick users?
I use the Wii U Pro Controller, so how I do it is I have my thumb positioned so my knuckle is on the A button, then I move the tip of my thumb toward the stick. Not sure how I'd do it on a GameCube controller though.
 

NINTENDO Galaxy

Smash Ace
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
906
Location
Texas
NNID
NINTEN_Galaxy
3DS FC
2836-0624-6177
Switch FC
SW 0903-5888-6097
Just turned on my Wii U and watched my inputs when I use tilt-stick.

I rest my right thumb on A. Then when I go for b-air, f-air, and d-air, I bring my thumb under the c-stick and slam it slightly hard/fast in the direction I want to move it.
I say hard because I can hear it click, but it's not too rough to where you can break the controller.

You can try that and see if it helps.
 
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
7,190
As other people have said before, c-stick is really great for aerials if your character makes good use of retreating FAirs or advancing BAirs (for crossups). Villager in particular appreciates this, and so do character with large hitboxes or momentum shifts (Corrin's BAir or Lucas's FAir, for example).

You need to have c-stick set to attack (rather than smash) though to make the best use of it imo. Tilt stick allows you to preserve your momentum entirely, whereas smash stick will interrupt your momentum because it adds directional drift, if that makes sense. For example, trying to do a retreating FAir with smash stick will cause you to lose some backward momentum because pressing the c-stick forward will add a frame of forward movement too. This doesn't happen with tilt stick. I believe Zero once advocated for tilt stick for this particular reason. Or it might've been Ally. I don't quite remember lol.

That last bit is also important if you like going for DAirs offstage. Smash stick will cause you to fastfall when inputting DAir for the aforementioned reason, possibly putting you in a tricky situation. Tilt stick DAirs won't cause unwanted fastfalling.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom