Rango the Mercenary
The Mercenary
If we are ever going to get any better as Ike mains, I think it's time we took our game to the next level. We can space, play defensive, play patient, and UThrow Fair combo all we want. But if our opponent knows how we play and the basics of Ike, they are going to wreck us.
Ryo plays without fear. He goes in with highly confident reads, opting not to use a surefire combo just to goad the opponent into a bad option, and punish them twice as hard with a Smash, a Dair spike, or any number of early kill or damage gaining options.
Rather than go for a potential, surefire combo or followup, we could try using more airdodge baiting. For starters, the most basic of conditioning comes from UThrow at high percents. Past 90%, we have our opponents using an airdodge to avoid the incoming Nair or Fair. At 90%, they are prime for Uair to kill them off the top. Granted, this is not guaranteed, as higher level players choose to jump away instead, avoiding both options altogether. But for those that don't, or are not aware that Fair may not combo at that percent, it's our opportunity to send out Uair to finish the stock.
Simple airdodge reads and positioning offstage is another way to end a stock. Opponents who habitually recover low are most susceptible to Dair. Our Dair has a spike that comes out at Frame 16. It comes down to choosing to pop it immediately when falling off or baiting an airdodge. This is a risky move, but also fairly effective.
Now, we get into more dire situations where it becomes a true risk, but a sweet reward. We could very well pop Fair right after DTilt, but if someone is DIing away, we might not reach them. But if they choose to airdodge, by the time they do it, they may very well be within range. They have also pushed further away from the stage, and if the Fair connects at this point, it can be the end of the stock right there as they're close to the ledge.
Learning to read airdodges into Fairs and Bairs will separate Ike from being the character who is defensive, patient, and relies on straightforward combos, and into a risktaker who deals sufficient damage and early kills from those who misposition their defensive options. It could come down to any number of offensive aerials that take away our lead, but if we condition their defense instead, it's all that more important we take the stock instead.
Ryo says it's highly important we need to condition our opponents. It makes the difference between dragging out a fight and relying on a defensive, punishing Fair, and using the element of surprise to force an airdodge from an otherwise surefire combo or followup and into something devastating. That's why you see him using USmash and FSmash to finish stocks very early.
As the meta evolves and players learn the Ike matchup, it's becoming more apparent than before that we need to apply this strategy to our playstyle. Find examples of matches where an Ike player conditions another opponent and post it here. Any sort of lead-in or followup to a lethal Smash or aerial, which could have been avoided, is welcome. And extra damage building options, such as the footstool combos, are also welcome.
Ryo plays without fear. He goes in with highly confident reads, opting not to use a surefire combo just to goad the opponent into a bad option, and punish them twice as hard with a Smash, a Dair spike, or any number of early kill or damage gaining options.
Rather than go for a potential, surefire combo or followup, we could try using more airdodge baiting. For starters, the most basic of conditioning comes from UThrow at high percents. Past 90%, we have our opponents using an airdodge to avoid the incoming Nair or Fair. At 90%, they are prime for Uair to kill them off the top. Granted, this is not guaranteed, as higher level players choose to jump away instead, avoiding both options altogether. But for those that don't, or are not aware that Fair may not combo at that percent, it's our opportunity to send out Uair to finish the stock.
Simple airdodge reads and positioning offstage is another way to end a stock. Opponents who habitually recover low are most susceptible to Dair. Our Dair has a spike that comes out at Frame 16. It comes down to choosing to pop it immediately when falling off or baiting an airdodge. This is a risky move, but also fairly effective.
Now, we get into more dire situations where it becomes a true risk, but a sweet reward. We could very well pop Fair right after DTilt, but if someone is DIing away, we might not reach them. But if they choose to airdodge, by the time they do it, they may very well be within range. They have also pushed further away from the stage, and if the Fair connects at this point, it can be the end of the stock right there as they're close to the ledge.
Learning to read airdodges into Fairs and Bairs will separate Ike from being the character who is defensive, patient, and relies on straightforward combos, and into a risktaker who deals sufficient damage and early kills from those who misposition their defensive options. It could come down to any number of offensive aerials that take away our lead, but if we condition their defense instead, it's all that more important we take the stock instead.
Ryo says it's highly important we need to condition our opponents. It makes the difference between dragging out a fight and relying on a defensive, punishing Fair, and using the element of surprise to force an airdodge from an otherwise surefire combo or followup and into something devastating. That's why you see him using USmash and FSmash to finish stocks very early.
As the meta evolves and players learn the Ike matchup, it's becoming more apparent than before that we need to apply this strategy to our playstyle. Find examples of matches where an Ike player conditions another opponent and post it here. Any sort of lead-in or followup to a lethal Smash or aerial, which could have been avoided, is welcome. And extra damage building options, such as the footstool combos, are also welcome.
