DerfMidWest
Fresh ******
Let's be honest here, the Ice Climbers board is not exactly organized, so I've decided to compile a list of links and topics that I find exceptionally helpful for the novice Ice Climber player.
Before beginning to delve into these guides and IC specific things, make sure you've watched Wak's Advanced How to Play series to learn the universal advanced techniques.
Part 1: The Basics
Fly Amanita's Ice Climbers Guide: This is your first stop. In his guide, Fly covers just about everything you need to know about learning this character.
Choknater's Guide to non-grab skills: Now that you have a basic understanding of how the character works, it's time to learn how to deal with a few issues you'll start running in to. This guide is fantastic for learning what to do when you just can't capitalize off your grabs.
The Hitbox Data thread: Now you've got your general concepts down, it's time to really begin understanding the moves at your disposal.
Part 2: Stepping Your Game Up
Desyncing: (Almost) Everything you need to know
KirbyKaze's Guide to DI'ing Uthrow Uair: You are probably at the point now where you are tired of getting killed by fox's bread and butter kill combo. Here's how to escape!
PEEF!'s little thingy about using your shield DI: How to get bs grabs that you shouldn't be getting!
Magus420's amazing list of techs, throws, and get up data: Yup, it's time to start studying and pounding out that punish game.
A brief Magus420 post on Jab resets: A quick explanation of resets and how they work.
KirbyKaze's fantastic guide for calculating frame advantage: Yeah, this matters. A lot. Pity it was wasted on the sheik boards when Ice Climbers can take advantage of this even better. This may be difficult to understand at first, but it's a really solid tool to have.
PEEF!'s data archive: List of junk you'll want to know
Decoding Why Nana Taunts: Kyu Puff breaks down why nana taunts after respawn and how to prevent it.
A BigVegeta post on how Nana's CPU "levels up": BigVegeta explains how Popo's percent influences the CPU level of Nana
"10,000 Words of Power" by Little England: Eventually, it's time to start working on the player behind the character. This was one of the most helpful guides to me personally when starting out. This may not be IC specific, but it's a great read as you start to work towards being a successful player in the competitive smash scene.
Part 3: The Finishing Touches
"Everywhere At Once" by BluEG: (I'm linking directly to the PDF here so you don't have to navigate through the smashboards stuff). This is a Luigi specific guide, but ICs, and Sopo in particular, have the ability to move and control space more like Luigi than any other character. Pay particular attention to the movement and tech chasing sections, since those are the more "IC applicable" portions.
"Different Ways to Pivot" by Gravy (Video): In addition to BluEG's guide, I find this is a great explanation of how to preform empty pivots and pivot jumps as well as a brief description of smash turns.
Wobbling: Yeah, now that you have the basics, you are ready to learn this. Use it wisely.
(And for funsies, here's PEEF!'s blizzobling topic)
Tomber's even more in depth wobbling guide: Now that you've learned the infinite, this explains everything else you need to know about it! From lagless setups to the psychology, this is a great guide for much of the modern IC play.
Wobble's Handoff Guide: Another powerful infinite (kind of)! Master it.
PEEF!'s Metronome Handoff Thread: Every piece of data you could ever need for handoff timing
3-Dimensional Hitboxes and Hurtboxes: Kyu Puff explains why sometimes only one climber gets hit
PEEF!'s Nana-Rocket Thread: A cool guide to one of the more modern Ice Climber techniques
"Ice Climbers Advanced Movement Options" by Kyu Puff: Fantastic topic covering several more difficult options available to the Ice Climbers
Applications of the Shield Stun Desync: Another great thread by Kyu Puff discussing some practical applications of shield stun desyncs
Ice Climbers' Shield Pressure: Kyu Puff covers some different ways to pressure shields while desynced with the Ice Climbers
No Setup "Jump Desync": A really awesome discovery by Fly Amanita, still more in the realm of theory as opposed to practical application, that holds a lot of potential in the future of Ice Climber development
And Lastly,
Stop by The Ice Climber's General Chat and say hi!
Before beginning to delve into these guides and IC specific things, make sure you've watched Wak's Advanced How to Play series to learn the universal advanced techniques.
Part 1: The Basics
Fly Amanita's Ice Climbers Guide: This is your first stop. In his guide, Fly covers just about everything you need to know about learning this character.
Choknater's Guide to non-grab skills: Now that you have a basic understanding of how the character works, it's time to learn how to deal with a few issues you'll start running in to. This guide is fantastic for learning what to do when you just can't capitalize off your grabs.
The Hitbox Data thread: Now you've got your general concepts down, it's time to really begin understanding the moves at your disposal.
Part 2: Stepping Your Game Up
Desyncing: (Almost) Everything you need to know
KirbyKaze's Guide to DI'ing Uthrow Uair: You are probably at the point now where you are tired of getting killed by fox's bread and butter kill combo. Here's how to escape!
PEEF!'s little thingy about using your shield DI: How to get bs grabs that you shouldn't be getting!
Magus420's amazing list of techs, throws, and get up data: Yup, it's time to start studying and pounding out that punish game.
A brief Magus420 post on Jab resets: A quick explanation of resets and how they work.
KirbyKaze's fantastic guide for calculating frame advantage: Yeah, this matters. A lot. Pity it was wasted on the sheik boards when Ice Climbers can take advantage of this even better. This may be difficult to understand at first, but it's a really solid tool to have.
PEEF!'s data archive: List of junk you'll want to know
Decoding Why Nana Taunts: Kyu Puff breaks down why nana taunts after respawn and how to prevent it.
A BigVegeta post on how Nana's CPU "levels up": BigVegeta explains how Popo's percent influences the CPU level of Nana
"10,000 Words of Power" by Little England: Eventually, it's time to start working on the player behind the character. This was one of the most helpful guides to me personally when starting out. This may not be IC specific, but it's a great read as you start to work towards being a successful player in the competitive smash scene.
Part 3: The Finishing Touches
"Everywhere At Once" by BluEG: (I'm linking directly to the PDF here so you don't have to navigate through the smashboards stuff). This is a Luigi specific guide, but ICs, and Sopo in particular, have the ability to move and control space more like Luigi than any other character. Pay particular attention to the movement and tech chasing sections, since those are the more "IC applicable" portions.
"Different Ways to Pivot" by Gravy (Video): In addition to BluEG's guide, I find this is a great explanation of how to preform empty pivots and pivot jumps as well as a brief description of smash turns.
Wobbling: Yeah, now that you have the basics, you are ready to learn this. Use it wisely.
(And for funsies, here's PEEF!'s blizzobling topic)
Tomber's even more in depth wobbling guide: Now that you've learned the infinite, this explains everything else you need to know about it! From lagless setups to the psychology, this is a great guide for much of the modern IC play.
Wobble's Handoff Guide: Another powerful infinite (kind of)! Master it.
PEEF!'s Metronome Handoff Thread: Every piece of data you could ever need for handoff timing
3-Dimensional Hitboxes and Hurtboxes: Kyu Puff explains why sometimes only one climber gets hit
PEEF!'s Nana-Rocket Thread: A cool guide to one of the more modern Ice Climber techniques
"Ice Climbers Advanced Movement Options" by Kyu Puff: Fantastic topic covering several more difficult options available to the Ice Climbers
Applications of the Shield Stun Desync: Another great thread by Kyu Puff discussing some practical applications of shield stun desyncs
Ice Climbers' Shield Pressure: Kyu Puff covers some different ways to pressure shields while desynced with the Ice Climbers
No Setup "Jump Desync": A really awesome discovery by Fly Amanita, still more in the realm of theory as opposed to practical application, that holds a lot of potential in the future of Ice Climber development
And Lastly,
Stop by The Ice Climber's General Chat and say hi!
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