Brawl's buffer system is amazing.
So amazing you're already using it with jab cancel and SHAC aerials.
But this is only a fraction of what you can do, so let's get started already.
0 - Update !! Buffering can save your life !
Okay so we've all been once in this situation
You tried to raptor boost a little close to the ledge, then the opponent dodged and F--- you're dead.
WELL NOT ANYMORE.
A technique had been discovered one year ago to prevent this by making Falcon edgehog instead of falling to his doom, but it involved Quarter Circling and a really, really awkward timing.
But now thanks to buffering survival has become simple ! You just have to buffer a fastfall out of the raptor boost.
1-Raptor hugging
Here is how to do it :
-Side B toward the ledge,
-right before going offstage flick down on the control stick.
If done right you'll edgehog instantly.
If you fall slowly to your doom you flicked down too early.
If you fastfall to your doom you flicked down too late.
It takes +/- 10 minutes to get the timing down, so seriously go practice it. NOW.
2-Speed hugging
Another cool and useful trick made easy thanks to buffering.
Like raptor hugging a way to speed hug existed before but implied QCing + awkward timing. So the steps are the same :
-run to the ledge,
-flick down right before getting offstage,
-successfully edgehog your poor opponent that didn't see that coming.
It's safer and faster than raptor hugging and, with the right timing it can be done really close to the ledge. A must learn.
3-Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MznerBEa__c
Here you can see it done right and wrong.
I - The rules of buffering
1-10 frames is all you have.
Brawl is made so that when you input a move that can't be used immediately it is recorded for 10 frames.
Which means that you can input one or many moves during the last 10 frames of a move. That's 1/6th of a second, so you better be nimble.
2-The gain is so little, yet so big.
Basically, by buffering your moves you skip the 1 frame lag you get for inputting a move.
1 frame seems nothing but when you buffer a dash after a FHNair you save 2 frames (one for the dash and one for the dash attack), making it a true combo.
3-Inputs are handled in the same order they're received.
So buffering "forward, Y, A" will do a running SH Nair and "Y, forward, A" will do a SH Fair. Easy.
4-On the ground do not hold left, right, down or shield.
These commands overwrite everything else if you're holding them when the current move finishes, so don't hold them unless you want to buffer a walk/crouch/shield.
5-You can't buffer a A move after a jab.
Or it'll turn into the following jab. This includes jabs, tilts, smashes and grabs.
You can still follow up jabs by buffering a crouch/walk/shield and then inputting a move (remember jab cancel or jab>grab).
6-Beware of hitlag.
Hit lag will give extra lenght to the move animation so buffering has a different timing whether your current move hit or not.
7-Buffering is near impossible online.
That's why online vids are so painful to watch.
II - How to buffer stuff
Michael Hey's blog copypasted :
[collapse=Listed from easiest to hardest]
### easy ones ###
jab / neutral B
-press A or B
up tilt / up B
-hold up and press A or B
smashes (all direction)
-press C stick in that direction
shield/airdodge
-hold L/R
walk/crouch
-hold left/right/down
jump
-press Y/X
aerial
-in the air press (direction+)A
### not that hard ones ###
grab
-flick Z
down tilt
-hold down half way and press A
-hold down, then press down C or A and let go of down
forward tilt
-hold forward, the press A and let go of forward
-hold down, then press daiagonally down+forward C and let go of down
down B
-hold down half way and press B
-hold down, then press B and let go of down
forward B
-hold forward, then press B and let go of forward
dash
-flick into the direction you want to dash
dash attack
-flick forward and press down C or A
dash grab
-flick forward and flick Z
SHNair
-slide Y/x then A
### little hard ones ###
turn arounds
-hold backwards, then let go of it and immediately buffer whatever you want to do
dash and continue to run
-flick the direction you want to run, then press and hold that direction again
once your character starts running.
SH/DJ aerial
-press Y/X then direction + A (Uair and Dair are the hardests)
### difficult ones ###
dash attack cancel up smash
-flick forward, press down C, then press up C
-flick forward, press up C, then press up C again
dash to SH aerial
-flick forward, press Y/X, press direction + A, then let go direction [/collapse]
III - Falcon buffer ! (when to buffer stuff)
There are some things in the animation of Falcon's moves that tell you when you can start buffering.
Of course with training you will rely more on timing than observation, but it's useful to know that you can start buffering after a :
[collapse=Your moves !]
First jab
When Falcon's fist starts to move
Second jab
When Falcon's arm is fully extended
Third jab (the gentleman)
When Falcon's right foot touches the ground
Multi-jab
After the 6th jab (he does 5 descending jabs then starts repeating the process with the 6th jab)
Ftilt
When left foot touches the ground
Utilt
After the hit, when Falcon's head starts moving upwards
Dtilt
(huuu, I'm still trying to get the timing for this one)
Fsmash
When right hand moves downwards
Usmash
When both hands have dropped down
Dsmash
When Falcon rises his right knee
Grab
When right hand goes backwards
Raptor boost (hit)
When left hand is at its highest point
Raptor boost (miss)
When right hand leaves the ground
Fthrow
When you see the big star
Dthrow
When you see the "slam" effect on the ground
Bthrow
After right hand has finished doing a weird movement, when it starts moving back
Uthrow
When left hand goes downwards
Grab release
Not done yet.
Nair
When Falcon starts retreating his 2nd kick
Fair
When Falcon starts retreating his knee
Uair
When Falcon does a small hook with his left fist
Dair
After the full extension, when Falcon brings his hands at the level of his head
Bair
When Falcon is looking forward again
Up B (YESZ !)
After the double salto
Down B
Ground->ground : after the finale pose, when Falcon starts moving again
Ground->air : after the salto
Air->ground : When left hand leaves the ground
To buffer in the landing lag of the aerials :
Nair, Bair and Uair have so little landing lag, you can start buffering as soon as you land (even slightly before landing).
Airdodge has no ending lag either.
Fair and Dair : Buffer as soon as you see that Falcon stops moving.
I apologize for the messy descriptions, I tried to take screenshots but they're hard to time and don't really show what you should be looking for.[/collapse]
IV - Falcon Read !!
Here are the 3 things I used to make this guide, you might want to read them if you want to know more about buffering :
Michael Hey's aib blog
The mechanics of buffering by Doval
A post about buffering by Saviorslegacy
V - Falcon Conclusion...
Buffering is one of the many things you should master if you want to stand a chance at competitive level, even more as a Falcon main.
It allows move strings to be more pressuring, even for some to become true combos (like FHNair to Ftilt or flubbed knee to Uair).
While the most important to know is how to buffer a jab or a grab, knowing how to buffer dashes and jumps lead to a better overall mobility and a faster game pace (hence better spacing options), which are not to be neglected.
Thanks for reading.
THE END