Q&A Doc's Tips: A Little Mac Q&A Thread

[LCC Son-in-Law]

How do you get past projectiles of certain characters besides SideB? I've had trouble fighting Samus last night with her missiles and charge shots.

In my experience, approaching patiently when against someone with heavy projectiles, like Samus, has been my best option. I try to predict and shield/power shield any projectiles and roll or roll-cancel-grab to close the remaining distance. Another thing I sometimes do to finish the approach is Jump (the horror) over the projectile and fast fall into jab/ftilt depending on the situation. The main thing is that once you have closed the distance against a projectile heavy character, keep pressure. Try to get into the head of the person you're against, figure out what they tend to do when you're close, and punish it as quickly as possible. Mix up your play style as much as you can.
Again, this is what has worked for me personally. I hope this assists you in some way.

 

[DtJ Hilt]

@ Mrawesome48
Moved your thread "how to counter little mac" into the Q&A Thread.

 

[Funkermonster]

Does Mac have any possible combos or followups (or does he even need any? )? Cause I have found none. Also how to utilize his throws?

 

[thatoneguy1]

does side b have a bigger ledge grab box than up b? it seems like mac's side special is able to grab the ledge better from almost all situations to me, idk if that's just me though.

 

[STiCKYBULL3TZ]

Down tilt -> KO Punch is a true combo. I made a thread of all the possible percents with all of the characters. Down throw -> Up b I believe is not a true combo unless the opponent DIs directly above you. If they don't, you have to dash -> up b to get the followup.

Down tilt can lead to quite a few things. Another Dtilt, up angled Fsmash, Ftilt (at low percents), Fair

Nair also leads to a jab combo

 

[Ijuka]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x212gOWcYuw 3:27 How do you do that?

also I have never gotten dtilt to combo into fsmash but dtilt into forward B and dtilt into dash attack and dtilt into up B are my BnB

 

[STiCKYBULL3TZ]

He powershielded the egg. When you put up your shield right before a hitbox makes contact with you, it will powershield the move and you'll be able to act immediately after without having to drop your shield. That's what he did. Then he dashed into a roll to get behind Yoshi

 

[Quisciens]

Little Mac's Up-B has the same ledge radius as far as I can tell, it just looks like it's smaller because Little Mac's hand is closer to the ledge than the ledge radius is.

 

[Lavani]

Pretty sure he was asking "How did Mac cancel rapid jab into KO Punch?" because I was about to come in here with the same clip to ask the same thing.

EDIT: Nevermind I see what happened now. @ I Ijuka he kept doing rapid jab until it pushed him off the ledge then immediately KO Punched.

 

[DtJ Hilt]

@ thatoneguy1
Moved your thread "does side b have a bigger ledge grab box than up b" into the Q&A thread.

 

[Ijuka]

Oh that's true, that works. Great. Next time I'm on a platform or at the edge of the stage I know I can combo rapid jab into KO punch as it's a lot easier to land than dtilt.

 

[Rizen]

Hi. I'm having a lot of trouble fighting vs Mac but I don't really know how he works. I thought he was countering all the time but now I think it's armor frames. So how does Mac's armor frames work? How can I fight a character that fast and strong?
If anyone can wifi and help me learn the MU that'd be great.

Thanks.

 

[Phoenix502]

having faced a couple Little macs on 4 Glory, if that matters, I've figured that mac Dittos are... actually not too far from primary boxing. both sides will have a counter, strong attacks, and the like... the trick to winning Mac dittos (much like any ditto, for that matter) is figuring out your opponent's pattern before they find yours.

most of his tilts will be quick and easy to poke at your opponent with, since if those get countered, you won't get launched as far... only use smashes when you're certain it'll do the job, you do not want to be tossing them out rapidly, because the armor will wear off by the time Slip Counter hits back.

if you can get them into the air and land Up B consistently, that alone gives you the upper hand. Uptilt works, too, though i like landing the former.

...and it occurs to me you said nothing of Mac dittos... maintaining space on the ground and keeping him in the Air is often the go-to method in dealing with Little Mac. check out his Replay channel for some ideas, since unless people are improving, Mac loses more than he wins.

 

[Mrawesome48]

having faced a couple Little macs on 4 Glory, if that matters, I've figured that mac Dittos are... actually not too far from primary boxing. both sides will have a counter, strong attacks, and the like... the trick to winning Mac dittos (much like any ditto, for that matter) is figuring out your opponent's pattern before they find yours.

most of his tilts will be quick and easy to poke at your opponent with, since if those get countered, you won't get launched as far... only use smashes when you're certain it'll do the job, you do not want to be tossing them out rapidly, because the armor will wear off by the time Slip Counter hits back.

if you can get them into the air and land Up B consistently, that alone gives you the upper hand. Uptilt works, too, though i like landing the former.

...and it occurs to me you said nothing of Mac dittos... maintaining space on the ground and keeping him in the Air is often the go-to method in dealing with Little Mac. check out his Replay channel for some ideas, since unless people are improving, Mac loses more than he wins.

My issue with hitting people in the air is when i knock someone in the air when i go to attack them they just air dodge and get back to the ground. I am very rarely ever to hit someone in the air

 

[Phoenix502]

do you attack when they just come into range? waiting a moment now and then can mess with their timing on the air dodge, as well as give you a shot to strike them

 

[Mrawesome48]

do you attack when they just come into range? waiting a moment now and then can mess with their timing on the air dodge, as well as give you a shot to strike them

I've tried attacking them when they come into range,and i have tried waiting a moment. i have not had any success with either

 

[Phoenix502]

I'm going to assume from the profile that you main Peach, based on my best guess, Peach's mobility in the air can mean trouble for any reckless Mac... staying underneath one, however, is likely to prompt an UpB. if I were to face a peach, I'd not attack with Smashes very often because Toad can pile on the hurt if he gets hit by one.

I'd also wait for the Peach to come to me before attacking, because attempting to chase a peach in the air is placing the stock in their hands. while the haymaker is great for trying to strike an opening, if Peach can use the Side Smash the golf club should outrange Mac's swing...

I don't know much else on Peach as i hardly face any in 4 Glory, so take my tips with a grain of salt.

 

[Zatchiel]

Got bored enough to upload this, happened a few days ago:

Someone please explain.

 

[STiCKYBULL3TZ]

I believe someone in the moveset thread saw something similar to this. Apparently Mac's fist still has a hitbox until the animation ends. If you throw out an attack, you'll beat it but if you simply touch it you'll be hit.

 

[thatoneguy1]

@ thatoneguy1
Moved your thread "does side b have a bigger ledge grab box than up b" into the Q&A thread.

thanks but now the actual question is gone lol

 

[Aefice]

how do you guys deal with players trying to time you out with platform camping the moment they get a lead?

if everyone does that, do you think this character is even viable?

 

[|RK|]

Hi Mac mains! How do you use your Straight Lunge?

 

[TheReflexWonder]

Hi Mac mains! How do you use your Straight Lunge?

I assume you meant to put "effectively" at the end of your question. The terrible minimum start-up usually just makes it a worse version of any of your Smash attacks, but having decent damage armor that starts on Frame 1 has its advantages.

You can mash it in any gap between multi-hits; many Jabs and multi-Jabs have one-frame gaps that allow you to start it and armor through the rest of the hits for a clean hit of your own. That's about it.

As a gimmick, you can use it to go through disrupting moves like PK Fire and Arcfire in order to punish counterattacks, but that's not at all reliable against opponents who know what they're doing.

It's not terrible for going through weak aerials when trying to prevent a juggle, as it armors through any individual attack that does not deal over 8% by itself. That means that multi-hit aerials won't break it, and things like Sheik's F-Air won't bother you as much. This can get predictable and will be punished if they're able to land quickly, but it's something.

The Electric custom has a lot more range regardless of the charge level, so it can theoretically be used to trap/punish landings, but it loses out on the ability to armor through attacks.

 

[Kirby Phelps (PK)]

What should Mac do when he's knocked in the air or off the stage relatively high? I feel like I don't have very many options other than side-B or down-B or just to dodge, but dodging is apparently predictable and punishable. Once I'm in the air, my opponent's always just waiting for me to land so they can get in a good attack or pursue me in the air.

 

[Someguyyoulikelydontknow]

When I'm on For Glory, it seems that there are many people who count out Little Mac as a "bad character" and don't play as well (because they count me, the Little Mac player, out). This is often a blessing and a curse because while they don't play as well, they go out of their way to get Little Mac off the edge so that they can quickly kill with an aerial. The most common tactic I always see for this is people who go straight to the edge and wait for you to get desperate and charge them. I am a bit smarter than that, but they are still annoying. My general tactic is to inch towards them slowly until I'm within range of a smash attack, but out of grab range. This usually forces opponents to either dodge roll towards me, or go into the air. I can usually punish a dodge roll, but some players are still pretty good and getting me off the edge. What are your strategies for countering some dummy who camps by the edge? Any tips for my already existing strategy?

 

[Someguyyoulikelydontknow]

I usually just fast-fall or wait till I'm close to them and air dodge. If your opponent likes aerials and your not too close to the edge of the stage, you could try smacking them with your counter.

 

[Aefice]

how do you guys deal with platform campers who try to time you out or camp as soon as they get percent lead? If everyone 'plays to win' against mac do you think he is viable??????

DOES up b have invincibility at all??

 

[Venks]

how do you guys deal with players trying to time you out with platform camping the moment they get a lead?

if everyone does that, do you think this character is even viable?

how do you guys deal with platform campers who try to time you out or camp as soon as they get percent lead? If everyone 'plays to win' against mac do you think he is viable??????

DOES up b have invincibility at all??

It definitely depends on the stage. Personally I think Little Mac's best stage is Battlefield. His Up-smash can reach the lower platforms and Rising Uppercut can reach the top. I think Little Mac is more than viable against platform camping, it's just difficult to deal with sometimes depending on the stage or character.

Yes. Up-B does have some invincibility around start-up.

 

[Wonder Smash]

I do think his air game needs to be buffed a little bit.

 

[Renegade TX2000]

Hey guys I have a question about Mac's Downsmash. Does anyone have any info on the time his super armor comes out and ends? Sometimes super armor will be there when i dsmash and sometimes it won't. After countless times using it, it seems that I get hit out of it a lot between the 1st hit and 2nd hit when he's attempting to go for the 2nd hit of dsmash.

 

[Lavani]

Hey guys I have a question about Mac's Downsmash. Does anyone have any info on the time his super armor comes out and ends? Sometimes super armor will be there when i dsmash and sometimes it won't. After countless times using it, it seems that I get hit out of it a lot between the 1st hit and 2nd hit when he's attempting to go for the 2nd hit of dsmash.

The super armor starts a bit before each punch and ends a frame before the punch does. There's a bit of a gap between the first and second punch where there isn't any super armor as a result.

More specifically:

| Punch 1 | Punch 2
Super Armor | 7-10f | 15-17f
Active Hitbox | 10-11f | 17-18f

 

[Zediwonder]

So I've been kind of casually messing around with Mac lately because he's a cool character and is fun to play despite how easily I get gimped. I know Little Mac's nair combo's into itself pretty much 100% of the time, is there any way to follow up from a ground smash/tilt/grab into nair. I've only managed to pull it off while falling on top of an opponent but it seems like a great option for Mac's mediocre air game.

 

[Renegade TX2000]

The super armor starts a bit before each punch and ends a frame before the punch does. There's a bit of a gap between the first and second punch where there isn't any super armor as a result.

More specifically:

| Punch 1 | Punch 2
Super Armor | 7-10f | 15-17f
Active Hitbox | 10-11f | 17-18f

Hey I have another question about frame data. What is lil mac hittable out of his side b? Projectile wise? it says it can go through projectiles but sometimes it doesn't. Could you frame data his Jolt Haymaker as well to where he's actually invincible to projectiles?

 

[Lavani]

Projectile invincibility on sideB (grounded only!) is 5-14f. If it seems like there's something that hits you out of it I'd make a note of it, because I was trying to confirm it with Killer Eyes in training and their projectiles still hit Mac during those frames, while he'll fly through all of Samus' stuff no problem.

 

[Renegade TX2000]

Projectile invincibility on sideB (grounded only!) is 5-14f. If it seems like there's something that hits you out of it I'd make a note of it, because I was trying to confirm it with Killer Eyes in training and their projectiles still hit Mac during those frames, while he'll fly through all of Samus' stuff no problem.

Interesting, have you tested it against grabs? I've done it point blank a few times and it seems to be ungrabbable.

 

[Lavani]

I haven't

I'm on 3DS so it'd be pretty hard for me to.

 

[Renegade TX2000]

I haven't

I'm on 3DS so it'd be pretty hard for me to.

One of the slick strategies I do with mac "not to be done all the time" but when you are in a tight position "back turned to opponent" and you know he's gonna go for a grab? instead of rolling, jabbing, or spot dodging which are our options to avoid being grabbed, There's one last option and that's instant Side B "attack with side B ASAP", It seems to work really well and even if they know you will go for it, it is hard to punish.

 

[DtJ Hilt]

@ Kirby Phelps (PK)

Moved your thread "Got knocked in the air" into the Q&A thread.

Edit: Sup Ren

 

[Renegade TX2000]

@ Kirby Phelps (PK)

Moved your thread "Got knocked in the air" into the Q&A thread.

Edit: Sup Ren

Sup! You main mac as well?

 

[DtJ Hilt]

Nahh, just keeping an eye on the Mac board, haha. Villager main, actually. Had to find someone as annoying as Olimar was