NeverKillAgain
Smash Cadet
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2017
- Messages
- 43
Hello everyone, NeverKillAgain here. In this thread I will be compiling all of Falco's tech, with the help of people like you and the Falco Discord. Please post anything that isn't on here so I can add it later. Hopefully it can be used to help develop the Falco metagame as well as give info to players.
I will be trying to compile ALL Falco specific techs; "useless" or not.
By tech I do not mean combos or kill percents. I will also be crediting people who I know discovered the tech.
Tech #1 - Ledge Hop Laser: If you drop from ledge then IMMEDIATELY jump and shoot a laser, Falco will shoot a laser at a short height and then regrab the ledge. (Edit: You don’t have to buffer a jump, it can be delayed a bit while being combined with a buffered laser to shoot shorter gounded opponents). Laser height can be varied slightly by changing the timing of the laser shot; for example, buffer a laser after the jump for the lowest height, but wait for a few frames and you can shoot it a bit higher. This can be used for stalling on ledge and could be used as a possible mixup. It isn't safe though, your opponent can easily punish you. However, most people don't expect it. It can also be B-reversed for potential gimps offstage, or simply followups after you regrab ledge.
EDIT: Additionally, you can pull a Mang0 and Ledge Hop Laser onto the stage WITH NO LAG. It is quite difficult though, especially if you are going for the lowest laser height. You can also Ledge Hop Laser onto the two lower platforms of Battlefield, with lag. Keep in mind, however, that it’s not safe my guy.
Credit: NeverKillAgain
Tech #2- Up-smash at Ledge: Falco can Up-smash most (all?) characters while they are hanging on the ledge. However, you have to be standing a very specific distance away. Some characters get hit with the full Up-smash, others get stage spiked. More info: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nmpWuVDgPau1tMm3PXkuBjUzw6OS7WmWEEalGaQaRYo/htmlview#gid=0
Credit: AviaRy
Tech #3- Frame Cancelled Nair: Falco can SH Nair and receive practically no lag by fastfalling during the third hit of his Nair. Mashing fastfall usually does not work. To run immediately after frame cancelling, it is best to just hold forward right after you fastfall. This allows setups like FC Nair > Dair to be possible mixups, at relevant percents.
Tech #4- Frame Cancelled Dair: The infamous Falco tech that sparked interest in frame canceling in Smash 4. The timing is quite difficult, and therefore hard to explain, but you want to do it just before the peak of your shorthop. Here is Kyle's video about it so he can explain it better: https://youtu.be/wMuwiGEzzgE
Credit: IzawSmash
Tech #5- Auto-cancel Fire Bird: Basically, you can autocancel Fire Bird at a very specific height. It is easier on Town and City and Smashville since all you have to do is run off the right platforms and immediately Up-B straight horizontally. It doesn't need to be done on those stages, but the height is very specific, so it makes it much easier. Luckily, those are two of the most common stages in competitive Sm4sh. Example (NOT MY VIDEO): https://youtu.be/hsjtmJH7qjU
Tech #6- Boomerang Fire Bird: If you hit the stage at a very specific angle when doing Fire Bird, you will slide along it. You can then input another direction to go that way. Example (NOT MY VIDEO): https://youtu.be/Rlvu85SNrNE
Tech #7- Falco Rapid Jab Cancel: Like some other characters, Falco can cancel his rapid jab while facing edge by finishing it early. Here are two helpful resources: https://youtu.be/ox3B83a5gN4 and https://youtu.be/K1gk1M4ubnk
Tech #8- Perfect Airdodge Landing/Short Hop Airdodge (PADL/SHAD): It's simple. Buffer a short hop airdodge and then input an aerial right before you land so it autocancels, giving you no lag. You can do any move after landing.
Other Tips and Tricks
Just some info that didn't qualify as true "tech".
Tip #1- Falco Phantasm: Press jump then immdiately Side-B to Short Hop Phantasm. Falco will have less endlag than if he just used Phantasm on the ground. Offstage Phantsasm has even lower endlag than SH Phantasm. If you hit a midair opponent during your aerial Phantasm, your opponent will be spiked. Because of this, if an opponent is on the ledge, hold down while using Phantasm to avoid grabbing the ledge so you can spike them if their invincibility runs out.
Tip #2- Perfect Pivot Up-tilt: Combos into many of his aerials, including Bair, which kills insanely early.
Tip #3- Perfect Pivot Down Tilt: This can provide immense shield pressure, as it is disjointed, fast, and has little lag. It is very good at shield poking as well, and the perfect pivot increases it’s already amazing spacing potential. Could also potentially cover roll-ins, although your opponents has to be a bit far away, since Falco’s perfect pivot isn’t that big.
Tip #4- Landing Up-air = Melee Shine: Landing Uair can combo into ALL of Falco's aerials if you get the right hitbox for each one. You'd be surprised, the hit that launches almost straight up (opposed to diagonal) combos until very late percents. Note: Falco's Up-air has 3 hitboxes; if you hit it from behind it launches diagonally backwards; if you hit it in front then it launches diagonally upwards; and the third hitbox is near the middle of the attack, and launches ALMOST straight up. That is what I meant by "the hit that launches almost staright up".
Tip #5- Shine Platform Coverage: If your opponent somehow lands on a platform while in tumble, use Falco's Reflector (Shine) for a lock attempt for more option coverage. If they miss the tech, Shine locks, and you can follow up. If they tech-roll away, the Shine hits them and forces an untechable pratfall at certain percents; if it doesnt make them pratfall, you still get some damage in. If they tech-roll in, you get may be able to get an extra 5%. It's free damage, so why not?
Tip #6- Laser Sliding: If you do a single foxtrot, then buffer a laser and hold forward, Falco will slide forward a TINY bit (about 1/2 the length of his Perfect Pivot). Not really useful, but still possible. If you are the type of person who likes to approach with lasers (for some reason LOL) then you might want to use this tech. Every bit of distance counts! Fox and Kirby can also do this.
Tip #7- Fire Bird Inertia: When used in the air, Fire Bird keeps some of your momentum, allowing you to slide along in the air for a bit. Remember this when recovering. Example (NOT MY VIDEO): https://gfycat.com/RecklessChillyDrafthorse
Tip #8- Jab > Up-smash: On Mewtwo, Ness, and Lucas, this is a kill confirm. More info (NOT MINE): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PvzThhqxwiXurGuzzggRjN1EAXFQOrOwL7CztCphyA8/edit?usp=sharing
Make sure to comment your thoughts down below, or tell me something I missed/incorrect information. Thanks, and have a nice day!
I will be trying to compile ALL Falco specific techs; "useless" or not.
By tech I do not mean combos or kill percents. I will also be crediting people who I know discovered the tech.
Tech #1 - Ledge Hop Laser: If you drop from ledge then IMMEDIATELY jump and shoot a laser, Falco will shoot a laser at a short height and then regrab the ledge. (Edit: You don’t have to buffer a jump, it can be delayed a bit while being combined with a buffered laser to shoot shorter gounded opponents). Laser height can be varied slightly by changing the timing of the laser shot; for example, buffer a laser after the jump for the lowest height, but wait for a few frames and you can shoot it a bit higher. This can be used for stalling on ledge and could be used as a possible mixup. It isn't safe though, your opponent can easily punish you. However, most people don't expect it. It can also be B-reversed for potential gimps offstage, or simply followups after you regrab ledge.
EDIT: Additionally, you can pull a Mang0 and Ledge Hop Laser onto the stage WITH NO LAG. It is quite difficult though, especially if you are going for the lowest laser height. You can also Ledge Hop Laser onto the two lower platforms of Battlefield, with lag. Keep in mind, however, that it’s not safe my guy.
Credit: NeverKillAgain
Tech #2- Up-smash at Ledge: Falco can Up-smash most (all?) characters while they are hanging on the ledge. However, you have to be standing a very specific distance away. Some characters get hit with the full Up-smash, others get stage spiked. More info: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nmpWuVDgPau1tMm3PXkuBjUzw6OS7WmWEEalGaQaRYo/htmlview#gid=0
Credit: AviaRy
Tech #3- Frame Cancelled Nair: Falco can SH Nair and receive practically no lag by fastfalling during the third hit of his Nair. Mashing fastfall usually does not work. To run immediately after frame cancelling, it is best to just hold forward right after you fastfall. This allows setups like FC Nair > Dair to be possible mixups, at relevant percents.
Tech #4- Frame Cancelled Dair: The infamous Falco tech that sparked interest in frame canceling in Smash 4. The timing is quite difficult, and therefore hard to explain, but you want to do it just before the peak of your shorthop. Here is Kyle's video about it so he can explain it better: https://youtu.be/wMuwiGEzzgE
Credit: IzawSmash
Tech #5- Auto-cancel Fire Bird: Basically, you can autocancel Fire Bird at a very specific height. It is easier on Town and City and Smashville since all you have to do is run off the right platforms and immediately Up-B straight horizontally. It doesn't need to be done on those stages, but the height is very specific, so it makes it much easier. Luckily, those are two of the most common stages in competitive Sm4sh. Example (NOT MY VIDEO): https://youtu.be/hsjtmJH7qjU
Tech #6- Boomerang Fire Bird: If you hit the stage at a very specific angle when doing Fire Bird, you will slide along it. You can then input another direction to go that way. Example (NOT MY VIDEO): https://youtu.be/Rlvu85SNrNE
Tech #7- Falco Rapid Jab Cancel: Like some other characters, Falco can cancel his rapid jab while facing edge by finishing it early. Here are two helpful resources: https://youtu.be/ox3B83a5gN4 and https://youtu.be/K1gk1M4ubnk
Tech #8- Perfect Airdodge Landing/Short Hop Airdodge (PADL/SHAD): It's simple. Buffer a short hop airdodge and then input an aerial right before you land so it autocancels, giving you no lag. You can do any move after landing.
Other Tips and Tricks
Just some info that didn't qualify as true "tech".
Tip #1- Falco Phantasm: Press jump then immdiately Side-B to Short Hop Phantasm. Falco will have less endlag than if he just used Phantasm on the ground. Offstage Phantsasm has even lower endlag than SH Phantasm. If you hit a midair opponent during your aerial Phantasm, your opponent will be spiked. Because of this, if an opponent is on the ledge, hold down while using Phantasm to avoid grabbing the ledge so you can spike them if their invincibility runs out.
Tip #2- Perfect Pivot Up-tilt: Combos into many of his aerials, including Bair, which kills insanely early.
Tip #3- Perfect Pivot Down Tilt: This can provide immense shield pressure, as it is disjointed, fast, and has little lag. It is very good at shield poking as well, and the perfect pivot increases it’s already amazing spacing potential. Could also potentially cover roll-ins, although your opponents has to be a bit far away, since Falco’s perfect pivot isn’t that big.
Tip #4- Landing Up-air = Melee Shine: Landing Uair can combo into ALL of Falco's aerials if you get the right hitbox for each one. You'd be surprised, the hit that launches almost straight up (opposed to diagonal) combos until very late percents. Note: Falco's Up-air has 3 hitboxes; if you hit it from behind it launches diagonally backwards; if you hit it in front then it launches diagonally upwards; and the third hitbox is near the middle of the attack, and launches ALMOST straight up. That is what I meant by "the hit that launches almost staright up".
Tip #5- Shine Platform Coverage: If your opponent somehow lands on a platform while in tumble, use Falco's Reflector (Shine) for a lock attempt for more option coverage. If they miss the tech, Shine locks, and you can follow up. If they tech-roll away, the Shine hits them and forces an untechable pratfall at certain percents; if it doesnt make them pratfall, you still get some damage in. If they tech-roll in, you get may be able to get an extra 5%. It's free damage, so why not?
Tip #6- Laser Sliding: If you do a single foxtrot, then buffer a laser and hold forward, Falco will slide forward a TINY bit (about 1/2 the length of his Perfect Pivot). Not really useful, but still possible. If you are the type of person who likes to approach with lasers (for some reason LOL) then you might want to use this tech. Every bit of distance counts! Fox and Kirby can also do this.
Tip #7- Fire Bird Inertia: When used in the air, Fire Bird keeps some of your momentum, allowing you to slide along in the air for a bit. Remember this when recovering. Example (NOT MY VIDEO): https://gfycat.com/RecklessChillyDrafthorse
Tip #8- Jab > Up-smash: On Mewtwo, Ness, and Lucas, this is a kill confirm. More info (NOT MINE): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PvzThhqxwiXurGuzzggRjN1EAXFQOrOwL7CztCphyA8/edit?usp=sharing
Make sure to comment your thoughts down below, or tell me something I missed/incorrect information. Thanks, and have a nice day!
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