Footstool Airslash

[Xavix]

*If this has already been discussed let me know and I will take this thread down*
I recently noticed in a practice match as shulk that I footstooled an opponent and then immediately hit them with air slash, so I did some testing. It turns out that if you footstool and then IMMEDIATELY (the timing is very strict) air slash, it will connect. I tested this against grounded and airborne enemies and from several weight classes, and it seems that all characters are affected by this. This could be useful for punishing recovery and has some potential, so I thought I would share it here.
*as a side note, some other characters can use this technique as well, like sonic. However, most characters cannot utilize this*

 

[kenniky]

You should probably put this into the metagame discussion or the combo thread. Or both.

 

[erico9001]

Oh really? I've remember trying this before with it not working. What character were you using it against?
(PS...

You should probably put this into the metagame discussion or the combo thread. Or both.

'd

 

[Xavix]

Oh really? I've remember trying this before with it not working. What character were you using it against?
(PS...

'd

I used it against multiple characters including Kirby, Mario, and Bowser to test multiple weight classes. I also recently noticed that certain characters, such as robin, are more difficult to hit, meaning there might be different timings for each character. Finally, at higher percents, lighter characters will be launched backwards and will not be hit by the second slash. (Putting this in the combo thread once I know more about this. Should I make a video about it?)

 

[erico9001]

I used it against multiple characters including Kirby, Mario, and Bowser to test multiple weight classes. I also recently noticed that certain characters, such as robin, are more difficult to hit, meaning there might be different timings for each character. Finally, at higher percents, lighter characters will be launched backwards and will not be hit by the second slash. (Putting this in the combo thread once I know more about this. Should I make a video about it?)

Oh, I see!

I probably tried it on Mario in the past. However, it only works on Mario if you are facing the same direction as him when you footstool him. I would have been facing the other way when trying it.

Anyways, this is neat. I can confirm that it works with both of Shulk's custom up B's as well. With no rage, Advancing Air Slash works against the most people. Interestingly, Mighty Air Slash seems to work on more people than regular Air Slash. Still not as many as AAS, though. I'm also curious about if it work on anybody while in Monado Jump.

I do not think a video is necessary. What would be very useful is a list of characters it works on, testing with facing same direction and then facing opposite direction. I can do work on that, and you may too of course. Definitely continue this discussion in the combo thread, though.

With the air slash moves, the first hit is completely a set knockback. So, these will work when the opponent is at any percent. However, Shulk's percent damage does adjust the knockback of the first move with the rage effect. That can make lightweights go too far away and can make heavy weights go just high enough.

For execution, tap jump does help.

 

[Xavix]

Great! I did a little more reasearch, and this is what I found.

• For reference, both sonic and robin can perform this, and it is WAY easier with them.
• Works in mid air.
• To practice mid air timing, set the cpu to jump in training mode.
• It seems that size,weight, and the direction shulk is facing affect this.
• This is INCREDIBLY difficult to do against certain characters (pacman), but works on the entire cast.
• I will take some time today and test this tech with every character
• If smash mode is on, this becomes a kill setup.
• Along with a future posting in the combo thread, I will make a guide soon detailing many specifics on this.

I'm very excited to see the possibilities of this new technique, and how it affects the meta!
EDIT: 3 more things i discovered:

• Timing is the same for all characters, but it needs to be NEAR FRAME PERFECT. I recommend initially practicing this with a slowed down speed
• *does not apply to sonic and robin*
• Certain characters can only be hit when facing certain directions. for example, you can only hit pacman when you are facing his back. attempting the other direction will not work, even when slowed down.

 

[Masonomace]

^ I noticed that your post bulletin says it works on the entire cast, but I just happen to be in Training Mode testing other things & then I suddenly did footstool > Air Slash to Dark Pit & it's guaranteed on Dark Pit when you footstool him on the ground & from the front. It's more questionable footstooling him from behind but reversing Air Slash to face towards him can work half the time. Just thought I'd post it for extra confirmation.

 

[Xavix]

^ I noticed that your post bulletin says it works on the entire cast, but I just happen to be in Training Mode testing other things & then I suddenly did footstool > Air Slash to Dark Pit & it's guaranteed on Dark Pit when you footstool him on the ground & from the front. It's more questionable footstooling him from behind but reversing Air Slash to face towards him can work half the time. Just thought I'd post it for extra confirmation.

It does work on the whole cast, but certain characters need to be attacked from a specific direction. This guide is taking way to long to make, and as a result I would love for people to help me out! If someone wants to PM me I need their help with the data on shulk (facing which way, kill percents for standard and smash, etc). I've only finished peach, and I want the guide to be complete before I launch it. If someone could help, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks again!
EDIT: peach can perform this and her section has been finished, not shulks attack on Peach.

 

[Masonomace]

It does work on the whole cast, but certain characters need to be attacked from a specific direction. This guide is taking way to long to make, and as a result I would love for people to help me out! If someone wants to PM me I need their help with the data on shulk (facing which way, kill percents for standard and smash, etc). I've only finished peach, and I want the guide to be complete before I launch it. If someone could help, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks again!
EDIT: peach can perform this and her section has been finished, not shulks attack on Peach.

I can help with this, so do we want to also test for AAS & MAS as well, or just AS? We might also want to include Jump Shulk's AS in case for characters like Jigglypuff who fly too high to be hit from Vanilla Shulk's AS or Smash Shulk's AS.

EDIT: I'll also want to PM ya so I can see how you want this format to go, like if it's in a table or just the "who can & who can't" list.

 

[Xavix]

I can help with this, so do we want to also test for AAS & MAS as well, or just AS? We might also want to include Jump Shulk's AS in case for characters like Jigglypuff who fly too high to be hit from Vanilla Shulk's AS or Smash Shulk's AS.

EDIT: I'll also want to PM ya so I can see how you want this format to go, like if it's in a table or just the "who can & who can't" list.

Sorry for sounding like a noob, but what are all the things you just abrievated?
Also, I never thought to test with jump shulk, and I think speed and shield also affect airslash, so we might need to test all the monados. I'd also have to retest certain characters to get the complete list of characters that can do this. PM me!

 

[Masonomace]

Sorry for sounding like a noob, but what are all the things you just abrievated?
Also, I never thought to test with jump shulk, and I think speed and shield also affect airslash, so we might need to test all the monados. I'd also have to retest certain characters to get the complete list of characters that can do this. PM me!

Apologies, the Jargon / abbreviations are still testing the waters, but AS stands for Air Slash. AAS stands for Advancing Air Slash & MAS stands for Mighty Air Slash, which are his two custom Air Slash moves.

From what I've learned recently about the Speed & Shield Arts, it was surprising & interesting. The Speed & Shield Arts reduce the jump height of Shulk's Short Hop, Full Hop, Doublejump, ledge-jump, & other things, but the surprising / interesting thing I learned about the Shield Arts is that they do not affect the height of AS at all, only the horizontal drifting recovery part of the move is reduced. I didn't test to see if the Shield Arts affect the vertical height of AAS or MAS, but I imagine that they don't. Now on the other hand for the Speed Arts, they actually reduce the vertical height of AS, & MAS from what I vaguely remember testing, but It's very hard to see the difference in the 1st hit of AS or MAS. Although, when you use the 2nd hit of AS or MAS, the difference of height will be much more noticeable. And while the Speed Arts do reduce the height, the horizontal drifting recovery part in between the 1st & 2nd hits of AS AAS & MAS is definitely improved.

So basically, they won't change the result by that much except when we account for the damage decrease from both of the Arts' damage multipliers thus affecting knockback. Speed & Decisive Speed having a 0.8x damage multplier, while Shield & Decisive Shield having a 0.7x damage multplier. Hyper Speed definitely has a noticeable height change & the damage multiplier is 0.64x, while Hyper Shield doesn't change the height but the damage multiplier is 0.56x.

 

[Xavix]

Apologies, the Jargon / abbreviations are still testing the waters, but AS stands for Air Slash. AAS stands for Advancing Air Slash & MAS stands for Mighty Air Slash, which are his two custom Air Slash moves.

From what I've learned recently about the Speed & Shield Arts, it was surprising & interesting. The Speed & Shield Arts reduce the jump height of Shulk's Short Hop, Full Hop, Doublejump, ledge-jump, & other things, but the surprising / interesting thing I learned about the Shield Arts is that they do not affect the height of AS at all, only the horizontal drifting recovery part of the move is reduced. I didn't test to see if the Shield Arts affect the vertical height of AAS or MAS, but I imagine that they don't. Now on the other hand for the Speed Arts, they actually reduce the vertical height of AS, & MAS from what I vaguely remember testing, but It's very hard to see the difference in the 1st hit of AS or MAS. Although, when you use the 2nd hit of AS or MAS, the difference of height will be much more noticeable. And while the Speed Arts do reduce the height, the horizontal drifting recovery part in between the 1st & 2nd hits of AS AAS & MAS is definitely improved.

So basically, they won't change the result by that much except when we account for the damage decrease from both of the Arts' damage multipliers thus affecting knockback. Speed & Decisive Speed having a 0.8x damage multplier, while Shield & Decisive Shield having a 0.7x damage multplier. Hyper Speed definitely has a noticeable height change & the damage multiplier is 0.64x, while Hyper Shield doesn't change the height but the damage multiplier is 0.56x.

Interesting. I'll PM YOU soon with the list of characters that can do this. Shulk seems to take the most data from this (not too useful for some other characters) so testing kill percents with all arts, and testing it with the other air slashes is ideal. One more thing, do you have all custom moves? I recently learned that one of game and watches customs works, while his standard doesn't. It might mean that we need to test every other custom special as well.

 

[Masonomace]

Bump~

This may not really seem the need to be said, but it does. We can do testing in Training Mode all we like, but when it comes down to it, playing actual VS Mode matches offline or online is how we'll learn / realize that Air Slash can connect both hits but then other times it doesn't. That is because Air Slash's weighted base knockback is affected by Rage effect.

When you do a regular Air Slash from the ground & hit let's say, Mario or Jigglypuff, Mario can be hit by both hits of Air Slash if Shulk's damage meter is 0% or 150% no problem, but Jigglypuff at 0% gets launched so high from the grounded first hit of Air Slash that it's impossible to connect the second hit even if you're mashing B to get it out ASAP. So in Mario's case, you'll do fine trying to footstool > AS no matter how much Rage you accumulate, but for Jigglypuff, you try to footstool Jigglypuff & then immediately input Air Slash during the footstool squat animation at 0% & notice it's impossible as Vanilla Shulk. It works with Jump art though, so Jump Shulk could definitely make it work. Jump Shulk's grounded Air Slash at 100% & mashing B to get both hits out ASAP barely hits Jigglypuff as she's launched upward so it comes really close. This can be seen as an issue when it comes to the setup you're trying to read because Jigglypuff could DI away from where we think she might go, so we don't even get the leisure to drift backward or delay the second hit for a concrete result.

Of course when I'm talking about grounded Air Slash, it's not quite the same as footstool > AS because Shulk is not on the ground. Therefore, he's more likely to hit the said character with a slightly better percent range than on the ground. Still, I'm just giving some helpful reminders in regard to this strategy.

EDIT: Here's a little bit of notes I made for the testing of Rage effect on a grounded Air Slash against Mario. I tested using a handicap on Shulk, had Mario be player 2, dealt enough damage to have the damage meter display the number I needed for testing, & watched what platform Mario would land on after being launched from the grounded Air Slash. I used a custom stage with platforms stacking up high 1 grid unit from each other.

• Shulk at 0 - 46% launches Mario 10 platforms high
• Shulk at 47 - 72% launches Mario 11 platforms high
• Shulk at 73 - 97% launches Mario 12 platforms high
• Shulk at 98 - 120% launches Mario 13 platforms high
• Shulk at 121 - 143% launches Mario 14 platforms high
• Shulk at 144 - 300% launches Mario 15 platforms high

Please keep in mind that decimal percentages are a thing in Smash Bros., so even though the damage meter says 46%, it could be 46.95% which is too close to being 47%. I used Mario Jab1 staled to rack up damage which wasn't the best way.

 

[Masonomace]

Just a quick update because I kinda forgot about this thread. But Shulk cannot footstool > Air Slash anyone in the air. So, Shulk can only footstool > Air Slash & hit anyone / someone while they're grounded.