Stratocaster
Smash Ace
Several things have been on my mind for a while that I've noticed it seems like people don't do. I think some of these are really useful techniques that people should be using, not that they are new, but I think they are way underutilized. Here's the list:
4. Peach Down Smash Out of Shield
First let me reference Wiseman's old OoS guide which lists Peach OoS options:
UpB: 7 frames(invincible on frame 4)
Grab: 7 frames
Usmash: 14 frames(arms are invincible on frames 14-23)
Dair: 17 frames
Fair: 21 frames
Bair: 11 frames
Nair: 8 frames
Uair: 12 frames
Turnip toss: 10 frames
Ok so with those in mind, next take in this ecert by SuperDoodleMan:
"Because Peach's second jump has a dip at the beginning, she can land while doing it, but instead of her landing
animation, it will go to her waiting animation, which means there is no lag, excepting that if you press any button on the frame you land, Peach will go to her landing animation. These numbers assume a short hop, as it is easier and more effective.
When you press jump : when you land
1st frame in the air: 1 frame later
2nd frame in the air: 3 frames later
3rd frame in the air: 5 frames later
Moving forward increases dip SLIGHTLY
and may reduce above numbers by 1.
Moving back may decrease dip SLIGHTLY
and may increase above numbers by 1"
TLDR: Doublejump immediately out of shield to land in wait.
You can buffer the double jump a little by using tap jump, which makes this a little easier.
The total frame data done correctly is:
Jump squat: 5 frames
Air time: 1 frame
Down smash: 5 frames
So overall You can down smash OoS in 11 frames. It's a little slower than Up B, grab, or nair, but it has a great hitbox behind and generally has a lot of range, not to mention power. Also when spacies are doing their spacy things on your shield they tend to press down in order to get the shine out or fast fall so in some situations you may punish them really really hard if you catch them holding down...
3. Short dash into run
If you're familiar with moonwalking, this actually works on the same principle (though again not many take advantage of this). The principle I'm referring to is that after you begin a dash the direction you are holding during the dash effects the distance of the dash. People generally space as if the dash goes a set distance, but you can control it to some extent.
A good example of an application of this is spacing dtilt with Marth. You can't dtilt during your dash, so you have to get into your run animation. Usually you'd have to get far enough away that you can dash up and be in run so that you can crouch and dtilt, but using this technique you can dash really short and then dtilt out of your dash dance without needing a ton of space to set it up. You do this by flicking the stick to dash and letting it reset to neutral quickly so that you're not pressing forward, and then press the stick forward again to enter your dash and slide it down to cancel the dash.
This technique is most useful with anyone who has a long initial dash like Marth, Fox, Falcon.
2. Extra long dash dance
There's a misconception that Sheik has a really short dash dance. Sheik enters run on frame 8 of the dash IF you're holding forward. If you don't hold forward, then you will continue the dash animation which can be interrupted a dash back at any point even after the 8 frames. So the technique is very simple, dash, release the stick, dash back. It's a little more difficult than just wiggling the stick back and forth, but it's just as effective. I don't see anyone using the full length of Sheik's dash dance (I think some people may do this with other characters because it's a little more natural with like Marth), and I think it's very powerful.
This same technique works for everyone, but is more useful for the ones with small dash to run windows like Sheik and Samus.
1. Shai Dropping / Dash Platform Drop
This technique is not by any means new, but I think it's very underutilized. For those of you that haven't heard of it before. Shai dropping is doing a drop on a platform out of a dash. It works on the same principle as shield dropping, but it's much easier because you simply have to have the stick at a 45 degree down-left/right angle tap shield and you'll shield 1 frame and drop the next. Just think about how good dropping off the edge of a platform is, but now add the unpredictability and flexibility of dropping anywhere on the platform and not just off the edge. It can be used to do an instant aerial to tech chase on platforms or to dodge and counterattack. It's not game-breaking, but I think it's one more powerful tool that should definitely be mastered and put into players' repertoire.
P.S. You can powershield lasers at the same time, and catching items like turnips and bombs is often never easier
For more info on Shai dropping see this thread and/or this video.
I'm not claiming this info is all new, but I don't think it's well-known so now you know.
4. Peach Down Smash Out of Shield
First let me reference Wiseman's old OoS guide which lists Peach OoS options:
UpB: 7 frames(invincible on frame 4)
Grab: 7 frames
Usmash: 14 frames(arms are invincible on frames 14-23)
Dair: 17 frames
Fair: 21 frames
Bair: 11 frames
Nair: 8 frames
Uair: 12 frames
Turnip toss: 10 frames
Ok so with those in mind, next take in this ecert by SuperDoodleMan:
"Because Peach's second jump has a dip at the beginning, she can land while doing it, but instead of her landing
animation, it will go to her waiting animation, which means there is no lag, excepting that if you press any button on the frame you land, Peach will go to her landing animation. These numbers assume a short hop, as it is easier and more effective.
When you press jump : when you land
1st frame in the air: 1 frame later
2nd frame in the air: 3 frames later
3rd frame in the air: 5 frames later
Moving forward increases dip SLIGHTLY
and may reduce above numbers by 1.
Moving back may decrease dip SLIGHTLY
and may increase above numbers by 1"
TLDR: Doublejump immediately out of shield to land in wait.
You can buffer the double jump a little by using tap jump, which makes this a little easier.
The total frame data done correctly is:
Jump squat: 5 frames
Air time: 1 frame
Down smash: 5 frames
So overall You can down smash OoS in 11 frames. It's a little slower than Up B, grab, or nair, but it has a great hitbox behind and generally has a lot of range, not to mention power. Also when spacies are doing their spacy things on your shield they tend to press down in order to get the shine out or fast fall so in some situations you may punish them really really hard if you catch them holding down...
3. Short dash into run
If you're familiar with moonwalking, this actually works on the same principle (though again not many take advantage of this). The principle I'm referring to is that after you begin a dash the direction you are holding during the dash effects the distance of the dash. People generally space as if the dash goes a set distance, but you can control it to some extent.
A good example of an application of this is spacing dtilt with Marth. You can't dtilt during your dash, so you have to get into your run animation. Usually you'd have to get far enough away that you can dash up and be in run so that you can crouch and dtilt, but using this technique you can dash really short and then dtilt out of your dash dance without needing a ton of space to set it up. You do this by flicking the stick to dash and letting it reset to neutral quickly so that you're not pressing forward, and then press the stick forward again to enter your dash and slide it down to cancel the dash.
This technique is most useful with anyone who has a long initial dash like Marth, Fox, Falcon.
2. Extra long dash dance
There's a misconception that Sheik has a really short dash dance. Sheik enters run on frame 8 of the dash IF you're holding forward. If you don't hold forward, then you will continue the dash animation which can be interrupted a dash back at any point even after the 8 frames. So the technique is very simple, dash, release the stick, dash back. It's a little more difficult than just wiggling the stick back and forth, but it's just as effective. I don't see anyone using the full length of Sheik's dash dance (I think some people may do this with other characters because it's a little more natural with like Marth), and I think it's very powerful.
This same technique works for everyone, but is more useful for the ones with small dash to run windows like Sheik and Samus.
1. Shai Dropping / Dash Platform Drop
This technique is not by any means new, but I think it's very underutilized. For those of you that haven't heard of it before. Shai dropping is doing a drop on a platform out of a dash. It works on the same principle as shield dropping, but it's much easier because you simply have to have the stick at a 45 degree down-left/right angle tap shield and you'll shield 1 frame and drop the next. Just think about how good dropping off the edge of a platform is, but now add the unpredictability and flexibility of dropping anywhere on the platform and not just off the edge. It can be used to do an instant aerial to tech chase on platforms or to dodge and counterattack. It's not game-breaking, but I think it's one more powerful tool that should definitely be mastered and put into players' repertoire.
P.S. You can powershield lasers at the same time, and catching items like turnips and bombs is often never easier
For more info on Shai dropping see this thread and/or this video.
I'm not claiming this info is all new, but I don't think it's well-known so now you know.
