Help me improve my Pikachu please

[Jeffz0r]

Here are some vids, I hope I can get some advise from the top players here, to make my Pikachu better (at this point my Peach is probably still better than my Pika, but I want to switch mains, I find Peach no longer fun to play)

Jeffrey(Pika) vs Exa(Falco) 1
Jeffrey(Pika) vs Exa(Falco) 2

Jeffrey(Pika) vs Joeri(Falco) 1
Jeffrey(Pika) vs Joeri(Falco) 2

Jeffrey(Pika) vs Exa(Ness) 1
Jeffrey(Pika) vs Exa(Ness) 2

Jeffrey(Pika) vs Joeri(Fox) 1
Jeffrey(Pika) vs Joeri(Fox) 2

Jeffrey(Pika) vs Exa(Sheik) 1
Jeffrey(Pika) vs Exa(Sheik) 2

Jeffrey(Pika) vs Joeri(Sheik) 1
Jeffrey(Pika) vs Joeri(Sheik) 2

Jeffrey(Pika) vs Exa(Marth) 1
Jeffrey(Pika) vs Exa(Fox) 2
Jeffrey(Pika) vs Exa(Falco) 3

Jeffrey(Pika) vs Joeri(Marth) 1

 

[AXE 09]

You know what's funny? My real name is Jeffrey, and "Exa" is very close to the tag that I use haha. I'm a little short on time right now, so I'll try to watch these on Sunday since I'm gonna be busy all day today. I'm so happy to see more Pikachu players

 

[Jim Morrison]

Ga papa worden.

 

[Jeffz0r]

Ga papa worden.

... How do you... Who are you? lol

@ Axe: Thank you, I'm curious to your advise.
I've been playing Pikachu for quite a while actually, but I've never mained him. And I've never posted here, only read some threads
And watched lots of videos from you of course

 

[Jim Morrison]

Guus op SmashNL (niet Kaak)

 

[soju]

You know what's funny? My real name is Jeffrey, and "Exa" is very close to the tag that I use haha. I'm a little short on time right now, so I'll try to watch these on Sunday since I'm gonna be busy all day today. I'm so happy to see more Pikachu players

Pshh, Mariabattleaxe? Jeffrey(Exa)? Are they your new Pika prodigies X3

 

[INSANE CARZY GUY]

watching a few matches overall be smarter with projectiles space them well because down-B is stil very useful if they try to jump up and hit you 2nd jump away and hit them with thunder and sometimes maybe even combo them. jolts are amazing if you space them you can cut off so many options with great spacing.

Also you seem very predictable try more WDing and d-tiltiing them no one can grab you at that range other than link/smaus maybe YL

 

[AXE 09]

Pshh, Mariabattleaxe? Jeffrey(Exa)? Are they your new Pika prodigies X3

It's funny because I think all of these names are just coincidences lol.

I only watched a few of the videos so far, and from what I've seen...

The main thing that I would recommend for you to learn is how to waveshield (wavedash out of shield). I've only seen the ones of you vs Falco so far, and it seems like you're having trouble getting past his laser -> Dair/Nair approach. If you're not confident with powershielding his lasers (which most people aren't), then block his laser and immediately waveshield backwards. This will cause him to whiff his Dair and land right in front of you, which means that you can punish with literally ANYTHING. You can Dsmash, Usmash, grab, whatever. Waveshielding can take quite a bit of practice, so I recommend trying to get that down asap. I use L to block, then R to wavedash. However, I do know many people who block and wavedash with the same button and are still able to waveshield, so however you want to learn it is up to you.

I think it's very good to try to bait approaches by simply running forward than wavedashing back. Just do that and see what their reaction is. Depending on what they do, you can coordinate a plan to punish them for the next time they react that same way.

I noticed you would kinda get "stuck" or pressured on the edge a lot. You should definitely try to master wavelanding onto the stage from the edge. If you do it fast enough, you can keep the invincibility you get from grabbing the edge long enough to do an attack, dodge, or block. I find this extremely useful for those situations when they're pressuring you on the edge.


TL;DR: Practice waveshielding and wavelanding from the edge. Punish your opponent for his approaches. And you rock for playing Pikachu

 

[Jeffz0r]

The main thing that I would recommend for you to learn is how to waveshield (wavedash out of shield). I've only seen the ones of you vs Falco so far, and it seems like you're having trouble getting past his laser -> Dair/Nair approach. If you're not confident with powershielding his lasers (which most people aren't), then block his laser and immediately waveshield backwards. This will cause him to whiff his Dair and land right in front of you, which means that you can punish with literally ANYTHING. You can Dsmash, Usmash, grab, whatever. Waveshielding can take quite a bit of practice, so I recommend trying to get that down asap. I use L to block, then R to wavedash. However, I do know many people who block and wavedash with the same button and are still able to waveshield, so however you want to learn it is up to you.

Well I already know how to use it (I've been playing tournaments for over 5 years so duh xD), I just hardly ever use it because I also block and wavedash both with the L button. I guess it's better if I'd use it from time to time :/

I think it's very good to try to bait approaches by simply running forward than wavedashing back. Just do that and see what their reaction is. Depending on what they do, you can coordinate a plan to punish them for the next time they react that same way.

Mindgames aren't my strongest point, I definitely have to work on that yes

I noticed you would kinda get "stuck" or pressured on the edge a lot. You should definitely try to master wavelanding onto the stage from the edge. If you do it fast enough, you can keep the invincibility you get from grabbing the edge long enough to do an attack, dodge, or block. I find this extremely useful for those situations when they're pressuring you on the edge.

Well this is also something I already know how to use, but either don't think about it (probably because I play Peach XD), or I use another option.
I'll keep it in mind for sure.



Thanks a lot for the tips Axe and I hope you (and the others here) will watch the other vids too and give even more advise :D

 

[INSANE CARZY GUY]

You can't be taught mindgames really it's like when you know what they know sometimes and you surprise them. You undertsnad you are in control it's like being a mind ninja which i've been training in real life for years. If you hold a hand behind your back they will ask if they ask and look use your other hand to grab their taco.

 

[soju]

Basically what ICG is saying in a not so confusing way is that mindgames are when you know what the person will do when you do a certain action, then you do something completely different catching your opponent off guard. It's a lot harder then it sounds and requires a buncha reads XP

And lol at the taco example =w= I've done that once but it was with a burger :B

 

[N64]

i watched about 5 of the sets, and there's two main things i noticed pop up repeatedly. Axe mentioned this as well.

Work on your quick attack directions. You should be able to sweetspot the edge from a number of angles, and doing so helps recovery so much. Watch some of axe's matches, he does it the most consistently, and just see how he recovers from different angles and try to replicate it. In addition, as he said, wavelanding onto the stage right after helps. Practice these motions and that should help your recovery significantly.

Move around more. Specifically, dash dance some. This helps mix up your approaches (as you can approach out of the dash dance at different points and different distances, making it harder for your opponent to counter your approach) and also helps against their approaches (as they'll have more difficulty attacking where you'll be, because you're moving around so much). Try to work it into your game so that you're constantly moving, shielding if need be, and keeping your enemy on their toes and having to focus a lot on your movements.

Otherwise it's looking pretty good. Keep it up : )

 

[tdk_Samurai]

against marth:

Your spacing when you approach with jolts is scary, like possibly lose your stock scary. If I spam proectiles against marth, I make sure to stay far away. Unless marth is at like high percentages where the jolt will combo into an upsmash if I land behind him.

When you land a rising uair on Marth, you can usually get in a bair or something if you jump again right away, should land you another 10-15 percent or something. I can't remember bahh.

Landing one nair on Marth usually means you can land another, sometimes a 3rd is possible or maybe even an upsmash, but basically work on hitting marth late in your nair so you can shuffle, and dash into another.

And simply baiting forward smashes with triangle jumps is quite good for creating openings.

Other than that, like axe and n64 said, work on movement and quick attack control.

I'm liking what I see so far. Keep it up.

edit: oh wow, I apearently posted over a week after the most recent post...guess thats what I get for never coming here.

 

[Jeffz0r]

That's okay, advise is always welcome. i have a tourney tomorrow so we'll see how that goes. Too bad that in tourneys over here there are more Sheiks than in de US I think, But I've got Peach for that
Btw, what do you mean by triangle jumps?

 

[tdk_Samurai]

basically a triangle jump is when you jump at your opponent and airdodge down and either towards or away. Or atleast thats how I understand it. I prefer to go away, cause sometimes they will throw out a move and get you if you do it towards. But maybe I just have to learn to do it better.

 

[INSANE CARZY GUY]

triangle jumps are what people do when they f*** up wding and clain it to be a new tech/tactic.

the only way I see it could be useful is if your like luigi and again that's a big aybe really WD spotdodge would be better.

 

[AXE 09]

Triangle jumping:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDJyIanqXJs#t=1m36s

 

[INSANE CARZY GUY]

axe came in and gimped ignornce at 20% to good.