Help with Camping Mac match-up

[Cornstalk]

Got some in-person play time with a few random people recently with Charizard. No one was particularly practiced with the game, but a few really shined at knowing the abusable combos (like Sheik). What really threw me for an unexpected curve was a defensive Little Mac. Aggressive Little Macs can be baited, predicted, and just plain make mistakes to get an opening. But when Mac just... stands there... waiting. Everything I could think of resulted in me being swatted away like a bug unless Mac just plain messed up.

I was running a 2311 custom (Fire Fang and Dragon Rush)

Running up and shielding, while it wouldn't cause me damage, would usually see enough force from Mac's hit to make me slide backwards if I tried to act out of shield. At which point I would be out of range. Dragon Rush came out just slow enough he could shield or smash again, so I'd either be hit or pass through him and be vulnerable to follow-up (Mac is fast enough to chase).

Going for Rock Smash sometimes worked, but it has slow start up and gets predictable fast. Mac can still use his speed to hit before Charizard's super armor started (I think his super armor won sometimes too, hard to recall). Both armors stopping the launch meant Mac could follow-up first even if a rock shard hit him at the last moment.

Dragon Rush is obvious and easily shielded unless Mac can be tricked to committing to something and predicting he'll do it. Bad timing or prediction means Charizard rushes right through a super armor smash and goes sailing or just gets shielded.

Fire Fang was probably a poor choice over Flame Thrower for this match-up, but at best I can see getting free damage a reset and at worse Mac gets a free hit from the flame thrower lag.

Air Moves are tricky to land on a standing target, but the extra jumps -might- be able to bait a whiff.

Tilts may also work to chip away at Mac through careful spacing a shielding.


This doesn't even cover Mac's counter.... ugh


Any advice for a cautious and extremely defensive Mac player would be appreciated. I've slammed head first into some walls, but this is the first time I've felt genuinely stumped on how to handle it.

 

[-LzR-]

I strongly suggest using the default moves against Little Mac. There isn't much to be gained by Dragon Rush, Mac is strong enough to stop it with almost any move. Same for Fire Fang, you need your Flamethrower for safe landings and for zoning. That thing can pretty much even kill him when you edgeguard with it.

If the Mac is just standing there, like really just standing there, you should be able to keep up great spacing because he isn't constantly moving to disrupt it. If you get a lead just camp him. No reason to approach Mac when you can just play on defense and pretty much kill him when he makes a mistake because Bthrow -> Nair -> dead.

 

[Shog]

1. Little Mac is a little f**
2. I also suggest default set (wonder if this is a blast burn scenario)
3. Grab is by far the best option in my opinion(covers counter, too). Defensive manuveur around the Flamethrower are important

And everything -LzR- said

 

[The Real Gamer]

Key to beating all Little Macs: grabs, grabs, and more grabs.

 

[Knee Smasher]

Little Mac may be one of, if not the easiest matchup for Charizard from my experience.

 

[RadianB]

I've played a few defensive Little Macs before and I know what you mean when you say they just stand there. Literally that's what they do, they wait for you to approach them and attack. You pretty much need Flamethrower against him but once you managed to grab him he's easy to combo and knock off the ledge.

 

[MagiusNecros]

What I usually do is get him off the ledge and just Flame Thrower him to his doom. Especially if the LM is good at Cheesecaking you.

 

[Appdude]

Dude, you needed flame thrower. Best approach I know when it comes to camping when I'm zard is:
Jump towards opponent>Flamethrower. Works every time for campers.