How has the transition changed IC's playstyle?

[stoopdklutz]

I can't seem to land grabs due to poor approach, and desycing seems hard. In return I think I got easier chaingrabs, a sort-of smarter AI, and better B-moves.

The Ice Climbers seem different to me. As it's harder to land a grab, and a below-average ground game, IC's seem to be much more technical with the desyncs to be effective.

What have you guys noticed about the Ice Climbers since the transition? They are my main in melee and am determined to not let go of the little eskimos.

Input appreciated.

 

[Corner-Trap]

I think the IC's have been buffed in the transition from Melee to Brawl. Your recovery is much better since both IC's can now grab the ledge, you can get more height off of SideB, and UpB now sweetspots ledges. Nana's AI is also better, she'll actually use SideB and UpB to recover on her own and attack the opponent on her way back to Popo. Even with the lack of wavedashing their approach is still good since NeutralB, SideB, and DownB all seem to have been buffed, and with the slower pace of the game it's easier to make desynch approaches. Their grabs are still just as good as before with several infinites and chain grabs, with good options to KO out of them. Desynching may be a bit harder, but it's still just as useful. Plus their entire moveset in general is pretty good with decent speed, range, damage, knockback, and priority.

Overall the IC's get to keep what made them so good in Melee (throws, desynching, good moveset), but can now make up what held them back (recovery, Nana's ***********). So I consider it a major buff.

 

[shadydentist]

Nerfs:
No wavedash means approaching is MUCH harder.
No dashdance means approaching is MUCH harder
Desyncs are a little harder to do

Buffs:
Nana is much smarter
Recovery is better.
Nana will no longer edgehog you.

 

[stoopdklutz]

Although I appreciate the input. I was asking for how has their playstyle changed, not their nerfs/buffs.

 

[jesterlolz]

What is desyncing, I played as ice climbers sometimes in melee, but just with friends, so I don't really know any advanced techniques (at least no ice climber specific ones).

 

[choknater]

I think I can answer.

It seems their spacing game has been thrown off without wavedashing, but there are ways to compensate.

Basically, desynching short hop blizzards is the best way to space somebody in front of you, since it sets up grabs at low %'s and at higher %'s it freezes your opponent and puts them above you for uairs. IC's are still advantageous on the ground because their grab game is still excellent and their uairs still control everything above them very well.

The usefulness of ALL their b-attacks has increased. They all have good function. If you're not scoring KO's from grabs, then you can use uairs, bairs, or up-B. Basically they are one of the stronger KOing characters, especially if you can get full knockback off a grab (sometimes mashing c-stick doesn't give you full knockback... you wanna hold with one and charge with the other.) But yeah, they're very strong. Their smashes have decreased in range and dash attacks/dash grabs have their limits in approach... so their approach game is quite weak. Defensively, they have the blizzards and decent rolls, but lack of desynching off the roll limits their defensive options.

Basically, they're not that great of a character, but at the same time... they are pretty much the only character that can reliable 0-death. So if someone wants to get good at Ice Climbers, basically he'll have to fight an uphill battle against better characters and try to work in that grab, and THEN after that, not mess up on a 0-death grab combo for a guaranteed KO. But basically, without a spacing game, certain characters can dominate the IC's an entire match...

Metaknight counters them sooo badly, it is ridiculous.

But anyway, if you can score that grab, you should be alright. If not, blizzard away. That's their, well, general playstyle now.