How should a beginner start training?

[Copie]

Hey guys,

I know "how do I get gud" threads are a dime a dozen around here, but as I've searched the forum I really haven't found anything that has provided me the help I want. So I figured I'd try to post my own and get specific.

I understand the basics of Smash. I know most of the lingo, I've watched some pro videos, and I've read beginner guides. I know practice makes perfect. The problem is... I don't know how to set up a valuable training session. As a new player, I have no idea what to prioritize? Should I be working on my spacing? My comboing? My aerial game? I know "all of the above" is probably the answer, but how do I effectively do that?

I feel like I go into training to try and warm up and practice some things, but I just end up tossing DK around the map with no discernable objective. Subsequently, when I end training, I don't feel like I am any better, or more comfortable. Alternatively I can try to practice against the CPU to work on a moving opponent, but I don't know if this is any good either. And if it is, what should I be doing? Just fighting them? Fighting them with just a single move? Trying to fight them exclusively in the air?

I have no idea HOW to train. I know from Beginner Guides that I SHOULD train... but what to do, and the order to do it, is a mystery to me.

Some background - I love Mewtwo but have been trying to main Mario since he seems pretty basic and has been a commonly recommended character to learn (side-note, I don't know if I love Brawlers... one thing I like about Mewtwo is his projectile and the range on his tail. Perhaps a Sword character, Lucina or Cloud, would make more sense). I played a lot of Smash as a kid, original and Melee when they were out, but that was all largely spamming A and B with items with friends, so this is my first foray into any level of remotely intelligent play. Consider me awful but informed. I'm also 29 - between work and wife my life is limited, so I'll never be pro. However I do want to improve my online rank slowly over time and I recognize some proper training will help with that.

So, what mechanics are the place to start, and how the hell do I learn them (on Mario or otherwise)?

Thanks team.

 

[mrahahkrabs]

Dont go online if your kinda newish, and yes CPU's are the best way to train because you cant really get mad, thats what I think anyways, sorry for not providing too much help, but yeah dont go online and use cpu's

 

[Copie]

Any tips on how you set up your CPUs? And what are the things to practice when fighting them? Just Brawl? Or do you have a more structured training plan?

 

[mrahahkrabs]

start with cpu level 7 and just go up, they are actually fair to fight because they feel like other people, always go with random unless you want to learn to counter another fighter, like you pick mario, and if he is weaker to another fighter, practice against that, then move on with fighters that mario is strong against.

 

[Predatoria]

First of all, I'd pick whichever character you like above all others to main, regardless of whether or not it's considered to be easy to learn, hard to learn, newbie friendly, very technical, strong, weak, or anything else. Nothing will drive your interest in a game more than trying to master a character you want to play, and this goes not just for SSB, but for any game. Pick what you want to play. Don't worry about choosing Mario just because he's supposedly easier to pick up than other members of the cast such as Mewtwo. You'll have a much easier time focusing and wanting to play if you're maining someone you really want to play.

Before you do anything, do some reading on different controller configurations and try to find what works for you. Experiment with it a bit in-game. You don't want to start building muscle memory only to realize you really wanted to turn off stick jump for the long haul because it interferes with other actions such as up tilts or aerials. I think there are some good threads around here on this topic. I personally recommend turning off stick jump, putting your jump key on one of the bumper buttons on the backside of the controller, and using grab on X and / or Y. That alone will give you a lot more control over your input actions and will help keep your fingers ready. Putting tilts on the C stick seems to be a hotly debated topic with supporters on both sides.

I'd highly recommend playing offline atleast until you've managed to unlock every playable character in the game. The best way to do this is to just go to Smash (the big red button in the top left on the main menu screen) and match up 1 on 1 against level 7 CPUs. If that's too hard, take it down to 6 or 5. Try to tune the difficulty to where you're either winning or losing with 1 stock on the line every time, as that means you've best matched your current level with that of the CPU. 2-3 Stocking the computer regularly means its time to bump the difficulty up.

If you have any friends in real life to play with, definitely get them to play. It'll be more fun than fighting the CPU, and they'll probably improve with you as you fight them.

Do not play with stage hazards or items. They're commonly seen as a nuisance or an annoyance to most players that I've met. They'll also introduce randomness or cruxes to the process that really won't help you in a serious fight.

Don't try to learn everything at once. I'm quite new to playing as well, and personally have been trying to get better at using my tilts lately. I used to play only very occasionally, and never even knew what tilts were. So now, my current goal is to master them. I've been getting a lot better at using down and up tilts, but still struggle a bit with forward tilts. I'd recommend a similar mentality. First break in the controls and get used to the muscle memory of recovering, jumping around, etc. Then start trying to get better used to other attacks, one or two at a time. Eventually, you'll start watching videos of some pro play and learning the favored moves, techniques, and types of play they do. Then you can start practicing those kinds of techniques and playstyles.

 

[kirby3021]

I think one of the most valuable things to do as a new player is to practice your movement options in training mode until they are second nature. Do 10 or 20 short hops, restarting if you mess up, then do 10 or 20 RARs (reverse aerial rush, you probably know what that is but just in case you don't you dash forward, then flick the stick in the opposite direction and jump. If done correctly, you'll be facing backwards in the air but moving forwards), 10 or 20 fast fall short hop aerials, 10 or 20 turnaround angled tilts, etc. If that's too many right now, then stick with 5 or so.

The goal is to learn to do these without having to think about it. Make them second nature and it'll really help your gameplay. It'll take a bit of time (maybe a week or two), but it'll give you a lot of options above and beyond what a lot of beginners have.

As a Mewtwo main, just a few thoughts - he's a tough character to learn, as he has some glaring weaknesses, but also some great strengths and I think he's a blast to play. Playing Mewtwo is pretty dependent on spacing your moves correctly so your opponent can't punish whiffed attacks and reading their patterns and habits so you can drop some hard punishes and set up some strings. Edgeguarding is also crucial for Mewtwo and how you'll get a lot of kills. He has a phenomenal recovery - don't be afraid to chase your opponents fairly deep off the stage. Both Bair and Fair are kill moves, and Uair is great for juggling. Your spacing tools are Ftilt and Dtilt, and Mewtwo has a pretty great jab. He has two kill throws when your opponents are at a higher percentage (Uthrow and BThrow). Shadowball is also an incredible tool. Having a fully charged shadowball ready often changes your opponent's playstyle, and uncharged shadowballs are great to force approaches and disrupt your opponent's movement (just be careful when you throw them out, there's so much end lag that if your opponent is too close they can punish an uncharged shadowball even if it hits).

 

[Predatoria]

Oh yes! The training mode! I found that to be very helpful as well.

The very first day I started picking up Ridley, I watched a youtube video explaining in detail a lot of the nuances of his toolkit and how to best utilize it. It did involve a lot of short hop neutral airs, down tilt to forward air combos, getting used to his recovery angles, etc. I kept pausing the video and replicating what I saw, many times over. I did this before even fighting the computers in a regular 1 on 1, and it helps in training mode because you can turn the computer's actions on or off, so you can have them literally just be a punching bag for you if you wish. Your stocks are also infinite here.

 

[Copie]

Fantastic feedback folks, thank you. This is exactly the stuff I need.

I love Mewtwo, but I'm also thinking of experimenting with Cloud. Another character I have some interest in, and a lot of what I've read suggests he is a bit easier as a beginner. Perhaps focusing on those two makes more sense than Mario, since as mentioned I'm not loving his playstyle.

The exercises on movement sound helpful, and is something I'll incorporate into my training. I think to start I'll alternate between practice matches with various computer characters around Level 6 or 7, based on difficulty, as well as the movement training. I'll pick a character and stick with it.

Things like combos and spacing I'll likely wait until I fully understand and can control my movement, since movement will be important for both of those things. Certainly shorthopping is something I've been working on (and something that has gotten much easier since the 2.0 patch it seems). I've already got my controller configured, and admittedly it is almost exactly as described by Predatoria.

More advice is welcomed, but this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

 

[mrahahkrabs]

One other thing I could add on is watch pro players, as a puff main I've been watching H.Box on Ssbu, I learned down air into rest, I priortize that, Idk about other pro players though, but you should watch genesis matches if you haven't already, it shows the best of the best honestly, you could learn alot from it if you haven't done so yet.