How to beat DK

[Nicmckael]

I'm in a reddit group where we play ranked matches everyday. Anyways, I've been undefeated but this DK just took me out.. I don't even know where to begin. I couldn't get a single aerial attack in if I was above him. He seemed to be able to just up-tilt repeatedly and then follow me up doing air attacks and there was nothing I could do about it.
And it didn't help that he KO'd me super early in the round.
It was a best of three and I only played him as his DK in 1 of the 3 rounds. Any advice to help me in the rematch?

 

[ndayday]

Ideally you should stay on the ground, not in the air since all of DK's tilts have pretty good range. space with ftilt and luckily DK is a big heavy target, meaning you can get in grabs and combo from those grabs that much easier. DK's recovery is absolute garbage btw.

of course since dedede is also big and fat, DK will be able to juggle you easily if you get into that position. I can see where an aerial approach would get you up tilted into nair or something like that, and gordos (not that they're a good neutral option anyway) will be easily reflected back at you if you opt for that route.

that said I haven't played too many good DKs, much less with Dedede, but my game plan going into the match would be: space with ftilt and jab, punish with dtilt, grab him out of laggy moves and combo into nair/fair/uair. You may also get something good out of up tilt if he is coming down from above.

also watch out for the fair aka banana slamma, but you should be able to avoid this by recovering low since there's no way DK would want to chase you into the depths of hell.

 

[Nicmckael]

Thanks for the advice, as for approaching, I didn't come from the air. He did pretty well at jumping at me and attacking with a backair.. that was his primary approach. When he hit it would pop me up and then he would chain tilts. I think I can get a grab out of that if I shield, didn't think in the momment.. Or at least roll back and ftilt/dtilt. This was the first good DK I've played, and my lack of knowledge had me unprepared.. Hoping the rematch goes differently.

 

[IsmaR]

Staying on the ground against a competent DK is going to demolish your shield. His Down B leaves you very little room to breath around him, even with Gordos since it'll hit them back. In the air, he will either B-air or U-air chain you all day, or pull you out/juggle you with U-tilt.

Your best bet is spacing with F-tilt, shield grabs and the occasional Gordo. Once you get in, maintain momentum no matter what. If you stop moving, you're as good as chain fodder.

 

[Nicmckael]

His main approach was a to jump and backair me. Is that something I am able to shield through and get a grab? I was attempting to spot dodge or roll back but the length and the range of the move still hit me.

 

[IsmaR]

Shielding is best in that scenario, unless you can time F-air/F-tilt to hit him from far away/safely enough. (Gordos are risky since he can hit them back in your face)

Do NOT let him get you in the air if you can help it/possible. By the time it takes you to complete the airdodge animation, he will have thrown another B-air.

Also do NOT try airdodging when close to the ground. Even if you avoid a short hop aerial, in that time you could eat a Smash/Down B/tilt/another aerial.

 

[Nicmckael]

Thanks for the continued advice. As for keeping him on the ground. Any suggestions? He seemed to want to jump up when he was most of the way across the stage from me and approach only through the air. It seems predictable in hindsight.. But in the one match I had, for some reason I couldn't defend it.