• Welcome to Smashboards, the world's largest Super Smash Brothers community! Over 250,000 Smash Bros. fans from around the world have come to discuss these great games in over 19 million posts!

    You are currently viewing our boards as a visitor. Click here to sign up right now and start on your path in the Smash community!

How to get good at Edgeguarding?

Phantom High

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Jun 15, 2014
Messages
180
I feel this is the most quintessential skill any melee player should have. but I just can't seem to get the hang with it.
I always grab the ledge too slow or too early.
 

MookieRah

Kinda Sorta OK at Smash
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
5,384
Location
Umeå, Sweden
For starters this is best suited for a character specific forum. Secondly, it's way, way too vague. What character do you use? What characters are you wanting to edgeguard better/struggle against? What are your common strategies that you use to edgeguard, and etc.

Without knowing more about you, nobody can help you. I can give you some really solid advice about edge guarding, but more than likely you wouldn't understand it in a way that would improve your play because you aren't at a point at which you could make use of the advice I give.

I'll give it anyways:
Edge-guarding is all about positioning and eliminating the options your opponent has while he/she is off the stage. Your goal, obviously is to keep them off, and not to give up your advantaged position (that being that you are in position to KO them). So you should be patient and react to what they do, or use an option that still gives you the ability to cover other options later (such as taking the ledge and waiting for them to respond to the fact that they cannot take it themselves).

You also have to make sure you don't put yourself into a position in which you over-extend, which means you have to have a good understanding of your opponent's character and their options in order to apply pressure but not giving up your positional advantage. Often times newer players get greedy, and go for a risky play that is usually quite obvious. This is bad, because more than likely what happens is that the greedy player loses his advantaged position and is immediately threatened with edge guards themselves.
 

Phantom High

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Jun 15, 2014
Messages
180
oh sorry i didn't realize I had to be specific.
and I...er...got confused. I guess I should've said edgehog, life hanging on the edge.
mine would be Marth.
 

RFN

Smash Rookie
Joined
Jun 24, 2014
Messages
15
Location
Delawhere?
You may wish to learn about the fast fall ledge grab. Practicing this technique over and over again can help you grab the ledge with more control. This way you can pick exactly when to grab the edge. From there it is learning the appropriate times to do so, and what to do afterward.
 

xbombr

Smash Ace
Joined
Aug 31, 2009
Messages
767
Location
Maryville, MO
Different techniques for different characters. Some have more options than others.

One thing I would recommend though is keeping it simple. Don't try to do overcomplicated ledgegaurds just because they look cool. Don't do things that are unnecessary either like going for unnecessary drop off bairs when simply rolling onto the stage would cause them to miss the ledge and fall to their death.

A lot of times the best option is to just grab the ledge, then punish them for landing on stage.

Generally with ledgegaurding there is the safe play that you can do that will give you an advantage on that stock and there is a riskier play that you can do that may cause you to lose your advantage if it goes poorly, but could lead to you taking a stock sooner than you would have otherwise. It's best to balance these options and make plays when they make sense.
 

-ACE-

Gotem City Vigilante
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
11,534
Location
The back country, GA
General knowledge of spacing and priority is paramount.

Familiarize yourself with your opponent's options.

Learn how the best way to cover these options in the best way available at the time in regard to safety and multiple option coverage (where applicable).

Work on general focus and reaction speed.

Remain calm and do not over-commit to anything, or make a move too soon.

Go for what is effective; no unnecessary flashiness.
 
Top Bottom