I can't stick with 1 character

[BlueXenon]

I need help. I am trying very hard to only use one character because I think I would become a better player that way, but I always end up choosing almost every character. First, I decided I would main peach, then zelda, and then link. I just want to be able to stick with one character.

 

[Gatlin]

Mmm, seems to me like you are in the "experimental stage" of choosing a main. You just need to mess around with as many characters as possible and find the ones that you like and have fun playing as; while eliminating the ones you do not like. If you have fun playing a character, it'll make it easier and give you more motivation to get better with that character. You don't necessarily have to play as only one character either, that's what "secondaries" are for. You can try looking at this thread and see if you can experiment further. Or if you are looking for more specific information about a certain character, be sure to check the Brawl Character Discussion.

Good luck, have fun.

 

[BlueXenon]

Mmm, seems to me like you are in the "experimental stage" of choosing a main. You just need to mess around with as many characters as possible and find the ones that you like and have fun playing as; while eliminating the ones you do not like. If you have fun playing a character, it'll make it easier and give you more motivation to get better with that character. You don't necessarily have to play as only one character either, that's what "secondaries" are for. You can try looking at this thread and see if you can experiment further. Or if you are looking for more specific information about a certain character, be sure to check the Brawl Character Discussion.

Good luck, have fun.

Thank you.

 

[popsofctown]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you are still in the developing phase of your brawl career, you might do really well with low tier characters like Zelda and Link, but then start to get gimped as you become a more advanced player. I started as a Zelda main on release of the game, but eventually had to quit her because she loses in a more advanced environment with consistent projectile dodging, smash DI out of multihit moves, edge hugging.. and some other things.

Some people can stick with a very weak character and still enjoy the game, it depends on who you are. But since you are concerned about gimping your potential by playing too many character playing the right ones might be important to you too. You can check out the most recent Brawl tier list for an idea of how the characters rank at higher levels of play. It's possible to have a lot of fun and a lot of wins with a mid tier character, although the most tournament wins will go to Meta Knight and the high tier. The low tier characters have many painful matchups though, and at a certain point their weakness can outweigh the fun the character's playstyle has to offer.

Toon Link shares some of the characteristics of Link's projectile game if that's what you like about him, while Marth is a similar swordsman from a higher tier.

 

[BlueXenon]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you are still in the developing phase of your brawl career, you might do really well with low tier characters like Zelda and Link, but then start to get gimped as you become a more advanced player. I started as a Zelda main on release of the game, but eventually had to quit her because she loses in a more advanced environment with consistent projectile dodging, smash DI out of multihit moves, edge hugging.. and some other things.

Some people can stick with a very weak character and still enjoy the game, it depends on who you are. But since you are concerned about gimping your potential by playing too many character playing the right ones might be important to you too. You can check out the most recent Brawl tier list for an idea of how the characters rank at higher levels of play. It's possible to have a lot of fun and a lot of wins with a mid tier character, although the most tournament wins will go to Meta Knight and the high tier. The low tier characters have many painful matchups though, and at a certain point their weakness can outweigh the fun the character's playstyle has to offer.

Toon Link shares some of the characteristics of Link's projectile game if that's what you like about him, while Marth is a similar swordsman from a higher tier.

I'm best with low tier characters, but I really don't want to main them because I would have a really hard time becoming a good player.
And I don't like toon link, he is not similar to link in my opinion.
And my biggest challeng in the game is landing with out being hit, which character out of the ones I said I liked is best facing that problem?

Thank you for helping.

 

[popsofctown]

Zelda has lots of trouble landing without getting hit. Peach doesn't have much trouble since float, down air attack, and her forward air attack help compensate for her slow fall speed.
I'm not super familiar with Link. His down air beats several up air juggle attacks, but his poor horizontal airspeed probably makes grounded punishments for landing pretty effective.

Peach is significantly more powerful than Zelda and Link (who are pretty close to eachother in power). It probably outweighs your landing woes even if one of the others happen to be better at it (Link's zair (hookshot) is a good tool so he might be better at it then I think).


Also, keep in mind that some characters get juggled more than others and that just comes with the territory. For instance, a large portion of the cast has effective ways of juggling Snake several times a match. However, he makes up for the extra ~20% he loses each stock by killing very early and having several other advantageous qualities, so most of these juggly matchups are still in his favor.

Another thing to remember is that every character in the cast can move back and forth and air dodge to the stage or ledge and get back that way. Once you get the hang of that, you'll have learned the best landing you can do with all the characters with limited landing tools, like Bowser, Snake, Donkey Kong, Zelda, Mario and (arguably?) Dedede.

 

[BlueXenon]

Zelda has lots of trouble landing without getting hit. Peach doesn't have much trouble since float, down air attack, and her forward air attack help compensate for her slow fall speed.
I'm not super familiar with Link. His down air beats several up air juggle attacks, but his poor horizontal airspeed probably makes grounded punishments for landing pretty effective.

Peach is significantly more powerful than Zelda and Link (who are pretty close to eachother in power). It probably outweighs your landing woes even if one of the others happen to be better at it (Link's zair (hookshot) is a good tool so he might be better at it then I think).


Also, keep in mind that some characters get juggled more than others and that just comes with the territory. For instance, a large portion of the cast has effective ways of juggling Snake several times a match. However, he makes up for the extra ~20% he loses each stock by killing very early and having several other advantageous qualities, so most of these juggly matchups are still in his favor.

Another thing to remember is that every character in the cast can move back and forth and air dodge to the stage or ledge and get back that way. Once you get the hang of that, you'll have learned the best landing you can do with all the characters with limited landing tools, like Bowser, Snake, Donkey Kong, Zelda, Mario and (arguably?) Dedede.

How would I air dodge long attacks, like links/toon links recovery?

And I'm having a hard time using peach's air attacks, should I use those attacks early or late to get a hit? and Should I try to brawl mostly on ground when using peach because she is vulnerable in the air?

In case you'r wondering, I am new to this game. I got this game Jan 2009, played it for a month and quit. I just started playing it again for about a month and a half. I never played any previous versions.

Thank you.

 

[popsofctown]

Air dodging mid air, not to be confused with the grounded spotdodge, lasts long enough to safely pass through Link and Toon Link's Up B moves if they are using the move midair, because they're going up and you're going down.

Now, if they are camping out the spot on the ground you want to land on, those long lasting moves are rough on air dodges. That's why I mentioned the ledge though, if you air dodge towards the ledge, you'll be safe from most grounded landing punishments. Then your options improve because you can get up normally, roll on to stage with L, attack onto stage ledge jump aerial attack, ledge jump air dodge, letgo double jump air dodge, let go double jump aerial, and with some characters even just attack from the ledge.

Of course, the funny thing about Peach is she doesn't have to land, she can use her float ability by pressing holding jump and down. (something like that. You can go to smashboards character section and read guides about peach for details about her, I mostly play against her.) Doing that can get you over to the ledge virtually whenever that's where you want to be. You can also use Peach's forward air while you fall away from them, and that's pretty hard to punish since it has so much shieldstun.

Peaches tend to like to stay low, but not all the way down on the ground. Being on the ground lets you glide toss turnips (interrupting a roll with a throw, causing a slide - an advanced tech that's not hard to do and almost always better than a throw) and use her grab against opponents that are shielding a lot. Her other ground moves are mediocre except for punishing. (punishing is when an opponent misses you with an attack, giving you time to hit them with no risk.)

Peaches spend more time floating just above the ground, or a little bit higher, at about head height. Some characters will take a beating from repeated floating down-airs on their head, even if they shield. Forward airs from a floating peach are pretty safe and hit hard. Nair is about as fast as her jab, but pays off with much more damage when it connects. Since you asked about which phases of fight to use aerials in, the answer is both. All her aerials are useful racking damage, and Neutral air (nair) and forward air kill. (You might want to keep one of her killing aerials "fresh" though, recently used moves have decreased knockback and damage and won't kill as well. Nair and forward air are generally easier to hit with than Peach's grounded kill moves)

If you aren't floating like crazy with Peach, you aren't anywhere near her full potential. The jump between ground game and floating and back again drives me crazy but to lots of people it make Peach very fun to play because she has two "modes". That makes her tough to master too though, it's almost like learning two characters.

 

[BlueXenon]

Air dodging mid air, not to be confused with the grounded spotdodge, lasts long enough to safely pass through Link and Toon Link's Up B moves if they are using the move midair, because they're going up and you're going down.

Now, if they are camping out the spot on the ground you want to land on, those long lasting moves are rough on air dodges. That's why I mentioned the ledge though, if you air dodge towards the ledge, you'll be safe from most grounded landing punishments. Then your options improve because you can get up normally, roll on to stage with L, attack onto stage ledge jump aerial attack, ledge jump air dodge, letgo double jump air dodge, let go double jump aerial, and with some characters even just attack from the ledge.

Of course, the funny thing about Peach is she doesn't have to land, she can use her float ability by pressing holding jump and down. (something like that. You can go to smashboards character section and read guides about peach for details about her, I mostly play against her.) Doing that can get you over to the ledge virtually whenever that's where you want to be. You can also use Peach's forward air while you fall away from them, and that's pretty hard to punish since it has so much shieldstun.

Peaches tend to like to stay low, but not all the way down on the ground. Being on the ground lets you glide toss turnips (interrupting a roll with a throw, causing a slide - an advanced tech that's not hard to do and almost always better than a throw) and use her grab against opponents that are shielding a lot. Her other ground moves are mediocre except for punishing. (punishing is when an opponent misses you with an attack, giving you time to hit them with no risk.)

Peaches spend more time floating just above the ground, or a little bit higher, at about head height. Some characters will take a beating from repeated floating down-airs on their head, even if they shield. Forward airs from a floating peach are pretty safe and hit hard. Nair is about as fast as her jab, but pays off with much more damage when it connects. Since you asked about which phases of fight to use aerials in, the answer is both. All her aerials are useful racking damage, and Neutral air (nair) and forward air kill. (You might want to keep one of her killing aerials "fresh" though, recently used moves have decreased knockback and damage and won't kill as well. Nair and forward air are generally easier to hit with than Peach's grounded kill moves)

If you aren't floating like crazy with Peach, you aren't anywhere near her full potential. The jump between ground game and floating and back again drives me crazy but to lots of people it make Peach very fun to play because she has two "modes". That makes her tough to master too though, it's almost like learning two characters.

I'm very sorry to have wasted your time, but I decided to main pikachu and GW. Thanks for all your help. If this site had a help award, I would request that you get one.

 

[popsofctown]

Lol.. it definitely doesn't.

 

[Gamemaster0812]

Hey, I'm still struggling to find a Main character too, and I've been playing and training since SSB cam in. Can't say much that hasn't been said.

 

[SmashChu]

I play a lot of Smash Brothers (not tournament style of course). Here is what I recommend. Pick, like, 5 characters you like to play with and only play those characters. You'll start to understand them more and have some aces when you play with friends or online.

The reason I say this is because people have trouble because they want to play a lot of different characters and have more variety. So it's hard to sit with one or two (and the fewer you use, the better you'll get). With 5, you have a good roster to switch around with. You like Zelda, so when you get bored of her, you move to someone else. If you stick with 5, you'll get better with them and still not burn your self out with one character who will eventually bore you.

Now, if you plan to play in tournaments, pick one or two. Listen to what Gatlin says.

 

[BlueXenon]

I play a lot of Smash Brothers (not tournament style of course). Here is what I recommend. Pick, like, 5 characters you like to play with and only play those characters. You'll start to understand them more and have some aces when you play with friends or online.

The reason I say this is because people have trouble because they want to play a lot of different characters and have more variety. So it's hard to sit with one or two (and the fewer you use, the better you'll get). With 5, you have a good roster to switch around with. You like Zelda, so when you get bored of her, you move to someone else. If you stick with 5, you'll get better with them and still not burn your self out with one character who will eventually bore you.

Now, if you plan to play in tournaments, pick one or two. Listen to what Gatlin says.

Thanks. I'll pick MK,GW and pikachu, I don't need 5. And I do not plan to play in tournaments.

 

[SmashChu]

Thanks. I'll pick MK,GW and pikachu, I don't need 5. And I do not plan to play in tournaments.

That's good. Yeah, picking fewer will make you better (and much faster), but you may burn yourself out faster. You should be fine with 3. Pikachu is very beginner friendly. Meta-Knight is harder but once you get him, he's good. Very fun character to play with.

Good luck and have fun

 

[BlueXenon]

That's good. Yeah, picking fewer will make you better (and much faster), but you may burn yourself out faster. You should be fine with 3. Pikachu is very beginner friendly. Meta-Knight is harder but once you get him, he's good. Very fun character to play with.

Good luck and have fun

I'm not really a beginner. I can easily win most lvl 9 cpu's with 3 stocks left.

thanks.

 

[Gatlin]

Just a friendly tip, judging your skill-level off of how well you perform against CPU's isn't the best method to find out how good you are. CPU's tend to make the player develop a lot of bad, punishable habits such as excessive rolling, and they don't play very human-like.

 

[moomoomamoo]

Yeah the biggest thing I've noticed from playing CPU's is that snake and marth(?), along with most of the cast will dodge out of throw 100% of the time. Luigi always nairs everything. The best thing to do is to understand that they're just throwing out what their AI is programmed to do while a human will adapt.

Try playing Falco and down throw snake and see how he reacts the same after each throw at any percent. :x Not good practice.

 

[FIREL]

Human luigi n-air everything too ...