I don't get Marth

[Zenithal]

That is to say, I'm not quite sure how to play him. I only played SSB64 with friends, and never touched SSBM, so I really dont have a main. I've been trying out a lot of characters, mostly MK, Pit, Toon Link, and Snake, trying to find my main, and I started looking at Marth as a possiblity. After reading stuff on the board and watching CPUs go at it, I know he's my play style, melee damage, but fast and still decent damage, but I don't know what to do when the match starts. Do I run in and try to grab as many hits as possible, like Meta or Pit? Do I sit back and play defensively? or go for single huge hits like Ike? Is it hit and run gameplay, or hit and dodge roll, stay in their face for as long as possible?

I've read the guides, and they do a great job of explaining the moveset and which attacks to use (f air sounds like it will be never ending horror for my friends : ] muaha), but implementation is another story.

And one more thing (sorry, this is kinda getting to tl;dr length), is Marth more air combat oriented or ground? Obviously a little of both, especially for edge guarding, but where will most of his damage come from? Most of the most powerful attacks (or so I've found) come from the air, so I was just wondering.

 

[supak]

You answered your own question, obviously Marth is both ground and air oriented. The roots of his damage can vary between who you are facing and what play style you have, You can't have a set strategy, sorry to say, it comes with experience. Brawl is much more thinking oriented than Melee, which was basically "who can mash L-Cancel and WaveDash the fastest". The fact that you didn't touch SSBM (I think that is what you meant.) is a double edged blade, the lack of experience and mind games will screw you over easy, like eggs, but the lack of the fast fingered techs and more SSB64 fight style will aid you in this game.

Looking from the other end, Marth is not much about damage. The most damage you will need on an opponent is usually only 50-60%, which is when your enemy is perfectly vulnerable for a gimped kill, or tipper smash, even at that low percentage a tipper should be sufficient to knock out your opponent, or at least set them up.

What to do in the begining of a match is, like I stated before, all dependant on various things. What stage you are playing on, where you spawn, who your opponent is, who you are up against, spacing, what your opponent does, ect. You have to choose between being offensive or defensive at the start, if it is a swift character, be defensive, shield grab, shield smash, ect. If it is a slow character, rush in with FAirs and gimp one for yourself.

However I love being defensive for the first stock, learning my opponent's tactics and building small damage. This helps in the next few stocks, he may have killed you in the first stock, but now you know what he does, how he plays, and of course, how you will counter them.

Also, I want to mention, you should always have a trump card. What I mean by this is that you should always have a trick up your sleeve that you did not use the entire match, saved for your last stock. This means the opponent has to figure out a way around this, and it will work as a bit of a distraction for you to take openings. I'm not saying don't use a move for the whole round, no way. I'm talking about switching up your routines and strategy for the last stock so you don't get screwed over by routine.

Oh lord, what is this devilish name censor.

 

[MarthTrinity]

I've been trying out a lot of characters, mostly MK, Palutena's *****, Celda, and SNAAAAAAAKE!, trying to find my main, and I started looking at Yaoi as a possiblity.

That post was made of such win because of April Fool's Day.

On topic, keep your attacks varied, M@rth can easily juggle opponents with his uairs and you can finish them off with a fair or a dair tipper.

For ground game, use dash attacks as well as dancing blades, that got an amazing buff in Brawl and can easily be spammed for good damage.

 

[Zenithal]

Thanks for the advice, and the aprils fools stuff is winly. I'll try to mix it up, and I'm already doing pretty well comparatively, since no one I play is really competitive. Once I get wi-fi again and find some of you guys, I'll probably be /shamed.

 

[Azurewrath]

Lulztest
1. Diddy Kong
2. Ike
3. King Dedede
4. Lucario
5. Lucas
6. Meta Knight
7. Pikmin & Olimar,
8. Pit
9. Pokemon Trainer
Squirtle,
Ivysaur,
Charizard
10. R.O.B.
11. Solid Snake
12. Sonic the Hedgehog,
13. Wario,
14. Wolf
15. Bowser
16. Captain Falcon
17. Donkey Kong,
18. Falco Lombardi
19. Fox McCloud
20. Ganondorf
21. Ice Climbers,
22. Jigglypuff
23. Kirby
24. Link
25. Luigi
26. Mario
27. Marth
28. Mr. Game & Watch
29. Ness
30. Pikachu
31. Princess Peach
32. Princess Zelda
33. Samus Aran
34. Toon Link
35. Yoshi