Ike versus Meta Knight Match-Up Discussion

[YagamiLight]

The Ike versus Meta Knight matchup is one that, in theory, Ike should be doing well in. Best range in the game, some of the best power in the game (versus mediocre range and low weight) as well as fast options in the AAA combo and that back aerial and a Super Armor Up-B recovery. But theorizing will only get you so far, actual battles make much of a difference. Now, I play a Meta Knight on occasion, and he thinks the matchup is close to even.

But that's all either my biased opinion (I'm an Ike main, and I've learned to minimize weaknesses and abuse strengths in the game, so me being fond of Ike isn't surprising) and it's also just a local opinion. The question is, what does the world think about this matchup? If you have to use numbers, use numbers, but I'd like words along with them . I'm not posting this on the Ike board, because while avoiding bias is impossible, I'm trying to see this more from the Meta side of the argument.

 

[ADHD]

Not really... Ike can't do **** in this matchup

It's all about watching him struggle against your speed with his slow attacks, if you space well he will never get an AAA combo more than twice a stock.

 

[Mmac]

He outranges you're Jab though. That'll be a pretty big problem I reckon

 

[Razmakazi]

gimps galore.

 

[acv]

eruption kills MK at ridicoulously low percents

 

[YagamiLight]

Let me say a bit more about the jab combo. As Ike is going to be playing defensively (It's MK, after all) he's be attempting to punish MK with the jab combo after dropping a shield or if you see Meta Knight running at you or something, it's instantaneous essentially.

But that's really all MK outranges, for the most part.

And, as far as gimps go, I find that if the Ike acts quickly and Aethers before it's too late, he's..well, he's not fine since he still has to fight, but he's not dead, at least.


Edit: Regarding Eruption, if you hold it near the edge or use it as you are coming down and take advantage of super armor, you may very well get early kills. But other than that, I wouldn't use the move much as punishing moves is Meta's mantra.

 

[Skyflyer]

If you lose to Ike as metaknight, then you must really suck. I think Ike, Bowser and Ganondorf are MK's easiest matchups.

Look, Ike has horrible staring AND ending lag. Sure he has jab, but it's predictable. I can roll behind him and punish.

 

[acv]

If you lose to Ike as metaknight, then you must really suck. I think Ike, Bowser and Ganondorf are MK's easiest matchups.

Look, Ike has horrible staring AND ending lag. Sure he has jab, but it's predictable. I can roll behind him and punish.

roll behind him and punish?no wonder people complain about not being good enough to beat MK.

 

[YagamiLight]

If you lose to Ike as metaknight, then you must really suck. I think Ike, Bowser and Ganondorf are MK's easiest matchups.

Look, Ike has horrible staring AND ending lag. Sure he has jab, but it's predictable. I can roll behind him and punish.

"horrible starting and ending lag"? Do you fight an Ike who just forward smashes or something? Because then every character can punish him.

 

[null55]

Screw Ike's laggy moves and general slowness. The point is that Ike gets gimped so badly by Meta. Shuttle loop can render his recover useless at absurdly low percentages... Pus fairs, dairs, and nairs off the stage.

I don't know what kind of Meta Knight you fight, but unless he chooses not to edge guard at all, he doesn't sound... well... good.

 

[acv]

"horrible starting and ending lag"? Do you fight an Ike who just forward smashes or something? Because then every character can punish him.

he didnt write starting he wrote "staring" lag.thats when ike stares and does nothing before every attack.

 

[YagamiLight]

Screw Ike's laggy moves and general slowness. The point is that Ike gets gimped so badly by Meta. Shuttle loop can render his recover useless at absurdly low percentages... Pus fairs, dairs, and nairs off the stage.

I don't know what kind of Meta Knight you fight, but unless he chooses not to edge guard at all, he doesn't sound... well... good.

He does choose to edgeguard and on several occasions I've fallen for and gotten killed by those, especially the neutral aerial. Over time though, I learned to vary up recovery with Quick draw when he's expecting me to aether (Not too much though!) and airdodge and go to a very low position to recover. I'm not saying not getting gimped is easy, but it's not ridiculously hard to avoid Meta and get back, especially since Aether has super armor.

 

[null55]

You choose to QD when he expects you to Aether? One only assumes that Ike is going to aether when he's below the ledge. Would you mean that you aether when he thinks you'd QD? That'd make a little more sense.

You can only airdodge to aether so much before he should predict that you're going to airdodge, and he can either get to where you're going to be, or mind game you into air dodging and he has a couple options. He can jump down to instigate an air dodge from you and then shuttle loop back to the ledge before you throw your sword up. Then he can get up while you're sword is in the air so the invincibility frames allow him to avoid getting touched. Or he can recover through Ike's aether, meaning you're at a high enough point that after you throw your sword he can recover and grab the ledge and on your way down you're dead. This takes some timing though...

In other words, the only time Ike shouldn't be super worried about MK edge guarding the sh*t out of him, is if he can just aether into the water.

 

[Levitas]

You generally don't have a choice on recovery. If you're above the stage and far away horizontally, you can quickdraw or wait until you die, and if you're below it, you can Aether or continue to fall to your death.

MK has this hands down, but the funniest thing ever is armor-grabbing through an Ike fsmash.

 

[YagamiLight]

Bleh, I said some wrong things. Essentially, you do have to make the right choice when recovering, but you have a few options. I'm off for a bit, but I'll explain everything when I have more time.

 

[napZzz]

You should probably be 3 stocking any ike you come across if you are any good with meta knight...

What do you mean his moves dont have lag? The only ones with decent non laggy starts are his aaa which is easy to see coming, nair which doesn't do much damage, and bair with his short range ._.

Everything else is slow enough for meta knight to basically hit you twice before you can do anything

 

[Rockin]

Ike has to work hard in this matchup with according spacing and timing. His jabs tactics are pretty good against Meta, since you could jab twice, then use a dsmash or something. Ike HAS to make sure not to be kicked off the stage (which I'll explain later). Meta's can be a bit more agressive, but may tend to space more if their damage iis about 70+, since Ike can pretty much do some good kills. The thing with Meta is that he could punish some of Ike's laggy moves.

If Ike gets hit off the ledge, it's pretty much gimp city or a stock. Both of Ike's only recovery way can get him killed. If Meta just recently got Ike off the ledge, he could just constantly dair till you're away from the stage (which he'll just Foward B back) or he can dair Ike to the ledge and just make Ike drop down. Ike's Up B can help , but only the super armor kicks in fast enough. There's also Ike's forward B, which Meta could just grab the ledge or just go right into into it, colliding and making you fall to your doom.

Though, things can prove interesting if the role was reversed. With Ike's eruption, if he's positioned right, it could limit Meta's recovery tactics, since the move has super armor and a nice jolt of power. Any attempt to hit Ike with a Up B, glide attack, or holding onto the ledge and then role, would have to answer to his eruption and his super armor. Meta's only safe way around is by going over Ike, or under the stage to the other side (but that just can't be possible on Pokemon Staium or Luigi's mansion).Ike could also spike with his Dair if he times it right, or his Dtilt if they hold the ledge too long. When you look at it, he makes a great edgeguarder.

Overrall, the matchup is in meta's favor. If Ike can limit his laggy moves, he has a chance, but he'll still have to answer to Meta's speed and specials.

 

[Rh1thmz]

he didnt write starting he wrote "staring" lag.thats when ike stares and does nothing before every attack.

rofl...Ike's attacks are pretty laggy, but not quite that bad.

And, as far as gimps go, I find that if the Ike acts quickly and Aethers before it's too late, he's..well, he's not fine since he still has to fight, but he's not dead, at least.

Ike usually prefers to recover with side-B...going for the ledge with a charged side-B from off the stage is ideal, but all that the opposing MK has to do is get in your side-B's path and airdodge, and you're utterly screwed. That really applies when any character airdodges your side-B. Of course, that won't be the case with EVERY side-B recovery, but I'm just throwing it out there. Even if Ike decides to wait and fall a bit more to go for the Aether opportunity and grab the ledge, that's even more time that Ike is totally airborne, and Ike doesn't exactly have any quick options for aerial defense besides the bair, which, in this situation, he really can't use, and airdodging. So, besides airdodging, Ike is left to hope that he'll even make it far enough to use Aether safely. Compound that with MK's highly proficient aerial fighting abilities, and you've got loads of trouble whenever your Ike is off-stage against a MK.

 

[Master Raven]

MK easily has the advantage against Ike, however it is possible for Ike to win, but he must space well very carefully.

 

[-Jumpman-]

He does choose to edgeguard and on several occasions I've fallen for and gotten killed by those, especially the neutral aerial. Over time though, I learned to vary up recovery with Quick draw when he's expecting me to aether (Not too much though!) and airdodge and go to a very low position to recover. I'm not saying not getting gimped is easy, but it's not ridiculously hard to avoid Meta and get back, especially since Aether has super armor.

Actually, I have gimped the Aether while the sword was in the air with a dair several times. Ike really has a disadvantage here. Ike's too slow. I could make up a couple more argument, but the main thing is that Ike's too slow.

 

[Skyflyer]

"horrible starting and ending lag"? Do you fight an Ike who just forward smashes or something? Because then every character can punish him.

All of Ike's moves have bad starting lag or bad ending lag. It's so easy for MK to punish it's crazy.