Interesting Marth Tech for the Open-Minded

[FE_Hector]

It's actually rather simple, but can be tough to land. I strongly recommend practicing this before using it competitively. Basically what you do is trigger the Side-B attack (Dancing Blade, I believe), and get to the third hit. It's relatively easy to move through the first two in neutral, and then the weird stuff begins. I'll work on the percentages on all characters, but it works around 55-60% minimum on Fox. Simply enough, trigger the third hit down and the fourth up. Hit 3 will smash them into the ground and bounce them into the air, while the fourth will force them higher up. It's really useful if your opponent is approaching you, and covers all Melee ground-based options due to how it hits (I think). Anyway, lemme know what you think.

Yes, your opponent must be in front of you for this to work

 

[PlamZ]

Sadly, good DI/SDI will prevent that to happen. A good opponent will also be able to retaliate pretty hard if he can get out, as the third and last hit of the dancing blade are quite laggy. My best tip to you is : If you can hit someone with a dancing blade, it probably means you would be able to grab them. Go for the grab as it is safer and usually end up with a better punish.

 

[FE_Hector]

Good point. I wasn't thinking about good DI out of it. Still, it's fun for styling

 

[PlamZ]

Good point. I wasn't thinking about good DI out of it. Still, it's fun for styling

That is for sure. The best (When it comes to styling on your opponent) is to predict a side-b from a spacies and time the third hit down so that you meteor them once they come back to the ledge. Most of the time they won't think about this option and might not meteor cancel in time.

 

[FE_Hector]

1.) I love doing that and spikes
2.) What exactly is meteor canceling? I've heard of it, but nothing more

 

[PlamZ]

1.) I love doing that and spikes
2.) What exactly is meteor canceling? I've heard of it, but nothing more

A spike is a move that will send your opponent down at a slight angle. That is usually lethal and is very difficult to deal with.

A meteor is a move that will send you straight down (when no DI is applied). That can be canceled by either jumping or using a recovery move (up-b).

For example : Marth down air is a Spike, Mario front air is a meteor.

 

[FE_Hector]

Okay, thanks. The Marth spikes are so much fun, for sure. Pulled one on my bro when his Sheik was at 29%. And yes, it was lethal (woot woot)

 

[AudioSilver]

I like using Down Throw spike setups against people who don't think first! (since they jump directly into the spike.)

 

[FE_Hector]

I like using Back Throw spike setups against people who don't think first! (since they jump directly into the spike.)

Lol, that's amazing! I love using back throw at lower percentages (before uthrow -> utilt is guaranteed) because it provides a nice setup and can easily grant more stage control (that and it's more useful than a dthrow most of the time). Still, I'll have to try that one out. Way to wreck your opponent's mindgames.

 

[AudioSilver]

One that I'm not sure works (since I've only tried it on AI.) is an Up Throw spike setup.

 

[FE_Hector]

I feel like they'd move out of it in any way they felt like (DI in the opposite direction, dair/uair/nair you themselves if they're a Marth, use their second jump to escape... there's a lot of options)

 

[PlamZ]

One that I'm not sure works (since I've only tried it on AI.) is an Up Throw spike setup.

Up throw works depending on DI but might not kill since it requires an heavy character with low damage (around 25 to 50%).

A good one is up-throw on the platform. SHFFL Uair -> Utilt. If they miss their DI you get an almost guaranteed dair. Depending on DI and damage, you can get it to send them offstage.

 

[AudioSilver]

Yeah I kinda thought that too... At least it looks stylish on AI. (thanks for the input!)

As for Down Throw, I usually use down throw then turn around and use Down Tilt, if I can.

 

[PlamZ]

Yeah I kinda thought that too... At least it looks stylish on AI. (thanks for the input!)

As for Down Throw, I usually use down throw then turn around and use Down Tilt, if I can.

Yeah. Only offstage though. The opponent will usually tech. The Dthrow is awesome for tech chases though. It takes a LOT of practice and reaction time but pays off. You can literally 0-death some characters if you got frame-perfect reactions. It's just very, very difficult on some characters with insane tech-roll (Falco is one of them).

 

[FE_Hector]

Yeah I kinda thought that too... At least it looks stylish on AI. (thanks for the input!)

As for Down Throw, I usually use down throw then turn around and use Down Tilt, if I can.

A great use for down throw would be if you've got an aggressive Fox (Falco, too, I believe), coming at you when you're on the edge. If you can grab (I suggest quickly dashing for the extended grab range), you can down throw them off of the ledge. Right around 10%, I'm pretty sure, they don't get their 2nd jump in time to actually get back to the ledge, which should force them into Firefox, an easy, easy edge guard.

 

[AudioSilver]

Yeah. Only offstage though. The opponent will usually tech. The Dthrow is awesome for tech chases though. It takes a LOT of practice and reaction time but pays off. You can literally 0-death some characters if you got frame-perfect reactions. It's just very, very difficult on some characters with insane tech-roll (Falco is one of them).

Sheik's Down Throw gave me a bit of practice for tech chasing! Marth's Down Throw, on the other hand, IS pretty tough to Tech Chase.

 

[PlamZ]

A great use for down throw would be if you've got an aggressive Fox (Falco, too, I believe), coming at you when you're on the edge. If you can grab (I suggest quickly dashing for the extended grab range), you can down throw them off of the ledge. Right around 10%, I'm pretty sure, they don't get their 2nd jump in time to actually get back to the ledge, which should force them into Firefox, an easy, easy edge guard.

Hummm. If you're ever going to suggest dash grab, you might want to re-consider your fundamentals.

As Marth, it is pretty much always better to learn the JC Grab. It gives you the mobility of a dash grab with the range of a standing grab as well as reduced lag. 99% of grabs with Marth should either be standing or JC.

 

[AudioSilver]

I've found JC grabs to be very useful while Chaingrabbing also! (like Up Throws on Fox and Falco.)

 

[PlamZ]

I've found JC grabs to be very useful while Chaingrabbing also! (like Up Throws on Fox and Falco.)

Not only is it useful but it is required at a certain point. Pivot grabs are also very important and should be perfected as soon as possible.

 

[FE_Hector]

Hummm. If you're ever going to suggest dash grab, you might want to re-consider your fundamentals.

As Marth, it is pretty much always better to learn the JC Grab. It gives you the mobility of a dash grab with the range of a standing grab as well as reduced lag. 99% of grabs with Marth should either be standing or JC.

JC Grabs? (I'm rather new to the competitive Melee scene if you didn't get that.) Also, thanks for pointing out that it's the standing and not dashing grab with the insane range, I must've mixed it up somewhere.

 

[PlamZ]

JC Grabs? (I'm rather new to the competitive Melee scene if you didn't get that.) Also, thanks for pointing out that it's the standing and not dashing grab with the insane range, I must've mixed it up somewhere.

You should really go ahead and read the insane Kadano guide that is stickied. I know it is time consuming but if you read EVERYTHING and watch every single video he suggests, I can guarantee you will become a lot better. You will also learn a lot of fundamentals and understand Marth as a system more than a single interface with the game.

 

[FE_Hector]

...That's a lot of time. I probably will, though... It's just a lot of time. I'll hopefully get to it in the next week or so.

 

[PlamZ]

...That's a lot of time. I probably will, though... It's just a lot of time. I'll hopefully get to it in the next week or so.

If you think that's a lot, remember that myself as well as a lot of other smasher, have spent thousands of hours in the game. My account is still fresh because I was a lurker for a long time, but I spent about 1500 to 2500 hours practicing and reading about the game. Even more if you count the infinite amount of days spent playing for fun.

Melee is hard, but damn it's fun.

 

[FE_Hector]

If you think that's a lot, remember that myself as well as a lot of other smasher, have spent thousands of hours in the game. My account is still fresh because I was a lurker for a long time, but I spent about 1500 to 2500 hours practicing and reading about the game. Even more if you count the infinite amount of days spent playing for fun.

Melee is hard, but damn it's fun.

Very true. I've only owned Melee for a few years now, but didn't play it too much up until a few months ago. Um... it was the end of the school year about a month ago when I got into competitive Melee (I was already using Marth as my main), and started pouring over YouTube watching old tournaments to learn some stuff. Growth has definitely sped up since 1) I made my account here and 2) My bro switched to Sheik. So yes, compared to how much time I've legitimately poured into learning, that is still a hefty chunk.

 

[AudioSilver]

I actually started as a competitive Brawl Marth about 4 years ago. I've been maining Marth in Melee for about 2 and a half years now. (I'm still trying to get to the level I was in Brawl, in Melee.)

The free time I have is spent playing Melee since no tournaments take place at the same time as I'm free...

 

[FE_Hector]

Good luck with that! Hopefully you learn as quickly as I do. (I'll link a few videos of my bro and I fighting when I get our second set up. There was only like a week between them, but I learn fast.)

 

[AudioSilver]

Good luck with that! Hopefully you learn as quickly as I do. (I'll link a few videos of my bro and I fighting when I get our second set up. There was only like a week between them, but I learn fast.)

Sounds nice!

 

[FE_Hector]

Sounds nice!

Like you wouldn't believe. To be honest, I just wish I had more people locally who'd be willing to do friendlies against me. Ironically enough, PPMD lives somewhere near me. Whatever, growth is still coming along nicely.

 

[AudioSilver]

Like you wouldn't believe. To be honest, I just wish I had more people locally who'd be willing to do friendlies against me. Ironically enough, PPMD lives somewhere near me. Whatever, growth is still coming along nicely.

Hopefully I'll be able to make it to tournaments in the future! In the meantime, I'll just keep playing Melee against the AI.

 

[FE_Hector]

Hopefully I'll be able to make it to tournaments in the future! In the meantime, I'll just keep playing Melee against the AI.

Hah, I know about this! M2K recommends not fighting lvl9 AIs cuz of their inhuman DI.
http://old.clashtournaments.com/play-to-your-strengths/
http://old.clashtournaments.com/covering-options/

 

[AudioSilver]

Hah, I know about this! M2K recommends not fighting lvl9 AIs cuz of their inhuman DI.
http://old.clashtournaments.com/play-to-your-strengths/
http://old.clashtournaments.com/covering-options/

Thank you for the links. I end up playing against the level 1 AI...

 

[FE_Hector]

Thank you for the links. I end up playing against the level 1 AI...

No problem. In the articles, somewhere, M2K suggests playing against lvl1 and lvl4 AIs because they have the most human DI and don't teach you bad habits like lvl9s do (ie repeated Fsmashing and Countering, 2 of the problems I've been moving away from).

 

[AudioSilver]

No problem. In the articles, somewhere, M2K suggests playing against lvl1 and lvl4 AIs because they have the most human DI and don't teach you bad habits like lvl9s do (ie repeated Fsmashing and Countering, 2 of the problems I've been moving away from).

One of the main problems I run into is accidently using Tap Jump when trying to do a SHFFL Up Air. (Since Tap Jump operated differently in Brawl.)

 

[FE_Hector]

One of the main problems I run into is accidently using Tap Jump when trying to do a SHFFL Up Air. (Since Tap Jump operated differently in Brawl.)

Hmm, I don't have that problem. I haven't played Brawl competitively at all, and haven't really touched the game too much in the last few years. After getting so used to the physics for Melee, Brawl just seems too floaty. Sm4sh, however, will be my other main game as soon as I get a WiiU (I currently practice at a friends house.)

 

[AudioSilver]

Hmm, I don't have that problem. I haven't played Brawl competitively at all, and haven't really touched the game too much in the last few years. After getting so used to the physics for Melee, Brawl just seems too floaty. Sm4sh, however, will be my other main game as soon as I get a WiiU (I currently practice at a friends house.)

I'm currently trying to focus on Marth in Melee and Mewtwo in Smash 4.

Just last month, I was playing as Marth in Brawl with all my free time.

 

[FE_Hector]

I'm currently trying to focus on Marth in Melee and Mewtwo in Smash 4.

Just last month, I was playing as Marth in Brawl with all my free time.

Mewtwo seems pretty good in Sm4sh. Ike's my boy as it stands, but... Roy is the son of Eliwood, and my love for Eliwood (in terms of FE goes) is only rivaled by that of Hector and my boy Ike. Still, I very well may switch over to Roy when next I play.

 

[AudioSilver]

Mewtwo seems pretty good in Sm4sh. Ike's my boy as it stands, but... Roy is the son of Eliwood, and my love for Eliwood (in terms of FE goes) is only rivaled by that of Hector and my boy Ike. Still, I very well may switch over to Roy when next I play.

I really like male Robin, both as a character in FE and Smash 4. I like Mewtwo much better though. (As far as Smash 4.)

 

[FE_Hector]

I really like male Robin, both as a character in FE and Smash 4. I like Mewtwo much better though. (As far as Smash 4.)

I've never liked floaties (but can work Toon Link advantageously in Brawl). Another thing keeping me from Brawl right now is the fact that our only working Wii is a newer one that doesn't support GC controllers. We do own a classic controller, but it feels wrong. I've gotta use a GC controller when I Smash. (I haven't played the original, so no judgment there)

 

[AudioSilver]

I've never liked floaties (but can work Toon Link advantageously in Brawl). Another thing keeping me from Brawl right now is the fact that our only working Wii is a newer one that doesn't support GC controllers. We do own a classic controller, but it feels wrong. I've gotta use a GC controller when I Smash. (I haven't played the original, so no judgment there)

Luckily I found my older Wii a few years ago, so I've been able to use a GameCube Controller when I play Brawl and Project M.

 

[FE_Hector]

Luckily I found my older Wii a few years ago, so I've been able to use a GameCube Controller when I play Brawl and Project M.

Our older Wii is dead last I checked. Really stinks, cuz now I can't play PM either.