MARLX
Smash Journeyman
Introduction
This is not a tactical guide for use in matches just for preparing for matches.
When looking at ways for a player to improve their Falco technique, I've seen "go to training mode" and "master the moves" sort of stuff flying around all the character discussions, but I haven't seen many practical methods for someone to go about approaching these things. From what I can tell, there appears to be a a big disconnection among Falco players who know all about tech-skill and just being good, and those who aren't so familiar with them. As far as guides have gone, it's either been helplessly disapointing, or so tangled up in the moment.
The purpose of this thread is to show and teach about the character; to provide the aspiring Falco player with tools that can be used to condition their fingers, mind, and muscle-memory for the lighting-fast moves, quick thinking, and pinpoint precision that's all but required for a solid and well-rounded Falco game. Falco's greatest strength is the laser game, almost mind-blowing jabs that he can be played \with. Incidentally, getting one's Falco to that level of play is also one of the greatest challenges facing a Smash Bros player. It is this uphill challenge of mastering Falco's furiously fast technical game that this guide strives to confront and show the players.
The true part of the training
The rest of this, will be drills and how to train with techniques.Also vocab for some players.
Dash-Dancing
This is a fairly simple technique that most anyone should be able to accomplish with little trouble. Simply click the controls stick back and forth in quick succession, and Falco should quickly move from side to side in the dash startup animation. As simple as it is though, the dash-dance a good starter for drill sessions to get the fingers moving for more complicated procedures.
Aerials (And Autocanceling Them)
Falco has a solid aerial game with good tools that can be utilized in-game. That is not what this is about though. This is about making you the player comfortable with your aerial techniques so they can be woven seamlessly into a greater overall game. This requires the player to be smooth, precise.
Autocanceling aerials is hyped and fawned over throughout the entire smash game; there's a reason for that. Every air move in Smash has a landing animation that runs if you hit the ground before the move is done. Autocanceling an aerial move is simply finishing the move completely while still airborne, and then landing normally. Autocanceling simply allows you to hit the ground running, and so play into the smooth, quick, fluid precision of higher-level gameplay.
Falco has a number of moves that benefit from the autocanceling mechanics, namely:
- U-air
and to lesser extents:
- B-air
- D-air
The most iconic Falco autocanceled (AC) aerial move is an AC SH U-air. It is performed thusly:
Command Input: Jump (short) -> up control stick + A attack
The only trick to getting off the autocanceled SH U-air is to be quick; input the attack fast enough after jump that the entire move will be complete before Falco hits the ground.
Do Not Fast-Fall! Fastfalling will result in Falco landing on his head, which I dare say is not an ideal position to find your character in. Also, do not jump the gun on inputing the attack, wait until Falco's feet leave the ground, or instead of an AC U-air, you'll get a U-smash.
Once you get this down, practice stringing several U-airs together in a smooth, unbroken chain. Doing so is excellent for finger conditioning and training. (Muscle memory).
B-air can also be autocanceled much the same as U-air.
D-air is, at best, difficult to autocancel, and it cannot be done from a Short Hop. A Full Jump can conceivably autocancel the D-air, even onto some platforms. The best use I can think of for an autocanceled D-air is coming in very high, likely after being knocked away. Experienced players know how to exploit the landing lag of F\alco's D-air, and will punish you every time you use it willy-nilly. By coming in high and starting the D-air early, Falco will finish the move before he hits the ground, and so land lagless and ready to act, instantly.
This is highly situational, and probably not something that needs continual practice in a conditioning/training regimen.
Reverse Aerial Rush (RAR)
You've seen lots of players do this before I'm sure: dash one way, then jump facing the opposite direction from a dash, often throwing a B-air "forward". This is reverse Aerial Rushing, RAR, and is a fairly rudimentary technique in the cornucopia of complicated smash acrobatics. RAR however is an excellent springboard into more challenging techniques.
The concept is simple: during a full dash, click back on the control stick to begin the turn-around animation, and jump. This jump, performed as a short hop and combined with B-air produces the RAR. Performing strings of RAR, and variations thereof (advancing, retreating, stationary), is an excellent conditioning exercise.
Lasers
Falco has Short hop double laser right? For practice have a MK and try to hit Mk on the ground. Eventually the silent laser will be learned. With saying that the proper way of lasering is the silent laser in the short hop. The reverse pivot laser coming up from the ledge is very useful. Instructions: run off the ledge, rejump, pivot and then laser twice and that is it. Mixing up the lasers is always good. double to single.
Jump-Canceling
Jump-Canceling can be thought of as a kind of action override. The mechanics work roughly as follows: the character is in the middle of some action that can be interrupted by a jump. The classic example of course being the shield. Other than grabbing, there really isn't a whole lot anyone can do straight from a shield without letting it down first, thus wasting precious frames. The Jump basically cancels the shield, but if the player quickly inputs another command before the jump animation begins, the character will do that move instead; jump-canceling.
jab and jab canceling
Jab in general is easy to do action holad A button. jab canceling is more of a challenge. Tap A button twice only A A and thats it. From that can be a grab or anouther jab cancel.
I have several more things that I'd like to add to this list. Time and energy at this instant are so far constraining me, and I have to get something up for now. On my personal list of things not yet mentioned that I will soon add:
- GT-tossing and item familiarity
- Pivot wavegrab/boost pivot wavegrab
- wall-jump of the stage's edge to recovery, probably some form of Illusion.
- Some way to practice teching off walls/ceilings.
If you have another technique or two that would benefit this training , post it up here and I'll practice and other falco's. If it's a good thing to have, then I'll put it here in the Mark of Mastery guide,
More will be up soon my falco's.
Thanks to all character boards!
This is not a tactical guide for use in matches just for preparing for matches.
When looking at ways for a player to improve their Falco technique, I've seen "go to training mode" and "master the moves" sort of stuff flying around all the character discussions, but I haven't seen many practical methods for someone to go about approaching these things. From what I can tell, there appears to be a a big disconnection among Falco players who know all about tech-skill and just being good, and those who aren't so familiar with them. As far as guides have gone, it's either been helplessly disapointing, or so tangled up in the moment.
The purpose of this thread is to show and teach about the character; to provide the aspiring Falco player with tools that can be used to condition their fingers, mind, and muscle-memory for the lighting-fast moves, quick thinking, and pinpoint precision that's all but required for a solid and well-rounded Falco game. Falco's greatest strength is the laser game, almost mind-blowing jabs that he can be played \with. Incidentally, getting one's Falco to that level of play is also one of the greatest challenges facing a Smash Bros player. It is this uphill challenge of mastering Falco's furiously fast technical game that this guide strives to confront and show the players.
The true part of the training
The rest of this, will be drills and how to train with techniques.Also vocab for some players.
Dash-Dancing
This is a fairly simple technique that most anyone should be able to accomplish with little trouble. Simply click the controls stick back and forth in quick succession, and Falco should quickly move from side to side in the dash startup animation. As simple as it is though, the dash-dance a good starter for drill sessions to get the fingers moving for more complicated procedures.
Aerials (And Autocanceling Them)
Falco has a solid aerial game with good tools that can be utilized in-game. That is not what this is about though. This is about making you the player comfortable with your aerial techniques so they can be woven seamlessly into a greater overall game. This requires the player to be smooth, precise.
Autocanceling aerials is hyped and fawned over throughout the entire smash game; there's a reason for that. Every air move in Smash has a landing animation that runs if you hit the ground before the move is done. Autocanceling an aerial move is simply finishing the move completely while still airborne, and then landing normally. Autocanceling simply allows you to hit the ground running, and so play into the smooth, quick, fluid precision of higher-level gameplay.
Falco has a number of moves that benefit from the autocanceling mechanics, namely:
- U-air
and to lesser extents:
- B-air
- D-air
The most iconic Falco autocanceled (AC) aerial move is an AC SH U-air. It is performed thusly:
Command Input: Jump (short) -> up control stick + A attack
The only trick to getting off the autocanceled SH U-air is to be quick; input the attack fast enough after jump that the entire move will be complete before Falco hits the ground.
Do Not Fast-Fall! Fastfalling will result in Falco landing on his head, which I dare say is not an ideal position to find your character in. Also, do not jump the gun on inputing the attack, wait until Falco's feet leave the ground, or instead of an AC U-air, you'll get a U-smash.
Once you get this down, practice stringing several U-airs together in a smooth, unbroken chain. Doing so is excellent for finger conditioning and training. (Muscle memory).
B-air can also be autocanceled much the same as U-air.
D-air is, at best, difficult to autocancel, and it cannot be done from a Short Hop. A Full Jump can conceivably autocancel the D-air, even onto some platforms. The best use I can think of for an autocanceled D-air is coming in very high, likely after being knocked away. Experienced players know how to exploit the landing lag of F\alco's D-air, and will punish you every time you use it willy-nilly. By coming in high and starting the D-air early, Falco will finish the move before he hits the ground, and so land lagless and ready to act, instantly.
This is highly situational, and probably not something that needs continual practice in a conditioning/training regimen.
Reverse Aerial Rush (RAR)
You've seen lots of players do this before I'm sure: dash one way, then jump facing the opposite direction from a dash, often throwing a B-air "forward". This is reverse Aerial Rushing, RAR, and is a fairly rudimentary technique in the cornucopia of complicated smash acrobatics. RAR however is an excellent springboard into more challenging techniques.
The concept is simple: during a full dash, click back on the control stick to begin the turn-around animation, and jump. This jump, performed as a short hop and combined with B-air produces the RAR. Performing strings of RAR, and variations thereof (advancing, retreating, stationary), is an excellent conditioning exercise.
Lasers
Falco has Short hop double laser right? For practice have a MK and try to hit Mk on the ground. Eventually the silent laser will be learned. With saying that the proper way of lasering is the silent laser in the short hop. The reverse pivot laser coming up from the ledge is very useful. Instructions: run off the ledge, rejump, pivot and then laser twice and that is it. Mixing up the lasers is always good. double to single.
Jump-Canceling
Jump-Canceling can be thought of as a kind of action override. The mechanics work roughly as follows: the character is in the middle of some action that can be interrupted by a jump. The classic example of course being the shield. Other than grabbing, there really isn't a whole lot anyone can do straight from a shield without letting it down first, thus wasting precious frames. The Jump basically cancels the shield, but if the player quickly inputs another command before the jump animation begins, the character will do that move instead; jump-canceling.
jab and jab canceling
Jab in general is easy to do action holad A button. jab canceling is more of a challenge. Tap A button twice only A A and thats it. From that can be a grab or anouther jab cancel.
Closing
I have several more things that I'd like to add to this list. Time and energy at this instant are so far constraining me, and I have to get something up for now. On my personal list of things not yet mentioned that I will soon add:
- GT-tossing and item familiarity
- Pivot wavegrab/boost pivot wavegrab
- wall-jump of the stage's edge to recovery, probably some form of Illusion.
- Some way to practice teching off walls/ceilings.
If you have another technique or two that would benefit this training , post it up here and I'll practice and other falco's. If it's a good thing to have, then I'll put it here in the Mark of Mastery guide,
More will be up soon my falco's.
Thanks to all character boards!
