Marth vs Zelda. Stalemate.

[-Ran]

The most annoying thing about fighting Zelda is her incredible spacing tool of the ->B. The timing is often hard for someone to anticipate if you go off of the incoming Din's Fire. This causes perhaps the first few hits to be blocked, but eventually a failure occurs within the first five attacks which is viewed as a successful spacer for Zelda. Most importantly, most Marth players remove their eyes from Zelda in order to avoid the incoming Fire Ball of d00m. They'll jump and charge frantically...

In actuality, the timing for the move is irrelevant. You don't even have to take your eyes off of Zelda. In order to turn the move into a lethal force, Zelda -must- activate an animation which involves her hands from her back, to snapping forwards. This snapping motion is the instant that the attack has become a damaging force, and the moment that it needs to be dodged. If you're standing, this means simply doing a Down+Shield to avoid all chip damage vs your shield.

All you simply need to do is watch her hands, and they'll tell you exactly when to do your side step or air dodge. No more second guessing or mind games with Zelda. After you perfectly dodge around five, a Zelda player will -give- up the strategy of spamming. Once a strategy has been ruled ineffective, anyone with common sense will give up. Sure, they can use it as a spacing tool, but it won't advance their battle plan.

Once the 'tell' has been mastered, you can go onto the offensive. =D

 

[Ryuker]

Nice to know. Thnx for sharing this.

 

[Battousai780]

Nice, this helps alot. you can focus on Zelda and never get hit. :]]

 

[BacklashMarth]

Thank you for the tip.

 

[feardragon64]

Thank you so much. I've been staring at the giant ball of fire coming at me so much I didn't notice the subtle animation and always get caught off guard!

 

[R3v3nant]

This just gives even more reason why people should look at their opponent's character directly. not using peripheral vision

 

[∫unk]

Ohhhhh. I was wondering what was giving other Marth's a hard time with Zelda's projectile. Everytime I'd hear someone complain I was thinking "...just airdodge when it explodes". I guess I was naturally looking at what the Zelda was doing

I actually like when Zelda uses her projectile because it leaves her immobile and makes approaching easy.

 

[Battousai780]

This just gives even more reason why people should look at their opponent's character directly. not using peripheral vision

I dont directly look at either. xD

 

[fire_wulf]

Thanks for the info.. would have been nice to know last week before i got beat out of tourney by a campy Zelda.... but NOW I KNOW!!!!!

I just had trouble getting past the Din's fire... then the shield.. then the grab.. then the down smash... then the roll dodge to forward smash or up smash... That was a tough battle... put up a fight but got beat by a stock first match then got 2 stocked the second one. Hurt the pride a little... but i learned.

 

[1170]

Wow. Never thought of that... Normally I'm pretty good at dodging projectiles, but the hitbox on Din's Fire is massive. It honestly scared me.

 

[Emblem Lord]

Honestly, I don't even time it even though I know this already.

I just do a SH airdodge and it works 90% of the time.

Also if you are close you can just do a SH attack and your aerial will clank her fire and hit her too if you are close enough.

Still very good obvservation skills and it's good info for someone having trouble with Din's fire.

 

[SHined BLind]

Sweeet find!! Do you think this could ruin a good part of Zelda's game?/ I would know, 'cause just look at my sig..

 

[-Ran]

Glad that it's helping everyone out. Maybe I should make a thread in the Tactics section to share the love?

Personally, I'm starting to get the urge of making a thread on how to dodge/cancel/avoid every projectile in the game. I'm tired of people camping. Also, I do feel that knowing about the Tell does hurt Zelda's spacing/defensive game.

 

[SwordmasterXXXI]

I never have trouble fighting good Zeldas, but this is useful anyways.

 

[Helkulkhamen]

Hmm, I seem to be having trouble doing this. Does anyone know how long her hand animation starts before the detonation? To me it seems almost instant, and I can never react quick enough (heck, it takes me about .10 seconds to press the shield button alone, and a good .15 more seconds before that just to react, at best).

Sure, I could just shorthop and airdodge w/DI, but it would be really nice to be able to perfect shield a dins...

 

[-Ran]

Basically, when Zelda steps into the Din's fire... You'll see her hips sway forwards, as she takes a step into it, while her hand moves from her back to in front of her, triggering the explosion.

I think you have a little over half a second to react.

Easiest way is to depress the shield button before you actually 'press' it down, to shave off a few fractions of a second.