New to Brawl/Marth

[Flipside]

Well, when I say new, I mean I've been playing about seven months, and have only just settled on my main, Marth.

I'm kind of awful at Brawl, and get beaten by all my friends, so I was wondering how to improve my Marth. I can beat a level 8 CPU reliably, taking around 150% damage total and losing one stock, whilst giving out around 400% and taking their 3 stocks, however, I reckon my odds are 50:50 against a Level 9 - I tend to take less damage than them, but get KO'd earlier. I spend about 2/3rds of my time on the ground and the rest in the air. I almost never grab; I know it's useful and I use it against low level CPU, but the minute I feel the slightest bit of pressure, I stop using it. I actually can't spot-dodge at all, I can never get the timing right. Same thing goes for Down B, I can't get the timing. Because of this, I always, always use Shielding and Rolling for defensive maneouvres, meaning I'm ridiculously easy to punish. I also have a problem with my moves getting incredibly stale - I only really use Marth's Side B, or or spam his SideSmash whilst on the Ground (sometimes Up B/Up Smash for OHKO) whilst on the ground - I can't use Marth's dash, and I can't see any advantages to using his A attacks/tilts over the dancing blade.

So, yeah, as you can see, I have no clue what I'm doing. Any advice on picking up just basic sensible things to do?

 

[Albert.]

So, yeah, as you can see, I have no clue what I'm doing. Any advice on picking up just basic sensible things to do?

WELL

not making any more useless threads would be a start.


We have Q&A's threads.
I suggest you go read the the stickied "guide of guides" thread.

EDIT: heres the link


http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=218194

 

[AlMoStLeGeNdArY]

Use more aerials forward air is really good. Learn to weave in and out of your aerials. Don't spam any of marths moves their punishable and leave you vulnerable. Dancing Blades is good to get refresh other moves as is grabbing and pummeling. Don't roll. Walk to shield or dash to shield. Also Up B out of shield is good.

 

[TKD]

Marth's simple. Just space empty short-hops and Fair while falling (while slightly moving backwards), fast-falled or otherwise. If they get too close, you can air-dodge through them or away to avoid hits and grab them or Dancing Blade.

Specifically vs Meta Knight, who can shut down your short-hop stuff via Shuttle Loop (ground) and Mach Tornado, you can air-dodge those short-hops more often to punish Shuttle Loop (ground). If you see a Mach Tornado coming your way during your short-hop, it usually works to react by performing a Nair (or air-jump if unsure), since it seems to hit through the top of it or something.

Dancing Blade's very good. It's good at refreshing moves, it does good damage, and it's fast. Great when you shield something punishable. When you see or predict someone falling to the ground, you can DB into the place they will fall onto, there's not much they can do about getting hit, except trying to fall less predictably next time. You can also interrupt people by hitting them with DB before they can do whatever they intended, since it's so quick. This is as a surprise only since it's punishable from shield.

When an opponent's in the air, you can space Uair, Fair, Nair, whatever into them, or wait for them to fall, if you want while short-hopping below them to bait or hit them.

You'll get used to KO'ing with time, since it's tricky with Marth.

Oh yeah, shielding's good too. You can DB a lot of stuff from shield. Shieldgrab's a good option as well. Spotdodging works, even repeatedly, if you're into trying that. It usually goes like spotdodge x1/x2, DB. lol

Marth is really good. People already think he's OK and I think he's underrated. There's no need to quit him unless you stop liking him.

For more Marth stuff, ask other people.

 

[Napoleon]

WELL

not making any more useless threads would be a start.

Bit of a sting there eh?


Flipside, if you ask around in the Q/A threads, or put a video in a Critique thread, people will be happy to help you.


On the short term, you may want to try this very simple but effective Marth technique: Short-hopped F-Airs.

If you practice, you will learn to get the right spacing constantly, which results in tippers.
I'm sure you know what Short Hopping is, spacing F-Airs off SHs helps to place some easy damage on your opponent.

You can use this as an approach.


Not being able to time Counter isn't so bad. It is a hard thing to predict your opponent consistently, so don't worry about it and any Counters that you pull off are just a bonus!

 

[Doomblaze]

Marth's simple.

No

Dancing Blade's very good.

Yes

You'll get used to KO'ing with time, since it's tricky with Marth.
Marth has no safe KO moves

Bit of a sting there eh?
Not being able to time Counter isn't so bad. It is a hard thing to predict your opponent consistently, so don't worry about it and any Counters that you pull off are just a bonus!

Counter is not a very good move, only use it two or three times per a match, if not per set, or you will find that you will get punished hard for it

 

[∫unk]

Marth's simple. Just space empty short-hops and Fair while falling (while slightly moving backwards), fast-falled or otherwise. If they get too close, you can air-dodge through them or away to avoid hits and grab them or Dancing Blade.

Specifically vs Meta Knight, who can shut down your short-hop stuff via Shuttle Loop (ground) and Mach Tornado, you can air-dodge those short-hops more often to punish Shuttle Loop (ground). If you see a Mach Tornado coming your way during your short-hop, it usually works to react by performing a Nair (or air-jump if unsure), since it seems to hit through the top of it or something.

Dancing Blade's very good. It's good at refreshing moves, it does good damage, and it's fast. Great when you shield something punishable. When you see or predict someone falling to the ground, you can DB into the place they will fall onto, there's not much they can do about getting hit, except trying to fall less predictably next time. You can also interrupt people by hitting them with DB before they can do whatever they intended, since it's so quick. This is as a surprise only since it's punishable from shield.

When an opponent's in the air, you can space Uair, Fair, Nair, whatever into them, or wait for them to fall, if you want while short-hopping below them to bait or hit them.

You'll get used to KO'ing with time, since it's tricky with Marth.

Oh yeah, shielding's good too. You can DB a lot of stuff from shield. Shieldgrab's a good option as well. Spotdodging works, even repeatedly, if you're into trying that. It usually goes like spotdodge x1/x2, DB. lol

Marth is really good. People already think he's OK and I think he's underrated. There's no need to quit him unless you stop liking him.

For more Marth stuff, ask other people.

LOL TKD... why did you post your one amazing post on Marth boards in this thread?

For those wondering... TKD is very very good... ranked in SoCal (which means effectively top 3 in whahtever region you're in).

He was one of the first people to beat DSF about half a year ago. Now more people have beaten him but TKD was the pioneer of MK dittos for the WC.

He's also Havok's main competition in So So Cal/Mexico.