New to competitive Smash, need to learn

[PunkAaron]

So I played a TON of Melee as a kid, and now I'm trying to get serious about it. I'm just wondering what I should do if I want to pick up Ganon?
Some questions I have:

• How should I approach my opponent? How should I move around the stage?
• How do I combo out of grab?
• When is it appropriate to use side b?

Thanks guys, I appreciate any help I can get.

 

[VegiLohrd]

So I played a TON of Melee as a kid, and now I'm trying to get serious about it. I'm just wondering what I should do if I want to pick up Ganon?
Some questions I have:

• How should I approach my opponent? How should I move around the stage?
• How do I combo out of grab?
• When is it appropriate to use side b?

Thanks guys, I appreciate any help I can get.

1. Ganondorf. Approaching. Ha. Your best bet is to let them approach you and punish them for any mistakes they make.
2. Ganon is pretty notorious for being able to chaingrab just about anyone. So you can chaingrab if you want. A pretty easy combo is a down throw shorthop dair if you want to rack up easy percentage.
3. Side b can be used as a spacing tool, a combo extender, a good punishment tool, but it requires good reading of your opponent to execute since it leaves you pretty vulnerable if you miss or do it at the wrong time. I think one of the more experienced Ganons can help you with that

 

[X WaNtEd X]

1. Really depends on the matchup.

2. You can't chain grab anyone. That's just straight up not true. You can chain grab some characters, though. You should read the thread about chain grabbing to learn all the percents/characters you can do it to. As for combos out of a throw, here's a general rule of thumb. You can dthrow aerial a lot of floaties. And against fast-fallers, you can dthrow/uthrow to tech chase or dthrow/uthrow to jab and then fair a mis tech. I like to condition my opponents into thinking I'm just going to throw into tech chase so they'll react instinctively with a tech. And then I'll throw a jab, they'll miss the tech and I'll fair to punish.

3. Be careful with side-b, and down-b for that matter. If I know my opponent is just going to land in front of me with a move, I'll side-b. Or I'll use it as a combo extender/tech chase. But never challenge someone outright in the neutral with it. Down-b is a little different. Against some characters/players I will straight up raw down-b and it actually works. Just don't get into the habit of doing it too often because then you get ****ed. Like what I was talking about with tech chasing, I'll condition my opponent to do certain things in the neutral and then down-b once in a blue moon when they least expect it. Afterall, my tag is purple killer, gotta make use of that purp :D

 

[X WaNtEd X]

Oh and side-b is pretty good against peaches that float too low that just whiffed a move, if you're close enough and depending on the move.

 

[-ACE-]

Getting good with Ganon is about knowing when to use defense and when to use offense (and being fast helps :>). Spacing, techchasing, baiting, edgeguarding, and tech skill are some of the key things you'll want to focus on. Ask more questions on the boards.

 

[Russy]

You have to know how to read your opponent. If you try to play every match the same like you would with other characters, you'll get 100% destroyed. Knowing the max range of your moves is the first thing I recommend you learn, with proper spacing, hitting a shield with the absolute furthest point on your fair or bair will provide you with enough shield lag to avoid being punished back.

For movement around the stage, if it has platforms, you need to learn to waveland so you can quickly weave around the stage to keep your opponent on their toes.

If you aren't able to chain grab the character you're playing against, usually your next best bet would be to throw them onto a platform to limit their rolling options and then sweep across it with an uair (if you're below it) or a down smash (if you're on it with then (this naturally requires some timing so you don't just whiff it on their invulnerability frames))

 

[2Face]

BAIR the crap out of your opponent. It has minimal lag. Be sure to L-cancel all your aerials. You look sloppy if you don't.

Approach your opponent with aerials. They will see Ganon's attacks from a mile away and usually they will shield if you are close enough. Grab at that moment to a down throw then wait for the tech chase or stomp him to another aerial. Also use the dash attack out of dash dancing when the opponent is in range.

Side B is tricky. Use it as a mix up or to get back onto the stage as a recovery mix up.

Watch this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5IZJHCe5qQ&list=PL7q5pvmOGve193v4Rt_lwh_ju1beBuAll#t=7648

I have pretty good wavelands if I say so myself.

 

[MosthatedinNC]

Those wavelands off a double jump are easy to do and easy to read, as well as your usual slow jump with an aerial after them bro. I didn't see any WL's at maximum length either haha.

Not sure what you mean in your 2nd paragraph... You can bait someone's shield by tomahawking them or pivot grabbing after an auto-cancelled bair but those aren't goto options. Neither is dash attack out of a dash dance. Ganon's dash attack is mainly used when it's the fastest or only option you have to continue a combo or get a hit in.. And it's usually off a run. Additionally, one of the crucial parts of dash dancing is being able to do whatever move you want out of the dash animation. It's kind of like saying you should aerial after a wavedash when you can do ANYTHING after a wave dash.

 

[FishyFreind]

Alright so i started playing smash competitively in January, and I've settled on Gannon as a main with Falco as a secondary. Im not sure if this should be a new thread, but could anyone give tips on good ways to work on Gannon tech solo? Since I'm no longer at school its hard to find people to play against.

 

[MosthatedinNC]

Tough to say when we don't know where you need to improve. Don't get me wrong, i'd be glad to spit out some random BS that could help but I think you should check out a few of the threads around here... (Ganon Vs, ganon edgeguarding 101, and even the *****es thread if you feel like reading back). Any questions on how to apply or execute whatever you see, feel free to ask and likely someone a lot more knowledgeable than myself will respond.

Do you have any videos of your ganon?

 

[DarkMagicX2]

Alright so i started playing smash competitively in January, and I've settled on Gannon as a main with Falco as a secondary. Im not sure if this should be a new thread, but could anyone give tips on good ways to work on Gannon tech solo? Since I'm no longer at school its hard to find people to play against.

Your location... say it ain't so. Another Ganon from CT? We should play sometime.