NO-IDea
Smash Lord
This thread was baptized by Xyro. If not for her, Samus would not be the lesbian she is today.
[collapse= Strengths and Weaknesses]Strengths: My idea here was to list what I thought were her five biggest strengths in no particular order. Thus, when playing my matches, reviewing them or critiquing other Samus mains, I gauge how well they optimize on their character's abilities.
- Strong and spammable projectile game: What other characters can boast four projectiles (two different kinds of missiles) and a z-air? Samus ranks 3rd for best camper in the game, trailing behind Falco and Olimar. Every other character will be forced to approach. Considering the fact that Brawl is naturally a defensive game, forcing the opponent to approach is exactly what you want.
- Auto-canceled aerials and a spike: Not many characters can claim this advantage. The transition from ground to air moves (and vice versa) is smooth and opens the door to many potential combo strings. Her missile cancels further supports this. Samus also boasts a considerably strong spike, viable both on and off stage.
- Long, high damage dealing tilts coupled with a long grab and a jab cancel: Her moveset should reflect her gameplay... and it does. F-tilt can be angled for handling different approaches. Her d-tilt does 14%, comes out at a respectable speed and works as a launcher. U-tilt is great for ledge guarding and anticipating aerial approaches. Combined with true pivoting, a grab as long as her f-tilt and a jab that links into her tilts, Samus is naturally a turtle character.
- Versatile Recovery: Bomb jumps, projectiles, tether and a spike? On top of her fall speed, this allows her to compete even against MK's options for gimping. Off-stage, Samus has no real blindspots. She can cover the 6 o'clock with bombs and her spike. The 8'o clock with a fast-fall/retreating f-air. She can quickly snap onto the ledge and reverse the situation with her long z-air, choosing either to stay low, cancel the tether or just get back on stage altogether. Samus is one of the hardest characters to gimp in Brawl.
- Heavyweight and floaty fall: With proper DI, she can momentum cancel from the sides and live to +140%. This compliments her overall character design. With her weight leverage and recovery, she can afford to take risks such as her slow grab or bombs. This also leaves a higher margin of error for spacing as well. With this character, you can lose the battle but still win the war.
Weaknesses: Akin to strengths, the idea here is to list what I believe are Samus' five biggest flaws. Again, I want to see how well the player can mitigate and/or use Samus' weaknesses as strengths during gameplay.
- Roll is highly situational: The frame data on Samus' roll is invincibility on frames 4-23 and the animation ends on frame 44. Excluding the beginning frames, this means Samus is vulnerable for a full 21 frames. Opponents can react and punish with their slowest moves, given enough time. However, her roll does go exceedingly far, serving the purpose of an escape manuever at least if not a position to punish. Players can still buffer a roll as they land, as well as use roll out of Charge Shot and to avoid predicted attacks. Remember that while 21 frames is a large disadvantage, it does not account for ending lag for opponent's moves. It's still an option Samus has, even if it's not the best.
- No significant shield stun on her ground moveset: While frame data for Samus has not yet been released by SmashLab, it's safe to say that her moveset is not safe on shield. This means that if the opponent is close range and in their shield, Samus is in trouble and her first instinct is to retreat into a better position. However, what will differentiate between a high-level Samus and a regular Samus main is both acceptance and understanding of this flaw. Note that being in shield is one of the worst positions to be in Brawl. In turn for safety, players suffer a 7 frame shield drop. Even jumping requires 5 frames (the fastest), not to mention 2 more for the aerial. And the fastest grab comes out in 6 frames. Maximizing the distance of the hitboxes of her tilts, learning the spacing and options of jab canceling on shield and using her camp game to condition the opponent to shield in a disadvantageous position (mid range) can turn negative frame advantage into a positive, damage racking scenario.
- Sub-par smash attacks: F-smash has short range, d-smash does not have enough hitstun to kill and u-smash is hard to utilize. This in turn leads to trouble in killing the opponent. Adjust the playstyle so that smashes are used as punishment tools and not for killing and it is possible to land smashes easier. F-smash can still land off of perfect shielding. True pivots and walking can cause opponents to whiff attacks and lead into f-smashes as well. Air dodges can be punished by all three smashes, with f-smash tilted down providing the best trajectory knockback available for Samus because of their downwards DI due to fast-fall or a late buffered spot dodge. D-smash comes out on the same frame as d-tilt, does 15% and has decent shield stun and knockback. The hitboxes stay out and can be timed via charging to punish rolls. Finally, u-smash is hard to connect and even harder to link into itself against players who SDI. However, it is still very possible to link all hits, or simply benefit from linking one or two. Charging underneath platforms is a safe option and deals decent damage. Players falling into Samus with an aerial can be punished with OoS u-smash. Running u-smash, and jump cancel-reverse u-smash can at times shield poke or catch an opponent off guard. All her smash attacks are relatively fast and if used correctly, make a significant difference during the match.
- One of the worst fast-falls in Brawl: Her weight provides no advantages against vertical kill moves. Samus is also susceptible to juggling because of this. There is little that can be done to alleviate this issue other than using bombs, saving double jump as an option and simply retreating to the ledge. Most vertical kill moves in this game are often obvious (Snake/D3 u-tilt, Fox u-smash) so experience and prediction can make this less of an issue.
- Mediocre ledge options: While getting to the ledge is rarely an issue, recovering onto the stage certainly can be, especially if the opponent properly spaces himself (close enough to shield grab a z-air back on stage.) Planking with up-b can help stall and test the patience of the opponent, but otherwise Samus is lacking. F-air from the ledge can be shield-grabbed if fully committed to and outspaced by many smashes in the game if not. SDI up can also turn f-air into a bad position (MK n-air, Peach n-air and other aerial kill moves.) Missiles are rarely safe. They can be power shielded and in turn, the opponent can steal the ledge before Samus can up-b. Samus' only other options are typical normal get-up, jump from the ledge, double jump from the ledge and get-up attack. The animation for normal get-up and get-up attack are very distinct, so an opponent who is familiar with them can react accordingly. Because Samus has a lackluster fast-fall, double jump air dodge is easier to punish compared to other characters. A viable mind game is to re-tether, only to cancel the tether and double jump back onto the stage. For this weakness, no advice can be offered other than to use your head. Try applying shield pressure and weaken their shield. If they re-adjust their spacing, it will give your more room to recover. If they don't, f-air can shield poke and you're back in the game.
[collapse=Moveset]
[collapse=Specials]Charge Shot Samus' bread and butter move. With decent accuracy, this move will account for at least 1/4 total damage given in a match. If she's not charging, it should be only because she is not in the position to charge or if Samus has a lead in momentum that should not be wasted. While it can be used as a kill move, it serves a better purpose as a damage racker (26% full charge!) Fully charge shot works best as a punisher because its fast speed and range allows you to reach targets as they air dodge when Samus would not be able to otherwise. The more liberal the use, the better. The other typical way to land charge shots is as a follow-up to missile canceling.
Other uses of Charge Shot worth mentioning:
- Aerial Charge Shot: It does more than just punish air dodges from long range. Firing a super missile first and followed by an aerial shot can shield poke. Instant double jump into firing a fully charge shot as late as possible has such a low trajectory it can hit players on the ledge.
- Uncharged shot: Grounded or aerial, at close range this has enough hitstun at high percents to link into ground moves like f-smash and d-tilt if the opponent chooses an option other than shield to respond with. The slow tempo of the move also allows you to mix this in with missiles. Just be prepared for the slight end lag.
Charging Perhaps the most significant aspect of charge shot is the act of charging. The options from charging are exactly the same as any character in their shield: Samus can grab, shield, roll and jump (OoS). The sole difference of course is that Samus can also fire, which in turn makes this position more advantageous than simply shielding. Consider the options and spacing for this move.
[/collapse]- When the opponent is between d-tilt range and slightly outside f-tilt's maximum range, Samus can choose to fire preemptively. This covers the option to roll (they will finish in front of Samus, meaning free punishment) as well as short hop.
- Or, when the opponent is between point blank to jab range, Samus can choose to fire. This again covers the option to short hop. However, the difference in timing can draw out paranoid shield and spot dodge habits and still maintain an accurate shot. Bear in mind that at this range, rolling behind Samus does become an option for the opponent.
- Samus doesn't have to shoot at all. Shield cancel once they enter f-tilt range and patience and pivoting can draw out whiffed approaches and allow Samus to punish with tilts and smashes. Or, Samus can simply grab once they enter f-tilt range if the opponent is expected to shield, spot dodge or rush in recklessly.
- Never forget that roll is an option as well as spot dodge. Charging may force an opponent to use an aerial approach, and in response, OoS aerials and up-b are viable options too.
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[collapse=Gameplay]Samus is a unique to Brawl in that she has a highly diversified camp game. Her moveset focuses on keeping her opponents out and turtling. With this said, she suffers to Brawl's more powerful "perfect shield" mechanic. However, this can be mitigated with proper variation in timing/tempo.
Camping with Samus comes in three ways: Charge Shot, Missiles and Z-air. This can be further divided into aerial and ground camping. Each have their pros and cons.
- Aerial Camping: missile canceling and air dodge to z-air come to mind. This strategy is aggressive and the higher tempo of the two forms of camping. Aerial camping is often adopted as a measure to counter-camp an opposing player who has projectiles. However, due to the necessity of short hopping, it is very vulnerable to power shielding and walk/dash approaches. Instant double jumping can reduce the danger of this method, providing more options such as fast-fall z-air, bomb and the ability to perform two aerials. However, the removal of her double jump early makes this prone to juggling if Samus is hit.
- Ground Camping: super missiles, charge shot and bombs make up the slower, safer method of camping. Sacrificing tempo for mobility, Samus retains her shield options while being able to walk, dash and perform her moveset in a reactive playstyle rather than predictive. Fully extended f-tilt is hard to punish on shield, u-tilt and retreating aerials are safe, non-committing spacing tools against aerial approaches, and dashing into dash attack/grab/n-air are good tools to transition into offensive gameplay.
[collapse= Character Match-ups]
[collapse= Metaknight (MK)]MU classification - 65:35
Ground Game
- MK's dash speed lessens the effectiveness of projectile spam. Because her homing missile and z-air require short hops, it is recommended to not use these unless within maximum range of use.
- The alternative is use of super missiles, charge shot and bombs. Super missiles, when used correctly, can provide good shield pressure when not perfect shielded.
- Charge shot and its shield cancel should be used to its greatest extent. Force ground approaches this way. You do not always have to hold a fully charge shot, contrary to popular belief. While it does outprioritize tornado, you take away the advantages of the charging position. Charging is essentially fighting from a neutral position with the ability to fire long-range instead of close range melee attacks. Roll is an unexpected option, as is jumping out of shield and spot dodging. At best, you can space charge shot so they have limited frame advantage out of shield.
- Bombs are underrated. They can be a useful escape manuever as well as a mix-up (ground and short-hop.) There is no essential downside to forcing MK back. However, the advantages can be tremendous at times, both percentage wise and psychologically if they land and you chain moves to them.
- Be wary of forward rolls. Especially as an option against missile cancel->grab. It is hard to punish rolls without committing for Samus (d-smash/f-tilt). Better to condition the Mk and punish later for a kill move instead of attempting a read. Or simply space away from it and choose safer follow-up options from z-air/missile cancel.
- Jab cancel on shield is viable, but watch out for MK's up+B OoS.
- MK's f-tilt does not outrange Samus's. Space and punish it with your own. Because of this, walking and spacing f-tilts is an extremely useful tool in the MU. With patience and proper reaction time, this can also beat MK's roll option. Mix-up with super missiles, dash attack, grab and bombs to complete your ground game.
- MK's d-tilt does not have high hitstun. Samus can jab and d-tilt through it if MK does not force a trip.
- MK's d-smash has -18 shield drop advantage from the front. Always try to punish it with your high damage moves.
- MK's n-air can be safely punished by up+b. With proper spacing, you should always be able to limit MK's option to use n-air.
- As long as you remember to DI up, abuse your weight leverage. Attempting the grab once in a while is always better than ruling out the option.
Aerial Game
Recovery
Ledge Guarding and Platform Abuse
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. He's def the best and an almost bannable char for a reason though, we can theorycraft a lot of ways that we could hypothetically counter his moveset but many times its hard to realistically consider what kind of tradeoffs moves have. Using samuses jab and spot dodge can both be considered "counters" to DDDs infinite in the sense that it can in fact stop DDD from grabbing us but how reliable are they really in practice? MK outperforms samus in a variety of ways, and some of them are completely debilitating to her gameplay. 
