Nah, but with ike you need to be a little gimmicky to be effective. Work on jab cancels into grabs, or pivot bairs. SHFF nairs are your best friend for racking up damage and attempting follow-ups. Also, neutral B on an opponent who's attacking from below is fantastic mindgames.
Uuuh, just to help you narrow your critique past what moves to use, you should know I wrote the book on Ike's moveset:
[collapse=Moveset Analysis]
Ike's Moveset Analysis
Written by Nysyarc
Here you will find basic information, general strategy and ratings for every attack in Ike's moveset. All credit goes to Kirk for frame data and the hitbox visuals. His thread, Ike Data Compilation, made much of this possible, and you can refer to it for more in-depth arithmetical data on Ike's moves.
Each move has been given a rating out of 5, represented by Ike heads. If a move was given 5 Ike heads, it is one of Ike's best moves, while if it was given only 1 Ike head, it is one of his worst moves. Here is a general guideline to follow when using the rating system to determine a move's viability in competition:
= An excellent move, it should be used very frequently.
= A good move that can be used often but not without caution.
= An average move that is situational but great at specific things.
= An inflexible move that should not be used often; very situational.
= There is always a better option than this move, never use it.
~~~~~ Basic Attacks ~~~~~
Jab 1
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
3-4
Ends on Frame
17
Damage:
4%
This is one of the most central moves to Ike’s entire existence. The Jab 1, or the first hit of Ike’s neutral A combo on the ground, is a fast and effective way to lead into many other attacks and set up different situations. It can be canceled into many different moves (more information on Jab Canceling further down in the guide), or simply strung into the second and third hits of the Jab combo for a good amount of damage.
You should be using Jab very often during a match against any other character in the game. Use it out of shield to punish whiffed attacks, or use it while on the offense to lead into other moves. Use it to punish air-dodges, rolls, spot-dodges, and to interrupt slow attacks. Jab can also clank with many projectiles. All the uses of the Jab combo will be gone over in much greater detail in a later section of the guide.
Jab 2
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
3-4
Ends on Frame
20
Damage:
5%
The second hit of Ike’s grounded neutral A combo is slightly less useful than the first when you consider that it can’t be used first and that it cannot be interrupted as early. Still arguably the best and certainly the easiest follow-up to the first Jab, it can string into the third Jab, be canceled back into the first Jab, or strung into other attacks. Jab 2 has more horizontal range than Jab 1, and so it can be used for spacing while on the ground to some extent, since it can be ended early and is relatively safe.
Canceling Jab 2 into Jab 1 is not as fast as just Jab 1 into Jab 1, so you should be careful about when you choose to do it. The advantage of it is that Ike moves forward slightly when using Jab 2, so you can follow an opponent who is SDIing away from you. If you catch an opponent horizontally out in front of and above you with Jab 1, you can hold down A to Combat Walk, basically you will repeatedly use Jab 2 and miss automatically, looping back to Jab 1 to hit them again.
Jab 3
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
10-14
Ends on Frame
38
Damage:
7%
The third Jab is usually a guaranteed follow-up to the second, which makes Jab 1 to Jab 2 to Jab 3 a very safe and effective three-hit combo at any percent and against any character. Jab 3 has a lingering hitbox after Ike swings the sword, which has some use in punishing spot-dodges, but you should not use Jab 3 if you missed the opponent with Jab 1 and 2, because Jab 3 takes longer to end and so you will be more vulnerable.
Jab 3 is powerful enough that it is possible to KO with it at very high percents, or at least to get your opponents far enough off-stage to set up for an edge-guard. Following up your Jab 1 and Jab 2 with other moves like Up Tilt is a better idea for KOing at high percents, but ending with Jab 3 is good for racking damage early on.
Dash Attack
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
18-19
End on Frame
51
Damage:
7-8%
Ike’s Dash Attack (or DA) is a move that definitely has it’s uses, but should not be used excessively. DA does not do too much damage on it’s own, but can be used as a follow-up to different attacks (see the section on following up Ike’s throws). The hitbox closer to the tip of Ike’s sword deals 1% more damage than those closer to Ike, but it really doesn’t make too much difference.
DA has a lot of horizontal range, and since the beginning of the animation looks like Ike’s dash, it can sometimes fool opponents. You should not be using DA as an approach however, because it is easily blocked and punished. You can use DA to punish opponents who are rolling away from you, or performing a laggy action far across the stage (using a slow projectile like Pikmin throw for example).
It is also sometimes a good idea to hit opponent’s trying to recover with DA if the opportunity presents itself, because it will send them at a good angle off-stage and allow you to have a better shot at edge-guarding effectively. Take some time to get used to how far Ike moves forward when using DA and accustom yourself to where and how soon the hitbox comes out, so you will be able to better utilize it in different situations.
~~~~~ Tilt Attacks ~~~~~
Forward Tilt
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
No angle:
Angled up:
Angled down:
[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
17-19
Ends on Frame
55
Damage:
12-15%
Forward Tilt (or Ftilt) is a strong KO move at higher percents if you can make a read and space it well, but otherwise it does not have too many practical uses. It’s damage drops considerably if you hit your opponent near Ike’s waist, doing only 12% compared to 15% if you hit with the tip or middle section of the sword. Ftilt is too slow of a move and certainly takes too long to end for it to be a viable damage-racking move.
Some particular scenarios where Ftilt will work is if you can bait your opponent into air-dodging or poorly spacing an aerial while coming back to the stage. If you retreat a bit and then turn and Ftilt, it is fast enough that it can catch an opponent after such an action and even if it doesn’t KO them, put them in a bad position off stage. Mostly though, you should not be using Ftilt until your opponent is at 80-110% based on how heavy they are, since it’s only real purpose is as a KO move.
Up Tilt
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
Note: This only roughly shows the entire area that Utilt affects. The first image shows Frame 1 of the hitbox (Frame 13 of the animation), but the hitbox lingers in the position of the third image for about 12 frames.[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
13-29
Ends on Frame
50
Damage:
9-12%
Ike’s Up Tilt (or Utilt) is an excellent move all around in a lot of situations. The hitbox stays out for a long time, making the move fairly safe considering it also ends earlier than Ike’s other tilt attacks. It’s hitbox forms a protective square all around Ike, starting at his feet and rising over him to reach above platforms on stages like Battlefield. Utilt does 12% damage if you hit with the sword initially, but only 10% if you hit once the hitbox has reached it’s peak, and 9% if you hit with the hilt.
The lingering hitbox up high makes this move great for punishing things like rolls and spot dodges on a platform above you, and also air-dodges over your head. Utilt is powerful enough to KO relatively early if it’s fresh, usually just over 100% for the majority of the cast. On top of all that, it also comes out quite fast, with the earliest hitbox appearing after just 13 frames.
You can use Utilt as a follow up to moves like Neutral Aerial and Jab 1 at low percents to help rack damage, or keep it fresh to use as a KO move. Either way, Utilt is a great move that can be used fairly often in competitive matches. There are still times when you should not use Utilt, but it is harder to punish than many of your other ground attacks, so you don’t have to be as hesitant if you see an opportunity.
Down Tilt
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
16-18
Ends on Frame
55
Damage:
14%
The Down Tilt (or Dtilt) is not a terrible move, but it is very situational and otherwise risky to use. It’s primary function is as a spike near the ledge, which of course means you won’t be getting too many spikes with it since your opponents can just grab the ledge to avoid it. Dtilt’s small hitbox and long ending time means it is not a good option on-stage, although if you manage to hit with the hilt of the sword it will send your opponent at a forward angle stronger than an Ftilt.
No matter what part of the hitbox connects, Dtilt will deal 14% damage fresh. It has a slight chance of tripping on-stage, but this is not practical due to it’s lack of speed and your inability to follow up the trip. The best way to spike with Dtilt is against opponents who have recoveries that do not automatically snap to the ledge (Luigi’s sideB recovery for example). It should not be used to punish planking, especially against characters like Meta Knight since it takes so long to start up and end.
~~~~~ Smash Attacks ~~~~~
Forward Smash
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
Note: As you can see, the area in the upper-right of these images close to the visible platform is not affected by the hitbox even though it appears to be within the sword's swing radius.[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
31-34
Ends on Frame
80
Damage:
17-22%
Forward Smash (or Fsmash) is a move that should not be used often at all, but if used intelligently, can instantly change the momentum of a match. The hitbox ends quickly and covers an area directly above and in front of Ike, but not the diagonal out in front of him (see the hitbox visual). Fsmash will usually do 22% damage fresh and uncharged, but will deal only 17% if you hit with the tip at the end of the attack and 20% if you hit with the hilt.
Fsmash has the longest start-up time of any of Ike’s smashes, but it only takes 7 frames for the hitbox to emerge after holding it to charge, ironically the fastest of Ike’s smashes. Thus making a read and charging an Fsmash to punish something like an air-dodge, a poorly spaced attack or a grounded dodge is effective since you can easily time it’s release. You should not use Fsmash if you are not 100% sure of your intentions though, never just ‘throw it out’ in hopes that it will connect.
It is possible to KO with a charged Fsmash as early as 40% near the edge of many stages and against certain characters. Most often you should try to land a slightly charged Fsmash in the 60-80% range near the ledge to KO your opponent. If it does not work once, do not try it again that stock, and possibly even that match. You have much faster and more reliable KO moves for opponents that are over 80% damage, so do not take unnecessary risks by using an Fsmash.
Up Smash
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
Note: The second and fourth images show the frames during which the hitbox can poke under a shield on a platform. If you compare the height of the platforms in the images to the hitbox, you will see that this is the case, and in-game occurrences have proven it.[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
25-31
Ends on Frame
67
Damage:
17-19%
Ike’s Up Smash (or Usmash) is by far the best of his smash attacks and arguably one of his best KO moves. Usmash comes out slower than a tilt, but relatively quick considering it’s strength and damage output. The initial hitbox of Usmash will do 17% damage, while the last two frames that linger on the back end of the swing deal 19%. Usmash ends deceptively early and you can slide while using it, so it is your safest all-purpose smash attack.
Usmash can be used at lower percents to inflict damage if an opportunity presents itself, but it is best kept fresh to KO at upwards of 90% on most characters. Retreating an Usmash by dashing backwards and then inputting the Usmash is very safe and effective if you can bait an approach. Usmash is ideal for punishing rolls since it’s hitbox lingers after the backswing. It is also great for punishing baited air-dodges due to it’s large sweeping range and the fact that you can charge it.
You can use an Usmash to follow up things like Jabs or an Nair at low percents if you’ve read your opponent. For example, if they like to spot-dodge or roll out of your flubbed Jab Cancels, try Jabbing just once and then beginning to charge an Usmash. If they spot-dodge or roll, it will be easy to punish and the reward is high. If you whiff an Usmash, and your opponent is advancing to punish you, be ready to put a shield on or Jab them at the earliest possible moment, because either of those will often catch them off guard.
Usmash is also excellent for sharking platforms. It’s hitboxes are mapped to Ike’s sword, which skips over wide areas and ends up hitting directly at the level of a Battlefield platform on two separate frames of the attack (see the hitbox visual). This means that it can perfectly poke underneath an opponent’s semi-worn shield as long as they are not directly above you. If an opponent is holding their shield on above you and to either side a bit, go for the Usmash shield poke.
Down Smash
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
Note: The smaller hitbox seen in the third image lingers for 9 frames and only deals 8% damage in contrast to the larger one (seen in the second image) which lasts for 4 frames and deals 16% damage.[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
13-16 and
32-44
Ends on Frame
70
Damage:
13% and
8-16%
Down Smash (or Dsmash) would be an excellent move if the first hit could string into the second (doing a total of 29% damage fresh), but it can’t. So it’s a pretty terrible move. In fact it’s not so much that Dsmash is an awful move, but rather that Ike has a different move that is better suited for every situation. The first hit always does 13% damage fresh and the back hit will initially do 16%, but then degrade all the way to 8% during the smaller, lingering part of the hitbox (see the hitbox visual).
Dsmash comes out on frame 13, pretty fast. But so does Utilt. Dsmash does 16% damage on the back hit. So does a full Jab combo. Dsmash covers in front of and behind Ike. So does Usmash, except Usmash gets behind Ike faster, covers above him too, deals more damage, KOs better, and ends earlier. Believe it or not, Dsmash has less base knockback (KO power) than Ike’s Neutral Aerial. All of this, along with the fact that Dsmash is very punishable if whiffed, means you should never be using it in a competitive match. There’s just no point.
~~~~~ Aerial Attacks ~~~~~
Neutral Aerial
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
Note: Like Utilt, these images do not show every frame of the hitbox; some frames are skipped between images. The first image shows the initial position of the hitbox, and the last image shows it's final position.[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
15-32
Ends on Frame
76 (Air) and
13 (Landing)
Damage:
9%
Ike’s Neutral Aerial (or Nair) is likely one of the best aerial attacks in the game. It combines a long hitbox, good damage output, combo-ability, range, and speed in a way that very few other aerial attacks, even attacks in general, can. Nair will deal 9% damage fresh no matter what part of the hitbox connects, and although it is difficult to auto-cancel upon landing, it can be interrupted after just 13 frames. One problem is how long it lasts in the air, so you shouldn’t be using it off-stage.
On-stage however, Nair has a myriad uses, limited only by your imagination. It can be used as a very safe approach on many characters as long as it is spaced well, which means not jumping straight into your opponent when you use it. There is no safer way for Ike to retreat than an Nair thrown out while jumping backwards or even while facing away from your opponent, since Nair’s hitbox ends up behind Ike. Using a full-hop and Nair is a great way to safely board a Battlefield-height platform from below.
If you connect with Nair at low percents, you can string the hit into a Jab 1 and thence to other moves, or you can string it into an Utilt or a Back Aerial in certain situations. Stringing it into a Jab will usually guarantee the most total damage you’ll get out of the pseudo combo, but on a stage like Battlefield you can use an Utilt after Nair to get them above the platforms and then shark them for extra damage.
You should be using Nair very often at low and middling percents, but then easing off and using better KO moves as you rack damage. There’s nothing wrong with using Nair at high percents, it’s still very safe, but it will rarely get you the KO. Using the c-stick to Nair (see the Control Schemes section in the guide below) is very helpful because it allows you to continue to move left or right while airborne, you don’t have to stop motion and tap A to perform the Nair.
Nair is an excellent frame trap for punishing air-dodges. If you use it to challenge someone returning to the stage, most characters cannot out-range it, so they will air-dodge. Because of Nair’s long hitbox, it can catch most characters after their air-dodge if you time it and space it right. Using your Down Throw at low percents and following up with an Nair will often work as well for the same reason: many players will air-dodge after the Down Throw (see the section on Following-Up Throws).
On top of all this, Nair is also one of Ike’s best moves for platform sharking. The initial 6 frames of the hitbox appear above a platform if you short-hop and Nair immediately, and you can either then fast-fall and reset yourself if you hit them, or allow yourself to fall normally so that the back end of Nair’s hitbox rises above the platform for several more frames. Short-hopping and fast-falling your Nairs is key to being as quick as possible with them, since Nair takes a long time to end in the air but ends very quickly after landing.
Forward Aerial
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
18-21
Ends on Frame
60 (Air) and
22 (Landing)
Damage:
13%
The Forward Aerial (or Fair) is a very versatile move that has plenty of good uses. It is not the safest aerial to use in every situation, but you will find yourself using often. Fair deals 13% fresh at all points of the hitbox and does not last an undue amount of time in the air. The auto-cancel window is decent, and allows you to auto-cancel an Fair if you use it immediately on a full-hop jump (without double-jumping or fast-falling). The landing lag itself isn’t too bad either, especially considering Fair’s enormous range.
The fact is, if you space Fair properly, the only aerial moves in the game that can really challenge it are Samus, Link and Toon Link’s Zair (literally pressing Z in the air). You should never jump straight into your opponent when using Fair, jumping forward slightly is fine, as long as you retreat back afterwards if you did not successfully hit your opponent. Fair is a good approach in this sense because it cannot be directly challenged by a lot of characters. Although Fair will usually stale due to it’s frequent use as a spacing move, it can also KO quite well if it’s kept fresh.
One technique for utilizing Fair’s range in a safe and effective way without the need of any custom controls, is to press whatever button you have jump set to (I use ‘X’ myself) and at the exact same moment, hold the control stick in the direction you are facing and press A. Now, this will execute a full-hop Fair that will auto-cancel if you do not fast-fall and land on even ground, but because you have the control stick still jammed forward, Ike will jump towards the opponent. You can easily control the direction of his jump while still controlling the direction of the Fair though.
If you immediately mash the control stick back in the opposite direction after inputting the jump and A buttons, Ike will jump backwards and Fair forwards at the same time; on top of that, it will still auto-cancel. Like I said, no custom control schemes are necessary to do this, and it allows you full control of Ike throughout the jump since the Fair is inputted before you are actually in the air (which is called buffering). Now obviously this method means Fair’s hitbox will be up fairly high, so it works best on opponents approaching from the air or on platforms. Otherwise, you should always be short-hopping and fast-falling when you Fair.
Back Aerial
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
7-9
Ends on Frame
55 (Air) and
22 (Landing)
Damage:
14%
Back Aerial (or Bair) is another exceptional aerial attack that has many different practical uses. The hitbox emerges very quickly, Ike’s second fastest attack other than Jab 1, and will always deal 14% damage when it’s fresh. It has as much landing lag as Fair, but it can be auto-canceled if you short-hop and use Bair immediately, not fast-falling afterwards. The easiest way to do this is to tap up on the control stick and back on the c-stick immediately afterwards (very close to the exact same time).
One of the most effective and commonly used functions of Bair is as an option Out of Shield (OoS). If you shield an opponent’s attack, or particularly if you power-shield their attack and you have your back to them, whipping out a Bair to punish is almost always a safe and effective option. You have the choice then to either move back towards them through the air and follow-up with Jabs after Bair auto-cancels (this only works at low percents), or to move away from them if you are unsure whether the Bair will connect. Retreating and auto-canceling your Bairs by short-hopping is as safe or safer than retreating with Nair.
On top of being able to auto-cancel Bair by short-hopping it on even ground, you can also do a full-hop and Bair immediately to auto-cancel it landing on a platform above you. This works on Battlefield, Norfair, Frigate Orpheon (only the second transformation of the stage), Halberd, the side platforms of Lylat Cruise, and the Pokemon Stadiums. This is useful if your opponent is at a low percent on a platform; you can full-hop up and Bair them and then follow-up immediately when it auto-cancels.
Due to the speed that Bair comes out and it’s very good horizontal range, it can be used to challenge the aerials of many other characters. If you have your back to your opponent, they will often be wary of Bair, and rightly so. Jumping up with your back to your opponent while they are returning to the stage will often bait an air-dodge, which you can then punish by waiting until it ends and whipping out Bair.
Bair’s hitbox reaches above Battlefield-height platforms if you short-hop auto-cancel it, making it great for punishing opponent’s who are rolling or spot-dodging on the platforms. It will obviously send them horizontally, which can be favorable to the vertical trajectory that many of Ike’s other sharking moves feature. Hitting your opponent off-stage at a nice angle can set up for an edge-guard against many characters. And on that note, Bair is also great for edge-guarding because it will out-prioritize many recoveries such as DK’s Kopter Kong and even another Ike’s Aether.
On top of all these benefits, Bair is a wonderful tool that can be used at low percents to string into other moves and rack damage (it does a solid amount of damage itself), or it can be saved as a KO move at higher percents. If it’s kept fresh, a Bair can KO most opponents within the 90-110% range, and even stale it remains a reliable KO move or at least a nice way to get your opponent off-stage. Like Nair, the uses you can find for Bair are really only limited by your imagination.
Up Aerial
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
Note: Again, like Utilt and Nair, there are some frames of the hitbox that are skipped in these images. As always, the first image shows the initial hitbox position, and the last image shows it's final position.[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
15-31
Ends on Frame
58 (Air) and
19 (Landing)
Damage:
14%
Ike’s Up Aerial (or Uair) has a lot of very good uses, but is not as consistently safe to use as some of his other aerials. Nevertheless it is an excellent move, dealing a solid 14% damage fresh and with a lingering hitbox that covers a wide area above Ike for a good amount of time. It can be interrupted in the air slightly earlier than Fair, and it has the second lowest landing lag time of Ike’s aerials, behind only Nair. As if all that wasn’t good enough, it also has significant KO power.
The first and probably best of Uair’s many uses is for sharking platforms both near and far from the ground. It’s swirling hitbox easily covers an entire platform and because it lasts for 16 frames, it can punish rolls or spot-dodges very effectively. In general it is a good move to use as an opponent is falling from up high, platforms or not. It comes out relatively quick and will take priority over a lot of other character’s aerials.
The best way to use Uair on an opponent who is falling towards you is to jump up and meet them a good distance above the ground, but with your back to them. Uair’s hitbox spends most of it’s time behind Ike (see the hitbox visual), and so if you fall with your opponent just a bit underneath and in front of them, your Uair will be spaced well enough to out-range many aerials and will frame trap your opponent if they air-dodge.
Uair can be used while you are falling back to the stage as well. Many people will not expect this, and as long as you space it well horizontally, have your back to your opponent and fast-fall, you should be safe. It can even get you a surprise KO since most people will instinctively DI up, expecting an attack like Fair while you are dropping. Uair may not have much less landing lag than Fair and Bair, but even 3 frames can be enough to throw some people off, so be ready to Jab or defend at the earliest possible moment after landing.
Down Aerial
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
Note: The hitbox seen in the first image (which lasts for 2 frames) deals 16% damage and will spike the opponent. The hitbox from the second image lingers for 12 frames, deals 12% damage and hits opponents upward.[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
16-30
Ends on Frame
55 (Air) and
29 (Landing)
Damage:
12-16%
Down Aerial (or Dair) is a move that has only one practical purpose, but it can achieve that purpose in many different ways. That purpose is to spike your opponents, and Dair is Ike’s best spiking move. It will deal 16% damage for the first two frames of the attack that spike, and then the lingering hitbox that sends opponents upward will do only 12% (see the hitbox visual). Like Bair, it does not take very long to end in the air, but it has horrendous landing lag on-stage.
Now to quickly go over other, mostly inviable uses for Dair. If you full-hop and immediately input a Dair at the same time, the attack will end before Ike hits the ground again, meaning you can double-jump and use another attack. The same goes for Bair of course. If you manage to full-hop Dair someone beneath you at around 30%, double-jumping and using Bair as soon as it’s possible is a true combo. Even DI cannot save them since you can follow them with your jump and Bair has a large hitbox. However, the risk of trying this outweighs the small benefit due to Dair’s on-stage landing lag and the fact that your opponent has to be directly beneath you for it to work.
Moving on, there are several practical ways to spike with Dair. One is to jump high off-stage to meet a returning opponent, wait for them to air-dodge and then use the tilt stick (see the Control Schemes section in the guide below) to perform your Dair as punishment. If you don’t think they will attempt to air-dodge, you can simply jump up off-stage and Dair without need of the tilt stick for safety; don’t expect that method to work on too many good players though.
You can also perform a walk-off Dair in two different ways. If you use the smash stick, hold your control stick towards the ledge and down at an angle, so Ike falls off the stage, then quickly rotate your control stick so it is facing straight down and tap down on the c-stick at the same time. If you performed the Dair immediately after walking off the stage, you should easily be able to double-jump and Aether back to the ledge. With the tilt stick it is much easier: just walk off the ledge and hit the c-stick down; you don’t have to worry about fast-falling.
The final way to use Dair that is effective for edge-guarding some recoveries below the stage, is to drop off and double-jump from the ledge and Dair. Literally just grab the ledge when your opponent is off-stage, and when the timing is right, tap the control stick back to drop off and then double-jump Dair in whatever way you see fit (jump button + A and down or control stick up + c-stick down). This works well against the vertical recoveries of many characters, as well as the multiple jumps of characters that can float/fly (except Meta Knight, be very careful about when you choose to do this against him).
~~~~~ Special Attacks ~~~~~
Eruption
[collapse=Hitbox Visual]
Note: The hitbox seen in the first image appears for the initial 3 frames of any Eruption that is not fully charged. The tiny hitbox near the bottom of the second image lingers for 5 frames after the first hitbox disappears, but only for an uncharged or partially charged Eruption. The last image is the hitbox of a fully charged Eruption, which remains unchanged for all 20 frames of the attack.[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
30-37 (Uncharged) and
239-258 (Fully Charged)
Ends on Frame
58 (Uncharged) and
288 (Fully Charged)
Damage:
9% (Uncharged) and
26-37% (Fully Charged)
Eruption is an attack that is similar to Dtilt in it’s uses (and lack of uses). It will deal 9% damage and has a fairly large hitbox uncharged. The hitbox does not change until it is fully charged, but the damage and knockback increases with every ‘whoosh’ sound you hear (there will be eight of them in total). Fully charged, the top of the explosion will deal the least damage at 26%, the middle will do 28%, and the largest hitbox at the bottom of the fire will do a whopping 37% damage; it should be noted that Ike will take 10% damage from a fully charged Eruption, but no damage from all earlier charge levels.
The primary use for Eruption is in edge-guarding. It has Super Armor frames (frames during which you cannot be affected by knockback) for 5 frames prior to the hitbox coming out, so if you time it correctly you can nullify any attack and immediately retaliate with the Eruption itself. Eruption is a terrible move to use if your opponent is waiting at a distance or has a projectile though, for pretty obvious reasons. In fact there is always a better option than using Eruption against a grounded opponent, it’s damage output uncharged is very low and charging it is risky.
It works best against recoveries that cannot snap to the ledge, similar to Dtilt. Unlike Dtilt, it can cover a large area vertically, which also makes it viable if you think your opponent will attack you from above upon returning to the stage, or hit you with their recovery move. Learning to time the Super Armor frames after charging is key to success at this.
If you manage to get a shield break on someone, charge your Eruption near them until you hear the seventh ‘whoosh’ sound (Ike will begin to flash rapidly) and then immediately release. This is referred to as a Flashing Eruption, and will cause more knockback than a fully charged Eruption. Obviously this, along with the fact that fully charging it will damage Ike by 10%, makes it much better to use on a shield break.
Quick Draw
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Rating:
Hits on Frames
19-29 (Uncharged, No Contact)
Ends on Frame
42 (Uncharged, No Contact) and
77-87 (Uncharged, After Contact)
Damage:
9% (Uncharged) and
16% (Fully Charged)
Quick Draw (or QD) is almost completely useless as an attacking move; however, it is a useful tool for some other purposes if applied properly. It can be charged indefinitely and cannot be canceled once charging begins (you have to release the attack). Uncharged, it will travel a little further than the length of a Battlefield platform and deal 9% damage on contact. Fully charged, it will traverse almost all of Battlefield itself and do 16% if it hits. It is possible to KO with QD at percents that are not totally unreasonable, but it is not a reliable KO move by any means.
Because of the terrible ending lag after hitting someone, hitting a shield, or getting interrupted by a spot-dodge, it is heavily advised to not use QD as an attack. In rare occasions in can be used as a mix-up for a tech-chase, due to it’s ability to charge forever and release quickly, but in most cases there is a safer and more rewarding option.
QD can, however, be used to quickly move across the stage in several different fashions. If you just knocked an opponent off-stage but are not close to the ledge yourself, immediately loosing a QD to close the gap and prepare for an edge-guard can really help. Doing a full-hop and then an uncharged QD to land on a distant platform (Battlefield height) is great for covering distance and gaining height at the same time.
Landing on a platform from a QD can quickly lead into other attacks, because QD does not have very much landing lag as long as you do not fall for a long time before hitting the ground (try to skim the surface of the platform as close as you can while in the QD animation). Landing so that you slide to the opposite edge of the platform helps further eliminate landing lag, allowing you to then immediately use an Utilt, Jab, walk-off aerial attack like Fair or Nair, or instantly pratfall and Bair to attack an opponent below the platform. The key is to never hit your opponent or their shield with the QD itself.
Aether
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Note: There are many frames of the hitbox skipped in between these images; this is only to show the general area covered. The first image shows the initial hitbox that lasts only 1 frame. The second last image shows the hitbox that acts as a weak spike, and will linger until Ike touches the ground or grabs a ledge. The last image shows the hitbox that only appears if Ike lands on the ground, not if he grabs a ledge; this hitbox sends opponents upward at an angle.[/collapse]
Rating:
Hits on Frames
18-77
Ends on Frame
110 (Grounded)
Damage:
?
Aether, aside from being Ike’s primary recovery move, is also useful as an offensive move in some sparse situations. The hitbox breaks for a frame or two occasionally but lasts for a total duration of 59 frames from the first hit to the last. It has pretty bad landing lag, which can be avoided by grabbing a ledge while coming down. It can deal anywhere from 1% to over 20% damage depending on how long your opponent is caught in it and what sections of the hitbox affect them (see the hitbox visual). Another thing to note is that Aether provides Super Armor frames from frame 18-38 of the animation.
One interesting thing about Aether is that if you land with it on a slope of the stage, you will slide down the slope, the total slide distance varying greatly from stage to stage. This obviously means that on some stages, you can reduce the risk factor of landing on-stage with Aether by sliding back or retreating after landing. Some stages this works well on are the beach sections of Delfino Plaza, the second transformation of Frigate Orpheon, the first part of Halberd, some sections of Castle Siege, the small slope near the bow of the Rainbow Cruise ship, and the small slopes on Brinstar.
Aether can also be used in platform sharking to some extent. It can be difficult to pressure platforms that are out of short-hop and ground attack range, but Aether, if used sparingly and carefully, can solve this issue. Use Aether from the ground or after a short-hop to attack platforms like the top one on Battlefield, some of the higher ones on Delfino Plaza, and the middle Brinstar platform. It will easily punish spot-dodges or rolls and deal a good amount of damage. If you think your opponent may shield it, do the Aether near the edge of the platform so you can then move back a bit and land down on the stage, making it harder to punish.
Other uses for Aether are occasional edge-guarding and mild planking. Because of it’s enormous vertical reach, you can catch an opponent who is recovering high above the ledge with an Aether and then grab the ledge yourself on the way down so that you are safe even if you missed. While Ike is coming down with Aether, the hitbox will spike (see the hitbox visual), making it a great edge-guard move for characters who lack vertical recovery, like DK, Bowser and Luigi after he has used his second jump. Aether will only spike successfully if you grab the ledge however; the hitbox for landing on the stage will pop your opponent up into the air.
As for planking, it can be dangerous on many stages, but stages that have a slope under the ledge are relatively safe for this. Basically, on a stage like Battlefield or Smashville, drop off the ledge and move in towards the stage a bit, using Aether from under the stage but not past where the slope ends. On his way up, Ike will slide back out to where the ledge is and grab it again on his way down. This means you can have the initial hitboxes for Aether further in on the stage, and then retreat back afterwards. Along with dealing some extra damage to opponent’s who wander too close to the ledge, this can be used to force opponents to retreat, giving you room to get up after recovering. Keep in mind though that after grabbing the ledge 5 times consecutively with Aether, you will just fall past the ledge for an SD.
Counter
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Rating:
Effect on Frames
11-33
Ends on Frame
60
Damage:
?
Ike’s Counter is a very risky move to employ, and there is a better option for many of it’s conceivable uses. It will counter the opponent’s attack anywhere between frames 11 and 33, although frame 11 does not come fast enough for you to counter anything on reaction unless it is a very slow attack. It has pretty bad ending lag, and will deal 10% damage or more depending on how strong the countered attack was.
Since you cannot use this move on reaction for the vast majority of opponent’s attacks, you have to make hard reads if you want to connect with it, and then hope your opponent doesn’t read you back and punish. It is usually not worth it to use Counter against moves dealing moderate or weak damage (20% or less), since many of Ike’s other moves will do more damage and are safer. Counter can be used against some recoveries such as another Ike's, DK's, etc.
Obviously if a Ganondorf or Captain Falcon uses their punch, Counter away and watch them get knocked flying stronger than they would have done to you. Likewise if an opponent is charging a smash attack unwarily. Otherwise though, most uses of Counter are risky, situational, inconsistent or just not nearly as good as other options that Ike has available to him.
~~~~~ Throws ~~~~~
Pummel
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Rating:
Hits on Frame
5
Ends on Frame
25
Damage:
3%
Ike’s pummel is a great way to tack on some extra damage every time you grab your opponent. It will deal 3% damage fresh, and can safely be done a few times each grab after your opponent reaches 30-40%. Using your pummel will also refresh your other moves. Try to learn the timing of tapping A to pummel quickly, as opposed to just mashing the button; try it out in practice mode to see what rhythm allows Ike to pummel the fastest.
Forward Throw
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Rating:
Hits on Frames
5-6
Ends on Frame
24
Damage:
6%
Forward Throw (or Fthrow) has some uses at low and high percents, and is all-around very similar to Back Throw. This is Ike’s fastest throw to start and end, which is useful to know for doubles matches. It will do 6% damage fresh and could not possibly KO your opponent unless they were at ~800% and had a bad recovery. You can Fthrow almost all characters against a wall and re-grab them instantly until just over 100% damage.
Thankfully, Ike has other options to KO, and Fthrow’s primary uses are to string attacks at low percents and to get your opponent off-stage at high percents. Fthrow has no guaranteed follow-ups, but you can try following it up with another grab, an Nair or Usmash if you think they will spot-dodge, and a DA at middling to high percents. Fthrow is a good move in it's own right, but realistically you’ll want to use Back Throw more often. Fthrow once in awhile to deal an extra 6% if Back Throw gets stale.
Back Throw
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Rating:
Hits on Frame
20
Ends on Frame
33
Damage:
6%
Back Throw (or Bthrow) is Ike’s best throw and definitely the throw you should be using most often during matches. There are only 13 frames between when you throw your opponent and when you are able to perform an action, and the implications of this are outlined fully in the section Following up Throws later in the guide. Bthrow will deal 6% damage when it is fresh and also cannot be used to KO, even though it is somewhat stronger than Fthrow.
Bthrow can do everything Fthrow can, but better. At low percents you can reach your opponent quicker to re-grab if they shield or punish with Jabs/Nair if they spot-dodge. DA is a great follow-up to Bthrow and is even guaranteed on some characters at certain percents (more on that later in the guide as well). Bthrow followed up with a DA or even just Bthrow by itself near the ledge are excellent ways to get your opponent off-stage and prepare for an edge-guard.
Up Throw
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Rating:
Hits on Frame
26
Ends on Frame
55
Damage:
6%
Ike’s Up Throw (or Uthrow) is a very useless throw when compared with his others. It’s only viable use is to toss your opponents onto a platform above you (to set up for sharking) once Down Throw becomes too strong for that purpose. The problem with Uthrow is that it takes so long to end, following it up is very difficult. Really you shouldn’t be using this throw at all considering your other options.
Down Throw
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Rating:
Hits on Frames
35-39
Ends on Frame
58
Damage:
6%
Down Throw (or Dthrow) is a good throw that has definite uses at low percents. You should not use Dthrow in a doubles match with another opponent nearby, due to how long it takes the hitbox to come out and just how long it takes in general. Like all of Ike’s other throws, Dthrow also deals 6% damage, but it can be used to KO as early as 160% if it’s fresh on a stage with a low ceiling. This does not make it a reliable KO move at all, more a last-ditch one if you can’t hit with anything else.
Dthrow can be used at low percents to pop opponents up onto platforms above you so that you can then shark them with other attacks. Even without platforms, you can follow up Dthrow with an Nair, Uair or Usmash at low percents, particularly if your opponent air-dodges and you manage to read it. Be aware that Dthrow can be influenced by DI very easily, even at low percents, so do not try anything like Aether after it, because it is not at all guaranteed and will likely get you punished.[/collapse]
Sorry it's just, I'm not exactly keen on getting moveset advice from someone who may not even use Ike (no offense if you do, but I wouldn't know)... particularly when that advice advocates Jab -> Bair and Eruption, lol. I just figured you meant advice on doubles situations, not individual critiques.
= joking
