Official Link Question and Answer Thread

[NintenJoe]

I don't know what momentum cancel is and I being in Link's fomus like for 6 mouth now? 0,o ?_?

Now, Survival DI serves another purpose other than reaching the ledge, DI helps one survive at ludicrously high percentages when used correctly. This form of Survival DI is called Momentum Cancelling. Momentum Cancelling is a bit trickier, and involves quick reaction time and sharp attentiveness. Just like with Survival DI, you will hold up (only when hit left or right) and mash C-Stick left to perform a Bair. The difference derives in Momentum Cancelling’s utility of a fast fall and jump to cancel most (if not all) of Link’s momentum. Basically, when hit, hold up, press C-Stick to perform Bair a lot, fast fall at the earliest opportunity, then jump to eliminate most of Link’s momentum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hQIy7P7RWo

Arkive's Guide to momentum cancelling

 

[sasook]

One last question: Does the second hit of F-Smash have a larger knock back than the first?

First hit has more horizontal knockback, and does most damage when hit near the tip. Second hit has more vertical knockback, and does most damage when hit near the hilt.

I'm having trouble with the bomb slide, I keep doing the fake throw instead of the real one. Any tips?

Read the FAQ, turn tap jump off, and practice like crazy. You could do it in slower speeds if you want to. Personally, I learned in real time from the start, but it's up to you.

Whether you want to use your second jump immediately or save it is up to you though; it can make you very vulnerable to a gimp or edgehog.

I say save it, we need that second jump. Using it is like telling the opponent "ok gimp me"

 

[Deleted member]

Hey Arkive, do you have to fastfall in order to momentum cancel or it ok if you just bair then jump? If you do have to fastfall, is there ever a time where it would be a bad idea to do so?

a lot of people say to bair then jump but that doesn't cancel as much knockback as the FF. bair > FF > jump does basically nothing to help you. at higher %'s like when i got fsmashed by marth at 190%, if you jump out of that you jump into the right blastzone thus killing yourself instead of saving yourself.

What's better to end a jab lock with supposing you've successfully unstaled all your moves with jabs and you walked them to the edge of the stage....F-Smash or Spin Attack for them to reach the horizontal blast zone? Anyone really test this one out?

fsmash

you can whiff the up b which would be a ***** after doing all that work and not getting a kill from it

One last question: Does the second hit of F-Smash have a larger knock back than the first?

yea

 

[Lunar6]

And no Link does not have a white costume, everyone own up and admit it's lavender. If not you fail colors. Just look:

Come on! I know you see that costume has color and is not white.

QFT.

The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters

 

[Anonano]

QFT.

The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters

I love doing that when my messages are too short, lol.

But seriously, on the topic of DI-ing...

Momentum cancel- using an aerial to slow your flying speed (it works!)
DI- Directional Influence. Pressing a direction on the analog stick while in a knockback animation (such as hitstun and hitlag; just know that these mean you are still in the process of getting knocked back and can't perform any moves or techniques, aside from airdodging, which is a BAD habit). When you press the analog stick in a certain direction, you will automatically gain momentum moving in that direction. For example: If you were flying at 1000 mph to the left, and you pressed right on the analog stick, you would suddenly gain 200 mph going to the right. In short, you will now be moving left at a rate of 800 mph.


So doesn't fastfalling make you more vulnerable to gimping?
No. The fastfall part only lasts until you jump. Further, if you've DI'ed correctly you will have DI'ed towards the stage and up.

Why does everyone suggest using the c-stick to use your backward aerial?
First of all, the c-stick incorporates Smash DI, which is like normal DI, but using the c-stick instead of the analog stick. There are certain other properties to it that I won't explain. Your back aerial is the fastest aerial to help you momentum cancel, and also has the least lag after the attack, giving you more time to cancel your fastfall by jumping.

So how to DI properly and in order, so that you can get back to the stage:
You get hit.
Immediately DI up and towards the stage.
As soon as hitstun wears off (when you can finally do attacks again, NOT airdodge) hit the C-stick away from the stage, fastfall with the analog stick.
As soon as your aerial is ended, jump towards the stage.
[Insert anything else you do to get back to the stage here]

Correct me if I am wrong Arkive.

 

[Chis]

How does Link deal with pressure. I always feel that my oppennet is waiting for me to react so they can avoid the attack and strike back :'(

 

[NintenJoe]

How does Link deal with pressure. I always feel that my oppennet is waiting for me to react so they can avoid the attack and strike back :'(

Zair and spacing are the key to pressure. Oncoming opponents should be stopped with a well placed pivot boost->Fsmash/Ftilt/Dsmash or a Zair depending on their height.

 

[Soldner Kei]

Hey guys, I want to know some tips to play against G&W, I try some stuff but still that stupid turtle gets in the way ¬¬... and the fishbowl... ah, so annoying... as far as I know it isn't a pretty nice match up, so, how do you deal with it?

 

[Deleted member]

Hey guys, I want to know some tips to play against G&W, I try some stuff but still that stupid turtle gets in the way ¬¬... and the fishbowl... ah, so annoying... as far as I know it isn't a pretty nice match up, so, how do you deal with it?

this is where i differ from everybody else's opinions

G&W does NOT **** link, not even close, i've played some crazy good G&W's and i've never had a problem with any of them.

you can EASILY out space G&W, out spam him, and absolutely shut down his game. if they bair spam you, zair spam him. if the nair and bair are really giving you problems just DI out of it, thats probably the main reason y G&W is trash imo. at high %'s watch for the usmash and fsmash kill, both those moves kill at ~100% no matter how you DI. edge guard him by dropping bombs down low and dair right next to the ledge, if they hit the bomb they hit your dair. arrows also work if he's out far. kill moves in this match are fsmash, dair, dsmash and utilt if its fresh. spacing is a must, if you're spacing is bad then i guess this match up would be difficult.

 

[FEaR.7]

I agree with Arkive, G&W is really not that bad of a matchup. I play a very good G&W every now and then and while our matches are pretty close, I win most of the time.

Arkive knows it, its about spacing.

 

[Swordplay]

How does Link deal with pressure. I always feel that my oppennet is waiting for me to react so they can avoid the attack and strike back :'(

When I'm in trouble I personally use Arrow canceling. This allows me to interrupt my opponents action and gives me enough time to recover from bad positions.

If your just dueling it out. Be sure to use you projectiles and zair. Link can't deal with pressure that well because he is slow. Fortunately he has the tools to keep most pressure games at bay. Just don't get into pressure situations. Space well and counter pick. That's all I got for you.

Hey guys, I want to know some tips to play against G&W, I try some stuff but still that stupid turtle gets in the way ¬¬... and the fishbowl... ah, so annoying... as far as I know it isn't a pretty nice match up, so, how do you deal with it?

Arkive and Fear are right. You can DI out of those multi hit moves.


What scares me the most in this matchup is the trumpet (his U-air) it puts me in the worst positions and it always ends up killing me in the end. Trumpet is my downfall when it comes to G&W. Anybody have a safe way to get down from that position?

 

[Soldner Kei]

yeah, you're right guys, I mean, it's true G&W do not ***** Link, I ended up losing to 1 stock every game, the problem was not spacing (z-airs and stuff) but whenever I switched to offensive there was a turtle in my face... but yeah... DI makes wonders

thanks a lot for the tips Arkive, Fear and Swordplay =)

 

[Rambo Hayabusa]

DI related: Does air dodge > z air or bomb work for momentum cancelling?

Recovery related: From offstage, jumps used up, bomb in hand- does throwing the bomb up in the air and then using UpB into the explosion of the bomb falling have any difference in timing opposed to just holding onto the bomb and using UpB to explode?

 

[Legan]

DI related: Does air dodge > z air or bomb work for momentum cancelling?


Recovery related: From offstage, jumps used up, bomb in hand- does throwing the bomb up in the air and then using UpB into the explosion of the bomb falling have any difference in timing opposed to just holding onto the bomb and using UpB to explode?

First question= No

as for the second, Up B'ing into the bomb gives you better DI but it's much harder to perform and also very situational. Ill only use it if Im sure the bomb will explode before my Up B will fail me. Throwing the bomb up allows it to cook mayb a second or so longer.

 

[Anonano]

DI related: Does air dodge > z air or bomb work for momentum cancelling?

Recovery related: From offstage, jumps used up, bomb in hand- does throwing the bomb up in the air and then using UpB into the explosion of the bomb falling have any difference in timing opposed to just holding onto the bomb and using UpB to explode?

You can't hit the bomb and blow yourself up, so holding onto the bomb and hoping it explodes is the safest course... but it's rather unlikely to explode in time, so don't rely on it.

The Zair does not assist your DI, and in fact actually prevents you from DI-ing in time. Bomb throw doesn't help either, but I'd throw it just so I could DO the normal DI.

 

[Deleted member]

if you're holding a bomb and you need to momentum cancel, throw the bomb in the direction you're going and then do a bair, you'll ZAC the bomb

 

[Onomanic]

Wow, happy 50 pages O_o :D

 

[Toten]

How to perform "Up+A Smash while moving" with Nuncuck.

I want to know how you can do the Up+A Smash while moving, also known as ?, using the Nintendo Wiimote + Nunchuck. I have already watched a video on youtube, where a guy explains how to make this technique, but he uses a GameCubeController. Eventough I tried to do it, I couldn't. I don't know what are the equivalents of the buttons he mentions.

So, do you know how to perform this technique using a Nunchuck?

 

[Swordplay]

How to perform "Up+A Smash while moving" with Nuncuck.

I want to know how you can do the Up+A Smash while moving, also known as ?, using the Nintendo Wiimote + Nunchuck. I have already watched a video on youtube, where a guy explains how to make this technique, but he uses a GameCubeController. Eventough I tried to do it, I couldn't. I don't know what are the equivalents of the buttons he mentions.

So, do you know how to perform this technique using a Nunchuck?

Pretty easily. Just turn shakesmash on in the controller settings.

Run foward
press the attack button to do a Dash attack
take your wiimote and jerk it upwards (Quick motion) immediately afterward.

 

[Toten]

And can you do the same thing using Up Smash with the Control pad? I mean, you can put Smash attacks in the four directions of d-pad. Or can you do it without shakesmash?

 

[Toten]

And is this DAC a glitch or was it intented by the developers?

 

[Toten]

I just tried it, but it doesn't work with the shakesmash. It does either the normal dash attack or it does the up smash. I really shake it quickly, till the point I get tired.

 

[sasook]

Dude, you can edit your posts you know. Every time you have a new thing to say and no one has replied, don't add a new post, just edit your original. Triple post O_o

And if you're really having so much trouble with it, just buy a GCN controller. It's much easier and better for Link overall.

 

[SuSa]

And can you do the same thing using Up Smash with the Control pad? I mean, you can put Smash attacks in the four directions of d-pad. Or can you do it without shakesmash?

If you're fast enough, that'll work.

And is this DAC a glitch or was it intented by the developers?

I would think they didn't mean for people to cancel an animation in favor of another animation thats allowed while running (Usmash, hence why we can't DAC with any other smash).

So it's safe to say it's a glitch.

I just tried it, but it doesn't work with the shakesmash. It does either the normal dash attack or it does the up smash. I really shake it quickly, till the point I get tired.

No, it works. You're just to slow. (no offence) but I can only do it like 1/10 tries on the wiimote+nunchuck, so I'm to slow as well.

I use GC

 

[Wafflez]

Everyone uses Gamecube controllers.

Nobody really uses Wiimotes any more...

 

[Oddler]

Is there an official name for the tiny momentum Link gets from taking like two and a half steps forward into sliding F-Tilts? A pivot boost without the pivot....a normal walking boost almost. Is there an actual name for it?

 

[Swordplay]

If you do it TOO fast, the game won't read the motion and you won't DAC

You can do with with the pad buttons. However, Its nearly impossible to get the timing.

 

[sasook]

Is there an official name for the tiny momentum Link gets from taking like two and a half steps forward into sliding F-Tilts? A pivot boost without the pivot....a normal walking boost almost. Is there an actual name for it?

Yes, they're called smooth boots.

 

[SuSa]

Everyone uses Gamecube controllers.

Nobody really uses Wiimotes any more...

go say that to ultimate razer, great snake player in texas and uses wiimote+nunchuck, lol

 

[Toten]

I just figured out how to perform DAC almost flawless using the Wiimote + Nunchuck. I don't do it 100% yet, but most of the time it does work. You just need to put Smash Attacks in the D-pad. Then you do a dash with the Joystiq (pressing sideways fast) and then you press down and up on the D-pad as fast or with good timing. Since the D-pad up and down arrows are so close it's not hard to get the good timing. You can slide your finger, starting from the down arrow of the D-pad to the up arrow.

And thanks for the help guys! Couldn't have figured this out without any of your help!

 

[Wafflez]

go say that to ultimate razer, great snake player in texas and uses wiimote+nunchuck, lol

Oh yeah? Well give me his address and I'll prove to him once and for all that Gamecube Controllers are superior!

*Gets Ftilted*

 

[Chis]

I was having this fight with a Link mainer then something weird happened. He Up tilted me and it drove me into the ground... It looked a bit like a spike...

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Oddler]

Was probably his down tilt that did that since our Down Tilt has a tendency to spike occasionally...never seen it with the up tilt though my friend.

 

[HeroMystic]

I was having this fight with a Link mainer then something weird happened. He Up tilted me and it drove me into the ground... It looked a bit like a spike...

Any thoughts on this?

Alot of character boards been having this lately. It's just bad DI.

 

[SuSa]

@Oddler

It's a utilt

Did you know:

Link vs Link both at 0% (or the one thats going to get hit) utilt 3 times and have the Link thats getting hit hold DOWN.


Did you know part 2?

Snake at 0%-41% instant.

Shield drop grenade > Shield Drop grenade > SH Drop c4 > Explode C4 > Di down > tech stage

wait.. what? ALL THREE OF THOSE EXPLOSIVES ARE SUPPOSED TO HIT YOU UP! (also works with just 1 grenade at 0%)

 

[Oddler]

That's news to me....the UP Tilt stage spike part at least lol

Man...I'm getting irritated trying to set up a jab lock in a real match. I've seen Ryutos jab lock video a million times and they all work great on non moving NPCs but man I wanna pull my hair out. I'm spamming boomerang left and right and I can only knock them down and be able to reach them one out of a hundred billion times <_<

I wanna center my entire game around setting people up with a jab lock and walking them across the stage into a smash.I'm great at the rhythm part but I just can never reach them in time when they're on the ground after a hit from the boomerang >_>. I'm starting to feel like a noob from losing trying to set it up while spamming boomerangs left and right.

I'm partly venting cus I'm irritated at how unoften I can reach them after hitting them with the boomerang...anyone here great at getting people in wobble animation to jab lock them wanna share a few pointers please?

 

[Looticforgothispassword]

That's news to me....the UP Tilt stage spike part at least lol

Man...I'm getting irritated trying to set up a jab lock in a real match. I've seen Ryutos jab lock video a million times and they all work great on non moving NPCs but man I wanna pull my hair out. I'm spamming boomerang left and right and I can only knock them down and be able to reach them one out of a hundred billion times <_<

I wanna center my entire game around setting people up with a jab lock and walking them across the stage into a smash.I'm great at the rhythm part but I just can never reach them in time when they're on the ground after a hit from the boomerang >_>. I'm starting to feel like a noob from losing trying to set it up while spamming boomerangs left and right.

I'm partly venting cus I'm irritated at how unoften I can reach them after hitting them with the boomerang...anyone here great at getting people in wobble animation to jab lock them wanna share a few pointers please?

You should learn bomb footstool combo. vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTWL01pmXlU
And watch how legan throws his rang. He is like super close then dashes away a short distance just so he is outside opponents reach throws the rang so it looks like he did a good old melee pivot.

 

[Face124]

How does the DACUS work? Is it possible to DAC into any other moves?

 

[sasook]

I was having this fight with a Link mainer then something weird happened. He Up tilted me and it drove me into the ground... It looked a bit like a spike...

Any thoughts on this?

You were holding your DI down. It happens with a lot of characters' utilts, like Marth's or Link's.

Man...I'm getting irritated trying to set up a jab lock in a real match...........I'm spamming boomerang left and right and I can only knock them down and be able to reach them one out of a hundred billion times <_<

I wanna center my entire game around setting people up with a jab lock and walking them across the stage into a smash.I'm great at the rhythm part but I just can never reach them in time when they're on the ground after a hit from the boomerang >_>. I'm starting to feel like a noob from losing trying to set it up while spamming boomerangs left and right.

You should learn bomb footstool combo. vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTWL01pmXlU
And watch how legan throws his rang. He is like super close then dashes away a short distance just so he is outside opponents reach throws the rang so it looks like he did a good old melee pivot.

Basically what Lootic said. I can't do the bomb footstool combo personally, mostly because I never actually try for it. But the retreating 2 steps -> pivot boomerang throw is more effective than you think. I don't try for jab locks, instead what I do is if they're on the ground I jab cancel jab 3 times, then do a charged fsmash. Like:

*knock on ground* jab -> crouch -> jab -> crouch -> jab -> charged fsmash

And most importantly, know your boomerang ranges. Know how far you can be when throwing in order to get there in time, and know how far the boomerang knockback is at point blank range.

How does the DACUS work? Is it possible to DAC into any other moves?

Dash Attack Cancel (DAC)

Learning Curve: **
Application Difficulty: *
Usefulness: ***

One of the more famous advanced techniques in brawl, it’s basically a sliding upsmash. To perform it, dash, press down on c stick to initiate the dash attack animation, then click upZ. If done correctly, Link will slide forward quite far while doing an upsmash. It takes some practice to learn, generally a lot of beginners end up doing a missed grab. Just practice it. Once you have it down, it becomes automatic.

So why is this useful? One thing, it can really catch your opponent offguard, especially campers. However, it's not spammable like Snake's, so don't even think about it. Combo into it from several moves. Back air, Z air, forward throw, back throw, neutral air, the list is pretty long. The most common and most effective is the back throw. The knockback of that throw isn't far, and the opponent stays relatively low.

This move is also the reason up smash is a damage racker, and not a KO move. You can use this move for some free damage. Keep in mind, this move can be charged. So if your opponent is too high and you missjudge the timing of their fall, just charge it and let loose.

It's approaching properties....though it seems perfect, it's really not that great. This move is easily, let me say that again, easily punished by shield grabs (explained later). Yes, it's good to use against someone who can easily avoid your projectiles, but at the same time, using this at the wrong time can be costly.

Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=who-6Ylkk4A

 

[Chis]

Just DI then. Thanks.

Would someone please give me a link to Ryuto's jab lock video?

I saw it a long time again but now I can't find it again...