On grabbing

[dch111]

1. Every time I get techchased and my opponent is running up to grab me, I hop to avoid getting grabbed (it's such a short interval to react that there's hardly time to do anything else)...but I was wondering if it would be worth trying to counter with a grab of my own (as soon as I get up), or if my opponents' dashing at me somehow gives them priority in who grabs who. From my experience, offensive grabbing usually wins out against defensive grabbing--if not technically, then at least psychologically. I guess what I essentially want to know is, if grabbing while running has any advantage over grabbing while standing still when they come head to head.

2. If two players grab each other with the same character at the same exact time, who wins the grab?

 

[Blue Yoshi]

1. There is no difference. If you get your grab faster, grab, but otherwise do something else. Also try to vary what you do so that you are not predictable.

2. The player with the lower port number grabs first (player 1 always grabs, player 4 never grabs, etc.). In smash 64, every frame is done in order of port, so port 1, then 2, then 3, then 4. This is usually good for lower ports (i.e. 1) for everything. The only exception to this that I know of is when two people die at the same time (tie), in which the higher ports (i.e. 4) win.

 

[Lawrencelot]

If players grab at the same time, they both miss their grab. They grab right through each other. This happens to me A LOT so it doesn't only happen with 1 frame difference or something like that. I don't know if running grabs make a difference, it probably does because there's movement involved.

 

[NixxxoN]

If players grab at the same time, they both miss their grab. They grab right through each other. This happens to me A LOT so it doesn't only happen with 1 frame difference or something like that. I don't know if running grabs make a difference, it probably does because there's movement involved.

Except for the mighty DK who grabs through other grabs

 

[Daedatheus]

From my experience, offensive grabbing usually wins out against defensive grabbing--if not technically, then at least psychologically.

I would actually say that's wrong in my experience, many times if a person is a little bit too far to techchase, or I KNOW they're going to perform a dashgrab, all I have to do to defend myself is a grab. If they're running at me I'll always grab them first because I started my grab while they were just about to press grab. It's a good counter to dashgrab whores. You'll notice it in many smash videos if you pay very close attention.

what I essentially want to know is, if grabbing while running has any advantage over grabbing while standing still when they come head to head.

So yes essentially standing still has the advantage. Technically both grabs are the same as far as frames go (I think so) but when your opponent is running, they have to run into your grab range to get you so your grab will pretty much always hit them first.

Exceptions to this are of course characters with long grab range or slow grabs - DK & Link, Samus respectively.

Of course this can be mindgamed; If I have used dashgrabs a lot and conditioned my opponent to use the standing grab counter quite a bit, I like to dash just outside of their grab/smash range and throw out a grab. This will usually habitually make them grab if they're conditioned to expect your dashgrab, then you can attack them right away before reflexes kick in, or if their zoning is in a bad spot, you can wait for their next reaction and punish it (safer, since whiffing a grab has little lag. You may not be able to always punish this of course, judge from earlier experience with that opponent).

If two players grab each other with the same character at the same exact time, who wins the grab?

As Lawrencelot said, the players will grab through each other. If a chain of these begins just throw out an SH aerial and be done with the "grab wars".

 

[Blue Yoshi]

As for the two grabs going through each other, if both characters are right in front of each other side by side (i.e. walking forward with one pushes the other forward), then yes, the grabs go through each other. If they are spaced better so that they would actually grab each other, the player with the lower port will get the grab if they grabbed at the same time.

To test this, use an emulator, and assign the 'R' button to the same key for two characters. If you grab, the lower one will always get the grab.

 

[dch111]

Ah, thanks for the explanations.

dashgrab

ooh, so there is a name for this, interesting..

 

[Surri-Sama]

I wouldn't advise trying to grab again if you and your foe both grab at the same time...

if you see this happen, use your quickest attack that you can follow up with something ( dont use fox's shine simply because its faster if you can use Dtilt and combo off of it)

 

[SuPeRbOoM]

I would use jab then maybe grab again right after

 

[Superstar]

Surri <3

Jab looks like a good followup, depending on the character, maybe.

 

[Fireblaster]

If you're luigi/mario/pika/ness, then just jabgrab.