Optimal down air combo

[DrizzyDrew]

After you land a down air you can pretty much do anything...down smash, up smash, f smash (if you facing the right way) and even up tilts. What is the most damaging combo after you land a down air and your opponent is standing on the stage.

At low percents after the down air I will go into his up tilts and when the opponent is above me I will try to go for a up air and follow up with up airs with each float.

At high percents I usually go for the down smash and hopefully the kill

How do you approach Kirbys best combo starter?

 

[Togii]

Depends on who I'm facing. At mid-percents: if they're a fast faller or heavyweight, I'll go for utilts. If they're a floaty, I'll go for dtilt into grab. I do a bunch of different things depending on the situation.

 

[Stoven]

I mix it up because a lot of people know what Kirby mains do after a Down air, so i mixed it up. a lot of people shield my down air so i go for a grab or a spot dodge (if they're going for a grab) . if there above 70% i go for a Dtilt and maybe tripping them into a grab. So i mix it up so i can be unpredictable with my follow ups after down air.

 

[DrizzyDrew]

I mix it up because a lot of people know what Kirby mains do after a Down air, so i mixed it up. a lot of people shield my down air so i go for a grab or a spot dodge (if they're going for a grab) . if there above 70% i go for a Dtilt and maybe tripping them into a grab. So i mix it up so i can be unpredictable with my follow ups after down air.

usually I find doing the down air at mid percents like 50 and up the opponent is popped up and they cant block my down smash, but your right. Mixing it up is good

 

[Mazdamaxsti]

D-air to any smash isn't true. They can always shield it.

I usually go for u-tilts, since u-tilt u-air works until like 90% on anyone who doesn't have an OP sex kick (cough yoshi).

At low percents, u-tilt b-air is my main string tho.

 

[Asdioh]

Utilt into Upsmash is optimal at lower percents on many characters, when applicable. It does more damage than Upair, is easier to execute, and is more likely a true combo than Upair. I dunno if it's just me, but I haven't been able to get Uptilt->Upair reliably at low percents anymore, people can often airdodge or aerial out of it. Upsmash does more damage, and has a similar end result to upair.
Although, if Uptilt->Footstool->Stone is reliable, that may end up being our best option o_o

 

[SapphSabre777]

In terms of damaging D-Air combos, it really comes down to percents. At low %s, we can go for a myriad of things. D-Air -> U-Tilt -> B-Air/U-Smash seems to be the general consensus, but both options are very nit-picky with the %s, as well as what to do to get the last part to connect (U-Tilt -> U-Smash works mostly, if not always, after sourspot U-Tilt, if I recall).

Personally, for optimal D-Air combos, I now use D-Air as a means to get the opponent into a disadvantageous position after a punish moreso than a combo starter. D-Air -> Grab, D-Tilt, F-Tilt, U-Tilt, Jab, SH aerials can put opponents where Kirby wants, giving him stage control (which we need, since Kirby has a lack of approaching options) and adding damage. As Kirbys, we need to mix this up, not just from what we do after D-Air, but before we even do it, otherwise we get slaughtered.

We can cause a massive mix up by just FFing and going for grab (or Hup Cancelling, just to intimidate with sensory reactions) or crossing up on shield with D-Air, using U-Tilt and other fast moves to help out with punishing the turnaround, where applicable. By doing these, we can condition our opponents on doing one thing, and counter, remaining unpredictable, which is what Kirby needs to retain at all times to be effective, most specifically, keeping D-Air as a viable, unpredictable option.

Sorry for the little mini-lecture. I just like talking about these things, despite my lack of experience when compared to the other Kirby mains, but I want to help out.

 

[Stoven]

Although, if Uptilt->Footstool->Stone is reliable, that may end up being our best option o_o

I've been doing that on big and heavy chars and its a great for low %'s. You maybe can up smash a person at %100 and it can kill. the only thing is that, your enemy can shield it

 

[Kaladin]

Condition them to shieldgrab you out of dair. Dair to stone to hammer is the optimal combo with a bit of conditioning /evil cackle/

 

[Mega-Spider]

D-Air is Kirby's best move if you ask me. It has a lot of diverse set-ups you can do, not with just tilts and smash attacks. In my case, I love to go into Kirby's jab on low percentages, and D-Smash on later percentages. You can also grab, but I haven't tried that out too much, but it can be a good way to catch your opponents off guard if they shield it.

 

[Kaladin]

D-Air is Kirby's best move if you ask me. It has a lot of diverse set-ups you can do, not with just tilts and smash attacks. In my case, I love to go into Kirby's jab on low percentages, and D-Smash on later percentages. You can also grab, but I haven't tried that out too much, but it can be a good way to catch your opponents off guard if they shield it.

If they shield dair, it is an instant free stone shield break. No reason to do anything else.

 

[Mega-Spider]

If they shield dair, it is an instant free stone shield break. No reason to do anything else.

I never thought of doing that. Then again, I don't really use Stone since it can be spammed, and very predictable. I've been told to use it to catch my opponent's off guard in the air, but that has rarely worked. How much shield damage does it do?

 

[Kaladin]

I never thought of doing that. Then again, I don't really use Stone since it can be spammed, and very predictable. I've been told to use it to catch my opponent's off guard in the air, but that has rarely worked. How much shield damage does it do?

A lot. Dair+stone will break a full shield.

 

[Mazdamaxsti]

If they shield dair, it is an instant free stone shield break. No reason to do anything else.

I can guaruntee this doesn't work since you can be shield-grabbed out of d-air, plus d-air doesn't have enough shield-stun to actually get this to work on high level players. @ Kaladin

 

[Asdioh]

If they shield dair, it is an instant free stone shield break. No reason to do anything else.

This won't work ever please no

 

[Kaladin]

Erm, I labbed this with some of my buddies last week. They said they couldn't act out of it.

They don't really know how to play the game though... Maybe they were doing something wrong. If that's the case, my bad.

 

[Mazdamaxsti]

Erm, I labbed this with some of my buddies last week. They said they couldn't act out of it.

They don't really know how to play the game though... Maybe they were doing something wrong. If that's the case, my bad.

Did they try to shield grab you?

 

[Kaladin]

Did they try to shield grab you?

Yes. (Character requirement)

 

[Mazdamaxsti]

Yes. (Character requirement)

Then they weren't doing it right, since d-air can be shield grabbed by every character. Send us video proof so we can analyze it, maybe youre being too simple in your explanation.

 

[Paxadin]

At higher percents, I find that Dair to Grab then pummel to down-throw does a massive amount of damage.
You can usually get a good 30-40% in there if you got the Dair to connect, depending on how quick they button mash.
However, if they're around 170%, I'll pummel to up-throw for the kill.

 

[DrizzyDrew]

I am find that you have to be at a certain height and get all the hit of the down air to get a true down smash punsih..anyone else notice this? At lower heights they will block it

 

[Paxadin]

I am find that you have to be at a certain height and get all the hit of the down air to get a true down smash punsih..anyone else notice this? At lower heights they will block it

Vs Zelda it always connects... it's pretty sad.

 

[DrizzyDrew]

Vs Zelda it always connects... it's pretty sad.

Interesting...
In your defense doing that up-b mostly connects. Hate that move lol

 

[Fanttum]

Vs Zelda it always connects... it's pretty sad.

If you get the spike on the last hit, and they fail to tech, you can then safely down smash on most characters. Unsure of values, but could test.

Also some of the lighter members of the cast will get hit up enough during Dair that a follow up down smash can hit most of their options. However if hit too high up you might get the weak hits of down smash which won't kill, or they can escape.