Options in Neutral

[WoolMoth]

I'm just wondering what are samus's best options in neutral. I'm trying to improve my neutral game and want to share my opinions plus possibly get any tips. The basis on what I know or at least do is empty hop a lot mixed with airials, zairs, projectiles, and grabs. But I want to discuss all of the options. Forgive me if I am wrong about some things, this is why I am posting after all!

We can space zairs which are really good and not every character has answers for them, but they only do 4% and eventually we have to get in. What can we get off of zairs besides maybe a grab or dash attack at low percents.

CS can be used at any strength but CS in neutral gets predictable very easily so it's best used for a mix up/read/guarenteed to finish off of stock IMO.

I have a mixed opinion on super missiles. They force the opponent to either shield or jump which can be punished but since the move takes so long most of the time you get punished for it unless your opponent doesn't power shield which good players shouldn't. You can fire the CS right after it either at the same level or trying to read a jump which can result in a kill or shield break but again, good opponents should be able to avoid it. So most of the time the safest use of super missile is very far away but at that distance it is easily dodge able.

Homing missiles I think are usually better because you can fire multiple creating this wierd wall which opponents can struggle figuring out what to do with. You can follow up with a grab if their shielding or a super missile/CS to get them off guard or pressure their shield.

I don't really see bombs in neutral that helpful unless you just want to create space because not much people go near them in fear of damage or CS if you have one, at least from my experience.

Grab in neutrals in general should not happen unless you have a solid read as obviously they are punishable. Mix up out of empty hop works well.

Fairs can be used in full hops to intercept aerials.

Nairs can be used to land but not safe on shield. Mainly used as a short hop mix up.

Bairs are also safe on shield if maxed space.

Full hop dairs are safe on shield at max height and auto cancel. Problem is then you risk the landing after which is bad for samus.

Uair is our fastest aerial and can net a lot of follow ups if landed while landing. You can sometimes Uair on shield and while landing behind them. This is still punishable if your opponent is quick enough, at least from my experience. If that happens I sometimes follow up with a jab or something to quickly get away. I would like to know other uses for Uairs if there are any.

Jab 1 is roughly safe but doesn't get much reward.

Dash attack is a really good combo starter and mix up/punish. The problem is, it gets too predictable too fast and is really punishable even if you cross up their shield.

Dtilt can be used to catch people off guards as it comes out quickly but there are no guarenteed follow ups and is punishable on wiff.

Utilt can be used as an anti airial and while oppoents are on plat forms.

Fsmash is extremely quick and can be used well but is punsihable on whiff. Pivot Fsmash works well as a mix up and punish but use it too much and it become very predictable.

My biggest question is on foward tilt. How much did the new buff give? Before ftilt sour spot was punishable on hit so I am wondering just how much better it got as a tool in neutral. In my experience it is roughly the same only slightly safer on hit of shield. But fast characters can still punish if shielded. Pivot ftilt I think is now a really good option as opposed to short hop backwards.

Let me know if I missed some options or am wrong about some opinions.

 

[Scream]

In Neutral think more about getting a read on the opponents appraoch.
Samus is much more efficient in preventing approaches.

Use Zair, Missiles etc. to force an approach and counter it.
To get the right read on the way he will react you have to closely observe what he does to get around you tools.

Simple examples:
After you fire a homing missiles you see him jumping over your it. The next time you will meet him in the air and Fair/upair him.
He tries to duck under your Zair with a Dash attack, next time you empty hop backwards and Nair him while he whiffs his DA.

After both situations you are now at Advantage and can capitalize.

The Key is to stay safge until you know what he is going to do.

Jab 1 doeent get you a lot in terms of damage, like you mentioned, but you learn a lot about what he will do after.
Example: After you Jab 1 his shield from a safe distance what is he going to do? Roll into you? Roll away? Jab himself? Stay in shield? You are able to counter every single one of these options. While he gains nothing out of it you gain the advantage of knowledge.

Perfecting thus neutral "Dance" is hard. Like is said dont think of your tools in terms of damage but what knowledge you can gain from your opponents reaction. After that its just knwing the right way to counteract.

 

[Ometeotl]

Zair into grab in early percentages. Trust me, it works most of the time.

 

[ZeldaFan98]

Zair into grab in early percentages. Trust me, it works most of the time.

Zair into grab seems situational. They can jump away for me usually so I only use it after they burn the double jump and have to land.

 

[DungeonMaster]

Z-air combos into DA. It should become the basis of your neutral game. If you just zair, it's 4%. If you zair DA it's 14% + follow ups.
Z-air stops comboing into DA and starts to produce a tech chase. Then Z-air combos into itself at high %.
That's the basic flow of Z-air you can see from my combo video and should form the foundation of your neutral game. Z-air IS our neutral game, it's a safe, combo, poke.
Once you can consistently Z-air DA, your neutral game jumps a notch.

Super missile combos into DA, z-air. It's an option, not a great option since it's smash-attack-level of commitment, but if people disrespect SM you should make them pay.

Cross up DA is no longer as safe as it used to be, but quite close. It's an essential skill.

Up-tilt is a combo starter, safe on shield when spaced correctly.

N-air is your best jump-in out of a SHAD at low percents. N-air -> D-tilt/F-tilt/DA is very effective vs. slow grabs.

Z-air is key to unlocking Jab1 combos. Jab 1+2 is a default, but poor option. Look a the combo video for the crouch-canceled variants. Falling Up-air -> Jab 1 -> Dtilt can be 20+ damage.
It's not trivial damage, yes it's much more technical and difficult than say bayonetta or mac, but this is a technical, difficult character.

We don't dictate neutral, that's the nature of this character, you have to work around the opponent's options which are dominant. You're constantly fishing for your combo starters
within their dominant neutral game, get that one starter in, charge the shot, push them offstage and kill.

 

[ZeldaFan98]

I learned that I was playing the wrong character today. I wanted to play her because of Izaw's Art of Samus but being dominated in neutral tends to make me play worse :/

thanks for the notes DungeonMaster

 

[Hark17ball]

I learned that I was playing the wrong character today. I wanted to play her because of Izaw's Art of Samus but being dominated in neutral tends to make me play worse :/

thanks for the notes DungeonMaster

It takes time and knowledge. You will always have your work cut out for you as nothing comes easy for her. She doesn't have massive Hitboxes and insane strength for early kills. She rewards sound choices and throwing the opponent off their tempo. She doesn't win neutral she manipulates the opponents.

 

[The Butt Rumbler]

It takes time and knowledge. You will always have your work cut out for you as nothing comes easy for her. She doesn't have massive Hitboxes and insane strength for early kills. She rewards sound choices and throwing the opponent off their tempo. She doesn't win neutral she manipulates the opponents.

^ This

You have to play around how your opponent is playing in order to make the right decisions in neutral with Samus. It's advised that you do your best to make the best use of Charge Shot as well in neutral, as once you get to higher percents, your opponents MUST respect CS, or face potentially losing a stock. You can mind game pretty well just by holding onto a full Charge Shot as is.

 

[Ometeotl]

Zair into grab seems situational. They can jump away for me usually so I only use it after they burn the double jump and have to land.

Yes, situational, like every other move outside z-air. That's why you have to mix up it when needed. I may have exaggerated a little bit by saying it works most of the time but it's a great option. If it doesn't work, then dash attack, if you're too close, jab and try to z-air again, or z-air into s-tilt or z-air into f-smash.

 

[Shuckle_SSB]

Super Missile Rush can be a handy tool in neutral at times. With enough range (space) between you and your opponent, and given your opponent does not have a reflector, it creates strong pressure and mindgames. Also, super missiles at certain percents allow for follow-ups; such as Zair, CS, or if you are close enough even an aerial.

If you don't know what SMR (Super Missile Rush) is, it is where you slowly approach your opponent on the ground with repetitive super missiles. The input is simple: smash side B (super missile), tap again in that direction to dash, cancel dash animation skid with another smash side B, rinse/repeat. It actually works wonders if your opponent isn't perfect shielding all of them.