Path of Radiance: Ike Guide and Strategy Discussion

[Arrei]

The best way to use Ftilt is as a punish at kill percentage, either with a pivot Ftilt to evade an incoming attack, punishing a roll through you, or OoS on a laggy move. If it's not going to kill, Ike generally has better options to go for like a grab or Dtilt.

 

[Deleted member 269706]

Anyone else appreciate the new hitbox behind Ike on nair. You can pull off so many combos with it, and suprise people lol. I also wanted to ask, what is the best way to use ftilt, i find it very hard to kill with and the range seems shorter than brawl ftilt.

I've actually been using Ftilt a lot more lately. I find it good as an OoS option, especially if your opponent loves to spot dodge. The small delay usually catches people who like to spot dodge too much. Also love using it on people who are landing with a move that causes lag, or someone who is recovering from missing a tech. I don't use it much due to it's delay, but it's still a great move nonetheless.

 

[Arrei]

Is it possible to catch tether recoveries with Eruption? I'm uncertain whether tether recoveries have the same frame of vulnerability upon reeling to the ledge or not.

 

[Deleted member 269706]

Is it possible to catch tether recoveries with Eruption? I'm uncertain whether tether recoveries have the same frame of vulnerability upon reeling to the ledge or not.

Tether recoveries do not grant invincibility until the player actually grabs the ledge, just like every other attack/recovery, meaning that you are still able to harm the opponent until they physically grab the ledge, and go into the animation of them holding onto the ledge. This means you are still able to harm them until they achieve the invincibility frames like any other attack.

 

[Banjobeast158]

Is it possible to get an Ftilt off after jab 1 at higher rage? Maybe at higher percents for the opponent, and is it guaranteed?

 

[Mario766]

It doesn't come out fast enough, and jab doesn't cancel well.

 

[san.]

Ftit may be used as a landing trap if the opponent is jabbed in midair. Utilt works better if you want that kill, though. Dtilt after a jab on a grounded opponent works on non-fastfallers at medium rage.

 

[Banjobeast158]

Anyone else find it somewhat tricky to deal with projectiles online? Any tips on how to get past the wall out crap; I understand its easier to do so offline but help would be appreciated.

 

[LordShade67]

Anyone else find it somewhat tricky to deal with projectiles online? Any tips on how to get past the wall out crap; I understand its easier to do so offline but help would be appreciated.

I mostly just do empty jumps and utilize Ike's improved air speed. It's probably just me, but from my observations, many projectiles are now a commitment, and once Ike gets to a certain point(Aka his sword range), they can't just mindlessly throw them out, lest they get hit by Ragnell.

Oh, and speaking of Ragnell, NAir can cancel out some projectiles. I think likewise with FAir, but I'm not positive.

 

[Mario766]

Fair cancels if you hit with the blade. Nair is safer due to the arc though.

 

[gByron]

I'm not a bad ike but I never use dair. He has better off stage or out of shield options in my opinion. What use dair has actually?

 

[Mario766]

Spiking and some traps. Otherwise stick to other aerials. Bair and fair are better off stage aerials.

 

[LordShade67]

Fair cancels if you hit with the blade. Nair is safer due to the arc though.

Yeah, that's what I figured. That, and it's probably difficult to hit a projectile and autocancel FAir afterward.

 

[Arrei]

Dair's hitbox and active frames are pretty bad, but it's his strongest aerial damage wise and possesses some decent knockback, so it's still good to use if you see an opening and can't quite land a FF Bair.

 

[Rango the Mercenary]

"A whole lotta nothing."

That's what I call the Ike strategy that involves using a lot of empty jumps and catching your enemy off-guard. Given how punishable he is, there's no better way to throw them off than to not be punishable in the first place. They can't punish you for doing nothing. I'll just jump and fast-fall repeatedly. If they run to grab me, I have a jab ready. I can also wait with DTilt. Or I'll jump down and quickly dash into a grab at close range.

 

[NeoArcadiaX_SM]

I was at the lab testing Ike's frame data with a friend. What do you guys think of jab 1 to crouch cancel to jab 1 2 and 3. My friend stated that there was nothing he could do to get out of it but I am still wary on it. Also I learned that it's best to run up and shield grab rather than just dash grab since dash grab is 10 frames whereas run up to shield grab is 8 frames.

 

[Depth_]

He knocked me out of Zero Suit's buffer Boost Kick.

 

[Mario766]

I was at the lab testing Ike's frame data with a friend. What do you guys think of jab 1 to crouch cancel to jab 1 2 and 3. My friend stated that there was nothing he could do to get out of it but I am still wary on it. Also I learned that it's best to run up and shield grab rather than just dash grab since dash grab is 10 frames whereas run up to shield grab is 8 frames.

Ike's standing grab is pretty lousy in terms of range, compared to his dash grab which is bigger. You're trading range for the shield.

Ike can't really cancel his jab 1 effectively anymore, so I dunno how good that will be.

 

[Depth_]

Ike's standing grab is pretty lousy in terms of range, compared to his dash grab which is bigger. You're trading range for the shield.

Ike can't really cancel his jab 1 effectively anymore, so I dunno how good that will be.

I see. However, Ike still may be able to get another guaranteed jab after a jab one on some characters with aerials or b moves exceeding frame 3. We've tried Jab 1 --> D-tilt too. I jumped out of that a few times. Is there anyway we can check if it can consistently be done?

 

[Mario766]

You can combat walk his jab by missing jab 2 then do a full jab combo. It still only does 11 damage though. It could be used as a mix up option but against most characters it would backfire

 

[Falkore]

This question may not be entirely Ike related, but is using the c-stick while playing more beneficial than not using it?

 

[LordShade67]

This question may not be entirely Ike related, but is using the c-stick while playing more beneficial than not using it?

For tilts, yes. For Smashes.....eh, not really. Aerials, absolutely. It's possible to autocancel SH FAir without it, but it makes it easier.

 

[Arrei]

I do think relying on the C-Stick so much is what made it so difficult for me to get used to using Nair, but it certainly feels a lot easier to do SH Fairs and Bairs with it.

 

[gByron]

For tilts, yes. For Smashes.....eh, not really. Aerials, absolutely. It's possible to autocancel SH FAir without it, but it makes it easier.

I cant do autocancels with c stick. I am short hopping with y botton. Are you jumping with analog or left trigger? I submain peach. Especially with her I cant use c stick while floating with y.

 

[LordShade67]

Analog. I'm also using Y to jump. It takes practice as you have to jump and C-stick simultaneously for Ike's FAir autocancel. Same with Peach's floating stuff in terms of practice.

 

[Mario766]

I use tap jump for my jumps. I do my c-stick right after the jump movement for my F-air and B-air auto cancels, and I do a FF nair for my Nair since it doesn't auto cancel but has minimal lag on it.

 

[AN(M)ist]

Are eruption and aether end lag reduced in this game? If so does anyone know by how much?

 

[Banjobeast158]

Are eruption and aether end lag reduced in this game? If so does anyone know by how much?

I don't think so. not that I know of unfortunately.

 

[Deleted member 269706]

Are eruption and aether end lag reduced in this game? If so does anyone know by how much?

You're best bet would be to study the frame data. Unfortunately I have no idea where to find that information :/

Yo, maybe Ike is gonna get some more buffs in the next update! One can only hope, right?

 

[Banjobeast158]

I recorded this because my Bair and Dair had more dmg than usual near the end. I wasn't sure if it was a glitch in the recording or what.

 

[Mario766]

This was FG right?

The game works with decimals. So Bair/Dair probably do a percent above 14/15 percent so it came out as 15 and 16.

 

[Banjobeast158]

o, that makes sense. Thanks, i was so confused lol

 

[GhostUrsa]

I've been having trouble reliably buffering my actions during fights (more online than off, but it's still there) and I'm curious what training recommendations would you guys give to have people get used to the timing required to get Ike to maximize his efficiency? Also, what moves are easier to work with when it comes to buffering than others? Example, I seem to have an easier time buffering a jab from a auto-cancelled n-air than I do trying to buffer f-airs from a d-tilt. (This may just be a timing thing.)

It has become frustrating for me since I've faced Ike's that that only decent with strategy but they are more effective with their speed, which makes the dittos I fight more a chore than I feel it should be.

 

[Banjobeast158]

its easiest to start from a turn around. I always had trouble with that, simply because id input a jab but panic and grab. Dtilt into Fair took me a while to get down but that helped me a whole lot. id try to start with those two. getting turn around jab/grab is pretty important with Ike.

 

[AN(M)ist]

I suppose what would help us not-yet-pro ike mains is a section in this guide called "how to speed up your ike". I've seen the difference in speed level of Ike's from player to player (for example, ryos ike seems really fast and safe most of the times vs some players' ike on the critique video and also my own) so helping us in understanding how to consistently keep ike on his toes would be a great help.

 

[Ekans647]

SO has Ike's range been nerfed from Brawl. It says on Smashwiki that it was, but it doesn't say here.

 

[GhostUrsa]

@ Ekans647 For some moves, yes. F-air doesn't have the range it used to, for example. The first page of this thread has a good break down in the Buffs and Nerfs section, which specifically mentions changes from previous versions of smash. Smashwiki is currently unreliable for data, though there are some smashboarders that are currently trying to get it more updated.

 

[Ekans647]

It says that Ike has suffered a universal nerf to range. I knew certain moves did. Didn't know smashwiki is unreliable atm though.

 

[san.]

I might write up something if there's enough demand about how to be faster. To put it simply, it's making use of fastfalls, dashes, and momentum shifts from your double jump intelligently.

 

[Zatchiel]

I might write up something if there's enough demand about how to be faster. To put it simply, it's making use of fastfalls, dashes, and momentum shifts from your double jump intelligently.

After watching much of your play (and others) over the months I've gotten a much better clue of how to stay nimble. I imagine the insight would help regardless.