Perfect Pivot vital for Pika?

[NeonNova]

So I have recently picked up Pika for a main/secondary for Smash 4 and for starters I love playing as her. There's nothing like being able to apply pressure from such great distances and my lethality off the stage is profound. My question is what moves are essential for PP for Pikachu? I play with a GC controller and honestly my ability to PP on demand is not very good...(If you guys have video links with controller cams that would be stellar!). I am wondering if I can get away without PP in competitive and get by with her fast falling rate, edge cancelled QA and easy to juggle aerials. I am open to any and all advice!

 

[Brokemon]

Honestly the best usage of PP that I can think of is the PP up tilts, just because pikas tail starts behind his body and then travels over his head.
Most of the time if you're going to be using up air it will be used as a juggling tool and the later hit is actually more beneficial because it means there is less frames between the hit and when you can move again, meaning it's easier to combo. So PP up tilt is mainly useful for anti-air or any situation where you want to get the hit faster.
Also for down throw if they DI away from you you'll want to PP up air as you need to get the early hit of the move to true combo at certain percents. Sometimes when you down throw and they DI away they will have time to air dodge to avoid your up air so being able to quickly turn pika around so that you get the hit earlier is crucial for his combo game.
Other than that there isn't much important things other than PP F smashes or F tilts or pivot grabs, just like most characters.
Hope this helped a bit!

 

[NeonNova]

Yea thanks actually. I think I do need PP as a tool then. PP fsmash and PP grab seem like very powerful tools to me especially if I read my opponents tech the right way. Time to train my thumbs!

 

[lmntolp]

I've been doing PP with and without Bidou tech, and I agree that the best uses are PP utilt, PP ftilt, PP (either retreat or advance) fsmash, and PP retreat into dtilt. All of these make me feel like I have a little more range, which is always a welcome addition to Pika's kit.

However, none of these tools are essential, and I would only work on them after you're already very familiar with playing Pikachu, as being solid at the character and learning matchups will win you way more games than PP will.

 

[w0ah]

However, none of these tools are essential

Perfect pivoting is super useful for pika. I feel its nescessary at high level play since Pika is rewarded heavily off of tilts which is something dashing away wont let you do.

 

[The Real Mr. M]

I've been able to get away without using Perfect Pivots, but I have just started experimenting with them. I like the PP Forward Smash as a spacing tool, but I've had pretty good success without it. That being said, it would be something I would look into once you get used to using the character, as it will give him a few more options to play with. Hope this helps.

 

[lmntolp]

Perfect pivoting is super useful for pika. I feel its nescessary at high level play since Pika is rewarded heavily off of tilts which is something dashing away wont let you do.

Oh yes, PP is very great for high level Pika. I'm saying there's a tendency to focus on fancy techs, but if OP is just starting to pick up the character, I recommend PP not being one of the first things to train. Fundamental things like being familiar with each move's range, mastering QA, combos, Pika's neutral game, etc are more important.

I haven't even fully added PP to my game, and I've been playing Pika comfortably since the 3DS version came out. It's part of why I'm learning Bidou now.

 

[GerMoj]

PP Up tilt is good and almost mandatory, as you can get a free aproach and combo / juggle out of it. Also PP F-asmash is awesome as you can punish falling aerials, dashes, grabs, attacks and more and by doing that you also position yourself to hit with the sweetspot. You can play without them, but strating to use PP will make your Pikachu better at punishng, and punishing is one of Pikachus biggest strenghths

 

[Jenna Zant]

PP Utilt and PP ftilt are really the only important Pikachu pivots, at least in my opinion.