Pika Q&A/FAQ Thread: Ask a Quick Question, Get a Quick Answer!

[Ookami Hajime]

Air dodging should work fine. Make sure to mix it up, though or they'll eventually catch on! ^^

 

[Angiance]

I already knew it was friendly, cause you told me last time, but it's real critic, it's what I do, and in anything, not just criticism, I strongly disapprove of sugar coating, honesty is the best policy after all...and yeah, those Wi-Fi matches, I was pretty terrible, no? xP

 

[Ookami Hajime]

Hmm, I suppose.
And it was wifi; it can't be helped. Pika is too technical for wifi so I have nothing to say of it, haha. I'm no good on wifi either.

 

[Angiance]

We actually CAN do well on Wi-Fi as we would offline, but takes a LOOOOOOONG time to adjust to since we're just so technical. Questions anybody?

 

[1PokeMastr]

If Kirby is spamming his Up B.
Just power shield the projectile hitbox -> drop shield -> run in and punish Kirby.

It's pretty simple.

 

[Angiance]

Mr.Pikachu, if Sonic likes using his spring when we're under him, we can use Thunder to punish. Sonic's D-Air has pretty bad landing lag; F-Smash, SH D-Air, or BPG as he's about to touch the ground. Use U-Air to get rid of the spring, U-Tilt if grounded. Beat Spindash with: SH D-Air, T-Jolt, or F-Tilt. On the ledge, tilt backwards to get off > U-Air is highly effective, or we can fastfall off > AJ Thunder, or we can (on Final Destination) drop off, AJ to the underside of the ledge, then walljump > U-Air (U-Air's hitbox'll clip through the stage), or we can (on Final Destination again) drop off, AJ a T-Jolt while moving towards the underside of the ledge, and it'll ride from the underside to the stage, or drop off > AJ an AD onstage as close to the ground as possible. When anyone is on the ledge (even MK) it's important to be defensive, offense in that scenario only leads to punishment.

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Yea, yea I know about the powershielding to punish kirby's final cutter, but PS is the hardest thing to do on wifi. Offline no problem, but I'm STILL not use to the button delay so I can hardly PS and I was asking to see if I could get any other tips other than PS. Sonic is fast and it's hard to know exactly when he's gonna use the spring so I guess I can try to predict it.

 

[Angiance]

If we're close, we can shield the whole thing, then OoS SH N-Air/D-Air, or shieldgrab. The button delay is something considerable, I deal with it by tensing the HELL out of my hands, and preforming actions WAAAAAAAAAAY ahead of time, in an order...kinda like how commands are input in a Final Fantasy game; put in the commands > hope that it happens on-screen. Questions? :3

 

[Angiance]

Double post *facepalm*

 

[Thor]

If they are final cutter spamming, another option if you can't shield it well is just FH t-jolt [preferably while retreating]. You either hit them or force them to jump/shield and if you don't fastfall you'll avoid the projectile if doing it at any point when the cutter is out.

Also there is a difference between sugarcoating and being harsh. I normally read all of the posts but I stopped halfway through your 11-point discussion. Maybe you didn't try to but it came across as kind of demeaning. Actually I'd probably be offended if anyone was that specific unless I was already at ESAM/Anther's level and was receiving feedback from one of them. If he wants specifics you can offer them specifics but just stuff like "OoS nair more, like at these one or two times, it's good damage" and "SH dair is a nice mixup, maybe try it a few times" or stuff like that. It would be just as helpful and somewhat more constructive.

I deal with button delay (due to lag) mainly by relying on fundamentals - try to space as best you can, avoid really risk stuff (it takes longer to escape thanks to lag and your opponent might be lagging less for whatever reason), not too much fancy QAC stuff. Also rolling tends to be a lot safer if the lag is the same on both sides [harder to react to] - so don't do it much on Wi-Fi because it might lead to bad habits in tournament/serious play (unless of course it's a Wi-Fi tournament, then if the other player is bad at punishing rolls you can roll way more than usual and still buffer stuff out of it like normal so lag can benefit rolling quite a lot).

How do I deal with Mario? I got camped like crazy by one, which I realize now was a byproduct of them positioning around the Smashville platform smartly, but even on FD I felt like camping was a stalemate (although they didn't try camping very much either so I'm guessing we agreed on that). I didn't get cape-gimped (he did cape my skull bash once but I still recovered), so I avoided the obvious issues, but this MU still feels rather even [though I avoided his best trick, one that could even out the MU, it didn't feel advantageous]. That said, the MU chart says it's +1 for Pikachu. Do I just need to be better at approaching? Is there some chain throw I'm using badly (f-throw seemed to work for like 3 throws or something...)? I'll admit I'm bad at approaching (working on that) but is there some trick we have that makes this MU easier? Or else what specific advantages does Pikachu have over Mario? I think KO power is one, but anything else? Are we at an advantage to camp Mario?

 

[Angiance]

It's common for criticism to be taken harshly-but onto Mario! Mario outcamps us due to his faster projectile and Magic Cape, but we can just F-Tilt or PS the fireballs, unless he's approaching with the fireball, which we can counter by using SH D-Air since it'll cancel the fireballs AND hit Mario. If Mario is camping from a platform, SH F-Air through the fireballs, then space SH U-Air so that it pressures from a diagonal angle, or FH B-Air through the fireballs to Mario (making sure to avoid landing lag of course). Approaching for us is the usual stuffz; zone with D-Tilt > shield, fence with SH F-Air, dash in > shield, QA mixes, etc. Mario's disadvantages against us would be: we can take advantage of his crappy recovery, we are MUCH more mobile than he is, he has trouble KOing us since we're so slippery, he has a hard time getting back onstage, he doesn't really have safe ways to get down from the air when we're below. Our throw strings are the usual; D-Throw > N-Air, F-Throw > U-Smash. Need more info?

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Guys I wanna beat ESAM and Anther and all the other pikachu mains so I can be the best one here! Can anyone take a look at my pikachu to see if it's good enough?

 

[1PokeMastr]

Don't ask for advice if you mean it's for wifi.

 

[Angiance]

As Pikachus, we don't fight each other for fame, we share knowledge with each other and rise to the top! Ask anything, it's a Q/A thread. I'll check out your pika if you've got the vidz.

 

[Thor]

I'll be frank - it's unlikely Mr. Pikachu that you are anywhere near Anther or ESAM's level (at this point). No offense intended, but they are extremely good and unless you've already been going to tournaments and kicking *** left and right you're probably below them (so am I, so are others here). Also that criticism was harsh and it wasn't even aimed at me. I'm just saying try to ease up a little (we don't need to know you were screaming at your computer screen to Pikastorm, among other things).

Also good to know I should look to gimp Mario a lot more.

Also, how much does dtilt trip (percentage)? I want to know if dtilt->running upsmash might be a good way to get kills, but I have no idea how much it trips - if it's like 10% I'll forget about it (most of the time), but if it's like 35% or something it'd be good to see if I could mix that in to look for KOs around 110% on lightweights (dtilt connects and pushes them to about 117, then smash KO).

 

[Angiance]

Fine, fine, I'll try to dull my criticism blade next time, so it doesn't cut as bad; I'm very sorry to have offended Ookami. D-Tilt's trip rate is 30%, but it won't really work at KO percents since the opponent will get knocked so far away, so try Jab > trip > U-Smash at KO percents (although it's trip rate is 10%, the higher the opponents damage, the higher the trip rate). D-Tilt strings: D-Tilt > Shield, D-Tilt > F-Smash, D-Tilt > Trip > Dash Grab, D-Tilt > Trip > Dash U-Smash; Dash Grab after D-Tilt trips is the best choice, but mixes are mixes after all.

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

So??? I gotta try to beat them at some point. I'd learn a couple things if I lose. Besides I just wanna get better to be one of the top pros here and I'm already extreamly good with pikachu. I know how to do every AT with pikachu and QAC like a pro to mindgame people. I'm safe with Tjolts and I almost know how to jab lock properly and I'm a decent player altogether.

 

[1PokeMastr]

Wifi is terrible and asking for advice on that type of game is terrible, there's nothing wrong with asking for advice to get better, but don't brush it off and say "It doesn't work on wifi" OF COURSE IT ****ING DOESN'T WORK ON WIFI, IT'S MOTHER ****ING WIFI.

And just because you know the Advanced Techniques =/= You're good.
AT's are really easy.

QAC is also easy.

Jab locking is the easiest thing, ever.

Sorry for being a jerk, but I'm pissed right now and I don't like the way you present yourself here.
So **** you.

 

[Angiance]

Well, Mr.Pikachu, regardless of how much one knows, it all comes down to a few things; how well the knowledge is built into one's playstyle, how fast one's mind can access this knowledge in-battle, how under control one's mind is, how much stress one's mind can handle, etc. Beating the top brawlers of our kind won't make one the best; how high ranked we are as brawlers is determined by how dedicated we are, how consistant we are, how much are fighting spirit is burning...all of this, for our species (Pikachu). Really though, I feel like the fight is more pleasurable than the victory in anything, which let's my mind ease more, allowing me to play much better since I'm --enjoying the fight-- rather than --stressing my mind-- over the "I MUST win" thought train. Questions? :3

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Listen I'm sorry for whatever I did for you guys to be mad at me. Ever since I started playing pikachu all I ever wanted to do was be the best pikachu player there is and I thought the only way to do that was to beat all the top pikachu players. I talk about wifi brawl so much because no one ever comes over my house to play brawl with me. I literally have only 1 friend and he sucks at brawl. Wifi brawl is all I have to play other players that are good and I hardly ever hear or any offline tournaments in Texas. Again I'm sorry for wasting your time with my questions and making all of you mad.

 

[Angiance]

Mr.Pikachu, the only person here that got pissy is pokemastr. Wi-Fi DOES have button delay, but it STILL helps us improve, since we're playing REAL brawlers, that are actually GOOD...let's use Salem as an example: he played wi-fi, never went to a real tourney before...guess what? First tourney he went to, which was Apex 2013, he won, 1st place...what does THAT tell you? Just do what you do man, your time will come. Poke, man, getting onto people in that manner...you KNOW you didn't need to word it like that, it's just...low class to word things like that. Understandably, you got pissed, but geez man, vent it out in a non-fire starting way...questions anyone?

 

[Pikabunz]

There's nothing wrong with wanting to be the best. That's a pretty good attitude to have if you want to git gud, even though it's kind of late for that with Smash 4 coming out soonish. And wifi is pretty legit; it's probably the best practice you can get if you can't travel for smash.

@ Mr.Pikachu - Have you ever checked out the Dallas smash threads? IIRC, they have the most active smash scene in Texas, but they mostly play Project: M. You should still check them out and try to go to their smashfests and tournaments.

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Well A lot of people still play Melee even though brawl came out. I actually suck at project M which is why I have such a hard time looking for braw tournaments in Texas near Dallas. I'm a pretty compettitive person that's why I hate playing for fun and I hate losing. Honestly I think it's not fun to lose so why not get better so you can stop losing to your best friend and actually be better than some people. Playing for fun is all cool and kind of not so boring, but I like the hype that another compettitive person can bring when you're both playing to win.

 

[1PokeMastr]

Apex 2013 was NOT Salem's first offline tournament, by a long shot. Also Salem only won because his side of the bracket was filled with Mk/ Marth's that didn't know what to do against Zero Suit.
He basically played no other characters in his bracket.


I do find his posts ********, and I worded it like that because I don't care.

 

[Angiance]

As you're in a match, thinking about winning, it CAN boost your confidence...but sometimes, it'll destroy your mental stability, making you lose your cool and play terribly, since what you're picturing in your head (you taking that last stock off with SH N-Air for example) isn't happening...but eh...instead of thinkin' of winning, think of playing at your absolute best...by the way, anyone learns more from losing than winning...don't lose on purpose of course xP Questions?

 

[PZ]

Salem's first tournament...I think is Concentrate 2 in canada which was well over a year or 2 before apex 2013 so he had lots of practice.

 

[Angiance]

Apex is the biggest tournament (I think), and when someone that's only been to one tournament comes to the biggest of tournaments with other players that have been to numerous tournaments takes 1st, it's something considerable...even if they were't that understanding of the MU, they were still the highest calibur of players...using the highest tier characters...you don't care, but if someone was trash talking you, you wouldn't like it I bet...

 

[Pikabunz]

Salem has been to many tournaments before Apex, but Apex was the first tournament that he won.

 

[Angiance]

Ohhhh...ooops. Questions?

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Yea, I guess thinking about winning all the time does make me aggrivated when my opponent doesn't die, but I usually go with the flow and let the time come when I can use a smash against him. It only really aggrivates me when he starts to get about 30% damage on me then he really needs to lose that stock. I never knew Salem played wifi :O

 

[Angiance]

Yeah, he's on Wi-Fi sometimes. ..Questions anybody?

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

What's it like at Apex?

 

[Pikabunz]

It's like any other tournament, but bigger!

 

[Angiance]

Well...I've never been-but from all of the apex vids I've seen, it's really exciting. Questions?

 

[Ookami Hajime]

@Mr. Pikachu: You have a good attitude and that'll put you on the path to succession so long as you don't get full of yourself, haha. Nobody is angry ('cept pokemastr but whatever, I have nothing to say about his remarks because I couldn't care less) or anything but you've got to remember that players like ESAM and Anther have been in the scene a bit longer than you have and they're only known as much as they are because they're GOOD. Keep working at everything and it is entirely possible that you or any one of us could become as known as them as well.

@ Thor : I appreciate your words, my friend. And the trip rate for d-tilt is 30%.

@Pokemastr: Whoa, take it easy man =o

@ Angiance : All is well~

@Pikabuns: That Minnccino <3

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Thanks, Ookami. I'm usually never full of myself, but I do get frustrated when I'm a better player than someone else, but I don't get noticed for my skills. Anyways, how do you deal with the Ice Climbers grabs?

 

[1PokeMastr]

I'm not mad :v
I just found his posts ******** and I was in a bad mood that day :v

Also Salem has never been to a Canadian tournament.

 

[Ookami Hajime]

@Mr. Pikachu: Well, not everyone will pay attention to it. Don't try to hard to get noticed or anything. Simply play and hope for the best =o

@ 1PokeMastr : I see =o Venting is fine, I suppose, but let's try not to hurt anyone's feelings. Much appreciated, my friend.

 

[Gunnermaniac]

Apex 2013 was NOT Salem's first offline tournament, by a long shot. Also Salem only won because his side of the bracket was filled with Mk/ Marth's that didn't know what to do against Zero Suit.
He basically played no other characters in his bracket.


I do find his posts ********, and I worded it like that because I don't care.

Almost 2014 and we're still arguing Salem won because of the bracket haha? Come on...

 

[Player -0]

Mr.Pikachu, the only person here that got pissy is pokemastr. Wi-Fi DOES have button delay, but it STILL helps us improve, since we're playing REAL brawlers, that are actually GOOD...let's use Salem as an example: he played wi-fi, never went to a real tourney before...guess what? First tourney he went to, which was Apex 2013, he won, 1st place...what does THAT tell you?

It tells me no one had MU knowledge vs. ZSS.