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

[Ookami Hajime]

Salem won because he's a good player, haha.

 

[Player -0]

Salem won because he's a good player, haha.

Yeah but match up inexperience played a big role.

 

[1PokeMastr]

I never denied Salem of being a good player, but the bracket does play a big role.

 

[Ookami Hajime]

Well, yes, brackets in general can bring a positive or negative luck factor in a tournament but, in general, he pulled through, haha. Though it is also very true that nobody knew the match up for ZSS too.

@ Mr.Pikachu : What exactly are you asking? Are you asking what to do if you get grabbed by ICs? If they get the grab, there's nothing you can really do except mash or DI. If you're asking for how to play the match up, I could simply say "don't get grabbed". As blunt as it is, that's the honest answer. With Pika, you need to camp it out land play it even safer than with some other characters. As an ICs sub-mainer, I can tell you that chaingrabbing Pikachu is stupidly easy compared to most of the cast. Consider a sub-main to beat them or work hard with Pikachu to beat them. Either way, a grab can still be death so it's all a matter of what character you space better with.

 

[Pikabunz]

It wasn't match-up inexperience, it was player inexperience. Those players he beat are top players and the games been out for 5 years; they know what ZSS can do.

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Yea, I was asking about how to avoid the grabs and my god is that hard. They PS when I SH Tjolts/FH Tjolt and I try QA away from them, but they end up reading it and grabbing me. Oh, I think stages plays a big role in IC game too. Just noticed Norfair and RC could work against them.

 

[Thor]

For ICs, separation is the key - camp camp camp until they are separated, then either make the decision to rush them down or keep camping and wait. Platforms are your friend. If you're playing in a tournament or with someone who wants to do stage striking, strike FD. Lots of FH t-jolt. SH has lag when t-jolting so use it as more of a mix-up. It depends on how good the ICs player is, but against some you can try to SH dair so long as you land behind them. [This might be wrong so someone feel free to correct me] if they are in range after you've landed with some lag, it's what panic dsmash is made for - if you hit just one you've avoided a grab (multiple times, I immediately dsmash on landing, I'm in grab but the first hitbox just barely gets out and knocks Nana away long enough for me to break out). That said, if they are already in shield, jumping is a much better option unless you've beaten their shield to be tiny [where you could shield stab them], and even then jumping is probably the better option.

Also might not be a bad idea to remap your taunts to attack/special/____ to make mashing out easier (roll your thumb around the d-pad very quickly). It should help at least at low percents.

If you're on suitable stages you could try the trick ESAM does where he drops off the ledge, jumps, t-jolts, and QACs to regrab, at least when they've forced you out to the ledge. I've added it to what I do I find it hits more often than I'd think. And it makes it easier to separate them when it connects (they have separate percents, so if Nana is at 60 and Popo is at 10, most attacks hitting both of them will separate them).

And once you KO Nana, don't relax or showboat - Popo has a low percent chaingrab ending in fsmash and his fair and smashes all have KO power - do your best to dispatch of him carefully (as you would fighting any other character).

 

[Ookami Hajime]

@ Mr.Pikachu : Smashville is your best bet when it comes to neutrals. Bad QA in this match up will kill you so don't do anything risky. Honestly, they're an annoying character. Also, for what Thor mentioned, D-smash is a high risk high reward but if there's nothing else you have time for, it's definitely something to throw out there. The AI Climber won't DI (most of the time) and it can score you an easy kill on both of them so it's one of those horrible options that's actually worth considering XD

 

[Player -0]

but match up inexperience played a big role.

It wasn't match-up inexperience, it was player inexperience. Those players he beat are top players and the games been out for 5 years; they know what ZSS can do.

Ignore the top part, I can't delete it...

What do you mean by player inexperience?

High level players were getting caught by stuff like D-Smash by the ledge and such which falls under character inexperience right?

 

[Thor]

I assume player inexperience would mean not knowing how to avoid that stuff, even if they know ZSS gets a down+b meteor out of it.

That said, I found the distinction somewhat trivial. Salem won it all because he was really really good and because a lot of people weren't actually ready for dealing with a skilled ZSS. He also didn't have to deal with Nairo pressure [didn't face Nairo]. I say this only because Nairo seems to beat a lot of people at least in party by messing up their spacing with his aggressive style, and in a match that Nairo won against Salem, the commentators also mentioned it.

I think Salem will do well at Apex. I would be shocked if he didn't get into bracket and go pretty far, but I think at the end of the day Nairo or M2K or Keitaro or DEHF or ... can take him out [Ally and Otori and all the other fantastic smashers I can't think to name who certainly give all the above tough matches could fill in the ...]. Top 10? Maybe. Top 25? Probably [I'd say yes]. Winner? I'm not saying no, but... I'm not sure Salem will repeat his performance. I think NickRiddle and other ZSS mains will also have a rougher time of it this year because Salem elevated ZSS to the spotlight so many of the top-tier players have probably developed strategies for dealing with ZSS the way they are ready to deal with Snake and Marth and MK and co. [I'd guess they prepare to deal with all those characters and they include her in the threat list now - I'm thinking she was under the radar last year].

Eh, none of this is really relevant to the Q&A though. Back on topic.

Toon Link is annoying - I know to make sure to SDI f-smash up and watch out for usmash, but his camping is still definitely annoying. That said, the MU chart says +1 Pikachu. Do I need to be better at catching items or what? (Shielding stuff isn't hard but I feel like I'm in shield a ton against campy toon links...) [sword-and-grab-loving toon links also annoy me, although he seems easier to punish than Marth when he whiffs - advice for dealing with either style is appreciated.]

 

[1PokeMastr]

Ps and aircatch > TLink.

 

[Thor]

Is there some trick to air-catching? I think R and A both catch, but I seem to do an aerial or airdodge a lot... can I airdodge through it and hit A to catch it? Or is my timing just bad still and I need to get better at catching stuff? (I've seen ADHD in tumble and catch a banana while still in tumble vs Salem, so I know I can catch stuff without my character acting... advice for that?)

 

[Ookami Hajime]

@ Thor : It's completely a timing thing. I changed my R button to grab if that means anything, but that's all I've done. It's a bit difficult to explain things when it comes to timing, but I'll try to give some input:
My advice would be to pick Peach on training and practice throwing and catching turnips. Compare how fast an item is falling in contrast to how fast your character is moving and then press your catching button as they meet. Hope this was helpful ; ~;

 

[Thor]

It's completely a timing thing

So it's possible when trying to R or A catch something I

A) Catch it, no other animation
B) Catch it and air dodge or aerial
C) air dodge or aerial and get hit by the item (or air dodge through it)

if I understand you correctly? Thanks. And I'm already powershielding/shielding projectiles, I'll work on catching stuff then [should also help me against Diddy Kong]. Thanks to both of you.

 

[1PokeMastr]

Air catch with Grab input = no air dodge.
Air catch with shield input = air dodge catch.
Air catch with attack input = attack catch.
Shield + grab/attack = Catch + drop + air dodge.

 

[Ookami Hajime]

Sounds about right. No problem =o

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Any ideas about what bair is for? By the way Happy New Years!

 

[1PokeMastr]

Rapid spinning the spikes.

 

[Ookami Hajime]

B-air is good platform pressure and a worth-considering tool for gimping recoveries like Diddy Kong's. Punish air dodges off stage, good way of getting back on if your back is turned to the edge, surprise attacks, etc =o

Rapid spinning the spikes.

I like this =o
It does this as well

 

[Angiance]

We can also B-Air to break out of strings, since it's out on frame 5 (very fast) and has range.

 

[1PokeMastr]

Nair is frame 3, and I think it may be better than bair for getting out of strings.

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Nair is frame 3, and I think it may be better than bair for getting out of strings.

but isn't nair's hitbox super small?

 

[1PokeMastr]

I don't think it's that small, and use it when you can to get out of a string, if you know you're out of range, why use it ?

 

[Angiance]

N-Air's hitbox is hilariously microscopic, but nice for breaking chains, like U-Air. B-Air, being out on frame 5 and having really good range+priority, can save us from say, a follow-up from a throw...or if MK attempts to follow-up from a dash attack.

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

True. Can anyone help me with a sonic that uses the spring all the time? I know you guys are like "just punish the landing lag", but what if sonic used his spring>dair,but the dair ended in midair with sonic carrying all the momentum and only received the landing lag. Then when I try to punish sonic dodges then punishes me.

 

[1PokeMastr]

I believe nair would work better depending on what percent the DA hits you at.


You literally have to put a hitbox where sonic will land, don't try to hit him when he lands.. because lagless landing.
It's like timing against a really fast air dodge landing, but if you can't get to it in time, throw a few jolts his way.

 

[Ookami Hajime]

If he's springing excessively then it's pretty predictable so you shouldn't be getting hit by it. Other than that, Pokemastr kind of covered your other options.

 

[TheSmashBro123]

Why does pikachu have lightning as his main power? Why couldnt it be air?

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Because Pikachu is sexy with that lightning

 

[TheSmashBro123]

Because Pikachu is sexy with that lightning

Ha, ok then.

 

[Ookami Hajime]

That about sums it up, yeah =I

 

[Player -0]

Pikachu Flying and Lightning type, what would he be weak to?

 

[Ookami Hajime]

Rock, Ice, and that's it =o
Yeesh, let's not turn this into a pokemon thread XD

 

[Reth92]

Agreed ^^ what's the best way to approach lucario? he has great disjointed ground AND aerial moves, but I can still manage to PS the auraspheres. Even our best spacing tools, Fair and d-tilt get outranged :/

 

[Player -0]

Against 'Cario I heard you have to punish the start lag of F-Smash, not the end lag. Try to use some jolts against him when he auraspheres. I think their Fair leads to Dair if you don't DI and dash attack leads into Up Tilt.

You could try running past them so they'll think you'll attack and punish what they do, their rolls are pretty fast though. They might Aerial OoS though (probably dair?).

 

[Mr.Pikachu]

Against 'Cario I heard you have to punish the start lag of F-Smash, not the end lag. Try to use some jolts against him when he auraspheres. I think their Fair leads to Dair if you don't DI and dash attack leads into Up Tilt.

You could try running past them so they'll think you'll attack and punish what they do, their rolls are pretty fast though. They might Aerial OoS though (probably dair?).

I used to be a lucario main and maybe I could help. This is a really hard match (well for me). For aura sphere I agree to pressure him with tjolts, but when he releases it fully charged it eats up anything we throw at him. try to space away from him as far as possible. Lucario has some crazy combos that can rack up damage so fast. Also the most important thing is to always be ahead a stock because of lucarios aura game and if the lucario has extreamly good DI then you're really screwed unless u can gimp him well. Just try not to get hit too much.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

#gladileftthisthread

 

[1PokeMastr]

#gladicametothisthreadbecauseiplaypikachu

I think you should just play patient/ camp against Lucario, wait for him to approach, and just punish him oos, his range is sub par, making it easy to punish with Nair/ Grab/ DA oos, depending on the situation.

 

[Angiance]

#gladileftthisthread

Pika-pika?

Approaching Lucario, we've got quick running speed, and QA for it

 

[Ookami Hajime]

@ESAM: With no disrespect, technically you didn't leave the thread if you're posting here again =o

And yeah, Lucario; camp him out. Oos n-air a lot, run up shield is a good little mind game to bait something to punish considering he doesn't have many great options other than to grab you.

Okay, so I've been helping my brother with his G&W and it has gotten much better to the point where I'm finding a few things that are tough to get by. Any advice on getting around his lagless smashes? Whenever he whiffs a smash attack, he's able to f-tilt or d-tilt almost immediately, making it impossible to punish. A lot of the time I find a way around it, but when he has momentum it gets very difficult to approach or get any damage, especially with t-jolt basically being my worst option.