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

[Palpi]

It is not like people don't know how to learn to SDI a move, which takes maybe about 5-10 seconds to learn. You can't rely on down smash at all. Beleive me, people in strong regional communities know how to DI pika's downsmash. It is not difficult to remember...or know in the first place.

 

[Legendary Pikachu]

It is not like people don't know how to learn to SDI a move, which takes maybe about 5-10 seconds to learn. You can't rely on down smash at all. Beleive me, people in strong regional communities know how to DI pika's downsmash. It is not difficult to remember...or know in the first place.

True. But it can be reliable in certain things, like messing with opponents mentality, spacing (if pika wants the opponent to DI it), and menial damage (which could make the difference in campfests). I'd have to say that some olimars who can really DI the move still get screwed when they fly back offstage. Even Anther's landed killing or assisted kill setups against some of the more 'competitive' opponents.

Every move is a tool somewhat. In the hands of a master, even a butterknife can be as formidable as a sword.

 

[Stealth Raptor]

people still occasionally mess up di'ing dsmash. doesnt matter how good you are it happens, even people i know who have played me for a long time (and yes they are good)

 

[KayLo!]

I can always DI out of it, but I still have no clue how to control which way I go. I just kind of spam a combination of up + away, and it seems to work, lol.

 

[Stealth Raptor]

the direction that you go is depndant on what side of pikachu you are when you get out - your final movement is always through pika from your last hit. most people have consistant DI (and a lot of people have around the same di, so once you see someone DI out you can mentally count how many hits it took and VERY often he takes the same amount of hits to get out of dsmash each time

 

[gallax]

can someone do me a favor? id like to see what pikachus pivot grab looks like with the grab-box highlighted. id like to see how it iooks when pika is sliding across the stage. im interested in seeing if the grab box moves with pikachu as he slides.

 

[KayLo!]

can someone do me a favor? id like to see what pikachus pivot grab looks like with the grab-box highlighted. id like to see how it iooks when pika is sliding across the stage. im interested in seeing if the grab box moves with pikachu as he slides.

Assuming you mean a video (because the hitbubble thread has Pika's pivot grab included), it's not really necessary. The grab is only out for 2 frames, so it doesn't really slide anywhere. It's not out long enough.

Speaking from experience (since I took the screenshots and all), it shows up for like.... a split second, then disappears.

 

[Lord Thunder]

Ugh, this is so frustrating!

I keep hearing how easy lv9 cpus are supposed to be. Yeah, I can beat them, but I don't 3 stock them like a lot of people say they can. I know I'm supposed to practice against real people, but I can't always do that. Often I feel like these moves do nothing special against my opponent and I wind up getting my butt kicked. If I'm trying to practice using ATs, should I bother training against lv9s or choose a weaker level?

 

[Legendary Pikachu]

If we can get a comparison of "HURT-bubblesprite" and hitbubble, we could actually see whether QaC and QA has new advantages and applications--you know, certain routes/spacing that would maximize not getting hit with opponents getting zapped. Dunno if what I ask is actually possible yet.

EDIT: CRAP! I hate double posting.... sorry kaylo T_T. forgive me again this time....

If I'm trying to practice using ATs, should I bother training against lv9s or choose a weaker level?

Against level 9's the only thing you train against is DI, spacing, and buffering your moves to build some muscle memory. A lvl 9's programming is to respond to your attacks as they happen and that means you cannot train your mindgames at all (to face humans at least). Most of the AT stuff involve mindgame setups to actually use the move successfully. That or a human opponent could DI (CPU's DI's are somewhat random and not optimized at times) out of 'seemingly' flawless combos.

I'd suggest to practice buffering and moving around the CPU, performing zoning stuff, attempting some setups, and practice DI'ing and recovering against them. Practice until you are not getting whooped because you are flubbing the moves/combo's. Lower levels give you all the time in the world, but lvl 9's give you somewhat more stress (which you need to still perfrom well under).

Once you master how the basics of DI, zoning, and just moving fluidly, i'd suggest limiting the rest of your training to fighting humans--even if the humans are not so good players. That helps you develop a little mindgame technique. It starts to train your 'intuition' about how humans react, what some would normally do.

 

[KayLo!]

Ugh, this is so frustrating!

I keep hearing how easy lv9 cpus are supposed to be. Yeah, I can beat them, but I don't 3 stock them like a lot of people say they can. I know I'm supposed to practice against real people, but I can't always do that. Often I feel like these moves do nothing special against my opponent and I wind up getting my butt kicked. If I'm trying to practice using ATs, should I bother training against lv9s or choose a weaker level?

If you're practicing an AT, I'd go with a lvl 8. They don't perfect shield everything, which lvl 9s tend to do..... and that can be a bit annoying when you're trying to get a technique down.

But CPUs are really, really not great for practice. They enforce a lot of bad habits that good human players will take advantage of, but I guess if you don't have a choice, there's not much you can do.

If we can get a comparison of "HURT-bubblesprite" and hitbubble, we could actually see whether QaC and QA has new advantages and applications--you know, certain routes/spacing that would maximize not getting hit with opponents getting zapped. Dunno if what I ask is actually possible yet.

Not possible yet. There's no way to make hurtboxes visible atm.

 

[Lord Thunder]

Holy cow, lv8 seems like a huge drop-off from lv9. It does seem easier, but maybe changing my tactics had something to do with it. I've been trying to set up a grab combo where I do a Fair into a grab, then Dthrow. From there, I'll either chaingrab or use Utilt/Dsmash. It really racks up the damage. Ever since I laid off using QAC on the cpu I've been doing better.

 

[Kantō]

thanks for the ROB info guys, this will come in handy.

 

[altairian]

Holy cow, lv8 seems like a huge drop-off from lv9. It does seem easier, but maybe changing my tactics had something to do with it. I've been trying to set up a grab combo where I do a Fair into a grab, then Dthrow. From there, I'll either chaingrab or use Utilt/Dsmash. It really racks up the damage. Ever since I laid off using QAC on the cpu I've been doing better.

Depending on the character, even at low %'s the utilt or dsmash out of dthrow won't work, they can either airdodge or just jump away. Right now I'm trying to get myself OUT of the habit of using dthrow->utilt because i'm robbing myself of damage by being predictable. CPU's will fall for the same stuff over and over that humans won't, so try to mix up your combos as much as you possibly can.

As much as wifi sucks, especially for pikachu, it's worthwhile to add it to your list of things you do for practice if it's an available option for you.

 

[Pikabunz]

At low percents (0-20), fthrow to upsmash will always work for most of the cast. Once you put them at about mid percent (40-60 depends on the character), dthrow to utilt/usmash becomes guaranteed.

 

[altairian]

Hmm...I need to play against less floaty characters lol. But thanks Prime, that makes sense now that I think about it =)

 

[Stealth Raptor]

dthrow to utilt is gauranteed on so few chars, and not on anyone past 20 cept for maybe fox

 

[KayLo!]

dthrow to utilt is gauranteed on so few chars, and not on anyone past 20 cept for maybe fox

Once you put them at about mid percent (40-60 depends on the character), dthrow to utilt/usmash becomes guaranteed.

Ummm, one of y'all is wrong.

I've started doing dthrow > uair/nair more often. Seems to work better for me.

 

[Stealth Raptor]

nair works, utilt doesnt work too well in my experience. its why i fthrow a whole lot more now.

 

[Pikabunz]

At 0%, the only thing that will work from a dthrow is ftilt angled up and only on a few characters. Utilt isn't guaranteed on anyone, except Fox, below 30% because there isn't enough hitstun after the dthrow. From 0-30%, dthrow (fresh) only gives like a 4-6 frame advantage so utilt shouldn't hit if they're escaping properly. From 30-60%, the frame advantage becomes about 7 or 8 and that's when an utilt or usmash will work but only on some characters.

If you don't know what works on who at what percent then just go for what you feel is most reliable. It goes something like this.
Nair>Utilt(reverse)>Uair>Usmash=Utilt

If you know an usmash is guaranteed then use that instead of nair. That's 24% damage total you're doing and you're keeping your nair fresh which is a better kill move than usmash, imo.

 

[Kantō]

What's my best CP with my pika against a ROB?

 

[KayLo!]

At 0%, the only thing that will work from a dthrow is ftilt angled up and only on a few characters. Utilt isn't guaranteed on anyone, except Fox, below 30% because there isn't enough hitstun after the dthrow. From 0-30%, dthrow (fresh) only gives like a 4-6 frame advantage so utilt shouldn't hit if they're escaping properly. From 30-60%, the frame advantage becomes about 7 or 8 and that's when an utilt or usmash will work but only on some characters.

If you don't know what works on who at what percent then just go for what you feel is most reliable. It goes something like this.
Nair>Utilt(reverse)>Uair>Usmash=Utilt

If you know an usmash is guaranteed then use that instead of nair. That's 24% damage total you're doing and you're keeping your nair fresh which is a better kill move than usmash, imo.

Good to know. We should revive the old combo list or make a new one.

It's a bit hard to do one since so many characters differ in terms of weight and which combo break options they have, but it'd be extremely useful since Pika relies on move strings so much.

Future project, maybe?

What's my best CP with my pika against a ROB?

Pokemon Stadium 1!!! Lots of stuff to get in the way of his laser/gyro, and it's just a kick *** Pika stage in general. (The only characters I don't like taking there are Snake and G&W off the top of my head.)

Otherwise, I'm starting to really, really like Frigate vs. a lot of characters. It works pretty well against ROB. Besides those two, I just stick with Smashville on him.

 

[Kantō]

yea I usually would take him to ps1, but he bans it whenever I play him now. Frigate would work really ? I would think that would be in his advantage. I'm prolly just gunna to with BF and platform camp the **** outta him.

 

[KayLo!]

Frigate would work really ? I would think that would be in his advantage.

How would it be in his advantage?

- The no-ledge part cuts down on his planking ability somewhat and forces him to use more fuel when he recovers on that side.
- The dips are good for getting underneath him (and his tilts)/extending a few combos. You can also use that rising/falling platform on the no-ledge side to camp underneath him when it's down.
- The ceiling isn't high enough to affect thunder too much, but I find that it's a lot easier to survive from ROB's nair/bair (if you DI up) and usmash, which are his only viable KO moves. I live forever vs. him on this stage.
- Camping on that rising/falling platform I mentioned before is too good. It puts you in the perfect position vs. ROB: lower than him, and your projectile can wrap around to reach him, but he can't laser you without telegraphing it with a jump.

I dunno, I think the shape of the stage allows us to get in at his weak spots fairly well. *shrug* My opinion.

 

[Kantō]

How would it be in his advantage?

- The no-ledge part cuts down on his planking ability somewhat and forces him to use more fuel when he recovers on that side.
- The dips are good for getting underneath him (and his tilts)/extending a few combos. You can also use that rising/falling platform on the no-ledge side to camp underneath him when it's down.
- The ceiling isn't high enough to affect thunder too much, but I find that it's a lot easier to survive from ROB's nair/bair (if you DI up) and usmash, which are his only viable KO moves. I live forever vs. him on this stage.
- Camping on that rising/falling platform I mentioned before is too good. It puts you in the perfect position vs. ROB: lower than him, and your projectile can wrap around to reach him, but he can't laser you without telegraphing it with a jump.

I dunno, I think the shape of the stage allows us to get in at his weak spots fairly well. *shrug* My opinion.

thanks for the info. i prolly use this stage then. sounds easy enough to camp him on the plat.

1 more qestion though, which stage should i ban against him? whats his best stage that could **** me if i dont ban it?

 

[altairian]

Bry, best CP against ROB is yoshi's island. Something about the angles bug out his ability to pick up his gyro with anything other than dash attack. Plus shyguys get in the way of it too. It's not the best stage for us, but against CJT especially, yoshi's is your stage

 

[Kantō]

damit lost to rob and yoshi team again!!!!! next tourney ill be ready for the ROB matchup. and im never taking rob to frigate again....

 

[KayLo!]

In doubles or singles?

Frigate always works for me in the MU. *shrug*

Try alt's suggestion of Yoshi's, then. Personally, I'm not a fan of the stage, but who knows. Maybe it'll work better for you.

 

[altairian]

Oh I hate yoshi's, but I practice with the ROB that bry's trying to beat and I've heard him ***** about how much that stage ****s him up lol. It's bad for us, but it's waaaay worse for ROB unless they like...don't use their gyro

 

[KayLo!]

Ah. I think I've played Chibo on Yoshi's, and I don't remember him doing any worse there..... but. Anyways. Stages are largely personal choice minus the few that're just horrible/amazing for certain characters.

Pika's tjolt stops/kills gyro anyway, so it never bothers me..... x.x

 

[ElNoNombreHombre]

A quick question regarding Zelda's usmash. I've managed to escape it all of... once, when I got caught on the side and managed to fall through it.

I don't think I've seen it anywhere, what's the best way to DI it (from the middle is most important to me, as that's usually where I'm getting caught)? I'm getting tired of being destroyed by it, especially since it hits half a bajillion times, I'm sure there's a proper way to escape before the lethal one.

 

[Kantō]

They were teams, but I beat him in singles(yoshi) though so I'm not to worried bout it LOL. It was one of the more intense tourney matches I've played. GG's.

 

[altairian]

A quick question regarding Zelda's usmash. I've managed to escape it all of... once, when I got caught on the side and managed to fall through it.

I don't think I've seen it anywhere, what's the best way to DI it (from the middle is most important to me, as that's usually where I'm getting caught)? I'm getting tired of being destroyed by it, especially since it hits half a bajillion times, I'm sure there's a proper way to escape before the lethal one.

You can't SDI out of Zelda's usmash if you're fully caught in it, sorry. It sucks you in.

I believe the best DI would be down-right or down-left for your best shot at survival.

 

[Kantō]

yea I hate that move . I just ty and get out from the sides , but usually italryhe brunt of it LOL.

 

[ElNoNombreHombre]

You can't SDI out of Zelda's usmash if you're fully caught in it, sorry. It sucks you in.

I believe the best DI would be down-right or down-left for your best shot at survival.

*Sigh*I was afraid of that. Oh well, plan "I" then: "Don't get hit." Thanks.

 

[altairian]

*Sigh*I was afraid of that. Oh well, plan "I" then: "Don't get hit." Thanks.

haha yeah, generally you just don't want to come from above zelda, her uair and usmash are pretty dangerous.

Just as an added little tidbit, I believe you CAN SDI out of her fsmash. You do have to react pretty quickly but it might save you sometime.

 

[KayLo!]

If Zelda is waiting for you to land (with usmash) or coming at you with a uair ready, just QAC away. Her ground speed is absolute balls, so she won't be able to catch up with you in time to punish the cooldown.

Protip in general vs. Zelda: Camp at mid-range, gg. Unless she perfect shields into a hyphen usmash, you can punish anything Zelda does to counter the tjolt on reaction. It takes some really good spacing, but once you figure out the distance, it's not hard at all.

Once you have the lead, sit back and lol as she tries to approach. (Hinthint: she has zero reliable approaches.)

Trust me, I play Zelda and do this MU often from both sides. It's hilariously easy if you play campy.

 

[infernapeboy]

i love pikachu any1 agree?

 

[Kantō]

someone warn this kid ^

 

[KayLo!]

I got the moderation, you don't have to worry about it. x.o

 

[Kantō]

im trying to learn this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2PPUh5if2U

i have a few problems, i pulled it off corectly like 2 times outta countless trys lol. should i QAC down into my oppenent from the footstool? or go off to the side and QAC. my problem is that when i do it my oppenent bounces too far left or right and my QAC wont reach them thus ending the combo.