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

[[FBC] ESAM]

D-throw f-tilt? Yeah, but it's a less damaging option than most...

 

[Pikabunz]

The dthrow > ftilt? It looks like it works. It could be a good option if you don't want to stale your nair.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

It does work, you just have to angle it up. F-tilt is 5 frames and nair is 7, so you definitely have enough time.

 

[Cassio]

I didnt want to go too offtopic so I moved this here

Skull bashing to the ledge is generally a good option because of they don't grab the ledge perfectly they will most likely be hit off and get stagespiked

Well heres my experience with that. Even lazy MKs can nado offstage to catch it, although that isnt too bad to get around. Tyrants been getting better at edge guarding pika in general and sometimes will purposely get hit by it to keep me offstage (although it doesnt work very well...).

But the one who's really good at it is larry. He can pick off skull bash (to the ledge) mid-route with dair 90% of the time, in fact he can even do it with multiple characters like falco. Granted larry is probably the best over here at the pika MU even if other MKs are better MKs overall. But tbh even I dont find skull bash that hard to intercept and I know Z hits me out of it with various characters too. Not that it sucks but its just always situational regardless of stage in my experience.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

I mean it's not like I'm charging skull bash all the ****ing way out there, I'm doing it when I'm already close to the edge.

 

[Pikabunz]

Why aren't you guys being fancy with QA?
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Nothing new. Just a reminder of all the neat things you can do with QA that we don't do enough.

 

[Nordal]

Those were adorable. I still hate yoshi's though.

 

[Cassio]

How dare you. Fancy QA stuff is like, my only notable pika trait. It's pretty much the entire reason I took a match off tyrant and stand any chance against Larry. Cool video though.

I mean it's not like I'm charging skull bash all the ****ing way out there, I'm doing it when I'm already close to the edge.

If youre that close to the ledge it shouldnt be a problem regardless. Usually larry is hanging out between the ledge and me so its pretty much a no go. I played Larry again yesterday and pretty much felt the same way.

Also Larry said to tell you hes gonna own you with MK, lol.

 

[Pikabunz]

Your Pika inspired me to make that vid, Tag.

Btw, you should post in the BBR to let them know you exist.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

QA stuff like that is pretty pointless...I don't feel like it works against like...anybody. But then again, QA to platform fall through dair works on a lot of people for no reason....so...yeah. I do the slanted edge stuff on Lylat and Yoshis, though.

 

[Pikabunz]

I think scarring from under could be useful if someone could master it.

 

[Cassio]

Your Pika inspired me to make that vid, Tag.

:D

Yeah I posted in the greet thread and told them Id be a bit busy since this week's Fathers Day/Anime Expos/E4U/etc. I've gotten to hang out with/play Shaya too.

QA is all about options and situations. Its not pointless if youre in a position where theyll work and are aware and capable of executing the various options youre given, and given the vast amount of tricks he has the situations present themselves more often then youd think. Yeah its not just the tricks, but when you include baiting and the various movements that can place you in multiple different locations or even the same location from a different path you leave the opponent playing a guessing game thats disproportionately in your favor. Unless you do the same thing over and over, which is what most pikas do (QA directly into opponent from the air, get stuffed).

Spoiler

Or unless youre fighting Diddy Kong, then you just get owned.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

Yeah, QA obviously has uses, but they work less and less the more people know about Pikachu, I feel. I still use it a bit and I'm getting way better at it, but still @_@

Also, Scarring under Delfino isn't worth it since we don't have multiple jumps...we get 1-2 uairs and that's it.

 

[Cassio]

In my opinion when i watch your matches, I just feel like your QA's are very obvious and unsafe and dont include any baiting and misdirection, or you mostly just choose not to QA. I know Ive mentioned it before (and Im not trying to be mean), but at the same time since youre having the most success as Pika I dont feel I have much room to criticize. I've thought about writing stuff Ive learned and had success with on QA, but since most people dont really use the move I didnt bother. I might do it anyways though.

 

[Pikabunz]

Also, Scarring under Delfino isn't worth it since we don't have multiple jumps...we get 1-2 uairs and that's it.

I'm not talking about sharking. See 1:55 in the video.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

I'm down for critique. I've always had trouble using QA in my gameplay. As a rule I don't like to gimmick people with Pikachu, which is what I feel QA is in general. However, I do use some edge cancels and stuff now, as well as a few ledge tricks.

@Prime: Sorry, I misread. That doesn't seem to difficult. Will fiddle with it tomorrow, that seems really legit.

 

[Funbun]

ESAM, quick questions:

What's your controller configuration during tournaments? Do you keep rumble off or on? Tap jump? Do you have different configs for different characters?

Thanks hee.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

Tap Jump off
X to Special
Rumble doesn't really matter to me.

 

[infiniteV115]

Wait a minute...
You don't K Prime mash?

How the **** do you mash so fast lol, you mash faster than I do when I DO use the K Prime mash

 

[Pikabunz]

I don't even use the dpad mash method. You just gotta hit all the buttons. The sticks are the most important ones.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

I just...mash buttons. I kinda figured out a way to shake my controller so that my fingers press the buttons as the joystick rotates. Mashing with the C-stick is troublesome because you have to put it back to neutral every time, really not worth it.

 

[Luckay4Lyphe]

How do you do the delfino scar?

 

[Pikabunz]

Get in the right spot and QA towards the ledge then quickly move your stick to neutral. It can be done on Halberd too.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

But you can just do the normal scar on those stages...

 

[Pikabunz]

Under the stage scar is safer and they might think you're trying to shark. You just have a lot more options from under there. But meh, it's not that important anyways.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

The risk is also you messing up slightly and dying because of it...

 

[Cassio]

Its just a matter of tech skill.

btw I know I used to do this a loooong time ago but I was just remembering stuff about tail spikes. Its REALLY good against characters like olimar and anyone else with a poor recovery, and still handy against anyone else.

The second hit of upair knocks opponents away from the stage when youre facing it, and the third hit knocks them away when youre looking at the blastzone. The 2nd and 3rd hitboxes are harder to get than the first and last, but not too bad with some practice.

Also this is risky but the arc them fall sets them up for a skull bash if they dont airdodge.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

I thought all the QA hitboxes were the same....guess not.

 

[Z'zgashi]

@Primes vid: Imo the last one on Frigate is the most useful.

 

[Cassio]

*facepalm* I meant upair. Have no idea why I said QA.

Although QA's hitboxes ARE a little different I think. I cant remember what I figured out, but it mostly had to do with which ones turned the opponent around to face away from pika (which is pretty helpful imo).

Back on upair, youd be surprised how far the second and third hits knock opponents away + down at higher percents, but unless youre intentionally going for them its rare you see them.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

Nah, I've done it before to like, Nick Riddle and a few others before. I mean, unless it is going to gimp them for sure I normally go for a dair or something.

 

[Cassio]

Yeah its usually situational

-intentional use mostly for characters with poor recoveries where it gimps them
-handy bc it works regardless of the direction youre facing (sometimes you dont have a choice)
-situational use for those times when the opponents are in a really good position to recover and uair is your best/only option, make sure to attempt the spike hit.

 

[Luckay4Lyphe]

whats the ddd cg again

 

[KayLo!]

Lol, Seagull asked the exact same thing in PGD.

Fthrow to 60% or this:

King Dedede from 0%
fthrow x2 > pummel x1 > dthrow x3 > pummel x1 > dthrow x3 > upsmash = 86%

You can add some pummels before the last dthrow for a little extra damage.

You can try straight dthrow, but he can footstool out.

 

[Luckay4Lyphe]

thanks, I need to save that to my phone or something because I always forget whenever I'm up against coney in bracket

 

[Gunnermaniac]

2 1 3 1 3, 1's are pummels, 3's are dthrows, and you start with Fthrow. Not TOO hard if you think about it the right way, imo.

 

[MXXD123]

How do I stop myself from air-dodging to the ground next to my opponent, or even in general? I don't know what it is, but the stage suddenly seems so small when I'm trying to get to the ground and I get super intimidated, especially at higher percents.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

You just....stop. There is no real way to get out of player habits besides playing a lot and beating yourself up for doing such stupid things over and over again. Trust me, I still fall into habits, but as a top player I can recognize that I'm doing it and adapt quickly and stop doing stupid **** as much.

 

[PZ]

How do I stop myself from air-dodging to the ground next to my opponent, or even in general? I don't know what it is, but the stage suddenly seems so small when I'm trying to get to the ground and I get super intimidated, especially at higher percents.

O I know this one I remember when -007- or Killock helped me out of this habit.

Ok when your offstage trying to come back on pikachu has options such as qac, fair or dair for easy placement of your character so air dodging into your opponent would be a option you when you know they are going to attack.

Onstage you would either FF airdodge backwards or with an aerial to cover your landing or use qac/other methods to get behind the opponent but don't get predictable obviously.

At least that is what I learned out of my habit with this as pikachu. Air dodging into your opponent is next to the worst option possible when in that type of situation.

 

[infiniteV115]

The guide says Pikachu can get a dthrow x7 --> regrab on MK if he grabs MK at 0; is this true?
If so, can Pikachu also nair out of this?

The whole time I've been under the impression that the best CG Pikachu could do on MK was to grab him when he's between 13-18%, and do dthrow x3-->nair for 40%.