Pikachu Playstyles, How Do You Use Pikachu?

[Dream Land Works]

Hey,

With so many styles to playing the game, I wanted to know how everyone else plays with Pikachu. After this thread gets a nice amount of input, I will add a Playstyles section to the Pikachu Guide. So basically, tell how you play offensively with Pikachu, how you play defensively, how you use his specials, how you use his character physics (speed, size, crawling, etc), and any other things that can help other Pikachu players get better at their playstyle or can mix things into their personal playstyle.

So for me basically, I consider my Pikachu is close-range offensive. I attack at close range with standard attacks (Jab and Tilts) and Smashes to try to get their damage. Another goal with the close range attacks is it to get them in the air so I can use aerials or a occasional Thunder. I do this by either using Up Smash, Down Smash, Up Throw, Forward Throw, and Up Tilt.

While using Pikachu defensively, I usually stay far away from my opponent and spam Jumping Thunder Jolts. This is probably the weakest point in my whole Pikachu game because I just use one defensive tactic with Pika. A good way to move from being defensive to offensive is Quick Attack Canceling to the opponent followed by an aerial or Thunder. Another good way to move to offensive is Skull Bash if their shield is low or you know they probably will screw up the dodge.

For Thunder Jolt, I usually use it to camp and edgeguard. Sometimes, I will use it as a defensive tactic while I am returning to the stage so that they won't edgeguard as well or at all.

I use Skull Bash while their shield is low so I can KO with it. I also use it for a recovery (hard to find a Pika player who doesn't) and approaching.

Quick Attack is usually used when I want to dodge projectiles, to approach, and to recover. I also like to Quick Attack and use Thunder for a surprise KO.

I like Thunder for KO's and edgeguarding. You can some crazy stuff if your opponent isn't expecting you to use Thunder at a moment, like if you act like you will use an aerial or out of a Quick Attack Cancel. I also like to jump off the edge and use Thunder to edgeguard.(check the Pika guide under edgeguarding ).

So that is how I use Pikachu, how about you?

 

[mysticwolf]

one of my favorite strategies to use with Pika is to attack until your opponent's damage is high enough, then use Pika's powerful upward smash attack, launching them almost offscreen, then get under them (while they are at the top of the screen) and follow it up with a Thunder. If the attack comes in contact with them, it will send them upward, and hopefully past the edge of the boundary for a KO.

 

[gallax]

great idea. i will contribute to this effort as much as i can.

for starters, one of my main components of my game is the tjolt. of course if can be spammed and what not. im not going to explain the obvious uses. but some tricks that i have learned are how to surprise the opponent with it. same goes with the skull bash but thats later. the tjolt has a little delay on the ground but the delay is een smaller in the air, which is why it is most commonly used with the SH. Toon link cannot use his shield(the one where he stands still and does nothing) to protect him btw the way against a SH tjolt. i find that when approaching an enemy i often sh tjolt repeatedly as one of my many approaches. it can throw the enemy offguard or deter them from chargin/taking out a projectile.

i like to try and be as unpredictable as possible. the SH can assist. when going in to attack an opponent you can QAC, use an airiel, dodge, or(one of my koolest uses) SH in front of them and tjolt. SH tjolt in their face stops your momentum and can throw off their spacing. plus its free damage. i cant stress enough how much damage the tjolt can cause. i love to use it because it feels lik free damage to me. hit b and then let it hit them. easy. so the opponent will always be on their toes when you are coming in cuz they won't know whats coming. they will have to watch out for that projectile of yours. heck. QAC in a tjolt(of course you need to jump and then tjolt). its so good as an offensive move and it is demoralizing.

another kool thing with the tjolt is how it stays on the ground and stays connected to the ground. this is great for using against edgehoggers. tjolt it and let it hit them while they are hanging on the edge. so if you have a prob with people staying on the ledge just nail them with a tjolt. also, with the wraparound ability, if there is a platform (like on Battlefield) you can tjolt and it will wrap around the platform. so SH tjolt on the platfor and let it hit the opponent who is below you. a kool defense. very situational but good to know.

the last thing that i can think of to add with the tjolt is use it like snake uses his nades off the stage. send a tjolt back to the stage whwen trying to recover and it can make your opponent flinch and help you get back safely.

more info about my pika game will come later. ill talk about the skullbash next though.

 

[Ekoix.exe]

Be defense, Abuse your taunts and down smash's as much as possible, When your opponent finally unplugs your controller, falcon punch him in the face.

 

[Spyckie]

Playstyles, huh...

I would guess I'm mostly defensive. What I like to do is sit back, play defensively, and dodge attacks while analyzing the opponent's mood - aggressive? defensive? And then try to pick it apart.

If the opponent is defensive, I try to pressure them, if possible - a bit out of their range, but close enough to make them feel cornered, and throwing in attacks here and there to mess them up. I do this by circle dashing near them, and then doing full-hopped thunderjolts. My goal here is to be as hard to hit as they are while putting them in a disadvantage. I can be very patient here.

If I'm playing defensive and the opponent is after me, I'll shield -> dsmash or shield -> running upsmash/grab a lot. I'll also spam retreating thunderjolts and QAC away to get them into the air, making it hard for them to attack me on the ground.

I'll play aggressive only when the opponent is playing aggressive as well. By this, I mean, I'll initiate attacks more than I try to counter them. The reason is because most players play defensively, and pikachu has to be very good to get in attacks that are "safe". Spacing and surprise are crucial to pikachu being aggressive without getting the shorter end of the stick in the encounter because if they're being defensive, I find his priority and reach is just not enough against the more difficult matchups.

When I'm defensive I like these things -
sh thunderwall in front of you, bstick behind it.
A mix of full-hop -> thunderjolt or fullhop->QAC->thunderjolt out of shield.
full-hop -> bair from shield when they're anywhere above you.
sh nair out of shield (autocancelled), followed retreating thunderjolts.

When I'm aggressive, I like these things -
ffalled fair from any height
QAC -> nair
doublejumped thunderjolt -> QAC nair (before you land)
shffing over their shield to dsmash

Finally, when they lose a stock, you need a good taunt.
I find that upb-ing in to the ground repeatedly is great. So is dtilt -> taunt if you can get the slide to go far enough.

 

[Terios the Hedgehog]

I like to use Thunder Jolt to bait my opponents and force mistakes. At low percents I chaingrab till they break free. Then it's back to Thunder Jolt. When they make a mistake I'll Dsmash, Fsmash, whatever until they are high enough. Then I'll either Fsmash or Dsmash/Usmash for the kill. Following with thunder if I need it. Or I'll try gimping.


Using baiting comes from Melee Falcon maining. (Empty SH, dashdances) and Sonic.

 

[Blistering Speed]

My style seems to be very different to most. I play an extremely aggressive, aerial Pikachu. I approach with SH Tjolts but I virtually never camp with them. SH N/F airs mainly in terms of attacks with D Smash thrown in to mix it up. U/F for kills.
I also use QAC alot, I think that's the one thing that makes me a decent Pika player, my QACing is fairly top notch.

 

[Terios the Hedgehog]

I have to get around to learning QAC.....

 

[Blistering Speed]

It's not as hard as people have made it out to be, the difficulty is in not abusing it once you know how. Trust me, it's so awesome you'll be wanting to B Up spam constantly.

 

[Pikachu247]

Be defense, Abuse your taunts and down smash's as much as possible, When your opponent finally unplugs your controller, falcon punch him in the face.

Sig. worthy. Basically I play my pika best when I play patient. No nes. defensive, but just patient kna mean?

 

[Ekoix.exe]

Sig. worthy. Basically I play my pika best when I play patient. No nes. defensive, but just patient kna mean?

Awesome.

Also, abuse your fairs.

 

[Muhznit]

Offensive/Approach

•I have four methods of approaching. The first consists of either full-hopped Thundershocks (I refuse to call them Thunderjolts) linked to either: F-Smash (for range), Skull Bash (for gaining ground), and D-Smash (for agitation. )
•The second is short-hopped Fairs Linked to Tilts and Smashes. My favorite is Fair->D-Smash for once again, agitation.
•The third is through Quick Attack Cancels. I've developed quite a talent with them. Each time I kill someone in a 1vs1 I do the "Quick Attack Flash" described back int the Quick Attack Cancel thread.
•Fourth is crawling. Regardless of who's playing, I find it fun to catch people off-gaurd with it as I use Pikachu's D-Tilt repeatedly to nullify their dodging. Let's not forget that most projectiles, ESPECIALLY Ray Gun shots from tall characters, can be dodged easily through crawling.

Evasive/Retreat
•Full-Hop Thundershocks. Thousands of them.
•Quick Attack Cancels, too.

Defensive/Edgegaurding
•Lots of shenanigans here. From the edge, jump, Thunder. Pikachu moves back onto the stage, the thunder strikes behind him. THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO RUSH AND QUICKLY KNOCK YOU OFF THE EDGE, BUT THEY'RE DEAD WRONG!
•Or maybe, from the edge, drop away from the stage, wait a bit, jump back to stage while using Thunder. A very good method of edgegaurding thanks to the HUGE vertical range.
•From the edge, drop straight down, jump, thunder. Depending on timing, this could be used to knock away someone coming after you from the stage, or finish off an unlucky soul that wants to sweetspot the edge.
•Anything involving an edge and thunder works wonders against Snake, ROB, and the Gliders.

Overall, I'd say I play a sick, twisted, and downright ****ing disgusting Pikachu.

 

[Semmick]

For my Pikachu play style, I just chain grab with it's down throw until the opponent has high enough damage to be killed by Pika's Up smash.

 

[Terios the Hedgehog]

Oh yeah. Which is better? Fthrow CG or Dthrow CG? I've been using Fthrow because it allows me to push them to the edge for a SH fair to Fsmash.

 

[Roller]

Oh yeah. Which is better? Fthrow CG or Dthrow CG? I've been using Fthrow because it allows me to push them to the edge for a SH fair to Fsmash.

It really depends on the character. But I use Dthrow more because usually you can get to a higher percent with it than only going untill you get to the edge of the stage. Plus it is easier to do since you don't have to run, you just stand there pressing grab...

very easy, especially on fox (Chain the ones that don't know to shine out of it, and most of them don't, to 104 all the time.)

 

[kirbysprite]

Spam Dsmash. Also use Uthrow-Thunder combo.

 

[Roller]

don't spam Dsmash...gets WAY too predictable.

 

[gallax]

spam anything and it gets predictable. every player needs to mix it up.

 

[Roller]

true story

 

[Pika Flame]

I just keep on spamming thunder. I never try to do any defensive moves, but sometimes I use moves other then thunder.