Q&A Pikachu Q&A Thread (Ask a Quick Question, Get a Quick Answer)

[BellaLunaWolf]

yes and yes.

Okay. Now I understand for sure. It makes sense, because only during the first match as a featured character does that little notice appear at the bottom of the screen saying "This is part of Conquest" or something like that.
Extra battles I have as Pikachu during other rounds for the next few hours never hurt, anyway.
Thanks, you guys.
Now I know I gotta play as Pika once every 16 hours for this Conquest round.

 

[Leaf.]

The Q's and the A's go here.
But where do the C's go?

I miss being able to QAC all the time.

 

[M15t3R E]

So far every conquest game with Pikachu I've won since it began on the 23rd.

 

[BellaLunaWolf]

I don't understand... I lost a battle that was part of Conquest... but instead of points being deducted I got 2? Oh well.

I wonder where I need to improve most...

 

[Sapphire Dragon]

Who were you playing against? Ask Angiance, he'll be able to help you.

 

[BellaLunaWolf]

Who were you playing against? Ask Angiance, he'll be able to help you.

That particular loss was against Wario. I think most of my losses have to do with failure to read other players, not dodging/shielding at the right times, and not punishing the opponent's defensive actions.

Speaking of which, I also lost many games in team battles against Yoshi and Ness yesterday. Again, they avoided my attacks easily and I fell into traps often. While my teammate and opponents were all people on my friends list, they couldn't really give me any good pointers on what I need to improve on most. Oh well.

My scrubbiness aside, at least I can say I've never lost to a Little Mac on For Glory with Pikachu, even the ones who seem to know what they're doing.

 

[WolfieXVII ❂]

Thread grew fast

 

[Angiance]

That particular loss was against Wario. I think most of my losses have to do with failure to read other players, not dodging/shielding at the right times, and not punishing the opponent's defensive actions.

Speaking of which, I also lost many games in team battles against Yoshi and Ness yesterday. Again, they avoided my attacks easily and I fell into traps often. While my teammate and opponents were all people on my friends list, they couldn't really give me any good pointers on what I need to improve on most. Oh well.

My scrubbiness aside, at least I can say I've never lost to a Little Mac on For Glory with Pikachu, even the ones who seem to know what they're doing.

You'll get better at reading and junk if you're strong spirited about it. Play on~

 

[Nevarro]

The difference between a Master and a Beginner is that the Master has lost more times than the beginner has tried.
As long as you learn from it, carry on.

 

[ZTD | TECHnology]

So if you don't see me playing, look for me commentating on Clash Tournaments stream this weekend. I'll give some shoutouts to all my Pika brethren.

 

[BellaLunaWolf]

Well o' course I won't ever stop playing Smash against others, even if I continue losing most of the time. It's a fun game no matter what.

 

[BellaLunaWolf]

I feel like I need to learn or think up different methods of KOing opponents. It's strange. Maybe it's just me, but I feel Pika's smash attacks don't send characters far enough until higher percentages? Often times I'm trying to stack damage up to 200 percent before the opponent will finally blast off the screen. I'm still not very good defensively and I wish to win those close matches that Pikachu couldn't live through.

I hope I can become a little more advanced, but I don't know where to start. I only really have a good handle on Smash basics.

 

[dettadeus]

I feel like I need to learn or think up different methods of KOing opponents. It's strange. Maybe it's just me, but I feel Pika's smash attacks don't send characters far enough until higher percentages? Often times I'm trying to stack damage up to 200 percent before the opponent will finally blast off the screen. I'm still not very good defensively and I wish to win those close matches that Pikachu couldn't live through.

I hope I can become a little more advanced, but I don't know where to start. I only really have a good handle on Smash basics.

his dsmash basically never kills, his fsmash has like 3 or 4 hitboxes and only one kills respectably, and his usmash only has one good hitbox as well. so yeah even though his smashes are generally his better kill options they're still terrible lol. i recommend going for usmashes around 120-140 on most chars as a punish option on laggy moves, or OoS.

 

[NidoMay]

So just wondering, with the new meteor effect and all, is it even possible to get out of upthrow+thunder?
I mean there's dodging the throws but the game always feels unresponsive like I can't immediately back out of a move like I've seen a lot of players do (like instantly shielding and dodging after a grab miss)

Any way of actually punishing it?

 

[Leaf.]

When you are grabbed, just hold to the left or the right and you'll get out of upthrow>Thunder. If you get grabbed, you probably can't punish the throw because you get sent up too high, but you can at least avoid the Thunder.

 

[Tagxy]

Ive seen up-throw thunder land more than Id normally think it would against good players. I think it might be like fox's uthrow > uair combo in melee, where if you grab and throw really fast they have a very limited time to react with good DI.

 

[LunarWingCloud]

I've been having a hard time recovering from when I get juggled. I try to Quick Attack to a safe spot but only really manage it some of the time. Skull Bash has been nice due to its distance buff, but the lag on it you really gotta work around and it's easily read and punished if you aren't careful. I'm also bad with punishing and spacing, I tend to miss some of my punish attempts when I really need them to go through.

I haven't had trouble at all with comboing and racking up the damage, but like a lot of people landing the kill has been hard. I've tried using QAs to mix up and then go in for an up-smash, comboing into Thunder to get them on my burst (which has great knockback at decent-high percents) and I've also tried neutral and forward airs, but honestly most of the easiest kills have been off-stage gimping. Pikachu is thankfully REALLY GOOD at gimping.

 

[Gabukin]

How Do I get a kill as Pikachu!?
I really wanna start playing Pikachu but every time I try him out in FG mode I always have trouble killing. I usually have to build up 200% just to kill which is insane..
I know his U-Smash is really good but it pretty predictable and I can never hit with it. Same with his F-Smash. I know Pikachu is pretty decent at gimping but for some reason I can't ever seem to gimp anyone.
I have no trouble at all building up damage its just landing the kill move that seems to ruin me.

 

[infomon]

I know I saw it around the forums somewhere, but I can't find it now.

Where did each of Pika's alt costumes come from? Was there ever a time/episode where he wore those cute goggles? What's the white bandana thing?

 

[Gamingboy]

Pikachu's alts are mainly meant as references to the male player characters in the games, except for the party hat, which is meant to be a reference to his alts/team colors in the N64 SSB, and the goggles, which are a reference to an alt for Pichu in SSBM.

 

[Gamingboy]

How Do I get a kill as Pikachu!?
I really wanna start playing Pikachu but every time I try him out in FG mode I always have trouble killing. I usually have to build up 200% just to kill which is insane..
I know his U-Smash is really good but it pretty predictable and I can never hit with it. Same with his F-Smash. I know Pikachu is pretty decent at gimping but for some reason I can't ever seem to gimp anyone.
I have no trouble at all building up damage its just landing the kill move that seems to ruin me.

I've found another good kill move if you've got them pretty high is the dash attack (the running head butt). It's highly punishable if you miss and leaves you pretty open to a grab, though, and it can easily be cancelled by an opponent with a projectile (like Fox's laser), but it has good knockback.

 

[BellaLunaWolf]

I've found another good kill move if you've got them pretty high is the dash attack (the running head butt). It's highly punishable if you miss and leaves you pretty open to a grab, though, and it can easily be cancelled by an opponent with a projectile (like Fox's laser), but it has good knockback.

That's actually what I kill with half the time if I can't manage to gimp or kill by some other means. Kind funny... but hey whatever works!

 

[Angiance]

@ G Gabukin​

For U-Smash/F-Smash you've gotta condition the opponent for them; condition by making them jump with D-Tilt's presence (catch their jump with Dash U-Smash) or jump at them as they're in the air to make them airdodge/attack down (catch their landing with F-Smash)

 

[infomon]

Pikachu's alts are mainly meant as references to the male player characters in the games, except for the party hat, which is meant to be a reference to his alts/team colors in the N64 SSB, and the goggles, which are a reference to an alt for Pichu in SSBM.

Cool, thanks. Which character has the white bandana?

 

[LunarWingCloud]

Oh that's just a cute alt they seemed to have come up with. It's a type of headband sushi chefs are known to wear.

Also, is anyone else still up for the Pika main Skype group? I'd really like to be part of one, or get one going if we haven't already done so.

 

[Soul.]

Cool, thanks. Which character has the white bandana?

The white bandana is based on the Choice Band, an item from the Pokémon games.

 

[infomon]

The white bandana is based on the Choice Band, an item from the Pokémon games.

Oh that's neat. Thanks!

http://www.serebii.net/itemdex/choiceband.shtml

 

[SyncNatsyu]

The white bandana is based on the Choice Band, an item from the Pokémon games.

I'd rather my pika hold a light orb. Pikachu is mostly a special attacker.

 

[Soul.]

I'd rather my pika hold a light orb. Pikachu is mostly a special attacker.

Well, yes, Pikachu is mostly seen as a special attacker. It's too frail to use Volt Tackle or any physical attack.

 

[LunarWingCloud]

The white bandana is based on the Choice Band, an item from the Pokémon games.

Oh holy crap I didn't even notice that. That is pretty clever

 

[LunarWingCloud]

I'd rather my pika hold a light orb. Pikachu is mostly a special attacker.

Actually Pika's base Attack is 55, base Special Attack is only 50. Technically with a Light Ball though it can run both.

 

[SyncNatsyu]

Actually Pika's base Attack is 55, base Special Attack is only 50. Technically with a Light Ball though it can run both.

hmm never noticed that. well either way volt tackle is the only physical electric move that seems worth it and that has recoil...well that and nuzzle. Wild charge and thunder punch don't seem worth it compared to the plethora of special moves.

 

[Sapphire Dragon]

Also, is anyone else still up for the Pika main Skype group? I'd really like to be part of one, or get one going if we haven't already done so.

I already made one, just add me on skype

SapphireRyu

 

[Soul.]

The thing is that, in Pokémon, Pikachu does not excel at KOing and stuff. It can only hold the Light Ball if it wants to have a power similar to Deoxys (base forme).
In other words, Pikachu is not good in the games. The only thing that makes it good, however, is it being the mascot itself.
Pikachu is better in Smash.

 

[LunarWingCloud]

I already made one, just add me on skype

SapphireRyu

I shall when I get home! ^^

EDIT: And now I did so. :o

 

[Nevarro]

I might have to jump onto the skype group sometime, wouldn't mind playing against other pikachu players. Though im usually idle on the #smashbros irc room on thinstack irc.

 

[Nocally]

PIKA kill moves:

Thunder spikes at high percents (120 % at the "earliest")
N-air at high percents close to the border
F-smash (remember to hit with the sweet spot, it is sorta like a weaker version of a Marth tipper)
U-smash (a decent kill move, can sometimes be done out of a F-air
D-smash (depending on the rage effect) can kill around 130+, can sometimes be linked by t-jolting first.
B-air to stage-spike or a gimp (fast falling under the stage is an option too)
Dash attack (can sometimes close a clutch match at 140%+)

Other fun stuff on for glory matches, since the new ledge mechanics makes it possible:
jab at the ledge against recovering characters (hilarious)
T-jolt spam against recovering characters (still hilarious)

Take all of this information (and percentages) with a lot of salt, since rage mechanics, stale move negation, and the different weight of characters vary a lot. and every kill option is of course not part of this list, side-A can kill too etc.

 

[LunarWingCloud]

I've found F-Air on the side more reliable a kill move this game than D-Smash.

 

[A2ZOMG]

I sorta promised to come back with the next in Ayame's series of For Glory matches, but this includes more than her Pikachu, so I felt a little awkward posting that in the video thread.

Nonetheless, I found this episode particularly amusing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jOkc5KHCPc

 

[Nocally]

So you guys know how Pikachu Destroys Ness off stage by gimping him, right? Just had a for glory match (recorded) where I Use quick attack to get back on the stage, and in doing so, I intercept Ness´s Recovery up-b and cancel it out. Just a fluke, or a reliable way to destroy ness even harder off stage?