BauxFalcon
Smash Apprentice
So basically, Falcon is pretty fast and can go over and around platforms like a hot knife through butter. This thread is gonna be fairly disorganized, so sorry if you can't really follow my thoughts.
I've been getting better at using platform movement in my actual gameplay (with this little theory thing in mind), and I thought I'd share what my thoughts on movement with platforms are.
The point of platform movement, the way I see it at least, is to do mindgames, and get around enemy attacks/ pressure, and in some rare cases, extend a combo.
Let's take battlefield as an example, I'm going to mark up the platforms and positions with numbers.
*1*
2*3
456
OK, so the top platform is 1, the sides are 2, and 3, and the base of the stage is 4, 5, and 6. The asterisks are just placeholders for spaces on the stage.
I'm gonna break down a few matchups.
Marth/Floaties:
In this matchup, Marth can only cover one position on platforms at a time, with the exception of uair and fmsash which cover two.
So suppose a Marth is sitting here at position 5, my best position would be 1, if I'm not trying to get hit. Let's say that Marth does a full jump uair. My options would be to go to 2 or 3. Marth whiffs the attack and I'm on platform 3, while Marth is back at 5. Marth now goes for a fair. So my best option would be to go onto platform 1, and then 2, in order to get as far away as possible. Now Marth and I are on opposite platforms. Marth wants to hit me, so he has to get to platform 2 somehow. Either he can take the high approach and go through position 1, or he can drop and go through position 6, 5, and 4. Depending on his action, I will go the opposite way he does in order to weave around his attacks. The point is to get on the opposite position from your opponent. So if they're on 4, go to 6/3. If they're on 3, go to 4/2. If they're on 1, go to 5 and so on.
Now let's say you want to pressure instead of defend. Although you'll be defending more, pressuring it still important. The best way to pressure a Marth is to be below him, so you can take a risk and go to, say platform 2/3 when Marth is on 1 in order to put some pressure on him. Just be below Marth (or any floaty/semi-floaty) to pressure.
Note about Peach, stay close enough to punish turnip campers.
Spacies:
These guys are a pain in the donkey to do platform play with. Falco destroys horizontal options that Falcon needs in every matchup, and Fox can't be pressured with platform movement. In both of these matchups, you can't apply pressure through movement alone. Falco's lasers are a pain in the *** and he forces you to take the high ground, which is a basic advantage for Flaco. Let's say that Flaco shoots a laser from position 6 and you're at position 5. You have a few options, waveland onto 2, and not get anything really, or you can waveland onto 3 and try a punish/waveland back to 5. But, the reason that Flaco sucks, is because he covers 3 positions with lasers, unlike most other matchups. If Flaco shoots from 6, positions 6, 5, and 4, are all covered, and you have to move/powershield if you want to live. Basically, the best way to do well, is to always mind the lasers, and to stay unpredictable as well. Platforms are your best friend in this matchup, because they're your only escape options (hence why FD is such a bad Falcon stage against spacies).
Now for the all important shine. Shine can basically cover 2 positions. The platform on which the spacie is standing, and right below. If you rush a spacie while it's on platform 3, for example, and if you go on the ground, spacies can platform drop and then shine you on the ground. If you go through the platforms, spacies aren't able to be approached from above at all. As always, you can't really do much in this matchup.
So yeah, that's it for the thread. I may not be big and all, but this is what I have learned on my own by playing against people in locals and whatnot. I hope this helps, and I also hope to add more to this in a way.
I've been getting better at using platform movement in my actual gameplay (with this little theory thing in mind), and I thought I'd share what my thoughts on movement with platforms are.
The point of platform movement, the way I see it at least, is to do mindgames, and get around enemy attacks/ pressure, and in some rare cases, extend a combo.
Let's take battlefield as an example, I'm going to mark up the platforms and positions with numbers.
*1*
2*3
456
OK, so the top platform is 1, the sides are 2, and 3, and the base of the stage is 4, 5, and 6. The asterisks are just placeholders for spaces on the stage.
I'm gonna break down a few matchups.
Marth/Floaties:
In this matchup, Marth can only cover one position on platforms at a time, with the exception of uair and fmsash which cover two.
So suppose a Marth is sitting here at position 5, my best position would be 1, if I'm not trying to get hit. Let's say that Marth does a full jump uair. My options would be to go to 2 or 3. Marth whiffs the attack and I'm on platform 3, while Marth is back at 5. Marth now goes for a fair. So my best option would be to go onto platform 1, and then 2, in order to get as far away as possible. Now Marth and I are on opposite platforms. Marth wants to hit me, so he has to get to platform 2 somehow. Either he can take the high approach and go through position 1, or he can drop and go through position 6, 5, and 4. Depending on his action, I will go the opposite way he does in order to weave around his attacks. The point is to get on the opposite position from your opponent. So if they're on 4, go to 6/3. If they're on 3, go to 4/2. If they're on 1, go to 5 and so on.
Now let's say you want to pressure instead of defend. Although you'll be defending more, pressuring it still important. The best way to pressure a Marth is to be below him, so you can take a risk and go to, say platform 2/3 when Marth is on 1 in order to put some pressure on him. Just be below Marth (or any floaty/semi-floaty) to pressure.
Note about Peach, stay close enough to punish turnip campers.
Spacies:
These guys are a pain in the donkey to do platform play with. Falco destroys horizontal options that Falcon needs in every matchup, and Fox can't be pressured with platform movement. In both of these matchups, you can't apply pressure through movement alone. Falco's lasers are a pain in the *** and he forces you to take the high ground, which is a basic advantage for Flaco. Let's say that Flaco shoots a laser from position 6 and you're at position 5. You have a few options, waveland onto 2, and not get anything really, or you can waveland onto 3 and try a punish/waveland back to 5. But, the reason that Flaco sucks, is because he covers 3 positions with lasers, unlike most other matchups. If Flaco shoots from 6, positions 6, 5, and 4, are all covered, and you have to move/powershield if you want to live. Basically, the best way to do well, is to always mind the lasers, and to stay unpredictable as well. Platforms are your best friend in this matchup, because they're your only escape options (hence why FD is such a bad Falcon stage against spacies).
Now for the all important shine. Shine can basically cover 2 positions. The platform on which the spacie is standing, and right below. If you rush a spacie while it's on platform 3, for example, and if you go on the ground, spacies can platform drop and then shine you on the ground. If you go through the platforms, spacies aren't able to be approached from above at all. As always, you can't really do much in this matchup.
So yeah, that's it for the thread. I may not be big and all, but this is what I have learned on my own by playing against people in locals and whatnot. I hope this helps, and I also hope to add more to this in a way.