Playing to damage, not playing to kill

[[FBC] ESAM]

I have noticed that a lot of players will focus solely on killing once the opponent is in the killing range, and have lost or gotten pummeled because of it. Brawl is not a game where you just throw out moves until you kill them, it is a game in which you keep hitting them until they die.

The most common case of this is with spamming U-smash, F-smash, Thunder, and Nair once the opponent is at around 130%, and this is all people will use. However, you should use ANY attack when they are at that %, it doesn't matter that it won't kill, because eventually it will. When people get hit in their shield, they will try to F-smash because IF IT HITS, it will kill them. This gives the opponent enough time to shield, and you wasted a great opportunity to damage them more. In this situation, it is much more logical to f-tilt to get them off the stage, and damage them more with T-jolts until your quicker attacks will kill them.

When you are playing a heavy character, you know it is bothersome to get the kill because you may use your kill moves when they aren't quite at the kill %s. So the idea is, keep hitting them with whatever you can to rack on the damage, and then eventually you will hit them with a strong enough attack to kill them (you would be surprised to know how many times i have killed a DDD with F-tilt)

When edgeguarding, you aren't always trying to gimp (especially if your opponent has a good recovery). Edgeguarding is free damage you get on an recovering opponent, because they (usually) have no means to defend themselves. I've noticed sometimes when I use thunder wall to edgeguard, it sends my opponent at a vertical trajectory, aiding in their recovery. I would always get frustrated at myself for "helping" my opponent to recover, but then I realized they would have probably recovered anyways, and I managed to tag the 8-10% that thunder does on them. Even if all you can get is an uair or tjolt on your opponent, its better than trying to gimp your opponent and accidentally SDing your self. Don't get me wrong, if your opponent has a sucky recovery, gimp them by all means, but due to brawls floaty mechanics, people will almost always recover if not edgeguarded.

Now I'm not saying NEVER go for kills, you have to gauge that for yourself. Just don't go out of your way and change your playstyle too drastically just to achieve that one goal.

Please Pikachus, stop trying to go for the kill when they are at the right damages, but instead hit them until they die from anything.

Yours truly,
ESAM

 

[K 2]

Good thread ESAM!

I also want to add something. When edgeguarding, you aren't always trying to gimp (especially if your opponent has a good recovery). Edgeguarding is free damage you get on an recovering opponent, because they (usually) have no means to defend themselves. I've noticed sometimes when I use thunder wall to edgeguard, it sends my opponent at a vertical trajectory, aiding in their recovery. I would always get frustrated at myself for "helping" my opponent to recover, but then I realized they would have probably recovered anyways, and I managed to tag the 8-10% that thunder does on them. Even if all you can get is an uair or tjolt on your opponent, its better than trying to gimp your opponent and accidentally SDing your self. Don't get me wrong, if your opponent has a sucky recovery, gimp them by all means, but due to brawls floaty mechanics, people will almost always recover if not edgeguarded.

 

[rinoH]

I actually dont try to kill until 150-165 since Pikachu is such a good damage racker character usually though i kill before that because of gimps

 

[M15t3R E]

PSA for all Pikachus! Heed ESAM's advice.
My interpretation is... don't change up your playstyle just because you see your opponent well above the 100's in percentage. If you racked up the damage in an effective manner to get the opponent that far, changing up your playstyle to viciously get the kill can only work in their favor. Keep doing what you're doing and you'll eventually spot a blatant opening for a nair or f-smash or u-smash or even thunder.

 

[Ussi]

I tend to utilt/throw to thunder at higher %'s.

Some charactors are hard to kill with smashes cause they do not leave themselves open. Most people are like that at higher %'s

 

[neji32]

Of course esam, we must all play like anther. Rack up to 180% then play defensive for the Utilt of death!!!

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

I'm not saying play like anther neji...i don't watch anther and don't care to watch him. Just because he is better than us doesn't make him the only way to play...I hope that is sarcasm.

 

[Masky]

good advice, thanks ESAM
I think this will actually improve my pikachu a lot

 

[Anther]

So true Esam. Sometimes though it's good to change your style to go for the kill. It's intimidating to your opponent ot see you're just out there showing all them muscles. But it general it's true to just let the kill come to you instead of going for predictable kills.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

It all depends on the momentum really. If you have a lot of momentum and you are just doing really good, then go for the kill, but don't go out of your way to do it.

 

[K 2]

Yes, that's one of the problems I have as a G&W main. He can kill the heaviest characters easily under 100%, but everyone is so aware of my smashes, that they pay extra careful attention to avoid them. I usually just keep racking damage until an opening presents its self.

 

[gallax]

that was one of my problems when playing brawl. i always tried to be aggressive when trying to kill. now i realize that patience is a virue and use your kill moves only when you have a chance to. otherwise keep damagin and getting more free damage.

ESAM is totally right here.

 

[kirbysprite]

What ESAM posted was exactly what I was doing...

I guess I got to stop that... I hope this will make me better...

Thanks ESAM.

 

[gunterrsmash01]

This should be in the Tactical Discussion haha, not just the Pika boards. Applies to all characters.

good job

 

[indianunit]

I actually have to agree with this because i learn the hard way that throwing out kill moves when your opponent is at high percentages DOES NOT WORK. basically ya find that opening and then go for the kill.

 

[Zylar]

I suppose that I do the same. (I tend to get upsmash happy. ^^') Geez another thing to be mindful of.
Maybe THIS is why I tend to do better when I'm doing friendlies and we make the damage invisible.
I guess that would be a good way to practice if you're into the habit of drastically changing your playstyle for the kill.

 

[[FBC] ESAM]

I'm gonna post this in tactical discussion.

 

[KayLo!]

Maybe THIS is why I tend to do better when I'm doing friendlies and we make the damage invisible.
I guess that would be a good way to practice if you're into the habit of drastically changing your playstyle for the kill.

That's.... actually a really interesting idea.

I should try that and see if I do better that way.

Thanks, Zylar! Also, good advice, ESAM.

 

[Electric-Sachiel]

LOL.

ESAM your right on the money. Good advice i should try to take up.... Ever since i could remember i've always been impatient with trying to kill my enemy-regardless of who i was battling. I just run head first into battle with kill moves without thinking much about defense and or the long term consequences of my actions. Kill moves such as fsmash, dsmash, usmash and thunder are all so fun to use when they work.

But lately i have found that i usually do become less strategic and when i do see an enemy at around 100% damage i try automatically to get a kill. Its like my reaction is:


OH MY GODZ.....HE'S AT 100% AND OVER! I GOT TO END THIS NOW! TIME TO KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL!

LOL and thats how i usually end up losing against supposedly weaker guys. I change my playstyle so much i disregard defending myself and keep on using a predicatable set of kill moves that my opponent later avoids time and time again leaving me wide open to attack.

I'm such an impatient ******* sometimes......

 

[Zylar]

That's.... actually a really interesting idea.

I should try that and see if I do better that way.

Thanks, Zylar! Also, good advice, ESAM.

Yeah, I mean think about it. You have to play smart ALL the time. It's like playing a sport and you don't know who's winning so you have to play 100% all the time. (My highschool B-ball coach told us to NOT look at the score ever. It was hard, >.<)

The idea is, I suppose, is to practice so much without knowing what the score is, that when even when you do know, you still play smart.

Before I thought it was just because I was playing aggressively all the time, even when sent off stage (Althought that was a clue to start avoiding kill moves THEY spammed.) But actually it was just playing smart, keeping the same productive playstyle.

But kudos to ESAM!
And it'll be interesting to see what the other boards have to say...

 

[thespymachine]

Good stuff.

So true.

 

[Sorgens]

Send this to the Fox forums, I see too many Fox's spamming u-smash whenever I reach 90+%.

 

[lmntolp]

Playing to damage has always been my philosophy and is part of why I main pikachu. I continue jabbing and QACing through people at any percent. This is still rly important stuff to keep in mind because I do start usmashing a lot more when my opponent passes like 150%.

 

[reimeii]

+10.....
i managed to catch myself doing that a few times myself.....but my problem is when both the opponent and myself are in the kill zone.....i tend to haste myself in getting the first kill....its hard to relax in those situations for me (especially in tournaments when there's something at stake).....but then i guess thats what seperates the novices from the experts....keeping your cool in those situations.......well now that i realize that problem i can start working on it......

 

[GreenAce]

Usually if I haven't killed my opponent by 150 I 'll try to utilt then thunder

 

[KuroKitt10]

I definitely agree with what ESAM is saying. You need to continue to play well, regardless of your opponents percentages. Don't leave yourself open, or start making poor or hasty play choices, just because you want them dead NOW.

However, I think it's also important to watch out for the converse - not using enough or even any KO moves when you could be, and just giving them more time and opportunity to rack up damage on YOU.

I think the best strategy is to simply keep an eye on the damage, and when you reach that KO range, be mindful of it, and look for laggy opportunities to get off those smashes. Passing up a KO opportunity is just as bad as trying to KO when you shouldn't.

Mew.

 

[Pika_Cam]

I definitely agree with what ESAM is saying. You need to continue to play well, regardless of your opponents percentages. Don't leave yourself open, or start making poor or hasty play choices, just because you want them dead NOW.

However, I think it's also important to watch out for the converse - not using enough or even any KO moves when you could be, and just giving them more time and opportunity to rack up damage on YOU.

I think the best strategy is to simply keep an eye on the damage, and when you reach that KO range, be mindful of it, and look for laggy opportunities to get off those smashes. Passing up a KO opportunity is just as bad as trying to KO when you shouldn't.

Mew.

I think you put it better than anyone.

 

[Conviction]

I love this thread I agree with Ozz send this to tatical discussion.

 

[gallax]

one thing that i notice most pika players not doing or taking advantage of is jumping out of your shield with a nair. doing this at higher percentages is great for the surprise kill.

 

[Psycho.Fx]

THIS is exactly my worst habit of playing- shielding a fsmash and trying to punish it with another fsmash. terrible =_=;

 

[gallax]

that is a terrible habit i am still trying to break. snake is the cure. more tilts!!!!!