Purpose of NAir?

[The Golden Ike]

I'm having trouble figuring out when a NAir should be used instead of a Fair or Bair. From my experience, they're both faster and more reliable. In what situations is a NAir better, and how should I be using it?

 

[ArikadoSD]

That's actually a pretty good question.. I find myself using it when edgeguarding sometimes, but when it comes in handy is usually when the 2nd hit would be useful. I'm not sure if this is true or not but I feel like nair "lasts" longer than fair would, for example if both you and a Lucario and in the air (off-stage or not), and he starts 'charging' his recovery, you would use nair and hope one of the hits would land, while fair is either hit or miss, which I feel has a much lower chance of actually hitting lucario.

I also use it for spacing when on the ground sometimes, but I don't know why lol, I just do.

 

[Darklink401]

Nair does more damage if both hits connect, and it can hit behind Marth.

I use it as a mixup, tbh.

 

[EternalFlame]

NAir is one of your fundamentals in terms of approach, and probably more safe than FAir regardless of when you throw it (unlike FAir, where you have to be consious of when you throw it, otherwise you suffer landing lag). As it has no landing lag, you could get creative and throw out the attack, fast fall, then quickly follow up into something as long as you space it right. Defensively it is pretty good, and it could work as a means to get the opponent off you without worrying about that landing lag again. NAir I believe is pretty close to a frame 1 attack, so it can interrupt people who are in mid attack setups (like Ike's jab, which unfortunately for him, can wiff mid way through :/).

To follow up on Darklink's point of it having a hitbox behind it, it's another way for you to combo end your dthrow besides the UAir/BAir. Granted, I'm still messing with that option and trying to see if there's any application to it.

Another application of NAir is that the first hit can serve as a setup/combo starter. It lifts up your opponent off the ground for a tiny bit as you land, and you can go into a grab, dtilt, utilt, and a few other options for further setups/combo enders.

Hopefully these give you an idea on what to do with NAir.

 

[Darklink401]

NAir is one of your fundamentals in terms of approach, and probably more safe than FAir regardless of when you throw it (unlike FAir, where you have to be consious of when you throw it, otherwise you suffer landing lag). As it has no landing lag, you could get creative and throw out the attack, fast fall, then quickly follow up into something as long as you space it right. Defensively it is pretty good, and it could work as a means to get the opponent off you without worrying about that landing lag again. NAir I believe is pretty close to a frame 1 attack, so it can interrupt people who are in mid attack setups (like Ike's jab, which unfortunately for him, can wiff mid way through :/).

To follow up on Darklink's point of it having a hitbox behind it, it's another way for you to combo end your dthrow besides the UAir/BAir. Granted, I'm still messing with that option and trying to see if there's any application to it.

Another application of NAir is that the first hit can serve as a setup/combo starter. It lifts up your opponent off the ground for a tiny bit as you land, and you can go into a grab, dtilt, utilt, and a few other options for further setups/combo enders.

Hopefully these give you an idea on what to do with NAir.

Dude you're like the Marth master.

So much info. Love it.

 

[EternalFlame]

Dude you're like the Marth master.

So much info. Love it.

xD It's one thing to know the stuff, another to put it in application mid fight. I've still got a lot to learn, just like you guys do.

 

[Darklink401]

Knowledge is power

How good are you in practice, then? XP

 

[EternalFlame]

Knowledge is power

How good are you in practice, then? XP

Pretty sure my gameplay footage on my channel can speak for me xD

My goal after all is to just keep improving, so I can't really say how good or bad I am per say. Aiming for the best only means that there's a definite ending, but to continually improve means a journey that can last a lifetime (no matter the game I play).

 

[Pugwest]

Its good for covering platforms, if the opponents roll u can pretty much have everything covered.

 

[sawp]

NAir is one of your fundamentals in terms of approach, and probably more safe than FAir regardless of when you throw it (unlike FAir, where you have to be consious of when you throw it, otherwise you suffer landing lag). As it has no landing lag, you could get creative and throw out the attack, fast fall, then quickly follow up into something as long as you space it right. Defensively it is pretty good, and it could work as a means to get the opponent off you without worrying about that landing lag again. NAir I believe is pretty close to a frame 1 attack, so it can interrupt people who are in mid attack setups (like Ike's jab, which unfortunately for him, can wiff mid way through :/).

To follow up on Darklink's point of it having a hitbox behind it, it's another way for you to combo end your dthrow besides the UAir/BAir. Granted, I'm still messing with that option and trying to see if there's any application to it.

Another application of NAir is that the first hit can serve as a setup/combo starter. It lifts up your opponent off the ground for a tiny bit as you land, and you can go into a grab, dtilt, utilt, and a few other options for further setups/combo enders.

Hopefully these give you an idea on what to do with NAir.

Technically there is landing lag for the NAir, about 12 frames. Still significantly lower than 18 frames on the FAir.

 

[EternalFlame]

Technically there is landing lag for the NAir, about 12 frames. Still significantly lower than 18 frames on the FAir.

There's some accurate data for ya xD, NAir indeed does have landing lag, but it isn't too much to hinder the intended followups unless they match those categories of being fast fallers or floaty characters. Thanks for the clarification on the frame data Sawp xD

 

[sawp]

Ah, a correction, the NAir has 15 frames of lag. 10 frames if you're using smooth landers. Interesting, BAir has more landing lag than FAir at 19, but I think it's easier to pull back with the BAir and that's why it feels safer to use.

 

[EternalFlame]

Ah, a correction, the NAir has 15 frames of lag. 10 frames if you're using smooth landers. Interesting, BAir has more landing lag than FAir at 19, but I think it's easier to pull back with the BAir and that's why it feels safer to use.

Getting that smooth lander's equip is tough in of itself, and considering it doesn't come with just the property alone, its unlikely to see it used much :/

But that aside, adding onto what you said with BAir, the animation of how Marth/Lucina swings the sword puts the hitbox as starting from low to high, where you'll have some advantages with this over FAir (unless you go for like overhead mixups and the like). I usually only use BAirs for the Dthrow followup or trying to strike from below the target, but I do imagine it is a bit faster to get the hitbox out for its slightly shorter reach (or area of attack rather) compared to FAir. Otherwise it's FAirs, NAirs, and Air DBs for me xD It also doesn't seem to have much difference between either attack and backing off after throwing it, but it's probably a difference I haven't payed much attention to from my lack of its usage like you have (saw your videos with Lucina, so I'm basing it off of that xD)

 

[Darklink401]

Getting that smooth lander's equip is tough in of itself, and considering it doesn't come with just the property alone, its unlikely to see it used much :/

But that aside, adding onto what you said with BAir, the animation of how Marth/Lucina swings the sword puts the hitbox as starting from low to high, where you'll have some advantages with this over FAir (unless you go for like overhead mixups and the like). I usually only use BAirs for the Dthrow followup or trying to strike from below the target, but I do imagine it is a bit faster to get the hitbox out for its slightly shorter reach (or area of attack rather) compared to FAir. Otherwise it's FAirs, NAirs, and Air DBs for me xD It also doesn't seem to have much difference between either attack and backing off after throwing it, but it's probably a difference I haven't payed much attention to from my lack of its usage like you have (saw your videos with Lucina, so I'm basing it off of that xD)

I think that smooth landing can be evened out by other equipment, but the fact not all equipment is the same makes it not viable.

 

[EternalFlame]

I think that smooth landing can be evened out by other equipment, but the fact not all equipment is the same makes it not viable.

Pretty much that reason too is part of why its unlikely to be used in competitive play. Unless Sakura were to release one for every player with absolutely no stat changes, it is very unlikely to get this sort of thing implemented.

UNLESS, we get someone who does have it, apply it to every character with unchanged stats and just smooth landing, then when tournament season comes around, they can transfer it to a local WiiU then everyone just gets a copy of that custom back on their 3DS/2DS to transfer to people they know. As a community, it is quite viable to get that spread around to most people at least.

 

[Darklink401]

Pretty much that reason too is part of why its unlikely to be used in competitive play. Unless Sakura were to release one for every player with absolutely no stat changes, it is very unlikely to get this sort of thing implemented.

UNLESS, we get someone who does have it, apply it to every character with unchanged stats and just smooth landing, then when tournament season comes around, they can transfer it to a local WiiU then everyone just gets a copy of that custom back on their 3DS/2DS to transfer to people they know. As a community, it is quite viable to get that spread around to most people at least.

A few stat points might differ, but hey, if the characters were all using the same custom for smooth landing, it'd work.

 

[Emblem Lord]

Nair is 15 frames of landing recovery.

 

[EternalFlame]

A few stat points might differ, but hey, if the characters were all using the same custom for smooth landing, it'd work.

There still is a small likelyhood of at least 1 person having the smooth landing with equips to null any stat boost/nerf from smooth landing, but then again, it'll be some time if that is to ever pan out to anything substancial. But yeah, it shouldn't be a problem if all characters have that same setup custom, then it would be no problem (unless the downloaded character only remains on game as long as the 3DS/2DS is connected, but even then I'd think that wouldn't be the case). Either way, I've only trained myself to use what was at default, so it doesn't make too much difference for me xD

Anywho, back on topic for NAir xD

 

[Code Bread]

Since it has less landing lag than fair/bair (I think, don't quote me on that), I use it as an approach option when my opponent is on the defensive. It covers you and is fast enough that you can throw out another move apon landing pretty quickly. If my opponent is on the offensive, I just throw out a fair since it usually outspeeds other attacks.
I also use it when I'm on the defensive and my opponent is on a platform. I don't want to commit to a fair or bair and nair covers most of platform options.

 

[kj22]

Nair is 15 frames of landing recovery.

Hurts just reading it

 

[Emblem Lord]

It is what it is.

 

[adamlon1]

It's good for predicting rolls and edgeguarding or that's just what I use it for but you might want to experiment with it and see what you can find

 

[Locuan]

Questions like these should be referred to the Marth Question and Answer Thread. There users will be able to answer your questions. You are also able to answer any questions from other users.