Quick attack auto cancel (the future of Pikachu?)

[Boondocker]

As we all know, Pika got nerfed hard when 3.5 came out. All may not be lost, though. Pikachu can auto-cancel his quick attack (up-b) on platforms when spaced properly, and he regains his double jump when he does so! That means he can quick attack auto cancel (qaac), jump, qaac, jump, etc for as long as he likes. I think what will make or break this is whether or not Pika can keep his opponent guessing. There has to be multiple places for Pika to go at any given time. This is a very hard tech to do. I threw together a quick drawing of dreamland that shows the spots that I have discovered that Pika can qaac. Some of them can transition into eachother, and I will document those below.

*Number 1 can be linked into numbers 2 and 3 via jump.
*Number 2 can be linked into number 3.
*Number 3 can be linked into number 3 via jump, endlessly.
*Number 5 can be linked into number 2 and 3 via jump.

I will do more of this tomorrow.

 

[Choice Scarf]

I think you are referring to edge-canceling, which has been a thing since Melee and has gained more prominence in sm4sh and now PM. It's funny that with proper positioning a Pikachu can aim for a platform edge from offstage and recover even more safely than 3.0 QAC onstage. Still this should definitely be something that Pika mains eventually master, both moving around and acting out of the edge-cancels quickly enough so that it gives us an advantage

It's worth noting that this is of course very stage dependent, as the positioning will change depending on the stage layout. Tri-plat stages like Dreamland, Battlefield, and Yoshi's Story are all applicable for your diagrams, but I think it's better to get a grasp of how far you are from the platforms from on any given stage so that you can adapt to moving platform schemes like on FoD, Green Hill Zone, and Norfair. And even on stage with limited to no platforms, at least getting a grasp of the distance to the edge can help steal ledges or set up an edgeguard position from the other side of the stage, which was always possible just less safe without second zip QAC to fall back on.

I'd like to see high level play on even crazier platform stages like Lylat and Warioware, because that will be interesting to see the different angles people use, especially when you mix in angles under Pika (such as recovering to the stage from above) and the variable QA lengths. It would also be cool to use single zip QAC for mix-ups, like wavedashing back onto the platform instead of edge-canceling off.

 

[Boondocker]

I think you are referring to edge-canceling, which has been a thing since Melee and has gained more prominence in sm4sh and now PM. It's funny that with proper positioning a Pikachu can aim for a platform edge from offstage and recover even more safely than 3.0 QAC onstage. Still this should definitely be something that Pika mains eventually master, both moving around and acting out of the edge-cancels quickly enough so that it gives us an advantage

It's worth noting that this is of course very stage dependent, as the positioning will change depending on the stage layout. Tri-plat stages like Dreamland, Battlefield, and Yoshi's Story are all applicable for your diagrams, but I think it's better to get a grasp of how far you are from the platforms from on any given stage so that you can adapt to moving platform schemes like on FoD, Green Hill Zone, and Norfair. And even on stage with limited to no platforms, at least getting a grasp of the distance to the edge can help steal ledges or set up an edgeguard position from the other side of the stage, which was always possible just less safe without second zip QAC to fall back on.

I'd like to see high level play on even crazier platform stages like Lylat and Warioware, because that will be interesting to see the different angles people use, especially when you mix in angles under Pika (such as recovering to the stage from above) and the variable QA lengths. It would also be cool to use single zip QAC for mix-ups, like wavedashing back onto the platform instead of edge-canceling off.

Yes, I am refering to edge canceling. While it has existed before, I have never seen anyone use it to the extent that I am talking about, only for recovering. People don't realize that it can be used to zoom around the stage in a way similar to 3.0 Pika. I have by no means mastered this, but I plan on uploading a video or two showing what I am talking about.

Once people start mastering this, I think the tri-plat stages will become Pikas best stages. As long as they exist (and they always will, especially in Melee), I think Pika will always be viable. No other character can use platforms the way he can, in fact, it is a liablilty for most characters to be stuck on a platform. Edge canceling gives Pika a way to escape from a platform as well as provide nasty crossups and approaches. The single zip can also cancel, which gives him even more options.

 

[tripleunder]

I can do quick attack edge canceling with about 75% consistency on Battlefield after grinding for thirty straight minutes, which in my opinion is still complete trash. But that was yesterday so I'll have to see if I've retained my training lol. However, I sadly doubt edge canceling will give as much of an advantage as it does in brawl or smash 4 since pikachu is fast enough to execute much of the aerials without it in PM, while it was crucial for the other two games to get to the spot quickly.

I may be completely wrong though, as primary advantages could be edge cancel into a bair, which gives pressure to those under the platforms unlike any other smash games.

Single zip cancel is very interesting because you can quickly make spacing as well as crossing up with a grab after stunning the opponent. Sort of like an extra wavedash lol.

 

[Paradoxium]

you don't have to be as precise when edge cancelling in pm as you do in melee. So I think edge cancelling could be the future of Pikachu.

 

[Boondocker]

I can do quick attack edge canceling with about 75% consistency on Battlefield after grinding for thirty straight minutes, which in my opinion is still complete trash. But that was yesterday so I'll have to see if I've retained my training lol. However, I sadly doubt edge canceling will give as much of an advantage as it does in brawl or smash 4 since pikachu is fast enough to execute much of the aerials without it in PM, while it was crucial for the other two games to get to the spot quickly.

I may be completely wrong though, as primary advantages could be edge cancel into a bair, which gives pressure to those under the platforms unlike any other smash games.

Single zip cancel is very interesting because you can quickly make spacing as well as crossing up with a grab after stunning the opponent. Sort of like an extra wavedash lol.

I usually retain most of my training when it comes to edge canceling, but i have to warm up quite a bit before i can get back to a level that I was previously at.

The single zip is something that I have been practicing alot lately. It can be canceled into more single zips while still on the ground, allowing you to travel with single zips all across the ground. Obviously the main advantage of the single zips is that you can attack, wavedash, or jump out of them. I believe that on frame 20 of the first zip is when you have to input another up-b. Its easy to mistime it and go into the second zip animation, which is a good way to get punished.

Your spacing doesnt have to be perfect with the grounded up-bs either. If you land in front of your opponent you can waveland --->grab or nair. If you land behind them you can bair or nair. You can u-air whether you land in front or behind them and you can always do another single zip for more crossups.