Static-Intense: The Pikachu Guide (Updated: June 10, 2008)

[Dream Land Works]

This is what I got for searching Caramell Dansen...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_DV9b0x7v4

Alternatively, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUO7icGZTOw

I blame Rollerking for scarring me.

Great guide by the way, and I have a question, and I didn't want to make a thread on it.
I was playing at a custom stage and was playing with Pikachu, and when I did a dair, it did it right on the platform I was on. No SH, just Pika flipping over doing a dair. I was on a platform you can go through.

I have a replay, but no means as to put on here. Is this normal? XD

Dedede and Pikachu?! Don't steal my gimmick! Anyways, maybe if the platform was moving then you just canceled it because if you do an aerial in a position where you could normally land on a moving platform, then the attack cancels. If you mean Pikachu just fliped over and used Dair while you weren't even trying to use it, then you might of hit down on the c-stick which sometimess can lead your character to short hop backwards fot reasons I still don't know. Finally, if it is anything else then it is probably one of the glitches with the custom stages.

 

[z5kaento5z]

Really nice and in-depth guide. I love it.

Also, no one uses the hat? Well, more uniqueness for me

 

[AresLathe]

For some more lols in Hyrule Temple, Thunder those above you from within the cave. The cloud will hit them quite unexpectedly. Works better in groups.
Also, changed from Melee, or a glitch rather, the Thunder will pass through the mid-section of earth and will continue on into the cave.
Funfun

 

[Browny]

i got a combo i use often, notices it wasnt written there

dthrow-usmash-thunder for the KO (make sure the enemy is within KO range before even attempting this so it doesnt become predictable)

this destroys characters with poor horizontal movement so bad its not funny. pretty much every time im against an MK on about 55 %, the dthrow usmash brings him to about 80% by when thunder can easily KO, and MK is too slow in the air to dodge it properly. it can be DI'd out of of course, but its so quick, the enem better have good reflexes to dodge it. Owns all on wifi

 

[Miquel0123]

the down grab pikachu-fox is not 0-70% is 0-100%

XD

 

[Peregrinus Falconidae]

I love this guide, it has helped soo much!

 

[phaMR2]

nice guide. +1 for you.

 

[IceDX]

 

[brightnocturn]

Thanks for posting the K.O statistics, i find them very useful

 

[Default_951]

Awesome guide, thanks much!

 

[Flandy121]

I've seen Anther do nair repeatedly with out the lag time does this have something to do with auto-canceling?

 

[gallax]

yes it does.

 

[mantlecore77]

Where's the ever so entertaining Pikafan in this?

 

[Seikend]

On Pokemon Stadium(melee) for most of the stage changes the ends of each stage will be tilted. So if you're edgeguarding you can stand on the tilted part of the stage. If they try to go for the ledge you can Fsmash. Fsmash will go through the stage and the electric ball at the end will be slightly below and in front of the edge so you can often hit them before they get the ledge.

 

[pianodude700]

note to possibly add to faq in combo section (needs more testing)
a pikachu i play frequently can reliably land a d-throw > u-tilt > n-air combo
i don't know if this works on everyone (i play lucas)
but at low to mid % it gets me nearly every time

credit to kamikaze kevin for this combo

 

[Piman34]

while its not a true combo, a little combo I've been trying to learn and get down, is grab -> uthrow-> full jump +uair -> uncharged skullbash (yes i know!) in whatever direction they di/fall from the uair...it works til like 50% but they can jump after the uair if they know it's coming...

 

[BrawlerBrad26]

Sweet guide, i played as pikachu today and found myself quite good and liked the character so im making him a main now

 

[Kyari]

I didn't see anything about this mentioned in the guide, but Pikachu has a utilt/uthrow/dthrow "trap" so to speak... it depends on the character and the percent. But, if you hit them with any one of these attacks, you can double jump into a uair... and if they airdodge to avoid the uair, they will fall right into a fast fallen f-air, which will typically let you do a utilt and force them into the trap again This can add quite a bit of %, is a good way to start getting dmg on light characters, and a good way of getting % on heavier characters that are at too high of a % to be chainthrown. You're forcing them to either take the uair hit and remain above Pikachu, which is almost always to Pikachu's benefit, or to try avoiding it only to be sucked back into it with more %. Pretty nasty. At higher %'s, %'s where you can't follow up the utilt with a uair, you can sometimes use the utilt from the trap to drill them with Thunder (down+B).

This makes Pikachu's f-air that much better, as it can often initiate a utilt trap, and if you use the fair so as to pass behind a shield (think Falco's SH dair from Melee), you can utilt behind them if they try to grab, and SH nair out if they kept their shield up. Marth and some other characters have a good up B out of shield, so watch out for that, but it can work against Dedede, GnW (I believe), Snake, Wario, and many other top tiered characters.

 

[BubbleTea]

add pictures ^0^

 

[Veil2222]

I had a question about QuACk, I've been using it/practicing but I couldn't understand the guide that well, are you using the jump button as the "cancel"? Meaning quack is a quick attack followed by his bounce jump, or am I missing something and you don't have to jump out of it?

I was having trouble practicing this against my friend's samus because on the approach I would always collide/bounce up into his projectiles, is there a way to keep low to the ground with it? And if there's a mode indepth guide to quacking, would someone mind pointing me to it?

 

[chainmaillekid]

I had a question about QuACk, I've been using it/practicing but I couldn't understand the guide that well, are you using the jump button as the "cancel"? Meaning quack is a quick attack followed by his bounce jump, or am I missing something and you don't have to jump out of it?

I was having trouble practicing this against my friend's samus because on the approach I would always collide/bounce up into his projectiles, is there a way to keep low to the ground with it? And if there's a mode indepth guide to quacking, would someone mind pointing me to it?

Quick attack Cancel is just Quick attacking into the ground, Simple as that.
And it doesnt have to be directly down on the ground either.

From that point you can:
-Go Directly into an attack ( Thunder, Another Quick attack, or dair )
-Jump, Than attack ( Uair and Nair are the most commonly used, but you can also do another QA, Thunder, fair, dair, or bair. )
-Land, And do a ground attack rather quickly ( usually a tilt, or shield )

To keep low to the ground you can ( asuming you are on the left and samus is on the right ) Quick attack East, 2nd Southeast, So its basicly two Quick attacks along the ground. Its a QAC because the second is directed toward the ground, from there you can go into any of the attacks that can be used out of QAC.

You could also just QA Southeast, then attack. if you dont have to move as far.

 

[Veil2222]

Yeah, I eventually figured it out. I'm working on shop->QAC behind->tap-up jump+uair->Nair combo kill for characters in the 120-150% range so I can do it on command when they get that high.

I'm having a hard time chaining them together, but this is the first day I've played Pikachu seriously, so I think I'm learning pretty fast. Most of the reason I want to play him is my main (sonic) lacks tier power, so I'm looking to fill my matchup gap with Pika.

 

[chainmaillekid]

Yeah, I eventually figured it out. I'm working on shop->QAC behind->tap-up jump+uair->Nair combo kill for characters in the 120-150% range so I can do it on command when they get that high.

I'm having a hard time chaining them together, but this is the first day I've played Pikachu seriously, so I think I'm learning pretty fast. Most of the reason I want to play him is my main (sonic) lacks tier power, so I'm looking to fill my matchup gap with Pika.

Actually, I would try NOT to get in the habit of using tap to jump after QAC.
If you hit something it will throw your timing up, and you will end up doing your second QA straight up, which translates into free hits for your opponent.
Im actually going to turn tap jumps off untill I learn to QAC without it.

It can Seriously mess you up.

 

[Veil2222]

Well, I react accordingly if I hit something or not as to not end up floundering. If I hit someone or their shield, and my spacing is right, I go into tap up + instant Uair combo. If they spot doge I quack back into them and do the instant Dair shockwave combo.

 

[Binkachu]

Great guide. It has helped me advace my pika play! thanks

 

[smaci92]

Great guide. It has helped me advace my pika play! thanks

yes me too!

 

[Frogsterking]

Quick attack Cancel is just Quick attacking into the ground, Simple as that.
And it doesnt have to be directly down on the ground either.

From that point you can:
-Go Directly into an attack ( Thunder, Another Quick attack, or dair )
-Jump, Than attack ( Uair and Nair are the most commonly used, but you can also do another QA, Thunder, fair, dair, or bair. )
-Land, And do a ground attack rather quickly ( usually a tilt, or shield )

To keep low to the ground you can ( asuming you are on the left and samus is on the right ) Quick attack East, 2nd Southeast, So its basicly two Quick attacks along the ground. Its a QAC because the second is directed toward the ground, from there you can go into any of the attacks that can be used out of QAC.

You could also just QA Southeast, then attack. if you dont have to move as far.

I'm still not sure what exactly is happening when I QAC though. Am I supposed to visibly bounce up?

 

[Piman34]

I'm still not sure what exactly is happening when I QAC though. Am I supposed to visibly bounce up?

yeah, visibly bounce up, and then when you get better at it, the bounce will get smaller and smaller...but if you bounce, that is good, means you are inputting correctly. unless you want to do the qac instant dair. if you dont bounce, you lag so yeah

 

[Frogsterking]

yeah, visibly bounce up, and then when you get better at it, the bounce will get smaller and smaller...but if you bounce, that is good, means you are inputting correctly. unless you want to do the qac instant dair. if you dont bounce, you lag so yeah

I must be doing something wrong then because I don't even see myself bounce up. How exactly am I supposed to be QAing into the ground?

 

[Piman34]

jump in the air do up b down into the ground, then hold down and press a. you see yourself do a dair with just the shockwave. now once you get the timing to press A for that, press jump instead and dont hold down. you should bounce then, its just a practice thing

 

[Frogsterking]

jump in the air do up b down into the ground, then hold down and press a. you see yourself do a dair with just the shockwave. now once you get the timing to press A for that, press jump instead and dont hold down. you should bounce then, its just a practice thing

I'll work on it then. Thanks

 

[Roller]

jump in the air do up b down into the ground, then hold down and press a.

?

First of all, you don't need to jump, you can start grounded, 2nd he shouldn't be canceling into Dair, Learn to cancel into another QAC and into a jump, they are FAR more important. I myself never use QAC-->Dair, atleast not without a jump in between. QAC to Dair is way too easy to just shield and punish.

 

[Flandy121]

Is there a thread where we can discuss Pikachu's game play and not just Quick attack cancel. A thread for people who already know how to play Pika and want to contribute thoughts to help the mid-ranged players (who are probably the majority anyway) instead of attempting to help noobs?

 

[Stealth Raptor]

there are a couple of the more advanced threads floating around. check the first couple of pages, but there is no central topic for it.

 

[Flandy121]

there are a couple of the more advanced threads floating around. check the first couple of pages, but there is no central topic for it.

You should make one. and I say you because you are an influential Pika player. If I made it no one would follow and then no work would get done.

 

[Stealth Raptor]

I think PF's psycology guide fills in what you said well enough.

 

[Piman34]

yeah, and creating one wouldn't be a bad idea either just say what you want the thread to include, and then offer some examples, and say discuss. you can update OP with results, make it an informative thread about pikas advanced game...like stealth said PF has a good one, pika psychology or w/e it is called...

 

[Peregrinus Falconidae]

Ya know flandy, people don't really care too much about my guide either, as I get very few sporadic contributions and people still complain that Pika doesn't have enough advanced play techniques. Sure, my guide only covers one facet of advanced Pika play, but the problem is that almost everything in that guide is from my own head, and there are only a handful of contributions. Maybe it's because I'm not as respected as, say, Anther or Stealth here, but is it so wrong for people to contribute to a guide a not very well known person makes if that person is willing to spend time and effort helping everyone improve? I'm only trying to push Pika's gameplay upward.

As for a central discussion thread on other advanced techniques and so forth fro Pika, maybe someone should make one and put the input into their first post. I'd nominate Galax for the job, but seeing as he's been gone lately, who would you suggest to make such a thread? I would love to, but I fear people will simply ignore posting in it, much like my psychology guide.

 

[Flandy121]

yeah, and creating one wouldn't be a bad idea either just say what you want the thread to include, and then offer some examples, and say discuss. you can update OP with results, make it an informative thread about pikas advanced game...like stealth said PF has a good one, pika psychology or w/e it is called...

Ya know flandy, people don't really care too much about my guide either, as I get very few sporadic contributions and people still complain that Pika doesn't have enough advanced play techniques. Sure, my guide only covers one facet of advanced Pika play, but the problem is that almost everything in that guide is from my own head, and there are only a handful of contributions. Maybe it's because I'm not as respected as, say, Anther or Stealth here, but is it so wrong for people to contribute to a guide a not very well known person makes if that person is willing to spend time and effort helping everyone improve? I'm only trying to push Pika's gameplay upward.

As for a central discussion thread on other advanced techniques and so forth fro Pika, maybe someone should make one and put the input into their first post. I'd nominate Galax for the job, but seeing as he's been gone lately, who would you suggest to make such a thread? I would love to, but I fear people will simply ignore posting in it, much like my psychology guide.

Alright well I have some ideas now I just need some support. Here are two other people besides myself that want a discussion on Pikachu's game play. If I get say 5 people total that want a thread I'll make it, because "where there is 1 there will be 2, and if there are 2 then more are sure to follow, after a following a crowd is sure to gather, and at any gathering there are discussions!" Just some random quote I made up but I think it fits.

 

[KING BRISKET]

great job on the guide. loved the x2 and x3 thunder. Excellent job on the QuACK section