This week: MARTH
This match is a lot more enjoyable than Fox and sometimes Falco even though TECHNICALLY it is just as unfavorable. The interesting thing is that I've beaten every Marth I've ever played except for Ken, Azen, and M2K. Against Ken and Azen, I can say that the matches could've almost gone either way. The reason for this is because I think it is purely a technical match for Marth. If Marth exploits his range, priority, and superior grab game **** near perfectly, then it is ****. Having played against the monster that is M2K, the one thing I wish I could change during those matches would be to play safer. Marth punishes HARD, and I think I wasn't patient enough as I suicided and set myself up for gimps that I shouldn't have which may have made the match more interesting.
Offense: Well I'd say that my Mewtwo is very much about counters, offense is very difficult to do against an experienced Marth. A lot of your approaches may be shadow balls between Marth aerials with wavedash down tilts as he's landing and l-canceling, and wavedash into shield against poorly spaced aerials.
Use your bread and butter combos after down tilts. D-tilt(s) > F-air, Up- air. Punish poorly placed full hops and platform landings with neutral air. Pressure Marth knocked off the stage with back airs and good ledge stalls to retain invincibility until he's forced to land on the stage from the pressure. When you get the grab on Marth or get inside of Marth with your tilts, you want to stay inside of him where he doesn't have as many tools to punish you and it's where you might be just as quick or a little bit faster.
126% is your magic number for up throw on FD.
Defense: JC Teleport out of shield to get out of his shield pressure, lots of wavedashes in and out, even well timed pivots and dash dances will be necessary to find the holes in the Marth player's game. When I say that it is about "countering" I mean it is about knowing when you can beat the Marth to the punch as well as knowing when to sway and strike him back. Subtly moving out of tipper range with a quick dash dance, a teleport cross up with shield up to block the responding forward smash with a wavedash out of shield to reverse grab is guaranteed from a shielded non tipped forward smash. A lot of your damage and offense will probably originate from punishing something poorly spaced or executed. Forcing the Marth to let himself get shield grabbed more is how you will win this match. If the Marth plays more of a Fox style dash dance grab game, you have to play very carefully, create walls with down tilt, and probably run around a lot until you whiffs something you can punish him with.
I've been making more use of confusion in general when I've been playing off and on, and I've found that catching Marth's with it right as you know they're going to short hop F-air you works very well. Also using it when they're shielding because you're in range for down tilt but out of range for a JC grab is moderately effective. Though this increases the probability of landing Confusion, it is still a move to be used sparingly and this may not work for everyone. Fully charged shadow balls also can be used offensively and defensively against Marth's Forward Smash by utilizing the recoil effect.
Final thoughts: Marth is more enjoyable of a match up because it is possible for Mewtwo to establish a rhythm. It is easier to find a rhythm against Marth while avoiding and punishing his kill moves. If the Marth starts playing the match like a Fox and starts using more dash dance grabs in combination with well spaced aerials, start creating walls with down tilt and run as he approaches to grab by JC teleporting and keep trying to reset or slow him down with retreating shadow balls until you can move into him for shield grabs, or you find the holes in his approach and can go on the offensive.
I'll talk to the person that edited my combo video and see if she still has the DVDs and upload the Marth matches I had on there since there's not much to go by from anything on youtube. Until then, I once again apologize if anything I said was confusing and if you have any questions or if you want me to elaborate on anything in particular, this is the thread to do it in. :D
