Taking risks

[Crystanium]

Introduction
You may or may not be someone who is willing to take risks. Whether or not you take risks outside of gaming, taking risks in Sm4sh can be rewarding. It can be the difference between winning and losing. Take a moment to consider this video and then ask yourself if you take risks. Also ask yourself if you are willing to do so.

What is risk?
Risk is about gaining or losing something. You need to think about whether or not something is worth the risk. Chances are you might think about what you could potentially lose, but if you're a big risk taker, you might also think of the things you could potentially win. In the context of Sm4sh, I am mainly focused with defeating your opponent off the stage.

Is this character dependent?
As a Samus main, I can be comfortable with taking risks due to Samus' slow falls, good recovery, and a tether grab. Jigglypuff has multiple jumps and can continue pushing her opponent off the stage while being able to return. Not all can benefit from this. Cloud may be able to take a risk of KO'ing his opponent off the stage if his limit is fully charged. Of course, considering Cloud is a good character, this may not even be a concern for him. All characters play differently off the stage, so I do believe this is character dependent.

When to take risks?
One may take a friendly match not as seriously as they would in a tournament, but I think one should always take any match seriously as if they're in a tournament. You don't want to just take risks when you're not in a tournament. You should probably learn to take risks while you're not in a tournament setting so you can practice for when you are in a tournament setting. Of course, the risk is greater in a tournament. When there is money on the line, people seem to behave a little differently. Just because you're in a tournament does not mean you shouldn't take risks, though. Are you willing to do anything to win?

 

[The21stSmasher]

Interesting topic right here!

I'm occasionally an risk taker myself. But I take those when I'm one or more stocks ahead of my opponent (or ahead of percentage), whether it's in friendlies or in tournament. In friendlies, specifically, I don't have a care in the world about the outcome of my risk at times. Whatever happens there happens.

 

[Nyoporu]

I normally take risks when I'm at a breaking point, which is something that i definitively need to improve on f.e trying to kill with pika at high percents. Although the current meta allows you to take risks from time to time anyway

 

[Nathan Richardson]

I'm not sure if I take risks often though due to the fear of being punished. I main a character with a terrible disadvantage state so the only reason that I'd take a risk in the first place is when I know the opponent can't punish me or when I know I can get away with it.
Though the more I'm backed into a corner the riskier my play gets too.

 

[Crosstails20]

In my opinion to do risk is the same thing as reading and extincting the counter to the read.
Example. my opponent is on the ledge ageinst my duck hunt. I predict that they're going to do a Ledge jump and counter it with a down air. I risk missing or making a wrong read and give up stage control and possible be put in an awkward situation, but at the same time if I do read correctly and I hit a down air I have a chance of a kill.