The Edge - Ike's Best Defensive Position?

[metroid1117]

DISCLAIMER: My access to a computer is limited since I'm out of the country; it is not that I don't want to discuss with you, but that I simply cannot discuss with you. I'm looking forward and willing to have an intelligent discussion if you are as well.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I have personally come to think that Ike's best defensive position is when he's grabbing the edge. Not only can you use the commonly-known Aether stall, but you can also edgehop Quick Draw to keep incoming opponents at bay; you can either press back to let go of the stage before charging Quick Draw, or you can press down and then charge Quick Draw; the latter will give you more distance when you land on the stage compared to the first method. The good thing about edgehopping QD is that you can charge it just for fun and grab the edge with it instead of going onto the stage. To put this in a manner like Phanna did when he outlined Samus' options at the edge a long time ago (Melee Samus, not Brawl):

Opponent is coming towards the edge from the ground - let go of the edge with down before QD'ing

Opponent is at/near the edge - Aether stall or edgehop UAir (can kill if they are about 110% and near/below mediocre weight on FD)

Opponent is coming towards the edge from the air or platforms - QD onto the stage so that you get behind them, then proceed to go on the offensive (I've seen a video where an Ike edgehopped a QD to get under his opponent and then killed them with an UTilt; it was nice.)

The only bad thing about being at the edge is that your opponent might be able to get past you and stage spike you with a BAir if you're in the middle of an Aether or a low QD; then again, this is my theory for Ike's BEST defensive position, not the perfect one. You can also just roll out of the way when you see them get close to you, but you have to mix it up later so you don't get read.

 

[FrznSaber]

Well a way to avoid the BAir is to use a ledgehop to grab the ledge thus getting more invinvibility frames, but at the same time, the time spent off the ledge makes you vulnerable.

Here's a little something I like to do when I'm on the edge. Edgehop and use anything that would fit the situation like the commonly used QD, or a quick grab or Utilt. If they're a bit more at a distance but still within sword range, use Dtilt or Ftilt. Point is that you can use almost all of Ike's moves when ledgehop onto the stage, but I don't advise using Fair or Nair on a ledgehop due to the fact that Fair Stage cancels before it does anything leaving you vulnerable, and Nair can lead to you falling to the bottomless pit.

 

[metroid1117]

... I don't advise using Fair or Nair on a ledgehop due to the fact that Fair Stage cancels before it does anything leaving you vulnerable, and Nair can lead to you falling to the bottomless pit.

You can always press "back" before using FAir so that the stage doesn't cancel it out, but then it's only good for hitting sloppy people.

 

[Boon :o]

Another good thing about Ike on the edge is that he can do any of his airals (except nair) from a ledgehop and be able to get back on the edge again. Although I don't really find his ledgehopped bair too useful, since if a person would be coming horizontally back to the stage, you rather just eruption or jump off the stage and f-air them.