ItoI6
Smash Journeyman
the old guide is very outdated so im making a new one
Down Throw - This is Metaknight's main combo starter, and mastering how to optimize damage from this move is necessary to keeps him competitive as a character. At virtually every percent and almost every position he should be able to do 20+% reliably from one grab. There are a lot of different followups that each have their uses, so make sure to be comfortable with all of them.
Dthrow - Up Smash inbetween 0-10% - 16%
This is Metaknight's safest followup and it always works in the listed percents with no rage, but you should be able to do more damage if you can react to DI.
Dthrow - Tornado inbetween 0-20% - 27%
This only works if your opponent DIs up or has no DI at low%s.
Dthrow - Dash Attack inbetween 0-20% - 13+%
This only works if your opponent DIs away or has no DI at low%s. Typically if the opponent ends up in front of you after Dash Attack, you want to fullhop Fair into buffered Shuttle Loop, and if they end up on top of you, you want to fullhop Uair into Footstool. If you don't want to get fancy you can always just buffer grounded Shuttle Loop after Dash Attack as well.
Dthrow - Fullhop Fair - Shuttle Loop inbetween 15-35% - 25%
This only works if the opponent has no DI or DIs up. I like to use this instead of Tornado if they don't DI away for whatever reason because it's easier for me to react since I usually just always dash as soon as I Dthrow and that prevents me from using tornado fast enough. You could potentially use this at 0% because most people don't expect the buffered Shuttle Loop afterwards, but it's not true that low and they can airdodge. If you are high in rage this combo will work at 0%, and you should be looking for this if they DI above Dash Attack.
Dthrow - Fullhop Uair Chain - Shuttle Loop inbetween 30-50% - 24%+
This only works if your opponent does not DI away, this will not work on a competent opponent. That said, if they happen to not know how to DI for whatever reason you can score a kill very early on an unprepared opponent.
Dthrow - Rage Shorthop Uair inbetween 0-10% - 12%+
This is definitely the most situational optimal Dthrow setup but it can be very rewarding. This only works if they DI up. Typically Uair doesn't true combo into itself until 25+%, but if you are in 100+% rage it will combo immediately even against a fresh stock. Get multiple upairs and finish with shuttle loop, and you can do 30+% damage.
Dthrow - Shuttle Loop - inbetween 0-80% - 19% or 22%
You will get punished on hit if you use this combo below 20% vs most characters, and you wouldn't want to do that anyways since there are more optimal combos you can do. After about 30% if your opponent DIs away, run forward and use grounded Shuttle Loop to deal 15%. It's important you use it from the ground, because it comes out faster so it's the only way for it to be a true combo in some scenarios, and deals 3% more than the aerial version. You need to have tap jump on or manually input jump before your UpB, otherwise you cannot use grounded Shuttle Loop out of the initial dash running animation. Some very light characters such as Sheik and Zero Suit have a very small percent window where even if they DI away, grounded Shuttle Loop is barely still a combo AND kills. If your opponent just holds away they usually will escape this combo at death percents though.
Foward Throw - Pretty situational but sometimes is a good option. At around 80-100%, if you get a sliding dash grab, immediately let your stick fall to neutral then hold forward again to use Fthrow while still sliding. The extra distance you move forward should be just enough to let Shuttle Loop be a true combo into a kill directly afterward. If you aren't sliding from dash grab it is not a true combo unless they have abysmal DI.
Back Throw - Tied for Metaknight's most useful kill throw, this move can also start a combo at 0% if you followup with dash attack and the opponent has no DI. If you get a grab facing the ledge at 0%, it's more rewarding then just Dthrowing them off and getting only a drop zone Fair afterward. It's also just a decent mixup as a combo starter when you think it would be a good time to throw it in. This throw isn't terribly strong, but at around 150% or 120-130% if MK is in rage, try rolling at the ledge when you predict the opponent to use neutral getup or getup attack. Backthrow should kill at the listed percents, but otherwise anywhere else on stage Up Throw is stronger.
Up Throw - Tied for Metaknight's most useful kill throw, this move will usually kill at around 170% and at 140% with rage anywhere on stage. http://smashboards.com/threads/meta-knights-up-throw-kill.400394/
STUFF TO PRACTICE
- If you are any kind of MK player at all you need to be able to dthrow-shuttle loop
- dash attack-fullhop upair-footstool
- dthrow and dash attack-fullhop fair-buffered shuttle loop <------- this is so good please learn
!!!CHALLENGE!!!
- pick mk vs diddy in training mode
- do down throw-dash attack-fullhop upair-footstool-1st hit backair into the ground-dash grab-downthrow-fullhop fair-buffered shuttle loop. should do 46%.
i noticed that i couldnt reach some characters in time that either fell fast or landed behind me because i had to buffer the difficult turn around dtilt on landing, so i tried 1st hit backair instead. its a true combo into dash grab and i just end up using that now instead of doing the lock most of the time.
Down Throw - This is Metaknight's main combo starter, and mastering how to optimize damage from this move is necessary to keeps him competitive as a character. At virtually every percent and almost every position he should be able to do 20+% reliably from one grab. There are a lot of different followups that each have their uses, so make sure to be comfortable with all of them.
Dthrow - Up Smash inbetween 0-10% - 16%
This is Metaknight's safest followup and it always works in the listed percents with no rage, but you should be able to do more damage if you can react to DI.
Dthrow - Tornado inbetween 0-20% - 27%
This only works if your opponent DIs up or has no DI at low%s.
Dthrow - Dash Attack inbetween 0-20% - 13+%
This only works if your opponent DIs away or has no DI at low%s. Typically if the opponent ends up in front of you after Dash Attack, you want to fullhop Fair into buffered Shuttle Loop, and if they end up on top of you, you want to fullhop Uair into Footstool. If you don't want to get fancy you can always just buffer grounded Shuttle Loop after Dash Attack as well.
Dthrow - Fullhop Fair - Shuttle Loop inbetween 15-35% - 25%
This only works if the opponent has no DI or DIs up. I like to use this instead of Tornado if they don't DI away for whatever reason because it's easier for me to react since I usually just always dash as soon as I Dthrow and that prevents me from using tornado fast enough. You could potentially use this at 0% because most people don't expect the buffered Shuttle Loop afterwards, but it's not true that low and they can airdodge. If you are high in rage this combo will work at 0%, and you should be looking for this if they DI above Dash Attack.
Dthrow - Fullhop Uair Chain - Shuttle Loop inbetween 30-50% - 24%+
This only works if your opponent does not DI away, this will not work on a competent opponent. That said, if they happen to not know how to DI for whatever reason you can score a kill very early on an unprepared opponent.
Dthrow - Rage Shorthop Uair inbetween 0-10% - 12%+
This is definitely the most situational optimal Dthrow setup but it can be very rewarding. This only works if they DI up. Typically Uair doesn't true combo into itself until 25+%, but if you are in 100+% rage it will combo immediately even against a fresh stock. Get multiple upairs and finish with shuttle loop, and you can do 30+% damage.
Dthrow - Shuttle Loop - inbetween 0-80% - 19% or 22%
You will get punished on hit if you use this combo below 20% vs most characters, and you wouldn't want to do that anyways since there are more optimal combos you can do. After about 30% if your opponent DIs away, run forward and use grounded Shuttle Loop to deal 15%. It's important you use it from the ground, because it comes out faster so it's the only way for it to be a true combo in some scenarios, and deals 3% more than the aerial version. You need to have tap jump on or manually input jump before your UpB, otherwise you cannot use grounded Shuttle Loop out of the initial dash running animation. Some very light characters such as Sheik and Zero Suit have a very small percent window where even if they DI away, grounded Shuttle Loop is barely still a combo AND kills. If your opponent just holds away they usually will escape this combo at death percents though.
Foward Throw - Pretty situational but sometimes is a good option. At around 80-100%, if you get a sliding dash grab, immediately let your stick fall to neutral then hold forward again to use Fthrow while still sliding. The extra distance you move forward should be just enough to let Shuttle Loop be a true combo into a kill directly afterward. If you aren't sliding from dash grab it is not a true combo unless they have abysmal DI.
Back Throw - Tied for Metaknight's most useful kill throw, this move can also start a combo at 0% if you followup with dash attack and the opponent has no DI. If you get a grab facing the ledge at 0%, it's more rewarding then just Dthrowing them off and getting only a drop zone Fair afterward. It's also just a decent mixup as a combo starter when you think it would be a good time to throw it in. This throw isn't terribly strong, but at around 150% or 120-130% if MK is in rage, try rolling at the ledge when you predict the opponent to use neutral getup or getup attack. Backthrow should kill at the listed percents, but otherwise anywhere else on stage Up Throw is stronger.
Up Throw - Tied for Metaknight's most useful kill throw, this move will usually kill at around 170% and at 140% with rage anywhere on stage. http://smashboards.com/threads/meta-knights-up-throw-kill.400394/
STUFF TO PRACTICE
- If you are any kind of MK player at all you need to be able to dthrow-shuttle loop
- dash attack-fullhop upair-footstool
- dthrow and dash attack-fullhop fair-buffered shuttle loop <------- this is so good please learn
!!!CHALLENGE!!!
- pick mk vs diddy in training mode
- do down throw-dash attack-fullhop upair-footstool-1st hit backair into the ground-dash grab-downthrow-fullhop fair-buffered shuttle loop. should do 46%.
i noticed that i couldnt reach some characters in time that either fell fast or landed behind me because i had to buffer the difficult turn around dtilt on landing, so i tried 1st hit backair instead. its a true combo into dash grab and i just end up using that now instead of doing the lock most of the time.
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