Tips for spiking

[piscaso]

I'm pretty sure Ganon has the best spike in the game. It has a ton of range and comes out a a very easy to predict time (for the user). It's much more reliable than C Falc's.
Anyway, what are your tips for spiking? What are the conditions in which you go for it? Is there a technique you use to time/position the right way? Do you have any videos or other threads I could look?

 

[Vermanubis]

Spiking's almost never an ideal option with a few exceptions. If a character's recovery locks them in a set trajectory, like Robin's elwind, and you're feeling saucy, that'd be a good point for it. Another notable one is d-throw offstage, bait an airdodge, then DAir. Walk off DAirs are good.

But generally, it's most useful to use to intersect a locked trajectory rather than going for hard reads when a UAir or NAir can do the same job, but less ceremoniously.

Oh, who am I kidding? Spike literally everything with extreme prejudice. There's never a time not to condemn the worms to hell.

 

[A2ZOMG]

I most often use D-air in situations where I know my opponent is recovering super low, and I need to wait for them to jump before they're in range for me to edgeguard them. In these types of situations where I'm able to predict my opponent's movement, D-air is obviously the most rewarding option.

Obviously because any naive trickster who thinks they are safe recovering low against Ganon will be proven very, very wrong by my steel tipped boots.

 

[Shogger]

You can use Dair to punish roll-ins and then potentially get a combo. As for offstage spikes, your best bet is, as A2 and Verm said, going for people after they use their recovery and can't change their direction.

 

[Opana]

I often ledgehop then dair past the ledge for surprise spike. Other methods reading a jump with a rising dair, or getting a dair read off a dthrow(Or grab release if you'd like.). Honestly I get most spikes from reads, not so much tricks.

 

[Octagon]

Make sure to spike a readable air dodge, 9 times outta 10 it'll land

 

[PKPro]

I got good one ive done it before
ledge trump your opponent force your opponent to grab ledge with empty jump come down with a dair

 

[Z1GMA]

I think it's debatable if it's the best spike in the game or not.
One thing's for sure, though. It's nowhere near as good as his spike in Brawl.
The hitboxes are way smaller, the sourspot doesn't spike anylonger, and it's not quite as powerful.
Still a really good spike, though. Absolutely one of the best.

As for tips, I'm sure you'll find a lot of 'em come our Community Vid.

 

[Blobface]

Eh, it's still the best spike in the game. Spike as a whole were nerfed in this game. Almost every single spike has a really finicky sweet-spot now.

Except for Ganon's naturally

 

[Muskrat Catcher]

Naaaah! All ya'lls are misinterpreting the initial question in the OP. The best spike in the game that he is talking about is not Ganon's down air, but a suicidal wizard's foot spike. Do not ignore the sheer amount of disrespect in spiking someone with a down-B, personally escorting him/her to the depths of hell, when you easily could have done it and returned safely to the stage if you were just to do a down air. Want to completely destroy all of your opponent's will to fight? Suicidal down B. No other move in smash has that kind of power.

(Please don't misinterpret my tone here – I'm not being serious)

 

[Xinc]

We're talking about spiking, but I don't understand why we aren't discussing aerial wizard's foot for utter disrespect. Also it stops Bowser's recovery and Link's cold and you can still recover.

 

[Jumpinjahosafa]

Naaaah! All ya'lls are misinterpreting the initial question in the OP. The best spike in the game that he is talking about is not Ganon's down air, but a suicidal wizard's foot spike. Do not ignore the sheer amount of disrespect in spiking someone with a down-B, personally escorting him/her to the depths of hell, when you easily could have done it and returned safely to the stage if you were just to do a down air. Want to completely destroy all of your opponent's will to fight? Suicidal down B. No other move in smash has that kind of power.

(Please don't misinterpret my tone here – I'm not being serious)

You are absolutely right. Divekick spike is easily the sickest spike in this entire game. Its literally a combo video everytime one lands.

 

[jmanup85]

We're talking about spiking, but I don't understand why we aren't discussing aerial wizard's foot for utter disrespect. Also it stops Bowser's recovery and Link's cold and you can still recover.

I didn't know it stops Link's and usually Link covers his return with a boomerang or something. Good to know though. I need to see a vid of this.

 

[Blobface]

It is worth mentioning; wizkick spike is technically stronger than D-air spike at very low %'s.

 

[Xinc]

I didn't know it stops Link's and usually Link covers his return with a boomerang or something. Good to know though. I need to see a vid of this.

As in the spike properties happen for a little less than half a second and can clash with Link's up B, so he'll be able to trade it and survive while Link dies.

It is worth mentioning; wizkick spike is technically stronger than D-air spike at very low %'s.

Has the potential to kill under 30, iirc. Can spike from the stage if opponent is just camping.