Try Me - A ZSS Perfect Pivot Demonstration

[Take 5]

So I know it hasn't been that long since the last ZSS Playbook (and I'd like to refrain from self-promoting on the boards too often), but I'm getting pretty consistent with perfect pivoting and just had to show some moves you can pull off with this underutilized tech.

From my experience, p-pivoting is best used as a mix-up with SH FF n-air. But as demonstrated in this video, you can use it with several other moves, including: b-air, d-air, grounded neutral B, aerial neutral B (w/ variations), f-tilt, u-tilt, and d-smash. (Note that you have to choose between p-pivot tilts and smashes due to limitations on C-stick mapping). Aside from a combo/timing mix-up, I like to use ZSS' p-pivot options to micro-space (narrowly avoid attacks/grabs) and punish rolls.

What are your experiences with p-pivoting?

 

[David Viran]

I disagree I think PP is best used for spacing dsmash. Nice video tho.

 

[DeLux]

Going in order on your video examples -

Nair to PP ftilt followup - In the situation that you nair to PP until, you probably ought to just grab them. It nets a higher reward overall for similar frame data on a hit confirm situatio

Foxtrot to Dair - There really isn't much advantage to doing this option in comparison to the context of just jump cancelling a run turn around and dairing. For the specific situation, the mixup is the dair, not the fox trot part. At which point, you are able to use shield options from run without delay for safety, while the PP cooldown of 6-8 frames leaves you vulnerable for really no gain in terms of spacing.

Nair to PP Utilt followup - Unless Utilt actually combos to Uair, there really isn't much of a tangible benefit to going for this option over a grab. If Utilt does combo, then it does add flexibility to the range in which we can successfully rufio people. I've been toying with this myself, but I'm not confident that Utilt to Uair is viable (have been using it to SH FF Dsmash mixups though)

PP Paralyzer is a pretty bad option all around for fairly obvious reasons. If you have time to "read" for the startup of a pivot paralyzer like that, you might as well just dsmash them.

SH Special Reverse is godlike and a huge staple of my neutral game

PP Dsmash - Also try it when people are trying to space landing aerials on shield as an approach option. It's busted

SH landing Bair in the neutral - Keep playing more with this and you'll see how good it is. Lately I've been kind of thinking that Nair is a lie and Bair is the truth, despite it having its small hitbox. TECHNICALLY, the way you used it, you could also SH buffer air dodge and landing bair to interupt to not worry about your feet getting tagged by the projectile, but that gets frame tight if you want to do it as an out of shield option (OOS not applicable to the video, but you'll see what I mean if you try it)

Nair to Flip Jump Kick - Releasing the Kraken is actually guaranteed at a pretty flexible percent range without the landing aerial / air dodge read.

Flip jump Feint to Double Jump Aerial Option - Try using DJ Bair in this situation. It kills so many people it's stupid lol

Safety Dair Spikes - you can also do this as a followup on the ledge slip paralyzers at hit stun ranges that flip kick won't work. Love the Bthrow option, totally stealing that since you can feint Fair or BK hype.

Reverse Flip Kick on the Ledge as an edge guard option - I think this is the only move we have that reliably hits the one frame ledge snap window, which is pretty cool

Dsmash to Flip Jump Kick - The more I think about it, the more I start thinking that this is the ideal punish for Dsmash in nearly every situation if we can get it. Stocks are optimal, anything else seems suboptimal since they are damage options or don't kill as early and shoudl be saved for non-positioning situations.

 

[Take 5]

Going in order on your video examples -

Nair to PP ftilt followup - In the situation that you nair to PP until, you probably ought to just grab them. It nets a higher reward overall for similar frame data on a hit confirm situatio

Foxtrot to Dair - There really isn't much advantage to doing this option in comparison to the context of just jump cancelling a run turn around and dairing. For the specific situation, the mixup is the dair, not the fox trot part. At which point, you are able to use shield options from run without delay for safety, while the PP cooldown of 6-8 frames leaves you vulnerable for really no gain in terms of spacing.

Nair to PP Utilt followup - Unless Utilt actually combos to Uair, there really isn't much of a tangible benefit to going for this option over a grab. If Utilt does combo, then it does add flexibility to the range in which we can successfully rufio people. I've been toying with this myself, but I'm not confident that Utilt to Uair is viable (have been using it to SH FF Dsmash mixups though)

PP Paralyzer is a pretty bad option all around for fairly obvious reasons. If you have time to "read" for the startup of a pivot paralyzer like that, you might as well just dsmash them.

SH Special Reverse is godlike and a huge staple of my neutral game

PP Dsmash - Also try it when people are trying to space landing aerials on shield as an approach option. It's busted

SH landing Bair in the neutral - Keep playing more with this and you'll see how good it is. Lately I've been kind of thinking that Nair is a lie and Bair is the truth, despite it having its small hitbox. TECHNICALLY, the way you used it, you could also SH buffer air dodge and landing bair to interupt to not worry about your feet getting tagged by the projectile, but that gets frame tight if you want to do it as an out of shield option (OOS not applicable to the video, but you'll see what I mean if you try it)

Nair to Flip Jump Kick - Releasing the Kraken is actually guaranteed at a pretty flexible percent range without the landing aerial / air dodge read.

Flip jump Feint to Double Jump Aerial Option - Try using DJ Bair in this situation. It kills so many people it's stupid lol

Safety Dair Spikes - you can also do this as a followup on the ledge slip paralyzers at hit stun ranges that flip kick won't work. Love the Bthrow option, totally stealing that since you can feint Fair or BK hype.

Reverse Flip Kick on the Ledge as an edge guard option - I think this is the only move we have that reliably hits the one frame ledge snap window, which is pretty cool

Dsmash to Flip Jump Kick - The more I think about it, the more I start thinking that this is the ideal punish for Dsmash in nearly every situation if we can get it. Stocks are optimal, anything else seems suboptimal since they are damage options or don't kill as early and shoudl be saved for non-positioning situations.

Wow good stuff here. My remarks:

Yes, some PP options in the video were done for styling purposes (SH d-air, grounded neutral B)

I think n-air to PP f-tilt should only be used near the ledge, as it can force your opponent offstage in an unexpected way. But I agree grab is the optimal follow-up at low percents.

U-tilt unfortunately does not true combo into u-air, so probably unviable at high level play.

Thanks for the advice regarding punishing spaced landing aerials on shield using PP d-smash--sounds like something I can incorporate right away to improve my ZSS.

SH landing b-air is great! Given the right stage position, it can even true combo into down B spike at mid percents for the early KO.

Definitely need to try the safety d-air follow-up on ledge slip paralyzer, sounds awesome.

I disagree I think PP is best used for spacing dsmash. Nice video tho.

Thanks, do you use PP d-smash for purposes not already mentioned above (punishing rolls/landings/ledge getups)? I suppose you could also micro-space punish dash attacks/grabs.

 

[pichuthedk]

So I know it hasn't been that long since the last ZSS Playbook (and I'd like to refrain from self-promoting on the boards too often), but I'm getting pretty consistent with perfect pivoting and just had to show some moves you can pull off with this underutilized tech.

From my experience, p-pivoting is best used as a mix-up with SH FF n-air. But as demonstrated in this video, you can use it with several other moves, including: b-air, d-air, grounded neutral B, aerial neutral B (w/ variations), f-tilt, u-tilt, and d-smash. (Note that you have to choose between p-pivot tilts and smashes due to limitations on C-stick mapping). Aside from a combo/timing mix-up, I like to use ZSS' p-pivot options to micro-space (narrowly avoid attacks/grabs) and punish rolls.

What are your experiences with p-pivoting?

I saw a poster of Samus like that one in the video picture at Anime North but I wanted different ones i'ma upload the pics I got of them on the boards.

I like the PP to ftilt I have yet to tinker with that since I generally am spamming it for shield pressure or GTF away from me right now.

PP to FF nair looks nice, I don't always use aerials with her when I pp and jump I've noticed that doing it and SHing with lasers for mobility has quite a bit of potential especially when you are sliding off platforms or stages with edge cancels, Man sorry An Anime convention I was at distracted me from finishing this post.

 

[Otterz]

Great video, but I've been trying to do the last combo, Dsmash to Flip Kick, and I'm always getting her to kick toward the stage instead of spiking (Kicking away). How can I kick away so that I can get the spike? Thanks for the video!

 

[Take 5]

Great video, but I've been trying to do the last combo, Dsmash to Flip Kick, and I'm always getting her to kick toward the stage instead of spiking (Kicking away). How can I kick away so that I can get the spike? Thanks for the video!

Thanks! Actually the flip kick can spike regardless of its direction, you just have to hit with the very tip. If you input attack while flip jumping, ZSS will kick inward by default. If you input attack + control stick in the opposite direction ZSS is facing, ZSS will kick outward. It all boils down to spacing

 

[Otterz]

Thanks! Actually the flip kick can spike regardless of its direction, you just have to hit with the very tip. If you input attack while flip jumping, ZSS will kick inward by default. If you input attack + control stick in the opposite direction ZSS is facing, ZSS will kick outward. It all boils down to spacing

Oh, thanks! I'll work on that.

 

[Tobi_Whatever]

Lately I've been kind of thinking that Nair is a lie and Bair is the truth

Only lately?

The more I think about it, the more I start thinking that this is the ideal punish for Dsmash in nearly every situation if we can get it

I'm not sure right now at what percent this starts to work properly, but dSmash to nAir to other stuff is a solid alternative at lower percentages, especially since nAir can true combo into dSpecial kick as well and gains us additional damage and puts the opponent closer to the edge.

Edit: The latter DOES work sometimes, but getting proper followups after dSmash > nAir is actually pretty hard.