Two questions about Ike's Fair

[underpowered]

Ike's fair and bair seem to auto-cancel pretty fast (frame data says like 36+ frames or so.) And I read that you can short hop his fair and it will auto cancel.

However, I almost *never* see players like Ryo and Ryuga doing short hop fairs into auto cancel. Am I just missing it? Ryo basically has said that nair is the best general purpose aerial for Ike and I know why, the hitbox is huge and it comes out fast, though fair seems to come out as fast.

Are they not using it because in their neutral game they're doing a bunch of empty short hops to condition so they can side-b, run in for a grab or late neutral air? Is it that they have to delay the move in the short hops such that a fair can't really come out and cancel in time? Or... what is the explanation?

I am *really* bad with terrible reaction time (I'm old and don't play that much) ... but if I wanted to practice Ike's short hop fair, what's the most obvious way to know if it's worked? Shielding right after? How obvious would this be? (I can record WiiU stuff to double check, even.)

 

[Mario766]

The reason is because f-air when auto cancelled leaves Ike in the air and can't really be used as an approach option. Ryo and Ryuga rather use F-Air without the auto cancel, which hits people better on the ground, and n-air which is safer on shield due to less landing lag.

If you want to try Ike's short hop f-air, do the f-air while Ike is rising. If you do it basically right as he jumps, you've done it correctly. Don't fast fall it either.

 

[underpowered]

Cool, thanks for the advice!

 

[goose32]

Mario766 put it well; auto-cancelled fair isn't useful for approaching. Fair has enough range that if you space it right, you aren't that vulnerable (unless they perfect shield), even with landing lag.

 

[underpowered]

Yeah, I guess I'm just feeling jealous. I play my friend who goes Pikachu and he can auto cancel into jabs and grabs and it's ... a little frustrating, sometimes.

 

[-RedX-]

SH auto-canceled Fair is pretty good as an "anti-air" above and in front of Ike, which is where Fair's hitbox outshines Nair.
You can use Nair in the same way but there's more of a chance you might end up trading hits with the opponent.