Volleyball Serve - Shiek's Fair setups

[ImpossiblyRood]

I'm not what you'd call an "expert" at smash, but I consider myself decently competent. But for the life of me I can't setup Shiek's flipping forward air reliably. I have no problem comboing or racking up damage, but I feel like I can only hit her fair when it is not useful, or if the stars align.

I adore Shiek's freeflowing combo game, but all that damage is for naught if you can't actually finish the stock.

Aside from general throw/tilt combo advice to use Shiek's fair, what are your favorite volleyball combos?

 

[Deleted member]

observe > fair

 

[ThreeSided]

observe > fair

This is a good one. It's really the perfect punishing move if you're in range. If they're jumping a lot or shffling aerials a lot, just called it, short hop and serve them. You probably already know this, but it's a great gimping move as well, so it's great off stage. If you knock them off with some other move you can just drop off the ledge and smack them. Fsmash also combos into it really well.

Other than that it's really about landing that grab or tilt. If you're having trouble hitting them because they're ever so slightly out of range or too high, you might be better off using bair.

 

[Dervo]

Ftilt can also get them into fair range depending on character, percent, and DI. I think most of my 'setup' fairs come from ftilts.

If you usually edgeguard with bairs and nairs it can also surprise people if you go straight for a fair edgeguard.

 

[SwagyShiek5044]

FTILT FTILT FTILT FTILT

 

[Arcalyth]

ftilt, utilt, dtilt, dthrow, bthrow are the most reliable setups into fair

 

[suarsuar]

ftilt, utilt, dtilt, dthrow, bthrow are the most reliable setups into fair

Along with this basic schematic, I would suggest really learning fair's range, startup frames, and trajectory.

The best case you can set up, among other things, is dthrowing them to a bounce and short hopping into the fair which will send them at a terrible angle.

Fair's utility is derived from sending the opponent at such a terrible angle - a downward angle from the point of contact.

Keeping that in mind, placing yourself to maximize that fact will put you at serious advantages.

Sometimes if you fair a little bit too in front of them, you will send them behind you at an awkward angle so be mindful of fair's arcs.