Wavedash uses for link

[Mr.Red]

until recently I've never bothered to use WD with link because it seemed useless.

I came across Lord HDL's Link guide and gave it a read. mentioned within it was "sprint slide" involving dashing, then WD over and over. I was wondering if someone could help me with this. maybe explain what has to be done specifically with the controller, Ive tried slowing it down in training and am still having some difficulties.

aside from that, what are some other uses for link's WD?

 

[Looticforgothispassword]

It's hard to say. It's the quickest and most accurate way to move short distances. I find myself dodging attacks with it and then quickly counter-attack to be one of the best uses, not very different from many characters. As Link's dash dance is kinda bad I also like to do this thing where I dash at my opponent and then WD back instead to move in and out of their attack range. And wavelanding is really useful, it gives you a quick route behind your opponent if they are in under a platform, it gives you some really nice bomb pulls, it gives you the quickest path to the top platform. Sometimes from the ledge the best edgeguard is to DJ onto the stage and waveland on the ledge and then throw out your aerial, it's quick and you have your double jump meaning you can follow up a bair with another bair or go lower with your nair, it's basically a run-off that's quick and from the ledge. You can also DJ waveland towards the stage from the ledge and get your shield up or dodge before your invincibility frames from the ledge are over, really useful to get back in, but nothing different from other characters. Wavedashing a lot will give you a lot of free techs too, so it's a real safe way to move around. You should use it.

 

[SAUS]

I don't know what the technique is exactly, but I know that some characters move fastest when they dash, and then perfect wavedash in the same direction, and then repeat those steps. I don't know if it is faster for Link or not, or if it really helps him in any way.

As for wavedash uses, I use it for a few things:
1) The typical wavedash out of the way for a free f-smash or something on a poorly spaced aerial or dash attack (grab here is good too).
2) Getting onto the edge quickly if I am already nearby.
3) Tech chasing when my opponent has to tech close to the edge (IE their tech away option is gone). I wavedash towards the middle of the stage and then it's guaranteed regrab if you are fast enough.

Wavelanding is definitely useful. It's one of the only ways that Link can remain fast like other characters. It is also extremely useful for ledge options.

 

[Andrew McNamara]

what is better in melee: link's neutral aerial or forward aerial

 

[Looticforgothispassword]

I don't know what the technique is exactly, but I know that some characters move fastest when they dash, and then perfect wavedash in the same direction, and then repeat those steps. I don't know if it is faster for Link or not, or if it really helps him in any way.

I think I notice Link move quicker this way, but I'm not sure, it's such a small speed increase. But any speed increase is a good speed increase.

@ A Andrew McNamara : Both are great moves for different reasons, I love them both equally. The fair is a better choice for SHFFLing wearing down shields and launch off-stage.
Whereas the nair is a get out off my face move coupled with shield poking if you FJ it and FJ nairs has a lot of mindgames too. The nair is also really good for making crossovers, some characters have good counters to the nair, these includes the characters with long disjoint on there hitboxes, so watch out for that. I use the nair a lot cause it is almost never wrong, simplest attack to use in the game IMO, you don't even need to aim it.
You should fit the bair into the category of neutral game aerials as it is a double hit move you can create some interesting shield pressure with if you can DJ with it after a SH, it also sets up for shield poke dsmashes.

 

[Andrew McNamara]

I think I notice Link move quicker this way, but I'm not sure, it's such a small speed increase. But any speed increase is a good speed increase.

@ A Andrew McNamara : Both are great moves for different reasons, I love them both equally. The fair is a better choice for SHFFLing wearing down shields and launch off-stage.
Whereas the nair is a get out off my face move coupled with shield poking if you FJ it and FJ nairs has a lot of mindgames too. The nair is also really good for making crossovers, some characters have good counters to the nair, these includes the characters with long disjoint on there hitboxes, so watch out for that. I use the nair a lot cause it is almost never wrong, simplest attack to use in the game IMO, you don't even need to aim it.
You should fit the bair into the category of neutral game aerials as it is a double hit move you can create some interesting shield pressure with if you can DJ with it after a SH, it also sets up for shield poke dsmashes.

Thanks for the great answer. If you had to rank the frequency with which you used neutral aerial, forward aerial, and backaerial, which would be used the most, which would be used the least, and which in the middle of the two?

 

[cjugs]

WDing in general is usually used just as thing in dash dashing and as a spacing mindgame to slide back and forth a little bit so people can't get a handle on where you are or where you are going to be when they attack, and obviously so that you can move forward and backward while facing the same direction.

 

[Looticforgothispassword]

Thanks for the great answer. If you had to rank the frequency with which you used neutral aerial, forward aerial, and backaerial, which would be used the most, which would be used the least, and which in the middle of the two?

Can't tell. I can say I use the nair the most, but I also try to use it less as it is blatantly obvious and I get punished for it sometimes. I think all of them are really great, but in their own way, they should be mixed pretty even IMO.

 

[Andrew McNamara]

Can't tell. I can say I use the nair the most, but I also try to use it less as it is blatantly obvious and I get punished for it sometimes. I think all of them are really great, but in their own way, they should be mixed pretty even IMO.

and this might sound like a dumb question... but can I use R to L-cancel?

 

[bagsntrane]

yes, you can use l r or z to "Lag" cancel.

 

[SAUS]

Thanks for the great answer. If you had to rank the frequency with which you used neutral aerial, forward aerial, and backaerial, which would be used the most, which would be used the least, and which in the middle of the two?

I think generally, as in with all characters, there's no move that you should just use more than the others necessarily. They all depend on where you are in relation to your opponent and what they are doing, as well as what damage they are at and what damage you are at (in case a trade may happen). I find all 3 to be quite useful for Link, and usually, all of them tend to be used roughly equally often.