What should I focus on in the lab?

[Rango the Mercenary]

I've learned max ranges on sword techniques and timing on ledge trumping. One of the guys at the tournament I was at recently was spending time practicing his Pikachu's Quick Attack cancels on Battlefield's ledges and perfect-pivoting. He and I are strong rivals, and I don't want him surpassing me. So what should I focus on in the lab that will help my game in the future?

 

[Genome Squirrel]

how well do you know your matchups?
sometimes the next step is dabbling in other characters; know their ranges, weaknesses, e.c.t.

 

[Rango the Mercenary]

how well do you know your matchups?
sometimes the next step is dabbling in other characters; know their ranges, weaknesses, e.c.t.

I generally get that practice in matches, though.

 

[Mario766]

You practice your character in the lab, you practice match-ups online and in friendlies.

 

[Aquasition]

just what is "the lab"? Training Mode?

 

[LordShade67]

just what is "the lab"? Training Mode?

Pretty much, yeah. FGC term.

 

[san.]

Buffering, movement, and combos. The rest is just thinking up hypothetical situations in your free time and playing it out if you need to. Many parts of labbing don't even need to be in-game.

 

[Rango the Mercenary]

Buffering, movement, and combos. The rest is just thinking up hypothetical situations in your free time and playing it out if you need to. Many parts of labbing don't even need to be in-game.

So how does buffering work?

 

[san.]

So how does buffering work?

Input any action within 10 frames (1/6 second) of your character being able to act and you'll respond with that move. Like if you land with a nair and want to jab, you press A during the landing lag and the jab automatically comes out. You've 99% been doing this all along.

Previous smash games allowed for multiple buffered inputs, so you could buffer a turnaround jab for instance. Smash 4 only buffers your last input, so you can't really do many attacks as easily and simple things take some execution practice (at least for me).

It's good to practice to build up muscle memory and decrease the amount of mistaken inputs. Ike players need to get turnaround jab/dtilt down within a moment's notice and set up for punishes quickly.

 

[Pipmonchan]

Can you explain a bit turnaround jab and d-tilt? I'm new to Ike and not familiar with the term.