Rango the Mercenary
The Mercenary
By habit, it seems that Ike players tend to do three major things when most of their opponents are recovering back on-stage:
1) Eruption. This is a kill move at under 100% for anyone in the game. Requires strict timing, but can throw even the best of players off.
2) Walk-off Fair and Dair. Used horizontally from the opponent or below the ledge for a kill-spike, perhaps as a last resort.
3) Let them get back on. Punish accordingly to the ledge recovery with USmash, grab, or Nair.
But Counter? Why would the slowest Counter in the game be useful for recoveries? Because it's an option that throws off a very small percentage of the roster. Two characters come to mind - Luigi and Donkey Kong.
Luigi has three methods to recover with. Green Missile, Luigi Cyclone, Super Jump Punch. All three of these can be Countered. More importantly, Luigi has a clear advantage on you in the neutral. For one completely inexperienced in the matchup, it can feel like a 7-3 advantage. Luigi recovers quickly, punishes everything you do, and seems to disrespect and disregard your defense and spacing. But take him off the stage, and the matchup turns to your favor. Counter will kill his Green Missile and hurt him with the easy opening of Luigi Cyclone. That leaves Up B, which is also very punishable with proper timing. Granted, he won't be doing this all the time and will adapt to find ways to mixup your Counter. That's where the previously listed 3 options come in. But with his wonky recovery and ability to stall you, he is one of those exceptions where Eruption isn't practical.
Donkey Kong is another. Up B is his only recovery option, and with an active hitbox, you will assuredly nail him with Counter if he recovers horizontal. That's when they'll be conditioned to go below the ledge and attempt a vertical recovery. At this point, you're shooting fish in a barrel because there is no one easier to hit with Eruption, in no small part due to the slow speed of his recovery.
Consider what I call the "1% rule." This is the rule that will help you greatly in odd matchups. What you can do to 99% of the roster, there will always be that 1% you can't. Free gimping to characters off stage? Ganondorf is the 1% that you don't thanks to his Side B turning the match in his favor. Want to go aerial against an opponent and space them with Fair and Bair? Rosalina is the "1%" that you are better off staying grounded and punishing her moves with shield and jabs.
We can talk more about the "1% rule" in another thread. But for now, focusing on Counter and when to use it will be a saving grace for our matchups against tough characters who beat us out in the neutral. Luigi and DK are the primary characters to use it on. I would argue Diddy Kong is as well, but many of them are too smart to recover low and prefer to get near the edge and simply tap Up B, leaving us no time or space to react. Lastly, Ryu seems to be a prime candidate to try it on thanks to his Tatsumaki Senpuu for similar reasons.
There are more, but who else is affected?
1) Eruption. This is a kill move at under 100% for anyone in the game. Requires strict timing, but can throw even the best of players off.
2) Walk-off Fair and Dair. Used horizontally from the opponent or below the ledge for a kill-spike, perhaps as a last resort.
3) Let them get back on. Punish accordingly to the ledge recovery with USmash, grab, or Nair.
But Counter? Why would the slowest Counter in the game be useful for recoveries? Because it's an option that throws off a very small percentage of the roster. Two characters come to mind - Luigi and Donkey Kong.
Luigi has three methods to recover with. Green Missile, Luigi Cyclone, Super Jump Punch. All three of these can be Countered. More importantly, Luigi has a clear advantage on you in the neutral. For one completely inexperienced in the matchup, it can feel like a 7-3 advantage. Luigi recovers quickly, punishes everything you do, and seems to disrespect and disregard your defense and spacing. But take him off the stage, and the matchup turns to your favor. Counter will kill his Green Missile and hurt him with the easy opening of Luigi Cyclone. That leaves Up B, which is also very punishable with proper timing. Granted, he won't be doing this all the time and will adapt to find ways to mixup your Counter. That's where the previously listed 3 options come in. But with his wonky recovery and ability to stall you, he is one of those exceptions where Eruption isn't practical.
Donkey Kong is another. Up B is his only recovery option, and with an active hitbox, you will assuredly nail him with Counter if he recovers horizontal. That's when they'll be conditioned to go below the ledge and attempt a vertical recovery. At this point, you're shooting fish in a barrel because there is no one easier to hit with Eruption, in no small part due to the slow speed of his recovery.
Consider what I call the "1% rule." This is the rule that will help you greatly in odd matchups. What you can do to 99% of the roster, there will always be that 1% you can't. Free gimping to characters off stage? Ganondorf is the 1% that you don't thanks to his Side B turning the match in his favor. Want to go aerial against an opponent and space them with Fair and Bair? Rosalina is the "1%" that you are better off staying grounded and punishing her moves with shield and jabs.
We can talk more about the "1% rule" in another thread. But for now, focusing on Counter and when to use it will be a saving grace for our matchups against tough characters who beat us out in the neutral. Luigi and DK are the primary characters to use it on. I would argue Diddy Kong is as well, but many of them are too smart to recover low and prefer to get near the edge and simply tap Up B, leaving us no time or space to react. Lastly, Ryu seems to be a prime candidate to try it on thanks to his Tatsumaki Senpuu for similar reasons.
There are more, but who else is affected?
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