When to use giant punch

[Yong Dekonk]

I am a DK main since brawl. I was very disappointed with how some of the changes seem to have slowed DK down a bit. But I enjoy using DK too much to give up so I'm trying to up my game. A successful giant punch can completely turn a match around but when opponents see you're wound up they tend to be a little skittish. It can be hard to make a read on a good captain falcon or other fast character. When do you use giant punch? Is there a setup that works consistently for you?

 

[RtMbot]

I'm not a pro player, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but unfortunately, I don't really think there's any guaranteed way to set this move up. Personally, I try to use it either to punish unsafe attacks, or to power through people's attacks with the super armor if I can predict them. If I'm feeling like I can make the read, I'll try to punish a roll or do a B reverse. Basically, I believe that its best for punishing mistakes or tricking people who weren't expecting it. Do not tunnel-vision it however; people tend to see through that.

Also, if you haven't done this yet, I strongly suggest going into training mode and getting used to the range and the startup of the punch. You'll be far more aware of yourself this way and you'll get a better understanding of when to use it. I've had times where I throw the punch out thinking I got the punish, only to find that either they were just slightly out of reach, or that the endlag on their move was shorter than the startup of the punch, so it gets perfect-shielded and I get smacked for it.

 

[RiotLettuce]

I absolutely love giant punch. I recommend not getting obsessed with it though, because it will easily lead to you losing the match.

I love using it in a lot of ways. Getting through small moves that don't hurt much (i.e. jabs and dtilts), dtilt trip into punch, side b bury into punch, and what I use mostly, I'll jump over the opponent and as they try to catch me in landing i'll do the obvious wave bounce punch, as it's so easy to tell I'm going to do it, I get it a lot. Honestly one of the most effective ways to get a giant punch in is vs a laggy projectile character (i.e. Link, Falco) shorthop over the arrow or the laser or w/e projectile, and giant punch. Hope this helped

 

[cardboardowl]

I use the armor to land it almost everytime

 

[OddCrow]

There are 2 "guaranteed" set ups for this move. Dk-headbutt to read get-up rolls, punch. Dtilt (if it trips) leads into punch also.

I think some characters might also get grab-released into range.

I find the best time to use it is to break the neutral game at high %. you are both at 100, the enemy is spacing you out by jumping around mid-stage and using aerials and specials. The moment they commit to something you know has lag, short hop in, fast fall and punch. You should hopefully catch their lag or the start-up of their attack (and power through it)

 

[Appdude]

There are 2 "guaranteed" set ups for this move. Dk-headbutt to read get-up rolls, punch. Dtilt (if it trips) leads into punch also.

I think some characters might also get grab-released into range.

I find the best time to use it is to break the neutral game at high %. you are both at 100, the enemy is spacing you out by jumping around mid-stage and using aerials and specials. The moment they commit to something you know has lag, short hop in, fast fall and punch. You should hopefully catch their lag or the start-up of their attack (and power through it)

Do you know where I can see footage of the Dtilt GPunch? Want to see the timing....

 

[dahuterschuter]

Short-hop Giant Punch.

Nobody expects the short-hop Giant Punch.

Also, if you're opponent is last stock and GP kill percent, use it to edge guard. GP puts you in freefall state, but they'll hit the blast zone before you fall to your death, and it's kick ass to leap off the side and crank that hamfist in their face as they try to return. Best have some good aim though. It's all for style points.

 

[DaRkJaWs]

I have my giant punch skills carried over from sb64. Try to depend less on guaranteed hits than on good reads. Look for their habits, and surprise them with a giant punch when you get inside. It's much easier than you think, I hit on punches or at least fool them (overall ~50% of the time) with a punch that required a hard read and hence did not hit, only to hit them with fsmash or dsmash.

 

[GiMiX]

Some other ways to use giant punch are:

An opponent is charging a smash. I believe people charging smash receive extra knock back, and even if they release the smash you'll power through it and land the punch. Especially useful when approaching someone edge gaurding (just don't use it over the edge)
An opponent is right about to land. If you do an empty jump toward them you can get them to air dodge and receive lag upon landing you can punish.
An opponent regrabs the ledge. They lose their invisibility.

When using 10 Wind Giant Punch you do way more knock back at the expense of super armour and a little more start up because you have to hit b twice. But if you hit mario with this center stage you can net a kill at like 45 - 50%. That being said, outside of the hail mary combo (Down tilt -> 10 wind giant punch) its hard to connect. However if you bury the opponent at 75 - 90% you can actually kill them with 10 wind giant punch! Fully charged they'd have to be at like what 120?

 

[Zodiacx10]

i always try to use it out of shield or if i think they are running to grab my shield

 

[CELTiiC]

Honestly giant punch is all about reads. It isn't a great neutral move, but can be used very effectively in neutral. Honestly just keeping the punch wound up changes how your opponent plays, because of the natural fear so always having it charged is a plus. As others have mentioned, d-tilt to punch, side b to punch and a read into punch are your only real practical uses. If you master the super armor on the move you can find yourself landing more moves. Honestly just bait your opponent into a laggy highly committal move in neutral and you get a free punch.

 

[DaRkJaWs]

The only good "combo" with giant punch is side b into the 10 wind giant punch. I only recently discovered that the knockback is a LOT bigger than the fully charged one, and especially when they are buried in the ground.

 

[itsaxelol]

The only good "combo" with giant punch is side b into the 10 wind giant punch. I only recently discovered that the knockback is a LOT bigger than the fully charged one, and especially when they are buried in the ground.

what?! ive been using this on you since our first ditto months ago!

 

[DaRkJaWs]

I was paying more attention to what I was doing than you were in our first few battles , and tbh I was confused by the remarks ppl made about the 10 wind being more "powerful", as in I thought they meant it did more damage, and when I initially tested it I saw it did no more damage and thought it only applied to the 3ds. I only realized a week before I wrote that last post that it works really well especially when they are buried.

Actually, you used it on me, or tried to, when I popped out of it, not while I was buried, from what I remember.

 

[itsaxelol]

i always used it. i rarely charge a full punch unless youre above 60. but yea i remember what youre talking about; sometimes if im messing around and get super greedy and try to doing a jumping back hand 10 wind mega punch, lol. hit that back to back on for glory one time. killed the luigi at like 45% each time. was insane

 

[TerrancesPINEApple]

I usually use it after doing the headbutt move or a down attack, but it doesn't always hit.