Who should a rookie play as to start with?

[Daxter]

I've enjoyed playing PM with my friends casually, but I'd like to help get involved in building its reputation in my area, so I want to learn some advanced stuff. Trouble is, I'm not so good at movement, teching etc. Ideally I'd like to play as Bowser, Roy or Donkey Kong but they aren't exactly decent when they stand still, particularly Bowser. I'd also be ok if I could learn Ivysaur, Sonic or Pit, but they strike me as even more complicated!

Instead, I'd like to work through a checklist of basic movement techniques with an easier-to-use character. Which character should I learn with that can easily transition back to those 3 characters I like using? Sorry if that's confusing XD

 

[Brisk187]

Mario, Sheik, and Marth have the reputation of funneling you into picking up good fundamentals if you consistently play one of them. They would give you a good platform to learn movement options like wavelanding and edge-canceling. If you're averse to picking one of those characters, then I would pick Roy out of the ones you mentioned.

Although really, the key is to just play the game frequently against a variety of other players. As long as you do that, you'll get good no matter which character you play.

 

[Binary Clone]

I've enjoyed playing PM with my friends casually, but I'd like to help get involved in building its reputation in my area, so I want to learn some advanced stuff. Trouble is, I'm not so good at movement, teching etc. Ideally I'd like to play as Bowser, Roy or Donkey Kong but they aren't exactly decent when they stand still, particularly Bowser. I'd also be ok if I could learn Ivysaur, Sonic or Pit, but they strike me as even more complicated!

Instead, I'd like to work through a checklist of basic movement techniques with an easier-to-use character. Which character should I learn with that can easily transition back to those 3 characters I like using? Sorry if that's confusing XD

Play whoever you enjoy playing, first and foremost.

As far as easy characters, go with Roy, since you have interest in him already. Roy is a pretty simple character from a technical standpoint, rewards good fundamentals, has a good combo game, and is pretty straightforward all around. He has good movement that is rewarding as well. Focus on learning basics - L-cancelling, dashdancing, and SHFFLs first. Then move on to wavedashing and wavelanding and any other tech you want to figure out.

 

[Tomaster]

I think the character choice part was answered. Also by your post count and join date it seems like you've been around long enough to have the experience to play probably any character.

Idk where your skill level is at, but this would be my order of priority if i was looking to work on movement:
1) Dash Dancing: probably the most important movement option for most characters, it should become second nature. It helps both in keeping you mobile when you don't want to approach, and in baiting an approach from your opponents. Some characters don't utilize it as much but the ones that you listed all have decent dash dances.
2) wavedashing/wavelanding: wavedashing allows you to do standing attacks in an approach, and to face one direction as you're moving in the other, it's extremely useful once you get comfortable with it, some characters use wavedashing as their primary movement option (luigi, IC, etc.). Wavelanding allows you to be mobile vertically as well as horizontally, and can keep you from being too predictable.
3) any character specific movements: some characters have movement options that are unique to them (mewtwo's teleport, ness's djc, peach's float, etc). They can be very useful, but i wouldn't focus on them until you're comfortable with the first 2 i listed. You may wanna mix in some character specific movement practice, but I think it's really important to learn the other 2 types of movement first.

Shffling is also extemely important, but I wouldn't really count it as a movement option, and it seems like that's what you're looking to improve on.

 

[masterpad]

in my opinion Mario if you don't all ready have a fav that took your heart.

 

[Altanic]

There not really a set "beginner character" that you can play. Some revolve around certain playstyles/fundamentals, but they are all unique and complex in their own way.
Just play whoever you like, and specialize in them. Learn their options and their movement, and if you aren't very good at techs then that is your sign to start practicing them. You can start with any character that you want to as long as you are willing to put the time in to learn how to play them. Don't think about it too much, just play the game

 

[Lsedo]

In Project M, Mario, Bowser, Zelda, Sheik, Toon Link, Ganondorf, Marth, and Game & Watch I would say are the easiest to use because their moves around 30% tend to hit the opponent in the forward direction the right distance away and with the right amount of stun to string into a combo.

 

[PMS | Tink-er]

A Rookie is a Mario main.

 

[Altanic]

A Rookie is a Mario main.

I wouldn't go that far lol. I agree that Mario is pretty basic to play, but in a pair of skilled hands Mario's not a pushover.

 

[PMS | Tink-er]

casuals don't get my puns

 

[khip]

just play whoever you want why does this matter? get better with the character you enjoy playing the most

 

[Soft Serve]

Play diddy

His game plan is simple enough on a face level, but his tool kit is complex enough, that you'll aways be finding new things, and new places to put old things, all leading to the initial goal.

Pull banana, wait for them to do something, respond with banana, grab, do combo. Ezpz

 

[Gnarkill Evan]

Moderately new player here, I have recently been playing as Mario and can honestly say I never played as him before and I am sure glad I started.

 

[Celestis]

Mario all the way. Easy to pick up and is very rewarding.

 

[Keman]

Play mario

His game plan is simple enough on a face level, but his tool kit is complex enough, that you'll aways be finding new things, and new places to put old things, all leading to the initial goal.

Throw fireball, wait for them to do something, respond with fireball, grab, do combo. Ezpz

 

[Droß]

Play whoever you want to play. However, don't let yourself get caught up in memorizing the character specific tech before the fundamental tech; the latter will help you on every character, while the former only helps you for one, and won't even contribute aas much as it could until you master fundamentals.

Important things to learn:
Dash dancing
Foxtrotting
Shield stopping
Wavedashing / Wavelanding
Any and all OoS options your character has.
SHFFL (Aerials)
Jump Cancelled Grab
Sweet-spotting ledge maneuvers (including double jump sweetspots, both as low and as far out as you can snap to it)

Less important things to learn:
Tree Grabs
Pivot Grabs
Pivoted tilts and smashes
DACUS
Character-Specific tech except for anything people note as absolutely crucial.
Cactuar dashing

 

[Randomman14]

it seems you already have the characters you want to play. i main roy so i can tell you, learn how to wavedash at least semi-efficiently as well as crouch cancel well and youll pretty solid. as for other advise, look up tutorials on how to play character and perform different techs, as well look up videos of people playing your character