Why every Pac-Main should learn how to z-drop

[JohanVonBronx]

Here's a couple of gifs demonstrating why z-dropping as pac-man should be used as an additional move set for pac-mains.

Most people know z-dropping of course, but I don't see very many pac-man players utilize it. Of course, I don't get a chance to play at tournaments so I can't say I'd expect pac-mans to use z-drop a lot or not.

 

[TheLeagueOfAydin]

Yeah, it's really nice.

 

[Megamon]

I usually try and z drop with the apple since it stops at the hydrant, but am trying to consistently get the key. It covers a lot of ground against non Rosaluma and Villager.

 

[NouveauRétro]

I swear, Pacman goes up two tiers if he has a strong fruit in his hand. When I get my opponent far offstage and it's a character that's hard to gimp I either:
A) Throw Melon from cross stage and chase, they have to get up somehow(or get hit by the melon when they wait too long on the ledge)
B)Throw/catch bell and use hydrant upthrow trick(no one outside of Pac mains know that trick they always fall for it, don't give him time to set it up)
C)Throw/catch Galaxian for hydrant launches(Best zdrop fruit at low % I mean c'mon auto launching hydrant is ridiculous)
D)PREPARE KEY TO VICTORY

Oh, and by the way you can RAR with a fruit in hand if you drop the fruit a bit before your perform the bair. Especially useful/comboable with certain Freaky Fruits in hand.

 

[Megamon]

I swear, Pacman goes up two tiers if he has a strong fruit in his hand. When I get my opponent far offstage and it's a character that's hard to gimp I either:
A) Throw Melon from cross stage and chase, they have to get up somehow(or get hit by the melon when they wait too long on the ledge)
B)Throw/catch bell and use hydrant upthrow trick(no one outside of Pac mains know that trick they always fall for it, don't give him time to set it up)
C)Throw/catch Galaxian for hydrant launches(Best zdrop fruit at low % I mean c'mon auto launching hydrant is ridiculous)
D)PREPARE KEY TO VICTORY

Oh, and by the way you can RAR with a fruit in hand if you drop the fruit a bit before your perform the bair. Especially useful/comboable with certain Freaky Fruits in hand.

Definitely. Once the fruit is in hand (orange and up), it seems very difficult to stop all my approaches, and with the key...good Lord. Hydrants are gonna be flyin' from left to right. Been really wanting to try crazy fruit, err, freaky fruit.

 

[Kaiyedy]

I swear, Pacman goes up two tiers if he has a strong fruit in his hand. When I get my opponent far offstage and it's a character that's hard to gimp I either:
A) Throw Melon from cross stage and chase, they have to get up somehow(or get hit by the melon when they wait too long on the ledge)
B)Throw/catch bell and use hydrant upthrow trick(no one outside of Pac mains know that trick they always fall for it, don't give him time to set it up)
C)Throw/catch Galaxian for hydrant launches(Best zdrop fruit at low % I mean c'mon auto launching hydrant is ridiculous)
D)PREPARE KEY TO VICTORY

Oh, and by the way you can RAR with a fruit in hand if you drop the fruit a bit before your perform the bair. Especially useful/comboable with certain Freaky Fruits in hand.

I'm trying to figure out some pacman tech (he's my main and best character) and I've already gotten good at z-dropping, but I've never heard of the hydrant up throw, can you explain that?
EDIT: I feel so stupid, I figured it out...

 

[NouveauRétro]

I'm trying to figure out some pacman tech (he's my main and best character) and I've already gotten good at z-dropping, but I've never heard of the hydrant up throw, can you explain that?

EDIT: Oh, you figured it out? Well I'm not deleting any of this rambling reply anyway


It's basically a way to launch the bell horizontally using the hydrant, and it's so easy you barely need to practice!
You need a couple seconds to set it up, but it's so worth it!

Here's a not-so hypothetical situation where I've used it. My opponent is a Dedede who's godlike at catching items. I put him offstage at high percent but I put him across the stage so I don't fell like chasing him, plus I have a melon on deck so I don't wanna throw it for fear that he catches it. Instead of charging up to key and alarming my opponent to be a turtle(after all Pac is not that strong against shield spam), here' what I did while he was recovering and how the trick works:

I get to bell and throw it, then run up and use fair or w/e to catch it. Once the opponent is coming at me I drop hydrant, then run off and throw the bell straight up right after I fall off the hydrant. Now I'm free to assault the enemy. Try baiting them with an unsafe move, 'cuz most opponents don't know about the time bomb you just set for them. That's right, the bell will come down on the first gush of water and come at the opponent at a low angle, bouncing once. BOOM, GOTTEEMM.Free kill option of your choice. Side B for extra swag

 

[Nu~]

http://youtu.be/vLJXDGqxl-c
I found a lot of Pac-Man Z drop combos with this technique:

So I've tested the insta toss and here are my results!!!

Tested on ROB

key drop-> key toss-> fair -> Nair (45%!!)

Cherry drop-> Cherry toss-> usmash (25%!)

Cherry drop-> Cherry toss-> Uair-> ftilt
(24%!)

Strawberry drop-> Strawberry toss-> Usmash
(29%!)

Strawberry drop-> Strawberry toss-> Ftilt (20%)

Strawberry drop-> Strawberry toss-> Fair-> Ftilt (Strict timing 25%)

Strawberry drop-> Strawberry toss-> Uair-> Jabx3 (31%)

Orange drop-> Orange toss
(16%. mid percentages or jump a bit higher when you perform this at low percentages) if they don't tech, follow up with a side

Apple drop-> Apple toss-> Uair
(28%. Only at low percentages)

Melon drop-> Melon toss-> Fair
(29%. low to low mid percentages)

Galaxian drop-> Galaxian toss-> Fair
(28%. low percentages)

Galaxian drop -> toss-> fair (sometimes misses but the combo still continues due to Galaxian hitstun) -> Galaxian hits+Nair lands
(36%-41%. Mid to high mid percentages)

Galaxian drop->toss-> draw your Side B as the Galaxian comes around-> Galaxian hits + Side B lands
(39%. Mid to high mid percentages
EASY KILL CONFIRM!!!)

Bell drop-> Toss-> Anything
(%Varies Mid to High percentages. Works only if the opponent doesn't jump or tech. Decent mixup that can become a gimmicky kill confirm. Why the hell does a z drop bell have to have horizontal knock back lol)


This. Is. BIG!!!

Try to put together your own combos. I'm going to test Lazy/Freaky fruit next. I have a feeling that lazy Galaxian and freaky bell will give me crazy results.

Confirmed. Just did it
Freaky Melon drop -> Freaky Melon toss = death at higher percentages


Freaky key drop -> Freaky key toss-> anything (%varies. Can be done only at lower percentages)

Insta toss freaky Key -> usmash (37% at mid percentages when all hits can connect,
34% at high percentages when only inky connects)
Another Kill confirm and another reason to chose freaky fruit

Insta Toss freaky bell = death at high percentages

Insta toss Freaky strawberry -> anything
(Pulls the opponent in for a punish. Only works at high percentages, which helps because this is yet another solid kill confirm. You have to slow this one down a little bit. Wait just a little while longer to Insta toss the fruit after the z drop)

Every other freaky fruit is near useless with this. Nothing else has a follow up or kills when comboed into itself.

---------------------------------
Now I'm on to lazy fruit



Tested on mega man

Low to mid percentages
Insta toss lazy strawberry -> Dash attack -> Uair
(29% )
Can also be performed with lazy cherry

Lazy cherry Insta toss -> ftilt
(12%)

Insta toss lazy strawberry -> fair-> nair
(25%)

Insta toss Lazy melon-> Fair
(29%)

Insta toss Lazy Apple -> fair-> Nair
(33% strict timing)

Insta toss Lazy Apple -> Uair
(28%)

Insta toss lazy Bell -> footstool -> three Fairs -> Any hard punish you want
(Kill confirms for dayz)

Insta toss Lazy orange -> usmash
(25%)

Any percentage
Insta toss lazy Galaxian (let it bounce twice) -> Go insane!!!
(Okay, this can lead to stupid high damage, kill confirms, footstool combos, you name it. Just get creative!)

Z drop lazy orange -> Bair
Not an insta toss, but a combo I found while trying to perform the previous combo. Works at any percent (yes, even 999%) because of the orange's weird hitstun. Makes me want to explore the lazy Orange more. There may be tons of possibilities.

Z Dropping is powerful!

 

[Megamon]

http://youtu.be/vLJXDGqxl-c
I found a lot of Pac-Man Z drop combos with this technique:






Z Dropping is powerful!

Really enjoy your Pacman videos. Subbed. Keep on.

 

[ToxoT]

mucking around in training mode i learned you could footstool after z dropping galaxian so it combos into the second hit, around %70 it also combos in a 2 hit side-b if buffered after the footstool

actually it may be even earlier than that, after more experimenting i managed to do the galaxian footstool at %0 combo into a hydrant drop, the hydrant also takes a hit from the galaxian which sets up for it to be launched with bair, which ends the combo. if the bair manages to connect as well its 5 hits at %51

and heres yet another high damaging combo from %0. z drop galaxian, bair so your opponent is hit back toward the tumbling galaxian, the second hit connects, then finish with up smash, %43. you can replace the bair with a nair, uair, fair, or even f tilt if you land. the only thing that has to happen is your opponent has to be hit toward you with the second galaxian hit