ZSS Help--Ground Game

[Chaco]

Alright, so I picked up ZSS today, people think I've been maining her since release. I lol'd. But to the helping part.

I have an amazing aerial game, I got told that many times today. (and yes I'm playing really tough people, like the 5th best Kirby. Serris, etc.) Alright, so the problem is that I fid my ground game to be hindersome and is what is getting me to higher percents. When I'm in the air, I'm constantly doing great, it's when i land and try to attack from there. I get punished, like extremely bad.

So my thing is, what can I do to get a better ground game, combos etc, and then also what to be aware of. And most importantly, the grabs...When I go into the air it's fine...but what i like to do is grab release, that works until it comes back to bite me.

 

[ph00tbag]

Throwing in a lot of down smashes is useful. I've also been working on B-reversing out of a run. Usmash on aerial opponents is really useful, to. Strangely, most people I've encountered don't know how to DI this, so it can come in handy quite often.

Dash attack is very useful, because it can be strung into utilts, dtilts, jabs and other dash attacks quite often, especially if your opponent misses a tech or something.

 

[Adapt]

My ground game with ZSS is a lot of shorthopped neutral and forward specials. These are great spacing tools and they can force opponents into the air where you are more comfortable.
Down Smash is a nice spacing tool as well, it has little ending lag and if your enemy is makes a mistake it's a free 30+ damage.

Dash attack is situational, it is very unsafe on shield, but if you hit you can almost always get either a jab, an utilt, a dtilt, or a series of dash attacks in afterward. (listed from lowest percentage followup to highest) I will use it when I see an opening (like punishing rolls), but not as an approach. You can normally get a dash attack straight from a paralyzer shot.

Jab is also situational because the third hit can be shielded. In fact any followup to a jab is quite unsafe. Switching it up is key. Good news: jab comes out in one frame.

I'm not really a fan of any of ZSS's tilts though, other ppl do use them but I can't seem to find a good use for them outside of following up dash attacks.

Oops... repeated some stuff from ph00tbag cuz I take forever to write informative posts

 

[Chaco]

Hmm, I see.

And tilts I do happen to like. The dtilt of hers being my favorite, which I use after a dash attack, then into dsmash and a bair. Which seems to work.

But I'll try out more spacing.

And thanks for the tips.

 

[Chaco]

Now I'm getting edge gaurded like a *****. Help prease.

 

[Tezmata]

For edge-guarding, keep in mind that your tether recovery range is AMAZING. It's nearly twice the length of your Side-B. It gives you great ability to be the edge-guarder instead of the edge-guarded. Don't use the Down-B unless you have to. It can help you stall your recovery and at least use the Up-B to spike your opponent and take him or her down with you.