|
Simply Advanced Smash: Terms & Strategies
I made this in response to a beginner who asked for some help getting into the competitive scene. I have love for the scrubs so here you are. I'm open for suggestions and edits as well. Hope this helps. Credit to Raen for the idea. Credit to AlphaZealot on SWF for his SSBM Compendium of Knowledge.
Aerials - Aerial attacks. n00bs often only use aerials when they are forced in the air or opponents are in the air. Don't be ignorant. Aerials make Smash wonderful. Some are good for combos. Some are good for kills.
Many nubs like to over use dash attack. I'm in no way saying dash attack is bad but it can easily be shield grabbed. So, make that dash attack a second option and an aerial approach your first.
In many cases you want to short hop, use your aerial, and then fast fall when you reach the peak of your jump (This was a major advanced technique in Melee known as SHFFL [Short Hop Fast Fall L-cancel] however L-canceling is not in Brawl). Many characters can do multiple aerials in one jump and even in one short hop; i.e. Marth and Toon Link.
Forward (Fair, F-air)
Backward (Bair, B-air)
Upward (Uair, U-air)
Downward (Dair, D-air) - Many characters spike or meteor with this move.
Neutral (Nair, N-air, Sex Kick) - Often forgotten by beginners but with most characters it is the most useful aerial because it often has very high priority.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Aerials can also be used off stage to edgeguard as well.
Directional Influence (DI) - Pressing a direction to influence your trajectory while in the
air. This can be in a defensive manner or offensive. Here is what you
(USUALLY) want to do in these situations.
You're at high damage and are hit by a powerful attack that sends you mostly horizontal:
Tap and hold upward / DI up.
You're at high damage and are hit by a powerful attack that sends you mostly vertical:
Tap and hold left or right / DI left or right.
You're being combo'd:
This depends. Sometimes you want to DI upward and maybe jump. Sometimes you want to DI downward and maybe tech. Sometimes all you need to do is DI away. Be smart and figure it out.
On the offense example:
Marth can do 2 aerial attacks in a short-hop (good combo capability). After you land the first, we'll say its a f-air (cause it usually will be), your opponent could end up in a number of different places so DI accordingly to land the next aerial.
NOTE: I promise you with experience your DI will improve. I ALSO HAVE A POST (SCROLL DOWN) FURTHER E[smile]XP[/smile]LAINING DI.
Edge Guard - A huge aspect in smash. It's what you do to keep your opponent from getting back on the stage. Edge guarding isn't just standing near the edge and using a smash attack. This doesn't always work, especially not in competitive Brawl. Don't be scared to journey off the stage while keeping your second jump to use an aerial and hit them away. Edge hogging is a very effective edge guard.
Edge/Ledge Hog - Being on the ledge while your opponent tries to grab the ledge when they recovery however they fall because only one character can grab the ledge at a time.
Fast Fall (FF) - Pressing and/or holding downward to make your character fall faster. This can be important while in recovery and while doing aerials.
Hit-stun - After being attacked your character will flop around helpless. This animation is known as the hit-stun or stun. You can shorten this helpless animation by wiggling the sticks and pressing buttons. Luigi is known for having very little hit-stun. Also see Tech.
Knockback - The direction and distance a move sends you. Smash attacks have more knockback than tilts.
L-cancel - The most important advanced technique in 64 and Melee. When you press L, R, or Z as you hit the ground with an aerial the lag of the aerial hitting the ground is canceled. This increased the speed of these games tremendously but there is no form of L-canceling in Brawl.
The Ledge - The side of the stage you can grab onto. A huge aspect in smash. Being on the ledge is very similar to being in your shield in that you have so many options whether they're defensive or offensive. You don't always have to press A or B ASAP to attack from the ledge. Press the jump button to jump from the ledge, press toward the stage to quickly pop up on the stage, ledge stall, or ledge hop. You can also edge guard from the ledge.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When you initially grab the ledge and when you leave the ledge you are invinsible for a few frames. Use this to your advantage.
Ledge Hop - Pressing down or away from the ledge and then using your second jump to get onto the stage. After jumping you can use aerials to protect yourself as you come back onto the stage.
Ledge Stall - Pressing down or away from the ledge and then using your second jump, up-B, or left/right-B to get back onto the ledge. Make sure you drop low enough to sweetspot.
Meteor - Sends your opponent downwards with pace and CAN be canceled with a jump/up-B. Good for edgeguarding.
Priority - You and your opponent attack each other at the same time; the attack with more priority will basically cancel the other and continue with its own normal attack animation, damage, and knockback.
Recovery - When you are hit off-stage you have an unlimited number of options. DO NOT just use your second jump and up-B ASAP. 99% of the time you want to SAVE YOUR JUMP. Examples:
Drop down below the stage and try to sweetspot the ledge with your up-B.
DI toward the stage and when your opponent attacks simply air-dodge to the stage and/or ledge.
If your opponent comes offstage to edgeguard you then jump and use an aerial to counter his edgeguard because I know you SAVED YOUR JUMP.
NOTE: Like I said you have an unlimited number of options so be creative and smart.
Short-Hop (SH) - Each character has a jump that is smaller than their normal jump. This can be done by pressing and releasing the jump button faster. Use it in combination with aerials and fast falling.
Shield - A huge aspect in Smash. Obviously you can roll left/right and spot dodge by pressing down BUT you have other options. You can grab from your shield (shield grab). You can also jump and/or attack out of the shield. In MOST cases jumping out of your shield, either with or without an aerial, is the best option.
Spike - Sends your opponent downwards with pace and CANNOT be canceled with a jump/up-B. Good for edgeguarding.
Sweetspot - Grabbing the ledge at the peak of your second jump, up-B, and in some cases left/right B. In Brawl some moves auto-sweetspot so you don't have to worry about the peak stuff.
Tech - Pressing L, R, or Z right before you hit a surface while stunned to cancel the stun. You're invincible for a few frames after you tech so try to tech instead of hitting the surface and being vulnerable. You can tech on the ground, a platform, a wall, a ceiling, and even the side of the stage. When teching on the ground or platform if you press left or right you will tech roll in the direction you pressed.
IMPORTANT NOTES: Don't tech in place or in one direction consistently because your opponent will catch on to this and punish you for it. With experience your teching ability will improve and eventually become second nature.
Tech roll - See Tech.
Tilt - Don't forget these moves. In many situations they are a better option than a smash attack because they usually come out faster, have strong priority in a certain direction, and have more combo capability (not so much in Brawl).
Forward (Ftilt, F-tilt)
Upward (Utilt, U-tilt)
Downward (Dtilt, D-tilt)
I will continue to add terms and useful Brawl advanced techniques as the game matures.
I'm always open to suggestions and edits to errors you may find.
Scrub/Nub/n00b = beginner = not trying to be offensive.
Melee Artiste
Last edited by runningbrave, 3:16 PM on Apr 05, 2008 |