Comboing: the Real Story

[Cooper736]

As Toon Link players, we know the key to victory is our incredible ability to combo in the air. Two of our three projectiles have some horizontal knockback, and our best throw (down) is excellent for setting up an Usmash/tilt, or even just RARing into a combo. We've seen the guides and the stats that tell us our Bairs do 10%, that we can get two off a short hop, and that by stringing four together, we achieve a massive combo that leads into a boomerang or knocking someone off the edge. That's what they tell us.

But the real story is this: life doesn't exist in Training Mode. Our opponents aren't just letting us have our way with them. A lot of characters got powerful spike and jump canceling this game, and that makes it really hard for our cell-shaded hero to get in his groove. Heck, even pros like Kizzu don't go for the full four-attack combo. So this thread is about what really happens on the battlefield. In this thread, we tell how we combo in real life. In this thread, we offer help to those who aren't able to even get the short hop double Bair, or who find themselves unable to RAR off a B-stick. And if you find that you CAN get four Bairs off a double jump, into a boomerang, to force your opponent off the edge, so you can land and go chase him off the screen, then feel free to share your strategies so we can make sure that Toon Link assumes his rightful place as king of the ring.

Sorry for the tl;dr guys.... I don't really talk like that in real life.

[Phoenix~Lament]

The best way to get combos started is to play defensively, out-mindgame the opponent, and punish missed laggy attacks with a Dthrow chaining to a combo.

Oh, and spam projectiles. To me, playing Toon Link against good players is mostly defensive.

[Crizthakidd]

yeah keep them at bay with projectiles. once close down throw bair bair and improvise. upsmash up titlt u you. and if your feeling lucky. close range DAIR!!!

[NeptunerAV]

Yes, I agree, projectiles are TLink's godsend.

But, as good as dair is, spamming it too much makes it REALLY predictable.

SO THROW A BOMB DOWN FIRST :D

[JakeTL]

4 is not hard... dont let them hit the ground and time it right.. np.. I can do 7 bairs and a dair off the edge sometimes..

[-Aether]

Good DI will always prevent T. Link from getting off more than 3 b-airs. Ever.

This is why when talking about combos in brawl, everything is left open ended. You can say which moves are the best for "comboing" but you cannot say. B-air/B-air/B-air/D-air works * every * single time. In real matches, you should be more concerned with sneaking in blows without being punished than epic combos of destruction.

[Super_Nostalgic]

Good DI will always prevent T. Link from getting off more than 3 b-airs. Ever.

This is why when talking about combos in brawl, everything is left open ended. You can say which moves are the best for "comboing" but you cannot say. B-air/B-air/B-air/D-air works * every * single time. In real matches, you should be more concerned with sneaking in blows without being punished than epic combos of destruction.
Quite F***ing True. When playing someone with half a brain, or even a computer, the combos that sound good on paper never work fully. Enchanced DI and multiple dodges make sure of that. Exception being a player that has no idea what they're doing. When actually playing someone, it isn't combos that win matches, it's overall skill. With TL, projectiles are you're best friends. They rack up the damage so you could get in a 2 or 3 hit combos and then the final blow.

[MIRN]

I like this thread- I have always been more of a proponent of realism than theorycraft. We can talk theory all day on combos; but against most good players, knowing what moves/playstyles are effective versus different characters seems to be the most advantageous rather than simply knowing the "best" combos . In my honest opinion, getting out and practicing versus others is the best kind of way to learn this sort of situational awareness.

One piece of advice I can give, is that if you're having trouble approaching a character with good range and priority, use uour aerial hookshot as an approach move. It does only 5% damage, but it has zero lag, great range, and awesome priority. That followed by an aerial move or a projectile will help you set up one of the aforementioned combos...although truthfully, most of my "combos" are simply strings of effective moves that I use on the spot. ::shrug::

[Cooper736]

One piece of advice I can give, is that if you're having trouble approaching a character with good range and priority, use uour aerial hookshot as an approach move. It does only 5% damage, but it has zero lag, great range, and awesome priority. That followed by an aerial move or a projectile will help you set up one of the aforementioned combos...

I don't see how this would work. The thing about the Hookshot (should be a Grappling Hook...) is that the range pushes your opponents back, which is why it's a great interruption move. How would you do an aerial off it, unless you can somehow push yourself closer to your opponent?

I agree that projectile spamming is a great strategy though. After my aerial combo stops (usually after the first or second Bair...) I just throw a 'rang and start all over again. It's a great disruption technique. The bombs work well too. I'm testing to see how easily they can be spammed with a B-stick.

[MIRN]

Edit: double post. :(

[MIRN]

I have followed up a ZAir with an FAir before, just because I was that close to the enemy when I did it. It can happen whether it makes sense in theory or not I guess, though by the mechanics of the hookshot, using a boomerang afterwards is usually a better idea.

[daniel-zaman]

up tilts are godly. thats all the advice i will give n00bs. chain bairs with tilts.shorthop bair and then dair on a shield. c'mon people

[Will19]

Bombs, guys. More bombs! >:3

[INVAL1D]

Can someone explain to me why up tilts are so great? I keep hearing about them, but wouldn't an up smash be better in the same situation? It does more damage, and seems to hit the same places.

What's up with it?

[MIRN]

The up tilt has great knockback and good priority. Because of DR on moves, I usually prefer to use tilts when my opponent is at a low %, and USmash for the kill.

[Fire52388]

The other thing that makes up tilts so good is that they will get the opponent off the ground. This is good both to disorient them and set up for some really great aerial combos.

[Genuine]

lol i think ill put my edge guarding technique in here. Seeing as i think all Toon links should use it. This how it works

1. Knock opponent off stage
2. pull bomb and jump off stage ( only use one jump)
3.when you are on top of them drop the bomb
4. dair

the explosion of the bomb will send them up (i.e under you ) allowing you dair. This is better than just dairing because if you attempt to dair theyll just air dodge and youll shoot down to your death.

[Super_Nostalgic]

This is assuming they dont catch the bomb and air dodge the dair. It's a good strategy assuming you don't do the dair immediatly after the bomb drop. I used to do this when I did my dair to often. throw a bomb and then dair (over the stage). They would learn to catch the bomb, roll and throw it at me, followed by their own aerial combos b/c the bomb blew me up into the air.

What I prefer to do is throw a couple bombs off in one jump (b-sticking makes bomb pulling easier for me somehow) then angle a boomerang where ever they are. Touch ground. get a bit of a running start, then auto-RAR into some attempted bairs. If I miss. then up B gets em usually and if the final hit lands, it has some good knockback.

[Genuine]

Yea i agree which is why I only dair if i see an explosion

[INVAL1D]

But it looks like the Up Smash and Up Tilt both knock the opponent up, same knockback, both do damage, and both hit the same locations. I'm still not sure why it is considered better.

[Tenza]

It's not same knockback; the upsmash will do about the same provided your opponent is in the lower percentages but if they have too much the upsmash will send them far out of combo range whereas the uptilt stays effective for a long time.

[bobert4936]

i guess thats tru sorta

[Mushy]

sorta yes.
if you can pull of a footstool hop, that's a good set up for Dair as well.
It's just another option.

....(hurt tone) i wouldn't say Tlink is THAT good at aerial comboing.....
lol i'm just bitter.