Le vieux lapin
Smash Ace
For a while now I have tried to become more involved and supportive of our little D3 community, but aside from the occasional MK hate blurb or cheerful supportive comment, I have contributed little to the development of this character's game. Considering how I have mained him for over a year now, I find this unacceptable.
At such an important and radical time in the history of this game( and by that I mean the banning of MK ), the King needs to be better understood by the Smash community, and most importantly among his players. Therefore, I looked upon the king's moveset in search of his weakest techniques, so that I may find some good use for them.
[COLLAPSE="Up-Throw Analysis"]I found the u-throw.
1:Damage
2:KO Threshold
3:The U-throw Onto Platform and U-air Combo
4:"The Hitbox"
5
artner Applications
6:The U-Throw Into Up-B
7:The Importance of Platforms
8:"Blue Sky" Throws
9:Other Fun Stage Applications
10:Enemy Escape Options
11:Refresher
12:The Siblings
13:Closing Comments
Oh yes... the weak sibling of our infamous cg master move. Lets begin with it's damage:
1st throw:9% 2nd throw:8% 3rd throw:7% 4th throw:7% 5th throw:6%
6th throw:5% 7th throw:5% 8th throw:5% 9th throw:4%
This list shows the power of u-throw as it is used repetitively over time. As you can see,
its no fun use after use, as at it's most stale, it's power is cut down below halfway regular.
You'd be much better off staling you're b-air.
KO Threshold
Right off the bat, I'll tell you almost all of our other moves KO easier than u-throw. It's average range of death is between 245% ( for featherweights ) and 310% ( for super heavyweights ). These numbers differ slightly( but not too much ) based on their DI and the height of the stage. No matter how you look at it, u-throw is almost never a viable kill option. Which is why we are forced to find other uses for it.
The U-throw Onto Platform and U-air Combo
Ok. This move is ridiculous. Only plausible at the lowest of percentages, and on the fastest falling characters in the game. Basically, you u-throw an opponent onto a platform above you. Their momentum stops immediately above said platform, and they go right from flying down to landing. This sudden stop confuses the people I tried it out on, and unless they immediately roll, they are susceptable to any of our air moves as we jump up to catch them. Now, keep in mind the chances of this combo working are slim at best, as very quick jumping, fast air movement like Wario's, or rolling can upset the move. Also remember this move works only at low percentages, because otherwise they will fly right through and past the platform. This move has had success on platforms in FD, Delfino Plaza, Castle Seige, and Rainbow Cruise.
The "Hitbox"
Yes, this moves obviously hits on the tips of his arms. Unlike our other throws though, this move will not hit any opponent to our sides. You would have to be directly on the spot where our arms reach out for this move to hit you. Also, the throw launches our foe up, which will strike any other opponent in the trajectory. The damage of being caught in the "hitbox" never exceeded 5% in my tests. However, the damage of having the thrown character hit you as he flies by changes depends on the weight of the thrown character.
Partner Applications
Believe it or not, I found u-throw to be worth the investigation in regards to it's use in a team battle scenario. This was at a stage in my research when I had pretty much given up hope. Before I continue, I should remind you that all team tactics should be thoroughly practiced before use, and not to expect these to work on a first try.
The knockback for u-throw is rather weak, and it's flight path is easy to predict, allowing fast, air-based partners ( like MK ) to rush overhead and start a team combo. U- throwing into the waiting arms of a partner on a platform above you can lead to dazzling finishes.
Just imagine... u-throwing into a Falcon or Wizard Punch... good stuff. A "slow in the air" opponent can easily be combo'd with these aplications.
The U-throw Into Up-B
Sounds amazing, yes? I always imagined this combo could work, and it can. But before I go into detail, I should tell you this move is not only risky and unlikely to land, it is also not worth the damage caused (30%). I'm merely putting it out here for fun.
Its use is similar to the "u-throw onto platform and u-air" move I discussed earlier, except it requires a higher platform, and works on almost all the cast. U-throw them onto the higher platform at just the perfect percentage (for midweights around 50%), they land immediately at the end of their upward flight, and you land on them shortly after. U-B must be used AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after throwing them. On most of the platforms, even if they roll upon landing, the stars from our landing still hit them. Note, this is a very flashy move, but is not to be expected to work on high levels of play.
This move has succeeded on: Luigi's Mansion ( they must land on the roof )
Pirate Ship ( they must land on the very top deck )
Castle Seige ( they land on the banners of the second part )
Onett ( they land on the highest awning )
Good luck with it. I suggest you try it out on a com first, and remember you have to find the very specific damage threshold for it to work.
The Importance of Platforms
I find it important to note here the importance of platforms in the use of these techniques.
Levels that have platforms are better for the use of this move.
"Blue Sky Throws"
As so many of you have pointed out, u-throw's primary use in top level play is getting an opponent in the air who does badly above you, such as Marth, ROB or Snake. Though what to do with them once they are up there is entirely up to the individual player.
Other Fun Stage Applications
Mushroomy Kingdom... this is my personal favorite use of u-throw. If used under one of the "roof platforms" ( platforms that cannot be jumped through like those in Battlefield )
like the cubes and ? blocks, the foe quickly bounces off the "roof" to land back on the ground. This takes place all in under a second. They cannot be cg'd this way, because after ricocheting they lay down on the ground in much the same postion Snake puts you in with his d-throw. However, it allows for an unavoidable ground attack, such as a jab or tilt. Personally, I prefer the d-tilt. Now... they are not forced to STAY in that down position, as they can roll out at any time. However, they don't see this move coming, so only the fastest reaction roll will get them to avoid our follow up attack. Move fast, and u-throw into ground attack is possible. Maybe... if ya want... you can do u-tilt instead.
Try it for yourself if ya don't get what I'm saying here.
That same trick also works in Norfair, in the bubble lava shield. Get in, and when your opponent follows, grab and u-throw. They bounce off the tiny roof, land hopefully at your big yellow feet, and then smartly d-tilt them right out into the lava. If the doors close... u-tilt is still there for you.
Another cool stage application for u-throw is to use it on the early portion of Rumble Falls. You know that spike right? Yeah, just u-throw them into it from down under for the fastest KO you've ever seen.
Mario Circuit: You have all probably thought of this before. When under the top road, throw your foe up into the speeding cars. This hurts ALOT and used near the end of the stage can KO. Though to be honest, f or b throws will KO near that edge anyway.
75M: Ya know, the level with old school Donkey Kong? Yeah, easy u-throw right through the floor up to him. This will send your opponent flying.
I hate DK.. But I love that move.
Halberd: You can u-throw an opponent into the very slow, swirling bomb sphere that comes out of the sky. Fun to do, but harder than ya think.
Pictochat: PLENTY of stage threats up in the air that enemies can be thrown up into, such as the big missiles, the fireball, the roller coaster or the spikes. Beware though, often times they are low enough that your enemy can u-throw you up to them too. Good thing our grab arm is so long and awesome, right? Also, there are several "roof platforms" that you can use the Mushroomy Kingdom trick on.
Enemy Escape Options
It is not difficult for the foe to DI out of our range after getting u-thrown, which is not good cause we wanna be kinda close. Though the best option the thrown character has is to jump after he stops flying ( unless he is is bad above us like Snake ). This gives him more time to find a safe place to land, and an escape from any chase we might give. Remember we can't climb very high, very fast, without Up-B. Don't forget that our opponent usually regains control the moment his vertical ascension stops!
Refresher
I have to put this in here somewhere. remember U-throw always has a place as a handy refresher, since we do not use it often, and can help remix our game if it gets repetitive.
The Siblings
Consideration must be taken itno account for the other throws our good king finds worthy of his use. In almost all aspects, his other throws are more useful. D-throw and B-throw will always be preffered to u-throw, no matter how much time is put into research for it's uses.
Closing Comments
Let's be honest, if we can CG, D-throw is the one we will use. If we can't, then we will use B-throw for damage. The smart D3 player will prefer the other throws almost every time. But the smart D3 player will also strive to know EVERY possible application for his moveset, including those moves deemed nearly worthless, in order to properly let the King reach his peak level of performance in high-tier play. This is why I have begun working on the Underdog Series, to help find the uses for those moves we need.
Please excuse any flaws or inconsistencies in my data or grammar, and PM me of any mistakes so I can quickly edit this.
Thanks to everyone for helping me with your advice.
REP THE KING![/COLLAPSE]
[COLLAPSE="Jet Hammer Analysis"]The Dedede Renaissance has begun. We find ourselves at the dawn of a new age, a crux
in the history of competitive Smash. The bat has been cast down, and the kings of Kings
are rising to meet the aftermath.
In such a pivotal time of great changes in our community, we must strive to understand Dedede, so that we may better wield his might in the coming storm.
This is why I have undertaken the task of researching the King's most... "impractical"
moves, in the hopes of discovering new techniques that could improve our King's game.
After reveiwing the results of my poll, I found our Jet Hammer was commonly
agreed to be the most uselss move in our arsenal, despite much previous effort
being put into finding legitimate uses for it. So I gathered and reveiwed the data
already put forth by previous kings before me, and did some research of my own.
This is the result.
Jet Hammer
Table of Contents
1:Description
2:Hitboxes
3:Damage
4:The Maxcharge Point
5:The Burn
6:KO Threshold
7:Maneuverability Losses
8:Lag
9:The Dedede "Shuffle"
10:Applications as an Edgeguard Tool
11:Applications as a Punishment Tool
12:Applications as a Mindgame Tool
13revious Applications Against MK
14:Be Cool King
15:The Backbox
16:Revengerson's Stomp
17:Random New facts About JH
18:Additional Dedede Jet Hammer Input
19:Concluding Comments
Description
The King raises his hammer, displaying it's hidden inside
components. It charges and spins, releasing electricity and
fire, until unleashed by Dedede. It has two releases, a lighter
vertical swing, and a stronger horizontal swing which spins
the King around.
Hitboxes
Despite the hammer's long handle, this move has very little
reach, with the hitboxes of the Jet Hammer extending only slightly
in front of him. Here is a link to a video showing these hitboxes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzsm5f3VmNE
I am not sure who made the video, so if anyone knows, please
post it so they can receive credit.
Damage
The Jet Hammer is one of our most powerful moves, even though it
comes with a few... flaws. Its power, among other things, changes
based on the amount of time it is charged. Here is a basic chart displaying
its damage potential (fresh).
Uncharged Ground Swing:11% "Maxcharged" Ground Swing:31%(*)
Uncharged Air Swing:10% "Maxcharged" Air Swing:28%
Obviously it is possible to swing the Jet Hammer in between it's polar
points, the uncharged and the fully charged. However between these
two points (around 1.5 seconds of charge to 2.5 seconds) the damage
caused by a swing changes rapidly and is difficult to measure. Usually it
results in about 15% to 25% damage, and has the same animation as an
uncharged swing.
The Maxcharge Point
As already stated, the Jet Hammer's power changes depending on how
long it is charged. It's power increases slowly until it reaches a point where it
can no longer become stronger. This point is recognizable due to a unique
change in the King's animation. At this point, which I will refer to as a "maxcharge",
the king's Jet Hammer (JH) will deal its max damage, and it's swing is farther. The Maxcharge point takes approximatley three seconds of charge to reach, which can seem like a lifetime in a match. No matter how long the Jet Hammer is charged past this three second period, it will not cause any more than 31% damage.
The Burn
Once Dedede has reached the maxcharge point, his hammer will steam
and shudder in a rather angry fashion, displaying its potential for destruction.
While the maxcharge point gives us a rather intimidating presence, and allows us
to dish out great damage and knockback, it comes with a brutal side-effect. The Burn.
The Burn is a unique form of damage dealt by the Jet Hammer to its wielder, the King.
It causes 1% of damage to the king, and only to us, once every half a second until
the move is released, or we reach 150%. This damage adds up fast, 2% a second, 10% in
five seconds, and so on. Even though the king takes damage, he is in no other
way impaired, moving about like normal. He does take on a rather amusing face
in response to the Burn, but has no other adverse reactions. In other words, this damage
causes no stun, much like Fox's laser.
It is important to remember the Burn no longer damages us after we
have reached 150%.
KO Threshold
This move has a VERY powerful knockback (fully charged of course). This data
shows the approximate damage % on opponents necessary to KO with the JH.
It takes into account DI, and all testing was done on FD. These percentages
will therefore work on all stages with less or equal stage side limits (remember this
move kills with horizontal KO), most Unity legal stages.
Yellow: KO within 50% to 60%
Orange: KO within 60% to 70%
Red: KO within 70% to 80%
Kirby, Fox, Pikachu, Mr.Game and Watch, Luigi, Diddy Kong, Zelda, Shiek, MK, Squirtle, Ivysaur, Peach, Ice Climbers, Ness, Toon Link, Olimar, Jigglypuff and Lucas
Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Marth,Pit, Falco, Yoshi, Wolf, Lucario, Sonic, Wario, R.O.B. and Captain Falcon
Charizard, Ike, Snake, Ganondorf, Dedede and Bowser
Note that you can KO with an uncharged JH. However, the % needed to KO with
it is often more than 200%, at which point we have many better kill options.
Maneuverability Losses
One of the most notable drawbacks to the JH is it's drain on our general mobility.
Here is a short list of the negative impacts on our maneuverability.
1:We only have one jump, losing our extra four. Note that this one jump is identical to
our regular first jump.
2: We CANNOT turn around in midair with the JH already initiated. To explain better, if
the move is pulled out in midair, you will remain facing in the direction you pulled it
out in, until you either swing or touch the ground. You CAN reverse the move in midair, and turn it around AS you bring it out, but after that, no more midair turning. This makes it much like our swallow.
3: We cannot run with the JH pulled out. The "movement" we can do is not even our
walk. It is more of a waddle, and is slower than both our run and walk. So, the JH
makes us laughably slow on the ground.
4: We cannot short hop with the JH out.
5: We cannot fastfall after pulling out the hammer in midair. The fastfall must
be initiated BEFORE the JH.
6: We also cannot grab the ledge.
Lag
One of the most noted reasons this move has been cast into the gutters is it's
atrocious lag. Compared to the gems of our moveset (d/u tilt, bair, d smash), this
move comes out rather slow, is easy to see coming, and leaves you vulnerable
long after it is over. Remember that the lag for a maxcharged swing is more than
twice as long as the lag of an uncharged swing. I also feel it is important to note
that the serious ending lag of this move, combined with D3's fast fall speed, can lead
to falling helplessly to your death if JH is used off the stage.
The Dedede Shuffle
Both Penguinpimp and Commander Beef (two of our most valued Kings) have written
in their guides about the use of the strange "shuffle" The former expressed hopes that
this difficult technique could eventually be improved or simplified. I failed to find very
helpful new information on this technique, but I have compiled all the avialable data I
could find, and added some new things, and here it is.
The Shuffle is a unique technique that allows the King to "slide" across the stage with
the JH out. He can move VERY fast this way, even faster than his dash, making it rather
cool to use. Unfortunatley it is difficult to control or even use effectively, and Commander
Beef noted that not even the better Kings can use it without being punished.
Here is a link, originally posted by Penguinpimp, that shows the use of the move and
describes how it is done.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrkWeh87t1I
Note that each player often has their own way of using it, and expect to run into
difficulty perfecting the move.
On a side note, I discovered that the Shuffle becomes vastly more effective, though more difficult to control, on slippery/icy stages like those found on Summit and PS 2. The Shuffle moves much faster than usual, and requires less taps on the joystick to use.
Applications as an Edgeguard Tool
Penguinpimp says in his 2009 "Grand United Royal Guide of His Majesty King Dedede" that the JH should be very useful as an edgeguarding tool.
With respect and humility, I disagree. Times have changed.
The JH has two ways it can be used to edgeguard: onstage and offstage.
Onstage: Using the JH onstage MIGHT intimidate a recovering opponent, and possibly
lead to a recovery mistake and death for them. A scared opponent though, obviously
does not understand the limitations of JH as an edgeguarding tool A recovering opponent
has three options when faced with an onstage D3 bearing a JH: fail their recovery and
fall to a KO, push through or over our intimidating Hammer and land onstage, or simply grab the ledge.
Never expect a legitimate player to take the first option. They will almost
always try to get through you to saftey, rather than fall. So they would use one of the latter
two options. While a good airdodge or other technique migt get them past us and back onto the stage, the recovering opponent's BEST option is simply to grab the ledge. Because there is NOTHING JH can do to an opponent on the ledge. Nothing.
If used to edgeguard offstage, it becomes even more useless. You have ONE shot (with
very little range) as you go down towards them, and they make for the stage. If you miss, they get a free pass to the stage, and if you released too late, the ending lag/release
animation leaves you helpless as you plummet to your doom.
I put this to advise all Kings. There is ALWAYS a better edgeguard option than the JH.
Applications as a Punishment Tool
In his moveset guide, our resident forum King Technical Chase stated that JH has
uses as an "extreme punish on airdodges or on opponents that are above us on a
platform". He also remarks on its uses as a punishment when you have read a tech
chase correctly. Commander Beef also comments on this moves use as a punishment
tool. In fact, when I have asked people what good this move is, they often respond that
its only use is as a punishment tool. So yes, this move can be used to punish spotdodges,
lag, and other enemy mistakes. This seems to remain one of its best uses even today.
Ultimatley however, the use of this move as a punishment tool is entirely up to the
discretion of the King using it, as there is always F-smash that works just as well.
My favorite use of its punishment abilities is Skel'D3's suggestion. Here it is:
Some marths do UpB during CG and hope the CG will not be done correctly. After a Dthrow, wait, the Marth will UpB and charge your Jet Hammer
It is sooooo fun.
"Applications as a Mindgame Tool"
Mindgames are often unique to the individual player, and change according to
the situation. It would be impossible to list them all. Suffice it to say, the scare this
move can give opponents is very useful, and there are PLENTY of uses in this category.
You can use it to stall a foe while your ally recovers, or to give yourself some
breathing room, or even to scare them off the stage if they are near the ledge.
Previous Applications Against MK
Even though our eternal nemesis has been banned, it is still important to note
the uses this move had against him, if only for history's sake.
The Jet Hammer can peirce the bat's sinister Nado, and Commander Beef noted that
the move could be used to punish MK after he juggled us with u-airs. I'm also quite sure
it would cause most Mk's advances to waiver a bit if we pulled it out in defense. Though, to
be honest, this is the LAST move I wouldpull on Mk. Lets just be glad he is gone, and the nightmare has left dreamland.
Be Cool King
I feel I should note in this something Supreme Dirt (another of our most noted Kings) posted. This move just looks cool. Period. It is easily one of our most stylish KO options.
Thanks for that bro. It was getting hard to think of things to make the king even more cool.
Just remember the costs that come with this move before you whip it out on a pro to look awesome.
The Backbox
In my research I failed to find much that hasn't already been discovered.
But I did find a rather unique hitbox that I have never seen mentioned.
I have no video, but it should be easy enough to find yourselves.
This hitbox is low, and very close to the King's back. I found it when I
smacked a VERY close Jigglypuff BEHIND me with a maxcharged swing.
Oddly enough, this hitbox usually deals less damage than a normal swing hitbox.
Maxcharged Backbox Ground Swing:20% damage
It also works in the air and with an uncharged ground JH. Note that you can tell
this hitbox was the one that struck if the opponent suffers almost no knockback, and
very little hitstun.
It's wierd and not very helpful, but I still think it needed to be added.
Revengerson's Stomp
YarsRevengerson posted a use for the JH I have never seen or heard of before.
Apparentley on SV, bringing out Jet Hammer on the moving platform and then tapping
(as if to go through the stage), and then quickly letting go, will cause D3 to platform
cancel. This creates the "stomp" effect. Combined with the bared Jet Hammer, this
promises to be a very intimidating technique, though it serves no other utility. He also
stated that it might work on any stage where you can platform cancel. I will have
to look into this. If it works, I'm gonna make it my new taunt.
Random New Facts About Jet Hammer
1:If Dedede is holding an item, it will disappear in the first frame of an initiated JH, and
reappear at the move's conclusion. The item still "exsists", and any action or effect the
item would usually take/make still occur, even though the item is invisible. For example, if the king picks up a bob-omb, it will silently start to count down to its explosion. If the king picks it up, and then pulls out the Jet hammer, the bob-omb will vanish. Even though you
can't see it, it is still counting down, and will still explode.
2:Very interesting to note that the Burn will still hurt Dedede even if he is given invincibility from the Starman. This makes it one of only two moves ( the other is Ike's down-B ) that can do this. I concluded that this was because the invincibility from Starman negated the damage of opponent's moves, but NOT your own. Since Jet Hammer comes from us, and not an opponent, the damage from Burn is not negated. Very annoying but good to know.
3: (*)I discovered an odd irregularity in the maxcharge damage of the Jet Hammer. It might be just a glitch, but in my research, a fully charged Jet Hammer did 31% in Vs. mode, and only 30% in Training mode.
4:On a less important note, the front of D3's hammer (the part with the iron rim and the star) disappears in the first frame of JH, and then reappears at it's end.
Additional Dedede Jet Hammer Input
This will be updated.
Junk-"I'm thinking a new use for it could be when the opponents on the ledge. If you know the timing when they're going to get off the ledge then ddd shuffle-jet hammer might be a decent option. "
Concluding Comments
Alright, first off I have to give credit to the many other Dedede players who's research
I used in this report, and the players who voluntarily contributed.
Thanks to Technical Chase, Penguinpimp, YarsRevengerson, Commander Beef, Supreme
Dirt, Skel'D3, Kaptain and anyone else who helped out.
We all know what Jet Hammer is, and where it stands on our moveset tier.
We all know the move has few uses, and even less in high-level play.
But it is still important to know the king's moves, even the less useful ones, so
that we may better apply them in the coming days of this new Smash era.
Thank you for reading, and further contributions will be added to this report as
they are posted.
-REP THE KING![/COLLAPSE]
[COLLAPSE="Jab Analysis, With Particular Emphasis On Combo Applications"] The Jab and Combo
The results of my poll stated that the Jab is veiwed as the second most useless move in our arsenal of attacks. I was
quite suprised by this, considering the many already known combo applications of the move. As with JH and the
Down Throw, I decided to investigate this move in an effort to find hidden uses for it; as well as analyzing the effectiveness
of already known techniques involving the move, and revealing in depth all the minute details of the move itself.
As players of the King, it is essential to know all the possibilities of our moveset, even those of moves we know very well
to be quite useless in high level play. With that in mind, here is my jab research findings.
The Jab and Combo
Table of Contents
1:Description
2:Hitbox Link
3:Damage
4:KO Thresholds
5:Combo Mechanics
6:Combo Applications
6.1:1-2-3
6.2:1-2-Grab
6.3:1-2-DTilt
6.4:1-2-Ftilt
6.5:1-2-UTilt
6.6:1-2-Swallow
6.7:1-2-JH
6.8:1-2-USmash/DSmash
7:Additional Info/Contributions (To be updated)
8:Closing Comments/Thanks
Description
On the first swing, Dedede swings his hammer horizontally in front of him.
On the second swing, he swings his hammer up in front of him vertically. After this
he thrusts it forward and spins it rapidly, before retreating back to his regular
stance.
Hitbox Link
Sadly I lack the capacity to generate my own hitbox bubble data, but fortunatley
I have a link to a rather detailed Dedede hitbox video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzsm5f3VmNE
The Jab hitboxes (all of them) are located between 0:26 and 1:06.
Thanks to ssbvids for the video.
The first Hitbox comes out on Frame 12
Damage
First Hit: 6% Unstaled
Second Hit: 5% Unstaled
3rd Hit: Depends on what time the enemy DI's out, but usually around 12-25%
KO Threshold
The first jab strike has a set knockback like our DThrow, and so CANNOT KO
at any percentage, even 999%. The same applies for the spin hitboxes of the
third strike, they cannot KO either. However the second strike (the vertical one)
can KO. Note the comical ammount of damage required to kill (650-700%). Even
our waddles kill 3x faster.
Combo Mechanics
Now after looking into this move for some time I quickly discovered the vast majority
of its potential was for combo uses.
The combo works because the knockback from the second strike stuns the opponent (often
in middair) long enough to throw out another attack. However, if the opponent has too much damage, the
knockback from the second hit will send them high enough that they can recover and maybe even
retaliate, so combos stop working around later percentages: eventually they just fly too high for us to hit them.
Should they recover quick enough, an enemy with the means can also counter attack us with a quick aerial, or
Up-B like Marth's. Proper care must be taken to recognize each character's "limit", or the threshold at which our
combos stop working. This threshold varies much between weight classes, fall speed, staleness of the second strike, ect, and
so is very difficult to measure except on a case by case basis.
To put it in very simple terms, our combos NEVER work past 300%, and are best initiated as Tech Chase says
in his move directory: in the mid % of 100. This number cna be raised slightly to accomodate larger/heavier characters.
Also note that larger characters are far easier to combo than smaller ones, because their large size puts them closer to
our hitboxes. Oh and also remember that timing is very important with this combo, inputting the follow up move too early
will result in Dedede completing his jab combo loke normal (the spin strikes), and inputting too late gives the opponent time
to counter, shield, or escape.
Combo Applications
As I stated earlier, this move is best used in conjunction with another move as a simple combo technique. It can be paired with
many of our fast ground moves, and if you are fast enough and your foe is unresponsive even an aerial. The best combo applications
I have listed here.
1-2-3
This is the standard jab combo, which is used simply by pressing the A button four times in quick succession. Should a good amount
of the spin hitboxes connect after the 1st/2nd strkes, then this move can deal a good bit of fast damage (20-28%). The third
strikes, aka the spinning hammer hitboxes, are unfortunately VERY easy to DI out of, and TC notes correctly that the lag is dangerously
slow. This standard combo is not recommended, due to its low speed, high lag, and short range.
1-2-Grab
The most used combo involving our jab, the jab to grab puts the opponent where we love them most... in our D/B Throw. The jabs
used in the beggining of the combo only serve to add more damage, funtioning as a sort of pre-pummel. From the jab to grab we have
many tasty options: such as continuing the combo into a grab release combo or chain grab, or BThrowing to deal heavy damage. The throw can
very well KO at higher percentages as well. Keep in mind that if the opponent has too much damage you will just end up grabbing at air or the
enemy's feet, so bear in mind the proper damage % for your opponent before attempting.
1-2-DTilt
Yes, very fun. Works better on earlier percentages and deals 21% as a combo. It also serves to knock the opponent a good deal away from you
if they have higher damage %. The problem is, the low htboxes can cause this combo to miss floaty or small characters later on in the damage %. Still
a very viable option due to DTilts fast speed and decent reach/power.
1-2-FTilt
I discovered this move on Tech Chase's guide, and it is still one of my favorite combos due to its high success rate. This combo deals
a tidy 17%, and pushes the opponent a good bit away. It also has a wonderful range for when/if the opponent DI'd away form the second hit.
1-2-UTilt
Just sticking U-tilt in the name adds appeal to this variation of the jab combo. It works by lifting the foe with the second strike, and then
coming down on them (often on the last frame or VERY edge of the hitbox) with the UTilt. This works much more easy on larger characters, those
who fall quickly and those who have bad aerial mobility. I have succeeded on Bowser, Wolf, DK, Gannon, IC (*), ROB, Link, Charizard and Peach, though
it may well possibly work on other characters I failed at. Note that success on the IC depends entirely on either Popo or Nana breaking apart in midair. If one
of the two seperates and floats even a little too close back to D3, it can be hit with UTilt.
This combo deals 23% damage.
Note that this combo works in late 100%, early 200% damages, which is where our other combos become less likely to succeed or stop working
altogether. Also note that at those percentages... a successful "1-2-UTilt" will kill every time.
1-2-Swallow
Another Jab combo with a high success rate, mostly due to the long range of swallow's grab boxes, which can reach out and
snatch the enemy stunned from our second hit. This move deals 21% damage if the enemy is spit out properly at the combo
conclusion. This move works better in the later percentages, because swallow needs time to pull out (bad startup lag). It is more
easy to use if buffered immediately following the second hit. Unlike the other combos, you do not have to worry about pressing the
A button too early (swallow uses B) and setting off the unwanted third hitboxes. Very fun and easy to use.
1-2-Up/Down Smash
Need I say more? Yes this works, on the entire cast, provided it is set up and executed correctly, and they do not
counter with expert timing. For me it worked very well using the c-stick. All that is required is careful timing and for
your opponent to be a bit slow on their reaction, or not to have one at all. It deals around 25% for the USmash
variant, and 26% for the DSmash variant.
I found its highest success was during very low percentages, so that the second hitbox only barely sends them up, and
so that when you hit them with the smash they are just landing in a crouch-like position, helpless. Experiment with it
yourself to see if you do it better differently.
(*)
I will only put this, that 1-2-JH is possible... but so so lame. Don't even bother.
IF they are still there when the horrible startup lag is over, and they ACTUALLY get
hit by it, then they were not worth the effort of buffering the Down-B in the first place.
Additional Info/Contributions (To be updated later)
Closing Comments/Thanks
We all know that Jab will never beat Bair in our times of need, or that Jet hammer will never
replace a good CG, but these moves are there for a reason, and is our responsibility as the
King's players to know their every application.
Thanks to everyone who contributed: further contributions will be added as they are posted.
Special thanks to ssbvids and Tech Chase.
REP THE KING!
[/COLLAPSE]
At such an important and radical time in the history of this game( and by that I mean the banning of MK ), the King needs to be better understood by the Smash community, and most importantly among his players. Therefore, I looked upon the king's moveset in search of his weakest techniques, so that I may find some good use for them.
[COLLAPSE="Up-Throw Analysis"]I found the u-throw.
1:Damage
2:KO Threshold
3:The U-throw Onto Platform and U-air Combo
4:"The Hitbox"
5
artner Applications6:The U-Throw Into Up-B
7:The Importance of Platforms
8:"Blue Sky" Throws
9:Other Fun Stage Applications
10:Enemy Escape Options
11:Refresher
12:The Siblings
13:Closing Comments
Oh yes... the weak sibling of our infamous cg master move. Lets begin with it's damage:
1st throw:9% 2nd throw:8% 3rd throw:7% 4th throw:7% 5th throw:6%
6th throw:5% 7th throw:5% 8th throw:5% 9th throw:4%
This list shows the power of u-throw as it is used repetitively over time. As you can see,
its no fun use after use, as at it's most stale, it's power is cut down below halfway regular.
You'd be much better off staling you're b-air.
KO Threshold
Right off the bat, I'll tell you almost all of our other moves KO easier than u-throw. It's average range of death is between 245% ( for featherweights ) and 310% ( for super heavyweights ). These numbers differ slightly( but not too much ) based on their DI and the height of the stage. No matter how you look at it, u-throw is almost never a viable kill option. Which is why we are forced to find other uses for it.
The U-throw Onto Platform and U-air Combo
Ok. This move is ridiculous. Only plausible at the lowest of percentages, and on the fastest falling characters in the game. Basically, you u-throw an opponent onto a platform above you. Their momentum stops immediately above said platform, and they go right from flying down to landing. This sudden stop confuses the people I tried it out on, and unless they immediately roll, they are susceptable to any of our air moves as we jump up to catch them. Now, keep in mind the chances of this combo working are slim at best, as very quick jumping, fast air movement like Wario's, or rolling can upset the move. Also remember this move works only at low percentages, because otherwise they will fly right through and past the platform. This move has had success on platforms in FD, Delfino Plaza, Castle Seige, and Rainbow Cruise.
The "Hitbox"
Yes, this moves obviously hits on the tips of his arms. Unlike our other throws though, this move will not hit any opponent to our sides. You would have to be directly on the spot where our arms reach out for this move to hit you. Also, the throw launches our foe up, which will strike any other opponent in the trajectory. The damage of being caught in the "hitbox" never exceeded 5% in my tests. However, the damage of having the thrown character hit you as he flies by changes depends on the weight of the thrown character.
Partner Applications
Believe it or not, I found u-throw to be worth the investigation in regards to it's use in a team battle scenario. This was at a stage in my research when I had pretty much given up hope. Before I continue, I should remind you that all team tactics should be thoroughly practiced before use, and not to expect these to work on a first try.
The knockback for u-throw is rather weak, and it's flight path is easy to predict, allowing fast, air-based partners ( like MK ) to rush overhead and start a team combo. U- throwing into the waiting arms of a partner on a platform above you can lead to dazzling finishes.
Just imagine... u-throwing into a Falcon or Wizard Punch... good stuff. A "slow in the air" opponent can easily be combo'd with these aplications.
The U-throw Into Up-B
Sounds amazing, yes? I always imagined this combo could work, and it can. But before I go into detail, I should tell you this move is not only risky and unlikely to land, it is also not worth the damage caused (30%). I'm merely putting it out here for fun.
Its use is similar to the "u-throw onto platform and u-air" move I discussed earlier, except it requires a higher platform, and works on almost all the cast. U-throw them onto the higher platform at just the perfect percentage (for midweights around 50%), they land immediately at the end of their upward flight, and you land on them shortly after. U-B must be used AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after throwing them. On most of the platforms, even if they roll upon landing, the stars from our landing still hit them. Note, this is a very flashy move, but is not to be expected to work on high levels of play.
This move has succeeded on: Luigi's Mansion ( they must land on the roof )
Pirate Ship ( they must land on the very top deck )
Castle Seige ( they land on the banners of the second part )
Onett ( they land on the highest awning )
Good luck with it. I suggest you try it out on a com first, and remember you have to find the very specific damage threshold for it to work.
The Importance of Platforms
I find it important to note here the importance of platforms in the use of these techniques.
Levels that have platforms are better for the use of this move.
"Blue Sky Throws"
As so many of you have pointed out, u-throw's primary use in top level play is getting an opponent in the air who does badly above you, such as Marth, ROB or Snake. Though what to do with them once they are up there is entirely up to the individual player.
Other Fun Stage Applications
Mushroomy Kingdom... this is my personal favorite use of u-throw. If used under one of the "roof platforms" ( platforms that cannot be jumped through like those in Battlefield )
like the cubes and ? blocks, the foe quickly bounces off the "roof" to land back on the ground. This takes place all in under a second. They cannot be cg'd this way, because after ricocheting they lay down on the ground in much the same postion Snake puts you in with his d-throw. However, it allows for an unavoidable ground attack, such as a jab or tilt. Personally, I prefer the d-tilt. Now... they are not forced to STAY in that down position, as they can roll out at any time. However, they don't see this move coming, so only the fastest reaction roll will get them to avoid our follow up attack. Move fast, and u-throw into ground attack is possible. Maybe... if ya want... you can do u-tilt instead.
Try it for yourself if ya don't get what I'm saying here.
That same trick also works in Norfair, in the bubble lava shield. Get in, and when your opponent follows, grab and u-throw. They bounce off the tiny roof, land hopefully at your big yellow feet, and then smartly d-tilt them right out into the lava. If the doors close... u-tilt is still there for you.
Another cool stage application for u-throw is to use it on the early portion of Rumble Falls. You know that spike right? Yeah, just u-throw them into it from down under for the fastest KO you've ever seen.
Mario Circuit: You have all probably thought of this before. When under the top road, throw your foe up into the speeding cars. This hurts ALOT and used near the end of the stage can KO. Though to be honest, f or b throws will KO near that edge anyway.
75M: Ya know, the level with old school Donkey Kong? Yeah, easy u-throw right through the floor up to him. This will send your opponent flying.
I hate DK.
. But I love that move.Halberd: You can u-throw an opponent into the very slow, swirling bomb sphere that comes out of the sky. Fun to do, but harder than ya think.
Pictochat: PLENTY of stage threats up in the air that enemies can be thrown up into, such as the big missiles, the fireball, the roller coaster or the spikes. Beware though, often times they are low enough that your enemy can u-throw you up to them too. Good thing our grab arm is so long and awesome, right? Also, there are several "roof platforms" that you can use the Mushroomy Kingdom trick on.
Enemy Escape Options
It is not difficult for the foe to DI out of our range after getting u-thrown, which is not good cause we wanna be kinda close. Though the best option the thrown character has is to jump after he stops flying ( unless he is is bad above us like Snake ). This gives him more time to find a safe place to land, and an escape from any chase we might give. Remember we can't climb very high, very fast, without Up-B. Don't forget that our opponent usually regains control the moment his vertical ascension stops!
Refresher
I have to put this in here somewhere. remember U-throw always has a place as a handy refresher, since we do not use it often, and can help remix our game if it gets repetitive.
The Siblings
Consideration must be taken itno account for the other throws our good king finds worthy of his use. In almost all aspects, his other throws are more useful. D-throw and B-throw will always be preffered to u-throw, no matter how much time is put into research for it's uses.
Closing Comments
Let's be honest, if we can CG, D-throw is the one we will use. If we can't, then we will use B-throw for damage. The smart D3 player will prefer the other throws almost every time. But the smart D3 player will also strive to know EVERY possible application for his moveset, including those moves deemed nearly worthless, in order to properly let the King reach his peak level of performance in high-tier play. This is why I have begun working on the Underdog Series, to help find the uses for those moves we need.
Please excuse any flaws or inconsistencies in my data or grammar, and PM me of any mistakes so I can quickly edit this.
Thanks to everyone for helping me with your advice.
REP THE KING![/COLLAPSE]
[COLLAPSE="Jet Hammer Analysis"]The Dedede Renaissance has begun. We find ourselves at the dawn of a new age, a crux
in the history of competitive Smash. The bat has been cast down, and the kings of Kings
are rising to meet the aftermath.
In such a pivotal time of great changes in our community, we must strive to understand Dedede, so that we may better wield his might in the coming storm.
This is why I have undertaken the task of researching the King's most... "impractical"
moves, in the hopes of discovering new techniques that could improve our King's game.
After reveiwing the results of my poll, I found our Jet Hammer was commonly
agreed to be the most uselss move in our arsenal, despite much previous effort
being put into finding legitimate uses for it. So I gathered and reveiwed the data
already put forth by previous kings before me, and did some research of my own.
This is the result.
Jet Hammer
Table of Contents
1:Description
2:Hitboxes
3:Damage
4:The Maxcharge Point
5:The Burn
6:KO Threshold
7:Maneuverability Losses
8:Lag
9:The Dedede "Shuffle"
10:Applications as an Edgeguard Tool
11:Applications as a Punishment Tool
12:Applications as a Mindgame Tool
13
revious Applications Against MK14:Be Cool King
15:The Backbox
16:Revengerson's Stomp
17:Random New facts About JH
18:Additional Dedede Jet Hammer Input
19:Concluding Comments
Description
The King raises his hammer, displaying it's hidden inside
components. It charges and spins, releasing electricity and
fire, until unleashed by Dedede. It has two releases, a lighter
vertical swing, and a stronger horizontal swing which spins
the King around.
Hitboxes
Despite the hammer's long handle, this move has very little
reach, with the hitboxes of the Jet Hammer extending only slightly
in front of him. Here is a link to a video showing these hitboxes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzsm5f3VmNE
I am not sure who made the video, so if anyone knows, please
post it so they can receive credit.
Damage
The Jet Hammer is one of our most powerful moves, even though it
comes with a few... flaws. Its power, among other things, changes
based on the amount of time it is charged. Here is a basic chart displaying
its damage potential (fresh).
Uncharged Ground Swing:11% "Maxcharged" Ground Swing:31%(*)
Uncharged Air Swing:10% "Maxcharged" Air Swing:28%
Obviously it is possible to swing the Jet Hammer in between it's polar
points, the uncharged and the fully charged. However between these
two points (around 1.5 seconds of charge to 2.5 seconds) the damage
caused by a swing changes rapidly and is difficult to measure. Usually it
results in about 15% to 25% damage, and has the same animation as an
uncharged swing.
The Maxcharge Point
As already stated, the Jet Hammer's power changes depending on how
long it is charged. It's power increases slowly until it reaches a point where it
can no longer become stronger. This point is recognizable due to a unique
change in the King's animation. At this point, which I will refer to as a "maxcharge",
the king's Jet Hammer (JH) will deal its max damage, and it's swing is farther. The Maxcharge point takes approximatley three seconds of charge to reach, which can seem like a lifetime in a match. No matter how long the Jet Hammer is charged past this three second period, it will not cause any more than 31% damage.
The Burn
Once Dedede has reached the maxcharge point, his hammer will steam
and shudder in a rather angry fashion, displaying its potential for destruction.
While the maxcharge point gives us a rather intimidating presence, and allows us
to dish out great damage and knockback, it comes with a brutal side-effect. The Burn.
The Burn is a unique form of damage dealt by the Jet Hammer to its wielder, the King.
It causes 1% of damage to the king, and only to us, once every half a second until
the move is released, or we reach 150%. This damage adds up fast, 2% a second, 10% in
five seconds, and so on. Even though the king takes damage, he is in no other
way impaired, moving about like normal. He does take on a rather amusing face
in response to the Burn, but has no other adverse reactions. In other words, this damage
causes no stun, much like Fox's laser.
It is important to remember the Burn no longer damages us after we
have reached 150%.
KO Threshold
This move has a VERY powerful knockback (fully charged of course). This data
shows the approximate damage % on opponents necessary to KO with the JH.
It takes into account DI, and all testing was done on FD. These percentages
will therefore work on all stages with less or equal stage side limits (remember this
move kills with horizontal KO), most Unity legal stages.
Yellow: KO within 50% to 60%
Orange: KO within 60% to 70%
Red: KO within 70% to 80%
Kirby, Fox, Pikachu, Mr.Game and Watch, Luigi, Diddy Kong, Zelda, Shiek, MK, Squirtle, Ivysaur, Peach, Ice Climbers, Ness, Toon Link, Olimar, Jigglypuff and Lucas
Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Marth,Pit, Falco, Yoshi, Wolf, Lucario, Sonic, Wario, R.O.B. and Captain Falcon
Charizard, Ike, Snake, Ganondorf, Dedede and Bowser
Note that you can KO with an uncharged JH. However, the % needed to KO with
it is often more than 200%, at which point we have many better kill options.
Maneuverability Losses
One of the most notable drawbacks to the JH is it's drain on our general mobility.
Here is a short list of the negative impacts on our maneuverability.
1:We only have one jump, losing our extra four. Note that this one jump is identical to
our regular first jump.
2: We CANNOT turn around in midair with the JH already initiated. To explain better, if
the move is pulled out in midair, you will remain facing in the direction you pulled it
out in, until you either swing or touch the ground. You CAN reverse the move in midair, and turn it around AS you bring it out, but after that, no more midair turning. This makes it much like our swallow.
3: We cannot run with the JH pulled out. The "movement" we can do is not even our
walk. It is more of a waddle, and is slower than both our run and walk. So, the JH
makes us laughably slow on the ground.
4: We cannot short hop with the JH out.
5: We cannot fastfall after pulling out the hammer in midair. The fastfall must
be initiated BEFORE the JH.
6: We also cannot grab the ledge.
Lag
One of the most noted reasons this move has been cast into the gutters is it's
atrocious lag. Compared to the gems of our moveset (d/u tilt, bair, d smash), this
move comes out rather slow, is easy to see coming, and leaves you vulnerable
long after it is over. Remember that the lag for a maxcharged swing is more than
twice as long as the lag of an uncharged swing. I also feel it is important to note
that the serious ending lag of this move, combined with D3's fast fall speed, can lead
to falling helplessly to your death if JH is used off the stage.
The Dedede Shuffle
Both Penguinpimp and Commander Beef (two of our most valued Kings) have written
in their guides about the use of the strange "shuffle" The former expressed hopes that
this difficult technique could eventually be improved or simplified. I failed to find very
helpful new information on this technique, but I have compiled all the avialable data I
could find, and added some new things, and here it is.
The Shuffle is a unique technique that allows the King to "slide" across the stage with
the JH out. He can move VERY fast this way, even faster than his dash, making it rather
cool to use. Unfortunatley it is difficult to control or even use effectively, and Commander
Beef noted that not even the better Kings can use it without being punished.
Here is a link, originally posted by Penguinpimp, that shows the use of the move and
describes how it is done.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrkWeh87t1I
Note that each player often has their own way of using it, and expect to run into
difficulty perfecting the move.
On a side note, I discovered that the Shuffle becomes vastly more effective, though more difficult to control, on slippery/icy stages like those found on Summit and PS 2. The Shuffle moves much faster than usual, and requires less taps on the joystick to use.
Applications as an Edgeguard Tool
Penguinpimp says in his 2009 "Grand United Royal Guide of His Majesty King Dedede" that the JH should be very useful as an edgeguarding tool.
With respect and humility, I disagree. Times have changed.
The JH has two ways it can be used to edgeguard: onstage and offstage.
Onstage: Using the JH onstage MIGHT intimidate a recovering opponent, and possibly
lead to a recovery mistake and death for them. A scared opponent though, obviously
does not understand the limitations of JH as an edgeguarding tool A recovering opponent
has three options when faced with an onstage D3 bearing a JH: fail their recovery and
fall to a KO, push through or over our intimidating Hammer and land onstage, or simply grab the ledge.
Never expect a legitimate player to take the first option. They will almost
always try to get through you to saftey, rather than fall. So they would use one of the latter
two options. While a good airdodge or other technique migt get them past us and back onto the stage, the recovering opponent's BEST option is simply to grab the ledge. Because there is NOTHING JH can do to an opponent on the ledge. Nothing.
If used to edgeguard offstage, it becomes even more useless. You have ONE shot (with
very little range) as you go down towards them, and they make for the stage. If you miss, they get a free pass to the stage, and if you released too late, the ending lag/release
animation leaves you helpless as you plummet to your doom.
I put this to advise all Kings. There is ALWAYS a better edgeguard option than the JH.
Applications as a Punishment Tool
In his moveset guide, our resident forum King Technical Chase stated that JH has
uses as an "extreme punish on airdodges or on opponents that are above us on a
platform". He also remarks on its uses as a punishment when you have read a tech
chase correctly. Commander Beef also comments on this moves use as a punishment
tool. In fact, when I have asked people what good this move is, they often respond that
its only use is as a punishment tool. So yes, this move can be used to punish spotdodges,
lag, and other enemy mistakes. This seems to remain one of its best uses even today.
Ultimatley however, the use of this move as a punishment tool is entirely up to the
discretion of the King using it, as there is always F-smash that works just as well.
My favorite use of its punishment abilities is Skel'D3's suggestion. Here it is:
Some marths do UpB during CG and hope the CG will not be done correctly. After a Dthrow, wait, the Marth will UpB and charge your Jet Hammer
It is sooooo fun.
"Applications as a Mindgame Tool"
Mindgames are often unique to the individual player, and change according to
the situation. It would be impossible to list them all. Suffice it to say, the scare this
move can give opponents is very useful, and there are PLENTY of uses in this category.
You can use it to stall a foe while your ally recovers, or to give yourself some
breathing room, or even to scare them off the stage if they are near the ledge.
Previous Applications Against MK
Even though our eternal nemesis has been banned, it is still important to note
the uses this move had against him, if only for history's sake.
The Jet Hammer can peirce the bat's sinister Nado, and Commander Beef noted that
the move could be used to punish MK after he juggled us with u-airs. I'm also quite sure
it would cause most Mk's advances to waiver a bit if we pulled it out in defense. Though, to
be honest, this is the LAST move I wouldpull on Mk. Lets just be glad he is gone, and the nightmare has left dreamland.
Be Cool King
I feel I should note in this something Supreme Dirt (another of our most noted Kings) posted. This move just looks cool. Period. It is easily one of our most stylish KO options.
Thanks for that bro. It was getting hard to think of things to make the king even more cool.
Just remember the costs that come with this move before you whip it out on a pro to look awesome.
The Backbox
In my research I failed to find much that hasn't already been discovered.
But I did find a rather unique hitbox that I have never seen mentioned.
I have no video, but it should be easy enough to find yourselves.
This hitbox is low, and very close to the King's back. I found it when I
smacked a VERY close Jigglypuff BEHIND me with a maxcharged swing.
Oddly enough, this hitbox usually deals less damage than a normal swing hitbox.
Maxcharged Backbox Ground Swing:20% damage
It also works in the air and with an uncharged ground JH. Note that you can tell
this hitbox was the one that struck if the opponent suffers almost no knockback, and
very little hitstun.
It's wierd and not very helpful, but I still think it needed to be added.
Revengerson's Stomp
YarsRevengerson posted a use for the JH I have never seen or heard of before.
Apparentley on SV, bringing out Jet Hammer on the moving platform and then tapping
(as if to go through the stage), and then quickly letting go, will cause D3 to platform
cancel. This creates the "stomp" effect. Combined with the bared Jet Hammer, this
promises to be a very intimidating technique, though it serves no other utility. He also
stated that it might work on any stage where you can platform cancel. I will have
to look into this. If it works, I'm gonna make it my new taunt.
Random New Facts About Jet Hammer
1:If Dedede is holding an item, it will disappear in the first frame of an initiated JH, and
reappear at the move's conclusion. The item still "exsists", and any action or effect the
item would usually take/make still occur, even though the item is invisible. For example, if the king picks up a bob-omb, it will silently start to count down to its explosion. If the king picks it up, and then pulls out the Jet hammer, the bob-omb will vanish. Even though you
can't see it, it is still counting down, and will still explode.
2:Very interesting to note that the Burn will still hurt Dedede even if he is given invincibility from the Starman. This makes it one of only two moves ( the other is Ike's down-B ) that can do this. I concluded that this was because the invincibility from Starman negated the damage of opponent's moves, but NOT your own. Since Jet Hammer comes from us, and not an opponent, the damage from Burn is not negated. Very annoying but good to know.
3: (*)I discovered an odd irregularity in the maxcharge damage of the Jet Hammer. It might be just a glitch, but in my research, a fully charged Jet Hammer did 31% in Vs. mode, and only 30% in Training mode.
4:On a less important note, the front of D3's hammer (the part with the iron rim and the star) disappears in the first frame of JH, and then reappears at it's end.
Additional Dedede Jet Hammer Input
This will be updated.
Junk-"I'm thinking a new use for it could be when the opponents on the ledge. If you know the timing when they're going to get off the ledge then ddd shuffle-jet hammer might be a decent option. "
Concluding Comments
Alright, first off I have to give credit to the many other Dedede players who's research
I used in this report, and the players who voluntarily contributed.
Thanks to Technical Chase, Penguinpimp, YarsRevengerson, Commander Beef, Supreme
Dirt, Skel'D3, Kaptain and anyone else who helped out.
We all know what Jet Hammer is, and where it stands on our moveset tier.
We all know the move has few uses, and even less in high-level play.
But it is still important to know the king's moves, even the less useful ones, so
that we may better apply them in the coming days of this new Smash era.
Thank you for reading, and further contributions will be added to this report as
they are posted.
-REP THE KING![/COLLAPSE]
[COLLAPSE="Jab Analysis, With Particular Emphasis On Combo Applications"] The Jab and Combo
The results of my poll stated that the Jab is veiwed as the second most useless move in our arsenal of attacks. I was
quite suprised by this, considering the many already known combo applications of the move. As with JH and the
Down Throw, I decided to investigate this move in an effort to find hidden uses for it; as well as analyzing the effectiveness
of already known techniques involving the move, and revealing in depth all the minute details of the move itself.
As players of the King, it is essential to know all the possibilities of our moveset, even those of moves we know very well
to be quite useless in high level play. With that in mind, here is my jab research findings.
The Jab and Combo
Table of Contents
1:Description
2:Hitbox Link
3:Damage
4:KO Thresholds
5:Combo Mechanics
6:Combo Applications
6.1:1-2-3
6.2:1-2-Grab
6.3:1-2-DTilt
6.4:1-2-Ftilt
6.5:1-2-UTilt
6.6:1-2-Swallow
6.7:1-2-JH
6.8:1-2-USmash/DSmash
7:Additional Info/Contributions (To be updated)
8:Closing Comments/Thanks
Description
On the first swing, Dedede swings his hammer horizontally in front of him.
On the second swing, he swings his hammer up in front of him vertically. After this
he thrusts it forward and spins it rapidly, before retreating back to his regular
stance.
Hitbox Link
Sadly I lack the capacity to generate my own hitbox bubble data, but fortunatley
I have a link to a rather detailed Dedede hitbox video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzsm5f3VmNE
The Jab hitboxes (all of them) are located between 0:26 and 1:06.
Thanks to ssbvids for the video.
The first Hitbox comes out on Frame 12
Damage
First Hit: 6% Unstaled
Second Hit: 5% Unstaled
3rd Hit: Depends on what time the enemy DI's out, but usually around 12-25%
KO Threshold
The first jab strike has a set knockback like our DThrow, and so CANNOT KO
at any percentage, even 999%. The same applies for the spin hitboxes of the
third strike, they cannot KO either. However the second strike (the vertical one)
can KO. Note the comical ammount of damage required to kill (650-700%). Even
our waddles kill 3x faster.
Combo Mechanics
Now after looking into this move for some time I quickly discovered the vast majority
of its potential was for combo uses.
The combo works because the knockback from the second strike stuns the opponent (often
in middair) long enough to throw out another attack. However, if the opponent has too much damage, the
knockback from the second hit will send them high enough that they can recover and maybe even
retaliate, so combos stop working around later percentages: eventually they just fly too high for us to hit them.
Should they recover quick enough, an enemy with the means can also counter attack us with a quick aerial, or
Up-B like Marth's. Proper care must be taken to recognize each character's "limit", or the threshold at which our
combos stop working. This threshold varies much between weight classes, fall speed, staleness of the second strike, ect, and
so is very difficult to measure except on a case by case basis.
To put it in very simple terms, our combos NEVER work past 300%, and are best initiated as Tech Chase says
in his move directory: in the mid % of 100. This number cna be raised slightly to accomodate larger/heavier characters.
Also note that larger characters are far easier to combo than smaller ones, because their large size puts them closer to
our hitboxes. Oh and also remember that timing is very important with this combo, inputting the follow up move too early
will result in Dedede completing his jab combo loke normal (the spin strikes), and inputting too late gives the opponent time
to counter, shield, or escape.
Combo Applications
As I stated earlier, this move is best used in conjunction with another move as a simple combo technique. It can be paired with
many of our fast ground moves, and if you are fast enough and your foe is unresponsive even an aerial. The best combo applications
I have listed here.
1-2-3
This is the standard jab combo, which is used simply by pressing the A button four times in quick succession. Should a good amount
of the spin hitboxes connect after the 1st/2nd strkes, then this move can deal a good bit of fast damage (20-28%). The third
strikes, aka the spinning hammer hitboxes, are unfortunately VERY easy to DI out of, and TC notes correctly that the lag is dangerously
slow. This standard combo is not recommended, due to its low speed, high lag, and short range.
1-2-Grab
The most used combo involving our jab, the jab to grab puts the opponent where we love them most... in our D/B Throw. The jabs
used in the beggining of the combo only serve to add more damage, funtioning as a sort of pre-pummel. From the jab to grab we have
many tasty options: such as continuing the combo into a grab release combo or chain grab, or BThrowing to deal heavy damage. The throw can
very well KO at higher percentages as well. Keep in mind that if the opponent has too much damage you will just end up grabbing at air or the
enemy's feet, so bear in mind the proper damage % for your opponent before attempting.
1-2-DTilt
Yes, very fun. Works better on earlier percentages and deals 21% as a combo. It also serves to knock the opponent a good deal away from you
if they have higher damage %. The problem is, the low htboxes can cause this combo to miss floaty or small characters later on in the damage %. Still
a very viable option due to DTilts fast speed and decent reach/power.
1-2-FTilt
I discovered this move on Tech Chase's guide, and it is still one of my favorite combos due to its high success rate. This combo deals
a tidy 17%, and pushes the opponent a good bit away. It also has a wonderful range for when/if the opponent DI'd away form the second hit.
1-2-UTilt
Just sticking U-tilt in the name adds appeal to this variation of the jab combo. It works by lifting the foe with the second strike, and then
coming down on them (often on the last frame or VERY edge of the hitbox) with the UTilt. This works much more easy on larger characters, those
who fall quickly and those who have bad aerial mobility. I have succeeded on Bowser, Wolf, DK, Gannon, IC (*), ROB, Link, Charizard and Peach, though
it may well possibly work on other characters I failed at. Note that success on the IC depends entirely on either Popo or Nana breaking apart in midair. If one
of the two seperates and floats even a little too close back to D3, it can be hit with UTilt.
This combo deals 23% damage.
Note that this combo works in late 100%, early 200% damages, which is where our other combos become less likely to succeed or stop working
altogether. Also note that at those percentages... a successful "1-2-UTilt" will kill every time.
1-2-Swallow
Another Jab combo with a high success rate, mostly due to the long range of swallow's grab boxes, which can reach out and
snatch the enemy stunned from our second hit. This move deals 21% damage if the enemy is spit out properly at the combo
conclusion. This move works better in the later percentages, because swallow needs time to pull out (bad startup lag). It is more
easy to use if buffered immediately following the second hit. Unlike the other combos, you do not have to worry about pressing the
A button too early (swallow uses B) and setting off the unwanted third hitboxes. Very fun and easy to use.
1-2-Up/Down Smash
Need I say more? Yes this works, on the entire cast, provided it is set up and executed correctly, and they do not
counter with expert timing. For me it worked very well using the c-stick. All that is required is careful timing and for
your opponent to be a bit slow on their reaction, or not to have one at all. It deals around 25% for the USmash
variant, and 26% for the DSmash variant.
I found its highest success was during very low percentages, so that the second hitbox only barely sends them up, and
so that when you hit them with the smash they are just landing in a crouch-like position, helpless. Experiment with it
yourself to see if you do it better differently.
(*)
I will only put this, that 1-2-JH is possible... but so so lame. Don't even bother.
IF they are still there when the horrible startup lag is over, and they ACTUALLY get
hit by it, then they were not worth the effort of buffering the Down-B in the first place.
Additional Info/Contributions (To be updated later)
Closing Comments/Thanks
We all know that Jab will never beat Bair in our times of need, or that Jet hammer will never
replace a good CG, but these moves are there for a reason, and is our responsibility as the
King's players to know their every application.
Thanks to everyone who contributed: further contributions will be added as they are posted.
Special thanks to ssbvids and Tech Chase.
REP THE KING!
[/COLLAPSE]
this weekend by a stupid good 
