Lucas
What moves or tactics should we watch out for?
-Fsmash: All of Lucas' smashes are used for killing and are generally good. This one comes out pretty quick and does a good amount of damage and knockback. It can reflect projectiles, like Aura Sphere, but most Lucas players would rather absorb with PSI Magnet, so you won't see this happen too often.
Reflecting projectiles with Fsmash in general isn't even that common anyway; takes 14 frames of startup and only reflects for a few frames.
-Dsmash: A multihit smash move that has three parts. I don't remember the exact properties of each hit, but I believe the first hit is the most powerful, the second hit has the biggest hitbox, and the third is the weakest but covers behind him or something like that. Needless to say, this move lasts a while, is decent for edgeguarding someone hanging on the edge.
The hits get larger but weaker. Third's biggest and weakest.
-Usmash: Being one of the strongest Usmashes in the game, you can die from this move pretty fast. That being said, it has a large amount of startup and ending lag. Also, certain parts of it are weak and won't send you anywhere (near the edge). The move does have some invincibility before it comes out, so watch out for DACUSes.
Lucas can't DACUS.
-Bair: A very unusual move, it has some startup time before the move actually comes out. The range covers a half circle or so behind him. If sweetspotted, it can spike.
Only at the tip of his foot.
-Uthrow: A killing move, though only at high percents. Think of it as an inferior version of Ness' bthrow.
Uthrow sucks, rarely used. Vertical kills come from Dthrow at 130%, accounting for pummels if you're grabbed at around 120% you're dead.
-Zair: Does absolutely nothing! However, it can still be used for tether recoveries, which is what most Lucas players prefer.
-PK Fire: A multihit projectile that Lucas players love to spam. Why approach when you can use this move?
Also, wavebouncing makes punishing this that much more difficult. Lucas can also use this to make his second jump obscenely high.
-PSI Magnet: This move can absorb energy based projectiles, like Aura. It has a multiplier effect on how much damage is recovered. Even if Lucas is facing the wrong way, he'll automatically turn around and absorb a projectile coming from behind. It also has a hitbox when Lucas lowers the magnet.
Hitbox kills at around 150%, even then it's only for surprise attacks because it's just slow.
-PK Thunder: Lucas' main recovery move. Unlike Ness, PKT2 is multihitting, so you can SDI out if you get hit. It's almost less powerful. On the plus side, it's easier to control/aim and does not disappear if PKT1 hits someone.
Its main hitboxes are the start and the end, both dealing 10% with knock back. Hitting with every hit does 43%.
-Tether grab: You won't see a Lucas grab too much, but keep in mind that it has good range when pivoted because of its tether property.
Dash and standing grab is too slow and is really punishable. Pivot grab is used mainly because it reduces ending lag by 20 frames.
What moves or tactics should we try to enforce in this match up?
-Fsmash outranges all of Lucas' non-projectile moves.
-While Lucas does not have a bad aerial game, Lucario beats him out in this department. But I think Lucas' fair beats out Lucario's, but Lucario's fair lingers.
-Bait the smashes and punish. Most Lucas players love using them.
Maybe FSmash, but I wouldn't say Lucas players love using them because of the **** lag.
Do you feel Lucario has an advantage in any particular scenario of this matchup?
-Lucas players prefer to use tether recovery instead of PKT2, so try to force them into using PKT2. They have only two options: aim at the edge or aim on the stage. Try to force them to recover the way you want them to and punish accordingly.
-Lucas is light, so assuming you survive long enough, your Fsmash can kill him pretty fast.
-Aura Sphere can comepletely cancel out PK Fire but don't rely on it.
PK Fire and Aura Sphere will always clash regardless of Lucario's %, according to a thread on the Lucario boards
Do you feel the opponent can shut down aspects of Lucario's game?
-PSI Magnet can absorb Aura Sphere, so don't be spam happy with it.
-Lucas' powerful smash attacks can kill Lucario at some what mid 140-150% if you're not careful.
Fsmash kills at 100%, lol. At 150%, Uair, Fair, Dthrow, Bthrow, Dair spiking, and to a lesser extent Ftilt and Utilt are also options.
-A skilled Lucas player could try to spike you while you are recovering. Be careful about this.
Counterpicks? What to avoid and what to enforce?
-Most Lucas players seem to hate Yoshi's Island. I think FD would be there best neutral, but I could be wrong.
The support ghost on Yoshi's Island ruins PKT2 recovery, and we'd ban this because of wall clinging anyway.
-Try counterpicking stages with passable edges/weird edges. They can mess up a Lucas' recovery with PKT2. Also, large stages are good to have, as usual.
Passable stages improve PKT2 recovery.
-I know one Lucas who LOVES PS2, because the ice part allows sliding fsmashes/usmashes. Corneria is also commonly picked because of low ceiling, plus lasers to heal.
Corneria's banned now.