***Disclaimer: Not all information on the SHAD was found by me, several others discovered before, at, or after the time i had, and i have, to the best of my ability, included all of their information in this guide.***
I use:
GC Controller
Tap Jump Off
L switched to Grab
But i'll describe in the guide the use of SHAD with the GC Controller's defaults except with Tap Jump off.
The Technique:
The SHAD
Introduction:
The basics of this move are that one should
Short Hop, and cancel it upon landing by
Air Dodging. This simplistic move leads to several offensive and defensive choices that give an upper hand to the user against their opponent.
A Comprehensive Guide to the SHAD:
First of all, one must know
what a
SHAD is. In its simplest form, it's a jump canceled by an air dodge right before one lands, allowing for several options upon landing. But this is far too simple and timely, and the jump was replaced by the basic technique of a Short Hop. Thus, producing its name:
Short Hop - Air Dodge.
This move is beyond simplistic. All one must do to complete a SHAD is short hop by quickly tapping the X or Y, or any other button that has been assigned to jump. Once this is done, one must await before their character is just about to land and initiate an air dodge by simply pressing
L, R / any button you have assigned shield to, or Z / any button you have assigned Grab to (only works on characters without a grapple for Grab). There you go, you have now just completed your first SHAD. So remember:
Short Hop - Air Dodge
is a SHAD in its simplest terms. Now on to its several, some-what complicated variations.
Advancing the SHAD:
Now that you know how to complete a normal, simple SHAD, we'll move on to how one quicken's the effect and speed of the SHAD. The first way to speed of the SHAD is to add in another basic technique, called
Fast Falling.
Just like the original SHAD, you start off by Short Hopping. Now, instead of waiting for the games usual replacement mechanic of Gravity, once you achieve the maximum of your short hop, direct your analog stick by smashing it downwards. Once you do this, your character should now be able to launch straight down towards the ground, faster than at normal speed. Congrats, you've now completed a Short Hop to a Fast Fall. Now, after practicing this, introduce the Air Dodge just before you hit the ground again. You should be able to complete the SHAD a lot faster than usual, so remember:
Short Hop - Fast Fall - Air Dodge
is what we are now basing the name SHAD to.
Next we introduce the moving SHAD. All you have to do to be able to complete this is to
Dash prior to your new SHAD. This allows for you to run up to an oppenent and complete a SHAD with fluidity, which will come extremely handy when we begin to introduce several other variations of the SHAD. So now we have the:
Dash - Short Hop - Fast Fall - Air Dodge
as our present SHAD.
Finally, before we get to our next steps into offensive and defensive variations of our SHAD, i want to introduce the ability to preform attacks in the midst of preforming a SHAD. This move takes a lot more precision and timing that the basic SHAD's prior. So now try this, Jump, preform an
Aerial Attack, then cancel it with an air dodge right before you hit the ground. So:
Basic Jump - Aerial - Air Dodge
Now, once you have this down quickly, introduce a short hop instead of the basic jump.
Short Hop - Aerial - Air Dodge
Great, now try adding in the fast fall prior to the aerial:
Short Hop - Fast Fall - Aerial - Air Dodge
Keep practicing that. And finally, once you have that down, attempt the:
Dash - Short Hop - Fast Fall - Aerial - Air Dodge
Remember, dashing always isn't mandatory when completing a SHAD, but it always is welcome because it allows for several things such as positioning, mind games, and speed. If you can complete this complicated combo then congrats
You just did an advanced SHAD. With this, you can abuse the momentum mechanic to exemplify the speciality of certain aerials. This is best seen when characters have strong BAirs. The character must dash towards their opponent, and as they short hop they can change their direction of their character by smashing the analog direction in the opposite direction and hitting the C-Stick in the direction of their opponent. The momentum carries the character still towards their opponent but allows them to use their BAir during the advanced SHAD.
And just before i continue, i'd like to let everyone know that one can complete SHAD continuiously, meaning:
Dash - Short Hop - Fast Fall - Aerial - Air Dodge - Dash - Short Hop ... Air Dodge
or even:
Dash - Short Hop ... Air Dodge - Short Hop - Fast Fall ... Air Dodge
Advanced Advanced SHAD'ing:
***Disclaimer: Some of these moves are simplified depending on one's use of either L and R or Z, difficulty may range. Some moves are limited to only L and R or Z, depending.***
Defensive:
Defensively, the SHAD is incredible. L and R shielding and Grabbing achieve this evenly.
First off, the most simplest way defensively SHAD'ing is going back to the simple SHAD:
Short Hop - Fast Fall - Air Dodge
To complete a defensive SHAD, one must just simply press and hold either L/R or Z, allowing for the Air Dodge to be converted into a
Bubble Shield upon landing:
Short Hop - Fast Fall - Air Dodge - Bubble Shield
Lastly, this can also be accompanied by any circumstance that is found by leaving a Bubble Shield, whether it by an USmash for a more offensive take, a
Shield Grab, or even a defensive roll in any direction, or even into another SHAD :P
Another defensive SHAD is completed through a little more timing. This is seen with doing the normal SH - FF - AD, but upon landing, one must re-press the button they used (L/R or Z) and a direction. This allows for a
Roll to be completed while landing without any Bubble Shield frames to be seen:
Short Hop - Fast Fall - Air Dodge - Roll
Obviously, any of the prior functions can be added to randomize or better your SHAD'ing ability. Such as:
Dash - Short Hop - Fast Fall - Aerial - Air Dodge - Bubble Shield
Dash - Short Hop - Fast Fall - Aerial - Air Dodge - Roll
Or even the unmentioned possibility of a
double Air Dodge:
... - Short Hop - Air Dodge - Fast Fall - Air Dodge - ...
Which can be looked at as the most defensive type of SHAD, though it may be a little less quick.
Offensive Gameplay:
Nothing is more complicated or fantastic than the capabilities of SHAD'ing's offensive gameplay. Not only are several upon several options available to complete the SHAD, but they're all important in their own way. Personally, i find the use of Z better than L/R due to the fact that it takes up less hand-eye cordination and less button smashing.
Grab:
The easiest of the offensive SHAD's is the
Grab. The easiest way for one to complete a SHAD grab is to just simply SHAD, then upon landing, just the moment you touch the ground, hit Z. With practice, one will definitely be able to time it so the frame on hits the ground, they are able to preform the grab.
... - Short Hop - Fast Fall - ... - Air Dodge - Grab - ...
Crouch Attack:
The second easiest of all the offensive SHAD's. Basically, SHAD, and when you land smash your analog to the ground, and either hit Z or A. This should complete a:
... - Short Hop - Fast FAll - ... - Air Dodge - Crouch Attack - ...
Tilt:
Each and different
Tilt all have their own limits to their difficulty. Which is even more interchangable per character. For example: Ike and Marth preform DTilts better than Wolf, but Wolf preforms a FTilt easily. It all depends on which character your are comfortable with and how you adapt to their play style. There are two ways to do this:
L/R= SHAD and upon landing do a tilt attack like any other way. Takes more controlling skills and timing, but it is easier to preform it this way.
Z= SHAD and upon landing, re-press Z and tilt the analog in the direction you would like to tilt attack. This doesn't always happen and takes some adaptation. If you smash the analog you'll most definitely roll instead of tilting, so beware. But, this way takes less movement of one's hands and adds a little more quickness and fluidity to in-game.
So basically:
... - Short Hop - Fast Fall - ... - Air Dodge - Tilt - ...
Dash Variations:
Dashing is difficult at first, but definitely becomes extremely easy to preform, and is extremely useful. This move not only helps for offensive gain, but defensive as well, and even continues both.
L/R= SHAD, and upon landing Dash
Z= Same thing
... - Short Hop - Fast Fall - ... - Air Dodge - Dash - ...
This one specifically can be used if your opponent decides to attempt to escape, you can just cancel your SHAD complete and chase after him, maybe even finish with a Dash Attack if you ever catch up.
Next is the
Dash Attack. Basically the difference is that you can initiate a dash attack nearly the time you land, only with a few frames of actual dashing. This is complicated to master but is useful.
L/R= Harder to do on L/R. SHAD into a dash and press A as fast as possible. Takes timing but IS possible.
Z= Easier. SHAD and upon landing smash your analog and Z at the same time. Oddly this initiates a dash attack with a few frames of dash upon landing. IT DOES NOT WORK EVERY TIME. L/R works 100% of the time, but is tougher to master, Z is easier but does not work 100% of the time.
... - Short Hop - Fast Fall - ... - Air Dodge - Dash Attack - ...
The next Dash variation is
Dash Grab. Just SHAD, initiate a dash, and quickly press Grab. Pretty simplistic. No difference between L/R and Z.
... - Short Hop - Fast Fall - ... - Air Dodge - Dash Grab - ...
Lastly is the
Dash Shield. Just SHAD, dash, shield, not tough :P
... - Short Hop - Fast Fall - ... - Air Dodge - Dash Shield - ...
Smash Attacks:
Any of the
Smash Attacks can simply be preformed out of a SHAD. All one needs to do is to land whilst holding Grab preferably instead of shield. If you hold shield, you'll only be able to preform an USmash.
Once you complete that SHAD, press grab and hold, and at the same time thrust both the analog stick and the C-Stick in the direction you would like to preform a smash attack. Each character has easier smashes than others, but it should be simple. Don't be turned off if a buble shield frame is seen whilst doing this, that's easily fixed with practice.
So finally, we have:
... - Short Hop - Fast Fall - ... - Air Dodge - Smash Attack - ...
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YAAAYY! Those are all the basic and advanced variations of the SHAD. Hopefully more will continue to be added to this useful move.
If you have any questions or have any educational videos made, please feel free to post them.
Thank you
VIDEOS
Thank You Woebegone Jackal
Lucas doing a SH-FF-AD, Thanks to NotEz in the Lucas Forums
Examples of Several Different Characters SH-FF-AD'ing. Thanks to Nebaku
)
Linear Mode
