gallax
Smash Hero
Toon Link
General Discussion:
Toon Link is a character who is small like pikachu and is very floaty. He has good priority, a good airiel game, and good projectiles. Overall, Toon Link's airiels/projectiles>pika's airiels/projectile. He is a character who must be dealt with extreme caution. He can disrupt your momentum with boomerangs and bombs. There is also a technique that he can use which allows him to shoot 2 arrows before landing on the ground which can be hard to avoid without getting damage. Overall, this is a tough matchup for pikachu.
Pikachu's advantages:
1.) Pikachu's thunder discourages TL's dair
2.) Faster than TL
3.) Better Recover/Harder to spike
4.) TL has a slow and punishable grab
5.) The QAC (allows for dodging porjectiles and approaching campers with more ease)
6.) Dsmash can really punish TL due to his size
Pikachu's Disadvantages:
1.) TL's projectiles>Pika's projectiles(boomerang cancels the tjolt)
2.) TL's airiel game>Pika's
3.) TL can tether recovery
4.) TL has more range with his sword
5.) TL has the ability to spike
6.) Pika's grab is shorter than TL's(he uses the tether)
7.) Light weight = easier to kill
Strategy for winning:
General
This matchup is very intersting. Both characters have advantages over each other that, when exploited properly, can lead to victory. To beat Toon Link you have to be patient and make sure to capitalize on TL's mistakes and disadvantages.
Projectiles
To start off with, to beat TL you first have to get past his projectiles. His double arrow combined with the bombs and boomerang make for a pretty difficult time getting in close. Spamming the tjolt is good because is makes TL either shield/spotdodge/throw boomerang. This helps to get in closer because you can go airiel and hopefully get to him before he starts using his arrows and bombs again. Once you go airiel be sure to use the QAC or air dodge anything that comes your way. The QAC is great for this matchup because it can get TL within pika's attack range in no time. Plus, it can lead to some grabs and other combos.
Basic Strategy
Once you get withing range of TL, this game is most likely to go airiel. TL's tend to SH and lead into bair/fair. This is where mindgames comes into play. If you can get TL to attack you then you will have a much better chance at winning this match. When he comes at you just spotdodge and use your grabs/dsmash/fsmash. Be sure to chase after him to after the knowckback from your attack. Do not let him ge away. If he does then you have to repeat the process all over again. Once you get in close be sure to keep presuring him. Use your tilts in this matchup to. ftilt can help you space TL and disrupt his fsmash. Pika's fsmash outranges TL's first swing of his fsmash by a small margin, but it is outranged by his second swing. Be sure to try and avoid the second swing as much as possible. It is one of TL's best killing moves. Try to either powershield or roll away from him ASAP. If you roll away it is best to know that you have very little time time to punish TL so don't be surprised if TL dodges most of your attacks after he fsmashes. If you roll behind then you are in a much better position to damage him. I would suggest using the fsmash since it has a good horizonal knockback.
Killing
Toon Link's best killing moves are his bair/fsmash(second swing)/uair/usmash. Be sure to try and avoid these hits as much as possible. Pikachus light weight allows for TL to KO much easier since these moves have good priority. Pikachu's best killing moves are fsmash and thunder. Dsmash is good but it usually kills at higher percentages than the fsmash and thunder. TL horizontal recover is terrible compared to his vertical recovery. His upB can easily knock you off the edge if you aren't careful. This is the main reason the fsmash and thunder are good killing moves. They have good horizontal knockback and can kill at lower percentages. One thing to watch out for is TL's tether recover though. If you find yourself a victim of TL tether recover, quickly get off the ledge and prepare for attack. One strategy that is good for being edgeguarding the tether is to use your thunder . If you have grabbed onto the ledge, then press up on your control stick>quickly press down and then B. If done right pika will remain off the stage, use the thunder, then grab onto the ledge with invincibility frames. This technique is great for edgeguarding TL. It can knock him back a good distance , plus even if you get hit by an airiel the thunder will most likely hit him too, most likely resulting in his death.
Edgeguarding
Toon Link's edgeguarding is mainly his dtilt mixed with arrows and bombs. The dtilt can instantly spike you downwards and the projectiles can stall pika in the air just enough to get the ledge out of pika's range, allowing for TL to grab onto the edge and let you to fall for your doom. Be sure to DI away from projectiles and dodge the dtilt. Most TL's will not use their dair to edgeguard(the dair can spike if tipped) but if they do then be sure to QA out of the way. Most likely this will be the death of TL if they use the dair.It is very hard for TL to edgeguard pika though so don't be too worried.
Airiels
As for pika's airiels, the most useful ones are the nair/fair/bair. The FF bair is very useful for racking up damage while the SHFF fair can be used to combo into a grab or dsmash. The nair is great for edguarding and/or hitting TL away from you in the air. It has good horizontal knockback so be sure to incorporate the nair into your strategy. It is useful for airiel as well as off the stage strategy.
Video:
Anther(Pikachu) vs Bowyer(Toon Link) [Frigate Orpheon]
http://youtube.com/watch?v=YT_djAPO8Uk
Overall Matchup:
Toon Link> Pikachu
General Discussion:
Toon Link is a character who is small like pikachu and is very floaty. He has good priority, a good airiel game, and good projectiles. Overall, Toon Link's airiels/projectiles>pika's airiels/projectile. He is a character who must be dealt with extreme caution. He can disrupt your momentum with boomerangs and bombs. There is also a technique that he can use which allows him to shoot 2 arrows before landing on the ground which can be hard to avoid without getting damage. Overall, this is a tough matchup for pikachu.
Pikachu's advantages:
1.) Pikachu's thunder discourages TL's dair
2.) Faster than TL
3.) Better Recover/Harder to spike
4.) TL has a slow and punishable grab
5.) The QAC (allows for dodging porjectiles and approaching campers with more ease)
6.) Dsmash can really punish TL due to his size
Pikachu's Disadvantages:
1.) TL's projectiles>Pika's projectiles(boomerang cancels the tjolt)
2.) TL's airiel game>Pika's
3.) TL can tether recovery
4.) TL has more range with his sword
5.) TL has the ability to spike
6.) Pika's grab is shorter than TL's(he uses the tether)
7.) Light weight = easier to kill
Strategy for winning:
General
This matchup is very intersting. Both characters have advantages over each other that, when exploited properly, can lead to victory. To beat Toon Link you have to be patient and make sure to capitalize on TL's mistakes and disadvantages.
Projectiles
To start off with, to beat TL you first have to get past his projectiles. His double arrow combined with the bombs and boomerang make for a pretty difficult time getting in close. Spamming the tjolt is good because is makes TL either shield/spotdodge/throw boomerang. This helps to get in closer because you can go airiel and hopefully get to him before he starts using his arrows and bombs again. Once you go airiel be sure to use the QAC or air dodge anything that comes your way. The QAC is great for this matchup because it can get TL within pika's attack range in no time. Plus, it can lead to some grabs and other combos.
Basic Strategy
Once you get withing range of TL, this game is most likely to go airiel. TL's tend to SH and lead into bair/fair. This is where mindgames comes into play. If you can get TL to attack you then you will have a much better chance at winning this match. When he comes at you just spotdodge and use your grabs/dsmash/fsmash. Be sure to chase after him to after the knowckback from your attack. Do not let him ge away. If he does then you have to repeat the process all over again. Once you get in close be sure to keep presuring him. Use your tilts in this matchup to. ftilt can help you space TL and disrupt his fsmash. Pika's fsmash outranges TL's first swing of his fsmash by a small margin, but it is outranged by his second swing. Be sure to try and avoid the second swing as much as possible. It is one of TL's best killing moves. Try to either powershield or roll away from him ASAP. If you roll away it is best to know that you have very little time time to punish TL so don't be surprised if TL dodges most of your attacks after he fsmashes. If you roll behind then you are in a much better position to damage him. I would suggest using the fsmash since it has a good horizonal knockback.
Killing
Toon Link's best killing moves are his bair/fsmash(second swing)/uair/usmash. Be sure to try and avoid these hits as much as possible. Pikachus light weight allows for TL to KO much easier since these moves have good priority. Pikachu's best killing moves are fsmash and thunder. Dsmash is good but it usually kills at higher percentages than the fsmash and thunder. TL horizontal recover is terrible compared to his vertical recovery. His upB can easily knock you off the edge if you aren't careful. This is the main reason the fsmash and thunder are good killing moves. They have good horizontal knockback and can kill at lower percentages. One thing to watch out for is TL's tether recover though. If you find yourself a victim of TL tether recover, quickly get off the ledge and prepare for attack. One strategy that is good for being edgeguarding the tether is to use your thunder . If you have grabbed onto the ledge, then press up on your control stick>quickly press down and then B. If done right pika will remain off the stage, use the thunder, then grab onto the ledge with invincibility frames. This technique is great for edgeguarding TL. It can knock him back a good distance , plus even if you get hit by an airiel the thunder will most likely hit him too, most likely resulting in his death.
Edgeguarding
Toon Link's edgeguarding is mainly his dtilt mixed with arrows and bombs. The dtilt can instantly spike you downwards and the projectiles can stall pika in the air just enough to get the ledge out of pika's range, allowing for TL to grab onto the edge and let you to fall for your doom. Be sure to DI away from projectiles and dodge the dtilt. Most TL's will not use their dair to edgeguard(the dair can spike if tipped) but if they do then be sure to QA out of the way. Most likely this will be the death of TL if they use the dair.It is very hard for TL to edgeguard pika though so don't be too worried.
Airiels
As for pika's airiels, the most useful ones are the nair/fair/bair. The FF bair is very useful for racking up damage while the SHFF fair can be used to combo into a grab or dsmash. The nair is great for edguarding and/or hitting TL away from you in the air. It has good horizontal knockback so be sure to incorporate the nair into your strategy. It is useful for airiel as well as off the stage strategy.
Video:
Anther(Pikachu) vs Bowyer(Toon Link) [Frigate Orpheon]
http://youtube.com/watch?v=YT_djAPO8Uk
Overall Matchup:
Toon Link> Pikachu
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