There is a surprising lack of stage talk here! At least in an organized thread. We should change that, even if it's a relatively short conversation where we mostly agree with each other.
Over here in NorCal we use Paragon stage set for basically everything, so that will be the context here. (BF/FD/SV/T&C/DL as neutrals with 1-2-1 strikes, DH & Lylat as counterpicks.)
Some of my observations and experiences...
Thoughts?
Over here in NorCal we use Paragon stage set for basically everything, so that will be the context here. (BF/FD/SV/T&C/DL as neutrals with 1-2-1 strikes, DH & Lylat as counterpicks.)
Some of my observations and experiences...
- I think T&C and Dreamland are pretty clearly our best neutrals. I am running into more and more players who ensure that those two stages are struck against me, although there are plenty of characters who benefit similarly from the low ceilings of T&C and are happy to let us go there.
- Anecdotally, people used to always ban Battlefield against me and this has almost entirely stopped. I think people would rather just prioritize banning Dreamland in this case, AKA psuedo-Battlefield w/lower ceilings.
- I don't think any of the neutrals are particularly bad for us, but I think there are characters who benefit from Smashville a heck of a lot more than we do. (Sheik for certain, Mario, Rosalina to aid her waits on Luma recovery, generally anyone who can try to camp us out.)
- In matchups where we can bully people and force an approach, I am more than happy to FD or Omega it up. (Falcon, Bowser, Ike, Kirby, sword users like Shulk who also benefit from platforms that they can cover with their disjoint.)
- Lylat is, in my opinion, the only stage that is negative for us. My counterpick ban flowchart 90%of the time goes like this: Do I know they will not pick Lylat and want to camp me on Smashville? Y) Ban Smashville. N) Ban Lylat. Ban Lylat in all other scenarios.
- Banning Lylat is, IMO, particularly urgent against characters who are very comfortable in their recovery on that stage (granted, it's considerably less janky with the patch a while back) and who can cover all of the platforms well. Examples off the top of my head include Yoshi, Villager, the Links, Sheik, Shulk, Bowser, Kirby.
Thoughts?