Learning Link's Close Range Options

[ImpossiblyRood]

This might be a weird question, but how exactly do you learn Link? So far, my link seems decent, but if I play him, the game usually goes one of two ways:

My opponent doesn't know projectiles and gets styled upon.
My opponent knows projectiles and can beat the tar out of me.


So I put this to you, more experienced links, how do you go about learning link's close range options? I try not to use them, but now I've become so used to using them that I have difficulty not using them, and my close range options suffer for it. So what do you do to learn link's close range utilities?

 

[Fenrir VII]

Eh easiest way to learn how to play without projectiles is to... Play without projectiles for a while (in friendlies only, of course) then integrate the projectiles back in once you don't need them as much.

If you're like me, you'll learn that jab jab, pivot grab, and Sh bair, fair and sometimes Nair are your best friends.

 

[Deleted member]

watch other people's videos. watch what they do and copy what works.

most importantly practice your spacing, without perfect spacing link is garbage up close.

 

[Desolate]

Yes, Link as a character is difficult...but if you practice, practice , spacing, especially spacing your projectiles with your sword link is a true force to reckon with.links sword and projectiles technically give him the best range in the game,combine that with some amazing amazing punish options you can quite literally be untouchable.link has tech and learning all kinds of mind games( near infinite bag of tricks with a clever player) . but overall link is very cerebral, and thrives on locking down and controlling and punishing with attacks like up b and his smashes.he gets a bad rap cause hes difficult to use effectively.but the pay off is immense, Link teaches you smash bros in a different way then other characters he isnt played liked others. you will always hear people try to discourage you to use him especially from "space Animals" but in reality most people are dreaming....link can absolutely wreck them especially cause most people are not as good as they think they are with them. space animals can actually be very,very,very, heavily punished by link and very easily spaced do to the short range.crouch cancels are just god like against them and during specific frames of fair and dair link can "tank" damage from charecters much like a crouch cancel and you can combine the two if your slick 0.0 . when talking of link and space animals suddenly everyones a mango. lastly the biggest mistake people make with link is they try to play him the way you play other characters in the cast. (link main since 6 years old, 20 now)

 

[-Se7en-]

All of the above was unnecessary, but just do what works.

First you must understand what you can do. Are you in shield? Are you just trying to get them off?

Grab is great but it's always expected. Mixup, use jab sometimes. Use crouch cancel down smash at low percents. Down smash covers in front and behind.

I like to short hop to get out of shield and back air. After a back air you can waveland if you do it very early or even jump again. That's two options to either get away or to approach.

 

[EmptySky00]

Low hit Fair - jab to check OoS options (only when you spaced it well) or dash away - throw more ****. It's ****ing Godly.

Also, Bair - waveland is kewl. Uair is God. Always juggle with Uair.