SkaManifesto
Smash Apprentice
Now I'll start off by saying that this AT is not specific to Kirby, but i've tried several characters, and thankfully, Kirby does this best. Other candidates for this include DK and Diddy, and those are the tw I've found to be of any use.
Now onto the AT...
Momentum Lag - What it is and how to do it
Ok so momentum lag is somewhat a kin to slide canceling in that they both involve the dash and sliding animations of a characters, but thats where the similarities end.
I will say in advance that i still do not have videos or pics of this but i will do my best to describe this as clearly as possible
Step One: Run left or right.
Step Two: When running push your control stick opposite direction that you are running, and hold it for about half second. Would should appear to be happening is this: You should have the sliding animation, and run the other direction, easy no?
Step Three: Let go of the control stick, and watch your screen. After you let go of the control stick, Kirby should perform a very slight head-bob while his feet kind of fumble benath him, the time between turn and this head-bob is the momentum lag.
Side note: Problem you might have and what they look like:
Kirby's head does not bob - either your doing it right and you just need to look closer, or your not holding the control stick in the opposite direction long enough.
Kirby has a sliding animation after I stop holding the opposite direction: - you are holding the opposite direction too long.
Now I'll explain exactly what this is, because i know it must not seem like much right now. During the ML (Momentum Lag) time. if you do a tilt or a grab, you will continue to move forward, seemingly defying the laws that apply to SSBB gravity. Now here's where it gets tricky.
Momentum Tilts
I will warn you in advance, the finger control needed for this technique is very demanding, and requires extreme patients in learning. It is best to have the idea of ML down before trying this.
How to do them
Momentum F-tilt
After performing the steps to produce ML, attempt to do a F-tilt (I'll get to b-tilts/d-tilts shortly, and as for u-tilts? Well they're also possible but they are extremely hard and require a TON of practice, let's just start easy lol). Be sure to to execute the tilt before Kirby's head bobs or you will end up doing a dash attack, that means your doing it wrong lol. A good way to learn this is like so: Go to the edge of final destination in training mode and face off of the stage, when Kirby begins to titter on the edge the practice begins. Run backwards, then run forwards AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, here is your creation of ML. While this is going on attempt to do a F-tilt, it may seem hard but believe me it IS possible lol. If you end up tittering on the edge again once your tilt animation is done, then congratulations, you have performed a perfect Momentum F-tilt, if you end before it, still grats. Its not easy, just try to end up tittering.
Finger movment: Perform the movements for ML but instead of letting go of your control stick when changing direction, keep your finger on it and push it forward again in a soft yet fast manner (you DONT want to do a smash.) To help you heres a mental picture. Imagine your control stick like a circle, when your going to do the tilt, do not cross the verticle diameter of your circle but pull the stick back enough so that you can push it again, then press a lol :D. I hope this helps.
Momentum "B-tilt"
While, the Momentum B-tilt is alot easier than the F-tilt, it is also much less of an effective attack strategy, unless your using it for approach, which in any case, bair is better. So here we go. Perform the steps for ML, turn kirby around while he's MLing (he will be sliding backwards if you do not tilt lol. Side note: there is a strategy with this backwardness that ill get to shortly), then almost simultaneously do a F-tilt . With this tilt yuo will actually loose ground from your orgininal position even if you do it perfectly.
Finger Movement: This one is not as hard because you just tilt the control stick the opposite direction intead of trying to tilt it the same direction twice.
Momentum D-tilt
Follow the same directions as the other tilts, this one will not make you go far at all, you'll loose ground, and if you figure out how to use this effectively please tell me lol.
Finger Monvement: Nothing special here, this should be a piece of cake if you've mastered the first two.
Momentum U-tilt
This is somewhat hard, haha i lie, this is very hard and requires VERY good finger control, or just skill at buffering :3. Perform the actions for ML, but when your chanign direction, as soon as Kirby pushes off, buffer your control stick upwards to avoid tap jumping, this is easy compared to what comes next
.
Momentum "BU-Tilt" [B/]
Perform the steps for a Momentum B-tilt, but instead of pushing your control stick directly backwards, your going to have to push it upwards, (straight upwards for that matter, if not you will perform a diagonally momentum tilt which is still pretty awsome lol.) if done correctly, you will end up backwards, and have just completed a u tilt. Congratulations if you can do this, its like a moving U-tilt, seemingly good for a fake-out apporach.
Smashing W/Momentum
Try this out at see what you think, i have not found anything with the smashes because you can do the pretty well without any sort of ML, main example, slide canecling.
Turning during ML
If you turn during ML you basically end up facing your opponent, it is not worthwhile without a follow up attack, U-Smash, or D-smash works well, this is not useful for F-smashes, but overall the animation for it just looks cute.
Momentum Grabs
Now these are much easier than Momentum Tilting (MT).
Regular Momentum grabs
Step One: Perform the steps for ML
Step Two: Press Z, you will get a moving grab that DOES NOT have lag :D, You should also regain all ground that you lost +extra sometimes if done perfectly.
Shielded Momentum Grabs
Step One: Perform the steps for ML
Step Two: Shield during ML and you will shield slide, press "A" anytime during this do to a sheilded momentum grab.
So there's the Kirby AT, I''ll leave you to yourself to mess with it. Have fun and be patient :D !
Now onto the AT...
Momentum Lag - What it is and how to do it
Ok so momentum lag is somewhat a kin to slide canceling in that they both involve the dash and sliding animations of a characters, but thats where the similarities end.
I will say in advance that i still do not have videos or pics of this but i will do my best to describe this as clearly as possible
Step One: Run left or right.
Step Two: When running push your control stick opposite direction that you are running, and hold it for about half second. Would should appear to be happening is this: You should have the sliding animation, and run the other direction, easy no?
Step Three: Let go of the control stick, and watch your screen. After you let go of the control stick, Kirby should perform a very slight head-bob while his feet kind of fumble benath him, the time between turn and this head-bob is the momentum lag.
Side note: Problem you might have and what they look like:
Kirby's head does not bob - either your doing it right and you just need to look closer, or your not holding the control stick in the opposite direction long enough.
Kirby has a sliding animation after I stop holding the opposite direction: - you are holding the opposite direction too long.
Now I'll explain exactly what this is, because i know it must not seem like much right now. During the ML (Momentum Lag) time. if you do a tilt or a grab, you will continue to move forward, seemingly defying the laws that apply to SSBB gravity. Now here's where it gets tricky.
Momentum Tilts
I will warn you in advance, the finger control needed for this technique is very demanding, and requires extreme patients in learning. It is best to have the idea of ML down before trying this.
How to do them
Momentum F-tilt
After performing the steps to produce ML, attempt to do a F-tilt (I'll get to b-tilts/d-tilts shortly, and as for u-tilts? Well they're also possible but they are extremely hard and require a TON of practice, let's just start easy lol). Be sure to to execute the tilt before Kirby's head bobs or you will end up doing a dash attack, that means your doing it wrong lol. A good way to learn this is like so: Go to the edge of final destination in training mode and face off of the stage, when Kirby begins to titter on the edge the practice begins. Run backwards, then run forwards AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, here is your creation of ML. While this is going on attempt to do a F-tilt, it may seem hard but believe me it IS possible lol. If you end up tittering on the edge again once your tilt animation is done, then congratulations, you have performed a perfect Momentum F-tilt, if you end before it, still grats. Its not easy, just try to end up tittering.
Finger movment: Perform the movements for ML but instead of letting go of your control stick when changing direction, keep your finger on it and push it forward again in a soft yet fast manner (you DONT want to do a smash.) To help you heres a mental picture. Imagine your control stick like a circle, when your going to do the tilt, do not cross the verticle diameter of your circle but pull the stick back enough so that you can push it again, then press a lol :D. I hope this helps.
Momentum "B-tilt"
While, the Momentum B-tilt is alot easier than the F-tilt, it is also much less of an effective attack strategy, unless your using it for approach, which in any case, bair is better. So here we go. Perform the steps for ML, turn kirby around while he's MLing (he will be sliding backwards if you do not tilt lol. Side note: there is a strategy with this backwardness that ill get to shortly), then almost simultaneously do a F-tilt . With this tilt yuo will actually loose ground from your orgininal position even if you do it perfectly.
Finger Movement: This one is not as hard because you just tilt the control stick the opposite direction intead of trying to tilt it the same direction twice.
Momentum D-tilt
Follow the same directions as the other tilts, this one will not make you go far at all, you'll loose ground, and if you figure out how to use this effectively please tell me lol.
Finger Monvement: Nothing special here, this should be a piece of cake if you've mastered the first two.
Momentum U-tilt
This is somewhat hard, haha i lie, this is very hard and requires VERY good finger control, or just skill at buffering :3. Perform the actions for ML, but when your chanign direction, as soon as Kirby pushes off, buffer your control stick upwards to avoid tap jumping, this is easy compared to what comes next
.Momentum "BU-Tilt" [B/]
Perform the steps for a Momentum B-tilt, but instead of pushing your control stick directly backwards, your going to have to push it upwards, (straight upwards for that matter, if not you will perform a diagonally momentum tilt which is still pretty awsome lol.) if done correctly, you will end up backwards, and have just completed a u tilt. Congratulations if you can do this, its like a moving U-tilt, seemingly good for a fake-out apporach.
Smashing W/Momentum
Try this out at see what you think, i have not found anything with the smashes because you can do the pretty well without any sort of ML, main example, slide canecling.
Turning during ML
If you turn during ML you basically end up facing your opponent, it is not worthwhile without a follow up attack, U-Smash, or D-smash works well, this is not useful for F-smashes, but overall the animation for it just looks cute.
Momentum Grabs
Now these are much easier than Momentum Tilting (MT).
Regular Momentum grabs
Step One: Perform the steps for ML
Step Two: Press Z, you will get a moving grab that DOES NOT have lag :D, You should also regain all ground that you lost +extra sometimes if done perfectly.
Shielded Momentum Grabs
Step One: Perform the steps for ML
Step Two: Shield during ML and you will shield slide, press "A" anytime during this do to a sheilded momentum grab.
So there's the Kirby AT, I''ll leave you to yourself to mess with it. Have fun and be patient :D !
