New to Competitive Play

[Vanilla-]

Hi, I'm relatively new to competitive play for Smash but have been playing Melee for years. Recently a friend and I decided we wanted to try to enter some tournaments for Brawl (because Melee isn't played at MLG level any more ) and I just have a few questions about Samus play. I have always played Samus but after looking into her for competitive play I have seen she isn't tiered very high and many do not play her. Is it worthwhile for me to continue to play her and hone my skills or should I switch to a new character? I also have some questions about the terms I have seen being used (n-air, b-air, s-smash, etc) which I've figured out are different moves for each character. Is there somewhere where I can read what they mean and their uses for Samus?

edit: Also what are some good matches to watch to learn some Samus play? I see there are quite a few in the thread and I'm not sure which are the best to watch.

Thanks for the help,
Vanilla

 

[KillerJawz]

Well firstly, welcome to smashboards, or more specifically, the Samus boards. I'm sorry to say that Samus is simply terrible, she lacks tournament representation but even with it, she will never leave low tier. Samus lacks any kind of reliable kill move, she has very limited melee options and she's incredibly floaty.

If after what I have said, you still want to play her, then look towards the Samus archives which contain videos of the Samus mains around here, new, old and active, I reccomend that you look for some videos by Xyro, NO-IDea, Tudor, Myself or LanceStern.

I wish you the best of luck in your Brawl career.

 

[NO-IDea]

Tip #1: Don't watch the vids on the character forums. Instead, go into training mode and experiment with the hitboxes of Samus's moves. Get your spacing right. This is the time to also learn Samus related techs.

Tip #2: After gaining high level control over Samus, get into friendlies and learn to read shield habits. In turn, also learn to not resort to shield/spot dodge/air dodge/roll. Space better. Know that shield is your tool for reading and punishing, not a shell to hide in.

Tip #3: We do not currently have accurate frame data on Samus. I have valuable information that I don't share on these boards. Hit me up on AIM to learn how to utilize the hitlag/shieldlag on her moves best with Samus.

Tip 1 was for you to gain the tech skill to use Samus. Not much is needed, but I can't tell you how many times I've ****ed up an up+b OoS and it turned into an aerial up+b. Or when I messed up a missile cancel. Or messed up an instant double jump z-air into a grounded grab. Tech skill, little or not, matters. That way, you know your mistake wasn't technical but judgmental.

Tip 2 was for you to advance in today's metagame. You have to learn how to go on the offensive, how to rack damage, and how to use your range to your advantage. Be sure to save your friendlies. You don't need to post them on youtube unless you're seeking criticism, but rather observe why you're getting hit and why you're able to hit them. The vids on the character forums will not help you as much as you going into youtube and watching the latest vids that represent today's metagame.

Tip 3 was for you to know there's help and hope for the character. But for all the advancement in other character's metagames, Samus has had little due to the boards being unable to collect the needed data. There are certain things that have been discovered that aren't utilized yet. You need to learn not only the character, but the game. Sooner or later, you'll need to know frame data on other characters as well, if only the generic stuff.

Finally, pick a character you like. If you really like Samus and are willing to take her far, then you need to put effort into learning her metagame and how she competes with everyone else. A lot of data here is outdated. Go do your research yourself, watch current videos, they don't even have to have Samus in them, and imagine what Samus would do in those scenarios. Picking up a character to main is never easy. The players that place high aren't doing so because of their character solely, but because they put hundreds of hours practicing and learning. You need to be ready to travel and spend money if you want to get better. Hopefully you're in a competitive region. If not, forget competitive gaming.

 

[Karcist]

Also, since noone has said this yet, the "nairs" and "fairs" and everything like that stand for the direction you hit the joystick as you hit a.

Nair = neutral air (don't move the joystick at all)
Bair = Back air (backwards joystick aerial attack)
Fair = Forward air (forward joystick aerial attack)
Dair = Down air (I think you get it)
U air = Up air (I think you get it)

U smash = Upwards smash attack (basically what move comes out with the c stick)
D smash = Down smash
F smash = forward smash

The same principle applies with the tilts. A tilt is the attack that comes out when you point the joystick a direction but don't smash attack.

 

[Vanilla-]

Thanks for the help, much appreciated. I think I will switch to other characters for competitive play but keep playing Samus in friendlies to appease my love for her. Another question about terms, what does SH. OoS, and DB stand for, also what is a tipper?

 

[Xyro77]

Thanks for the help, much appreciated. I think I will switch to other characters for competitive play but keep playing Samus in friendlies to appease my love for her. Another question about terms, what does SH. OoS, and DB stand for, also what is a tipper?

SH=short hop
OOS=out of shield
DB=this term does not exist
Tipper=hitting with the tip end of your attack/sword





And good move on picking up another character. Though Samus is extremely fun, you will be getting super frustrated at her lack of......everything.

 

[ZeroL]

DB = dancing blade, marth's side-b

 

[Karcist]

SH=short hop
OOS=out of shield
DB=this term does not exist
Tipper=hitting with the tip end of your attack/sword





And good move on picking up another character. Though Samus is extremely fun, you will be getting super frustrated at her lack of......everything.

She doesn't lack everything... Just the things she does lack she REALLY lacks... Like Aerial mobility, kill moves and damage output. (with the exception of charge shot)

 

[KillerJawz]

She doesn't lack everything... Just the things she does lack she REALLY lacks... Like Aerial mobility, kill moves and damage output. (with the exception of charge shot)

Her air mobility is actually decent, I have no idea what you're talking about :/. Her damage output is BEAUTIFUL, she lacks kill moves, that is quite honestly the only thing you said which was actually truthful.

She can wrack up the damage amazingly quickly, she has a nice air game and generally good air mobility (22nd or so airspeed isn't great, but with zair it hardly matters). Aside from that however, she is a TERRIBLE character, she has blind spots on her moves, she has a blind spot below her, her ground game is diabolical outside of a few moves which also lack knockback, and her smashes are an absolute joke.

Samus is a character in super smash bros brawl, she is pretty **** terrible.

 

[Xyro77]

She doesn't lack everything... Just the things she does lack she REALLY lacks... Like Aerial mobility, kill moves and damage output. (with the exception of charge shot)

Her main weapon(zair) does NOT refresh moves=****ty
She cant kill=****ty
Bombs=****ty
Usmash=****ty
Nair=****ty
Grab=****ty
She gets combed to hell and back=****ty


Samus is HORRIBLE

 

[Ravin]

Srsus Buznus

 

[Throwback]

her aerial mobility is good - tied for 2nd/3rd fastest deceleration. Her weak points are many and pretty well covered. I think nair is good at low %, it combos into everything nicely - just don't hit anyone in the air until about 50%.

 

[Scabe]

Wow Zair doesn't refresh moves? Would that be the same for any other Zair like Link and Toon Link?

 

[Xyro77]

Wow Zair doesn't refresh moves? Would that be the same for any other Zair like Link and Toon Link?

correct!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Z1GMA]

Samus is HORRIBLE

Good day, I main Ganon.

 

[KillerJawz]

Okay this is getting off topic :/. *Lock*