Pivot Grabbing, Retreating Grab: Post feedback

[IcantWin]

Alrighty guys, so I've done a little perusing around the Falcon board and I can't seem to find any extended material on pivot grabs or retreating grabs. So I thought I'd just inform the uninformed on some useful techniques that I found (unfortunately on my own); quite some time back.

In an upcoming replay I'll be posting, I have a match with one of my friends (Fox), and the retreating grab is used a few times.

How to?: As you run from your opponent, dash away as soon as they make a running approach, (works much better on faster characters that will tail you) at the end of your dash, tap toward them and press Z. What it should look like is Falcon stopping his action, and turning around immediately to grab, which is by far one of the most helpful things to do for a defensive Falcon.

 

[Sh1n0b1]

News to me. Sounds very sexy.

 

[BananaTrooper]

I'd like to see a video of this. Wouldn't this assume that the character that chases you can outrun you?

 

[A2ZOMG]

Yeah, honestly I think it's essential to know when to pivot grab with Falcon. Pivot grabs generally increase your grab range pretty nicely. This is no exception for Falcon, and Falcon absolutely needs grab range.

One thing I like to do if I feel bold is run behind my opponent and pivot grab them. Of course I don't do it all the time, because that would get easily punished.

 

[IcantWin]

Yeah, honestly I think it's essential to know when to pivot grab with Falcon. Pivot grabs generally increase your grab range pretty nicely. This is no exception for Falcon, and Falcon absolutely needs grab range.

One thing I like to do if I feel bold is run behind my opponent and pivot grab them. Of course I don't do it all the time, because that would get easily punished.

I'm heading home tomorrow morning, so when I get there I'll transfer the replays on to an SD card and get them uploaded somehow . Anyway, hope I wont delay you for long, really want to get this up.

 

[Dead Sexy Captain Falcon]

Can't wait for the video, it's kinda hard to visualize as it is now i think i sorta get it

 

[Tenki]

Hehehe, played wifi matches with a certain Snake main who was using Falcon.
He was probably one of the better Falcons I've played against, partly because he was an awesome player (good reading, mindgames, etc), and was exceptionally better than most Falcon players I fought.

Things I noticed:
-Usage of D-air's hitstun (not necessarily finished/cancelled)- and use of Nipple Launch.
-Pivot Grabs.

Retreating pivot grabs are useful (just as 'reverse stutterstep' is), and that is good. However, he used pivot grabs as an approach.

Most people see a Falcon running at them and think (okay, he's easily shieldgrabbed out of everything! He's gonna do a dash attack!) and either shield>gran or spotdodge.

However, if you run past and then pivot grab, it will grab them out of a reflexive spotdodge (done to dodge as you got near them).

Interesting things to note:
Standing pivot grab:
[Run] > [Z]-[back]

Sliding pivot grab:
[Run] > [back]-[Z]

Standing pivot grab seems to be better for punishing dodges, and sliding pivot grab seems to be better for just changing to B-throw or doing D-throw/F-throw in the opposite direction at the same speed you would if you did a normal dash grab. Maybe siding pivot grab might be more useful for retreating grabs.

 

[Psychoace]

If you time it right also you will not only turn around and grab your momentum should carry you so that your grabbing while also sliding. The way I do it dash away twice and then dash towards the enemy once that's where the timing gets hard I think you have to push z around the same time you dash back for him to slide.

 

[Tenki]

Sliding pivot grab:
[Run] > [back]-[Z]

You're too slow

Spoiler

10tooslows

 

[Spudnick]

Retreating grabs aren't very useful because falcon can outrun every character in the game except sonic. Approaching with a pivot grab seems very risky as well. After one or two times he'll probably have learned to not spot dodge and depending on the character, Dsmash or some sort of manuever that will hurt.

 

[Ayaz18]

PWG's are pretty useful, but I use them very sparingly

 

[Wogrim]

I don't see why pivot grab is so useful; it seems to me there are a lot better ways to punish people.

 

[Tenki]

Retreating grabs aren't very useful because falcon can outrun every character in the game except sonic. Approaching with a pivot grab seems very risky as well. After one or two times he'll probably have learned to not spot dodge and depending on the character, Dsmash or some sort of manuever that will hurt.

Retreating 'standing' pivot grabs can be useful though, if your opponent is approaching aggressively. If Falcon can outrun most characters and their attacks, then this means he can probably effectively retreat out of range and use the extended grab range to get them out of their whiffed attacks.

IMO it should be part of Falcon's approach mindgames.

You land a pivot grab after a spotdodge. Your opponent is mindful of this and either:
- Tries to attack you out of your approach (up-B/side-B/down-B/Shield/Jump can stop your momentum and force+punish a miss)
- Prepares to attack behind him (you can attack from the front)

etc.

I see it as a viable mixup.

 

[Eddosan]

I constantly use pivot grabs as Yoshi, since he recovers faster than usual with it, but never really tried with other characters. If it gives Falcon more grab range, I would say it definitely IS a viable mixup. I'll see if I can incorporate that into my Falcon play sometime. Nice find.

 

[Tenki]

I sucessfully pivotgrabbed a Ganondorf during his Dsmash (I was running away from it, and I was behind him). From out of his attack range.

This thing has serious hax range for Falcon. You can like, run away from any approach and grab the guy out of it lol. It almost makes up for his shield grab.