As we all know Lucas's up smash is amazingly powerful but at the same time super laggy. The range of the up smash is also incredible which makes it great against people on platforms above you who don't expect it to reach that far. But of course this trick only works until the opponent learns their spacing to avoid it. However, there are a few strategies reserved for pulling off your up smash and not getting punished for the lag in the process. The safest way to use your up smash standing next to an opponent is on a platform and the smaller the better. You want to be close to the edge of the platform if possible as well. The reason for this is because, if you opponent shields your up smash you will be knocked off the platform and all lag will be canceled. Because the animation for Lucas's up smash is so long it is a difficult move for characters to spot dodge correctly. however, rolling will still get them out of the way of the attack. To avoid even this it's best to be on as small a platform as possible. On small platforms, the shield rolling will only allow opponents to escape your up smash in the invincibility frames given, rather than escaping its range. Again the timing for this is somewhat difficult because of the length of the attack. The platforms of Lylat Cruise are absolutely perfect for this. The platforms are so small that if you place yourself right and your opponent shields your up smash, not only will you slide off getting rid of all lag, but some characters will be knocked off the opposite side and sent into their falling animation leaving them open for attack. This on top of the fact that the platforms on Lylat Cruise can be autolanded (hold down + aerial or shield when level with platform to land immediately) on while tilting makes this stage actually a very good stage for Lucas if used correctly.
While I'm on the subject I would like to point out that Lucas's up smash can be used directly out of his shield. Because of the start up lag, this is not necesarily his best move to use after shielding an attack however if you notice the opponent hitting your shield with an especially laggy one you can save a few frames by doing your up smash directly out of the shield. What I find this more useful for is mixing up your approaches. If you run at your opponent and put up your shield, often what is expected is a shield grab which is most easily dodge by a spot dodge or short hop. If you instead put up your shield and begin your up smash out of it, the spot dodge will end by the time your up smash begins. This is surprisingly useful if you use it sparingly. For those of you who don't know, up smash out of shield is done by quickly pressing up on the analog and up on the c-stick in rapid succesion or for B-sticking, smash up +Z.
While I'm on the subject I would like to point out that Lucas's up smash can be used directly out of his shield. Because of the start up lag, this is not necesarily his best move to use after shielding an attack however if you notice the opponent hitting your shield with an especially laggy one you can save a few frames by doing your up smash directly out of the shield. What I find this more useful for is mixing up your approaches. If you run at your opponent and put up your shield, often what is expected is a shield grab which is most easily dodge by a spot dodge or short hop. If you instead put up your shield and begin your up smash out of it, the spot dodge will end by the time your up smash begins. This is surprisingly useful if you use it sparingly. For those of you who don't know, up smash out of shield is done by quickly pressing up on the analog and up on the c-stick in rapid succesion or for B-sticking, smash up +Z.
