Simmonick
Smash Cadet
Hey guys my first thread here. Im trying to Main Sonic but the weakest part of my game is my predictable approach options. In what ways have ya'll figured out how to get up close with the hedgehog?
-
Welcome to Smashboards, the world's largest Super Smash Brothers community! Over 250,000 Smash Bros. fans from around the world have come to discuss these great games in over 19 million posts!
You are currently viewing our boards as a visitor. Click here to sign up right now and start on your path in the Smash community!
Sonic Approach Discussion
- Thread starter Simmonick
- Start date
Down B is fast and can hard to react too at times so that is a really good approach. Other than that, DD and wait for some kind of opening. I like to have Sonic facing away from my opponent, and then down b-reversing towards the opponent.
Simmonick
Smash Cadet
Thanks man! so just bait out openings and catch them with a quick down b? Also how often do you use his dash attack?
I never use his dash attack, only thing it could be good for is the dash attack canceled to grab. I feel like its his worst move next to u-smash.
TwicH
Smash Apprentice
Grabs are nice as well. Go for those when you can.
roxolid
Smash Cadet
Short hop nair
Short hop nair
Short hop nair
(landing behind shield)
Hehe but seriously, I like short or full hopped l-canceled (goes without saying) dairs as well for approaching, they tend to catch people off guard because of their abrupt up-to-down movement. And then if your opponent is shielding, you can basically apply shield pressure with continued short hopped l-canceled dairs if you're fast enough.
But if you weren't maining Sonic in the first place anyway, you'd probably be...
TOO SLOW
Good luck, Simmonick!
Short hop nair
Short hop nair
(landing behind shield)
Hehe but seriously, I like short or full hopped l-canceled (goes without saying) dairs as well for approaching, they tend to catch people off guard because of their abrupt up-to-down movement. And then if your opponent is shielding, you can basically apply shield pressure with continued short hopped l-canceled dairs if you're fast enough.
But if you weren't maining Sonic in the first place anyway, you'd probably be...
TOO SLOW
Good luck, Simmonick!
Flush 5
Smash Cadet
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2006
- Messages
- 73
^^ lol too true!
I see people often describe sonic's main playstyle as bait and punish. But for certain match ups, like snake, it's better to put on the pressure. I think he can be good at any playstyle, and this is a little more theory, but when you change up your "playstyle" you are changing your spacing, approaching and moves. We describe them usually as defensive, bait n punish, Aggressive/Pressure.
Sonic is capable of any playstyle, so think of your approaches in terms of the style you're trying to play in that particular match. You choose a style based on what works against your opponent, so when a certain approach starts working well, that can inform you about the style that counters that opponent + character.
I certainly need help with the specifics for sonic, to figure out exactly which moves and spacing make up the different play styles.
Bait n Punish is the most common style I hear. I think of this as mainly dash dancing to make them whiff an attack and go in for the grab. I can't always seem to get the down b going top speed, sometimes I don't mash that much in the air and land going full speed... So I like to rely on the Run into Grab, Dash Attack Canceled Grab or maybe side b>Grab, and try to tech chase. The Problem I have here is sometimes dashing into their attack or reacting too slow and getting punished. Which is why I think the spin moves can possibly be too vulnerable for this style of play, but maybe I'm just too slow... The point of this style is to minimize the time you're exposed in risky positioning, by attacking carefully.
Aggressive Pressure is of course, everyone's favorite playstyle to watch because it's fast and combo heavy, but I tend to think it requires more skill and awareness to do well, particularly with sonic because you gotta go fast and that's a physical barrier you can only overcome with a lot of practice + experience. u/TwitcH mentioned this style is necessary against snake because he can keep you out if you try to sit back and Bait him, but his moves are kind of slow and laggy besides Cypher so you can overwhelm with speed and the right moves.
So I'm not fast enough yet to really take full advantage of sonic's aggro ability, and I just don't know what the right moves are. I want to do like a SHFFL'd weak nair > down b > jump > any aerial (I mostly connect with nair). My Problem is they seem to DI the jump hit from down b to avoid my aerials, or I'm choosing the wrong moves. I feel like he can pillar with down b > jump > dair, but it's so fast I don't think I do the dair soon enough. SHFFL into down b isn't bad though right? Can you charge it to beat a shield grab?
Defensive is probably the least talked about style because I don't think people consider it much. I am probably shooting in the dark here more than the previous paragraphs, but I think sonic's speed is key here as much as the other styles. It should be similar to the bait n punish, but you basically don't put yourself in risky positions and attempt to counter them with an attack or force them into worse positioning off the stage. Edge Guarding is probably one of the basic areas where you primarily use defensive tactics because you can wait longer than them, and they must choose a way to return and no matter what put themselves in a vulnerable position if you can properly read it. I also think the spin mindgames between down b, side b, nair, HA/BA in the neutral can be a defensive style if done with some kind of plan, because I am mostly random and that doesn't pan out well.
I see a lot of people classifying each character by the playstyle they think the character was designed for. And I'm sure the PMBR did have certain expectations about how their characters should be played. Maybe it's just a literary thing, like terminology, but I think every character can be played in multiple "styles" because that's how people win. What separates characters are the special characteristics that make those playstyles interesting and diverse. Sonic's is speed of course, and so you need to practice getting and staying fast in any style because that's his biggest advantage.
Someone like Marth has one of the best spacing tools in the game, so proper spacing and move timing are key in all of his play styles.
TL;DR Just read it, I may be rambling a bit, but I'm trying to understand sonic and smash better and hoping that a dialogue with real, practical knowledge might come from this.
I see people often describe sonic's main playstyle as bait and punish. But for certain match ups, like snake, it's better to put on the pressure. I think he can be good at any playstyle, and this is a little more theory, but when you change up your "playstyle" you are changing your spacing, approaching and moves. We describe them usually as defensive, bait n punish, Aggressive/Pressure.
Sonic is capable of any playstyle, so think of your approaches in terms of the style you're trying to play in that particular match. You choose a style based on what works against your opponent, so when a certain approach starts working well, that can inform you about the style that counters that opponent + character.
I certainly need help with the specifics for sonic, to figure out exactly which moves and spacing make up the different play styles.
Bait n Punish is the most common style I hear. I think of this as mainly dash dancing to make them whiff an attack and go in for the grab. I can't always seem to get the down b going top speed, sometimes I don't mash that much in the air and land going full speed... So I like to rely on the Run into Grab, Dash Attack Canceled Grab or maybe side b>Grab, and try to tech chase. The Problem I have here is sometimes dashing into their attack or reacting too slow and getting punished. Which is why I think the spin moves can possibly be too vulnerable for this style of play, but maybe I'm just too slow... The point of this style is to minimize the time you're exposed in risky positioning, by attacking carefully.
Aggressive Pressure is of course, everyone's favorite playstyle to watch because it's fast and combo heavy, but I tend to think it requires more skill and awareness to do well, particularly with sonic because you gotta go fast and that's a physical barrier you can only overcome with a lot of practice + experience. u/TwitcH mentioned this style is necessary against snake because he can keep you out if you try to sit back and Bait him, but his moves are kind of slow and laggy besides Cypher so you can overwhelm with speed and the right moves.
So I'm not fast enough yet to really take full advantage of sonic's aggro ability, and I just don't know what the right moves are. I want to do like a SHFFL'd weak nair > down b > jump > any aerial (I mostly connect with nair). My Problem is they seem to DI the jump hit from down b to avoid my aerials, or I'm choosing the wrong moves. I feel like he can pillar with down b > jump > dair, but it's so fast I don't think I do the dair soon enough. SHFFL into down b isn't bad though right? Can you charge it to beat a shield grab?
Defensive is probably the least talked about style because I don't think people consider it much. I am probably shooting in the dark here more than the previous paragraphs, but I think sonic's speed is key here as much as the other styles. It should be similar to the bait n punish, but you basically don't put yourself in risky positions and attempt to counter them with an attack or force them into worse positioning off the stage. Edge Guarding is probably one of the basic areas where you primarily use defensive tactics because you can wait longer than them, and they must choose a way to return and no matter what put themselves in a vulnerable position if you can properly read it. I also think the spin mindgames between down b, side b, nair, HA/BA in the neutral can be a defensive style if done with some kind of plan, because I am mostly random and that doesn't pan out well.
I see a lot of people classifying each character by the playstyle they think the character was designed for. And I'm sure the PMBR did have certain expectations about how their characters should be played. Maybe it's just a literary thing, like terminology, but I think every character can be played in multiple "styles" because that's how people win. What separates characters are the special characteristics that make those playstyles interesting and diverse. Sonic's is speed of course, and so you need to practice getting and staying fast in any style because that's his biggest advantage.
Someone like Marth has one of the best spacing tools in the game, so proper spacing and move timing are key in all of his play styles.
TL;DR Just read it, I may be rambling a bit, but I'm trying to understand sonic and smash better and hoping that a dialogue with real, practical knowledge might come from this.