Q&A You Found the Hint Glasses! - Q&A and FAQ

[Elessar]

Correction: this is untrue, unless Shulk spams it

He did say that this Shulk spams his counter. Though to be honest I did not know about the recharging counter.

 

[Nifubias]

Quick question, what stages can you tetherslide aside from Jungle Japes?

 

[Officious]

Oh, another thing, there are times where you can set off the counter without being animation locked, such as by use of a projectile, if this happens, the counter is still unblockable and will go right thorugh your shield. Jump or otherwise avoid it, and punish the attack animation when it ends.

This is my absolute favorite punish against Shulk players. If they turn out to be counter-heavy players, I'll lay on the pressure with projectiles and SH->Bomb Drop when I'm close. This triggers the counter on the bomb, leaving you close enough to easily punish with (almost) anything. The only difficulty with this would be getting close enough to Shulk since his SH->NAir has a pretty dangerous range.

 

[Ieven]

I can now do the first two bombsliding, but the reverse, and the revers fakeout seems really hard in SSB4, is it someone know how to do the reverse and the fakeout ? I could do this in Brawl, but it seems to be different in this game.

For those who don't know of what i talk about : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjdQY5SOqEE

 

[Zelkam]

Quick question, what stages can you tetherslide aside from Jungle Japes?

I went through all the stages where I thought it might be possible and here's the ones I was able to perform it successfully on: Find Mii, Green Hill Zone (if you break the middle of the stage), Gaur Plain, Distant Planet (while standing on the...thing's head), Reset Bomb Forest (while standing on the bottom left platform after the transformation), 3D Land (if you make those blocks fall near the beginning and also once you get to the pipes), Rainbow Road (when you land on the three split tracks).

It's also worth noting that I couldn't seem to get it to work anywhere on the Wii U version, even it areas I think it should have. Unless someone can prove me wrong, it seems that tether sliding is limited to the 3DS version for now.

I can now do the first two bombsliding, but the reverse, and the revers fakeout seems really hard in SSB4, is it someone know how to do the reverse and the fakeout ? I could do this in Brawl, but it seems to be different in this game.

For those who don't know of what i talk about : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjdQY5SOqEE

I believe this thread ought to help you out. Best of luck!
[Question] Wii U Bombslide

 

[PKBeam]

hey all, i'm trying to improve Link as a secondary because I've never had a look around on the Link boards until now.
I want some proper advice and I have some questions:
1. how much should I be using nair and dtilt?
2. how do I go about camping properly?

 

[Rizen]

hey all, i'm trying to improve Link as a secondary because I've never had a look around on the Link boards until now.
I want some proper advice and I have some questions:
1. how much should I be using nair and dtilt?
2. how do I go about camping properly?

1. Nair is a good quick attack. It can be used as a combo breaker, quick offstage attack or a substitute for Dair if you don't want to commit to the lag. Assuming the hitbubble are how they looked in Brawl, it looks like this:

Good disjoint for a sex-kick move.
DTilt is mostly worthless. This post explains hot it works.
http://smashboards.com/threads/guid...t-link-in-smash-4.368190/page-4#post-18070535

2 Projectiles are largely about frame traps. Link can have all 3 out at once and they work together. For example, throw boomerang>the opponent dodges and gets hit with an arrow. There are a lot of complicated specifics but projectiles are used for chains of attack with each other and melee moves.
Bombs deserve a special note, these are Link's trump card. Since the explosions don't hurt Link if the bomb hits the opponent, bombs are great combo starters. They also can aid recoveries. Use them often.
Jump/hop around as you spam projectiles for spacing. There are a lot of ATs like bombslides too.

IMO to play Link you have to be passive aggressive, not pure aggressive or pure passive.

 

[Dumbfire]

1. how much should I be using nair and dtilt?

To expand on Rizen: Nair is excellent, use it often. Experiment. Gimp with it, short hop it to stop approaches, fall wit hit, break combos with it. Its hitbox last surprisingly long.

Dtilt is a basically useless spike (see Rizen's link) or a replacement for Dsmash if you don't want to stale it. It comes out very slow (frame 13 according to Rizen) but if you predict a roll that you would normally punish with Dsmash it is a fine replacement.

 

[PKBeam]

thanks for the tips. i've been using Dtilt like jab solely because of its IASA, i'm trying to break that habit now.

 

[Elessar]

hey all, i'm trying to improve Link as a secondary because I've never had a look around on the Link boards until now.
I want some proper advice and I have some questions:
1. how much should I be using nair and dtilt?
2. how do I go about camping properly?

Nair depends a lot on the MU, however it is a very safe move (unless you hit a shield) with massive knockback. I would say to use it often, specially vs Ganondorf or Falcon. In fact, nair in the Ganondorf match I'd a must since it stops Ganondorf's SideB and DownB (when Don on the stage to approach). This makes it a must since it shuts down Ganondorf's approach fame almost entirely. Nair also has a ridiculous priority, a really strong hitbox (dmg wise), and it stays out forever. Experiment with it and play with it's properties (sweetspot vs sourspot) as much as possible until you get a feeling of when to use it.

About camping, one thing I live about Sm4sh Link is that we don't have to camp anymore. Link can actually go toe to toe vs most chars on equal footing. This means that the spam game has changed from "please stay away" to "here, deal with these 3 disjointed hitboxes while I hit you from behind". Projectiles are meant to create pressure, set frame traps, combo setups, interrupt attacks/approaches, bait, and punish now instead of only chipping dmg while we run away. Mind you though, we still need to camp occasionally, it's just that it's not a must anymore. You need to get a feel for the rhythm of the match and camp when necessary and approach for a combo and a kill. Go here for a more detailed discussion on the topic.

 

[Knife8193]

So, it seems like bomb planting (uses C-stick for "attack") and bomb smashing (uses c-stick for "smash attacks") are exclusive of each other and can't work together on a single control scheme (GameCube anyway). Which do you all find more useful?

 

[Zelkam]

So, it seems like bomb planting (uses C-stick for "attack") and bomb smashing (uses c-stick for "smash attacks") are exclusive of each other and can't work together on a single control scheme (GameCube anyway). Which do you all find more useful?

I have every intention on keeping my c-stick set to attack. Bomb smashing was never an AT that I used much in the past and the soft thrown bomb seems too useful to give up. Not to mention that attack c-stick allows for bombslides.

 

[Elessar]

So, it seems like bomb planting (uses C-stick for "attack") and bomb smashing (uses c-stick for "smash attacks") are exclusive of each other and can't work together on a single control scheme (GameCube anyway). Which do you all find more useful?

While I don't really use nor have never used bomb smashing plan on keeping my cstick on smashes. I don't use bombslide, instead I JC throw so I don't need it for bombsliding. I also don't soft throw. I don't have any reason for it, I just never incorporated it into my game since I have always had cstick to smash. The reason why I have it set to smash is to be able to do Kara smashes and pivot smashes more effectively and easily, and those are two ATs that I use a lot. So it's not a decision to be made based only on those two ATs you mentioned, but actually on the whole spectrum of ATs which would be affected.

 

[hinsonan]

I know that it says to shield and space well when dealing with spamming links but is there a more in depth explanation as to how to stop getting hit so often?

 

[Elessar]

I know that it says to shield and space well when dealing with spamming links but is there a more in depth explanation as to how to stop getting hit so often?

I would say to pay attention to his spam pattern. Most people have a pattern in howitzer spam and can actually become quite predictable. Pay attention to this as well as which projectile they're throwing since this matters when choosing how to approach. taking out a bomb for example leaves link vulnerable during the animation so this might be a good moment to rush in.

However this questions can't be answers in more detail than this since a really detailed answer would depend on you character. That is, this is a MU question. Sonic, for example, would approach very differently than Fox or Sheik, even when all three are very aggro rush down chars. I'd suggest you check the MU index thread we have which will direct you to the threads in every char board which deal with MU. If you can't find a MU for Link in those boards, then consider checking this thread.

If this doesn't answer your question then I would suggest posting in one of our MU threads or even creating a new thread as long as you make sure we don't have a MU thread for your char. If we don't, create the thread with the tag [MU] and the name of you char and post the question as simply and straight forward as you can.

 

[Ieven]

I have pretty the same problem, except that is for me for almost all the character in the game who have projectile. When i approach the opponent i get shielded and grabed, and when i get too far or at medium distance, if i shield a projectile, i get grab or punsih.

So it's difficult to approach because if i shield the projectiles, i become so predictable, and if he has a good defense it's easy for him to punish if we come from the top or the side.

 

[FSK]

I know that it says to shield and space well when dealing with spamming links but is there a more in depth explanation as to how to stop getting hit so often?

Bomb pulls and boomerang throws have a lot of startup lag. So time it so you approach them during that lag and punish them. Make good use of powershields.

 

[Ieven]

Hi guys, i wonder if Bomb > Footstool > Arrow Lock is a viable setup ?

 

[PKBeam]

doesn't Nair's sourspot lock in this game?
if so, can't you do Bomb -> Footstool -> FF Nair sourspot -> Jab instead?

 

[Fox Is Openly Deceptive]

Bomb to footstool to arrow won't lock as it isn't fast enough and Jab doesn't lock anymore.

Link is still able to do the Bomb to footstool to Nair to fast fall Lock at low to mid percents on characters who aren't too thin. As for the arrow set up you mentioned, it doesn't help that like every move cancels a fast fall, so even if you wanted to fast fall then shoot an arrow, the arrow would immediately make you fall slowly again, and unlike with aerials, you can't fast fall during a special.

You can however re-lock them with one arrow after the Nair Lock, and two attempts have been made to get a combo out of the Nair lock that you will be interested in. http://smashboards.com/threads/at-ssbu-possible-link-bomb-footstool-lock.379312/
The thread linked shows one way found by @BryE in the OP and the second way found by @ FSK is linked in the second post.
Now of these two, I believe that only the first one found by @BryE might actually work (I am yet to test the first one though) because with the second one I don't think a footstool is guaranteed on a get-up animation according to this post I read a while ago http://smashboards.com/threads/mechanics-techniques-discussion.368206/page-15#post-18279887 and I have no reason to doubt its credibility.


Edit: Ok I just checked the first way, and it doesn't work either. All they have to do is hold shield and you can't hit them with the bomb unless you immediately throw it which means you don't have enough time to jump forwards then throw it, and you can't footstool them out of the standard ground throw so we're stuck with a single Nair Lock into a charged smash or a Nair lock into an arrow lock into some quick attack, but personally I'd probably just forget about the arrow and get a better punish. The Nair lock set up just by itself is pretty difficult in this game anyway, so unless you're confident, you may as well just go for a Dair after the footstool.

 

[1FC0]

So I was playing this huge noob and after a while I got to a point where I could own him by literary doing nothing but spamming arrows to keep him at a distance. But after some time doing that I got disconnected for idling. How come? How is pressing the B button over and over idling?

 

[PKBeam]

yeah. online is stupid that way.
when I find someone bad I just go Jigglypuff and try to land hilarious rest kills.

 

[Elessar]

So I was playing this huge noob and after a while I got to a point where I could own him by literary doing nothing but spamming arrows to keep him at a distance. But after some time doing that I got disconnected for idling. How come? How is pressing the B button over and over idling?

When online your activity is measured by how much you move, not your every input. So, staying still but spamming will get you disconnected since you're not moving. It is a flaw, but that's how the idle system works.

 

[FSK]

Actually the online system only checks the A button and maybe grab and shield. I've been thrown out for idling when spamming arrows and just by walking back and forth and stopping once in a while.

 

[Elessar]

Actually the online system only checks the A button and maybe grab and shield. I've been thrown out for idling when spamming arrows and just by walking back and forth and stopping once in a while.

Either way it is a pretty stupid system.

 

[UltimaLuminaire]

Quick question: I've been noticing in my matches that Link's Zair never clanks with any of my attacks. Does the Zair have a transient hit box? Rethinking my options.

 

[Elessar]

Quick question: I've been noticing in my matches that Link's Zair never clanks with any of my attacks. Does the Zair have a transient hit box? Rethinking my options.

I haven't really paid attention to this so far, but now that you mention it I do think that Zair doesn't have an active hitbox unless it hits the opponent. So yes, Zair will just go through your attacks and hitboxes and hit you. Though I do recall zair hitting the gordo and sending it back, and hitting the bolts from palutena's automatic reticule and canceling them.

 

[Rizen]

Quick question: I've been noticing in my matches that Link's Zair never clanks with any of my attacks. Does the Zair have a transient hit box? Rethinking my options.

Zairs are weird. It's technically not transcendent (so it won't cancel moves like MK's tornado like Falco's lasers do) but it never clanks. I think aerials in general don't clank but I'm not 100% sure how it works.

 

[PKBeam]

Aerials never clash with anything. At most, they'll trade with other attacks, but they'll never clash.

 

[Icyie]

Here's a basic question.

When would you want to use the bomb versus throwing boomerang or shooting a bow?

 

[SolxBadguy]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread to answer this question since I don't wanna create thread just for afew silly questions anyways I was deciding between maining Link or T.link I feel better with Link but some people said t.link is better but this game feels really balanced so you guys think I should just stick to the character I like? Sorry for the silly question,also who are some of the top or higher placing Link players I should check out?

 

[Dumbfire]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread to answer this question since I don't wanna create thread just for afew silly questions anyways I was deciding between maining Link or T.link I feel better with Link but some people said t.link is better but this game feels really balanced so you guys think I should just stick to the character I like? Sorry for the silly question,also who are some of the top or higher placing Link players I should check out?

Play Link. No elucidation required.

Watch Kirinblaze, Legan, BrimeZ, Ninjalink, Scizor(Link). You can find videos of all save Legan in the video thread.

 

[ShinTwist ScreamPaste]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread to answer this question since I don't wanna create thread just for afew silly questions anyways I was deciding between maining Link or T.link I feel better with Link but some people said t.link is better but this game feels really balanced so you guys think I should just stick to the character I like? Sorry for the silly question,also who are some of the top or higher placing Link players I should check out?

It's in the right thread now.

The answer to your question is in the top thread, the stickied, in call caps, rules thread.

Read this before posting.

Survival tip 7.
Don't give any indication that you are the kind of person who plays a character just because they are considered good or that you would switch characters just because your current character is bad. Any older Link mains will turn on you like you were a room full of pots and they were 20 rupees short of buying some magic beans. You must understand, Link was previously considered one of the worst characters, but there were some with the courage to stick it out regardless of this. Their motives for doing so were pure, but the effort required left them as a scarred and calloused husk of their former selves. They consider all such fair-weather mainers to be a grave insult to what they went through, so if you are one of these people it is highly recommended that you keep such information to yourself.

Stick with the character you like, hardship builds character.

 

[Karaoke Man]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread to answer this question since I don't wanna create thread just for afew silly questions anyways I was deciding between maining Link or T.link I feel better with Link but some people said t.link is better but this game feels really balanced so you guys think I should just stick to the character I like? Sorry for the silly question,also who are some of the top or higher placing Link players I should check out?

Go for whomever you like. Heck, you can play both Link and Toon Link if you want. Currently, there aren't any higher placing Links that I know of (I could very well be wrong though), but the Link Metagame is still in the process of development from where he left off in Brawl.

Who you want to main is completely up to you, but IF you do decide to play Link, I encourage you to read my above/previous posts and to watch my potato of a video that I posted.

 

[Lozjam]

Here's a basic question.

When would you want to use the bomb versus throwing boomerang or shooting a bow?

Bombs are easily your weapon with the most utility. You can have throw it in all four directions as you know, and with jumps and shorthops, can easily hit your target. Bombs are great close up, and far away if you space correctly. However, bombs have the most starting lag out of all of Link's tools, so you need to save bombs for the correct moments. Charged up arrows on the ground aren't that useful as a good opponent will either jump over it, or shield it. Mixing up various short charges of the bow with short hops and full jumps will give you a fast reliable way of covering in front of without using bombs. The boomerang, on the other hand has greater range than an uncharged arrow, and has just a little bit more lag. It also has the privilege of being able to be thrown diagonally both ways. We have Arrows, when uncharged, becomes a horizontal threat and can disrupt combos. Your boomerang, which has more lag, but has more reach and being able to throw diagonally. Your bombs have the most uses, but it is a risk to pull out a bomb, and you need to make sure you are safe whenever you pull out a bomb.

So, I will say this, it all depends on playstyle, though each projectile should be used in conjunction with each other. For example, you can use the boomerang to distract the opponent, with a little bit of hitstun to pull out a bomb and use either use your bomb or save it. You can use arrows to cover your horizontal ground in the air, and your bombs to cover directly below. You could also choose to use the bomb more defensively, waiting until the opponent comes close and using bombs out of shield to combo out of it. You can use your projectiles in such a variety, that there should not be a "definitive Link playstyle" with this iteration of Link. Be inventive, stay smart, and do not mindlessly spam and someday, you might be taking down Ganondorf's like lil' ol' me.

 

[Phill-Bot]

I have a bad habit of going for a hard read and up smashing when my opponent is getting on stage from the ledge. Or I'll take out a bomb while they're recovering, but that hasn't been working out for me either. What are the ideal moves on stage I should be using to cover all thier options (normal get up, jump, roll, etc) and getting the kill?

 

[Elessar]

I have a bad habit of going for a hard read and up smashing when my opponent is getting on stage from the ledge. Or I'll take out a bomb while they're recovering, but that hasn't been working out for me either. What are the ideal moves on stage I should be using to cover all thier options (normal get up, jump, roll, etc) and getting the kill?

There isn't a single option that covers every option if the are hanging from the Ledge, nor can you get a kill easily unless they are already in kill percentage. In fact, your edge guarding options will vary a lot depending on which char your opponent is using. However, as a rule of thumb what you can do is pay attention to how they get up. Most players have habits and always do the same thing under similar conditions. So see how the get up usually then the next time play as if they were going to do this. Chances are they will and you'll punish them.

For example, if you opponent always gets back on stage with an attack, simply stand at the Ledge, shield the attack and punish out of shield. If they always get up with a roll, stand at a safe distance and prepare a smash to punish the get up. If they jump, jump ahead of time and punish with a fair. If they have a habit of taking long enough to get up that their invinsibility wears off simply ftilt at the Ledge and you will hit them. Essentially, observe what they usually do and the next time act before they do it.

 

[Phill-Bot]

There isn't a single option that covers every option if the are hanging from the Ledge, nor can you get a kill easily unless they are already in kill percentage. In fact, your edge guarding options will vary a lot depending on which char your opponent is using. However, as a rule of thumb what you can do is pay attention to how they get up. Most players have habits and always do the same thing under similar conditions. So see how the get up usually then the next time play as if they were going to do this. Chances are they will and you'll punish them.

For example, if you opponent always gets back on stage with an attack, simply stand at the Ledge, shield the attack and punish out of shield. If they always get up with a roll, stand at a safe distance and prepare a smash to punish the get up. If they jump, jump ahead of time and punish with a fair. If they have a habit of taking long enough to get up that their invinsibility wears off simply ftilt at the Ledge and you will hit them. Essentially, observe what they usually do and the next time act before they do it.

Yea I worded that wrong, I know there isn't one single move to cover every option, I meant what moves I should be using in each case. Good to know ftilt hits them hanging from the ledge!

So what is the best way to punish out of shield if they come up with an attack, jab to dsmash (noticed this doesnt always combo) as appose to grabbing them? Or should I just use ftilt out of shield?

 

[Elessar]

Yea I worded that wrong, I know there isn't one single move to cover every option, I meant what moves I should be using in each case. Good to know ftilt hits them hanging from the ledge!

So what is the best way to punish out of shield if they come up with an attack, jab to dsmash (noticed this doesnt always combo) as appose to grabbing them? Or should I just use ftilt out of shield?

Ftilt is a bit too slow to use OoS. I usually Jab cancel to grab them since this again depends on what Char are you against and their weight. Some chars like Sheik are fast enough that you don't have a long time to punish so you need to go for fast attacks. Jab cancels are your best friend in these scenarios besides an OoS jump canceled upB. This is actually a very good choice (jump cancelled upB OoS) since you're standing right at the Ledge and according to our testing you can kill lighter opponents at the Ledge with an uncharged upB as soon as 110% (with Mario, could be sooner with lighter chars). Again the answer is somewhat situational except for jumpy cancel grab which works always.

 

[SoulRed12]

What would cause Link's Hylian shield to not block a Falco's projectiles? I was just playing against one online and he liked to spam lasers. I figured I'd just walk up to him but every laser damaged me. I tested against the AI and his lasers hit me as well. Is there a category of projectiles the shield won't block? I was under the impression (and I have read everywhere, including in one of the major guides on this board) that the shield is supposed to block pretty much everything, "even a reflected, previously pocketed fully charged Samus Charge Shot" as one guy said. But not tiny lasers? It even blocks Mega Man's crash bomb explosion.