Ike Guide, the Powerful Swordsmen

[Thee Archer]

I really don't need to explain what this is, clearly by the title its easy to see. So without futher to do, here is Archer's and Saber's guide to Ike.

Table of contents
Post 1- moveset
Post 2- Saber's insight

*Steady Moving mountion* Ground attacks

Ike general attacks on the ground are mostly slow, but just about all have power to K.O, some leaving you open after using as well... with this advantage in mind, attacks must be well placed and timed right to land them before you are hit and to also ensure you will actually hit. Problem that many ike users do is Abuse of his laggyer just because of their strength, well there is plenty of other attacks that can be used with safer results.

AAA combo- Ike's fastest move/combo and probably most valuable in my opinon. Your basic three ponged attack that does about 4+3~4+7~8 damage, best used many ways from general attacking to move breaker, mainly it should be used after a attack that has lag on it, it will often protect you from a charging enemy: Great move.

Strong A- I believe this attack has the longest range of Ike's landset, Ike reaches out and slashes his sword. This is a powerful move with good K.O. power and less down time than his Fsmash, has a bit of start up lag so keep that in mind. Preferabably should be used every so often, sometimes its good as a surprise like when you have been using Fsmash alot you can pop in this move, its a faster attack with better extent range so it will catch them guessing wrong and usually will get the K.O.

Down A- Much better move than it seems, Ike does a low slash similar to his strong A without as much range and more down time. With it being a low cut he'll sometimes dodge moves and get the job done. Enemies hit will be either sent up into the air or sometimes diagonally, more often its straight up though. However, when this move is done to someone hanging on the ledge... its pretty much a automatic K.O. no matter the percent, the trick is to land it on someone who knows this

Up A- not his best but shouldn't be neglected, Ike does a vertical slash. Has better than decent range with a long hit time, but isn't as powerful as any of his other moves so I probably don't use it as much as I should, but that shouldn't stop you. Has a bit of start and end lag so keep that in mind.

Usmash- Fastest smash with a good wide range and potent K.O. ability but suffers some down time after use, Ike slashes all around him with forward being the starting point. This is a good example of when to use the AAA combo because of the down time, best used for when those enemies like to dodge roll a Fsmash.

Dsmash- Slower than Usmash with less range and reach but is more accurate for trying to hit a dodge roller, Ike slashes down by his feet on both sides. It has a little less down time than the Usmash, so sometimes it can give you a split second sooner to attack which can often save you from a hit. Not to be forgotten.

Fsmash- Ike's most powerful K.O. move with fair range and even a bit of overhead reach but at the price of the longest start up and down time lag... Ike pulls back his sword and does a deadly vertical thrust. Its hard to master this move because of not only the timing it needs to hit, but perhaps more importantly of when to use it. Most noobs will abuse and get killed, other vets. will save it and barely use it. Find the perfect moments to max the potential of this smash.

Dash attack- as it implies its a dash strike which he moves pretty fast and doesn't have much lag on it but if used wrong you can be shield grabbed, ike does a swinging motion with his sword, kinda best put when two people are fighting and they do that last finisher attack to see who's left standing. Really just a build up damage move but since its speed it can be used much more often. If done right you can avoid a shield grab like sonic's dash move too.

*One of a Kind*, Specials

To best use your ike, you will have to mix a special sometimes. Overall, his specials aren't the best but a pretty good fit for him to be honest.

Standard B- a pretty good range with a charge up power+K.O. to add but has some down time after to note, Ike charges his blade and unleashes a eruption. I mostly use when the foe is aggressive with his attacking, so as I'm falling I charge up and use this move. A very important note is that for a few seconds during the attack he will withstand a incoming attack and still deal his blow, unflinchable frame so to speak. Can be the winning move in a close game.

Fspecial- a recoverery/charge up attack with a loooooooooong range but has big lag if he slashes and misses, Ike charges in a position then will reach out a slash. Mix this move in since it's long range, but don't forgot about a hit/attempt hit down time, it could be lethal. If he doesn't attempt to slash, he will move very fast to another position where you can still deal a hit. Also note it has a limit to its range.

Uspecial- his recover move but it is soooooo edge hogable.... Ike throws up his sword, goes up really fast and does a few flips and comes down just as fast. Don't always rely on this move to recover, it spells death at times. Its has move than recover uses so experiment, note these two things; one when you land on the ground, you'll have lag, and two it also has a unflinchable frame while he throws up the sword.

Dspecial- my least used special is his counter move which allow him to counter any attack with the strength of it+extra but of course has mega down time if you don't do it right, ike assumes defensive positon and if hit he will cut you facing forward. The counter doesn't react as fast as marth's, but is still a counter nonetheless. Don't forget it.

*Just like a Hurricane*, Air attacks

well this is my final part of the guide, after this its Saber's turns for everything basic and advance so on and so forth... Back on topic, Ike's air set is all slow except his Dair, just like his land set but is nearly just as strong. Don't forget an air attack style because its important.

Nair- low damage and lag fall time but good range while avoiding attacks, Ike slashes everything under him. Best when short hop to avoid fall lag, then use a another attack to follow. Chain this attack with follow attacks and short hop.

Fair- really good vertical range and reach but has small lag on landing and after use period, Ike slashes vertically in front of him. Just like Nair its good to short hop, its pretty much a stronger Nair without range on his backside and a broader reach and range. Use this as your main attack from the air.

Uair- power straight up like a weaker Fsmash but just like it it has start up lag, ike swing his sword up and around in the air. Like I said use it like a Fsmash just straight up in the air, not much else really to note besides this: if you time right, you can hit them even if they air dodge. Just remember to follow them in the air while using it, otherwise this info. is useless.

Dair- power spike straight down with lag like any other spike, Ike thrust's his sword right under him. Personally I don't do often but don't turn down a chance, its just easier to gimp with a Fair than with this spike really. If you don't do it often its a surprise attack too, just do not forget to use this.




At the end of this part of my side of the guide, please keep in mind that it isn't completely done like I forgot the grab-n-throw section, but after time I will add it. Q&A's are forward to Saber

[Thee Archer]

Saber: Hello fellow swordsmen, your's truely saber here providing insight on just about everything with ike. Although I am no ike, me and his move set are very similar :P so Archer asked if I could provided some knowledge and enlightenment on the true strength of him. I will share all that all know, but it will be a slow process because of how much it is... Any who, I will gladly offer training lessons for anyone that wants to see me in combat head on or just to improve yourself. Now that that's done, lets get started!

Note: table of contents for MY section will change and increase over time until I reach a certain point.

Table of contents (duh!)
1. General Offense(+defence..)!
2. Mind Games
3. Emotion and harnessing it
4. Recovering
5. Countering the Camp
6. Combos*not up yet*

General Attacking and Defending
Ok, although there is much going around that ike is a defensive character, do not believe it completely. Personally, I would say my attack to defend ratio is around 40-60. Its best to know when to attack and of course when to counter, try staying defensive and reading your enemy so you know what to expect, then once you understand them you plan a whole style to counter it. I don't recommend this without attacking them though, because if you just keep giving them chances to attack you won't be able to counter. Every match has a flow to it: some faster than others, and of course there's the stalemates. Its learning to tell the difference, learn the flow means you can find their style easier, therefore increasing your chances to win.

I tend to attack first, find the flow and tendencies, then find a counterattack style. While this you play around with the foe to get a feel. By the end of a match, last stock I mean you should have a good feel for most enemies, others may have more complex styles so watch out.

The key to a good defence is a good offense, after you know, you can attack or counter (which ever you prefer). Secret to winning: increasing your chances to K.O. your foe while decreasing their's. Which explains and conclues this section.

Mind Games
Very important.... You must learn how to play with the opponent's mind, or how to "toy" with it. Mind games isn't really something you can easially explain, you just learn it from picking up your own style. There are certain things you can do though, try to not have any repetition in your attacks, that gives away your style. Mix up your attacks with different finishers or starters, once they learn you it makes it difficult to win. That is the purpose of mind games.

An example of a type of mind games, would be say holding you smashes for a second or more longer than you would usually do. Some people like to spot dodge than shield, so when you hold just a little bit longer.... caught. This works for the people who try to just perfect shield and counter like a marth or another ike too. You can't just hold all the time though, because sometimes this very attack will push back a foe who is shielding. Like I said, mind games is usually learned by the player his or herself.

Emotion
Lets face it, sometimes we get wrapped up in the moment and get mad, and we can't fight we normally do we more often or not just screw up even more, which of course does not help.... Emotion is a very powerful thing, I can't desribe how important to learn a skill like this is. Every once in a while people are motavated and truely do sometimes play better, some people however don't really ever notice this. Believe me, its real. I'm sure if you can label this a skill or not, but to me it is.

I have a example of when emotion takes over (sorry Kid ninja, this was my best example....)
Me and my friend Kid were playing Ike-Saber matches, it was the last game of a deadlock series of battles; five in total with this being the last one. He had won the first two, somehow pulling through each time. Then, I won the next two with a two stock being one of them. So, you could assume it was going to be a bloody stalement with winner take all... well really early in the match, I SD'ed my first stock. He had hardly taken all damage at all so you could guess he was going to win this, that then and now, my emotions took over. I thought of all the intensity of the last matches, thinking "all the fighting I did to get this point, and this happens... I must give in there's no way I can overcome this hole..." but then, something snapped. "No, I fought too hard to get to this point! I can't just hand him over the win!.. I rather lose knowing I fought with everything I had, than to give up with all these regrets, that said I'm not going to let a little mistake take away what is mine!" I let out my favorite taunt:

"Ill never"
"give in!!"

and with that, I fought on. I attacked faster, sharper, smarter than I usually do... I came out of what would had been a give up three stock, with a what would had been three stock with little damage had I not killed myself by mistake. That is how you respond with emotion; never give up and never give in. I converted a mistake, into firepower for my comeback.

Everyone can go into this state, this "beast mode" you can say, but how its done is different with every person. You must find this way out yourself though, just to have some fun I'll say this :P it could be love, after all they say love is the strongest force there is... I wouldn't recommend you ignore this or you miss out on a powerful battle changer. You should find out how you can do this ASAP.

Side note: even once you learn how to though, it can't be used in every single match. Its emotion, it comes and goes, how often and long is the only thing you can control. By learning it I mean making it happen more often.

Getting back on track
One of ike's biggest weaknesses is recovererin', getting back on the stage simplely. There are three simple solutions that will somehow hide this weakness.
1.) Change your recoverery- really easy, don't recover the same way every time, if you let them predict your recoverery it makes it that much easier for them to gimp/edge hog you.
2.) Assume the Gimp- every time your knocked off the stage, have the approach that they will try to gimp you everytime. You get this, you can knock them away and get back stage as well, sometimes you even get in a good position to deal a lethal blow.
3.) Wisdom- last one is really basic; don't be stupid. Know your limits, know when to midair jump, and know when to launch a attack. Fair is good against people who try to gimp since it's wide range but requires start time, once you grab the edge and if they are waiting, have another style to get back up with the basic edge moves. If your are going to try to midair dodge, try to make sure you haven't use the midair jump.

Campers...
With ike's biggest weakness being the camper and gimp, your better countering the gimper than the camper. With no projectiles, your very limited. My tips yo fighting campers are:
1.) Don't use heavy downtime attacks, they aren't going to be aggressive, so your going to have to use faster moves that don't leave you as open so long. Use tilts instead of smashes for example.
2.) Be smarter with your attack pattern. Don't keep repeating yourself in general... but against a camper, this grabs even more attention. You have little options, and you have to mix them up as well as you can.
3.) Lastly, be more active. Don't stand there and take the camp! Move around, jump, dodge, backflip! get into their head. Most think if they can camp a ike, they can win, not true. It just makes it more difficult for ike to get the win.

Mix these rules with your general attack style, you need to be as adaptable as you can be with ike. You only have so many attacks at your hands, you have to make best use of everything you got.

[Thee Archer]

extra.

also, we'd lik 2 kno our work isnt in vain... so feedback would b nice.

[SoulSeizures]

Originally Posted by ShadowX lol

i seriously don't know why my posts are deleted when they have actual content and posts like these aren't
Good guide; might want to add in general strategies/mindgaming smashes.

[Thee Archer]

Originally Posted by SoulSeizures i seriously don't know why my posts are deleted when they have actual content and posts like these aren't Good guide; might want to add in general strategies/mindgaming smashes.

thats gonna b in saber section, which isnt even displayable lol

[Kid Ninja]

Lol at the Emotion bit, Because that's quite true!
I remember that Match actually, and that proves that Mental state is very important when playing. It also shows that Overconfidence can be anyone's Downfall

GG=Good Game/Good Guide

Very Detailed and with "Out side the box" detail about focussing, i really like this Guide. Good Job

[Sleddog]

great guild very detailed

[Thee Archer]

Thank you.

[Crazy]

Great Guide very detailed I must say. I'm surprised at the amount of replies however.

[Sploosh]

Very Good Guide Archer

[Thee Archer]

UPDATE.

Recovering

[ShadowX]

Originally Posted by SoulSeizures i seriously don't know why my posts are deleted when they have actual content and posts like these aren't Good guide; might want to add in general strategies/mindgaming smashes.

Lol I was kidding.
And it WAS deleted