(Charizard Guide) ITS SUPER EFFECTIVE

Hey peeps! Its been a hot minute~

Get it?

End Me.

Sorry for taking quite some time, but as you can see I wrote a lot for you guys to see~ I sincerely hope I help some of you improve your zard skills by reading this. I poured all my knowledge here <3

[ NOTE: This blog is written in a pokemon battle format. Hopefully it shows, and as always, enjoy reading! :D ]

[NOTE#2: Every single photo here of Charizard I took myself on my gamepad/3ds. Table of contents and header pics are from online that I edited. (Including the pokeballs in the tpl and bg) ]

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Bait and Punish. With Charizard its imperative that you know the options your opponent has over you and knowing how to counteract them. You simply bait with a move, and punish accordingly. To look at it differently, you need to play a mix of defense and offense, all in order to get your opponent to fall right in your hands! Conditioning your opponents will be key!

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TRAINER SENT OUT: CHARIZARD!

WHAT WILL CHARIZARD DO?

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» Run and Shield

Yep. Aproaching is that simple sometimes. Granted you may get punished with a grab, but this tactic allows you to see how your opponent reacts to this approach. This information can be useful later on. If they atrack shield then simply shield grab or use jab.

» Shorthop Flamethrower

Flamethrower is such a powerful tool, and you'll see me talk about this move frequently. Shorthop flamethrower allows you to stop approaches while creating your own. Always make sure to angle the move to hit your opponent or their sheild, and then aim down to their feet to force a reaction.

If they stay in sheild the flamethrower will shield poke. If they roll back, they're backed into a corner. Rolling forward is a no no, and if they jump you can angle the flamethrower upwards. Endlag of flamethrower is bad so try to not let them get too close.

» Tomahawk jab/grab

To perform a tomahawk, simply shorthop and fastfall jab/grab. Charizard's jab is actually one of his best moves, since it comes out pretty fast. Simple jab follow ups would be Jab jab into grab or jab jab into dtilt.

From grabs, your bread and butter combo will be down throw fair/up air. Especially at lower percents~ At higher percents it becomes a 50/50 on some characters. Past 100% and you're not sure if up throw would kill, do down throw and use up b if they airdodge. If they jump, fast fall to the ground and punish their landing as best as you can!

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CHARIZARD USED: FLAMETHROWER

IT WAS SUPER EFFECTIVE!

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» Down Tilt/ Forward Tilt

Now that you have your opponent on edge, you need to pressure their sheild as well as other options. Down tilt is awesome at sheild poking and pressuring because its quick, has a small windbox, and if it connects you can try to get a dash attack conversion.

Ftilt is slower and has a tipper on its tail. This move is still f a n t a s t i c since it can still apply sheild pressure from a safe distance. Both moves are somewhat safe on shield and ftilt can be angled up or down.

» Shorthop Fair/Bair

Fair is soooo good its dumb. Even if its staler than the "NO U WONT NOT XD" meme, the move is still stupid good. Shorthop fair autocancels and is relatively safe on sheild.

Bair, on the other hand, doesn't autocancel if shorthopped and is sometimes safe on sheild. Its safe if you hit the tipper on sheild (cause of sheild stun xddd). The tipper is only moderately hard to hit unless you have good spacing. In situations where you are pressuring, I would suggest using AC Fair if you wanna do an aerial. Bair is just a biiiitt too slow, however if you wanna mixup and RAR it then it works.

» Jab 1 and 2

Yepyep. Just jabs. Its great at dealing shield damage and its pretty quick. You can punish shield by grabbing, and after you conditioned to drop shield after jab 1 or 2 you can finish jab.

Caution: If your opponent isn't in shield when you start jab, be wary that they may have a faster jab than you (Zss for instance). This means that they can mash A while you try to go for jab jab grab. If this is the case then always finish jab.

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OPPONENT USED: SHORTHOP NAIR. IT FAILED

WHAT WILL CHARIZARD DO?

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Hehehe now for the good stuff!

» Dash Attack/Grab

You're a charizard and you see someone roll away or charging a smash attack in the wrong direction. Just dash attack. Yep. That simple. You wont get a conversion, most likely, but you can send them in the air and then you cam punish their landings. Also, dash attack has a disted hitbox (sorta) and can reach over the ledge.

This applies to dash grab. Except that once you get a grab you can do a pummel or two and then down throw. These options are probably the quickest, except for up smash ;)

» Flare Blitz

Probs zard's most satisfying move to kill with other than maybe dair. It's also hella safe cuz super armor. Thats why, whenever you see your opponent charge a smash attack or put themselves in heavy endlag, you can safely use this move to hit them. Beware that a whiffed flare blitz puts you in heavy lag as well.

This move can clank against dists or certain projectiles, and you're very vulnerable at the very start if this move, so beeee carefulllll.

» Flamethrower

Think of Flamethrower as a safer way to punish your opponent at a set distance. The damage isn't the best but if you think that your better options won't come in time or miss, then flamethrower is your best bet.

» Bair

Whether you're punishing a whiffed attack or get up option or otherwise, a sweet tipper bair is a really nice option. It can even kill early by the ledge if you're able!

» Up Smash

The perfect move to catch landings. It comes out frame 6 and has the fastest end lag out of his smash attacks. Its also perfect for punishing ledge jump/ drop and even rolls. With rage you can net an early kill~

» Fly

A nice mixup to punish landings. Great for when your opponent is in a lotttt of endlag (like if a toon link whiffed a dair) or catching airdodges toward the ground. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it. It should be used as a mix up ONLY. Rock smash and Up Smash are better options. A whiffed Fly attack will give your opponents a message saying "Please combo me im a masochist"

Oh and also, if not positioned correctly, your opponents can fall out of a grounded up b somce the hit box is weird.

That being said its not a great oos option either...

» Rock Smash

Assuming you are in fact Jesus himself, and land rock smash every single time as you intend to, Rock smash will be the equivalent to oxygen. This move is excellent for punishing nearly everything. Wanna punish a bad landing? Rock Smash. They whiffed a smash attack? Rock Smash. Roll reads? Rock Smash. Ledge options? Rock Smash. Sheild too small? Rock Smash. Rock smash? Rock Smash.

(Basically the ditto, for that last part ^^^)

It has super armor and the move is disted so its safe sometimes. If you whiff you'll get punished cuz of endlag, so its definitely risk/reward. Oh and please do be careful. The super armor is only active in front of charizard. Behind him, he is susceptible to attacks.

Oh and its important to note that you may be grabbed out of Rock Smash if Charizard's skull hasnt hit the rock yet.

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CHARIZARD USED: DASH ATTACK.                                                                          

IT WAS SUPER EFFECTIVE! THE OPPONENT IS NOW OFFSTAGE!

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» Dair

Just run off dair. Or if you wanna be fancy, do a ledge trump and then dair/bair.

Butttt I guess you can miss dair. Luckily you have three jumps so just jump again and dair once more. Your luck is even better since dair is a bit of a long lasting hitbox, so you can get a weak hit in an attempt to gimp.

Your third jump should be used to help you recover, unless its guaranteed that you WILL be able to hit a dair on your third jump or able to recover at whatever height you're at.

May all of you Zards style with ease

:sunglasses: :sunglasses: :sunglasses:

» Flamethrower

Again, the ez and safe route is to just use flamethrower. It's his best tool arguably. This move snuffs out low recovers and could possibly even gimp (Rip Cloud). Plus if they make it back on stage its fine cuz you got free af damage xddddddd

» Rocksmash

Honestly read sbove.

It can cover every option that you want to cover, depending on positioning and timing.

» Bair

This move, for the most part, is excellent in punishing your opponents ledge drop, attack, normal get up, and jump! With the pressure of a bair your opponent may roll and you can punish accordingly. At mid to high percents if you get the tipper, you'll most likely kill, or at least gimp.

Oh, and this move can hit hanging opponents that have run out of invincibility or regrabbed ledge, you just have to aim the bair lower.

» Down Smash / Up Smash

As I said before, Up smash is phenomenal here. If you read the ledge jump/attack/neutral get up correctly, then up smash will connect.

Down smash? Less phenomenal. It can two frame I guessss but if you hit, it will be hard for your opponent to get back because of the angle you send them. If the try to make it back this also makes it hella ez to use dair~~~

If you miss then rip you're in end lag but unless you're at high percents you can live through an edgeguard.

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CHARIZARD USED: DAIR

IT WASN'T VERY EFFECTIVE. THE OPPONENT HAS STAGE CONTROL!

WHAT WILL CHARIZARD DO?

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» Pivot Ftilt

Pivot ftilt is kinda broken because of range. It stops approaches and its a good tool when you're tying to reset neutral.

» Retreating bair

You're running away cuz you need Space :tm: and the Fox from fg honestly won't leave you alone. Hit em with bair as they try to dash attack towards you and there you go.

Orrrrrr you can do full hop bairs since it will autocancel and can make your opponent less likely to approach, even more so if they dont know how to deal with bair. No one wants a tipper bair to to skull. However, smarter opponents will try to get under you or in front of you so watch out.

» Dtilt

With the aforementioned windbox, you can use this move to get your opponent to back off. It also "pancakes" Zard's hurtbox so its even more useful! Theoretically you can perfect pivot dtilt but thats harder and ftilt has more range soooooo

» Flamethrower

Omg I swear I dont spam flamethrower in matches. Its just that its soooo goood. When retreating, you can use a b reversal flamethrower or if you're feeling extra spicy you can even do a wavebounce. Regular B reverses are improtant for nearly every character, but only learn how to wavebounce if you feel it's necessary. Also, be careful to not use flare blitz instead of a b reverse flamethrower (rip)

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CHARIZARD USED: PIVOT FTILT!

IT WASNT VERY EFECTIVE.

THE OPPONENT USED: DEVASTATING GRAB COMBOS!

IT WAS VERY EFFEVTIVE! CHARIZARD IS NOW IN THE AIR!

WHAT WILL CHARIZARD DO?

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» Nair

Nair has a tipper, and moves in a similar fashion of Ike's/Coud's nair. You MUST space this correctly when landing, because if not you'll be punished. It does autocancel when you're at full hop/short hop height, so keep that in mind.

[As a general note, you can easily autocancel a move if you space it that Zards stubby feet are parallel to the ground. If he lands on his tail for nair, for example, then he will be in lag. Its ez to see, so you can practice this ig]

If you hit nair you can possibly get a dtilt out of it or even a dash attack/grab.

Or...

You can get back hit of nair and then pivot ftilt which will most likely tipper. Not really a conbo but it's a neat follow up between 30~45 percent.

Anyways, on to the next!

» Flamethrower

... Yeah this move is great for landing too... inb4 comments say "Jose spams flamethrower." When landing you can use flamethrower to stop you opponents from getting under you, or even stopping their attacks since Flamethrower travels a nice distance.

» Rock Smash

Read what I said above about Rock Smash tbhtbh. Just be careful landing with it since you're in alot of lag. Use it properly spaced so that it acts like a barrier between you guys, since theres rock bits that fly out for exyra damage/protection.

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CHARIZARD USED: ROCKSMASH!

IT WASN'T VERY EFFECTIVE!

OPPONENT USED: BACK THROW! IT WAS VERY EFFEVTIVE!

CHARIZARD IS NOW OFFSTAGE!

WHAT WILL CHARIZARD DO?

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» Flare Blitz

100% Horizontal distance. 0% Vertical distance. It goes pretty far actually but if you land on stage you'll be punished hard. If the opponent is near you offstage they can try to spike you right bedore your super armor kicks in.

When using Side B, make it a priority to aim to the ledge. If you see that your opponent isn't respecting your mighty Flare Blitz, proceed to aim for them instead. Otherwise, this move will always snap to ledge as long as you aim for it. If you're off. You'll hit the lip and would be forced to use Fly. Although, you're opponent can try to spike you before you do.

Another neat thing is that not many of the cast can contest with Side B. Sure it can be easily countered, but not many would risk it.

» Fly

Ah yes. This move also has super armor! Its important to note that before the move actually starts, youree very vulnerable. Beware of this fact. Otherwise you can just up b through projectiles, attacks, and the like. You can do a beefy up b (after you press up b hold down) to catch unsuspecting opponents.

Learn the height you can go with up b, since you can mix it up with jumps. Another thing to note would be that this move doesnt have a lot of horizontal movement. Be wary when you're a bit far from the ledge.

» Learn To DI Well

First, watch this ^^

Charizard is a heavy fighter, this makes him harder to kill. (Duh.) Lets say a Dark Pit uses side b on you and you get sent flying at about 130 on the ledge and die. Your rage is gone and now you are sad, since you have to work a little harder to kill.    

With good DI you can still live that side b, and recover well enough not to get punished. This allows yoi the opportunity to take a stock with ease, or even be able to take an early stock!

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CHARIZARD USED: FLARE BLITZ! HE LANDED SAFELY ON STAGE AND HIT HIS OPPONENT!

THE OPPONENT WAS TOO STUNNED TO MOVE AND IS ABOUT TO FAINT!

WHAT WILL CHARIZARD DO?

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» Kill throw

Charizard has 1 kill throw and 2 semi kill throws.

Up throw is awesome for killing since jab to grab is guranteed because of low knockback on jabs. Up throw is very strong and can kill around 130% (but its always dependant on rage, weight of character, etc). It kills earlier on platforms too, so be sure to grab you're unsuspecting opponents ;)

Forward/Back throw should be used at the ledge. They kill past 160 usually. Depending on rage and if their DI is existent. However, why go for Fthrow at 160 when Up throw will definitely kill?

Well, its useful in the scenario where you used up throw in an attempt to kill, but it didnt quite work because the opponent had good DI and you're rage isnt high enough to net your kill either. F/b throw would be the more biable option then. Besides, with this you have them offstage meaning you can get a sick edgeguard~

One other thing to note, is Charizards down throw. If youre under the percentage of which up throw can kill, then you can attempt to do down throw to catch an airdodge or other mistakes. You can also land and other regrab them or punish their landings.

» Reads: Hard or Soft

Whether you knew for sure the opponent would up b above ledge, or whether you threw a guess thay they'd roll into you, a smash attack would be ez peasy to net a kill.

Obviously, at lower percents you want to go for a punish that I've mentioned earlier.

Its important to mention that Flare Blitz and Rock Smash may also be used to execute reads~

» Fear :tm:

Y E S S . When people begin to fear :tm: you is when you've done your job correctly. To install fear is to simply condition. If after you hit with dtilt and they sheild, you can punish sheild with grab. Later on in a similar scenario, they might opt to not get punishesd in sheild and they would roll. You can capitalize on their fear :tm: and use flare blitz to potentially secure the stock

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There you have it! This guide represents every bit of knowledge I have about this character, and how you should probably play him to win!

You'll notice that I pretty much excluded the numbers because I found them unimportant. Just know that all moves come out decently quick but have bad eng lag.

Really hoped you guys had fun reading as I did writing! I kinda just came with this idea on the fly and went with it :3

Any questions comments concerns pls let me know!!