I play both DDD and Pikachu pretty casually but theres plenty of tricks i can bring to the table for starters;
Pikachu has a fthrow 0%~60% CG that ends in a Usmash which usually leaves you at the ledge. When most DDD players play this MU they dont take into consideration their zoning/spacing and worry about the grab. That is not the way to play MUs where a character has a CG on you. Your zoning becomes much more important.
Final d and stages like it should be avoided, Final d forces both characters to interact more on top of a large flat platform. This means more situations where you could get grabbed. Stick to platformed neutrals, Battlefield is the best for stopping tjolt pressure, and more importantly thunder. It allows you to platform camp in 3 different areas. Which allows DDD to be able to have a better grip on tackling pikachus pressure game if he tries to camp in the middle.
Other tricks everyone here should know;
- DDDs Ftilt cancels tjolts
- DDD dthrow tech chases are good
- DDDs dtilt and dair are good get off me moves when spaced right.
- But more importantly proper pshielding can really shut down pikachu if used right. Pikachus answer to players holding their shield is either, a grab of any form, or dtilt sometimes jab if situation is good but dtilt is much safer on shields.
- DDDs waddles are some what useful, but i prefer and always have used dee toss to punish improperly spaced jumping. Dont get caught dee tossing point blank, pikachu can pshield them rush in and grab.
- Pikachus jab and dtilt can trip at a high rate so if pika is pulling out these moves and your at 0% respect them and punish them from a distance. Dtilts range is pretty far out when pikachu swipes his tail. Do not underestimate his dtilt or jab. When they are used correctly more likely then not he will trip you and you'll get grabbed. I know this from playing the mu as both pikachu and DDD.
When i play this MU as DDD
First 30 seconds i typically wait and see what type of pikachu im dealing with. If I got a pressure pikachu hes usually in my face already with tjolts and is trying to approach to get inside for w/e it is hes planning. Pshield the jolt and i typically wait for his next move and react accordingly. Bad pikachus will FF fair my shield and that **** gets punished with a bthrow. Good ones will usually empty jump to try to make you hold your shield longer then necessary and will use an aerial or dtilt to get you out of shielding.
If its a campy pikachu hes already got 3 tjolts coming at you, pshield and approach, and try to punish his bad jumping with fair, bair or ftilt. This kind of fight is very long and boring so your pshielding needs to be perfect to not take daamge.
When i play this MU as pikachu
I wait to see what the DDD will do first. I usually tjolt to get him to react to it and how he reacts will tell me a few things; if hes not pshielding the tjolts i can continue my jolt pressure safely till i get in, now if hes pshielding it i start to worry abit because this DDD actually knows what hes doing. Pshielding DDDs i typically tjolt less and pressure more with my zoning and typically tjolt them as a long distance punish. I prefer poking his shield with the tip of fair, and if it connects i try for uair strings. If he holds his shield i dtilt, trip > grab. If he suddenly drops his shield i try a jab if trip> grab.
Basically when it comes to the MU on both sides, once you feel each others style out go for punishes based on bad behaviors. But for most MUs i typically always feel out my opponents the first 30 seconds this way i spend alot less time guessing and alot more time predicting their moves which is the basis for getting better at any game imo. Even if you lose the first round or match because you had to feel them out, thats OK. If you spent one round downloading your opponent make sure you double back and destroy them next 2 matches.
