Matchups #020: Falco

Summary

[no description available]

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External Resources

• Falco's SSBWiki Entry
• Falco's UltimateFrameData Page
• Falco's OOS options
• SmashTube Query for Duck Hunt vs. Falco
• Falco Character Discord

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Counterplay

Any State

[TBA]

Neutral

• Spawning projectiles should be done with caution, particularly with Falco's mobile reflector and laser in mind. Both specials are very good at interrupting and reversing DHD's projectiles.
• Spawning Can is relatively safe when Falco is on the opposite end of the stage. Having a little bit of stage leftover to run back to after spawning it is helpful in case Falco's laser hits the can and causes it to come back at you.
• Grounded can spawn with no ping is recommend as a roadblock trap due to Falco's weak horizontal mobility.
• Use Falco's laser camping to lock can in place (Anchor Can); if his laser camping is predictable, you can do a safe jump FAir over Can to punish him.
• Clay pigeon not recommended in neutral as falco can easily reflect, disintegrate, or circumnavigate the projectile.
• Forward Dash Clay Pigeon spawn trading with laser is viable at about Falco's dash attack distance [stage size reference?]; any further and he can use reflector before Pigeon reaches him.
• Jump Retreating Gunman Spawn is relatively safe as it is difficult for Falco to punish beyond disabling Gunman.
• Prioritize opportunities to send Falco offstage as his recovery methods are predictable and easy to cover.

Advantage

• Keeping combos/strings simple is recommended to mitigate risk due to Falco's frame data and fall speed.
• Be mindful of Falco's Side B as an escape opportunity.

Anti-Air

• You should stay relatively grounded against Falco until he expends his double jump. From there you can upair him while rising, (be sure the upair is already active before you meet him in the air, this will beat his dair).
• Try to force bad aerial or air dodge landings with empty hops into jab, dtilt, or a preset Can or Gunman.

Ledge Trapping

• Place can at roll distance and have it so it pings back to center [what does this cover, precisely?].
  • Use one of the following:
    • Spawn can, dash forward, uptilt, ping instantly until it is in position
    • Spawn can, bair it, ping until in position.
• From the ledge tip, stand just within Duck Hunt's DAFT tipper range. Either shield or no shield.
• If Falco does a neutral getup or getup attack. Use DAFT.
• If Falco rolls or jumps, immediately begin pinging can to either hit Falco from roll, or pressure his jump so that he retreats to a platform or stays above you. Upair juggle at this point.

Edge Guarding

• Up air sticky Can to ledge (Can pinging into the stage underhang) is great for punishing Falco side b or forcing him to stall and go low.
• Spawning a Gunman just off ledge is great if Falco has to recover with up b. You should Dair him just as he hits gunman to take advantage of the Gunman hitstun time.
• To punish Falco's Side B to ledge, you can fall off stage, jump NAir back into stage. Make sure you are NAir-ing right where Side B would end to avoid a meteor effect.

Disadvantage

• Be cautious about spawning projectiles when trying to reset to neutral. Find a means of touching to ground again.
• You can break Falco’s UAir strings with frame 1 can.
• In a near-ceiling Can trade situation, be make sure to DI away from the Can to survive longer.
  • Proper DI prevents UAir kills.
  • Be cautious—Falco's BAir might still KO.

Offstage

• Low recoveries are preferred as they put Falco at greater risk if he chases.
• Be aware if you are parallel to the stage and spawn a can or gunman that Falco can laser or reflector you as you do it and basically get a free deep offstage FAir punish on you.
• As you drop low, spawn gunman > double jump > spawn can > rise with Up B; If the right gunman spawns the can will be launched instantly at the ledge so you can recover for free.
• Falling with a long range clay pigeon aimed at ledge prevents Falco from punishing you with a late DAir.

Overstage

• Going high over Falco is very much not recommended. His juggling game is strong.
• Be careful when airdodging to a platform as Falco's Up Smash is good at covering it.

On Ledge

• If corner pressure from Falco is strong, planking is an option.
• Immediately from neutral getup (so that your invincibility refreshes), you can jump back off stage with a gunman into a can spawn to try to relieve corner pressure. Be careful, Falco may reflect can into you. Adjust recovery accordingly to avoid can descending on you at an angle, or ping parry the reflector.

Stage Selection

• Spin's Recommendation
  • I prefer longer stages like Kalos, Town, Hollow Bastion, and PS2 so I have more room to run away from Falco and spawn can again to reset him to a laser camping state.
  • Ban stages like Small Battlefield, Smashville, Final Destination.
  • Battlefield can be a pain to fight Falco on if he uses the top plat to retreat to a lot. But it does make sharking him a touch easier.

Combo Windows

• Fair > Grab > Fthrow Fair, Fair > Dash Attack, Fair > Fair. Dtilt, and Ftilt are all simple and very effective options.

Duck Hunt Combo Windows

[TBA]

Opponent Combo Windows

[TBA]

Other

Game Start and Angel Platform

• Get on lower ground and spawn gunman to stop the first laser. Dash back and spawn can with attempt for Falco to lock it.
• Optionally. try to get under Falco as soon as possible and get an upair or grab punish.

Timeout Considerations

• Being on a long stage is advantageous to timeout. You can spawn and lock can with ease. If you have even a 40% lead on Falco I recommend you fall back to stalling for long periods of time.

Sudden Death

[TBA]

Projectile Effectiveness

Trick Shot

• Can lock and block laser camping. (Anchor Can)
• Can is vulnerable to be sent back via reflector and laser.

Clay Pigeon

🎯 Optimal Percent Windows

• At ~40%:
  • A successful clay pigeon guarantees a fsmash or forces an airdodge.
  • If Falco starts airdodging consistently, switch to punishing with upsmash or dash attack.
• At ~80%+:
  • Follow up with bair, nair, fair, or upair.
  • Alternatively, wait and punish his next defensive option for a safer read.

🛡️ Against Laser Camping

• Use clay pigeon immediately as laser hits you to cancel its startup lag.
• This lets you sneak it out during his zoning attempts.

⚠️ When to Avoid Clay Pigeon

• Avoid overusing clay pigeon unless:
  • You're punishing grabs, smash attacks, or
  • Reading a roll.
• Outside of those situations, it’s better to rely on safer zoning tools.

Wild Gunman

• Useful for blocking Laser
• Can be used to bait reflector so you can hit a falling aerial punish.
• Good for offstage pressure. Stand at ledge and spawn the gunman so it falls offstage.
• Beware of reflector as both a projectile reflection tool and a way of dismantling the gunman due to its damage output.

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Opponent Counterplay

[TBA]

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Recommended VODs

• Jagabata (Duck Hunt) vs M0tsunabE (Falco)
• mzk (Duck Hunt) vs MASA (Falco)
• embo_z (Duck Hunt) vs Ludo (Falco)

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Move Frame Advantage Comparisons

[TBA]

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Effective Tech and Percentage Windows

[TBA]

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Outstanding Questions

[TBA]

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Contributions

Written and compiled by Spin. Edited by Vultures. Not peer reviewed.