I remember playing your bbm online and being surprised at how impossible it was for me to beat you lol. It opened my eyes to see how good this character is in good hands but I think the reason so many people don't play this character is because he's kinda hard to get used to and his skill requirement.

Hello all. Today I will be sharing a few Bomberman tactics I use, as well as some basic information about how he works. Anyone familiar with him should skip the basic information, other than maybe some of the stuff in bold. ANY BOMBER MAIN SHOULD PROBABLY JUST SKIP STRAIGHT TO BOMB SUBSTITUTION. My hope is that this will encourage people to play as him and also that it may help the people who struggle against him. Anything in bold is the most important stuff. *NOTE* I aready posted this in the strategies thread but TCS said a while back it belonged here and I've posted some example links. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND WATCHING THESE LINKS IN MP4 MODE AND NOT GIF MODE. TO SWITCH FROM GIF TO MP4 CLICK THE THREE DOTS IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER OF GYAZO, AS SHOWN IN THIS PICTURE. http://gyazo.com/0de699824cced05a12cab1731ccd3f3f More links will follow in the upcoming days. I hope this helps at least one Bomber

Basic Info #1
Bomberman's speed at the start of his dash is much greater than the rest of it. Basically, he leaps like a frog at the moment you press dash/turn around while dashing, followed by a slower paced sprint if you continue to dash.
Here is an example of his regular dash - http://gyazo.com/23e5c83e18411b7ddf06ae59315d0efb (MP4 MODE NOT GIF)
Knowing this, you can use the leap to your advantage. There are two base techniques for using the leap and those bases lead to all sorts of useful moves and setups.

-The first way you can use leap is simply by tapping dash at a controlled pace. Kind of like a pulse. You'll noticed that doing this will result in Bomberman doing leaps rather than him just sprinting.
Example - http://gyazo.com/6ac55b872ae37d0bd4ddbd3542885b08 (MP4 MODE NOT GIF)
Doing this makes you much harder to hit because of the strange way it makes him move. Even if you just tap dash one time, you'll leap a decent distance away from your enemy. It takes about 4 leaps to move across a flat stage and only 1 leap to fall off soft platforms (like the ones on Battlefield). This dash technique is called Foxtrotting but I call it Skipping. In my opinion THIS should be the main way you move using Bomberman.

-The second way to use the leap is a bit more advanced. It is taking full advantage of the leap through a technique called Dash Cancel Boosting. It can increase Bomberman's speed greatly but in my opinion takes away from the control you have over him for as long as you're doing it. It's a very useful tactic for rushing an opponent unexpectedly, chasing after a good hit, or for running away but I think it should be used sparingly. However, other Bombermen play entire games through Dash Cancel Boosting, so it's entirely preference. When doing this technique correctly you'll move across the stage as fast as Captain Falcon.

To perform the Dash Cancel Boost I recommend that you have a sprint button rather than tap dashing. You need to hold your sprint button and start running, then repeatedly tap crouch in a quick succession while continuing to dash and also holding the direction you wish to go.

It's much easier for keyboard users but as a controller user, I can say it's possible by making crouch a button input (like B or X button making you crouch) through whatever mapping program you use for you controller. If you have questions on how to do this it's pretty simple and in my opinion it's not cheating at all because well... An input is an input. Anyway, just PM me and I'll talk you through it. It's easy.

So those are the 2 base techniques for increasing Bomberman's speed. When used seperately in my opinion he's not as good as when you use the two together. I'll explain some attacks each technique can setup for right after a bit more basic information about Bomberman.

Basic Info #2
Bomberman can use bombs. Shocker, right?

-There are three bomb sizes, the longer you hold the Special button the bigger the bomb gets.

P bombs are the most powerful and KO often at the right %.
Small bombs are great for followups. As soon as one is hit it's a guaranteed followup hit if you rush in quick enough.
I don't really use medium bombs. Not sure what they're for.

-He can throw the bombs up, down or forward.

Throwing forward is just the Special button.
Throwing up is Special button then quickly tap up.
Throwing down is Special button then quickly tap down.

-It doesn't matter if you're on the ground or in the air, throwing bombs downward will always plant them quicker. When knocked up high it is sometimes smart to rain bombs down from above by dropping them downward. It can make for a safe landing.

-Forward bomb toss can put pressure on camping opponents, can be used for tech chases and offstage recovery gimps, and is also a better option when coming back to stage from a high trajectory, since dropping them down would throw them offstage.

Throwing bombs up is good if your opponent recovers high a lot or if you want to throw them off. People seldom look up, even if they just watched you throw a bomb they'll still rush in. Just wait and pop. Also good as an intimidation tactic when mixed with plating bombs downward. Throw one up then one down then one up then one down. Almost no one will go near you and if they do pop the bombs.

PEOPLE FIGHTING AGAINST BOMBERMAN; Don't fear the bombs, fear the followup. Even if there are 5 bombs on the field you rush him no matter what. It's hard to detonate accurately when your opponent is coming at you constantly. Just remember to jump and shield at times to try to stay safe. It's honestly just a guessing game for you since detonate is so quick. Try to pick up on detonating habits and use them to your advantage. And if they're P bombs, disregard all I just said about rushing, especially when you're at high %. P bombs kill so often. Just try to shield or set off a bad detonation. When at very low % it's good to take the P bomb hit then rather than running from it and letting yourself get picked at. And remember once a bomb is hit, a smart Bomberman is rushing is for some kind of aerial. Be on notice and try to jump out of the way or airdodge.

Knowing those basic things about Bomberman (His leap and his bombs) here are a few techniques I use all the time. Hopefully you'll find use for them too.

-I call this one Bomb Substitution. It's a staple technique for Bombeman in my opinion. Basically you cook a bomb in your opponent's face (but at a safe enough distance to react) and when they try to punish or rush you, plant the bomb in place and leap away once. Then detonate. Works a lot of the time with all size bombs. Good for P bomb KOs at high percents. Another way to bomb substitute is to cook the bomb, throw it down and full hop straight up as they are rushing in for the attack, then detonate. However, getting a P bomb is hard to do on speedy characters or ballsy opponents, so sometimes it's better to settle for an M bomb hit instead of going for the p bomb kill.

Almost no one sees a bomb substitution coming no matter how much you do it because all they see is you cooking that bomb and they rush in immediately to stop you before it becomes a P bomb. They are more concerned with a punish/stopping the P bomb than they are the possibility of a Bomb Substitution. This technique is a lose lose situation for your opponent because they have 2 obvious options as I see it.

Option 1 (the option most go with): They rush in and try to hit you before you release the bomb. This is exactly what you want them to do so you can "substitute" yourself with a bomb as they go for the hit, then detonate for a followup or even better, a P bomb KO.

Option 2 (the option some, but not many go with. Also a bad option to be honest.): They understand that if they rush in, you'll drop the bomb and pop it. For this reason they sit back instead of rushing in. This results in a free P bomb most of the time unless they have a projectile to hit you from a distance with.

For those fighting Bomberman, there's also a third option. The best option. When a Bomberman starts cooking a bomb, rush him. If you hit him before he gets the bomb out, good. But don't expect to, instead be ready for him to jump and pop the bomb. Just shield it. The thing that makes this technique good is it's surprise element. If you go in expecting it to happen and shield instead of swinging, it becomes useless in a sense.

The next 2 are techniques I use for spreading bombs. There's Walk Spreading and Dash Spreading. Very straightforward names, very useful but different tactics. Only small bombs are needed for both tactics. Both are punishable and should be used at the beginning of a new stock or when the opponent is knocked off stage.

Walk Spreading http://gyazo.com/9534462f056e230d00fed3834e511468 (MP4 MODE NOT GIF) - To spread bombs together in a close space; done by walking from edge to center and planting 5 bombs downward in a quick, rhythmic succession. You can cover half the map in bombs in a matter of seconds this way and keep the enemy afraid to even touch that side or the center. It gives you full control of half the map with them near the edge. Then if you manage to hit your opponent into the bomb field and detonate, almost all the bombs in the area will deal damage. Then follow up with f-air and Walk Spread again instead of chasing. This tactic manipulates the fear of bombs in people very well.

Walk Spreading is more mental than anything. When an opponent sees 5 bombs caked together from the center to edge, they tend to stay on the clear side. You only detonate once the opponent has lost fear of the bombs and is chasing you into them, you have a guaranteed followup, or you're in danger. If you hit with the bombs when using this tactic make sure to try and follow up severely to instill fear back into them. Then replant bombs. Keep in mind that hitting the bombs with this technique usually leads to about 16-20% damage since they're so close together. Use it wisely because it can lead to KOs.

Dash Spreading http://gyazo.com/4b42158588ee0abcc9100469ddee9225 (MP4 MODE NOT GIF) - Using Bomberman's foxtrot to cover the entire map in bombs; done by tapping dash to leap in a controlled pulse and planting bombs downward in between leaps from edge to edge. It should take you 4 leaps and 4 bombs to cover the entire map. Can be done in about 3 seconds. The 5th bomb goes in the center or on the side you wish to control more. Can also go on a platform. This will keep your opponent running around and randomly shielding to avoid bombs. Play off their fear but be ready to detonate since you can easily just spread them again.

Dash Spreading is more useful for a guaranteed followup through a single bomb hit and can be performed without needing to cover the entire map. Just 2 or 3 will control a good amount of space. However since the bombs are more widespread, they are easier to avoid. Makes sure to space them as tightly as you can. This technique can be used mid battle more easily that Walk Spreading and it's primary focus is to go for detonation. Once you hit a bomb through this tactic be ready to rush in and f-air. You can also dash spread 2 bombs so they're a good distance from each other, hit your opponent away, then Walk Spread 3 bombs in between the first 2 instead of chasing. It's not always going to be easy to spread bombs so sometimes this tactic is best because the bomb spreading done it 2 parts instead of one swoop. You can keep your opponent back this way and plant with less pressure.




Using these 3 basic techniques(Bomb Substitution, Walk Spreading, and Dash Spreading), your Bomberman's bomb game will improve greatly.

I'll talk more about his neutral and air game in another post, assuming this one generates any interest. Sorry if I worded anything in a confusing way, feel free to ask for clarification.

Medium bombs give far more hitstun then the small at low %. Less chance of the opponent hitting back and also good for a quick bair or fair. I always used to use the small and p bombs until I figured out how viable they are for starting up a finisher.

In my opinion:
Smalls are good for juggling and at high % they serve to extend combos better. Also good for disrupting due to the speed they come out.
Mediums are good for low % combos and for knocking the opponent far more upwards than smalls. Their effectiveness decreases as the % goes up
P bombs are the finishers and are best used to kill. However with creative usage they can be applied in other areas at low %

So basically mediums from 0 to 50, then smalls and p bombs from then on, and especially the latter if the opponent is at 90%+.
Keep in mind however that Bomberman requires good reaction time and more brainpower to play than a majority of the cast. Mindgames personified.

I remember you telling me about M bombs, I'll have to try them out. And yes heed his words new Bomberman players. If you're not ready to think and be very precise and strategic with this character, DON'T pick him up. All you'll find is disappointment and frustration. He is probably the most difficult character to use well other than Fox or maybe Yoshi. Be ready or don't try.

EDIT: Just tried them, Afro. Not a fan tbh

The Fox matchup is literately cancer, but you can combo him like a f***.
You guys got any tips?

Bair is great against Fox, as is fair. Don't try baiting approaches by throwing bombs up and then retreating, because Fox is too fast. Try to use your bombs to prevent SH's in vital locations and prevent approaches.

Agreed. Throwing bombs DOWN and retreating however happens fast enough to work on Fox sometimes. Also read what I wrote about bomb substitution and do it with M bombs on Fox. It works really well. He's too fast to get a P bomb out most of the time but M bombs work fine.

Just bait a nair or something really committal and try to pop an s or m bomb and punish. Constantly be moving and putting bombs where you are so if he comes at you you can try to protect yourself. This MU is more about baiting and waiting than it is offense imo. Fox is too fast and too good at juggles to go toe to toe with. I'm learning this MU and winning it much more often now so it's definitely doable.


P.S. just sweetspot a sh bair and knock him off the map when he's backed into an edge and at like 70-80%. He almost guaranteed won't comeback from the horizontal knockback.

Fox's nair is one of the least committal aerials in the game: it has huge priority and either autocancels or has less lag than normal jumps.

From my games with you, it seems like, as you say, defensive play is the way to go. BBM should try for either super small stages to get quick kills or large ones to run away on. Bomberman decidedly loses the neutral and punish game to Fox, so just going for his normals will get you killed. Additionally, while small stages allow you to kill earlier, shinespikes are a monster against BBM: if Fox gets a jump read offstage, goodbye, regardless of percent. Therefore, I think the best strategy is to go to a large stage, try and limit Fox's ability to move around, and try and get quick offstage kills. Fox tries to not let Bomberman gain stage control, overwhelm his lackluster close-range options with Fox's fabulous kit, combo hard at low percents, and get early offstage kills if possible. Even not on the edge, a quick dash-dance -> dtilt -> shine can be the end for Bomberman, so precision is required in this MU more so than perhaps any other.

Really? Nair is the multi kicking thing right?

EDIT: Just went into game and did nair. That move is about just as easy to catch with a bomb pop imo but I will agree it's not committal. I had nair and fair with Fox mixed up this whole time lol The thing that really makes this mu hard for me is utilt and upthrow to uair. Juggles and an auto combo (maybe just because BBM is a fastfaller?) that kills me fairly early. Also yes, shine spikes are cancer

Fox loves to punish characters like Bomberman with large frames and fast falling speed. Fox can get super quick damage with something like dair -> Shine -> usmash and it's difficult for Bomberman to do the same. It only takes three of these wins in neutral (nair -> Shine -> bair, nair -> grab -> uthrow -> uair, uair -> uair -> uair, etc.) before Fox can start going for kill combos like uthrow -> uair or dair -> usmash, whereas Bomberman takes many wins in neutral to get a stock (as long as Fox stays near the stage).

SOOOOO

This is the Upthrow CG(chaingrab) on Fox, it works on all stages until 30-50%ish(stages like SV or Yoshi's won't last as long). I feel like this CG is underrated especially in terms of DI mix-ups and gimps. BBM's Upthow is very fast and has low knockback, and combining it with Fthrow is extremely strong and finishing with it at low %s, especially against Fox, can lead to some early percent KOs.

Although the Fox isn't DIing in the video, I assure you this is nearly inescapable until 30s and 40s. The best part is when you unexpectedly Fthrow in the middle of the CG. Due to Fthrow's insane speed and knockback, your opponent would be DIing away, which should lead to terrible DI when you Fthrow. Ez Pz

This MU is still f*** a** doh.

For maximum disrespect, try to get 5 P bombs right next to each other and make them shield next to it. 5 will pop a brand new shield.

People think Bomberman is bad at edgeguarding?
I'd disagree. I wouldn't say BBM is amazing at edgeguarding but he has quite the tools to make coming back a problem. Placing bombs to condition your opponent to pick certain options is great. For example, on ToS placing bombs on those side platforms can make someone think twice before recovering there.
Secondly , RAR (Revere aerial rush) bair is amazing due to it's range, priority, and KB. He also has some stage dependent edgeguardes such as placing bombs near the ledge and stage spiking them like on SV and PS3

A lot of BBM's would plant bombs rather than edgeguarding which I heavily disagree with.

BBM is good at edgeguarding relative to the average cast member, but not relative to Sheik, one of the better edgeguarders in the game. Sheik has an excellent recovery tool with lots of invulnerability, a strong hitbox, a janky windbox, a great high-knockback kill move in fair, a long-ranged bair, needles, and high-priority moves all around.

I won't say BBM is like... amazing at edgeguards. However, I will say he's above average. Like TCS said, he's no Shiek but he has great tools. Bombs tossed off stage can be used to completely ruin a recovery or at least put the opponent in an uncomfortable position (maybe even make them recover before they're ready) and potentially set up for a Fair or perfect pivot Bair. If you sweetspot a PPSH Bair at edge I guarantee almost no one is coming back after like 50% lol M bombs can stage spike, so can P bombs.
Also unless you're sweet spotting ledge every single time, BBM will probably grab you near the edge out of your recovery at least once a game. You will like die if you're at 60% most of the time regardless of fthrow or bthrow since many chars will be unable to recover from either IF the blastzone doesn't take them out first. He is a great edgeguarder but not the greatest


ON ANOTHER NOTE HOLY s*** 135 JUST EXPLAINED JUMP CANCEL GRABBING TO ME AND BBM'S IS SO GOOD