Tech-chasing: Difference between revisions

'''Tech-chasing''' is the act of following or predicting an opponent's [[tech]] or [[floor recovery]] in order to attack them before they can respond. Because a character's tech animations have small windows of vulnerability before ending and allowing action, it is possible to read (or, in some cases, react to) the direction of a player's tech and [[punish]] them. Characters with fast movement speeds like [[Captain Falcon]] are very good at tech-chasing as they can reach the opponent's destination faster, though those with long-reaching attacks like [[Marth]] can do similarly well. Additionally, characters with high air speed can be good at tech chasing, especially on platforms, like [[Jigglypuff]], and, in ''[[Melee]]'', characters with a long [[Wavedash]] can be good at tech-chasing, like {{SSBM|Luigi}} and {{SSBM|Ice Climbers}}.

Since most of the high tier characters in Melee have a high movement speed, tech-chasing is very prevalent and important part of the punish game at a high level. In particular, {{SSBM|Fox}}, {{SSBM|Sheik}}, {{SSBM|Captain Falcon}}, {{SSBM|Marth}}, {{SSBM|Peach}} and {{SSBM|Luigi}} rely very heavily on tech-chasing in their punish games. [[Projectile]]s can also do a good job of tech-chasing when timed correctly. Tech-chasing is much easier to do on characters with short tech rolls (such as [[Olimar]]) than those with long tech rolls (such as [[Zelda]]). Additionally, whilst most characters, given a knockdown and the right position, can be tech-chased on reaction by characters that are fast enough, some cannot be. For example, {{SSBM|Sheik}} has functionally identical tech-in-place and tech in animations until a point in them by which it is too late to react in time to the differences, so usually tech-chases against Sheik rely on a read or moves that cover both those options, like [[Raptor Boost]].

Tech-chasing is possible on platforms and may be easier to perform on them depending on the scenario. Since the length of a tech roll is limited by the length of a platform, it is often easier to position to react to different options when tech-chasing on a platform. For example, in [[Melee]], {{SSBM|Sheik}} may use a throw that causes someone to tech on a platform, and can then either use aerials or quickly land on the platform to react to the next option; {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}} notably can use her up-throw to set up a reaction tech-chase into [[Rest]] on platforms, making it especially lethal in her punish game.  

However, platform tech-chasing does come with some limitations; several characters cannot cover every option on reaction at most percents. {{SSBM|Fox}} is often reliant on using his up throw to put opponents into a knockdown on platforms and then hitting them with an up air to start large combos, but he can only do a 50/50 at lower percents, either reading a tech-in-place/missed-tech or waiting and reacting to either tech roll in or away. Additionally, in [[Melee]], platform tech-chases that don't use throws are often vulnerable to [[Slideoff DI]]. A common example occurs with {{SSBM|Marth}}, where until around 60% an opponent can utilising slideoff DI to escape his platform tech-chases using up-air or forward-air. Often these slideoff scenarios can lead to a big punish on the character attempting the tech-chase.  

It is possible to tech-chase with a powerful slow-to-start move in certain situations, such as when the roll direction is predicted, or the defender is against an [[edge]] or a wall and ends up rolling towards it, therefore not moving. Teching in place (without rolling) can also allow this.