SSBM - SOCD Neutral Tech


The default setting on Smash Box for SOCDs is to resolve to Neutral. This means that when you press Left + Right, the Smash Box outputs a Neutral or 'center' position with the directions. This is a great tool we can use to be more precise with some specific actions in Melee.

Pivots

Since Left + Right = Neutral, we can force a standing animation out of a pivot!
Press forward, then press and hold back, then press forward again.

Forward, Back, SOCD

What makes this method so useful is that it frees up your middle finger to access up and down, meaning you can get pivots into up and down tilt.
After getting the SOCD Pivot, press Up + Y1. (You can use Y2, Tilt 1, or Tilt 2 in place of Y1.)

 

After getting the SOCD Pivot, press Down + Y1. (You can use Y2, Tilt 1, or Tilt 2 in place of Y1.)

If you want to find out more about pivoting in general, check out our post: Pivots in Melee.

 

Dashing out of Crouch

So... if Left + Right = Neutral, then what happens if I go Left + Right + Down???

L +R are cancelled out, so only the Down remains!  That means we can Crouch Dash by doing the following:

SOCD Crouch Dash: 
Crouch (hold L + D + R) 
Dash (release L + D or D + R)

I think of it as 'letting go of a diagonal,' which naturally leaves me holding a Dash with the remaining input.  By releasing L + D (or D + R) it is immediately switching from SOCD Down to a Dash!

Think of Left + Down + Right as a 'ready' position that has you poised to strike.  It takes a little bit of habit to get into, but once you're in it you're primed to MOVE!  (It actually feels really cool.)

For more on dashing out of crouch, check out our post: SSBM Crouch Dash.

Run Cancelling

Run (hold Forward)
Cancel Into Crouch (tap Down + Back)

Jab (release all directions -> press A)

Out of a run we are simply tapping Down-Back and releasing to neutral.  This lets us pop out a Jab without even telegraphing the crouch.  It's that fast!

Check out other run cancelling options in our post: SSBM Run Cancels with SOCD.

There's plenty of uses for SOCD Neutral, including dropping items and nairs. Experiment with it and see what you come up with.



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