Sonic Practice Drills
Here are a series of practice regiments I took and edited from the owner of Soniccord, NiTESPEED. (Ion think he has a twitter account)
The purpose of these drills is to develop multiple different skills that you can apply to your gameplay. Forcing yourself to completely cut off aspects of your play may seem counterproductive at first, but they will force you to get better at adapting and problem solving. This is because you’ll be forced to do new things in situations where you otherwise wouldn’t; which can then be applied when playing normally.
It can also help with ending bad habits like spinning too much out of disadvantage; or overcommitting with spins (putting yourself into disadvantage too often)
I use these both online and offline, but I’d recommend prioritizing these offline. As a lot of them require a handful of precision, and wifi may lead you to developing the wrong ideas for going offline.
** A lot of these challenges will have you SD for breaking the rules, and you can just skip it if you want. It just adds a layer of stakes, and will potentially lead to one breaking them less frequently. You can even skip the challenges and just practice the things in the “just practice” sections if you want to.
I personally recommend skipping the SDs in actual grind sessions, cause if you just start killing yourself for some drill a lot of people will just start sandbagging. I only really do them on elite tbh.
--This is Happenin'--
1. Lose a stock if you kill an opponent before 200% with an edge guard.
2. Lose a stock if you let an opponent get to 200% (if you hit an opponent offstage and they get to 200% during your edgeguard, then you only lose a stock if they manage to successfully recover). However, if you're still in the game, you may kill them on-stage and then go back to edge guards only the next stock.
3. 2-framing is not allowed, nor is ledgetrapping. If someone makes it to the ledge, you let them get up for free and reset to neutral. The goal here is to get you to kill with edge guards and get better with them.
4. If you SD during your edgeguard attempt, you lose another stock. If you get reversal'd during your edgeguard attempt, you lose another stock.
Rationale: The majority of Sonics I’ve seen and played suck at edgeguarding. A lot of you guys do typical dropzone fairs but really don't know how to capitalize on the opponent using good position combined with the plethora of options this character has
The purpose of this is to teach the importance of positioning when it comes to edgeguarding. Simply just mashing options isn't going to be enough vs people who are conscious enough to mix up their recoveries. This’ll require you to do some thinking ahead, as well as paying attention to the patterns the other person has when recovering
If 2-framing and ledge trapping were allowed here, many of you would let people go to ledge more often than they should. While in a real match these are very important, here they would act as crutches. This will also give you a better feel for when you should go offstage and when you should just opt for ledge trapping once you go back to playing normally. As you'll be going offstage far more frequently, putting yourself into these situations far more
Specific things to practice
https://twitter.com/JforJonas/status/1339349871065751564?s=19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOcapwnqRLk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loY-lyM3Wng
--Spin To Win--
1. You may only use side-b/combos, down-b/combos, and fsmash to rack and kill.
2. Grabs are banned. Tilts are banned. Jabs are banned. Dash Attack is banned. Aerials aside from spin combos are banned. Up-b is banned except for recovering/continuing a spin combo. HA is banned except for use in a spin combo. Any time you use any of these moves, lose a stock.
3. You are allowed to use aerials out of spins as a way to get yourself out of committing to it. (an example of this is doing a spin dash jump and then a double jump bair before landing on the ground)
4. Edgeguarding is only allowed if you do it out of a spin. (The bullet points above have examples of ways you can use them to position yourself) As expressed by the last challenge, consistency in edgeguarding comes down to positioning. Good control with spins with spins will allow you to capitalize on unique situations offstage to take stocks more often.
Rationale: Sonic's spins and speed are great, but too many people don't know how to properly use his spins to pressure and mix-up the opponent, and rather use them as a battering ram which ends up failing when they spin wrong. They also do not maximize their reward when they do land a spin, and end up being unable to properly kill when needed.
This is to prevent y’all from just autopiloting stuff like run up fairs, dash grabs, and run up tilts simply because you feel like you can’t land any spins
Specific things to practice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED8jy7CkU7Q
--Honest Sonic--
1. The reverse of "Spin to win." No spins allowed. Use either side b, down b, or neutral b and lose a stock. Everything else is allowed.
Same idea. Learn how to play Sonic without relying on spins to carry you all the time. The rest of his kit is solid, but requires better fundamentals to win with alone. This is because he doesn't have amazing frame data to let him mash; nor a ton of range to wall others out
The main purpose of this one is to just improve your neutral, and understanding of the game. In order to make this work vs characters who have better boxing tools, better frame data, better range, and easier combos; you'll need to become proficient at spacing, timing, and conditioning. This should end up improving your overall gameplay even once you go back to using the spins. Applying these concepts will also help in mus like zoners where you can't spin as much; and it can also help with approaching as sonic in general.
Specific things to practice
https://twitter.com/UltBamba/status/1481078007133618180?t=hLyjKpQF3sLvWe0qDulrkA&s=19
https://twitter.com/SageSherwin/status/1316822533560315907?s=19
https://twitter.com/UR2SLOW_/status/1189369223790977024?s=20
To clarify, because of how ftilt 1 works, if it works on a character it'll work at basically all reasonable percentages. If it doesn't work on a character, it might at higher percentages but those would still be very niche
Ftilt 1 dropouts are more based on spacing than percent
This was tested on idle opponents so moving opponents may change how it works. Feel free to test anyone in the "Doesn't Work" category
--Speed's My Game--
This drill is focused on improving your ability to use Sonic's movement and speed to enhance both your offensive and defensive play, as well as to help you establish a stronger defense beyond simply shielding. The rules are:
1. Shielding is not allowed (parry will be explained separately). If you shield, whether on purpose or by accident, you lose a stock right away. If you shield on your last stock, you lose the game.
2. While shielding is not allowed, other defensive options such as rolling, spot dodging, air dodging, ledge roll and parrying are still allowed. This means you can still keep the shield button, just be careful about using it.
3. Parrying is allowed, but you're only allowed to flicker your shield going for it. Holding shield and releasing for a parry is a skill you can develop in training mode, but isn't the goal of this regimen. You're only allowed 1-3 failed parrys per stock; as you'll need to get really good at timing it in order to achieve consistent punishes.
Rationale: Normals tend to be more unsafe on whiff, even if only by a few frames, than on shield. They also tend to be less safe on parry than on shield, specifically from the 3 frames of advantage given from parrying. This also opens up more punishes like tilts, and smash attacks oos.
You also won't have to worry about shield health while parrying; as moves don't do shield damage if you parry.
You’ll need to learn how to more effectively force your opponents to whiff, catch their habits, and use parries to establish stronger punishes when you don't have space/time to dash back or spindash.
Shielding should be a last resort in this game due to so many options being safe on shield, and while oos fair is a quick option, it's not amazing for anything other than a "get off me." You won't be killing or comboing often, and it won't protect you from cross-ups. Uair can do both at times but even after the buffs it isn't completely consistent
Essentially, this serves as the final one, and as such; it’ll require you to make good use of all the skills. The grounded movement, spin control, edgeguarding, and ledge-trapping altogether.
Extra things to practice for this drill
https://twitter.com/PeliPenguin/status/1403648800732897280?s=19
https://twitter.com/PeliPenguin/status/1403658079066075136?s=20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkEOM17m_tE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZtSfp376Rc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IyxvaXZWrs
**Note- These are not 100% necessary and should only be used as mixups aside from when camping; as it’s less committal to stay mostly grounded and play around the other person
https://clips.twitch.tv/CallousEnergeticPizzaWTRuck-rpWGIuqHxZDycypR
**Extra things to keep in mind**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ayia6w2Cpw
https://twitter.com/Ramses_Esports/status/1304468245559365632?s=20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyMSbyS40VM
Guide - Uploaded 9/13/20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJfzDibpgKc
-You're Too Slow!(Bonus Drill)--
1. Play on a 4 minute timer vs an opponent. You win only if you don't lose a stock and take less than 125%. If you die or take more than 125% (yes, this means 125.1% is too much), you lose.
2. You do not win if you have more KOs than the opponent. You are also not allowed to KO your opponent more than once (this includes edgeguarding). You may, however, hit them away from yourself and combo them.
3. All moves are allowed. Glitches are not. Do whatever you need to survive.
4. Should be apparent, but only legal stages are allowed.
You guys also need to learn how to be patient, draw games out if needed, and avoid your opponent. Doing so will fluster them and open up holes in their play, but more importantly, doing so will keep you alive. Avoid the big hits and don't take too many small ones. As a lightweight, not a midweight, Sonic more than ever needs to know how to move around the stage properly.
Grounded Kill Confirms(Compiled by myself)
Down B to fair [sc fair] (around 85% and above)
Spindash, spindash jump, fair (around 40% at ledge)
Landing nair into spincharge jump, fair (this is a pretty rare confirm thats super tight. It works at around 55%)
Landing weak nair to fsmash (around 80%-120%)
Landing weak nair to up smash (around 80%-120%) [This one is more consistent to land with DI as apposed to the forward smash one, but the percents fluctuate more within this range due to rage]{Sonic's up smash has very strong rage scaling}
Landing nair into back air (around 90% and above)
Uair to spring to Bair can kill from around 140%-160%
Uair spring Nair can kill on some stages, but it's a smaller window
Landing aerial spincharge into spincharge jump, fair (An extremely rare confirm at around 90% and above )
Landing back air (around 110% and above)
Ftilt (around 135% and above)
Spindash double jump nair (around 130-140)
Spindash double jump uair (around 140-150)
Down b to nair [SC nair] (*around 150 and above)
Bthrow (around 150 and above at ledge)
[Very high % kill options]
Rising fair (around 190%)
Landing nair (around 200%)
Raw fully charged spindash (also around 200%)
*These percents become noticeably lower with max rage (around 15-25ish%)
*These percents are just rough percentages for mid-weights, so heavier characters will live longer, and light ones will die earlier
*Stage positioning can raise or lower the percents of these
*Platforms can make Raw Nair and SD kill earlier
*For the nair confirms, the higher your opponent's percent, the later the hitbox of nair is needed
Sonic’s Combo Tree (Compiled by @rucentt on Twitter)
------- Non-Platform Combos -------
(Hop Dash is aerial spindash, FF stands for fast fall, SH stands for short hop, and auto-canceled uair 2 is just landing uair 2 in the way it auto-cancels) **It autocancels right after the uair 2 hitbox goes away
Spin Dash/Charge > Nair
Spin Dash/Charge > Uair
Spin Dash/Charge > Bair
Spin Dash/Charge > Fair
Spin Dash/Charge > Dair
Spin Dash/Charge > Homing Attack
Spin Dash/Charge > Reverse Homing Attack > Double Jump Bair
Spin Dash/Charge > Reverse Homing Attack > Wavebounce Aerial Spin Pivot bair
Spin Charge > Homing Attack > Uair > Nair
Spin Charge > Homing Attack > Uair > Uair
Spin Charge > Homing Attack > Uair > Double Jump Bair
Spin Charge > Homing Attack > Uair > Homing Attack
Up Throw > Bair
Up Throw > Nair
Up Throw > Uair
Falling Uair 1 > Jab
Falling Uair 1 > Grab
Falling Uair 1 > Forward Tilt
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Uair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Nair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Fair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Bair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Bair > Nair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Bair > Non-Buffered Nair > Uair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Bair > Non-Buffered Nair > Land > SHFF Uair > Double Jump Nair (Deals 68%)
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Bair > Nair > Land > Uair > Homing Attack ( Deals 63%)
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Bair > Uair > Land > Bair (Deals 56%)
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Bair > Uair > Land > Nair (Deals 56%)
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Bair > Uair > Land > Homing Attack (Deals 50%)
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Up Smash
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Homing Attack
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Homing Attack > Uair > Homing Attack
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Homing Attack > Uair > Nair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Homing Attack > Uair > Bair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Homing Attack > Uair > Land > Double Jump Bair > Bair (Deals 65%)
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Homing Attack > Uair 1 > Grab > Up Throw > Nair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Homing Attack > Uair 1 > Grab > Up Throw > Uair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Hop Dash > Uair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Hop Dash > Nair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Hop Dash > Fair
Auto-Canceled Uair 2 > Hop Dash > Bair
Falling Nair > Jab
Falling Nair > Up Tilt
Falling Nair > Forward Tilt
FF Nair > Uair FF > Nair
FF Nair > Uair FF > Uair
FF Nair > Uair FF > Bair
FF Nair > FF > Uair FF > Fair
FF Nair > Uair FF > Hop Dash > Nair
FF Nair > Uair FF > Hop Dash > Fair
FF Nair > Uair FF > Hop Dash > Uair
FF Nair > Uair FF > Hop Dash > Bair
Falling Nair > Nair [Use Sour Nair for later percents]
Falling Nair > Bair [Use Sour Nair for later percents]
Falling Nair > Fair [Use Sour Nair for later percents]
Falling Nair > Homing Attack [Use Sour Nair for later percents]
Falling Nair > Up-Angled Forward Smash [Use Sour Nair for later percents]
Falling Nair > Up Smash [Use Sour Nair for later percents]
Dair > Fair
Falling Bair (20-35ish%) > Tech Chase
Down Throw > Tech Chase
Fair (Opponent Lands On Platform) > Tech Chase
------- Platform Combos -------
Full Jump Uair FF > Short Hop Uair
Full Jump Uair FF > Nair
Full Jump Uair FF > Bair
Full Jump Uair FF > Fair
Full Jump Uair FF > Up Tilt
Up Throw > Uair Fast Fall > Uair
Up Throw > Uair Fast Fall > Nair
Up Throw > Uair Fast Fall > Fair
Up Throw > Uair Fast Fall > Bair
Full Jump Uair FF > Full Jump Uair > Double Jump Nair
Full Jump Uair FF > Full Jump Uair > Double Jump Uair
Full Jump Uair FF > Hop Dash > Uair
Full Jump Uair FF > Hop Dash > Nair
Full Jump Uair FF > Hop Dash > Fair
Full Jump Uair FF > Hop Dash > Bair
Hop Dash > Nair
Hop Dash > Uair (Starting Low-Mid Percent)
Hop Dash > Fair
Hop Dash > Homing Attack (Must roll under opponent after the first hit then Jump Homing Attack)
------- Battlefield Platform Combos -------
Full Jump Uair FF > Short Hop Bair (Towards Mid-Plat) > Double Jump Uair Fast Fall > Uair
Full Jump Uair FF > Short Hop Bair (Torwards Mid-Plat) > Double Jump Uair Fast Fall > Nair
Full Jump Uair FF > Short Hop Bair (Torwards Mid-Plat) > Double Jump Uair Fast Fall > Fair
Full Jump Uair FF > Full Jump Uair FF > Full Jump Uair
Short Hop Uair FF (Under Side-Platform) > Hop Dash > Uair (Onto Top-Platform)
Short Hop Uair FF (Under Side-Platform) > Hop Dash > Uair FF (Onto Top-Platform) > Up Tilt
Short Hop Uair FF (Under Side-Platform) > Hop Dash > Uair FF (Onto Top-Platform) > Fair
Short Hop Uair FF (Under Side-Platform) > Hop Dash > Uair FF (Onto Top-Platform) > Uair
Short Hop Uair FF (Under Side-Platform) > Hop Dash > Uair FF (Onto Top-Platform) > Nair
Up Throw > Full Jump Uair FF (Onto Side-Platorm) > Double Jump Bair (drift towards opponent after DJ) > Uair 1 > Jab Combo
Up Throw > Full Jump Uair FF (Onto Side-Platform) > Double Jump Bair (drift towards opponent after DJ) > Uair 1 > Up Tilt
Up Throw > Full Jump Uair FF (Onto Side-Platform) > Double Jump Bair (drift towards opponent after DJ) > Uair 1 > Jab Forward Tilt
Up Throw > Full Jump Uair FF (Onto Side-Platform) > Double Jump Bair (drift towards opponent after DJ) > Uair 1 > Up Throw > Uair
Up Throw > Full Jump Uair FF (Onto Side-Platform) > Double Jump Bair (drift towards opponent after DJ) > Uair 1 > Up Throw > Nair
Up Throw > Full Jump Uair FF (Onto Side-Platform) > Double Jump Bair (drift towards opponent after DJ) > Uair 1 > Up Throw > Bair
------ Instant Double Jump Concepts------
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1308944571720663042?s=19
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1310020318573088769?s=20
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1316538654286905351?s=19
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1326257474266128384?s=19
https://twitter.com/LeSoS_SSBU/status/1309667293744463872?s=19
https://twitter.com/SageSherwin/status/1351582390406275075?s=20
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1328199737879777286?s=19
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1367665534129610760?s=19
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1367675868177440769?s=19
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1367884219339468812?s=19
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1359549787696209924?s=19
------ Cool Combo Concepts------
Spin Charge > HA > Footstool > HA > Uair > Uair
https://twitter.com/UltimateSonix/status/1296267042971058190?s=20
Bair > Nair > Uair > Footstool > Homing Attack > Uair > Bair
https://twitter.com/fortunecookie8_/status/1302077096169177094?s=20
Homing Attack > Uair 1 > Reverse Down Tilt > Spring Ride > Uair
https://twitter.com/lANGELXl/status/1307094336224604160?s=20
Full Charge Spin Dash > Uair > Nair > Uair > Bair
https://twitter.com/curiosityman2/status/1320507806571765762?s=20
Uair > Uair > Footstool > Homing Attack > Uair > Footstool > Homing Attack > Uair > Bair (Tweet unavailable)
https://twitter.com/dangotnext/status/1317183793095213056?s=20
Bair > Nair > Uair > Bair
https://twitter.com/fortunecookie8_/status/1297722743924961280?s=20
Uair > Bair > Uair > Hop Dash > Bair
https://twitter.com/LeSoS_SSBU/status/1309667293744463872?s=19
Spin Charge > Gyro > Spin Charge > Fair
https://mobile.twitter.com/ashidenhedgiest/status/1291133311293825031
Spin Charge > Spring Ride & Bair > Nair/Uair Follow Ups from Ledge
https://twitter.com/lANGELXl/status/1290705659235885058?s=20
Nair > Footstool > Jab 1 > Jab 2 > Spin Charge > Homing Attack > Bair (tweet unavailable)
https://twitter.com/dannysmxxve/status/1287467176417538051?s=20
Spin Charge > Homing Attack > Uair > Bair > Uair > Homing Attack
https://twitter.com/lANGELXl/status/1286272577544040449?s=20
> Spin Charge > Homing Attack > Nair > Bair > Jab 1 > Jab 2 > Spin Charge > Dair > Fair
https://twitter.com/Aiko_sp/status/1188163897821319169?s=20
Homing Attack > Nair > Bair > Spin Charge > HA > Bair > Spring > Bair
https://twitter.com/MasterHandGames/status/1178083849626161152?s=20
Up Throw > Homing Attack > Uair > Uair (Homing attack whiffs with DI :/)
https://twitter.com/MemeySSB/status/1134489058401538048?s=19
Up Throw > Homing Attack > Uair > Uair > Dair > Up Throw > Homing Attack > Uair (Homing attack whiffs with DI :/)
https://twitter.com/MemeySSB/status/1134496459116752896?s=19