Krystal: An In-Depth Maining Guide/Discussion

[perfecthell4]

Yea, definitely update with more strategy when you find the time for it, but aside from strategy, an important first section is a character overview, right at the very top of the guide. Just an outline of the characters playstyle, pro's, and con's. One way to think of this, or even name it, is "Why Choose _____". For example, right at the top of the guide, underlined or bolded or whatever you wanted, say "Why Choose Krystal?" followed by a paragraph or two answering the question generally. It's a good lead in for the rest of the guide. If you like I have a very organized and structured character guide template I could p.m you for better organization (but I must say, it's extensive, maybe I could cut it down instead?)

[Dettadeus]

No, I've read Jigglypuff's Melee guides on Smashboards, as well as a number of R.O.B. and Marth guides. I know what you mean by all this.
I might add something during an off-period tomorrow, since I have two that are an hour and a half long each.

Also, @maiz: Probably s-tilt. Her U-tilt doesn't have as much kill potential, in my experience.

[Dettadeus]

Krystal Overview/Strategy:
Krystal is an all-around fighter. Her long-range moves, by no means, have kill potential-on their own. They're more used for setting up for her more powerful kill moves, such as her F-Smash, D-Smash, and B-Air. Her S-Special can out-prioritize or cancel most projectiles, and is easily the easiest way to begin an approach. Throw it either up or down, depending on whether or not your opponent uses short-hopped attacks more often than not (throw it down if they short-hop a lot because it will match their height), throwing it up is better for a ground approach, while either can be used for a Demon Sniper set up. However, for this you may need to jump or short-hop to achieve the right height of the shot and hit or distract your opponent properly. If your opponent takes the initiative and, after you use your S-Special, decides to approach, either keep them at bay with an U-special, d-tilt or jab-combo, or you can grab them and either throw them into a combo position or into the Staff, which should be returning by the time you throw your opponent. This is a good way to rack up damage.
Now, in the event that you catch them with the Demon Sniper, your options are thus:
1. If they are between 0% and 30% damage and a small distance away (1/3 the length of Final Destination or less), you should follow up with a Dash Attack or, if they are very close when hit, possibly a D-Smash. DO NOT USE YOUR F-SMASH AT THIS PERCENTAGE. It will not be able to kill and will likely miss entirely, leaving yourself open to punishment in the cooldown.
2. If they are between 30% and 60% damage, your attacking range is increased greatly. On the higher end of the scale, you can travel about 1/2 the length of Final Destination and still hit your opponent with a Dash Attack or Short-Hopped N- or F-Air. If you are 1/3 the length or less, follow up with a charged D-Smash or short-hopped B-Air (short-hopped D-Air is an option as well, but it is slightly more risky due to the higher landing lag and smaller sweetspot). Another option, albeit the most risky, is hitting with an F-Smash, but unless they're at 60% and you get a chance to charge some, it likely won't kill anyone but Jigglypuff.
3. If they are between 60% and 80%, you can reach them from a pretty good distance and still get a Dash Attack in (with some added kill potential). If you're close, go ahead and charge up a D-Smash or F-Smash and murder them.
4. If they are above 80% damage... they're pretty much screwed. You can charge an F-Smash with that much stun-time, and at that percent, they WILL die.
5. At any percentage, although it works better at the high end of the scale, with very careful timing, you can perform the Demonic Chain Stun Lock. This requires you to hit your opponent with a Demon Sniper shot just as they leave the hitstun of the previous shot. This is difficult, because the opponent is stunned for a different amount of time after each subsequent attack. Putting Short-Hops forward or backward in between the shots can help time properly and allow yourself to get the right distance.
6. You can, of course, simply go into a combo or something from this attack. D-tilt -> D-tilt -> Jab Combo is quick, reliable, and does something like 20%.
7. Other viable follow-up options include short-hopped N-air, f-tilt, and U-special, but I don't use these much.

Ground game overview:
Krystal's ground game should include lots of d-tilts, d-smashes, u-smashes, and grabbing. Oh yes, LOTS of grabbing. While on the ground, you want to keep your opponent at bay until you can hit them with a Demon Sniper shot or get them to fall off the stage. You likely have superior range to your opponent on the ground thanks to your staff-based jab combo, f-tilt, and dash attack, as well as the nice disjointed hitbox. Abuse this.

Air game overview:
B-AIR FOR THE WIN. This is Krystal's best attack overall. It's the Knee of Justice in reverse: the Arse of Awesome. It has great kill potential, and if using it to edge-guard, you finish facing the stage. Short-hopping this move is low-risk due to the shield-stun it causes, so if your opponent shields, they will be pushed back a ways and won't be able to put away their shield until you can move again.
Other than her B-air, short-hopped N-air and F-air are useful too. Well, heck, I'll say it: Lots and lots of Short-hopped aerials. What do I care if her short hop is the highest in the game if my n-air surrounds me in a hitbox? You can also manipulate the movement of your S-special's return trip by moving around in the air. By throwing it behind you and up, moving in from above, and landing, your staff can fly right over you and disrupt your opponent while you can do whatever the heck you want.

Other miscellaneous strategy:
ALWAYS be in another animation when your staff returns to you. Otherwise you will waste a few frames and, while on the ground, be unable to move for these frames. Even short-hopping or performing a jab will ignore the animation.

I may update this more if I find more stuff to add it.

[El Maiz]

The only flaw with Bair is that it has little range.
But Krystal is almost as good as Toad at flying across the screen to hit them.

[falcon8r]

Nice strategy. Just make sure you emphasize her Jab - it's one of the best in the game, having good range and damage.

[Dettadeus]

Well, I've been doing a whole lot with Krystal lately and have some stuff to add to the strategy section, as well as a few other sections.

Like Falcon said above, her jab IS extremely good. It outranges a massive number of ground attacks and has that great disjointed hitbox. F-Tilt, albeit slower, can do the same thing with slightly more damage and knockback.
Her D-tilt is now something I must emphasize as well. It has slightly more range than one would expect, and of course combos into her jab combo as well as a grab at low percentages (although your opponent has to be very close and you can only use D-Tilt once to combo into a grab).
At low percentages (generally below 40%), U-Throw can combo directly into U-Special for a nice little 20% on a defenseless opponent. After 40-50%, the opponent moves too far for the U-Special to hit.

Might add some more stuff, but for now here's a little bonus: A "Countering" section!
If you're going to counter Krystal, you need a character that can either reflect or outprioritize her D-Special. This is key; if you get caught with one D-Special, chances are another's on the way that'll lead into a stun-lock, and this is bad news for you and that stock of yours. You also need to be able to out-range that nasty jab. Keep in mind that she also doesn't have the best defense for an approach from above, because her only real options are an U-Smash (which will usually win because it's disjointed, but it's a slow attack for defense), and her U-Special (which is more likely due to the invincibility frames and having very little start-up). First character that comes to mind that fits these requirements is Fox. Reflector screws over Demon Sniper entirely, N-Special is (of course) spammable for added damage, and his D-Air and S-Special make approaching a cinch. The only issue here is being out-ranged by her jab combo, but it can't hit you if you're coming in with a D-Air or if she's in the air. Basically don't choose a character who has laggy attacks, because opponent lagging = Demon Sniper to the face. Characters like Ristar will die against Krystal, and although Meta Knight can out-range her in some instances and is faster, he has no way whatsoever of stopping a Demon Sniper shot.

[El Maiz]

What about just blocking the shot?

[Dettadeus]

You can't punish Krystal then, and you take shield damage. Considering how much start-up and ending lag the Demon Sniper has, it's just asking to be punished.
But yes, that is an option.

[El Maiz]

That is a good point.

Saki would be good, same reasons as Fox.

[Dettadeus]

Saki would be a good choice, but his side- and up-specials make Saki an easy target if they miss, while Fox's are much faster (and Fox's U-Special can cancel out projectiles if it hits right).

[El Maiz]

That's interesting. I'll need to use that when I play Crusade next.

Does Lucario still counter projectiles?

[Dettadeus]

Nope. Although his Aura Sphere and Force Palm can cancel out most projectiles, so he could be a safe choice against Krystal.

[El Maiz]

The back of his Sphere while you're charging cancels most projectiles. How does it fare against Krystals?

[Dettadeus]

I'll have to test that, actually. I'm pretty sure an uncharged Aura Sphere can cancel out a Demon Sniper shot though, and with some added charge you can outprioritize it and punish Krystal in one move.

[El Maiz]

I mean that when you charge it, projectiles from behind him clank with the sphere.

[Dettadeus]

I know. I'm not sure if it does that with ALL projectiles though. And I would assume Krystal's S-Special would go right through a charging Aura Sphere anyways.

EDIT: Tested it. Charging Aura Sphere will NOT cancel out the Demon Sniper shot (not even with larger Aura Spheres with 100% behind them); I'm not sure if the shot comes in too low or if it's some other issue.
However, Force Palm does cancel out the shot, and an uncharged Aura Sphere will cancel with the Demon Sniper. With a little more charge it can just outprioritize and keep going.