Mac Neutral Gameplan Guide

Mac's Neutral Guide

TERMINOLOGY:
Uaf Smash: Up-Angled F-Smash
Daf Smash: Down-Angled F-Smash
FF: Fast-fall
SH: Short hop
SL: Straight Lunge (Neutral B)
RSL: Straight Lunge at high charge (When Mac's fist turns red, not fully charged.)

To start the match up, you need to get a feel for the kind of player your opponent is (after first assessing who the play. A zoner, rush-down, bait and punish type, etc.) and what their own gameplan is. Are they rushing you down? Are they retreating a lot and trying to punish you for running or walking in? Camping by ledge? Etc.

The very first thing you should do as Mac is to land d-tilt. Go for d-tilt daf-smash as your first string of the match.
Why?
The D-tilt is to 'Scan' your player:

Will they jump out of hitstun?
No: They get hit by daf smash and eat 40% in total, and are put in a tech chase.
Yes: They aren't hit, and you aren't punished. They also have no double jump now, punish their landing with uaf smash, u-smash, or a tilt. (Uaf smash and u-smash covers over your head.)

Will they airdodge out of hitstun?
Yes: Read their airdodge and punish with another d-tilt or a smash attack (This time go for d-tilt f-tilt. D-tilt side-b is for mid%)
No: Chances are they jumped, or are throwing out an aerial. Substitute daf smash for uaf smash.

Will they attack out of hitstun?
Yes: [This section is complicated and depends on frame data, definitive answer after frame data labbing.]
No: They either airdodged or didn't jump, meaning you land the daf smash. Read their tech option.

Remember, people will change their habits game by game, with more advanced players making mix-ups and changes on the fly. Don't always use the first 5-10 seconds of the match as reference for the entire thing, but definitely keep in mind what people prefer to do out of instinct and punish them for that.



[Guide incomplete atm, in the works.]