As I'm sure we all know by now, while dashing you can simply flip up your c-stick and do a sliding up smash with most characters (some don't slide). This is called a hyphen smash. It is very effective for getting in quick underneath an airborne opponent and dealing some punishment. Unfortunately, at this point only n00bs will consistently get raped by this (it does happen to everyone though; mindgamez).
However, there is another way to pull off this sliding up smash with more speed and distance: the DACUS. DACUS is an acronym for Dash Attack-Cancel Up Smash. Basically what you do is start a dash attack, but cancel it and do an upsmash instead. You preserve your momentum while you smash, and you can even charge it up. The easiest character to do it with is Snake, which is why this technique is also known as Mortar Sliding. Every character can do it, but not all gain any kind of benefit from it.
The basic method is as follows:
1) Dash
2) Slam (or tap) your c-stick down like you're doing a dash attack
3) Press up on the control stick while pressing Z (same timing as doing a smash attack)
If you perform it correctly, you should be able to do a devastating DACUS. Here is link to a video tutorial if you still need help.


The exception to this rule is Sheik. For some reason pressing up+Z doesn't work for her, so you have to press up+A (or any button you may have set to attack). One way to do it is to set L to attack and use it.


Here is a link to the AiB guide. I'm out of time for now.
http://allisbrawl.com/forum/topic.aspx?id=44849&page=1

I really need to get into the habit of doing practicing these things... bah, I'm still such a newb when it comes to all the jargon of the Smash World. May have to keep this thread up as I'm playing brawl next time...

Learning how to do this and executing it in battle will up your game more then you think with characters that can benefit from it.

That first link doesn't work. Also I really don't care how to DACUS since I only brawl for fun.

I kinda do want to learn how to do all these things, but I doubt I ever will. Once upon a time, I would've been excited about brawling with a bunch of new people, but having no interent for a year and some kills your enthusiasm. 'Specially when you just bought a ton of WiiWare games, and are more focussed on those than anything else.

Since nobody goes out to read up on AT's, I guess I'll just start bringing them here. Hopefully everyone can learn the main ones, or at least recognize and look out for them.

For the most part, I'm not too concerned with these advance techs just yet... although I did manage to mortar slide with some consistency. I'll be working on my meta game with characters before I make them cry at my failed attempts to be fancy.

Baby steps, just like Chozo said. I've got all this time to improve, no need to rush.

Although I have been looking at combo videos for different characters. It's good to know.

Sheik's got the best DACUS in the game, imo, except for it being really hard to do, great distance, speed, power, and of course surprise factor. Pretty sure I've done it with an up+z also, after about a million tries...

Also I feel like Falco's is better than Fox's, 1) because Falco can actually hit with his dash attack and still cancel, and 2) because (if memory serves) Fox gets about the same distance out of hyphen smash.

Wolf's is pretty great also, except again difficult timing.

Anyway, I suppose this type of rant is better left for the folks at AiB.

Oh man! I came up with something that has me all excited! Like the Sheik video suggests, changing your controls can make DACUS easier, except instead of changing L to attack try changing Z to attack. Many of them will be a lot easier to pull off, I could do many that were impossible for me before (although none of those are really useful, possible exception of MK). I found Sheik's, Jiggs, Wolf's, and Wario's in particular were much easier to do with this method. Falco's was weird though, somewhat harder to do, could no longer hit with dash attack before canceling into up smash (normally is easier to cancel into up-smash if you hit with dash attack) , however seemed to get more distance using this set up. Also makes it a bit safer to fail with tether grabbing characters as there's no risk of accidentally performing a grab and leaving yourself open

I recommend switching Throw to X or Y (whichever you don't use as much for jumping) if you use this method. There are some weird side effects to this though, in particular, if you hit "grab" while crouched you'll do an attack, and if you buffer your grab into the standing up animation you'll do a jab instead of a grab. Of course it also makes "Z"-airs somewhat easier to do, but it might still take some practice to get used to.

Enjoy! (or not, but good hunting in any case)

An interesting control scheme, I don't know why no one has ever mentioned this before. I guess we all like our grabs more than our DACUS.
I'll have to see if this does in fact make Sheik's DACUS easier.