Mr. Sandman

## Fighter Data

* **Guaranteed Stars**: 1st unstunned punch, every 4th punch after (Only in Round 3).
* **Lucky Stars**: 50% chance.
* **Star Punch Dodging**: 6th Star Punch, then 2nd Star Punch once reset.
* **Special Move(s)**: *Dreamland Express (DLX)* (1:30 RD1, Any Player KD after 1:59 + 3-frames RD1, 1:00 & 2:00 RD2, Any Player/Sandman KD in RD2 & RD3) - Mr. Sandman will briefly pause, flash, then unleash three rapid uppercuts in succession. Player must dodge all three uppercuts in order to be able to counter.
* **Refills Of Note:** *Round 1, Phase 3* - Low Fill (64 HP) guaranteed on 5 count. Overall 75% chance of Low Fill and 25% chance of Big Fill (80 HP) in Phase 3.
* **KO Conditions**: Get 6th knockdown (random).
* **Win By Decision**: N/A - Cannot win by decision.

## Fighter Behavior

**Rolling Jabs:** Thrown in sets of 5 (L-R-R-L-R) during the first 0:50 of the fight, thrown once (non-rolling) in retaliation for a gut-punch beginning at 0:50 in RD1. May also randomly throw in sets of two when transitioning patterns.

**Hooks:** Thrown in retaliation for a face punch beginning at 0:50 in RD1. Primary attack method from Mr. Sandman.

**Uppercuts:** Thrown when player has zero hearts, and randomly thrown in Round 3.

## Single Segment

### Beginner Strategy (No-Knockdowns):

The *Beginner Strategy* for Mr. Sandman does not require one to perform the Triple Quick-Dodge technique on the DLX attack, and only requires facing the DLX once in the fight. (Though performing a "Triple Quick" on the DLX will result in more gut-punches able to be landed). In the first part of Phase 1, you'll want to block any left-handed Rolling Jabs from Mr. Sandman before performing a delayed counter-punch, and you'll want to quick-dodge any right-handed Rolling Jabs before an immediate counter-punch. Otherwise, it's about inducing hooks out of Mr. Sandman in order to do the right quick-dodge "dance" to whittle away his health.

#### Phase 1

* Hold Down to block the 1st Rolling Jab (Left Rolling Jab) and then release.
* Hesitate a bit and throw a Face Jab. (If delayed properly, you'll notice more damage done to Sandman than if not delayed enough).
* Quick-Dodge Mr. Sandman's 2nd and 3rd Rolling Jabs (Right Rolling Jabs) and immediately counter with a face-jab.
* Hold Down to block the 4th Rolling Jab (Left Rolling Jab) and then release.
* Hesitate a bit and throw a Face Jab.
* Quick-Dodge the 5th Rolling Jab (Right Rolling Jab) and immediately counter with a face-jab.
* Repeat the above steps for the next set of 5 Rolling Jabs Mr. Sandman throws. (Sandman might delay one in-game second before starting the next sequence of 5).
* Wait for 0:50 to be seen on the in-game clock and throw a face-jab at Mr. Sandman who will immediately dodge and counter with a hook.
* Quick-dodge Sandman's hook.
* Buffer a face-jab.
* Buffer a left gut-punch.
* Hesitate, then throw a right gut-punch.
* Buffer a face-jab, quick-dodge Mr. Sandman's hook, buffer a face-jab, buffer a right quick-dodge, buffer a right gut-punch. Repeat this pattern until Mr. Sandman goes down.

#### Phase 2

* Buffer a face-jab as Mr. Sandman is getting up.
* Quick-dodge Sandman's hook and counter with a face-jab.
* Buffer two left gut-punches, then delay a right gut-punch.
* Repeat the above steps a second time. This should bring you to around the 1:30 mark of the match and the first DLX.
* Dodge all three uppercuts of the DLX and throw a face-jab to stun Mr. Sandman.
* Immediately buffer 14 left gut-punches. (18 if you manage to quick-dodge the final two of the three DLX uppercuts. May only get 10 gut-punches if all three dodges were too slow).
* Buffer a left quick-dodge into a face punch. (Will send Mr. Sandman down if 18 gut-punches were able to be landed on the DLX).
* If you did not send Mr. Sandman down, buffer a face-jab, quick-dodge Mr. Sandman's hook, buffer a face-jab, buffer a right quick-dodge, buffer a right gut-punch. Repeat this pattern until Mr. Sandman goes down a second time.

#### Phase 3

* Buffer a face-jab as Mr. Sandman is getting up.
* Induce a hook from Mr. Sandman with a face-jab.
* Quick-dodge the hook and counter with a face-jab.
* Right quick-dodge into a right gut-punch.
* Repeat the above steps until Mr. Sandman goes down for the final time.

### **Advanced Strategy (**Knockdown):

It is important to press Select on the pre-fight screen in order to lower Little Mac's health down to half. This will allow you to take an intentional knockdown at 1:59 + 4 frames so that Mr. Sandman will perform a DLX.

#### Phase 1

* Hold Up to raise Mr. Sandman's guard.
* Release Up to quick-dodge the 1st Rolling Jab.
* After a slight delay, throw a right gut-punch, then continue to hold Up.
* Repeat the previous two steps for the next 4 Rolling Jabs. (Sandman's pattern is L, R, R, L, R)
* Get hit by Mr. Sandman's 6th Rolling Jab.
* Repeat the above steps for his second set of Rolling Jabs, this time getting hit by Mr. Sandman's 11th Rolling Jab.
* Buffer a face-jab.
* Quick-dodge Mr. Sandman's hook.
* Buffer a face-jab.
* Buffer a left gut-punch.
* Hesitate, then throw a right gut-punch. (If delayed properly, it will deal extra damage and pull Mr. Sandman out of stun).
* Buffer a face-jab, quick-dodge Mr. Sandman's hook, buffer another face-jab, buffer a right quick-dodge, buffer a right gut-punch. Repeat this pattern until Mr. Sandman goes down. **(1:16 - 1:18)**

#### Phase 2

* Buffer a face-jab as Mr. Sandman is getting up.
* Quick-dodge and buffer a face-jab.
* Buffer two left gut-punches, then delay a right gut-punch.
* Repeat the above steps a second time. This should bring you to around the 1:30 mark of the match and the first DLX.
* Perform a Triple Quick-Dodge when Mr. Sandman begins the DLX.
* On the last of the three Triple Quick-Dodges throw a face-jab to stun Mr. Sandman.
* Immediately buffer 18 left gut-punches.
* Buffer a left quick-dodge into a face-jab to send Mr. Sandman to the mat a second time. **(1:53 - 1:55)**

#### Phase 3

If Mr. Sandman gets up on a 5-count, it is guaranteed he will have a Low Fill.

* Look at the clock when Mr. Sandman gets up.
	+ If the clock says 1:53, buffer a left gut-punch then immediately dodge Sandman's counter-jab, punch him in the face and buffer a face-jab.
	+ If the clock says 1:54, buffer a left gut-punch, get hit by Sandman's retaliation then immediately buffer a 2nd left gut-punch. This will send Mac down to the canvas at the proper time and invoke the "Tiny Sandman" glitch.
	+ If the clock says 1:55 or later, wait until a little bit after the clock says 1:57 and throw a face-jab.
* Get hit by Mr. Sandman's retaliation hook to be sent down to the mat. (The clock should have moved to 1:59 a little bit before you got hit).
* While you are going to the mat, look at Mr. Sandman's health bar to see if it's a Big Fill (Bad) or Small Fill (Good).
* Small Fill
	+ When you get up, Mr. Sandman will perform a DLX.
	+ Buffer 5 left quick-dodges. If Mr. Sandman doesn't delay, the five quick-dodges will perfectly avoid Mr. Sandman's DLX. If Mr. Sandman does delay, you can cease the quick-dodging and wait for Mr. Sandman to perform his DLX.
	+ On the final quick dodge of Mr. Sandman's DLX, throw a face-jab to stun him then buffer 18 left gut-punches and finally a left quick-dodge into a face-jab to send Mr. Sandman down. (If Phase 3 started at 1:53, just buffer 19 left gut-punches to end the fight after the initial face-jab). **(2:18-2:26)**
* Big Fill
	+ When you get up, Mr. Sandman will perform a DLX.
	+ Buffer 5 left quick-dodges. If Mr. Sandman doesn't delay, the five quick-dodges will perfectly avoid Mr. Sandman's DLX. If Mr. Sandman does delay, you can cease the quick-dodging and wait for Mr. Sandman to perform his DLX.
	+ On the final quick dodge of Mr. Sandman's DLX, throw a face-jab to stun him then buffer 18 left gut-punches and finally a left quick-dodge into a face-jab.
	+ Throw a face-jab, quick-dodge Mr. Sandman's retaliation hook, buffer a face-jab, buffer a right quick-dodge, buffer a right gut-punch.
	+ Buffer another face-jab, quick-dodge Mr. Sandman's retaliation hook, buffer a face-jab, buffer a left gut-punch. **(2:28-2:36)**

## Individual Level

The Mr. Sandman IL fight is fairly similar to the standard strategy with some slight optimizations. During Phase 1, there are four opportunities for Mr. Sandman to delay; after Rolling Jab #5, Rolling Jab #10, Unforced Hook #1, and before the final Unforced Hook of Phase 1. If he delays in any of those spots, the attempt is over. In Phase 2, we need Mr. Sandman to instantly perform his DLX after the three left slow-dodges. We press B during the second slow dodge to attempt to manipulate him into his fastest delay which results in the lowest possible time for Phase 2. (1:51). Phase 3 has RNG involved with the refill Mr. Sandman gets, and the delay on his DLX. The odds of the needed low fill are 70% on a 3-count, 100% on a 5-count, and 30% on a 8-count making it 75% overall that you will get the proper low fill. The other RNG is Mr. Sandman's delay before he performs his DLX once Little Mac gets up. For the IL, we need his shortest delay to get the desired time.

The TAS for this fight is 2:16.48 and hits the very last frame for that time increment. Therefore, to tie the TAS one would need complete frame perfection. 2:16.61 is possible with minimal frame losses over TAS.

#### Phase 1

* Hold Up to raise Mr. Sandman's guard.
* Release Up to quick-dodge the 1st Rolling Jab.
* After a slight delay, throw a right gut-punch, then continue to hold Up.
* Repeat the previous two steps for the next 4 Rolling Jabs. (Sandman's pattern is L, R, R, L, R)
* Release all buttons and wait for Mr. Sandman's 6th Rolling Jab and let it hit you. (Must get hit at 0:27 or attempt is over).
* Repeat the above steps for his second set of Rolling Jabs, this time getting hit by Mr. Sandman's 11th Rolling Jab. (Must get hit at 0:49 or attempt is over).
* Buffer a face-jab.
* Left quick-dodge Mr. Sandman's hook.
* Buffer a face-jab into a right quick-dodge into a right gut-punch.
* Buffer three left slow-dodges into a face-jab, into a right quick-dodge, into a right gut-punch.
* Buffer a left slow-dodge, hesitate slightly, then duck. (If Mr. Sandman isn't throwing a hook, attempt is over).
* Buffer a face-jab into a right quick-dodge into a right gut-punch.
* Buffer a duck into a face-jab into a right quick-dodge into a right gut-punch.
* Buffer a duck into a face-jab into a left gut-punch into a left quick-dodge into a face-jab. (If Mr. Sandman isn't throwing a hook, attempt is over).
* Mr. Sandman will go down at 1:15 (or a VERY early 1:16 if slow).

#### Phase 2

* Buffer a face-jab.
* Left quick-dodge Mr. Sandman's hook.
* Buffer a face-jab into two left gut-punches, delay, then throw a single right gut-punch to inflict maximum damage.
* Repeat Steps 1-3.
* Buffer three left slow-dodges (pressing Start for four frames during the 2nd left slow-dodge) into three left quick-dodges into a face-jab. (If Mr. Sandman doesn't perform the immediate DLX, attempt is over).
* Buffer 18 left gut-punches.
* Buffer a left quick-dodge into a face-jab to send Mr. Sandman down at a high 1:51.
* **OR**
* Delay a right gut-punch to inflict maximum damage and send Mr. Sandman down at a low 1:51. (Frame Perfect).

#### Phase 3

* Buffer a face-jab.
* Left quick-dodge Mr. Sandman's hook.
* Buffer a face-jab into a single left gut-punch, delay, then a single right gut-punch.
* Buffer a face-jab and take the hit to get knocked-down.
* Upon getting up, buffer 5 left quick-dodges into a face punch.
* Buffer 16 left gut-punches to TKO Mr. Sandman. (2:16.XX)

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