Down throw: Difference between revisions

A '''down throw''' ({{ja|下投げ|Shita nage}}, ''Down/lower/under throw''; commonly abbreviated as '''d-throw''' or '''Dthrow''', and referred to as '''ThrowLw''' internally), commonly abbreviated as '''d-throw''', is a [[throw]] performed by tilting the [[control stick]] down after having [[grab]]bed the opponent. They were introduced in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''; in the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', there were only [[forward throw]]s and [[back throw]]s. In the transition to ''Melee'', {{SSB|Captain Falcon}}'s previous forward throw became his down throw, and he instead received a new forward throw.

Down throws typically depict the user slamming the victim onto the ground, bouncing them off at diverse vertical angles, and possess low [[knockback]] to the point of not KOing even in [[Sudden Death]], as well as low [[ending lag]]. Because of this, they are excellent [[combo]] starters for several characters throughout all games, acting as the go-to throw when the opponent is at low to medium percentages or even high percentages depending on the specific down throw's combo potential. In ''Melee'' and ''[[Brawl]]'', many down throws can also be used for [[chain grab]]s, most notably {{SSBM|Sheik}}'s in ''Melee'' and {{SSBB|King Dedede}}'s in ''Brawl'', even leading to [[zero-to-death]] combos against some characters. However, despite their vertical launch angle and low knockback, some down throws possess too much ending lag to allow for any true combos, such as [[Toon Link]]'s, [[Zero Suit Samus]]'s in ''[[Ultimate]]'', and [[Duck Hunt]]'s, while still failing to KO at realistic percentages; such throws are generally considered useless and ignored in favor of the characters' other throws.

|[[Mr. Game & Watch]]||Juggles the opponent as a ball from front to back, then slams them onto the ground.||{{n|16}}

*[[Fox]] and [[Falco]]'s down throws are the only ones to release [[projectile]]s, in the form of lasers that can be [[reflect]]ed and [[absorb]]ed. Unlike their [[back throw]]s and [[up throw]]s, the lasers are fired at point-blank and before the opponent is released (rather than after), making their down throws behave more normally, although this still means a thrown opponent wearing a [[Franklin Badge]] (or {{SSBU|Hero}} with [[Bounce]] activated) will cause the lasers to hit Fox/Falco instead of the opponent, and interrupt the throw in Falco's case.

**In ''Melee'', both characters' throws also [[meteor smash]] opponents onto the ground with extremely high base knockback, making them useful for [[tech-chasing]], and allowing them to KO opponents off the edge if they fail to [[meteor cancel]]. In ''Brawl'', they instead launch at a horizontal angle, and the meteor smash property is possessed by {{SSBB|Mr. Game & Watch}}'s down throw, which is an even more effective tech-chasing option. From ''Smash 4'' onward, no regular characters' down throws can meteor smash.

*[[King K. Rool]]'s down throw, as well as [[R.O.B.]]'s in ''Ultimate'' and {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}}'s, are the only throws in the series that [[bury]] opponents. This gives them a different followup dynamic from other down throws, which largely depends on how fast the victim [[mash]]es to escape. [[Lucas]]' down throw in ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'' also buries opponents, but only during its animation; they are launched normally afterward.

***{{SSBU|Ivysaur}}'s down throw in ''Ultimate'' is the strongest in the game when Shulk Smash Monado Art was nerfed. His down throw can KO opponents around 160% which is the second strongest in the game.

**In contrast to Mr. Game & Watch, Luigi's down throw was actually overall buffed, having slightly less endlag and knockback, and when combined with his buffed aerials and combo game, has become notorious for its ability to set up highly damaging combos and occasionally a [[zero-to-death]].

*{{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}}'s down throw in ''Smash 4'' is notable for comboing into aerial attacks against nearly any characters until high percent. Particularly at certain percent it can lead into a potential low percent KO setup with her ladder combo, which is two up aerials into her Boost Kick depending on the stage and DI.

**{{SSB4|Mario}}'s down throw was similar to Zero Suit Samus's case as well. He can lead to combos like up-tilt in lower percent. If there any platforms there, he can do follow-ups like two-four up aerials and can finish into his Super Jump Punch. This combo was used infamously in the ''Smash 4'' meta; which in ''Ultimate'' reduced his combo to become much harder to follow-up into up-tilt, although his combo potential into up-aerial from ''Smash 4'' still a viable tool in the ''Ultimate'' Meta.

*In the NTSC version of ''Melee'', {{SSBM|Bowser}}'s down throw does no damage to {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}} and {{SSBM|Mr. Game & Watch}}. This is due to the throw's hitbox not having its timing properly adjusted for weight-dependent speed, causing it to be completely skipped against characters with a [[weight]] value of 60. This was corrected in the PAL version of the game.

**Likewise, when {{SSBM|Ness}} uses his down throw against Mr. Game & Watch in ''Melee'', only the last hit affects him, so he only receives 4% damage. Additionally, in ''Brawl'', {{SSBB|Jigglypuff}} is unaffected by the first hit of {{SSBB|Link}}'s down throw.