Edge: Difference between revisions

In the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' and in ''[[Melee]]'', a character cannot grab the edge if facing the opposite direction, with some exceptions, such as when using [[Falcon Dive]] and [[Spinning Kong]] in ''Melee''. In ''[[Brawl]]'', ''[[Smash 4]]'', and ''[[Ultimate]]'', characters can grab an edge behind them, but with a range of 40% less than in front. Characters will automatically grab a nearby edge while in the air unless the player is actively holding down on the [[control stick]] or [[D-pad]]. Multiple characters cannot hold onto an edge at the same time, with the exception of the [[Ice Climbers]] in ''Brawl'' and ''[[Ultimate]]'', where both climbers belonging to one player can grab the same edge. When a character grabs an edge, they will briefly become [[intangible]]. The amount of intangibility gained depends on the game and if certain conditions are met. In ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', if a character lets go of the ledge, they will keep their intangibility. This is the basis of [[ledgestall]]ing (see that article for more detailed analysis of how edge-grabbing works in ''Melee''). However, in ''Smash 64'', ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'', the intangibility immediately ends once a player lets go of the ledge by pressing down or back on the control stick, preventing characters from having indefinite ledge intangibility.

The physics of grabbing edges have undergone a massive overhaul in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. In this game, air time and damage of a character affect how much intangibility is earned by grabbing the ledge; a healthy character with a high amount of air time earns more intangibility. Damage no longer affects a character's recovery animations, so they always use their fast ones. A character can also be stopped from grabbing a ledge for 55 frames if they are hit, forcing most characters to predictably delay their recovery in order to sweetspot the ledge. Finally and arguably most importantly, trying to grab an edge that another character is already grabbing will gently remove them from the edge and then grab it, removing [[edge-hogging]], and grabbing an edge a second time without touching the ground or being hit will not grant intangibility, negating [[planking]]. Grabbing and stealing edge while someone hangs from it as well is commonly known as [[Edge-guarding#Ledge Trump|edge trumping]].

It is possible to get up from an edge and become actionable before the intangibility gained from grabbing said edge runs out. This window of time is known as '''grounded actionable ledge intangibility''' (often shortened to '''GALINT'''). A common way to gain GALINT is the ledge dash in ''Melee'' and ''Ultimate'', which involves dropping from an edge, then jumping and air dodging at the right time depending on the character to bypass the get up animation and be actionable sooner than anticipated. The window to perform this technique and the amount of possible GALINT varies by character, as some are slower in the air than others and thus have less GALINT.  

Ledgetrapping is the act of limiting only six options to leave the ledge and granting coverage of them: regular get up, get up attack, ledgeroll, ledge jump, drop down ledge attack, or staying on the ledge. This is an effective strategy for players who are trying to read their option by using a move that covers most of their choices. A simple way of ledgetrapping for all characters is shielding at the ledge as it covers four out of the six ledge options, two of which must be reacted upon (regular get up, get up attack, ledge roll, and jump). If the ledgetrapper shielding gets one of the options, they can grab the opponent and send them back past the ledge for them to try again.

*{{SSBU|Mario}}: Up smash covers ledge jump, get up attack, and roll. His neutral air's lingering hitbox also covers ledge jump and get up attack.

*{{SSBU|Pikachu}}: Thunder Jolt covers roll, regular get up, get up attack, and staying on the ledge because it travels under the ledge. He can also do back airs out of shield to force a reaction and can shield poke the regular get up.

*{{SSBU|Ness}}: PK Fire is effective at catching some reckless options, including jump, regular get up, and get up attack. Ness also can use yo-yo at the ledge to cover jump, roll, and staying on the ledge, especially.

*{{SSBU|Dr. Mario}}: Megavitamins have a tricky trajectory and bounce and if it covers an option, he can confirm into any aerial. Dr. Tornado is also effective at ledge and it covers jump if mashed, regular get up, get up attack if the heavy armor is initiated on startup, and staying on the ledge as an edgeguarding tool. Just like Mario, up smash covers the same options.

*{{SSBU|Marth}} and {{SSBU|Lucina}}: Neutral air and forward air's hitbox covers all get up options with the large arc.

*{{SSBU|Ganondorf}}: Neutral air covers regular get up, get up attack, and jump. Forward and up smash are notoriously powerful for calling out opponents' option at the ledge.

*{{SSBU|Wario}}: Chomp at ledge is very useful and is also a command grab as it covers regular get up and jump.

*{{SSBU|R.O.B.}}: Gyro at ledge can create setups, neutral air has a wide hitbox that covers all get-up options, and Arm Rotor is very useful as a ledge guarding tool.

*{{SSBU|Wolf}}: Neutral air covers a wide hitbox and down smash covers roll, regular get up, and get up attack.

*{{SSBU|Palutena}}: Down tilt covers hanging on the ledge, Explosive Flame is effective at get up attack and jump.

*{{SSBU|Cloud}}: Neutral air and forward air is good at get up options and up special out of shield is good at reacting.

*{{SSBU|Inkling}}: They can throw a splat bomb to cover regular get up, get up attack, and jump.

*{{SSBU|Hero}}: Zapple and Kazap are effective at covering all options and Kazap has super armor so it invalidates get up attack but not staying on ledge.

*{{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}}: Rear Egg's slow movement can be tricky to exploit due to its angle and egg firing is effective at denying different get ups

A two frame punish is a mechanic introduced in ''Smash 4'' that allows a potential edge guarder to attack an opponent attempting to recover without even leaving the stage or hardly coming off. When a character grabs the ledge, there are two [[frames]] (or 1/30th of a second) of tangibility directly before they grab the ledge. This was most likely added to compensate for the removal of edge-hogging, as it still allows players to be punished for going for a ledge grab, even though it is more difficult and less consistent than edge-hogging. The two frames of punish time don't appear if the character recovering grabs the ledge not by coming up, but by going past the ledge and grabbing it on the way back down, or just jumping and not using their up-b, though both can lead to punishment regardless. If the recovering character uses a teleport recovery (like [[Sheik]]'s [[Vanish]]) starting from above the ledge, the two vulnerable frames don't apply and there will be no room for punishment.

The edge sweet spot is the range around a fighter from the edge of a [[platform]] at which a character can still grab the edge. This is normally in reference to a [[recovery]] move such as an [[up special move]], but is also active when a fighter is falling downwards and not using an aerial. This distance varies for each character and each type of recovery move, with some recovery moves having large edge sweet-spots, while others cannot sweetspot at all. In addition, some fighters have notoriously large edge sweet spot hitboxes, particularly in ''[[Smash 4]]'', which has led to many players jokingly referring to the feature as "magnet hands". All characters have two hitboxes, one in front and one behind them, usually towards their head area, which when overlapping with the ledge will result in the character grabbing the ledge. Some special moves only enable the front edge sweet spot hitbox to be active, while some do not allow either for either part of or the entire duration of the special. Notable recovery moves that cannot edge-sweetspot are {{SSBM|Captain Falcon}} and {{SSBM|Ganondorf}}'s up specials in ''[[Melee]]'', along with {{SSB4|Little Mac}}'s [[Rising Uppercut]], {{SSB4|Cloud}}'s [[Climhazzard]] (if he is not under [[Limit Charge|Limit Break]] status). and {{SSBU|Terry}}’s [[Rising Tackle]]. Typically, when attempting a recovery, it is more useful to aim up special moves for the ledge in an attempt to sweetspot the ledge (if possible), rather than recovering to the stage. The edges on {{SSBM|Battlefield}} in ''Melee'' are quite infamous for being difficult to grab on to.