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| [[File:CH_SA_demo1.jpg|thumb|200px|{{SSBB|Ike}}'s super armor from his [[Aether]] move. Notice how Ike didn't take any knockback from {{SSBB|Marth}}'s [[Critical Hit]], which is an invariable [[OHKO]] under standard circumstances.]] | | [[File:CH_SA_demo1.jpg|thumb|200px|Ike's super armor from his [[Aether]] move. Notice how Ike didn't take any knockback from the [[Critical Hit]] Final Smash, which almost always KOs characters in [[OHKO|one hit]].]] |
| '''Armor''' (spelled '''armour''' in the PAL version of ''Smash Smash Bros. 4''), also called '''flinch resistance''' or '''[[knockback]] resistance''', is an effect of certain moves or actions in all ''Super Smash Bros.'' games. It was first introduced through {{SSB|Kirby}}'s [[Stone]] move.
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| Armor is the concept of sustaining hitlag and damage, but not sustaining any [[knockback]] or sustaining reduced [[knockback]]. Most instances of armor have full [[damage]] taken; however there are exceptions. Some instances of armor, such as {{SSBU|Piranha Plant}}'s [[Long-Stem Strike]] or [[Mega Charizard X]], can reduce what is taken during knockback calculation. [[Grab]] hitboxes ignore all variations of armor. This is not to be confused with [[invincibility]] or [[intangibility]], mechanics where characters are hit, but sustain no damage or knockback at all; in the case of invincibility, the hitbox connects and thus hitlag is sustained, while in the case of intangibility the hitbox does nothing.
| | '''Launch resistance''', also called '''[[knockback]] resistance''', '''super armor''', or '''heavy armor''' (when the knockback resistance is finite), is a phenomenon that manifests itself during certain moves in all three ''Super Smash Bros.'' games. It is defined as a character sustaining less knockback than usual when hit, or in most cases not [[flinch|flinching]] at all. Note that knockback resistance, as the name implies, only affects knockback. The attack's full damage will still be taken. [[Yoshi (SSBB)|Yoshi's]] [[Double jump]], [[Snake (SSBB)|Snake's]] [[Cypher]], [[Diddy Kong (SSBB)|Diddy Kong's]] [[Rocketbarrel Boost]] (on the ground), and [[Kirby (SSBB)|Kirby's]] [[Stone]] are the only moves with finite amounts of knockback resistance, and are commonly referred to as having heavy armor. All other knockback resistance moves have infinite knockback resistance and are commonly referred to as super armor. |
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| ==Types of armor==
| | Note that grab hitboxes ignore all variations of launch resistance. |
| ===Super armor===
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| [[File:DKPunchArmorSSBB.gif|thumb|300px|{{SSBB|Donkey Kong}} using [[Giant Punch]]'s armor to beat a fully charged [[Super Scope]].]]
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| When a character has '''super armor''', or '''infinite knockback resistance''', they will not [[flinch]] nor take any knockback when attacked by a harmful hitbox, but flinchless hitboxes (like "windboxes") will still move the character. All [[boss]]es except [[Giga Bowser]] in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' and [[Master Core]]'s doppelganger form in ''Smash 4'' use this trait or an equivalent. However, they also cannot be [[grab]]bed, removing the main form of counterplay to armor itself.
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| Super armor has been given to a variety of moves, with no true definition in terms of consistency. It has been given to some fast attacks and even grabs, such as {{SSBU|Charizard}}'s [[Fly]] and {{SSBU|Little Mac}}'s [[KO Uppercut]], respectively. Many [[Final Smash]] transformations, such as [[Mega Lucario]] or {{b|Giga Bowser|Final Smash}}, also grant passive super armor. Some attacks may also give an opponent super armor to prevent animations from being interrupted, like Mario's [[Cape]] in ''Melee'', ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'', and Ganondorf's [[Flame Choke]] in ''Brawl''.
| | ==In ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''== |
| | [[File:YoshiDJResistanceSSB64.gif|thumb|Yoshi double jumping through an attack.]] |
| | Knockback resistance was limited to Yoshi's [[double jump cancel counter]], most characters while throwing, [[Giant DK]] at low percentages, and [[Metal Mario]]. Master Hand has infinite knockback resistance. |
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| Most moves that use super armor are slow to offset the power of the mechanic, making them easily avoided. However, it isn't uncommon for them to deal significant shield damage as well, such as Little Mac's low angled forward smash. Some can also outright break shields, such as [[Warlock Punch]] when reversed. However, most moves with super armor are also very unsafe on shield, especially with [[perfect shield]]s factored in, giving them an inherent form of counterplay. Some moves using super armor also have inherent drawbacks programmed in, such as {{SSBU|Kazuya}}'s [[Rage Drive]] depleting his Rage mechanic if it misses and only being usable once per stock if it connects.
| | While most things in the above list have unknown amounts of resistance, it is defined on [http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/Lv11.html the Japanese Super Smash Bros. website] that Yoshi's double jump resistance works by subtracting 120 from the knockback that would have been delivered, with Yoshi not flinching if the result is negative. |
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| ''Smash 4'' introduced numerous Custom Specials with super armor as alternatives to the default ones. Some of these were extremely quick or lasted long lengths of time, such as [[Volatile Breathing]] and [[Stubborn Headbutt]]. Custom Specials also allowed characters such as {{SSB4|Toon Link}} to access armor when they otherwise wouldn't, in this case with [[Flying Spin Attack]]. | | ==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''== |
| | Yoshi retained his resistance, while Metal and Giant characters had their resistance decreased a whole lot. [[Giga Bowser]] also has some amount of knockback resistance when fought in Adventure Mode. [[Master Hand]] and [[Crazy Hand]] both have infinite knockback resistance. |
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| ===Damage-based armor=== | | ==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''== |
| [[File:DamageBasedArmorUlt.png|300px|thumb|{{SSBU|Snake}}'s [[Cypher]] being hit by Pichu's neutral aerial, but armoring through thanks to damage-based armor.]] | | Many characters have knockback resistance, usually in the form of moves that give a temporarily infinite amount (a.k.a. super armor.) All of the moves are "super armor" unless otherwise stated. |
| Damage-based armor was originally introduced as a HP mechanic for {{SSBB|Kirby}}'s [[Stone]], wherein it would sustain damage until it reached below a set value. This has since been dubbed "Cumulative damage-based armor". Non-cumulative damage-based armor was introduced in ''Brawl'', specifically for {{SSBU|Snake}}'s [[Cypher]]. Under the effect of damage-based armor, characters will suffer [[hitlag]] and damage, but not flinch or take knockback unless the attack deals enough [[percentage]] to go over a defined threshold. For example, {{SSBU|Byleth}}'s [[Aymr]] in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' will handle up to 30% from frame 34 onwards before it can be interrupted, but dealing above 30% will interrupt it during its duration. This mechanic isn't to be confused with [[Belly Super Armor]], a similar mechanic where {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}'s belly will protect him from attacks.
| | {{clr}} |
| | {| border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" |
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| | | '''Character''' || '''Moves''' || '''Conditions and Notes''' |
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| | | [[Bowser (SSBB)|Bowser]] || [[Giga Bowser (Final Smash)|Giga Bowser]]|| Giga Bowser: For the entire period of being Giga Bowser. Note that Giga Bowser is not immune to [[hitstun]]. |
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| | | [[Diddy Kong (SSBB)|Diddy Kong]] || [[Rocketbarrel Boost|Rocketbarrel Blast]]|| Only the grounded version (this is a variation of heavy armor). |
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| | | [[Donkey Kong (SSBB)|Donkey Kong]] || [[Giant Punch]], [[Spinning Kong]] and [[Throw|Carry Throw]] || Giant Punch: only if fully charged; while moving his arm forward but the attack needs to make contact with his left arm and before it is released. <br>Spinning Kong: only the grounded version; just before he starts to release it (frames 10-16 first hitting on frame 19);if he leaves the ground with Super Armor frames when using the grounded version, a glitch will make the Super Armor frames last for the entire move. <br>Carry: DK gains knockback-based launch resistance for the entire duration of the Carry. Also works while holding heavy items. |
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| | | [[Ganondorf (SSBB)|Ganondorf]] || [[Flame Choke]] || In the grounded version, when holding the opponent off the ground; the opponent also gets super armor. In the aerial version, the opponent gets super armor but Ganondorf does not, allowing for strange KOs in places like [[Norfair]] or [[Brinstar]] where Ganondorf will bounce off the acid, while the opponent will continue their plummet. |
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| | | [[Ike (SSBB)|Ike]] || [[Aether]] and [[Eruption]]|| Aether: After throwing his sword in the air, but before he leaps up towards his sword. <br>Eruption: Some frames after the special move button is released but before the sword hits the ground. |
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| | | [[King Dedede (SSBB)|King Dedede]] || [[Super Dedede Jump]] || From the start until just before the apex of the jump. |
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| | | [[Kirby (SSBB)|Kirby]] || [[Stone]] || The entire duration of the period Kirby is in his Stone transformation, where he will take no damage or knockback, but he can only take up to 29% damage per Stone before he actually sustains knockback. If Kirby takes 30% (or more) damage during a single Stone transformation, he'll be knocked out of Stone and will take the full knockback -- but strangely none of the damage -- of that hitbox (this is a variation of heavy armor). |
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| | | [[Olimar (SSBB)|Olimar]] || [[Pikmin Order]] || During the first few frames |
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| | | [[Pit (SSBB)|Pit]] || [[Mirror Shield]] || Grounded version only; while pulling the shield out: frames 4-6. |
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| | | [[Pokémon Trainer (SSBB)|Pokémon Trainer]] || [[Fly]], and Squirtle's [[Forward Smash]] || Fly:The beginning of the ascension fimes: Frames 4-13, making it useful when jumping out of shield and an effective combo breaker.<br /> |
| | Squirtle's forward smash:While moving forward.<br /> |
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| | | [[Snake (SSBB)|Snake]] || [[Cypher]] || Snake cannot be flinched by any [[hitbox]] that deals exactly 7% or less, regardless of the knockback of the individual hitboxes. Most multi-hit moves deal less than 7% per hit, so they typically cannot interrupt the Cypher (a variation of heavy armor). |
| | ''(See [http://www.smashboards.com/showpost.php?p=4896503&postcount=1 this post] and [http://www.smashboards.com/showpost.php?p=4911784&postcount=12 this followup post] on SmashBoards for more details.)'' |
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| | | [[Wario (SSBB)|Wario]] || [[Forward Smash]] and [[Wario Waft]] || Forward Smash: While moving forward: frames 8-12 <br> Wario Waft: When fully charged, during the first few frames |
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| | | [[Yoshi (SSBB)|Yoshi]] || Double-Jump || Yoshi gains (approximately) 3860mph-worth of knockback resistance, as measured by the post-''Brawl'' stats (under the "top launch speed"). This means that Yoshi will ignore any knockback that would launch him at less than ~3860mph while in his midair jump. As he is damaged, he takes more knockback from an attack with the same launching power, meaning that weaker attacks will begin interrupting his midair jump as Yoshi approaches higher percentages. None of this prevents Yoshi from being affected by [[hitstun]], (a variation of heavy armor). |
| | ''(See [http://www.smashboards.com/showpost.php?p=5253672&postcount=35 this post] on SmashBoards for more details.)'' |
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| | | All [[Character]]s || All grabs except Olimar's grab. This includes [[special move|special moves]] that operate as a grab such as [[Chomp]], [[Egg Lay]], [[Inhale]], [[Super Inhale]], [[Falcon Dive]], [[Dark Dive]], [[Flame Choke]], [[Force Palm]], [[Flying Slam]]. || In ''Brawl'', when a character successfully grabs an opponent while simultaneously connecting with a harmful [[hitbox]], the grabbing character will have super armor and take no knockback or hitstun from the hitbox. Another form of launch resistance occurs when both characters are hit with the same hitbox while one has the other in a grab. When this occurs, whoever has higher controller [[port priority]] takes full damage but no knockback at all, while the other takes full damage and full knockback. This phenomenon is known as [[faux super armor]], and unlike standard grab super armor, this variation does not occur with special move grabs. |
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| Damage-based armor is usually applied to attacks used by super-heavyweight characters such as {{SSB4|Charizard}} and {{SSBU|Bowser}} to make up for their slow but powerful attacks. Most of the time, moves with this mechanic have low percentage thresholds for breakage, usually not going above 8%. Naturally, there are exceptions to both of these rules, with characters such as the aforementioned Byleth having the mechanic applied to generally powerful attacks instead, even with high thresholds.
| | ==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''== |
| | | So far, two characters has been confirmed to possess super armor qualities. {{SSB4|Pit}} can gain super armor by using Upperdash Arm, while {{SSB4|Little Mac}} gains super armor while charging what appears to be his standard special: a sweeping, super-strong uppercut. |
| This mechanic isn't without its weaknesses, however. For one, many moves, such as {{SSBU|Bowser}}'s [[tilt attack]]s, have very low thresholds, making the armor completely useless in high-damage matchups, especially [[heavyweight]]s. Moves with the armor are typically very unsafe on shield or whiff, meaning they can't be used without a plan and/or spacing. The attacks also tend to have low active armor frames in comparison to others, so they cannot be used for survivability very often; there are exceptions, however, most notably {{SSBU|Little Mac}}'s [[Straight Lunge]]. All the usual weaknesses of armor also apply, with moves such as [[Crownerang]] easily having the armor ignored by [[grab]]s due to the slow nature of the attack.
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| {{SSBU|Ryu}} and {{SSBU|Ken}}'s [[Focus Attack]]s have a unique form of damage-based armor which accumulates its threshold every frame. It also lasts for only a single hit, allowing moves with multiple hits to break it. As of ''Ultimate'', their thresholds begin at 14% and rise at 0.24% per frame, before finally capping out at 28%. Ken's armor frames also end a frame later than Ryu's<ref>[https://rubendal.github.io/ssbu/#/Character/Ryu Ryu]/[https://rubendal.github.io/ssbu/#/Character/Ken Ken], Article SpecialLw</ref>.
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| In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', damage-based armor was distributed to a wide variety of characters. It also introduced the [[1v1 multiplier]], which causes characters to take more damage from attacks in one-on-one matches. In general, this does not alter whether an attack can break a move's armor: the extra damage taken is applied ''after'' all other calculations, including deciding whether the armor breaks. However, in the case of hitting an armored opponent more than once (or with a multi-hit attack), the higher damage dealt by previous hits may alter whether the next hit will succeed. For example: | |
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| *If a move provides 15% of damage-based armor, it will protect against a move that does 14% damage, even though in the aftermath of the hit the character will now be 16.8% higher.
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| *If this same move were hit by two attacks of 7% each (which normally totals 14%), the armor will be broken, as the unaltered damage of the first hit (7%) is added to all damage taken so far (8.4%) to form an overpowering 15.4%. This can be put into the following equation; '''{(Sum of base damage taken from prior hits} × 1.2) + Base damage of final hit > armor threshold'''.
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| * Additionally, because ''Ultimate'' does not represent floating points with the 1v1 multiplier properly, armor that would fit the aforementioned equation may still break it. For example, {{SSBU|R.O.B.}}'s [[Arm Rotor]] can break {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}'s [[Crownerang]] despite dealing less than the threshold with repeated hits.
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| ===Knockback-based armor===
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| [[File:BowserToughGuySSB4.gif|thumb|300px|{{SSB4|Bowser}} using [[Tough Guy]] in the air to armor through a specific hitbox of [[Thunder Jolt]].]]
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| Knockback-based armor was introduced in ''64'' as a [[fighter ability]] for {{SSB|Yoshi}}'s double jump. This mechanic is used to prevent opponents from being knocked back unless it reaches a certain threshold in units. Some forms subtract the amount from the knockback received during calculation (known as subtractive knockback-based armor), such as the aforementioned Yoshi's double jump and [[Giga Bowser]] and [[Nana]]'s ''Melee'' appearances. Others, however, follow damage-based armor's system, not sustaining knockback until the threshold is surpassed. [[Crouch cancelling]] also gives a form of knockback resistance, although in ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'', this has changed to be a 0.85× knockback multiplier. Because of this, crouch cancelling improves {{SSB4|Bowser}} and {{SSBU|Kazuya}}'s Tough Guy and Tough Body abilities, respectively. The way knockback-based armor works varies by game and move. For some moves it will subtract the knockback, making the difference between the threshold and knockback received what is taken. This was covered on [http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/Lv11.html the Japanese Super Smash Bros. website], covering Yoshi's double jump in ''64''. For other moves, however, it will instead have characters take full knockback when the threshold is surpassed. In these cases, knockback-based armor is separated by prefixes ''Subtractive'' and ''Non-Subtractive''.
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| This armor's nature means that its effectiveness directly correlates to the user's [[percentage]]. As they take more damage, their received knockback increases; ergo, knockback-based armor becomes harder to use as a game goes on. This also means that there will be a distinct cap on the armor in every matchup, and against characters that hit harder, such as [[heavyweight]]s, the armor can even be completely ineffective. Effects that increase knockback, such as [[rage]], will also further reduce the armor's effectiveness. Some characters can also increase their knockback by way of multipliers, such as {{SSBU|Hero}}'s [[Psyche Up]], which will assist greatly in breaking through.
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| Knockback-based armor is polarizing in terms of viability. Being generally quite low in numbers - only really notable for [[Neutral attack|jab]]s - it rarely sees relevance during gameplay. However, moves such as [[Power Pellet]] and Yoshi's double jump are notoriously hard to break due to their extremely high thresholds, often being able to take [[smash attack]]s at what would otherwise be a KO [[percentage]]. For example, it takes over 70% from Samus' [[Charge Shot]] at full charge to break Yoshi's double jump armor in ''Ultimate''.
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| In ''Melee'', the {{SSBM|Ice Climbers}} — specifically Nana — have used knockback-based armor as a passive ability. Nana has 5KB units of subtractive knockback armor. [https://twitter.com/kyu_puff/status/730174703776604160 Kyu Puff's tweet] on the subject shows Nana not flinching when being hit by the weak hit of Luigi's up special. However, this has been removed in later games. [[Giga Bowser]] also has passive subtractive knockback-based armor of 20KB. Since ''Melee'', {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}, {{SSBU|Bowser}}, and {{SSBU|Kazuya}} have received mechanics similar to this passive knockback-based armor for their Kong Karry, [[Tough Guy]], and [[Tough Body]] [[Fighter ability|fighter abilities]], respectively. In ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'', Giga Bowser is buffed to receive passive super armor instead, before later being given knockback-based armor reminiscent of Tough Guy in Ultimate when he becomes a [[boss]] again, which has an eye-watering threshold of 95 units.
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| The [[Metal Box]] offers knockback-based armor in that it gives users 30 units of subtractive knockback-based armor. Combined with the increased weight, the fighter will never flinch if the total knockback taken is less than or equal to 0, which can be a substantially long length of time. However, the knockback resistance is ignored if the fighter is hit by an attack that has the [[bury]] effect like most forms of armor.
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| In ''Ultimate'', given that [[knockback]] is calculated before the 1v1 multiplier is applied to damage, knockback-based armor is unaffected by it. However, as in previous games, moves like {{SSBU|Hero}}'s [[Oomph]] and [[Psyche Up]] that ''do'' apply their modifications before knockback will affect it. [[Stale-move negation]] can also affect this through the freshness and staleness multipliers.
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| ==Oddities==
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| ===Faux super armor (''Brawl'')===
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| Faux super armor occurs when two characters are hit with the same hitbox while one has the other in a grab. Whoever has their controller [[port priority|set to the highest numbered slot]] (starting with P4) takes full damage but only flinching slightly from the attack, while the other takes full damage and full knockback.
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| This is often utilized for the [[Omnigay]], a doubles combo popularized by [[Omni]]. This consists of having {{SSBB|Meta Knight}} or {{SSBB|Kirby}} use their [[up throw]] to send opponents close (or past) the blast zone, before a partner {{SSBB|Snake}} blows up [[C4]] attached to either character. This leaves the thrower unharmed, and the victim instantly [[KO]]'d. Due to the introduction of throw [[invincibility]] in ''Smash 4'' and more characters having throws akin to the ones used in the strategy, this has technically been [[buff]]ed in the post-''Brawl'' games, despite the removal of Faux super armor.
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| ===Grab armor (''Brawl'')===
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| In ''Brawl'', when a grab connects with a character that also has an active hitbox, the character that attempted the grab takes the full damage from the hitbox but not the knockback, giving the illusion that grabs have a form of armor. However, this will only occur if the grab actually connects with the other character's hurtbox, and in both previous games, the same character would not have taken the damage.
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| In ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'', this situation is reversed; the character that attempted the grab will now take full damage and knockback from the hitbox, and the other character will simply be [[grab release]]d and take 3% damage (or more if the grab came from a special move and the grab itself dealt damage, like the beginning of [[Falcon Dive]]). In ''Ultimate'' specifically, a clash between grabs will also have characters take this damage, with an appearance similar to that of throw teching in traditional fighting games.
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| ==Trivia== | | ==Trivia== |
| *In ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'', a character's voice clip will get cut off if they get hit by an attack during their armor frames. This is best noticeable with {{SSBU|Ganondorf}} when charging up a grounded [[Warlock Punch]]. | | *In ''[[icaruspedia:Kid Icarus: Uprising|Kid Icarus: Uprising]]'', there is a power available to use known as Super Armor which makes Pit temporarily immune to flinching. Considering that ''Uprising'' was released after (and with many mechanics of) ''Brawl'', it is curious how an identical effect took on a fan-made name. |
| **This also applies to flinchless attacks such as the lasers from Fox's {{b|Blaster|Fox}}.
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| ==See also==
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| * [[List of armored attacks (SSBB)]]
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| * [[List of armored attacks (SSB4)]]
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| * [[List of armored attacks (SSBU)]]
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| * [[Passive armor]]
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| * [[Stone]] - Kirby's [[down special]], which uses a mechanic similar to armor.
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| * [[Belly Super Armor]] - {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}'s exclusive form of armor that is active for specific periods during various attacks. Not to be confused with [[Crownerang]]'s damage-based armor. It is also affected by the 1v1 multiplier.
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| ==External links== | | ==External references== |
| *[http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=163775 A better 'Super Armor List' Thread]: lists characters and their moves that have super armor, along with some frame data. | | *[http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=163775 A better 'Super Armor List' Thread]: lists characters and their moves that have Super Armor, along with some frame data. |
| *[http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=182223 The Armor Project]: explains how knockback-resisting moves that are not super armor work, including Snake's Cypher and Yoshi's midair jump.
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| ==References== | | *[http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=182223 The Armor Project]: explains how knockback-resisting moves that are not super armor work, including Snake's Cypher and Yoshi's double jump. |
| {{reflist}}
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| [[Category:Game physics]] | | [[Category:Game Physics]] |
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