Editing Charizard (SSBU)

'''Charizard''' ({{ja|リザードン|Rizādon}}, ''Lizardon'') is a character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Unlike in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', Charizard is no longer a standalone character, and is back under the {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}}’s control. It was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Along with the Pokémon Trainer and his other Pokémon, Charizard is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #35]]. Shin'ichirō Miki reprises his voiced role as Charizard in all regions, providing new clips.

Charizard, alongside the rest of the Pokémon Trainer's team, is ranked 24th out of 82 on the official ''Ultimate'' [[tier list]]. This is a significant improvement over its placement as a standalone fighter in ''SSB4'', where it was ranked 42nd out of 54, thus resulting in its best placement in the series to date.

 

Unlocked as part of {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} alongside {{SSBU|Squirtle}} and {{SSBU|Ivysaur}}.

Previously the standalone character in ''SSB4'' representing the trio of Pokémon in ''Brawl'', Charizard now returns as part of the {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}}'s crew. As expected, it has kept many of its changes from ''SSB4'', and has also retained its function as the fastest and hardest-hitting member of the Pokémon Trainer's party. In the transition to ''Ultimate'', Charizard has received a mix of buffs and nerfs; while it was initially ambiguous to whether it was buffed or nerfed, game updates have provided Charizard with useful buffs that have improved its options and fixed inconsistencies with its moveset. Because of this, Charizard has been buffed overall.

The revamped game mechanics have brought mostly positive changes to Charizard. While the increased mobility has benefitted most characters, Charizard is one of the biggest recipients relative to the cast; its previously abysmal initial [[dash]] speed is now one of the fastest in the game (which allows Charizard to also benefit from the ability to [[run cancel|use any attack out of a run]]), its [[air speed]] is now substantially faster compared to ''SSB4'', and its [[falling speed]] and [[fast fall]]ing speed are much higher, making it easier for Charizard to land while making its [[neutral game]] potentially more effective, and the universally faster jumpsquat significantly helps its buffed aerials. The changes to [[air dodge]]s help Charizard overall, allowing it to use a directional air dodge to escape combos and juggling more easily, while not making it much more susceptible to edgeguarding due to its multiple jumps and faster air speed. Its increased mobility also allows Charizard to catch opponents that could abuse directional air dodging with more ease. Finally, the increased [[shieldstun]] has further improved Charizard's ground game, making its moves safer on shield when properly spaced, most notably its sweetspotted forward tilt and down tilt.

However, Charizard has also received equally notable nerfs, which particularly affect its former most effective tools. [[Neutral attack]]'s third hit has shorter range and the first two hits can no longer jab cancel in exchange for their ability to [[lock]], and [[down throw]] had its combo potential mitigated due to receiving more ending lag; both latter changes also worsen Charizard's combo game. Notably, the removal of [[Rock Smash]] to make way for [[Pokémon Change]] has eliminated a previous landing option and shield-pressuring tool from its moveset. However, Pokémon Change can be considered a strength to Pokémon Trainer as an aggregate if the player wishes to eject Charizard from any given situation and take advantage of {{SSBU|Squirtle}}'s small size and combo game. Charizard's most notable nerf, however, is that [[forward aerial]] no longer [[autocancel]]s in a short hop due to its faster falling speed and has reduced range on its furthest hitbox, which cripples one of Charizard's former most notable tools in the neutral game. Finally, while its higher fall speed has slightly improved Charizard's neutral game and landing issues, said change has also made it easier to combo.

Some of the changes to game mechanics have also hindered Charizard. The increased startup on grabs [[out of shield]] after blocking an attack has worsened Charizard's out of shield game (despite options such as up smash and Fly), and when combined with down throw's lost combo potential, Charizard's grab game has been worsened overall (though it still remains flexible in terms of power). The universal reductions to [[landing lag]] have overall hindered Charizard, as they allow characters to space their moves on shield more easily, though while they have significantly improved its landing options (most notably its neutral, up and down aerials), some of Charizard's aerials still remain highly punishable; this change also further compounds the loss of forward aerial as an option in neutral, its slightly worsened out of shield game, and its vulnerability to combos. Lastly, while Charizard's faster initial dash is unquestionably beneficial, the changes to initial dash mechanics cause Charizard's microspacing abilities to be weakened, especially through the use of moves like forward tilt.

Overall, both Charizard's strengths and weaknesses have been further defined. While it has much better mobility and power, both points are now counterbalanced by new flaws from its moveset and changes to the game engine, such as a more polarized neutral game due to the streamlining of its previously most powerful tools and a higher vulnerability to combos. Game updates, however, have buffed Charizard as a standalone character, alleviating a few of its issues. As such, while Charizard fares slightly better than it did in its solo appearance in ''SSB4'', it has been retooled to fit more in-line with the "heavyweight" character among its partners, letting Charizard adapt to situations where its recovery, speed, endurance and/or KO power are needed, and may now replace itself with {{SSBU|Squirtle}} or {{SSBU|Ivysaur}} in cases where Charizard's weaknesses can be exploited and Squirtle's or Ivysaur's cannot.

|neutralname={{s|bulbapedia|Scratch}} ({{ja|ひっかき|Hikkaki}}) / Continuous Scratch ({{ja|れんぞくひっかき|Renzoku Hikkaki}}) / Wing Cutter ({{ja|ウイングカッター|Uingu Kattā}})

|usmashdesc=Chops away with its wings in an overhead, fanning motion. Charizard's up smash possesses wide range and disjoint and KOs most characters within the 100%-120% range. It is also among the quickest up smashes in the game (hitting grounded opponents on frame 6 and aerial opponents on frame 7), making it a potent anti-air and out-of-shield option.

|dsmashname={{s|bulbapedia|Wing Attack}} ({{ja|つばさでうつ|Tsubasa De Utsu}})

|dsmashdesc= Stomps the ground, creating a shock wave. It hits on both sides of Charizard and launches at a semi-spike angle, making it potent for edgeguarding. However, it has slow startup and extremely high ending lag.

|nairname=Charizard Turn ({{ja|リザードンターン|Rizādon Tān}})

|fairname=Aerial Claw ({{ja|くうちゅうひっかき|Kūchū Hikkaki}})

|fairdesc=A downward arcing slash with its claws. Its high power, speed (frame 8) and semi-spike angle make it reliable as an edgeguarding and KOing option. However, it has high landing lag and cannot auto-cancel in a short hop, limiting its utility in the neutral.

|grabdesc=Reaches out with its neck to bite and hold the opponent. Grabbed opponents are [[wikipedia:Clinch fighting|clinched]] while held by Charizard's open mouth. Great range.

|pummeldesc=A bite. Slow but strong.

|fthrowdesc=Hurls the opponent forward with its teeth. Charizard's forward throw is among the strongest in the game, KOing middleweights near the edge of Final Destination at around 105% without [[rage]]. It can also be used as a [[DI]] trap against opponents attempting to DI Charizard's up throw.

|bthrowdesc=Hurls the opponent backward with its teeth. This is considered Charizard's most versatile throw, capable of setting up edgeguards, KO'ing middleweights at around 130% at the edge of Final Destination, and leading to a wide range of high-damage bread-and-butter combos and 50/50 situations with only 5 frames of ending lag. True combos from Charizard's back throw include dash attack, [[reverse aerial rush]] neutral aerial, and up smash at very low percents, and forward aerial or back aerial up to around 50% percents. It can also follow up into Flare Blitz, but this is not a true combo.

|uthrowname={{s|bulbapedia|Seismic Toss}} ({{ja|ちきゅうなげ|Chikyu Nage}})

|uthrowdesc=Flies into the air and dives into the ground to suplex the opponent, akin to {{SSBU|Kirby}} and {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}'s up throws. It is one of the strongest throws in the game without DI, but its mostly vertical, yet more horizontal angle than other up throws allows the target to easily DI down and away, surviving the move up to around 160% at ground level without rage, though platforms such as those on [[Battlefield]] and [[Town and City]] alleviate this issue.

|nsdesc=[[bulbapedia:Flamethrower (move)|Expels a stream of flames from its mouth]], almost identically to [[Fire Breath]]. Flamethrower remains active as long as the user holds down the B button, but its power and range gradually decreases with prolonged or continuous use. It can also be angled slightly up or down, making it useful for ledgetrapping purposes and [[Gimp|interrupting]] low recoveries. Compared to Fire Breath, Flamethrower deals lower damage but is capable of causing [[flinch]]ing at far ranges.

|ssdesc=[[bulbapedia:Flare Blitz (move)|A flaming corkscrew tackle]] that also hurts Charizard. Flare Blitz is extremely powerful, KOing middleweights under 80% from the center of Final Destination and possessing incredible horizontal burst range. It also grants [[heavy armor]] on frames 23-53 that sustains 15% (18% in 1v1)<ref>https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1thw3dkxtnvoA6bDKRnZiCeBwcmHmRLqBSv_dpmy4Nfg/edit?usp=sharing</ref> damage, enabling it to bypass most weaker attacks and projectiles. However, it deals 5% of recoil damage upon activation and an additional 5% on contact, and contains extreme amounts of cooldown, enabling opponents to punish it out of shield just as hard. In the same way, Flare Blitz can be used off the ledge to KO opponents at disproportionally low percentages at the risk of a self-destruct in the event it misses.

|usdesc=[[bulbapedia:Fly (move)|Flies upward]] in a corkscrewing motion. Fly covers an average amount of vertical distance. Has the lowest amount of startup out of Charizard's special moves, connecting as early as frame 9. It grants super armor during frames 4-15, enabling it to intercept airborne combos and punish opponents [[out of shield]]. It deals a respectable 17% damage when all hits connect, and can KO airborne targets reliably at high percents.

|fsdesc={{SSBU|Squirtle}} and {{SSBU|Ivysaur}} are sent out alongside Charizard, and all three Pokémon perform a synchronized team attack directly in front of them. Charizard expels five {{iw|bulbapedia|Fire Blast|move}}s in a row, with the last one having the highest power.

 

 

SSBUCharizardIdle1.gif|Charizard's first idle pose.

SSBUCharizardIdle2.gif|Charizard's second idle pose.

==In Spirit Battles==

*Charizard and {{SSBU|Lucario}} are the only characters to have had their [[Final Smash]] get a new one in one installment, only to revert back to their original Final Smash in the next. Charizard is part of [[Triple Finish]] in ''[[Brawl]]'', uses [[Mega Charizard X]] as a standalone character in ''[[Smash 4]]'', then reverts to Triple Finish in ''[[Ultimate]]'' (as it was regrouped back to {{SSBU|Pokemon Trainer}}'s party). In ''[[Ultimate]]'', Lucario reverts back to [[Aura Storm]] from ''Brawl'', though it still transforms into [[Mega Lucario]] while performing it.