View source for Footstool Jump

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[[File:Footstool_Jump01.jpg|thumb|{{SSBB|Yoshi}} lands on {{SSBB|Wario}}'s head.]]
The '''Footstool Jump''' ({{ja|踏み台ジャンプ|Fumidai Janpu}}, ''Springboard Jump'') ('''StepJump''' in the game scrips), also known as a  '''Stepping Stone Jump''', is a [[technique]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. When characters are directly above another character, they can press the jump button to bounce off of the character's head. When used on a grounded opponent, it briefly freezes the opponent while they are in an animation of the player bouncing off their head. When used on an opponent in midair, it causes the opponent to [[tumble]] a set distance. It does no damage and can be used between two and six times in succession (depending on which character is used—a faster [[falling speed]] means that the character cannot footstool jump as many times), with each jump resulting in approximately half the rebound. Teammates cannot jump on each other unless [[Friendly Fire]] is set on (however, in ''SSB4''{{'}}s [[Training Mode]], the CPUs can jump on each other). Like a normal jump, this jump can be [[short hop]]ped. Players can also footstool off someone hanging on a ledge, but the character being jumped off will not fall and the footstool will not gain as much height. {{SSBB|Pit}} performs this move in a cutscene in the [[Subspace Emissary]].

While said to be a [[meteor smash]] on the [[Smash Bros. DOJO!!]], it does not actually function as a meteor smash, as it does not produce proper [[knockback]], nor can the tumble animation from being footstooled be canceled early like a meteor smash can through [[meteor canceling]]. However, if this results in a Fall, it will count as a KO for the footstooling player, even if no damage has otherwise been dealt for that stock.

Characters who are [[sleep]]ing cannot be footstool jumped until they are awake. Additionally, a footstool cannot cancel out an opponent's move that is in progress, regardless of if they're grounded or not. So if a footstool is used on an opponent that is in the process of performing a move, the player will do a footstool jump that cannot be short hopped, while the opponent continues through with their move without interruption; this act is referred to by the competitive community as a '''phantom footstool'''.

In ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4'', a fighter footstooled in midair is unable to [[tech]] upon landing from their tumble. In ''Ultimate'', teching is possible.

In ''Ultimate'' if {{SSBU|Piranha Plant}} is footstooled while it is crouching, [[Piranha Plant (SSBU)/Footstooled attack|it will automatically attack whoever footstooled it]], making it the only character with this trait. As of version 13.0.0, fighters that have been put into a [[crumpling]] state by {{SSBU|Kazuya}}'s [[Devil Fist]] can no longer be footstooled. This was done to remove an infinite that would lock the opponent in a crumpling state if performed correctly.

==Applications==
Footstool jumping is primarily used to [[gimp]] opponents when [[edgeguarding]]. It can also lead straight into meteor smashes with fast startup and/or long vertical range, such as {{SSBB|Marth}}'s down aerial in ''Brawl''. Footstools can additionally be used onstage to knock an opponent down, which can then setup for a guaranteed [[punish|free hit]] or [[lock]] in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4'', or a [[tech-chase]] situation in ''Ultimate''. Using the footstool to intentionally achieve these things can be difficult, due to its inability to affect an opponent that is performing a move.

===Vertical spacing===
{{main|Vertical spacing}}
A more advanced application is using the footstool jump to aid in the landing of Marth's down aerial meteor smash in ''Brawl''.

===Infinite footstool combos===
In ''Brawl'', {{SSBB|Captain Falcon}} and {{SSBB|Zero Suit Samus}} can perform an infinite (and thus potential [[zero-to-death]]) combo on {{SSBB|R.O.B.}} Captain Falcon's combo begins with a [[neutral aerial]], followed by immediately fast-falling and performing a footstool on R.O.B. and repeating. When Captain Falcon racks up enough damage, he can use the [[Knee Smash]] as a finisher. Zero Suit Samus's combo can be done by starting with her [[down smash]], performing a footstool on R.O.B., then immediately using her [[down aerial]] and repeating. Zero Suit Samus can also use her [[dash attack]], [[forward tilt]], the second jab in her jab combo, and/or the [[Paralyzer]] to mix it up, as those moves have [[lock]]ing properties, which can lead to finishers such as [[Plasma Whip]].

In ''SSB4'', it is possible with some [[item]]s to perform an infinite combo by footstooling an opponent, dropping the item on them to cause a [[jab reset]], and repeating. {{SSB4|Villager}} and {{SSB4|Pac-Man}} can do this with their [[Timber|woodchip]] and [[Bonus Fruit]] respectively. This requires a very high amount of [[technical skill]] to consistently perform, however. In early versions of {{for3ds}}, {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}} can use her Paralyzer to perform an infinite footstool combo on {{SSB4|Robin}} akin to the one she could perform in ''Brawl'' on R.O.B., due to gaining unusually little height after footstooling the latter; however, this was patched out in version [[1.0.4]]. {{SSB4|Mewtwo}} can also perform an infinite combo on most characters by canceling its footstool jump with [[Disable]] and using a well-spaced backward-facing neutral aerial. Perhaps most notably, {{SSB4|Peach}} is capable of an infinite footstool combo known as the "Umeki Rainbow", named after the Peach player {{Sm|Umeki}}, who was able to consistently perform it in tournament sets. The combo uses Peach's [[floating]] ability to fully cancel the upward momentum of a grounded footstool jump, as well as the first hit of her up aerial. Prior to version 1.1.5, the combo was possible on a large portion of the cast, but her up aerial's range against grounded opponents was nerfed in 1.1.5, resulting in the combo now only being possible on a few of the taller members of the cast.

In ''Ultimate'', the ability to tech midair footstools upon landing effectively results in most infinite footstool combos (except for the ones that only utilize grounded footstools) no longer being guaranteed. In addition, characters must wait for 16 frames after attacking before they can footstool (starting from when the attack ends or is interrupted).

==Origin==
The Footstool Jump is very similar to one seen in ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' and in ''Kirby & The Amazing Mirror'', where Kirby could perform large jumps by jumping on the heads of his potential allies. It is also similar to how players can bounce on other players in some minigames in the ''Mario Party'' series, as well as modern entries in the ''Super Mario Bros.'' series.

While footstooling does not exist as a mechanic in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', the cutscene where Luigi appears in [[Adventure Mode]] is extremely similar in concept, where Luigi jumps on Mario's head to gain a boost and send him downward.

Piranha Plant being able to attack players when it is footstooled while crouching can be considered a reference to its main method of attack in the 2D ''Mario'' games.

==''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' digital manual description==
''"When above enemies, pressing {{Button|Wii U|X|s=25px}} or {{Button|Wii U|Y|s=25px}} or flicking up on {{Button|Wii U|Control Stick|s=25px}} will let you use them as a footstool to jump even higher."''

==Gallery==
<gallery>
LuigiFootstoolSSBM.png|Luigi "footstool jumping" Mario in ''Melee''.
Footstool_Jump02.jpg|Yoshi jumps from Wario.
Cfalcon_footstool.jpg|A footstool jump in midair.
Footstool_jump03.jpg|A footstool jump used for edge-guarding.
Smash.4 - Head Jumping.jpg| Footstool jumps in {{forwiiu}}.
</gallery>

==External links==
*[http://www.smashbros.com/wii/en_us/howto/technique/technique03.html Confirmation]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jscos9ivJ7k Demonstration of the limitations of the Footstool Jump]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=065673B3osg Useful applications of footstools in ''SSB4''] 
[[Category:Game controls]]
[[Category:Techniques (SSBB)]]
[[Category:Techniques (SSB4)]]
[[Category:Techniques (SSBU)]]