Editing Ike (SSBU)

|image = {{tabber|title1=Path of Radiance|content1=[[File:Ike SSBU.png|x250px]]|title2=Radiant Dawn|content2=[[File:Ike-Alt1 SSBU.png|x250px]]}}

'''Ike''' ({{ja|アイク|Aiku}}, ''Ike'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Like all veterans, he was officially confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Ike is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #32]]. {{s|wikipedia|Greg Chun}} voices Ike in the English version, reprising his role from ''{{s|fireemblemwiki|Fire Emblem Heroes}}'' and succeeding Jason Adkins, who voiced him in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. Michihiko Hagi reprises his role in the Japanese version via new voice clips.

Ike is currently ranked 71st out of 82 on the [[tier list]], placing him in the upper of D- tier. This is a moderate drop from his tier placement in ''SSB4'', where he was ranked 39th out of 54, and is his worst placement in the series. Ike's best assets lie in his overall power and range, having some of the strongest moves in the game. His neutral aerial is an infamously effective combo tool thanks to its low landing lag and base knockback, making it an effective option for spacing and initiating combos, including into KO confirms. Additionally, Ike has a promising combo game, as he is able to use his down tilt, neutral aerial, down throw and, to a lesser extent, his up throw to confirm into combos at various percentages. Courtesy of Ike's relatively high power, his combos translate into giving him effective 50/50 KO combos for a heavyweight.

 

However, Ike also has some polarizing weaknesses, most notably his poor disadvantage state. Due to his tall height, heavy [[weight]], slow mobility, and sluggish frame data, Ike is especially susceptible to combo-oriented and/or speedy fighters. His most effective tools are hampered by poor hitboxes or low speed: some examples include his back aerial, which starts too high to hit most standing characters despite its speed, and his neutral aerial, which has a slow hitbox that starts above Ike and renders it very predictable. He is also vulnerable to [[perfect shield]]ing due to his overall slow aerial attacks and general reliance on aerials, giving him trouble with landing. Finally, Ike suffers from a predictable recovery: both his recovery moves have fixed travel trajectories (either fully horizontal with [[Quick Draw]] or fully vertical with [[Aether]]), making him reliant on conserving his [[double jump]] and rendering him weak to reasonably strong [[semi-spike]]s while recovering.

 

Ike originally achieved very promising results during the early metagame of ''Ultimate'', and was usually considered one of the best swordfighters during that time, courtesy of players such as {{Sm|MkLeo}} and {{Sm|Ryuga}}. However, his representation notably declined due to his weaknesses becoming exploitable as time went on, and with his best players either dropping him or becoming inactive. Despite currently having below-average representation, Ike has nevertheless maintained some tournament success in the current metagame, thanks to dedicated mains such as {{Sm|Tora}} and {{Sm|PsyKoD}}.

Ike must then be defeated on [[Coliseum]] (the [[Ω form]] is used in World of Light).

Ike is a tall heavy[[weight]] swordsman, being tied with {{SSBU|Wario}}, {{SSBU|Ridley}}, {{SSBU|Simon}}, and {{SSBU|Richter}} as the 13th heaviest fighter in ''Ultimate''. Fittingly for a heavyweight, Ike's endurance is respectable at the cost of generally poor mobility: while he has above-average [[air speed]], [[traction]], [[falling speed]], [[fast fall]]ing speed, and [[gravity]], Ike sports the 14th slowest [[walk]]ing speed, the 15th slowest [[dash]]ing speed, a below-average [[initial dash]], low [[jump]]s, and the 8th lowest [[air acceleration]].

 

 

 

Ike also has a unique [[special]] moveset. His [[neutral special]], [[Eruption]], is chargeable, grants super [[armor]] when released half charge or higher, deals very high damage and knockback, and has an excellent vertical reach and the most horizontal range out of his entire kit, all of which make it a fearsome [[edgeguarding]] tool. His [[side special]], [[Quick Draw]], is also chargeable and propels him forward, making it a good mix-up in his [[neutral game]] as it helps his recovery, mobility, and approach. His [[up special]], [[Aether]], covers decent vertical distance for a recovery move, but minimal horizontal distance. However, the descending hitbox is an incredibly powerful [[meteor smash]] that has the potential to KO opponents at 0% when they are offstage, making it quite dangerous to intercept Ike in some circumstances. This move also has solid knockback, which players can use on [[Out of Shield]] options and can KO around 100% as of update 8.0.0. His [[down special]], [[Counter]], is among the strongest of their kind in the game, having a 1.2× damage multiplier and dealing excellent knockback. It is also relatively useful for protecting against edge-guarding and disrupting some recoveries.

Ike's [[combo]] potential is also respectable, with his [[neutral aerial]] being his best combo starter. Not only does it cover a large area around him to protect him from many attacks, but it also deals fairly low knockback and has little landing lag, which allows it to combo into itself or other moves at various percentages. His neutral aerial can also combo into his back aerial or up aerial for semi-reliable KO confirms at moderately high percentages. At low percentages, it can combo into [[grab]]s. Additionally, Ike can start combos with his down throw at low percentages, leading to moves such as his up tilt, up aerial, or Aether. Finally, his down tilt has low knockback scaling and launches at a mostly vertical angle, making it a consistent, reliable combo starter at most percentages, and has reliable KO confirms into his aerials at high percentages.

Despite his strengths, Ike is not without his fair share of flaws. As mentioned earlier, he possesses slow movement speed (especially on the ground), which causes him to struggle against quick, agile characters. He also has some of the worst frame data in the game, with severe ending lag in most of his attacks and only his [[neutral attack]] (frame 4, 3, and 5 for each respective hit), [[down tilt]], and back aerial (both frame 7) coming out faster than frame 10. His back aerial is also his only aerial attack that can autocancel in a short hop. His aforementioned counter is one of his most punishable options due to being arguably the slowest in the game, with a sluggish startup of 9 frames and considerable ending lag (on both the whiff and counterattack). Consequently, characters with superior attack speed can easily overwhelm and punish him, especially if his attacks are whiffed.

Most of Ike's out-of-shield options are slow and committal, granting him a mediocre out-of-shield game. Additionally, Ike's disadvantage state is terrible due to lacking effective options to land or protect him from pressure and juggling. Furthermore, several of his landing options (like neutral aerial) are predictable and/or having short-lasting hitboxes. While his attributes (particularly his heavy weight) grant him long endurance, they also make him easy to combo and juggle; this is further compounded by his unimpressive landing options.

Ike also possesses two linear and predictable recovery moves, Quick Draw and Aether, ultimately making him vulnerable to [[gimp]]s and low [[semi-spike]]s offstage. Quick Draw travels a strictly horizontal distance, and Aether leaves him vulnerable to many attacks when ascending, especially counters and [[projectile]]s. These weaknesses grant him a poor approach against many characters, which is exacerbated by his lack of projectiles not allowing him to [[camp]] or force approaches from opponents.

Overall, Ike must utilize his excellent punish game and spacing tools to overwhelm opponents, where he can rack up large amounts of damage with little warning, though players must be cautious of his susceptibility to combos and his lacking recovery.

Ike has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition from ''SSB4'' to ''Ultimate'', having been buffed overall, though not enough to improve his standing.

 

Ike benefits from some of the universal gameplay changes. The changes to [[air dodge]] mechanics significantly benefit Ike's [[edgeguarding]] and juggling game. His mobility has been improved to help with the new faster pace of ''Ultimate'', sharing the universal buffs of a 3-frame [[jumpsquat]]. His aerials also have significantly reduced landing lag, making them much more reliable for landing and comboing. When it comes to direct changes to his aerial game, Ike's [[neutral aerial]] has faster startup, lower landing lag and a more reliable disjoint, making it an even better approach option and combo starter, to the point it now has semi-reliable KO confirms on his [[back aerial|back]] and [[up aerial]]s. Ike has also received a new up aerial with greatly increased horizontal and vertical range, improving his powerful juggling capabilities.

Thanks to his faster jumpsquat, Ike is able to combo with his [[down tilt]] and [[down throw]] at low percentages more reliably; the former also has less knockback, giving Ike KO setups at high percentages against some characters. [[Eruption]] can now generate a maximum of three flame pillars if fully charged, improving its already powerful ledge-trapping potential. Finally, the already high power on a few of his moves has been further increased, such as his [[neutral attack]], [[forward tilt]], [[forward smash|forward]] and [[down smash]]es, and the landing hit of [[Aether]]; most notably, his neutral attack has had its lost KO power from ''Brawl'' completely restored.

However, Ike's nerfs were also noticeable. His [[dash]]ing speed was almost unchanged, making him much less mobile relative to the cast despite his improved air speed and streamlined jumpsquat. His [[forward aerial]], a staple of his [[neutral game]] in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4'', had its hitboxes repositioned to create a small blind spot, no longer [[autocancel]]s in a short hop, and has significantly decreased knockback, removing a lot of its previously great KO potential. Combined with his much slower grounded mobility relative to the cast, Ike's approach is much more limited. Aether is also a much more polarized recovery option, as his sword now moves along the stage's perimeters instead of passing through the stage. While several of his attacks now have increased power, it has been reduced on some of his other moves, most notably with his [[up tilt]]. His grabs' range was also nerfed, making them much less reliable for punishing.

A few of the engine's changes also hinder Ike. The universal increase to grabs' ending lag further hinders Ike's own grabs due to their shorter range. The changes to [[rage]] prove detrimental to Ike, since he can't take as much advantage of it at higher percentages due to his high weight. Lastly, the size reduction of most stage's ledges, combined with Aether's higher vulnerability and [[Quick Draw]] receiving no changes to its recovery potential, mean Ike's recovery is much more exploitable, increasing his vulnerability to edge-guarding just as much as the changes benefit his own.

Overall, Ike's changes and improvements have given him new ways to gain the advantage and also grant him a deadlier [[punish]] game, with less overall difficulty in KOing due to his enhanced overall moveset and combo ability. However, because his mobility remains slow (especially when compared to most other characters), he has a slightly harder time at keeping up with the rest of the cast. His worsened grabs also force him more to use his range to punish opponents. Ike has received various changes in game updates that have also toned down his most oppressive moves (most notably his neutral aerial's combo ability at high percentages) in exchange for increased power, though none of these changes have noticeably improved his viability. This is coupled with various returning veterans receiving buffs both on release and through game updates, as well as various metagame shifts and the introduction of DLC characters, some of which Ike struggles against. As a result, while it's generally agreed that Ike is more potent than he was in ''SSB4'', he has not significantly improved from the previous game, instead performing worse relative to the rest of the cast.

Ike received a mix of buffs and nerfs via game updates, but was buffed slightly overall. Update {{SSBU|2.0.0}} decreased the knockback of [[Aether]]'s meteor smash hitbox, a nerf that was also applied to [[Soaring Slash]]. Despite this, using Aether after edge trumping the opponent or to secure [[sacrificial KO]]s remains a viable strategy. After a long absence of changes, Ike received a handful of buffs alongside a single nerf in update {{SSBU|8.0.0}}. Most notably, his neutral aerial's knockback was increased significantly; while this largely restored its potential as a serviceable, albeit situational, KO option near the upper blast line, this is outweighed by its renowned combo potential being toned down. On a related note, the move's combo potential was further hindered by its sourspot being shrunken.

 

To compensate for Ike's neutral aerial's worsened combo potential, his down tilt's combo potential was improved thanks to its knockback being lowered. His forward aerial's damage output was restored to its ''SSB4'' level (albeit with minimally compensated knockback) and its ending lag was noticeably decreased, which made it safer and more effective for combos and especially edge-guarding. His dash attack gained higher knockback, which further improved its already respectable KO potential. Lastly, Aether received a few noticeable buffs: its first hit gained [[transcendent priority]] (thus enabling it to no longer be canceled by incoming moves), whereas its landing hit gained much higher knockback and a lower launching angle. Altogether, these buffs noticeably improved Aether as an out of shield option, and even made it into a viable KO option.

 

Lastly, update {{SSBU|13.0.1}} buffed Ike in a few ways. Most notably, his neutral attack's final hit had its damage output increased without any knockback compensation. This restored its KO potential from ''Brawl'' and, alongside his back aerial, somewhat alleviated Ike's glaring lack of a fast, yet reasonably strong KO option. Aside from this, his up smash's overall knockback was increased, and uncharged [[Quick Draw]] became noticeably safer on hit thanks to its increased damage output and knockback.

Overall, Ike fares somewhat better than he did at the launch of ''Ultimate''. Although the nerfs to his neutral aerial were largely noticeable, the various buffs to his other moves have resulted in him becoming a slightly more versatile character with a less centralized gameplan.

|neutralname=Bash ({{ja|殴打|Ōda}}) / Thrust Kick ({{ja|り込み|Keri Komi}}) / Swing Down ({{ja|振り下ろし|Furi Oroshi}})

|neutral3dmg=7%

|neutraldesc=A left-handed punch, followed by a right-legged front kick, followed by a kneeling downward slash. The first hit can be repeated by holding the attack button. Due to its hits come out on frames 4, 3 and 5, respectively, it has the lowest amount of startup lag out of Ike's entire moveset. When coupled with its respectable damage output, moderate knockback and its last hit's impressive range, it is very useful as a close-range option. As of update 13.0.1, its last hit is [[Ike (SSBB)/Neutral attack/Hit 3|as strong as it was in ''Brawl'']], and thus can KO most characters reliably at 140% while near the edge.

|ftiltname=Swing Out ({{ja|振り抜き|Furi Nuki}})

|ftiltdesc=A lunging outward slash. Can be [[angle]]d. Its startup and ending lag are high for a tilt attack, but it has long range and deals high damage and knockback, KOing middleweights under 130% from the center of {{SSBU|Final Destination}}.

|utiltname=Strike Up ({{ja|叩き上げ|Tataki Age}})

|utiltdesc=Hops to thrust Ragnell upward while holding it parallel to the ground. It is overall slow for a tilt attack but deals respectable damage and knockback, and its hitboxes have a long duration, which alongside its high disjointed range allows it to beat out opposing attacks from above very effectively. The clean hit can KO middleweights at around 130%, while the late hit can set up combos into a neutral, forward or up aerial at low to medium percentages. It can also [[2 frame punish]] at edge with the first frame the hitbox is active on stages without slants.

|dtiltname=Slash Sweep ({{ja|斬り払い|Kiri Harai}})

|dtiltdesc=A kneeling inward slash. Due to its hitting on frame 7, it is Ike's fastest tilt attack. It has long-range, relatively low ending lag, and launches opponents vertically with high base knockback and low knockback scaling. Altogether, these traits make it a useful combo starter into any of Ike's aerial attacks except down aerial at low to medium percentages. However, it does the least damage out of Ike's tilts, and its knockback renders it unable to KO at reasonable percentages.

|dashname=Slash Up ({{ja|斬り上げ|Kiri Age}})

|fsmashname=Strike Split ({{ja|叩き割り|Tataki Wari}})

|fsmashdesc=A lunging, two-handed downward slash. It deals extreme damage and knockback, making it one of the strongest forward smashes in the game, and hits in a wide arc that can even reach opponents above and slightly behind Ike, albeit with the early hit. As his strongest overall attack, the clean hit's sweet spot can KO opponents at around 75% from the center of Final Destination. Oddly, there is a tiny tipper hitbox that is much weaker and launches more vertically, KOing at around 95% compared to the clean hit, though this hitbox rarely ever lands instead of the normal hit in regular gameplay. However, it is arguably the slowest forward smash in the game: it has a staggering 31 frames of startup, 49 frames of ending lag, and takes 84 frames to complete (the latter of which is the highest of any forward smash). As a result, forward smash is an extremely risky move and is highly punishable on shield, even in spite of its outstanding power. As a result, it is unreliable to use outside of hard punishes or reads.

|usmashname=Strike Down ({{ja|叩き下ろし|Tataki Oroshi}})

|dsmashname=Cast Off ({{ja|振り払い|Furi Harai}})

|dsmashdesc=A kneeling, two-handed outward slash in front of himself and then behind himself. It is Ike's fastest smash attack by a considerable margin, hitting on frame 13. The front hit is considerably weaker than Ike's other smash attacks, but still boasts respectable power, KOing opponents at around 105% from the center of Final Destination. As a result, it is Ike's most reliable smash attack overall; however, its 70 total frames and 35 frames of ending lag make it very punishable if it misses or is shielded. On the other hand, the back hit is slower, coming out on frame 32, and has a much weaker late hit, but its hitboxes have a longer duration, and the clean hit is far stronger, dealing impressive damage and KOing opponents at around 85% while having less ending lag compared to the front hit. Unlike most down smashes of its kind, both hits come out too high to 2-frame opponents at the ledge.

|nairname=Round Slash ({{ja|斬り回し|Kiri Mawashi}})

|nairdesc=A downward arcing slash underneath himself. It has the lowest landing lag out of Ike's aerials, and its hitboxes have a long duration, provide wide coverage around and below Ike, and launch opponents vertically. Altogether, these traits make it an infamously reliable combo starter when [[SHFF]]'d, while also being a relatively safe spacing option. It is renowned for reliably comboing into a wide variety of attacks, including neutral attack, tilts and grab at low percentages, and an aerial attack (including itself) at low to medium percentages. At higher percents, it can be followed up with any of Ike's aerials and eventually becomes a notoriously reliable KO set-up into [[Aether]] near 80%, though at even higher percentages this stops being the case. It is Ike's least damaging aerial, but as of update 8.0.0, its knockback has increased to the point that it can function as a situational KO option at very high percentages while near the upper blast line. While it has excellent strengths, it is very predictable due to its hitbox starting above Ike's head, meaning the hitbox tends to connect around head level for opponents. As a result, it comes out slower than expected and is relatively easy to shield. Its long duration and high ending lag also makes it punishable if used high up in the air, as well as risky to use offstage. Finally, it is unable to autocancel even with a full jump, requiring a double jump to do so.

|fairname=Slash Down ({{ja|斬り下ろし|Kiri Oroshi}})

|fairdesc=A two-handed downward slash. It covers the entirety of Ike's foreside, making it capable of hitting above and below him. Combined with its moderate startup at frame 11, landing lag and damage output, this makes it a staple for following up combos and spacing. However, its knockback has been noticeably weakened from ''SSB4'', rendering it unable to KO reliably except near edges, and it can no longer autocancel in a short hop, while also being risky to use offstage due to its high ending lag. As a result, Ike's neutral and back aerials are now generally superior options because of their lower lag, neutral aerial's better combo potential, and back aerial's higher damage and better power, with forward aerial's only advantages over them being its longer active frames and vertical range.

|bairname=Repositioning Slash　({{ja|振り向き斬り|Furimuki Kiri}})

|bairdesc=Quickly turns around to perform an outward slash. Due to its hitting on frame 7, it is Ike's fastest aerial. When coupled with its high damage and knockback for its speed, long horizontal range, and low landing lag, it is one of Ike's most viable approach and KO options. It can KO middleweights at around 120% from the center of Final Destination. Like the rest of Ike's aerials, however, its high ending lag prevents it from being used offstage as safely. It also has a short vertical range, being unable to hit many opponents below standing human height from the ground even though it is Ike's only aerial move that he can autocancel in a short hop.

|uairname=Rising Swing ({{ja|振り上げ|Kiri Age}})

|uairdesc=An overhead arcing slash. It starts in front of Ike and has large coverage around him, low landing lag (the second-lowest out of his aerials) and high knockback, allowing it to function as a highly effective [[juggling]] move. It can also set up combos into an up tilt or any of Ike's aerials (including itself) when SHFF'd and is able to KO opponents reliably near the upper blast line at high percentages. Its disadvantages are its slow startup at frame 13 and high ending lag, making it difficult to land from a [[neutral game|neutral]] state; however, due to its efficiency in punishing opponents and racking up damage elsewhere, it is one of Ike's most useful moves.

|dairname=Strike Down ({{ja|叩き落とし|Tataki Oroshi}})

|dairdesc=A two-handed downward slash between his legs. The tip of Ragnell is a [[meteor smash]], while the blade launches opponents at a horizontal angle. It is Ike's most damaging aerial and has high knockback, KOing opponents at around 125% from the center of Final Destination with its non-meteor hitboxes. The meteor smash hitbox also enables it to start combos against grounded opponents for high damage, leading into nearly any of Ike's attacks depending on the opponent's damage, and even possessing a KO setup into an up aerial at high percentages. However, it has the slowest startup at frame 16 and shortest hitbox duration out of Ike's aerials, as well as poor horizontal range. Like all of Ike's other aerial attacks, it also has severe ending lag.

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|pummelname=Grab Headbutt ({{ja|つかみ頭突き|Tsukami Zutsuki}})

|pummeldesc=A headbutt. Slow but strong.

|fthrowname=Kick ({{ja|蹴り|Keri}})

|fthrowdesc=A front kick. It is a [[semi-spike]], which makes it a reliable edge-guard setup at high percentages. However, due to its high ending lag, it is unreliable for [[tech-chasing]].

|bthrowname=Back Kick ({{ja|後ろ蹴り|Ushiro Geri}})

|bthrowdesc=A spinning back kick. It is a semi-spike like forward throw, which also makes it a reliable edge-guard setup at high percentages, but has less ending lag by comparison that grants it tech-chasing potential, most notably into dash attack at low to medium percentages.

|uthrowname=Up Thrust ({{ja|突き上げ|Tsuki Age}})

|uthrowdesc=Plunges Ragnell into the ground and then performs an upward [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Double axe handle|double axe handle]]. It is tied with forward throw for Ike's most damaging throw by a slight margin. It has overall weak knockback and moderate ending lag, allowing it to combo into a forward or up aerial from mid to high percents for slightly more damage compared to using down throw; however, these follow-ups are not as reliable due to the throw's higher ending lag, while it also lacks any notable KO potential by itself.

|dthrowname=Knee Drop ({{ja|膝落とし|Hiza Otoshi}})

|dthrowdesc=A one-handed [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling throws#Body slam|body slam]] followed by a [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Knee drop|knee drop]]. Its average base knockback, relatively low ending lag, and vertical angle make it an excellent combo starter from low to mid percentages, particularly into an up tilt (against larger characters), any of Ike's aerials (except down aerial), and Aether. Due to its surprisingly high knockback scaling, it is also Ike's strongest throw, KOing middleweights at 188% without [[rage]]. As a result of this, however, its follow-ups stop working earlier compared to up throw.

|nsdesc=Lifts Ragnell in front of himself in a two-handed reverse grip, and plunges it into the ground to produce a pillar of blue flames. It has [[transcendent priority]] and is [[charge]]able, causing Ragnell to become engulfed in [[flame]]s that become more prominent the longer it is charged. Its impressive vertical range and respectable power even when uncharged make it useful for edge-guarding, hitting recovering opponents before they can grab the edge if timed properly. When reaching full charge level, it grants super [[armor]] and produces one additional flame pillar away from Ike, or two if held for the maximum duration, significantly increasing its horizontal range; however, it also deals 10% [[recoil damage]] to him in the process in the latter case. It can KO middleweights at around 150% when uncharged, and at around 55% from center stage when fully charged. The flame pillars at full charge deal more damage the closer to their base opponents are hit. A fully charged Eruption is also capable of instantly breaking a full shield, similarly to a fully charged [[Shield Breaker]]. Can also hit slightly behind Ike if sufficiently charged.

|ssdmg=9% (uncharged), 13% (fully charged)

|ssdesc=Kneels on one knee and readies himself to charge forward. If an opponent comes in range, Ike will perform a lunging outward slash. It deals more knockback on the ground, becoming strong enough to KO middleweights at around 120% when fully charged. However, it has high ending lag if no opponent comes in range. In midair, it renders Ike [[helpless]] apart from a short window after swinging at an opponent where he can use his double jump or up special, but still functions reliably as an alternate recovery option due to the long horizontal distance it provides when charged, as well as its ability to auto-cancel if timed properly.

|usdesc=Performs the {{iw|fireemblemwiki|Sol|skill}} portion of {{iw|fireemblemwiki|Aether}}, which sees Ike throwing Ragnell directly upwards, causing it to spin before he leaps upward to grab Ragnell, perform a somersaulting series of slashes, then conclude with a descending slash. It covers a respectable amount of vertical distance, but almost no horizontal distance. It grants super armor when initiated and until Ike begins rising, for a much longer window if the move is used on the ground, while all but its first hit have transcendent priority. Although it is primarily used for recovering, it can also function as a useful damage racking option when all of its hits connect due to its high total damage. Its descending hitbox also meteor smashes opponents, allowing it to be used for a [[sacrificial KO]]. As of update 2.0.0, its descending hitbox has less knockback, which makes it less reliable at KOing opponents before Ike loses his stock if used too high up. As of update 8.0.0, its landing hit has significantly more knockback and a much more horizontal launching angle, to the point that it KOs middleweights as low as 70% near the edge.

|dsdesc=[[fireemblemwiki:Counter|Parries]] and then [[counterattack]]s against any incoming attacks with a reverse gripped downward slash while Ragnell is covered in blue flames. It is slow for a counterattack, activating on frame 9, and has high ending lag, but is among the strongest counterattacks in the game in terms of knockback. Additionally, due to granting Ike full intangibility on frames 8-15, it can effectively be used to retaliate against attacks one frame before its counter window. However, the counterattack itself has the peculiar trait of not slowing his descent at all during execution, causing him to fall the most distance after triggering it offstage compared to other characters' counter moves and making it very risky to edgeguard with.

*Warps onto the stage using [[fireemblemwiki:Warp (staff)|warp magic]] and grunts while briefly performing an inward slash, then brushes aside his cape.

*'''Down taunt''': Plunges Ragnell into the ground then folds his arms while saying "Hmph!" with a smug facial expression as wind blows through his cape, and removes Ragnell from the ground.

SSBUIkeIdle1.gif|Ike's first idle pose.

SSBUIkeIdle2.gif|Ike's second idle pose.

*'''Left:''' Slashes Ragnell twice, then rests the blade on his shoulder. ''Path of Radiance'' Ike says, "Your skills were… remarkable." ("{{ja|あんたの戦い…見事だった|Anta no tatakai... migotodatta}}", ''You fought... well.''), while ''Radiant Dawn'' Ike says, "Don't stand in my way." ("{{ja|どうして俺の前に立った|Doshite ore no mae ni tatta}}", ''Why do you stand before me?'').

*'''Up:''' Like his down taunt, Ike forcefully plants Ragnell into the ground, then crosses his arms. ''Path of Radiance'' Ike says, "I submit to no one." ("{{ja|誰にも、譲る気はない|Darenimo, yuzuruki wa nai}}", ''I have no intention of yielding to anyone.''), while ''Radiant Dawn'' Ike says, "I must move forward." ("{{ja|俺は前に進む|Ore wa mae ni susumu.}}", ''I move forward.'').

*'''Right:''' Performs Aether while facing the screen. ''Path of Radiance'' Ike says, "You'll get no sympathy from me." ("{{ja|極めれば…誰にも負けはしない|Kiwamereba… darenimo make wa shinai}}", ''To the end... I will not lose to anyone.''), while ''Radiant Dawn'' Ike says, "I fight for my friends." ("{{ja|俺には守るべき者が在る|Ore ni ha mamoru beki mono ga aru}}", ''I have people I must protect.'').

==In [[competitive play]]==

''See also: [[:Category:Ike players (SSBU)]]''

*{{Sm|MkLeo|Mexico}} - The greatest ''Ultimate'' player of all-time, who played Ike in the early months of ''Ultimate''. He won {{Trn|GENESIS 6}} with primarily Ike, which stands as the only major win from an Ike player as well as the best tournament run from an Ike player. Since dropping Ike, no other Ike player has ever come close to his results, as his win at GENESIS 6, 2nd-place finish at {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}}, and 4th-place finish at {{Trn|Glitch 6}} remain the only top 8 finishes from an Ike player.

*{{Sm|PsyKoD|USA}} - The best Ike player in North America in the post-pandemic metagame, best known for placing 9th at {{Trn|The Big House 10}} defeating {{Sm|BassMage}} and {{Sm|IcyMist}}, one of the highest major performances from an Ike player during this period. His other results include placing 5th at {{Trn|Chain Grab 2}} defeating IcyMist again, and placing 49th at {{Trn|Let's Make Big Moves 2023}} and {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 13}}. He picked up {{SSBU|Cloud}} in 2024, although Ike remained in his roster as a co-main.

*{{Sm|Ryuga|USA}} - The best Ike player in the world after MkLeo dropped the character and the only solo-Ike player ranked top 50 globally, ranking 33rd on the [[Spring 2019 PGRU]]. His performances in the first half of the year, especially 9th at {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}} and 17th at {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}}, remain some of the best Ike performances of all-time. He became inactive in 2020.

*{{Sm|Tora|Japan}} - The best Ike player in the post-pandemic metagame. She is known for her many strong superregional performances, including placing 5th at both {{Trn|Kurobra 40}} and {{Trn|KOWLOON 10}} as well as 7th at {{Trn|Kyokkan 6}}, and while her major performances vary, they are still overall more consistent than other Ike players during this time, having placed 17th at {{Trn|UltCore Second}} and 25th at both {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 15 "FINAL"}} and {{Trn|Sumabato SP 50}}. She also has the best Ike wins during this metagame, defeating {{Sm|Gackt}} at Maesuma TOP 15 and {{Sm|Umeki}} at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 13}}.  

*{{Sm|Yez|USA}} - First known for his online performances during the pandemic, where he was ranked 7th on the [[Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v7]], and placed 2nd at {{Trn|Mazer Gaming Gives Back 2}} and 4th at {{Trn|The Box: Lunchbox+}}. Although less prominent when offline play returned, he remained the best Ike player in the world in the next two years, seeing some of Ike's best placements since the early metagame, including 9th at {{Trn|Kagaribi 8}} and 25th at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2022}}. He went inactive in 2023.

===Tier placement and history===

In the early metagame, Ike was seen as a significantly improved character from his low-mid-tier placement from the previous installment, due to disjoints being prominent in the metagame. Initial tournament results were also strong thanks to players such as {{Sm|MkLeo}} and {{Sm|Ryuga}}; MkLeo especially won the first ''Ultimate'' supermajor, {{Trn|GENESIS 6}}, with Ike. This led to an initial positive reception, with top players designating him as a high-tier fighter.

However, Ike's weaknesses, most notably his poor disadvantage state, hampered most of this initial positive reception. Ike's reception further cooled off after MkLeo dropped him and following Ryuga's tournament presence waning in regard to both attendance and significant placements. The latter also retired from competitive play later on, further reducing his representation. Despite an overall lukewarm reception toward his viability offline, Ike had a brief period of success during the online metagame. As [[perfect shield]]ing is harder to perform due to input lag, Ike's slow aerial attacks and tilt attacks are safer on shield during online play than they are during offline play. Players such as {{Sm|Yez}} and {{Sm|Ravenking}} capitalized on this and managed to achieve high placements at large online tournaments, alongside their high rankings on the [[Wi-Fi Warrior Rank]]s.

In the post-online metagame, dedicated mains such as Yez, {{Sm|PsyKoD}}, and {{Sm|Tora}} continue to achieve respectable placements in offline tournaments. However, none of these players were as consistent as MkLeo or Ryuga in his prime, which, coupled with his overall below-average representation and noticeable weaknesses, led to his placement on the first tier list, where he was ranked 65th as a lower-mid tier. This continued on the second and current tier list, where he fell from his previous 65th placement to 71st in the D- tier, registering Ike as a low tier character.

Ike's opponents are all fighters in black alternate costumes, referencing his rivalry with the [[Black Knight]]. The stages are also dark stages as well.

Ike was one of the many fighters that fell under [[Dharkon]]'s control upon Galeem's first defeat. He is one of the fighters found in the [[Mysterious Dimension]] sub-area, being an obligatory unlock before the next necessary fighter battle, {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}, is encountered, and after {{SSBU|Greninja}} has been awakened.

{{clr}}

Ike's ''Path of Radiance'' fighter spirit can be obtained by completing {{SSBU|Classic Mode}}. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold (but only after Ike has been unlocked) or by completing a [[challenge]] (Classic Mode: ''KO fighters from Fire Emblem 20 times''). Unlocking Ike in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Additionally, his ''Radiant Dawn'' design has a fighter spirit of its own, available through the shop. Each fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in ''Ultimate''.

==In Spirit Battles==

|Hendrik

===Fighter Showcase Video===

*Ike is the only character who uses different voice clips for alternate costumes while still being the same person, as opposed to gender-swapping ([[Robin]], [[Corrin]], etc.) or becoming a completely different character ([[Bowser Jr.]]).

*Ike, like {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}}, {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}}, {{SSBU|Inkling}}, and {{SSBU|Byleth}}, is one of the few characters to have {{SSBU|alternate costume}}s with different animations. In Ike's case, his ''Radiant Dawn'' design features a different defeated/No Contest animation.

*In the segment in which Ike uses [[Great Aether]] from his character showcase video, there is an error in which his portrait displays him in his ''{{s|fireemblemwiki|Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn}}'' design despite currently featuring his ''{{s|fireemblemwiki|Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance}}'' design.

*As with his down taunt, when Ike sticks Ragnell into the ground and removes it again during his up throw, a sound effect accompanies it. This is more subtle than with his down taunt, however.

*Ike is the only ''Fire Emblem'' character whose Classic Mode route does not involve traveling to any stages from their home series or fighting any fellow ''Fire Emblem'' representatives.

*Ike is the only returning character from ''Brawl'' whose Codec Conversation cannot be triggered through an alternate look (his ''Radiant Dawn'' alternate costume). This is unlike {{SSBU|Olimar}} and {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}}, who will still activate their respective [[Codec Conversations]] meant for Olimar and the male Pokémon Trainer when playing as Alph and the female Pokémon Trainer.

**This makes Ike the only veteran who currently has no amiibo that can scan in their default costume.

*Both Ike's ''Path of Radiance'' and ''Radiant Dawn'' costumes use different knockout voice clips in [[Stamina Mode]] when knocked out of HP during his final stock. ''Path of Radiance'' Ike uses the standard KO voice clip, and ''Radiant Dawn'' Ike uses the alternate KO voice clip.