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{{Infobox Character | {{Infobox Character | ||
|name = Joker | |name = Joker | ||
|image = {{tabber|title1=Phantom Thief| | |image = {{tabber|title1=Phantom Thief|tab1=[[File:Joker SSBU.png|250px]]|title2=Student|tab2=[[File:Joker Shujin Uniform.png|250px]]|title3=With Arsène (Phantom Thief)|tab3=[[File:Joker and Arsene SSBU.png|250px]]|title4=With Arsène (Student)|tab4=[[File:Joker Student Alternate.png|250px]]}} | ||
|game = SSBU | |game = SSBU | ||
|availability = [[Downloadable content (SSBU)|Downloadable]] | |availability = [[Downloadable content (SSBU)|Downloadable]] | ||
|final smash = [[All-Out Attack]] | |final smash = [[All-Out Attack]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
:{{Cquote|''Joker Steals the Show!''|cite=Introduction tagline}} | :{{Cquote|''Joker Steals the Show!''|cite=Introduction tagline}} | ||
'''Joker''' ({{ja|ジョーカー|Jōkā}}, ''Joker'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' | '''Joker''' ({{ja|ジョーカー|Jōkā}}, ''Joker'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He is the third fighter from [[Sega]] after {{SSBU|Sonic}} and {{SSBU|Bayonetta}}. He was officially announced at {{s|wikipedia|The Game Awards 2018}} on December 6th, 2018 as the first [[Downloadable content (SSBU)|downloadable]] character from {{h2|Downloadable content (SSBU)|Fighters Pass Vol. 1}}. Joker was released as part of Challenger Pack 1 on April 17th, 2019 <!--April 18th, 2019 in PAL and Japanese regions.--> and is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #71]]. | ||
Xander Mobus, who voiced Joker in ''Persona 5'' in English as well as the [[announcer]], [[Master Hand]], and [[Crazy Hand]] in ''Ultimate'', reprises his role as the character in the English version of the game, while Jun Fukuyama, who previously voiced the character in Japanese and also voices {{SSBU|Roy}}, reprises his role in Japanese. Despite [[Arsène]] being voiced by the same respective voice actors in Joker's initial reveal trailer, he remains completely silent during gameplay. | |||
==Attributes== | ==Attributes== | ||
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Thanks to his fast frame data, most aspects of Joker's moveset are tailored towards comboing, giving him an overall solid regular kit. His grounded game possesses the overall faster frame data around his moveset, with his neutral attack, all tilt attacks, and dash attack all coming out before frame 10. Neutral attack is his fastest punishing option, serving as well as a "get off me" move. Forward tilt has the highest power of his tilt attacks and, while still weak, has the lowest ending lag of them, making it hard to punish. His up and down tilt serve similar purposes: placing the opponent in the air to start a combo. Down tilt also serves well as a long-ranged punish option (similarly to {{SSBU|Cloud}}'s own down-tilt), whereas up tilt is also one of Joker's many anti-air moves. None of Joker's smash attacks come out before frame 10, though they nevertheless remain decently fast. Forward smash has the highest power of them (although its hitboxes can be quite misleading as it will only hit in front of Joker), and up smash is his fastest smash attack as well as his strongest anti-air move. Down smash is somewhat less versatile than his other smash attacks, although it hits on both sides and can serve as a faster alternative to forward smash. | Thanks to his fast frame data, most aspects of Joker's moveset are tailored towards comboing, giving him an overall solid regular kit. His grounded game possesses the overall faster frame data around his moveset, with his neutral attack, all tilt attacks, and dash attack all coming out before frame 10. Neutral attack is his fastest punishing option, serving as well as a "get off me" move. Forward tilt has the highest power of his tilt attacks and, while still weak, has the lowest ending lag of them, making it hard to punish. His up and down tilt serve similar purposes: placing the opponent in the air to start a combo. Down tilt also serves well as a long-ranged punish option (similarly to {{SSBU|Cloud}}'s own down-tilt), whereas up tilt is also one of Joker's many anti-air moves. None of Joker's smash attacks come out before frame 10, though they nevertheless remain decently fast. Forward smash has the highest power of them (although its hitboxes can be quite misleading as it will only hit in front of Joker), and up smash is his fastest smash attack as well as his strongest anti-air move. Down smash is somewhat less versatile than his other smash attacks, although it hits on both sides and can serve as a faster alternative to forward smash. | ||
Joker's aerial game is comparably effective as his grounded game, with a variety of different options at his disposal. Back aerial serves as Joker's most versatile aerial, functioning as his best defensive aerial due to its effectiveness out of shield, as a spacing tool due to its good range, and as his best aerial pressuring and KOing move thanks to its very low lag. Both forward and up aerials are among his best combo moves, the former's first hit leading into other moves due to its high base knockback, most notably granting him a kill confirm, whereas the latter's looping hits can set up for another grab at medium percentages or an up or down smash at high ones. Both moves' finishing hits also serve as good combo finishers outside of these ranges, with forward aerial also leading into [[Reverse aerial rush|RAR]] back aerial, and up aerial putting the opponent in the perfect position to be hit by Grappling Hook | Joker's aerial game is comparably effective as his grounded game, with a variety of different options at his disposal. Back aerial serves as Joker's most versatile aerial, functioning as his best defensive aerial due to its effectiveness out of shield, as a spacing tool due to its good range, and as his best aerial pressuring and KOing move thanks to its very low lag. Both forward and up aerials are among his best combo moves, the former's first hit leading into other moves due to its high base knockback, most notably granting him a kill confirm, whereas the latter's looping hits can set up for another grab at medium percentages or an up or down smash at high ones. Both moves' finishing hits also serve as good combo finishers outside of these ranges, with forward aerial also leading into [[Reverse aerial rush|RAR]] back aerial, and up aerial putting the opponent in the perfect position to be hit by Grappling Hook they do not react in time. Up aerial can also serve as a useful anti-air move and is Joker's fastest [[out of shield]] option, making him surprisingly harder to cross-up. Neutral and down aerials have the slowest startup of his aerial moves, although they have decently low landing lag and can lead to other moves when used appropriately. Neutral aerial, in particular, has the best range and combo ability of the two, both covering a wide area around Joker and sending at a high enough angle for followups. It's also Joker's best crossup tool, allowing him to pressure shields and be safe against most opponents if he manages to land behind them. | ||
His grab game is similar in terms of utility, with a lack of raw KOing options but fantastic for combos. Both up and down throws serve as combo throws, the former leading into up aerial, while the latter is slightly more versatile as it can lead into forward and up aerials or a [[Reverse aerial rush|RAR]] back aerial. Surprisingly, this is also Joker's strongest throw, though it doesn't KO until well past realistic percentages. Nonetheless, it's useful in a pinch, should Joker find himself in a situation where he struggles to finish off an opponent after dealing considerable damage. His forward throw is the least useful of his throws, serving primarily for setting up and edgeguard and/or putting the opponent at a disadvantage from where Joker can capitalize. Back throw has aspects of both his forward and down throws, mainly used to set up and edgeguard or put the opponent in a disadvantageous position at low percentages, while KOing near the edge at very high percentages. | His grab game is similar in terms of utility, with a lack of raw KOing options but fantastic for combos. Both up and down throws serve as combo throws, the former leading into up aerial, while the latter is slightly more versatile as it can lead into forward and up aerials or a [[Reverse aerial rush|RAR]] back aerial. Surprisingly, this is also Joker's strongest throw, though it doesn't KO until well past realistic percentages. Nonetheless, it's useful in a pinch, should Joker find himself in a situation where he struggles to finish off an opponent after dealing considerable damage. His forward throw is the least useful of his throws, serving primarily for setting up and edgeguard and/or putting the opponent at a disadvantage from where Joker can capitalize. Back throw has aspects of both his forward and down throws, mainly used to set up and edgeguard or put the opponent in a disadvantageous position at low percentages, while KOing near the edge at very high percentages. | ||
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Joker possesses a [[fighter ability]] unique to him in the form of [[Rebellion Gauge]]. This gauge fills up each time Joker takes damage, one of his teammates takes damage, or one of his teammates is KO'd (the latter two happenings during [[team battle]]s). Joker will also respawn with some of the Rebellion Gauge filled up if he gets KO'd. His [[down special]], [[Rebel's Guard]], helps Joker during this, by negating the knockback he would receive from an attack and halving the damage he takes while filling up the Rebellion Gauge; this move also doubles as a [[counterattack]], albeit a very weak one (similarly to {{SSBU|Incineroar}}'s [[Revenge]]) by knocking nearby opponents away. Once the Rebellion Gauge is filled up, Joker summons his Persona, [[Arsène]], to aid him in battle, similarly to [[Rosalina]]'s [[Luma]]. With Arsène present, Joker's regular attacks gain a significant boost in damage (and thus safety on shield) and knockback, as well as slightly more range, and his down aerial gains the ability to [[meteor smash]], giving him an additional edgeguarding tool. Arsène is completely invincible during any move boosted by him, which means opponents can't make him disappear without hitting Joker, which is the only way to deplete the Rebellion Gauge faster. Similarly to Cloud's [[Limit Break]], Joker's special moves also become more powerful under Arsène's influence. Gun becomes Gun Special, which can shoot multiple times quickly and deals more than twice as much damage. Eiha becomes Eigaon, a much faster projectile that travels further and has a larger area of impact, explodes on contact with an opponent or solid ground, and deals considerably more curse damage. Its speed and range make it effective for punishing opponents at a distance or pressuring opponents who attempt to edgeguard Joker. It also deals considerable damage as well, making it a highly potent punish tool. Grappling Hook is replaced with Wings of Rebellion, which functions similarly to {{SSBU|Pit}}'s [[Power of Flight]], granting Joker high vertical distance and possessing long-lasting invincibility during startup (that starts on frame 1 on the ground), though it loses Grappling Hook's attack presence. Finally, his down special becomes [[Rebel's Guard|Tetrakarn/Makarakarn]], a very effective counterattack and [[reflection|reflector]] similar to {{SSBU|Palutena}}'s [[Counter]]/[[Reflect Barrier]]. Both counters are better than comparative moves as well; both have very low startup lag (with Tetrakarn having the fastest startup of any counterattack) and the lowest ending lag of any counterattack. Tetrakarn has a huge hitbox that completely covers Joker's body and a huge area around him, and has the strongest damage multiplier of any counterattack at 1.6x (while also hitting for a minimum of 12% damage regardless of the attack). Meanwhile, Makarakarn has the third-highest damage multiplier of any reflector at 1.6x, and also greatly increases the speed of reflected projectiles at 1.9x. | Joker possesses a [[fighter ability]] unique to him in the form of [[Rebellion Gauge]]. This gauge fills up each time Joker takes damage, one of his teammates takes damage, or one of his teammates is KO'd (the latter two happenings during [[team battle]]s). Joker will also respawn with some of the Rebellion Gauge filled up if he gets KO'd. His [[down special]], [[Rebel's Guard]], helps Joker during this, by negating the knockback he would receive from an attack and halving the damage he takes while filling up the Rebellion Gauge; this move also doubles as a [[counterattack]], albeit a very weak one (similarly to {{SSBU|Incineroar}}'s [[Revenge]]) by knocking nearby opponents away. Once the Rebellion Gauge is filled up, Joker summons his Persona, [[Arsène]], to aid him in battle, similarly to [[Rosalina]]'s [[Luma]]. With Arsène present, Joker's regular attacks gain a significant boost in damage (and thus safety on shield) and knockback, as well as slightly more range, and his down aerial gains the ability to [[meteor smash]], giving him an additional edgeguarding tool. Arsène is completely invincible during any move boosted by him, which means opponents can't make him disappear without hitting Joker, which is the only way to deplete the Rebellion Gauge faster. Similarly to Cloud's [[Limit Break]], Joker's special moves also become more powerful under Arsène's influence. Gun becomes Gun Special, which can shoot multiple times quickly and deals more than twice as much damage. Eiha becomes Eigaon, a much faster projectile that travels further and has a larger area of impact, explodes on contact with an opponent or solid ground, and deals considerably more curse damage. Its speed and range make it effective for punishing opponents at a distance or pressuring opponents who attempt to edgeguard Joker. It also deals considerable damage as well, making it a highly potent punish tool. Grappling Hook is replaced with Wings of Rebellion, which functions similarly to {{SSBU|Pit}}'s [[Power of Flight]], granting Joker high vertical distance and possessing long-lasting invincibility during startup (that starts on frame 1 on the ground), though it loses Grappling Hook's attack presence. Finally, his down special becomes [[Rebel's Guard|Tetrakarn/Makarakarn]], a very effective counterattack and [[reflection|reflector]] similar to {{SSBU|Palutena}}'s [[Counter]]/[[Reflect Barrier]]. Both counters are better than comparative moves as well; both have very low startup lag (with Tetrakarn having the fastest startup of any counterattack) and the lowest ending lag of any counterattack. Tetrakarn has a huge hitbox that completely covers Joker's body and a huge area around him, and has the strongest damage multiplier of any counterattack at 1.6x (while also hitting for a minimum of 12% damage regardless of the attack). Meanwhile, Makarakarn has the third-highest damage multiplier of any reflector at 1.6x, and also greatly increases the speed of reflected projectiles at 1.9x. | ||
Despite all of these strengths, Joker is not without any weaknesses, most of which are noticeable when he does not have Arsène active. The most notable of these is the lack of strength on individual hits; as similarly to {{SSBU|Sheik}}, most of Joker's default moveset is tailored towards extending his advantage through combos, most of them tend to be highly lackluster or underwhelming in terms of KO power and individual damage. Particularly, Joker's lack of KO power can often make him reliant on gimping the opponent at early percentages, and his smash attacks, while having enough power to secure a stock against light and middleweight characters, have high ending lag, and are heavily unsafe if shielded; as a result, Joker can be very susceptible to comebacks if he is not able to summon Arsène in time. His knife, while giving his attacks disjointed range, also renders said | Despite all of these strengths, Joker is not without any weaknesses, most of which are noticeable when he does not have Arsène active. The most notable of these is the lack of strength on individual hits; as similarly to {{SSBU|Sheik}}, most of Joker's default moveset is tailored towards extending his advantage through combos, most of them tend to be highly lackluster or underwhelming in terms of KO power and individual damage. Particularly, Joker's lack of KO power can often make him reliant on gimping the opponent at early percentages, and his smash attacks, while having enough power to secure a stock against light and middleweight characters, have high ending lag, and are heavily unsafe if shielded; as a result, Joker can be very susceptible to comebacks if he is not able to summon Arsène in time. His knife, while giving his attacks disjointed range, also renders said range short, especially when compared to the weapons of other fighters such as {{SSBU|Marth}} and {{SSBU|Ike}}. His range issues can also cause him to struggle against certain small and fast characters, such as {{SSBU|Inkling}} and {{SSBU|Pikachu}}, as it's difficult for him to consistently apply pressure against them. He is also vulnerable to projectile-based pressure due to his lack of ways to deal with projectiles, with Eiha failing to properly compensate. Rebel's Guard can aid with this issue, but this can also render him predictable if the move is overused. | ||
Although Joker's moves are relegated to comboing, some of Joker's individual moves particularly lack much utility, with the most notable being his down aerial without Arsène. When it comes to his normal recovery, Joker is reliant on his Grappling Hook, which gives him an outstanding vertical recovery, though his overall horizontal recovery is somewhat exploitable due to its lack of horizontal range. Its lack of safety makes Joker easier to gimp as well, though Joker can mix up the timing when recovering to throw off edgeguarding attempts. He can also use his Gun move to achieve sizable horizontal distance before employing the Grappling Hook, however, these dashes have considerable ending lag, so they must be used wisely. | Although Joker's moves are relegated to comboing, some of Joker's individual moves particularly lack much utility, with the most notable being his down aerial without Arsène. When it comes to his normal recovery, Joker is reliant on his Grappling Hook, which gives him an outstanding vertical recovery, though his overall horizontal recovery is somewhat exploitable due to its lack of horizontal range. Its lack of safety makes Joker easier to gimp as well, though Joker can mix up the timing when recovering to throw off edgeguarding attempts. He can also use his Gun move to achieve sizable horizontal distance before employing the Grappling Hook, however, these dashes have considerable ending lag, so they must be used wisely. | ||
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Since the Rebellion Gauge encourages a different kind of playstyle, Joker loses on some of his weaknesses without Arsène (such as a vulnerability to projectile camping), but this creates new weaknesses in return, meaning that if Joker gets Arsène at the wrong time or is unable to capitalize with him, he may either lose his advantage or be at a disadvantage. Wings of Rebellion, despite reliably covering more distance than Grappling Hook, is more exploitable, as the lack of hitbox and vulnerability at the end of the move makes it easy for opponents to intercept Joker before he reaches the ledge; in fact, Joker becomes notoriously prone to getting [[Edge#2 frame punish|2-framed]]. Eigaon, while incredibly powerful and versatile, suffers from 10 more frames of endlag, making it (at times) riskier to use than Eiha. Lastly, despite Arsène's incredible power and strengths, the Rebellion Gauge can be depleted faster if an opponent is able to attack Joker; combined with his aforementioned vulnerability to combos, this can cause Arsène to disappear much faster until the Rebellion Gauge is filled again, removing Joker's advantage as a result. | Since the Rebellion Gauge encourages a different kind of playstyle, Joker loses on some of his weaknesses without Arsène (such as a vulnerability to projectile camping), but this creates new weaknesses in return, meaning that if Joker gets Arsène at the wrong time or is unable to capitalize with him, he may either lose his advantage or be at a disadvantage. Wings of Rebellion, despite reliably covering more distance than Grappling Hook, is more exploitable, as the lack of hitbox and vulnerability at the end of the move makes it easy for opponents to intercept Joker before he reaches the ledge; in fact, Joker becomes notoriously prone to getting [[Edge#2 frame punish|2-framed]]. Eigaon, while incredibly powerful and versatile, suffers from 10 more frames of endlag, making it (at times) riskier to use than Eiha. Lastly, despite Arsène's incredible power and strengths, the Rebellion Gauge can be depleted faster if an opponent is able to attack Joker; combined with his aforementioned vulnerability to combos, this can cause Arsène to disappear much faster until the Rebellion Gauge is filled again, removing Joker's advantage as a result. | ||
Overall, Joker is a character whose playstyle is incredibly dynamic, but as with characters with many playstyles applicable, players should be expected to be able to smartly switch playstyles on the go. Without Arsène, Joker specializes in a hit-and-run, combo-oriented playstyle. Joker is particularly adept at conditioning the opponent to shield and has excellent grab frame data to take advantage of that, so players should be looking for opportunities to go for punishing grab combos whenever possible. He has notably short-range and low power overall on his standard attacks without Arsène available, and can struggle if he's a stock behind the opponent and unable to effectively make use of Arsène. His primary goal in each match is to rack up as much damage as possible through combos and gain an early stock in order to massively widen the gap between him and his opponent. Arsène greatly helps Joker in dealing damage or securing a stock whenever he is out, as he gains several powerful traits that allow him to play more rushdown-oriented when he gains the advantage, without forgoing his excellent mobility. Arsène is also notable for giving Joker an absurdly effective comeback factor, as Joker can quickly close | Overall, Joker is a character whose playstyle is incredibly dynamic, but as with characters with many playstyles applicable, players should be expected to be able to smartly switch playstyles on the go. Without Arsène, Joker specializes in a hit-and-run, combo-oriented playstyle. Joker is particularly adept at conditioning the opponent to shield and has excellent grab frame data to take advantage of that, so players should be looking for opportunities to go for punishing grab combos whenever possible. He has notably short-range and low power overall on his standard attacks without Arsène available, and can struggle if he's a stock behind the opponent and unable to effectively make use of Arsène. His primary goal in each match is to rack up as much damage as possible through combos and gain an early stock in order to massively widen the gap between him and his opponent. Arsène greatly helps Joker in dealing damage or securing a stock whenever he is out, as he gains several powerful traits that allow him to play more rushdown-oriented when he gains the advantage, without forgoing his excellent mobility. Arsène is also notable for giving Joker an absurdly effective comeback factor, as Joker can quickly close to gap by dealing out extreme damage with Arsène out and can KO early when given the opportunity, such as with an Arsène boosted back air. By actively filling up the Rebellion Gauge by using Rebel's Guard to capitalize on reading an opponent's attack, this can be devastating for the opponent, as it gives Arsène more opportunity to be seen in-game. At the same time, Joker's vulnerability to combos means he will have to make use of his excellent mobility more often than not to avoid being put at a disadvantage. Ultimately, Joker is a character who encourages proactive play, and particularly shines when players are able to make the most of edgeguarding opportunities, maximize their damage through combos and effectively make use of Arsène. Joker's viability in the competitive scene has been excellent since his release, with many people citing him as a top tier character thanks to strong representation and results from smashers such as {{Sm|Eim}}, {{Sm|MkLeo}}, {{Sm|Tsu}}, {{Sm|Tweek}}, {{Sm|Wishes}} and {{Sm|Zackray}}. | ||
==Update history== | ==Update history== | ||
Joker has been nerfed in game updates. The first nerf was in update 4.0.0 to Makarakarn, which could now be broken by reflected projectiles inflicting more than 50% damage; however this nerf was compensated by a buff to its searchbox, which became more rounded, allowing Joker to reflect projectiles that would fly right over him. The most significant nerfs came with update 7.0.0; downward Gun's horizontal range was significantly reduced, while the Rebellion Gauge would now lose more time when Joker is hit by attacks. These nerfs noticeably affected his best landing and edgeguarding tool, and punishing him more for losing interactions while Arsene is active, which rewards in particular opponents with good damage racking capabilities. Version 11.0.0 would further affect the safety of his moves by making Eiha and his counters more punishable if they are used recklessly. Despite these nerfs, however, Joker is still considered a top tier character and a contender for best character in the game. | |||
[[File:Joker bullet comparison.png|thumb|right|250px|A comparison of the range of downward aerial bullets pre and post 7.0.0]] | |||
The most significant nerfs came with update 7.0.0; downward Gun's horizontal range was significantly reduced, while the Rebellion Gauge would now lose more time when Joker is hit by attacks. These nerfs noticeably affected his best landing and edgeguarding tool, and punishing him more for losing interactions while Arsene is active, which rewards opponents with good damage racking capabilities. | |||
Version 11.0.0 would further affect the safety of his moves by making Eiha and his counters more punishable if they are used recklessly. | |||
Despite these nerfs, however, Joker is still considered | |||
[[File:Joker bullet comparison.png|thumb|250px|A comparison of the range of downward aerial bullets pre and post 7.0.0]] | |||
'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} 3.0.1''' | '''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} 3.0.1''' | ||
{{UpdateList (SSBU)/3.0.1|char=Joker}} | {{UpdateList (SSBU)/3.0.1|char=Joker}} | ||
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'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|11.0.0}}''' | '''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|11.0.0}}''' | ||
{{UpdateList (SSBU)/11.0.0|char=Joker}} | {{UpdateList (SSBU)/11.0.0|char=Joker}} | ||
==Moveset== | ==Moveset== | ||
*Joker has an [[Fighter ability|ability]] called the [[Rebellion Gauge]], which fills up over time. Joker can also charge it by being hit, or when Joker (or his teammates, if he is in a Team Battle) is behind in either score/stock. If [[Rebel's Guard]] is used while the opponent attacks, the Gauge fills up faster. When it is full, Joker | *Joker has an [[Fighter ability|ability]] called the [[Rebellion Gauge]], which fills up over time. Joker can also charge it by being hit, or when Joker (or his teammates, if he is in a Team Battle) is behind in either score/stock. If [[Rebel's Guard]] is used while the opponent attacks, the Gauge fills up faster. When it is full, Joker automatically summons [[Arsène]], who grants several changes: | ||
**If Joker is in an uninterruptible animation such as an attack, Arsène can be delayed for up to 31 frames. Arsène can also disappear in a similar fashion, although the delay is much shorter. | **If Joker is in an uninterruptible animation such as an attack, Arsène can be delayed for up to 31 frames. Arsène can also disappear in a similar fashion, although the delay is much shorter. | ||
***Curiously, if Arsène disappears during an attack, Awakened Joker's moves will deal increased knockback without Arsène's values being applied. | ***Curiously, if Arsène disappears during an attack, Awakened Joker's moves will deal increased knockback without Arsène's values being applied. | ||
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**Arsène will attack in tandem with Joker during all attacks except his [[pummel]], [[throw]]s, [[floor attack]]s and [[edge attack]], enhancing his damage output and range. Many of his moves gain an additional blue slash effect while attacking. All of Arsène's attacks use the "heavy melee" hit sounds of heavyweights such as {{SSBU|Ganondorf}}. | **Arsène will attack in tandem with Joker during all attacks except his [[pummel]], [[throw]]s, [[floor attack]]s and [[edge attack]], enhancing his damage output and range. Many of his moves gain an additional blue slash effect while attacking. All of Arsène's attacks use the "heavy melee" hit sounds of heavyweights such as {{SSBU|Ganondorf}}. | ||
**Joker's special moves change to "Gun Special", "Eigaon", "Wings of Rebellion", and "Tetrakarn/Makarakarn", all enhanced versions of his previous moves. | **Joker's special moves change to "Gun Special", "Eigaon", "Wings of Rebellion", and "Tetrakarn/Makarakarn", all enhanced versions of his previous moves. | ||
**Joker announces "Arsène!" or "Persona!" upon summoning Arsène, and "Return!" or "Enough." upon using up his Gauge. | **Joker announces "Arsène!" or "Persona!" upon summoning Arsène, and "Return!" or "Enough." upon using up his Gauge. He also announces "Endure!", "Not yet!" or "More..." when being attacked while performing [[Rebel's Guard]]. | ||
***On the first frame Joker would call out or recall Arsène, the animation can be skipped if Joker is already in an uninterruptible animation. | ***On the first frame Joker would call out or recall Arsène, the animation can be skipped if Joker is already in an uninterruptible animation. | ||
*Upon summoning Arsène, the Rebellion Gauge will slowly drain, and a small amount of Gauge will be lost each time Joker is damaged. | *Upon summoning Arsène, the Rebellion Gauge will slowly drain, and a small amount of Gauge will be lost each time Joker is damaged. | ||
*Joker can [[wall jump]]. | *Joker can [[wall jump]]. | ||
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|fsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|14}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|8}} | |fsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|14}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|8}} | ||
|fsmashdesc=Joker: Rears back and swings downwards with both hands directly in front of him.<br>Arsène: He swings his arms downwards, causing an X-shaped slash in front of the duo. | |fsmashdesc=Joker: Rears back and swings downwards with both hands directly in front of him.<br>Arsène: He swings his arms downwards, causing an X-shaped slash in front of the duo. | ||
Moves Joker slightly forward while attacking. Without Arsène, the move KOs at around 76% from the edge of the stage, making it Joker's strongest finisher. However, despite Joker moving forward, its range is rather poor due to the length of his knife. Oddly, despite the knife leaving a trail that extends behind Joker, the attack can only hit in front of him. With Arsène, the move gains slightly more range and even higher KO power, KOing at around 55% from the edge of the stage. It can be an extremely potent punish or trapping tool, but its lag makes it highly punishable itself so it should be used with caution. Resembles the third hit of Joker's standard three-hit attack in ''Persona 5'' | Moves Joker slightly forward while attacking. Without Arsène, the move KOs at around 76% from the edge of the stage, making it Joker's strongest finisher. However, despite Joker moving forward, its range is rather poor due to the length of his knife. Oddly, despite the knife leaving a trail that extends behind Joker, the attack can only hit in front of him. With Arsène, the move gains slightly more range and even higher KO power, KOing at around 55% from the edge of the stage. It can be an extremely potent punish or trapping tool, but its lag makes it highly punishable itself so it should be used with caution. Resembles the third hit of Joker's standard three-hit attack in ''Persona 5'' | ||
|usmashname= | |usmashname= | ||
|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|12}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|5}} | |usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|12}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|5}} | ||
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|dairdesc= Joker: An upside-down knife swing with a bit of delay before the swipe, similarly to Marth's down aerial.<br>Arsène: A delayed foot stomp that comes out a couple of frames after Joker's attack, instead of at the same time as his other moves. Unlike Joker's attack, it [[meteor smash]]es opponents. | |dairdesc= Joker: An upside-down knife swing with a bit of delay before the swipe, similarly to Marth's down aerial.<br>Arsène: A delayed foot stomp that comes out a couple of frames after Joker's attack, instead of at the same time as his other moves. Unlike Joker's attack, it [[meteor smash]]es opponents. | ||
Somewhat of a niche move due to its lack of safety and startup, down air occasionally sees use as a crossup tool. With Arsène, it is a powerful all-purpose move due to its hitbox duration, combo potential, and meteor smashing properties. The meteor smash itself is decently strong, KOing at around 60% at ground level. Additionally, due to the Arsène variant being two hits and Joker's down aerial sending opponents away from him, Arsène's down aerial can then potentially meteor smash opponents standing at the edge of a stage and KO them outright. | Somewhat of a niche move due to its lack of safety and startup, down air occasionally sees use as a crossup tool. With Arsène, it is a powerful all-purpose move due to its hitbox duration, combo potential, and meteor smashing properties. The meteor smash itself is decently strong, KOing at around 60% at ground level. Additionally, due to the Arsène variant being two hits and Joker's down aerial sending opponents away from him, Arsène's down aerial can then potentially meteor smash opponents standing at the edge of a stage and KO them outright. | ||
|grabname= | |grabname= | ||
|grabdesc=Reaches out with one arm. All of Joker's throws have him toss the opponent with blue energy. Unlike his other moves, Arsène does not affect the power of Joker's throws. | |grabdesc=Reaches out with one arm. All of Joker's throws have him toss the opponent with blue energy. Unlike his other moves, Arsène does not affect the power of Joker's throws. | ||
|pummelname= | |pummelname= | ||
|pummeldmg=1. | |pummeldmg=1.3% | ||
|pummeldesc= | |pummeldesc=Knees his opponent. | ||
|fthrowname= | |fthrowname= | ||
|fthrowdmg=8% | |fthrowdmg=8% | ||
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|nsname=Gun / Gun Special | |nsname=Gun / Gun Special | ||
|nsdmg=Gun: 5%-3%-1% (standard, close-mid-far), 3%-0.8% (ground jump, close-far), 3% (circling), 4%-1.2% (downward, close-far)<br>Gun Special: 6%-3%-1% (standard, first bullet), 2%-1.5%-1% (standard, second and third bullets), 3%-1/0.8/0.5% (ground jump, first and second looping hits) 4.5% (circling), 4%-1.2% (downward, first bullet), 1.6%-0.8% (downward, second bullet) | |nsdmg=Gun: 5%-3%-1% (standard, close-mid-far), 3%-0.8% (ground jump, close-far), 3% (circling), 4%-1.2% (downward, close-far)<br>Gun Special: 6%-3%-1% (standard, first bullet), 2%-1.5%-1% (standard, second and third bullets), 3%-1/0.8/0.5% (ground jump, first and second looping hits) 4.5% (circling), 4%-1.2% (downward, first bullet), 1.6%-0.8% (downward, second bullet) | ||
|nsdesc=Fires his gun once with a tap of the special move button. Like with Bayonetta's Bullet Arts, the shots technically are not projectiles, but rather [[indirect]] attacks with large [[disjointed]] hitboxes. As such, they cannot be [[reflect]]ed or blocked by [[Shield (Link)|the shields of all versions of Link]] or Hero. The shots decay in damage and knockback based on the opponent's distance from Joker, doing no knockback at the furthest distance. The button can be held to fire multiple times; additionally, Joker can dodge between shots by tilting the control stick horizontally, with each use causing the dodge to slow down (much like a roll or sidestep). If he is in midair, he can either fire in a circle around himself (in a similar fashion to {{SSBU|Bayonetta}}'s Bullet Arts up aerial) by tilting up, or below himself in a corkscrewing fashion by tilting down. On the ground, Joker can also press the jump button to perform a diagonal jump while rapidly firing shots downwards. When Arsène is out, it becomes '''Gun Special''', where it fires three bullets with each shot for the standard version, and two bullets per shot for the aerial downward version. Both Gun and Gun Special have penetrative properties, meaning they can pass through multiple opponents, and the downward aerial version, in particular, is notorious for its sheer versatility: it can counter combos and juggles, edgeguard effectively, and rack up damage quickly, as Gun has low ending lag and is spammable when used in the air. The closest version of Gun can also lock opponents | |nsdesc=Fires his gun once with a tap of the special move button. Like with Bayonetta's Bullet Arts, the shots technically are not projectiles, but rather [[indirect]] attacks with large [[disjointed]] hitboxes. As such, they cannot be [[reflect]]ed or blocked by [[Shield (Link)|the shields of all versions of Link]] or Hero. The shots decay in damage and knockback based on the opponent's distance from Joker, doing no knockback at the furthest distance. The button can be held to fire multiple times; additionally, Joker can dodge between shots by tilting the control stick horizontally, with each use causing the dodge to slow down (much like a roll or sidestep). If he is in midair, he can either fire in a circle around himself (in a similar fashion to {{SSBU|Bayonetta}}'s Bullet Arts up aerial) by tilting up, or below himself in a corkscrewing fashion by tilting down. On the ground, Joker can also press the jump button to perform a diagonal jump while rapidly firing shots downwards. When Arsène is out, it becomes '''Gun Special''', where it fires three bullets with each shot for the standard version, and two bullets per shot for the aerial downward version. Both Gun and Gun Special have penetrative properties, meaning they can pass through multiple opponents, and the downward aerial version, in particular, is notorious for its sheer versatility: it can counter combos and juggles, edgeguard effectively, and rack up damage quickly, as Gun has low ending lag and is spammable when used in the air. The closest version of Gun can also lock opponents. | ||
|ssname=Eiha / Eigaon | |ssname=Eiha / Eigaon | ||
|ssdmg=Eiha: 1% (hit 1), 2% (hit 2), 1% (gradual damage), 11% (total)<br>Eigaon: 1% (hit 1), 0.5% (hit 2-4), 2.5% (hit 5), 1.5% (gradual damage), 17% (total) | |ssdmg=Eiha: 1% (hit 1), 2% (hit 2), 1% (gradual damage), 11% (total)<br>Eigaon: 1% (hit 1), 0.5% (hit 2-4), 2.5% (hit 5), 1.5% (gradual damage), 17% (total) | ||
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|dsname=Rebel's Guard / Tetrakarn / Makarakarn | |dsname=Rebel's Guard / Tetrakarn / Makarakarn | ||
|dsdmg=Rebel's Guard: 2.4%<br>Tetrakarn: 1.6× (12% minimum)<br>Makarakarn: 1.6× | |dsdmg=Rebel's Guard: 2.4%<br>Tetrakarn: 1.6× (12% minimum)<br>Makarakarn: 1.6× | ||
|dsdesc= Joker takes a defensive position, during which any direct damage done to him in this state is reduced by 0.4× and builds his Rebellion Gauge. Its period can be extended for at least 1.5 seconds, and if an attack was successfully countered, Joker performs a darkness-infused backhanded swipe at the end of the move that weakly launches opponents away | |dsdesc= Joker takes a defensive position, during which any direct damage done to him in this state is reduced by 0.4× and builds his Rebellion Gauge. Its period can be extended for at least 1.5 seconds, and if an attack was successfully countered, Joker performs a darkness-infused backhanded swipe at the end of the move that weakly launches opponents away. It quickly refills the Rebellion Gauge to summon Arsène, and when he is summoned, he will power up Joker's special attacks and attack with him, significantly increasing the damage, range, and power of his attacks and giving him a large advantage state compared to the rest of the cast, similarly to Rosalina's Luma, although he cannot be sent out as he follows Joker's movements. When Arsène is out, it becomes '''Tetrakarn''' against melee attacks and '''Makarakarn''' against projectiles, [[Counterattack|counter]]ing and [[reflect]]ing them respectively. Both Tetrakarn and Makarakarn are extremely powerful and are notorious for having some of, if not the best startup, ending lag, and damage of all other counters and reflectors, especially given the near-universal nerfs to counters in ''Ultimate'', having extremely generous frame data and damage multiplier, as well as an abnormally huge hitbox around Joker that makes extremely hard to challenge it without getting punished and KO'd. With a four-frame startup for all variants, Rebel's Guard is a highly useful defensive option. | ||
|fsname=All-Out Attack | |fsname=All-Out Attack | ||
|fsdmg=3% (trapping hit), {{rollover|33.6%|not affected by the 1v1 multiplier|y}} (cinematic), 13% (ending screen) | |fsdmg=3% (trapping hit), {{rollover|33.6%|not affected by the 1v1 multiplier|y}} (cinematic), 13% (ending screen) | ||
|fsdesc= Joker announces "Ravage them!", then rushes forward, trapping opponents. | |fsdesc= Joker announces "Ravage them!", then rushes forward, trapping opponents. If he misses, Joker can also rush backward if the control stick is pushed backward. If any fighter is hit during either of these swipes, they are attacked by Joker and three other Phantom Thieves. (The two possible groups are Ann, Ryuji, and Morgana and Makoto, Haru, and Yusuke.) They then rush at the opponent quickly, with either Futaba or Morgana commenting on the attack. After the barrage is complete, Joker lands in front of the opponent as the screen changes into a splash screen, with Joker in the front gripping his glove, the text "The Show's Over" appearing to the left, and the shadow of the unlucky fighter in the background, spewing sparkles. Causes an [[instant KO]] if the opponent was at 64% before Joker struck them, or at 100% or higher when the cinematic is over. If the Final Smash's possible resulting KO is the final KO needed to win, the splash screen will remain throughout the [[victory screen]]. Arsène will not affect All-Out Attack. | ||
}} | }} | ||
===[[On-screen appearance]]=== | ===[[On-screen appearance]]=== | ||
*Drops from the top of the screen, similar to how the party begins battles in ''Persona 5'' | *Drops from the top of the screen, similar to how the party begins most battles in ''Persona 5'', then adjusts a glove just like in his up taunt. | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
JokerOnScreenAppearanceSSBU.gif|Joker's on-screen appearance | JokerOnScreenAppearanceSSBU.gif|Joker's on-screen appearance | ||
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[[Morgana]] appears for each of Joker's taunts. If he is present, [[Arsène]] will also rear back and flourish with his left arm when Joker taunts, making a pose identical to his official artwork. | [[Morgana]] appears for each of Joker's taunts. If he is present, [[Arsène]] will also rear back and flourish with his left arm when Joker taunts, making a pose identical to his official artwork. | ||
*'''Up taunt''': Smiles and tugs his glove while facing towards the camera, imitating the splash screen from the end of [[All-Out Attack]]. Morgana pumps his paw while saying "Looking cool, Joker!" | *'''Up taunt''': Smiles and tugs his glove while facing towards the camera, imitating the splash screen from the end of [[All-Out Attack]]. Morgana pumps his paw while saying "Looking cool, Joker!" before posing akimbo. | ||
*'''Side taunt''': Poses with his gun pointed, gun arm over his dagger arm. Morgana poses akimbo and playfully laughs while showing starry eyes. | *'''Side taunt''': Poses with his gun pointed, gun arm over his dagger arm. Morgana poses akimbo and playfully laughs while showing starry eyes. | ||
*'''Down taunt''': Faces his back towards the camera | *'''Down taunt''': Faces his back towards the camera. Morgana goes "He-hey!" while bouncing on the spot, before crossing his arms. | ||
If Joker is involved in a fight with five or more fighters, Morgana will not appear during his taunts. | If Joker is involved in a fight with five or more fighters, Morgana will not appear during his taunts. | ||
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*Twirls his gun before posing. | *Twirls his gun before posing. | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
SSBUJokerIdle1.gif|Joker's first idle pose | SSBUJokerIdle1.gif|Joker's first idle pose | ||
SSBUJokerIdle2.gif|Joker's second idle pose | SSBUJokerIdle2.gif|Joker's second idle pose | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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|- | |- | ||
! scope="row"|Description | ! scope="row"|Description | ||
|Jok - er! *claps 3 times* || | |Jok - er! *claps 3 times* || || Jok - er! *claps 3 times* || Jok - er! *claps 3 times* | ||
|} | |} | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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===[[Victory pose]]s=== | ===[[Victory pose]]s=== | ||
In all three of his victory poses, the transition to the victory screen will showcase a puff of cartoony smoke with star decals, and the ending screen will always result in Joker moving continuously to the left with the results background being dimmed down, replicating the victory screen from ''Persona 5''. Upon accessing the [[results screen]], Joker will say "Begone," "Nice," or "Hah!". If there are three or more human players, the color scheme will match the player's port (CPUs and | In all three of his victory poses, the transition to the victory screen will showcase a puff of cartoony smoke with star decals, and the ending screen will always result in Joker moving continuously to the left with the results background being dimmed down, replicating the victory screen from ''Persona 5''. Upon accessing the [[results screen]], Joker will say "Begone," "Nice," or "Hah!". If there are three or more human players, the color scheme will match the player's port (CPUs and amiibos are always red). In Team Battles, the color will match the player's team color. If Joker wins on [[Mementos]], the color of the victory screen will match the color of the stage (regardless of which team or port Joker is on), and the victory music will be replaced with the corresponding victory fanfare from the game Mementos' design is currently derived from. | ||
*'''Left:''' Morgana happily bounces around Joker. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left. | *'''Left:''' Morgana happily bounces around Joker. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left. | ||
*'''Up:''' Joker scratches his head as Morgana, transformed as the Morganamobile, drives up next to Joker, picks him up, and drives towards the left. The head-scratching animation is Joker's victory animation if he is the only member of his party remaining in ''Persona 5''. The Morganamobile is the victory screen when winning a match in Mementos. | *'''Up:''' Joker scratches his head as Morgana, transformed as the Morganamobile, drives up next to Joker, picks him up, and drives towards the left. The head-scratching animation is Joker's victory animation if he is the only member of his party remaining in ''Persona 5''. The Morganamobile is the victory screen when winning a match in Mementos. | ||
*'''Right:''' Morgana turns dramatically toward the screen, which ends up hitting him in the face. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left | *'''Right:''' Morgana turns dramatically toward the screen, which ends up hitting him in the face. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left. | ||
*'''Special''': If Joker wins a [[Stock]] or [[Stamina Mode|Stamina]] match with [[All-Out Attack]], the match will conclude on the splash screen without returning to gameplay, and this will persist into the victory screen, just like in ''Persona 5'' | *'''Special''': If Joker wins a [[Stock]] or [[Stamina Mode|Stamina]] match with [[All-Out Attack]], the match will conclude on the splash screen without returning to gameplay, and this will persist into the victory screen, just like in ''Persona 5''. | ||
*'''Team''': If Joker is in a [[Team Battle]] and someone else poses in front, he will perform an exclusive animation where he tightens his glove and maintains a stance with his knife, although both of these are ported directly from his in-game up taunt and idle animation respectively. If he poses in front, none of his teammates will be seen. | *'''Team''': If Joker is in a [[Team Battle]] and someone else poses in front, he will perform an exclusive animation where he tightens his glove and maintains a stance with his knife, although both of these are ported directly from his in-game up taunt and idle animation respectively. If he poses in front, none of his teammates will be seen. | ||
[[File:Persona5VictoryThemeUltimate.ogg|thumb|Joker's default victory theme, ripped directly from the battle results screen of ''Persona 5'', entitled "Triumph".]] | [[File:Persona5VictoryThemeUltimate.ogg|thumb|Joker's default victory theme, ripped directly from the battle results screen of ''Persona 5'', entitled "Triumph".]] | ||
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SSBUJokerVictory2.gif | SSBUJokerVictory2.gif | ||
SSBUJokerVictory4.gif | SSBUJokerVictory4.gif | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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|} | |} | ||
==In | ==In competitive play== | ||
Joker had a mixed, albeit positive reception on his release. Many players praised his movement with his horizontal and vertical speed alongside his great combo ability, and noted how all these traits were supplemented when Arsène was activated, granting him much greater damage and kill potential. His downward-angled Gun and Eiha/Eigaon were also viewed as fantastic tools that allowed him to easily escape disadvantageous situations and rack up percentage, respectively. However, many also noted how Joker had difficulty killing when Arsène was not active, given that his kill setups are unsafe on shield and quite difficult to consistently land, as well as many of his moves outright having low base knockback or knockback growth, which resulted in players labeling his kill potential as "inconsistent". In addition, players also remarked base Joker's relatively low damage output per move, seemingly exploitable recoveries with and without Arsène, and lack of out of shield options. Thus, initial opinions on him were divided: players such as {{Sm|Tweek}} and {{Sm|CaptainZack}} labeled him as a potential top tier character while others such as {{Sm|Leffen}} and {{Sm|VoiD}} regarded him as a mid-tier and low-high tier character, respectively. | |||
'' | However, opinions regarding Joker's viability had improved substantially since {{Sm|MkLeo}}, the best ''Ultimate'' player in the world, started using the character. MkLeo utilized Joker's quick movement, remarkable frame data, combos such as the drag-down combos, and the powerful advantage state of Arsène to place in the top 2 at every tournament he has attended since {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}}. Thanks to MkLeo's success, several other top players have picked up Joker as a secondary or co-main. Most notably, {{Sm|Zackray}} had used Joker as a co-main to win several Japanese nationals and a supermajor and is considered to be the best player in Japan. Due to their success, many top players have named Joker as the single best character in the game. On the other hand, some argue that Joker's success largely relies on MkLeo's skill as a player, which allows him to push the character extremely far, as no players outside of Zackray have even come close to his achievements. Regardless, Joker is commonly considered a top tier and one of the best characters in the game despite nerfs in subsequent patches, with Zackray getting 2nd at {{Trn|Kagaribi 4}}, the first supermajor after COVID, and using Joker to defeat {{Sm|Yamanaction}}, {{Sm|Raito}}, {{Sm|HERO}}, {{Sm|Tea}} and {{Sm|ProtoBanham}}'s {{SSBU|Lucina}}. | ||
However, in online tournaments, MKLeo has opted not to play Joker due to the nature of Smash Ultimate's netcode necessitating a different playstyle; rather than doing so with Joker, he has decided to choose different characters, such as {{SSBU|Byleth}}, {{SSBU|Cloud}} and {{SSBU|Pyra}}/{{SSBU|Mythra}}. This has led to a perception that Joker is a significantly weaker character online, due to his more technical combos and reactionary playstyle becoming too hard to perform or unrewarding. However, Joker still possesses traits that are effective online, such as quick movements, a difficult to react to projectile, fast smash attacks and powerful aerials when Arsene is active. Most recently, the success of players such as {{Sm|Sharp|p=Rhode Island}} in online tournaments has challenged the perception that Joker is not well suited for the online metagame. | |||
=== | ===Most historically significant players=== | ||
<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines --> | |||
''Any number following the Smasher name indicates placement on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]], which recognizes the official top 50 players in the world in [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]] from July 13th, 2019 to December 15th, 2019.'' | |||
''See also: [[:Category:Joker professionals (SSBU)]]'' | |||
*{{Sm|Eim|Japan}} (#51) - One of the best Joker players in Japan. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Uprising 2019}}, 4th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 7}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|EVO 2019}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Tea}}, {{Sm|T}}, and {{Sm|Shuton}}. | |||
*{{Sm|Enzo|USA}} - The best Joker player in Philadelphia. Placed 9th at {{Trn|Save Point: The PA State Championship}}, 17th at {{Trn|Tri-state Showdown: Fall 2019}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Let's Make Big Moves}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Tea}}, {{Sm|WaDi}}, {{Sm|VoiD}}. Currently ranked 2nd on the [[Philadelphia Power Rankings]]. | |||
*{{Sm|Ri-ma|Japan}} - Placed 13th at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 1}}, 17th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 11}}, and 25th at both {{Trn|Sumabato SP 10}} and {{Trn|EVO Japan 2020}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Zackray}}, {{Sm|Tea}}, and {{Sm|KEN}}. Currently ranked 18th on the [[Japan Player Rankings]]. | |||
*{{Sm|Lemmon|Canada}} - The best Joker player in Canada. Placed 5th at both {{Trn|The Pinnacle 2019}} and {{Trn|VORTEX}}, 7th at {{Trn|Play With Heart}}, 17th at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Mainstage}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Big D}}, {{Sm|Captain L}}, and {{Sm|ANTi}}. Currently ranked 11th on the [[Smash Canada Rankings Ultimate]]. | |||
*{{Sm|Marcbri|Spain}} - One of the best Joker players in Europe. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Tizona}}, 5th at {{Trn|Codec Call 5}}, 7th at {{Trn|Codec Call 4}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Ultimate Fighting Arena 2019}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|MVL}}, {{Sm|Greward}}, and {{Sm|AC}}. Currently ranked 3rd on the [[Spanish Power Rankings|Spanish Ultimate Power Rankings]]. | |||
*{{Sm|MkLeo|Mexico}} (#1) - The best Joker player in the world. Placed 1st at a multitude of major tournaments, including {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}}, {{Trn|EVO 2019}}, {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}}, {{Trn|2GG: Kongo Saga}}, and {{Trn|Frostbite 2020}}. | |||
*{{Sm|naitosharp|USA}} - Uses Joker alongside a variety of other characters and is one of the best Joker players in the United States. Offline, placed 4th at {{Trn|Push the Limit 12}}, 9th at {{Trn|Riptide}} and {{Trn|The Comeback}}. Online, placed 5th at {{Trn|Ultimate 32}}, 9th at {{Trn|The Airlock}}, and 25th at both {{Trn|Pound Online}} and {{Trn|SWT: NA Northeast Ultimate Online Qualifier}}. Currently ranked 15th on the [[Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v7]]. | |||
*{{Sm|Wishes|USA}} - One of the best Joker players in the United States. Placed 5th at {{Trn|Tri-state Showdown: Fall 2019}}, 9th at both {{Trn|CEO 2019}} and {{Trn|Defend the North 2019}}, and 17th at both {{Trn|The Big House 9}} and {{Trn|Let's Make Big Moves}}. Formerly ranked 21st on the [[Spring 2019 PGRU]]. | |||
*{{Sm|Zackray|Japan}} (#7) - Co-mains Joker with {{SSBU|R.O.B.}} and is one of the best Joker players in the world. Placed 1st at {{Trn|EGS Cup 3}}, {{Trn|Sumabato SP 8}}, {{Trn|The Big House 9}}, {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 2}}, and {{Trn|Mēsuma}}. | |||
=={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: Shadows== | =={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: Shadows== | ||
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|1||{{CharHead|Mr. Game & Watch|SSBU|hsize=20px}} (×6)||[[Mementos]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Last Surprise}}''||Horde Battle. | |1||{{CharHead|Mr. Game & Watch|SSBU|hsize=20px}} (×6)||[[Mementos]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Last Surprise}}''||Horde Battle. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|2||Giant {{CharHead|Kirby|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Purple}}||[[Kalos Pokémon League]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Aria of the Soul}}''||{{head|Mr. Game & Watch|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}} Mr. Game & Watch is a CPU ally. Kirby's purple costume is a possible reference to Black Frost. The | |2||Giant {{CharHead|Kirby|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Purple}}||[[Kalos Pokémon League]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Aria of the Soul}}''||{{head|Mr. Game & Watch|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}} Mr. Game & Watch is a CPU ally. Kirby's purple costume is a possible reference to Black Frost. The stage choice represents the recurring Velvet Room of the ''Persona'' franchise. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|3||{{CharHead|Samus|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}} and {{CharHead|Dark Samus|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}}||Mementos||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Mass Destruction}}''||{{head|Kirby|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}} Kirby is a CPU ally. Possibly a reference to the anti-shadow weapons from ''Persona 3'' (Aigis and Metis) and Jack Frost. | |3||{{CharHead|Samus|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}} and {{CharHead|Dark Samus|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}}||Mementos||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Mass Destruction}}''||{{head|Kirby|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}} Kirby is a CPU ally. Possibly a reference to the anti-shadow weapons from ''Persona 3'' (Aigis and Metis) and Jack Frost. | ||
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|4||{{CharHead|Meta Knight|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Navy}}||Mementos ([[Battlefield form]]) ||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Beneath the Mask}}''||{{head|Dark Samus|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Grey}} Dark Samus is a CPU ally. References the masked Shadows before engaging in combat. | |4||{{CharHead|Meta Knight|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Navy}}||Mementos ([[Battlefield form]]) ||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Beneath the Mask}}''||{{head|Dark Samus|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Grey}} Dark Samus is a CPU ally. References the masked Shadows before engaging in combat. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|5||{{CharHead|Link|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}}, {{CharHead|Young Link|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}} and {{CharHead|Toon Link|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}} ||Mementos ||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Reach Out To The Truth}}''||{{head|Meta Knight|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}} Meta Knight is a CPU ally. References the Shadow Selves most prominent appearance in ''Persona 4'' | |5||{{CharHead|Link|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}}, {{CharHead|Young Link|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}} and {{CharHead|Toon Link|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}} ||Mementos ||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Reach Out To The Truth}}''||{{head|Meta Knight|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}} Meta Knight is a CPU ally. References the Shadow Selves most prominent appearance in ''Persona 4''. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|6||Giant {{CharHead|Incineroar|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Grey}} ||Mementos ([[Ω form]]) ||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Rivers In the Desert}}''||{{head|Link|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Grey}} Link is a CPU ally. Incineroar is a reference to Shadow Shido's final form. | |6||Giant {{CharHead|Incineroar|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Grey}} ||Mementos ([[Ω form]]) ||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Rivers In the Desert}}''||{{head|Link|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Grey}} Link is a CPU ally. Incineroar is a reference to Shadow Shido's final form. | ||
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</center> | </center> | ||
== | ==Spirit Battle== | ||
===As the main opponent=== | ===As the main opponent=== | ||
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;" | {|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;" | ||
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Joker's model.png|A tease of Joker's model from the February 13th, 2019 [[Nintendo Direct]]. | Joker's model.png|A tease of Joker's model from the February 13th, 2019 [[Nintendo Direct]]. | ||
Joker In-Game Model.png|A view of Joker's in-game model from behind. | Joker In-Game Model.png|A view of Joker's in-game model from behind. | ||
JokerBestBuyLeak.png|The ad that [[leak]]ed | JokerBestBuyLeak.png|The ad that [[leak]]ed Joker’s artwork | ||
Joker Steals the Show.png|Joker's splash art. | Joker Steals the Show.png|Joker's splash art. | ||
Joker unlock notice SSBU.jpg|Joker's unlock notice after downloading him from the Nintendo eShop. | |||
Joker unlock notice SSBU.jpg|Joker's unlock notice after downloading him from the | Joker amiibo.png|Joker's Amiibo | ||
SSBUWebsiteJoker1.jpg|Joker on [[Fourside]]. | SSBUWebsiteJoker1.jpg|Joker on [[Fourside]]. | ||
SSBUWebsiteJoker2.jpg|Joker wielding his gun on [[Moray Towers]]. | SSBUWebsiteJoker2.jpg|Joker wielding his gun on [[Moray Towers]]. | ||
SSBUWebsiteJoker3.jpg|Joker attacking with Arsène on [[Mementos]]. | SSBUWebsiteJoker3.jpg|Joker attacking with [[Arsène]] on [[Mementos]]. | ||
SSBUWebsiteJoker4.jpg|Joker with [[Morgana]] on [[Skyloft]]. | SSBUWebsiteJoker4.jpg|Joker with [[Morgana]] on [[Skyloft]]. | ||
SSBUWebsiteJoker5.jpg|Joker posing with Arsène on [[Spear Pillar]]. | SSBUWebsiteJoker5.jpg|Joker posing with Arsène on [[Spear Pillar]]. | ||
SSBUWebsiteJoker6.jpg|Joker in his school outfit with {{SSBU|Inkling}} and {{SSBU|Isabelle}} on [[Delfino Plaza]]. | SSBUWebsiteJoker6.jpg|Joker in his school outfit with {{SSBU|Inkling}} and {{SSBU|Isabelle}} on [[Delfino Plaza]]. | ||
Roy Joker Twitter.jpg|Joker posing with {{SSBU|Roy}} on [[Mementos]]. | |||
Jokercutin.png|Joker's Cut-in when Arsène is summoned. | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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*Joker's internal codename within the game files is "jack". It is probably a wordplay on "jack" and "joker" being both types of playing cards; additionally, it may reference Atlus' mascot, Jack Frost. The codename was [[Leak#DLC datamines|reportedly discovered]] in November 2018 by players who decompiled a leaked retail copy. However, this discovery was only made public in January 2019, after Joker had already been officially revealed. | *Joker's internal codename within the game files is "jack". It is probably a wordplay on "jack" and "joker" being both types of playing cards; additionally, it may reference Atlus' mascot, Jack Frost. The codename was [[Leak#DLC datamines|reportedly discovered]] in November 2018 by players who decompiled a leaked retail copy. However, this discovery was only made public in January 2019, after Joker had already been officially revealed. | ||
**Arsène also has a codename within Joker's move articles and parameters, "doyle"<ref>https://rubendal.github.io/ssbu/#/Character/Joker</ref><ref>https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rwDPL1jhE-KuEbbcBkkTb44z1smJp9rYme_xb4BIJTk/edit#gid=371065784</ref>. This is a reference to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the ''Sherlock Holmes'' novels. Sherlock Holmes was heavily referenced in the ''Arsène Lupin'' novels by Maurice Leblanc, which ''Persona''{{'}}s Arsène is based upon. Leblanc had originally written a story featuring an elderly Holmes meeting a young Lupin, but he changed the name to "Herlock Sholmes" after legal objections from Doyle; later stories feature the character under both "Herlock Sholmes" and "Holmlock Shears". | **Arsène also has a codename within Joker's move articles and parameters, "doyle"<ref>https://rubendal.github.io/ssbu/#/Character/Joker</ref><ref>https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rwDPL1jhE-KuEbbcBkkTb44z1smJp9rYme_xb4BIJTk/edit#gid=371065784</ref>. This is a reference to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the ''Sherlock Holmes'' novels. Sherlock Holmes was heavily referenced in the ''Arsène Lupin'' novels by Maurice Leblanc, which ''Persona''{{'}}s Arsène is based upon. Leblanc had originally written a story featuring an elderly Holmes meeting a young Lupin, but he changed the name to "Herlock Sholmes" after legal objections from Doyle; later stories feature the character under both "Herlock Sholmes" and "Holmlock Shears". | ||
* | *Joker is the first selectable character in the series to share their voice actor with the announcer in the English version of the game, barring Master Hand's [[Adventure Mode: World of Light|playable]] [[Master Hand glitch|appearances]], as Master Hand is not a normally selectable character outside of these circumstances. | ||
* | *Joker and {{SSBU|Piranha Plant}} are the only DLC in the series to be announced before the game's release. | ||
**However, if the 3DS and Wii U versions of ''Smash 4'' are counted as separate games, {{SSB4|Mewtwo}} joins these two as he was announced after the release of the 3DS version, but prior to the Wii U version. | |||
*Joker is the ''Smash Ultimate'' DLC fighter with the longest wait between their reveal and their launch, at four months and 11 days. When factoring in ''Smash 4'' DLC fighters, {{SSB4|Mewtwo}} holds the record at five months and 24 days. | |||
*Joker is the only fighter who has two reveal trailers, not including Terry's extended trailer after his release. | *Joker is the only fighter who has two reveal trailers, not including Terry's extended trailer after his release. | ||
**They are the third and fourth reveal trailers to feature hand-drawn animation, after {{SSB4|Little Mac}} and {{SSB4|Palutena}}'s trailers from ''Smash 4''. Joker is also the only ''Ultimate'' newcomer with hand-drawn animation in his reveal trailers. | **They are the third and fourth reveal trailers to feature hand-drawn animation, after {{SSB4|Little Mac}} and {{SSB4|Palutena}}'s trailers from ''Smash 4''. Joker is also the only ''Ultimate'' newcomer thus far with hand-drawn animation in his reveal trailers. | ||
**Joker's first reveal trailer has two variants. One which was played during The Game Awards 2018, and one which was officially posted online afterward with dialogue altered to remove references to the Game Awards. | **Joker's first reveal trailer has two variants. One which was played during The Game Awards 2018, and one which was officially posted online afterward with dialogue altered to remove references to the Game Awards. | ||
**Out of all the characters reveals in both ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'', Joker is the first character to be revealed at/in a non-Nintendo event/video. The second would be {{SSBU|Sephiroth}}. Coincidentally, both were revealed during The Game Awards. | **Out of all the characters reveals in both ''Smash 4'' and ''Ultimate'', Joker is the first character to be revealed at/in a non-Nintendo event/video. The second would be {{SSBU|Sephiroth}}. Coincidentally, both were revealed during The Game Awards. | ||
*Joker, {{SSBU|Bowser}}, {{SSBU|Zero Suit Samus}}, {{SSBU|Mega Man}}, {{SSBU|Bowser Jr.}}, {{SSBU|Ridley}}, {{SSBU|Incineroar}}, and {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}} are the only characters who make any sounds during their idle animations. | |||
*In Joker's reveal trailer, it is mentioned that he must have gone to The Game Awards 2018 to steal a treasure. According to Masahiro Sakurai in a Famitsu column, the treasure was an [[Smash invitation|invitation]] to ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.<ref>https://nintendoeverything.com/sakurai-on-smash-bros-ultimate-jokers-reveal-getting-some-rest-and-more/</ref> | *In Joker's reveal trailer, it is mentioned that he must have gone to The Game Awards 2018 to steal a treasure. According to Masahiro Sakurai in a Famitsu column, the treasure was an [[Smash invitation|invitation]] to ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.<ref>https://nintendoeverything.com/sakurai-on-smash-bros-ultimate-jokers-reveal-getting-some-rest-and-more/</ref> | ||
**An instrumental arrangement of Life Will Change plays fittingly during the reveal, as the song plays while the Phantom Thieves are infiltrating a Palace to steal a treasure after sending out a calling card. | **An instrumental arrangement of Life Will Change plays fittingly during the reveal, as the song plays while the Phantom Thieves are infiltrating a Palace to steal a treasure after sending out a calling card. | ||
***Interestingly, despite Life Will Change being featured, it is not available as a track in-game. | ***Interestingly, despite Life Will Change being featured, it is not available as a track in-game. | ||
**Coincidentally, the concept of Palaces in the ''Persona'' series is vaguely similar to the "world of imagination" concept used to justify the ''Super Smash Bros.'' games, where events and characters are imaginary and are affected by cognition in the "real world" (including toys, such as Joker's [[Gun]], becoming real and functionally similar to the fighters themselves). As such, Joker's announcement and inclusion in the ''Smash Bros.'' world, particularly with regards to the "treasure" being stolen, can be considered a variation of the Phantom Thieves infiltrating a Palace. | **Coincidentally, the concept of Palaces in the ''Persona'' series is vaguely similar to the "world of imagination" concept used to justify the ''Super Smash Bros.'' games, where events and characters are imaginary and are affected by cognition in the "real world" (including toys, such as Joker's [[Gun]], becoming real and functionally similar to the fighters themselves). As such, Joker's announcement and inclusion in the ''Smash Bros.'' world, particularly with regards to the "treasure" being stolen, can be considered a variation of the Phantom Thieves infiltrating a Palace. | ||
*After {{SSBB|Sonic}} and {{SSB4|Bayonetta}}, Joker is the third guest fighter owned by Sega, as Atlus was acquired by Sega Sammy Holdings in 2013. | |||
*Joker had his render leaked on March 31st, 2019, by Best Buy before his render was officially revealed. | *Joker had his render leaked on March 31st, 2019, by Best Buy before his render was officially revealed. | ||
*Joker is the only character whose character render changes under certain circumstances, as his mask (or glasses, in his alternate costume) will be removed when Arsène is present. | *Joker is the only character so far whose character render changes under certain circumstances, as his mask (or glasses, in his alternate costume) will be removed when Arsène is present. | ||
*Joker is the only character so far who utilizes a knife in their standard moveset. | |||
*Joker's Classic Mode can be considered an antithesis of Mewtwo's. Both characters "recruit" the opponent they defeated on the previous round; however, Mewtwo's partners are turned into "corrupted" alternate costumes, while Joker's allies now have light alternate costumes to represent that they were "purified". | |||
*Joker, {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}} and {{SSBU|Sephiroth}} are the only characters to face {{SSBU|Master Hand}} on a stage other than {{SSBU|Final Destination}}. | *Joker, {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}} and {{SSBU|Sephiroth}} are the only characters to face {{SSBU|Master Hand}} on a stage other than {{SSBU|Final Destination}}. | ||
*Joker is the only character in the series who: | *Joker is the only character in the series who: | ||
**has more than one victory theme in one game. | **has more than one victory theme in one game. | ||
**has a victory pose reserved for Team Battles. | **has a victory pose reserved for Team Battles. | ||
** | **is not announced on the [[results screen]], instead, there is a comment from one of the Phantom Thieves. | ||
*** | ***One of the comments the Phantom Thieves make, however, does contain Joker's name, which may be considered announcing him to a degree. | ||
***Joker is | ***Joker is one of three characters who's name isn't announced by the announcer, as Sephiroth and Kazuya's names are announced in their respective victory fanfares. | ||
*Joker is the only character who has more than three victory poses, with the presence of his normal three, his [[All-Out Attack]] victory screen, and his exclusive Team Battle victory pose. | |||
*Joker is one of the few characters to speak during a KO: his alternate KO line has him saying "What?!" ("{{ja|済まない...|Sumanai...}}", ''I'm sorry...''). | *Joker is one of the few characters to speak during a KO: his alternate KO line has him saying "What?!" ("{{ja|済まない...|Sumanai...}}", ''I'm sorry...''). | ||
**Additionally, Arsène starts writhing in pain if Joker | *Excluding the use of a [[Boss Galaga]], Joker is one of the few fighters to spin differently in their [[Star KO]]: he spins forwards instead of away from the screen, similar to how Star KOs acted in ''Smash 4''. He shares this trait with {{SSBU|Cloud}}, {{SSBU|Corrin}}, {{SSBU|Incineroar}}, {{SSBU|Inkling}}, and {{SSBU|Shulk}}. | ||
*When KO'd by reaching 0 HP in [[Stamina Mode]] during his last stock, Joker uses a unique knockout scream rather than his KO or high damage voice clips, although this can be difficult to hear under normal circumstances due to extremely low volume. Banjo & Kazooie also share this trait. | |||
**In the Japanese language, {{SSBU|Byleth}} shares this trait as well. | |||
**Additionally, Arsène starts writhing in pain if Joker is KO'd in this way. However, there is only animation and no audio. | |||
*Joker is the only character who speaks when transitioning from the victory animation to the results, saying either "Begone," "Nice," or "Hah!" | *Joker is the only character who speaks when transitioning from the victory animation to the results, saying either "Begone," "Nice," or "Hah!" | ||
*Joker technically has the most victory screens of any fighter, having | *Joker is the only character to not have the announcer talk and not have the crowd chant during their victory animation. | ||
*Despite having his civilian/student appearance appear as his alternate costume and the fact that he is being given a default civilian name (Ren Amamiya) since the anime and most future media appearances like ''Smash'' (as described in his [https://store.nintendo.co.uk/ | *Joker technically has the most victory screens of any fighter, having 30,397,354 victory screens in total. The reason for this is based on the [[All-Out Attack]] that is used for each character (when KOing the opponents at 100%) having their own animations of when they get KO'd from it, which results in a victory screen. | ||
*Joker is one of two third-party DLC fighters to have both a Japanese and English voice actor, the other being {{SSBU|Sora}}. | |||
**This is because Hero, Terry, Sephiroth, and {{SSBU|Kazuya}} only have a Japanese voice actor, Banjo & Kazooie share an English voice actor, and Steve is completely mute. | |||
*Despite having his civilian/student appearance appear as his alternate costume, and the fact that he is being given a default civilian name (Ren Amamiya) since the anime and most future media appearances like ''Smash'' (as described in his [https://store.nintendo.co.uk/amiibo/joker-no.83-amiibo/12651227.html amiibo description]), the costume does not use the name of "Ren" and continues to be referred to as "Joker". | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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{{Persona universe}} | {{Persona universe}} | ||
[[Category:Joker (SSBU)| ]] | [[Category:Joker (SSBU)| ]] | ||
[[Category:Third | [[Category:Third party characters]] | ||
[[Category:Downloadable content]] | [[Category:Downloadable content]] | ||
[[Category:Sega]] | [[Category:Sega]] |