Editing Lucas (SSB4)

|ranking = 28

:{{cquote|Lucas Comes Out of Nowhere!|cite=Introduction Tagline}}

Lucas is currently ranked 28th out of 55 on the [[tier list]], placing him at the bottom of the C tier. In addition to tying him with his fellow ''{{b|EarthBound|universe}}'' representative {{SSB4|Ness}}, this renders both of them as the lowest ranking high-tier characters. This is a significant improvement over Lucas' low tier placement in ''Brawl'', where he was ranked 30th out of 38. Like Ness, Lucas is no longer plagued by 10 extra [[grab release]] frames and early [[hitstun canceling]], which were major detriments to his endurance and combo game, respectively. Aside from those gameplay changes, Lucas retains his fast attack speed; disjointed [[hitbox]]es; useful [[projectile]]s; and impressive combo game.

However, Lucas' overall damage output, knockback, and range were all reduced. When coupled with the loss of several of his more advanced techniques from ''Brawl'', it is it questionable whether his buffs or nerfs are more prevalent. Lucas also retains his slow ground mobility and average frame data, giving him a lackluster [[neutral game]]; poor approach options; and a [[recovery]] that is occasionally susceptible to [[gimp]]s and [[edgeguarding]]. While his throw game is powerful, his grab is one of the slowest in the game. Finally, Lucas' lack of landing options allows characters with disjointed ranges (such as {{SSB4|Marth}} and {{SSB4|Cloud}}) to give him a hard time landing.

Initially, Lucas was poorly regarded when he was first released, but the buffs he received from game updates have allowed him to achieve decent results. This has been most evident with the efforts of {{Sm|Taiheita}}, who has many notable placings, such as 17th in singles and 1st in doubles with Lucas at [[Super Smash Con 2016]], along with several high placings at [[Sumabato]] and [[Umebura]] tournaments. Recently, however, Lucas's declining results in regionals and Japan, Taiheita's recent retirement, and Japanese Ness players earning commendable results in Japan that surpassed Lucas's achievements recently such as 17th at [[EVO Japan 2018]] and 17th at [[The Big House 7]] being credited to {{Sm|Gackt}} and {{Sm|taranito}} led some Smashers to question about Lucas's placement of whether Lucas should retain his position or not.  

Lucas' attributes remain largely unchanged since ''Brawl''. He is a [[Weight|middleweight]] that has a very slow [[walking]] speed, slightly below average [[dash]]ing speed, average [[gravity]], above average [[air speed]], and below average [[falling speed]]. However, his air and [[fast fall]]ing speeds have become faster since ''Brawl'', both of which somewhat improve his aerial mobility. While Lucas' mobility speed is rather unimpressive, his attack speed compensates for it; notable examples include his neutral attack, which comes out on frame 2, and his down tilt, which comes out on frame 3 and is tied with {{SSB4|Ness}}, {{SSB4|Little Mac}}, {{SSB4|R.O.B.}}, and {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}'s down tilts for being the fastest down tilt in the game. As a result, Lucas' attacks are useful for damage racking and initiating combos, while several of his ground attacks are safe in many situations due to their minimal ending lag.

However, Lucas greatest strength is his grab game. Despite having the shortest-ranged tether grab in the game, his [[Rope Snake]] has the lowest amount of ending lag among all tether grabs and respectable range, while he also possesses arguably the strongest set of throws in the game. Lucas' up and back throws are among the most powerful of their kind in the game, making them two of his best KOing options. His forward throw is tied with {{SSB4|Bowser}}'s for the strongest of its kind, although it is significantly weaker as a KOing option in comparison to his up and back throws. His down throw benefits significantly from both its considerably reduced knockback and the changes to hitstun canceling, both of which have re-purposed it into a reliable combo starter that can be followed up with his neutral and forward aerials from 0% up until high percents (even up to the early 90% range for neutral aerial), while its combo into up aerial is a confirmed KO set-up until 100%. While these changes have removed his down throw's KO potential, this is completely mitigated due to his up and back throws' aforementioned power. Lastly, his pummel is tied with Ness, {{SSB4|Kirby}} and {{SSB4|Fox}}'s as the third fastest in the game, which makes it ideal for quick damage racking before a throw.

However, Lucas does have his flaws. With his aforementioned sub-par mobility, fast characters such as {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}} and {{SSB4|Sonic}} can give Lucas a difficult time. Another problem is a predictable approach, reliance on his zoning tools (which can be overcome), and occasionally a lack of range in spite of his tether grab. Some of his moves require precision at times; his up aerial, whose hitbox is significantly smaller than it was in ''Brawl'', can miss large opponents like {{SSB4|Bowser}}. Another prominent example is his down smash, whose three hits are all mutually exclusive and thus gives opponents a perfect opportunity to punish Lucas if they manage to shield it. Lucas can also have problems scoring KOs despite his smash attacks' impressive strengths, as they mainly require effective reading and should be used wisely as a result. Although Lucas has a reliable tether recovery, [[PK Thunder#PK Thunder 2|his other method of recovery]] is also gimpable because of it having much slower priority than Ness, and it can be still be reflected or absorbed, most infamously by {{SSB4|Rosalina & Luma}}. Like his fellow DLC characters, Lucas does not have any custom moves, which limits him in tournaments that allow [[character customization]].

Altogether, Lucas' pros slightly outweigh his cons. He has an excellent damage racking game along with some good approach options, though his approach in general is predictable and can be faulty at times. He can also have a hard time KOing opponents outside of edgeguarding, and he is not as effective when his zoning tools can be nullified. While Lucas' initial tournament representation was poor like most of his fellow DLC characters, it has improved over time after he received buffs in game updates, to the point that he currently has both average representation and results, both of which are fair improvements from how he fared in ''Brawl''.

==Changes from ''Brawl''==

Lucas received a mix of [[buff]]s and [[nerf]]s in the transition from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4''. One of the most notable improvements he received was the removal of the 10 extra frames that were a part of his grab release animation, which was one of his most significant flaws. Lucas' recovery, outside of advanced techniques, has been improved, as both PK Thunder 2 and [[Rope Snake]] now cover more distance. Rope Snake has also received more utility as a zoning option due to it receiving a hitbox when used as a [[grab aerial]]. Lucas has also been indirectly buffed from the changes to hitstun canceling, which is most evident with the modifications to his down throw having resulted in it becoming one of his best combo starters.

However, the 10 extra frame grab release was not the only noticeable gameplay-related aspect that Lucas lost. He can no longer use the [[Zap Jump]] or the [[Magnet Pull]] exploits, which were his two most pivotal techniques in ''Brawl'', although the aforementioned buffs to PK Thunder 2 and Rope Snake can compensate for this, at least in terms of recovery. In addition, many of his attacks have seen their knockback and ranges reduced, while some of them have had their ending lag increased. This is most notably seen with his aerials: his forward and back aerials lost their ability to autocancel with a short hop (although the landing lag of both is minimal), his down aerial has increased start-up lag and is no longer able to reliably set up for the infamous down tilt [[lock]], and his up aerial has notably less range while also being static, all of which significantly hinders his already poor approach and landing options.

A number of Lucas' moves have seen their damage outputs reduced, though this is made up by his newfound combo game. He additionally has a slightly harder time KOing because of his forward and up smashes having reduced knockback alongside the loss of his advanced techniques. Despite retaining his dashing speed from ''Brawl'', he nonetheless dashes slower than a large portion of the cast, due to a number of his fellow [[veteran]]s having faster dashing speeds than in ''Brawl''.

Overall, Lucas has not significantly improved since ''Brawl'' when compared to the rest of the cast. However, as of update 1.1.3, he is considered to be moderately better than how he was when he was initially released in ''SSB4'', due to the buffs he received up to and including that update. By extension, his current placement on the tier list is a reflection of that perception.

*{{buff|Lucas' [[fast fall]]ing speed is faster (1.918 → 2.192), improving his air game and making him less susceptible to [[Juggle|juggling]].}}

*{{change|Although his fall speed was unchanged, relative to the rest of the cast Lucas falls slower, going from having an average fall speed to a noticeably below average one.}}

*{{buff|The removal of the extra 10 frames of Lucas' [[grab release]] significantly improve his endurance.}}

*{{nerf|[[Zap Jump]] and [[Magnet Pull]] have been removed, significantly hindering Lucas' [[Advanced technique|advanced technical options]].}}

*{{buff|Neutral attack's first and second hits deal less damage (3% (both) → 2.5% (hit 1)/2% (hit 2)). Their mid and far hitboxes also now launch at 66°/87° and 70°/88°, respectively. Altogether, these changes improve its [[jab cancel]]ing potential.}}

*{{buff|Sweetspotted dash attack deals 1% more damage (12% → 13%). Its sweetspot has also been re-positioned to the blast's tip, improving its range.}}

*{{nerf|Sourspotted dash attack deals 1% less damage (10% → 9%) and has decreased knockback.}}

*{{buff|Dash attack has decreased start-up (frame 17 → 15) and ending lag (frame 42 → 39).}}

*{{nerf|Up and sourspotted forward tilts deal less damage (11% → 9.5% (up), 9% → 7.5% (sourspotted forward)).}}

*{{nerf|Forward tilt has increased start-up (frame 6 → 7) and ending lag (frame 23 → 26).}}

*{{buff|Late up tilt deals 1% more damage (4% → 5%). Up tilt also has decreased ending lag (frame 40 → 37).}}

*{{buff|Down tilt deals 3% less damage (6% → 3%) and its close hitbox now launches at 76°, improving its combo potential.}}

*{{nerf|Down tilt has increased ending lag (frame 14 → 16) and slightly decreased range. It also no longer [[Tripping|trips]] opponents, with only its tipper hitbox [[lock]]ing in opponents.}}

*{{nerf|Forward smash has decreased base knockback (60 → 50), hindering its KO potential. It has also received a sourspot on all of its untippered hitboxes that deals 1% less damage.}}

*{{change|Forward smash has updated sound effects.}}

*{{buff|The 19% damage increase to [[shield]]s and the increase to [[shieldstun]] significantly improve clean smash attacks' shield pressuring potentials.}}

*{{nerf|Up smash has decreased knockback (50 (base)/85 (growth) → 48/77), hindering its KO potential. It also has smaller hitboxes (14u/13u/12u/10u/10u → 12u/11u/10u/8u/6.5u) and can no longer launch edge-hanging opponents into its main hitbox.}}

*{{buff|Down smash's first hit has increased base knockback (40 → 43), improving its KO potential.}}

*{{nerf|Down smash has smaller hitboxes (10u/12u/14u → 8u/9.8u/12u) and now consists of mutually exclusive hits.}}

*{{nerf|Due to consisting of five hits instead of eight, neutral aerial deals 5% less damage (17% → 12%). Additionally, it has increased start-up (frame 5 → 7) and ending lag (frame 40 → 45). Lastly, its [[Smash directional influence|SDI]] multiplier has increased (1× → 2×).}}

*{{buff|Due to their angles being altered (105° → 367°), neutral aerial's loop hits connect together better. Additionally, its last hit has decreased base knockback (70 → 40) and now launches at 60°. Lastly, it has decreased landing lag (18 frames → 13). Altogether, these changes grant it combo potential.}}

*{{nerf|Due to having significantly tightened autocancel windows, neutral, forward, and up aerials no longer autocancel from a short hop. This slightly hinders their approach potentials.}}

*{{nerf|Forward aerial deals less damage (12% (sweetspot)/10% (sourspot)/8% (late) → 11.5% (sweetspot)/9% (sourspot)) and has lost its late hitbox. It also has a smaller hitbox (5.5u → 5u) and its sourspot has a shorter duration (6 frames → 2).}}

*{{buff|Forward aerial has decreased landing lag (15 frames → 12), improving its approach potential.}}

*{{buff|Back aerial's non-meteor sweetspot deals 2% more damage (10% → 12%) and has increased knockback.}}

*{{buff|The removal of [[Meteor smash#Meteor canceling|meteor canceling]] significantly improves back and down aerials' reliability.}}

*{{nerf|Up aerial has increased start-up lag (frame 5 → 7), a shorter duration (6 frames → 3), and a smaller hitbox (7u → 5.2u). Its hitbox is also no longer attached to Lucas' head during its animation.}}

*{{buff|Up aerial now launches at 80°. This improves its KO potential in spite of its knockback remaining unchanged.}}

*{{change|Up aerial has increased [[Freeze frame|hitlag]] (1× → 1.1×). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.}}

*{{nerf|Down aerial's first three hits deal 1.5% less damage (5% → 3.5%), which decreases its overall damage output by 4.5% (20% → 15.5%). It also has increased start-up lag (frame 4 → 10) and decreased autocancel timings (frame 35 → 48), removing its combo potential into down tilt.}}

*{{buff|Down aerial has decreased landing lag (28 frames → 24).}}

*{{buff|Grab aerial has received a hitbox that deals damage (4% (clean)/2.8% (late)), granting it spacing and combo potential. It also has increased range as a [[tether recovery]].}}

*{{buff|All grabs have decreased start-up lag (frame 13 → 12 (standing), frame 16 → 14 (dash), frame 15 → 12 (pivot)) and increased durations (1 frame → 8).}}

*{{buff|Standing and dash grabs have decreased ending lag (frame 70 → 45 (standing), frame 80 → 55 (dash)).}}

*{{nerf|Pivot grab has increased ending lag (frame 50 → 61).}}

*{{nerf|Pummel deals 1.8% less damage (3% → 1.2%), significantly hindering its damage racking potential.}}

*{{buff|Pummel's duration has decreased (12 frames → 9), making it tied for the third fastest pummel in the game.}}

*{{buff|Up throw has increased knockback growth (65 → 69), improving its KO potential.}}

*{{change|Down throw deals 0.5% less damage (7% → 6.5%) and has decreased knockback growth (100 → 51). When coupled with the changes to [[hitstun canceling]], these changes grant it combo potential at low to high percentages. However, these changes significantly hinder its KO potential.}}

*{{change|Down throw's animation has changed. Lucas now aesthetically buries opponents headfirst upon throwing them.}}

*{{buff|Front and back floor attacks deal 1% more damage (6% → 7%).}}

*{{change|Edge attack now deals consistent damage (6%/8% → 7%).}}

*{{buff|Fully charged [[PK Freeze]] deals 3% more damage (19% → 22%) and travels farther.}}

*{{nerf|PK Freeze travels slightly slower and takes longer to fully charge. It also goes lower than Lucas' body, similarly to [[PK Flash]], which results in it no longer exploding on contact with the ground. Unlike PK Flash, using PK Freeze right before it makes contact with the ground does not count as it being fully charged.}}

*{{buff|The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve fully charged PK Freeze's shield pressuring potential.}}

*{{buff|[[PK Fire]] deals 1% more damage (8% → 9%).}}

*{{buff|[[PK Thunder]] is larger and travels slightly faster. This improves its recovery potential and, when coupled with the weakening of SDI, makes it significantly more difficult to escape from.}}

*{{buff|PK Thunder 2 covers slightly more distance, improving its recovery potential. It can also be reused immediately after Lucas bounces off of a wall, significantly improving its safety.}}

*{{nerf|PK Thunder 2 deals less damage when all hits connect (43% → 26)}}

*{{change|PK Thunder's visual effects have changed. It is now violet, instead of blue.}}

*{{buff|[[PSI Magnet]] is significantly larger.}}

*{{nerf|PSI Magnet deals 1% less damage (9% → 8%) and only the center of its orb deals damage, whereas its entire orb dealt damage in ''Brawl''. These changes hinder its utility. Additionally, PSI Magnet also now swirls healing projectiles for a moment, creating a slight delay before Lucas can actually be healed. Lastly, it has received a blind spot directly behind Lucas, hindering its safety.}}

*{{change|PSI Magnet's animation has slightly changed. Lucas now keeps both eyes open during it, instead of closing one of them.}}

*{{change|[[PK Starstorm]] now functions identically to Ness' version. It deals 6% less damage per hit (14% → 8%), but the falling stars are now fired in a line that can be aimed in a fanning motion from the top-center of the stage. While this gives it blind spots, it results in a more consistent damage output when the stars do hit.}}

*{{change|PK Starstorm now has a [[flame]] effect, instead of an [[electric]] effect.}}

*{{change|PK Starstorm's animation and visual effects have changed. Lucas now strikes the same pose during it, and the falling stars are now sky blue, instead of whitish yellow. These changes make it appear virtually identical to Ness' version.}}

Lucas has been buffed via game updates. Update [[1.1.0]] saw all of his grabs' ending lag decreased and as well as subtle range improvements to his forward and down tilts, though they still do not match up to his range in ''Brawl''. The changes to shield mechanics in updates 1.1.0 and [[1.1.1]] have been a mixed bag for Lucas; the changes make his sourspotted moves less safe on shield, but his sweetspotted moves safer on shield. Lastly, update [[1.1.3]] gave Lucas a number of noticeable buffs: his standing grab, dash grab, and forward aerial all had their lag decreased, his neutral aerial's damage output was increased, and forward tilt's sweetspot had its size and duration increased. As a result of these buffs, Lucas is considered better than he was when he was initially released.

|game=SSBU

|neutralname= 

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|neutral2name= 

|neutral3name= 

|ftiltname= 

|utiltname= 

|dtiltname= 

|dashname= 

|fsmashname= 

|usmashname= 

|dsmashname= 

|nairname= 

|fairname= 

|fairdmg=11.5% (sweetspot), 9% (sourspot)

|bairname= 

|uairname= 

|dairname= 

|zairname=[[Rope Snake]]

|grabname=Rope Snake

|pummelname= 

|pummeldesc=A headbutt. Tied with Ness, Kirby and {{SSB4|Fox}}'s pummels as the third fastest pummel in the game. However, it is the least damaging pummel in the game.  

|fthrowname= 

|bthrowname= 

|uthrowname= 

|dthrowname= 

{{Crowd

|game=SSB4

|char=Lucas

|desc-us=Lu-cas!

|desc-jp=Ryuuu-ka!

|pitch-us=Female

|pitch-jp=Female}}

==In [[Competitive play|competitive play]]==

===Notable players===

<!--If you are planning to add a player you consider to be notable, please provide tournament results in some shape or form in the edit summary (be it a link to a results thread or bracket of them placing high in a tournament of other notable players or a video of them beating a notable player). Winning tournaments without notable players present is generally not enough to warrant a spot.-->

*{{Sm|ShiNe|Taiwan}} - Placed 13th at the [[Tournament:2GG Championship#Last Chance Qualifier|2GG Championship Last Chance Qualifier]], 13th at [[Noods Noods Noods: Melee Edition]], 33rd at [[2GG: Breakthrough 2]], and [[SwitchFest]]. Ranked 7th on the Lucas Power Rankings.

*{{Sm|Sidereus|Canada}} - The best Lucas player in [[Michigan]] and Canada. Ranked 13th on the [[Michigan Smash 4 Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|JeBB|USA}} - Formally mained Lucas before dropping him for Bayonetta

*{{Sm|Marss|USA}}

*{{Sm|Pink Fresh|USA}} - Played Lucas before switching to Bayonetta.

*{{Sm|SpaceDong|Canada}}

*{{Sm|Taiheita|Japan}} - Widely considered to be the best Lucas player prior to his retirement. Placed 17th in singles play at [[Super Smash Con 2016]] and 1st in [[doubles]] play at Super Smash Con 2016. Formally ranked 49th on the [[Panda Global Rankings]] v2, and currently ranked 28th on the [[JAPAN Power Rankings]]. He has wins over {{Sm|Abadango}}, {{Sm|Marss}}, {{Sm|9B}}, {{Sm|Kameme}}, {{Sm|T}}, {{Sm|Earth}}, {{Sm|Edge}}, {{Sm|Ranai}}, and {{Sm|ikep}}.

During his release, Lucas was considered to have improved from Brawl due to the changes to the game physics benefitting him. However, it would very soon become clear Lucas had lost most of his benefits from ''Brawl'', and would go on to be considered among his previous game's placement. Following the buffs to his attacks, as well as decent tournament representation and results (the latter point being largely due to {{Sm|Taiheita}}), he would be ranked 36th in the first ''4BR''' [[tier list]], as a low-tier character. However, players would prove that Lucas' buffs had indeed benefitted him a lot and that he was now a capable character with reliable combo potential and KO power. Due to receiving notable results from Taiheita in 17th place at [[Super Smash Con 2016]], Lucas rose up in the second tier list to 33rd, officially putting him in the mid-tier.

 

 

 

 

{{Trophy games|console1=GBA|game1=Mother 3}}

:'''Lucas'''

::{{flag|ntsc}} ''The younger of the twin brothers from Nowhere makes his triumphant return to the game of Smash. Hailing from the Japan-only game Mother 3, Lucas's specialty is psychic projectile attacks. He can use these PSI attacks to do things like absorb enemy projectiles and deal supernatural damage!

::{{flag|pal}} ''Lucas, the younger of the twin brothers from Tazmily, comes originally from the Japan-only game, Mother 3, and now makes his triumphant return to Super Smash Bros.! Here he makes great use of his PSI powers with lots of projectile attacks, and can use his faster attacks on anybody who gets too close.''

{{Trophy games|console1=GBA|game1=Mother 3}}

 

:'''Lucas (Alt.)'''

::{{flag|ntsc}} ''Lucas's up special PK Thunder can hit enemies multiple times, but if you hit yourself with it, you can then tackle and launch opponents! Lucas's up smash has the strongest launch power of any fighter's up smash. The range for this attack is wide, and it's strongest right after Lucas unleashes the attack.

::{{flag|pal}} ''Lucas's up special, PK Thunder, can either hit enemies multiple times, or hit Lucas himself to push him into a powerful charge attack. Meanwhile, his up smash attack is the most powerful launching move in the entire game, so make good use of it! It's a wide-range attack that is most effective right after Lucas unleashes it.''

{{Trophy games|console1=GBA|game1=Mother 3}}

:'''PK Starstorm (Lucas)'''

::{{flag|ntsc}} ''You can adjust the direction of the shooting stars in this attack! Rain stars down on multiple fighters at once, or be mean and pick on a single fighter. The choice is yours! If a star connects, it will deal ongoing fire damage, making it hard for opponents to return to the stage.''

::{{flag|pal}} ''Lucas uses his PSI powers to summon a stream of shooting stars, the angle of which you can control. It's good for attacking an entire group during a free-for-all...or if you want to make things tougher for a single person. Even if the attack only hits once, it deals ongoing fire damage, making it harder to get back to the stage.''

LucasTrophy3DS.png|Non-fighter (3DS)

LucasTrophyWiiU.png|Non-fighter (Wii U)

LucasDLCTrophy3DS.png|Classic (3DS)

LucasAltTrophy3DS.png|Alt. (3DS)

LucasDLCTrophyWiiU.png|Classic (Wii U)

LucasAltTrophyWiiU.png|Alt. (Wii U)

|colspan=8|[[Image:Lucas Palette (SSB4).png]]

==Trivia==  

**The day he became available to purchase was the same day that [[wikibound:Mother (video game)|''EarthBound Beginnings'']] was released internationally for the Wii U Virtual Console.

*Lucas and Wario are the only characters not be a [[starter character]] who were previously a starter since Wario has to be unlocked and Lucas has to purchased as DLC.

**He is also the only veteran DLC character to not have his voice actress in the DLC credits. His voice actress, however, was in the original credits before his return.

 

[[Category:Lucas (SSB4)]]