Editing Nerf

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[[File:KirbyUpTiltNerf.png|thumb|An example of a nerf, involving [[Kirby]]'s up tilt. The upper [[hitbox]] has been moved closer to Kirby in ''Melee'', significantly reducing its range.]]
A '''nerf''' is a term used to describe the weakening of a character or an aspect of a character, either through updating a game or by releasing a sequel. Nerfs are often done as an attempt to balance the roster, by weakening characters that are too strong; however, nerfs can also be inadvertently added if a character is indirectly weakened by an external gameplay change. Nerfs contrast with "[[buff]]s", which involve the strengthening of a character or aspects of a character between sequel games and game updates.


The term "{{s|wikipedia|nerf}}" is derived from the brand of toy known for its soft foam-like substance. This substance allows for safer play, as little chance of injury comes from impact with such items. In effect, a projectile is less damaging because it was "nerfed".
A '''nerf''' is a term used to describe the weakening of a character (or aspect of a character), either through updating a game or by releasing a sequel. It is often done as an attempt to balance the roster. The opposite term is "[[buff]]". The best example of this is [[Kirby]]'s transition from the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' to ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. Kirby went from being one of the best characters according to the [[tier list]]s to being one of the worst.


==Notable examples of nerfs in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series==
The term "[[wiktionary:nerf|nerf]]" is derived from the brand of toy known for its soft foam-like substance. This substance allows for safer play, as little chance of injury comes from impact with such items. In effect, a projectile is less damaging because it was "nerfed".
===''Smash 64'' to ''Melee''===
====Universal Mechanics====
*The effect of [[L-canceling]] has been reduced; now only reducing landing lag by 50% rather than reducing it to 4 frames. It is also harder to perform with the window to L-cancel being reduced from eleven frames to seven. This generally makes aerials more punishable and reduces their combo potential. This particularly hinders aerials with very high landing lag such as {{SSBM|Link}} and {{SSBM|Pikachu}}'s down aerials. This change is further exacerbated by many short hops being shorter along with many aerials receiving worse [[auto-cancel]] windows; greatly reducing the amount of aerials which can auto-cancel in a short hop.
*The knockback of [[meteor smash]]es can now be cancelled with a jump or an up special 8 frames after a meteor smash connects (known as meteor cancelling). This significantly hinders the utility of meteor smashes and while a fair amount of meteor smashes are stronger, this does not compensate for the inclusion of meteor cancelling. Many meteor smashes are also noticeably slower.
*[[Directional Influence]] has been introduced which allows the player to change their launch angle after getting hit by a move. While this does improve the endurance and recovery potential of each character, it also makes combos much less consistent; forcing the player to guess which way their opponent is going to DI. As a result, zero to death combos are less prevalent and requires reads from the player performing the combo. This also means that every attack in the game can be survived for longer although poor DI can allow moves to KO even earlier than they normally should.
*[[Shield]] damage and shieldstun have been significantly decreased. This makes many attacks less safe on shield which makes many more attacks punishable on shield and generally makes shield breaks far less common. This particularly hurts characters with [[shield break combo]]s; most notably {{SSBM|Kirby}} and {{SSBM|Ness}}


====Character-specific====
==Characters who had attributes nerfed from ''SSB'' to ''Melee''==
*{{SSBM|Kirby}}'s [[walk]] and [[dash]] speeds were significantly reduced, leading to a poor ability to pursue opponents, and his increased falling speed, along with nerfs to [[Final Cutter]], reduced the effectiveness of his recovery. Many of Kirby's most powerful attacks in ''Smash 64'' were also nerfed; for example, his up tilt had its range, power, and combo ability significantly reduced, while his forward smash went from one of the strongest in ''Smash 64'' to among the weakest in ''Melee''. Ranked as one of the best characters in ''Smash 64'', Kirby is  arguably one of the worst characters in ''Melee'', currently ranking second to dead last on the tier list and by the far the most nerfed character in the transition between games.
There were two general nerfs for all characters. One is that most [[aerial attack]]s and [[tilt]]s no longer have almost instantaneous start-up lag. The second general nerf is [[throw]]s have been significantly weakened, with only a few throws being reliable [[KO]] moves in ''Melee''. Below is a list of nerfs for the cast of ''Melee''.


===''Melee'' to ''Brawl''===
*[[Captain Falcon (SSBM)|Captain Falcon]]
====Universal Mechanics====
**[[Up aerial]] doesn't [[semi-spike]] as reliably.
*L-cancelling has been removed completely. This has the same negative effects as the weakening of the mechanic in ''Melee'' but to a greater extent. While a large amount of aerials have lower landing lag and more aerials are capable of auto-cancelling in a short hop, this does not completely compensate for the removal of L-cancelling in most cases.
**[[Falcon Punch]] has more start-up lag and can no longer be used for recovering.
*[[Air dodge]]s have been changed. The main changes are that they cannot be angled and no longer cause [[helpless]]ness and they can now be performed out of [[tumble]]. While the changes to air dodges have their benefits, they also cause two changes which noticeably hinder certain characters.  
**The [[Falcon Dive]] has been weakened.
**Because of the changes to air dodges, [[wavedash]]ing is no longer possible which negatively impacts many characters' mobility on the ground, such as in the case of {{SSBB|Luigi}} and {{SSBB|Marth}}
**Down aerial has a much shorter duration.
**This also enables [[hitstun cancelling]] which can also be performed with aerials. While this can lead to [[momentum canceling]] which allows many characters to survive longer, it has also heavily limited the combo potential of many characters. Two characters who were noticeably affected by this were {{SSBB|Captain Falcon}} and {{SSBB|Jigglypuff}}.
**Most of his attacks are much slower.
*It is no longer possible to DI moves which do not cause tumble. When combined with the fact that non-tumble hitstun cannot be cancelled, this leads into the game's inescapable chain grabs as well as allowing various moves to chain into themselves more reliably. While this benefits certain characters such as {{SSBB|Pikachu}} and acts as a double edged sword for some others such as {{SSBB|Falco}} and {{SSBB|Sheik}}, it also significantly hinders certain characters such as {{SSBB|Fox}} and Captain Falcon.  
*The [[landing lag glitch]] is a glitch where the landing lag from a special move is carried over if the player does not land normally. This particularly hurts characters who receive high landing lag from their special moves such as Marth and {{SSBB|Ganondorf}}.


====Character-specific====
*[[Donkey Kong (SSBM)|Donkey Kong]]
*Fox has been severely harmed by the game's universal changes and his most notable tools have been severely toned down. His up smash and up aerial have reduced KO potential, his down throw is laggier and can no longer tech chase, his {{b|Blaster|Fox}} travels half the distance, and his infamous [[Reflector (Fox)|shine]] can no longer be jump-canceled, has increased start-up lag, and launches at a higher angle, significantly weakening its utility. Arguably the best character in ''Melee'', he is generally considered to be high-mid tier in ''Brawl''.
**The beginning of his forward throw (carry) no longer deals damage.
*Captain Falcon has also been severely harmed by the games universal changes and he generally has worse frame data and KO power. His [[Knee Smash]]'s sweetspot is smaller and has a shorter duration which makes the move more difficult to land compared to ''Melee'' in addition to having almost no reliable setups to combo into it. A high-tiered character in ''Melee'', Captain Falcon frequently ranked among the worst characters in ''Brawl'', with two tier lists even considering him the worst character in the game.
**[[Giant Punch]] has less reach and knockback, and puts him in a [[helpless]] state when done in midair.
*Jigglypuff has worse aerial mobility and has suffered severely from the introduction of hitstun cancelling and the universal reduction to falling speeds, weakening its previously devastating [[Wall of Pain]] combos. Jigglypuff's up throw was greatly hindered by these universal changes preventing it from being able to perform the [[Space Animal Slayer]] despite its decreased knockback. [[Rest]]'s damage and knockback was also reduced, making it a considerably less devastating and less safe attack than in ''Melee''. Initially top-tiered in ''Melee'', Jigglypuff is considered among ''Brawl's'' worst fighters.
**Foward air is much slower and is much more difficult to meteor smash with.
*Ganondorf's ground mobility is worse and he is one of the characters who was hindered the most from the removal of L-cancelling hindered which has hindered his ability ability to use his aerials for approaching, comboing, and KOing. In addition to this, his neutral attack is much slower and he generally has worse KO power leading to Ganondorf having a considerably worse approach in ''Brawl'' compared to ''Melee''. In addition to his nerfed approach, Ganondorf's grab range is much shorter; now being the shortest in the game. The inclusion of hitstun cancelling along with his altered down throw have also severely hindered his grab game. His recovery is also even worse due to [[Wizard's Foot]] no longer restoring his double jump. A lower mid-tier character in ''Melee'', Ganondorf is frequently considered one of the worst characters in ''Brawl'', with the most recent tier list ranking him as the game's worst fighter.
**[[Hand Slap]] has more ending lag.


===''Brawl'' to ''Smash 4''===
*[[Fox (SSBM)|Fox]]
====Universal Mechanics====
**His [[air speed]] has been significantly decreased, from being among one of the fastest in SSB, to being tied with [[Falco (SSBM)|Falco]] for the slowest in ''Melee''.
*[[Dash attack cancelled up smash]] (DACUS) has been removed as of patch [[1.0.4]] on the 3DS version and all Wii U versions. This has hindered multiple character's approach potential with some notable examples being {{SSB4|Falco}} and {{SSB4|Sheik}}
**[[Down smash]] doesn't semi-spike as effectively.
*[[Glide toss]]ing has been removed which has hindered numerous character's approach with [[item]]s. This particularly hinders characters who can generate item based projectiles such as {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}}, {{SSB4|Peach}} and {{SSB4|R.O.B.}}
**Up aerial is more difficult to sweetspot.
*Chain grabbing is no longer possible. While this does benefit some characters, it also hinders characters who possessed powerful chain grabs in the previous games such as {{SSB4|Pikachu}}, Falco and {{SSB4|King Dedede}}. Many throws which could chain grab in the previous game have also been altered (such as the down throws of the aforementioned three characters) to make them worse overall.
**[[Blaster]] no longer produces [[hitstun]].


====Character-specific====
*[[Jigglypuff (SSBM)|Jigglypuff]]
*{{SSB4|Falco}}'s [[Blaster]] fires slower and no longer auto-cancels on landing, crippling his neutral game that had relied on the [[short hop laser]]. As previously mentioned, his down throw can no longer chain grab for significant damage at early percentages and it has noticeably increased knockback; making it a worse combo tool while still not being powerful enough to KO. His down aerial is much slower and weaker, removing his fastest and most reliable KO option offstage. His neutral attack is also laggier and has less range. Due to these changes, despite the buffs some of his other moves received, Falco experienced the largest tier drop in the transition to ''Smash 4'', going from being a borderline top tier character to a low tier character.
**[[Sing]] doesn't put opponents to sleep as long, reducing its effectiveness.
*{{SSB4|King Dedede}}'s new back aerial, though stronger, is much slower, and the hitbox has shorter duration, hurting his approach game. As previously mentioned, his down throw can no longer infinitely chain grab and it no longer has set knockback. The changes to hitstun canceling have also hindered Dedede more than almost any other character as he is much easier to combo while still possessing a rather poor combo game of his own.
**[[Rest]] has a smaller [[hitbox]].
*{{SSB4|Marth}}'s range (despite his tippers on most of his moves reaching slightly further) is reduced overall, due to most of his hitboxes being reduced in size; coupled with moves that have decreased hitbox durations. Some of his more effective approach options in ''Brawl'' such as in his down tilt and forward aerial have been nerfed in various ways, noticeably hindering his approach in ''Smash 4''. His throws also have much higher base knockback, removing many of his previous set-ups and ability to [[tech-chase]]. Considered among the best ''Brawl'' characters, Marth was initially considered to be a low-tier in ''Smash 4'', though changes in [[update]]s, however, have since improved his viability in the competitive scene, which have allowed him to become a top tier character once again despite still being nerfed overall.
**[[Dair]] [[spike]] is now very difficult to land, no longer usable for gimping.
*{{SSB4|Meta Knight}}'s damage output, range and frame data have been noticeably toned down with his up aerial being a clear example of these changes. Many of his attacks also lost their transcendent [[priority]]. He can no longer glide, nerfing his recovery that was previously extremely powerful in ''Brawl''. His [[falling speed]] and [[gravity]] have been significantly increased which makes him far more vulnerable to combos and noticeably reduces the height of his mid-air jumps. His [[Mach Tornado]] and [[Shuttle Loop]] also saw various nerfs although his new Shuttle Loop in particular is still an effective move. Despite his heavy nerfs, Meta Knight is still generally seen as a viable character in tournaments as the game's universal changes benefited him overall despite the clear hindrances he also received from them, though he still went from being considered the best character in ''Brawl'' to only a high tier especially after update [[1.1.5]].


===''Smash 4'' game updates===
*[[Kirby (SSBM)|Kirby]]
*{{SSB4|Diddy Kong}} was highly dominant in early competitive play, being very common in tournaments and typically placing highly. However, in patches [[1.0.6]] and [[1.0.8]], Diddy Kong was heavily nerfed overall. Before the patches, Diddy Kong possessed powerful aerials that could easily be comboed into, most notably down throw to one or more up aerials, which was both a powerful KOing and damage racking tool and was simple to execute. The patches greatly weakened the damage, knockback and combo potential of several of Diddy's most frequently used moves, lowering his use in competitive play significantly and putting his usage more in line with other high tier characters. While Diddy Kong is less effective after the nerfs, his [[neutral game]] has remained untouched in these updates, and he gained some buffs in other areas, allowing him to remain a highly ranked character in ''Smash 4''; by version 1.1.6, Diddy ranked 1st on the second tier list, due to nerfs to multiple other characters in the top tier after he himself had been nerfed although he is no longer considered to be the best character in the game; currently being ranked third on the latest tier list.
**Large decrease in the overall power, speed, and [[reach]] of his attacks. For example, his [[forward smash]] was the most powerful f-smash in ''SSB 64'', but in ''Melee'', it is one of the weakest f-smashes.
*{{SSB4|Luigi}} was considered to be one best characters in the game after {{Sm|J.Miller}} won [[B.E.A.S.T 5]] with him. He possessed a very strong combo game stemming from his down throw, alongside a long, safe recovery and improved mobility compared to his [[Luigi (SSBB)|''Brawl'' incarnation]]. Update [[1.1.1]] however, significantly nerfed Luigi's down throw, the previous key to his success. His down throw was previously identical to its ''Brawl'' counterpart but after the update, it received lower base knockback but higher knockback scaling which significantly hindered its ability to lead into KO moves. The changes to the game's [[shield]] mechanics in the same patch further hindered him. Luigi is now generally considered a high-tier character; initially ranked 16th on the first tier list. While he fell into the mid tiers being 29th on the second tier list, {{Sm|Elegant}} started achieving solid results with the character in late 2017; resulting in the character being ranked 18th on the latest tier list.
**[[Final Cutter]]'s horizontal and vertical distances have been reduced.
*{{SSB4|Sheik}} was a particularly potent character from the beginning of the metagame, and after the nerfs to Diddy Kong, she was almost universally viewed as the best character in the game due to her excellent neutral game, unrivaled attack speed, and effective combos. While Sheik received repeated nerfs, particularly in regards to her raw attack power, her combos and KO confirms remained intact and she still remained among the best characters in the game. Sheik was ultimately nerfed by update 1.1.5, which altered the knockback of her throws to remove her most commonly used setups and make it very difficult for her to KO. Like Diddy Kong, however, her powerful neutral game remains intact, and she is still well-represented in tournaments, being ranked fourth on the latest tier list.
**Opponents can now escape out of Kirby's back throw, making Kirbycide a riskier option.
*{{SSB4|Bayonetta}} was widely viewed as one of the best characters in the game after her release as [[downloadable content]],  due to her powerful combos and ability to punish even weak moves with [[Witch Time]]. These concerns were exacerbated by update [[1.1.5]]; while this patch did nerf Bayonetta, Sheik was also nerfed, arguably more significantly than Bayonetta. This left many players convinced that Bayonetta was now clearly the best character in the game, with some tournament scenes even considering banning her. Update [[1.1.6]], however, nerfed Bayonetta's combo moves, making her combos easier to escape and less capable of KOing at low percentages; the second tier list based on this patch ultimately ranked her as 11th. Despite this, Bayonetta still possessed an incredible combo game and she could still easily KO opponents at extremely low percents especially with [[rage]]. After advancements were made to her metagame, Bayonetta was once again widely considered to be the best character in the game with her playerbase growing significantly as time went on. As a result, she was ranked first on the last two ''Smash 4'' tier lists.
**Horizontal [[air speed]] is drastically slower.


=== ''Smash 4'' to ''Ultimate'' ===
*[[Link (SSBM)|Link]]
====Universal Mechanics====
**[[Up smash]] has less vertical reach, and a smaller hitbox, lowering its effectiveness.
*The defensive mechanics has been weakened severely as each consecutive usage of rolls, air dodges, and spot dodging lost intangibility frames as well as increased ending lag. Additionally, the changes to perfect shields makes it much harder to perform as it requires the user to shield drop right when the hit connects. Altogether, these changes have nerfed the entire roster in the game making them much more vulnerable to combos and KO confirms.
**[[Spin Attack]] can no longer reliably KO when used in the air.
*All character's [[grab]]s (except for [[tether grab]]s) have increased ending lag which makes them more punishable if missed. These changes were likely made to discourage players from spamming grabs. In addition to this, there is now a 4 frame delay when a [[shield grab]] is performed out of shieldstun, which significantly hinders using a shield grab as an out of shield option.
**Grab range has been lowered, and Link can no longer grab opponents in the air.
*The [[rage]] mechanic has been nerfed, which previously allowed many characters (especially heavyweights) to KO very early, and in more notorious cases could turn certain moves with looping hits and [[set knockback]] (such as [[Super Jump Punch]] and [[Screw Attack]]) into potent KO moves at extremely low percents. In ''Ultimate'', the multiplier has been reduced and grows at a slower rate, hindering its comeback potential; additionally, attacks with set knockback are no longer affected by rage.
**[[Boomerang]]s have slightly less range.
*Several [[Counterattack|multiplier-based counterattacks]] have been indirectly nerfed; previously, many counterattacks could easily deliver extremely powerful blows if they countered a powerful move, which had the potential to KO low-percentage opponents and makes it almost impossible to DI. In the transition to ''Ultimate'', the effectiveness of DI combined with fast knockback physics resulted in counterattacks KOing noticeably later.


====Character-specific====
*[[Luigi (SSBM)|Luigi]]
*{{SSBU|Captain Falcon}} was slightly nerfed in his transition to ''Ultimate''. Down throw's knockback was altered to reduce its combo potential at high percentages. Captain Falcon was negatively affected by universal changes: his dash dance is considered one of the worst in the game due to his below-average initial dash and turnaround speed, his dash grab no longer grants long horizontal momentum, and footstools being [[tech|techable]] make his footstool combos less guaranteed. While he was buffed in later patches, the above problems are still present.
**Air speed has been reduced.
*The {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}} can no longer pull off chain grabs due to the universal changes to grab mechanics. Nana was also nerfed as she sustains significantly more knockback than Popo, making her easier to KO and cannot act during grabs, preventing her from attacking.
**[[Fireball]]'s hitbox size has been decreased.
*{{SSBU|Marth}} has been slightly nerfed overall. While the faster engine provides Marth some benefits, it makes spacing tippers more difficult. This hinders the consistency of his kill potential. The first hit of jab no longer connects on anything other than the second hit, nerfing one of his strongest tools from ''Smash 4''. Many professionals agree that his [[clone]] {{SSBU|Lucina}} is a better character. While Marth is not considered a low-tier, he is usually overlooked in favor of her.
**[[Super Jump Punch]] no longer gains horizontal distance and doesn't travel as far vertically.
*{{SSBU|Sheik}} was one of the most potent characters in ''Smash 4'' due to her neutral game. In ''Ultimate'', her already low damage output was nerfed substantially. As a result, her long combos deal less damage than the rest of the cast's. Up throw is no longer a 50/50 setup. Overall, Sheik is considered less viable in ''Ultimate'' than in ''Smash 4'' although she would receive buffs in balance patches.
**The height gained from [[Luigi Cyclone]] has been reduced and requires considerably faster button taps to go upward.
*{{SSBU|Mewtwo}} had its tail hitbox increased, leaving it more prone to combos and KOs despite its increased weight, which remains rather low. Down tilt and forward aerial are slower, having less combo potential and guaranteed KOs, respectively. Lastly, its most noticeable nerf was in its air dodge, as it’s a less effective defensive option due to its increased ending lag and the removal of unlimited air dodging. Overall, Mewtwo isn’t considered a top tier like in ''Smash 4''.
*{{SSBU|Meta Knight}}'s combo game and KO ability were noticeably toned down even further. With his dash attack having more end lag and more knockback, it’s harder for him to use it to perform his up aerial combos, leading to a KO with neutral aerial or [[Shuttle Loop]]. Furthermore, [[Shuttle Loop]] is less reliable on getting KOs as its first hit now has a set knockback. While it’s still possible for Meta Knight to combo and get KOs with the same setups, it is nevertheless much harder to perform than his previous incarnation.
*In previous games, {{SSBU|Diddy Kong}} was a top-tier character due to his combo game. However, Diddy Kong’s nerfs are apparent in ''Ultimate''. He has lost many useful utilities: his down tilt has less range, making follow-ups into up smash more inconsistent; his up aerial has less range; and his grab was made shorter. Diddy Kong's recovery was nerfed, with [[Monkey Flip]] and [[Rocketbarrel Boost]] traveling shorter distances, though the latter was patched in [[List_of_updates_(SSBU)/3.1.0_changelog|3.1.0]].
*{{SSBU|Sonic}}'s changes in ''Ultimate'' generally nerfed his defensive options. His weight has been decreased and [[Spin Dash]] can no longer be canceled by shielding. This and the changes made to the [[jostle]] mechanic make him easier to punish. Overall, Sonic has a harder time racking up damage and killing than his previous iteration. Though his results aren't as strong as they were in ''Smash 4'', he has still been very successful in ''Ultimate'' and his perception has significantly improved throughout ''Ultimate''{{'}}s life.
*{{SSBU|Lucario}} was negatively affected by the changes to [[Rage]], because the rage multiplier was changed to 1.1× and it no longer affects set knockback. This, along with [[Aura]]'s multiplier being changed to to x1.125, greatly reduces Lucario's extreme comeback factor. Another nerf was its weight was changed to 92, making it more difficult to survive at higher percents to take advantage of Aura, and many of its special moves were nerfed: [[Aura Sphere]] has less hitlag during charge, allowing characters to escape it much easier, and [[Extreme Speed]] had less distance and had its controls modified, where its initial flight direction is locked in a short period of time before flight begins, which can lead to unintentional self-destructs. Lucario's nerfs outweigh the buffs it received and is considered to be much worse than both of its iterations in ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4''.
*{{SSBU|Little Mac}}'s ground game was nerfed both by universal changes and outright nerfs to his ground moves. He is no longer capable of dashing through opponents, significantly affecting his mixup ability. Additionally, his combo potential was weakened: his down tilt and down throw have been made worse for combos, while up tilt was made unsafe at low percents. Little Mac is often considered a bottom-tier in ''Ultimate'' as opposed to his low-mid tier placement in ''Smash 4'', although patches have improved him somewhat over time.
*{{SSBU|Cloud}}’s [[Limit Charge|down special]] can no longer instant charge cancel, and his Limit status will disappear after 15 seconds if it is left unused while fully charged, meaning he can no longer potentially have access to permanent or prolonged status effects and now has to use Limit Breaks within a short amount of time, which also renders them more predictable. His neutral aerial now has much less range due to an altered animation. This makes it harder to combo as it requires him to be closer to his opponent. His down air is now less of a combo option, as it now has more ending lag. Finally, his up aerial, previously known as one of the best moves in ''Smash 4'', has a much smaller hitbox and deals less damage and knockback. While he performs worse in ''Ultimate'' than in ''Smash 4'', Cloud is often considered to be top tier despite his nerfs.
*All of {{SSBU|Corrin}}’s special moves were markedly nerfed from ''Smash 4''. [[Dragon Fang Shot]] connects and combos less reliably, lessening its follow up potential. [[Dragon Lunge]], previously considered Corrin’s most versatile move, was significantly nerfed. The move has increased ending lag on all kicks and Corrin is now much easier to punish. Additionally, [[Draconic Ascent]] no longer grants Corrin extended distance, making recovery less safe. The [[Counter Surge]], previously the strongest counterattack in the game, has been significantly nerfed, along with ending lag being increased. Corrin was considered a far less potent than in ''Smash 4'' but patches have improved him over time especially in the 8.0.0 update.
*{{SSBU|Bayonetta}} was widely considered the best character in ''Smash 4'', with many competitors considering her [[broken]] because of her [[ladder combo]]s along with an incredibly versatile moveset with devastating punishment options. As such, she has been significantly nerfed in ''Ultimate''. While she is still capable of racking up damage, her KO prowess and frame-data have been heavily reduced to the point of being relatively lacking compared to most of the cast and her combo moves are much less reliable for leading into KOs, especially vertically due to her up aerial now launching at a weak horizontal angle and her forward aerial has a harder time combining into itself. Heel Slide and After Burner Kick are both much more punishable on shield due to the former not activating the second hit on a shielded opponent whereas the latter cannot perform the move a second time on shield, making her side special much riskier to use as a combo starter overall. Witch Time’s duration has been reduced substantially to the point where she may not have time to even land an uncharged smash attack. In ''Ultimate'', she is often considered to be mediocre because of her inconsistency and difficulty scoring KOs, though results from some of her dedicated players have somewhat improved her perception compared to ''Ultimate’s'' early lifespan.


=== ''Ultimate'' game updates ===
*[[Mario (SSBM)|Mario]]
====2.0.0====
**Up smash has been weakened in knockback.
*Some of {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}'s attacks were nerfed: his [[Blunderbuss]] has a shorter windbox duration, [[Propellerpack]]'s hitbox has been slightly reduced horizontally, and his down throw buries for less time at low percents. Additionally, his down throw can no longer bury on the third throw, removing an infinite. However, contrary to popular belief, these changes were very minor, especially since his down throw actually buries for longer at higher percents, improving his KO confirm capabilities. King K. Rool would also get several significant buffs at later patches, making him a significantly stronger character than he was on release despite these early nerfs.
**[[Fireball]]'s size has been decreased.
*{{SSBU|Chrom}} was dominant in earlier competitive tournaments due to his ability to combo into [[Soaring Slash]], KOing opponents first even when at last stock. As of patch 2.0.0, Soaring Slash’s knockback has been reduced and the move has faster falling speed, KOing Chrom first more often. It is now unreliable unless Chrom has more stocks than the opponent.
**The distance [[Super Jump Punch]] gained was reduced.
**New forward smash has an added sourspot.
**The meteor smash hitboxes of Mario Tornado have been removed.


====3.1.0====
*[[Ness (SSBM)|Ness]]
*{{SSBU|Pichu}} was previously considered one of the best characters in the game. Update 3.1.0 brought several changes: all recoil electrical attacks now do increased self damage, its forward tilt has its knockback reduced, and its hurtbox has been increased, lowering its survivability. Pichu is now a riskier and weaker glass cannon character, and as of update 3.1.0, it’s usually considered mid-tier. Pichu continues to remain viable but is weaker post-patch with worse results in tournaments after the update.
**A general decrease in the speed and reach of his attacks.
**[[Forward smash]] is slightly slower.
**Forward throw can no longer KO reliably, due to little knockback scaling.
**Up smash and down smash are much weaker.


*{{SSBU|Olimar}}'s forward smash clean hit became much harder to land in update 3.1.0 due to altered duration of the hitbox. Both it and his up smash have increased ending lag. His hurtbox has been increased and his [[Winged Pikmin]] travels shorter with every consecutive usage, weakening his survivability. Olimar was initially considered a top tier character like in ''Brawl'', but since update 3.1.0, he is usually considered high tier. Olimar continues to remain viable, but is weaker post-patch.
*[[Pikachu (SSBM)|Pikachu]]
**Significantly decreased air speed.
**A general decrease in the reach of its attacks.
**Pikachu is generally more vulnerable to [[combo]]s, especially [[chain throw]]s.
**[[Thunder]] no longer has infinite vertical reach.
**[[Quick Attack]] has less [[invincibility frame]]s when used and doesn't travel as far.


====4.0.0====
*[[Samus (SSBM)|Samus]]
*{{SSBU|Ivysaur}}'s down air received a smaller sweetspot, and [[Razor Leaf]] became slower and had longer vulnerability and the aerial version of [[Vine Whip]] received lower knockback when the sweetspot connected, reducing its KO potential.
**[[Dash|Dashing speed]] is slower.
*{{SSBU|R.O.B.}}’s jab received shorter hitstun, causing it to no longer lead into a down tilt loop.
**Back aerial has less reach and power.
**[[Screw Attack (move)|Screw Attack]] no longer traps enemies as easily.
**[[Charge Shot]] no longer travels an infinite distance.


====7.0.0====
*[[Yoshi (SSBM)|Yoshi]]
*{{SSBU|Joker}}'s horizontal range of downward aerial Gun was reduced and Arsene loses more Rebellion Gauge when hit if there are two to three opponents in the match.
**[[Special Move]]s are generally less effective
====11.0.0====
**Yoshi's combo ability against floaty characters was generally hindered.
*{{SSBU|Wario}}'s [[Wario Waft|Waft]] received more start up lag for both medium and max charge and up tilt's late hit had its hitbox duration shortened.
**Slower [[DJC]] combos.
**Forward aerial has 1.5x the start-up lag it did in SSB.


==Characters who had attributes nerfed from ''Melee'' to ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
A general nerf to all characters in ''Brawl'' is notably less comboing ability, due to the reduced [[hitstun]] and loss of [[L-Cancelling]] in ''Brawl''. However, this affected characters to varying degrees.


*[[Bowser (SSBB)|Bowser]]
**Many attacks, such as his forward smash and up aerial, are slightly weaker in terms of [[knockback]].


*[[Captain Falcon (SSBB)|Captain Falcon]]
**A general decrease in the power and speed of his attacks.
**Dashing speed was reduced and is no longer the fastest, being surpassed by [[Sonic (SSBB)|Sonic]].
**[[Traction]] was reduced.
**Forward smash was weakened significantly (went from being the 3rd most powerful forward smash to 19th).
**Down aerial needs to be [[sweetspot]]ted to [[meteor smash]]. It is also weaker, has a smaller hitbox size, and the [[nipple spike]] hitbox was removed.
**[[Forward aerial]] ([[Knee Smash]]) is much more difficult to sweetspot (as no longer is just landing the initial hitbox required to sweetspot), and the sweetspot hitbox's knockback was slightly reduced.
**[[Falcon Kick]] no longer regains Falcon's [[midair jump]] when used in the air.
**[[Falcon Punch]] is slightly weaker.
**Captain Falcon is noted for being one of the characters most adversely affected by the physics changes in Brawl, where he lost his valuable [[moonwalk]] and [[dash dance]]. His comboing ability was also more severely hindered than other characters were by the loss of L-Cancelling and decreased hitstun.
*[[Donkey Kong (SSBB)|Donkey Kong]]
**[[Giant Punch]] has less reach and knockback when fully charged.
**[[Spinning Kong]] does less knockback. Additionally, it now has landing lag.
*[[Falco (SSBB)|Falco]]
**Dashing speed was reduced.
**[[Down tilt]] was greatly weakened, no longer being able to reliably KO under 150%. Its sweetspot hitbox is also smaller, making it more difficult to land.
**New forward smash is slower, weaker, and has a larger sourspot hitbox.
**New [[neutral aerial]] is significantly weaker in terms of knockback, and is not a KO option.
**[[Fire Bird]] travels a shorter distance, is now a multi-hit attack, and is significantly weaker, no longer being able to KO.
**New [[Reflector#Falco|Reflector]] removes Falco's Shine combos, and it does not have a start-up lag of 1 frame. Additionally, it can no longer be held indefinitely.
**''Brawl'''s physic changes greatly reduced Falco's vertical endurance, as [[falling speed]] has a smaller impact on a character's vertical endurance.
*[[Fox (SSBB)|Fox]]
**Up tilt is weaker.
**Up smash is slightly weaker (it is however, often considered the best up smash in Brawl).
**Up aerial is significantly weaker, only becoming a reliable KO move until 150%. Its sweetspot is also smaller.
**[[Fire Fox]] is weaker and can no longer KO.
**[[Fox Illusion]] is much weaker.
**[[Blaster]] travels roughly half the distance it did in ''Melee''.
**[[Reflector]] no longer has a start-up lag of 1 frame.
**New back aerial has slower startup, more ending lag, shorter hitbox duration, and less reach.
**Despite being heavier, Fox sustains more knockback in ''Brawl''. Falling speed having a smaller impact on a character's vertical endurance also significantly reduced Fox's vertical endurance.
**Removal of [[wave dash]]ing causes Fox's Shine combos to be no longer possible.
*[[Ganondorf (SSBB)|Ganondorf]]
**A general decrease in the speed of his attacks.
**Reduced walking and dashing speed.
**Reduced jumping height.
**[[Neutral attack]] is significantly slower, and can no longer be landed multiple times in succession.
**New forward tilt has less reach, and more ending lag.
**Up tilt was significantly weakened, and given sourspot hitboxes (though it is still the strongest tilt attack in ''Brawl'').
**New up smash is weaker and slower.
**Down smash was significantly weakened, which while it could KO under 100% in ''Melee'', it cannot reliably KO under 150% in ''Brawl''. It also has more start-up lag and significantly more ending lag.
**[[Grab]]bing reach was reduced to being the shortest grab ''Brawl''.
**[[Up throw]] and [[down throw]] can no longer chain throw.
**Second kick of the neutral aerial was significantly weakened, no longer being able to KO.
**Forward aerial is significantly slower, having a significant increase in start-up, ending, and landing lag. It was also given a sourspot hitbox on Ganondorf's arm, making it significantly less effective at close ranges.
**Back aerial's knockback was significantly weakened (though it can still reliably KO under 150%).
**Down aerial now has a sourspot hitbox on Ganondorf's upper body, and the attack's hitbox overall is slightly smaller.
**[[Dark Dive]] is significantly weaker, no longer being able to KO at realistic percentages outside [[stage spike|stage spiking]]. It is also now possible to hit Ganondorf out of Dark Dive once he releases his opponent.
**[[Wizard's Foot]] no longer enables a midair jump if one was used already, which significantly nerfs his recovery. The grounded Wizard's Foot was also significantly weakened, no longer being a reliable KO mover under 150%.
**Considered to be the character most adversely affected by the loss of L-cancelling, which greatly reduced the utility of his powerful but laggy aerials that he relied upon in ''Melee''.
*[[Ice Climbers (SSBB)|Ice Climbers]]
**[[Smash attack|Smashes]] are weaker in knockback.
**Popo's hammer no longer has a meteor smash hitbox when the forward aerial is used, requiring Nana to be present for the forward aerial to meteor smash.
**[[Wobbling]] is no longer possible.
**The removal of wave dashing has significantly hindered the Ice Climbers' mobility and approach.
*[[Jigglypuff (SSBB)|Jigglypuff]]
**Forward smash is weaker.
**Smashes are slower and have longer ending lag.
**Forward throw can no longer KO reliably.
**Neutral aerial, up aerial, and most notably, its back aerial, were weakened.
**[[Rest]] was significantly weakened (though it can still KO under 100%).
**The reduced hitstun in ''Brawl'' greatly hindered Jigglypuff's combo ability, more so than other characters. Jigglpuff's [[Wall of Pain]] is also notably less effective.
*[[Kirby (SSBB)|Kirby]]
**[[Forward throw|Forward]] and [[back throw]]s can no longer [[Kirbycide]]. His up throw can only Kirbycide on certain stages in very specific situations.
**Swallowcide now KOs Kirby and his victim at the same time, no longer allowing Kirby to escape after the opponent is KO'd.
*[[Link (SSBB)|Link]]
**Air speed was significantly reduced.
**Infinite sword stab in neutral attack removed.
**Grabbing reach was reduced.
**Aerial approach is significantly poorer, due to the loss of L-cancelling and a reduced air speed.
**Grounded [[Spin Attack]] can no longer [[semi-spike]]. Additionally, it can no longer act as a reliable KO move on the ground unless charged.
**Significant nerf in recovery, due to lower airspeed, reduced horizontal and vertical movement with Spin Attack, and the lack of the ability to wall-grapple.
**His [[Boomerang]], replaced with [[Gale Boomerang]], has reduced range and speed, and doesn't have a damaging hitbox when returning (instead it pulls opponent with it).
*[[Luigi (SSBB)|Luigi]]
**Forward and down aerials are significantly weaker, both no longer being reliable KO moves under 150%.
**[[Fireball]]s travel a shorter distance.
**[[Super Jump Punch]] has increased landing lag, making it more punishable when whiffed.
**The removal of wavedashing has significantly reduced Luigi's mobility, and made approaching significantly more difficult.
**[[Green Missle|Misfire]] travels a shorter distance, making it less useful as a recovery move. Additionally, it now has ending lag if Luigi runs into a wall.
*[[Mario (SSBB)|Mario]]
**The power and reach of many of his attacks have been slightly decreased.
**Forward smash has a larger sourspot hitbox.
**Back throw was weakened significantly.
**Neutral aerial is weaker.
**Forward aerial now needs to be sweetspotted to meteor smash.
**[[Fireball]]s travel a shorter distance.
**Opponents being able to grab the ledge from behind in ''Brawl'' has reduced [[Cape]]'s effectiveness as an edgeguard tool.
**[[Mario Tornado]] being replaced with [[F.L.U.D.D.]] has greatly reduced Mario's recovery potential.
**[[Super Jump Punch]] now has landing lag.
*[[Marth (SSBB)|Marth]]
**Dashing speed has been reduced.
**A shorter sword has resulted in a general decrease in the reach of Marth's attacks.
**Sweetspot of sword was significantly reduced in size, particularly in his down air.
**Neutral attack is slower.
**Grabbing reach was reduced. Additionally, different trajectories of Marth's throws have removed most of his combo ability with them.
**Down aerial now being a meteor smash instead of a spike, along with having a significantly smaller sweetspot hitbox, has greatly reduced its effectiveness at edge guarding.
**Tipped down smash and up tilt are weaker.
**[[Shield Breaker]] being a stab instead of an overhead swing has removed its vertical reach, and greatly reduced its effectiveness at edge guarding.
**[[Dancing Blade]] can no longer be used to extend Marth's recovery.
**The removal of wavedashing has resulted in approaching being more difficult for Marth.
*[[Mr. Game & Watch (SSBB)|Mr. Game & Watch]]
**Down tilt is significantly weaker, no longer being a reliable KO move under 150%.
**New neutral aerial is significantly weaker knockback wise, and is not a KO option.
**Significant reduction of [[Oil Panic]]'s maximum damage, being reduced from 200% to 60%.
**Up aerial now has a push effect making it harder to land a second hit after landing a first hit.
*[[Ness (SSBB)|Ness]]
**Forward smash is slightly slower.
**Up aerial has less reach with a smaller hitbox.
**[[PK Flash]] is less controllable in horizontal direction, and it doesn't activate automatically once it hits the ground (instead the move cancels out). PK Flash also has a significantly smaller hitbox.
**Ness can no longer [[double jump cancel]], reducing his approach and combo options.
*[[Peach (SSBB)|Peach]]
**Substantially reduced air speed.
**Midair jumping height was significantly decreased.
**Down smash is drastically weaker, now dealing only two hits of low knockback and damage. The removal of [[crouch cancel]]ling has also greatly reduced its effectiveness. It is considered to have went from being the best down smash to one of the worst, and to be the most severely nerfed attack in the series.
**Forward throw is significantly weaker, no longer being a KO option.
**Peach can no longer [[double jump cancel]], impairing her approach and combo options.
*[[Pikachu (SSBB)|Pikachu]]
**Forward smash is weaker, especially its sourspot hitbox.
**Up smash was significantly weakened (went from being the strongest up smash to the 25th strongest).
**Up aerial's semi-spike hitbox was weakened and is more difficult to land.
*[[Samus (SSBB)|Samus]]
**Projectile game and finishers were weakened in general.
**Neutral aerial was significantly weakened (went from being the second strongest [[sex kick]] to one of the weakest).
**[[Charge Shot]] was significantly weakened (could KO under 80% in ''Melee'', but can't KO under 125% reliably in ''Brawl'').
**[[Missile|Smash Missiles]] are slower, do not home in as reliably and drastically weaker (they could KO under 150% in ''Melee'', but are unable to even KO at 300% in ''Brawl'').
**[[Bomb (Samus)|Bombs]] are less effective for recovery, and no longer explode when in contact with opponents (only after their internal timer is finished).
**Removal of [[Wall grapple]] has made Samus's recovery much shorter.
*[[Sheik (SSBB)|Sheik]]
**Up smash is much weaker, and its sourspot can no longer KO reliably.
**[[Down throw]] is incapable of chain throwing.
**All of her aerials were weakened (back, up, and neutral aerials can not reliably KO under 150% if not stale and forward aerial can not KO above 150%).
**Down aerial is a [[stall-then-fall]] aerial, and has increased landing lag.
**Sheik sustains more knockback in ''Brawl''. She only slightly outlasts Zelda vertically, and she is outlasted by Zelda when knocked back horizontally.
*[[Yoshi (SSBB)|Yoshi]]
**Forward and up smashes were slightly weakened while down smash was weakened significantly, and has increased start-up and ending lag.
**Forward aerial now needs to be sweetspotted to meteor smash, and it is much weaker (it is an average meteor smash in terms of power in ''Brawl'', while it was the second strongest meteor smash in ''Melee''.)
**Down aerial's damage potential was significantly reduced (however, it still deals the most damage of all aerial attacks).
**[[Egg Roll]] can no longer can be used for recovery as it gains almost no distance at all.
**[[Yoshi Bomb]] was weakened.
**Yoshi can no longer [[double jump cancel]].
*[[Zelda (SSBB)|Zelda]]
**[[Transform]] takes a much longer time.
**Her sourspotted aerials are weaker.
**Zelda's [[up aerial]]'s explosion has a smaller hitbox.
==See also==
*[[Buff]]
[[Category:Terms]]
[[Category:Terms]]

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