Kirby (SSB4): Difference between revisions

Kirby has been nerfed in the transition from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4'', and has thusly suffered a tier placement drop from 20th of 38 in ''Brawl'' to 50th of 55 in ''Smash 4''. Most of his issues in ''Brawl'' were not only retained but worsened and he also suffers from new weaknesses. Kirby's already mediocre range has been made especially poor, with his feet becoming smaller and several general nerfs to hitbox sizes. This makes it easier for opponents to wall out Kirby especially with the cast having greater range overall. Kirby's air mobility as also taken a hit as his [[air acceleration]] is lower, and unlike most returning veterans, his [[air speed]] has been decreased, which hindering both his recovery and ability to escape aerial pressure. As with his transition from each new Smash game as well as with most of the returning veterans, Kirby's damage output has been decreased. Some of Kirby's moves have also seen changes which greatly hinder their utility most notably down throw and aerial [[Hammer Flip]] with the former losing all of its followup potential while the latter is slower, weaker, and has lost its recovery and edgeguarding potential.

''Smash 4''{{'}}s adjusted mechanics have both helped and hindered Kirby. The changes to [[hitstun canceling]] overall help Kirby, strengthening his weak hits' ability to combo opponents. It does, however, make Kirby slightly easier to combo himself, especially due to his increased [[weight]], [[fall speed]] and [[gravity]]. Without the ability to [[momentum cancel]], Kirby's already poor endurance has been further reduced. The inclusion of [[rage]] further exacerbates this issue, and while it improves Kirby's own KO potential, his poor endurance combined with his lack of a ladder combo or early kill confirm prevents him from making great use of the mechanic. The changes to aerial [[grab release]]s, however, now make him much less vulnerable to those kinds of followups.

Kirby has seen some buffs, however. A faster [[dash]]ing speed improves his approach, while some less reliable moves like Inhale and down aerial have been given new utility. Other attacks, namely his back aerial and up throw, were given more KO power – and this can be better taken advantage of in the new environment of ''Smash 4'', in the absence of momentum cancelling and the presence of rage.

*{{buff|[[Dash]] speed notably increased (1.371 → 1.57), bringing him from the 29th fastest out of 39 characters to the 31st fastest out of 58.}}  

*{{buff|[[Fast falling]] speed increased (1.9 → 1.968). This improves his air game and makes him less susceptible to juggling. However, the benefit is small relative to the rest of the cast, taking him from the 22nd fastest out of 39 characters to the 4th slowest out of 58.}}

*{{nerf|[[Double jump]]s are lower.}}

**{{nerf|Rapid jab damage normalized (2% (near)/1% (far) → 1%).}}

**{{buff|Rapid jab now has a finisher in the form of the Smash Punch from the {{s|wikirby|Fighter}} ability. This greatly improves its safety.}}

**{{nerf|Hitbox size decreased (5.4u → 3.3u).}}

**{{change|Damage decreased (7% (clean)/5% (late) → 5%/4%), without full compensation on its knockback scaling (102 (both) → 116 (clean)/110 (late)). This improves its combo potential, but hinders its damage racking and KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|Active frames reduced (frames 4-10 → 4-9) and hitbox sizes decreased (5.5u (clean)/4.5u (late) → 4u (both)).}}

**{{buff|Damage increased (5% (clean)/6% (late) → 6% (both)).}}

**{{nerf|Hitbox size decreased (4.5u → 3.7u).}}

**{{nerf|Looping hits' damage reduced (2% → 1%), which decreases its overall damage output by 6% (14% → 9%). Its last hit also has smaller hitboxes (8u → 3u) and it has increased ending lag (FAF 50 → 54).}}

**{{nerf|Start-up lag increased (frame 12 → 13) and hitbox sizes decreased (6u (clean/late) → 4.2u (clean)/3.5u (late)).}}

**{{change|Both clean and late hit angles altered (45° (up)/38° (non-angled)/31° (down) → 361° (clean), 82° (up)/73° (non-angled)/60° (down) → 60° (late)).}}

**{{change|Clean hit knockback altered (38 (base), 100/98/96 (scaling) → 30/102). This makes the downwards-angled version slightly stronger, but the up-angled version slightly weaker.}}

**{{nerf|Late hit damage decreased (13% → 12%/11%/10%), although its knockback was somewhat compensated (25 (base), 96/94 (scaling) → 90/69).}}

**{{buff|Ending lag decreased (FAF 50 → 48).}}

**{{buff|Ending lag decreased (FAF 50 → 48).}}

**{{nerf|Angle altered (76°/28° → 69°), and is no longer a [[semi-spike]]. This significantly hinders its edge-guarding potential.}}

**{{buff|Late hit active frames increased (frames 15-21 → 15-22).}}

**{{change|Late hit damage normalized (11%/9% → 10%), although its knockback was increased (30/20 (base), 100/85 (scaling) → 25/(110/108).}}

**{{buff|Ending lag decreased (FAF 56 → 54).}}

**{{change|Angle altered ([[Sakurai angle|361°]] → 46°).}}

**{{nerf|Damage decreased (12% (clean)/10% (mid)/8% (mid-late)/6% (late) → 10%/8%/6%/4%), starting [[auto-cancel]] window reduced (frames 1-8 → 1-4), and [[landing lag]] increased (9 frames → 10 frames).}}

**{{buff|Knockback increased (10 (base) 80 (scaling) → 30/90), improving its KO potential despite its lower damage.}}

**{{buff|First and second hit angles altered to connect more consistently to the last hit (45° → 45°/80° (hit 1), 80° → [[Autolink angle|366°]] (hit 2), last hit knockback scaling increased (138 → 148), and  landing lag decreased (15 frames → 13).}}

**{{nerf|First and second hit hitbox sizes decreased (5u (hits 1-2)/6.5u (hit 3) → 4.3u (hit 1)/4.5u (hit 2)/4.9u (hit 3)), ending lag increased (FAF 44 → 48), and the attack no longer auto-cancels in a short hop due to Kirby's lower short hop.}}

**{{nerf|Hitbox sizes decreased (7u (clean)/6u (late) → 4u/3.4u), auto-cancel window shortened (frames 1-4, 28 → 1-2, 32), clean hit active frames reduced (frames 6-8 → 6-7), late hit damage decreased (9% → 8%) without full compensation on its knockback scaling (110 → 112), and landing lag increased (9 frames → 17).}}

**{{buff|Clean hit damage increased (12% → 13%) without full compensation on its knockback scaling (105 → 104), and late hit active frames increased (frames 9-13 → 8-14).}}

**{{nerf|Damage decreased (10% → 9%) without full compensation on its knockback scaling (98 → 100), hitbox sizes decreased (5.5u → 4.5u), and landing lag increased (9 frames → 12).}}

**{{nerf|Loop hits' damage decreased (2% → 1%; total move 12% → 7%) and landing lag increased (15 frames → 17).}}

**{{buff|Last hit knockback scaling increased (107 → 110) and hitboxes enlarged (6u → 6.2u), and landing hit set knockback decreased (60 → 40) and angle altered (30° → 60°). This improves its spiking capabilities and combo potential, respectively.}}

*{{buff|All grabs' ending lag decreased (FAF 30 → 28 (standing), FAF 40 → 39 (dash), FAF 36 → 33 (pivot)).}}

*{{buff|Dash grab start-up lag decreased (frame 10 → 8).}}

*{{nerf|Standing and dash grab ranges decreased.}}

**{{buff|Damage increased (1% → 1.55%) and hitlag decreased, making it now the third fastest pummel in the game. This significantly improves its damage racking potential.}}

**{{nerf|Forward throw deals 3% less damage (8% → 5%), with its knockback scaling compensated (100 → 125).}}  

**{{buff|Forward throw's angle has also been altered (65° → 75°). When coupled with the changes to [[hitstun canceling]], these changes grant it combo potential past low percents.}}

**{{buff|Back throw has altered knockback (80 (base), 50 (scaling) → 30/120), improving its combo and KO potential. It also has decreased ending lag, improving its mix-up and combo potential at low percents.}}

**{{change|Back throw's angle has been altered (120° → 130°).}}

**{{nerf|Down throw deals 1.8% less damage (1% (hits 1-10) → 0.8% (hits 1-9), 1% (hit 10), 12% → 10.2% (total)), and the throw has significantly increased knockback (40 (base), 140 (scaling) → 60/180). Its angle has also been altered (90° → 63°). When coupled with the removal of [[chain grab]]bing, these changes hinder its damage racking potential, and remove its combo potential while still lacking KO potential.}}