Template:SSB4 to SSBU changelist/Link

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Aesthetics

  • Change Link's design is explicitly based on his appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. His hair is now a dirty blonde color, instead of a lighter blonde; his default outfit is the blue Champion's Tunic and the Hylian Trousers, with the more traditional green Hero of the Wild set as an alternate costume.
  • Change Link holds his sword in his right hand and his shield in his left hand. Due to this, Link's entire moveset has been horizontally flipped, with many of his animations changed to coincide with this.
    • Change Link has a new idle pose which is somewhat similar to his battle stance when holding a broadsword and shield in Breath of the Wild; his legs are positioned farther apart, his sword and shield are held up at all times, and he does not bounce in place. He also faces towards the screen more often as a result.
    • Change Due to having a new idle animation, many of his basic animations (standard attacks, landing, etc.) were reworked in order to better transition into it.
    • Change Link has a new on-screen appearance that involves him gliding onto the stage using the Paraglider.
    • Change Link has a new side taunt where he holds the Master Sword in front of him with both hands while it glows, similar to one of Ike's taunts. This replaces his Fairy taunt from previous games, which has been given to Young Link.
    • Change Link's up taunt and down taunt are much faster; for the former taunt, he no longer twirls the Master Sword before sheathing it.
    • Change Link's victory animation where he swings his sword then sheathes it shows him swinging it back, no longer twirling his sword before sheathing it. He also faces away from the camera while doing it.
  • Change Link is slightly more vocal overall.
    • Change Link now gasps upon waking up from sleep status when not suffering from any knockback, similar to few other characters such as Palutena and Cloud. He shares this trait with Zelda, Ganondorf and Wolf.

Attributes

  • Buff Like all characters, Link's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 7).
  • Buff Link walks faster (1.188 → 1.247).
  • Buff Link runs faster (1.3944 → 1.534).
  • Buff Link's traction is much higher (0.064 → 0.113).
  • Buff Link's initial dash is significantly faster (1.3 → 1.98).
  • Buff Link has increased air speed (0.88 → 0.924).
  • Nerf Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
  • Nerf Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 31 → 36).
  • Buff Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 27).
  • Nerf Spot dodge grants less intangibility (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
  • Buff Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
  • Nerf Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 34 → 50).
  • Buff Link's head hurtbox has been reduced and he sports a slightly thinner hurtbox overall; compounded with his longer Master Sword, this gives him a more favorable disjoint.

Ground attacks

  • Neutral attack:
    • Buff The third hit has higher knockback scaling (50 → 70), allowing it to set up edgeguards more effectively.
    • Nerf The first hit has smaller hitboxes (3.8u/4.5u/3u/2.5u → 1.8u), noticeably decreasing its range.
    • Nerf All hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.6× (hit 1), 1.2× (hit 2), 2× (hit 3)), giving opponents more time to SDI each hit and DI the last hit.
    • Change The first and second hits have altered angles (95°/80°/361°/361° (hit 1), 90°/78°/60°/50° (hit 2) → 361°/361°/180°/361°) and knockback (35/30 base/37 scaling (hit 1), 38/10 (hit 2) → 25/20 base/25/15 scaling) to keep opponents close to Link, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and jab lock, but hinders their previously guaranteed jab cancel setups.
    • Change Neutral attack's speed has been modified overall.
      • Buff The second hit has less startup (frame 6 → 5) and transitions into the third faster (frame 11 → 8).
      • Buff The first and third hits have less ending lag (FAF 28 → 24 (hit 1), 37 → 35 (hit 3)).
      • Nerf The second hit has more ending lag (FAF 21 → 26), removing its jab cancel setups.
      • Nerf The third hit has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 6-10 → 6-7).
    • Change Neutral attack's damage has been redistributed, with the first two hits dealing more damage (2.5% → 3%) and the third hit dealing less (5% → 4%).
    • Change The third hit involves Link swiping vertically instead of thrusting his sword.
  • Forward tilt:
    • Buff The clean hit's hitbox has been placed farther from Link (X offset: 6.2 → 7.8), improving the move's range despite its smaller hitboxes (4.3u/2.8u/2.1u → 4u/2.8u/2.1u (early), 5.2u → 3.5u (clean)).
    • Nerf Forward tilt has more ending lag (FAF 38 → 40).
    • Change It always sends opponents in the direction Link is facing, even if hit from behind.
    • Change It causes the screen to shake when the sword hits the ground.
  • Up tilt:
    • Buff Up tilt's sword hitboxes have been placed farther from Link (X offset: 5/0 → 8.4/2), considerably improving its range despite its reduced hitboxes (3.6u/4.32u/2.88u/2.16u → 3.4u/4.3u/2.7u/2.16u).
    • Buff Up tilt deals more damage (9% → 11%), with its knockback scaling compensated (122/130/124/123 → 103/111/105/104).
    • Change It has a new animation, starting from behind Link rather than from his front.
      • Nerf The sword no longer reaches the ground in front of Link before its hitboxes cease, making it more difficult (or sometimes impossible) to hit short or crouching opponents.
    • Change It has a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.9×).
  • Down tilt:
    • Buff Down tilt has less startup (frame 11 → 10).
    • Buff It has more horizontal range (Z offset: 16.6u → 17.5u).
    • Nerf It deals less damage (11% → 9%).
      • Buff However, its knockback was not compensated, allowing it to combo for longer, and even serve as a KO confirm at higher percents into Spin Attack.
    • Nerf It has more ending lag (FAF 29 → 31), though its combo potential is compensated by Link's faster jumpsquat.
    • Nerf It has a smaller hitbox (3.1u → 2u), reducing its vertical range.
    • Nerf It can no longer meteor smash aerial opponents.
    • Buff It launches at a higher angle (80 → 85), improving its combo potential.
  • Dash attack:
    • Buff The changes to jostle mechanics allow dash attack to hit opponents close to Link more easily, as he can no longer go through them during startup.
    • Buff It has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 1.4×, which combined with the increased shieldstun for ground attacks makes it safer on shield.
    • Buff The strong hit has been moved slightly farther from Link (X offset: 8u → 8.5u), and the mid hit has been moved back (X offset: 3.8u → 3u), slightly increasing the range of the strong hit overall.
    • Nerf It has slightly smaller hitboxes (3.5u/3.8u/3u → 3.2u/3.5u/3u).
    • Change The sweetspot has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.2×).
  • Forward smash:
    • Buff Both hits of forward smash have less ending lag (FAF 52 → 51 (hit 1), 68 → 61 (hit 2)).
    • Buff The first hit shoots out a spinning Sword Beam as a projectile when Link is at 0% damage, in reference to multiple Zelda games where his sword shoots out beams when he is at full health. Charging forward smash increases the size, distance and damage of the projectile, dealing between 5% and 13% damage. This gives him a new long range option, while increasing the total damage of his forward smash at close range.
    • Buff The first hit's innermost hitboxes have different angles (75°/55° → 69°/60°) and deal less knockback (47 base/15 scaling → 45/12), while the second hit has less startup (frame 12 → 10), allowing them to connect together more reliably.
    • Buff Both hits have noticeably more range on the sword hitboxes (X offset: 0.5/6.2 → 2.7/8.5 (hit 1), 1/6 → 1.5/7.5 (hit 2)).
    • Buff The closest hitbox of the first hit is larger, with tip's hitbox slightly reduced to compensate (3.5u → 4.2u (close), 3.8u → 3.5u (far)).
    • Buff The second hit has larger hitboxes overall (4u/4u/3.6u/3.2u → 4.5u/4.5u/3.5u/3.5u).
    • Nerf The first hit has increased startup (frame 15 → 17) and transitions into the second hit slower (frame 20 → 22).
  • Up smash:
    • Buff All 3 hits have had their sword hitboxes placed farther from Link (X offset: 0/5.5 → 2.5/8.5 (hits 1 and 2), 5.5 → 7 (hit 3)), significantly increasing its range despite the move's reduced hitbox sizes (4u/4.4u/4.5u → 3.5u/3u/4.8u (hits 1 and 2), 4.3u/4.3u/3.5u/5.2u → 4.3u/4.3u/3u/5.2u (hit 3)).
    • Buff The final hit has higher knockback scaling (96 → 101).
  • Down smash:
    • Buff The first hit's hitboxes have been redistributed so that the weak hits have the lowest priority (14%/16%/17%/16% → 16%/17%/16%/14%), making it easier to land the stronger portions.
    • Buff Down smash has larger hitboxes (3.5u/3.5u/2.9u/2.5u → 3.5u/3.6u/3.4u/3u (both hits)).
    • Buff The first and second hit have had their sweetpots moved farther from Link (Z offset: 5.8 → 7.5 (both hits)), noticeably increasing its range and making the sweetspots much easier to land.
    • Nerf It has more startup on both hits (frame 9 → 12 (hit 1), 21 → 24 (hit 2)), and more ending lag (FAF 50 → 55).

Aerial attacks

  • Buff All aerials have less landing lag (10 frames → 6 (neutral, back), 12 → 11 (forward), 23 → 14 (up), 32 → 19 (down)).
  • Forward aerial:
    • Buff Forward aerial's animation has been sped up, with the gap between hits being shorter (12 frames → 8). This allows it to connect both hits more reliably.
    • Buff The second hit deals more knockback (30 base/100 scaling → 43/120) and launches at a slightly lower angle (45° → 44°), being as powerful as the first hit in Smash 4 .
    • Buff Both hits have had their farthest sword hitboxes moved farther from Link (Z offset: 17u → 18u (hit 1), 15.5u → 17.5u (hit 2)), increasing its range.
    • Nerf Forward aerial has more startup for its first hit (frame 14 → 16), and more ending lag (FAF 50 → 52).
    • Nerf It auto-cancels later (frame 51 → 53).
    • Nerf Both hits deal less damage (11% → 8% (hit 1), 13% → 10% (hit 2)).
    • Change The first hit deals significantly less knockback (20 base/130 scaling → 31/25/33/25/33/26 base/28/30/30/30/28/26 scaling), no longer KOing until around 800%. It also has different angles (45° → 43°/367°/47°/367°/47°/38), a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.8×), and uses weight-independent knockback.
      • Buff This allows it to connect into the second hit even at high percents, and coupled with its lower landing lag, improves its combo potential on landing from low to mid percents.
      • Nerf However, this completely removes the first hit's previously high KO potential, requiring Link to land the slower second hit in order to KO with the move.
  • Back aerial:
    • Buff Both hits of back aerial deal more damage (3% → 5% (hit 1), 5% → 7% (hit 2)).
    • Buff The first hit launches at different angles (72°/68° → 73°/70°/66°), has a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.8×), deals different set knockback to grounded and aerial opponents (40 → 50 (grounded)/36 (aerial)), and uses weight-independent knockback. These changes allow it to connect more reliably into the second hit.
    • Buff The second hit has less startup (frame 18 → 15), thus reducing the frame gap between hits.
    • Buff The second hit has lower base knockback (70 → 45), but higher knockback scaling (70 → 98). This allows it to combo more reliably at low percents, while also significantly improving its KO potential, KOing middleweights at around 200% from the center of Final Destination.
    • Nerf The second hit has less active frames (frame 18-22 → 15-17). The move's total duration was also not compensated for the second hit's faster startup, increasing its ending lag.
    • Nerf The first hit has slightly smaller hitboxes (4.5u/4.8u/5u → 4u/4.5u/5u).
    • Change The second hit has a slightly different animation.
  • Up aerial:
    • Buff Up aerial's clean hit has increased knockback (18 base/88 scaling → 23/93), improving its KO potential .
    • Buff It auto-cancels earlier (frame 47 → 43).
    • Nerf It has a smaller hitbox (6u → 4.5u). This is somewhat compensated for by the hitbox being more extended (X offset: 6u → 6.9u, X2 offset: 0u → -1.5u), but the hitbox is slightly shorter and noticeably narrower overall.
    • Change It has an increased hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.2×).
  • Down aerial:
    • Change Down aerial has been reverted to possessing only a clean hit and late hit like in Brawl, with its early hit being removed. The clean hit remains mostly unchanged against grounded opponents, but meteor smashes aerial opponents like the early hit in Smash 4.
      • Buff Because of this change, the move can KO grounded opponents much more reliably. The meteor smash against aerial opponents is also stronger, due to its knockback not being compensated for the clean hit's higher damage compared to the previous early hit.
      • Nerf Due to the removal of the early hit, down aerial can no longer combo into its bounce-off hit as effectively at higher percents, reducing its damage potential.
    • Nerf Down aerial's hitboxes are smaller (5u → 4u (clean), 6u → 4.2u (late)).
    • Nerf The clean hit (against grounded opponents) and late hit launch at a lower angle (65° → 60°), with the former also having decreased knockback scaling (80 → 78), slightly hindering their KO potential.
    • Change All portions of the move have a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.2×).
    • Change It has a different animation, with a more exaggerated downward thrust.

Throws and other attacks

  • Change Link grabs opponents with his hand instead of using his Clawshot.
    • Buff All grabs have noticeably less startup (frame 12/14/15 (standing/dash/pivot) → 6/9/10) and ending lag (FAF 62/66/67 → 35/43/38), making them safer to use at close range, and allowing Link to set up into them more effectively.
    • Nerf However, all grabs have much shorter range, and their hitboxes have a shorter duration (6 frames (standing), 8 frames (dash, pivot) → 2 frames (all)).
  • Nerf Link no longer has a grab aerial or a tether recovery due to losing the Clawshot.
    • Buff However, this allows him to Z-drop items without triggering the grab aerial's lengthy animation.
  • Pummel:
    • Nerf Pummel deals less damage (2.1% → 1.3%).
    • Change It deals more hitlag (4 frames → 14), but has much less startup (frame 4 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 16 → 7).
  • Buff Link's forward, back, and down throws deal knockback to bystanders, making them safer to use in battles with multiple opponents.
  • Forward throw:
    • Buff Forward throw launches at a more favorable angle for edgeguarding (50° → 33°).
    • Nerf It has slightly more ending lag (FAF 36 → 38).
    • Nerf It deals less damage (4% → 2.5% (release); 7% → 5.5% (total)).
    • Change It has higher base knockback (55 → 75), but lower knockback scaling (120 → 85). This allows it to knock opponents offstage more easily at low percents, but reduces its already lacking KO potential.
    • Change It has an altered animation where Link swings his foot upward as opposed to thrust kicking the opponent.
  • Back throw:
    • Nerf Back throw deals less damage (4% → 2.5% (release); 7% → 5.5% (total)), with only its base knockback somewhat compensated (50 → 67).
  • Down throw:
    • Buff Down throw has one frame less ending lag (FAF 50 → 49). Combined with Link's faster jumpsquat, this increases its combo potential.
    • Change It has drastically increased knockback scaling (85 → 125), KOing middleweights at around 250%. This further improves its combo potential at low to mid percents, but weakens its KO setups into up aerial at high percents.
    • Change Its speed is no longer weight-dependent. This improves its combo ability on heavyweights, but reduces it on lightweights.
  • Edge attack:
    • Buff Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

  • Bow and Arrows:
    • Change Link uses the Traveler's Bow from Breath of the Wild instead of the Hero's Bow.
    • Change Arrows fired have a bright tip, making them easier to track. Arrows will also become momentarily lodged in opponents' bodies.
    • Buff The move has less startup (frame 18 → 16), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 47 → 45), improving its camping ability.
    • Buff Arrows have higher knockback scaling (66 → 71).
    • Buff Arrows that fail to hit an opponent will linger on the ground for a longer period of time, and can be picked up as throwable items. Arrows used in this way deal little damage and knockback, allowing them to set up combos. Using the Bow and Arrows while holding an arrow causes Link to fire two arrows at once for 1.5× as much damage.
      • Nerf Arrows can be picked up by opponents and thrown at Link.
    • Nerf Arrows can no longer be held indefinitely upon reaching full charge, being fired automatically if held for more than three seconds.
  • Boomerang:
    • Change The more traditional Boomerang has replaced the Gale Boomerang, functioning as it did in Smash 64 and Melee.
    • Buff Boomerang has regained its damaging hitbox while returning, allowing Link to interrupt opponents' attacks and perform combos more reliably than he could with Gale Boomerang's returning windbox.
    • Buff It deals more damage (7% → 8% (clean), 5% → 6% (late)), which increases further if used as a smash special move (7% → 9.6% (clean), 5% → 7.2% (late)). In addition, the returning hitbox deals 3% damage.
    • Buff Its throw distance has been increased.
    • Nerf It damages Link if it gets reflected back at him.
    • Nerf It has received negative shield damage (0 → -4 (clean), -3 (late)), effectively dealing half its usual damage to shields.
    • Nerf Due to the removal of the Gale Boomerang, Link can no longer perform the Gale Guarding technique.
    • Change Boomerang travels more slowly upon returning. This increases the amount of time the hitbox is active, but also increases the amount of time it takes before Link can throw it again.
    • Change Rather than simply disappearing, the Boomerang will drop to the ground and disappear in a puff of smoke if it is intercepted by another projectile.
      • Nerf The Boomerang cannot be rethrown during this animation, reducing the utility of Boomerang in trade situations.
  • Spin Attack (grounded):
    • Change Spin Attack has more vibrant graphics and generates a blue "slash" around Link. Link moves his arm while charging the move, and the Master Sword glints with light up to three times, referencing the three levels of charged attacks in Breath of the Wild. The grounded version is an inward spin.
    • Change Link has separate voice clips for grounded and aerial Spin Attacks.
    • Buff The grounded version has less startup (frame 8 → 7), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 78 → 77).
    • Buff The grounded version's sweetspot hitbox is larger, with its sourspot smaller to compensate (3u → 3.5u, 3u → 2.8u).
    • Buff The grounded version's early and clean hits deal more knockback (early: 86 scaling → 88, clean: 48 base/86 scaling → 52/88).
  • Spin Attack (aerial):
    • Buff Each hit has a longer duration (frames 8/11/16/19/22/26/31/38/47-48 → 8-9/12-13/16-17/19-20/22-23/26-27/31-32/38-39/47-49).
    • Buff The multihits have a significantly reduced SDI multiplier (1× → 0.3×), making it much harder to escape from.
    • Change Due to the Sakurai angle sending aerial opponents at a lower trajectory (45° → 38°), the last hit is worse for KOing off the top blast line, but better for KOing off the sides.
    • Change The front hits use one large hitbox instead of 3 smaller ones (5u/4u/4u → 6u (hit 1), 5u/4u/4.5u → 6u (hits 2-3), 5u/4u/4.5u → 7u (hit 4)).
  • Remote Bomb:
    • Change The spherical Remote Bomb from Breath of the Wild replaces Bomb as Link's down special. Rather than exploding on contact or after a short time, the Remote Bomb bounces off opponents and objects, and can be launched around by attacks (including Link's). It is detonated by inputting down special again, similar to Snake's C4. Alternatively, it detonates automatically after about 30 seconds. This changes up Link's item play and recovery tactics substantially.
    • Buff Remote Bomb's 30 second fuse allows it to remain in play much longer than Bomb's 3.66 seconds.
    • Buff The explosion has a significantly larger blast radius.
    • Buff The explosion deals significantly higher knockback, improving its KO potential. It also launches opponents at a more horizontal angle, allowing it to edgeguard more effectively.
    • Buff Remote Bombs themselves can lock opponents if thrown lightly.
    • Nerf Remote Bomb's detonation has 12 frames of startup before it can damage the opponent. It also cannot be manually detonated if it is held by an opponent; if attempted, Link will try to generate another Remote Bomb, but this will fail and give him high ending lag.
    • Nerf Only one Remote Bomb can be on the field at a time, as opposed to two traditional Bombs.
    • Nerf The explosion damages Link even if opponents are caught within it.
    • Nerf The Remote Bomb itself deals less damage when hitting an opponent (5%/9% → 1%), since it no longer explodes on contact and cannot be detonated while held by the opponent.
    • Nerf Remote Bomb cannot be detonated while Link is helpless, preventing him from using his up special multiple times offstage. This hinders Link's vertical recovery.
      • Buff However, in a similar vein to Snake's C4, Link can Z-drop and quickly detonate a Remote Bomb on himself to supplement his recovery, especially at higher percents due to its higher knockback.
    • Change Remote Bomb's explosion deals consistent damage (5%/9% → 7%).
    • Change Remote Bomb lacks the flame effect.
  • Ancient Bow and Arrow:
    • Change Link's new Final Smash is the Ancient Bow and Arrow, replacing Triforce Slash. It is functionally similar to Zelda's Light Arrow and Dark Pit’s Dark Pit Staff from previous games, although it only deals a single powerful blow to the first opponent in the arrow's path along with any bystanders.
    • Buff Ancient Bow and Arrow has more horizontal range than Triforce Slash.
    • Nerf It deals significantly less damage than Triforce Slash (60% → 35%).