Template:SSB4 to SSBU changelist/Meta Knight

Aesthetics

• Due to the aesthetic used in Ultimate, Meta Knight's model features a more subdued color scheme. His mask, gauntlets, pauldrons, and sabatons have subtle detailing. His mask in particular is a notably darker gray, and his eyes now have a bright orange glow around them.
  • Galaxia's design has been altered: its blade is flatter, resembling its official artwork for Kirby Super Star Ultra and Kirby: Planet Robobot.
• Galaxia's sword trails have reversed colors, using aqua with yellow accents instead of the yellow with turquoise accents from Smash 4.
• His Galacta Knight-inspired alternate costume more closely resembles its inspiration: his mask becomes cross-shaped with red eyes, his spikes and insignia become yellow, and Galaxia turns pink like Galacta Knight's lance. Similarly, Galaxia turns silver with a blue gem when donning the Dark Meta Knight costume, his sabatons turn a darker red as opposed to the inaccurate purple of Smash 4, and his mask gains a scar and has paler eyes, much like his Mirror World doppelgänger.
• Meta Knight now wraps himself in his cape when performing his spot dodge, like his rolling animation.
• Meta Knight's wings now droop or curl up when fast falling.
• Two of Meta Knight's victory animations were altered:
  • The one where he warps away now has him perform three sword slashes before warping.
  • The one where he flies on-screen from the side now shows him flying around and dropping to the ground before striking a pose.
• Meta Knight no longer grunts twice during his reeling animation.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Meta Knight's jumpsquat takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Meta Knight walks faster (1.18 → 1.239).
• Meta Knight runs faster (1.9 → 2.09).
  • His initial dash is much faster (1.7 → 2.211).
• Meta Knight's air speed is faster (0.99 → 1.04).
• Meta Knight's traction is much higher (0.055 → 0.097).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-15 → 4-14) and has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 29).
• Back roll has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 34).
• Spot dodge has more startup (frame 2 → 3).
  • However, its total duration remains the same, giving it one frame less ending lag.
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-25 → 2-26).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 31 → 48).
• The new air dodge mechanics improve Meta Knight's juggling and edge-guarding abilities.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack has received several changes to allow it to connect better and rack up damage more effectively:
    • It has considerably less startup with a shorter gap between hits (frame 7, 11, 15, 20, 24 → 4, 7, 10, 13, 16), and a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5×), making it harder to SDI out of.
    • It has a different launch angle to keep grounded opponents closer to Meta Knight (60°/84° → 361°).
    • It has more base knockback (8 → 10) and each hit has gained a hitstun modifier of 2.
  • The finisher has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 31).
  • The multi-hits have 1 extended hitbox rather than 2 extended hitboxes, with the hitbox being larger than either of the previous hitboxes (5.8u/6.8u → 7u), and extending slightly further outward (Z2 offset 13 → 13.5), improving its range overall.
  • The single hitbox is placed higher up (Y offset: 5.2/5.3 → 6.5), improving its vertical range but reducing its ability to hit below the ledge.
  • It deals less damage per hit (1.2% → 1%) and no longer deals extra shield damage (1 → 0).
  • It has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 4×. This allows it to lock opponents into their shields between each hit, and thus pressure them more effectively, but also allows them to cancel shieldstun and punish Meta Knight more easily if they shield 10 hits or more.
  • The finisher consists of three medium-sized unextended hitboxes instead of a single large extended one (8u → 5u/6u/6u). The new hitboxes cover the same horizontal distance (with slightly reduced internal range, though this is negated by the changes to jostle mechanics), but cover less vertical range, shortening the finisher's range overall.
• Forward tilt:
  • The first two hits have different knockback (8 base/88 scaling → 25/20 (hit 1), 20/20 (hit 2)) and their outermost hitboxes launch opponents closer to Meta Knight (85° → 88° (hit 1), 80° → 85° (hit 2)), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The second hit has larger hitboxes (3.5u/3.5u → 4u/3.6u) which are positioned further out (Z offset: 8/16 → 9/16.5) and higher (Y offset: 2/4/6 → 3/5/7), improving its range.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt's sweetspot has more vertical range (Y offset: 23.9u → 25.2u (clean), 7.5u → 9u (late)).
  • The sourspot deals more damage during the clean hit (5% → 6%), but less during the late hit (6% → 5%).
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt's innermost hitbox is larger (3.2u → 3.5u), while the outermost hitbox stretches farther horizontally (Z offset: 13u → 15u), removing its blindspot next to Meta Knight and increasing its range to the point it properly covers the full tip of the blade.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has an altered animation. Meta Knight now spins on himself before thrusting his foot forward.
  • It deals more damage (6%/5% → 7%/6%).
  • It has one more frame of ending lag (FAF 32 → 33).
  • It has slightly less base knockback (70 → 65/65/67), but more knockback scaling (90 → 107). In combination with the previous changes, this hampers its combo potential past low percents.
    • However, this allows it to KO under 180%, giving it more utility as an emergency KO move.
  • It has smaller hitboxes (5.5u/5u/4.5u → 5u/4u/3.5u).
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has a modified sword trail with spiked edges.
  • Meta Knight no longer swings his entire body to the side and his sword towards the rear in the animation.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash deals more damage (3% (hit 1)/2% (hit 2)/4% (hit 3) → 4%/3%/5%; 9% → 12% (total)), with knockback scaling compensated on the last hit (166 → 148).
  • The first and second hits have more set knockback (20/25 → 30), and their outer hitboxes launch opponents at a higher angle (135° → 130°), allowing them to connect more reliably.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has an altered animation with Meta Knight swinging Galaxia upwards for the first hit.
  • It deals more damage (7% → 10% (hit 1), 10% → 13% (hit 2)) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (93 → 77 (hit 1)/78 (hit 2)), allowing the first hit to KO under 190% from center stage.
  • It no longer starts charging immediately (frame 1 → 2), allowing the player to use the uncharged move without buffering.
  • The second hit has larger hitboxes (4.5u/4u → 4.6u/4.6u).
  • The first hit has a smaller hitbox (4.5u/4u → 3.8u).
    • It has more horizontal range due to the hitbox being extended to match the sword instead of not covering it completely, but is angled upward, making it harder to 2-frame with.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (16 frames → 7 (neutral), 16 → 10 (forward), 18 → 11 (back), 18 → 9 (up), 22 → 9 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 50 → 40).
  • The late hit has an additional hitbox that is larger (3.5u → 5u), giving it more range.
• Forward aerial:
  • All hits have slightly more horizontal range (outer hitbox Z offset: 13u → 13.5u).
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes launch at a higher angle (361° → 60°) and have more base knockback (30 → 60), but less knockback scaling (130 → 100). This allows them to connect more reliably, and in combination with the move's lower landing lag, start combos into other attacks at various percents.
  • The first two hits' aerial-only hitboxes use the autolink angle like in the original version of Smash 4 (85° → 367°), allowing them to once again drag opponents down and set up combos, which is strengthened by the move's lower landing lag.
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes deal less damage (2.2% → 1.5%).
• Back aerial:
  • All hits have more horizontal range (Z offset: -12u/-6u → -15u/-9u).
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes launch at a higher angle (361° → 55°) and have more base knockback (40 → 50), but less knockback scaling (130 → 90). Much like forward aerial, this allows them to connect more reliably, and in combination with the move's lower landing lag, start combos into other attacks at various percents.
  • The first and second hits' ground-only hitboxes deal less damage (2.2% → 1.5%).
  • The third hit has less knockback scaling (212 → 198), hindering its KO potential.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial's angles have been altered (69°/69°/52° → 67°/67°/50°), improving its combo potential into other aerials, but worsening the consistency of up aerial ladder combos.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 32 → 37 (standing), 40 → 45 (dash), 38 → 40 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have less range, especially standing grab (Z2 offset: 10u → 8.5u (standing), 10.8u → 10.1u (dash), -15u → -14.3u (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grabs have increased startup (frame 9 → 11 (dash), 9 → 12 (pivot)).
  • In a similar vein to Captain Falcon, due to Meta Knight's increased traction, dash grab does not cause him to retain as much horizontal momentum, further decreasing its effective range.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (5 frames → 11), but has less startup (frame 4 → 1) and significantly less ending lag (FAF 24 → 6), greatly shortening its effective duration.
  • It deals much less damage (3% → 1%).
    • Relative to the rest of the cast, Meta Knight's pummel is among the fastest but least damaging, rather than among the slowest but most damaging.
• Forward throw:
  • Due to Meta Knight's increased traction no longer allowing him to retain horizontal momentum during throws, forward throw has lost its combo potential entirely past very low percents.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw's notoriously powerful collateral hitbox deals less knockback (90 base/160 scaling → 85/150), no longer KOing under 80% from ground level.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has less ending lag (FAF 88 → 87).
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Mach Tornado:
  • Mach Tornado travels faster horizontally, and gives more height via button mashing.
  • It has gained a windbox, allowing it to pull opponents more effectively into the attack.
  • The duration of the attack can no longer be extended by button mashing, making it worse for covering rolls and getups, or for juggling.
  • Instead of being a multi-hit attack, it only hits once, possessing a clean hit and late hit.
    • It deals significantly less total damage (22% → 12% (clean)/8% (late)).
    • It launches opponents horizontally (70° → 361°), which allows it to KO far earlier, working as a potent combo finisher and even an edgeguarding tool.
    • The clean hit is stronger than the previous final hit from center stage (55 base/170 scaling → 90/44), but the late hit is weaker (55/170 → 70/60).
    • It has more range than the previous multi-hits, but less than the previous final hit (6u/11u → 9u).
    • It has a lower hitlag multiplier (2× → 1.2×), although it still has more hitlag due to its higher individual damage and the universal hitlag increase.
  • Mach Tornado has updated visual effects: its trails are more opaque and incorporate more white accents than yellow. Its shape is also thinner, better resembling how it looked in Brawl.
• Drill Rush:
  • Drill Rush has a faster rehit rate (6 → 4), causing it to hit up to twelve times (up from nine), and its looping hits deal more damage (1% → 1.1%), increasing its total output (11% → 15.1%).
  • The looping hits have different angles (0°/30°/361°/366° (clean), 50°/366°/366° (late) → 363°/367°/30°/30°/367°/365°) and knockback (30/30/0/0 set/60/100/70/70 base → 45/30/45/45/0/0 set/50/80/50/80/25/25 base), alongside a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.6×). In combination with their faster rehit rate, this allows them to connect much more effectively and makes them harder to escape.
  • The final hit has gained an additional hitbox that is larger (6u → 8u), increasing its range.
  • Drill Rush loses a significant amount of momentum if shielded. This hinders its ability to cross-up opponents, making it easier to punish.
  • The final hit has less knockback scaling (200 → 185), although it launches at a lower angle to compensate (60° → 40°).
  • The final hit has a unique, bright red visual effect if it hits an opponent.
• Shuttle Loop:
  • Shuttle Loop conserves more vertical momentum after the second hit.
  • The first hit deals set knockback (grounded: 130/127/98/98 base/10 scaling (early), 90/10 (late) → 125/125/120/120 set/120 scaling (early), 100/120 (mid), 80/100 (late); aerial: 120/70 base/10 scaling → 116/110 set/120 scaling (early), 80/100 (late)) and is weight-independent. While this would make it connect the same way regardless of percent, the set knockback means it no longer scales with percent, removing its ability to potentially hit opponents up to a higher position and lead to earlier KOs with the second hit, hindering the move's KO potential, which is further worsened by rage no longer affecting moves with set knockback.
• Dimensional Cape:
  • Dimensional Cape deals more damage if done on the ground without moving (15% → 16%).
  • It deals less damage if done on the ground moving backward (14% → 13%).
  • Due to the changes to the jostle mechanics, Dimensional Cape can no longer cross-up opponents once Meta Knight reappears.
• Darkness Illusion:
  • Meta Knight has a new Final Smash, Darkness Illusion. It creates a surge of energy around Meta Knight which traps opponents, dragging them into the air, where Meta Knight clones himself to strike repeatedly, before finishing with a slash that sends opponents at a horizontal angle. It bears a resemblance to Upper Calibur, Meta Knight's strongest attack in Kirby: Star Allies, with the cross-lightning being similar to Kirby Super Star Ultra's version of Mach Tornado and Meta Knight's Shuttle Loop when combined with electricity in Kirby Star Allies.
  • The surge of energy from Darkness Illusion has less range than the cape from Galaxia Darkness. In addition, it has lost the ability to hit others not trapped in the Final Smash, unlike Galaxia Darkness.