Grab aerial: Difference between revisions

A '''grab aerial''' ({{ja|空中ワイヤー|Kūchū waiyā}}, ''Midair wire''; also known as a '''grab air''' or '''zair''') is an [[aerial attack]] that utilizes a character's extended [[grab]] implement in the air. Link, Samus, Dark Samus, Young Link, Lucas, Zero Suit Samus, Toon Link, and Luigi (in ''Ultimate'') are the only characters with this ability, though Lucas's grab air doesn't do any [[damage]] in ''[[Brawl]]''. Grab airs are performed simply by pressing the grab button while in the air or, in the same way as grabs, by holding a [[shield]] button and then pressing an [[attack]] button; the latter option allows the grab air to cancel [[air dodge]]s, allowing for aerial [[punish]]ing. Grab airs can work as a [[tether recovery]], or a [[wall-grapple]] in ''[[Melee]]''.

Grab airs inflict little damage and have very little KO potential. However, they have long range, and can be used to surprise an opponent. A [[short hop]] followed by a grab air can be useful for [[spacing]]. They are also considerably more useful in ''Brawl'' and ''[[Smash 4]]'' than in ''[[Melee]]'' due to their lack of ending lag, the absence of [[L-canceling]] and the existence (only in ''Brawl'') of the [[landing lag glitch]] which affects other attacks. In all three games, characters with it can cancel an [[air dodge]] with zair, which in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4'', allows one to zair or tether recovery without dropping a held [[item]]. Another difference between ''Melee'' and the other two games is that zairs do not cause a character to go into a [[helpless]] state in ''Brawl'' and ''SSB4'', allowing for repeated usage more easily, as well as being able to safely use the move off of the stage.

In ''Brawl'', if a character uses their grab air right before getting KO'd off the upper blast line, the KO blast will be seen with the usual colourful explosion seen on other [[blast line]]s, and it will be facing upwards off the screen, though the blast is small and incomplete.

In ''Smash 4'', all zairs have 8 frames of landing lag. If they are used by pressing a shield and attack button at the same time, however, they will instead have the landing lag of an air dodge (which lasts 21 frames); as such, using zairs to cancel air dodges is riskier close to the ground.

==List of grab airs==

*[[Link]]'s [[Hookshot and Clawshot]] - In ''Melee'', it has high lag and low damage, but in ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'' it can be used to start combos and the ending hit has much more [[knockback]]. Combos into a [[DACUS]] at moderate percentages. Link no longer possesses an aerial grab in ''Ultimate'', due to it not returning in ''Breath of the Wild'' (which is the basis for his current design), even though both of his doppelgängers still have it (see below).

*[[Lucas]] - Thrusts his [[Rope Snake]] forward. No damage in ''Brawl'', but can be used to move Lucas a bit faster in the air.

*[[Luigi]] - In ''Ultimate'', Luigi tosses out the hose of the Poltergust with a plunger attached. It can damage opponents like all other grab aerials, but it is the only one that cannot tether to ledges.

*[[Samus]] - [[Grapple Beam]]. Considered to be Samus' best spacing move in ''Brawl''. In ''Melee'', it can be canceled by dropping {{b|Bomb|Samus}}s in the [[NTSC]] version.

*[[Toon Link]] - Shoots his Hookshot forwards. Short range compared to Link and Samus' zairs, although due to its short height, it's easier to hit grounded opponents. Very useful for setting up an [[up smash]].

*[[Young Link]] - Shoots his Hookshot forwards. Useful spacing tool. An interesting fact about this is that in ''Melee'' has the same model as Link's (like his [[grab]]), making it look a little bit large when used by him.

*[[Zero Suit Samus]] - Shoots her laser whip forward. As a grapple, it behaves almost identically to her [[Plasma Whip]]. Can be used for edgeguarding opponents. Does not exist in Brawl.

File:Zair.jpg|thumbnail|Samus using her grab air offensively in ''Brawl''.

File:Tether Recovery.png|Samus using her grab air as a Tether Recovery in ''Brawl''.