Template:SSB4 to SSBU changelist

Like Mario and Luigi, Wario's overalls in his classic outfit have greater denim detailing; they are also a brighter shade of purple, more closely resembling his appearance in the Mario and Wario series.

• Wario's alternate costumes have been re-ordered; his classic outfit now occupies his even-numbered costumes instead of the second half, similar to Cloud.
• In his biker outfit, Wario's jacket and helmet straps have more physics-based movement.
• Down taunt has a more comical, "poppier" animation, and is much faster. Wario also now vocalize faster as Luigi's up taunt.
• Air dodge and footstooled animations have changed. Additionally, Wario fully closes his eyes while asleep.
• Wario's left-inputted victory pose now begins with him walking forward for the victory animation before patting his belly, then farting. He also keeps a shocked expression throughout, and takes slightly longer to sniff and scratch his head.
• Wario's Palutena's Guidance conversation has slightly been modified (see here).

Attributes

• Like all characters, Wario's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 6).
• Wario runs faster (1.5 → 1.65).
  • Wario's initial dash is significantly faster (1.3 → 1.837).
• Wario walks slightly faster (0.847 → 0.889).
• Wario's air speed is higher (1.21 → 1.271).
• Wario's gravity is higher (0.092 → 0.107). This allows him to land more safely, but worsens his vertical endurance and reduces his jump height.
• Wario's traction has increased (0.07 → 0.106), improving his ability to punish out of shield. However, it is much lower relative to the cast, going from the 3rd highest to the 42nd highest.
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-16 → 4-15) and has more ending lag (FAF 30 → 31).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-16 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 30 → 36).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 27).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-27 → 3-29).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 33 → 51).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit transitions into the second hit faster (frame 14 → 11).
  • The first hit has altered angles (55°/72° → 361°) and knockback (45/38 base/50/40 scaling → 40/38 base/20 scaling) to keep opponents on the ground and closer to Wario, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows it to connect better into the second hit and jab lock.
  • The first hit has three hitboxes instead of two, with the existing ones being smaller (4u/5u → 2.2u/2.2u/2.8u), and they are placed farther horizontally (Z offset: 5u/10u → 7u/9.2u/12u). While this reduces its vertical range, it increases its horizontal range and gives it more favorable hitbox placements overall.
  • The second hit's farthest hitbox follows Wario's hand instead of covering a static area, increasing its vertical range.
  • Both hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.6× (hit 1), 2× (hit 2)), giving opponents more time to SDI the first hit and DI the second hit.
  • The second hit's hitbox on Wario's shoulder has been removed; however, the hitbox on his arm has been moved closer to compensate (Z offset: 8u → 6u).
• Forward tilt:
  • Wario has a new forward tilt: a heavy-handed slap.
  • It deals more knockback (22 base/98 scaling → 20/102), allowing it to KO slightly earlier.
  • It consists of only two hitboxes instead of four, but they are placed farther apart from each other (X offset: -3u/0u/1u/1.8u → -0.5u/2.3u), and the sweetspot is larger (5.5u → 5.7u). Additionally, Wario no longer keeps his arm in front of him after the hitboxes cease. As a result, the move has more favorable hitbox placements overall, with more horizontal range and disjoint.
  • The sourspot deals more damage when the move is angled down (10% → 11%), matching the other angles.
  • The sweetspot deals consistent damage across every angle (13% (not angled)/14% (angled up)/12% (angled down) → 13%). This reduces the angled up variant's KO potential, but improves the angled down variant's.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less startup (frame 12 → 8) and ending lag (FAF 36 → 28). In combination with Wario's faster jumpsquat, this greatly improves its combo potential, even allowing it to chain into itself.
  • The clean hit's body hitbox has increased horizontal range (Z offset: 0 → -1.5 - 1.5) and launches at a higher angle (92° → 95°), allowing it to better hit grounded opponents at Wario's sides and lead into subsequent up tilts.
  • The late hit deals more knockback (30 base/50 scaling → 20/120) and launches at a higher angle (80° → 90°), granting it situational KO potential at very high percents, without hindering its combo potential due to the move's reduced ending lag.
  • It deals less damage (10% → 6% (clean), 6% → 5% (late)).
  • It no longer grants intangibility on Wario's head or arms.
  • The clean hit has altered knockback, which does not fully compensate for its reduced damage (65 base/74 scaling → 28/130). This moderately reduces the move's KO potential, but further improves its combo potential when coupled with the aforementioned changes, granting it a KO setup into a half charged or fully charged Wario Waft at mid to high percents.
• Dash attack:
  • Wario has a new dash attack: his "Shoulder Tackle" Dash Attack from the Wario Land series, which was previously the basis of his forward smash in Brawl.
  • It deals more damage (7% → 11% (clean), 4% → 5% (late)) and knockback, with the late hit no longer having set knockback (80 base/70 scaling (clean), 50 set/100 scaling (late) → 60 base/97 scaling). This significantly improves the clean hit's KO potential, allowing it to KO at around 145% from the center of Final Destination, making it one of the strongest dash attacks in the game.
  • It provides more forward momentum, effectively increasing its horizontal range, despite the hitboxes being smaller (4.5u/4u → 4u/4u (clean), 4u/3u (late)) and located closer to Wario (Z offset: 6u/11u → 5.8u/2u (clean), 6u/9u → 4.8u/2u (late)).
  • The clean hit has a longer duration, with the late hit having a shorter duration instead (frames 4-5 (clean)/6-23 (late) → 5-8/9-23).
  • The move has one frame more startup (frame 4 → 5).
  • The clean hit has a sourspot on Wario's body that deals less damage (7% → 5%), although it is outprioritized by the sweetspot.
  • The late hit launches at a different angle (180° → 70°), matching the clean hit.
  • The late hit no longer has a 100% trip chance, and in combination with its altered angle and knockback, it can no longer trip opponents in any capacity whatsoever. This removes its setup potential.
  • The late hit has a lower hitlag multiplier (1.2× → 1×).
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash deals more damage (19% → 20%).
  • It has less knockback scaling (99 → 93), marginally reducing its KO potential despite its higher damage.
  • Wario's fist enlarges more, although this does not give the move more range. Both of his feet remain on the ground when he punches, only lifting the back leg after the blow.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash's clean hit deals more damage (16% → 17%), with only base knockback compensated (40 → 35), marginally improving its KO potential.
  • The late hit has less base knockback like the clean hit (40 → 35), hindering its KO potential.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has less ending lag (FAF 68 → 62).
  • The clean hit has a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.85×), making it slightly harder to DI.
  • The clean and mid hit's hitboxes have been extended horizontally, and have varying horizontal offsets throughout the move instead of a static one. This increases the move's horizontal range and disjoint.
  • The late hit has a marginally bigger hitbox (2.5u → 2.6u).
  • Wario has a surprised facial expression when using down smash.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (12 frames → 7 (neutral, up), 16 → 10 (forward), 27 → 16 (back), 19 → 18 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 46).
  • It auto-cancels one frame earlier (frame 44 → 43).
  • Both hits deal slight shield damage (0 → 0.7).
  • The first hit's body hitbox is much larger, and it has gained two additional hitboxes for Wario's respective hands (3u → 4.5u/3u/3u). This significantly increases its range all around, improving its utility for approaching.
  • The first hit has a significantly longer duration (frame 4 → frames 4-17), with a late hit on frames 13-17 that deals 3% if Wario's arms hit; the second hit has more startup instead (frame 15 → 20). This covers a large part of the gap between it and the second hit, further improving its utility as an approach option.
  • The second hit has more startup with a shorter duration (frame 15-38 → 20-42), causing it to connect less reliably from the first hit's early frames at low percents.
    • However, combined with the aforementioned changes, this further reduces the move's ending lag to only three frames, and allows it to auto-cancel immediately after the hitboxes cease. This considerably improves its combo potential on all accounts.
  • The second hit has a stronger late hit during frames 27-42, dealing 5% damage. While this also increases its knockback, the move still has improved combo potential due to its lower ending and landing lag.
  • The first clean hit deals slightly less damage (6.5% → 6%).
  • The second hit has a smaller hitbox (4.5u → 3.5u).
• Back aerial:
  • Wario's head enlarges slightly less during the move, but the hitbox placements remain unchanged, slightly increasing its disjoint and making it safer to use.
  • It deals more knockback (20 base/100 scaling → 21/106), improving its KO potential.
  • Its initial auto-cancel window is one frame shorter (frames 1-5 → 1-4).
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has a slightly different animation, with Wario putting his arms around his head, and his hands together in a diving pose.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs are active for three frames instead of two.
  • They have increased horizontal range (Z2 offset: 9.3u → 10.3u (standing), 11.3u → 12u (dash), -15.8u → -15.9u (pivot)).
  • They have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 36 (standing), 37 → 44 (dash), 35 → 39 (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grab have more startup (frame 8 → 11 (dash), 12 (pivot)). As a result, Wario no longer has the same startup for all his grabs, nor has the fastest pivot grab in the game.
  • Wario's hand is placed lower when grabbing an opponent.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals less damage (2% → 1.6%).
  • It has much less startup (frame 5 → 2) and ending lag (FAF 19 → 8), but deals considerably more hitlag (4 frames → 15), keeping its effective duration unchanged. Relative to the rest of the cast, Wario's pummel is now among the slowest but most damaging, rather than average on both accounts.
  • Wario's finger points slightly higher when pummeling the opponent.
• All of Wario's throws have been altered with more exaggerated animations.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw consists of a hitbox before the throw, like back throw in Brawl, allowing it to hit bystanders. Its total damage remains unchanged (12% → 4% (hit 1), 8% (throw)).
  • The throw portion's knockback scaling has not been fully compensated for its lower damage output (65 → 70). This significantly hinders its KO potential, no longer being one of the strongest forward throws in the game.
  • While the move's lag remains the same, it inflicts hitlag due to the new hitbox, making it easier to DI.
• Up throw:
  • Due to Wario's faster jumpsquat, up throw has gained utility as a combo starter, with followups into up aerial from low to mid percents.
  • The throw portion deals less damage (7% → 4%; 11% total → 8%).
  • The throw portion has more knockback scaling (72 → 105), allowing it to KO slightly earlier despite its lower damage.
• Down throw:
  • The throw portion deals more damage (4% → 7%; 8% total → 11%).
  • It has a more forceful animation, with Wario clenching his fists upon contact, better resembling the Ground Pound from the Wario Land games.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (8% → 10%).

Special moves

• Chomp:
  • Both biting opponents and eating projectiles now heals Wario; the former heals him by 0.6% per bite, while the latter does by 1%, like eating non-explosive items.
  • The throw has much more knockback scaling (76 → 109), allowing it to KO at high percents.
  • It has less ending lag after eating a projectile (FAF 36 → 26).
  • The explosion from eating explosive items has less startup (frame 18 → 17), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 73 → 72).
  • Eating explosive items deals less recoil damage (5% → 3%).
  • It has more ending lag if it misses (FAF 38 → 42).
  • It no longer grants intangibility on Wario's head.
• Wario Bike:
  • A thrown bike deals much more knockback, capable of launching opponents a fair distance and KOing at high percents.
  • The wheelie slam comes out faster, to where it can hit opponents as soon as the bike drops down, allowing it to hit aerial opponents more easily.
  • The start of the wheelie deals slightly more damage (8% → 8.3%).
  • After the bike is destroyed or disappears, it has a cooldown of six seconds before it can be used again.
  • The bike no longer bounces as much when thrown, giving fewer options as a projectile.
  • Aerial Wario Bike has physics when Wario is not riding it, rather than staying static in animation.
  • Wario gets thrown forward and put into tumble if he hits a wall whilst riding the bike.
  • The bike releases smoke and sparks to signify how much damage it has taken.
  • Wario continually pumps his fist while performing a wheelie with the bike.
• Corkscrew:
  • The looping hits use five hitboxes instead of a single one, which are smaller (6.5u → 3u/4u/4u/4u/4u), but spread farther around Wario (Y offset: 11u → 6u/7u/7u/13u/13u, Z offset: 0u → 1u/4u/-3u/4u/-3u), increasing their range.
  • Both the first hit and looping hits have altered angles (85°/115°/85°/105° → 127° (first hit), 104° → 80°/105°/115°/105°/115° (looping hits)) and are weight-independent, and the latter also have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.6×) and SDI multiplier (0.5× → 0.3×). This allows them to connect more reliably.
  • The looping hits' hitboxes deal different damage each (1% → 1%/1.2%/1.3%/1.4%/1.5%). This increases its total damage output, although it is much more inconsistent as a result.
  • The last hit no longer have two separate hitboxes on each of Wario's hands, instead having one hitbox that extends between them. The body hitbox is also larger (4u → 5u) and placed lower (Y offset: 8u → 7u). Altogether, this increases the last hit's range, especially above Wario.
  • The last hit's hand hitbox has a lower hitlag multiplier (2.5× → 2×).
  • The last hit is weight-independent, hindering the move's KO potential against lighter targets, but improving it against heavier ones.
• Wario Waft:
  • Wario Waft's fart cloud's visual effects have been redone.
  • Wario turns away from the screen when executing a fully charged Wario Waft.
  • A fully charged Waft triggers Special Zoom.
• Wario-Man:
  • Wario-Man has been significantly overhauled. Instead of a transformation, it is a cinematic Final Smash where Wario dashes forward, hitting caught opponents several times in a comic book style and launching them away at the end, similar to Stampede!.
  • Wario-Man is significantly less effective overall, no longer giving Wario access to a stronger version of himself with invincibility and extremely fast attacks, instead limiting him to a ramming attack that has merely average power and is much easier to avoid.
  • Wario once again vocalize "Oooooh..." at the end of move like in Brawl, though it now plays during the final hit of cinematic rather than the deactivation itself.

|Snake====Aesthetics===

• Due to the game's graphical improvements, Snake has a sleeker design, and his overall color scheme is more vibrant. His body suit appears less form-fitting than before, and his overall appearance appears to be more detailed, particularly his hair and bandana. His pupils are also smaller. Altogether, these changes make Snake closely resemble his official artwork for Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection.
• Snake has two additional alternate costumes, increasing his total to 8. One is a somewhat shiny, pure black costume resembling the Metal camouflage from Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The other is a lighter green costume resembling the leaf camouflage from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
• Snake's idle animation has been altered. His upper body has been turned to face more towards the screen and stands more upright instead of slouching.
• The majority of Snake's animations are more fluid and polished.
• Snake always speaks during his on-screen appearance.
• Snake uses one of his attacking voice clips (or stays silent) when using a smash attack with battering items rather than the voice clip from his forward smash in Brawl.
• Snake's previously unused damage yells from Brawl's Sound Test are now heard when taking high knockback.
• Snake no longer uses unique sounds on hit for his jab, dash attack, tilts and aerials.
• Snake has a new victory animation. He does a spin kick, a side kick, and then finishes in a CQC stance. The pose is a reference to the end of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots when Old Snake fights Liquid Ocelot. It replaces the cardboard box victory pose from Brawl.
• Due to his absence in SSB4, Snake now has a Boxing Ring title and a Palutena's Guidance conversation.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Snake's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 9), the biggest difference out of the cast. This greatly improves his ground-to-air transitioning.
• Snake walks faster (0.84 → 0.882).
• Snake runs much faster (1.35 → 1.595).
  • Snake's initial dash is significantly faster (1.1 → 1.76), no longer being the second slowest. This noticeably improves his mobility on the ground.
• Snake's air speed is faster (0.94 → 0.987), although it is significantly slower relative to the cast, going from the 19th highest out of 38 characters to the 59th highest out of 81 characters.
• Snake's fast falling speed is much higher (2.422 → 2.768).
• Snake's traction is significantly higher (0.0542 → 0.116) going from the 25th highest to the 16th highest.
• Snake is considerably lighter (113 → 106), going from 3rd heaviest in Brawl to tied for 16th in Ultimate, worsening his endurance especially vertically when combined with the removal of momentum canceling and the general changes to vertical knockback.
• The removal of chain grabbing noticeably improves Snake's endurance against certain characters.
• The changes to hitstun canceling both help and hinder Snake. While they leave him much more susceptible to combos (even with his reduced weight) and make his bomb recovery easier to punish, they also grant him setups from his projectiles into his direct attacks, most notably his highly damaging neutral aerial and down aerial. Due to Hand Grenades coming out on frame 1, they also give Snake one of the best combo breaking abilities out of the cast, compared to air dodges and aerial attacks having previously been the fastest options out of hitstun for every character.
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 36 → 31).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 34 → 36).
• Spot dodge has more startup with less intangibility (frames 2-20 → 3-17), and more ending lag (FAF 26 → 27).
• Air dodge grants less intangibility (frames 4-29 → 4-28) and has more ending lag (FAF 40 → 48).
• The reintroduction of directional air dodges improves Snake's recovery more than other characters', as due to Cypher not causing helplessness, he can get additional distance with a directional air dodge after using it.
• All of Snake's explosions (including forward smash, up smash, Hand Grenades, Remote Missile, and C4) can be absorbed.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit transitions slightly faster into the second hit (frame 7 → 6).
  • The first hit's outermost hitboxes launch opponents towards Snake (80°/88°/80° → 180°), allowing it to connect and lock opponents more reliably from far distances.
  • The third hit has less startup lag (frame 10 → 8).
  • All hits deals less damage (4% → 2.5% (hit 1), 3% → 2.5% (hit 2), 7% → 6% (hit 3)), with the latter also dealing significantly less knockback (60 base/115 scaling → 70/58). Combined with its reduced damage output, it is no longer the strongest neutral attack in the game, and no longer KOs until around Sudden Death percents.
  • All hits have noticeably smaller hitboxes (4u/3.5u/5.5u/3.5u → 1.9u/2.1u/2.3u/2.3u (hit 1), 3.7u/3.5u/5u/3.5u → 2.6u/2.6u/3.5u (hit 2), 4u/6.5u/4u/4u → 3.3u/3.8u/4.3u (hit 3)).
  • All hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.6× (hits 1-2), 1.8× (hit 3)), giving opponents more time to DI the last hit; however, it remains harder to SDI than in Brawl due to the weakening of the mechanic.
  • The first two hits no longer use set knockback, and instead have less base knockback (30/20 set/100 scaling → 25/20/26/20 base/25/20 scaling (hit 1), 20 set/100 scaling → 28/25/28/25 base/25 scaling (hit 2)), causing them to connect less reliably at higher percents, while hindering the first hit's jab cancel setups until high percents.
  • The third hit has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 10-13 → 8-9), and its total duration was not compensated for its faster startup, increasing its ending lag.
• Forward tilt:
  • Both hits have smaller hitboxes (7u/6u/5u → 4.5u/4.5u (hit 1), 6u/7u/5u/6.5u → 4.5u/6u/6u (hit 2)).
  • The first hit and the second hit's grounded sweetspot deal less damage (8% → 4% (hit 1), 12% → 11% (hit 2)), hindering the second hit's KO potential.
  • The first hit launches grounded opponents at a higher angle (275°/361° → 78°), and has less knockback compared to the previous sourspot, but no longer has set knockback compared to the previous sweetspot (50/30 base/20/0 set/75 scaling → 42 base/0 set/10 scaling). As the sweetspot was larger than the sourspot and outprioritized it, this causes the first hit to connect less reliably into the second hit against grounded opponents overall, despite gaining a hitstun modifier of 2, and removes its ability to trip and lock opponents.
    • This also means that the second hit's grounded sweetspot can no longer connect after the first hit, further worsening its KO potential.
    • Against aerial opponents, it launches at a higher angle (361° → 65°), and deals much less knockback (50 base/100 scaling → 20/10) with a hitstun modifier of 2, but the resulting hitstun is no longer enough for it to true combo into the second hit until high percents. This allows aerial opponents to jump or air dodge out of the second hit, and removes the first hit's individual KO potential against them.
  • The first hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.6×), giving opponents more time to DI the second hit.
  • The second hit has more startup (frame 6 → 8) and ending lag (FAF 31 → 40). This causes it to hit one frame later after the first hit, despite its marginally faster transition (frame 11 → 10).
  • The second hit's sourspot takes priority over the sweetspots.
  • The second hit has more base knockback, but less knockback scaling (55 base/80 scaling → 85/62).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt deals more damage (13% → 14.5% (clean), 12% → 13.5% (late)), with the clean hit's knockback compensated (55 base/95 scaling → 65/82). In combination with the increased shieldstun and more limited out of shield options, this makes it noticeably safer on shield.
  • The clean hit has a longer duration, with the late hit having a shorter duration instead (frames 6-7/8-13 → 6-8/9-13).
  • The late hit launches opponents at a higher angle (84° → 95°), and its knockback was not fully compensated for the increased damage (45 base/95 scaling → 50/88), slightly improving its KO potential.
  • Up tilt has much smaller hitboxes (6u/5u/5u (clean) → 3.5u/2.5u/2.5u (clean, frames 6-7), 7u/5u/6u (late) → 5u/3u/3u (clean, frame 8; late)), and the clean hit's hitboxes are not placed as far (Z offset: 12u/4u/7.5u → 7u/4u/2.5u (frame 6), 10u/5u/2.5u (frame 7), 0u/0u/0u (frame 8)). This drastically reduces its infamously disjointed horizontal range, to the point opponents have to be close to Snake in order for the move to connect.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 31).
  • It deals more damage (10% → 12%). Combined with its reduced ending lag and the shield changes, this makes it significantly safer on shield.
  • It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 6-9 → 6-7).
  • It deals drastically less knockback (50 base/100/110/100 scaling → 60 base/62 scaling), no longer KOing until very high percentages, despite its increased damage.
  • The hitbox covering Snake's body has been removed.
• Dash attack:
  • The changes to jostle mechanics allow dash attack to connect more reliably at point-blank range, as Snake can no longer run through his opponents.
  • The clean hit has a longer duration, with the late hit having a shorter duration instead (frames 5-6/7-12 → 5-8/9-12).
  • The clean hit has much more base knockback, but much less knockback scaling (50 base/85 scaling → 95/45), greatly hindering its KO potential.
  • The clean hit launches opponents at a lower angle (65° → 45°), which alongside its higher base knockback allows it to set up edgeguards more effectively.
  • The Gatling Combo can no longer be performed, hindering dash attack's damage racking ability.
  • The late hit has less knockback scaling (85 → 75).
• Smash attacks:
  • The voice clips for Snake's smash attacks have been swapped around. His forward smash uses his previous down smash's clip, his up smash uses his previous forward smash's clip, and his down smash uses his previous up smash's clip.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has less ending lag (FAF 80 → 74).
  • It deals less knockback (100 base/60 scaling → 66/75), reducing its KO potential despite its higher knockback scaling, especially at the edge.
  • Snake no longer vocalizes consistently when using the move, and he does so after it has been performed, rather than before. It has additionally gained a new "clicking" sound effect.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash's mortar shell no longer follows a random trajectory, instead always arcing slightly towards Snake's front. While this removes its ability to hit opponents behind Snake, it most importantly improves its consistency, allowing it to be used more effectively for disrupting approaches and edgeguarding.
  • The move's sound effects are more realistic, replacing the previous move's distinctive "bloop" sound.
  • The mortar shell deals more damage (10% → 14%) with knockback not fully compensated (90 base/67 scaling → 87/60), improving its KO potential.
  • The mortar shell travels slightly higher when uncharged.
  • Due to the changes to hitstun canceling, opponents can no longer air dodge the mortar shell after the first hit, and due to the weakening of DI, they can no longer get out of its range as effectively, allowing it to connect more reliably.
  • Snake takes longer to act out of up smash (FAF 52 → 55).
  • The removal of DACUS significantly hinders its approach potential.
  • The first hit has smaller hitboxes (8u/8u → 5u/5u) that are not placed as far horizontally (Z offset: -2u/8u → 1u/7u), decreasing its overall range especially horizontally, despite the hitboxes now extending vertically (Y offset: 4u → 4u-6u).
  • The mortar shell has more startup (frame 29 → 35).
    • However, since the move's total duration was not fully compensated, this reduces its ending lag.
• Down smash:
  • Snake has a new down smash: rather than setting up a landmine, he kicks to his frontside, then his backside, similar to Zelda's down smash.
    • As a result, the Infinite explosion glitch is no longer possible to perform.
  • It has dramatically less startup (frame 61 (setup), 132 (explosion) → 8 (hit 1), 20 (hit 2)) and a shorter total duration (FAF 77 → 45), and launches at a semi-spike angle (88° → 25° (hit 1), 20° (hit 2)), making it much more useful as a close range attack and granting Snake another potent edgeguarding tool.
  • Due to functioning as a sweeping down smash rather than hitting both sides simultaneously, it can connect both hits at low percents if the opponent is launched backward by the first hit, racking up much more damage (14% → 26%).
  • It can affect aerial opponents, and no longer damages Snake.
  • Due to being a direct attack instead of a projectile, Snake can no longer set up an additional trap with his down smash to complement his other projectiles, removing its utility as a neutral and stage control tool, as well as its followup ability. As a result, it is generally much more situational.
  • Both hits have an immensely shorter hitbox duration than the previous landmine's detector (≈24 seconds → frames 8-10 (hit 1), 20-22 (hit 2)).
  • Both hits have smaller hitboxes than the landmine's explosion (5u/5u/5u → 4u/3.3u).
  • The first hit deals less damage than the landmine (14% → 12%).
  • It has altered knockback (90 base/58 scaling → 30/87 (hit 1), 30/88 (hit 2)), weakening the first hit's KO potential compared to the landmine, but strengthening the second hit's.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (30 frames → 16 (neutral), 30 → 19 (forward, back), 22 → 15 (up), 30 → 20 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • The hits after the first have less startup (frame 22/34/44 → 18/26/36), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 68 → 60), allowing it to land all hits in a short hop.
  • The first three hits use the autolink angle against aerial opponents (120°/60°/100°/75° (hits 1-2), 260°/280°/100°/75° (hit 3) → 367°/90°) and have more consistent set knockback (5/5/40/40 (hits 1-2), 10/10/70/70 (hit 3) → 30/50). Combined with the weakening of SDI and the hits' faster startup, this allows them to connect much more reliably.
  • Due to the move's reduced landing lag, the first three hits can set up into other attacks against grounded opponents if Snake lands as soon as possible after any of them hits.
  • All hits deal less damage (6% → 3% (hit 1), 5% → 3% (hit 2), 4% → 3% (hit 3), 13% → 12% (hit 4); 28% total → 21%). The last hit also deals much less knockback (45 base/95 scaling → 25/90), greatly hindering its KO potential, no longer being the strongest neutral aerial in the game (although it remains among the strongest).
  • All hits except the last have a shorter hitbox duration (4 frames → 2).
  • All hits have smaller hitboxes (5u/5u/5u/5u → 4u/4u (hits 1-3), 9u → 7.5u (hit 4)) that do not cover as much space vertically (Y offset: 14u/14u/2u/2u (hits 1-3) → 7u/7u (hit 1), 9u/9u (hits 2-3), 13u → 11u (hit 4)) and horizontally (12u/2u/12u/2u → 4u-11u (hits 1-3), 11u → 7u (hit 4)), significantly reducing the move's range.
• Forward aerial:
  • The removal of meteor canceling improves sweetspotted forward aerial's reliability for edgeguarding.
  • The changes to hitstun canceling combined with the move's reduced landing lag grant the sweetspot combo potential onstage from low to mid percents.
  • It deals less knockback (40 base/100 scaling → 35/90), hindering its KO potential, although its sweetspot remains one of the strongest meteor smashes in the game.
  • It grants Snake a weaker vertical boost (1.2 → 0.8), making it riskier to use offstage and removing its ability to auto-cancel in a full hop.
  • The sourspot is noticeably smaller (6.5u → 4.7u).
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial can now auto-cancel before its animation ends (frame 43 → 40), although it remains unable to auto-cancel in a short hop.
  • The clean hit's sweetspot is placed on Snake's feet rather than his legs (Z offset: -11u/-5.5u/0u → -4u/-10u). This gives it a more favorable placement, allowing the move to be spaced more effectively, and making the sweetspot easier to land without getting outprioritized by the sourspot.
  • It deals much less knockback (40 base/90 scaling → 42/43 base/72 scaling (clean), 25/100 → 25/85 (late)), no longer being one of the strongest back aerials in the game.
  • It has smaller hitboxes, and the hitbox on Snake's back has been removed (5.4u/5.7u/4u → 4.5u/5.4u (clean), 5u/5u/4u → 4.3u/5u (late)).
  • The late hit has gained a sourspot on Snake's legs akin to the clean hit, which deals less damage (10% → 9%).
    • However, coupled with its reduced knockback, this allows it to lock opponents for longer.
• Up aerial:
  • The changes to hitstun canceling combined with the move's reduced landing lag grant it some combo potential from low to mid percents.
  • The clean hit has more base knockback, but much less knockback scaling (40 base/95 scaling → 65/72), hindering its KO potential.
  • The late hit has less knockback scaling (100 → 95).
  • It has much smaller hitboxes (6u/6u/6u → 4u/4u/4u), and they are placed higher (Y offset: 10u/15u/20u → 15u/18u/21u). While it has marginally longer range above Snake as a result, it also has much shorter frontal range and no longer covers his upper body, making it harder to connect against grounded opponents.
  • It has an altered animation, with Snake flipping forward before the kick rather than backward.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 60 → 53).
  • The hits after the first have less startup (frame 14/25/36 → 10/17/25).
    • However, the move's total duration remains the same, increasing its ending lag.
  • Snake gains a significant vertical boost after performing the final kick (0 → 1.2), allowing the move to auto-cancel in a short hop combined with its faster auto-cancel window, and increasing its safety offstage.
  • The first three hits have lower set knockback (50 (hit 1), 60 (hit 2), 80 (hit 3) → 50/35/25 (all)), and the uppermost hitbox launches at a more horizontal angle (80° → 70°). Combined with the weakening of SDI and the hits' faster startup, this allows them to connect much more reliably.
  • All hits deal less damage (6% → 4% (hit 1), 5% → 3% (hits 2-3), 12% → 10% (hit 4); 28% total → 20%). The last hit also has much less knockback scaling (110 → 80), significantly hindering its KO potential.
  • It has noticeably smaller hitboxes, with the last hit also having one of its hitboxes removed (6u/7u/7u (hits 1-2), 7u/8u/8u (hits 3-4) → 5.5u/5.5u/4.5u (hits 1-3), 7u/6u (hit 4)).

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 35 (standing), 40 → 43 (dash), 30 → 38 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have smaller hitboxes (4.5u/3.5u (standing), 4.5/3.5u/3.5u (dash, pivot) → 4u/2u).
  • The changes to aerial grab releases heavily hinder Snake, as he no longer has any guaranteed follow ups out of an aerial grab release (such as dash attack or a regrab) outside of his explosives.
• The speed of forward, back and up throws is no longer weight-dependent.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (4 frames → 14), but has less startup (frame 2 → 1) and much less ending lag (FAF 18 → 7), shortening its effective duration.
  • It deals less damage (2% → 1.3%).
  • It has a quieter animation, with Snake not yanking the opponent backward as much.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw has less startup (frame 26 → 21), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 45 → 40).
  • It has a different ending animation, where Snake poses with his arms out.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw has more startup (frame 17 → 20), making it easier to DI.
    • However, it has a shorter total duration (FAF 32 → 31), reducing its ending lag by four frames. Alongside the changes to hitstun canceling and Snake's faster initial dash, this allows it to combo into dash attack at low percents.
  • Snake no longer faces the other way after using back throw.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 48).
  • It has gained a hitbox before the throw, allowing it to hit bystanders.
  • It deals more damage (10% → 7% (hit 1), 4% (throw)); 11% total).
  • The throw has altered knockback (68 base/60 scaling → 55/130). In combination with the move's reduced ending lag and the changes to hitstun canceling, this allows it to combo into up tilt at low percents, while improving its KO potential at very high percents.
  • Due to the new first hit's hitlag, the throw is easier to DI.
  • It has an altered animation, with Snake shoulder tackling the opponent as he falls.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has drastically less startup (frame 59 → 35).
    • However, its total duration was not fully compensated (FAF 60 → 42), giving it six more frames of ending lag.
  • It deals less damage (12% → 9%).
  • Due to the removal of chain grabbing, Snake can no longer tech-chase opponents repeatedly with the move, hindering its damage racking potential.
  • How soon an opponent can act out of down throw is based on their percentage before the throw; it begins immobilizing them for three frames, which increases to four frames at 7%, then by one frame for every additional 17%, until capping out at 13 frames. This hinders its tech-chasing potential at lower percents, but gives Snake guaranteed followups at higher percents, most notably a KO setup into up tilt once it reaches its cap at 160%.
• Floor attacks:
  • Floor attacks deal more damage (6% → 7%) and shield damage (1 → 8) per hit, with minimally compensated knockback scaling (50 → 48).
  • Their angles have been altered (361° → 48°).
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack grants more intangibility (frames 1-21 → 1-27).
  • It deals more damage (8%/6% → 9%), and no longer uses set knockback (110 set/100 scaling → 90 base/20 scaling), making it stronger at higher percents.
  • It has noticeably less range (6u/5u/4.5u/3u → 4.5u).

Special moves

• Due to tumbling characters no longer hitting opponents they fly into other than the one that launched them (including projectiles belonging to them), Snake can no longer disrupt opponents or rack up extra damage on them by launching himself with his explosives.
• Hand Grenade:
  • Generating the Hand Grenades has less ending lag (FAF 24 → 22).
  • Snake can use his double jump while holding a Hand Grenade, improving its aerial versatility.
  • The normal throw has more startup (frame 6 → 8 (normal)).
    • However, its total duration remains the same, reducing its ending lag.
  • Hand Grenades operate on a timer of 2.5 seconds, down from 3 seconds.
  • The explosion deals less damage (12% → 9%), hindering its KO potential, but improving its combo potential in combination with the changes to hitstun canceling. It has also received negative shield damage, which alongside its reduced damage output weakens Hand Grenades' shield pressuring ability, but allows Snake himself to shield them more safely.
  • Shield dropping a Hand Grenade no longer causes other active ones in the air to fall straight down, nor drops Hand Grenades held by other characters.
• Remote Missile:
  • Remote Missile has one frame less startup (frame 42 → 41).
  • It has less ending lag both when canceled (FAF 34 → 28) and upon hitting an opponent (FAF 34 → 30).
  • The Remote Missile reaches its top speed immediately upon being fired, travels faster, and turns much quicker, making it significantly easier to control and hit opponents with.
  • The changes to air dodges in combination with the move's faster maneuverability significantly improve its utility for edgeguarding, as it can now cover opponents' recovery options much more effectively and force them to use up their air dodges, KOing them at high percents if it hits. This gives it a more defined purpose in Snake's arsenal, no longer being one of his most situational moves.
  • The weak hit has more base knockback (45 → 50).
  • It no longer deals shield damage (1 → 0).
  • The Remote Missile no longer fully stops and drops down when canceled, instead falling in an arc carried by its horizontal momentum.
  • It uses a different sound when preparing to fire a missile.
• Cypher:
  • Snake can grab ledges out of Cypher, improving its safety.
  • Cypher can be destroyed by attacks that deal at least 13% damage, worsening Snake's recovery.
  • Due to the new limitations to teching, Snake can no longer infinitely stall by using Cypher, hitting himself with C4 and then teching on the stage if his percent is too high, hindering his recovery at high percents.
  • It no longer deals shield damage (1 → 0).
  • It launches at a slightly different angle (361° → 42°).
  • It no longer uses set knockback (90 set/100 scaling → 63 base/17 scaling), making it weaker at low percents, but stronger at high percents.
  • It uses two smaller hitboxes instead of a single large hitbox (6u → 2.5u/3u).
  • The grab release glitch has been fixed.
  • Grabbing onto a ladder no longer causes Snake to become helpless whenever he lets go or falls after climbing to the top.
• C4:
  • While crouching, Snake can place and detonate a C4 without standing up, allowing him to take advantage of his low crouch while using the move.
    • Placing it from a crouching position has less startup (frame 20 → 14) and a shorter total duration (FAF 40 → 34) compared to the standing version.
  • It detonates faster with a longer duration (frames 29-30 → 25-27), and has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 33 (standing, aerial), 36 (crouching)). In combination with the changes to hitstun canceling, this improves its combo potential from low to mid percents.
  • It no longer deals shield damage (1 → 0).
  • Dropping it in the air has one frame more startup (frame 15 → 16).
    • However, its total duration remains the same, reducing its ending lag.
  • Sticking it to an opponent when Snake is on the ground has one frame more startup (frame 8 → 9).
    • However, it has much less ending lag (FAF 33 → 25), now matching the wall version.
  • The extended invincibility on throws makes it more difficult to perform the Omnigay.
  • C4 emits a flashing red light for a few seconds after being placed, improving its visibility. This allows Snake to keep track of it more easily, but also allows opponents to do the same.
  • It produces a quieter sound when placed.
  • Snake kneels when detonating it from a standing position.
  • Snake can say "There!" in addition to "Now!" when detonating it, which was previously an unused voice clip from Brawl's files.
• Final Smash:
  • Snake has a new Final Smash called Covering Fire. It involves him throwing a flare grenade to call an airstrike. He will announce "It's showtime!" if the move is started on the ground, but not in the air. A crosshair will first appear to mark opponents in intervals before five homing missiles are fired at the marked victims. Targets must be marked multiple times in order to send more of the missiles at them. Any missiles not given a target when their mark is placed will simply fly at where the crosshair was at the time. This resembles the way flare grenades are used in Metal Gear Solid V, where a support helicopter could be called to provide backup, with homing missiles being one of the options. The UI for the missiles bears a resemblance to the one used for the FIM-92 Stinger homing missile launcher.

|Ike====Aesthetics===

• Ike's appearance as a Ranger in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance - the basis of his appearance in Brawl - is once again his default costume. His appearance as a Hero in Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, which was his default design in SSB4, is now an alternate costume, and five of his previous costumes have been distributed among the two appearances. Additionally, Ike has a new alternate costume based on his father, Greil.
• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, both of Ike's models feature a more subdued color scheme, and his clothing on both designs now feature simple detailing. Additionally, both models have been updated:
  • For his Path of Radiance model from Brawl, the inside of his cape is now light pink instead of yellow, and his boots are now colored brown instead of orange. His facial features are slightly different, with Ike's face being less narrow, and now having slightly larger and rounder eyes, making them closer to his appearance in Path of Radiance. Most notably, his hair has a simpler, tamer appearance, being overall flatter and now mostly flowing downwards. While this makes it look less like how it appears in PoR's pre-rendered cutscenes, it gives it a closer resemblance to more recent depictions of Ike.
  • For his Radiant Dawn model from SSB4, his skin tone is noticeably more tanned, and his facial features have been notably modified; his face is narrower, his eyes are sharper and closer together, and his hair is slightly more voluminous and spiked. In addition, Ike's neck is longer, his collar has been made smaller and is now flared, and his cape hangs lower from the front, giving a better overall view of his face. His pauldron now jutts outwards and no longer moves with his left arm, and his arm bandaging is less visible. Finally, Ike's muscles are more pronounced.
• Ike's voice changes slightly depending on the costume. In the Japanese version, Ike's voice is deeper and more masculine in his Radiant Dawn costume. In the English version, Ike sounds more energetic and aggressive in his Path of Radiance costume, and more serious and composed in his Radiant Dawn costume.
• Palutena's Guidance conversation for Ike has been changed to accommodate for his Path of Radiance costume.
• Ike has a new idle animation, which is more similar to his idle stance in Path of Radiance: he faces more towards the screen, and his left arm is no longer suspended, while clenching his left fist.
• Ike no longer does a backflip during his backward jumping animation.
• Ike's clapping animation now differs slightly depending on which outfit he is using. Path of Radiance Ike has a new clapping animation, whereas Radiant Dawn Ike reuses the previous animation from Brawl and SSB4.
  • Additionally, Ragnell is no longer present in the "No Contest" screen.
• During his victory animations, Ike has different quotes depending on which outfit is used.
  • On the first one where he swings Ragnell twice, Path of Radiance Ike says, "Your skills were... remarkable," (あんたの戦い、見事だった, Your combat was excellent.) and Radiant Dawn Ike says, "Don't stand in my way." (どうして俺の前に立った, Why do you stand before me?).
  • On the second one where he plants Ragnell into the ground, Path of Radiance Ike says, "I submit to no one," (誰にも、譲る気はない, I cannot yield to anyone.) and Radiant Dawn Ike says, "I must move forward." (俺は前に進む, I move forward.).
  • On the third one where he performs Aether, Path of Radiance Ike says, "You'll get no sympathy from me," (極めれば…誰にも負けはしない, To the end... I will not lose to anyone.) and Radiant Dawn Ike says, "I fight for my friends." (俺には守るべき物が在る, I have things I must protect.).

Attributes

• Like all characters, Ike's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 7).
• Ike dashes slightly faster (1.5 → 1.507), although it is by far the lowest increase out of everyone.
  • Ike's initial dash is faster (1.5 → 1.815).
• Ike walks slightly faster (0.869 → 0.912).
• Ike's air speed is slightly faster (1.08 → 1.134).
• Ike's traction is significantly higher (0.044 → 0.112), improving his punish game out of shield.
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 33 → 31).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-18 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-18 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 33 → 36).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 27).
• Spot dodge grants less intangibility (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
• Air dodge has more startup (frame 3 → 4) and significantly more ending lag (FAF 34 → 50).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 4-31).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit transitions into the second hit faster (frame 11 → 9), which transitions into the third hit faster (frame 12 → 9), allowing them to connect better.
  • The first and second hits have altered angles and knockback to keep opponents close to Ike, akin to other neutral attacks. While this removes their already minimal jab canceling potential, this more prominently allows them to connect better and jab lock.
  • The first and second hits deal less damage (3% → 2.5%).
  • The third hit has more ending lag (FAF 39 → 41).
• Forward tilt:
  • The move has faster startup (frame 13 → 12).
    • However, as its interruptibility frames remain unchanged, this gives it one frame more ending lag.
  • It deals more damage (12.5% → 13.5%) without compensation on knockback, improving its KO potential.
• Up tilt:
  • The move has drastically less ending lag (FAF 48 → 40), which combined with Ike's faster jumpsquat grants the late hit combo potential.
  • The clean hit lasts longer compared to the late hit (frames 11-13/14-21 (clean/late) → 11-16/17-21).
  • The hitbox is smaller and has been repositioned (Y offset: 1-13 → 2.8-13.5), making it less extended and moving it further up the blade. This reduces its horizontal range.
  • The move deals less damage (14% → 12% (clean), 10% → 8% (late)) without compensation on knockback. This hinders the clean hit's KO potential.
• Down tilt:
  • The move has increased combo potential due to Ike's faster jumpsquat.
  • Its hitboxes are smaller (3.8u/3.8u/3.8u/3u → 3.4u/3.4u/3.4u/3u) and have been repositioned, reducing both its vertical and horizontal range.
• Dash attack:
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 52 → 48).
  • The move's hitboxes are larger (6.3u/4u → 7u/5u) and have been repositioned, and it has an extra hitbox. This improves the move's range, and makes it easier to land the sweetspot, since the new hitbox is a sweetspot.
  • The changes to jostle mechanics allow dash attack to hit opponents close to Ike more easily.
  • It has increased shieldstun (1x → 1.2x), improving its safety on shield.
• Forward smash:
  • The move's sweetspot deals more base knockback (40 base/86 scaling → 49/85), improving its KO potential despite its slightly decreased knockback scaling.
• Down smash:
  • Both hits deal more damage (14% → 16% (hit 1), 17% → 19% (hit 2, clean), 8% → 9% (hit 2, late)) without compensation on knockback, improving the move's KO potential.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (14 frames → 8 (neutral), 18 frames → 14 (forward), 19 frames → 11 (back), 15 frames → 9 (up), 23 frames → 14 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • The move has faster startup (frame 12 → 10).
  • It deals less damage (10% → 7.5% (clean), 7% → 6% (late)) without compensation on knockback. As a result, it has lost its KO potential, but significantly improves its combo potential combined with its lower landing lag.
  • The swing has been slightly sped up, reducing the duration of its hitboxes (frames 12-27 → 10-22), but allowing it to hit around Ike faster.
    • The clean hit now lasts shorter compared to the late hit (frames 12-21/22-27 (clean/late) → 10-14/15-22).
  • It auto-cancels earlier (frame 64 → 50), but still requires a double jump to autocancel.
  • Its initial auto-cancel window has been shortened (frames 1-5 → 1-2).
  • It has a different animation, with Ike facing more toward the screen and no longer tucking his legs in. His entire body now moves with the sword. The new animation increases its range.
• Forward aerial:
  • The move has faster startup (frame 12 → 11).
  • It now always launches opponents in the direction Ike is facing, even if hit from behind, improving its reliability for edgeguarding.
  • It now sends opponents at a lower angle (361° → 30°), further improving its edgeguarding use.
  • It has increased ending lag (FAF 55 → 60).
  • The hitboxes have been moved towards the middle of the blade, reducing the move's range and giving it a larger blindspot.
  • It deals less damage (13% → 11.5%) and has altered knockback (30 base/100 scaling → 55/65). This drastically hinders its KO potential, no longer KOing middleweights until around 175% from the center of Final Destination.
  • Its higher base knockback makes it much safer on hit at lower percentages.
  • It autocancels later (frame 36 → 42), thus no longer doing so in a short hop. This hinders Ike's already poor approach.
  • It no longer has an initial auto-cancel window.
• Back aerial:
  • The move now has four smaller hitboxes instead of two large hitboxes, which are moved lower and one of them is now extended, significantly reducing its vertical range.
• Up aerial:
  • Ike has a new up aerial: a wide overhead swing starting from the front, similar to the rest of the Fire Emblem cast, but going inwards rather than outwards, and without a backflip.
    • It has significantly increased range and coverage around Ike, especially horizontally, allowing it to juggle opponents much more effectively.
    • It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 13-29 → 13-18).
• Down aerial:
  • The removal of teching for grounded meteor smashes improves down aerial's combo potential onstage, compounded further by its lower landing lag.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 33 → 37 (standing), 41 → 45 (dash), 39 → 40 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have reduced horizontal range (Z offset: 4u-9.4u → 4u-8.4u (standing), 4u-11.2u → 4u-10u (dash), 4u-15.4u → 4u-14.2u (pivot)).
• Pummel:
  • It deals much less damage (3% → 1.6%).
  • It has faster startup (frame 5 → 1), deals more hitlag (5 frames → 15), and has significantly less ending lag (FAF 23 → 7), shortening its duration and increasing the amount of times Ike can pummel the opponent before throwing them or before they break out.
• Forward throw:
  • It deals more damage (3% → 3.5% (hit 1), 7% → 7.5% (total)).
• Up throw:
  • It deals more damage (3% → 3.5% (hit 1), 7% → 7.5% (total)).
  • It has faster startup (frame 26 (hit 1), 28 (throw) → 18, 20).
    • However, the move's total duration remains the same, increasing its ending lag. Ike's faster jumpsquat also fails to compensate, thus hindering its combo potential.
  • The collateral hitbox has been moved down (Y offset: 21 → 9). This noticeably reduces the throw's vertical range, but makes it much easier to hit bystanders in front of Ike.
• Down throw:
  • It has increased combo potential due to Ike's faster jumpsquat.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (8% → 10%).

Special moves

• Eruption:
  • The move now produces multiple flaming pillars of decreasing sizes as it charges, producing two pillars when at a high level of charge, and three pillars at maximum charge. This greatly improves its range and edgeguarding potential.
  • Much like in Brawl, Ike vocalizes when unleashing a fully charged Eruption.
  • Fully-charged or high charge levels of Eruption cause Special Zoom when it hits.
• Quick Draw:
  • The move has less ending lag both when missed (FAF 57 → 53) and when the attack is triggered (FAF 45 → 35).
  • It has much greater vertical range.
  • Its charge can no longer be held indefinitely, now releasing it after roughly two seconds of being fully charged.
• Aether:
  • The move has faster startup (frame 18 → 15), with faster super armor on the aerial version as well (frame 18 → 15).
  • The grounded version grants much more super armor (frames 18-38 → 5-35), allowing it to tank through opposing attacks more effectively.
  • The move has less landing lag (38 frames → 36).
  • The landing hit has significantly more knockback scaling (80 → 115). This grants it KO potential, now being able to KO middleweights at around 180%.
  • Ragnell can no longer clip through the bottom of stages while using Aether, instead moving along the stages' perimeters, making it less safe against opponents at the ledge.
  • The changes to knockback received during meteor smashes significantly improve Aether's sacrificial KO potential, as Ike is now less likely to be KOed first than his opponent.
• Counter:
  • The move's intangibility is faster (frame 9 → 8).
  • In addition to its full intangibility, it grants intangibility on Ike's head for the entire counter duration.
  • It has a shorter counter duration (frames 8-35 → 8-33).
  • It has more ending lag on both the counter (FAF 59 → 74) and the attack (FAF 35 → 44), making it much riskier to use.
  • It now gives off flaming visuals from Ragnell after Ike performs a successful counterattack.
  • Ike's vocalizations in English during a successful counterattack have been altered. Path of Radiance Ike says "Gotcha!", and Radiant Dawn Ike says "Amateur!"
• Great Aether:
  • The final hit launches at a lower angle (70° → 63°), weakening its KO potential.
  • The sword deals less damage when hitting opponents while flying up for Ike to grab it (10% → 3%), thus reducing the maximum damage of the final smash (60% → 53%).
  • The move is significantly flashier, with a dark blue backdrop alongside flaming visuals. Before the final hit, the victim flashes with blue light, and the landing eruption now appears significantly more cartoony, with fewer smoke effects.

|Pokémon Trainer====Aesthetics===

• The male Pokémon Trainer's model is significantly more detailed than it was in Brawl, having stylized body proportions and sharper, slimmer eyes. Additionally, the Trainer's Poké Balls have been resized to fit in his palm. Both of these changes make his design similar to the style of recent Pokémon titles.
• The Pokémon Trainer has completely new alternate costumes based on protagonists in the Pokémon series. Half of them are based on the female Pokémon Trainer from FireRed and LeafGreen. In addition to distinct voice clips, the majority of her animations are unique.
• The Pokémon Trainer now turns in battle to face the position of the Pokémon.
• The announcer no longer mentions Squirtle, Ivysaur or Charizard on the character selection screen; instead, when selecting a Pokémon manually, a small portrait of Squirtle, Ivysaur or Charizard appears in upper right portion of Pokémon Trainer's portrait.
• Triple Finish has a different text box and animations; the text box is now identical to how they appear in the Generation VII games.
• The Pokémon Trainer now says "All right!" when performing an up taunt and "Yeah!" when performing a down taunt.
• On the results screen, the Pokémon Trainer is shown and announced as the winner of the fight rather than the Pokémon that was in battle.
• The Trainer's face is also used as the stock icon for all three Pokémon, although the Pokémon also have their own stock icons used for other modes.
• The Trainer now claps on the results screen, instead of looking down in disappointment like in Brawl.
• Pokémon Trainer's crowd cheer is now "I choose you!"
• Both genders of the Pokémon Trainer have unique reactions to the situation of their Pokémon, such as when it lands a hit, takes a hit, scores a KO or is KO'd.
• Squirtle, Ivysaur, Charizard, as well as both Trainers now each have an individual Sound Test section, rather than being grouped together.

Attributes

• The Stamina mechanic has been removed, eliminating the need to switch out Pokémon to restore their power.
• Type effectiveness has been removed. This greatly benefits Ivysaur and slightly benefits Charizard, but it also greatly hinders Squirtle.
• Squirtle is now selected as the starting Pokémon by default when the player chooses Pokémon Trainer on the character select screen. This selection can still be changed before starting the match. In Brawl, a random starting Pokémon would be chosen by default if the player did not choose a Pokémon on the character select. If an amiibo of the Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon is used, it will be the default starting Pokémon.

Special moves

• Pokémon Change:
  • Pokémon Change executes much faster, and no longer requires the game to load the next Pokémon with every switch. This significantly increases its safety, and allows it to potentially string into another Pokémon's moves.
  • It can now be used in the air. This allows the player to mix up their recovery between different Pokémon, and to utilize its intangibility frames as an alternative air dodge, with the notable advantage of coming out on frame 1. As a result, it poses much less of a risk than in Brawl as a defensive option.
  • It has a cooldown of around two seconds after the Pokémon switch is executed. However, it can be skipped by using another special move.
  • It no longer resets stale-move negation.
  • It can no longer skip the ending lag of the switch if performed near the edge of a moving platform, although it still grants Ivysaur an extra midair jump.
• Triple Finish:
  • Triple Finish deals less total damage (58% → 44.3%).

|Squirtle====Aesthetics===

• Squirtle's design and proportions have changed. It has slightly larger eyes, which are a darker shade of magenta, and its nostrils and eyelids are less pronounced. It has a rounder head, stubbier arms and legs, and its shell has a sleeker, shinier design. It is more vibrantly colored overall, with its skin being a lighter shade of blue and the top of its shell being a lighter shade of brown, with the bottom being a lighter shade of yellow. Due to these changes, it now matches its appearances in the more recent Pokémon titles.
• Squirtle has received three new alternate costumes.
• Much like other characters, Squirtle always faces the screen regardless of which direction it is facing, making its stance mirrored.
• Squirtle has a more upright stance.
• Squirtle shows much more emotion, with its eyes changing size in certain animations. It appears angry when jabbing, and it looks shocked when attacked.
• Squirtle is proportioned correctly to the Pokémon Trainer in its victory poses.
• Squirtle's side taunt has a different ending animation, where it teeters clumsily after spinning on its tail.
• Squirtle has a new dash animation, which involves it surfing on a small wave of water.
• Squirtle no longer retreats inside its shell when turning while dashing, spot dodging, rolling, and its supine and prone positions when knocked down.
• Squirtle has new crouch and crawl animations: a comical defensive crouch while covering its head with its hands.
• Squirtle now has an individual Sound Test section, rather than being grouped together with the other Pokémon as well as the Trainer.

Attributes

• Squirtle's hurtboxes are smaller, matching its model more closely.
• Like all characters, Squirtle's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Squirtle's run turn no longer grants it a considerable boost forward and on the way back, removing shellshifting and all the advanced movement techniques that utilized it.
• Squirtle walks faster (1.2 → 1.281).
• Squirtle runs significantly faster (1.37 → 1.76), going from 30th fastest of 39 characters to being tied with Mario, Ken and Bayonetta for the 35th fastest of 82 characters. This improves Squirtle's grounded approach and somewhat compensates for the removal of shellshifting.
  • Its initial dash is much faster (1.6 → 1.936).
• Squirtle's air speed is slower (1.081 → 1.01), especially when relative to the cast. It has went from the 7th highest out of 39 characters to the 52nd highest out of 77 characters.
• Squirtle's air acceleration is lower (0.12 → 0.105), although it is still among the highest.
• Squirtle's traction is higher (0.042 → 0.088), going from the 3rd lowest to the 13th lowest.
• Squirtle's falling speed is slightly higher (1.3 → 1.35).
  • Its fast falling speed is slightly higher (2.1 → 2.16) although it is much lower relative to the cast. It has went from the 12th highest out of 39 characters to the 14th lowest out of 79.
• Squirtle's gravity is much higher (0.1067 → 0.128).
• Squirtle's new crouching and crawling animations do not shrink its hurtboxes as much, making it easier to hit during these actions.
• Squirtle's crawling speed is slower.
• The Stamina mechanic has been removed, eliminating the necessity of switching out Pokémon to restore their power.
• Type effectiveness has been removed. This affects Squirtle the most adversely out of the Pokémon Trainer's party, as it previously had a disproportionate resistance to the common flame attacks of the cast. This also reduces the power of Squirtle's water attacks against Charizard.
  • However, this does improve Squirtle's endurance against Ivysaur's grass attacks, and increases the power of its water based attacks against Ivysaur.
• Squirtle's aerial grab release sends it much further out, as the action is no longer affected by gravity. In combination with aerial grab releases incurring significantly less lag (29 frames, as opposed to 50 frames plus 3 frames of landing lag), and the removal of chain grabbing, Squirtle is no longer vulnerable to many inescapable followups out of its aerial grab release (including an infinite chain grab from Zero Suit Samus).
• The changes to grounded grab releases combined with Squirtle's slower and shorter ranged jab have removed Squirtle's ability to get a guaranteed jab on opponents out of a grounded grab release.
• The removal of meteor canceling hinders Squirtle the most adversely out of the Pokémon Trainer's party, as while it doesn't hinder Squirtle's endurance against meteor smashes as much as Ivysaur, Squirtle lacks a meteor smash of its own, so it receives no compensation for the removal of the mechanic unlike Ivysaur.
• Both rolls cover a shorter distance.
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 28).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 4-14).
• Back roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 4-15) and has more ending lag (FAF 30 → 33).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 26 → 24).
• Spot dodge has more startup and grants less intangibility (frames 2-20 → 3-16).
• Air dodge has less startup (frame 4 → 2).
• Air dodge grants less intangibility (frames 4-29 → 2-26) and has much more ending lag (FAF 40 → 54).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Squirtle's full neutral attack has a different animation. The first hit is a punch rather than a slap, the second hit is a jumping kick with one leg rather than a dropkick, and the third hit is an inward tail whip rather than a frontflipping tail slam.
  • Consecutive uses of the first hit are much faster (13 → 6 frames).
  • The first hit transitions faster into the second hit (frame 6 → 5), and its outermost hitbox launches opponents towards Squirtle (361° → 180°), allowing it to connect more reliably from far distances.
  • The third hit has a longer hitbox duration (frame 5 → frames 5-6) and less ending lag (FAF 36 → 32).
  • All hits have smaller hitboxes (4u/3u/3u/3u → 1.5u/1.8u/2.2u/2.2u (hit 1), 4.5u/4u/3.5u → 2.2u/2.5u/2.8u (hit 2), 5u/4u/3u → 3.2u/3.5u/3.8u (hit 3)), and Squirtle no longer lunges as far during the first hit, nor moves forward during the second and third hits, greatly reducing their range.
  • All hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.6× (hit 1), 1.2× (hit 2), 2× (hit 3)), giving opponents more time to DI the last hit; however, it remains harder to SDI than in Brawl due to the weakening of the mechanic.
  • The first two hits deal less damage (3% → 2% (hit 1), 2% → 1.5% (hit 2)), and no longer have set knockback (10 set/100 scaling → 25/20 base/20/15 scaling (hit 1), 15 set/100 scaling → 25 base/25/20 scaling (hit 2)), causing the move to connect less reliably at high percents.
  • The first hit has more startup (frame 1 → 2).
    • However, its total duration remains the same, reducing its ending lag by one frame.
  • The second hit no longer has a 20% bonus trip chance, removing its setup potential.
  • The third hit has less knockback scaling (120 → 110).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt has more base knockback (8 → 20), increasing its safety on hit at low percents.
  • It benefits significantly from the increased shieldstun and the more limited out of shield options, now being safe on shield due to its minimal ending lag.
  • It has more startup with a shorter hitbox duration (frames 4-6 → 5-6).
  • It deals less damage (6% → 5%).
  • It has smaller hitboxes (5u/4u/3u → 2u/2.6u/3.6u).
• Up tilt:
  • The changes to hitstun canceling considerably improve up tilt's combo potential at higher percents where it starts causing tumbling.
  • It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 5-7 → 5-6) and more ending lag (FAF 18 → 20), slightly hindering its combo potential at lower percents.
  • It has smaller hitboxes (6u/8u → 5u/5.2u). This weakens its anti-air capabilities, no longer allows it to hit opponents in the middle platforms of Battlefield, and in combination with the changes to the jostle mechanics, makes it much harder to hit opponents at Squirtle's sides, greatly reducing its overall utility.
  • It launches at a marginally higher angle (86° → 88°).
• Down tilt:
  • Squirtle has a new down tilt: a ground-level leg sweep with a water effect. It hits only once, rather than five times.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 37 → 30).
  • It launches opponents at a lower angle than the previous down tilt's last hit (65° → 38°), granting it edgeguarding potential and allowing it to KO near edges more effectively.
  • It has more startup with a shorter hitbox duration (frames 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 → 8-13).
  • It deals less damage (2% (hits 1-4), 5% (hit 5); 13% total → 9%), with knockback compensated (40 base/130 scaling → 53/75).
  • It has smaller hitboxes (4u/4u/4u (looping hits), 7u/7u (last hit) → 3u/3.6u/2.1u (clean), 3u/3.6u/4.2u (late)).
• Dash attack:
  • Squirtle has a new dash attack: a lunging kick with both feet, similar to Bowser's forward smash, which produces a corkscrew of water.
  • Dash attack has less ending lag (FAF 42 → 36).
  • The clean hit has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 1.45×, which combined with the universally increased shieldstun makes it safer on shield.
  • The late hit deals more knockback (45 base/30 scaling → 70/50). Combined with the move's reduced ending lag and the changes to hitstun canceling, this allows it to start combos from low to mid percents.
  • The move has more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 6-22 → 8-17).
  • Both hits have smaller hitboxes (5u → 4.2u (clean), 4u → 3.5u (late)).
  • The clean hit deals less damage (9% → 8%).
  • It launches opponents away from Squirtle rather than towards it (110° → 65° (clean), 120° → 60° (late)).
• Smash attacks:
  • All of Squirtle's smash attacks uses the drumbeat sound rather than the twittering sound.
• Forward smash:
  • Squirtle has a new forward smash: it lashes a torrent of water in front of itself, instead of doing a tackle in its shell.
  • It has significantly less ending lag (FAF 65 → 50).
  • It deals more damage (14% → 15%), and has more base knockback (18 → 35), greatly improving its KO potential.
  • It no longer moves Squirtle forward, but has gained an additional hitbox (5u/4u → 4.2u/3.6u/3.4u), and its hitboxes have been moved farther away from Squirtle (Z offset: -3u/2u → 7.8u/12u/16u). This gives it a more favorable hitbox placement overall, with a much larger disjoint, and in combination with its reduced ending lag and the increased shieldstun, it is now safe on shield with proper spacing.
  • It has more startup with a shorter hitbox duration (frames 18-21 → 20-21).
  • It no longer grants super armor on frames 17-21, removing its ability to plow through opposing attacks.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash's late hits deal more damage (11%/9%/7%/5% → 12%/10%/9%/8%) and knockback (60/64/60/58 base/90 scaling → 60 base/92 scaling).
  • The removal of DACUS and shellshifting (thus no longer allowing for pump sliding) significantly hinder up smash's approach potential.
  • The clean hit has altered knockback (70 base/87 scaling → 60/92), slightly reducing its KO ability overall.
  • The launcher hit has slightly more knockback scaling (90 → 92).
  • Squirtle points upward to generate the torrents of water, rather than leaping and pounding the ground.
• Down smash:
  • Squirtle has a new down smash: it lashes a torrent of water in a circle around itself.
  • It has significantly less ending lag (FAF 53 → 41).
  • It deals more damage (11% → 13%) with no sourspots. Due to functioning as a sweeping down smash rather than hitting both sides simultaneously, it can also connect both hits at low percents if the opponent is launched backward by the first hit, racking up even more damage (11% → 26%).
  • It has smaller hitboxes (5u/5u/4u/4u → 4.2u/4u/3.8u/3.5u), but they have been moved much farther away from Squirtle (Z offset: 4.5u/-4.5u/11u/-11u → 6u/10.5u/15u/19u), significantly improving its horizontal range. In combination with the move's reduced ending lag and the increased shieldstun, it is now safe on shield with proper spacing.
  • It has more startup with a shorter hitbox duration (frames 17-29 → 18-19 (hit 1), 24-25 (hit 2)).
  • It deals less knockback compared to the previous sweetspot (21 base/102/85 scaling → 50 base/74 scaling), slightly hindering its KO potential despite its higher damage.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials except back aerial have less landing lag (12 frames → 8 (neutral), 12 → 6 (forward), 21 → 6 (up), 19 → 16 (down)). In combination with the higher shieldstun for aerials compared to Brawl, this makes them much safer on shield.
• Neutral aerial:
  • Squirtle has a new neutral aerial: a midair cartwheel.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 49 → 42).
  • It deals more damage (9% → 10% (clean), 6% → 7% (late)).
  • It has larger hitboxes (5u → 6.5u (clean), 3.5u → 5.5u (late)), improving its utility for approaching.
  • It auto-cancels one frame earlier (frame 36 → 35).
  • The late hit has altered knockback (15 base/100 scaling → 35/90), increasing its combo potential in combination with the move's reduced landing lag and the changes to hitstun canceling.
  • It launches at a different angle (361° → 42°), removing its ability to lock opponents.
  • It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 4-7 (clean)/8-32 (late) → 4-6/7-26).
  • The clean hit has more base knockback, but less knockback scaling (20 base/100 scaling → 30/85), slightly reducing its KO potential despite its increased damage.
• Forward aerial:
  • The clean hit deals much less damage (12% → 7%), with knockback not fully compensated (30 base/94 scaling → 50/96). This drastically reduces its power, no longer KOing middleweights under 160% from the center of Final Destination.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 38 → 36), and launches opponents at a higher angle (45° → 48°). The late hit also deals more knockback (30 base/90 scaling → 50/94). Combined with the aforementioned changes, its reduced landing lag, and the changes to hitstun canceling, this significantly improves its combo potential.
  • It auto-cancels later (frame 28 → 35).
  • It has smaller hitboxes (6.5u/5.5u → 4u/3.5u (clean), 4.5u/3.5u → 3.5u/3.5u (late)).
  • The kick now produces a corkscrew of water.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial is now a multi-hit move, and has Squirtle spin in a horizontal corkscrew while stretching out its tail, similar to Pikachu's back aerial.
  • It deals more damage (10% (clean), 6% (late) → 1% (hits 1-5), 6% (hit 6); 11% total), and has gained a landing hitbox that deals 2%, making it more effective for shield stabbing.
  • It has a longer hitbox duration (frames 5-6 (clean)/7-14 (late) → 5-14 (looping hits)/15-16 (last hit)).
  • It auto-cancels earlier (frame 28 → 22). In combination with its multi-hit property and the changes to hitstun canceling, this improves its combo potential.
  • It has slightly more ending lag (FAF 35 → 36), and twice as much landing lag (9 frames → 18).
  • Due to the last hit's lower damage than the previous back aerial's clean hit, it has reduced KO potential, despite its much higher base knockback and only minimally reduced knockback scaling (20 base/97 scaling → 55/95).
  • It launches at a different angle (361° → 38°/65° (looping hits), 40° (last hit)), removing its ability to lock opponents.
  • It has altered hitbox sizes, with the looping hits' being similar to the previous late hit's (4.3u/3.3u → 4.2u/4.2u), and the last hit's being similar to the previous clean hit's (6.5u/5.5u → 5.8u/6u).
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial deals less damage (11% → 7%) with knockback not fully compensated (30 base/94 scaling → 40/115), and launches at a lower angle (80° → 64°) that is now vulnerable to LSI, drastically hindering its KO potential.
  • It has less startup with a longer hitbox duration (frames 6-7 → 5-9).
  • The changes to hitstun canceling combined with move's reduced knockback and landing lag significantly improve its combo potential, allowing Squirtle to perform up aerial ladders into Waterfall, much like Mario.
  • It has more ending lag (FAF 25 → 30) and auto-cancels later (frame 18 → 20).
  • It has much smaller hitboxes (6.7u/6.7u → 3.6u/3.4u/3.2u).
    • However, the hitboxes are now attached to Squirtle's tail. Combined with the longer hitbox duration, this gives up aerial more range in front and behind of Squirtle.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has less ending lag (FAF 51 → 45).
  • It auto-cancels earlier (frame 45 → 35), enabling it to do so in a short hop. Combined with its reduced ending lag and the changes to hitstun canceling, this turns it into a viable combo starter and extender from low to mid percents.
  • The looping hits deal more damage (1% → 1.5%), increasing the move's total output (10% → 11.5%) despite the last hit dealing less damage (5% → 4%).
  • The looping hits are consistently active throughout and use a rehit rate, instead of possessing gaps between each hit (frames 6-7, 9-10, 12-13, 15-16, 18-19 → 6-20; rehit rate: 3).
  • The looping hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.8×), allowing them to transition faster, and making them harder to escape in combination with the weakening of SDI.
  • The last hit has less startup (frame 23 → 22).
  • The move has smaller hitboxes, especially the last hit (6u/6u → 4.2u/4.4u/4.6u (loop hits), 9u/9u → 5.5u/6u (last hit)).
  • The last hit has a higher SDI multiplier (0.2× → 1×).
  • The looping hits launch opponents more towards Squirtle (94° → 98°), allowing them to connect better from far distances, but making them more likely to drag targets to the opposite side of Squirtle at close range.
  • The last hit deals less knockback (70 base/105 scaling → 50/85). Coupled with its reduced damage, this weakens its utility for edgeguarding and removes its KO potential, but further aids in its combo potential.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • Squirtle's grabs have new animations. Instead of performing a pouncing clinch grab, it reaches out with one arm. Additionally, its dash grab no longer has it retreat into its shell upon missing.
  • All grabs have smaller hitboxes (4.5u/3.5u → 3.3u/1.65u (standing, pivot), 2.6u/1.3u (dash)).
  • Standing and pivot grab have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 35 (standing), 36 → 38 (pivot)).
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (4 frames → 11), but has less startup (frame 2 → 1) and much less ending lag (FAF 16 → 6), shortening its effective duration.
  • It deals less damage (2% → 1%).
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw deals less damage (7% → 6% (throw); 9% total → 8%).
  • It has more knockback scaling (75 → 92), improving its edgeguarding and KO potential despite its reduced damage.
  • It has less startup (frame 13 (hit 1), 14 (throw) → 11, 12), but more ending lag (FAF 32 → 35), and the hit before the throw has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.5×), making it easier to DI.
  • It launches at a slightly higher angle (45° → 48°).
• Back throw:
  • Squirtle has a new back throw: it lifts the opponent over its head and throws them backward, similar to Dr. Mario's new back throw.
  • It deals more damage on release (5% → 8%) and knockback (60 base/100 scaling → 30/128), significantly improving its KO potential to the point it is one of the strongest back throws in the game, despite launching at a higher angle (140° → 48°).
  • It releases the opponent later (frame 16 → 27), making it easier to DI.
    • However, its total duration was not fully compensated (FAF 36 → 45), reducing its ending lag by two frames.
  • It deals less total damage (5% (hit 1), 5% (throw); 10% total → 8%), and has lost its first hit before the throw, removing its ability to hit bystanders.
• Up throw:
  • Squirtle has a new up throw: it performs a leaping headbutt, instead of tackling the opponent upward with its shell.
  • The changes to hitstun canceling turn it into a reliable combo starter from low to mid percents.
  • It deals less damage (9% → 5% (throw); 11% total → 7%) and knockback (70 base/72 scaling → 80/65), removing its KO potential at very high percents, but further improving its combo ability.
• Down throw:
  • Like up throw, the changes to hitstun canceling turn down throw into a reliable combo starter.
  • It has much more startup (frame 8 (hit 1), 11 (throw) → 22, 30), with its total duration increased as well (FAF 28 → 47), and the hit before the throw has a higher hitlag multiplier (0.5× → 1.5×), making it significantly easier to DI.
  • It deals less knockback (80 base/140 scaling → 45/110), and launches at a higher angle (55° → 68°). This significantly weakens its KO potential, no longer being one of the strongest down throws in the game, but further aids in its combo ability, giving it guaranteed followups even up to high percents.
• Floor attacks:
  • Floor attacks have less ending lag (FAF 50 → 46).
  • They deal more damage (6% → 7%) and shield damage (1 → 8) per hit, with minimally compensated knockback scaling (50 → 48).
  • They have more startup lag (frame 12 (front), frame 15 (back) → 19 (both)).
  • Their angles have been altered (361° → 48°).
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack has more intangibility (frames 1-26 → 1-30).
  • It deals more damage (8%/6% → 9%), and no longer uses set knockback (110 set/100 scaling → 90 base/20 scaling), making it stronger at higher percents.
  • It has less range (5u/5u/5u → 4.5u).

Special moves

• Water Gun:
  • Water Gun reaches its full charge faster (frame 80 → 65).
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 71 → 64).
  • It has significantly more set knockback (9 → 45), allowing it to push opponents much farther. In combination with its reduced ending lag, this improves its utility for zoning and stage control.
  • Like other charge-cancelable moves, it can be canceled by jumping or spot dodging.
  • The water pumps have slightly larger hitboxes (2.5u → 2.8u).
  • The uncharged version no longer generates a damaging close-range hitbox, instead acting like other charge levels.
  • Squirtle only shoots six water pumps instead of eleven, effectively shortening the move's duration.
  • Squirtle is pushed back a much shorter distance upon using the move.
• Withdraw:
  • Withdraw deals much more damage (3%-7% → 8%-13.9%) and knockback (50 base/50 scaling → 75/60), and launches at a lower angle (80° → 45°), granting it KO potential at very high percents.
  • It travels much faster on the ground.
  • It can be canceled earlier (frame 60 → 42).
  • It has more startup (frame 20 → 23), and canceling it incurs more lag (FAF 33 → 35).
  • The move is canceled automatically after around a full second since its initiation, no longer covering the full length of Final Destination. Combined with the move's increased lag upon cancelation, this makes it easier to punish from long distances.
  • Squirtle bounces back into an animation with 26 frames of lag upon hitting an opponent with the move, rather than continuing its execution. This decreases its utility in battles with multiple opponents, but increases its safety against a single opponent.
• Waterfall:
  • Waterfall has less startup (frame 10 → 9).
  • The looping hits use the autolink angle (60°/70° → 367°) with consistent set knockback (60/30 → 40), allowing them to connect much more reliably.
  • It has a consistent hitlag multiplier (1×/0× → 0.7×), and the looping hits have a lower SDI multipler (2× → 1×). Combined with the weakening of SDI, this makes it significantly harder to escape from.
  • The looping hits are consistently active throughout and use a rehit rate, instead of possessing gaps between each hit, and have a longer duration (frames 10-11, 13-14, 16-17, 19-20, 22-23, 25-26, 28-29, 31-32, 34-35 → 9-41; rehit rate: 5).
  • The last hit deals more knockback (50 base/130 scaling → 70/152), allowing it to KO more reliably near the upper blast line.
  • The move hits eight times, down from ten, and the first three hits deal less damage (2% → 1.4%). This reduces its total damage output (15% → 12.8%), despite the fourth to seventh hits dealing more damage (1% → 1.4%).
  • It has smaller hitboxes (5u/12u → 9u (looping hits), 13u → 10u (last hit)) that are not placed as far horizontally (Z offset: 13u → 9u), greatly reducing its range.
  • The move has softer, more realistic water sound effects.
• Pokémon Change:
  • Pokémon Change executes much faster, and no longer requires the game to load the next Pokémon with every switch. This significantly increases its safety, and allows it to potentially string into another Pokémon's moves.
  • It can now be used in the air. This allows the player to mix up their recovery between different Pokémon, and to utilize its intangibility frames as an alternative air dodge, with the notable advantage of coming out on frame 1. As a result, it poses much less of a risk than in Brawl as a defensive option.
  • It has a cooldown of around two seconds after the Pokémon switch is executed. However, it can be skipped by using another special move.
  • It no longer resets stale-move negation, effectively weakening Ivysaur when Squirtle switches.
  • It can no longer skip the ending lag of the switch if performed near the edge of a moving platform, although it still grants Ivysaur an extra midair jump.
• Triple Finish:
  • Triple Finish deals less total damage (58% → 44.3%).
  • It has a different text box, more closely resembling its appearance in the Generation VII games.

|Ivysaur====Aesthetics===

• Ivysaur's design and proportions have changed. Its flower bud now has multiple layers of petals and a smoother texture. Its pupils and ears are slightly larger, and its toes are much less pronounced. Its patches have also been re-positioned. It is more vibrantly colored overall, with its skin being a lighter shade of blue and its flower bud being a lighter shade of pink with its leaves being a lighter shade of green. In addition, Ivysaur's teeth and toes are white instead of beige. Due to these changes, it now matches match its appearance in more recent Pokémon games.
• Ivysaur has received three new alternate costumes.
• Ivysaur is much more expressive than it was in Brawl It smiles when taunting, has an determined smirk when selected by the Trainer, and scowls during multiple attacks, grabbing an opponent, or shielding.
• Ivysaur always faces the screen regardless of which direction it turns, causing all of its animations to be mirrored.
• Ivysaur has a new air dodge animation, where it no longer twirls horizontally.
• Opponents now grab Ivysaur by its body, instead of its flower bud.
• The grass type and effect of Ivysaur's moves have been removed and replaced with weapon or typeless and normal effects.
• Ivysaur has a new victory animation, where it performs Vine Whip in front of itself a couple of times. This replaces the victory pose where it walks in place a few times.
• The victory pose where Ivysaur backflips now has it land upright, as opposed to landing on its belly.
• Ivysaur now has an individual Sound Test section, rather than being grouped together with the other Pokémon as well as the Trainer.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Ivysaur's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Ivysaur walks faster (1.05 → 1.1103).
• Ivysaur runs faster (1.5 → 1.595). However, it is slower relative to the rest of the cast, going from average (17th fastest out of 39 characters) to below-average (59th fastest out of 82 characters).
  • Its initial dash is much faster (1.4 → 1.903).
• Ivysaur's air speed is much faster (0.752 → 0.998), going from the 3rd slowest in Brawl to the 58th fastest out of 81 characters in Ultimate.
• Ivysaur's crawling speed is slower.
• Ivysaur's traction is much higher (0.0532 → 0.121), allowing it to punish more easily out of shield.
• Ivysaur's fall speed is slightly higher (1.35 → 1.38).
  • Its fast falling speed is significantly higher (1.89 → 2.208), leaving it much less vulnerable to juggling.
• Ivysaur's gravity is higher (0.07 → 0.082).
• Ivysaur is lighter (100 → 96). Combined with the removal of momentum canceling, this reduces its survivability.
• The Stamina mechanic has been removed, eliminating the necessity of switching out Pokémon to restore their power.
• The removal of type effectiveness benefits Ivysaur significantly more than the rest of the Pokémon Trainer's party, as it previously had a disproportionate weakness to the common flame attacks of the cast. This also increases the power of its grass attacks against Charizard.
  • However, this also hinders Ivysaur's endurance against water based attacks (which are slightly more prevalent than in Brawl), and reduces the power of its grass attacks against Squirtle.
• The removal of edgehogging improves Ivysaur's tether-dependent recovery.
• The removal of meteor canceling both helps and hinders Ivysaur. While it improves the reliability of its buffed down aerial, it also leaves Ivysaur significantly more vulnerable to meteor smashes, as it had one of the most lenient meteor cancel windows in Brawl.
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 33 → 31).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 33 → 36).
• Spot dodge has more startup with less intangibility (frames 2-20 → 3-16), and more ending lag (FAF 26 → 27).
• Air dodge has less startup and grants more intangibility (frames 4-29 → 3-29).
• Air dodge has much more ending lag (FAF 40 → 57).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit transitions into the second hit faster (frame 13 → 10 (hit), 16 → 13 (no hit)), which transitions into the neutral infinite faster (frame 15 → 8).
  • The first two hits have altered angles to keep opponents close to Ivysaur (30° (hit 1), 85° (hit 2) → 361°/180°), and the second hit has altered knockback (10 base/50 scaling → 25/20 base/25/20/15 scaling), allowing them to lock opponents and connect more reliably.
  • The second hit has less startup (frame 7 → 5), and can be used without triggering the neutral infinite. If it misses, it can also loop back into the first hit on frame 20 if the button is held, instead of transitioning into the infinite.
  • The infinite has a new animation: Ivysaur swings both vines much faster in front of itself, instead of alternatingly slamming them down at a moderate pace.
  • The infinite has less startup (frame 6 → 4), a much shorter gap between hits (10 frames → 3), a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5×) and SDI multiplier (1× → 0.4×), keeps opponents on the ground (30° → 361°), and deals less knockback (20 base/20/0 scaling → 7/30). Combined with the weakening of SDI, this allows it to connect much more reliably. Additionally, like all neutral infinites since Smash 4, it has gained a finisher in the form of a double vine slap, making it significantly safer.
  • The first two hits have smaller hitboxes (3u/4u/4u/3u → 2.3u/2.3u/2.3u/2.8u (hit 1), 3u/3u/3u/3u (hit 2)).
  • The first two hits have a shorter hitbox duration (frames 7-9 → 7-8 (hit 1), 5-6 (hit 2)).
  • The first hit and the infinite deal less damage (3% → 2% (hit 1), 2%/1% → 0.5% (infinite)).
  • The first hit no longer uses set knockback (8 set/100 scaling → 25/20 base/25/20/15 scaling), causing it to connect less reliably at high percents.
  • The first hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.3×); however, it remains harder to SDI than in Brawl due to the weakening of the mechanic.
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt's looping hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.7×) and SDI multiplier (1.2× → 1×). Combined with the weakening of SDI, this allows them to connect more reliably.
  • The looping hits are placed farther horizontally (Z offset: 11u/5.3u/0u/15u → 11.5u/6u/1u/16u), increasing their range.
  • The last hit deals more knockback (40/30/20 base/100 scaling → 55/136).
  • Due to the changes to the jostle mechanics, Ivysaur can no longer cross-up opponents at point blank range and cause them to fall out of the move.
  • It has more startup (frame 6 → 10), with its total duration increased as well (FAF 42 → 46).
  • The last hit has a much higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 2.1×), making it easier to DI.
  • The looping hits deal consistent damage (2%/1% → 1.5%; 14%-8% total → 11%).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less startup (frame 9 → 7), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 35 → 33).
  • Due to the changes to the jostle mechanics, it is harder to connect against grounded opponents.
  • It has more base knockback (50/60 → 85), but much less knockback scaling (100/90 → 61), removing its KO potential at very high percents.
  • It has an altered animation, with Ivysaur looking more towards the screen and no longer performing a frontflip.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt hits once instead of twice.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 38 → 32).
  • It keeps the angle of the previous first hit rather than the second hit's (361° → 30°), increasing its effectiveness for gimping and setting up edgeguards.
  • It deals less damage (2% (hit 1), 5% (hit 2) → 5.5%) and knockback (60 base/100 scaling → 50/65).
  • It has a longer duration than the previous first hit, but still a shorter overall duration due to the removal of the second hit (frames 4-5, 9-10 → 4-6).
• Dash attack:
  • The hitbox is placed farther horizontally (Z offset: 3u → 5.6u/6.4u/6.2u/6u/5.5u (clean), 1u → 3.6u/2.8u/2.5u/1.5u (late)), increasing its range.
  • The clean hit has less knockback scaling (70 → 57), greatly hindering its KO potential, despite launching at a slightly higher angle (70° → 74°).
  • The late hit launches at a slightly higher angle (70° → 73°).
  • It has an altered animation, with Ivysaur performing a tackle rather than a headbutt.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has a longer duration (frames 15-18 → 15-20), although with a late hit during the last two frames that deals less damage (16% → 14%) and has smaller hitboxes (6u/5u → 5u/4u).
  • The clean hit deals less knockback (20 base/99 scaling → 45/78), and can no longer lock or trip opponents at lower percents due to its higher base knockback.
  • It starts charging earlier (frame 14 → 10), no longer having immediate startup when released.
  • The sweetspot launches at a slightly higher angle when angled up (361° → 44°).
• Up smash:
  • The topmost hitbox is larger (11u → 13u) and placed farther vertically (Y offset: 15u → 17u), increasing its already impressive range.
  • It deals much less knockback (80 base/90 scaling → 78/78), no longer being the strongest in the game.
  • It no longer grants intangibility to the bottom of Ivysaur's bulb while the hitboxes are out.
  • It has an altered animation, with Ivysaur raising its front legs before unleashing the spores.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has less startup (frame 16 → 13) and ending lag (FAF 54 → 46).
  • All hitboxes except the innermost one deal more damage (8% → 8%/10%/12%), giving the move a ranged middlespot and sweetspot.
  • The middlespot and sweetspot launch at lower angles (361° → 34°/30°) and deal more knockback (40 base/80 scaling → 45/50 base/84/77 scaling). Combined with their increased damage, this significantly improves the move's KO potential, no longer being the weakest down smash in the game.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials except neutral aerial have less landing lag (28 frames → 13 (forward), 10 → 7 (back), 22 → 11 (up), 28 → 13 (down)). In combination with the higher shieldstun for aerials compared to Brawl, this makes them much safer on shield.
• Neutral aerial:
  • Ivysaur has a new neutral aerial: it points its bud towards the screen and spins its leaves. It hits eight times, up from seven.
  • The looping hits are consistently active throughout and use a faster rehit rate, instead of possessing gaps between each hit (frames 4-5, 8-9, 12-13, 16-17, 20-21, 24-25 → 7-26; rehit rate: 3). They also have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.7×), and aside from the innermost hitbox, they use the autolink angle (90°/270° → 361°/367°). In combination with the weakening of SDI, this allows them to connect much more reliably, despite having a higher SDI multiplier (0.2× → 1.2×).
  • The hitboxes are spread better around Ivysaur, more disjointed due to the new animation, and larger for the last hit (3u/6u/6u → 6.5u/6.5u/6.5u/6.5u), improving the move's range and coverage, despite the looping hits' smaller hitboxes overall (3u/6u/6u → 4.5u/4.5u/4.5u/4.5u).
  • The last hit has altered knockback (10 base/220 scaling → 30/200), increasing its safety on hit at low percents. In combination with the changes to hitstun canceling, this also allows it to combo into a forward or back aerial from low to mid percents if Ivysaur does not land during it.
  • It deals much less damage (2% (hits 1-7) → 1% (hits 1-7), 2% (hit 8); 14% total → 9%).
  • It has more startup (frame 4 → 7) and landing lag (11 frames → 16).
  • It auto-cancels later (frame 35 → 41), no longer doing so in a short hop.
  • The last hit launches at a different angle (361° → 43°), removing its ability to lock opponents.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial deals consistent damage (12%/10% → 12%).
  • One of its hitboxes launches at a higher angle (80°/70°/60°/60° → 80°/70°/70°/60°), improving its consistency for KOing.
  • The changes to hitstun canceling coupled with its reduced landing lag allow it to start combos from low to mid percents.
  • It deals less knockback (35 base/103 scaling → 51/46/45 base/76/81/90 scaling), hindering its KO potential.
  • It has smaller hitboxes (4u/4u/4u/2.5u → 3.6u/3.2u/3u/2u), slightly reducing its range despite the hitboxes being placed a bit farther horizontally (Z offset: 3.7u/3u/2.8u/2.8u → X offset: 0u/2u/3.8u/4u).
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial deals much more damage (2% → 3% (hit 1), 3%/2% → 6% (hit 2); 5%/4% total → 9%), no longer being the least damaging back aerial in the game. The second hit's knockback was not fully compensated (10 base/160/170 scaling → 25 base/118 scaling), improving its utility for edgeguarding.
  • The first hit has more startup (frame 4 → 7).
    • However, the second hit's startup remains unchanged, thus reducing the gap between both hits. This allows the move to connect more reliably, despite the first hit's increased knockback (20 base/20 scaling → 30/27).
  • It can no longer auto-cancel in a short hop due to Ivysaur's higher gravity and faster falling speed.
  • It has higher hitlag multipliers (0.5× → 0.8× (hit 1), 1× → 1.2× (hit 2)), making it easier to DI.
  • Ivysaur does not extend its vines as far, reducing the move's range despite having slightly larger hitboxes (3u/4u/4u/2.5u → 4.2u/3.8u/3.4u/3u (hit 1), 4u/4u/4u/3u → 4.8u/4.4u/4u/3u (hit 2)).
  • The first hit launches at a slightly lower angle (80° → 76°).
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial no longer causes Ivysaur to fast fall, instead just giving it a moderate amount of downwards momentum, making it less risky to use offstage. Ivysaur can still fast fall manually when using up aerial, allowing it to mix up its positioning when using the move.
  • The hitboxes are placed higher (Y offset: 14u/9u → 20u/20u), improving its vertical range.
  • The changes to hitstun canceling coupled with its reduced landing lag allow it to start combos from low to mid percents.
  • It deals less damage (16% → 15%), and has altered knockback (32 base/97 scaling → 64/72). While this further aids in the move's combo potential at lower percents, it most significantly hinders its KO potential, despite launching at a higher angle (83° → 90°).
  • It no longer grants intangibility to the bottom of Ivysaur's bulb while the hitboxes are out.
  • The second hitbox is much larger (6u → 13u), matching the first hitbox, but due to its altered Y offset, both hitboxes now occupy the same space, the only difference being that the first one only affects grounded opponents and the second one only affects aerial opponents.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial's sweetspot deals more damage (8% → 10%), dealing as much as the sourspot.
  • The sweetspot deals more knockback (20 base/80 scaling → 27/80 (grounded), 9/98 (aerial)).
  • The sweetspot is larger (2.2u → 4u) and placed lower (-9u → -13.5u), improving its range.
  • The sourspot meteor smashes opponents like the sweetspot (50° → 270°). This allows the move to lock opponents more reliably, and combined with the removal of meteor canceling, significantly improves its effectiveness for edgeguarding.
  • It halts Ivysaur's horizontal momentum for a significantly shorter time.
  • The changes to hitstun canceling coupled with its reduced landing lag allow it to start combos onstage even up to high percents.
  • The sourspot deals much less knockback (32 base/92 scaling → 17/62 (grounded), 8/62 (aerial)), significantly hindering its KO potential onstage.
  • The move gives Ivysaur a weaker vertical boost (0.8 → 0.3). Combined with Ivysaur's higher gravity and faster falling speed, this allows it to land faster after using the move, but makes it riskier to use offstage.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • Standing and pivot grab have larger hitboxes against grounded opponents (3u → 3.3u).
  • Standing grab has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 43).
  • Dash grab has smaller hitboxes against grounded opponents (3u → 2.6u), and all grabs have smaller hitboxes against aerial opponents (3u → 1.65u (standing, pivot), 1.3 (dash)).
  • Pivot grab has more ending lag (FAF 36 → 45).
• Pummel:
  • Ivysaur has a new pummel: it headbutts the opponent, rather than squeezing them with its vines.
  • It deals more hitlag (5 frames → 14), but has less startup (frame 6 → 1) and much less ending lag (FAF 25 → 7), shortening its effective duration.
  • It deals much less damage (3% → 1.3%).
• The speed of Ivysaur's throws is no longer weight-dependent.
• Forward throw:
  • Ivysaur has a new forward throw: it tackles the opponent away, rather than tossing them with its vines.
  • It has gained a hitbox before the throw, allowing it to hit bystanders.
  • It deals more damage (8% → 5% (hit 1 and throw); 10% total).
  • It releases opponents later (frame 16 → 17) and has more ending lag (FAF 34 → 38).
  • The throw's knockback was not fully compensated for its reduced individual damage output (60 base/55 scaling → 80/60).
• Back throw:
  • Back throw deals more damage (10% → 12%) with no compensation on knockback. This greatly improves its KO potential, allowing it to KO at around 130% near the edge.
  • It releases opponents later (frame 18 → 20), with its total duration increased as well (FAF 34 → 36), making it easier to DI.
  • Ivysaur no longer spins around once before the throw, but it has a more pronounced animation.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw has a different animation, where Ivysaur jumps and bumps the opponent upward with its bud.
  • It has gained a hitbox before the throw, allowing it to hit bystanders.
  • It releases opponents later (frame 13 → 21) and has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 40).
  • The changes to hitstun canceling and Ivysaur's faster jumpsquat allow up throw to combo into a neutral or up aerial from low to mid percents, and Vine Whip even up to high percents, despite its increased ending lag.
  • It deals less damage (10% → 4% (hit 1), 5% (throw); 9% total), with knockback not fully compensated on the throw (70 base/72 scaling → 75/95). This greatly hinders its KO potential, no longer KOing at around 170% from ground level.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw deals less damage (10% → 7%).
  • It has altered knockback (83 base/50 scaling → 44/122). Combined with its lower damage and Ivysaur's faster jumpsquat, this turns it into an excellent combo starter until up to high percents, even gaining a KO setup into Vine Whip's sweetspot near the edge, while also granting it KO potential at very high percents.
• Floor attacks:
  • Floor attacks deal more damage (6% → 7%) and shield damage (1 → 8) per hit, with minimally compensated knockback scaling (50 → 48).
  • Their angles have been altered (361° → 48°).
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack less startup (frame 24 → 21) and one more frame of intangibility (frames 1-22 → 1-23).
  • It deals more damage (8%/6% → 9%), and no longer uses set knockback (110 set/100 scaling → 90 base/20 scaling), making it stronger at higher percents.
  • It has less range (6u/6u/6u → 5u).

Special moves

• Bullet Seed:
  • Bullet Seed has less ending lag (FAF 86 → 80).
  • It fires a finishing seed when ended, which deals more damage (2% (clean), 1% (late) → 3%) with much more knockback (10 base/40 scaling → 100/46). Coupled with its reduced ending lag, this makes it less punishable.
  • The seeds have altered knockback (10 base/40 scaling → 15/30) and launch at slightly higher angles (86°/80° → 90°/88°), allowing them to connect more reliably at higher percents.
  • The seeds' late hits deal more damage (1% → 1.3%).
  • It has more startup lag (frame 4 → 7).
  • It no longer grants Ivysaur full intangibility on frames 1-3.
  • It has a significantly shorter maximum duration, with Ivysaur firing a much smaller amount of seeds (35 → 11), lasting only around one second instead of four.
  • The first hit and the seeds' clean hits deal less damage (4% → 3% (hit 1), 2% → 1.5% (clean seed)). Combined with the move's much shorter maximum duration, this significantly reduces its maximum damage (74% → 21%).
  • The seeds have smaller hitboxes (6.2u → 4.5u (clean), 5u → 3.5u (late)).
  • The seeds have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5× (near), 0.8× (far)), but a a higher SDI multiplier (0.1× (near), 0.28× (far) → 0.5×).
  • The finishing seed launches at a lower angle (86°/80° → 70°).
• Razor Leaf:
  • Razor Leaf has less ending lag on the ground (FAF 51 → 49).
  • Its random trajectory has been made significantly less variable, improving its consistency.
  • It deals more knockback (30/18/5 base/50/50/30 scaling → 54/38/30 base/50/40/32 scaling), allowing it to keep opponents away more effectively.
  • The universal increase to hitlag in Ultimate benefits Razor Leaf, as it uses the average hitlag multiplier of 1× unlike most other projectiles, increasing its advantage on hit.
  • It has more startup (frame 22 → 24).
  • It has more ending lag in the air (FAF 46 → 49).
  • It has received negative shield damage (0 → -4/-3/-2), effectively dealing half its usual damage to shields.
  • The mid and late hits have altered angles (70°/30° → 55°/40°).
• Vine Whip:
  • Vine Whip no longer causes helplessness in the air, allowing Ivysaur to use it much more safely offensively, and to reattempt a failed recovery by using the move again or a directional air dodge.
  • It can be angled upward and forward, increasing its versatility and making the sweetspot easier to land.
  • The grounded version's sourspots deal more and consistent damage (7%/8%/9%/10% → 11%), matching the aerial version.
  • It has less startup (frame 22 (grounded), 21 (aerial) → 15). In combination with its new ability to be angled, and the changes to hitstun canceling, this greatly improves its utility as a combo finisher.
  • It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 22-24 (grounded), 21-25 (aerial) → 15-17), and its total duration was not compensated for its faster startup, increasing its ending lag.
  • The aerial version's sweetspot has less base knockback (80 → 70), no longer being stronger than the grounded version.
• Pokémon Change:
  • Pokémon Change executes much faster, and no longer requires the game to load the next Pokémon with every switch. This significantly increases its safety, and allows it to potentially string into another Pokémon's moves.
  • It can now be used in the air. This allows the player to mix up their recovery between different Pokémon, and to utilize its intangibility frames as an alternative air dodge, with the notable advantage of coming out on frame 1. As a result, it poses much less of a risk than in Brawl as a defensive option.
  • It has a cooldown of around two seconds after the Pokémon switch is executed. However, it can be skipped by using another special move.
  • It no longer resets stale-move negation, effectively weakening Charizard when Ivysaur switches.
  • It can no longer skip the ending lag of the switch if performed near the edge of a moving platform, although it still grants Ivysaur an extra midair jump.
• Triple Finish:
  • Triple Finish deals less total damage (58% → 44.3%).
  • It has a different text box, more closely resembling its appearance in the Generation VII games.

|Charizard====Aesthetics===

• Charizard's model features a more subdued color scheme, more closely resembling its appearance in recent mainline Pokémon games. Its legs and arms are more prominently muscular, and the flame on its tail is also more vibrant.
• During normal matches, Charizard uses the Pokémon Trainer's stock icon and name call instead of having its own. However, its own stock icon is seen in the Spirits mode, as both a playable character and an enemy.
• Charizard moves in a wave-like motion during its dash animation, similar to Lugia on the title screen for Pokémon SoulSilver. [1]
• Charizard now hangs onto the ledge with one hand instead of two.
• Charizard has two new taunts: one where it stands upright for its up taunt, similar to Ridley's down taunt, and another where it does a quick aerial flip and roars during its side taunt. Its former up taunt is now its down taunt.
• While maintaining its Flare Blitz victory pose from Smash 4, Charizard regains its victory pose from Brawl where the Pokémon Trainer pets its neck, replacing the roaring victory pose from Smash 4.

Attributes

• Charizard is once again a part of Pokémon Trainer, allowing it to switch to Squirtle and Ivysaur.
• Like all characters, Charizard's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 7).
• Charizard walks slightly slower (1.2 → 1.187).
• Charizard's initial dash speed is exponentially higher (1 → 2.28), going from the slowest in the game to the 4th fastest.
• Charizard runs faster (2 → 2.2).
• Charizard's air speed is much faster (0.92 → 1.103).
• Charizard has significantly higher traction (0.04 → 0.11), no longer being tied with Mewtwo for the second lowest in the game. This allows it to punish out of shield much more easily.
• Charizard moves its head to a less vulnerable position during forward air, down smash, standing grab, and when hanging on the ledge.
• Charizard's midair jumps' animations have been changed so that they are more distinguishable from each other.
• Charizard's second midair jump now gives as much height as its first, improving its air game and recovery.
• Charizard's falling speed and fast falling speed are much faster (1.4 → 1.52) and (2.24 → 2.432) respectively. This makes it more prone to combos, but improves its tomahawk and overall neutral game.
• Charizard once again possesses hurtboxes on its wings like in Brawl, making it easier to hit from above.
• Charizard takes small amounts of damage while swimming. It shares this attribute with Sonic, Inkling, and Incineroar.
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-18 → 4-16).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-18 → 5-17), and more ending lag (FAF 33 → 38).
• Spot dodge has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 29).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 34 → 50).
• Air dodge has a different animation.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit transitions into the second hit faster (frame 10 → 7), which transitions into the third hit faster (frame 10 → 8), allowing the whole move to connect more smoothly.
  • The first and second hits deal less damage (3% → 2.5% (hit 1), 4% → 2.5% (hit 2)).
  • The final hit has fewer hitboxes, and the remaining hitboxes are smaller (6.5u/5.5u/5u/4u → 5u/4u/4u), reducing its range.
  • The first and second hits have altered angles and knockback to keep opponents close to Charizard, like other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect and jab lock more consistently, but removes their jab cancel setups against grounded opponents.
  • Charizard rears back in a more pronounced fashion during the ending lag of neutral attack's last hit.
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt contains a new sweetspot hitbox on frame 12 that is centered in front of Charizard's tail, with the original sweetspot remaining intact. This makes the sweetspot larger and prohibits issues with the z-axis.
  • Forward tilt has less ending lag (FAF 43 → 38).
  • It has more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 11-13 → 12-13).
  • The sweetspot deals more knockback (40 base/100 scaling → 45/104).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has an altered animation, with Charizard jumping higher and its wings spreading out more to its sides.
  • In addition to the hitbox above Charizard, it possesses hitboxes covering its wings as they spread out. This increases the move's coverage above Charizard, although due to the high placements of these hitboxes, it still cannot hit grounded opponents at Charizard's sides.
  • It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 9-13 → 9-12).
  • It launches opponents slightly away from Charizard instead of towards it (96° → 78°/84°), and deals much less knockback (40 base/130 scaling → 50 base/80/85 scaling). This collectively worsens both the move's combo and KO potential, stringing into itself less reliably at low percents, and still having too much ending lag to combo into other moves, despite Charizard's faster jumpsquat, while it is now unable to KO grounded opponents below 200% (compared to KOing below 140% under the same circumstances in Smash 4).
  • Due to Charizard once again possessing hurtboxes on its wings, the move is riskier to use as an anti-air option, as these hurtboxes now extend upward especially during the active frames, leaving Charizard more vulnerable to trades with opponents' aerial attacks.
• Down tilt:
  • The changes to jostle mechanics allow down tilt to connect better against nearby opponents despite the removal of the windbox.
  • The hitbox does not extend as far (Z offset: 7-16 → 7-13.5), considerably reducing its range.
  • It features a tighter animation.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack deals more damage (11%/8% → 13%/10%) with knockback not fully compensated (100 (base)/45 (scaling) → 96/44), improving its KO potential.
  • Dash attack deals more shieldstun (1x → 1.5x) which combined with the increased damage makes it safer on shields.
• Forward smash:
  • Charizard no longer breathes fire during the animation.
  • Forward smash deals more damage (17% → 19% (clean, late body), 14% → 16.4% (late head)) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (94 → 91 (clean, late body), 86 (late head)).
  • Forward smash grants more intangibility (frames 22-25 → 20-24).
• Up smash:
  • Up smash's second hit comes out more quickly (frame 17 → 14), allowing it to connect better from the first hit and giving the move faster interruptibility (FAF 49 → 47).
  • The outermost hitbox on the first hit now uses the 368° autolink angle to properly launch opponents into the second hit instead of weakly meteor smashing them in place, enabling it to connect more efficiently.
  • Due to Charizard once again possessing hurtboxes on its wings, the move is riskier to use as an anti-air option, although not to the same degree as its up tilt.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (20 frames → 10 (neutral), 22 → 19 (forward), 24 → 20 (back), 20 → 13 (up), 33 → 21 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has faster startup (frame 9 → 8) and significantly less ending lag (FAF 60 → 40), making it safer to use offstage.
  • Its animation has been sped up. This reduces the duration of its hitboxes (frames 9-25 → 8-20) but allows it to hit faster around Charizard.
    • Due to its autocancel window remaining unchanged, this effectively increases the move's ending lag before it can autocancel.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has one frame less ending lag (FAF 47 → 46).
  • It no longer autocancels in a short hop, as Charizard's faster falling speed causes its autocancel to fall short by one frame.
  • The sweetspot has been moved inwards (X offset: 7.5 → 6), reducing its reach.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial's animation has been altered, increasing its vertical range. This enables it to punish opponents recovering from above more reliably.
  • The first active frame does not contain the 16% sweetspot.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 41 → 38).
  • The move's initial auto-cancel window has been shortened (frames 1-4 → 1-3)
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial's lower landing lag alongside the removal of teching for grounded meteor smashes enable it to function as a potent combo starter onstage. The sweetspot also has a longer duration (frames 18-20 → 18-21).
  • The clean hit has received a sourspot on Charizard's body that does not meteor smash, making it slightly harder to use for edgeguarding. The late hit also has a shorter duration (frames 21-26 → 22-25).
  • It auto-cancels later (frame 41 → 42).
  • Its initial auto-cancel window has been lengthened (frames 1-4 → 1-5).
  • Down aerial's animation has been altered.
  • Down aerial's landing animation no longer causes Charizard's tongue to clip through its head.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • Standing grab has been moved forward (Z offset: 5-13.6 → 7.5-16), improving its range.
  • Dash grab extends further (Z offset: 5-12.3 → 5-16.5), improving its range.
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 34 → 40 (standing), 42 → 46 (dash), 40 → 43 (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grab have more startup (frame 10 → 11 (dash), 11 → 12 (pivot)).
  • Pivot grab doesn't extend as far (Z offset: 4-17.6 → 4-17.2), worsening its range.
  • Standing and dash grab's animations have been altered, with Charizard lunging farther forward, matching their increased range.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals less damage (2% → 1.6%).
  • It has much less ending lag (FAF 17 → 8), but deals considerably more hitlag (4 frames → 15), increasing its effective duration.
    • Relative to the rest of the cast, Charizard's pummel is among the slowest but most damaging, rather than average on both accounts.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw deals more knockback (60 base/65 scaling → 63/70).
  • Charizard spreads its arms out during the ending animation of forward throw.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw releases opponents faster (frame 29 → 26), though with its interruptibility frames unchanged. This makes it harder to DI, but gives it more ending lag.
    • Despite this change, it has increased combo ability due to Charizard's much faster initial dash speed and jumpsquat.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw deals less hitlag, allowing it to execute faster.
  • Down throw's looping hits now deal knockback to bystanders (0 (base)/0 (scaling) → 0/100).
  • It has slightly more ending lag (19 → 22 frames), hindering its combo potential.
    • The decreased hitstun in tumble knockback exacerbates this nerf.
  • It has an altered animation where Charizard hovers slightly while breathing fire onto the opponent.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (8% → 10%).

Special moves

• Flamethrower:
  • Flamethrower's color is more vibrant compared to in Smash 4.
• Flare Blitz:
  • Flare Blitz deals drastically more damage (4% → 6% (hit 1), 15% → 18% (hit 2); 19% → 24% (total)).
  • Flare Blitz deals more knockback, KOing middleweights under 80% from the center of Final Destination.
  • The tumble animation following Flare Blitz's collision cannot be jab locked.
  • Grounded Flare Blitz has more range below it, being capable of hitting every character lying on the ground and a few hanging on the ledge.
  • Flare Blitz is now only able to grab the ledge starting frame 45 (about two-thirds of the way).
  • Flare Blitz causes Charizard to emit orange flames on startup instead of glowing blue. Its flame effects are much more intense.
  • Charizard's voice is now louder when using the move, allowing players to hear it without adjusting the Sound settings.
• Fly:
  • Fly no longer suffers RCO lag.
  • Due to rage being changed to not affect hitboxes with set knockback, Fly no longer launches opponents away from the rest of the hits when Charizard has rage, allowing it to connect more reliably.
• Pokémon Change:

• • Since Charizard has returned to Pokémon Trainer's team, Rock Smash has been replaced with Pokémon Change. While this reduces Charizard's own defensive capabilities, it can now change places with Squirtle and Ivysaur to adapt to certain situations.
    • The removal of Rock Smash hinders Charizard's landing options and eliminates one of its finishers.
  • Pokémon Change is much faster, as it does not need to load the next Pokémon during every switch. The quicker switch time allows it to potentially combo into another Pokémon's moves, work akin to an air dodge, or supplement the Pokémon's recovery.
  • Pokémon Change can now be used in the air. Like in Brawl, it also offers brief intangibility upon switching out.
  • Spamming Pokémon Change will grant no invincibility frames for a period of time. It also has a cooldown of 140 frames (2.33 seconds), which can be skipped via a special move.
• Final Smash:
  • Triple Finish replaces Mega Charizard X with the return of Pokémon Trainer.
  • Triple Finish has an updated animation, and its textbox closely resembles the textboxes in the Generation VII Pokémon games.
  • Charizard now fires five Fire Blasts in a row.

|Diddy Kong====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Diddy Kong's model features a more subdued color scheme. Like Donkey Kong, his fur is less detailed than the previous installment.
• Diddy Kong is more expressive, he appears angry during his up and down throw as well as grabbing onto a ledge. His hat also appears to be "looser" around his head, popping off slightly while performing many actions.
• Diddy Kong's chest now faces the screen, regardless of whether he is facing left or right. As a result, most of his moves are now mirrored.
• Up taunt has an altered ending animation. Diddy Kong now fixes his hat as it lands crooked on his head.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Diddy Kong's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Diddy Kong runs faster (1.824 → 2.006).
  • His initial dash is significantly faster (1.7 → 2.09).
• Diddy Kong walks faster (1.25 → 1.313).
• Diddy Kong's air speed is higher (0.88 → 0.924).
• Diddy Kong's traction is much higher (0.0484 → 0.093).
• Diddy Kong is lighter (93 → 90), worsening his endurance.
• 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 less ending lag (FAF 26 → 24).
• Spot dodge has more startup and grants less intangibility (frame 2-16 → 3-14).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-26 → 2-27).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 32 → 45).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first and second hits have significantly less ending lag (FAF 34 → 20 (hit 1), 37 → 21 (hit 2)), no longer being among the slowest to interrupt.
  • The first and second hits have altered angles (105°/78°/45° (hit 1), 100°/78°/45° (hit 2) → 361°/180°) and knockback (16/18/24 set/100 scaling → 25/20 base/25/15 scaling (hit 1), 20 base/25/15 scaling (hit 2)) to keep opponents on the ground and closer to Diddy Kong, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and jab lock.
  • The first hit transitions into the second hit faster (frame 9 → 6), which transitions into the third hit faster (frame 9 → 7). The third hit also has less startup lag (frame 9 → 5).
  • The first hit can be held for a consecutive jab.
  • The infinite portion has been removed; the third hit instead launches at a different angle (90°/85°/60° → 361°) and no longer deals set knockback (25/37 set/100 scaling → 60 base/80 scaling).
    • This makes the neutral attack much more consistent, no longer risking opponents escaping it before the final hit and punishing Diddy Kong. The third hit also has less ending lag compared to the previous neutral infinite's finisher (FAF 39 → 35).
    • However, the move deals much less damage overall as a result, despite all three hits having their damage values increased (1.2% → 2% (hit 1), 1.2% → 1.5% (hit 2), 2% → 4% (hit 3)). The third hit is also weaker compared to the previous neutral infinite's finisher, no longer KOing under 300% from the center of Final Destination.
  • All hits have a shorter hitbox duration (2 frames → 1 frame).
  • All hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.6× (hit 1), 1.2× (hit 2), 2× (hit 3)).
  • The third hit has an altered animation, being a side kick rather than a back kick.
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt's arm hitboxes have a longer duration (1 frame → 2 frames), and the hand hitboxes retain full damage for longer before transitioning to sourspots (1 frame → 3 frames), improving the consistency of both the range and damage output of the move.
  • Forward tilt has more base knockback (10 → 60), but less knockback scaling (100 → 60), and launches at a higher angle (361° → 45°). This increases it safety on hit at low percents, but more drastically reduces its KO potential, and removes its ability to lock.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 33 → 30), improving its combo potential.
  • It has an altered animation where Diddy Kong does not leap as high, decreasing its vertical range. It can no longer hit opponents on the middle platforms in Battlefield.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt's farthest hitbox is noticeably smaller (4.2u → 3u), reducing its range.
    • It is also lower down (Y offset: 2.25 → 1.8).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has less startup (frame 9/18/24 → 8/16/22) and ending lag (FAF 46 → 41), improving its combo potential.
  • Due to the changes to jostle mechanics, it can no longer whiff if initiated too close to an opponent.
  • The first and second hits have lower hitlag multipliers (1× → 0.5× (hit 1), 0.8× (hit 2)) and an additional hitbox, as well as different launch angles for aerial opponents, with the second hit's also being larger (3.5u → 4u), allowing the move to connect more reliably.
  • The second and third hits have a longer hitbox duration (1 frame → 2 frames).
  • The third hit launches at a slightly higher angle (78° → 83°).
  • Diddy Kong sports an angry expression at the third hit.
• Forward smash:
  • The first hit uses different angles (90°/60°/30° → 10°/45°/80°/22° (clean), 0° (late)) and set knockback values (28/35/42 → 20/35/25/42 (clean), 20 (late)), as well as weight-independent knockback, allowing it to connect more reliably into the second hit.
  • The second hit has one frame less startup (frame 22 → 21).
    • However, its total duration remains unchanged, giving it one frame more ending lag.
• Up smash:
  • The first and second hits have received various changes to their angles and set knockback, and the second hit uses weight-independent knockback like the first, allowing the move to connect more reliably.
  • The third hit deals more knockback (50 base/129 scaling → 55/131).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash deals more knockback (40 base/72 scaling → 46/77 (hit 1), 35 base → 38 (hit 2)).
  • The second hit has less startup (frame 16 → 14).
    • However, it has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 16-18 → frame 14), and the move's total duration remains the same, giving it more ending lag.
  • Both hits have two hitboxes instead of three, which are smaller (4u/4u/5u → 3.9u/3.3u).
  • The first hit has more startup (frame 6 → 9).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (13 frames → 8 (neutral), 26 → 16 (forward), 12 → 7 (back), 21 → 9 (up), 28 → 17 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has regained its much faster auto-cancel window from Brawl (frame 59 → 27), allowing it to autocancel in a short hop fast fall once again.
  • It has noticeably larger hitboxes (2u → 3.5u).
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial's late hit has much smaller hitboxes (5u → 2.7u).
  • It has an altered animation where Diddy Kong does not spin as much.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has less ending lag (FAF 39 → 36), matching its ending lag from Smash 4 prior to update 1.0.8. This allows it to combo slightly better into itself.
  • It deals more damage (6% → 7%) with only base knockback compensated (64 → 57), slightly improving its KO potential.
  • The animation at the beginning of the move has been sped up with its hitbox duration unchanged, creating a blind spot in front of Diddy Kong.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has less startup (frame 17 → 15), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 49 → 47).
  • The removal of teching for grounded meteor smashes improves down aerial's combo potential onstage, compounded further by its reduced landing lag.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more startup (frame 6 → 7 (standing), 8 → 10 (dash), 9 → 11 (pivot)) and ending lag (FAF 32 → 37 (standing), 39 → 45 (dash), 37 → 40 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have less range (Z2 offset: 8.3u → 7.8u (standing), 9.9u → 9.5u (dash), 13.9u → 13.6u (pivot)).
  • Diddy Kong uses one hand to grab instead of both. He also has a surprised expression if he misses his grab.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (4 frames → 11), but has less startup (frame 2 → 1) and significantly less ending lag (FAF 17 → 7), shortening its effective duration.
  • It deals less damage (2% → 1%).
  • It has an altered animation where Diddy Kong no longer hops off the ground while pummeling.
• Up throw:
  • The faster knockback physics hinder up throw's combo potential at high percents, no longer having a KO setup into up aerial unless initiated at the top platform of Battlefield.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 32), improving its combo potential.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Peanut Popgun:
  • Peanut Popgun has less startup lag (frame 18 → 16) and charges much faster (frame 120 → 94 (full charge), 123 → 97 (explosion)).
    • However, its total duration remains unchanged, giving it more ending lag.
  • It has gained a melee hitbox that deals 3%, increasing its utility at point blank range by allowing it to rack up more damage and negate reflectors.
  • The peanuts deal more damage (3.6%-12% → 4.8%-13.8%).
  • Diddy Kong's animation for Peanut Popgun is mirrored, and he can fire with either his left or right hand.
  • Peanuts bounce once upon hitting the ground, and float upwards before exploding upon hitting an opponent, although these animations are only aesthetic.
• Monkey Flip:
  • Monkey Flip has less startup lag (frame 20 → 18).
  • The grab has more horizontal range (Z offset: 3u/2u → 4.5u/4u).
  • The jump attack now immobilises the opponent for a minimum of 20 frames if the hitstun is less than 20 frames, improving its gimping potential and its safety when used onstage.
  • It has more ending lag (FAF 44 → 48).
  • The grab's automatic pummel has Diddy Kong repeatedly scratch the opponent instead of simply latching onto them.
• Rocketbarrel Boost:
  • Rocketbarrel Boost's clean hit has larger hitboxes (3.5u → 4u).
  • It grants slightly more distance when uncharged.
  • Its maximum charge time has been significantly reduced (90 frames → 60), to the point the fully charged version barely grants more distance than the uncharged version if used while falling, greatly hindering Diddy Kong's recovery.
• Banana Peel:
  • Diddy Kong throws the Banana Peel in a higher arc, causing it to take longer to pick up afterwards.
  • The Banana Peel can hit opponents twice before disappearing rather than only once, bouncing off in a high arc on the first hit. This allows Diddy Kong to pick it up and throw it again, but shielding opponents can likewise punish Diddy Kong and steal the Banana Peel, leaving him more disadvantaged.
  • The move has a snappier animation.
• Final Smash:
  • Diddy Kong has a new Final Smash, Hyper Rocketbarrel, which functions differently from Rocketbarrel Barrage. Diddy Kong flies through the stage in an erratic fashion to punch his trapped opponents. The final hit is where Diddy Kong does a delayed, aimed punch, dealing heavy knockback. Diddy Kong then lands and deactivates his Rocketbarrel Pack at the spot where he first used the move.

|Lucas====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Lucas's model features a more subdued color scheme. Similar to Brawl, some of the detailing on his clothes and weapons are more prominent, such as the vertical stitching of his socks.
• The Rope Snake's scales are more pronounced.
• Lucas’ stance is now mirrored, always facing the screen regardless of which direction he turns.
• All of Lucas’ PSI-based attacks are now dominantly light blue. This closely resembles the colors of PK Love in Mother 3.
• Lucas makes a new face when hit, with his eyes growing somewhat larger and rounder.
• As with all previous downloadable fighters in SSB4, Lucas now has a unique Palutena's Guidance conversation.
• Lucas's victory theme is now the ending of "Eight Melodies" from both Mother / EarthBound Beginnings as well as "Eight Melodies" from EarthBound layered together.
• Lucas has a new idle pose where he points to his forehead with his eyes closed with his leading hand then waves it in front of him. It replaces the animation of Lucas waving his fists in front of him.
• Lucas is more emotive. His eyes are now more prominent when using his attacks, as well as his new facial features when hit.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Lucas's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Lucas dashes faster (1.5 → 1.65).
• Lucas's initial dash is faster (1.3→1.815).
• Lucas walks slightly faster (0.85 → 0.893).
• Lucas' air speed is slightly higher (1.1 → 1.155).
• Lucas jumps higher.
• Because footstools can now be teched, Lucas's d-throw/up-air into Footstool combo game has been removed.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • All three hits of Lucas's neutral attack have more hitlag (1.0/1.0/1.0 → 1.7/1.8/2.0).
  • Neutral attack's second hit can be interrupted sooner, improving its potential for mix-ups.
  • Neutral attack deals slightly less damage (8.5% → 7.5%).
  • The third hit launches at a lower angle (48 → 361).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has less startup (frame 15 → 13), less ending lag (FAF 39 → 38) and a longer hitbox duration (frames 13-15 → 13-17).
  • Dash attack has increased knockback scaling (70 → 81), increasing its KO power.
• Forward tilt:
  • Sweetspot forward tilt deals more base knockback (30 → 55) and knockback scaling (75 → 80), increasing its KO power.
    • The sweetspot also has a bigger hitbox during the first 2 active frames (4.7u → 5.6u).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 37 → 34).
  • Up tilt now uses the electric effect.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt deals more damage (3% → 5%).
  • Down tilt's close hit has more vertical angle (76 → 84), allowing more consistent follow-ups.
  • Down tilt has increased base knockback (18/8 → 20/10) and combined with its higher damage, makes it easier to combo at lower percent.
  • Down tilt has an altered animation and its far hit was removed, lowering its vertical range.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has slightly less ending lag (FAF 47 → 46).
  • Sweetspotted forward smash has higher knockback growth (88 → 91).
  • The reflector activates later with a shorter duration (frame 10-19 → 11-19).
• Up smash:
  • Up smash's hitboxes are handled differently. The new hitbox positions jitter a bit more without affecting the total reach of the move.
  • All up smash's second hit hitboxes deal 2% more damage (19/18/16/14/12% → 21/20/18/16/14%) without their knockback compensated, increasing their KO power.
  • The hitboxes in the second hit are all smaller (12u/11u/10u/8u/6.5u → 11u/10u/9u/6u).
  • Up smash has more active frames (frames 30-53 → frames 30-55) due to having an additional hitbox.
  • Up smash has more invulnerability during startup (frames 1-4 → 1-7).
  • Because Up-smash's Charge Hold is on frame 4 and the invulnerability was increased to 7, Lucas now has 3 frames of invulnerability after releasing Up-smash
• Down smash:
  • Lucas now bends his elbow after each shot of down smash, and his fingers are more pronounced throughout.
  • All hits of down smash have increased active frames (2 → 3 frames).
  • The three hits of Lucas's down smash now reset between hits, allowing it to hit opponents or shields multiple times.
    • The individual hits of down smash deal significantly less shield damage to compensate (0/0/0 → -10/-8/-6).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials except grab aerial have less landing lag (13 frames → 12 (neutral), 12 → 7 (forward), 15 → 9 (back), 12 → 7 (up), 24 → 16 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has much larger hitboxes (5.3u (loop)/8u (last) → 6.9u/10.2u).
  • Neutral aerial is harder to SDI out of, despite retaining its 2x modifier, as its hitlag has been reduced (1 → 0.44).
  • The looping hitbox has fewer active frames (frames 7-23 → 7-21), consequently reduces the maximum number of hits to 4, reducing its total damage (12% → 10%).
  • Neutral aerial now sends opponents behind or in front of Lucas depending on which part of the hitbox hits the last hit. This makes it more difficult to guarantee combos with.
    • Although this grants it followups with back aerial which it didn't have before.
  • Lucas appears furious during the ending hitbox rather than looking scared.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 38 → 34), re-enabling it to auto-cancel out of a short hop.
  • Forward aerial's sweetspot deals more damage (11.5% → 12.5%), launches at lower angle (46° → 42°), and has increased knockback scaling (97 → 103), significantly improving its KO potential, even beyond its power in Brawl.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 39 → 34), enabling it to auto-cancel out of a short hop.
  • Back aerial has more active frames (frames 15-20 → 15-22), giving it additional vertical range below Lucas and allowing it to hit small targets.
    • The sweetspot for aerial opponents has a shorter duration (15-20 → 15-19).
  • Back aerial can now spike grounded opponents. While this benefits from opponents' inability to tech grounded spikes, this hinders its ability to send grounded opponents offstage from behind him.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 38 → 34), re-enabling it to auto-cancel out of a short hop.
  • Up aerial's hitbox is now attached to Lucas's head. This removes its blindspot and increases its range.
    • The main hitbox is now extended and an extra hitbox is added behind him on frames 8-10, giving the move a noticeable disjoint behind Lucas.
    • A motion trail has been added above Lucas's head to indicate the hitbox's new pattern.
  • Up aerial has much less ending lag (FAF 46 → 32).
  • Up aerial has increased active frames (frames 7-9 → 7-10), giving it additional horizontal range, and improving its juggling potential.
  • Up aerial deals less damage (13% → 11%) without full compensation on its base knockback (10 → 20), giving it considerably less KO power.
    • However, its higher base knockback combined with its lower ending lag makes it safer on hit at low percents.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial’s first three hits connect more reliably due to altering angle (90° → 363°)
  • Down aerial now pushes grounded opponents away from its hitboxes, rather than picking them up from the ground as in Smash 4.
  • Down aerial’s hitboxes at Lucas’ feet are smaller (5u → 4.2u (Hits 1-3)/6.9u → 5.5u (Final hit)) and has an altered hitbox placement (Y offset: -5 → -4), decreasing its range below Lucas.
• Grab aerial:
  • Grab aerial has less range.
  • Grab aerial has more active frames (9-19 → 9-21).
  • Grab aerial deals slightly more damage (4% (clean)/2.8% (late) → 5% (snake head)/3% (arm and snake body)).
  • Grab aerial has less ending lag (FAF 60 → 52).
  • Grab aerial can be double jump canceled, allowing Lucas to use it very close to the ground to start combos and approach.

Throws and other attacks

• Grab:
  • The endings of Lucas's grabs now feature interruptible animations during which the Rope Snake doubles back to return to Lucas.
  • Lucas's animation when holding a grabbed opponent has been altered; he now holds Rope Snake in one hand and uses the other to hold the opponent in place with telekinesis.
  • Lucas now looks angry during his grab animation.
  • Lucas's standard grab has one frame more ending lag (FAF 46 → 47).
  • Lucas's dash grab has one frame less ending lag (FAF 56 → 55).
• Pummel:
  • Lucas's pummel animation now has him attack the grabbed opponent with PSI.
• Forward throw:
  • Lucas has a new forward throw animation similar to Diddy Kong's forward throw.
  • Forward throw has increased knockback scaling (65 → 69).
• Back throw:
  • Lucas has a new back throw animation.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw has increased knockback (78 base/69 scaling → 77/73).
• Down throw:
  • Lucas has a new down throw animation. Lucas lifts the opponent in the air using telekinesis, then forcefully slams them into the ground, sending them up and away.
  • Down throw deals more damage (6.5% → 11.0%) and thus more knockback.
  • Down throw has more ending lag (FAF 50 → 58), reducing its combo potential at low percentages due to its increased knockback (78 → 100 (base)/51 → 32 (growth)) and removes his KO confirm from an up aerial at higher percentages, which was one of his more potent finishers in Smash 4.

Special moves

• PK Freeze:
  • Lucas's animations during the move have been tweaked; Lucas himself now completely faces the screen, and the particle effects of the explosion now feature the PK Freeze graphic effects from Mother 3.
    • PK Freeze deals 1% more damage on all charges (9%-22% → 10%-23%).
    • PK Freeze deals more knockback (80 (base)/21 (growth) → 35/60).
    • The projectile travels faster.
    • The projectile can now travel through soft and semisoft platforms.
    • PK Freeze no longer dissipates upon making contact with hard platforms and can instead be held at the ground until the move is fully-charged.
    • The projectile now launches opponents at a horizontal angle (80° → 34°) away from Lucas (no matter which direction he faces), making it better for edgeguarding and KO'ing.
    • Lucas no longer becomes helpless when firing PK Freeze in the air.
    • Fully charged PK Freeze has more startup (89 → 92) and ending lag (116 → 119).
• PK Fire:
  • Lucas's hands now feature a red spark until PK Fire is fired, similarly to his finger in his down smash animation. The same spark appears when PK Fire successfully connects. PK Fire graphics from Mother 3 now appear when Lucas fires it and when it bursts.
  • PK Fire has slightly increased damage (9% → 10%).
  • PK Fire has increased knockback growth (97 → 110) and launches at slightly lower angle (45° → 42°).
• PK Thunder:
  • Lucas's PK Thunder's graphic effects have been changed; rather than maintaining its magenta coloration from Smash 4, PK Thunder has been changed to be varying hues of blue. The move has also gained particle effects which resemble its respective PSI graphics from Mother 3.
  • PK Thunder's electric ball travels faster.
  • Grounded PK Thunder has less ending lag.
  • It has an angle indicator when the ball of lighting moves close to Lucas. While this allows for the player to more accurately determine the trajectory Lucas will travel during PK Thunder 2, it also makes it more predictable to opponents.
• PK Thunder 2:
  • Lucas's momentum at the end of PK Thunder 2 is lower, slightly shortening its recovery distance.
  • PK Thunder 2 has less landing lag.
  • PK Thunder 2 deals less damage when all hits connect. (35.5% → 32.5%)
  • PK Thunder 2 last hit now triggers Special Zoom.
  • The window for using PK Thunder again after bouncing against a wall is much bigger.
• PSI Magnet:
  • PSI Magnet now features its PSI graphics from Mother 3 upon use. Lucas' back is angled lower in the end of his animation, similar to the beginning of his run animation in Mother 3.
  • PSI Magnet's launching hitbox is now extended (Z offset: 12 → 7-9), however isn't as far out, reducing its maximum reach but making it more consistent at hitting opponents close to Lucas.
  • PSI Magnet now features a Windbox on frame 7 which drags opponents closer to the PSI Magnet's hitbox.
    • This windbox doesn't scale with the opponents % when Lucas is on the ground, but it does in the air
  • PSI Magnet no longer halts Lucas's momentum in the air. This prevents Lucas from being able to use it to mix up his landing as effectively.
  • PSI Magnet begins absorbing sooner (10 → 7 frames) and has less ending lag (36 → 28 frames).
• PK Starstorm:
  • PK Starstorm is now similar to its Brawl iteration, firing meteors inwards towards the center of the stage, but at a slower rate and with slower meteors. His pose during the move no longer reuses Ness's Final Smash animation and is instead replaced with one reminiscent of his animation in Brawl. Lucas is also assisted by Kumatora and Boney. Like his other PSI moves, the move features graphics from PK Starstorm's animation in Mother 3, including the background from the Final Boss.
    • However, the trajectory of the meteors can still be angled.

|Sonic====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from Smash 4, Sonic's model features a more subdued color scheme. His fur is now lightly detailed, similar to other furry characters.
• Sonic is much more expressive than in Smash 4, as he now has a sly grin while dashing and now frowns when using his up tilt, forward smash, forward throw, and when shielding. His eyes are also slightly more emotive. However, he still isn't as expressive as in Brawl, such as not looking impatient during his foot-tapping idle animation and not grinning while waving his finger.
• Sonic's head quills bounce and move around more, resembling how their movement was in Brawl.
• Sonic now grins during his running victory pose instead of smirking, like in Brawl.
• One of Sonic's victory poses, where he grabs a Chaos Emerald, now has him running up to the Emerald before grabbing it.
• Though Sonic still has an animated mouth in his victory poses, the ending poses switch back to the standard model so that it appears more natural.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Sonic's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Sonic walks faster (1.375 → 1.444).
• Sonic runs faster (3.5 → 3.85).
  • Sonic's initial dash is significantly faster (1.5 → 2.31), now being the 3rd fastest.
• Sonic's traction has been massively increased (0.06 → 0.138), now being the highest in the entire game. This makes it much easier for him to punish out of shield.
• Sonic's air speed is faster (1.15 → 1.208).
• Sonic falls faster (1.45 → 1.65).
• Sonic's fast-fall is faster (2.32 → 2.64). This improves his air mobility and makes him less susceptible to juggles.
• Sonic is considerably lighter (94 → 86), now making him a lightweight instead of a middleweight, weighing slightly more than Zelda and being lighter than Little Mac, worsening his endurance. While this change would make him less susceptible to combos, this is prevented by his faster fall speed.
• 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).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-25 → 2-26).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 31 → 51).
• The reintroduction of directional air dodges improves Sonic's recovery more than other characters', as due to Spring Jump not causing helplessness, he can get additional distance with a directional air dodge after using it.
• Sonic takes a slight amount of damage per second when swimming. He shares this trait with Charizard, Inkling, and Incineroar.
  • His swimming animation is also changed, showing him constantly in a panicked state (as opposed to only being in one when drowning).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first and second hits have different angles to keep opponents closer to Sonic (hit 1: 92°/60°/361° → 361°/180°, hit 2: 80°/60°/48° → 361°), akin to other neutral attacks, and deal less knockback (18 set/100 scaling → 20 base/20/15 scaling (hit 1), 20/15 base/20 scaling (hit 2)), but have gained hitstun modifiers (0 → 8 (hit 1), 4 (hit 2)). This allows them to connect more reliably, and the second hit to lock opponents.
  • Consecutive uses of the first hit are faster (13 → 10 frames).
  • The first hit transitions faster into the second hit (frame 9 → 7), which transitions faster into the third hit (frame 8 → 6).
  • The third hit launches at a lower angle (50° → 361°), allowing it to force opponents offstage more effectively and set up tech-chases.
  • 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.
  • The first hit has had its three large hitboxes replaced with four smaller ones (3u/3.5u/4u → 1.4u/1.4u/1.6u/1.6u). The second and third hits have smaller hitboxes as well (4u/3.4u/3u → 2.3u/2.3u/2.8u (hit 2), 3u/3.5u/5u → 2.6u/2.6u/3.6u (hit 3)).
  • The second hit deals less damage (2% → 1.5%).
  • The third hit has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 4-6 → 4-5).
  • The third hit has a slightly different animation.
• Forward tilt:
  • The first hit has drastically reduced knockback scaling, but increased base knockback (60 (base)/70 (scaling) → 80/3) and has been moved farther from Sonic (Z offset: -1.6u → -0.7), allowing it to connect into the second hit more reliably.
  • The second hit's outermost hitbox has been moved further outwards (X offset: 4.9 → 6) improving its range.
• Up tilt
  • Both hits of up tilt have less startup lag (frame 7 → 6 (hit 1), frame 18 → 13 (hit 2)).
    • However, its total duration remains unchanged, giving it more ending lag. This completely removes its combo potential.
  • The first hit's late portion no longer uses the autolink angle (365° → 95°).
  • The first active hitbox is slightly smaller (5.5u → 5.2u).
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt launches at a more upward angle (361° → 73°) and deals much more knockback (30 base/80 scaling → 40/100), improving its combo potential.
  • It returns Sonic to his original position after kicking, rather than moving him forward, making it safer to use for spacing.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has been changed to only consist of a lunge kick, with the Spin Attack portion beforehand being removed. As a result, it no longer hits multiple times, although its total damage remains intact (1% (hits 1-3), 3% (hit 4) → 6% (clean)). It also deals less knockback to compensate for the single hit's greater damage relative to the previous version's final hit (80 base/125 scaling → 88/80 (clean), 93/80 (late)).
  • It has much less ending lag (FAF 62 → 50).
  • The late hit has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 1.57×. Combined with its reduced ending lag and the increased shieldstun for ground attacks, this makes it safer on shield.
  • It launches at a lower angle (70° → 60°), hindering its KO potential.
• Forward smash:
  • Sonic's arm stretches out further during the punch, improving its range.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has less startup lag (frame 19 → 18).
    • However, its total duration remains unchanged, giving it more ending lag.
  • Up smash's looping hits are larger (4u/4u/4u/4u → 4.2u/4.2u/4u/4u), slightly improving its range.
  • The first hit launches opponents towards Sonic (90° → 95°), while the looping hits have a lower SDI multiplier (0.6× → 0.5×), and both use weight-independent knockback, allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The last hit has increased knockback scaling (165 → 170), improving its KO potential.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash's front hit deals much more knockback (55 base/63 scaling → 50/80), matching the strength of the back hit.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (16 frames → 10 (neutral), 26 → 16 (forward), 30 → 15 (back), 21 → 13 (up), 38 → 21 (down)).
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial's multi-hits consist of one large hitbox instead of four smaller ones (2u → 5.5u), which uses the autolink angle (130°/60°/200°/340° → 367°) and has more set knockback (30 → 40), allowing them to connect more reliably. They also have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.7×), making them harder to SDI out of.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial's late hit has much less knockback scaling (100 → 76), significantly hindering its KO potential.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial's first hit has much less knockback scaling (100 → 50) and launches at different angles (100°/118° → 110°/123°). As a result, its knockback fails to follow Sonic's vertical momentum when used in a jump, worsening its linking ability into the second hit.
  • The second hit deals more damage (6% → 8%), with knockback scaling compensated (82 → 68).
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial only possesses a clean hit and late hit, with the early hit being removed (frames 17-18/19-22/23-32 → 17-19/20-32).
    • Its meteor smash hitbox is slightly larger (3.5u → 3.6u).
    • This allows for the aerial meteor smash to be landed much more easily.
    • However, this reduces the clean hit's duration against grounded opponents.
  • The late hit deals more knockback (80 base/70 scaling → 75/80).
  • The late hit has gained a sourspot that deals less damage (7% → 5%) without compensation on knockback.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 31 → 38 (standing), 38 → 48 (dash), 37 → 40 (pivot)).
  • Standing and pivot grab have slightly more startup lag (frame 6 → 7 (standing), frame 10 → 11 (pivot)).
  • Standing and dash grab have less range (Z2 offset: 9.7u → 8.7u (standing), 11.1u → 10.4u (dash)).
• Pummel:
  • It deals less damage (2% → 1.3%).
  • It deals more hitlag (4 frames → 14), but has much less startup (frame 4 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 16 → 7).
  • It has a slightly different animation.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw sends opponents at a more horizontal angle that is desirable for edgeguarding (70° → 45°).
  • It releases opponents faster (frame 12 → 11), but with its total duration unchanged, increasing its ending lag.
  • It has significantly less knockback scaling (100 → 75), no longer KOing at high percents.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw releases opponents faster (frame 28 → 23), but with its total duration unchanged, increasing its ending lag. This reduces its combo potential, despite Sonic's faster jumpsquat and jump speed, and in combination with the faster knockback physics, it severely worsens Spring Jump-assisted followups, no longer being guaranteed.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw's release deals more damage (4% → 5%), with its base knockback compensated (80 → 75).
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Homing Attack:
  • Homing Attack can be charged for much longer, with Sonic ascending much higher during the charge (frames 22-34 → frames 15-82).
    • It has less startup when uncharged (frame 22 → 15), allowing it to be comboed into from other moves.
  • It deals more damage especially when charged (5%-12% → 7%-20%), with knockback not fully compensated (45 base/90 scaling → 55/65), improving its KO potential at high charge levels.
  • It launches Sonic at a straighter trajectory towards opponents, improving its accuracy.
  • It incurs less ending lag upon hitting an opponent (FAF 32 → 27), allowing it to combo into other moves at certain percentages.
  • It has larger hitboxes (3.5u/3.5u → 5u/5u).
  • It has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 0.5×, thus dealing less shieldstun than in Smash 4, despite it being increased for moves other than smash attacks and aerials. This makes it relatively less safe on shields.
  • It launches at a slightly lower angle (55° → 53°).
  • The move shows a reticle on the opponent right before Sonic is about to strike, as in games from Sonic and the Secret Rings onward. The reticle most closely resembles its design in Sonic Colors.
• Spin Dash:
  • A grounded charged Spin Dash can be released in the air while keeping its charge.
  • The first jump hit deals slightly more damage (4% → 5%) and has a bigger hitbox (2u → 3u).
  • Its charge can no longer be canceled by shielding, removing its usefulness for faking out approaches.
  • It can no longer be held indefinitely, instead being unleashed automatically if charged for more than two seconds. However, this can be somewhat circumvented by starting the move on the ground, then jumping out of it and charging it in the air, in which case the automatic release does not happen until Sonic lands.
  • The move stops upon hitting an opponent's shield, and cannot cross up unless it is charged enough, reducing its safety.
  • The trail changes from purple to yellow when fully charged.
  • Sonic does not hop if the move is released at full charge.
  • Sonic no longer loses his double jump after landing with an aerial Spin Dash or Spin Charge.
• Spring Jump:
  • Sonic gains slightly more vertical height from Spring Jump, matching the move's vertical height from Brawl.
  • The aerial version's Spring launches opponents at a higher angle (361° → 48°), hindering its edgeguarding ability.
  • It grants significantly less intangibility (frames 5-13 → 5-7), leaving Sonic more vulnerable to edgeguards.
  • Using the move incurs 10 frames of landing lag.
  • Grabbing onto a ladder no longer causes Sonic to become helpless whenever he lets go or falls after climbing to the top.
• Spin Charge:
  • Spin Charge's hits launch at a more horizontal angle (60° → 9°), and have more base knockback (40 → 70), but drastically less knockback scaling (60 → 15), as well as lower hitlag and SDI multipliers (1× → 0.5×). This allows them to connect much more reliably.
  • It can no longer be held indefinitely, instead being unleashed automatically if charged for more than three seconds.
  • Like the Spin Dash, it stops upon hitting an opponent's shield, and cannot cross up unless it is charged enough, reducing its safety.
  • It changes the color of the trail to indicate charge strength, going from blue, to cyan, to yellow.
• Super Sonic:
  • Super Sonic's functionality has been changed. Instead of being fully controllable, he moves automatically across the horizontal axis at a drastically increased speed, and only his vertical position can be controlled.
  • When reverting from Super Sonic, Sonic deals damage and knockback if he makes contact with opponents while flying back to his starting point.
  • Super Sonic's damage output is significantly weaker than its previous iterations, and it lasts for a much shorter time period. The more limited controls also make it less possible for him to secure an early KO.

|King Dedede====Aesthetics===

• King Dedede's clothing and general design is more cartoonish, with higher contrast colors and greater detail in his clothes; the fur on his coat and hat appears fluffier and more detailed, and his sash has more depth.
  • Normal map changes to the star textures on his hammer give the illusion that they protrude slightly more, as depicted in his official artwork.
• Like many other characters, King Dedede is more expressive. For instance, he now squints in a humorously seductive manner during his crouching animation. King Dedede generally has more furious expressions during attacks, his Screen KO, and his Freefall animation.
• Down taunt now has a more exaggerated animation.
• Two of King Dedede's victory poses were slightly altered:
  • His hammer spinning victory pose now finishes with him charging Jet Hammer.
  • His victory pose where he stands next to a Waddle Dee and pats his stomach now shows Waddle Dee walking up to him. The ending animation is now more exaggerated, with Dedede bouncing while laughing gloatingly.
• King Dedede's star KO voice clip has been shortened, as it no longer extends past the KO's animation.
• King Dedede's Boxing Ring alias has been changed to "Self-Made King", a direct translation of the Japanese title, for consistency with its appearance in Kirby Star Allies.

Attributes

• Like all characters, King Dedede's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 6).
• King Dedede runs faster (1.36 → 1.496).
  • Initial dash is much faster (1.4 → 1.815), enabling foxtrotting for boosted ground mobility.
• King Dedede walks faster (0.98 → 1.029).
• King Dedede's air speed is much faster (0.63 → 0.735), now being nearly on par with Luigi's.
• King Dedede's gravity is higher (0.08788 → 0.097).
  • His short hop and jump are shorter as a result (38 frames → 36 frames (short hop), 55 frames → 48 frames (jump).
• King Dedede is much heavier (119 → 127), allowing him to survive even longer.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit has less ending lag (FAF 38 → 33).
  • The first two hits of neutral attack can now lock.
  • Neutral infinite has less startup lag (8 → 5), is faster, and connects more reliably.
  • Neutral infinite's finisher has less startup lag (6 → 4) and deals significantly more knockback (scaling 150 → 162).
  • Neutral infinite's finisher has 2 hitboxes rather than 1 (10u → 7u/7u), and the hitboxes extend farther vertically (Y offset: 10u-12u → 7.5u-13u (both)). The finisher has more range overall as a result.
  • The finisher has more ending lag (FAF 47 → 50).
  • Except for the finisher, each hit of neutral attack deals less damage (first hit: 4% → 2.5%, second hit: 4% → 2.2%, neutral infinite: 1% → 0.5%).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack deals more knockback (40 base/100 scaling → 65/92 (clean), 35 base/100 scaling → 55/92 (late)), improving its already potent KO potential. This is boosted further by the changes to the Sakurai angle on the ground.
  • The clean hit and first late hitbox extend further inwards (Z offset: 7.8u-11.8u → 5u-11.8u), improving their ability to hit opponents at the edge, and combined with the changes to jostleing remove its blind spot.
  • Dash attack hitbox duration lasts longer with 2 new sourspot hitboxes (Frame 26-36 → 26-42).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt's looping hits have altered angles (25°/96° → 22°/100°) and have altered knockback (20 base/24/80/90 set/100 scaling → 60/50/30/26 set/100 scaling), allowing the move to connect more reliably.
  • Forward tilt has an altered animation.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less startup (9 → 7) and ending lag (FAF 44 → 39).
  • Up tilt does less damage (12%/10% → 10%/8%).
  • Up tilt deals more knockback (50 base/80 scaling → 65/94), making the move much stronger despite the damage reduction.
  • Up tilt's hitboxes are smaller (7u/8u → 6u/6.5u), reducing its range.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt's clean hitbox now extends inwards (Z offset: 12u → 12u-6u), removing its blind spot.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has less startup (42 → 40) and ending lag (FAF 82 → 78).
  • Forward smash deals more damage (15%/24%/6% → 16%/18.5%/25%/11%), and all but the shockwave and early hitboxes deal more knockback (30 base/93 scaling → 50/70 base/85/74 scaling).
  • There is now a hitbox on the handle during the early hit which instead of launching opponents pushes them into the sourspot of the main hit (which is still stronger than the early hit), making it slightly easier to land the main hit.
  • Forward smash has a new sourspot on the hammer's handle that's much weaker (though is still powerful in its own right), and the early hit deals less knockback (30 base/93 scaling → 85/55), hindering its KO potential despite its increased damage.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash deals more damage (14%/9% → 16%/10%) with no compensation on knockback, improving its KO ability.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (15 frames → 10 (neutral), 30 → 19 (forward/down), 21 → 14 (back), 22 → 14 (up).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial possesses much greater combo potential due to its reduced landing lag and King Dedede's shorter jumpsquat, especially when hitting with the late hit.
  • Neutral aerial causes King Dedede's belly to wobble around during the move.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has a snappier animation, with a significant delay on when King Dedede flips.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial is now a horizontal hammer swing, which better matches the move's hitboxes.
  • Back aerial now has 3 unextended hitboxes rather than 1 extended one (10u → 6.5u/6.5u/6.5u). Compared to the previous hitbox, the new hitboxes have both less vertical range (Y reach: 20u–0u → 16.5u–3.5u), and less horizontal range (Z reach: -25u–1u → 0.5u–-24.5u).
  • Due to his reduced short hop duration, King Dedede can no longer jump out of a short hop back aerial before landing.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has altered knockback (50 base/150 scaling → 55/147).
  • Up aerial launches at a lower angle (70°/80° → 60°), greatly hindering its KO potential close to the upper blast zone, while also making it much more susceptible to DI and LSI.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has a more forceful animation.

Throws and other attacks

• All grabs have more startup (standing/dash/pivot: 7/9/10 → 8/11/12) and ending lag (standing/dash/pivot: FAF 36/45/42 → 40/48/43).
• Pummel is faster but deals less damage (3% → 1.6%).
• Standing grab's grabbox extends farther (Z offset: 4u-11.5u → 4u-12.5u), improving its range, making it more similar to how it was in Brawl.
• Dash grab's grabbox extends slightly farther (Z offset: 4u-14u → 4u-14.4u), slightly improving its range.
• Pivot grab's grabbox extends a slightly shorter distance (Z offset: 4u-19.5u → 4u-19.3u), which combined with the changes to jostling hinders its utility.
• Due to King Dedede's faster jumpsquat, Up throw possesses combo potential into moves such as up aerial.
• Down throw has an altered animation, with him slamming his opponent face-first onto the ground.

Special moves

• Inhale:
  • Inhale acts as a reflector, giving a 1.5x damage boost to any projectiles spat out. Once Inhaled, the projectile is spat out almost immediately, and eliminates almost all of the move's ending lag.
    • Inhale can catch and spit Dedede's own Gordos. This gives him an option to relaunch Gordos that are hit back at him, and manually allows him to launch Gordos forward much further and at a much faster velocity compared to throwing one with Gordo Throw.
  • Inhale has a much larger grabbox.
  • Inhale's spit deals more damage (10% → 12%).
  • Inhale has an updated, more opaque visual effect.
• Gordo Throw:
  • Gordos have significantly larger hitboxes that cover their bodies and spikes.
  • Gordos gain a surprised expression when deflected. Additionally, they have animated spines.
  • Gordos stick to the edge more consistently, significantly improving their edgeguarding potential.
  • Gordo Throw has less ending lag (FAF 64 → 61).
• Super Dedede Jump:
  • Super Dedede Jump's landing hit deals more damage (11% → 12%).
  • Super Dedede Jump deals more knockback.
  • Super Dedede Jump will snap to edge when reversed.
  • Super Dedede Jump has far less ending lag when canceled.
  • Super Dedede Jump descends more quickly.
  • King Dedede has blue trails form around him when using Super Dedede Jump, indicating armor.
• Jet Hammer:
  • Jet Hammer breaks shields when fully charged.
  • Jet Hammer deals more damage (grounded: 11%-38% → 12%-40%, aerial: 10%-27% → 11%-32%) and knockback.
  • Jet Hammer has heavy armor during the swing (frames 1-14) when used on the ground.
  • Uncharged and fully charged Jet Hammer's hammer head hitbox is larger (7.5u → 9u).
  • The fire from Jet Hammer is blue instead of red.
  • Fully charged Jet Hammer triggers Special Zoom upon hitting an opponent.
• Final Smash:
  • King Dedede has a new Final Smash called Dede-Rush, which features King Dedede taking his "Masked Dedede" persona from Kirby Super Star Ultra before trapping opponents inside of a caged boxing ring, attacking them with a barrage of missiles, and launching them with his Jet Hammer.
  • It deals more damage (46% → 59.6%) and knockback.
  • Unlike Dedede Burst in SSB4, it is not possible for opponents to escape once trapped.
  • Dede-Rush cannot trap more than one opponent at a time for extra damage.

|Olimar====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Olimar's model features a more subdued color scheme. His helmet has a more glossy sheen.
• Alph's suit now features a lateral, zipper-like line down the center.
• Olimar's antenna has less physics-based movement.
• Olimar's helmet cracks after taking a certain amount of damage, but will quickly be repaired. It also appears cracked when he is Screen KO'd.
• Pikmin now always face the screen regardless of which direction they turn.
• Pikmin now have trails that match their colors when attacking, like in the Pikmin games.
• Olimar now only jumps twice during his up taunt, shortening its duration.
• Sidestep and ledge-hanging's animations have changed.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Olimar's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Olimar walks slightly faster (0.9 → 0.945).
• Olimar dashes faster (1.47 → 1.617).
• Olimar's initial dash speed is very slightly higher (1.6 → 1.606). Despite this, it is now much slower relative to the roster.
• Olimar's air speed is slightly higher (0.82 → 0.861).
• All Pikmin types have less HP.
  • Red, Yellow: 8 → 6.
  • Blue: 11 → 8.
  • White: 7 → 5.
  • Purple: 13 → 11.
• Pikmin can be swallowed.
• Pikmin can get stuck on platforms if they were plucked beneath them, making it impossible to use them for attacks for a while.
• Pikmin in Olimar's squad are no longer intangible directly after Olimar gets hit with a high knockback move, making it possible to kill the Pikmin and send Olimar offstage without any Pikmin.
• Pikmin can die from hitboxes that Olimar already shielded or perfect shielded, making it very hard to punish the attack.
• When a Pikmin dies, it becomes the active Pikmin in Olimar's squad, making it impossible to use Pikmin for attacks for a short while.
• Olimar's hurtbox is modeled around his body instead of being a giant orb around him. This effectively gives him a smaller hurtbox around some parts of his body, making him harder to hit.
  • However, Olimar has a larger hurtbox vertically.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack 1 has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 20).
    • Its angles have been altered (361°/80° → 361°/180°) making it a more consistent jab locking tool but hindering its jab canceling potential.
  • Jab 2's hitboxes have been moved inwards (Z offset: 7/13 → 6/10) reducing its range. Oddly, the animation has not been properly altered, and so suggests the move has more range than it actually does.
  • Jab 2's sweetspot is closer to the sourspot now, and the sourspot is bigger (2.5u → 2.8u). Due to it taking priority over the sweetspot this makes the sweetspot much harder to land.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has a bigger hitbox (3.5u (clean)/3.5u (late) → 5u/4.5u).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 45 → 39).
• All smash attacks:
  • The damage multipliers when using smash attacks with red or purple Pikmin have been increased (Red: 1.2× → 1.4×, Purple: 1.4× → 1.6×).
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash deals more damage when using red or purple Pikmin.
    • Red: 17.4% (clean)/12% (mid)/7.2% (late) → 20.3%/14%/8.4%
    • Purple: 20.3% (clean)/14% (mid)/8.4% (late) → 23.2%/16%/9.6%
  • Forward smash has more ending lag (FAF 40 → 43).
  • Forward smash's clean hit has a shorter duration, with the mid and late hits having a longer duration instead (frames 11-14 (clean)/15-20 (mid)/21-29 (late) → 11-12/13-19/20-29).
• Up smash:
  • Up smash deals more damage when using red or purple Pikmin with knockback scaling compensated.
    • Red: 15.6% (clean)/12% (weak)/13.2% (late) → 18.2%/14%/15.4%, knockback scaling: 83/74/78 → 72/64/68
    • Purple: 18.2% (clean)/14% (weak)/15.4% (late) → 20.8%/16%/17.6%, knockback scaling: 81/72/78 → 72/64/68
  • Up smash has significantly less ending lag (FAF 56 → 40), increasing its safety and giving it combo potential.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash deals more damage when using red or purple Pikmin.
    • Red: 13.2% (clean)/10.8% (late) → 15.4%/12.6%
    • Purple: 15.4% (clean)/12.6% (late) → 17.6%/14.4%

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (15 frames → 13 (neutral), 15 → 9 (forward/back), 30 → 18 (up/down)).
• All aerials involving Pikmin have Transcendent priority.
• All aerials that use Pikmin have more range.
• The damage multipliers when using aerials with red or purple Pikmin have been increased (Red: 1.2× → 1.4×, Purple: 1.4× → 1.6×).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial's hitboxes on the looping hits are bigger, but the hitboxes in the final hit are smaller (loop: 3.5u/2.5u/2.5u/3.5u → 4u/3u/3u/4u, last: 5u/4u/4u/5u → 4u/3u/3u/4u).
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial deals more damage when using red or purple Pikmin.
    • Red: 10.2% → 11.9%
    • Purple: 11.9% → 13.6%
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial deals more damage when using red or purple Pikmin.
    • Red: 12.9% → 15.1%
    • Purple: 15.1% → 17.2%
• Up aerial and down aerial:
  • They deal more damage when using red or purple Pikmin.
    • Red: 10.8% → 12.6%
    • Purple: 12.6% → 14.4%
  • They auto-cancel one frame later (frame 30 → 31).

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All Pikmin in Olimar's squad will be used at once for his grab, significantly improving its potential range. The more Pikmin he has, the greater the range.
  • All grabs have slightly more startup lag (frame 10 → 12).
  • Attempting to grab near a ledge using Pikmin that were plucked just before that will cause the grab to have no hitbox.
  • All grabs' ending lag is changed and depends on the amount of Pikmin in Olimar's squad.
    • Standing: FAF 50 → 42/48/57 (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Dash: FAF 53 → 50/58/69 (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Pivot: FAF 36 → 45/52/61 (1/2/3 Pikmin).
• Pummel:
  • Pummel is a quick upward punch from Olimar himself. It is much faster than his previous pummel, but deals less damage.
  • Olimar can no longer benefit from the high-damaging pummel of White Pikmin.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw deals more damage when using blue Pikmin and when Olimar has multiple Pikmin in his squad.
    • Red: 5.6% → 5.6%/6.1%/6.7% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Yellow, White, Purple: 7% → 7%/7.7%/8.4% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Blue: 11.2% → 11.8%/13%/14.2% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
• Back throw:
  • Back throw deals more damage when using blue Pikmin and when Olimar has multiple Pikmin in his squad.
    • Red: 7.2% → 7.2%/7.9%/8.6% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Yellow, White, Purple: 9% → 9%/9.9%/10.8% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Blue: 14.4% → 15.3%/16.8%/18.3% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
  • Back throw deals significantly more knockback when using blue Pikmin.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw deals more damage when using blue Pikmin and when Olimar has multiple Pikmin in his squad.
    • Red: 6.4% → 6.4%/7%/7.6% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Yellow, White, Purple: 8% → 8%/8.8%/9.6% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Blue: 12.8% → 13.5%/14.8%/16.2% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
  • Up throw deals significantly more knockback when using blue Pikmin, being the strongest up throw in the game.
  • Up throw has a more exaggerated animation.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw deals more damage when using blue Pikmin and when Olimar has multiple Pikmin in his squad.
    • Red: 6.6% → 6.6%/7.2%/7.9% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Yellow: 8% → 8%/8.8%/9.6% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • White: 7.8% → 8%/8.8%/9.6% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Purple: 8.4% → 8%/8.8%/9.6% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
    • Blue: 12.2% → 12.8%/14.1%/15.4% (1/2/3 Pikmin).
  • Down throw sends opponents at a more horizontal angle, reducing its combo potential.

Special moves

• Pikmin Throw:
  • Pikmin that latch onto opponents deal more damage (1.1% → 2% (Red, Yellow, Blue), 3.7% → 4.7% (White)).
  • Purple Pikmin thrown deal less damage (6.5% → 6%).
  • Pikmin take fall damage when thrown and landing on the ground.
  • The removal of multiple player slot glitch and changes to jostle mechanics no longer crashes the game with Pikmin Throw.
  • Opponents express when a Pikmin is latched onto them.
• Winged Pikmin:
  • Winged Pikmin travels a significantly shorter distance with consecutive uses.
  • If Pikmin are in certain animations while using Winged Pikmin, attempting to use them for aerials will cause the attack to have no hitbox.
• Pikmin Order:
  • Pikmin Order has less ending lag (FAF 21 → 18).
  • Pikmin Order's super armor starts earlier (frames 6-12 → 2-7). This helps Olimar combo break more easily, but also effectively increases the move's ending lag.
    • It has a lower duration (7 frames → 6 frames).
  • Pikmin Order's whistling animation is less exaggerated.
• End of Day
  • End of Day has been significantly sped up, with the Hocotate Ship crashing onto the stage almost immediately after the move's cutscene.
  • The explosion has less knockback scaling (140 (sweetspot)/125 (sourspot) → 120/105).

|Lucario====Aesthetics===

• Similar to all veterans returning from Smash 4, Lucario's model has a more subdued color scheme, and its fur has a more detailed texture.
• Aura is now cyan in color instead of indigo at earlier percentages, and its visual effects are smoother. At higher Aura levels, the flames produced are more intense, becoming indigo in color, which leave behind a trail as Lucario moves. Purple electricity starts emanating from its paws, and the spikes on each paw begin to glow white. The appendages on the back of its head also rise up as Aura grows in power.
• Many of Lucario's attacking animations have been updated from SSB4. Notably, Lucario stands on one foot more in its attacks, particularly with its smash attacks and Double Team.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Lucario's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Lucario walks slightly faster (1.05 → 1.103).
• Lucario runs faster (1.55 → 1.705).
  • Lucario's initial dash is significantly faster (1.8 → 2.255).
• Lucario's air speed is much higher (1.09 → 1.281), now being on par with Wolf's.
• Lucario's air acceleration is higher 0 → 0.01 (base), 0.07 → 0.08 (additional), 0.07 → 0.09 (max).
• Lucario's traction is higher (0.0736 → 0.116). However, due to traction being significantly increased across the cast, it no longer has the highest traction in the game going from first out of 58 to eighteenth out of 76 characters.
• Lucario is lighter (99 → 92), making it more difficult to survive at higher percents to take advantage of Aura.
• Aura increases in strength faster at lower percentages, reaching base damage at 65% (70% in SSB4), but slower at higher percentages, reaching a maximum of 1.6x power at 190% (down from 1.7x). Aura's strength at 0% is unchanged (0.66x).
• The weakening of Rage reduces Lucario's KO potential at high percents. When combined with the changes to Aura and Lucario's reduced weight, he has become considerably less threatening when damaged.
• Aura's effects have been modified regarding placement. In 1v1 matches, the overall multiplier for Aura has increased slightly (0.8x → 0.83x (minimum), 1.33x → 1.4x (maximum)).
  • However, this new multiplier applies beyond 1v1, also reducing the maximum multiplier of a four player match down from x2 to x1.4. This removes much of the Anubis Combo's extreme comeback factor, which makes Lucario more reliant on taking damage to reap the benefits of Aura.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack's hits connect much more consistently.
  • All three hits of neutral attack have less ending lag (FAF 34, 38, 41 → 27, 27, 36).
  • The first two hits of neutral attack can jab lock opponents.
  • Neutral attack's first hit comes out later than before (frame 6 → 7).
  • The first hit has fewer active frames (frames 6-8 → 7-8).
  • The final hit has fewer active frames (frames 9-11 → 9-10).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack now has a sweetspot located on Lucario's foot during the early frames of the attack. This new sweetspot deals more damage (10%) and knockback than the rest of the attack, letting it KO earlier.
  • The sourspot of the clean hit does more damage (8% → 8.5%).
  • Dash attack's sweetspot has more range (hitboxes: 3.0u → 3.6u (clean), 2.8u → 2.9u (late)).
  • Lucario now lands on its feet after using dash attack; previously, it fell on its side after the kick.
• Forward tilt:
  • • Forward tilt has a new animation, with Lucario leaning back before the palm thrust. In addition, the updated visual on the Aura effect matches the hitboxes much better.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has a new animation; Lucario jumps slightly higher when kicking, and kicks in an overall more animated fashion. It then quickly hops back into place at the end of the attack.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has less ending lag (FAF 25 → 23). This improves its safety and combo potential.
  • Down tilt's new animation has Lucario crouch low to the ground while kicking. This allows it to lower its profile and dodge more attacks while using down tilt.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash's clean hit has a larger hitbox (5.5u → 5.7u), and greater horizontal extension (Z offset: 4.7-10.2 → 5-11.7), improving its range.
  • Forward smash becomes active earlier (frame 22 → 19).
  • Forward smash has more vibrant Aura effects.
  • Forward smash's animation is more animated and snappy compared to SSB4. It also now ends the attack standing on one foot.
  • The new animation of forward smash has Lucario lean back at the start of the attack, allowing it to evade attacks before retaliating with its own.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has an altered animation, with Lucario raising its leg much higher while releasing the blast of Aura. The charging stance is different, and the blast of Aura is much wider than before to match the hitbox more accurately.
  • Up smash's first hit has more horizontal range (Z offset: -4–4 → -5–5).
  • Up smash's second hitbox is larger (8u → 8.8u), and lower down (Y offset: 25 → 23.5), improving its horizontal range and allowing it to connect better against opponents pulled up from the ground, but reducing its vertical range.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has a new animation; instead of raising its arms into the air and bringing them down, Lucario now briefly stands on one foot before stomping it to the ground while simultaneously releasing Aura from its palms.
  • The charging animation of down smash now has Lucario fold its arms while crouching in front of its chest instead of waving its arms in a circular motion.
    • Due to the change in stance, Lucario is less vulnerable to attack while charging down smash.

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial now consists of six hitboxes which surround Lucario rather than consisting of two hitboxes on its right arm (6u/4u (clean)/4.5u/3.3u (late) → 4.6u/4.6u/4.6u/4.6u/3.6u/3.6u (both)). This allows the move to hit behind Lucario much sooner and lead into the second hit; increasing its potency.
    • This also allows the attack to drag opponents forwards if they are behind Lucario, improving its followup potential.
  • It has less landing lag (9 frames → 5).
  • The first hit has more startup lag (frame 8 → 10).
  • The first hit has a longer hitbox duration (frames 8-11 → 10-14).
  • The second hit has less startup lag (frame 22 → 18).
  • The second hit has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 22-29 → 18-21).
    • Altogether, these changes allow both hits to connect much more reliably.
  • It auto-cancels earlier (frame 39 → 36).
  • Its initial auto-cancel window is shorter (frames 1-7 → 1-4).
  • It has a new animation; Lucario spins more quickly than it did in Smash 4.
    • This new animation is longer (54 frames → 56), slightly increasing the amount of time Lucario cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has less landing lag (18 frames → 9).
  • Lucario can grab ledges sooner after using forward aerial (64 frames → 52).
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial has less startup lag (frame 16 → 13).
  • It deals less damage (15% → 14%/13%), hindering its KO potential.
  • It has more ending lag (FAF 49 → 50).
  • Its initial auto-cancel window is longer (frames 1-3 → 1-4).
  • The burst of aura from its animation has better adjusted to more accurately better match its hitboxes.
  • It has a new animation which is slightly shorter than the previous animation (63 frames → 61). This slightly decreases the amount of time Lucario cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has less landing lag (22 frames → 13).
  • It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 10-15 → 10-13).
  • It has an altered animation, with Lucario backflipping following the initial kick.
    • This new animation is longer (50 frames → 54), slightly increasing the amount of time Lucario cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial stalls Lucario's movement less on successive uses.
  • It has more landing lag (9 frames → 12).
  • It has a new animation which is longer than the previous animation (31 frames → 40). This increases the amount of time Lucario cannot grab ledges after performing the move.

Throws and other attacks

• Pivot grab has more horizontal range (Z offset: 4-15.2 → 4-16.5).
• Forward throw is now a two-hit move. This change also grants the move a collateral hitbox to hit opponents near Lucario. This is makes it better at seperating certain two-in-one characters such as the Ice Climbers and Rosalina & Luma.

Special moves

• Aura Sphere:
  • Aura Sphere is visually closer to how it appears in recent Pokémon games. It has an "energy absorption" effect while charging and no longer emits a trail of smoke when launched.
  • Aura Sphere can now be jump-canceled, even in the air. Additionally, it can now be canceled into any grounded option while charging with an advanced technique called Charge Storage Cancelling.
    • With Lucario's increased air speed, this makes it possible to edge-guard opponents by charging Aura Sphere and then cancelling it into an aerial, as well as improving its movement when combined with B-Reverses, Wavebounces, etc.
  • Moving the control stick down has Lucario spot dodge, much like how moving it left or right has it roll.
  • Lucario cannot shield immediately out of Aura Sphere, making it less safe to charge.
  • Lucario cannot use its standard grab out of a charging Aura Sphere without shielding, as pressing the Z button fires the Aura Sphere.
  • The aerial charge animation for Aura Sphere was altered; it now more closely resembles the grounded charging animation.
  • Fully charged Aura Sphere has a larger hitbox (2.0u → 2.6u).
• Force Palm:
  • Force Palm has increased grab range.
  • Force Palm's projectile deals less damage with the far hit (7.56% → ~5.4%).
  • Force Palm's hitbox now matches its Aura graphics more closely.
  • Force Palm's grab triggers Special Zoom if Lucario has at least half of its maximum Aura.
  • The animation for Force Palm has been completely changed; instead of pulling its left paw back before thrusting it forward with a stomp to release a blast of Aura, Lucario now moves its paws in a circle around its body while crouching low to the ground before gathering its paws together and releasing a blast of Aura from its left paw.
• Extreme Speed:
  • Extreme Speed has less ending and landing lag.
  • Extreme Speed now has a hitbox upon directly crashing into the ground or a wall, making it safer to use for recovery.
  • Crashing into a wall now sends Lucario upward as opposed to stopping it in place. This greatly increases the safety of the recovery.
  • Extreme Speed's controls have been modified; the initial flight direction is locked in a short period of time before flight begins, which can lead to unintentional self-destructs.
  • Extreme Speed travels less distance overall.
  • Extreme Speed now halts at the end of the move, making it worse for recovering at low percents.
  • The animation for Extreme Speed has been updated; Lucario now gathers Aura in its paws at the start of the move. If it is grounded, dust ripples appear around Lucario as it gathers Aura. Additionally, the streams of Aura during flight are much bigger and more colorful than before. At the end of the flight, a gust of wind envelops the front of Lucario to indicate the attack portion of the move.
• Double Team:
  • When performing the attack, Lucario now moves into the direction the control stick is being held rather than from it, making the move more intuitive.
  • Double Team deals more damage (11% → 12.5%).
  • Double Team's counterattack activates faster (frame 28 → 16), making the attack much more consistent.
  • Lucario leaves blue-colored afterimages of itself in the location where it stood just before the attack.
  • Double Team has less ending lag on an unsuccessful counter (FAF 80 → 71), decreasing the window of time where Lucario can be punished.
  • Double Team can now track opponents that activate the counterattack; Lucario will teleport to the attacker's location (within a certain range) and start its counterattack.
  • Double Team now slows down time for the opponent that attacked Lucario. This allows Double Team to punish many more attacks, greatly increasing its reliability.
  • Double Team has fewer active frames (frames 5-39 → 5-24), no longer having the longest frame window in the game.
  • Double Team has significantly fewer intangibility frames (5-39 → 4-13), no longer covering the entire counter window.
  • Double Team's momentum in the air carries over into Lucario's own movement, which both benefits and hinders its recovery potential, as it can help with recovering when facing towards the stage, but prevent recovery (or even lead to a self-destruct) when facing away from the stage.
  • The animation for Double Team has completely changed; instead of moving its arms in a circular motion while crouching, Lucario now stands upright with its left leg raised while holding a pose. It then pulls its right paw back while holding its martial arts-like stance. A vortex of wind surrounds Lucario throughout the entire animation.
• Final Smash:
  • Lucario's Final Smash has been reverted to Aura Storm. It now Mega Evolves into Mega Lucario before performing the attack.
  • Compared to Aura Storm in Brawl, the beam fired is much wider, improving the move's horizontal reach.

|R.O.B.====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, R.O.B.'s model features a more subdued color scheme. His body has a duller matte finish, and his eyes are less reflective. As a result, he more closely resembles the original peripheral.
• R.O.B.'s eye expressions are now seen properly at all times, as in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
• Up and side taunt's animations have been slightly altered:
  • During his up taunt, R.O.B. now slightly lifts his arms while spinning.
  • During his side taunt, R.O.B. now emits purple flashing sparkles from his eyes instead of white, and he claps twice.
• R.O.B.'s victory animations have been updated to be more expressive:
  • The first one where he spins his arms and rotates his head, and flexes his arms while rotating his head, now has him advance forward slowly on the ground while he rotates his hands before performing the rest of his victory pose.
  • The second one where he hovers in the air and spins, then lands and rotates his head while continuously lowering and rising his arm base, now has him advance forward before taking off, and he spins twice in quick succession before landing.
  • The third one where he turns his head and flashes the lights in his eyes, now has him spin once before vigorously clapping three times while flashing the lights in his eyes in a more exaggerated manner, then continuously slightly rising his arms and clapping, slowly lowering them after each clap.

Attributes

• R.O.B.'s character model was shrunken. This makes his hurtbox slightly smaller, while keeping his range mostly intact.
• Prone animation has been altered: R.O.B. now lies on the floor compacted instead of straightened. This makes him harder to hit and lock.
• Like all characters, R.O.B.'s jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Double jump animation has been altered: R.O.B. now spins horizontally while jumping.
• R.O.B. walks slightly faster (1.122 → 1.178).
• R.O.B.'s initial dash speed is much faster (1.3 → 2.002).
• R.O.B. dashes faster (1.568 → 1.725).
• Dash animation has been slightly altered: R.O.B. crouches slightly while running forward. This makes him harder to hit vertically, but easier to hit horizontally.
• R.O.B.'s air speed is slightly higher (1.08 → 1.134).
• R.O.B.'s traction has been increased (0.06 → 0.105).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 27 → 26).
• Backward roll has more ending lag (FAF 30 → 35).
• Neutral air dodge has more ending lag (FAF 33 → 51).
  • Neutral air dodge has less landing lag (22 frames → 10).
• The re-introduction of directional airdodges notably benefit R.O.B: they improve his recovery, as he can airdodge out of Robo Burner to mix-up his recovery or reach the edge after he has ran out of fuel. They also improve his edgeguarding ability due to his useful aerial game and the buffs to Arm Rotor.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Its first hit can be held for a consecutive jab.
  • Both hits have gained additional hitboxes (3.5u → 2.5u/2.5u/2.8u/2.8u (hit 1), 3.5u → 3.4u/3.4u/3.6u (hit 2)), improving its range.
  • The first hit has altered knockback (4 (base)/70 (scaling) → (18/23)/15) allowing both hits of neutral attack to connect easier.
  • The first hit's angles have been altered (100° → 361°/180°), allowing it to lock opponents.
• Forward tilt:
  • The move deals more damage (5%/6% (arm)/8% (arm's tip) → 7%/8% (arm)/10% (arm's tip)).
  • The move has altered knockback (30 (base)/100 (scaling) → 48/77). This makes the move safer on hit at low percentages, but slightly reduces its KO power.
  • Forward tilt now uses stationary hitboxes rather than connecting the hitboxes to R.O.B.'s arm.
• Up tilt:
  • R.O.B. no longer faces the screen directly during the move much like his taunts.
• Dash attack:
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 31), improving its combo potential.
• Forward smash:
  • The move has altered hitbox placements (Z offset: 12u → 14u (close), 22u → 24u (mid)), increasing the horizontal range of both the closest hit and mid hit.
  • It has increased knockback scaling (close: 100 → 105, mid/far: 100 → 110).
  • Its charging animation has been changed to resemble its animation in Brawl. This makes the move safer to execute when charging, as R.O.B. doesn't lean forward.
• Down smash:
  • The side of which down smash launches opponents is no longer inconsistent; the front hits always launch in front of R.O.B. and vice versa.
  • The multi-hits are now stationary, improving the consistency of their range.
  • The multihits have less knockback (30 (base)/40 (scaling) → 20/20), allowing them to connect into each other more reliably.
  • It only hits 3 times instead of 5, slightly reducing its overall damage output up close despite the first hits dealing more damage (2% (hits 1-4 base)/1.5% (hits 1-4 tip) → 3.5% (hits 1-2 base)/3% (hits 1-2 tip); total: 13%/11% → 12%/11%).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (12 → 7 frames (neutral), 15 → 9 frames (forward), 22 → 13 frames (back and up aerials), 21 → 12 frames (down).
• Neutral aerial:
  • The move has faster startup (frame 18 → 14) with a longer duration (frames 18-32 → 14-32).
  • It deals more damage (8% (base)/6% (tip) → 9.5%/7.5%).
  • The sourspot hitbox takes priority over the sweetspot hitbox. This makes the sourspot easier to land for combos, but makes the sweetspot harder to land for KOing.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has a longer duration (frames 6-7 → 6-8).
• Back aerial:
  • The move deals more damage (12% (base)/10% (tip)/6% (late base)/4.5% (late tip) → 15%/13%/9%/7.5%) with knockback not fully compensated on the base hit (32 (base)/100 (scaling) → 41/87 (base), 32/100 → 35/83 (tip), 30/100 → 35/76 (late base), 30/100 → 35/74 (late tip)). This noticeably improves its KO potential.
  • As a result of its higher damage, the move slows down R.O.B. for longer upon hitting a shielding opponent.
  • The late hit has a longer duration (frames 24-29 → 24-32).
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial's final hit comes out quicker (frame 26 → 23).
    • This allows the final hit to connect better with the initial hits.
    • The move's duration has been unchanged, resulting in more ending lag overall.
• Down aerial:
  • R.O.B. faces further forward when performing his down aerial.
  • R.O.B. is given greater vertical speed upon activating the aerial (0.1 → 0.7), allowing R.O.B. to use the move closer to the ground and not land before the hitbox comes out, and improving the move's stalling potential in general.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • Standing grab and pivot grab have slightly less startup lag (frame 7 → 6 (standing), frame 11 → 10 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 37 (standing), FAF 37 → 45 (dash), FAF 36 → 40 (pivot)).
  • Standing grab has more range (Z2 offset: 10.6u → 11.6u).
  • Dash grab and pivot grab have less range (Z2 offset: 12.7u → 12.2u (dash), -18.1u → -17.3u (pivot).
• Pummel
  • R.O.B. has a new pummel: he headbutts the opponent instead of squeezing them in his grip.
    • This new pummel deals less damage (2% → 1.3%).
    • However, this pummel has faster startup (frame 2 → 1), deals more hitlag (4 → 14 frames) and has reduced ending lag (FAF 17 → 7). This increases the amount of times R.O.B. can pummel the opponent before throwing them or before they break out.
• Forward throw:
  • R.O.B. has a new forward throw where he throws the opponent overhead with his arm.
    • Forward throw's animation change has R.O.B. release the opponent later (frame 7 → 11) with its duration unchanged, reducing its ending lag. Compounded with R.O.B.'s improved initial dash, this grants the move limited followup potential at low percentages.
• Back throw:
  • R.O.B. has a more dynamic animation and now turns to face the direction in which he threw the opponent.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw rises higher during the animation.
  • Up throw releases the opponent earlier (frame 66 → 59) with its duration unchanged, increasing its ending lag. This hinders its combo ability past low percentages.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw now buries opponents briefly.
    • This allows for more read-based followups, including up tilt and up aerial, and gives R.O.B. a new KO confirm into up smash.
    • The new, more consistent attack sacrifices the potential for early KO's that 'Beep Boop' could achieve in Smash 4, although it is still possible at low percentages or if the opponent doesn't mash out fast enough.
  • Down throw deals significantly less damage (10% → 5%).
  • Down throw has more ending lag (FAF 66 → 76).

Special moves

• Robo Beam:
  • Super Robo Beam deals significantly more damage (10% (Super Robo Beam)/17% (point-blank Super Robo Beam) → 15%/22%) with knockback scaling compensated (70 → 43).
  • Both stages of Robo Beam have larger hitboxes (1.5u → 2u (Robo Beam), 3u → 3.5u (Super Robo Beam)).
  • Both stages of Robo Beam launch opponents at lower angles (Robo Beam: 80° → 60°, Super Robo Beam: 60° → 45°). This makes them better for edgeguarding.
  • Super Robo Beam's graphic is flashier.
  • Both stages of Robo Beam deal negative shield damage (0 → -2.2 (Robo Beam), 0 → -3.7 (Super Robo Beam)), effectively dealing half of their shield damage.
• Arm Rotor:
  • The move has less startup (frame 16 → 13) and ending lag (54 frames → 41).
  • Arm Rotor is executed much faster (FAF 110~137 → 86~108), improving its safety offstage.
  • The multihits now have set knockback (20 (base)/70 (scaling) → 40 (set)/65 (scaling)), use an autolink angle (120°/145°/145°/361° → 367°) and have a noticeably reduced hitlag multiplier (0.7× → 0.2×). Additionally, the move in general has slightly larger hitboxes (multi-hits: 3.3u/3.3u/3.3u/4.3u → 3.3u/3.3u/4u/4.5u, final hit: 5.5u → 6u), and the final hit extends further inwards (Z offset: -4–14 → -4.5–14). These changes allow the move to connect significantly more reliably, make it harder to escape from, and allow it to hit behind R.O.B better, increasing the move's reliability.
  • Akin to its Brawl counterpart, Arm Rotor has much less horizontal maneuverability on the ground.
  • Arm Rotor deals more damage per hit (1% → 1.5%), but has an increased rehit rate (3 frames → 5), reducing its overall damage output if all hits connect (16%-25% → 10.5%-18%).
  • Arm Rotor's finishing hit animation has been altered: it is now more exaggerated.
  • The final hit has a reduced hitlag multiplier (3.4× → 2.4×).
• Robo Burner:
  • R.O.B. now has a gauge on his chassis that shows how much fuel he has left for Robo Burner.
  • Robo Burner has new particle effects.
  • Robo Burner can be jump cancelled.
  • Robo Burner can be cancelled immediately into an air dodge if one is available.
• Gyro:
  • If R.O.B. grabs a Gyro he's previously thrown or dropped, it can be returned to its dock and charged again. This allows him to store his Gyro in a similar manner to Pocket, reducing the opportunity for his opponents to use it against him, and allowing him to keep up the pressure with it for a longer period of time.
  • Gyro can now be jump cancelled while charging.
  • Gyro deals less shield damage.
• Final Smash:
  • R.O.B. has a new Final Smash called Guided Robo Beam, in which he fires multiple small red beams that ricochet and home in on enemies, before firing a larger green beam that enlarges at the last second.
  • This is an improvement over Super Diffusion Beam, as it is much easier to hit opponents.

|Toon Link====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from Smash 4, Toon Link's model features a more subdued color scheme. His clothing now features simple woven and stitched detailing, similar to his design in Brawl, though his hair remains clay-like.
• Some of the textures of Toon Link's face have been modified: his brow is more furrowed, and his mouth is now represented by a black dash, making it look less organic. Overall, he appears more cartoonish as a result.
• Toon Link's hair is now affected by gravity and wind. His hat also now has more physics-based movement than before.
• Like many other returning characters, Toon Link is more expressive. He is now more consistently angry and serious to match the other Links. In general, he now has wide variety of expressions in his animations.
• Several of Toon Link's animations have been altered to further distinguish him from the other Links.
  • While jumping, he raises his shield more.
  • During his falling animation, he spreads his legs apart. His helpless animation is also different, now leaning more forward as he falls. However, he reuses his falling animations from Smash 4 when moving forward or backwards while falling.
  • His double jump animation is now an upward flip similar to Roy and Ganondorf.
• Toon Link's sword attacks now use a set of new, cartoonish slash sound effects when they land.
• Toon Link's taunts have all been modified:
  • His up taunt now faces the screen regardless of the direction he is facing.
  • His side taunt has a more surprised expression and pose. The fairy also now disappears in a Wind Waker style puff of smoke.
  • His down taunt now has him visibly sweating. Like his up taunt, it now faces the screen regardless of the direction he's facing.
• Toon Link's victory pose where he conducts with the Wind Waker has been modified to be more in line with his official art from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and its HD version.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Toon Link's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Toon Link is slightly lighter (93 → 91), this slightly hinders his endurance.
• Toon Link walks slightly faster (1.2265 → 1.288).
• Toon Link dashes faster (1.7325 → 1.906).
• Toon Link's air speed has been increased (0.94 → 1.05).
• Toon Link's falling speed has been increased (1.28 → 1.38).
  • His fast fall speed has also been increased (2.048 → 2.208), making him harder to juggle.
• Due to his higher falling speed, Toon Link's air time is shorter (SH timing: 41 → 40), (FH timing: 63 → 56).
• Toon Link's sidestep has increased startup on his invincibility (2-15 → 3-16), but less ending lag (25 → 20), now being tied for the third fastest.
• Toon Link's back roll has slightly increased invincibility (4-14 → 4-15), but much more ending lag (27 frames → 34).
• Toon Link's forward roll has slightly longer duration (FAF 27 → 29).
• Toon Link can now Z-drop items such as his Bombs without releasing the Hookshot. This vastly improves its versatility and utility as a tactic, mixup, combo and disadvantage tool. This also sees the return of the Invincibomb technique.
  • This change no longer allows Toon Link to Z-drop and use hookshot at the same time.
• The mechanical change to Tethers removes Toon Link's ability to cancel his airdodge into his hookshot, removing an option from his kit and vastly nerfing his recovery mixup potential.
  • Toon Link is still able to Tether to ledge while holding a bomb, by simply pressing Grab without holding a direction.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack's first hit has faster startup (frame 6 → 5) and slightly lower duration (FAF 20 → 18).
    • Neutral attack's first hit does slightly less damage (3% → 2%).
  • Neutral attack's third hit has fewer active frames (frame 6-10 → 6-7), reducing consistency and utility.
  • Neutral attack's third hit deals more base knockback but less knockback scaling (55 base/100 scaling → 70/75) and sends opponents at a lower angle (48° → 30°), granting it tech chase setups.
    • Toon Link strikes a pose at the end of his third neutral attack.
  • As with nearly every other character, Toon Link's first and second neutral attack can now lock opponents.
  • Neutral attack's first hit (3.5u/4.2/3.8u → 1.8u/1.8u/1.8u/1.8u) and second (3.5u/4.2u/4u → 2.5u/3.2u/3.2u/3.2u) hits have had their three larger hitboxes replaced with four smaller ones, and the third hit has lost one of its hitboxes altogether (4.2u/4.2u/3u → 4.5u/3.5u).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt has less ending lag (FAF 33 → 29), improving its safety and utility.
  • Forward tilt's frame 9 hit now has its farthest hitbox launch opponents in the direction he is facing (361° → 38°), improving its consistency and trap potential.
  • Forward tilt has more base knockback, but less knockback scaling (25 base/102 scaling → 45/83), improving its safety on hit at lower percents but hindering its KO potential.
  • Forward tilt's arm hitbox is deleted on frame 10, slightly weakening the move's consistency.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has a lower knockback angle, increasing its tech chase and setup potential.
  • Down tilt has an altered animation where Toon Link's sword doesn't stay pointed outwards for both frames of the active hitbox, reducing its effective duration.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has less startup (frame 9 → 7) and ending lag (FAF 40 → 29), making it much more useful and safer in landing trap situations.
  • Both sweetspot hitboxes now have priority over the sourspot.
  • Dash attack's hitboxes are larger (3.5u/4u/3u → 4.2u/4u/3.5u).
• Forward smash:
  • Toon Link has a new forward smash: a single upward swing.
  • Toon Link is now silent when performing the move.
  • Forward smash now has slightly more startup (15 frames → 16) and has decreased damage due to the removal of the second hit (21% → 14%).
    • Due to the removal of the second swing, Toon Link is also no longer able to use this move to space or mix up his opponent.
  • Forward smash's new animation has Toon Link swipe upwards and lunge farther, improving its vertical range.
    • The new animation also makes hitting grounded opponents more inconsistent, and no longer able to hit opponents hanging at the ledge.
  • The first hit has reduced knockback values compared to his old forward smash's second hit (25/32 base / 130 scaling → 25/20 / 110) to compensate for its increased damage (12% → 14%).
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has a slightly altered animation. Toon Link slightly turns after leaping.
  • Due to the altered animation, the sourspot hitbox is harder to land, improving its consistency and KO potential.
  • Up Smash has fewer active frames (frame 11-17 → 11-15).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has a tweaked animation.
  • Down smash's front hitbox no longer sends opponents behind Toon Link; instead, each swing has strong knockback on its own.
    • This means Toon Link can no longer use down smash to send opponents behind him. The overall damage output for hitting the front hitbox has also been reduced (14% (both hits) → 12%).
  • Down smash has less ending lag (50 frames → 46). Also, each hit of down smash does more damage (6%/7% → 12% (front)/13% (back)) and can KO on either side of Toon Link.
  • This also vastly improves the consistency of the move and prevents grounded opponents from escaping between hits. Aerial opponents also are now hit with the regular hitbox as opposed to the aerial-only hitbox, which had reduced damage and altered knockback.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (12 frames → 7 (neutral), 18 → 11 (forward), 17 → 8 (back), 21 → 13 (up), 40 → 23 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Both of neutral aerial's hits have larger hitboxes (3u/3.6u/4u/2.5u → 4u/4.5u/4.5u/2.5u)
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial auto-cancels significantly earlier (frame 51 → 39), matching its interruptibility. This also allows it to auto-cancel out of a short hop like in Brawl.
  • Forward aerial's large hitbox has been replaced with three smaller ones (7.5u → 5u/5u/4u).
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial has less startup (frame 7 → 6).
  • Back aerial has far less ending lag (FAF 46 → 36), allowing Toon Link to double jump out of a short hop with it once again.
  • Back aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 38 → 34).
  • Back aerial deals less damage (11% → 8%) without full compensation for its base knockback (18 → 24), losing its already poor KO potential.
    • Back aerial's lowered knockback and less ending lag has vastly improved its combo and setup potential.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has an altered animation where Toon Link ducks more. This lowers his hurtbox and allows him to hit opponents beneath him more effectively, similar to Link's up aerial.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial's hitboxes are slightly smaller (5.6u (clean)/5.3u (late) → 5.5u/5u) and higher up (Y offset: -3 → -1.1), reducing its range.
  • When landing, it has received a hitbox that deals 5% and appears when Toon Link raises the Master Sword from the ground.
• Grab aerial:
  • Grab aerial has less ending lag (frame 75 → 74).
  • Grab aerial has fewer active frames (frame 11-20 → 11-18).
  • Grab aerial can only hit one opponent or projectile. Once it collides with something, it bounces off and the hitbox is disabled.

Throws and other attacks

• All grabs have less ending lag (FAF 62 → 51 (standing), 72 → 60 (dash), 72 → 55 (pivot)).
• Toon Link has an altered down throw animation where he jumps much higher in the air before tackling his opponent. This helps him avoid projectiles close to the ground (especially his own bombs), but opens him to projectiles in the air.
• Up throw's collateral has a much shorter duration (26-30 → 27), hindering its range.
• Back throw has less knockback growth (120 → 110), reducing its KO potential.
• Toon Link now faces the opposite direction when using down throw.
• All of Toon Link's item tosses have more ending lag, reducing the potency of his item throws and followups (20 → 24 (forward/back), 20 → 23 (up), 19 → 20 (down)).)

Special moves

• Hero's Bow:
  • Arrows can no longer be held indefinitely upon reaching full charge, now automatically firing if held for more than three seconds.
• Boomerang:
  • Boomerang appears to have a new model, featuring a more simplistic design.
  • A Boomerang performed with a smash input has increased damage and slightly increased knockback compared to a Tilt input (8% (near)/5% (mid) → 9.6%/6%).
  • Boomerang now has a clanking animation where it bounces quickly before falling and disappearing.
    • Boomerang is unavailable during this clanking animation, reducing Boomerang's utility in trade situations.
  • Boomerang has less duration on the returning hitbox. This reduces the potential of the returning boomerang, but the Boomerang now reappears in Toon Link's hands more quickly.
  • Boomerang has different physics when bouncing against surfaces in certain situations, most notably on return, altering the utility of returning boomerang.
• Spin Attack:
  • Spin Attack's sword trails are blue, now matching how they were in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. In addition, the grounded version's animation was altered a bit. Toon Link no longer holds the sword perfectly parallel to the ground while he spins.
  • Grounded Spin Attack has less startup lag (frame 9 → 6) and its duration was compensated (FAF 80 → 77), increasing its utility and safety.
  • Grounded Spin Attack's final hit has significantly increased knockback scaling (141 → 180) and launches at a lower angle (55° → 48°), granting it KO potential.
  • Grounded Spin Attack always knocks opponents in the direction Toon Link is facing, giving Toon Link the ability to control where his opponent is sent.
  • Aerial Spin Attack has a lower angle (75 → 45°) and much more knockback growth (120 → 170), giving it much better edgeguarding and kill power.
  • Aerial Spin Attack now has multiple hitboxes behind Toon Link, improving its safety and utility, and also increasing damage output on large targets caught in the attack.
  • Aerial Spin Attack now allows Toon Link to retain much more horizontal drift after the final hitbox, improving its spacing and recovery potential.
  • Aerial Spin Attack no longer takes away Toon Link's midair jump if he is interrupted before recovering, granting him more recovery mixups.
  • Toon Link strikes a slightly different pose during the final hit of Aerial Spin Attack, closely matching Link's new pose during his Aerial Spin Attack as well.
• Bomb:
  • Toon Link now pulls out the Bomb slightly quicker (39 frames → 36).
  • Bomb no longer does differing damage based on direct contact (4%) or the explosion (5%-8%). Both damage values have been homogenized, and the only factor to the bombs damage is the velocity before impact.
    • Bombs overall do less damage (4%-8% → 4.2%-6.5%). However, the lower damage betters bomb combo potential.
  • Bombs no longer beat weak projectiles, instead bouncing at the point of contact and falling to the ground. This massively reduces the potency of bombs in trade situations.
  • Bombs now always explode against fire-based attacks, regardless of how much damage the move does. While this removes their potential to absorb fire-based projectiles, it also allows Toon Link to force an opponent to blow up a bomb in his favor.
• Triforce Slash:
  • Triforce Slash has had its activation range massively increased, allowing Toon Link to chase down targets across Final Destination, like Link's iteration from Brawl and Smash 4.

|Wolf====Aesthetics===

• Wolf's design takes some elements from his appearance in Star Fox Zero. He now sports a traditional eye patch instead of a visor, and his normal eye is red instead of purple. His fur is also more detailed and fluffier due to the game's graphical improvements.
• Wolf's jacket is now purple with heliotrope accents and has a more traditional appearance: it has a collar, buttons, a zipper, and a belt; it also appears to have more depth, and his necklace and choker have been replaced with a hopbush bandana (also wears one on his left leg). His gloves match his jacket and are wrapped around in bands. Wolf's boots are less metallic and instead have metallic detailing protruding from his heels and toe boxes; he also wears shin guards that possess similar metallic details, and his knee pads are asymmetrical. The spikes on his shoulder pads and knee pad are significantly more protruding and are now old gold instead of gray. Lastly, Wolf no longer carries his reflecting device around. These changes make Wolf's design largely unique to Ultimate.
• Wolf has received three new alternate costumes, bringing his total up to the standard eight. All of his alternate costumes are completely renewed, with two of them being based on his teammates Andrew Oikonny and Pigma.
• Like many other characters, Wolf is more expressive. He now smirks in an evil manner on certain occasions, like his side taunt, spotdodging, when grabbing opponents, and his up victory pose.
• All of Wolf's claw-based attacks now sport purple claw trails.
• The majority of Wolf's animations are more fluid and polished with a majority of them (air dodge, rolls, spot dodge, and shielding, etc.) now being unique to him rather than being borrowed from Fox's.
• Walking, dashing, and falling animations have all been altered.
• Crouching animation has been altered. He now kneels akin to the other spacies instead of laying on all four limbs. However, he transitions to his crouching animation from Brawl when holding a small item.
  • Wolf's new crouching animation doesn't lower his hurtboxes as much as before, making it easier to hit him vertically.
• Wolf's fur has physics-based movement.
• Wolf's ears now have unique animations, such as bending while dashing and twitching during his Brawl idle animation.
• Wolf's up taunt has him face the screen, regardless which side he's currently facing.
  • The howling voice clip has been sped up to match the new animation.
• Wolf has a new side taunt, a beckoning gesture with two fingers while asking "Are you scared?". This replaces his taunt from Brawl, in which he kicked the air three times and said "What's the matter, scared?".
• Wolf's crowd cheer only has the audience howling, instead of going "Wooolf! - *howl*".
• All of Wolf's victory poses have been given either updated animations or dialogues.
  • He has a new left-inputted victory pose where he claws the air and poses, replacing the victory pose where he snarls, crosses his arms and then laughs.
  • His up-inputted victory pose now has him saying "You're good, but I'm better.", one of his famous lines from Star Fox 64. This replaces his "I will be the one to...take you down!" line from Brawl.
  • His right-inputted victory pose ending animation has been altered as he now extends his right arm, keeping his left arm closer to his face as the camera zooms in. In addition, he now says "Weaklings, the lot of you." instead of "Weaklings, the bunch of you.".
• Wolf's specific victory dialogue against Fox ("Playtime's over, Star Fox!") has a chance of being used on any of his three victory poses rather than solely on the left-inputted victory pose.
• Wolf's tumbling animation no longer detaches his left arm from his elbow.

Attributes

• Wolf stands in an upright, much less awkward posture, similar to Yoshi and Bowser in their transitions from Brawl. This translates to his moveset, be it through a tweaked animation or a completely new move. However, he transitions to his idle animation from Brawl when holding a small item.
  • Wolf's new upright posture makes him harder to hit horizontally, but easier to hit vertically.
• The changes to hitstun canceling both help and hinder Wolf: they allow him to combo his opponents much better than in Brawl, but make him more susceptible to combos due to his fast falling speed.
• The 19% damage increase to shields, higher shieldstun and more limited out of shield options allow Wolf to pressure shields much more effectively, with many of his attacks now being safe on shield with proper spacing.
• The changes to momentum canceling both help and hinder Wolf: it makes his stronger moves more likely to KO and renders his vertical endurance more in line with the rest of the cast, but also worsens his horizontal endurance.
• The removal of meteor canceling benefits Wolf far more than any other character, as he is equally as vulnerable to meteor smashes as the rest of the cast instead of having a significantly longer meteor cancel delay, while making his own meteor smashes much more effective.
• The removal of chain grabbing significantly improves Wolf's survivability and matchups against several characters, most notably no longer being vulnerable to guaranteed zero-to-death combos.
  • However, it also slightly hinders Wolf's damage racking game, as he could chain grab with his down throw in Brawl.
• The removal of glide tossing and super glide tossing hinders Wolf's approach while holding items.
• Like all characters, Wolf's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Wolf is significantly lighter (102 → 92), going from above average to below average weight. This significantly hinders his endurance, while not making him much less susceptible to combos from other characters due to the changes to hitstun canceling.
• Wolf walks slower (1.3 → 1.208).
• Wolf runs faster (1.4 → 1.54).
  • Wolf's initial dash speed is much faster (1.7 → 2.09).
• Wolf's air speed is faster (1.222 → 1.281).
• Wolf's fast fall speed is much higher and more in line with the rest of the roster (1.9 → 2.88), being far more useful than before.
• Wolf's traction is higher (0.07 → 0.11).
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 32 → 30).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 32 → 35).
• Spot dodge has more startup and grants less intangibility (frames 2-20 → 3-17).
• Air dodge has less startup (frame 4 → 2) and ending lag (FAF 50 → 45).
• Air dodge grants less intangibility (frames 4-29 → 2-26).
• The changes to air dodging help Wolf overall, as they allow him to juggle his opponents more easily than in Brawl when coupled with the changes to hitstun canceling. They also give Wolf an effective way to mix up his recovery and landing options, the latter due to his fast falling speed.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first and second hits both transition into the next hits faster (frame 9 → 7).
  • The first hit deals less damage (3% → 2%).
  • All hits have smaller hitboxes (4u/3u/3u → 1.6u/1.8u/2.2u/2.2u (hit 1), 3u/3.5u/4u → 2u/2.5u/3u (hit 2), 5u/4u/4u → 2.5u/2.8u/4u (hit 3)) with a shorter duration (2 frames → 1 frame).
  • The first two hits have higher hitlag multipliers (1× → 1.6× (hit 1), 1.2× (hit 2)) and SDI multipliers (0.5× (hit 1), 0.3× (hit 2) → 1×).
  • The third hit no longer deals extra shield damage (6 → 0).
  • The first two hits have altered angles (80°/35°/30° → 361°/180° (hit 1), 20°/15°/45° → 361° (hit 2)) and knockback (22/26/28 base/30 scaling (hit 1), 35/50/15/25 (hit 2) → 25/20 base/25/20 scaling) to keep opponents close to Wolf, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and jab lock, but worsens their jab cancel setups.
  • Neutral attack has a much cleaner look overall. The ending hit is a third claw swipe instead of a lunging bite.
• Forward tilt:
  • The changes to shield hitlag from Brawl make forward tilt safer on shield, as shielding opponents now experience the same hitlag as Wolf from the first hit instead of much less, preventing them from punishing him before the second hit comes out.
  • The first hit has less knockback scaling (110 → 70), allowing it to connect more reliably into the second hit.
  • Forward tilt has more ending lag (FAF 33 → 35).
  • The first hit is no longer impossible to SDI (0× → 1×).
  • The first hit has a different angle (361° → 60°) and a lower hitlag multiplier (3× → 1.8×).
  • The second hit has more base knockback (40 → 55), but less knockback scaling (120 → 106). This slightly worsens its KO ability from center stage, but improves it near edges.
  • The move has an updated animation where Wolf forcefully brings his claws together.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt's hitboxes that affect both grounded and aerial opponents have reversed priority (10%/9%/8% → 8%/9%/10%), making the sweetspot harder to land.
  • All hitboxes except the grounded-and-aerial sweetspot are smaller (6u/5u/5u → 4.5u).
  • The grounded sweetspot launches at a lower angle (88° → 80°).
  • It has a new ending animation where Wolf flicks his nose with his thumb while smirking.
• Dash attack:
  • Wolf has a new dash attack: a lunging kick instead of a backflip.
  • It no longer halts Wolf's momentum, instead boosting him forward a considerable distance. This drastically increases its horizontal range, despite its hitboxes being smaller (3.5u/4.5u/5u → 2.5u/3.5u/4u). It can also cross-up opponents despite the changes to the jostle mechanics.
  • It has a longer hitbox duration with a clean hit and late hit, though with the former still lasting longer than the previous dash attack's hitboxes (frames 11-13 → 11-14 (clean), 15-18 (late)).
  • The clean hit deals more damage (9% → 11%) and has increased knockback (50 base/80 scaling → 40/40/45 base/92/91/85 scaling), noticeably improving its KO potential. Combined with its previous buffs, this allows it to punish landings and whiffed attacks much more effectively.
  • Due to its new animation and smaller hitboxes, dash attack has less vertical range.
  • It no longer deals extra shield damage (1 → 0), although it is still more damaging against shields due to its increased damage output.
• Forward smash:
  • Wolf has a new forward smash: a forceful standing palm strike that deals one hit instead of two.
  • Due to dealing one hit with the same damage as the total of the previous hits (5% (hit 1), 10% (hit 2) → 15%), and its knockback values being unchanged, it is more consistent and much stronger, allowing it to KO middleweights at 100% from the center of Final Destination, compared to being unable to KO below 140% under the same circumstances.
  • It has double the startup lag (frame 10 → 20), no longer being one of the fastest forward smashes in the game.
    • However, it has less ending lag (FAF 46 → 42), especially given the slower startup. Coupled with its increased damage and much higher shieldstun, it is now safe on shield and can be used to bait approaches.
  • It does not have Wolf lunge as far forward, and its hitboxes are smaller (4.5u/4u/3u (hit 1), 6.5u/5u (hit 2) → 3.5u/3u), significantly decreasing its range.
• Up smash:
  • The second hit has a longer duration (frames 20-22 → 20-23).
  • Up smash has more ending lag (FAF 44 → 48).
  • The removal of DACUS significantly hinders its utility for approaching.
  • The second hit has a consistent angle (95°/361° → 95°), with the hitboxes on Wolf's body no longer launching horizontally, and has different knockback values (40/50 base/85/100 scaling → 85 base/65 scaling), strengthening the leg hitboxes, but weakening the body hitboxes. This improves its vertical KO power, but removes its ability to KO earlier horizontally.
  • The move has an altered animation: a breakdance-style rotation followed by an upward dropkick. The hits are also clearly highlighted by trails.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash's two outermost hitboxes on both hits deal more damage (14%/12% → 16% (hit 1), 13%/10% → 14% (hit 2)) and have increased knockback (50 base/90/60 scaling → 37 base/93 scaling (hit 1), 50 base/90 scaling (hit 2)). As a result, the sweetspots are located farther away from Wolf instead of closer to him, and have been strengthened significantly to the point the first hit's sweetspots can KO under 100% from center stage.
    • These hitboxes also launch at a lower angle (35°/361° → 30°), allowing them to semi-spike. Combined with their knockback increase, they can KO opponents near edges at much lower percents, especially if Wolf has rage.
  • Down smash has noticeably more startup with a shorter hitbox duration (frames 8-10 → 14-15 (hit 1), 14-16 → 21-22 (hit 2)), and more ending lag (FAF 35 → 44).
  • Both hits' sourspots have slightly decreased knockback (40 base/90 scaling → 50/80), with the second hit's sourspot also dealing less damage (13% → 12%), reducing their KO potential.
  • The second hit has considerably smaller hitboxes (5.5u/4.4u/4.4u → 2.5u/3u/3.5u).
  • The move's animation has been altered: Wolf swipes both sides with one hand.

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial:
  • Wolf has a new neutral aerial: a sex kick similar to Fox's.
  • It has one frame less landing lag (10 frames → 9).
  • It deals more damage (8% → 12% (clean), 3%/1% → 8% (late)).
  • The clean hit uses three hitboxes instead of only one (4u → 4.2u/4.2u/3.5u), while the late hit has larger hitboxes (4u/2.5u/2.5u → 4u/4u/3u), and both cover a larger area in front of Wolf due to the move's new animation. This greatly improves its utility as an approach option.
  • The late hit no longer has weak set knockback (5 set/100 scaling → 0 base/100 scaling) or a rehit rate, increasing its safety and preventing it from overriding the knockback of the stronger clean hit. Combined with the changes to hitstun canceling, this also increases the move's combo potential on landing.
  • Neutral aerial has more startup and a shorter hitbox duration (frames 4-34 → 7-26).
    • However, the clean hit has a longer duration (frames 4-5 → 7-9).
  • The clean hit deals less knockback (40 base/100 scaling → 30/75), slightly weakening its KO potential.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has less ending lag (FAF 52 → 41), making it safer to use offstage.
  • It has significantly less landing lag (30 frames → 10), which alongside the changes to hitstun canceling turns it into an excellent combo starter from low to mid percents, with followups including tilts, a grab, aerials (including more forward aerials), and Wolf Flash. This also makes it much safer on shield.
  • It deals less damage (11% → 9%) and knockback (40 base/95 scaling → 45/85), drastically hindering its KO potential.
  • Its hitboxes are much smaller (7u/5u/4u → 4.5u/4u/3.5u), no longer possessing a large disjoint.
  • Forward aerial sends opponents at a less vertical angle (75° → 60°).
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial's weakest hitbox has been removed, while all its other hitboxes deal more damage (13%/11%/10% → 15%/13%/11%) and have increased base knockback (20 → 37). This drastically improves its KO potential, with the sweetspot KOing middleweights under 110% from center stage, and the middlespot doing so under 130%.
    • However, its increased knockback removes its ability to lock opponents at lower percents.
  • Back aerial is noticeably slower overall, possessing twice as much startup with a shorter duration (frames 6-9 → 13-15), and more ending (FAF 30 → 45) and landing lag (9 frames → 15). This hinders its utility for challenging opponents' approaches and starting combos, and makes it riskier to use offstage.
    • However, due to the move's autocancel window remaining unchanged, its slower startup makes it harder to punish if used in a short hop.
  • The sourspots are smaller (5.3u/4.7u → 4.5u/4u) and now take priority over the sweetspot, requiring more careful spacing to KO efficiently with the move.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has more knockback scaling (75 → 85), improving its KO potential.
  • The changes to hitstun canceling noticeably improve its combo potential.
  • It has one frame more landing lag (9 frames → 10).
  • The outermost hitbox is smaller (5.5u → 5u).
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has less ending lag (FAF 60 → 54), making it safer to use offstage.
  • The removal of meteor canceling improves its reliability for edgeguarding, while the changes to hitstun canceling allow it to start combos against grounded opponents beyond low percents.
  • The sourspot is smaller (6u → 5u) and takes priority over the sweetspot.
  • The move has a slightly altered animation, where Wolf swipes downwards instead of plunging his fists down.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 37 (standing), 40 → 45 (dash), 35 → 40 (pivot)).
  • Dash grab has less startup lag (frame 11 → 8).
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more damage (1% → 1.3%).
  • It deals significantly more hitlag (4 frames → 14), lengthening its duration. Combined with the majority of other characters receiving similar pummel durations, it is no longer the fastest in the game.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw has a different animation, where Wolf slashes the opponent away instead of punching them. The first hit has a slash effect instead of a neutral effect.
  • It has one frame less ending lag (FAF 34 → 33).
  • It deals more damage (4% → 5% (hit 1), 3% → 4% (throw); 7% → 9% (total)).
  • It has significantly decreased knockback (35 base/130 scaling → 55/57), no longer KOing under 350% even at the edge.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw has a different animation, where Wolf performs a jumping slash from below, instead of fully somersaulting and slashing the opponent from above.
  • It has less startup (frame 26 (hit 1), 27 (throw) → 23, 24), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 50 → 47).
  • It deals more damage (4% → 6% (hit 1), 3% → 5% (throw); 7% → 11% (total)) with no compensation on knockback, improving its KO potential.
  • It launches opponents at a lower angle (68° → 50°), allowing it to set up edgeguards and KO near edges much more effectively.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw has a different animation, where Wolf jumps and slashes the opponent with one claw, instead of two like in Brawl. The animation is also cleaner overall.
  • The changes to hitstun canceling allow up throw to combo into a forward or up aerial until high percents, improving its utility.
• Down throw:
  • Wolf has a new down throw: he grabs the opponent by the head, jumps while spinning around once, and chokeslams them into the ground.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 51 → 41), allowing it to combo into dash attack at low percents.
  • It deals less damage (6% (hit 1 and throw); 12% (total) → 8.5%), with knockback compensated (30 base/86 scaling → 50/65). The first hit has been removed, meaning the move can no longer hit bystanders.
  • Wolf can no longer chain grab with down throw, hindering its damage racking potential.
  • It launches at a different angle (0° → 44°), no longer being a semi-spike. This hinders its tech-chasing and edgeguarding abilities, but combined with its lower ending lag and the changes to hitstun canceling, this allows it to combo into Wolf Flash at mid percents.
• Floor attacks:
  • Floor attacks deal more damage (6% → 7%) and shield damage (1 → 8) per hit, with minimally compensated knockback scaling (50 → 48).
    • They have less startup (frame 19 (front), frame 17 (back) → 16 (both)) and ending lag (FAF 50 → 46).
  • Their angles have been altered (361° → 48°).
• Edge attack:
  • Wolf has a new edge attack, an inward slash.
  • It deals more damage than his previous under 100% edge attack (8%/6% → 9%), and no longer has set knockback (110 set/100 scaling → 90 base/20 scaling), making it stronger at higher percents.
  • It has less startup (frame 25 → 24) and grants more intangibility (frames 1-23 → 1-26).
  • It has more ending lag (FAF 55 → 56), while its hitboxes have a shorter duration (frames 25-32 → 24-26) and are smaller (5.76u → 5u).
  • Its angle has been altered (361° → 45°).

Special moves

• Blaster:
  • Both the bayonet's hitbox and the lasers deal more damage (4% → 7% (bayonet), 5% early/6% clean/5% late → 6%/8%/7% (laser)) and knockback (70 base/40 scaling → 80/37 (bayonet), 20/24/20 set/100 scaling → 35/40/30/120 (laser)).
  • The lasers have a longer duration (frames 16-48 → 16-50).
  • Blaster has more ending lag (FAF 45 → 53), hindering its camping ability, while the bayonet's hitbox has more startup (frame 11 → 15).
  • The lasers have received negative shield damage (0 → -3/-4/-3.5), effectively dealing half their usual damage to shields.
  • The bayonet's hitbox launches at a higher angle (20° → 60°), no longer being a semi-spike. This hinders its edgeguarding potential, but allows it to set up juggles.
  • Wolf has an altered animation for firing lasers: it is a thrust forward before a firing animation that causes the Blaster to recoil upwards, instead of Brawl's downwards draw animation.
  • The lasers fired from Wolf's Blaster are colored purple instead of green. The blaster itself has a new design and updated sound effects.
• Wolf Flash:
  • Wolf Flash can be angled by tilting up or down on the control stick, giving it more recovery mixups and allowing the clean hit to land more easily, despite having smaller hitboxes overall (3u/10u → 4u/7u). In particular, it can hit several tall characters on the ground when angled down.
  • The clean hit deals more damage (15%/10% → 20%/15%), and the meteor hitbox has more knockback scaling (80 → 100), while the semi-spike hitbox's scaling has not been fully compensated (106 → 85). This makes the move much more powerful and rewarding to land, especially with the removal of meteor canceling.
  • The aerial version has faster startup (frame 21 → 19), matching that of the grounded version.
  • The changes to hitstun canceling give Wolf several ways to combo into Wolf Flash, allowing for risky, yet deadly KO confirms.
  • The move can no longer be shortened, and travels less horizontal and vertical distance when not angled.
  • Scarring is harder to perform, as Wolf no longer hugs the ledge as much when using the move, which can result in a self-destruct.
  • It has been given updated visual effects: its trail features three long, red slash-marks. Another shorter, identical trail also appears in front of Wolf, which indicates the sweetspot.
• Fire Wolf:
  • Fire Wolf has less startup lag (frame 23 → 18), and Wolf gains control sooner after the move has ended.
  • It has five hits, down from nine, but deals more total damage (2% → 4% (hit 1), 1% (hits 2-8) → 2.5% (hits 2-4), 3%/4% (hit 9) → 5%/6% (hit 5); 12%/13% → 16.5%/17.5% (total)).
  • The looping hits use a different type of autolink angle (45°/365°/45°/361° → 40°/367°/40°/367°), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The first hit and looping hits deal more base knockback with minimal knockback scaling, rather than using set knockback (15 set/100 scaling → 50 base/10 scaling (hit 1), 60/0/70/70 set/70/12/70/50 scaling → 60/35/60/40 base/20 scaling (looping hits)), which may cause opponents to get hit out of range at very high percents, but overall helps them link better.
  • The last hit has increased knockback scaling (131 → 148 (grounded), 115 → 136 (aerial)), and launches at a lower angle for the grounded version (65° → 361°). Combined with its higher damage outputs, this makes the last hit powerful enough to KO reliably under 100% near edges, giving Wolf a new finisher.
  • The grounded version's last hit has larger hitboxes (6u/6u/5u → 6u/8u/5u).
  • The move travels less distance, worsening its recovery potential.
  • All hits except the grounded version's last hit have smaller hitboxes (8u → 7u (hit 1), 7u/9u/3.5u/3.5u → 5u/6u/3.5u/3.5u (looping hits), 9u → 6u (aerial, last hit)).
  • The first hit uses a different angle (100° → 93°).
  • Fire Wolf has Wolf enveloped in blue aura. The animation itself has been changed, as Wolf performs the multi-hitting kicks with his left foot and the final kick with his right foot. Additionally, Wolf delivers the final kick aimed in the direction he traveled rather then performing a horizontal kick.
• Reflector:
  • Reflector deals more damage (3% → 4%).
  • Its hitbox is larger (6u → 9u), and has less startup with a longer duration (frames 8-9 → 6-8).
  • Reflected projectiles have a higher damage multiplier (1.3x → 1.5x).
  • It has been given a hitbox once a projectile has been successfully reflected, which deals 5% damage.
  • Due to explosive hitboxes now being reflectable, it protects Wolf from all types of explosives when active (with the exception of sudden death Bob-ombs).
  • The ending lag of the held variant has been reduced (FAF 18 → 13). Additionally, the aerial version no longer has 1 additional frame of lag, matching the grounded version.
    • A 10-frame window has been added where Wolf is locked in his reflection hitbox before he can cancel out of the move, resulting in the move having increased ending lag (FAF 27 grounded/28 aerial → 31).
  • Its intangibility has more startup with a shorter duration (frames 1-9 → 5-8), making it less effective for escaping combos.
  • Reflector sends opponents at a higher angle (10° → 65°), and no longer has set knockback (40 set/100 scaling → 60 base/85 scaling). This allows it to be followed up with aerials, but weakens its gimping potential.
  • Reflector has updated visual effects, resembling a force field. It also has unique sound effects that are no longer shared with Fox's Reflector.
  • It has an altered animation, where Wolf holds out his reflecting device. He also always faces the screen while Reflector is active.
• Final Smash:
  • Wolf has a new Final Smash, Team Star Wolf, replacing the Landmaster from Brawl. It functions similarly to Team Star Fox, Fox's and Falco's new Final Smash. Upon activating, Wolf yells, "Wolf Pack!" and summons a large aiming reticle in front of him. If the crosshair successfully catches a target, a cutscene is initiated where Wolf yells, "Grahaha! The hunt is on, boys!" with it captioned on screen. The target is then fired at with the Wolfen's lasers, and then launched horizontally with an explosion at the end.
    • If Team Star Wolf is used against Fox or Falco, Wolf will say, "I've got you now, Star Fox!"
  • Team Star Wolf can potentially deal more damage compared to Landmaster, and the single hit has increased KO power, making it more consistent.
  • Due to being a cutscene Final Smash, Wolf can no longer accidentally self-destruct like he could in the Landmaster.
  • Team Star Wolf is much easier to avoid compared to Landmaster and is overall less versatile.

|Villager====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Villager's model features a more subdued color scheme. All costumes’ clothing features subtle detailing.
• Villager's seventh and eight alternate costumes now have a darker skin tone.
• Clothing such as Villager's shorts have more movement while fighting.
• Villager now faces the foreground regardless of whether he's facing left or right, resulting in all of their animations being mirrored.
• Villager now blinks during the clapping animation on the results screen.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Villager's jumpsquat animation now only takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Villager is lighter (97 → 92), weighing the same as Ice Climbers. This worsens his survivability.
• Villager dashes faster (1.27 → 1.397).
• Villager's initial dash is faster (1.5 → 1.815).
• Villager's traction has been increased (0.06 → 0.131).
• Villager's spot dodge has slightly less ending lag (FAF 28 → 26).
  • Spot dodge has a slightly shorter duration (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
• Forward roll has slightly reduced ending lag (FAF 31 → 30).
  • Forward roll has a shorter duration (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
• Backward roll has slightly more startup (frame 4 → 5) and ending lag (FAF 31 → 35).
  • Backward roll has a shorter duration (frames 4-17 → 5-16).
• Neutral air dodge's intangibility lasts for two more frames (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
  • Neutral air dodge has significantly increased ending lag (FAF 34 → 58).
  • Neutral air dodge has less landing lag (22 frames → 10).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Villager's jab now is a neutral infinite and has a finisher, a straight jab. This significantly improves it damage racking ability and makes it safer.
  • However, the jab to axe kill confirm Villager had in Smash 4 is no longer possible due to the new finisher, removing their jab cancel mixups.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has noticeably less startup (frame 13 → 9) and much less ending lag (FAF 55 → 45).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt deals much less knockback scaling, but much more base knockback (30 (base)/90 (scaling) → 80 (base)/50 (scaling)). This makes it safer on hit at low percents, but significantly hinders its KO potential at higher percents.
  • Forward tilt launches at a higher angle (361° → 45°), further reducing its KO potential.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt's animation has been altered; Villager swings the stick back and forth rather than in a circular motion.
  • Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 48).
  • The first hit has a reduced hit lag multiplier (1x → 0.8x), making it harder to escape from.
  • It has significantly smaller hitboxes (4u/6u/6u → 3.8u/4u/4u (hit 1), 6u/4u → 5u/4u (hit 2)).
  • It has its damage values reversed (6% → 5% (hit 1), 5% → 6% (hit 2)).
    • However, its damage wasn't compensated enough for its lower knockback scaling (160 → 140), dealing less knockback overall.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt's sourspot deals more damage (8% → 10%) and more knockback (40 (base)/90 (scaling) → 50/95), improving its KO potential.
  • It has a slightly longer duration (frames 9-10 → 9-11).
  • Down tilt now has a small patch of dirt underneath the weed before Villager pulls it from the ground.
  • Down tilt has more ending lag (FAF 35 → 38).
  • Down tilt's sweetspot deals less damage (13% → 12%), albeit with knockback compensated (40 (base)/90 (scaling) → 50/95).
  • Down tilt's sweetspot launches at a lower angle (80° → 75°), slightly hindering its KO potential.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash's bowling ball now lingers for a moment after landing on the ground.
  • Forward smash has less knockback scaling (100 → 95).
  • Forward smash's damage multiplier for fully charging is lower (1.4x → 1.2x).
• Up smash:
  • Up smash's final hit has more knockback scaling (205 → 220).
  • The multihits have had their large hitbox replaced with four smaller ones (7u → 2.8/2.8u/2.8u/2.8u), increasing its range.
  • The first hit and final hit have smaller hitboxes (6.0u/6.0u → 4.0u/6.0u (hit 1), 10.0u → 9.0u (final)).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has more range (Z offset: 10.0u/9.0u → 13.0u/12.0u (hit 1), -10.0u/-9.0u → -13.0u/-12.0u (hit 2)).
  • Down smash has more base knockback (0 → 30), increasing the duration of its bury effect.
  • Down smash is now unable to jab lock, removing Villager’s infinite combo.
  • Down smash has slightly more ending lag (FAF 48 → 50), although this is compensated by the higher knockback.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag: (14 frames → 8 (neutral), 23 → 14 (forward), 23 → 14 (back), 15 → 12 (up), 15 → 12 (down)).
• Forward aerial/Back aerial
  • Forward and back aerial's pellets now arc downwards.
  • Forward and back aerial have smaller initial auto-cancel windows (1-7/1-9 frames → 1-2), and back aerial auto-cancels later (frame 25 → 30).
  • All hitboxes of forward and back aerial's pellets have negative shield damage, dealing half the usual damage to shields.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has a hitbox on the clean hit that will now always meteor smash, regardless of how many turnips are used, greatly increasing its reliability and edgeguarding potential.
  • It has a larger initial auto-cancel window (frames 1-7 → 1-13).
  • Down aerial has noticeably increased startup lag (frame 8 → 14), no longer being one of the fastest meteor smashes in the game.

Throws and other attacks

• Grab:
  • Villager has a shocked expression when missing a grab.
  • Standing grab has slightly less startup lag (frame 15 → 14).
  • All grabs have slightly longer durations (frames 15-16 → 14-16 (standing), 16-17 → 16-18 (dash), 17-18 → 17-19 (pivot)).
  • All grabs has significantly reduced ending lag (FAF 56 → 44 (standing), 70 → 48 (dash), 66 → 45 (pivot))..
  • Grab can now pocket items.
  • Dash grab and especially pivot grab have significantly less range (Z2 offset: 16.9u → 13u (dash), -23.5u → -14.0u (pivot)).
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw releases the opponent later (frame 10 → 15), reducing its end lag by five frames, but giving the opponent more time to DI.
  • Forward throw has more base knockback (102 → 108), improving its ability to get opponents offstage.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw releases the opponent slightly later (frame 10 → 11) with its total duration unchanged, reducing its ending lag.
  • Back throw has much more base knockback but much less knockback scaling (18 (base)/110 (growth) → 46/88), making it safer at lower percents while still keeping its KO potential at higher percents.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw has increased base knockback, but reduced knockback scaling (105 (base)/40 (scaling) → 114/34).
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has more base knockback, but lower knockback scaling (60 (base)/80 (scaling) → 78/60), allowing it to combo for longer.
  • Down throw releases the opponent later (frame 16 → 18) with its duration unchanged, reducing its ending lag by two frames, further improving its combo potential.

Special moves

• Pocket:
  • Pocketed projectiles no longer vanish after 30 seconds and can be kept indefinitely.
  • Pocket throw has more startup lag (frame 5 → 9).
    • This gives the move one less frame ending lag since its duration was not fully compensated (FAF 27 → 30).
  • While Villager has a pocketed item or projectile, the item/projectile will appear in a display above the damage meter, making Pocket easier to use but also allowing opponents to know what item is pocketed.
• Lloid Rocket:
  • Lloid Rocket has slightly less ending lag (FAF 38 → 36).
  • Lloid now has a shocked expression when hit.
  • Lloid has increased base knockback, but reduced knockback scaling (30 (base)/100 (scaling) → 65/75), making it safer on hit and increasing its KO potential at center stage, but reducing it near the ledge.
  • Lloid launches at a slightly higher angle (55° → 60°), hindering its edgeguarding potential.
• Balloon Trip:
  • Balloon Trip recharges helium slower, and if the helium is low enough it will only spawn one balloon instead of two, slowing Villager's ascent and making them more susceptible to edgeguarding.
• Timber:
  • The sprinkler water's windbox deals less set knockback (FKB 60 → 25), significantly weakening its utility
  • Timber now bounces once on the ground before disappearing.
  • Just like down tilt, Timber now has a patch of dirt underneath the sapling in the move's first stage.
• Dream Home:
  • Dream Home now has the house rotate while Tom Nook, Timmy and Tommy build it. Tom Nook also throws furniture into the building more rapidly.
  • Dream Home has a longer pause before the final explosion.

|Mega Man====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from Smash 4, Mega Man's model features a more subdued color scheme. Some of the mechanical details on his body are more pronounced, and his armor has a more realistic metallic sheen.
• Mega Man's Mega Buster now emits a small, blue ring-shaped particle upon firing. This resembles the effect present in Mega Man 8, Mega Man & Bass, and Mega Man 11.
• Mega Man now opens his mouth a little while firing the Mega Buster on the ground, unlike in his own games. He also opens his mouth while shielding.
• Mega Man has a new shield break animation.
• All of Mega Man's victory animations have been changed in some way:
  • The victory animation where Mega Man points upwards then outwards is modified so he is dashing in instead of falling from the sky.
  • The victory animation where he strikes his title screen pose from Rockman has been reanimated to be slightly slower.
  • Mega Man now shoots thrice instead of twice in his standing victory animation.
• Mega Man's Boxing Ring alias has been changed to "The Blue Bomber".

Attributes

• Like all characters, Mega Man's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Mega Man runs faster (1.456 → 1.602).
  • Mega Man's initial dash is significantly faster (1.5 → 1.958).
• Mega Man walks slightly faster (1.078 → 1.132).
• Mega Man's air speed is slightly higher (1.1 → 1.155).
• Mega Man's traction is higher (0.06 → 0.094), although it is considerably low compared to the rest of the cast.
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 30).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 31 → 35).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 26).
• Spot dodge grants less intangibility (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
• Air dodge has more ending lag (FAF 34 → 46).
• The reintroduction of directional air dodges improves Mega Man's recovery more than other characters', as due to Rush Coil not causing helplessness, he can get additional distance with a directional air dodge after using it.
• The ability to tech aerial footstools in Ultimate hinders Mega Man's KO setups at high percents.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack/Forward tilt:
  • Neutral attack and forward tilt's shots last longer (18 frames → 23), allowing them to cover more distance and thus increasing their range.
  • Both moves deal less shield damage (1 → 0 (Mega Buster), 0 → -1 (shots)).
  • Mega Man centers his eyes for a bit after using his forward tilt.
• Up tilt:
  • The ability to use any ground attack out of a run in Ultimate benefits up tilt's usage, as combined with its sheer knockback and Mega Man's faster ground movement, it can catch landings and punish opponents much more effectively for KOs.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt's clean hit has more base knockback (80 → 92), but less knockback scaling (70 → 60). This makes it safer on hit at low percents, but hinders its KO potential.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack deals more damage (1% → 1.2% (hits 1-7), 3% → 4% (hit 8); 10% → 12.4% (total)), with knockback not compensated on the last hit, improving its KO potential.
  • Its linking hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5×), and one of their hitboxes has lower set knockback (65 → 36), making them harder to SDI out of and allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • One of dash attack's looping hitboxes is bigger (1u → 3u).
  • The last hit has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 2.1×, making it safer on shield.
  • The final hit has a larger hitbox (6u → 8u).
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has much less ending lag (FAF 70 → 55), significantly improving its utility as a projectile and long range KO option.
  • The shot travels faster, allowing it to cover more distance.
  • It deals less damage when fully charged (19.5% → 14.95%), reducing its maximum KO potential.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash's last hit has increased base knockback (30 → 34).
  • Up smash's looping hits have a new hitbox, improving its consistency.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash deals more knockback (30 base/99 scaling → 31/103 (clean), 105 scaling → 106 (mid), 35 base/36 scaling → 60/40 (late)), improving its KO potential.

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial's shots last longer (18 frames → 23), allowing them to cover more distance and thus increasing their range.
  • The move deals less shield damage (1 → -0.5 (Mega Buster), 0 → -1 (shots)).
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has less landing lag (19 frames → 11). Combined with its launch angle, this grants it combo ability into itself from low to mid percents.
  • It deals significantly more knockback (23 base/90 scaling → 48/118), now KOing reliably below 170% from the center of Final Destination, compared to being unable to KO below 250% under the same circumstances.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial's first two hits launch grounded opponents vertically instead of horizontally along the ground, allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The move has slightly more ending lag (FAF 43 → 45).
  • The third hit has altered knockback (30 base/180 scaling → 20/183), hindering its overall KO potential, although its KO potential from across the stage is slightly better.
• Up aerial:
  • The changes to air dodges drastically benefit Mega Man's up aerial compared to others, as due to being a projectile, it can juggle opponents more effectively by constantly pressuring them into using up their air dodges.
  • It has one frame more landing lag (19 frames → 20).
  • Due to the new buffer for short hopped aerials, which no longer allows for full hopped aerials to be performed in the first frame of a jump, the move can no longer autocancel in a full hop.
  • The first six hits have smaller hitboxes (7u → 5u (hits 1-3), 8.5u → 7u (hits 4-6), but are placed higher (Y offset: 0u → 3u). This increases their vertical range, but decreases their horizontal range.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has less landing lag (24 frames → 14).
  • The shot lasts longer (11 frames → 13), allowing it to cover more distance and thus increasing its range.
  • The late hit against grounded opponents has more base knockback (5 → 40), but less knockback scaling (90 → 70), slightly hindering its KO potential.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have slightly longer range (Z2 offset: 8.4 → 8.9 (standing), 10.5 → 10.6 (dash), -14.4 → -14.8 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 31 → 38 (standing), 38 → 46 (dash), 36 → 41 (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grab have slightly more startup lag (frame 8 → 9 (dash), 9 → 10 (pivot)).
• The speed of Mega Man's throws is no longer weight-dependent. This reduces down throw's combo potential on lightweights, but increases it on heavyweights.
• Mega Man's throws are all reanimated to be less stiff.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (5 frames → 14), but has less startup (frame 5 → 1) and significantly less ending lag (FAF 29 → 7), shortening its duration. This makes it much more reliable for racking up damage.
  • It deals much less damage (3% → 1.3%).
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Metal Blade:
  • Metal Blade deals less shield damage.
  • Its damage outputs have been reversed: it deals more damage per hit when spawned (3% → 5%), but less when thrown as an item (5% → 3%).
  • Metal Blade wobbles once it sticks to the ground or another surface.
  • Mega Man now appears surprised if the move fails to spawn a Metal Blade.
• Crash Bomber:
  • Upon latching onto a surface, Crash Bomber can now explode on contact with opponents before its timer finishes, improving its utility.
  • The explosion's last hit has more base knockback (40 → 70), but drastically less knockback scaling (120 → 65). This improves its combo ability, but significantly hinders its KO power.
  • Crash Bomber visually flashes more intensely.
• Rush Coil:
  • Rush Coil no longer incurs 30 frames of landing lag, allowing Mega Man to land onstage with it much more safely without having to grab the ledge.
• Leaf Shield:
  • Leaf Shield has significantly less startup (frame 50 → 9) and ending lag (FAF 54 → 36) when activated, making it much safer to use.
  • The leaves spin faster around Mega Man, do not vanish upon hitting opponents, and deal more knockback (14 base/22 scaling → 35/20) with a faster rehit rate (18 frames → 11). This allows the move to protect Mega Man much more effectively, with the hits of the circling leaves now comboing opponents in range until the shield is thrown.
    • This also increases the move's overall damage output, despite each hit from the circling shield dealing less damage (2% → 1.5%).
  • The shield can be thrown much faster after its activation (frame 22 → 13).
    • However, the throw's total duration has not been fully compensated (FAF 56 → 54), increasing its ending lag by seven frames.
  • Leaf Shield no longer allows Mega Man to shield, grab, or hang onto ledges while the shield is active. This prevents him from dealing extra damage to grabbed opponents with the leaves.
  • The shield has a shorter maximum duration, and Mega Man always throws it automatically after it ends, potentially leaving him open to punishment if the shield's duration ends when he is close to opponents.
  • Leaf Shield requires holding the special move button for it to spin around Mega Man; otherwise, it will be thrown automatically.
  • The thrown shield's hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (0.3× → 0.5×). This makes them easier to DI, but gives Mega Man more time to follow up.
• Mega Legends:
  • Both Proto Man and Bass have been added at the end of the Final Smash's cutscene.
  • The final hit has lower knockback scaling (140 → 130), weakening its KO potential.

|Wii Fit Trainer====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Wii Fit Trainer's model features a more subdued color scheme. Both genders are now slightly more muscular, and their clothing and hair also feature simple detailing.
• Wii Fit Trainer's face is clearer and has more detailed eyes, similarly to Wii Fit U's trainer. According to Sakurai, this was a requested change from the Wii Fit development team.
• Wii Fit Trainer's body faces the screen more compared to the previous entry; however, their animations are not mirrored.
• Much like other fighters, Wii Fit Trainer is more expressive. In particular, they smile while taunting and using Header, and appear angry while using smash attacks.
• All three of Wii Fit Trainer's victory poses have been given more dynamic camera angles.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Wii Fit Trainer's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Wii Fit Trainer's initial dash is significantly faster (1.5 → 2.024)
• Wii Fit Trainer runs much faster (1.696 → 1.866).
• Wii Fit Trainer walks faster (1.166 → 1.224).
• Wii Fit Trainer's air speed is slightly faster (0.97 → 1.019).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Jab 1 deals less damage on the front hit (3% → 2%).
  • Jab 1 has a slightly longer duration on the back hit (frame 4 → 4-5).
  • Jab 1 covers the ground more effectively.
  • Jab 1's back hit completely covers Wii Fit Trainer's foot.
  • Jab 1 has hitboxes that pull the opponent in, making the move combo more consistently.
  • Jab 2 slides the opponent away and has a chance to trip, making it harder to bury with Jab 3.
  • Jab 2 has larger hitboxes.
  • Jab 3 has less startup lag (frame 6 → 5).
  • Jab 3 has larger hitboxes for both its sourspot and burying sweetspot.
  • Jab 1 and 2 now have the Sakurai angle which allows them to jablock, creating new setups and punish options.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has less startup (frame 7 → 6) and ending lag (FAF 43 → 39).
  • Dash attack has a new early hitbox that deals more damage (6% → 10%) and sends at a lower angle (65° → 50°), making it a better kill option despite its lower knockback growth (80 → 71).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt deals more damage (9% → 11%), improving its KO potential despite its lower knockback scaling (100 → 85).
  • Forward tilt has a longer duration (frames 6-7 → 6-10).
  • Forward tilt's back hit has less horizontal range.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has more vertical range and combos into itself at low percents.
  • Up tilt has intangibility on the arm for 10 frames (frames 3-12).
  • Up tilt has a hitbox behind Wii Fit Trainer that sends the opponent away at a 75° angle rather than straight up. This hit also has higher base knockback (40 → 60) and lower knockback growth (70 → 50) than the main hit.
  • Up tilt has a significantly longer duration (frames 5-7 → 5-12).
  • Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 30).
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has less startup lag (frame 10 → 9).
  • Down tilt deals more damage (12% → 13.5%).
  • Down tilt has slightly more ending lag (FAF 38 → 39).
  • Down tilt has larger hitboxes.
• Forward smash
  • Forward smash has less ending lag (FAF 62 → 57).
• Up smash:
  • One of up smash's sourspot hitboxes is much larger.
• Down smash
  • Down smash has less ending lag (FAF 57 → 52).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (Neutral: 14 frames → 8, Forward: 15 → 9, Back: 20 → 12, Up: 15 → 9, Down: 20 → 12).
• Neutral aerial:
  • The first hit of neutral aerial links into the second hit less consistently.
  • The first hit of neutral aerial has an extra hitbox on the arms.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has less ending lag (FAF 46 → 39).
  • Forward aerial's spike hitbox has slightly more base knockback (10 → 15) and knockback growth (62 → 68).
  • Forward aerial has a hitbox near the center of Wii Fit Trainer's body on frame 9, remedying its blindspot issues.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial's sweetspot is larger (1.7u →2.2u).

• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has less startup lag (frame 20 → 15) with identical ending lag, shortening its total duration (FAF 45 → 40).
  • Down aerial's spike hitbox now covers Wii Fit Trainer's entire lower body rather than just her feet.
  • Down aerial's spike hitbox has a longer duration (2 frames → 3), consequently increasing the move's total duration as well (5 frames → 6).
  • Down aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 40 → 35).

Throws and other attacks

• Standing grab extends further (Z2 offset: 7.7 → 8.2), slightly improving its range.
• Dash grab extends considerably further (Z2 offset: 8.7 → 9.9), noticeably improving its range.
• Pivot grab doesn't extend as far (Z2 offset: -14.7 → -14), reducing its range which combined with the universal reduction of the widths of grabboxes on aerial opponents drastically reduces its utility.
• Pummel is faster but deals less damage (3% → 1.3%).
• Up throw:
  • Up throw has lower base knockback (80 → 40) and higher knockback growth (50 → 80), as well as a slightly less vertical launch angle (85° → 80°). These changes make up throw a much better combo tool.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has less ending lag (FAF 57 → 50), making it a better combo starter.

Special moves

• The introduction of the 1v1 multiplier hinders Wii Fit Trainer's ability to heal themself, as recovered damage is not increased by the multiplier.
• Sun Salutation:
  • Sun Salutation is orange in color instead of bright yellow.
  • Sun Salutation deals more damage when fully charged (18% → 21%).
  • Charging Sun Salutation can be canceled with a jump.
• Header:
  • Header's soccer ball is around 50% bigger.
  • The soccer ball deals more damage on average. The damage dealt varies based on the move the ball was hit with, but also seems to differ slightly depending on how long the ball has been out.
  • The ball has much higher gravity (0.4 → 0.8).
  • The ball travels more quickly when headed (2.8 → 3.5).
  • The ball has a higher vertical air speed during Header's startup (1.5 → 1.6).
  • Header has significantly less ending lag (FAF 59-75 → 41-57).
  • Header has less landing lag (14 frames → 9).
  • Header offers a larger range of motion when hitting the ball both with a second input (10° min → 13°) and without (-7.7° max → -22°).
  • Header's spike hitbox is larger (5 clean → 5.7, 3 late → 4).
• Super Hoop:
  • Super Hoop's base vertical speed is higher (0.75 → 0.88).
  • The speed added to Super Hoop with every input is higher (0.2 → 0.25).
  • The interval between mash inputs registering is longer (6 frames → 11).
  • Super Hoop is now a multihit move that can hit up to three times, increasing its maximum damage output (5% → 15%) but reducing its gimp potential.
  • Super Hoop's overall vertical distance has been reduced significantly. It is not possible to travel as far as in Smash 4, even after reaching the maximum amount of button-mashing or rhythmic tapping possible.
• Deep Breathing:
  • A fresh Deep Breathing can be performed more quickly (frame 48 → 38).
  • There is a wider window for a stale Deep Breathing to successfully activate (16 frames → 32).
  • Deep Breathing's ending lag has been reduced when activating it on the ground (31 frames → 24).
  • Deep Breathing's effect lasts longer both when fresh (552 frames → 732) and stale (360 frames → ~530).
  • Successfully using Deep Breathing improves many more attributes.
    • Air speed: x1.17 ~ x1.2
    • Fall speed: x1.17 ~ x1.2
    • Gravity: x1.17 ~ x1.2
    • Initial dash speed: x1.1 ~ x1.13
    • Run speed: x1.1 ~ x1.13
    • Ground traction x1.1 ~ x1.13
  • Successfully using Deep Breathing gives a larger damage output buff (x1.16 ~ x1.2 → x1.2 ~ x1.25).
  • Deep Breathing has a much shorter refresh time (3600 frames → 2400).
• Wii Fit:
  • Wii Fit's silhouettes have a limited travel distance. This trait is shared with Final Edge.
  • Wii Fit launches a large, slow-moving Dancer pose image at the end of the move. This image has KO potential, increasing the Final Smash's overall reliability.
  • Wii Fit can no longer be enhanced by Deep Breathing.

|Rosalina & Luma====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Rosalina & Luma's models feature a more subdued color scheme. Rosalina's gown now features simple textile detailing, and has a more turquoise color, consistent with her appearances outside of Smash Bros.
• Rosalina's slippers are now their usual silver, rather than matching the shade of her dress.
• As with Peach, default Rosalina's crown in her stock icon is its usual silver, rather than cyan like her dress.
• Luma always faces the screen regardless of direction it turns towards; Rosalina's stance, however, is not mirrored.
• As with Peach, Zelda and Palutena, Rosalina's dress now has independent physics. This is most noticeable with her crouching animation; her dress fans out behind her rather than moving to her front.
• Rosalina's airdodge and rolls now cause a bright light to appear as she steps right or left. Additionally, her sidestep animation now features more effects as she teleports.
• Luma now cries out at the end of its jab and smash attacks.
• During Rosalina's Star KO, Luma will follow her by flying into the background, before exploding in a burst of stars once she is KOed.
• When Luma has low HP, it will have a tired idle animation.
• Luma is slightly less expressive as it no longer blinks when idle and in all of Rosalina's victory poses.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Rosalina's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Luma has less HP (50 → 40).
• Luma's respawn time has shortened and is dependent on the amount of players in the battle (12.5 seconds → 10 (2 players), 7 (3 players), 5 (>3 players)).
• Luma's attacks benefit from a 1.5x damage amplifier when Rosalina launches it away.
• When Luma is launched, it receives roughly 25% less knockback, improving its survivability.
• When opponents get near a detethered Luma, it autofaces them, in a similar way to Ryu's mechanic.
• Rosalina walks faster (1.0835 → 1.138).
• Rosalina dashes faster (1.632 → 1.795). Her initial dash is also much faster (1.5 → 2.035).
• The introduction of attack canceling benefits Rosalina more than other returning veterans, as she can make Luma perform a grounded attack while she performs an aerial, giving her unique attack options.
• Luma receives more knockback in general, making it easier to KO.
• Luma no longer stalls in place as long when performing attacks airborne.
• Rosalina is heavier (77 → 82), increasing her survivability.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit of Rosalina's jab has less startup lag (frame 8 → 5), The second hit of her jab deals more damage (1% → 2%) and both third hits of jab have less startup lag (frame 9 → 7). Both first hits of jab also have less ending lag (frame 23 → 21).
  • The first two hits of Luma's jab deals less damage (2% → 1%).
  • Luma's jab movement and range have decreased significantly, no longer pushing Luma forward. This hinders Rosalina's ability to space with jab.
  • Luma's jab 3 knockback growth greatly decreased, removing its KO potential. Jab 3 also has a shorter duration (frames 9-11 (Rosa), 9-13 (Luma) → 7-8 (both)).
  • Luma's rapid jab knockback growth greatly increased, making it a good killing option near the ledge. The final hit also has less startup lag (frame 9 (Rosa), 8 (Luma) → 6 (both)).
  • Rapid jab deals much less damage (1.7% (Rosa), 1.2% (Luma) → 0.3% (Rosa), 0.1% (Luma)) greatly hindering its damage racking potential. The final hit also has a shorter duration (frames 9-11 (Rosa), 8-12 (Luma) → 6-7 (both)).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt deals more damage (6%/5% → 7.5%/6.7% (Rosa), 4.3% → 6.7%/4.5% (Luma)). Luma's forward tilt also has less ending lag (frame 39 → 38).
  • Luma's forward tilt has a shorter duration (frames 8-11 → 8-10).
• Up tilt:
  • Rosalina's up tilt has a larger horizontal hitbox, deals more damage when hit clean (8% → 10%) and has decreased startup lag with a longer duration (frames 9-17 → 7-17). Luma's up tilt also deals more damage (8%/4%/3% → 12%/6%/4.5%).
  • Rosalina's up tilt has a weaker late hit and has less intangibility (frames 4-11 → 4-10). Luma's up tilt has more ending lag (frame 31 → 41).
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt deals more damage (4.5% → 5.5% (Rosa), 3.5% → 5.2% (Luma)).
  • Luma's down tilt has more ending lag (frame 32 → 33).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has less ending lag (FAF 48 → 41).
• Forward smash:
  • Luma's forward smash hitbox has less range but has increased knockback to compensate for the change.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (11 frames → 8 (neutral), 20 → 16 (forward), 16 → 10 (back), 18 → 11 (up), 20 → 12 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Rosalina has a new neutral aerial: she spins her wand around herself. It now hits in front of Rosalina first and the animation is much faster, improving its safety. Because of this, it has significantly decreased ending lag (FAF 66 → 44) and the second hit of Luma's neutral aerial comes out twice as fast (frame 26 → 13). It auto-cancels drastically earlier (60 → 33), allowing it to autocancel in a short hop fast fall and when the hitboxes cease, and Luma can perform two neutral aerials in a short hop. It also deals more damage (5% → 10% (Rosa early), 7.5% → 8% (Rosa late), 4% (Luma front), 3% (Luma back) → 4.5% (Luma)). This makes it much faster, safer and versatile than the old neutral aerial.
  • Luma's neutral aerial has increased startup lag for the first hit and both neutral aerials have a shorter duration (frames 9-34 (clean), 35-46 (late) → 9-26/27-33 (Rosa), frames 3-6 (Luma hit 1), frames 26-29 (Luma hit 2) → 7-9/13-14)).
  • Both neutral aerials have different angles (361° → 60°/72° (Rosalina)/ 74° (Luma)).
• Forward aerial:
  • Rosalina's forward aerial has less startup (frame 11 → 10) and much less ending lag (frame 76 → 55).
  • It autocancels much earlier (67 → 50), allowing it to do so in a short hop.
  • Luma's forward aerial has a shorter duration (frames 11-14 → 11-13) and has more ending lag (frame 58 → 60).
• Back aerial:
  • It autocancels later (46→ 50), although it can still autocancel in a short hop.
• Up aerial:
  • Luma has a new up aerial: an uppercut, instead of an upwards kick.
  • Rosalina's late up aerial has drastically higher knockback scaling (30 → 98). It also autocancels slightly earlier (45 → 42).
  • Luma's up aerial has more startup lag and both up aerials have a shorter duration (frames 8-29 → 8-19 (Rosa), frames 3-10 → 6-11 (Luma)). Up aerial's ending lag has also increased (FAF 42 → 50), significantly worsening its juggling potential.
• Down aerial:
  • Luma's down aerial has increased startup lag (frame 8 → 15) and ending lag (FAF 42 → 50).
  • It autocancels one frame later, matching its new interruptibility (49 → 50).

Special moves

• Luma Shot:
  • Luma Shot has less ending lag when sending out (FAF 44 → 35) and calling back Luma (FAF 38 → 22)
  • Luma Shot travels less distance, and Luma halts all momentum at the end of the move.
  • Luma Shot can no longer be held indefinitely.
• Star Bits:
  • The first two Star Bits have less startup lag (13/17 → 10/16).
  • Star Bits have greatly increased range.
  • Star Bits deal more damage (2.8% → 3%).
  • The last Star Bit has more startup lag (21 → 22).
  • Star Bits are now projectiles, rather than moving hitboxes connected to Luma. As such, once a Star Bit is fired, its movement is independent of Luma.
    • As with most projectiles, Star Bits can now be Reflected, Absorbed, and Pocketed.
    • The Star Bits are now affected by the reduced shieldstun for projectiles, and like most projectiles have reduced shield damage (0 → -1.5).
    • However, this also means Luma does not sustain hitlag when the star bits connect, improving their safety on hit, especially when combined with the universal increase to hitlag.
• Launch Star:
  • Rosalina's head does not poke out during her 2-frame animation, making it safer when snapping the ledge.
• Gravitational Pull:
  • Gravitational Pull equips items instead of only pulling them in.
  • Gravitational Pull has less ending lag (FAF 45 → 40).
  • Gravitational Pull has slower startup and fewer active frames (frame 2–60 → 5–39), no longer pulling objects after the animation has ended.
  • Gravitational Pull range has been reduced.
• Final Smash:
  • Rosalina's Final Smash uses a Grand Star during her Final Smash, and the name was changed to accommodate for that, going from Power Star to Grand Star. The change however, is only aesthetic, and the move overall functions the same as it did in SSB4.
  • During Grand Star, an outer space backdrop temporarily appears.
  • Grand Star pulls opponents in towards the multi-hitting star, making it more effective as a damage dealing attack. The Grand Star itself also covers more area, and grows significantly faster.
  • The smaller stars that fly off of the grand star travel a shorter distance before disappearing, and deal less damage (3% → 1%). They also no longer spawn from inside the power star, and thus cannot deal additional damage to opponents caught in the star. This drastically reduces the move's maximum damage potential.
  • The explosion at the end of the move deals less damage (12% → 11%), and has altered knockback (50 (base)/118 (scaling) → 80/105), dealing less knockback overall. Combined with the above change, this removes the ability for the move to KO opponents starting at 0% damage.

|Little Mac====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Little Mac's model features a more subdued color scheme. His clothing now features simple detailing and his muscles are slightly more pronounced.
• Little Mac no longer has sixteen alternate costumes, only eight. Of the cut costumes, his blue and orange outfits have been removed, while Wire-Frame Mac has notably been reduced to just two outfits: his standard and sweatshirt outfits.
• Little Mac's alternate costumes no longer change his skin tone.
• For certain attacks, the visual trail textures will match the color of Little Mac's boxing gloves.
• Side taunt has been altered to have a significantly more noticeable glove-tightening and arm-swinging animation.
• Air dodge has an altered animation.
• Once KO Uppercut is used or lost, the Power Meter now shows the meter physically draining to zero, rather than cutting immediately to the lowest level.
• Little Mac now winces and frowns while clapping during the results screen.
• Doc Louis' quotes have been shortened in Little Mac's victory poses.
• Doc Louis no longer appears in Little Mac's victory pose during Team Battles.
• Little Mac is much more expressive. He now scowls in many more animations, smiles in his down taunt, appears shocked when he gets hit, and pained when he is laying on the ground or tumbling.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Little Mac's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Little Mac benefits from the re-addition of directional air dodges, which grant him a new option to mix up his landings and giving him a new recovery option.
  • Air dodges have higher ending lag and can only be performed once before landing or getting hit, leaving Little Mac more susceptible to edgeguarding if he does not grab the ledge.
• Little Mac benefits significantly from the ability to dash cancel almost any grounded attack, increasing the versatility of his ground game.
  • In turn, Little Mac suffers from the removal of perfect pivoting due to his previous heavy reliance on the technique in Smash 4.
• As characters no longer dash through each other, many of Little Mac's moves now connect consistently better, most notably with forward smash, Straight Lunge, and KO Uppercut.
  • This change hinders his mixup options, as he can no longer run through opponents for a positional advantage.
• Little Mac dashes much faster (2.24 → 2.464).
• Little Mac walks slightly faster (1.32 → 1.386).
• Little Mac's air speed is much faster (1 → 1.208), going from tied for 31st fastest in Smash 4 to tied for 12th in Ultimate. Among other things, this improves his recovery.
• Little Mac's max additional air acceleration is slightly higher (0.028 → 0.03).
• Little Mac jumps higher, now being able to reach the lower platforms of Battlefield with one full hop, and the top platform with both jumps. This improves his offstage survivability and prevents him from being camped as easily.
• Little Mac's falling speed (1.8 → 1.95) and fast falling speed (2.88 → 3.12) are much faster, now tied with King Dedede for the 2nd highest falling speed. This makes it easier for him to land safely, but makes him easier to combo.
• Little Mac's gravity is higher ( 0.08 → 0.09), now being around average instead of slightly below average. Combined with his faster falling speed, this allows him to land more safely, but slightly hinders his horizontal recovery and makes him easier to combo.
• As a result, he spends less time in the air after jumping (SH air time: 35→ 33) (FH air time: 51 → 44).
• Little Mac is heavier (82 → 87), now being slightly heavier than Sonic. This improves his survivability.
  • However, this makes him easier to combo when combined with his faster falling speed and higher gravity.
• Little Mac's spot dodge has more startup with a shorter duration (2-16 → 3-14), reducing its intangibility period by three frames.
• However, it has slightly decreased ending lag (FAF 25 → 24), allowing Mac to act faster out of it.
• Back roll has more intangibility (4-12 → 4-14), but increased ending lag (FAF 27 → 33).
• Little Mac's air dodge has one more frame of intangibility (2-25 → 2-26).
• Little Mac's air dodge has much more ending lag ( FAF 31 → 50), going from the second fastest in Smash 4 to being merely average in Ultimate. It can also be used only once before landing.

Ground attacks

• The increase to shieldstun for grounded attacks benefit Little Mac more than everyone else, making his grounded attacks safer on shield.
• Like most neutral attacks in the game, the first two hits of Mac's jab can jab lock due to their altered angles (85°/80° → 361°/180°), though it can be difficult to land on smaller characters.
  • Due to the universal improvements to neutral infinites, Little Mac's neutral infinite connects significantly better, as it could be escaped from relatively easily in SSB4.
  • Neutral attack's first and second hits have less ending lag (FAF 22 → 17), improving their jab canceling potential.
  • Neutral attack's third hit has slightly less ending lag (FAF 32 → 30).
  • All hits of neutral attack except for the infinite's finisher deal less damage (2% → 1.5% (hits 1-2), 7% → 5% (hit 3), 0.7% → 0.5% (infinite)).
  • Neutral attack no longer has anti-rebounding priority.
  • Neutral attack can no longer be edge canceled into KO Uppercut, as the universal change to neutral infinites prevents Mac from being pushed off edges while hitting opponents.
  • Holding down the standard attack button causes Little Mac to do his neutral attack, while mashing it causes him to perform his neutral infinite. Previously, the infinite would be initiated by holding down standard attack.
• Dash attack:
  • The changes to jostle mechanics prevents dash attack from whiffing close opponents.
  • Dash attack has a slightly altered animation that allows it to hit opponents at the ledge.
• Up tilt:
  • The removal of perfect pivoting significantly harms up tilt's overall versatility.
  • Up tilt deals less damage (9% → 6.5%).
  • Up tilt's base knockback was reduced, while its knockback scaling was increased (50 (base), 80 (scaling) → 25/120). This increases its knockback overall, but makes up tilt unsafe on hit at very low percents (as opponents can air dodge or attack out of it) while still not being strong enough to be a viable KO move.
    • The reduced damage output and altered knockback improves its combo potential at low and mid percentages.
  • Up tilt is less effective for out-prioritizing attacks with its anti-rebounding priority, due to the move's lowered damage.
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt's second hit connects more consistently.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt's has a slighly altered animation where Little Mac stretches his arm more horizontally instead of torwards the ground. As a result, its outermost hitbox has been moved further outwards (X offset: 3 → 4.4), noticeably improving the move's range and giving it a disjoint.
  • Down tilt has more ending lag (FAF 22 → 26), reducing its combo ability and followups with a majority of its followups only usable at low percents, while limiting its few consistent followups at higher percents (Jolt Haymaker and Rising Uppercut).
• All smash attacks cause the screen to shake.
• While using any smash attack, Little Mac voices out with his weak knockback voice clip if he takes damage during the move. This allows for a minor mindgame when Mac is hit during his super armor state, but is otherwise a small detail.
• All smash attacks trigger Special Zoom if Little Mac is hit during their startup and lands the move on an opponent.
• Forward smash:
  • All angles of forward smash now use a single "wind" sound effect instead of three separate sound effects.
  • The changes to jostling make the unangled and upward angled versions' sweetspots easier to land, especially against grounded opponents. The windboxes have been removed as well.
  • Downward angled forward smash deals more base knockback (50 → 65). While this improves its ability to send enemies away or offstage, this significantly reduces its ability to set up tech chases.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash's first frame produces a spark akin to a glancing blow, which visualizes its stronger flame sweetspot.
  • Up smash has more super armor (frames 8-11 → frames 8-13), now matching the duration of the hitboxes.
  • It has a shorter duration (10-14 → 10-13).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have noticeably less landing lag (Neutral: 16 → 10 frames, Forward: 22 → 13, Back: 26 → 16, Up: 22 → 13, Down: 30 → 16).
• Due to Little Mac's faster falling speed and higher gravity, forward aerial and back aerial no longer auto-cancel in a short hop.
• Neutral aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 25 → 16), allowing Little Mac to use it twice in a short hop without landing lag.
• If Little Mac uses forward aerial or a double jump after Jolt Haymaker, it will give him more momentum.
• The changes to shieldstun for aerial attacks greatly benefits Little Mac, making him less vulnerable to aerial approaches.

Throws and other attacks

• Standing grab's grabbox has been moved forward and is larger (Z offset: 4-8.1 → 7-10), significantly improving its range, no longer being the third shortest grab in the game. This also removes the blindspot in Little Mac's arm and hand.
• Dash grab's grabbox has been moved forward (Z offset: 0-5.7 → 4-9.7), considerably improving its range.
• Pivot grab's grabbox extends further (Z offset: 4-12.1 → 4-13.6), improving its range.
• Dash grab and pivot grab have increased startup (Dash grab: frame 10 → 13, Pivot grab: frame 11 → 14).
• All grabs have more ending lag (Standing: FAF 33 → 39, Dash: FAF 41 → 47, Pivot: FAF 34 → 42).
• Pummel is much faster, but deals less damage (2.1% → 1%), going from an average pummel in speed and damage to being weak but among the fastest in the game.
• Little Mac's throws are no longer weight dependent. This worsens their combo potential against lightweights, but improves it against heavier characters.
• Down throw:
• Down throw deals less damage on the throw hitbox (5% → 3% (throw)), (9% → 7% (total)) and has less base knockback, but higher knockback scaling (78 (base), 40 (scaling) → 50/88).
  • The lower base knockback allows Mac to combo into other moves besides Rising Uppercut at low percents, as it no longer puts into tumble at low percents.
  • The higher knockback scaling combined with Ultimate's knockback and hitstun changes makes down throw combo less reliably at higher percents despite the throw hitbox's lower damage, as its knockback was increased overall.
• Little Mac has altered swing animations for battering items like the Beam Sword, no longer performing a stab forward when using a forward smash. This applies to all except his dash attack. Like in Smash 4, he shares this change with Captain Falcon.

Special moves

• Straight Lunge:
  • Straight Lunge can be canceled by shielding.
  • Like with most non-storable charge moves, Straight Lunge can be unleashed in the opposite direction upon releasing the move.
  • Fully-charged Straight Lunge no longer has a blindspot, as characters can no longer pass through each other.
  • Straight Lunge gains power and damage as it is charged; previously, it had fixed damage values for an uncharged and fully-charged attack.
  • Uncharged Straight Lunge has less ending lag (FAF 49 → 44).
    • Uncharged grounded Straight Lunge deals less damage (14% → 12%) and has lower knockback scaling (90 → 65) significantly hindering its KO potential. The aerial version also has lower knockback scaling (95 → 80).
    • Late uncharged aerial Straight Lunge deals more damage (7% → 8%).
    • Fully-charged Straight Lunge deals much more damage (25% → 30% (grounded), 15% → 20% (aerial)) without full compensation on its knockback (55 (base), 86 (scaling) → 50/77 (grounded), 25/100 → 25/95 (aerial)), and deals consistent damage throughout the move instead of having a weaker late hit.
  • Because all edge attacks now do at least 9% damage, Straight Lunge can no longer tank through them as its heavy armor caps at 8%, removing a key ledge trapping option for Mac.
• KO Uppercut:
  • KO Uppercut has a new animation. Little Mac performs a jumping uppercut while facing the screen, making it appear more identical to the Star Punch from Punch-Out!! on the NES.
  • The new animation is treated as an actual jump, meaning it is possible to use the grounded variant and end up offstage, especially if the punch is used out of a dash.
  • KO Uppercut now uses Special Zoom. As a result, the move will no longer zoom in the camera outside of a 1v1.
  • KO Uppercut's new animation gives the move more vertical range, allowing it to hit opponents on the lower platforms of Battlefield. It also grants recovery distance if used in midair.
  • KO Uppercut is performed faster in general, making it harder to punish.
  • KO Uppercut no longer has a windbox, making the hitbox connect more consistently.
  • KO Uppercut has less ending lag (FAF 93 → 77).
  • KO Uppercut has less horizontal reach.
  • Aerial KO Uppercut deals much more knockback (40 (base), 80 (scaling) → 50/95), greatly improving its KO potential.
  • Aerial KO Uppercut is no longer unblockable. [2]
  • The change to the move's animation causes a ledge-cancelled KO Uppercut (the "Gazelle Punch") to land as an aerial attack, removing its KO potential at the ledge.
• Jolt Haymaker:
  • Grounded Jolt Haymaker makes Little Mac spend less time in the air. He also lands with significantly more traction.
  • Jolt Haymaker has 1 less frame of startup (frame 9 → 8).
  • Grounded Jolt Haymaker has reduced ending lag.
  • Jolt Haymaker deals more base knockback (33 → 75), sending opponents into tumble at 0%.
  • Jolt Haymaker has less knockback scaling (98 → 63), killing slightly later as its base knockback was not fully compensated.
  • Jolt Haymaker no longer renders Little Mac helpless and keeps more forward momentum, thus granting more distance. This significantly improves his recovery and turns what was previously a common suicidal mistake into a potent edge guarding tool.
  • Grounded Jolt Haymaker travels a shorter distance.
  • Grounded Jolt Haymaker gains less height off the ground, making it harder to dodge projectiles with the initial leap.
  • All versions of Jolt Haymaker can only be used once until Mac touches the ground again, even if he is hit out of it. This makes it less safe to use, especially if at the risk of being sent offstage.
  • Grounded Jolt Haymaker will stop Little Mac from going over the ledge in the last few frames, preventing him from just barely overshooting the ledge and having to get back to the stage.
• Rising Uppercut:
  • Little Mac no longer suffers from RCO lag if he is hit out of Rising Uppercut.
  • Rising Uppercut travels a higher distance when performed on the ground.
  • Aerial Rising Uppercut snaps to the ledge earlier on during the move, instead of only during startup and after the final hitbox appears.
  • Aerial Rising Uppercut travels slightly higher.
  • Aerial Rising Uppercut keeps a small amount of forward momentum, slightly improving its horizontal distance.
  • Rising Uppercut's first hit has a trail to highlight its hitbox.
• Slip Counter:
  • Slip Counter has less ending lag (FAF 61 → 57) if missed.
  • Slip Counter grants less momentum after an aerial counter. This lowers its recovery potential, but makes it less likely that Mac gets accidentally sent offstage by a counter.
  • Slip Counter produces an aesthetic spark upon retaliating.
  • When Slip Counter connects, the opponent's knockback is initially slowed before going to normal speed.
• Final Smash:
  • Little Mac has a new Final Smash called Giga Mac Rush. Rather than using Giga Mac as a controllable transformation, Little Mac transforms into his Giga Mac form and rushes forward, and if he comes into contact with an opponent, he unleashes a rush of punches before launching them.

|Greninja====Aesthetics===

• Greninja's model features a slightly more subdued color scheme, more closely resembling its appearance in recent mainline Pokémon games. Its body and tongue appear to have a glossy, wet sheen. The textures on Greninja's tongue have also been adjusted.
• Every move that once used water katanas now uses water kunai, similar to when Ash's Greninja uses Cut in the Pokémon anime.
• Greninja's tongue has less physics-based movement than the previous game.
• Greninja has altered animations for its sidestep, roll, and airdodge animations; it now disappears in a small whirlwind with leaves scattering, similarly to when Substitute is successful.
• Greninja's victory pose where it flips in the air and lands with its arms crossed has been altered: the camera doesn't move as much, causing Greninja's body to face away from the camera.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Greninja's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 4).
• Greninja dashes faster (2.08 → 2.288).
• Greninja walks faster (1.43 → 1.502).
• Greninja has increased air speed (1.18 → 1.239).
• Greninja is lighter (94 → 88). This worsens its survivability.
• The ability to tech footstools hinders Greninja's combo options.
• Greninja's down taunt, unlike other taunts, is not interruptible (unless it's used during Shadow Sneak). This makes Greninja more vulnerable while using it. However, due to how incredibly situational down taunt is, this is negligible in normal play.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first two hits have lower knockback (hit 1: 30 base/30 scaling → 20 / 25/25/15/15; hit 2: 30 base/50 scaling → 20/ 25/25/20), and they now keep opponents on the ground (hit 1: 70°/60°/80° → 361°/361°/180°/361°; hit 2: 70°/60°/90° → 361°). This allows them to connect better and jab lock.
  • The third hit now uses stationary hitboxes rather than hitboxes connected to Greninja's arms.
  • The first three hits have smaller hitboxes overall (hit 1: 3u/2.5u/3.5u → 2.0u/2.0u/2.2u/2.2u; hit 2: 3u/2.5u/4u → 2.5u/2.8u/3.0u; hit 3: 5u/3u/3u → 3u/3.4u/4u). This reduces their vertical range.
  • The second hit deals more damage (1.6% → 2%).
  • The third hit deals less damage (3.5% → 3%), and thus less knockback.
  • Neutral attack's infinite hits at a considerably faster rate and now keeps opponents on the ground during the attack. It also has reduced knockback scaling (40 → 10), as well as lower hitlag (1.0x → 0.5x) and SDI (1.0x → 0.4) multipliers. These changes allow it to connect better.
  • The infinite is now comprised of one extended hitbox rather than two normal ones (size: 5.2u/6.2u → 5.5; Y/Z-offset: 7/7 → 7.5/7.5; Z-stretch: 13 → 14).
  • The infinite's finisher now has three hitboxes instead of two, with different sizes (5.6u/6.6 → 4.2u/4.2u/4.8u) and positions (ID 0: 7 Y-offset/8 Z-offset → 7.5/9; ID 1: 7 Y-offset/16 Z-offset → 7.3/13 → ID 2: 7.5 Y-offset/16.5 Z-offset. This increases its horizontal range, but lowers its vertical range.
  • The infinite has reduced hitlag (3.0x → 2.0x).
• Forward tilt
  • It deals more damage when angled (7.3% → 8.3%).
  • It has significantly altered knockback (angled up: 20/30/40 base / 110/90/70 scaling → 50 / 100/79/58; non-angled/angled down: 20/30/40 base / 110/90/70 scaling → 50 / 98/77/56). This improves its KO power if sweetspotted (especially when angled up), but hinders its KO power otherwise.
• Down tilt:
  • Greninja has a new down tilt: a downward hand sweep instead of a shin kick.
  • It deals less damage (7% → 4%).
  • It has altered knockback (60 base/40 scaling → 30/110). This slightly narrows its combo range at low percentages, but increases it from mid to higher ones, to the point it now allows for KO confirms at high percentages.
  • The move launches opponents at a more upward angle (70° → 79°/77°/75°), further improving its combo potential at high percentages.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 27 → 23).
• Dash attack:
  • The move has an altered animation with Greninja stopping halfway through the spin.
  • It deals more damage (7% → 8%).
  • It has reduced base knockback (100 → 90).
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 29).
  • It sends at a higher angle (60° → 70°). Combined with its lower ending lag and base knockback, this improves its followup and combo ability.
• Forward smash:
  • It deals more knockback (30 base/101 scaling → 35/104).
• Up smash
  • The first hit has a new hitbox that only hits grounded opponents with significantly reduced knockback (30 base/120 scaling → 20/10) and SDI multiplier (1.0x → 0.5x), whereas the previous hitbox can now only hit aerial opponents and has reduced knockback scaling (120 → 90). This makes the first hit connect more consistently into the second hit.
• Down smash:
  • The move has much less startup lag (15 → 10), and thus a shorter duration (FAF 55 → 50).
  • Both hits' arm hitboxes are now extended (Z-stretch: 0 → 7). This removes their blindspots.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (12 frames → 7 (neutral), 15 → 11 (forward), 13 → 10 (back), 15 → 14 (up), 32 → 30 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • The move has considerably less ending lag (FAF 65 → 53).
• Forward aerial:
  • It has much more knockback scaling (84 → 95), improving its KO power.
  • The move has a new, smaller extended hitbox directly in front of Greninja (size: 3u; Y/Z-offset: 7.5/8; Y-stretch: 8.5). This removes its blindspot.
  • The move's two other hitboxes are smaller (5.4u/4.4u → 4.7u/3.7u), and one of them is offset further from Greninja (Y-offset: -7 → -8). This creates a new blindspot between them.
• Back aerial
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 46 → 41).
  • The first hit sends at different angles, one of them being a different autolink angle (365°/30°/30° → 367°/35°/35°). This allows it to connect better into the second hit.
  • The third hit deals more damage (4% → 6%), though with its knockback scaling mostly compensated (120 → 95).
  • It has bigger hitboxes (hits 1 and 2: 5u/4u/2u → 5.5u/4.3u/2.5u; hit 3: 5.8u/4.5u/2u → 5.8u/4.5u/2.5u).
• Up aerial:
  • The fifth hit now sends at an autolink angle (85° → 367°). This allows it to connect slightly better into the final hit.
  • The fifth hit no longer has both based and set knockback, instead only using base knockback (45 base/10 set → 55 base). This makes it connect marginally less consistently at very high percentages.
• Down aerial:
  • The move has less ending lag if it misses (FAF 57 → 52).
  • Greninja no longer loses its double jump when it lands down aerial.
  • The move has more ending lag when it hits an opponent, hindering its combo potential and making it slightly less safe on shield.
  • Its hitboxes are smaller (clean: 6u → 4.3u; late: 7u → 5.2u) and higher up (Y-offset: -2 → 0.1).

Throws and other attacks

• Grab:
  • Standing and pivot grab have one frame faster startup (standing: frame 11 → 10; pivot: frame 15 → 14).
  • Dash grab has slower startup (frame 9 → 13).
  • Dash grab's grabbox doesn't extend out as far (Z-stretch: 20 → 17.5), reducing its range.
  • Pivot grab's grabbox extends further (Z-stretch: -22 → -25.3), increasing its range. It is now the largest non-tether pivot grab in the game.
• Pummel:
  • It deals less damage (2% → 1%).
  • It has faster startup (frame 6 → 2), deals more hitlag (4 frames → 11) and has less ending lag, making it significantly faster than in Smash 4.
• Forward throw:
  • The move consists of two hits rather than one. Both deal more damage overall (5% throw → 3.5% hit 1/4.5% throw/8% total).
  • The throw has less base knockback, but significantly more knockback scaling (70 base/45 scaling → 65/100), improving its KO power.
• Back throw:
  • Greninja has a new back throw: it turns around and throws the opponent with both hands.
  • It deals more damage (8% → 9%).
  • Its animation is faster, making it harder to DI properly.
• Edge attack has increased damage (7% → 9%).
• Down taunt
  • Down taunt has increased ending lag (FAF 80 → 110), further reducing its very limited utility.
  • Greninja now suffers hitlag when down taunt connects, however the opponent only suffers hitlag on the ground, as the air only hitboxes are flinchless, and thus cannot inflict hitlag. This effectively reduces the move's hit rate.

Special moves

• Water Shuriken:
  • Water Shuriken has slightly increased range.
  • Opponents don't fall out of the fully charged shuriken as much as before.
  • Uncharged Water Shuriken has less knockback scaling (85 → 45).
  • Water Shuriken looks sharper.
• Shadow Sneak:
  • It can now be used multiple times in midair.
  • Shadow Sneak's shadow travels faster.
  • Both attack variants have less startup.
  • Forward Shadow Sneak has a new animation: it is a forward kick instead of a handstand kick. It launches at a much lower angle (48° → 36°), improving its KO potential.
  • Greninja now cloaks itself in a whirlwind before disappearing.
  • The shadow is notably darker, and the shadow's eyes flash red just before release. This makes it easier to predict the attack.
• Hydro Pump:
  • Hydro Pump now has an arrow pointing in the direction of travel, similar to Pikachu's Quick Attack and Pichu's Agility.
  • Hydro Pump can now be ledge-cancelled.
  • Greninja no longer loses its double jump if it is hit out of Hydro Pump.
  • The water shots have considerably reduced knockback (65 (base)/100(scaling) → 60/80), and smaller hitboxes (6u → 4.7u), greatly reducing the move's offensive utility.
• Substitute:
  • The counter window is longer (frames 8-29 → 8-34).
  • It has more ending lag if it misses (FAF: 65 → 70).
  • Substitute slows down the opponent when the attack activates, allowing the attack to land more consistently.
  • All of the attack's variants have one frame faster startup (frame 41 → 40).
  • All of the attack's variants now grant Greninja intangibility during the attack (frames 1-37 → 1-56).
  • All of the attack's variants have slightly more ending lag (FAF: 85 → 87).
  • The side variant has much less knockback scaling (100 → 85).
  • The up and diagonal up variants deal less damage (up: 14% → 13%; diagonal up: 13% → 12) and have less knockback scaling (both: 100 → 95), noticeably hindering their KO power.
  • The down variant deals less damage (14% → 13%) and has less knockback (grounded: 100 scaling → 95; aerial: 50 base/100 scaling → 25/65). This hinders its KO power; particularly, the aerial version is no longer among the strongest meteor smashes in the game.
  • The diagonal down variant deals less damage (13% → 12%) without compensation on knockback, hindering its KO power.
  • Substitute has more vibrant particle effects.
• Secret Ninja Attack:
  • Greninja now turns into Ash-Greninja during its Final Smash.
  • Greninja and its opponents are no longer silhouetted during the attack.
  • The final hit deals less knockback, reducing the move's KO potential.

|Mii Brawler====Aesthetics===

• Mii Brawler's name on UIs is now said Mii Brawler across all English and Asian versions of the game, rather than Mii Fighter in the Japanese version.
• Players can customize the Mii Brawler's voice clips from 12 different voices, with 3 different pitches.
• Mii Brawlers have had their body proportions adjusted: they are now much more realistic, compared to the more cartoony proportions they had in Smash 4.
• While still based off the "Guest C" Mii, the default Mii Brawler has an altered appearance. His hair is longer, and he now sports a stern expression instead of a neutral one as he did in Smash 4.
• The default outfit for the Mii Brawler has significantly more detail, featuring a stylized character-colored shirt with extra padding on their forearms and shins.

Attributes

• Like all characters, the Mii Brawler's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• As with the other Mii Fighter types, the Mii Brawler now has fixed attributes:
  • Mii Brawler walks much faster (1.15 → 1.26).
  • Mii Brawler dashes much faster (1.72 → 1.92).
    • Mii Brawler's initial dash speed is faster (1.6 → 1.97).
  • Mii Brawler's traction is significantly higher (0.045 → 0.12).
  • Mii Brawler has a slower air speed (1.2 → 1.15).
  • Mii Brawler falls much faster (1.7 → 1.92). This slightly improves their vertical mobility, but makes them more vulnerable to combos.
  • The Mii Brawler's gravity is much higher (0.1 → 0.192). This lets the Brawler reach their maximum falling speed faster, improving their mobility, but reduces their jump height and makes them much more susceptible to combos and meteor smashes.
  • The Mii Brawler now has a set weight of 94, down from 100 in Smash 4. This makes their weight on par with Ness, Lucas and Inkling, and makes them the lightest Mii Fighter. The Mii Brawler is now lighter than the lightest possible Mii in Smash 4, hindering their survivability, while still being more vulnerable to combos due to their faster falling speed and gravity.
• Due to their higher falling speed and gravity, the Mii Brawler's short hop and full jump last for a shorter time (short hop: 36 frames → 28, full jump: 55 frames → 41).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-16 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with reduced intangibility (frames 4-16 → 5-16) and increased ending lag (FAF 30 → 35).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 27 → 26).
• Spot dodge has more startup with reduced intangibility (frames 2-17 → 3-17).
• Air dodge has increased intangibility (frames 3-27 → 3-29).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 33 → 45).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Apart from the final hit, all of neutral attack's hits deal less damage (hit 1: 3% → 1.8%, hit 2: 2% → 1%, looping hits: 1% → 0.5%).
  • The first hit has two additional hitboxes, but reduced hitbox sizes (2.8u/4.0u → 1.6/1.6/1.8/1.8). This reduces the attack's vertical range.
  • The second hit has altered hitbox sizes (4.0u/2.8u/2.8u → 3.0/3.5/3.5).
  • The first two hits have increased hitlag (1.0x → 1.8x hit 1/1.2x hit 2).
  • The infinite's hitbox is larger (3.5u → 4.0), increasing its vertical range. It also has reduced hitlag (1.0x → 0.6x) and a lower SDI multiplier (1.0x → 0.4x). These changes make it much harder to escape.
  • The infinite has modified stretch positionings (Z-axis: 15.5 → 8.0, Z-stretch: 9.0 → 15.5). Overall, the infinite's horizontal range is unchanged.
  • The finisher's hitbox is no longer an extended hitbox, but now has has three additional hitboxes. All of them have reduced sizes (4.5u → 3.5/3.5/3.5/3.5). This gives the move around the same range.
  • All hits except for the finisher send at lower angles (hit 1: 45˚/80˚ → 361˚/361˚/180˚/361˚, hit 2: 94˚/45˚/45˚ → 361˚/180˚/180˚, infinite: 75˚ → 361˚). This allows the attack to connect significantly better, and allows the two first hits to lock.
  • All hits except for the finisher no longer have set knockback (hit 1: 10/15 set/100 scaling → 25/25/20/20 base/25/25/15/15 scaling, hit 2: 25/15/15 set/100 scaling → 25 base/25/20/20 scaling, infinite: 10 set/100 scaling → 7 base/20 scaling).
• Forward tilt:
  • All angles no longer have a sourspot on the Mii Brawler's leg that deals less damage.
  • All angles have altered knockback (12 base/100 scaling → 34/86). This makes the move safe on hit at low percentages, but slightly hinders its KO power at high ones.
• Dash attack:
  • Both the clean and late hits have a new hitbox on the Brawler's leg. This makes the attack more likely to connect.
  • The late hit's farthest hitbox has slightly reduced size (3.5u → 3.2), reducing the attack's range.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has a slightly different animation: it now leaves an electrical trail on the Mii Brawler's fist (though it does not deal electric damage). The Mii Brawler also no longer flexes their fist during the ending animation; instead, the Brawler pumps their arms downwards.
  • The Mii Brawler now steps further forward when using their forward smash, giving it slightly more range.
  • The move lasts for one more frame (frame 17 → 17-18).
  • The move deals more knockback (30 base/100 scaling → 35/102), improving its already great KO power.
• Up smash:
  • The clean hit deals more knockback (32 base/93 scaling → 33/96).
• Down smash:
  • Both hits deal more knockback (front: 31 base/80 scaling → 41/85, back: 83 scaling → 88). This improves the move's KO power, especially the front hit.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials except down aerial have less landing lag (Neutral: 10 → 6, Forward/Back: 14 → 11, Up: 14 → 10).
• Neutral aerial:
  • The move has reduced ending lag (FAF: 56 → 46). It is no longer the sex kick with the most ending lag by a significant margin.
  • Mii Brawler's leg no longer extends at the start of the move. Due to the hitboxes being attached to the feet, this results in the clean hit having considerably less range. Also, due to Mii Brawler's higher fast speed and gravity, it can no longer autocancel in a short hop.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has a new animation: the Mii Brawler now does two alternating kicks inwards, instead of a spin kick.
  • Both hits deal more damage (hit 1: 4% → 5%, hit 2: 5% → 6%).
  • The second hit has faster startup (frame 18 → 15), allowing both hits to connect better while rising.
    • However, this means the first hit is now more difficult to use the first hit to initiate combos by landing.
  • The first hit no longer has set knockback (40/40 set/100 scaling → 39/47 base/10 scaling) or sends at the autolink angle (366˚ → 25˚), making it connect less reliably when falling or moving backwards.
  • One of the hitboxes on both hits is larger (hit 1: 3.0u → 3.5, hit 2: 4.0u → 4.3).
    • However, both hits' hitboxes have modified positionings (hit 1: 4.2/0.0 X-axis → 4.2/-1.0, hit 2: 4.2/0.0 X-axis → 4.2/-1.3). This decreases the second hit's range very slightly.
  • The move autocancels earlier (frame 43 → 30). However, the move is still unable to autocancel from a short hop due to the Brawler's faster falling speed and gravity.
• Back aerial:
  • The move deals more damage (10% → 12%) and has more knockback scaling (100 → 105), significantly improving its KO potential.
  • Mii Brawler's leg no longer extends at the start of the move. Due to the hitboxes being attached to the feet, this results in the clean hit having considerably less range.
• Up aerial:
  • The move deals more damage (8% → 9%). This makes it safer on hit, improving its combo ability.
• Down aerial:
  • The meteor hitbox has significantly more knockback scaling (80 → 95), although it is still weaker than the clean hit on grounded opponents.

Throws and other attacks

• Pummel deals less damage (3.25% → 1.3%) but is much faster.
• Forward throw
  • It launches at a lower angle (45˚ → 42˚), improving its ability to set up edgeguards and slightly improving its KO potential.
• Back throw
• The first hit deals more damage (2% → 4%).
• The move has a more fluid animation.
• Up throw
  • It deals more damage (8% → 11%), although it is still incapable of KOing until Sudden Death percentages.
• Down throw
  • The move has more knockback scaling (100 → 120), making followups more difficult at mid percents and completely removing them at high ones. The reduced knockback of Helicopter Kick and the removal of Piston Punch also remove the Brawler's infamous down throw KO setups, now making them damage racking combos instead.

Special moves

Neutral specials

• Shot Put:
  • The move has less ending lag after throwing the ball (FAF: 80 → 68).
  • The iron ball's clean hit sends at a lower angle (67˚ → 47˚), improving its utility at keeping opponents away and its edgeguarding ability.
  • The iron ball deals slightly more damage as it bounces (first bounce: 11% → 11.25%, second bounce: 8% → 8.4%).
  • The iron ball appears to be smaller. However, its hitbox remains the same.
• Exploding Side Kick:
  • The move now causes Special Zoom when it lands.
  • A reversed Exploding Side Kick deals more damage (27%/25% → 28%/26%).
  • The aerial Exploding Side Kick's sourspot deals very slightly less damage (19.55% → 19.549999%), though this is unnoticeable in gameplay.
  • An aerial reversed Exploding Side Kick deals more damage (22.95%/21.25% → 23.799999%/22.1%).
  • The move has increased knockback (grounded/aerial: 35 base/79 scaling → 40/80, reversed/aerial reversed: 35 base/79 scaling → 40/77). This makes the move safer on hit and slightly improves its KO power.
  • Both reversed versions have faster startup (frame 58 → 52).
  • Exploding Side Kick has significantly lower ending lag (grounded/aerial: FAF 90 → 80, reversed/aerial reversed: FAF 98 → 82), making it much safer on shield.
  • The move can be reversed much later (up until frame 48, just before the kick comes out). Coupled with the new dodge mechanics, this makes the move better for punishing a dodge.

Side specials

• Onslaught:
  • Onslaught has a different animation: the Mii Brawler now throws in a mixed barrage of punches and kicks, with the final hit being a backflip kick.
  • Onslaught has a new mechanic: Onslaught deals increased knockback as the Mii Brawler's damage accumulates, similarly to and separate from the effects of rage, but this multiplier lowers to 1x when the move is successfully used. It takes time until Onslaught's knockback multiplier returns to its increased value; a purple sparkle briefly appears on the Mii Brawler's shoes this happens. Due to this, the move is now capable of KOing at around 100% if not fully stale, and much lower with rage due to both the move's multiplier and rage stacking together.
  • Grounded Onslaught's second to last hit is now a meteor smash that drags opponents to the ground (75˚ → 270˚) and has higher knockback, with the opponent not being able to tech the hit, even at low percentages. This allows the entire move to connect consistently at higher percents.
    • However, the meteor smash will cause opponents to drop out of the move if they are near an edge, though this can be used to gimp opponents with weak vertical recoveries, and can set up for edgeguards.
  • Both versions now hit seven times instead of five. Each hit now deals more and consistent damage (grounded: 1.2% loop hits/1.2% hit 4/4% final hit/8.8% total → 2% hit 1/1.5% hits 2-6/5% hit 7/14.5% total, aerial: 1% loop hits/1% hit 4/4% final hit/8% total → 2% hit 1/1.5% hits 2-6/5% hit 7/14.5% total).
  • Both versions' final hit deals reduced knockback (80 base/175 scaling → 58/170). This makes the normal (stale) version KO slightly later.
  • Aerial Onslaught's final hit sends at a lower angle (80˚ → 70˚), making it prone to LSI and reducing its KO power at lower percents.
• Burning Dropkick:
  • Burning Dropkick can no longer be charged. The Mii Brawler now leaps forward and launches a fixed distance diagonally downwards after a brief pause. It has vastly reduced distance and can now miss entirely if started right next to an opponent, significantly reducing its recovery range, reliability, and utility for mindgames.
  • Burning Dropkick deals more damage compared to the previous uncharged version (10% → 13%).
  • Burning Dropkick's landing lag can be reduced by using it at the peak of a full hop.

Up specials

• Soaring Axe Kick:
  • Soaring Axe Kick's has faster startup (frame 16 → 10).
  • Soaring Axe Kick's first hit is now highlighted by a large blue trail that significantly increases its range.
  • Soaring Axe Kick's descending hit is much stronger , now being a capable KO option. It also has more base knockback, making sacrificial KOs more effective, though it still KOs the Brawler first at 0%.
  • Soaring Axe Kick gains slightly more height and can now sweetspot the ledge halfway through the ascending hit; previously it could only do so right before the Brawler descended. This significantly improves its safety, as it was notoriously easy to intercept in Smash 4.
  • The descending part of the move now has to be initiated manually, similar to Cloud's Climhazzard. This eliminates the descending portion when recovering, which previously caused self destructs.
• Helicopter Kick:
  • The trajectory of Helicopter Kick's final hit can now be altered. Holding forward will make its knockback diagonal, while holding back will make its knockback more vertical.
  • Helicopter Kick travels significantly higher when used on the ground.
  • Helicopter Kick has lower knockback, preventing it from KOing early. However, it can still KO at high percents.

Down specials

• Head-On Assault:
  • Head-On Assault has an altered startup animation, with the Brawler doing a half-backflip instead of a headbutt while rising. It also has a different ending animation; the Brawler simply stands back up again.
  • The descending hit no longer buries opponents. Instead, it deals diagonal knockback that can KO at 112%. This removes bury followups, but significantly improves its utility as an attack.
  • Head-On Assault's headbutt is now a corkscrewing attack that deals multiple hits very quickly. Each hit deals 1%, and a ground-starting attack can hit at least 3 times.
  • The descending hits deal less overall damage if started on the ground (8% → 4%).
  • Due to the multiple hits, Head-On Assault deals more damage if it lands on an aerial opponent, and it will always KO the opponent first if it the grounded version leads to a sacrificial KO. However, whoever is KO'd first is still inconsistent if the aerial version is used.
  • Head-On Assault deals significantly more shield damage, especialy the landing hit. This allows it to break full shields if all hits land.
• Feint Jump:
  • Feint Jump's kick now surrounds itself in a blue aura instead of purple.
  • The kick attack used during Feint Jump sends the Brawler flying at a more downward angle.
    • Because of this, its recovery potential has been worsened.
    • Mii Brawler can hit closer grounded opponents more easily but also can have a harder time hitting opponents from a far distance.
    • Feint Jump’s momentum is stopped completely when landing with the kick, removing its notorious ledge-cancel and resulting in high landing lag.
  • The Kick can be initiated much earlier and later, now adding more mixups.
  • When landing on an opponent during the descent of the flip, the Brawler will now automatically perform a meteor smashing kick that deals 7%.

Final Smash

• Omega Blitz now has the Brawler stay in one place while throwing a barrage of punches and kicks after dragging the opponent upward, the initial attack is now an upwards-arcing heel kick, and the Final Smash finishes with a downward punch rather than a chop.
• Because of the change of the initial attack, the activation hitbox has extended range.
• Omega Blitz deals more total damage (42% → 47%).
• The final hit deals considerably less knockback (85 base/162 → 63/132), making it noticeably weaker overall despite a marginally improved angle (272˚ → 270˚).

New special moves

The Mii Brawler has received four new special moves, each replacing one former special move from each category.

• Flashing Mach Punch:
  • This neutral special move replaces Ultimate Uppercut. It is a multi-hitting series of five fast punches from a single hand, that extends to a total of 22 consecutive punches if any initial hits connect. The final hit deals good vertical knockback and can KO at around 115%.
    • Compared to Ultimate Uppercut, Flashing Mach Punch deals consistent damage (8-22% → 17.9%).
    • Flashing Mach Punch does not leave the Mii Brawler helpless, and the first midair use causes them to stall.
    • Flashing Mach Punch has KO potential anytime it lands and has the same power on the ground and in the air, whereas Ultimate Uppercut needs to be fully charged and grounded to have KO potential.
    • Flashing Mach Punch offers invincibility for the duration of the move if it connects with an opponent, making it harder to interrupt than Ultimate Uppercut.
    • Unlike Ultimate Uppercut, Flashing Mach Punch does not offer armor for a few frames before an uncharged punch, or super armor during a fully-charged punch.
    • Flashing Mach Punch has punishable ending lag. It also cannot start the looping portion if it hits a shield.
• Suplex:
  • This side special command grab replaces Headache Maker. The Mii Brawler will dash forward a short distance: if it connects, the Brawler will lift the opponent into the air and do a backwards suplex, slamming the opponent headfirst into the ground.
    • Suplex goes through shields since it is a grab.
    • Suplex deals high damage for a command grab, and does more total damage than the strongest hit of Headache Maker (13% → 18%).
    • Suplex covers slightly more horizontal distance than Headache Maker, though it still travels less than Onslaught.
    • Suplex has very low knockback scaling, making it ineffective for KOing.
    • Suplex causes helplessness if used in the air, and causes the Brawler to be KO'ed first if used as a Sacrificial KO.
• Thrust Uppercut:
  • This up special move replaces Piston Punch. Unlike the other new moves, it is similar in function to the attack it replaced. It consists of a multi-hitting uppercut, dealing five hits in total. The Mii Brawler switches their hands for the final hit.
    • Thrust Uppercut travels upward with a slight diagonal trajectory, making it better for recovering than Piston Punch. It can also be angled to travel further horizontally. Coupled with its fast startup, it can easily act as a combo finisher out of an aerial.
    • Thrust Uppercut deals more damage than Piston Punch (10% → 13%).
    • Thrust Uppercut is much worse for KOing, only doing so at ground level after 180%.
• Counter Throw:
  • This down special counterattack replaces Foot Flurry. After being hit, the Mii Brawler will grab the opponent before throwing the victim on the ground behind them.
    • Counter Throw removes a niche approach and aerial stalling option, but grants the Brawler a counterattack.
    • Unlike other counterattacks, Counter Throw has a very short duration, but very low ending lag, allowing it to be used more flexibly.
    • Counter Throw has the second highest damage multiplier of any counterattack by default (1.5×), tied with King K. Rool's Gut Check and surpassed by Joker's Tetrakarn.
    • Counter Throw completely fails against projectiles and attacks that hit the Brawler's legs, while any sufficiently disjointed move will cause the retaliating grab to miss.

|Mii Swordfighter====Aesthetics===

• Mii Swordfighter's name on UIs is now said Mii Swordfighter across all English and Asian versions of the game, rather than Mii Swordsman in the Japanese version or Mii Sword Fighter in PAL versions.
• Players can customize the Mii Swordfighter's voice clips from 12 different voices, with 3 different pitches.
• Mii Swordfighters have had their body proportions adjusted.
• While still based off the "Guest B" Mii, the default Mii Swordfighter has an altered appearance, including shorter hair and thinner eyebrows.
• The default outfit for the Mii Swordfighter has significantly more detail, with the Swordfighter now wearing a character-colored tunic, with additional armor pieces and a sheath.

Attributes

• Like all characters, the Mii Swordfighter's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 7).
• As with all Mii Fighters, the Mii Swordfighter now has fixed attributes:
  • The Mii Swordfighter now has a set weight of 100, on par with that of Cloud. This is identical to that of a default sized Mii Fighter in Smash 4.
  • The Mii Swordfighter walks slower (1.188 → 1.07). This affects their mobility significantly compared to the cast, as they are now the 50th fastest walker (compared to 19-20th fastest in Smash 4).
  • Mii Swordfighter dashes faster (1.5 → 1.58).
    • Mii Swordfighter's initial dash speed is faster (1.3 → 1.74).
  • Mii Swordfighter has slightly higher air acceleration (0.04 → 0.05).
  • Mii Swordfighter has a significantly higher air speed (0.96 → 1.17), giving them the 18th highest air speed in the game (compared to 53-59th in Smash 4).
  • Mii Swordfighter has a slightly slower falling speed (1.6 → 1.55).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Like almost all characters, the first two hits of neutral attack can now lock.
  • Third hit of neutral attack launches at a lower angle, improving its KO potential near an edge.
  • Third hit of neutral attack has increased knockback scaling (50 → 70).
  • First hit of neutral attack does less damage (4% → 3%).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt has slightly less startup lag (frame 11 → 10).
  • It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 11-13 → 10-11), and its total duration was unchanged, slightly increasing its ending lag.
  • It has smaller hitboxes (3.5u → 2.7u).
  • It has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 0.7×, reducing its safety on shield despite shieldstun being increased for other tilt attacks.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has smaller hitboxes, with its extended hitbox being removed (2.7u/2.7u/2.2u → 2.4u/2.4u).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack is now an outward swipe instead of an outward stab, similar to Toon Link's.
  • Dash attack has 1 less frame of startup (frame 9 → 8).
  • Dash attack now consists of a single hitbox, thus losing its weaker late hitbox that dealt 6%.
  • Dash attack has increased base knockback (80 → 87), improving its KO potential.
  • Dash attack has a much shorter duration (9-18 → 9-10).
  • Its new animation increase its vertical range, but reduces its horizontal range.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has slightly less startup lag (frame 16 → 15).
    • Its duration was unchanged, slightly increasing its ending lag.
  • The weak hit takes priority over the mid hit.
  • All hitboxes have redistributed sizes, with one of the weak hitboxes having been removed (4u/3u/4u/2.4u → 2.8u/2.8u/2.8u).
    • The strong hit is larger and is easier to land when compounded with the removal of one of the weak hitboxes.
    • It has smaller hitboxes all around.
  • All hits have increased base knockback (30 → 39), improving its KO potential all around.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash now consists of two slashes instead of three.
  • Up smash's previous second hit has now been moved behind the Mii Swordfighter.
  • Up smash's altered hitbox placement now allows it to hit opponents touching the Mii Swordfighter's back, although this will only deal two hits.
  • Up smash's final hit has increased base knockback (40 → 50), improving its KO potential.
  • Its second and third hits have shorter durations (frames 14-16/20-22 → 14-15/21-22).
• Down smash:
  • Both hits deal much more base knockback, but noticeably reduced knockback scaling (26 (base)/80 (scaling) → 78/50 (front hit), 25 (base)/80 (scaling) → 50/71 (back hit)), slightly improving its KO potential overall.
  • Both hits have one small hitbox instead of three larger ones (4u/4u/2.8u → 3u (front hit), 4u/4u/2.8u → 2.5u (back hit).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have significantly reduced landing lag (15 frames → 9 (neutral, back), 17 → 12 (forward), 16 → 10 (up), 30 → 18 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has slightly less startup lag (frame 11 → 10).
    • Its duration was unchanged, slightly increasing its ending lag.
  • Neutral aerial has increased base knockback (48 → 60).
• Forward aerial:
  • Its hitboxes are larger (4.2u/3.8u/3.5u (hits 1-2) → 4.5u/4.5u/4.5u, 5u/4.5u/3.5u (hit 3) → 4.5u/4.5u/4.5u).
  • It has longer durations on each hit (frames 11/16/21 → 11-12/16-17/21-22).
  • It auto-cancels earlier (frame 51 → 48).
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial has an altered animation; the Swordfighter leans forward slightly.
  • It has more startup lag (frame 8 → 10).
    • Its duration was unchanged, giving it less ending lag overall.
  • It has significantly smaller hitboxes, with two of the four having been removed altogether (4u/4u/3u/4.3u → 2.5u/2.1u (frame 10), 4u/4u/3u/4.3u → 2.5u/2.5u (frame 11).
• Up aerial:
  • The decreased landing lag of up aerial now gives the late hit combo potential.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has an altered animation, with the Swordfighter now stabbing downwards and twirling with their sword instead of turning upside down completely.
  • Down aerial's looping hits deal more damage (1% → 1.5%), improving its damage racking ability.
  • It has smaller hitboxes (4.6u/4.6u → 4u/4u).

Throws and other attacks

• Dash grab and pivot grab have slightly more startup lag (frame 8 → 9 (dash), 9 → 10 (pivot)).
• All grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 29 → 35 (standing), 37 → 43 (dash), 34 → 37 (pivot)).
• Dash grab has slightly less range (Z2 offset: 10.6u → 10.4u).
• The Mii Swordfighter's pummel is now a knee strike. It is significantly faster but deals much lower damage (3.25% → 1.3%), but this is a buff overall due to the Swordfighter's previously sluggish pummel.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw's kick has now been changed to a roundhouse kick behind the Swordfighter.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw now throws opponents to the ground, similar to Marth's.
  • Down throw has increased combo potential due to Mii Swordfighter's faster jumpsquat.
• Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

Neutral specials

• Gale Strike:
  • Gale Strike now has set knockback and higher hitlag (80 (base)/104 (scaling) → 150 (set)/100). This grants it newfound combo potential, and gives the Swordfighter an almost guaranteed followup if it lands. This tremendously improves what was previously one of the least effective projectiles in the game.
  • The gale deals significantly more damage (early: 3.7% → 13%, middle: 2.9% → 11%, late: 2% → 10%, total: 11% → 13%).
  • The gale has less startup. (frame 23 → 20).
  • Its early hitboxes have been enlarged to match the size of its late hitboxes (2.5u/3.1u/3.9u/5u → 5u/5u/5u/5u).
  • The gale travels a smaller distance, only half of Final Destination. It has also lost its pushing ability at the end, removing its utility to blow opponents and items away.
  • The gale now has transcendent priority, meaning that it can no longer clash or neutralize projectiles, but can now beat out all direct attacks, even those with much greater damage outputs.
• Shuriken of Light:
  • The throwing animation has been altered: it is now a quick ninja-like finger flick near the Mii Swordfighter's torso.
  • Shurikens now gradually pick up speed as they travel.
  • The move has less startup (frame 16 → 13) and ending lag (FAF 50 → 38), making it function better as a conventional projectile.
  • Mid-range and long-range shurikens can now lock.
  • Max range shurikens deal significantly less damage (10% → 6.5%).
• Blurring Blade:
  • Blurring Blade now sets the Swordfighter's blade aflame for its duration, deals flame damage, and ends in an upward slash, rather than a thrust. The final hit has a larger hitbox because of this.
  • Blurring Blade deals much higher damage across all charge levels (9.9 ~ 23.75% → 12 ~ 28.8%). It also has much higher knockback, allowing it to KO very early (100% uncharged, 24% fully charged at the edge of Final Destination).
  • Blurring Blade can now be reversed after charging, similar to Roy's Flare Blade, but it can only be reversed once.

Side specials

• Airborne Assault:
  • Airborne Assault is no longer a chargeable move, and travels a set distance (about 3/4 of Final Destination).
  • Airborne Assault travels further on average when compared to the previous uncharged variant.
  • Airborne Assault deals higher knockback, allowing it to KO at high percents.
  • Airborne Assault deals significantly more damage than the previous uncharged version (7.2% → 12%), but less than a full-charged version (16% → 12%).
  • The move will stop at a ledge if it happens to pass one. This eliminates accidental self-destructs while using the move, but also makes it harder to pursue offstage opponents or those on a different platform.
  • Airborne Assault now has around a half-second window where the Swordfighter can act to bypass helplessness if the Swordfighter uses this move in the air, but if the move hits an opponent, the Mii won't be helpless. This significantly improves the Mii's recovery.
  • The bounce gained from hitting an opponent travels higher, making it safer to use against shield.
  • Airborne Assault's rebounding animation has the Mii perform a flourishing backflip, with a larger sword trail accompanying it.
• Chakram:
  • Smash-thrown charkrams deal more damage (6.5% → 8%).
  • Slow chakrams now behave like a short-range multi-hit Boomerang, staying out for a longer duration and slowly returning to where it was initially thrown, dealing 1.1% per hit. This improves its ability to wall out approaches, initiate combos, ledge trap and edgeguard opponents.
  • Smash-thrown charkrams have much more knockback growth (40/50 → 70).
• Gale Stab:
  • Gale Stab (formerly Slash Launcher) has a new animation that has the Mii perform a charging stab rather than a reverse-gripped slash. If it misses, the Swordfighter will brake on the ground; if it hits, the Swordfighter will hold their sword in a stabbing motion forwards.
  • Gale Stab has less startup lag (frame 13 → 9).
  • Gale Stab deals much more damage when fully charged (10.2% → 18.5%). It also deals much more knockback, allowing the charged versions to KO.
  • Gale Stab now slows down upon hitting an opponent. It also deals slightly less damage late unless uncharged.
  • Gale Stab cannot sweetspot ledges during its ending animation if it hits an opponent.

Up specials

• Stone Scabbard:
  • Stone Scabbard's descending trail is now blue instead of yellow. The move now has a unique sword sound byte at the end of the move if an opponent is hit.
  • Stone Scabbard travels much higher and grants more horizontal momentum at the start and right before falling, significantly increasing its usefulness as a recovery move.
  • Stone Scabbard can now sweetspot ledges from behind while falling.
  • Stone Scabbard's rising hit has a larger hitbox.
  • Stone Scabbard's landing hit is significantly stronger, allowing it to KO within the 110% range at the edge.
  • Stone Scabbard's first hit deals less damage (5% → 4%). The sword's hitbox when going through platforms also deals less damage (6% → 3%).
• Skyward Slash Dash:
  • Skyward Slash Dash's ascending trail is now orange instead of yellow.
  • Skyward Slash Dash has significantly less startup lag (frame 24 → 14).
    • This leaves the Swordfighter less vulnerable to attacks and functions much more like a surprise attack.
  • Skyward Slash deals significantly higher total damage (12% → 21.2%).
• Hero's Spin:
  • Hero's Spin now has identical particles as Spin Attack, albeit colored purple. The Swordfighter also undulates during the spin, much like the mentioned attack.
  • Aerial Hero's Spin's initial and final hits have redistributed damage values (4% (hit 1) → 3%, 4% → 5% (final hit).
    • The final hit did not receive any compensation for knockback, drastically increasing its KO potential to a point where it's now a potential KO confirm off of down throw near the ledge at mid percents.
  • Aerial Hero Spin now possesses hitboxes behind Mii Swordfighter on frames 11, 19, and 26.
  • Aerial Hero Spin's multihits have one large hitbox in place of three smaller ones (4u/4u/5u → 6u (hits 1-4).
  • Aerial Hero Spin's final hit is slightly larger (7u → 7.5u).

Down specials

• Blade Counter:
  • Blade Counter has a new visual effect, and now retaliates with an upward slash.
  • The counter now causes opponents to recoil before the counterattack.
  • The counterattack now sends opponents vertically, similar to Counter Surge, and has lower ending lag. At low percents, this makes it possible for follow ups.
  • Blade Counter's vertical launch angle improves its KO potential at higher percents in general, but worsens its KO potential against strong attacks close to a side blast line.
• Reversal Slash:
  • Reversal Slash's graphic is now an S-shaped swirl, instead of a C-shaped slash.
  • Reversal Slash's damaging hitbox has more startup lag (frame 12 → 16). Its reflecting hitbox stays the same (frame 5).
  • Reflected projectiles deal increased damage (1.5× → 1.8×).
  • Similarly to Cape and Super Sheet, the move always forces opponents to show their backside while they are using their moves, regardless of whether their animations are mirrored or not.
• Power Thrust:
  • Power Thrust now causes the Swordfighter's sword to glow purple instead of blue.
  • Grounded Power Thrust deals more damage, with the middle hitbox now dealing as much damage as the previous early hitbox (tipper/blade early: 13/10% → 15/12%, tipper/blade middle: 11/8% → 13/10%, tipper/blade late: 8% → 10/7.5%).
  • The tipper hitboxes takes priority over the blade hitboxes.
  • Grounded Power Thrust deals significantly higher knockback throughout all charge levels, allowing the early tipper to KO at 100%, and the middle hits at around the 115% range.
  • Grounded Power Thrust now stops at ledge. This prevents going offstage and attacking players offstage.
  • Aerial Power Thrust's landing hit deals significantly higher knockback (80 (base)/20 (scaling) → 60/120), KOing at around 105% at the edge of Final Destination.

Final Smash

• Final Edge now causes the Mii Swordfighter to rapidly perform slashes while each beam comes out instead of holding the sword skyward.
• Final Edge is performed significantly faster, generates more beams at once and is stronger than before potentially dealing high damage.
• Final Edge has had its range reduced, only covering all of Final Destination; this significantly reduces its KO potential considering that there is no finishing projectile at the end of the move.

|Mii Gunner====Aesthetics===

• Players can customize the Mii Gunner's voice clips from 12 different voices, with 3 different pitches.
• Mii Gunners have had their body proportions adjusted.
• While still based off the "Guest F" Mii, the default Mii Gunner has an altered appearance. She now has a smile on her face instead of a neutral expression, her eyebrows are angled downwards to give a confident appearance, her hair has been changed from a middle-parting style to one with a side-swept fringe, and her eyes are now brown instead of black.
• The default Mii Gunner's color is now yellow instead of orange.
• The default outfits for the Mii Gunner has significantly more detail, now being a bodysuit with a character-colored high collar jacket, grey inner shirt, gloves with white accents, and boots that appear less futuristic. The Gunner no longer wears an ammo backpack, and their arm cannon has a different appearance.
• The Mii Gunner has a new idle animation involving them standing with their arms spread, with their cannonless arm clenched in a fist.

Attributes

• Like all characters, the Mii Gunner's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 6).
• As with all Mii Fighters, the Mii Gunner now has fixed attributes:
  • The Mii Gunner now has a set weight of 104, on par with Captain Falcon, Link and Yoshi. This makes the Mii Gunner the heaviest Mii Fighter, and also heavier than the largest possible Mii Fighter in Smash 4. This improves their survivability.
  • The Mii Gunner walks slightly slower (1.05 → 1), and is now the 53rd fastest walker (compared to 37-38th fastest in Smash 4).
  • The Mii Gunner dashes slightly faster (1.3 → 1.37).
    • The Mii Gunner's initial dash is slightly faster (1.6 → 1.613), although it is now the third-slowest initial dash speed, only beating Olimar and Dr. Mario.
  • The Mii Gunner has significantly lower air acceleration (0.07 → 0.043), now being the 60th fastest instead of 22-31rd fastest.
  • The Mii Gunner has a lower air speed (1.05 → 0.93), giving them the 67th highest air speed in the game (compared to 25th in Smash 4).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack's hits are now a jab with the left hand, followed by a kick, then an explosion from their arm cannon for the final hit.
  • The first hit can now be held for a consecutive jab, and is repeated much faster than the previous version.
  • Neutral attack's explosive hits now have less of a pause, making it connect consistently even at high percents. The first two hits can now lock.
  • Neutral attack's final hit deals slightly more damage (4% → 4.5%). However, the first two hits deal less damage (2% → 1.7%), making its total damage the same.
• Forward tilt:
  • All hitboxes of forward tilt deal much more damage (9/7.5/6% (close/mid/far) → 13/10.5/8%).
  • Forward tilt has less startup (frame 10/11 → 7) and ending lag (frame 39 → 33).
  • It has altered knockback on all hitboxes (30 (base)/100 (scaling) → 56/56), making it safe on hit at low percents, but weakening its KO potential.
• Dash attack
  • Dash attack deals more damage (10 → 11) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (70 → 65), dealing more knockback.
  • Dash attack sends at a more horizontal angle (60 → 45) which combined with the above change enables it to KO at useful percentages.
  • The inner hitboxes were moved closer towards Mii Gunner, which combined with the new Jostle mechanics removes its blindspot.
  • It has an increased shieldstun multiplier (none → 1.5), making it safer on shield.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash deals significantly more total damage (9.8% → 18.3%) and much more knockback. Previously, it was one of the weakest forward smashes in the game in terms of damage and knockback.
  • Forward smash is much harder to escape from.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash deals more total damage (16.5% → 17.5%).
• Down smash:
  • The first hit of its down smash no longer drags opponents in behind the Mii Gunner, and both hits now act independently. This hinders the move's usability in situations it previously excelled in (such as by the ledge).
    • However, due to the increased damage and knockback from each hit, the move is significantly more useful in general. Opponents can no longer DI out of the second hit as well.
  • Both hit's damage have been increased, with the back hit dealing the same damage as the previous down smash's total (front hit: 4% → 11.5%, back hit: 10% → 14%).
  • Down smash's second hit KOs significantly earlier due to its damage being the sum of the previous down smash's hits (KOs Mario from the edge of Final Destination at 94% → 66%).
  • Down smash has had its range slightly reduced on the first hit, though it still has high range.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials except forward aerial have reduced landing lag (Neutral: 18 → 11, Back: 18 → 11, Up: 22 → 13, Down: 28 → 17).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Due to Neutral aerial's reduced landing lag, it can now lead into followups upon landing.
  • Neutral aerial does more damage (6% → 10%).
  • Neutral aerial has altered knockback (45 base/80 scaling → 65/40).
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial does more damage (6/4% (close/far) → 8/6%).
  • Forward aerial starts later (frame 10 → 12).
  • Forward aerial has significantly decreased range, now only traveling a fourth of Final Destination. This makes it worse for spacing.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial's early and late hitboxes now deal different damage. The main hit deals more damage (12% → 13%) while the late hit that comes out a frame later deals less damage (12% → 11%).
  • Back aerial's main hitbox deals more knockback (30 base/88 scaling → 29/96), which combined with its increased damage improves its KO potential.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has a new animation. The Gunner now "stands" upright while performing the move, rather than laying on their back.
  • The move's duration has been shortened, and the final hitbox ends earlier (frame 39 → 34, total frames: 61 → 59). This now allows the move to complete in a short hop, but makes it less effective at trapping air dodges.
    • Up aerial now hits 7 times instead of 9 due to its shorter length.
  • Up aerial deals more damage total due to the multi-hits dealing more damage (multi-hits: 1% → 1.7%, total damage: 13% → 14.8%).
  • Up aerial's looping hits can now combo into other moves when landing due to its reduced landing lag.
  • Up aerial's final hit deals more knockback (40 base/170 scaling → 50/175) improving its KO potential.

Throws and other attacks

• The Mii Gunner's pummel is now a knee strike, rather than an arm cannon bash.
• Pummel is much faster, but weaker (2% → 1.2%).
• The Mii Gunner's grabs all have higher ending lag (standing: frame 28 → 34, dash: 39 → 42, pivot: 34 → 37).
• Dash grab and pivot grab start slower (dash: frame 8 → 9, pivot: 9 → 10).
• All of the Mii Gunner's throws have been buffed, each dealing much more damage, whereas previously each only did 5%.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw's first hit deals more damage (2% → 4%, total: 5% → 7%).
• Back throw:
  • Back throw's first hit deals much more damage (2% → 7%, total: 5% → 10%).
  • The first hit now deals set knockback, allowing it to reliably connect into the second hit.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw's first hit deals much more damage (2% → 7%). The Gunner now fires two lasers instead of one, and the total damage is significantly higher (total: 5% → 13%), now being the second most damaging up throw in the game, behind King K. Rool. The second shot deals no knockback however, and so does not improve the throw's KO potential and only increases the target's damage.
  • Up throw's first hit now deals set knockback, improving the throw's consistency but hindering its KO potential.
  • Up throw has lower ending lag (frame 59 → 51). However, it is still too slow to follow up with.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw deals more damage (5% → 7%), with knockback scaling partly compensated (50 → 42).
  • Down throw launches at a higher angle (100 → 95), improving its followup potential and making it less susceptible to DI.
  • Down throw has less ending lag (frame 42 → 40).
  • Down throw no longer inflicts hitlag on release, reducing its combo potential despite its slightly reduced ending lag.
• Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

Neutral specials

• Charge Blast:
  • The Mii Gunner no longer spins around before charging or firing a Charge Blast.
  • Charge Blast can be charged and canceled with other actions while in mid-air.
  • It deals more damage (3.15%-22% → 4%-26%) with knockback compensated.
  • It charges faster (144 frames → 132).
• Laser Blaze:
  • Like Falco's lasers, Laser Blaze makes opponents flinch and can lock.
  • It deals more and consistent damage (3%-4% → 5%).
  • It has less startup (frame 12 → 10) and ending lag (FAF 48 → 42).
  • Consecutive shots take longer (frame 17 → 22).
• Grenade Launch:
  • The Mii Gunner's arm cannon glows with a orange-tinted "fuse" while preparing a grenade.
  • Grenade Launch deals much more damage (0.5% → 1.3% (hits 1-5), 6% → 6.5% (hit 6); total: 8.5% → 12.2%) with knockback not compensated.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 56 → 53).
  • It can no longer be charged and launches a fixed distance. It travels further than an uncharged Smash 4 Grenade Launch, but less than a fully-charged one.
  • It has significantly more startup lag (frame 18 → 35). Coupled with its fixed trajectory, this vastly reduces its flexibility for limiting approaches.
  • Mii Gunner cannot turn around while charging it.

Side specials

• Flame Pillar:
  • Flame Pillar hits multiple times with a stronger final hit, similar to Robin's Arcfire, making it better for pressuring shields and allowing it to set up for follow-ups, instead of only acting as a spacing tool.
  • It deals more total damage (4% (hit 1), 6% (hit 2) → 2% (hit 1), 2.2% (hits 2-5), 2.7% (hit 6); total: 10% → 13.5%).
  • It no longer cancels if the Mii Gunner lands before the projectile can fire.
  • It has slightly more ending lag (FAF 59 → 63).
• Gunner Missile:
  • Both types of missiles have been redesigned: homing missiles are now metallic grey with short neon blue lines along the top of its body (instead of silver with a green top), and super missiles are now fatter with a futuristic rocket design and a neon blue head (instead of silver with neon blue markings going down the missile).
  • Both missiles deal more damage (homing: 4.5% → 7.5%, super: 10% → 14.5%).
  • It has less startup (frame 29 → 27) and ending lag (FAF 62 → 46).
  • Super Missiles deal significantly more knockback, being able to KO at realistic percentages.
  • The regular missiles from Gunner Missile travel faster, but their homing ability have been reduced. This significantly hinders their effectiveness.
• Stealth Burst:
  • The Mii Gunner no longer spins around before firing a Stealth Burst.
  • It travels faster and further.
  • It no longer leaves Mii Gunner helpless.
  • It deals much more damage (10.8%-15.4% → 12.1%-18%) without compensation on knockback.
  • Its earliest explosion has less startup lag (frames 42-75 → 36-66).
  • It no longer turns invisible after some travel distance.

Up specials

• Lunar Launch:
  • Lunar Launch launches opponents opposite to where the Mii Gunner is facing. This allows it to stage spike, but makes it more difficult to edgeguard conventionally.
  • It deals much more knockback, causing it to KO around 45% earlier.
  • It grants much more vertical distance, making it better for recovering.
  • It has one more frame of landing lag (frame 18 → 19).
• Cannon Jump Kick:
  • Cannon Uppercut has been reworked into Cannon Jump Kick, which still features a launch with the Mii Gunner's arm cannon, but uses a kick instead of a punch to deal damage while firing upwards.
  • It has significantly less startup lag (hits 1/2: frame 11/15 → 6/10), making it much more effective as an out of shield option.
  • It grants intangibility on frame 6.
  • Its late second hitbox has been significantly shortened in duration, allowing the stronger clean hit to out-prioritize it more often.
  • It travels slightly more vertical distance.
  • It has less horizontal recovery range than Cannon Uppercut.
• Arm Rocket:
  • Arm Rocket can be angled during the flight, similar to Diddy Kong's Rocketbarrel Boost.
  • It has significantly less landing lag (34 frames → 14).

Down specials

• Echo Reflector:
  • Echo Reflector has been redesigned. The Mii Gunner now plants their arm cannon downwards into the ground to generate a transparent green barrier with two yellow hexagons rotating around it. This does not change the effects of the move. The Mii Gunner can still turn around during the move, but this is aesthetic.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 38).
  • It stalls Mii Gunner once before landing, with subsequent uses of the move forcing them to fall down.
• Bomb Drop:
  • Bomb Drop's bombs are more detailed, having a slight octagonal exterior made of metal and a glowing blue interior, instead of being a simple circular shape with four metal outer reinforcements.
  • It can be triggered manually by using the move again; this detonates the bomb currently in play and drops another. This allows a bomb to act as a deterrent while launching a second bomb.
  • Its bombs have a much longer fuse (72 frames → 134) and are lighter, bouncing more when hitting the stage. These changes make them much better for stage control.
  • It has significantly less ending lag (FAF 63 → 53).
  • Its bombs can be knocked away by attacks, making it harm Mii Gunner instead.
• Absorbing Vortex:
  • The vortex appears less realistic, looking less like a bubble and more like a cartoon swirl of energy. The Gunner no longer sways their cannon around to generate the vortex, and simply points it up as the cannon glistens.
  • Much like Ness' PSI Magnet, Absorbing Vortex has a weak hitbox upon startup, allowing for safer use of the move in general.
    • The hitbox is also produced upon absorbing projectiles.
  • Its healing multiplier is higher (1.2x → 1.4x).
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 29 → 27).

Final Smash

• Full Blast's main laser now is green in color and the background turns blue during the Final Smash.
• It deals more damage (1.5% (loop), 4% (last) → 1.8%/5%)
• The final hit deals less knockback (65 base/180 scaling → 55/155), dealing slightly less knockback overall despite the aforementioned damage increase.

|Palutena====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from Super Smash Bros. 4, Palutena's model has a more subdued color scheme. Her chiton and armor feature simple detailing, and her face appears more realistic and expressive. Altogether, this makes her overall appearance more closely resemble how it was in Brawl and Kid Icarus: Uprising.
• Palutena's sidestep now causes a visible warping effect when she disappears.
• Palutena is more emotive as she now smiles consistently rather than frowning.
• Palutena's skirt now has independent physics.
• Palutena's shielding animation is slightly altered.
• The golden door in Palutena's on-screen appearance now disappears without the transparency effects.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Palutena's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Palutena walks slightly faster (1.21 → 1.271).
• Palutena runs faster (1.888 → 2.077).
  • Her initial dash speed is much faster (1.5 → 2.035).
• Palutena's air speed is slightly faster (0.91 → 1).
• Palutena's max additional air acceleration is higher (0.1 → 0.105).
• Palutena's falling speed and fast falling speed are higher (1.4 → 1.55 and 2.24 → 2.48 respectively).
• Palutena's gravity is higher (0.105 → 0.12). In combination with her faster falling speed, this improves her vertical mobility, while not affecting her vertical endurance due to gravity no longer affecting vertical knockback between 70 and 110 degrees.
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 30).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 31 → 35).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 26).
• Spot dodge grants less intangibility (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 34 → 50).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • the first hit has an altered animation. Palutena swings her staff downwards instead of jabbing it forward.
  • The first hit and neutral infinite's finisher have less ending lag (FAF 26 → 25 (hit 1), 43 → 40 (finisher)).
  • The first hit transitions into the neutral infinite faster (frame 15 → 11).
  • The first hit has altered angles to keep opponents closer to Palutena (76°/70° → 361°/180°), and has gained a hitstun modifier of 4, allowing it to lock opponents and connect better into the infinite.
  • The infinite has a lower hitlag multiplier (1.2× → 0.5×) and SDI multiplier (1× → 0.4×), a different launch angle to keep grounded opponents closer to Palutena (60°/110° → 361°), and a much larger hitbox (3.5 → 6u). This allows it to connect much more effectively, and rack up more damage overall despite each hit dealing slightly less damage (0.8% → 0.6%).
  • The first hit has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 8-10 → 8-9).
  • The first hit deals less knockback (30 base/60 scaling → 25/20 base/20 scaling), removing its guaranteed jab cancel setups from Smash 4, despite its lower ending lag and additional hitstun.
  • The first hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (0.5× → 1.6×).
• Forward tilt and up tilt have flashier motion effects.
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt has less startup (frame 17, 25 → 14, 24) and ending lag (FAF 68 → 60).
  • The first hit no longer has a sourspot (6%/4% → 6%), and the second hit deals higher, consistent damage (6%/4% → 7%), as well as more knockback (43 base/100 scaling → 78/80), allowing it to KO at around 130% near the edge.
  • The first hit has different angles (48° → 90°/45° (clean), 285°/100° (mid), 20°/85° (late)), set knockback (43 base/65 scaling → 25/45 set/100 scaling, 25/40/100, 35/30/100) that is weight-independent, a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.8×), and it can no longer be SDIed (1× → 0×). These changes allow it to connect much more reliably into the second hit, regardless of the opponent's percent.
  • The second hit has larger hitboxes (4.1u/2.8u → 4.8u/3.9u).
  • Palutena's right arm is now intangible for the duration of the hitboxes.
  • The move has a shorter hitbox duration by one frame (frames 17-24/25-39 → 14-23/24-35).
  • The second hit launches at a slightly different angle (361° → 40°).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less startup (frame 10 → 8) and Palutena can act faster (FAF 68 → 56).
  • It has lower hitlag multipliers (1× → 0.5× (looping hits), 2× → 1.5× (last hit)), and the looping hits have a faster rehit rate (5 → 3), causing the move to execute noticeably faster.
  • The last hit deals higher, consistent damage (2.5%/1.5% → 4.5%), with knockback not fully compensated (60 base/195 scaling → 75/136), slightly improving its KO potential.
  • The looping portion has a shorter duration (frames 10-38 (looping hits)/40-41 (last hit) → 8-22/24-25), and thus hits five times instead of six before the last hit, despite its faster rehit rate. This increases the move's ending lag by five frames, as its FAF was not fully compensated.
    • However, the looping hits deal more damage (1.2% → 1.4%), and alongside the last hit's increased damage, the move's total output is still higher (9.7% → 11.5%).
  • The last hit's hitbox was moved more upwards (Y offset: 19u/13u → 23u/17u). This improves its vertical range, but causes it to have a blindspot and makes it harder to hit opponents on the ground.
  • The last hit has a lower hitlag multiplier (2× → 1.5×).
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has a longer hitbox duration (frames 14-24 → 14-27), making it even more effective for 2 frame punishes.
  • It launches grounded opponents at a lower angle (361° → 35°), improving its edgeguarding and KO abilities near the edge. It also launches aerial opponents at a higher angle (70° → 75°), improving its combo potential when used to catch landings and hit ledge-hanging opponents.
  • Some of its hitboxes are larger and extend farther, giving it more range.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has significantly less ending lag (FAF 52 → 38).
  • It deals more damage (9% → 11% (clean), 5% → 7% (late)), although with its knockback compensated (70 base/90 scaling → 71/76 (clean), 60/70 → 61/56 (late)).
  • Its invincibility starts one frame later with its duration compensated (frames 4-15 → 5-16).
  • It causes Palutena's shield to glow, indicating its hitbox.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has less ending lag (FAF 67 → 64).
  • The hitboxes have a longer duration (frame 18-19 → 18-20), with the windboxes having a shorter duration instead (frames 20-31 → 21-31).
  • The hitboxes have slightly more knockback scaling (97/96 → 100/102), while the windboxes have more set knockback (40 → 60 (clean), 26 → 35 (late)), improving the move's KO potential.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has less ending lag (FAF 68 → 64).
  • It has a longer hitbox duration (frames 18-26 → 18-35), now lasting twice as long as before, although with a weaker late hit during frames 31-35. This allows it to punish dodges and landings a lot more efficiently.
  • The mid and high hitboxes deal more knockback (55 base/85 scaling → 58/89 (mid), 55/87 → 62/92 (high)) and are larger (2.5u → 2.8u).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has less ending lag (FAF 72 → 69).
  • The sweetspot has more base knockback (40 → 52), improving its KO potential.
  • Its hitboxes are larger (2.5u → 3.7u (clean), 4u → 6u (late), 8u → 9u (windboxes)).
  • The windboxes have more horizontal range (Z offset: 22u → 24u) and more set knockback (30 → 55), making them more effective for disrupting opponents.
  • The clean hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.4×), while the late hit has a lower multiplier (1× → 0.85×).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (20 frames → 12 (neutral), 12 → 7 (forward), 16 → 10 (back), 24 → 14 (up), 18 → 11 (down).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has lower hitlag multipliers (1× → 0.5× (looping hits), 2× → 1.5× (last hit)), and the looping hits have a faster rehit rate (5 → 4), causing the move to execute noticeably faster.
  • It has larger hitboxes (3.4u → 4.2u (looping hits), 11u → 11.5u (last hit)), improving its utility for approaching.
    • However, the last hit has a smaller hitbox against aerial opponents (11.5u → 9.8u).
  • The looping hits have more set knockback (20 → 65/80 (hit 1, grounded opponents only), 65 (hits 2-6)), which in combination with the move's landing lag allows them to combo into several other moves, including an up aerial at high percents as a KO setup, and to be used for drag-down setups. However, the penultimate hit has a hitstun modifier of -13 (giving it roughly the same hitstun as the Smash 4 looping hits), so only the first five hits are effective for these purposes.
  • The last hit comes out faster (frame 31 → 29).
    • However, the move's total duration remains unchanged, increasing its ending lag.
  • The last hit always sends opponents in the direction Palutena is facing. Combined with her faster dash speed and the move's lower landing lag, this allows it to combo into itself several times at low percents, greatly improving her damage racking ability.
  • The last hit deals less knockback (30 base/180 scaling → 35/155). While this slightly improves its combo potential at low percents, it more drastically hinders its KO potential at high percents.
  • Due to the looping hits' faster rehit rate, the move hits seven times instead of six. However, its damage values have been redistributed (1.7% (hits 1-5) → 1.4% (hits 1-6), 5% → 5.1% (last hit)), leaving its total damage unchanged.
  • The first hit no longer has set knockback against aerial opponents.
  • The beginning of the animation is slightly different. Palutena now spins her staff by knocking the lower part of it instead of letting it spin on its own.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial deals more damage (9% → 10%) with no compensation on knockback, improving its KO potential near the edge.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial no longer has a sourspot (12%/9% → 12%), and has slightly more knockback scaling (92 → 95), improving its KO potential.
  • Its invincibility starts later and thus has a shorter duration (frames 3-10 → 7-10).
  • It causes Palutena's shield to glow, indicating its hitbox.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial auto-cancels significantly earlier (frame 64 → 42), doing so in a full hop.
  • The looping hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (0.8× → 0.6×) and a faster rehit rate (5 → 3). As a result, the move executes noticeably faster, and hits six times instead of five, increasing its total damage (9% → 10%).
  • The last hit comes out faster (frame 25 → 24). However, this is compensated by the multi-hits of up aerial having a shorter duration meaning the amount of startup remains the same.
    • However, the move's total duration remains unchanged, increasing its ending lag.
  • The move has more startup, with the looping hits having a shorter duration (frames 8-23 → 10-22).
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has a longer hitbox duration (frame 10 → 10-11).
  • It deals more damage (9% → 11%) with no compensation on knockback, making it a stronger meteor smash.
  • The meteor hitbox is slightly larger (4u → 4.2u).

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • Pivot grab has more range (Z2 offset: -17.4u → -18.9u).
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 32 → 40 (standing), 40 → 48 (dash), 40 → 43 (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grabs have more startup (frame 9 → 10 (dash), 10 → 11 (pivot)).
  • Dash grab has less range (Z2 offset: 13.7u → 13.1u).
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (5 frames → 14), but has significantly less startup (frame 8 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 23 → 7), shortening its duration.
  • It deals much less damage (3.1% → 1.3%).
  • Palutena pummels the opponent by holding her staff vertically instead of horizontally.
• Back throw:
  • Due to the Sakurai angle being lower against aerial opponents in Ultimate (45° → 38°), back throw KOs more effectively near edges.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw triggers a hitlag effect on both Palutena and the opponent for 7 frames prior to release, rather than inflicting 5 frames of hitlag on the opponent upon release, and has more knockback scaling (25 → 30). This worsens its combo potential beyond low percents.
    • However, it has less ending lag to compensate (FAF 50 → 46), and launches at a slightly higher angle (70° → 73°), which combined with Palutena's faster jumpsquat and jump speed slightly improves its combo potential at low percents nevertheless.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Autoreticle:
  • Autoreticle's shots are faster (frame 29/35/41 → 25/31/37).
  • The shots deals more damage (2.9% → 3.5%) and knockback (20 base/42 scaling → 40/41), making them more effective for disrupting approaches. The changes now give the move a chance of tripping opponents.
  • The shots have received negative shield damage (0 → -1.7), effectively dealing around half their usual damage to shields.
  • The changes to locking make the projectile almost useless to start combos.
  • Autoreticle's reticle is red instead of green. Additionally, Palutena illuminates her staff's orb with a blue light instead of a yellow one.
• Explosive Flame:
  • Explosive Flame, previously one of Palutena's custom neutral specials, is now her side special. Since Reflect Barrier has been merged into her down special, she has effectively gained an additional move. This provides Palutena with another long-ranged attack option.
  • It has significantly less ending lag (FAF 89 → 72).
  • It deals considerably more damage (0.8% → 1.5% (hits 1-6), 4.2% → 5.5% (hit 7); 9% → 14.5% total) without compensation on knockback. This turns it into a much more effective finisher, KOing opponents from ground level at around 135% if all hits connect.
  • It can be unleashed at two different distances away from Palutena depending on whether the control stick is tilted or tapped, improving its zoning ability.
  • The looping hits have a lower SDI multiplier (1× → 0.4×).
  • It has received negative shield damage (0 → -0.7 (hits 1-6), -2.7 (hit 7)), effectively dealing around half its usual damage to shields.
  • The last hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.5×).
• Warp:
  • Warp has one extra frame of intangibility (frames 16-31 → 16-32).
  • It has a more stylish appearance.
• Counter and Reflect Barrier:
  • Reflect Barrier has been merged with Counter; By default, Counter activates upon blocking an attack, but if it is a reflectable projectile, Reflect Barrier activates instead, akin to King K. Rool's Gut Check and Joker's Tetrakarn / Makarakarn. This allows her to respond to a larger variety of attacks using only one move, while also freeing up her side special for an additional move.
  • The move has less startup with a longer counter window (frames 10-31 → 7-34), less ending lag (FAF 75 → 71), and grants intangibility earlier (frames 10-16 → 6-12).
  • Upon activation, Counter has significantly less ending lag (FAF 56 → 37), as does Reflect Barrier compared to the previous side special (FAF 56 → 35), and the latter also has immediate startup (frame 8 → 1).
  • Counter has more base knockback (40/20 → 50/30), with only the sweetspot having less knockback scaling (75 → 70), making it more consistent and improving its KO potential near edges.
  • Projectiles reflected by Reflect Barrier have a much higher damage multiplier (1.17× → 1.4×).
  • Reflect Barrier has a shorter duration (frames 9-66 → 1-42), and no longer possesses an offensive hitbox.
  • Palutena can no longer directly access Reflect Barrier. As a result, she can no longer use its windbox on command to gimp opponents, or deter projectile use with the barrier's longer duration.
  • Palutena closes her eyes instead of showing a angry look upon activating the move. Additionally, she no longer shouts "Counter" until she successfully counters a melee attack. Counter also glows blue instead of yellow.
• Black Hole Laser:
  • Black Hole Laser produces a larger black hole and a wider laser, making the attack harder to avoid.
  • The final hit has less knockback scaling (135 (trapped)/105 (collateral) → 127/97), reducing its KO potential.

|Pac-Man====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Pac-Man's model features a more subdued color scheme. Most notably, the yellow of his body is now much lighter compared to the saturated shade used in SSB4, being more consistent with his appearances outside of Smash Bros.
• Pac-Man's boots now have well-defined soles on the bottom.
• Like most of the cast, Pac-Man is more expressive, now not being limited to simply smiling and surprised expressions. He now shows an angry look during his forward smash, down smash, back aerial, and the end of his dash attack. He will also look disappointed if his grab misses, and will appear panicked while drowning. His mouth also briefly opens when he stands up from a crouch.
• Pac-Man's on-screen appearance has been slightly altered, now doing a slow chomp in his 8-bit form, before jumping into his modern form. In Smash 4, the chomp is quicker and stops once Pac-Man opens his mouth once.
• Pac-Man's taunts have been altered:
  • Namco Roulette's animation is faster. Its roster includes the exclusive characters from both the Wii U and 3DS versions. Additionally, Heihachi Mishima from Tekken and The Prince of All Cosmos from Katamari Damacy have been added.
  • Side taunt has been altered to show Pac-Man alternating chomps left and right twice, instead of twice on one side before turning.
  • Pixelated fairies from Pac-Land appear during Pac-Man's down taunt in place of Blinky and Pinky.
• A fairy now appears in his Pac-Land-inspired victory animation.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Pac-Man's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Pac-Man walks faster (1.045 → 1.097).
• Pac-Man dashes faster (1.52 → 1.672).
• Pac-Man's initial dash is much faster (1.6 → 1.87).
• Pac-Man's air speed is slightly higher (1.04 → 1.092).
• Pac-Man has significantly more traction (0.045 → 0.116).
• Spot dodge has slightly less ending lag (FAF 26 → 25).
• Forward roll has a slightly shorter duration (frames 4-16 → 4-15).
• Back roll has slightly more startup lag (frame 4 → 5), a slightly shorter duration (frames 4-16 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 30 → 35).
• Neutral air dodge has a slightly longer duration (frames 3-27 → 3-29).
• Neutral air dodge has less significantly less landing lag (22 frames → 10).
• Neutral air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 33 → 56).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack's first hit is now a hook rather than a jab.
  • Neutral attack transitions faster.
  • Neutral attack's first and second hits no longer use set knockback, instead having minimal knockback scaling (22/16 set/ 100 scaling → 25/15 base/ 25/20 scaling (hit 1), 26/15 set / 100 scaling → 30/35 base / 30/35 scaling (hit 2)), and all but one of its hitboxes launch at a more consistent angle (80°/361° → 361°/361°/180°/361° (hit 1), 80°/361° → 361°/361°/361° (hit 2)), allowing both hits to connect into each other more reliably and jab lock.
  • Neutral attack's first hit deals slightly less damage (3% → 2%).
  • Neutral attack's first and second hits have increased hitlag multipliers (1× → 1.6× (hit 1), 1× → 1.2× (hit 2)), giving the opponent more time to SDI each hit.
  • Neutral attack's first and second hits have had their two larger hitboxes replaced with smaller ones (4.2u/3.5u → 1.5u/1.7u/2u/2u (hit 1), 4.2u/3.5u → 2.5u/2.8u/3u (hit 2)), giving them less range.
  • All hits of neutral attack have shorter durations (frames 4-6 → 4 (hits 1 and 2), 4-7 → 4-5 (hit 3)).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack hits four times instead of three.
    • All hits after the first one have less startup lag (frame 20/30 → 19/28/37) and the last hit has comparatively less ending lag (FAF 42 → 46).
    • Dash attack deals more damage if all hits connect (9% → 10%).
  • The looping hits have drastically less hitlag (2x → 0.6x), making them much harder to SDI out of.
  • The last hit deals less damage (5% → 4%) with knockback scaling partially compensated (60 → 65).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt has altered hitboxes (4u/4u/3u → 4.8u/3.6u/3u) with the outermost hitbox larger and positioned further out (X offset: 6 → 7), improving its range overall despite the middle hitbox being smaller.
• Up tilt:
  • Pac-Man has a new up tilt: a quick upwards punch.
  • Up tilt has more vertical range.
  • Up tilt has much less ending lag (FAF 34 → 25), improving its combo potential.
  • Up tilt deals slightly less damage (7% → 6.5%) and much less knockback (50 base/100 scaling → 43/68), noticeably hindering its KO potential.
    • However, its reduced knockback further improves its combo potential.
  • Pac-Man's fist has one less frame of intangibility (frame 6-10 → 7-10).
  • Up tilt's hitbox is located on Pac-Man's fist. As a result, it is generally smaller overall (6.5u → 5.5u/3.2u), and has much less horizontal reach, missing most characters on the ground even if they stand directly next to him. Due to the same factors, Pac-Man's new up tilt can no longer be used to knock Fire Hydrant backwards.
  • Up tilt launches at a slightly higher angle (96° → 93°).
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has less ending lag (FAF 29 → 27).
  • Pac-Man returns to his original position after attacking, rather than moving forward, making it safer to use for spacing.
  • Down tilt has more base knockback and less knockback scaling (50 base/80 scaling → 65/50), making it safer on hit at lower percents, but hindering its KO potential.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has less startup lag (frame 18 → 16) with its duration increased (18-28 → 16-29, 11 frames → 14).
    • Its FAF remains unchanged, giving its strong hit more comparative ending lag and making it less safe on shield.
  • Forward smash's ghost has a bigger hitbox (4.8u → 5.4u (early), 4u → 4.3u (late)) and extends vertically (Y offset: 5 → 5.4-4.2), improving its range.
  • Forward smash's early hits deal noticeably more base knockback, greatly improving its KO potential despite the lower knockback scaling (25 base/99 scaling → 40/97).
• Up smash:
  • Both hits of up smash have less startup lag (frame 13/16 → 11/15) with its duration increased on the second hit (16-26 → 15-28, 11 frames → 14).
    • Its FAF remains unchanged, giving its strong hit more comparative ending lag and making it less safe on shield.
  • Up smash's ghost has a larger hitbox (6u → 6.2u (clean), 4u → 4.5u (late)).
  • Up smash's first hit now uses set knockback (95 base/20 scaling → 125 set/100 scaling) and launches at a lower angle (115° → 135°). This improves its linking ability into the second hit and now allows it to be used to knock a Fire Hydrant backwards, but significantly worsens its reliability as a follow-up option off of Bonus Fruit's Bell projectile.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has less startup lag (frame 18 → 15) with its duration increased (18-28 → 15-28, 11 frames → 14).
    • Its FAF remains unchanged, giving its strong hit more comparative ending lag and making it less safe on shield.
  • Down smash's ghosts have larger hitboxes (6u → 6.2u (clean), 4u → 4.5u (late)) and extend vertically (Y offset: 6 → 5.3-5.8), improving its range.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (Neutral: 12 frames → 7, Forward: 16 → 10, Back: 22 → 13, Up: 16 → 10, Down: 20 → 12).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial deals less knockback (20 base/100 scaling → 45/70). Coupled with its lowered landing lag, it can combo consistently.
  • Neutral aerial's later hits deal more damage (6% → 8.5% (mid), 3% → 6% (late)).
  • Neutral aerial's angle on all hits was changed (361° → 50°). This increases its combo potential, but removes its ability to lock.
  • Neutral aerial has larger hitboxes (7.0u → 7.6u (clean), 5.0u → 7.0u (mid), 3.5u → 4.5u (late)).
  • Neutral aerial's lowered knockback removes one of Pac-Man's former KO options, as it can no longer KO until the 180% range.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial deals more damage (5.3% → 7.65%).
  • Forward aerial has more base knockback, but less knockback scaling (7 base/90 scaling → 70/29), increasing the percent range in which the move can combo.
  • Due to the changes to its knockback, forward aerial can no longer lock opponents.
• Back aerial:
  • The changes to the Sakurai Angle has back aerial launch opponents at a lower angle (40°/45° → 38°), improving its KO potential.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has an altered ending animation.
  • Up aerial now pushes Pac-Man back down to where he would have been as the move ends. In order to use the floating effect to boost his recovery, one must repeatedly interrupt the ending animation of the move with another up aerial.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial's hits transition faster, with 1 frame less lag between each one.
  • Down aerial's multi-hits are larger (5.5u → 6.2u) and have gained an additional hitbox against aerial opponents, improving its range overall.
  • Down aerial has much less ending lag (FAF 60 → 50).
  • Down aerial deals more damage (1.5% → 2% (hits 1-3), 6% → 7% (hit 4), 10.5% → 13% (maximum)) with knockback compensated on the final hit (90 scaling → 80).
  • Down aerial's multi-hits deal more set knockback (10 → 35 (grounded), 10 → 22 (aerial)), and launch aerial opponents at an altered angle (100° → 130°), improving its linking ability overall.
  • Down aerial's final hit sends at a more horizontal angle (65° → 45°), granting it edgeguarding and KO potential.
  • Down aerial's final hit always sends in the direction Pac-Man is facing, improving its combo potential.

Throws and other attacks

• Grab:
  • Dash grab and pivot grab have more startup lag, no longer the same as his standing grab (frame 12 → 14 (dash), 12 → 15 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have significantly less ending lag (FAF 76 → 59 (standing), 76 → 67 (dash), 76 → 62 (pivot)).
  • Grab has two long-lasting hitboxes instead of multiple short hitboxes (frames 12-14, 22-24 & 32-39 → 12-33 (standing)/14-35 (dash)/15-36 (pivot)).
  • One of grab's hitboxes extends alongside the tractor beam's animation, removing its notorious blindspots.
  • Grab's tractor beam has a smoother extending and receding animation.
  • If the grab misses, Pac-Man will look disappointed.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel is much faster but deals less damage (3.25% → 1.2%).
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw deals more damage (6% → 8%) and has more base knockback (48 → 55), improving its edgeguarding potential.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw has a visible wind effect while Pac-Man spins.
  • Back throw releases the opponent earlier (frame 28 → 25) and has significantly less ending lag (FAF 72 → 60).
• Up throw:
  • Up throw has less ending lag (FAF 45 → 38) and base knockback (60 → 55), granting it combo potential.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw's animation has been sped up significantly.
  • Down throw releases the opponent earlier (frame 39 → 34) with its duration unchanged, increasing its ending lag.

Special moves

• Bonus Fruit:
  • All Bonus Fruit except the second and third fruits cycle significantly faster (Apple: frame 54 → 52, Melon: 78 → 72, Galaxian: 102 → 92, Bell: 126 → 112, Key: 150 → 132).
  • Bonus Fruit can be jumped or air dodged out of while charging.
  • Cherry, Apple and Key deal slightly more damage (Cherry: 4% → 4.3%, Apple: 9% → 9.5%, Key: 15% → 16%).
  • When Z-dropped, Bonus Fruit's Bell can stun the opponent.
  • If Pac-Man grabs a fruit he's previously thrown or dropped, Bonus Fruit is able to be recycled through the items again. This allows him to store his items in a similar manner to Pocket, create possible setups from his Bell to his Key, reduce the opportunities for his opponents to use his fruits against him, and keep up pressure with his more powerful fruits for a longer period of time.
    • Bonus Fruit's new recycling mechanic allows fruits to be caught again if they are charged slightly before throwing, as they are considered a newly generated item.
  • Bonus Fruit's toss has less ending lag (FAF 45 → 42).
  • Bonus Fruit's Strawberry and Orange take slightly longer to charge (Strawberry: frame 19 → 20, Orange: frame 29 → 32).
  • Orange and Bell deal slightly less damage (Orange: 8% → 7.5%, Bell: 8% → 7.5%).
  • Cherries and Strawberries have a limited airtime before they disappear automatically, significantly lowering their maximum distance. It is no longer possible to bounce them off platforms to extend their lifetime.
  • Cherry, Strawberry, Orange, Apple, Galaxian, Bell and Key all deal noticeably less knockback, with Orange and Bell losing their KO potential almost altogether.
  • Bonus Fruit's items can only be Z-dropped once before being unable to be recatched by anyone. This limits Pac-Man's combo potential and removes his zero-to-deaths, but makes it harder for other players to limit his usage of Bonus Fruit.
  • Dropped fruits (either from being thrown or if an opponent knocks it out of Pac-Man's charge process) will only bounce once before disappearing instead of lingering on the floor for around three seconds. This makes it difficult for anyone to take advantage of dropped fruits, and significantly limits fruit-catching methods.
  • Bonus Fruits that hit an enemy pop into air for a much shorter time. This makes it much harder to recatch fruits after they hit enemies, but it also makes it harder for the enemies to grab it in the air.
  • The sprites used during Bonus Fruit have been redrawn with thinner outlines. If Pac-Man tries generating a fruit while one is in play, a pixelated "pop" effect will display instead of a puff of smoke.
• Power Pellet:
  • All variants of Power Pellet travel further, with the fully-charged version traveling almost the full length of Final Destination.
  • Power Pellet has less ending lag when colliding with a wall, and no longer makes Pac-Man tumble onto the ground when the Pac-Dot trail is aimed at the floor. Instead, he will move along the ground in the last horizontal direction he moved in during the attack.
  • There is now a weak hit right at the start of the dash triggered by grabbing the Pellet, which deals just 1% damage and weak knockback.
  • Pac-Man's trajectory in the air after grabbing the Pellet now curves downwards, slightly weakening its recovery potential.
  • Pac-Man's afterimages when using Power Pellet go from yellow to orange and then red. Pac-Man also flashes white and red after eating the power pellet.
• Pac-Jump:
  • Pac-Jump's trampoline has a hurtbox.
    • This means Pac-Jump's trampoline can be used to block projectiles.
    • The trampoline can be attacked by other players, but not by Pac-Man. Based on the power of the attack, the trampoline's uses will be reduced, from as little to one use or all uses.
  • Pac-Jump has a longer duration (frames 4-17 → 4-21).
  • Pac-Jump's trampoline comes out on frame 10 rather than frame 1, so the move is no longer unblockable.
  • Pac-Jump's attack damage increases with time, similar to Dr. Mario's neutral air (Early: 7% → 5%, Middle: 6%, Late: 5% → 7%).
  • Pac-Man's afterimages when using Pac-Jump are more visible and go from yellow to white.
  • At the peak of each jump, the damage increases.
• Fire Hydrant:
  • Fire Hydrant has altered physics, acting heavier and losing more height and speed from each bounce.
  • Fire Hydrant's heavier physics makes it easier to hit grounded opponents.
  • Fire Hydrant's new physics significantly reduce its overall coverage and distance when bouncing.
  • Aerial Fire Hydrant has more startup lag, matching the grounded version's startup (frame 9 → 12).
    • Its total duration was unchanged, reducing its ending lag.
  • Fire Hydrant's fall attack has a reduced hitlag multiplier (1.5× → 1×).
  • Fire Hydrant's hitbox extends further downwards when falling (Y offset: 6 → 6-2).
• Super Pac-Man:
  • Super Pac-Man has been changed. Pac-Man still transforms into a two-dimensional sprite to launch enemies, but automatically moves forward and loops around the screen, slowly building up speed. His trajectory can be adjusted by aiming him up or down. He will also eat items he runs into during the move. Aesthetically, the move resembles Pac-Man Championship Edition 2, featuring pulsating lights in the background and a rising pitch as the move progresses.

|Robin====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Robin's model features a more subdued color scheme. Both genders have hair that is more stylized, and eyes that appear sharper.
• The player can now see how many uses Robin's Levin Sword and each Tome has, located above their icon on the HUD.
• Several of Robin's alternate costumes have different hair colors that no longer match the color of Robin's coat. For example, male Robin's green costume now has light brown hair and female Robin's red costume has blonde hair. These typically reference other Fire Emblem characters rather than just Robin's own customization options.
• Robin shares a new victory theme with Lucina and Chrom that is based off "Id (Purpose)" from Fire Emblem Awakening.
• Robin's victory poses have been altered:
  • The hand-waving victory pose now causes flames to swirl from both hands.
  • The sword-swinging victory pose no longer generates a sword trail.
• The victory pose with Chrom no longer has Chrom blinking.
• Palutena's Guidance conversation for Robin has been changed, presumably due to Chrom has been upgraded to a playable character.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Robin's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 7).
• Robin runs faster (1.15 → 1.265) going from the slowest in SSB4 to the second-slowest in Ultimate.
  • Robin's initial dash is much faster (1.5 → 1.815).
• Robin's air speed is slightly faster (1 → 1.05).
• Robin no longer starts the match with the Levin Sword, and instead has to wait for it to appear. This only occurs on Robin's first stock, as subsequent stocks start with it.
• The particle effect of Robin regaining tomes and the Levin Sword are more opaque, making it much easier to tell when the weapon in question has recharged.
• Discarded tomes deal significantly less damage (18% → 12.3%) and knockback when thrown.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • First two hits of neutral attack have altered animations and can lock.
  • Neutral attack's fire finisher has a reduced cost, allowing for more uses before recharging (6 → 12).
  • Neutral attack's fire finisher has less startup lag (frame 10 → 6).
  • Neutral infinite has less startup lag (frame 9 → 4) and a faster rehit rate (frames between hits: 3 → 1).
  • Neutral infinite keeps opponents on the ground while hitting them. This allows it to connect much more reliably.
  • Neutral attack deals less damage (3%/3%/5% → 2%/1.5%/5% (hits 1-3), 1% → 0.7% (infinite)).
  • Neutral infinite has altered particles.
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt has more base knockback (50 → 62).
  • Forward tilt's hitbox has been moved closer to Robin (Z-offset: 15u → 14u), slightly reducing its horizontal range.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 36 → 33).
  • Up tilt starts from ground level, allowing it to hit enemies in front.
  • Up tilt has a longer duration.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has significantly less ending lag (FAF 50 → 42).
• Smash attacks while the Levin Sword is depleted grant a slightly larger recharge boost.
• Forward smash:
  • The clean hit of Levin Sword's forward smash deals more knockback (50 base/87 scaling → 53/90).
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has an altered animation when holding the Levin Sword. Robin's sword levitates out of the right hand and does a twirl before raising upward. This increases its range, and the move is now capable of hitting opponents on the ground and from behind. It also can combo more reliably from down throw at 0%. [3]
  • The clean hit of Levin Sword's up smash deals more knockback (45 base/84 scaling → 55/86).
• Down smash:
  • The clean sparks (Levin Sword only) travel outwards, increasing their range.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (neutral: 18 → 11, forward: 18 → 11, back: 19 → 11, up: 18 → 11, down: 26 → 16).
• Neutral aerial:
• Neutral aerial has less startup (frame 9 → 7 (hit 1), 22 → 20 (hit 2)), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 50 → 48).
  • Robin can now use the Levin Sword for neutral aerial. Like other aerial attacks, this gives it more range, an electric effect and it deals more damage (7% → 11.5%).
    • Neutral aerial with the Levin Sword uses durability as a result of the change, and Robin can no longer switch to the Bronze Sword while in midair if the Levin Sword is equipped.
    • Neutral aerial with the Levin Sword cannot autocancel in a short hop.
  • Neutral aerial deals marginally less damage with the Bronze Sword (7% → 6.9%).
  • The player can hold both the special move and attack buttons at the same time to switch to the Levin Sword while using neutral aerial. This only works if the player has the A+B Smash Attack control option enabled.

Throws and other attacks

• Grab:
  • A halo-like indicator appears during Robin's grab, visualizing its range. This halo also appears when successfully grabbing an opponent.
  • The speed of Robin's throws are longer no weight-dependent.
  • Dash grab and pivot grab have more startup lag (frame 8 → 10 (dash), 9 → 11 (pivot)).
  • Dash grab and pivot grab have less ending lag (FAF 49 → 47 (dash), 46 → 42 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have had their hitboxes moved farther from Robin (Z-offset 2: 8.7u → 9.2u (standing), 10.7u → 11u (dash), 14.7u → 15.7u (pivot)), improving their horizontal range overall.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw deals more base knockback (82 → 95), allowing it to better set up for edgeguards.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw deals more knockback (30 base/88 scaling → 50/108). While it is capable of KOing below 200%, it has less effective follow-up potential at mid percents and hinders the “checkmate” combo, and still does not KO earlier than back throw, even vertically.

Special moves

• Thunder:
  • Thunder charges appear as a shrinking circle, with each stage shrinking until resizing into the next stage with a different color. This makes it easier to tell what level Thunder is at.
    • Thunder charges are denoted by different colors: aqua for Thunder, yellow for Elthunder, and purple for Arcthunder.
    • The covers for Thunder's tomes change to denote the charge levels of the move.
  • Thunder charges much faster (Elthunder: frame 38 → 33, Arcthunder: frame 108 → 73, Thoron: frame 168 → 133).
  • Thunder, Elthunder, and Arcthunder have less startup lag (frame 11 → 8).
  • Thunder can be charge-canceled midair by jumping.
  • Thunder deals more damage (4.5% → 5.5%).
  • Elthunder has a bright yellow color.
  • Elthunder deals more damage (10.5% → 11%) with knockback not compensated, KOing earlier.
  • Arcthunder deals significantly more damage (10% → 23.6%).
    • The final hit deals more drastically more damage (1% → 8%) with knockback not fully compensated (60 base/280 scaling → 85/85), improving its KO potential.
  • Arcthunder keeps opponents in place for a much shorter time. As a result, Robin can no longer act fast enough to follow up with the trapping hits, unless the move connects at a distance where Robin can run beside the projectile.
  • Thoron deals much more knockback, making it a powerful KO move at 105% or above.
• Arcfire:
  • Arcfire's initial fireball has a longer duration (frames 17-50 → 17-77), traveling much farther before expiring.
  • Arcfire deals more damage if all hits connect (10% → 15.1%).
  • Arcfire is much harder to escape.
  • Arcfire's projectile is slightly bigger (1.6u → 1.8u).
  • Arcfire's pillar no longer activates when hitting another hitbox.
• Elwind:
  • Elwind projectiles are thicker and more opaque.
  • Elwind's projectiles can be angled, letting Robin go twice in the same direction, improving horizontal recovery by making it less linear and less predictable. Additionally, the move has been sped up and can travel further horizontally.
  • Elwind sends Robin much higher.
  • Robin grabs ledges faster when using Elwind backwards (52 frames → 39).
  • Elwind projectiles push opponents away when they hit the ground.
  • Elwind recharges faster (6 seconds → 4).
  • Elwind has fewer uses before needing to recharge (9 → 5).
  • When using Elwind while depleted, Robin will gain a short upward boost upward, slightly improving the chance of a successful recovery.
    • The short boost does not render him helpless, meaning Robin can follow up with a midair jump or directional air dodge.
• Nosferatu:
  • Nosferatu is more opaque and has fewer particles, looking more like a dark whirlpool instead of a cloud of particles.
  • Nosferatu has slightly more range.
  • Nosferatu's hits have been sped up, allowing Robin to heal and deal damage at a faster rate than before.
  • Nosferatu has less ending lag (FAF 56 → 50).
  • Nosferatu has reduced uses (4 uses → 3).
    • However, this allows Robin to expend its charges and use the book as a throwing item faster.
  • Nosferatu recharges faster (40 seconds → 30).
• Pair Up:
  • The final hit deals more damage (14% → 18%).
  • The final hit has significantly lower knockback scaling (162 → 118), dealing slightly less knockback overall despite its increased damage.

|Shulk====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Shulk's model features a more subdued color scheme. In addition to losing most of the glossy sheen from his clothes and hair, Shulk's clothing now features simple detailing, his face is more defined, and his hair is somewhat less tousled.
• Shulk's alternate costumes now alter his hair color to match each party member they represent.
  • His hair colors are now dirty blonde, black, auburn, black, silver, and orange for the palette swaps of Fiora, Dunban, Reyn, Sharla, Melia, and Riki respectively.
• Shulk's muscles are more prominently defined in his shirtless alternate costume.
• Shulk's idle stance has been slightly altered, as his chest now visibly moves as he breathes.
• The Monado's blue glow during certain moves (such as the first hits of up smash and up aerial) has been made brighter and more noticeable.
• Shulk's second jump freefall animation has been altered, with his limbs no longer being straightened out. This brings it closer to how Shulk jumps in Xenoblade Chronicles.
• During Shulk's hip-posing victory pose, the Monado now glows with a sword trail when swung, and Shulk gives a wide grin at the end.
• Shulk now grins when applauding the winner after a match.
• The Monado's beam blade no longer becomes misaligned on stages with a 2D effect, like Flat Zone X.
• Shulk's armorless costume no longer causes his neck to extend during certain animations, although it still causes the Monado Arts' symbols to flash above Shulk's neck during hitstun.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Shulk's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Shulk walks faster (1.1 → 1.155).
• Shulk runs faster (1.52 → 1.672).
  • His initial dash is much faster (1.5 → 1.87).
• Shulk's air speed is faster (1.06 → 1.113).
• Shulk falls faster (1.5 → 1.58).
  • His fast falling speed is faster (2.4 → 2.528), leaving him less susceptible to juggling.
• Shulk's gravity is higher (0.085 → 0.098). This improves his vertical mobility and leaves him less vulnerable to juggles, but worsens his vertical endurance and reduces his jump height.
• Shulk's traction has been increased (0.044 → 0.94), improving his ability to punish out of shield.
• Shulk is lighter (102 → 97), worsening his endurance.
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 30).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 30 → 35).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 26).
• Spot dodge grants less intangibility (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 34 → 50).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit has an altered animation where Shulk doesn't lunge forward as far, and the second hit has been changed to a full roundhouse kick.
  • The first and second hits have altered angles (70°/60°/88° → 361°/180° (hit 1), 66°/70°/80° → 361° (hit 2)) to keep opponents on the ground, akin to other neutral attacks. They also no longer use set knockback, but deal less knockback until very high percents (40 set/100 scaling → 35/25 base/10 scaling (hit 1), 52 set/100 scaling → 40/35 base/10 scaling (hit 2)), and have gained hitstun modifiers (0 → 2 (hit 1), 5 (hit 2)). This allows them to connect much more reliably and jab lock.
  • The first hit transitions faster into the second hit (frame 12 → 11).
  • The third hit has less startup (frame 12 → 6). In combination with the aforementioned changes, this allows it to connect much better from the second hit, no longer requiring specific timing against floaty or highly-damaged opponents.
    • However, its total duration remains the same, increasing its ending lag.
  • The third hit is placed farther horizontally (Z offset: 12.8u-7.8u → 14u-10u (clean), 12.8u → 14u (late)) and higher (Y offset: 9u → 10u), with the late hit also stretching more vertically (Y offset: 15u-12u → 16.5u-12u), increasing its range.
  • All hits except the late third hit deal less damage (3.5% → 2% (hit 1), 3.5% → 1.5% (hit 2), 5.3% → 5% (hit 3, clean)). This greatly reduces the move's total damage (12.3% → 8.5%), no longer being the most damaging non-infinite neutral attack in the game.
  • The first and second hits have a shorter hitbox duration (frames 5-6 (hit 1), 5-7 (hit 2) → frame 5).
  • The first and third hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.4× (hit 1), 2× (hit 3)), making the former easier to SDI and the latter easier to DI.
  • The first hit uses four hitboxes instead of three, which are smaller (3u/2.5u/3.5u → 1.8u/1.8u/2u/2u). In combination with its altered animation, this noticeably reduces its range.
  • Consecutive uses of the first hit are slower (12 frames → 15).
  • The second hit's middle hitbox is larger (3u → 3.2u), but the farthest hitbox is smaller (4u → 3.4u), reducing its range overall.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt deals more damage (8.5%/7.5% → 10%/9%), with knockback scaling compensated (90/85 → 80/75).
  • The move's ending animation has been altered, with Shulk crouching lower.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has less startup (frame 15 → 12) and much less ending lag (FAF 53 → 41).
  • It has a sweetspot near the base of the Monado, much like Shulk's other moves that use it, which deals more damage (11.5% → 12.5%) and is larger (3.2u → 3.7u).
  • It launches at a higher angle (60° → 65°), improving its juggling ability.
  • Due to the changes to jostling, the move can no longer miss opponents at point-blank range.
  • It does not propel Shulk as far forward, reducing its range.
  • The sourspot deals less damage (11.5% → 11%) and is marginally smaller (3.2u → 3.1u).
  • It has less knockback scaling (80 → 68), hindering its KO potential despite its higher launch angle and the sweetspot's higher damage.
• Up smash:
  • The first hit launches at angles more towards Shulk (92°/105° → 92°/95°/112°) and is weight-independent, with the ground-only hitboxes also having lower set knockback (110 → 92). This allows it to connect more reliably into the second hit.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (10 frames → 6 (neutral), 16 → 10 (forward), 19 → 11 (back), 15 → 9 (up), 23 → 14 (down)).
• All aerials auto-cancel earlier (frame 80 → 54 (neutral), 57 → 42 (forward), 79 → 43 (back), 79 → 53 (up), 78 → 52 (down)). This allows back aerial to auto-cancel in a full hop, and all aerials except forward aerial to auto-cancel before their interruptibility frames.
  • Additionally, all aerials have gained initial auto-cancel windows (frames 1-2 (neutral, back, down), 1-4 (forward), 1-3 (up)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has significantly less ending lag (FAF 71 → 60), making it safer to use offstage.
  • The animation executes faster with no change in hitbox duration. This allows the move to hit more effectively around Shulk and cover a full 360 degrees, no longer possessing a blindspot directly behind him.
  • The sweetspot and sourspot's placements has been swapped, with the former being located on the Monado's base instead of the beam blade, much like Shulk's other moves. This increases the move's damage output at close range, but reduces it from a distance.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial can no longer send opponents behind Shulk. This improves its consistency for edgeguarding, but removes some of its combos and situational stage spiking ability.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial has more startup (frame 18 → 19). Coupled with the changes to the Speed Monado Art, this makes short hop back aerials more timing-specific in the Speed Art, as Shulk has to perform the back aerial immediately out of a short hop.
  • The hitbox is set to a static position behind Shulk instead of following the Monado, and is smaller (5.5u → 3.6u (clean), 4u → 2.6u (late)). This reduces its horizontal range, and removes its ability to hit in front of Shulk.
  • The hitbox has been adjusted to be parallel to the ground instead of slanted upward, making it less likely to overshoot grounded opponents, but easier to avoid by jumping.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has less ending lag (FAF 60 → 55).
  • Both hits have a longer duration (frames 14-15 → 14-16 (hit 1), 24-25 → 24-26 (hit 2)).
  • The first hit has received an additional hitbox on the Monado, with the previously existing two being larger (6.2u/6u → 6.5u/6.3u), and they launch at angles more towards Shulk (100°/96° → 102°/111°/104°) with lower set knockback (80/60 → 60/60/40). This allows it to connect more reliably into the second hit.
  • The second hit's sourspot stretches a slightly shorter distance vertically (Y offset: 40u-15u → 39u-15u), reducing its vertical range despite the hitbox being larger (3.8u → 4u).
• Down aerial:
  • Both hits have a longer duration (frames 14-15 → 14-16 (hit 1), 23-24 → 23-25 (hit 2)).
  • The first hit's hitboxes are larger (5u → 5.3u), and the aerial-only hitbox launches at a lower angle (172° → 215°) with lower set knockback (20 → 15). This increases its range and allows it to connect more reliably into the second hit.
  • The second hit's meteor hitbox and sweetspot have more base knockback, especially the latter (10 → 15/50), improving the move's KO potential.
  • The second hit's sourspot is larger (3.5u → 3.7u).

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 37 (standing), 37 → 45 (dash), 35 → 40 (pivot)).
  • They have reduced horizontal range (Z2 offset: 9.5u → 9u (standing), 11.5u → 10.7u (dash), -16u → -15.3u (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grab have more startup (frame 9 → 10 (dash), 10 → 11 (pivot)).
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (8 frames → 14), but has less startup (frame 5 → 1) and significantly less ending lag (FAF 27 → 7), noticeably shortening its duration. This makes it much more reliable for racking up damage.
  • It deals much less damage (3% → 1.3%).
• Forward throw:
  • The throw portion deals less damage (8% → 5%; 11% total → 8%), with knockback scaling not fully compensated (70 → 95), slightly hindering its KO potential.
• Back throw:
  • The throw portion deals less damage (9% → 6%; 12% total → 9%), with knockback scaling not fully compensated (63 → 83), slightly hindering its KO potential.
• Up throw:
  • Due to the new knockback speed up effect decreasing hitstun for higher knockback values, up throw has lost its KO setups into up aerial at high percents with the Jump Art active.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw launches at a higher angle (50° → 60°), allowing it to combo into a forward tilt at mid percents with the Buster Art active.
  • The throw portion deals less damage (4% → 2.5%; 7% total → 5.5%) and knockback (75 base/115 scaling → 85/105), making it significantly weaker overall. Notably, it is no longer the strongest down throw in the game by a large margin with the Smash Art active.
  • Due to the new knockback speed up effect, it has lost its true combos into forward aerial at low to mid percents with the Speed Art active.
  • It has a snappier animation, with Shulk physically thrusting the Monado into the ground with both hands and performing a short jump before the main hit.

Special moves

• Monado Arts:
  • Monado Arts possess a new feature, where all Arts appear in a wheel around Shulk if the special move button is held, then can be selected by tilting the control stick in the appropriate direction and releasing the button. The Arts are mapped to the following directions: up for Smash, upper left for Jump, lower left for Speed, upper right for Buster, and lower right for Shield. The previous method of selecting Monado Arts can still be used by tapping the button.
    • This new method allows Shulk to select and activate Monado Arts significantly faster, as well as switch them without needing to cancel the current one. This opens up more flexibility in using the different Monado Arts, making them an even more important aspect of Shulk's moveset. Additionally, if the original method to select Arts has been initiated, it can be canceled by activating the wheel without tilting the control stick in any direction, preventing accidental activations of Arts.
    • Due to Monado Arts being usable out of hitstun, this faster method allows Shulk to escape combos and disadvantage much more effectively by using the intangibility from activating the Arts, then he can select either the Shield Art to survive potential KOs or the Buster/Smash Art to punish the opponent.
  • Arts that are on cooldown have a gradually regenerating bar under them to indicate how much time is left until they can be used again. Likewise, a gradually depleting bar appears below the active Art in Shulk's damage meter to indicate how much is left until it deactivates.
  • Monado Arts activate significantly faster when selected individually.
  • Monado Art Landing Lag Canceling can still be performed, though it has a different window due to the faster activation time. Additionally, its usage to reduce landing lag is negligible due to the universal reduction to landing lag.
    • The addition of selecting Arts through the Art wheel allows Shulk access to MALLC at any time, without having to time landings with his jumps. It also grants access to the Dial Storage technique.
  • The kanji graphics are stylized and shown in solid colored, thick-outlined text. Upon activation, the kanji flashes with a cartoon-styled burst.
  • Highlighted Arts display their name in addition to the kanji, like in Shulk's damage meter.
  • Switching or deactivating Arts immediately resets Shulk's movement attributes. For example, he no longer has increased run speed if he is running when the Speed Art expires.
    • This removes some advanced techniques such as Monado Art Run Cancel, Monado Art Buffered Deactivation, and MonaDACUS.
  • Monado Arts have significantly amplified strengths and weaknesses, alongside much shorter durations and longer cooldowns, making the move similar to one of Shulk's previous custom moves, Hyper Monado Arts.
  • Jump Art:
    • It grants higher air speed (1.5× → 1.7×), falling speed (1.22× → 1.4×), and gravity (1.3× → 1.4×), making it far more effective for aerial movement.
    • It lasts significantly shorter (16s → 6s) and has a longer cooldown (10s → 18s).
    • It increases damage taken even more (1.22× → 1.3×).
  • Speed Art:
    • It increases Shulk's gravity by 1.2×, giving him an even lower jump as a result. It also grants higher initial dash and run speeds (1.7× → 2×), and a higher air speed (1.3× → 1.4×). Combined with the reduced landing lag of Shulk's aerials, Speed is a more effective aerial rushdown and spacing tool.
    • It fully preserves knockback dealt by using the final damage the opponent would have had without the Art's damage reduction when calculating knockback.
    • It lasts significantly shorter (16s → 8s) and has a longer cooldown (10s → 16s).
    • It lowers damage dealt even more (0.8× → 0.7×).
    • The reduced jump height makes it even worse for recovering vertically.
  • Shield Art:
    • It further reduces damage taken (0.67× → 0.5×) and knockback taken (0.78× → 0.5×). This allows Shulk to survive almost any KO move even at high percents, and punish opponents more effectively after getting hit at low percents.
    • Due to the new selection method for Monado Arts, it can be activated inbetween most multi-hit moves and combos. This allows Shulk to break out of a variety of situations, including potential game-ending strings.[4]
    • It has increased shield health and shield regeneration rates (1.5× → 2×).
    • It lasts significantly shorter (16s → 6s) and has a longer cooldown (10s → 18s).
    • It lowers damage dealt even more (0.7× → 0.5×), and reduces knockback dealt by 0.8×, considerably hindering Shulk's KO potential while active.
    • On top of the Art's reduced duration, its meter depletes faster if Shulk takes damage. This removes its ability to stall matches for a noticeable period of time.
  • Buster Art:
    • It lowers knockback dealt even more (0.68× → 0.65×), allowing combos for longer.
    • With the usage of Dial Storage, it grants Shulk KO setups, such as a Buster neutral aerial into Smash Air Slash.
    • It lasts significantly shorter (16s → 10s) and has a longer cooldown (10s → 14s). However, it is the longest-lasting and quickest-charging Monado Art.
    • It increases damage taken even more (1.13× → 1.3×).
    • Opponents hit by Shulk with Buster active glow briefly with a purple tint.
  • Smash Art:
    • It further boosts knockback dealt (1.18× → 1.25×), improving Shulk's KO potential even more.
    • It lasts significantly shorter (16s → 8s) and has a longer cooldown (10s → 16s).
    • It lowers damage dealt even more (0.5× → 0.3×).
    • It further increases knockback taken (1.07× → 1.2×), giving Shulk the worst endurance in the game while Smash is active.
    • Opponents hit by Shulk with Smash active glow briefly with a red tint.
• Back Slash:
  • Back Slash's distance can be adjusted slightly by tilting the control stick after it is initiated.
  • It can grab ledges from frame 49 onward, giving it situational use offstage.
  • Due to characters no longer turning around when hit from behind with high enough knockback, the back-hitting sweetspot is easier to land.
  • The front-facing hitboxes have less knockback scaling (100 → 80).
  • Back-hitting Back Slash causes a yellow burst effect, similar to the graphic shown when a party member successfully lands an Art's bonus effect in Xenoblade Chronicles (in this case, hitting the back of an enemy).
• Air Slash:
  • The first swing grabs ledges earlier (frame 41 → 21 (front), 31 (back)), improving its safety for recovering.
  • The second swing has less startup (frame 15 → 9), allowing it to connect more reliably from the first swing.
  • The first swing can no longer grab ledges before the hitboxes come out, preventing Shulk from grabbing them out of a rising jump.
• Vision:
  • Both counterattacks have noticeably larger hitboxes, especially their sweetspots (8.5u/5.5u → 12u/7u (normal), 11u/7u (forward)).
    • They do not stretch as much horizontally (Z offset: 24u-5u/31u-2u → 28u-20.5u/33u-9.5u (normal), -29u - -12u / -37u - -8u → -24.5u - -15u / -28.5u - -3u (forward)), greatly improving the normal counterattack's range in front of Shulk, but reducing both variants' horizontal range behind him.
  • The normal counterattack has a longer hitbox duration, with the aerial version having less startup (frame 45-46 → 45-47 (grounded), 40-42 (aerial)), and both versions have less ending lag (FAF 97 → 88 (grounded), 83 (aerial)).
  • The normal counterattack's sourspot deals more minimum damage (7% → 9%).
  • The counterattacks are no longer unblockable.
  • Both counterattacks have less knockback scaling (84 → 70 (normal), 94 → 80 (forward)), noticeably hindering their KO ability. However, the forward-held version is still the strongest counterattack in the game with the Smash Art active.
  • Vision's backdrop is significantly brighter.
  • Vision Sliding has been removed.
• Chain Attack:
  • Mecha-Fiora appears during Chain Attack, attacking with Shulk in addition to Riki and Dunban. Camera angles have been adjusted to accommodate for her, and Shulk has gained an additional voice clip that calls out her name. Additionally, Riki and Dunban have more detailed models.

|Bowser Jr.====Aesthetics===

• Bowser Jr.'s model features a more subdued color scheme. Like his father, his horns, hair, and spikes feature greater detailing, but his scales remain undefined and his body is not as monotone. The new detailing is also expressed by the Koopalings.
  • The Junior Clown Car's color scheme is also more subdued. In addition, the inside of the Junior Clown Car now contains a control panel. This change is unique to Ultimate.
• Instead of a hammer, the Koopalings pull out their respective wands from Super Mario Bros. 3 and the New Super Mario Bros. games.
• Morton's star mark is now gray instead of dark brown, matching his appearance in Mario Kart 8 onwards.
• Bowser Jr is more expressive, he has a shocked expression when hit and scared expression when grabbed. The Junior Clown Car is also expressive, with new facial animations when Bowser Jr. gets hit and when he misses a grab.
  • The Koopalings are more emotive than before, with their eyes and mouths animating somewhat differently from Bowser Jr.'s. Previously, only Lemmy had unique expressions.
• Larry, Morton, Lemmy, and Ludwig's hair respectively have less independent physics. On the contrary, Wendy's bow and rings have greater independent physics.
• Air dodge, falling, and ledge-hanging animations have changed.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Bowser Jr.'s jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 6).
• Bowser Jr. runs faster (1.424 → 1.566).
• Bowser Jr.'s initial dash is faster (1.6 → 1.76).
• Bowser Jr. walks faster (0.88 → 0.924).
• Bowser Jr.'s air speed is faster (1.08 → 1.134)
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF: 31 → 30).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
• Back roll has slower startup (frame 4 → 5), grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16) and has more ending lag (FAF: 31 → 35).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF: 28 → 25).
• Spot dodge grants less intangibility (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF: 34 → 50).
• The changes to air dodge mechanics both help and hinder Bowser Jr.: he can now make use of a directional air dodge to lengthen and mix up his recovery without the need to use Abandon Ship!, but the single air dodge limit makes him more vulnerable to edgeguarding.
• Bowser Jr.'s Junior Clown Car hurtbox takes priority over his body hurtbox, meaning that if the opponent hits the Clown Car and body hurtboxes at the same time, he takes less damage.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit has two additional hitboxes, one of which sends towards Bowser Jr. (angle: 180°).
  • The second hit has an additional hitbox, and all of its hitboxes now keep opponents on the ground (80°/70 → 361° (all)). This allows it to lock.
  • The second hit has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 30) and has gained a hitstun modifier of 3, allowing it to connect into the looping hits much more reliably.
  • The first and second hits have less knockback (hit 1: 10 base/50 scaling → 25/25/20/20 / 25/25/15/15, hit 2: 24 base/50 scaling → 25/25/20 / 25/25/15). This allows them to connect better and jab lock for longer.
  • The first and second hits' hitboxes are smaller (hit 1: 3u/4u → 2u/2u/2.2u/2.2u, hit 2: 3.2u/4u → 2.5u/3.2u/3.8u), reducing their vertical range.
  • The first and second hits have increased hitlag (hit 1: 1x → 1.5x, hit 2: 1x → 1.2x).
  • The first hit and looping hits deal less damage (hit 1: 3% → 2%, infinite: 2% → 0.5%).
  • The looping hits have faster startup (frame 10 → 4), a faster rehit rate (4 → 2), less knockback (20 base/20 scaling → 8/10), reduced hitlag (1x → 0.5x) and SDI (0.8x → 0.5x) multipliers, keep opponents on the ground (74° → 361°), and have a new extended hitbox in front of the Clown Car (size: 5u, Y/Z-offset: 6.5, Z-offset: 21-13). Overall, these changes make the infinite much harder to escape, and compensate for the move's lower damage.
  • The last hit has a new animation: it is now an uppercut instead of a jab. It has slightly faster startup (frame 8 → 7) and now has three hitboxes instead of one, which have bigger size (5u → 5.5u) and are positioned differently throughout the move (Y-offset: 6 → 6.5, Z-offset: 13 → 13/18/22.5). This gives it much more range, making it a significantly more consistent KO option.
  • The new last hit has more ending lag (FAF 39 → 44).
• Forward tilt:
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 34 → 32).
  • The move now has a sourspot that deals less damage (8% → 6%).
  • The move has less knockback (30 base/110 scaling → 55/70). While this makes it even safer on hit at low percentages, this significantly worsens its previously respectable KO power.
• Up tilt:
  • The move's hitboxes' positions have been adjusted (ID 0: 4-3 X-offset/4 Z-stretch → 8.5-10/0, ID 1: -1-0 X-offset → 0-3.5). This removes the blindspot between the fork's prongs and the Clown Car.
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 33 → 31).
• Down tilt:
  • The move deals more damage (hits 1-2: 1.5% → 2%, hit 3: 5% → 6%, total: 8% → 10%), with no compensation on the third hit's knockback, slightly improving its KO and edgeguarding potential.
  • The first two hits have reduced hitlag (1x → 0.5x), and have gained a hitstun modifier of 4 with a shieldstun multiplier of 1.2x.
  • The first two hits no longer deal set knockback (30 set/100 scaling → 20 base/30 scaling), and thus connect worse at higher percents.
• Dash attack:
  • The looping hits deal more damage (1.5% → 1.8%, total: 11.5% → 13%).
  • The move has slightly less ending lag (FAF 50 → 48).
  • One of the looping hits' hitboxes is smaller (ID 1: 5u → 4u).
  • The looping hits have received several adjustments that allow the move to connect much more reliably:
    • One of the hitboxes is larger (ID 0: 2.8u → 4u).
    • One of the hitboxes is no longer located in the buzzsaw, now being separate from Bowser Jr. (ID 1: bone 1041 → 0, 0 Y-offset/0 Z-offset/stretch → 8/13-8). While this results in around the same range, this means the hitbox no longer moves around the Z-axis.
    • One of the hitboxes is positioned differently (ID 0: 9 Y-offset/8-13 Z-offset → 8/9-8). This is made up by the other hitbox's new position.
    • The two previous hitboxes send at different angles (25° (all) → 30°/34°).
    • There is a new hitbox (ID 2, angle: 65°, size: 4u, 8 Y-offset/18-8 Z-offset), which temporarily gives the attack more range.
    • There is now have a "late" hit on frames 13-20, comprised of two hitboxes which have the same size as the new ones, but are positioned differently (ID 1: 8 Y-offset/9-8 Z-offset, ID 2: 8 Y-offset/14-8 Z-offset) and send at different angles (25° (all) → 32°/65°).
    • All hits have reduced hitlag (1x → 0.6x), making the move less prone to SDI.
  • The final hit launches at a more horizontal angle that is more desirable for edgeguarding (60° → 50°).
  • The final hit has increased hitlag (1.5x → 1x). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.
• Forward smash:
  • The looping hits' closest hitbox to Bowser Jr. is larger (ID 1: 1u → 2.5u), which allows the attack to connect better up close.
  • The looping hits' hitboxes are positioned differently and don't extend as much (ID 0: 7-13 Y-offset/18 Z-offset → 8-12.5/16.5 (non-angled), 10-16 Y-offset/18-17 Z-offset → 12-16.5/15-14.5 (angled up), 4-10 Y-offset/17-18 Z-offset → 3.5-7.5/16-17; ID 1: 5-11 Y-offset/12.2 Z-offset → 7-12/9.7 (non-angled), 8-14 Z-offset/12.2-11.2 Z-offset → 10-15/8.3-7.8 (angled up), 2-8 Y-offset/11.2-12.2 Z-offset → 4.5-9/9.1-10.5 (angled down)), while the farthest hitbox to Bowser Jr. is smaller (ID 0: 5u → 4.5u). This reduces the looping hits' range.
    • However, this somewhat fixes the blindspot in front of Bowser Jr., making the looping hits connect slightly more reliably.
  • The final hit has slightly faster startup (frame 36 → 35) making it connect more reliably from the looping hits.
  • The final hit's hitbox is smaller (7u → 6u) and does not extend as far (non-angled: 8-12 Y-offset/18 Z-offset → 9-12/17; angled up: 11-15 Y-offset/18-17 Z-offset → 13-16/16-15; angled down: 5-9 Y-offset/19-18 Z-offset → 4.5-6.5/16.5-17). This noticeably reduces its range and, combined with the changes to the looping hits above, causes opponents to potentially fall out more frequently.
• Up smash:
  • The move's hitboxes have shorter durations (hit 1: frames 7-9 → 7-8, looping hits: frames 10-24 → 9-18, second to last hit: frame 25 → 18, last hit: 30-31 → 22-23), and the looping hits have a faster rehit rate (4 → 3).
    • As a result, the move hits six times instead of seven. However, the second to last hit has been merged with the looping hits on frame 18, leaving the move's total damage unchanged (1.3% hits 2-5/1% hit 6 → 1.3% hits 2-4/2.3% hit 5).
  • The move now has a green visual trail that matches the Junior Clown Car's propeller. Strangely, the color does not change for the Koopalings.
    • The faster gap between hits allows the move to connect more reliably.
    • However, this gives the move more ending lag as a result, despite its faster interruptibility (FAF 57 → 54).
  • The looping hits are positioned higher up from Bowser Jr. (17-15 ID 0/20-18 ID 1/17-15 ID 2 (Y-offset) → 18-16/21-19/18-16). This improves their upwards range and allows them to connect slightly more reliably, but makes it slightly harder to hit smaller/crouching targets on the ground.
  • Except for the second to last hit, the looping hits have reduced hitlag (1x → 0.6x). Combined with the move's improved upwards range and faster gap between hits, this makes the move harder to escape.
  • The final hit deals more base knockback (32 → 38).
  • The final hit has a smaller hitbox (6u → 5.5u), reducing its vertical range, although its horizontal range was mostly compensated (23-21 Y-offset → 24.5-22.5).
• Down smash:
  • The move's hitboxes have a slightly longer duration (frames 15-16 → 15-17).
  • The move deals more knockback (40 base/89 scaling → 41/91).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (neutral: 18 frames → 9, forward: 27 → 16, back: 24 → 14, up: 15 → 9, down: 25 → 15).
• Neutral aerial:
  • The move deals more damage (6% clean/5% mid/3% late → 8%/7%/5%), with knockback scaling mostly compensated (100 → 83/81/80).
  • The move now has hitboxes on the Clown Car's arms (size: 4u clean/3.5u mid/3.0u late, X-offset: -3), which removes the blindspots in front of Bowser Jr. They deal less damage than the sweetspots, but more than the move's previous damage (6.5% clean/5.5% mid/3.5% late).
    • However, the new sourspots outprioritize the sweetspots. Since their knockback was not compensated, this makes the move weaker if the sourspots connect.
• Back aerial:
  • The move's sourspot now extends into the Clown Car (X-offset: 0 → 0—-6), removing its blindspot.
• Down aerial:
  • The looping hits have a faster rehit rate (4 → 3), making the move now hit up to nine times instead of seven.
  • The looping hits have reduced hitlag (1x → 0.8x).
  • The move deals more damage (1.3% looping hits/2% last hit → 1.5%/2.5%). Combined with the move's faster rehit rate, this makes the move deal more damage if all hits connect (9.8% → 14.5%), though with the last hit's knockback scaling compensated (130 → 124).
  • One of the looping hits' hitboxes is now extended and positioned further up (Y-offset: 2 → 4, Z-offset/stretch: 0 → -2—2), giving it more range.
    • However, since the last hit is not extended, this can cause it to fail to connect into the last hit.
  • One of the looping hits' hitboxes (ID 2) has been removed, while the old one (ID 1) now detects both aerial and grounded opponents. However, the hitbox no longer sends at an autolink angle (366° → 96°). Combined with the above change, this causes the looping hits to connect less reliably, despite their reduced hitlag and faster rehit rate.
  • The looping hits have altered knockback (30 set/100 scaling (ID 0), 30 base/100 scaling (ID 1) → 30 base/10 scaling (both)). This allows them to connect more consistently at low percentages, but since all of its hitboxes no longer use set knockback, it still connects less consistently at very high percentages.
  • The landing hitbox extends further (Z-offset: -2—2 → -2.5—2.5), improving its range.
    • The hitbox has also been moved upwards (Y-offset: 3.2 → 4).

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • Bowser Jr. now preemptively pulls out his toy hammer in his grab animation and holds it while the opponent is grabbed.
  • The color of the claw now matches each Koopaling's Clown Car.
  • Standing and pivot grabs have faster startup (standing/pivot: frame 12/15 → 11/12).
  • Dash grab has slightly more startup lag (frame 13 → 14).
  • All grabs have more ending lag (Standing/dash/pivot: FAF 36/45/42 → 41/49/44).
  • Standing grab's grabbox has been moved forwards (Z-offset: 4-13 → 6.5-14), improving its notoriously poor range despite being less extended.
  • Dash and pivot grab's grabboxes are less extended, especially pivot grab (dash: 4-15.5 Z-offset → 6.5-15, pivot: 4—-21.5 Z-offset → 6.5—-16.4), reducing their range.
• Pummel:
  • Its animation is slightly different.
  • It deals less damage (2% → 1.3%).
  • It has faster startup (frame 6 → 1), deals more hitlag (4 → 14 frames) and has less ending lag (FAF 18 → 6), shortening its duration and increasing the number of times Bowser Jr. can pummel the opponent before throwing them or before they break out.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw's second hit deals more damage (6% → 7%, total: 9% → 10%) with no compensation on knockback, slightly improving its KO power.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw deals less damage (12% → 11%) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (65 → 70), slightly hindering its KO power.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw has less ending lag (FAF 45 → 38) and deals less knockback (55 base/85 scaling → 65/60), granting it combo potential.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has seven looping hits instead of five that deal significantly more damage (0.5% hits 1-5 → 1.2% hits 1-7, total: 6.5% → 12.4%).
  • It sends at a more horizontal angle (55° → 30°), allowing it to set up edgeguards.
  • It deals less knockback overall (80 base/110 scaling → 90/55).
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 10%).

Special moves

• Clown Cannon:
  • The move has faster startup (frame 43-103 → 37-97) and less ending lag (FAF 81-141 → 73-133).
  • Bowser Jr. can now have up to two cannonballs in play at once.
  • A cannonball's hitbox is bigger (3.2u → 3.8u).
  • A cannonball now travels in a spiraling path (similar to ones fired by Shotzos), instead of flying straight. Combined with the above change, this noticeably increases a cannonball's effective range.
  • A cannonball now keeps an active hitbox after it starts to fall in midair, allowing the move to be used for edgeguarding. However, this does not apply for cannonballs that have already landed, and cannonballs can only hit non-shielding opponents once.
  • An uncharged cannonball deals more damage (8.5% early/5.9% late → 10%/7%).
  • A cannonball now deals shield damage (0 → 8), capable of doing more than half a shield's health when fully charged.
  • An uncharged cannonball travels slower, letting Bowser Jr. follow it. This makes cannonballs easier to dodge, but grants new setups based around them.
    • Combined with the above change, an uncharged cannonball can hit shields twice before it drops at maximum distance, dealing extreme shield damage.
  • A cannonball deals significantly altered knockback (40 base/82 scaling → 90/52). This makes them safe on hit at any percentage, but significantly worsen their KO power, now only having KO power if one is fully charged.
• Clown Kart Dash:
  • The Clown Car moves faster and reaches its maximum speed immediately after beginning to move, therefore no longer needing to accelerate to deal maximum damage with the collision.
  • The collision deals more damage (4%-7% → 5.2%-8.8%).
  • The collision has more knockback scaling (80 → 95). This improves its combo ability from low-mid to mid percentages, but reduces it at high ones.
  • The spinout deals more damage (8%-12% → 10%-16.3%) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (80 → 75), noticeably improving its KO power.
  • The spinout has faster startup (frame 5 → 3).
  • If the move is canceled it in the air, Bowser Jr. now keeps his double jump. This significantly improves Bowser Jr's recovery, giving it more mix-ups.
  • It can no longer be air dodged out of.
  • It makes Bowser Jr. jump higher on sloped platforms.
• Abandon Ship!:
  • The Clown Car no longer respawns when Bowser Jr. grabs onto a ledge after using Abandon Ship!. While this results in him always receiving 1.15x damage if he gets hit, it also means that his hurtbox is considerably smaller.
  • The hammer swing has a longer hitbox duration (frame 8/13 → 8-9/13-14), and the hitboxes are even larger (6.5u/3.0u → 7.0u/3.5u).
  • Like with regular air dodges, Bowser Jr. can only use a single air dodge out of Abandon Ship!. This makes him easier to edgeguard.
• Mechakoopa:
  • Mechakoopas start walking earlier (frame 54 → 48), and no longer bounce.
  • They cling onto the opponent they make contact with, detonating on them even if they are being knocked away. This makes them connect into the second hit reliably, and allows for more reliable kill setups.
  • They explode upon hitting a shield if thrown.
  • They deactivate and lie on the ground when they walk into a shield, no longer crossing them up. They can still be picked up and used before they completely disappear after a second passes. This makes them easier to use against Bowser Jr.
• Shadow Mario Paint:
  • Shadow Mario Paint is active for a shorter amount of time.

|Duck Hunt====Aesthetics===

• Duck Hunt's model is of a significantly higher visual quality. The dog's overall color scheme is more vibrant, better matching his sprite in Duck Hunt, and he now features detailing on his fur, collar, paws, and nose. The duck's color scheme is more subdue and features greater feather detailing.
• Duck Hunt is significantly more vocal. They have more voice clips during gameplay beyond their taunts and Star KO, consisting of bitcrushed realistic dog noises and duck quacks. These voice clips are also now available in the Sound Test.
• Similar to other cartoonish fighters, the duo are more expressive.
• The duck no longer blinks during the duo's idle and crouching animation and on the results screen.
• Duck Hunt's shielding animation is slightly altered. The duck now covers the dog with its feathers.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Duck Hunt's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 4).
• Duck Hunt dashes faster (1.63 → 1.793).
  • Duck Hunt's initial dash is faster (1.55 → 1.76), although it is now one of the slower initial dashes relative to the cast.
• Duck Hunt walks faster (1.155 → 1.213).
• Duck Hunt's air speed is slightly faster (1.1 → 1.155).
• Duck Hunt is lighter (91 → 86), now only slightly heavier than Zelda, which reduces their survivability.
• Spot dodge has slightly more ending lag (FAF 24 → 25), no longer being the best in the game.
• Forward roll has more ending lag (FAF 27 → 30).
• Back roll has more startup (frames 4-15 → 5-16) and ending lag (FAF 27 → 35).
• Neutral air dodge has more startup (frame 2 → 3) and significantly more ending lag (FAF 31 → 50).
• Neutral air dodge has less landing lag (22 frames → 10).
• Neutral air dodge has a slightly longer duration (frames 2-25 → 3-27).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack's animation is faster and the rapid jab and rapid finisher have less startup lag, making them connect more reliably.
  • Neutral attack 2's largest hitbox is bigger (4.2u → 5u).
  • Neutral attack 3 has a smaller hitbox (5.8u → 5u).
  • Neutral attack 1 and 2 and neutral infinite deal less damage (2% (first)/3% (second) → 1.5% each, 0.8% → 0.4% (infinite)).
  • Neutral attack 1 has its two larger hitboxes replaced with four smaller ones (3u/3u → 1.8u/1.8u/2u/2u).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt deals more base knockback (15 → 35).
  • Its angle is different when angled (361° (both) → 48° (up)/30° (down)).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less startup (frame 7 → 6) and ending lag (FAF 34 → 28).
  • Up tilt is harder to connect on grounded opponents, since characters can no longer run through each other.
  • Up tilt's hitbox is smaller (7u → 5u), while its Y2 offset was compensating (13 → 15), the hitbox is narrower and has less range against grounded opponents.
  • Up tilt deals significantly more base knockback (35 → 95), but has much less knockback scaling (130 → 40), removing its KO potential, but increasing its combo potential.
• Down tilt
  • Down tilt has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 28).
  • Down tilt sends at a slightly more horizontal angle that is more desirable for edgeguarding (30° → 25°).
• Forward smash:
  • If the first hit of forward smash connects, subsequent hits will be positioned to continue the chain into the final hit, rather than having their positions somewhat randomized.
  • Forward smash's first and second hits launch at a higher angle (5° → 45°) and deal more set knockback (60 → 66 (hit 1), 60 → 69 (hit 2)), making them connect more reliably.
  • It has larger hitboxes (3.8u → 4.7u (hit 1), 5.2u → 6.9u (hit 2), 7u → 7.8u (hit 3)).
• Up smash:
  • The first two hits no longer have set knockback (72/60 → 0), and use an autolink angle (140°/150° → 368° (hit 1), 115° → 368° (hit 2)), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • Up smash's first and second hit deal slightly more damage (2%/2.4% → 2.5% each).
  • Up smash's final hit deals more knockback (40 base/112 scaling → 45/120).
• Down smash:
  • The first two hits no longer have set knockback (115 → 0), and use an autolink angle (165° → 368°), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • Down smash's final hit deals more base knockback (32 → 37).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (17 frames → 10 (neutral), 15 → 9 (forward), 24 → 14 (back), 18 → 11 (up), 34 → 15 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial's clean hit has less knockback scaling (100 → 86). This reduces its KO potential, but combined with the landing lag reduction grants it combo potential when landing.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has marginally less ending lag (FAF 46 → 45).
  • Its sweetspot comes out slightly earlier (frame 9 → 8).
  • It has a slightly shorter duration overall (frames 7-12 → 7-11).
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial's sweetspot deals slightly more damage (12% → 12.5%) with no compensation on knockback, causing it to KO slightly earlier.
• Up aerial:
  • The first hit sends the opponent at a lower angle (145° → 95°), the second hit launches at an autolink angle (145° → 363°), both hits deal more set knockback (40 → 50) and have a reduced hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5×), allowing them to connect more reliably overall.
  • All hits have larger hitboxes (5.5u → 6u (hits 1-2), 8u → 8.5u (hit 3)) and the second hit and third hit's hitboxes have been moved upward (Y offset: 20u → 21.5u (hits 2), 21u → 22.5u (hit 3)), improving its range overall.
  • The first hit's hitbox has been moved lower (Y offset: 20u → 18.5u), slightly reducing its range overall.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has considerably less ending lag (FAF 60 → 50).
  • Both hits have a slightly longer duration (frames 14/20 → 14-15/20-21).
  • Down aerial auto-cancels later (frame 33 → 45), preventing it from doing so in a short hop.

Throws and other attacks

• Standing grab and dash grab have less startup lag (stand/dash: frame 8/10 → 6/9).
• All grabs have more ending lag (stand/dash/pivot: FAF 29/36/34 → 36/43/38).
• All grabs have less range (Z2 offset: 11.7u → 11.2u (standing), 13.9u → 12.9u (dash), -19.2u → -18.5u (pivot)).
• Back throw has less ending lag (FAF 44 → 40).

Special moves

• Trick Shot:
  • Trick Shot's can is slower and more floaty, but starts further forward.
  • Trick Shot's can travels more distance every time it is shot. This increases its effective range, but also means it will fly over grounded opponents more often.
  • Trick Shot's explosion sends the opponent flying in the direction of the side of the can that hit them, instead of sending them the direction Duck Hunt is facing.
  • Trick Shot's can has bullet holes appear every time the special button is pressed.
  • Trick Shot's can auto explodes more quickly after the eighth shot (76 frames → 60).
  • Trick Shot's can is able to be hit with an attack midair, allowing Duck Hunt to cover more options.
  • Trick Shot's can and its explosion deal more damage (1.8%-2% → 1.6%-4.4% (contact), 8% → 10% (explosion)), without full compensation for knockback on the explosion (110 scaling → 100), improving its KO potential.
  • Trick Shot's can can be shot even when it is about to explode, increasing the amount of time it can be maneuvered.
  • Trick Shot has less ending lag (FAF 46 → 42).
  • Trick Shot has lost some setups in combination with Clay Shooting.
• Clay Shooting:
  • Shooting Clay Shooting's pigeon with Special Move works differently. Instead of always getting destroyed immediately, it will only be shot once per input made. If it is moving too fast, it will not be destroyed, but it will always be destroyed in one shot if it is moving slowly enough.
  • Clay Shooting has slightly less ending lag (FAF 66 → 64).
  • Clay Shooting forces the opponent to stay in place if they get hit, making it a significantly better combo starter.
  • When Clay Shooting's pigeon is destroyed, debris that deals damage flies in multiple directions.
    • However, these particles will damage Duck Hunt if the pigeon is destroyed by the opponent.
    • This means a pigeon that missed and was thrown with the smash input takes longer to destroy, reducing its safety.
  • Clay Shooting faces the screen more.
• Duck Jump:
  • After 50 frames, Duck Jump can be cancelled with an attack or air dodge, though Duck Hunt will still be helpless afterwards.
  • If Duck Hunt gets hit by a windbox or an attack that deals no knockback (like Fox's laser) after cancelling Duck Jump but before entering helpless state, Duck Jump can be used again. This can be repeated indefinitely.
• Wild Gunman:
  • The Wild Gunmen's eyes flash before they are about to shoot, instead of flashing immediately after spawning.
  • Wild Gunman has less ending lag (FAF 45 → 42).
  • Each Gunman fires three frames earlier.
  • Each Gunman deals 4% more damage (4%-7% → 8%-11%) with no compensation on knockback, granting them KO potential at high percents, especially the Sombrero Gunman.
  • When a Gunman is defeated, it will take longer for him to disappear and for another Gunman to be spawned.
    • However, the Gunman's defeated body has a tangible hurtbox, which allows Duck Hunt to use it as a shield from projectile attacks.
  • The Wild Gunmen have visual bullet tracers when shooting their guns, allowing players to see how far each gunman will shoot.
  • The Gunmen have a soft, CRT-like glow.
• NES Zapper Posse:
  • NES Zapper Posse has a larger hitbox.
  • It has altered knockback (60 base/180 scaling → 70/160), dealing less knockback overall and KOing later even at the ledge.

|Ryu====Aesthetics===

• Ryu's design has changed. His muscles and other physical features are more pronounced, his hair is spikier, and his skin tone is also slightly tanned. Additionally, his pupils are smaller. Lastly, the aesthetic used in Ultimate has resulted in Ryu's color scheme being more vibrant and his gi having subtle detailing. Altogether, these changes make him appear virtually identical to his appearance in Street Fighter V.
• Ryu's eighth alternate costume has been replaced to based on his tenth color in Street Fighter V.
• Ryu's up taunt no longer has him turn around when tightening his headband, now more closely resembling the taunt it is based on from Street Fighter IV.
• The victory pose where Ryu throws a hook is slightly modified. He now closes his eyes and crosses his arms before winding the hook, with the camera coming in from the left, making the victory pose more resemble his Street Fighter IV pose.
• As with all previous downloadable fighters in SSB4, Ryu now has a unique Palutena's Guidance conversation.
• Ryu's Boxing Ring alias has been changed to "Eternal Wanderer", his official title as of Street Fighter V.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Ryu's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Being able to dash cancel his tilts greatly improves his approach, letting him threaten the opponent with his tapped tilts for combos, or space his smash attacks more safely.
• Ryu's initial dash is faster (1.6 → 1.76).
• Double jump is slightly higher.
• In 1-on-1 matches, Ryu will always face his opponent, similar to how he behaves in the Street Fighter series.
  • This makes it harder to be hit from behind by Back Slash or Nosferatu.
  • This makes it difficult to attack things behind Ryu, such as Luma, and makes him easier to be hit by Disable.
  • This changes the application of his dash dance, as his initial dash does not turn him in the opposite direction. Instead, he performs a back dash similar to his home series, allowing him to perform an evasive "shimmy" to keep within an effective range while still facing the opponent. This potentially improves his punishes.
  • This makes his command inputs easier to perform. For instance, it is now impossible to accidentally perform a Hadoken backwards when attempting to perform a Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, or accidentally perform a Tatsumaki Senpukyaku when trying to perform a Hadoken.
  • This makes it practically impossible for Ryu to be reversed by Cape/Super Sheet on the ground, as Ryu will immediately turn right back around.

Ground attacks

• Ryu now has proximity normals that change depending on his distance from the opponent. Tapped forward tilt changes from his standing medium kick to a new attack based off his Street Fighter II close medium punch, a right hook inwards. Held neutral attack changes from his Street Fighter II standing heavy kick to his close heavy punch, which has the same damage and animation to held up tilt, but doesn't launch the opponent away. Both attacks can be special cancelled on hit.
  • Proximity forward tilt is capable of locking while proximity held neutral attack deals 14% and cancels into Shoryuken's sweetspot reliably, which gives Ryu a stronger followup than most of his other options for a Focus Attack crumple punish. Two forward tilts locks into a held neutral attack deals 26%, turning missed techs into potential KOs.
• Neutral attack:
  • Tapped neutral attack can now jab reset.
  • Neutral attack launches opponents, making them easier to be hit.
  • Ryu can now special cancel the first and second hit of his neutral attack.
  • Held neutral attack's hitbox has been moved inward (Z offset: 6.4-13.9 → 5.4-11.9), reducing its range.
  • First and second hit of neutral attack deal less damage (2% (first)/3% (second) → 1.5% (both).
  • First and second hit of neutral attack have reduced hitlag.
• Forward tilt:
  • Tapped forward tilt has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 24).
  • Held forward tilt has more startup (frame 14 → 16) and ending lag (FAF 35 → 39).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt's light version has smaller hitboxes (5u/5u → 3.8u/3.8u).
  • Tapped up tilt has a more horizontal angle on airborne opponents (84° → 75°).
• Down tilt:
  • Tapped down tilt has gained a hitstun modifier of 1.
  • Held down tilt has less startup lag (7 frames → 6).
  • Held down tilt deals less knockback (70 (base)/23 (scaling) → 73/16), allowing it to combo at a wider percent range.
  • Held down tilt has a lowered knockback angle (64 → 55) and reduced base knockback (73 → 66). This makes it easier to combo into Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, but harder to combo into Shoryuken.
  • Light down tilt's outermost hitbox is smaller (3.5u → 2.5u), and all 3 of the hitboxes have lost their extensions, reducing the move's range.
  • Held down tilt's outer hitbox does not extend as far (Z offset: 7-17.2 → 7-15.7), noticeably reducing its range.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash deals more knockback (25 (base)/94 (scaling) → 26/98).
• Up smash:
  • Up smash deals more knockback (scaling 76 (clean)/81 (late) → 82/86).
  • Up smash transitions to its late hit one frame earlier, reducing the clean hit's duration (frames 9-10 → 9).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash's sweetspot launches at a lower angle (45˚ → 35˚), with knockback scaling not fully compensated (50 → 47), improving its KO potential and turning it into a semi-spike.
  • Down smash can now be canceled into special moves.
  • Down smash's shield damage was reduced (0 → -8/-6), preventing Ryu from easily breaking shields by chaining down smash into special moves.
  • Down smash's outermost hitbox has been removed entirely, with no changes to the other hitboxes to compensate. As such, the move has considerably reduced range.

Aerial attacks

• Ryu can cancel all of his aerial attacks into special attacks in the same way he can cancel some of his ground attacks.
• All aerials have reduced landing lag (6 frames → 5 (neutral), 14 frames → 11 (forward), 12 frames → 10 (back), 14 frames → 11 (up), 18 frames → 15 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial's weak hitbox stays out much longer (frame 7-22 → 7-32).
  • Neutral aerial has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 36), making it much more difficult to start combos with it while airborne.
  • The late hit has smaller hitboxes (3.3u/3.3u → 3u/3u), further weakening its already very poor range.
  • Due to engine-wide changes to the Sakurai angle (~45° → 38°), chaining neutral aerial into itself or down aerial is significantly harder, removing a major component of Ryu's combo and kill confirm game.
• Forward aerial:
  • Its sweetspot deals significantly more knockback (80 base/49 scaling → 82/56), boosting its KO potential.
    • This reduces its combo potential.
  • It has more startup (frame 6 → 8) and fewer active frames (6-14 → 8-14).
  • It deals less damage on the sweetspots (15% (clean)/13% (late) → 14%/12%).
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial deals more base knockback (12 → 21).
  • Back aerial's outer hitbox does not extend as far (Z offset: 7.5-16 → 7.5-15), reducing its infamously large horizontal reach somewhat.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial's hitboxes stay out longer (1 frame (both) → 2 frames (hit 1), 3 frames (hit 2)).
  • Up aerial has smaller hitboxes (6u (hit 1)/7u (hit 2) → 5.0u/6.0u), and they do not extend as far upwards (Y offset: 15-17 (hit 1)/17-19 (hit 2) → 15-16.5/17-18.5), significantly reducing its previously infamously large range above Ryu.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial's grounded hitbox has reversed knockback values (14 (base)/60 (growth) → 60/14).

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • Dash and pivot grab have slightly more startup (frame 8 → 9 (dash), 9 → 10 (pivot).
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 35 (standing), 37 → 43 (dash), 35 → 38 (pivot).
  • Standing grab extends slightly further (Z offset: 4-8.7 → 4-9.1), slightly improving its range
  • Dash grab does not extend as far (Z offset: 4-10.6 → 4-10), somewhat reducing its range.
  • Pivot grab extends a shorter distance (Z offset: 4-14.7 → 4-14.1), somewhat reducing its range. Combined with the new mechanic of Ryu facing his opponent, it has lost much of its utility.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw deals less damage (5% (hit 1)/4% (throw) → 3% (both)), with its knockback compensated (growth 137 → 157). In addition, Ultimate's front-loaded knockback results in this move having very little true followups.

Special moves

• Hadoken:
  • All variants of Hadoken have slightly less startup lag (frame 13 → 12).
  • All variants of Hadoken deal more damage (Hadoken: 6% (light)/6.5% (medium)/7% (heavy) → 7%/7.5%/8%, True Hadoken: 7.5%/8.1%/8.7% → 8.7%/9.3%/10%, Shakunetsu Hadoken: 5% → 7.3%).
  • All variants of Hadoken had their travel speeds adjusted, increasing their versatility (Light: 0.9 → 0.8, Medium: 1.2 → 1.3, Heavy: 1.5 → 1.8).
  • Hadoken and input Hadoken deals more shieldstun (multiplier: 0.29 → 1.06), improving its safety against shields.
  • Shakunetsu Hadoken's multi-hits have altered angles (60/0 → 366), now being an autolink, allowing them to link into later hits more consistently.
  • The design of Hadoken has been changed. It now more closely resembles its appearance in the Street Fighter series.
• Tatsumaki Senpukyaku:
  • The first hit of Tatsumaki Senpukyaku has a larger hitbox when used on the ground (3.5u → 4.5u).
  • Tatsumaki Senpukyaku's weak hitbox deals more damage and knockback.
  • Ryu's pivoting leg is now intangible during grounded Tatsumaki Senpukyaku in addition to his kicking leg. This prevents attacks that hit low to the ground from invalidating the move.
  • Tatsumaki Senpukyaku deals more damage overall and its strongest hit deals more knockback as a result.
  • The changes to jostling makes Tatsumaki Senpukyaku even more unsafe on shield, as Ryu can no longer cross up with the move.
• Shoryuken:
  • Shoryuken has more landing lag (18 frames → 22).
  • Shoryuken has less invulnerability frames, most notably on the input version of Shoryuken, which no longer grants intangibility on the first few frames when the move is inputted.
  • Shoryuken has a shorter window of time in which Ryu can snap to the edge when recovering with it.
• Focus Attack:
  • Focus Attack's first stage of charge is harder to combo off of.
  • Focus Attack's hitbox does not extend as far backwards (Z offset: -3—11.5 → 2—11.5), no longer being able to hit opponents directly behind Ryu.
  • The maximum amount of damage Focus Attack's armor can sustain is lowered (22%-39% → 16.8%-33.6%).
• Final Smash:
  • During Shin Shoryuken, the opposing fighter has been given new animations while getting hit, somewhat inspired by animations from Street Fighter IV for the Metsu Shoryuken.
  • Ryu can cancel several standard attacks and any special move excluding Focus Attack into Shin Shoryuken or Shinku Hadoken.
  • Shin Shoryuken's final hit has significantly less knockback scaling (105 → 90), weakening its KO potential.

|Cloud====Aesthetics===

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Cloud's model features a more subdued color scheme. His clothing features subtle detailing, and the Buster Sword's blade texture appears more "battle-worn", featuring scratches and a metallic sheen.
• Cloud's sixth alternate costume is black instead of a deep teal, making it identical to the default Advent Children costume with the exception of his exposed left arm. His seventh alternate costume has also been slightly updated. It is now brown, instead of black.
• As with all previous downloadable fighters in SSB4, Cloud now has a unique Palutena's Guidance conversation.
• Cloud's "No hard feelings" victory pose has been altered slightly. He closes his eyes and keeps them closed when the camera focuses on him.
• Cloud's "Better luck next time" victory pose has been altered slightly. He only flourishes the Buster Sword once, and also turns his head away from the camera completely, hiding his face, instead of spinning the Buster Sword and looking back over his shoulder at the camera in SSB4.
• Cloud keeps his eyes open during his clapping animation.
• Cloud's Limit Break gauge is shown persistently above his damage meter.
• The Buster Sword has a much brighter glow effect at its tip during Cloud's sword-based attacks, although this does not affect the range of the sword itself.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Cloud's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Cloud's initial dash speed (1.8 → 2.145) and run speed (1.97 → 2.167) are much faster.
• Cloud walks slightly faster (1.1 → 1.155).
• Cloud's air speed is slightly higher (1.1 → 1.155).
• Cloud's traction is higher (0.055 → 0.106).
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 32 → 30).
• Back roll has more startup (frame 4 → 5) and ending lag (FAF 32 → 35).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 26).
• Spot dodge grants less intangibility (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 34 → 48).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first and second hits have altered angles (60°/82° → 361°/180°) and knockback (42/28 base/24 scaling → 35/20 base/25/15 scaling) to keep opponents close to Cloud, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and jab lock.
  • The first hit transitions faster into the second hit (frame 9 → 8), which transitions faster into the third hit (frame 11 → 9).
  • The final hit's hitbox extends further inwards (Z offset: 9-16 → 8-16), improving its consistency against nearby opponents.
  • The first and third hits have higher hitlag multipliers (1.2× → 1.5× (hit 1), 1.4× → 2× (hit 3)), making them easier to SDI and DI respectively.
  • The first hit has had its three larger hitboxes replaced with four smaller ones (3.9u/2.9u/2.9u → 2u/2u/2.3u/2.3u).
  • Consecutive uses of the first hit are slower (11 frames → 15).
  • Cloud's leg for the first hit is angled lower, making the animation more consistent with the hitbox.
  • The second hit has redistributed hitbox sizes (3.3u/3.3u/3.3u → 3u/3u/3.5u).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt no longer moves Cloud forward slightly, making it safer for spacing, but decreasing its effective range.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has more knockback scaling (60 → 70), noticeably improving its KO potential.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has slightly more ending lag (FAF 64 → 67).
  • Each hit has smaller hitboxes (5.4u/5.4u → 4.5u/4.5u (hit 1), 3u/5.4u/5.4u → 2.5u/5.2u/5.2u (hit 2), 6.8u/6.8u → 5.5u/5.5u (hit 3)), reducing its vertical range.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has less startup lag (frame 15 → 12) with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 47 → 46).
    • Its total duration wasn't fully compensated, giving it two more frames of ending lag.
  • The clean hit has more knockback scaling (96 → 105), improving its KO potential.
• Down smash:
  • The farthest hitbox on the first hit deals less set knockback (120 → 85) and sends at a lower angle (176° (aerial)/165° (grounded) → 155°/150°), allowing it to connect into the second hit more reliably.
  • Down smash deals less damage (4% → 3% (hit 1), 12% → 11% (hit 2)), and the second hit also has less knockback scaling (94 → 92), reducing its KO potential.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (15 frames → 9 (neutral, up), 18 → 11 (forward), 14 → 8 (back), 26 → 16 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has an altered animation where Cloud doesn't stretch his arm as much, noticeably reducing its range.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial's sweetspots have a lower hitlag multiplier (2× → 1.4×), while the sourspots have a higher multiplier (1× → 1.4×).
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has more startup with a shorter clean hit duration (frames 7-9 → 8-9), and no animation change. This reduces its range below and in front of Cloud and prevents it from hitting grounded opponents as easily.
  • The clean hit's deceptively large hitboxes have become smaller (4.7u (frames 7-9) → 4.2u (frame 8)/4u (frame 9)).
  • It auto-cancels later (frame 26 → 32), no longer doing so from a short hop fast fall and immediately after its hitboxes cease.
  • It deals less damage (12% → 11% (clean), 8.5% → 8% (late)) and knockback, and launches at a slightly more horizontal angle (82° → 80°). This hinders its KO potential, but allows it to combo better on landing.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has a shorter duration (frames 11-42 → 11-39) and auto-cancels later (frame 43 → 46), making its late hit harder to combo with.
  • It has more ending lag (FAF 60 → 65).

Throws and other attacks

• All grabs have more startup (frame 7/10/11 (standing/dash/pivot) → 9/12/13) and ending lag (FAF 32/40/37 → 37/45/40).
• Dash grab has slightly less range (Z2 offset: 10.6u → 10.4u).
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (5 frames → 14), but has significantly less startup (frame 5 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 26 → 7), shortening its duration.
  • It deals much less damage (3% → 1.3%).
• Back throw:
  • Back throw deals less knockback to bystanders (100 base/70 scaling → 48/90).
  • It launches bystanders at a lower angle (50° → 45°).
• Down throw:
  • Down throw inflicts hitlag, and thus releases opponents later (frame 18 → 27), giving them more time to DI.
  • Due to the faster knockback physics, it has lost its combo potential.
  • The speed of the throw is no longer weight-dependent.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (8% → 10%).

Special moves

• With the exception of Limit Blade Beam, all of Cloud's Limit Break specials cause Special Zoom when hitting an opponent.
• Blade Beam:
  • Non-Limit Blade Beam has less ending lag on the ground (FAF 61 → 54), improving its camping ability.
  • It has negative shield damage (0 → -4 (grounded, clean)/-3 (grounded, late)/-3.2 (aerial, clean)/-2.4 (aerial, late)), effectively dealing half its usual damage to shields.
• Cross Slash:
  • Limit Cross Slash's strikes slow down significantly when hitting a shield. While this doesn't change the safety of the move on shield due to the new shieldstun formula, it gives opponents substantially more time to react to the move being blocked and continue doing so.
  • Limit Cross Slash's last hit has less knockback scaling (153 → 147), weakening its KO potential.
  • Cross Slash's last hit has a lower hitlag multiplier (2.5× → 2×).
  • Cross Slash's visual effects have a sharper design inspired by Dissidia Final Fantasy instead of the brush-like strokes from Smash 4.
• Climhazzard:
  • Cloud can now tech at the peak of Climhazzard's height.
  • There is a slightly wider window for the downward slash to snap the ledge.
  • It has less landing lag (41 → 26 frames).
  • The rising portion of Climhazzard snaps to ledges earlier (frame 28 → 24).
  • The downward slash's sweetspot has been made untechable [5] and deals set knockback (90 base/25 scaling → 110 set/100 scaling), increasing its knockback at lower percents and allowing the grounded hit to land far more reliably at any percent. It is also easier to use as a sacrificial KO, as meteor smashes can now KO the opponent before they reach the bottom blast line.
  • The downward slash's sourspot deals much less base knockback (130 → 50), with knockback scaling not fully compensated (25 → 80), significantly hindering its safety on hit at lower percents, and in combination with the nerfs to rage, no longer KOing at very low percents near the edge.
  • Due to the changes to jostle mechanics, Cloud's horizontal momentum now immediately halts when hitting opponents with the rising hit of Climhazzard, increasing its vulnerability to edgeguarding. [6]
  • Limit Climhazzard's second early hit has more knockback scaling (135 → 142), improving its KO potential.
  • Limit Climhazzard has a purple blade effect rather than a blue one.
• Limit Charge:
  • Like other charge-cancelable specials, Cloud can cancel Limit Charge by jumping or spot dodging.
  • Cloud fills the Limit Gauge faster from dealing damage (full charge: 250% → 150%) and using Limit Charge (full charge: 400 frames → 335).
  • Canceling it is no longer instantaneous, instead incurring 7 frames of lag, leaving Cloud more vulnerable when charging it.
  • If Cloud gets hit during Limit Charge, including the lag from canceling it, his Limit Gauge is depleted rather than filled.
  • Cloud loses his Limit Break if no special move is used within 15 seconds of reaching full charge, requiring it to be charged again. This makes his Limit Breaks much easier to avoid, and prevents him from having his stats increased indefinitely.
• Finishing Touch:
  • Finishing Touch has less startup lag on the ground (frame 16 → 14).
  • The ground version's late hit has more vertical range during its first frames (Y offset: 16u → 22u), allowing it to hit opponents standing on the lower platforms of Battlefield.
  • It has more knockback scaling (417 (early, grounded)/390 (late, grounded)/359 (early, air)/335 (late, air) → 431/406/371/349), improving its KO potential.
  • It has more ending lag (FAF 80 → 86).
• Omnislash:
  • The final hit has lower knockback scaling (120 → 113) and launches at a lower angle (70° → 65°), weakening its KO potential.

|Corrin====Aesthetics===

• Corrin's appearance is largely the same as it was in SSB4, though his model features a more subdued color scheme. The fabric of his attire is more detailed, which is more noticeable during his Dragon Fang transformations. His eyes are sharper, and his skin tone is slightly more tanned.
  • Besides the latter two, these changes also apply to Corrin's Feral Dragon form. Its features are also more pronounced.
• Corrin's previously unused damage yells from Smash 4's Sound Test are now heard when taking high knockback.
• As with all previous downloadable fighters in SSB4, Corrin now has a unique Palutena's Guidance conversation.
• Corrin has a unique victory theme, based upon Lost in Thoughts All Alone.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Corrin's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 6).
• Corrin runs faster (1.45 → 1.595).
  • Corrin's initial dash speed is faster (1.8 → 1.892).
• Corrin walks faster (1.15 → 1.208).
• Corrin's air speed is higher (0.97 → 1.019).
• Corrin's traction is significantly higher (0.065 → 0.129).
• Corrin's double jump covers less distance.
• Forward roll grants more intangibility (frames 4-14 → 4-15) and has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 30).
• Back roll has more startup (frame 4 → 5) and ending lag (FAF 31 → 35).
• Back roll grants more intangibility (frames 4-14 → 5-16).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 27 → 26).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-27 → 3-29).
• Air dodge has more ending lag (FAF 34 → 50).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • All hits except the second and the neutral infinite's finisher deal less damage (hit 1 tip: 3% → 2.5%, hit 3: 3.3%/5% → 3%/4%, infinite: 0.9% → 0.5%), with knockback scaling only partly compensated on the third hit's sweetspot (140 → 150), reducing its KO potential.
  • The first hit transitions into the second hit faster (frame 11 → 9), which transitions into the neutral infinite faster (frame 9 → 8).
  • The first and second hits have altered angles (hit 1: 160°/92°/110° → 361°/180°, hit 2: 64°/79°/90° → 361°) to keep opponents close to Corrin, and has gained a hitstun modifier of 2, allowing them to connect better and jab lock.
  • The first and second hits have slightly larger hitboxes overall (hit 1: 3.8u/3.8u/1.8u/1.5u → 4.5u/3.8u/1.8u/1.8u, hit 2: 3.5u (all) → 4u/3.5u/3.2u).
  • The first, second and third hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (1x/1.4x → 1.5x/1.6x (hit 1), 1x → 1.2x (hit 2), 1x/1.4x → 1.8x/2x (hit 3)), giving opponents more time to SDI the first two and DI the last one.
  • The first hit no longer deals set knockback (35/20/30 set/100 scaling → 25/20 base/25/20 scaling), causing it to connect less reliably at much higher percents, and removing their jab cancel setups.
  • The third hit of neutral attack has a new animation: it is an outward slash, rather than a stab. This new animation's hitboxes have one frame shorter duration (frames 6-8 → 6-7).
  • The new third hit has less ending lag (FAF 36 → 31).
  • The new third hit has smaller hitboxes (5.7u/4.2u → 5u/4.2u).
  • The new third hit's sourspot extends further inwards and overlaps less with the sweetspot (Z-offset/stretch: 13/11.5 → 11.5/11). This makes the sweetspot easier to land.
  • The neutral infinite has a shorter gap between hits (5 frames → 4), lower hitlag (1x → 0.5x) and SDI (1x → 0.6x) multipliers, and deals less knockback (8 base/40 scaling → 10/20) while gaining a hitstun modifier of 2 for each hit. This allows it to connect more reliably and makes it much harder to escape.
  • One of the neutral infinite's hitboxes that lifted opponents off the ground has been removed. Since its hitbox was larger than the attack's other remaining hitbox, this gives the attack slightly less vertical range.
    • However, the previous neutral infinite's hitbox is extended and positioned differently (Y/Z-offset: 8.5/8 → 7/16, Y/Z-stretch: 0.0/0.0 → 7/10). Since this hitbox keeps opponents on the ground, this makes the infinite harder to escape.
  • The neutral infinite's finisher has an additional hitbox (size: 5.5u, Y/Z-offset: 7.5/19.5). However, the move's other hitboxes are smaller (6u/8u → 4.5u/5.5u) and are positioned differently (ID 0: 8.5 Y-offset/10 Z-offset → 7.5/11.5, ID 1: 8.5 Y-offset/18 Z-offset → 7.5/15.5). While these changes keep its horizontal range mostly intact, they reduce its vertical range and create a blindspot right in front of Corrin.
  • The neutral infinite's finisher deals less knockback (52 base/150 scaling → 85/90), reducing its KO potential.
  • The neutral infinite's finisher launches at a lower angle (50° → 40°), no longer being the same as the third hit's. Combined with its increased base knockback, this makes it much safer on hit.
• Forward tilt:
  • The move has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 8-10 → 8-9).
  • The move launches at a noticeably lower angle, more akin to other forward tilts (70° → 45°). This overall improves its KO power from center stage and especially near edges, making it much more consistent and no longer as vulnerable to LSI.
    • However, it removes its situational juggling potential and hinders its KO power from across the stage.
• Dash attack:
  • The move has one frame slower startup (frame 11 → 12).
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 56 → 50).
  • The move has altered hitbox timings with shorter gaps between hits (frames 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26 → 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 23). The looping hits launch at a minimally lower angle (15° → 14°), have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5x), and their innermost hitboxes have more set knockback (55/12 → 65/25). This allows it to connect more reliably and makes it harder to escape.
• Forward smash:
  • The ability to hold smash attack charges for two additional seconds allows its looping hits' duration to be extended, letting it deal more damage and potentially break shields.
  • The looping charge hits have gained a hitstun modifier of 3, connecting better as a result.
  • Forward smash reaches its maximum range on the first active frame, and its hitboxes no longer change with timing (12%/11% (early), 12%/11%/15.2% (clean), 12%/11%/16.5% (late) → 12%/11%/15.2% (all)).
    • This allows it to hit from farther distances earlier, and causes the early tip sweetspot to come out faster.
    • However, this removes the late tip sweetspot, and shortens the move's hitbox duration (frames 17-22 → 17-18).
  • The move deals more knockback (base and middle: 35 base/99 scaling → 40/103, tip: 35 base/105 scaling → 45/107). This improves the sourspots' KO power, and compensates for the tip's lower damage while making the move safer at low percentages.
  • The move has drastically smaller hitboxes (3.5u/3u/2.2u → 2u/1.7u/1.1u).
  • The middle and tip have higher hitlag multipliers (middle: 0.8x → 1x, tip: 1x → 1.5x).
  • The move has gained a water effect on hit.
• Up smash:
  • The move has a longer hitbox duration (frames 13-15 → 13-17).
  • The tip has more knockback scaling (86 → 91) and more vertical range (Y-stretch: 26-27 → 26-30), improving its KO potential and making it much easier to land.
• Down smash:
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 54 → 49).
  • The back hit's tip sweetspot has lower knockback scaling (95 → 85).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials except down aerial have less landing lag (13 frames → 10 (neutral), 14 → 8 (forward), 14 → 13 (back), 15 → 9 (up)).

• Neutral aerial:
  • The move auto-cancels earlier (frame 50 → 47).
• Forward aerial:
  • The move has more startup lag (frame 7 → 9).
    • However, its total duration remains unchanged, giving it slightly more combo potential into attacks other than itself in the air.
• Up aerial:
  • The move auto-cancels earlier (frame 40 → 37), allowing it to auto-cancel in a short hop.
• Down aerial:
  • The move's looping hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1x → 0.8x) and use weight-independent knockback, allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • Due to universal changes made to stall-then-fall down aerials, the move can no longer fully connect against targets at certain height, worsening its damage output.
  • The move no longer halts Corrin's downward momentum when used out of hitstun after timing it a double jump.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 31 → 37 (standing), 38 → 45 (dash), 36 → 40 (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grab have more startup (frame 8 → 10 (dash), 9 → 11 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have slightly shorter range (standing: 4-8.9 Z-stretch → 4-8.7, dash: 4-10.7 Z-stretch → 4-10.3, pivot: 4-14.9 Z-stretch → 4-14.6).
• Pummel:
  • Corrin has a new pummel, a knee strike.
    • It deals much less damage (3% → 1.3%).
    • However, it has significantly faster startup (frame 16 → 1), deals more hitlag (5 frames → 14) and has less ending lag (FAF 24 → 7), shortening its duration and increasing the number of times Corrin can pummel the opponent before throwing them or before they break out.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw hits and releases the opponent slower (frame 10, 11 → 14, 15), making it easier to DI.
    • However, its total duration remains unchanged, reducing its ending lag.
  • The tipper has lower knockback scaling (120 → 110), reducing its KO ability against bystanders.
• Corrin's back, up and down throws release the opponent one frame faster (frame 14 → 13 (back, up), frame 28 → 27 (down)). However, their total durations remain unchanged, giving them one frame more ending lag.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw's tipper has lower knockback scaling (110 → 100), reducing its KO ability against bystanders.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Dragon Fang Shot:
  • Due to the altered paralysis mechanics, Dragon Fang Shot can deal knockback to offstage opponents that have been already paralyzed, improving its edgeguarding ability, and can paralyze opponents for longer at higher percents.
  • A fully charged shot has less base knockback (50 → 40), but more knockback scaling (80 → 90), improving its KO potential.
  • A fully charged bite has more base knockback (10 → 28), allowing it to KO even earlier.
  • Uncharged Dragon Fang Shot has more startup (frame 15 → 17), with its total duration increased as well (FAF 60 → 62).
  • A non-fully charged shot deals slightly less knockback overall (30/50 base/80 scaling → 20/30/90), and the shot has a much lower hitlag multiplier at all levels of charge (1.3x → 0.3x (uncharged), 0.5x (charged)), paralyzing opponents for a considerably shorter time as a result. This makes it much harder to follow up on, even into the subsequent bite attack.
    • This is further hindered by the new knockback speed up effect, as opponents are launched faster and experience less hitstun at higher percents.
• Dragon Lunge:
  • Dragon Lunge's pin can be manually canceled by pressing down on the control stick. This allows for mix-ups, by allowing pinned opponents to escape faster but setting them up for a tech-chase, and also leaves Corrin less vulnerable if the move misses.
    • Manually canceling the pin also incurs less ending lag (FAF 15 → 13).
  • The jump grants more intangibility (frames 2-5 → 2-7) and has less ending lag (FAF 44 → 40).
  • The kick portion has Corrin slant towards the ground during the kick itself, rather than after. This ends up reducing the distance the kick travels, worsening its utility.
  • Both kicks have drastically more ending lag (FAF 46 → 57 (forward), 46 → 61 (back)).
  • The changes to jostle mechanics significantly hinder the safety of the kicks, especially combined with the aforementioned changes, as Corrin can no longer go through shielding opponents, especially if the opponent is heavier, making the kicks much easier to punish.
  • The early hit of the back kick deals less knockback (70 base/110 scaling → 63/100), making it less safe on hit.
  • Pin canceling incurs 19 frames of landing lag.
• Dragon Ascent:
  • The move is called Dragon Ascent across all English versions of the game, rather than Draconic Ascent in the NTSC version.
  • The move grants more intangibility (frames 10-17 → 7-17).
  • The last hit has more knockback scaling (155 → 170).
  • The move travels more distance, but halts at the end of the move instead of granting slight horizontal momentum. Overall, this improves Corrin's vertical recovery, but at the cost of having no extra momentum for horizontal recovery.
  • It deals seven hits, down from eight, but the second to sixth hits deal more damage (1% → 1.2%), leaving the total unchanged.
• Counter Surge:
  • Counter Surge has a longer counterattack window (frames 7-24 → 7-26). However, with a window of just 20 frames, it is still one of the shortest counter windows in the game.
  • Counter Surge deals less knockback (clean: 90 base/74 scaling → 87/68, late: 90/68 → 85/66). Additionally, the late hit no longer has a higher damage multiplier, instead being consistent throughout (1.2x/1.3x → 1.2x). As a result, it is no longer the strongest counterattack in the game without knockback modifications.
  • It has more ending lag both when missed (FAF 64 → 67) and upon a successful counterattack (FAF 50 → 67), most significantly in the latter case. This removes its combo potential, hinders the effectiveness of consecutive counters (additionally removing the infinite Counter Surge performed by two Corrins), and causes Corrin to no longer be intangible for the entire duration of a counterattack.
  • It has a higher hitlag multiplier (1x → 1.2x), making it easier to DI and SDI.

|Bayonetta====Aesthetics===

• Bayonetta's appearance is largely the same as it was in SSB4, though her model features a more subdued color scheme. Her hair and clothes feature greater detailing and appear less glossy.
• Bayonetta's alternate costumes have been re-ordered; her original outfit now occupies her even-numbered costumes instead of the second half, similar to Cloud.
• Love is Blue and Scarborough Fair have louder sound effects to distinguish the two.
• While veterans' facial expressions were typically upgraded, Bayonetta seems to lack expressions she possessed in the previous installment, notably in her Screen KO, a wink in one of her victory animations, and during certain moves such as up tilt.
• The excess hair tendrils hanging from her outfits have more individual physics.
• Bayonetta's taunts are sped up.
• When the victory screen shows her name, Bayonetta's glasses glint at the edge. While this was present in her victory poses in Smash 4, it only showed for a brief moment.
• As with all previous downloadable fighters in SSB4, Bayonetta now has a unique Palutena's Guidance conversation.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Bayonetta's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Bayonetta is lighter (84 → 81), further hindering her endurance.
• Bayonetta's initial dash speed (1.6 → 1.936) and run speed (1.6 → 1.76) are much faster.
• Bayonetta walks slightly faster (0.9 → 0.945).
• Bayonetta's air speed is faster (0.97 → 1.019).
• Bayonetta's traction is much higher (0.055 → 0.11).
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 38 → 32). Bat Within also activates faster and has a longer duration (frames 3-5 → 2-5).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 6-19 → 6-15).
• Back roll has less ending lag (FAF 38 → 37). Bat Within also has a longer duration (frames 3-5 → 3-6).
• Back roll has more startup and grants less intangibility (frames 6-19 → 7-16).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 26).
• Spot dodge has more startup and grants less intangibility (frames 5-19 → 6-17). Bat Within also activates slower (frame 1 → 2).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 5-27 → 5-31).
• Air dodge has more ending lag (FAF 37 → 46).
• With the reintroduction of directional air dodges, Bayonetta can take advantage of her special moves not causing helplessness by getting additional distance with a directional air dodge after using them. This slightly improves her recovery.
  • Bat Within cannot have its direction altered, instead always going straight down. If Bayonetta is hit offstage and attempts to recover with a directional air dodge, and Bat Within activates, this could cause her to self-destruct.
• Much like other characters, Bayonetta's wall jump covers significantly less distance, making her more frail while offstage.
• Bullet Arts' range has been significantly reduced on all of her moves.
• Bullet Arts are no longer susceptible to Stun Jacket.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first three hits have altered angles (hit 1: 55°/55°/85° → 361°/180°; hit 2: 48°/68°/82°/70° → 361°; hit 3: 68°/85°/68°/90° → 361°) and knockback (hit 1: 45/30/42 base, 25 scaling → 36/32, 8; hit 2: 45/40/38/40, 25 → 42/38, 8; hit 3: 47/47/28/28, 20 → 40, 8) to keep opponents close to Bayonetta, akin to other neutral attacks, and have gained hitstun modifiers (0 → 8 (hits 1-2), 10 (hit 3)). This allows them to connect better and jab lock.
  • The second and third hits have less startup (frame 9 → 7 (hit 2), 11 → 7 (hit 3)).
  • The rapid jab has a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.6×) and SDI multiplier (0.6× → 0.4×), and has gained a hitstun modifier of 2 for each hit, making it harder to escape.
  • The rapid jab's finisher deals more knockback (70 base/90 scaling → 67/117).
  • All hits deal less damage (1.5% → 1.4% (hits 1-2), 2.7% → 2.2% (hit 3), 0.3% → 0.2% (rapid jab), 1% → 0.5% (finisher, hit 1), 6% → 5% (finisher, hit 2)).
  • The first three hits have more ending lag (FAF 26 → 32 (hit 1), 31 → 32 (hit 2), 34 → 40 (hit 3)).
• Forward tilt:
  • The first and second hit have altered angles (hit 1: 60°/45°/75°/80°/45° → 58°/45°/70°/70°/50°, hit 2: 43°/75° → 48°/62°) and knockback (hit 1: 62/50/45/60/56 base, 25/15/25/15/25 scaling → 55/45/50/35/60, 15; hit 2: 60/58 base → 42/46), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The first and third hits deal less damage (3.5% → 3% (hit 1), 8.5% → 7% (hit 3)), though with the latter's knockback scaling mostly compensated (60 → 68).
• Up tilt:
  • The first hit's grounded hitbox launches opponents into the second hit rather than away from Bayonetta (68° → 123°), and has altered knockback (80 base/40 scaling → 100/10) allowing it to connect more consistently.
  • The move has more startup (frame 7 → 9 (hit 1), 11 → 15 (hit 2)) and more ending lag (FAF 27 → 32), and the second hit has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 11-12 → frame 15), hindering the move's combo potential despite the second hit having decreased base knockback (60 → 55).
  • The first hit deals less damage when clean (5% → 1.5%), being less than the late hit's damage.
  • The first hit's aerial hitbox connects worse into the second hit due to its lower angle (110° → 123°), despite having altered knockback (80 base/40 scaling → 90/10).
• Down tilt:
  • The move has more ending lag (FAF 27 → 29), hindering its combo potential.
  • The move deals less damage (6%/7% → 5%/6%). While its knockback scaling was not fully compensated (50 → 55), its combo potential remains worse due to its increased ending lag.
• Dash attack:
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 47 → 43).
  • It deals more knockback (85 base/55 scaling → 78/71 (clean), 80/65 (late)).
  • It has a larger hitbox (4.2u → 5u (clean), 4.5u (late)).
• Smash attacks:
  • All Wicked Weave hitboxes have been split into ground-only and aerial-only hitboxes, with the latter possessing transcendent priority. This prevents them from getting canceled out by aerial attacks.
  • They have a lower maximum damage multiplier (1.4× → 1.2×).
  • They have 8 additional frames of ending lag if they hit a shield.
• Forward smash:
  • The move has less startup (frame 19 → 17).
    • However, its total duration was not fully compensated (FAF 68 → 67), giving it one frame more ending lag.
  • Forward smash can be angled. Despite this, all angles still have a blindspot directly in front of her.
• Down smash:
  • The second hit has a longer hitbox duration (frames 25-27 → 25-28).
  • The second hit's meteor smash hitbox has less knockback scaling (90 → 80).

Aerial attacks

• Forward, back and up aerial have less landing lag (14 frames → 12 (forward), 12 → 10 (back), 12 → 8 (up)).
• All aerials except down aerial have more landing lag if their Bullet Arts extensions are used (10 frames → 18 (neutral), 12 → 18 (forward), 12 → 16 (back, up)). This worsens Bayonetta's pressure ability with her neutral and up aerials.
• Neutral aerial:
  • The move deals drastically less knockback (40 base/100 scaling → 65/60 (clean), 40/90 → 65/50 (late)), no longer KOing under 300% from the center of most stages. While this allows it to combo for longer, it most significantly hinders Bayonetta's KO ability at high percents.
  • The Bullet Arts extension deals less damage (4.5% → 3%) and knockback (50 base/100 scaling → 60/85).
• Forward aerial:
  • All hits deal more damage (3% → 4% (hit 1), 2.2% → 3.3% (hit 2), 6% → 7% (hit 3)).
  • All hits have more ending lag (FAF 27 → 38 (hit 1), 32 → 40 (hit 2), 40 → 47 (hit 3)). This prevents the first hit from comboing into After Burner Kick or Witch Twist, or being used repeatedly to drag opponents offstage, significantly weakening its utility.
  • The first hit has noticeably smaller hitboxes (4u/8u → 2.8u/5.8u) and less vertical range (Y offset: 8u/16u/12u → 9.2u/14.8u/12u).
  • The first hit auto-cancels later (frame 28 → 30).
  • The third hit's angle has been altered (44° → 54°). This worsens its KO ability near the horizontal blast lines, but combined with its knockback not being compensated for its increased damage, this allows it to KO more reliably at the end of a ladder combo.
• Back aerial:
  • The move has more ending lag (FAF 30 → 35).
  • Its hitboxes are smaller (6.2u/4.8u → 4.6u/4.2u), with the sweetspot no longer being disjointed and extending over Bayonetta's foot.
• Up aerial:
  • The move deals less damage (9% → 7.5%), its knockback scaling has been reduced (90 → 80), and it launches at a more horizontal angle (75° → 55°). While this allows it to combo into back aerial and After Burner Kick, it hinders its combo potential into most other moves at higher percents, and renders it vulnerable to LSI. These nerfs significantly hinder its KO ability, no longer KOing vertically from a ladder combo until much higher percents, unless it is initiated very close to the top blast line.
  • The Bullet Arts extension deals less damage (4% → 3%).
• Down aerial:
  • The move deals set knockback to grounded opponents (30/80 base/120/50 scaling → 50/90 set/100 scaling) to lead more effectively into the landing hit, allowing it to deal more damage and KO them more effectively.
    • However, this gives the meteor smash hitboxes a random chance to trip opponents of Samus's weight and above, as they do not cause them to tumble, making it unable to lead into the landing hit.
  • It deals less knockback to aerial opponents (80 base/50 scaling → 50/65 (clean), 30/50 (late)), no longer being able to KO off a meteor smash at very low percents, and the landing hit has less knockback scaling (135 → 127), KOing later onstage.
  • It has more ending lag (FAF 48 → 53), making it harder to use offstage without self-destructing.
  • It has more landing lag (28 frames → 30).
  • As aerial footstools are techable, down aerial can no longer be confirmed into from a footstool, further worsening its KO ability.
  • It no longer deals weight-independent knockback, making it weaker against heavier opponents, but stronger against lighter ones.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more range (Z2 offset: 8.7u → 9.2u (standing), 10.6u → 10.9u (dash), -14.7u → -15.5u (pivot)).
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 31 → 38 (standing), 38 → 46 (dash), 36 → 41 (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grab have more startup (frame 9 → 10 (dash), 10 → 11 (pivot)).
  • Bayonetta's hand grabs characters using a form of Umbran magic, as seen via a slightly updated animation where she swings her hand around, which is sparkling with a noticeable Umbran purple.
• Pummel:
  • It deals much less damage (1.6% (hits 1-2) → 0.6% (hit 1), 0.7% (hit 2); 3.2% → 1.3% total).
  • It deals more hitlag per hit (4 frames → 10), but has significantly less startup (frame 7, 14 → 1, 4) and ending lag (FAF 22 → 7). This overall shortens its duration and increases the amount of times Bayonetta can pummel the opponent before throwing them or before they break out.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Bullet Climax:
  • The move's bullets have more range.
  • Fully charged bullets deal more knockback (20 base/150 scaling → 15/190).
  • The move has more ending lag (FAF 71 → 76).
  • The move needs to be fully charged before it can be charge-canceled.
  • It can only be held for up to one second upon reaching full charge.
  • The bullets have received negative shield damage (0 → -0.3 (uncharged), -0.6 (charged)).
• Heel Slide and After Burner Kick have lower hitlag multipliers (Heel Slide: 1.2× → 0.9× (hit 1), 1× (hit 2); After Burner Kick: 2× → 1.4× (up), 1.5× → 1.2× (down)), although this is offset by the universal increase to hitlag, except in battles with more than two players.
• Heel Slide:
  • The second hit comes out faster (frame 54 → 51).
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 78 → 73).
  • All hits deal less damage (9%/8.5%/8% → 8%/7.5%/7% (hit 1, clean/mid/late), 6% → 5% (hit 2)).
  • It has an increased SDI multiplier (1× → 1.3×).
  • The second hit cannot be performed if the first hit is shielded. Combined with the changes to jostle mechanics preventing the move from crossing up shields, this makes it much easier to punish.
  • The second hit has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 54-59 → 51-55).
• After Burner Kick:
  • The normal version travels on a more horizontal angle and gains less vertical height, worsening her recovery.
  • Both variations bounce farther away when hitting a wall, sometimes not snapping the ledge afterwards, requiring the use of a directional air dodge to grab the ledge.
  • Upon hitting an opponent with After Burner Kick, the second one can only be used within a one-second window afterwards, hindering its mixup potential.
    • Additionally, it cannot be used altogether if the first one is shielded.
  • The downwards version can be inputted by pressing down during the first five frames of After Burner Kick.
  • The downwards version launches grounded opponents at a higher angle (60° → 80°), much like in Smash 4 before update 1.1.6, allowing it to be a reliable combo starter once again.
  • The downwards version can no longer be auto-canceled.
  • The downwards version has a higher SDI multiplier (2× → 2.5×).
• Witch Twist:
  • The move's looping hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1.3× → 0.8×), and the first hit can no longer be SDIed, making it harder to escape.
  • One of the first hit's hitboxes is slightly larger if used in the air (5u → 5.3u).
  • The move has more startup (frame 4 → 6) and ending lag (FAF 29 → 32), slightly weakening it as an out of shield option and followup.
  • It gains less vertical height, making it even harder to drag opponents to the top blast line, as well as worsening her recovery.
  • It takes much longer to sweetspot edges from the front (frame 11 → 27), and can no longer sweetspot them from behind.
  • The first hit's body hitbox is much smaller (4u (grounded)/5u (aerial) → 2.5u/3u), no longer extending behind Bayonetta, preventing it from hitting opponents behind her into the multi-hits. The subsequent hits' hitboxes are also smaller (7u → 5u/4.5u/2u (looping hits), 8.5u → 6.5u (last hit)) and placed higher, meaning they cannot hit some crouching or shorter opponents such as Pichu.
    • However, since 3.1.0, it received a new smaller hitbox on Bayonetta's body to help it connect into the rest of the multi-hits more consistently.
• Witch Time:
  • The move has more startup (frame 5 → 8).
    • However, its counter window is slightly longer (frames 5-21 → 8-27), no longer being the shortest, with Bat Within's window taking place later (frames 18-29 → 24-35). It also grants more intangibility (frames 5-16 → 8-23).
  • It has significantly more ending lag (FAF 50 → 67).
    • It also takes significantly longer for Bayonetta to act out of the move after its activation (frame 15 → 40 (normal), 50 (Bat Within)).
  • The minimum duration has been lowered (30 → 22).
  • Bat Within's minimum duration has been lowered to 12 frames.
  • Its duration scaling is higher (10 → 30), meaning its duration increases by 30 frames for every 100% the opponent takes, rather than by 10 frames. This allows it to reach its maximum duration faster (600% → 500% fresh).
    • However, its base duration has been halved (180 frames → 90). This causes a 300% Witch Time to be equivalent to a 0% Witch Time in Smash 4, and drastically reduces its utility, no longer being effective at any percent range even against uncharged smash attacks.
  • It has less penalty frames per use (75 → 60).
  • Its regeneration per frame is slower (0.06 → 0.04).
  • The slowdown hitbox is twice as large (30u → 60u), allowing it to affect opponents from much farther distances.
  • The screen turns dark whenever someone is affected by Witch Time.
  • The Bat Within portion always takes away 30 frames from the duration, as opposed to reducing the length to 2/3 in Smash 4. This makes the Bat Within portion longer if Witch Time would be above 30 frames, but less if at or below 30.
• Infernal Climax:
  • When Witch Time is activated, opponents move a little faster. This makes it easier to dodge her attacks but effectively reduces intangibility for every consecutive dodges during the Final Smash.
  • Infernal Climax deals less damage before releasing opponents (30% → 28% (Gomorrah), 15% → 13% (full Climax Gauge)).
    • However, when the Final Smash ends, opponents take an additional 10% damage.
  • The Climax Gauge takes longer to fill up, requiring more button presses in order to achieve a full gauge.
  • Each succesful input to fill the Climax Gauge uses a distinct sound effect from the Bayonetta games.

Recovery frames

• Witch Twist has less landing lag (19 → 18).
• After Burner Kick has less landing lag (20 → 18).
• Witch Twist to After Burner Kick has less landing lag (25 → 22).
• Downwards After Burner Kick has much more landing lag if it connects (20 → 30).
• After Burner Kick to Downwards After Burner Kick, and DABK to DABK has much more landing lag (30 → 40). ABK to DABK still has 30 frames of landing lag.
• Whiffed Downwards After Burner Kick can no longer autocancel, and it has 20 frames of landing lag.
• Bayonetta gains recovery frames for air dodging after Witch Twist (18 → 22) and combinations that would give her 28 frames of landing lag (28 → 38).
• Several combinations of moves give her less landing lag (30 → 28, 43 → 38).
• Down aerial adds ten frames of landing lag to combinations that give Bayonetta 28 (32 in Smash 4) frames of landing lag (32 → 38). This removes her ability to bypass landing lag with this move.
• Using an upwards directional air dodge after using Witch Twist increases the landing lag she would receive (19 → 25).
• Downwards After Burner Kick's landing hitbox has 50 recovery frames after any combo minus Witch Twist to DABK and DABK alone. This increases the maximum landing lag Bayonetta can receive (43 → 50).

|This template contains the technical changelists for all veterans from Super Smash Bros. 4 in the transition to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. If you're an autoconfirmed user, you can edit it and locate characters by using your browser's search function, but please be sure to verify all changes you add to the template via resources such as the games' scripts (which can be found here), and in-game testing if necessary. }}