Falco (SSB4)/Down aerial

Hitbox visualization showing Falco's down aerial.

Overview

Falco turns diagonally and, with one foot extended, performs a downward corkscrew stomp. This move is a meteor smash on aerial opponents. Grounded opponents are sent upwards instead, which leaves them open to other moves and prevents them from teching.

This move has a few interesting properties. As a carryover from Melee, it is one of the few meteor smashes that sends opponents diagonally downwards, more akin to a spike from that game, making it more difficult for them to reach the stage. It also benefits greatly from frame cancelling due to its high hitlag, which will almost eliminate the otherwise high landing lag Falco would suffer. The late hit can also jab reset any floored opponent, leaving them wide open to anything Falco decides to use. In spite of these valuable assets, this move is rarely used as an approach, due to its slow startup and high ending and landing lag. It is most commonly used in edgeguarding or as a follow-up after a down throw.

Update history

1.0.4/ 1.0.0

• Landing lag (26 frames → 23).

1.0.4/ 1.0.1

• Ending lag (FAF 58 → 52).

1.0.8

• Clean hit duration (frames 16-18 → 16-19).
• Clean hit angle against grounded opponents (285° → 80°).
• Late hit hitbox size (5u → 5.3u).

Hitboxes

ID	Part	Damage	SD	Angle	BK	KS	FKV	Radius	Bone	Offset			SDIx	H×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Type	Effect	G	A	Sound	Direct
Clean hit
0	0	13%	0		10	80	0	4.2	5	3.5	0.0	-1.0	1.0x	2.0x	0%							Kick
1	0	13%	0		10	80	0	4.2	5	3.5	0.0	-1.0	1.0x	2.0x	0%							Kick
Late hit
0	0	8%	0		20	90	0	5.3	5	3.5	0.0	-1.0	1.0x	1.0x	0%							Kick

Timing

Attack

Initial autocancel	1-3
Clean hit	16-19
Late hit	20-30
Ending autocancel	38-
Interruptible	52
Animation length	63

Landing lag

Animation length	23

Legend (1 square = 1 frame)

Lag time

Hitbox

Hitbox change

Autocancel

Interruptible

Falco's moveset

Neutral attack (1 · 2 · inf) · Forward tilt · Up tilt · Down tilt · Dash attack · Forward smash · Up smash · Down smash
Neutral aerial · Forward aerial · Back aerial · Up aerial · Down aerial
Grab · Pummel · Forward throw · Back throw · Up throw · Down throw
Forward roll · Back roll · Spot dodge · Air dodge · Techs
Floor attack (front) · Floor getups (front) · Floor attack (back) · Floor getups (back) · Floor attack (trip) · Floor getups (trip)
Edge attack · Edge getups
Neutral special (def · c1 · c2) · Side special (def · c1 · c2) · Up special (def · c1 · c2) · Down special (def · c1 · c2) · Final Smash