User:Yo'ster/Desyncing

Overview

The Ice Climbers are unusual in that the player is controlling two characters simultaneously. For Ice Climbers, the lead climber (Popo by default) is controlled directly while the partner climber (Nana by default) is AI-controlled and follows the player's actions on a slight delay, attacking alongside the leader. If both are separated for any reason, the partner AI will prioritize returning to the leader. During this time, they will not follow any player inputs until getting within a certain distance of the player. While the partner's separate actions are unpredictable and often unfavorable, they can be manipulated to perform basic actions like attacking an opponent.

Desyncing can also be set up intentionally without having to separate the two. This is partially due to how the partner has a seven frame delay during most inputs, and from having different attributes from the leader. With slightly higher jump height, gravity, fall speed, and dash speed (as of Ultimate). Specific maneuvers take advantage of these by using specific means to delay the partner's actions, the most common being during grabs to allow the partner to attack a captive opponent or regrab them (though this particular method no longer applies in Ultimate due to changes made to grabs). Once desynced, the 2nd climber will perform moves independent of what the lead climber does as long as the player continues to press buttons.

Desyncing allows the player to perform a move with one part of the duo, whilst inputting a different command to the other, which can allow for highly damaging true combos, zero-to-death strings, and even infinites. It can also be used as a means of multitasking if the player is presented with multiple desirable opportunities. As one might expect, desyncing offers near limitless potential in terms of both metagame advancements and artistic expression, with a plethora of setups for every in-game situation, no matter how essential or impractical any may be. As such, discovering and documenting every known usage of desyncing across several games is a nigh-impossible undertaking, and most can only hope to scratch the surface of what's possible.

Desync subtypes

There are several kinds of desync that differ in execution. Most methods differ by game.

Neutral-based desyncs, or NBDs, are used in a "neutral state", i.e. not requiring an opponent to be hit or grabbed. Aerial NBDs usually involve the partner acting first, while Grounded NBDs typically involve the leader acting first.

Combo-based desyncs, or CBDs, require an opponent to be hit or grabbed. Most CBDs are kill confirms.

Miscellaneous desyncs, or MDs, don't apply to the categories above. They are situational, but have potential.

"Unconventional" desyncs, or UDs, are difficult, risky, or otherwise impractical to use, and possess little to no real practical use.

Desyncing Methods

Aerial animation

An aerial animation desync involves executing an animation (from aerials, empty hops, autocancels, or airdodges) just before landing. This can be performed in any of the three Smash games the duo is in, but it's easiest to perform in SSBU due to the partner's higher jump height, gravity, and fall speed. When performing an aerial animation desync in SSBU, only the leader will undergo the aerial's landing lag.

Primary Variants

Aerial autocancel: Performed by buffering 2 aerials back-to-back from a short-hop. The following aerial strings can be used:

Up Aerial - Up Aerial Up Aerial - Back Aerial Up Aerial - Neutral Aerial Back Aerial - Up Aerial Back Aerial - Back Aerial Back Aerial - Neutral Aerial

For the aerial strings that begin with back aerial, the earliest hitbox (on frame 8) must connect first. Otherwise, the second aerial will not allow them to desync.

Aerial landing: If the Ice Climbers land in the middle of a synchronized aerial, buffering an input a few frames before landing will have the partner act with said input. To do this, the player must short hop and use an aerial just before reaching the apex of the jump. Afterwards, immediately fast fall and input a move, letting go of the buttons for said move as soon as possible.

Empty hop: Right before landing with both Ice Climbers, if a move is buffered, the partner will perform said move immediately upon landing. Compared to Aerial Landing, the lead climber won't incur any landing lag, but this method is more difficult to perform.

Niche Variants

Another method is the Semi-solid version, requiring players to fall through a semi-solid platform, use neutral aerial, and then buffer a special move before touching the ground. They mustn't fast fall though, as this will incur landing lag and may end up performing another technique, instead.

Soymilk

The Soymilk desync, also known as the Skid, is initiated by dashing in one direction, releasing the Control Stick so that the climbers skid to a halt, then moving the Control Stick the opposite direction so that the leader turns around, and quickly interrupting the turning animation with a grounded move. If correctly executed, the 1st Climber will perform the move and the 2nd Climber will dash forward. The move input has to be made BEFORE the partner turns. That way, they'll interpret the turnaround as an initial dash. The dash interrupts the skid as early as frame 8. This means that the player must skid, turn, and input a move at least 8 frames after the first skid, but less than 6 frames after the turn. Due to differences in movement mechanics, the Soymilk desync may only work in SSBU.

Squall

A squall desync is performed by timing an input at the end of a synced Squall Hammer. This will have the 2nd Climber act first, and works whether or not an opponent is hit. Squall Hammer autocancels as long as the Ice Climbers land within 30 frames of the aerial version's ending, meaning the player should be airborne during the end of the move to autocancel it and get the duo to act at the same time. (being perfectly synced actually works as a desync setup since the partner can buffer inputs sooner) Pressing B during the last swing of the move will cause the Ice Climbers to hop off the ground and enter the autocancel window. It can also be autocanceled after hopping off one of the platforms on Pokémon Stadium 2. The squall desync works in all three of the Smash games the Ice Climbers are in.

Variants

Offensive: If an opponent is caught, the player can try to hop alongside the them for a handful of desync-oriented strings. While followups from Squall Hammer are seldom true, victims won't usually have enough time to escape, and will grant the duo better positioning either way.

Neutral/Defensive: If the attack is blocked, the climbers can hop away from their target to avoid opposing out of shield options and reset neutral. The player can then desync to perform techniques such as blizzwall.

Throw buffer

One major change to the Ice Climbers in Ultimate is how the 2nd climber cheers when the 1st climber throws an opponent. After a successful throw, both climbers are able to move at the same time, but the partner's wider input buffer window allows players to get the partner to move without their leader. On frame 33 of their down throw, (look for the green shockwave that appears when their victim hits the ground) there is a 3 frame window for the partner to input any move. The player must also buffer an action with the leader immediately after the partner's input and release. Neither climber will do anything post-throw if the input is too early, but they'll both move at the same time if the input is too late. Throw buffers technically work in Melee and Brawl as well, but such precision therein is unnecessary since the partner climber can act during grabs and throws, anyway. In fact, waiting until just the right moment to set up a Throw Buffer desync in Melee or Brawl can be more of a hinderance and leave potential damage and KOs on the table. This is especially true due to those games allowing Chain grabbing, which heavily incentivizes players to keep opponents within their grab range.

Variants

Leader followup The lead climber converts after throwing their opponent while the desynced partner is positioned to extend the combo. The 2nd climbers's Squall Hammer is often used as part of The Nut, which works on all characters, except Pichu and Jigglypuff, although rage can make it unreliable for another handful of the cast.

Partner followup The 2nd climber converts after the 1st throws their opponent. The desynced leader then positions themselves to extend the combo. The duo can perform alternating aerials for ladder combos at unusually early percents and/or use the partner's forward air as a finisher.

Cheer cancel

These methods circumvent the 2nd climber's cheering animation during a throw, forcing the partner to respond to player input and allowing the player to position their partner climber and/or attack sooner than they could if they were cheering. Cheer Canceling is used for a variety of strings, such as cheerless smashes and forward-throw-to-forward-air. Since SSBM and SSBB grant partner climbers free movement by default, cheer canceling is technically impossible but wholly unnecessary, because there is no cheering to cancel in the 1st place.

Variants

Standard This version cancels the 2nd climber's cheering animation through IASA frames, causing them to instead respond to inputs with moves such as roll, spot dodge, and initial dash.

Standing/dash grab The player buffers a grab without relying on IASA frames to prevent the 2nd climber from cheering. The moment the lead climber reaches for their target, the control stick and grab button should be untouched, and a pummel should be buffered. Then, immediately press and hold the input for the player's preferred conversion.

Hitlag

The hitlag desync requires one of the Ice Climbers or the opponent to be hit. The hitlag on any fighter can be used to desync.

Primary Variants

Before-type setups These interrupt animations and have Popo himself attack before Nana does. Since the partner climber waits 7 frames to respond to player input, moves with a startup time faster than 7 frames can be used by the lead climber while the player makes their partner do something else during the hitlag of their leader's attack. Different animations have different timing windows. For example, Pressing and releasing neutral attack within the first 4 frames of a dash input, shield drop, or crouch can have Popo attack alone. Before-type desyncs are used to setup combos such as jab to win, and they're going to beat you to death, and can make any of the duo's smash attacks into very fast and powerful out-of-parry options at kill percent.

After-type setups These are performed at the end of synced attacks that connect, and can make the 2nd climber move individually with a precise buffer. After-type setups allow players to desync their duo as long as they land an attack, but this can occasionally get in the way when attempting a simple bread-and-butter combo.

Niche Variants

These setups have the duo desyncing by buffering a move after taking a hit. Knockback (and subsequently, hitstun) scales with percentage, so timing varies based on how much damage either climber has taken. If they are at significantly different percentages, the partner climber may be too far away to respond to player input, but such a separation would result in a desync, anyway. Since the divide and conquer strategy is a common means of countering the Ice Climbers, taking advantage of desyncing opportunities can help to turn a supposed weakness on its head.

strings and stuff find a better spot to put these

After knocking an opponent to the ground, the player can time a solo Ice Shot with Nana to lock them if they don't tech, and Popo can follow behind it for a kill confirm, or a tech chase. During up aerial strings, the player can buffer a second up air during Nana's hitlag, and while Popo is in the animation of his second up air, Nana can be made made to use forward aerial from a double jump. With the variety of getup options available at ledge, ledge desyncs can be mixed and matched in many ways.

Up smash out of shield When up smashing out of shield, by releasing and holding the attack button again, the player can have Popo up smash alone while Nana continues charging her up smash. Useful against opponents that try to grab Popo out of shield; when they try to grab him, Nana loses control and immediately strikes the opponent. This can be countered by the opponent using an attack to knock Nana out of her charge, but Popo is free to release it whenever. Short-Hop Neutral Aerial: By connecting with a buffered short-hop neutral aerial on frame 6, the player can cancel Nana's jumpsquat into any special move. Good for out-of-shield neutral aerial (frame 9) on tall characters.

Ledge

Ledge desyncs are initiated after grabbing the ledge by use of Belay or Squall Hammer with both climbers. During their edge grabbing animation, a well-timed input will make the 2nd climber move independently.

Variants

Belay When recovering with Belay, the player can buffer a getup option right before the leader is able to respond accordingly. This will make only their partner get up if timed correctly. It should be noted that the 2nd climber will choose a get up option on their own if they just barely make it to the ledge.

Squall Hammer When recovering with Squall Hammer, the player can buffer a getup option for their partner right before the leader is able to respond to it. This will make only the partner get up if timed correctly.

Foxtrot

Performed by foxtrotting. At the end of a foxtrot, whiff a grab and continue to foxtrot with Nana instead, causing her to continue to move. Players can continuously buffer dash grabs. Since Nana is compelled to stand still during a grab, this can be used to but some space between the two and desync them.

Down smash

An easy method. Upon performing down smash, the player can buffer a dash forward near the end of the animation. Due to being programmed to face the other way when using down smash, Nana will dash the opposite direction. This setup only works in SSBU, since in Melee and Brawl, the Ice Climbers have a completely different down smash that doesn't make Nana swing the other way.

Dodge

Dodges can easily get the Ice Climbers desynced at least slightly, and skilled players can use dodge desyncs to turn nearly every defensive maneuver into an impressive showing of technical skill.

Variants

By angling the c stick left, right, or down, and holding z at the same time, Popo will repeatedly grab, and Nana will continuously roll or spotdodge as long as the c stick is held in any direction besides up. A desync can then be started at any point between grabs.

Spotdodging repeatedly to stale it can slowly but surely desync the duo due to the 2nd climber's delayed movement, causing the lead climber's spotdodge to stale sooner and making them slower to act.

Rolling behind an opponent and/or Performing the Sacred Combo can also work as a substitute for cheer canceling, since buffering a grab and then another option right after stops the usual cheering.