Joker (SSBU): Difference between revisions
→Attributes: Nearly every character has one or two moves that are near-useless in anything but specific situations, it's not like this is a unique detriment to Joker.
(→Trivia: Updated the victory screen number.) |
(→Attributes: Nearly every character has one or two moves that are near-useless in anything but specific situations, it's not like this is a unique detriment to Joker.) |
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Joker possesses a [[fighter ability]] unique to him in the form of [[Rebellion Gauge]]. This gauge fills up each time Joker takes damage, one of his teammates takes damage, or one of his teammates is KO'd (the latter two happenings during [[team battle]]s). Joker will also respawn with some of the Rebellion Gauge filled up if he gets KO'd. His [[down special]], [[Rebel's Guard]], helps Joker during this, by negating the knockback he would receive from an attack and halving the damage he takes while filling up the Rebellion Gauge; this move also doubles as a [[counterattack]], albeit a very weak one (similarly to {{SSBU|Incineroar}}'s [[Revenge]]) by knocking nearby opponents away. Once the Rebellion Gauge is filled up, Joker summons his Persona, [[Arsène]], to aid him in battle, similarly to [[Rosalina]]'s [[Luma]]. With Arsène present, Joker's regular attacks gain a significant boost in damage (and thus safety on shield) and knockback, as well as slightly more range, and his down aerial gains the ability to [[meteor smash]], giving him an additional edgeguarding tool. Arsène is completely invincible during any move boosted by him, which means opponents can't make him disappear without hitting Joker, which is the only way to deplete the Rebellion Gauge faster. Similarly to Cloud's [[Limit Break]], Joker's special moves also become more powerful under Arsène's influence. Gun becomes Gun Special, which can shoot multiple times quickly and deals more than twice as much damage. Eiha becomes Eigaon, a much faster projectile that travels further and has a larger area of impact, explodes on contact with an opponent or solid ground, and deals considerably more curse damage. Its speed and range make it effective for punishing opponents at a distance or pressuring opponents who attempt to edgeguard Joker. It also deals considerable damage as well, making it a highly potent punish tool. Grappling Hook is replaced with Wings of Rebellion, which functions similarly to {{SSBU|Pit}}'s [[Power of Flight]], granting Joker high vertical distance and possessing long-lasting invincibility during startup (that starts on frame 1 on the ground), though it loses Grappling Hook's attack presence. Finally, his down special becomes [[Rebel's Guard|Tetrakarn/Makarakarn]], a very effective counterattack and [[reflection|reflector]] similar to {{SSBU|Palutena}}'s [[Counter]]/[[Reflect Barrier]]. Both counters are better than comparative moves as well; both have very low startup lag (with Tetrakarn having the fastest startup of any counterattack) and the lowest ending lag of any counterattack. Tetrakarn has a huge hitbox that completely covers Joker's body and a huge area around him, and has the strongest damage multiplier of any counterattack at 1.6x (while also hitting for a minimum of 12% damage regardless of the attack). Meanwhile, Makarakarn has the third-highest damage multiplier of any reflector at 1.6x, and also greatly increases the speed of reflected projectiles at 1.9x. | Joker possesses a [[fighter ability]] unique to him in the form of [[Rebellion Gauge]]. This gauge fills up each time Joker takes damage, one of his teammates takes damage, or one of his teammates is KO'd (the latter two happenings during [[team battle]]s). Joker will also respawn with some of the Rebellion Gauge filled up if he gets KO'd. His [[down special]], [[Rebel's Guard]], helps Joker during this, by negating the knockback he would receive from an attack and halving the damage he takes while filling up the Rebellion Gauge; this move also doubles as a [[counterattack]], albeit a very weak one (similarly to {{SSBU|Incineroar}}'s [[Revenge]]) by knocking nearby opponents away. Once the Rebellion Gauge is filled up, Joker summons his Persona, [[Arsène]], to aid him in battle, similarly to [[Rosalina]]'s [[Luma]]. With Arsène present, Joker's regular attacks gain a significant boost in damage (and thus safety on shield) and knockback, as well as slightly more range, and his down aerial gains the ability to [[meteor smash]], giving him an additional edgeguarding tool. Arsène is completely invincible during any move boosted by him, which means opponents can't make him disappear without hitting Joker, which is the only way to deplete the Rebellion Gauge faster. Similarly to Cloud's [[Limit Break]], Joker's special moves also become more powerful under Arsène's influence. Gun becomes Gun Special, which can shoot multiple times quickly and deals more than twice as much damage. Eiha becomes Eigaon, a much faster projectile that travels further and has a larger area of impact, explodes on contact with an opponent or solid ground, and deals considerably more curse damage. Its speed and range make it effective for punishing opponents at a distance or pressuring opponents who attempt to edgeguard Joker. It also deals considerable damage as well, making it a highly potent punish tool. Grappling Hook is replaced with Wings of Rebellion, which functions similarly to {{SSBU|Pit}}'s [[Power of Flight]], granting Joker high vertical distance and possessing long-lasting invincibility during startup (that starts on frame 1 on the ground), though it loses Grappling Hook's attack presence. Finally, his down special becomes [[Rebel's Guard|Tetrakarn/Makarakarn]], a very effective counterattack and [[reflection|reflector]] similar to {{SSBU|Palutena}}'s [[Counter]]/[[Reflect Barrier]]. Both counters are better than comparative moves as well; both have very low startup lag (with Tetrakarn having the fastest startup of any counterattack) and the lowest ending lag of any counterattack. Tetrakarn has a huge hitbox that completely covers Joker's body and a huge area around him, and has the strongest damage multiplier of any counterattack at 1.6x (while also hitting for a minimum of 12% damage regardless of the attack). Meanwhile, Makarakarn has the third-highest damage multiplier of any reflector at 1.6x, and also greatly increases the speed of reflected projectiles at 1.9x. | ||
Despite all of these strengths, Joker is not without any weaknesses, most of which are noticeable when he does not have Arsène active. The most notable of these is the lack of strength on individual hits; as similarly to {{SSBU|Sheik}}, most of Joker's default moveset is tailored towards extending his advantage through combos, most of them tend to be highly lackluster or underwhelming in terms of KO power and individual damage. Particularly, Joker's lack of KO power can often make him reliant on gimping the opponent at early percentages, and his smash attacks, while having enough power to secure a stock against light and middleweight characters, have high ending lag, and are heavily unsafe if shielded; as a result, Joker can be | Despite all of these strengths, Joker is not without any weaknesses, most of which are noticeable when he does not have Arsène active. The most notable of these is the lack of strength on individual hits; as similarly to {{SSBU|Sheik}}, most of Joker's default moveset is tailored towards extending his advantage through combos, most of them tend to be highly lackluster or underwhelming in terms of KO power and individual damage. Particularly, Joker's lack of KO power can often make him reliant on gimping the opponent at early percentages, and his smash attacks, while having enough power to secure a stock against light and middleweight characters, have high ending lag, and are heavily unsafe if shielded; as a result, while Joker excels at making comebacks, he himself can be equally as susceptible to an opponent's comebacks if he is not able to utilize or summon Arsène in time. His knife, while giving his attacks disjointed range, also renders said disjointed range short due to its length, especially when compared to the weapons of other fighters such as {{SSBU|Marth}} and {{SSBU|Ike}}. His range issues can also cause him to struggle against certain small and fast characters, such as {{SSBU|Inkling}} and {{SSBU|Pikachu}}, as it's difficult for him to consistently apply pressure against them. He is also vulnerable to projectile-based pressure due to his lack of ways to deal with projectiles, with Eiha failing to properly compensate. Rebel's Guard can aid with this issue, but this can also render him predictable if the move is overused. | ||
When it comes to his normal recovery, Joker is reliant on his Grappling Hook, which gives him an outstanding vertical recovery, though his overall horizontal recovery is somewhat exploitable due to its lack of horizontal range. Its lack of safety makes Joker easier to gimp as well, though Joker can mix up the timing when recovering to throw off edgeguarding attempts. He can also use his Gun move to achieve sizable horizontal distance before employing the Grappling Hook, however, these dashes have considerable ending lag, so they must be used wisely. | |||
Since the Rebellion Gauge encourages a different kind of playstyle, Joker loses on some of his weaknesses without Arsène (such as a vulnerability to projectile camping), but this creates new weaknesses in return, meaning that if Joker gets Arsène at the wrong time or is unable to capitalize with him, he may either lose his advantage or be at a disadvantage. Wings of Rebellion, despite reliably covering more distance than Grappling Hook, is more exploitable, as the lack of hitbox and vulnerability at the end of the move makes it easy for opponents to intercept Joker before he reaches the ledge; in fact, Joker becomes notoriously prone to getting [[Edge#2 frame punish|2-framed]]. Eigaon, while incredibly powerful and versatile, suffers from 10 more frames of endlag, making it (at times) riskier to use than Eiha. Lastly, despite Arsène's incredible power and strengths, the Rebellion Gauge can be depleted faster if an opponent is able to attack Joker; combined with his aforementioned vulnerability to combos, this can cause Arsène to disappear much faster until the Rebellion Gauge is filled again, removing Joker's advantage as a result. | Since the Rebellion Gauge encourages a different kind of playstyle, Joker loses on some of his weaknesses without Arsène (such as a vulnerability to projectile camping), but this creates new weaknesses in return, meaning that if Joker gets Arsène at the wrong time or is unable to capitalize with him, he may either lose his advantage or be at a disadvantage. Wings of Rebellion, despite reliably covering more distance than Grappling Hook, is more exploitable, as the lack of hitbox and vulnerability at the end of the move makes it easy for opponents to intercept Joker before he reaches the ledge; in fact, Joker becomes notoriously prone to getting [[Edge#2 frame punish|2-framed]]. Eigaon, while incredibly powerful and versatile, suffers from 10 more frames of endlag, making it (at times) riskier to use than Eiha. Lastly, despite Arsène's incredible power and strengths, the Rebellion Gauge can be depleted faster if an opponent is able to attack Joker; combined with his aforementioned vulnerability to combos, this can cause Arsène to disappear much faster until the Rebellion Gauge is filled again, removing Joker's advantage as a result. | ||
Overall, Joker is a character whose playstyle is incredibly dynamic, but as with characters with many playstyles applicable, players should be expected to be able to smartly switch playstyles on the go. Without Arsène, Joker specializes in a hit-and-run, combo-oriented playstyle. Joker is particularly adept at conditioning the opponent to shield and has excellent grab frame data to take advantage of that, so players should be looking for opportunities to go for punishing grab combos whenever possible. He has notably short-range and low power overall on his standard attacks without Arsène available, and can struggle if he's a stock behind the opponent and unable to effectively make use of Arsène. His primary goal in each match is to rack up as much damage as possible through combos and gain an early stock in order to massively widen the gap between him and his opponent. Arsène greatly helps Joker in dealing damage or securing a stock whenever he is out, as he gains several powerful traits that allow him to play more rushdown-oriented when he gains the advantage, without forgoing his excellent mobility. Arsène is also notable for giving Joker an absurdly effective comeback factor, as Joker can quickly close the gap by dealing out extreme damage with Arsène out and can KO early when given the opportunity, such as with an Arsène boosted back air. By actively filling up the Rebellion Gauge by using Rebel's Guard to capitalize on reading an opponent's attack, this can be devastating for the opponent, as it gives Arsène more opportunity to be seen in-game. At the same time, Joker's vulnerability to combos means he will have to make use of his excellent mobility more often than not to avoid being put at a disadvantage. Ultimately, Joker is a character who encourages proactive play, and particularly shines when players are able to make the most of edgeguarding opportunities, maximize their damage through combos and effectively make use of Arsène. | Overall, Joker is a character whose playstyle is incredibly dynamic, but as with characters with many playstyles applicable, players should be expected to be able to smartly switch playstyles on the go. Without Arsène, Joker specializes in a hit-and-run, combo-oriented playstyle. Joker is particularly adept at conditioning the opponent to shield and has excellent grab frame data to take advantage of that, so players should be looking for opportunities to go for punishing grab combos whenever possible. He has notably short-range and low power overall on his standard attacks without Arsène available, and can struggle if he's a stock behind the opponent and unable to effectively make use of Arsène. His primary goal in each match is to rack up as much damage as possible through combos and gain an early stock in order to massively widen the gap between him and his opponent. Arsène greatly helps Joker in dealing damage or securing a stock whenever he is out, as he gains several powerful traits that allow him to play more rushdown-oriented when he gains the advantage, without forgoing his excellent mobility. Arsène is also notable for giving Joker an absurdly effective comeback factor, as Joker can quickly close the gap by dealing out extreme damage with Arsène out and can KO early when given the opportunity, such as with an Arsène boosted back air. By actively filling up the Rebellion Gauge by using Rebel's Guard to capitalize on reading an opponent's attack, this can be devastating for the opponent, as it gives Arsène more opportunity to be seen in-game. At the same time, Joker's vulnerability to combos means he will have to make use of his excellent mobility more often than not to avoid being put at a disadvantage. Ultimately, Joker is a character who encourages proactive play, and particularly shines when players are able to make the most of edgeguarding opportunities, maximize their damage through combos and effectively make use of Arsène. | ||
==Update history== | ==Update history== | ||
Aside from glitch fixes, Joker received a mix of buffs and nerfs via game updates, but he was slightly nerfed overall. The first nerf was in update 4.0.0 to Makarakarn, which could now be broken by reflected projectiles inflicting more than 50% damage; however this nerf was compensated by a buff to its searchbox, which became more rounded, allowing Joker to reflect projectiles that would fly right over him | Aside from glitch fixes, Joker received a mix of buffs and nerfs via game updates, but he was slightly nerfed overall. The first nerf was in update 4.0.0 to Makarakarn, which could now be broken by reflected projectiles inflicting more than 50% damage; however this nerf was compensated by a buff to its searchbox, which became more rounded, allowing Joker to reflect projectiles that would fly right over him. | ||
Update 6.0.0 fixed an issue with Joker's forward smash pushing opponents too far during its charging animation, now making so Joker can't blatantly avoid damage by exploiting the move's previously wonky detection. | |||
Despite these nerfs, however, Joker is still considered to be a top tier character. | The most significant nerfs came with update 7.0.0; downward Gun's horizontal range was significantly reduced, while the Rebellion Gauge would now lose more time when Joker is hit by attacks. These nerfs noticeably affected his best landing and edgeguarding tool, and punishing him more for losing interactions while Arsene is active, which rewards opponents with good damage racking capabilities. | ||
Version 11.0.0 would further affect the safety of his moves by making Eiha and his counters more punishable if they are used recklessly. | |||
Version 13.0.0 slightly buffed Joker by removing ten frames of ending lag from All-Out Attack. | |||
Despite these nerfs, however, Joker is still considered to be a solid top tier character. | |||
[[File:Joker bullet comparison.png|thumb|250px|A comparison of the range of downward aerial bullets pre and post 7.0.0]] | [[File:Joker bullet comparison.png|thumb|250px|A comparison of the range of downward aerial bullets pre and post 7.0.0]] | ||
'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} 3.0.1''' | '''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} 3.0.1''' | ||
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|dairdesc= Joker: An upside-down knife swing with a bit of delay before the swipe, similarly to Marth's down aerial.<br>Arsène: A delayed foot stomp that comes out a couple of frames after Joker's attack, instead of at the same time as his other moves. Unlike Joker's attack, it [[meteor smash]]es opponents. | |dairdesc= Joker: An upside-down knife swing with a bit of delay before the swipe, similarly to Marth's down aerial.<br>Arsène: A delayed foot stomp that comes out a couple of frames after Joker's attack, instead of at the same time as his other moves. Unlike Joker's attack, it [[meteor smash]]es opponents. | ||
Somewhat of a niche move due to its lack of safety and startup, down air occasionally sees use as a crossup tool. With Arsène, it is a powerful all-purpose move due to its hitbox duration, combo potential, and meteor smashing properties. The meteor smash itself is decently strong, KOing at around 60% at ground level. Additionally, due to the Arsène variant being two hits and Joker's down aerial sending opponents away from him, Arsène's down aerial can then potentially meteor smash opponents standing at the edge of a stage and KO them outright. | Somewhat of a niche move due to its lack of safety and startup, down air occasionally sees use as a crossup tool. With Arsène, it is a powerful all-purpose move due to its hitbox duration, combo potential, and meteor smashing properties. The meteor smash itself is decently strong, KOing at around 60% at ground level. Additionally, due to the Arsène variant being two hits and Joker's down aerial sending opponents away from him, Arsène's down aerial can then potentially meteor smash opponents standing at the edge of a stage and KO them outright. | ||
|grabname= | |grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}}) | ||
|grabdesc=Reaches out with one arm. All of Joker's throws have him toss the opponent with blue energy. Unlike his other moves, Arsène does not affect the power of Joker's throws. | |grabdesc=Reaches out with one arm. All of Joker's throws have him toss the opponent with blue energy. Unlike his other moves, Arsène does not affect the power of Joker's throws. | ||
|pummelname= | |pummelname=Grab Kneebutt ({{ja|つかみニーバット|Tsukami Nībatto}}) | ||
|pummeldmg=1. | |pummeldmg=1.5% | ||
|pummeldesc= | |pummeldesc=A knee strike. Unique compared to other pummels, being marginally slower but stronger than similar pummels like {{SSBU|Mario}}, but slightly faster and weaker than stronger pummels like {{SSBU|Bowser}}. He shares this distinction with {{SSBU|Terry}}, {{SSBU|Min Min}}, {{SSBU|Steve}} and {{SSBU|Pyra}} & {{SSBU|Mythra}}. | ||
|fthrowname= | |fthrowname= | ||
|fthrowdmg=8% | |fthrowdmg=8% | ||
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|fsname=All-Out Attack | |fsname=All-Out Attack | ||
|fsdmg=3% (trapping hit), {{rollover|33.6%|not affected by the 1v1 multiplier|y}} (cinematic), 13% (ending screen) | |fsdmg=3% (trapping hit), {{rollover|33.6%|not affected by the 1v1 multiplier|y}} (cinematic), 13% (ending screen) | ||
|fsdesc= Joker announces "Ravage them!", then rushes forward, trapping opponents. Should he miss, Joker can also rush back if the control stick is pushed backwards. If any fighter is hit during either of these swipes (up to a maximum of | |fsdesc= Joker announces "Ravage them!", then rushes forward, trapping opponents. Should he miss, Joker can also rush back if the control stick is pushed backwards. If any fighter is hit during either of these swipes (up to a maximum of 4), they are attacked by Joker and three other Phantom Thieves, either Ann, Ryuji, and Morgana, or Makoto, Haru, and Yusuke, while either Futaba or Morgana comments on the attack. After the barrage is complete, Joker lands in front of the opponent and tugs at his glove while the screen changes into a splash screen and the opponent's silhouette spews sparkles in the background. Causes an [[instant KO]] if the opponent was at 100% damage or higher at the end of the cinematic. If the Final Smash results in the final KO needed to win, the splash screen will remain throughout the [[victory screen]]. Arsène will not affect All-Out Attack. | ||
}} | }} | ||
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| shorthop=14.2 | rshorthop=70-71 | | shorthop=14.2 | rshorthop=70-71 | ||
| djump=34 | rdjump=38-39 | | djump=34 | rdjump=38-39 | ||
| ellag=4 | rellag=2-75 | |||
}} | }} | ||
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[[Morgana]] appears for each of Joker's taunts. If he is present, [[Arsène]] will also rear back and flourish with his left arm when Joker taunts, making a pose identical to his official artwork. | [[Morgana]] appears for each of Joker's taunts. If he is present, [[Arsène]] will also rear back and flourish with his left arm when Joker taunts, making a pose identical to his official artwork. | ||
*'''Up taunt''': Smiles and tugs his glove while facing towards the camera, imitating the splash screen from the end of [[All-Out Attack]]. Morgana pumps his paw while saying "Looking cool, Joker!" before posing akimbo. | *'''Up taunt''': Smiles and tugs his glove while facing towards the camera, imitating the splash screen from the end of [[All-Out Attack]]. Morgana pumps his paw while saying "Looking cool, Joker!" ("{{ja|いけ、ジョーカー!|Ike, Jōkā}}", ''Go, Joker!'') before posing akimbo. | ||
*'''Side taunt''': Poses with his gun pointed, gun arm over his dagger arm. Morgana poses akimbo and playfully laughs while showing starry eyes. | *'''Side taunt''': Poses with his gun pointed, gun arm over his dagger arm. Morgana poses akimbo and playfully laughs while showing starry eyes. | ||
*'''Down taunt''': Faces his back towards the camera, resembling his official artwork for ''Catherine: Full Body''. Morgana goes "He-hey!" while bouncing on the spot, before crossing his arms. | *'''Down taunt''': Faces his back towards the camera, resembling his official artwork for ''Catherine: Full Body''. Morgana goes "He-hey!" while bouncing on the spot, before crossing his arms. | ||
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*'''Left:''' Morgana happily bounces around Joker. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left. | *'''Left:''' Morgana happily bounces around Joker. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left. | ||
*'''Up:''' Joker scratches his head as Morgana, transformed as the Morganamobile, drives up next to Joker, picks him up, and drives towards the left. The head-scratching animation is Joker's victory animation if he is the only member of his party remaining in ''Persona 5''. The Morganamobile is the victory screen when winning a match in Mementos. | *'''Up:''' Joker scratches his head as Morgana, transformed as the Morganamobile, drives up next to Joker, picks him up, and drives towards the left. The head-scratching animation is Joker's victory animation if he is the only member of his party remaining in ''Persona 5''. The Morganamobile is the victory screen when winning a match in Mementos. | ||
*'''Right:''' Morgana turns dramatically toward the screen, which ends up hitting him in the face. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left. | *'''Right:''' Morgana turns dramatically toward the screen, which ends up hitting him in the face. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left. Morgana's positioning in the Left and Right poses references the positioning of the remaining members of the active party in the ''Persona 5'' victory screens, with one member always closer to the camera than Joker and two further away. | ||
*'''Special''': If Joker wins a [[Stock]] or [[Stamina Mode|Stamina]] match with [[All-Out Attack]], the match will conclude on the splash screen without returning to gameplay, and this will persist into the victory screen, just like in ''Persona 5''. | *'''Special''': If Joker wins a [[Stock]] or [[Stamina Mode|Stamina]] match with [[All-Out Attack]], the match will conclude on the splash screen without returning to gameplay, and this will persist into the victory screen, just like in ''Persona 5'', in which experience points and money gained in battle are shown over the flash across the screen. This pose also automatically makes Joker pose in front in team battles. | ||
*'''Team''': If Joker is in a [[Team Battle]] and someone else poses in front, he will perform an exclusive animation where he tightens his glove and maintains a stance with his knife, although both of these are ported directly from his in-game up taunt and idle animation respectively. If he poses in front, none of his teammates will be seen. | *'''Team''': If Joker is in a [[Team Battle]] and someone else poses in front, he will perform an exclusive animation where he tightens his glove and maintains a stance with his knife, although both of these are ported directly from his in-game up taunt and idle animation respectively. If he poses in front, none of his teammates will be seen. | ||
[[File:Persona5VictoryThemeUltimate.ogg|thumb|Joker's default victory theme, ripped directly from the battle results screen of ''Persona 5'', entitled "Triumph".]] | [[File:Persona5VictoryThemeUltimate.ogg|thumb|Joker's default victory theme, ripped directly from the battle results screen of ''Persona 5'', entitled "Triumph".]] | ||
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Joker had a mixed, albeit positive reception on his release. Many players praised his movement with his horizontal and vertical speed alongside his great combo ability, and noted how all these traits were supplemented when Arsène was activated, granting him much greater damage and kill potential. His downward-angled Gun and Eiha/Eigaon were also viewed as fantastic tools that allowed him to easily escape disadvantageous situations and rack up percentage, respectively. However, many also noted how Joker had difficulty killing when Arsène was not active, given that his kill setups are unsafe on shield and quite difficult to consistently land, as well as many of his moves outright having low base knockback or knockback growth, which resulted in players labeling his kill potential as "inconsistent". In addition, players also remarked base Joker's relatively low damage output per move, seemingly exploitable recoveries with and without Arsène, and lack of out of shield options. Thus, initial opinions on him were divided: players such as {{Sm|Tweek}} and {{Sm|CaptainZack}} labeled him as a potential top tier character while others such as {{Sm|Leffen}} and {{Sm|VoiD}} regarded him as a mid-tier and low-high tier character, respectively. | Joker had a mixed, albeit positive reception on his release. Many players praised his movement with his horizontal and vertical speed alongside his great combo ability, and noted how all these traits were supplemented when Arsène was activated, granting him much greater damage and kill potential. His downward-angled Gun and Eiha/Eigaon were also viewed as fantastic tools that allowed him to easily escape disadvantageous situations and rack up percentage, respectively. However, many also noted how Joker had difficulty killing when Arsène was not active, given that his kill setups are unsafe on shield and quite difficult to consistently land, as well as many of his moves outright having low base knockback or knockback growth, which resulted in players labeling his kill potential as "inconsistent". In addition, players also remarked base Joker's relatively low damage output per move, seemingly exploitable recoveries with and without Arsène, and lack of out of shield options. Thus, initial opinions on him were divided: players such as {{Sm|Tweek}} and {{Sm|CaptainZack}} labeled him as a potential top tier character while others such as {{Sm|Leffen}} and {{Sm|VoiD}} regarded him as a mid-tier and low-high tier character, respectively. | ||
However, opinions regarding Joker's viability improved significantly after {{Sm|MkLeo}}, the best ''Ultimate'' player in the world, started using the character. MkLeo utilized Joker's quick movement, remarkable frame data, combos such as the drag-down combos, and the powerful advantage state of Arsène to place in the top 2 at every tournament he has attended since {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}}. Thanks to MkLeo's success, several other top players have picked up Joker as a secondary or co-main. Most notably, {{Sm|Zackray}} had used Joker as a co-main to win several Japanese nationals and a supermajor and was considered to be the best player in Japan during the early metagame. Due to their success, many top players have named Joker as the single best character in the game. | However, opinions regarding Joker's viability improved significantly after {{Sm|MkLeo}}, the best ''Ultimate'' player in the world at the time, started using the character. MkLeo utilized Joker's quick movement, remarkable frame data, combos such as the drag-down combos, and the powerful advantage state of Arsène to place in the top 2 at every tournament he has attended since {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}}. Thanks to MkLeo's success, several other top players have picked up Joker as a secondary or co-main. Most notably, {{Sm|Zackray}} had used Joker as a co-main to win several Japanese nationals and a supermajor and was considered to be the best player in Japan during the early metagame. Due to their success, many top players have named Joker as the single best character in the game. | ||
During the online metagame as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on competitive Smash|COVID-19 pandemic]], MkLeo chose not to play Joker due to the nature of the game's netcode necessitating a different playstyle, leading to a perception that Joker is a weaker character online due to his more technical combos and reactionary playstyle becoming too hard to perform or unrewarding, which has reflected in his middling online tournament representation. However, Joker still possesses traits that are effective online, such as quick movements, a difficult to react to projectile, and powerful attacks when Arsène is active. Most recently, the success of players such as naitosharp in online tournaments, such as their 13th placing at {{Trn|Frame Perfect Series 6: ONLINE}}, has challenged the perception that Joker is not well suited for the online metagame. | During the online metagame as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on competitive Smash|COVID-19 pandemic]], MkLeo chose not to play Joker due to the nature of the game's netcode necessitating a different playstyle, leading to a perception that Joker is a weaker character online due to his more technical combos and reactionary playstyle becoming too hard to perform or unrewarding, which has reflected in his middling online tournament representation. However, Joker still possesses traits that are effective online, such as quick movements, a difficult to react to projectile, and powerful attacks when Arsène is active. Most recently, the success of players such as naitosharp in online tournaments, such as their 13th placing at {{Trn|Frame Perfect Series 6: ONLINE}}, has challenged the perception that Joker is not well suited for the online metagame. | ||
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|} | |} | ||
[[Credits]] roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Joker has ''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There}}'' accompany the credits | [[Credits]] roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Joker has ''{{SSBUMusicLink|Persona|Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There}}'' accompany the credits. | ||
{{clr}} | {{clr}} | ||
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==[[Spirit]]s== | ==[[Spirit]]s== | ||
Joker's Phantom Thief fighter spirit can be obtained by completing {{SSBU|Classic Mode}}. It also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Joker has been downloaded. Unlocking Joker in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. His student outfit has a fighter spirit of its own, available through the shop. Each fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in ''Ultimate''. Arsène also makes an appearance in Joker's fighter spirits, having a unique render when shown with Joker's ''Ultimate'' artwork. Because of this, Joker's ''Ultimate'' renders in his fighter spirits will show him without his mask/glasses on. | Joker's Phantom Thief fighter spirit can be obtained by completing {{SSBU|Classic Mode}} as Joker. It also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Joker has been downloaded. Unlocking Joker in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. His student outfit has a fighter spirit of its own, available through the shop. Each fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in ''Ultimate''. Arsène also makes an appearance in Joker's fighter spirits, having a unique render when shown with Joker's ''Ultimate'' artwork. Because of this, Joker's ''Ultimate'' renders in his fighter spirits will show him without his mask/glasses on. | ||
Additionally, he appears in the Phantom Thieves of Hearts spirit. | Additionally, he appears in the Phantom Thieves of Hearts spirit. | ||
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***Joker is the only character whose name isn't announced by the announcer, as Sephiroth and Kazuya's names are announced in their respective victory fanfares. | ***Joker is the only character whose name isn't announced by the announcer, as Sephiroth and Kazuya's names are announced in their respective victory fanfares. | ||
*Joker is one of the few characters to speak during a KO: his alternate KO line has him saying "What?!" ("{{ja|済まない...|Sumanai...}}", ''I'm sorry...''). | *Joker is one of the few characters to speak during a KO: his alternate KO line has him saying "What?!" ("{{ja|済まない...|Sumanai...}}", ''I'm sorry...''). | ||
**Additionally, Arsène starts writhing in pain if Joker | **Additionally, Arsène starts writhing in pain if Joker loses his last stock via depleted HP in [[Stamina Mode]]. However, there is only animation and no audio. | ||
*Joker is the only character who speaks when transitioning from the victory animation to the results, saying either "Begone," "Nice," or "Hah!" | *Joker is the only character who speaks when transitioning from the victory animation to the results, saying either "Begone," "Nice," or "Hah!" | ||
*Joker technically has the most victory screens of any fighter, having 39,449,444 victory screens in total. The reason for this is based on the [[All-Out Attack]] that is used for each non-clone/echo/alternate character ( | *Joker technically has the most victory screens of any fighter, having 39,449,444 victory screens in total. The reason for this is based on the [[All-Out Attack]] that is used for each non-clone/echo/alternate character (including male {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}}, who has a different animation from his female counterpart) having their own one of 79 animations of when they get KO'd from it, which results in a victory screen.<ref>https://youtu.be/M-YsdP3CEjU?t=318</ref> | ||
*Despite having his civilian/student appearance appear as his alternate costume and the fact that he is being given a default civilian name (Ren Amamiya) since the anime and most future media appearances like ''Smash'' (as described in his [https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/joker-no83-amiibo-super-smash-bros-collection-000000000010004482 amiibo description]), the costume does not use the name of "Ren" and continues to be referred to as "Joker". | *Despite having his civilian/student appearance appear as his alternate costume and the fact that he is being given a default civilian name (Ren Amamiya) since the anime and most future media appearances like ''Smash'' (as described in his [https://store.nintendo.co.uk/en/joker-no83-amiibo-super-smash-bros-collection-000000000010004482 amiibo description]), the costume does not use the name of "Ren" and continues to be referred to as "Joker". | ||
*Joker, {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}, {{SSBU|Inkling}}, {{SSBU|Hero}}, {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}}, {{SSBU|Sephiroth}}, {{SSBU|Pyra}}, {{SSBU|Mythra}}, and {{SSBU|Sora}} are the only fighters who use their walking animations when navigating through the map in [[World of Light]]. | *Joker, {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}, {{SSBU|Inkling}}, {{SSBU|Hero}}, {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}}, {{SSBU|Sephiroth}}, {{SSBU|Pyra}}, {{SSBU|Mythra}}, and {{SSBU|Sora}} are the only fighters who use their walking animations when navigating through the map in [[World of Light]]. |