Pichu (SSBM): Difference between revisions

Pichu is ranked 22nd on the current Melee tier list, placing it in the D tier. Pichu has solid overall movement, complemented with some very quick attacks and an excellent neutral air, along with good [[chaingrab]]bing ability. Pichu also boasts an exceptional shield for its size, making Pichu difficult to [[shield stab]] - particularly due to its relatively stubby damagable collision bubbles. However, all of Pichu's strengths are severely outweighed by its weaknesses. It has poor range and incredibly poor endurance due to its light weight, and is unusually prone to chaingrabs itself despite its small size, due to the high amount of [[hitstun]] it sustains, as a result of being the game's lightest character. It also takes [[recoil damage]] from its electric-based moves, including its own recovery move [[Agility]], further hampering its defensive game in a way that is unlike any other character in the game, aside from [[Roy (SSBM)|Roy]]'s fully charged [[Flare Blade]]. This is likely Pichu's greatest flaw, although a playstyle deadset on minimizing recoil [[damage]] can be developed. As a result, Pichu suffers from poor matchups - with nearly the entire cast taking advantage of its fragility, poor range and somewhat vulnerable [[recovery]] overall, although it covers a great distance. Historically, Pichu was considered to have the worst matchup spread in the game, with no universally agreed upon winning matchups. However, its perception has mildly improved over time, due to developments in its metagame partially because its unexpectedly fast frame data was initially undervalued. Regardless, Pichu's survivability remains absolutely atrocious, drastically hampering the effectiveness of any metagame developments.

Pichu has a rather high technical learning curve, compared to many other very low-tier characters, frequently requiring particularly fast reaction time, and takes advantage of small, fringe benefits it has - such as being tied with [[Fox]] for having the best ledgedash [[ledgedash|GALINT]] ('''G'''rounded '''A'''ctionable '''L'''edge '''Int'''angibility) in the game. Pichu's learning curve is further exacerbated by the fact that many of its moves have niche, but noteworthy, applications in specific matchups, alongside underexplored, or situational techniques. For example, Agility's single frame of landing lag can be exploited as a burst movement option, allowing Pichu to traverse the [[stage]] more quickly.

Although no longer considered a contender for the worst character competitively, Pichu was intended to be a uniquely bad character in general, with its trophy descriptions mentioning Pichu as "''top of the class in weakness''" and "''best suited for handicapped matches.''" This was confirmed in a development news update, shortly after the game's release.<ref>''[http://sourcegaming.info/2015/09/24/meleepichusite/ News Flash! Smash Bros. Dojo: Pichu]'' (translated 2015-09-24; [https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/flash/1211/index.html original] posted 2001-12-11)</ref> While considered an unviable character at the highest level of play, [[Codeman]] has ironically demonstrated it is possible for Pichu to place respectably well in a [[major]] tournament.

Pichu's smash attacks are all short range, but overall possess good knockback and damage relative to their frame data. Pichu's up smash and forward smash are able to KO characters reliably at as little as 70 percent, while its down smash semi-spikes opponents and has invincibility frames. Pichu also has decent throws; its forward and back throws can knock opponents off stage and help with positioning, while its up and down throws can chain throw fastfallers and lead to tech chases.

Pichu's best tool is its neutral aerial, becoming active in just three frames and has minimal landing lag, especially when L-canceled. This move serves as a viable [[approach]] option, can rack up significant damage with long strings of just itself, and can create a pseudo-[[wall of pain]] if the player can complete a string of hits off-stage. Pichu's up aerial complements neutral aerial's utility, allowing it to juggle enemies into the air. Most of its other aerials attacks are situational in use, but these two moves alone provide Pichu a decent means to pressure the opponent mid air.

A key weakness of Pichu is its poor range. Pichu's fastest and most powerful attacks are all close to its body, and its tools to safely approach enemies are limited, making it very difficult for Pichu to KO or even find openings against its opponents (especially against characters with disjointed hitboxes). Its neutral aerial is Pichu's primary attack option, making Pichu's overall [[neutral game]] play rather predictable. Pichu's grab game is also heavily hampered by its short range, at the third shortest in the game, making it difficult for players to consistently take advantage of Pichu's decent throws. Many of Pichu's poorest matchups stem from it struggling to deal with some individual moves of characters (such as {{SSBM|Fox}}'s neutral air or a large portion of {{SSBM|Marth}}'s moveset) because it lacks tools that have enough range to counter the attacks.

Finally, Pichu suffers from the infamous recoil damage it receives while using almost any move involving electrical hitboxes. Several of Pichu's moves, especially those that involve electricity, add at least one percent of damage to the user. For example, using both segments of Agility to recover adds four percent to Pichu each time it is used. While most of Pichu's best moves do not use electricity, recoil damage reduces the utility of its electric-based attacks. If players are not careful with balancing Pichu's electrical and non-electrical attacks, the recoil damage can add up quickly. With the lowest weight in the game (being lighter than ''Jigglypuff'') and average falling speed, Pichu's survivability is already among the worst in the game, even without recoil damage.

Overall, Pichu is a high-risk, high-effort character that cannot afford to make mistakes, incorrect guesses, or even trade hits due to its fragility, limited move options, and shorter range compared to more viable characters. This results in Pichu being a poor choice competitively, with its advantages being thoroughly outweighed by its drawbacks. While Pichu could potentially pose a threat to the opponent with its decent frame data, evasion, and chain grabs, its horrific survivability heavily counters any benefits over higher tiered characters. High tiered characters in the ''Melee'' cast can outrange and out-punish Pichu in many instances. This is amplified by Pichu's need to sometimes win vastly more neutral interactions than the opponent to be victorious, owed to Pichu being easily comboed and knocked out at low percentiles. As such, Pichu is almost never seen at any level of play, and those who do main Pichu are sometimes not taken seriously by other players.

Pichu performs significantly worse than Pikachu, particularly in the singles format, largely due to its reduced weight and garnering recoil damage while using some of its moves. Pichu's added [[recoil damage]] on several of its moves results in them being less rewarding to land by mildly punishing the user for choosing the option, regardless of whether or not it connects. Pichu is also smaller than Pikachu, while also having a shield that protects its body more consistently than Pikachu's. Both traits culminate into a character that is significantly harder to hit than its evolved form- although its lighter weight counteracts these benefits.

|ftiltname=Pichu Kick ({{ja|りょうあしげり|Ryōashi Geri}}, ''Both-Feet Kick'')

|dtiltname=Tail Sweep ({{ja|あしばらい|Ashibarai}}, ''Leg Sweep'')

|fsmashname=Thundershock ({{ja|ショートでんげき|Shōto Dengeki}}, ''Short Volt Attack'')  

|dsmashname=Spinning Mouse ({{ja|こうそくかいてん|Kōsoku Kaiten}}, ''High-Speed Rotation'')

|fairname=Electric Drill ({{ja|でんげきドリル|Dengeki Doriru}}, ''Volt Attack Drill'')

|uairname=Tail Chop ({{ja|しっぽはたき|Shippo Hataki}}, ''Tail Duster'')

|dairname=Electric Screw ({{ja|でんげきスクリュー|Dengeki Sukuryū}}, ''Volt Attack Screw'')

From the start, many noted that it was completely outclassed by {{SSBM|Pikachu}}, who was already considered a below-average character at the time. Many professionals doubted that Pichu could ever develop a deep metagame or gain any notable professional players. Because of this, Pichu has been almost never seen outside of sandbagging or low-tier exhibitions. Pichu's initial placements on each [[tier list]] reflected its stance, typically shifting between 25th and 26th for over a decade of ''Melee''{{'}}s lifespan, competing with characters such as {{SSBM|Bowser}}, {{SSBM|Kirby}}, and {{SSBM|Mewtwo}} for the lowest placement on the tier list, before placing 24th on the twelfth tier list in 2015.