Flare Blitz

Flare Blitz
Flare Blitz in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
User	Charizard
Universe	Pokémon
Article on Bulbapedia	Flare Blitz (move)

“	A powerful flaming tackle that also hurts you.	”
—Smash for 3DS's foldout

Flare Blitz (フレアドライブ, Flare Drive) is Charizard's side special move in Super Smash Bros. 4.

Overview

Charizard emits a blue glow at startup, and then cloaks itself in flames and rushes forward, hitting anyone in its path. It is a particularly strong attack with high knockback, but has a rather slow startup, making the move predictable. It has recoil damage both in the beginning and when Charizard hits anything, like a wall, some projectiles, or an opponent. Charizard is hurt 5% when the move is used, and is hurt another 5% when it collides with anything. It inflicts 4% to the opponent from the flames cloaking Charizard, and another 15% if the opponent is hit with the tackle, dealing heavy knockback from the tackle itself. The move's power decreases at the end of the tackle, leaving only the flames, inflicting 4% and low knockback. Fortunately, since the tackle is finished, Charizard won't receive the additional 5% recoil damage. Rarely, the tackle may backfire so that Charizard receives the full 10% damage, while the opponent only receives 4%. This sometimes seems to happen when Charizard is close to the opponent and hits the opponent using Flare Blitz in the air. Charizard goes through the opponent, making it so that the tackle hitbox misses, but the flame hitbox makes contact. Strangely, even though Flare Blitz "misses", Charizard still receives the full recoil. Flare Blitz's damage to the opponent may vary depending on the character.

The move can be used as a reliable recovery in the air, as it travels the whole length of Final Destination. However, Charizard continues to fall while starting up the move, which can often cause it to aim Flare Blitz at the wrong time and miss the stage by a small amount. Knocking into an opponent or side of the stage will also cause Charizard to be temporarily forced into his falling hurt animation, potentially self-destructing due to its lengthy animation. This significant end lag on impact also makes Flare Blitz very punishable if shielded.

Customization

Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:

1. Flare Blitz	2. Blast Burn	3. Dragon Rush
"Hurtle sideways in an explosive assault. Damages both you and your foes."	"Slower but more explosive than Flare Blitz. Deals more damage to you and your foes."	"Less powerful than Flare Blitz, but you don't take damage when using it."

1. Flare Blitz: Default.
2. Blast Burn: Charizard takes a little more to charge up, and travels slowly for a short distance. Charizard is engulfed with more flames, and is more powerful, inflicting 32% damage, and the explosion upon impact causes high knockback. Charizard hurts itself significantly more, 6% by using the move and 10% more upon tackling an opponent, and then lays on the floor until moved.
3. Dragon Rush: Does not have a very long charge up time, and does not have any recoil. The move has no flame effect, and instead drills through opponents and traps them, dealing continuous damage for a max of 11%, with less knockback. As a recovery option, it is better than the standard variation, as Charizard will not stop the move when it hits an opponent.

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  Blast Burn in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

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  Dragon Rush in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

Origin

Flare Blitz charging at the opponent...

...and hitting them in Pokémon X/Y.

Flare Blitz is a physical Fire-type attack introduced in Generation IV. A very powerful move, but the user takes a third of the damage dealt to the target as recoil. Charizard learns Flare Blitz by leveling up in all games since its introduction.

Gallery

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  Flare Blitz in Generation V.

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  Flare Blitz's start up.

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  Charizard using Flare Blitz, along with knockback recoil.

Charizard's special moves

Neutral special	Flamethrower
Side special	Rock Smash	Flare Blitz
Up special	Fly
Down special	(Pokémon Change)	Rock Smash	(Pokémon Change)
Final Smash	Fire Blast (of Triple Finish)	Mega Evolution	Fire Blast (of Triple Finish)