Template:SSB4 to SSBU changelist/Captain Falcon

Aesthetics

• Due to the aesthetic used in Ultimate, Captain Falcon's model features a more vibrant color scheme, with his racing suit having a purple tint like in Melee. In addition to an upgrade in detail, his attire appears to have visible scuffs; his logo also appears to be worn down. His muscles are more chiseled, and the "eyes" on his mask are also larger, akin to Brawl.
• Captain Falcon has a slightly altered dashing animation where he keeps his fists clenched.
• Captain Falcon's mouth once again moves during his down and side taunts, like in Brawl. Both taunts have also been shortened, with the former now having the same duration when facing either direction.
• Captain Falcon's tumbling animation has been altered. He faces more towards/away from the screen, similar to Little Mac, Shulk, Greninja, and other fighters.
• Captain Falcon's right-inputted victory pose has a slightly altered ending animation. Instead of pointing his wrist sideways, he points it upwards, forming a pose similar to his idle pose.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Captain Falcon's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Captain Falcon walks faster (0.94 → 0.987).
• Captain Falcon runs faster (2.32 → 2.552).
  • His initial dash is faster (1.7 → 1.98).
    • Compared to the returning veterans, however, it is much slower, going from tied for 13th highest in SSB4 to tied for 29th highest in Ultimate. Combined with the changes to dash-dancing hurt Falcon more than other characters, as the new animation for performing an initial dash in the opposite direction causes his model to slide toward the direction he was originally facing due to his slow initial dash, further exacerbated by Falcon's heavy reliance on dash-dancing and grounded movement when compared to other characters.
• Captain Falcon's traction has been drastically increased (0.05 → 0.105). This makes it easier for him to punish out of shield.
• Captain Falcon's air speed is faster (1.1 → 1.218), slightly surpassing his Brawl air speed.
• Captain Falcon falls slightly faster (1.837 → 1.865). This allows him to land more safely and improves his vertical endurance, but makes him easier to combo.
  • His fast falling speed is also faster as a result (2.9392 → 2.984).
• Forward roll has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 30).
• Back roll has more startup (frame 4 → 5) and ending lag (FAF 28 → 35).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 27).
• Spot dodge grants less intangibility (frames 3-18 → 3-17).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-28 → 3-30).
• Air dodge has more ending lag (FAF 34 → 43).
• The changes to air dodges greatly benefit Falcon: the ability to only air dodge once allows him to take better advantage of his fast mobility to pressure and juggle opponents, while their increased ending lag allows him to punish them more effectively with powerful moves such as his Knee Smash.
• The ability to run cancel any move significantly benefits Falcon's grounded neutral game and punish game. This allows him to pressure the opponent easier by canceling into a neutral or tilt attack, especially if pivot canceled.
• The ability to tech aerial footstools prevents Falcon from repeatedly footstooling and meteor smashing opponents back into the air with his down aerial, removing one of his most potent damage racking options.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit has an altered animation, with Falcon jabbing underhanded. This slightly lowers its position, allowing it to hit shorter and crouching characters.
  • The first hit transitions into the second faster (frame 8 → 5), which transitions into either of the subsequent hits faster (frame 10 → 8).
  • The infinite has faster startup (frame 9 → 5), a much shorter gap between hits (5 frames → 2) and reduced knockback (15/15/8 base/50/50/30 scaling → 8 base/15 scaling), in addition to keeping opponents on the ground, and gaining a hitstun modifier of 2 on each hit. This allows it to connect much more reliably.
  • The infinite's finisher deals more damage (2% → 3%), though with its knockback scaling compensated (70 → 55).
  • The first two hits and the infinite deal less damage (2% → 1.5% (hits 1-2), 1% → 0.6% (infinite)).
  • The first three hits have reduced range overall (hit 1: 4.3u/4.3u/3.3u → 2.0/2.3/2.5/2.5; hit 2: 4.3u/4.3u/3.3u → 2.5/3.0/3.6; hit 3: 6.0u/3.5u → 5.5/3.8).
  • The infinite's finisher has drastically more ending lag (FAF 40 → 50).
  • The infinite has an increased hitlag multiplier (0.3× → 0.5x). Combined with the universally increased hitlag, this allows opponents to SDI the hits, which was previously impossible due to their lack of hitlag, despite their decreased SDI multiplier (0.7× → 0.4×).
  • The first and second hits have altered angles (hit 1: 80° → 361°/361°/180°/361°; hit 2: 80° → 361°) and knockback (both hits: 20 set/100 scaling → 20 base/25 caling) to keep opponents close to Captain Falcon, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and lock, but removes their guaranteed jab cancel setups.
  • The infinite and its finisher have altered hitbox sizes (infinite: 4.2u/4.0u/4.0u → 2.25/6.5; finisher: 7.0u → 4.5/4.5). This gives the finisher more horizontal range, but reduces its vertical range.
  • The infinite has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 9×. This allows it to lock opponents into their shields between each hit, and thus pressure them more effectively, but also allows them to cancel shieldstun and punish Captain Falcon more easily if they shield 10 hits or more.
• Forward tilt:
  • It has less startup and a longer hitbox duration (frames 9-11 → 7-10), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 32 → 30). This makes it safer to use at close range.
  • The sweetspot no longer has priority over the sourspots.
  • It has significantly increased base knockback, but significantly decreased scaling (10 base/100 scaling → 60/58). This noticeably improves its safety on hit at low percents, but drastically hinders its KO potential, to the point it can no longer KO reliably.
• Up tilt:
  • It has less startup (frame 17 → 14), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 40 → 37).
  • It meteor smashes throughout its entirety, including grounded opponents, instead of only aerial opponents at the heel. Due to the removal of teching for grounded meteor smashes, this drastically improves its combo potential.
    • This makes the meteor smash stronger if Falcon's heel doesn't connect (22 base → 35).
  • It gives Falcon intangibility on his leg, though due to Falcon raising his arm during the animation, he will still rarely be able to avoid a hit.
  • It has an altered animation where Captain Falcon's foot no longer reaches all the way to the floor, resulting in a more circular motion. This animation reduces its vertical range, making it almost unable to hit opponents hanging from an edge.
  • It no longer moves Falcon forward with each use, which makes it safer to use for spacing, but reduces its range slightly.
• Down tilt:
  • The hitbox on Falcon's torso sends at an inverse angle (25° → 155°).
• Dash attack:
  • Both clean and late hits have more knockback scaling (50 → 67). This makes the clean hit stronger (KOing at around 170% without rage), and the late hit much safer on hit at low percentages.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 38 → 35).
• Forward smash:
  • Captain Falcon has a new forward smash: a backhand punch that resembles Warlock Punch.
  • It deals more knockback overall (angled up/non-angled: 24 base/95 scaling → 36/94; angled down: 24 base/83 scaling → 36/87), improving its KO potential, especially when angled down.
  • It only consists of two hitboxes rather than three (4.5u/3.0u/3.0u → 3.8/3.2). Falcon also doesn't lean forward as much before hitting and no longer lunges forward during the attack. This makes the move harder to land, significantly reduces its range and leaves it prone to missing short opponents.
• Up smash:
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 52 → 46). Combined with Falcon's faster jumpsquat and jump speed, this allows it to true combo into an up and forward aerial from low to mid percents.
  • Both hits have a longer duration (hit 1: frame 22 → frames 22-23; hit 2: 28 → 28-29), and grant Falcon intangibility on his respective legs, making the move safer to use against opposing aerial attacks.
  • Both hits deal more damage (hit 1: 6%/11% → 7%/12%; hit 2: 13%/12% → 14%/13%). Thanks to this and the changes made to the second hit’s knockback, it is now tied with Lucas's up smash as the second strongest in the game if both sweetspots connect.
  • One of the first hit's hitboxes (hitbox ID 1 → 0) outprioritizes the other (hitbox ID 0 → 1). The hitboxes also have slightly altered angles (95°/110°/80°/90° → 96°/110°/80°/80°) and knockback values (hitbox 0: 140 set → 150; hitbox 1: 120 → 90; hitbox 3: 30 base/20 set → 8 base/10 set). These changes make the first hit connect better into the second hit.
  • The second hit has more base knockback, but less knockback scaling (30 base/104/106/112 scaling → 70 base/80/81/88 scaling).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has an altered animation where Falcon kicks lower to the ground, allowing it to hit smaller and crouching opponents more easily. In spite of this animation change, its horizontal reach is unaffected.
  • It launches at a lower, semi-spike angle (361° → 28°). This improves the move's KO potential especially near edges, despite the second hit's lower knockback scaling (90 → 84).

Aerial attacks

• All aerials except up aerial have reduced landing lag (12 frames → 7 (neutral), 30 → 18 (forward), 12 → 10 (back), 21 → 12 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial transitions faster into the second hit (frame 20 → 13), with its total duration mostly reduced as well (FAF 45 → 40).
    • However, this increases its ending lag by 2 frames, making it more difficult to chain multiple neutral aerials without landing.
  • The first hit no longer has set knockback (55 set/100 scaling → 50 base/25 scaling), and deals more knockback to grounded opponents (55 set/100 scaling → 65 base/75 scaling), improving its combo potential on landing, despite its increased SDI multiplier (1.0x → 1.4x).
    • However, this makes the first hit transition into the second hit less consistently on aerial opponents at very high percentages.
  • The second hit has less knockback scaling (130 → 120), improving its combo potential but worsening its KO potential.
  • The first hit sends at lower angles (86°/78°/74° → 74°/80°/68°). Two of its hitboxes send grounded opponents at lower angles as well (86°/78° → 68°/74°).
  • The first hit has smaller hitboxes (5.0u/6.5u/5.5u → 6.0/4.0/3.5), slightly reducing its range.
  • The second hit has altered hitbox sizes (4.8u/6.0u/5.0u → 5.2/6.0/3.8). This makes it easier to connect from afar, but slightly harder to connect up close.
• Forward aerial:
  • Sweetspotted Knee Smash deals more damage (19% → 22%), with knockback scaling not fully compensated (93 → 81). The damage increase also makes it much harder to punish out of shield.
  • Sweetspotted Knee Smash hitbox is larger (3u → 3.75u)
  • Its reduced landing lag increases the usefulness of its late hit's bonus trip chance, allowing Captain Falcon to get true followups if it trips the opponent.
• Back aerial:
  • It has slightly less knockback overall (25 base/100 scaling → 27/97).
• Up aerial:
  • It has slightly less ending lag (FAF 34 → 32), improving its combo potential into itself.
  • It has one frame more startup and a shorter duration (frames 6-12 → 7-12).
  • It has a new animation which takes much longer to complete than the previous animation (33 frames → 52). This increases the amount of time Captain Falcon can't grab the ledge after using the move.
  • It has one frame more landing lag (9 frames → 10). Combined with the decreased shieldstun for aerial attacks, this makes it much less safe on shield.
  • It deals less damage (clean: 11%/10% → 10%/9%; late: 10%/9% → 9%/8%).
  • The clean hit has more base knockback, but less knockback scaling (16 base/100 scaling → 20/96) and sends at a lower angle (70° → 66°). Combined with its lower damage, these changes improve its combo ability, but hinder its KO potential.
• Down aerial:
  • The removal of teching for grounded meteor smashes improves down aerial's combo potential onstage, compounded further by its reduced landing lag.

Throws and other attacks

• Falcon has altered swing animations for battering items like the Beam Sword, no longer performing a stab forward when using a forward smash. This applies to all except his dash attack.
• Grabs:
  • Standing and pivot grabs have less startup (standing: frame 7 → 6; pivot: frame 12 → 10).
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 31 → 36 (standing); 38 → 44 (dash); 37 → 39 (pivot)).
  • Due to Falcon's increased traction, dash grab does not cause him to retain as much horizontal momentum. This significantly decreases its range.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals less damage (2% → 1.3%).
  • It deals more hitlag (4 frames → 14), but has much less startup (frame 4 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 16 → 7).
  • It has an altered animation where Captain Falcon strikes the opponent with his left knee, somewhat resembling his Knee Smash.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw's first hit deals less damage (5% → 3.5%; 9% → 7.5% total).
  • Due to Falcon's increased traction no longer allowing him to retain horizontal momentum during the throw, it has lost its combo potential.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw's first hit deals less damage (5% → 3.5%; 9% → 7.5% total).
• Up throw:
  • Up throw's release deals more damage (3% → 5%; 7% → 9% total), allowing it to KO more reliably at high percents despite its reduced knockback (80 base/110 scaling → 68/100) and very slightly lower angle (85° → 84°).
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has less base knockback (80 → 65), but more knockback scaling (45 → 70). Combined with Falcon's increased traction no longer allowing him to retain horizontal momentum during the throw, this hinders its combo potential past low and mid percents despite its higher angle (65° → 68°); most notably, this removes his semi-guaranteed setups into forward aerial at high percents.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 10%).

Special moves

• Falcon Punch:
  • It has less ending lag when not reversed (FAF 110 → 104).
  • It has significantly altered knockback (grounded/aerial/aerial reversed: 0 base/90 scaling → 93/59; grounded reversed: 0 base/90 scaling → 85/65). This makes safe on hit at low percentages (unlike in Smash 4) and significantly improves its KO potential despite its reduced knockback scaling (for reference, it can KO middleweights at 55% from the center of Final Destination).
    • However, this results in its usefulness in Home-Run Contest being reduced yet again, being the least useful in this game than in any other game the mode appears in.
  • Both versions have larger hitboxes (grounded/reversed: 4.0u/2.5u/3.5u → 4.5/2.5/4.0; aerial/aerial reversed: 4.6u/2.875u/4.025u → 5.175/2.875/4.6).
  • Falcon slides backwards slightly at the end of the move, somewhat improving its safety, especially on shield.
  • Captain Falcon doesn't slide forward as much while performing the move, slightly reducing its range despite its larger hitboxes.
  • Like several other powerful attacks in the game, Falcon Punch triggers Special Zoom when it successfully hits an opponent.
  • Falcon Punch's flames are more pronounced and better resemble an actual falcon than in Smash 4. In addition, the particle effect lingers for much longer.
• Raptor Boost:
  • Both versions deal more damage (9% grounded/8% aerial → 10% both). The aerial version's knockback also wasn't compensated, improving its KO potential.
  • Grounded Raptor Boost has less startup (inert detector: frame 16 → 10), and less ending lag if it misses (FAF 80 → 72).
  • Falcon has damage-based armor (10%, 12% in 1v1) on the grounded version right before the uppercut comes out (frames 1-5), akin to how Heavy Raptor Boost in Smash 4 had Super Armor. This improves its use for zonebreaking, although the active armor frames make it difficult to use reliably.
  • The uppercut has a reduced hitlag multiplier (2.0x → 1.5x), making it harder to DI.
  • The uppercut has more startup (frame 4 → 5).
    • However, it has much less ending lag (FAF 36 → 28) and has gained a hitstun modifier of 3. Combined with Falcon's faster jumpsquat, this greatly improves its combo potential.
  • Aerial Raptor Boost no longer causes helplessness or landing lag if the overhand is activated, increasing its safety.
  • One of the overhand's sourspots has been removed, with the meteor smash hitbox having the highest priority, improving its reliability and making the meteor smash easier to land.
  • The uppercut has a lot less knockback (100 base/75 scaling → 82/30). Combined with the previous changes, this significantly improves its combo potential, but significantly reduces its KO potential, no longer killing at realistic percentages.
  • The uppercut has altered hitboxes, which are attached to Falcon's body (startup: 7.0u → 6.0/5.5; ending: 7.0u → 4.5). This reduces its range.
  • The move has a slightly altered animation.
• Falcon Dive:
  • It covers more horizontal distance and travels higher, and reversing it no longer decreases its horizontal distance.
  • It has less landing lag (30 frames → 24).
  • One of the move's grabboxes has increased size (4.5u → 5.0), and a higher position (Y-axis displacement: 12.0 → 13.0), improving the move's protection from above, as well as its reach, while only marginally reducing its consistency against grounded opponents.
  • The throw has less ending lag (FAF 61 → 55).
  • The throw deals more damage (12% → 13%; 17% → 18% total) and has altered knockback (40 base/82 scaling → 85/62). Overall, this improves its KO potential.
  • The hitbox when Falcon latches onto an opponent deals knockback to bystanders (50 base/100 scaling, at an angle of 361), instead of simply damaging them, making the move safer to use in doubles or free-for-alls.
  • Connecting with the throw no longer gives RCO lag.
  • Falcon Dive has Captain Falcon flash with an orange tint when grabbing an opponent. It additionally has a new animation, in which he grabs his opponent with one hand while leaning more similar to Dark Dive in SSB4 onward, and the flip after grabbing an opponent has him spin slightly.
  • The move's sound effects no longer cut off when grabbing an opponent at point-blank range. However, they will still cut off if Falcon gets hold of an opponent early on but not point-blank.
  • The increased tech window makes performing a Tech Check considerably easier, which in combination with the move's increased grabbox range makes punishing Falcon's recovery noticeably easier.
• Falcon Kick:
  • Grounded Falcon Kick has less startup (frame 18 → 13), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 74 → 69).
  • The grounded version's clean hit deals more damage (13% → 15%), all of its hits have more knockback scaling (clean: 60 → 84; mid: 40 → 60; late: 60 → 65), and they launch at a much more horizontal angle (clean: 80° → 52°; mid: 68° → 52°; late: 50° → 46°). This increases its KO potential overall, with the clean hit remaining mostly the same from center stage save for its angle, which allows it to KO earlier near edges.
  • Aerial Falcon Kick has much less landing lag (48 frames → 36), making it safer as a landing option.
  • The aerial version deals more knockback (clean: 40 base/60 scaling → 80/52; mid/late: 40 base/65 scaling → 80/46; landing: 20 scaling → 35). This improves the clean hit's KO potential (killing at around 150% from center stage) and makes the entire move safer on hit.
  • The aerial version's landing hit sends at a lower angle (80 → 60). This makes it harder to punish.
  • The aerial version's mid and late hits deal less damage (mid: 13% → 12%; late: 11% → 9%). This worsens their KO potential despite their higher knockback.
• Blue Falcon:
  • The starting hit has smaller hitboxes (19.0u/22.0u/19.0u → 16.0/18.0/16.0) with altered displacements (hitbox 0: 10.0 Z-axis displacement → 13; hitbox 2: 50.0 Z-axis displacement → 45). This significantly reduces its range, especially right in front of Falcon.
  • The finishing hit has significantly lower knockback scaling (165 → 135), no longer being a potential One-hit KO and becoming fairly average in strength overall, even despite the general nerfs to Final Smashes.
  • Blue Falcon releases flaming wings on both sides when the Blue Falcon itself is on the racetrack, making it appear much like a falcon itself.
  • The track Captain Falcon drives on sports a new design with no side rails, more closely resembling the railless sections of F-Zero racetracks.