User:Scr7/Pikachu (SSBB) Guide

Pikachu in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Universe	Pokémon
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Melee in SSB4
Availability	Starter
Final Smash	Volt Tackle
Tier	B (8)

This is a guide to Pikachu in SSBB made by Scr7.

Note: I always refer to Pikachu as a he.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Quick overall speed
• Very good recovery
• Good at edgeguarding
• Useful throws
• Can combo well
• Two chaingrabs
• Fairly small target
• Projectile can be useful
• Can play mindgames with Quick Attack
• Good momentum canceling - Skull Bash and uair work well

Cons

• Relatively weak air game
• Subpar range in most attacks
• Most ranged attacks are much better right next to characters, especially f-smash
• Fifth lightest character (tied with Meta Knight)
• Smallest shield in the game - vulnerable to shield stabbing
• Has a long trip animation

Summary

Pikachu is, overall, a fast character, with fast walking and dashing speeds, attacks with mostly little lag (although there are some laggy ones), and moderate air and falling speeds. His attacks are powerful, especially his smashes, and he doesn't have much trouble KOing unless his best finishers are stale. He can also combo nicely, has two chaingrabs that work on a variety of characters. A new feature he's gained from Melee is Quick Attack Cancel, allowing him to approach quickly while attacking or set up a KO move such as an nair or Thunder. Another great thing about Pikachu is his unpredictable recovery - he can travel far and has many ways to return to the stage with Quick Attack, along with Skull Bash and an occasional wall jump being other options.

Pikachu's main problems are that his air game isn't particularly effective - while he does have an aerial KO move in his nair, it negates all of his momentum, and his second most powerful aerial move - dair - is laggy unless autocancelled. Uair can be okay for combos but does next to no damage and knockback, and the bair is laggy and not very useful. Pikachu also has below average range, with its finishers needing the opponent to be near Pikachu to be effective. F-smash is an example - a powerful finisher when the opponent is next to Pikachu, but very weak at the tip of the bolt.

Matchups

Super Smash Bros. Brawl Character Matchups

Avg.

Moveset

Normal attacks

Neutral attack

Name: Headbutt

Damage: 2.1% per hit

Rating:

Description: Does an extremely quick headbutt. The ending lag is basically you letting go of the A button. It does minimal damage and it can't really followup, but it does have a chance of tripping the opponent. Don't use it much, as the opponent can easily DI out after 3-4 hits.

You can use it to counter Stale-Move Negation by attacking things like the statues in Castle Siege.

Frame data

Hits	2-3
IASA	22 (single jab)
Trip rate	10%
Advantage on block	-12 (normal shield drop) / -19 (jump/grab OoS)

Forward tilt

Name: Side Kick

Damage: 9.45% (normal), 10.5% (angled up), 8.4% (angled down)

Rating:

KO percentage: 200%

Description: Quick kick forward. Short range, but it doesn't have bad KO power for a tilt. It's rather awkward to use in combos and for spacing, but it can do both. Also, if you use it right next to the opponent, it knocks them back. I don't really like this move.

Frame data

Hits	5-10
IASA	30
Advantage on block	-14 (normal shield drop) / -21 (jump/grab OoS)

Note: This will always be the same, regardless of how the move is angled.

Up tilt

Name: Tail Whip

Damage: 7.35%/6.3%/5.25% (does more damage closer to Pikachu)

Rating:

KO percentage: 155%

Description: Whips his tail in an arc above himself, launching opponents up. This is a great move - it's fast, at lower percentages it can juggle and combo into other moves well, and at high percentages it can lead straight into a Thunder for a Thunderspike.

Frame data

Hits	7-13
IASA	24
Advantage on block	-7/-7/-8 (normal shield drop) / -14/-14/-15 (jump/grab OoS)

Down tilt

Name: Tail Sweep

Damage: 7.35%

Rating:

KO percentage: 250%

Description: Sweeps his tail along the ground in front of himself. I don't particularly like this move. It has little knockback but also launches the opponent very low to the ground, so it's hard to followup. It also has little KO power. It does have decent range however, and the first hit can trip the opponent. Still, I rarely use it.

Frame data

Hits	7-9
IASA	19
Trip rate	30%
Advantage on block	-2 (normal shield drop) / -9 (jump/grab OoS)

Dash attack

....................

The rest is coming soon