Alolan Whip
File:IncineroarAlolanWhip.PNG
Incineroar using Alolan Whip on Captain Falcon.
User Incineroar
Universe Pokémon
Bounces foes off the ropes. The type of follow-up attack depends on the timing of the button press.
—Description from Ultimate's Move List

Alolan Whip (ロープスイング, Rope Swing) is Incineroar's side special move in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Overview

Alolan Whip consists of Incineroar dashing forward with its arms extended. If it grabs an opponent, a set of wrestling ring ropes rise up behind it (at about the distance the dash travels), and it Irish whips the opponent into the ropes. The victim is rebounded off the ropes and back towards Incineroar, where it performs one of three attacks on them depending on if and when the special or attack button was pressed during the move.

If an attack button was not pressed by the time the opponent collides with Incineroar, the move "fails" and both the opponent and Incineroar will receive minor damage from the collision. If an attack button is pressed any time after the grab, but before the collision, Incineroar will perform a back body drop, which launches the opponent vertically. If an attack button is pressed just as the victim collides with Incineroar, it will perform a lariat that launches the opponent horizontally in the direction Incineroar is facing when initiating the attack.

If the opponent does not collide with Incineroar (ex. being hit out of the move by another player, either player's positions change due to moving platforms, opponent is slowed down), the move ends with Incineroar shrugging towards the screen. It is also possible for such situations to result in Incineroar "landing" a hit on a missed opponent, which deals damage to anyone touching the hitbox, but not the original target.

Glitch

Prior to Patch 3.0.0, a rare glitch in Stamina Mode could cause an opponent caught in a lariat to lose two stocks: one from the lariat itself, and one from the release animation.[1] This only seems to occur if another opponent is thrown into Incineroar and KO'd while they are caught with a Fishing Rod. This glitch causes the game to consider that the victim lost two stocks, including the loss of two stock icons and two separate KOs (one explosion and one ragdoll); however the victim will respawn again while only using a single stock, even if they appear to have no stocks left. Additionally, the Announcer will call out for the defeated victim when they have no stock icons left, but will not call out when the victim actually loses their final "phantom stock".

Origin

Alolan Whip does not exist in the Pokémon games. It is instead based off a professional wrestling move, the Irish Whip. Additionally, the back body drop and lariat follow-ups are common real-life follow-ups to the Irish Whip. Alolan Whip's name is a combination of both the Irish Whip and Alola, the region from which Incineroar hails. The slouching pose that Incineroar assumes if the opponent fails to collide with it resembles Guzma's stance during Pokémon battles.

Gallery

Trivia

  • Alolan Whip is the first Pokémon special move to be a move original to Super Smash Bros. series.
    • This is not counting Thunder Jolt, which, while not in the main series games, existed in the Pokémon Trading Card Game prior to its appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series.
  • Prior to an unknown patch, all characters used their running animation when being flung back towards Incineroar by the ropes. However, now the majority of characters use a unique flying animation that is also used during Incineroar's Final Smash.