Aesthetics
As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Robin's model features a more subdued color scheme. Both genders have hair that is more stylized, and eyes that appear sharper.- The player can now see how many uses Robin's Levin Sword and each Tome has located above their icon on the damage meter, akin to Inkling's ink gauge and Hero's MP Gauge.
- Several of Robin's alternate costumes have different hair colors that no longer match the color of Robin's coat. For example, male Robin's green costume now has light brown hair and female Robin's red costume has blonde hair. These typically reference other Fire Emblem characters rather than just Robin's own customization options.
- Robin shares a new victory theme with Lucina and Chrom that is based off "Id (Purpose)" from Fire Emblem Awakening.
- The trail effects for both of Robin's swords are much more opaque, with the trails for the Bronze Sword also being recolored from blue to green.
- The particle effects of Robin regaining tomes and the Levin Sword are more opaque, making it much easier to tell when the weapon in question has recharged.
- Robin's victory poses have been altered:
- The left-inputted victory pose now causes flames to swirl from both hands.
- The up-inputted victory pose no longer generates a sword trail.
- The right-inputted victory pose has Chrom properly loop during the post-victory animation, although he no longer blinks and always keeps his eyes open.
- The Bronze Sword is no longer present in Robin's clapping animation.
- Palutena's Guidance conversation for Robin has been changed, presumably due to Chrom being upgraded to a playable character.
Attributes
Like all characters, Robin's jumpsquat animation takes three frames to complete (down from 7).- Robin runs faster (1.15 → 1.265) going from the slowest in SSB4 to the second-slowest in Ultimate.
- Robin's initial dash is much faster (1.5 → 1.815).
- Robin's air speed is slightly faster (1 → 1.05).
- Robin's traction is higher (0.055 → 0.105).
Robin no longer starts the match with the Levin Sword, and instead has to wait for it to appear. This only occurs on Robin's first stock, as subsequent stocks start with it.- The particle effect of Robin regaining tomes and the Levin Sword are more opaque, making it much easier to tell when the weapon in question has recharged.
- The Levin Sword is no longer put away automatically after going unused for 8 seconds.
- The duration of item throws have been standardized in Ultimate. Robin benefits from this, with the endlag for every throw being reduced (Forward: FAF 29 → 24, Back: 29 → 24, Up: 29 → 23, Down: 21 → 19, Dash: 39 → 29). This greatly improves the safety and combo potential of discarded tomes and swords when thrown.
- The speed damage multiplier of discarded tomes and swords has been decreased (3.0 → 2.2), reducing their damage and KO potential.
- Discarded tomes have significantly less base damage (8% → 3%) with knockback not compensated, greatly decreasing their KO potential.
- However, this also improves their combo potential.
Ground attacks
- Neutral attack:
- The first two hits of neutral attack have altered animations and hitboxes, reducing their horizontal range.
- The first hit of neutral attack now functions as an anti-air but is also much easier to low profile.
- The first two hits of neutral attack have reduced knockback and a lower launch angle, reducing their utility in jab cancelling but allowing them to lock.
- The first two hits of neutral attack are much less active, with the second hit having higher startup (frames 4-7 → 4-5 (hit 1), 4-8 → 5-6 (hit 2)).
- Neutral attack's fire finisher has a reduced cost, allowing for more uses before recharging (6 → 12).
- Neutral attack's fire finisher has less startup (frame 10 → 6), allowing it to connect more reliably.
- its FAF is unchanged, causing it to be less safe on shield.
- Neutral infinite has less startup lag (frame 9 → 4) and a faster rehit rate (frames between hits: 3 → 1).
- Neutral infinite and its finisher both have larger hitboxes that extend closer to the ground, giving it more range and allowing it to connect more reliably.
- Neutral infinite has a lower launch angle (80° → 361°) with reduced knockback (14 base/30 scaling → 10/11) to keep opponents grounded, alongside lower hitlag (1 → 0.4) and SDI (0.8 → 0.6) multipliers. These changes allow it to connect much more reliably.
- Neutral infinite's wind finisher has considerably higher endlag (FAF 41 → 48).
- Neutral attack deals less damage (3%/3% → 2%/1.5% (hits 1-2), 1% → 0.9% (infinite)).
- The wind and fire finishers both have altered, more opaque particle effects.
- The infinite has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 3×. 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 Robin more easily if they shield 10 hits or more.
- Forward tilt:
- Forward tilt has higher base knockback (50 → 62).
- Forward tilt's hitbox has been moved closer to Robin (Z-offset: 15u → 14u), slightly reducing its horizontal range and disjoint.
- Forward tilt has an altered animation with Robin leaning into the attack more, further reducing its disjoint.
- Up tilt:
- Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 36 → 33).
- Up tilt has an altered animation, allowing it to hit much closer to the ground on both sides.
- Up tilt is active slightly longer (frames 6-13 → 6-14).
- Down tilt:
- Down tilt has an altered animation and hitbox setup, slightly reducing its range.
- Dash attack:
- Dash attack has significantly less ending lag (FAF 50 → 42).
- Smash attacks:
- If a smash attack uses the last charge of the Levin Sword, the discard is now dropped shortly before the move's FAF instead of when the animation ends.
- Smash attacks while the Levin Sword is depleted grant a slightly larger recharge boost (20 frames → 24).
- Forward smash:
- The clean hit of Levin Sword's forward smash deals more knockback (50 base/87 scaling → 53/90).
- The late hit with the Levin Sword deals much more damage (5% → 10%) with higher knockback scaling (70 → 80). This significantly improves its KO potential to the point that it can now kill below Sudden Death percents, KOing middleweights at around 165% from the center of Final Destination.
- Forward smash's launch direction is no longer based on which side of Robin the target is on, instead always launching in the direction Robin is facing.
- Up smash:
- Up smash with the Levin Sword now has a different animation from the Bronze Sword. Robin's sword levitates out of his right hand and does a twirl while flying upwards, increasing its range and horizontal coverage.
- The clean hit of Levin Sword's up smash deals more knockback (45 base/84 scaling → 55/86).
- The late hit with the Levin Sword deals much more damage (5% → 10%) with higher knockback scaling (70 → 80), significantly improving its KO potential.
- Down smash:
- The clean sparks (Levin Sword only) travel outwards, increasing their range.
- The clean sparks now hit aerial opponents, improving the move's utility in edge guarding and ledge trapping.
- The clean sparks transition into the late sparks one frame sooner (frame 24 → 23).
- The late sparks deal more damage (8% → 10%) with higher knockback scaling (80 → 100), significantly improving their KO potential.
Aerial attacks
- All aerials have less landing lag (neutral: 18 → 11, forward: 18 → 11, back: 19 → 11, up: 18 → 11, down: 26 → 16).
- Smash input aerials while the Levin Sword is depleted grant a slightly larger recharge boost (20 frames → 24).
- If an aerial uses the last charge of the Levin Sword, the discard is now dropped at the start of the aerial's auto-cancel window instead of when the animation ends.
- Neutral aerial:
- Neutral aerial has less startup (frame 9 → 7 (hit 1), 22 → 20 (hit 2)), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 50 → 48).
- Robin can now use the Levin Sword for neutral aerial. Like other aerials with the Levin Sword, this gives it more range, increased damage (7% → 11.5%), a lingering late hit, and an electric effect.
- Unlike other aerials with the Levin Sword, neutral aerial gains increased knockback scaling (55 → 64), giving it much greater KO potential compared to its Bronze Sword version than other aerials.
- Neutral aerial with the Levin Sword uses durability as a result of the change, and Robin can no longer switch to the Bronze Sword while in midair if the Levin Sword is equipped.
- Neutral aerial with the Levin Sword auto-cancels much later (frame 32 → 40) and cannot auto-cancel in a short hop.
- The player can hold both the special move and attack buttons at the same time to switch to the Levin Sword while using neutral aerial. While not mentioned in-game, this only works if the player has the A+B Smash Attack control option enabled.
- Neutral aerial deals marginally less damage with the Bronze Sword (7% → 6.9%).
- The size of all hitboxes on neutral aerial with the Bronze Sword have been greatly decreased (5u → 3u), reducing its coverage.
- Neutral aerial with the Bronze Sword is now transcendent, removing its ability to hit projectiles.
- Forward aerial:
- Forward aerial with the Levin sword auto-cancels one frame later (frame 27 → 28), reducing its safety and combo potential when used rising.
- Forward aerial's launch direction is no longer based on which side of Robin the target is on, instead always launching in the direction Robin is facing.
- Up aerial:
- Up aerial with the Levin Sword auto-cancels one frame later (frame 27 → 28), reducing its safety and combo potential when used rising.
- Down aerial:
- Down aerial with the Levin Sword transitions from the early hit to the middle hit one frame later (frame 15 → 16), increasing the duration of the early hit while reducing the duration of the middle hit.
- The middle hit of down aerial with the Levin Sword has an increased hitlag multiplier (1.0 → 1.5).
Throws and other attacks
- Grab:
- A halo-like indicator appears during Robin's grab, visualizing its range. This halo also appears when successfully grabbing an opponent.
- The speed of Robin's throws are no longer weight-dependent.
- Dash grab and pivot grab have more startup lag (frame 8 → 10 (dash), 9 → 11 (pivot)).
- Dash grab and pivot grab have less ending lag (FAF 49 → 47 (dash), 46 → 42 (pivot)).
- All grabs have had their hitboxes moved farther from Robin (Z-offset 2: 8.7u → 9.2u (standing), 10.7u → 11u (dash), 14.7u → 15.7u (pivot)), improving their horizontal range overall.
- Forward throw:
- Forward throw deals more base knockback (82 → 95), allowing it to better set up for edgeguards.
- Down throw:
- Down throw deals more knockback (30 base/88 scaling → 50/108). Now it is capable of KOing below 200%, but it has less effective follow-up potential at mid percents and hinders the “checkmate” combo.
Special moves
- Thunder:
- Thunder charges appear as a shrinking circle, with each stage shrinking until resizing into the next stage with a different color. This makes it easier to tell what level Thunder is at.
- Thunder charges are denoted by different colors: blue for Thunder, yellow for Elthunder, and purple for Arcthunder.
- Thunder charges much faster (Elthunder: frame 38 → 33, Arcthunder: frame 108 → 73, Thoron: frame 168 → 133).
- Thunder, Elthunder, and Arcthunder have less startup lag (frame 11 → 8).
- Thunder can be charge-canceled by jumping.
- Charge-cancelling Thunder now has a brief animation, enabling Charge storage canceling but making defensive options out of it slower.
- Thunder deals more damage (4.5% → 5.5%).
- Elthunder has a bright yellow color.
- Elthunder deals more damage (10.5% → 11%) with knockback not compensated, KOing earlier.
- Elthunder travels faster (2.5 → 2.8).
- Elthunder has a lower duration (46 frames → 42).
- Arcthunder deals significantly more damage (10% → 23.6%).
- The final hit deals more drastically more damage (1% → 8%) with knockback not fully compensated (60 base/280 scaling → 85/85), improving its KO potential.
- The rehit rate of Arcthunder's vortex has been decreased (6 frames → 4), allowing it to lock in shield and granting it shield break confirms when combined with its increased damage.
- Arcthunder is extended below and above the projectile, allowing it to hit shorter characters more easily (Y offset : 0 → -0.7—0.7).
- Arcthunder's projectile is active for longer (59 frames → 72).
- The duration of Arcthunder's vortex has been greatly reduced (34 frames → 17). The hitlag multiplier of the final hit has also been decreased (2 → 0.6), reducing its hitlag despite its higher damage. As a result, Robin can no longer act fast enough to follow up unless the move connects at a distance.
- Thoron has a lower launch angle (60° → 45°), significantly increasing its KO potential at ledge.
- Thoron has much higher base knockback but much lower scaling (50 base/230 scaling → 75/191), further increasing its KO potential at ledge but reducing it at center stage.
- Thoron comes out slower (frame 20 → 23).
- Thoron cannot be held to make the beam longer, instead being as long as the previous held version by default. This means the move has more endlag overall since it cannot be tapped for less (FAF 62-71 → 74).
- Arcfire:
- Arcfire's initial fireball has a longer duration (frames 17-50 → 17-76), traveling much further before expiring.
- Arcfire’s initial fireball now has a lower launch angle (100° → 115°) and uses set knockback, making it link more consistently.
- Arcfire's initial fireball is slightly bigger (1.6u → 1.8u).
- Arcfire deals more damage if all hits connect (10% → 15.1%).
- The hitbox of Arcfire's pillar now grows throughout the move's duration, making it much more difficult to escape.
- The looping hits of Arcfire’s pillar have reduced knockback (22 set knockback → 15), making it more difficult to escape.
- Arcfire's pillar now has a hurtbox that can take 10% before causing it to explode. This allows it to absorb incredibly strong projectiles such as a fully charged Charge Shot, but also causes it to get destroyed by strong getup attacks like Bowser's.
- The pillar's launching hit has reduced knockback growth (115 → 110), slightly reducing its KO potential without a follow up.
- Arcfire's pillar no longer activates when the initial fireball hits another hitbox.
- Elwind:
- Elwind projectiles are thicker and more opaque.
- Elwind's projectiles can be angled, letting Robin go twice in the same direction, improving horizontal recovery by making it less linear and less predictable. Additionally, the move has been sped up and can travel further horizontally.
- Elwind sends Robin much higher.
- Robin grabs ledges faster when using Elwind backwards (frame 52 → 39).
- Elwind's projectiles push opponents away when they hit the ground.
- Elwind has fewer uses before needing to recharge (9 → 5).
- When using Elwind while depleted, Robin will gain a short upward boost upward, slightly improving the chance of a successful recovery.
- The short boost does not render Robin helpless, meaning he can follow up with a midair jump or directional air dodge.
- A sourspot was added to the first active frame of the first blade, giving it much better coverage of Robin’s body but making it harder to spike with.
- The second blade now has an early hit that deals more damage (5% → 7%) with increased knockback growth (80 → 90), allowing it to KO much earlier despite its higher launch angle.
- Nosferatu:
- Nosferatu is more opaque and has fewer particles, looking more like a dark whirlpool instead of a cloud of particles.
- Nosferatu has less ending lag (FAF 56 → 50).
- Nosferatu's release less ending lag (FAF 38 → 32), making it much safer on hit.
- Nosferatu's healing formula has been altered, allowing it to heal slightly more per hit.
- Nosferatu's grab has a much shorter duration (155 frames → 80), causing it to heal much less overall when it fully connects.
- Nosferatu's air only hitbox has been extended towards Robin, allowing it to connect more reliably against aerial opponents.
- Nosferatu's hits now do more damage (0.8% → 2%), allowing Robin deal damage at a faster rate than before.
- Nosferatu's collateral hitbox is now significantly larger (3u → 8u), making it much more difficult to contest in free-for-alls and team battles.
- Nosferatu's rehit rate is now decreased based on the number of players (up to 6), allowing Robin to heal and deal damage faster in free-for-alls and team battles.
- Robin grabs ledge much earlier out of Nosferatu (frame 59 → 37), allowing it to be used at ledge without resulting in a self-destruct.
- Nosferatu has fewer uses before needing to recharge (4 uses → 3).
- However, this allows Robin to expend its charges and use the book as a throwing item faster.
- Nosferatu recharges faster (40 seconds → 30).
- Pair Up:
- The swing at the end of Chrom's dash now has a launcher, giving the move more range.
- The final hit deals more damage (14% → 18%).
- The final hit has significantly lower knockback scaling (162 → 118), dealing slightly less knockback overall despite its increased damage.