Fox (SSB)/Down tilt

Overview[edit]

Hitbox of Fox's down tilt.

Fox sweeps his tail along the ground in front of himself, dealing 12% damage and vertical knockback. A useful combo move that can also KO at very high percentages. At very low percentages, it can lead into a jab or forward smash, and at moderately low to moderately high percentages, it can easily lead into a down aerial, that can also combo into a down tilt to continue the chain of d-tilt→dair→d-tilt→dair and so on, until an up smash can be used after a dair at KO percentages. Also, a dair may instead lead into an up tilt combo at moderate percentages. In certain situations, it can also combo into a shine at low percentages, which when used near the edge, can set up a shine spike (usually used against characters with linear recoveries such as Captain Falcon). Additionally, the move has good range in front of Fox, though unspectacular. The move is considered more effective on floaty characters.

Notably, if Fox uses the move while standing close enough to the edge, the hitbox will extend below the edge slightly, meaning it can hit characters within the range (regardless of whether they're hanging on the edge or not), though the mostly vertical knockback of the move, along with the fact that it isn't much of a reliable KO move (even when in this position), means this isn't too useful.

In the Japanese version, down tilt is much weaker, dealing less damage and knockback. This makes down tilt a worse KO move as well as a worse combo move at very low percents. However, it is a much more effective combo tool at higher percents, being able to directly lead into up smash for a KO confirm at certain percents.