Tough Guy

It has been suggested that this article should be moved to Passive armor. The reason given for the move is: Non-character-specific term now that it's not a one-off; see talk page for details (Discuss)

Bowser not flinching from Kirby's rapid jab.

Bowser, Giga Bowser, and Kazuya have universal passive knockback-based armor, known as Tough Guy for Bowser and Tough Body for Kazuya. This mechanic was first introduced in Super Smash Bros. 4, and carried over to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Bowser has 19 units, Giga Bowser has 95 units, and Kazuya has 14 units.

Mechanic

Tough Guy is a form of knockback-based armor that triggers against attacks that deal 19 units of knockback or less for Bowser. This is present in all of Bowser's animations, even when buried or frozen, which can lead to odd interactions with "delayed" armor reactions. Its presence notably includes crouching which — thanks to the 0.85× knockback reduction it provides — improves the armor's ranges significantly. Tough Guy is also present during attacks that utilize Bowser's armored smash and tilt attacks in Ultimate, giving him effectively two layers of armor for attacks to break through. For an attack to break through Tough Guy, the threshold must be breached, in which the character takes full knockback.

Because the armor is knockback-based, Tough Guy's effectiveness deteriorates as percentage builds. As the character using it takes more damage, they take more knockback, which gives Tough Guy a hard limit in every matchup. Additionally, effects that increase knockback, such as rage, will also affect Tough Guy. For a character-specific example, Hero's Psyche Up applies a 1.2× knockback multiplier directly onto his moves which, as a result, significantly decreases Tough Guy's effectiveness—if not neuter it outright—until it goes away.

Due to Tough Guy's very low knockback threshold, its usefulness is highly specific to the point of being essentially nonexistent in some matchups. While characters like Luigi and Mega Man are greatly impacted due to their reliance on weak, spammable projectiles in neutral, others such as Donkey Kong and Ganondorf are completely unaffected. This applies even moreso to Kazuya, having drastically lower damage ranges; for example, while Bowser can armor Pyra's Rapid Jab well until 174%, Kazuya can only armor it until around 12%. Like all armor, Tough Guy does not protect characters from grabs either, so characters that are noticeably affected by the ability can normally make up for it through a grab-heavy playstyle.

In Ultimate

Tough Guy was indirectly buffed in Ultimate thanks to the universal knockback reduction in all rapid jabs. The addition of damage-based armor into his moveset also assisted with this, adding a degree of safety at tighter percent ranges. Because Bowser himself gained more weight, it's common to see him armor rapid jabs to extremely high thresholds and punish them outright.

When Giga Bowser was made a boss in Ultimate, he was given 95 units of knockback-based armor that otherwise acts in exactly the same manner to Bowser's. However, because Giga Bowser cannot be grabbed in any way and has gigantic weight, it is near-impossible to make him launch or even flinch in regular gameplay. Thus, seeing Giga Bowser's Tough Guy equivalent break is extremely rare, but not impossible with charged smash attacks, strong items, or Final Smashes. This is somewhat similar to his appearance in Melee, where he is given 20 units of subtractive knockback-based armor, acting similar to Yoshi's double jump. This is unlike Tough Guy, which rather than subtract the knockback, requires an attack to breach the threshold to launch the character.

Kazuya's addition to Ultimate came with a weaker variant of Tough Guy dubbed "Tough Body", which guards against 14 units of knockback, but is otherwise the same. Combined with Kazuya's lower weight, Tough Body is far more situational than Tough Guy, being largely useless in many matchups. On the other hand, because of his crouch-based attacks like Demon God Fist, he can make better use of it in some situations, as crouch canceling applies.

List of attacks affected by Tough Guy/Tough Body

This article or section is incomplete. You can help SmashWiki by expanding or finishing it. The editor who added this tag elaborates: Item damage data from Super Smash Bros. 4, including percents when crouching. Also Kazuya data.

• Bold percentages represent the damage limit if Bowser were crouching.
• Moves with damages labeled "Limitless" means that Tough Guy will always trigger against the move.
• Moves that are available as custom moves are in italics.

User/Item	Move	Part of Move	Damage Limit	Notes
By Characters
Banjo & Kazooie	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	83%/318%	Closest hitbox
			503%/737%	Farthest hitbox
	Egg Firing / Breegull Blaster	Breegull Blaster	454%/615%(Eggs 1-6;long range), 628%/841%(Eggs 1-6; maximum range), 572%/753%(Eggs 7-12; mid range), 769%/Limitless(Eggs 7-12; long range)	After the 13th egg, becomes Limitless for standing and crouching at all ranges except for point-blank
Bayonetta	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	116% 205%/333%	Closest hitbox
			282%/410%	Farthest hitbox
	Bullet Climax	Entire move	116% 120%/157%	Uncharged bullets
Bowser	Up Throw	Attack hitbox	6%/23%	Applies to hits 1 - 7
Bowser Jr.	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	18%
		Rapid Jab	617%/842%
	Dash attack	Entire move	3%/18% 22%	Farthest hitbox; applies to hits 1 - 5
	Forward smash	Entire move	29% Limitless	Applies to hits 1 - 5
Byleth	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	363%/597%	Closest hitbox
			503%/737%	Farthest hitbox
Captain Falcon	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	356%/500%
Charizard	Down Throw	Attack hitbox	4%/23%	Collateral damage
	Flamethrower	Entire move	34% 35%	Weak hitbox
	Fire Fang		Limitless	Embers
	Fireball Cannon		46%/92%	Weak hitbox
Chrom	Double-Edge Dance	4th hit; angled down	279%/349%	Applies to hits 1-4
Corrin	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	180%/293%
	Forward smash	Yato hitboxes	Limitless
Daisy	Neutral Aerial	Entire move	3%	Late hitbox
	Down Aerial		6%/53%	Applies to hits 1 - 3
Dark Pit	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	Limitless 617%/842%
	Down Aerial	Entire move	3%-5%	Meteor hitbox
	Silver Bow	Entire move	3% 0%	Uncharged
Donkey Kong	Neutral attack	Jab 1	7%
	Jumping Headbutt	Entire move	81%/101%	Tough Guy does not trigger if Bowser is hit while airborne
Dr. Mario	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	88%/145%	Farthest hitbox
		Jab 2	36%/136%
Duck Hunt	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	13%/169%	Closest hitbox
			363%/597%	Farthest hitbox
	Clay Shooting	Reticle shots	306%
Falco	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	500%/663%
	Blaster	Entire move	Limitless
	Explosive Blaster			Applies to hits 1 - 4
Fox	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	7%/81%	Farthest hitbox
		Jab 2	30%
		Rapid Jab	36%/143% 270%/378%	Farthest hitbox in Smash 4
	Neutral Aerial	Entire move	2% 4%	Late hitbox
Greninja	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	50%/94% 617%/842%
	Back Aerial	Entire move	0%/11% 0%/12%	Applies to hit 1
			1%/13% 1%/14%	Applies to hit 2
	Water Shuriken		3%/28%	Uncharged
Hero	Magic Burst	Entire move	368%/523%	At MP 100; does not include the last hit
			743%/Limitless	At lower to lowest MP; does not include the last hit
	Whack		4%/23%	Bowser can still get KO'd.
Ice Climbers	Ice Shot	Entire move	27%/47%	Closest range
			30%/53%	Farthest range
	Blizzard	Entire move	27%	Closest hitbox
			35%	Middle Hitbox
Ike	Aether	Falling hit	54%/73%
Inkling	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	363%/597%	Closest hitbox
			712%/947%	Farthest hitbox
	Up Aerial	Entire move	0%-1%/43%-44%	Applies to hit 1 only; farthest hitbox
Ivysaur	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	147%/222%
	Side Tilt	Entire move	8%/88%	Applies to hits 1 - 6
	Neutral Aerial		55%/130%	Applies to hits 1 - 7
	Bullet Seed		29%-31%	All seeds, except the last
Jigglypuff	Neutral attack	Jab 1	5%
	Spinphony	Entire move	Limitless	Bowser is still turned around
Joker	Gun/Gun Special	Entire move	5%	Close range
			48%/67%	Mid range
King Dedede	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	Limitless 494%/681%	Farthest hitbox
			382%/569%	Closest hitbox
	Super Dedede Jump	Stars	4%
	Quick Dedede Jump
Kirby	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	74%/119%
		Rapid Jab	Limitless 124%/197%
Link	Quickfire Bow	Entire move	17%/50%	Uncharged
			1%/16%	Full charge
	Bow and Arrows	Arrows	0%	Thrown
			1%	Z-Dropped
Little Mac	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	120%/158% 298%/579%	Also applies when as Giga Mac in Smash 4
	Down Aerial	Entire move	8%/18%	Clean hitbox
			11%/22% 12%/23%	Late hitbox; also applies when as Giga Mac in Smash 4
Lucario	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	7%-4%-1%/84%-67%-48%	Farthest hitbox
	Aura Sphere	Entire move	0%	Uncharged
	Piercing Aura Sphere		44%
Lucas	Down tilt	Entire move	24%/55% 14%	Farthest hitbox
	PK Thunder	Projectile	115% 118%/169%	Applies to the hitboxes in the "tail"
Lucina	Dancing Blade	4th hit; angled down	97% 279%/349%	Applies to hits 1- 4
Luigi	Up Aerial	Entire move	0% 2%-3%	Late hitbox
	Fireball		55%/82% 56%/86%	Early hitbox
			66%/99%	Late hitbox
	Bouncing Fireball		55%/82%	Closest hitbox
			64%/95%	Mid hitbox
			77%/113%	Farthest hitbox
	Super Jump Punch		Limitless	Sourspot
Mario	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	5%/72%	Farthest hitbox
		Jab 2	37%/139%
	Fast Fireball	Entire move	193%/298%	Weak hitbox
Marth	Dancing Blade	4th hit; angled down	97% 279%/349%	Hits 1 - 4
Mega Man	Neutral Attack	Pellets	372%/510% 384%/524%	Long/Mid range
	Side Tilt
	Neutral Aerial
	Up Aerial	Entire move	Limitless	Late hitbox
	Crash Bomber		190%/312% 10%/135%	Applies to hits 1 - 4
	Leaf Shield		17%/79%
Meta Knight	Neutral Attack	Entire move	93%/150% 66%/128%	Does not include the finishing hit
Mewtwo	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	52% 550%/751%
	Shadow Ball	Entire move	33% 23%	Uncharged
Mii Brawler	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	281%
Mii Gunner	Charge Shot	Entire move	2%	Uncharged
Min Min	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	172%	Closest hitbox
			340%	Farthest hitbox
Mr. Game & Watch	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	Limitless
		Rapid Jab	Limitless 101%/201%
	Forward Aerial	Entire move	Limitless	Applies to hit 1 only
	Back Aerial	Entire move	2%/16%	Applies to hits 1 - 3
	Short Order Chef	Entire move	101%/256%	Steak
			120%/300%	Skinny fish
			Limitless	Fat fish
	Judge	Entire move	8%/32%	Judge #2 only
Mythra	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	34%/128%	farthest hitbox
			6%/76%	closest hitbox
		Jab 2	174%/268%	farthest hitbox
		Rapid Jab	188%/305%
Ness	Neutral attack	Jab 1	13%/41%
		Jab 2
	Down Tilt	Entire move	164%/209% 151%	Closest hitbox
			189%/258% 199%	Farthest hitbox
	Down Throw	Attacking hitbox	3%/28%	Collateral; applies to hits 1 - 3
	PK Fire	Pillar	44% 66%/128%	Percent in Smash 4 also includes crouching
	Lasting PK Thunder	Projectile	104%/150%	Applies to the hitboxes in the "tail"
Olimar	Dizzy Whistle	Entire move	Limitless	Bowser is still turned around
Palutena	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	162%/263% 173%/281%
Peach	Neutral Aerial	Entire move	2% 3%	Late hitbox
	Down Aerial		6%/53%	Applies to hits 1 - 3
Pichu	Neutral Attack	Entire move	12%	Closest hitbox
	Forward Throw	Attacking Hitbox	3%/19%	Collateral; applies to hits 1 - 3
Pikachu	Neutral Attack	Entire move	8%/44% 82%/165%	Closest hitbox
			34%/74% 87%/176%	Middle hitbox
	Forward Throw	Attacking hitbox	2%/16%	Collateral; applies to hits 1 - 4
	Thunder Jolt	Entire move	2%/4%/7%	Early/Mid/Late hitbox
Piranha Plant	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	11%	Farthest hitbox
		Jab 2	43%
		Rapid Jab	593%/622%
	Down throw	Attacking hitbox	13%	Collateral damage
Pit	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	Limitless 617%/842%
	Down Aerial	Entire move	3%-5%	Meteor hitbox
	Palutena Bow	Entire move	5% 6%	Uncharged
Pyra	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	26%/101%	Farthest hitbox
			3%/59%	Closest hitbox
		Jab 2	174%/268%	Farthest hitbox
		Rapid Jab	173%/281%
	Flame Nova	Entire move	Limitless	Closest hitbox; applies to all hits except the final
Richter	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	5%/74%	Farthest hitbox
		Rapid Jab	617%/842%
	Holy Water	Pillar	131%	Same percent when crouching
Ridley	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	198%	Closest hitbox
			571%	Farthest hitbox
R.O.B.	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	8%/26% 33%
	Down tilt	Entire move	0%
	Backwards Arm Rotor	Entire move	Limitless	1st hit facing Bowser
	Gyro		84%	Uncharged; late hitbox
	Slip Gyro		5%	Sliding across the ground
Robin	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	47% 384%/593%
Rosalina & Luma	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	537%/741%	Rosalina
			215%/349%	Luma
	Grand Star	Grand Star looping hits	Limitless	only if Bowser is above on a platform
Roy	Double-Edge Dance	4th hit; angled down	97% 279%/349%	Applies to hits 1 - 4
Ryu	Down tilt	Entire move	Limitless	Tapped; farthest hitbox
	Hadoken	Shakunetsu Hadoken	166% 335%	Fast-tapped; applies to hits 1-4
Samus	Charge Shot	Entire move	2%	Uncharged
	Dense Charge Shot		0%
Sephiroth	Shadow Flare	Initial projectile	54%/106%	Uncharged
			26%/55%	Fully charged
Sheik	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	43%/148% 208%/372%
	Forward throw	Attack hitbox	Limitless	Collateral damage
	Back throw
	Up throw
	Down throw
Shulk	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	100%	Buster Art; farthest hitbox
Simon	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	5%/74%	Farthest hitbox
		Rapid Jab	617%/842%
	Holy Water	Pillar	131%	Same percent when crouching
Sonic	Neutral Attack	Jab 2	8%/88%	Farthest hitbox
	Down Throw	Attacking hitbox	23%	Collateral damage
	Double Spring	Entire move	8%
Terry	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	238%/351%	Closest hitbox
		Jab 2 (1st hit)	47%/172%
Toon Link	Pummel	Entire move	4%	Collateral damage
	Hero's Bow		6%/24% 7%	Uncharged
			0%	Full charge
	Fire Arrow		Limitless	Uncharged; direct hit
			527%/664%	Full charge; direct hit
	Piercing Bow		390%/572%	Uncharged
			140%/208%	Full charge
Villager	Neutral Attack	Entire move	122% (lead fist); 10% (rear fist)	Farthest hitbox
	Down smash	Entire move	3%/11%
Wario	Wario Waft	Entire move	Limitless	Uncharged
	Garlic Breath			Closest range
Wii Fit Trainer	Neutral attack	Jab 3	19%/46% 16%	Burying hitbox
Yoshi	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	87%/144%	Farthest hitbox
	Down Aerial	Entire move	9% 12%	Applies to hits 1 - 6
Young Link	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	403%/566%
Zelda	Neutral Attack	Rapid Jab	320%/448%
	Forward Aerial	Entire move	6%	Sourspot
	Back Aerial
	Down Aerial		20%/33% 21%/34%	Late sourspot
	Nayru's Love		30% 31%	Applies to hits 1 - 3
	Nayru's Rejection		40%	Bowser is still turned around
Zero Suit Samus	Neutral Attack	Jab 1	127%/208%	Farthest hitbox
	Blast Shot	Entire move	Limitless	Uncharged
By Items
Beehive		Bees	Limitless	Only toughs out the first attack
Fire Flower		Thrown item	25%/46% 19%/36%
		Dropped item	30-53%/66-88%	Depends on the distance dropped
Mr. Saturn		Thrown item	9-10%, 32%/24-25%, 62% 9-10%, 31%/24-25%, 62% 7%, 28%/20%, 56%	Depends on distance thrown
		Dropped item	9-11%/24-40%	Depends on distance dropped
Staff		Shots	5%/25%	Point-blank range
Super Scope		Shots	164%/210%	Uncharged
Superspicy Curry		Flames	3%/120%
By Pokémon
Abomasnow		Blizzard	19%
Inkay		Topsy-Turvy	Limitless
Staryu		Swift	24%/69%
By Assist Trophy
Klaptrap		Rapid bites	961%/Limitless	Collateral damage

Trivia

• In Melee, Nana has 5 units of subtractive knockback-based armor at all times; while permanent like Tough Guy, it actually works more similarly to Yoshi's double jump armor.
• The attacks of Little Mac that can be toughed out also apply if he is in his transformation.
  • This makes Bowser the only character who has armor that works against a Final Smash.