Stone Scabbard
| Stone Scabbard | |
|---|---|
 Stone Scabbard in Ultimate | |
| User | Mii Swordfighter |
| Universe | Super Smash Bros. |
Stone Scabbard (ロケット下突き, Rocket Downstab), known as Back in the Stone in the PAL version, is one of three up special moves for the Mii Swordfighter.
Overview
Both of the move's official English names are a reference to the way the Mii's sword penetrates the ground upon impact, briefly holding the weapon in an unusable position.
When used, the Swordfighter slashes upward, knocking any enemy hit up while they also rise. Then, they hold the sword with the blade pointed down, and descend, meteor smashing enemies on the way down. The blade can pass through thin platforms, ambushing anyone underneath the platform the Swordfighter lands on. The Swordfighter is intangible during the initial frames of the attack. This move is very similar to other rise-then-fall specials, especially Pyra's Prominence Revolt.
The meteor smash can be used as a sacrificial KO if the opponent cannot recover from the attack, but is unlikely to send opponents towards the bottom blast zone quicker than Mii Swordfighter would reach the same place itself until higher percentages. For this reason, Mii Swordfighter should attempt to grab the ledge when possible after hitting an opponent, if the move is to be used for KO purposes.
During the transition to Ultimate, the move was heavily buffed. It now travels higher and the player can move the Swordfighter slightly to the left or right during the ascent, thus making it more useful for recovery. The move can also sweetspot ledges from behind and boasts a larger hitbox, and as of patch 12.0.0, the move has significant KO potential at percents above 100%, which combined with its starting invincibility makes it a decent out-of-shield option(though inferior to Hero's Spin). However, while its final hit has been strengthened in terms of damage output, its initial hit now deals less damage.
Instructional quotes
 case foldout |
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A high jump and downward thrust to launch foes. |
 Move List |
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Jumps high and follows up with a firm downward strike. |
Customization
Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:
| 1. Stone Scabbard | 2. Skyward Slash Dash | 3. Hero's Spin |
|---|---|---|
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 |
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| "A high jump followed by a firm downward strike with your sword." | "A flurry of slashes that sends you in the direction of your choice." | "A spinning sword attack that sends you upward if used in the air." |
Gallery
Stone Scabbard in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
Stone Scabbard as shown by the Move List in Ultimate.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
 Japanese |
ロケット下突き |
 English |
Stone Scabbard |
 French (NTSC) |
Plongée d'estoc |
 German |
Gravitationshieb |
 Spanish (NTSC) |
Estocada sideral |
 Italian |
Ritorno nella roccia |
 Chinese |
火箭式下刺 |
 Korean |
로켓 아래 찌르기 |
 Dutch |
Grondsteek |
 Russian |
Каменные ножны |
Origin
While the move itself is original to Smash, the name and the position the Mii is left in after using the move is a nod to the legend of King Arthur and the Excalibur, also known as the Sword in the Stone(hence the PAL version's name of this move). In the legend, the Excalibur is a powerful sword that is wedged in a stone, and can only be removed by the true heir to England. By removing the sword from the stone, Arthur proved his lineage.
