Quick Attack
| Quick Attack | |
|---|---|
 Quick Attack in Super Smash Bros. | |
| User | Pikachu |
| Universe | Pokémon |
| Article on Bulbapedia | Quick Attack (move) |
| “ | Tilt File:GCN ControlStick.png immediately before moving to control direction. | ” |
| —Melee's instruction manual | ||
| “ | Move at ultra-high speed. Tilt the Control Stick very quickly in any direction before Pikachu moves to change its direction. | ” |
| —Brawl's instruction manual | ||
| “ | Dash up to twice in the directions of your choosing. | ” |
| —Smash for 3DS's foldout | ||
Quick Attack (でんこうせっか, Lightning Speed) is Pikachu's up special move.
Overview
General
After a short delay, Pikachu moves in a straight line in the direction in which the player's control stick is tilted, or upwards if it is not tilted. A tilt of the control stick in a different direction will cause another, similar burst. The high speed of this move renders Pikachu nearly invulnerable, but it is exposed at the beginning, middle, and end moments, when it briefly holds still. Quick Attack requires much practice before players can effectively take advantage of its two-direction functionality.
In Super Smash Bros.
This attack deals no damage (making it the only special move in the game that cannot affect the enemy). However, it is one of the best recoveries overall. Pikachu is notable for having one of the most diverse recoveries as well. Pikachu has multiple invincibility frames during the beginning and middle. It is possible to attack Pikachu only before and after the bursts. Given this, Pikachu can ledge-stall indefinitely. The range of this move also allows Pikachu to go far out from the edge to edgeguard. It is also possible to travel with almost no change in direction between bursts. Quick Attack is even able to sweetspot the edge from almost any distance within the move's range. Pikachu can alternate between taunts and Quick Attack, each canceling the other. Finally, it can be used to escape situations and can go through a portion of the wall in Break the Targets.
In Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros Melee's Quick Attack is for the most part similar to the attack in Super Smash Bros. Unlike the original, Melee's deals 1-3% damage per hit to characters Pikachu passes through and has fewer invincibility frames. The attack has a huge range, but the second jump requires a minimum rotation of 38 degrees. New developments suggest that it may be possible to jump twice in the same direction, however. Pikachu can also cancel the move, like in Smash 64.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Pikachu can deal light damage to characters it passes through, being stronger in damage (5%, if hit twice by Pikachu pulling a 180°), but it has less range than in Melee. Thus, people often use Skull Bash as an additional recovery move. It has more invincibility frames by the edge, however. Pikachu's Quick Attack can also be cancelled into the ground, called QAC'ing. This is a very useful technique in competitive play and it is seen as a main way for Pikachu to approach many characters.
If Pikachu takes a Poison Mushroom or is shrinking from a Super Mushroom during the first step of Quick Attack, it will perform an extra-high jump. This is assumed to be a glitch. [1]
In Super Smash Bros. 4
Quick Attack returns as Pikachu's up special move in Super Smash Bros. 4. However, Quick Attack canceling is no longer possible on flat surfaces; it can only be done on slopes or the edges of platforms.
Customization
Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:
| 1. Quick Attack | 2. Meteor Quick Attack | 3. Quick Feet |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
| "A fast attack in any direction. Change direction midmove to move a second time." | "A Quick Attack with a meteor effect, Potent at the start and when changing direction." | "Doesn't move twice, but moves much farther than Pikachu's other up specials." |
- Quick Attack: Default.
- Meteor Quick Attack: Has lower recovery distance and moves slower than the normal Quick Attack, but adds meteor effects to the move. More effective at the start of the move and while changing directions.
- Quick Feet: Only moves once, but travels much farther.
Meteor Quick Attack
Quick Feet
Origin
Quick Attack is a physical Normal-type attack introduced in Generation I in the Pokémon games. It acts a mainstream but rather weak move, learned by many Pokémon at low levels, similar to Tackle and Pound. Unlike these other moves, it has a +1 priority, meaning it will go first unless the opponent also uses an increased priority move. Pikachu learns Quick Attack by leveling up, in the 10-20 level range depending on the generation.
In the main Pokémon games, Quick Attack is commonly depicted as a single quick dash towards the foe. Pikachu's Quick Attack in the Super Smash Bros. series instead has an unique trail of electrical bubbles, which also deal electric damage, despite the attack being Normal-type in the origin games; the only Pokémon game to include a similar effect is Pokémon Battle Revolution, where Quick Attack would have a similar sparkling when used by Pikachu and other Electric-type Pokémon.
One of Quick Attack's custom variants is named after Quick Feet, an ability in the Pokémon games. If a Pokémon with Quick Feet is afflicted with a status condition, its Speed stat will be boosted. However, Pikachu cannot have this ability in any game.
Gallery
Quick Attack in Melee.
Quick Attack in Brawl.
Quick Attack in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
Middle of the Quick Attack animation in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutral special | Thunder Jolt | ||||
| Side special | — | Skull Bash | |||
| Up special | Quick Attack | ||||
| Down special | Thunder | ||||
| Final Smash | — | Volt Tackle | |||
Trivia
- This is one of 2 up specials that initially didn't do damage, but does in the next Smash game. The other is Extreme Speed.
- Coincidentally, both are used by Pokémon.
