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[[File:KirbyUpTiltNerf.png|thumb|An example of a nerf, involving [[Kirby]]'s up tilt. The upper [[hitbox]] has been moved closer to Kirby in ''Melee'', significantly reducing its range.]]
A '''nerf''' is a term used to describe the weakening of a character or an aspect of a character, either through updating a game or by releasing a sequel. Nerfs are often done as an attempt to balance the roster, by weakening characters that are too strong; however, nerfs can also be inadvertently added if a character is indirectly weakened by an external gameplay change. Nerfs contrast with "[[buff]]s", which involve the strengthening of a character or aspects of a character between sequel games and game updates.


A '''nerf''' is a term used to describe the weakening of a character (or aspect of a character), either through updating a game or by releasing a sequel. It is often done as an attempt to balance the roster. The opposite term is "[[buff]]", which is to strengthen a character between sequel games. The best example of this is [[Kirby]]'s transition from the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' to ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. Kirby went from being one of the best characters according to the ''SSB'' [[tier list]] to being the worst.
The term "{{s|wikipedia|nerf}}" is derived from the brand of toy known for its soft foam-like substance.  This substance allows for safer play, as little chance of injury comes from impact with such items. In effect, a projectile is less damaging because it was "nerfed".


The term "[[wiktionary:nerf|nerf]]" is derived from the brand of toy known for its soft foam-like substance. This substance allows for safer play, as little chance of injury comes from impact with such items. In effect, a projectile is less damaging because it was "nerfed".
==Notable examples of nerfs in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series==
===''Smash 64'' to ''Melee''===
====Universal Mechanics====
*The effect of [[L-canceling]] has been reduced; now only reducing landing lag by 50% rather than reducing it to 4 frames. It is also harder to perform with the window to L-cancel being reduced from eleven frames to seven. This generally makes aerials more punishable and reduces their combo potential. This particularly hinders aerials with very high landing lag such as {{SSBM|Link}} and {{SSBM|Pikachu}}'s down aerials. This change is further exacerbated by many short hops being shorter along with many aerials receiving worse [[auto-cancel]] windows; greatly reducing the amount of aerials which can auto-cancel in a short hop.
*The knockback of [[meteor smash]]es can now be cancelled with a jump or an up special 8 frames after a meteor smash connects (known as meteor cancelling). This significantly hinders the utility of meteor smashes and while a fair amount of meteor smashes are stronger, this does not compensate for the inclusion of meteor cancelling. Many meteor smashes are also noticeably slower.
*[[Directional Influence]] has been introduced which allows the player to change their launch angle after getting hit by a move. While this does improve the endurance and recovery potential of each character, it also makes combos much less consistent; forcing the player to guess which way their opponent is going to DI. As a result, zero to death combos are less prevalent and requires reads from the player performing the combo. This also means that every attack in the game can be survived for longer although poor DI can allow moves to KO even earlier than they normally should.
*[[Shield]] damage and shieldstun have been significantly decreased. This makes many attacks less safe on shield which makes many more attacks punishable on shield and generally makes shield breaks far less common. This particularly hurts characters with [[shield break combo]]s; most notably {{SSBM|Kirby}} and {{SSBM|Ness}}


==Characters who had attributes nerfed from ''SSB'' to ''Melee''==
====Character-specific====
There were two general nerfs for all characters. One is that most [[aerial attack]]s and [[tilt]]s no longer have almost instantaneous start-up lag. The second general nerf is [[throw]]s have been significantly weakened, with only a few throws being reliable [[KO]] moves in ''Melee''. Below is a list of nerfs for the cast of ''Melee''.
*{{SSBM|Kirby}}'s [[walk]] and [[dash]] speeds were significantly reduced, leading to a poor ability to pursue opponents, and his increased falling speed, along with nerfs to [[Final Cutter]], reduced the effectiveness of his recovery. Many of Kirby's most powerful attacks in ''Smash 64'' were also nerfed; for example, his up tilt had its range, power, and combo ability significantly reduced, while his forward smash went from one of the strongest in ''Smash 64'' to among the weakest in ''Melee''. Ranked as one of the best characters in ''Smash 64'', Kirby is arguably one of the worst characters in ''Melee'', currently ranking second to dead last on the tier list and by the far the most nerfed character in the transition between games.


==={{SSBM|Captain Falcon}}===
===''Melee'' to ''Brawl''===
*[[Up aerial]] doesn't [[semi-spike]] as reliably and has reduced vertical reach.
====Universal Mechanics====
*[[Falcon Punch]] has more start-up lag and can no longer be used for [[recover]]ing.
*L-cancelling has been removed completely. This has the same negative effects as the weakening of the mechanic in ''Melee'' but to a greater extent. While a large amount of aerials have lower landing lag and more aerials are capable of auto-cancelling in a short hop, this does not completely compensate for the removal of L-cancelling in most cases.  
*[[Up smash]] is slower and has drastically reduced utility.
*[[Air dodge]]s have been changed. The main changes are that they cannot be angled and no longer cause [[helpless]]ness and they can now be performed out of [[tumble]]. While the changes to air dodges have their benefits, they also cause two changes which noticeably hinder certain characters.  
*[[Falcon Kick]] is slightly slower and weaker.
**Because of the changes to air dodges, [[wavedash]]ing is no longer possible which negatively impacts many characters' mobility on the ground, such as in the case of {{SSBB|Luigi}} and {{SSBB|Marth}}
*[[Falcon Dive]] has been weakened, it also has more start-up lag and reduced grab range.
**This also enables [[hitstun cancelling]] which can also be performed with aerials. While this can lead to [[momentum canceling]] which allows many characters to survive longer, it has also heavily limited the combo potential of many characters. Two characters who were noticeably affected by this were {{SSBB|Captain Falcon}} and {{SSBB|Jigglypuff}}.
*[[Down aerial]] has a much shorter duration.
*It is no longer possible to DI moves which do not cause tumble. When combined with the fact that non-tumble hitstun cannot be cancelled, this leads into the game's inescapable chain grabs as well as allowing various moves to chain into themselves more reliably. While this benefits certain characters such as {{SSBB|Pikachu}} and acts as a double edged sword for some others such as {{SSBB|Falco}} and {{SSBB|Sheik}}, it also significantly hinders certain characters such as {{SSBB|Fox}} and Captain Falcon.  
*Most of his attacks have more start-up lag, such as all of his smashes.
*The [[landing lag glitch]] is a glitch where the landing lag from a special move is carried over if the player does not land normally. This particularly hurts characters who receive high landing lag from their special moves such as Marth and {{SSBB|Ganondorf}}.


==={{SSBM|Donkey Kong}}===
====Character-specific====
*The beginning of his [[forward throw]] (carry) no longer deals damage.
*Fox has been severely harmed by the game's universal changes and his most notable tools have been severely toned down. His up smash and up aerial have reduced KO potential, his down throw is laggier and can no longer tech chase, his {{b|Blaster|Fox}} travels half the distance, and his infamous [[Reflector (Fox)|shine]] can no longer be jump-canceled, has increased start-up lag, and launches at a higher angle, significantly weakening its utility. Arguably the best character in ''Melee'', he is generally considered to be high-mid tier in ''Brawl''.
*[[Giant Punch]] has less reach and knockback, and puts him in a [[helpless]] state when done in midair.
*Captain Falcon has also been severely harmed by the games universal changes and he generally has worse frame data and KO power. His [[Knee Smash]]'s sweetspot is smaller and has a shorter duration which makes the move more difficult to land compared to ''Melee'' in addition to having almost no reliable setups to combo into it. A high-tiered character in ''Melee'', Captain Falcon frequently ranked among the worst characters in ''Brawl'', with two tier lists even considering him the worst character in the game.
*[[Forward air]] is much slower and is much more difficult to meteor smash with.
*Jigglypuff has worse aerial mobility and has suffered severely from the introduction of hitstun cancelling and the universal reduction to falling speeds, weakening its previously devastating [[Wall of Pain]] combos. Jigglypuff's up throw was greatly hindered by these universal changes preventing it from being able to perform the [[Space Animal Slayer]] despite its decreased knockback. [[Rest]]'s damage and knockback was also reduced, making it a considerably less devastating and less safe attack than in ''Melee''. Initially top-tiered in ''Melee'', Jigglypuff is considered among ''Brawl's'' worst fighters.
*[[Hand Slap]] has more ending lag.
*Ganondorf's ground mobility is worse and he is one of the characters who was hindered the most from the removal of L-cancelling hindered which has hindered his ability ability to use his aerials for approaching, comboing, and KOing. In addition to this, his neutral attack is much slower and he generally has worse KO power leading to Ganondorf having a considerably worse approach in ''Brawl'' compared to ''Melee''. In addition to his nerfed approach, Ganondorf's grab range is much shorter; now being the shortest in the game. The inclusion of hitstun cancelling along with his altered down throw have also severely hindered his grab game. His recovery is also even worse due to [[Wizard's Foot]] no longer restoring his double jump. A lower mid-tier character in ''Melee'', Ganondorf is frequently considered one of the worst characters in ''Brawl'', with the most recent tier list ranking him as the game's worst fighter.
*His attacks are generally weaker.


==={{SSBM|Fox}}===
===''Brawl'' to ''Smash 4''===
*His [[air speed]] has been significantly decreased, from being among one of the fastest in ''SSB'', to being among one of the slowest in ''Melee''.
====Universal Mechanics====
*[[Down smash]] doesn't semi-spike as effectively.
*[[Dash attack cancelled up smash]] (DACUS) has been removed as of patch [[1.0.4]] on the 3DS version and all Wii U versions. This has hindered multiple character's approach potential with some notable examples being {{SSB4|Falco}} and {{SSB4|Sheik}}
*Up aerial is more difficult to sweetspot.
*[[Glide toss]]ing has been removed which has hindered numerous character's approach with [[item]]s. This particularly hinders characters who can generate item based projectiles such as {{SSB4|Diddy Kong}}, {{SSB4|Peach}} and {{SSB4|R.O.B.}}
*[[Blaster]] no longer produces [[hitstun]].
*Chain grabbing is no longer possible. While this does benefit some characters, it also hinders characters who possessed powerful chain grabs in the previous games such as {{SSB4|Pikachu}}, Falco and {{SSB4|King Dedede}}. Many throws which could chain grab in the previous game have also been altered (such as the down throws of the aforementioned three characters) to make them worse overall.
*Fox is much lighter in weight, making him easier to KO.
*Forward smash was weakened significantly


==={{SSBM|Jigglypuff}}===
====Character-specific====
*[[Sing]] doesn't put opponents to sleep as long, reducing its effectiveness.
*{{SSB4|Falco}}'s [[Blaster]] fires slower and no longer auto-cancels on landing, crippling his neutral game that had relied on the [[short hop laser]]. As previously mentioned, his down throw can no longer chain grab for significant damage at early percentages and it has noticeably increased knockback; making it a worse combo tool while still not being powerful enough to KO. His down aerial is much slower and weaker, removing his fastest and most reliable KO option offstage. His neutral attack is also laggier and has less range. Due to these changes, despite the buffs some of his other moves received, Falco experienced the largest tier drop in the transition to ''Smash 4'', going from being a borderline top tier character to a low tier character.
*[[Rest]] has a smaller [[hitbox]].
*{{SSB4|King Dedede}}'s new back aerial, though stronger, is much slower, and the hitbox has shorter duration, hurting his approach game. As previously mentioned, his down throw can no longer infinitely chain grab and it no longer has set knockback. The changes to hitstun canceling have also hindered Dedede more than almost any other character as he is much easier to combo while still possessing a rather poor combo game of his own.
*[[Down aerial]] can no longer [[meteor smash]] aerial opponents.  
*{{SSB4|Marth}}'s range (despite his tippers on most of his moves reaching slightly further) is reduced overall, due to most of his hitboxes being reduced in size; coupled with moves that have decreased hitbox durations. Some of his more effective approach options in ''Brawl'' such as in his down tilt and forward aerial have been nerfed in various ways, noticeably hindering his approach in ''Smash 4''. His throws also have much higher base knockback, removing many of his previous set-ups and ability to [[tech-chase]]. Considered among the best ''Brawl'' characters, Marth was initially considered to be a low-tier in ''Smash 4'', though changes in [[update]]s, however, have since improved his viability in the competitive scene, which have allowed him to become a top tier character once again despite still being nerfed overall.
*[[Up smash]] has much more ending lag.
*{{SSB4|Meta Knight}}'s damage output, range and frame data have been noticeably toned down with his up aerial being a clear example of these changes. Many of his attacks also lost their transcendent [[priority]]. He can no longer glide, nerfing his recovery that was previously extremely powerful in ''Brawl''. His [[falling speed]] and [[gravity]] have been significantly increased which makes him far more vulnerable to combos and noticeably reduces the height of his mid-air jumps. His [[Mach Tornado]] and [[Shuttle Loop]] also saw various nerfs although his new Shuttle Loop in particular is still an effective move. Despite his heavy nerfs, Meta Knight is still generally seen as a viable character in tournaments as the game's universal changes benefited him overall despite the clear hindrances he also received from them, though he still went from being considered the best character in ''Brawl'' to only a high tier especially after update [[1.1.5]].
*Dashing speed was reduced to being the slowest in ''Melee''.


==={{SSBM|Kirby}}===
===''Smash 4'' game updates===
*Forward smash is significantly weaker (no longer the strongest), has less range, and has much more start-up and ending lag (In ''SSB'', his Forward Smash was the fastest and strongest with good range). It also has a very long [[sourspot]] [[hitbox]]. This is considered the most drastic nerf in ''Smash Bros.'' along with [[Peach (SSBB)|Peach]]'s Down Smash.
*{{SSB4|Diddy Kong}} was highly dominant in early competitive play, being very common in tournaments and typically placing highly. However, in patches [[1.0.6]] and [[1.0.8]], Diddy Kong was heavily nerfed overall. Before the patches, Diddy Kong possessed powerful aerials that could easily be comboed into, most notably down throw to one or more up aerials, which was both a powerful KOing and damage racking tool and was simple to execute. The patches greatly weakened the damage, knockback and combo potential of several of Diddy's most frequently used moves, lowering his use in competitive play significantly and putting his usage more in line with other high tier characters. While Diddy Kong is less effective after the nerfs, his [[neutral game]] has remained untouched in these updates, and he gained some buffs in other areas, allowing him to remain a highly ranked character in ''Smash 4''; by version 1.1.6, Diddy ranked 1st on the second tier list, due to nerfs to multiple other characters in the top tier after he himself had been nerfed although he is no longer considered to be the best character in the game; currently being ranked third on the latest tier list.
*New forward aerial is slower and weaker (In terms of damage output by -4%) and has only three hits (that cannot link together as efficiently) instead of eight.
*{{SSB4|Luigi}} was considered to be one best characters in the game after {{Sm|J.Miller}} won [[B.E.A.S.T 5]] with him. He possessed a very strong combo game stemming from his down throw, alongside a long, safe recovery and improved mobility compared to his [[Luigi (SSBB)|''Brawl'' incarnation]]. Update [[1.1.1]] however, significantly nerfed Luigi's down throw, the previous key to his success. His down throw was previously identical to its ''Brawl'' counterpart but after the update, it received lower base knockback but higher knockback scaling which significantly hindered its ability to lead into KO moves. The changes to the game's [[shield]] mechanics in the same patch further hindered him. Luigi is now generally considered a high-tier character; initially ranked 16th on the first tier list. While he fell into the mid tiers being 29th on the second tier list, {{Sm|Elegant}} started achieving solid results with the character in late 2017; resulting in the character being ranked 18th on the latest tier list.
*[[Final Cutter]]'s horizontal and vertical distances have been reduced.
*{{SSB4|Sheik}} was a particularly potent character from the beginning of the metagame, and after the nerfs to Diddy Kong, she was almost universally viewed as the best character in the game due to her excellent neutral game, unrivaled attack speed, and effective combos. While Sheik received repeated nerfs, particularly in regards to her raw attack power, her combos and KO confirms remained intact and she still remained among the best characters in the game. Sheik was ultimately nerfed by update 1.1.5, which altered the knockback of her throws to remove her most commonly used setups and make it very difficult for her to KO. Like Diddy Kong, however, her powerful neutral game remains intact, and she is still well-represented in tournaments, being ranked fourth on the latest tier list.
*Opponents can now escape out of Kirby's [[back throw]] and [[forward throw]]. If Kirby uses either near the edge of the stage, he will likely SD.
*{{SSB4|Bayonetta}} was widely viewed as one of the best characters in the game after her release as [[downloadable content]],  due to her powerful combos and ability to punish even weak moves with [[Witch Time]]. These concerns were exacerbated by update [[1.1.5]]; while this patch did nerf Bayonetta, Sheik was also nerfed, arguably more significantly than Bayonetta. This left many players convinced that Bayonetta was now clearly the best character in the game, with some tournament scenes even considering banning her. Update [[1.1.6]], however, nerfed Bayonetta's combo moves, making her combos easier to escape and less capable of KOing at low percentages; the second tier list based on this patch ultimately ranked her as 11th. Despite this, Bayonetta still possessed an incredible combo game and she could still easily KO opponents at extremely low percents especially with [[rage]]. After advancements were made to her metagame, Bayonetta was once again widely considered to be the best character in the game with her playerbase growing significantly as time went on. As a result, she was ranked first on the last two ''Smash 4'' tier lists.
*Horizontal [[air speed]] is slightly slower (went from the second slowest in ''SSB'' along with [[Samus (SSBM)|Samus]] and [[Ness (SSBM)|Ness]] to the third slowest in ''Melee'' along with [[Ganondorf (SSBM)|Ganondorf]]). Doesn't make much sense considering his air speed is already very slow in ''SSB''. The increased falling speeds in ''Melee'' could be what made it look like it was ''much'' slower.
*Dashing speed is slightly reduced (from above-average to slightly below average).
*Kirby loses all of his mid-air jumps after his [[forward throw]] and [[up throw]].
*Back aerial is no longer as disjointed as it was before (In ''SSB'', it could hit from Kirby's front, but it was removed in ''Melee'').
*Up tilt is slower and has slightly less range, though it is still quick and disjointed and is still Kirby's main combo starter.
*New dash attack is slower, weaker, and easier to punish.
*New up aerial's hitbox duration is reduced.
*Much slower start-up in his down aerial. In addition, the landing hitboxes can no longer [[meteor smash]], making it harder to combo with (even with L-Canceling).
*New neutral aerial (his up aerial from ''SSB'') is slower and much weaker.
*Overall a much slower and weaker character with much less combo ability and range.


==={{SSBM|Link}}===
=== ''Smash 4'' to ''Ultimate'' ===
*[[Up smash]] has less vertical reach, and a smaller hitbox.
====Universal Mechanics====
*[[Spin Attack]] is a considerably less reliable KO option.
*The defensive mechanics has been weakened severely as each consecutive usage of rolls, air dodges, and spot dodging lost intangibility frames as well as increased ending lag. Additionally, the changes to perfect shields makes it much harder to perform as it requires the user to shield drop right when the hit connects. Altogether, these changes have nerfed the entire roster in the game making them much more vulnerable to combos and KO confirms.
*Grab range has been lowered, and Link can no longer grab opponents in the air.
*All character's [[grab]]s (except for [[tether grab]]s) have increased ending lag which makes them more punishable if missed. These changes were likely made to discourage players from spamming grabs. In addition to this, there is now a 4 frame delay when a [[shield grab]] is performed out of shieldstun, which significantly hinders using a shield grab as an out of shield option.
*[[Boomerang]]s have slightly less range.
*The [[rage]] mechanic has been nerfed, which previously allowed many characters (especially heavyweights) to KO very early, and in more notorious cases could turn certain moves with looping hits and [[set knockback]] (such as [[Super Jump Punch]] and [[Screw Attack]]) into potent KO moves at extremely low percents. In ''Ultimate'', the multiplier has been reduced and grows at a slower rate, hindering its comeback potential; additionally, attacks with set knockback are no longer affected by rage.
*Several [[Counterattack|multiplier-based counterattacks]] have been indirectly nerfed; previously, many counterattacks could easily deliver extremely powerful blows if they countered a powerful move, which had the potential to KO low-percentage opponents and makes it almost impossible to DI. In the transition to ''Ultimate'', the effectiveness of DI combined with fast knockback physics resulted in counterattacks KOing noticeably later.


==={{SSBM|Luigi}}===
====Character-specific====
*Air speed has been reduced and is still the slowest.
*{{SSBU|Captain Falcon}} was slightly nerfed in his transition to ''Ultimate''. Down throw's knockback was altered to reduce its combo potential at high percentages. Captain Falcon was negatively affected by universal changes: his dash dance is considered one of the worst in the game due to his below-average initial dash and turnaround speed, his dash grab no longer grants long horizontal momentum, and footstools being [[tech|techable]] make his footstool combos less guaranteed. While he was buffed in later patches, the above problems are still present.
*[[Fireball]]'s hitbox size has been decreased.
*The {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}} can no longer pull off chain grabs due to the universal changes to grab mechanics. Nana was also nerfed as she sustains significantly more knockback than Popo, making her easier to KO and cannot act during grabs, preventing her from attacking.
*[[Super Jump Punch]] no longer gains horizontal distance and doesn't travel as far vertically.
*{{SSBU|Marth}} has been slightly nerfed overall. While the faster engine provides Marth some benefits, it makes spacing tippers more difficult. This hinders the consistency of his kill potential. The first hit of jab no longer connects on anything other than the second hit, nerfing one of his strongest tools from ''Smash 4''. Many professionals agree that his [[clone]] {{SSBU|Lucina}} is a better character. While Marth is not considered a low-tier, he is usually overlooked in favor of her.
*The height gained from [[Luigi Cyclone]] has been reduced and requires considerably faster button inputs gain vertical distance, making it more difficult to use to recover.
*{{SSBU|Sheik}} was one of the most potent characters in ''Smash 4'' due to her neutral game. In ''Ultimate'', her already low damage output was nerfed substantially. As a result, her long combos deal less damage than the rest of the cast's. Up throw is no longer a 50/50 setup. Overall, Sheik is considered less viable in ''Ultimate'' than in ''Smash 4'' although she would receive buffs in balance patches.
*{{SSBU|Mewtwo}} had its tail hitbox increased, leaving it more prone to combos and KOs despite its increased weight, which remains rather low. Down tilt and forward aerial are slower, having less combo potential and guaranteed KOs, respectively. Lastly, its most noticeable nerf was in its air dodge, as it’s a less effective defensive option due to its increased ending lag and the removal of unlimited air dodging. Overall, Mewtwo isn’t considered a top tier like in ''Smash 4''.
*{{SSBU|Meta Knight}}'s combo game and KO ability were noticeably toned down even further. With his dash attack having more end lag and more knockback, it’s harder for him to use it to perform his up aerial combos, leading to a KO with neutral aerial or [[Shuttle Loop]]. Furthermore, [[Shuttle Loop]] is less reliable on getting KOs as its first hit now has a set knockback. While it’s still possible for Meta Knight to combo and get KOs with the same setups, it is nevertheless much harder to perform than his previous incarnation.
*In previous games, {{SSBU|Diddy Kong}} was a top-tier character due to his combo game. However, Diddy Kong’s nerfs are apparent in ''Ultimate''. He has lost many useful utilities: his down tilt has less range, making follow-ups into up smash more inconsistent; his up aerial has less range; and his grab was made shorter. Diddy Kong's recovery was nerfed, with [[Monkey Flip]] and [[Rocketbarrel Boost]] traveling shorter distances, though the latter was patched in [[List_of_updates_(SSBU)/3.1.0_changelog|3.1.0]].
*{{SSBU|Sonic}}'s changes in ''Ultimate'' generally nerfed his defensive options. His weight has been decreased and [[Spin Dash]] can no longer be canceled by shielding. This and the changes made to the [[jostle]] mechanic make him easier to punish. Overall, Sonic has a harder time racking up damage and killing than his previous iteration. Though his results aren't as strong as they were in ''Smash 4'', he has still been very successful in ''Ultimate'' and his perception has significantly improved throughout ''Ultimate''{{'}}s life.
*{{SSBU|Lucario}} was negatively affected by the changes to [[Rage]], because the rage multiplier was changed to 1.1× and it no longer affects set knockback. This, along with [[Aura]]'s multiplier being changed to to x1.125, greatly reduces Lucario's extreme comeback factor. Another nerf was its weight was changed to 92, making it more difficult to survive at higher percents to take advantage of Aura, and many of its special moves were nerfed: [[Aura Sphere]] has less hitlag during charge, allowing characters to escape it much easier, and [[Extreme Speed]] had less distance and had its controls modified, where its initial flight direction is locked in a short period of time before flight begins, which can lead to unintentional self-destructs. Lucario's nerfs outweigh the buffs it received and is considered to be much worse than both of its iterations in ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4''.
*{{SSBU|Little Mac}}'s ground game was nerfed both by universal changes and outright nerfs to his ground moves. He is no longer capable of dashing through opponents, significantly affecting his mixup ability. Additionally, his combo potential was weakened: his down tilt and down throw have been made worse for combos, while up tilt was made unsafe at low percents. Little Mac is often considered a bottom-tier in ''Ultimate'' as opposed to his low-mid tier placement in ''Smash 4'', although patches have improved him somewhat over time.
*{{SSBU|Cloud}}’s [[Limit Charge|down special]] can no longer instant charge cancel, and his Limit status will disappear after 15 seconds if it is left unused while fully charged, meaning he can no longer potentially have access to permanent or prolonged status effects and now has to use Limit Breaks within a short amount of time, which also renders them more predictable. His neutral aerial now has much less range due to an altered animation. This makes it harder to combo as it requires him to be closer to his opponent. His down air is now less of a combo option, as it now has more ending lag. Finally, his up aerial, previously known as one of the best moves in ''Smash 4'', has a much smaller hitbox and deals less damage and knockback. While he performs worse in ''Ultimate'' than in ''Smash 4'', Cloud is often considered to be top tier despite his nerfs.
*All of {{SSBU|Corrin}}’s special moves were markedly nerfed from ''Smash 4''. [[Dragon Fang Shot]] connects and combos less reliably, lessening its follow up potential. [[Dragon Lunge]], previously considered Corrin’s most versatile move, was significantly nerfed. The move has increased ending lag on all kicks and Corrin is now much easier to punish. Additionally, [[Draconic Ascent]] no longer grants Corrin extended distance, making recovery less safe. The [[Counter Surge]], previously the strongest counterattack in the game, has been significantly nerfed, along with ending lag being increased. Corrin was considered a far less potent than in ''Smash 4'' but patches have improved him over time especially in the 8.0.0 update.
*{{SSBU|Bayonetta}} was widely considered the best character in ''Smash 4'', with many competitors considering her [[broken]] because of her [[ladder combo]]s along with an incredibly versatile moveset with devastating punishment options. As such, she has been significantly nerfed in ''Ultimate''. While she is still capable of racking up damage, her KO prowess and frame-data have been heavily reduced to the point of being relatively lacking compared to most of the cast and her combo moves are much less reliable for leading into KOs, especially vertically due to her up aerial now launching at a weak horizontal angle and her forward aerial has a harder time combining into itself. Heel Slide and After Burner Kick are both much more punishable on shield due to the former not activating the second hit on a shielded opponent whereas the latter cannot perform the move a second time on shield, making her side special much riskier to use as a combo starter overall. Witch Time’s duration has been reduced substantially to the point where she may not have time to even land an uncharged smash attack. In ''Ultimate'', she is often considered to be mediocre because of her inconsistency and difficulty scoring KOs, though results from some of her dedicated players have somewhat improved her perception compared to ''Ultimate’s'' early lifespan.


==={{SSBM|Mario}}===
=== ''Ultimate'' game updates ===
*Up smash has been weakened in knockback (knockback scaling reduced from 120% to 97%).
====2.0.0====
*[[Fireball]]'s hitbox size has been decreased.
*Some of {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}'s attacks were nerfed: his [[Blunderbuss]] has a shorter windbox duration, [[Propellerpack]]'s hitbox has been slightly reduced horizontally, and his down throw buries for less time at low percents. Additionally, his down throw can no longer bury on the third throw, removing an infinite. However, contrary to popular belief, these changes were very minor, especially since his down throw actually buries for longer at higher percents, improving his KO confirm capabilities. King K. Rool would also get several significant buffs at later patches, making him a significantly stronger character than he was on release despite these early nerfs.
*The distance [[Super Jump Punch]] gained was reduced.
*{{SSBU|Chrom}} was dominant in earlier competitive tournaments due to his ability to combo into [[Soaring Slash]], KOing opponents first even when at last stock. As of patch 2.0.0, Soaring Slash’s knockback has been reduced and the move has faster falling speed, KOing Chrom first more often. It is now unreliable unless Chrom has more stocks than the opponent.
*New forward smash has an added sourspot.
*The meteor smash hitboxes of [[Mario Tornado]] have been removed.


==={{SSBM|Ness}}===
====3.1.0====
*A general decrease in the speed and reach of his attacks.
*{{SSBU|Pichu}} was previously considered one of the best characters in the game. Update 3.1.0 brought several changes: all recoil electrical attacks now do increased self damage, its forward tilt has its knockback reduced, and its hurtbox has been increased, lowering its survivability. Pichu is now a riskier and weaker glass cannon character, and as of update 3.1.0, it’s usually considered mid-tier. Pichu continues to remain viable but is weaker post-patch with worse results in tournaments after the update.
*[[PK Thunder]] travels a shorter distance.
*[[Forward smash]] is slightly slower and weaker.
*[[PK Fire]] travels a shorter distance and is easier to DI out of.
*Forward throw can no longer KO reliably, due to much lower knockback scaling.
*Up smash and down smash are much weaker.
*Down air has significantly reduced knockback scaling and is drastically slower.


==={{SSBM|Pikachu}}===
*{{SSBU|Olimar}}'s forward smash clean hit became much harder to land in update 3.1.0 due to altered duration of the hitbox. Both it and his up smash have increased ending lag. His hurtbox has been increased and his [[Winged Pikmin]] travels shorter with every consecutive usage, weakening his survivability. Olimar was initially considered a top tier character like in ''Brawl'', but since update 3.1.0, he is usually considered high tier. Olimar continues to remain viable, but is weaker post-patch.
*A general decrease in the range of its attacks.
*Significantly decreased air speed.
*Pikachu is generally more vulnerable to [[combo]]s, especially [[chain throw]]s.
*[[Thunder]] no longer has infinite vertical reach.
*[[Quick Attack]] no longer has [[invincibility frame]]s when used and doesn't travel as far.


==={{SSBM|Samus}}===
====4.0.0====
*[[Dash|Dashing speed]] is slower.
*{{SSBU|Ivysaur}}'s down air received a smaller sweetspot, and [[Razor Leaf]] became slower and had longer vulnerability and the aerial version of [[Vine Whip]] received lower knockback when the sweetspot connected, reducing its KO potential.
*[[Back aerial]] has less reach and power.
*{{SSBU|R.O.B.}}’s jab received shorter hitstun, causing it to no longer lead into a down tilt loop.
*[[Screw Attack (move)|Screw Attack]] no longer traps enemies as easily.
*[[Charge Shot]] no longer travels an infinite distance.
*[[Down aerial]] has more start-up lag.


==={{SSBM|Yoshi}}===
====7.0.0====
*[[Special move]]s are generally less effective.
*{{SSBU|Joker}}'s horizontal range of downward aerial Gun was reduced and Arsene loses more Rebellion Gauge when hit if there are two to three opponents in the match.
*Yoshi's combo ability against floaty characters was generally hindered.
====11.0.0====
*Slower [[DJC]] combos (due to more start-up lag in his forward and down aerials).
*{{SSBU|Wario}}'s [[Wario Waft|Waft]] received more start up lag for both medium and max charge and up tilt's late hit had its hitbox duration shortened.
*Forward aerial has 67% more start-up lag (from about 9 frames to 15 frames).
*Down aerial's damage potential was slightly reduced from 56% to 53% (still the most damaging aerial in ''Melee'').
*New back aerial is much weaker.
*Forward smash is significantly weaker (though it can still KO under 150%).
*Up smash is weaker
*Forward tilt is weaker.


==Characters who had attributes nerfed from ''Melee'' to ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
A general nerf to all characters in ''Brawl'' is notably less comboing ability, due to the reduced [[hitstun]] and loss of [[L-Cancelling]] in ''Brawl''.


==={{SSBB|Bowser}}===
*Many attacks, such as his forward smash and up aerial, are slightly weaker in terms of [[knockback]].
*Despite being slightly heavier, he sustains more knockback and receives slightly higher knockback from attacks (both horizontal and vertical), though he is still by far the heaviest character in ''Brawl''.
*[[Fortress hogging]] is no longer possible.
*Back aerial no longer semi-spikes.
*Up aerial has less range.
*[[Whirling Fortress]] has less power and more landing lag.


==={{SSBB|Captain Falcon}}===
*A general decrease in the power and speed of his attacks.
*Falcon sustains slightly more knockback.
*Most of Falcon's attacks have more unfavorable hitboxes (i.e., forward aerial, down aerial, down smash, etc)
*Dashing speed was slightly reduced and is no longer the fastest, being surpassed by [[Sonic (SSBB)|Sonic]].
*[[Traction]] was reduced.
*Forward smash was weakened significantly (went from being the 3rd most powerful forward smash to the 21st, according to the [[forward smash chart]]).
*[[Up smash]] and [[down smash]] have lost some of their [[IASA]] frames, giving them more ending lag.
*Three of Falcon`s aerials have shorter durations in their strongest hitboxes; forward aerial (1 frame), back aerial (2 frames), and down aerial (3 frames). His up aerial`s semi-spike hitbox has 1 frame removed, but this is barely noticeable.
*Down aerial needs to be [[sweetspot]]ted to [[meteor smash]]. It is also weaker, has a smaller hitbox size (no longer disjointed), and the [[nipple spike]] hitbox was removed. It also lost its [[IASA]] frames, like his forward and back aerials.
*[[Forward aerial]] ([[Knee Smash]]) is much more difficult to sweetspot (as no longer is just landing the initial hitbox required to sweetspot), and the sweetspot hitbox's knockback was slightly reduced.
*[[Falcon Punch]] is slightly weaker (lower knockback scaling, from 102 to 93).
*[[Falcon Dive]] has a greater reliance on momentum to gain distance when recovering.
*Since ''[[Brawl]]'' reduces the amount of momentum carried from a character's horizontal movement into their jumping distance, his jump distance has been decreased, hurting his combo ability.
*[[Falcon Kick]] no longer regains Falcon's [[midair jump]] when used in the air, and its sweetspot hitbox is weaker, now dealing 13% instead of 15%.
*Can no longer [[moonwalk]] and [[dash dancing]] is significantly less useful.
==={{SSBB|Donkey Kong}}===
*[[Giant Punch]] has less reach and knockback when fully charged.
*[[Spinning Kong]] does less knockback. Additionally, it now has landing lag.
==={{SSBB|Falco}}===
*Dashing speed was reduced.
*[[Down tilt]] was greatly weakened, no longer being able to reliably KO under 150%. Its sweetspot hitbox is also smaller, making it more difficult to land.
*New forward smash is slower, weaker, and has a larger sourspot hitbox.
*New [[neutral aerial]] is significantly weaker in terms of knockback, and is not a KO option.
*Down smash has less reach.
*Down aerial now only meteor smashes at the very beginning of the move, whereas in the [[NTSC]] version of ''Melee'', all of its hitboxes could [[spike]].
*[[Fire Bird]] travels a slightly shorter distance, is now a multi-hit attack, and is significantly weaker, no longer being able to KO.
*[[Falco Phantasm]]'s meteor smash is weaker.
*New [[Reflector#Falco|Reflector]] removes Falco's shine combos, Falco's ability to stall in the air with it, and it does not have a start-up lag of 1 frame. Additionally, it can no longer be held indefinitely.
*''Brawl'''s physic changes greatly reduced Falco's vertical endurance, as [[falling speed]] has a smaller impact on a character's vertical endurance.
==={{SSBB|Fox}}===
*Up and down tilts are weaker.
*Up smash is weaker (it is however, often considered the best up smash in ''Brawl'' in spite of this).
*Forward smash is weaker.
*Neutral aerial is weaker.
*New back aerial has slower startup, more ending lag, shorter hitbox duration, and less reach.
*Up aerial is significantly weaker, usually requiring the opponent to be around 150% or near the upper blast line to KO, whereas it could KO under 100% in ''Melee'' regardless.
*[[Blaster]] travels roughly half the distance than it did in ''Melee''.
*[[Fox Illusion]] is much weaker.
*[[Fire Fox]] is weaker and can no longer KO reliably.
*[[Reflector]] no longer has start-up lag of 1 frame, and can no longer be [[jump cancel]]ed, which combined with the lack of wave dashing, render his Shine combos impossible without a wall.
*Despite being heavier, Fox sustains more knockback in ''Brawl'' (he now suffers the fourth most knockback, moreso than lighter characters like Kirby). Falling speed having a smaller impact on a character's vertical endurance also significantly reduced Fox's vertical endurance. Fox also sustains the fourth largest amount of knockback in Brawl.
*Removal of [[wavedash]]ing eliminates his Shine combos.
==={{SSBB|Ganondorf}}===
*A general decrease in the power, speed, and reach of his attacks.
*Reduced walking and dashing speed.
*Reduced jumping height.
*[[Neutral attack]] is significantly slower, and can no longer be landed multiple times in succession.
*New forward tilt has less reach and more ending lag.
*Up tilt was significantly weakened, and given sourspot hitboxes (though it is still the strongest tilt attack in ''Brawl'').
*His [[roll]]s are now slower and gain less distance (but they're still very fast for his weight class)
*New up smash is weaker and slower (Went from the most damaging to just being slightly more powerful than Captain Falcon's up smash).
*Down smash was significantly weakened, which while it could KO under 100% in ''Melee'', it cannot reliably KO under 150% in ''Brawl''. It also has significantly more ending lag.
*[[Grab]]bing reach was reduced to being the shortest reaching grab ''Brawl'' as opposed to being the ''seventh shortest in Melee''.
*[[Up throw]] and [[down throw]] can no longer chain throw.
*Second kick of the neutral aerial was significantly weakened, no longer being able to KO.
*Forward aerial is significantly slower, having a significant increase in start-up, ending, and landing lag (10 more frames than his L-Canceled one in ''Melee''). It was also given a much weaker sourspot hitbox on Ganondorf's arm, making it significantly less effective at close ranges.
*Back aerial's knockback was significantly weakened (though it can still reliably KO under 150%). Its duration was reduced from 6 frames to 3 frames, making it harder to connect.
*Down aerial now has a sourspot hitbox on Ganondorf's upper body, and the attack's hitbox overall is slightly smaller.
*[[Dark Dive]] is significantly weaker (causing 11% as opposed to 17% in ''Melee''), no longer being able to KO at realistic percentages outside [[stage spike|stage spiking]]. It is also now possible to hit Ganondorf out of Dark Dive even before he releases his opponent, exasperating Ganondorf's already poor recovery against opponents who can do so.
*[[Wizard's Foot]] no longer regains a midair jump if one was used already, which significantly nerfs his recovery. The grounded Wizard's Foot was also significantly weakened, no longer being a reliable KO move under 150% outside of edgeguarding.
*Considered to be the character most adversely affected by the removal of L-cancelling, which greatly reduced the utility of his powerful but laggy aerials that he relied upon in ''Melee''.
==={{SSBB|Ice Climbers}}===
*[[Smash attack]]s are weaker in knockback.
*The Ice Climbers are now easier to separate.
*Popo's hammer no longer has a meteor smash hitbox when forward aerial is used, requiring Nana to be present for the forward aerial to meteor smash.
*[[Wobbling]] is no longer possible.
*The removal of wavedashing has significantly hindered the Ice Climbers' mobility and approach.
==={{SSBB|Jigglypuff}}===
*Forward smash is weaker, and has less reach.
*All smashes are slower and have longer ending lag.
*Forward throw is no longer a KO option.
*Jigglypuff now has the slowest dash speed in the game.
*Neutral aerial, up aerial, and most notably, its back aerial, were weakened.
*[[Rest]] was significantly weakened (though it can still KO under 100%).
*The reduced hitstun in ''Brawl'' greatly hindered Jigglypuff's combo ability, more so than other characters. Its [[wall of pain]] is also notably less effective.
==={{SSBB|Kirby}}===
*[[Forward throw|Forward]] and [[back throw]]s can no longer [[Kirbycide]]. His up throw can only Kirbycide on certain stages in very specific situations.
*Swallowcide now KOs Kirby and his victim at the same time, no longer allowing Kirby to escape after the opponent is KO'd.
*Fewer frames were given in [[Final Cutter]]'s turn around.
*Kirby now becomes helpless when pushed off a ledge just before the end of [[Final Cutter]]'s landing animation.
*Up aerial is significantly weaker.
*The amount of [[IASA frames]] in his [[neutral air]] has been significantly reduced.
==={{SSBB|Link}}===
*Air speed was significantly reduced.
*Rapid sword jab in [[neutral attack]] removed.
*Grab reach was reduced.
*Grounded [[Spin Attack]] can no longer [[semi-spike]], whereas it could in the NTSC version of ''Melee''. Additionally, it can no longer act as a reliable KO move on the ground unless charged. Aerial Spin Attack gains significantly less horizontal distance, and has a greater reliance upon momentum, whereas Link will gain nearly no horizontal distance at all if Link uses it without momentum towards the direction Spin Attack is used.
*[[Clawshot]] can no longer [[wall grapple]], making this form of recovery susceptible to [[edgehog]]ging.
*His [[Boomerang]], replaced with [[Gale Boomerang]], has reduced range and speed, and doesn't have a damaging hitbox when returning (instead it [[vacuum|pulls]] opponent with it).
*Aerial approach is significantly poorer, due to the removal of L-cancelling and reduced air speed.
==={{SSBB|Luigi}}===
*Forward and down aerials are significantly weaker, both no longer being reliable KO moves under 150%.
*[[Fireball]]s travel a shorter distance.
*[[Green Missile]] travels a shorter distance, making it less useful as a recovery move. Additionally, it now has ending lag if Luigi runs into a wall.
*Sourspotted neutral aerial is much weaker (causing 6% instead of 10%).
*[[Super Jump Punch]] has increased landing lag, making it more punishable.
*Up Smash needs to be sweetspotted in order to KO and is weaker (lower damage, especially in front of him, and lower base knockback).
*Down Smash needs to sweetspotted (causes 16% up close instead of 17% regardless), no longer hits at a vertical angle, and is weaker in terms of knockback.
*The removal of wavedashing has significantly reduced Luigi's mobility, and made approaching significantly more difficult.
==={{SSBB|Mario}}===
*The power and reach of many of his attacks have been slightly decreased.
*Forward smash has a larger sourspot hitbox.
*Back throw was weakened significantly.
*Neutral aerial is weaker.
*Forward aerial now needs to be sweetspotted to [[meteor smash]]. The meteor smash is weaker.
*[[Fireball]]s travel a shorter distance.
*Opponents being able to grab the ledge from behind in ''Brawl'' has reduced [[Cape]]'s effectiveness as an edgeguard tool.
*[[Super Jump Punch]] has significantly increased landing lag.
*[[Mario Tornado]] being replaced with [[F.L.U.D.D.]] has greatly reduced Mario's recovery potential.
==={{SSBB|Marth}}===
*Dashing speed has been reduced.
*A shorter sword has resulted in a general decrease in the reach of Marth's attacks.
*Sweetspot of sword ("tipper" hitbox) was reduced in size for most attacks, particularly in his down aerial.
*Neutral attack is slower.
*Tippered down smash and up tilt are weaker.
*Grab reach was reduced.
*The Ken Combo is more difficult to perform.
*Down aerial's sweetspot was reduced in size, and it is now a meteor smash whereas it was a spike in the [[NTSC]] of ''Melee'', making it significantly less effective for edgeguarding.
*[[Shield Breaker]] being a stab instead of an overhead swing has removed its vertical reach, and greatly reduced its effectiveness at edge guarding.
*[[Dancing Blade]] is less effective at extending Marth's recovery.
*The removal of wavedashing has resulted in approaching being more difficult for Marth.
==={{SSBB|Mr. Game & Watch}}===
*Down tilt is significantly weaker, no longer being a reliable KO move under 150%.
*New neutral aerial is significantly weaker knockback wise, and is not a KO option.
*Up aerial now has a [[push]] effect, making it more difficult to land the second, more powerful hitbox.
*Significant reduction of [[Oil Panic]]'s maximum damage output, being reduced from 200% to 60%.
*Only one [[food]] item appears from [[Judge]] when Mr. Game & Watch draws a 7, limiting recovery.
==={{SSBB|Ness}}===
*Forward smash is slightly slower.
*Up aerial has less reach with a smaller hitbox.
*10 extra frames were added onto his grab release animation, making him vulnerable to chain grab releases.
*[[PK Flash]] is less controllable in horizontal direction, has a smaller hitbox, and doesn't activate automatically once it hits the ground (instead the move cancels out).
*Ness can no longer [[double jump cancel]], reducing his approach and combo options.
==={{SSBB|Peach}}===
*Substantially reduced air speed.
*Midair jumping height was significantly decreased.
*Down smash is drastically weaker. The removal of [[crouch cancel]]ling has also greatly reduced its effectiveness. It is considered to have went from being the best down smash to one of the worst down smashes.
*Forward throw is significantly weaker, no longer being a KO option.
*"Stitchface" [[Vegetable]] is significantly weaker (could KO at 72% in ''Melee'', but can't KO until 130% unless it is used for edgeguard for a KO at low percentage in ''Brawl'').
*Peach can no longer [[double jump cancel]], impairing her approach and combo options.
==={{SSBB|Pikachu}}===
*Forward smash is weaker, especially its non-sweetspot hitboxes.
*Up smash was significantly weakened (went from being the strongest up smash to the 25th strongest).
*Up aerial deals less knockback and can no longer semi-spike.
==={{SSBB|Samus}}===
*Projectile game and finishers were weakened in general.
*Forward smash was been drastically weakened (can no longer KO under 150% like it did in ''Melee'').
*Neutral aerial was drastically weakened (went from being the second strongest [[sex kick]] to one of the weakest).
*[[Charge Shot]] was significantly weakened (could KO under 80% in ''Melee'', but can't KO reliably under 125% in ''Brawl'').
*Down aerial has been weakened (went from among the more powerful meteor smashes in ''Melee'' to just average strength in ''Brawl'').
*Firing [[Missile|Smash Missiles]] has longer start-up and ending lag, the missiles travel more slowly, and are drastically weaker (they could KO under 150% in ''Melee'', but will not KO at realistic percentages in ''Brawl'', like 300%).
*[[Bomb (Samus)|Bombs]] are less effective for recovery, and no longer explode when in contact with opponents (only after their internal timer is finished).
*[[Grapple Beam]] can no longer [[wall grapple]], making it more difficult to recover
*[[Dash attack]] has been weakened.
*Up tilt is slower and weaker.
*Grab range was slightly lowered.
*Overall a much weaker and slightly slower character.
==={{SSBB|Sheik}}===
*Up smash is much weaker, especially its sourspot hitbox. The sourspot hitbox also has a less favorable diagonal trajectory rather than a vertical trajectory.
*Down throw is incapable of chain throwing.
*All of her aerials were weakened, especially her forward aerial.
*Down aerial is a [[stall-then-fall]] aerial, and has increased landing lag.
*Sheik sustains more knockback in ''Brawl''. She only slightly outlasts Zelda vertically, and she is outlasted by Zelda when knocked back horizontally.
==={{SSBB|Yoshi}}===
*Forward and up smashes were slightly weakened.
*Down smash was weakened significantly, and has increased start-up and ending lag.
*Forward aerial now needs to be sweetspotted to meteor smash, and it is much weaker (it is an average meteor smash in terms of power in ''Brawl'', while it was the second strongest meteor smash in ''Melee''). Additionally, 4 extra frames was added to its start-up lag.
*Down aerial's damage potential was significantly reduced, with its max damage potential of 53% being reduced to 35% (however, it is still the most damaging aerial attack).
*Eggs from [[Egg Toss]] are weaker, and can no longer be tossed backwards.
*[[Yoshi Bomb]] was weakened.
*Yoshi can no longer [[double jump cancel]], reducing his approach and combo options.
*Yoshi can be hit out of his midair jump if he takes enough knockback, as it no longer has complete [[super armor]].
*[[Egg Roll]] now gains very little horizontal distance when used aerially.
==={{SSBB|Zelda}}===
*Sourspotted forward and back aerials are significantly weaker, dealing only 4% in ''Brawl'' as opposed to 10% in ''Melee''.
*[[Up aerial]] has a significantly smaller hitbox.
*[[Transform]] takes a much longer time to complete.
*Air speed was reduced
==See also==
*[[Buff]]
[[Category:Terms]]
[[Category:Terms]]

Latest revision as of 02:16, May 2, 2024

An example of a nerf, involving Kirby's up tilt. The upper hitbox has been moved closer to Kirby in Melee, significantly reducing its range.

A nerf is a term used to describe the weakening of a character or an aspect of a character, either through updating a game or by releasing a sequel. Nerfs are often done as an attempt to balance the roster, by weakening characters that are too strong; however, nerfs can also be inadvertently added if a character is indirectly weakened by an external gameplay change. Nerfs contrast with "buffs", which involve the strengthening of a character or aspects of a character between sequel games and game updates.

The term "nerf" is derived from the brand of toy known for its soft foam-like substance. This substance allows for safer play, as little chance of injury comes from impact with such items. In effect, a projectile is less damaging because it was "nerfed".

Notable examples of nerfs in the Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Smash 64 to Melee[edit]

Universal Mechanics[edit]

  • The effect of L-canceling has been reduced; now only reducing landing lag by 50% rather than reducing it to 4 frames. It is also harder to perform with the window to L-cancel being reduced from eleven frames to seven. This generally makes aerials more punishable and reduces their combo potential. This particularly hinders aerials with very high landing lag such as Link and Pikachu's down aerials. This change is further exacerbated by many short hops being shorter along with many aerials receiving worse auto-cancel windows; greatly reducing the amount of aerials which can auto-cancel in a short hop.
  • The knockback of meteor smashes can now be cancelled with a jump or an up special 8 frames after a meteor smash connects (known as meteor cancelling). This significantly hinders the utility of meteor smashes and while a fair amount of meteor smashes are stronger, this does not compensate for the inclusion of meteor cancelling. Many meteor smashes are also noticeably slower.
  • Directional Influence has been introduced which allows the player to change their launch angle after getting hit by a move. While this does improve the endurance and recovery potential of each character, it also makes combos much less consistent; forcing the player to guess which way their opponent is going to DI. As a result, zero to death combos are less prevalent and requires reads from the player performing the combo. This also means that every attack in the game can be survived for longer although poor DI can allow moves to KO even earlier than they normally should.
  • Shield damage and shieldstun have been significantly decreased. This makes many attacks less safe on shield which makes many more attacks punishable on shield and generally makes shield breaks far less common. This particularly hurts characters with shield break combos; most notably Kirby and Ness

Character-specific[edit]

  • Kirby's walk and dash speeds were significantly reduced, leading to a poor ability to pursue opponents, and his increased falling speed, along with nerfs to Final Cutter, reduced the effectiveness of his recovery. Many of Kirby's most powerful attacks in Smash 64 were also nerfed; for example, his up tilt had its range, power, and combo ability significantly reduced, while his forward smash went from one of the strongest in Smash 64 to among the weakest in Melee. Ranked as one of the best characters in Smash 64, Kirby is arguably one of the worst characters in Melee, currently ranking second to dead last on the tier list and by the far the most nerfed character in the transition between games.

Melee to Brawl[edit]

Universal Mechanics[edit]

  • L-cancelling has been removed completely. This has the same negative effects as the weakening of the mechanic in Melee but to a greater extent. While a large amount of aerials have lower landing lag and more aerials are capable of auto-cancelling in a short hop, this does not completely compensate for the removal of L-cancelling in most cases.
  • Air dodges have been changed. The main changes are that they cannot be angled and no longer cause helplessness and they can now be performed out of tumble. While the changes to air dodges have their benefits, they also cause two changes which noticeably hinder certain characters.
    • Because of the changes to air dodges, wavedashing is no longer possible which negatively impacts many characters' mobility on the ground, such as in the case of Luigi and Marth
    • This also enables hitstun cancelling which can also be performed with aerials. While this can lead to momentum canceling which allows many characters to survive longer, it has also heavily limited the combo potential of many characters. Two characters who were noticeably affected by this were Captain Falcon and Jigglypuff.
  • It is no longer possible to DI moves which do not cause tumble. When combined with the fact that non-tumble hitstun cannot be cancelled, this leads into the game's inescapable chain grabs as well as allowing various moves to chain into themselves more reliably. While this benefits certain characters such as Pikachu and acts as a double edged sword for some others such as Falco and Sheik, it also significantly hinders certain characters such as Fox and Captain Falcon.
  • The landing lag glitch is a glitch where the landing lag from a special move is carried over if the player does not land normally. This particularly hurts characters who receive high landing lag from their special moves such as Marth and Ganondorf.

Character-specific[edit]

  • Fox has been severely harmed by the game's universal changes and his most notable tools have been severely toned down. His up smash and up aerial have reduced KO potential, his down throw is laggier and can no longer tech chase, his Blaster travels half the distance, and his infamous shine can no longer be jump-canceled, has increased start-up lag, and launches at a higher angle, significantly weakening its utility. Arguably the best character in Melee, he is generally considered to be high-mid tier in Brawl.
  • Captain Falcon has also been severely harmed by the games universal changes and he generally has worse frame data and KO power. His Knee Smash's sweetspot is smaller and has a shorter duration which makes the move more difficult to land compared to Melee in addition to having almost no reliable setups to combo into it. A high-tiered character in Melee, Captain Falcon frequently ranked among the worst characters in Brawl, with two tier lists even considering him the worst character in the game.
  • Jigglypuff has worse aerial mobility and has suffered severely from the introduction of hitstun cancelling and the universal reduction to falling speeds, weakening its previously devastating Wall of Pain combos. Jigglypuff's up throw was greatly hindered by these universal changes preventing it from being able to perform the Space Animal Slayer despite its decreased knockback. Rest's damage and knockback was also reduced, making it a considerably less devastating and less safe attack than in Melee. Initially top-tiered in Melee, Jigglypuff is considered among Brawl's worst fighters.
  • Ganondorf's ground mobility is worse and he is one of the characters who was hindered the most from the removal of L-cancelling hindered which has hindered his ability ability to use his aerials for approaching, comboing, and KOing. In addition to this, his neutral attack is much slower and he generally has worse KO power leading to Ganondorf having a considerably worse approach in Brawl compared to Melee. In addition to his nerfed approach, Ganondorf's grab range is much shorter; now being the shortest in the game. The inclusion of hitstun cancelling along with his altered down throw have also severely hindered his grab game. His recovery is also even worse due to Wizard's Foot no longer restoring his double jump. A lower mid-tier character in Melee, Ganondorf is frequently considered one of the worst characters in Brawl, with the most recent tier list ranking him as the game's worst fighter.

Brawl to Smash 4[edit]

Universal Mechanics[edit]

  • Dash attack cancelled up smash (DACUS) has been removed as of patch 1.0.4 on the 3DS version and all Wii U versions. This has hindered multiple character's approach potential with some notable examples being Falco and Sheik
  • Glide tossing has been removed which has hindered numerous character's approach with items. This particularly hinders characters who can generate item based projectiles such as Diddy Kong, Peach and R.O.B.
  • Chain grabbing is no longer possible. While this does benefit some characters, it also hinders characters who possessed powerful chain grabs in the previous games such as Pikachu, Falco and King Dedede. Many throws which could chain grab in the previous game have also been altered (such as the down throws of the aforementioned three characters) to make them worse overall.

Character-specific[edit]

  • Falco's Blaster fires slower and no longer auto-cancels on landing, crippling his neutral game that had relied on the short hop laser. As previously mentioned, his down throw can no longer chain grab for significant damage at early percentages and it has noticeably increased knockback; making it a worse combo tool while still not being powerful enough to KO. His down aerial is much slower and weaker, removing his fastest and most reliable KO option offstage. His neutral attack is also laggier and has less range. Due to these changes, despite the buffs some of his other moves received, Falco experienced the largest tier drop in the transition to Smash 4, going from being a borderline top tier character to a low tier character.
  • King Dedede's new back aerial, though stronger, is much slower, and the hitbox has shorter duration, hurting his approach game. As previously mentioned, his down throw can no longer infinitely chain grab and it no longer has set knockback. The changes to hitstun canceling have also hindered Dedede more than almost any other character as he is much easier to combo while still possessing a rather poor combo game of his own.
  • Marth's range (despite his tippers on most of his moves reaching slightly further) is reduced overall, due to most of his hitboxes being reduced in size; coupled with moves that have decreased hitbox durations. Some of his more effective approach options in Brawl such as in his down tilt and forward aerial have been nerfed in various ways, noticeably hindering his approach in Smash 4. His throws also have much higher base knockback, removing many of his previous set-ups and ability to tech-chase. Considered among the best Brawl characters, Marth was initially considered to be a low-tier in Smash 4, though changes in updates, however, have since improved his viability in the competitive scene, which have allowed him to become a top tier character once again despite still being nerfed overall.
  • Meta Knight's damage output, range and frame data have been noticeably toned down with his up aerial being a clear example of these changes. Many of his attacks also lost their transcendent priority. He can no longer glide, nerfing his recovery that was previously extremely powerful in Brawl. His falling speed and gravity have been significantly increased which makes him far more vulnerable to combos and noticeably reduces the height of his mid-air jumps. His Mach Tornado and Shuttle Loop also saw various nerfs although his new Shuttle Loop in particular is still an effective move. Despite his heavy nerfs, Meta Knight is still generally seen as a viable character in tournaments as the game's universal changes benefited him overall despite the clear hindrances he also received from them, though he still went from being considered the best character in Brawl to only a high tier especially after update 1.1.5.

Smash 4 game updates[edit]

  • Diddy Kong was highly dominant in early competitive play, being very common in tournaments and typically placing highly. However, in patches 1.0.6 and 1.0.8, Diddy Kong was heavily nerfed overall. Before the patches, Diddy Kong possessed powerful aerials that could easily be comboed into, most notably down throw to one or more up aerials, which was both a powerful KOing and damage racking tool and was simple to execute. The patches greatly weakened the damage, knockback and combo potential of several of Diddy's most frequently used moves, lowering his use in competitive play significantly and putting his usage more in line with other high tier characters. While Diddy Kong is less effective after the nerfs, his neutral game has remained untouched in these updates, and he gained some buffs in other areas, allowing him to remain a highly ranked character in Smash 4; by version 1.1.6, Diddy ranked 1st on the second tier list, due to nerfs to multiple other characters in the top tier after he himself had been nerfed although he is no longer considered to be the best character in the game; currently being ranked third on the latest tier list.
  • Luigi was considered to be one best characters in the game after J.Miller won B.E.A.S.T 5 with him. He possessed a very strong combo game stemming from his down throw, alongside a long, safe recovery and improved mobility compared to his Brawl incarnation. Update 1.1.1 however, significantly nerfed Luigi's down throw, the previous key to his success. His down throw was previously identical to its Brawl counterpart but after the update, it received lower base knockback but higher knockback scaling which significantly hindered its ability to lead into KO moves. The changes to the game's shield mechanics in the same patch further hindered him. Luigi is now generally considered a high-tier character; initially ranked 16th on the first tier list. While he fell into the mid tiers being 29th on the second tier list, Elegant started achieving solid results with the character in late 2017; resulting in the character being ranked 18th on the latest tier list.
  • Sheik was a particularly potent character from the beginning of the metagame, and after the nerfs to Diddy Kong, she was almost universally viewed as the best character in the game due to her excellent neutral game, unrivaled attack speed, and effective combos. While Sheik received repeated nerfs, particularly in regards to her raw attack power, her combos and KO confirms remained intact and she still remained among the best characters in the game. Sheik was ultimately nerfed by update 1.1.5, which altered the knockback of her throws to remove her most commonly used setups and make it very difficult for her to KO. Like Diddy Kong, however, her powerful neutral game remains intact, and she is still well-represented in tournaments, being ranked fourth on the latest tier list.
  • Bayonetta was widely viewed as one of the best characters in the game after her release as downloadable content, due to her powerful combos and ability to punish even weak moves with Witch Time. These concerns were exacerbated by update 1.1.5; while this patch did nerf Bayonetta, Sheik was also nerfed, arguably more significantly than Bayonetta. This left many players convinced that Bayonetta was now clearly the best character in the game, with some tournament scenes even considering banning her. Update 1.1.6, however, nerfed Bayonetta's combo moves, making her combos easier to escape and less capable of KOing at low percentages; the second tier list based on this patch ultimately ranked her as 11th. Despite this, Bayonetta still possessed an incredible combo game and she could still easily KO opponents at extremely low percents especially with rage. After advancements were made to her metagame, Bayonetta was once again widely considered to be the best character in the game with her playerbase growing significantly as time went on. As a result, she was ranked first on the last two Smash 4 tier lists.

Smash 4 to Ultimate[edit]

Universal Mechanics[edit]

  • The defensive mechanics has been weakened severely as each consecutive usage of rolls, air dodges, and spot dodging lost intangibility frames as well as increased ending lag. Additionally, the changes to perfect shields makes it much harder to perform as it requires the user to shield drop right when the hit connects. Altogether, these changes have nerfed the entire roster in the game making them much more vulnerable to combos and KO confirms.
  • All character's grabs (except for tether grabs) have increased ending lag which makes them more punishable if missed. These changes were likely made to discourage players from spamming grabs. In addition to this, there is now a 4 frame delay when a shield grab is performed out of shieldstun, which significantly hinders using a shield grab as an out of shield option.
  • The rage mechanic has been nerfed, which previously allowed many characters (especially heavyweights) to KO very early, and in more notorious cases could turn certain moves with looping hits and set knockback (such as Super Jump Punch and Screw Attack) into potent KO moves at extremely low percents. In Ultimate, the multiplier has been reduced and grows at a slower rate, hindering its comeback potential; additionally, attacks with set knockback are no longer affected by rage.
  • Several multiplier-based counterattacks have been indirectly nerfed; previously, many counterattacks could easily deliver extremely powerful blows if they countered a powerful move, which had the potential to KO low-percentage opponents and makes it almost impossible to DI. In the transition to Ultimate, the effectiveness of DI combined with fast knockback physics resulted in counterattacks KOing noticeably later.

Character-specific[edit]

  • Captain Falcon was slightly nerfed in his transition to Ultimate. Down throw's knockback was altered to reduce its combo potential at high percentages. Captain Falcon was negatively affected by universal changes: his dash dance is considered one of the worst in the game due to his below-average initial dash and turnaround speed, his dash grab no longer grants long horizontal momentum, and footstools being techable make his footstool combos less guaranteed. While he was buffed in later patches, the above problems are still present.
  • The Ice Climbers can no longer pull off chain grabs due to the universal changes to grab mechanics. Nana was also nerfed as she sustains significantly more knockback than Popo, making her easier to KO and cannot act during grabs, preventing her from attacking.
  • Marth has been slightly nerfed overall. While the faster engine provides Marth some benefits, it makes spacing tippers more difficult. This hinders the consistency of his kill potential. The first hit of jab no longer connects on anything other than the second hit, nerfing one of his strongest tools from Smash 4. Many professionals agree that his clone Lucina is a better character. While Marth is not considered a low-tier, he is usually overlooked in favor of her.
  • Sheik was one of the most potent characters in Smash 4 due to her neutral game. In Ultimate, her already low damage output was nerfed substantially. As a result, her long combos deal less damage than the rest of the cast's. Up throw is no longer a 50/50 setup. Overall, Sheik is considered less viable in Ultimate than in Smash 4 although she would receive buffs in balance patches.
  • Mewtwo had its tail hitbox increased, leaving it more prone to combos and KOs despite its increased weight, which remains rather low. Down tilt and forward aerial are slower, having less combo potential and guaranteed KOs, respectively. Lastly, its most noticeable nerf was in its air dodge, as it’s a less effective defensive option due to its increased ending lag and the removal of unlimited air dodging. Overall, Mewtwo isn’t considered a top tier like in Smash 4.
  • Meta Knight's combo game and KO ability were noticeably toned down even further. With his dash attack having more end lag and more knockback, it’s harder for him to use it to perform his up aerial combos, leading to a KO with neutral aerial or Shuttle Loop. Furthermore, Shuttle Loop is less reliable on getting KOs as its first hit now has a set knockback. While it’s still possible for Meta Knight to combo and get KOs with the same setups, it is nevertheless much harder to perform than his previous incarnation.
  • In previous games, Diddy Kong was a top-tier character due to his combo game. However, Diddy Kong’s nerfs are apparent in Ultimate. He has lost many useful utilities: his down tilt has less range, making follow-ups into up smash more inconsistent; his up aerial has less range; and his grab was made shorter. Diddy Kong's recovery was nerfed, with Monkey Flip and Rocketbarrel Boost traveling shorter distances, though the latter was patched in 3.1.0.
  • Sonic's changes in Ultimate generally nerfed his defensive options. His weight has been decreased and Spin Dash can no longer be canceled by shielding. This and the changes made to the jostle mechanic make him easier to punish. Overall, Sonic has a harder time racking up damage and killing than his previous iteration. Though his results aren't as strong as they were in Smash 4, he has still been very successful in Ultimate and his perception has significantly improved throughout Ultimate's life.
  • Lucario was negatively affected by the changes to Rage, because the rage multiplier was changed to 1.1× and it no longer affects set knockback. This, along with Aura's multiplier being changed to to x1.125, greatly reduces Lucario's extreme comeback factor. Another nerf was its weight was changed to 92, making it more difficult to survive at higher percents to take advantage of Aura, and many of its special moves were nerfed: Aura Sphere has less hitlag during charge, allowing characters to escape it much easier, and Extreme Speed had less distance and had its controls modified, where its initial flight direction is locked in a short period of time before flight begins, which can lead to unintentional self-destructs. Lucario's nerfs outweigh the buffs it received and is considered to be much worse than both of its iterations in Brawl and Smash 4.
  • Little Mac's ground game was nerfed both by universal changes and outright nerfs to his ground moves. He is no longer capable of dashing through opponents, significantly affecting his mixup ability. Additionally, his combo potential was weakened: his down tilt and down throw have been made worse for combos, while up tilt was made unsafe at low percents. Little Mac is often considered a bottom-tier in Ultimate as opposed to his low-mid tier placement in Smash 4, although patches have improved him somewhat over time.
  • Cloud’s down special can no longer instant charge cancel, and his Limit status will disappear after 15 seconds if it is left unused while fully charged, meaning he can no longer potentially have access to permanent or prolonged status effects and now has to use Limit Breaks within a short amount of time, which also renders them more predictable. His neutral aerial now has much less range due to an altered animation. This makes it harder to combo as it requires him to be closer to his opponent. His down air is now less of a combo option, as it now has more ending lag. Finally, his up aerial, previously known as one of the best moves in Smash 4, has a much smaller hitbox and deals less damage and knockback. While he performs worse in Ultimate than in Smash 4, Cloud is often considered to be top tier despite his nerfs.
  • All of Corrin’s special moves were markedly nerfed from Smash 4. Dragon Fang Shot connects and combos less reliably, lessening its follow up potential. Dragon Lunge, previously considered Corrin’s most versatile move, was significantly nerfed. The move has increased ending lag on all kicks and Corrin is now much easier to punish. Additionally, Draconic Ascent no longer grants Corrin extended distance, making recovery less safe. The Counter Surge, previously the strongest counterattack in the game, has been significantly nerfed, along with ending lag being increased. Corrin was considered a far less potent than in Smash 4 but patches have improved him over time especially in the 8.0.0 update.
  • Bayonetta was widely considered the best character in Smash 4, with many competitors considering her broken because of her ladder combos along with an incredibly versatile moveset with devastating punishment options. As such, she has been significantly nerfed in Ultimate. While she is still capable of racking up damage, her KO prowess and frame-data have been heavily reduced to the point of being relatively lacking compared to most of the cast and her combo moves are much less reliable for leading into KOs, especially vertically due to her up aerial now launching at a weak horizontal angle and her forward aerial has a harder time combining into itself. Heel Slide and After Burner Kick are both much more punishable on shield due to the former not activating the second hit on a shielded opponent whereas the latter cannot perform the move a second time on shield, making her side special much riskier to use as a combo starter overall. Witch Time’s duration has been reduced substantially to the point where she may not have time to even land an uncharged smash attack. In Ultimate, she is often considered to be mediocre because of her inconsistency and difficulty scoring KOs, though results from some of her dedicated players have somewhat improved her perception compared to Ultimate’s early lifespan.

Ultimate game updates[edit]

2.0.0[edit]

  • Some of King K. Rool's attacks were nerfed: his Blunderbuss has a shorter windbox duration, Propellerpack's hitbox has been slightly reduced horizontally, and his down throw buries for less time at low percents. Additionally, his down throw can no longer bury on the third throw, removing an infinite. However, contrary to popular belief, these changes were very minor, especially since his down throw actually buries for longer at higher percents, improving his KO confirm capabilities. King K. Rool would also get several significant buffs at later patches, making him a significantly stronger character than he was on release despite these early nerfs.
  • Chrom was dominant in earlier competitive tournaments due to his ability to combo into Soaring Slash, KOing opponents first even when at last stock. As of patch 2.0.0, Soaring Slash’s knockback has been reduced and the move has faster falling speed, KOing Chrom first more often. It is now unreliable unless Chrom has more stocks than the opponent.

3.1.0[edit]

  • Pichu was previously considered one of the best characters in the game. Update 3.1.0 brought several changes: all recoil electrical attacks now do increased self damage, its forward tilt has its knockback reduced, and its hurtbox has been increased, lowering its survivability. Pichu is now a riskier and weaker glass cannon character, and as of update 3.1.0, it’s usually considered mid-tier. Pichu continues to remain viable but is weaker post-patch with worse results in tournaments after the update.
  • Olimar's forward smash clean hit became much harder to land in update 3.1.0 due to altered duration of the hitbox. Both it and his up smash have increased ending lag. His hurtbox has been increased and his Winged Pikmin travels shorter with every consecutive usage, weakening his survivability. Olimar was initially considered a top tier character like in Brawl, but since update 3.1.0, he is usually considered high tier. Olimar continues to remain viable, but is weaker post-patch.

4.0.0[edit]

  • Ivysaur's down air received a smaller sweetspot, and Razor Leaf became slower and had longer vulnerability and the aerial version of Vine Whip received lower knockback when the sweetspot connected, reducing its KO potential.
  • R.O.B.’s jab received shorter hitstun, causing it to no longer lead into a down tilt loop.

7.0.0[edit]

  • Joker's horizontal range of downward aerial Gun was reduced and Arsene loses more Rebellion Gauge when hit if there are two to three opponents in the match.

11.0.0[edit]

  • Wario's Waft received more start up lag for both medium and max charge and up tilt's late hit had its hitbox duration shortened.
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