Toon Link (SSB4): Difference between revisions

{{s|wikipedia|Sachi Matsumoto}} reprises her role as Toon Link's voice actor, albeit via recycled voice clips from ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker}}''.

Although Toon Link's ground game is potent, the overwhelming majority of his overall damage output has decreased. This is most obvious with his smash attacks, as their KO potentials have worsened in spite of their compensated knockback. Toon Link's air game also has unimpressive combo potential in spite of his [[Falling speed#Floaty|floatiness]], since his aerial attacks' high ending lag prevents them from partaking in long combos. Lastly, [[reflection]]-based moves are very detrimental for Toon Link; in addition to turning his projectiles against him, they also significantly hinder his Bomb-based combo game.

Although Toon Link's combo game largely revolves around Bomb, he also possesses non-projectile combo starters. Up tilt is the most effective of these: it can combo into itself, up smash, and Spin Attack at low percentages; a short hopped neutral aerial, short hopped back aerial, and short hopped Spin Attack at low to medium percentages; and forward aerial and up aerial at medium to high percentages. Aside from up tilt, grab aerial can be used as a long-ranged set-up similarly to Bomb, regardless of the opponent's damage, while neutral attack can be [[jab cancel]]ed reliably.

Toon Link's back throw, however, is unarguably the most notable improvement to his Hookshot-oriented moves. The removal of its initial hitbox in favor of a single, slightly more damaging throw hitbox has resulted in it now having a consistent, albeit unchanged damage output. When this is coupled with the increase to its knockback values, Toon Link's back throw has not only become one of his most viable KOing options, but also one the strongest throws of any kind in the game.

==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==

However, Toon Link has also received some noticeable nerfs. Although his overall damage output remains above average, it has nevertheless lowered, which hinders his ability to rack up damage and it hinders a few of his moves' KO potential. Toon Link's aerial game has also been nerfed. Neutral aerial is weaker, forward aerial can no longer [[auto-cancel]] in a short hop, back aerial's excellent combo potential has been significantly toned down as the move is laggier in every regard and down aerial is much harder to use for spacing and damage racking because of it being slower and now piercing opponents which also makes the move much riskier to use off stage. His grab aerial also has increased landing lag hindering its followup potential unless Toon Link's opponent is at very high percents and if he Z drops an item or a bomb in the air, he will automatically use his grab aerial. Spin Attack's overall recovery distance has slightly decreased, which necessitates using Toon Link's [[wall jump]] and tether recovery more often than not. Lastly, many of his moves are no longer semi-spikes which along with down aerial's changes hinders his edge-guarding potential. Despite the improvements his projectiles have received, they have also received some nerfs both direct and indirect. [[Quickdraw (technique)|Quickdrawing]] has been removed and the removal of [[edge momentum shifting]] has hindered Boomerang's utility. Bombs are also now [[absorb]]able and the aforementioned changes to grab aerial further hinders its utility.

*{{nerf|Rolls, spot dodge and air dodge have decreased intangibility frames (frames 4-19 → 4-14 (rolls), frames 2-20 → 2-15 (spot dodge), frames 4-29 → 2-25 (air dodge)).}}

*{{buff|Toon Link now raises his Hero's Shield when a projectile or explosion hits it, improving its reliability.}}

*{{nerf|Using grab aerial while holding a {{B|Bomb|Link}} or any other [[item]] results in Toon Link dropping it and using his Hookshot at the same time, instead of simply Z dropping the Bomb. This makes Bomb's [[advanced technique]]s, such as the ZAC and iZAC, either significantly more difficult or impossible to perform and overall hinders Bomb's/grab aerial's versatility.}}

*{{buff|All grabs have increased ranges and can now grab aerial opponents. They also have decreased ending lag (FAF 85 (standing)/FAF 95 (dash/pivot) → 62/72).}}

*{{nerf|Standing and dash grabs have shorter durations (frames 12-19 (both) → 12-18 (standing), frames 14-21 (dash)). Dash grab also has increased start-up lag (frame 12 → 14).}}  

*[[Forward throw]]:

**{{change|Forward throw has altered knockback (40 (base), 120 (scaling) → 60/110), improving its spacing potential but hindering its KO potential.}}

|dairdmg=16% (clean), 12% (late), 5% (landing)

|dairdesc=The {{s|zeldawiki|Down Thrust}}. Unlike Link's Down Thrust, Toon Link's version is a [[stall-then-fall]], which makes it very risky to use off-stage. Unlike in ''Brawl'', it now pierces an opponent, which makes it a useful edge-guarding option when performed on edges because of its clean hitbox being a [[meteor smash]]. Its landing hit also has a [[wind]]box that [[Windbox#Pushing attacks|pushes]] away nearby opponents. Due to it hitting on frame 17, however, it has the highest amount of start-up lag out of Toon Link's aerials. When coupled with its 75 frames of ending lag and 40 frames of landing lag, it is his most punishable attack.

|zairdmg=4%

|zairdesc=Fires his {{s|zeldawiki|Hookshot}} forward. The Hookshot deals damage, and has both great range and very minimal landing lag. All of these traits make it useful for spacing, starting combos, or functioning as a [[tether recovery]]. Although Toon Link can cancel his [[air dodge]] at any point via his tether recovery, it will not cancel the landing lag gained from the dodge.