Absorption
Absorption is a property of certain moves that allows them to capture a certain kind of projectile (or just a general hitbox in rare cases), usually described as "energy-based". It then provides a benefit to the character absorbing it based on the damage output of the absorbed attack. The absorption property has currently only applied to down special moves, though it can theoretically apply to any attack.
As a general rule, an attack can be absorbed if it is a projectile that does not have a physical body - fireballs, laser blasts, and lightning bolts are often absorbable, while arrows, bombs, and sports equipment are often not. However, this is a loose rule with several exceptions and game-specific standards: for example, Zero Suit Samus's down smash is absorbable despite not being a projectile, and Super Smash Bros. 4 changed many explosives so that the explosion can be absorbed even if the bomb itself cannot. There is no relation with move types or effects.
Only four characters in the Super Smash Bros. series have moves that can absorb attacks, namely Ness, Lucas, Mii Gunner, and Mr. Game & Watch. Ness and Lucas' absorbing special move is PSI Magnet, Mr. Game & Watch's is Oil Panic, and the Mii Gunner's is Absorbing Vortex. PSI Magnet and Absorbing Vortex heal the user based on the absorbed attack's power, while Oil Panic stores the strength of up to three projectiles for unleashing a single attack later. Absorption is not to be confused with Villager and Isabelle's neutral special, Pocket, or any other form of collecting items.
In The Subspace Emissary in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Floows are also capable of absorbing attacks, though they do not appear to do anything with the absorbed energy. In Smash Run in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Chandelure appears to be capable of absorbing flame and darkness attacks to power up its own attacks, but absorbs all attacks with these effects, including non-projectile attacks.
In Super Smash Bros. 4 from version 1.1.3 onward, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, absorbed attacks from allies in team battles with team attack turned on have their damage reduced by half. For example, Ness' PSI Magnet, which multiplies the damage of absorbed projectiles by 1.6× in both games, multiplies it instead by 0.8× for teammates' projectiles. This hinders the effectiveness of moves with absorption properties in doubles, as they were initially quite potent in earlier games/versions when combined with strong projectiles (such as Samus' fully charged Charge Shot, which could bring Oil Panic's attack close to one-hit KO potential).
List of moves with absorption properties[edit]
| User | Move | Absorption multiplier | Max absorbable damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas | PSI Magnet | 2.5   |
30 |
2 
| |||
| Mii Gunner | Absorbing Vortex | 1.2 |
30 |
| 1.4
| |||
| Mr. Game & Watch | Oil Panic | 1.5 (+5)  |
500
|
| 2.8 |
60
| ||
| 2 |
48
| ||
| Efficient Panic | 2 | 24 | |
| Panic Overload | 2.5 | 45 | |
| Ness | PSI Magnet | 2  |
—
|
| 1.6 |
30
| ||
| Forward PSI Magnet | 1.2 |
List of absorbable attacks[edit]
By fighters[edit]
For playable characters, if an attack has only one hitbox, the Part of the Move section is defined as the "Entire move" for this list. For example, in Smash 4, for certain bomb attacks the explosion is the only hitbox, so if the explosion is absorbable it is listed as "Entire move" for this list. If a move has multiple parts that are all able to be absorbed, it is noted as the entire move.