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Dark Pit (SSBU)

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This article is about Dark Pit's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. For the character in other contexts, see Dark Pit.
Dark Pit
in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Dark Pit SSBU.png
KidIcarusSymbol.svg
Universe Kid Icarus
Other playable appearance in SSB4


Availability Unlockable
Final Smash Dark Pit Staff
Tier B- (41)
DarkPitHeadSSBU.png

Dark Pit (ブラックピット, Black Pit) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was officially revealed on June 12th, 2018 alongside fellow Kid Icarus fighters Pit and Palutena, and the rest of the returning roster. Dark Pit is Pit's Echo Fighter, thus being classified as Fighter #28ε.

Antony Del Rio and Minami Takayama's portrayals of Dark Pit from Super Smash Bros. 4 were repurposed for the English and Japanese versions of Ultimate, respectively, with the former once again remaining uncredited. However, they both provide new voice clips for certain Palutena's Guidance conversations.

Dark Pit, alongside his base fighter Pit, are ranked 41st out of 82 on the current tier list, placing them in the B- tier. This is a slight rise for them compared to their 32nd out of 54 placement in SSB4.

How to unlock[edit]

Complete one of the following:

  • Play VS. matches, with Dark Pit being the 54th character to be unlocked.
  • Clear Classic Mode with Samus or any character in her unlock tree, being the last character unlocked after Wario.
  • Have Dark Pit join the player's party in World of Light.

Dark Pit must then be defeated on Reset Bomb Forest (the Ω form is used in World of Light).

Attributes[edit]

Dark Pit is Pit's Echo Fighter, and he is very similar to his counterpart as well. His mobility is completely identical, sharing the same walking speed, dashing speed, air speed, falling speed and three double jumps. Similarly, Dark Pit's standard attacks are all identical to Pit's, sharing the exact same frame data, hitboxes, damage and knockback, with only three attacks in his entire moveset having different attributes (two special attacks and his Final Smash). A Pit player will have no trouble playing Dark Pit or vice versa because of their mirrored movesets, but the slight differences the two possess can make Dark Pit a better or worse choice in a matchup.

The only major differences lie in Dark Pit's special moves. The first is Dark Pit's Silver Bow: compared to Pit's Palutena's Bow, Silver Bow's arrows travel in a straight trajectory and can be only shifted slightly up and down. Their limited movement grant them significantly less utility overall, especially in regards to "sniping" offstage opponents and gimping them. Instead, they possess higher overall damage, increased knockback, and faster speed when uncharged, which make them more rewarding when used as a more conventional projectile. They can also KO offstage opponents if charged up. In essence, Dark Pit's arrows are more effective as a standard projectile or on opponents who are in a disadvantageous state, but offer significantly less utility otherwise.

The second is his side special, Electroshock Arm. Compared to Pit's Upperdash Arm, Electroshock Arm is more effective due to its higher damage, electric hitbox (which makes it safer on shield), and altered knockback; given its horizontal trajectory, it sends at an effective edgeguarding angle, and is a powerful tool for KOing especially at the edges of a stage (where it can do so as early as 80%). Whereas the vertical trajectory of Upperdash Arm allows it to set up juggles and KO consistently anywhere on the stage, and its angle also makes it capable of KOing moderately early on stages with low ceilings, Electroshock Arm instead sees more utility as a surprise KOing and edgeguarding tool; Upperdash Arm is mostly limited to setting up juggles until KO percents instead, rendering it somewhat inferior for KOing compared to Electroshock Arm.

All in all, in line with Dark Pit's Idol description in Uprising, the "flawed clone of Pit" is a more difficult character to use projectile-wise due to his stronger, inaccurate projectile, but brings a different finishing tool in the form of Electroshock Arm, which can grant him opportunities to net KOs in the form of hard punishes. Nevertheless, Dark Pit's differences from Pit are not all that significant (similarly to fellow Echo Fighters Daisy, Richter and Dark Samus), and it is largely up to the player to decide whether to use Pit or Dark Pit during battle, since both are traditional "all-rounders" with a more notable preference towards edgeguarding and recovery.

Much like Pit, Dark Pit's results and representation have not been particularly impressive compared to many other characters.

Differences from Pit[edit]

As in SSB4, Dark Pit is almost completely identical to Pit. Unlike in SSB4, he no longer has a weaker forward tilt or a smaller neutral finisher; because of these changes, he now has a completely identical non-special moveset to his original counterpart, with the only mechanical differences between him and Pit being his neutral special (Silver Bow), side special (Electroshock Arm), and Final Smash (Dark Pit Staff). These mechanical differences, while few, are fairly notable: Silver Bow's arrows are faster and stronger but have reduced control, making them more useful as standard projectiles than for edgeguarding or zoning; Electroshock Arm launches at a lower angle, making it better at the edge as a KOing move than Upperdash Arm, but worse from across the stage; and Dark Pit Staff fires a long beam instead of being a focused attack like Lightning Chariot, making it better for catching multiple opponents scattered around, but the move has less power to compensate.

Dark Pit's differences, while sometimes significant, are often considered to be marginal enough to not affect his viability in most situations, including competitive play. Aside from matchups or stages where either character's special moves would prove useful, choosing Dark Pit over Pit is entirely up to personal preference.

Aesthetics[edit]

  • Change As with all other Echo Fighters, Dark Pit has unique taunts and victory poses.
  • Change Dark Pit has darker colored effects for some moves, such as Power of Flight and Silver Bow.
  • Change Dark Pit's defeated/No Contest animation is different: his body faces away from the screen and he retains a stern look.
  • Change Dark Pit has a unique victory theme.
  • Change Dark Pit's on-screen appearance has him descend while surrounded by purple rays of light as opposed to yellow ones.
  • Change The Silver Bow's trail is silver with cerulean accents, whereas the Palutena Bow's trail is metallic gold with cerulean accents. Unlike the Palutena Bow, the Silver Bow is not accompanied by halos or an archery gauntlet.
  • Change Unlike his counterpart, Dark Pit does not have access to the Palutena's Guidance Smash Taunt on the Palutena's Temple stage.

Special moves[edit]

  • Silver Bow:
    • Buff Silver Bow deals considerably more damage (3.2% → 5.5% (uncharged), 8.6% → 14% (fully charged)) than Palutena Bow, and launches opponents at a lower angle (60° → 45°), allowing it to KO much more effectively.
    • Buff It travels slightly faster and further.
    • Nerf It lasts for a shorter amount of time, and its trajectory cannot be controlled as much, making it less versatile.
    • Change The arrow is black and purple instead of white and cyan in color.
    • Change It has a different sound effect when fired.
  • Electroshock Arm:
    • Buff Electroshock Arm deals more damage (11% → 12% (grounded), 9% → 9.5% (aerial)), although with lower knockback values by comparison (grounded: 100 base/72 scaling → 99/67, aerial: 90 base/72 scaling → 90/58).
    • Nerf Aerial Electroshock Arm's hitbox is centred somewhat outside the playing field, reducing its consistency.
    • Change Electroshock Arm sends opponents at a lower angle than Upperdash Arm (80° → 40°). This improves its KO ability near edges, but reduces it at the center of the stage.
    • Change As implied by its name, Electroshock Arm has an electric effect.
  • Power of Flight:
    • Change Dark Pit's Power of Flight causes his wings to glow green, then blue, and then red, whereas Pit's version makes his wings glow blue, then yellow, and then red.
  • Change Dark Pit has a unique Final Smash, being Dark Pit Staff.
    • Buff Compared to Pit's Lightning Chariot, Dark Pit Staff has much greater horizontal range, and can hit up to seven opponents at once. It can also be comboed into from Dark Pit's own attacks, such as back throw.
    • Nerf It only hits directly in front of Dark Pit, whereas Lightning Chariot can hit opponents at any height due to its ability to be freely aimed.

Misc.[edit]

  • Change Dark Pit has a different pose when trapped inside of Steve's Minecart.
  • Change When trapped in Steve's grab, the fence posts are positioned closer to Steve. As such, Dark Pit's knee doesn't stick out as far through the fence.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4[edit]

Dark Pit has been buffed overall in the transition from SSB4 to Ultimate. Much like Pit, almost all aspects of Dark Pit's moveset have been improved, and he benefits from the changes to gameplay mechanics.

Dark Pit shares most of the same buffs with Pit, with the most significant ones being a better KO ability and aerial game. Several of his deal higher knockback, toning down one of his previously largest weaknesses in SSB4. His aerial game has notably improved thanks to a combination of more damage and power, and lower landing lag, and Silver Bow has less lag, both changes of which improve his neutral game. His grounded game has also become more consistent and useful. Lastly, Dark Pit largely benefits from the universal changes in Ultimate, with the changes to air dodges making his edgeguarding game even stronger, and the faster mobility and ability to use any attack out of a run making his offensive game more reliable, which was a previously large weakness from SSB4.

Among Dark Pit's unique buffs are those to his Silver Bow and Electroshock Arm. The former is a much more reliable projectile for KOing and edgeguarding, as fired arrows deal more damage, travel faster, and send at a much lower and desirable angle. Meanwhile, the latter also sends at an even lower angle, slightly improving its KOing ability. Additionally, Dark Pit no longer has a weaker forward tilt or a less consistent finisher on his neutral attack, making his non-special moveset completely identical to his original counterpart.

Dark Pit has, however, also received a few nerfs that are shared with Pit, such as his Guardian Orbitars having less HP and shrinking the more time they're held out; Power of Flight halting completely before he can move, slightly worsening his recovery; and his grabs having more lag, standarizing them in comparison to the cast.

Altogether, Dark Pit's moveset has been strengthened as a whole and he now boasts a better offensive game while keeping his good defensive game, and the universal changes give him more opportunities to gain the advantage. However, he still lacks noteworthy attributes (outside of his edgeguarding ability) and carries many of his previous weaknesses from SSB4, which isn't helped by many veterans either being buffed to varying degrees and/or benefitting from the universal changes. Much like his original counterpart, however, Dark Pit has received buffs from game updates that have helped fix some inconsistencies or given him new options, letting him moderately keep up with the rest of the cast. In the end, Dark Pit is a much better character than in SSB4.

Aesthetics[edit]

  • Change Due to the aesthetic used in Ultimate, Dark Pit's model features a more subdued color scheme, now more closely resembling his appearance in Kid Icarus: Uprising. Like Pit, his eyes and hair appear more detailed, with the latter having a more cel-shaded appearance. His clothing and wings now feature subtle detailing.
  • Change Most of Dark Pit's alternate costumes have been altered, using more vibrant and easily distinguishable colors.
  • Change Dark Pit's idle animation has been slightly altered. However, he reverts to his SSB4 idle pose when holding a small item.
  • Change Many of Dark Pit's expressions, including when Screen KOed, are now identical to Pit's.
  • Change Dark Pit's down and side taunts are performed faster.

Attributes[edit]

  • Buff Like all characters, Dark Pit's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
  • Buff Dark Pit walks faster (1.199 → 1.259).
  • Buff Dark Pit runs much faster (1.66215 → 1.828).
    • Buff Dark Pit's initial dash is significantly faster (1.5 → 2.09).
  • Buff Dark Pit's air speed is higher (0.89 → 0.935).
  • Buff Dark Pit's air acceleration is higher (0.065 → 0.075).
  • Buff Dark Pit's traction is significantly higher (0.0505 → 0.135), being tied with Pit's for the second highest in the game.
  • Nerf Forward roll has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 30).
  • Nerf Back roll has more startup (frame 4 → 5) and ending lag (FAF 28 → 35).
  • Nerf Spot dodge has more startup (frame 2 → 3).
  • Nerf Air dodge has more startup (frame 2 → 3) and significantly more ending lag (FAF 32 → 53).
  • Buff Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-26 → 3-29).

Ground attacks[edit]

  • Neutral attack:
    • Buff The first hit has less startup lag (frame 5 → 4), with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 27 → 26).
    • Change Neutral infinite has a new animation: instead of slashing horizontally with his bow fully formed like a buzzsaw, Dark Pit quickly slashes with the bow split in two.
    • Buff The infinite has a shorter gap between hits (3 frames → 2), alongside a different angle (25°/120° → 361°) and knockback values (18/4 set/100 scaling → 8 base/10 scaling). This allows it to connect much more reliably, with opponents no longer being able to jump out of it before the finisher comes out.
    • Buff The neutral infinite deals drastically less hitlag, making it harder to SDI out of.
    • Buff The infinite's finisher has less startup with a longer hitbox duration (frame 5 → frames 4-5). The hitbox is also larger, making it identical to Pit's.
    • Buff The finisher deals more knockback (45 base/170 scaling → 40/185).
    • Nerf The third hit and infinite deal less damage (5% → 4% (hit 3), 0.8% → 0.5% (infinite)).
    • Nerf The third hit has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 3-4 → 3).
    • Nerf The infinite's finisher has more ending lag (FAF 40 → 48).
    • Change The first and second hits of neutral attack have altered angles and knockback to keep opponents close to Dark Pit, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and jab lock, but worsens their jab cancel setups.
    • Change The infinite has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 3×. This allows it to lock opponents into their shields between each hit, and thus pressure them more effectively, but also allows them to cancel shieldstun and punish Dark Pit more easily if they shield 10 hits or more.
  • Forward tilt:
    • Buff Forward tilt has increased base knockback (15 → 40), making it identical to Pit's. This improves its KO potential.
    • Nerf Forward tilt has a slightly altered animation during which Dark Pit lunges less far, reducing the move's range.
  • Up tilt:
    • Change Up tilt's animation has been altered into two lunging upward kicks. The move deals two hits instead from three, with its hitbox timings altered (frames 6, 8-10, 15-16 → 6-8, 15-16).
    • Buff It has noticeably less ending lag (FAF 43 → 33), which combined with Dark Pit's faster jumpsquat and jump speed turns it into a reliable combo starter.
    • Buff The first hit uses the autolink angle (100° → 365°) and has lower set knockback (110 → 85), enabling it to connect better into the second hit.
    • Nerf Up tilt deals less total damage (10% → 9%).
    • Nerf It has smaller hitboxes (4.5u → 4u (hit 1), 7.5u → 6u (hit 2)).
    • Change The second hit has increased base knockback (50 → 70), but significantly reduced knockback scaling (120 → 30). This removes its KO potential at high percents, but allows it to combo at a much wider percent range combined with its other changes.
  • Down tilt:
    • Buff Down tilt has less ending lag (FAF 32 → 26) and launches at a more vertical angle (55° → 83°) and has less knockback scaling (50 → 46).
      • Buff Combined with Dark Pit's faster jumpsquat, this significantly improves its combo potential to the point that it gains a kill confirm into Up aerial at high percents.
    • Change It moves Dark Pit forward slightly with each use, allowing for a pseudo-crawl.
  • Dash attack:
    • Change Dash attack's animation has been altered to a downward swipe of Dark Pit's blade. Dark Pit no longer spins during the animation.
    • Buff It has drastically increased knockback scaling (50 → 74), greatly improving its KO ability.
  • Forward smash:
    • Buff Forward smash has less ending lag (FAF 59 → 55).
    • Buff The first hit has altered angles (70°/35/70°/0° → 100°/70°/35°/192°), and its outermost hitboxes' set knockback is lower against grounded opponents (43 → 20), but higher against aerial opponents (5 → 20). This allows it to connect better into the second hit, with aerial opponents no longer being to air dodge the second hit when struck by the outermost hitboxes.
    • Buff The second hit has a longer hitbox duration (frame 21 → frames 21-22).
    • Change The first hit has more range, but the second has less range. This makes it easier to land the first hit of the move and harder to land the second.
  • Up smash:
    • Buff Up smash's first hit has altered angles (365°/365°/105° → 365°/120°/120°/367°/105° (clean), 110° → 110°/123° (late, grounded/aerial opponents)), allowing it to connect more reliably.
    • Buff The third hit has more knockback scaling (102 → 111).
  • Down smash:
    • Buff Down smash's clean front hit has increased knockback (35 base/93 scaling → 40/98), improving its KO potential.
    • Buff The first hit launches at a lower angle (55° → 48°), further aiding in KO potential.

Aerial attacks[edit]

  • Buff All aerials have reduced landing lag (24 frames → 14 (neutral, up), 20 → 12 (forward), 20 → 8 (back), 24 → 12 (down)).
  • Neutral aerial:
    • Buff Neutral aerial's looping hits use five different hitboxes instead of four, and its two smallest hitboxes have been increased (2u/2.5u → 2.5u/3u), which have altered angles (65°/125°/25°/160° → 48°/335°/220°/140°/130°) and set knockback values (70/70/20/20 → 50/30/30/30/65). This allows them to connect more reliably and reduces the blindspots around Dark Pit.
    • Buff The looping hits have reduced hitlag (1× → 0.5×) and SDI multipliers (1× → 0.8×), making them harder to escape from.
    • Buff The looping hits have longer hitbox durations (1 frame → 2 frames).
    • Buff The last hit deals more damage (4% → 4.5%).
    • Buff The final hit is larger (9.2u → 9.5u), and has been repositioned (Y offset: 8 → 9.5, Z offset: 2 → 3), improving its horizontal and vertical range.
  • Forward aerial:
    • Buff Forward aerial deals noticeably more damage (1.5% → 2.5% (hits 1-2), 4% → 6% (hit 3); 7% → 11% (total)), with knockback scaling not fully compensated on the last hit (180 → 148), slightly increasing its KO potenial.
    • Buff The looping hits have reduced hitlag multipliers (1× → 0.8×), making them harder to SDI out of.
    • Buff The looping hits have larger hitboxes (1.5u → 2.3u), and extend further (Z offset: 11-18 → 10-19), improving its range.
  • Back aerial:
    • Buff Back aerial's sweetspot launches at a lower angle (46° → 43°) and has increased knockback scaling (96 → 105), improving its KO potential.
    • Buff Due to its significantly reduced landing lag, the sourspot is a much more reliable combo starter.
    • Buff It has slightly larger hitboxes (3.4u (sweetspot)/3.2u (sourspot) → 3.7u/3.5u).
  • Up aerial:
    • Buff The move has less startup (frame 12 → 10) and ending lag (FAF 50 → 41), and autocancels earlier (frame 37 → 35).
    • Buff Up aerial's linking hits deal less damage (2% → 1.5%), but the last hit deals substantially more damage (2% → 5%), increasing its total output (10% → 11%).
    • Buff The last hit has different knockback values (5 base/270 scaling → 50/143), improving its safety on hit at lower percents, while also drastically improving its KO potential when combined with the increased damage.
    • Buff The last hit launches at a higher angle (68° → 80°), no longer being vulnerable to LSI and improving its juggling ability.
    • Buff The looping hits have reduced hitlag multipliers (1× → 0.8×), making them harder to SDI out of.
  • Down aerial:
    • Buff Down aerial's meteor smash sweetspot is larger (3u → 4u), and extends further downwards (Y offset: -4 → -4—-6) making it easier to edgeguard with it.
    • Buff The clean hit's sourspot has more knockback scaling (80 → 100), while its sweetspot has more base knockback against aerial opponents (0 → 10), improving its KO potential.
    • Buff The removal of teching for grounded meteor smashes improves down aerial's combo potential onstage at high percents, compounded further by its reduced landing lag.

Throws and other attacks[edit]

  • Nerf All grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 30 → 35 (standing), 37 → 43 (dash), 35 → 38 (pivot)).
  • Nerf Dash and pivot grab have slightly more startup lag (frame 8 → 9 (dash), 9 → 10 (pivot)).
  • Nerf Dash grab has slightly less range (Z2 offset: 11.8u → 11.5u).
  • Pummel:
    • Nerf Pummel deals less damage (2% → 1.3%).
    • Change It deals more hitlag (4 frames → 14), but has less startup (frame 2 → 1) and much less ending lag (FAF 16 → 7).
  • Back throw:
    • Nerf Back throw releases the opponent slower (frame 24 → 29), making it easier to DI.
      • Buff However, its total duration remains unchanged, decreasing its ending lag as a result. This improves its combo ability.
    • Buff Back throw's speed is no longer weight-dependent. This gives it far more combo ability on heavyweights, while still being increased on lightweights due to its lower ending lag.
  • Up throw:
    • Nerf Up throw has more ending lag (FAF 33 → 38).
  • Down throw:
    • Buff Down throw has increased combo potential due to Dark Pit's faster jumpsquat and jump speed.
  • Edge attack:
    • Buff Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves[edit]

  • Silver Bow:
    • Buff Silver Bow has less startup (frame 20 (grounded)/22 (aerial) → 16), and drastically less ending lag on the ground (FAF 59 → 47), improving its camping ability.
    • Buff It deals considerably more damage (4.3125% → 5.5% (uncharged), 10.95% → 14% (fully charged)), making it far stronger compared to Palutena Bow.
    • Buff It launches at a lower angle (60° → 45°), allowing it to edgeguard more effectively.
    • Buff The arrows travel faster.
    • Nerf It has received negative shield damage (0 → -2.2).
    • Change Firing a fully charged arrow causes the screen to shake.
  • Electroshock Arm:
    • Buff Grounded and aerial Electroshock Arm have less ending lag if missed (FAF 83 (grounded)/121 (aerial) → 80/105). The aerial version also has less ending lag upon activation (FAF 58 → 52).
    • Buff Electroshock Arm launches at a lower angle (43° → 40°), slightly improving its KO ability.
    • Nerf The aerial version has a shorter hitbox duration upon activation (frames 2-5 → 2-3).
    • Change Dark Pit's "Electroshock!" voice clip has been moved to when he summons the Electroshock Arm rather then attacking with it and he no longer consistently vocalizes.
      • Change Additionally, he now uses both voice clips from using Power of Flight from Smash 4 whenever he strikes an opponent with the attack. Should he attack an opponent after saying "Electroshock!", he will remain silent.
  • Power of Flight:
    • Buff Power of Flight can sweetspot edges from behind.
    • Change Power of Flight now flies in a slight arc, moving outwards slightly before pulling back inwards again. The overall finishing location appears unchanged, however.
    • Nerf It takes longer for Dark Pit to move after he begins to fall, leaving him more vulnerable to attacks.
    • Change Power of Flight now uses Dark Pit's charging and attacking voice grunts when using Electroshock Arm from Smash 4.
  • Guardian Orbitars:
    • Buff Guardian Orbitars has less startup (frame 9 → 7), and much less ending lag if not extended (FAF 64 → 50), making it more reliable for reflecting projectiles.
    • Buff They have less ending lag upon release (FAF 24 → 19), and the minimum amount of time they have to be held for upon activation is shorter (20 frames → 15).
    • Buff They can be held for a longer amount of time (80 frames → 100).
    • Nerf They gradually shrink the longer they are held out.
    • Nerf They have less HP against physical attacks (18 → 15).
    • Nerf Unlike in Smash 4, Dark Pit's left foot noticeably sticks out from the bottom, leaving it more easily exposed to attacks from the side that wouldn't have normally hit him in Smash 4.
  • Dark Pit Staff:
    • Nerf Dark Pit Staff has drastically reduced knockback (50 base/100 scaling → 63/53), launching fighters a considerably shorter distance even from 0%, and no longer being one of the strongest in the game.

Update history[edit]

Like his counterpart, Dark Pit has been buffed in patches, with his notable buffs coming in update 4.0.0 and 8.0.0.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 1.1.0

  • Nerf Up throw has more ending lag (FAF 33 → 38), making it identical to Pit's.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 3.0.0

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 3.1.0

  • Buff Up smash's hits connect more reliably.
  • Buff Electroshock Arm has less ending lag after hitting an opponent in the air (FAF 56 → 52), making it identical to Pit's variant.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 4.0.0

  • Buff Neutral attack 1 has slightly less startup lag (frame 5 → 4) with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 27 → 26).
  • Buff Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 33).
  • Buff Back aerial has less landing lag (11 frames → 8).
  • Buff Down smash's first hit deals more knockback on the sweetspot (35 base/93 scaling → 40/98), improving its KO potential.
  • Buff Down aerial's meteor smash has more base knockback against airborne opponents (0 → 10).
  • Bug fix Fixed an issue in Mega Special Smash that resulted Power of Flight to be used in tight spaces indefinitely, resulting Dark Pit to be stuck in his up special.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 7.0.0

  • Buff Overall shield size has been increased.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 8.0.0

  • Buff Down tilt launches at a higher angle (75° → 83°) and has less knockback scaling (50 → 46), improving its combo potential.
  • Buff Up smash's third hit has more knockback scaling (102 → 111).
  • Buff Down smash's first hit launches at a lower angle (55° → 48°), improving its KO potential.
  • Up aerial:
    • Buff The move has less startup (frame 12 → 10) and ending lag (FAF 50 → 41), and autocancels earlier (frame 37 → 35).
    • Buff The last hit launches at a higher angle (68° → 80°), no longer being vulnerable to LSI.
    • Buff The last hit has more knockback scaling (130 → 143). In combination with the previous change, this significantly improves its KO potential.
  • Nerf Trip attack has more ending lag (FAF 47 → 50), matching the rest of the cast.
  • Buff Guardian Orbitars has less ending lag upon release (FAF 24 → 19), and the minimum amount of time they have to be held for upon activation is shorter (20 frames → 15).

Moveset[edit]

For a gallery of Dark Pit's hitboxes, see here.

Note: All numbers are listed as base damage, without the 1v1 multiplier.

  Name Damage Description
Neutral attack Forehand Slice (フォアハンドスライス) / Backhand Slice (バックハンドスライス) / Upper Swing (アッパースイング) / Cutter Rush (カッターラッシュ) / Cutter Finish (カッターフィニッシュ) 2% A reverse gripped downward slash, followed by a reverse gripped inward slash, then by an upward slash. If button mashed, Dark Pit will instead follow up the second slash with a flurry of slashes using both blades, which concludes with a lunging outward slash.
2%
4%
0.5% (loop), 2% (last)
Forward tilt Cross Chop (クロスチョップ) 7% (base), 10% (tip) Arcs his body forward to perform a scissoring slash. It is decent for spacing and possesses above average power for a tilt attack, with its sweetspot KOing middleweights at around 150% from the center of Final Destination. Due to it hitting on frame 10, however, it is Dark Pit's slowest tilt attack, and its base hitboxes KO significantly later due to their lower damage output. Overall, it is one of Dark Pit's most situational attacks.
Up tilt Anti-Air Kick (アンチエアキック) 4% (hit 1), 5% (hit 2) Two alternate lunging kicks upward. Compared to Smash 4, where it was nearly useless due to its short range, high ending lag and lack of combo or KO potential, its much more favorable ending lag and knockback in Ultimate allow it to combo reliably into a neutral aerial or up aerial, even up to high percents.
Down tilt Leg Cutter (レッグカッター) 6% A kneeling outward slash. Its minimal startup and low ending lag make it Dark Pit's best grounded spacing option, and it launches at a vertical angle, allowing it to combo into a dashing up smash at low percents, and a neutral, forward or up aerial from low to mid percents.
Dash attack Dash Slice (ダッシュスライス) 11% A spinning inward slash. Its fast startup, long range and respectable damage output make it excellent for punishing landings, while it also possesses enough knockback to KO at high percents, starting at around 160%. However, like other dash attacks, its moderate ending lag makes it punishable on shield.
Forward smash Dual Attack (デュアルアタック) 5% (hit 1), 10% (hit 2) Performs a reverse gripped inward slash with a blade, then quickly reassembles the Silver Bow in order to perform an outward slash with the Silver Bow. Its first hit has low set knockback to connect reliably into its second hit. Due to hitting on frame 10, it is also one of the fastest forward smashes in the game. The second hit can KO middleweights at around 120% from the center of Final Destination.
Up smash Angel Spin (エンジェルスピン) 3% (hit 1), 2% (hit 2), 8% (hit 3) Jumps to perform three upward slashes. It hits on frame 6, making it one of the fastest smash attacks overall. It is also a useful anti-air attack due to its long vertical range and disjointed hitboxes. However, it conversely possesses short horizontal range, resulting in it hitting grounded opponents only if they are at point-blank range in front of Dark Pit.
Down smash Low Attack Combination (ローアタックコンビネーション) 12% (base), 10% (tip) Performs a kneeling outward slash with a blade, followed by a squatting reverse gripped thrust behind himself with the other blade. Its sweetspot is located at the base of each blade. Like Dark Pit's other smash attacks, it is among the fastest of its kind, hitting on frame 5. While the first hit has higher base knockback and both hits have equal knockback scaling, the back hit's sweetspot KOs earlier thanks to its semi-spike angle.
Neutral aerial Spinning Cycle (スピニングサイクル) 0.7% (hits 1-7), 4.5% (hit 8) A buzzsaw-like series of slashes in front of himself. It hits multiple times, with its last hit having high knockback scaling. It has the fastest startup out of Dark Pit's aerials (hitting on frame 4), long lasting hitboxes, and autocancels in a short hop quickly after the hitboxes cease, making it useful for approaching, edgeguarding, and canceling out weak projectiles.
Forward aerial Front Cycle (フロントサイクル) 2.5% (hits 1-2), 6% (hit 3) Lunges forward to perform a buzzsaw-like series of slashes that hit up to three times. The last hit has high knockback scaling, KOing middleweights at around 175% from the center of Final Destination, and at around 130% at the edge, making it useful for edgeguarding at high percents. Like neutral aerial, it also autocancels quickly in a short hop, but has comparatively longer horizontal range, so it is a safe approach option. However, it has moderate startup lag and minimal vertical range.
Back aerial Air Stab (エアスタッブ) 12% (tip), 8% (base) A double reverse gripped thrust. It has a sourspot at the base of Dark Pit's blades that launches vertically with weak knockback, allowing it to combo into several grounded moves and aerials (including another back aerial) from low to mid percents on landing. Conversely, the tip of the blades possess a sweetspot that launches horizontally with the highest knockback out of Dark Pit's aerials, KOing at around 135% from center stage, and making it one of Dark Pit's most reliable KO options. However, the sweetspot can be difficult to land due to having lower priority than the sourspot, as well as the move's moderate startup lag.
Up aerial Lightning Rotor (ライトニングローター) 1.5% (hits 1-4), 5% (hit 5) An overhead, buzzsaw-like series of slashes. It hits multiple times, with its last hit launching vertically. Combined with the long duration of its hitboxes, this allows it to function as a reliable juggling tool. With proper timing and spacing, it can also hit characters on the ground upon landing and start combos, much like his back aerial's sweetspot. However, its moderate startup and long total duration make it punishable if used high up from the ground and missed.
Down aerial Under-Arc Slash (アンダースラッシュ, Under Slash) 10% A downward arcing reverse gripped slash. It has a sweetspot on the first hit frame that is a meteor smash, while its fairly long range and ability to autocancel in a short hop allows it to function as an approach option. It also has the fastest total duration out of Dark Pit's aerials, and its non-meteor hitboxes launch opponents vertically, allowing it to combo into other aerials from low to mid percents. While its meteor smash is relatively weak, it is among the fastest, coming out on frame 10.
Grab Grab (つかみ) Reaches out with his free hand.
Pummel Grab Kneebutt (つかみニーバット) 1.3% A knee strike. A fairly fast pummel.
Forward throw Upper Swing (アッパースイング) 6% (hit 1), 4% (throw) Slashes the opponent away. It is Dark Pit's most powerful throw, KOing middleweights at around 130% near edges. Although it is best suited for KOing, it is decent at setting up edgeguards, and even has minimal combo potential, leading into a dash attack at low percents.
Back throw Behind Throw (ビハインドスルー) 8% Grabs the opponent by their head, spins around with them in tow, and then slams them onto the ground headfirst. Besides setting up edgeguards, it can combo into a dash attack at low percents, or act as a setup into Silver Bow at mid to high percents.
Up throw Stand Shoot (スタンドシュート) 4% (hit 1), 7% (throw) A handstand kick, similar to Sheik's up throw. It is Dark Pit's most damaging throw, but its throw hitbox's average base knockback and knockback scaling make it unsuited for KOing or combos. As a result, its only utility is dealing damage and initiating aerial pressure alongside Silver Bow.
Down throw Bone Divide (ボーンディバイド) 2% (hit 1), 4% (throw) Pins the opponent to the ground and then slashes their back. It is Dark Pit's best combo starter, as it can combo into a dashing up smash at low percents, and into any of Dark Pit's aerials except down aerial until high percents.
Floor attack (front)   7% Slashes on either side of himself while getting up.
Floor attack (back)   7% Slashes in front of himself, then thrusts behind himself while getting up.
Floor attack (trip)   5% Spins the Silver Bow behind himself and then in front of himself before getting up.
Edge attack   9% Performs a hook kick while climbing up.
Neutral special Silver Bow 5.5% (uncharged), 14% (fully charged) Shoots a purplish-black arrow from his bow. Can be slightly angled up or down while flying and can be aimed up while charging. The arrows deal considerably more damage and knockback than Pit's, and are slightly faster, although they cannot be curved as strongly. This makes them significantly less effective for gimping and edgeguarding, but more effective as a conventional projectile.
Side special Electroshock Arm 12% (grounded), 9.5% (aerial), 1× (reflected projectiles) Wields the Electroshock Arm to perform a dashing uppercut. It grants super armor during the dash, and reflects projectiles at roughly 45°. However, it is an overall laggy attack, especially if missed; the aerial version in particular has a total duration of 104 frames (roughly 1.73 seconds), leaving Dark Pit prone to self-destructs if used below ground level. Nevertheless, it can aid his recovery, as it is capable of sweetspotting edges and can still allow him to get back to the stage if he has enough jumps left. Compared to Pit's Upperdash Arm, Electroshock Arm has an electric effect, deals more damage, and launches opponents horizontally instead of vertically, allowing it to KO earlier near edges; however, its lower knockback values make it weaker from center stage, with the grounded version KOing middleweights at around 125% instead of 110%.
Up special Power of Flight Soars through the air by using the Power of Flight. It covers a significant amount of distance, and the flight's direction can be angled in any way except downward, making it capable of being a purely vertical and nearly horizontal recovery option. It also grants intangibility on frames 9-19 when used on the ground, and on frames 15-19 when used in the air. Due to its high landing lag and lack of hitboxes, however, it leaves Dark Pit more vulnerable than other recoveries, especially if he does not grab an edge.
Down special Guardian Orbitars 1.5× (reflected projectiles) Wields the Guardian Orbitars to create twin energy shields that protect his left and right sides. They reflect projectiles with 50% more power and 70% more speed than they originally had, and can block physical attacks. However, they have 15 HP for physical attacks, with 0.07 HP regenerated every frame (4.2 HP per second), and break if it is fully depleted, after which they require 10 seconds to regenerate. Guardian Orbitars also push away opponents who are near Dark Pit when he wields them, which makes them capable of edgeguarding. In the air, Dark Pit can drift while using them, even if they are broken. Guardian Orbitars have a minimum duration of 20 frames (0.33 seconds) and a maximum duration of 100 frames (1.66 seconds). However, they leave Dark Pit open to attacks from above and below him, and they gradually shrink in size as they are held out.
Final Smash Dark Pit Staff 1% (startup), 39% (beam) Pulls out his namesake weapon, and fires an extremely powerful charged shot with nearly infinite horizontal range. Opponents are sent flying diagonally, and the closer they are to Dark Pit when the Final Smash activates, the more damage they take.

Stats[edit]

Stats Weight Dash speed Walk speed Traction Air friction Air speed Air acceleration Gravity Falling speed Jumpsquat Jump Height Double jump Height
Value 96 2.09 – Initial dash
1.828 – Run
1.259 0.135 0.008 0.935 0.01 – Base
0.065 – Additional
0.081 1.48 – Base
2.368Fast-fall
3 31 - Base
14.96 - Short hop
23.70148302, 19.110125, 15.01259414

Announcer call[edit]

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The editor who added this tag suggests: Needs announcer calls from other languages.
If you have a good audio file for this article, upload it here.

On-screen appearance[edit]

  • Slowly descends onto the stage while surrounded by rays of purple darkness that shine down from the sky.

Taunts[edit]

  • Up Taunt: Taps his shoulder with one of his blades and motions with his left hand, saying "Who wants some?" (かかってこい。, Bring it on.)
  • Side Taunt: Spins the Silver Bow in front of him while facing the screen, before swinging one of his blades and saying "Watch out!" (いくぜ!, Here we go!)
  • Down Taunt: Turns around a bit, then points with his right blade (if in its bow form, he points the Silver Bow instead), saying "Game on!" (死にたいヤツは前に出ろ。, Step right up if you want to die.) This is the only taunt that does not split his Bow into blades if it was in bow form beforehand.

Idle poses[edit]

  • Briefly fiddles with his Silver Bow. Dark Pit will split it into its blades if it is in its bow form.
  • Taps the tips of his buskins on the ground and then impatiently hops in place.

Crowd cheer[edit]

Cheer (English) Cheer (Japanese/Chinese) Cheer (Italian) Cheer (Dutch) Cheer (French)
Cheer
Custom combination of the flags of Canada, the USA, and Mexico.

Source, tweaked to fix rendering issues
Description Pittoo Pittoo Pittoo! Black Pit! Burapi! Pit Os - cu - ro! *claps 4 times* Dark! Dark! Pit! Pit malé - fique!
Cheer (German) Cheer (Spanish) Cheer (Russian) Cheer (Korean)
Cheer
Custom combination of the flags of Canada, the USA, and Mexico.

Source, tweaked to fix rendering issues
Description Pit Sombrío! *clap 5 times* Tem - ny Pit! Beu - llaek Pi - teu!

Victory poses[edit]

  • Left: Flies down, sticks his Silver Bow to the ground, then crosses his arms before saying "Can't help but feel sorry for ya." ("貴様らに舞い降りる翼はない。", You've got no wings to fly.).
  • Up: Twirls the Dark Pit Staff, then points it outward, while saying "Looks like I'm the last man standing." ("俺はまだ生きているぞ。", I'm still living on right here.).
  • Right: Spreads his right hand to the side before pumping his fist out in front of him, saying "Nice try." ("ふん! しゃらくさい。", Hmph! Tricky.).
    • If Pit was present in the match, there is a chance he will instead say "Where's your goddess now?" ("どうだ? 女神のフンめ。", How's that strike you, goddess crap?).
A small excerpt of Dark Pit's theme from Kid Icarus: Uprising.

In competitive play[edit]

Tier placement and history[edit]

At the beginning of Ultimate's lifespan, Pit and Dark Pit were seen as characters who had improved significantly from SSB4, with the universal increased mobility, landing lag reduction on all aerials, and new KO moves fixing many of their core problems from the previous game. However, their representation remained small due to how straightforward the characters are: professional players believe Pit and Dark Pit lacked an explosive factor in their kits, especially when compared to the rest of the cast, leading to the archetype that they were "honest" characters with average capabilities all around. Despite solid results from players such as Lucky and RaZe, professionals such as Dabuz and ESAM labeled them as a mid tier.

The characters' representation remained largely the same from the early metagame to the end of 2022. Although some of Pit and Dark Pit's early metagame players eventually dropped them, new players came to prominence around that time, particularly in Japan, with Tet. and Nata seeing respectable placements and wins. However, it wouldn't be until Zackray picked up the characters in early 2023 before Pit and Dark Pit finally began making waves, as Zackray saw several top 8 finishes at majors using them. As a result and despite their continued low representation, opinions on the Pits have remained largely the same if not better than before, and this opinion is reflected in their current placement, where they are ranked 41st on the current tier list as a mid tier.

Most historically significant players[edit]

See also: Category:Pit players (SSBU); Category:Dark Pit players (SSBU)

Classic Mode: Created Warriors[edit]

Dark Pit's congratulations screen.

Dark Pit's opponents are characters that are artificial creations or genetically enhanced, with the exception of Pit, who is fought in reference to his and Dark Pit's rivalry in Kid Icarus: Uprising. Due to being a robot, Galleom also fits this theme and is fought as the route's final boss.

Round Opponent Stage Music Notes
1 MewtwoHeadSSBU.png Mewtwo Spear Pillar Battle! (Dialga/Palkia) / Spear Pillar References how Mewtwo was created as a result of genetic experiments in the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island. It is a clone of Mew, but its genes were spliced with that of another creature.
2 DarkSamusHeadSSBU.png Dark Samus Frigate Orpheon Opening/Menu - Metroid Prime References Dark Samus simply being a fusion of Samus' DNA and her Phazon Suit, animated by Phazon.
3 LinkHeadBlackSSBU.png Link (x3) Temple Great Temple / Temple References Dark Link. Due to there being three Dark Links, this could also be a reference to the Dark Interlopers.
4 CloudHeadSSBU.png Cloud Midgar Fight On! After the Nibelheim incident, Cloud and Zack Fair were captured by Shinra and injected with Jenova cells by Professor Hojo. This turned them into Sephiroth Clones with superhuman abilities.
5 CaptainFalconHeadRedSSBU.png Captain Falcon Big Blue Devil's Call in Your Heart References Blood Falcon, an evil clone of Captain Falcon.
6 PitHeadSSBU.png Pit Palutena's Temple Dark Pit's Theme References Dark Pit's battles with Pit.
Bonus Stage
Final Galleom Base Boss Battle - Super Smash Bros. Brawl PitHeadSSBU.png Pit appears as a teammate.

Credits roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Dark Pit has Dark Pit's Theme accompany the credits.

Role in World of Light[edit]

Dark Pit's location in World of Light.
Finding Dark Pit in World of Light

Dark Pit was among the fighters that were summoned to fight the army of Master Hands.

During the opening cutscene, Dark Pit was present on the cliffside when Galeem unleashed its beams of light. He was flying alongside Pit to escape the beams, but after Palutena was vaporized, they lost their Power of Flight and fell victim to the beams as well. They were both placed under Galeem's imprisonment along with the rest of the fighters, excluding Kirby.

Dark Pit was one of the many fighters that fell under Dharkon's control upon Galeem's first defeat. He can be found in the Dracula's Castle sub-area, having to climb a chimney and beat the Boo spirit fight to reach him.

Fighter Battle[edit]

No. Image Name Type Power Stage Music
28ε
Dark Pit SSBU.png
Dark Pit
Shield
Shield
11,200 Reset Bomb Forest (Ω form) Dark Pit's Theme

Spirit[edit]

Dark Pit's fighter spirit can be obtained by completing Classic Mode. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Dark Pit has been unlocked. Unlocking Dark Pit in World of Light allows the player to preview the spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. His fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces it with his artwork in Ultimate.

In Spirit Battles[edit]

As the main opponent[edit]

Spirit Battle parameters
No. Image Name Series Enemy Fighter(s) Type Power Stage Rules Conditions Music
721
Artwork used for the Eggplant Wizard's Spirit. Ripped from Game Files
Eggplant Wizard Kid Icarus Series Dark Pit DarkPitHeadPurpleSSBU.png
Grab
9,300 Reset Bomb Forest •Defense ↓
•Attack Power ↓
•Item: Food
•You have reduced defense after a little while
•You have reduced attack power after a little while
Overworld

As a minion[edit]

Spirit Battle parameters Inspiration
No. Image Name Series Enemy Fighter(s) Type Power Stage Rules Conditions Music Character
117
SSBU spirit Flies & Hand.png
Flies & Hand Mario Paint Series •Giant Donkey Kong DonkeyKongHeadWhiteSSBU.png
•Tiny Dark Pit DarkPitHeadBrownSSBU.png×4
Attack
4,000 Living Room •Assist Trophy Enemies (Flies & Hand)
•Item: Food
•Survive until the timer runs out (1:00)
•Hostile assist trophies will appear
Mario Paint Medley Flies
840
Artwork used for Phyllis & Pelly's Spirit. Ripped from Game Files
Phyllis & Pelly Animal Crossing Series Pit PitHeadRedSSBU.png
Dark Pit DarkPitHeadWhiteSSBU.png
Neutral
3,600 Town and City •Item Tidal Wave
•Uncontrollable Speed
•All fighters move faster and can't stop quickly after a little while
•Certain items will appear in large numbers after a little while
•The enemy is easily distracted by items
Town Hall and Tom Nook's Store - Animal Crossing: Wild World Phyllis
1,377
SSBU spirit ASTRAL CHAIN Hero (Male).png
ASTRAL CHAIN Hero (Male) ASTRAL CHAIN Chrom ChromHeadSSBU.png
•Metal Dark Pit DarkPitHeadBlueSSBU.png
Grab
9,500 Fourside (Ω form) N/A •Defeat the main fighter to win
•The enemy is metal
Corneria - Star Fox Zero Bow Legion

As an ally[edit]

Spirit Battle parameters Inspiration
No. Image Name Series Enemy Fighter(s) Type Power Stage Rules Conditions Music Character
714
Pandora
Pandora Kid Icarus Series Wendy BowserJrHeadWendySSBU.png
•Ally: Dark Pit DarkPitHeadBlueSSBU.png
Grab
3,500 Kalos Pokémon League (Ω form) Bob-omb Festival •Join forces with a CPU ally
•Bob-ombs will rain from the sky after a little while
•Explosion attacks aren't as effective against the enemy
Dark Pit's Theme Dark Pit

Alternate costumes[edit]

Dark Pit Palette (SSBU).png
DarkPitHeadSSBU.png DarkPitHeadGreenSSBU.png DarkPitHeadBrownSSBU.png DarkPitHeadYellowSSBU.png DarkPitHeadRedSSBU.png DarkPitHeadBlueSSBU.png DarkPitHeadWhiteSSBU.png DarkPitHeadPurpleSSBU.png

Gallery[edit]

Fighter Showcase Video[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • In the World of Light trailer, Dark Pit is seen losing his Power of Flight with the loss of Palutena, and his wings glow blue during use. This is unlike the in-game move, where his wings use a green glow, which occurs when the ability is granted by Viridi.
  • Dark Pit’s inclusion as a separate character as opposed to an alternative costume in SSB4 was originally due to the Three Sacred Treasures belonging to Pit and Sakurai deeming it unfitting for the weapons to be used by him. The Lightning Chariot that replaces Pit’s old Final Smash, however, has been used by both Dark Pit and Pit, thus defeating the original purpose of separating the two characters. The reason for Dark Pit's re-inclusion is likely due to Ultimate's goal of bringing all previous characters back into a singular game.
  • In German, the name tag and voice clip from the announcer on the victory screen is slightly different from the one used on the character select screen, instead featuring a noticeable translation of "the" (der Finisterer Pit). He shares this trait with Young Link.
  • Pausing and zooming the camera around Dark Pit's ears reveals a gap between the top part of his ear and his hair, which is more visible when looking at his left ear. This is shared with Pit.
  • Dark Pit, Wii Fit Trainer, and Kazuya are the only playable characters in Ultimate that do not appear in a Nintendo Switch game outside of Ultimate.
  • Dark Pit has the least amount of spirits possessed as a main fighter, with a total of 1 (in this case, the Eggplant Wizard spirit)