Electric
Electric is an attack effect in the Super Smash Bros. series that debuted in the original Super Smash Bros. Targets hit by electric attacks will be shocked and spark for a second or two. The electric effect is distinct from the paralyze effect, despite most attacks with the paralyze effect using electrical sound effects.
In Smash 64 only, characters hit by electric attacks briefly flash black, with their skeleton visible (except Samus, whose suitless shape is seen instead; and Kirby and Jigglypuff, whose bodies stay black but have their eyes protuding from them). This is no longer the case from Melee onward, as characters instead glow light blue after taking a hit. From Brawl onward, characters also use a special animation when hit by an electric attack, which has them continuously tremble in place during hitlag and before being launched, instead of using a single animation frame (this animation is shared for characters who are paralyzed).
In Smash 64, Melee, and Brawl, electric attacks always emit very loud sounds on hit. Starting in Smash 4, this has been toned down to a quieter "buzzing" sound.
In addition, electric attacks have several other effects:
- They multiply hitlag of an attack by 1.5x.[1][2] In Melee, this multiplier only applied to the victim, not the attacker.
- In Smash 4, they cause attacks to inflict one more frame of hitstun than usual.
- They deal no damage to Yellow Pikmin, which will not flinch.
- In Brawl and Smash 4, flame and electric attacks make Hotheads grow larger and more powerful (in Ultimate, all attacks can do this, albeit not as quickly).
- In Brawl, a major glitch exists with electric attacks where if their hitlag is disabled, hitstun canceling can be performed on frame 1 for both air dodges and aerials, as opposed to the usual frame 13 and 26 respectively. This most notoriously affects Ganondorf's Dark Dive, but also affects other moves such as Falco's Reflector, and even Zero Suit Samus's Final Smash.
Electric attacks are boosted by Electric Attack stickers in Super Smash Bros. Brawl's The Subspace Emissary and the spirit skill or trait Electric Attack ↑ as well as certain Spirit Battle conditions in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Electric attacks are resisted by Electric Resist stickers in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and the support spirit skills Electric Resist ↑ in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. These attacks also deal more damage to fighters equipped with a primary spirit with the trait Electric Weakness.
