Force Palm
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Force Palm (はっけい, Force Discarge) is Lucario's side special move in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. 4, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. When used, Lucario thrusts its paw in front of itself, briefly charges up aura, then unleashes it in a large area in front of its palm. The move becomes a grab at point blank range, which gives it even more knockback potential. ContentsOverview[edit]Force Palm bears some similarities to Lucario's forward smash, except that it exhibits more range and less knockback. If Force Palm is used when standing within grabbing range of an opponent, it changes to a grabbing attack with slightly more power. At later percentages, it is a powerful vertical killer with an angled knockback. Force Palm's range also makes it a viable edgeguarding move, but caution should be taken if attempting to use Force Palm in the air, as Lucario cannot jump until it finishes attacking with it. Force Palm can also make a good chain grab, like Lucario's up throw. Initial damage for close range is 9%, while long range is 7% if hit with bulk of the blast, and 5% if hit with tip. At 170% (where it caps), long range if hit with bulk is 14%, tip is 12%, and grab is 18%. This gives Lucario the most damaging throw at high percentages. It is possible for the opponent to break out of a close range Force Palm before the punch is administered. Force Palm's attack has a few unintuitive properties. It is technically a projectile that can be reflected and absorbed, but it does not move by itself and so reflecting it cannot hurt the original user unless Lucario is pushed into it at the same time. By contrast, it is also a direct attack, so Subspace Emissary enemies do not resist it and it triggers the effects of items that ignore indirect attacks. Force Palm also causes light-bending graphics for a portion of its animation. Also for the said animation, Lucario stands in a readying-stance with a single hand out and the other one placed upon its wrist, firing the blast with stationary recoil. When used as a grab, it grabs the opponent with its leading hand and places its free hand onto the other (in a quick thrusting motion) to fire the blast in a violent gesture. In Smash 4, Force Palm, like all of Lucario's moves, has been heavily buffed due to the new aura mechanics. The range, knockback, and damage of Force Palm increases as Lucario's damage gets higher; at 170%, the move gains exceptional range, reaching almost half the length of Final Destination. When at these high percentages, Force Palm becomes a significantly better spacing option than the Brawl version. Force Palm's grab also gained increased knockback, being a wickedly powerful finishing move that kills earlier than the Brawl version if Lucario is at mid-high percentages. Unfortunately, opponents can now escape from Force Palm's grab if Lucario is at low percents, similar to typical grabs. Aesthetically, Lucario has a new pose when it uses Force Palm, where it leans forward more by its side with its following arm being held up high and away while bent, and while stomping via leading foot and pushing forward with its leading palm when firing the blast like so. The grab animation instead involves Lucario leaning away from its victim to instead jam its palm at them from an underhanded angle. Also in Smash 4, the move gains more powerful sound effects as Lucario's aura level increases, starting from a soft whoosh effect at low percents and turning into a loud explosive boom at high percents; additionally, at 100% or higher, Force Palm's aura gains an aesthetic explosive shockwave around Lucario. Instructional quotes[edit]
Customization[edit]Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the known variations:
Origin[edit]In the Pokémon games, Force Palm is a physical Fighting-type attack that was introduced in Generation IV. While not very strong at 60 base power, it has a 30% chance of paralyzing the target. Force Palm’s depiction in Smash is similar to how it’s shown in the Pokémon anime. Lucario can learn this move by leveling up in Generations IV, V and VIII. While Lucario can’t learn the move by leveling up in Generation VI and VII due to learning Power-Up Punch in its place, its pre-evolved form Riolu can, and therefore Lucario can retain the move as it evolves. In Sword and Shield, Lucario can learn the move at level one. In Japanese, the term "fajin" (発勁) is the naming basis for the attack's Japanese name, being a term used in Chinese martial arts that involves use of internal energies for explosive force, being the backbone for a majority of the one-shot-power-based blows from such fighting styles. "Hakkei" is the term read in on'yomi.
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