Meta Knight (PM)

Meta Knight; in Project M and Project+
	;
Universe	Kirby
Base game appearance	Brawl
Moveset inspiration	Meta Knight (SSBB)
Alternate costume	Concept Art, Dark Meta Knight, Galacta Knight (Project+), Samurai Meta Knight (Project+)

Meta Knight is a playable character in the Brawl mod Project M and Project+. He was first confirmed as returning Brawl veteran for the mod in his own surprise reveal trailer on July 16th, 2013, a day before the release of Project M: Demo 2.6.

Meta Knight is currently ranked 1st out of 41 on the current official Project M tier list, placing him in the S tier. This is the same as his placement in Brawl, where he was notably ranked 1st out of 38, albeit not in a dominating fashion like his Brawl counterpart. However, Meta Knight is ranked 2nd out of 42 characters in the official Project+ tier list, a marginal drop from his Brawl and PM iterations.

Attributes[edit]

Meta Knight has an unusual character blend of character archetypes. He is a small character and is the fourth lightest character. He boasts multiple double jumps, but unlike most other characters that share this trait, his mobility overall fast; he has an above average walking speed, the fourth fastest run speed, the sixth fastest falling speed, though his gravity, air speed, and air acceleration are relatively average. He is also tied for the fastest jump squat, giving him a quick, albeit short, wavedash, and also boasts the ability to glide from his up special Shuttle Loop. These traits give Meta Knight above-average mobility compared to most characters of his size and weight.

One of Meta Knight most positive strengths is his overall frame data; most of his moves have little start-up and ending lag, notably his down tilt dash attack, and up aerial. Though his overall reach is average, his sword Galaxia, gives him a useful disjointed range, especially relative to his size, as he is the only small character who wields a sword. Additionally, all of his sword-based attacks possess transcendent priority (the sole exception being his dash attack, his only non-sword attack that is not a throw, and which also has the unique ability to clank with both ground and aerial moves[1]). These factors make him difficult to punish, and in turn allow him to pressure his opponents.

His speed also gives him a versatile moveset and combo game. His down tilt can either be used to start combos up close, or be used for spacing or edge-guarding from a distance, thanks to its long reach. Up smash is quick and effective at setting up juggles into itself or his aerials, and can also be used as an effective approach option when used out of a DACUS. neutral aerial has fast start-up, decent reach, high power, and a long duration, allowing it to be used as an out of shield option, an effective edge-guarding move, or a decent combo move. His forward aerial can be used as effective wall of pain move, especially on characters with poor horizontal recoveries such as Roy. His up aerial has quick start-up, and low knockback, giving it very potent combo potential, notably on stages with low ceilings, where it can combo into itself multiple times, and finish with Mach Tornado, Shuttle Loop, or Dimensional Cape for early KOs.

His grab game is also notably effective, despite his average grab range. His forward throw is very quick, making it difficult for the opponent to react to, and gives it potent follow-ups from low to mid percentages thanks to his fast jump squat and run speed. His back throw is good for setting up edgeguards and sending opponents off-stage, and can KO lighter characters at very high percentages. Up throw, previously his most situational throw in Brawl, deals high damage and set-ups effectively into his aerials, and most notably, into a Shuttle Loop or Dimensional Cape for a guaranteed KO confirm at mid to higher percentages and depending on the opponents' DI and stage positioning. His down throw can follow-up into a variety of moves at low percents, has tech-chasing capabilities, and can even chain grab certain characters at low percentages.

Meta Knight also has good KOing options for his weight class. His forward smash has high knockback for a character his size, and has low ending lag, making it relatively difficult to punish despite is slow start-up. His down smash has low start-up and respectable KO power and range, allowing it to be used as a quick grounded KO option. Finally, his back aerial and down aerial have very high knockback and reach for their speed; down aerial also semi-spikes opponents, making it almost guaranteed to gimp characters with poor recoveries, even at low percents.

Finally, Meta Knight's recovery is often considered to be among the best in the game, due to the amount of recovery options he has relative to the cast, as his midair jumps and special moves allow him to cover long distances off-stage. Mach Tornado can be used from nearly any point off-stage, being Meta Knight's longest recovery option from diagonally below the stage. Drill Rush is his quickest recovery move horizontally, and the final hit sends opponents upwards, which can punish careless edge-guarders who wait near the edge anticipating Meta Knight's return into one of his effective juggling combos. Shuttle Loop covers the longest horizontal distance due to it transitioning into a Glide, and is also useful for vertical recovery, as if Meta Knight reverses the move at a certain point, he will instantly land back on the stage. Finally, Dimensional Cape is the most unpredictable of his recovery moves, as Meta Knight is invisible during the move, it can punish opponents with the attack proportion of the move, which has very high knockback, and can even be executed earlier by flicking the C-Stick.

However, Meta Knight also has notable flaws. His main flaw, similar to the space animals, is his frailty; his light weight combined with his very high falling speed makes it so that he is easy to KO horizontally. Though his high falling speed gives him a decent vertical endurance for his weight, when combined with the unusual shape of his hurtbox and his lack of a reliable combo breaker, it also makes him vulnerable to many combos and chain grabs despite his light weight; combined with the harsher environment of Project M, this makes approaching risky when he is at high percentages, and thus, having to wait for an opportunity to punish. Despite Meta Knight having potentially the best recovery in the game, it is limited when his options are missing, due to losing all of his midair jumps if hit out of his special moves forcing him to make careful use of his recovery options. Despite his long overall horizontal recovery distance, when combined with his aforementioned high falling speed loss of his double jumps if hit out of his special moves, his vertical recovery is relatively poor for a character with multiple double jumps in comparison, as Mach Torando's long duration makes it slow to recovery vertically and easy to punish, Dimensional Cape covering a short vertical distance, Shuttle Loop being unable to sweetspot ledges from below, forcing it to be reversed onto stage and undergoing a lengthy 30 frames of landing lag, and Drill Rush covering next to no vertical distance at all unless done directly below the ledge. Additionally, they all leave Meta Knight helpless, so accuracy in using them is crucial. These aforementioned traits also makes him vulnerable to meteor smashes and spikes, even if he were to meteor cancel.

Outside of edge-guarding, Meta Knight can also have difficulty KOing despite his good options, as many of them either have difficulty hitting due to slow start-up and/or poor reach, or are prone to stale-move negation. His relatively lower damage and knockback moves also make him vulnerable to crouch cancelling for a wider percentage range than most, forcing him to play either defensively or rely on grabs for openings at lower percentages or if he is at a high percentage. His disjointed range, although good for his size, is still short in comparison to other sword-wielding characters, making it necessary to rely on his mobility and attack speed to capitalize on openings. His lack of a projectile and transcendent priority on all of his sword-based attacks also makes him susceptible to camping strategies against characters with a strong projectile game, such as Link or Wolf.

Finally, if Meta Knight is down a stock, he has difficulty getting the lead back due to his aforementioned frailty, and the fact that many of his high-damaging or KO combos are difficult to master, as many of them are based on reading or reacting to the opponent's directional influence, making learning them crucial for success. His two most effective combo finishers, Shuttle Loop and Dimensional Cape, are also highly punishable if they miss, difficult to use without a read or set-up, and are frequently staled.

Overall, Meta Knight stands as a "high-risk, high-reward" character. His high learning curve means he must be able to perform his combos consistently, and because he is effectively a glass cannon, he also has to make careful decisions of his every action. Despite Meta Knight's notable weaknesses, his quick movement and attack speed, strong recovery, and formidable combo game, are enough to make a threat to the rest of the cast. Because of this, Meta Knight is viewed by the Project M community as a viable character (placing 5th on the Project M 3.02 preliminary tier list and 11th on the finalized one). Though his tournament presence had gone down after the significant changes he received in the transition to version 3.5, it did not significantly impact his viability when compared to other characters such as Zelda and Mewtwo, as his current 1st place ranking shows, courtesy of the buffs he received in versions 3.6b and 3.6.

Changes from Brawl to PM[edit]

Meta Knight was universally considered to be the best character in Brawl due to many reasons such as his amazing frame data, aerial game, large amount of disjointed attacks with transcendent priority, his un-contestable recovery/edgeguarding and his insanely oppressive specials (mainly Mach Tornado and Shuttle Loop). These factors resulted in Meta Knight heavily dominating Brawl's metagame with numerous players seeing him as broken. As a result, Meta Knight has received both buffs and nerfs from the transition from Brawl to Project M, but was moderately nerfed overall.

Meta Knight had some of his overwhelming advantages weakened in the transition from Brawl to Project M. Some of his attacks now have slower start-up lag, and higher ending and landing lag, with his down aerial being a good example in all these aspects. His overall range has been shortened, which makes his spacing ability and overall neutral game significantly worse, leaving him more vulnerable to camping and zoning, especially with his lack of a projectile, and thus forces him to adopt a more aggressive playstyle. With his faster falling speed and the removal hitstun cancelling, Meta Knight can no longer momentum cancel and is more vulnerable to combos, worsening his already poor endurance, though conversely, this also improves his own combo potential against the rest of the cast.

His aerial game, recovery and edgeguarding have all taken a hit. Meta Knight now only has 4 jumps instead of 6 and his gliding has seen a huge nerf. Meta Knight can now only access gliding via Shuttle Loop and he can only glide for a maximum of 80 frames. In addition, he gains much less height when gliding up. As for his aerials, his up and down aerials have seen a huge decrease in their speed making them far less oppressive. His notorious Mach Tornado and Shuttle Loop have also been significantly downgraded. Mach Tornado gained transcendent priority, meaning it now loses to every hitbox in the game rather than nullifying a majority of moves, and the move also has a shorter duration and travels slower. As well as the aforementioned nerfs to Meta Knight's gliding, grounded Shuttle Loop is weaker and has lost its invincibility while the aerial version no longer sweetspots ledges, suffers from extreme landing lag if he lands with it during its start-up and the sweetspot is harder to land and has lost its edgeguarding potential.

Despite these nerfs, Meta Knight has received some buffs that continue make him a threat to the rest of the cast (albeit to a lesser extent). His already impressive run speed was significantly increased further and his previously awful air speed was similarly greatly increased, now being average. The reintroduction of wavedashing also gives him additional movement options, and it as well as the ability to act out of a run by crouching also improves his grounded attack options, while the changes to jumps carrying more horizontal momentum like in Melee, improving his grounded-to-aerial approach.

With the removal of hitstun cancelling and the updated gameplay physics, Meta Knight can perform true combos more reliably, especially with his down tilt, which has become his most reliable combo starter. His up aerial also remains a strong combo option due to these changes despite its speed nerfs, and he has gained additional effective combo starters largely as a result of the updated physics, namely up smash and up throw, previously among two of his most situational moves.

Many of Meta Knight's moves have increased KO power such as his forward smash, back and down aerials (the former of which now only consists of a single hit making it more reliable), and Dimensional Cape, the latter of which was revamped significantly, with the attack proportion now being able to attack much sooner and act as an effective combo finisher. The reintroduction of L-canceling and increased shieldstun have also made some of his aerials safer than ever on shield despite their increased landing lag, as well as improving their follow-up potentials.

Overall, despite his sizeable nerfs, Meta Knight remains one of the most dominant characters and he was even ranked 1st on the latest Project M tier list. Despite this, he is nowhere near as dominant as in Brawl with the rest of the cast having a better chance facing off against him and his strong tournament results/representation are much less prevalent.

Aesthetics[edit]

Sword SFX changed to sound louder, making some of his attacks sound stronger.
Meta Knight now instantly vocalizes when using down taunt.
"Now, my power is without rival" replaces Brawl's "Victory...is my destiny" in the third win animation.
If Meta Knight is hit enough times when he is shielding, his cape will occasionally disappear. However, it returns once Meta Knight drops shield..

Attributes[edit]

Meta Knight has a faster walk acceleration (0.1 → 0.13).
Meta Knight's already fast run speed has been significantly increased (1.847 → 2.1), now being tied with Knuckles for the 4th fastest run in the game.
Meta Knight's air speed is significantly faster (0.752 → 1.0).
Meta Knight's falls drastically faster (1.39 → 2.45) especially when compared to the rest of the Brawl cast, going from tied for the 19th fastest out of 39 characters to the 6th fastest out of 41. It improves his vertical mobility and SHFFL, in addition to him taking less vertical knockback, but worsens his recovery and makes him more susceptible to combos and chaingrabs, despite his small size and low weight.
Meta Knight's fast falling speed is drastically faster (1.946 → 2.85), going from tied for the 19th fastest out of 39 characters to the 15th out of 41. This makes him less susceptible to juggling.
Meta's Knight's gravity is higher (0.0956 → 0.11).
Meta Knight's jump-squat is one frame faster (frame 4 → 3).
Meta Knight's short hop and full hops are higher (1.68 (short hop)/2.4 (full hop) → 1.77/2.7).
Meta Knight's ledge jump and wall jumps are lower (2.9 (ledge jump)/2 (wall jump) → 2.84/1.84).
Number of mid-air jumps reduced (5 → 3), noticeably worsening his recovery, and hindering the followup potential of his aerials into each other, as well as noticeably hindering his ability to air camp, combined with his higher gravity and falling speed.
- The distance of his jumps have been slightly compensated (×0 (X multiplier)/×0 (Y multiplier) → ×0.5/×1).
Meta Knight has much more traction (0.055 → 0.09), making it easier for him to punish out of shield.
Meta Knight swims faster (0.08 → 0.115).
Meta Knight no longer suffers a 32 frame meteor cancel delay, now being standardized to 15 frames, significantly improving his survivability against meteor smashes.
Meta Knight's feet hurtboxes are now ungrabbable, making it harder to grab him.
Forward roll has less start-up lag with a longer duration (frames 5-12 → 4-19).
Forward roll has a frame speed multiplier of ×0.72415 as its intangibility starts, increasing its ending lag (FAF 24 → 32), and removing its status as the fastest roll.
Back roll has a longer duration (frames 4-12 → 4-19) and less ending lag (FAF 33 → 32).
Meta Knight has a new air dodge animation similar to Kirby's.
Air dodge has more start-up lag with a shorter duration (frames 3-29 → 4-19).
Spot dodge has a shorter duration (frames 2-20 → 2-18) and more ending lag (FAF 26 → 28).
Meta Knight now vocalizes during his spot dodge and air dodge.
Meta Knight's glide toss covers less distance.
The removal of hitstun cancelling both helps and hinders Meta Knight. It improves his KO and combo potential, but makes him much more susceptible to combos because of his higher gravity and faster falling speed. It also prevents him from performing momentum cancelling, hindering his horizontal endurance. Nevertheless, it benefits him overall as it allows him to have a more consistent combo game despite his frame data nerfs.
The changes to jumps carrying more horizontal momentum like in Melee significantly benefits Meta Knight arguably moreso than any other Brawl newcomer besides Squirtle and Sonic, due to his significantly increased run and air speeds and higher jumps being able to make greater use out of it, noticeably improving his grounded-to-aerial approach horizontally.
The reintroduction of wavedashing gives Meta Knight an additional movement option on the ground (though his increased traction makes his wavedash length relatively short).
The reintroduction of crouch cancelling has adversely affected Meta Knight arguably moreso than any other Brawl newcomer, due to his relatively low damage and knockback moves being vulnerable against it for a marginally wide percentage range, while Meta Knight himself does not gain a significant benefit from being able to crouch cancelling compared to other Brawl newcomers due to his light weight.
Glide's landing carries more horizontal momentum, making it significantly easier to and more effective at edge cancelling,
Along with Pit and Charizard, Meta Knight can no longer glide with the jump button, though unlike these characters, who received a new special move that allows them to glide, Meta Knight only possesses his Shuttle Loop glide, which means he can no longer glide twice, significantly shortening his recovery.
The duration of the glide is no longer infinite, now being capped at 80 frames, and the duration does not refresh unless Meta Knight lands on the ground.
Gliding gains much less height when angled up (80º → 45º), making Meta Knight unable to recover from certain positions that he could before with gliding.

Ground attacks[edit]

Neutral attack:
- Neutral attack's animation has been slightly altered to resemble its animation in Smash 4.
- Neutral attack has less ending lag (FAF 39 → 37).
- Neutral attack can no longer be held, now having a set duration.
- Each hit has a longer duration (frame 7, 11, 15, 20, 24 → 7-8, 11-12, 15-16, 20-21, 24-25).
- The 2% hitboxes on the third hit now take priority over the 1% hitbox.
- The multi-hits have altered angles (361° (all hits) 95°/60° (hit 1)/120° (hits 2-4)) and more base knockback (8 → 25), allowing them to connect better, due to the universally increased fall speeds, and making them much safer on hit.
  - However, this removes its ability to jab reset opponents.
- The multihits have smaller hitboxes (5u → 4.099983u).
- The multihits have altered placements (Y offset: 4.8u/4.8u → 5u/4.512u/4.512u (hit 1), 6u/11u → 4.512u/4.512u (hit 2), 5.6u/5.6u/5.6u → 5.264u/5.264u/5.264u (hit 3), 6.4u/10.4u → 6.016u/9.776u (hit 4), Z offset: 6u/14.8u → 6.25u/-5.64u/-12.972u (hit 1), 7.2u/14.8u → 5.64u/12.972u (hit 2), 0u/-3.6u/-9.2u → 0u/-3.384u/-7.708u (hit 3), 7.2u/13.6u → 6.768u/11.844u (hit 4)):
  - The first hit has an additional third hitbox that deals 1% in front of Meta Knight.
  - The first hit's extended hitboxes start behind Meta Knight rather than in front of him.
- The final hit deals more damage (2% → 3%) and knockback (13 (base), 60 (scaling) → 40/100), making it much safer on hit.
- The final hit has larger hitboxes (4u/4u/4u → 6u/7.5u/6u), and altered placements (Y offset: 5u/5u/5u → 7u/8u/7u, Z offset 14u/9u/4u → -5u/3u/7u), improving its range overall and better supplementing the multihits.
  - Altogether, the changes to the knockback, angles, and hitbox sizes improve neutral attack's reliability and utility.
Forward tilt:
- Meta Knight steps farther forward during each hit, especially during the third hit. While this somewhat increases their reach, it is offset by each hit having smaller hitboxes overall, reducing the safety and spacing of each hit.
- Each hit has a longer duration (frame 3 (hit 1)/2 (hit 2)/2 (hit 3) → 3-4/2-3/3-4).
- The first two hits have altered knockback values (14/8 (base), 88 (scaling) → 0/100). This makes them less safe on hit at lower percentages, while not substantially making them connect better at higher percentages due to their increased knockback scaling and smaller hitboxes.
  - However, the new knockback improves the first hit's jab resetting potential.
- The first two hits have altered angles (361°/60°/80° → 70°/70°/70°).
- The first two hits transition later (frame 5 (hit 1)/4 (hit 2) → 9/8). This makes performing all three hits in quick succession much slower and harder, combined with the removal of buffering, hindering the move's mixup potential and safety.
- The first two hits have smaller hitboxes (4u/5u/5u → 3.28u/4.25u/4.5u) and altered placements (Y offset: 6.4u (all) → 6.016u, Z offset: 5u/11u/18u → 2.82u/9.4u/15u (hit 1), 5u/12u/19u → 3.76u/10.34u/17u (hit 2)), reducing their range overall.
- Due to the removal of buffering, Meta Knight no longer automatically performs the second hit if the first hit was buffered.
- The third hit has more startup lag (frame 2 → 3) and ending lag (FAF 34 → 35).
- The third hit has larger hitboxes (5u/5u/6u/6u → 6u/6u/6u), however, they have been moved inwards (z offset: 12u/11u/5u/19u → 6u/4u/12.25u), and its innermost hitbox has been removed, significantly reducing its horizontal range overall.
- The third hits hitboxes are placed higher overall (Y offset: 15u/3.2u/7.2u/8u → 16u/7u/10u). This improves the move's upward range, but reduces its downward range, hindering its ability to hit opponents on the ledge.
  - Altogether, these changes make forward tilt more consistent but connect less reliably overall, combined with reintroducing the ability to DI moves that don't send opponents into tumble and the strengthening of crouch cancelling, and make it a less reliable neutral tool with its decreased range.
Up tilt:
- Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 28), improving its juggling potential, combined with the removal of hitstun cancelling and the increase to all characters' gravity and falling speeds.
  - However, the latter change also noticeably reduces the move's KO potential.
- Up tilt has smaller hitboxes (7u → 5.94u (body: early), 6u (tip)/6u (sweetspot)/10u (body) → 4.92u/4.92u/6.05u (clean), 6u → 4.92u (body: late)) and altered hitbox placements (Y offset: -1u (body)/9u (tip)/4u (sweetspot) → -0.94u (body: early/late)/-1.88 (body: clean)/6.46u/3.76u), noticeably reducing its range overall, especially the body hitbox's clean hit.
- Up tilt's body hitbox now takes priority over the sweetspot, making the sweetspot much harder to hit due to it having a lower hitbox ID and being placed in between both sourspot hitboxes.
Down tilt:
- Down tilt has a frame speed multiplier of x0.25, increasing its start-up lag (frame 3 → 6) and ending lag (FAF 16 → 20).
  - This also hinders its ability to pseudo-crawl.
- Down tilt deals more consistent damage, and the more damaging inner hitboxes now take priority over the outer hitboxes (4%/5%/6%/7% → 7%/7%/5%/5%).
- The two innermost hitboxes of the down tilt now launch opponents vertically (361° → 80°) with altered knockback (15/11 (base), 88 (scaling) → 64/60), giving the move more combo potential.
- The two outermost hitboxes now semi-spike (361° → 37°) and deal more knockback (6 (base)/88 (scaling) → 20/116), improving its gimping and tech chasing potential.
  - However, this reduces its ability to combo into itself and removes its ability to jab reset opponents, combined with the changes to locking.
- Down tilt has smaller hitboxes overall (3u/4u/3u/4u → 2.5u/3.28u/3.5u/4.1u) and has altered hitbox placements (Y offset: 2u/3u/4u/5u → 1.7u/2.62u/3.66u/4.7u, Z offset: 20u/14.2u/8u/2u → 18.6u/13.408u/7.58u/3.29u), reducing its range overall.
- Down tilt can no longer trip opponents (30% chance → 0%).
Dash attack:
- Meta Knight's foot isn't as enlarged when performing dash attack, reducing his hurtbox.
- Dash attack has less startup lag, and now has an added late hit, giving it a longer duration (frames 5-11 → 4-14).
  - Dash attack's clean hit has a shorter duration to compensate for the new late hit (frames 5-11 → 4-7 (clean)/8-14 (late)).
  - The new late hit deals less damage (8%/7%/6% → 3%) and base knockback (40 → 20) than the clean hit.
- Dash attack has a frame speed multiplier of ×0.75 after the hitboxes end, giving it more ending lag (FAF 32 → 38), and making it cover less distance overall.
- Dash attack has smaller hitboxes (4.2u/4.2u/4.2u → 3.444u/3.444u/3.444u) and the outer hitboxes are placed more inward (Z offset: 2u/4u → 1.88u/3.76u), reducing its range.
As with almost every other character, Meta Knight no longer has one consistent voice clip for his smash attacks. He also now vocalizes when using down smash.
Forward smash:
- Meta Knight steps much farther back during forward smash's startup animation, allowing him to avoid several attacks during it, and making it more effective at baiting and whiff punishing.
- Forward smash's ending animation has been altered to resemble its animation in Smash 4.
- Forward smash deals more damage (14% → 16%) and knockback (28 (base), 99 (scaling) → 30/110), significantly improving its KO potential.
- Forward smash has a frame speed multiplier of ×0.725 after the hitboxes end, increasing its ending lag (FAF 42 → 49).
- Forward smash has smaller hitboxes (7u/6u/6u/6u → 5.5u/4.92u/4.92u/4.92u), and altered hitbox placements (Y offset: 6.4u/6.4u/9.6u/3.2u → 6.016u/6.016u/9.024u/3.002u, Z offset: 5u/19u/13u/13u → 9u/17.86u/12.22u/12.22u), reducing its range, especially the innermost hitbox.
- The lowest hitbox now takes priority over the outermost hitbox. However, this has no practical effect since they have the same attack properties.
Up smash:
- Meta Knight's DACUS covers much more distance, making it a much better approach and follow-up option.
- Each hit has a longer duration (frame 8 (hit 1)/12 (hit 2)/17 (hit 3) → 8-9/12-13/17-18).
- Up smash has less ending lag (FAF 50 → 45).
- Up smash deals more damage (3% (hit 1)/2% (hit 2)/4% (final hit) → 4%/3%/5%).
- The third hit has altered knockback (62 (base), 145 (scaling) → 40/185). Combined with the move's lower ending lag, improved DACUS, universally increased gravity and falling speeds, and the removal of hitstun cancelling, this significantly improves its potential as a combo starter, while also keeping its situational KO potential relatively the same due to its higher damage and knockback scaling, despite the aforementioned universally increased gravity and falling speeds.
- The first two hits have a lower SDI multiplier (1× → 0.8×).
- Up smash has smaller hitboxes overall (5u/6.3u/6.3u/6.3u → 4.099983u/6u/6u/6u (hits 1 & 2), 6.5u/7.5u/7.5u/7.5u → 6.97/6.5u/6.5u/6.5u (hit 3)).
  - However, the hitboxes have altered placements (Y offset: 6u/17u/17u/22u → 5.64u/15.98u/15.98u/20.68u (hit 1), 7u/17u/17u/24u → 6.58u/15.98u/15.98u/22.56u (hit 2), 13u/17u/17u/24u → 14.1u/15.98u.15.98u/22.56u (final hit), Z offset: -0.8u/-11.2u/9.6u/-0.8u → -0.752u/-10.528u/9.024u/-0.752u (all hits)), and Meta Knight hops higher during each slash, somewhat increasing its range overall, especially the final hit's vertical range.
Down smash:
- Due to the removal of buffering, down smash can no longer bypass the first frame of its charging animation due to its fast start-up, increasing its potential start-up lag (frame 4 (buffered)/5 (non-buffered) → 5).
- Down smash has a frame speed modifier of ×0.35 after the front hit's start-up, increasing the back hit's start-up lag (frame 10 → 14) and the move's ending lag (FAF 35 → 45).
- The front hit deals more damage (11% → 13%).
- The front hit has less knockback scaling (93 → 80), making it weaker overall despite its increased damage.
- The back hit has more knockback scaling (90 → 93).
- Down smash has smaller hitboxes (5.5u/5.2u/4.9u/4.6u (both hits) → 4.51u/4.263967u/4.018u/3.772u) and altered placements (Y offset: 3u (all hitboxes) → 2.82u, Z offset: 6u/11u/15.5u/20u → 6u/10.34u/14.57u/18.8u (front hit), -6u/-11u/-15.5u/-20u → -6u/-10.34u/-14.57u/-18.8u (back hit)), decreasing its range overall.
  - However, the lower hitbox placements allow it to hit opponents on the ledge more easily.

Aerial attacks[edit]

All aerials have increased landing lag (15 frames → 17/8 (neutral), 15 frames → 18/9 (forward), 12 frames → 16/8 (back), 12 frames → 15/7 (up), 15 frames → 16/8 (down)) though this is compensated with the introduction of L-canceling.
Neutral aerial:
- Neutral aerial has a longer animation (48 frames → 56), increasing the amount of time Meta Knight cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
- Neutral aerial now has an additional late hit, giving it a longer total duration (frames 3-24 → 3-28).
  - Due to this, combined with its longer animation, neutral aerial now ends behind Meta Knight instead of in front of him.
  - The new late hit deals less damage (7%/6%/5% → 4%/4%/4%) and knockback (20 → 10) than what is now the middle hit.
- Neutral aerial has more ending lag (FAF 32 → 43), preventing it from being performed twice in a short hop.
- Neutral aerial auto-cancels later (frame 25 → 36) no longer doing so immediately after the hitboxes end, and preventing it from auto-canceling in a short hop.
- The clean hit has a longer duration (frames 3-4 → 3-6).
- The middle hit (previously the late hit) has a shorter duration (frames 5-24 → 7-15).
- The middle hit deals more damage (7%/6%/5% → 9%/9%/9%), with its base knockback compensated (20 → 15).
- Neutral aerial has altered hitbox sizes (4u/4u/8u → 3.5u/3u/7u (clean hit), 3.8u/3.8u/3.8u → 3.5u/5u/3u (middle hit; previous late hit)/3.5u/3u/0u (new late hit)), and hitbox placements (Y offset: 0u/5.2u/7.2u (clean hit), 0u/4u/7.2u (middle and late hits) → 5.5u/10u/7.2u (all hits).
  - This reduces the coverage of the body hitbox during the clean hit.
  - However, the altered hitbox placements improve the coverage of every other hitbox during every other part of the move, increasing its range overall.
- When the middle and late hits become active, the clean hit's hitboxes are no longer called to be removed. This means that neutral aerial now has a distinct clean hit and a late hit, rather than having two separate hits, preventing both hits from connecting and reducing its maximum damage potential (19% → 12%).
- The body hitbox during each phase of the move now takes priority over the outermost sword hitbox. However, this has no practical effect since they all have the same attack properties.
Forward aerial:
- Forward aerial now has a frame speed multiplier of ×0.8 after the third hit ends, giving it a longer animation length (40 frames → 47), and increasing the amount of time Meta Knight cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
- Forward's aerial's hits have a longer duration (frame 6 (hit 1)/10 (hit 2)/13 (hit 3) → 6-7/10-11/13-14).
- Forward's aerial has less ending lag (FAF 41 → 34).
- Forward aerial auto-cancels later (frame 22 → 31), making it significantly harder to auto-cancel in a short hop, now having a two-frame window to do so.
- Forward aerial now consists of three smaller hitboxes close to Meta Knight and one larger hitbox further away from him, rather than four normal hitboxes forming a square in front of him and grow larger with each hit.
  - Each hit has smaller hitboxes overall (3.5u/3.5u/3.5u/3.5u (hit 1), 4u/4u/4u/4u (hit 2), 5u/5u/5u/5u (hit 3) → 3.28u/5.5u/3.28u/3.28u (hits 1 and 2), 3.7u/6.15u/4.1u/4.1u (hit 3)).
  - Each hit has altered placements (Y offset: 1u/1u/10u/10u (all hits) → 5.17u/5.17u/1.88u/8.46u, Z offset: 6u/15u/6u/15u (hits 1 and 2), 3u/1u/3u/10u (hit 3) → 3.76u/8.99u/3.76u/3.76u (hits 1 and 2), 3.29u/8.99u/2.82u.2.82u (hit 3)).
    - These changes reduce every hit's range overall, especially vertically, hindering its spacing potential.
- The first two hits have altered knockback (80/5 (set), 100 (scaling) → 115/30).
- The first two hits have altered angles (60°/98°/45°/90° → 361°/95°/75°/285°).
- the first two hits now always launch opponents in the direction Meta Knight is facing. As the move hits multiple times, this improves its reliability.
- The third hit launches opponents at a consistent lower angle (50° (near hitboxes)/361° (far hitboxes) → 361° (all)).
- The third hit has altered knockback (60 (base)/122 (scaling) → 30/130). This improves its wall of pain potential, as well as its follow-up potential into his other moves, combined with its lower ending lag and Meta Knight's faster air speed. However, this hinders its KO potential and its safety on hit at lower percents, combined with the strengthening of crouch cancelling.
Back aerial:
- Meta Knight has a new back aerial, where he performs a single quarter-circle slash behind him.
  - It has a shorter animation (48 frames → 39), decreasing the amount of time Meta Knight cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
- Back aerial has increased startup lag with a relatively shorter duration due to it hitting once (frames 7-8, 13-14, 20-21 → 10-11).
- Due to back aerial now hitting once, this makes the move much more consistent overall, and removes the possibility of the opponent being able to fall out of or SDI the first two hits before the final stronger hit.
  - However, this removes the first two hits' set-up potential into other moves.
- Back aerial has less ending lag (FAF 49 → 36), making it easier to wall of pain with, combined with Meta Knight's faster air speed.
- Back aerial has a shorter initial auto-cancel window (frames 1-6 → 1-5).
- Back aerial auto-cancels sooner (frame 33 → 32).
  - However, due to Meta Knight's higher gravity and falling speed, it is significantly harder to auto-cancel in a short hop, now requiring frame-perfect timing.
- Back aerial has smaller hitboxes, but has gained an additional fourth hitbox (5u/6.3u/5u (hit 1), 5u/6.5u/5u (hit 2), 5u/7u/5u (hit 3) → 5u/5u/5u/5u).
  - Back aerial has altered hitboxes (Y offset: 2.8u/7.2u/11.6u (hits 1 and 3), 2u/6.4u/10.8u (hit 2) → 15u/10u/5u/0u, Z offset: -8u/-12u/-8u (all hits) → -7.52u/-9u/-9u/-4u). Combined with the above changes, this overall reduces its horizontal range but increases its vertical range.
- Back aerial deals more damage (3% (hits 1 and 2), 4% (hit 3), 10% (total) → 14%), with its knockback scaling compensated (175 → 100), significantly improving its KO potential.
- The universal increase to shieldstun has noticeably benefitted back aerial, as the move is now completely safe on shield against a majority of the cast if Meta Knight lands perfectly with and L-cancels it.
Up aerial:
- Up aerial has a longer animation (24 frames → 40), increasing the amount of time Meta Knight cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
- Up aerial has increased startup lag (frame 2 → 5), no longer being the fastest aerial in the game.
- Up aerial has increased ending lag (frame 14 → 23). When combined with its higher start-up lag and Meta Knight's fewer jumps, this hinders up aerial's juggling potential, and greatly hinders its sharking potential when combined with the introduction of the ledge grab invincibility refresh limit, and Meta Knight's increased gravity and fall speed.
  - When combined with Meta Knight's lower short hop and increased gravity and fall speed, this also means that Meta Knight can now only perform two up aerials in a short hop as opposed to three.
- Up aerial has a longer initial auto-cancel window (frame 1 → 1-4).
- Up aerial auto-cancels sooner (frame 21 → 19).
- Up aerial deals more damage (6% → 8%) with its knockback scaling compensated (125 → 105). Combined with the universal increase to all characters' gravity and fall speeds and the removal of hitstun canceling, this makes up aerial a more reliable combo move overall despite the nerfs to its speed.
  - However, the universal increase to all characters' gravity and fall speeds combined with its lower knockback scaling also slightly hinders its KO potential despite its higher damage output.
- Up aerial's two outermost hitboxes are positioned lower (Y offset: 14u (both) → 11u). This improves their range below Meta Knight, most notably when used while falling, while not noticeably hindering its upward range, as the two innermost hitboxes positions were unchanged.
Down aerial:
- Down aerial has a new animation, where Meta Knight performs a somersault before slashing downward in a horizontal arc.
  - It has significantly more startup lag (frame 4 → 12) and a longer animation (27 frames → 40), noticeably increasing its ending lag, and increasing the amount of time Meta Knight cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
- Down aerial has a longer initial auto-cancel window (frame 1-3 → 1-9).
- Down aerial auto-cancels later (frame 24 → 37), no longer doing so in a short hop.
- Down aerial's hitboxes now consist of three sweeetspot hitboxes below and slightly in front of Meta Knight, and a single larger sourspot hitbox behind him, rather than two sourspots hitboxes directly below him and two sweetspot hitboxes on either side of him.
  - The sweetspots now take priority over the sourspot.
  - The hitboxes have been repositioned (Y offset: -6.4u/-6.4u (sourspots), -3.4u/-3.4u (sweetspots) → -6u/-6u/-2u (sweetspots), -0.25u (sourspot), Z offset: -4u/4u (sourspots), -10u/10u (sweetspots) → -3u/3u/8.5u (sweetspots), -10u (sourspot)). This somewhat hinders its range in front of Meta Knight, but improves its range behind and below him.
  - It has smaller hitboxes overall, except for the sourspot which is now larger (5.4u/5.2u (sourspots), 5.4u/5.4u (sweetspots) → 4.5u/4.5u/4.5u (sweetspots)/5.8u (sourspot).
    - The back sourspot's increased size improves down aerial's coverage behind Meta Knight.
- Down aerial deals more damage (7%/7% (sourspots), 9%/9% (sweetspots) → 14%/14%/14% (sweetspots), 11% (sourspots)) with its knockback compensated (sourspot: 30 (base), 105 (scaling) → 20/90, sweetspots: 15 (base), 105 (scaling) → 30/80), improving its KO potential.
  - Its increased power and slower speed hinder its follow-up potential into itself and other moves.
- Down aerial sends opponents at a higher angle (35° (sourspots), 23° (sweetspots) → 35° (sweetspots), 361° (sourspot)), somewhat hindering its gimping potential, though this is largely mitigated by its increased power, the removal of hitstun cancelling, and universal increase of falling speeds.

Throws/other attacks[edit]

Grabs:
- Standing grab has increased startup (frame 6 → 7) and ending lag (FAF 31 → 32).
- Standing grab's grabboxes are positioned closer (Z offset: 12u/6u → 10u/5.5u), reducing its horizontal reach.
- Pivot grab has more startup lag (frame 8 → 9).
- Pivot grab has less ending lag (FAF 41 → 37).
- Pivot grab's outermost grabboxes are positioned closer (Z offset: -14u/-7u → -7u/-3.5u), noticeably reducing its horizontal reach.
- Due to Meta Knight's increased traction, dash grab does not cause him to retain as much horizontal momentum, decreasing its effective range and hindering the follow-up potential of forward throw, though the latter scenario is largely mitigated by the removal of hitstun cancelling and Meta Knight's faster run, jumpsquat, and air speed.
Forward throw:
- Forward throw's collateral hitboxes send bystanders at a higher angle (40° → 361°).
Back throw:
- Back throw is now weight-dependent, making it less reliable against heavier characters, but more reliable against lighter characters.
- Back throw's collateral hitboxes send bystanders at a lower angle (45° → 361°).
Up throw:
- Up throw has less ending lag (FAF 79 → 73).
- Up throw sends opponents at a much more favorable angle (77° → 90°). Combined with its lower ending lag and the removal of hitstun cancelling, this grants it follow-ups and KO confirms into his aerials, Shuttle Loop, and Dimensional Cape, significantly improving its usefulness.
- The universal increase to all characters' gravity and fall speeds hinders up throws KO potential as its knockback and damage were unchanged, however, this also further assists its increased follow-up potential.
Down throw:
- Down throw has a shorter animation due to Meta Knight stomping less times (10 → 6).
  - This makes it harder for opponents to DI and faster to act out of (FAF 88 → 70), giving it better follow-up tech-chaseing, and chain grabing capabilities, combined with its altered knockback.
    - However, due to it releasing opponents sooner, it has relatively more ending lag (15 frames → 21).
  - This reduces it total damage output (11% → 9%).
  - The lower number of kicks reduces its effectiveness against bystanders.
- The final hit has altered knockback (50 (base), 110 (scaling) → 30/200).
Glide attack:
- Glide attack deals more damage (12% → 13%) and has more base knockback (30 → 40).
- Gilde attack has a lower hitlag multiplier (1.2× → 1×), making it harder to DI.
- Glide attack has a shorter duration (frames 5-7 → 5-6).
- Glide attack has smaller hitboxes (8u/11u/8u → 4.92u/9u/4.92u) and has altered placements (X offset: 7u/0u/-7u → 0u/0u/0u, Y offset: 11u/7.5u/3.5u → 8.46u/4.7u/7.05u, Z offset: 11u/15u/9u → 4.7u/4.7u/13.254), reducing its range overall.
- Glide attack now has transcendent priority, making it unable to cancel out projectiles and other aerials.
- Glide attack no longer auto-cancels on landing, now suffering the 30 frames of landing lag Meta Knight would receive from his special fall, making it significantly easier to punish on landing and on shield.
Floor attacks:
- The body hitboxes of Meta Knight's floor attacks now take priority over the sword hitboxes. This is an improvement as the body hitboxes were altered to deal more damage than the sword hitboxes.
  - Floor attacks no longer deal consistent damage (6% → 7% (body), 5% (sword)).
Edge attacks:
- The body hitboxes of Meta Knight's edge attacks now take priority over the sword hitboxes. This is an improvement as the body hitboxes were altered to deal more damage than the sword hitboxes.
- Edge attacks no longer deal set knockback (110 (set), 100 (scaling) → 70 (base)/50).
  - Fast edge attack:
    - Fast edge attack no longer deals consistent damage (8% → 9% (body)/7% (sword)).
  - Slow edge attack:
    - Slow edge attack no longer deals consistent damage (10% → 10% (body)/9% (sword)).
Trip attack:
- Trip attack has significantly more intangibility frames (frames 1-8 → 1-20).
- Trip attack now has transcendent priority, making it unable to be cancelled out by other attacks.
- Trip attack has more base knockback (60 → 80).

Special moves[edit]

All of Meta Knight's special moves can no longer auto-cancel, now being forced into the special landing lag animation if used in the air regardless of height or timing, significantly reducing their safety.
All of Meta Knight's special moves cause him to lose all remaining jumps if used in the air, instead of retaining his remaining jumps. This makes them much more dangerous to initiate in the air if Meta Knight is hit out of them, and significantly hinders his recovery potential.
Mach Tornado:
- The changes to Meta Knight's special moves no longer being capable of auto-cancelling has adversely affected Mach Tornado the most, as it previously had a relatively tight auto-cancel window and has the most landing lag of all of Meta Knight's special moves at 30 frames, now having to go through its 30 frames of landing lag if ended in the air, noticeably hindering its safety.
- Mach Tornado has less start-up lag (frame 12 → 9).
- The aerial version can grab ledges sooner (frame 31 of the final hit animation → 15).
- Mach Tornado's duration is no longer increased with button mashing, and its total set duration is lower than its previous minimum duration (frames 12-58 (minimum)/12-127 (maximum) → 9-48), greatly reducing the loop hit's potential duration.
- Repeated button presses increase Mach Tornado's spin speed less, and they lose more spin speed. When combined with the move now having a set duration, this greatly reduces the amount of distance Meta Knight can gain by using the move, especially horizontally.
  - However, the move gains vertical distance faster when button mashed as compensation (though the total distance gained is still reduced).
- The aerial version's final hit has a longer duration (2 frames → 3).
- The loop hits have larger hitboxes (5u/5u/5u/5u → 5u/7u/8u/8u). However, they are positioned closer to Meta Knight (Y offset: -2u/-2u/7u/7u → 8u/9u/9u/8u, Z offset: 0u/0u/-9u/9u → 0u/4u-4u/0u), noticeably reducing the loop hits' range.
  - Furthermore, only the centermost hitbox is now capable of hitting grounded opponents, noticeably hindering its range and reliability against grounded opponents, especially below Meta Knight.
- Mach Tornado's loop hits now have a consistent rehit rate of 4, rather than the rehit rate depending on how long it takes Meta Knight to spin a full 360°. This gives Mach Tornado a longer rehit rate during the earlier parts of the spin, especially when Meta Knight is mashing, making it less safe on shield and easier to potentially fall out of.
  - When combined with the move's duration no longer being extendable with button mashing, this also reduces the move's total damage output (22% → 17%).
- The loop hits now deal hitlag. This not only makes the move slower to execute and easier to DI but also greatly hinders the move's shield pressuring potential, as opponents are trapped in shield for two less frames (as they now only suffer from two frames of shieldstun, rather than four frames of shieldlag Meta Knight does not go through), giving the cast more opportunities to escape and punish the move, especially early on in the move's duration with the move's lower rehit rate and removal to extend its duration by button mashing.
- Mach Tornado's loop hits have altered knockback (50/50/90/90 (set), 100/100/45/45 (scaling) → 40/40/40/30 (base), 0/0/0/0 (scaling)) and angles (90°/90°/30°/150° → 110°/110°/110°/90°). While this would make the loop hits more consistent overall, they also no longer always launch opponents in the direction Meta Knight is facing. Combined with the move's longer hit rate and the loop hits overall worse knockback and smaller hitboxes, this makes it overall much easier to potentially fall out of the move, significantly reducing its safety and reliability.
  - This is further exacerbated by the reintroduction to DI moves that don't send opponents into tumble and crouch cancelling, as the loop hit's consistently low damage and knockback and the move's long duration makes it particularly vulnerable against the latter.
- The final hit has a smaller hitbox (11u → 9.02u) and is positioned lower overall (y offset: 8u (grounded)/6u (aerial) → 7.52u), reducing its range.
- The final hit deals more damage (3% → 5%) with its knockback compensated (35 (base), 170 (scaling) → 50, 128 (grounded)/140 (aerial)), improving its KO potential, especially near the upper blast line.
- The grounded version's final hit has an altered angle (70° → 90°).
- Mach Tornado now has transcendent priority rather than having grounded/aerial priority. This means that the grounded version can no longer clang with aerials, while the aerial version can no longer clang with grounded or aerial moves. When combined with the move's reduced range, this greatly hinders the move's safety, especially in the air, as opponents can now hit Meta Knight out of the move much more easily, especially with projectiles.
  - Altogether, these changes drastically hinder Mach Tornado's movement potential and recovery potential, as well as greatly hindering its damage-racking capability and safety, and making it much more punishable, thus no longer making it one of the best moves in the game, and is now widely considered to be Meta Knight's worst special move.
Drill Rush:
- The angling capabilities of Drill Rush were significantly reduced, now only being able to angle roughly 25° upward or downward, as opposed to a maximum of roughly 100° upward or downward and behind Meta Knight, greatly hindering its vertical recovery potential.
- Drill Rush no longer has a rebounding jump at the end, hindering its safety and recovery potential.
- Drill Rush can no longer be used for momentum cancelling due to the removal of hitstun cancelling, hindering Meta Knight's survivability.
- Drill Rush has a smaller ledge grabbox.
- The grounded version now has a ledge grabbox during the final hit, reducing its potential to self-destruct.
- Drill Rush has less start-up lag (frame 26 → 21).
- Drill Rush travels much faster, improving its approaching potential, and making it a faster recovery move.
  - As a result, Drill Rush has less ending lag (FAF 95 → 70).
  - Also as a result, Drill Rush's loop hits have a shorter duration (frames 26-65 → 21-40).
  - It covers less distance.
- Drill Rush has a faster rehit rate (6 → 4), making it harder to escape the looping hits.
  - However, due to the loop hits' shorter duration, they hit fewer times (7 times → 5).
- The loop hits have a higher SDI multiplier (0.8× → 1×).
- The loop hits have gained an additional hitbox directly behind Meta Knight, improving its coverage.
- The loop hits have altered base knockback (60/100/50 → 60/60/40/70) and angles (365°/78°/70° → 365°/35°/365°/15°), allowing them to connect better, combined with its faster rehit rate.
- The loop hits have smaller hitboxes (4u/3.5u/5u → 3.5u/3.5u/4.5u/3u) and are positioned closer to Meta Knight (X offset: 3.5u (furthest hitbox) → -1u, Y offset: 14u/2u/0u → 9u/4u/0u/6u, Z offset: 4u/4u/0u/-8u), reducing its range.
- The final hit deals more damage (3% (grounded sweetspot and aerial), 2% (grounded sourspot) → 6% (all)), increasing its total damage output overall despite it hitting fewer times (10% → 11%).
- The final hit launches opponents at a much higher angle (70° (grounded sweetspot)/361° (grounded sourspot/aerial) 97° (grounded)/93° (aerial)). This improves its follow-up potential into Meta Knight's aerial juggles, while making up for the aerial version's previously situational KO potential overall.
- The final hit has less knockback scaling, especially the aerial version (130 (grounded sweetspot)/100 (grounded sourspot)/200 (aerial) → 115 (all)). This hinders the aerial version's KO potential, but improves all versions' follow-up potential, combined with its altered angle.
- The final hit has smaller hitboxes (4u/7u (grounded), 8u/9u (aerial) → 4u/5.75u/5.5u/6u) and is positioned closer to Meta Knight (X offset: 6u/-8u (grounded)/6u/-2u (aerial) → 6u/-7.52u/5u/-3.8826666), reducing its range.
- Drill Rush now has transcendent priority rather than having grounded/aerial priority. This means that the grounded version can no longer clang with aerials, while the aerial version can no longer clang with grounded or aerial moves. This hinders the move's safety, especially in the air, as opponents can now hit Meta Knight out of the move more easily, and no longer allows it to nullify weak projectiles.
Shuttle Loop:
- Shuttle Loop has slightly altered sound effects.
- Grounded Shuttle Loop has a slightly altered animation where Meta Knight takes out his wings partway through the loop.
- As with Mach Tornado, the changes to Meta Knight's special moves no longer being capable of auto-cancelling has adversely affected Shuttle Loop, as Meta Knight can no longer auto-cancel Shuttle Loop if he spaces it to land before it finishes, now having to go through its 25 frames of landing lag or land into a fallen position from the glide (unless the glide is finished precisely enough that it ends with a low enough horizontal velocity, which is very difficult to perform). This significantly hinders Shuttle Loop's overall utility and safety.[2]
  - Additionally, Shuttle Loop cannot be edge-canceled during the loop portion, instead transitioning into a non-driftable/interruptible flip animation, hindering its safety.
  - However, this is somewhat compensated for with the improvements to the gliding portion's edge-canceling potential.
- The grounded version has a smaller ledge grabbox.
- The aerial version's loop portion no longer has an active ledge grabbox, now having to first transition into the glide to grab the ledge, noticeably hindering its recovery potential, combined with the nerfs to gliding.
  - As a result, Meta Knight is often forced to use a reverse Shuttle Loop and land on the stage to recover vertically. Due to the removal of Meta Knight's special moves being able to auto-cancel, Shuttle Loop is now forced into 30 frames of landing lag if Meta Knight lands during the loop portion, hindering its safety.
- The aerial version can no longer be canceled by dropping down platforms, further hindering its safety.
- The grounded version no longer has intangibility on frames 5-8 on startup, significantly hindering its ability to stuff out approaches as well as hindering its use as an out of shield option, especially against multi-hitting moves.
- The grounded version has less base knockback (90 → 85), hindering its KO potential, combined with the universally increased gravity and falling speeds across the cast.
- The grounded version has less hitlag (1.5× → 1×), making it harder to DI.
- The grounded version's hitboxes during the clean and middle hits have swapped hitbox IDs, with the lower hitbox now taking priority over the top hitbox.
  - The clean hit sends opponents at lower angles (70°/80° → 75°/70°). However, since the lower hitbox now takes priority, it sends grounded opponents at a higher angle overall, making it harder DI.
    - However, this hinders its effectiveness and makes it easier to DI against opponents above Meta Knight.
- The removal of hitstun cancelling and the grounded version's lower knockback and overall higher knockback angle improves its follow-up potential into the glide attack.
- The grounded version has smaller hitboxes (clean: 6.8u/6.8u → 5.576u/5.576u, middle: 6u/6u → 4.92u/4.92u, late: 5u → 4.1u), and the clean and middle hits are positioned closer to Meta Knight (Y offset: 12u/0u (clean)/14u/2u (middle) → 0u/11.28u/1.88u/13.16, Z offset: 12u (all hitboxes) → 11.28u), reducing its range.
- The aerial version's clean hit has a significantly shorter duration (frames 8-14 → 8-9).
- The aerial version has higher knockback scaling (60 → 90).
- Aerial Shuttle Loop now launches opponents vertically instead of being a semi-spike (30° → 80°).
  - Combined with its higher knockback scaling, this significantly improves its KO potential near the upper blast line, which along with the removal of hitstun cancelling, makes it a highly effective vertical combo ender.
  - However, this also significantly hinders its edgeguarding potential, which was an area the move was incredibly potent at previously.
- The aerial version's clean hit has a smaller hitbox (7u → 5.74u) and is positioned closer to Meta Knight (Z offset: 4u → 3.76u), reducing its range.
- The aerial version's late hit has a larger hitbox (3u → 5.74u) and is positioned farther from Meta Knight (Z offset: 0u → 3.76u), increasing its range.
  - Altogether, these changes greatly hinder Shuttle Loop's safety and recovery potential, and while still effective, it is no longer considered a contender for one of, if not the best move in the entire game, like it was in Brawl.
Dimensional Cape:
- Dimensional Cape travels a shorter distance and has less control and carries over much less momentum once Meta Knight reappears, especially vertically as a result of his higher gravity and falling speed.
- As a result of all of Meta Knight's special moves no longer being able auto-cancel, Dimensional Cape is a noticeably worse tool at landing safely and escaping aerial pressure, especially when combined with its shorter travel distance.
- Dimensional Cape has a smaller ledgegrab box.
- Dimensional Cape can now be edge-cancelled as soon as Meta Knight reappears.
- Meta Knight can now grab ledges after performing the attack much sooner.
- Meta Knight now faces forward during the non-attack and neutral and forward attack animations instead of turning around, and vice versa for the backward attack. This overall improves their accuracy.
- When using Dimensional Cape, pressing the attack button or C-stick between frames 6-31 (before Meta Knight reappears) will perform the attack, albeit weaker than if done normally.
  - This effectively reduces the attack's minimum start-up lag drastically (frame 32 → 11), allowing it to be used as an effective combo ender and KO move.
  - As a result of the C-sticks' revamped functionality with the move, it is significantly easier to use it to perform whichever direction's attack animation based on the respective direction the C-stick was held.
    - When combined with the control stick and C-stick together, Meta Knight can now face the opposite direction if the control stick is held in the opposite direction of which the C-stick was held (eg, performing the forwards attack with the C-stick while holding backwards on the control stick will make Meta Knight perform the move facing the opposite direction). This drastically improves the attack's mix-up potential and accuracy, and compensates for the fact that Meta Knight now faces the opposite direction he did during each attack from Brawl by default.
  - As a result of the C-sticks' revamped functionality with the move, the Infinite Dimensional Cape has been removed, removing the move's ability to infinitely stall.
- Dimensional Cape's intangibility frames have more startup lag (frames 18-26 → 23-31).
- Meta Knight reappears later when using Dimensional Cape (frame 27 → 32).
  - Its ending lag was compensated (FAF 55 → 51).
  - The full attack has more startup lag as a result (frame 32 → 36).
- The attack has drastically more ending lag (FAF 55 → 86).
- The full attack deals more damage (14% → 16%).
- The attack deals more knockback (20 (base), 85 (scaling) → 40/103 (quick), 50/100 (full)), drastically improving its KO potential, especially the full attack when combined with its increased damage output.
- The attack launches opponents at a lower angle (60° → 361°), further improving its KO potential.
- The attack's near hitbox is smaller, but the far hitbox is larger (7u/5u → 6.5u/5.2u).
- The attack's hitboxes are positioned closer to Meta Knight (Y offset: 6.4u/6.4u → 6.016u/6.016u, Z offset: -8u/-14u → 5.64u/13.16u), reducing its range.
- The full attack now has a darkness effect.
- The attack has a higher hitlag multiplier (1.2× → 1.7×), making it easier to DI.
  - Altogether, the changes to Dimensional Cape make it a much more effective offensive tool, but a worse defensive and recovery tool.
Galaxia Darkness:
- The universal increase to all characters' gravity and fall speeds hinders Galaxia Darkness' KO potential, as its knockback and damage were unchanged.
- Galaxia Darkness has a darkness effect added.

Update history[edit]

v2.6b

Down aerial has less landing lag (30/15 frames → 26/13).
Angled down aerial has hitboxes in Meta Knight's body.
Pivot grab has more startup lag (frame 8 → 9).
Pivot grab has less ending lag (FAF 41 → 37).
Pivot grab's outermost grabboxes are positioned closer (Z offset: -14u/-7u → -12u/-6u).
Grounded Shuttle Loop is able to go into special landing during the loop, like the aerial version.
Grounded Dimensional Cape no longer disables special moves and air dodges.
Dimensional Cape attack edge cancels into fall properly when sliding off edges.
Dimensional Cape non-attack reappearance turn around timing adjusted to match the attack.
Fixed a bug with glitched specials being able to be performed out of aerials following the use of Dimensional Cape.[3]
Fixed a bug with momentum when Dimensional Cape was used directly out of hitstun.

v3.5

Meta Knight is larger, being reverted back to his Brawl size (size multiplier: 0.893x → 0.95x). This makes him easier to hit, and while this would improve his range, this is offset by many of his attacks having gained less range this update, making his larger size a hindrance overall.
Number of mid-air jumps reduced (5 → 3), noticeably worsening his recovery, and hindering the follow-up potential of his aerials into each other, as well as noticeably hindering his ability to air camp and land safely.
- The distance of his jumps have been slightly compensated (×0 (X multiplier)/×0 (Y multiplier) → ×0.5/×1, first jump: 2.33u (first jump)/2.24u (second jump)/2.15u (third jump) → 2.4u/2.3u/2.2u).
Fixed a bug that prevented Meta Knight from holding down to go through platforms with his multi-jumps.
The duration of the glide is no longer infinite, now being capped at 80 frames, and the duration does not refresh unless Meta Knight lands on the ground, and it gains much less height when angled up.
Glide after first aerial usage now exits into special fall after 8 frames, and only refreshes by landing on the ground or ledge.
Gliding gains much less height when angled up (80° → 45°).
Gilde attack has a less hitlag (1.2× → 1×).
Glide attack has significantly more landing lag (18 frames → 30).
The multi-hits of neutral attack have a higher SDI multiplier (0.8× → 1×).
Each hit of forward tilt has more ending lag, especially the third hit (FAF 21 (hit 1)/24 (hit 2)/29 (hit 3) → 24/28/35).
- This does not affect the full combo, and only if the hits are used individually.
Down tilt no longer has a frame speed multiplier of 1× once the hitboxes cease, increasing its ending lag (FAF 19 → 22).
Dash attack has a lower frame speed multiplier (×0.8 → ×0.75) increasing its ending lag (FAF 37 → 39).
Dash attack has a shorter duration (frames 4-19 → 4-15).
Forward smash has a slower frame speed multiplier after the hitboxes end (×1.215 → ×0.825), increasing its ending lag (FAF 40 → 46).
Forward smash's innermost hitbox is smaller (5.74u → 5.5u), and has been moved farther forward (z offset: 4.7u → 9u), hindering its coverage on Meta Knight's body, while not improving its coverage in front of him due to it being largely overlapped by the outer hitboxes.
First and second hits of up smash have higher hitlag multipliers (0.75× → 1×).
First and second hits of up smash have higher SDI multipliers (0.5× → 0.8×).
The third hit of up smash has altered knockback (62 (base), 145 (scaling) → 40/185).
The middle hit of neutral aerial has a shorter duration, while the late hit's duration was increased to compensate, albeit not enough to match its previous duration, shortening the move's total duration (frames 7-26 (middle), 27-31 (late) → 7-15/16-28).
The middle and late hits of neutral aerial's body hitboxes are smaller (7u → 5u).
The late hit of neutral aerial's outermost sword hitbox has been removed.
The middle hit of neutral aerial deals more damage (8% → 9%) and knockback (0 (base), 80 (scaling) → 15/100).
The late hit of neutral aerial has more base knockback (0 → 10).
Neutral aerial's body hitbox for each part of the move now has a slash effect instead of a normal hit effect.
The first two hits of forward aerial have higher SDI multipliers (0.6× (hit 1), 0.8× (hit 2) → 1× (both)).
The first two hits of forward aerial have altered knockback (50/79/110/25 (base), 0 (scaling → 115 (set), 30 (scaling).
The first two hits of forward aerial have altered angles (80°/95°/75°/280° → 361°/95°/75°/285°).
The outermost hitbox of forward aerial's first two hits is smaller (6.15u → 5.5u).
The inner middle hitbox of forward aerial now has a slash effect instead of a normal effect, matching the other hitboxes.
Up aerial deals more damage (6% → 8%), with its knockback scaling compensated (125 → 105).
Up aerial has a lower hitlag multiplier (1.4× → 1×).
Down aerial reverted to Brawl down aerial (changes listed below will be in comparison to the Brawl version).
- It has more startup (frame 4 → 6) and has a frame speed multiplier of ×0.8 after the hitboxes end, increasing its ending lag (FAF 27 → 35).
  - However, it has a longer initial auto-cancel window as a result of its slower startup lag (frame 1-3 → 1-5).
- It auto-cancels later (frame 24 → 26).
- The sweetspot and sourspot have swapped positions, with the inner hitboxes becoming the sweetspots, and the outer hitboxes becoming the sourspots (hitbox priority IDs were not swapped to somewhat compensate). This makes down aerial a less effective spacing tool overall.
  - The sourspots additionally deal less damage (7% → 6%) and have less base knockback (30 → 15) than the pervious sourspots.
- It sends opponents at much higher angles, especially the sourspot (35° (sourspots)/23° (sweetspots) → 40° (sweetspots)/55° (sourspots)).
- It has smaller hitboxes (5.4u/5.2u/5.4u/5.4u → 4u/4u/4.25u/3.5u), and they are positioned closer (Y offset: -6.4u/-6.4u/-3.4u/-3.4u → -6u/-6u/-1.25u/-2u, Z offset: -4u/4u/-10u/10u → -3u/3u/-9u/8.5u), reducing its range, especially in front of Meta Knight.
- it has more landing lag, albeit compensated for with L-canceling (15 frames → 16/8).
  - Altoghter, the loss of his down trust diving down aerial has drastically worsened Meta Knight's landing and anti-juggling game, combined with the loss of one of his mid-air jumps and the changes to Dimensional Cape, while not gaining much benefit from reverting to his original down aerial outside of edgeguarding, due to the significant nerfs it received from its Brawl iteration.
Standing grab's grabboxes are positioned closer (Z offset: 12u/6u → 9u/5.5u), reducing its horizontal reach.
Dash Grab carries over 25% less horizontal momentum once Meta Knight grabs an opponent.
Pivot grab's outermost grabboxes are positioned closer (Z offset: -12u/-6u → -7u/-3.5u), noticeably reducing its horizontal reach.
Down throw has more ending lag (FAF 65 → 71).
Down throw's final collateral hit deals more damage (2% → 3%), increasing the move's total damage output (8% → 9%).
Down throw has altered knockback (60 (base), 110 (scaling) → 30/200).
Mach Tornado has drastically more landing lag once Meta Knight becomes helpless (10 frames → 30).
Mach Tornado can no longer be auto-canceled, now having to go through its 30 frames of landing lag if ended in the air regardless of height or timing, hindering its safety.
Aerial Mach Tornado has reduced drift control and more horizontal air resistance once the move ends. reducing its recovery potential.
Grounded Mach Tornado now launches vertically rather than horizontally (361° → 90°).
Aerial Mach Tornado has more base knockback (35 → 50), now matching the grounded version.
Drill Rush now has previously unused fourth hitbox during its multihits added; previously, it erronously shared the same hitbox ID with another hitbox (ID #1 → 3), making it never appear in-game.
Drill Rush's multihits have altered hitbox placements (Y offset: 7u/5u → 9u/4u (inner hitboxes), Z offset: -2u/-2u/0u/-6u → -3u/-3u/0u/-8u), increasing its range overall.
Drill Rush has significantly more landing lag once Meta Knight becomes helpless, matching its normal landing lag (10 frames → 30).
Drill Rush has less hitlag (1.4× → 1×).
Shuttle Loop has more landing lag if Meta Knight cancels the glide close to the ground or if he becomes helpless (15 frames (cancel)/10 (helpless) → 25/15).
Shuttle Loop can no longer edge cancel during the loop portion, instead transitioning into a non-driftable/interruptible flip animation, hindering its safety.
Grounded Shuttle Loop has less base knockback (90 → 85), and the sweetspot sends opponents at a lower angle (80° → 75°).
Grounded Shuttle Loop no longer has a late hit at the end of the loop.
The late hit of aerial Shuttle Loop has a drastically shorter duration (frames 10-38 → 10-16).
Dimensional Cape now goes into a helpless state once Meta Knight reappears, completely removing its versatility at juggle extensions and making it a much less safe landing and anti-juggling tool.
Dimensional Cape has significantly more landing lag once Meta Knight becomes helpless during the attack (10 frames → 30).
Meta Knight can no longer control his movement with Dimensional Cape once he reappears until he becomes helpless, making it harder to reposition himself or maneuver around opponents.
The minimum startup for a quick Dimensional Cape attack has increased (frame 7 → 11).
Fixed a bug that enabled aerial Dimensional Cape to refresh jumps or use another Dimensional Cape by quickly touching the ground.
Removed the ability to still perform the infinite Dimensional Cape by quickly alternating between ground and air states.
Can now use any attack button for a quick Dimensional Cape slash instead of just the C-stick.

v3.6b

Meta Knight's sword trail color has been reverted from blue to whitish gold, like in Brawl.
Various slash, animation, and other graphical elements polished.
Added a dust effect when Meta Knight is nearing the end of his glide timer.
Meta Knight is significantly heavier, reverting to his Brawl weight (70 → 79).
All special moves now cause Meta Knight to lose all remaining jumps if used while airborne. Previous behavior caused Mach Tornado, Drill Rush, and Shuttle Loop to lose one jump, and Dimensional Cape to lose all jumps if used in the air.
The first two hits of Forward tilt have larger windows to input each subsequent hit.
Down tilt has less ending lag (FAF 22 → 20).
The second innermost hitbox of down tilt now matches the first innermost hitbox's attack properties; dealing more damage (5% → 7%), altered knockback (20 (base), 116 (scaling) → 64/60), and launching opponents vertically (37° → 80°). This makes the launcher hit easier to land.
Down tilt has marginally larger hitboxes (4.099983u/3.28u/3.28u/2.46u → 4.1u/3.5u/3.28u/2.5u) and has altered hitbox placements (Y offset: 3.29u/3.76u/2.82u/1.88u → 4.7u/3.66u/2.62u/1.7u, Z offset: 3.29u/6.58u/12.408u/16.92u → 3.29u/7.58u/13.408u/18.6u), increasing its range.
Down aerial has a new animation, where Meta Knight performs a somersault before slashing downward in a horizontal arc.
- It has significantly more startup lag (frame 4 → 12) and a longer animation (27 frames → 40), noticeably increasing its ending lag, and increasing the amount of time Meta Knight cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
- It has a longer initial auto-cancel window (frame 1-5 → 1-9).
- It auto-cancels later (frame 26 → 37), no longer doing so in a short hop.
- It deals more damage (9% (sweetspots), 7% (sourspots) → 14% (all)) with its knockback compensated (15 (base), 105 (scaling) → 30/80), improving its KO potential.
  - Its increased power and slower speed hinder its follow-up potential into itself and other moves.
- It sends opponents at a lower angle (40° (sweetspots), 55° (sourspots) → 35° (all)).
- It has larger hitboxes (4u/4u/4.25u/4u → 4.25u/4.25u/4.25u/4.25u).
- The hitboxes have been repositioned (Y offset: -1.25u/-2u (outer hitboxes) → -2u/-1.250133u, Z offset: -3u/3u/-9u/8.5u → -3u/3u/8.5u/-8.9984u), increasing its range overall.
  - altogether, the changes to down aerial make it a more effective and useful edgeguarding and aerial finisher tool compared to the watered-down Brawl down aerial from the previous patch.
Standing grab's furtherst grabbox is positioned further forward (13u → 14u), increasing its range.
Down throw now always forces tumble.
Mach Tornado's coding has been modified to make it easier to rise with mashing, but also to remove the ability to use D-pad-mapped special moves to gain excessive height, while maintaining its previous maximum height gain.
Mach Tornado has a faster and more consistent re-hit rate (6-10 frames depending on how fast Meta Knight is spinning → 5 frames (outer hitboxes)/4 frames inner hitbox)), making it connect better, as well as allowing it to maintain its maximum damage output despite the multihits' lower damage per hit.
Mach Tornado multihits deal less damage (2% → 1%).
The multihits of Mach Tornado have lower base knockback (50 → 40) and altered angles (90°/90°/110°/70° → 110°/110°/110°/90°), making it connect better overall.
Aerial Mach Tornado's final hitbox has moved upwards slightly (Y offset: 5.64u → 7.52u), matching the grounded version.
Beginning Mach Tornado on the ground no longer briefly forces Meta Knight off the ground.
Drill Rush's multihits have a faster re-hit rate (5 frames → 4), making them connect better, and dealing a whole 1% more total damage as a result (10% → 11%).
Drill Rush's multihits have lower base knockback (60/100/50/100 → 60/60/50/70), making them connect better overall.
Drill Rush's frontmost multihit hitbox is larger (3u → 4.5u) with its hitbox positioning compensated (Z offset: 0u → -1u).
Aerial Drill Rush's final hit has smaller hitboxes (6.56u/7.38u → 5.5u/6u) and are positioned closer to Meta Knight (X offset: 5.64u/-1.88u → 5u/-3.882667u), reducing its range.
Shuttle Loop has less hitlag (1.5× → 1×).
Grounded Shuttle Loop has regained its late hit at the end of the loop from version 3.02.
The late hit of aerial Shuttle Loop has been reverted to its duration from version 3.02 (frames 10-16 → 10-38).
Aerial Shuttle Loop now disables vertical momentum during startup to maintain it covering the same distance more consistently.
Shuttle Loop has slightly altered sound effects.
Grounded Shuttle Loop has a slightly altered animation where Meta Knight takes out his wings partway through the loop.
A non-attack Dimensional Cape has less landing lag if Meta Knight becomes helpless (30 frames → 15).
Dimensional Cape can no longer be auto-canceled, now having to go through its 15 frames of landing lag if ended in the air, regardless of height or timing, hindering its safety.
Edge cancelling the Dimensional Cape attack now causes Meta Knight to go into regular fall instead of a helpless state.
The full version of Dimensional Cape's attack has less knockback scaling (115 → 100).
Dimensional Cape's attack has larger hitboxes (5.33u/4.099983u → 6.5u/5.2u).
Galaxia Darkness has a darkness effect added.

v3.6

Meta Knight's foot isn't as enlarged when performing dash attack, reducing his hurtbox, and making it better match its hitboxes.
Forward smash has more ending lag (FAF 46 → 49).
Down aerial's animation was altered to have more force behind it.
Down aerial's hitboxes now consist of three sweeetspot hitboxes below and slightly in front of Meta Knight, and a single larger sourspot hitbox behind him, rather than all hitboxes having the same size and attack properties.
- The sourspot deals less damage (14% → 11%) and knockback (30 (base), 80 (scaling) → 20/90), and sends opponents at a higher angle (35° → 361°).
  - The sweetspots now take priority over the sourspot.
  - It has larger hitboxes, especially the sourspot (4.25u/4.25u/4.25u/4.25u → 4.5u/4.5u/4.5u (sweetspots), 5.8u (sourspot)).
  - The sourspots hitbox placement was altered to compensate for its larger size (Y offset: -1.250133u → -0.25u, Z offset: -8.9984u → -10u), having more range overall.
The aerial version of Mach Tornado can grab ledges sooner (frame 31 of the final hit animation → 14).
Voice clip for Drill Rush plays earlier.