Meta Knight (SSBU)

Meta Knight in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Kirby
Other playable appearances	in Brawl in SSB4
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	Darkness Illusion
Tier	B- (52)

Meta Knight (メタナイト, Meta Knight) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was officially confirmed on June 12th, 2018 during E3 2018, alongside Mewtwo and the rest of the returning roster. Meta Knight is classified as Fighter #27, the first fighter number of the Super Smash Bros. Brawl veterans.

As in Super Smash Bros. 4, Eric Newsome and Atsushi Kisaichi's portrayals of Meta Knight from Brawl were repurposed for the English and Japanese versions of Ultimate, respectively.

Meta Knight is ranked 52nd out of 82 on the current tier list, placing him at the lower half of the B- tier. This is a significant drop from his 16th out of 54 placement in Smash 4 and is his worst placement in the series. Meta Knight's main strength lies in his great mobility and frame data, which grants him an amazing edgeguarding and combo game. He boasts a fantastic recovery, with multiple midair jumps and special moves that all function as recoveries with large or lingering hitboxes, making Meta Knight one of the hardest characters to edgeguard. Meta Knight's gameplan is heavily centralized around his deadly ladder combos that can lead to high damage and/or early KOs of the top, on top of a variety of horizontal combo finishers to hit opponents who DI uncooperatively.

His combos, however, are crippled by major flaws. His normals suffer from carrying some of the worst hitboxes in the game, often being significantly smaller and less active than their animations suggest, which not only makes his range deceptively short, but also makes landing attacks unusually difficult and unintuitive, demanding more precision to perform combos and take stocks than most other fighters. Additionally, his best combo tools are very susceptible to DI and staling, due to their low base damage (with some such as up aerial able to drop to as low as 2% per hit, even with the 1v1 multiplier), and repeated usage in many situations, forcing him to mix up his combo routes and keep track of the opponent's trajectory, which is further exacerbated by said combos getting nerfed from Smash 4, most notably his ladder combo. On top of that, his grab game, while better than most other swordfighters, is still mediocre: his grab range is some of the worst in the game, and none of his throws reliably KO below 160%, have significant damage output, or combo potential outside of his down throw. Finally, Meta Knight himself is also susceptible to both combos and early KOs, owing to his light weight and fast falling speed, and while he can work his way toward zoners with his small size, quick ground speed and Mach Tornado, his approach options are fairly predictable, especially owing to his continued lack of a projectile.

Overall, Meta Knight, while seen as a step down from even his Smash 4 counterpart, is still a viable fighter. Though Meta Knight's playerbase has been below average for most of Ultimate's competitive lifespan, he has nevertheless retained fairly noticeable success, with players such as Abadango, Metara, and Yei achieving commendable results.

How to unlock

Complete one of the following:

• Play VS. matches, with Meta Knight being the 38th character to be unlocked.
• Clear Classic Mode with Link or any character in his unlock tree, being the 4th character unlocked after Simon.
• Have Meta Knight join the player's party in World of Light.

Meta Knight must then be defeated on Halberd (the Ω form is used in World of Light).

Attributes

Meta Knight combines several unusual traits. He has multiple jumps, but unlike other characters who share this ability, he has strong mobility, comprising fast dashing and walking speeds, high falling speed and gravity, and average air speed. He is also the only small character to use a sword, which gives his attacks a bit more range relative to his stature. Overall, unlike other characters with multiple jumps, Meta Knight is neither wanting for speed nor range.

As expected, Meta Knight's playstyle relies heavily on his speed, both in terms of mobility and frame data. His low, quick, short hop and fast, low lag aerials allow him to continuously apply pressure to opponents at close range. He is not lacking in grounded pressure either, having a fast down tilt that can trip, and a dash attack that can cross-up shields, and both of these moves are capable of setting up combos. If Meta Knight finds himself on the defensive, he has several options to relieve pressure, such as a fast, decently long-ranged forward tilt for countering aerial approaches, a fast, long-lasting, and strong neutral aerial, and the 2nd fastest down aerial in the game. For attacks that are poorly spaced, he can opt for a grab, from which he has a down throw that can start combos up to mid-percentages, a back throw to set up edge-guards and KO at very high percentages while near the edge, and an up throw that can also KO at very high percentages (especially on platforms).

While his damage output per hit is not impressive, Meta Knight's speed and jumps allow him to rack up damage through combos at lower percentages and chase opponents through the air to higher damages, punishing their escape options. His dash attack and down throw can combo into an up smash or aerials at lower damages, while his up aerial can link into other aerials or his up special. Even after his opponents are launched too far for a true combo, he can continue pressuring them by punishing their air dodges and landing options through effective use of his aerials, dash attack, and up tilt. Thanks to his flexible aerial mobility, he has little trouble chasing opponents offstage, and his aerials are well-suited to edge-guarding. Neutral aerial has a lingering hitbox and strong knockback, back aerial is fast with high power, and down aerial is a safe semi-spike than can gimp deceptively early.

Meta Knight's edge-guarding prowess is mainly courtesy of his recovery, which is arguably the best in the game. In addition to having five jumps and passable air speed, his special moveset is full of recovery options. Shuttle Loop, his up special and main recovery method, is fast, offers high vertical recovery, and has a large hitbox. Mach Tornado and Drill Rush travel far horizontally and with long-lasting active hitboxes, and the latter can be angled. Dimensional Cape allows Meta Knight to cover the distance in any direction while invisible, and offers the option to attack upon reappearing. Such options grant him the ability to vary his recovery to make it incredibly difficult to punish him offstage, let alone gimp him.

Meta Knight does have several weaknesses. His attacks generally have very few active frames, forcing him to be extremely precise with his moves lest his opponent punish him. Despite being a lightweight, Meta Knight's falling speed, gravity, and unusually round hurtbox make him highly vulnerable to combos, which, combined with his low weight, grant him poor overall endurance. Though he has a strong, safe finisher in his forward smash, a fast, powerful back aerial, and up smash, he has difficulty landing these moves. Forward smash has high startup, making it easy to avoid, up smash is risky due to its ending lag, and back aerial has trouble connecting on grounded opponents. Furthermore, his up and back throws require rage and favorable positioning to KO at reasonable percentages. While Meta Knight's neutral game is fairly good, his lack of a projectile can be a thorn in his side, especially against zoning characters such as Mega Man.

Overall, Meta Knight is at his best so long as he has his opponent in a disadvantaged state, being able to rack up damage well at lower percentages, before keeping the pressure on them through juggles and edge-guards. A player must be patient in finding an opening, as he cannot sustain much damage himself, and such patience is especially needed when his foe is at high percentages, where Meta Knight may find difficulty in landing his finishers.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

Despite his infamous reputation in Brawl leading to nerfs in SSB4, Meta Knight remained a strong character in the latter game thanks to numerous buffs from game updates, resulting in a combination of excellent mobility and recovery, great edge-guarding potential and —most notoriously— his deadly punish game that allowed him to perform zero-to-death combos with his up aerial and Shuttle Loop. Possibly as a result, Meta Knight has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition to Ultimate. However, despite his comparatively numerous buffs, he has been objectively nerfed overall, and greatly so.

Meta Knight benefits from some of the gameplay changes to the engine. His already quick mobility has improved even further, and his aerials have considerably decreased landing lag, even compared to most other characters' aerials. The changes to air dodge mechanics highly benefit Meta Knight, as they further strengthen his already scary off-stage game, and he isn't as affected by these changes as much thanks to his excellent recovery; moreover, he can now extend his own or escape combos in a pinch with a directional air dodge.

Some of Meta Knight's moves, such as his tilts and aerials, also have increased range, with his down tilt notably no longer possessing blind spots. His neutral attack is more effective as a close-range option to rack up damage, due to having faster startup and linking much more reliably. His special moves have also seen improvements, as Shuttle Loop conserves more momentum at the end and thus improves his already outstanding recovery, Mach Tornado now consists of a single hit that deals higher knockback when clean, and Drill Rush sends at a lower, more desirable angle. The latter two moves have also become powerful, if risky moves for edgeguarding.

However, the few nerfs Meta Knight has received were harsh enough to eclipse his buffs. The most notable nerf was to dash attack: previously one of his most reliable moves in SSB4, it now has higher knockback and ending lag, causing follow-ups to be unreliable beyond low percentages and failing to combo into Shuttle Loop at high percentages. This noticeably worsens his combo, punish, and set-up potential.

Gameplay mechanics also hurt Meta Knight as much as they help him. Like Captain Falcon, Meta Knight's increased traction hinders his dash grab as an effective approach, punish, and burst option, and has virtually removed his forward throw's combo potential. Furthermore, Meta Knight does not benefit from the expanded dash-canceling mechanic as much as other characters, since none of his tilts are reliable for KOing, down tilt is only decent at best for starting combos, and his smash attacks are unsafe. The nerfs to rage, while slightly improving Meta Knight's endurance, hinder his capability to abuse the mechanic and secure early vertical KOs due to Shuttle Loop's first hit now having set knockback. While the changes to air dodges are a boon to Meta Knight, many returning veterans have also benefited from these changes, often improving their edgeguarding potential to be just as strong as his. Finally, Meta Knight's generally low damage output means he is unable to take advantage of the 1v1 multiplier as much as other characters, allowing other characters to keep up with him.

Overall, Meta Knight's changes have generally toned down his most powerful tools and setups from SSB4, with a harder time comboing and finishing off opponents in general, thus heightening his learning curve noticeably in the transition to Ultimate. This is made worse by other characters with similar game plans to him benefitting more from Ultimate's mechanics than he has. In addition, several returning veterans who once struggled against Meta Knight have received variable buffs that allow them to either fight on par with him or overwhelm him. Due to the combination of these hindrances and a lack of noticeable buffs from game updates, Meta Knight is considered to be noticeably worse than he was in SSB4.

Aesthetics

• Due to the aesthetic used in Ultimate, Meta Knight's model features a more subdued color scheme. His mask, gauntlets, pauldrons, and sabatons have subtle detailing. His mask in particular is a notably darker gray, and his eyes now have a bright orange glow around them.
  • Galaxia's design has been altered: its blade is flatter, resembling its official artwork for Kirby Super Star Ultra and Kirby: Planet Robobot.
• Galaxia's sword trails have reversed colors, using aqua with yellow accents instead of the yellow with turquoise accents from Smash 4.
• His Galacta Knight-inspired alternate costume more closely resembles its inspiration: his mask becomes cross-shaped with red eyes, his spikes and insignia become yellow, and Galaxia turns pink like Galacta Knight's lance. Similarly, Galaxia turns silver with a blue gem when donning the Dark Meta Knight costume, his sabatons turn a darker red as opposed to the inaccurate purple of Smash 4, and his mask gains a scar and has paler eyes, much like his Mirror World doppelgänger.
• Meta Knight now wraps himself in his cape when performing his spot dodge, like his rolling animation.
• Meta Knight's wings now droop or curl up when fast falling.
• Two of Meta Knight's victory animations were altered:
  • The one where he warps away now has him perform three sword slashes before warping.
  • The one where he flies on-screen from the side now shows him flying around and dropping to the ground before striking a pose.
• Meta Knight no longer grunts twice during his reeling animation.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Meta Knight's jumpsquat takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Meta Knight walks faster (1.18 → 1.239).
• Meta Knight runs faster (1.9 → 2.09).
  • His initial dash is much faster (1.7 → 2.211).
• Meta Knight's air speed is faster (0.99 → 1.04).
• Meta Knight's traction is much higher (0.055 → 0.097).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-15 → 4-14) and has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 29).
• Back roll has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 34).
• Spot dodge has more startup (frame 2 → 3).
  • However, its total duration remains the same, giving it one frame less ending lag.
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-25 → 2-26).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 31 → 48).
• The new air dodge mechanics improve Meta Knight's juggling and edge-guarding abilities.
  • However, the removal of unlimited air dodging also hinders Meta Knight, due to him having multiple jumps and previously one of the fastest air dodges being able to make great use of it, worsening his aerial defence and survivability.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack has received several changes to allow it to connect better and rack up damage more effectively:
    • It has considerably less start-up lag with a shorter gap between hits (frame 7, 11, 15, 20, 24 → 4, 7, 10, 13, 16), and a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5×), making it harder to SDI out of.
    • It has a different launch angle to keep grounded opponents closer to Meta Knight (60°/84° → 361°).
    • It has more base knockback (8 → 10) and each hit has gained a hitstun modifier of 2.
  • The finisher has less ending lag (FAF 35 → 31).
  • The multi-hits have 1 extended hitbox rather than 2 extended hitboxes, with the hitbox being larger than either of the previous hitboxes (5.8u/6.8u → 7u), and extending slightly further outward (Z2 offset 13 → 13.5), improving its range overall.
  • The single hitbox is placed higher up (Y offset: 5.2/5.3 → 6.5), improving its vertical range but reducing its ability to hit below the ledge.
  • It deals less damage per hit (1.2% → 1%) and no longer deals extra shield damage (1 → 0).
  • It has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 4×. 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 Meta Knight more easily if they shield 10 hits or more.
  • The finisher now has transcendent priority, preventing it from being canceled out by weak attacks.
  • The finisher consists of three medium-sized unextended hitboxes instead of a single large extended one (8u → 5u/6u/6u). The new hitboxes cover the same horizontal distance (with slightly reduced internal range, though this is negated by the changes to jostle mechanics), but cover less vertical range, shortening the finisher's range overall.
• Forward tilt:
  • The first two hits have different knockback (8 base/88 scaling → 25/20 (hit 1), 20/20 (hit 2)) and their outermost hitboxes launch opponents closer to Meta Knight (85° → 88° (hit 1), 80° → 85° (hit 2)), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The second hit has larger hitboxes (3.5u/3.5u → 4u/3.6u) which are positioned further out (Z offset: 8/16 → 9/16.5) and higher (Y offset: 2/4/6 → 3/5/7), improving its range.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt's sweetspot has more vertical range (Y offset: 23.9u → 25.2u (clean), 7.5u → 9u (late)).
  • The sourspot deals more damage during the clean hit (5% → 6%), but less during the late hit (6% → 5%).
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt's innermost hitbox is larger (3.2u → 3.5u), while the outermost hitbox stretches farther horizontally (Z offset: 13u → 15u), removing its blindspot next to Meta Knight and increasing its range to the point it properly covers the full tip of the blade.
  • Down tilt has a lower trip chance (30% → 25%).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has an altered animation. Meta Knight now spins on himself before thrusting his foot forward.
  • It deals more damage (6%/5% → 7%/6%).
  • It has one more frame of ending lag (FAF 32 → 33).
  • It has slightly less base knockback (70 → 65/65/67), but more knockback scaling (90 → 107). In combination with the previous changes, this hampers its combo potential past low percents.
    • However, this allows it to KO under 180%, giving it more utility as an emergency KO move.
  • It has smaller hitboxes (5.5u/5u/4.5u → 5u/4u/3.5u).
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has a modified sword trail with spiked edges.
  • Meta Knight no longer swings his entire body to the side and his sword towards the rear in the animation.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash deals more damage (3% (hit 1)/2% (hit 2)/4% (hit 3) → 4%/3%/5%; 9% → 12% (total)), with knockback scaling compensated on the last hit (166 → 148).
  • The first and second hits have more set knockback (20/25 → 30), and their outer hitboxes launch opponents at a higher angle (135° → 130°), allowing them to connect more reliably.
  • The first and second hits now have a trip chance of -1, making it so the opponent can no longer trip and fall out of the move on platforms.
  • The upper hitboxes on all hits are larger (4.5u/4.5u/6u → 5.5u/5.5u/7u).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has an altered animation with Meta Knight swinging Galaxia upwards for the first hit.
  • It deals more damage (7% → 10% (hit 1), 10% → 13% (hit 2)) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (93 → 77 (hit 1)/78 (hit 2)), allowing the first hit to KO under 190% from center stage.
  • It no longer starts charging immediately (frame 1 → 2), allowing the player to use the uncharged move without buffering.
  • The second hit has larger hitboxes (4.5u/4u → 4.6u/4.6u).
  • The first hit has a smaller hitbox (4.5u/4u → 3.8u).
    • It has more horizontal range due to the hitbox being extended to match the sword instead of not covering it completely, but is angled upward, making it harder to 2-frame with.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (16 frames → 7 (neutral), 16 → 10 (forward), 18 → 11 (back), 18 → 9 (up), 22 → 9 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 50 → 40).
  • Neutral aerial has larger hitboxes, and the late hit has gained an additional hitbox that is larger (4u/4u/7u → 4.5u/4.5u/7.5u (clean), 3.8u/3.8u/3.8u → 4u/4u/4/6u (late)). The hitboxes have also altered vertical placements (Y offset: 0u/5.2u/7.2u → 0u/5.2u/5.5u (clean), 0u/4u/7.2u → 0u/5.2u/7.7u/5.5u (late)), and (3.5u → 5u), increasing their range.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has less ending lag (FAF 46 → 40) and auto-cancels earlier (frame 44 → 39).
  • All hits have slightly more horizontal range (outer hitbox Z offset: 13u → 13.5u).
  • The first two hits' are now weight-independent, making them more consistent across the cast.
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes launch at a higher angle (361° → 60°) and have more base knockback (30 → 60), but less knockback scaling (130 → 100). This allows them to connect more reliably, and in combination with the move's lower landing lag, start combos into other attacks at various percents.
  • The first two hits' aerial-only hitboxes use the autolink angle like in the original version of Smash 4 (85° → 367°), allowing them to once again drag opponents down and set up combos, which is strengthened by the move's lower landing lag.
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes deal less damage (2.2% → 2%).
  • The first two hits' aerial-only hitboxes deal more damage (1.5% → 2%).
• Back aerial:
  • All hits have more horizontal range (Z offset: -12u/-6u → -15u/-9u).
  • The first two hits' are now weight-independent, making them more consistent across the cast.
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes launch at a higher angle (361° → 55°) and have more base knockback (40 → 50), but less knockback scaling (130 → 90). Much like forward aerial, this allows them to connect more reliably, and in combination with the move's lower landing lag, start combos into other attacks at various percents.
  • The first two hits' ground-only hitboxes deal less damage (2.2% → 2%).
  • The first two hits' aerial-only hitboxes deal more damage (1.5% → 2%).
  • The third hit has less knockback scaling (212 → 198), hindering its KO potential.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial's angles have been altered (69°/69°/52° → 67°/67°/50°), improving its combo potential into other aerials, but worsening the consistency of up aerial ladder combos.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 32 → 37 (standing), 40 → 45 (dash), 38 → 40 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have less range, especially standing grab (Z2 offset: 10u → 8.5u (standing), 10.8u → 10.1u (dash), -15u → -14.3u (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grabs have increased startup (frame 9 → 11 (dash), 9 → 12 (pivot)).
  • In a similar vein to Captain Falcon, due to Meta Knight's increased traction, dash grab does not cause him to retain as much horizontal momentum, further decreasing its effective range.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (5 frames → 11), but has less startup (frame 4 → 1) and significantly less ending lag (FAF 24 → 6), greatly shortening its effective duration.
  • It deals much less damage (3% → 1%).
    • Relative to the rest of the cast, Meta Knight's pummel is among the fastest but least damaging, rather than among the slowest but most damaging.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw grants less invincibility (frames 1-18 → 1-10).
  • Due to Meta Knight's increased traction no longer allowing him to retain horizontal momentum during throws, forward throw has lost its combo potential entirely past very low percents.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw grants more invincibility (frames 1-18 → 1-46).
    • This notably improves its ability to perform The Omni technique if the opponent is holding an explosive projectile such as Bomb or Hand Grenade, as now only the opponent will be KO'd if it explodes at the peak of up throw's jump, rather than both them and Meta Knight being KO'd like in Smash 4, or being determined by port priority like in Brawl.
  • Up throw has more knockback scaling (70 → 76).
  • Up throw's notoriously powerful collateral hitbox deals less knockback (90 base/160 scaling → 85/150), no longer KOing under 80% from ground level.
  • Meta Knight releases opponents from up throw one frame later (frame 45 → 46). This slightly reduces the throw's ending lag, and since the throw already executes so slowly, the additional frame to DI the throw is completely negligible.
    • This also gives the collateral hitbox an additional active frame (39-44 → 39-45).
• Down throw:
  • Down throw grants more invincibility (frames 1-18 → 1-75).
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Mach Tornado:
  • Mach Tornado travels faster horizontally, and gives more height via button mashing.
  • It has gained a windbox, allowing it to pull opponents more effectively into the attack.
  • The move's duration isn't increased as much by mashing, making it worse for covering rolls and getups, or for juggling. The threshold for mash inputs to be ignored with regards to duration is also slower, making both over and under mashing more likely.
  • Instead of being a multi-hit attack, it only hits once, possessing a clean hit and late hit.
    • It deals significantly less total damage (22% → 12% (clean)/8% (late)).
    • It launches opponents horizontally (70° → 361°), which allows it to KO far earlier, working as a potent combo finisher and even an edgeguarding tool.
    • The clean hit is stronger than the previous final hit from center stage (55 base/170 scaling → 90/44), but the late hit is weaker (55/170 → 70/60).
    • It has more range than the previous multi-hits, but less than the previous final hit (6u/11u → 9u).
    • It has a lower hitlag multiplier (2× → 1.2×), although it still has more hitlag due to its higher individual damage and the universal hitlag increase.
  • Mach Tornado has updated visual effects: its trails are more opaque and incorporate more white accents than yellow. The tornado's shape is also thinner and appears like a solid yellow cone, rather than a blur of wind. Altogether, this better resembles how it looked in Brawl.
• Drill Rush:
  • Drill Rush has a faster rehit rate (6 → 4), causing it to hit up to twelve times (up from nine), and its looping hits deal more damage (1% → 1.1%), increasing its total output (11% → 15.1%).
  • The looping hits have gained additional hitboxes above and below Meta Knight, and all hitboxes have different angles (0°/30°/361°/366° (clean), 50°/366°/366° (late) → 363°/367°/30°/30°/367°/365°) and knockback (30/30/0/0 set/60/100/70/70 base → 45/30/45/45/0/0 set/50/80/50/80/25/25 base), alongside a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.6×). In combination with their faster rehit rate, this allows them to connect much more effectively and makes them harder to escape.
    • Additionally, the altered knockback and angles when combined with the faster knockback physics improve the looping hits gimping potential if the opponent falls out of the move off-stage.
  • The final hit has gained an additional hitbox that is larger (6u → 8u), increasing its range.
  • Drill Rush now has transcendent priority, making it more vulnerable overall and likely to trade with other attacks rather than beating them outright, and making it unable to cancel out all projectiles.
  • Drill Rush loses a significant amount of momentum and angling capabilities if shielded. This hinders its ability to cross-up opponents, making it easier to punish.
  • Drill Rush can no longer slide off edges halfway through the move, making it less prone to self-destructing, and improving its ability to catch opponents getting off the ledge.
  • The final hit has less knockback scaling (200 → 185), although it launches at a lower angle to compensate (60° → 40°).
  • The final hit has a unique, bright red visual effect if it hits an opponent.
• Shuttle Loop:
  • Shuttle Loop conserves more vertical momentum after the second hit.
    • However, this makes the move even more punishable on whiff or on hit, even up to mid-percents, combined with its high landing lag being unchanged.
  • The first hit deals set knockback (grounded: 130/127/98/98 base/10 scaling (early), 90/10 (late) → 125/125/120/120 set/120 scaling (early), 100/120 (mid), 68/100 (late); aerial: 120/70 base/10 scaling → 116/110 set/120 scaling (early), 80/100 (late)) and is weight-independent, with the aerial version additionally now consisting of an early and late hit like the grounded version, while the grounded gained an additional middle hit.
    • This makes the move slightly more consistent at connecting across the cast regardless of percent.
    • However, this notably removes its ability to potentially hit opponents up to a higher position and lead to earlier KOs with the second hit, or KO outright with the aerial version's first hit near the upper blast line, hindering the move's KO potential, which is further worsened by rage no longer affecting moves with set knockback, as well as the changes to dash attack and up aerial combined with the faster knockback physics making it harder to confirm into the move.
  • The second hit's sword hitbox is much larger (5.5u → 7.7u), is positioned higher, and stretches farther vertically (4u—9u → 3.5u—10u), increasing its range.
• Dimensional Cape:
  • Meta Knight falls later into Dimensional Cape in the air, allowing it to cover more vertical distance.
  • Dimensional Cape can now grab ledges with the attack, starting on frame 50.
  • Dimensional Cape has less ending lag (FAF 63 → 58).
  • The attack has more intangibility (frames 12-28 → 12-32 (stationary/back)/12-29 (moving forward)), making it less likely to be interrupted right as Meta Knight reappears.
  • Dimensional Cape deals more damage if done on the ground without moving (15% → 16%).