Editing Palutena (SSBU)

'''Palutena''' ({{ja|パルテナ|Parutena}}, ''Palutena'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', officially confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Palutena is classified as fighter #54.

Brandy Kopp and Aya Hisakawa reprise their role as the voice of Palutena in the English and Japanese speaking versions of the game respectively, through reused voice clips from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', although they recorded new voice lines for [[Palutena's Guidance]] for new fighters in ''SSBU'', the fighters absent from ''SSB4'', and the characters who were released as DLC for the aforementioned game.

*Clear {{SSBU|Classic Mode}} with {{SSBU|Kirby}}, being the last character in his unlock tree.

With the exception of the third method, Palutena must then be defeated on [[Palutena's Temple]].

Palutena is a tall [[Weight|middleweight]]. Her [[Walking speed|walking speed]], [[Dash|dash speed]], [[Air acceleration|air acceleration]] and [[Gravity|gravity]] are above average (with her air acceleration being the fifth best in the game), her [[Traction|traction]] and [[Fall speed|falling speed]] are both average, and her [[Air speed|air speed]] is below average. In addition, she has relatively high [[Jump|jumps]], overall meaning her mobility is very decent.

Palutena has a dynamic, well-rounded moveset. She has both excellent combo potential and good zoning tools, meaning she can be played effectively either defensively or offensively. Her staff counts as a [[Hitbox|disjointed hitbox]] and she has two [[Projectile|projectiles]] in her moveset as part of her special moves, meaning she can apply safe pressure from a distance and force approaching opponents off her. Her aerial-based moveset, speed and versatility means she can easily overwhelm opponents and quickly rack up damage.

Her [[Ground attack|grounded moves]] are generally the weakest part of her moveset, but they can be useful. Her [[Jab|jab]] has good range, can be held to deal more damage and can also be [[Jab cancel|jab cancelled]] into other moves. Her [[Dash attack|dash attack]] is very fast and grants Palutena partial [[Invincibility|invincibility]]; it is also a KO option around 160%. Her [[Tilt attack|tilt attacks]] are somewhat situational: forward tilt has a long-lasting hitbox and can be used to intercept approaching opponents and [[Floor recovery|floor recoveries]]. Her down tilt has utility for [[Edgeguarding|edgeguarding]] opponents, while her up tilt - her tilt attack with the fastest startup - can be used for forcing opponents into the air and is even a viable KO option at higher percents.  

Outside of her grounded attack moves, Palutena’s ground game is strong thanks to her [[Grab|grabs]] and throws having good utility, with her grabs being quick and having good range. Her down throw is her strongest combo throw, comboing into all of her aerials and having KO confirms at higher percents. Her back throw is her strongest throw, being capable of killing from the ledge around 130%, while her forward throw also has a kill confirm at higher percents with [[Explosive Flame]]. Her up throw is the weakest of her throws, though it still has utility for forcing opponents into the air where Palutena’s can safely apply aerial pressure.

Palutena's [[Smash attack|smash attacks]] are very viable KO options due to each having excellent range and dealing decent damage. Up smash has a very long-lasting hitbox and covers a lot of vertical range directly in front of Palutena; it can be used to KO opponents in the air and even intercept air dodges due to how long the hitbox lasts. Her forward and down smashes are similar, both in their damage output and the fact that they have a wind effect to move opponents away from Palutena if they are just outside of the move’s hitbox.

The strongest part of Palutena's moveset, however, is her [[Aerial attack|aerials]], each having strong combo or KO potential. Her neutral aerial is a very fast and safe move, being Palutena’s best combo tool by far as it combos into her other aerial attacks (including itself) until reasonably high percents, while also having KO potential at very high percents. Her up aerial is an extremely good juggling tool capable of killing off the top blast zone around 100% (even on heavyweights), with its fairly large, long-lasting hitbox making it difficult to avoid. Her back aerial, like her dash attack, grants invincibility on Palutena's shield. It has the strongest knockback of any of her aerials and is one of Palutena’s best KO options, especially from down throw. Her forward aerial, while not quite as strong, is a good combo finisher with KO potential towards the side blast zones at very high percents. While her down aerial is generally considered the weakest of her aerials, if used offstage it can have a meteor smash effect, meaning it can kill opponents at the bottom blast zone.

Additionally, Palutena’s [[Special move|special moves]] each have utility, most prominently for zoning. Her Explosive Flame can be used on opponents some distance from Palutena, and is good for forcing them into the air or for securing KOs from the top blast zone at higher percents. Her neutral special attack, [[Autoreticle]], while not quite as useful as Explosive Flame, is another projectile which can apply safe pressure and rack up damage from a distance. Her up special, [[Warp]], is a teleport which grants invincibility on frames 16-32. In addition to being useful for getting into a more favourable stage position, its invincibility makes it an extremely useful recovery tool which, combing with Palutena’s high jumps, gives her a very good recovery. Finally, her down special is a counter which acts similarly to Lucina and Marth’s counter when used on nearby opponents, but can also reflect projectiles from a distance.  

Although Palutena has very good strengths, she does have a number of noticeable weaknesses. Her most glaring problem is her mediocre ground game, with all of her grounded attacks bar her dash attack coming out on frame 8 or later and almost all of her moves either have high startup (smash attacks and down tilt), punishable ending lag (forward, back and down aerials and smash attacks) long duration (all of her tilts) or all three (forward tilt and special moves), making her very vulnerable if her attacks miss or are dodged or shielded. While some of her grounded attacks have the potential to KO, such as forward tilt, up tilt and dash attack, it is not until much higher percents than her other attacks. This is another weakness of Palutena - while a number of her moves have the potential to KO at reasonable percents, she can still struggle to secure kills due to her options being either somewhat risky or situational. Though her back aerial is a reliable kill option at reasonable percents, it has high ending lag and her smash attacks each have a noticeable amount of startup and very high ending lag, making them punishable, while Explosive Flame is also easily punishable if whiffed due to its endlag and her up aerial relies on Palutena being underneath her opponent. Furthermore, while Palutena’s recovery is decent in its distance, Warp leaves her helpless and lacks a hitbox to protect her, which - combined with the fact that Palutena is a tall character - means that her recovery can be easily exploited by opponents who know how to intercept teleport recoveries.

Despite this, Palutena is generally considered at worst a high tier character due to her versatility, well-roundedness and relatively easy combo game. Her lack of overwhelming weaknesses means that there are few opponents she struggles against, and thus her representation at tournaments has generally been excellent thanks to players like Nairo maining her and achieving noteworthy results. However, some players like ZeRo have voiced their opinion that Palutena’s relative simplicity means her representation may dwindle over time, something somewhat evident by Nairo beginning to use her less frequently.

Palutena had been considered a low-mid tier character in ''Smash 4'', and suffered from poor tournament representation even after receiving buffs via updates. In the transition to ''Ultimate'', she has been massively [[buff]]ed, to the point where she is considered to be one of the most improved returning characters, similarly to the changes {{SSBU|Pichu}} received.

In addition to the universal mobility buffs, nearly the entirety of Palutena's moveset has been improved in various ways, many of which are substantial. Starting with her ground game, [[forward tilt]], having previously been considered the worst of its kind, has less startup and ending lag, connects both hits reliably, and has increased power; likewise, [[up tilt]] has less ending lag and connects more reliably, while [[down tilt]] has a longer duration and more favorable angles of knockback. [[Dash attack]] deals more damage and has much less ending lag, allowing Palutena to better take advantage of the [[invincibility]] at the front of the move. Furthermore, all her [[smash attack]]s have less ending lag, [[forward smash]] and [[down smash]] have stronger [[windbox]]es, and [[up smash]] has a much longer duration, allowing it to catch airborne opponents more effectively.

Palutena's aerial game has been further strengthened, now being one of the most efficient aspects of her moveset. The most notable example is [[neutral aerial]], which has larger hitboxes, connects more reliably, consistently launches opponents in the direction Palutena is facing, and heavily benefits from the universally decreased [[landing lag]] on [[aerial attack]]s. As such, it has become one of Palutena's most reliable [[approach]] options, and more infamously, it can [[combo]] into itself multiple times to rack up large amounts of damage, as well as other aerials. [[Forward aerial]] and [[down aerial]] both deal more damage without compensation on their knockback, with the latter also having a longer duration (previously lasting only one frame), while [[back aerial]] has increased knockback and no longer possesses a sourspot. Additionally, [[up aerial]] deals slightly more damage and [[auto-cancel]]s much earlier, no longer failing to auto-cancel in a full hop. These changes amount to noticeably improving Palutena's KO ability overall, allowing her to close stocks better at high percents with her safer options, which is complemented by their lower landing lag. As for her [[grab]] game, her [[throw]]s have received few changes, but more notably, [[back throw]] KOs more effectively near edges due to launching opponents at a lower angle.

Moreover, Palutena's [[special move]]set, previously considered among the most situational in ''Smash 4'', has undergone an overhaul with considerable improvements. Instead of having [[Reflect Barrier]] as her [[side special]] and {{b|Counter|Palutena}} as her [[down special]], both moves have been merged into her down special, which triggers Counter or Reflect Barrier depending on whether the attack it blocks is [[reflect]]able or not, while her new side special is [[Explosive Flame]], previously one of her custom [[neutral special]]s in ''Smash 4''. This effectively gives Palutena an additional move, and makes her the only character alongside the {{SSBU|Mii Fighter}}s to retain a former [[custom move]]. In addition to this, all of her returning special moves have been buffed. [[Autoreticle]]'s shots are faster and deal both more damage and knockback, while Explosive Flame is likewise considerably stronger (KOing opponents reliably at high percents), has much less ending lag, and can be summoned at two different distances depending on control stick input. This greatly improves Palutena's zoning capabilities, allowing her to threaten opponents from diverse positions, and gives her a more defined strength of long ranged attacks that have excellent utility. Lastly, [[Warp]] grants slightly more [[intangibility]], and from her down special, Counter has less startup (no longer being the slowest in the game), a longer window, and less ending lag especially upon a successful counterattack, in addition to dealing more knockback, while Reflect Barrier has a much higher damage multiplier on reflected projectiles.

In spite of her myriad of buffs, Palutena did still receive some notable nerfs. Although her full [[neutral attack]] connects more reliably, the first hit can no longer be used for [[jab cancel]] setups at high percents due to its altered knockback. Up tilt has fewer active frames, making it slightly worse as an anti-air attack, while back aerial's invincibility is slower and shorter, preventing it from blocking opposing attacks as consistently, and up aerial has more startup. Additionally, as Reflect Barrier can no longer be triggered on command, it is less effective for preemptively deterring projectile use. However, these nerfs are largely outweighed by the larger and more significant amount of buffs she has received, while other nerfs, such as the increased ending lag on her grabs and reduced [[shield damage]] on her projectiles, have also affected the rest of the cast.

Palutena's buffs have improved her standing in ''Ultimate''{{'}}s [[metagame]] by a large margin, with much greater representation at all levels of play, and she has consistently attained high placements in tournaments thanks to players such as {{Sm|Nairo}}, {{Sm|Gen}}, and {{Sm|Zinoto}}. Additionally, unlike other prominent characters in the metagame since the game's release, such as {{SSBU|Peach}}, {{SSBU|Pichu}}, and {{SSBU|Wolf}}, Palutena has not received any drastic nerfs in [[updates]]. As a result, she is widely considered a top tier character by the ''Smash'' community, as well as one of the best characters in the game.

*{{change|As with all [[veteran]]s returning from ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', Palutena's model has a more subdued color scheme. Her chiton and armor feature simple detailing, and her face appears more realistic and expressive.}}

*{{change|Palutena's [[sidestep]] now causes a visible warping effect when she disappears.}}

*{{change|The golden door in Palutena's [[on-screen appearance]] now disappears without the transparency effects.}}

*{{buff|Like all characters, Palutena's [[jumpsquat]] animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).}}

**{{buff|Her initial [[dash]] speed is much faster (1.5 → 2.035).}}

*{{buff|Palutena's [[air speed]] is slightly faster (0.91 → 1).}}

*{{buff|Palutena's max additional [[air acceleration]] is higher (0.1 → 0.105).}}

*{{change|Palutena's [[falling speed]] and [[fast fall]]ing speed are higher (1.4 → 1.55 and 2.24 → 2.48 respectively).}}

*{{change|Palutena's [[gravity]] is higher (0.105 → 0.12). In combination with her faster falling speed, this improves her vertical mobility, but leaves her more susceptible to combos and worsens her vertical endurance.}}

*{{nerf|Forward roll grants less [[intangibility]] (frames 4-17 → 4-15).}}

*{{nerf|Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 31 → 35).}}

*{{nerf|Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 34 → 50).}}

**{{buff|It launches grounded opponents at a lower angle (361° → 35°), improving its edgeguarding and KO abilities near the edge. It also launches aerial opponents at a higher angle (70° → 75°), improving its combo potential when used to catch landings and hit ledge-hanging opponents.}}

**{{change|It causes Palutena's shield to glow, indicating its hitbox.}}

**{{change|The clean hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.4×), while the late hit has a lower multiplier (1× → 0.85×).}}

===Aerial attacks===

**{{buff|The last hit always sends opponents in the direction Palutena is facing. Combined with her faster dash speed and the move's lower landing lag, this allows it to combo into itself several times at low percents, greatly improving her damage racking ability.}}

**{{change|Due to the looping hits' faster rehit rate, the move hits seven times instead of six. However, its damage values have been redistributed (1.7% (hits 1-5) → 1.4% (hits 1-6), 5% → 5.1% (last hit)), leaving its total damage unchanged.}}

**{{nerf|It is slightly riskier to use offstage due to Palutena's increased falling speed and gravity.}}

**{{buff|Pivot grab has more range (Z2 offset: -17.4u → -18.9u).}}

**{{nerf|All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 32 → 40 (standing), 40 → 48 (dash), 40 → 43 (pivot)).}}

**{{nerf|Dash and pivot grabs have more startup (frame 9 → 10 (dash), 10 → 11 (pivot)).}}

**{{buff|Pummel deals more [[hitlag]] (5 frames → 14), but has significantly less startup (frame 8 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 23 → 7), shortening its duration.}}

**{{nerf|It deals much less damage (3.1% → 1.3%).}}

**{{change|Palutena pummels the opponent by holding her staff vertically instead of horizontally.}}

**{{buff|Due to the [[Sakurai angle]] being lower against aerial opponents in ''Ultimate'' (45° → 38°), back throw KOs more effectively near edges.}}

**{{nerf|Down throw triggers a hitlag effect on both Palutena and the opponent for 7 frames prior to release, rather than inflicting 5 frames of hitlag on the opponent upon release, making it less advantageous.}}

***{{buff|However, it has less ending lag to compensate (FAF 50 → 46), and launches at a slightly higher angle (70° → 73°), which combined with Palutena's faster jumpsquat and jump speed slightly improves its combo potential at low percents nevertheless.}}

*[[Edge attack]]:

**{{buff|Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).}}

**{{buff|Autoreticle's shots are faster (frame 29/35/41 → 25/31/37).}}

**{{nerf|The shots have received negative [[shield damage]] (0 → -1.7), effectively dealing around half their usual damage to shields.}}

**{{nerf|The changes to locking make the projectile almost useless to start combos.}}

**{{change|Autoreticle's reticle is red instead of green. Additionally, Palutena illuminates her staff's orb with a blue light instead of a yellow one.}}

**{{buff|Explosive Flame, previously one of Palutena's custom neutral specials, is now her [[side special]]. Since Reflect Barrier has been merged into her [[down special]], she has effectively gained an additional move. This provides Palutena with another long-ranged attack option.}}

**{{buff|It deals considerably more damage (0.8% → 1.5% (hits 1-6), 4.2% → 5.5% (hit 7); 9% → 14.5% total) without compensation on knockback. This turns it into a much more effective finisher, KOing opponents from ground level at around 135% if all hits connect.}}

**{{buff|It can be unleashed at two different distances away from Palutena depending on whether the control stick is tilted or [[tap]]ped, improving its zoning ability.}}

**{{change|It has a more stylish appearance.}}

**{{buff|[[Down special]] functions as both Counter and Reflect Barrier. By default, Counter activates upon blocking an attack, but if it is a [[reflect]]able [[projectile]], Reflect Barrier activates instead. This allows her to respond to a larger variety of attacks using only one move, while also freeing up her side special for an additional move.}}

**{{buff|Upon activation, Counter has significantly less ending lag (FAF 56 → 37), as does Reflect Barrier compared to the previous side special (FAF 56 → 35), and the latter also has immediate startup (frame 8 → 1).}}

**{{buff|Counter has more base knockback (40/20 → 50/30), with only the sweetspot having less knockback scaling (75 → 70), making it more consistent and improving its KO potential near edges.}}

**{{nerf|Palutena can no longer directly access Reflect Barrier. As a result, she can no longer use its windbox on command to [[gimp]] opponents, or deter projectile use with the barrier's longer duration.}}

**{{change|Palutena closes her eyes instead of showing a angry look upon activating the move. Additionally, she no longer shouts "Counter" until she successfully counters a melee attack. Counter also glows blue instead of yellow.}}

**{{buff|Black Hole Laser produces a larger black hole and a wider laser, making the attack harder to avoid.}}

**{{nerf|The final hit has less knockback scaling (135 (trapped)/105 (collateral) → 127/97), reducing its KO potential.}}

==Update history==

Palutena has received a mixture of buffs and nerfs in updates. Update 2.0.0 made Warp safer to recover with, and reduced her neutral aerial's hitlag, making it harder to SDI. In 3.0.0, however, she has been affected by the universal reduction of shield damage for projectiles, and as a result, Autoreticle and Explosive Flame are less effective for shield pressure when used in conjunction. Overall, Palutena is mostly unchanged from the game's launch, and remains a highly viable character.

*{{buff|Neutral aerial's looping hits have a lower [[hitlag]] multiplier. This allows it to execute faster and makes it harder to [[SDI]] out of.}}

*{{buff|[[Warp]] grabs ledges more reliably.}}<!--No detail given on patch notes, and we don't know for sure if it's the edge grab range that was increased-->

*{{nerf|[[Autoreticle]] has received negative [[shield damage]] (0 → -1.7), effectively dealing around half its usual damage to shields.}}

*{{nerf|[[Explosive Flame]] has received negative shield damage (0 → -0.7 (hits 1-6), -2.7 (hit 7)), effectively dealing around half its usual damage to shields.}}

*{{bugfix|The Super Warp Glitch has been removed.}}

|neutralname= 

|neutral2dmg=0.6% (loop),<br/>3.5% (finisher)

|neutraldesc=Thrusts her staff forward, emitting a blast of light from its orb. While holding her staff out, she then proceeds to attack with repeated light bursts, followed by a final burst from an upward swipe. The first hit can lock. The final hit does decent knockback allowing it to function as a situational KO move. However, it is slow for a neutral attack, coming out on frame 8.

|ftiltname= 

|ftiltdesc=Telekinetically twirls her staff in front of herself, inwards. This move can hits twice altogether if the tail of the staff hits the opponent. Its long duration and range allows it to punish sidesteps and backward rolls. The second hit has slightly more range than that of the first. However it comes out on frame 14, and its long duration and high lag makes it very punishable if missed.  

|utiltname= 

|utiltdesc=Kneels down and telekinetically twirls her staff overhead. Unlike her forward and down tilts, it has KO potential due to the high knockback scaling on the last hit. It also has the lowest startup lag of her tilts, coming out on frame 8. However, its long duration and noticeable ending lag make it punishable. It also has a blindspot that makes it almost impossible to hit small or crouching characters like Kirby.

|dtiltname= 

|dtiltdesc=Kneels down and telekinetically twirls her staff along the ground in front of herself. A good edgeguarding and spacing tool, and can even punish sidesteps. Slow startup on frame 14 but a low 12 frames of ending lag and has a long 14 frames duration. It is one of the few moves in the game that has a longer duration than ending lag.

|dashname= 

|dashdesc=Rams into the opponent with her shield. Its clean hitbox grants partial [[invincibility]] to Palutena's body and arm (frames 5 and 6 on her upper body; 7-16 on her arm). Her shield emits a shine, which indicates the duration of its hitbox. Fast startup on frame 6, although it is unsafe on shield. The clean hit has decent knockback and KOs around 160%.  

|fsmashname=&nbsp;

|fsmashdesc=Conjures a pair of ethereal wings and flaps them forward. Great range. This move has a huge windbox near the tips of the wings that can [[push]] away opponents and potentially [[gimp]] recoveries. The tip of the wings is weaker compared to the inner part. Has quite a bit startup lag at frame 18, tied with up smash, and very high ending lag with 43 frames, making this move very punishable. Occasionally, Palutena utters "Goddess Wings!" when using this move.

|usmashname= 

|usmashdesc=Raises her staff skyward, conjuring a cyan beam of light that erupts from the ground in front of herself. Has the second highest vertical range of any up smash in the game, surpassed only by {{SSBU|Snake}}'s. The beam has three hitboxes: one at the base, one at the middle, and one at the top. It has a long-lasting 18-frame duration, and unlike her other smash attacks, has a moderate 28 frames of ending lag, making it her most reliable smash attack. However the long duration and moderate ending lag still makes it very punishable if missed or dodged and it has almost no horizontal range in front of Palutena and without covering her from directly above and behind.  

|dsmashname=

|dsmashdesc=Conjures a pair of ethereal wings and flaps them downward on both sides. It has very long range. Its clean hitbox has the highest knockback scaling out of her smash attacks. Much like her forward smash, huge windboxes appear near the tips of her wings and has a sourspot at the tip. Occasionally, Palutena utters "Goddess Wings!" when using this move. Due to coming out on frame 17 and having extreme ending lag (49 frames), it is very easy to punish.  

|nairname= 

|nairdesc=Telekinetically spins her staff around herself. Has the lowest amount of startup lag in her moveset, coming out on frame 5. Notorious for its ability to effectively combo into itself and into other aerials, and especially its importance to Palutena's gameplan thanks to its low ending and landing lag. It also can easily set up an edgeguard when fast falled. Autocancels in a full hop.  

|fairname= 

|fairdesc=A flying kick with long range. The hitbox extends beyond Palutena's leg, making it disjointed It has a generous autocancel window, doing so in a short hop fast fall and can set up edgeguards at high percents. Comes out on frame 9, but it has high ending lag and a short hitbox duration.  

|bairname= 

|bairdesc=Rotates her body to slam her shield behind her. Much like her dash attack, the clean hitbox grants invincibility around her upper body, and the duration of its hitbox is indicated by a shine. Its invincibility is brief, which is just before the hitbox first comes out (frame 7). Like her fair,it autocancels from a short hop fast fall. Has a large hitbox, but is unable to cover Palutena at point-blank range. It also has 40 frames of ending lag, making it very punishable if used poorly, so, combined with its generous autocancel window, it's better to use it in a short hop fast fall.  

|uairname= 

|uairdesc=Twirls while emitting her halo above her. Comes out on frame 10, and is tied with down aerial for being Palutena's slowest aerial move. It has several hitboxes that grant great coverage above Palutena. It has good power and can KO reliably. Autocancels in a full hop.  

|dairname=Purging Kick

|dairdesc=A downward roundhouse kick. Unlike most meteor smashes, it will always meteor smash midair opponents, thanks to its consistent hitbox. It is also fairly fast for a meteor smash, coming out on frame 10. Conversely, it will obliquely launch grounded opponents (grounded opponents in front of Palutena are launched behind her, and vice versa), which allows it to be used as a punishment option from [[out of shield]] when SHFF'd. However it is unarguably Palutena's worst aerial for a number of reasons. Due to it hitting on frame 10, it is tied with her up aerial for her slowest aerial. It also has the shortest range, duration, and worst autocancel window of her aerials(only autocanceling in a double jump), while its knockback is only average for a meteor smash at best. It also has immense ending lag (47 frames) which is among the laggiest aerials in the game. Additionally, it only lasts 2 frames and combined with its lack of vertical reach make it very hard to use effectively. This makes it among the hardest to land aerials in the game and as such, makes it a very high risk, but only moderate reward move with characters like Pit, Luigi and Cloud having noticeable better meteor smashes at a similar or even faster speed.

|grabname=

|grabdesc=Telekinetically clinches the opponent with her staff. Palutena's overall grab range is above-average: her standing grab is the fourth-longest ranged non-[[tether grab]] in the game, while her pivot grab also has impressive range. However, her grab has a noticeable amount of ending lag.

|pummelname= 

|pummeldesc=Emits a burst of light from her staff.

|fthrowname= 

|fthrowdesc=Slightly curls herself and then telekinetically pushes the opponent forward while throwing out her arms. It is Palutena's second-most damaging throw, but only has utility as an edge-guard set-up.

|bthrowname= 

|bthrowdesc=Telekinetically lifts the opponent and then performs an inverted version of the [[wikipedia:Arabesque (ballet position)|Arabesque]] (a ballet position) to fling the opponent backward. It is Palutena's most damaging throw, and her only throw that KOs at reasonable percentages. It is also useful for setting up an edgeguard.

|uthrowname= 

|dthrowname= 

|dthrowdesc=Telekinetically lifts the opponent, then slams them onto the ground. It is Palutena's most useful throw, thanks to its high base knockback, very low knockback growth, and diagonal launching angle. Depending on the opponent's DI, it can combo into any of her aerials.

|floorbdesc=Same as her frontal floor attack.

|nsdesc=Illuminates her staff's orb to aim a {{s|wikipedia|reticle}} over the opponent, and then fires three energy blasts at that location. It will only fire the blasts if nothing blocks her target, and if the opponent is within range and not [[Intangibility|intangible]]. The shots can [[lock]], although due to the changes on locking, it has even less use to initiate combos. It can be used as a way for stopping direct approaches and to force an approach. It is also able to hit opponents behind Palutena, such as if she is moving when it fires and if the opponent is at the maximum horizontal range toward her. Although situational, it also has very minor recovery potential, thanks to it briefly stalling her descent. However, it has high ending lag, regardless of whether or not it targets anything. Its very minor knockback also makes it poor for spacing.  

|ssdesc=Creates a multi-hitting explosion approximately 4 character lengths away from herself. If inputted like a smash attack, the explosion hits approximately 7.5 spaces away. The ability to change its range makes it a decent spacing and zoning tool, as well as an edge-guarding option. This move has good KO potential, thanks to its loop hits reliably trapping the opponent, and its last hit having impressive knock back. However it is very punishable if missed and can be shielded.

|usdmg=0%

|usdesc=Disappears and then reappears in a chosen direction. It quickly covers both a respectable amount of vertical distance and a decent horizontal distance while rendering Palutena [[Teleport (disambiguation)|invisible]] (frames 16-32). It can also be [[Ledge-canceling|edge-canceled]], which grants it defensive and re-positioning potentials. However, it renders Palutena [[helpless]] after she reappears, unless it is edge-canceled and lacks a hitbox to protect her.

|dsdmg=1.3× countered attack/1.4× reflected projectile

|dsdesc=Palutena uses her shield to catch an opponent's attack. If a physical attack connects, Palutena will forcefully thrust her staff out, creating a blast of light. If a projectile attack connects, she raises her shield to emit a rectangular barrier that reflects the projectile.

|fsdmg=40.8% (maximum damage)

|fsdesc=Illuminates her staff's orb and twirls around repeatedly before firing a Black Hole from her staff's orb, after which she quickly retreats off-stage in order to fire a Mega Laser into the Black Hole. The Black Hole does not deal damage, but [[pull]]s the opponent into itself and places them in a [[tumbling]] state. Conversely, the Mega Laser hits multiple times before concluding with a final blast that launches the opponent and dissipates the Black Hole.

* Walks out of a golden door that is decorated with her halo's design and emits a bright, shining light.

SSBUPalutenaIdle1.gif|Palutena's first idle pose

SSBUPalutenaIdle2.gif|Palutena's second idle pose

**''If Pit is present in the match, there is a chance she will instead say "Oh, so sorry about that, Pit."'' ("{{ja|やられちゃいましたね？|Yararecha imashita ne?}}", ''Were you hurt?'').

==In competitive play==

===Notable players===

<!--If you are planning to add a player you consider to be notable, please provide tournament results in some shape or form in the edit summary (be it a link to a results thread or bracket of placing high in a tournament of other notable players or a video of them beating a notable player). Winning tournaments without notable players present is generally not enough to warrant a spot.-->

''Any number following the Smasher name indicates placement on the [[Spring 2019 PGRU]], which recognizes the official top 50 players in the world in [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]] from February 1st, 2019 to July 7th, 2019.''

*{{Sm|Abadango|Japan}} (#40) - Co-mains Palutena with {{SSBU|Inkling}} and is considered the best Palutena player in Japan. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Just Roll With It! 11}}, 5th at {{Trn|The Kid, the Goat, and the Mang0}}, 7th at {{Trn|2GG: Grand Tour - South Carolina}}, and 13th at both {{Trn|Umebura Japan Major 2019}} and {{Trn|Sumabato SP 4}} with wins over {{Sm|Kie}} and {{Sm|OCEAN}}.

*{{Sm|BestNess|USA}} - Co-mains {{SSBU|Ness}} with Palutena. Placed 2nd at {{Trn|Smashpoint}}, {{Trn|Ascension V}}, {{Trn|Ascension VI}}, and 4th at {{Trn|Crown}} with both Ness and Palutena.

*{{Sm|Chag|Mexico}} - Co-mains Palutena and {{SSBU|Inkling}} and is considered the best Palutena player in Mexico. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|BIT MASTER MTY 5}}, 13th at {{Trn|Smash Factor 8}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|EVO 2019}}.

*{{Sm|Dabuz|USA}} (#7) - Has a strong Palutena secondary and is considered one of the best Palutena players in the world. Placed 2nd at both {{Trn|Smash at The Paramount}} and {{Trn|Let's Make Moves}}, 4th at both {{Trn|GENESIS 6}} and {{Trn|CEO 2019}}, and 9th at {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}} using Palutena as one of his characters.

*{{Sm|Frozen|USA}} (#46) - One of the best Palutena mains in the world. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Collision 2019}}, 49th at {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}}, and 13th at {{Trn|Smash at The Paramount}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Cosmos}}, {{Sm|Light}}, and {{Sm|Tweek}}.

*{{Sm|Gen|USA}} (#51) - One of the best Palutena players in the world. Placed 5th at {{Trn|Overclocked Ultimate}}, 49th at {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 5}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Suarez}}, {{Sm|ZD}}, and {{Sm|Zinoto}}.

*{{Sm|Kie|Japan}} - Has a strong Palutena secondary. Placed 2nd at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 3}} and 3rd at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 4}} with a win over {{Sm|Raito}}.

*{{Sm|Light|p=Germany|Germany}} - The best Palutena player in Germany. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Valhalla II}}, 7th at {{Trn|Calyptus Cup Inkstrike}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}}.

*{{Sm|Nairo|USA}} (#8) - The best Palutena player in the world. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Mainstage}}, 2nd at {{Trn|Glitch 6}}, 3rd at {{Trn|Shine 2019}}, 4th at {{Trn|The Big House 9}}, and 5th at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}}.

*{{Sm|Phantom|USA|p=Connecticut}} - The best Palutena main in New England. Placed 4th at {{Trn|Overclocked Ultimate II}} and 13th at {{Trn|Pound 2019}} with wins over {{Sm|Mr.R}} and {{Sm|Ryuga}}.

*{{Sm|Prince Ramen|USA}} - The best Palutena main in Florida. Placed 9th at {{Trn|Overlords of Orlando: Ultimate Edition}} and 17th at [[Smash Conference United]].

*{{Sm|Scr7|UK}} - The best Palutena main in the United Kingdom. Placed 4th at {{Trn|Albion 4}} and 13th at {{Trn|Regen 2019}} with wins over {{Sm|MVD}} and {{Sm|Mr.R}}.

*{{Sm|Skilly|USA}} - Placed 9th at {{Trn|Paradigm Shift 2019}}, 33rd at both {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}} and {{Trn|EVO 2019}}.

*{{Sm|The Great Gonzales|USA}} (#43) - One of the best Palutena mains in the world. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|The Scarlet Classic V}}, 13th at {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 5}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Collision 2019}}. Has wins over {{Sm|ScAtt}}, {{Sm|Suarez}}, and {{Sm|Tweek}}.

*{{Sm|TLTC|USA}} - The best solo Palutena player in SoCal. Placed 9th at [[SoCal Chronicles]], 17th at {{Trn|Ultimate Nimbus}}, and 49th at [[GENESIS 6]].

*{{Sm|Trevonte|USA}} - Placed 4th at [[Super Splat Bros]] and 65th at [[GENESIS 6]].

*{{Sm|UtopianRay|USA}} - One of the best Palutena mains in the United States. Placed 7th at [[Glitch 6]], 17th at {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}}, and 17th at {{Trn|Pound 2019}}.

*{{Sm|Zinoto|USA}} - Co-mains {{SSBU|Peach}} with Palutena and is considered the best Palutena player in [[Michigan]]. Placed 9th at {{Trn|Heart of Battle}} and 17th at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2019}}.

Referring to being a goddess herself, Palutena's opponents all come from series where religion and mythology play a key role, such as the Belmonts being devoted Christians with holy equipment or the ''[[The Legend of Zelda (universe)|Zelda]]'' series having multiple deities who often require or grant assistance to the players. The title is the same as a phrase she says in her debut character trailer for ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

|1||{{SSBU|Link}} {{Head|Link|g=SSBU|s=20px}} and {{SSBU|Zelda}} {{Head|Zelda|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Great Plateau Tower]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kid Icarus|Overworld}}''||

|2||{{SSBU|Cloud}} {{Head|Cloud|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Midgar]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kid Icarus|Magnus's Theme}}''||

|3||{{SSBU|Simon}} {{Head|Simon|g=SSBU|s=20px}} and {{SSBU|Richter}} {{Head|Richter|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Dracula's Castle]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kid Icarus|Destroyed Skyworld}}''||

|4||{{SSBU|Shulk}} {{Head|Shulk|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Gaur Plain]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kid Icarus|Thunder Cloud Temple}}''||

|5||{{SSBU|Bayonetta}} {{Head|Bayonetta|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Umbra Clock Tower]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Bayonetta|Riders Of The Light}}''||

|6||{{SSBU|Pit}} (x3) {{Head|Pit|g=SSBU|s=20px}}{{Head|Pit|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Yellow}}{{Head|Pit|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}} and {{SSBU|Dark Pit}} (x3) {{Head|Dark Pit|g=SSBU|s=20px}}{{Head|Dark Pit|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Green}}{{Head|Dark Pit|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Brown}}||[[Palutena's Temple]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kid Icarus|Underworld}}''||Horde Battle

Note: Most stages play a track from the {{uv|Kid Icarus}} universe, no matter what universe the stage originated from, with the only exception being Umbra Clock Tower.

During the opening cutscene, Palutena was present when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light. She attempted to block a beam with [[Reflect Barrier]], which the beam completely pierced, disintegrating her. Her defeat causes {{SSBU|Pit}} and {{SSBU|Dark Pit}} to lose their [[Power of Flight]], making the duo fall victim to the beams as well. They were all placed under Galeem's imprisonment alongside the rest of the fighters, excluding {{SSBU|Kirby}}. A puppet fighter cloned from her is later seen alongside ones cloned from {{SSBU|Greninja}}, {{SSBU|King Dedede}}, {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} and other fighters.

 

Palutena is the last fighter to be found to be imprisoned by Galeem. In The Final Battle, she is called by Galeem as part of reinforcements after {{SSBU|Dark Samus}} is awakened and {{SSBU|Crazy Hand}} is beaten. She is an obligatory unlock for the true ending, as awaking her leads to a battle with Master Hand that frees him from Galeem's control (both of whom's defeats greatly shifts the balance of power in Dharkon's favor).

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"

! style="width:5%;"|No.

! style="width:5%;"|Image

! Name

! Type

! Power

! Stage

! Music

| 54

| [[File:Palutena SSBU.png|center|108x108px]]

| {{SSBU|Palutena}}

| {{color|#dc1029|Attack}}

| 12,500

| [[Palutena's Temple]] ([[Ω form]])

| ''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kid Icarus|Destroyed Skyworld}}''

{{-}}

==[[Spirit]]s==

Palutena's Fighter Spirit can be obtained by completing [[Classic Mode]]. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 500 coins. Unlocking Palutena in World of Light allows the player to preview the spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a Fighter Spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Each Fighter Spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in ''Ultimate''.

Palutena Spirit.png|705. '''''Palutena'''''

==In Spirit battles==

|{{anchor|Wanda}}Wanda

|''Super Mario series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|Elline}}Elline

|''Kirby series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|Alolan Exeggutor}}Alolan [[Exeggutor]]

|''Pokémon series''

|•Giant {{SSBU|Palutena}} {{Head|Palutena|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Green}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|[[Tortimer Island]]

|•Timed [[Stamina battle]]<br>•The enemy favors up smash attacks<br>•Only certain Pokémon will emerge from Poké Balls ([[Alolan Exeggutor]])

|{{s|fireemblem|Nyna}}

|''Fire Emblem series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{s|fireemblem|Deirdre}}

|''Fire Emblem series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{s|fireemblem|Lilina}}

|''Fire Emblem series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{s|fireemblem|Ninian}}

|''Fire Emblem series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{s|fireemblem|Elincia}}

|''Fire Emblem series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|[[File:Classic Medusa Spirit.png|center|64x64px]]

|Medusa

|''Kid Icarus series''

|•Giant {{SSBU|Palutena}} {{Head|Palutena|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Pink}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{anchor|Pseudo-Palutena}}[[File:Pseudo-Palutena.png|center|64x64px]]

|''Kid Icarus series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|[[File:Katrina Spirit.png|center|64x64px]]

|Katrina

|''Animal Crossing series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|[[File:Serena Spirit.png|center|64x64px]]

|Serena

|''Animal Crossing series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|[[File:Melia.png|center|64x64px]]

|Melia

|''Xenoblade Chronicles series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeNeutral.png|20px|center|Neutral]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Xenoblade|Time to Fight! - Xenoblade Chronicles}}

|[[File:Mia Spirit.png|center|64x64px]]

|Mia

|''Golden Sun series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|•Timed battle<br>•The enemy shields often<br>•The enemy can heal by shielding attacks

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Battle Scene / Final Boss - Golden Sun}}

|{{anchor|Elena}}[[File:Elena Spirit.png|center|64x64px]]

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|Culdra}}[[File:Culdra.png|center|64x64px]]

|''Culdcept series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeNeutral.png|20px|center|Neutral]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Culdcept}}

|972

|[[File:Morag.png|center|64x64px]]

|Mòrag

|''Xenoblade Chronicles series''

|•{{SSBU|Lucina}} {{Head|Lucina|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Navy}}<br>•{{SSBU|Palutena}} {{Head|Palutena|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|2,400

|[[Gaur Plain]] ([[Battlefield form]])

|•Hazard: Lava Floor

|•Defeat the main fighter to win<br>•The floor is lava

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Xenoblade|Battle!! - Xenoblade Chronicles 2}}

|[https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Brighid Brighid]

|[[File:Trevor Spirit CoD.png|center|64x64px]]

|Trevor C. Belmont

|''Castlevania series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|[[File:Isaac Spirit.png|center|64x64px]]

|[[Isaac]]

|''Golden Sun series''

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|•[[Assist Trophy]] Enemies (Isaac)

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Battle Scene / Final Boss - Golden Sun}}

===Character Showcase Video===

==Trivia==  

*Palutena is the only character to have two previously separate moves merge into one, being Counter and Reflect Barrier.  

*Palutena's artwork was one of three to have been updated on the official site, alongside {{SSBU|Falco}} and {{SSBU|Shulk}}. Compared to [[:File:Palutena_SSBU_No_Halo.png|her original artwork]], her halo was added, her chiton now covers up more of her thigh, her lips shrank, and her eyes grew.

*Due to age rating issues, the slit in her chiton was changed to cover up more of her thigh beginning in the 1.0.6. update for Japanese releases of ''SSB4''. This change was retained in ''Ultimate'', including all international versions.

**As Palutena's Fighter Spirit artwork uses an unaltered illustration from ''Kid Icarus: Uprising'', it depicts her chiton still revealing most of her thigh. This is probably an oversight, as the Spirits for Camilla from ''Fire Emblem: Fates'' and Mythra from ''Xenoblade Chronicles 2'' had modified artwork to be less provocative.

***This oversight appears to be shared with the Fighter Spirits for {{SSBU|Bayonetta}} and female {{SSBU|Corrin}}, who likewise use unaltered artwork from their games of origin, but have had censorship applied to them in their playable forms.

*Palutena is one of the last characters to unlock no matter which method is chosen. She's the last unlockable character in [[Kirby (SSBU)|Kirby's]] Classic Mode column, she is the final opponent in the timed encounters, and in World of Light, she is in the Final Battle map.

*An interview with [[Masahiro Sakurai]] revealed that Palutena and {{SSBU|Bayonetta}} were under consideration to survive Galeem's attack in the World of Light opening. They were turned down in favor of {{SSBU|Kirby}}, due to both women being very complex characters to use for beginners and that other characters of their series were also turned into spirits, stating that Palutena couldn't do anything to escape as all other ''Kid Icarus'' deities like Hades were also turned into spirits.

**Both Palutena and Bayonetta are in the Final Battle map, appearing as the last of all fighters. This implies that Galeem (and eventually Dharkon) knew how big of a threat Palutena and Bayonetta were (Palutena being a Goddess, and Bayonetta's slaughter of two gods) to his plans, so he kept them as a last resort.

**Despite this claim, the Hades spirit does not appear in World of Light at all.

*Palutena's unique voice clip when winning against Pit ("Oh, so sorry about that, Pit.") is missing from the [[Sound Test]], despite all her other voice clips used on the victory screen being present.

*Palutena is the only ''Kid Icarus'' character to not fight alongside a CPU ally in the final round of her Classic route.