Blaster (Falco)


 * For the other neutral special moves of the same name, see Blaster (Fox) and Blaster (Wolf).

Blaster (, Blaster) is Falco's neutral special move throughout the  series.

Overview
The attack consists of firing shots from a laser gun to damage far away opponents.

The Blaster is Falco's neutral special move in his Melee incarnation, where he fires laser shots from his gun. It is significantly different from Fox's version: the Blaster has a slower firing rate and increased ending lag (though it fires faster in the air, albeit not to the same extent as Fox's), and each beam stuns the opponent in addition to doing damage. Falco's Blaster is functionally similar to Fox's Blaster Shot as it appeared in the original Super Smash Bros. The ending lag can be skipped if used during a short hop. Falco's Blaster is mainly used from long range to build damage for later KO attempts and as an aid in approaching. It has set knockback. It is also used for setting up KOs, especially versus and, since it can be fired numerous times off the ledge to force these characters to recover each time.

In Brawl, the lasers from Falco's Blaster travel farther than the ones from Fox's, and they are blue instead of red. They now also have an electric effect as well. They are very similar to Fox's lasers from Super Smash Bros. outside of doing less damage. It is considered to be one of the best projectiles in the game, as it has transcendent priority and disrupts the approach of a majority of the cast. This is by exploiting short hop double lasers to shoot one laser in the air and one close to the ground. Combined with Falco Phantasm, throws, and his dash attack, this is a common Falco approach. It is often also used to lock after a jab cancel, or "combo" at various damage percentages into a DACUS or forward smash. Also, much like in Melee but to a lesser extent, Falco's lasers can also be used to set up edgeguards.

In Super Smash Bros. 4, the move now has landing lag and cannot be fired as frequently, rendering the short hop laser technique much less viable. Additionally, the lasers travel more slowly, and have reduced travel distance.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Falco's Blaster is functionally similar to its SSB4 incarnation, but it has reduced startup and ending lag. Additionally, Falco can now fire a single laser in a short hop while only experiencing six frames of landing lag, and the grounded version fires more quickly, resulting in the aerial version's increase in firing rate now becoming largely marginal as a result.

Laser lock
In Brawl, characters can become trapped in a lying-down animation, called Laser Lock, if hit repeatedly with Falco's Blaster once they hit the ground. The laser lock may also be done after a down aerial by Falco toward the ground if the opponent does not roll off the floor. The laser lock does not work on all characters. The thinner characters will lie under the laser just barely.

In Ultimate, Falco can laser lock much like in Brawl, but opponents can only be locked two times before an automatic reset occurs.

Laser glitch
In Brawl, a small glitch with Falco's Blaster is that if used at the right range, the shots will stick into some platforms and remain damaging until it expires. It can most easily be done on New Pork City (or any custom stage with a specific type of ramp), when the player stands where the bridge begins and fires at the platform to the left. It can also be done in Brawl's Temple, on the ramp to the far upper-right of the stage, if the player stands in a certain spot and fires; and in Corneria if the player stands on the engines, jumps, and fires at the tip of the wing.

Customization
Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:


 * 1) Blaster: Default.
 * 2) Explosive Blaster: Pushes opponents away (usually to the position where the projectile is going to explode), then starts hitting multiple times. The distance of the move is reduced, but it stays on stage longer. This move can potentially send opponents toward Falco, allowing for follow-ups, but the final hit's knockback is rather low, so it has almost no KO potential on its own. Also, Falco can't fire more than one laser blast, and he suffers from slightly longer ending lag while putting away his Blaster.
 * 3) Burst Blaster: Functions identically to Fox's Blaster, having rapid fire capabilities, but the lasers deal flinchless damage, and the damage dealt decreases as the laser travels farther from Falco.
 * Note: Unusually, Falco's custom move Explosive Blaster affects the Blaster shots in his back, up, and down throws. By contrast, Fox's throws are unaffected by his choice of Blaster.

Throws
Falco uses his Blaster in his back, up, and down throws; in Melee and Brawl, he fires three laser shots during each of these throws, much like Fox, but instead fires a single powerful shot during them in SSB4 and Ultimate.

In Melee, during his down throw, Falco will throw his opponent to the ground, and shoot them with his Blaster. The throw meteor smashes the opponent into the ground, which allows Falco to tech-chase, possibly leading into Shine combos. The throw will deal 4% to 5% damage. In Brawl, the throw deals more damage (a total of 9%) but throws the opponent in a weak horizontal trajectory. It is particularly notorious for being a highly effective chain throw in Brawl that can chain grab most characters, with strong follow up capability into high percents. In SSB4, it can start combos both in the air and on the ground at lower percentages, or a back aerial at medium percentages. In Ultimate, the throw has a new animation where Falco gently lays the opponent on the floor before firing a laser shot from his Blaster at them.

In Melee, for his back throw, Falco will turn around and throw his opponent backwards in a horizontal trajectory, while simultaneously shooting them rapidly with his Blaster. The Blaster deals 7% damage. In Brawl, the throw inflicts 8% in damage. The throw inflicts high base knockback, but extremely low knockback scaling, preventing it from ever being able to KO. In SSB4, the laser can KO around 150% near an edge.

Falco's up throw involves him throwing the opponent up, while then following up with rapid Blaster shots. In Melee, the throw deals up to 7% in damage, and is highly effective at setting up aerial follow ups. In Brawl, the throw deals up to 8% in damage, but increased base knockback and Brawl's hitstun canceling mechanic has hindered its capability at setting up aerial follow ups. In SSB4 and Ultimate, it is reliable in initiating aerial combos until higher percentages.

Interestingly, the lasers shot for all three of the throws can be reflected and absorbed, much like Mewtwo's forward throw.

Throw damage dealt in Brawl
Falco's up, back and down throws deal damage from both the actual throw and the lasers fired after the opponent is thrown.

Origin
Fox first uses a blaster in Star Fox 64's multiplayer and is depicted with one in artwork and screenshots. Falco, Slippy, and Peppy also use blasters in the game's multiplayer while on the ground. Their blasters were not officially named Blasters in the Star Fox series until Star Fox: Assault, in which it is the default weapon for all playable characters while on foot.

Trivia

 * Unused animation data in Brawl suggests there was a planned mechanic where overusing Falco's Blaster would cause it to overload or misfire.