Shield drop lag

Shield drop lag, also known as dropping shield and referred to internally as guard off, is the animation that occurs when one lets go of their shield. Shield drop lag is not to be confused with shield dropping, which is when one drops through a platform out of shield.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, shield drop lag lasts 15 frames, which makes it a significantly slower out-of-shield option compared to shield dropping or jump-canceling. Shield drop lag can also be jump-canceled.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, perfect shielding was changed from occurring during the first few frames after pressing shield to the first few frames after letting go of shield (i.e. during shield drop lag). While shield drop lag is often something to be avoided in prior games, in Ultimate it can be an optimal out-of-shield option if timed correctly.