Charizard (SSBU): Difference between revisions

|tier = A+

|ranking = 23

<!--REMEMBER: Nintendo's official stance is that Charizard, like all Pokémon, go by gender-neutral pronouns. Be sure to use "it" instead of "he" or "she".-->

Charizard, alongside the rest of the Pokémon Trainer's team, is ranked as 23rd out of 82 on the official ''Ultimate'' [[tier list]]. This is a significant improvement over its placement in ''SSB4'', where it was ranked 42nd out of 54.

<!--REMEMBER: Nintendo's official stance is that Charizard, like all Pokémon, go by gender-neutral pronouns. Be sure to use "it" instead of "he" or "she".-->

<!--REMEMBER: Nintendo's official stance is that Charizard, like all Pokémon, go by gender-neutral pronouns. Be sure to use "it" instead of "he" or "she".-->

Previously the standalone character in ''Smash 4'' representing the trio of Pokémon in ''Brawl'', Charizard now returns as part of the {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}}'s crew. As expected, it has kept many of its changes from ''Smash 4'', and has also retained its function as the fastest and hardest-hitting member of the Pokémon Trainer's party. In the transition to ''Ultimate'', Charizard has received a mix of buffs and nerfs; while it was initially ambiguous to whether it was buffed or nerfed since both buffs and nerfs were equally notable, game updates have provided Charizard with useful buffs that have improved its options and fixed inconsistencies with its moveset. Because of this, Charizard has been buffed overall.

The revamped game mechanics have brought mostly positive changes to Charizard. While the increased mobility has benefitted most characters, Charizard is one of the biggest recipients relative to the cast; its previously abysmal initial [[dash]] speed is now one of the fastest in the game (which allows Charizard to also benefit from the ability to [[run cancel|use any attack out of a run]]), its [[air speed]] is now substantially faster compared to ''Smash 4'', and its [[falling speed]] and [[fast fall]]ing speed are much higher, making it easier for Charizard to land while making its [[neutral game]] potentially more effective, and the universally faster jumpsquat significantly helps its buffed aerials. The changes to [[air dodge]]s help Charizard overall, allowing it to use a directional air dodge to escape combos and juggling more easily, while not making it much more susceptible to edgeguarding due to its multiple jumps and faster air speed. Its increased mobility also allows Charizard to catch opponents that could abuse directional air dodging with more ease. Finally, the increased [[shieldstun]] has further improved Charizard's ground game, making its moves safer on shield when properly spaced, most notably its sweetspotted forward tilt and down tilt.

However, Charizard has also received equally notable nerfs, which particularly affect its former most effective tools. [[Neutral attack]]'s third hit has shorter range and the first two hits can no longer jab cancel, and [[down throw]] had its combo potential mitigated due to receiving more ending lag; both latter changes also worsen Charizard's combo game. Notably, the removal of [[Rock Smash]] to make way for [[Pokémon Change]] has eliminated a previous landing option and shield-pressuring tool from its moveset. However, Pokémon Change can be considered a strength to Pokémon Trainer as an aggregate if the player wishes to eject Charizard from any given situation and take advantage of {{SSBU|Squirtle}}'s small size and combo game. Charizard's most notable nerf, however, is that [[forward aerial]] no longer [[autocancel]]s in a short hop due to its faster falling speed and has reduced range on its furthest hitbox, which cripples one of Charizard's former most notable tools in the neutral game. Finally, while its higher fall speed has slightly improved Charizard's neutral game and landing issues, said change has also made it easier to combo.

Some of the changes to game mechanics have also hindered Charizard. The increased startup on grabs [[out of shield]] after blocking an attack has worsened Charizard's out of shield game (despite options such as up smash and Fly), and when combined with down throw's lost combo potential, Charizard's grab game has been worsened overall (though it still remains flexible). The universal reductions to [[landing lag]] have overall hindered Charizard, as they allow characters to space their moves on shield more easily, though while they have significantly improved its landing options (most notably its neutral, up and down aerials), some of Charizard's aerials still remain highly punishable; this change also further compounds the loss of forward aerial as an option in neutral, its slightly worsened out of shield game, and its vulnerability to combos. Lastly, while Charizard's faster initial dash is unquestionably beneficial, the changes to initial dash mechanics cause Charizard's microspacing abilities to be weakened, especially through the use of moves like forward tilt.

Overall, both Charizard's strengths and weaknesses have been further defined. While it has much better mobility and power, both points are now counterbalanced by new flaws from its moveset and changes to the game engine, such as a more polarized neutral game due to the streamlining of its previously most powerful tools and a higher vulnerability to combos. As such, while Charizard fares slightly better than he did in its solo appearance in ''SSB4'' based on its direct changes, it is debatable how much Charizard has improved compared relative to the cast. However, given Pokémon Trainer's widely accepted top-tier standing, Charizard is particularly more useful as part of the aggregate Pokémon Trainer because it allows them to adapt to situations where its recovery, endurance and/or KO power are needed, and may now replace itself with Squirtle or {{SSBU|Ivysaur}} in cases where Charizard's weaknesses can be exploited and Squirtle's or Ivysaur's cannot. This is especially true after patch 4.0.0, which nerfed some of the more notorious tools in Ivysaur's kit while buffing Charizard in return.

<!--REMEMBER: Nintendo's official stance is that Charizard, like all Pokémon, go by gender-neutral pronouns. Be sure to use "it" instead of "he" or "she".-->

SSBUCharizardIdle1.gif|Charizard's first idle pose

SSBUCharizardIdle2.gif|Charizard's second idle pose