Marth (SSBB): Difference between revisions

'''Marth''' ({{ja|マルス|Marusu}}, ''Marth'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''. He was confirmed to be a playable character on the Smash Bros. DOJO on February 5, 2008. Despite being a "hidden" character, Marth appears in the game's opening video, standing back to back with {{SSBB|Meta Knight}}. Hikaru Midorikawa reprises his role as Marth in all regions, with some of his voice clips being reused from ''Melee''.

Marth ranks 5th on the ''Brawl'' [[tier list]], at the very top of the A- tier, a slight drop from 2nd overall in ''Melee''. This makes him the highest ranking unlockable character, the second-highest ranking veteran in the game and still maintaining a top-tier ranking similar to {{SSBB|Falco}} and the {{SSBB|Ice Climbers}}. He possesses long-ranged sword attacks that give him among the best [[reach]] in ''Brawl'', allowing him to [[space]] very effectively, especially against characters with poor range. Marth also possesses attacks that have remarkably quick startup and great ground mobility, additional power when he lands an attack on the tip of his sword (his forward smash and down aerial being notable examples), strong combo abilities at low percents due to his fast attacks, a strong aerial game overall and edgeguarding abilities (with his forward aerial being very powerful at both aspects).  

*Play 10 [[VS. match]]es.  

While he was considered a top-tier in ''Melee'', Marth has received a mix of [[buff]]s and [[nerf]]s in transition to ''Brawl'', but the changes have neither impacted him in certain ways as he was somewhat objectively nerfed overall. Marth's incredible ground movement is less effective than in ''Melee'', due to the weakening of [[dash dancing]] and the removal of [[wavedash]]ing. Additionally, Marth's [[grab]] range is also much shorter, making it harder to set-up follow-ups out of his throws. Thus, Marth's neutral game as a whole is weaker, due to less safe movement, and ''Brawl'''s more defensive minded [[metagame]], hindering his approach. Additionally, Marth's large combo potential and phenomenal [[edgeguarding]] ability were also toned down, as he can no longer create extended, near zero-to-death juggles with the aid of platforms and can also no longer close out stocks consistently when edgeguarding due to the loss of consistency in his [[down aerial]] as well as the altered physics of ''Brawl''. 

Despite this, his nerfed combo and edgeguarding prowess still remains among the best relative to the cast, and the new mechanics of ''Brawl'' help alleviate one of his critical flaws in his poor [[recovery]]. Contrary to popular belief, Marth's overall range was increased relative to the cast, combined with the universal nerf of mobility options, this helps Marth zone out his opponents somewhat better than before. The removal of [[crouch cancelling]] also removes one of his weaknesses in ''Melee'', where many of his non-tipper moves were crouch-cancelable at low percents. His moves are also relatively stronger when tippered, giving him more KO potential.  

As such, while Marth has more potential KO options at high percents, he can only secure such KOs by fishing for them in neutral, which requires incredible reads and thus cannot be done consistently at high level play. Despite this, Marth is still a very favorable character at high level play, and has fared much better in the transition from ''Melee'' to ''Brawl'' than other top-tier veterans, such as {{SSBB|Captain Falcon}} and {{SSBB|Jigglypuff}}.

*{{nerf|Marth [[dash]]es slightly slower (1.8 → 1.7).}}  

**{{nerf|Neutral attack has more ending lag (FAF 26 (hit 1)/27 (hit 2) → 28 (both)).}}  

**{{nerf|Tippered forward tilt deals less damage (13% → 12%) without full compensation on its knockback (60 (base), 70 (scaling) → 40/80).}}  

**{{nerf|Dash attack has more startup (frame 12 → 13) and ending lag (FAF 40 → 50).}}  

**{{nerf|Dash attack's non tipper sword hitbox deals slightly less damage (11% → 10%).}}  

**{{buff|The introduction of [[SDI]] multipliers have benefited the tipper of forward smash, as it has a multiplier of 0x, meaning it can no longer be SDI'd.}}  

**{{buff|Up smash has less startup lag with a longer duration (frame 13-16 → 12-18).}}  

**{{buff|The body sourspot hitboxes have increased set knockback (100 → 155) and now launch the opponent into the sword (70° → 125°), akin to {{SSBM|Roy}}'s up smash in ''Melee'', increasing its maximum damage potential (18% → 21%), and greatly improving its utility against grounded opponents.}}  

**{{nerf|Down smash has more startup (frame 5 → 6) and ending lag (FAF 62 → 65).}}  

**{{buff|Sourspotted forward aerial deals consistent damage (10%/9% → 10%) and deals more base knockback (30/20 → 40).}}  

**{{buff|Back aerial has larger hitboxes (4u/4u/4u/4u → 4.6u/4.8u/4.8u).}}  

**{{buff|Down aerial has larger hitboxes (3.6u/3.6u/3.6u/3.6u → 4.32u/4.32u/4.32u).}}  

***{{nerf|As a result, the move has significantly less edgeguarding potential.}}  

**{{buff|The first hit has less startup lag (frame 6 → 4).}}  

**{{buff|The upwards second hit deals less knockback (30/60/70/85 (base), 40 (scaling) → 20/30) and its angles have been altered (90°/85°/79° → 70°/80°/60°/40°) making it link into the third hit more reliably.}}  

**{{buff|The upwards third hit has decreased base knockback (60 → 30) and the body hitboxes have had their angles altered (60° → 50°/30°) making it link into the fourth hit more reliably.}}  

**{{buff|The upwards fourth hit has less startup lag (frame 20 → 11).}}  

**{{buff|The forwards fourth hit has less startup lag (frame 23 → 13).}}  

**{{buff|The forwards fourth hit deals more shield damage (2 → 5).}}  

**{{nerf|The forwards fourth hit deals much less damage (14% → 6%/8%) and its knockback was not fully compensated (15 (base), 120 (scaling) → 50/125).}}  

***{{buff|Altogether, these changes make Dancing Blade much more reliable and useful as the hits are faster requiring less precision to use, and they have reduced knockback making them link into each other more quickly, reliably and easily while also being more difficult to escape, combined with the removal of crouch cancelling.}}

**{{buff|Dolphin Slash covers more horizontal distance.}}

**{{buff|Dolphin Slash has more intangibility (frame 5 → 1-5), improving its use as a defensive attack, an escape option or as a panic tool.}}  

**{{buff|Dolphin Slash has larger hitboxes (3.903u/3.903u/3.903u → 6.5u/6.5u (clean), 4u/4u/3.2u → 5u/5u/4u (late)) giving it more range.}}  

|dtiltdesc=A quick crouching Falchion poke. Fairly reliable pressure tool against opponents on the ledge. Can also be used to pseudo-crawl.  

|fsmashname=Dragon Killer

|usmashname=Justice Sword

|bairname=About Face

|dairdesc=A forward to back downward outward sword slash. It [[meteor smash]]es powerfully when the tip is connected, but launches opponents horizontally when the blade connects.  

{{incomplete|Needs announcer calls from other languages.}}

:''See also: [[:Category:Marth professionals (SSBB)]]''

[[File:Subspace marth.PNG|thumb|right|250px|Marth in ''[[SSE]]'']]

Two [[R.O.B.]]s activate a [[Subspace Bomb]] in a barren battlefield. Marth is seen atop his [[The Battlefield Fortress|castle]] watching helplessly as the robots detonate the bomb. He stands and shines [[Falchion]], prepared to fend off the hundreds of [[Primid]]s advancing toward the castle. Marth confronts the Primids, descending through the building until he reaches the grounds. There he is ambushed by {{SSBB|Meta Knight}}. During the duel (in the same video sequence), they are attacked from behind by a group of Primids, at which point they simultaneously jump into the air, slicing the Primids in two with their swords. Realizing that they share a [[Subspace Army|common enemy]], they join forces to defeat the Primids. After fighting against the Primids, both Meta Knight and Marth aim their attacks at the [[Ancient Minister]], who is carrying another Subspace Bomb. Marth misses with [[Dolphin Slash]], while Meta Knight's wing is ignited by a laser shot from the fleeing Ancient Minister. {{SSBB|Ike}} then shows up and dismantles the Ancient Minister's Subspace Bomb with his trusted [[Aether]] move. With the Subspace Bomb destroyed, the trio storm the castle once more.

In the [[The Wilds (Part I)|desert]], they see a vehicle driving off in the distance. Ike immediately jumps off the cliff to pursue it, followed by Meta Knight. Marth merely scratches the back of his head in disbelief before following them. When they find the vehicle, it transforms into [[Galleom]], and the three fight it. The defeated Galleom falls through unstable ground, where it encounters {{SSBB|Lucas}} and {{SSBB|Pokémon Trainer}} in [[the Ruined Hall]]. Now severely weakened after being fought again, it grabs Lucas and the Trainer in an attempt to detonate an emergency Subspace Bomb, but Lucas manages to free himself and Pokémon Trainer from Galleom using [[PK Thunder]], commencing a headfirst freefall. Meta Knight catches Lucas and the unconscious Trainer right before they hit the ground and meets them up with Marth and Ike. When the [[Halberd]] crashes the [[Great Fox]] into a [[The Glacial Peak|mountain]], Marth is unable to catch up with Meta Knight, who is climbing the mountain. Later, the {{SSBB|Ice Climbers}} fall down and befriend Marth, Ike, Lucas, and Pokémon Trainer, only to be rained on by Shadow Bugs from the Halberd above. {{SSBB|Mario}}, {{SSBB|Pit}}, {{SSBB|Kirby}}, {{SSBB|Link}} and {{SSBB|Yoshi}} come to aid them in fighting off the Primids that were dropped. After the battle, the Halberd (now under control of Meta Knight, {{SSBB|Snake}}, {{SSBB|Lucario}}, {{SSBB|Zelda}}, {{SSBB|Peach}}, {{SSBB|Fox}}, {{SSBB|Mr. Game & Watch}}, and {{SSBB|Falco}}) and the [[Falcon Flyer]] (carrying {{SSBB|Captain Falcon}}, {{SSBB|Donkey Kong}}, {{SSBB|Diddy Kong}}, {{SSBB|Olimar}}, {{SSBB|Samus}}, {{SSBB|Pikachu}} and {{SSBB|R.O.B.}}) land to pick them up.

==In [[Event Matches]]==

===Solo Events===

*'''[[Event 34: All-Star Battle Melee]]''': Marth is one of the opponents fought in this event. All opponents are newcomers from ''[[Super Smash Bros Melee]]''.

===Co-op Events===

:'''Marth'''

::''The prince of Altea, in whose veins the blood of heroes runs. He and a small group of stalwarts fought to free Altea after it was invaded by the kingdom of Doluna and the dark dragon, Medeus. With his divine sword, Falchion, he fought and defeated Medeus. However, Altea was then invaded by King Hardin of Akaneia and eventually destroyed.''

{{Trophy games|console1=NES|game1=[[Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light|Fire Emblem]] (Japan Only)}}

 

:'''Critical Hit'''

::''Marth's Final Smash. He thrusts his sword skyward, then rushes to meet his targeted enemy with furious speed. The blow he strikes is so powerful that his foe is instantly launched off the screen. As in Fire Emblem, a window appears that shows the character's hit points dropping rapidly to zero—but this is just for effect. Smash Bros. does not use a hit-point system.''

 

{{Trophy games|console1=Wii|game1=Super Smash Bros. Brawl}}

 

Marth - Brawl Trophy.png|Classic

Critical Hit - Brawl Trophy.png|[[Critical Hit]]

File:Marth and Ike SSBB.jpg|Marth next to {{SSBB|Ike}}.

File:MarthForwardSmashSSBB.jpg|Marth using his [[forward smash]].

Criticalhit.jpg|Critical Hit in ''[[Brawl]]''

*Marth is the first [[unlockable]] character to join the player's party in the Subspace Emissary, though he is not the first to be played, as Ness is temporarily available in a previous stage.