Toon Link (SSBU): Difference between revisions

Inspite of being a high tier character in SSB4 (23rd out of 55 characters), Toon Link has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition from ''Smash 4'' to ''Ultimate'', but it's currently unclear whether he has been nerfed or buffed overall. As with other characters, his mobility has been improved thanks to faster walking and dashing speeds, and he falls faster as well. Many of his grounded options have been improved: Jab can now jab lock and tech chase better, forward tilt has less ending lag and one hitbox is more consistent, down tilt launches lower, improving its tech chasing potential, dash attack is much faster, has more range and the sweetspots outprioritize the sourspot, and up smash is more consistent. These buffs have vastly improved his grounded game from ''Smash 4'', especially due to the addition of using tilts out of a run. Toon Link's aerial game has also improved, with the reduced landing lag on his aerials making it easier for him to combo and land; his neutral aerial has more range, forward aerial can once again autocancel in a short hop, his up aerial is notably much safer to use, and his back aerial is faster and has regained some of its old combo potential. Toon Link's down smash also sees better usage with the changes to its hitboxes, making the move far more consistent and practical for offensive usage, with both hits having strong KO potential. Finally, Toon Link's Spin Attack has received the most improvements, with the grounded version now being one of the best out of shield options in the game due to it being much faster and gaining kill potential, while the aerial version's power and safety has improved, greatly improving his sword attacks overall.  

However, Toon Link also received some noticeable nerfs. One of his biggest nerfs was to his Forward smash, which is slower, has lower damage potential, possesses no mixup or spacing potential with a second hit, and has a debatably worse hitbox that fails to strike short opponents or ones hanging to the ledge. His other major nerf was to his Bombs, which no longer beat weak projectiles; instead bouncing off of them. This massively worsens their potential in trade and projectile situations. His up smash has fewer active frames (although it has better consistency), his back aerial is no longer a KOing move (although it has some form of combo potential), and his up tilt has inferior combo potential due to the changes to its knockback.

These changes have significantly changed the way Toon Link must be played in competitive play, shifting from primarily a zoner and counter-zoner style, to a more movement and pressure based playstyle that utilizes his sword attacks more. Toon Link was initially thought to fare worse than in two previous games due to the changes, with most top professionals ranking him as a mid-tier, and notably lower than the two other Links. However, later on many dedicated Toon Link professionals such as {{Sm|Sigma}}, {{Sm|Hyuga}}, {{Sm|Ri-ma}}, {{Sm|Tsuna|p=Germany}} and {{Sm|Xcal}} have seen very strong results in-region with the character, indicating that Toon Link is still a potent character. As a result, his representation has been more positive than before, with most professionals ranking him as a high-tier character, with {{Sm|ESAM}} saying he is the best of the three Links.

*{{change|As with all [[veteran]]s returning from ''Smash 4'', Toon Link's model features a more subdued color scheme. His clothing now features simple woven and stitched detailing, similar to his design in ''[[Brawl]]'', though his hair remains clay-like.}}

*{{change|Some of the textures of Toon Link's face have been modified: his brow is more furrowed, and his mouth is now represented by a black dash, making it look less organic. Overall, he appears more cartoonish as a result.}}

*{{change|Toon Link's hair is now affected by gravity and wind. His hat also now has more physics-based movement than before.}}

*{{change|Like many other returning characters, Toon Link is more expressive. He is now more consistently angry and serious to match the other Links. In general, he now has wide variety of expressions in his animations.}}

*{{change|Several of Toon Link's animations have been altered to further distinguish him from the other Links.}}

**{{change|While jumping, he raises his shield more.}}

**{{change|During his falling animation, he spreads his legs apart. His [[helpless]] animation is also different, now leaning more forward as he falls. However, he reuses his falling animations from ''Smash 4'' when moving forward or backwards while falling.}}

**{{change|His double jump animation is now an upward flip similar to {{SSBU|Roy}} and {{SSBU|Ganondorf}}.}}

*{{change|Toon Link's [[taunt]]s have all been modified:}}

**{{change|His side taunt has a more surprised expression and pose. The fairy also now disappears in a ''Wind Waker'' style puff of smoke.}}

*{{change|Toon Link's [[victory pose]] where he conducts with the [[zeldawiki:Wind Waker (Item)|Wind Waker]] has been modified to be more in line with his official art from ''{{s|zeldawiki|The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker}}'' and its HD version.}}

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

*{{nerf|Toon Link is slightly lighter (93 → 91), this slightly hinders his endurance.}}

*{{buff|Toon Link [[walk]]s slightly faster (1.2265 → 1.288).}}

*{{buff|Toon Link's [[air speed]] has been increased (0.94 → 1.05).}}

*{{change|Toon Link's [[falling speed]] has been increased (1.28 → 1.38).}}

**{{buff|His fast fall speed has also been increased (2.048 → 2.208), making him harder to juggle.}}

*{{change|Due to his higher falling speed, Toon Link's air time is shorter (SH timing: 41 → 40), (FH timing: 63 → 56).}}

*{{change|Toon Link's [[sidestep]] has increased startup on his invincibility (2-15 → 3-16), but less endlag (25 → 20), now being tied for the third fastest.}}

*{{change|Toon Link's back roll has slightly increased invincibility (4-14 → 4-15), but much more endlag (27 frames → 34).}}

*{{buff|Toon Link can now Z-drop items such as his {{b|Bomb|Link}}s without releasing the [[Hookshot]]. This vastly improves its versatility and utility as a tactic, mixup, combo and disadvantage tool. This also sees the return of the Invincibomb technique.}}

**{{change|This change no longer allows Toon Link to Z-drop and use hookshot at the same time.}}

*{{nerf|The mechanical change to Tethers removes Toon Link's ability to cancel his airdodge into his hookshot, removing an option from his kit and vastly nerfing his recovery mixup potential.}}

**{{change|Toon Link is still able to Tether to ledge while holding a bomb, by simply pressing Grab without holding a direction.}}

*{{bugfix|Toon Link now properly wields both the Master Sword and Hero's Shield if the [[Superspicy Curry]] effect runs out while idle.}}

 

**{{buff|Up aerial has an altered animation where Toon Link ducks more. This lowers his hurtbox and allows him to hit opponents beneath him more effectively, similar to {{SSBU|Link}}'s up aerial.}}

 

 

===Special Moves===

**{{bugfix|Aerial Spin Attack no longer takes away Toon Link's midair jump if he is interrupted before recovering, granting him more recovery mixups.}}

**{{buff|[[Triforce Slash]] has had its activation range massively increased, allowing Toon Link to chase down targets across Final Destination, like Link's iteration from ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4''.}}