Joker (SSBU)/Forward tilt

Joker forward tilt hitbox visualization
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Overview

Joker's forward tilt is a very powerful, two hit spacing tool. It has extremely long range, most notably outranging Lucina's forward tilt. Given it's also Frame 8, it can be used in neutral against rash approaches to force the opponent to rethink their options. Forward tilt can be angled as well, allowing for a high degree of flexibility in its uses (such as the upward angle beating numerous short hop approaches). Given this uses Joker's knife, the disjoint is extremely large as well. As a result of all this, forward tilt is often used defensively.

With Arsene active, forward tilt gains a larger disjoint along with a slightly lingering hitbox, improving its utility when it comes to stopping approaches. It also becomes slightly stronger, with +15 Base Knockback and +1 Knockback Growth. Given the base knockback gets the highest increase, this means that the move will send opponents further away at lower percentages, allowing it to further be used as a defensive option. In addition, there is a shieldstun multiplier of 2 applied to the second hit, improving its safety on shield slightly. Given the way Arsene works, if Joker hits on Frame 19, Arsene will connect on Frame 20, effectively giving the hitboxes a slight extension.

Curiously, all of forward tilt's angles have different knockback stats. Angled up has a substantial increase (+15 - +18) compared to the other two, with an angle of 45 instead of 35. As a result, it is most optimal to angle forward tilt upwards when it comes to going for the KO; especially with Arsene. Downward angled forward tilt also has a knockback angle of 25, which is a solid semi-spike angle for gimping.

Hitboxes

Angled up

ID	Part	Rehit rate	Damage	SD	Angle	Angle type	BK	KS	FKV	Set weight	Radius	Bone	Offset			H×	SDI×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Effect	Type	G	A	Sound	Direct	Hit bits	Hit part	Blockable	Reflectable	Absorbable	Flinchless	No GFX	Heedless
Hit 1
1	0	0	3	0		Standard	0	100	10		2.5	knife	0.0	4.0	0.0	0×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All
2	0	0	3	0		Standard	0	100	20		2.5	knife	0.0	-3.0	0.0	0×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All
Hit 2
2	0	0	5	0		Standard	45	128	0		2.5	knife	0.0	-3.0	0.0	0×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All

Angled forwards

ID	Part	Rehit rate	Damage	SD	Angle	Angle type	BK	KS	FKV	Set weight	Radius	Bone	Offset			H×	SDI×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Effect	Type	G	A	Sound	Direct	Hit bits	Hit part	Blockable	Reflectable	Absorbable	Flinchless	No GFX	Heedless
Hit 1
1	0	0	3	0		Standard	0	100	20		2.5	knife	0.0	4.0	0.0	0×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All
2	0	0	3	0		Standard	0	100	20		2.5	knife	0.0	-3.0	0.0	0×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All
Hit 2
2	0	0	5	0		Standard	45	110	0		2.5	knife	0.0	3.0	0.0	0×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All

Angled downwards

ID	Part	Rehit rate	Damage	SD	Angle	Angle type	BK	KS	FKV	Set weight	Radius	Bone	Offset			H×	SDI×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Effect	Type	G	A	Sound	Direct	Hit bits	Hit part	Blockable	Reflectable	Absorbable	Flinchless	No GFX	Heedless
Hit 1
1	0	0	3	0		Standard	0	100	10		2.5	knife	0.0	4.0	0.0	0×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All
2	0	0	3	0		Standard	0	100	20		2.5	knife	0.0	-3.0	0.0	0×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All
Hit 2
2	0	0	5	0		Standard	45	105	0		2.5	knife	0.0	3.0	0.0	0×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All

Arsene + Awakened Joker Hitboxes

While Arsene is active, two hitboxes get added onto Joker's forward tilt. These take up Hitbox ID positions 0 (Arsene's hit) and 1 (Awakened Joker's hit) on Hit 2. These are posted in the order given in Ruben's Data Viewer. Arsene is coded to hit the frame after Hit 2 connects.

Angled upwards

ID	Part	Rehit rate	Damage	SD	Angle	Angle type	BK	KS	FKV	Set weight	Radius	Bone	Offset			H×	SDI×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Effect	Type	G	A	Sound	Direct	Hit bits	Hit part	Blockable	Reflectable	Absorbable	Flinchless	No GFX	Heedless
Hit 2 Awakened Joker
1	0	0	5	0		Standard	60	121	0		4.0	knife	0.0	3.5	0.0	1.7×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All
Hit 2 Arsene
0	0	0	5	0		Standard	60	121	0		4.0	knife	0.0	3.5	0.0	1.7×	1.0×	0%							Fire		All	All

Angled forward

ID	Part	Rehit rate	Damage	SD	Angle	Angle type	BK	KS	FKV	Set weight	Radius	Bone	Offset			H×	SDI×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Effect	Type	G	A	Sound	Direct	Hit bits	Hit part	Blockable	Reflectable	Absorbable	Flinchless	No GFX	Heedless
Hit 2 Awakened Joker
1	0	0	5	0		Standard	60	106	0		4.0	knife	0.0	0.5	0.0	1.7×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All
Hit 2 Arsene
0	0	0	5	0		Standard	60	106	0		4.0	knife	0.0	0.5	0.0	1.7×	1.0×	0%							Fire		All	All

Angled downwards

ID	Part	Rehit rate	Damage	SD	Angle	Angle type	BK	KS	FKV	Set weight	Radius	Bone	Offset			H×	SDI×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Effect	Type	G	A	Sound	Direct	Hit bits	Hit part	Blockable	Reflectable	Absorbable	Flinchless	No GFX	Heedless
Hit 2 Awakened Joker
1	0	0	5	0		Standard	60	106	0		4.0	knife	0.0	0.5	0.0	1.7×	1.0×	0%							Slash		All	All
Hit 2 Arsene
0	0	0	5	0		Standard	60	106	0		4.0	knife	0.0	0.5	0.0	1.7×	1.0×	0%							Fire		All	All

Timing

Normal Joker

Hitboxes	8-9, 13-15
Interruptible	35
Animation length	34

Arsene active

Note that Arsene himself will hit on the next frame after an opponent is hit. As a result, it is possible for him to hit on Frame 20. If he leaves during the attack, the hit will still occur.

Hitboxes	8-9, 13-19
Interruptible	35
Animation length	34

Legend (1 square = 1 frame)

Lag time

Hitbox

Earliest continuable point

Interruptible

Joker's moveset

Neutral attack (1 · 2 · 3) · Forward tilt · Up tilt · Down tilt · Dash attack · Forward smash · Up smash · Down smash
Neutral aerial · Forward aerial · Back aerial · Up aerial · Down aerial
Grab · Pummel · Forward throw · Back throw · Up throw · Down throw
Forward roll · Back roll · Spot dodge · Air dodge · Techs
Floor attack (front) · Floor getups (front) · Floor attack (back) · Floor getups (back) · Floor attack (trip) · Floor getups (trip)
Edge attack · Edge getups
Neutral special · Side special · Up special · Down special · Final Smash