Pikachu (SSB)

This article is about Pikachu's appearance in Super Smash Bros. For other uses, see Pikachu.

Pikachu (ピカチュウ, Pikachū) is a starter character and is notorious for his high priority aerials, good edgeguarding ability, and superb recovery. A versatile character with very few weaknesses, a player opposing a Pikachu should never rush straight at the opponent as his aerials can out-prioritize and out-range almost any move. He is currently ranked number one on the tier list.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Quick dash and jumps
• Small size
• Very versatile, long, and quick recovery
• Possesses an infinite edge stall
• Has invincibility frames during his up B
• High priority aerials, many of which have invisible hitboxes
• Very good edgeguarding
• Has a projectile
• Disjointed forward smash
• Abusable grab
• Good at juggling

Cons

File:Pika ssb.PNG

• Fairly easily comboed
• Light and floaty, thus easy to KO
• Has a vulnerability during the up B
• Most moves have relatively low reach

Moveset

A Attacks

• A - headbut-2%
• Rapid A - '2%, then 1% per headbut, without proper di, this can break a shield against a wall

• Forward tilt - light kick-9%*
• Down tilt - tail sweep-12%, normally used against walls/against certain people's recoveries (fox, falcon, samus, etc.)
• Up tilt - Vertical Kick-8%, a very fun move with very high priority. can combo multiple times without the opponent escaping, simple to combo with up smash and up tilt etc.

• Forward smash - Thunder jolt-16%, very high priority, one of the best killing moves, can be slighlty aimed up/down but barely
• Down smash - Breakdance-16/14% (forward hit 16, back hit 14), a less used and slightly less powerful version of the forward smash, randomly used (mindgames)
• Up smash - Flip-14% very powerful, similar to falcon but more range, slower, and with more lag, can combo multiple ones with heavy chars also using up tilt and it into aerials and down b, a good killing move, high priority

• Dash attack - Sliding Headbut-8% barely used, can be used for finishing but BARELY

• Nair - Aerial "Sex" Kick-14% a combo starter for pros, made better by isai*, a combo starter/finisher, high priority and powerful hit box
• Fair - aerial thunder jolt-6 hits, 2%/hit, a combo starter
• Bair - Back Kick-14%, very powerful, a combo ender/starter, high prioirty
• Dair - downward jolt-10-12, 3 on ground if not shuffzed%
• Uair - upward tail-8% depending on area of tail, a comboer

B Attacks

• B - thunderjolt-8% projectile with medium high prioirty, normally used for MINDGAMES
• Down B - Thunder-6,18 (at pikachu, 6 in air%, combo ender
• Up B - quick attack-0% but insane priority/multiple invincibility frames

Throws

• Forward throw-14%
• Back throw-16%

Combos and General Strategy

Extended Quick Attack

Pikachu's already long up B can be extended even farther by letting the analog stick snap back to neutral position before the end of the second quick attack. This can also be used on the first quick attack but runs a high risk of missing the second quick attack.

Thunder-Spiking

Launching the opponent straight up (usually with an Up smash) and using Thunder (Pikachu's Down B) is called "Thunder-Spiking." Thunder-Spiking is usually used as a combo finisher. Unlike Pikachu's Thunder in Melee, Thunder in SSB has infinite vertical range. This technique allows Pikachu to get a vertical kill at around 40% damage sooner than just a normal Up smash.