Chain grab: Difference between revisions

A '''chain grab''', also referred to as a '''chain throw''' or abbreviated as '''CG''', refers to a series of [[grab]]s and [[throw]]s that the victim cannot escape. Generally, a player [[throw]]s the opponent in a specific direction (most commonly down or forward), chases the opponent's [[directional influence]], then grabs the opponent in midair before they can [[tech]]. {{SSBM|Sheik}} and the [[Ice Climbers]] are examples of characters who rely heavily on chain grabs. Due to the changes to [[hitstun]] and the more severe [[stale-move negation]] in ''Brawl,'' chain-grabbing is overall more prevalent. Generally, [[fastfaller]]s, [[weight|heavyweights]], and large characters tend to be more vulnerable to chain grabs than floaty characters, lightweights, and smaller characters. Some circumstances can enable a chain grab to be a [[zero-to-death combo]]. The [[Ice Climbers]] are particularly potent at this. It is one of the two advanced techniques that were in the first three ''Smash'' games but no longer possible in ''Smash 4''; the other is [[team wobble]].

*{{SSBB|Falco}}: Can chain grab with his down throw at lower percentages against everyone except very floaty characters such as {{SSBB|Jigglypuff}}, giving ~42% to most characters, more to the heavyweights. It easily combos into dash attack (which when canceled to up smash it allows a total of 65% damage), or his down aerial, setting up an early edge-guarding situation, and easily KOing {{SSBB|Wolf}} due to his 60 frame meteor canceling delay and the ease of edge-hogging his recovery. Most characters can be grabbed with both dash grab and standing grab, but the floaty characters need good timing and only the walking chain grab works. After the chain grab percent, it works as a [[Tech-chasing]] move. His forward throw also can chain grab, like {{SSBB|Fox}} and Wolf, at low percentages.

*{{SSBB|Fox}}: Can chain grab with using his [[forward throw]] on most characters by buffering a dash grab at very low percentages.

*{{SSBB|King Dedede}}: Can chain grab with his down throw by chasing the sliding opponent and re-grabbing them before they can act, against any character with a weight of 87 (Marth's weight) or heavier, with lighter and lower [[traction]] characters requiring more precise timing due to sliding farther (which in turn can limit the amount of grabs possible). Characters with a weight below 87 are knocked down instead for a tech-chase opportunity, where Dedede can grab if he reads his opponent right. He can chain grab against a wall infinitely and finish with a back throw. He does not need a wall to infinitely grab some characters, such as {{SSBB|Mario}}, {{SSBB|Luigi}}, {{SSBB|Samus}}, and {{SSBB|Donkey Kong}}, and can infinitely chain grab {{SSBB|Wolf}} and another {{SSBB|King Dedede}} over the edge of a platform or  a slope, though all these characters besides DK require the down throw to be fresh enough to deal at least 6% damage for the standing grab to connect. Also, by buffering a pivot grab out of the throw, Dedede can infinite the prior two without being over  an edge/slope in addition to {{SSBB|Snake}}, {{SSBB|Bowser}}, {{SSBB|Ganondorf}}, {{SSBB|Charizard}}, and {{SSBB|Ivysaur}}, though the extreme technical demands of buffering a pivot grab repeatedly led to this infinite never seeing real usage in competitive play. The down throw has [[set knockback]], so the chain throw can be performed at any percent on characters in which it is effective to use.  How long it can be performed for depends on the amount of space in front of Dedede remaining on the platform he is grabbing on. Dedede can decrease the distance needed for each grab by performing a walking grab on DK and Bowser while doing a precisely-timed running shield grab instead of a dash grab against other characters. When there is no more space to continue the chain grab, Dedede players typically finish with a forward throw for decent additional damage and to set up an edge-guarding opportunity. They may opt for a back throw for greater guaranteed damage, another down throw to put the opponent into a potentially more vulnerable recovery position, or a guaranteed down tilt followup from a down throw on the characters it works on for a stronger release. Overall the damage output of the chain throw varies significantly, but it'll generally get at least 20% damage each time.

*{{SSBB|Mario}} and {{SSBB|Luigi}}: Can both chain grab with their forward throw across neutral stages, but only works at lower percentages.

*{{SSBB|Peach}}: Can dash grab Ness and Lucas across the stage. She can also chain grab with down throws, turning around to grab the opponent against about half of the cast. She can set up back aerial (almost every character and it must be buffered), up tilt, forward tilt or a pair string combo(must be buffered with a dash). She can also chain grab heavies with her forward throw at low percentages provided that one buffers a dash grab. She can infinitely chain grab air release Wario as well, by using a footstool jump on him upon release, followed by a float without using a midair jump, then a fast fall down aerial without the fourth kick landing, and ending with a grab.