Falco (SSB4)/Forward aerial

Hitbox visualization showing Falco's forward aerial.

Hitbox visualization showing Falco's forward aerial's landing.

Overview

Falco performs a corkscrew attack. The move hits multiple times, and the multi-hits have the autolink angle, which allow it to combo into the hits reliably. The long lasting hitboxes and knockback of the final hit make it a very good edgeguarding tool, coupled with the disjoint. The autolink angle allows Falco to pseudo-meteor smash opponents if he fast falls during the move. which can possibly lead into a footstool or outright prevent them from recovering if they end up too low, making the move very dangerous offstage. Onstage, it has a landing hitbox, which can occasionally be linked into if the final hit is out right as Falco lands, increasing the damage of the move. If Falco lands after the five frame autocancel window at the start of the move, forward aerial can effectively be made faster, at the expense of less damage and knockback. At lower-mid percents, it is possible to chain into another forward aerial.

The move is hampered however by somewhat slow speed, and the inability to short hop autocancel the move makes it easier for Falco to get punished. Despite the weaknesses however, it is a very good attack that is a force to be reckoned with offstage.

Update history

1.0.4/ 1.0.0

• Landing hit damage (2% → 5%).
• Landing hit z positions (11/8 → 12/7), giving it more range.

1.0.8

• Startup lag (frame 12 → 10).
• Ending lag (FAF 59 → 51).
• Landing lag (32 frames → 25).
• Auto-cancel (frame 54 → 46).
• Duration (frames 12-34/35-36 → 10-27/28-29).
  • The shorter duration allows Falco to complete the move in a short hop, which he previously could not do.
• The loop hits have a shorter rehit rate (6 → 4). This gives forward aerial an extra loop despite its shorter duration, increasing its maximum damage (8% → 9%) as well as making it connect more reliably.
• Landing hit damage (5% → 3%). It only received an increase to its base knockback (30 → 50), hindering its KO potential.

Hitboxes

Looping hit rehits every 4 frames.

ID	Part	Rehit rate	Damage	SD	Angle		BK	KS	FKV	Radius	Bone	Offset			SDIx	H×	T%	Clang	Rebound	Type	Effect	G	A	Sound	Direct	Hit bits	Blockable	Reflectable	Absorbable	Piercing	Heedless	No GFX	Flinchless	Stretch
Looping hit
0	0	4	1%	0		Forwards	0	100	60	5.0	0	0.0	5.5	12.0	1.0x	1.0x	0%							Slash		63								—
1	0	4	1%	0		Forwards	0	100	60	5.0	0	0.0	5.5	8.0	1.0x	1.0x	0%							Slash		63								—
Final hit
0	0	0	4%	0		Forwards	55	145	0	6.0	0	0.0	5.5	12.0	1.0x	2.5x	0%							Slash		63								0.0	5.5	8.0
Landing
0	0	0	3%	0		Standard	50	160	0	5.0	0	0.0	5.5	12.0	0.0x	2.0x	0%							Kick		63								0.0	5.5	7.0

Timing

Attack

Initial autocancel	1-5
Looping hits	10-27
Final hit	28-29
Ending autocancel	46-
Interruptible	51
Animation length	61

Landing lag

Hitbox	1
Animation length	25

Legend (1 square = 1 frame)

Lag time

Hitbox

Hitbox change

Autocancel

Interruptible

Falco's moveset

Neutral attack (1 · 2 · inf) · 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
Floor attack (front) · Floor attack (back) · Floor attack (trip) · Edge attack
Neutral special (def · c1 · c2) · Side special (def · c1 · c2) · Up special (def · c1 · c2) · Down special (def · c1 · c2) · Final Smash