An item throw or item toss is an action where a character throws the item they are holding, usually dealing damage in the process. This is performed by pressing a grab button (or alternatively, pressing both a shield and attack button), or simply an attack button if holding a standard throwable item. Depending on the control stick's tilt angle and timing, items can be tossed in multiple directions with varying strengths.
Directions and strength
Items can be tossed in up to four directions — forward, back, up, or down — by tilting the control stick in the appropriate direction and pressing the grab or attack button (depending on the item type). Akin to dash attacks and smash attacks, characters can also throw items while dashing, ending the dash in the process, or tap the control stick in one of the four directions when pressing the button to throw the item with more strength. The latter is usually known as a 'smash throw, and is denoted by a short flash alongside the character vocalising.
If the grab button is simply pressed without a directional input, the fighter lightly tosses the item behind them on the ground, or simply drops it and makes it fall straight down if in the air. This is known as an item drop, or Z-drop for the aerial version, due to the Z button being the default grab button on the GameCube controller. Z-drops are notorious for not possessing any ending lag, making them extremely useful for combos with items, and the basis of bat dropping. While Z-drops can be performed with any throwable item, grounded item drops can only be done with certain items; others are simply thrown forward.
Heavy items, such as Barrels and Crates, can also be thrown in up to four directions and with a "smash" strength, but cannot be dash thrown, since characters are incapable of dashing while carrying them. They also cannot be Z-dropped, even by Donkey Kong, who is capable of carrying heavy items in midair.
List of droppable items on the ground
- All battering items (Beam Sword, Death's Scythe, Fan, Fire Bar, Home-Run Bat, Killing Edge, Lip's Stick, Ore Club, Parasol, and Star Rod)
- All shooting items (Banana Gun, Cracker Launcher, Drill, Fire Flower, Gust Bellows, Rage Blaster, Ramblin' Evil Mushroom, Ray Gun, Staff, Steel Diver, and Super Scope)
- Special Flag
- Yoshi's Egg in Melee
Item throw damage
Unlike characters' attacks, in all Super Smash Bros. games, the damage dealt by thrown items takes into account not only by the base damage coded in their hitboxes, but the speed at which they impact the target. This speed is initially determined by the item's toss strength, which is different for each kind of item throw and each character; heavier characters have greater toss strengths, and smash throws further increase it.
After the item is thrown, its speed is modified by physics, usually causing it to deal slightly more damage as it first accelerates in the thrown direction, then gradually decay in damage until it stops moving. As a result, damage from thrown items is highly volatile and difficult for players to determine precisely. The damage determined by this mechanism is also fully considered for the item's knockback calculation, giving smash throws a remarkable increase in KO power.
In Smash 64, the damage formula for thrown items is d + speed * 0.1, with d being the item's base damage. If the item is dropped instead of thrown, the base damage is halved.[1] Later games use a similar formula, though with altered factors due to the difference in speed units.
From Melee onward, the formula is d - 0.4 + speed * 3, where speed is initially equal to a value depending on the kind of item throw used, multiplied by the character's item toss strength. For a grounded item drop, the base damage is halved, except in Brawl.
| Item throw type | Light item | Heavy item | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal strength | Smash strength | Normal strength | Smash strength | |
| Forward/back | 2.6 | 3.64 | 3.4 | 4.4 |
| Up | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 6 |
| Down | 3.3  2.5  |
4.62 2.5 |
4.8 4.2 |
6 4.2
|
| Dash | 3.4 | N/A | ||
| Drop | 2.1 | N/A | ||
For example, a Capsule's base damage is 8% (assuming it doesn't explode), so if it hits as early as possible and is thrown forward by a character with standard toss strength (such as Mario in Melee and Brawl, or Cloud from Smash 4 onward), it deals 15.4% with a normal throw, and 18.52% with a smash throw. With a Home-Run Bat, which has a base damage of 12% when thrown, these damage values become 19.4% and 22.52%, respectively, making it considerably stronger. In the case of a grounded item drop, following the same other conditions, the Home-Run Bat deals 11.9% in Melee, Smash 4, and Ultimate, due to its base damage being halved, and 17.9% in Brawl.
Compared to other item throws, an aerial item drop (Z-drop) simply releases the item with no initial speed; therefore, hitting with a Z-drop as early as possible always causes damage equal to the item's base damage minus the 0.4 modifier, and it is unaffected by characters' specific toss strengths, with the item instead gaining more strength as it accelerates downward by gravity. Following the previous examples, a Capsule and Home-Run Bat hitting on the first frame of a Z-drop deal 7.6% and 11.6% damage, respectively.
Worth noting is this formula is only used for an item's throw portion; for example, a Motion-Sensor Bomb or POW Block uses it when thrown at an opponent, but not for its subsequent detonation.
Items with unique damage factors
Certain items use different factors for their throw damage formula, as well as additional multipliers for throw speed, giving them less of an increase relative to their base damage. This is prominently used for items produced by characters, such as Peach's Vegetables or the different Links' Bombs, preventing them from being too powerful compared to other projectiles.
| Item | Base damage modifier | Speed damage multiplier | Throw speed multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banana Gun | -0.4 | 2.5 | 0.85 |
| Banana Peel | 1 | 1.7 | 0.85 |
| Barrel | -0.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 0.6
|
| Beastball | -0.8 | 0.8 | 1 |
| Blast Box | -0.4 | 3 | 0.6 |
| Bombchu | -0.4 | 1 | 0.8 |
| Crate | -0.4 | 1.6 | 0.7 |
| Cucco | -0.4 | 3 2 |
1 |
| Deku Nut | -0.8 | 3 | 1 |
| Drill | -0.4 | 3 | 1.1 1
|
| Fairy Bottle | -0.4 | 3 | 0.8 |
| Fire Flower | -0.4 | 3 | 0.7 |
| Freezie | -0.4 | 2 | 1 |
| Gust Bellows | -0.4 | 3 | 0.7 |
| Hocotate Bomb | -0.4 | 1 | 0.7 |
| Home-Run Contest Bat | -0.4 | 2 | 1 |
| Hothead | -0.4 | 3 | 0.9 |
| Lip's Stick | -0.4 | 1.5 | 1 |
| Mr. Saturn | -0.4 | 1.5 | 0.82 |
| Party Ball | -0.4 | 3 | 0.8 |
| POW Block | -0.4 | 1 | 1 |
| Rage Blaster | -0.4 | 2.5 | 1 |
| Rolling Crate | -0.4 | 2.4 | 0.7 0.76
|
| Smoke Ball | -0.4 | 3 | 0.9 |
| Steel Diver | -0.4 | 3 | 0.7 1.1
|
| X Bomb | -0.4 | 1 | 0.9 |
| Diddy Kong's Peanut | -0.4 | 3 1.5 |
0.7 1
|
| King K. Rool's Crownerang | -0.4 | 1.5 | 1 |
| Link's Arrow |
-0.4 | 0.8 | 1 |
| Link's Bomb |
-0.4 | 2 | 1 |
| Link's Remote Bomb |
0 | 0 | 0.72 |
| Peach and Daisy's Vegetables | -0.4 | 1 3 |
1 0.7
|
| R.O.B.'s Gyro | -0.4 | 2 1.18 |
0.7 1
|
| Robin's tomes and Levin Sword | -0.4 | 3 2.2 |
1 |
| Sheik's Burst Grenade | -0.4 | 1 | 1 |
| Simon and Richter's Holy Water | 0 | 0.5 | 0.81 |
| Snake's Cardboard Box | -0.4 | 1 | 0.6 |
| Snake's Hand Grenade | -0.4 | 1 | 1 |
| Toon Link's Bomb | -0.4 0 |
1 | 1 0.7
|
| Wario's Bike | -0.4 | 3 | 0.6 |
| Young Link's Bomb | 0 | 0.2 | 0.72 |
| Mario Bros. enemies | -0.4 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
Additionally, there are a few items that ignore the damage formula altogether, and always use their base damage regardless of their throw speed:
- Boomerang (deals more damage in steady increments each time it is caught and rethrown)
- Green Shell (deals different damage when thrown and when sliding on the ground)
- Pyukumuku
- Smart Bomb
- Spiny Shell
- Bowser Jr.'s Mechakoopa
- Mega Man's Metal Blade
- Pac-Man's Bonus Fruit
- Villager's wood chip from Timber
- Fruit in Tortimer Island
Additionally, a few characters deal less damage with their item throws than their speed would otherwise indicate. In Melee only, items thrown by Mr. Game & Watch and Pichu have their base damage reduced by 0.9×, whereas in Melee, Smash 4, and Ultimate, items thrown by Jigglypuff have their base damage reduced by 0.95×. It is unknown why Jigglypuff is the only character to have reduced damage for item throws in later games.
Character item toss strengths
Each character has a specific item toss strength coded, which is another factor for thrown items' speed in the damage formula. In Melee and Brawl, most characters have a standard item toss strength of 1×. The exceptions to this are Charizard, Jigglypuff, Ganondorf, Pichu, and R.O.B., who have an item toss strength of 0.9×, and Zelda (but not Sheik), who has a toss strength of 0.8×.
In Smash 4 and Ultimate, item toss strengths are much more distinct for each character. While they remain a specifically coded value, they are correlated to weight, matching the result of the formula 1 + (weight - 100) / 300, which gives heavier characters stronger item throws. For example, Bowser in Smash 4 has a weight of 130 with an item toss strength of 1.1×, so he initially deals 16.18% damage when normally throwing a Capsule forward; in Ultimate, his weight and item toss strength are increased to 135 and 1.11667×, respectively, so he deals 16.31% damage in this same situation. Conversely, Zelda in both games has a weight of 85 with an item toss strength of 0.95×, so she deals 15.01% damage in this situation.
Frame data
Each character has slightly different startup and ending lag frames when throwing items. These differ for each kind of throw, but not between normal and smash throws of the same kind.
In Smash 4 and Ultimate
Total frames and aerial throw data only apply to Smash 4. Ultimate only carries over grounded throw data, and gives every character 24 total frames for their forward and back throws, 23 for their up throw and grounded item drop, 19 for their down throw, and 29 for their dash throw.
| Character | Forward throw | Back throw | Up throw | Down throw | Dash throw | Ground drop | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Throw | Total | Throw | Total | Throw | Total | Throw | Total | Throw | Total | Throw | Total | |
 Mario |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Donkey Kong |
10 | 38 (ground) 37 (air) |
14 | 38 (ground) 34 (air) |
15 | 38 (ground) 36 (air) |
8 | 30 (ground) 28 (air) |
6 | 39 | 7 | 27 |
 Link |
7 | 20 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 20 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 18 | 5 | 23 |
 Samus Dark Samus |
8 | 25 | 11 | 25 | 12 | 24 | 7 | 20 | 5 | 38 | 6 | 24 |
 Yoshi |
8 | 20 | 7 | 20 | 8 | 20 | 7 (ground) 8 (air) |
18 | 7 | 35 | 6 | 23 |
 Kirby |
8 | 24 (ground) 25 (air) |
11 | 24 (ground) 29 (air) |
12 | 23 (ground) 29 (air) |
7 | 23 | 5 | 39 | 7 | 23 |
 Fox |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Pikachu |
12 (ground) 10 (air) |
28 (ground) 29 (air) |
14 | 28 (ground) 29 (air) |
15 (ground) 14 (air) |
28 (ground) 29 (air) |
8 | 21 | 5 | 38 | 7 | 23 |
 Luigi |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 7 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Ness |
7 (ground) 8 (air) |
24 | 11 | 24 | 12 (ground) 13 (air) |
23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Captain Falcon |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Jigglypuff |
12 (ground) 9 (air) |
29 | 12 (ground) 7 (air) |
29 | 13 (ground) 7 (air) |
29 | 7 | 24 (ground) 29 (air) |
4 | 39 | 6 | 24 |
 Peach Daisy |
8 | 26 (ground) 24 (air) |
11 | 26 (ground) 24 (air) |
11 | 25 (ground) 23 (air) |
7 | 21 (ground) 19 (air) |
5 | 37 | 7 | 23 |
 Bowser |
10 | 29 | 13 | 29 | 17 (ground) 15 (air) |
29 | 8 | 21 | 7 | 39 | 7 | 23 |
 Ice Climbers |
8 | 24 | 9 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 6 | 24 | 4 | 24 | 5 | 24 |
 Sheik |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 11 (ground) 12 (air) |
23 | 8 (ground) 7 (air) |
19 | 6 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Zelda |
10 (ground) 7 (air) |
27 (ground) 25 (air) |
10 (ground) 9 (air) |
27 (ground) 25 (air) |
11 | 23 (ground) 27 (air) |
9 | 25 | 5 | 41 | 5 | 24 |
 Dr. Mario |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Pichu |
13 | 24 | 10 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 14 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 7 | 23 |
 Falco |
9 | 24 | 12 | 24 | 13 | 23 | 8 | 19 | 6 | 37 | 7 | 23 |
 Marth Lucina |
10 | 29 | 14 | 29 | 15 | 29 | 8 | 21 | 6 | 39 | 7 | 23 |
 Young Link |
8 | 24 | 10 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 6 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Ganondorf |
9 (ground) 6 (air) |
25 (ground) 21 (air) |
8 (ground) 7 (air) |
23 | 8 (ground) 6 (air) |
26 (ground) 23 (air) |
8 (ground) 6 (air) |
23 | 5 | 39 | 8 | 23 |
 Mewtwo |
8 (ground) 9 (air) |
24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 9 | 19 | 7 | 37 | 7 | 23 |
 Roy Chrom |
10 | 24 | 14 | 24 | 15 | 23 | 8 | 19 | 6 | 37 | 7 | 23 |
 Mr. Game & Watch |
11 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 11 | 23 | 11 | 19 | 12 | 37 | 10 | 23 |
 Meta Knight |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 6 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Pit Dark Pit |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 39 | 6 | 23 |
 Zero Suit Samus |
7 | 20 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 20 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 34 | 5 | 23 |
 Wario |
10 | 29 | 14 | 29 | 15 | 29 | 8 | 21 | 6 | 39 | 7 | 23 |
 Snake |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Ike |
11 | 29 | 14 | 29 | 15 | 29 | 8 | 21 | 6 | 39 | 7 | 23 |
 Squirtle |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Ivysaur |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Charizard |
10 | 29 | 14 | 29 | 15 | 21 (ground) 29 (air) |
8 | 29 (ground) 21 (air) |
6 | 38 | 8 | 23 |
 Diddy Kong |
7 | 20 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 20 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 35 | 5 | 23 |
 Lucas |
7 (ground) 8 (air) |
24 | 11 | 24 | 12 (ground) 13 (air) |
23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Sonic |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 King Dedede |
10 | 29 | 14 | 29 | 15 | 29 | 8 | 21 (ground) 23 (air) |
6 | 39 | 7 | 23 |
 Olimar |
8 | 24 | 11 | 25 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 20 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Lucario |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 36 | 6 | 23 |
 R.O.B. |
7 | 20 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 20 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 35 | 5 | 23 |
 Toon Link |
7 | 20 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 20 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 35 | 5 | 23 |
 Wolf |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Villager |
11 (ground) 10 (air) |
23 (ground) 24 (air) |
11 (ground) 10 (air) |
24 | 10 | 23 | 10 (ground) 9 (air) |
19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Mega Man |
11 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 11 | 23 | 11 | 19 | 11 | 37 | 11 | 29 |
 Wii Fit Trainer |
10 | 26 | 10 | 24 (ground) 26 (air) |
11 | 25 (ground) 28 (air) |
9 | 24 (ground) 26 (air) |
5 | 41 | 5 | 24 |
 Rosalina |
8 (ground) 10 (air) |
26 (ground) 24 (air) |
11 | 26 (ground) 24 (air) |
11 | 25 (ground) 23 (air) |
10 (ground) 11 (air) |
21 (ground) 19 (air) |
10 | 37 | 7 | 23 |
 Little Mac |
10 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 10 | 23 | 10 (ground) 9 (air) |
19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Greninja |
10 | 29 | 14 | 29 | 15 | 29 | 8 | 21 | 6 | 39 | 7 | 23 |
 Mii Brawler |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Mii Swordfighter |
10 | 20 | 14 | 20 | 15 | 20 | 8 | 18 | 6 | 45 | 5 | 23 |
 Mii Gunner |
8 | 25 | 11 | 25 | 12 | 24 | 7 | 20 | 5 | 38 | 5 | 24 |
 Palutena |
7 | 27 (ground) 23 (air) |
9 | 27 (ground) 23 (air) |
11 | 27 (ground) 23 (air) |
6 | 21 | 4 | 39 | 5 | 23 |
 Pac-Man |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Robin |
10 | 29 | 14 | 29 | 15 | 29 | 8 | 21 | 6 | 39 | 7 | 23 |
 Shulk |
10 | 24 | 13 (ground) 14 (air) |
24 | 15 (ground) 14 (air) |
23 | 8 | 19 | 6 | 37 | 6 | 27 |
 Bowser Jr. |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Duck Hunt |
7 | 23 | 11 | 23 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Ryu Ken |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 8 (ground) 7 (air) |
19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Cloud |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 (ground) 11 (air) |
23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Corrin |
7 | 24 | 10 (ground) 11 (air) |
24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 23 |
 Bayonetta |
10 (ground) 8 (air) |
24 | 10 (ground) 8 (air) |
24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 37 | 7 | 23 |
 Inkling |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Ridley |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Simon Richter |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 King K. Rool |
10 | 24 | 13 | 24 | 17 | 23 | 8 | 19 | 7 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Isabelle |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Incineroar |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Piranha Plant |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Joker |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Hero |
7 | 24 | 9 | 24 | 11 | 23 | 6 | 19 | 4 | 29 | 5 | 23 |
 Banjo & Kazooie |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Terry |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Byleth |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Min Min |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Steve |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Sephiroth |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Pyra |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Mythra |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
 Kazuya |
8 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 29 | 6 | 23 |