Ledge-canceling

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In Super Smash Bros. Melee, a ledge-cancel is a complex command that exploits the physics of momentum, traction and state change, allowing a character to cancel the lag after an aerial attack (and some B attacks), ending in either the "falling" or "ledge" state.

A character ledge-cancels an attack in three steps.

1. From an aerial attack state, the character cancels the aerial attack (in the form of a land cancel) by landing that attack on the ground or ledge, entering that attack's "landing" state.
2. The character slides on the ground or ledge in "landing" state, with a vector determined by their: a) vector upon landing in relation to the angle of the ground or ledg; b) directional input; and: c) traction.
3. The character cancels the landing animation in one of two ways, either a) by sliding off a ledge, entering the "falling" state; or b) if they are facing the ledge, sliding to the ledge (without DIing off of the ledge), entering their "ledge" animation, a true ledge-cancel.

By ledge-canceling, a character can potentially execute two attacks in extremely quick succession, with the combination of canceled move lag and canceled landing lag. (If a character land-cancels an attack after one frame of hitbox, then fall- or ledge-cancels the landing after one frame, then attacks on the first frame in "falling" or "ledge" state, it is possible to achieve a minimum number of frames between attacks of 3+the number of frames it takes the second attack to produce a hitbox).

From a falling ledge-cancel, a character can execute any of their aerial attacks, an air-jump, a B attack, or an air dodge.

True ledge-canceling requires much more finesse to execute than an falling ledge cancel, but allows for more options: jabs, tilts, smash attacks, B attacks, ground jump, shield, grab, and dash.

Aerial attacks can be canceled on any of their frames. This means that an attack can be canceled (and subsequently ledge-canceled) before a hitbox appears.

On a ledge that can be grabbed, if a character ledge-cancels and is then facing that ledge, the character may grab the ledge if he is not DIing away from the ledge (this is significant because during "grabbing" animation you commands cannot be input, which effectively nullifies the leg-reduction of ledge-canceling).