Pichu (SSBM): Difference between revisions

|game=SSBM

|ssbgame1=SSBU

Pichu is currently ranked 22nd in the D tier. Pichu has solid overall movement, complemented with some very quick attacks and an excellent neutral air. It also possesses a surprising amount of power for its weight class, with good [[chaingrab]]bing ability and a handful of strong finishers, some even more powerful than those of its counterpart, Pikachu. However, all of Pichu's strengths are severely outweighed by its weaknesses. It has abysmal range and very poor endurance due to its light weight, and is unusually prone to chaingrabs itself despite its small size, due to the unusually high amounts of hitstun it sustains as a result of being the game's lightest character. It also takes [[recoil damage]] from its electric-based moves, including its own recovery move [[Agility]], further hampering its defensive game. As a result, Pichu suffers from abysmal matchups; nearly the entire cast can take advantage of its fragility and low range.

Although it is no longer considered a contender for the worst character competitively, it appears that Pichu was ''intended'' to be a sub-par character in general, since its trophy descriptions mention that it is "''top of the class in weakness''" and it is "''best suited for handicapped matches.''" Indeed, this was confirmed in a development news update, shortly after the game's release.<ref>''[http://sourcegaming.info/2015/09/24/meleepichusite/ News Flash! Smash Bros. Dojo: Pichu]'' (translated 2015-09-24; [https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/flash/1211/index.html original] posted 2001-12-11)</ref>

Pichu must be defeated in battle before it can be unlocked. There are two ways the player can encounter Pichu:

*One way is to complete [[Event 37: Legendary Pokémon]]. If the player fails to defeat Pichu, they can re-fight it by completing the event again.

*Another way is to play 200 VS. matches to completion. If the player fails to defeat Pichu, they can re-fight it by playing another VS. match to completion. If this method is used, fighters with lower VS. match quotas must be unlocked before Pichu can be fought.

Upon meeting either requirement, the player will fight against Pichu on Pokémon Stadium, with "Battle Theme" playing.

*{{nerf|All of Pichu's [[electric]]al attacks inflict [[recoil damage]].}}

*{{nerf|Pichu is significantly [[Weight|lighter]] than Pikachu (80 → 55), giving it a much lower survivability.}}

**{{nerf|It deals less damage (7%/6% → 6%) and has lower knockback (45 (base)/124 (scaling) → 25/120).}}

**{{buff|Down smash is more reliable due to consisting of a single hit and it is a semi spike (70° → 160°, sending opponents behind it, like the first hit of Ganondorf's down smash), giving it edge-guarding ability, as long as Pichu is close to the edge while facing its opponent. It also has intangibility on frames 7-10 and it deals more damage than the final hit of Pikachu's down smash (3% → 13%)).}}

**{{nerf|Back aerial deals less damage (12%/9% → 9%).}}

**{{buff|Down aerial has significantly less landing lag (40 → 26).}}

**{{change|Its lightning bolt has a vertical knockback angle unlike Pikachu's (70° → 94°).}}

|neutralname=Headbutt ({{ja|ずつき|Zutsuki}})

|ftiltname=Pichu Kick ({{ja|ピチューキック|Pichū Kikku}})

|utiltname=Tail Smack ({{ja|テールスマック|Tēru Sumakku}})

|dtiltname=Tail Sweep ({{ja|あしばらい|Shippo Barai}})

|dashname=Running Headbutt ({{ja|ジャンプずつき|Janpu Zutsuki}}, ''Jump Headbutt'')

|fsmashname=Thundershock ({{ja|ショートでんげき|Shōto Dengeki}}, ''Electrical Short'')

|usmashname=Jumping Headbutt ({{ja|ジャンピングヘッドバット|Janpingu Heddobatto}})

|dsmashname=Spinning Mouse ({{ja|スピニングマウス|Supiningu Mausu}})

|nairname=Pichu Roll ({{ja|ピチュースピン|Pichū Rōru}})

|nairdesc=Curls up in a ball and does somersaults in the air. Notorious for effectively comboing into itself at almost any percent. One of the best neutral airs overall for its speed and combo ability.

|fairname=Electric Drill ({{ja|でんげきドリル|Dengeki Doriru}})

|bairname=Glider ({{ja|グライダー|Guraidā}})

|uairname=Tail Chop ({{ja|しっぽはたき|Shippo Hitaki}})

|dairname=Electric Screw ({{ja|でんげきスクリュー|Dengeki Sukuryū}})

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|pummelname=Electric Shock ({{ja|電気ショック|Denki Shokku}})

|fthrowname=Electrocution ({{ja|感電死|Kanden shi}})

|bthrowname=Submission ({{ja|じごくぐるま|Jigoku Gurama}}, ''Hell Wheel'')

|uthrowname=Electric Skull ({{ja|エレクトリックスカル|Erekutorikku Sukaru}})

|dthrowname=Electric Slam ({{ja|エレクトリックスラム|Erekutorikku Suramu}})

==In [[competitive play]]==

 

*{{Sm|Codeman|USA}} - Has taken sets off players such as {{Sm|Wes}}, and games off players such as {{Sm|Panda|p=Florida}}, {{Sm|2saint}} and {{Sm|S2J}}. Currently considered the best active solo main of the character, and among the very few to reach genuine competitive notability with the character. Placed 65th at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2018}} and 49th at {{Trn|Shine 2022}}, the best result at any [[major]] achieved by a Pichu player.

Pichu was developed as an intentional joke character, and has historically been seen as such by the competitive ''Melee'' community. From the start, many noted that it was completely outclassed by {{SSBM|Pikachu}}, who was already considered a below-average character at the time. With its poor [[approach]] coupled with many attacks that damaged itself, including its own [[recovery]], as well as its terrible overall [[reach]], extremely light [[weight]], and difficulty in putting [[pressure]] on the opponent, many professionals doubted that Pichu could ever develop a deep metagame or gain any notable professional players. Because of this, Pichu has been almost never seen outside of sandbagging or low-tier exhibitions. Pichu's initial placements on each [[tier list]] reflected its stance, typically shifting between 25th and 26th for over a decade of ''Melee''{{'}}s lifespan, competing with characters such as {{SSBM|Bowser}}, {{SSBM|Kirby}}, and {{SSBM|Mewtwo}} for the lowest placement on the tier list, before placing 24th on the twelfth tier list in 2015.

 

While still considered to be an awful character and unused outside of [[sandbagging]], players began to recognize Pichu's strengths, namely its agility and decent set of normals. Several professionals, such as {{Sm|Mew2King}} and {{Sm|Armada}}, believe that while Pichu is still unviable, they believe that other characters, like {{SSBM|Kirby}}, {{SSBM|Zelda}}, and {{SSBM|Bowser}}, are even worse than it, [http://www.eventhubs.com/news/2014/may/02/kirby-and-zelda-are-two-worst-characters-melee-pichu-highly-underrated-mew2king-discusses-his-super-smash-bros-tier-list-pt-1/ ranking it 19th] and [https://youtu.be/17n7Tcjrifg?t=264 22nd], respectively. Pikachu's rise in the competitive scene also helped Pichu's ascent out of the bottom tier, with players noting that Pichu shared a few of the tools that ultimately made Pikachu a solid pick. Despite Pichu's theoretically worse matchup spread and barren results, most players believed that the former was attributed to a different metagame and the latter has other bottom-tier characters have also failed to achieve significant results.  

With its strengths being recognized better, it is currently ranked 22nd on the current tier list. While universally not considered a contender for the worst character in the game, Pichu is still considered to be non-viable choice in the metagame with a terrible matchup spread, with its playerbase and results only marginally improving compared to the early metagame.

==In 1-P Mode==

*'''[[Event 48: Pikachu and Pichu]]''': In this match, the player must fight against a team of two Pichu and one Pikachu. The goal is for the player to KO the two Pichu in the shortest time possible; Pikachu has infinite stocks, while the player has two and the Pichu have one. The stage used is {{SSB|Dream Land}}, making the event the only one in the game to take place on a Past Stage.

*'''[[Event 49: All-Star Match Deluxe]]''': Pichu is the third opponent fought in this series of staged battles. The selected character battles it on the [[Pokémon Stadium]] stage with a stock of 2 while Pichu has 1. With a timer of four minutes, the player must defeat it and the other five characters one-by-one with the overall time and damage: {{SSBM|Dr. Mario}}, {{SSBM|Falco}}, {{SSBM|Young Link}}, {{SSBM|Roy}} and {{SSBM|Ganondorf}}.

==[[Trophies]]==

|image=Pichu Trophy Melee.png

|desc=(1.0/1.01 NTSC) A baby Electric-type Pokémon identifiable by its big ears, Pichu evolves into Pikachu. It's not very skilled at storing up electrical energy and will sometimes discharge it if jarred. Although it's small, it has enough electrical power to give even an adult quite a shock. It's often startled by its own power.

:(1.02 NTSC/PAL) A Tiny Mouse Pokémon identifiable by its big ears, Pichu evolves into Pikachu. It's not very skilled at storing up electrical energy and will sometimes discharge it if jarred. Although it's small, it has enough electrical power to give even an adult quite a shock. It's often startled by its own power.

|gamelist={{Trophy games|game1=Pokémon Gold & Silver|release1=10/00}}

{{clrl}}

|image=Pichu Trophy (Smash).png

|mode=Adventure

 

|image=Pichu Trophy (Smash 2).png

|mode=All Star