Pikachu (SSB)/Down aerial

Overview

The hitbox of Pikachu's down aerial.

Pikachu thrusts its head downwards whilst covering itself in electricity, electrocuting opponents that are within range. The attack deals 13% damage and average knockback, being a good KO move offstage. It is also decent for comboing floaty characters, and can tech-chase fastfallers, along with having some high shield stun which allows it to shield pressure opponents. Like most of Pikachu's other aerials, this move is fairly disjointed as well. On the downside, however, this move has a decent amount of landing lag if the move's duration is still taking place whilst Pikachu hits the ground (like Link's down aerial). This leaves Pikachu vulnerable to punishing, though the issue can easily be neglected with Z-cancelling and the move does auto-cancel as soon as its hitboxes are no longer active. The move also isn't as quick as Pikachu's other aerials, bar back aerial.

The move is better in the PAL versions of the game due to dealing 14% which allows the move to KO earlier (now being stronger than Pikachu's neutral aerial) and further improves its shield pressuring potential although this does also hurt its combo and tech-chasing potential at higher percents.

Hitboxes

NTSC

ID	Part	Damage	SD	Angle	BK	KS	FKV	Radius	Bone	Offset			Clang	Effect	G	A	Sound
0	0	13%	0		20	100	0	165	11	0	65	15					Shock
1	0	13%	0		20	100	0	140	11	0	0	0					Shock

PAL

ID	Part	Damage	SD	Angle	BK	KS	FKV	Radius	Bone	Offset			Clang	Effect	G	A	Sound
0	0	14%	0		20	100	0	165	11	0	65	15					Shock
1	0	14%	0		20	100	0	140	11	0	0	0					Shock

Summary

• Damage (13% → 14%).

Timing

Attack

Hitboxes	8-25
Ending autocancel	26-
Animation length	44

Landing lag

Animation length	40
L-cancelled animation length	4

Normal

L-cancelled

Legend (1 square = 1 frame)

Lag time

Hitbox

Hitbox change

Autocancel

Trivia

• This is the only aerial in the game which retained the same amount of landing lag (40 frames) in every Smash game up until Ultimate (where it would be reduced to 22 frames).

Pikachu's moveset

Neutral attack · 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 · Forward throw · Back throw
Floor attack (front) · Floor attack (back) · Edge attack (fast) · Edge attack (slow)
Neutral special · Up special · Down special