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be punished if their attack is shielded, such as via shield grabbing or out of shield attacks. An attack that is difficult or impossible to punish is usually

vulnerability, meaning they can be punished very easily if read. Shield pressure is used to lure out one of the options to punish. An example of good shield pressure

rarely used as a result, only being useful as a risky hard punish or as a shield break punish in most situations. While not always true, characters with

allowing for harder punishes. Yet another change in Ultimate is that all characters have greatly increased traction, which makes OoS punishes easier to perform

players to be punished for going for a ledge grab, even though it is more difficult and less consistent than edge-hogging. The two frames of punish time don't

read (or, in some cases, react to) the direction of a player's tech and punish them. Characters with fast movement speed, like Captain Falcon, are very

are fast enough to punish any mistakes. However, Mewtwo can also use its great ground and air speed to mix up approaches and punish mistakes using these

make them highly committal, making them very easy for wary opponents to punish (particularly using a shield grab). Prior to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

neutral. Overall, Falcon remains a high-risk high-reward fighter with a solid punish game overall. Falcon has seen respectable tournament results from players

makes it his best hard punish option considering its immense strength. Overall, his smash attacks are all formidable for hard punishes. Both up and down smash

in the top of A tier. One of Sheik's greatest strengths is her formidable punish game. Sheik's down throw is one of the best combo starters in Melee, as

startup of their down smashes, which allow them to dodge certain attacks and punish them heavily. This leads them to sometimes be humorously labeled "spot dodges

her to easily punish opponents that are quick to approach her on the ground. Should opponents reach Samus up closer, she can quickly punish and reset neutral

traction generally require more precise movement across the ground and cannot punish attacks as effectively out of shield since they will get pushed further

start his strong punish game and when he ends up offstage, he heavily struggles to get back on stage against a strong opponent. Ness' punish game unfortunately

game, as well as being able to dash away from shield grabs without getting punished, complementing his already-impressive range extremely well. Marth also

with almost any opponent while additionally making him very difficult to punish. In terms of attack speed, almost all of Fox's moves have less than 10 frames

because slow rolls are easier to react to and short rolls are easier to punish. Most characters use a rolling, somersaulting or spinning animation for

viable option out of shield; all other options can be punished or do not have the proper range to punish well-spaced moves. Moveover, his damage-based armor

to, while Dragon Fang Shot has two separate chargeable portions which can punish careless shielding up close. Dragon Lunge serves as the centerpiece of Corrin's

dodge attacks and make a retreat or capitalize on a reckless opponent and punish them. Some attacks intentionally make certain body parts intangible in order

stock. A single Ice Climber, known as "Sopo", loses access to its grab punishes and has one of the lowest damage outputs and worst recoveries in Melee

through shielding, Shields can block attacks and leave opportunities to punish afterward, and regular attacks can outprioritize grabs due to their generally

both of these changes improve his hard punish game. The changes to shieldstun make it easier for him to punish aerial approaches out of shield and make

finishers, allowing them to quickly and effectively punish opponents close to him, while being difficult to punish themselves on shield. Forward smash can be angled

result, some fighters have up smashes that serve as excellent out of shield punishes, while others function as precise, but powerful anti-airs. From Brawl onwards

opponent's to make risky approaches, providing opportunities for Isabelle to punish. Notably, Isabelle's unique jab gives her the ability to perform the "Wobbelle"

more on reads and baits, and the punishes that come with them. However, Ganondorf is also very susceptible to punishes himself, as he is easily comboed

Its incredibly large hitbox makes it an excellent 2-frame punish tool, can be used to punish rolls or techs, and can also be used as a deadly stage spike

into his specials, while his auto-turnaround ability also allows him to punish rolls and create deadly ledgetraps. In addition, Terry's combo and KO ability

Falco's Blaster shots are very fast, hard to punish, very long-ranged, transcendent, and allow him to camp and punish approaches easily. At low percents, Falco

long ranged, fast and auto-cancels from a short hop, making it difficult to punish. In Ultimate, it is much harder to use due to having noticeably less range

during the peak of the Golden Age. Pioneered Falco's punish game further, particularly by extending punishes using platforms and aerial Shine combos. By 2007

opponent, as they can capitalize on the opponent still being in hitlag and punish them or bait a certain reaction by using an attack with invincibility. Invincibility

him apart from them. Ridley's most defining trait is his potent and varied punish game and aerial pressure. With remarkably long range, high power, and decent

might be able to bait and punish with his up special to start combos, but it can become predictable over time, and it can be punished by characters with quick

relatively low end lag. This results in Mario being fairly difficult to punish relative to most of the cast. His combo game is quite flexible, as Mario

previous game and still possesses devastating punishes, her watered down combo game makes her early punish game and advantage less oppressive than before

Sephiroth forward and significantly lowers his hurtbox, giving him a way to punish more ranged attacks. Dash attack, despite being fairly punishable due to

allow Luigi to quickly and effectively punish opponents close to him while also rendering him being difficult to punish on shield. Forward smash deals extra

hard to punish on a blocked pin-down version, even with a successful powershield. The followups from the grounded hop can also be used to punish tech options

of this move to catch landings and punish whiffed moves is essential, although overuse and misuse is easily punished as it is unsafe on shield. Her forward

very few attacks come out as equally fast, and many attacks can be easily punished after being shielded. Due to this characteristic, simply approaching an

B tier. His placing on the tier list comes from having one of the best punishes in the game, as well as a solid neutral. However, he is held back due to

out the opponent quite easily, stuff out opposing approaches and adeptly punish most careless attacks. A prime example of this trait is Cloud's aerial attacks:

impossible to punish in some situations. Shuttle Loop has high knockback (especially at low percents), quick start-up, and is difficult to punish, as he can

mainly centered on the fundamentals of platform fighting: neutral game, punish game, and finishing (including raw KO power and edgeguarding). In Brawl

while being difficult for an opponent to punish due to its staying power, relative safety on shield and heavy punish abilities, making Incineroar very formidable

it easy for him to heavily punish mistakes, his sluggish frame data also makes counterattacks an excellent option to punish his many KO options if they

matchups than Melee or Brawl despite the Ice Climbers' expanded neutral and punish options. In the Project+ tier list, they are ranked 13th in the A tier,

carefully when close to Dr. Mario, as a single whiff could lead into a deadly punish. However, Dr. Mario's weaknesses outshine many of his strengths. His most

characters, which, in conjunction with his quick speed makes Joker hard to punish, and hard to hit. One of Joker's biggest strengths is his frame data. Many

reliant on Warp, which has no active hitbox and can be consistently two frame punished. Overall, Palutena is a simple but effective character at all levels of

or edgehog, and if Falcon chooses to land on the stage, he can be freely punished upon landing, resulting in him repeatedly being knocked off the stage.

him the ability to vary his recovery to make it incredibly difficult to punish him offstage, let alone gimp him. Meta Knight does have several weaknesses

combos, his grab is among the shortest-ranged in the game and can be easily punished if a grab misses. His moveset revolving around several projectiles means

while shielding. Generally, it is used to punish attacks when they are blocked, and is the most basic way to punish out of shield; in most cases, the attacker

and can be jumped out of -the mechanic known as parry- giving him unique punish opportunities when an opponent hits him during that startup animation. Although

aerials. This makes a Kirby playing defensively correctly rather difficult to punish. However, Kirby's defensive ability is hindered slightly by his average

speed of all three variations allows them to only work effectively as whiff punishes. While it's not impossible to use it in other contexts, it is far less

the middle ground between Fox's focus on pressure and Falco's focus on punishes. This is reflected in his attributes: he has a slow dashing speed (though

and his finishers are generally fast for their power, giving him a solid punish ability. While his air speed is slow, his aerial moveset is generally solid:

in Brawl. Altogether, Ganondorf's high power allows him to deal ruthless punishes when the opportunity arises, in addition to being capable of ending stocks

although her down tilt and down smash are solid power shield punishes. As a result, Zelda's strong punish game is not enough to make up for her poor mobility,

relatively low end lag. This results in Mario being fairly difficult to punish relative to most of the cast. His combo game is quite flexible, as Mario

even kill confirms, while in turn allowing her to reverse disadvantage and punish her opponent. Finally, Bayonetta has an oppressive offstage game thanks

to them causing higher shieldstun, making it difficult for opponents to punish tippers on shield. In addition, his overall frame data is very good, such

Jigglypuff has one of the most potent punish games out of all characters, yet is immune to most other characters' punishes; additionally, it cannot easily be

as well. Inhale has high ending lag, allowing other characters to easily punish him after he finishes the move. Gordo Toss's Gordos can be reflected back

recovery that does not cause helplessness, and Heaven's Door allowing him to punish shielding opponents, which is further boosted under the effects of Rage

it is far more likely an attempt at causing a shield poke, or to bait and punish a roll, grab, or spot dodge. Still, since gaps in shieldstun must exist

launching them with the last blow. You can adjust the laser beam's angle, so punish a foe who thought he or she was safe by trying to duck under the beam! Mii

small character who wields a sword. These factors make him difficult to punish, and in turn allow him to pressure his opponents. His speed also gives him

moveset has some effective attacks: down tilt functions as an amazing 2 frame punish and edgeguarding option thanks to its long duration and range, up tilt is

and startup of a majority of his moves, making him prone to getting parry punished or overwhelmed by faster moves. His recovery is also fairly exploitable

opponents with low shield health play more carefully around him, as he can punish any mistake extremely hard. As such, mistiming or overusing shields against

Its large hitbox also reaches beyond the ledge and allows it to 2 frame punish opponents. His down smash is fast, has good KO power (especially with the

opponent. This potentially improves his punishes. This makes his ledgetraps more efficient and allows him to punish rolls and cross ups much more easily.

down smash, which makes them hard to land and/or leave him exposed for a punish. In conclusion, Mega Man has a lot of tools to apply a lot of pressure with

guaranteed KO setups with Witch Time, and the ability to punish the opponent for trying to punish her due to the former move. Despite her strengths being

out the opponent quite easily, snuff out opposing approaches and adeptly punish most careless attacks due to his speed and range. A prime example of this

slightly more startup and are heavier on ending lag, making them easier to punish than other grab types if they miss. Pivot grab (known as CatchTurn internally)

maneuverability also makes him a great punisher, being able to swoop in, bait an attack, back away, and move back in to punish with one of his many fast aerials

reaction from the enemy. The Gunner's Grenade Launch, while being tough to punish, is able to cover a large range of angles, switch directions up to three

wavedashing. Players tend to get a grasp of how to bait out attacks and punish them, an important skill for succeeding all the way into high-level gameplay

handful of characters can punish the move on shield (although if Zero Suit Samus spaces the move well, even they cannot punish it). One problem the move

having a short range, which makes spacing essential for him to avoid getting punished. As mentioned within his reveal trailer, Little Mac performs strongly on

Consequently, characters with superior attack speed can easily overwhelm and punish him, especially if his attacks are whiffed. Most of Ike's out-of-shield

has very little ending lag, making it very difficult for an opponent to punish her for using it. This allows Rosalina to virtually shut down projectile-reliant

and a slow, short ledge roll, making it very easy for enemies to extend punishes on Pichu with little that the Pichu player can do to escape. Furthermore

combos/multi hits which would normally work and they can even potentially punish the opponent after getting hit. This does overall depend on the strength

recovery move and is also Hero's fastest and most reliable out of shield punish. Woosh can be charged into Swoosh, granting more vertical distance and horizontal

with its slower startup, this makes it much safer and more difficult to punish, even being safe on shield if spaced, and due to its low cooldown, it can

intangible, it is difficult to hit during Quick Attack's warps, making it hard to punish if Pikachu uses it effectively. The move's intangibility combined with its

opponents thanks to its consistent hitbox, although it can also be used as to punish opponents from out of shield when it is SHFF'd. Palutena's grounded moveset

aerial, which can also make him difficult to punish if the opponent stands too close to him and mistimes its punish. However, King Dedede has numerous weaknesses

and explosion also makes it relatively easy for the opponent to tech and punish the move's ending animation, a maneuver known as the Tech Check. Main article:

has weaknesses. His subpar tech roll and bad combo weight make it easy to punish and fatally chain Lucas if he makes a mistake. He also has short range and

player to avoid damage, not be as easily punished, have more control over their actions, and be able to punish their opponent's attacks. Dash-dance pivots

combo breaker. It can also lock, which gives Greninja access to potent punishes from opponents missing techs. Its down tilt is an excellent combo starter

player to avoid damage, not be as easily punished, have more control over their actions, and be able to punish their opponent's attacks. Dash-dance pivots

as a consistent whiff punish kill confirm. Down smash’s higher knockback and faster frame data gives it more potency as a punish option, ledgetrapping

cheap when players have difficulty countering it and may be difficult to punish. Juggling an opponent involves spamming the up tilt, up aerial, or up smash

the precision required to punish rolls with the move. However, it's still slow, has a clear visual cue, and can be punished very easily as the move can

such as his Shoryuken and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, allowing his opponent to punish him for landing those moves. Finally, Ken is forced to approach in a lot

for around half a second; effective ways to punish her are to edgehog her in Melee and Brawl, and 2 frame punish in Smash 4 and Ultimate. The re-entry of

for opponents to escape due to hitbox placement. The move can be used to punish rolls or even stage spike if positioned properly. However, there is a hitbox

good amount of range making them solid whiff punishers however, they can leave the user vulnerable for a punish if the down tilt is blocked or if their opponent

bit harder to punish. For all its potential, however, Rest infamously possesses extremely high ending lag, making it very easy to punish if whiffed, though

to now punish the move on shield (including Bayonetta), in addition to the move becoming -5 on powershield, opening up more power shield punish opportunities

extend combos, while the latter can quickly rack up damage and set up strong punishes. Ness's recovery has improved in Ultimate thanks to buffs to PK Thunder

and create more time for the character to act, potentially avoiding being punished during the move's landing lag. Precise auto-canceling of aerials is also

Mega Man or shield the explosion. Both projectiles easily lead to a grab punish as Mega Man owns a great grab combo ability, having a fast grab and many

heavily limits the opponent's ability to punish Ness if he absorbs a projectile but it can even allow Ness to punish opponents after absorbing projectiles

most lag and prevent themselves from being on the wrong end of potential punish opportunities while on the floor (known as a “missed tech”). A successful

Sheik's nerfs mainly impacted her punish game but she still had the tools needed in order to win neutral and get her punish game going. Sheik was very likely

attacks are fast, short-ranged, weak attacks meant for easy close-range punishes or escaping pressure. Almost all neutral attacks in the series are natural

overall disjointed range in the game. Shulk's excellent range allows him to punish careless moves by retaliating at a distance, or create space by challenging

options, allowing her to reliably punish relatively safe moves. However, these moves are still not fast enough to punish ordinarily safe moves and Zelda

in its ending animation, punishing foes who attempt to DI close to him to punish the ending lag. Bowser Bomb is now a much safer move; in addition to its

the aforementioned projectile and chain grab users, and that the enhanced punish game means that small mistakes become far more consequential (similarly

simply walking or dashing up to the opponent. Walking is slow and can be punished. However, this method can be unpredictable due to its rarity, and allows

also auto-cancel on a short hop, which grants it utility for out of shield punishes and potential zero-to-death combos. Despite its poor range, Pikachu also

and it also lacks a hitbox when she reappears, leaving her vulnerable to punishes when he tries to land. All of these factors contribute to Zelda having

with high knockback but has a very slow startup, making the move easy to punish. It has recoil damage both in the beginning and when Charizard hits something

get an opponent on top of a platform and Rest can be used after that to punish their tech option. Up aerials can be used to cause the opponent to miss

certain characters and, if they are moving, can make it a bit harder to punish. For all its potential, however, Rest has the slowest interruptibility in

As such, the move is rarely used in competitive play, apart from hard punishes or setting up sacrificial KOs while having a stock lead. In Ultimate, the

the harsher Project M environment, where many characters now have tools to punish and gimp Fox harshly for mistakes that players make with him. Overall, he

opponent's shield until they choose an option to escape, which Roy can then punish. Roy's neutral attack is useful thanks to its KO confirms into his forward

in competitive play, thanks to his high reward potential and devastating punish game. However, despite his success and great potential, Ryu's tier ranking

from a down tilt or neutral aerial at low percentages. If Peach 2 frame punishes the opponent with a down tilt, she can follow with a golf club. The tennis

landing back on stage and also providing a consistent option for her to punish certain attacks and even projectiles. When coupled with Rosalina's reliable

and all having very minimal ending lag, making her extremely difficult to punish properly; this is supplemented by the good range of her moveset. She also

it is a lunging tackle that can start combos at varying percents, 2 frame punish reliably, function as a pseudo-crawl, and is his best spacing option in

reactions, to properly edgeguard Pikachu. Pikachu's other strength is its solid punish game; although Pikachu is fast and light, it still possesses several ways

than conventional counters; the distance the move covers allows Lucario to punish the opponent when countering a projectile, and the fact that the strength

slathering boatloads of damage onto the opposition from a single whiff-punish. At percents too high for a combo, it's still useful as one of the Climbers'

to be punished. For it to be a reliable crossup, the King K. Rool player must space dash attack to cross up in a way that leaves it harder to punish, which

in the game. Pikachu can easily approach its opponent to start its strong punish game and Pikachu also has the tools to play a more defensive game if it

additionally mostly have poor to mediocre reach. This results in him being easily punished when his attacks are shielded, and complicates safe approaches. His projectile

landing options and slow falling speed, opponents will also have more time to punish Samus as she attempts to return to the stage. In addition, many of her moves

quite punishable if they miss. At a distance, one can even use Quick Draw to punish floor recoveries and floor attacks because of the move's ability to be held

quickly uncharged Water Shuriken can allow Greninja to recover fast enough to punish with options such as a dash grab. Aside from recovery/edgeguarding applications

it at the opponent for it to work, it is integral to his kit and lets him punish missed attacks, have a strong advantage in the neutral game, create extremely

that does not actually fix the problem with planking, and it can unfairly punish a player who exceeded the ledge grab limit from being kept offstage often

can swerve away from opponents if it hits shield to potentially escape a punish. While up aerial can also be drop canceled, the utility is little to none

always leads to a KO. They argue that wobbling's guaranteed stock loss punishes opponents too severely for making small mistakes, and forces opponents

attacks, Wario is able to dip in and out of the fray to bait attacks and punish. Wario's attacks in general also tend to be disjointed, as his hands don't

disjointed hitbox above Marth's head which can hit through the stage and punish people standing near the ledge. However the move doesn't travel far horizontally

is a strategy that limits the opponent's options and provides a chance to punish their reaction. Using his forward and back aerials in a short hop is also

Fox's traction is higher (0.0667 (2) → 0.08), making it easier for him to punish out of shield. Fox's air speed is much slower (1.2 (36) → 0.83), going from

and good spacing can sometimes potentially also make them difficult to punish as well. Her dash attack is fast by swordfighter standards, coming out on

bottom five. Finally, Roy's long extended dash-dance allows him to read and punish opponents accordingly. However, his laggy initial dash (17 frames) and turnaround

of time to punish Marth. This can often lead into a stock, even at very low percents as opponents can either charge a very powerful punish or begin a devastating

used on or above the stage, Jigglypuff's opponents have a lot of time to punish Rest, and when it is used off-stage, it leads to a guaranteed self-destruct

Marth's moves, it is easily punished if shielded. Marth's Counter, the fastest counter in the game, can be used to punish opponent attacks and interrupt

Ultimate is particularly effective due to its solid power and difficulty to punish. Zelda's back aerial is one of her Lightning Kicks, and deals very high

together, they can be difficult to approach, as one can cover the other and punish opponents when in danger. They also have good KO potential, thanks to Luma's

combined with its fast startup for a smash attack. It's also a powerful punish option. However, it has noticeable ending lag, it's unsafe on shield and

from a down tilt or neutral aerial at low percentages. If Daisy 2 frame punishes the opponent with a down tilt, she can follow with a golf club. The tennis

Mii Swordfighter's moveset, especially on the ground, can be quite easy to punish, especially by quick, powerful characters like Little Mac. The Mii Swordfighter

landing options and slow falling speed, opponents will also have more time to punish Dark Samus as she attempts to return to the stage. Similarly to Samus, Dark

combos. Neutral aerial's hitbox has a long duration, which allows it to punish air dodges or start combos upon landing as the opponent is being hit. Forward

of parry against attacks with multiple hits. Flare Blitz is a strong hard-punish attack that effectively tech chases opponents and inflicts significant damage

smash and down tilt. Her screw attack also offers a quick and difficult-to-punish out of shield option, due to being invincible for the first couple frames

Pac-Man is holding while attacking, allowing Pac-Man to run away and possibly punish the opponent. Update 2.0.0 then buffed Pac-Man's combo potential by making

Bowser's attacks have notoriously sluggish frame data, and are easy to punish. As a result, Bowser ironically has trouble KOing opponents despite his

potentially valuable resources. His up smash and down tilt leave him vulnerable to punish should he miss, and while Steve's tool attacks are fast, they have short

Infinite Dimensional Cape are usually banned and the guilty parties are punished accordingly. However, some glitches are deemed positive to the overall

Lucario to keep close to the opponent so that it never misses a chance to punish and tack on damage, which is a problem against faster close-range fighters

dropping is to punish the use of moves on a shielding player on a platform, as it allows players to quickly do an aerial out of shield to punish ending lag

The sheer number of rapid multihits can make it even more difficult to punish since it's hard to make out the ending animation amongst two Climbers in

real method of dealing with pressure is Whirling Fortress, which can be punished if executed too late. Some of his moves are also inevitable KOs if used

due to its very weak knockback, and dash attack's is mostly used as a fast punish option and its low power can actually allow it to combo, though it can be

granting him a decent combo game, this trait makes him both difficult to punish and very effective at punishing. However, the multipliers applied to some

Jigglypuff's constant aerial playstyle, and can punish opponents who overuse shields in an attempt to punish Jigglypuff out of shield. In Super Smash Bros

floating low to the ground and using retreating aerials makes her difficult to punish, and this greatly helps her own approach as well. With good spacing, she

hits connect. The last hit deals moderate knockback, making it difficult to punish and allowing it to KO at high precents, as well as being rarely escaped

could punish it on-hit with a back aerial and produces a slight wind effect a small distance outside its grab to make it more difficult to punish. It also

knockback-based armor, making weak hits glance off and allow for a quick punish. Giga Bowser's gigantic size also gives him incredible reach, even with

great out of shield options with Soaring Axe Kick having excellent range to punish disjointed attacks and retreating aerials, Helicopter Kick coming out as

than Link's (0.113 → 0.105), making it slightly harder for Young Link to punish out of shield. Young Link's air friction is slightly lower (0.0038 → 0.00375)

mechanic as the only wake-up option that can be used afterwards, allowing for a punish as the opponent stands up. The character will stand up in an identical animation

time ends, which can cause unsuspecting opponents attempting to punish them to get punished themselves instead. From Brawl onward, however, every character

forward smash to send opponents off-stage. Its greater power up close can also punish overzealous opponents who carelessly step into Roy's threat zone, allowing

of endlag, making them fairly risky to throw out and easy for him to be punished. His projectiles are also easily predictable to see coming and avoid which

able to reliably take stocks around 70%. Aside from the typical hard read/punish that most f-smashes serve as, such a fast instance of the move is great

who would occasionally interrupt gameplay (or even save a player from a punish) and the fact that the ducks, which would increase the score on the bottom

has to win more neutral exchanges to compensate for the lack of stronger punishes, while his KO ability is still weaker than Roy's, most notably with Double-Edge

close range. On power shield, more characters could punish the move but even they could only punish if they had a very quick neutral attack or tilt, which

moves are also helpful for his gameplan. Giant Punch is his surprise KO and punish move, can be used to pressure the opponent, and has super armor if fully

hit has a slightly longer duration (frame 14-15 → 14-16), enabling it to punish rolls better than Mario's. Down smash has less reach (12u/6.8u (front) and

throws have decent damage outputs and minimal lag, which make them hard to punish. Incidentally, his grab game is decent overall. While none of his grabs

Barrel Cannon below may be considered a gimmick, but it is very easy to punish players shooting upwards out of the barrel, and it is also impossible to

it is harder for her to punish out of shield with an up smash or dash attack. Some of her laggier moves are also easier to punish out of shield compared

restricts Lucario to using a bait and punish playstyle, as it cannot safely perform rushdowns without getting punished most of the time. This gives Lucario

Technically, this counts as a buff, thanks to it making the window for jab locked punishes on Min Min less lenient. However, Min Min was yet again nerfed in a few

Diddy Kong's punish game but Diddy still retained his strong mobility and moveset, allowing him to still easily win neutral and get his punish game going

Yoshi has significantly higher traction (0.0426 → 0.095), allowing him to punish out of shield much more easily. Yoshi's jump height has been slightly reduced

notably prevalent in competitive play, whether as part of a true combo or to punish an opponent air dodging out of those moves. The new rage mechanic naturally

incredibly threatening character with a very unforgiving advantage state and punish game if their opponent is unable to KO the partner climber quickly. Despite

to counter with attacks alone, although its ending lag makes it easily punished. If used in the air, the move has an extremely laggy ending animation regardless

when Bowser lands with his shell, which makes the move slightly harder to punish. He also grants intangibility on his arms and legs in midair (frames 14-60)

fighters to tied for the 11th highest out of 39, making it easier for him to punish out of shield. Mario's air speed is higher (0.86 → 0.94), improving his

the backward bounce upon hitting a foe preventing the attack from being punished with a shield grab, it is still generally unsafe due to its long lag making

stuck in place longer than usual, which buys the climbers some extra time to punish. What's more, it hits pretty hard, and covers them on all sides, so it can

undisputed best Peach player of all time. Armada was known for his unforgiving punish and edgeguarding game, and for holding positive matchups against almost

vulnerable, it may even get players unaware of this obscure mechanic's existence punished for trying to use a getup attack near food. Food comes in many varieties

has more ending lag and is significantly weaker, making it much easier to punish and far less reliable for KOing, eliminating one of her most useful KO moves

Kong include most of his attacks having heavy ending lag (making it easy to punish most of his attacks if he misses), being very vulnerable to meteor smash

floating low to the ground and using retreating aerials makes her difficult to punish, and this greatly helps her own approach as well, because with good spacing

and long start and end lag render Ike vulnerable to many combo setups and punishes. His tall height is also considered a drawback, as it makes his hurtbox

attacks, but it has high ending lag, is predictable, and an opponent can punish him with a grab. It is useful as a surprise KO move, and on stages with

through momentum canceling, and significantly increases the chance of getting punished for landing a hit. While some players argue in support of the mechanic

longer, this means that Kirby either has to use his grab or back aerial to punish a majority of moves out of shield. Kirby's damage output and KO potential

too confident or too hesitant with this move, which can probably get one punished. Overall, up tilt is too situational of a move to be used properly unless

Mechakoopas will deactivate if colliding with a shield, making him susceptible to punishes, and as his traction is among the lowest in the game, this gives him a

projectiles with low cooldown, as it has enough ending lag for an opponent to punish K.Rool if they dodge the reflected projectile. It is also possible to reflect

opponents, but must be careful when throwing out normal attacks to avoid being punished due to the end lag that many of them have, thus making it a patient fighter

an attack in the cases where Marth would commonly use Counter, and then punish him with a grab or delayed powerful attack such as a charged smash. Another

used to reflect a wave of incoming projectiles such as Falco's laser, to punish camping. In Melee, the technique is known as power shielding (named for

generous edge sweetspot range, making it hard for certain characters to 2 frame punish them, and due to its deceptive startup hitbox, it can be used to gimp off-stage

Kong's traction is higher (0.0567 (1.7) → 0.08), making it easier for him to punish out of shield. Donkey Kong's jumpsquat is shorter (6 frames → 5). Donkey

Swordfighter will bounce back, giving it some shield safety, although this can be punished if the opponent knows how it interacts. Against non-shielding opponents

its hitboxes make it extremely unsafe on hit, allowing Luigi to be easily punished or grabbed when he hits someone with the move, while the move is also expectedly

longest tech rolls and ledge rolls in the game, which can make her hard to punish even if a roll is expected. These attributes give her overall good mobility

recovery options. Dancing Blade is a four-hit combo that can be used to punish sidesteps and rolls, as well as effectively rack up damage. The final upward

pressure and poke with his tilts and aerials without leaving himself open to punishes. His Blaster, despite being nerfed, is an invaluable tool in Fox's arsenal

speed, power, reach, or hitbox placement, giving him a powerful neutral and punish game. He also has great comboing ability, having combo starters such as

also makes his poor traction much more of a liability, as the inability to punish out of shield exacerbates approaching and mobility problems. The introduction

provides respectable vertical recovery and its first hit can be used to punish aerial and post-recovery opponents by spiking them at point-blank with the

is a strategy that limits the opponent's options and provides a chance to punish their reaction. Using his down aerial in a short hop is also a good approach

above Falcon. This move comes out fast as well, and is great to approach or punish. Falcon Kick, as with Falcon Punch, has its fire effects rendered as 2D

auto-canceling with short hops, which weakens his options to approach or punish opponents. His other aerials (except forward aerial) have increased landing

to read an opponent; a fighter may read an opponent's action and input a punish, but instead, the opponent trips, keeping them out of the reach of the attack

utility and/or KO power, while the speed of his moves allows him to easily punish opponents out of shield. However, Falco's neutral game has been drastically

attacks; while this can be alleviated with L-cancelling, they can still be punished, requiring Link players to carefully set up combos and KO moves. Link also

scaling and vertical launch angle, and is also very susceptible to being punished on whiff, while not being very safe on shield even if he somehow crosses

Snake's traction is higher (0.0542 → 0.08). This makes it easier for him to punish out of shield but shortens the distance of his new wavedash. Jump squat

of the cast. This means that Donkey Kong can no longer get a guaranteed punish on his opponent if he breaks out of their grab. The changes to hitstun canceling

to disciplinary action if proven to have occurred. Cheating is usually punished if discovered, though not every situation is black and white. Not all cases

higher shieldstun at close range, which makes her slightly more difficult to punish out of shield compared to Marth's sourspotted moves. Lastly, Lucina is slightly

as aforementioned, which foes can easily use as an amplified and deadly punish. Battering items such as the Fan, Lip's Stick, or the Beam Sword have their

dropped and any attempt by the opponent to approach would be instantly punished with the Final Smash. As of the 4.0.0 update, a charged FS Meter now has

is rather small, making it only good at surprise, quickly get downward or punish laggy moves. Falcon Dive sends him upwards with some horizontal movement

top of this, the move has lots of endlag, meaning missing it is an easy punish for your opponents. This is offset by the fact that it has the capability

Electroshock Arm, which can grant him opportunities to net KOs in the form of hard punishes. Nevertheless, Dark Pit's differences from Pit are not all that significant

are directly touching him, which hampers his juggle ability and overall punish game, and gives him a hard time hitting smaller characters. Finally, his

possibly allowing for a powerful punish if the opponent tries to jump in. This gives Donkey Kong better bait and punish tactics that would otherwise be

up in landing lag by the time Mario's down aerial ends, allowing Mario to punish them. This means only characters with fast attacks can reliably escape the

attack to cross-up behind Marth. Marth misses the shield grab and gets punished as a result. Snake's dash attack being used to "cross-up" behind Kirby

speed let it function as a great KO option out of a down-throw or even to punish foes on platforms. Ivysaur's new down-special, Seed Bomb, is perhaps its

grants. His dash grab covers a long distance, making it relatively hard to punish. His down aerial is one of the fastest of its kind, while his forward smash

result, the attacking player will often throw out an unexpected move which punishes the player for their DI. Powerful horizontal moves are most frequently

and the move is a hard hitter as well and can also KO, but it is easily punished if shielded. Ganondorf's aerials are also very strong; all have high knockback

another jump, but such options are committal and can lead to an even further punish. Altogether, Ivysaur fills the "zoner" role for Pokemon Trainer's lineup

epitome of risk versus reward. Its aura rewards it for falling behind and punishes it for pulling ahead, encouraging close matches and come-from-behind victories

reach for a projectile and is very easy to SDI out of, making it easy to punish. PK Thunder is Ness' most useful special move; it is unique for controlling

up tilt, and his smashes. The speed and reach of his attacks allow him to punish effectively on the ground as well as in the air, and their solid damage

it is lower relative to the cast. While this makes it easier for him to punish out of shield, it also means that his new wavedash covers below average

acceleration increased. This significantly worsens Jigglypuff's approach, punish and spacing abilities that constituted its outstanding neutral game in Melee

shield. The clean hit is -5 on shield, which allows some characters to grab punish Link as long as they have sufficient grab range and high enough traction

further increased, which in turn improves its KO potential or as a way to punish rolls. However, Link's Bomb is perhaps the most versatile weapon within

play aggressively against projectile users, who may have the ability to punish Donkey Kong if he gets close. Most of Donkey Kong's attacks involving his

the first few frames of his spin dash animation, making the move harder to punish. 7.0.0 Its meteor smashing hitboxes have received a -100% trip chance, preventing

its range, power (especially with a Purple), and how difficult it is to punish, while a Purple up smash can KO in the 80%'s if fresh (while players would

pseudo-crawl. Neutral attack's first two hits can jab lock, while dash attack can punish landings and whiffed attacks very effectively, and down smash's back hit

interchangeably with his others to attack with unpredictable timing and as a hard punish for an untimely airdodge or shield drop. Its high shieldstun and good coverage

guesses right, they successfully defend themselves and are possibly able to punish the attacker. If the defender guesses wrong, the attacker can deal massive

had superior mobility and frame data to allow their aggressive play and punish game to shine even more. However, all three kinds of Miis were quickly looked

helps the grounded version, as it has more range to punish moves from further away, allowing it to punish even more moves OoS. The grounded version of the

are directly touching him, which hampers his juggle ability and overall punish game, and gives him a hard time hitting smaller characters. Finally, his

risky to use it when close to the opponent. It is also prone to being whiff punished if overused. One notable use of Ftilt is for shifting Donkey Kong's hurtbox

last for very short times. This makes it far riskier to use his grab for punishes compared to other characters. This is further burdened by his unimpressive

attacks (up smash and down smash) tend to have enough ending lag to be easily punished in most situations, leaving him using only his forward smash for easy on-stage

ruler of Angel Land along with the Goddess of Darkness, Medusa. After she punishes Medusa for her hatred of humans by turning her into a monster and banishing

large area of effect makes it useful as both a burst option and a 2 frame punish. Although situational, its clean hitbox is nevertheless capable of KOing

retaining an excellent combo game, and makes her exceedingly difficult to punish. However, Sheik retains a low overall damage output, mediocre smash attacks

air dodge, allowing him to jump through moves with invincibility and whiff punish. While Ness's aerials make him a formidable fighter at close quarters, he

Gunner's tilts can be used to similar effect and with less chance of being punished. Players looking for a reliable recovery should probably consider one of

been improved across the board, making him more effective with a bait-and-punish style of setting traps and rushing down caught opponents. 1.1.0 The animation

discovered that Mr. Game & Watch had potential, such as his raw power and strong punish game that allowed for flashy combos, his flaws and bad matchups have hindered

slowest in the game in terms of startup (which is his fastest out of shield punish on both normal shield and even powershield) and he has poor rolls, this

damage output of the move that triggered it, which infamously allows it to punish weak and quick attacks (such as jabs) with as much efficiency as slow and

Wolf's traction is higher (0.07 → 0.09). This makes it easier for him to punish out of shield. The first hit of neutral attack deals slightly more damage

among the best chain throws in the game, many characters can be easily punished while approaching Dedede. His down throw can chain throw many characters

variations of regular grabs have more ending lag, making them easier to punish if missed. Conversely, extended grabs have less ending lag, no longer leaving

have Arsene. However, down tilt does have drawbacks. While difficult to punish, down tilt is also -7 on shield, which makes it punishable if not spaced

excellent for baiting the opponent and makes it very difficult to whiff punish. In addition to its very low endlag, it grants Mr. Game & Watch invincibility

game being laggy to the point of leaving her highly vulnerable to being punished if her grabs whiff. As she is still a lightweight, she is also susceptible

Squirtle a flexible game plan, either functioning as an effective bait-and-punish character or a quick rushdown character. Squirtle also has the ability to

the best in Melee to the 7th highest. This also makes it harder for her to punish out of shield, and due to the removal of wavedashing the benefits she receives

deals consistent damage unlike Marth's version. Dancing Blade can be used to punish sidesteps and boasts damage-racking, mix-up, KO and even recovery potential

interruptible pseudo-sidestep, granting him a chance to dodge possible punishes from his opponents. If Shulk puts up their shield during these 14 frames

especially powerful finishers. However, his moves are laggy and easy to punish if they aren't landed. His grab is also ranged, being one of the three tether

does not in a short hop. As a result, it is unsafe on shield and easy to punish if it whiffs, much like Snake's other aerials. Overall, back aerial is a

because Captain Falcon is put into helpless, the move is relatively easy to punish after a whiff. 11.0.0 Falcon Dive's throw has significantly less ending

direction, can potentially hit foes behind him, allowing him to avoid a possible punish after using the move or edgeguard foes offstage and recover at the same

provides respectable vertical recovery and its first hit can be used to punish aerial and post-recovery opponents by spiking them at point-blank with the

their respective up special, the opponent can wall jump tech the throw and punish the character during endlag. This technique is controversial in the Captain

extra ledge options. In Melee lasers can be punished if a player is aware in advance, and spaced by ledge to punish it.

attacks, Wario is able to dip in and out of the fray to bait attacks and punish. In spite of its poor speed, Wario has a formidable ground game as well

passing through the Phantom (including rolling or air dodging through) can be punished by Zelda due to the relatively low end-lag of the move. The uncharged version

spacing of their hits to either land all of them or get the opportunity to punish opponents after they SDI out. SDI remains particularly effective in Brawl

descent. It also emits a shockwave upon landing, making it difficult to punish if not at point-blank range. Lastly, Stone causes Kirby to plummet straight

much safer, though it also means shielding opponents are now more likely to punish mispaced aerials as easily. The nerfs to shield grabbing alleviate the negative

KO'd will allow Jigglypuff to wake up before they can respawn and make a punish attempt. This technique also works in the original Super Smash Bros. against

aerial moves. If she only attacks with a sliding kick, she can bait and punish air dodge opponents with a timed, charged smash attack. The attack also

and is active for less time overall, making the move slightly harder to punish. The move’s window of frames which reflect projectiles was extended, and

dodge active, even during vulnerability frames, making air dodges easier to punish on land, and thus riskier to use close to the ground. To prevent this, some

result, Counter Throw is a low-lag option that allows the Brawler to heavily punish enemy mistakes, but is very inconsistent due to its flaws. It can be considered

SDI), this property allows characters to "tank" attacks at low percents to punish them more effectively, and is likewise the main factor behind crouch canceling's

of the two lower platforms on Dream Land), though Pikachu may be able to punish their tech option. It is a good and vital way to start a combo. Pikachu

pressure them more effectively, but also allows them to cancel shieldstun and punish Duck Hunt more easily if they shield 10 hits or more. Forward tilt: Forward

potentially potent edgeguard breaker, characters with reflectors can easily punish and gimp Luigi as a result, on top of its high ending lag. His Super Jump

Neutral attack is also useful for jab canceling, while dash attack can punish landings and whiffed attacks very effectively, and down smash's back hit

slower grab and up smash, this significantly hinders Charizard's ability to punish out of shield. Rolls have decreased ending lag (FAF 35 (forward)/FAF 36

Electroshock Arm, which can grant him opportunities to net KOs in the form of hard punishes. Regardless, both Pit's differences are not all that significant, and it

its heightened level of risk, with virtually any character being able to punish it with a smash attack out of shield. 3.0.0 Neutral attack's finisher has

halts its momentum when landing with Skull Bash. This makes it easier to punish and prevents Pikachu from auto-snapping the ledge shortly after it lands

Falcon does not hit a target during the dash, he falls down and is easily punished. In an even worse case, if he falls off an edge with this move in Super

transformation into Zero Suit Samus takes quite a while, and thus is easily punished. Even characters KOed by the Final Smash are often able to return to the

Cheshire, to whom Cereza would confide her feelings. With Rosa having been punished with perpetual prison for her transgression, Cereza was eventually taken

is meant to break a shield then punish the resulting shield break with a KO. Similarly, this move is Marth's best punish for a whiffed Rest. Shield Breaker's

→ 0.08) giving him a longer wavedash than Link, but makes him harder to punish out of shield. Young Link's fast falling speed is much lower (3 → 2.2) making

higher percentages. However, it has some ending lag, which makes it easy to punish if shielded. Up tilt   9% (clean), 6% (late) A twirling-turn upwards slash

This also means that with proper spacing, her aerial moves are hard to punish on shield at maximum distance, allowing her to easily break shields with

long-range depending on the matchup to ensure they aren't punished. Neutral attack is a good way to punish jump-in attempts, keeping them in place to allow the

traction is slightly higher (0.0533 (1.6) → 0.06), making it easier for him to punish out of shield. Mario's jumpsquat is longer (3 frames → 4). Mario's air speed

and down aerial. Peach and Daisy's full jump height can also be used to punish overaggressive combatants or overzealous players who like to jump the gun

intercept a recovering opponent as the leading edge of the spin hits low to punish opponents who recover on stage or fail to sweetspot. R.O.B.'s down special

Isabelle significant movement. Dash attack typically serves as a potential punish tool, as well as occasionally an extremely safe, distanced neutral poke

of finishers, while also making it deceptively difficult to intercept or punish. Like Cloud's up aerial, the immediate auto-canceling of this move is possibly

no longers suffers from the risk of changing Pokémon and being heavily punished for it. As for its individual buffs, Charizard is much faster both in terms

on certain stages. This allows it to be used as a very consistent 2-frame punish move that can be safely performed on stage, made even more dangerous by

however, the Climbers' traction is higher, making it easier for them to punish out of shield although it remains the second lowest traction in the game

characters makes it an excellent whiff punishment option or as an option to punish landings, especially since the player can charge the up smash to make it

power, consistent and repetitive damage, and a very large hitbox that can punish rolls very effectively. Overall, it does 10% damage when fresh in SSB, 11%

where R.O.B. does not move as far into the Z-axis, allowing his opponents to punish his rolls sooner despite their increased intangibility. Air dodge has less

smash them, while her neutral attack, forward tilt and forward smash can punish and/or surprise opponents behind her, thanks to their backward hitboxes

autocancel immediately, however, which makes the move extremely difficult to punish, and with Sonic's outstanding neutral game, his up aerial can still be consistently

to conclude that the player spams smash attacks and is frequently whiff punished, and should train to break that habit. Another example is a player that

grab is also much laggier making it far less spammable and much easier to punish. His damage output is also lower and his forward and up tilts are laggier

especially when comparing with the returning veterans, making it harder to punish out of shield while providing minimal benefits due to the removal of wavedashing

forward smash connects, it sends the opponent above her, allowing her to punish them with aerials. Forward smash has slightly higher end lag (FAF 65 → 66)

this makes his poor traction much more of a liability, as his inability to punish out of shield with wavedashing is a more significant problem in Brawl. The

highest in Melee to only the 17th highest. This makes it harder for it to punish out of shield while providing marginal benefits in comparison due to the

it is charging, it will disappear harmlessly, causing endlag that can be punished, so the player must release the button at the right time. Lucas does not

Transform takes much longer to complete. This allows the opponent to set up a punish on Zelda for simply performing the move, and renders Sheik's ability to

Zelda). He still retains his trademark extreme power, granting him a powerful punish game. He also benefits from the removal of chain grabbing, meaning he can

dash-forward animation, only for the player to dash backwards and quickly punish the end lag of such attacks by doubling-back. As players can also jump out

opponents directly next to Falco's legs. As a result, it is mostly used to punish landings from above Falco, and can no longer be used as an all-purpose smash

vertical coverage of the three ARMS and makes it an extremely effective 2-frame punish while angled down. Charged smash attacks done with the Ramram also have

Bowser's traction is slightly higher, making it slightly easier for him to punish out of shield. As with the returning veterans, Bowser's falling speed is

recovery. These factors make Photon Edge very vulnerable to projectiles, punishes, and aerial attacks from above or below, leaving her wide open if she fails

7th highest in Melee to the 11th highest. This makes it harder for him to punish out of shield. Given the lack of wavedashing in the game, it does not provide

all mutually exclusive and thus gives opponents a perfect opportunity to punish Lucas if they manage to shield it. Lucas can also have problems scoring

with Luigi for the lowest in the game. While this makes it harder for it to punish out of shield, it gives Squirtle a longer wavedash. The introduction of

intangibility, however, and is long enough that an opponent can potentially time a punish and strike Sephiroth during his vulnerability. The barrier resembles a reflector

of these traits, it also makes him a surprisingly difficult character to punish when it is used properly. In addition, his aerials' speed and ranges make

walking, running, jumping, etc. However, such moves can often be very easy to punish if the opponent anticipates them, though a move's punishability is on a

one in will result in a competent opponent waiting until the move's lag to punish, or simply using a grab, which is immune to counterattacks. While unblockable

disadvantageous situations, and can be used to punish moves that would otherwise be difficult for even her to properly punish. Successfully activating Foresight with

survivability advantage on Dream Land and Marth's elevated chaingrab and punish game versus spacies on Final Destination), players began arguing in favor

ending lag that it has no true followups. As a result, it is mostly used to punish grounded openings, in comparison to the anti-air strengths of up tilt. Despite

returning veterans, however, Samus' traction is higher, allowing her to punish out of shield easier. Her overall projectile and finishing games have been

release as downloadable content, due to her powerful combos and ability to punish even weak moves with Witch Time. These concerns were exacerbated by update

run through and attack Zelda, meaning the move will give opponents a free punish if they are alert and not too far away. The only appropriate scenario to

includes mindgaming opponents, catching rolls, or simply making an offstage punish even more powerful. Although the move can be reversed in Melee like all

the attack can be interrupted very soon, making the move very difficult to punish especially when spaced properly. Fully charged, the move is still capable

from the best in Melee to the 10th highest. This makes it harder for him to punish out of shield and due to the removal of wavedashing, its benefits do not

Falcon. As Olimar is a slow character, speed demons can easily catch up and punish him if he tries to retreat to pluck more Pikmin, while Olimar himself finds

which along with its relaitvely low ending lag, makes it very difficult to punish to shield. The only notable downsides with the move is that it is less effective

Falcon can space the move to make it safe on shield (and he can use grab to punish opponents trying to shield up smash). Up Smash is overall considered to

shield but it is unsafe against certain characters (although they cannot punish if the move crosses up). The move can be used as an approach option or as

though it is still lower than in Melee. This makes it easier for her to punish out of shield compared to Brawl while giving her a longer wavedash than

uncomplicated combos (typically initiated from a dash grab) and occasional punishes. Diddy Kong was an example prior to his nerfs in version 1.0.6, as his

situations where it would be wrongly prioritised and cause K. Rool to be punished; it also made off-stage reshoots much less consistent. This new searchbox

fist becomes intangible. This gives him an enormous disjointed attack that punishes many approaches, particularly those from swordfighters. Considering its

Furthermore, the severe stale-move negation is sometimes argued to unfairly punish characters with fewer reliable KO options, such as Samus and R.O.B., as

to land all four hits, particularly if Snake is moving, making it easy to punish if it whiffs one of its hits. While the move can auto-cancel due to its

the move from being a solid invincibility option and makes it easier to punish. The aforementioned reductions to the move's mobility also prevents Mach

Fair. Several moves including Stilleto, Wicked Weaves, Heel Stomp, Slap Punish Attack, Tetsuzanko, Bullet Climax, Heel Slide, After Burner Kick, Witch

because of particularly severe afflictions involved with the mechanic that punish him for not swapping Pokémon constantly - an issue compounded by the sluggish

complete. Even at lower percents, the opponent can mash out of the sleep and punish Jigglypuff before Jigglypuff has even finished singing. Jigglypuff can use

sides. A good KO/edgeguard move, also a decent way to space. Usually used to punish techs/rolls. Neutral aerial Mario Kick (マリオキック) 14% (clean), 11% (late)

land, and said lack of horizontal reach limits it ability to effectively punish out of shield despite the fast startup. Because the move's projectile properties

cancel by using Disable, stunning the opponent so the player can choose what punish to go for. This technique has been used consistently in tournament by Mewtwo

to bait out reactions from opponents, making it easy to followup with a punish once the bomb latches on. With its relatively long range, it is good for

nor ever referred to by official sources, For Glory contained a system to punish players that were implicated as a problem through the built-in report system

A move to be punished where it would otherwise be safe without a power shield cancel. A move which can be punished with a stronger punish than what would

Link's traction is higher (0.0547 → 0.08). This makes it easier for him to punish out of shield but due to the introduction of wavedashing, it shortens the

it is very fast in both start-up and ending lag and many characters can't punish it when spaced properly. Can easily be done twice in a short hop and is

especially at the tip and high startup lag and ending lag, being easy to punish (especially with shield grabs). Hits on frame 20. This move also attacks

after down throw (CRUD) Crafting table shield-drop Crafting table shield punish extension Double jump shortening Elytra boosting Elytra push induced cancel

aerial, neutral aerial plays a few important roles, most notably in Mewtwo's punish game. Its aforementioned speed combined with its long duration makes it

and the counterattack have increased ending lag, making the move easier to punish if whiffed, and limiting its utility in edgeguarding, respectively; however

no finishing hit, and coupled with some ending lag, this move is easily punished. Forward smash ↗ Smash Punch (スマッシュパンチ) 16% Luigi winds up his fist for

fastest in the game) and a FAF of 57, making it extremely fast and harder to punish compared to other counters. It is also the most damaging counter in the

It seems to be the least frequently used attack of the Third Moves, but punishes overzealous jumping that would be done to avoid the other two attacks.

case, Donkey Kong might not have a significant enough frame advantage to punish the opponent's tech options. It can also be used to clang with other attacks

while moving forward. Very fast and has high knockback, but can be easily punished when shielded, as it has long ending lag. Up smash 2% (hits 1-5), 8% (hit

significant decrease during start-up, and is now much more useful as a means to punish opponents trying to juggle Kirby, often outright KOing them. Final Cutter

it can be quite unpredictable and may instantly land killing blows as a punish, especially if the player has sustained high damage from the prior forms

mixups. This also adds safety to recovery, as well as a decent reactionary punish against poor approaches. Cross Chop causes a fiery explosion once Incineroar

immediately act. This can be used as a conditioning tool, or as a way to bait and punish approaches. Failnaught is one of Byleth's four weapons utilized throughout

Smash Bros. series, he focuses less on speed and more on power and a fierce punish game. Ike is able to use his Aether skill as his up special move, which

getting a Star KO means that the character will not respawn fast enough to punish the sleeping Jigglypuff, due to the length of the Star KO animation. However

as its extremely slow speed makes it incredibly easy to avoid and heavily punish, as well as making it very limited as a punishment option on its own due

head along the ground while wearing a helmet. This move is slow and easy to punish. Forward smash Fire Attack Clean: 18% (torch), 14% (handle) Late: 10% (flame)

complete). The move also makes Wario rise upwards, making it very hard to punish (along with its low ending lag), and allowing it to be used as a recovery

the air while it is not moving, giving it a guaranteed setup for 2 frame punishes. The glitch that allowed the opponent to lose 2 stocks using Alolan Whip

above Steve will also be placed onto the TNT. This allows Steve to hard-punish opponents who shield on platforms; once the sheilding opponent is standing

situational survival option, though it often leaves Ridley wide open to a heavy punish. The extra damage taken begins at 8%, and will scale up to 20%, depending

misfortune, or bane) through the air. While this move is fast enough to use as a punish option and deals good damage with moderate knockback, it deals poor shield

himself. It has minimal knockback and damage, but can potentially disrupt punishes. Ridley's wings are intangible during Wing Blitz and, thanks to the attack's

he will then perform an uppercut that launches enemies upwards and can punish edge-hoggers, while possessing a large edge sweet spot. Down special Wizard's

forms a new mercenary group, the Diamond Dogs, and assumes the codename "Punished Snake" as he ventures into Afghanistan - amid the Soviet war taking place

smash: It has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 1.6×, making it harder to punish. This multiplier is coded only on the tipper hitbox, but is incorrectly

a few. This allows them to deal extra damage in combos, improving their punish game. In Ultimate, the command variant of Shoryuken can itself be cancelled

used as a bait and punish gameplan, as the player can rushdown their opponent and trick them into attacking, then use the armor to punish their reckless behavior

attack or down tilt to deal well over 50%. This can be a potentially massive punish to opponents trying to wall Terry out immediately. Even after this, a grounded

which has improvements that make it a burst option and consistent whiff punish. He also has a much higher jump, which gives him unique recovery options

to Luigi, as the increase in shieldstun makes it much harder for him to punish from out of shield due to his already low traction. Additionally, only a

approach options can be crouch cancelled by Peach, leading to an inevitable punish. He also gets nothing off of grabs, as they all send Peach too far away

and Dragon Lunge being the most notable due to their immense ability to punish opponents from a distance. Ridley's Skewer features a sweetspot on the tip

its required technical precision can lead to errors that could be easily punished. Note that frames given assume that inputs are given during the first frame

Knight's forward smash by short hopping over him, then using a down aerial to punish.

technique, giving him an excellent approach. Since it isn't a grab, it can be punished when shielded properly. If still suffering knockback when using this move

Falcon Punch. It also has deceptively low ending lag, making it difficult to punish from maximum distance. However, this comes at the cost of it taking some

stronger than its sweetspot. Often a main combo tool, but can still be punished if used incorrectly. Back aerial 16% (sweetspot), 11% (sourspot) Similar

significantly shortening its duration, and making the shockwave easier to punish. As a result of these changes, Thunder cannot KO nearly as early as it could

a few. This allows them to deal extra damage in combos, improving their punish game. In Ultimate, the command variants of Hadoken can themselves be cancelled

cons, these changes are overall beneficial to Kirby, as while he can be punished harder for misusing the Copy Ability or improperly approaching opponents

for the opposing player to survive otherwise lethal enough knockback and punish Jigglypuff while it is falling asleep. Some characters with enough multi-frame

opponent into their hard landing lag, allowing the player to set up a powerful punish. For example, the first hit of Falco's neutral attack normally lacks any

potential; however, it is slower than regular Pound, making it easier to punish. Relentless Rollout provides more distance at lower levels of charge and

single-hit hitbox such as a projectile, gaining monumental frame advantage to punish the opponent. This can also start combos or defend K. Rool when recovering

for being able to potentially KO at 0%, making it a deadly shield break punish. Due to their long startup and ending lag, all three attacks are impractical

often seen as a knockout blow, though it is very commital and can be easily punished if it is anticipated. The name is also a possible reference to the Jolt

his new forward aerial being very safe on shield, allowing him to easily punish opponents for shielding, safe and spammable smash attacks, including a down

fact that Byleth's hurtbox gets shifted forward, which can potentially be punished by moves with longer range. For his forward aerial, Byleth swings Areadbhar

cannot be SDI'ed out of. As such, Fox's down aerial is more difficult to punish out of shield as a neutral opener, but is less reliable as a combo starter

a few. This allows them to deal extra damage in combos, improving their punish game. Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These

Gigaflare, this combo is difficult to perform in neutral and is often used to punish a shield break or a reading an edge recovery. Byleth can perform a zero-death

fastest option to punish opponents behind him by more than a few frames, making it useful to punish opponents behind him or to punish opponents while ignoring

is a very powerful tactic for Incineroar, greatly assisting its potential punish game and improving its kill power. Revenge is a physical Fighting-type move

Falco reads this DI, he can predict his opponents landing and potentially punish it with either another grab, one of his aerials or even a smash attack.

close distance with minimal vulnerability windows, making him difficult to punish from a distance. It's also useful as a ledge option for similar reasons

moves Dedede quickly, and it can be difficult for an unprepared opponent to punish. However, its use it still risky, as performing it without the use of DI

a few. This allows them to deal extra damage in combos, improving their punish game. In particular, Ryu's held down tilt sends opponents far enough for

This makes shielding a stronger defensive option and dropping shield to punish moves is a much more viable option. Powershielding is also more effective

of applications, including catching opponents off-guard when they try to punish Shulk's fully intangible counter, keeping safe after using certain attacks

nearly impossible to land any combos, and worse, makes him easy to whiff punish. Giga Bowser's attacks all last well over a second, and if he misses, it

from characters like Fox. In Smash 4, it can also be used as a niche way to punish enemies who are prone to spamming edge attacks. In comparison, the fully-charged

is considered cheating in most rulesets and the tournament organizer can punish said player in whatever way they see fit even if there is no direct mention

counter his throw trap. He can simply shield the opponent's attempted punish (and then punish afterwards) or he can perform a faster followup, mainly up tilt

much greater control over their character, and is much more difficult to punish. When performed immediately after grabbing the ledge, the ledgedash also

into tumble. It is also much less safe when used in this way, being a free punish if it whiffs. Furthermore, it can cause an SD if fast falled offstage with

a phenomenal two-frame punish tool, landing KO's as low as 60% on middleweights at the ledge. The move can also be used to punish opponents attempting to

recovery they use each time, in order to avoid becoming predictable and be punished by repeatedly using the same floor recovery. Many attacks, such as Mr.

another Hero using Metal Slash, and any well-timed attack is sufficient to punish him during the ending lag of the move. Using Kaclang in the air will grant

enough time to drop their shield and punish with their own smash attack. This severe punishibility limits its use to punishes and hard reads.

and opponents can very easily punish the attack when shielded. The move also deals low damage and knockback for a punish tool, not being able to kill until

unpunishable on hit for most characters (or if they can punish, they only get a very weak punish). Overall, Ness should stick to performing a jab grab rather

This was due to characters being able to SDI towards Bowser, escape it, and punish Bowser for virtually free due to the 30 frames of endlag. Flame canceling

it's common to see him armor rapid jabs to extremely high thresholds and punish them outright. In the case of Giga Bowser, because he cannot be grabbed

oftentimes, enough for the shield break to occur, allowing for a massive punish that should ideally be a stock. Thanks to its gigantic hitbox and extremely

A Bowser player 2 frame punishes a Zelda player, cancelling the move by grabbing the ledge.

in general is less laggy than grounded Phantasm, making it difficult to punish from afar. The move props grounded opponents upwards, allowing Falco to

ending lag for a smash attack making it difficult to punish (though still high enough to be punished with fast enough reactions, at 27 frames), sufficiently

Fishing Rod, meaning that opponents can effortlessly shield the move and punish it out of shield. It has damage-based armor (with a maximum threshold of

at the start, requiring specific timing to pass through moves and get the punish from it. It also possesses deceptively low range on its first hit. It is

is a hard punish and can easily KO most characters at under 100%. When it whiffs altogether, it can be used again if they are too slow to punish the first

average to quite strong when Deep Breathing is active, making it a very potent punish tool, especially when making hard reads. However, forward smash is extremely

active frames and good KO potential, making it a very threatening whiff punish considering the distance it travels, increasing his threat range considerably

These combo punishes can deal absurdly high damage due to Shulk's increased damage output. Lastly, due to its long duration, it can punish air dodges and

by allowing players to avoid accountability and simply opt out of being punished. Given that this technique does not negate the endlag of the opponent's

gives a disproportional advantage to characters with fast, high jumps; punishes characters who rely on tether recoveries; first spike is an OHKO stage

it has somewhat notable startup and high ending lag, making it easy to punish and often requiring a hard read to successfully land. The late hit has low

practically safe on shield requiring the player to shield SDI in order to punish it (assuming they are not pushed off an edge). The move is only -8 on shield

to be used effectively as an anti-air. This makes it a good long-ranged punish tool for when Piranha Plant is not in range to hit with its lower ranged

is versatile for juggling, comboing into aerials, as well as a powerful punish option for opponents either spotdodging or in the air. The attack can additionally

move is frequently relegated to being a punish for opponents being hit by down tilt, or a shield break punish. It can be used as a mixup out of down throw

options while having the range to punish opponents aggressively ledgetrapping, although it is still slow enough to get punished fairly easily if predicted. 8

is deceptively low (only having 41 total frames), making it difficult to punish, easy to fake out opponents and use another attack. When sweetspotted, his

exploit the lack of knockback in order to get a punish on the opponent reflecting. Grabs work best as the punish, due to being able to abuse throw invincibility

Hits on frame 9 and sends the duo a respectable distance, allowing it to punish distant attacks. However, it is equally punishable on shield. The clean

and KO near the blast zone. A successful ISDJ is also very difficult to punish. One can input Spin Dash in the opposite direction of the run and Sonic

competitive stages. Also, if the move is spaced properly, it's very hard to punish out of shield (due to its high shieldstun and shield pushback by virtue

One of the best recoveries in the game, as well as a solid Out-Of-shield punish option. As a recovery, it goes decently high, with a very fast movement

low knockback. The move has an FAF of 35, making it easy to whiff punish and punish on shield, considering its short hitbox duration. The move is -28 or

window. This makes it difficult to punish if it misses and, coupled with its above average range, impossible to punish out of shield if spaced properly.

completely intangible during its startup meaning that the opponent can only punish Pikachu after it starts moving. Pikachu can angle Quick Attack in 360 different

the only move in the game which can punish Zero Suit Samus' down smash on shield and even then, Mario can only punish the move if Zero Suit Samus poorly

like Marth/Roy Dtilt. It's also very fast and works very well as a whiff punish tool, particularly because it can be timed to cover a potential spotdodge

a jab can bait a whiffed or late out of shield punish, and in the worst case, a jab will be punished by a well-timed grab or strong character-specific

puts the player in a good position to read the opponent's next action and punish accordingly. Additionally, down throw can be used to force a tech situation

even charged smash attacks to be valid punishes. The move is typically not used outside of reads and hard punishes, largely because it is quite slow, with