Tether recovery

An example of the Tether Recovery.

A Tether Recovery is a type of recovery move where the player latches onto the side of an arena with an extendable item. If there is a nearby ledge when this is used, the tether will automatically snap to it. Pressing the standard attack button after grappling a ledge will pull the character to that ledge. If the ledge is currently occupied when a tether recovery is used, it will fail to grab. If a player ledge-drops after tethering, they can re-tether. A similar move in SSBM (called the Wall-grapple) existed for Link, Young Link and Samus; however, the difference between the two moves is that a tether seeks out a ledge, while wall-grapples activate when they touch any wall. In addition, throw based Tether Recoveries, like those that were Wall Grapples in Melee, no longer put characters in a helpless animation if they miss, although Up Special tether recoveries do (With the exception of Zero Suit Samus).

Many of these moves have longer range than regular recoveries and also home in on the ledge, allowing for better control. On the downside, they can be edgehogged, making the recovery useless (although, if done correctly, the player can take his/her enemies down with him/her if the tether hits the opponent). In addition, none of the other players can grab the ledge while a player is attached to it with a tether, making it a way to edgehog the other players. Tether Recoveries only work on edges that can be grabbed.

List of Tether Recoveries

Up Specials:

• Ice Climbers - Belay (only if edge is close enough)
• Zero Suit Samus - Plasma Wire
• Ivysaur - Vine Whip
• Olimar - Pikmin Chain (can range from almost the longest Tether Recovery in the game to pratically useless depending on number of Pikmin)

Side Specials:

• Sheik - Chain
• Zero Suit Samus - Plasma Whip

Grab Airs:

• Link - Clawshot
• Samus - Grapple Beam
• Toon Link - Hookshot
• Lucas - Rope Snake

Note that characters that have Tether Recoveries as a special move cannot use their extended grab as one.

Grab Air

Samus using her Grab Air as a Tether Recovery.

A Grab Air (also know by the technical term Zair) is an aerial attack that utilizes a character's grab to attack in the air. It can also be used as a Tether Recovery. Link, Samus, Young Link, Lucas, and Toon Link are the only characters with this ability. However, Lucas's Grab Air does no damage and has no knockback, and is for recovery purposes only.

To perform a Grab Air, press the grab button while in the air.

Grab Airs inflict little damage and have very little KO potential. However, they have far range, and can be used to surprise an opponent. A short hop followed by a Grab Air can be useful for spacing.

List of Grab Airs (SSBB)

Link - Shoots his Clawshot forward. Two hits, 4% first hit, 6% second hit.

Toon Link - Shoots his Hookshot forward. 4%.

Samus - Fires a Grapple Beam. 4%.

Lucas - Thrusts his Rope Snake forward. No damage.

Note: Young Link's Grab Air is similar to Link's/Toon Link's Grab Air.

External Links

Confirmation