Zero-to-death combo

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A Zero-to-death combo, sometimes referred to as a death messenger or shortened to 0D, is a particularly long and intricate combo that starts on an opponent at 0% damage, and ends with the eventual KO of the character being comboed.

While combos of some sort are relatively common in the three games, zero-to-death combos require almost perfect timing and placement in order to properly work, and even a single missed hitbox can ruin a combo; owing to the particularly high hitstun of Super Smash Bros. in comparison with Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, zero-to-death combos are most frequently seen in the first game, though their high need for technical skill makes them rare sights at tournaments and are more often seen in demonstrations or friendlies. Zero-to-death combos also vary in characteristics in the games; whereas the original game focuses on continued aerial combat, particularly with drills and similar attacks, Melee and Brawl rely on continued chain throws and jab locks.

In all three games, zero-to-death combos are a common subject of TAS speedruns; extensions of the zero-to-death combo also exist in these runs, such as having multiple characters perform the combo on one character, or making the combo have a particularly high number of glancing blows.