- Game Versions
- Smash 3DS, Smash Wii U
Table of contents
1. Introduction
2. Meanings of abbreviations
3. Things you need to know about Meta Knight
4. Grounded Moves
1. Introduction
What's going on guys! My name is Freakzoid9000 and this is my very first guide. This will be a multipart guide where each part will discuss a different topic about Meta Knight such as his combo game, playstyle, advanced techniques, strategies, etc. This first part will be just for introducing the character for people that want to pick him up as a main, secondary, or they just want to learn more about him. Please give me critique and feedback on this guide as it is my first one and it would be much appreciated. Without further delay, let's dive into what you should know about the character.
2. Meanings of abbreviations that you'll see in the guide
DG- Dash grab
DA- Dash attack
OOS- Out of shield
MK- Meta Knight
DI- Directional influence
SDI- Smash directional influence
FH- Full hop
SH- Short Hop
FF- Fast fall
MU- Match up
KBG- Knockback growth
3. Things you need to know about Meta Knight
People who are thinking that MK will be an easy character to learn and pick up have another thing coming for them. He's not just dash attack to Uair the character for people thinking that. MK takes a lot of dedication and time to be good with him. The learning curve he has is much different from other characters in that he requires you to play in particular ways in different situations. What I mean by this is that he requires you to have different playstyles in certain scenarios as well as having very good reaction time for these situations and for his combos. For example, you NEED to be able to play patient and defensive in the neutral and wait for an opportune moment to strike your opponent because if you just rush in blindly with dash attacks and dash grabs you will for sure lose. Anyways, as soon as you do get that opportune moment on your opponent and win neutral, you have to make the most of it with relentless aggression and get as much damage on your opponent as possible or even take their stock because MK has the ability to do that in the advantage state since his punish game is one of the best out of the entire cast. But, there is a catch and that is you have to win neutral. MK has a very mediocre neutral out of all the top tiers as well as not having as many safe options in certain situations like when he's under pressure or approaching. He is also pretty lightweight being one of the lightest in the game with a weight of 80. While these cons don't seem like much, they hinder him to a very noticeable effect but his pros definitely make up for it by having one of the best recoveries and punish games in the game, an amazing DA and DG, great frame data, has no problem killing, disjointed hitboxes (even though his sword is more of a butter knife with as much range as it has lol), many multihit moves, reliable jab lock set ups, great juggling, amazing edge guarding, multiple jumps, and much more even. Now you guys see why I want to make this guide a multipart thing because he has so much to talk about and I won't be as in depth if I put it in one big package. The next topic that I will talk about will be over his move set and my opinions on some of them.
4. Grounded Moves
1. Jab- An infinitely multihitting jab when you hold A that deals 1.2% for each hit with the final hit doing 3% and comes out on frame 7. So, I have mixed opinions on this move. It's either really good or really bad. Overall, it's average I guess because of its versatility of being able to cover multiple ledge options, can usually deal around 20% if they get trapped in it, can be edge cancelled, and can 2 frame people when snapping the ledge. But it's pretty laggy which can give your opponent a free punish and if you misinput it at high %s or do it at a bad time, say goodbye to your stock.
2. Ftilt- A 3 hit tilt that deals 2% on the first 2 hits and 4% on the last hit with moderate knockback on the last hit and more range. Ftilt comes out on frame 6 and the other hits can be delayed or come out instantly depending on how fast you press A. This is the move that you want to use as your jab more so than your normal jab since it's a lot safer and faster as well. It's also a really good move for performing mix ups since you can cancel or delay the other slashes. There are things like Ftilt 1 > UpB/grab/Dtilt and etc. My favorite mix up that I like to do is doing 1 or 2 Ftilts to Dtilt into a DG instant Fthrow to Upb at around 70-100% because it is very effective at taking out stocks and it does around 28% if they live.
3. Dtilt- Meta Knight's fastest move in his moveset by coming out on frame 3 and is tied for the fastest Dtilts in the game. This move deals 5%, jab locks, and has a good chance of tripping. It's also a kill set up at higher %s but I'll go into that in another guide. This move is very good at poking your opponent's shield from a safe distance if spaced properly because of the shield stun buff and is surprisingly good if you roll behind your opponent since it's so fast. Why does this remind of a certain character? *cough* *cough* Diddy *cough*
4. Utilt- This move is meh in my book. It comes out frame 8 and is a decent anti air because it has some pretty good vertical reach but it has like no horizontal reach at all. It also deals 7% if you hit with sword and 5% on the side of MK. It can set up for juggles and it can combo into Uair or UpB sometimes. Some unfortunate things about the move is that it seems to have inconsistent hitboxes sometimes and it has some decent lag attached to it. It also doesn't kill like it did in brawl. Good moments to use this move are when the opponent is trying to approach directly above you and after a jab lock.
5. Dash Attack- This move...is so amazing. Most likely the best DA in the entire game by a large amount. It comes out frame 7, is disjointed, is MK's main combo starter starting from 0%, can lead into UpB at kill %s, can crossup shields, has extremely little lag, is an anti air, and is an amazing punish tool. This move has different 3 hitboxes, the first is at the base of the foot which deals 6% and sends the opponent at a 60 degree angle, the second hitbox is similar to the first one in that it does 6% as well and it sends the opponent at a 70 degree angle, the third hitbox is at the tip of MK's foot which does 5% and sends them at an 80 degree angle. Your goal is to try and mostly hit with the tip because it has better combo potential and your opponent cannot DI as much as the sweetspot DA. This means that you get more guaranteed Uair strings at low %s and UpBs at higher %s. Just be sure not to spam because it can be punished and don't use it so much as an approach in neutral (I'll discuss more about the reasons for this in my neutral guide as well as for his DG).
6. Fsmash- One of MK's primary kill moves and for very good reasons. It deals 16%, kills characters like Bowser at around 115-125% center stage with correct DI and no rage, and comes out on frame 24. What makes this move so powerful is the way that you can just throw it out mid match and be very safe. This is because the move has next to no endlag on it making it a good spacing tool in neutral. It is very useful at baiting a reaction from your opponent which gives you information on what they might do in certain situations and it is very good option for reading rolls or spot dodges. It's also even safe on shield unless it is perfect shielded but you can mess up their perfect shield if you charge the move. Fsmash also has a great hitbox by being able to hit opponents holding on to the ledge when they don't have invincibility and it can hit opponents that are slightly above him but not too much. The move has some pretty decent range as well but it's nothing too remarkable.
7. Usmash- Another very reliable kill move and combo tool for MK. This move consists of 3 slashes that hit above him with very good range making it a great anti air as well as a great OOS option. MK's Usmash comes out on frame 8 and deals 9% if all the hits connect. Hit 1 deals 3%, hit 2 is 2%, and hit 3 is 4%. This move also traps your opponent in it so you shouldn't have to worry about your opponent falling out of the move. I recommend you keep this move fresh as it loses a lot of kill potential if you use it often and Usmash with rage can kill at absurd %s if it is fresh. I've been able to kill DKs or Bowsers at 110-125% with rage Usmash and Sheiks have died at around 80-90% with correct DI. Be careful against using Usmash against shorter grounded opponents as it may whiff and leave you open for getting punished as it has considerable lag but nothing to drastic.
8. Dsmash- This is MK's least useful smash attack but it still has its applications. It is his fastest smash attack and one of the fastest Dsmashes in the game by coming out at frame 5 or frame 4 when it is buffered, but it is his weakest smash attack. The first hit deals 7% and kills at around 140% or higher near the edge of the stage which is quite sad tbh. The second is slightly better by dealing 10% and it kills at around 110% near the edge of the stage. Good times to use this move are when: it is OOS near the edge when your opponent crosses your shield up so that you can hit the back hit of Dsmash, you want to read or cover a roll option while be relatively safe, or you get a FF Bair into Dsmash near the edge of the stage since that is a kill confirm. Dsmash does have some lag to it as well so don't throw it out.
5. Aerials
1. Nair- I'm a huge fan of Nair for how great of a move it is. The move comes out on frame 6 and has a decent lasting hitbox with minimal lag when you land with it. It is MK's strongest aerial in terms of damage as well. It deals 10% at the beginning of the move and it has pretty high knockback even when it's not fresh. It is capable of killing opponents like Mario at around 110% near the edge of the stage without rage and it kills even earlier when you hit it offstage. The last hitbox of the move deals 7.5% and it's super useful for gimping and hitting people out of their recoveries. Nair is a good OOS option since it hits all around him and it gives you stage control when you hit it. Nair is very useful for finishing combos at low %s in certain MUs because you gain stage control and it will set up for edge guarding opportunities which can give you more damage on the opponent or even a stock if you get all the correct reads. Nair is spectacular for edge guarding and I recommend you use it a lot offstage. I'll describe more about its edge guarding capabilities in another guide as well as for his other aerials.
2. Dair- Another amazing aerial that doesn't get enough use I feel. Dair is MK's fastest aerial by coming out on frame 4 which makes it his fastest OOS option to punish even the most lag less of moves. It also has bragging rights of being the fastest semi spike in the game. It also deals 6% and can set up for tech chases at mid %s and if they miss the tech, you get a free jab lock. The hitbox is decent on this move by hitting directly underneath MK and slightly to his side but the hitbox only lasts for 1 frame unfortunately. Also to note, all of MK's aerials autocancel when used after a SH airdodge except for Fair. Dair is very useful for pressuring opponents to shield when you use it above them, to bait a reaction from them, and to condition them. Be sure to not have a predictable pattern with your Dair or you will be punished for it. Dair is also decent at edge guarding because it sends the opponent at such a bad angle if you hit them, leading to early gimps if you can connect 1 or 2 more moves on them if they are at low %s. If you hit this at high %s and they don't have a jump, it's pretty much a guaranteed kill depending on the recovery.
3. Fair- Ever since the 1.1.5 patch, this move has become a lot more useful in MK's arsenal. It comes out frame 9 and has 3 hitboxes with good range. It does a total of 6-7% if all the hits connect. The first hit will do 1.5-2.2% as well the second hit. The third hit will do 3% and has decent knockback which can be used to kill offstage opponents at higher %s like 120%. Fair also has the ability now of being an approach option mixup because of its reduced landing lag which is now 16 frames instead of 20 frames of lag. Fair has many interesting properties that it can use now with the reduced lag like Fair 1 > DA > UpB kill confirm at higher %s, Fair 1 into a tech chase situation similar to Dtilt, first 2 hits of Fair > grab and much more that I'll get into later. Fair is alright at edge guarding but there are usually much better options to use like Bair/Nair.
4. Bair- Oh goodness this move. This move is absolutely ridiculous. It comes out frame 7 and has 3 hitboxes like Fair but with more range. It does a total of 7-8% if all the hits connect. The first 2 hitboxes deal the same % as Fair but the last hitbox instead does 4%. The kill potential that this move has is absurd. With a KBG of 212, it's basically a ZSS boost kick (UpB) but better as it more versatile, safer, and it doesn't put you in freefall. With rage, this move becomes outright broken it seems. I've been able to kill characters like Mario offstage at around 55-70% with like 80% rage or something. This move even kills heavyweights at around 80-90% offstage with MK having almost no rage. Bair is just as useful onstage as it is offstage. FF Bair sets up perfectly for a jab lock and is a true combo from Uair and Dthrow at low %s. FF Bair even sets up for a kill confirm at higher %s when you can't lock anymore. Trumping the opponent to Bair is also true if you're fast enough and is something all MKs need to learn. More on this move will be discussed when I talk about advanced combos and kill set ups as well as when I talk about edge guarding.
5. Uair- As of patch 1.1.5, MK's Uair had some major changes but it's still an amazing move as it leads into early kill confirms and huge damage. MK's new Uair now deals 4%, comes out on frame 6, has a new SDI multiplier of 1.5, and has new launching angles of 69/69/52. The new angles and multiplier make it a lot easier to escape his Uair strings and makes his punish game not as ridiculous as it was before if you made a mistake at 20%. While you can't kill with Uair string to UpB as consistent as before, it doesn't mean it's gone. It just requires more precise movement, timing, and practice to pull off consistently as well as learning the %s to know when to do the Uair strings. To pull off Uair strings, I recommend you follow these tips. To use Uair effectively, I recommend you set your C-stick to attack and have your R button set to jump so you can have full air mobility. I use tap jump instead of button jump because I personally find it more comfortable and easier. To practice Uair strings, go to training mode and practice getting Uair strings on Fastfallers at low %s like 25% for example. This will help you be able to fast fall Uairs and get massive damage at low %s before your opponents go into tumble. Also, be sure to practice against different forms of DI. Being able to master MK's Uair is key as it is one of his main combo tools.
6. Special Moves
1. Mach Tornado/NeutralB- Tornado is an amazing move depending on how you use it. It comes out on a surprising frame 12, it does massive shield damage which will most likely poke the opponent's shield, has multiple hitboxes, can go through certain projectiles, can autocancel at certain heights, and deals a total of 23% when mashed properly. I've heard that it does 25% with a turbo controller but I haven't seen any proof so idk. Either way, it does a crap ton of damage and it can even kill at high %s. It's good for punishing a laggy move, airdodge, roll, or spot dodge when you just want raw damage when the opponent is at too high of % to be Uair stringed from DA or Dthrow. To hit with tornado, you need to know when to use it. Some scenarios of when to use it is: when your opponent is under a platform, when your opponent's shield is low, as a landing mix up if you know your opponent will try to punish your landing, as an approach option mix up by doing a SH airdodge into tornado, to cover multiple get up options at the ledge, etc. You also will need to learn the autocancel window for the move as it makes it much safer because it has heavy lag if it isn't autocancelled. An easy way to know the autocancel height is if you do a FH and then mash tornado, you should land with no lag. Tornado also covers a lot of horizontal distance which can be used as a recovery option. Just don't use it often because it can be punished, it doesn't snap to the ledge, it puts him in free fall as well as all his other specials, and it's his weakest recovery option.
2. Drill Rush/SideB- Drill is a pretty good move. It comes out on frame 26 and can deal a total of 11% if all the hits connect. It can be angled in many different ways while recovering and will autosnap to the ledge if you crash into the stage. Drill also has the property of going through projectiles like tornado and if used onstage, you can bounce off the ground if you angle it down which then pops you up. This is significant because it can make you harder to punish since you have the option to crash into the ground or not. I recommend you only use this move onstage against Rosalina since it murders Luma and other zoners as a mixup approach. Drilling offstage to recover is pretty safe due to it being very hard to punish since challenging it is very risky if the opponent messes up. But, don't use drill too much as it doesn't have a hitbox above it.
3. Dimensional Cape/DownB- DownB has got to be one of the best teleport moves in the game. It activates on frame 12 and is intangible on frames 12-39. Note, you can be hit before the DownB activates. You then can hold down the attack or special button to attack with it or you can just press DownB and not press anything after it to not attack. If you don't attack, you go some extra distance, can autosnap to the ledge, and can autocancel it unlike the attack version. To autocancel DownB, do a DownB at almost FH height. It should be similar to how Sheik autocancels her Vanish. The DownB attack is especially powerful, similar to the strength of his Fsmash. It also has 3 different hitboxes with different knockback and damage outputs depending on how you use the move. It will do 14% if you retreat from your opponent, 15% if you do a stationary attack, and 16% if you approach your opponent with the move and is the strongest in the knockback department. To use the DownB attack effectively, you want to use it when your opponent least expects it. DownB is also a very good punish tool against zoners that like to camp with projectiles. Make sure that you hit with DownB because if you fail to hit the attack, get ready to take a huge punish. The non attack DownB is very useful for recovery as I stated earlier because of the intangibility frames and it's mostly used to mixup so your opponent would have a hard time preparing for it. This goes for also using DownB to land. DownB is very effective as a landing mixup because of all the options you can do with it like attack, go in all different directions, and you can autocancel it. Because of this, your opponent has to respect you heavily.
4. Shuttle Loop/UpB- I've been waiting to talk about this move. It's so good and for many good reasons. It has amazing vertical recovery, is MK's primary kill move, has pretty huge disjointed hitboxes, and is MK's main combo finisher after like almost any of his moves lol. It comes out on frame 8 when used grounded and does 15% with more knockback than the aerial version. Aerial UpB comes out on frame 7 and does 12% with really high knockback as well. MK is infamous for killing especially early with this move as it can kill as early as 50% after an Uair string with rage. One thing to note is that UpB loses a lot of kill potential after the first 2 times you use it so be sure to keep it relatively fresh. UpB terrifies your opponent when they are above you which will most likely cause them to airdodge, jump away, or use a character specific move to get out of the situation. Watch at how they react to you below them and punish accordingly. UpB OOS is a great option when your opponent is in kill % (around 110% without rage on midweights and a bit higher for heavyweights) because it can punish almost anything. Grounded UpB can hit opponents hanging on the ledge as well. Make sure you hit it though as it has a lot of lag and your opponent will most likely try to bait it out from you. As for recovery with this move, it's excellent at it. MK can recover from the depths of stages with this move, it can hit through the stage to hit your opponent, and can autosnap to the ledge if spaced properly. While this move is very difficult to punish, your opponent still can if they hit behind your UpB since there is no hitbox behind you.
7. Grabs
2. Fthrow- This throw deals 9% and is very useful at high %s. This is because it's very quick and almost impossible to react to and DI properly. This means that you should be able to get a guaranteed UpB after Fthrow. Note, only use Fthrow after a DG and make sure that the Fthrow is instant otherwise the opponent can react. This should be used when your opponent is at kill %s (80-100%). Fthrow also has some combos at low %s like Fthrow > DA > Usmash > UpB for example on fast fallers and heavyweights. More on this later.
3. Bthrow- This throw deals 10% and is a decent mixup to use at 0-15% instead of using Dthrow. It can true combo into DA which can lead to more followups if the opponent DIs toward you and set up for a potential tech chase if the opponent DIs away. It's also MK's second most useful kill throw as it kills usually around 170% at the edge and around 140% if MK has rage.
4. Uthrow- This throw deals 10% and is MK's best kill throw for ending a stock if you can't land a kill move. It kills at around 170% without rage and 140% with rage. But, platforms are what make this his best kill throw. Stages like Duck Hunt will have this throw kill at like 85% on the top of the tree if MK has some rage. Platform stages that aren't Duck Hunt will have this throw kill at more reasonable %s like 110-140%. Uthrow's only con is that it doesn't lead into any followups.
8. Closure
Now, I know I went over a lot of information and I may not have explained it the best, but I hope it's in a way that you guys understood. The next part of my guide will go over the neutral game with MK. If you found this guide helpful, be sure to give it a like or share it around. This is my first guide so I would love it if you guys critique it so that I can improve on my next one possibly. I also stream at twitch.tv/freakzoid9000. It's mostly smash content but will occasionally play other games so be sure to hit me up with a follow. This guide will also be on YouTube eventually when I figure out more about how to make good videos. Anyways, thanks for reading and as always, stay freaky my freaks. Until next time.
1. Introduction
2. Meanings of abbreviations
3. Things you need to know about Meta Knight
4. Grounded Moves
1. Jab
2. Ftilt
3. Dtilt
4. Utilt
5. Dash Attack
6. Fsmash
7. Usmash
8. Dsmash
5. Aerials2. Ftilt
3. Dtilt
4. Utilt
5. Dash Attack
6. Fsmash
7. Usmash
8. Dsmash
1. Nair
2. Dair
3. Fair
4. Bair
5. Uair
6. Specials Moves2. Dair
3. Fair
4. Bair
5. Uair
1. NeutralB
2. SideB
3. DownB
4. UpB
7. Grabs2. SideB
3. DownB
4. UpB
1. Dthrow
2. Fthrow
3. Bthrow
4. Uthrow
8. Closure2. Fthrow
3. Bthrow
4. Uthrow
1. Introduction
What's going on guys! My name is Freakzoid9000 and this is my very first guide. This will be a multipart guide where each part will discuss a different topic about Meta Knight such as his combo game, playstyle, advanced techniques, strategies, etc. This first part will be just for introducing the character for people that want to pick him up as a main, secondary, or they just want to learn more about him. Please give me critique and feedback on this guide as it is my first one and it would be much appreciated. Without further delay, let's dive into what you should know about the character.
2. Meanings of abbreviations that you'll see in the guide
DG- Dash grab
DA- Dash attack
OOS- Out of shield
MK- Meta Knight
DI- Directional influence
SDI- Smash directional influence
FH- Full hop
SH- Short Hop
FF- Fast fall
MU- Match up
KBG- Knockback growth
3. Things you need to know about Meta Knight
People who are thinking that MK will be an easy character to learn and pick up have another thing coming for them. He's not just dash attack to Uair the character for people thinking that. MK takes a lot of dedication and time to be good with him. The learning curve he has is much different from other characters in that he requires you to play in particular ways in different situations. What I mean by this is that he requires you to have different playstyles in certain scenarios as well as having very good reaction time for these situations and for his combos. For example, you NEED to be able to play patient and defensive in the neutral and wait for an opportune moment to strike your opponent because if you just rush in blindly with dash attacks and dash grabs you will for sure lose. Anyways, as soon as you do get that opportune moment on your opponent and win neutral, you have to make the most of it with relentless aggression and get as much damage on your opponent as possible or even take their stock because MK has the ability to do that in the advantage state since his punish game is one of the best out of the entire cast. But, there is a catch and that is you have to win neutral. MK has a very mediocre neutral out of all the top tiers as well as not having as many safe options in certain situations like when he's under pressure or approaching. He is also pretty lightweight being one of the lightest in the game with a weight of 80. While these cons don't seem like much, they hinder him to a very noticeable effect but his pros definitely make up for it by having one of the best recoveries and punish games in the game, an amazing DA and DG, great frame data, has no problem killing, disjointed hitboxes (even though his sword is more of a butter knife with as much range as it has lol), many multihit moves, reliable jab lock set ups, great juggling, amazing edge guarding, multiple jumps, and much more even. Now you guys see why I want to make this guide a multipart thing because he has so much to talk about and I won't be as in depth if I put it in one big package. The next topic that I will talk about will be over his move set and my opinions on some of them.
4. Grounded Moves
1. Jab- An infinitely multihitting jab when you hold A that deals 1.2% for each hit with the final hit doing 3% and comes out on frame 7. So, I have mixed opinions on this move. It's either really good or really bad. Overall, it's average I guess because of its versatility of being able to cover multiple ledge options, can usually deal around 20% if they get trapped in it, can be edge cancelled, and can 2 frame people when snapping the ledge. But it's pretty laggy which can give your opponent a free punish and if you misinput it at high %s or do it at a bad time, say goodbye to your stock.
2. Ftilt- A 3 hit tilt that deals 2% on the first 2 hits and 4% on the last hit with moderate knockback on the last hit and more range. Ftilt comes out on frame 6 and the other hits can be delayed or come out instantly depending on how fast you press A. This is the move that you want to use as your jab more so than your normal jab since it's a lot safer and faster as well. It's also a really good move for performing mix ups since you can cancel or delay the other slashes. There are things like Ftilt 1 > UpB/grab/Dtilt and etc. My favorite mix up that I like to do is doing 1 or 2 Ftilts to Dtilt into a DG instant Fthrow to Upb at around 70-100% because it is very effective at taking out stocks and it does around 28% if they live.
3. Dtilt- Meta Knight's fastest move in his moveset by coming out on frame 3 and is tied for the fastest Dtilts in the game. This move deals 5%, jab locks, and has a good chance of tripping. It's also a kill set up at higher %s but I'll go into that in another guide. This move is very good at poking your opponent's shield from a safe distance if spaced properly because of the shield stun buff and is surprisingly good if you roll behind your opponent since it's so fast. Why does this remind of a certain character? *cough* *cough* Diddy *cough*
4. Utilt- This move is meh in my book. It comes out frame 8 and is a decent anti air because it has some pretty good vertical reach but it has like no horizontal reach at all. It also deals 7% if you hit with sword and 5% on the side of MK. It can set up for juggles and it can combo into Uair or UpB sometimes. Some unfortunate things about the move is that it seems to have inconsistent hitboxes sometimes and it has some decent lag attached to it. It also doesn't kill like it did in brawl. Good moments to use this move are when the opponent is trying to approach directly above you and after a jab lock.
5. Dash Attack- This move...is so amazing. Most likely the best DA in the entire game by a large amount. It comes out frame 7, is disjointed, is MK's main combo starter starting from 0%, can lead into UpB at kill %s, can crossup shields, has extremely little lag, is an anti air, and is an amazing punish tool. This move has different 3 hitboxes, the first is at the base of the foot which deals 6% and sends the opponent at a 60 degree angle, the second hitbox is similar to the first one in that it does 6% as well and it sends the opponent at a 70 degree angle, the third hitbox is at the tip of MK's foot which does 5% and sends them at an 80 degree angle. Your goal is to try and mostly hit with the tip because it has better combo potential and your opponent cannot DI as much as the sweetspot DA. This means that you get more guaranteed Uair strings at low %s and UpBs at higher %s. Just be sure not to spam because it can be punished and don't use it so much as an approach in neutral (I'll discuss more about the reasons for this in my neutral guide as well as for his DG).
6. Fsmash- One of MK's primary kill moves and for very good reasons. It deals 16%, kills characters like Bowser at around 115-125% center stage with correct DI and no rage, and comes out on frame 24. What makes this move so powerful is the way that you can just throw it out mid match and be very safe. This is because the move has next to no endlag on it making it a good spacing tool in neutral. It is very useful at baiting a reaction from your opponent which gives you information on what they might do in certain situations and it is very good option for reading rolls or spot dodges. It's also even safe on shield unless it is perfect shielded but you can mess up their perfect shield if you charge the move. Fsmash also has a great hitbox by being able to hit opponents holding on to the ledge when they don't have invincibility and it can hit opponents that are slightly above him but not too much. The move has some pretty decent range as well but it's nothing too remarkable.
7. Usmash- Another very reliable kill move and combo tool for MK. This move consists of 3 slashes that hit above him with very good range making it a great anti air as well as a great OOS option. MK's Usmash comes out on frame 8 and deals 9% if all the hits connect. Hit 1 deals 3%, hit 2 is 2%, and hit 3 is 4%. This move also traps your opponent in it so you shouldn't have to worry about your opponent falling out of the move. I recommend you keep this move fresh as it loses a lot of kill potential if you use it often and Usmash with rage can kill at absurd %s if it is fresh. I've been able to kill DKs or Bowsers at 110-125% with rage Usmash and Sheiks have died at around 80-90% with correct DI. Be careful against using Usmash against shorter grounded opponents as it may whiff and leave you open for getting punished as it has considerable lag but nothing to drastic.
8. Dsmash- This is MK's least useful smash attack but it still has its applications. It is his fastest smash attack and one of the fastest Dsmashes in the game by coming out at frame 5 or frame 4 when it is buffered, but it is his weakest smash attack. The first hit deals 7% and kills at around 140% or higher near the edge of the stage which is quite sad tbh. The second is slightly better by dealing 10% and it kills at around 110% near the edge of the stage. Good times to use this move are when: it is OOS near the edge when your opponent crosses your shield up so that you can hit the back hit of Dsmash, you want to read or cover a roll option while be relatively safe, or you get a FF Bair into Dsmash near the edge of the stage since that is a kill confirm. Dsmash does have some lag to it as well so don't throw it out.
5. Aerials
1. Nair- I'm a huge fan of Nair for how great of a move it is. The move comes out on frame 6 and has a decent lasting hitbox with minimal lag when you land with it. It is MK's strongest aerial in terms of damage as well. It deals 10% at the beginning of the move and it has pretty high knockback even when it's not fresh. It is capable of killing opponents like Mario at around 110% near the edge of the stage without rage and it kills even earlier when you hit it offstage. The last hitbox of the move deals 7.5% and it's super useful for gimping and hitting people out of their recoveries. Nair is a good OOS option since it hits all around him and it gives you stage control when you hit it. Nair is very useful for finishing combos at low %s in certain MUs because you gain stage control and it will set up for edge guarding opportunities which can give you more damage on the opponent or even a stock if you get all the correct reads. Nair is spectacular for edge guarding and I recommend you use it a lot offstage. I'll describe more about its edge guarding capabilities in another guide as well as for his other aerials.
2. Dair- Another amazing aerial that doesn't get enough use I feel. Dair is MK's fastest aerial by coming out on frame 4 which makes it his fastest OOS option to punish even the most lag less of moves. It also has bragging rights of being the fastest semi spike in the game. It also deals 6% and can set up for tech chases at mid %s and if they miss the tech, you get a free jab lock. The hitbox is decent on this move by hitting directly underneath MK and slightly to his side but the hitbox only lasts for 1 frame unfortunately. Also to note, all of MK's aerials autocancel when used after a SH airdodge except for Fair. Dair is very useful for pressuring opponents to shield when you use it above them, to bait a reaction from them, and to condition them. Be sure to not have a predictable pattern with your Dair or you will be punished for it. Dair is also decent at edge guarding because it sends the opponent at such a bad angle if you hit them, leading to early gimps if you can connect 1 or 2 more moves on them if they are at low %s. If you hit this at high %s and they don't have a jump, it's pretty much a guaranteed kill depending on the recovery.
3. Fair- Ever since the 1.1.5 patch, this move has become a lot more useful in MK's arsenal. It comes out frame 9 and has 3 hitboxes with good range. It does a total of 6-7% if all the hits connect. The first hit will do 1.5-2.2% as well the second hit. The third hit will do 3% and has decent knockback which can be used to kill offstage opponents at higher %s like 120%. Fair also has the ability now of being an approach option mixup because of its reduced landing lag which is now 16 frames instead of 20 frames of lag. Fair has many interesting properties that it can use now with the reduced lag like Fair 1 > DA > UpB kill confirm at higher %s, Fair 1 into a tech chase situation similar to Dtilt, first 2 hits of Fair > grab and much more that I'll get into later. Fair is alright at edge guarding but there are usually much better options to use like Bair/Nair.
4. Bair- Oh goodness this move. This move is absolutely ridiculous. It comes out frame 7 and has 3 hitboxes like Fair but with more range. It does a total of 7-8% if all the hits connect. The first 2 hitboxes deal the same % as Fair but the last hitbox instead does 4%. The kill potential that this move has is absurd. With a KBG of 212, it's basically a ZSS boost kick (UpB) but better as it more versatile, safer, and it doesn't put you in freefall. With rage, this move becomes outright broken it seems. I've been able to kill characters like Mario offstage at around 55-70% with like 80% rage or something. This move even kills heavyweights at around 80-90% offstage with MK having almost no rage. Bair is just as useful onstage as it is offstage. FF Bair sets up perfectly for a jab lock and is a true combo from Uair and Dthrow at low %s. FF Bair even sets up for a kill confirm at higher %s when you can't lock anymore. Trumping the opponent to Bair is also true if you're fast enough and is something all MKs need to learn. More on this move will be discussed when I talk about advanced combos and kill set ups as well as when I talk about edge guarding.
5. Uair- As of patch 1.1.5, MK's Uair had some major changes but it's still an amazing move as it leads into early kill confirms and huge damage. MK's new Uair now deals 4%, comes out on frame 6, has a new SDI multiplier of 1.5, and has new launching angles of 69/69/52. The new angles and multiplier make it a lot easier to escape his Uair strings and makes his punish game not as ridiculous as it was before if you made a mistake at 20%. While you can't kill with Uair string to UpB as consistent as before, it doesn't mean it's gone. It just requires more precise movement, timing, and practice to pull off consistently as well as learning the %s to know when to do the Uair strings. To pull off Uair strings, I recommend you follow these tips. To use Uair effectively, I recommend you set your C-stick to attack and have your R button set to jump so you can have full air mobility. I use tap jump instead of button jump because I personally find it more comfortable and easier. To practice Uair strings, go to training mode and practice getting Uair strings on Fastfallers at low %s like 25% for example. This will help you be able to fast fall Uairs and get massive damage at low %s before your opponents go into tumble. Also, be sure to practice against different forms of DI. Being able to master MK's Uair is key as it is one of his main combo tools.
6. Special Moves
1. Mach Tornado/NeutralB- Tornado is an amazing move depending on how you use it. It comes out on a surprising frame 12, it does massive shield damage which will most likely poke the opponent's shield, has multiple hitboxes, can go through certain projectiles, can autocancel at certain heights, and deals a total of 23% when mashed properly. I've heard that it does 25% with a turbo controller but I haven't seen any proof so idk. Either way, it does a crap ton of damage and it can even kill at high %s. It's good for punishing a laggy move, airdodge, roll, or spot dodge when you just want raw damage when the opponent is at too high of % to be Uair stringed from DA or Dthrow. To hit with tornado, you need to know when to use it. Some scenarios of when to use it is: when your opponent is under a platform, when your opponent's shield is low, as a landing mix up if you know your opponent will try to punish your landing, as an approach option mix up by doing a SH airdodge into tornado, to cover multiple get up options at the ledge, etc. You also will need to learn the autocancel window for the move as it makes it much safer because it has heavy lag if it isn't autocancelled. An easy way to know the autocancel height is if you do a FH and then mash tornado, you should land with no lag. Tornado also covers a lot of horizontal distance which can be used as a recovery option. Just don't use it often because it can be punished, it doesn't snap to the ledge, it puts him in free fall as well as all his other specials, and it's his weakest recovery option.
2. Drill Rush/SideB- Drill is a pretty good move. It comes out on frame 26 and can deal a total of 11% if all the hits connect. It can be angled in many different ways while recovering and will autosnap to the ledge if you crash into the stage. Drill also has the property of going through projectiles like tornado and if used onstage, you can bounce off the ground if you angle it down which then pops you up. This is significant because it can make you harder to punish since you have the option to crash into the ground or not. I recommend you only use this move onstage against Rosalina since it murders Luma and other zoners as a mixup approach. Drilling offstage to recover is pretty safe due to it being very hard to punish since challenging it is very risky if the opponent messes up. But, don't use drill too much as it doesn't have a hitbox above it.
3. Dimensional Cape/DownB- DownB has got to be one of the best teleport moves in the game. It activates on frame 12 and is intangible on frames 12-39. Note, you can be hit before the DownB activates. You then can hold down the attack or special button to attack with it or you can just press DownB and not press anything after it to not attack. If you don't attack, you go some extra distance, can autosnap to the ledge, and can autocancel it unlike the attack version. To autocancel DownB, do a DownB at almost FH height. It should be similar to how Sheik autocancels her Vanish. The DownB attack is especially powerful, similar to the strength of his Fsmash. It also has 3 different hitboxes with different knockback and damage outputs depending on how you use the move. It will do 14% if you retreat from your opponent, 15% if you do a stationary attack, and 16% if you approach your opponent with the move and is the strongest in the knockback department. To use the DownB attack effectively, you want to use it when your opponent least expects it. DownB is also a very good punish tool against zoners that like to camp with projectiles. Make sure that you hit with DownB because if you fail to hit the attack, get ready to take a huge punish. The non attack DownB is very useful for recovery as I stated earlier because of the intangibility frames and it's mostly used to mixup so your opponent would have a hard time preparing for it. This goes for also using DownB to land. DownB is very effective as a landing mixup because of all the options you can do with it like attack, go in all different directions, and you can autocancel it. Because of this, your opponent has to respect you heavily.
4. Shuttle Loop/UpB- I've been waiting to talk about this move. It's so good and for many good reasons. It has amazing vertical recovery, is MK's primary kill move, has pretty huge disjointed hitboxes, and is MK's main combo finisher after like almost any of his moves lol. It comes out on frame 8 when used grounded and does 15% with more knockback than the aerial version. Aerial UpB comes out on frame 7 and does 12% with really high knockback as well. MK is infamous for killing especially early with this move as it can kill as early as 50% after an Uair string with rage. One thing to note is that UpB loses a lot of kill potential after the first 2 times you use it so be sure to keep it relatively fresh. UpB terrifies your opponent when they are above you which will most likely cause them to airdodge, jump away, or use a character specific move to get out of the situation. Watch at how they react to you below them and punish accordingly. UpB OOS is a great option when your opponent is in kill % (around 110% without rage on midweights and a bit higher for heavyweights) because it can punish almost anything. Grounded UpB can hit opponents hanging on the ledge as well. Make sure you hit it though as it has a lot of lag and your opponent will most likely try to bait it out from you. As for recovery with this move, it's excellent at it. MK can recover from the depths of stages with this move, it can hit through the stage to hit your opponent, and can autosnap to the ledge if spaced properly. While this move is very difficult to punish, your opponent still can if they hit behind your UpB since there is no hitbox behind you.
7. Grabs
- Standing grab is active frames 7-8
- Dash grab is active frames 9-10
- Pivot grab is active frames 9-10
- Pummel does 3% Be sure to use it often at later %s
2. Fthrow- This throw deals 9% and is very useful at high %s. This is because it's very quick and almost impossible to react to and DI properly. This means that you should be able to get a guaranteed UpB after Fthrow. Note, only use Fthrow after a DG and make sure that the Fthrow is instant otherwise the opponent can react. This should be used when your opponent is at kill %s (80-100%). Fthrow also has some combos at low %s like Fthrow > DA > Usmash > UpB for example on fast fallers and heavyweights. More on this later.
3. Bthrow- This throw deals 10% and is a decent mixup to use at 0-15% instead of using Dthrow. It can true combo into DA which can lead to more followups if the opponent DIs toward you and set up for a potential tech chase if the opponent DIs away. It's also MK's second most useful kill throw as it kills usually around 170% at the edge and around 140% if MK has rage.
4. Uthrow- This throw deals 10% and is MK's best kill throw for ending a stock if you can't land a kill move. It kills at around 170% without rage and 140% with rage. But, platforms are what make this his best kill throw. Stages like Duck Hunt will have this throw kill at like 85% on the top of the tree if MK has some rage. Platform stages that aren't Duck Hunt will have this throw kill at more reasonable %s like 110-140%. Uthrow's only con is that it doesn't lead into any followups.
8. Closure
Now, I know I went over a lot of information and I may not have explained it the best, but I hope it's in a way that you guys understood. The next part of my guide will go over the neutral game with MK. If you found this guide helpful, be sure to give it a like or share it around. This is my first guide so I would love it if you guys critique it so that I can improve on my next one possibly. I also stream at twitch.tv/freakzoid9000. It's mostly smash content but will occasionally play other games so be sure to hit me up with a follow. This guide will also be on YouTube eventually when I figure out more about how to make good videos. Anyways, thanks for reading and as always, stay freaky my freaks. Until next time.
