Who ya Gonna Call? Luigi! - A Complete Guide

*Guide and all values applicable as of 3DS and Wii U version 1.0.7*
Changelog:

Spoiler

6/7/2015: Added some green text on the bottom of the combos section! Rock on, Greenflame.
6/6/2015: Added Ganondorf to the matchups! A huge special thanks to Space Stranger! Fixed changelog and added to the down-throw uppercut combo! Special thanks to Showdow for that! ALSO updated combat percent values to reflect current versions! Added STiCKYBULL3TZ's combo guide. Yup, busy two days.
6/5/2015: I'm back! I hadn't updated this guide in awhile and really wanted to continue to help the Luigi and Smash 4 community. I decided to add a recovery section! I moved all the recovery tips to this directory. I also fixed the opening image, which seemed to be broken. Added characters to the matchup section: Donkey Kong. Finally, I cleaned up the index from the intro and made it reflect the matchup and recovery sections. In the next couple of days, you can look forward to updated percentage values on all attacks from the recent patch.
1/17/2015: Added a guy to the end of Special Thanks.
12/16/2014: Changed the recovery value of Green Missle, changed the value of Up Throw. Added some text in both of the moves' sections. Added Thunder to the Special Thanks. Added the pink section to Special Thanks.
12/12/2014: Changed mechanical error. Upped the ranking of neutral air. Added some self-adverts in the specials thanks section. CORRUPTION!!!!!
12/7/2014: Changed a grammar error that was so minor, nobody likely caught it. Added Captain Falcon to matchups. Added one sentence to the Marth/Lucina matchup. Added up-air recovery tip to the end of tips section.
11/26/2014: Added a matchup section including Mario, Kirby, Robin, and Marth/Lucina.
11/25/2014: Made the introduction picture bigger, ranked up the Down Throw. Added a Special Thanks section. Added weaknesses. Changed the wording of the introduction a bit.

Introduction:

This is Luigi, the better half of the esteemed Mario Brothers.

For starters, he watches his weight, he actually grooms his mustache, and he also doesn't look so darn angry all the time. But you're not reading this guide to learn the beauty that is Luigi. You're reading this guide to learn the beauty that is playing Luigi. So I will tell you right off the bat that Luigi plays completely differently than his brother.

I couldn't stand idle as the green guy over here went without a much-deserved guide. I'll divvy this into sections, starting with an overview so you can get a general idea of what the heck you're reading.

Overview:

Luigi is a strong pick in many regards. At first glance, he's slippery, hard to control and his kit just doesn't line up with itself in a few ways combo-wise. Luigi is awkward and has a bunch of weird, out-of place moves. But this makes him one of the most unpredictable fighters on the roster. By using Luigi's semi-clumsy mechanics, you can render the opponent defenseless when they're trying to figure out what your strategy is.

+ Unpredictable
+ Good knockback
+ Moderate zone control ablities
+ Great recovery skills

- Floaty and slippery
- A badly used move is extremely punishable
- Poor approach against certain characters

The next sections will consist of...

Moves and Their Uses: An in-depth, mechanical guide to every one of Luigi's moves, with some tips thrown in. You don't NEED to read this, but if you wanna be a pro Luigi, it's ideal.

General Strategies: A list of base mindsets and tendencies to shift towards when playing Luigi.

Situational Strategies: Some things to do to get you out of some tough pickles.

Weaknesses: "Knowing your weaknesses in Smash allows you to emphasize your strengths in Smash." - Ghandi

Combos: Some general things you can do to keep the damage flowing and get some KOs!

Recovery: Do you need to get back on the stage? Are you tired of dying? Then you need the recovery guide! $19.99 plus shipping and handling.

Matchups: It's time for the first season of Celebrity Matchmaker: Luigi Edition.

Closing and Special Thanks: The conclusion will consist of a closing message. If you're in the special thanks, it means you're special. Thanks!

With that, I present the full and comprehensive guide to Luigi. Please enjoy.

Moves and Their Uses:

This section will cover all of Luigi's usable moves. It's divided into sections: Ground attacks, air attacks, smash attacks, special attacks, and grabs.
The general usefulness of a move will be listed 1-3.
1: Not very useful
2: Useful
3: Extremely useful

Ground Attacks:

Neutral Attack - 3

Spoiler

This move is lovingly referred to as the Punch-Butt Combo. It begins with a punch that deals 3% damage, which generally stunlocks the opponent into the second punch, dealing 2%. The third attack of this combo is an extension of Luigi's powerful rear, dealing an additional 5% damage for a total of 10%.
It is to be noted that the third part of this combo is extremely useful for knocking away your opponent. (You'll notice a trend of Luigi's great knockback capabilities.) You should also know that completing this combo will move Luigi forward by about one Luigi.

Side Tilt - 2.5
Down Tilt - 1
Up Tilt - 1.5
Dash Attack - 3
Down Taunt - 0


Air Attacks:

Neutral Air - 3

Spoiler

A move called the Plumber Kick that encompasses Luigi's entire lower half. Hits in front of him, in back of him, everywhere. Landing this move on the initial button press renders 12% damage, but Luigi keeps his foot extended for a half a second longer or so. Anyone who hits you after the initial kick will sustain 6% damage, but about the same knockback. Useful in situations where your opponent is coming from below or you don't know which side to air attack on. Generally good upward knockback, and can KO at higher percentages.

Forward Air - 3

Spoiler

Luigi's forward air is a quick swipe to the right, yielding 9% damage and some really nice knockback. Amazing for edge guarding. This is such a fast attack that your opponent sometimes has a tough time dodging it. Wonderful for jumping up quickly and smacking.

Up Air - 3

Spoiler

Boasting 11% damage (only 7% if hit late), this move is great for combos and even KOs at higher percentages. Luigi does a backflip kick covering everywhere but below him. If throwing the opponent up or down, you may want to jump up and use this. Make sure to use the move not when the foe is high above Luigi, but when they're almost touching him from above or from the side. That way it'll hit a sweetspot of knockback and gain KO potential.

Down Air - 2

Spoiler

Though generally hard-to-hit, Luigi does not lack a slam dunk, which deals 8% damage. The sweet spot here is the spark that appears when you use it. Touch that to somebody and send them meteoring downward. This move is a meteor smash and activates quickly, at the expense of the necessity to come from an awkwardly predictable angle, being directly above. This move is very reliable for edge guarding, but you won't find yourself using it all too much due to the aforementioned angling problems. If you can pull it off though, it's a really good KO move for a recovering opponent. Also, if you do hit the dunk, it's 10% instead of 8!

Back Air - 3

Spoiler

Quite the useful move, Luigi extends his body lengthwise in a side kick. If Luigi's feet touch the opponent, a whopping 14% damage is dealt. 8% if closer to the body or late. On top of that, it's an extremely dependable KO move. As long as you sweet-spot it on the foot, which isn't tough, it can reliably KO a recovering airborne enemy at 80%. Use it sometimes when coming down to land as well, because it's quick with the most range of all Luigi's aerials.

Smash Attacks:

Side Smash - 3

Spoiler

An invaluable KO move that involves Luigi sticking out his open palm as if to accommodate someone high-fiving from above. Used instantly, deals 15% damage and significant knockback at high percentages. Even more knockback and 21% damage is rewarded to a charged attack. Either way, this move is amazing for killing people. That's why it's called a smash attack. It KOs a Mario from the edge, uncharged, at 93%. An important note is that this move can be angled up or down while charging to dramatically change where you launch your opponent, as well as the hitbox for the move itself. If an enemy is recovering from above, I suggest you angle this upward.

Up Smash - 3

Spoiler

Luigi's up smash is amazingly useful for opponents coming from above. It damages 12% uncharged, 19% charged, in a radius around him. Surrounds him with a hitbox from everywhere but below, where the ground protects him. KOs from the top at about 100% uncharged, but generally this move should be used as a simultaneous damage builder and forcefield from downward enemy antics. I find myself using this move offensively by running, then quickly rolling the analog stick up and holding A to begin a sliding charge!

Down Smash - 3

Spoiler

14% from the legs, 15% from the feet, this move is perfect for opponents who like to sidestep. It's a breakdance attack designed to sweep ground-bound opponents off their feet and away from you. It's a perfect distance maker to protect against that one guy who tries to go around you and attack from behind. Great for attacking from both sides.

Special Attacks:

Luigi Fireball, Neutral B - 3

Spoiler

Dealing 6% damage, which isn't too shabby, this move is perfect for opponents that dash at you. Little Mac, Captain Falcon, et cetera... if someone is coming at you, give them a big nope to the face using one of Luigi's handy little fireballs. It's great zone control too, and if you learn to use the fireballs correctly, you can use the flinch status they give to capitalize. Sometimes you can even pull off gimps, but be careful not to help a recovering foe by giving them a second up special to use, as the fireball will reset aerial capabilities.

Green Missile, Side B - 1.5 (Combat), 1.5 (Recovery)

Spoiler

Charging this move gives ridiculous amounts of sideways momentum. Amazing for recovery. The problem with this is that it can be a bit predictable, so please watch where you aim this thing. Deals 6-20% damage depending on if it's fully charged. 10% of the time, Luigi will have a Green Missile Misfire. This gives the attack a higher arc, 25% damage, more knockback, and generally further reach. There's no way to tell if you've got one in store though, so be careful. A KO you score with a misfire might be a lucky one, but it's still a KO!

Luigi Cyclone - 3

Spoiler

This move is amazingly useful. If coming down from above, you'd make yourself less vulnerable using this added to the sideways momentum it gives. It captures people within it for a total of 9 damage, then flings them back. It's wonderful for zoning, and great to follow up a fireball with. More on these types of combos later, though. I can tell you're just gushing with excitement about them. A note though, this move is so good that you might want to spam it. Don't spam it, it lessens the unpredictability aspect that makes Luigi so good in the first place.

Super Jump Punch, Up B - 2

Spoiler

While not the best for recovery, it's certainly something. The fun thing about this move is that if you hit someone directly with it from the ground, it sweet-spots like Jigglypuff's rest, dealing 25% damage with incredible KO potential, possibly the best of all his moves. Be wary though, as using this moves plops Luigi flat onto his head. It's very punishable, only use it if you have a clear opening like a shield-break, or after a green missile to recover to the ledge if needed.

Grabs:

Luigi Headbutt - 2

Spoiler

Luigi, while grabbing, can repeatedly headbutt the opponent for 3% damage. When grabbing mid-damaged opponents, it's recommended that you only do this once or twice before throwing.

Back Throw - 3

Spoiler

Taking the longest to wind up, dealing the most damage (10%), and launching the furthest while knocking any nearby foes out of the way makes for an extremely useful move. Reliable to KOs off the edge at higher percentages. This should be your go-to throw for highly damaged opponents.

Forward Throw - 3

Spoiler

A very quick throw, it deals 9% damage and has significant force behind it. It's perfect for quickly tossing someone and then following up with an aerial combo before they even know what hit them. You can throw almost the moment you grab, so keep this one handy as a blitz move.

Up Throw - 1

Spoiler

Dishing out 8% damage, this is a pretty useful move if you wanna make an aerial combo at low percentages. (Not as good as the down throw.) First throw up (not referring to actual vomit) and then jump and up-air. That's really all the up throw is good for. I don't find myself using it all that much. My friend Thunder pointed out to me that honestly, the following Down Throw is much more rewarding than this one is.

Down Throw - 3

Spoiler

Smacks your enemy against the ground, ricocheting them up for 6% damage to perform a combo! Neutral air, up air, forward air, up smash.... it all depends on the enemy's damage and where they fly. It's also really quick to combo with, so use it to confound the enemy with speed. This grab is by far the best one for damage. Make a habit!

General Strategies:


Every good Super Smash Bros. player needs a mindset. Luigi, like all characters, is versatile regarding the way you decide to play him. Here are a few general stances to take as you play Luigi.

The Awkward Stance:

This is my personal favorite. Luigi is a weird, awkward man with weird, awkward moves. So what better way to play than awkwardly? Allow me to explain.

The enemy stands there, awaiting you to make a move. Or perhaps he runs at you. Whatever the case, be ready to give them an awkward time. You're Luigi, you revel in your unpredictability, your uncoordinated attack. You do unpredictable things. Launch a few fireballs for cover, dodge, hit, and then when they're least expecting it, cyclone into their face. That's just an example of how unpredictable Luigi can be. And then when you get them to a high percentage, throw them! Smash attack only when you know it can't be punished. That's another thing, Luigi is a cowardly guy. Be the same and try not to make punishable choices. Basically, be true to Luigi's personality! I think it's both why he's so good, and how he was meant to be played. Good all-around strategy.

The Defensive Stance:

Luigi can be a pretty defensive monster. With his green missile, he can recover when launched at 130%. The idea to this stance is to not retaliate unless attacked. Use your fireballs (but don't spam them!) to keep ranged attacks at bay or rushing opponents pacified. Then, when you see your opening, get in and attack. After that, you take all the precaution in the world not to get hit back, like a true coward. Don't camp one side, for that will be boring and annoying. Instead, roll-dodge around and see where it gets you. Don't be too excessive in any of your dodging techniques, however, because it does take away from your unpredictability. In this stance, you should rely on the fireball a lot, and the cyclone or dash attack if the enemy is snoozing. Best for ranged enemies.

The Berserker's Stance:

Luigi is extremely fast with his cyclone. You can use it to get in there and start beating people up. In this stance, you should rely most on keeping the enemy out of control. Get them caught in the tornado, stun them in a fireball, hit them with your punch-butt combo, dash attack them, don't let them breathe in the air.... just go completely ham. This is a viable strategy with the good ol' Weeg, and your enemy might not know what hit them. Best for slower enemies.

Situational Strategies:

This will serve as a general database on what to do in certain situations. More will be added as time passes. May it serve you well.

- In the air trying to fall back onto the ground, instead of air-dodging, you can use the cyclone to give you some sideways momentum. Then you can hit the ground and go straight for the enemy, punishing any up-smash they may have been readying.
- If you're falling into someone's up-smash, a quick green missile wouldn't hurt anyone.
- If an opponent just keeps slipping away from you on the ground (looking at you, Mac), then you might do well to keep down-smash in mind. Remember, the fireballs are handy for opponents who are rushing!!
- Remember your spot-dodging!! Dodge down sometimes, it surprises the opponent when their stunlock move misses. Then you can come back and smack them more quickly than you could rolling around them.
- Leading off that, sometimes you might wanna hold up a shield to bait someone to grab you. Then spot-dodge and hit back!
- Luigi struggles against fast characters like Sheik. You can't out-initiate them, so just play defensively and wait for a weakness to show.
- When turning from a sprint, Luigi skids. To avoid this, shield while running, and then roll-dodge back.
- You generally want to keep a fireball in the air during a battle off the ground. It gives your opponent less breathing room.
- Don't be afraid to go out far to edge guard. Luigi can use his green missile to pop himself back to safety.

Weaknesses:

Luigi, like any great man, is not without his shortcomings. Be they character matchups or general blind spots, they will be explained here.

- Luigi struggles against quick, jumpy characters like Sheik and Greninja. A lot of his combos and initiations can't be used, and his fireballs are rendered virtually useless. If caught up in a match like this, the best thing you can do is play the avoiding game for a few seconds until you can predict where they'll be in the next timeframe. Then, strike.

- Heavyweights are a challenge for a general strategy. Adapt to a more berserker-esque stance and you'll be fine.

- An opponent who waits for you to make a move is probably one with something up their sleeve. If an enemy is anticipating that you could do anything to come at them, it'll be tough to do something they can't counter. In a situation like this, try a quick fake-out. Remember your spot-dodging!

- Luigi is super slippery when turning. Try to move in sidesteps sometimes, but not so often as to give your opponent a predictable opening.

Combos:
Here are some of my favorite combos for Luigi. I will add to this list as I discover more. I have also taken the liberty to give them cool names.

The Flare Blitz: Stun an opponent with a fireball, then run in with a dash attack. If enemy flies high enough, meet them in the sky with a quick forward air.

The Quick Abyss: Catch an opponent near the edge and on critical percentages? Grab them and quickly forward throw them, then jump up and launch a fireball. Either they avoid the fireball, get hit by it, or air-dodge it. Either way, jump up for an opportunity to strike them in the air.

The Flying Foot: If the opponent is healthy, throw them up. If they're critical, throw them down. Then jump up and introduce your neutral air to their head. For a bonus, up-smash as they come down if they're stupid enough and fly in the right direction.

The Double Whammy: If you perform a forward air, and the enemy lands on the ground behind you, come down and hit them with a highly unexpected back aerial. Remember the sweet spot!!

Trial by Fire: If you land your dash attack and end up on an edge with the opponent trying to recover, jump up and launch a fireball. The moment you land, launch another fireball. Then prepare an up-smash or side-smash. The only way for the enemy to avoid damage is to go over the fireball or grab the ledge, both scenarios making you protected. It's a good safe way to follow up a dash attack. If the fire hits them, you probably will too.

The Down Throw Uppercut: Use a down-throw and immediately follow it up with a super jump punch when the unlucky soul hits the ground. Ouch!!! EXTREME launch potential. More practically, jump into an up-air or forward-air! Even a back-air if you wanna be fancy!

Speaking of down-throw combos, I would like to discuss how good they are! Here is a well-accessible chart that a very valuable contributor STiCKYBULL3TZ. Thanks so much if you're reading this!

Dthrow-->Fair-->Fair
Dthrow-->Fair-->Uair
Dthrow-->Fair-->Nair
Dthrow-->Rising Cyclone
Dthrow-->Up B
Dthrow-->Dair (tight timing, but possible. Can get an early kill if you do it by the edge and hit the meteor sweetspot)
Dthrow-->Fair-->Nair-->Utilt x3-->any aerial (the Utilts after the Nair aren't guaranteed. It depends on what the opponent does. Also you might not get 3 depending on percentage. Utilts can be subbed for one Usmash. This combo is also possible with Uair instead on Nair)

(A big thank-you again to STiCKYBULL3TZ for giving me permission to basically copy-paste that.)

I also highly recommend that you check out Greenflame's guide! He details combos very well, and he's also a really cool guy. It's called Super Luigi Guide!

Recovery:

Even the best Weegies get knocked off the edge once in awhile. There is this special thing that Luigi can do to get back on the stage. I call it.... recovery. The following is an outline of what you can do!

What can I use to recover?
- A second jump!
- A green missile!
- A super jump punch!
- A Luigi cyclone!

What more do I need to know? How does all this work? Can you throw all the information in one place for me? Yes, I can.

The Second Jump:
You'd think to use this first, right? Maybe not. Generally, you want to use the second jump early on in recovering. But if you're in a tight spot, you might want to save it until AFTER you've used another move! Both the cyclone and the green missile do not render you helpless after use in the air!

If you're far out horizontally, it might benefit you to green missile and THEN jump. From there, you can cyclone or super jump punch to get back up. If someone is coming after you, by the way, show no fear when it comes to using an up-air!

The Green Missile:
The tried-and-true horizontal self-launch can benefit you a lot. It can carry you far, it has a chance to misfire, adding randomness to it, and it's generally a strong move. You can string multiple together in the air, and you can use any move out of it after a brief delay.

The green missile can stick your head into the side of a wall on recovering, too. Luigi will pull out. While he's busy doing that, though, he's vulnerable. Sticking into a wall is still a good confusion technique. (You'll stick to some, but not all omega stages.)

The Super Jump Punch:
This is generally the last move you want to use in a recovery. It is the only one of the four things listed here that makes you helpless. It'll give extremely fast upward movement, which is next to invincibility.

You don't want to use this to land on the ground. The time it takes for Luigi to pick himself up is more than long enough for a painful punishment. Try to grab a ledge!

The Luigi Cyclone:
It's a great move! It's also the hardest one of these to master. In order to rise, you have to mash the special button more quickly. Also, it's very dependent on your upward momentum. It's best to use this at the peak of a second jump, before you lose your precious upward force. You CAN up-special after this ends! It's quite an effective strategy to recover from deep dives.

It's always a good thing to remember that the cyclone does NOT give you invulnerability from the top or bottom. The last thing you wanna to is try to cyclone up into a Mega Man's down-air.

General Recovery Tips:
- If you're returning to an edge, depending on the map, you can use your up air attack below the edge to hit someone waiting for you. I've gotten KOs like this.
- A badly-timed recovery can give the enemy a chance to attack. You have to really think about when to start and finish your green missile. Maybe smack into the edge? Maybe go past the enemy? Hit them? Disappear below the edge to save yourself with a jump-punch? You need to have variety with these so your opponent doesn't take advantage of your glass-cannon recovery.

Matchups:
Notable matchups here. Data is gathered through For Glory opponents deemed worthy of evaluation. More updates with time. If you want to add or criticize a matchup, leave a comment anywhere.
Hard Matchup
Medium Matchup
Easy Matchup

Mario - What has the world come to when you have to watch yourself around your own (semi)loving (horribly cruel) brother? Mario's speedy playstyle and moves (namely his slides, grabs and aerials) really throw the ol' Weeg for a loop. Your punch-butt combo may become a lifesaver in a match between these two.

Donkey Kong - The Dankey is very, very powerful. Dodging is very recommended for this King of Kongs. However, spot-dodging is invalid against this behemoth's tornado. The problem with fighting Dankey Kang is that he's extremely powerful. He can instantly murder you AND you unborn child with one clap of his hands at 60%. As Luigi, you generally want to take advantage of DK's slow, grabbable nature and his lacking recovery. It's not too lacking in offensive power, though, so watch out for DK's own tornado! It beats yours out in priority!

Kirby - This little marshmallow is quick, yes, but his specials are generally avoided by a good Luigi, making Kirby wide open to attack. Luigi's inhale ability doesn't flow well with Kirby's kit, either. This matchup should be a walk in Dream Land.

Robin - Robin has melee attacks that outrange a lot of Luigi's. He ALSO has ranged attacks like Thoron and Arc Fire to render your fireball's zoning virtually useless. When fighting any Robin, you generally want to bait out his specials until he's defenseless, then run in while not getting electrically decapitated by that blade.

Ganondorf - The King of Evil lives up to his name. I was honestly surprised to have heard that The Dorf may be a hard match for Luigi. Then, I played against someone who was good with him. Don't be fooled by Ganon: He's slow, yeah. But he gets super armor where it counts, he can quickly side- or down-special, and he's a damage-dishing tank that Luigi sometimes can't penetrate. Ganondorf is best dealt with using fireballs in order to stop his speedy onslaughts, then go in to grab. When Ganon stops coming at you with specials, you want to dish the pain to him using grabs, or a dash attack. Your cyclone is easily countered by Ganon and his plethora of move-stopping moves. Be wary of this foe!

March/Lucina - Marth and Lucina have no general defense to your fireball zoning and no good gap-closers to get in on you. Luigi doesn't need a blade to win a swordfight. He be too cool for that, dawg.

Captain Falcon - This'll start out tough because Falcon has moves to punish things you do that aren't normally punishable. He's weird like that. But as you get used to the captain you're fighting (who is not Captain Olimar), you will adapt to his patterns and SHOW HIM YOUR MOVES!!!!


Conclusion:

I do hope you enjoy this Luigi guide. Of course, it's constantly under construction as of now. That being stated, if you think something is lacking in the slightest, or you want me to clarify something, I urge you to leave a comment. I would really appreciate it.

Happy smashing, fellow Luigis.

- Drybones08

_____