Needle Storm Frame Data (Source:
Kurogane Hammer)
Throw Startup (Partial Charge): F5
Throw Startup (Full Charge): F11
Needles take 13 frames to reach max distance once thrown. (I could have sworn someone said this was 5 frames in the character thread but it moves along at such a fast clip I can't find the post anymore. Whatever.)
Needles are stronger up close and weaker at a distance. They lose damage at frame 4, or a little under 25% of their max range.
No data for Penetrating Needles.
English Interpretation:
Partially charged needles start up faster than a full charge and are thus harder to react to (read: shield). That's an unusual thing I didn't expect. At max range, the time it takes for them to travel can give you a bit of leeway, but unless you're Sonic or something you probably can't punish it from max range anyway so that's a wash. I don't know how much cooldown she has on the move in general. A partial charge, having only 5 frames of startup when thrown, is probably unreactable. (Unless, again, you're at max range.)
Details on Lightweight, since I'd bet money its workings aren't common knowledge:
For 10 (maybe 15?) seconds, Palutena runs faster and jumps higher, as if Shulk were using his Jump and Speed arts simultaneously. In exchange, she takes 1.1x more damage. She does
not become lighter, despite the move's name and basically every commentator ever's statement to the contrary. Once the effect wears off, Palutena starts flashing and moves much slower for 10 seconds. 5 seconds after
that, she'll sparkle briefly to indicate the move is available for use again.
The Lightweight glitch involves standing on a fall-through platform, pressing down as if you want to fall through, then pressing B before falling. This lets you use Lightweight literally whenever you want, even if you're currently under the effects of the move already, currently slowed down afterwards, or waiting for the cooldown to end. The timing is strict but easy enough with practice. My current speculation/hypothesis is that the beginning frames of the fallthrough state are getting canceled by Lightweight and that this specific state isn't subject to the normal checks to prevent consecutive use of the move. Compare jump canceled usmashes and similar.
While under the effects of Lightweight, Palutena can get (probably guaranteed?) followups off of dthrow at basically any percent. dthrow > nair > dj uair in particular is a powerful kill combo if she reads the DI right since the nair will autolink and carry the target along her massive jump trajectory, resulting in easier uair kills now that you're closer to the upper blast zone. Her uair setups off of dthrow are known as the "Holy Hoo-Hah", "Hallelu-Hah", or "Hoo-Hallelujah" depending on who you ask.
Super Speed is much less complex in general (Palutena dashes forward with a hitbox, can cancel it with dash attack, dash grab, or jump, combos possible, note the possibility of jump canceled usmashes), but it's important to note that it has a 5 second cooldown after the move ends before it can be used again. When ready, a blue spark will appear briefly on Palutena.
