This is an issue that always comes up on the Link and Toon boards, but I thought I'd share this information with everyone as there are many characters with tethers and some of this information (especially the last bit) is applicable to all characters.
As you know, if an opponent is on the ledge, this will not stop a tether from grabbing it in smash 4. Instead, there are many other reasons why a tether can fail to work. The following is a list of reasons why a tether will fail to work ranging from the obvious and known to the not so obvious and largely unknown.
Your tether was out of range. If you are too high or low or too far away, or even slightly too far on the stage's side of the ledge, the tether will fail.
If you have already used your tether three times without returning on-stage, your next tether will fail.
If you were only just on the ledge, you will have to wait till the 55th frame following the last frame of your ledge option to be able to grab the ledge again. In other words the ledge will not be available again for 54 frames counting from the last frame you were technically still on the ledge. Note that hitting away to let go of the ledge lets go of the ledge immediately, so the ledge will be available again on the 55th frame. Likewise, if for example your ledge getup takes 34 frames, allowing you to act on frame 35, you need to add 55 onto 34 to see what frame you'll be able to grab the ledge again (89).
When tethering however, you should note that there is a small buffer window. Even though the ledge won't be available until frame 55 following the last frame you were technically on the ledge, you can input the tether as early as frame 52; it will start doing a Zair but will change to a tether animation on frame 55. Trying to tether before this will result in a failed tether.
If you hit the grab button intending to tether just as you come out of hitstun you will airdodge instead.
If you hit the grab button while in a tumble state (i.e. you are spinning around while falling, usually induced by medium to large knockback shortly after hitstun has worn off if you don't do any action) you will do an aerial instead. Which aerial you do will obviously depend on what you're doing with the joystick at the time.
If you hit the grab button after doing any aerial or any special (in the air) and your character is still finishing off the left over animation of that action, you will airdodge instead. What this means is that even though you can cancel the remainder of the animation with an action, if you want to Zair or Tether, you'll either have to wait till the absolute end of that action's animation so that you are in your neutral free-fall animation again then press Grab, or you'll have to cancel the remainder of the animation with an airdodge and then you can immediately press Grab to Zair or Tether. Alternatively, if you have a double jump, you can use that instead of the airdodge and then immediately use the Zair/Tether after that.
If you plan to use an airdodge or a double jump and then immediately Zair or Tether, you will have to wait till the airdodge/DJ animation actually happens before pressing the Grab button otherwise you'll just get an airdodge due to the new buffering system. [Note that if you Zair after doing an airdodge you will receive the lag of the airdodge upon landing if your Zair animation hasn't finished yet. Note also that if you intend to use the attack button in conjunction with the shield button, you'll have to hold the shield button until you press the attack button.]
This one doesn't apply to tethers, but you should note that there is a rule that says you cannot grab the ledge if you are still in the middle of an animation. Sheik's Fair is a classic example of this. The animation for that move lasts far longer than the FAF, making it so you cannot grab the ledge even if you did a FH DJ Fair then drifted off stage and came in range of the ledge.
Again, doesn't apply to tethers, but there is a rule that says you cannot grab the ledge if you are rising, the exception being things like recovery moves.
Finally, if you have only just been in hitstun, the ledge will not be available to you. The rules without a tether are as follows:
Rule 1. You will be allowed to grab the ledge on the 54th frame following hitlag (unless Rule 2 applies and Rule 3 or 4 does not apply).
Rule 2. If you are hit hard enough that you will be forced to enter the tumble state, you cannot grab the ledge until the frame that you would enter the tumble state (unless Rule 3 or 4 applies).
Rule 3. If while falling your character model is pushed/shifted slightly out off-stage by the edge of the stage itself, Rule 2 will not apply and you will be allowed to grab the ledge as soon as you are within range so long as Rule 1 allows it.
Rule 4. If you avoid the tumble state entirely by e.g. using a move that can grab the ledge (Cloud Up-B, airdodge then tether, etc), you can circumvent Rule 2 and grab the ledge so long as Rule 1 allows it.
If however you are tethering, then only Rule 1 applies to tethers, and even then, there is actually a buffer window for the tether, allowing you to input the tether 3 frames earlier, having it come out as a Zair initially, then change its animation into a tether on the 54th frame following hitlag.
So with tethers you can essentially consider it to be:
Rule 1. You will be allowed to input Tether to grab the ledge on the 51st frame following hitlag. No exceptions.
As you know, if an opponent is on the ledge, this will not stop a tether from grabbing it in smash 4. Instead, there are many other reasons why a tether can fail to work. The following is a list of reasons why a tether will fail to work ranging from the obvious and known to the not so obvious and largely unknown.
Your tether was out of range. If you are too high or low or too far away, or even slightly too far on the stage's side of the ledge, the tether will fail.
If you have already used your tether three times without returning on-stage, your next tether will fail.
If you were only just on the ledge, you will have to wait till the 55th frame following the last frame of your ledge option to be able to grab the ledge again. In other words the ledge will not be available again for 54 frames counting from the last frame you were technically still on the ledge. Note that hitting away to let go of the ledge lets go of the ledge immediately, so the ledge will be available again on the 55th frame. Likewise, if for example your ledge getup takes 34 frames, allowing you to act on frame 35, you need to add 55 onto 34 to see what frame you'll be able to grab the ledge again (89).
When tethering however, you should note that there is a small buffer window. Even though the ledge won't be available until frame 55 following the last frame you were technically on the ledge, you can input the tether as early as frame 52; it will start doing a Zair but will change to a tether animation on frame 55. Trying to tether before this will result in a failed tether.
If you hit the grab button intending to tether just as you come out of hitstun you will airdodge instead.
If you hit the grab button while in a tumble state (i.e. you are spinning around while falling, usually induced by medium to large knockback shortly after hitstun has worn off if you don't do any action) you will do an aerial instead. Which aerial you do will obviously depend on what you're doing with the joystick at the time.
If you hit the grab button after doing any aerial or any special (in the air) and your character is still finishing off the left over animation of that action, you will airdodge instead. What this means is that even though you can cancel the remainder of the animation with an action, if you want to Zair or Tether, you'll either have to wait till the absolute end of that action's animation so that you are in your neutral free-fall animation again then press Grab, or you'll have to cancel the remainder of the animation with an airdodge and then you can immediately press Grab to Zair or Tether. Alternatively, if you have a double jump, you can use that instead of the airdodge and then immediately use the Zair/Tether after that.
If you plan to use an airdodge or a double jump and then immediately Zair or Tether, you will have to wait till the airdodge/DJ animation actually happens before pressing the Grab button otherwise you'll just get an airdodge due to the new buffering system. [Note that if you Zair after doing an airdodge you will receive the lag of the airdodge upon landing if your Zair animation hasn't finished yet. Note also that if you intend to use the attack button in conjunction with the shield button, you'll have to hold the shield button until you press the attack button.]
This one doesn't apply to tethers, but you should note that there is a rule that says you cannot grab the ledge if you are still in the middle of an animation. Sheik's Fair is a classic example of this. The animation for that move lasts far longer than the FAF, making it so you cannot grab the ledge even if you did a FH DJ Fair then drifted off stage and came in range of the ledge.
Again, doesn't apply to tethers, but there is a rule that says you cannot grab the ledge if you are rising, the exception being things like recovery moves.
Finally, if you have only just been in hitstun, the ledge will not be available to you. The rules without a tether are as follows:
Rule 1. You will be allowed to grab the ledge on the 54th frame following hitlag (unless Rule 2 applies and Rule 3 or 4 does not apply).
Rule 2. If you are hit hard enough that you will be forced to enter the tumble state, you cannot grab the ledge until the frame that you would enter the tumble state (unless Rule 3 or 4 applies).
Rule 3. If while falling your character model is pushed/shifted slightly out off-stage by the edge of the stage itself, Rule 2 will not apply and you will be allowed to grab the ledge as soon as you are within range so long as Rule 1 allows it.
Rule 4. If you avoid the tumble state entirely by e.g. using a move that can grab the ledge (Cloud Up-B, airdodge then tether, etc), you can circumvent Rule 2 and grab the ledge so long as Rule 1 allows it.
If however you are tethering, then only Rule 1 applies to tethers, and even then, there is actually a buffer window for the tether, allowing you to input the tether 3 frames earlier, having it come out as a Zair initially, then change its animation into a tether on the 54th frame following hitlag.
So with tethers you can essentially consider it to be:
Rule 1. You will be allowed to input Tether to grab the ledge on the 51st frame following hitlag. No exceptions.
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