Xygonn
Smash Ace
Big update!
So in some other threads people were remarking how Samus is pretty good at breaking shields. Ok. So basically (according to the smashwiki) shields in SSB4 have 42 hp, lose 6.5 hp per second (they take about the same amount of time to break while being held down) while up and regain ~3.8 hp per second while down (this number seems to be about the same as before). With the 1.1.5 update, nair is a real shield killing monster. When fresh, the first hit of nair guaruntees the second hit of nair on shield if you are moving through your opponent dealing just shy of 20 shield damage. Even when not fresh the first hit of guaruntees your opponent's only choice to avoid the second hit on shield is to take the 9% back hit. On cross up this isn't horribly unsafe and is -8 if you land as you hit the 9% back hit of nair.
Nair (fresh) + bomb (fresh) = shield break
Samus has lots of moves that do bonus shield damage:
Bomb:
Bomb
Frame 52-53: 4%(+6) 22b/45g (KO@ 828%) 361° 0.6-Hitlag Fire
Max Damage: 4%
Bomb (explosion)
Frame 1-18: 5%(+6) 15b/45g (KO@ 740%) 361° 0.3-Hitlag Fire
Max Damage: 5%
A bomb hitting on both frames (pre explosion+explosion) does a pretty meaty 21 shield damage. Some people already noticed bombs are great at hitting shields, I'm just giving you the raw numbers. Notably megabomb does 29 shield damage. Slip bomb only does ~8.
Charge shot gets 3% bonus damage on a full charge only:
Charge shot does 25 damage max plus 3% shield damage for 28 shield damage.
DCS does 30 shield damage
MCS does 23 shield damage
Missiles get 1% bonus shield damage and super missiles get 5% bonus shield damage:
Missile (super):
Frame 1- 2: 10%(+5) 50b/65g (KO@ 273%) 65° Fire
Max Damage: 10%
15 damage from a regular super missile
Relentless Missile (super)
Frame 1- 2: 12%(+5) 50b/65g (KO@ 240%) 60° Fire
17 damage from a relentless super missile
Max Damage: 12%
Turbo Missile (super)
Frame 1-59: 9%(+5) 50b/65g (KO@ 300%) 65° Fire
Max Damage: 9%
14 damage from a turbo super missile
Missile (homing:
5+1 for regular missiles = 6 damage
3+1 for relentless = 4 damage
4+1 for turbo = 5 damage
Screw Attacks:
Regular (Grounded)
Frame 5- 6: 2%(+3)
Frame 7- 8: [1%(+3)]x3
Frame 11-12: [1%(+3)]x6
Frame 27-28: 1%(+3)
5+4*3+4*6+4=45 max shield damage, this is really more about how you can poke even a full shield if you screw attack someone on a platform. With the new mechanics this can net shield breaks pretty often.
Regular (Aerial)
Frame 5- 6: [1%(+3)]x3
Frame 11-12: [1%(+3)]x8
Frame 27-28: 1%(+3)
4*3+4*8+4=48 shield damage, this is also a huge overestimate of anything you are going to hit, but again, shows how you can shield poke on a recovery or against someone on a platform. With the new mechanics this can net shield breaks very often.
Rush
Frame 11-23: [2%(+3)]x5
Frame 25-25: 5%(+3)
That's 33 shield damage, which is also pretty good.
Apex
Frame 15-15: 2%
Frame 26-27: 7%
No bonus. You aren't poking any shields with this or even doing any respectable shield damage.
All of Samus' basic moves don't do any bonus shield damage, however, uair and fair have relatively long durations of 16 frames and 26 frames respectively giving a sort of bonus because of the time. Full uair and full bair do some extra shield damage during the looping frames. Uair has 4 extra looping frames where the opponent may drop shield adding about 0.4 shield damage for 11.4 total. Fair has 15 looping frames where the opponent may drop shield adding about 1.6 damage or 14.4 total shield damage. Nair has or one or zero frames between the two hits, resulting in no real shield damage benefit from holding shield for both hits.
My favorite shield break (really only works if the opponent is giving you breathing room in the first place):
Super Missile -> CS
You don't need a homing missile anymore.
This works best from almost all the way across the stage
15+28=43 = shield break. This is escapable, but I have found it useful.
A potential shield breaker I've now worked into my game:
Bomb->CS: if they block and look like they are gonna get sweet spotted, and you have a CS, that's a shield break! 21+28+shield time=50 no problem. Even stale this will break a shield. Maybe this is a good option from a ledge retreated bomb drop.
New shield breakers in 1.1.1 that are pretty functional:
Strong hit of bair + CS
Strong hit of dair + CS
Both hits of nair + CS
Utilt + CS
Jab1 + Jab2 + CS
Fair (all hits) + CS
2xZair (both hits) + CS
SM + CS (used to need a little bit more)
New shield breakers in 1.1.5 that kinda work
Both hits of dsmash + both hits of nair
Both hits of dsmash + bomb (still not super practical but the better faf makes stuff better)
Both hits of nair + bomb (both fresh, otherwise great shield pressure)
Both hits of nair x2 (fresh only, may need some additional pressure, this is a bit short)
I believe Samus has the single best shield pressure in the game now. With the 1.1.5 changes things got even better.
So in some other threads people were remarking how Samus is pretty good at breaking shields. Ok. So basically (according to the smashwiki) shields in SSB4 have 42 hp, lose 6.5 hp per second (they take about the same amount of time to break while being held down) while up and regain ~3.8 hp per second while down (this number seems to be about the same as before). With the 1.1.5 update, nair is a real shield killing monster. When fresh, the first hit of nair guaruntees the second hit of nair on shield if you are moving through your opponent dealing just shy of 20 shield damage. Even when not fresh the first hit of guaruntees your opponent's only choice to avoid the second hit on shield is to take the 9% back hit. On cross up this isn't horribly unsafe and is -8 if you land as you hit the 9% back hit of nair.
Nair (fresh) + bomb (fresh) = shield break
Samus has lots of moves that do bonus shield damage:
Bomb:
Bomb
Frame 52-53: 4%(+6) 22b/45g (KO@ 828%) 361° 0.6-Hitlag Fire
Max Damage: 4%
Bomb (explosion)
Frame 1-18: 5%(+6) 15b/45g (KO@ 740%) 361° 0.3-Hitlag Fire
Max Damage: 5%
A bomb hitting on both frames (pre explosion+explosion) does a pretty meaty 21 shield damage. Some people already noticed bombs are great at hitting shields, I'm just giving you the raw numbers. Notably megabomb does 29 shield damage. Slip bomb only does ~8.
Charge shot gets 3% bonus damage on a full charge only:
Charge shot does 25 damage max plus 3% shield damage for 28 shield damage.
DCS does 30 shield damage
MCS does 23 shield damage
Missiles get 1% bonus shield damage and super missiles get 5% bonus shield damage:
Missile (super):
Frame 1- 2: 10%(+5) 50b/65g (KO@ 273%) 65° Fire
Max Damage: 10%
15 damage from a regular super missile
Relentless Missile (super)
Frame 1- 2: 12%(+5) 50b/65g (KO@ 240%) 60° Fire
17 damage from a relentless super missile
Max Damage: 12%
Turbo Missile (super)
Frame 1-59: 9%(+5) 50b/65g (KO@ 300%) 65° Fire
Max Damage: 9%
14 damage from a turbo super missile
Missile (homing:
5+1 for regular missiles = 6 damage
3+1 for relentless = 4 damage
4+1 for turbo = 5 damage
Screw Attacks:
Regular (Grounded)
Frame 5- 6: 2%(+3)
Frame 7- 8: [1%(+3)]x3
Frame 11-12: [1%(+3)]x6
Frame 27-28: 1%(+3)
5+4*3+4*6+4=45 max shield damage, this is really more about how you can poke even a full shield if you screw attack someone on a platform. With the new mechanics this can net shield breaks pretty often.
Regular (Aerial)
Frame 5- 6: [1%(+3)]x3
Frame 11-12: [1%(+3)]x8
Frame 27-28: 1%(+3)
4*3+4*8+4=48 shield damage, this is also a huge overestimate of anything you are going to hit, but again, shows how you can shield poke on a recovery or against someone on a platform. With the new mechanics this can net shield breaks very often.
Rush
Frame 11-23: [2%(+3)]x5
Frame 25-25: 5%(+3)
That's 33 shield damage, which is also pretty good.
Apex
Frame 15-15: 2%
Frame 26-27: 7%
No bonus. You aren't poking any shields with this or even doing any respectable shield damage.
All of Samus' basic moves don't do any bonus shield damage, however, uair and fair have relatively long durations of 16 frames and 26 frames respectively giving a sort of bonus because of the time. Full uair and full bair do some extra shield damage during the looping frames. Uair has 4 extra looping frames where the opponent may drop shield adding about 0.4 shield damage for 11.4 total. Fair has 15 looping frames where the opponent may drop shield adding about 1.6 damage or 14.4 total shield damage. Nair has or one or zero frames between the two hits, resulting in no real shield damage benefit from holding shield for both hits.
My favorite shield break (really only works if the opponent is giving you breathing room in the first place):
Super Missile -> CS
You don't need a homing missile anymore.
This works best from almost all the way across the stage
15+28=43 = shield break. This is escapable, but I have found it useful.
A potential shield breaker I've now worked into my game:
Bomb->CS: if they block and look like they are gonna get sweet spotted, and you have a CS, that's a shield break! 21+28+shield time=50 no problem. Even stale this will break a shield. Maybe this is a good option from a ledge retreated bomb drop.
New shield breakers in 1.1.1 that are pretty functional:
Strong hit of bair + CS
Strong hit of dair + CS
Both hits of nair + CS
Utilt + CS
Jab1 + Jab2 + CS
Fair (all hits) + CS
2xZair (both hits) + CS
SM + CS (used to need a little bit more)
New shield breakers in 1.1.5 that kinda work
Both hits of dsmash + both hits of nair
Both hits of dsmash + bomb (still not super practical but the better faf makes stuff better)
Both hits of nair + bomb (both fresh, otherwise great shield pressure)
Both hits of nair x2 (fresh only, may need some additional pressure, this is a bit short)
I believe Samus has the single best shield pressure in the game now. With the 1.1.5 changes things got even better.
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