Bug(?): Idle hydrants can trigger counters.

[Rashid]

I haven't seen anyone else mention this, but this is significant for a lot of matchups, so I figured it needs its own thread.

As the title suggests, hydrants can activate counters if the opponent just touches it. I've seen this occur with Greninja and Shulk, and tested it with Lucina. I assume it also applies to Lucario, Marth, Ike, Palutena and Peach.

Here's a video showing it happening. You can test it yourself.

And here (at 1:48) you can see my opponent's Greninja intentionally touching it to trigger Substitute's kick. (he was the one who initially pointed this oddity out to me)

And yes, this also happens with the On-Fire Hydrant.

 

[Goggalor]

I've seen that happen before myself also. I've noticed that when you hit the hydrant, it creates a hit box on a different side of it. So some counter characters can react to that. I think that might have been what happened in your video because you can see a hit thing appear above the hydrant. At the same time I'm unsure because Shulk reacted pretty late to it.

Still some things to learn about the hydrant I guess.

 

[Rashid]

I don't think it's reacting to any hits. Just set one down and counter it while touching it. It'll just happen on its own.
@Paper Maribro thinks it's because the hydrant still counts as a projectile even when it's set down, since reflectors react to i.
Something else I noticed: if you hug the hydrant when you're invincible (say, from respawning) you'll keep getting "hit" by something until it the invincibility wears off.

 

[Lord Cruxis]

I don't think it's reacting to any hits. Just set one down and counter it while touching it. It'll just happen on its own.
@Paper Maribro thinks it's because the hydrant still counts as a projectile even when it's set down, since reflectors react to i.
Something else I noticed: if you hug the hydrant when you're invincible (say, from respawning) you'll keep getting "hit" by something until it the invincibility wears off.

You're correct. Anyone with a counter will activate it immediately when standing right next to it and there bodies touch it. As well as megamans mines will explode immediately on contact. And since it does he can spam it as long as he keeps hitting it.

 

[Rashid]

You're correct. Anyone with a counter will activate it immediately when standing right next to it and there bodies touch it. As well as megamans mines will explode immediately on contact. And since it does he can spam it as long as he keeps hitting it.

That's just how Crash Bomber reacts to things that aren't walls or characters that have hurtboxes. It also blows up immediately on Luma, trees, DH cans, etc. I assume it'll also blow up on (idle) fruit and power pellets.

 

[meleebrawler]

Just touch the hydrant and you'll hear a popping noise. Shielding next to it also causes hit bubbles.