Blue Sun Studios
Smash Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2015
- Messages
- 191
- NNID
- BlueSunStudios
- 3DS FC
- 4768-8305-0092
Based on my "List of Potential Full/Semi/Pseudo Clones" thread, I've went and made a bit of a list further detailing how Dark Meta Knight could be handled in comparison to Meta Knight (most likely how I'd handle him). It's not perfect or probably the best out there, but it's the best that I could come up with. WARNING: long read below.
Aesthetics
• Dark Meta Knight's on-screen appearance has him emerging from the Dimension Mirror, unfurling his cape into wings and stretching his body as blood flies off his wings before landing as the Dimension Mirror disappears.
• Dark Meta Knight's shared animations are oppositely mirrored from Meta Knight's, wielding a sword in his left hand instead of his right hand.
• Dark Meta Knight is completely silent unlike Meta Knight who vocalizes with speech and grunts.
• Dark Meta Knight's cape only appears during his winposes and the aforementioned on-screen appearance.
• Dark Meta Knight's idle stance is carried out slower than Meta Knight's, and his idle poses and taunts are completely different.
• Dark Meta Knight's sword has solid violet trails with white tips instead of Galaxia's aqua trail with yellow accents.
• Dark Meta Knight's victory theme is different, featuring a remix of his Dream Friend theme from Kirby Star Allies. His defeated/No Contest animation is also different.
Attributes
• Dark Meta Knight's shield is completely different; he hides in a hexagonal mirror that does not shrink over time, instead becoming less reflective and causing Dark Meta Knight to fade until he completely disappears, similar to Yoshi's shield mechanics.
+ Dark Meta Knight's shield converts projectiles that hit it into a small darkness orb that briefly homes in on the opponent's location before flying towards them similar to Palutena's Autoreticle and weakens the damage and knockback values of the projectile that hit it. The damage values, knockback values, and number of dark orbs depends on the power of the projectile that hit Dark Meta Knight's shield; 0-10% results in one dark orb, 11-29% results in two dark orbs, and 30%+ results in three dark orbs. Projectiles also do not deal damage to Dark Meta Knight's shield and his shield degrades later than other shields.
− Dark Meta Knight's shield increases damage and knockback values from all non-projectile sources by 1.05, and Dark Meta Knight is instantly K.O.d if his shield breaks.
• Dark Meta Knight's sidestep dodge and rolling dodges are different from Meta Knight's; Dark Meta Knight transforms into a thin hexagonal mirror and either spins in place or spins toward/away from the opponent.
+ Dark Meta Knight's dodges have higher intangibility frames.
− Dark Meta Knight's dodges have higher start-up and end lag.
• Dark Meta Knight's sword has a sweetspot and sourspot on nearly all attacks involving it; the tip of the sword has a modifier of ×1.10 on its damage and knockback values while the rest of the sword has a modifier of ×0.80 on its damage and knockback values.
+ All moves with these modifiers are capable of reflecting projectiles if only the tip strikes them, multiplying their power and speed by varying degrees based on the attack used and with each attack having their own maximum damage threshold.
− All moves with these modifiers are carried out slower with increased start-up and end lag, making it harder to combo with them compared to Meta Knight's equivalent attacks.
Ground Attacks
Flurry Attack/Edge Smash
• Flurry Attack's finisher is a downward outward slash instead of an upward inward slash.
+ Flurry Attack's finisher summons an enlarged version of Dark Meta Knight's sword from a small mirror in front of him that initially deals six times the damage of Meta Knight's finisher and K.O.s at realistically high percentages, dealing minor damage to anyone who comes into contact with it. This gives Dark Meta Knight's version of the move much more range compared to Meta Knight, and the enlarged sword's hitbox cannot be reversed.
+ Flurry Attack's infinite can reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 10%. Damage dealt and speed are not increased.
− Flurry Attack itself deals half the same damage Meta Knight's equivalent does and its finisher has more end lag.
Dash Attack
• Dash attack is a downward inward slash instead of a kick.
+ Dash attack deals high damage and knockback while it launches opponents at a semi-spike angle, making it more effective at K.O.ing opponents. It is also able to reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 66% damage; damage dealt and speed are increased by 1.9 and 1.7 respectively, making it one of the stronger projectile reflectors.
+ Dash attack covers more area than Meta Knight's dash attack.
− The move possesses higher start-up and end lag, additionally lasting for only one frame.
− The move does not cross up unlike Meta Knight's equivalent dash attack, leaving Dark Meta Knight more open if blocked or whiffed.
Forward Tilt/Triple Crescent Shot
+ Forward tilt fires a dark crescent for each slash that travelers a short distance deals half the damage the sword slashes do; their size, damage, speed, and travel distance are slightly increased if Dark Meta Knight is at 0% damage. The crescents deal darkness damage and will not flinch opponents outside of point-blank ranges up to high damage thresholds. This makes Dark Meta Knight able to deal more damage than Meta Knight if all three slashes and dark crescents connect.
− Forward tilt does not have sweetspot or sourspot mechanics on the sword and is weaker than Meta Knight's equivalent if the three sword slashes and three dark crescents do not all connect as the sword slashes deal less damage than the original move.
Up Tilt/Wall of Mirrors
+ Up tilt summons a disjointed wall of mirrors all around Dark Meta Knight that damages opponents with their early hitbox, pushes opponents away with their later hitboxes acting like the Back Shield, and shares projectile reflection mechanics with Dark Meta Knight's shield. Additionally the move is also faster in start-up and end lag, allowing it to act as a combo extender from and into other moves (including itself) at low percentages, and the entirety of Dark Meta Knight's sword can reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 14%; damage dealt and speed are multiplied by 1.2.
− Up tilt's sword deals half the damage of Meta Knight's sweetspot while the wall of mirrors deals half the damage of Meta Knight's sourspot. Additionally, Dark Meta Knight's wall of mirrors have an HP of 15%, and if it is broken Dark Meta Knight will be stunned; it regenerates 0.08 HP every frame when the move is not used.
Down Tilt/Upper Edge
+ Down tilt can reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 17%; damage dealt and speed are multiplied by 1.3. Down tilt additionally has a follow-up move that summons three enlarged versions of Dark Meta Knight's sword from mirrors with a rising inward slash that each deal a third of the damage Meta Knight's equivalent deals and minor contact damage, granting longer disjointed range and allowing the move to deal more damage than Meta Knight's equivalent if all hits connect while the enlarged swords' hitboxes cannot be reversed.
− Down tilt deals drastically less damage than Meta Knight's equivalent without the additional hits and does not trip, also having higher start-up and end lag.
Forward Smash/Dark Beam
• Forward Smash aesthetically charges the move with a flashing energy sphere at the tip of Dark Meta Knight's sword. Additionally, Dark Meta Knight performs a downward inward slash instead of a horizontal outward slash like Meta Knight.
+ Forward Smash fires a single dark crescent of fire that travels with moderate distance and deals 0.9× more damage than the slash. The speed, increasing in size, power, speed, and distance of the crescent increase the longer the move is charged and even further values are possible if Dark Meta Knight is at 0% damage. Hitting with the dark crescent and slash deals more damage than Meta Knight's forward slash. The crescent does not flinch opponents outside of point-blank range up until moderate damage thresholds.
− Forward Smash does not have sweetspot or sourspot mechanics on the sword and is weaker than Meta Knight's equivalent if the sword slash and dark crescent do not both connect as the sword slash deals less damage than the original move. The move is also laggier in start-up and ending, making it more punishable if whiffed.
Up Smash/Blade Burst
• Up Smash is completely different; Dark Meta Knight spins in place before summoning two disjointed mirrors on each side of him, erecting enlarged versions of his sword almost completely straight up from the mirrors in a fanning pattern with an up thrust.
+ Up Smash has much higher vertical coverage than Meta Knight's equivalent, additionally dealing high damage and knockback with the initial hitboxes and sporting long lasting hitboxes that damage enemies with minor damage that cannot have their hitboxes reversed. This move completely protects Dark Meta Knight's sides as long as the blades are out.
− Dark Meta Knight's sword itself possesses no hitboxes, and this coupled with the large blades fanning out from Dark Meta Knight leaves him completely defenseless against opponents directly above him. The move additionally possesses lengthy start-up and end lag, making it one of the slowest up smashes.
Down Smash/Dark Mirror
• Down Smash is completely different; Dark Meta Knight instead splits himself into two dark mirror bodies and each one dashes out a moderate distance from the center before reforming into a single body again. The move hits twice per body: the sweetspot is when going out and the sourspot is when coming back in.
+ Down Smash has much longer horizontal coverage than Meta Knight's equivalent and much faster start-up, additionally possessing complete invulnerability throughout the duration the hitboxes are out, and the move's hitboxes last longer. The move's sweetspots and sourspots deal slightly more damage than Meta Knight's and both can reflect projectiles with a damage threshold of up to 22%; the damage and speed of the projectile are multiplied by 1.4.
− Down Smash has high end lag when Dark Meta Knight's original body reforms and the move deals no shield damage. Projectiles that exceed the damage threshold harmlessly pass right through the dark mirror bodies and may end up hitting Dark Meta Knight when he reforms, and the dark mirror bodies themselves can be reflected to end the move sooner and incur more end lag on Dark Meta Knight.
Aerial Attacks
+ Neutral aerial is completely different; Dark Meta Knight creates six dark mirror bodies that spiral out from him in a ring pattern before disappearing as his movement is completely halted in midair, granting invulnerability and covering more area while dealing slightly more damage. The dark mirror bodies share the benefits of down smash's projectile reflection properties.
− Neutral aerial does not retain prior momentum after the move's end while having higher end lag, also sharing the drawbacks of down smash's reflection properties.
• Forward and back aerial stall Dark Meta Knight slightly. Additionally, both moves end after the second slash while possessing the third slash as an optional follow-up.
+ Forward and back aerial's third slashes summon three enlarged blades from mirrors in front of or behind Dark Meta Knight that each deal a third of the third slash's power and cannot be reversed. This gives the move more range and power if all hits connect.
− Forward and back aerial's slashes deal less damage without the third slash's follow-up, and each portion of the moves possess more lag all around. Additionally, Dark Meta Knight cannot drag down opponents with back aerial's first two slashes unlike Meta Knight and both aerials launch opponents further away with his first two slashes, making it harder to combo opponents outside of the follow-up.
+ Up and down aerial can reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 12%. Damage dealt and speed are multiplied by 1.1.
− Up and down aerial are harder to combo into and rack up damage with the moves' higher lag and base knockback for the sourspots.
Throws
• Dark Meta Knight's forward throw aesthetically features Dark Meta Knight summoning an enlarged version of his blade to launch opponents into the air. The blade's hitbox cannot be reversed.
+ Forward throw's blade can damage other fighters and lingers to deal contact damage.
• Dark Meta Knight's back throw aesthetically features a dark mirror body appearing and slashing the opponent's back as Dark Meta Knight moves out of the way.
• Dark Meta Knight's up throw aesthetically features Dark Meta Knight dragging his opponent with him into a mirror beneath them, reappearing from the highest blast line to slam them into the highest landing point.
+ Dark Meta Knight's up throw deals more damage and knockback if he slams the opponent back onto the mirror he dove through, which will disappear after the throw would normally be over. The mirror's shrapnel can also damage nearby fighters.
− Dark Meta Knight's up throw deals less damage and knockback if he does not slam the opponent back onto the mirror he dove through, which will disappear after the throw would normally be over.
• Dark Meta Knight's down throw launches opponents straight up instead of diagonally, creating different combo set-ups from Meta Knight while removing others.
Special Moves
• All of Dark Meta Knight's special moves except for his down special leave him helpless in midair.
+ Mach Tornado is replaced with Mirror Spin Slash. Mirror Spin Slash is a non-storable special move that reflects projectiles and can slightly move left or right; the damage dealt and speed of reflected projectiles ranges from 1.1 uncharged to 2.1 for damage and 1.9 for speed at maximum charge as it gains a barrier. Mirror Spin Slash can also be used to slightly aid recovery from barely stalling in midair to giving a short lift while retaining momentum.
− Mirror Spin Slash does not deal as much damage or knockback, and its recovery distance is far inferior to Mach Tornado.
• Drill Rush acts similar to High-Speed Drill, traveling a further distance faster with the addition of dealing more hits and damage at the expense of being unable to change the angle and hitting a surface causes Dark Meta Knight to bounce back and be unable to steer forward until he starts falling in a helpless state.
• Shuttle Loop is replaced with Dark Spiral. Dark Meta Knight rises up in a spiraling motion while slashing inward with almost no horizontal movement, and Dark Meta Knight is capable of following up with Meteor Edge, an enlarged blade summoned from a mirror above Dark Meta Knight that meteor smashes opponents with a lingering damage hitbox that cannot be reversed. Without the follow-up buffered before the move's end, Dark Meta Knight launches opponents vertically with lower knockback than Shuttle Loop but with higher damage dealt to the opponent.
• Dimensional Cape is replaced with Mirror Clone. Dark Meta Knight can create up to two Level 1 CPU-controlled copies of himself and backs away from the one he created in any direction he chooses; Dark Meta Knight is still vulnerable while this happens. The fake Dark Meta Knights are distinguished from the real one by having a cape. The fake Dark Meta Knights will not do anything featuring or pertaining to the use of Dark Meta Knight's wings, and if attacked the fakes will shatter into mirror shards that briefly home in on the attacker before flying forward. If Dark Meta Knight himself is attacked or after a short while of being on the field, the fake Dark Meta Knights will harmlessly shatter into pieces.
• Darkness Illusion is replaced with Dark Calibur. Dark Meta Knight will charge up an attack before lunging ahead and rising up into the air. Any opponents caught either on the ground or in the air are trapped at the apex of Dark Meta Knight's rising, during which he warps around slashing at his enemies. The ending portion of the move will launch all caught opponents in a diagonal meteor smash; opponents that land back on the ground bounce away based on the number of other fighters trapped. This moves causes launched fighters to careen into other objects until they leave hitstun, including other fighters not trapped by Dark Calibur.
Aesthetics
• Dark Meta Knight's on-screen appearance has him emerging from the Dimension Mirror, unfurling his cape into wings and stretching his body as blood flies off his wings before landing as the Dimension Mirror disappears.
• Dark Meta Knight's shared animations are oppositely mirrored from Meta Knight's, wielding a sword in his left hand instead of his right hand.
• Dark Meta Knight is completely silent unlike Meta Knight who vocalizes with speech and grunts.
• Dark Meta Knight's cape only appears during his winposes and the aforementioned on-screen appearance.
• Dark Meta Knight's idle stance is carried out slower than Meta Knight's, and his idle poses and taunts are completely different.
• Dark Meta Knight's sword has solid violet trails with white tips instead of Galaxia's aqua trail with yellow accents.
• Dark Meta Knight's victory theme is different, featuring a remix of his Dream Friend theme from Kirby Star Allies. His defeated/No Contest animation is also different.
Attributes
• Dark Meta Knight's shield is completely different; he hides in a hexagonal mirror that does not shrink over time, instead becoming less reflective and causing Dark Meta Knight to fade until he completely disappears, similar to Yoshi's shield mechanics.
+ Dark Meta Knight's shield converts projectiles that hit it into a small darkness orb that briefly homes in on the opponent's location before flying towards them similar to Palutena's Autoreticle and weakens the damage and knockback values of the projectile that hit it. The damage values, knockback values, and number of dark orbs depends on the power of the projectile that hit Dark Meta Knight's shield; 0-10% results in one dark orb, 11-29% results in two dark orbs, and 30%+ results in three dark orbs. Projectiles also do not deal damage to Dark Meta Knight's shield and his shield degrades later than other shields.
− Dark Meta Knight's shield increases damage and knockback values from all non-projectile sources by 1.05, and Dark Meta Knight is instantly K.O.d if his shield breaks.
• Dark Meta Knight's sidestep dodge and rolling dodges are different from Meta Knight's; Dark Meta Knight transforms into a thin hexagonal mirror and either spins in place or spins toward/away from the opponent.
+ Dark Meta Knight's dodges have higher intangibility frames.
− Dark Meta Knight's dodges have higher start-up and end lag.
• Dark Meta Knight's sword has a sweetspot and sourspot on nearly all attacks involving it; the tip of the sword has a modifier of ×1.10 on its damage and knockback values while the rest of the sword has a modifier of ×0.80 on its damage and knockback values.
+ All moves with these modifiers are capable of reflecting projectiles if only the tip strikes them, multiplying their power and speed by varying degrees based on the attack used and with each attack having their own maximum damage threshold.
− All moves with these modifiers are carried out slower with increased start-up and end lag, making it harder to combo with them compared to Meta Knight's equivalent attacks.
Ground Attacks
Flurry Attack/Edge Smash
• Flurry Attack's finisher is a downward outward slash instead of an upward inward slash.
+ Flurry Attack's finisher summons an enlarged version of Dark Meta Knight's sword from a small mirror in front of him that initially deals six times the damage of Meta Knight's finisher and K.O.s at realistically high percentages, dealing minor damage to anyone who comes into contact with it. This gives Dark Meta Knight's version of the move much more range compared to Meta Knight, and the enlarged sword's hitbox cannot be reversed.
+ Flurry Attack's infinite can reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 10%. Damage dealt and speed are not increased.
− Flurry Attack itself deals half the same damage Meta Knight's equivalent does and its finisher has more end lag.
Dash Attack
• Dash attack is a downward inward slash instead of a kick.
+ Dash attack deals high damage and knockback while it launches opponents at a semi-spike angle, making it more effective at K.O.ing opponents. It is also able to reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 66% damage; damage dealt and speed are increased by 1.9 and 1.7 respectively, making it one of the stronger projectile reflectors.
+ Dash attack covers more area than Meta Knight's dash attack.
− The move possesses higher start-up and end lag, additionally lasting for only one frame.
− The move does not cross up unlike Meta Knight's equivalent dash attack, leaving Dark Meta Knight more open if blocked or whiffed.
Forward Tilt/Triple Crescent Shot
+ Forward tilt fires a dark crescent for each slash that travelers a short distance deals half the damage the sword slashes do; their size, damage, speed, and travel distance are slightly increased if Dark Meta Knight is at 0% damage. The crescents deal darkness damage and will not flinch opponents outside of point-blank ranges up to high damage thresholds. This makes Dark Meta Knight able to deal more damage than Meta Knight if all three slashes and dark crescents connect.
− Forward tilt does not have sweetspot or sourspot mechanics on the sword and is weaker than Meta Knight's equivalent if the three sword slashes and three dark crescents do not all connect as the sword slashes deal less damage than the original move.
Up Tilt/Wall of Mirrors
+ Up tilt summons a disjointed wall of mirrors all around Dark Meta Knight that damages opponents with their early hitbox, pushes opponents away with their later hitboxes acting like the Back Shield, and shares projectile reflection mechanics with Dark Meta Knight's shield. Additionally the move is also faster in start-up and end lag, allowing it to act as a combo extender from and into other moves (including itself) at low percentages, and the entirety of Dark Meta Knight's sword can reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 14%; damage dealt and speed are multiplied by 1.2.
− Up tilt's sword deals half the damage of Meta Knight's sweetspot while the wall of mirrors deals half the damage of Meta Knight's sourspot. Additionally, Dark Meta Knight's wall of mirrors have an HP of 15%, and if it is broken Dark Meta Knight will be stunned; it regenerates 0.08 HP every frame when the move is not used.
Down Tilt/Upper Edge
+ Down tilt can reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 17%; damage dealt and speed are multiplied by 1.3. Down tilt additionally has a follow-up move that summons three enlarged versions of Dark Meta Knight's sword from mirrors with a rising inward slash that each deal a third of the damage Meta Knight's equivalent deals and minor contact damage, granting longer disjointed range and allowing the move to deal more damage than Meta Knight's equivalent if all hits connect while the enlarged swords' hitboxes cannot be reversed.
− Down tilt deals drastically less damage than Meta Knight's equivalent without the additional hits and does not trip, also having higher start-up and end lag.
Forward Smash/Dark Beam
• Forward Smash aesthetically charges the move with a flashing energy sphere at the tip of Dark Meta Knight's sword. Additionally, Dark Meta Knight performs a downward inward slash instead of a horizontal outward slash like Meta Knight.
+ Forward Smash fires a single dark crescent of fire that travels with moderate distance and deals 0.9× more damage than the slash. The speed, increasing in size, power, speed, and distance of the crescent increase the longer the move is charged and even further values are possible if Dark Meta Knight is at 0% damage. Hitting with the dark crescent and slash deals more damage than Meta Knight's forward slash. The crescent does not flinch opponents outside of point-blank range up until moderate damage thresholds.
− Forward Smash does not have sweetspot or sourspot mechanics on the sword and is weaker than Meta Knight's equivalent if the sword slash and dark crescent do not both connect as the sword slash deals less damage than the original move. The move is also laggier in start-up and ending, making it more punishable if whiffed.
Up Smash/Blade Burst
• Up Smash is completely different; Dark Meta Knight spins in place before summoning two disjointed mirrors on each side of him, erecting enlarged versions of his sword almost completely straight up from the mirrors in a fanning pattern with an up thrust.
+ Up Smash has much higher vertical coverage than Meta Knight's equivalent, additionally dealing high damage and knockback with the initial hitboxes and sporting long lasting hitboxes that damage enemies with minor damage that cannot have their hitboxes reversed. This move completely protects Dark Meta Knight's sides as long as the blades are out.
− Dark Meta Knight's sword itself possesses no hitboxes, and this coupled with the large blades fanning out from Dark Meta Knight leaves him completely defenseless against opponents directly above him. The move additionally possesses lengthy start-up and end lag, making it one of the slowest up smashes.
Down Smash/Dark Mirror
• Down Smash is completely different; Dark Meta Knight instead splits himself into two dark mirror bodies and each one dashes out a moderate distance from the center before reforming into a single body again. The move hits twice per body: the sweetspot is when going out and the sourspot is when coming back in.
+ Down Smash has much longer horizontal coverage than Meta Knight's equivalent and much faster start-up, additionally possessing complete invulnerability throughout the duration the hitboxes are out, and the move's hitboxes last longer. The move's sweetspots and sourspots deal slightly more damage than Meta Knight's and both can reflect projectiles with a damage threshold of up to 22%; the damage and speed of the projectile are multiplied by 1.4.
− Down Smash has high end lag when Dark Meta Knight's original body reforms and the move deals no shield damage. Projectiles that exceed the damage threshold harmlessly pass right through the dark mirror bodies and may end up hitting Dark Meta Knight when he reforms, and the dark mirror bodies themselves can be reflected to end the move sooner and incur more end lag on Dark Meta Knight.
Aerial Attacks
+ Neutral aerial is completely different; Dark Meta Knight creates six dark mirror bodies that spiral out from him in a ring pattern before disappearing as his movement is completely halted in midair, granting invulnerability and covering more area while dealing slightly more damage. The dark mirror bodies share the benefits of down smash's projectile reflection properties.
− Neutral aerial does not retain prior momentum after the move's end while having higher end lag, also sharing the drawbacks of down smash's reflection properties.
• Forward and back aerial stall Dark Meta Knight slightly. Additionally, both moves end after the second slash while possessing the third slash as an optional follow-up.
+ Forward and back aerial's third slashes summon three enlarged blades from mirrors in front of or behind Dark Meta Knight that each deal a third of the third slash's power and cannot be reversed. This gives the move more range and power if all hits connect.
− Forward and back aerial's slashes deal less damage without the third slash's follow-up, and each portion of the moves possess more lag all around. Additionally, Dark Meta Knight cannot drag down opponents with back aerial's first two slashes unlike Meta Knight and both aerials launch opponents further away with his first two slashes, making it harder to combo opponents outside of the follow-up.
+ Up and down aerial can reflect projectiles with a maximum damage threshold of 12%. Damage dealt and speed are multiplied by 1.1.
− Up and down aerial are harder to combo into and rack up damage with the moves' higher lag and base knockback for the sourspots.
Throws
• Dark Meta Knight's forward throw aesthetically features Dark Meta Knight summoning an enlarged version of his blade to launch opponents into the air. The blade's hitbox cannot be reversed.
+ Forward throw's blade can damage other fighters and lingers to deal contact damage.
• Dark Meta Knight's back throw aesthetically features a dark mirror body appearing and slashing the opponent's back as Dark Meta Knight moves out of the way.
• Dark Meta Knight's up throw aesthetically features Dark Meta Knight dragging his opponent with him into a mirror beneath them, reappearing from the highest blast line to slam them into the highest landing point.
+ Dark Meta Knight's up throw deals more damage and knockback if he slams the opponent back onto the mirror he dove through, which will disappear after the throw would normally be over. The mirror's shrapnel can also damage nearby fighters.
− Dark Meta Knight's up throw deals less damage and knockback if he does not slam the opponent back onto the mirror he dove through, which will disappear after the throw would normally be over.
• Dark Meta Knight's down throw launches opponents straight up instead of diagonally, creating different combo set-ups from Meta Knight while removing others.
Special Moves
• All of Dark Meta Knight's special moves except for his down special leave him helpless in midair.
+ Mach Tornado is replaced with Mirror Spin Slash. Mirror Spin Slash is a non-storable special move that reflects projectiles and can slightly move left or right; the damage dealt and speed of reflected projectiles ranges from 1.1 uncharged to 2.1 for damage and 1.9 for speed at maximum charge as it gains a barrier. Mirror Spin Slash can also be used to slightly aid recovery from barely stalling in midair to giving a short lift while retaining momentum.
− Mirror Spin Slash does not deal as much damage or knockback, and its recovery distance is far inferior to Mach Tornado.
• Drill Rush acts similar to High-Speed Drill, traveling a further distance faster with the addition of dealing more hits and damage at the expense of being unable to change the angle and hitting a surface causes Dark Meta Knight to bounce back and be unable to steer forward until he starts falling in a helpless state.
• Shuttle Loop is replaced with Dark Spiral. Dark Meta Knight rises up in a spiraling motion while slashing inward with almost no horizontal movement, and Dark Meta Knight is capable of following up with Meteor Edge, an enlarged blade summoned from a mirror above Dark Meta Knight that meteor smashes opponents with a lingering damage hitbox that cannot be reversed. Without the follow-up buffered before the move's end, Dark Meta Knight launches opponents vertically with lower knockback than Shuttle Loop but with higher damage dealt to the opponent.
• Dimensional Cape is replaced with Mirror Clone. Dark Meta Knight can create up to two Level 1 CPU-controlled copies of himself and backs away from the one he created in any direction he chooses; Dark Meta Knight is still vulnerable while this happens. The fake Dark Meta Knights are distinguished from the real one by having a cape. The fake Dark Meta Knights will not do anything featuring or pertaining to the use of Dark Meta Knight's wings, and if attacked the fakes will shatter into mirror shards that briefly home in on the attacker before flying forward. If Dark Meta Knight himself is attacked or after a short while of being on the field, the fake Dark Meta Knights will harmlessly shatter into pieces.
• Darkness Illusion is replaced with Dark Calibur. Dark Meta Knight will charge up an attack before lunging ahead and rising up into the air. Any opponents caught either on the ground or in the air are trapped at the apex of Dark Meta Knight's rising, during which he warps around slashing at his enemies. The ending portion of the move will launch all caught opponents in a diagonal meteor smash; opponents that land back on the ground bounce away based on the number of other fighters trapped. This moves causes launched fighters to careen into other objects until they leave hitstun, including other fighters not trapped by Dark Calibur.