Edgeguard Potential via Knockback Armor

[TheReflexWonder]

One mostly-unique aspect of Squirtle's moves is that a number of them have knockback armor. This means that during the frames the armor is active, if an attack doesn't inflict a certain amount of knockback, Squirtle will continue doing his move as if he hadn't been touched (though he'll still take damage). Many of his shell-based moves have Light and Medium Knockback Armor, with the more mobile and versatile ones being Light.

The moves in question are Neutral-Air and Forward-B, both of which have Light Armor during the active frames of the attack. While they can't plow through most aerials, some quick and weak attacks, such as multi-hit moves, are sometimes relied upon to protect some characters, and this is where your armor really comes in handy.

I'm putting together a list of moves that the armor goes through that could reasonably be used by a recovering opponent. The percents listed are the highest that Squirtle can be at and use his Light Armor to go through; this percentage is before you're hit, so you don't have to worry about doing any calculations post-hit.

Peach
Up-B tip: any%

Bowser
Aerial Up-B sourspots: any%

Donkey Kong
Aerial Up-B sourspots: 120%

Ice Climbers
Forward-B: any%

Zelda
Neutral-B: any%

Link
Aerial Up-B: ~50%

Toon Link
Bombs: any% (as long as you use a Smash Forward-B)

Mewtwo
N-Air: any% (minus the final hit)

Lucario
Up-B: any%

Ivysaur:
N-Air: any% (minus the final hit)

Lucas
N-Air: any% (minus the final hit)
Down-B: any%

Ness
F-Air: ~110% (minus the final hit)
Up-B tail: any%

Ike
Up-B: any% (except the initial sword throw)

Marth
F-Air sourspot: 47%
Forward-B: any%
Up-B late/sourspot: 63%

 

[PajamasM]

Thats it, I am picking up Squirtle TONIGHT

 

[didds]

@ TheReflexWonder Thanks for the work ya put into this, any chance this means we might see your Squirtle in some tourney matches? Or is this just you wanting to help push the Squirtle metagame?

 

[TheReflexWonder]

@ TheReflexWonder Thanks for the work ya put into this, any chance this means we might see your Squirtle in some tourney matches? Or is this just you wanting to help push the Squirtle metagame?

I don't think my Squirtle is very good, but I think he could do a lot of good in matchups I am historically bad in. I'll probably pick him up for realsies.

 

[Burnsy]

Are you certain that Nair is light armor, not medium? I've always seen it referred to as such, it flashes blue like his fsmash, and I never saw a line in the patch notes indicating that it was downgraded.

Glad to hear you may be picking him up again

*edit*

After revisiting the outdated Data thread, I guess it was said to be light in past versions. Not sure where I got this idea that it was medium, I suppose when I get home I can confirm via brawlbox.

 

[TheReflexWonder]

Are you certain that Nair is light armor, not medium? I've always seen it referred to as such, it flashes blue like his fsmash, and I never saw a line in the patch notes indicating that it was downgraded.

Glad to hear you'll be picking him up again

Just looked it up; we're both correct, technically. N-Air has Medium Armor during the sweetspot (~5 frames?) and then Light Armor for the rest of the active frames.

 

[Burnsy]

Ah! Both? Veeery interesting.

 

[Girth94]

Great info. Props for knowing Endless Sporadic. Treading Water is amazing.

 

[JoeYale]

..........

 

[Burnsy]

Why does it matter whether you use normal side-b or smash side-b against Tinks bombs? That doesn't increase armor treshold as far as I know.

 

[TheReflexWonder]

The final hit breaks the threshold but fast Forward-B allows you to move past it before the final hit comes out. Interestingly enough, it doesn't seem to set off the Withdraw hit, either.