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Data Palutena's Match Ups - NEW FORMAT: ALL CHARACTER DISCUSSION

LyonelNoale

Smash Cadet
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
47
Location
Your Heart
Why have I decided to place this with an open character discussion, rather than a selective one?

Well. First of all, it works better with the slowness of this thread.
Secondly, I just want to record random information from matches... and you should too! Whenever you notice something worthwhile, just drop it into this thread.
Finally, I do plan to EVENTUALLY collect and make a compilation of all the information mentioned within this thread, regarding match-ups between characters and different moves. Thanks for your contributions!

OFFICIAL (?) PALUTENA MATCH-UP THREAD! HERE WE GO!



Match-Up Table

| :4mario: | :4luigi: | :4peach: | :4bowser: | :4yoshi: | :rosalina: | :4bowserjr: | :4wario: | :4dk: | :4diddy:
:4palutena: | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | 60:40 | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | 40:60
| :4gaw: | :4littlemac: | :4link: | :4zelda: | :4sheik: | :4ganondorf: | :4tlink: | :4samus: | :4zss: | :4pit:
:4palutena:| ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:?
| :4palutena: | :4marth: | :4myfriends: | :4robinm: | :4duckhunt: | :4dedede: | :4metaknight: | :4fox: | :4falco: | :4pikachu:
:4palutena: | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:?
| :4charizard: | :4lucario: | :4jigglypuff: | :4greninja: | :4rob: | :4ness: | :4falcon: | :4villager: | :4olimar: | :4wiifit:
:4palutena: | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:?
| :4shulk: | :4drmario: | :4darkpit: | :4lucina: | :4pacman: | :4megaman: | :4sonic: | :4miibrawl: | :4miisword: | :4miigun:
:4palutena: | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:? | ?:?

CURRENTLY DISCUSSING: Zero-Suit Samus AND/OR Sonic!


General Match-Up Information


Nothing yet! - Quotes will go here

Previous Match-Up Information
BOWSER



Perhaps it is because I've yet to face a god Bowser, but I would say that this matchup is heavily in our favor. I find it easy to land every single one of Palutena's aerials on Bowser, including down air when the heavens call to me. I seem to be able to chain nairs for days, and I think that up air beats out Bowser's down B, which is a great plus. You can even autoreticle without being rushed down easily.
Bowser's ftilt is something you should watch out for, as it's safe on shield if it's spaced properly and it out ranges Palutena's safer moves such as her jab. Bowser's a big target, so you can catch him with nair out of shield. This is a matchup where you can use auto reticle a little more than usual to keep him at bay. You can buffer fairs out of your short hop and space them to where Bowser can't punish; basically it's just approaching with fair and then fading back. Be careful not to use your full jab, but if you do, be sure to end it with the last hit asap since Bowser has light armor and he retaliate with a move of his own once he lands; it's better to use her jab 1, then follow up with a grab. Bowser's heavy, so he will live before 120% from Palutena's dthrow -> upair. Be aware of Bowser's side special command grab when you are shielding, and be ready to react with retaliation or just rolling away.

This is it for now. I think this matchup is even overall (50-50).
As has been mentioned our uair and utilt beat out bowser's bomb and dair. Since bowser has no "get off me" aerials we generally can keep him in unfavorable positions,off the top of my head his jab and ftilt are quick and have good range but I think we have the advantage in this matchup, but most of the times the better player with better spacing and reads will win. 55:45 I would say
Bowser is ridiculously fast and covers space easily. Don't try to run away all the time, or you'll be at his mercy, and that's not somewhere you want to be. Keep your distance and space him, but don't let him dominate you.

You want to lure him out and get him to strike and miss, but not let him take control of the match. Pressure him by throwing in a surprise b-air or shorthop n-air. If he's chasing you and is determined to grab or hit you, he may well run right into them. Another good tactic is to just pivot and run right behind him, then either pivot grab or pivot f-smash. Palutena is just as fast as Booze with regards to dashing and you can catch him off-guard by doing a quick pivot behind him and then pivoting again when he's trying to adjust to the new positioning.

As for ledgegame: try to warp behind him if you can. Aim to snap onto the ledge if possible and wait for an opening to either jump -> n-air / f-air or ledge attack.

If you're edgeguarding, n-air works wonders. Jump, n-air, jump back, warp if needs be. Against a big target like Bowser, it's a miracle edgeguarding tool. Possibly - POSSIBLY - try for a d-air, but ONLY if you feel confident in pulling it off and spiking him.
Palutena has no trouble fighting Bowser. She is, in my opinion, one of the soft counters to Bowser due to how her best moves in this MU work. Bair and dash attack, just those two moves beat out almost all of Bowser's ground options to the point where Bowser cannot commit to an approach without eating a shield to the face every time. Worse is how good Plutena's defensive options are. Retreating Bair and an excellent dodge roll create an impressive chain of priority and invincibility when needed. Combined with her excellent punish options and there is no reason Palutena should fear Bowser, as Palutena's kit naturally allows her to push Bowser out of neutral. Just don't go into your jab combo. We ignore it.

Everything else said about Palutena's air game is true. Bowser should never challenge Palutena from air to ground. Any Bowser that frequents tournaments will not attempt to randomly Dair or Bowser Bomb you unless you've committed to something already. Bowser MUST respect Palutena if he is to touch the ground, and Bowser wants to be on the ground in case he gets you out of neutral.

Ground to air is a different matter. Once you're thrown out of neutral, Bowser has solid options if he's trying to stop Palutena from landing. Fair and Uair all have exceptional disjoint diagonally above Bowser and are great for challenging Palutena's options. Fair auto-cancels, so Bowser can land safely to react in case the attack misses. Bair is the same as Fair in terms of auto-canceling, but has no disjoint. You will beat it with almost any attack, so you shouldn't panic or you'll accidentally trade with it. USmash has the same property as Palutena's shield, and it hits like a monster. It can even negate counter-attacks, that's how good it is. If Bowser decides not to challenge Palutena's air to ground, Bowser can air dodge cancel into Fortress, covering almost any option Palutena has when landing and shrinking his hurtbox, causing spaced attacks to whiff. As a mixup, Bowser still possesses classic OoS options, pivot grab, and air dodge cancel into Klaw. This is the only area in which Bowser has any kind of advantage, and it's still small given how good Palutena is at covering her landing with options like counter and retreating Bair. Escaping to the ledge isn't too terrible against Bowser, either, as it will refresh your jumps and give you a second chance to catch Bowser off-guard with aerials that cover the ledge or other mixups.

Most Bowsers do not have good Palutenas to fight. I was fortunate to be blessed with a Japanese buddy that mains Palutena, as well as having the pleasure to face Palutena in friendlies at local venues. From my experience, this matchup is in Palutena's favor. Not as great an advantage as, say, Captain Falcon, or Luigi, who can 0 to death us much more handily, but you guys will definitely enjoy breathing room. Hope you all get the chance to attend events or find good Bowser players over at the Bowser section. I think it's a fun fight for all of you.



CAPTAIN FALCON

Will eventually copy most significant quotes here

Diddy Kong

Will eventually copy most significant quotes here

 
Last edited:

LyonelNoale

Smash Cadet
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
47
Location
Your Heart
***UNDER CONSTRUCTION - but feel free to post!!***

(For the most part, this is just a collection of personal knowledge and things that I've observed, but please, feel free to contribute any facts that you have to offer! This thread is mostly meant to be various tips and techniques that can be used as definite counters to certain strategies and playstyles and moves that are used by other characters, and will place a lot of focus on Moves... i.e. What moves cancel other moves, which attacks are the most effective against opponents, what to punish, etc.~)

(I plan to go through every character in alphabetical order, starting with Bowser, and ending with Zero-suit Samus. Right now, I'm just collecting as much information as possible before sorting it into an actual list. Please share whatever you can to help!)

THIS POST FOCUSES ON MOVES - only the default ones, however. Sorry!
**the second post will focus on overall strategy, using the knowledge accumulated in the first post. I think. Might combine all into one post. We will see.**


I'm planning on dividing each character up into different sections... I'm thinking:
1. Palutena's Moves (which will consist of each of her moves being listed, and a "use often", "only when appropriate", "rarely" or "never" beside it, as well as a description of my reasoning, if needed)
2. Move Match-ups (which consists of her opponent's moves being listed, and the various Counters to those moves)
3. Moves to Watch Out For (these will be the banes of Palutena's existence, or, conversely, her greatest pleasures. I will point out which moves are best to bait out, which are punishable, and which ones to fear. In the second post, which covers strategy, I'll actually go over this in more detail, and also cover how to counter the various strategies and techniques regarding these various moves~!)

(**A lot of this information is gathered from various posts on the internet, so they haven't all been tested, although I will try to test them, if I get the chance - if you notice that something is wrong, or misinterpreted/misrepresented, please, let me know!)

(** Note to self - Add pictures!)

Information Regarding Moves:

:4bowser: - BOWSER

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)

Jab (single) - Use Only When Appropriate. Surprisingly, a lot of Bowser's move will clank or have priority over Palutena's jab. However, it is still a fairly safe move, so unleash it whenever you have the chance - Bowser has a large hurtbox, after all, and Jab is extremely good for quick punishes when you're unsure if you have time for a Smash attack or a grab. Just be careful not to rely on it against many of Bowser's multi-hitbox or various powerful moves - apparently, Bowser does NOT flinch when you use jab, so be careful!
Jab (continuous) - Use Rarely. If Bowser is approaching, it's much safer to stick to either a Neutral B or single Jabs, due to the fact that you don't want to get locked into this move. In addition, it's generally better to combo your Jabs into a down throw, since Palutena dominates over Bowser when fighting Ground to Air, and if you can keep Bowser above you, then you can keep momentum in your favour.
Forward Tilt - Use Only When Appropriate. Originally, I considered this as a 'Use Rarely' move due to it's crippling recovery time and the duration of the move if it misses. However, if spaced correctly, it can catch opponents offguard (watch your opponents rolling habits) and covers a fair amount of space in front of Palutena. Short Hops, for example can be fairly well-covered by this move. It should still be used sparingly, though, as it can lead to severe punishes if mistimed or the opponent predicts it.
Up Tilt - Use Only When Appropriate. While in the air, this move can quickly become the bane of Bowser's existence. However, it's timing can be difficult to pull off, and it does have a bit of start up lag. It's also not safe to use when Bowser is on the ground UNLESS you can accurately and assuredly predict a jump, since it doesn't have much of a horizontal hitbox.
Down Tilt - Use Only When Appropriate. If your opponent's Bowser is approaching and you're
Forward Smash - Use Only When Appropriate; this works fairly well as a Punish in certain situations where your other attacks might not reach, but don't risk clashing moves with it, due to many of Bowser's disjointed hitboxes and the amount of start-up and end-lag on this move. It's extremely easy to punish if your opponent predicts it, so it's often better to simply go for either a grab or Jab-to-Grab combo.
Up Smash - Use Only When Appropriate. To be honest, this is probably one of your best moves against Bowser, thanks to his lack of recovery options against Palutena when returning to the stage from Mid to High level. It can also condition your opponent to air dodge when returning to the stage, which is something that you can use to your advantage. Don't risk using it when Bowser is directly above you, however. It's much better to bait out a Bowser Bomb (his Down B) or get out of the way, than to risk trying to hit him.
Down Smash - Use Rarely. Unless you get a roll-happy Bowser, this move isn't going to be of much use in this match up. It's start-up lag and fairly long recovery make it an easily punishable move, and you're often left with much better options like going for a Grab or a Dash
Dash Attack - Use Often. Great for punishes and beating out a lot of Bowser's moves, due to their slow start time. However, don't risk it for most of his Smashes if he's already charging it (will be covered in more detail later).
Neutral Air - Use Often. The hitboxes attached to this move stay out for a long time, and it is fairly good when it comes to keeping Palutena safe from Bowsers attempting to approach you in the air. It also works as a decent edge guard, because of the amount of space it can cover , Just be aware that it has a bit of endlag when you hit the ground, and after you use the move. Don't get too greedy.
Forward Air - Use Only When Appropriate. Forward air is excellent for spacing and has a fairly good reach, but you have to be careful not to try and challenge your opponent's attacks with this move. However, if you can manage to control your Short Hop to Retreating Forward Air safely and soundly, then this is a staple for almost any match up.
Back Air - Use Often. When it comes to high priority, Back Air is your go to move. However, a lot of Bowser's attacks have a surprising amount of reach, so just be aware of that when using it. As per most fights against strong characters, play as safely as possible.
Up Air - Use Often. Up Air actually has priority over most if not all (still researching) of Bowser's down moves. If timed correctly, it overpowers both Bowser's Down B and Down A!
Down Air - Use Rarely. When it comes to approaching with Down Air, most of Bowser's move will hold priority. In addition, the single frame within which you can land this move makes it especially risky. However, you CAN land a Spike on Bowser's Up B if you time and space yourself correctly, but it's extremely difficult.
Neutral B - Use Only When Appropriate. Surprisingly effective for spacing, especially on a large character like Bowser. Good for punishing instances where you don't feel like you can safely approach. Most effective at maximum distance, least effective when Bowser is close or in the air. If being rushed, only use once.
Side B - Use Rarely. In this match-up, reflect doesn't have much use beyond pushing your opponent back, and even then, the amount of end lag accompanying this move really isn't worth it.
Down B - Use Often. A lot of Bowser's move have slow start up, and is you feel like you can accurately predict a smash attack, your can get off an extremely powerful counter.
Up B - Use Often. Depending on the opponent and their level of aggression, the amount of pressure Bowser can put on you may throw your rhythm off or stall your momentum. To help break up your opponent's momentum - especially if they like to dash and Side B/Grab - use your teleport to get away and try again. Just don't be predictable - if your opponent gets accustomed to you teleporting away, try staying in place next time you teleport (Up B, then hold Down)
Grabs - Use Often. Due to Bowser's massive size and heavy weight, many of the Down Throw follow up combos are very viable. Eventually, I hope to record the best combo moves depending on your opponent's damage, but for now, just know that your grabs are extremely good. Just make sure not to over-extend your reach!

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)

BOWSER'S MOVES

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
  • Palutena's Forward Tilt will trade blows and knockback Bowser, but obviously it's not worth it, since the exchange is not in your favour.
  • Counter is especially effective in this situation!
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
  • Remember, if timed correctly, Palutena's Up Air has HIGHER PRIORITY!
Neutral B - Fire Breath
  • Palutena's Neutral B is cancelled by this attack. However, Palutena's AR (Auto Reticle) is faster when the two moves are released at the same time.
  • Palutena's Reflect isn't too useful against this attack other than being used as a shield - it's unlikely that you'll be able to send the flames back towards Bowser, due to the angle and the continuous output of Fire Breath. Probably best to move away or jump up and try a different tactic.
Side B -

Down B - Bowser Bomb
  • Palutena's Up Air has HIGHER PRIORITY! If you can time it correctly, you can catch your opponent off guard and get a K.O. if Bowser is already high in the air.
  • Palutena's Up Tilt also has higher priority! Just be careful on the timing; too late or too early and you won't be able to hit Bowser. However, this move has a hitbox for a fairly long time, so just be aware of how long it lasts and it's startup time and you'll be alright.
Up B -
  • I'd recommend watching out for this move when Bowser uses it on the ground or in the air... it's extremely good when it comes to guarding the ground and keeping you from returning, and it's got multiple hitboxes so it's difficult to counter. However, once the move ends, he's in freefall/end lag, so get ready to punish!
Grabs -

**Bowser's Down Air trumps Palutena's Uair?

3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~
  • Bowser's Forward Smash is an especially important move for both players. It's extremely strong, but the hitbox only covers Bowser's legs. Or, to paraphrase, it covers all of Bowser's legs, but it doesn't cover his body. If you can manage to get around his outstreched lower limbs and get to his torso, you can unleash some damage! If addition, this move has a bit of startup time, and a fair amount of endlag, so punish immediately! Just be careful not to get too greedy.

Bowser Jr. -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~

Captain Falcon -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~

Charizard -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~

Dark Pit -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)


Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~

Diddy Kong -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~

Donkey Kong -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~

Dr. Mario -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~

Duck Hunt -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~

Falco - Up Smash beats Side B, difficult to pull off but VERY rewarding

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Fox - Up Smash beats Side B, difficult to pull off but VERY rewarding

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Ganandorf -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Greninja -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Ike - Up B can be gimped by Reflect

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Jigglypuff -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
King Dedede - (Palu's Up Tilt vs. Dedede's Up B? must test)

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Kirby -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Link -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Lil Mac - Side B can be gimped by Reflect, hurray! Time to punish!

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B - Use Only When Appropriate. I have not tested this yet, but apparently this is one of the best ways to edgeguard against Lil Mac, as Reflect can, assumably, gimp Lil Mac's recovery. I am not quite sure of how accurate this is, although I do see how it could definitely work against Lil Mac's Up B if it's not aimed directly at the ledge, and apparently it can gimp the Side B as well due to the Wind Box in the air. Again, not sure. If anyone can confirm, that'd be great!
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -

2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Neutral B 2 - K.O. Punch
  • Counter does NOT work against K.O. Punch! Please take note of this! However, you can still roll away and dodge - but don't try to shield or counter it.
Side B -
  • Apparently this is one of the best ways to edgeguard against Lil Mac, as Reflect can, assumably, gimp Lil Mac's recovery. I am not quite sure of how accurate this is, but it can probably gimp the Side B due to the Wind Box in the air. Again, not sure. If anyone can confirm, that'd be great!
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~

Lucario -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Lucina -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Luigi -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)

Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
  • Dash Attack has higher priority that Luigi's Tornado Spin, so if you see him starting to twirl, charge!!
  • Up Tilt also has higher priority when used from below, so it's actually a fairly safe move to use if you find yourself positioned below your opponent.
Up B -
Grabs -

3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)

Info goes here~
Mario -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
  • Palutena's Up Tilt, when used from below, trumps Mario's Down B!
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Marth -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Mega Man -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Meta Knight -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Mr. Game & Watch -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Ness -
1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B - Use Often. Although Ness's Down B can absorb your projectiles, a lot of Ness's other move animations require him to stand still while controlling something else. In this case, Auto Reticle is especially useful when you want to punish but you're not sure if you'll be able to get close safely (due to a lingering PK Thunder, for example).
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
  • If your opponent is pursuing you in the air, he's more than likely to use a Forward Air! If you find a Ness approaching you, there are two reactions you can take: Counter, Dodge, or use a Back Air, which holds priority over Ness's Forward Air!
  • Counter and Back Air are especially effective, since they deal damage, and both of them appear to be fairly safe moves if Ness is attacking, since most Ness players are used to having higher priority when attacking and using Forward Air.
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
  • Palutena's Up Tilt, when used from below, trumps Mario's Down B!
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~

Olimar -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
PAC-MAN -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air - Use Often. As far as I can tell, this is actually a pretty safe move. As will be mentioned later, PAC-MAN's best defense for returning to the stage from above is his Down B, but Up Air seems to cancel out the fire hydrant so that it simply passes through Palutena.
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B - Use Often.
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
  • Reflect will obviously need to be utilized, and it also resets some of your stale moves, so spam this whenever you get the chance and can't safely approach PAC-MAN. It also counters PAC-MAN's Neutral B attack pretty well, so it's overall a pretty beneficial move to use in this match-up.
Side B -
Down B -
  • If approaching from below, Up Air seems to be surprisingly safe - if your opponent uses the Fire Hydrant and tries to drop it on you, the two seem to cancel each other out and the fire hydrant just passes through you harmlessly, as far as I can tell. Don't play too riskily, though, and be aware of your timing, as Up Air does have a bit of recovery and if it's used too early or too late you will get hit by the Fire Hydrant.
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Palutena - (this one is going to be especially interesting)

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Peach -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Pikachu -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Pit -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
R.O.B. -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Robin -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Rosalina & Luma -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B - Luma Shot
  • When Luma is fired, it is treated as a projectile - if you opponent starts charging up a Luma shot, use Reflect to send it straight back at them!
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Samus -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Sheik -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Shulk -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
  • Palutena's Up Tilt does NOT have priority, due to the reach of Shulk's down air attack. So don't try using it.
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Sonic - spin dash is cancelled by Jab! (can this be combo'd into a grab? Must test)

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash - Use Often. A lot of Sonic's moves will push him into the air if you block successfully, upon which you can attempt to severly punish them by using this move.
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
  • Palutena's Up Smash is devastating against Sonic's down air, as long as you can time it correctly. It places a definite pressure on players trying to return to the stage, and also presents itself as a possible KO.
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Toon Link -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Villager -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B - Use Often. There are so many moves worth reflecting in this match-up, and it forces Villager to come to you, so this will be one of your key tools against this opponent!
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~

Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash - Bowling Ball
  • Since the Bowling Ball is a projectile of sorts, you can actually REFLECT this move. I had no idea this could happen, but it makes sense, actually... utilize this, if you get the chance! As long as your Reflect wall touches the bowling ball, it makes it into your own weapon!
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B - Pocket
  • Pocket can only absorb one of the projectiles fired by Auto Reticle, and so at least one of the other projectile will definitely hit villager!
Side B - Lloid Rocket
  • This is, quite obviously, a move that you want to reflect. Although Villager CAN pocket the reflected Lloid rocket, there can only be two of those rockets in existence at a time, so keep reflecting!
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Wario -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Wii Fit Trainer -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Yoshi -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Zelda -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Zero-Suit Samus -

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Jab (single) - Use Often. As Zero-Suit Samus is a fast character, it makes sense to utilize on of Palutena's fastest moves. In addition, it has priority over a few of Zero-Suit Samus's moves.
Jab (continuous) - Use Often. In addition to combo'ing Jab -->Grab, continuous Jab can be very useful for racking up percent and forcing this particular opponent to play much more carefully.
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air - Use Often. Most Zero-Suit Samus players will spend a lot of time in the air, so if you can time it correctly, you can really hinder their playstyle and punish them severely.
Down Air -
Neutral B - Use Only When Appropriate. It's definitely a good spacing tool, but heavily punishable if used close enough for your opponent to use your recovery time to get up in your face. It's best saved for when your opponent lands too far for you to safely Dash Attack them, in which instance this move can help keep Zero-Suit Samus away, or at the very least force your opponent to shield.
Side B - Use Only When Appropriate. Reflect has two uses: to not only reflect projectiles (the stun gun, in this instance) but to also push opponents away. In addition, the stun gun beam travels fairly slowly, so if you react immediately you will have ample time to dodge or counter-react to whatever your opponent attempts to do while their beam is being reflected (such as notice if they try to jump over your Reflect wall, upon which you can remember this habit and punish with an Up Smash!).
Down B - Use Often. Once Zero-Suit Samus starts to attack, she's often committed. I also found that, in general online play, players who use Zero-Suit Samus often rush down opponents, trying to juggle them and keep them in the air. As a result, using Counter to surprise a charging Zero-Suit Samus can greatly alter the momentum of the game and, in some instances, get you that K.O. you so desperately desire.
Up B -
Grabs -
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
Jab (single) -
Jab (continuous) -
Forward Tilt -
Up Tilt -
Down Tilt -
Forward Smash -
Up Smash -
Down Smash -
Dash Attack -
  • Surprisingly, or at least as far as I can tell, Palutena's Jab seems to be safe reaction AND a move that actually trumps Zero-Suit Samus's dash attack! I will have to review my replays to confirm, however, but as far as I can tell Jab is actually an excellent move to use when being rushed down.
Neutral Air -
Forward Air -
Back Air -
Up Air -
Down Air -
Neutral B -
Side B -
Down B -
Up B -
Grabs -
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
Mii Fighters (?)

1. PALUTENA'S MOVES (what to use... and what NOT to use~!)
Info goes here~
2. MOVE MATCH UPS (what moves cancel? what moves don't?)
Info goes here~
3. MOVES TO WATCH OUT FOR (how your opponent can make or break the match)
Info goes here~
**this is going to be edited a lot, so... here we go~
 
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LyonelNoale

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***UNDER CONSTRUCTION - but feel free to post!!***

THIS POST FOCUSES ON STRATEGY
(**A lot of this information is gathered from various posts on the internet, so haven't all been tested - if you notice that something is wrong, or misinterpreted/misrepresented, please, let me know!)

We will look at the PROS and the CONS of each match-up, as well!

(** Note to self - Add pictures!)

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF USING PALUTENA:
If you've decided to main Palutena, or are simply looking into her as a character, you've probably noticed that she requires a very different playstyle than what most people are used to.

Palutena rewards the patient player, but she gets heavily punished when the person using her is much too eager. When using her, don't get greedy - if you haven't noticed already, the severe amount of lag both before and after most of her moves make randomly throwing out attacks a bad decision. You need precision, observation, and a playstyle that adapts to the opponent in order to obtain that well-earned win.

...etc. (Add more detail later)

Bowser -

PROS & CONS

Pros:
- Bowser is a very heavy character, which makes it easy to create Down Throw Combos, even at mid percentages.
- Bowser is slow, so moves like Neutral B can be utilized really well in this match-up.
- Bowser's smashes have a long start up times, so a well placed counter will destroy him.
-When Bowser is in the air and Palutena is on the ground, you have the advantage! Palutena's Up Smash, Up Air, Back Air, Neutral Air, and Up Tilt all have a LOT of priority over Bowser's moves, and due to his large size, it can be fairly easy to hit him while he's in the air. Just be careful when challenging him Air-to-Air; he's got a fair amount of moves he can unleash that have decent range, so it's usually safer to stick on the ground and carefully watch what your opponent's Bowser does.
-

Cons:
- Bowser can KO Palutena at a really early point in the match, due to her light weight and his strength. In especially laggy matches, a lucky hit can mean an instant K.O.
- Being a heavier character, Bowser often takes much longer to kill, depending on the circumstances. Be prepared to play patiently.
-If your opponent properly spaces out their Forward Tilt, it's not only safe on shield, but it also has more range than Palutena's Jab.

[/QUOTE]

General Strategies

Palutena has no trouble fighting Bowser. She is, in my opinion, one of the soft counters to Bowser due to how her best moves in this MU work. Bair and dash attack, just those two moves beat out almost all of Bowser's ground options to the point where Bowser cannot commit to an approach without eating a shield to the face every time. Worse is how good Plutena's defensive options are. Retreating Bair and an excellent dodge roll create an impressive chain of priority and invincibility when needed. Combined with her excellent punish options and there is no reason Palutena should fear Bowser, as Palutena's kit naturally allows her to push Bowser out of neutral. Just don't go into your jab combo. We ignore it.

Everything else said about Palutena's air game is true. Bowser should never challenge Palutena from air to ground. Any Bowser that frequents tournaments will not attempt to randomly Dair or Bowser Bomb you unless you've committed to something already. Bowser MUST respect Palutena if he is to touch the ground, and Bowser wants to be on the ground in case he gets you out of neutral.

Ground to air is a different matter. Once you're thrown out of neutral, Bowser has solid options if he's trying to stop Palutena from landing. Fair and Uair all have exceptional disjoint diagonally above Bowser and are great for challenging Palutena's options. Fair auto-cancels, so Bowser can land safely to react in case the attack misses. Bair is the same as Fair in terms of auto-canceling, but has no disjoint. You will beat it with almost any attack, so you shouldn't panic or you'll accidentally trade with it. USmash has the same property as Palutena's shield, and it hits like a monster. It can even negate counter-attacks, that's how good it is. If Bowser decides not to challenge Palutena's air to ground, Bowser can air dodge cancel into Fortress, covering almost any option Palutena has when landing and shrinking his hurtbox, causing spaced attacks to whiff. As a mixup, Bowser still possesses classic OoS options, pivot grab, and air dodge cancel into Klaw. This is the only area in which Bowser has any kind of advantage, and it's still small given how good Palutena is at covering her landing with options like counter and retreating Bair. Escaping to the ledge isn't too terrible against Bowser, either, as it will refresh your jumps and give you a second chance to catch Bowser off-guard with aerials that cover the ledge or other mixups.

Most Bowsers do not have good Palutenas to fight. I was fortunate to be blessed with a Japanese buddy that mains Palutena, as well as having the pleasure to face Palutena in friendlies at local venues. From my experience, this matchup is in Palutena's favor. Not as great an advantage as, say, Captain Falcon, or Luigi, who can 0 to death us much more handily, but you guys will definitely enjoy breathing room. Hope you all get the chance to attend events or find good Bowser players over at the Bowser section. I think it's a fun fight for all of you.

Bowser Jr. - Get ready to utilize that reflect!

Captain Falcon - Up Tilt beats out Falcon's Down B (from above)

Charizard -

Dark Pit -

Diddy Kong -

Donkey Kong -

Dr. Mario -

Duck Hunt -

Falco -

Fox -

Ganandorf -

Greninja -

Ike -

Jigglypuff -

King Dedede -

Kirby -

Link -

Lil Mac -

Lucario -

Lucina -



...

On a more serious note, I will add an analysis of the two eventually. But I will still keep this picture here, because I love it.

Luigi -

Mario -

Marth -

Mega Man - Spam reflect. It might seem odd to recommend spamming a move, but against this projectile heavy character, it's an especially good idea. Plus, it forces them to approach, and can force the opponent to fight how you want them to - turn the momentum in your favour! (**edit)

Meta Knight -

Mr. Game & Watch -

Ness -

Olimar -

PAC-MAN -

Palutena - (this one is going to be especially interesting)

Peach -

Pikachu -

Pit -

R.O.B. -

Robin -

Rosalina & Luma -

Samus -

Sheik -

Shulk -

Sonic - *spin dash is cancelled by Jab! (can this be combo'd into a grab? Must test)

Toon Link -

Villager -

Wario -

Wii Fit Trainer -

Yoshi -

Zelda -

Zero-Suit Samus -

Mii Fighters (?)
**this is going to be edited a lot, so... here we go~
 
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Wintropy

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Thank the gods, I've been waiting for a thread like this for ages.

I'll keep an eye on this and contribute anything I may know or have experienced.
 

LyonelNoale

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Thank the gods, I've been waiting for a thread like this for ages.

I'll keep an eye on this and contribute anything I may know or have experienced.
Thanks!! This is going to take me quite a bit of time, and I will, for the most part, be going through all the characters in the order I've listed them (starting with Bowser) but uggghh, it looks like so much work... still, I'm really going to enjoy myself. And yes, please, if you notice any sort of move match-ups at all during your play, let me know!

Thanks again! :) I'll keep on working hard on this guide, whenever I have time, so it'll be updated pretty frequently.

My only question (as I'm new to Smashboards - joined last night, actually, although I've been lurking for a really long time) is how to change the colour of text? Is it similar to this or something? (just experimenting)

EDIT: WHOA! I figured that out pretty easily, nevermind~
 
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Maraphy

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Woah. You're really serious. If you're dedicated and can regulate the topic every week + make a matchup table (see the matchup thread in the Kirby forum for example) we should definitely sticky this and get to work.
 

LyonelNoale

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Woah. You're really serious. If you're dedicated and can regulate the topic every week + make a matchup table (see the matchup thread in the Kirby forum for example) we should definitely sticky this and get to work.
I just looked at the Table...

T_T whaaaaaa but that's so much work... but I suppose that as long as other people help contribute, I don't mind at all!

I would love to get some assistance from the community regarding collecting data, though. I only just joined last night, however, and although I do have a fair amount of experience with the text coding (or whatever jargon is used regarding text), I don't know if I'm the most appropriate person for this job...

I'm probably just going to do this as a gradual project, and slowly accumulate more and more information as I go through each character/review replays, etc. If we set it to 'every two weeks' rather than every week (although, for the most part, I can easily make editing this thread a routine), I'll gladly monitor and edit this thread. As you can see, though, going through each character in the amount of detail that I hope to is going to take a substantial amount of time.

Can someone help me with the matchup table, though? I'm not sure how to format a lot of things here just yet (as I said, just joined last night :p) If you have any advice for formatting, etc, I'd really appreciate it. I've got some experience from GaiaOnline as to formatting, but it's still a different site, so I'm just getting accustomed to Smash Boards.
 

Maraphy

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I just looked at the Table...

T_T whaaaaaa but that's so much work... but I suppose that as long as other people help contribute, I don't mind at all!

I would love to get some assistance from the community regarding collecting data, though. I only just joined last night, however, and although I do have a fair amount of experience with the text coding (or whatever jargon is used regarding text), I don't know if I'm the most appropriate person for this job...

I'm probably just going to do this as a gradual project, and slowly accumulate more and more information as I go through each character/review replays, etc. If we set it to 'every two weeks' rather than every week (although, for the most part, I can easily make editing this thread a routine), I'll gladly monitor and edit this thread. As you can see, though, going through each character in the amount of detail that I hope to is going to take a substantial amount of time.

Can someone help me with the matchup table, though? I'm not sure how to format a lot of things here just yet (as I said, just joined last night :p) If you have any advice for formatting, etc, I'd really appreciate it. I've got some experience from GaiaOnline as to formatting, but it's still a different site, so I'm just getting accustomed to Smash Boards.
Welcome to smashboards!

I don't think anyone would really mind if we just copied it, lol. Other character forums such as the Rosalina one are using the same exact table. Making ours fit the universal standard would be beneficial to everyone probably. I think all you need to do is click "Reply" to the post, and it'll give you the code for it. Then all you have to do is paste it in this topic and edit it.
 

LyonelNoale

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I'm thinking of starting this 'Match Up thread' officially this upcoming Sunday/Monday (since I'll have a bit more time to spare then than I do now). Probably going to be looking at... Bowser, perhaps? Might as well start at the beginning! :)
 

Zediwonder

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Well part of a topic like this is also so the players can contribute and help construct everything, I can't imagine one person being able to do analysis of every character at a competitive level.

I'm sure every Palutena player wants to help the others learn and improve so I'll contribute stuff based on what I know of match up's and such when the chances arises, unfortunately I don't know much about characters outside Rosalina, Diddy Kong, Greninja, Lucario and villager. I'm going to tournaments and meet ups more often now so I'll add to any match up I learn about at those!
 

LyonelNoale

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Well part of a topic like this is also so the players can contribute and help construct everything, I can't imagine one person being able to do analysis of every character at a competitive level.

I'm sure every Palutena player wants to help the others learn and improve so I'll contribute stuff based on what I know of match up's and such when the chances arises, unfortunately I don't know much about characters outside Rosalina, Diddy Kong, Greninja, Lucario and villager. I'm going to tournaments and meet ups more often now so I'll add to any match up I learn about at those!
Ah, thank you!!! I'd really love that!!

Basically, whenever I notice that a move seems to have trumped or been cancelled by another, I just take note of it and then watch the replay again to make sure... so really this is just a collection of everything I notice over time. If you can help, that'd be great!! Thank you so much!!
 

Maraphy

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I've never fought a good Jigglypuff player on for glory until today... is it just me or do her moves completely cancel out most of ours? I couldn't even jab most of the time.

F-tilt sort of worked in that match due to its longevity/unclashableness but wasn't really a ton of help
 

LyonelNoale

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I've never fought a good Jigglypuff player on for glory until today... is it just me or do her moves completely cancel out most of ours? I couldn't even jab most of the time.

F-tilt sort of worked in that match due to its longevity/unclashableness but wasn't really a ton of help
So should I add that F-tilt should be either 'Used Often' or 'Used Only When Appropriate?' Did you find anything in particular that I should add? Like which moves specifically cancel each other out? :/

!!! also! Which moves in general did you find to be the most useful? Did you save the match replay?
 
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Maraphy

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So should I add that F-tilt should be either 'Used Often' or 'Used Only When Appropriate?' Did you find anything in particular that I should add? Like which moves specifically cancel each other out? :/

!!! also! Which moves in general did you find to be the most useful? Did you save the match replay?
I didn't save it : [ I'm not sure to be honest; hopefully someone else has more experience with the matchup, but if I have time I'll try to do some testing.
 

LyonelNoale

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I didn't save it : [ I'm not sure to be honest; hopefully someone else has more experience with the matchup, but if I have time I'll try to do some testing.
Okay! If I happen to face another Jigglypuff I'll make sure to take notes so I can help contribute, too :3

Slowly adding more data...! Eventually, I hope to have covered all the moves. As for the "Match-ups" section of the thread that's been suggested, hm... should I move the posts around to allow for that? Like {First Post} --> copied and pasted to {Second Post} and {Second Post} copied and pasted to {Third Post}, with the first being reserved for Matchup information?
 
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Maraphy

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Slowly adding more data...! Eventually, I hope to have covered all the moves. As for the "Match-ups" section of the thread that's been suggested, hm... should I move the posts around to allow for that? Like {First Post} --> copied and pasted to {Second Post} and {Second Post} copied and pasted to {Third Post}, with the first being reserved for Matchup information?
That seems reasonable. Might I also suggest keeping the matchup information in the 1st - 3rd posts under spoilers ( [ spoiler ] and [ / spoiler ] without the spaces) to make scrolling easier?
 

LyonelNoale

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That seems reasonable. Might I also suggest keeping the matchup information in the 1st - 3rd posts under spoilers ( [ spoiler ] and [ / spoiler ] without the spaces) to make scrolling easier?
Okay! Thanks!

Edits, so many T_T so many spoilers to addddd

and then so much to copy and paste and move around too since the posts are out of order

too much T_T
 
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LyonelNoale

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Just going to bump this, since I've finally started making it into an actual match up thread! I do plan to include more details and images later, but for now, this is it!
 

AeroLink_the_SoulMaster

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I'll go ahead and sticky this as well. This will be very useful knowledge, and I will also give my own input.

@ LyonelNoale LyonelNoale If you have multiple things to say after being the last one to post, be sure to edit your post instead of making new posts in a row (double-posting). I know you're new to the site so I'll go ahead and fix that for you; just remember for next time. :)
 
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LyonelNoale

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I'll go ahead and sticky this as well. This will be very useful knowledge, and I will also give my own input.

@ LyonelNoale LyonelNoale If you have multiple things to say after being the last one to post, be sure to edit your post instead of making new posts in a row (double-posting). I know you're new to the site so I'll go ahead and fix that for you; just remember for next time. :)
Do the posts have a character limit? I wasn't sure so that was one of the main reasons why I divided up the posts.

Also, since it's stickied, I guess that I obviously won't need to bump anymore, so thank you!! I've gotten used to doing that on other forum sites (which are pretty busy, so you have to bump certain posts to keep them on the main page).
 

xnine

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Perhaps it is because I've yet to face a god Bowser, but I would say that this matchup is heavily in our favor. I find it easy to land every single one of Palutena's aerials on Bowser, including down air when the heavens call to me. I seem to be able to chain nairs for days, and I think that up air beats out Bowser's down B, which is a great plus. You can even autoreticle without being rushed down easily.
 

Zediwonder

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It's true that Palutena has an easy time hitting Bowser but I wouldn't say it's heavily in Palutena's favour, Bowser is really powerful and one move can change the match around, wheres as Palutena has to go to at least 100% midscreen for a uair KO and maybe 100% on a few smashes Bowser can probably KO Palutena 80% with a lot of moves since she's so light.

I think I'll just put the pro's and cons I know in a list

pro's:
- Bowser is heavy making him easy to combo with dthrow even at mid %
- Bowser is slow
- Bowsers smashes have a long start up so a well placed counter will destroy him


cons:
- Bowser can KO Palutena really early with a lucky hit.
- Being heavy Bowser takes longer to kill in some circumstances
- uairs can be punished horribly with Bowsers dair or dspecial

I really don't know a lot about Bowser, there are no bowser players in my local scene and my friends aren't really good at him at all so I could be wrong about some stuff.
 

LyonelNoale

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It's true that Palutena has an easy time hitting Bowser but I wouldn't say it's heavily in Palutena's favour, Bowser is really powerful and one move can change the match around, wheres as Palutena has to go to at least 100% midscreen for a uair KO and maybe 100% on a few smashes Bowser can probably KO Palutena 80% with a lot of moves since she's so light.

I think I'll just put the pro's and cons I know in a list

pro's:
- Bowser is heavy making him easy to combo with dthrow even at mid %
- Bowser is slow
- Bowsers smashes have a long start up so a well placed counter will destroy him


cons:
- Bowser can KO Palutena really early with a lucky hit.
- Being heavy Bowser takes longer to kill in some circumstances
- uairs can be punished horribly with Bowsers dair or dspecial

I really don't know a lot about Bowser, there are no bowser players in my local scene and my friends aren't really good at him at all so I could be wrong about some stuff.
Ah, thank you! If it's alright with you, I'm going to put your Pros and Cons in the Third post, where I plan to put general strategy and techniques. (I'll make sure to credit you, so don't worry.)
 

AeroLink_the_SoulMaster

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Bowser's ftilt is something you should watch out for, as it's safe on shield if it's spaced properly and it out ranges Palutena's safer moves such as her jab. Bowser's a big target, so you can catch him with nair out of shield. This is a matchup where you can use auto reticle a little more than usual to keep him at bay. You can buffer fairs out of your short hop and space them to where Bowser can't punish; basically it's just approaching with fair and then fading back. Be careful not to use your full jab, but if you do, be sure to end it with the last hit asap since Bowser has light armor and he retaliate with a move of his own once he lands; it's better to use her jab 1, then follow up with a grab. Bowser's heavy, so he will live before 120% from Palutena's dthrow -> upair. Be aware of Bowser's side special command grab when you are shielding, and be ready to react with retaliation or just rolling away.

This is it for now. I think this matchup is even overall (50-50).
 
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xnine

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Side note, just tested Bowser's dair and dspecial against Palutena's uair, and I can confirm that uair beats out both. Utilt is the same, but if you aren't directly under Bowser and the hitbox of the utilt does not immediately connect (since it revolves), then you'll get hit/trade with Bowser.
 

Zediwonder

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Side note, just tested Bowser's dair and dspecial against Palutena's uair, and I can confirm that uair beats out both. Utilt is the same, but if you aren't directly under Bowser and the hitbox of the utilt does not immediately connect (since it revolves), then you'll get hit/trade with Bowser.
I can understand dair maybe trading with uair, but at all points of the dspecial does uair actually beat it? During start up you can stop the dspecial before it comes out but is it actually possible to stop it midway through the actual attack? I'll have to test it myself, I assumed the stuff about dair and dspecial based off similar moves and I really don't know Bowser at all.

Ah, thank you! If it's alright with you, I'm going to put your Pros and Cons in the Third post, where I plan to put general strategy and techniques. (I'll make sure to credit you, so don't worry.)
You can of course, but you can see my information is not entirely accurate for a match up I've never gotten to properly play. I'll get my friends to test some stuff with me and get some solid hard facts next time and maybe bring up some new stuff if I can.
 

xnine

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I can understand dair maybe trading with uair, but at all points of the dspecial does uair actually beat it? During start up you can stop the dspecial before it comes out but is it actually possible to stop it midway through the actual attack? I'll have to test it myself, I assumed the stuff about dair and dspecial based off similar moves and I really don't know Bowser at all.
When I say 'beat' I actually mean that Palutena's uair has priority over both Bowser's dair and dspecial. It's pretty neat!
 

Zediwonder

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When I say 'beat' I actually mean that Palutena's uair has priority over both Bowser's dair and dspecial. It's pretty neat!
That's actually pretty crazy. I'd say that that gives Palutena a greater advantage over Bowser but unfortunately those moves are pretty unsafe and predictable so I don't think good Bowser players would actually use it too often. But man, if someone didn't know and tried to punish you jumping directly below them that'd be awesome.
 

ddonaldo

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As has been mentioned our uair and utilt beat out bowser's bomb and dair. Since bowser has no "get off me" aerials we generally can keep him in unfavorable positions,off the top of my head his jab and ftilt are quick and have good range but I think we have the advantage in this matchup, but most of the times the better player with better spacing and reads will win. 55:45 I would say
 

T-skjorte Ninja

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Perfect timing. I'm being wrecked by a Bowser who's better at psacing than I am.

Pivot grabbing and pivot FTilt. Those are the most dangerous attacks of his.
ANd he punishes my Auto Reticle and Barrier spam. :V

What do.
 

Wintropy

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Perfect timing. I'm being wrecked by a Bowser who's better at psacing than I am.

Pivot grabbing and pivot FTilt. Those are the most dangerous attacks of his.
ANd he punishes my Auto Reticle and Barrier spam. :V

What do.
Read.

If you notice it's a staple move of his, chances are he's using it enough to make it a recurring feature of his playstyle. Now you just need to read his movements and respond accordingly.

This will either go in one of two ways:

1. He'll think it was a fluke or a lucky shot and keep doing it anyway, punish at your leisure.

2. He'll cop on and do something else, possibly reading your reads and punishing you instead.

What you need to remember here is that flowcharting does not work. If you notice he's doing the same moves because they work, then punish him for it. If he notices you're punishing his moves and he starts punishing your punishes, then you need to punish him again. It's a case of outwitting your opponent as much as it is outfighting them. Especially with a fast heavy-hitter like Bowser, you can't rely on brute force to seize the day. You need to outsmart him and take advantage of his strengths.

And spamming Autoreticle and Reflect is not a good idea against Booze. He's huge and fast, and the only move of his that you can reflect is a constant-fire move that doesn't really do enough damage to warrant countering in the first place. He's slow to strike, and if spacing and pivots are what's catching you out, learn to counter them instead. I find that spotdodging and shield-grab works well, since by the time he reacts, you're already open to hit him.
 

T-skjorte Ninja

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Hm. Challlenging to a grab doens't seem to work, as either his grab speed is beter, or a better range. Or' I'm slow.

When I spotdodge, he starts his USpecial, or DSmash. Roll dodge and he grabs me. So far, I find it safer to shield jump, if not being pressured.



Oh yeah. I can't seem to get my DThrow combos to connect.
 
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Wintropy

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Hm. Challlenging to a grab doens't seem to work, as either his grab speed is beter, or a better range. Or' I'm slow.

When I spotdodge, he starts his USpecial, or DSmash. Roll dodge and he grabs me. So far, I find it safer to shield jump, if not being pressured.
Regardless of why it happens or how, it's a good idea to work on your reflexes out of principle. Never hurts to be quick in the first instance.

Roll-dodging is super punishable if your opponent reads it. Again, Bowser is huge. You will have a hard time challenging him in terms of physical strength. So get your wits about you and read him like a very big, very scaly book.

Mid-air Autoreticle can work as a pressure tool or just to annoy him, but make sure you've got enough distance to pull it off. What you want ideally is to lure him over to you and punish him for making stupid mistakes.

Out of interest, are you rushing him? That's a dangerous tactic for anybody against Booze, but especially Palutena, who can't even rely on her jab or dash attack to ensure that you get to catch him first and go.
 

T-skjorte Ninja

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He's rushing me and I'm trying to run away. He somehow manages to catch up.


Oh, how does ledgegame works? His fire is just annoying, but other than that, I somehow always eats his FSmash.
 

Wintropy

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He's rushing me and I'm trying to run away. He somehow manages to catch up.


Oh, how does ledgegame works? His fire is just annoying, but other than that, I somehow always eats his FSmash.
Bowser is ridiculously fast and covers space easily. Don't try to run away all the time, or you'll be at his mercy, and that's not somewhere you want to be. Keep your distance and space him, but don't let him dominate you.

You want to lure him out and get him to strike and miss, but not let him take control of the match. Pressure him by throwing in a surprise b-air or shorthop n-air. If he's chasing you and is determined to grab or hit you, he may well run right into them. Another good tactic is to just pivot and run right behind him, then either pivot grab or pivot f-smash. Palutena is just as fast as Booze with regards to dashing and you can catch him off-guard by doing a quick pivot behind him and then pivoting again when he's trying to adjust to the new positioning.

As for ledgegame: try to warp behind him if you can. Aim to snap onto the ledge if possible and wait for an opening to either jump -> n-air / f-air or ledge attack.

If you're edgeguarding, n-air works wonders. Jump, n-air, jump back, warp if needs be. Against a big target like Bowser, it's a miracle edgeguarding tool. Possibly - POSSIBLY - try for a d-air, but ONLY if you feel confident in pulling it off and spiking him.
 
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LyonelNoale

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Alright, I've started compiling a lot of the information for Bowser together (as you can see if you check the spoiler). I think I'll leave this thread on the topic of Bowser for one more week (I need to get more information regarding fighting him) and then I'll post a final summary, and move on to the next character!
 

faderpotater

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In my opinion I would say this matchup is 60-40 with us in favor. Because of his size he is much easier to poke and hit with auto-reticle. However you have to be careful because he hits so hard. Good bowser players are going to be just as skilled at spacing and timing as us so you shouldn't get lax with your movement or go for risky maneuvers. Personally I like to stay just out of his range if possible and poke when I know my aerial will come out before his or when he whiffs. I also feel avoiding rolling in this mu as if they read a roll they can punish with a smash. Trying to gimp them offstage is probably the best bet for killing.
 

Wintropy

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In my opinion I would say this matchup is 60-40 with us in favor. Because of his size he is much easier to poke and hit with auto-reticle. However you have to be careful because he hits so hard. Good bowser players are going to be just as skilled at spacing and timing as us so you shouldn't get lax with your movement or go for risky maneuvers. Personally I like to stay just out of his range if possible and poke when I know my aerial will come out before his or when he whiffs. I also feel avoiding rolling in this mu as if they read a roll they can punish with a smash. Trying to gimp them offstage is probably the best bet for killing.
Agree with this verbatim. His smashes are all laden with endlag, so you can easily get a d-throw -> u-air in on them. The fact that our u-air also beats his u-air and down-b is a huge boon for us. A good Bowser won't use them regularly, but if you do see them doing it, you basically have a free hit.

It's not much of a huge shift in our favour, but I think that this matchup is still tilted slightly towards us. It's a case of pacing, spacing, outsmarting and punishing. We excel at all of those things. We need to keep our wits about us, but if done well, we've got him right where we want him.
 

Zediwonder

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Unfortunately I don't think anyone here has any experience against good Bowser players, perhaps we should ask the Bowser board for advice like the Greninja board did for us earlier.

Bowser is still a strong character and one hit can literally turn the match around so the better we know the match up the safer it will become. I'll agree to the 60 - 40 in our favour from results I've had against Bowser players but none of them have been at top level play when I versed them.
 
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