Possible Critical Hit mechanic on Upperdash Arm?

[SmashWolf]

So Pit's Upperdash Arm. I've been getting inconsistent results with it's knockback(knockback only, damage output is the same unless staled), and I'm trying to figure out why this is. When the move is unstaled, usually it'll kill almost any character when they have about 140%. But then there's those times when it anihilates somebody at MUCH lower percents. I've killed a Dark Pit before at 102%. Falcon at 98%. Hell, I even managed to kill Fox who had exactly 81% BEFORE the attack connected. There's also plenty of times where I've killed multiple people at around 110%, Bowser included.

The problem is....I don't know how this is happening. At first, I thought the attack-boost happened whenever Pit got hit with his superarmor on. But trying this on purpose with other people shows very inconsistent results. Reflecting projectiles near someone doesn't do extra damage at all. It also never happens in mid-air, just the grounded version. So what exactly is this "critical hit" that selectively show itself? Is it random like a critical hit, or is there some perfect sweetspot I'm missing?

EDIT: DE-CONFIRMED. Smash Charging is what caused this to happen.(Sadly. No specific attribute for Pit's Side B)

 

[SuperMii3D]

So Pit's Upperdash Arm. I've been getting inconsistent results with it's knockback(knockback only, damage output is the same unless staled), and I'm trying to figure out why this is. When the move is unstaled, usually it'll kill almost any character when they have about 140%. But then there's those times when it anihilates somebody at MUCH lower percents. I've killed a Dark Pit before at 102%. Falcon at 98%. Hell, I even managed to kill Fox who had exactly 81% BEFORE the attack connected. There's also plenty of times where I've killed multiple people at around 110%, Bowser included.

The problem is....I don't know how this is happening. At first, I thought the attack-boost happened whenever Pit got hit with his superarmor on. But trying this on purpose with other people shows very inconsistent results. Reflecting projectiles near someone doesn't do extra damage at all. It also never happens in mid-air, just the grounded version. So what exactly is this "critical hit" that selectively show itself? Is it random like a critical hit, or is there some perfect sweetspot I'm missing?

Might be that rage system that was implemented, I think it causes higher knockback. Not to sure on the details myself.

 

[SwoodGrommet]

Was Vectoring taken into account? Very interesting though, I look forward to seeing what comes of this.

 

[Eji1700]

Vectoring/rage/stage most likely. Still it'd be nice to know the exact conditions. If it happens again save the replay and check for not just their character/%, but your %, stage, and stocks. Then we can try to reproduce and see if its severe rage effect or if it's a vectoring mistake on your opponents part, or something else.

 

[CHOMPY]

I wander myself, because there are times that I did KO Mario at 92% when Pit was at 100% unstaled, mind you.

Do you have any gameplay videos uploaded?

 

[chipndip]

I got no clue. There might be some mechanics other than just the move that are taken into account. Even still, I'd save it until about 130%.

 

[A2ZOMG]

Vectoring, charging Smashes, rage. All things that can drastically affect KO percent ranges.

 

[chipndip]

Vectoring, charging Smashes, rage. All things that can drastically affect KO percent ranges.

Upper Dash Arm isn't a smash attack to be charged...

 

[A2ZOMG]

Upper Dash Arm isn't a smash attack to be charged...

You take increased knockback while you are in the charge stance.

 

[chipndip]

You take increased knockback while you are in the charge stance.

Well, now I know that much.

So yea, that'd probably do it.

 

[SwoodGrommet]

You take increased knockback while you are in the charge stance.

I was completely unaware of this.

 

[SmashWolf]

Vectoring, charging Smashes, rage. All things that can drastically affect KO percent ranges.

Wish I had thought to put the thing into replay rather than immediatly try to recreate it.

I do know my opponent was very aware of Vectoring. My first suspicion was that the opponent's attacks must've had something to do with it, since he was playing rather aggressively. It could very well be that he was charging a Smash attack, though does that really lower defense by that much? I'll try it out tonight with the same conditions.

EDIT: CONFIRMED. Smash Charging is what caused this to happen.(Sadly. No specific attribute for Pit's Side B)

 

[ReRaze]

This happened with me...I KO'd a Greninja at around 80%

I was at ground level and he was above me (he wasnt charging or anything)

also the red lightning effect came out (what does that mean? does Vectoring also trigger this special effect (Like maybe he accidentally vectored upward))

 

[ShadowSlashX]

I did not know about the smash charging thing at all... That pretty much explains what happened in the matches where I finished with Side B. I saved the replays in case anyone would like to see it on video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PZqFSz3HBGY

(Dark Pit) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qRjQgMVUI1o

Just skip to the last 30 seconds if you don't wanna see my subpar skills...
I almost never used the Side B, but now I'm trying to use it as a punish and then these relatively low percentage KOs happened and I thought the patch might've added a special effect to it. Sad to see it wasn't what I thought...

 

[Claxus]

So hold on, does the smash stance include the animation of the smash itself? That second video shows you actually traded blows with the smash attack, he wasn't charging it, and you got the earlier KO. That's actually way better than I thought, you can get some crazy early KOs if you can anticipate or react to a smash attack and super-armor through it. That is, depending on how the extra knockback mechanic works.