Some stuff I figured out when I first got AR (8 or so years ago?):
Powershield is max 8 frames from the point when you start shielding.
If you press down your shield too slow and lightshield the first frame, you only get 7 frames.
If you press it even slower and lightshield more than one frame, you lose the whole powershield.
If you start shielding before you can actually shield (before a move ends), those frames will count as lightshield frames (more than one and you can't powershield).
"Reflectorshield" works the same way, except it's 6 frames shorter (so either 1 or 2 frames).
Resetting your shield button to disable lightshield will always give you the full 8 and 2 frame windows (though it won't protect you from trying to shield when you can't).
Powershield has the same hitstun as a normal shield, but after the stun is over, you can do whatever you want. So if you let go of your shield before this, you are free to do any ground attack, start running, etc.
Powershield has about the same knockback as lightshield. If you want to stay in range for a shieldgrab, you're better off with a regular strong shield.
"Reflectorshield" has no stun or knockback whatsoever.
So if I powershield, and then let go of L/R the instant the non-projectile hits, theoretically, once the shieldstun is over, I SHOULD be able to dash dance while the PS is going and then once it's over I will automatically start dashing... since I'm not holding shield and since there's no shield drop animation, then there's no reason I would roll, yes?
(Going to test this now)
EDIT: Wow, that's exactly how it works... I let go after powershielding and when the stun was over, I was dash dancing.
I was also half-hoping that you would be able to buffer smashes by doing this. It does not work, sadly. I was hoping I had discovered something lol
what is this, what version do you guys have, are you sure of all this or what >=|
i'm worried now, i'm pretty sure that the window for powershielding attack is only 4 frames, THOUGH the powershield action? so to speak? as in the thing that says at the top of the screen that it's a powershield is actually there for 8 frames, i remember seeing this in AR and getting excited
but when i tried to powershield mario's jab past the 4 frame window, the window in which the blue circle of powershielding goodness is out, it would not powershield the hit
i don't have dolphin any more but i'm about to download it to settle all this nonsense
from my recollection:
The window for powershielding projectile attacks is 2 frames, afterwhich you can do anything you normally can do out of shield, but nothing special about the act aside from it reflecting the projectile and not giving you any shield KB. That is all. So for instance if you powershield a fully charged shot from samus, you won't get knockbacked at all, and it's the same as if you shield it normally and then wavedash out (though i think there may be reduced shieldhitstun from this because shielding it normally and power shielding it definitely seem quite different.
now, the window for powershielding physical attacks is 4 frames.
There is no reduced shieldhitstun, and there is increased shield knockback
upon releasing the shield, from the powershield, your character does enter the shield drop animation from which you can jump & jump cancel stuff from (so upsmash, and grab, and shine and stuff)
I do not know if it's even possible to roll out of the shielddrop animation caused by the powershielding of a physical attack (or spot dodge), someone test?
but the best thing about powershielding a physical attack is the additional options of which you can cancel your shielddrop animation with; smashes, tilts, jabs, b moves? though i don't think you can use horizontal B moves, like i don't think you can raptor boost, and don't think you can missile from the shield drop animation
When I Tested you were
NOT able to dash out of your powershield shield drop animation after powershielding a physical attack
