The Best Of: Back Airs!

[Sykkamorre]

Hey all!

This is just a bit of pointless fun, but this is a thread for determining a list of the best back airs in the game.

If this gets enough interest, I may turn this into a tierlist voting-esque system.

Try to explain your reasoning if you'd be so kind.

Go go go.

 

[Kenith]

,,, all have really good b-airs.
Killing with Slash Claw is super satisfying.

 

[Zionaze]

thing is a little too strong

 

[_gold_]

thing is a little too strong

At least he has something in his favor.
is often over looked, but she has a great back air. Obviosuly aswell, when you land it correctly.

 

[Khao]

Landing Lucas' bair offstage is like my favorite thing.

Tipping Marth's and getting a KO is also super satisfying somehow.

Ganondorf's is insane.

Toon Link's used to be so much ****ing fun, but they completely ruined it in this game. It's one of the biggest reasons he's no longer my main.

Always liked Pikachu's for some reason. But just like, the animation.

 

[Guillaume1987]

Wait, I must state how deceptively fast and strong back air is.
Also, as amain, I can't pasS over how satisfying Landing back air is with the King of DreamLand.

 

[kylexv]

If this doesn't make you think that Bowser's Bair is one of the best in the game, I don't know what's wrong with you.

 

[MarioMeteor]

Ike's back air disgusting.
Mega Man's Slash Claw is the best thing ever.
Dr. Mario's is amazing.
Falco's back air is ridic.
Lucario's back air kills at 50%.
If this were pre-1.0.6, I'd say Sheik, but it isn't, so I won't.
Jigglypuff's back air is incredible.
By the way, Slash Claw is frame 4. Fastest back air in the game.

 

[SpottedCerberus]

is clearly the best. (How has this not been mentioned? It does 13% damage. It has negligible start-up and low end lag. It has good KO power. It can wall of pain.)
is second. (Kills super early from a ledge trump. Fastest bair in the game, tied with a few other characters.)
is third.

 

[Silxer]

Robin's back air with that Levin Sword is pretty good imo.

Palutena's back air simply for the fact that it feels very satisfying smacking a character in the face with her shield. lol

 

[Zionaze]

Ike's back air disgusting.
Mega Man's Slash Claw is the best thing ever.
Dr. Mario's is amazing.
Falco's back air is ridic.
Lucario's back air kills at 50%.
If this were pre-1.0.6, I'd say Sheik, but it isn't, so I won't.
Jigglypuff's back air is incredible.
By the way, Slash Claw is frame 4. Fastest back air in the game.

Falcos bair is also frame 4 :V

 

[Wintropy]

Palutena's is invincible. Which is nice.

That said, it doesn't hold a candle to Donkey Kong's.

Oof.

Great frame data, can kill, wall of pain potential and is attached to Donkey Kong.

 

[Sykkamorre]

Seeing a lot of love for doc, falco, MM and DK here.

I'd argue that while Bowser's is powerful, the lag you get on a non-AC'd probably stops it from being in a list of "best of".

 

[MarioMeteor]

Actually, I was wrong, Sheik and Pikachu also have frame 4 back airs, but neither of them are as good as Mega's.

 

[xCerealSoup]

Puff and Ganondorf have my favorites

 

[Zionaze]

Falcos Bair Auto cancels from any height, combos into itself, frame 4, kills at 80, what more do you need :V

 

[SpottedCerberus]

Yeah, Falco's bair is definitely top tier. I don't think it's quite the best, but it's really good.

I'm not getting the love for doc's over Luigi's. Luigi's does about 1% more damage, it KOs earlier, and I'm pretty sure it has slightly more range. (Luigi has longer legs....) What am I missing?

 

[Sykkamorre]

More shield stun and push iirc. Slightly wider hitbox vertically too.

 

[DarkBlueSpark]

Kirby's bair is great, can use it as a wall of pain and is an amazing KO option

 

[Dark Phazon]

 

[DanishButrCookies]

Lucas's back air is probably my favorite. It's unique in it's own way cause of the spiking arc.
I also like Metaknights falling back air because it can set up into a jablock combo, which is pretty sexy.
Game & Watches turtle back air is so safe, reminds me of a safer version of falco's forward air.

 

[Dark Phazon]

DDDs is really good too.

 

[Kevandre]

I've had ridiculously good luck with 's BAir. While I also love 's, it's hard to adjust back to it after playing Ness so much in Smash 4.

 

[MarioMeteor]

Yeah, Falco's bair is definitely top tier. I don't think it's quite the best, but it's really good.

I'm not getting the love for doc's over Luigi's. Luigi's does about 1% more damage, it KOs earlier, and I'm pretty sure it has slightly more range. (Luigi has longer legs....) What am I missing?

Larger hitbox, Doc's pathetic short hop makes it much more effective, and it has less ending and landing lag, making it a better and more reliable spacing tool. The sourspot is also much harder to hit than Luigi's.

 

[Dark Dr. Pink-Gold Pit Jr]

,,(Levin Sword),(imbincibel!!0)

 

[Aguki90]

Palutena is a SHIELDED BACK AIR!? Cool!

Mega Man has a very fast powerful back air. only lack range but man, speed and power.

Capt. Falcon Back air set-ups and kills. Nuff I said.

Donkey Kong b*** a** s** Kick can seriusly Combo it, wall of pain and even K.O. early

Ganondorf Duh.

Meta Knight Multi long hit back air attacks can fool and punish airdodge like nothing.

 

[Pale Tuna]

Marth's B-Air is superb. It is easy to hit when aiming for edge-guards and has nice KO potential due to the tipper mechanic.

 

[LunarWingCloud]

Pikachu's is great for utility since the long duration and ability to stagespike with it offstage, and it can pull in for multiple hits. Also the last frames on landing have him duck so low to the ground that many moves pass right over him. For actual power though, it's a bit lacking.

Jiggs' is amazing with no questions asked, it's fast, strong, can stage spike or just KO pretty well.

I also like Rosalina's since it reaches pretty far.

 

[Swop]

Olimar's B-air is pretty good too...

...'cept it depends on the pikmin hes using...

but it executes pretty fast!

 

[Nixon Corral]

I'm a fan of Jigglypuff's. Surprised to not see it mentioned, it's pretty good.

 

[Zelbur]

Although I main Zero Suit Samus and I am probably biased, I think her Bair is very good. It kills, comes out fast, auto-cancels, is safe on shield, and the only down side that I can think of is that it has a relatively small hit-box, so it takes practice to space with it in the Neutral for example.

 

[Ze Diglett]

Insert every dropkick Bair in the game here.
Other than that,'s Bair is among the most reliable KO moves in the game with its range and speed. I'll give's an honorable mention since it just kills so damn early on the sweetspot, especially with Rage.

 

[randomguy1235]

DDD's back air does 16-17%, has insane KO potential, and it autocancels/has no lag. Definitely one of, if not the best in the game.

 

[SpottedCerberus]

DDD's back air does 16-17%, has insane KO potential, and it autocancels/has no lag. Definitely one of, if not the best in the game.

If he still had his Brawl bair I would agree.

 

[Lustful_Kaiser]

Bair is underrated and actually good.
Bair is one of the best killing moves when applied.
Bair hits high along with high knockback.
Bair spike is satisfying when landed with arc.
Bair hit high with good knockback, and swords.

 

[Buffoon]

: These four have super slick looking B-Airs, in addition to being fairly reliable kill moves at higher percentages.
: I've come to like how their B-Air reverses their direction once you use it.
: Dropkicks are always cool looking and tend to be powerful; and these are no exception.

 

[MapleWooD]

Ganon, Mega Man and Jiggs

 

[Steelballray]

I know it ain't the flashiest looking, but Falco's bair hit like a truck and I don't think there's a move in the game that's easier to stage spike with. Lucario's backair has more knockback than many characters' smash attacks. Luigi's backair has insane knockback for how far it reaches and how easily it connects. You can combo it from D-throw too.

 

[JimmyTheCaterpillar]

Want to emphasize the 's bair is very good as well.

 

[Atm0s]

I really like Bowser's b-air. It's one of the best kill aerials in the game.