McGyverAC
Dragon's Sin of Wrath
This guide is meant to help beginners and Corrin vets alike, as I will be covering all applications of her individual move set and the most notable character and stage match ups.
Before I begin. Corrin, as a very slow character, benefits a great deal from all movement techs, such as dash dancing, extended dash dancing, and cancelling runs into turnaround dashes. B reversing is another essential. Wave bouncing and perfect pivots are not essential, but help Corrin with positioning and can open up many options.
This first section will cover Corrin's move set and the most basic of techs for those moves. If you're a veteran and want to learn some more advanced techs, they will be included below the beginners section. I will also include any techs I mention in the beginners section, just in case you may or may not have heard of it.
Note: I refer to Corrin as a she only because that's the skin I play her as. There is no difference between the character's move sets. However, the taunts have different audio.
SPECIALS:
Neutral special: Dragon Fang Shot. Is a chargeable stun projectile that is followed by a chargeable close range bite. You can charge both separately, and a no charge shot to full charge dragon bite is a true combo (if they're in range of the bite of course) at any percent. Unlike ZSS's paralyzer, the stun duration lasts longer as the percentages go up. This move is one of Corrin's most reliable kill set up, as well as a good pressure long tool. The projectile itself is very weak, regardless of how much you charge it. It can be beaten out by every projectile in the game. On a side note, the fully charged bite does a HUGE amount of shield damage, but it doesn't break Shields.
Side special: Dragon lunge. On the ground, it's a hop followed by a lance. To activate the lance, the player must press b or a once after the side b. This does not apply if you side b in the air, as the lance will just come out. The lance will pin you to the ground if you're close enough, and can pin opponents as well. Once pinned, Corrin can input left, right, up, jump, or cancel. The cancel has no input, you just wait three seconds for the move to auto cancel. Corrin Receives no ending lag from the cancel, and can act immediately, which can lead to a combo if you've pinned the opponent. However, the pinned state can be mashed out of by the opponent. Imputing up or jump results in Corrin jumping from the pinned state. The jump itself has some end lag, so it's kind of risky. This does put the opponent in a techable footstool state. If you've pinned someone on a stage with a wall and input jump, the opponent will be unable to act immediately, as there is nothing for them to tech. Imputing left or right results in a dive kick in that direction. Regardless of which way you kick, a pinned opponent will be hit. The kick has good knock back at during the sweet spot (the first few frames of the kick) and can KO a pinned opponent. While I haven't tested it, based on what I've seen, kicking forward is the most reliable way to KO a pinned opponent. Doing a turn around kick results in Corrin spinning on the lance before going in the opposite direction. She has a hit box in front of her, but it doesn't deal as much knock back. The lance itself has a tipped effect, and can KO fairly early. The tipper has horizontal knock back, so it's best to go for it at the edge or off stage. Corrin's most reliable and earliest kill is any charge shot (depending on follow up distance to target) to tipper side b. It's worth noting that you can do a tipper side b from a short hop on opponents of any height, and full hop side b of you feel like you won't reach your opponent in time to intercept the knock back of the stun shot. For this kill, it's useful in knowing the angle of the stun shot, as you can use this to assist in getting the opponent closer to the blast zones. Keep in mind that the move is only active for two frames, and therefore has little priority over other moves. This means that recoveries that have a constant hit box around there body (EX: Donkey Kongs up B and sometimes Luigi's side b and cyclone) the dragon lunge will be cancelled. This does not apply to two frames and if you hit there hurt box before coming into contact with their hitbox.
Note: This is easily Corrin's most useful tool. You must absolutely master this move.
Up special: Draconic Ascent. Corrin moves up at a slight angle of you don't input anything else. You can angle the Ascent for better horizontal recovery, as well as vertical recovery. Purely vertical Dragon Ascent involves inputting 90 degrees in the opposite direction that Corrin is facing. Purely vertical DA is better for kills, as it drags opponents higher to the blast zone. That being said, as a kill move from the ground, Draconic Ascent is very lack luster, with it's poor knock back. A useful tech for killing with this is baiting out an air dodge before using this. It won't always kill though, unless you're very close to the blast zone. Optimal kill percentage on the ground are usually 140 at lowest to 160 at highest. On the ground, this move has some invincibility at the start up, but after wards Corrin's head and legs will be vulnerable for attack. She keeps her invincibility when used in the air. This up B has a lot of aerial drift, and it's multiple hit move, the wings being the multi hits. Because of this, lots of moves do not have priority over the Recovery, so most people can't challenge it aside from a two frame. Keep in mind that long-lasting nairs such as Mario's and Sheik's, as well as some multi hit moves, can trade with the Up B if they hit Corrin's head. This causes a bit of a small spike, which is fine if you have your jump but can screw you if you've used it. Keep this in mind when recovering
Down special: Counter Surge. Easily the best counter in the game. For the uninitiated, Counter Surge is a move that activates if you are hit by an attack shortly after activating the move. If hit during those few frames of activation, Corrin will return the attack with 1.2 times damage, as well as ridiculous vertical knock back. This is the only counter in the game that hits all around the initiator. Counter Surge can be used to intercept and punish aerial assaults or follow ups, as it has ridiculous knock back and will Knock the opponent above you. This move should mostly be used to intercept powerful moves, recovery's that have high knock back, such as ness's (it kills at 40% WTF?!), or aerial assaults. It should only be used on obvious smash attacks, or if the opponent isn't expecting it and attacks you in the air. Make sure the opponent is at a high enough percent, as this move has a lot of end lag (If your opponent doesn't hit you), and can result in a severe punish. Basically, don't spam it, only use it when your opponents not expecting it. Another example of using this move is if the opponent doesn't respect the fact that you have a counter and throws out powerful moves constantly at you.
STANDARD GROUND MOVES:
Jab: a three part move that has decent knock back at the end and is good for getting your opponent off you at higher percents. If you tap the jab rapidly, Corrin replaces the final swing with a very rapidly biting mouth (it's scary to watch). The rapid jab is used to rack up damage at early percents, but the opponent can escape if you hold the jab too long (though, watching the mouth bite once an opponent has escaped is very funny, considering how fast it is.)
Forward tilt: good combo starter at early percents, mostly used as a typical "get off me" tool. It's got good speed and range, but most notably, the knock back sends them more vertical than horizontal.
Down tilt: Bread and Butter combo tool at low to mid percents (at very specific high percents, it can be followed up with an up air for the kill) and has decent range on the ground. Knocks the opponent above you, and should usually be followed by either another down tilt, up tilt, or up air depending.
Up tilt: another BnB combo tool. Pretty basic, doesn't have many uses other than combos. Like down tilt, up tilt can be followed by up air at very specific percentages for the kill.
SMASH ATTACKS:
Forward smash: A long lance with a tipper that can be angled forward, up, and down. Longest smash in the game, and has a constant hit box In Front of Corrin if you charge it. The chainsaw hitbox can true combo into a fully charged forward smash, but the opponents can DI out of the hit box. Keep an eye on your opponent's position and follow up with an up angled forward smash. Even without the tipper, this can kill stupidly early at the edge of the stage. Because there's a constant hit box, if your facing the edge of the stage charging it, it will cover every single ledge getup except for roll. This edge guard is riskier, but if you catch your opponent, it can lead into an early kill. A similar edge guard can be used to cover roll, but you have to have your back facing the edge of the stage. If the opponent rolls, they will get hit by a charged tipper forward smash, which can kill earlier than the previously mentioned method, though it depends on your opponents option. Use this sparingly, as spamming it can result In Your opponent just jumping from the ledge to attack you.
Down smash: nothing very special about this move, other than the hit box behind Corrin has a tipper, which is by far Corrin's most powerful tipper, whereas the front hit box in front of Corrin does not. Useful for punishing rolls and can be used as a way to punish people trying to chase you down. Another way to use it is after a back air, since the back air has low landing lag and depending on how you spaced it you have a good chance of landing the tipper. This move does purely horizontal knock back, and is good for killing near the ledge. Though, among Corrin's kill options, this is by far one of the weakest. It comes out pretty fast, and is good for hitting opponents too close for a tipper forward smash. If you, by chance, happen to get a shield break. Walk the opponent over to a ledge and hit them with the tipper. This will kill earlier than any of Corrin's moves.
Up smash. Another tipper move. Corrin leans down and extends two spears above her. Is a good anti air, since Corrin bends down, which makes her hurt box smaller. This move excels particularly on stages with platforms. The sour spot of the move has worse knock back, but can still kill at around 120 - 140.
AERIALS:
Neutral air: Corrin spins a lance and sword around her body twice. Has a decent length, and is a good "get off me" option out of shield or landing with a lagless down air. Is one of Corrin's best combo starter from low to mid percents. The little spear is the sour spot, with a tipper, and can improve/extend certain combos, though it's much harder to land, as well as more difficult to cancel.
Forward air: a sweep of Corrin's sword in front of her. Is her best combo tool and starter. Knocks the opponent vertically, and can true combo into an up air at higher percents, being a kill option at very specific percents.
Up air: an optional combo starter, like many fire emblem characters, but should mostly be used to finish off a forward air combo, due to the amount of damage it deals. Be wary of how many time you use this to avoid staleing the move, as it is one of Corrin's best kill options, and is her best aerial kill option. Covers a wide area above her. The range of this move beats out a lot of characters down air attacks and landing options. Be wary of your spacing with this move.
Back air: Corrin sprouts wings and pushes herself forward. Great for recovering horizontally, and has decent knock back. The move has a deal of start up and end lag, but no landing lag if cancelled properly, you can even cancel the wings before they come out. Fast falling with this move is great for catching opponents unaware, and it's deceptive landing lag can result in a forward or down smash to punish opponents who try to chase you down or who remain in shield. This move has great horizontal and vertical range, and allows Corrin to attack at a distance with almost zero chance of being punished, so it's her safest move on shield.
Down air: a drill like dive that hits multiple times and drags the opponent down with Corrin until impacting on the stage or cancelling after a while. This move can be used to drag opponents down off stage for an early KO if you're up a stock. To survive using this move off stage, you must full hop, down air, spam jump, then do a purely vertical Draconic Ascent. This is guaranteed so long as you do a full hop. You can also do this from a get up jump on the ledge, or jumping from Dragon Lunge above the edge of the stage. Stages with a wall provide a better recovery, as Dragon lunge can pin you to the wall and give you an extra jump. Dragon' lunges extra jump doesn't count as a double jump, and won't take yours.
GRABS AND THROWS:
Grab: not the best of ranges
Pummel: Corrin slams her hilt into the opponent. Very slow, one pummel at low percent, two at mid percent, and 3 at high percents.
Forward throw: Corrin pierced her opponent with a lance, launching them forward. Has little knock back, but no combos out of this throw. use it for spacing and gaining stage control
Back throw: exact same story as forward throw
Down throw: kills at very high percentage, deals the most damage of all her throws and launches them diagonally upwards. On platforms close to the edge of stages like town and city or smashville, this is your optimal throw. If the opponent DI's inwards, then you can get a true combo forward air out of it at 0 percent.
Up throw: Corrin's kill throw, killing earlier than down throw and is purely vertical in knock back. Don't stale this throw, as it kills at 140 to 170 (varying with weight), without rage. Down throw kills a few percentage later, and is another option if you've staled up throw.
DRACONIC TECHS:
Some of these techs were given names by the YouTubers who discovered and posted about them, as well as a few unnamed techs or not yet seen or mentioned techs that I found in the lab. I may not be the first person to discover it, but I damn well get to name it. Since as of right now I'm the only one who has uploaded a guide on Corrin.
Draconic ledge getup: basically letting go of the ledge, jumping and back airing at the same time to push yourself on stage. You receive less lag than if you'd done a neutral ledge get up, and can be used to catch approaching opponents by surprise. Another ledge getup option is using forward air, which is useful if the opponent is close to the ledge.
Instant Dragon Lunge: performed by imputing side b and then immediately pressing a or b. Sliding your finger to the a button is faster and easier than double taping b. This allows you to instantly pin yourself to the ground, and is very fast. If the opponent doesn't predict it, then you can catch them, if they're in range.
Rear Spear: doing a turnaround forward smash. Done by running, moving the control stick in the opposite direction while simultaneously using the c stick to forward smash in the same direction. If done correctly, Corrin will slide slightly before spearing in the direction she came from. Is useful for surprising opponents and is helpful in ledge guarding with forward smash. The input is the same, but you hold the C stick so you get the charge. Because of the slide, your opponent is more likely to get caught in this edge guard.
Coryuken: not a very specific technique, but refers to spacing a down air about a bodies height above a recovering opponent. When the down air ends, the opponent is usually just above Corrin's head, and will be in hit stun a few frames longer than down air's ending lag. Because of the way the down air is spaced, this results in a GUARANTEED foot stool, which not only means almost guaranteed recovery for Corrin, but it means absolute death for the opponents. My official way of performing this technique is by performing a side b at the edge of the stage so when you jump you can immediately down a. It's not guaranteed, as the jump has quite a bit of lag, but it can surprise an opponent on the ledge, as Corrin's position allows for a kick to punish any ledge get up. If the opponent jumps from the ledge to attack Corrin, this move is all the more guaranteed, of course this depends on the height of the opponents double jump and up air, but for the most part it will work. Another thing to mention is that this move works regardless of spacing if the opponent uses their double jump prior to getting hit.
(Credit to OceloT42 for the two names above)
KenRyu Combo: Corrin's special version of the Ken Combo. The difference is that the forward air has to be sour spotted in the air, and Corrin has to be right next to them. For this to work, Corrin has to be close enough for a foot stool, without using her double jump. Foot stole them then immediately down air, otherwise they will be able to DI out. Keep in mind, there are several characters that can escape this with DI. This will allow for Corrin to perform a foot stool at the end of Dair, resulting in guaranteed death for the opponent, and guaranteed recovery from Corrin. If the opponent has used their double jump, it's unnecessary to worry about your positioning, as they won't be able to cancel their momentum in time otherwise. This is an insanely difficult tech, so practice practice practice. Even I haven't been able to get it without being at 1/4th speed. *tip: for the first footstool, don't do a full hop footstool, do a short hop. It's better for the down air.
Dragon Ledge Dive: Corrin's good ledge guarding option against no hitbox recoveries. It's very simple. Just side B and pin yourself at the ledge, position yourself so that you snap the ledge when you input the kick forward. Because the kick has a constant hitbox, it will two frame any recovery. This is only viable against teleport recoveries, vertical recoveries, and recoveries with no hitboxs. It's techable, but is very janky. Sometimes it stage spikes them, other times it bounces them off the wall.
Dair cancel: perform a down air after being launched high above the stage. Use a forward air to cancel out the hitstun. The down air has incredible fall speed, nearly impossible to punish, and the attack will end before reaching the ground, preventing Corrin from having any of the landing lag, as well as allowing her to land with a neutral special to attack approaching foes, or a neutral airs to force opponents away from you as you land. Another option is to use down air after being in hitstun. The down air will lose all its momentum, and can catch opponents unaware if they attempt to follow up after launching you. Use this at lower percents, as it's easier to catch them with it. Note: The minimum distance it cancels at is a full hop double jump from the top platform of battlefield.
COMBO MIXUPS:
It has been said many times that Corrin is a character that relies on true combos, however, She has a variety of mixups that can kill stupidly early, if you guess your opponent's options correctly.
There are three variants of this mixup, which include all of Corrin's specials, with the exception of Counter Surge. At around 40 - 50 percent, neutral air to fair, followed by a neutral special is a good mixup and can be a 50-50. I have confirmed that they can't jump away (though I'm not sure about early start up frame moves like Sheik or mario's nair, as Corrin's projectile has 0 priority) and you can read their airdodge. This will usually kill at the percents this works at, and Platforms can provide an extension, if they airdodge, which will be nair to neutral special at around 40-50 percent, or fair to neutral special 50-70 percent. The percents vary between weight classes, and seems easier on heavy weights such as dedede, bowser, and Donkey Kong.
Next up is the up special variant. Sadly, this is only 100% viable if they airdodge and are above top platform on battlefield, but will kill as early as 70%. Other than hitting them above you with any usual move, this has very little applicable use, but is definitely a good surprise KO option, and is key in the Corrin vs Ryu match up, since it is a multi hit move.
Finally is the dragon lunge mixup. Once again, this is only viable if the opponent airdodges or throws out an attack, and is found to not KO very early, even near the ledge (Sheik lived at 80%, and she's light as ****). It's down tilt, to double jump tipper. The only hard part is spacing yourself correctly.
LEDGE TRUMPS:
Corrin has only two viable options out of ledge trump (Credit to Cosmos for demonstrating this) which is tipper dragon lunge, and turn around Dragon Fang Shot. Both of these work very differently, so I'll explain them in depth.
Dragon Lunge: Once you trump someone, immediately input a ledge jump, and then input side B towards the opponent. This is difficult, as it requires good timing. If you didn't know, the first couple frames of a ledge jump can be canceled into a special attack (applies to all characters). Many Corrin's use this to do a get up counter, as counter cancels all momentum. If done correctly, the tipper will hit the opponent, and usually kills around 80% and onward.
Dragon Fang Shot: This ledge trump is taken directly from Samus, who has the incredible ability to ledge trump into any variant of charge shot. The theory behind that is exactly the same as Corrin, though it requires an extra input. This is accomplished by holding back after ledge trumping someone, and then inputting jump and special, all mere milliseconds after releasing the trigger button. If you didn't know, most characters have the ability to B reverse a neutral special, and do a turnaround neutral special. B reverse is simply hitting special and then immediately hitting the stick in the opposite direction you are facing. This reverse the direction you are facing, as well as your momentum. A turnaround is hitting the stick in the opposite direction you are facing, and then immediately after you let go of the stick, hit neutral special. This will cause you to turn around without reversing your momentum, and is what you need to do to complete this ledge trump. I've only seen it kill at 80% thus far, but is more consistent and less frame perfect than ledge trump to pin.
Moving on to stages:
Flat stages are a meh for Corrin. They don't hurt her but they don't benefit her. Stages with walls add more to her recovery but not much else. They do give Corrin room to run around and make use of Dragon Lunge though.
Stages such as battlefield and Kirby's dreamland benefit her by giving her the ability to move around the stage with Dragon lunge, as using the kick on any platform cancels out the end lag Corrin would receive if she'd have done it on the ground. It makes her movement trickier, and allows her to get more reliable up smash kills through the platforms. Since her up air covers an entire platform on battlefield, she can juggle opponents exceptionally well here. That being said, these stages limit her use of down air as a way of returning to the stage.
Duck Hunt is a good stage for Corrin to avoid fast rush down type characters since the odd platforms give her some interesting movement options with Dragon Lunge, and the stage assists her recovery. Do not go to this stage when facing zoning type characters that can spam projectiles more than Corrin. To counter them, go to a place like battle field.
Town and city and smashville benefit Corrin with their low stages, however, these are bad stages for fast characters, as Corrin can't avoid them.
Lylat isn't a bad stage for Corrin, but the odd angles of the stage can interfere with Instant Dragon lunge, but can allow for an instant Dragon Lunge Tipper for a very quick KO attack.
General character match up no-no's:
Fast characters can pressure Corrin, and are some of her toughest enemies, as they can punish dragon lunge. It requires perfect spacing and well thought out reads to win this match up.
Zoning or projectile heavy characters can keep Corrin at a distance, since her projectile is the weakest in the game. Her run speed also makes it difficult for her to approach them safely or punish them for projectile use. I have no tips for winning this, cause if a Samus decides to camp like a *****, there's not much you can do about it. Just stay in their face as much as you can, and be very patient.
Tips and Tricks:
Dragon lunge is Corrin's most versatile tool, and one of the best moves in the game. Use it well, but be careful. Each whiff and retreat with dragon lunge results in loss of stage control for Corrin.
Make sure to visualize her side B's hitbox, as this really helps with the spacing for the move. Also keep in mind that the actual pin hit box is only out for about 2 frames, so be precise.
In most match ups, abuse your aerial range to apply safe pressure, and mix it up going for tomahawks (Special name for short hoping and landing without doing anything.) into grabs. Don't over look the grab. it gives Corrin stage control and extra damage. If you don't grab a lot, it'll be a very long time before your opponent is at kill percent for up throw.
Don't rely on true kill setups and don't fish for combos. Know the combos, learn the kill setups, but don't keep going for it. You'll get predictable.
When throwing someone, jump at them and threaten them. You can observe how they react to the sudden pressure, which can benefit you by teaching you something about your opponent's habits.
Corrin has no true combos out of grab release, but if the opponent isn't expecting it: ground release can result in a pin, and aerial release can result in a tipper.
CORRIN PLAYERS:
The most notable Corrin players are Cosmos, Ryuga, Ryo, and Yoc (japanese player). Cosmos does nutty mixups and is generally the guy to watch, but Ryuga was the best Corrin in the beginning and is still fun to watch (though there isn't as many matches of him). Ryo is all around good, though he often doesn't use Corrin, and I don't know about Yoc, but I hear good things.
Closing message: Corrin is an exceptionally good character, with solid combos, mixups, KO options, and neutral. Her weaknesses are that she's not very fast, and, um, that's really it. This lack of speed makes follow ups difficult, chasing opponents down hard, and overall can hurt ground pressure. Other than that, she doesn't have any bad points worth mentioning. (No her grab and throws are not bad for her neutral, they give her stage control, present ledge guard opportunities, and allow for juggling, which Corrin is the best at.)
Lastly, if you want to learn Corrin's BnB combos, check out Izaw smash's Corrin informative on youtube. It has all the combos corrin can perform, as well as visible demonstration of Corrin's moveset and techs.
As Corrin's meta is too underdeveloped and almost impossible for just one player to explore and find, I will be adding anything else I find to this guide. I beseech any fellow Corrin mains reading this to share any tech that I haven't mentioned, or haven't gone over. Let us make this the completed Corrin guide, to advance Corrin's metagame back up to top tier. Though admittedly, Corrin's obscure Metagame is one of her greatest tools, since no one else knows what to expect, so let's try to keep this between us Corrins, yeah?
All edits and new techs will be introduced and debated in the comments below. Check back every now and then to see if anything has changed. Looking at you Oz
Please keep in mind that I am not here to, nor are telling you HOW to play Corrin. Corrin can be played a variety of different ways, and it's up to each of you to discover your own style. Me and the other Corrins on this board are just here to help, and argue from time to time. Check out Tales of a Manakete for tourney gameplays, and check out the Gameplay Q&A Thread for Corrin info and overall discussion.
Before I begin. Corrin, as a very slow character, benefits a great deal from all movement techs, such as dash dancing, extended dash dancing, and cancelling runs into turnaround dashes. B reversing is another essential. Wave bouncing and perfect pivots are not essential, but help Corrin with positioning and can open up many options.
This first section will cover Corrin's move set and the most basic of techs for those moves. If you're a veteran and want to learn some more advanced techs, they will be included below the beginners section. I will also include any techs I mention in the beginners section, just in case you may or may not have heard of it.
Note: I refer to Corrin as a she only because that's the skin I play her as. There is no difference between the character's move sets. However, the taunts have different audio.
SPECIALS:
Neutral special: Dragon Fang Shot. Is a chargeable stun projectile that is followed by a chargeable close range bite. You can charge both separately, and a no charge shot to full charge dragon bite is a true combo (if they're in range of the bite of course) at any percent. Unlike ZSS's paralyzer, the stun duration lasts longer as the percentages go up. This move is one of Corrin's most reliable kill set up, as well as a good pressure long tool. The projectile itself is very weak, regardless of how much you charge it. It can be beaten out by every projectile in the game. On a side note, the fully charged bite does a HUGE amount of shield damage, but it doesn't break Shields.
Side special: Dragon lunge. On the ground, it's a hop followed by a lance. To activate the lance, the player must press b or a once after the side b. This does not apply if you side b in the air, as the lance will just come out. The lance will pin you to the ground if you're close enough, and can pin opponents as well. Once pinned, Corrin can input left, right, up, jump, or cancel. The cancel has no input, you just wait three seconds for the move to auto cancel. Corrin Receives no ending lag from the cancel, and can act immediately, which can lead to a combo if you've pinned the opponent. However, the pinned state can be mashed out of by the opponent. Imputing up or jump results in Corrin jumping from the pinned state. The jump itself has some end lag, so it's kind of risky. This does put the opponent in a techable footstool state. If you've pinned someone on a stage with a wall and input jump, the opponent will be unable to act immediately, as there is nothing for them to tech. Imputing left or right results in a dive kick in that direction. Regardless of which way you kick, a pinned opponent will be hit. The kick has good knock back at during the sweet spot (the first few frames of the kick) and can KO a pinned opponent. While I haven't tested it, based on what I've seen, kicking forward is the most reliable way to KO a pinned opponent. Doing a turn around kick results in Corrin spinning on the lance before going in the opposite direction. She has a hit box in front of her, but it doesn't deal as much knock back. The lance itself has a tipped effect, and can KO fairly early. The tipper has horizontal knock back, so it's best to go for it at the edge or off stage. Corrin's most reliable and earliest kill is any charge shot (depending on follow up distance to target) to tipper side b. It's worth noting that you can do a tipper side b from a short hop on opponents of any height, and full hop side b of you feel like you won't reach your opponent in time to intercept the knock back of the stun shot. For this kill, it's useful in knowing the angle of the stun shot, as you can use this to assist in getting the opponent closer to the blast zones. Keep in mind that the move is only active for two frames, and therefore has little priority over other moves. This means that recoveries that have a constant hit box around there body (EX: Donkey Kongs up B and sometimes Luigi's side b and cyclone) the dragon lunge will be cancelled. This does not apply to two frames and if you hit there hurt box before coming into contact with their hitbox.
Note: This is easily Corrin's most useful tool. You must absolutely master this move.
Up special: Draconic Ascent. Corrin moves up at a slight angle of you don't input anything else. You can angle the Ascent for better horizontal recovery, as well as vertical recovery. Purely vertical Dragon Ascent involves inputting 90 degrees in the opposite direction that Corrin is facing. Purely vertical DA is better for kills, as it drags opponents higher to the blast zone. That being said, as a kill move from the ground, Draconic Ascent is very lack luster, with it's poor knock back. A useful tech for killing with this is baiting out an air dodge before using this. It won't always kill though, unless you're very close to the blast zone. Optimal kill percentage on the ground are usually 140 at lowest to 160 at highest. On the ground, this move has some invincibility at the start up, but after wards Corrin's head and legs will be vulnerable for attack. She keeps her invincibility when used in the air. This up B has a lot of aerial drift, and it's multiple hit move, the wings being the multi hits. Because of this, lots of moves do not have priority over the Recovery, so most people can't challenge it aside from a two frame. Keep in mind that long-lasting nairs such as Mario's and Sheik's, as well as some multi hit moves, can trade with the Up B if they hit Corrin's head. This causes a bit of a small spike, which is fine if you have your jump but can screw you if you've used it. Keep this in mind when recovering
Down special: Counter Surge. Easily the best counter in the game. For the uninitiated, Counter Surge is a move that activates if you are hit by an attack shortly after activating the move. If hit during those few frames of activation, Corrin will return the attack with 1.2 times damage, as well as ridiculous vertical knock back. This is the only counter in the game that hits all around the initiator. Counter Surge can be used to intercept and punish aerial assaults or follow ups, as it has ridiculous knock back and will Knock the opponent above you. This move should mostly be used to intercept powerful moves, recovery's that have high knock back, such as ness's (it kills at 40% WTF?!), or aerial assaults. It should only be used on obvious smash attacks, or if the opponent isn't expecting it and attacks you in the air. Make sure the opponent is at a high enough percent, as this move has a lot of end lag (If your opponent doesn't hit you), and can result in a severe punish. Basically, don't spam it, only use it when your opponents not expecting it. Another example of using this move is if the opponent doesn't respect the fact that you have a counter and throws out powerful moves constantly at you.
STANDARD GROUND MOVES:
Jab: a three part move that has decent knock back at the end and is good for getting your opponent off you at higher percents. If you tap the jab rapidly, Corrin replaces the final swing with a very rapidly biting mouth (it's scary to watch). The rapid jab is used to rack up damage at early percents, but the opponent can escape if you hold the jab too long (though, watching the mouth bite once an opponent has escaped is very funny, considering how fast it is.)
Forward tilt: good combo starter at early percents, mostly used as a typical "get off me" tool. It's got good speed and range, but most notably, the knock back sends them more vertical than horizontal.
Down tilt: Bread and Butter combo tool at low to mid percents (at very specific high percents, it can be followed up with an up air for the kill) and has decent range on the ground. Knocks the opponent above you, and should usually be followed by either another down tilt, up tilt, or up air depending.
Up tilt: another BnB combo tool. Pretty basic, doesn't have many uses other than combos. Like down tilt, up tilt can be followed by up air at very specific percentages for the kill.
SMASH ATTACKS:
Forward smash: A long lance with a tipper that can be angled forward, up, and down. Longest smash in the game, and has a constant hit box In Front of Corrin if you charge it. The chainsaw hitbox can true combo into a fully charged forward smash, but the opponents can DI out of the hit box. Keep an eye on your opponent's position and follow up with an up angled forward smash. Even without the tipper, this can kill stupidly early at the edge of the stage. Because there's a constant hit box, if your facing the edge of the stage charging it, it will cover every single ledge getup except for roll. This edge guard is riskier, but if you catch your opponent, it can lead into an early kill. A similar edge guard can be used to cover roll, but you have to have your back facing the edge of the stage. If the opponent rolls, they will get hit by a charged tipper forward smash, which can kill earlier than the previously mentioned method, though it depends on your opponents option. Use this sparingly, as spamming it can result In Your opponent just jumping from the ledge to attack you.
Down smash: nothing very special about this move, other than the hit box behind Corrin has a tipper, which is by far Corrin's most powerful tipper, whereas the front hit box in front of Corrin does not. Useful for punishing rolls and can be used as a way to punish people trying to chase you down. Another way to use it is after a back air, since the back air has low landing lag and depending on how you spaced it you have a good chance of landing the tipper. This move does purely horizontal knock back, and is good for killing near the ledge. Though, among Corrin's kill options, this is by far one of the weakest. It comes out pretty fast, and is good for hitting opponents too close for a tipper forward smash. If you, by chance, happen to get a shield break. Walk the opponent over to a ledge and hit them with the tipper. This will kill earlier than any of Corrin's moves.
Up smash. Another tipper move. Corrin leans down and extends two spears above her. Is a good anti air, since Corrin bends down, which makes her hurt box smaller. This move excels particularly on stages with platforms. The sour spot of the move has worse knock back, but can still kill at around 120 - 140.
AERIALS:
Neutral air: Corrin spins a lance and sword around her body twice. Has a decent length, and is a good "get off me" option out of shield or landing with a lagless down air. Is one of Corrin's best combo starter from low to mid percents. The little spear is the sour spot, with a tipper, and can improve/extend certain combos, though it's much harder to land, as well as more difficult to cancel.
Forward air: a sweep of Corrin's sword in front of her. Is her best combo tool and starter. Knocks the opponent vertically, and can true combo into an up air at higher percents, being a kill option at very specific percents.
Up air: an optional combo starter, like many fire emblem characters, but should mostly be used to finish off a forward air combo, due to the amount of damage it deals. Be wary of how many time you use this to avoid staleing the move, as it is one of Corrin's best kill options, and is her best aerial kill option. Covers a wide area above her. The range of this move beats out a lot of characters down air attacks and landing options. Be wary of your spacing with this move.
Back air: Corrin sprouts wings and pushes herself forward. Great for recovering horizontally, and has decent knock back. The move has a deal of start up and end lag, but no landing lag if cancelled properly, you can even cancel the wings before they come out. Fast falling with this move is great for catching opponents unaware, and it's deceptive landing lag can result in a forward or down smash to punish opponents who try to chase you down or who remain in shield. This move has great horizontal and vertical range, and allows Corrin to attack at a distance with almost zero chance of being punished, so it's her safest move on shield.
Down air: a drill like dive that hits multiple times and drags the opponent down with Corrin until impacting on the stage or cancelling after a while. This move can be used to drag opponents down off stage for an early KO if you're up a stock. To survive using this move off stage, you must full hop, down air, spam jump, then do a purely vertical Draconic Ascent. This is guaranteed so long as you do a full hop. You can also do this from a get up jump on the ledge, or jumping from Dragon Lunge above the edge of the stage. Stages with a wall provide a better recovery, as Dragon lunge can pin you to the wall and give you an extra jump. Dragon' lunges extra jump doesn't count as a double jump, and won't take yours.
GRABS AND THROWS:
Grab: not the best of ranges
Pummel: Corrin slams her hilt into the opponent. Very slow, one pummel at low percent, two at mid percent, and 3 at high percents.
Forward throw: Corrin pierced her opponent with a lance, launching them forward. Has little knock back, but no combos out of this throw. use it for spacing and gaining stage control
Back throw: exact same story as forward throw
Down throw: kills at very high percentage, deals the most damage of all her throws and launches them diagonally upwards. On platforms close to the edge of stages like town and city or smashville, this is your optimal throw. If the opponent DI's inwards, then you can get a true combo forward air out of it at 0 percent.
Up throw: Corrin's kill throw, killing earlier than down throw and is purely vertical in knock back. Don't stale this throw, as it kills at 140 to 170 (varying with weight), without rage. Down throw kills a few percentage later, and is another option if you've staled up throw.
DRACONIC TECHS:
Some of these techs were given names by the YouTubers who discovered and posted about them, as well as a few unnamed techs or not yet seen or mentioned techs that I found in the lab. I may not be the first person to discover it, but I damn well get to name it. Since as of right now I'm the only one who has uploaded a guide on Corrin.
Draconic ledge getup: basically letting go of the ledge, jumping and back airing at the same time to push yourself on stage. You receive less lag than if you'd done a neutral ledge get up, and can be used to catch approaching opponents by surprise. Another ledge getup option is using forward air, which is useful if the opponent is close to the ledge.
Instant Dragon Lunge: performed by imputing side b and then immediately pressing a or b. Sliding your finger to the a button is faster and easier than double taping b. This allows you to instantly pin yourself to the ground, and is very fast. If the opponent doesn't predict it, then you can catch them, if they're in range.
Rear Spear: doing a turnaround forward smash. Done by running, moving the control stick in the opposite direction while simultaneously using the c stick to forward smash in the same direction. If done correctly, Corrin will slide slightly before spearing in the direction she came from. Is useful for surprising opponents and is helpful in ledge guarding with forward smash. The input is the same, but you hold the C stick so you get the charge. Because of the slide, your opponent is more likely to get caught in this edge guard.
Coryuken: not a very specific technique, but refers to spacing a down air about a bodies height above a recovering opponent. When the down air ends, the opponent is usually just above Corrin's head, and will be in hit stun a few frames longer than down air's ending lag. Because of the way the down air is spaced, this results in a GUARANTEED foot stool, which not only means almost guaranteed recovery for Corrin, but it means absolute death for the opponents. My official way of performing this technique is by performing a side b at the edge of the stage so when you jump you can immediately down a. It's not guaranteed, as the jump has quite a bit of lag, but it can surprise an opponent on the ledge, as Corrin's position allows for a kick to punish any ledge get up. If the opponent jumps from the ledge to attack Corrin, this move is all the more guaranteed, of course this depends on the height of the opponents double jump and up air, but for the most part it will work. Another thing to mention is that this move works regardless of spacing if the opponent uses their double jump prior to getting hit.
(Credit to OceloT42 for the two names above)
KenRyu Combo: Corrin's special version of the Ken Combo. The difference is that the forward air has to be sour spotted in the air, and Corrin has to be right next to them. For this to work, Corrin has to be close enough for a foot stool, without using her double jump. Foot stole them then immediately down air, otherwise they will be able to DI out. Keep in mind, there are several characters that can escape this with DI. This will allow for Corrin to perform a foot stool at the end of Dair, resulting in guaranteed death for the opponent, and guaranteed recovery from Corrin. If the opponent has used their double jump, it's unnecessary to worry about your positioning, as they won't be able to cancel their momentum in time otherwise. This is an insanely difficult tech, so practice practice practice. Even I haven't been able to get it without being at 1/4th speed. *tip: for the first footstool, don't do a full hop footstool, do a short hop. It's better for the down air.
Dragon Ledge Dive: Corrin's good ledge guarding option against no hitbox recoveries. It's very simple. Just side B and pin yourself at the ledge, position yourself so that you snap the ledge when you input the kick forward. Because the kick has a constant hitbox, it will two frame any recovery. This is only viable against teleport recoveries, vertical recoveries, and recoveries with no hitboxs. It's techable, but is very janky. Sometimes it stage spikes them, other times it bounces them off the wall.
Dair cancel: perform a down air after being launched high above the stage. Use a forward air to cancel out the hitstun. The down air has incredible fall speed, nearly impossible to punish, and the attack will end before reaching the ground, preventing Corrin from having any of the landing lag, as well as allowing her to land with a neutral special to attack approaching foes, or a neutral airs to force opponents away from you as you land. Another option is to use down air after being in hitstun. The down air will lose all its momentum, and can catch opponents unaware if they attempt to follow up after launching you. Use this at lower percents, as it's easier to catch them with it. Note: The minimum distance it cancels at is a full hop double jump from the top platform of battlefield.
COMBO MIXUPS:
It has been said many times that Corrin is a character that relies on true combos, however, She has a variety of mixups that can kill stupidly early, if you guess your opponent's options correctly.
There are three variants of this mixup, which include all of Corrin's specials, with the exception of Counter Surge. At around 40 - 50 percent, neutral air to fair, followed by a neutral special is a good mixup and can be a 50-50. I have confirmed that they can't jump away (though I'm not sure about early start up frame moves like Sheik or mario's nair, as Corrin's projectile has 0 priority) and you can read their airdodge. This will usually kill at the percents this works at, and Platforms can provide an extension, if they airdodge, which will be nair to neutral special at around 40-50 percent, or fair to neutral special 50-70 percent. The percents vary between weight classes, and seems easier on heavy weights such as dedede, bowser, and Donkey Kong.
Next up is the up special variant. Sadly, this is only 100% viable if they airdodge and are above top platform on battlefield, but will kill as early as 70%. Other than hitting them above you with any usual move, this has very little applicable use, but is definitely a good surprise KO option, and is key in the Corrin vs Ryu match up, since it is a multi hit move.
Finally is the dragon lunge mixup. Once again, this is only viable if the opponent airdodges or throws out an attack, and is found to not KO very early, even near the ledge (Sheik lived at 80%, and she's light as ****). It's down tilt, to double jump tipper. The only hard part is spacing yourself correctly.
LEDGE TRUMPS:
Corrin has only two viable options out of ledge trump (Credit to Cosmos for demonstrating this) which is tipper dragon lunge, and turn around Dragon Fang Shot. Both of these work very differently, so I'll explain them in depth.
Dragon Lunge: Once you trump someone, immediately input a ledge jump, and then input side B towards the opponent. This is difficult, as it requires good timing. If you didn't know, the first couple frames of a ledge jump can be canceled into a special attack (applies to all characters). Many Corrin's use this to do a get up counter, as counter cancels all momentum. If done correctly, the tipper will hit the opponent, and usually kills around 80% and onward.
Dragon Fang Shot: This ledge trump is taken directly from Samus, who has the incredible ability to ledge trump into any variant of charge shot. The theory behind that is exactly the same as Corrin, though it requires an extra input. This is accomplished by holding back after ledge trumping someone, and then inputting jump and special, all mere milliseconds after releasing the trigger button. If you didn't know, most characters have the ability to B reverse a neutral special, and do a turnaround neutral special. B reverse is simply hitting special and then immediately hitting the stick in the opposite direction you are facing. This reverse the direction you are facing, as well as your momentum. A turnaround is hitting the stick in the opposite direction you are facing, and then immediately after you let go of the stick, hit neutral special. This will cause you to turn around without reversing your momentum, and is what you need to do to complete this ledge trump. I've only seen it kill at 80% thus far, but is more consistent and less frame perfect than ledge trump to pin.
Moving on to stages:
Flat stages are a meh for Corrin. They don't hurt her but they don't benefit her. Stages with walls add more to her recovery but not much else. They do give Corrin room to run around and make use of Dragon Lunge though.
Stages such as battlefield and Kirby's dreamland benefit her by giving her the ability to move around the stage with Dragon lunge, as using the kick on any platform cancels out the end lag Corrin would receive if she'd have done it on the ground. It makes her movement trickier, and allows her to get more reliable up smash kills through the platforms. Since her up air covers an entire platform on battlefield, she can juggle opponents exceptionally well here. That being said, these stages limit her use of down air as a way of returning to the stage.
Duck Hunt is a good stage for Corrin to avoid fast rush down type characters since the odd platforms give her some interesting movement options with Dragon Lunge, and the stage assists her recovery. Do not go to this stage when facing zoning type characters that can spam projectiles more than Corrin. To counter them, go to a place like battle field.
Town and city and smashville benefit Corrin with their low stages, however, these are bad stages for fast characters, as Corrin can't avoid them.
Lylat isn't a bad stage for Corrin, but the odd angles of the stage can interfere with Instant Dragon lunge, but can allow for an instant Dragon Lunge Tipper for a very quick KO attack.
General character match up no-no's:
Fast characters can pressure Corrin, and are some of her toughest enemies, as they can punish dragon lunge. It requires perfect spacing and well thought out reads to win this match up.
Zoning or projectile heavy characters can keep Corrin at a distance, since her projectile is the weakest in the game. Her run speed also makes it difficult for her to approach them safely or punish them for projectile use. I have no tips for winning this, cause if a Samus decides to camp like a *****, there's not much you can do about it. Just stay in their face as much as you can, and be very patient.
Tips and Tricks:
Dragon lunge is Corrin's most versatile tool, and one of the best moves in the game. Use it well, but be careful. Each whiff and retreat with dragon lunge results in loss of stage control for Corrin.
Make sure to visualize her side B's hitbox, as this really helps with the spacing for the move. Also keep in mind that the actual pin hit box is only out for about 2 frames, so be precise.
In most match ups, abuse your aerial range to apply safe pressure, and mix it up going for tomahawks (Special name for short hoping and landing without doing anything.) into grabs. Don't over look the grab. it gives Corrin stage control and extra damage. If you don't grab a lot, it'll be a very long time before your opponent is at kill percent for up throw.
Don't rely on true kill setups and don't fish for combos. Know the combos, learn the kill setups, but don't keep going for it. You'll get predictable.
When throwing someone, jump at them and threaten them. You can observe how they react to the sudden pressure, which can benefit you by teaching you something about your opponent's habits.
Corrin has no true combos out of grab release, but if the opponent isn't expecting it: ground release can result in a pin, and aerial release can result in a tipper.
CORRIN PLAYERS:
The most notable Corrin players are Cosmos, Ryuga, Ryo, and Yoc (japanese player). Cosmos does nutty mixups and is generally the guy to watch, but Ryuga was the best Corrin in the beginning and is still fun to watch (though there isn't as many matches of him). Ryo is all around good, though he often doesn't use Corrin, and I don't know about Yoc, but I hear good things.
Closing message: Corrin is an exceptionally good character, with solid combos, mixups, KO options, and neutral. Her weaknesses are that she's not very fast, and, um, that's really it. This lack of speed makes follow ups difficult, chasing opponents down hard, and overall can hurt ground pressure. Other than that, she doesn't have any bad points worth mentioning. (No her grab and throws are not bad for her neutral, they give her stage control, present ledge guard opportunities, and allow for juggling, which Corrin is the best at.)
Lastly, if you want to learn Corrin's BnB combos, check out Izaw smash's Corrin informative on youtube. It has all the combos corrin can perform, as well as visible demonstration of Corrin's moveset and techs.
As Corrin's meta is too underdeveloped and almost impossible for just one player to explore and find, I will be adding anything else I find to this guide. I beseech any fellow Corrin mains reading this to share any tech that I haven't mentioned, or haven't gone over. Let us make this the completed Corrin guide, to advance Corrin's metagame back up to top tier. Though admittedly, Corrin's obscure Metagame is one of her greatest tools, since no one else knows what to expect, so let's try to keep this between us Corrins, yeah?
All edits and new techs will be introduced and debated in the comments below. Check back every now and then to see if anything has changed. Looking at you Oz
Please keep in mind that I am not here to, nor are telling you HOW to play Corrin. Corrin can be played a variety of different ways, and it's up to each of you to discover your own style. Me and the other Corrins on this board are just here to help, and argue from time to time. Check out Tales of a Manakete for tourney gameplays, and check out the Gameplay Q&A Thread for Corrin info and overall discussion.
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