compiled by Ellipsis, twitter @EllipsisNL

Last edited Dec 12 2018

SAMUS in Smash Ultimate : Changes

* Changes don't take into account the 1v1 bonus or SH damage modifier

* If damage/frame data isn't mentioned for an old move, it wasn't changed from smash 4.

General changes:

+ Aerial mobilty improved. Samus reaches the apex of her short hops and full jumps much sooner, and can fast fall sooner. Fast fall speed increased.

+ Reaches apex of jumps faster

+ Jumpsquat is now frame 3 instead of 4

Normals:

Jab

+ Jab 1 now does a set knockback. Still doesn't combo into jab 2, but it is safe on hit at all percents now so Samus cannot be punished for landing jab 1. Jab 1 still has FAF at frame 18, making it one of the only jabs that can allow safe mixups

- Jab 1 does not have KBG therefore will not push opponents away at higher percents

D-tilt:

-FAF increased from frame 40 to frame 45

Uptilt

+ Benefits from untechable grounded spikes. Extended hurtbox has been removed.

Dash Attack

- End lag increased from FAF 34 to FAF 42

- Knockback angle for DA sends more horizontal

+ Dash Attack can still cross up on shields

+ Dash Attack can KO near ledges

Aerials:

N-air

+Landing lag reduced from 16 frames down to 9 frames, opening up nair to grab confirms akin to ZSS

Up-air

- Has increased landing lag, from 12 frames to 18

~ Has 5 hits instead of 6. Damage for mid hits increased from 1% to 1.3%. Total damage on upair decreased from 11.4% to 10.9%

+ mid hits of upair launch opponents and put them in tumble, so landing with a mid hit up upair will tumble opponents

D-air

+ Landing lag reduced from 20 frames to 12 frames

- Late hit (sourspot) damage decreased from 11% to 10%

+ Benefits from untechable grounded spikes. Drastically reduced landing lag makes it safe on shields when spaced and creates greater combo ability, especially with reduced damage from short hop aerials. SH d-air does not launch far at all even when opponents are at around 100%

Bair

+ Landing lag reduced from 18 frames to 14 frames

- Aerial FAF increased from frame 39 to frame 42

Fair

+ Landing lag reduced from 24 frames to 14 frames

Z-air

- Does not travel with downward momentum, making hitting short characters at long distance virtually impossible (However there is video evidence of it acting like the old Smash 4 z-air: https://youtu.be/KP04z3BqkzU?t=148

~ When z-air hits an opponent, it immediately retracts

- Tethering to ledge no longer has faster FAF at ledge grab than non-tether ledge grabs

Grab

+ Standing grab startup reduced to frame 15 from frame 16

+ Standing grab FAF reduced to FAF 60 from FAF 70

+ Pivot grab FAF reduced to 63 from FAF 84

- Dash grab startup increased from frame 16 to frame 18

+ D-throw combos better. Does not tumble at 0% and therefore cannot be DId out of.

+ B-throw KOs at around Diddy b-throw KO power, threatening at ledges.

+ up-throw KOs at greninja upthrow KO power, approx 160%

Specials

Charge shot

+ Samus can charge in the air

+ Samus can jump out of aerial charging, as well as airdodge

+ Samus can cancel grounded charging instantly and act immediately. A 4 frame animation happens when charge is cancelled, and shield can be input on the 5th frame. Essentially, if you can short hop, you can instant charge cancel.

+ Base damage increased from 25% to 28%

+ Charging time decreased from 140 frames to 126 frames (mostly due to being able to act 3 frames after the charge is complete, instead of 17 frames after)

+ FAF after firing grounded charge shot decreased from FAF 54 to FAF 46

+ Charge shot can now be B-reversed and wavebounced. This opens up a variety of landing mixups, approach options, fake-outs, and methods to bait and punish.

Bombs

+ Contact hitbox detonates at approx. frame 33, instead of Smash 4's contact hitbox detonating at frame 63. Bombs have an active hitbox from frame 33 to 80.

Missiles

+ Homing missiles do 8% base damage over Smash 4's 5%

+ Super Missiles do 12% base damage over Smash 4's 10%

+ Super Missile endlag reduced from 59 frames down to 57 frames

+ Super Missile lingers in front of Samus before it propels, at approximately frame 50, allowing Samus to set up traps and approach behind SM akin to Villager's rocket

+ Missiles no longer halt aerial momentum, allowing Samus to drift forward while firing missiles and create better approaches with them

Dodges

+ Forward roll FAF reduced from frame 40 to frame 35

*Samus

Backroll FAF40 (Invulnerability 5-20)

Forward roll FAF35 (Invulnerability 4-18)

Spotdodge FAF27 (Invulnerability 3-17)

Dark Samus:

Backroll FAF37 (Invulnerability 5-20)

Forward roll FAF32 (Invulnerability 4-18)

Spotdodge FAF27 (Invulnerability 3-17)

*Dark Samus has a slightly bigger upsmash hitbox. Samus has a slightly larger f-smash hitbox.