Projectiles: Top and Mid Tier Edition!

Many players of all skill and character have struggled with projectiles at one time or another. They're a part of the game that takes a little getting used to; they also make the game much more interesting. Whether they're used to extend a combo or to gain positional advantage in the neutral game, they are a fascinating addition to the game. This is just a little informational piece that will tell you what damage these projectiles do, what effect they can have on a character, and how you can potentially avoid them. Not every situation can be solved with this article but it can help guide you into choosing better out-of-stun options, lower the stun time, or how to avoid them altogether. With more knowledge in your brain, you can make your own judgements and creative, safe options that can deal with them in your own individual way. 

Dr Mario

Let's start with Dr Mario and his unstoppable need to cure us all with his pills! These pills do 8% unstaled, then eventually stale at 4%. They cause 9 frames hitstun at a 0% but 5 frames when crouched, regardless of which character you're using. Luckily, the stun is the only effects of his pills other than they slightly push you back when you attack them. These pills can be stopped by attacking them with any move but they can be a little tricky to catch sometimes as the pill may go over certain characters jabs while they’re bouncing.

It takes 14 frames for him to pull the pill and throw it and a further 30 frames for him to act out of the throwing animation. These pills, like most other projectiles can also be shielded. With some of the characters, like Fox and Peach, you can even avoid them by crouching underneath them when they bounce.

Mario and Luigi

The brothers not only share the style, the moustache and the glowing blue eyes but they also share fireballs! Though aesthetically different and matching to each brother, they do the same damage starting at 6% unstaled and eventually staling at 3%. Both projectiles can be stopped with a simple move; Mario can even cape the projectile and send it back and you can be successful in reflecting and hitting your opponent as long as they are close enough! Neither have priority over the other and even cancel out when the two brothers throw their fireball at each other. However, Mario does have the range perk. Mario’s fireball will go almost the full length on the floor of Fountain of Dreams whereas Luigi’s fireball will barely make it over half way.

Mario’s fireball takes 14 frames to come out and a further 30 frames for the animation to stop. Whereas Luigi’s takes a much slower 17 frames but also has to wait 30 frames before he can act out of animation. As the unlucky receiver of a fireball, you can act out of Mario and Luigi's fireball after 9 frames if you're at 0% and these frame counts do increase as your damage percent increases. However, you can act out at 5 frames if you're crouching either fireball. Both these percents are apply to every character. You can hit or shield to avoid these fireballs but they are too low for any character to crouch under.

Peach

Peach has many weird and wonderful ways to mess up her opponents; RNG is one of the most exciting things about Peach’s play because the opponent is always afraid of what she may pull next! Most of Peach’s turnips will do 6% with a regular throw and 8% damage with a smash throw and they do not stale. However, there are three turnips that’ll do a little more damage. The cheeky wink face turnip does 10 % with a regular throw and 12% with a smash throw damage every time. The turnip with very small dot eyes will do 16% with a regular throw and 18% each time and of course, the dreaded stitchface will do 34% with a regular throw and 36% with a smash throw.

It takes 30 frames for Peach to pull a turnip and a further 10 frames to throw them then 14 frames to act out of the throwing animation, regardless of whether or not it's a regular or smash throw. The turnips, even when smash thrown only make it halfway across Yoshi's Story. Depending on your percent, the earliest you can act out after being hit with a regular turnip is around 14 frames with a regular throw and 18 frames with a smash throw but this does depends on the character. For instance, Kirby and Pichu act out around 20 frames after and 13 frames with crouch.  When you’re at a much higher percent, the knockback is much worse so it takes longer to act out.

That’s not all however, Peach is a whimsical character with more tricks up her sleeve than just turnips! She can pull out a beam sword which with a jab only with do 7% unstaled and eventually ending at 3% staled. Her dash attack with it will do 13% unstaled and 6% staled. Fully charged forward smash will do 20% and eventually stales to 11%, regular forward smash will do 15% unstaled and 8% staled and finally forward tilt will start at 11% and stale at 6%. Smash throwing the lightsaber will do 15%, so put your hands together and pray Peach doesn’t sway to the dark side and whip out this percent racking lightsaber. It still takes Peach 10 frames, just like the turnips, to throw the beam sword and 14 frames to act out of the throwing animation; just like all her other projectiles. You can catch the beam sword and use it to your advantage with the A button or attack it with an aerial so as to not take damage. 21 frames to act out of being hit by the lightsaber but 10 frames if you crouch it with Fox but this will range, again, depending on character.

She has two more weapons of mass destruction: the bob-omb and Mr Saturn! The bob-omb damage is really simple; a regular throw will do 32% and a smash throw will do 35% so it’s usually in the Peach’s best interest to smash throw it always. Running throw will do 25%. It has a humongous knockback, when thrown with the A button, it takes a huge 62 frames to act out and an extra 8 frames added on if it's smash thrown at Fox; Falcon gets out at 58 regular A thrown and 64 frames when smash thrown and 13 frames when the regular throw is crouched. It is dependent on the character and if the attack is crouched and if it's smash thrown.

Mr. Saturn will do much less damage but his effects can be more useful! A regular throw of Mr. Saturn will do 8-9% and a smash throw will do 11-12% and as we all know, Mr Saturn is the master of depleting your shield so his effects are much scarier, he can be harder to avoid when thrown at you. Rolling when Mr Saturn is thrown at you, spot-dodging or simply catching him are much better option than just allowing him to deplete your shield and isn't worth the risk if your shield is low anyway as he'll break your shield which will set you up to be punished. If you're feeling extra risky, you can even power shield him.

Yoshi

Adorable Yoshi can be really tricky to play against and his eggs are a great tool for him! His eggs cause 12% damage and they stale around 6%, though, if the egg catches you at your feet and barely misses, you'll take slightly less damage. Yoshi eggs will knock you into the air so it’s harder to act immediately; you are actionable again when you hit the floor, if you’re at 0% to begin with. Although, these frame counts will be higher and you’ll have to wait longer to be actionable the higher percent you are.

It takes Yoshi 18 frames to actually start throwing the egg then it takes 37 frames for him to act out of throwing the egg. In terms of being able to act out of being hit by an egg, this is a projectile that does depend on the character. Marth, for example, can act out at 29 frames standing and 9 frames crouching, whereas Fox can act out at 24 frames standing and 9 frames crouching.

Sheik

Needles are a strong part of the mysterious Sheik's game. They can be used as an edgeguard or a way in to her opponent's space. Her uncharged unstaled needles will do 3% and whittle down to 1%. However, when charged they will do 17% with all 6 needles, staling at 9%. They take 11 frames to come out when uncharged so they’re harder to punish but it takes Sheik 48 frames from startup to act out of the animation, so that's an extra 37 frames after she’s thrown the needles. When they’re charged, the first still comes out at 11 frames and then each of the following needles comes 3 frames after the previous. They take 116 frames to charge fully.

Regardless of character, it takes 16 frames to be actionable after being hit by a single needle and 10 frames if crouching. If it's all 6 needles, the whole process from the first needle to acting out takes 31-32 frames, depending on character. Even when you're crouching because the first needle hits you and you are no longer in crouch animation because you're taking damage and then the other needles can take advantage of the opponent not being in crouch animation anymore.

Samus

Space legend Samus has some of the most useful projectiles in the game; they not only help her in neutral but they can even prolong her recovery. Her bomb technique allows her to have one of the best recoveries in the game. Samus' Charge Shot at full charge does 25% damage and ends up staling at 13%. It takes 133 frames to fully charge the shot then takes a further 14 frames to shoot the fully charged shot. It takes 28 frames to charge the smallest possible ball. The charge shot is again, character dependent; a fully charged shot will take Marth 55 frames to become actionable again whereas Falco will become actionable at 56 and Luigi at 54 frames; in a neutral state. If they crouch, it'll take Marth and Luigi 35 frames but Falco will be actionable sooner at 26 frames.

If it's an uncharged shot, each of the characters will be actionable at 14 frames in a neutral state but 9 frames crouching. Her missiles do 12% unstaled and stale eventually at 6%, which is still fairly sizeable damage and takes 22 frames to startup. Your actionable frames depend on the character you're using and her bombs will do anywhere between 4-8% depending on where you position the bomb. It takes Samus 10 frames to startup the bomb unless she's crouching, then it only takes 8 frames but usually her bombs are used in her recovery so this is one of her projectiles you should worry less about.

Ice Climbers

Ice Climbers can be the deadliest characters in the game, with an insane infinite and a frosty hand-off game, they can send opponents into a downwards spiral in mentality with just one grab! Some of their neutral game will rely on ice blocks; the single ice blocks start at 5% then stale between 2-3%. It takes 7 frames for the ice block to appear but 17 frames until they actually hit the block towards you. Nana takes a further 6 frames than Popo to send the next ice block.

It's in your best interest to buffer shield as soon as you're hit or crouch the first block so that you can shield or attack the second otherwise you are stuck in a longer wait time to become actionable. For instance, Captain Falcon can act out at 20 frames after being hit by two ice blocks if he does nothing about them; this is from being hit with both blocks and becoming actionable after the second. If he crouches, he can act at 10 frames and the second block comes into contact with Ice Climbers' opponent 13 frames after which means you can attack or shield the second block and not take the damage.

Fox

Fox is the hero of the game and he's dubbed the 'best character in the game' by most. He's a regular pick in tournament for high level players such as Leffen and is often picked by non-Fox mains such as Armada and Plup in attempts to de-throne Hungrybox's Jigglypuff. His strong kill moves and lasers are a crucial part in that particular match up. Fox lasers do 3% and stale at 1%. These lasers don't stop the opponent from moving so they have no frame disadvantage. It takes Fox 12 frames to go through the animation and send a laser when standing then a long 29 frames to act out of it, which is why more players opt for the short hop or full hop lasers.

Hopping and sending a laser takes 10 frames but how quickly it takes him to act out of the animation depends on whether or not he's landed on the stage. If he's freefalling after the laser, it takes 27 frames for him to act out but if he hits the stage floor before those 27 frames are up, he can act sooner which makes Fox lasers incredible in neutral. He can act 5 frames after hitting the floor which means he can shoot another and rack percent up on the opponent very quickly. You can try to avoid them, shield or even powershield some of them but you can also choose to take the damage and think of a way to approach, but beware! This could be what the Fox may want you to do. Choose your option wisely!

Falco

Falco has been a fan favourite character for years and his stylish, disrespectful combo game and tricky laser game has stunned players around the world. His lasers even make certain match ups near impossible for some characters as they stop momentum based characters in their tracks. They, like Fox's lasers, start at 3% and stale eventually to 1%. His laser takes 23 frames to come out standing but a much quicker 13 frames jumping which can make things difficult for his opponent? Why? Even though he takes 30 frames to act out of the shooting animation if he's freefalling, it's dangerous for when he's shooting on stage.

Like Fox, he can act 5 frames after hitting the stage so short hop laser becomes a quick way for Falco to stop his opponent's momentum and make openings for himself to start his devastating combos! At 0% with unstaled lasers, Falco's lasers will affect each character the same; each can act out at 13 frames after being hit when stood or 8 frames when crouching. You can attack and move out of the lasers so you can do this to approach or retreat; whichever you feel best in the situation. You can also powershield these lasers, wavedash out of shield, or dodge them. Platform stages will help to dodge them but if you're on a stage such as Final Destination, your option for dodging lies on grabbing ledge or jumping. Just taking the lasers is an option but not an option as forgivable as Fox's lasers as the stun will leave you open to Falco's attacks. 

Most projectiles will be stopped with basic shielding, powershielding, attacking them, or simply dodging them but others require a little more thought! As a final note, I'd like to mention that each 'actionable frame' section is an unstaled projectile being thrown at a 0% opponent. The frames given on strong knockback moves such as Samus' charge shot are providing the opponent doesn't hit the stage floor first. They will be actionable sooner if that is the case; they are given as though the character is freefalling off the stage. Of course, actionable frames, weight, and percentage play a huge part in when your next actionable frame will be. Hopefully, this helps and you can be wiser on the projectiles of the top to mid tier characters and what they can do and what the character may do to follow up after the projectile has hit you or what their intentions may be. Good luck! 

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