Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Lucina controls mid-range with walking speed and safe sword spacing, and she can keep the pace steady from spaced fair, bair, and nair pressure.
Bowser Jr. needs Mechakoopa and Cannonball to break that linear advance, then uses Clown Car movement and aerial positioning to shift landing spots and create punish chances.
Her aerials are not easy to cash in on after shield, so the matchup rewards patience: only take the deeper landings and the larger commitments.
If Bowser Jr. wins center first and keeps Lucina trapped near the ledge, she loses the ability to reset the spacing with projectiles and has a much harder time escaping.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Bowser Jr. OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 5 | -16 |
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| Jab 2 | 4 | -19 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -15 |
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| Up Tilt | 6 | -19 |
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| Down Tilt | 7 | -8 |
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| Dash Attack | 13 | -21 |
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| Forward Smash | 10 | -31 |
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| Up Smash | 13 | -41/-35 |
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| Down Smash | 6/21 | -42/-24 |
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| Neutral Air | 6/15 | -4/-3 |
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| Forward Air | 6 | -6 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -5 |
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| Up Air | 5 | -3 |
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| Down Air | 9/11 | -9/-9 |
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| Neutral B | 19—79 | -23 to Shieldbreak |
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| Side B | 9 | -26/-16 |
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| Up B | 5 | — | ||
| Down B | 6 (Start of Counter) | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use Mechakoopa and Cannonball to interrupt Lucina’s walking range and force her to commit.
- Do not challenge spaced fair, bair, or nair with reflexive punishes; wait for deeper landings and take the bigger opening.
- Convert Lucina’s dash attack, Side B, down tilt, and landing mistakes into up smash, up air, or grab.
- Keep Lucina at the ledge and do not give up center after winning a punish exchange.
Actions to Avoid
- Swinging back from too far after safe aerials and donating tempo.
- Starting every approach without a projectile buffer or stage control.
- Overusing Clown Car approaches and getting clipped by up-B or a clean punish.
- Chasing Lucina offstage so deep that center stage is surrendered.