Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Byleth wants to block Zelda’s Jab, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Neutral Air, Nayru’s Love, and Farore’s Wind, then answer with OOS Nair (9f), Up B (9f), or Grab (10f) so Zelda never gets comfortable setting Phantom or Din’s Fire.
Zelda still creates huge reversals with Phantom, Din’s Fire, Nayru’s Love, and Lightning Kick, but her mobility is limited, so spear tip pressure and arrows become much harder for her to answer cleanly before the setup is already broken.
The table shows real punish windows on Zelda’s Jab, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Neutral Air, Nayru’s Love, Farore’s Wind, and Phantom Slash, so the matchup improves for Byleth the longer center stage stays under Byleth’s control.
For kills, Byleth should not overfocus on single hard reads with Down B and should instead carry Zelda to the ledge with Fair, Bair, Side B, and Up B starters, then cover both the high landing and the offstage route with Uair and Up Smash.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Byleth OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Jab | 4/6/8/10… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 6 | -32 |
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| Jab | 4/7 | -13 |
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| Forward Tilt | 12 | -13/-10 |
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| Up Tilt | 7 | -15 |
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| Down Tilt | 5 | -10 |
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| Dash Attack | 6 | -18 |
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| Forward Smash | 16/18/20/22/24 | -16 |
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| Up Smash | 9/13/17/21/25/29/34 | -25 |
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| Down Smash | 5/13 | -24/-17 |
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| Neutral Air | 6/10/14/18/22 | -10/-9 |
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| Forward Air | 6 | -8/-12 |
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| Back Air | 6 | -8/-12 |
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| Up Air | 14 | -6/-8 |
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| Down Air | 14 | -6/-9 |
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| Neutral B | 11… | -25 |
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| Side B | 44—70 | -18 to -10 |
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| Up B | 6/35 | -29 (ground) // -19 (air) |
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| Down B | 26/32/38/46/59-127 | -19 to -15 |
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| Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 13 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 14 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- After Byleth blocks Zelda’s Jab, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Neutral Air, Nayru’s Love, or Farore’s Wind, cash out immediately with the reachable option from OOS Nair (9f), Up B (9f), and Grab (10f).
- Before Zelda can finish Phantom, force the space first with Fair, Side B, and arrows, and do not challenge a finished Phantom head-on from the front.
- Respect Zelda’s Forward Air, Back Air, and Farore’s Wind at the ledge; do not spend the jump early, and keep Grab and Up B available as close-range interruption tools.
- Once Zelda is above Byleth, track the upward escape route with Uair, Up Smash, and Up B, and place the spear tip where Zelda wants to land.
Actions to Avoid
- Waiting for Phantom to finish and then trying to take the situation head-on while Zelda and Phantom can threaten at the same time.
- Jumping carelessly into the range where Zelda’s Forward Air, Back Air, and Nayru’s Love all become live and giving up Byleth’s tipper spacing.
- Standing directly above Zelda’s Farore’s Wind landing point and getting clipped by the reappearance hit or Up Smash.
- Fixating on Down B or fully charged arrows so hard that Din’s Fire and Nayru’s Love get a free punish on the startup.