Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Ivysaur owns midrange with Forward Air, Back Air, Down Tilt, and Razor Leaf, then cashes that first stop into Up Air kills and ledgetraps, so Dark Samus gets punished hard for trying to jump straight into vine range.
But Ivysaur does not like extended close-range scrambles or repeated landing checks. Jab 1, Jab 2, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral Air, Neutral B, Side B, and Up B can all be punished on shield starting with Up B (4f) or OOS Uair (8f), which means the pace flips quickly once Dark Samus blocks the first layer.
Missile and Charge Shot pressure also keep Ivysaur from mindlessly repeating Razor Leaf or walking forward, and the forced low jump or fade-back aerial often drops directly into Dark Samus Fair, Uair, or Grab coverage.
The win condition is not a center-stage swing war. Move Ivysaur first, convert the forced landing into juggle or ledgetrap pressure, then cover both the tether recovery height and the high landing with kill options.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Dark Samus OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 7 | -17 |
|
|
| Jab 2 | 5 | -19 |
|
|
| Rapid Jab | 4/7/10… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 4 | -32 |
| |
| Forward Tilt | 10/12/14/16/18/20/22 | -20 |
| |
| Up Tilt | 7 | -18 |
|
|
| Down Tilt | 4 | -21 |
| |
| Dash Attack | 4 | -27 |
| |
| Forward Smash | 15 | -33 |
| |
| Up Smash | 26 | -21 |
| |
| Down Smash | 13 | -26/-25/-24 |
| |
| Neutral Air | 7/10/13/16/19/22/25/28 | -14/-14 |
| |
| Forward Air | 14 | -8 |
|
|
| Back Air | 7/13 | -5/-4 |
| |
| Up Air | 12 | -6 |
|
|
| Down Air | 11 | -9 |
|
|
| Neutral B | 7 | -34 |
| |
| Side B | 24 | -14 |
| |
| Up B | 15 | -22/-20 |
| |
| Down B | — | — | ||
| Grab | 13 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 13 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 13 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not burst straight into vine tip range. Hold Missile and Charge Shot threat until Ivysaur is the one who jumps or shields, then take the space where Fair, Uair, and Grab start reaching cleanly.
- After blocking Jab 1, Jab 2, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral Air, Neutral B, Side B, or Up B, default to Up B (4f) first, and use OOS Uair (8f) or OOS Fair (9f) when spacing lets you turn the punish into stage control.
- Forward Air is punishable by Up B (4f) or OOS Uair (8f), and Down Air is punishable by Up B (4f), OOS Uair (8f), or OOS Fair (9f), so mix shield stops into the approach instead of feeling forced to preempt every aerial.
- When you block the tip of Back Air or Up Air, do not answer with a huge swing in place. Track the fade-back landing and ledge route so the second touch is what starts the real advantage state.
- At kill percent, do not overcommit to deep edgeguards; use Charge Shot, Fair, Up Smash, and Uair at the ledge to squeeze both Vine Whip recovery height and high landing drift at once.
Actions to Avoid
- Trying to jump over Razor Leaf from too far away and feeding directly into Fair, Back Air, or Up Air anti-airs.
- Blocking Jab 1, Jab 2, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral Air, Neutral B, Side B, or Up B but still giving Ivysaur enough time to rebuild vine spacing.
- Chasing kills too hard from directly above center stage and volunteering for Up Air or Vine Whip vertical finishes.
- Relying on Charge Shot alone until the release timing becomes obvious and Ivysaur starts reclaiming space with low-jump Back Air or Razor Leaf pacing.
- Diving too far offstage, losing track of the tether recovery height, and letting the return scramble turn back on Dark Samus.