Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup gets rough quickly if Cloud is allowed to walk forward, swing safe aerials, and charge Limit before Duck Hunt has can and Wild Gunman in place, because Duck Hunt does not want to defend point-blank for long.
Duck Hunt’s stable structure is to move can first, stack Wild Gunman and Clay Pigeon behind it, stop Cloud’s ground advance and Limit charge, and send Cloud to the ledge by catching jumps with forward air, back air, and up air.
As the table shows, Cloud’s jab string, tilts, dash attack, smashes, Neutral B, Side B, and Down B (2) are clearly punishable, while nair, fair, bair, and uair are not the places to force an immediate swing back. After shielding those, resetting can and sealing the landing route is more reliable.
Stocks are most repeatable when Duck Hunt stalls Cloud’s recovery and ledge options with can plus Wild Gunman, then closes with back air on ledge jump or up smash on landings from above.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Duck Hunt OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -21 |
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| Jab 2 | 5 | -24 |
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| Jab 3 | 6 | -27 |
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| Forward Tilt | 9 | -16 |
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| Up Tilt | 6 | -18 |
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| Down Tilt | 7 | -26 |
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| Dash Attack | 9 | -26 |
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| Forward Smash | 19/24/28 | -29/-30 |
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| Up Smash | 12 | -24 |
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| Down Smash | 8/21 | -38/-20 |
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| Neutral Air | 5 | -5 |
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| Forward Air | 18 | -6/-6/-7 |
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| Back Air | 11 | -3 |
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| Up Air | 8 | -5/-5 |
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| Down Air | 11 | -11/-12 |
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| Neutral B | 18(18) | -25(-33) |
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| Side B | 10 | -25 |
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| Up B | 7/10 | ** | ||
| Down B (1) | — | — | ||
| Down B (2) | 12 (ground) // 14 (air) | -70/-71 |
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| Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 12 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 13 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Duck Hunt should send can out first, then add Wild Gunman and Clay Pigeon so Cloud cannot walk forward or charge Limit on one fixed timing.
- After Duck Hunt blocks Cloud’s jab string, forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, smash attacks, Neutral B, Side B, or Down B (2), answer with OOS Nair (9f), OOS Uair (9f), grab (10f), or Up Smash (12f).
- When Cloud’s nair, fair, bair, or uair hits shield, Duck Hunt should not mash immediately and should instead place the next can path on the drift-back or landing route.
- Once Cloud is cornered, Duck Hunt should place can near the non-Limit Climhazzard route and use Wild Gunman plus back air to cover jump and neutral getup together.
Actions to Avoid
- Relying on shield before can is active and letting Cloud start close pressure with safe nair and bair.
- Swinging after every blocked nair, fair, bair, or uair and losing stage because Cloud drifts away or reclaims space with the next sword swing.
- Focusing only on pulling can back and giving Cloud free time to charge Limit and strengthen the midrange wall.
- Chasing too deep offstage for one hit and letting back air or Climhazzard reverse the position against Duck Hunt’s recovery.