Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Byleth can rotate sword, lance, axe, and bow to hold long horizontal space and keep trapping landings, so Ganondorf falls behind quickly if he tries to walk straight into Forward Air, Back Air, Down Tilt, and Up Air spacing.
The table shows that Byleth’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Jab 3, Rapid Jab Finisher, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Up Smash, Down Smash, Up Air, Down Air, Side B, and grounded Up B all give Ganondorf real answers with Grab (10f), OOS Nair (10f), OOS Uair (11f), OOS Bair (13f), or Up B (14f).
That makes the stable plan to pre-place Neutral Air, Back Air, and Down Tilt into Byleth’s approach and landing routes, while not forcing an immediate punish after blocked Forward Air or Back Air and instead waiting for the grounded overextension or ledge mistake.
For kills, Ganondorf is better off holding the ledge with Back Air, Down Tilt, and grab pressure, then punishing Up B landings and neutral getup timings with Fair, Up Smash, or Forward Smash rather than extending too far in center stage.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Ganondorf OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -15 |
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| Jab 2 | 4 | -17 |
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| Jab 3 | 5 | -22 |
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| Rapid Jab | 11 | ** | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 6 | -40 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -15 |
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| Up Tilt | 9 | -15 |
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| Down Tilt | 13 | -14 |
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| Dash Attack | 9 | -26/-23 |
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| Forward Smash | 23 | -31/-27 || -32/-28 || -32/-28 |
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| Up Smash | 13 | -22 |
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| Down Smash | 19/29 | -40/-30 |
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| Neutral Air | 6… | -11/-11/-9 |
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| Forward Air | 12 | -7/-6 |
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| Back Air | 13 | -9/-8 |
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| Up Air | 10… | -12/-11 |
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| Down Air | 22 | -21 |
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| Neutral B | 45/114 | -8/-21 |
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| Side B | Ground: 20 || Air: 21 | Ground: -20/-34 || Air: -16/-35 |
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| Up B | 9(ground) || 10(air) | -35(ground) || **(air) |
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| Down B | 62 | ** | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 11 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Pre-place Neutral Air, Back Air, and Down Tilt so Byleth has to run into Ganondorf’s wall instead of letting the weapon tipper range start first.
- After blocking Jab 1, Jab 2, Jab 3, Rapid Jab Finisher, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Up Smash, Down Smash, Up Air, Down Air, Side B, or grounded Up B, punish with the reachable option from Grab (10f), OOS Nair (10f), OOS Uair (11f), OOS Bair (13f), and Up B (14f).
- Do not force a button right after blocked Forward Air, Back Air, or Neutral Air; take the landing route and corner route first, then swing on the second beat.
- Finish stocks by keeping Byleth at the ledge and catching Up B landings, air dodges, or getup timings with Fair, Up Smash, or Forward Smash.
Actions to Avoid
- Walking forward into Byleth’s long weapon spacing and letting Forward Air, Back Air, and Down Tilt take stage control for free.
- Blocking Jab 1, Jab 2, Jab 3, Rapid Jab Finisher, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Up Smash, Down Smash, Up Air, Down Air, Side B, or grounded Up B and still missing the punish window.
- Swinging immediately after blocked Forward Air or Back Air and getting clipped by Byleth’s still-safe spacing reset.
- Chasing too deep offstage and giving Byleth a reversal with tether Up B while Ganondorf’s own recovery remains the weaker one.