Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Ivysaur can lock down mid-range with forward air, back air, down tilt, and Razor Leaf, stopping Ganondorf’s forward movement and landings before converting into up-air kills and ledge traps.
However, Ivysaur is weaker at close-range scrambles, holding stage position, covering directly underneath itself, and recovering safely, so preemptive nair, bair, and down tilt can swing one opening into a full corner carry.
The win condition is to avoid sitting in passive shield after Razor Leaf, mix in jumps and pullback timing, and take the clear openings after Jab 1, Jab 2, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, Neutral B, Side B, and Up B to convert straight into ledge pressure while keeping center stage.
For kills, it is more stable to stay onstage, cover the Vine Whip return path and normal getup with fair, bair, down tilt, and up smash, and squeeze Ivysaur’s narrow recovery from the side instead of overcommitting offstage.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Ganondorf OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 7 | -17 |
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| Jab 2 | 5 | -19 |
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| Rapid Jab | 4/7/10… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 4 | -32 |
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| Forward Tilt | 10/12/14/16/18/20/22 | -20 |
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| Up Tilt | 7 | -18 |
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| Down Tilt | 4 | -21 |
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| Dash Attack | 4 | -27 |
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| Forward Smash | 15 | -33 |
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| Up Smash | 26 | -21 |
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| Down Smash | 13 | -26/-25/-24 |
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| Neutral Air | 7/10/13/16/19/22/25/28 | -14/-14 |
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| Forward Air | 14 | -8 |
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| Back Air | 7/13 | -5/-4 |
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| Up Air | 12 | -6 |
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| Down Air | 11 | -9 |
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| Neutral B | 7 | -34 |
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| Side B | 24 | -14 |
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| Up B | 15 | -22/-20 |
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| Down B | — | — | ||
| Grab | 13 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 13 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 13 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not stay in shield at mid-range; use preemptive nair, bair, and down tilt to cut off Ivysaur’s jump arcs and landing spots so Razor Leaf does not become a free path for forward movement.
- When Jab 1, Jab 2, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, Neutral B, Side B, or Up B touches shield, punish with grab or OOS nair and prioritize corner carry over raw damage.
- Once Ivysaur is at the ledge, keep center stage and cover Vine Whip recovery and normal getup with fair, bair, down tilt, and up smash so the weak recovery turns directly into a stock.
Actions to Avoid
- Sitting in shield at mid-range against Razor Leaf and spaced forward air, then handing Ivysaur the opening it wants for juggle pressure and ledge traps.
- Forcing shield punishes on spaced forward air, back air, up air, and down air, then letting Ivysaur land or reset pressure for free when the punish does not reach.
- Chasing too far offstage for an early kill and exposing Ganondorf’s own weak recovery to down air or ledge coverage.