Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Ice Climbers vs Hero gets worse the longer you stay at range, because spells, charge options, and sword spacing make it easier for Hero to split Popo and Nana apart. Hero’s close-range defense is still not especially fast or stable, so when both climbers arrive together, shield and escape options become much harder for him to manage. The matchup is won by denying menu time, taking every punishable tilt, smash, and charged spell on block, and then trapping Hero’s landing or ledge options with both bodies. If Nana gets separated, the priority changes immediately: regroup first, then restart pressure, because forcing solo scrambles only gives Hero better chances to blow the pair apart again.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Ice Climbers OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 6 | -15 |
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| Jab 2 | 6 | -15 |
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| Jab 3 | 7 | -25 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 9 | -21 |
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| Forward Tilt (2) | 8 | -31 |
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| Up Tilt | 8 | -23 |
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| Down Tilt | 6 | -19 |
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| Dash Attack | 21 | -16 |
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| Forward Smash | 17 | -36 (-26) |
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| Up Smash | 13 | -29 (-19) |
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| Down Smash | 9/20 | -37/-26 (-29/-18) |
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| Neutral Air | 8 | -6 |
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| Forward Air | 14 | -7 |
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| Back Air | 18 | -9 |
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| Up Air | 6 | -5 |
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| Down Air | 16 | -12 |
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| Neutral B | [10(+7)] [11(+25)] [16(2/8/14/20)] | -22/-28/-24 |
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| Side B | [9/13(+7)] [10/15(+16)] [43/50/72/75/81] | -12/-25/-29 |
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| Up B | [4(+3)] [6/13/20/27(+13)] [39/49/59/69/79/89] | ** | ||
| Down B | — | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not pause in midrange; use Blizzard, dash shield, and steady forward movement so Hero rarely gets free menu or charge time
- Punish blocked Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, smashes, and charged fire or lightning spells with Up Smash or grab starters whenever they are available
- Once both climbers get in, keep Hero above you with throw routes and Uair pressure instead of rushing a single kill read
- If the pair gets split, back out and reconnect before returning to ledge pressure with Side B, Bair, and grabs
Actions to Avoid
- Standing still at range and giving Hero a free command selection or charge cycle
- Forcing solo offense right after Nana is launched away and letting sword range plus spells widen the split
- Chasing too hard with unsafe Side B or deep edgeguards and losing the whole lead to one high-impact spell or reversal