Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup gets worse for Incineroar whenever Pit is allowed to keep cycling Fair, Nair, Uair, and arrows while Incineroar tries to chase him down directly. Pit’s single hits are not overwhelming on their own, though, and Incineroar only needs one clean stop to swing the stock with Alolan Whip, Bair, or Up Smash, so the matchup rewards patient interception much more than pursuit.
Incineroar should not run after Pit in open space. Shield, walking, and preemptive Nair do a better job of waiting out Pit’s aerial entries and forcing him to land somewhere committal. Revenge can matter against predictable arrows, but if it becomes too obvious, Pit can simply delay the aerial timing or grab through it, so it has to stay selective.
The frame table shows Jab 1-3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Nair, Fair, Uair, Dair, Neutral B, and Side B (1)(2) are all punishable through OOS Nair (8f), Grab (10f), or Up B (11f). By contrast, Bair has no stable immediate punish, and Up B and Down B are not spots to swing at on reaction, so taking the landing space is usually worth more than forcing shield retaliation.
Kills are most repeatable through post-block Alolan Whip, ledge Bair, and Up Smash rather than through center-stage haymakers. Because Incineroar’s own recovery is the clear liability here, offstage overcommitment usually throws away the part of the matchup he is actually winning.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Incineroar OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -18 |
|
|
| Jab 2 | 5 | -21 |
| |
| Jab 3 | 3 | -23 |
| |
| Rapid Jab | 6/8/10… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 4 | -40 |
| |
| Forward Tilt | 10 | -22/-19 |
| |
| Up Tilt | 6/15 | -23/-13 |
| |
| Down Tilt | 6 | -13 |
| |
| Dash Attack | 7 | -17 |
|
|
| Forward Smash | 10/21 | -26 |
| |
| Up Smash | 6/7/10/18 | -27 |
| |
| Down Smash | 5/18 | -27/-28/-14/-15 |
| |
| Neutral Air | 4/7/10/13/16/19/22/25 | -12/-11 |
|
|
| Forward Air | 11/14/18 | -10/-9 |
|
|
| Back Air | 10 | -4/-3 |
| |
| Up Air | 10/13/16/19/22 | -12/-11 |
|
|
| Down Air | 10 | -8 |
|
|
| Neutral B | 16—76 | -23 to -20 |
| |
| Side B (1) | 18 | -37 |
| |
| Side B (2) | 21 | -40 |
| |
| Up B | — | — | ||
| Down B | 7 (Start of Reflect) | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Stop trying to chase Pit directly in open space. Use shield, walking, and preemptive Nair to meet Fair, Nair, and Uair entries, then push him toward landing and ledge.
- After blocking Jab 1-3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Nair, Fair, Uair, Dair, Neutral B, or Side B (1)(2), take the listed punish with OOS Nair (8f), Grab (10f), and Up B (11f).
- Do not force immediate retaliation into Bair, Up B, or Down B. Take the landing position first and punish the second defensive choice.
- Build kills around Alolan Whip, ledge Bair, and Up Smash after defensive stops rather than center-stage hard calls.
- Use Revenge only when arrows or other timing are clearly telegraphed enough that Pit cannot simply grab or delay through it.
Actions to Avoid
- Chasing Pit on foot for too long and eating repeated Fair and Nair entries for free.
- Treating Bair, Up B, or Down B like stable shield-punish spots and giving up the landing trap.
- Showing Revenge so often that Pit can route around it with delayed aerials and grabs.
- Overcommitting offstage and exposing Incineroar’s weak recovery instead of keeping the winning ledge situation.