Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup gets dangerous the more time Hero gets to stand still and cycle Menu or charge the Frizz line. His projectiles and high-roll spells can steal stocks very quickly, and fair, bair, and up smash all make every wrong guess hurt. Isabelle is also weak in close brawls and out-of-shield scrambles, so simply backing off forever only gives Hero the pace he wants.
The good news is that Hero’s close-range turnover and landing defense are not especially fast, and the frame table shows Jab 1-3, both hits of forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, every smash attack, back air, down air, Neutral B, and Side B are all clearly punishable by OOS Nair (8f), OOS Uair (9f), Up Smash (9f), or Grab (10f). Isabelle does best by using fair, bair, Lloid Trap, and Fishing Rod to narrow the route first, then touching Hero’s body before Menu or the heavy spells come out.
By contrast, nair, fair, and uair are poor instant punish spots, and waiting in shield too long after those simply gives Hero another chance to cast or pull Menu. Isabelle should punish only the moves the table actually gives her, then cover the drift-back landing and retreat route with fair, bair, Fishing Rod, and Lloid Trap to win on the second touch. Showing Pocket also makes Hero’s more linear projectile rhythm much less comfortable.
The consistent kills come from ledgetraps rather than center-stage guess Up Smashes. Put Lloid Trap one step ahead, force jump getup or neutral getup into Fishing Rod, fair, bair, or uair, and keep the stage instead of overchasing offstage for a risky finish.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Isabelle 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
- Show fair, bair, Lloid Trap, and Pocket often enough that Hero cannot comfortably stop for Menu or Frizz charge.
- After blocking Jab 1-3, both hits of forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, every smash attack, back air, down air, Neutral B, or Side B, punish immediately with OOS Nair (8f), OOS Uair (9f), Up Smash (9f), or Grab (10f).
- After blocking nair, fair, or uair, do not force an in-place punish that usually does not reach. Cover the drift-back landing and retreat route with fair, bair, Fishing Rod, or Lloid Trap and take the second touch instead.
- Once Hero is cornered, prioritize ledgetrap control over deep chases. Keep Lloid Trap one step ahead and cover jump getup, neutral getup, and Up B landing together with Fishing Rod and aerials.
- When Hero gets in, do not overcommit to weak shield punishes. Reset to midrange quickly, then wait for the next heavy button or spell startup you can actually cut.
Actions to Avoid
- Do not sit full-screen and give Hero free time to cycle Menu, charge Frizz, or set up buffs.
- Do not swing out of shield after every blocked nair, fair, or uair and get punished for trying to contest moves the table does not support.
- Do not place Lloid Trap or Fishing Rod directly at point-blank range and let Hero’s close sword buttons or grab blow through both ideas.
- Do not chase too deep offstage for the kill and give up the ledgetrap that Isabelle actually wins with more reliably.