Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Wario uses his excellent air drift to change entry angles, force scrambles with aerials and down tilt, and add more kill pressure over time as Waft comes online. If Lucario simply backs away waiting for Aura, Wario is the one who gets the better long game, and Lucario’s lighter weight makes every early loss of neutral more expensive.
The matchup is steadier when Lucario treats Aura Sphere as a movement cue instead of a pure camping tool, showing charge just long enough to bend Wario’s jump and landing path while still refusing to give up center stage. Since Bite exists, holding charge in front of Wario for too long is worse than using the threat to force movement and touching the body first.
The frame table shows that Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Forward Air, Back Air, Down Air, and Waft can all be punished with shield answers built around OOS Dair (7f), Grab (10f), and OOS Fair (10f). Just making down tilt, fair, and bair stop being free already cuts down a large part of Wario’s low-risk entry game.
Neutral Air and Up Air are the exceptions, and Bike or Corkscrew are not easy to stop on the spot either. Instead of forcing a mash or overchasing offstage, keep reading the landing and ledge options, then finish with Back Air, Up Air, Up Throw, or an Aura-powered punish once Wario is cornered.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Lucario OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 2 | 4 | -23 |
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| Jab | 8 | -16 |
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| Forward Tilt | 12 | -15 |
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| Up Tilt | 8 | -13 |
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| Down Tilt | 5 | -7 |
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| Dash Attack | 5 | -33 |
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| Forward Smash | 18 | -34 |
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| Up Smash | 11 | -35/-37 |
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| Down Smash | 8 | -44 |
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| Neutral Air | 4/20 | -4/-4 |
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| Forward Air | 5 | -7/-7 |
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| Back Air | 9 | -11 |
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| Up Air | 8 | -2 |
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| Down Air | 9/11/13/15/17/19/21 | -16/-15 |
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| Neutral B | 8 (11 Grab Release) | — | ||
| Side B | 20/24 | ** | ||
| Up B | 6/8/12/16/20/29 | ** | ||
| Down B | 16, 10, 8, 12 | —, -41, -24, -28 |
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| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 11 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 12 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not hold Aura Sphere in place for too long. Show charge to bend Wario’s air drift and jump path, then keep center and touch the body before he settles into a free long game.
- After blocking Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Forward Air, Back Air, Down Air, or Waft, punish with OOS Dair (7f), Grab (10f), or OOS Fair (10f) so Wario cannot keep looping low-risk entries.
- After blocking Neutral Air or Up Air, do not mash immediately. Read the drift away, down tilt follow-up, or re-jump instead.
- At kill percent, prioritize ledge control over deep offstage chases, and finish with Back Air, Up Air, Up Throw, or an Aura-powered punish once Wario is forced to land.
- As Waft timer pressure rises, stay disciplined rather than swinging bigger. The goal is to keep center and keep taxing landings and ledge getups.
Actions to Avoid
- Backing away only to wait for Aura and giving Wario all the time he wants to charge Waft for free.
- Holding Aura Sphere directly in front of Wario long enough for Bite or a drift-in callout to turn your setup against you.
- Mashing after every blocked Neutral Air or Up Air and getting clipped by Wario’s air drift reset.
- Chasing too deep offstage and letting Bike, Corkscrew, or Wario’s air mobility burn time and flip the position back around.