Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Piranha Plant can shut down the front and the space above itself with Poison Breath and Ptooie, and its weight makes it harder to finish once it gets a defensive rhythm going. If Lucina keeps trying to force big jumps in, Plant can anti-air with fair, up smash, and Up B. The biggest avoidable loss condition here is repeatedly entering above a held Ptooie.
On the other hand, Plant’s mobility and point-blank defense are limited, and many grounded or landing commitments are clearly punishable on shield. Jab 1-3, forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, smashes, nair, bair, and dair are all punishable with Up B (5f) as the core answer, and fair can still be punished at close range by Up B, OOS Uair (8f), OOS Nair (9f), or OOS Fair (9f). The more Lucina walks and shields through the outer edge of Poison Breath and turns the game into sword-range scrambles, the better the matchup looks.
That said, Neutral B is not reliably punishable on shield, and Side B or Up B are not moves to swing at on reaction. Instead of trying to hit every projectile, it is safer to watch where Plant retreats while holding Ptooie and keep pushing with nair, fair, and down tilt until the stage shrinks.
Kills are more reliable from landing traps and ledgetraps than from forcing a center-stage brawl. Do not dive deep into Up B’s active hitbox offstage; stay on the ledge, cover jump, neutral get-up, and roll together, and finish the stock through repeated corner pressure.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Lucina OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 2 | -13 |
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| Jab 2 | 2 | -15 |
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| Jab 3 | 7 | -13 |
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| Rapid Jab | 6/10/14… | ** | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 7 | -29 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 7 | -14 |
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| Forward Tilt (2) | 5 | -20 |
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| Up Tilt | 6 | -11/-13 |
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| Down Tilt | 9 | -10/-10 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -28 |
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| Forward Smash | 16 | -25/-22 |
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| Up Smash | 12/16 | -27 |
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| Down Smash | 10/14 | -24 |
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| Neutral Air | 8/11/14/17/18 | -13/-13 |
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| Forward Air | 7 | -9/-9 |
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| Back Air | 14 | -11 |
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| Up Air | 7 | -6 |
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| Down Air | 9 | -14/-14 |
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| Neutral B | 9 | +6/-3 |
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| Side B (1) | 10(+11) | ** | ||
| Side B (2) | 10 | ** | ||
| Up B | 13… | ** | ||
| Down B | 2(+18) | -31 to -17 (-10 more when tipped over) |
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| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 9 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not jump over a held Ptooie. Walk and shield your way around Poison Breath and begin neutral from the range where Lucina’s sword can touch first.
- When you shield Jab 1-3, forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, smashes, nair, bair, or dair, take the guaranteed punish with Up B (5f) and cut off Plant’s point-blank reset immediately.
- Do not swing at every projectile. Track the retreat path and landing after Ptooie, then keep pushing toward the corner with nair, fair, and down tilt.
- At kill percent, prioritize ledge coverage over deep edgeguards, and rotate uair for jump, f-smash for roll, and low-commitment pressure for neutral get-up.
Actions to Avoid
- Repeatedly jumping directly above Ptooie and trying to reclaim space only from the air.
- Swinging first into Poison Breath or Ptooie every time and giving Plant extra time to set up fair or up smash anti-airs.
- Forcing a punish even after shielding Neutral B and letting Plant reset point-blank with jab or fair.
- Chasing too deep offstage into Up B’s active frames and giving away the ledgetrap situation yourself.