Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup is decided by whether Hero gets enough time for Frizz, Zap, and Command Selection, or whether Luigi can use fireballs and grounded movement to force his way into point-blank range first.
Hero is favored when the fight stays at midrange. If Luigi tries to jump in too high, Hero can cash out immediately with Fair, Bair, Uair, and stronger spell callouts, and once Luigi gets sent offstage his recovery routes are much easier to read than Hero’s.
The tradeoff is that Hero’s close-range turnover and defense are much thinner, and the table shows Jab 1-3, Forward Tilt (1)(2), Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Neutral Air, Forward Air, Back Air, Down Air, Neutral B, and Side B are all punishable by Luigi’s OOS Nair (6f), Up B (6f), Up Smash (9f), or Grab (10f). Hero is also not a strong out-of-shield character, so once Luigi gets the close-range block situation, the matchup swings sharply.
The winning plan is to avoid hard-committing over spells, walk in behind fireballs, cash out on the first grab or nair starter, and finish through ledge pressure, Up Smash, Bair, and guaranteed Up B punishes instead of fishing for one giant center-stage read.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Luigi 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 leap over Frizz, Zap, or menu setup on autopilot. Use fireballs and grounded movement to close distance first, and make Hero defend before he gets repeated spell attempts.
- After blocking Jab 1-3, Forward Tilt (1)(2), Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Neutral Air, Forward Air, Back Air, Down Air, Neutral B, or Side B, punish immediately with OOS Nair (6f) or Up B (6f), and use Up Smash (9f) or Grab (10f) when spacing gives the better reward.
- Once Hero starts shielding or landing close, do not rush straight to a big finisher. Keep the close-range turn alive with grab, nair, and down tilt, and force the second touch after Hero spends MP or drifts away.
- At kill percent, lean on ledge pressure after forward throw, Up Smash, Bair, and guaranteed Up B punishes rather than center-stage gamble Up Bs. Stay onstage and make non-Zoom recoveries return into your trap.
Actions to Avoid
- Jumping high over spells and drifting straight into Hero’s Fair, Bair, Uair, or stronger spell anti-airs.
- Watching Command Selection from too far away and giving Hero extra chances to find Oomph, Acceleratle, or the stronger projectile rolls for free.
- Failing to punish Jab 1-3, Forward Tilt (1)(2), Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, smash attacks, Neutral Air, Forward Air, Back Air, Down Air, Neutral B, or Side B, then letting Hero rebuild the sword-and-spell spacing game.
- Chasing too deep offstage and turning Luigi’s own recovery into the bigger liability instead of winning the stock from ledge control.