Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
If Luigi tries to contest Inkling’s low-profile dash and mobility head-on, he gets fed into Neutral Air, Back Air, grab, and the next landing trap, so this matchup is steadier when Fireball and pre-emptive shielding force the jump or Roller first. The table shows that after blocking Inkling’s Jab string, Rapid Jab Finisher, tilts, Dash Attack, smash attacks, Forward Air, Neutral B, Side B, and Up B, Luigi can frequently answer with Up B (6f), OOS Nair (6f), OOS Uair (8f), and Up Smash (9f), so grounded starters should never be allowed to stay cheap. At the same time, Inkling’s Neutral Air, Back Air, Up Air, and Down Air are mostly safe enough that forcing a swing there only returns the game to ink-based pressure and Roller threat, so Luigi should value center stage and continued shield discipline over scrambling. Luigi should finish stocks without overchasing offstage, using shield punishes into Up B, grab starters, and ledge coverage from Back Air and Up Smash to impose his stronger close-range kill routes first.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Luigi OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 3 | -13 |
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| Jab 2 | 2 | -16 |
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| Jab 3 | 4 | -21 |
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| Rapid Jab | 4/7/10… | ** | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 6 | -38 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -17 |
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| Up Tilt | 7 | -16 |
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| Down Tilt | 5/12 | -13 |
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| Dash Attack | 8 | -16 |
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| Forward Smash | 16 | -25/-24 |
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| Up Smash | 9/18 | -44/-29/-32 |
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| Down Smash | 11/20 | -29/-21 |
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| Neutral Air | 6 | -2 |
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| Forward Air | 10 | -8/-9 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -2/-3 |
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| Up Air | 12/17 | -3/-3 |
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| Down Air | 16 | -5/-6 |
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| Neutral B | 12/16/20/24 | -6 |
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| Side B | 16 | -15 to -12 |
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| Up B | 12 | **/-29/-30 |
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| Down B | 20—40 | ** | ||
| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Luigi should stop chasing Inkling’s low-profile dash and instead use Fireball and shield to make the jump, Roller, and Dash Attack appear first.
- After Luigi blocks Inkling’s jab pressure, tilts, Dash Attack, smash attacks, Forward Air, Neutral B, Side B, or Up B, he should immediately take the punish that reaches from Up B (6f), OOS Nair (6f), OOS Uair (8f), and Up Smash (9f).
- Luigi should not swing recklessly after Inkling’s Neutral Air, Back Air, Up Air, or Down Air, and should keep center stage while respecting ink damage and Roller.
- At the ledge, Luigi should not focus only on Roller and should spread his kill threat across grab, Back Air, Up Smash, and post-shield Up B.
Actions to Avoid
- Walking too far forward into Inkling’s mobility game and handing over the whiff-punish and landing-trap structure.
- Blocking Inkling’s Forward Tilt, Dash Attack, or Roller and still failing to cash out with Luigi’s Up B (6f) or Up Smash (9f).
- Swinging into safe Neutral Air or Back Air pressure and resetting the matchup back to ink-fueled strings and Roller guesses.
- Chasing too deep offstage, giving up Luigi’s stronger ledge trap with Up B and Back Air, and letting Inkling pull the pace back into juggling.