Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup is decided by whether Pikachu can slip off the horizontal line before Piranha Plant locks mid-range down with Ptooie and Poison Breath, then convert that opening into close-range pressure. Plant’s weight and ledge threat are real, but its grounded mobility and close-range reversal options are much weaker, and as the table shows, jab strings, forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, smash attacks, neutral air, back air, down air, and down B can all be punished cleanly with OOS Nair (6f), OOS Uair (7f), or Grab (10f). By contrast, neutral B can stay advantageous depending on spacing, and side B plus Up B are hard to challenge in place, so holding shield in front of them is less stable than shifting position with Thunder Jolt and grounded movement, then punishing startup or landing. The win condition is to break the mid-range wall without rushing, carry hits into throws or nair strings that push Plant offstage, and finish through edgeguards so you do not have to brawl directly through Plant’s weight and ledge denial.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Pikachu 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
- As Pikachu, do not stand in front of Ptooie and Poison Breath for long; use Thunder Jolt, walking, and short burst movement to shift the horizontal line and force Plant to turn around or reset its spacing.
- As Pikachu, when you block jab strings, forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, smash attacks, neutral air, back air, down air, or down B, take the guaranteed punish with OOS Nair (6f) or OOS Uair (7f).
- As Pikachu, do not force immediate punishes on neutral B, side B, or Up B; instead hit startup, landing, or post-ledge situations with grab, bair, or down tilt and keep the turn going.
- As Pikachu, once Plant is offstage, do not choose only deep chases; use Quick Attack flexibility to alternate between ledge hold and edgeguarding, then trim recovery routes with Up B, fair, and Thunder Jolt.
Actions to Avoid
- As Pikachu, do not keep jumping high just to avoid Ptooie and drift into anti-airs like fair or up smash.
- As Pikachu, do not mash directly into neutral B or side B and lose the turn to frame advantage or lingering hitboxes.
- As Pikachu, do not rush for the KO and overstay at ledge where Up B or fair can punish Pikachu’s light weight hard.
- As Pikachu, do not forget your short range and throw careless grounded approaches into Plant’s placed normals and projectiles.