Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Byleth’s spear and sword spacing are dangerous if Ivysaur stays in front for repeated grounded contests, because the damage and kill threat on tipper wins are simply higher there. Ivysaur should instead use Razor Leaf, down tilt, and bair to interrupt forward movement, then force Byleth into jump or landing situations where uair and Vine Whip become the real conversation.
The table shows that jab 1-3, forward tilt, up tilt, dash attack, smash attacks, uair, dair, Side B, and grounded Up B are all punishable on shield by grab (10f) and OOS nair or bair (10f), with larger follow-ups available on the heavier commitments. By contrast, fair, bair, and parts of Neutral B are not always stable instant punishes, so trying to swing immediately can just let Byleth reset the tipper spacing again.
Ivysaur closes this matchup best by converting anti-airs and juggles into uair, Up B, and ledge fair rather than fishing for one big center-stage read. Byleth’s tether recovery can stall a little, but the routes back on top of the stage are still limited, so waiting at ledge and covering multiple getup lines is more reliable than overchasing offstage.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Ivysaur OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -15 |
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| Jab 2 | 4 | -17 |
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| Jab 3 | 5 | -22 |
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| Rapid Jab | 11 | ** | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 6 | -40 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -15 |
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| Up Tilt | 9 | -15 |
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| Down Tilt | 13 | -14 |
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| Dash Attack | 9 | -26/-23 |
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| Forward Smash | 23 | -31/-27 || -32/-28 || -32/-28 |
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| Up Smash | 13 | -22 |
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| Down Smash | 19/29 | -40/-30 |
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| Neutral Air | 6… | -11/-11/-9 |
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| Forward Air | 12 | -7/-6 |
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| Back Air | 13 | -9/-8 |
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| Up Air | 10… | -12/-11 |
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| Down Air | 22 | -21 |
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| Neutral B | 45/114 | -8/-21 |
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| Side B | Ground: 20 || Air: 21 | Ground: -20/-34 || Air: -16/-35 |
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| Up B | 9(ground) || 10(air) | -35(ground) || **(air) |
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| Down B | 62 | ** | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 11 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use Razor Leaf, down tilt, and bair to stop Byleth’s grounded advance and move the matchup away from repeated frontal tipper exchanges.
- After blocking jab 1-3, forward tilt, up tilt, dash attack, any smash attack, uair, dair, Side B, or grounded Up B, punish with grab (10f), OOS nair (10f), or OOS bair (10f) before Byleth can reset spacing.
- Do not force instant retaliation on fair, bair, or Neutral B when the punish is unstable. Take the landing spot and the stage instead.
- Once Byleth is airborne, keep the anti-air and juggle going until uair or Up B starts threatening vertical kills.
- At ledge, cover tether re-entry from stage with fair, Up B, and down tilt instead of diving too far and giving the ledge trap away.
Actions to Avoid
- Standing directly in front of Byleth and accepting repeated tipper trades where Ivysaur loses on raw damage and kill power.
- Treating fair, bair, and Neutral B like automatic shield punishes and getting pushed back into Byleth’s preferred spacing instead.
- Extending too many point-blank scrambles after contact and exposing Ivysaur’s weaker close-range defense.
- Overchasing tether recovery offstage and giving up the ledge sequence that should have closed the stock safely.