Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Ivysaur should not brawl with Pichu at point-blank range; keep the match at vine-tip, Razor Leaf, and pre-placed Down Tilt space so Pichu has to force the way in first.
In Ivysaur vs Pichu, once Pichu gets inside, Neutral Air, Back Air, and grab routes can snowball quickly, but Pichu’s light weight and self-damage mean Ivysaur can convert midrange control directly into early ledge or vertical kills.
The table shows that Pichu’s Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Forward Air, Back Air, and Neutral B can be answered by Ivysaur’s Grab (10f), OOS Nair (10f), OOS Bair (10f), and OOS Dair (14f), so the end of those approaches should be punished on contact.
At the same time, Down Tilt and Neutral Air are hard to punish after shield, and Side B can also stay relatively safe depending on spacing, so do not rely on shield answers alone; hold the tipper space and catch the landing or escape route instead.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Ivysaur OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab | 2 | -11 |
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| Forward Tilt | 5 | -11 |
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| Up Tilt | 7 | -10 |
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| Down Tilt | 7 | -4 |
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| Dash Attack | 6 | -20 |
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| Forward Smash | 16/19/22/25/28/31 | -16 |
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| Up Smash | 9 | -21 |
| |
| Down Smash | 8/11/15/19/23 | -21 |
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| Neutral Air | 3 | -4/-4 |
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| Forward Air | 10/14/18/22 | -10/-10 |
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| Back Air | 5/11/15/19/26/30 | -16/-16 |
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| Up Air | 4 | -8 |
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| Down Air | 14 | -16 |
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| Neutral B | 18 | -29/-30 |
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| Side B | 17 | -20 to +3 |
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| Up B | ** | — | ||
| Down B | 9 | -27 |
| |
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 9 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Ivysaur should use vine-tip space, Razor Leaf, and pre-placed Down Tilt to stop Pichu from getting free straight-line entries on either the ground or from jumps.
- After Ivysaur blocks Pichu’s Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Forward Air, Back Air, or Neutral B, answer with the reachable option from Grab (10f), OOS Nair (10f), OOS Bair (10f), and OOS Dair (14f).
- Ivysaur should treat Pichu’s light weight and self-damage as part of the win condition and keep ledge traps, edgeguards, and vertical kill pressure going until the stock is gone.
- Ivysaur should not force shield punishes on Down Tilt, Neutral Air, or marginal Side B spacing; take the re-landing and escape route first and delay Pichu’s next entry.
Actions to Avoid
- Letting the match turn into a close-range scramble where Pichu gets to start Neutral Air, Back Air, and grab pressure first.
- Giving up Ivysaur’s vine-tip and Razor Leaf spacing to chase Pichu directly and whiff into Pichu’s low profile movement.
- Swinging for a punish every time against Down Tilt, Neutral Air, or safer Side B spacing and getting whiff-punished for it.
- Letting a light, self-damaging Pichu escape back to long neutral cycles after Ivysaur already reached an early kill state.