Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup gets bad for Snake if he keeps accepting Pyra’s long sword lane in honest neutral, but Pyra’s speed and startup are still slow enough that explosives can interrupt her setup before the swing becomes oppressive. Once grenades or C4 force her to stop, the recovery on her bigger choices is severe enough that Snake can turn one defensive stop into a full ledge sequence.
Snake should not just place explosives and admire them. The real payoff comes from watching whether Pyra swings early or jumps over the setup, then punishing the body with Down Tilt, Grab, or Bair. Pyra’s hits are devastating when they connect, but her landing and recovery are straightforward enough that Snake gains more from repeat corner pressure than from center-stage brawling.
The frame table shows Jab 1-3, Rapid Jab Finisher, Up Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Nair, Neutral B, and Up B are all punishable through OOS Dair (6f), Grab (10f), and Up Smash (11f). By contrast, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Fair, Bair, and Dair only give lighter answers, while Uair and Side B are not shield-punish spots at all.
Kills are most repeatable through ledge C4, Up Smash, Bair, and Nikita rather than from center-stage hard calls. Pyra’s recovery path is linear, but Snake still reduces variance by covering the return height and landing point instead of diving too deep and exposing his own landing weakness.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Snake OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 3 | -14 |
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| Jab 2 | 5 | -23 |
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| Jab 3 | 5 | -24 |
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| Rapid Jab | 9/13/17… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 6 | -25 |
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| Forward Tilt | 12 | -10/-9 |
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| Up Tilt | 11 | -19 |
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| Down Tilt | 9 | -11/-9 |
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| Dash Attack | 17 | -18 |
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| Forward Smash | 20 | -34 |
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| Up Smash | 15/17 | -47/-40 |
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| Down Smash | 12/18 | -26/-28/-20/-22 |
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| Neutral Air | 11 | -11/-11 |
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| Forward Air | 11 | -9 |
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| Back Air | 16 | -9 |
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| Up Air | 13 | -4 |
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| Down Air | 17 | -9/-9 |
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| Neutral B | 13/27/33—56/68/78/87/94 | -18 — -11 |
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| Side B | 14/16…74 | ** | ||
| Up B | 13/41 | -48 |
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| Down B | — | — | ||
| Grab | 7 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 12 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 13 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use grenades and C4 to stop Pyra’s feet first, then punish the body with Down Tilt, Grab, and Bair when she swings or jumps through the setup.
- After blocking Jab 1-3, Rapid Jab Finisher, Up Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Nair, Neutral B, or Up B, take the listed punish with OOS Dair (6f), Grab (10f), and Up Smash (11f).
- Treat Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Fair, Bair, and Dair as lighter-punish spots, and do not force shield punishes on Uair or Side B.
- Build kills through ledge C4, Up Smash, Bair, and Nikita rather than center-stage hard calls.
- Cover the recovery return point from stage control instead of overdiving and turning Snake’s own landing into the next problem.
Actions to Avoid
- Backing up forever and handing Pyra the perfect sword spacing for free.
- Reaching for oversized punish attempts on moves that only allow lighter retaliation.
- Filling the stage with explosives but leaving Snake’s own feet unprotected when Pyra finally gets close.
- Diving too deep offstage and making Snake’s weak landing the real interaction.