Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup starts with build confirmation, but Sonic’s baseline plan does not change much across the variants. Mii Swordfighter wants to stop horizontal entry with sword range and specials, yet he still struggles to keep up with Sonic’s movement and to fully defend once his landing or whiff timing gets read.
The frame table shows that jab 1-3, forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, every smash attack, fair, dair, and every punishable phase of up B are all answerable from shield with up B, OOS uair, OOS fair, OOS nair, grab, or up smash. In practice, that means Sonic does better by stopping the sequence once and converting upward than by trying to mash first in place. The 4-frame up B is especially valuable for cutting off Mii Swordfighter’s post-shield pressure.
The win condition is to avoid challenging the sword tip head-on with speed alone, show retreat and spin movement to make Mii Swordfighter press first, and then punish the whiff or landing with fair, uair, up tilt, or grab. The exact recovery and landing patterns vary by build, but all of them are still easier for Sonic to revisit because of the speed gap, so once Mii Swordfighter is pushed outward, Sonic usually keeps the initiative through ledge pressure.
If Sonic overreacts to the safer side-B situations by freezing in front, or keeps dashing directly into sword range, he gives away the main advantage of the matchup. It is important not only to move fast, but to mix in whiff-baiting and guaranteed shield punishes until Mii Swordfighter’s slower defense starts to crack.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Sonic OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 6 | -9 |
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| Jab 2 | 6 | -12 |
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| Jab 3 | 6 | -26 |
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| Forward Tilt | 10 | -16 |
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| Up Tilt | 8 | -17 |
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| Down Tilt | 5 | -6 |
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| Dash Attack | 9 | -18 |
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| Forward Smash | 15 | -34/-34/-33 |
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| Up Smash | 11/14/21 | -32 |
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| Down Smash | 7/15 | -38/-28 |
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| Neutral Air | 10 | -5 |
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| Forward Air | 12/16/21 | -10/-9 |
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| Back Air | 10 | -4 |
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| Up Air | 11 | -4/-6 |
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| Down Air | 14… | -11 |
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| Up B (1) | 13/42 | -37 |
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| Up B (2) | 15/19/22/25/28/31/34 | -38 |
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| Up B (3) | 8 | -57 to -53 |
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| Up B (4) | 8/16/22/26/31/38/47 | ** | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Confirm the opponent’s build early, but do not run into sword range just because you are faster. Use retreat movement to make Mii Swordfighter press first.
- After shielding jab 1-3, forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, any smash attack, fair, dair, or a punishable up-B phase, punish with up B, OOS uair, OOS fair, OOS nair, grab, or up smash.
- Use spin movement less as a raw hit tool and more to freeze shield and jump so the next approach angle is easier to read.
- Once Mii Swordfighter is launched, keep the upward disadvantage going with uair, up tilt, and up-smash pressure instead of resetting the pace.
- At the ledge, prioritize trapping the get-up route over deep chases, then push the opponent back out if he tries to reclaim center.
Actions to Avoid
- Ignoring the build and repeating the same entry angle into sword range every time.
- Giving up your whiff-punish edge by constantly rushing straight at the sword tip.
- Letting punishable jabs or dash attack go because you feared an immediate counter-mash.
- Overrespecting safer side-B situations and giving Mii Swordfighter too much time to reset.
- Chasing too far offstage and giving up the speed advantage that should control the ledge phase.