Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Lucina holds the preferred midrange with walking and long sword hitboxes, then slips between projectiles with Forward Air, Neutral Air, and Up Air to extend juggles and ledge pressure. If Young Link accepts that direct spacing contest, the weight and range disadvantage shows quickly: even the right read often does not convert hard enough, while one lost exchange can turn into a long defensive sequence.
The upside is that Lucina’s grounded bursts and heavier commitments have real stop points. Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Neutral B, and Side B can all be punished by Young Link’s shield answers built around OOS Nair (7f), OOS Uair (8f), Up B (8f), and OOS Bair (9f). Simply punishing Shield Breaker and Dancing Blade on block already removes a large part of Lucina’s forced kill pressure.
By contrast, Neutral Air, Forward Air, Back Air, and Up Air are mostly safe on shield, and even Down Air often only loses to the fastest option. Instead of forcing a mash after every shield, use arrows, Boomerang, and Bomb pulls to make Lucina commit to jump or shield first, then meet the landing with Up Tilt, Up Air, or Dash Attack and push her toward the ledge. The projectiles matter here less as raw chip and more as the cue that lets Young Link claim forward space safely.
For kills, it is more repeatable to cash out through Bomb-held ledge traps, Up Smash, Up Air, and Back Air than to swing wildly in center stage. Chasing too deep offstage invites Lucina’s Back Air and Up B reversal, so it is better to keep stage control and finish from the ledge.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Young Link OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 5 | -16 |
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| Jab 2 | 4 | -19 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -15 |
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| Up Tilt | 6 | -19 |
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| Down Tilt | 7 | -8 |
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| Dash Attack | 13 | -21 |
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| Forward Smash | 10 | -31 |
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| Up Smash | 13 | -41/-35 |
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| Down Smash | 6/21 | -42/-24 |
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| Neutral Air | 6/15 | -4/-3 |
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| Forward Air | 6 | -6 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -5 |
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| Up Air | 5 | -3 |
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| Down Air | 9/11 | -9/-9 |
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| Neutral B | 19—79 | -23 to Shieldbreak |
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| Side B | 9 | -26/-16 |
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| Up B | 5 | — | ||
| Down B | 6 (Start of Counter) | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Vary the order and height of arrows, Boomerang, and Bomb so Lucina has to jump or shield first instead of holding the ideal walking sword range for free.
- After blocking Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Neutral B, or Side B, punish immediately with OOS Nair (7f), OOS Uair (8f), Up B (8f), or OOS Bair (9f) to cut off Lucina’s close-range turn.
- After blocking Neutral Air, Forward Air, Back Air, or Up Air, do not force a panic punish in place. Track the landing and take the second touch with Up Tilt, Up Air, or Dash Attack that sends Lucina toward the ledge.
- At kill percent, walk Lucina to the ledge while holding Bomb, then finish through Up Smash, Up Air, Back Air, and ledge traps instead of overchasing offstage.
Actions to Avoid
- Running straight into Lucina’s walking tipper space and volunteering for Forward Air, Neutral Air, or Down Tilt walling.
- Repeating projectiles at the same height and rhythm until Lucina gets a clean jump-in or shield advance for free.
- Blocking Shield Breaker or Side B but still giving up the punish window and letting Lucina keep both kill threat and stage control.
- Overcommitting offstage for the stock and losing stage control to Lucina’s Back Air or Up B reversal.