[Melee] Captain Falcon Data

[Flint]

The character I wanted to make data about the most.

Falcon currently ranks 7th place on the Melee tier list (in the S tier), making him the highest ranked of the heavyweights. He still ranks rather high like in the Smash 64 tier list because he retains his incredible comboing abilities; he has a fast falling speed and air speed, and the fastest dash of all characters, giving him one of the best SHFFLs in the game. His fast falling speed and status as a heavyweight make him the most resistant character to vertical KOs. His speed, fast rolls, and Raptor Boost enable an excellent dodging and tech-chasing game. Falcon also has multiple quick KO moves, most notably his Knee of Justice, forward smash, and down aerial, all of which can be combo finishers. Against other high-tiered opponents, however, Falcon is susceptible to chaingrabs and combos due to his high falling speed. He is also prone to edgeguarding, since he has a predictable recovery that, like in Smash 64, cannot grab ledge-hanging enemies. Falcon lacks a projectile, impairing his approach in some matchups, while most of his attacks have long start-up and lack extended hitbox duration, making his approaches very committal in general. As such, Falcon is considered to have one of the most inconsistent neutral games among top-tiered characters. Regardless of his weaknesses, Captain Falcon still has an impressive number of winning matchups, including six that are near-unloseable.

Moveset:


Total: 21
Hit: 3-5
Window of the second punch: 3-25
Second punch starts: 9

Total: 20
Hit: 5-7
Window of the knee: 2-25
Knee starts: 8

Total: 32
Hit: 6-12
IASA: 23
Rapid Jabs Start: 13

Total: 55
Jab hits: 5-6, 13-14, 21-22, 29-30,
36-37, 45-46
Neutral Attack: 2%, 3%, 6% (Late)/8% (Clean).
The first two hits are fast and somewhat short-ranged jabs, which are good for disrupting an enemy's approach. The third hit is the "Gentleman Knee". The jab combo finishes with a series of fast, weak punches.




Total: 29
Hit: 9-11
Forward Tilt: Aimed Up (12%;Leg|11%;Body), Neutral (11%), Aimed Down (10%;Leg|11%;Body).
Kicks his foot out in front of him. Fast with decent range. There are not a significant amount of combo options from an forward tilt because of its horizontal hit trajectory, low knockback (though it has good knockback for a forward tilt) and stun time, and wind-down lag. One can try to follow up with a Up-Air or a jump-canceled grab, and even a dash-canceled Down-Tilt or Raptor Boost, but they are not true combos and can be countered by every character. It may be a good idea to wavedash slightly forward to maintain pressure, and enter a defensive stance or used after a pivot as a surprise attack to keep enemies away. The move can be angled. A forward tilt, angled upward, can stun enemies long enough from an Up-Throw/Down-Throw that it can lead with a Knee.


Total: 39
Hit: 17-21
IASA: 38
Up-Tilt: 13%.
Brings his leg up and brings it down in an axe-like way. His Up-Tilt has good horizontal knockback as well, and, like the F-Tilt, is difficult to combo from. Due to its low trajectory, one can often follow off the edge of a platform or stage with a falling N-Air or non-sweetspotted F-Air edgeguard, but this is not a true combo. It may be a good idea to wavedash slightly forward to maintain pressure, and enter a defensive stance. Most players use Up-Tilts as an edgeguard technique since the heel can extend below the platform.


Total: 35
Hit: 10-15
IASA: 35
Down Tilt: 12%.
Does a quick round kick. Is a great vertical launcher, if difficult to land. Compared to Falcon's other launchers, it has relatively high ending lag. However, it can combo at most percentages into a SHFFLed neutral aerial, which can lead into other combos. Fox and Falco can often be regrabbed from a down tilt at medium percentages, and their side special moves can be intercepted by Falcon's down tilt if they try to sweetspot the ledge. The down tilt can also combo into a Knee Smash and the up aerial, depending on knockback and DI.


Total: 39
Hit: 7-16
IASA: 38
Dash Attack: 7% (Late), 10% (Clean).
Shoulder tackles forward. Strongest when it comes out, weaker afterward. Fairly fast, good for knocking the foe away from the ledge to follow with an aerial attack or edgeguard, with proper mindgaming/prediction.


Total: 64
Hit: 18-21
IASA: 60
Charge frame: 10
Forward Smash: Up, Neutral, Down (21%/20%/19%).
Reels his elbow back and thrusts it forward. Excellent knockback even when uncharged with good horizontal and vertical launching power, making it hard to DI. Somewhat fast as well. Uncharged usually KOs around 100%+. This attack is the 3rd most powerful forward smash in the game. Can be angled, which changes the percentage.


Total: 54
Hit: 21-22, 27-28
IASA: 40
Charge frame: 8
Up Smash: Hit 1, Hit 2 (8%-14%/12%-13).
Quickly thrusts both his feet upward in circular motions. A fast and powerful move, though short range. The second hit sometimes has difficulty connecting, as with Ganondorf's. This is Falcon's most powerful move damage-wise (when fully charged).


Total: 49
Hit: 19-22, 29-32
IASA: 45
Charge frame: 14
Down Smash: Front, Back (18%, 16%).
Kicks in front then back of him. Small noticeable startup, but good speed and knockback.


Total: 44
Hit: 7-12, 20-29
Auto cancel: <3 34>
Landlag: 15
L-Canceled: 7
Neutral Aerial: Hit 1 (5%-6%), Hit 2 (7%)
His fair from SSB64, kicks twice in front of him. A good two-hit combo starter or finisher, though the second hit is difficult to land. This move can infamously lead into a Sacred Combo. It is rather odd how Falcon's neutral aerial isn't affect by the Stale-move negation, yet his clone, Ganondorf's neutral aerial is.


Total: 39
Hit: 14-30
IASA: 36
Auto cancel: <6 35>
Landlag: 19
L-Canceled: 9
Forward Aerial: The Knee of Justice. 6% (Late), 18% (Clean).
Sticks out his knee. If it lands during the initial frames, the victim is electrocuted and is sent in a difficult-to-DI-out-of semi-spike trajectory (32 degrees to be exact). If it lands any other time, the move is very weak with little knockback, though it can be chained into another Knee. An extremely powerful move when it lands a clean hit; it is often regarded as one of the most powerful and useful moves in the game, and undoubtedly the most powerful forward aerial of Melee (though, in terms of knockback, its the third most powerful forward aerial in the game, after Zelda and Dr. Mario). This move is the usual end to most of Falcon's aerial combos, or even to use against grounded foes in an aerial assault. Easily KOs at damage percentages as low as 60% off the edge.


Total: 35
Hit: 10-17
IASA: 29
Auto cancel: <6 21>
Landlag: 18
L-Canceled: 9
Back Aerial: 8% (Late, 14% (Clean).
Does a quick backhand punch from behind. Good power and speed, often used as an edgeguarding move. Weak if the opponent is hit late in the attack.


Total: 33
Hit: 6-13
IASA: 30
Auto cancel: 22>
Landlag: 15
L-Canceled: 7
Up-Aerial: 10%-12% (Late), 14% (Clean).
Does a midair bicycle kick and sticks his feet out. Knockback direction depends on what angle the move hits the foe, though strong nonetheless. Also good for juggling, and edgeguarding if hit near the end of the attack.


Total: 44
Hit: 16-20
IASA: 38
Auto cancel: <3 36>
Landlag: 24
L-Canceled: 12
Down Aerial: 16%.
A stomp attack. Stomps below him for good downward knockback and high hitstun. Minor startup and ending lag. Can nipple spike if hit within the torso region, making it a spike and even more powerful (the most powerful spike in the game). If used on a grounded opponent, this move is a great combo starter, and can KO at high percentages. One of the strongest meteor smashes in the game.

Special Moveset:


Total: 99
Hit: 52-56
Neutral Special: Falcon Punch. Close, Mid, Far (27%/25%/23%).
The most iconic move of Captain Falcon's moveset, the Falcon Punch. Winds up then releases a powerful, fiery punch, with his fists engulfed in a falcon-shaped flame. Deals very high damage and knockback, and is the finisher move after an F-Air in the Sacred Combo. However, it is much slower than in SSB64 and is extremely predictable and punishable (the charging can also be cancelled by most attacks).


Total ground (whiffed): 79
Hit window (ground): 15-34
Hit window (air): 17-34
When he hits: 4-8
Lag from hitting (air): 45
Lag from hitting (ground): 25
Landlag: 20
LandfallSpecialLag: 20
Side Special: Raptor Boost. 7%.
Dashes forward. If he doesn't hit an opponent, he falls over. If he hits an opponent on the ground, he launches a fiery uppercut, knocking them into the air. If he hits an opponent while in midair, he punches downward, meteor smashing airborne opponents. However, the move always makes him helpless, so it is very risky to use offstage.


Total: 64
Grab: 13-33
Can grab edges as soon as: 38

Grabs edges from both sides

--When Grabbing---
Total: 79
Hit: 2-6
Sends away: 20

LandfallSpecialLag: 30
Up Special: Falcon Dive. Grab (5%), Release (12%), Breakout (6%).
Leaps upwards, a recovery move that can also grab the ledge even if Captain Falcon if facing the opposite direction. Normally makes him helpless, but if he grabs an opponent, he releases them with a fiery blow and will be able to use the move again.



Total:
Hit (from ground): 14-32
Hit (from air): 15-29
Recovery time (from ground): 29
Recovery time (from air): 28
NOTE: Landing during the air recovery
time causes the ground hit.
Ground hit lag: 45
Ground hit damaging: 1-2
Wall hit lag: 60
Down Special: 9%-15% (Ground), 11%-15% (Air).
Rushes forward while performing a fiery kick. If he goes off a ledge, he continues dashing forward. If started in midair, he kicks down at a diagonal angle. Restores his midair jump, making it a useful move for horizontal recovery at long distances.

Grabs:


Total: 30
Grab: 7-8

Total: 40
Grab: 11-12

Dodges:

Air Dodge

Invulnerable 4-29 out of 49

Spot Dodge

Invulnerable 3-20 out of 32

Forward Roll

Invulnerable 4-19 out of 31

Backward Roll

Invulnerable 4-19 out of 31

-

Match-Ups:
Fox; -2 (Countered).
Falco; -2 (Countered).
Sheik; -1 (Soft Countered).
Marth; ±0 (Even Match).
Jiggly; -1 (Soft Countered).
Peach; +1 (Soft Counter)
Captain; Mirror Match.
Ice Climbers; ±0 (Even Match).
Dr. Mario; +1 (Soft Counter).
Pikachu; ±0 (Even Match).
Samus; +1 (Soft Counter).
Ganon; +1 (Soft Counter).
Luigi; +1 (Soft Counter).
Mario; +1 (Soft Counter).
Yoshi; +2 (Counter).
Young Link; +2 (Counter).
Link; +3 (Hard Counter).
Donkey Kong; +1 (Soft Counter).
Roy; +3 (Hard Counter).
Zelda; +2 (Counter).
Mewtwo; +3 (Hard Counter).
Mr. Game & Watch; +2 (Counter).
Ness; +3 (Hard Counter).
Bowser; +3 (Hard Counter).
Pichu; +3 (Hard Counter).
Kirby; +3 (Hard Counter).