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Isabelle

Jab (-14):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)

FTilt (-20):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)
Grab (Frame 16)

UTilt (-19):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)

DTilt (-13/-17):
GSA (Frame 9)
Grab (Frame 16)
(Pushback can make this attack safer)

Dash Attack (-21):
Grab (Frame 16)
(Can be spaced out)

FSmash (-20):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)
Grab (Frame 16)

USmash (-12):
GSA (Frame 9)

DSmash (-29/-26):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)
Grab (Frame 16)
FSmash (Frame 26)

NAir (-2):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield)

FAir (-4):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield, projectile usage)

BAir (-3):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield, projectile usage)

UAir (-5):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield)

DAir (-5):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield)

Pocket (--):
--
(All Pocketed projectiles count as projectile usage)

Fishing Rod (--):
--
(Be careful punishing this attack up close, the reel in can still catch you)

Balloon Trip (--):
--

Lloid Trap (--):
--

• Neutral Moves: Aerials (FAir/BAir as projectiles), Tilts, Jab, Fishing Rod, Grab.

• Kill Moves: Smash Attacks, FTilt, Aerials, DTilt, Lloid Trap, Fishing Rod.

• Kill Confirms: Jab Setups (Wobelle), UTilt > UAir, DAir > USmash/UAir/FSmash, Jab > Pocket Projectile > Follow-Up.

• Isabelle’s neutral vs Young Link can simply be described by a lack of options and a further lack of good options. Her options are outpaced by Young Link at most positions in neutral.

• This means both zoning and close quarters combat are viable, mix between the two.

• Zoning is strong because we have more tools and responses at a longer distance. Fire Arrows outpace Isabelle’s FAir/BAir pressure, and her pellets can be clanked with NAir/BAir. She has a hard time finding a kill from afar.

• Her main way of killing afar outside of projectiles is Fishing Rod. It’s a Semi-Command Grab that reels in the user to Isabelle. It’s best use is a punish on conditioning/reads, similar to how we use Boomerang. The issue is that Young Link is not forced to approach, and thus Isabelle can’t condition approaches as effectively.

• At a distance, Fishing Rod is reactable and doesn’t beat shields.

• Close quarters combat is favorable vs Isabelle due to her lack of shield pressure and frame data. Her safest pressure consists of NAir and DTilt, with Jab mix-ups on shield (although FAir and BAir are safe on shield, they’re better used at a distance).

• Isabelle is somewhat susceptible to shield pressure from Young Link, with her fastest option being her Frame 8 NAir out of shield. She doesn’t have faster options to hit spaced moves like DTilt. Jab2 is safe on her shield, unless unspaced and staled once.

• As a character with projectiles, Isabelle also has the issue of a deadzone, with her main tool in the deadzone being Fishing Rod, just like Boomerang. Although it’s safer to stay out of the deadzone when zoning because of Fishing Rod.

• Fire Arrows are the zoning tool of choice at long range. They outpace FAir/BAir and are high-reward. Isabelle HAS to short hop to use FAir/BAir, so Fire Arrow is reliable at anti-airing from afar and more likely to hit at short hop height than grounded. Mix up shot timings to maximize this.

• Isabelle’s FAir and BAir play a similar way. It’s potent at anti-airing and at the core of her zoning neutral.

• Not entirely relevant, but Pocketed fully charged Fire Arrows kill Young Link starting around 90%. Mix up timings, but don’t fully charge.

• Boomerang is constricting in use, be wise in using it. Overuse of it is a sacrifice of time in a projectile MU where Fire Arrows and safety are preferred over it. Isabelle pocketing Boomerang gives her a 20+% projectile that combos. Not extremely, relevant but worth knowing.

• Lloid Trap is mainly used by Isabelle to build stage control by dissuading being around it, but it’s easily destroyed.

• Boomerang and Bomb are reliable ways to dispatch Lloid Trap, or FTilt up close. Shield dashing over it also works if the situation calls for it.

Boxing (How do I escape this situation?):

• Be smart about dispatching Lloid Rocket. Being too predictable about it can lead to getting punished.

• Isabelle in advantage state/with stage control doesn’t change much gameplay-wise. Unless she immediately encroaches on space, playing in the corner is similar to neutral.

• Even if she does, it can mirror close quarters combat situations, with a higher priority on returning to neutral.

Platform Pressure

(What tools do they have? How can we escape this pressure?):

• From under the platform, Isabelle can pressure with NAir/UAir. Either escape, or force a shield pressure situation.

• Isabelle’s main form of platform pressure is FAir and BAir. It’s a consistent projectile that allows her to pressure from a distance. The opponent will mix up both the timing and placement of the them, catching jumps and what not.

• Platforms should be used in moderation. Excessive usage to avoid grounded pressure and vice versa can lead to being trapped on the platform.

Landing

(How do they cover it? What are my best options?):

• Isabelle can cover landings from afar with FAir and BAir. This option is beaten by landing with NAir to clank the pellet. Her Dash Attack can also be used for this purpose.

• Lloid Rocket’s presence denies space and forces landing elsewhere. Isabelle uses this to indirectly influence landing positions.

• Fishing Rod is used both on the ground to catch aggressive landings, or in the air semi-close and high up to take stocks. For this purpose, Fishing Rod is reactable.

Offstage

(How Do I Escape This Position And What Do I Look Out For?):

• Isabelle’s primary tool for edgeguarding is FAir and BAir. Her goal with it is to gimp or remove double jump.

• Her Dash Attack sends upwards, which sets up for good FAir/BAir positioning.

• If higher up, NAir to clank with FAir and BAir is an option. Mixing up double jump and NAir timing is important, since these aerials are not entirely reactable.

• Continuing this is the issue of Fishing Rod. Isabelle can condition a NAir response, and punish with Fishing Rod. To counteract this, throw Boomerang or Bomb to interrupt.

• If Isabelle uses Fishing Rod to passively cover ledge, use tether to wait out the timer.

• Isabelle can edgeguard normally through NAir and DAir, which spikes and the late hit can set up for a FAir.

• DI up when sent offstage but not killed. Being above the ledge in terms of height increases the chances of a successful recovery even if hit by FAir/BAir.

Ledge:

• Isabelle can reset ledge trapping/cover it rather safely with NAir, similar to how Young Link uses it in ledgetrapping.

• Mix up timing and option choice.

• Lloid Rocket allows Isabelle to passively cover a ledge option. She can follow up on the drag up with a Fishing Rod pull. If she’s unable to do so, DI to land onstage.

Juggling/Boxing:

• Isabelle’s landing tools consist of her aerials, Fishing Rod, Pocket, double jump, airdodge and timing mix-ups.

• Isabelle using Pocket in mid-air to grab projectiles forces her into 27 Frames of endlag. Use this to gain stage control/strong positional pressure.

• Use Boomerang to constrict air space and narrow the course for anti-airing. If necessary, aim the Boomerang to be slightly away from Isabelle so that it won’t be Pocketed.

• Hold stage control and constrict air space. Isabelle will struggle to get out of the corner as she has no way to quickly reverse the situation if you build and hold stage control + space (i.e center stage).

• Isabelle has less options to escape the corner when out of her burst range. She’s limited to FAir/BAir, Dash Attack, and Fishing Rod.

• When jumping in to corner pressure, use NAir to clank FAir/BAir pellets.

• ZAir poking isn’t as effective due to Isabelle being able to counter with FAir/BAir, meaning it’s not a safe poke.

Offstage:

• Fishing Rod doubles as a tether, allowing Isabelle to forego using Balloon Trip. However, this move still doubles for its original purpose, which means Isabelle can Grab the opponent and gimp them while recovering. Stay out of the same plane of altitude, Isabelle is at offstage until she commits to Balloon Trip.

• While above avoiding Fishing Rod, Throw/Z-drop Bombs down to bait and punish Pocket, punish a Fishing Rod throw, or kill confirm off of it.

• Isabelle’s Balloon Trip does not have a hitbox. Aim either to hit Isabelle directly, or pop both balloons.

• If Isabelle is directly below ledge, then use ledge slip NAir or ledge slip BAir to hit Isabelle/pop the balloons respectively.

• If Isabelle is farther from the ledge, Z-drop/throw a Bomb down, since this option also avoids Fishing Rod.

• Isabelle’s strongest options from double jump include FAir and Fishing Rod. NAir could be common from ledge jump.

• Passive projectile use to cover ledge options can be Pocketed by Isabelle, mainly Bomb at ledge or Boomerang to cover ledge jump.

• Cover options with positioning more so than projectiles. Isabelle lacks long-range options/safe options off the ledge.

Ledge Info:

XLR8’s Spreadsheet Young Link Ledge Info:

DTilt: Hits

DSmash: Hits

FTilt: Hits

Most Reliable Move: FTilt

Animation Info: Aim for the head drop animation if you are close to the ledge

Note: Easy, FTilt always connects.

• FD DTilt > ASA %s: 106, 90

• FD FThrow @ Ledge %s: 168, 148

• FD Milkshake %s: 99-143, 88-121

• Isabelle Kill Throws: BThrow, Fishing Rod Throw Up/Side

• Pocketed Boomerang does NOT copy the angle at which Boomerang was originally thrown. Pocketed Boomerang cuts through Fire Arrows.

• When Isabelle does a rising full hop FAir/BAir, she can use another FAir/BAir before landing.

• If Fire Arrow/Boomerang hits Isabelle while the Fishing Rod is reeling in, the move is interrupted.

• If Fishing Rod grabs a Bomb (item), Isabelle reels the Bomb in and grabs it.

• Young Link can NEVER dash or run over Lloid Trap.

• Lloid Trap stays on the field for 10 seconds.

Isabelle Jab Follow Ups List (Made by Lath#5200, Isacord Resources):

• Mix-ups: Grab, Roll Chase

• 0% (+4): Shield, Roll In, Full Hop, Dash Back

• 35% (+6): Reverse UTilt 65%

• (+7): Pocket Trap 95%

• (+8): DSmash, FTilt

• Battlefield:
  Indifferent. This stage is a double-edged sword in this MU. The platforms aid in escaping the corner and in neutral occasionally, but overall reduces zoning capability, alongside large side zones. Not much incentive to pick this stage, but it’s not terrible compared to the other options.

• Final Destination:
  Bad. Flat stages limit the amount of counterplay to FAir/BAir (less places to stand), and simplifies Isabelle’s gameplan. Not terrible, but still the worst stage in the MU.

• Smashville:
  Great. Small stage width and large platform strengthens close quarters combat/deadzone pressure against Isabelle, and heightens positional pressure in advantage.

• Town & City:
  Indifferent. Flat stage with occasional platforms and large side zones. Similar to FD and Kalos in stage reasoning.

• Lylat Cruise:
  Great. Same reasons as SV.

• Pokémon Stadium 2:
  Great. Consistent and favorable attributes. Platforms, low side zones, etc. Starter/first choice pick.

• Kalos Pokémon League:
  Indifferent. Similar reasons to FD with the upside of wall jumps, more space, and side platforms.

• Yoshi’s Story:
  Indifferent. Same reasons as BF, upside of smaller side zones.

• Hivesteel’s Young Link vs Isabelle VOD Playlist: Isabelle vs Young Link

• Isabelle MU Quickref by @Cacophony#3999 (Isacord Resources)

• Isabelle Landing Down Air Follow-ups Chart (Isacord Resources)