70-
Piranha Plant

Jab1 (-13), Jab2 (-15) & Jab3 (-13):
NAir (Frame 7)
GSA (Frame 9)

Rapid Jab Finisher (-29):
GSA (Frame 9)
Grab (Frame 16)
FSmash (Frame 26)

FTilt1 (-14):
NAir (Frame 7)
GSA (Frame 9)

FTilt2 (-20):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)

UTilt (-11):
NAir (Frame 7)
GSA (Frame 9)

DTilt (-12):
NAir (Frame 7)
GSA (Frame 9)

Dash Attack (-28):
GSA (Frame 9)
Grab (Frame 16)
FSmash (Frame 26)

FSmash (-22):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)
Grab (Frame 16)

USmash (-27):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)
Grab (Frame 16)

DSmash (-24):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)
Grab (Frame 16)

NAir (-13):
NAir (Frame 7)
GSA (Frame 9)

FAir (-9):
NAir (Frame 7)
GSA (Frame 9)

BAir (-11):
NAir (Frame 7)
GSA (Frame 9)

UAir (-6):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield)

DAir (-14):
NAir (Frame 7)
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)

Ptooie (+6 Above, -3 Blown Away) :
Unpunishable
(Super safe on shield, projectile usage)

Poison Breath (--):
Unpunishable
(Never shield this move for any longer than necessary. Piranha Plant is free to move as it eats your shield)

Piranhacopter (--):
--

Long-Stem Strike (-31 to -17, 10 tipped):
Unpunishable
(Range of this move is designed to make it safe from a distance)

Footstool Attack (--):
--

• Neutral Moves: Jab, Ptooie, Aerials, Tilts.

• Kill Moves: Smash Attacks, FTilt, BAir, DAir.

• Ptooie is Piranha Plant’s core move. It’s a very active projectile that can be + on shield, kill, do a ton of damage, and cover aerial approaches.

• He can change the height at which he shoots it at, which changes its velocity, but you have time to react and avoid it when it is floating up higher from Piranha Plant.

• It can also be used to punish landing on Piranha Plant, or as a Frame 9 combo breaker/close quarters combat trade. Young Link's FTilt can be spaced to hit Piranha Plant and slash Ptooie back, avoiding it from hitting you.

• Piranha Plant uses (or rather, relies on) his specials damaging shield to get punishes in neutral, with shield being removed as an option once he damages it enough.

• Watch his angle on Long-Stem Stretch, and react accordingly. If he angles the move down, he CAN’T angle it back up.

• Piranha Plant’s Long-Stem Stretch has super armor, but also extends his hurtbox.

• Piranha Plant’s Poison Breath racks up an insane amount of damage and shield damage, just like its other specials. It does not have shieldstun, however.

• Besides that, Piranha Plant will use it to hide what option he’s using, though this is more prominent in his ledgetrapping. Pay attention to the audio cues to figure out what he’s doing.

• Even then, you won’t be able to see his Long Stem Stretch angle, so you’ll be forced to shield.

• Piranha Plant has a Frame 2 Jab as a get-off-me option.

• Zoning is strong against Piranha Plant while avoiding his specials. Rack up damage safely, alongside non-committal pressure.

• Fire Arrows can combo and disrupt his gameplan, and poke him while staying away. Notably, they're extremely effective at disrupting Ptooie.

• Same with Boomerang, though be wary that it completely loses to Ptooie, and that you shouldn’t recklessly use it when trapped in the corner.

• Generally though, being on top of platforms is disadvantageous in this MU, as Ptooie and USmash are extremely effective platform pressure.

• Piranha Plant is a character that thrives off of the opponent being above them, in the air, or anti-airing.

• Piranha Plant doesn’t have great out of shield options. His fastest are Grab and UAir (Frame 10). Young Link's DTilt is great shield pressure.

Boxing

(How do I escape this situation?):

• Since Piranha Plant can choose the spacing he wants when you’re in the corner, he’ll usually put you right at Ptooie range, or fish for shield damage with Long-Stem Stretch/Poison Breath.

• Reacting to and whiff punishing Ptooie is an option, but otherwise make a read, dodge, use a Bomb or Fire Arrow, shield, Grab, etc.

• Use shield cautiously. Piranha Plant has more opportunities to rack up shield damage when the opponent is in the corner.

• Either aim for neutral/stage control, or get in close quarters combat range of Piranha Plant. This is because Ptooie will whiff, and Young Link can shield pressure Piranha Plant effectively.

• Going to this range is an alternate solution, as opposed to the more risky option of making a read to reclaim control.

Platform Pressure

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

• Ptooie when being held by Piranha Plant covers platform space, and can be placed onto platforms.

• USmash also hits platforms. Piranha Plant can also pressure with BAir and NAir.

• You don’t want to be on the platforms in the first place, as it’s really bad to be there if Piranha Plant is below you, so get off of it as soon as possible, while avoiding Ptooie.

• If possible, land away from Piranha Plant. Double jump is a last-choice option to avoid Ptooie/avoid it and punish.

Landing

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

• Ptooie is a major problem when trying to land. You can’t land on Piranha Plant, and airdodging through it won’t work. You’ll have to time your landing to avoidit when he blows it towards you.

• There’s also the worry of Long-Stem Stretch. He’ll shift around as you move, but remember he can’t shift back up, so you could double jump over it.

• Other than that, he can contest your landing with USmash, or hit you with BAir for a kill.

Offstage

(How do I escape this position, and what do I look out for?):

• Watch out for snipes with Long-Stem Stretch (regular, Wavebounce, B-Reverse) or Ptooie (regular, B-Weverse, Wavebounce). Airdodging is unlikely to work vs these options. Ptooie has a long lasting hitbox.

• Piranha Plant could also DAir spike or edgeguard with NAir/BAir.

• Piranha Plant still prefers to ledgetrap, and goes for edgeguards when they offer low-risk and high reward + success rate.

• When recovering low/around ledge height, conserve resources to avoid Ptooie thrown from the ledge.

Ledge:

• This is the hardest part of the MU. Piranha Plant can do so much while ledgetrapping.

• Firstly, be wary of Piranha Plant hiding his option with Poison Breath. Pay attention to the audio cues of Ptooie, Long-Stem Stretch, or lack of either.

• As for Ptooie, Piranha Plant can place it to hit the opponent right at the ledge, or getup/roll/jump read. Time your option correctly around it.

Juggling/Boxing:

• Piranha Plant can’t directly cover below himself while landing, but he can mix up his aerial movement with specials, and stall with Long-Stem Stretch/Ptooie.

• Wavebounce/B-Reverse Ptooie/Poison Breath/Long-Stem Stretch. Be wary of when the Piranha Plant stalls in the air, and when Piranha Plant mixes up his movement.

• Anti-air directly above with UAir, and Bombs if they air camp.

• Boomerang excels in trapping Piranha Plant’s landings, or constricting air space when landing. It’s costly for him to clank or airdodge with it.

• When playing close quarters combat, boxing, or comboing Piranha Plant, be wary of Ptooie’s usage as a combo breaker. Commit less in strings/extensions.

• Fire Arrow is excellent at interrupting Ptooie, causing the projectile to land at its point of startup. It still has an active hitbox, though. Use it for disrupting both ground and aerial Ptooie.

Offstage:

• Be wary of Piranha Plant using Ptooie/Long-Stem Stretch offstage to intercept an edgeguard.

• Piranha Plant might charge Poison Breath offstage. When he does this, he’s vulnerable.

• Punish this by creating a favorable edgeguard or ledgetrap situation.

• Piranhacopter can’t be contested from the sides. Space FAir, or time a Bomb toss down and convert off of it.

• Be wary of Piranha Plant using double jump Poison Breath, Ptooie, or Long-Stem Stretch from ledge.

• Piranha Plant’s range from the ledge is mostly from specials. He can’t move far from the ledge. Trap with stage control, using projectiles to combo and rack up damage.

Ledge Info:

XLR8’s Spreadsheet Young Link Ledge Info:

DTilt: Hits

DSmash: Hits

FTilt: Hits

Most Reliable Move: All

Animation Info: Aim for the head rise, if you’re closer to the ledge.

Note: Spaced moves consistently hit Piranha Plant at the ledge.

• FD DTilt > ASA %s: 122, 110

• FD FThrow @ Ledge %s: 193, 165

• FD Milkshake %s: 115-167, 102-140

• Piranha Plant Kill Throws: UThrow

• Piranha Plant can’t be footstooled. Piranha Plant has a special footstool attack which triggers when he is footstooled.

• Piranha Plant uses Jab3 for tech chases, starting at low percentages.

• Battlefield:
  Good. Though dealing with Ptooie through platforms seems difficult, platforms are beneficial against Ptooie, since hiding under them offers protection from it. This is a strength to abuse in stage selection.

• Final Destination:
  Indifferent. This stage provides space to camp Piranha Plant, but no platforms to hide under. Either rush in at Ptooie as it’s thrown, or fall back to avoid it.

• Smashville:
  Bad. The center platform forces Piranha Plant to shoot low-height Ptooies to hit the opponent on the ground, which are easier to play around. Still though, there isn’t a lot of space to work with. Additionally, Ptooie has increased sharking capabilities here.

• Town & City:
  Great. Ideally, the center stage platform is wanted for Ptooie protection, but even when stage has the FD layout, there’s a lot of space to work with, so Ptooie can be played around. Make use of the large stage for projectile use and avoiding Ptooie.

• Lylat Cruise:
  Terrible. Though you can hide under the platforms for Ptooie cover, it becomes really hard to land. Also Ptooie rolls to ledge and down the slants, which is an issue.

• Pokémon Stadium 2:
  Great. There is ample space to camp out Piranha Plant, and platform protection from Ptooie. Hold stage control, instead of retreating around Ptooie/Long-Stem Stretch.

• Kalos Pokémon League:
  Good. Lots of space to work with, and side platforms to retreat to/escape from the ledge with. Get under Piranha Plant, and toss Bombs up if the opponent begins to platform/air camp.

• Yoshi’s Story:
  Indifferent. The slants are annoying, especially since it buffs Ptooie. The layout doesn’t do as good of a job of protecting you from Ptooie, so holding center stage is important. It’s easier to land and escape the corner on this stage than SV, though.

• Plantcord's Piranha Plant Guide: PIRANHA PLANT GUIDE TO WINNING THE BIG BUCKS

• Piranha Plant UThrow Kill %s: Plant Up Throw Kill %s

• Plantcord Resources: Shrine of Ptooie: Piranha Plant Lab Respository