Lucario

Lucario

Series
Final Smash	Close Combat
Appearances	Super Smash Bros Brawl, Crusade
Tier	A (18)

General

Lucario (Japanese: ルカリオ, Rukario) is a Fighting/Steel type Pokémon in the Pokémon media franchise. He is known as the Aura Pokémon, being able to sense auras and understand human speech. Lucario appears as the main representative of the fourth generation of the Pokémon series in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Changes from Brawl to Crusade

Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Up Smash, Neutral Aerial, Back Aerial, Dash Attack, Forward Throw, and Back Throw have been changed to new attacks.
Final Smash is now Close Combat.
Lucario has a slightly faster running speed and faster falling speed.
Up B is now Sky Uppercut.
Maximum Aura power is now capped, but the percentage required to reach the maximum depends on the difference in Lucario's Falls and KOs.

Attributes

Lucario is ranked 18th in the tier list for 0.8. Lucario has good attack speed and can rack up damage decently. Lucario has a good chain grab and a counter move and has a very good air game due to his aerials and jumps. However, when at low damage, Lucario has a very hard time killing and his recovery can easily be gimped.

Lucario in general is well balanced in both power and speed. However, due to its "high risk, high return" property, it is very difficult to pull off a good KO. Lucario is too reliant on directional influence and kills near the blast lines. This is because most of Lucario's Aura based attacks will do low knockback and damage when Lucario has taken low percent damage, and the higher its percentage is, the more powerful its Aura based attacks will be. Also, it has no attack with the ability to meteor smash opponents. However, all of its aerials are quick and have decent damage, knockback, favorable hitboxes, and reach. Lucario is very useful when it comes to stringing together attacks in order to rack up damage. In fact, most of Lucario's offensive power involves juggling and follow-up attacks. In terms of defensive power, Lucario is a floaty middleweight. This makes it easier to KO vertically but difficult to chain throw. Since the majority of Lucario's attacks use Aura, it fights with disjointed hitboxes that have long durations. This means Lucario is good at spacing and fighting defensively. Lucario's attacks that use Aura grow in power in proportion to the amount of damage he has taken and at stock advantage/disadvantage.

One of the most popular string of attacks is the use of his neutral attack combo or dash attack and then following up with an up tilt, which has good juggling capacities and can be spammed easily. Lucario's counter-attack, Double Team is the strongest counter-attack in the game. It can also protect Lucario from all attacks, including grabs and Final Smashes due to it having true invincibility frames instead of just counter frames unlike other counters. Two of its aerials, the forward aerial and up aerial, can combine with other attacks and juggle themselves respectively (in addition, the forward aerial can used as a pseudo-Wall of Pain technique). Its trademark ability, the Aura Sphere, is a very powerful projectile with strong knockback and damage when fully charged, but is harder to KO with unless Lucario is at higher percentages; it can also damage opponents while it is charging, but the opponents have to be very close to Lucario to do this. Lucario's side special, Force Palm can serve as an excellent chain grab against heavy/fast fallers at low percentages.

Lucario is a character that, rather simply, relies on building and maintaining momentum throughout the match until it can safely KO the opponent. It has all the right tools and tricks for the job, but falling behind can prove problematic for a Lucario player. This can also be helpful with the added power to his Aura-based moves to turn the tide of the match against its opponents.

Lucario's Normal Moves

Neutral attack

Lucario waves its hand forward, does a palm thrust, and then punches high. Each hit has blue aura accompanying it and moves Lucario a fair bit forward. The first hit can combine with other attacks well, especially grabs. By using the first strike, Lucario can initiate a Force Palm grab, standard grab or tilt to start a combo. Initial damage: First hit does 2%, second hit is 2% and the third hit is 3%. Total damage is 7%. At it's maximum potential the total combo does 14% with moderate to high knockback. Has a start-up of 4 frames.

Dash attack

Lucario crouches while dashing forwards, then swipes his paw upwards to launch enemies into the air. Aura is not involved in this attack. Does 7% damage at outset, with useful pop-up should the move land towards its start. It can easily combo into a Forward Air. Like most dash attacks, very punishable on shield. Sourspotted does 6%. Hitbox out on frame 11-16.

Down tilt

Sweeps one leg out along the ground. Paws flare with Aura when it does this. Has a small amount of IASA frames. Does 5% standard, and 9% maximum. Hits on frame 6-10.

Forward tilt

Swings its front paw forward, creating an arc of Aura with good range and moving slightly forward. The move is active for quite a while and has strong priority, making it a go-to ground move at mid-range. Deals 7% damage and has a hitbox from frames 9-16.

Up tilt

Thrusts paws upward, releasing a blast of Aura over its head. This move has good range, with range increasing as Lucario takes damage. It is good for juggling due to its strong priority and speed. Deals 8% damage in its initial frames, and 5% later. Hitbox is active on frames 9-17.

Forward smash

Lucario places its paws together in front of itself and shoots a blast of blue aura energy, with great range and a good amount of active frames. Attack is strongest when only Aura blast connects. When sourspotted, damage is equal to a down smash. The move has IASA frames very quickly after active frames finish, making it unusually difficult to punish for such a strong move, though the start-up is still very punishable. When Lucario is at high percentages it is one of the strongest side smashes in the game, otherwise below average knockback. Does 11% with a good amount of knockback when sweetspotted. Charged does 17% if sweetspotted. Does 21% at maximum if sweetspotted and uncharged and does 27% at maximum if sweetspotted and charged. Hitbox is active on frames 18 - 26.

Down smash

Lucario brings its paws down to either side of it in a downwards slapping motion. It has rather slow start-up (frame 17-21) and noticeable ending lag for a down smash, but it is one of the strongest down smashes in the game when at full power, and has a slightly faster startup than Forward Smash. Does 10% at outset and 16% if charged. Does 18% uncharged and 24% charged at max power.

Up smash

Lucario swings its paw upwards, creating a slashing effect, and a blue trail of Aura follows its hand. This Smash is fairly short-ranged, but it is far faster than Lucario's other Smash attacks and has solid KO power when Lucario is damaged. Damage is equivalent to Down Smash in its initial frames. Hitbox is active on frames 10 - 15

Neutral aerial

Kicks forwards at a slight down angle, much like Mario's Neutral Aerial. Aura emanates from Lucario's foot during the move, giving it a lot of range. This aerial is very useful as a short-hopped approach. It's fairly quick, having active frames 8 - 24, and deals 8% damage initially, and 5% later. When Lucario is at max power, it deals 13% initially, and 8% later.

Forward aerial

Lucario kicks forward with a slight upwards tilt. The end has a small burst of blue aura energy, like most of Lucario's moves. It can also hit twice in one short hop and can hit another time if an enemy is hit with the first one at close range. This can combine with other attacks well. Initial damage is 6% with max Aura boost does 11% but becomes harder to combo with. Hitbox extends everywhere except above Lucario. Has a start-up of 6 frames. Lucario's fastest aerial.

Up aerial

Lucario kicks similarly to its forward aerial, but higher, hitting in front of its head. The hitbox covers its entire leg, but the sweetspot is the Aura burst near the foot. This aerial has the good juggling capabilities due to the hitbox's position above Lucario. Does 6% at minimum power and it does 14% maxium. Hitbox out on frame 7-11.

Down aerial

Lucario pauses in the air, thrusts its feet together downwards, and lets out a fairly large burst of aura energy. Fairly long duration, and has unique properties that make it an incredibly useful attack. When it starts the move, all of its momentum is immediately canceled. It can be used to perform a "pseudo-SHFFL": if used immediately after jumping, Lucario will cease to jump and immediately use the attack, making it one of the lowest possible attacking aerial moves. There is also no landing lag when doing this, as the entirety of the move is performed stationary in midair. Initial damage of first hit is 4%, 2nd hit is 5%. All together does 9% damage. Excellent knockback on 2nd hit. Often considered his best attack due having almost no start-up lag and is a great combo finisher. Does 16% with both hits at maximum strength. First hit on frame 7-10, second hit on frame 15-18.This move also makes it that Lucario can make the lowest jumps in the game.

Back aerial

Lucario kicks backwards, ccompanied by standard little burst of blue aura. Quick start-up time (8 frames) and landing lag, making it a solid choice near the ground, with a lasting hitbox makes it powerful for edge-guarding. It has great horizontal knockback along with a large hitbox with good horizontal reach. This move also is a good defense and approach option. Does 8% at minimum power and 14% at maximum power.

Forward throw

Headbutts enemy with force, sending out a pulse of Aura. This throw does a good deal of hitstun and damage, but can rarely be used for combos. Sends the opponent diagonally up and forward. Deals 8% minimum damage, and 12% maximum.

Down throw

Slams opponent straight into the ground in front of Lucario. Aura is not used in this attack. Can set up an aerial combo at low to mid percentages quite effectively. It starts becoming less useful for set ups at higher percentages (around 80% and up). This move heavily depends on the opponent's DI, but leaves them in a vulnerable position regardless of where they are sent flying. This move can also set up an early kill by dragging the opponent offstage with a barrage forward aerials and then a down aerial near the edge for a KO. Does 5% at minimum, 10% maximum. Deals the least damage of any throw in the game along with Up Throw.

Back throw

Turns and hits the opponent behind itself. Has moderate horizontal knockback along with relatively fast speed and is useful for putting opponents off-stage. Does a minimum of 7% and a maximum of 10%.

Up throw

Tosses the opponent upwards with an Aura effect. Positioning is useful for combos and juggling. Does 5% when a low power, and 10% maximum power. Can chain throw heavyweights and fast fallers at very low percentages. This throw is similar to but stronger than Lucario's down throw.

Lucario's Special Moves

Keep in mind that all of his Special moves deal different amounts of damage and knockback depending on how much damage Lucario has.

Type	Name	Description
Neutral Special	Aura Sphere	Upon use, Lucario will begin charging a ball of pure aura between his hands. It takes about 2 seconds to fully charge, and can do between ~12% and ~34% depending on Lucario's damage. While charging, it provides a huge shield behind him that is difficult to get through.
Side Special	Force Palm	Lucario fires a massive blast of Aura from his hand. If the opponent is hit with the grabbing hitbox in the first few frames of the attack, Lucario will grab the opponent and hit them dead-on with the aura blast. Deals ~11%.
Up Special	Sky Uppercut	Lucario leaps upward with his fist outstretched in a spiral of aura. This move has multiple hitboxes, and often works similarly to a Shoryuken. First hitbox does about 5%, second does 6%. At full Aura, first hit deals 7.5%, and second deals 8.5%.
Down Special	Counter	Lucario takes a countering stance and becomes invincible for a short time. If he is hit during a specific frame window, Lucario will disappear and reappear a certain distance from where he was hit with a flying kick. Since it's a counter, its damage and knockback depend on the attack he is hit by.
Final Smash	Close Combat	Lucario shouts "Watch the power of the Aura!" and slashes three times in front of him, moving forward each time. If he catches an opponent in the third slash, he releases a flurry of lightning-quick punches, finishing in a massive explosion of Aura. The whole attack does around 53%.