Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Palutena

Palutena

The Goddess of Light, Palutena joins the fight with a varied arsenal of moves. By default, Palutena is a moderately defensive zoning character, using attacks that are slow but with long reach to keep foes out, with special attacks that lets Palutena counter other projectile users effectively. However, one of Palutena's greatest strengths lie in her selection of Powers as custom special moves, all unlocked from the start. With customization, she can be played as a projectile harasser, a powerful striker or a deadly glass cannon. Palutena also has a range of strong standard attacks, all featuring either great range or speed. Palutena is one of the most flexible characters in the game. Master all of her moves and you can unlock her godly potential.

Basic attributes

Palutena is one of the faster characters in the game, having above average dash speed and pretty good walking speed as well. However, this also makes her one of the lighter characters in the game, being around the weight class of Marth. Palutena's evasive options are some of her best features, as every roll, sidestep and airdodge turns her invisible briefly. All of her dodges are very fast albeit with short travel distances, and the invisibility makes it very hard to predict or react to how Palutena is dodging. Spamming several dodges in a row can actually work out as a defensive measure due to how fast they are.

Moveset Analysis

Standard Attacks

Control			Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
(+)	(+)	(+)	Palutena thrusts the staff forward. Hold or mash the button and the staff charges up, dealing repeating hits. When you release the button, she thrusts forward a bit further to launch the opponent a safe distance away. A pretty conventional standard attack, it is very quick compared to Palutena's other ground moves, making it the safest move to use in close-range engagements. As the first hit ends quickly, it can be chained into some of her other moves with a bit of timing, such as with a grab. The multi-hit part of the move can be used to create a lasting hitbox to hit dodging foes.
(+)	(+)	(+)
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+	Palutena spins her staff out in front of her. It does multiple hits at close-range and does have good reach, but it is frustratingly slow. This move is best used defensively, since it has a lasting hitbox that can stuff approaches or hit foes out of a predicted dodge. Its poor speed means that you are very vulnerable to attacks if your opponents shield or evade it completely. Use this move sparingly.
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+
+	+	+	Palutena ducks and twirls her staff above her head. It also does multiple hits, with the later hits having more horizontal range. Palutena has a very low profile during the move, making her harder to hit. The attack can be used as an anti-air since it lasts pretty long and Palutena's crouching position keeps her safer. However, the crouching aspect of the move also makes it harder to hit aerial opponents with this move, meaning that you must time this attack differently than conventional anti-airs. Like most of Palutena's ground moves, this attack is very slow and leaves you open to attacks if a foe shields or avoids it.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Palutena does a low sweep with her staff. While it looks similar to her other Strong Attacks, this move only hits once instead of multiple times. It has about the same range as her Strong Side Attack, just lower to the ground. Unfortunately, it also shares said attack's slow speed, and its single-hit nature makes it even less safe to use liberally. It is useful in pretty much most of the situations her Strong Side Attack would be useful in.
+	+	+
while dashing	while dashing	while dashing	Palutena thrusts her shield out in front of her. This move has a very interesting guard effect, as Palutena's shield can actually neutralize projectiles and some physical attacks during the move. Combined with its high speed and fair distance travelled, this move is well-suited for approaching enemies, as it can outprioritize many of your target's attacks. The move sends foes upward and is too weak to KO, but it can set up Palutena's other KO moves.
while dashing	while dashing	while dashing
while hanging	while hanging	while hanging	Palutena does a low sweep kick as she climbs back up.
while hanging	while hanging	while hanging

Smash Attacks

Control			Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
Smash ( or )+	Smash ( or )+	( or )++	Palutena extends her wings and thrusts them forward. This move has incredible range as well as good KO power, hitting harder when foes are closer to Palutena. The tip of the wings also have a strong wind effect to push foes away, keeping her safe during the ending animation of the attack. This is one of Palutena's KO moves, although its huge hitbox gives it plenty of uses if you don't mind staling the move. While it comes out moderately fast, Palutena is quite open to attacks as the move ends, especially if opponents shield the wind or get behind Palutena. Use this move judiciously to land KOs when you need them.
Smash ( or )+	Smash ( or )+	Smash ( or )+
Smash +	Smash +	++	Palutena makes a vertical beam of light in front of her. This smash attack has ridiculous range, capable of reaching up to the top platform of Battlefield. It is also a strong upward KO move, although its power diminishes at higher altitudes. The sheer vertical reach of the move makes it useful for other functions if you don't mind staling it, such as poking foes through platforms or anti-air. The attack doesn't have a lot of horizontal range and Palutena is completely unprotected during the move, so don't use the move too liberally.
Smash +	Smash +	Smash +
Smash +	Smash +	++	Palutena extends her wings and thrusts them down on either side of her. This is basically a shorter range, multidirectional version of her Side Smash. Like her Side Smash, the attack is stronger at close-range and has strong winds at either tip of the wings. It is also a KO move, mostly used to strike roll-happy foes, as Side Smash is usually better if you're hitting a target in front of you. As with many of Palutena's attacks, keep in mind that it leaves Palutena vulnerable if opponents shield or evade it.
Smash +	Smash +	Smash +

Air Attacks

Control			Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
			Palutena twirls her staff around her, dealing multiple hits to foes caught by it. It is a great aerial attack since the hitbox covers much of Palutena's body, and the lingering hitbox makes it easier to strike airdodge-happy opponents. While the move has a moderately long duration, it is generally safe if Palutena moves around. Use it for general air-to-air combat, for clearing space as you land or to attack as you move through platforms.
+	+	+	Palutena does a flying kick. While it doesn't do a lot of damage and knockback, it is Palutena's fastest attack, and it has pretty good reach, making it a great aerial poke to chip on damage. Its sheer speed makes it an east follow-up from most launchers, and its poor knockback lets it combo into other moves, including itself. You would want to use this very often at the furthest range possible, so that you can be safe from retaliation as you poke at your opponents' defenses.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Palutena does a shield strike behind her. It has average speed and has moderately strong knockback, though not enough to KO consistently. You can use this attack in the same way as her Forward Air, to apply pressure or hinder approaches by throwing out repeated hitboxes. While it is slower and has less range, it is still fast enough that Palutena should still remain safe if you space the attack out smartly. Like her Dash Attack, the shield can neutralize projectiles while active, but this feature isn't used a lot since it's usually used at close-range.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Palutena thrusts her staff up for a magic attack. This can deal multiple hits and KOs pretty reliably. This is arguably Palutena's best KO move as it is both fast and can be used nearer to the top of the screen to KO sooner. However, the attack has plenty of utility as well. It is pretty good for juggling at lower percents, and its decent reach makes it usable as an anti-air or to poke through platforms. You should still limit your use of the move to avoid knockback staling, so that you won't lose a very reliable KO move when you need it the most.
+	+	+
+	+	+	Palutena swings her staff under her. This move is a meteor smash, and a pretty fast one at that. The animation of the move is a bit deceptive, since the attack has poor horizontal range despite the arc of light produced by the move. It also doesn't have a lot of reach compared to Palutena's other staff attacks. so you might be exposed to a counterattack if your foe has enough range. Nevertheless, it is one of the easier meteor smashes to land once you learn the position of its hitbox.
+	+	+

Throws

Control			Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
after grab	after grab	after grab	Palutena zaps her opponent with magic damage. It deals standard damage for a grab attack, but is faster than other similar attacks, making it great for racking up damage off a grab.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Palutena launches the opponent forward. It has weak knockback but sends opponents too far for any reliable followups, making its use rather limited. It can be used to get foes offstage if you're close to a ledge, where you can then attempt an edgeguard.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Palutena flips the opponent over her head. This has similar uses to Forward Throw but with more power, being the most damaging of Palutena's throws. Like Forward Throw, it is used to get opponents offstage or to create some space for yourself. The move is strong enough to KO when close to the ledge, but don't rely on it for getting KOs.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Palutena launches the opponent straight up. Like most Up Throws, it is mainly used to set up juggles, and Palutena is certainly well-equipped to do so, with both Up Smash and Up Air being good follow-ups on a thrown opponent. It is difficult to combo from due to the sheer distance it sends foes, so you'll need to predict an airdodge or your target's movement to get the hit.
after grab	after grab	after grab
after grab	after grab	after grab	Palutena slams the opponent into the ground. This move is weak with very low diagonal knockback, making it great for starting combos. As it knocks opponents low above the ground, it is best followed up with Palutena's aerial attacks to do extra damage and launch opponents further away. At higher percentages, it can even set up KO moves since it doesn't send foes very far, letting you react to their response after being thrown with the appropriate attack.
after grab	after grab	after grab

Special Attacks

Control			Attack	Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
			Autoreticle	Palutena projects a triangular field in front of her, which automatically targets an opponent inside it. It will only target one opponent at a time, and will fail to activate if there are no opponents in range or if they are behind walls or currently invincible. She then fires three rapid shots toward the visible reticle. As a projectile, Autoreticle seems rather lackluster, since it isn't very spammable and has poor homing capabilities. While opponents can dodge the shots easily by moving away after being targeted, it forces foes to move or shield the shots, which can disrupt your opponents' playstyles.
			Explosive Flame	Palutena creates a small spark at a set distance away, then sends a small fireball to the spark, causing it to burst into a large sphere of fire, dealing multiple hits to foes caught by it. The explosion will not trigger if there is a wall between Palutena and the spark. While it has pretty good range and a fairly large hitbox, the move's set distance is very problematic, as it gives no protection to Palutena and can be easily anticipated and avoided if your target is paying attention. It is much better when used for edgeguarding, forcing your foes to go around the massive explosion, letting you pressure offstage foes from a comfortable position.
			Heavenly Light	Palutena summons rays of light all around her to damage nearby foes. Hold the button down to prolong the effect. The light rapidly racks up damage and pushes enemies away from Palutena, but doesn't make enemies flinch. This attack is a fairly good damage dealer due to its huge area of effect, but since foes don't flinch from being hit by the rays, you should only use it in short bursts to chip on damage bit-by-bit. The move is more useful when there are multiple opponents, since you can find more chances to prolong Heavenly Light, letting you rack up tons of damage on many foes at once.
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+	Reflect Barrier	Palutena creates a barrier in front of her which moves forward a short distance. It can reflect projectiles, and can push opponents back as it moves. This move also damages opponents who are near enough when the barrier appears. This reflector is Palutena's best defense against projectile users due to its long duration, and can completely shut down persistent projectile spam. The pushback also hinders approaches, particularly for characters that use projectiles to help in their approach like Villager. The barrier can also sometimes push a recovering opponent away from the ledge, making it a situational edgeguard. The attacking part of the move is barely used, since Palutena has many better options at that range.
( or )+	( or )+	( or )+
			Angelic Missile	Palutena launches herself straight forward and flies headfirst, launching the first opponent she hits. This attack functions like other horizontal headbutts like Green Missile or Skull Bash, but it doesn't need to be charged and will fly a set distance every time. The move is quite powerful at close-range, and it can be used as a surprise KO move when near the edge. It also gives Palutena an excellent horizontal recovery. The move's main flaw is its constant travel distance, as foes have an easier time predicting and intercepting or avoiding your attack.
			Super Speed	Palutena rushes forward at great speed, ramming past opponents in her path. If used in the air, Palutena will move diagonally downward. It does no damage at the start but gets more damaging the further Palutena travels. The move has a short cooldown period that prevents Palutena from using Super Speed in quick succession. Super Speed is hands down Palutena's most interesting attack, and certainly one of her best moves. Super Speed essentially functions as a command dash, and Palutena can cancel the move with most of the actions that can be performed out of a normal dash, such as her Dash Attack, Up Smash, grab, dodge or jump. She can also hold back to stop the dash manually. This move is an excellent rushdown attack due to how versatile it is. If Palutena hits, she can follow it up with a jump and use the preserved momentum to carry foes offstage with an aerial attack. If it is shielded, Palutena can grab the shielding opponent or simply whiz safely past them. She can use dash attacks to negate projectiles or use the dash to move into position for a lethal Up Smash. There is just so many options Palutena can use out of Super Speed that it can be spammed pretty safely. In fact, if it weren't for the cooldown mechanic, this move could make Palutena the strongest offensive character in the game due to the sheer offensive utility it provides.
+	+	+	Warp	This acts just like Zelda's Teleport. Input the command, then hold in the direction you want to go. Palutena teleports a certain distance in the chosen direction. She will go into the helpless state after she appears and until she lands. This can't deal damage, it's just for recovery and evasion.
+	+	+
			Jump Glide	Palutena launches herself upwards, then descends slowly to the ground. This serves as a third jump. She can easily float sideways during her descent. It doesn't deal damage, however.
			Rocket Jump	Palutena creates an explosion under her feet, damaging nearby opponents and propelling herself straight up into the air. This serves as a third jump. She goes into the helpless state on the way down.
+	+	+	Counter	This works just like Marth's Counter. Activate it right before an attack hits, and Palutena blocks the attack and strikes back with her staff.
+	+	+
			Lightweight	This is a buff spell. It greatly enhances her speed for a few seconds; however, once it wears off, she'll be slowed down for a few more seconds before returning to normal speed. Her defense is also reduced while it's active.
			Celestial Firework	Palutena creates a firework in front of her which rises straight up into the air and explodes, damaging nearby enemies.

Taunts

Control			Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller	Wii Remote + Nunchuk	Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller	GameCube Controller	Nintendo 3DS
		+	Palutena extends her wings and says "You shall be purified!"
( or )	+		Palutena does a quick twirling dance around her staff and laughs.
( or )	( or )	( or )
		+	Palutena flips her hair and says "Ready when you are."

Final Smash - Black Hole Laser

This Final Smash is made up of two components, Black Hole and Mega Laser. First, Palutena creates a fairly large black hole in front of her which sucks in nearby enemies and holds them in place but doesn't do damage. She then dashes off screen and fires a huge Mega Laser through the center of the black hole to deal multiple hits to the trapped enemies. A neat feature of the Final Smash is that the laser can hit enemies that avoided the black hole as well, since the black hole is only there to keep foes stunned and in position. The laser also slowly sweeps downward, making it harder to evade it completely. While this Final Smash has immense range, from the large Black Hole to the screen-crossing Mega Laser, it suffers from below average KO power.