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Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Wii U Marth.png

The Hero-King returns to Smash as the primary Fire Emblem representative. Marth's playstyle still revolve primarily around landing tipper strikes, sweetspots at the tip of his sword whenever he attacks. With good mobility and great range offered by his Falchion, Marth should have no trouble landing tippers with some player expertise. Marth is noticeably weaker than his past iterations, although the basic traits that made him strong is still there. His main flaw is his inability to KO, since his KO moves need precise spacing to unleash their true power. Overall, Marth has lost his dominance in Melee and Brawl, and his flaws now outweigh his benefits. While his defensive playstyle easily rewards good spacing and calculated strategy, the tipper is arguably a hindrance, as it make's his punishes inconsistent and overall unreliable. For these reasons, some player prefer to play Ike instead.

Basic Attributes[edit]

Marth is a jack-of-all-trades with above average speed and range, so his stats are mostly average. He is a middleweight, bordering on being light. Marth is notable for having the highest walking speed, as well as above average dashing speed. Marth's jumps are moderately high, and he is slightly floaty. Marth's rolls cover good distance, but they're not particularly fast. Lastly, one of Marth's signature attributes is his tipper attacks. Every move that uses his sword hits harder at the tip. Always aim to land tipper hits when playing Marth.


Moveset Analysis[edit]

Standard Attacks

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) 2 button(+2 button2 button2 button) Dual Strike Marth slashes two times with his sword. A quick Standard Attack with a really good arc, making it a good attack to poke at opponents. It's wide arc also makes it a good anti-air as well. Use it to disrupt opponents in general or to rack up damage on approaching foes. It is weak enough that it can be punished if shielded even is tipped, but you're generally safe whenever you're using it.
A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) A button(+A buttonA buttonA button)
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button (Left nunchuk or Right nunchuk)+A button (Left dpad or Right dpad)+2 button Rapier Swipe Marth slashes in front of him. This move reaches quite far ahead of Marth and has good vertical reach as well. It can be used to poke, space, anti-air, even to KO when close to the ledge. You can use pivot-cancels to help you land tippers with it, and it does enough stun on shields that you are pretty safe if you tip it. As mentioned before, this attack can KO if you tip it, so consider using this as an alternative to Forward Smash when your enemies are close to the edge or recovering.
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button (Left control or Right control)+A button (Left cpad or Right cpad)+A button
Up lstick+A button Up nunchuk+A button Up dpad+2 button Falchion Arch Marth slashes in an arc above him. This move is Marth's designated anti-air, and it can combo as well. It can get opponents into the air, where you can follow up with more Strong Up Attacks or aerials. Its good reach also gives it some utility for poking through platforms. Its horizontal range is obviously not as good, so it can't be used freely as a combo starter like with other characters.
Up lstick+A button Up control+A button Up cpad+A button
Down lstick+A button Down nunchuk+A button Down dpad+2 button Sword Thrust Marth stabs with his sword low to the ground. One of Marth's best spacing attacks. This move is quick and has excellent reach, making it a strong and safe poke against any opponent. Even when shielded, you are moderately safe from punishes and can punish back according to your enemy's evasion or counterattack. It knocks foes away, keeping foes at an ideal range from you and helping you space your other attacks and land tippers. It is also great against offstage foes, as the diagonal blade reaches quite far and will knock enemies further from the ledge.
Down lstick+A button Down control+A button Down cpad+A button
A button while dashing A button while dashing 2 button while dashing Lunging Slash Marth swipes while lunging forward. This move is not quite as good as other ground options as Marth commits a bit more with the attack, putting you at more risk if the attack misses or is shielded. Stick to his Strong Attacks for damage racking and spacing while on the ground. You can use it to punish opponents, as it moves Marth forward a short distance to capitalize on an enemy's mistake.
A button while dashing A button while dashing A button while dashing
A button while hanging A button while hanging 2 button while hanging Marth climbs up and swings his sword low.
A button while hanging A button while hanging A button while hanging

Smash Attacks

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
Smash (Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button Smash (Left nunchuk or Right nunchuk)+A button (Left dpad or Right dpad)+1 button+2 button Dragon Slayer Marth swings his sword down to the ground. This is Marth's strongest KO move provided you can land its tipper, having humongous knockback, wide arc and very fast animation. That said, landing a tippered Forward Smash requires very good spacing and awareness, traits that generally only comes from experience. Get a feel for the range and arc of the attack so that you can land tippers more often, including using it as an anti-air or to edgeguard opponents. Even without the tipper, the wide arc of the move also makes it a decent edgeguard, but remember that you are staling your best KO move every time you do so.
Smash (Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button Smash (Left control or Right control)+A button Smash (Left cpad or Right cpad)+A button
Smash Up lstick+A button Smash Up nunchuk+A button Up dpad+1 button+2 button Rapier Stab Marth thrusts his sword upward. This is a slightly weaker KO move, but it has surprising vertical range, as it can strike foes standing next to you. The attack also reaches quite high up, but since it has a barely any horizontal range, you're better off using Strong Up Attack as an anti-air. That said, it is probably the easiest smash attack to KO with when close to an opponent, as long as you can rack up a bit more damage.
Smash Up lstick+A button Smash Up control+A button Smash Up cpad+A button
Smash Down lstick+A button Smash Down nunchuk+A button Down dpad+1 button+2 button Low Swing Marth slashes low to the ground in both directions, with the second swipe stronger than the first. The move does vertical knockback without a tipper and horizontal knockback when tippered. This move is used much less often than Forward Smash due to its low attack trajectory, which makes it hard to hit foes. It is moderately fast and can be used as a punish, but don't expect to land a tipper very often. Whether you tipper it or not, you will usually place your foe in a bad spot, either close to you in the air or offstage. Take advantage of these situations if you land a successful hit.
Smash Down lstick+A button Smash Down control+A button Smash Down cpad+A button

Air Attacks

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png 2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Double Spin Marth swings his sword in a circle, hitting twice on both sides. This move is quick, has low landing lag and has good reach, so it is one of Marth's primary spacing tools in the air. You can use it to apply slight pressure on your opponent by striking from tipper range repeatedly and landing before the move ends. The first hit alone can lead to combos upon landing and will usually chain into a tippered second hit that sends foes away quite well. Offstage, it can even be used as a KO move if you're willing to edgeguard aggressively.
A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Right lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Aerial Swipe Marth swings his sword downward. This move has a nice wide arc that makes it useful both offensively and defensively. It is an excellent spacing move due to its good reach and arc and can be used for racking up damage as well. This move does have moderate landing lag, so you can't use it too liberally to keep foes out. You can also use this move for offstage edgeguarding.
Right lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Left lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Turnaround Slash Marth swings his sword upward behind him. This move makes Marth face the opposite direction in the air. This is another strong spacing tool similar to Forward Air, just with a bit more power and the slash moving in the opposite direction. The trajectory of the arc actually does a really good job of protecting yourself if you use it at the beginning of a jump. The midair turn also has some utility, letting you align yourself to properly space your other attacks while still poking at opponents.
Left lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Up lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Altean Skies Marth swings his sword over him. This move is generally used as an aerial anti-air, possessing a similar arc to that of Strong Up Attack that lets it potentially juggle or follow up as long as you predict your opponents' airdodge correctly. It also keeps foes in the air, where they are vulnerable to Marth's anti-air options and other useful air attacks. Used high enough over the stage, and this move can even KO when tipped.
Up lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Down lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Meteor Slash Marth swings his sword downward. Landing a tipper as the sword reaches the center results in a strong and satisfying meteor smash. This is a risky edgeguard move due to its moderately long duration and landing lag. It actually goes the opposite direction of Down Air in previous versions of Smash Bros., so veteran players may get thrown off by this new arc. It is certainly no easy task to land the meteor smash, but doing so offstage will usually result in a KO. Landing non-meteor tipper hits also send foes sideways, often further away from the stage.
Down lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png

Throws

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
A button after grab A button after grab 2 button after grab Swordsman's Knee Marth knees the grabbed opponent. A good grab attack that is used the same way as all the others. Use this whenever you grab an opponent at mid-high percents just to get that extra damage. Marth's grab is not bad, so you could find many opportunities to use this.
A button after grab A button after grab A button after grab
Right lstick after grab Right nunchuk after grab Right dpad after grab Hero Fling Marth tosses the grabbed opponent forward. This throw is quite quick, but also has a fair amount of knockback. It is difficult to combo out of the throw even at low percentages, but it leaves your opponent close enough that you can pursue and potentially follow-up by punishing their response. At higher percentages, it functions like any sideways throw, getting foes offstage to set up edgeguards.
Right lstick after grab Right control after grab Right cpad after grab
Left lstick after grab Left nunchuk after grab Left dpad after grab Stoic Toss Marth throws the grabbed opponent backward with a quick fling. It is stronger than Forward Throw, so it is not as good for follow-ups. Like Forward Throw, it is usually used to toss foes offstage where you can edgeguard them. Its better knockback lets it send foes further offstage, but the difference isn't really that significant.
Left lstick after grab Left control after grab Left cpad after grab
Up lstick after grab Up nunchuk after grab Up dpad after grab To the Sky Marth tosses the grabbed opponent upward. This throw is pretty much made redundant by Down Throw for comboing. D-throw does more damage and less knockback with the same trajectory. Up Throw does too much knockback to be followed-up upon at all, but it does let you pressure foes from below with Marth's anti-air moves and good mobility. Unfortunately, Down Throw can be used, well, better for this. But, this throw dosen't specialize in combos. Rather, this is Marth's KO throw, KOing reliably at 160%.
Up lstick after grab Up control after grab Up cpad after grab
Down lstick after grab Down nunchuk after grab Down dpad after grab Princely Slam Marth throws the grabbed opponent into the ground. As Marth's main combo throw, this attack sends foes straight upward, where they are vulnerable to Strong Up Attack and aerials in general at low percentages. You can continue to pressure your opponents as they try to land, letting you do more potential damage. Generally a good throw to use whenever you get a grab.
Down lstick after grab Down control after grab Down cpad after grab

Special Attacks[edit]

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
B button B button 1 button Shield Breaker Marth stabs forward with enough force to wear down shields. The move can be charged for more damage and knockback, and it will break a fresh shield instantly at full charge. This move has pretty limited vertical range due to its stabbing motion and the charge cannot be saved, so it is not the easiest attack to land. Its greatest strength is the ability to break shields, so it can be used to pressure a shield-happy foe. A charged Shield Breaker can KO if tipped, but Marth's other KO moves are generally more reliable and require less commitment. It also has great reach as Marth lunges forward quite a bit when using the move. You can also use it to recover, since the thrust gives you some horizontal momentum, which increases the more you charge it.
B button B button B button
Storm Thrust Marth creates a whirlwind that pushes enemies away without causing flinching when he thrusts. The move can still damage foes when hit with the sword, but its power is drastically reduced. While Shield Breaker is very dangerous to shields, Storm Thrust is easily countered by it, since the wind does not affect shielding opponents. The lack of increased shield damage and greatly reduced power makes it overall worse for attacking. The wind does have some use for edgeguarding characters with weak recoveries, but Marth's air attacks are usually adequate for this role.
Dashing Assault Marth charges forward while thrusting his sword, doing lower damage and knockback in exchange for forward movement. Although not as powerful as Shield Breaker, this variant still has some offensive function, letting Marth pursue foes that try to move sideways out of his range. While it has surprisingly good priority, avoid using it to rush at opponents, since it is fairly easy to react to and counter. It also greatly improves Marth's recovery, giving him much more horizontal distance than the default Shield Breaker.
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+B button (Left nunchuk or Right nunchuk)+B button (Left dpad or Right dpad)+1 button Dancing Blade Marth does a combination of up to four attacks by inputting this move multiple times in quick succession. His first attack is a downward strike. For the second strike, it will be a stab by default or an upward strike if angled upward. For the third strike, it will be an upward strike by default, a higher upward strike if angled upward, or a low stab if angled downward. For the finisher, it is a slash that does sideways knockback by default, an upward slash that launches foes if angled upward, or multiple trapping stabs if angled downward. It sounds complicated, so just keep in mind that the red strikes hit foes away, the blue strikes hit foes upward and the green strikes rack up damage. Used in the air, Marth will stall his fall for a short while.

Each hit of this move is made to naturally combo into one another, but it doesn't always do so, especially at higher percentages. Be aware of your enemies' position and adjust the angle of your strikes accordingly so that you won't miss. This move is pretty fast, but it is vulnerable when shielded, so use it with care. You can use this move as a mix-up by using another attack after any of the first two strikes. It can also give you a very small recovery boost by using it in midair to slow your fall.

(Left lstick or Right lstick)+B button (Left control or Right control)+B button (Left cpad or Right cpad)+B button
Effortless Blade The timing for each strike is more lenient, but Marth can only perform the default red-streak combo. This variant is a crutch, an easier version of Dancing Blade that is overall worse once you're skilled enough. Granted, the basic four-hit red combo is usually adequate enough whenever you use Dancing Blade, but you're missing out on the follow-up potential of the blue strikes and the damage racking of the green hits. It's better to learn the timing for the default Dancing Blade than getting too used to the limited attacks of Effortless Blade.
Heavy Blade Each of Marth's strikes have increased power, making it difficult if not impossible to combo each hit into the other. This variant is quite awkward, since not only do each hit combo poorly, there are also longer intervals between each attack. Most of the strikes are also not very useful, as the early hits can't KO while the later hits are too telegraphed. You can KO foes very early with the finishing strikes, but the drawn-out attacks leading to it mean that your opponent can easily dodge or punish your use of the move.
Up lstick+B button Up nunchuk+B button Up dpad+1 button Dolphin Slash Marth jumps up high like a leaping dolphin while slashing with his sword. It's a decent recovery move with good vertical distance, but somewhat limited horizontal distance. Marth moves quickly and holds his sword in such a way that the move is actually moderately safe against edgeguarders. It is quite strong as well, and you can use it as an Out-of-Shield option when being pressured to knock foes away. It is not suitable for direct attacks as it leaves Marth helpless after using it.
Up lstick+B button Up control+B button Up cpad+B button
Crescent Slash Marth jumps up diagonally like a crescent moon while slashing with his sword. This variant trades vertical distance for horizontal movement. It is strongest when hit during the middle of the attack. The trajectory of Crescent Slash can be a double-edged sword depending on the scenario. Usually, Marth needs the vertical distance from Dolphin Slash more, since he already has good air speed to move horizontally. Crescent Slash can also backfire on some stage formations, getting snagged under the base platform and causing Marth to fall to his doom. However, Crescent Slash can be handy when Marth is knocked very far from the edge and simply can't move far enough to make it back. It can also be comboed out of a Forward Throw or Grab Release to strike foes hard with its sweetspot.
Dolphin Jump. Marth jumps extra high, but he cannot attack enemies with this move. Obviously, this variant of Dolphin Slash trades power for distance. It certainly travels quite far, which extends your survivability and lets you be more aggressive with offstage play. However, the lack of an attack has a noticeable impact. Without the strong, sweeping hitbox, it is easier to intercept Marth during his recovery, and you also lose a valuable Out-of-Shield attack.
Down lstick+B button Down nunchuk+B button Down dpad+1 button Counter Marth goes into a defensive stance. If he is hit during this stance, he will strike back with increased force. This is a basic counter special, and its strategy applies to all counters in general. You should use this whenever you see or predict an attack from your opponents so that you can strike back with more force. Don't use this too liberally or your opponents can predict and bait it out of you then punish it, usually with grabs. Save it for a decisive moment to surprise your enemies. This iteration of Counter is actually stronger than in past games, and you may actually KO opponents after countering a smash attack.
Down lstick+B button Down control+B button Down cpad+B button
Easy Counter The window for Marth to counter an attack is prolonged, but Marth's counterattack becomes weaker than the attack being countered. Like Effortless Blade, this variant is a blatant crutch. You are much better off learning the timing for the default Counter, instead of becoming too used to the leniency of Easy Counter. As your retaliation actually becomes weaker than the attack you are countering, it isn't really rewarding to land counters at all.
Iai Counter Marth counterattacks by slashing past the opponent. The counter has a stricter activation window, but has a higher damage multiplier and knocks foes backward. While Easy Counter is easier to land but weaker, Iai Counter is harder to time, but much more rewarding. Marth slashes almost instantly once he is hit, so it is harder to evade the counterattack as well. If you can land the default Counter consistently, definitely consider switching to the Iai Counter.

Taunts

Control Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
Up dpad 1 button Up dpad+A button Marth holds his sword up high.
Up dpad Up dpad Up dpad
(Left dpad or Right dpad) 1 button+2 button A button Marth dramatically sheathes his sword.
(Left dpad or Right dpad) (Left dpad or Right dpad) (Left dpad or Right dpad)
Down dpad 2 button Down dpad+A button Marth raises his sword and says "Mina, mite ite kure!", or "Everyone, look at me!" in Japanese.
Down dpad Down dpad Down dpad

Final Smash - Critical Hit[edit]

Marth charges forward extremely quickly, striking the first foe in his path with massive damage and knockback. This is one of the strongest Final Smashes in the game, capable of causing a one-hit KO in almost any situation. However, it is also the riskiest, as Marth will keep charging until he reaches the edge. Using this on a walkoff stage or in the air, and a miss will cause Marth to charge to his doom, although you can cancel the move early by pressing the button again. This Final Smash is rather difficult to utilize, since there is a fairly long delay after Marth initiates the move until he actually rushes forward, during which opponents could respond. Try to use this when enemies are grouped together to maximize your chances of hitting one. Remember to cancel it if it looks like you've missed.