The greatest tactician of Ylisse joins the battle! Robin is a character that is heavily reliant on projectile zoning, with multiple projectile attacks that have varying properties. However, unlike other defensive projectile users, Robin is very lacking in mobility, being one of the slowest characters in the game, and most of his attacks have limited uses, causing them to greatly weaken or outright be lost temporarily if he uses them too carelessly. Despite these limitations, Robin's skillset is still very effective at keeping foes away, from quick shots to lingering flames to powerful beams that travel across the screen. His Levin Sword also makes him a threat even at close range, granting him increased reach and high power. Fitting for his job title, using Robin requires more tactics and strategy than reflexive skill, using his range of projectiles to harass and control his opponent for a final electrifying strike.
Robin is a typical humanoid middleweight, weighing slightly below Pit. He has the absolute worst dash speed in the game and poor walk speed as well, giving him poor mobility on the ground. His air speed is passable while his fall speed is average, giving him less of a disadvantage fighting in the air.
Robin's attacks carry over the durability system from the Fire Emblem series. For most of his normal moves, Robin can use both the Bronze Sword and the Levin Sword. The Bronze Sword never breaks and is used whenever the control stick is tilted for an attack instead of tapped, or for attacks that don't involve a direction at all, but has short range and lower knockback. The Levin Sword is brought out whenever the control stick is tapped in a direction for a move, such as when using smash attacks. The Levin Sword has better range and significantly greater knockback, but breaks after 8 attacks regardless of whether they hit. The Levin Sword will stay out until it breaks or until a Bronze Sword move is used. The Levin Sword recharges very quickly, but the short period before it does so could give your enemy a chance to mount a comeback, so it's advisable to save it for KOs.
Meanwhile, Robin's tomes used for his special moves can also break, after which the spells are rendered completely unusable until it recharges. The Thunder tome has a total of 20 charges which is used up differently depending on how much the Thunder move is charged. The Fire tome has 6 charges; each use of Arcfire or the fire combo ender of his neutral attack takes away one charge. Both the Thunder and Fire tomes have identical recharge times, not too long but lengthy enough to matter. The Wind tome has 8 charges and one is used whenever Elwind or the wind combo of neutral attack is used. It recharges extremely quickly, at the same rate as the Levin Sword. The Dark tome only has 4 charges and the longest charge time out of all the tomes.
Whenever a tome or the Levin Sword is used up, Robin will toss it away. Any player including Robin himself can catch it before it lands and use the discarded item as a strong physical projectile.
Robin swipes two times with the Bronze Sword. If the attack button is mashed, he will follow up with a flurry of wind strikes that slowly depletes the Wind tome charges. If the attack button is held, he will finish with a blast of fire that uses up one Fire tome charge.
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( or )+
( or )+
( or )+
Bronze Swipe
Robin slashes in front of him with the Bronze Sword.
( or )+
( or )+
( or )+
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Bronze Upper
Robin slashes the Bronze Sword upward.
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Bronze Sweep
Robin swipes the Bronze Sword low to the ground.
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while dashing
while dashing
while dashing
Bronze Poke
Robin lunges forward while holding the Bronze Sword out.
while dashing
while dashing
while dashing
while hanging
while hanging
while hanging
Robin climbs up and stabs. Automatically switches to the Bronze Sword if Levin Sword is currently active.
while hanging
while hanging
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 ( or )+
Smash ( or )+
( or )++
Levin Swing
Robin swings his sword forward. The Levin Sword is used by default unless it's broken.
Smash ( or )+
Smash ( or )+
Smash ( or )+
Smash +
Smash +
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Lightning Rod
Robin stabs his sword upward. The Levin Sword is used by default unless it's broken.
Smash +
Smash +
Smash +
Smash +
Smash +
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Grounded Sparks
Robin slams his sword down. The Levin Sword is used by default unless it's broken. Some sparks will fly out on either side of Robin when used with the Levin Sword.
Smash +
Smash +
Smash +
Air Attacks
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
Bronze Slashes
Robin slashes in front and behind him with the Bronze Sword. Automatically switches out of the Levin Sword.
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Forward Swing
Robin slashes his sword forward.
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Turnaround Stab
Robin stabs his sword behind him.
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Lightning Arch
Robin swings his sword over him.
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Thunderbolt
Robin stabs his sword downward. It can meteor smash when an enemy is hit at the center of the blade using the Levin Sword.
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Throws
Control
Attack
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
Magic Bind
Robin shocks the grabbed opponent.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Magical Throw
Robin launches the grabbed opponent forward with magic.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Magical Spin
Robin turns around and magically launches the grabbed opponent backward.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Magical Fling
Robin tosses the grabbed opponent upward using magic.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Magical Drop
Robin forcefully drops the grabbed opponent on to the ground.
Robin charges up an electric spell, then fires a projectile straight ahead depending on how long it was charged. Using it uncharged results in Thunder, a quick shock that expends 1 Thunder tome charge. Charging it a bit longer turns it into Elthunder, a similar bolt with better range, using up 3 charges. When the spark around the tome turns reddish, he can unleash Arcthunder, a slow moving ball that stuns enemies briefly before launching them, using up 5 charges. Fully-charged, the move becomes Thoron, a powerful beam of lightning that shoots across the screen and can hurt multiple enemies, using up 10 charges.
Thunder+
Robin's lightning spells are stronger, but charge slower and causes the Thunder tome to break more quickly
Speed Thunder
Robin's lightning spells are quicker to use, but a lot weaker as well.
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Arcfire
Robin throws a bolt of Arcfire diagonally downward, using up one Fire tome charge. When it hits terrain or an enemy, it will burst into flame which remains harmful for a brief period.
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Arcfire+
Robin slings the Arcfire bolt slower but further. The projectile does one single burst of knockback instead of several lingering hits.
Fire Wall
Robin has a faster casting time and the flame is larger, but has less horizontal range.
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Elwind
Robin launches himself up with two bursts of Elwind, using up 1 Wind tome charge. The first blade can meteor smash enemies at the start of the move. If the Wind tome is recharging, Robin could end up without any means of recovery.
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Soaring Elwind
The first Elwind cast launches Robin a shorter height while the second one goes much higher. The delay between the two shots is lengthened slightly.
Gliding Elwind
Robin launches the first Elwind blade at an angle, sending him forward. The second Elwind cast gives him less height.
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Nosferatu
Robin creates a vortex of darkness in front of him, using up one Dark tome charge. If an enemy is caught in the vortex, Robin will damage them while healing himself. The percentage drained will be greater if the special button is mashed, the target has lower damage or if the target is grabbed from behind.
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Distant Nosferatu
Robin creates the vortex of darkness significantly further away at the cost of speed and damage.
Goetia
Robin creates a stronger vortex of darkness that draws enemies in and deals more damage, but cannot heal himself with it.
Taunts
Control
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
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Robin points his sword upward and says "Let's tip the scales!" or "Time to tip the scales!"
( or )
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Robin levitates his sword and tomes above him, then says "Prepare yourself!"
( or )
( or )
( or )
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Robin levitates his sword and tomes, then spins them around while saying "You're not ready!" or "Here I go!"
Chrom appears beside Robin and rushes forward. If he hits an enemy, he will launch them into the top center of the stage, where Chrom will slash at the foe relentlessly while Robin attacks with bolts of Thunder. After the brutal combo of magic and blade, Robin launches the foe down with a powerful Bolganone, sending them ricocheting off the floor. Robin's Final Smash is best described as a mix between Triforce Slash and Great Aether. Its initiation strike is technically a projectile, with Chrom rushing roughly half the length of Battlefield to start the attack. The move also always moves both Robin and the target to the top of the screen like Ike's Great Aether, albeit with reduced strength. It is stronger on stages with elevated middle platforms such as Boxing Ring, as targets will bounce off the higher platform and get KOed earlier. If Robin pulls off the Final Smash successfully, his Levin Sword and magic tomes will instantly recharge.