Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has eight Fire Emblem fighters: Marth, Ike, Roy, Lucina, Robin, Corrin, Chrom and Byleth. They are not interchangeable sword users. Marth wins by placing the blade tip precisely, Roy and Chrom want close-range pressure, Ike prefers patient whiff punishment, Robin manages limited resources, Corrin controls space with a pin and lance-like attacks, and Byleth switches among four weapon types.
The fastest way to learn the roster is to master movement, recovery and Smash-attack timing first, then repeat the same three drills with each fighter: recover to the ledge, identify one safe neutral tool, and turn one opening into a launch or edge-guard. Nintendo’s beginner explanation is simple: “In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, your goal is to…well…smash your opponents!” A performs standard attacks, a quick stick flick plus A performs a Smash Attack, and B uses character-specific special moves.
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Start with the controls and three universal drills
Use a mode and ruleset you can repeat consistently, then learn what your controls do before studying character-specific routes. Standard attacks use A. A quick directional flick followed by A produces a Smash Attack. B activates the fighter’s special moves. Jumping, shielding, grabbing, air dodging and directional influence determine whether those attacks actually connect or whether you survive after being hit.
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- Walk or drop off the stage, then use your fighter’s double jump and up special to reach the ledge.
- Repeat from different distances and heights. Note whether the recovery is linear, steerable, fast or vulnerable.
- Practice grabbing the ledge without using every resource too early. A missed recovery is a stock loss even when your neutral game was winning.
Drill 2: identify one safe neutral tool
- Choose one aerial, tilt, special or movement pattern that lets you challenge space without committing your entire stock.
- Use it from just outside an opponent’s burst range, then retreat, shield or land safely instead of pressing another attack automatically.
- Test the same tool against a shielding opponent and one who jumps. You are learning when the option is safe, not searching for a button that is always safe.
Drill 3: convert one opening
- Land one clean neutral hit, grab or whiff punish.
- Continue with the simplest reliable attack that launches, carries the opponent toward the ledge or forces an air dodge.
- Finish by taking stage control, starting an edge-guard or setting a ledge trap. A conversion is valuable because it creates a second decision, not because it has to be a long combo.
Repeat these drills at low speed first. Once the sequence is automatic, add the fighter’s unusual mechanic or spacing requirement. Patch updates can alter a move’s range, timing or power, so frame-sensitive practice should always be checked against the version currently installed.
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Marth: win with the tip
Marth is the clearest spacing specialist in the roster. His sword produces its highest damage and strongest reward at the blade tip, so the central question in neutral is not simply “Can I hit?” but “Where on the blade will I hit?”
Three opening drills
- Recover: practice using your double jump and up special early enough to reach the ledge without drifting into an opponent’s attack.
- Neutral: short-hop an aerial at the edge of an opponent’s burst range, then land outside grab distance. Add dash dancing to make your spacing harder to read.
- Convert: punish a whiff with a tipper sword attack, then launch toward the ledge and cover the opponent’s return rather than chasing deep offstage.
How to play Marth
Begin exchanges outside the opponent’s preferred range. Dash dance just beyond their burst option, wait for a commitment and step in with a forward-facing sword attack at tip distance. Short-hop aerial spacing lets you threaten without giving up the ability to retreat. Your best hits often come from making the opponent swing first.
Tip placement changes the risk calculation. A poorly spaced close hit can give the opponent a reversal, while a clean tip can create enough advantage to continue pressure or send them offstage. Use tilts and aerials to hold a line in front of you, and reserve Smash Attacks for a read, a ledge-trap situation or a confirmed launch rather than throwing them out in neutral.
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Nintendo’s version 12.0.0 notes documented changes to Marth’s dash attack, up tilt and down tilt, including the high-damage window. Do not treat old frame charts or exact timing claims as permanent; the patch you are playing determines how those moves behave.
Lucina: the uniform-spacing baseline
Lucina teaches the same broad spacing fundamentals as Marth, but her sword attacks are more uniform from hilt to tip. You can concentrate on movement, safe aerials, ledge trapping and recovery without requiring exact tip placement on every swing.
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Three opening drills
- Recover: vary your timing on the up special and practice grabbing the ledge from low and far positions.
- Neutral: use a safe aerial or tilt at a consistent distance, then return to shield or movement before the opponent can punish your landing.
- Convert: turn one aerial or tilt into a launch, carry the opponent to the ledge and practice covering a jump, get-up or roll.
How to play Lucina
Lucina is a practical baseline for learning what a swordfighter should do. Her uniform blade means a hit does not collapse merely because the hilt connected, so you can spend your early practice on spacing concepts rather than microscopic positioning. Keep the opponent at the end of your threat range, poke with safe aerials and use stage control to force predictable recoveries.
The Marth comparison is useful in both directions. Marth rewards exact tip accuracy with a larger payoff; Lucina gives up that tip-specific spike in reward for consistency across the sword. If you repeatedly miss Marth’s ideal distance, Lucina can reveal whether the problem is your movement, your timing or your choice of attack. Once your Lucina neutral is stable, return to Marth and add tip placement without changing the overall game plan.
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Roy: take the fight inside
Roy reverses Marth’s preferred distance. His strongest damage is concentrated near the hilt, so he wants to get close, apply fast grounded pressure and finish exchanges before the opponent can reset neutral.
Three opening drills
- Recover: learn the height and steering of your up special, and use the ledge rather than drifting into a predictable route.
- Neutral: dash into close range behind a safe aerial, tilt or grounded button, then shield or move when the opponent blocks.
- Convert: open the opponent at close range and carry the hit into a launch or ledge position. Practice ending the sequence before you overextend.
How to play Roy
Roy is at his best when the opponent has to defend immediately. Use speed and threat of a close-range aerial to enter, then connect fast grounded attacks that keep your turn going. The hilt-centered reward means a close hit can be much more valuable than a distant swipe, but it also means random long-range swings are less attractive.
Do not copy Marth’s dash-dance plan exactly. Marth asks you to hold a precise distance and punish a whiff with the tip; Roy asks you to use movement to cross that distance and maintain pressure. Against a shield, vary between another safe attack, a grab and a retreat. Against an opponent who keeps jumping away, take space first and attack where they must land.
Chrom: fast pressure with stricter recovery discipline
Chrom shares Roy’s close-range, fast-sword approach, but his recovery demands especially careful planning. Treat every offstage exchange as a resource problem: preserve your double jump, choose a route early and avoid drifting into an easily intercepted path.
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- Recover: practice low, high and side approaches to the ledge, with and without your double jump. Learn when to stop steering and grab the ledge.
- Neutral: dash into range and use a quick sword attack to contest space, then disengage if the opponent blocks or avoids the hit.
- Convert: use a close-range opening to push toward the ledge, then rehearse a safe ledge trap instead of taking an unnecessary deep chase.
How to play Chrom
Chrom’s neutral resembles Roy’s: approach quickly, make the opponent defend and exploit their panic option. His sword gives you a broad threat in front of your character, but your advantage disappears if you swing from too far away or lose control of the corner. Use short, repeatable pressure sequences and pay attention to whether the opponent is shielding, jumping or rolling.
Recovery discipline is the defining lesson. Before leaving the stage, decide which resources you will spend and which option you will cover when the opponent edge-guards. Nintendo’s historical update notes include a Chrom dash-grab range adjustment, a reminder that specific move behavior can change between versions. Verify current practice results rather than relying on an old guide’s exact distance.
Ike: deliberate swings and hard punishes
Ike is a patient swordfighter with large disjointed attacks. He does not need to chase every approach. His plan is to occupy a threatening area, let the opponent commit and punish the missed attack with a powerful swing or a launch.
Three opening drills
- Recover: practice landing safely before using the up special, and vary your timing so the opponent cannot intercept the same route repeatedly.
- Neutral: hold a safe distance with a large aerial or tilt, then land with enough room to shield or retreat.
- Convert: punish one clear whiff, carry the opponent toward the ledge and set up an edge-guard without forcing a second attack.
How to play Ike
Start from a position where your large swing covers the approach you expect. Walk, dash back or short-hop to make the opponent believe an opening exists, then punish the attack they commit. Ike’s disjoint lets you challenge many buttons without standing directly on top of the opponent, but his slower tempo makes random attacks easy to bait.
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- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. game
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
Landing is as important as starting an attack. Use safe aerial timing and vary your drift so the opponent cannot wait beneath you for a guaranteed punish. When you gain the advantage, prefer a strong read and stage control over a frantic string. Ike rewards players who are willing to do nothing for a moment and then make one decisive choice.
Robin: fight while managing a limited inventory
Robin adds resource management to the swordfighter template. You alternate between the Levin Sword and tomes, and those tools have limited charges. Neutral is therefore two battles at once: control the opponent’s movement and track what resources remain before you commit to a long sequence.
Three opening drills
- Recover: test your up-special route from several heights and learn when you can safely disengage to recharge rather than attempt another attack.
- Neutral: alternate a sword-based poke with a tome projectile or space-control option, checking your remaining charges after every exchange.
- Convert: use one opening to launch or push the opponent offstage, then decide whether the edge-guard is worth spending another resource.
How to play Robin
Watch the resource indicators as deliberately as you watch the opponent. The Levin Sword improves the threat of your sword attacks, while tomes let you influence space without standing next to the opponent. Spend a charge to win a meaningful position, not merely to add damage to a neutral interaction you were already winning.
Plan your disengagement. When a key tool is exhausted, create distance, force the opponent to approach and recharge instead of pretending your strongest option is still available. Robin’s specials and resource behavior have appeared in Nintendo patch notes, so old frame, power or charge values may not describe the current version. Build habits around the visible resource state, not a memorized number from an earlier patch.
Corrin: control lanes with the pin
Corrin combines a sword with dragon-infused attacks and a lance-like pin that changes how you contest space. The pin can hold a lane, threaten a commitment and create unusual movement decisions, but it is strongest when you know whether you are holding space or committing to the attack.
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Three opening drills
- Recover: rehearse the up-special distance from low, high and side positions. Do not assume an old recovery number remains current.
- Neutral: place the pin or a long-reaching attack where the opponent wants to move, then wait to see whether they challenge, shield or retreat.
- Convert: turn a pin hit or dragon-infused attack into a launch or ledge position, and practice stopping before a committed follow-up becomes punishable.
How to play Corrin
Corrin’s main decision is whether to occupy space or commit to the pin. Holding space makes the opponent respect the lance-like range; committing can catch movement but leaves a clearer punishment window if it misses. Use the two choices to make your timing unpredictable rather than selecting the pin automatically.
Dragon-infused attacks give Corrin additional ways to contest an approach and threaten the ledge. Keep the opponent at a distance where your long attacks matter, then use stage control to force a jump or recovery. Nintendo has adjusted Corrin’s up-special distance and other move properties in past updates, so check the current version before relying on exact recovery measurements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Byleth: choose the weapon for the job
Byleth represents Fire Emblem: Three Houses and was added to Ultimate as downloadable content. Byleth’s identity is deliberate weapon selection: the lance and bow control long lanes, the axe supplies high-impact punishments and the sword offers dependable close attacks.
Three opening drills
- Recover: practice the up-special route and learn how to use its reach to grab the ledge without spending your jump too early.
- Neutral: choose the lance or bow for long-range control, then switch to the sword when the opponent closes the distance.
- Convert: punish a clear opening with the axe or a strong weapon-specific attack, launch toward the ledge and set an edge-guard rather than forcing another slow swing.
How to play Byleth
Do not treat every weapon as a different character. Start by asking what the position requires. The lance controls a long horizontal lane, the bow checks movement from farther away, the axe is suited to a committed high-impact punish and the sword is the dependable option when the opponent is already close.
Weapon selection also changes your risk. A long-range attack can keep you safe but may be easier to predict; an axe commitment can produce a large reward but is dangerous when thrown out without a read. Use the sword to stabilize close interactions, then return to the weapon that best controls the next piece of space. Byleth becomes easier when each weapon has a clear job instead of being selected by habit.
How the eight fighters differ
The table below is a practical learning map, not a tier list. “Range” describes the useful threat area, while “damage location” identifies where each fighter’s blade or weapon produces its characteristic reward.
| Fighter | Effective range | Damage location | Mobility and recovery lesson | Resource or mechanic | Preferred plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marth | Long sword reach with greatest reward at the tip | Tip-centered | Space carefully and recover without giving up the ledge | Precise spacing | Whiff punishment and spacing |
| Lucina | Consistent sword reach | Uniform blade | Learn fundamentals without tip-dependent execution | Consistent spacing | Spacing, ledge trapping and fundamentals |
| Roy | Most valuable at close range | Hilt-centered | Use speed to enter, then avoid overextending | Close-pressure timing | Rushdown and pressure |
| Chrom | Fast, broad sword threat | Close-range pressure | Recovery discipline is central | Route and ledge planning | Rushdown and ledge pressure |
| Ike | Large disjointed swings | Broad weapon coverage | Land safely and recover early | Patience and reads | Whiff punishment |
| Robin | Sword plus tome-based space control | Varies by weapon state | Disengage to recharge when needed | Limited Levin Sword and tome charges | Spacing with resource management |
| Corrin | Long lance-like and dragon-infused reach | Varies by attack | Check current up-special distance and choose pin routes carefully | Pin commitment and range decisions | Space control and conditional pressure |
| Byleth | Four weapon ranges, including bow and lance | Weapon-dependent | Choose a safe recovery route and weapon for the position | Weapon selection | Deliberate spacing and punishments |
Which Fire Emblem fighter should you main?
- Choose Marth if you enjoy precise spacing, dash dancing and being rewarded for hitting the blade tip.
- Choose Lucina if you want a straightforward swordfighter whose attacks are more consistent without tip placement.
- Choose Roy if you want to get close quickly and maintain pressure with hilt-centered damage.
- Choose Chrom if you like Roy’s fast approach but want to practice stricter recovery and ledge discipline.
- Choose Ike if you prefer patience, large disjoints and punishing an opponent’s missed attack.
- Choose Robin if tracking charges and deliberately recharging sounds interesting rather than distracting.
- Choose Corrin if you want to decide between holding space and committing to a pin while using unusual long-range attacks.
- Choose Byleth if switching among a sword, lance, axe and bow fits the situation-based style you want to learn.
Whichever fighter you choose, spend your first sessions on the three universal drills. Learn how to return to the ledge, create a safe neutral interaction and convert one opening before adding advanced routes. Marth versus Lucina is the cleanest lesson in tip accuracy versus uniform damage; Roy versus Chrom teaches close pressure with different recovery demands; Ike teaches patience; Robin, Corrin and Byleth add mechanics that change how you spend your advantage.
Patch notes and practice habits
Balance updates matter for this roster. Nintendo has documented changes to named fighters and individual moves across Ultimate updates, including Marth’s dash attack, up tilt and down tilt in version 12.0.0, a Chrom dash-grab range adjustment in older notes, Robin special-move behavior and Corrin recovery properties. Exact frame data, hitbox descriptions, recovery distances and damage values should therefore be treated as version-specific.
Quick Recap
- Record the game version before following a frame-sensitive guide.
- Test a move in Training Mode rather than assuming a video or chart is current.
- Keep the strategic idea separate from the number: Marth still rewards tip spacing even if a move’s timing changes, and Robin still requires resource awareness even if a charge property is adjusted.
- Recheck recovery routes after an update, especially for Chrom and Corrin.
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