The Dolphin Slash (ドルフィンスラッシュ Dorufin Surasshu) is Marth and Lucina's Up Special Move. The user performs a quick upward slash of their sword.
Overview[]
It provides decent vertical recovery, but very little horizontal recovery. It can be used as an OoS (Out of Shield) option and can be used to edgeguard an opponent.
This move in Brawl has several more advantages than the version in Melee. It goes slightly more horizontal, and its vertical recovery is still great. It is also one of the few moves to retain its original speed. However, it lacks the higher potential to KO in comparison.
Dolphin Slash's damage and knockback is strongest in its first few frames of attack. The longer the attack is out, the weaker it gets. As such, it is best used point blank as an attack, since the later frames of the attack are weaker than the beginning frames.
What makes this move really shine are the invincibility frames starting on frame 1 to 5, allowing Marth to escape chain grabs and multi hit attacks. The move hits the opponent on frame 5, same as it was in Melee, making Dolphin Slash Marth and Lucina's fastest move.
| Marth's Special Moves | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melee | Brawl | 3DS/Wii U | Ultimate | |
| Standard Special | Shield Breaker | |||
| Side Special | Dancing Blade | |||
| Up Special | Dolphin Slash | |||
| Down Special | Counter | |||
| Final Smash | — | Critical Hit | ||
| Lucina's Special Moves | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3DS/Wii U | Ultimate | |
| Standard Special | Shield Breaker | |
| Side Special | Dancing Blade | |
| Up Special | Dolphin Slash | |
| Down Special | Counter | |
| Final Smash | Critical Hit | |
Custom Variations[]
Crescent Slash[]
Crescent Slash is Marth and Lucina's Up Special Move that can be used via customization. Marth and Lucina rises in an arc while attacking, the move deals most damage at the midpoint. However, this move doesn't go as high.
Strengths:
- Horizontal recovery
- Combo finisher in some cases
- Juggling opponents
Weaknesses
- Less vertical recovery
Differences:
- No real differences.
This move sacrifices vertical recovery for horizontal recovery, making it like Roy's Blazer up special except having it set to always going to its most horizontal movement. The move can be good for juggling opponents in the air in some situations and can be a combo finisher granted the opponent is in an optimal position to get hit by the move. However these factors can be a bit iffy and often depend on many other factors and variables.
Dolphin Jump[]
Dolphin Jump is Marth and Lucina's Up Special Move that can be used via customization. Marth and Lucina do a very high jump, the move will not deal any damage.
Strengths:
- Vertical recovery
Weaknesses:
- No damage
Differences:
- No differences at all.
The Dolphin Jump is great for vertical recovery and allows Marth and Lucina to recover lower than with the Dolphin Slash. Though lacking horizontal recovery it could be paired with Dashing Assault to make up for this fact. The only downside to Dolphin Jump is that it won't deal any damage.
| Marth's Custom Special Moves | ||
|---|---|---|
| Custom 1 | Custom 2 | |
| Standard Special | Storm Thrust | Dashing Assault |
| Side Special | Effortless Blade | Heavy Blade |
| Up Special | Crescent Slash | Dolphin Jump |
| Down Special | Easy Counter | Iai Counter |
| Lucina's Custom Special Moves | ||
|---|---|---|
| Custom 1 | Custom 2 | |
| Standard Special | Storm Thrust | Dashing Assault |
| Side Special | Effortless Blade | Heavy Blade |
| Up Special | Crescent Slash | Dolphin Jump |
| Down Special | Easy Counter | Iai Counter |
Reverse Dolphin Slash[]
A "Reverse Dolphin Slash" can be performed by starting the attack and quickly moving the joystick backwards. This will cause the user to turn around just before jumping upwards, and if Marth hits an enemy close to him as he starts the move, it provides much higher damage and knockback, due to the hitbox and sweetspot layout of his sword. It doesn't matter what point of the blade hits with Lucina, as she doesn't have a sweetspot.
In Brawl, the regular Dolphin Slash appears to be at least as powerful as Melee's Reverse Dolphin Slash. Marth can be seen jump-cancelling a shield into it for potential KOs at about 100% (130% on heavyweight characters).