Spirits

“	In this mysterious world, the unspeakable happens, many beloved characters lose their physical forms. All of them, except the fighters, are turned into spirits, unable to return to the real world. This is a Spirit.	”
—Masahiro Sakurai, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct 11.1.2018

Spirits are a feature and new collectibles introduced in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and are a replacement of trophies and stickers, to bring more representation of numerous game series in Ultimate. These representatives once converted as a spirit will affect battles by providing either power or various different effects. They are similar to the stickers in Brawl.

Types of spirits

• 

  Levels of spirits that can be equipped.

  Primary Spirits: These spirits can be equipped by the character to increase their attack power, and they mimic the characteristics of the spirit's character in special spirit matches. Only one can be equipped by each character. Each primary spirit has one of four types: Attack, Grab, Shield, and Neutral.
  • Attack is strong against Grab.
  • Grab is strong against Shield.
  • Shield is strong against Attack.
  • Neutral is balanced against all types.
• Support Spirits: These spirits give additional effects to the characters, and are equipped alongside a primary spirit. Up to three of them can be equipped by each character. They are especially helpful for impossible conditions, like immunity from the fire floor.
• Fighter Spirits: These spirits are based on the fighters' other appearances itself, which also include some of their palettes swap costumes, so they cannot be equipped. They are just there to enjoy the artwork. It can be swapped between the original and Ultimate artworks
• Master Spirits: They also cannot be equipped by the player. Rather than that, they run other services that help the player's spirits to do various activities. For example, some run shops where you can buy items, others run dojos where you can send your spirits to train and still others run expeditions you can send your spirits on to obtain items.

Spirit Strength

Classes of Spirits.

Spirits are sorted out by 4 classes depending on their strength:

• Novice: ★
• Advanced (Hope in Japan): ★★
• Ace: ★★★
• Legend: ★★★★

Usage

Spirits can be used to aid in spirit battles by raising the fighters' attack power or providing passive effects like providing an item or resistance to spirit mode's stage hazards.

In single-player spirit battles, the characters will simulate their respective spirit's characteristics. For example, to acquire the Lakitu & Spinies spirit, you have to fight Iggy with several small red Bowsers.

Spirits can also be used to summon other spirits by dismissing them to the real world, which will leave spirit cores that are used to summon the spirits. They can also be used to power up any amiibo compatible as a figure player, leaving spirit cores behind, and can be sent at expeditions to collect coins, spirit points, and spirit snacks.

Leveling up

Spirits can gain experience by using them in spirit battles. They can also be sent to the dojo to level up by itself. They can be fed spirit snacks or cores to immediately gain experience.

Collection

Spirits can be acquired as the main reward from defeating spirits in Spirit Board and World of Light. After a spirit is defeated in the Spirit Board, the player must win in a minigame in which they must shoot the spirit that is being protected by a rotating shield.

They can also be earned as awards for completing Classic Mode or challenges. They can also be collected by buying them from the shop. Spirit cores can be used to summon spirits. Some spirits can also be levelled at max to evolve them into their enhanced forms. Scanning specific amiibo of any series can summon the spirit of the respective amiibo's character.

In the story mode

Spirits are considered as characters who lose their physical form due to the destructive light. These spirits infuse themselves on the fighters' trophies to become puppet fighters, while still retaining some of their characteristics. Once defeated, they are ready to assist the fighters.

List of spirits

Main article: List of spirits

Spirit Fights Conditions

Each individual Spirit Fight will involve some sort of condition that is themed after the Spirit that is possessing the puppet fighter.

Stat Buffs & Nerfs

Either the player or the enemy puppet fighter will have their stats increased or decreased during this specific fight. For example:

• The enemy’s neutral special has increased power.
• The enemy's side special has increased power.
• The enemy’s up special has increased power.
• The enemy’s down special has increased power.
• The enemy has super armor and is hard to launch or make flinch.
• The enemy's melee weapons have increased power.
• The enemy has super armor but moves slower.
• You constantly take minor damage.

Repeating Temporary Powerup

The enemy will have a powerup that automatically activates and deactivates throughout the match after several seconds such as. For example:

• The enemy is invisible.
• The enemy is temporarily invisible.
• The enemy is metal.
• The enemy is occasionally metal.

Permanent Item

The fighter will spawn with an item automatically equipped. If the fighter loses that item, a new one will spawn on the stage to compensate. For example:

• The enemy starts the battle with a Killing Edge.
• The enemy starts the battle with Home-run Bat.
• The enemy starts the battle with a Lip's Stick.
• The enemy starts the battle with a Drill.
• The enemy starts the battle with Super Scope.
• The enemy starts the battle with Ray Gun.
• The enemy starts the battle with Beam Sword.
• The enemy starts the battle with Banana Gun.
• The enemy starts the battle with Bob-omb.
• The enemy starts the battle with Rocket Belt.
• The enemy starts the battle with Star Rod.
• The enemy starts the battle with Cucco.
• The enemy starts the battle with Pitfall.
• The enemy starts the battle with Freezie.
• The enemy starts the battle with a Hammer.
• Hostile assist trophies will appear.
• Only certain Pokemon emerge from Poke Ball.
  • Normally this is a specific individual or set of Assist Trophies.

Specific Tactic

The enemy mimics the personality of their Spirit by mimicking their fighting style. The AI will strictly commit to this rule with only occasional exceptions. For example:

• The enemy favors neutral specials.
• The enemy favors side specials.
• The enemy favors up specials.
• The enemy favors down specials.
• The enemy favors grabs and throws.
• The enemy loves to taunt.
• The enemy loves to jump.
• The enemy tends to avoid conflict.
• The enemy is easily distracted by items.

Special Smash

Not all fights will involve the standard stock or timed match; instead, it will include a special rule that will affect how the fight is played. For example:

• Stamina Battle.
• Timed Stamina Battle.
• Defeat the main fighter to win.
• Certain items will appear in large numbers.
• The enemy is giant.
• The enemy is tiny.
• You are giant.
• All fighters are easy to launch.
• You are easy to launch.
• You are hard to launch.
• You cannot swim.
• No one can swim.

Trivia

• Galeem and Dharkon are tied with the highest power (13,640 at lv 99).
• Akuma has the highest Attack stat of any spirit (3,176 at lv 1) and the highest power of any Spirit without an ability.
• Absolutely Safe Capsule has the highest Defense stat of any spirit (4,886 at lv 1; 10,000 at lv 99) but is the only spirit with 0 Attack stat (at any level) and is the only stat in the game that cannot be increased.
• Dan Hibiki has the lowest total power of any Spirit (378 total power at lv 1): Dan also has the lowest Defense stat (189 at lv 1). Dan is the fastest Spirit to level up as he requires less experience to do so.