SPECIAL MOVES

Searing Skull

Command:

With Skull:

Ender:

Shadow Searing Skull: x2

Hit Location: Mid

Description:

The regular version of Searing Skull is a very short-ranged spectral skull projectile. It is -3 on block, but it does have a little pushback, making it fairly safe. This pushback is enough to make your opponent whiff a Light Jab or Kick, so use this knowledge to bait and punish appropriately. With Skulls available, this becomes one of Spinal’s most useful offensive tools.

Skull Version

The Searing Skull changes drastically when Spinal has a Skull available. Rather than being a short-ranged projectile, it becomes a full-screen projectile, with different hit locations for each punch button. Light Punch will send out a very slow, low-hitting projectile; Medium Punch will send a fast, mid-projectile; and Heavy Punch will send an overhead projectile that will come down on whatever position the opponent was at when the command was input. Each projectile costs one Skull.

If any of these three versions connect, it inflicts a Shadow Curse. The Shadow Curse slowly drains your opponent’s Shadow Meter, giving it to Spinal. Your opponent’s Shadow Meter will be surrounded by a red outline, and that opponent will have a blue skull circling his or her body. This effect can stack up to five times. If Spinal is hit, all Curses immediately wear off.

Shadow Version

The Shadow Searing Skull is a multi-hitting Searing Skull that causes Instinct Curse upon impact. This Curse slowly drains your opponent’s Instinct Meter, giving it to Spinal. The Curse can stack up to three times. If Spinal is hit, all Curses immediately wear off. Your opponent’s Instinct Meter will have a red outline around it, and that opponent will have an orange skull circling his or her body. Use this to deny your opponent from using his or her Instinct or to prolong your own Instinct!

Ender

Using Searing Skull as an Ender is Spinal’s fastest way to generate Skulls. For any given combo, Spinal will receive the same number of Skulls as the Ender level of the combo—so, if you end the combo with a level 4 Ender, Spinal will receive 4 Skulls. If you end with a level 2 Ender, Spinal will receive 2 Skulls, etc. Alternatively, you can also end with a Shadow Searing Skull to cause Instinct Curse, but this will not generate any Skulls for Spinal.

Boneshaker

Command:

With Skull:

Opener:

Linker: / or HOLD /

Ender:

Shadow Boneshaker: x2

Hit Location: Mid

Description: This dashing shield charge is a great Opener for Spinal. The distance he leaps forward depends on the strength of the kick button used. There are a lot of active frames in all versions, making it very useful to use from farther away. The light version is safe, while the heavy version is not, so keep this in mind.

Skull Version

With a Skull available, only the Heavy Kick version of Boneshaker is affected. This version becomes projectile invulnerable and costs one Skull. Always trying to keep one Skull available will help against Jago and Glacius.

Shadow Version

Shadow Boneshaker is a multi-hitting variation of the original. The key difference and best use for it is that it is throw invulnerable.

Linker

As a Linker, Boneshaker is considered a Carry Linker. Use it to move your opponent closer or farther from the corner, depending on your opponent.

Ender

When used as an Ender, Boneshaker is a Carry Ender. This means you can use it to either wall splat the opponent in the corner or push that opponent farther across the stage.

Soul Sword

Commands:

General:

With Skull:

Opener: /

Linker: / or HOLD /

Ender:

Shadow Soul Sword: x2

Hit Location: Mid

Description: Soul Sword is a wide, arcing-upward sword swing. It is Spinal’s primary anti-air attack, and it has some upper-body invulnerability on startup. The light version has the least amount of range while the heavy version has the most range. Though similar to Jago’s Laser Sword, Soul Sword is not advantage on block. Regardless of this, it is still one of Spinal’s best Openers.

Skull Version

With a Skull available, the Heavy Punch version of Soul Sword becomes two hits instead of one. The cost of this attack is one Skull. It also has the same upper-body invulnerability on startup as the regular version.

Shadow Version

Shadow Soul Sword is a multi-hitting variation of the Soul Sword. It is best used to add damage to a combo, but it is fairly easy to break as well. It also has upper-body invulnerability at startup.

Linker

Use this Linker when you don’t need to control positioning with his exchange or Carry Linkers but instead simply need to add damage to your combo.

Ender

As an Ender, Soul Sword is Spinal’s Launcher Ender that allows you to follow up with an air juggle. The higher level the Ender, the higher in the air the opponent will be sent. When you have Skulls and/or Shadow Meter available, this is one of the deadliest Enders, as you can combo into Spinal’s Curses from as low as a level 2 Ender! Shadow cancel the Searing Skull (with Skull) into Shadow Searing Skull, and repeat if you have enough resources!

Skeleport

Commands:

General:

With Skull:

Linker: / or HOLD /

Ender:

Shadow Skeleport: x2 (can be performed in air)

Hit Location: Mid

Description:

Skeleport is a teleport that places Spinal in a location dependent upon his opponent and the attack strength used. With Light Kick, Spinal will always appear in front of his opponent with some space between them; with Medium Kick, Spinal will always appear immediately in front of the opponent; and with Heavy kick, Spinal will always appear immediately behind his opponent. Spinal is melee and attack invulnerable on the way down, though he can be thrown. On the way up out of the ground, he is vulnerable the entire time.

Since the light version always puts Spinal a set distance away from the opponent, you can use this to easily set up your offense (The only exception to this is when the Light Skeleport is used while you are trapped in the corner by your opponent.) Shield Crush, standing Heavy Punch, standing Heavy Kick, and Slide Kick all connect from this range. Use the medium and heavy versions in combination with Spinal’s overhead Searing Skull to mix up your opponent’s defense.

Skull Version

The Skull version of the Skeleport only affects his Heavy Kick version. It still teleports Spinal immediately behind his opponent; however, it gives you the option of Special or Shadow canceling the recovery of the Skeleport. Canceling the recovery costs one Skull. This means that you can still use the Heavy Kick version of the Skeleport without costing yourself a Skull. Only if you decide to cancel it into a Special Attack will it cost you a Skull. With Instinct Mode regenerating Skulls quickly, Heavy Skeleport canceled into another Skeleport can be used to confuse your opponent’s defense.

Shadow Version

Shadow Skeleport is a multi-hitting teleport attack from behind the opponent. Unlike the regular version, it is completely invincible on the way down. This move it can be used in the air. Just like the regular ground version, the air version is completely invincible on the way down. This makes it especially useful against anti-air attempts where the opponent stays grounded. You can follow this up with a small combo with Medium Punch, Medium Soul Sword, or a Shadow Move.

Linker

Skeleport is Spinal’s Exchange Linker. Each time you use it, Spinal will teleport and attack from the other side of the opponent. This is useful for getting your opponent back into the corner.

Ender

Skeleport Ender is Spinal’s Damage Ender. You cannot follow up for a combo after it. Note that this Ender does not exchange sides with the opponent.