Brawler Arsenal

Grounded Attacks

Neutral Attacks

Neutral Attacks

Meta Knight unleashes a flurry of sword strikes before finishing with a powerful blow that knocks his victim away.

While this is your neutral attack, it doesn’t function as a conventional jab and shouldn’t be used as one since it starts up significantly slower than most lightweight fighter jabs.

It deals reliable damage on hit and can be used to punish rolls and air dodges, thanks to its persistent hit effect.

For the most part, it’s advised you stick to using down tilt, grab, and his air attacks in the neutral game.

Dash Attack

While dashing, Meta Knight delivers a leaping side kick, knocking up his target into the air above him. This is one of your core attacks, and much of your damage originates from connecting with dash attacks, either from tripping the enemy with down tilt or catching retreating foes.

At around 30%, you can usually follow up a successful dash attack with buffered jump up air, and potentially a second follow-up up air afterward.

It’s important to note that the tip of Meta Knight’s dash attack launches the enemy directly above him, while hitting with the inner hitbox launches them up and away. Both provide an opportunity for follow-up damage.

Defensive Attacks

Tilts

Side Tilt

Meta Knight performs a swift three-hit combo sequence, beginning with two quick short-range slashes and ending with an upward slash that sends foes directly away from him. Meta Knight’s side tilt combo is unique in that it behaves like a conventional neutral attack sequence (i.e., as a jab combo). It deals reliable damage and is relatively safe on shield. Its main weakness is in its third attack, as there’s significant end lag, leaving you open for reprisal.

At higher percentages (around 115%), the second hit of this auto combo whiffs against most fighters, as they’re popped up too high, so keep track of your foe’s damage count before committing to using this sequence.

Up Tilt

Meta Knight performs a small twirling hop into the air as he drills his sword into enemies above him, launching them skyward. Up tilt is a ground-to-air anti-air with a specific and narrow hitbox aimed directly above him. It has niche uses as a poke, mainly to harass foes on platforms above you, or as a point-blank, out-of-shield retaliation punish attack that sets up your up air loop combos. It can leave you vulnerable on the ground if you whiff with it.

Down Tilt

Meta Knight crouches low and jabs out his blade at the opponent’s legs.

Down tilt is a staple in your arsenal. It’s incredibly safe and fast, potentially sets up combo opportunities, and at higher percentages (around 115%), it can knock down foes, putting them in a tech situation. An effective follow-up tactic against high-percentage enemies is to knock down with down tilt, buffered immediately into your down special attack (teleport forward). This can earn you a kill if your opponent doesn’t tech get-up.

Smashes

Side Smash

Meta Knight winds up for a brief period before unleashing an ultra-hefty front slash that blasts enemies diagonally upward. While this is your slowest-starting attack, it’s safe when shielded (you’re at an advantage), and deals a considerable amount of shield damage. In some cases, you can bait out-of-shield retaliation attempts with your side smash and immediately “frame-trap” (baiting and pre-empting at once) your opponent with a punishing follow-up attack like down tilt.

You don’t necessarily want to throw this out haphazardly, but with some planning and predictive reactions against aggressive opponents, you can potentially score a knockout at around 85-90% if your foes are careless.

Up Smash

Meta Knight swings his sword up above him three times in rapid succession. The first two swings lock his foes in place, while the third and final strike launches them into the air directly above him. Up smash has great knockout potential, but leaves you extremely vulnerable if whiffed, so you should mainly reserve this attack as an anti-air (against descending foes who’ve used up their double jump, for example).

It can also be used to harass foes standing on platforms above you or as a follow-up to a pop-up attack, such as point-blank up tilt.

Down Smash

Meta Knight performs an incredibly fast spinning sword slash at an upward angle in front of him, then transitions by swinging around and slashing behind. Meta Knight’s down smash is one of the fastest smash attacks in the game, and is particularly effective as an out-of-shield attack or as a quick checking attack against aggressive opponents. It has some end lag that may leave you exposed to attacks, but it’s a decent option for punishing ledge rolls and other moves that leave the opponent behind you, thanks to down smash’s rear hitbox.

Grabs

Grabs

Meta Knight’s grab severely lacks in range, but generally leads into a considerable amount of damage. Meta Knight’s grapple attack impales his grappled foe with his spiky wing thumbs. He uses front throw to pick up his grappled enemy, then drives a mighty roundhouse kick into them, popping them up into the air. For back throw, he hurls his foe down behind him and plunges his sword into them, knocking them away. For up throw, Meta Knight flies into the sky and off the stage, dragging his victim with him, before plummeting back into the ground and slamming the enemy with incredible force. His down throw uses his opponent as a trampoline; he stomps on their back several times before ending the sequence with a much heavier double-legged stomp that bounces the enemy up and away.

Down throw leads into the most potential damage. At lower percentages (around 30% to 40%), you can perform a combo with down throw into short hop forward air attack, adjusting your hop and forward air for higher percentages. Alternatively, you can down throw into his famous up air loop combo, which consists of a down throw, followed by a dash-in short hop up air, into double jump up air (repeatable up to five times if you’re practiced enough), then finishes with up special for an ultra-powerful combo.

Against opponents who shuffle and air-dodge your combo, you can attempt a follow-up punish by fast-falling with neutral air attack to hit their air dodge recovery.

Aerial Attacks

Aerials

Neutral Air Attack

Meta Knight takes a page from Samus’s book and performs a less-spectacular version of her Screw Attack, spinning in the air and striking foes with his sword extended. Neutral air attack is a strong attack when used from a jump. Jump into fast fall cancel allows you to stick out a persistent spinning attack as you descend on enemies.

It’s also fairly effective for edge-guarding purposes, but doesn’t knock out as easily the longer the attack is active (i.e., it deals more damage and has more knockback at the beginning).

A notable upside to this move is that it has low ending lag, so you’re relatively safe using it as a short-hopping poke.

With its lengthy active window, you can easily punish baited air dodges with this attack.

Forward Air Attack

In midair, Meta Knight delivers three consecutive slashes in front of him. The first two slashes lock his foe in place, while the final slash sends them flying away. Forward air attack is one of your slower aerial attacks, but it’s an excellent air-poking and spacing tool if positioned and timed correctly. For instance, short hop, pull-back, forward air is a strong “walling” sequence to deter enemies from rushing at you. This sequence is made easier when using the C-stick to perform the forward air while you pull back your air trajectory with the control stick. It has considerable landing lag when landing straight from the third attack, so consider your positioning to prevent being shield-grabbed.

Back Air Attack

While airborne, Meta Knight performs a three-hit spinning back-slash combo directly behind him. Back air attack is one of your main air-to-air knockout moves, used for offstage edge-guarding setups, such as from a ledge trump (knocking off a ledge-hanging opponent with your own ledge grab).

Up Air Attack

Meta Knight quickly swipes the area above him with his sword, causing a slight pop-up hit on foes. Naturally, this is your primary juggling attack. Its active window is incredibly short, so it asks a certain degree of accuracy and timing to use effectively. Its start-up and end lag are quite low, giving you much more aerial flexibility with a bit more control.

Once you’ve got the opponent knocked into the air, you can effectively combo (or “trap”) them with repeated up airs, forcing them into an air recovery, double jump, or air dodge. With your ability to double-jump up to five times, you can cause serious damage to, or at least frustrate, your enemies. Mix between your up air and neutral air attack to keep your descending foes on their toes.

Down Air Attack

Meta Knight delivers a fast slashing attack in a horizontal arc below him. Like up air attack, down air attack has very little end lag and is active only briefly. Nevertheless, it’s a great attack when paired with your ability to quintuple-jump. If you can put your opponent into a defensive shielding posture, you can go for short hop down air into buffered double jump down air to apply a strong air-to-ground pressure game. There’s noticeable landing lag, so use your batwing jumps to reposition yourself away from landing next to your opponent if possible.

Special Moves

Special Moves

Neutral Special: Mach Tornado

Meta Knight becomes a whirling tornado that launches enemies into the air as he collides with them. Mach Tornado is mainly used as a recovery tool and is rarely effective as an offensive one because it leaves you in a helpless falling state, followed by massive landing lag. However, in niche situations, you can use Mach Tornado to punish high-altitude air dodges as your opponent attempts to get through your juggling advantage state. Follow your airborne opponent, and if you read an air dodge, activate Mach Tornado and mash on the Special button to nail them as they come out of their dodge.

Side Special: Drill Rush

Meta Knight propels himself forward through the air like a torpedo, drilling into foes with a multi-strike attack before bouncing off them. Meta Knight’s side special is another recovery option in his arsenal, doubling as a horizontal air attack. While in flight, you can heavily influence your trajectory by inputting up or down on the control stick.

Like Mach Tornado, Drill Rush can leave you extremely vulnerable. It has a considerably lengthy start time, and if you end the drill in the air, it leaves you in a helpless falling state. If you drill and hit the ground at certain angles, it bounces you off the stage, adding even more end lag. Learning how to manipulate your drill trajectory so that you land on the stage without bouncing is crucial in order to mitigate your end-lag vulnerability.

Up Special: Shuttle Loop

Meta Knight launches into the air with a rising sword strike, performs a loop in the air, then completes the two-hit combo with another upward sword stab. Shuttle Loop is another one of Meta Knight’s recovery options that doubles as an attack. Shuttle Loop is used in many of Meta Knight’s juggle combos, primarily as a finishing attack after an up air attack.

Like his other recovery options, it leaves you in a helpless falling state, so use it carefully—as a deliberate combo finisher, or from beneath a ledge where you can immediately grab on to the platform in the middle of your ascent.

Down Special: Dimensional Cape

Meta Knight vanishes and then reappears a short distance away, potentially following up with a massive area-of-effect sword attack.

Dimensional Cape is another recovery move that teleports you a set distance (or in place without a control stick input) after a brief disappearing intangibility period. If the Special button is held down or pressed again, Meta Knight comes out of his teleport with a huge sword swing, dealing a high amount of damage.

Dimensional Cape has practical uses in punishing laggy moves and as an edge-guarding tool if timed properly. For instance, you can teleport away from a ledge as your opponent ledge-rolls back onto the platform, and as they’re recovering from their roll, you reappear and smash them with the follow-up sword attack.

After inputting down special, you can aim Meta Knight’s teleport direction with the control stick. Not only can you control which direction he launches in, but you can manipulate his trajectory as he’s moving. Even though you can’t see him, controlling trajectory while he’s invisible has certain momentum implications. For instance, if you down special while grounded, then immediately hold up-forward, then move the control stick up and then down, you can see Meta Knight reappear from the air, propelled to the ground as if he warped up and then down in an arc. While minor, this kind of granular shift can be important if you need to perform a specific movement in response to your opponent’s actions.

Final Smash: Darkness Illusion

Meta Knight throws his blade upward and fires an electric projectile. If he hits an opponent, he tosses them up in the air before multiplying himself to attack and launch them. If the electric projectile doesn’t hit anyone, the move doesn’t activate.