Hero vs Link

Link Matchup (Hero)

Hero vs Link

Hero vs Link is most stable when you refuse to let the matchup stay only about projectile trades and instead force body contact while stacking clean punishes.

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ChatGPT Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)

Hero is strongest at midrange disjoints backed by projectile support, while Link is strongest at midrange disjoints backed by projectile support.
The more this stays only about projectile trades, the more both sides get to set their preferred pace. The side that steps forward first after forcing hesitation usually takes control.
The table shows reliable shield punishes on Up B (1), Forward Smash (2), Down Smash, Up Smash, and Forward Smash (1), with Up B, OOS Uair, Grab, and OOS Nair showing up most often as the clean ways to take the turn back.
Do not force shield punishes on the relatively safer choices like Neutral Air. It is usually better to read the landing or ledge route and punish the next action.

Full Move Frame Quick Reference

Opponent MoveStartupOn ShieldHero OOS Candidate MovesBarely Missed Moves
Jab 17-12
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (+1)
Jab 25-16
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (+1)
  • OOS Dair (+3)
Jab 36-23
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (17f)
  • OOS Dair (19f)
  • OOS Bair (21f)
Forward Tilt15-12
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (+1)
Up Tilt8-16
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (+1)
  • OOS Dair (+3)
Down Tilt10-11
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (+2)
Dash Attack20-19
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (17f)
  • OOS Dair (19f)
  • OOS Bair (+2)
Forward Smash (1)17-27/-23/**
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (17f)
  • OOS Dair (19f)
  • OOS Bair (21f)
Forward Smash (2)10-41
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (17f)
  • OOS Dair (19f)
  • OOS Bair (21f)
Up Smash10/25/41-28
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (17f)
  • OOS Dair (19f)
  • OOS Bair (21f)
Down Smash12/24(-31/-32/??)/(-23/-23/??)
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (17f)
  • OOS Dair (19f)
  • OOS Bair (21f)
Neutral Air7-1/-3
  • None
  • Up B (+2)
Forward Air16/24-7/-7
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (+2)
  • Grab (+3)
Back Air6/15-3/-3
  • Up B (3f)
Up Air11-8/-9
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (+1)
  • Grab (+2)
  • OOS Nair (+3)
Down Air14Bounce: ** | Fast Fall: -13/-13
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
Neutral B16-52-21 to -15
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (+2)
Side B27-7/-9
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (+2)
  • Grab (+3)
Up B (1)7-56
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (17f)
  • OOS Dair (19f)
  • OOS Bair (21f)
Up B (2)8/16/22/31/47
Down B (1)
Down B (2)12-19
  • Up B (3f)
  • OOS Uair (9f)
  • Grab (10f)
  • OOS Nair (11f)
  • Up Smash (13f)
  • OOS Fair (17f)
  • OOS Dair (19f)
  • OOS Bair (+2)
Grab6
Dash Grab9
Pivot Grab10

Win Condition Checklist

  • Do not settle for projectile trades alone; step forward and touch the body as soon as you make the opponent pause.
  • After blocking Up B (1), Forward Smash (2), Down Smash, Up Smash, and Forward Smash (1), answer immediately with Up B, OOS Uair, Grab, and OOS Nair so the opponent cannot keep the turn.
  • Do not force immediate retaliation on Neutral Air; take the landing route, escape route, or ledge direction first.
  • Use ledge control as the default kill plan, and only chase offstage when the recovery route is already visible.

Actions to Avoid

  • Drifting back forever around projectile trades, then giving up the time needed to pressure the body.
  • Swinging after every blocked Neutral Air and feeding the whiff punish or reset the opponent wants.
  • Chasing too deep for the kill and exposing Hero’s own recovery or defensive weakness.
  • Panic-jumping or panic-rolling from the ledge and making the opponent’s ledge trap too simple.

Reference Links

Related Pages