- Game Versions
- Smash 3DS, Smash Wii U
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1:Intro
2:Combos
3:How To KO
4:Recovery
5:Edgeguarding
6:Custom Moves
7:Random Tips
8:Moveset
9:Outro
INTRO
Dr.Mario is one of Smash 4's most underrated characters. Many say his recovery sucks, that his speed and jump height are terrible, that he can't combo. Is this true? Nope. Doc's recovery is indeed bad, but hey, he's no Little Mac. His speed and jump height are also sub-par, but not catastrophic, and his combo game is actually pretty good. And while Mario is a better pick, Doc is nowhere near bottom tier. Let me give you some terminology before we start.
So, what's Doc like, you ask? What flaws does he have that make people think he's bottom tier? What about his good points? Well, allow me to go over this for a moment.
Dr.Mario is the only clone that is the exact same person as the original, Mario. And of course, he shares his moveset, aside from the Dr.Tornado and D-air. Dr.Mario is slower and jumps lower, but his power is insane. Dr.Mario can easily be played generally the same as Mario, but you must be more careful and smart with your moves. His main flaw is his recovery. It's worse than Mario's and is among some of the worst. But it's actually only a bit below average. His Dr.Tornado saves him from being Mario Mac.
Pros:
•KOs ridiculously early
•Great combo potential
•Amazing punish game
•Despite the last one, amazing aggressive game
•Actually great at edgeguarding due to power and Side B
•Megavitamins are great at spacing
•Great frame data
•Dash attack combos a bit
Cons:
•Below average recovery
•Below average speed
•Short range
•Up Smash trajectory is bad
Those are the pros and cons of Doc, or at least the ones I could list. So get ready for a Doc guide, and have fun!
COMBOS
Doc actually has a lot of combos! Take advantage of this to get opponents to KO %s super early.
Test dummy: Sheik. I used her not only because she appears commonly in tournaments, but because she falls fast and thus is easier than usual to combo.
(0%-11%)Down Throw-->Up Smash (Deals 21%)
This combo is easy and does a lot of damage, instantly making it a really good one. Works best on fast fallers and/or heavyweights, and is best used to start a match.
(2%-5%)Down Throw-->Up tilt x4-->Up air-->Back air (Deals 55%)
This combo works on a small range of %s and only on heavies and fast fallers, but that damage is amazing. Hit with a Megavitamin or one hit of a jab at the start of a match and you'll be ready to start the combo. However, on heavier characters such as Captain Falcon and Dedede, it can be done at 0%.
(10%-47%)Back air into the ground-->F-tilt (deals 21%)
By now you should be able to tell that Dr.Mario's combos deal a lot of damage. This one is no different. It also works on a nice range of %s.
(20%-38%)Up Throw-->Up air-->Back air (Deals 29%)
What can I say? It's easy, it's reliable, it deals great damage and works on a total of 18%s when done on Sheik.
(0%-68%)Down Throw-->RAR (Reverse Aerial Rush) Back air (Deals 19%)
It works on a huge range of %s, making it a great mid-% combo for Doc.
(80%-98%)Down Throw-->F-air (Deals 22%)
Doc's signature combo. It works at high %s and works as a KO combo when you sweetspot the f-air.
(0%-70%)Down Throw-->Up B (Deals 19%)
It's easy, realible, safe, and works on a gargantuan % range. Not much else to say.
(19%-31%)Down tilt-->Up tilt x2-->Up air-->Back air (Deals 40%)
It's a slight bit difficult and only works on heavies and fast fallers, but that damage is too high to ignore. Take your opponents by surprise with this combo!
(0%-999%.) Jabs 1 & 2-->Up B (Deals 17%)
I swear, if you could cancel his jab a frame or two earlier, this would be a true combo. This combo can KO at higher %s, and the opponent will not be able to escale easily. Just don't use it at low %s, because your opponent can punish you while you're in a helpless state if they don't get launched far enough.
(0%-142%)Down Throw-->Down B (Deals 14%)
It can KO at the edge at around 120%. It's not a kill confirm like pre-patch Luigi's, but it's still nice. Use it sparingly.
I can't list all of the Doc combos, so please bear with me.
You can see that Doc's combos deal a lot of damage. And while he can't combo too well at high %s, it's no problem because of Dr.Mario's amazing KO power. And that brings us to the KO section.
HOW TO KO
The Doc actually KOs really early. All of his smashes, his up B, and his f-air are awesome KO moves.
Up B can be used after two jabs for a KO combo. It's not a true combo, but it almost always works if you up B fast enough. You can also edgeguard with this for a free KO. However, you must, and I mean must hit the sweetspot, or it's very weak, only dealing %6 damage with barely any knockback.
His up smash covers all ledge getup options except ledge attack with correct spacing from the ledge. Its angle isn't very good, but it still works very well.
Side Smash has the most knockback of them all with a sweetspot on his arm. This can be used to stop an opponent recovering onto the stage.
His down smash is quite different. The front hit is fast and decently strong, whereas the back hit is actually very strong, KOing pretty early. So, use it for roll predictions.
Doc even has a KO throw, just like Mario. It's literally the same, but better. It deals more damage a KOs noticeably earlier.
The Dr. Tornado can also KO if you jump to someone recovering from a diagonal hit and use it. Don't worry-if you mash B to gain height, you can get back to the stage by moving towards it until you need to up B. Pretty simple, huh?
After a trump or in almost any edgeguarding situation, the B-air is a very powerful option. It comes out fast and is very powerful, making it best after a trump or when the opponent is behind you in the air.
His F-air also has an insane amount of power. It doesn't spike, but it has huge horizontal knockback and combos out of Down Throw. Its sweetspot is at the beginning of the swing on his fist. The sweetspot is actually REALLY easy to hit. Opponents in the air at high %s better watch out!
RECOVERY
Now for his recovery. First thing you do when launched sideways is use Dr. Tornado. Remember to mash B FAST and move towards the stage as you do so. Then double jump and Super Jump Punch once you're close enough to the stage. You can also do another Dr.Tornado before the double jump to gain more distance and a little more height. If you have trouble with button mashing, Dr.Tornado out of a jump whilst still mashing. This grants a good amount of height if you're not amazing at mashing, as it requires less mashing. When recovering straight up on a wall, wall jump, double jump, then Super Jump Punch. Also, never use Dr. Tornado when you could get by with a Super Jump Punch or a jump, because Dr.Tornado is more easily punished. Remember that and you're good!
EDGEGUARDING
Doc can actually edge guard pretty well with a back air off of the edge, and this can net you a KO.
If they lost the ledge invincibility, you can use up B while on the stage. (Remember to B-reverse it away from the ledge!) Some characters require spacing for this.
Megavitamins can edgeguard by spamming them at the ledge & interrupting recoveries, just like Mario's fireballs. If used in the air while falling, they can set up for an Up B.
The B-air is powerful and fast, making it a perfect hit after a trump. You can also run off the ledge and B-air them when they lose the ledge invincibility.
You can also use the side B to gimp recoveries because it reflects characters as well as projectiles (Ness's Up B).
CUSTOM MOVES
Note:Nearly all tournaments ban customs.
With customs, Doc becomes noticeably better. Switch the down B to Soaring Tornado and his Side B to Wind Sheet.
Wind Sheet gimps MUCH better-even if they don't hit the sheet, they can still get pushed by the wind box. And if they hit the sheet, they'll go flying in the other direction. Gimp Fox's side or up B with this and he's done. However, you can't use it on laggy moves combined with a side smash anymore due to the wind box.
Soaring Tornado goes amazingly high, has a wind box and very high knockback on the last hit at the cost of horizontal movement. It gives him a much better recovery and another KO move.
You can change his B to Fast Megavitamin. It becomes even better at spacing at the cost of edgeguarding. Or you could stick to normal Megavitamin. Your choice.
RANDOM TIPS
His back air auto cancels out of a short hop just like Mario's. Same for his N-air. His f-air doesn't spike, but it has incredible horizontal knockback. His Megavitamins are awesome for spacing and edgeguarding.
MOVESET
Dr.Mario's moveset is essentially the same as Mario's, but with different properties. Let me go over the uses of these moves.
(At this point in time, I am not finished the whole moveset. I'm still compiling the missing moves.)
OUTRO
Doc is difficult to explain. Learn him well and you'll see that he's no bottom tier character! Mario revolves around the core elements of Smash, and Doc is more strict about it. So go ahead and try Doc. Take it from me-it was just what the doctor ordered.
Terrible pun is terrible.
Tell me if I missed anything and stay tuned for more guides. Have a nice day!
~CrimsonSSB
1:Intro
2:Combos
3:How To KO
4:Recovery
5:Edgeguarding
6:Custom Moves
7:Random Tips
8:Moveset
9:Outro
INTRO
Dr.Mario is one of Smash 4's most underrated characters. Many say his recovery sucks, that his speed and jump height are terrible, that he can't combo. Is this true? Nope. Doc's recovery is indeed bad, but hey, he's no Little Mac. His speed and jump height are also sub-par, but not catastrophic, and his combo game is actually pretty good. And while Mario is a better pick, Doc is nowhere near bottom tier. Let me give you some terminology before we start.
F-air:Forward air.
D-air:Down air.
B-air:Back air
U-air:Up air
RAR (Reverse Aerial Rush):This technique has you turn around (preferably from a dash), jump and B-air. You maintain your momentum in the direction your back is facing at, allowing you to use the B-air in combos.
D-air:Down air.
B-air:Back air
U-air:Up air
RAR (Reverse Aerial Rush):This technique has you turn around (preferably from a dash), jump and B-air. You maintain your momentum in the direction your back is facing at, allowing you to use the B-air in combos.
So, what's Doc like, you ask? What flaws does he have that make people think he's bottom tier? What about his good points? Well, allow me to go over this for a moment.
Dr.Mario is the only clone that is the exact same person as the original, Mario. And of course, he shares his moveset, aside from the Dr.Tornado and D-air. Dr.Mario is slower and jumps lower, but his power is insane. Dr.Mario can easily be played generally the same as Mario, but you must be more careful and smart with your moves. His main flaw is his recovery. It's worse than Mario's and is among some of the worst. But it's actually only a bit below average. His Dr.Tornado saves him from being Mario Mac.
Pros:
•KOs ridiculously early
•Great combo potential
•Amazing punish game
•Despite the last one, amazing aggressive game
•Actually great at edgeguarding due to power and Side B
•Megavitamins are great at spacing
•Great frame data
•Dash attack combos a bit
Cons:
•Below average recovery
•Below average speed
•Short range
•Up Smash trajectory is bad
Those are the pros and cons of Doc, or at least the ones I could list. So get ready for a Doc guide, and have fun!
COMBOS
Doc actually has a lot of combos! Take advantage of this to get opponents to KO %s super early.
Test dummy: Sheik. I used her not only because she appears commonly in tournaments, but because she falls fast and thus is easier than usual to combo.
(0%-11%)Down Throw-->Up Smash (Deals 21%)
This combo is easy and does a lot of damage, instantly making it a really good one. Works best on fast fallers and/or heavyweights, and is best used to start a match.
(2%-5%)Down Throw-->Up tilt x4-->Up air-->Back air (Deals 55%)
This combo works on a small range of %s and only on heavies and fast fallers, but that damage is amazing. Hit with a Megavitamin or one hit of a jab at the start of a match and you'll be ready to start the combo. However, on heavier characters such as Captain Falcon and Dedede, it can be done at 0%.
(10%-47%)Back air into the ground-->F-tilt (deals 21%)
By now you should be able to tell that Dr.Mario's combos deal a lot of damage. This one is no different. It also works on a nice range of %s.
(20%-38%)Up Throw-->Up air-->Back air (Deals 29%)
What can I say? It's easy, it's reliable, it deals great damage and works on a total of 18%s when done on Sheik.
(0%-68%)Down Throw-->RAR (Reverse Aerial Rush) Back air (Deals 19%)
It works on a huge range of %s, making it a great mid-% combo for Doc.
(80%-98%)Down Throw-->F-air (Deals 22%)
Doc's signature combo. It works at high %s and works as a KO combo when you sweetspot the f-air.
(0%-70%)Down Throw-->Up B (Deals 19%)
It's easy, realible, safe, and works on a gargantuan % range. Not much else to say.
(19%-31%)Down tilt-->Up tilt x2-->Up air-->Back air (Deals 40%)
It's a slight bit difficult and only works on heavies and fast fallers, but that damage is too high to ignore. Take your opponents by surprise with this combo!
(0%-999%.) Jabs 1 & 2-->Up B (Deals 17%)
I swear, if you could cancel his jab a frame or two earlier, this would be a true combo. This combo can KO at higher %s, and the opponent will not be able to escale easily. Just don't use it at low %s, because your opponent can punish you while you're in a helpless state if they don't get launched far enough.
(0%-142%)Down Throw-->Down B (Deals 14%)
It can KO at the edge at around 120%. It's not a kill confirm like pre-patch Luigi's, but it's still nice. Use it sparingly.
I can't list all of the Doc combos, so please bear with me.
You can see that Doc's combos deal a lot of damage. And while he can't combo too well at high %s, it's no problem because of Dr.Mario's amazing KO power. And that brings us to the KO section.
HOW TO KO
The Doc actually KOs really early. All of his smashes, his up B, and his f-air are awesome KO moves.
Up B can be used after two jabs for a KO combo. It's not a true combo, but it almost always works if you up B fast enough. You can also edgeguard with this for a free KO. However, you must, and I mean must hit the sweetspot, or it's very weak, only dealing %6 damage with barely any knockback.
His up smash covers all ledge getup options except ledge attack with correct spacing from the ledge. Its angle isn't very good, but it still works very well.
Side Smash has the most knockback of them all with a sweetspot on his arm. This can be used to stop an opponent recovering onto the stage.
His down smash is quite different. The front hit is fast and decently strong, whereas the back hit is actually very strong, KOing pretty early. So, use it for roll predictions.
Doc even has a KO throw, just like Mario. It's literally the same, but better. It deals more damage a KOs noticeably earlier.
The Dr. Tornado can also KO if you jump to someone recovering from a diagonal hit and use it. Don't worry-if you mash B to gain height, you can get back to the stage by moving towards it until you need to up B. Pretty simple, huh?
After a trump or in almost any edgeguarding situation, the B-air is a very powerful option. It comes out fast and is very powerful, making it best after a trump or when the opponent is behind you in the air.
His F-air also has an insane amount of power. It doesn't spike, but it has huge horizontal knockback and combos out of Down Throw. Its sweetspot is at the beginning of the swing on his fist. The sweetspot is actually REALLY easy to hit. Opponents in the air at high %s better watch out!
RECOVERY
Now for his recovery. First thing you do when launched sideways is use Dr. Tornado. Remember to mash B FAST and move towards the stage as you do so. Then double jump and Super Jump Punch once you're close enough to the stage. You can also do another Dr.Tornado before the double jump to gain more distance and a little more height. If you have trouble with button mashing, Dr.Tornado out of a jump whilst still mashing. This grants a good amount of height if you're not amazing at mashing, as it requires less mashing. When recovering straight up on a wall, wall jump, double jump, then Super Jump Punch. Also, never use Dr. Tornado when you could get by with a Super Jump Punch or a jump, because Dr.Tornado is more easily punished. Remember that and you're good!
EDGEGUARDING
Doc can actually edge guard pretty well with a back air off of the edge, and this can net you a KO.
If they lost the ledge invincibility, you can use up B while on the stage. (Remember to B-reverse it away from the ledge!) Some characters require spacing for this.
Megavitamins can edgeguard by spamming them at the ledge & interrupting recoveries, just like Mario's fireballs. If used in the air while falling, they can set up for an Up B.
The B-air is powerful and fast, making it a perfect hit after a trump. You can also run off the ledge and B-air them when they lose the ledge invincibility.
You can also use the side B to gimp recoveries because it reflects characters as well as projectiles (Ness's Up B).
CUSTOM MOVES
Note:Nearly all tournaments ban customs.
With customs, Doc becomes noticeably better. Switch the down B to Soaring Tornado and his Side B to Wind Sheet.
Wind Sheet gimps MUCH better-even if they don't hit the sheet, they can still get pushed by the wind box. And if they hit the sheet, they'll go flying in the other direction. Gimp Fox's side or up B with this and he's done. However, you can't use it on laggy moves combined with a side smash anymore due to the wind box.
Soaring Tornado goes amazingly high, has a wind box and very high knockback on the last hit at the cost of horizontal movement. It gives him a much better recovery and another KO move.
You can change his B to Fast Megavitamin. It becomes even better at spacing at the cost of edgeguarding. Or you could stick to normal Megavitamin. Your choice.
RANDOM TIPS
His back air auto cancels out of a short hop just like Mario's. Same for his N-air. His f-air doesn't spike, but it has incredible horizontal knockback. His Megavitamins are awesome for spacing and edgeguarding.
MOVESET
Dr.Mario's moveset is essentially the same as Mario's, but with different properties. Let me go over the uses of these moves.
(At this point in time, I am not finished the whole moveset. I'm still compiling the missing moves.)
Dash Attack (8% clean, 6% late):
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This move actually sets up for combos due to its angle, something Mario can't do. It deals pretty good damage for a dash attack, especially when it combos. It has a bit of ending lag, but it still works decently. It goes a nice distance.
Jab (2%, 1%, 4% Total:8%):
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A 'get-off-of-me' attack, but on the ground. If you're getting combo'd and you touch the ground, you could use this move to interrupt the combo. It also has okay range.
Down tilt (7% sweetspot, 5% sourspot):
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This attack can follow up into up tilts or aerials at high %s. The higher on the hitbox you are, the more damage you take. However, this moves isn't too useful overall, as the up tilt is better due to the angle.
Up tilt (7%):
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Oh, how great this move is. It's simply Mario's, but stronger. It can combo off of Dthrow, D-tilt, itself, and Uthrow. It combos into N-air, U-air, D-air, itself, D-tilt, and F-tilt. This move allows you to pull of high % combos, then get in a KO move once they're at KO %s!
Side tilt (7.5%):
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This move is...Meh. It combos off of a B-air into the ground, but that's all it does. Its range is okay. Overall, it's not bad, it's just that other options such as D-tilt and U-tilt are better.
Side Smash (15%-21% sourspot, 19%-26%):
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This move is very powerful, regardless of whether or not you hit the sweetspot. It's a ridiculously strong KO move. Its downside is where its sweetspot is. It's on his arm. In order to get the stronger hit, you must get even closer to your opponent. Its small range doesn't help either.
Up Smash (15%-21%):
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It combos from DThrow & Uthrow and can KO. However, its trajectory is so bad that proper DI can make it just as horizontal as his F-Smash. This also covers all ledge options aside from ledge attack
Down Smash (11%-15% front, 13%-18% back):
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The front hit of this is...decent. Its KO power is okay, compared to Doc's other moves. The back hit is actually pretty powerful, however. As such, you should use it to punish rolls.
This move actually sets up for combos due to its angle, something Mario can't do. It deals pretty good damage for a dash attack, especially when it combos. It has a bit of ending lag, but it still works decently. It goes a nice distance.
Jab (2%, 1%, 4% Total:8%):
A 'get-off-of-me' attack, but on the ground. If you're getting combo'd and you touch the ground, you could use this move to interrupt the combo. It also has okay range.
Down tilt (7% sweetspot, 5% sourspot):
This attack can follow up into up tilts or aerials at high %s. The higher on the hitbox you are, the more damage you take. However, this moves isn't too useful overall, as the up tilt is better due to the angle.
Up tilt (7%):
Oh, how great this move is. It's simply Mario's, but stronger. It can combo off of Dthrow, D-tilt, itself, and Uthrow. It combos into N-air, U-air, D-air, itself, D-tilt, and F-tilt. This move allows you to pull of high % combos, then get in a KO move once they're at KO %s!
Side tilt (7.5%):
This move is...Meh. It combos off of a B-air into the ground, but that's all it does. Its range is okay. Overall, it's not bad, it's just that other options such as D-tilt and U-tilt are better.
Side Smash (15%-21% sourspot, 19%-26%):
This move is very powerful, regardless of whether or not you hit the sweetspot. It's a ridiculously strong KO move. Its downside is where its sweetspot is. It's on his arm. In order to get the stronger hit, you must get even closer to your opponent. Its small range doesn't help either.
Up Smash (15%-21%):
It combos from DThrow & Uthrow and can KO. However, its trajectory is so bad that proper DI can make it just as horizontal as his F-Smash. This also covers all ledge options aside from ledge attack
Down Smash (11%-15% front, 13%-18% back):
The front hit of this is...decent. Its KO power is okay, compared to Doc's other moves. The back hit is actually pretty powerful, however. As such, you should use it to punish rolls.
Pummel (3.5):
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It's decently fast, yet does some really good damage for a pummel. Nothing else to say.
DThrow (5.5%):
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This move starts a plethora of combos. It combos into U-Tilt, U-air, N-air, D-air, Up B, Down B, and F-air. It deals low damage, but the combos make up for that. You'll be using this throw a bunch.
UThrow (7%):
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This can pull off a few combos, such as one into U-air or U-smash on fast-fallers. However, Dthrow tends to do this better. Overall, this throw can be used, but not as much as Dthrow.
Fthrow (8%):
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This throw isn't very useful. It can go into a Dash Attack, but that's very unreliable. It's best used for getting your opponents offstage to troll them.
Bthrow (12%):
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This is Doc's KO throw. Combine it with pummels at a high % and your opponent could easily get KO'd.
It's decently fast, yet does some really good damage for a pummel. Nothing else to say.
DThrow (5.5%):
This move starts a plethora of combos. It combos into U-Tilt, U-air, N-air, D-air, Up B, Down B, and F-air. It deals low damage, but the combos make up for that. You'll be using this throw a bunch.
UThrow (7%):
This can pull off a few combos, such as one into U-air or U-smash on fast-fallers. However, Dthrow tends to do this better. Overall, this throw can be used, but not as much as Dthrow.
Fthrow (8%):
This throw isn't very useful. It can go into a Dash Attack, but that's very unreliable. It's best used for getting your opponents offstage to troll them.
Bthrow (12%):
This is Doc's KO throw. Combine it with pummels at a high % and your opponent could easily get KO'd.
N-air (5% start, 8% late):
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This can break combos nicely. It starts out weak and ends strong, and the strong hitbox lingers for a majority of the move. It can edgeguard and combo. It can also be used to approach.
U-air (7%):
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This move combos really well. It goes into N-air and itself in midair. It hits them away, and thus can be used to edgeguard. Use this move well.
D-air (1.5% each hit, last hit 3%, ground hit 2%, Total:12% at max)
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Due to it having a ground hit and it no longer auto-cancelling out of a short hop, the D-air has no follow-ups. Instead, it acts to cover you when you fall and can be a follow-up.
B-air (13% clean, 7% late):
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This move tho. It can be Reverse Aerial Rushed for an approach, combos into itself and side tilt, auto-cancels out of a short hop and can be used to edgeguard. If your opponent's behind you, this is the move to use.
F-air (11% sourspot, 16% sweetspot):
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This move is one of Doc's best KO moves. It has great power, but quite a bit of startup lag and you need to hit the sweetspot for it to be strong at all.
This can break combos nicely. It starts out weak and ends strong, and the strong hitbox lingers for a majority of the move. It can edgeguard and combo. It can also be used to approach.
U-air (7%):
This move combos really well. It goes into N-air and itself in midair. It hits them away, and thus can be used to edgeguard. Use this move well.
D-air (1.5% each hit, last hit 3%, ground hit 2%, Total:12% at max)
Due to it having a ground hit and it no longer auto-cancelling out of a short hop, the D-air has no follow-ups. Instead, it acts to cover you when you fall and can be a follow-up.
B-air (13% clean, 7% late):
This move tho. It can be Reverse Aerial Rushed for an approach, combos into itself and side tilt, auto-cancels out of a short hop and can be used to edgeguard. If your opponent's behind you, this is the move to use.
F-air (11% sourspot, 16% sweetspot):
OUTRO
Doc is difficult to explain. Learn him well and you'll see that he's no bottom tier character! Mario revolves around the core elements of Smash, and Doc is more strict about it. So go ahead and try Doc. Take it from me-it was just what the doctor ordered.
Terrible pun is terrible.
Tell me if I missed anything and stay tuned for more guides. Have a nice day!
~CrimsonSSB
