Zapp Branniglenn
Smash Lord
Hey all, with the Wii U release/3DS 1.04 patch, Bowser's ability to suicide with the opponent was dramatically changed. Now it is the opponent that is released moments before death on certain stages and they have the opportunity to attempt a recovery by mashing double jump. In the interest of adapting to this change, and for discussing the possibility of Bowsercide in MU discussion, I've compiled this list of characters that can survive a Bowsercide on the possible stages. If you want to know which stages that you can attempt a recovery on, I made a short list at the bottom of the post that only focuses on current, tournament legal stages. I have unlocked and tested with all custom moves as well. If you only care about the non-customs meta, any character that can recover without the aid of custom moves will have a 
to expedite your reading.
This list was compiled with Flying slam (default Side B) on the stage, Battlefield. Keep in mind that all these characters are using their double jump first to avoid death, and are recovering from directly under the ledge.
: Only with Mach cyclone (Down B 2). With the proper double jump boosting method.
: With default UpB and Koopa Meteor (Up B 3) only when combined with default side B jump after double jump.
: With a fully charged waft he makes it up. If Wario is using Quick Waft (Down B 3), he needs to perform an aerial bike dismount (any bike) and definitely have Corkscrew Leap (Up B 3) to reach the ledge.
: Only with High Fire (Up B 2).
: Only with Farore's Squall (Up B 2), and only when traveling directly up.
: Only with Short Fuse Bomb (Down B 3) and the infinite bomb jumping it provides.
: With his three double jumps, Pit reaches the ledge with both Up B 1 and 2, but not Breezy Flight (3)
: Only with a combination of lightweight (Down B 2) activated before being grabbed, and Warp (Up B 1).
: With his five double jumps, Kirby reaches the ledge with all Up Bs
: With his four double jumps, Dedede reaches the ledge with all Up Bs.
: With his five double jumps, Metaknight reaches the ledge with Up B 1 and 3, or default side B (angled upward).
: Distant Fire Bird (Up B 3)
: With either Quick attack (default) or Quick Feet (Up B 3)
: Extreme Speed with 20%+ worth of aura, Ride the wind (Up B 2) at any perent, and Extreme Speed Attak (Up B 3) with 140%+ worth of aura
: All Up Bs
: With careful timing, a vertical teleport will reach the ledge.
: Default Up B – only needing half fuel, Robo Rocket (Up B 2) all the time, and High Speed Burner (Up B 3) require most if not all of fuel
: Default Up B and Balloon High Jump (Up B 3). He can also make it back by riding Liftoff Lloyd (Side B 2)
: Default Up B if he has two or less Pikmin. Winged Pikmin Jump all the time. Mighty Winged Pikmin all the time, provided you mash hard enough.
: Only when equipped with Jump arts preemptively, all versions of Monado Arts and Air Slash will reach the ledge, with one exception. Default monado arts combined with Advancing Air Slash (Up B 2) will not make it. In case you're wondering, no, Shulk cannot activate jump arts while recovering for it to help him in time. He needs this art activated by the time he's released.
:Only with a combination of properly boosted Soaring Tornado (Down B 2) and Super Jump (Up B 2)
: Same as normal Pit
: Only with Beat (Up B 3)
: With Default Up B. Or a combination of default side B fully charged upward and Power Pack Jump (Up B 2).
That's a lot of faces to keep track of. Let me give you a list of characters that Bowsercide will work on for normal circumstances (customs still considered). It's 25/51 characters:
It's important to consider that not every stage has the same distance between the ledge and the bottom boundary. So I've compiled an additional list of characters not in the first one, who come within a Bowser's height reach of the ledge. These characters can make it back with these moves on Town and City, Lylat Cruise (when the stage is tilted either down toward them, or at least neutral position). As well as every Omega form that allows for recovery attempts. Strangely, I've also been able to recover on about 15% of the stage transition segments of Delfino Plaza, as well as the Rooftop and Shine Gate phases. See this thread to know what phases I'm talking about.
: Only with Flying Fortress
: With Up B 1 and 2. These moves have no difference in recovery for this purpose.
: Only with Gale (Up B 2)
: With Dolphin Jump (Up B 3)
: Only with Super Duck Jump (Up B 3)
: With Lasting PK Thunder (Up B 2)
: With Hoop Hurricane (Up B 3)
: Same as Marth.
It's also worth noting that characters with wall jumps and wall clings can recover much better on certain phases of certain stages, as well as several omega forms. These phases are phase 2 of Halberd (on the ship with the megalaser) and the rooftop phase of Delfino Plaza. Shiek, Pac Man, Duck Hunt, and Diddy are just a few off the top of my head that shouldn't have trouble when using correct moves and being close enough to the wall. So it goes without saying that you want to be as far away from the stage as you can possibly get.
To be clear, here is the list of tournament legal stages where recovery can be attempted:
Finally, here's the results for Dash Slam. Every stage allows the victim to recover. Even Omegas. While it's true Dash Slam can be used to take an opponent further to the left or right, letting the opponent recover on every stage makes Bowsercide on opponents like Villager impossible in every scenario with this version of the move.
I am looking forward to discussion on this topic. The number of characters included may seem pretty damning, but remember that your opponent must have the correct move and the knowledge that they are able to double jump in order to attempt a recovery. I'm going to hazard a guess that less than 5% of this game's competitive community that isn't Bowser mains are fully aware of how to attempt a recovery and might remember to do so in a real match. However, the more our enemies attempt this, the more widespread this knowledge will become. I personally wish that the ability to attempt a recovery were either non-existant or more difficult, but nothing could be easier than mashing your jump button to buffer the double jump.
to expedite your reading.This list was compiled with Flying slam (default Side B) on the stage, Battlefield. Keep in mind that all these characters are using their double jump first to avoid death, and are recovering from directly under the ledge.
: Only with Mach cyclone (Down B 2). With the proper double jump boosting method.: With default UpB and Koopa Meteor (Up B 3) only when combined with default side B jump after double jump.: With a fully charged waft he makes it up. If Wario is using Quick Waft (Down B 3), he needs to perform an aerial bike dismount (any bike) and definitely have Corkscrew Leap (Up B 3) to reach the ledge.: Only with High Fire (Up B 2).: Only with Farore's Squall (Up B 2), and only when traveling directly up.: Only with Short Fuse Bomb (Down B 3) and the infinite bomb jumping it provides.: With his three double jumps, Pit reaches the ledge with both Up B 1 and 2, but not Breezy Flight (3): Only with a combination of lightweight (Down B 2) activated before being grabbed, and Warp (Up B 1).: With his five double jumps, Kirby reaches the ledge with all Up Bs: With his four double jumps, Dedede reaches the ledge with all Up Bs.: With his five double jumps, Metaknight reaches the ledge with Up B 1 and 3, or default side B (angled upward).: Distant Fire Bird (Up B 3): With either Quick attack (default) or Quick Feet (Up B 3): Extreme Speed with 20%+ worth of aura, Ride the wind (Up B 2) at any perent, and Extreme Speed Attak (Up B 3) with 140%+ worth of aura: All Up Bs: With careful timing, a vertical teleport will reach the ledge.: Default Up B – only needing half fuel, Robo Rocket (Up B 2) all the time, and High Speed Burner (Up B 3) require most if not all of fuel: Default Up B and Balloon High Jump (Up B 3). He can also make it back by riding Liftoff Lloyd (Side B 2): Default Up B if he has two or less Pikmin. Winged Pikmin Jump all the time. Mighty Winged Pikmin all the time, provided you mash hard enough.: Only when equipped with Jump arts preemptively, all versions of Monado Arts and Air Slash will reach the ledge, with one exception. Default monado arts combined with Advancing Air Slash (Up B 2) will not make it. In case you're wondering, no, Shulk cannot activate jump arts while recovering for it to help him in time. He needs this art activated by the time he's released.:Only with a combination of properly boosted Soaring Tornado (Down B 2) and Super Jump (Up B 2): Same as normal Pit: Only with Beat (Up B 3): With Default Up B. Or a combination of default side B fully charged upward and Power Pack Jump (Up B 2).It's important to consider that not every stage has the same distance between the ledge and the bottom boundary. So I've compiled an additional list of characters not in the first one, who come within a Bowser's height reach of the ledge. These characters can make it back with these moves on Town and City, Lylat Cruise (when the stage is tilted either down toward them, or at least neutral position). As well as every Omega form that allows for recovery attempts. Strangely, I've also been able to recover on about 15% of the stage transition segments of Delfino Plaza, as well as the Rooftop and Shine Gate phases. See this thread to know what phases I'm talking about.
: Only with Flying Fortress: With Up B 1 and 2. These moves have no difference in recovery for this purpose.: Only with Gale (Up B 2): With Dolphin Jump (Up B 3): Only with Super Duck Jump (Up B 3): With Lasting PK Thunder (Up B 2): With Hoop Hurricane (Up B 3): Same as Marth.To be clear, here is the list of tournament legal stages where recovery can be attempted:
Battlefield, Town and City, Lylat cruise, Halberd, Kongo Jungle (hardest to reach the ledge, but that barrel can be reached instead), Phase 3 of Castle Siege, One of the stage transition routes on Delfino Plaza, the Rooftop and Shine Gate phases of Delfino Plaza, and the following Omegas:
Battlefield, Big Battlefield, Luigi's Mansion, Jungle Hijinxs, Skyloft, Temple, Lylat Cruise, Kalos Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon Stadium 2, Onett, Coliseum, Castle Siege, Gamer, Town and City, Boxing Ring, Duck Hunt, and Windy Hill Zone.
Battlefield, Big Battlefield, Luigi's Mansion, Jungle Hijinxs, Skyloft, Temple, Lylat Cruise, Kalos Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon Stadium 2, Onett, Coliseum, Castle Siege, Gamer, Town and City, Boxing Ring, Duck Hunt, and Windy Hill Zone.
I am looking forward to discussion on this topic. The number of characters included may seem pretty damning, but remember that your opponent must have the correct move and the knowledge that they are able to double jump in order to attempt a recovery. I'm going to hazard a guess that less than 5% of this game's competitive community that isn't Bowser mains are fully aware of how to attempt a recovery and might remember to do so in a real match. However, the more our enemies attempt this, the more widespread this knowledge will become. I personally wish that the ability to attempt a recovery were either non-existant or more difficult, but nothing could be easier than mashing your jump button to buffer the double jump.
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