Index
First Post - Overview
1) Foreword
2) Summary
3) Attributes
4) Useful Resources
5) To Do List
6) Acknowledgments
Second Post - Useful Data HUB
1) SH Bair List
2) Damage + KO %'s
2a) Damage Chart
2b) Center Stage KO %'s
3) Anti-Luma Tech
3a) Luma Tumble %'s
3b) Luma Throw Safety %'s
3c) Grounded Luma States
4) Combos
4a) Combo Tree
4b) Forced Jab Reset List
4c) Side B Combos
4d) KO Combos
4e) Aerial Cargo Utoss (ACUT) Uair Combo KO%'s
4f) Grounded Cargo Utoss (GCUT) Uair Combo KO%'s
4g) Cargo Utoss (CUT) Positioning
5) Blastzone Data and Stage Length
Third Post - Metagame and Player Insights
1) Moveset Analysis
2) Advanced Techniques and Mechanics
3) Strategies and Tips
First Post - Overview
1) Foreword
2) Summary
3) Attributes
4) Useful Resources
5) To Do List
6) Acknowledgments
Second Post - Useful Data HUB
1) SH Bair List
2) Damage + KO %'s
2a) Damage Chart
2b) Center Stage KO %'s
3) Anti-Luma Tech
3a) Luma Tumble %'s
3b) Luma Throw Safety %'s
3c) Grounded Luma States
4) Combos
4a) Combo Tree
4b) Forced Jab Reset List
4c) Side B Combos
4d) KO Combos
4e) Aerial Cargo Utoss (ACUT) Uair Combo KO%'s
4f) Grounded Cargo Utoss (GCUT) Uair Combo KO%'s
4g) Cargo Utoss (CUT) Positioning
5) Blastzone Data and Stage Length
Third Post - Metagame and Player Insights
1) Moveset Analysis
2) Advanced Techniques and Mechanics
3) Strategies and Tips
Overview
1) Foreword
This is the start of a group effort and a work in progress. The goal is to have a central hub for all the knowledge, data, and developments in the metagame for DK brought together in one place. Over time things more stuff will be added and the existing stuff cleaned up to look nicer. I will be adding things frequently and encourage everyone to weigh in and give their 2 cents. It will look nicer, be more complete, and more useful as the guide gets updated. With your help, this guide will get there sooner rather than later. To add stuff to this guide, feel free to post your contributions here in this thread or PM me.
This guide will be in 2 main parts. The first part will be the more objective and data oriented knowledge like frame data, KO%'s, combos, and other useful things to know. The second part will be the more metagame oriented knowledge like player insights, general strategies, AT's, MU breakdowns, general metagame strategies, etc.
2) Summary
DK is a straightforward character with notable strengths and clear weaknesses that is mostly considered to be a mid-tier character. His weight, reach, damage, speed, and KO power are all above average. Weaknesses like laggy attacks, poor landing options, and an awkwardly large body definitely keep DK in check, despite his advantages. Playing around these weaknesses and abusing your strengths is the key to winning as DK.
The general gameplan with DK is to overpower and outlast the enemy. Few characters can trade hits with DK and come out ahead, so taking a few extra hits is usually not that big a deal. DK's tilts and smashes are also very hard to challenge directly, so with good spacing few attacks are able to beat them cleanly. As a character without a projectile, DK is usually the one who has to approach. However, charging DK's Neutral B can be used to provoke your opponents, giving them a reason to approach you instead.
DK’s offstage game is pretty strong too. His recovery is exceptional horizontally, but poor vertically. Any sort of spike or footstool usually is enough to ensure DK can’t recover, but he can always recover with just his Up B if he isn’t spiked. DK’s horizontal recovery is usually overkill, so he can afford to stall and even drift backwards to avoid getting hit while recovering. Despite having a poor vertical recovery, DK can still go surprisingly deep to intercept and deny recovery attempts. His deadly spikes, lingering aerials, and solid Ledge Trump game are all valuable tools that make him a force to be reckoned with offstage.
3) Attributes
One of the most common misconceptions is that DK is slow. As shown below, DK is actually surprisingly fast. He isn’t very nimble or agile, but in terms of raw speed he is definitely not lacking. Against the majority of the cast, DK is both faster and heavier than them. Only 6 characters are faster than DK both in the air and on the ground (Mewtwo, ZSS, Greninja, Roy, Yoshi, and Mii Brawler), but they are much lighter and/or weaker than DK.
Weight | 122 | 2nd
Walk Speed | 1.3 | 9th
Run Speed | 1.7031 | 22nd
Air Speed | 1.15 | Tie for 9th
Air Acceleration (Base + Additional) | 0.06 | Tie for 45th
Fall Speed/Fast Fall Speed | 1.63/2.608 | 22nd/23rd
Fast Fall Speed Boost | 60% | Normal
Gravity | 0.08505 | 35th
Jump Squat | 6 frames
Soft Landing | 2 frames
Hard Landing | 5 frames
SH Air Time | 27-40 frames
FH Air Time | 42-58 frames
Initial Dash | 15-29 frames
4) Useful Resources
DK Frame Data
Smash Move Viewer
DK Hitbox Visualization
Smash 4 Calculator
The Art of DK
Wii U Stage Blastzone Data
Mastercore: THE Smash Data Resource
DK Frame Data
Smash Move Viewer
DK Hitbox Visualization
Smash 4 Calculator
The Art of DK
Wii U Stage Blastzone Data
Mastercore: THE Smash Data Resource
- Fill in rage KO%'s and finish other stage KO %'s
- Redo ACUT Uair KO %'s using Vs. Mode with and without rage
- Lab GCUT Uair 50-50 ranges in Vs. Mode with and without rage
- Start putting together metagame/strategy/MU sections
- Gather input from everyone and any info that has yet to be done or is missing from this thread
6) Acknowledgements
Thanks to @
Luigi player
for the SH Bair chart, @KuroganeHammer for the summarized Attribute data, @Dantarion for all his work on mastercore1/2/3, ruben for his work on the smash calculator, jam1garner for developing Smash Forge, Struz for his work on making the smash move viewer, @Fox Is Openly Deceptive for his work on discussing/solving many different game mechanics and the smash dictionary, Izaw for his work on The Art of DK, the DK discord community, and anyone who I forgot to mention but contributed to the information within this guide.
Last edited: