Scorpion (Smash Plus)

Scorpion is a playable character in Super Smash Brothers Plus for the Nintendo Switch Plus. Representing the Mortal Kombat universe, he is listed as Fighter #102 in Smash's modified numbering system and is classified as a Heavyweight Fighter. He is hidden at the start of the game but can be unlocked through random encounters in Versus Mode or by clearing Classic Mode with Kazuya. He is also a new character, as this is his first appearance in a Smash game.
Scorpion shares some characteristics with other characters from fighting games, primarily the multi-faceted basic attacks that Kazuya possesses (though not to the extent that Kazuya has) as well as the command input buttons that he possesses for some of his special moves. Also like those characters, Scorpion works best up close and personal. Unlike those characters, Scorpion has some tools to help beat out projectile zoners, namely his iconic spear attack as well as his quick Demon Dash attack, to close distances. These are necessary due to the well below average ground speed that Scorpion possesses. Once he is up close though, he can chain together combos easily with his multi-faceted tilt attacks, which rely on unique button inputs for different effects. Scorpion also has a rather unique mechanic involving his Final Smash, which grants him multiple ways of Finishing Off an opponent. All told, the Revenant of the Nether Realm does have a bit of a learning curve, though not as steep as some other characters. Keeping up pressure and preventing other players from getting comfortable is the key to best using Scorpion. He has two normal jumps, can wall jump and can wall cling.
==Moveset==
===Basic Attacks===
*Special Gimmick: Combo Chains- Many of Scorpion's basic attacks (most notably his tilt attacks) have branching chains that are accessed through different directional inputs with the attack button, as well as tapping the attack button versus holding it for initial input.
*Neutral Jab (tap)- Tapping the attack button will cause Scorpion to do a simple punch with his left hand, aiming for the head of the opponent. Pressing the attack button again will followup with a pseudo-uppercut hook punch with this same hand. 
**Neutral Jab (tap) + Attack Button- Scorpion ends the jab combo with an overhead hook punch from his other arm.
**Neutral Jab (tap) + Attack Button with Forward Direction- Scorpion ends the jab combo with a quick roundhouse kick that knocks foes away.
*Neutral Jab (hold)- Holding the attack button will cause Scorpion to do an overhead crescent punch with his right hand. Pressing the attack button again followsup with a backhand strike from his left hand.
**Neutral Jab (hold) + Attack Button- Scorpion ends the jab combo with a forward roundhouse kick from right to left.
**Neutral Jab (hold) + Attack Button with Forward Direction- Scorpion ends the jab combo with an overhead strike from his sword that does the most knockback to enemies, making it the least useful for followup attacks.
*Side Tilt- Scorpion uses a shin kick that is useful for a combo starter. This attack also moves Scorpion forward slightly.
**Side Tilt + Forward Attack- Scorpion follows up with a mid-range body blow.
**Side Tilt + Forward Attack + Attack- Scorpion ends the combo chain with a fiery, jumping roundhouse kick that moves him forward slightly.
**Side Tilt + Forward Attack + Forward Attack- Scorpion ends the combo chain with a close quarters sword swing that knocks opponents away.
**Side Tilt + Attack- Scorpion performs a downward stab attack with his sword.
**Side Tilt + Attack + Forward Attack- Scorpion jumps off his sword and executes a flying kick forward to knock foes away. Has high endlag, making it easy to punish.
**Side Tilt + Attack + Attack- Scorpion performs a front flip with his feet engulfed in flames, launching foes.
*Up Tilt- Scorpion performs a simple high punch with his right hand, similar to the classic style high punch from Mortal Kombat.
**Up Tilt + Attack- Scorpion follows up with a second high punch from his left hand. He can enter into a combo string of repeated high punches with alternating hands by button mashing. This can function as an anti-air tool, though the punches grow weaker the longer the attack goes on and has endlag when the combo ends.
**Up Tilt + Forward Attack- Scorpion executes a right handed version of his Second Neutral Jab attack, which has more launch power and does more damage.
*Down Tilt- Scorpion performs a low jab kick straight in front of himself. It only does flinching damage and deals next to no knockback on the initial hit, even at high percentages.
**Down Tilt + Attack- Similar to the Up Tilt version, Scorpion continues to perform a jab kick forward, though subsequent kicks in this combo string will increase in knockback after the second kick, making it impossible to trap foes in the jab cycle.
**Down Tilt + Back Attack- Scorpion will perform a leg sweep that is a guaranteed trip to foes at lower percentages and has a chance at higher percentages.
**Down Tilt + Forward Attack- Scorpion leaps up with a powerful MK style uppercut that knocks foes away. If this attack connects cleanly, there is a 1 in 25 chance of the iconic "TOASTY!" cry appearing, though this is purely aesthetic.
*Dash Attack- Scorpion ignites his fist and performs a jumping Superman-style punch that has low knockback, making it very useful for combo strings, but has the highest endlag for a Dash Attack in the game making it very easy to punish if it whiffs.
*Grab & Pummel- Scorpion grabs opponents with both arms and pummels with a knee strike to the midsection.
*Forward Throw- Scorpion slashes at the opponent with his sword in his right hand and then follows up with a fiery hook punch from his left hand.
*Back Throw- Scorpion teleports behind the opponent and then kicks them in the back of the head, knocking them backwards.
*Up Throw- Scorpion performs a fiery uppercut that knocks opponents straight into the air.
*Down Throw- Scorpion kicks the opponent in the legs and then stabs them with a kunai from his spear, popping them off the ground for further combos.
*Neutral Air- Scorpion performs a flying kick that has a low downward angled hitbox, as well as a lingering hitbox.
*Forward Air- Scorpion performs a quick stab attack with a kunai, aiming straight in front of himself. Comes out quickly, allowing it to be used multiple times in the air if quick enough.
*Back Air- Scorpion pulls out one of his swords and stabs it behind himself, with a flaming explosion at the very end of the sword that does the most knockback.
*Up Air- Scorpion performs an overhead punch from front to back, with the attack the strongest at the end of the move.
*Down Air- Scorpion performs an angled dropkick towards the stage that, if used over the blast zone, could cause a self destruct.
===Smash Attacks===
*Side Smash- Scorpion performs a quick sword slash from back to front. This pops foes up into the air off the ground if it connects at half charge or greater, allowing for players to dictate where the opponent is launched with button commands based on followup.
**Pressing the attack button again does a second sword swing which launches foes at a normal diagonal angle.
**Pressing Forward attack performs a back roundhouse kick which launches foes straight forward.
**Pressing Up Attack performs a less powerful MK style uppercut that knocks them straight upwards.
*Up Smash- Scorpion performs a sweeping uppercut slice with his sword, with the hitbox extending below the stage at the start of the move and able to sweep opponents into the attack. It also reaches behind Scorpion at the end of the move, but this only functions against aerial attacks from the rear, which has limited utility.
*Down Smash- Scorpion performs a 360 spin attack with his sword, hitting opponents both in front of and behind himself.
===Special Moves===
*Special Gimmick: Command Inputs- Some of Scorpion's special moves have unique button commands based on their fighting game counterparts, which add greater functionality to them if used.
*Neutral Special: Spear- Scorpion launches his iconic spear forward with a simple press of the button. If it connects with a grounded opponent, Scorpion will then pull them in (also yelling "Get Over Here!"), leaving them dizzy at his feet briefly and giving him time for a followup attack. This move only functions as a basic attack and tether grab in the air, knocking foes away instead of pulling them in. The dizzy state lasts the same length of time regardless of damage, though can be increased through a command input version of the move (pressing ← ← + Special or Attack), granting further stun time. Entering the Command Input version and pressing the special button right as the spear strikes the opponent will also convert it to the Flame Whip attack, which causes Scorpion to send a burst of fire down the spear, stunning the foes in place where they were struck and leaving them vulnerable to anyone. If the spear is shielded in any form, it has a high amount of endlag, leaving Scorpion wide open.
*Side Special: Demon Dash- Scorpion dashes forward while engulfed in flames. If he connects with an opponent, he will attack with an elbow shot that knocks them away. If Scorpion connects with an opponent at the end of the dash, he will knock them forwards. Otherwise, he will dash through the opponent and then knock them backwards with the elbow shot, allowing for good disorienting attacks. If he catches a foe in the air, he will slam them to the ground, performing a sacrificial KO if used over the Blast Zone. Using the Command Input version (← → + Special or Attack) will cause Scorpion to hold the foe up and damage them with fire before knocking them away, rather than a simple elbow strike. If you catch the opponent in the air having used the command input version of the attack, then Scorpion will throw the opponent to the ground, rather than slam them. Using this attack in midair will cause Scorpion to enter freefall.
*Up Special: Hellport- Scorpion teleports away in a burst of fire, reappearing a short distance away based on controller input. The initial disappearance can cause damage to foes, as can Scorpion's reappearance at the end of the move. Players can also attack out of the reappearance animation immediately with a button press. Pressing the attack button will cause Scorpion to perform a lunging punch, while pressing the special button will cause Scorpion to use a fiery kick. Scorpion enters freefall after the attack.
*Down Special: Inner Flames- Scorpion creates a geyser of fire directly in front of himself, launching any grounded opponet straight up. Holding the special button will cause Scorpion to hold the fire briefly, increasing the distance away from him in which the geyser will erupt, though it automatically launches after three seconds, and will never go off a stage entirely. Using the input special (↓ ← + attack/special) will cause the geyser to automatically target the nearest opponents grounded location, though doing it this way will cause a severe amount of endlag to be added to the move, leaving Scorpion vulnerable to attack. If Down Special is used in the air, then Scorpion will just create an aura of fire around himself to knock any opponent nearby away. There is no command input version for the aerial attack.
*Final Smash: FINISH THEM!- Scorpion will dash forward in a Demon Dash style move. The first opponent hit by this dash will be teleported into a cinematic final smash in the NetherRealm, a short white flash signifying the transition from stage to cinematic as an announcer voice yells "FINISH THEM!". From there, players have one of four options in which to finish their downed opponent, based on button command: 
**Doing nothing during the white flash will cause the opponent to be attacked by Scorpion, who teleports in and out of the frame several times and connects with several blows before finishing with an uppercut to launch foes away when the cinematic ends.
**Pressing the attack button during the white flash will cause Scorpion to attack with twin spears to the foe. He will then slam the foe against two stone slabs before slamming them down onto the ground, launching them as the cinematic ends.
**Pressing the special button during the white flash will cause Scorpion to appear in front of the foe with his mask removed, revealing a skull where his head should be. He then shoots a stream of fire at the foe, causing major damage to them before launching them with a roundhouse kick as the cinematic ends. If the opponent reaches over 125% of damage using this version of the Final Smash, they will be automatically KO'ed at the end of the cinematic. This also has a 1 in 5 chance of getting a "TOASTY!" comment in the background.
**Pressing the attack and special buttons simultaneously will cause a tidal wave of lava to appear in the NetherRealm, sweeping over the foe and launching them when the cinematic ends. If the opponent reaches over 80% of damage using this version of the Final Smash, they will be automatically KO'ed at the end of the cinematic.
===Miscellaneous===
*Special Gimmick: For all of Scorpion's Victory Animations, if he won the match without losing a stock (assuming that everyone had multiple stocks) then after the announcer says Scorpion wins, the MK announcer will chime in with a "Flawless Victory."
*Entry Animation- Scorpion appears out of a fiery tornado, assuming his classic battle stance as he does so.
*Idle Animation 1- Scorpion bangs his fist against his chest briefly.
*Idle Animation 2- Scorpion looks at the kunai end of his spear briefly before returning to normal stance.
*Side Taunt- Scorpion points at the foe at says "You will suffer" or "You're Next" at random intervals.
*Up Taunt- Scorpion extends both of his arms straight up and emits a small burst of flame energy around himself.
*Down Taunt- Scorpion swings his sword once and then sheaths it.
*Victory Animation 1- Scorpion extends a single arm high up in victory, before assuming a pose with his hands on his hips. There is a 1 in 12 chance that instead of placing his hands on his hips, he'll hold up a figurine of himself with the message "Buy a Scorpion Amiibo!"
*Victory Animation 2- Scorpion pulls out two swords and slashes at them in a kata fashion, ending with a jumping spin attack while the swords are on fire.
*Victory Animation 3- Scorpion removes his mask and breaths fire on the ground in front of him, before holding up his mask in triumph as fire shines from his eye sockets.
==How to Unlock==
Scorpion can be unlocked any of the following ways:
*Playing Versus matches until he randomly shows up as a "Challenger Approaching" fight. Defeat him to unlock him.
*Clearing Classic Mode with Kazuya on starting difficulty 3.0 or higher.
*Unlock him in the Finale of World of Light by defeating him.
*Pay 1,000 gold in a shop, where he can randomly show up (though rarely.)
Category:Super Smash Bros. Characters
Category:Super Smash Bros. (series)
Category:Smash Plus Characters