Gadgets

A collection of items that appear on a stage during a typical combat round. For the most part, these consist of various throwable items that will deal damage to your opponent, though items with a different function (such as the Horn) will appear as well.

## Mechanics

### Spawn rate

All gadgets appear in random intervals and at random locations on the stage, with the exception of 2v2 games where 2 weapons will spawn on opposite sides of the map as soon as the game starts.

In most modes, gadgets will **never** be the first two items spawned on the arena.

They appear with about the same relative frequency as weapons, and will remain on stage for about twenty seconds before disappearing. Gadgets will flash for several seconds before they disappear.

Gadgets appear in every Game Mode in the same way except for Brawlball and Bombsketball. In Bombsketball, the only gadgets to spawn are Bouncy Bombs, and in Brawlball, the only gadget to appear is the Brawlball itself.

### Picking up

Gadgets can only be picked up by a Legend with his/her hands free – a Legend using a weapon must throw it away before picking up a gadget.

### Throwing

Gadgets can be thrown in any of the eight cardinal directions: just press the appropriate direction button(s) before releasing the throw. Standing on the ground will prevent you from throwing directly down, and will also prevent you from throwing diagonal down unless there's enough clear space.

Throws can also be charged to increase the gadget's flight speed and distance, as well as – in many cases – force and knockback.

### Catching

Gadgets can also be caught mid-flight and then thrown again if you press the Pick Up button at the right moment when the flying gadget is in your “pick up range” but has not hit you yet.

Do remember that, like picking up, you can only do that *with your hands free.*

## Gadgets

### Bouncy Bomb

This gadget (*what a surprise!*) is a ball full of explosives that will bounce off surfaces and explode on hitting any character after being thrown – even if you hit an ally or yourself. However, the bomb can be dodged or even caught in mid-air, though this is always risky.

If the bomb does not hit anyone for several seconds or slows down significantly, it will become inert. An inert bomb will not explode when hitting anybody, and can be walked over and picked up safely. With *extremely*careful timing, this gadget can be thrown and caught an unlimited number of times, until it either explodes, falls off the stage, or disappears.

No matter the circumstances, the damage and force of the bomb's explosion are always the same.

Bouncy bomb is the only type of gadget to appear in Bombsketball.

**Trivia, tips and tricks:**

* Bouncy Bombs possibly herald from Lucien's or Thatch's timeline, as they will both brandish one when selected in the Character Select screen.
* Snowballs thrown in Snowbrawl function similarly to bouncy bombs in damage and force, but without the bounce.
* You can throw the bomb in one of the eight cardinal directions. Remember this to keep your enemy in sight, and to stay out of harm’s way yourself.
* The Bouncy Bomb’s throw arc slightly depends on your Legend’s movement direction and speed at the moment of throw. Use it to curve the bomb slightly and catch the enemy off guard.
* If you throw the bomb too parallel to the ground, it will very quickly slow down and become inert, ready to be thrown back by the enemy.
* If you want to launch the bomb in an unexpected arc, try throwing it diagonally *down* rather than diagonally up.
* This gadget is particularly deadly in the Twilight Grove or any other arena with a vertical wall. When thrown properly, it can bounce off the wall and hit an enemy from behind – or blow up in your face if you stand on the way!
* Never dodge *away* from the bomb – when the dodge ends, you are very likely to collide with the flying bomb anyway. Instead, better dodge towards it or perpendicular to its trajectory.
* The Training Mode has a separate room dedicated to catching bombs in mid-air; with some practice, this trick may save you in a tight spot.
* When trying to catch a bomb, remember that you *must be empty-handed* to do this. Consider throwing your weapon upwards if you really want a game of catch.
* Remember that many players try to stay away from the armed bomb. Use this to make them move in a predictable direction right into your attacks.
* As of Season 4, the Bomb is less effective as an off-stage finisher than it was before. Still, it can be used to set up a gimp.

### Spike Ball

A spiked hunk of metal, which will bounce off walls and floors and damage an enemy when struck. Unlike the Bouncy Bomb or the Mine, a Spike Ball cannot damage the one who threw it, though it can still be caught or dodged by anyone in a similar fashion.

Once the Spike Ball hits anyone or slows down significantly, it becomes inert, and soon comes to a stop, ready to be picked up again. The Spike Ball cannot damage anyone when inert.

The force of the hit can increase significantly, depending on the throw charge time and flight time. Damage dealt by a thrown spike ball is moderately low, but unlike with explosives, the damage can vary depending on a few factors, such as flight time, Legend’s Strength and the throw charge. The angle of attack does not affect the damage.

**Trivia, tips and tricks:**

* Just like the bomb, the Spike Ball can be aimed, “curved,” and caught in mid-flight. However, it is less bouncy, and more likely to remain on the stage.
* The Spike Ball is usually underestimated by many opponents – too bad for them. If you know how to make a good throw, this is an excellent item to attack and defend: unlike a thrown weapon, it stays on the arena after coming to a stop, deals more damage when thrown, and can KO an enemy much earlier if he is poor with dodging and spacing.
* A well-thrown Spike Ball can be an excellent way to guard the edges of the arena: an edge-guard situation usually occurs when the wall-clinging opponent is deep in the red – right when the Spike Ball becomes *dangerous*.

### Horn

The horn will summon a Sidekick when picked up and used by a Legend. The Sidekick will fly through the stage – **always right to left** – and drop off a weapon pickup at the point and elevation where the horn was blown. As the Sidekick blazes across the arena, it will damage and knock into the air any Legend it touches, except for its owner.

The weapon pickup drop functions exactly like any other weapon pickup and can be used by any player; however, the Sidekick’s owner can grab it **before** it’s dropped.

* It is called “Sidekick Summoner” in the Training Mode.
* Like any other gadget, the Horn can be thrown. It will act like a weak Spike Ball with extremely low force. While usually a poor choice, this can be used to stop an approaching enemy if you are in a tight spot.
* When two Horns are blown in quick succession by the same Legend, the first weapon drop-off will activate only after the Sidekick finishes traveling across the screen for the first time. However, multiple Sidekicks can appear on stage at once if they are summoned by different players.
* If the Legend who blew the horn dies before the Sidekick can complete its trip across the stage, the Sidekick will stop mid-flight, drop its weapon pickup (if it's carrying one), and go pick up the fallen Legend instead.
* While the Sidekick does low damage, most players still tend to avoid it, often wasting their dodge or jumping up from the stage. Use the moment of confusion for a sudden attack!

### Mine

This gadget attaches to any surface it hits after being thrown. After attaching, the mine will remain in place for eight seconds, after which it will disappear before flashing white like a pickup. The mine will explode in a semi-circle cloud of fire and smoke if it is touched by any Legend (even an ally or the one that threw the Mine), a thrown weapon or another gadget. If the Mine hits an enemy before it gets affixed to the ground it will explode.

The Mine has less force and deals less damage than a Bouncy Bomb, and can be dodged or caught mid-flight in a similar fashion. It cannot be “caught” once it attaches to the surface. Like the Bouncy Bomb, the force and damage of the explosion are always the same.

**Trivia, tips and tricks:**

* The Mine possibly heralds from Scarlet's time (or, given her biography, could even have been invented by her), as she is seen holding one aloft in her default pose on the selection screen. The Mine's exotic mechanical design also suggests this.
* This gadget is the main source of most “calculated” moments. Pull or punch your enemy into an armed Mine to wow the audience and humiliate the opponent with your implied awesomeness!
* When aimed properly, the Mine can attach itself to vertical or even sloped surfaces. Launching your enemy into a Mine attached to a slope leading into the bottom pit will practically guarantee a knockout.
* If a Mine is attached to a vertical surface, it can blow any Legend that hits it directly *up into the sky*.
* Keep in mind that the Mine’s explosion will hit everybody caught in it. Throw a weapon into the Mine to damage the enemy standing too close to it, and stay away yourself!
* Some Legends’ Signature attacks, like Diana’s Longbow Waltz or Asuri’s Long Clawing Leap, will carry them over/across mines with the right spacing.
* Before disappearing, the Mine will begin to blink like a gadget pickup. Use it to time your movements.

### Brawlball

This gadget only appears in the eponymous Brawlball game mode. It resembles a bright orange rugby ball, and must be carried by a Legend into the opposing team's goal to score points.

The Brawlball does not strike other Legends when thrown (though it can be caught by any Legend with their hands free), cannot be used offensively in any way, and the Legend carrying it will move at a greatly reduced pace as long as they keep holding on to it.

**Trivia, tips and tricks:**

* The Legend carrying the Brawlball will drop it on taking damage from any source.
* Throw the ball to move faster. If you time it right, you can catch it quickly!

## See also

* Weapons
* Unarmed
* Combat mechanics
* Legends