Dodongo dislikes smoke!
An enemy, and at times boss, from the Legend of Zelda series, Dodongo is depicted as either a dinosaur or reptilian style enemy, with the more saurian designs being four legged and the reptilian types being more like a two legged gecko. This moveset will be using the orange, classic dinosaur design for the Dodongo, but an alternate version with retextured skin (but not model) of the gecko green coloration is available as well. Dodongos are most well known for their super tough hides, rendering them impervious to traditional damage, but they bite things indiscriminately and are weak to eating bombs. This thus leads to the famous advice of "Dodongo dislikes smoke", which has a second meaning: A Dodongo hit by the explosion but not eating the bomb becomes stunned and can be killed with Link's sword, dropping bombs to kill Dodongos! This is harder, but more rewarding. These boss Dodongos are usually found deep inside of a dungeon. As you can see, Dodongos are NOT a deep character, and in fact if you look into Make Your Move's deep lore they are known for being mechanically shallow: The opposite of deep. Are those reasons deep enough for him to qualify?
Dodongo Dislikes Stats
Dodongo is a heavyweight, and unsurprisingly is slow. Dodongo is a large bodied character with a more horizontal than vertical orientation due to having same number of legs as horse, in the vein of Ivysaur or dashing Brawl Bowser. His jumps are poor and he falls quickly, Dodongo bad against combos. Dodongo crawl but no wall jump or cling. Dodongo slow in the air like he is on ground. Dodongo good traction.
Dodongo Dislikes Specials
Neutral Special: Bite
Dodongo lean forward to bite opponent, chew on them like Wario if hitting the foe. Deals multiple hits of small damage, heals Dodongo very small amounts of damage. Command grab, good against defense: Hold down to suck in opponents from Battlefield Platform of distance like pink puff ball, leads into chew. Good against rolls, stop shield. Dodongo DISLIKES defense, what you expect? If swallow explosive, larger self damage and stun than other suction moves. Make funny face like game when happen. Faster than Dodongo opponent expect.
Side Special: Headbutt
Dodongo charge forward with horn ready to strike. When close to opponent, thrusts upwards for good damage, kill at modest percentages. Does particularly large damage to shield thanks to piercing horn. Dodongo body heavily armored while charging, but not from front: Dodongo leave mouth open and exposed like idiot. Dodongo can change direction during startup: Start move up to armor through attack, then turn around to hit opponent after armor through. Dodongo clever. Also good at catching roll. Dodongo also slow, though armor fast. Dodongo unable to armor grab. How foe wrestle Dodongo? Deep question for ages. Dodongo eat grass and contemplate.
Down Special: Fire
Dodongo open mouth and suck in air, drawing in opponent with windbox. If opponent touches Dodongo mouth, get sucked into Dodongo mouth with very very small damage and stuck until attack come out or someone hit. After long time, Dodongo breathe out fire with strong range. Multihit that explodes into bigger fiery inferno at end of move. Unlike mean Koopa reptile, cannot be held: More normal multihit. Attack have modest damage and knockback normally, but buffed to be strong if foe, projectile or item eaten by a move recently. Good kill move if so. Startup count! Good at ledge due to long hitbox, good range, mix up with aerials. Long duration in air scary: Easy to die. Maybe Dodongocide? Not likely.
Up Special: Leap
Dodongo roll into ball and leap into air, go high like King of Penguins. Slightly less vertical range, slightly more horizontal range. Armored after startup while leaping, but vulnerable during long startup. Light damage and push opponents away when up, big spike on the way down which make opponents scare. Pitfall grounded opponents, earthshake very briefly when landing. Bad lag when landing on ground, Dodongo uncurl in awkward manner and dazed. Dodongo ouchies. Cannot grab ledge on way down, what you expect when a ball? Cancel like Dedede if need be.
Dodongo Dislikes Standards
Jab: Claw
Dodongo perform quick swipe with front claw. One hit jab with modest speed: Little end lag, good shield push. Dodongo happy to be safe against shield. Damage okay, knockback late kill option, lead to very little early. Decent to poke scary foe, good to defend Dodongo from squishy front. Dodongo like safety.
Forward Tilt: Horn
Dodongo lean head down and then thrust head upwards, striking opponent with scary horn. Laggy like Ike Forward Tilt at start, do stronger damage and knockback but not as good range. Do good shield damage like Side Special, push foe back into safe range. Dodongo faster than Ike to move again, Dodongo also take bonus damage if hit from front during move or startup. Dodongo make funny face when hit like this. Dodongo only here for amusem*nt? :< Dodongo not only hear for amusem*nt: Attack Good for finishing off foe. Sometimes combo finisher! Very slight anti-air potential.
Down Tilt: Tail
Dodongo perform quick tail swipe in front of Dodongo. Dodongo action fast, thick tail good range at base but become thinner near end. Pop opponent up with small damage, allow Dodongo chance to go into Jab, Up Tilt or Aerial. Tip of tail trip opponents at high rate, chance to frighten opponent with Specials. Dodongo fast out of move, give Dodongo more safety. Not safe against jump-in: Opponent easily jump over tail and make Dodongo sad. Why life not leave Dodongo alone? Maybe because Dodongo not leave life alone. Dodongo contemplate.
Up Tilt: Swipe
Dodongo swipe upwards with claw, surprisingly like human uppercut but very Dinosaur. Come out fast, but Dodongo slow to move again afterwards: Dodongo simply not built for human-esque movement. Solid damage and knockback, serve as weaker but more reliable option to kill Dodongo opponent. Dodongo able to kill confirm opponent with tail late. Swipe go decently high but in front of Dodongo: Anti-air good against jump-ins, bad against high foe. Not safe against opponent shield.
Dash Attack: Strike
Dodongo jump forward while swiping with front foot, give good horizontal burst while striking at opponent. Attack more setup style move: Starting lag longer, ending lag short in surprise to Dodongo, send opponent at angle where they try tech for long time or be punished. Dodongo have many good options to chase down opponent, wary of bomb if opponent puts it down first. Damage surprisingly low. Very bad against shield. Tech chase foe with another Dash Attack for funny plays. Leap maybe catch opponent who jump late?
Dodongo Dislikes Aerials
Neutral Aerial: Spin
Dodongo tuck in legs and tail, use technique of most ancient ancestors and spin. Venerated technique. Multiple hits of small damage, but Dodongo get very free combo if he land with good timing. Potentially Forward Tilt opponent for very silly early kill! Range very small for this type of move: Easy to miss opponent and spin self silly instead. Also take kinda longer than average, although ending lag good. Primarily combo tool or just to spin opponent off Dodongo: Drag down offstage very scare for fast falling Dodongo, awkward from below with platform, no kill potential. Cross-up opponent for safety.
Forward Aerial: Punch
Dodongo rear back one of front legs, then smash it forward like dinosaur punch. Extend arm as far as can be for great range, but it make attack slow. Difficult to use in neutral, but not possible! Dodongo use attack immediately or attack not come out fast enough. Attack safe on shield if properly spaced. Strong in advantage due to punch dealing big damage and knockback for kill. Mix up with Up Aerial at high percent from Down Tilt? As Dodongo expect. Dodongo potentially use it as powerful anti-air if predict well.
Back Aerial: Slap
Dodongo lift up tail, then Dodongo smack opponent with tail and a strong motion! Tail lift exaggerated, very laggy, but attack rare back aerial spike. Spike very strong for most of tail, but tip more modest spike to account for strong range. If opponent recover high to avoid Special, Dodongo slap them to bottom blast zone with this! Dodongo too slow for reliable spike combos. Dodongo back aerial have specific use, but specific use strong.
Up Aerial: Chomp
Dodongo look upwards and Dodongo bite, Dodongo attack only slightly laggier than average and ending lag good. Attack deal high damage and knockback on at very start of bite, deal low damage and knockback otherwise. Sweetspot strong for kill, sourspot often unsafe early on: Take care when using then. Dodongo potentially shark platforms like true shark, despite being dinosaur. Hitbox directly above Dodongo good for anti-air Up Tilt cannot.
Down Aerial: Panic
Dodongo not comfortable in air! Dodongo panic, Dodongo flail all four legs in rapid method that reminds opponent of two legged dinosaur who makes eggs. Dodongo deal high damage quickly over multiple hits, but foe potentially escape hit with good directional influence faster. Damage output also note as good as two legged dinosaur. Many hits make good for hitting shields, cover ledge options long time. High damage combo option with good speed. If Dodongo use with upward momentum like after jump, Dodongo stall very briefly. Dodongo dislike this, Dodongo prefer the ground!
Dodongo Dislikes Smashes
Forward Smash: Fireball
Suction from Dodongo mouth as it open, before Dodongo shoot out fireball that travel modest distance. Attack have similar windbox to Down Special that perhaps trick opponent like clever Dodongo planned. Fireball explode when hit opponent or max distance, deal damage and knockback that make opponent think of Mega Man Forward Smash but stronger. Attack slow on both end: Dodongo not particularly able to counter annoying projectile character with this reliable. If Dodongo eat projectile or item from suction (including earlier moves) within long time, Dodongo have optional second hit to shoot out item or projectile. Projectile have same speed it had before, item be launched like smash thrown. Frightening option if opponent in prone or missed tech. Safe option against ledge. Generally not the best when used close range.
Up Smash: Fliptail
Dodongo bring innovative new technique to flipkick! Dodongo jump into air and frontflip, attack opponent with tail instead of foot. Dodongo know you amazed, no need to praise. Dodongo tail strong range and attack very good anti-air, surprisingly short starting lag. Range compare to Ridley Up Smash! It also solid kill move, stronger if hit opponent with base of tail at closer range. Tail slap in front of Dodongo at end of move, giving Dodongo surprisingly good front coverage. Ending lag very bad because Dodongo not used to such acrobatic feats. Dodongo combo this out of Down Tilt until middle percents, but Dodongo no get kill confirm: Opponent launch out of range before then. Dodongo get read on air dodge? If Dodongo clever.
Down Smash: Stomp
Dodongo jump into air on fall fours, then Dodongo stomp on opponent with ruthless intent. Strongest Dodongo kill move in normal set! Move deal high damage as well, but move overall only strong directly under Dodongo body. Outside of that, attack deal low damage and knockback for a Smash Attack. Ground quake around Dodongo for the added range, and last a bit longer than rest of attack. Dodongo dodge low hitting attack with jump, punish many getup and ledge attacks. Move very laggy: Dodongo not safe when attack whiff or hit the sourspot at low foe percents. Move have little use outside of killing. What you expect
Dodongo Dislikes Throws
Grab: Grab
Dodongo reach forward with arm, grab opponent with foot grip. Dodongo have defined toes in some game, Dodongo very able to grab! Dodongo grab slow, Dodongo grab range modest.
Pummel: Pummel
Dodongo headbutt foe. What you expect?
Down Throw: Pound
Dodongo lift opponent into air with two feet, then Dodongo slam opponent into ground and bounce them off floor. Dodongo combo throw on full display, Dodongo combo into many move from attack! Dodongo even combo Up Smash at low percent. Dodongo not have kill confirm out of Down Throw at most percents, but Dodongo able to get read based kill. Forward Aerial usually best combo option past early percent. Actual Dodongo throw deal modest damage, slightly higher than expect for combo throw.
Forward Throw: Toss
Dodongo take opponent and Dodongo toss them away like trash. Prehistoric trash. Dodongo toss very fast and have almost no ending lag: Unlikely opponent will DI correctly, Dodongo get to be aggressive quickly. Dodongo throw deal only okay damage and not actually combo, though. If Dodongo want reset to neutral, this is throw Dodongo want to use. Dodongo also fine it good all purpose throw. Dodongo force tech situations at early percent, but why Dodongo not Down Throw? Dodongo perhaps get higher reward.
Back Throw: Grindset
Dodongo grind opponent against ground while turning around, toss foe behind him far distance. Dodongo not trying to be mean, Dodongo simply find it very hard to turn around without all legs! Dodongo deal lots of damage and pretty good kill throw, but Dodongo throw have no utility. Use throw, kill foe. Kill foe, be happy. What you expect?
Throw Up: Skewer
Dodongo toss opponent into air, then Dodongo smack opponent further into air with tail. Dodongo throw do damage like Back Throw, but set opponent high in air: Dodongo chase landing like prehistoric puppy? Do much more damage than Down Throw or Forward Throw, if Dodongo want damage after Down Throw no longer combo then this Dodongo's best option. Dodongo make good use of Up Aerial here, Dodongo Up Smash if foe start air dodging on reaction to being thrown. Dodongo attack very straightforward. Dodongo happy to return to sleep. Dodongo return to happy life.
Final Smash: Dodongo LIKES Smoke?! Dodongo Dislikes YOU!
Dodongo have power of Smash Ball! Dodongo show opponent what it like to be Dodongo against man with bomb.
