Tether Recovery

From SmashWiki, the Super Smash Bros. wiki

An example of a Tether Recovery.

A Tether Recovery is a type of recovery move where the player latches onto the side of an arena with an extendable item/hook. If there is a nearby ledge when this is used, the tether will automatically snap to it. Pressing the standard attack button after grappling a ledge will pull the character to that ledge. If the ledge is currently occupied when a tether recovery is used, it will fail to grab. If a player ledge-drops after tethering, they can re-tether. A similar move in SSBM (called the Wall-grapple) existed for Link, Young Link and Samus; however, the difference between the two moves is that a tether seeks out a ledge, while wall-grapples activate when they touch any wall. In addition, throw based Tether Recoveries, like those that were Wall Grapples in Melee, no longer put characters in a helpless animation if they miss, although Up Special tether recoveries do (With the exception of Zero Suit Samus).

Many of these moves have longer range than regular recoveries and also home in on the ledge, allowing for better control. On the downside, they can be edgehogged, making the recovery useless (although, if done correctly, the player can take his/her enemies down with him/her if the tether hits the opponent). In addition, none of the other players can grab the ledge while a player is attached to it with a tether, making it a way to edgehog the other players. Tether Recoveries can't work on ledges like drop blocks and icy edges.

[edit] List of Tether Recoveries

Up Specials:

Ice Climbers - Belay (within a certain range)
Zero Suit Samus - Plasma Wire
Ivysaur - Vine Whip
Olimar - Pikmin Chain

Side Specials:

Sheik - Chain
Zero Suit Samus - Plasma Whip

Grab Airs:

Note that characters that have Tether Recoveries as a special move cannot use their extended grab as one.

[edit] Grab Air

Samus using her Grab Air offensively.

Samus using her Grab Air as a Tether Recovery.

A Grab Air (also know by the technical term Zair) is an aerial attack that utilizes a character's grab attack in the air. It can also be used as a Tether Recovery. Link, Samus, Young Link, Lucas, and Toon Link are the only characters with this ability. However, Lucas's Grab Air does no damage and has no knockback, and is for recovery purposes only. Grab Airs are performed simply by pressing the grab button while in the air.

Grab Airs inflict little damage and have very little KO potential. However, they have long range, and can be used to surprise an opponent. A short hop followed by a Grab Air can be useful for spacing. They are also considerably more useful in SSBB than in SSBM, due to little to no lag upon landing, contrary to the game's lack of L-cancel.

If Link, Toon Link, or Samus use their grab air right before they are star KO'd(i.e. they're in the air, but not off the screen), they will not be star KO'd, but will instead be KO'd in the same manner as they would if they were KO'd off the side.

[edit] List of Grab Airs

This section is incomplete. You can help SmashWiki by expanding or finishing it.

Link (Melee) - Shoots his Hookshot forwards.
Link (Brawl) - Shoots his Clawshot forwards. Two hits, 4% first hit, 6% second hit.
Lucas (Brawl) - Thrusts his Rope Snake forward. No damage.
Samus (Melee) - Extends her Grapple Beam.
Samus (Brawl) - Extends her Grapple Beam. 4%.
Toon Link (Brawl) - Shoots his Hookshot forwards. 4%.
Young Link (Melee) - Shoots his Hookshot forwards.

[edit] External Links

Initial DOJO!! post