Everyone knows about Snake’s Faux Super Armor - if Snake’s player # is a greater number than his grab victim’s, he cannot be hurt by his grenade explosions while he is grabbing them. Ex. Snake = P2, Link = P1. If a grenade goes off near the pair while Snake is grabbing Link, Snake will not be harmed.
Well, there’s more to FSA than that. A brief investigation yielded the following results:
1.) FSA applies to everyone, not just Snake. Every character gains immunity to explosives while grabbing, as long as their controller port is a greater number than the victim’s.
2.) FSA does not just apply to grenades. Any explosive, of any kind, will not harm the higher# player while he is grabbing his opponent.
Ex. Link’s Bombs
3.) FSA does not just apply to explosives. If any damage source would hit both players (the grabber AND the grabbee) near-simultaneously, both players take damage. However, the lower# player will take normal knockback, but the higher# player will have ZERO knockback. The higher# player, as he takes damage, simply does a short “release grab” animation.
Ex. Snake (P1 is being grabbed by Link (P2). A nearby Marth approaches and does an f-smash that hits both of them. Snake goes flying, but Link takes damage and does not move at all.
4.) FSA does not just apply when the higher# player is grabbing - it also applies when he is being grabbed. If the higher# player, while being grabbed, is hit by an attack that would deal damage to both players, he does a short “grab escape” animation while taking damage, but the grabber takes full knockback.
Ex. As P2,Meta Knight can survive a full-powered PK Flash at 300%. as long as he is grabbing or being grabbed by P1 when he is hit.
In summary - P4 is now the best slot because, during grabs, P4’s character gains invulnerability to explosives and zero knockback against attacks that would hit both him and his opponent.
Why this is important to know -
a) Team Battles. P1+P2 vs. P3+P4 means that it’s safer for P3 and P4 to rescue each other from grabs.
b) Singles matches if either player is using explosives
c) Sudden Death tie-breakers that last long enough for the bombs to start dropping.
Thoughts?