Do Taunts Do Damage in Smash?

The answer to this question is yes, in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, taunts can indeed do damage, but only for a select few characters, including Luigi, Snake, Greninja, and Kazuya, whose taunts are impervious to staling and always have the freshness bonus when used. These characters’ taunts are unique in that they can inflict damage on opponents, with Luigi’s down taunt being able to hit opponents and deal 1-2% damage, while also spiking anyone it hits.

Related FAQs

General Taunt Information

1. What is a taunt in Smash?: A taunt is a move unrelated to battle that can be performed by pressing the +Control Pad in a specific direction, allowing players to show off their character’s personality and flair.
2. How do you taunt in Smash?: To taunt, players can use the +Control Pad on their controller, except when using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, and the character will perform one of three different taunts depending on the direction pressed.
3. What is the point of taunting?: Taunting is intended to demoralize the recipient, anger them, and encourage reactionary behaviors without thinking, and can be used as a form of social competition to gain control of the target’s cultural capital.

Taunt Damage and Effects

4. Which characters can deal damage with their taunts?: Luigi, Snake, Greninja, and Kazuya are the only characters whose taunts can inflict damage on opponents.
5. How much damage does Luigi’s taunt do?: Luigi’s down taunt can deal 1-2% damage and also spikes anyone it hits.
6. Are taunts affected by staling?: No, the taunts of Luigi, Snake, Greninja, and Kazuya are impervious to staling and always have the freshness bonus when used.

Taunt Interactions with Other Moves

7. Does taunt affect Z moves?: No, Z status moves are immune to taunt’s effects, making them useful for surprise moves like Smeargle’s spore or sticky web setup.
8. What moves does taunt prevent?: Taunt prevents the afflicted Pokémon from using status moves, but the effect wears off if the subject is switched out.

Player Behavior and Taunting

9. Why is taunting bad?: Taunting can harm another person’s self-esteem and confidence, and is damaging to workplace performance when used to tear someone down.
10. How do I stop taunting?: To stop taunting, one can use humor against playful teasing, call out the bully, take a deep breath, and walk away or avoid the person.

Game Mechanics and Taunting

11. Does rage increase damage in Smash?: No, rage functions similarly to Aura, increasing knockback as a character accumulates more damage, but not affecting an attack’s damage output.
12. Can you get banned from Smash for taunting?: While taunting itself may not get you banned, unsporting or inappropriate behavior, such as inactivity or disconnecting during battles, can result in a temporary suspension from online play.

Character-Specific Taunt Information

13. Who is the easiest Smash character to master?: Characters like Mario, Captain Falcon, and Ganondorf are great starter characters due to their balanced gameplay mechanics and easy-to-learn movesets.
14. Who is the best Smash Bros character ever?: According to various rankings, characters like Meta Knight, Bayonetta, Fox, and Peach are considered among the best Super Smash Bros characters of all time.

Game Content and Taunting

15. Is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate a violent game?: While fighting is the main focus of the game, there is no blood or gore, and characters use mallets and umbrellas to knock people off a stage, making it a relatively family-friendly game.