Empoleon Pokkén Tournament DX Guide

This guide is sponsored by Stream Tech Reviews.

-Overview
-Attributes
-Move list

How to play Empoleon in Pokkén - Overview

Empoleon is Aqua Jet. Its strategy revolves around rushing opponents down and attacking with level 3 Aqua Jet and its followups as much as possible. It is one of the most straightforward characters when it comes to game plan, but it is still quite formidable. Its other attacks are design to keep opponents still long enough to land the move or clip them trying to interrupt you.

With such high HP and a strong shield, it is able to take lots of risks without fear. The above video by 2018 Pokkén World Champion Jukem explains Aqua Jet better than I can here. Combos are also demonstrated above in a video by 21 Hits.

Attributes

From Shoryuken

HP: 630
Synergy Gauge: 150 CC
Burst Duration: 14 Seconds

Move list

Counter Attack

i31/51. -8/+8. Mid low. Fully charged crumples. Empoleon doesn’t have any command counter reversals, so it is susceptible to being rushed down itself.

Slide

Certain moves leave Empoleon in Slide such as 6[A], j[X], and b[X]. Slide can be done forwards or reverse depending on what move transitions into it and whether you hold forwards or backwards. Empoleon can jump while sliding. Here are the moves from this stance.

Hydro Cannon - Slide A

If this move hits from the front (forward slide), it’s i27 and 0 on block. The beam portion is i39 and -24 on block.

Slide Y

i15. Frame data depends on distance. This can only be done from reverse slide in duel phase. Otherwise you just get the normal 5Y string.

Slide X

i11. -20 on block and launches on hit. In duel phase this can only be done from reverse slide or you get the normal X string.

Pokémon Moves

Aqua Jet 5A

i15/19/27. -20/-16/-4. There are 3 levels to this attack. The level is determined by how many frames Empoleon moves forward before it makes contact. That generally means the level depends on distance, but you can still access level 2 and level 3 Aqua Jet point blank when done meaty. Burst Aqua Jet is always level 3. The last hit shifts from field unless canceled into a followup.

This move has 4 followups: Surf, Cut, Waterfall, Rock Smash. Since only the level 3 version is safe on block without a followup, the first two levels inherently are more risky. Doing level 3 with no followup is one of the trickiest options. It allows you to immediately use Drill Peck in duel phase to check i15 moves and jumps since it counts as a heavy hit. It also leaves you point blank to be able to grab CA attempts on reaction. The way I think of Aqua Jet’s followups is revolving around the “best” option: Rock Smash. The other 3 moves beat what stops Rock Smash.

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Rock Smash

i31. +4. Blue armor. Listed as mid, but can be consistently jumped over by most characters. The first hit true block strings into the second. Knocks down on hit and gives a defense debuff. This stuffs most retaliation attempts, but is specifically vulnerable to grabs and jumps out of pressure. After an opponent blocks this, you’re in a good position to check jumps and buttons with 8Y or Drill Peck in duel phase.

Cut

i19. -4 Mid. Cut can deal with grab attempts against Rock Smash and it beats jumps (but only at level 2 and 3). This has significant pushback on block, leaving you out of danger and at a spacing to anti-air.

Surf

i27. Mid-low. Can always be jumped over, even at level 3 Aqua Jet. As an aerial move, it naturally beats grab attempts. This is the maximum chip damage option. It can be canceled into R allowing for aerial moves.

Waterfall

i11. High. -37. Beats jumps and grabs easily from Aqua Jet but does not crush. The fastest and most damaging Aqua Jet option, but also the most unsafe. Level 1 and level 2 have gaps before this move is active but level 3 into Waterfall is a true block string. This means, the opponent doesn’t even have to worry about this attack at all no matter how hard they mash if they block level 3 Aqua Jet. Waterfall can be canceled into to poke through CAs, but this isn’t as consistent as just piercing with Rock Smash or Surf cancel into Steel Wing.

Defog

i31. -8. Becomes +24 on hit and -4 on block in Burst. This move erases projectiles and can be canceled into all the Aqua Jet followups. On hit this combos into Surf, Waterfall, and Cut.

Drill Peck

i11. -24. Mid. An incredibly rare property move. This i11 mid can punish jumps preemptively or on reaction if you’re fast enough. This is mainly used when the opponent is cornered, because the pushback on hit does not allow it to combo into the Aqua Jet followups normally without a wall splat. This move creates a very large gap before you actually can pull off an Aqua Jet move, even larger than AJ level 1. For example:

Opponents can now jump away from Cut after this and can grab Waterfall before it starts up. This makes Drill Peck’s risk-reward much more in the opponent’s favor. The only way to stop jumps after it is to use Waterfall which is -37 on block.

Ice Beam 6A

i31/39. -16 on block. Low. In field, this shifts instantly, but in duel phase, the uncharged version is +16 and the charged version stuns . When charged, it transitions Empoleon into slide. This beam has S tier projectile priority and can be aimed in different directions in field phase.

Steel Wing jA

Counter Pierce aerial option. Wall splats. When done low enough to the ground such as after a Surf R cancel, this is safe on block at about -8, but higher up it can be punished. It is also possible to angle this to hit both hits which make the frame data about 0 on block and of course does more damage.

Field Phase Moves

nY

i15. -12, special cancelable. Quick interrupt and offense starter. Combos into Aqua Jet at any distance.

sY

i19. -16. Combos into Aqua Jet at the right spacing. Great for halting opponents moving laterally long enough to Aqua Jet them.

bY

i19. -8 vs Lucario, Croagunk, Aegslash, Braixen. -20 vs Pikachu and Pikachu Libre. -20 vs the rest of the cast. An excellent anti-air that I did not cover in the video guide. Upper body invincible frame 5.

bX

i19. Low. Avoids highs frame 1. bX alone shifts, but holding it is +12 and transitions into slide forward or backward by holding the respective direction.

jY

Launches opponents on hit for potential combos into Aqua Jet at the wall. Not a terrible preemptive anti-air move. At the right spacing, can true block string into AJ.

jX

-4 on block. Shifts on hit and leave Empoleon at +4 uncharged and +6 into slide charged. Can go into both forward and backwards slide.

Homing Attack

i21. -4/-4/-8. Three hit homing.

Duel Phase Moves

5Y

i19. Both hits -8. Mid-low. First hit is cancelable into specials and 2X/2[X]. Second hit cancelable into specials. Quite slow for a 5Y at i19.

6Y

i23. -20/-12. Mid. Doing both hits juggles allowing for combos into Ice Beam and Aqua Jet.

8Y

i19. First hit is aerial only, second hit is high. -8 vs Lucario, Croagunk, Aegslash, Braixen. -20 vs Pikachu and Pikachu Libre. -20 vs the rest of the cast. Upper body invincible frame 5. Basically the same as field phase bY. After Rock Smash is blocked by a cornered opponent, be ready to start a juggle with this to anti-air jumps.

2Y

i11. -8. Grab crush. Special cancelable and combos into Aqua Jet.

5X

i15. -12. Mid low. Stuns on hit. If you’re confident the opponent is going to press a non armored move when they’re disadvantageous, this nets a full combo.

4X

i27. -8. Much slower than 5X, but the tradeoff is it’s safe on block. Avoids highs and mid-highs frame 9. Launches on hit.

2X

i19. Low. -16. +8 on block when held. Can transition into slide and reverse slide.

8X

i19. -8. Grab crush. Avoids lows frame 13. Knocks down on hit. The large hitbox allows it to preemptively check jumps without committing to 8Y or jY. 2Y is more often used as a grab crush since it can combo into Aqua Jet and obviously is much faster.

jY

Similar to field phase, but with a different angle due to being in 2D. On of the best ways to get opponents to block level 3 Aqua Jet. This true block strings into the attack at certain distances and combos as well.

jX

-4. Can transition into slide forwards and reverse. +20 on hit.

Burst Attack

i31. Grab Burst Attack, but unlike Gengar and Mewtwo, this does not gain invincibility until frame 26. Hitbox is in front and behind the character.