Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2/Raphael

Moveset

Combos

Matchups

Strategy

About

The hothead in red.

Raphael is 1/4th of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and is cool, but rude. A sarcastic hothead, Raph often channels his anger in combat using his sai.

This version of Raphael in NASB 2 is the 1987 TV show incarnation.

Playstyle

Speed. I am speed.

Raphael is one of the fastest characters in the game, being only slightly upstaged by El Tigre in that regard. Unlike other speedy characters in the game though, Raphael plays more of a hit-and-run playstyle, using his Neutral Special to chip away at his opponent and then finishing them off with an aerial combo.

If being fast and furious is your style, Raph is your guy!

Metagame

Raphael is ranked 18th out of 29 on the current tier list, in the A- tier.

Raph is gifted with being the fastest character in the entire game, making him a difficult character to chase, and making him an even more difficult character to predict. This, in tandem, makes his combo game very intimidating, as the opponent never really knows if he's going to continue running away or if this is his time to strike. Raph also possesses a great projectile in Shuriken, being able to keep opponents away with it, or comboing into it if need be. His recovery is also surprisingly difficult to edgeguard, as he has a surprising amount of priority on his Up Special.

Raphael isnt without his flaws, however. His arguable fatal flaw is his lack of early kill confirms. This often results in Raph slowly whittling away at his opponent until he can find an opportunity to KO them with one of his aerial strongs. Raphael is also a tall fastfaller, which makes him a very comboable character for many of the stronger characters in the cast. Finally, Raph has a lot of multihit moves, which means he runs the risk of the opponent falling out of his combos a lot.

In spite of his flaws, Raph is still a very solid pick in the current metagame. Early on, opinions on him were ambiguous, as he was somewhat of an unpredictable character, with tournament results ranging from very strong to middling. Very few dedicated Raph players were entering after launch as well, making his placement in the metagame even more of a mystery, with some arguing he was an underrated character, and others arguing he was among the worst in the game. However, Raph has seen much more representation in the present metagame, therefore giving a more definitive answer on his current viability. Despite this, some still believe Raph could go to even greater heights in the meta.

Raphael


Franchise	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Weight	0.91
Fall Speed	1.3
Gravity	1.4
Run Speed	1.4
Air Speed	1.1

Strengths

Weaknesses

Speed: Raph's defining trait. He can move around faster than most other characters in the game. This lets him run away from his opponent without much trouble or barrel towards them with a quick aerial or Dash Attack.
Great aerials: Raph's Neutral and Forward Aerial are both great combo tools, and his Back Aerial is a surprisingly good kill move and is great as a shield pressure move. His Up Air Strong is also a great kill move.
Shuriken: Raph's Neutral Special is a great projectile that allows Raph to control a ton of the stage at any given time, and works fantastic as a combo tool.
Down Special: A kickflip that also doubles as a command grab. Great for use as a surprise attack or as a mixup tool.

Awkward combo routes: While a lot of combo routes in the game are more vertical and rely on up air chains, Raph tends to use Neutral and Forward Air more. This means his combo game can be a little bit odd to get used to at first.
Inconsistent multihits: Raph has a handful of multihit moves that the opponent has a tendency to fall out of.
Deceptive Up Special: Despite being tough to challenge due to the amount of hits it has, Up Special has less vertical distance than it seems, and can miss ledge a lot.
Unsafe on shield: Raph doesn't have that many safe moves on shield. Back Air, Forward Air, and Down Tilt are pretty much all he's got in that department.
Combo food: Raph is a pretty tall character for his speed and also falls pretty fast, which can make him combo food in some matchups.
Can't make too many mistakes: Raph's kit being fast also means he requires tight execution for a lot of his routes, and if he messes up too many times he will lose the match.

Moveset

Ground Light Attacks

Ninja Combo
Light

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
2% / 2% / 5%	4 / 5 / 6	4 / 5-6 / 6-8	23 / 31 / 36	-10 / -17 / -20
Raph does a 3 hit combo starting with a hit from the pommel of the sai followed by two kicks. Attack data values are set up as first hit / second hit / third hit. Raph's fastest grounded attack at frame 4. Both kicks move Raph very slightly forward as he does them. The first, and sometimes second, attack can be useful against a constantly shielding opponent as you can bait them into getting grabbed.

Sai Barrage
Forward+Light

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
3% / 3% / 7%	6 / 5 / 5	6-7 / 5-6 / 5-6	24 / 26 / 35	-15 / -18 / -24
Raph does a 3 hit combo starting with a stab at the ground followed by two slashes. Attack data values are set up as first hit / second hit / third hit. Raph moves forward during all three attacks, giving a slightly deceptive range, especially with the first attack. The distance gets shorter with each attack however, leaving it susceptible to dropping at max distance. Since the total frame data of the first two hits a very similar to the first hit of light neutral, it can also be used to try and grab a constantly shielding opponent.

Ninja Upwards Kick
Up+Light

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
11%	6	6-12	40	-25
Raph does a standing split kick upwards. This is Raph's shortest ranged grounded attack. Raph's head as well as his raised arm and leg have invincibility from frames 6-12. This is a strong combo tool from lower mid percents onward and can lead to kills at higher percents.

Down Thrust / Down Swipe
Down+Light

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
7% / 6%	7 / 6	7-8 / 6-15	21 / 35	-4 / -22
Move differs between tapping and holding the button. When tapped, Raph stabs at the ground. When held, Raph spins his sai slightly above the ground. Attack data values are set up as Tap / Hold. Tap version gives an outward knockback angle. Its ability to be safe on shield (compared to most of Raph's options) make this a solid grounded option to literally poke at shield. Hold version gives an upward knockback angle. This is typically used at ledge as when DI'd towards Raph, it can be comboed off of.

Cannonball
Light (Running)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
14% / 9%	7	7-23	39	-22 to -8
Raph curls up into a ball and flies forward while flipping forward twice. This move has a sour hitbox that starts at frame 10, which can be more easily comboed off of without slime meter than the strong hitbox. This is mainly useful for catching techs since the move is fairly active. Can be used as a burst option, but is risky due to being minus on block.

Air Light Attacks

Sai Windmill
Light (Airborne)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
4% / 8%	6 / 15 / 19	6-7 / 15-21 / 19-21	45	-6
Raph spins around with his sai outward with the ability to hit twice as he changes spinning directions. From frame 19-21, a hitbox goes behind Raph. The multiple hits can make it hard to contest from a distance

Turnaround Kick
Forward+Light (Airborne)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
9%	5	5-7	27	-1
Raph quickly kicks his leg forward. This move being one Raph's fastest aerial options as well as being one of his few safe on shield moves makes it a great pressure tool, especially when used interchangeably with his light neutral air to mix up options. It also creates and extends combos, but opponents DI'ing out can make it hard to do anything with at higher percents.

Double Sai Stab
Back+Light (Airborne)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
14%	10	10-12	36	+1
Raph stabs both sai behind himself. This being Raph's only plus on shield move makes it useful to bait or counter options afterwards. However, remember that it's only +1, so there's only so much you can do. Also a good aerial kill option when need be.

Rotating Aerial Sai
Up+Light (Airborne)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
8% / 6%	10 / 12	10-12 / 12-20	37	-9
Raph spins one of his sai above his head. This attack has two knockback angles. The frame 10 hitbox sends the opponent upwards, while the frame 12 hitbox sends the opponent forwards. This move can play a vital role into Raph's combo game, but is one of the more complex moves to implement due to its small size and two hitboxes that give different angles. Understanding this move opens up the combo field for Raph as it leads to more routes, more DI mixups, more damage, and more stocks taken.

Kick Barrage
Down+Light (Airborne)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
3% / 3% / 3% / 5%	5 / 12 / 19 / 27	5-6 / 12-13 / 19 / 27	35	-6
Raph kicks four times below himself. Only the last kick gives major knockback. This move can only work as a convertible drag down by slime cancelling it.

Ground Strong Attacks

Lock And Slash
Strong

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
1% / 10%	13 / 19	13-18 / 19-20	46	-19
Raph twirls his sai behind himself before slashing them forward in an X shape. This is a very strong kill option, making it great as a combo ender or punish option in the right circumstances. Since this is a multihit, it can fall out at max distance or when used as an anti-air.

Spinning Sai Slashes
Up+Strong

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
1% / 1% / 10%	5 / 10 / 18	5-7 / 10-11 / 18	49	-13 / -19
Raph kneels on the ground before quickly spinning as he rises to slash above himself twice and ending it with a stab. This move does practically everything and will probably be your most used strong attack. It's fast startup (being tied for Raph's second fastest option) and the first hitbox hitting on both sides of Raph at the same time that can lead into the final hit, makes it great out of shield. It's faster startup and higher reach than grounded up light, allowing it reach above most platforms (with the exceptions being the higher platforms of Jellyfish Fields and Pariah's Keep), makes it a fantastic for catching landings and an amazing anti-air in general. Due to its hitstun, it can be comboed off of very easily at most percents, even into itself at lower percents, and at the percents where it isn't, it can possibly kill. This move's only weakness is that it's a multi hitting move, so opponents can fall out of it. And since all of the benefits come from solely the final hit and is one of his most laggy grounded moves, you HATE to see this drop.

Grounded Sai Slash
Down+Strong

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
15% / 13%	13 / 20	13-15 / 19-22	42	-13 / -6
Raph slashes at the ground in front of, then behind himself. The back hit box seems to have ever so slightly more knockback in exchange for slightly less damage. Since this is not a multihit and has the same startup and similar kill power as grounded forward strong while doing greater damage and being slightly safer on block with the front hit and majorly better on block with the back hit, this can be more often used as a punishing attack. Just be mindful that it has shorter range than grounded forward strong.

Air Strong Attacks

Drop Kick
Strong (Airborne)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
17% / 10%	14	14-22	54	-11
Raph does a drop kick. Mainly used as a combo ender. Can be an extender when slime cancelled. This also pushes Raph forward when used and flips his hurtbox upwards, so it's possible to avoid projectiles using this, if not just hit them back. This forward push can be done multiple times without needing to touch the ground.

Green Tornado
Up+Strong (Airborne)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
17% / 10%	10	10-41	82	-5
Raph spins multiple times while holding out his sai. Has a weak hitbox from frame 30-41. Only hits once despite being another one of Raph's many spinning moves that usually hit multiple times. A combo ender and fantastic edge guarding tool due to it's large size, how long it's active, plus the height elevation aids in Raph's already amazing recovery. However, if this is done more than once before landing on the ground, Raph does not get the height elevation again, so be mindful of that. The upwards elevation which can be useful to getting back onto stage in a situation where you have no other resources and/or are being ledge hogged.

Helmsplitter Kick
Down+Strong (Airborne)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
18% / 12%	19	19-21	61	-4
Raph does a downward heel kick. Mainly only used for its spiking capability, which can be set up into using slime. It can be combo filler if slime cancelled however.

Special Attacks

Shuriken
Special

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
3%	14	14-28	40	-21 (Grounded) / -9 (Aerial)
Raphael throws a shuriken diagonally downwards. Raph's only projectile and a great one at that. In spite of its short range compared to other projectiles in the game as well as its low damage, if the opponent refuses to respect it, not only can this chip damage add up, but shuriken gives create combo opportunities and can lead to kills at higher percents. Shuriken reaches slightly farther when used in the air versus on the ground as shuriken gets destroyed when hitting the ground or platforms. Grounded shuriken can hit opponents at ledge because of this. EX: Raph throws three shuriken that all have stronger knockback. Each shuriken does 5% for a total of 15% if all of them hit. This is probably Raph's worst move or at least his worst EX move. Not only is the aerial version slightly shorter than the normal one (for some reason) and can the bottom shuriken still be blocked by platforms, but the increased knockback only makes it better to use for starting combos at low percents, which Raph has better options for that lead to higher damage while also not using meter, including regular shuriken.

Power Drill
Forward+Special

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
3% (Multihits) / 4% (Finisher)	20	20-27	49	-21
Raphael lunges his whole body forwards while spinning, hitting opponents several times. Raph will always stop at the ledge of the ground or a platform when used on the ground. The only exception is when Raph just barely walks off ledge before performing the move which counts as being in the air. This move plays a big part into why Raph's recovery is as good as it is. Since it goes decently far while preventing from falling, he can make distance while also attacking. EX: Raph lunges farther and has a total of 55 frames on the ground and 40 frames in the air. Having less recovery in the air makes this great for recovery and useful as a get out of jail card in neutral since it sends you so far through people's shield so quickly that they often can't punish it.

Turtle Flip
Down+Special

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
9% (Grab) / 11% (Strong hit of kick) / 9% (Weak hit of kick)	20 (Grab) / 6 (Kick)	18-36 (Grab) / 6-25 (Kick)	47 (Grab) / 33 (Kick)	-7 (Strong hit of kick) / -10 (Weak hit of kick)
Raphael leaps forward while doing a backflip. If he touches an opponent during the flip, he grabs onto them and performs a flip kick. Pressing the Special button during this has him do a kick as he moves forwards. The kick can be done as soon as frame 13. The flip can be jump cancelled as soon as on frame 27. The other reason Raph's recovery is amazing. He gets two different moves that can stall his downward momentum while sending him forward and with the kick, he can attack during it too. Just being mindful that you can do the kick surprisingly late, so you might end up getting the kick instead of up special which will lose you a stock in the worst case scenario. Raph normally flies in a straight line when using this move. However, if he does Turtle Flip, gets the ability to do again before touching any ground, via getting hit or grabbing ledge, and does the move again, he will go diagonally downward. This is not the case if any Turtle Flip after the first is slime enhanced. EX: Raph flies farther before falling and has more forward momentum afterwards. Allows for crazy far recovery and off stage pressure.

Sai Spin Attack
Up+Special

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
1% / 3% / 6%	5 / 10 / 34	5-8 / 10-25 / 34-35	75	-127
Raphael launches himself upwards with his sai out, finishing the attack with a strong kick! When slime cancelled, it can be useful to lead into kills, but outside of that, mainly a recovery tool. With the amount of hits this move has, it can be hard to contest it without a ranged attack. EX: Raph launches higher before kicking. Mainly used for recovering in situations where you're too low to get back otherwise.

Grab/Throws

Grab
Grab

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
0%	6	6-7	35	N/A
Raph grabs the opponent with his outward hand.

Dash Grab
Grab (Running)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
0%	9	9-10	43	N/A
Raph lunges forward as he grabs with his outward hand. Due to it starting slower and being more laggy than his normal grab, you'll want to avoid this when you can.

Grab Pummel
Light (Grabbing)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
2% / 1%	3	-	20	N/A
Raph strikes the opponent with the pommel of his sai. Used to have an issue where you could only pummel with the light button and not grab.

Up Throw
Up (Grabbing)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
6%	15	-	40	N/A
Raph chucks the opponent upwards. This is the combo throw for Raph. Leads into practically anything at most percents and is a pick part of Raph's combo potential at early percents.

Forward Throw
Forward (Grabbing)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
4%	11	-	31	N/A
Raph knees the opponent sending them forward. Does the least damage out of Raph's throws. Can lead to a kill against an opponent that DI's in a ledge if slime dash is used. Not too much outside of that other than putting the opponent offstage.

Down Throw
Down (Grabbing)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
3% (Per hit)	29 / 34 / 39 / 44 / 50 / 51	-	77	N/A
Raph slams the opponent onto the ground before drilling on top of them using his sai. This throw does the most damage out of any of Raph's throws. Unfortunately, due to how long it takes before the throw actually happens, the opponent very easily gets to decide their DI, making this hard to combo off of if DI'ed out, especially without platforms for the opponent to fall onto.

Back Throw
Back (Grabbing)

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
6%	27	-	50	N/A
Raph grabs the opponent with both hands before going on to his back and kicking the opponent behind him. Raph's main kill throw, especially when his back is to the ledge.

Super

Super
Slime+Light

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
40%	21/30	21-37	46	-0
Raph unleashes a barrage of attacks as he yells before a powerful final sendoff attack. This move can sometimes phantom hit an opponent, ignoring the cutscene trigger and not putting the opponent in hitstun. Despite this, the final attack can still hit if the opponent manages to put themselves in the area of the final hit, giving the full 40% damage and knockback.

Taunts

Taunt
Taunt

"Gimme a break!"

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
1%	73	73-80	80	N/A
Raph pulls out a pizza, sticks a precut slice on his sai, and eats it before throwing the rest of the pizza behind him. When Raph throws the pizza behind him, it has a hitbox that does 1%. Truly rude. Funnily enough, this allows for it to give hitstun when slime cancelled if timed correctly with the slice hitting. Despite Raph saying "Granola and licorice.", it's a pepperoni pizza. When Raph takes the precut slice out of the pizza with his sai, it duplicates, so the pizza pie will still have the slice "connected" to the rest of the pizza before he throws it.

Down Taunt
Down+Taunt

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
0%	0	0-0	88	N/A
Raph tucks his limbs as he spins on the back of his shell before standing back up. From frame 16-48, his hurtbox goes below his crouching height. Not too practical without being slime cancelled.

Up Taunt
Up+Taunt

Damage	Startup	Active Frames	Total Frames	Safety
0%	0	0-0	88	N/A
Raph twirls his sai before pointing them both forward with a toothy grin. This is also his character select animation.