Super Smash Bros. 4 was not kind to Jigglypuff. Unlike every other fighter in that game, it was never buffed or nerfed via post-launch updates, and this eventually led to its labeling as “the worst character”. Things weren’t much better for its Figure Player, either. The amiibo Buff made shield breaks common, which meant metagame titans Bowser and Little Mac could simply shatter Jigglypuff’s shield and KO it within a few seconds. Fortunately, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has shown the Balloon Pokémon a bit of compassion. It’s actually high-tier now — albeit in a very specific format. You can read more about Jigglypuff’s metagame history by viewing its wiki page. Otherwise, let’s jump right into today’s training!

Special thanks to gamer for contributing Jigglypuff’s training information!

Spirits

If you plan on giving your FP Spirits, we would recommend doing so at Level 1. If you don’t want to give it Spirits, that’s fine too! If your FP is already Level 50 and you want to give it Spirits for the first time, that’s not a problem either. Just be prepared to play a few rounds against it to brush up its training. We’ve also got an in-depth Spirits guide in case you want to learn more about how they work in this game. In the meantime, here are some optimal Jigglypuff builds you can use:

• Banned bonuses: Jigglypuff’s strongest Spirit setup is Instadrop, full stop. With this, Jigglypuff’s fast fall becomes a descending attack that true combos into Rest at any percent against any opponent. Pair this bonus with Physical Attack ↑ and you’ve got a truly fearsome setup on your hands. Instadrop is occasionally banned from competitive tournaments, but at the time of writing, its ban status depends on the tour you’re entering. Our Raid Boss training section will include more information on training an effective Instadrop Jigglypuff.
• Tournament-legal bonuses: Physical Attack ↑, Air Defense ↑, and Shield Durability ↑ all work great on Jigglypuff! We don’t usually recommend Shield Durability ↑ in our character guides, but a special exception is made for the Balloon Pokémon, who is KO’d if her shield is broken. 
• Raid Boss bonuses: As mentioned earlier, the best setup for a Raid Boss Jigglypuff FP is Instadrop and Physical Attack ↑. If you’d rather not go that route, you can try out Physical Attack ↑, Move Speed ↑, and Shield Durability ↑ instead. This build rather similar to our tournament-legal Spirit recommendation, but it works well here!

Generally speaking, you’re going to want to invest more stat points into Jigglypuff’s defense than into its attack. Try using a slightly defensive setup (1700 / 2500); if you’re using Instadrop, you can reverse this spread to give Rest extra kill power (2500 / 1700). Make sure the FP’s Spirit-type is Neutral before you start training it.

Competitive Training

For the best possible results, don’t run and don’t go off-stage. You’ll want to teach your Jigglypuff FP to walk and wait at the ledge instead. In fact, an optimal competitive Jigglypuff stays almost entirely grounded! When you see the recommended move list, you might laugh, but tournament results have proven that they work. Without further ado, then:

• Jigglypuff’s best move: Rollout. Yes, you read that right. Charge up a neutral special and let it rip! Rollout packs a punch, plus it’s strong against blocking and perfect shielding thanks to its high shield power. Use this move very often from a distance!
• Running should be kept to a minimum, but an exception can be made for Jigglypuff’s dash attack. Start running for a moment, use the attack, and then go right back to walking. This move has high priority and above-average range, making it an excellent neutral option.
• Forward smash is much stronger than Jigglypuff’s other grounded moves, and it’s got respectable KO power to boot. As a result, it should be one of your main kill moves (alongside Rollout).
• Forward tilt, down tilt, and up tilt can all be used at close range. Specifically, down tilt should be used exclusively at the ledge and up tilt should be used when your FP is directly behind you. You can then follow up with an up smash! Up smash should also be mixed in on its own against aerial opponents.
• Pound, alongside the aforementioned down tilt, is best used at the ledge. It’s got a lingering hitbox and deals extra damage against shields, so it’s especially useful!
• Back air is Jigglypuff’s strongest aerial kill move. You can use it out of a short hop or while landing for best effect. Down air sometimes links into Rest, and neutral air can help secure a safe landing. At low percentages, neutral air can combo into dash attack!

Down smash and forward air are rather outclassed, so avoid using or getting hit by these moves during your training sessions. There are also a few moves that are neither recommended nor not recommended, so you’ll need to decide whether or not you want to use them. Sing is actually useful in some matchups, as most competitive FPs stay grounded at all times; if Jigglypuff misses, it’s left vulnerable, so if you don’t want to take that risk then you should avoid Sing entirely. If your FP has Instadrop equipped, you’ll be better off using the Raid Boss section instead, as its playstyle is going to be more aerial as a result. If your FP does not have Instadrop equipped, you can still use Rest every so often, albeit very rarely. You can also mix in some grabs. There are a lot of choices to make here — Jigglypuff is a highly customizable FP!

Raid Boss Training

If you’re looking to train the strongest Jigglypuff out there, your best bet is to train it while playing as Jigglypuff yourself — even if you aren’t good with the character. Mirror match the FP until it reaches Level 50, or until you’re satisfied with its behavior. In the case of the latter, you can switch its learning off and level it up some other way in the background. Stay on-stage at all times, and use the following moves during training:

• Neutral air, forward air, and back air are essential neutral options. Each one can be used to rack on damage, land, or extend combos. Do note that neutral air has a larger hitbox than forward air — meaning that it’s usually the better choice.
• Jigglypuff’s grabs are nothing special, but they’re still necessary so the FP can get past opponents who shield a lot. When grabbing your FP, simply toss it towards the nearest edge.
• When using Pound, only do so in the air, kind of like as a landing option! It deals extra damage to shields, which will help your Raid Boss more easily deal with block-happy opponents.
• When your FP lands and is directly behind you, you can attack it with an up tilt or three. You can then follow up with an up air or up smash! You can also use up smash on its own as a makeshift out-of-shield move.
• Jigglypuff’s grounded KO moves are a bit slow, and forward smash is no exception. Still, it’s just about all we’ve got, so use a few forward smashes against your FP as it levels up.
• You can sprinkle in a small amount of forward tilt, down tilt, and neutral attack. Don’t use these moves too many times in a row, by the way!
• If your FP has Instadrop equipped, Rest is a must. Attack your FP with Rest several times during training, and by the time it reaches Level 43, it’ll be able to true combo Instadrop into Rest. Another note: try your best to purposefully get hit by Rest when your FP decides to use it. If your amiibo does not have Instadrop, only use Rest once or twice during your entire training session — it’s too risky without Instadrop available. You could use a landing down air to combo into Rest, but that’s risky as well.

In terms of moves to avoid, there are just two: Rollout and Sing. Rollout works well against AI opponents because they can’t get out of the way in time, but a human opponent will almost always be able to dodge it. If you want to know even more about how FPs learn in this game, check out our general training guide at your convenience!

Wrap-Up

Overall, Jigglypuff is a decent contender in amiibo tournaments. It might take some time for it to come to fruition, but its…varied kit can certainly take unprepared opponents by surprise. If you have any questions that weren’t answered here, feel free to join our Discord community and ask away! If you’re ready to enter a tournament, you can read our detailed guide to learn how to get started. Exion has both a Patreon and a donation box, so if our guides have been helpful to you, we appreciate any support! Until next time — happy training!

If you would like to read more amiibo training guides, please follow this link.

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