Gimp
Agimp is the action ofKOing arecovering opponent by interrupting their recovery, often with a rather weak attack that would not KO the opponent otherwise. Gimps tend to involve hitting an opponent off the stage followed by interrupting their recovery, capable of resulting in sometimes earlier KOs; simply interrupting a recovery that is otherwise sure to succeed can also be considered a gimp. Gimps put a large swing on a match, as they can happen at very low percentages, sometimes saving over a hundred points of damage needed to KO the opponent. Sometimes the term "gimp" is used to describe accidentalSDs due to failed recoveries.
Gimping is related to and sometimes confused withedge guarding.Ganondorf hitting an opponent at 125% offstage with a sweetspottedup aerial and outright KOing them would not be considered a gimp, but just successful edge guarding. However, Ganondorf hitting that opponent at 50% with a reverse up aerial, semi-spiking them and knocking them back so their recover will not go far enough to reach the ledge would be considered a gimp. Edgeguarding involves continued and/or powerful hits that stop the opponent's recovery and possibly KO them; gimping is more "fluky", involving a relatively weak attack whose placement happens to net the KO for the attacker. A successful gimp can sometimes lead a frustrated opponent to rush back in on the enemy at the ledge, only to get gimped once over - even in the case of characters who can ratherretreat and attempt to force anapproach with aprojectile.
Common examples of gimps include:
- Interrupting thedouble jump of a character that needs it to recover (e.g.Yoshi); this can prove especially deadly when interrupting at the beginning of the jump.
- Blocking haltable recoveries such as Ness'sPK Thunder orIke'sQuick Draw.
- Edgehogging characters withtether recoveries (Brawl).
- Using non-flinching attacks such asF.L.U.D.D. orWater Gun to push an opponent using their recovery farther away from the stage, therefore not granting them another use of their recovery.
- Reversing the opponent's direction with a move such asCape, possibly ruining their recovery.
- Using thegrab release glitch to deprive characters includingSnake,Sonic,Mr. Game & Watch, andPit of their recoveries (Brawl).
- Using an aerial attack to knock an opponent underneath the stage or into astage spike.
- Hitting a recovering opponent with asemi-spike ormeteor smash that is not strong enough to outright KO them, but causes their recovery to fail.
- Hitting afast-faller with a weak attack off the edge of a stage with a high bottomblast line, causing them to plummet before they can react.
- Using projectiles such as Sonic'sspring to interrupt the opponent's recovery.
- Footstooling a recovering opponent, which due to the brief moment of tumbling down, can potentially cause them not to be able to make it back on stage.
- Using someGust Bellows to blow an opponent away during their recovery move.
Abonus somewhat related to gimping exists inMelee called Shameful Fall; it's granted by being at 50% or less and being KO'd by an opponent with 100% or more. The bonus penalises 1500 points.
