UMVC3/Phoenix Wright

Overview Combos Strategy/Counterstrategy Resources Data

Introduction

A lawyer, and the face of Capcom's Ace Attorney series of games, Phoenix Wright usually works as a defense attorney. He strives to prove his client's innocence, usually by investigating and discovering the real perpetrator of whatever crime his client was accused of doing.

In UMvC3, Phoenix Wright is an extremely unique character making use of his special mode-switching mechanic to power himself up over the course of a fight. Under normal circumstances, Phoenix Wright is something like a joke character, with very poor range, mobility, and damage. However, by navigating his unique mechanic (described below), Phoenix can enter Turnabout Mode, making him extraordinarily powerful.

He should not be confused for Phoenix, a Marvel character in this game with a similar name. For the remainder of this page only, "Phoenix" refers to Wright. On any other page, "Phoenix" refers to the Marvel character, and Phoenix Wright would be addressed by his full name.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Defense: Has surprisingly solid defensive tools. His "M-Maya!?" 236L special, which creates a barrier that can absorb a huge amount of damage. He also has access to "Order in the Court!" (214XX), a level 1 hyper that has a huge amount of invincibility and can only be punished with an OTG, something not all characters can reliably use. Zoning: A good evidence loadout can give Phoenix extremely oppressive zoning, with homing projectiles, fast beams, lingering bombs, and other dangerous projectiles. Depending on his gathered evidence, he can cover any angle the opponent tries to approach from. Easy Unblockable: By using his low-hitting "Steel Samurai Maya Smelting!" (236XX) hyper alongside his own overhead attacks, Phoenix can put some (almost) unavoidable damage on the opponent, which gives him more time to search for evidence. Turnabout Mode: Once Phoenix achieves Turnabout Mode, he temporarily becomes insanely powerful. Turnabout Phoenix has great range on heavily disjointed normals that cause long hitstun if they don't cause a ground or wall bounce. He has the highest damage potential in the game on top of fantastic meter build, which, combined with his aforementioned disjointed normals, can lead to a dead opponent from any hit. His zoning becomes incredibly oppressive, as he can cancel evidence projectiles into each other. Turnabout Mode also unlocks his frame 1, fullscreen, massively damaging level 3 hyper. A Lawyer You (and your team) Can Trust: While not amazing, he does fit some very specific roles regarding support value. His Get 'em, Missile assist hits low and can OTG, creating easy unblockables for certain characters as well as combo extensions. Steel Samurai Maya Smelting is not very damaging on hit (unless you're in Turnabout), but leads to an unblockable, making it a reliable DHC option. Having Turnabout Phoenix in your pocket can lead to incredibly damaging DHC options, as well as the threat of a DHC into his Ace Attorney hyper, which will punish anyone who isn't already blocking.

No Movement: Has a poor grounded dash speed and no other notable movement options. Lacks airdashes, doublejumps, walljumps, or even mobility-enabling specials. This is considerably worse when you consider that a huge part of his win condition is to run away from the opponent. Win Condition Character: Almost everything good about Phoenix is gated behind his evidence-gathering and Turnabout Mode mechanics. He does not start the match with any of these, and has to build them up while also defending against his opponent at a large disadvantage. RNG Reliant: Phoenix's zoning and access to Turnabout are dependent on item RNG. It is possible for him to get screwed over, even if he finds time to Investigate (X+S), by constantly finding "bad" evidence. It may be best to constantly switch out of Investigation Mode and Trial Mode to try and play with Phoenix's moveset as a whole, but this is a subpar solution for Phoenix not being able to play the traditional Marvel game. Terrible Normals: Poor damage and awful range on attacks when not in Turnabout Mode. Even if he had decent damage, Phoenix often can't convert off of stray hits because of the terrible combo properties attached to his normals. This is somewhat alleviated in Trial Mode, but not by much, and his damage is still lacking. Despite being able to open the opponent up for free via unblockable, the following combo will do absolutely pathetic damage. Turnabout on Borrowed Time: Even if Phoenix accesses Turnabout Mode, he loses it after being the Point character for 22 seconds, or immediately if he uses his Level 3 hyper. Opponents with good defensive tools, most notably flight characters, may be able to lame Phoenix out during this time. This is worsened due to the fact that Phoenix's only low in Turnabout is his 2L, which has some of the smallest range of any normal in the game, killing any high/low mixup potential he has. To get anything started, he needs to lock his opponent down from an incoming or other advantageous situation, which he's quite good at doing to be fair, but the moment his opponent gets away is the moment he loses.

Unique Mechanics

Phoenix has three "Modes", with only two of them being regularly accessible by him. He can switch between his two regular modes at any time he can perform a special by inputting 22S. Each mode modifies his normals and specials slightly, besides the main difference outlined below. Tied to these modes are a special HUD element that Phoenix has above his hyper meter. It displays an icon indicating his current mode, as well as three "slots" for evidence, assigned to the L,M, and H buttons.

"Investigation Mode"

Phoenix always starts the match in Investigation Mode. In this mode, inputting X+S will cause Phoenix to spend a moment searching the ground for evidence, which will be stored in the slot corresponding to the button pressed. Evidence can either be "good" (which will cause the icon it's stored in to light up) or "bad" (which will not cause the icon to light up). One of the "bad" pieces of evidence is a hunk of meat, which is not stored and instead consumed to heal 150000 red health.

If Phoenix inputs X+S with a button that already has evidence, he can discard it. This is mainly for discarding useless "bad" evidence, but can also be used to throw out good evidence with an unwanted effect, if he desired. Discarding evidence causes it to be thrown as a projectile.

Phoenix's 236X special in this mode is used to call his friend Maya, who works like a special "assist" character unique to him, and can protect him while he investigates.

"Trial Mode"

In Trial Mode, Phoenix can use the evidence that he collected in Investigation Mode. Pressing X+S will cause him to pull out the evidence in the associated slot. Good evidence will fire a projectile, whose properties depend on the specific evidence presented. Pulling out bad evidence this way, or using it on a slot with no evidence collected, will cause Phoenix to perform the animation, but produce no projectile, leaving him confused and vulnerable. Phoenix also gains access to another Level 1 Hyper in Trial Mode, "Order in the Court!" (214XX). This hyper attacks both Phoenix and the opponent (although it does not damage Phoenix). It forces Phoenix back to Investigation Mode, and removes any bad evidence he may be holding.

If all three of Phoenix's evidence slots are filled with good evidence and he is in Trial Mode, his 6H and j.2H command normals are replaced with upgraded "Objection!" versions. Landing Objection! causes Phoenix to enter his third mode, Turnabout Mode.

"Turnabout Mode"

Phoenix's moveset in Turnabout Mode is similar to his Trial Mode, but many of his attacks are greatly enhanced, with extended range, damage, and properties. He can continue to present the evidence he collected and fire their projectiles, and in fact can do so much faster than before. He has several additional ground and wall bounces, and in general can extend combos much longer than he could before. He gains an across-the-board 20% boost to damage and speed, similar to the boost granted by X-Factor (and they stack). Phoenix also gains access to his Level 3 Hyper in this mode. It has fully invincible startup, hits everywhere on the screen (including OTG) and does massive damage. Using this hyper also removes his evidence and ends Turnabout, sending him back to Investigation Mode.

Besides from using level 3, Turnabout Mode expires on its own after 22 (real-time) seconds. This also removes his evidence and sets him back to Investigation Mode. Like other "power-ups" in the game, this timer will not tick down if Phoenix is not the point character. He can tag out after entering Turnabout Mode and keep it active indefinitely, allowing the player to use his newly-enhanced assist moves.

Health	1,000,000
Invulnerable Reversal(s)	214XX (Trial/Turnabout), 623XX (Turnabout)
Grounded Magic Series	Simple
X-Factor Damage Boost (1/2/3)	35% / 60% / 85%
X-Factor Speed Boost (1/2/3)	5% / 10% / 15%
Air Movement Options
Air Actions	Air Jumps?	Air Dash?	Flight?	WallJump?
0	No	No	No	No
Minimum Attack Scaling
Normals	Specials		Hypers
10	10		35

Move List

Assists

Paperwork (High)
Assist A

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
35,000 x3	44	-	116, 86
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	Mid	Priority: 3, Durability: 3 per projectile
THC Hyper: Steel Samurai Maya. Phoenix chucks some papers, which act as three short-range projectiles that float in the air for 30 frames. If Phoenix is in Turnabout Mode, this assist is upgraded to Paperwork Storm.

Paperwork Storm (High)
Assist A (Turnabout)

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
30,000 x9	38	-	102, 72
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	Mid	Priority: 3, Beam Durability: 3 per frame for 3 frames per projectile.
THC Hyper: Steel Samurai Maya. Enhanced version of Paperwork assist. It has enhanced durability, slightly better frame data, and greatly improved damage. It still has underwhelming range and lockdown. The papers thrown by this assist remain active for 25 frames. Very early guides for this game will claim this assist has invincibility. This was patched out almost immediately after the game's initial launch, and was never present in later releases of the game.

Press the Witness
Assist B

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
20,000 x4 + 50,000	44	25(11)4	97, 67
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	Mid	(last hit)
THC Hyper: Steel Samurai Maya. Recommended assist. Phoenix walks forward as an active hitbox, then finishes with a close-range attack that knocks down. Although it is lacking in range compared to top tier assists, it still provides a significant amount of lockdown, as the opponent is constantly being hit by Phoenix as he advances. It also has very short assist recovery, making it notably spammable. If Phoenix is in Turnabout Mode, this assist is upgraded to Break the Witness.

Break the Witness
Assist B (Turnabout)

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
20,000 x11 + 50,000	37	21(11)4	84, 54
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	Mid	(last hit)
THC Hyper: Steel Samurai Maya. Enhanced version of Press the Witness assist. Although its range is still short, it has greatly improved damage, faster startup, and now finishes with a Wall Bounce. By assist standards, it deals extremely high chip damage while also being great at locking the opponent down. With the improved recovery from Turnabout, Break the Witness is the fastest-recovering assist in the game(?). Other assists with notably fast recovery - such as Shuma's Mystic Ray - are balanced by slow startup or limited utility. Break the Witness has great startup and is very oppressive while also having fast recovery, making it extremely spammable. Very early guides for this game will claim this assist has invincibility. This was patched out almost immediately after the game's initial launch, and was never present in later releases of the game.

"Get 'em, Missile!"
Assist Y

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
50,000	44	-	132, 102
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	Low	, Priority: Low, Durability: 5
THC Hyper: Steel Samurai Maya. Recommended assist. Assist-only attack where Phoenix gestures, sending Missile (a dog, not a missile) to attack the opponent by running at them. Missile acts as a projectile that travels along the ground and can hit OTG. As a low-hitting assist, it can enable High/Low mixups or even Unblockables when paired with Overhead attacks from the Point character. Frame data is misleading. Although Missile does become active on frame 44, in practice it takes him a significant amount of additional time to travel across the screen and actually make contact with the opponent. Although Missile does hit OTG, it is difficult to use him this way compared to more traditional OTG assists, such as Wesker's Gunshot.

"Get 'em, Missile!" (Turnabout)
Assist Y (Turnabout)

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
60,000	37	-	115, 85
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	Low	, Priority: Low, Durability: 5
THC Hyper: Steel Samurai Maya. Enhanced version of Missile assist. Outside of the universal 20% buff to damage and speed from Turnabout, this assist gains no special benefits.

Ground Normals

Stand Light (Investigation/Trial)
5L

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
33,000	6	10	5
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-1	-2	Mid	-
-

Stand Light (Turnabout)
5L

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
39,600	5	9	4
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+3	+2	Mid	-
Identical to normal 5L, but with Turnabout Mode's boosts to damage and speed.

Stand Medium (Investigation/Trial)
5M

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
50,000	8	10	13
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-4	-5	Mid	-
-

Stand Medium (Turnabout)
5M

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
60,000	7	9	11
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+1	0	Mid	-
Identical to normal 5M, but with Turnabout Mode's boosts to damage and speed.

Stand Heavy (Investigation)
5H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
60,000	12	10	17
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-3	-4	Mid	-
Advances Phoenix forward approximately one character length. Phoenix scratches his head, which has a respectable anti-air hitbox.

Stand Heavy (Trial)
5H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
70,000	9	9	19
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-4	-5	Mid	-
Has a special follow-up command normal, Illuminating Point. 5H > H.

Stand Heavy (Turnabout)
5H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
132,000	12	10	11
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	+4	High	, ,
Phoenix points with a massive, exaggerated finger made out of energy. The attack is pointed at an upward angle, and normal-sized characters can duck under it at most ranges. Phoenix can jump cancel this attack on hit or block in order to extend combos or pressure. It is also advantageous enough that jump-canceling is not always necessary. In the corner, Turnabout 5H combos into itself up to 4 times.

Crouching Light (Investigation/Trial)
2L

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
33,000	7	10	6
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-2	-3	Low	-
Standard low light, with slower-than-average startup and limited range. 2L has a notably low profile, lower than Phoenix's normal crouch. It can be used to evade underneath some attacks, such as Doom's Plasma Beam. If no other action is performed, Phoenix will continue with a lengthy "post-recovery" animation. This animation can be canceled at any time if needed, but he maintains his low profile for the duration, making it very easy to time.

Crouching Light (Turnabout)
2L

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
39,600	6	9	5
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+2	+1	Low	-
Identical to normal 2L, but with Turnabout Mode's boosts to damage and speed.

Crouching Medium (Investigation)
2M

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
45,000	9	10	15
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-6	-7	Mid	-
Note: Not a low.

Crouching Medium (Trial)
2M

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
55,000	8	10	13
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-4	-5	Mid	-
Note: Not a low.

Crouching Medium (Turnabout)
2M

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
66,000	7	8	11
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+1	0	Mid	-
Note: Not a low. Identical to 2M (Trial), but with Turnabout Mode's boosts to damage and speed.

Crouching Heavy (Investigation)
2H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
30,000 + 35,000	11	12	18
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	0	Low	,
-

Crouching Heavy (Trial)
2H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
65,000	10	10	16
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-2	-3	Mid	-
Note: Not a low. Has a special follow-up command normal, Note Scribbling. 2H > H. Unlike Investigation 2H, it does not knock down.

Crouching Heavy (Turnabout)
2H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
132,000	11	10	12
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	+3	Mid	, ,
Note: Not a low. Phoenix attacks with a large, disjointed finger. The attack causes a Wall Bounce on hit and can be Jump Canceled on hit or block for additional extensions.

Launcher/Special (Investigation/Trial)
S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
100,000	10	4	22
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
Launch	-3	Mid	,
Phoenix sneezes, which works as a standard launcher.

Launcher/Special (Turnabout)
S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
120,000	9	4	18
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
Launch	+3	Mid	,
Identical to normal 5S, but with Turnabout Mode's boosts to damage and speed.

Aerial Normals

Jumping Light (Investigation/Trial)
j.5L

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
35,000	7	10	7
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+11	+10	OH	-
-

Jumping Light (Turnabout)
j.5L

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
42,000	6	9	6
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+13	+12	OH	-
Identical to normal j.5L, but with Turnabout Mode's boosts to damage and speed.

Jumping Medium (Investigation/Trial
j.5M

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
50,000	9	10	16
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+17	+16	OH	-
-

Jumping Medium (Turnabout)
j.5M

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
60,000	8	9	13
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+19	+18	OH	-
Identical to normal j.5M, but with Turnabout Mode's boosts to damage and speed.

Jumping Heavy (Investigation)
j.5H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
60,000	11	10	18
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+19	+18	OH	-
-

Jumping Heavy (Trial)
j.5H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
60,000	9	10	18
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+18	+17	OH	-
Has a special follow-up command normal, "Just a little more...!". j.5H > H.

Jumping Heavy (Turnabout)
j.5H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
132,000	12	10	11
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	+23	OH	,
Phoenix points downward with a large, disjointed finger. Forms a trinity of oppressive Turnabout Mode attacks alongside 5H and 2H. Causes a Ground Bounce on hit.

Jumping Special (Investigation/Trial)
j.5S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
70,000	11	4	26
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+20	+18	OH
-

Jumping Special (Turnabout)
j.5S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
84,000	10	4	21
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+21	+20	OH
Identical to normal j.5S, but with Turnabout Mode's boosts to damage and speed.

Command Normals

Unique Mechanic: Many of Phoenix's H command normals fill up an invisible "Dizzy" meter. These moves increase the dizzy meter on contact, regardless of whether they hit or are blocked. Dizzy meter slowly depletes if another dizzy-causing attack does not connect for some amount of time. If an attack hits that would fill the opponent's dizzy, they are placed into a special Dizzy state, indicated by a dark blue effect appearing over the dizzied character:

• An airborne opponent dizzied by Phoenix will fall into a special Hard Knockdown state in which any attack can hit OTG, giving Phoenix a free relaunch.
• A grounded opponent dizzied by Phoenix will appear stunned for two seconds (120 frames) and be unable to act, letting Phoenix continue the combo with any attack of his choosing, or even Hard Tag to another character.

If an attack that would fill the opponent's dizzy is blocked, the dizzy meter is wasted, and resets to zero for no effect.

Moves that contribute to Phoenix's dizzy mechanic will have an estimate for the amount of dizzy caused included in their description.

---

Slip-Up (Investigation/Trial)
6M

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
60,000	25	4	32
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-13	OH
Phoenix "trips" and lands on the opponent, working as a standing overhead. Although Phoenix is placed in a lengthy recovery for this move, he can mitigate it by canceling into any special (including 5S) as he lands. Canceling 6M into Maya (236M in Investigation) will allow her to arrive and OTG the opponent for Phoenix to start a combo.

Slip-Up (Turnabout)
6M

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
72,000	21	4	27
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-6	OH
Identical to normal 6M, but with Turnabout Mode's boosts to damage and speed.

Questioning (Investigation)
"Hold It!"
6H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
70,000	20	13	28
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-17	-18	Mid
Phoenix yells, producing a speech bubble that works as an active hitbox. On contact, builds ~25% of the opponent's Dizzy meter.

Air Questioning (Investigation)
"Hold It!"
j.2H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
70,000	20	13	28
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-9	-8	Mid
Air version of 6H in Investigation mode. Is almost identical, but appears at a slight downward angle, and can be land-canceled for better recovery. On contact, builds ~25% of the opponent's Dizzy meter.

Cross-Examination (Trial)
"Hold It!"
6H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
70,000	20	13	28
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-17	-18	Mid
Almost identical to Investigation Mode 6H. The only difference is slightly improved Dizzy generation. On contact, builds ~45% of the opponent's Dizzy meter. If Phoenix has three pieces of good Evidence, this attack is replaced with Bridge to the Turnabout (see below).

Air Cross-Examination (Trial)
"Hold It!"
j.2H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
70,000	20	13	28
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+9	+8	Mid
Aerial version of Cross-Examination. Mirrors Air Questioning almost exactly. On contact, builds ~45% of the opponent's Dizzy meter. If Phoenix has three pieces of good Evidence, this attack is replaced with Air Bridge to the Turnabout (see below).

Bridge to the Turnabout (Trial)
"Objection!"
(With 3 pieces of good Evidence) 6H

"I've got all I need!"

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
100,000	27	20	24
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+25	-11	Mid	-
Phoenix produces a speech bubble, similar to his other 6H command normals. Objection is slightly slower, but more active, more damaging, and with a larger hitbox. However, this is not what makes this move special. Successfully hitting an opponent with Objection will cause a brief timestop flash - similar to X-Factor activation - in which Phoenix enters Turnabout Mode. In Turnabout Mode, Phoenix has a global 20% increase to damage and speed, stacking with the buffs granted by X-Factor. He also gains access to several enhanced attacks, and his special theme music begins to play (large emotional advantage). Unlocking and subsequently landing this move is understandably a central part of Phoenix's gameplan. Luckily, it is easy to combo into despite its lengthy startup.

Air Bridge to the Turnabout (Trial)
"Objection!"
(With 3 pieces of good Evidence) j.2H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
100,000	27	20	24
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+12	+8	Mid	-
Air version of Bridge to the Turnabout. Functions essentially the same way.

Pursuit (Turnabout)
"Objection!"
6H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
120,000	17	17	18
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+1	0	Mid
Phoenix can still perform his Objection command normal while in Turnabout Mode. It now is much faster (even ignoring the global speed buff from Turnabout) and contributes to Phoenix's Dizzy mechanic. On contact, builds ~65% of the opponent's Dizzy meter.

Air Pursuit (Turnabout)
"Objection!"
j.2H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
120,000	17	17	18
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+12	+11	Mid
Air version of Pursuit. On contact, builds ~65% of the opponent's Dizzy meter.

Illuminating Point (Trial)
5H > H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
80,000	10	7	18
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+6	+2	Mid	, , scales by 0.9
Follow-up attack to Trial Mode 5H. Retains 5H's poor range, and pushback on the initial 5H can cause this attack to whiff.

Note Scribbling (Trial)
2H > 2H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
60,000	12	4	20
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-1	Low
Follow-up attack to Trial Mode 2H. Causes a Soft Knockdown, unlike the initial 2H hit.

"Just a little more...!" (Trial)
j.5H > H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
70,000	11	10	16
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+19	+18	OH	-
Follow-up attack to Trial Mode j.5H.

Special Moves

Investigation Mode

"M-Maya!?" L
Maya Shield
236L

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
-	27	152	13
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	-	-
Maya runs on stage, stops in front of Phoenix, and channels a psychic barrier. The barrier will absorb any hit that comes into contact with it, including physical hits, projectiles and beams, and even hypers. Attacks absorbed by Maya are fully negated and cannot damage Phoenix or inflict hitstun/blockstun on him, effectively protecting him from harm. Maya's barrier can absorb up to 250,000 points of damage before breaking. If this damage threshold is not reached, Maya stops channeling after 152 frames. Maya Shield is useful for protecting Phoenix while he gathers evidence. If he positions himself at Maya's feet, it is very difficult for the opponent to reach Phoenix with any attack. When Maya Shield ends, either because its damage threshold was reached or because its duration expired, Maya runs back off stage in the direction she entered. It is not possible to recall any "Maya" 236X special while she is still on screen. Phoenix can help Maya leave faster by moving himself and/or the opponent and pushing the screen, such as during an Air Combo.

"M-Maya!?" M/H
236M / 236H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
68,000	40	20	10
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	+15	Low	, , scales by 0.8, ignores grab penalty
Maya runs out on stage, then trips and falls, sliding across the ground. Maya's fall is an active hitbox which can hit OTG, and on hit pops the opponent into the air, before landing for a Hard Knockdown. Button strength only impacts how far Maya can run before tripping. In the M version, she will fall at about 1/3 of fullscreen distance. With the H version, she will trip at about 2/3 fullscreen distance. In either case, Maya can trip early if she runs into an opponent, so the difference is fairly minute. Phoenix does not recover quickly enough to attack alongside Maya without using X-Factor, but he does recover quickly enough to follow up if her attack connects. Maya is Phoenix's primary OTG tool, and allows him to solo relaunch from Hard Knockdowns so long as he is close enough to the opponent. After Maya trips and stands back up, she runs back off stage in the direction she entered. It is not possible to recall any "Maya" 236X special while she is still on screen. Phoenix can help Maya leave faster by moving himself and/or the opponent and pushing the screen, such as during an Air Combo.

Investigate
X+S (On a button slot which has no evidence)

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
-	30	-	5
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	-	-
Phoenix crouches down to search for evidence. Whenever Phoenix is on screen, a HUD element with three slots appears over his hyper meter. The slots correspond to the three normal attack buttons - the leftmost slot is for the L button, the middle slot is for the M button, and the rightmost slot is for the H button. After 30 frames, Phoenix finds a random piece of evidence, and places it in the slot corresponding to the button used. There are six different pieces of "good" evidence, six different pieces of "bad" evidence, and one piece of food: Good evidence can be used for special projectile attacks in Trial and Turnabout Modes (see "Evidence" subsection of Special Moves). It is also necessary to have all three slots filled with Good evidence in order to enter Turnabout Mode. Good evidence can be identified because the slot it is placed in will light up. Bad evidence can not be used as an attack (attempting to do so will cause Phoenix to be stunned for a moment), and clogs up a slot without being useful for entering Turnabout Mode. Bad evidence should be removed using Phoenix's Discard special, or destroyed via his "Order in the Court!" hyper. Food is immediately consumed upon being picked up, and instantly restores up to 150,000 points of Red Health if Phoenix has that much. It can't be held or used as evidence. Despite there being an equal amount of good and bad evidence, the odds are actually weighted in Phoenix's favor. The specific details are outlined in this video and its description. In short, Phoenix starts with a 2/3 chance to find Good evidence, a 2/9 chance to find Bad evidence, and a 1/9 chance to find food. Holding good evidence reduces the chances that additional evidence will be good, and holding bad evidence reduces the chances that additional evidence will be bad. If Phoenix is currently holding 2 pieces of bad evidence, it is impossible for him to find a third piece of bad evidence (but he can still find food). As a consequence, it is mathematically optimal for Phoenix to Investigate until all three slots are filled, rather than discard bad evidence immediately upon finding it. Once all three slots are full, discard a piece of bad evidence, and replace that slot. Repeat until all slots are filled with Good evidence. There is a large amount of anecdotal evidence that suggests the pseudo-random method for deciding evidence does not reset upon rematching the same opponent. You can reasonably expect to find the same pattern of Good/Bad evidence upon rematching. If you are unhappy with the previous round's item RNG, it is recommended to move back to Character Select, which seems to reset the item generation and may give you better results.

Discard
X+S (On a button slot which has evidence)

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
70,000	12 (14 for Bad evidence)	-	23 (21 for Bad evidence)
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
0 (+2 for Bad)	-1 (+1 for Bad)	Mid	-
Phoenix chucks a piece of evidence in the slot corresponding to the button used for the input. The evidence flies through the air, acting as a fairly mediocre projectile. Its primary purpose is to remove Bad evidence that Phoenix finds, to free the slot up for other, hopefully better, evidence. It is also possible to discard Good evidence this way, which could be considered if you really want a specific combination of three good evidence for use in Trial/Turnabout mode.

Mode Change
22S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
-	-	-	20
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	-	-
Switches between Investigation and Trial Modes.

Trial Mode

Paperwork (High)
236X

L Version

M Version

H Version

L +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	35,000 x3	15	30	25
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+8	+7	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 3 per projectile
M +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	35,000 x3	20	30	25
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+8	+7	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 3 per projectile
H +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	35,000 x4	30	30	20
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+8	+7	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 3 per projectile
Phoenix chucks a stack of papers, which spread out and float in an upwards arc in front of Phoenix. The papers act as three separate projectiles (four with the H version), which linger for 30 frames before disappearing. Higher button strengths are slower but spread the papers out over a wider area. Regardless of button strength, the range is not great.

Paperwork (Low)
214X

L Version

M Version

H Version

L +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	35,000 x3	15	30	25
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+8	+7	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 3 per projectile
M +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	35,000 x3	20	30	25
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+8	+7	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 3 per projectile
H +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	35,000 x4	30	30	20
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+8	+7	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 3 per projectile
Phoenix chucks a stack of papers. This move is effectively identical to Paperwork (High), but the projectiles spread in a downward arc, instead of an upward arc.

Press the Witness
623X

L +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	20,000 x2 + 50,000	15	20(12)4	5
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	-	+14	Mid	(last hit)
M +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	20,000 x4 + 50,000	20	25(12)4	5
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	-	+14	Mid	(last hit)
H +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	20,000 x6 + 50,000	30	25(12)4	5
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	-	+14	Mid	(last hit)
Phoenix marches forward about 1/3 of fullscreen distance while holding some papers. During this time, he is an active, short-range hitbox. He then finishes by swinging the papers outward for a slightly more damaging attack which knocks down. Although this move has good frame advantage, it is slow to startup, and any pressure advantages it grants can be easily negated by an opponent's pushblock.

Mode Change
22S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
-	-	-	20
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	-	-
Switches between Investigation and Trial Modes.

Turnabout Mode

Paperwork Storm (High)
236X

L Version

M Version

H Version

L +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	25,000 x9	14	25	20
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+17	+16	Mid	Priority: Low, Beam Durability: 3 per frame for 3 frames per projectile
M +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	25,000 x9	18	25	21
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+16	+15	Mid	Priority: Low, Beam Durability: 3 per frame for 3 frames per projectile
H +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	25,000 x12	26	25	16
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+25	+24	Mid	Priority: Low, Beam Durability: 3 per frame for 3 frames per projectile
Enhanced version of Paperwork (High). It covers a much larger area, has better damage and frame data, and effectively triple the projectile durability. Phoenix has very limited time to take advantage of Turnabout Mode, and this move is better suited to a slow, grindy gameplan. It is recommended to avoid using this move too much, as Phoenix can get better value out of harassing the opponent with his enhanced H normals.

Paperwork Storm (Low)
236X

L Version

M Version

H Version

L +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	25,000 x9	14	25	20
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+17	+16	Mid	Priority: Low, Beam Durability: 3 per frame for 3 frames per projectile
M +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	25,000 x9	18	25	21
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+16	+15	Mid	Priority: Low, Beam Durability: 3 per frame for 3 frames per projectile
H +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	25,000 x12	26	25	16
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	+25	+24	Mid	Priority: Low, Beam Durability: 3 per frame for 3 frames per projectile
Enhanced version of Paperwork (Low). As with the Trial Mode version, it is identical to Paperwork Storm (High), just with a lower projectile arc.

Break the Witness
623X

L +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	20,000 x6 + 50,000	13	17(11)4	7
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	-	+14	Mid	into (last hit)
M +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	20,000 x11 + 50,000	17	21(11)4	3
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	-	+17	Mid	into (last hit)
H +	Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
	20,000 x19 + 50,000	25	21(11)4	3
	On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
	-	+18	Mid	into (last hit)
Enhanced version of Press the Witness. Besides the generic speed and damage boosts from Turnabout mode, it now has a much higher hit count, dealing very high total damage; the H version of this move is the most damaging Special in the game, causing damage comparable to many Hypers. Also, all 3 versions scale by 0.95, like most Hypers. Additionally, the final hit is upgraded from a simple Soft Knockdown to a Wallbounce, which is great for combo extensions. It is still slow to startup, but is an excellent choice to capitalize on the Dizzy caused by Phoenix's command normals.

Evidence (Trial / Turnabout)

Note: Phoenix can present evidence as an attack in both Trial and Turnabout Modes. The evidence does not gain additional special properties in Turnabout Mode, but they do benefit from the global boosts to damage and speed. These boosts are included in the move data, separated from the default Trial Mode version by a "/" mark. In Turnabout Mode, Phoenix can chain evidence moves into each other, allowing him to perform these attacks faster than their frame data would suggest.

Cell Phone
X+S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
40,000 x3 / 48,000 x3	25 / 21	-	25 / 21
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 5 per projectile
Phoenix fires three projectiles. The projectiles hover in the air near Phoenix, inactive for 60 frames (50 in Turnabout). Afterwards, they become active and shoot at the opponent, similar to Doctor Strange's "Daggers of Denak" special. This is usually considered Phoenix's best evidence attack.

Documents
X+S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
100,000 / 120,000	29 / 25	-	16 / 13
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+20 / +23	+7 / +12	Mid	, Priority: Low, Durability: 5
Phoenix fires a projectile, that appears in a semi-random spot in front of him. The projectile is a "bomb" that does not move from its initial location. If the bomb makes contact with an opponent or a projectile, it explodes. The explosion destroys low-priority projectiles and causes a spinning knockdown on hit. The bomb will also explode automatically after 90 frames (75 in Turnabout).

Flower Vase
X+S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
100,000 / 120,000	15 / 13	-	20 / 17
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+3 / +28	+2 / +7	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 5
Phoenix fires a projectile, which is lobbed into the air, then arcs back down towards the ground. The projectile ultimately lands just short of fullscreen distance, and it is possible for it to sail over an opponent's head if done too close.

Knife
X+S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
40,000 x3 / 48,000 x3	20 / 17	-	30 / 25
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-7 / 0	-8 / -1	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 3 per projectile
Phoenix fires a fan of three projectiles, which spread out in a small arc as they travel away from Phoenix. The center projectile travels directly ahead horizontally, and the other two are angled slightly upwards and slightly downwards.

Photograph
X+S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
25,000 x5 / 30,000 x5	25 / 21	20 / 17	16 / 14
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
0 / +7	-1 / +6	Mid	Priority: Low, Beam Durability: 2 per frame for 5 frames
Phoenix fires a horizontal beam with solid durability. The beam is launched from a high point, and many characters can duck underneath, or low-profile it with specific attacks.

Watch
X+S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
100,000 / 120,000	20 / 17	-	25 / 21
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-2 / +4	-3 / +3	Mid	Priority: Low, Durability: 5
Phoenix fires a standard projectile. It travels very quickly across the screen, but is otherwise unremarkable.

Bad/No Evidence
X+S

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
-	-	-	60 (?)
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	-	lol
If Phoenix attempts to present evidence using a slot that has Bad evidence, or using a lot that is empty, he will start up as normal, than pause in frustration. This accomplishes nothing except to lock Phoenix into an animation and leave him vulnerable for roughly a second. Don't do this, unless it's funny.

Hyper Combos

Steel Samurai Maya Smelting!
236XX (1 bar)

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
30,000 x10 + 50,000	10+4	-	35
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	+57	Mid (Last hit Low)	(last hit)
Maya joins Phoenix, then charges forward. She flails her arms around, attempting to assist Phoenix before falling on her face. She actually does a pretty good job of helping, this hyper is extremely powerful. This hyper gives Phoenix enormous frame advantage on hit or block. Maya is active on screen for 82 frames, but Phoenix recovers after only 35 frames. He can use this to convert stray hits and start a combo, or to maintain pressure on block. Since Maya is a assist-type attack, pushblocking it has no effect on Phoenix. The large frame advantage also makes this one of the easiest ways for Phoenix to land an Objection and enter Turnabout Mode. Additionally, the final hit of this hyper (when Maya falls on the ground) hits low. It is possible to pair this with an overhead attack from Phoenix himself, to create a very powerful High/Low mixup, or even an Unblockable with perfect timing. In Turnabout Mode, this is easy to set up by jumping and using his enhanced j.5H Finger attack. Outside of Turnabout, Phoenix's overhead options are much worse. He can still force an Unblockable by X-Factor canceling the hyper and using the extra time to set up a regular jumping normal. This is strongly worth considering if Phoenix has all evidence ready, as it effectively guarantees access to Turnabout Mode and a kill on the character unlucky enough to be caught in it. As a "Maya" attack, this hyper can not be used if Maya is already on screen as part of another move (mainly her 236X specials in Investigation Mode). Similarly, Phoenix can not use any of his other Maya-related moves during this hyper, until Maya retreats off-screen. In addition, if this Hyper kills the opponent's point character, their next character will be unable to come in until Maya leaves; this time can be used to gather evidence.

"Order in the Court!"
214XX (Trial/Turnabout) (1 bar)

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
250,000	15+4	8	88
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
+18	-73	Mid	Invuln until frame 54, , , , scales by 0.975
The judge from Phoenix's court appears, and slams down a massive gavel on Phoenix's current position. This hyper has a tall, but somewhat narrow hitbox and is very invincible. It can also hit OTG as a combo ender, or to pick up as part of a DHC or THC sequence. This hyper causes a Hard Knockdown on hit. Notably, it also knocks down Phoenix and his teammates if they are caught in the gavel's path (although this does not deal damage). Regardless, the knockdown Phoenix takes is shorter than the one dealt to his opponents, so he can recover faster. Additionally, you can X-Factor cancel just before the gavel hits Phoenix to protect him, which gives Phoenix huge frame advantage and allows him to pick up a combo. This hyper can only be used in Trial and Turnabout Modes. When used in Trial Mode, it automatically switches Phoenix back to Investigation Mode, and also destroys any Bad evidence he was holding. Although Phoenix can not perform this move in Investigation Mode, it is usually possible to perform 22S Mode Change, then cancel that directly into this hyper in order to access it during combos.

Ace Attorney
623XX (Turnabout) (3 bars)

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
600,000	10+0	3	32
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-10	Mid	Invuln until frame 18, ,
Cinematic level 3 hyper, and the ultimate payoff for Turnabout Mode. Phoenix reveals that the person who actually commited the crime is his current opponent, causing them to explode. The hyper deals heavy, unscaled damage and places the opponent in a Hard Knockdown state on the unlikely chance they survive. As a fullscreen, OTG-capable cinematic level 3, it could be compared to Magneto's Gravity Squeeze. However, Ace Attorney is much faster and deals absolutely insane damage. Because it has zero frames of post-flash startup, if the opponent is not already blocking when the super flash occurs, the attack can not be blocked. Its fast startup makes it extremely easy to combo into, and it can be used on reaction to just about any attempt at keepaway from the oppponent. Using Ace Attorney ends Turnabout Mode, regardless of how much time remained on the powered-up state. Phoenix loses all evidence and is returned to Investigation Mode.

Universal Mechanics

Ground Throw
6H, 4H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
80,000	1	1	-
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	Throw
Missile (a dog, not a missile) runs by, knocking the opponent down. In Investigation Mode, Phoenix can use 236M Maya to pick up. In Trial/Turnabout Modes, his "Order in the Court" 214XX hyper works to OTG. Additionally, if Phoenix throws the opponent into the corner, he can catch them with a normal before they reach the ground. This throw causes a very sudden camera zoom onto Missile as it begins. Even if the opponent techs this throw, it can disrupt their ability to see what is happening.

Air Throw
j.6H, j.4H

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
80,000	1	1	-
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-	Airthrow
Missile (a dog, not a missile) leaps into the air and crashes into the opponent, knocking them down. It can be followed up in the same ways as a ground throw. Additionally, if Phoenix airthrows the opponent into the corner, he can catch them with a falling normal before reaching the ground.

Snap Back
+/

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
50,000	2	4	37
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-18	Mid	Snapback
Animation and hitbox based on the "Objection!" variant of 6H, but without the speech bubble.

Hard Tag
Hold 14f /

Damage	Startup	Active	Recovery
30,000	-	20	33
On Hit	On Block	Guard	Properties
-	-15	OH
-

Team Position

Phoenix is typically played in either the First or Second position. Although Maya can provide some protection, he is still dependent on his team's assists to cover for him while he searches for evidence. Phoenix teams tend to have very fluid team orders, so this role is not as significant as it would be on other characters.

A common strategy for Phoenix teams is to place him on point, have him quickly collect all three evidence pieces and switch to Trial Mode. Then, tag him out in favor of a "real" point character with better neutral. If that character lands a hit, they can bring Phoenix in mid-combo using a DHC, TAC, or even a Hard Tag, letting him land Objection for free.

Notable Synergies

Captain America: Captain America's Charging Star assist has a great hitbox and nullifies projectiles. It is a good tool to protect Phoenix from opponents while he searches for evidence. Cap is also a solid point character to tag in once Phoenix has collected his evidence. He doesn't even need to actually land a hit, as he can use a blockstring into Hyper Charging Star, and DHC to Phoenix's Maya hyper to set up an unblockable and activate turnabout.

Players to Watch: I<3Justice (Captain America/Phoenix Wright/Strange)

Doctor Strange: Strange has two assists with particularly excellent total duration, allowing them to cover for Phoenix for a very long time. Bolts of Balthakk is a beam assist with 60 frames of total duration (although there is a gap in the middle). Eye of Agamotto puts an orb on screen that lasts for 120 whole frames, giving Phoenix enough time to do three and a half entire evidence searches by itself.

Players to Watch: I<3Justice (Captain America/Phoenix Wright/Strange)

Spencer: Although unconventional, Spencer/Phoenix is more about Phoenix's ability to support Spencer than Spencer's ability to support Phoenix. Phoenix's "Get 'em, Missile!" assist has surprisingly good horizontal coverage. It hits OTG, making it useful for combo extensions, namely letting Spencer land additional up-grapples (which deal unscaled damage), and also hits low, allowing him to set up dangerous mixups or even unblockables against grounded opponents.

Players to Watch: Aonien (Spencer/Phoenix Wright/Doom), Raid (Phoenix Wright/Spencer/Akuma), UglyWhen (Phoenix Wright/Spencer/Wesker)

Other Players to Watch: Wolfstreet (Trish/Phoenix Wright/Rocket), Lythero (VJoe/Phoenix Wright/Dante), BMan (Phoenix Wright/Deadpool/Dante)

Alternate Colors

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