Overview
Pom’s magic system and specials (excluding her charge moves) work in tandem to create her summoned puppets, called Sheep Dogs. There are 6 types of Dogs, each of with are summoned with a special or super move. All 6 types of Dogs have names. To help you better utilize your Dogs, I wrote up the rules of Dog manipulation for you! Note that all of Pom’s moves are named by their numpad notation! If you are new to that please take a look at Cam’s notation primer.
The Summoning and Dismissal of the Different Types of Dogs
Pom starts a round with all three of her magic stocks. She depletes her stocks by summoning Dogs and only regains stocks after the Dogs she has summoned have been dismissed.
Dogs are summoned with their corresponding attack buttons and controlled with the magic button. The resources needed to summon a specific Dog will vary. The amount of magic stocks required for summoning a Dog corresponds to the strength of said Dog. In the case of Big Papa, magic stocks are not required for summoning him; he is Pom’s Level 2 Super.
Dogs with A strength require one magic stock and are summoned with the A button. Dogs with B strength require two magic stocks and are summoned with the B button. Dogs with C strength require three magic stocks and are summoned with the C button. Dogs with Super strength require a bar of Super meter to be left after inputting “Stampede!”, Pom’s Level 1 Super.
Dogs can be dismissed manually with a specific input or dismissed automatically after using attacks/losing HP. The amount of attacks/HP that will trigger automatic dismissal depends on the strength of the Dog. The input for manual dismissal also changes depending on the strength of the Dog.
Because Pom only has three magic stocks, there is a hard limit as to which Dogs can be on screen. If Pom has a C strength Dog onscreen, she cannot summon any A or B strength Dogs. If she has a B strength Dog on screen, she cannot summon any B or C strength Dogs and no more than one A strength Dog. If she has one A strength Dog on screen, she cannot summon any C strength Dogs; she can summon no more than two A strength Dogs or she can summon one B strength Dog. If Pom has two A strength Dogs onscreen, she cannot summon any B or C strength Dogs and no more than one A strength Dog.
A Super strength Dog can be summoned regardless of what other Dogs appear onscreen. However, because the Dog with this strength, Big Papa, is Pom’s Level 2 Super, it is only ever possible to have one onscreen.
Dogs with A strength have one type of attack, one HP, and dismiss themselves after using one attack.
Dogs with B strength have two types of attacks, two HP, and dismiss themselves after using two attacks.
Dogs with C strength have three types of attacks, three HP, and dismiss themselves after using three attacks.
Dogs with Super strength have three types of attacks, four HP, and dismiss themselves after using four attacks.
Dog HP is depleted both by being hit during an attack animation and by hitting the opponent with its Dog attack.
Dismissal of all Dogs with A strength is done with 22A. Dismissal of all Dogs with B strength is done with 22B. Dismissal of all Dogs with C strength is done with 22C. Dismissal of all Dogs onscreen, regardless of strength, is done with 22D.
Dog Behavior Before Dismissal/After Summon
After inputting a Dog summoning special, if Pom is not interrupted during the animation, the summoned Dog will appear slightly in front of where Pom was standing when she inputted the special. The only exceptions are Dogs that follow players; these will move into their following position.
Dog can be rallied, or brought to this default position, by rapidly inputting D twice. To adjust a Dog’s position more precisely, hold D. For as long as D is held, they will be in movement state, during which they will respond to directional inputs and adjust their positions accordingly.
After being summoned, the Dog will be on standby. A Dog is on standby when it has been summoned, but no magic moves have been inputted.
Dogs have no hurtbox when on standby. They gain hurtboxes during their attack animations.
Pilot Pup and Big Papa will follow the opponent while on standby. Digging Follower, or just Follow Pup, will follow Pom while on standby.
When a magic attack is inputted, the Dogs will go out of standby and enter their attack animations. When attacking, their frame data, hitboxes, and hurtboxes are independent of Pom. Pom does not use an animation when commanding her Dogs’ attacks; thus, there is no startup or recovery for it.
Pom can still use attacks as normal while her dogs are on standby, in movement state, or in an attack animation.
Dogs cannot attack while Pom is in blockstun or hitstun. However, they can be moved by holding D and then inputting directions, although their movement will be slower than it is when Pom is not in blockstun/hitstun.
While Dogs are in movement state, if the D button is released while a direction is being held, the Dogs will go out of movement state and enter the attack animations that correspond with the direction that was held. Avoid accidentally doing this so that you don’t auto-dismiss your Dogs early.
Dog Profiles
Digging Pup
Strength: A
HP: 1
Auto Dismiss After: 1 attack
Summoning input: 236A
Follows?: No
Following Pup
Strength: A
HP: 1
Types of attacks: 1
Summoning input: 214A
Follows?: Yes, Pom
Growling Pup
Strength: B
HP: 2
Types of attacks: 2
Summoning input: 236B
Follows?: No
Pilot Pup
Strength: B
HP: 2
Types of attacks: 2
Summoning input: 214B
Follows?: Yes, Opponent
Big Mama
Strength: C
HP: 3
Types of Attacks: 3
Summoning input: 236C
Follows?: No
Big Papa
Strength: Super
HP: 4
Types of Attacks: 3
Summoning input: 214 atk+atk (during Level 1 Super)
Follows?: Yes, Opponent