When opponents fall to the ground in a tumble state, if they miss teching on the ground there is a short window to hit the opponent with a low knockback move that effectively forces an on-spot standard getup, while disabling access to other getup recovery options like rolling forward/backward, getup attack or remaining lying down. This guaranteed standard getup is extremely punishable, and can be used for a free combo followup, smash attack punish or a variety of KO setups. Although the technique is called a "jab" lock, a variety of low knockback moves can achieve the same effect (e.g. Roy's sourspot bair).
In previous iterations of Smash this technique was called jab reset, as the low knockback attack could only be performed once leading to the guaranteed standard getup. In Smash 4, however, if the low knockback attack(s) can be consecutively executed multiple times quickly enough while maintaining proximity, it can be used to hit and keep the opponent "locked" on the ground for up to 3 total hits (any more than that and the opponent can escape the lock). Since many characters have a variety of low knockback moves that can engage a jab lock, you can mix up these different attacks for maximum damage, spacing, etc.
- Opponent must fall to the ground in a tumble or reeling state
- Opponent must miss tech, or have fallen from an untechable situation (e.g., footstool)
- Must hit opponent with low knockback move
- Move varies between characters, for some it's a simple jab and for others it's an aerial
- Usability depends on damage percents
- Opponent must first tumble or reel to the ground and miss a tech.
- Within ~25 frames of missing the tech window, hit the opponent with a low knockback move to lock the opponent
- For many characters this is often a jab (from the titular "jab" lock), but many characters can engage jab lock with a variety of attacks (e.g., Roy can jab lock using sour spot down smash or a fast-falled bair).
- Depending on the character and the jab lock attack, the jab lock will only function below certain damage percentages, as knockback increases with damage percentage and beyond a certain point might actually launch the opponent into the air instead of locking them into remaining on the ground.
- Depending on your character's move, you can quickly link up to 2 more hits for extra damage (anymore than that and the lock is released). These do not have to be the same attack, so long as the moves have low knockback and allow you to maintain proximity to the opponent to consecutively link them. Ability to link more hits will depend on amount of knockback from the move at given damage percents (too much knockback can break the lock), or how quickly the move can be successively repeated (e.g., characters whose aerial attacks are used for jab locks generally can't execute both the jump and jab lock aerial fast enough to link).
- If performed correctly, the opponent will be forced into a guaranteed on-spot getup that you can punish with any followup.
- If opponent misses tech, can jab lock for a guaranteed punish
- Certain attacks at certain damage percentages can be used to create short tumble windows for opponents that are difficult for opponents to anticipate and tech as a combo setup for jab locks (e.g., Pikachu's nair > jab lock), allowing you to create longer combos
- In situations where it's impossible for the opponent to tech and your character is close enough, a jab lock is guaranteed
- As footstools can't be teched, jab lock can be used as a footstool followup if you're playing a character with an aerial jab lock (e.g., Roy footstools opponent to ground > fast fall sour spot back-air if they miss the tech to jab lock)
- If certain opponents are successfully hit on a fall-through platform and slide backwards, when they tumble off the platform they won't be able to tech (a.k.a. prattack). This will not work on all characters (e.g. Kirby, Villager, etc.)
- If an opponent with at least 100% damage is launched backwards with a horizontal attack, they have a 30% chance of entering a "reeling" tumble animation that is untechable if they don't recover from it before hitting the ground (e.g., Pikachu dair > jab lock)
- Sets up guaranteed punish
- String combo setups together when opponent misses tech for maximum damage
- Experienced players are less likely to miss their techs, so when they do you must react to a missed tech very quickly
- Only works within certain damage percent ranges for specific moves
