Usopp

Introduction
The sniper of the Straw Hat Crew, Usopp's goal in life is to become a MAN capable of being a brave pirate. He's still getting there. Maybe one day... Mmm, maybe not.

Usopp has some of the most unique zoning in the game. Using several different status effects to disorient and whittle down the opponent along with several tools to control the stage, he can be especially hard to lock down. His options up close aren't great but he'll make getting in his face quite the challenge.

Pros & Cons
+ Has fire, confusion, and stun status effects without assists + Has a total of 3 traps for strong stage control + R+X is a ridiculous vertical ranged attack for it's ability to apply fire, the speed at which it comes out, the fact auto aims, and the fire lingering where it lands + R+B is the strongest trap in the game as attacks that can normally dash through traps cannot ignore this one. He can use them as a combo breaker too + X>A creates small caltrops that are difficult to see and do good damage for what they are + A>X is a true combo stun from a jab and his followups from it are some of the strongest stun punishes in the game + One of the few characters who can apply confusion + His unblockable lingers for quite some time and the hitstun from it is so incredible, he can link two of them in a row and a super in one combo + His AB super can achieve some stupid damage if it travels far enough + Both of his aerials are strong, j.A creates some distance by jumping backwards and j.X's damage is very high if every hit connects

- Small HP pool - Terrible at fighting close up since he has no lag cancelling and his jabs suck - R+A is pretty weak for a zoning character - He can get hurt by his own R+B and the opponent is able to pick them up as well - AA super is the worst super in the game - His assists all die with the slightest of taps and don't last very long - A>X's stun is RNG - Not a lot of damage if he can't stun or get consistent fire DoT

Buffs

 * j.A now applies oil

Nerfs

 * None

Pepper
Jump support. Low damage and HP despite jumps typically being tanky. You really have no reason to take Pepper cause his HP is just horrible for a jump support and doesn't really have any synergy with Usopp.

Carrot
Dash support. Very low damage and meh HP. Carrot has the most HP of Usopp's assists which makes him a pretty high priority pick by that alone. He's fast and his attack speed is fair giving Usopp some much needed help up close. Usopp's fairly long combos allow enough time for Carrot to reliably setup for unblockable loops as well. Take Carrot in nearly every game as he covers Usopp's weak punish game and pressure.

Onion
Ranged support. No damage and low HP. He shoots 4 projectiles every attack and his attacks apply confusion and interrupt moves. If you aren't saving meter for stun combos, you should use summon Onion so he can you help begin your strong stage control. Onion's biggest weakness is his hitstun. Or at least, the lack of it. Onion's hits basically reset the opponent meaning they can take any action instantly after getting hit by an onion projectile. In fact, Onion can help your opponent combo you or escape your combos. Not recommended unless you're really sticking to your zoning and you're fine with passing on some Carrot pressure.

Combos

 * A>X (stun), j.X, L+Y (Loop j.X and L+Y until you run out of meter), A>A>X>X
 * A+X, A+X, L+(A>B)
 * A>X (stun), A+X, A+X (Delay so you reset the combo), L+(A>B)

Vanilla
Usopp is going to require a lot of stage control. The more chests he can keep his opponent away from, the better. If he keeps the meter all to himself, that's more meter to work with in his power stun combos. Eden Rock will be annoying for you since it limits the total damage you can get with your R+X so focus on your stage control and stun combos more.

Modded
Your first goal as Usopp is to get the HP advantage and you can start to control the game from there. Getting the lead can be difficult but once you have it, you have some really good tools to keep it. You basically want to keep up this extremely annoying playstyle of never doing something unsafe and abusing your R+B traps so that it seems impossible to approach you. Your best form of damage, stun combos, are completely RNG so don't rely on them. If the pressure is too much, use R+B to create some distance between you and your opponent. You will always lose the trade with this option in terms of damage but it's about your only option to deal with pressure as Usopp. Treat your opponent getting in the same as losing the game because you suffer in close combat. Mixing up how many shots you do with your A>A>A on block will be one of your best options up close so make sure to keep them guessing.

General Information
Any characters who pressures Usopp hard and never lets him set up can make the match seem unwinnable. Characters with projectiles that have good coverage can ruin your traps as well.

Kuina
Never let her get in or the round is as good as gone. Usopp doesn't have anything great to get her off of him besides sacrificing some HP with R+B. Her amazing ground to air move and strong aerials that eat Usopp's anti airs can really disrupt his camping. Good positioning is a must in this matchup.