May. 02, 2021 12:41 AM
Courtesy of Th!nk, I have received most every HMS except two (HMU if you have a Dark Leopard I can use for testing). Because of this, I've decided to revisit every feasible Attack AR of the system. Instead of using a Circle/Samurai Upper based combo, I opted for this benchmark Defense combo:
AR: Metal Ape
WD: CWD Reverse Defenser
RC: Bearing Core 2
The reason being that it simply does not like to be KO'd. The primary point of contact any attacker has is with Reverse Defenser, meaning no metal-on-metal to make up for weaker smash capabilities. If you can't KO this, you just don't stack up. At this point I'm not even sure it is the premier defense combo, but I can say that CWD Reverse Defenser is in contention for best WD, easily. I was going to determine the best defense set up, but one of my Bearing Core 2's broke. I'm going to take a pause on that little project for a bit. Don't use loose Bit Protectors, kids!
The reason I chose not to use Circle/Samurai Upper was three-fold: 1. I wanted to see if MApe was capable, 2. because that combo (Circle/Samurai Upper, Defense/Reverse Defenser/God Ring, Bearing Core 2) can do so much, it shouldn't be considered Defense, really. It KO's or depletes endurances types' stamina, it out-spins or KOs attackers, and it holds its own against 'other' defense types too well. You can't do it all and be confined to the term "defense", whos primary role isn't everything, but to just not be KO'd. I consider the above a truer reflection of what a defense combo is. It can't beat all the other types at their own game. 3. I didn't want Circle/Samurai's own power being conflated with other combo's own smash attack prowess. That is to say, using something more neutral gives you an indication how well an AR is all on its own.
When it comes to considering what is top tier, understanding that "Upper Attack" is mostly a meme for metal-based beys is a start, and the term is better described as smash attack with upward trajectory (which is inconsistent as hell, you can never be sure to hit the ramp every time, or even most times at that RPM). We're dealing with smash attack first and foremost, with every Attacker here. Samurai/Circle you could maybe, maybe, make an argument for, since they're like 60% ramp. But against the defense custom I used in testing, it was all Smash Attack. It's just upward in direction. It is a little nuanced, but you'll notice if you test yourself that hitting upwards and pushing a bey upwards via ramp slide are very different. That is the difference between Up-Smash and Upper Attack, the former cannot be reliably done like it could with Plastics that go slower, made of different material, and have much longer slopes when dedicated to Upper Attack.
Anyway! Here is a benchmark test to give you an idea about how well the absolute best HMS Attack combo, Samurai Upper/Defense Ring/Grip Flat Core (Ultimate Version), does against it :
Samurai Changer (Right) vs. Defense Combo (Left)
Samurai Changer 13W (11 KO, 2 OS)
Samurai Changer WR - 65%
Don't worry, Circle Upper performs much the same. They are in a league of their own. 65% may not seem like a lot, but there were a decent chunk of wall saves, and still some later-game KO's. This could be a conservative WR, but its a safe assumption for sure. Samurai Upper and Circle Upper can decimate a defense type, and that is well known. But, this is just a standard for you to look back on when comparing the rest of the ARs.
Now, with that set in our minds, I've gone and taken a look at every other legitimate attack AR available, including some not necessarily advised for attack, just in case, to give me an impression as to where things not named Samurai Upper really stand all this time later. They all have Defense Ring CWD and GFC (UV) for consistency unless stated otherwise.
Slash Upper/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Slash Upper (Right) vs. Defence Combo (Right) - Duo Testing
Slash Upper - 5W (4 KO, 1 OS)
Slash Upper WR - 25%
I can't say I'm anything but disappointed by this result, and Slash Uppers ability in general. Against a Circle Upper based Defense type, it does decently well. But I've come to believe that is because the AR sticks out so far, allowing for Slash Upper to have an easier time using those ramps. In one case testing against Circle upper, the Defense combo went over the BB-10 wall. There is no doubt that Slash Upper has some great upper smash properties, but it runs out of steam pretty quickly. It is also greeted by CWD Reverse Defenser too much of the time to get meaningful hits off. It comes close to KO'ing, but it is missing a bit of that extra sauce that Samurai Upper had. I switched from CWD Defense Ring to Circle Wide because I thought the extra speed would help it out, Slash Upper needs as much speed as it can get. In my experience using slightly worn Dragoon MS RC's, it actually looked a lot worse. MSUV's RC really helps it out.
The only positive thing I can say is that Slash Upper was able to snag underneath CWD Reverse Defenser after a big hit where MApe would end up near the tornado ridge while Slash Upper was making its way back up there too. This destabilized MApe, causing some scraping, but not so much as to make the combo lose by OS. With one exception where enough hard hits did it for Slash Upper to steal a W from the jaws of defeat at the very last second.
I'm going to look into its use on metal-based RC's, at least specifically for this match up. I believe against a regular Bearing Core Endurance type, Slash Upper works perfectly fine, but so will the rest of the parts on this list, most likely. So it doesn't stand out..
Jiraiya Blade/Circle Heavy/GFC (UV)
Jiraiya Blade CH (Right) vs. Defense (Right) - Duo Testing
Jiraiya Blade - 5W (5 KO)
Jiraiya Blade WR - 25%
I used Circle Heavy in order to expose as much of the AR as possible. I can use Defense Ring, but I found it to be a bit more vicious without the extra space being taken up just below. As far as attack power is concerned, Jiraiya has a lot of it. Evidenced by the fact that there were a whole lot more KO's in general here than there were for Slash Upper. Truthfully, maybe if it was a bit luckier without so many wall-saves, it would have a positive winrate against this combo. As dire as the 25% figure looks, Jiraiya is still very powerful. I was left with a good impression of it. Simply put, I don't think these results tell the whole story on their own, Jiraiya is much better than it looks, and it was robbed. Live by the Jiraiya Blade, die by the Jiraiya Blade.
P.S. Defense Ring doesn't perform noticeably better, in fact it might get stopped in its tracks a bit more frequently after the first big hit, something I didn't notice nearly as much with Circle Heavy.
Advance Attacker/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Advance Attacker (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Advance Attacker - 10W (4 KO, 6 OS)
Advance Attacker WR - 45%
Honestly, this one shocked me. Advance Attacker packs a wallop. It is easily right behind Samurai/Circle Upper in terms of power and consistency. There were a lot of wall saves involved here, and while perfectly fair, you can see by just how often Advance Attacker was outspinning MApe that those were hard hits and happened frequently. Sometimes MApe could withstand the wall hits, sometimes not. Really cements this AR as legitimate top tier along with Samurai/Circle Upper. This 45% is a skill floor, could very well be much higher in another time of testing.
Upper Dragon/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Upper Dragon (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Upper Dragon - 3W (3 KO)
Upper Dragon WR - 15%
Firstly, don't worry, Upper Dragoon performed just as bad in left spin. I also don't quite buy "Upper Attack" existing in primarily metal-on-metal encounters where RPM is much higher, the hits are more blunt and brute-force, and the ramps aren't nearly long enough to accommodate all of the above on most HMS.. So.. equal Smash Attack in both spins. While it might be an abysmal score, I'm more surprised it got any KO's at all. It's not completely awful or anything, but again, just like Slash, it was missing that extra push to convert hits into KO's. Not far off from being decent, considering I've found this defense combo to be a menace against anything rubber-tipped and fast.
Since Upper Fox and Devil Crusher share the same frame, I will only do 10 each just in case it turns out one shines.
Upper Fox/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Upper Fox (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Upper Fox - 2W (2 KO)
Upper Fox 10-round WR - 20%
Not much to say here, in Left Upper Fox had marginally more explosive power since the plastic fox head was the primary form of contact, but that actually ended up in more self-KO's than anything else. In right, with access to low hanging slopes, it was able to do what Slash couldn't and clutch out a win or two via destabilized OS. I suspect that had it gone the full 20 rounds, the score would mimic Upper Dragon. It isn't noticeably better.
Devil Crusher/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Devil Crusher (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Devil Crusher - 2W (2 KO)
Devil Crusher 10-round WR - 20%
Left spin is much the same result-wise, but actually no explosive power like the other two. It is capable of getting a big hit off, but not often enough to make it reliable. Again, not a whole lot better than the other AR's that share the same metal frame. If anything, I would have thought that the extra plastic around Devil Crusher would make it that much worse. Turns out, if it hits the right spot, regardless of ABS around it, that metal frame can KO. Just doesn't happen often.
Metal Upper/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Metal Upper (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Metal Upper - 6W (6 KO)
Metal Upper WR - 30%
Considering how overstocked basically any website is with Driger MS', I figured it went the way of Draciel MS and Gaia Dragoon MS - some of the first beys that are outdated, but helped Takara find its direction early on. Metal Upper is no Circle Upper, that's for sure, but it is seriously good. I would put it at Jiraiya Blade levels of power. In right spin Metal Upper was actually able to make use of its ramps, producing a huge hit upwards by digging under the defense CWD while the defender was being knocked into the upper portion of the stadium. Metal Upper has a lot of Smash Attack to work with. There were numerous wallsaves that can attest to that, enough for it to one time OS the defense combo, and enough Defense KO's that had less to do with Metal Uppers inability to handle recoil, but more to do with Driger having no wall behind it and the defense combo having a wall to protect it. In Left it worked fine too, but I found that while it shared similar smash ability, it wasn't better and was also more prone to those weak multi-hit type of attacks that just don't cut it with a good defense combo. I would consider this 30% WR to be the floor of Metal Upper's capability, and I am so pleasantly surprised something interesting shook up my testing. Jiraiya Blade and Metal Upper are definitely not done complete justice here based on actual power displayed, and I consider them just below the likes of Samurai/Circle Upper and Advance Attacker (which are the pinnacle of HMS Attack).
After all this, I decided to test a few unorthodox AR's. To give you an idea how that went, I'll provide you with a short view into Knight Crusher's results, and my opinion of it. Followed by short commentary on each of the others that didn't deserve their own full-fledged explanation.
Knight Crusher/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Knight Crusher (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Knight Crusher - 1W (1 KO)
Knight Crusher 10-Round WR - 10%
I can say that Knight Crusher thus far is the worst Attack oriented AR I have tested here. In right, it has a habit of landing a single big hit, if its lucky, and then dramatically reducing its movement. In left, oddly, this doesn't happen as frequently. The explosiveness is about the same, only one time was it enough to actually get MApe to leave the stadium. Definitely all bark and no bite.
Here are brief descriptions of ones I tested but aren't worth writing out in full, especially after seeing what was in store once you go Knight Crusher and beyond in obscurity/irrelevance:
Metal Attacker (Dragoon MS): far too light to move anything around in left. Lacks explosive power. Heavy CWD does not negate this weight issue. In right it is even more of a joke. Despite not being circular, it was very passive in general.
Metal Spiker (Dragoon MSUV): See above. Turns out there is no "attack mode" or "defense mode" depending on which direction you choose to launch. They're both "bad mode". Zero hope.
Wolf Crusher (Wolborg MS): Actually got a KO or two. Similar to the other lower tier AR's tested, it was too inconsistent in left and right. I would put tests up, but really it isn't worth much.
Seagon Attacker (Sea Dragon): Surprising amount of explosive power in right, but it has terrible recoil control. I was considering posting the tests but you'll see a lot of "Defense KO"'s because after one of its big hits, it wouldn't have the wherewithal to stay in the stadium or land more big hits. Really a one-and-done at best. Unfortunately against this defense combo, it wouldn't get very far. Maybe vs. a Circle Upper one, it might do OK.
Advance Survivor (Advance Eterner): you might be curious why I bothered with this AR, but it has a stupid amount of recoil. I wish I could say it was enough to consistently KO, but it isn't. Again, maybe passable vs. a Circle Upper "defense" combo, or endurance types.
Turtle Crusher (Round Shell MS): Just like other ARs, it lacks that little extra push to allow for clean KOs against this combo. It's actually not terrible if, in right, it manages to connect a hit with its small piece of metal that can barely jut out in the right situation. That doesn't happen consistently enough, as you can imagine, so its another middle of the road option.
Parts I've yet to test but may have hope for: Smash Leopard (Dark Leopard, do not own yet) + SCMS Upper Mode CWD. This one is supposed to be an incredible, if not dangerous, OHKO combo. We'll see when I get my hands on that AR.
So with all that in mind, it is evident that not all Attack AR's are made equal. In terms of raw power and Smash Attack, I'd rank the AR's like this:
Tier 0: Samurai Upper/Circle Upper, Advance Attacker
- big drop in consistency, small drop in smash-
Tier 1: Jiraiya Blade, Metal Upper
- smaller drop in both smash and consistency -
Tier 2: Dragon Upper/Upper Fox/Devil Crusher, Slash Upper
- giga drop -
Anything else
Everything below Tier 1 is "OK", but not top tier. It can probably KO your average Wolborg MS or Circle Upper+Bearing 2 combo with some reliability, but reminder I sacrificed a lot of my GFCUV's longevity to give every AR tested here their best conditions against a beyblade that refuses to be KO'd by anything not-amazing. On Dragoon MS or MF's core, you'll be going noticeably slower and that is a big blow to their ability.
For Samurai/Circle Upper, that lost speed doesn't matter nearly as much. The same might be true for Advance Attacker, though I have to check to make sure. Jiraiya Blade already feels the hurt with a loss in speed by switching to regular Grip Flat Core. Everything below Jiraiya Blade is practically inert at lower speeds, especially against a legitimate Defense type whose core foundation isn't a high-Smash Attack AR. So while they're OK, they have no place on a tier list as distinguished Smash Attackers. As sad as that is to say.
Feel free to bring your own testing of any of these ARs, or test your own CWD Reverse Defenser. It looks on par at minimum with God Ring. The fact there is no serious overhang on even Samurai/Circle spells trouble for a lot of ARs that would otherwise rely on that metal contact point.
AR: Metal Ape
WD: CWD Reverse Defenser
RC: Bearing Core 2
The reason being that it simply does not like to be KO'd. The primary point of contact any attacker has is with Reverse Defenser, meaning no metal-on-metal to make up for weaker smash capabilities. If you can't KO this, you just don't stack up. At this point I'm not even sure it is the premier defense combo, but I can say that CWD Reverse Defenser is in contention for best WD, easily. I was going to determine the best defense set up, but one of my Bearing Core 2's broke. I'm going to take a pause on that little project for a bit. Don't use loose Bit Protectors, kids!
The reason I chose not to use Circle/Samurai Upper was three-fold: 1. I wanted to see if MApe was capable, 2. because that combo (Circle/Samurai Upper, Defense/Reverse Defenser/God Ring, Bearing Core 2) can do so much, it shouldn't be considered Defense, really. It KO's or depletes endurances types' stamina, it out-spins or KOs attackers, and it holds its own against 'other' defense types too well. You can't do it all and be confined to the term "defense", whos primary role isn't everything, but to just not be KO'd. I consider the above a truer reflection of what a defense combo is. It can't beat all the other types at their own game. 3. I didn't want Circle/Samurai's own power being conflated with other combo's own smash attack prowess. That is to say, using something more neutral gives you an indication how well an AR is all on its own.
When it comes to considering what is top tier, understanding that "Upper Attack" is mostly a meme for metal-based beys is a start, and the term is better described as smash attack with upward trajectory (which is inconsistent as hell, you can never be sure to hit the ramp every time, or even most times at that RPM). We're dealing with smash attack first and foremost, with every Attacker here. Samurai/Circle you could maybe, maybe, make an argument for, since they're like 60% ramp. But against the defense custom I used in testing, it was all Smash Attack. It's just upward in direction. It is a little nuanced, but you'll notice if you test yourself that hitting upwards and pushing a bey upwards via ramp slide are very different. That is the difference between Up-Smash and Upper Attack, the former cannot be reliably done like it could with Plastics that go slower, made of different material, and have much longer slopes when dedicated to Upper Attack.
Anyway! Here is a benchmark test to give you an idea about how well the absolute best HMS Attack combo, Samurai Upper/Defense Ring/Grip Flat Core (Ultimate Version), does against it :
Samurai Changer (Right) vs. Defense Combo (Left)
Individual Breakdown (Click to View)
1 - Defense OS
2 - Samurai KO
3 - Samurai KO
4 - Defense OS
5 - Samurai KO
6 - Defense OS
7 - Samurai KO
8 - Samurai KO
9 - Samurai OS
10 - Defense OS
11 - Samurai KO
12 - Samurai KO
13 - Draw
14 - Samurai OS
15 - Defense OS
16 - Samurai KO
17 - Samurai KO
18 - Samurai KO
19 - Draw
20 - Samurai KO
2 - Samurai KO
3 - Samurai KO
4 - Defense OS
5 - Samurai KO
6 - Defense OS
7 - Samurai KO
8 - Samurai KO
9 - Samurai OS
10 - Defense OS
11 - Samurai KO
12 - Samurai KO
13 - Draw
14 - Samurai OS
15 - Defense OS
16 - Samurai KO
17 - Samurai KO
18 - Samurai KO
19 - Draw
20 - Samurai KO
Samurai Changer WR - 65%
Don't worry, Circle Upper performs much the same. They are in a league of their own. 65% may not seem like a lot, but there were a decent chunk of wall saves, and still some later-game KO's. This could be a conservative WR, but its a safe assumption for sure. Samurai Upper and Circle Upper can decimate a defense type, and that is well known. But, this is just a standard for you to look back on when comparing the rest of the ARs.
Now, with that set in our minds, I've gone and taken a look at every other legitimate attack AR available, including some not necessarily advised for attack, just in case, to give me an impression as to where things not named Samurai Upper really stand all this time later. They all have Defense Ring CWD and GFC (UV) for consistency unless stated otherwise.
Slash Upper/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Slash Upper (Right) vs. Defence Combo (Right) - Duo Testing
Individual Breakdown (Click to View)
1 - Draw
2 - Defense KO
3 - Slash KO
4 - Defense OS
5 - Defense OS
6 - Slash KO
7 - Slash KO
8 - Defense OS
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense KO
11 - Defense OS
12 - Defense OS
13 - Defense KO
14 - Slash KO
15 - Defense KO
16 - Draw
17 - Slash OS
18 - Defense OS
19 - Defense OS
20 - Defense OS
2 - Defense KO
3 - Slash KO
4 - Defense OS
5 - Defense OS
6 - Slash KO
7 - Slash KO
8 - Defense OS
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense KO
11 - Defense OS
12 - Defense OS
13 - Defense KO
14 - Slash KO
15 - Defense KO
16 - Draw
17 - Slash OS
18 - Defense OS
19 - Defense OS
20 - Defense OS
Slash Upper WR - 25%
I can't say I'm anything but disappointed by this result, and Slash Uppers ability in general. Against a Circle Upper based Defense type, it does decently well. But I've come to believe that is because the AR sticks out so far, allowing for Slash Upper to have an easier time using those ramps. In one case testing against Circle upper, the Defense combo went over the BB-10 wall. There is no doubt that Slash Upper has some great upper smash properties, but it runs out of steam pretty quickly. It is also greeted by CWD Reverse Defenser too much of the time to get meaningful hits off. It comes close to KO'ing, but it is missing a bit of that extra sauce that Samurai Upper had. I switched from CWD Defense Ring to Circle Wide because I thought the extra speed would help it out, Slash Upper needs as much speed as it can get. In my experience using slightly worn Dragoon MS RC's, it actually looked a lot worse. MSUV's RC really helps it out.
The only positive thing I can say is that Slash Upper was able to snag underneath CWD Reverse Defenser after a big hit where MApe would end up near the tornado ridge while Slash Upper was making its way back up there too. This destabilized MApe, causing some scraping, but not so much as to make the combo lose by OS. With one exception where enough hard hits did it for Slash Upper to steal a W from the jaws of defeat at the very last second.
I'm going to look into its use on metal-based RC's, at least specifically for this match up. I believe against a regular Bearing Core Endurance type, Slash Upper works perfectly fine, but so will the rest of the parts on this list, most likely. So it doesn't stand out..
Jiraiya Blade/Circle Heavy/GFC (UV)
Jiraiya Blade CH (Right) vs. Defense (Right) - Duo Testing
Individual Breakdown (Click to View)
1 - Jiraiya KO
2 - Defense KO
3 - Defense OS
4 - Defense KO
5 - Double KO - Redo
6 - Jiraiya KO
7 - Defense KO
8 - Jiraiya KO
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense KO
11 - Defense KO
12 - Double KO - Redo
13 - Defense OS
14 - Defense KO
15 - Defense OS
16 - Defense OS
17 - Defense OS
18 - Jiraiya KO
19 - Defense OS
20 - Defense OS
21 - Defense KO
22 - Jiraiya KO
2 - Defense KO
3 - Defense OS
4 - Defense KO
5 - Double KO - Redo
6 - Jiraiya KO
7 - Defense KO
8 - Jiraiya KO
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense KO
11 - Defense KO
12 - Double KO - Redo
13 - Defense OS
14 - Defense KO
15 - Defense OS
16 - Defense OS
17 - Defense OS
18 - Jiraiya KO
19 - Defense OS
20 - Defense OS
21 - Defense KO
22 - Jiraiya KO
Jiraiya Blade WR - 25%
I used Circle Heavy in order to expose as much of the AR as possible. I can use Defense Ring, but I found it to be a bit more vicious without the extra space being taken up just below. As far as attack power is concerned, Jiraiya has a lot of it. Evidenced by the fact that there were a whole lot more KO's in general here than there were for Slash Upper. Truthfully, maybe if it was a bit luckier without so many wall-saves, it would have a positive winrate against this combo. As dire as the 25% figure looks, Jiraiya is still very powerful. I was left with a good impression of it. Simply put, I don't think these results tell the whole story on their own, Jiraiya is much better than it looks, and it was robbed. Live by the Jiraiya Blade, die by the Jiraiya Blade.
P.S. Defense Ring doesn't perform noticeably better, in fact it might get stopped in its tracks a bit more frequently after the first big hit, something I didn't notice nearly as much with Circle Heavy.
Advance Attacker/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Advance Attacker (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Individual Breakdown (Click to View)
1 - Attacker KO
2 - Defense KO
3 - Attacker KO
4 - Defense KO
5 - Attacker OS
6 - Defense OS
7 - Attacker OS
8 - Defense OS
9 - Attacker OS
10 - Defense OS
11 - Attacker OS
12 - Defense OS
13 - Defense OS
14 - Defense OS
15 - Attacker OS
16 - Defense OS
17 - Attacker KO
18 - Attacker KO
19 - Attacker OS
20 - Defense KO
2 - Defense KO
3 - Attacker KO
4 - Defense KO
5 - Attacker OS
6 - Defense OS
7 - Attacker OS
8 - Defense OS
9 - Attacker OS
10 - Defense OS
11 - Attacker OS
12 - Defense OS
13 - Defense OS
14 - Defense OS
15 - Attacker OS
16 - Defense OS
17 - Attacker KO
18 - Attacker KO
19 - Attacker OS
20 - Defense KO
Advance Attacker WR - 45%
Honestly, this one shocked me. Advance Attacker packs a wallop. It is easily right behind Samurai/Circle Upper in terms of power and consistency. There were a lot of wall saves involved here, and while perfectly fair, you can see by just how often Advance Attacker was outspinning MApe that those were hard hits and happened frequently. Sometimes MApe could withstand the wall hits, sometimes not. Really cements this AR as legitimate top tier along with Samurai/Circle Upper. This 45% is a skill floor, could very well be much higher in another time of testing.
Upper Dragon/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Upper Dragon (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Individual Breakdown (Click to View)
1 - Defense OS
2 - Defense OS
3 - Defense KO
4 - Defense OS
5 - Upper Dragon KO
6 - Upper Dragon KO
7 - Defense KO
8 - Defense OS
9 - Draw
10 - Defense OS
11 - Defense OS
12 - Defense OS
13 - Defense OS
14 - Defense OS
15 - Defense KO
16 - Defense OS
17 - Upper Dragon KO
18 - Defense OS
19 - Defense OS
20 - Defense OS
2 - Defense OS
3 - Defense KO
4 - Defense OS
5 - Upper Dragon KO
6 - Upper Dragon KO
7 - Defense KO
8 - Defense OS
9 - Draw
10 - Defense OS
11 - Defense OS
12 - Defense OS
13 - Defense OS
14 - Defense OS
15 - Defense KO
16 - Defense OS
17 - Upper Dragon KO
18 - Defense OS
19 - Defense OS
20 - Defense OS
Upper Dragon WR - 15%
Firstly, don't worry, Upper Dragoon performed just as bad in left spin. I also don't quite buy "Upper Attack" existing in primarily metal-on-metal encounters where RPM is much higher, the hits are more blunt and brute-force, and the ramps aren't nearly long enough to accommodate all of the above on most HMS.. So.. equal Smash Attack in both spins. While it might be an abysmal score, I'm more surprised it got any KO's at all. It's not completely awful or anything, but again, just like Slash, it was missing that extra push to convert hits into KO's. Not far off from being decent, considering I've found this defense combo to be a menace against anything rubber-tipped and fast.
Since Upper Fox and Devil Crusher share the same frame, I will only do 10 each just in case it turns out one shines.
Upper Fox/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Upper Fox (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Individual Breakdown (Click to View)
1 - Defense OS
2 - Fox OS
3 - Defense OS
4 - Fox KO
5 - Defense OS
6 - Defense OS
7 - Defense OS
8 - Defense OS
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense OS
2 - Fox OS
3 - Defense OS
4 - Fox KO
5 - Defense OS
6 - Defense OS
7 - Defense OS
8 - Defense OS
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense OS
Upper Fox 10-round WR - 20%
Not much to say here, in Left Upper Fox had marginally more explosive power since the plastic fox head was the primary form of contact, but that actually ended up in more self-KO's than anything else. In right, with access to low hanging slopes, it was able to do what Slash couldn't and clutch out a win or two via destabilized OS. I suspect that had it gone the full 20 rounds, the score would mimic Upper Dragon. It isn't noticeably better.
Devil Crusher/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Devil Crusher (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Individual Breakdown (Click to View)
1 - Defense OS
2 - Crusher KO
3 - Crusher KO
4 - Defense OS
5 - Defense OS
6 - Defense OS
7 - Defense OS
8 - Defense OS
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense OS
2 - Crusher KO
3 - Crusher KO
4 - Defense OS
5 - Defense OS
6 - Defense OS
7 - Defense OS
8 - Defense OS
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense OS
Devil Crusher 10-round WR - 20%
Left spin is much the same result-wise, but actually no explosive power like the other two. It is capable of getting a big hit off, but not often enough to make it reliable. Again, not a whole lot better than the other AR's that share the same metal frame. If anything, I would have thought that the extra plastic around Devil Crusher would make it that much worse. Turns out, if it hits the right spot, regardless of ABS around it, that metal frame can KO. Just doesn't happen often.
Metal Upper/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Metal Upper (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Individual Breakdown (Click to View)
1 - Metal Upper KO
2 - Defense OS
3 - Metal Upper OS
4 - Defense KO
5 - Defense KO
6 - Metal Upper KO
7 - Defense OS
8 - Defense OS
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense OS
11 - Defense OS
12 - Metal Upper KO - huge upward trajectory
13 - Defense OS
14 - Defense OS
15 - Defense OS
16 - Metal Upper KO
17 - Defense KO
18 - Defense OS
19 - Metal Upper KO
2 - Defense OS
3 - Metal Upper OS
4 - Defense KO
5 - Defense KO
6 - Metal Upper KO
7 - Defense OS
8 - Defense OS
9 - Defense OS
10 - Defense OS
11 - Defense OS
12 - Metal Upper KO - huge upward trajectory
13 - Defense OS
14 - Defense OS
15 - Defense OS
16 - Metal Upper KO
17 - Defense KO
18 - Defense OS
19 - Metal Upper KO
Metal Upper WR - 30%
Considering how overstocked basically any website is with Driger MS', I figured it went the way of Draciel MS and Gaia Dragoon MS - some of the first beys that are outdated, but helped Takara find its direction early on. Metal Upper is no Circle Upper, that's for sure, but it is seriously good. I would put it at Jiraiya Blade levels of power. In right spin Metal Upper was actually able to make use of its ramps, producing a huge hit upwards by digging under the defense CWD while the defender was being knocked into the upper portion of the stadium. Metal Upper has a lot of Smash Attack to work with. There were numerous wallsaves that can attest to that, enough for it to one time OS the defense combo, and enough Defense KO's that had less to do with Metal Uppers inability to handle recoil, but more to do with Driger having no wall behind it and the defense combo having a wall to protect it. In Left it worked fine too, but I found that while it shared similar smash ability, it wasn't better and was also more prone to those weak multi-hit type of attacks that just don't cut it with a good defense combo. I would consider this 30% WR to be the floor of Metal Upper's capability, and I am so pleasantly surprised something interesting shook up my testing. Jiraiya Blade and Metal Upper are definitely not done complete justice here based on actual power displayed, and I consider them just below the likes of Samurai/Circle Upper and Advance Attacker (which are the pinnacle of HMS Attack).
After all this, I decided to test a few unorthodox AR's. To give you an idea how that went, I'll provide you with a short view into Knight Crusher's results, and my opinion of it. Followed by short commentary on each of the others that didn't deserve their own full-fledged explanation.
Knight Crusher/Defense Ring/GFC (UV)
Knight Crusher (Right) vs. Defense (Right)
Individual Breakdown (Click to View)
1 - Defense KO
2 - Defense OS
3 - Defense OS
4 - Defense OS
5 - Defense OS
6 - Defense OS
7 - Defense OS
8 - Knight KO
9 - Defense KO
10 - Defense OS
2 - Defense OS
3 - Defense OS
4 - Defense OS
5 - Defense OS
6 - Defense OS
7 - Defense OS
8 - Knight KO
9 - Defense KO
10 - Defense OS
Knight Crusher 10-Round WR - 10%
I can say that Knight Crusher thus far is the worst Attack oriented AR I have tested here. In right, it has a habit of landing a single big hit, if its lucky, and then dramatically reducing its movement. In left, oddly, this doesn't happen as frequently. The explosiveness is about the same, only one time was it enough to actually get MApe to leave the stadium. Definitely all bark and no bite.
Here are brief descriptions of ones I tested but aren't worth writing out in full, especially after seeing what was in store once you go Knight Crusher and beyond in obscurity/irrelevance:
Metal Attacker (Dragoon MS): far too light to move anything around in left. Lacks explosive power. Heavy CWD does not negate this weight issue. In right it is even more of a joke. Despite not being circular, it was very passive in general.
Metal Spiker (Dragoon MSUV): See above. Turns out there is no "attack mode" or "defense mode" depending on which direction you choose to launch. They're both "bad mode". Zero hope.
Wolf Crusher (Wolborg MS): Actually got a KO or two. Similar to the other lower tier AR's tested, it was too inconsistent in left and right. I would put tests up, but really it isn't worth much.
Seagon Attacker (Sea Dragon): Surprising amount of explosive power in right, but it has terrible recoil control. I was considering posting the tests but you'll see a lot of "Defense KO"'s because after one of its big hits, it wouldn't have the wherewithal to stay in the stadium or land more big hits. Really a one-and-done at best. Unfortunately against this defense combo, it wouldn't get very far. Maybe vs. a Circle Upper one, it might do OK.
Advance Survivor (Advance Eterner): you might be curious why I bothered with this AR, but it has a stupid amount of recoil. I wish I could say it was enough to consistently KO, but it isn't. Again, maybe passable vs. a Circle Upper "defense" combo, or endurance types.
Turtle Crusher (Round Shell MS): Just like other ARs, it lacks that little extra push to allow for clean KOs against this combo. It's actually not terrible if, in right, it manages to connect a hit with its small piece of metal that can barely jut out in the right situation. That doesn't happen consistently enough, as you can imagine, so its another middle of the road option.
Parts I've yet to test but may have hope for: Smash Leopard (Dark Leopard, do not own yet) + SCMS Upper Mode CWD. This one is supposed to be an incredible, if not dangerous, OHKO combo. We'll see when I get my hands on that AR.
So with all that in mind, it is evident that not all Attack AR's are made equal. In terms of raw power and Smash Attack, I'd rank the AR's like this:
Tier 0: Samurai Upper/Circle Upper, Advance Attacker
- big drop in consistency, small drop in smash-
Tier 1: Jiraiya Blade, Metal Upper
- smaller drop in both smash and consistency -
Tier 2: Dragon Upper/Upper Fox/Devil Crusher, Slash Upper
- giga drop -
Anything else
Everything below Tier 1 is "OK", but not top tier. It can probably KO your average Wolborg MS or Circle Upper+Bearing 2 combo with some reliability, but reminder I sacrificed a lot of my GFCUV's longevity to give every AR tested here their best conditions against a beyblade that refuses to be KO'd by anything not-amazing. On Dragoon MS or MF's core, you'll be going noticeably slower and that is a big blow to their ability.
For Samurai/Circle Upper, that lost speed doesn't matter nearly as much. The same might be true for Advance Attacker, though I have to check to make sure. Jiraiya Blade already feels the hurt with a loss in speed by switching to regular Grip Flat Core. Everything below Jiraiya Blade is practically inert at lower speeds, especially against a legitimate Defense type whose core foundation isn't a high-Smash Attack AR. So while they're OK, they have no place on a tier list as distinguished Smash Attackers. As sad as that is to say.
Feel free to bring your own testing of any of these ARs, or test your own CWD Reverse Defenser. It looks on par at minimum with God Ring. The fact there is no serious overhang on even Samurai/Circle spells trouble for a lot of ARs that would otherwise rely on that metal contact point.
As you said, with 4-5gs more it could have been surely more used.