Patch notes are provided by the development team behind Smash Ultimate with every update to the software. These updates often change the current meta of the game, causing huge shifts in the competitive scene. The 7.0.0 patch marked the end of the first DLC (downloadable content) wave, and by extension the first "book" of this game's life.
In this particular patch, many characters received buffs to their shields. The characters whose shields are now larger are:
DK, Link, Samus, Dark Samus, Yoshi, Kirby, Pikachu, Captain Falcon, Bowser, Ice Climber, Sheik, Zelda, Pichu, Falco, Young Link, Ganondorf, Mewtwo, Mr. Game & Watch, Meta Knight, Pit, Dark Pit, Zero Suit Samus, Snake, Squirtle, Charizard, Sonic, King Dedede, Olimar, Lucario, Wolf, Villager, Wii Fit Trainer, Rosalina & Luma, Little Mac, Greninja, Mii Swordfighter, Palutena, PAC-MAN, Bowser Jr, Duck Hunt, Ryu, Ken, Cloud, Corrin, Bayonetta, King K. Rool.
DK:
Made the head briefly invincible after deactivating shield.
Samus:
Dash Attack - Increased the power of the beginning of the attack.
Up Smash - Extended launch distance.
Down Smash - Extended launch distance.
Up Throw - Extended launch distance.
Zair - Increased power.
Zair - Increased the amount of time hit detection lasts.
Dark Samus:
Dash Attack - Increased the power of the beginning of the attack.
Up Smash - Extended launch distance.
Down Smash - Extended launch distance.
Up Throw - Extended launch distance.
Zair - Increased power.
Zair - Increased the amount of time hit detection lasts.
Yoshi:
Made the head and both legs briefly invincible after activating shield.
Fox:
Changed the animation when receiving attacks from opponents while shielding.
Captain Falcon:
Neutral Attack 1 - Made it easier to hit multiple times.
Sheik:
Down Smash - Increased attack speed.
Down Smash - Made it easier to hit multiple times.
Grab - Increased grab range of stationary grab.
Neutral Special - Reduced vulnerability when landing after using the move in the air.
Side Special - Reduced vulnerability after using the move on the ground and in the air.
Side Special - Increased the amount of time hit detection lasts for the explosion.
Side Special - The explosion will no longer get negated.
Up Special - Extended launch distance for the explosion.
Zelda:
Side Tilt - Increased power.
Side Tilt - Extended launch distance.
Neutral Air - Reduced vulnerability when landing after using the move.
Neutral Air - Made it easier to hit multiple times.
Up Air - Increased attack range.
Up Air - Increased the amount of time hit detection lasts.
Up Air - Decreased power for the latter half of the time hit detection lasts.
Up Air - Extended launch distance when hit in the high-damage range.
Side Special - Increased the high-damage range.
Side Special - Increased the amount of time hit detection lasts.
Down Special - Increased power.
Down Special - Extended launch distance.
Dr. Mario:
Side Tilt - Increased power.
Side Tilt - Extended launch distance.
Down Tilt - Increased the amount of time opponents will be in the damage animation.
Down Tilt - Shortened launch distance.
Neutral Air - Increased the power of the attack in the high-damage range.
Neutral Air - Extended launch distance when hit in the high-damage range.
Down Air - Increased the amount of time hit detection lasts.
Up Special - Extended launch distance when hit in the high-damage range.
Young Link:
Neutral Attack 1 Increased attack speed.
Up Smash - Extended launch distance.
Up Air - Extended launch distance.
Forward Throw - Extended launch distance.
Zair - Increased attack speed.
Zair - Adjusted launch angle.
Zair - Increased the amount of time opponents will be in the damage animation.
Mewtwo:
Changed posture while shielding to reduce vulnerability to a shield stab.
Zero Suit Samus:
Down Special - Shortened the time opponents are buried when stomped on.
Snake:
Made the head briefly invincible after activating shield.
Diddy Kong:
Made the arm briefly invincible after deactivating shield.
Toon Link:
Dash Attack - Reduced vulnerability.
Down Smash - Extended launch distance.
Back Air - Increased attack speed.
Down Air - Increased the power of the attack in the low-damage range.
Down Air - Extended launch distance when hit in the low-damage range.
Other - Increased the amount of time hit detection lasts for Zair.
Mii Brawler:
Side Special 3 - Made it easier to grab opponents.
Palutena:
Up Tilt - Increased power of the last attack.
Up Tilt - Extended launch distance for the last attack.
Down Smash - Extended launch distance when hit in the high-damage range.
Neutral Air - Shortened launch distance.
Neutral Air - Reduced the range of the last attack against opponents in the air.
Down Throw - Extended launch distance.
Duck Hunt:
Flurry Attack - Increased the amount of time opponents will be in the damage animation.
Ryu:
Down Tilt (Heavy) - Adjusted launch angle.
Down Smash - Now possible on hit to cancel the attack animation into a special move.
Down Smash - Reduced the power against shields.
Neutral Special - Increased the opponent’s downtime when shielding against Hadoken.
Neutral Special - Made it easier for Shakunetsu Hadoken to hit multiple times.
Side Special - Made the pivoting leg invincible while rotating when used on the ground.
Side Special - Increased power.
Side Special - Extended launch distance when hit in the high-damage range.
Ken:
Down Tilt (Heavy) - Adjusted launch angle.
Down Smash - Now possible on hit to cancel the attack animation into a special move.
Down Smash - Reduced the power against shields.
Side Special - Made the pivoting leg invincible while rotating when used on the ground.
Side Special - Made it easier to hit multiple times.
Cloud:
Dash Attack - Extended launch distance when hit in the high-damage range.
Side Smash - Made it easier to hit multiple times.
Up Smash - Extended launch distance when hit with the sword tip.
Up Smash - Increased attack speed.
Up Special - Increased the speed of the edge-grab timing.
Down Special - Increased the speed at which the gauge fills up with Limit Charge.
Ridley:
Made part of the wing briefly invincible after activating or deactivating shield.
Changed posture while shielding to reduce vulnerability to a shield stab.
King K. Rool:
Adjusted the shield’s center and center of the posture during shielding to match.
Incineroar:
Side Special - Extended launch distance when opponents that are not grabbed with a side special are caught up in the lariat or back body drop.
Piranha Plant:
Made the lips briefly invincible after deactivating shield.
Joker:
Neutral Special - Reduced the range when shooting downward in the air.
Other - Reduced the amount of time Arsene is summoned for when receiving damage while Arsene is summoned in battles with two or fewer opponents.