User:Watashinoku1/Possible character changes in Smash for NX

Introduction

• Here are a few character changes I'd like to see happen in the (possible) Smash title for NX. (If it happens.)

• Changes are based on Smash 4 v1.0.4, and no future updates.

Mario

Aesthetic Changes

• Mario's proportions have been slightly altered to match current Mario series titles, such as Super Mario Maker.
• Mario leans over more when dashing.

Attributes

• Mario is slightly heavier (98 → 99).
• Mario dashes faster (1.6 → 1.66).
• Mario walks slightly slower (1.1 → 1.085).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack improved: all hits come out 1 frame earlier, the hitboxes are slightly larger, and the move has reduced cooldown.
• Neutral attack deals less damage (8 → 7.2) and each hit lasts for only 1 frame instead of 2.
• Up tilt comes out 1 frame later (5 → 4) and has a better launch angle (96 → 89).
• Up tilt has overall reduced knockback (28 base/130 growth → 50 base/85 growth), has decreased hitbox duration (5-11 → 4-8), and the hitboxes are placed slightly lower, which makes the move misleading and slightly less reliable for combos.
• Dash attack has reduced hitbox duration (6-25 → 6-11).
• Dash attack's reduced hitbox duration has also greatly reduced its cooldown. It also has reduced knockback (100 base/43 growth → 90 base/30 growth), making it better for followups.
• Dash attack now deals consistent damage: 6/8 → 7.
• Forward smash's sweetspot lasts for 2 more frames: 15-17 → 15-19.
• Up smash has slightly increased base knockback (32 → 35) and hits foes at a better angle (83 → 87), which helps the move KO slightly earlier.
• Up smash deals slightly less damage (14 → 13) and has reduced intangibility (frames 9-13 → 10-12).
• Down smash properties have been reversed, with the front hit being slightly stronger than the back hit.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have their landing lag reduced by 2 frames.
• All aerials (except back) last 1 frame shorter in duration.
• Forward aerial has a better autocancel window. Its early hit also deals 2% more damage (10 → 12) and now launches foes at a 64 degree angle with greatly increased knockback (30 base/80 growth → 50 base/100 growth), making it function like Dr. Mario's forward air.
• Forward aerial clean deals 1% less damage (14 → 13) and has reduced knockback (32 base/78 growth → 30 base/70 growth).
• Back aerial late hit has 2 more active frames: 8-10 → 8.12.
• Down aerial looping hits damage: 1 → 1.4. This increases its overall damage potential from 10% to 12%, just how it functioned in Brawl. The launching hit also has 2 more active frames (25 → 25-27).

Grabs/Throws/Other attacks

• Mario has a new grab animation where he hooks more inward with his grabbing arm, and the grab boxes are placed slightly higher.
• All throws end 2 frames sooner.
• Up throw damage reduced: 7 → 6.25%. However, this also reduces its knockback, allowing for combos.
• Down throw angle: 68 → 76. This benefits the move's utility as a combo starter.
• Down throw has slightly increased knockback (40 base/90 growth → 50 base/105 growth), making it slightly less reliable for combos at medium to high percentages.
• Back throw knockback growth increased (66 → 71).

Special Moves

• Fireball comes out sooner and has a larger hitbox. It also deals 0.75% more damage along with slightly increased base knockback on all stages (35 → 40 (clean), 28 → 34 (mid), 22 → 28 (late)).
• Fireball had its cooldown increased again (frame 53 → 56) and travels very slightly slower.
• Cape has 1 more active frame (12-14 → 12-15).
• Cape deals 1% less damage (7 → 6) and reflects slightly less momentum.
• Super Jump Punch covers more distance and deals 1% more damage (10 → 11). Its angle is also more vertical (60 → 70), allowing it to KO earlier towards the upper blast line.
• FLUDD charges faster.
• FLUDD's pushback remains unchanged, but its range has been slightly decreased.

Luigi

Aesthetic Changes

• Like Mario, Luigi's proportions have been slightly fixed to be more in line with recent Mario series titles.
• Many of Luigi's attacks have improved visual effects.

Attributes

• Luigi's short hop is slightly lower.
• Luigi benefits greatly from the re-introduction of wavedashing, as his approach is now almost as good as it was in Melee. The aforementioned buff to his short hop also makes it much easier to perform wavedashing.
• Luigi falls faster (1.25 → 1.35). While this is usually a nerf due to making a character more vulnerable to combos, it is a buff in Luigi's case due to making him harder to KO.
• Luigi's air speed is moderately faster (0.73418 → 0.922), no longer being considered one of the worst.

Ground attacks

• Jab combo deals 1.5% less damage (10 → 8.5).
• Jab combo has reduced cooldown.
• Up tilt lasts for 1 more frame (5-10 → 5-11).
• Up tilt has increased cooldown.
• Up tilt has now been split into 2 different parts with different damage: 6% → 5/8%. This allows the back hit to KO at reliable percentages, but it makes the front hit slightly weaker.
• Up tilt's reduced power in front makes it better for comboing.
• Forward smash has increased base knockback (20 → 35). Luigi also leans more in the direction he's facing, increasing its range.
• Forward smash has increased startup and only 1 active frame instead of 2 (frames 12-13 → 15). It also has slightly reduced knockback growth (116 → 113).
• Up smash now produces consistent knockback and damage on all hitboxes: 12/14 → 13%. While this removes the move's sourspot, it means there is no longer a more powerful hitbox.
• Down smash has a new animation, where he extends his attacking leg more.
• Down smash has a more vertical angle on both hits (120 → 100 (front hit), 60 → 75 (back hit)). Despite retaining its Smash 4 knockback values, the angle change slightly benefits its KO potential. Luigi's leg is also intangible for the first kick.
• Down smash has increased cooldown, and each hit lasts for only 1 frame instead of 2.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials (except forward) have slightly decreased aerial cooldown.
• All aerials (except down) have increased landing lag.
• Neutral aerial deals 2% less damage: 12 → 10. However, this also reduces its knockback, allowing for better followups.
• Luigi has a new forward aerial: A corkscrewing drill kick. Compared to the old forward aerial, it deals 1% more damage (9 → 10) and has increased knockback (30 base/80 growth → 40 base/110 growth).
• The new forward aerial has 7 more frames of aerial cooldown and can no longer autocancel in a short hop due to Luigi's increased falling speed.
• Back aerial sweetspot deals 2% less damage (14 → 12).
• Back aerial sourspot deals 1% more damage (8 → 9) and has a better autocancel window.
• Down aerial sweetspot deals 1% less damage (10 → 9) and autocancels 1 frame later.
• Down aerial sweetspot is larger, lasts one more frame (10 → 10-11) and the sourspot deals increased knockback (20 base/100 growth → 35 base/115 growth).

Grabs/Throws/Other Attacks

• All of Luigi's grabs have slightly increased range.
• Back throw deals 1% more damage and has increased base knockback (80 → 93). The collateral hitbox also deals slightly increased knockback.
• Down throw collateral hitbox placed slightly more in front of Luigi.
• Down throw deals 1% less damage (6 → 5), though its corresponding knockback reduction makes the move better at higher percentages.
• Down throw angle: 80 → 105. This removes some followup utility.

Special Moves

• Fireball has faster startup and reduced cooldown.
• Green Missile misfire deals increased base knockback (20 → 26). It also travels farther in the air and covers more distance. A non-misfired hit also has decreased cooldown, and both versions have reduced landing lag.
• Green Missile charges a bit slower. A misfire also starts up 3 frames slower (5 → 8) and has slightly increased cooldown. Non-misfired hits also deal 1-3% less damage (10-20% → 9-17%).
• Green Missile misfire chance: 1/10 → 1/9.
• Super Jump Punch sourspot deals 2% more damage (1 → 3). A sweetspotted hit also deals much more shield damage, to the point where it can nearly break a full shield.
• Both Super Jump Punch sweetspots deal less damage: 25 → 23 (ground), 20 → 19 (aerial).
• Luigi Cyclone is harder to DI out of.
• Luigi Cyclone deals 1% less damage: 9 → 8.

Peach

Aesthetics

• Peach's dress is slightly thinner, and its model is now a combination of her Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 3D World titles.
• Peach's magic attacks have improved visual effects.

Attributes

• Peach is slightly lighter (89 → 87).
• All of Peach's magic effects have increased hitlag (1.2x → 1.3x), making them safer on shield but easier to DI.
• Peach falls slightly faster (1.15 → 1.20).

Ground attacks

• Both jab hits have larger hitboxes.
• Forward tilt has faster startup (frame 7 → 5) and reduced cooldown. It also has slightly reduced base knockback (50 → 40), and all of these buffs make it better for starting combos.
• Forward tilt has fewer active frames (7-15 → 7-11). It also deals less damage (7/7/8/6 → 6.5%) and its knockback growth was not properly compensated (102 → 105), making it weaker as a KO move.
• Forward tilt now has a consistent 89 degree angle, rather than being split into 4 different angles depending on timing.
• Up tilt is now a multi-hitting attack. The first 3 hits will drag grounded opponents into the sweetspot, but this only works at low to medium percentages. The move also has reduced cooldown and overall increased damage potential (8/10 → 11). Its finishing hit also has increased base knockback (40 → 65).
• Up tilt has 1 more frame of startup (frame 10 → 11).
• Down tilt has a larger meteor hitbox.
• Down tilt deals less damage (7 → 6/5.5).
• Forward smash has reduced cooldown.
• Up smash sourspots are stronger.
• Up smash sweetspots are slightly weaker, and they have only 2 active frames instead of 3.
• Down smash can now hit up to 7 times, and deals 2% more damage (15 → 17).
• Down smash starts up 3 frames later (frame 6 → 9) and each hit lasts for only 1 frame.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials (except up) autocancel earlier.
• Neutral aerial late hit deals more damage (5/6 → 8).
• Neutral aerial angle: 361 → 31.
• Forward aerial has one more active frame (16-20 → 16-21).
• Forward aerial has 3 more frames of landing lag. Its angle is also slightly higher (361 → 55), making it slightly less effective as a KO move (though it is still her strongest aerial).
• Up aerial deals 1% more damage (10 → 11) and has a better launch angle (70 → 74), making it better overall.
• Up aerial autocancels 5 frames later and has slightly less disjoint, along with a slightly smaller hitbox.
• Back aerial has slightly more disjoint and reduced cooldown, allowing it to Wall of Pain at low percentages.
• Down aerial now auto-links, hits 3 more times, has reduced landing lag and has gained a landing hitbox. While it retains its Smash 4 damage value despite having more kicks, it is overall more effective for combos at low percentages and racking up damage more reliably.
• Since down aerial has more kicks, it overall has an increased duration that makes the move less safe to use offstage. The final kick also has increased base knockback (60 → 63), which makes the move slightly less effective for comboing at higher percentages without any realistic KO potential.

Grabs/throws/other attacks

• All of Peach's grabs have slightly smaller grab boxes.
• Dash grab and pivot grab have slightly reduced cooldown.
• Dash grab has moderately reduced range, while pivot grab has significantly reduced range.
• Pivot grab comes out faster (frame 10 → 8) and has reduced cooldown.
• Standing grab has 1 more active frame (6-7 → 6-8).
• All throws (except down) deal 0.5% more damage.
• Forward throw has increased cooldown.
• Forward throw has increased base knockback (48 → 55).
• Up throw deals much more knockback overall (72 base/80 growth → 50 base/150 growth), now being a viable KO option under 160%.
• Down throw is now a meteor smash. This makes the move slightly better for edgeguarding and tech-chasing, though it means it can no longer follow up in the air.
• Down throw deals 2% less damage (8 → 6).
• Back throw is weaker (35 base/95 growth → 30 base/86 growth) and has a slightly higher throw angle (140 → 132), though it can still edgeguard at medium to high percents and KO in the 170-200% range.

Special Moves

• Toad spore hitboxes placed slightly higher.
• Peach Bomber is faster and deals more shield damage, to the point where it can almost break a perfect shield. It also has reduced aerial cooldown.
• Peach Bomber has increased landing lag, and deals less damage (10 → 9.5 (clean)/8 (late)). A late hit also deals less knockback.
• Peach Parasol loop hits adjusted to allow the move to connect better.
• Peach Parasol deals 1% less damage (11 → 10).
• Vegetable has a slightly higher chance of pulling a Stitchface, but a slightly lower chance of pulling a Mr. Saturn or Bob-Omb.
• Vegetable can now pluck out Beam Swords, as it could in Melee.
• Vegetables are more susceptible to gravity, and all turnips (except Dot-Eyes and Stitchface turnips) deal 1-4% less damage overall. Additionally, the Turnip Throw Cancel is no longer possible.

Bowser

Aesthetic Changes

• Bowser's claws attacks have improved visual effects.

Attributes

• Bowser is lighter (125 → 118).
• Bowser's air speed is slightly faster (0.98 → 1.04).
• Bowser's overall character model is slightly smaller, giving him slightly less range on his attacks but making him harder to hit.
• Bowser crouches lower.
• Bowser's super armor has been replaced with heavy armor.
• The new game physics, including the re-introduction of wavedashing and L-canceling, allow a moderate amount of the game's cast to overcome Bowser's playstyle and approach options while not providing Bowser much benefit with wavedashing. However, the re-introduction of L-canceling means that all of Bowser's aerials are less risky if they miss an opponent.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack deals 2% less damage (11.5 → 9.5) and each hit lasts for 2 frames instead of 3. The first hit also has slightly increased base knockback (100 → 110), making it harder to follow up on at higher percentages.
• Neutral attack second hit has increased knockback (50 base/100 growth → 65 base/125 growth). The first hit has slightly decreased cooldown, making it better for jab cancels/locks, and Bowser's arm is intangible while the hitboxes are out.
• Dash attack deals much more knockback (110 base/35 growth → 50 base/95 growth) and is now a reliable KO option under 160%.
• Dash attack has fewer active frames (11-20 → 11-16).
• Dash attack angle: 80 → 45. This makes the attack better for edgeguarding, though it is easier to DI.
• Forward smash has slightly decreased knockback (25 base/98 growth → 20 base/95 growth) and a shorter hitbox duration (22-27 → 22-24).
• Forward smash angle: Sakurai angle → 38, allowing the attack to edgeguard better. The attack's startup is faster (22 → 21) and has decreased cooldown.
• Up smash deals less knockback.
• Up smash has decreased cooldown. Bowser's shell is also intangible while the sweetspot hitbox is active, and the move now has a small hitbox that drags the opponent into the main sweetspot.
• Up smash now has 1 sweetspot instead of 3. It deals consistent damage: 15/15/20 → 18, removing the attack's sourspot but making the move slightly less powerful overall.
• Down smash angle: 60 → 70. Despite retaining its Brawl knockback values, the angle change allows the move to KO slightly earlier.
• Down smash deals less damage (16 → 15) and each hit lasts for 1 frame instead of 2. The base hitbox also has increased startup (frame 10 → 12).

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial has decreased landing lag and now auto-links. It also has faster startup (frame 8 → 6) and a better KO angle (75 → 79).
• Neutral aerial deals less damage (24 → 14). Each hitbox is also smaller and has decreased hitbox duration.
• Neutral aerial now knocks away the opponent with increased knockback (60 base/90 growth → 120 base/100 growth). This makes it a viable KO option at high percentages, but removes some followup potential.
• Forward aerial hitbox placements adjusted slightly, very slightly reducing some vertical range but giving more horizontal range. Each hitbox also deals consistent damage: 11/12/13 → 12.2%.
• Up aerial landing lag decreased.
• Up aerial has slower startup (9 → 11) and a shorter hitbox duration (9-13 → 11-12).
• Back aerial base knockback decreased: 20 → 10. However, this allows it to Wall of Pain at very low percentages.
• Back aerial has larger hitboxes, increased hitbox duration (9-11 → 9-13) and increased vertical reach.
• Back aerial has increased landing lag.
• Bowser has a new down aerial: A downward arc swipe, similar to Marth's down air. The center of the attack is a powerful meteor smash that hits foes down at an angle. It is no longer a stall-then-fall, which makes the attack safe to use offstage, and has significantly decreased landing and ending lag. It can also autocancel from a full hop.
• The new down aerial is overall less powerful overall, dealing 5% less damage (16 → 11) and less knockback (30 base/100 growth → 20 base/95 growth). Since the attack is no longer a stall-then-fall, it makes defense against juggles less effective. The move also has smaller hitboxes with much less duration (17-49 → 17-23).

Grabs/throws/other attacks

• All of Bowser's grabs have more active frames.
• All of Bowser's grabs have moderately reduced range.
• Pivot grab has faster startup (frame 11 → 9) and decreased cooldown.
• Dash grab comes out 1 frame slower (10 → 11).
• Dash grab has reduced cooldown.
• Bowser has a new up throw: a jumping shell slam. It has altered knockback (90 base/80 growth → 50 base/100 growth), a faster animation and has a more vertical launch angle (70 → 78), allowing it to KO much earlier.
• The new up throw has increased cooldown and reduced damage potential (10 → 9). The former buff, when combined with the altered knockback, makes followups harder overall.
• Up throw now has only 1 hit instead of 9 hits.
• Down throw has significantly reduced knockback (0 base/100 growth → 10 base/55 growth) and cooldown. It can no longer KO reliably, but this is compensated for with the altered knockback on up throw, and down throw now has a vertical launch angle (50 → 81), allowing it to set up combos.
• Down throw deals less damage (12 → 7.5) and no longer has a collateral hitbox.

Special Moves

• Fire Breath recharges faster.
• Fire Breath can no longer be angled.
• Flying Slam deals more horizontal knockback (60 → 43). Bowser also jumps higher after successfully throwing an opponent.
• Flying Slam has decreased base knockback (80 → 72).
• Whirling Fortress has increased knockback, to where it can KO starting at 170% on most characters, and the first few hits are much harder to escape from.
• Whirling Fortress now deals fixed damage: 11%/35% → 23%. This makes the move less effective for racking up damage, though there is no longer a weak portion in the attack.
• Bowser Bomb can now be jump canceled by pressing up right before Bowser descends. This allows Bowser to approach the air more effectively, and potentially allow for varying mixups.
• Bowser Bomb deals less shield damage and has increased landing lag, making it much less safe on shield.

Rosalina & Luma

Aesthetics

• Rosalina now has an alternate costume based on her jumpsuit in Mario Kart Wii.
• Rosalina's hair is slightly more pronounced.

Attributes

• Rosalina's hurtbox is slightly shorter, making it harder to hit her.