Zero Suit Samus (SSB4): Difference between revisions

Despite being a high-tier character in ''Brawl'', Zero Suit Samus has been buffed in the transition to ''SSB4'' mostly due to ''Smash 4'''s altered mechanics combined with the nerfs other ''Brawl'' veterans received. Her KO potential has improved, most notably thanks to her new forward smash and her new up special, [[Boost Kick]], the latter of which is especially potent from [[out of shield]]. Zero Suit Samus' combo game has also improved, mainly due to the changes to [[hitstun canceling]] combined with her altered down throw and up aerial. She also greatly benefits from the introduction of [[rage]] which can allow her combos to KO opponents at insanely low percents. Lastly, [[Plasma Whip]] tethers the ledge much sooner, improving her already strong recovery, and she now has a grab aerial, improving her spacing potential and giving her an additional recovery option.

However, Zero Suit Samus also received some nerfs. The most noticeable of these was that as she is no longer tied to {{SSB4|Samus}}, she no longer has access to her [[Power Suit Piece]]s which significantly hinders her stage control and her item game combined with the removal of [[glide toss]]ing. Although Plasma Whip has improved recovery potential, it has more ending lag and is significantly weaker, making it much easier to punish and far less reliable for KOing, eliminating one of her most reliable KO moves. Her aerial prowess has also slightly worsened. Her jumps are lower (especially since she no longer has [[Plasma Wire]]) and her aerials except for down aerial are all weaker. She is significantly more vulnerable to combos due to the removal of hitstun canceling combined with her increased falling speed. Lastly, some of her ground attacks have been nerfed as well: down tilt has increased startup and much more ending lag along with a less favorable angle, removing all of its combo potential and making it arguably her worst move, her new dash attack has one more frame of startup along with much higher ending lag, making it much more punishable and removing its locking and follow-up potential, and her down smash is weaker, has smaller hitboxes, its stun duration was decreased, and it has increased ending lag, worsening its follow-up potential and making it less safe on shield.  

**{{nerf|Dash attack has more start-up with the sweetspot having a shorter duration (frames 6-9 → 7-9) and it has much more ending lag (FAF 32 → 52), removing its locking and follow-up potential. It also has smaller hitboxes (3.5u/5u/6u → 4.5u/4.5u (clean), 2.5u/3.8u/3.5u → 3.1u/4.1u (late)) compared to the previous dash attack.}}

**{{change|Zero Suit Samus has a new forward smash, a mid-level side kick followed by a spinning side kick at a slightly higher angle.}}

**{{buff|Unlike the previous forward smash, it consists of two hits instead of one (10%/11%/13%/6% (front)/6% (back) → 5% (hit 1)/11% (hit 2)), and its second hit deals more knockback (30/35 (base), 100 (scaling) → 28/(106/109)). These changes make it significantly more effective at KOing. It also has less start-up (frame 21 → 14) and ending lag (FAF 67 → 63).}}

**{{buff|Instead of having one hit before the tip comes out, Plasma Whip now has four hitboxes which lead into each other. These hitboxes all have varying weight independent knockback, which allows the move to connect more reliably and removes its notoriously large dead zone (although opponents can still fall out of the move).}}

**{{nerf|The final hit deals far less damage (16% → 7.5%) without full compensation on its knockback (60 (base), 75 (scaling) → 45/105), significantly hindering its KO potential.}}

**{{change|Zero Suit Samus has a new up special, Boost Kick. It is a jet-propelled diagonal split-legged flying kick, followed by a spinning hook kick.}}

**{{buff|Compared to [[Plasma Wire]], Boost Kick deals overall more damage (4%-6% → 5% (hit 1)/1.3% (hits 2-7)/4% (hit 8)) and has different knockback (60 (base), 40 (scaling) → 50/209), making it significantly more effective at KOing. It also covers more horizontal distance than Plasma Wire. Like Plasma Wire, it has [[mindgame]] potential. Unlike Plasma Wire, it can punish rolls.}}  

**{{nerf|Compared to Plasma Wire, Boost Kick covers much less vertical distance, weakening her vertical recovery. Unlike Plasma Wire, it cannot [[meteor smash]] opponents, and renders her [[helpless]]. It also has more ending lag compared with Plasma Wire (FAF 44 → 80) and it cannot be used in conjunction with her jumps to gain extra height.}}