Ness (PM): Difference between revisions

Ness is a very versatile character. He has three [[projectile]]s that each have varied but important uses. [[PK Fire]] can be used as a punishing option, leading to many follow ups, such as a grab or a smash attack. [[PK Thunder]] can juggle airborne opponents for a long time, and can be used to knock grounded opponents closer to Ness. [[PK Flash]] has a slow startup, but can be an effective finisher or edgeguarding move.

Ness' aerial moves are all very useful and effective. His neutral aerial comes out quickly and deals moderate knockback, making it a good choice for interrupting combos. The individual hits of his forward aerial cause low damage, but the move is useful in advancing combos. Ness's down aerial is a powerful and quick meteor smash, making it effective in edgeguarding opponents. Up aerial is an excellent juggling move at lower percentages, and makes a great combo finisher for KOing foes above the upper [[blast line]]. Ness' back aerial is very strong when [[sweetspot]]ted, and is a great aerial for getting a KO off of the side blast lines. Ness' ability to [[double jump cancel]] advances his already potent air game by giving him even more combo options.

Ness' smash attacks all have unusual properties. His forward smash can reflect projectiles if timed correctly, and deals extreme damage and knockback if the  sweetspot near the tip of the bat is hit. His up and down smashes both involve his yo-yo, which do not deal more damage after charging but rather have a hitbox on the yoyo during the charging period, dealing a little damage and slight knockback.

Ness' throws are generally effective. His back throw is a very reliable KOing move at high percents. Ness' forward, up and down throws can be used as combo starters, sending opponents into the air and setting up for an aerial attack.

Ness' recovery is both a blessing and a curse. It deals massive damage and knockback, as well as travelling a very far distance, at the cost of being easy to gimp and having a huge amount of ending lag. The ending lag can be mitigated by sweetspotting the ledge with [[PK Thunder 2]], however this can be difficult, and doesn't help the fact that any projectile that causes knockback can destroy the PK Thunder and leave Ness helpless. Once one masters how to direct the PK Thunder, it becomes one of the most reliable recovery moves in the game.

*{{change|Forward smash's sourspot produces the "wooden bat" SFX from ''Brawl'', while the sweetspot displays a [[ping]] sound like in ''Melee'' and ''Smash 64''.}}

*{{change|Ness now has a [[Smash Taunt]] that can be done using his up taunt: he poses at the screen and a "photo" flash is displayed, based on the iconic Fuzzy Pickles moments in his origin game, ''{{s|wikibound|EarthBound}}''.}}

*{{buff|Ness retains his double jump cancel ability, though it is now optional; just pressing and then releasing the jump button when attacking will cause him to DJC, while holding the jump button causes him to perform a rising aerial, just like characters who cannot use this technique. Special moves will always DJC.}}

*{{buff|[[Down smash]] covers more distance and also deals higher damage and knockback, serving as a powerful on-stage [[edge-guarding]] tool.}}

*{{nerf|[[Down tilt]] now sends opponents at a more vertical angle, removing its [[infinite]] capabilities.}}

*{{buff|[[PK Fire]]'s flame effect has the same power as in ''Brawl''. Ness also keeps his forward momentum when using it in midair. The move can additionally "[[Fobble]]": the knockback of other hitboxes that hit within a 3 frame window of one of the [[PK Fire]]'s repeating hitboxes gets completely canceled due to [[Project M]]'s new knockback engine, allowing the player to rack up deadly amounts of damage.}}

*{{buff|Ness can jump out of [[PSI Magnet]] (like how the [[space animal]]s can jump out of their [[Reflector]]s), and the move additionally deals consecutive damage, with a strong initial hit that sends foes above Ness and link into aerial attacks. When absorbing a projectile, he can also cancel the move to go into the ending animation afterwards, preventing rapid-fire projectiles such as Fox's [[Blaster]] from trapping him into the move indefinitely.}}

*{{buff|[[Dash attack]] cannot be [[DI]]'d down or shielded in between hits.}}

*{{buff|PK Thunder has a hitbox during startup, and the thunderbolt no longer vanishes when entering the horizontal blast lines. The thunderbolt also no longer disappears when Ness is hit, and instead continues travelling in the same direction before he got hit while damaging other players hit by it.}}

*{{nerf|[[Down throw]] has more ending lag.}}

*{{buff|PSI Magnet can be released during the absorb lag to go into the end animation afterwards, preventing rapid firing projectiles like Fox's Blaster from trapping Ness in the lag that happens after absorbing a projectile. The absorb lag was also reduced greatly.}}

**{{change|It has a more horizontal knockback angle.}}

*{{change|The pillar of PK Fire has higher gravity, preventing opponents from whiffing between the first few hits.}}

| || 12% (high), 11% (mid), 10% (low) || Ness kicks forwards with a foot. Can be angled.

| || 7% || Ness extends his arms quickly upwards. Can be used to juggle fast fallers up to 70% which can then lead into an aerial attack.

| || 3% || Ness kicks his foot out slightly. Short ranged attack, but can be used in quick succession.

| || 5% (hit 1), 4% (hits 2-3) (13% total) || Ness runs forward and creates three disjointed PSI bubbles from his hands. The first two hits have a [[semi-spike]] trajectory, while the last hit sends opponents straight upwards which can lead into aerials.

| || {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|18}} (body),{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|20}} (handle), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|22}} (mid), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBM|24}} (tip) || Ness takes out his trusty cracked bat and swings it at his opponents. The sweetspot is located at the bat's tip. [[Reflect]]s [[projectile]]s.

| || 3% (hits 1-5) (15% total) || Ness produces PSI bubbles in front of him that hit consecutively, the last hit having stronger knockback.

| || 15% (clean), 10% (late) || Ness extends his feet outward. Sweetspot is electrical and possess high KO potential.

| || 13% || Ness headbutts upwards. Good for juggling at lower percents and a good KO move at higher percents.

| || 10% || Psycho-kinetically spins the opponent horizontally above him, then throws upward. Can chain grab at very low percentage and set up for aerial followups.

| [[PK Flash]] || 8-22% || Ness generates a green ray that is sent upwards, then explodes. It can be charged, increasing damage and knockback while causing it to curve downwards, and it can be moved sideways. This can be used as an effective edgeguarding move, due to its range and power. The explosion can be [[Absorption|absorbed]] and reflected, though the latter only affects Ness if he's close to it.

| [[PK Fire]] || 8% (bolt), 1% (pillar hits 1-5) || Ness shoots a bolt forwards from his fingers, which then bursts into a pillar of flames upon hitting a foe. When used in midair, Ness instead shoots it at a diagonally downward angle while keeping his forward momentum. The pillar is affected by gravity and can be hit by attacks. The bolt vanishes upon hitting a surface, and can be reflected or absorbed.

| [[PK Thunder]] || 4% (startup), 8% (head), 6% (tail); PK Thunder 2: 25% (clean), 21% (mid), 15% (late) || Ness produces an electric beam from his head, which he can then control freely. When the beam is produced, a brief hitbox covers his body, repelling foes attempting to stop the attack. If the beam hits Ness, he will be propelled in the same direction that the beam was travelling in surrounded by a powerful electric hitbox, known as PK Thunder 2. If the tip of the beam hits a surface, foe, or disjointed hitbox that deals knockback, or the beam is absorbed, the beam will disappear and leave Ness helpless. If the beam is reflected or Ness is hit while controlling the beam, he will lose control of the beam. When hitting a wall or ceiling with PK Thunder 2, Ness will either travel parallel to it or rebound off it, depending on how perpendicular to the wall he was when he blasted into it. When PK Thunder 2 is launched against the ground, he will [[Floor recovery|lie on the floor]]. Though an effective recovery move, it's difficult to recover with it between tall walls (such as the buildings in [[Saffron City]]).

| [[PSI Magnet]] || 4% (startup), 2% (loop) || Ness becomes covered by an electrical field that absorbs any energy projectiles shot against him, deducting x1.6 of the [[damage]] the projectile would have dealt. As an attack, it first launches enemies diagonally upwards, then hits consecutively with no knockback. When used in the air, it resets Ness's falling speed. He can jump out of the ending lag of the move to string it together with aerials.