PK Thunder: Difference between revisions

{{ArticleIcons|ssb=yes|melee=yes|brawl=yes|ssb4=yes}}

|image=[[File:PK_Thunder_Ness_and_Lucas_SSB4.jpeg|250px]]

|caption=Ness & Lucas using PK Thunder in {{forwiiu}}.

|universe=''[[EarthBound (universe)|Mother/Earthbound]]''

Aiming the head into Ness and Lucas themselves will launch them in a trajectory opposite to the side they were hit on. This is referred to as ''PK Thunder 2''. PK Thunder 2 is Ness and Lucas's main method of recovery and will damage any opponents that come into contact with them while in this state.

[[Image:SSB4 - Ness Screen-2.jpg|thumb|right|Ness using PK Thunder in {{forwiiu}}.]]

[[File:Lucas SSB4 Screen-2.jpg|thumb|right|175px|{{SSB4|Lucas using PK Thunder in {{forwiiu}}]]

The head of Ness's PK Thunder disappears upon contact with most projectiles, walls, and characters. Impact deals 8% damage and knockback.

In ''[[Melee]]'', an uncontrolled PK Thunder can hit opponents and Ness himself. This means the player can intentionally hit Ness with the tail of PK Thunder to block him from flying off the screen. This technique is called a ''PK Thunder Barrier''. PK Thunder can also be used to perform the [[Electric Ness]] glitch, where sparks will continue to show around Ness even when PK Thunder is not active. This glitch serves no offensive or defensive purpose.  

In ''[[Brawl]]'', PK Thunder turns in a tighter circle than previous games meaning it can be used to recover in narrower spaces.

The head of Lucas's PK Thunder goes through enemies and some objects, allowing it to score multiple hits. Each impact deals 9-10% damage. Compared to Ness in ''Brawl'', Lucas's PK Thunder also moves more slowly, has a shorter tail which deals less stun, and turns in a tighter circle—the latter meaning it is more favourable for recovery in narrow spaces. Its [[ending lag]] is also much higher when used on the ground. Ness's second PK Thunder variant in ''SSB4'' shares some similarities with this version.

[[Image:PKThunder2.jpg|thumb|right|Ness and Lucas using PK Thunder 2 in ''Brawl''.]]

[[File:Ness_Lucas_PK_Thunder_2.jpeg|thumb|right|Ness and Lucas using PK Thunder 2 in {{forwiiu}}.]]

'''PK Thunder 2''' or "PK Rocket" is the term used for hitting Ness or Lucas with their own ''PK Thunder'' while it is still under their control. The Japanese developers called this move PK Jibaku (PK{{ja|自爆}}). The word jibaku means 'self-destruct' or 'suicide bomb,' a fitting term for a tactic that turns Ness and Lucas into human missiles. This [[technique]] can be used by Ness and Lucas. Doing so will transform Ness or Lucas into a human projectile, which will move in different directions depending on what part of the body is hit. If the Ness or Lucas makes contact with an enemy, he will deal a good amount of damage and knockback. CPUs playing as either Ness or Lucas are also programmed to use this strategy, but they only use PK Thunder 2 vertically, even in situations where only recovering horizontally or diagonally would prevent death. The ''PK Thunder 2'' is also Ness and Lucas's main method of recovery, given that it launches them fairly far in a straight direction. While using the move, the user will fall much slower. When PK Thunder 2 is aimed downwards towards the ground, Ness or Lucas will enter a lying position, facing downwards.

Ness's version of PK Thunder 2 deals one strong blow. Also if used up close, it can bring Ness to a short stop. If Ness's PK Thunder 2 hits an opponent, it does 25% damage with extremely high knockback, KOing opponents at 30% in ''Melee'', and in ''Brawl''.

Ness's PK Thunder curves in a larger arch than Lucas, so Lucas requires less room to use PK Thunder 2 than Ness. However, Ness's PK Thunder is faster.

===Lucas's version===

Lucas's version of the attack hits multiple times, compared to Ness's one strong blow. It is interesting to note that Lucas's PK Thunder 2 covers more ground than Ness's, so Lucas's is slightly more effective. If all of Lucas's hits connect when using PK Thunder 2, it will deal a massive 43% damage and has extreme knockback, making it Lucas' most damage-dealing move, with the exception of [[PK Starstorm]], which cannot be used in competitive play. However, it is very hard to get the full 43% as PK Thunder 2 takes very long to start and as such, is easily dodgeable. For tactical uses, Lucas's PK Thunder 2 can be used to "Thunderglide". Thundergliding is when the player runs off a platform then immediately uses PK Thunder. The effect should come out to being the PK Thunder being much closer to Lucas than normal. Then, guide the thunder into Lucas and he should angle down towards the ground. If performed right, Lucas's direction will go from diagonal to horizontal as he glides along the ground. Otherwise, he'll crash into the ground like a normal poorly aimed thunder. Lucas will stop at the edge on his own, making this move safe to use on a stage like Battlefield. The thunderglide is great for surprising opponents for a quick 43% damage. It should also be noted that on stages like [[Battlefield (SSBB)|Battlefield]] or [[Final Destination (SSBB)|Final Destination]] if Lucas's PK Thunder 2 is aimed wrong, the user will bounce right off the corner of the stage, leaving him in a helpless animation away from the ledge.

Special Move customization was added in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. These are the known variations:

# '''Lasting PK Thunder''': Doesn't disappear upon hitting an enemy, making it better suited for recoveries. This variation is slower, but has better control, similar to Lucas's version, exept the second version of this custom move which only does about 21 damage with small [[knockback]], compared to Lucas's pk thunder 2 which can do up to 46 damage and severe [[knockback]]

# '''Rolling PK Thunder''': Has more power, but the lightning ball doesn't move as fast. Using PK Thunder 2 with this customization will also severely decrease in distance, but deals much more damage & knockback, KOing earlier than the regular PK Thunder 2.

 

Each variation of PK Thunder has a different color; Lasting PK Thunder is a dark purple, where as Rolling PK Thunder is a mint green. Otherwise, it still uses the Electric effect.

[[File:PK Thunder M3.png|thumb|Kumatora using PK Thunder α in ''Mother 3''.]]

PK Thunder (localized as PSI Thunder in ''{{b|EarthBound|game}}'') first appeared in ''{{iw|wikibound|Mother|video game}}'' and has appeared in later {{uv|Mother}} games since. In all of three of the ''Mother'' games, the move involved using the character's psychic power to send lightning at the enemy. However, in the ''Mother'' series, neither Ness nor Lucas learn the move; instead it is learned by some of their friends and party members, {{s|wikibound|Paula}} and {{s|wikibound|Poo}} in ''EarthBound'' and {{s|wikibound|Kumatora}} in ''Mother 3'' respectively.

In the description for the move in ''EarthBound'', it states that the player could miss the target and not cause any damage to the enemy. The difficulty of using PK Thunder in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' games could be a reference to how PK Thunder can sometimes miss enemies in ''EarthBound''. The move's recovery properties are somewhat similar to [[wikibound:Teleport|Teleport α]], where the party's speed is increased greatly, to the point of being difficult to control, and explode if they hit a solid object before covering sufficient ground to warp.

 

 

 

 

 

PK_Thunder_2.jpg|Ness and Lucas performing PK Thunder in ''Brawl''

PKThunder3DS.jpg|Ness using PK Thunder in {{for3ds}}

Ness_PK_Thunder_2_SSB4.jpeg|Ness using PK Thunder 2 in {{forwiiu}}.

*[http://www.smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=47086|Simna ibn Sind's guide to PK Thunder]

*[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=978733588260786857&q=pk+thunder|Simna ibn Sind's guide to PK Thunder - video]

*[http://www.smashboards.com/showpost.php?p=2035260&postcount=2|Earthbound360's Guide to PK Thunder - page 1]

*[http://www.smashboards.com/showpost.php?p=2035264&postcount=3|Earthbound360's Guide to PK Thunder - page 2]