/NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNo
-++sdddyyyNNNyyyNNNNNNhyyo+++++:
oNNdyyo--:NNN---mNNNNN+--sNNNNNh
hddddddddmNNdyyyddd:::sssyyyyyydddhyyyyyhddh
mNNdhhdmmmmmhssyNNm:::yyyyyyyyydmmdhhyyyymmd:::
mNN/../ooooooooyNNNsssyyyyyyyyyyyydNNdyyyyyyNNN
:::syyyyysooooosyyysssssssyyyyyyyydNNdyyyyyyNNN
hNNdhhyssoooosssssssssyyyssssssdNNmyyyyyyddd
hNNNNNNNNh::oNNNNNNNNNNNNo/////yNNNNNNNNd```
+oomNNNNNdyyo::/yyyNNNNNNyyy/:::::yNNNNNNNNmooo
mNNNNNNNNy:::::://+NNNNNN/::///:::sNNNNNNNNNNNN
mNNo//hNNs-----/mmd::::::---hmm+---::oNNd::/NNN
mNN+::shh+...../NNm.........dNN+...../hhs..:NNN
mNN+::-......../NNm.........dNN+...........:NNN
---ydd+:::-----:///.........///:-----:::/ddh---
hNNy++/::::::///////////////::::::/++ohhy
hNNNNNs:::::+NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNo:::::oNNh```
ossooodNNdyyyyys++oNNNhhhNNNyoo/::oyys++:
mNN/..smmNNNNmmy .NNNsssdmm/--://smmo
mNN/..-::yNNh::-..:NNN---::::::ymmo..`
mNNyoo:..sNNdooooosNNN---+oossshdds++-
```dNNNNNo--sNNNNNNNNNNNN:::mNNNNNyoohNNy```
hhh//////yddmNNh/////+NNN+++ssssss+::yNNmhhs
NNN:--///yddmNNh///--:NNN+++++++++/::smmmNNh
NNN/::dNN+..sNNNNNd::/NNN---------/oooooyNNh
:::yhho++:../oooooshhhyyy+++++++++ydds::+yyyyys
hmm+::::://////ommd++++++++++++hmmo--:++sNNm
```hNNNNNNNNNNNh------------------. `--/NNm
/oodNNmhhhhhy///////////////oss/``.../NNm
sNNhooooooooooooooooooooodNNs-----/mmd
sNNhoooooooosmmmmmmmmmsoossshmmmmmy...
+yyyyyyyyyoosdddNNNdddsoosyydNNmyyo
oNNNNNmooooooNNNsooooodNNNNNs
/ooooohNNmhhyssymmmNNNmmmyssyhhmNNdoo/
......shhhhhdddhyyyyyhNNNNNNNNNhyyyyyhdddhhs......
yyyyyymNNNNNo :yyhNNNNNNyyyNNNNNNdyy/ /NNmyyyyyy
::::::ydddddyssymmmNNNdddyyydddNNNmmmhssyddy::::::
oyyyyydNNNNNNNNNyyyyyyyyymNNNNNNNNmyyo
_______________________________________________________________________________
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Nintendo Wii
Ness Guide
Document Version: 5.00
By Topher Tweten [dragon_eye398@hotmail.com]
AKA
NostalgicX, SuperNova, NOVA
_______________________________________________________________________________
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------
- TABLE OF CONTENTS -
-----------------------
· 01. LEGAL AGREEMENTS
· 02. INTRODUCTION
· 03. SMASH TERMS
· 04. MISC INFORMATION
(04A. Entrance)
(04B. Idle Animations)
(04C. Costumes)
(04D. Taunts)
· 05. STANDARD TECHNIQUES
(05A. Shield)
(05B. Power Shield)
(05C. Spot Dodge)
(05D. Dodge Roll)
(05E. Air Dodge)
(05F. Tech/Ukemi)
(05G. Crouching)
· 06. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
(06A. Fox Trot)
(06B. Pivot)
[06B1. Pivot Slide]
[06B2. Pivot Grab]
(06C. Reverse Aerial Rush)
(06D. Hyphen Smash)
(06E. Absorb Cancel)
(06F. PK Thunder 2 Barrier)
· 07. MOVELIST
(07A. Tilts)
(07B. Smash Attacks)
(07C. Aerials)
(07D. Specials)
(07E. Throws)
(07F. Other Attacks)
(07G. Final Smash)
· 08. HISTORY OF ATTACKS
(08A. PK Flash)
(08B. PK Fire)
(08C. PK Thunder)
(08D. PSI Magnet)
(08E. PSI Brainshock)
(08F. PK Starstorm)
· 09. COMBO STRATEGIES
(09A. Juggling)
(09B. Throws)
(09C. Basic Combos)
(09D. Inescapable Chains)
· 10. FINISHERS
(10A. Smash Attacks)
(10B. Aerials)
(10C. PK Cannonball)
(10D. Throws)
· 11. VS MODE CHARACTER STRATEGIES
(11AA. Mario)
(11AB. Donkey Kong)
(11AC. Link)
(11AD. Samus)
(11AE. Kirby)
(11AF. Fox)
(11AG. Pikachu)
(11AH. Marth)
(11AI. Mr. Game & Watch)
(11AJ. Luigi)
(11AK. Diddy Kong)
(11AL. Zelda/Sheik)
(11AM. Pit)
(11AN. Metaknight)
(11AO. Falco)
(11AP. Pokemon Trainer)
[11AP1. Squirtle]
[11AP2. Ivysaur]
[11AP3. Charizard]
(11AQ. Ike)
(11AR. Snake)
[11AR1. Codec Transmission]
(11AS. Peach)
(11AT. Yoshi)
(11AU. Ganondorf)
(11AV. Ice Climbers)
(11AW. King Dedede)
(11AX. Wolf)
(11AY. Lucario)
(11AZ. Ness)
(11BA. Sonic)
(11BB. Bowser)
(11BC. Wario)
(11BD. Toon Link)
(11BE. ROB)
(11BF. Olimar)
(11BG. Captain Falcon)
(11BH. Jigglypuff)
(11BI. Lucas)
· 12. VS MODE STAGE STRATEGIES
(12AA. 75m)
(12AB. Battlefield)
(12AC. Bridge of Eldin)
(12AD. Castle Siege)
(12AE. Delfino Plaza)
(12AF. Distant Planet)
(12AG. Final Destination)
(12AH. Flat Zone 2)
(12AI. Frigate Orpheon)
(12AJ. Green Hill Zone)
(12AK. Halberd)
(12AL. Hanenbow)
(12AM. Luigi's Mansion)
(12AN. Lylat Cruise)
(12AO. Mario Bros.)
(12AP. Mario Circuit)
(12AQ. Mushroomy Kingdom)
[12AQ1. Ground]
[12AQ2. Underground]
(12AR. New Pork City)
(12AS. Norfair)
(12AT. Picto Chat)
(12AU. Pirate Ship)
(12AV. Pokemon Stadium 2)
(12AW. Port Town Aero Dive)
(12AX. Rumble Falls)
(12AY. Shadow Moses Island)
(12AZ. Skyworld)
(12BA. Smashville)
(12BB. Spear Pillar)
(12BC. Summit)
(12BD. WarioWare Inc.)
(12BE. Yoshi's Island)
(12CA. Big Blue)
(12CB. Brinstar)
(12CC. Corneria)
(12CD. Green Greens)
(12CE. Jungle Japes)
(12CF. Onett)
(12CG. Pokemon Stadium)
(12CH. Rainbow Cruise)
(12CI. Hyrule Temple)
(12CJ. Yoshi's Island)
· 13. CLASSIC MODE
(13A. Versus One)
(13B. Tag Team)
(13C. Versus Three)
(13D. Giant Battle)
(13E. Metal Battle)
(13F. Break the Targets)
(13G. BOSS: Master Hand + Crazy Hand)
· 14. ALL-STAR MODE
· 15. STADIUM
(15A. Break the Targets)
[15A1. Level One]
[15A2. Level Two]
[15A3. Level Three]
[15A4. Level Four]
[15A5. Level Five]
(15B. Homerun Contest)
(15C. Multi-Man Brawl)
[15C1. 10 Man Brawl]
[15C2. 100 Man Brawl]
[15C3. 3 Minute Brawl]
[15C4. 15 Minute Brawl]
[15C5. Endless Brawl]
[15C6. Cruel Brawl]
(15D. Boss Battles)
[15D01. Petey]
[15D02. Master Hand]
[15D03. Crazy Hand]
[15D04. Metaridley]
[15D05. Ridley]
[15D06. Duon]
[15D07. Galleom]
[15D08. Porky]
[15D09. Rayquaza]
[15D10. Tabuu]
· 16. VERSION HISTORY
· 17. CREDITS
[17A. Special Thanks]
[17B. Help From]
[17C. References]
[17D. Websites]
Note: If you want to get to a certain section very fast, copy the number
and/or letter combination and hit Control+F then paste it. You'll
be at the section you wanted in an instant.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 01. LEGAL AGREEMENTS -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This entire document is (C) 2008 Chris Tweten. All trademarks are property of
their respective owners. No section of this guide can be used without my
permission. This includes, but is not limited to posting on your website,
making links to my guide, including parts of my guide in your own, or making
reference to any material contained within.
All the sites mentioned below have permission to do the above. Please email
me at [your e-mail address] to enquire about gaining permission to use this
document.
GameFAQs
· http://www.gamefaqs.com
PwnGuide
· http://pwnguide.com/index.php
The only website I will regularly upload the newest versions of my guide to
is GameFAQs. If I decide that you are granted rights to use of this document,
it is in your sole responsibility to keep up to date.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 02. INTRODUCTION -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is basically your generic fighting game character guide. Not that Smash
is generic, so you'll get a spice of variety. His full movelist in detail,
stage strategies, and my tips on how to get the most out of your attacks.
Along with these, I'll also explain how to fight every character in the game
and how to succeed in every Single Player mode of the game.
In the past, Ness was the most powerful character out there, but that was way
back in 1999. His throws were unmatched, and the Step Kick was amazing. Then
came Melee. Ness was majorly nerfed and his gameplay drastically changed.
Ness came from being a god to an aerial master. Brawl is similar to his Melee
version, but plays a bit more like his 64 days. Between Melee and Brawl, there
was mass confusion as to whether Ness would return. Especially after Lucas
was announced, many thought he would be replaced. The Dojo is a lie!
"Up until now.." was a hoax (Y)
In Brawl, Ness is a relatively small character who packs a punch. He isn't
too light considering his size, but can be KO'd at lower percents if you don't
use proper directional influence. Generally, Ness has a higher learning curve
when playing at higher levels of gameplay, but for strategies against cpus or
casual players, you could pick him up at ease.
To unlock Ness (It's not that hard), simply do one of the following:
· Play 5 Matches of Brawl + Defeat Ness
· Reflect 10 Projectiles + Defeat Ness
· Get Ness to join your party in The Subspace Emissary
Before we get into the FAQ itself, I think it'd be best to point out major
flaws and strengths involved with playing with Ness. This would probably be
you're deciding point in choosing to main him.
+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| | |
| · Great aerial attacks | · High learning curve |
| · Easy to rack up % | · Tough to KO at times |
| · Many recovery options | · Easily edgehogged |
| · Absorption with v+B | · Lightweight |
| | |
+--------------------------+-------------------------+
Trophy Description:
An average boy whose life changed when he found a meteor and an alien on a
nearby mountain. The alien warned him of a future threat, and adventure
ensued. He can use psychic energy known as PSI and also wields a bat and a
yo-yo. This brave youth gives his all to defeat the evil Giygas.
Earthbound (Super Nintendo)
Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo 64)
Dojo Description:
Despite being a hidden character, Ness pops up briefly in the opening movie.
As this is Ness's third appearance in a Smash game, I imagine he's quite the
veteran fighter at this point. Maybe he's even used to this by now.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 03. SMASH TERMS -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AERIALS
· Throughout this guide, I will refer to Aerial Attacks like so:
1. Nair: Neutral Aerial
2. Dair: Down Aerial
3. Uair: Up Aerial
4. Fair: Forward Aerial
5. Bair: Back Aerial
CHAIN/COMBO
· Using several attacks in succession to hit an enemy
CHAINGRAB
· Using several grabs/throws in succession to hit an enemy
DIRECTIONAL INFLUENCE (DI)
· Holding the directional stick to decrease the knockback of an attack
EDGEHOG
· Grabbing the ledge so that someone else can't, causing them to fall
helplessly to their death.
EDGEGUARD
· Attacking someone trying to recover
FAST FALL
· Tapping the control stick down at the peak of a jump. This causes the player
to fall much faster than normally.
FINISHER
· Any attack that has KO potential
GLANCING BLOWS
· This is when an attack barely hits your opponent. The attack will have no
knockback and the opponent get minimal damage.
KNOCKBACK
· The distance an opponent travels when hit by an attack
LAG
· The amount of time spent after using an attack where you cannot
perform actions
METEOR SMASH
· An aerial attack where an opponent is smashed down very fast
PRIORITY
· Every attack has a certain amount of priority assigned. This basically
just means that if you use a powerful attack while your opponent
uses a weaker one, the strong attack will hit and the weaker one gets
cancelled out.
PROJECTILE CAMPING
· Like camping, the player stays in a single area and uses projectile attacks
from afar.
Example: Fox stays on one side of Final Destination and fires lasers
RECOVERY
· An attempt midair, using your second and third (Up+B) jumps to return to
the stage.
Official Description from the Smash Bros DOJO!!:
After an enemy sends you flying really far, it seems like all that's
left is for you to fall. But you must never give up hope!
SEX KICK
· Any attack that gets weaker over time. These attacks generally have a single
animation and the corresponding hitbox gets smaller as the attack stays out.
SMASH
· To perform a Smash Attack, tap the control stick quickly and press A
Throughout the guide, I will refer to Tilt Attacks like so:
1. Fsmash: Forward Smash
2. Usmash: Up Smash
3. Dsmash: Down Smash
SWEETSPOT
· The best part of an attack to hit with
ie. Ness' bair is best closer to his body
TETHER
· A type of recovery move where the player attaches themselves by a rope
or 'tether' cord to the ledge.
THROWS
· To perform a Throw, press the Z button while in close vicinity of your
opponent and tap any direction once you have grabbed them.
Throughout the guide, I will refer to throws like so:
1. Fthrow: Forward Throw
2. Bthrow: Backward Throw
3. Uthrow: Upward Throw
4. Dthrow: Downward Throw
TILT
· To perform a Tilt Attack, tap the control stick slightly and press A
Throughout the guide, I will refer to Tilt Attacks like so:
1. Ftilt: Forward Tilt
2. Utilt: Up Tilt
3. Dtilt: Down Tilt
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 04. MISC INFORMATION -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is basically just a section for random information that I didn't know
where I could put it. Some used to be in the introduction, but that wasn't
really a good place for them. Enjoy! x)
+--------------------+
| (04A) . Entrance |
+--------------------+
Ness misuses a PSI Teleport. His hair gets all fried up like what happens
in Earthbound if you hit an obstacle while trying to use the Teleport.
+---------------------------+
| (04B) . Idle Animations |
+---------------------------+
Not necessarily something that is useful, but whenever you leave
your character be for a certain amount of time (not sure how long this is)
they will go into one of 2 different animations. Here is a basic description
of what Ness will do, along with a link of a picture of them. :]
· Ness looks around in a ready stance as if someone were watching him.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/1116/nessidleuj3.jpg
· Ness focuses his PSI energy? Looks more like a facepalm to me. x)
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4894/nessidle2ji1.jpg
+--------------------+
| (04C) . Costumes |
+--------------------+
Ness was lucky enough to get new costume changes that aren't just
new palettes of stripes. They aren't complete texture changes, but
it's something. There are two of them, featuring plain coloured shirts
with different coloured sleeves.
Classic/Red Team
· Red Hat with Blue tip
· Yellow + Blue Striped Shirt
New Costume 1
· White Hat with Red tip
· White Shirt with Red Sleeves
Bumblebee Ness
· Yellow Hat with Black tip
· Yellow + Black Striped Shirt
Green Team Ness
· Green Hat with Orange tip
· Green + Orange Striped Shirt
Blue Team Ness
· Blue Hat with Purple tip
· Blue + Yellow Striped Shirt
New Costume 2 (Slick Ness)
· Pink Hat with Black tip
· Pure Black Shirt with Mr. Saturn Sprite
+------------------+
| (04D) . Taunts |
+------------------+
Hey, it's important to annoy your opponent too, right? OKAY!
· Up: Okay!
· Side: Bat Pose
· Down: Waves PK energy with hand
· Down+B: PSI Magnet is a great taunt for opponents without projectiles
Use your Up Taunt when you're far away or even between juggles to really
annoy your enemies. Not much else to say here. =P
Update: I was actually asked by a few people what I wrote as my taunts,
so here they are!
Up: You must recover!
Front: SMAAAASH!!
Back: BROOKLYN
RAAAAGE!
Down: It's super effective!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 05. STANDARD TECHNIQUES -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+------------------+
| (05A) . Shield |
+------------------+
Performance:
To use your shield, just tap L or R and a bubble will appear around your
character. If you hold your shield up, it will gradually get smaller
and smaller until it finally gives in. At this point, you will lose
consciousness and will be prone to attacks for a few seconds.
Effect:
If you use your shield, you can block your enemy's attacks. After which,
you could use a follow-up attack or do a number of things to counter.
Learning the timing of shielding is essential to winning your matches and
you'll want to be able to react to attacks in time to shield. With these
muscle reflexes at hand, blocking attacks will later become your highest
priority, right up there with dodging attacks in the first place with
unpredictable movements. In addition to keeping your shield out for long
periods of time, it will also diminish if you block an attack. Several
attacks will break your shield, so be careful not to use it too often.
Application:
Timing is key when using your shield and it can aid you in several ways.
One of which is the fact that you can block projectiles instead of having
to get out of its way and leaving yourself in the open for another attack.
After shielding a melee attack, it is a very easy counter to use a tilt
or even a regular jab combo to knock your opponent away for easy percent.
Aside from just blocking and countering, you could also use the opportunity
of being at such close range to grab your enemy.
While in the shield, there are also two other options you have for a surprise
attack: shield grabs and shield jumps. Shield grabs are performed by pressing
the A button while inside a shield. This saves quite a bit of the opening lag
time for a grab and is actually much safer to do when compared to a regular
grab. I suggest you shield grab immediately after blocking an attack. As your
other option, shield jumping can actually benefit a Ness player quite nicely.
If you tap the jump button while in your shield, you can quickly switch from
your defensive position and go straight for an aerial.
+------------------------+
| (05B) . Power Shield |
+------------------------+
Performance:
Tap your shield at the exact same frame of an attack.
Effect:
If you power shield a projectile attack, you will actually deflect it back
at your enemy. The timing has to be PERFECT for this to happen.
Application:
This works well against characters with a one-shot powerful projectile.
ie. ROB's Laser & Lucario's Aura Sphere
If you can get the timing of a Power Shield (Also called Perfect Shielding)
down, you can really throw off your opponent, who is most likely camping.
If your timing is off, then you'll have successfully shielded the attack
anyways. Don't even worry about practicing this bad boy, it's almost
impossible to learn to do.
+----------------------+
| (05C) . Spot Dodge |
+----------------------+
Performance:
Hold/tap L or R and move the control stick downwards simultaneously.
Effect:
You'll end up moving to the side (towards/away from the screen itself)
and dodging any attack in the process.
Application:
Use it on strong projectiles. Use it on weak projectiles. Just be sure
that your timing is right and you can dodge just about anything with it.
The only thing to watch for is multiple hit Smash Attacks. For example,
Diddy Kong's fsmash has 3 hitboxes and you might not be able to dodge
all 3 hits. The biggest use for spot dodging would have to be dodging
forward smashes and tilts at close range. Once you dodge one, your opponent
will be in the ending animation and lag, giving you plenty of time to react
and counter with a Smash Attack of your own.
+----------------------+
| (05D) . Dodge Roll |
+----------------------+
Performance:
Hold/tap L or R and move the Control Stick left or right
Effect:
You'll go from your shield and literally just roll on the ground in the
direction you pressed. When you're rolling, you can't be hit until the
rolling animation is up. It's basically like a cheap dodging technique
that everyone uses and abuses.
Application:
Ness has poor ground game, so rolling is more or less strictly for dodging
your opponent attacks and keeping your distance. However, it is not only
possible, but very effective to roll behind an opponent and use a 3 Jab
Combo attack. Most other characters could use this same method, but replace
the Jab Combo with a Smash Attack. Since Ness has a very unique usmash and
dsmash, this is not the case. I strongly suggest using the Jab Combo or
any of your tilts.
+---------------------+
| (05E) . Air Dodge |
+---------------------+
Performance:
Press L or R while in the air.
Effect:
Just like a spot dodge, your character will be able to avoid all attacks
for a slim amount of time.
Application:
Air dodges have changed since Melee. Back in the day, we used to be able to
mash a direction while air dodging to dodge wherever we wanted. In Brawl...
this isn't quite the case. Air dodges will only allow you to continue in
whatever direction you were going with brief invulnerability. Any momentum
you previously had will just stay with you. This basic technique is useful
when your opponent is edgeguarding and also for trying to get back to the
stage after being hit with an usmash.
+----------------------+
| (05F) . Tech/Ukemi |
+----------------------+
Performance:
Press L or R upon contact with a surface after being hit by an attack
Effect:
After being hit with an attack and you come in contact with a surface, you
will usually take a while to get back up and in control. If you tech the
surface, you can come back into control in an instant.
Application:
After a tech, you can hit right or left to roll. This roll is actually longer
than your normal dodge roll and is also referred to as techrolling. Another
neat thing about teching is that you can do it on ANY surface, not just the
ground. This especially helps if you've been pinned against a wall or if
you've been smashed into a ceiling. Just be sure to remember that if you tech
against a wall/ceiling, you won't get up like a regular tech and you'll have
to recover like usual. Whatever surface you tech on is the technical term
for what kind of tech you did. Like say you teched on a wall, that's called
a walltech. The rarest and most difficult place to tech on is the ledge and
it is very respected if you can do so in a serious match.
+---------------------+
| (05G) . Crouching |
+---------------------+
Performance:
Hold down on the control stick.
Effect:
Simple. Crouching is used for dodging certain attacks. Ness is short enough
that there are quite a few attacks that can be dodged just by tapping down.
Application:
Ness' crouch is very low compared to most characters, so you'll want to put
this to use. Crouching under attacks is the quickest way to dodge them, and
you can get in followup attacks like nothing. What I usually do is crouch,
dtilt, then utilt. This way, your opponent is in the air and guess what? You
just got some easy damage. Noteworthy attacks that you can dodge by crouching
include Falco's Lasers, ROB's fmsash and Ike's bair.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 06. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+--------------------+
| (06A) . Fox Trot |
+--------------------+
Performance:
Do an initial dash, then do another immediately afterward without
any running. Can be repeated many times in a row.
Effect:
Character does several initial dashes. A component of the True Pivot,
useful for little else as it exacerbates the probability of tripping.
Application:
Ness' overall running speed is pretty weak compared to a multitude of other
characters. Fox trotting gives Ness the edge he needs to approach characters
that is further away. This AT also opens up to other strategies, explained
below.
+-----------------+
| (06B) . Pivot |
+-----------------+
Performance:
After a dash (preferably during a Fox-Trot), start a 2nd initial
dash. Before the second dash animation begins, move the joystick
in the opposite direction you're dashing and perform any move.
C-stick can be used instead of a rapid joystick reversal and makes
the Pivot-Smashing much easier.
Effect:
Character stops in place, turns around, and uses the move you input.
Different from the Melee Pivot in that it is less versatile and can only
be performed out of an initial dash.
Application:
There are two main techniques which I personally use that are quite
effective as a Ness player: Pivot Slides and Pivot Grabs.
-----------------------
- 06B1. Pivot Slide -
-----------------------
Performance:
This AT is performed by dashing, then performing a pivot, but holding
forward a little bit after the pivot. It's different for every character, but
while you turn around and start moving forward, there is a window that you
can cancel the pivot into a something.
Effect:
With the right timing, after pivoting and moving forward just a bit, do a
forward smash in the opposite direction, and your character will perform a
slide while smashing!
Application:
Since Ness' usmash can damage while charging, you can slide towards an enemy
and the yo-yo will connect immediately. After this point, you can let it
go for easy multiple hits. Most players know roughly the range of the
attack, but with this extra boost, you can throw them off guard. Aside from
using an usmash to get your opponent into the air, you can also use this
technique as a way to set yourself up for your fsmash. The Bat can be a
deadly thing and with a little bit of extra range, you can obliterate.
----------------------
- 06B2. Pivot Grab -
----------------------
Performance:
While running, press Shield + A + backwards (on the joystick)
or Grab + Backwards simultaneously.
Effect:
Character turns around 180 degrees and does a backwards-aimed Grab while
sliding in the direction of the initial run.
Application:
Ness' grab range is horrible. This fixes that. 'Nuff said.
+-------------------------------+
| (06C) . Reverse Aerial Rush |
+-------------------------------+
Performance:
Tap the directional pad/stick towards your opponent to do a dash. When
you're coming closer to them, tap the opposite direction to pivot.
Afterwards, do a jump (short hop would be best), and you can use your
bair at this point. Pivoting during a dash keeps the momentum of the dash,
but you can set yourself up for the attack at ease. This technique is also
misinterpreted as Moonwalking, but this is slightly different from that
Advanced Technique. For more information on the Moonwalk, feel free to
contact me. Otherwise, here's how to RAR:
A = Opponent Note: This doesn't exactly best represent the
X = Ness technique, but it gives you an idea. If
<> = Directions anyone can make a better diagram in ASCII
let me know and I'll include it here.
1) A X
------------------
2) A X < < <
------------------
3) A > X
------------------
4) > X
A
------------------
5) AX <
------------------
Effect:
You should be able to perform a bair while moving forwards.
Application:
Ness has sub-par ground game, and this is a technique that can help with that.
It is really important to learn if you want to play an offensive game since
you can approach just about anyone with this. Approaching certain characters on
the ground is a very risky thing without advanced techniques. Pivot sliding and
RAR will save you from this. Otherwise, you could find yourself in a tough
position.
+------------------------+
| (06D) . Hyphen Smash |
+------------------------+
Performance:
While running, simply perform an up-smash.
Effect:
Same as a Jump-Canceled Up-smash. Character slides forward while doing an
up-smash, which can be charged. Distance traveled appears to be equal for both
techniques.
Application:
Works the same way as a Pivot Slide. You even travel the same distance.
"Since Ness' usmash can damage while charging, you can slide towards an enemy
and the yo-yo will connect immediately. After this point, you can let it
go for easy multiple hits. Most players know roughly the range of the
attack, but with this extra boost, you can throw them off guard. Aside from
using an usmash to get your opponent into the air, you can also use this
technique as a way to set yourself up for your fsmash. The Bat can be a
deadly thing and with a little bit of extra range, you can obliterate."
+-------------------------+
| (06E) . Absorb Cancel |
+-------------------------+
Performance:
As soon as a projectile connects with your PSI Magnet,
press Jump, left, right, or down.
Effect:
Ness will absorb the projectile, then jump, roll, or side-step dodge
immediately. This cancels out the lag time afterwards.
Application:
Eliminates the lag after absorption. Common sense would tell you this is good?
+--------------------------------+
| (06F) . PK Thunder 2 Barrier |
+--------------------------------+
Performance:
With this technique, all you want to do is time your PKT to act as a net and
get hit into it when your opponent uses their edgeguarding tactic.
Effect:
You'll cancel out your opponent's Meteor Smash or any other attack since
PKT2 has such high priority, and you will be able to recover back to the
platform.
Application:
Ness is easily edgeguarded against when playing certain characters. They
will usually try to use a bair or spikes/meteors. Ness' best defense against
this is called the PKT2 Barrier. This works at any percentage, but the timing
will vary depending on what it's at.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 07. MOVELIST -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like any character in Smash, their movelist is very limited compared to more
traditional fighting games. Melee introduced a fourth Special attack, and
this concept was kept in Brawl. In addition to these four attacks, there are
four directional Smash Attacks + tilts, directional aerial attacks, as well
as a few others. I use certain names for all of Ness' moves - be sure you're
familiar with them when reading on about other strategies since I don't refer
to their button combination, but their names instead. However, this is not
always true. Sorry for the inconsistencies!
+-----------------+
| (07A) . Tilts |
+-----------------+
As stated earlier in the Smash Terms Section (03), a Tilt Attack can be
performed by pushing the Control Stick slightly in any direction and
pressing the A button. These types of attacks can only be performed on the
ground. There are three types of tilts: Up, Forward, and Down. I have
given each a name for the use in this guide, but some are actually quite
common to the Smash Community.
Tilt attacks can be abbreviated by taking the first letter of the direction
pressed during the attack. (utilt, ftilt, dtilt).
Note: All damage percentage values are based off of the first time you use
it. If you use an attack multiple times, the value will be reduced.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Up Tilt - Volleyball Bump
x! Damage Dealt - 7%
x! Knockback - Low
x! Priority - Mid to Low
x! Range - Very Low
Ness raises both his hands as if he were appraising some higher power or
setting a volleyball. Yep, let's go with that second one since its
analogy works much better in Smash Bros.
Just like in volleyball, a set is essential for scoring points. In this case,
the set will allow you to get your opponent into the air, where Ness excels.
This attack will knock your enemies straight upwards into the air and you
can use this opportunity upon yourself to your advantage.
One combo that some players are very susceptible to is to just repeatedly
utilt them and chain it into an usmash or uair. Sure, you might be Meteor
Smashed in the process, but it's worth a shot if you're at low percentages.
It isn't something that you'd see in the more competitive scene of Smash,
so they just might expect it. Most know of this combo and will DI out of it
on instinct, so just be careful with it.
At lower percentages, this is a great attack to rack up easy damage with.
You can hit your opponent up, use another utilt, then go for some aerials.
Just make sure you judge their percentage right and you can easily juggle
your opponent. The only downfall to this attack is its ridiculously short
range. Use sparingly, you've got better options to getting a foe into the
air. I recommend you to use this setup when your opponent is under 50%,
but it would be great if you could use it when they're under 20%.
At higher percentages ... I suggest you avoid this move completely. Once
you've got an opponent over 70%, you can try to go for a KO or get them
offstage and edgeguard them. The only use for this attack would be around
110-140% since you can chain into an uair for a kill.
Heavy and fast-falling characters are very easy to utilt combo against.
It can be very tough for larger opponents to DI out of a utilt combo,
especially if you usmash right after. Characters that you can use this
effectively against include: Fox, Falco, Link, Bowser, and DK.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Forward Tilt - Spinning Kick
x! Damage Dealt - 11%
x! Knockback - High
x! Priority - Mid to High
x! Range - Mid
Ness does a 360° spin and kicks with his right leg. During this attack,
you can actually tilt the Control Stick upwards, downwards, or directly
forwards to move the height of his kick. If you change the direction of
his kick, you can get some crazy ass control over the knockback. Aside
from this minor technicality that probably won't be put to use very often,
the actual raw damage percentage of the attack slightly changes when you
do so. Upwards is 12%, forwards is 11% and downwards is 10%.
Unlike in Melee, the Spinning Kick is actually of some use. It's got pretty
decent knockback this time around, so if you dash-cancel to use it can be
helpful when you're at higher percentages and playing defensive. If anything,
you can use this bad boy as a shocker when edgeguarding.
If you've been using this at lower percentages, then you've been using it
completely wrong. The knockback of this attack is greatly increased at
higher percentages, so this isn't something you'll want to use at low
damage.
As I said earlier, it's a great defensive attack. If you've just KO'd your
opponent and have a high percent value, you'll want to keep your distance
and this is the attack for the job.
I find that this tilt is great for characters that have good ground attacks
or are fast on the ground. The best example of this is Sonic, who can
clearly outrun Ness on the ground. A well placed dash-canceled ftilt
works perfectly against Sonic's fast pace-style. Other worthy characters
to mention here are Captain Falcon and Fox.
An extremely unlikely, yet effective method of using this attack is to
use it while edgeguarding certain characters. Just stand at the ledge
and aim this thing downwards and it can really work against anyone over
90%. The perfect use of this is against Donkey Kong and Bowser, since their
recovery works pretty much horizontal. Yoshi can do this pretty well too,
but make sure his second jump doesn't go above your head. Timing is key.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Down Tilt - Piston Kick
x! Damage Dealt - 4%
x! Knockback - Almost None
x! Priority - Very Low
x! Range - Low
Ness crouches over close to the ground and lets out a swift kick.
..usually, there's a long ass description of what this attack is good for,
but this is such a simple attack that I'll explain it real quick.
Spamming a few Piston Kicks every now and then can rack up easy damage when
your opponent is at low percents, but don't go overboard. If you're at that
close range, you should be trying to grab anyways.
Another use for the Piston Kick is if your opponent is dashing at you and
they have a dash-attack that contacts physically. Usually, you can cancel
them out, and there will be less lag on the Piston Kick to snag some easy
damage.
The one thing that has changed in this move in Brawl is the introduction
of Tripping. The Piston Kick has a high chance of tripping an opponent,
granting them enough invincibility frames to escape. I guess this was their
way of balancing the attack. Back in the SSBM days, you could use this for
ages. In Brawl, you can use it as an effective and easy edgeguard against
certain types of recovery. Just stand at the ledge, hold down, and spam
the A button.
+-------------------------+
| (07B) . Smash Attacks |
+-------------------------+
As stated earlier in the Smash Terms Section (03), a Smash Attack can be
performed by pushing the Control Stick quickly in any direction and
pressing the A button. These types of attacks can only be performed on the
ground. There are three types of tilts: Up, Front, and Down. I have
given each a name for the use in this guide, but some are actually quite
common to the Smash Community or just common sense.
All Smash Attack percent damage values in this section are based off of
not charging it at all. The Yo-Yos can actually damage during the charge,
and this is not noted, but actually later explained in each subsection.
Smash attacks can be abbreviated by taking the first letter of the direction
pressed during the attack. (usmash, fsmash, dsmash).
Note: All damage percentage values are based off of the first time you use
it. If you use an attack multiple times, the value will be reduced.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Front Smash - Baseball Bat
x! Damage Dealt - 18%-24%
x! Knockback - Very High
x! Priority - Very High
x! Range - Mid
Ness pulls a baseball bat out of his backpack, pulls it back, and swings
in one swift motion. It's the type of attack that takes a decent amount of
time to start up, but well worth it. The thing can really hit hard.
Hitting your target with the very tip of the bat will do more
damage (24%) compared to anywhere else (18%). The distance needed to hit
with the tip is roughly half a dodge roll, so be sure to learn the exact
positioning to hit with. Aside from a damage increase, there is also the
benefit of higher knockback from the attack.
Ness's side smash is a bat that requires a lot of start up time to get
swinging but really hits hard.
Ah, the bat. One of Ness' finishers. Very useful in knocking enemies away
from you or using it as a KO attack. It's pretty slow to use, you're
better off using aerials or his yo-yos for racking up damage. Hell, it's
best to avoid it at lower percentages altogether.
As a finishing blow, the Baseball Bat's only compare in Ness' moveset is
the PK Cannonball and PK Flash. The main difference is that it can't be
predicted nearly as easily and that the startup and ending lag is much
shorter. Take note of how long it takes to start up and you'll be fine.
Its speed has decreased since Melee because of the new physics engine.
A good way to use the bat is to trap your enemy inside a PK Fire, walk
up to them and Smash them away. If they're close to the edge, you can
usually get a nice and easy KO off of this.
Aside from its lack of speed and KO power, it can also be used to reflect
projectile attacks. This can be done with just about anything, ranging from
Mario's Fireballs to Samus' Charge Shot. I wouldn't recommend doing it, since
PSI Magnet is so much faster to pull out and you aren't so vulnerable due to
its ending lag. However, there are times when this could prove to be useful.
An excellent example of this is Snake's Nikita Missile. It has enough power
to break your shield if you've been using it to block his attacks and can't
be absorbed by PSI Magnet. If you can get the timing right, you can just
deflect it from a distance, and keep at bay.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Up Smash - Around the World
x! Damage Dealt - 13%-17%
x! Knockback - Mid to High
x! Priority - High
x! Range - Mid
Ness pulls a Yo-Yo out of his Backpack. He quickly puts it to sleep and
sets it up for an 'Around the World' yo-yo trick. This point is where
the Smash charges and Ness will release it above his head and behind him
in a complete half-circle. The biggest change about this attack compared
to the one in Melee is that it does a decent amount of damage and
knockback now. Feels kind of like the one in SSB64, but lacks the amazing
KO power it used to have.
The one unique quality of the Yo-Yo is that it is the only Smash Attack in
the game that can damage an enemy while charging it. Hell, that's the whole
strategy behind it. Scoring multiple hits is so satisfying that you'll end
up trying to lure opponents into jumping at you. The amounts of damage you
can do with the Yo-Yo at each separate part of Around the World are:
· Charge: 4%
· Upward: 17%
· Behind: 13%
The upward section of the attack is everything after the charge up until
the yo-yo is behind Ness' back. This is generally the spot you'll be using
to hit your opponent.
The behind section of the attack is once the yo-yo is behind Ness' back.
It is a rare occasion to hit with this, so the knockback is very unique.
They fly up at a 45 degree angle at lower percents and this angle just gets
higher when at higher percents.
As I said earlier, it is a great attack to get multiple hits on. Another
perk with Around the World is that it knocks your enemy upwards. As you
know by now, Ness is an aerialist, so this is very important. And
if you didn't .. then you're just a noob. Anyways, enough about your
scrubbiness, that's why you're reading this guide in the first place.
My favourite thing to do with this attack is to pivot slide into it. You
can do this at almost any percentage because of its high priority. It
stops most dash attacks, hits them with the charge, and you can release
it for around 20% or so. I strongly suggest you learn to pivot slide
properly.
At low percentages, this attack is great as a defensive approach. Pivot
slides and hyphen smashing will allow you to approach your opponent
without worrying about Ness' lack of speed. Once you've got them in your
attack, quickly short hop an aerial for some really easy damage.
Around the World can KO opponents at 127% on Final Destination. This
statistic is limited to Final Destination only since the ceiling is on
a fixed height. On other stages, you might need them higher or lower
in order to get a KO. Putting technicalities aside, you'll just want to
keep in mind that this is a very powerful defensive attack. If both you
and your opponent are at high percentages, it wouldn't be such a bad
idea to go for a KO with it.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Down Smash - Walk the Dog
x! Damage Dealt - 13%
x! Knockback - High
x! Priority - High
x! Range - Low
Ness pulls a Yo-Yo out of his Backpack and quickly puts it to sleep, much
like his usmash, Around the World. This time, he puts it behind his back
(this is where it is charged), and sets himself up for a "Walk the Dog"
yo-yo trick. In case you didn't know, this yo-yo trick involves putting
the yo-yo to sleep (or in Smash, it is charged), and releasing it. This
causes the momentum built up from the spin to allow it to 'walk' along
the ground. After it releases behind your back, it'll spin to your front,
covering both sides if you're lucky enough. Similarly to Around the World,
this Smash attack lost its weak power that it had in Melee. It's got
amazing knockback and comes out pretty fast.
The one unique quality of the Yo-Yo is that it is the only Smash Attack in
the game that can damage an enemy while charging it. Hell, that's the whole
strategy behind it. Scoring multiple hits is so satisfying that you'll end
up trying to lure opponents into jumping at you. The amounts of damage you
can do with the Yo-Yo at each separate part of Walk the Dog are:
· Charge: 4%
· Release: 13%
Like I said in the opening paragraph, the charge of this Smash Attack is
behind Ness. Hitting with this part of the attack and releasing it will
cause multiple hits, making it an above average attack. The odds of this
to happen are very minimal since the only way for this to happen is for
your opponent to land on the yo-yo while you charge it. Anyways, enough
about rare occasions, you're here to learn about when and how to use
attacks effectively.
Its one main use for a little mindgames is to stand with your back turned,
and pull out your yo-yo when they dash towards you. It comes out fairly fast
and even if they dodge roll to your other side, they'll get hit by the second
part of the attack. Walking the Dog can be used to knock your opponent
diagonally upwards off edge to set yourself up for a dair or bair.
Aside from this, I wouldn't really use it unless you want to KO an opponent
at high percentage that is much faster than you. This particularly applies
to opponents with fast and/or powerful dash attacks.
+-------------------+
| (07C) . Aerials |
+-------------------+
As stated earlier in the Smash Terms Section (03), an Aerial can be
performed by pushing the Control Stick quickly in any direction and
pressing the A button. These types of attacks can only be performed in
the air. There are five types of aerials: Neutral, Front, Back, Up,
and Down. I have given each a name for use in this guide, but some are
actually quite common to the Smash Community or are just common sense.
Aerial attacks can be abbreviated by taking the first letter of the direction
pressed during the attack. (nair, fair, bair, uair, dair).
Note: All damage percentage values are based off of the first time you use
it. If you use an attack multiple times, the value will be reduced.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Neutral Air - Spinning Flail
x! Damage Dealt - 7%-11%
x! Knockback - Low
x! Priority - Mid
x! Range - Very Low
Ness spins around and hits with both his hands.
The attack comes out very fast and has a decent priority ranking.
It also has a pretty low amount of knockback, so its one main use
is that it's an easy amount of damage that can be chained into
or out of.
Since it is so easy to chain into or out of, you'll want to use this
often. Its got nearly no lag and Ness cancels out of an aerial if he
hits the ground, so it's a pretty safe attack. The only thing you'll
have to worry about is opponents with disjointed hitboxes since the
extra range will catch you offguard. You should always remember that
a non-sweetspotted nair is one of the best attacks in Ness' arsenal
since you can chain it into just about any attack - it just depends
on where your opponent is located. You could go from weak nair to
any aerial or fast fall, hit the ground, and hit with a utilt/ftilt.
Like I said earlier, a weak nair is amazing as an opener since it's
the start of a TRUE combo, despite Brawl having a physics engine
that discourages combos. You'll want to take full advantage of it
when at lower percentages. If you want a bit more analysis of this
weak nair combo business, head to the Inescapable Chains section.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Front Air - PK Barrage
x! Damage Dealt - 11% in 5 hits
x! Knockback - Low to Mid
x! Priority - Mid to High
x! Range - Mid
Ness pushes both hands forwards and sparkles fly out in PSI style.
The one unique property of this attack that I'd like to point out is
that there are five seperate hitboxes for the attack that appear
consecutively. What this basically means is that there are five hits to
the move, so it makes a great approach from a dashjump.
This attack can be chained into from a down throw at ease or even from
a ftilt. Your best bet here is to learn to sweetspot the attack for
optimal damage.
Something you'll want to master the timing of. This attack is great for
racking up damage when your opponent is at lower percentages, or
even for defensive game when you're about to die.
Depending on your jump, you'll have to sweetspot this attack differently.
If you fast fall, you can get some quick hits, but with low damage. If
you have your second jump during your recovery, use this during the second
jump if you can get back onto the platform (not grabbing the ledge). It's
a quick hit to give you the chance to get back up on your feet.
If you fast fall this attack for the first two or three hitboxes, you can
chain into a ftilt or AAA combo right away and your opponent most likely
won't expect it.
One thing I'd like to note about this aerial is that it works great on
sloped surfaces when coming from the bottom area. Since there are five
hitboxes and it has decent priority, you can easily reach your opponent
and knock them offguard. Actually, I'd have to say that your best bet at
approaching from a sloped surface is with your fair since your dash attack
gets severely gimped at an angle. Your other main ground move, PK Fire,
is also nerfed since it travels straight horizontal.
Another good application of this attack is when you're recovering while
using your second jump. If you can make it back to the platform without
using up PK Thunder, it works out pretty well to use this right as you
approach the ledge. The attack lasts quite a while because of its
animation and the hitboxes actually stay out. This works amazingly well
against people who edgeguard you by charging up a Smash Attack or just
stand by the ledge, ready to attack.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Back Air - Dropkick
x! Damage Dealt - 8%-15%
x! Knockback - Very High
x! Priority - High
x! Range - Low
Ness kicks both of his feet backwards midair. If you sweetspot it, PSI
sparks will go flying and your opponent will too!
This is an attack that can be considered a sex kick, so you'll want to
learn to time your jumping so that it can be sweetspotted and get you
an easy KO. The sweetspot region of this attack is right when it comes
out. Learn the timing of this to do maximum damage and knockback.
Your bair is going to be an essential move when it comes to edgeguarding.
The animation and lag of the attack is fairly short, so you can make good
use of this by jumping off the ledge and using this while your opponent
makes their attempt to recover. If you happen to miss the attack, you
should always approach the ledge from below, but at a slight angle so
that you don't set your opponent up perfectly for a meteor smash.
Short hopping this attack during your approach can be very useful since it
can rack up a load of easy damage and because of the sex kick trait. This
means that since the attack has such high priority and lasts for a while,
it's a safe bet when running at your opponent.
If you hit at the very opening of the attack (the sweetspot), it will
ensure you 15% on your opponent. Hit them afterwards and it only does 8%.
This means that you'll want to learn the timing of when and how to use it.
Running at your opponent with this attack can look very, very obvious.
If you're going to use this to rack up damage, rather than as a finisher,
I strongly suggest you learn to use the Reverse Aerial Rush (RAR).
Edgeguarding against people whose recovery is stronger on a vertical level
rather than horizontal works very well, since the timing on hitting them
isn't so punishing. Easy to edgeguard characters include: Link, Toon Link,
Peach, Fox/Falco/Wolf, and Marth.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Up Air - Headbutt
x! Damage Dealt - 13%
x! Knockback - Mid
x! Priority - Mid
x! Range - Low
Ness pushes his head up while in the air like he were Zidane or something.
Seriously, if you just look at the attack, it's kinda funny =P
The Headbutt can KO at roughly 140% on most characters, but this obviously
differs on weight and their directional influence.
At lower percentages, you can just juggle with this at ease. Pop the
opponent into the air or wait for them to jump at you, and short hop the
Headbutt. It isn't that hard to do, but take note of the limited range
of the attack.
I'd also like to take note that at low percentages, an uair can be directly
chained into a utilt if they are directly above you. This is an inescapable
chain. What this means is that no matter how hard your opponent tries, it
is impossible to get out of this. Aerial dodges and perfect double stick
directional influence won't even help if they get into this chain. Sounds
like a big deal, right? It's a good and easy 20+%.
Another chain that I find to be quite useful is to use your dash attack,
then go right for the uair. Hitting all three parts of the dash will send
them directly above you - the perfect setup for a Headbutt.
Easy attacks to chain into include just about any aerial, depending on how
your opponent DIs. If they go flying and you're on the ground instead of
chasing them, you can easily counter their dair or whatever they try to
use against you with some simple Thunder Juggling or an usmash yo-yo.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Down Air - Stepkick
x! Damage Dealt - 12%
x! Knockback - Very High - Meteor
x! Priority - High
x! Range - Mid
Ah, Ness' meteor smash. In fact, it's the arguably the most powerful one
out there (right up there with Gordandorf). Basically, Ness just kicks both
his stubby feet downwards mid-air in this move.
Being a meteor smash, it is something you'll want to master. It is one of
Ness' easiest moves to KO with, but use it wisely. If you're lucky and your
opponent just isn't prepared, you can KO with this attack at 0%-20%.
A property of this attack that I'd like to point out is that if you use it
slightly above a fall-through platform, your hitbox will actually travel
through the platform. This takes a great deal of practice to master, but
the easiest place to do it is in Target Test Level One. The second target
that is underneath the area you start around can be hit by your meteor
smash through the floor. This tactic works great in a real battle against
larger enemies (Bowser, DK, Dedede) since they really won't expect it
and their size almost guarantees the hit. If they're on the ground, they
will get popped up into the air and you can follow up with another aerial
or a tilt.
Ness' meteor. Self-explanatory really. It's changed since Melee since it
doesn't actually push yourself down, you seem to just stall in the air
temporarily and then hit downwards. It comes out a bit faster now, similar
to 64, but still isn't as good.
Use it sparingly because it will leave you out in the open if you're using
it to KO. A tactic I use for this attack is to start a series of dodgerolls
and sidesteps to give my opponent the feeling as if I'm just trying not to
get killed. Right after, give a quick short hop and the Step Kick to get
them knocked down on the ground, opening them up for follow-up attacks.
In this instance, tilts will really work well and of course, your AAA jab.
+--------------------+
| (07D) . Specials |
+--------------------+
A Special Attack can be performed by pressing the B button and any
direction or no direction at all (neutral). Unlike other attacks, I will
not use abbrevations, just the actual attack name.
Note: All damage percentage values are based off of the first time you use
it. If you use an attack multiple times, the value will be reduced.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Neutral B - PK Flash
x! Damage Dealt - 9%-37%
x! Knockback - Very High
x! Priority - Very High
x! Range - Low to Mid
A 'pulse' of PK energy appears above Ness' head. Holding down B will charge
the attack, creating a larger pulse. Uncharged, it will do 9%, and at full
charge, it does 37%. Apparently Ness yells "pulse" during this attack, but
the voice actor sounds like they've got some sort of disease. Other
misconceptions include: Flash, Frosh, Cross, etc.
This attack doesn't have much speed in particular and leaves you right out
in the open if you miss (very common mistake). This is best used at a range
against people who camp without projectiles or as an edgeguard if you can
time it right. Nothing beats leaving a fully charged Flash at the ledge
right when your opponent is about to grab it. Even with this, it isn't an
attack that you should ever be using in a free for all if your opponents
are paying any attention at all. Not to mention that since it is an
energy-based attack, it can be absorbed, reflected, or caped. It could be
especially fatal if a Game & Watch player absorbs your PK Flash. If another
Ness or Lucas player absorbs it, they will usually recover at LEAST 50%,
so I'd just avoid it unless attack enemies from above.
I'd also like to point out that since there isn't much speed on this beast
of an attack, the power of it really makes up for it. It has an insane
amount of knockback and damage if charged. Even uncharged, there are uses
for it, especially after a successful juggle and your opponent it on their
way down from your attacks. Tap B and you'll get some decent results.
An amazing way to use this attack is to double jump cancel into it. To
DJC the attack, all you need to do is jump, use your second jump, then
immediately after, use the attack. This can make for some insane mindgames
when uncharged and can come with great surprise. I suggest doing this late
into a one on one stock match for a real nice KO.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Side B - PK Fire
x! Damage Dealt - 22% in 9 Hits
x! Knockback - None
x! Priority - Mid to High
x! Range - Mid
Amazing. It's got relatively little lag and you can spam it from
a decent distance, trapping your opponent. Ness shoots a pillar of fire from
his fingertips, and it stuns on contact since the pillar just stays there for
a total of 9 hits. While your opponent is trapped, it gives you plenty of
options for attacks after the fact, but be sure to note that if they are
prepared for it, it will be easy to escape. When used in the air, it will
be shot downwards at a 45 degree angle relative to the direction you face.
A tactic that is 'super effective' (against all types) is double jump
canceling (DJC). Generally, this was taken out of Brawl, but this Special
attack is an exception. If you quickly jump twice and use PK Fire, your
second jump will get cancelled into the attack. This is useful for gaining
some horizontal distance and at the same time, dodging certain attacks.
It's really just a wonderful way to approach ground-based fighters.
Trapping opponents in the pillar is very useful attack to use on characters
with a strong ground-game. Since the hitboxes of this attack vary and
slowly fall, you can trap enemies in it. After trapping your opponent
(this works better on larger characters or anyone at low percentages),
you can open yourself up for an easy powerful attack. Your fmash and
PKT2 are great examples of easy KOs that come from trapping someone with
your fiyer.
PK Fire makes for an excellent edgeguarding utility since it can trap your
enemy inside its pillar. Short hop it off the edge and hit your opponent
and scream YOU MUST RECOVER! Yeah, that's pretty much how it goes if you
can land this beast. The pillar of PK Fire descends, and since your
opponent is off the side of the ledge, they'll continue to descend with it.
This is a perfect way to gimp characters with bad vertical recovery or
you can set yourself up for a meteor smash. In fact, most times, you can
KO Donkey Kong with JUST the PK Fire since he can hardly move vertical at
all.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Up B - PK Thunder
x! Damage Dealt - 1%-8%
x! Knockback - Low to Mid
x! Priority - Mid
x! Range - High
Ness shoots a ball of electricity that has a long tail that
follows it around. Hitting someone with the head of it will do 8% and the
tail does 1% each time. This is also known as tailwhipping and has many uses.
After you release the attack, you'll have full control of the Thunder by
using the Control Stick. During this animation, Ness is uncontrolable and
will simply stand on the spot, focusing his energy into the attack.
One of which, edgeguarding, is hard to learn since the timing is difficult
to practice. The tail actually has more of a stunning effect than the head,
which is useful for keeping your opponent at a distance.
One strategy for using PKT (often looked down upon), is called Thunder
Juggling. Pretty self-explanatory; you just spam PKT when they're in the air.
Aerial dodges can be spammed, but if you just wrap it in a tight circle,
you'll get them at ease.
I'd also like to take note that the knockback of the attack itself is really
quite decent and you may find yourself getting a lucky KO after your usmash
or uair depending on how high they travel.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Up B* - PK Thunder 2
x! Damage Dealt - 21%-26%
x! Knockback - Very High
x! Priority - High
x! Range - Mid
When propelled into an opponent by his own PK Thunder, Ness smashes the
opponent with a single hit that sends the opponent flying!
This 'Cannonball' occurs when Ness hits his PK Thunder into himself,
causing him to go flying in a direction relative to the angle you hit
yourself with the Thunder. This is an excellent KO attack in Brawl because
it turns on a much tighter axel compared to Melee. Since you can basically
choose the direction it goes in, it can be tough to predict for opponents.
This makes it a worthwhile attack to practice and master, doing a range of
21% to 26% depending on how close you are to the opponent. If you want to
use this on the ground, or even aiming at someone on the ground, you'll want
to aim the PKT in the shape of a question mark (?). That should be able to
shoot yourself to the right; just do the opposite for leftside. PKT2 is
a very powerful attack at closer ranges, even moreso than a fully charged
PK Flash. In an FFA (Free For All), this is very effective to use to KO
multiple opponents, since they'll be to busy worrying about each other to
defend themselves against you in time. Ness has amazing priority over
many, many attacks while in his electrified state, and you can just use it
freely in FFA. Your only concern is that your opponent will use a Counter
and send you flying.
Aside from being an amazing Finisher, it is also Ness' recovery/third jump.
It is very debatable as to whether this is a good recovery, so I'll pinpoint
its strengths and weaknesses right here, along with some explanation.
Strengths
· Versatality
· High Priority
Weaknesses
· Predictable
· Slow
· Easily edgeguarded
High versatality and priority make it a great recovery. You can approach the
ledge from the top, bottom, or even aim for the stage. By priority, I mean
that most projectiles won't stop you while you're recovering and that even
certain aerials won't have an effect on you. If you're lucky, you can get
an easy KO depending on what your opponent's percent is at while YOU recover.
On the other hand, an opponent can just watch what you're doing carefully
and counter it at ease. They can charge a Smash and hit you when you aim
for the ledge from above or to the stage. Or they could just short hop off
the edge and hit you with an aerial or meteor. If you didn't quite get my
point, they've got options. Lots of them. Be careful in what you do and try
to practice recovering completely vertical from near the bottom of the screen.
This is essentially the safest way to recover, since most people would just
assume you're done.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Down B - PSI Magnet
x! Damage Dealt - N/A
x! Knockback - Very Low
x! Priority - None
x! Range - Low
An aura surrounds Ness and any energy-based projectile will
be absorbed by PSI Magnet. Ness will recover a percentage based off of
the strength of the projectile attack. I'd also like to take note that this
attack can slightly repel enemies and items when at very close ranges. Of
course, this isn't the most useful thing, but it does have its ups during
team battles.
What I mean by this is that if your teammate has a projectile
attack consisting of an item, you can repel it using PSI Magnet to increase
its throwing range. To do this, just jump in the same direction the item was
thrown and use PSI Magnet.
Most effective with:
· Peach's Turnips
· Dedede's Waddle Dees
· Link's Bombs
· Toon Link's Bombs
PSI Magnet Absorption List:
· Fireballs [Mario+Luigi]
· Fire Breath [Bowser]
· Din's Fire [Zelda]
· Charge Shot [Samus]
· Palutena's Arrow [Pit]
· Ice Shots [Ice Climbers]
· Blizzard [Ice Climbers]
· Robo Beam [ROB]
· Final Cutter Shockwave [Kirby]
· Landing Stars [Dedede]
· Blasters [Fox+Falco+Wolf]
· Thunder Jolt [Pikachu]
· Thunder [Pikachu]
· Flamethrower [Charizard]
· Aura Sphere [Lucario]
· Long Range Force Palm [Lucario]
· PK Fire [Ness+Lucas]
· PK Thunder [Ness+Lucas]
· PK Flash [Ness]
· PK Freeze [Lucas]
· Chef [Mr.Game&Watch]
· Flames [Fire Flower]
· Lasers [Ray Gun]
· Stars [Star Rod]
· Shots [Super Scope]
· Sacred Fire [Ho-oh]
· Swift [Staryu]
· Blasts [Ray+Saki Amamiya]
· Shots [Tank&Infantry]
· Blasters [Arwing+Wolfen]
· Blaster Cannon [Great Fox]
· Beam Cannon [Halberd]
· Rapid Fire Shots [Duon]
· Hand Bullet [Master Hand]
If I missed anything, email me at dragon_eye398@hotmail.com. I'm sure I missed
Pokeball attacks, but I just need confirmation. If I even messed something up
on this list and was misinformed, feel free to contact.
+------------------+
| (07E) . Throws |
+------------------+
As stated earlier in the Smash Terms Section (03), a throw can be
performed by pressing the Z button while close to your opponent and hitting
any direciton after they have been grabbed. This type of attack can only
be performed while on the ground. There are four types of throws: Front,
Back, Up, and Down.
Throws can be abbreviated by taking the first letter of the direction
pressed during the attack. (fthrow, bthrow, uthrow, dthrow).
Note: All damage percentage values are based off of the first time you use
it. If you use an attack multiple times, the value will be reduced.
Throws aren't an absolutely essential part of Ness' combo strategies or
even for his overall gameplay anymore. They have been nerfed from Melee
in terms of knockback, but the Back Throw can still be used to KO at
higher percents. Ness has ridiculously short grab range, so it isn't
something you can pull off all the time. If you want to set yourself up
for an edgeguard or meteor smash, you'll generally want to use a Front
Throw at lower percentages and a Back Throw at higher percentages.
The only throw that I don't use that often is the Up Throw.
I marked the range of all throws to Low since Ness' grab-range is pathetic.
To help better yourself into easing your way into a throw on your enemy,
I suggest you learn to pivot grab and fox-trot (cancel). See the Advanced
Techniques section for more information on that.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Pummel - Skullbash
x! Damage Dealt - 4%
x! Knockback - None
x! Priority - N/A
x! Range - Low
Ness uses that thick section of his oversized head to bash his enemy
during a grab. This attack is performed by pressing the A button
while you have your opponent in a throw. It's some REALLY easy percent
and you can use your throw to set yourself up for another attack right
after so just get used to using a grab > pummel > throw > follow-up.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Front Throw
x! Damage Dealt - 11%
x! Knockback - High to Low
x! Priority - N/A
x! Range - Low
Ness psychokinetically flings the opponent in front of him at a slight
angle.
This is a great attack for getting your opponent over the edge, setting
yourself up for an easy edgeguard or meteor. Bair + dair are amazing
followups to a front throw, but use it sparingly. If you're wondering why
I marked the knockback as being high to low, it's really simple. At low
percentages, it will be very useful in getting your opponent at a certain
distance, but at higher percentages .. well, you're better off using your
back throw to get an easy KO. You can generally just throw your enemy off
the edge with your fthrow then edgeguard them right after.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Back Throw
x! Damage Dealt - 11%
x! Knockback - Low to High
x! Priority - N/A
x! Range - Low
It works the exact same way as the fthrow, but sends your opponent back.
And by exactly, I really mean it in the opposite sense. At low percents,
it'll hardly have any knockback, but at high percentages, you can KO
anywhere between 80% and 100+%. Do not use at percentages lower than 60%.
The knockback is very minimal and leaves you in the open for attack if you
can't shield fast enough.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Up Throw
x! Damage Dealt - 10%
x! Knockback - Mid
x! Priority - N/A
x! Range - Low
Ness' only attack that can guarantee to send your opponent completely
vertical. If you're lucky enough to get your opponent into a throw, I'd
avoid using this one completely, since there are a lot of other ways to
get your enemy into the air, and the only aerial that this opens up
into is an uair, which isn't quite that useful unless they're above
135%. At that point, you can KO them with the attack, but even then, it
isn't a guaranteed hit. You're MUCH better off using a dthrow to chain
into a fair or nair.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Down Throw
x! Damage Dealt - 9%
x! Knockback - Low
x! Priority - N/A
x! Range - Low
It's a combo starter, to say the least. The animation for it
is actually pretty slow, giving you a few seconds to plot your next moves.
The attack knocks your opponent back at a 45 degree angle upwards into the
air. You could easily follow up with a PK Barrage or a PK Fire.
+-------------------------+
| (07F) . Other Attacks |
+-------------------------+
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Neutral A - Punch
x! Damage Dealt - 3%
x! Knockback - Low
x! Priority - Low
x! Range - Low
The Neutral A as a single attack isn't something you should be using at all.
It's pretty much useless even though it has virtually no knockback. I'd
avoid it and go straight for the AAA combo. The only way I can see it as
being useful is if you used it at low percentages and went straight into
a Piston Kick or two.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! AAA Combo - Punch Combo
x! Damage Dealt - 3% + 2% + 4% = 9%
x! Knockback - Mid
x! Priority - Mid
x! Range - Low
Ness punches twice then kicks. It is impossible to dodge all three hits.
Use the Punch-Combo if you're going to use it at all for a few easy percent.
The AAA combo is a very useful way to get your opponent away from you. It
does a minimal amount of damage, but its usefulness is amazing. The best
application of this attack is when your opponent is keeping too close for
comfort and you can't get in any attacks.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Ledge Attack
x! Damage Dealt - 8%
x! Knockback - Low
x! Priority - High
x! Range - Low
A ledge attack can be performed by grabbing onto any ledge and hitting
the A button. Ness will climb up onto the platform and use a single swift
Punch. It has quite decent priority, but very little range. I usually
avoid using the ledge attack and go straight for a ledge hop into an
aerial dodge or dair/nair.
----------------------------------
=====================================
x! Dash Attack - PSI Brainshock
x! Damage Dealt - 13%
x! Knockback - Low to Mid
x! Priority - Mid
x! Range - Mid
Your dash attack will be key in approaching your opponents and also for getting
them in the air. If you can get in all three hits, they'll be directly above
you, resulting in an easy Headbutt or open you up for Yo-Yos or just about
anything else. It's just something that you'll want to practice so you can put
it to best use. A very easy attack for opponents to predict, so don't use it
too often.
+-----------------------+
| (07G) . Final Smash |
+-----------------------+
Ness's PK Starstorm causes blue stars to rain down and
out in a wide fan-shaped pattern.
Ness may be an aerialist, but grabbing the Smash Ball can be a pain at times.
Your aerial attacks are easy to hit in succession, but have little range.
I suggest to hit with a single aerial, then aerial dodge on your way to the
ground to avoid being hit and shooting a PKT at the Ball.
PK STAAARSTOOOOOORM!
Ness yells this out as he activates his Final Smash. Anyone would with an
attack like that; as he does this, a bunch of stars will rain from the sky
in a fan-shape pattern. Ness is invulnerable during the time he yells, but
this will not be the case after which. It's great when used as an edgeguard,
so by all means get the Smash Ball, knock them away then activate it.
Knockout Power:
Each comet is fairly powerful, but his move's real power comes
from your opponent getting bounced around several stars at the same
time. The damage racks up and the comets have the power to KO
opponents at relatively low damage levels depending on location on the
screen, and even if opponents are nowhere near a knockout, they could
just get knocked into another comet for a KO, so this move is good, but
if your opponents can avoid maybe all but one it's not that great, so
it loses a point there.
VS Single Opponent:
Like I said earlier, this is an amazing edgeguarding attack. It's would be
near impossible for a person to dodge all the stars while recovering at the
same time. Hit them off the edge, even at lower percents and hope for the
best. The power is good enough to hit them around and you just might
get lucky and have them hit multiple times.
VS Multiple Opponents:
I can't think of a single final smash (except maybe Lucas, since it's
about the same thing) that's better at nailing everyone while you're
untouchable. I suppose someone who's really good at controlling
Pikachu/Sonic would be better, but since the vast majority of people
won't be able to do that, and even people who are great can't, this
gets the highest score here. It's just hard to avoid, especially on
a small stage and even more so if your opponents are still trying to
fight each other.
Trophy Description:
Ness as he calls down a host of damage-dealing stars in his Final Smash.
Everyone on the screen must dodge like crazy to avoid getting hurt, but that's
no easy task. This attack appeared in the Mother series, but it was Poo, not
Ness, who wielded it. Perhaps Poo taught Ness the secret of the attack for use
in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 08. HISTORY OF ATTACKS -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Earthbound, there were generally four levels of each PSI attack that your
party member could learn. These four levels were Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Omega.
For these attacks, I will follow this format:
Attack Name + Strength
· Range: (Who it can target)
· PP Cost: (PP needed to cast it)
· Who?: (Who learns it and at what level)
· Description: (Official in-game description)
+--------------------+
| (08A) . PK Flash |
+--------------------+
The way the four levels of PSI Flash translate into the Smash form, PK Flash
is that you can hold the B button and PK Flash will charge, and grow in size.
PSI Flash Alpha
· Range: All Enemies
· PP Cost: 8PP
· Who?: Lvl 18 Ness
· Description: It generates a strong flash and can make the enemy start
crying uncontrollably, and in some circumstances, feel strange.
PSI Flash Beta
· Range: All Enemies
· PP Cost: 16PP
· Who?: Lvl 38 Ness
· Description: It generates a strong flash and can make the enemy start
crying uncontrollably, and in some circumstances, can make the enemy feel
strange, become numb, or even be destroyed.
PSI Flash Gamma
· Range: All Enemies
· PP Cost: 24PP
· Who?: Lvl 61 Ness
· Description: It generates a strong flash and can make the enemy start crying
uncontrollably. Often, it will destroy an enemy in a single strike.
PSI Flash Omega
· Range: All Enemies
· PP Cost: 32 PP
· Who?: Lvl 67 Ness
· Description: It generates glorious rays that have a high probability of
destroying all the enemies on the scene in a single strike.
+-------------------+
| (08B) . PK Fire |
+-------------------+
I'm still unsure of what level of PSI Fire Ness uses in the Smash world,
but it is clear that he shoots it from his fingertips, just like in
Earthbound. Ness' down-throw is also based off of PSI Fire, since the
opponent is thrown under him and Ness shoots fire at them from his
hands. This is sometimes called PSI Inferno.
PSI Fire Alpha
· Range: A Row of Enemies
· PP Cost: 6PP
· Who?: Lvl 3 Paula
· Description: Fire bursts from the fingers and a row of enemies take
about 80 points of damage each.
PSI Fire Beta
· Range: A Row of Enemies
· PP Cost: 12PP
· Who?: Lvl 19 Paula
· Description: Fire bursts from the fingers and a row of enemies take
about 160 points of damage each
PSI Fire Gamma
· Range: A Row of Enemies
· PP Cost: 20PP
· Who?: Lvl 37 Paula
· Description: Fire bursts from the fingers and a row of enemies take
about 240 points of damage each
PSI Fire Omega
· Range: A Row of Enemies
· PP Cost: 42PP
· Who?: Lvl 64 Paula
· Description: Fire bursts from the fingers and a row of enemies take
about 320 points of damage each.
+----------------------+
| (08C) . PK Thunder |
+----------------------+
PSI Thunder Alpha
· Range: Single Enemy
· PP Cost: 3PP
· Who?: Lvl 8 Paula + Lvl 1 Poo
· Description: The enemy is thunder struck for about 120 points of damage.
You may miss when there are few enemies.
Eliminates a psychic or psychic power shield.
PSI Thunder Beta
· Range: Single Enemy
· PP Cost: 7PP
· Who?: Lvl 25 Paula + Lvl 1 Poo
· Description: The enemy is thunder struck for about 120 points of damage
two separate times. You may miss when there are few enemies.
Eliminates a psychic or psychic power shield.
PSI Thunder Gamma
· Range: Single Enemy
· PP Cost: 16PP
· Who?: Lvl 57 Paula + Lvl 41 Poo
· Description: The enemy is thunder struck for about 200 points of damage
three separate times. You may miss when there are few enemies.
Eliminates a psychic or psychic power shield.
PSI Thunder Omega
· Range: Single Enemy
· PP Cost: 20PP
· Who?: Lvl 55 Poo
· Description: The enemy is thunder struck for about 200 points of damage
four separate times. You may miss when there are few enemies.
Eliminates a psychic or psychic power shield
+----------------------+
| (08D) . PSI Magnet |
+----------------------+
PSI Magnet in Smash Bros allows Ness to absorb energy-based projectile
attacks. I guess this was their only way of including it without making
it completely broken. Could you imagine Ness just hold down PSI Magnet
on one side of the stage stealing health?
PSI Magnet Alpha
· Range: Single Enemy
· PP Cost: 0PP
· Who?: Lvl 15 Paula + Lvl 21 Poo
· Description: Grabs 2-8 points of PP from one enemy and adds it to your own.
PSI Magnet Omega
· Range: All Enemies
· PP Cost: 0PP
· Who?: Lvl 24 Paula + Lvl 27 Poo
· Description: Grabs 2-8 points of PP from each enemy and adds it to your own
+--------------------------+
| (08E) . PSI Brainshock |
+--------------------------+
Now it really isn't clear or even obvious that Ness' dash attack is based off
of PSI Brainshock, but that's what I've referred to it as since Nintendo 64.
In the original game, it is said to make someone feel strange. This is
very fitting for Ness' dash attack since the knockback of it can be
hard to manage. Depending on the range they were hit with and their %,
they can go just about anywhere.
PSI Brainshock Alpha
· Range: Single Enemy
· PP Cost: 10PP
· Who?: Lvl 24 Poo
· Description: Makes one enemy feel strange.
+------------------------+
| (08F) . PK Starstorm |
+------------------------+
PSI Starstorm Alpha
· Range: All Enemies
· PP Cost: 24PP
· Who?: Poo (After defeating Master Barf)
· Description: The method of "shaking off the stars" which Poo learned in his
training. It deals about 360 points of damage to each enemy
PSI Starstorm Omega
· Range: All Enemies
· PP Cost: 42PP
· Who?: Poo (After using the Phase Distorter II)
· Description: The method of "shaking off the stars" which Poo learned in his
training. It deals about 720 points of damage to each enemy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 09. COMBO STRATEGIES -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although using combos is much more difficult in Brawl due to spammable aerial
dodging, there are several things you can do to rack up easy damage as Ness.
Mostly are just simple juggles, but are also things you should learn
regardless. The last section has been proven that they are impossible to
escape, no matter how you use your DI. Double sticking won't even work.
+--------------------+
| (09A) . Juggling |
+--------------------+
uair:
You can actually get the same effect as the Double PK Barrage from doing Ness'
u-air. Instead of going completely vertical, the Headbutt will
keep you suspended in one area. This allows you to get two hits with it.
fair:
Perform a PK Barrage, and use up your second jump quickly. Do another Barrage,
and you'll get the swinging effect of Ness' weird flip, making it easy to
sweetspot your opponent for its full damage. The swing is actually different
from Melee, and now it acts more like a wall of PK energy. The second jump
will send you flying upwards, and the attack will not cancel your jump.
+------------------+
| (09B) . Throws |
+------------------+
dthrow:
If your opponent is at lower percentages and you do happen to get a grab in,
I suggest using the down-throw. Immediately after the animation is over and
your opponent gets knocked away at a 45 degree angle, do a quick jump and
PK Barrage. You should be able to get it in, even if all hits don't connect.
If you're lucky with the way they use directional influence, you can get 3
Barrages in. One after the throw, then while falling, and the last during
your second jump.
+------------------------+
| (09C) . Basic Combos |
+------------------------+
PK Fire:
If you hit them just right, you can trap your opponent. This gives you a
chance to use another attack; there are lots of options here. If you're
within range, use the Bat. Otherwise, a Yo-Yo or a Dash attack would suffice.
Using 2-3 PK Fires, then a PK Cannonball is an almost guaranteed KO.
Dash Attack:
Hit your opponent with all three hits of Ness' dash attack will pop them
right above you. From here, it's pretty effective to hit with an uair.
It's escapable with the right DI, but works every now and then if they
don't know what to expect.
+------------------------------+
| (09D) . Inescapable Chains |
+------------------------------+
uair > utilt
· Simple enough, on your way down from a jump, hit with an uair, land and
hit with the utilt. Works best on lower percents.
dtilt trip > U-smash
· Spamming dtilts couldn't get any better at this point. If you happen to
notice that your opponent trips from a dtilt, hit up on your C-Stick and
you'll get them in the air, opening up for some juggling.
bair > AAA combo
· Short hop fast fall a bair and pivot an AAA combo.
weak nair > any aerial
· Just don't sweetspot your nair and you'll be able to chain it into any
other aerial attack. My favourite is uair. If you actually fast fall the
nair, you can hit with any tilt.
PKT1 tailwhip > PKT2
· Tailwhipping takes practice, but I found an easy way to guarantee hits.
Act as if you're just trying to hit them with PKT1 while they fall towards
you after you send them flying up. At this point, they'll most likely
air dodge it. You'll want to do this when they get closer to you. If you're
lucky, the air dodge will miss the first hit, and you can quickly wrap
it around towards yourself, tailwhipping them, and hitting yourself in
the process.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 10. FINISHERS -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This section is basically dedicated to what attacks you can use to get your
final attack in - your KO moves. Ness has quite a few, but should be applied
in different situations, stages, or even against certain characters.
+-------------------------+
| (10A) . Smash Attacks |
+-------------------------+
Front Smash
· The Baseball Bat is a risky KO attack since it comes out fairly slow and
you'll be shielded against at ease. Use if your opponent is recovering or
if they're at range and nearing you.
Up Smash
· Using the Around the World Yo-Yo is best used against either fast-falling
characters (Fox + Falco) or floaty characters (Luigi, Kirby, Metaknight).
It's a defensive attack since you can charge it up and use it to cover
yourself from the top, while packing some punch.
+-------------------+
| (10B) . Aerials |
+-------------------+
· Back Air
· Up Air
· Down Air
These aerials are best suited for quick damage, but can also kill your
opponents at higher percentages. The Dropkick is useful for edgeguards
and the Headbutt is for when you enemy is above you or you're just
juggling. Finally, the obvious use for the Step Kick is to meteor smash.
+-------------------------+
| (10C) . PK Cannonball |
+-------------------------+
This is my favourite method to KO an opponent since it's so risky. If you
can perfect your aim on the Cannonball, it can be a force to be reckoned with.
I suggest jumping up over the edge and shooting the PKT at a 45 degree angle
towards the centre of the stage, then curving it left so you clear a good
amount of horizontal distance towards the opponent.
+------------------+
| (10D) . Throws |
+------------------+
Back Throw
· Again, these are finishers, so use this at higher percentages. Ness has
lousy grab range, but the knockback makes up for it. Use sparingly.
Front Throw
· On stages with walk-off edges or short sides, this attack can KO very
easily at lower percentages.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 11. VS MODE CHARACTER STRATEGIES -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+------------------+
| (11AA) . Mario |
+------------------+
Let's all face it: Mario is amazing at juggling. However, so is Ness and Ness'
KO attacks don't require a setup attack. How about we take a further look into
that? Mario can meteor with his Forward Aerial, Smash Attacks and Super Jump
Punch. His meteor is very situational when playing against Ness since if your
opponent thinks they can pull it off, you can just aim PKT differently to either
grab the ledge or to land on the platform. Smash Attacks don't have too much
range, but it's something to look out for. Methods of dodging or shielding are
obvious. Here's the catch - the Super Jump Punch. It comes out quickly and
can KO at above 80% if used properly. You'll want to stay somewhat ranged until
you are sure you can approach Mario. I suggest using PK Fire or Dashes. Your
Yo-Yos are your best bet in this situation since Mario will try to come at you
with aerials.
Mario's got a very quick and deadly down smash. If you want to avoid it, you'll
have to stay at a decent distance and don't leave yourself open. If you're going
to Smash, be ready to shield or roll. The other concern when fighting Mario is
his Cape. It can seriously mess up your recovery or short hopped aerials even.
When you recover against this guy, you'll have to switch up your game every now
and then. Approach from the bottom, then try for the top. The ledge is your
safest bet, but it'll still be tough. Ness is easily edgeguarded and Mario is
a great example of this. Even if he doesn't use the Cape, his bair is just
barely deadly enough to put you out of range of the ledge. Approaching the
ledge perfectly vertical is your best bet, despite its difficulty.
+------------------------+
| (11AB) . Donkey Kong |
+------------------------+
He's big, slow, and easy to combo. You shouldn't have too much of a problem if
you happen to play a human DK player. His recovery is easily edgeguarded, or
you could even try to time a meteor if you're feeling confident. I invite you
to spam PK Fire, PK Barrage, and Step Kicks. DK's recovery is only effective
when moving horizontally, so if possible, jump off the stage and use a nair to
get him too low for comfort.
+-----------------+
| (11AC) . Link |
+-----------------+
Ah! It's Link! Everybody run from his Spin Attack! Yeah .. well that's what you
would have said in Melee when Ness' PKT moved on an insanely huge axel. Your
Cannonballs are your friend in this case. He's pretty slow now and the boomerang
is the least of your worries. If it hits you on the way back (returning to Link)
it won't deal any damage, but it can bring you closer to Link himself. Use this
to your advantage by jumping forwards when it comes from your back. Pull out an
aerial for a nice surprise. I suggest Dropkicks. Something that works well
against Link and others around his weight class is to hit them with a PK Fire
and run at them with a Dash Attack. It's an easy 25% (+) and gets them into the
air.
+------------------+
| (11AD) . Samus |
+------------------+
I'll tell you now just so you know and remember: PSI Magnet will NOT absorb
Samus' missiles. Stay at a range and use PK Barrage (fair) to rack up your
damage since you can keep away a bit and use your second jump with proper
directional influence away to dodge. The one main flaw that I'd like to point
out when fighting Samus is her huge lag after missing a throw (Grapple Beam).
If you generally play close to Samus using aerials, she'll try to grab you
eventually. Aerial dodges, dodge rolls, sidesteps. You're given lots of
options so just make sure to avoid it to get a quick combo starter or Smash.
+------------------+
| (11AE) . Kirby |
+------------------+
Okay, well I don't personally know any Kirby mains, but I've played some decent
ones online. They've got a few trips up their sleeves and I'm not too sure what
to do against some techniques, but I have ideas. For one, Kirby can edgeguard
at great ease. You'll want to use aerial dodges while falling towards the stage.
Save your second jump for when you get closer and approach the ledge from below.
Exactly opposite from this concept, Kirby is tough to edgeguard against. If you
charge up your bat, he can fly up above you and use Stone for some easy damage.
You'll just want to jump out with Dropkicks. Your best bet to KO Kirby is
through the sides with a quick hit of the Dropkick or PK Cannonball.
+----------------+
| (11AF) . Fox |
+----------------+
Fox is a short range fighter with a spammable laser. If your opponent is a
camper-type, use the PSI Magnet. Don't keep it out too long or they'll
approach you with Fox's quick dash/foxtrot. Fox doesn't fall quite as fast
as he did in Melee, but it's still decent. Use this to your advantage by
using Ness' multiple hit attacks (PK Barrage + Both Yo-Yos). KOing Fox with
the Back-Throw is a great offensive move, right along with the Step Kick.
It isn't too difficult to meteor a Fox player since the Fire Fox has slightly
less range now. It's just practicing timing that will take you time to adjust
to. For the Fox Illusion, charge the Around the World Yo-Yo with the yo-yo
dangling over the edge. When Fox hits it, let go of the Smash for a couple
hits.
+--------------------+
| (11AG) . Pikachu |
+--------------------+
Very easy to juggle this Pokeman. It's very lightweight and has a decent
falling speed - too perfect. You can even spam throws against Pikachu
when edgeguarding. Predicting where Pika will fall during its Up B isn't
too hard and you can just run to that spot with a grab. A well-placed
short hop Dropkick works very well here. To rack up damage, use your
aerials and PK Fire (as usual). What you have to watch out for here is
Pika's Down Smash and Side Special. Grab a friend and practice timing of
hitting Pikachu with the Bat during its Side Special.
+------------------+
| (11AH) . Marth |
+------------------+
Marth is such a pain to fight when using Ness. He's got great agility, fast
attacks, decent recovery, and that Counter! Oh, geez, the Counter is amazing
against Ness' Cannonball and Bat. What most people would say to do is play
a hit and run type of game, but my Marth strategy is the exact opposite. Never
let the Marth player have a chance to plot his moves and strategize. What you
want to do in these types of situations is to choose a stage Ness can play
comfortably on (see next section) and to generally stick to a pattern that
alters slightly each time to dodge his attacks while playing offensively.
When on the ground, use PK Fire, it can really slow down Marth and gives you
a chance to plot your next attacks. However, PK Fire can be slow, so your best
bet for approaching Marth on the ground is to use a dash attack. Quickly
after your dash, immediately shield and you should be able to guard if they
roll out of the way. Other than your ground game, you should try to keep
them in the air or at least dodging your attacks constantly. They'll slip up
eventually and all you have to do is use your aerials. Careful with those
though because Marth outreaches Ness in the air.
If you'd like to play a purely defensive game, here's a strategy that I've
taken a huge liking to. Basically, play very evasive and place aerials when
you know for sure that you can get hits in. If you're on the ground, dodge
roll like mad, then just stop and use a Yo-Yo. This usually knocks them off
guard, placing them in the air at your mercy.
Aside from these methods, it is very easy to KO a Marth player at lower
percentages. Marth's recovery is very predictable
(since his Side-B has been limited to one aerial use) and makes him easy
to meteor smash. Forward throw to dair = instant death for Marth even at 0%.
Aside from that, if you can get him off the edge, he's as good as gone.
Short hopping a PK Fire destroys a Marth trying to get to the ledge. You
could even use a PK Cannonball off-edge diagonally from above to KO Marth
downwards to the ledge if you're feeling confident.
+-----------------------------+
| (11AI) . Mr. Game & Watch |
+-----------------------------+
He's very light and can be juggled in the air by almost any of Ness' aerial
attacks. G&W's recovery leaves little to the imagination as to where he
will end up, but be careful of quick aerials that can come out of it quick.
To edgeguard him, you can easily meteor, which makes Game and Watch an easy
matchup for Ness. Any person who mains this guy will like to use a Down Throw
then combo into a Down Smash. However, if you did not already know, this can
be easily tech'd out of at percentages over 40%.
+------------------+
| (11AJ) . Luigi |
+------------------+
Fighting Luigi is like fighting Mario with lighter weight. He's also got
fairly low traction on the ground, so bust out your bat and head for dash
attacks right after. You can also juggle him pretty easy, so go nuts with
aerials and even meteors. He shouldn't be too much trouble, but now that
his Side B can sweetspot the ledge, you'll want to try to KO him upwards
if possible, using the Headbutt and Cannonball.
The huuuge difference between Luigi and Mario is that Luigi can jump higher
and wears green overalls. Oh wait ... okay, the big difference is that Luigi
has a much better aerial game. Watch out for his uair and fair. His fair can
give off a good amount of knockback, so just be careful. A fast finisher that
Luigi can pull off at ease is his Side Smash. Be prepared to double stick DI
if you have to. Another finishing attack is his Up+B. This will only happen
when he gets very close up to you. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN! If Luigi gets
close, quickly use an AAA combo or ftilt.
+-----------------------+
| (11AK) . Diddy Kong |
+-----------------------+
Diddy's got ground game, so you'll want to try to stay in the air and dodge
as best you can. Not to mention his bananas, which are a pain. I know a few
decent Diddy players who spam these. What they'll usually do is drop one then
throw another. They'll come charging at you with a dash attack when approaching
the banana. This will allow them to pick it up. If you're in the air, you can
even catch the bananas when thrown at you. Use them to your own advantage.
Catch one, or even pick it up and throw it right back. Once they're tripped,
dash and short hop a PK Barrage. This will set you up for other attacks since
they'll be in the air or at least stunned on the ground. I recommend for you
to throw in the occasional Stepkick to get them in the air and to use your
Yo-Yos defensively.
Diddy has a variety of moves that can chain together because of his speed. Most
notably is dthrow > dash attack > usmash. As soon as he gets you into a throw,
I usually just use my directional influence to either get back on the ground
and roll away or I'll get high up in the air, so the dash attack will miss. At
this point, you can just use a dair or even a nair while returning to the
platform. Diddy is the kind of character with high mobility and
annoying attacks. The flaw in this is that his range of attacks is quite
low and most of his powerful moves are multi-hit attacks, which you can
DI out of if you see it coming. Since Diddy has powerful ground attacks,
you should try to pop him into the air and just keep him there. There's many
ways you can do this, just don't let him reach the ground and stay there.
I suggest using nairs and uairs. Finish him with the bair or bat.
+------------------------+
| (11AL) . Zelda/Sheik |
+------------------------+
Zelda is no problem to fight at all. She's got strong, but slow aerials, which
is no problem against Ness. My only concern when fighting a Zelda player is
that she'll reflect PK Thunder during a juggle and I'll be left in the open.
You've got the upper hand with superior speed and agility.
Sheik on the other hand .. well .. he/she has great high priority
aerial attacks that can easily throw you off. In Brawl though, she's lost her
KO power as a major nerf. Make sure to play defense here, you shouldn't risk
being caught in a juggle. Watch out for her dash attack, it can juggle you
when at low percentages.
+----------------+
| (11AM) . Pit |
+----------------+
Spammable arrows and annoying voice acting. He's got two things that really
make me angry. Sure, the second one isn't so major, but still. The arrows can
be a pain, especially when recovering. It's a good thing Ness can absorb them
with PSI Magnet, otherwise you could potentially be stuck at a distance from
Pit. PK Fire is your friend in this fight as a combo starter. Pit can be really
tough to deal with so just be patient. Keep your cool and stay at a medium
range away. Pit has great knockback on a handful of his attacks so staying at
range keeps you safe. Rack up damage slowly, yet surely and go for the kill.
Approaching Pit is safest close to the ground, but not on the ground. Once
you've got a KO move in, he's most likely to die. If not, hit him with a PKT
during his recovery (Up+B, not jumps) and he'll fall to his death.
+-----------------------+
| (11AN) . Metaknight |
+-----------------------+
Metaknight is a very very lightweight character with short range. That being
said, he also has high priority on attacks and an amazing recovery similar to
Pit. Play your distance on this one. You should use the PK Barrage often as
well as PK Fire. If he's trapped, go in for a dash or short hopped aerial.
KO using Yo-Yos or Cannonball since he'll have a tough time dodging either
when in the air. He may have 5 jumps, but that doesn't mean they're very large.
He's pretty tough to KO on the sides. Try to KO him upwards with a Headbutt
or downwards with a Step Kick. Your other option is to just keep at bay while
damaging him and kill with a back throw or back air.
+------------------+
| (11AO) . Falco |
+------------------+
Let's look at the positives when fighting Falco here since there are so many
negatives. Falco can be KO'd at lower percentages and can be easily
edgeguarded. He is also easy to combo and cannot KO without relying on the
Forward Smash or his spike. That being said, Falco is a tough guy to fight
against. Falco can put up a good fight, but it really comes down to who can
get their combos in first. It would be best for you to land a PK Fire on him,
similar to what you would do against any fast-faller. When recovering,
approach the edge from above if possible, since Falco players will generally
attempt an edgeguard with their Forward Smash or get ready for a spike. You
can counter this by aiming PKT2 in a sweeping motion on the platform or
sweetspot the ledge itself.
+----------------------------+
| (11AP) . Pokemon Trainer |
+----------------------------+
Pokemon Trainer can't keep a Pokemon out for more than 2 minutes or else the
stamina factor comes into play. You don't actually fight the Trainer, but
3 of his first-generation starter (includes evolutions) Pokemon.
---------------------
- 11AP1. Squirtle -
---------------------
PK Thunder! It's super effective! Squirtle is very lightweight. Get him in the
air and use the Headbutt, Barrage, or even a Flail. Thunder Juggling is also
useful when he's at higher percents. Let him down when you think you can get
an easy KO.
The one thing that Squirtle really has against you is his ground game. There
are two main things you should look out for: Shell Shifting and Hydro Planing.
Thse are advanced techniques that allow him to move on the ground at ease.
Shell Shifting is the equivalent of wavedashing, so you'll want to KO Squirtle
as fast as you can. Hydro Planing is like a Hyphen Smash or Snakedashing, but
allows Squirtle to move a VERY large distance while charging the Smash Attack.
--------------------
- 11AP2. Ivysaur -
--------------------
PK Fire! It's super effective! It really is in this case. Ivysaur plays good
ground game and his Bullet Seed can be a pain for approaching from the air.
You'll want to either short hop your aerials, dash, or PK Fire.
----------------------
- 11AP3. Charizard -
----------------------
Aw, too bad Ness doesn't have a bubble or water based attack. Charizard is a
heavy hitter, play it safe. Wait until Charizard uses one of his slower
attacks, while staying just out of his range. Move in for the hit, do a follow
up and run. It's a good thing that PK Fire isn't nerfed against Charizard. You
can abuse his lack of speed and his large size to trap him and follow up into
a short hopped bair for an easy KO.
+----------------+
| (11AQ) . Ike |
+----------------+
Ike is another heavyweight. Go for quick damage-racking combos and just stay
out of range of that massive sword of his. Ike's got very powerful blows that
can KO you at 50% or even lower, but there's a catch. Stay out of that range
like I mentioned earlier and you can move directly at him right after since
there is quite a bit of lag attached to his ground game. His sword has quite
a bit of range, so you'll want to be careful with how you approach him. Dash
attack is a huge no-no. Try to trap him with PK Fire then go in for the kill.
Dropkicks are your friend here. Edgeguarding is best here, since Ike's
recovery isn't that great.
+------------------+
| (11AR) . Sn