Analyze This! (Version II)

[Ugawa]

So, we had this thread over at FCD where we would take one character every 3 or so days and just discuss that character's ups and downs...we didn't get too far into it before the merge, so I guess we can start from the beginning again.  The rules were pretty much discuss, and if we moved on to another character, try to post only for the character who is being analyzed at the time.  Here we go!

Awesome transition, for our first character is the beloved Mario.  He's an all-around decent player, and I believe we have some pretty good Mario users (one at least) on the boards.  His smashes are pretty good and his aerials aren't too shabby.  The only thing is his fair, which is the big fist of fury type thing...it has been definitely powered down from Melee, but it's still a little useful, if not hard to land.  An opponent can see it coming with a lot of time to spare before it actually hits.

Down-B, oh man.  Yes, I know it's supposed to be used for an edge guard, but it just seems so hard to actually use effectively.  Furthermore, it does no damage.  This is pretty much the move that is never used.

His recovery is decent, although his cape doesn't seem to help him as much in Brawl as it did in Melee.

What do you think of Mario?

[HTA!]

Pros
Good Aerials
Decent Smashes, KO'ing at reasonable percentages.
Edge Guard Possibilities are endless thanks to Down B
Projectile Blocker
Projectile with decent stun
Able to chain tilts
Able to chain airs
F-air is a spike
Aerials help with approach
Throws can be used as possible chain starters
D-air from the air has almost no knockback (This is a pro)
Fresh stock demon

Cons
Recovery is unreliable, gets stuck easily
Smashes are relatively short ranged
Down B is difficult to master
Cape has no lag, making it useless as a recovery
No Hurricane Recovery as with Luigi  due to moveset change
Projectile is pretty slow, and spamming it is asking for a beatdown
Spike is much harder to land
Can be edgehogged more easily due to shoddy recovery move

I think that covers all the bases...
Trying to main Mario myself, I think hes fairly decent.

[Ugawa]

Just curious, how exactly do you use the FLUDD effectively???

...also, what's a "fresh stock demon"? =D

...I also use Mario from time to time

...I'm starting to look like Zies without the closing dots =D

[Ridley]

Pros
Good Aerials
Decent Smashes, KO'ing at reasonable percentages.
Edge Guard Possibilities are endless thanks to Down B
Projectile Blocker
Projectile with decent stun
Able to chain tilts
Able to chain airs
F-air is a spike
Aerials help with approach
Throws can be used as possible chain starters
D-air from the air has almost no knockback (This is a pro)
Fresh stock demon

Cons
Recovery is unreliable, gets stuck easily
Smashes are relatively short ranged
Down B is difficult to master
Cape has no lag, making it useless as a recovery
No Hurricane Recovery as with Luigi  due to moveset change
Projectile is pretty slow, and spamming it is asking for a beatdown
Spike is much harder to land
Can be edgehogged more easily due to shoddy recovery move

I think that covers all the bases...
Trying to main Mario myself, I think hes fairly decent.

You forgot he could walljump.

[Chloroform?]

I used Mario's down B once to push a Lucas out of the way of his PK Thunder, causing him to fall helplessly to his death. It's a very situational move, but is very useful.

[HTA!]

Just curious, how exactly do you use the FLUDD effectively???

...also, what's a "fresh stock demon"? =D

...I also use Mario from time to time

...I'm starting to look like Zies without the closing dots =D

Fludd gimps many characters recoveries, it can also be used while falling off a stage to create the "Fludd Wall" and still allow you to recover. It can also help you regain control of a stock if you seem to be on the losing end of a confrontation, use it to get a little space and work your way back in.

Fresh stock demon meaning you can easily deal 50-60 damage right out of a KO without the opponent ever getting a chance to retaliate. Namely, U-tilt chains followed by a B-air/ U-air chains.

[HTA!]

Pros
Good Aerials
Decent Smashes, KO'ing at reasonable percentages.
Edge Guard Possibilities are endless thanks to Down B
Projectile Blocker
Projectile with decent stun
Able to chain tilts
Able to chain airs
F-air is a spike
Aerials help with approach
Throws can be used as possible chain starters
D-air from the air has almost no knockback (This is a pro)
Fresh stock demon

Cons
Recovery is unreliable, gets stuck easily
Smashes are relatively short ranged
Down B is difficult to master
Cape has no lag, making it useless as a recovery
No Hurricane Recovery as with Luigi  due to moveset change
Projectile is pretty slow, and spamming it is asking for a beatdown
Spike is much harder to land
Can be edgehogged more easily due to shoddy recovery move

I think that covers all the bases...
Trying to main Mario myself, I think hes fairly decent.

You forgot he could walljump.

Not too useful in battles, unless you count Wall Jump Edge mind games...

[Ugawa]

We won't wait 4 days until the next character until we get to the characters who haven't been done on FCD yet.

Next up is DK!

Big, powerful, and difficult to handle is how I'd put it.  Difficult to handle in the way that using him is difficult.  His recovery is pretty bad-he can't gain pretty much any vertical distance, even though he can travel reasonably far horizontally.  His moves, such as his spike, are hard to land, and any good player should be able to stay clear of smashes.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but DK does not seem all that good in Brawl.

What do you think of DK?

[HTA!]

We won't wait 4 days until the next character until we get to the characters who haven't been done on FCD yet.

Next up is DK!

Big, powerful, and difficult to handle is how I'd put it.  Difficult to handle in the way that using him is difficult.  His recovery is pretty bad-he can't gain pretty much any vertical distance, even though he can travel reasonably far horizontally.  His moves, such as his spike, are hard to land, and any good player should be able to stay clear of smashes.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but DK does not seem all that good in Brawl.

What do you think of DK?

Pros
B-air is godlike and chainable
Aerials are all fairly strong, and 2 of them are spikes
Smashes are insanely strong for their range and start up time
Side B has easy KO ability followed by a smash etc.
Super Punch when charged after a KO is a useful spacer or simply a surprise damage rackers
U-tilt and F-tilt are relatively fast and have great range
Down B has great range for a quick diversion or spacer
Cargo Throw, however ineffective it is
Combos fairly easily due to long range
D-smash seems to have high priority, but I might just be making things up here I haven't used him in a while

Cons
Recovery
Move Lag for F-air
Easy to projectile spam
Huge Target
Combo'ed Easily due to weight
Awkward movement
Recovery
Sort of slow
Cannot Edge Hog easily
RECOVERY

[Ugawa]

So, I've had a temporary hiatus on FCD, but I'm back, so let's get going again.

Link's next.  He's got decent range attacks and a sword, so decent reach...His smashes aren't bad and neither are his specials, although his recovery is lacking in distance.  He's just a powered down version of toon link pretty much, and we'll cover toon link later.

What do you think of Link?

[mario59]

He is not a powered down version of toon link. You do know allegretto is now going to kill you right?

[Gamree]

He is not a powered down version of toon link. You do know allegretto is now going to kill you right?

You know, I just realized, if Allegretto is the best around here with Link (from what I hear), and Darkstar is the best I know with Toon Link (trust me, you have to face him to believe), then maybe those two should try setting up a match sometime... you know, for laughs and giggles? ;D

[mario59]

I am willing to bet they already have.
Plus Alegretto says I am pretty close in skill level to him with link.

[Dawei]

Darkstar isn't the best TL, I can guarantee you. I've won all our TL dittos, and HTA has a better tl than mine.

[Ugawa]

He is not a powered down version of toon link. You do know allegretto is now going to kill you right?

Alright, why doesn't Allegretto tell me why Link is better than Toon Link?  I don't really use either of them that much, so I'm not too familiar with their differences/strengths/weaknesses...I also know Darkstar is a pretty good TL...