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- Smash 3DS, Smash Wii U
The PSI Powered Guide
Ness according to Zedd
I've been enjoying my main man Ness and while writing out some pointers to improve my game I basically wrote a whole guide, so I tweaked it and decided to post here.
This is intended for intermediate Ness users but most information is easy to read and apply for newbies too.
Now, before you put any of this advice into practice be sure to hit the training mode and get a decent understanding of all of Ness's moves, Ness can only be powerful if you know how to use ALL his tools
Lets begin:
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Pros and cons:
Pros:
Great up close and afar
Plenty of combo options
Powerful grabs
Can reflect projectiles
Can heal damage
Great in team battles thanks to the healing
Cons:
Rather floaty
Easy to launch
Not many options when returning to stage from above
Small with short range
Recovery is easily gimped
Strategies can get predictable
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Basic strategy:
You have 3 prime positions and your strategy must change depending which position you're in
Up close:
Get aggressive and put the pressure on your opponent.
-correctly spaced SH N-airs are your best friend so throw them out alot
-Go for the grab whenever possible, all the follow ups and damage potential is too good to miss out on but dont get too greedy with them
Far away:
This one is simple, annoy the opponent with pk thunder and enjoy free damage
-Remember to juggle at higher percents
-If you miss hit the thunder into the ground to cancel the move
-Be very cautious with fast opponents
-When opponent starts advancing on you it's advantageous to be facing backwards so you can B-air, N-air or pivot grab depending on the situation
Off stage:
Ness is a beast when chasing opponents off stage, but the reverse is true when Ness is off stage so watch out!
-Use F-air to push people back and gimp recoveries
-Using U-air off stage as a mix up can lead to kills
-PKT2 is easily gimped so double jump to grab the ledge when possible
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Move Analysis:
Sweetspot and sourspot
(Sweetspot%-/-Sourspot%)
Continuous damage:
Damage%, damage%, damage%
Grabs:
F-Throw:
Damage: 11%
Throws your opponent forward with set knockback, great for keeping people away
B-Throw:
Damage: 11%
Throws your opponent backwards, scales ridiculously with damage
at lower percents
you can throw and follow up with B-air, but D-throw to F-air would be preferable.
You’ll want to use this to get kills at around 100%
D-Throw:
Damage: 9%
your combo throw, this will be your go to throw at lower percents, follow up with F-airs or U-air at mid percentages.
U-throw:
Damage: 10%
Throws people into the air
You can follow up with aerials or PK thunder
Damage: 11%
Throws your opponent forward with set knockback, great for keeping people away
B-Throw:
Damage: 11%
Throws your opponent backwards, scales ridiculously with damage
at lower percents
you can throw and follow up with B-air, but D-throw to F-air would be preferable.
You’ll want to use this to get kills at around 100%
D-Throw:
Damage: 9%
your combo throw, this will be your go to throw at lower percents, follow up with F-airs or U-air at mid percentages.
U-throw:
Damage: 10%
Throws people into the air
You can follow up with aerials or PK thunder
Specials:
Neutral-B:
Slow and readable, only use as a surprise tactic
Can be used to scare people off the edge If you catch someone trying to recover it could be a nice early kill
You can get more distance if you face backwards
Side-B:
Damage: 9%, 2%, 1%
Use to create space and prevent rush ins, use too much and it will be readable/ punishable.
While running away you can use with a pivot to catch your opponent off guard.
In the air it comes out diagonally downwards and can be used to edge guard pretty effectively
you can use D-air to cancel the landing lag if used with a full hop.
Up-B:
Damage:
PKT: 8%
PKT2: 25%-/-21%
Try and create abstract paths with this move so it cant be avoided to easily, circles and “s” shapes work well
Can be used to annoy opponent from afar
Can juggle people pretty reliably in air
The tail can be used to stuff recoveries
When used against people off stage it will usually hit them towards you, you can get in a follow up if you predict this.
PKT2 occasionally on stage to catch your opponent off guard for an early kill
If you hit a wall while recovering and bounce off you can get out another PK thunder and recover if you react quick enough
Down-B:
Damage: 0%
Use to absorb predictable projectiles to recover health http://smashboards.com/guides/psi-magnet-reference-guide.8/
You can spot dodge, back roll or jump out of this move if you press down, back or up while absorbing
Slow and readable, only use as a surprise tactic
Can be used to scare people off the edge If you catch someone trying to recover it could be a nice early kill
You can get more distance if you face backwards
Side-B:
Damage: 9%, 2%, 1%
Use to create space and prevent rush ins, use too much and it will be readable/ punishable.
While running away you can use with a pivot to catch your opponent off guard.
In the air it comes out diagonally downwards and can be used to edge guard pretty effectively
you can use D-air to cancel the landing lag if used with a full hop.
Up-B:
Damage:
PKT: 8%
PKT2: 25%-/-21%
Try and create abstract paths with this move so it cant be avoided to easily, circles and “s” shapes work well
Can be used to annoy opponent from afar
Can juggle people pretty reliably in air
The tail can be used to stuff recoveries
When used against people off stage it will usually hit them towards you, you can get in a follow up if you predict this.
PKT2 occasionally on stage to catch your opponent off guard for an early kill
If you hit a wall while recovering and bounce off you can get out another PK thunder and recover if you react quick enough
Down-B:
Damage: 0%
Use to absorb predictable projectiles to recover health http://smashboards.com/guides/psi-magnet-reference-guide.8/
You can spot dodge, back roll or jump out of this move if you press down, back or up while absorbing
Smashes:
F-Smash:
Damage: 22%-/-20%-/-18%
Slow and punishable with huge power and the ability to reflect projectiles at 2x speed
Best used as a punish or to catch your opponent off guard
Reflecting hitbox last longer than it seems
Can be used after tripping with D-tilt for a combo, but its rather unreliable and must be timed well.
D-Smash:
Damage: 16%
Starts behind Ness then goes forward
If sweetspotted it will launch opponents horizontally on a great angle
Can be used to punish rolls
If used as an edgegaurd you can get some early kills thanks to the angle it launches opponents.
U-Smash:
Damage: 12%
Comes out super fast (frame 6), hitbox is pretty much all around Ness
You can follow up with an U-air or F-air depending on opponents damage
Damage: 22%-/-20%-/-18%
Slow and punishable with huge power and the ability to reflect projectiles at 2x speed
Best used as a punish or to catch your opponent off guard
Reflecting hitbox last longer than it seems
Can be used after tripping with D-tilt for a combo, but its rather unreliable and must be timed well.
D-Smash:
Damage: 16%
Starts behind Ness then goes forward
If sweetspotted it will launch opponents horizontally on a great angle
Can be used to punish rolls
If used as an edgegaurd you can get some early kills thanks to the angle it launches opponents.
U-Smash:
Damage: 12%
Comes out super fast (frame 6), hitbox is pretty much all around Ness
You can follow up with an U-air or F-air depending on opponents damage
N-combo:
Damage:
Jab 1: 2%
Jab 2: 2%
Jab 3: 4%
A quick punch-punch-kick, fast and reliable but not exactly a stand out
F-tilt:
Damage:
Tilted up: 10%
Forward: 9%
Down: 10%
A quick starting short ranged kick, can be angled
Not particularly a stand out move but can be used to stuff combos and annoy opponents
U-tilt:
Damage: 7%-/-5%
Again, not a stand out move
Can be used to hit people up into Aerials and PKT1 juggles but U-Smash would be preferable.
D-tilt:
Damage: 4%-/-2%
I feel there’s potential in this move
Fast and short ranged low kicks that can trip opponents
If opponent trips you can use a F-smash for an early kill
Great for annoying opponents
Damage:
Jab 1: 2%
Jab 2: 2%
Jab 3: 4%
A quick punch-punch-kick, fast and reliable but not exactly a stand out
F-tilt:
Damage:
Tilted up: 10%
Forward: 9%
Down: 10%
A quick starting short ranged kick, can be angled
Not particularly a stand out move but can be used to stuff combos and annoy opponents
U-tilt:
Damage: 7%-/-5%
Again, not a stand out move
Can be used to hit people up into Aerials and PKT1 juggles but U-Smash would be preferable.
D-tilt:
Damage: 4%-/-2%
I feel there’s potential in this move
Fast and short ranged low kicks that can trip opponents
If opponent trips you can use a F-smash for an early kill
Great for annoying opponents
Aerials:
F-air:
Damage: 1%, 2%, 4%
Big disjointed hitbox with great range
Good spacing tool with plenty of application
Short hop F-airs can keep people away and apply pressure well
Combos into itself at lower percents
Great to use off stage as a gimping tool
Kills at around 130% from the edge of the stage
Use sparingly with double jump to get back on stage (This will get predictable)
B-air:
Damage: 15%-/-8%
When sweetspotted it’s a great killing move
Good to use to keep people away
Short hop B-airs can catch people off guard if used sparingly
When landing on stage this can get people to back off
Use it to hit people into the stage for stage spikes
N-air:
Damage: 11%-/-7%
Great move with many utilities
Use to get people to back off in the air
short hop N-airs are pretty safe if used correctly and are a good all purpose attack
Use off stage to annoy and gimp recoveries, can kill offstage at around 120%
D-air:
Damage: 12%-/-10%
Not a fan of this one, the spike is too unreliable in my opinion.
Priority one of using this move is to learn to spike reliably (spikes on the first frame)
U-air:
Damage: 13%
Great move, kills reliably at around 100%
Using this instead of an expected F-air or N-air will be a nasty surprise for your opponent
Using it just before you hit the ground will make it so you can hit grounded opponents
Damage: 1%, 2%, 4%
Big disjointed hitbox with great range
Good spacing tool with plenty of application
Short hop F-airs can keep people away and apply pressure well
Combos into itself at lower percents
Great to use off stage as a gimping tool
Kills at around 130% from the edge of the stage
Use sparingly with double jump to get back on stage (This will get predictable)
B-air:
Damage: 15%-/-8%
When sweetspotted it’s a great killing move
Good to use to keep people away
Short hop B-airs can catch people off guard if used sparingly
When landing on stage this can get people to back off
Use it to hit people into the stage for stage spikes
N-air:
Damage: 11%-/-7%
Great move with many utilities
Use to get people to back off in the air
short hop N-airs are pretty safe if used correctly and are a good all purpose attack
Use off stage to annoy and gimp recoveries, can kill offstage at around 120%
D-air:
Damage: 12%-/-10%
Not a fan of this one, the spike is too unreliable in my opinion.
Priority one of using this move is to learn to spike reliably (spikes on the first frame)
U-air:
Damage: 13%
Great move, kills reliably at around 100%
Using this instead of an expected F-air or N-air will be a nasty surprise for your opponent
Using it just before you hit the ground will make it so you can hit grounded opponents
Combos:
Grab:
-D-tilt into grab
-PK Fire into grab
Basic throw guide:
0%-10%: D-throw into short hop F-air
10%-25%: D-throw into 2 fairs and then N-air
30%-50%: D-throw into U-air (Sometimes 2, depends on character/ %)
50%-80%: U-throw into PKT1 juggles (PKT2 mixup on occasion)
80% onwards: Pummel and attempt to kill with B-throw
Opponent on ground:
-D-tilt into smash
-PK Fire into smash attack
-Dash attack into U-air (0-5%)
-Landing U-air into U-smash (10-20%)
-Landing U-air into U-air (40-60%)
-Landing N-air into SH N-air (0-10%)
-Landing N-air into F-tilt (0-10%)
-Pk thunder into U-air
Opponent in air:
-F-air into F-air (0-10%)
-F-air into DJ F-air (20%+)
-Pk thunder into Pk thunder (requires a read)
-D-tilt into grab
-PK Fire into grab
Basic throw guide:
0%-10%: D-throw into short hop F-air
10%-25%: D-throw into 2 fairs and then N-air
30%-50%: D-throw into U-air (Sometimes 2, depends on character/ %)
50%-80%: U-throw into PKT1 juggles (PKT2 mixup on occasion)
80% onwards: Pummel and attempt to kill with B-throw
Opponent on ground:
-D-tilt into smash
-PK Fire into smash attack
-Dash attack into U-air (0-5%)
-Landing U-air into U-smash (10-20%)
-Landing U-air into U-air (40-60%)
-Landing N-air into SH N-air (0-10%)
-Landing N-air into F-tilt (0-10%)
-Pk thunder into U-air
Opponent in air:
-F-air into F-air (0-10%)
-F-air into DJ F-air (20%+)
-Pk thunder into Pk thunder (requires a read)
Tips and Tricks
The majority of these have been covered already but may have been overlooked in the walls of text. It's important to keep these in mind during gameplay so I'm highlighting them here.
-Grabs are Ness's best friend
-Pivot grabs extend grab range
-Chase people off stage whenever possible to gimp recoveries
-Pk thunder wallbounce:
If you bounce off the wall while using Pk thunder to recover you can use it again if you react fast enough
-Pk thunder can be cancelled if you direct it into the ground/wall
-You can spot dodge, back roll or jump out of Pk magnet if you press down, back or jump while absorbing
-Pk magnet can heal from links bombs, sheiks grenades and megamans crash bomb (lol)
-Forward smash reflects projectiles at 2x speed
-Reflected Gordo's can OHKO Dedede
-D-air spikes on the first frame
-Always try and double jump to the ledge before using PK thunder to avoid being gimped
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Thankyou for reading this, updates will continue to come as new information presents itself. (Frame data will be added shortly)
Credit to smash wiki for all images
http://www.ssbwiki.com/Ness_(SSB4)
-Zedd
I should be able to flesh out that combo section today if time allows me and I'll add that combo in ;)