Character Equipment/Augmentations

[Dr. James Rustles]

I've seen speculation about the customizable character experience that the new games will probably have and some of the ideas I've seen revolve around swapping out abilities for different ones, changing their input, or literally giving abilities a new direction like a sideways Pikachu Thunder (? Lol.) I think what would be more interesting is to have characters choose from an augment or equipment piece they can carry into the match that would give them a new mechanic or change an existing one. Below are a few examples that I have in mind.

Mario -

• Cloud Flower: Mario's second jump now creates a soft cloud platform that can be landed on or fallen through, giving him a new recovery mechanic and a way to harass airborne enemies. Visually, Mario has a mist of clouds around his feet.
• Cape: From the ground, Mario can prime his up-special to leap high without entering a vulnerable fall after. Holding Mario's side-special will cause him to plummet where he can grab an midair and carry them with him. He can suicide plunge (Like Ganondorf's airgrab) or if he hits the ground, the enemy will slam and Mario will immediately roll out. If Mario hits the ground without grabbing anyone he will shake the nearby area, knocking standing enemies up and dealing moderate damage.
• Super-Heated FLUDD: Holding Mario's neutral special with a fully charged FLUDD will cause him to heat the FLUDD water to an intense boil. Unleashing the heated FLUDD will cause the water to erupt out, dealing damage, flinching, and sudden extra knock-back. Good for on-the-spot burst defense as well.

Bowser -

• Titan Shell: Touching or melee with Bowser's back applies light damage and knock back. He no longer flinches at moves angled against his back. Gives his lying down, crouching, and up-smash stances more resistance and helps him more safely exit his up-special animation.
• Chomper: Upon reaching 80%, Bowser's grab is briefly replaced with a one-time use chain-link Chomper that he can throw that latches to an enemy and deals damage. Missed throws result in a short chase by the Chomper towards the nearest enemy. If Bowser picks up the end of its chain after it has grabbed an enemy, he can perform a strong ranged throw against tethered opponents into the air or against the ground.

Kirby -

• Buddy: If Kirby is holding a copied ability while taunting, he will produce an AI-controlled buddy that will fight with you. The buddy is a clone of your character and has 35% stamina.
• Pop Rock Star: Kirby's down-special transformation becomes a granite Smash Bros. logo and can he briefly roll around (no collision effects.) If an enemy hits Kirby in his down-special invincible state or until after two seconds pass, he will emerge with a rock carapace that has a 18% stamina shield and grants him flinch-resistance while it is up. His up-grab gains extra power and he can sacrifice the buff to break out of grabs by reactivating the down-special. Can only be triggered once every 25 seconds.

Link -

• Ice arrows: Do not flinch, but hit characters have reduced running speed and jump height and also an increased falling speed. Fully charged arrows freeze a character solid in place (lethal off-stage snipe.)
• Skyward Strike: Holding the up tilt will cause link the charge a Skyward Strike, ending with a lightning strike to the Master Sword that deals 8% transcendent damage to enemies hit in its radius. While holding the strike, Link receives half the hitstun from attacks and decreased wind-up times. The Skyward Strike can be unleashed with the forward tilt in the air or on the ground.

Samus -

• Speed Booster: Samus gains acceleration while running. Initiating a shinespark is possible. The shinespark has a short wind-up and deals 20% damage to Samus when colliding with characters or surfaces. Impacted characters receive large damage and knockback and shields are broken instantly. It's possible to cancel out of the shinespark midair by activating her down-special.
• Missile Barrage: Samus' side-special can be charged to store up to 5 homing missiles that can be fired in quick succession.
• Wave Beam: Samus' neutral special fires an electrical shot that randomly pulses through enemies hit over a duration based on how long the shot was charged. Shots can pass through enemies and have no knockback. Each pulse causes affected the character to flinch and take additional damage and can interrupt moves mid-execution. A fully charged blast will prevent affected characters from using their up-special for the duration of the pulses.

 

[Cobalsh]

I always thought this was a good idea. Here's some more:

Ganondorf-

• Dual Swords: If Ganondorf takes 80% damage, his side smash, neutral B and Down aerial is changed to him slashing and dashing with the two swords from WW. Lasts until he is KO'ed. Deals about 15-26% damage, respectfully.
• Magic Boost: Ganon's magic attack is boosted. Nuff said.

Toon Link-

• Deku Leaf: For a short while, Toon Link is able to utilize the Deku Leaf to glide, like Mario's cape. Can only be activated after an aerial or his up special, by use of the up taunt.
• Skull Hammer: TL gets a one-time use of the Skull Hammer, which deals major damage and knockback, and it replaces his side special after a taunt is used.

And this is just the beginning.

 

[Cpt.]

I would really like to see this incorporated into Smash. It is just a really unique and good idea to put in the game to increase it's playability.

 

[Cobalsh]

I would really like to see this incorporated into Smash. It is just a really unique and good idea to put in the game to increase it's playability.

Yeah, it would make casual play a lot more interesting. But the no items jerks would be all over them.

 

[Cpt.]

Yeah, it would make casual play a lot more interesting. But the no items jerks would be all over them.

I don't think so. I don't like playing with items and I think that this would be a great idea. People don't like items because they make fights more random and chaotic, customized movesets are not random since they can't change mid-game. It also would be good for competitive play because you could create some mind games with movesets that people might think you have.

Example: A pro might expect you (using Samus) to have missile barrage Samus because it is the cookie cutter Samus build, but really you have diffusion missiles or something.

It really would make fights a lot more interesting for any type of play.

 

[Sobreviviente]

I want to assign one item for each stock i have, FS excluded.

 

[PixelPasta]

I had an idea similar to this, but not exactly the same.
It was sort of like this concept + alternate costumes, as one feature.

Basically, some characters would have alternate costumes that would add a new mechanic, or maybe change a move or two.
Example: Mario
Regular Mario would be like he was in Melee (ie; he would have Mario Tornado)
He would have Dr. Mario, that gives his attacks electrical properties and changes his neutral special into the Pill throw.
He could also have Delfino Mario, that changes his down special into FLUDD. He would also look like this.

Another idea: Toon Link could have his Spirit Tracks iteration, that looks like this. It would change his side special into the whirlwind, and his wind waker taunt would instead use the spirit flute.

 

[Cpt.]

I had an idea similar to this, but not exactly the same.
It was sort of like this concept + alternate costumes, as one feature.

Basically, some characters would have alternate costumes that would add a new mechanic, or maybe change a move or two.
Example: Mario
Regular Mario would be like he was in Melee (eg; he would have Mario Tornado)
He would have Dr. Mario, that gives his attacks electrical properties and changes his neutral special into the Pill throw.
He could also have Delfino Mario, that changes his down special into FLUDD. He would also look like this.

Another idea: Toon Link could have his Spirit Tracks iteration, that looks like this. It would change his side special into the whirlwind, and his wind waker taunt would instead use the spirit flute.

This sounds cool, but I think costumes and movesets should be separate. This way it is better for customization.

 

[Dr. James Rustles]

I had an idea similar to this, but not exactly the same.
It was sort of like this concept + alternate costumes, as one feature.

Basically, some characters would have alternate costumes that would add a new mechanic, or maybe change a move or two. ...Example: Another idea: Toon Link could have his Spirit Tracks iteration, that looks like this. It would change his side special into the whirlwind, and his wind waker taunt would instead use the spirit flute.

It would make some people happy, but I'm not interested in removing/swapping abilities or mechanics, just adding new ones.

I always thought this was a good idea. Here's some more:

Ganondorf-

• Dual Swords: If Ganondorf takes 80% damage, his side smash, neutral B and Down aerial is changed to him slashing and dashing with the two swords from WW. Lasts until he is KO'ed. Deals about 15-26% damage, respectfully.
• Magic Boost: Ganon's magic attack is boosted. Nuff said.

Toon Link-

• Deku Leaf: For a short while, Toon Link is able to utilize the Deku Leaf to glide, like Mario's cape. Can only be activated after an aerial or his up special, by use of the up taunt.
• Skull Hammer: TL gets a one-time use of the Skull Hammer, which deals major damage and knockback, and it replaces his side special after a taunt is used.

I think you would be gimping Ganondorf's ability to secure offstage kills by replacing his meteor smash, unless the swords also meteor. For added affect I think the swords should be able to fluidly win every clash. Also, Ganon's magic attack is boosted? You mean his final smash? I'm not following. I think the equipment and augments should be interactive in some way so I'm not a fan of flat, static buffs.

The Toon Link Deku Leaf recovery boost is a good one and it seems better that his up-special could just transition into the glide if the up-special is held down at the end of the animation. However, I don't think he really needs a recovery buff. Recovering is not a huge weakness of his compared to regular Link's, so it's a moot equipment. What I'd like to see the Deku Leaf used for is to additionally be able to create a whirlwind that can catch enemies in a vortex like the tornado on Smash 64's Hyrule Castle.

Fox -

• Kinetic Shield: Fox's shine becomes able to take a limited amount of physical trauma and absorbs energy from all attacks. The absorbed energy primes a concussive electrical laser in in his blaster. If the shield breaks, the area around Fox becomes temporally reversed (characters and projectiles move backwards in time) for one second and he is unable to use his shine for a while.
• Concrete Illusion: Fox's Illusion leaves a phantom where he initiated the ability, and he can trade places with the phantom by reactivating Fox Illusion. If Fox hits an enemy with an Illusion that ends while on the ground, he carries the enemy into a grab. Fox can trade places with the phantom after grabbing an opponent during its execution, in which the Illusion will end with the phantom performing the grab. Ground-based illusions that don't complete grabs end with a second phantom launching forward and executing a short jab combo. This is useful for b-cancelling the illusion into a feint that follows up with a phantom jab attack.

 

[PixelPasta]

This sounds cool, but I think costumes and movesets should be separate. This way it is better for customization.

Hmm, yeah, that's a good point. Maybe there could be an option to disable 'costume affected movesets'... I dunno.

 

[Cpt.]

Hmm, yeah, that's a good point. Maybe there could be an option to disable 'costume affected movesets'... I dunno.

No, no I want there to be both costumes and movesets, but I want them separate so you don't need to be Sunshinie Mario to have FLUUD.

 

[PixelPasta]

No, no I want there to be both costumes and movesets, but I want them separate so you don't need to be Sunshinie Mario to have FLUUD.

That's sort of what I meant. I was suggesting that there could be an option to use the costume without the moveset changes, for people like you who might not want the changes.

 

[Tepig2000]

This is a really neat idea.