List of Reasons why you should give Lucario a try:
DISCLAMIER:
This is by no means a "stop using Pit and play Lucario!" thread. It's really to show the qualities of playing Lucario and demonstrating how much potential he really has. If you want to bash, though, feel free to do it. Forums ARE about discussion, after all.
This is dedicated to everyone who goes around screaming "he's Mewtwo 2.0" and "man lolcario sucks" after playing him for two minutes in training mode without even trying to search him up before. If you have anything to add to this list then feel free to do so.
Updates in green.
1. He's freaking unique
Lucario has a special trait called aura that increases his attack depending on the damage taken. The exact numbers are still uknown but the general consensus is that every 50% damage taken increases the attack power of all of his attacks by 25% (excluding dash attack and back throw). This effectively means that being at 100% while the opponent is still at 50% isn't a really bad thing: the extra damage can quickly even the odds. Name another character who can say this.
2. Combo, combo, COMBO!!
Lucario has one of the best combo potentials in the game. Period. His air attacks are all quick to load and can usually be linked to one another, even with a fully-charged aura sphere (which could effectively KO a semi-damaged opponent). Even force-palm can chain heavy characters up to 60% before they can shake you off.
3. It's not that bad that he's replacing Mewtwo
And I mean REPLACING, not as a clone character. Let's be frank: Mewtwo was out of place in Melee (and man, you really need to be terrible to be out of place in smash bros...). He was big, but still easily launched. He had slow smash attacks and an odd neutral b that would sometimes miss entirely, and a simply out-of-place look in him.
Lucario, on the other hand, does him justice: he's floaty, but at least he's harder to hit. His moveset is strong, and his aerial game keeps your opponents in their toes. I say thanks Mewtwo, but maybe you should step out now.
4. Extremespeed is the best edgeguard juker around
"Bububut it dosn't do damage..." Who cares? Is Ike getting ready to f-smash you back to doomsday? Curve the recovery and go for the ledge instead. Someone edge-hogged you in final destination? Wall cling the wall beneath him and afterwards go for the stage itself. With a few exceptions (coughcoughpitcough) you can hardly go for a better recovery move.
5. Take that f-smash back. Counters destroy.
"HA!! Marth and Ike's counter are better!!" Oh are they? Sure they don't need as much timing, however they don't have a great KO potential unless the opponent is close to the edge. Lucario's double-team sends the opponent upwards, which means you can get a star ko easily independent of the stage, this includes normally annoying ones like shadow moses and bridge of eldin. Also double-team gets aura boost: with 130% you can easily KO an opponent who is still at 80% damage. So what if the timing's off a little? Practise makes perfect.
6. He's the king of comebacks.
Everyone's seen them. Matches that seemed lost suddenly took a turn for the best. Players managing two KO's in the last instant of a battle. The thing is that Lucario players see this all the time: Louie get's aura boost just by staying behind stock in a match, and that adds up with the normal aura boost from damage. This means that you have a HUGE chance of comeback if you use this correctly. My favorite saying when I'm in the verge of losing is "never say never".
7. Mindgames: so little used, so much potential.
In a traditional match, whoever has high damage is on the bad end and whoever has low damage is on the good end. Take that and throw it in the trash: whenever Lucario is high in damage he isn't unduly worried: his opponent is due to his increase in damage and priority. Watch his aura sphere charge at 30% and then see it charge at 170%. Tell me if that isn't scary.
8. Air combat (can't get much better than this)
Count with me: we have one quick and linking air attack (front air), one with decent knockback and great priority (neutral air), an excelent juggling tool that just leaves opponents at our mercy (up air), another one that is surprisingly quick and equally painful (back air), and, the coupe d'gras, a ridiculously strong attack with insane speed that actually stops all momentum in the fall (doun air, we sing you praises). Good enough: oh yeah don't forget these are all with disjointed hitboxes. Bring it all up and you have a ridiculously powerful air fighter with few to match. What do you make of that?
9. Find your playstyle, don't adapt it.
Marth absolutely must stay in ground-style battle in order to win. Game & Watch can't play defensively in no way or he will face KO. Samus depends in ranged battle. Metaknight needs to go all-out in order to KO opponents, while Peach needs mindgames with her hovering abilities to gain the upper-edge. However, there is nothing of the such with Lucario. He has great ground battle and combo abilities, an excelent air moveset, nice mindgame potential and can be a great character to play defensively. This means that no Lucario plays like the same, and a really good player can actively change their battle style midway through a battle, thus confusing the opponent entirely. You think you know how all Lucario users fight after playing twice with them? Think again.
10. Slow ground combat?
Perhaps, but that doesn't mean bad ground combat. Grab attacks are good and can be adapted for the situation, forward smash has MORE range than Ike himself, and all tilts deal good damage in comparison to other character's tilt attacks. Add it in to force palm chain grab and you have a nice moveset for ground fighters.
Or, just force the opponent into air combat and finish him there.
11. Oh, not KO'ed yet? Let's fix this situation, shall we? (or: the Art of Gimping)
Why edgeguard, when there is a much better option at your disposal? Lucario has been blessed by the traits of slow fall, amazing recovery sweetspot and quick aerials, so why put them to waste?
Launch the opponent off the screen, and and instead of watching them using their moves to recover jump out of the screen and go after them yourself. Lucario's already demonic down-air can become even more deadly in this situation: by stopping all momentum he can time the exact moment to hit you away from the ledge. Even if he does miss, Extremespeed is perfect to edgehog the ledge.
I dare you to see an Ike or Wolf user do this on a daily basis.
12. Aura Sphere. Versatility: Eleven
Lucario has one projectile that works for three. Aura sphere can be a devastating mid-long range projectile, a great edgeguarding move, and a nice mindgame tool.
For one, it charges up roughly half the time of Samus's Charge Beam. However, the damage depends once again on your aura. At zero % it deals 13 damage. Nice considering Samus deals 26% with a longer charge time. At 120% watch it grow bigger and deal 20% instead. Now face a Lucario at 170+% and watch the Aura Sphere grow bigger than himself and deal 26%.
Even if the damage is bad, spamming Baby Aura Spheres is great for stopping charging attackers and making them commit mistakes. Sometimes your opponnet might miscalculate and roll towards you, is a perfect distance to get chain grabbed by Force Palm...
Also, it is possible to charge the AS in midair without launching. The opponent is falling back to the stage? Jump and charge. You will either disrupt his return or get a nice star KO for your trouble.
I wish people would look beyond the "LULZ POKEMAHN!!" idea and gave Lucario a try. He's one hell of a character.
