Overview: Oh Wario, one of the hidden characters in the game. When Smash 4 was announced, I always eagerly waited for him to be revealed on the official site. Then he was leaked before he was officially confirmed. Some people actually thought he was not going to make the cut, and even I could assume that sometimes. But really, it was obvious in one way or another that he would be a returning character. Then, when I finally got the game and unlocked him and tested him a few times, the hype didn't quite match at the end of day, even though I did my best to disregard that. Why is that?
First, I want you to see this brief video of the changes that Wario's moveset did undergo from Brawl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BBKnpzNwJM (Credits DO NOT got to me. Credits go the guy who made this video for us. Thanks!)
Even though it may seem that Wario's moveset did not undergo that many changes, it really has. Some moves have become quicker, other slower. His moves are the same, except his Brawl F-smash (Shoulder barge) got replaced by some punch. Not only did they replace his TRADEMARK MOVE (!); they made his F-smash worse. More of this to come.
Now, let us view Wario's pros and cons in general.
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Wario's pros:
+ Quick and mobile for a heavyweight character
+ Great air game (thanks to his air speed) with almost all of his aerials (which can be autocancelled effectively) having little ending lag
+ Good recovery with many options (especially his Wario Bike)
+ Has powerful finishers like Wario Waft, F-smash and wheelies
+ Is unpredictable
+ Decent punish game
+ Chomp. Do I need to say more?
Wario's cons:
- His poor range makes him very vulnerable when approaching and being approached, especially to those who have long-ranged attacks and disjointed hitboxes
- Can have trouble to actually land finishers (especially when they are staled), as most finishers are situational
- Doesn't have many reliable combos and follow-ups, even if Wario and his opponents are at 0%
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And now, let us view his nerfs and buffs in general. Let us start with his buffs:
Wario's buffs:
+ NO GRAB-RELEASE FOLLOW-UPS ANYMORE!
+ Faster and better ground game due to faster dashes and faster tilts (especially F-tilt).
+ Wario Bike: (1) It now travels faster (and further when in the air). (2) When jumped off from the ground, it becomes a travelling hitbox on its own. (3) It gained multiple hitboxes now when it turns. (4) It now has a powerful wheelie slam, which can be used in the air too! (Wario can't do wheelies in the air though.) (5) After roughly 25 seconds on the ground, it will disappear. (6) Can now be used immediately after it disappears (as opposed to Brawl, where you had to wait 3 seconds before you could use it again. Be wary that Wario can just use the bike once in the air!) (7) Wario will flash when he can use the bike again.
+ Chomp can now eat almost any item and projectile, with many of them healing Wario by 1% while charging Wario Waft a little.
+ Wario Waft can be charged by eating items, and is really powerful when fully charged.
+ Corkscrew has gained more height and now sweet spots the edge.
+ New, stronger Up-smash.
+ Less ending lag on D-smash.
+ Stronger F-smash with more range.
+ Dash attack can now trip at the end of the move.
Wario's nerfs:
- Much worsened aerial acceleration.
- Worsened air speed.
- Fewer approach options: No DACUS. Bike has less priority. No tires.
- Power decrease (most notably Up-air).
- Less multihitting moves in Dair and Up-B.
- More unsafe due to lesser multihitting moves, bike nerfs and worsened air speed and aerial acceleration.
- Worsened combo potential.
- Worsened damage dealing capabilities due to moves doing less damage overall with worsened combo potential.
- Wario Bike: (1) It is easier to knock off Wario from his bike. (2) Bike isn't as great at dealing with items and projectiles anymore. (3) Can now be broken apart when Wario rides it. (4) Harder to get off of. (5) Can only use the bike once in the air. (6) Can no longer dismount his bike during a wheelie. (7) Bike edge crashing leaves Wario off stage. (8) Landing moves on the bike doesn't count as a move hitting, which means that Wario can no longer refresh his moves on it. (9) Doesn't bounce as much as before when thrown. (10) No tires... (!)
- Wario Waft has more ending lag and doesn't travel as far.
- Chomp can't be hold as long as before.
- F-smash is replaced with a new move that is much slower with more ending lag with no launch resistance (Super Armor).
- Jab doesn't connect to itself as easily. (This is due to Wario not stepping forward on the first punch and that the punch itself has much higher knockback than before. Also, if you hit with Wario's arm instead and not the fist itself, you won't be able to connect the move at higher %s and thus you will be punished.)
- Nair is just... just... awfully nerfed. It is harder to land with smaller hitboxes and is harder to do follow-ups after. WHY.
Neither a buff nor a nerf:
> Wario's bike's stamina was reduced from 26% to 18%. + It is easier to break assuming you want to get rid of it. - Due to it being easier to break means that other characters can more easily destroy it while you ride it.
> Wario can turn around on his bike repeatedly without falling it off. + This means that he can travel on his bike as much as he wants, without being worried about falling it off on his own. - Since he can't dismount it unless he jumps it off means that he can no longer start riding it and immediately do a super sharp turn, resulting in Wario falling it off in means for different purposes, like using it as a "projectile shield" or for an item to edge guarding/stage control with, among other things.
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Conclusion: Yeah, there you have it. This is all pros and cons, nerfs and buffs I can think of, talking generally. Wario is sadly too nerfed, with many useful tools he had in Brawl now severily reduced or even removed completely. Unless Wario will not be patched to the better (which he must be), he will be Middle Tier and only Middle Tier at best, with no High Tier in sight. I think his right position on the Tier list is somewhere between mid Middle Tier and lower Middle Tier. Sadly, Wario is not a viable character. I am not here to discourage Wario players by any means (I am one too). I am here to just inform the Wario board of Smash 4 Wario's current strenghts, current weaknesses and overall changes from Brawl. Please note that this is not a guide of some sort, even if I put some details here and there. I hope you have learned something from this.
Did I miss something? Or do you think something in these lists should be changed? Should something be added or removed? Or did I screw something up? Please fill me in then. I am happy to discuss anything regarding this topic.
First, I want you to see this brief video of the changes that Wario's moveset did undergo from Brawl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BBKnpzNwJM (Credits DO NOT got to me. Credits go the guy who made this video for us. Thanks!)
Even though it may seem that Wario's moveset did not undergo that many changes, it really has. Some moves have become quicker, other slower. His moves are the same, except his Brawl F-smash (Shoulder barge) got replaced by some punch. Not only did they replace his TRADEMARK MOVE (!); they made his F-smash worse. More of this to come.
Now, let us view Wario's pros and cons in general.
--------------------
Wario's pros:
+ Quick and mobile for a heavyweight character
+ Great air game (thanks to his air speed) with almost all of his aerials (which can be autocancelled effectively) having little ending lag
+ Good recovery with many options (especially his Wario Bike)
+ Has powerful finishers like Wario Waft, F-smash and wheelies
+ Is unpredictable
+ Decent punish game
+ Chomp. Do I need to say more?
Wario's cons:
- His poor range makes him very vulnerable when approaching and being approached, especially to those who have long-ranged attacks and disjointed hitboxes
- Can have trouble to actually land finishers (especially when they are staled), as most finishers are situational
- Doesn't have many reliable combos and follow-ups, even if Wario and his opponents are at 0%
--------------------
And now, let us view his nerfs and buffs in general. Let us start with his buffs:
Wario's buffs:
+ NO GRAB-RELEASE FOLLOW-UPS ANYMORE!
+ Faster and better ground game due to faster dashes and faster tilts (especially F-tilt).
+ Wario Bike: (1) It now travels faster (and further when in the air). (2) When jumped off from the ground, it becomes a travelling hitbox on its own. (3) It gained multiple hitboxes now when it turns. (4) It now has a powerful wheelie slam, which can be used in the air too! (Wario can't do wheelies in the air though.) (5) After roughly 25 seconds on the ground, it will disappear. (6) Can now be used immediately after it disappears (as opposed to Brawl, where you had to wait 3 seconds before you could use it again. Be wary that Wario can just use the bike once in the air!) (7) Wario will flash when he can use the bike again.
+ Chomp can now eat almost any item and projectile, with many of them healing Wario by 1% while charging Wario Waft a little.
+ Wario Waft can be charged by eating items, and is really powerful when fully charged.
+ Corkscrew has gained more height and now sweet spots the edge.
+ New, stronger Up-smash.
+ Less ending lag on D-smash.
+ Stronger F-smash with more range.
+ Dash attack can now trip at the end of the move.
Wario's nerfs:
- Much worsened aerial acceleration.
- Worsened air speed.
- Fewer approach options: No DACUS. Bike has less priority. No tires.
- Power decrease (most notably Up-air).
- Less multihitting moves in Dair and Up-B.
- More unsafe due to lesser multihitting moves, bike nerfs and worsened air speed and aerial acceleration.
- Worsened combo potential.
- Worsened damage dealing capabilities due to moves doing less damage overall with worsened combo potential.
- Wario Bike: (1) It is easier to knock off Wario from his bike. (2) Bike isn't as great at dealing with items and projectiles anymore. (3) Can now be broken apart when Wario rides it. (4) Harder to get off of. (5) Can only use the bike once in the air. (6) Can no longer dismount his bike during a wheelie. (7) Bike edge crashing leaves Wario off stage. (8) Landing moves on the bike doesn't count as a move hitting, which means that Wario can no longer refresh his moves on it. (9) Doesn't bounce as much as before when thrown. (10) No tires... (!)
- Wario Waft has more ending lag and doesn't travel as far.
- Chomp can't be hold as long as before.
- F-smash is replaced with a new move that is much slower with more ending lag with no launch resistance (Super Armor).
- Jab doesn't connect to itself as easily. (This is due to Wario not stepping forward on the first punch and that the punch itself has much higher knockback than before. Also, if you hit with Wario's arm instead and not the fist itself, you won't be able to connect the move at higher %s and thus you will be punished.)
- Nair is just... just... awfully nerfed. It is harder to land with smaller hitboxes and is harder to do follow-ups after. WHY.
Neither a buff nor a nerf:
> Wario's bike's stamina was reduced from 26% to 18%. + It is easier to break assuming you want to get rid of it. - Due to it being easier to break means that other characters can more easily destroy it while you ride it.
> Wario can turn around on his bike repeatedly without falling it off. + This means that he can travel on his bike as much as he wants, without being worried about falling it off on his own. - Since he can't dismount it unless he jumps it off means that he can no longer start riding it and immediately do a super sharp turn, resulting in Wario falling it off in means for different purposes, like using it as a "projectile shield" or for an item to edge guarding/stage control with, among other things.
--------------------
Conclusion: Yeah, there you have it. This is all pros and cons, nerfs and buffs I can think of, talking generally. Wario is sadly too nerfed, with many useful tools he had in Brawl now severily reduced or even removed completely. Unless Wario will not be patched to the better (which he must be), he will be Middle Tier and only Middle Tier at best, with no High Tier in sight. I think his right position on the Tier list is somewhere between mid Middle Tier and lower Middle Tier. Sadly, Wario is not a viable character. I am not here to discourage Wario players by any means (I am one too). I am here to just inform the Wario board of Smash 4 Wario's current strenghts, current weaknesses and overall changes from Brawl. Please note that this is not a guide of some sort, even if I put some details here and there. I hope you have learned something from this.
Did I miss something? Or do you think something in these lists should be changed? Should something be added or removed? Or did I screw something up? Please fill me in then. I am happy to discuss anything regarding this topic.
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