Every single aerial doesn't need to be a ground approach tool to be a good move.
Bowser didn't have aerial approach as a trade off for having one of THE BEST aerial approach tools in the game; a lagless command grab that did 18 damage. He had other strong poke options in ftilt and jab. his aerials were all high priority kill moves that would have flat out beat or at least traded with most grounded hit boxes in the game.
Ike had AMAZING range and shield stun on his aerials. Despite big landing lag on his aerial he could use them as spacing and poking tools in a lot of match ups. And even with these laggy moves that don't combo he is one of the most aggressive rush down characters in the game.
Conceding to this idea that every move needs to function the same way melee space animals did to be funtional is silly.
Believing every aerial needs to be safe on shield no matter what isn't some insane buff to defensive play. It gives more power to players who learn to space, condition and bait.
If you want these fast low risk aerial combo characters chances are they will be there. They were there in melee (fox falco), they still existed in brawl (sheik fox), and I can't imagine they won't be there in smash 4 as well.(people are already looking at sheik, greninja, and ZSS)
Bowser didn't have aerial approach as a trade off for having one of THE BEST aerial approach tools in the game; a lagless command grab that did 18 damage. He had other strong poke options in ftilt and jab. his aerials were all high priority kill moves that would have flat out beat or at least traded with most grounded hit boxes in the game.
Ike had AMAZING range and shield stun on his aerials. Despite big landing lag on his aerial he could use them as spacing and poking tools in a lot of match ups. And even with these laggy moves that don't combo he is one of the most aggressive rush down characters in the game.
Conceding to this idea that every move needs to function the same way melee space animals did to be funtional is silly.
Believing every aerial needs to be safe on shield no matter what isn't some insane buff to defensive play. It gives more power to players who learn to space, condition and bait.
If you want these fast low risk aerial combo characters chances are they will be there. They were there in melee (fox falco), they still existed in brawl (sheik fox), and I can't imagine they won't be there in smash 4 as well.(people are already looking at sheik, greninja, and ZSS)