Ness Main Counterparts

[FearTheTree]

I'm trying to join the competitive scene, but it's hard when you're 15 and waiting to get your license. I'm practicing for when I can get into some tourneys, but I need to practice the right characters. We all know that Ness isn't the best character in the game, and has a fair amount of weaknesses, but does anyone know a good character to cover Ness' character weaknesses? I need a back-up character to main when my opponent mains someone that Ness just can't touch. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Double Helix]

Well, this is a long time in the past, but a late answer is better than none I guess. The thing about Ness is you have to win the neutral game. It is a rough thing to do, but it can get you stuff like grabs and just a few random hits. Ness's biggest advantage (in my opinion) is that he can play like a floaty or a fast faller, depending on what you need. In most matchups, he can utilize both based on percentage and DI. In others, he just needs to be a floaty (Puff is a good example). I don't think that there is a matchup that it is not useful to utilize his floaty capabilities.

That said, I play Fox against Sheik in bracket until I figure out that matchup. I swear the Sheik/Ness matchup is 11-0 in Sheik's favor x.x

 

[FearTheTree]

Well, this is a long time in the past, but a late answer is better than none I guess. The thing about Ness is you have to win the neutral game. It is a rough thing to do, but it can get you stuff like grabs and just a few random hits. Ness's biggest advantage (in my opinion) is that he can play like a floaty or a fast faller, depending on what you need. In most matchups, he can utilize both based on percentage and DI. In others, he just needs to be a floaty (Puff is a good example). I don't think that there is a matchup that it is not useful to utilize his floaty capabilities.

That said, I play Fox against Sheik in bracket until I figure out that matchup. I swear the Sheik/Ness matchup is 11-0 in Sheik's favor x.x

Thanks for the input! I'm still playing with Ness, but I also picked up Sheik. She's a really fun character to use, and she has the combo ability that I just can't seem to make happen with Ness. I'm still leaning about how to deal with good characters like spacies and Marth, but that will come with time.

 

[Double Helix]

Yeah, the Sheik matchup is pretty bad. Falco is far more difficult (in my opinion) than Fox because the kid just hates lasers that he can't run through. A defensive Marth really sucks. The biggest reason Marth is not as strong as he was in, say, 2005 is because people decided to start baiting out the sword swing. He can't do anything while you are in his face. Bait out the fair and start comboing accordingly. Be patient and content with not approaching him unless he does a dumb thing.

Fox and Falco can be combo'd really easily. The shine pressure is real, so with smart play and liberal use of shielding, you can combo them better. Sometimes a Yoshi mentality is necessary because Ness is so weak as a character. Getting hit is sometimes the better option, but since your recovery is not good, limit it of course. I almost had my shield broken the other day, but then I got out and combo'd the Falco lol.

Also, when you play Ness, you will normally have the crowd because nobody really sees Ness played. So you get the support, and not many people know the matchup very well. A Fox player let me go Final Destination because he had no clue how to DI Ness's grab and did not know about the combos from them. It was a good game. XD

Just have fun dude.

 

[FearTheTree]

Yeah, the Sheik matchup is pretty bad. Falco is far more difficult (in my opinion) than Fox because the kid just hates lasers that he can't run through. A defensive Marth really sucks. The biggest reason Marth is not as strong as he was in, say, 2005 is because people decided to start baiting out the sword swing. He can't do anything while you are in his face. Bait out the fair and start comboing accordingly. Be patient and content with not approaching him unless he does a dumb thing.

Fox and Falco can be combo'd really easily. The shine pressure is real, so with smart play and liberal use of shielding, you can combo them better. Sometimes a Yoshi mentality is necessary because Ness is so weak as a character. Getting hit is sometimes the better option, but since your recovery is not good, limit it of course. I almost had my shield broken the other day, but then I got out and combo'd the Falco lol.

Also, when you play Ness, you will normally have the crowd because nobody really sees Ness played. So you get the support, and not many people know the matchup very well. A Fox player let me go Final Destination because he had no clue how to DI Ness's grab and did not know about the combos from them. It was a good game. XD

Just have fun dude.

Again, thanks for the insight! I'll be sure to put that all to use! Btw, did you beat the Fox?

 

[Double Helix]

Yeah. That was pretty fun. It was still close because he is Fox, but still.