Garteam
Smash Master
Honestly, I always really disliked changing the foundations of 's moveset. Anecdotally, Little Mac's moveset is pretty great for getting newcomers into Smash if they're not that comfortable with platformers. One of the toughest aspects of getting decent at Smash is learning how to maneuver properly and go on the offence in the air, so it's nice from a design perspective to have options that allow players to capitalize heavily off their most basic tools. It's kind of like reworking Ganondorf. Would he benefit professionally from being less polarizing in his strengths and weaknesses? Sure, but you'd piss off the mountains of casual fans who like Ganondorf because he's the most powerful but slowest character in the game. So much of Ultimate's cast has their neutral and advantage states built off being in the air already, we can have a couple of characters buck that trend.
and already demonstrate how you would theoretically fix Mac while leaving his aerial game untouched; you have to make sure Mac's tool set has the options necessary to address his most exploitable weaknesses. Mac's throws are oddly poor, so buff those or give him something to respond to shields that is more reliable than KO punch (maybe let him cancel jab into F-Smash to more easily threaten shield breaks?). On the flip side, he currently doesn't have a great out-of-shield option, so let him Up-B out of shield to let him play a little more defensively. Let his Neutral-B reflect projectiles so it has utility beyond wonky super armour. That sort of thing.
Making Slip Counter a back dash that goes at a downward angle in the air is genius though. It fits the character, it reinforces his design philosophy, and it gives him another option of exiting disadvantage in the air. 10/10, no notes.
and already demonstrate how you would theoretically fix Mac while leaving his aerial game untouched; you have to make sure Mac's tool set has the options necessary to address his most exploitable weaknesses. Mac's throws are oddly poor, so buff those or give him something to respond to shields that is more reliable than KO punch (maybe let him cancel jab into F-Smash to more easily threaten shield breaks?). On the flip side, he currently doesn't have a great out-of-shield option, so let him Up-B out of shield to let him play a little more defensively. Let his Neutral-B reflect projectiles so it has utility beyond wonky super armour. That sort of thing.
Making Slip Counter a back dash that goes at a downward angle in the air is genius though. It fits the character, it reinforces his design philosophy, and it gives him another option of exiting disadvantage in the air. 10/10, no notes.
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