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Notes on Paralysing needle

_Tree

The no-more hero
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DekuBaba
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Ok, done lurking, time to initiate some more activity in this section of the boards.

First off, Sheik's paralysing needle paralysis duration DOES scale off the percentage of the opponent. This wasn't tested to a great extent in any custom move videos I've seen, so I was under the initial impression that it did not scale and was a borderline useless custom move. Thankfully, I was able to prove myself wrong.

After confirming that, I thought I would go a step further and find out the duration of the needle's paralysis at varying percentages, as well as if it has a maximum paralysis duration and if it scales with distance traveled.

Durations at different percentages

The paralysing needle custom move does have different durations at different percentages. Before I begin, I have two notes:
1. These numbers are very rough. They are more general approximations than exact stats. Due to the nature of how I recorded these numbers that's how it goes, however.
2. Human ability and more specifically human error play a part in the accuracy here. The duration of the paralysis that has been recorded was dependent on my reaction time in starting and stopping my stopwatch, so forgive any discrepancies.
3. When recording durations, I started my stopwatch as soon as Mario was hit by the needle, and stopped it as soon as he was released from the 'stuttering' animation the paralysis induces. Whether he could act out of the 'jump' paralysis gives at the end of the stuttering animation doesn't matter, as time can just be added or subtracted.

Here are the numbers I was able to find out:
Key: Opponent percentage - Paralysis duration numbers (in seconds) - Conclusion

0% - 0.50 - Paralysis lasts approximately 0.50 second(s)
-------0.54
-------0.50

20% -
0.60 - Paralysis lasts approximately 0.60 second(s)
---------0.61
---------0.64
---------0.56

40% - 0.73 - Paralysis lasts approximately 0.70 second(s)
---------0.71
---------0.70
---------0.70

60% - 0.80 - Paralysis lasts approximately 0.80 second(s)
---------0.82
---------0.84
---------0.84

80% - 0.93 - Paralysis lasts approximately 0.90 second(s)
---------0.92
---------0.91

100% - 0.98 - Paralysis lasts approximately 1.00 second(s)
-----------0.97
-----------1.00
-----------0.99

See the pattern? This is how I generally expected it to keep going. However, unlike how I first imagined it, it does not go up in thresholds, but seems to have it's duration extended based on each 'tick' of percentage. For example, ten percent seems to have a weird middle ground between zero and twenty. I wasn't able to completely nail it down.

10% - 0.57 - Paralysis duration is in-between 0% and 20%
---------0.53
---------0.50

Maximum paralysis duration


The maximum duration of paralysis seems to be 1:20 seconds. I tested this by testing the duration of paralysis at 120% and at 170%, which ended up being virtually the same:

120% - 1.20 - Paralysis lasts approximately 1.20 second(s)
-----------1.24
-----------1.16

170% - 1.20 - Paralysis lasts approximately 1.20 seconds(s)
-----------1.20
-----------1.19

I believe this limit is hit once the opponent is at 120%. The times I got for 110% are as follows, which did not get to 1.20:

110% - 1.15
-----------1.12
-----------1.14

(I am aware that the times of 110% and 120% conflict with the pattern seen at earlier percentages, but that's the inaccuracy of my reaction time for you.)

Scaling on distance

The duration of the paralysis is not affected by distance or time air-borne. I tested this by paralysing Mario at 80% at the closest possible distance, and at the maximum distance, with basically no difference seen:

Closest distance

80% - 0.93
---------0.92
---------0.91

Maximum distance

80% - 0.95
---------0.88
---------0.92

And that's it. Some information about a VERY specific category, but it could be useful. Again, I'm aware that this information is VERY rough, so until a more accurate way of noting such times is found, this will have to do. Also, this is my first post, so if the layout of this thread is all jacked up there's a reason for it.
 

?.?

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Aug 22, 2013
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Hmm, this actually kinda turns me away from using para needles sadly... Very useful and awesome info but I can't imagine being able to do anything good except a dash grab/pivot tilt out of this... Actually wait that's the best combo starter I'm aware of for her so yeah I should try this lol.
 

_Tree

The no-more hero
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I think it will have it's uses, but yea, looks like it'll be situational (like most custom moves). Plus at higher percents it can lead into stuff like U-smash so it can be good for finishing opponents off. Just the fact that it DOES scale with percentage rekindled my interest in it.
 

Tristan_win

Not dead.
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Currently Japan
Welcome to Smashboards and the Sheik forum @ _Tree _Tree ! Great first post!

I've only recently unlock paralyzing needle so it's nice to see just how the move can scale and to know the limit is just awesome.
 

_Tree

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Yea, thanks for the welcome Tristan. Hopefully I'll have some write-ups about the other custom moves too, but I'm not sure if they'll require the same kind of testing as this. We'll see I guess.
 

LightningLoops

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When recording durations, I started my stopwatch as soon as Mario was hit by the needle, and stopped it as soon as he was released from the 'stuttering' animation the paralysis induces.
Love your dedication.

Great post, I look forward to your future comments on this board.
 
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RyokoYaksa

BRoomer
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This will combo into Usmash tipper (which is weaker in this game but oh well) and Floppy Fish at killing percents. With needle damage being so light in this game I made the switch to the Paralyzing Needle and have been satisfied with the results.
 

Tristan_win

Not dead.
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Holy s***, RyokoYaksa!

Everyone please respect anything he says as if it was scripture. There's no other player I would ever say this for.
 

?.?

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Hahahha, he's the reason I play peach in melee... Even if I am a casual in melee.
 

RyokoYaksa

BRoomer
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After playing with this more I have this to say about the KO setups.

To hit with tipper Usmash after this, you need to time the Usmash so it hits as they are released from the paralysis and are lifted into the air ever so slightly. The kill power is definitely weaker than in previous games though, so don't expect guaranteed kills until they have 110% on them with VI being what it is. DownBs have a wider margin of error if you're afraid of messing this up, and speaking of which...

...this also has great synergy with the all of the DownB variations.

Bouncing Fish is the easiest general purpose DownB and can combo from this at most damage ranges, but the kill power isn't exactly exceptional.

Jellyfish is my personal recommendation. It has strong KB, and since the paralyze state is treated as an air state, the double kick is skipped and it will always knock forwards instead of backwards. At max needle range, you'll have to have 100 damage on them and run forward before executing this for it to reach in time since it doesn't go very far forward. What that in mind this is a good aggressive edgeguarding move against certain characters.

Pisces has the strongest KB and can combo from the Paralyze even at low damages at longer ranges, but it sends them the wrong direction for a Paralyzing Needle KO setup to be efficient at the edge. It also sends you way past the edge if you land it there. This move in general is best for turning around edgeguarding attempts against you with its reverse KB.
 
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Steel

Where's my Jameson?
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Paralyzing needle is good. Free up smash or grab, which is way more than the percentage we'd gain from fully charged needles. It comes out a little slow, but I like that you can start it while still in the air and throw it upon landing.
 
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