I think his jab should hit at full length on frame 5 to clarify on an earlier proposal. Currently it technically comes out on frame 6, but the frame 6 hitbox is only relevant with absolutely terrible spacing, so I count it as frame 7.
I don't think boomerang is an issue at all atm, and if it was it certainly wouldn't be remedied with more added frames to its startup. Currently it's only 4 frames faster than it was originally iirc (it started at 27 then went to 21 and now is at 23). Adding a couple more frames is pointless as if there is ANY problem with boomerang still, it certainly isn't its speed. There are better projectiles in the game.
I think it should do more damage to make it slightly better on shield which would aid his harassment game considerably. Maybe do something to compensate so it doesn't stun for approx. 6 eternities like in 3.02.
I agree on the Nair thing too. That move's sweetspot used to be fantastic. Now it hits like a paper bag and that bothers me SO much. People live at like 170% from the sweetspot at the ledge. It's really stupid. It used to be a reliable kill at like 150 or so. Or at least get them offstage into a bad position earlier.
I think that the hitbox on his boomerang's sour spot should be made to match the size of its sweetspot, because currently it goes over people's heads after the 5th frame because of this and it's just really obnoxious and deceptive and not good design. I also think that his Zair's hitbox should be made to match the claw better, since this also seems to go through people fairly frequently. I just want his moves to feel less inconsistent and to hit where it looks like they should (Utilt is a good example).
And please for the love of God make his back air actually work. People can try to argue that it's fine, but it objectively isn't. The move does nothing and is inconsistent for no good reason and throws people out of range of the second hit far more often than not. You can do neat things with it, but "neat" doesn't translate to "good."
Edit: oh, and 3.02 bomb throw distance. Please for the love of God.
I don't think links jab needs to be much faster you would be surprised how much one frames difference can make. Especially considering how good links jab already is. Think about how slow Links utilt feels now. It only got one frame added at the beginning and end of the animation. One frame can feel like a lot.
Yeah, Links Nair really should kill slightly earlier, and be slightly better for spacing on shield, considering the rest of the cast, but this is a change, like his utilt damage, that I would be willing to live without. Nair is still one of his top 3 moves.
The boomerang nerf, for me, would just decentralize his reliance on it in neutral. I understand that it is not broken in any way. I just don't like how reliant link is on his projectiles atm. Though the other buffs I have suggested may make players more inclined to actually approach a bit rather than know for a fact that approaching is just a bad idea. I very much disagree with just strait up buffing it's damage. It doesn't need to be better.
I can agree with the boomerang hitbox size fix. It may not need to be the full size, but it would be more consistent with the animation for it to actually cover the boomerang. God knows the other projectiles in the game don't have this problem. I will change my buffs list to include the size up on the latter parts of the animation.
I think zair is quite a good move already, but again I can see why you would want it to match the animation. Things should match animations. Link has historically had the wonkiest hitbox coverage of just about anyone in smash, save ICs in melee.
Back air is not a good move, but it does serve a few purposes, and has nice hitbubbles. I don't think it needs changes. If anything I would suggest it to hit at a slightly lower angle, or give it a bit more growth. It is a relatively safe move for cross-ups and wavelanding it is a nice spacing movement that link completely lacks otherwise in his aerial game, unlike most other characters.
Please no on the bomb throw distance. It would be very inconsistent with the rest of the casts item throw distances. I will say however that it would stand to be just slightly further. He does not need this though, and I believe the current throw distance and speed his up- sides as well as down. The arc and speed it travels cover a lot of space and fill in an area Link can't really cover with his other projectiles.
That buff idea really isn't insane. Not like mine is [on mine the backlash from n00bs and people who don't realize how baitable it becomes is immediate and immense - it might actually be a change that makes Link good, not ok, but it would attract significantly more negativity than anything else suggested so far, from what I see]. I wouldn't mind it much, but it would make some of his OoS options typically used possibly have to be changed slightly [depending on pushback, wavedash OoS backwards jab might become wavedash straight down OoS jab or whatever, and one might have to nair and then hold forward slightly if they normally tipped with Link's boot].
If we wanted Link to instantly be good in a silly way, making dsmash front half have higher KGB to KO fast-fallers in the range of about 40% earlier on high-ceiling stages [think Dreamland, Falcon dying about 40% earlier, maybe 50% earlier I'd have to check percents and whatnot] while breaking CCs would probably be enough. That would also make floaties hate us for dying like 20% earlier on most stages [or whatever the number is]. Oh, and make the back half more powerful than the front. GGs floaties.
Heh, yeah i can agree that making up-b oos better would be a pretty salt inducing buff. It is quite bait able, but still a great option to use sparingly.
I was going to touch on the shield pushback element of reducing friction. I think it would help and hinder link, It would make shield pressuring him a bit more difficult, and allowing him to get more space between him and his opponent, but yes, he might have a slightly harder time punishing things. Though this would force players to work on their shield Di in to get the follow up. Which I like quite a bit.
Lol yes, it is quite easy to break link because of his counter potential and huge, lasting hitbubbles. Just about anything could break him. Which is why I suggested the buffs I did. Small concise butts to help him out in areas he should be a bit better in, rather than big buffs to his already amazing moves.
