welp, both characters share some similarities in how they use their projectiles, like most characters that have them, besides fox. one of the greatest strengths of a projectile is complicating an opponent's ability to approach, so it's only natural i mention that.
but this strength is much more proactive in link's case, as well as more effective. in snake's case, you put a mine down, possibly C4, and throw nades if you want to put pressure on an opponent, but this is still very shieldable and does not work vs. many other projectile characters. same with link. however, by jumping into the fray after placing his traps, he can complicate his opponent's approach, much like a spider would lay a web. he makes approaches a great deal more dangerous than link would, especially since unlike link snake can kill with his, often having to.
in link's case, it's kind of like summoning a swarm of chess pieces, with their own paths and quirks, forcing players to somehow dodge the obstacle course. not only this, but he can move his fairly easily unlike with snake's more long-winded game. if link is very careful and intelligent with them, he can bring his opponent up to good percents with the projectiles alone, and we can't discount that link can certainly intercept opponents with them offstage or use them to LINK into combos!
like i said, different but also very viable. somewhat hypothetically in link's case.
Hmmm, on that note, here are some ideas.
When Link holds down-B, he pulls out a Cucco with a bomb- [Collapse=]
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Which would be this model swapped over the fairy sprite from his taunt, and scaled down to proper size. He holds over his head like this [Collapse=]
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And it has two differentiating factors from his bombs.
While holding the cucco in the special animation that would be made for it, if link jumps or falls into the air while holding the cucco, he falls extremely slowly with increased control of his aerial movement, both in acceleration and speed, like jigglypuff essentially. Secondly, when he throws it, the cucco travels slower through the air and doesn't fall towards the ground as fast, so it flies farther then bombs. Also, unlike bombs if struck the cucco is not destroyed- the cucco explodes on impact with the ground or foe.
Essentially, this would aid him in his walling abilities by having a slower moving obstacle that an opponent must maneuver around, while allowing him to keep his old bombs- press down-B for bombs, hold for cucco. It's like samus' and her missles- press side-B for homing, smash for powerful.
Why not give Link more tools to mixup his game? Essentially the cucco would be worse for attacking, but before for walling- and due to it's slower and farther arc, it would allow Link to use it much in the same manner as Doc used his pills, approaching from behind it to frame trap the opponent.
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Actually, why leave it at two varying bombs?
With Link's boomerang, you could create a tap and smash variation, with tap creating standard boomerang that hits on the way out and the way back, and goes less distance, and a smash variation which creates a gale boomerang which can be controlled similar to Pit's arrows (though to a lesser degree- it is restricted to remain in front of him, and are more like Samus' homing missles which arc, but can't be circled like Pit's arrows) and while the gale boomerang deals no damage on the way out or the way back in, it can be used to manipulate the opponent and better control space, another piece in Link's wall. It makes sense as well since the Gale boomerang can be controlled in the games. The standard boomerang allows you to hit your opponent, meaning you can combo it's return, or do laggy attacks with impunity knowing it will be returning forcing your opponent to react. So you could have standard boomerang and gale boomerang to give Link more options, a tap and smash variation.
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Everyone is supporting the return of Link's 64 boomerang, so why not have it, but keep the gale boomerang as well and make it useful? The two bomb types provide Link with more mixups and options, and utility- the basic premise of Link and all his tools. Of course at first it sounds absurd to give him several new options in addition to his plethora of projectiles, but it would enhance his play and make for a deeper character- Link is a fast faller who tends to suck offstage, but what if he gets offstage and pulls out a cucco, and flies towards the stage before AGTing it towards his opponent, providing him with a better means of recovery and placing an obstacle between him and his opponent? The cucco would aid offstage game, onstage it would allow him to fakeout opponents with his mobility before throwing it (but while holding it, he cannot attack or perform other actions) so it gives him another tool to use.
Neither the two boomerangs or the two bombs are anything overpowering or breaking his game- he still loses out to other projectile users at long range, so it isn't to promote camping, but rather to give him better stage control, zoning, walling, recovery, close quarters combat, and mix ups. Why not make Link a unique character with a broader range of tools at his disposal? In Zelda games one of the most major aspects of the game was Link's arsenal of tools, and I feel it would be good to further strengthen his utilities and projectiles- Link would be a character known for his broad number of options and his large arsenal of weapons that make him an opponent suited to shrewd and tactical play.
It sounds absurd to suggest such radical changes such as two entirely new projectiles, however it fits the character and fits the play. I now it's outlandish, but so were the changes made to some other characters to better fit play- snake was a powerhouse with impressive reach, in P:M he became an amazing tech chaser and mixup master. Huge shift in play, but everyone who has played him agrees it was for the better. Wolf was a fairly campy heavy who spammed his blaster and bair to wall opponents- now he has great rushdown skills and high pressure play. Once again, a change for the better. Link is a heavy fastfalling swordfighter with a lot of mediocre projectiles- why not change him to focus upon his arsenal, broaden his options, in a manner most conductive to allowing him stage control?
My other suggestion would be that his Bow and Arrow be changed so that while charging, it is the same as Pit's- in that it can be aimed either up, down, or to the sides, to allow him to once again, mixup and broaden his play. Arrows are so linear and predictable that most everyone has an easy time against them- but why not use them as part of his wall and setup to aid his stage control? Shoot them up, and you've created an obstacle for your opponent- they know where it will be, but it's still an obstacle that they must work around and you can work into your wall. Shooting it down means he can do something while jumping above his opponent, that would help to make it less of an easy task to juggle him or approach from below. It would mostly just help because his arrows are always an easily avoided obstacle- he starts charging, you just jump out of the line of fire and laugh as you approach him from above or behind- Make his arrows more effective and potent in standard play. Also, I would recommend that you make his arrows start with Melee's much lower initial charge, and make it charge much faster than in Brawl.
With aimable arrows, two types of boomerangs and bombs, Link sounds like his projectile game might actually be good, and as all of his projectiles are limited in range, he'll be playing the mid-range wall game. His projectiles form a solid wall, which to approach through forces a read situation where if he guesses correctly he can punish you for it. He'll have a better recovery and onstage game, but he wouldn't be overpowered- characters like Fox, Sonic, or Metaknight who are extremely fast could penetrate his wall with ease and prevent him from setting up, characters like Falco can better use projectiles to force him to approach and reflect his wall attempts, essentially, he would have strategies that counter his usage of walling, however most of the time smart play utilizing his plethora of tools would allow him to bypass that- my goal is that his tools make him a much better character, a more fun and varied character, without sacrificing what makes him fun to play, but still capable of competing with any opponent.
So those are my ideas for how Link's specials should be changed, however he still needs improvement in his standard play as well.
Jab- incorporate multijab again.
Utilt- better set up for comboing- quicker startup+endlag, lower knockback, less damage.
Ftilt- I would create a new animation, Link takes a hop step forward and while doing so swings his shield up from his knees, held sideways like he is cutting them with the edge and his arm is fully extended. Fairly quick move, low damage, sends them at low knockback popping them up, good for setting up opponent for followups.
Dtilt- faster startup, main hitbox pops them up, spike hitbox kept.
Fsmash- Remove the first swipe, so now it is simply the second swipe, same knockback+damage.
Dsmash- Faster startup
Usmash- unchanged
Aerials- changed to melee versions
Throws- Dthrow setups for followup, Uthrows can be linked together on heavies.
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I'd appreciate any feedback, I really do feel like the idea of improving Link's arsenal through increased options is a good idea to improving him as a character- Link could be pretty awesome with Cuccos at his disposal as well as a useful gale boomerang and standard 'rang, good ol' bombs and aimable arrows. Any support or suggestions for the concept is great, Link does need some change, and I agree with stereo that Link could form an interesting mid range character with a variety of tools to augment that kind of play. If enough people like the idea and support it, it would gain some traction and might create a more unique character in P:M. So...+1 for Link's arsenal I suppose.
