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Quote
Chance: 20%:
One of the indie frontrunners, considering Cave Story is an iconic indie game brat is pretty popular. Howver, freddy, Shantae, and The Knight are all as likely if not moreso than Quote.
Want:100%: Cave Story is a masterpiece that deserves recognition. Also, it has an a amazing soundtrack and the stage could be really cool. I'm down.
Nominations Shadow x5
Chance: 20%. A new indie rep is possible, and this franchise has a chance. Competition would be the main concern, and if any indie rep gets in, it's either Shantae or Shovel Knight. But Quote could have a chance to be in the game however.
Want: 55%. Quote would be another fun fighter to play as. Plus we get more songs, and a cave stage, which would be a fun concept to make.
Prediction: Any Grass Starter: 15%
Noms: 2 for Boss: Ender Dragon and 3 for Concept: Lord Fredrik as an Echo of K. Rool
Chance: 25%
Cave Story's importance to the indie scene is not to be understated - maybe we wouldn't have an indie scene at all if it wasn't for its success. It was acclaimed and super popular and got ported to every console ever.
Will we get an indie? Are indies in consideration for fighters or is there a ceiling where for now AT is the most that can be hoped for? That's the big question there, but there's a good chance, I'd say. Right now, Quote's competition is just Reimu, another Japanese indie with massive influence and popularity. I think Quote has the upper hand with the indie aspect, and I dunno whether would be harder to negotiate with racist Western company Nicalis or single indie ZUN (or alternatively, who Nintendo would be alright with contacting). After the Fighter Pass concludes, Shovel Knight is back in the fight, and I guess Shantae is too, but they're Western characters and Shantae's sole claim to fame is a big fanbase so they're not exactly frontrunners either.
Want: 90%
I mean, if you want to have indie characters, at some point or another you're gonna have to get Quote. I think Sakurai would also be attracted to that historical standpoint.
Chance: 15%
I may be wrong, but I think Quote is legitimately one of the most likely indie reps for a playable character in Smash. Him and Shantae are both a lot older than any other indie reps, and due to their long-lasting appeal and history they represent the concept better. Quote is only slightly less likely than Shantae in my eyes, since she has more fan-demand.
Want: 70%
One of very few 3rd party characters I legitimately would LOVE to see playable. Cave Story is one of my favorite games, and Quote in Smash would be SO cool. Especially with a Curly Brace alt skin??? God that's be AWESOME. Please yes. If Curly being an alt skin was removed from the equation for some reason this'd go down to 60% probably.
While Quote may not seem like he has a ton of moveset potential, that's only if you take his appearance at face-value. Sure, you COULD make him be a semi-clone of Samus/Megaman, just give him some generic zoner moves, etc... but that'd be LAME. I think giving him a mechanic that allows him to gain EXP for weapons while fighting would not only make him one of the most unique fighters ever, but also be way more representative of his game. Opponents would drop exp triangles when you hit them, similar to coin matches (or Shovel Knight's treasure mechanic in RoA) and his most recently-used weapon would gain exp- but his most recently-used weapon would LOSE exp when he gets hit. It'd be a cool way to reward careful planning and stuff... or you could just only use the Nemesis gun and play braindead rushdown
Even if you forewent the EXP route, Quote's moveset would still be pretty cool, since Quote gives a great opportunity for more projectile-firing normal moves, something only like 3 characters have. A down-air based on the machine gun that fires projectiles downward and sends quote upward sounds super cool.
Plus, ammo conservation?? How do we not have a character that has to keep track of ammo usage yet?? (Banjo's side B doesn't count.)
I didn't get a notification about this for some reason... if it's not too late to change yesterday's noms, can I just do x10 today? If not whatever and just keep it as x5.
Unsafe Wiimote Guy x112
Concept: Any new Xenoblade character x110
Sunflower (Plants vs. Zombies) x105
Aloy x100
[Rerate] Sora x86
Glover x85
Noctis Lucis Caelum x85
[Rerate] Ryu Hayabusa x85
[Rerate] Shadow the Hedgehog x85
100 - 51
Ryo Hazuki x80
[Rerate] Heihachi x80
Mii Costume: Hollow Knight x80
Proto Man x75
Papyrus x75
[Rerate] Prince of All Cosmos x70
Sackboy x68
X (Mega Man) x68
Brian (Quest 64) x65
Kunio (River City) x60
Reporter & Wrestler x55
[Rerate] Claude von Riegan x55
Decidueye x53
50 - 25
Dwight Fairfield (Dead by Daylight) x50
[Rerate] Lloyd Irving x50
[Rerate] Monokuma x50
[Rerate] Bandana Dee x45
Concept: Atari rep x40
Meowth x39
Earthworm Jim x38
[Rerate] Dante x37
Kasumi (Dead or Alive) x35
Akira Howard x33
Concept: Pokéball Pokémon becomes playable x30
[Rerate] Phoenix Wright x30
King Boo x29
Kazuma Kiryu x25
Under 25
Chun-Li x23
Urbosa x21
[Rerate] Crash Bandicoot x20
Giygas x17
The Blob (De Blob) x15
[Rerate] Rayman x15
Rival Pokémon Trainer x13
Boss: Ender Dragon x12
Echo: Lord Fredrik (67e) x10
[Rerate] Doomguy x10
[Rerate] Reimu Hakurei x10
[Rerate] Waluigi x8
Freddy Fazbear x7
Toxtricity x7
Sparky (Clash Royale) x5
Concept: Overwatch character x5
Gordon Freeman x5
Black Shadow x5
Asha (Wonder Boy) x5
Nightmare (Soul Calibur) x5
Terra Branford x5
[Rerate] Monster Hunter x5
[Rerate] Isaac x5
Echo: Zeraora (41e) x5
The Prince x5
[Rerate] 2B x5
Chell x3
[Rerate] Andy x2
[Rerate] Skull Kid x2
Taranza x1
Unsafe Wiimote Guy and Any new Xenoblade character pass Sunflower and end the day in first and second place respectively. Shadow the Hedgehog joins the top seven, tying with Glover, Noctis Lucis Caelum and Ryu Hayabusa.
Kazuma Kiryu fights his way out of the under 25 club.
Today's newcomers are Zeraora as a Lucario Echo, The Prince, and a rerate of 2B, each with 5 noms.
I didn't get a notification about this for some reason... if it's not too late to change yesterday's noms, can I just do x10 today? If not whatever and just keep it as x5.
Chance 5 - I don't think there will be an indie rep in this game. A lot of the more popular and more relevant choices have been KO'd, but since he's somewhat one of the earlier indie characters to make it big with Nintendo then I could maybe see it. Still feel like it's fairly unlikely but not as bad as I thought at first
Want 30 - I wouldn't hate it but also don't have much a connection to him. There's other characters I'd rather get first.
Chance: 17.5%
Out of all Indie reps, I suppose he has one of the better cases. He has seniority, is Japanese-developed, multiple releases on Nintendo hardware, and doesn't have any presence in Smash yet. But on the other hand, the fact that there has been no precedent for a playable Indie rep of any kind is seriously hurting him, I feel. Of course, someone will most likely set the precedent eventually, but I find myself doubtful that it will happen for DLC, be it as FP5 or post-pass DLC.
Want: Abstain
I don't know enough about Quote. So for the sake of not needlessly dragging the want score down, I won't give one.
Predicting Grass Starters to get around 12.5%.
Nominating Concept: Any Xenoblade Newcomer x5, because I dunno what else to nominate once that gets its turn.
Cave Story is the father of indie games. Quote is one of the only remaining viable indie characters that hasn't been deconfirmed via assist trophy or Mii costume, alongside Shantae and Reimu. Cave Story was also developed in Japan which helps it tremendously. If we do get an indie character, it will probably be Quote. My main issue is that Undertale took Japan and the west by storm, becoming one of, if not the biggest indie game in recent years, I'd argue even more so than Shovel Knight. Yet it only got a Mii costume and 1 song. That does concern me quite a bit. I really do have to question if Nintendo or Sakurai thinks highly enough of indie games to put enough confidence in having an indie character as a DLC character.
Want: 51%
In terms of indie characters, I would rather have something like Shovel Knight and I'm not super interested in the art style or gameplay of Cave Story. But just for its history and impact, I wouldn't mind getting Quote. And it would mean we would finally get an indie character which is overdue in my opinion.
Predictions: Grass starters - 12% (It really depends if in the future they decide to add a Sword/Shield starter and it happens to be Grookey, which is unlikely because they recently got spirits)
Chance - 2.5% - I suppose he's the last notable indie remaining; others are likely not influential enough to get in, or are already disconfirmed. While he's popular among the indie scene, the fact remains he is still a one game wonder who hasn't had much besides ports. He's having fading revevency, especially as other indie characters have hit it bigger than he has.
Want - 65% - Not my ideal indie character. Still, I want any indie character, so I'll take him, I guess.
I swear I've seen this guy from somewhere before but I just can't put my finger on it...
Chance: 15%
Created over a span of five years by just one person in his freetime, Cave Story became a beloved classic when it released in 2004. It is regarded by many to be one of the games that defined the indie genre. Cave Story has been ported to just about every Nintendo system ever since the original WiiWare port and Quote himself even guest-starred in BIT TRIP Runner2 along with many other popular indie characters at the time.
When it comes to getting an indie character in Smash, Quote is looking to be one of the frontrunners. Some advantages that Quote has over some other indie characters/series:
Undertale: Sans is a mii costume and even came with a music track. If this happened when the base game released I think Sans could maybe have a shot for the future, but with the Undertale content releasing around the time more DLC was confirmed I view Undertale as out.
Shovel Knight: Even with the announcement of more DLC, I don't think we'll be getting an AT character in Ultimate's lifespan. Creating assist trophies takes a decent amount of time so it's just something I don't see Sakurai going back on. There is only one AT character who I think may be the exception to this and may actually be promoted (you know the one). That character has a gigantic amount of fan demand for him to be promoted which even Nintendo is aware of. I don't think the demand for SK to be promoted to playable status is as big as you know who so I think SK will just keep his role as an AT.
Shantae: Both her and Risky Boots are spirits, and Shantae director Matt Bozon's posts on Twitter following the November 2018 Direct pretty much deconfirmed her for FP5. While Shantae could possibly have a shot as one of the post pass characters, her status as a spirit may come back to haunt her depending on how you view spirits.
You could argue that if the aforementioned characters couldn't get in then neither could Quote, since games like Shovel Knight and Undertale are definitely more well-known to the general public than Cave Story is. But Smash is not always a popularity contest, hence why Terry got in before Scorpion and a Tekken character (both of which series sell a ton of more units than SNK does nowadays). History and legacy are good enough substitutes for modern day sales which - like Terry - are things that Quote has going for him.
You could also argue that Nintendo wouldn't want to work with Nicalis (the company who currently owns Cave Story), since it has recently come to light that Nicalis is toxic as hell. While that is certainly not a good thing, Quote's inclusion probably wouldn't be affected by it since we got both Bomberman and Castlevania content in Ultimate despite Konami being Konami. Regardless of what Nicalis does, Cave Story was made by Pixel so I don't think including Quote wouldn't cause too much trouble with people.
I think the main things holding back Quote are his indie competition with series like Touhou, Cave Story technically being a Western series since Nicalis owns it now, and the general idea that we may not even get an indie character at all.
Want: 100%
Cave Story is my all-time favorite indie game. It's an amazing Metroidvania game that starts out fun and cute but then gets very hard and surprisingly dark. If you haven't played it yet you owe it to yourself to do it now. It was released as a freeware game so you can legally download it here. You can also get the enhanced Cave Story+ version on Switch as well as on Steam. Quote himself has a ton of moveset potential to be a very fun gun-based user.
Also if Quote gets in, Curly is pretty much guaranteed as an alt or an echo. Yet another reason why Cave Story in Smash would be worth it.
Quote
Chance: 5%
I guess he's one of the few indie characters still in the running. With the way indies are treated in Smash nowadays it makes me wonder if they will ever be represented with a playable character. I guess he has more history and legacy than others but at the same time I don't know if he would be the most talked about indie character or bring in the most money.
Want: 10%
I'll probably play Cave Story one but as of right now, I view him as Hollow Knight competition. That's the indie game I'm the most obsessed with right now.
I'm guessing you don't count Reimu as an indie rep? Because she predates Quote by at least six years.
Anyways, getting that little tidbit out of the way...
' (and by proxy {, as an obvious echo)
Chance: Tough to say, so I'll abstain.
I really don't know where I stand on Quote's chances. On the one hand, the big indie boom was widely attributed to Cave Story's success, with many Indies that came after trying to emulate it to a degree. As far as Indie reps go, I'm of the camp that Shantae and Shovel Knight are both dead in the water as far as their chances go, so as far as Indie reps go, Quote's real main competition right now is one miss Reimu Hakurei (Touhou Project. You may have heard of her), and the question there comes down to Western Appeal (Quote) vs. Seniority (Reimu), plus other deciding factors, in which I DO think Reimu has the edge? Only by a small margin though (Mostly due to DAT SOUNDTRACK). Popularity isn't quite as clear-cut. Touhou was already taking off in Japan when Cave Story got released (Cave Story was released in December 2004, around the same time as Immaterial and Missing Power, meaning that Touhou had already released the games that had caused its popularity to skyrocket- Embodiment of Scarlet Devil, Perfect Cherry Blossom and Imperishable Night). Ordinarily, I would have an issue finding a way to create an actual moveset for Quote given the guy only has 8 possible weapons (Not counting the Polar Star), and of those, there are two sets of mutually exclusive weapons- the Blade and the Nemesis, and the Machine Gun and the Spur. The Super Missile Launcher is also an upgrade over the regular Missile Launcher, but I digress. Recently, Quote got into another fighting game called Blade Strangers (Which also starred, amongst other characters, Isaac from the Binding of Isaac, Gunvolt from Azure Striker Gunvolt, and of course Shovel Knight because come on), which gave him a decently fleshed out movepool, just by using the Spur, Blade and Missile Launcher, So I don't think moveset is going to be that huge of an issue.
Want: 70%
He's not at the top, but make no mistake. Quote's pretty high up there. Cave Story's reputation is well-deserved, regardless of the company behind it. Quote would probably be my #3 or #4 choice for an Indie Rep (Behind Reimu, Shantae and possibly Shovel Knight. He'd be right above Gunvolt).
I'm trying to find my old Quote write up but I can't.
Quote Chance: 40%. Feels like there needs to be a bigger push for him in order to really be likely. But since I don't think Indies compete with each other, Cave Story just has that legacy edge to it that really makes Quote a solid sleeper candidate. Plus I can't imagine, despite being western owned, he'd be very hard to negotiate for.
Want: 25%, GOD I wish this could be higher but alas. Me and Cave Story are still split, and considering I'm getting into new things all the time, it's unlikely I'll ever truly be happy about a Cave Story character, regardless of who it is. Solidarity and because Cave Story is popular among people I follow, really carry him but on his own I couldn't care less.
Chance: 25% - Cave Story is one of the fathers of Indie gaming, had a profound effect alongside LaMulana on the early days of the internet and provided undeniable inspiration to some of the big indie games of the present day, most notably Undertale. And it didn't stop there, after the franchise was bought by Nicalis (if in a scummy way), it got its' first official translation (something that took much longer for other series like Touhou), and has been ported to multiple Nintendo systems, including its' own 3D remake on the 3DS, models and everything! With the existance of series like Shantae, Shovel Knight, and Undertale people seem to forget about Cave Story in speculation when it in fact has a lot going for it. Sakurai would see the historical value appeal in the series and the unique mechanics Quote can provide as a character. Furthermore, despite the reputation of Nicalis' CEO I don't think he'd be difficult to negotiate with, especially with someone as respected as Sakurai. Furthermore, Cave Story+ is on the Switch, and this recency would definitely be appealing to Nintendo. Finally, it is Japanese-made and is well-known in both the East and West, something other indies like Shantae, Shovel Knight, and Touhou don't quite have. Many would cite competition with Undertale, but Sans is a Mii costume that has the series' most iconic song coming with him. It'd be a little odd to do this and then release an Undertale character + Stage + Music later down the line. Even the phrase "Play Cave Story" was the original "Play Undertale". It was just that ubiquitous! This is a legacy that I feel gives Quote a huge chance at inclusion.
Want: 100%+ - By far one of my most wanted characters! Cave Story is one of the first indie games I played back in 2010, and Cave Story content was everywhere in the Super Mario World Hacking scene, which I was in at the time. I played the game three times and loved the whole thing! Pixel put a lot of love into the game and it shows, and the influence it has had was extremely well-earned! Furthermore, gunner characters are rare, and with the different weapon types and upgrade system, Quote would have so much to offer! Furthermore, for Smash's first indie rep I hope it is an indie rep with legacy, so Quote (or someone like Reimu or Shantae) would fit that bill perfectly. Games like Undertale, Shovel Knight, Hollow Knight, etc are great games, but I think one of the fathers of the genre deserves the first indie spot the most.
Since there aren't really any themes dedicated to specific starter Pokemon, I went ahead and gathered some early route music from across the series for today's music post:
Pokemon has the unfortunate pattern of only receiving one newcomer from the newest game. An exception is Brawl, so there is precedence that could lead us to getting a new Pokemon from a previous generation (albeit that was base roster, not dlc). I believe it was Sceptile that got some traction during the Smash Ballot days. However, I'm not confident in the chances of any Pokemon in general getting into Smash right now. The best chance for a grass starter was with Grookey, and he has seemingly been deconfirmed with the Sword/Shield spirit event. Plus, it is safe to assume that the majority of the rest of the DLC will be third-party focused. All these points, combined with heavy competition from other first-party characters like Waluigi, FE Three Houses rep, and Bandana Dee, and you have a recipe for a low chance.
Want: 55%
I'm not very interested in getting more pokemon right now. With that said, someone like Sceptile would be cool and I do think we should have at least one more grass-type pokemon in the game.
Grass Starter
Chance: Unknown
Want: 50%
On one hand, a grass starter I think is long overdue (heck, I even used to support Decidueye in the pre-Ultimate days). On the other hand, I don’t want one just because. The fun they bring is more important, which leads me to believe that, unless Sakurai can make Rillaboom work, any grass starter should be an older on (heck, even Decidueye from the same generation as ).
Chance: 23%
Pokemon is one of the biggest video game franchises of all time, if not THE biggest. It's no surprise, then, that they have one of the largest pools of playable fighters in Smash. Does Nintendo think we need another one? Maybe, maybe not. Does Sakurai think we need another one? Again, maybe, maybe not. The problem is, Nintendo and Sakurai really don't seem to care about "series reps" nearly as much as fans do. Sakurai is mainly focused on trying to add interesting and fun characters to Smash that would add something new and different.
In the Smash Ballot, many polls pointed towards Sceptile doing very well- This was partly because of the lack of Ivysaur and thus the lack of grass starters in general, and many fans likely stated wanted a grass type in Smash as their reasoning for picking Sceptile. Among other grass starters like wanting Ivysaur back, and the smaller following of Snivy/Serperior, there's a good chance Nintendo took notice of that.
Grass type pokemon, and plant-based characters in general, are an EXTREMELY untapped market of new and interesting gameplay ideas, and that's why we got Piranha Plant, I think. If we get a pokemon rep, I think 9 times out of 10 it'd be a grass type. The only thing holding them back is the possibility of no pokemon DLC at all... which, while possible, seems like a bit of a poor choice considering how well it'd easily sell. Pokemon sells.
If we did get one, the most likely option is Rillaboom, since he's the most recent. I could potentially see Decidueye or Sceptile getting in based on their fan support, though.
Want: 100%
As you may be able to guess, by my username, my profile picture, and the fact that I nominated this concept- I ****ing love grass type pokemon. I always have. Ever since I picked Treecko in Pokemon Emerald, I've always been in love with the type. Aside from Kalos, my first playthrough in every region since Hoenn has ALWAYS been the grass type. Even aside from starters, every single grass type out there belongs on my list of faves. My top ten favorite pokemon of all time is a list of 9 grass types and Zeraora. You can imagine how happy I'd be to see any one of them in Smash.
Another reason I want a grass type is, obviously, the lack of one- Incineroar and Greninja being in the roster leaves a giant gaping hole of emptiness and heartbreak for me. It feels unfair, and it's a terrible way of representing Pokemon. You could argue that we have Ivysaur, but it really just isn't the same. Especially with how little Ivysaur explores the territory of grass types. Greninja and Incineroar more explore their secondary characteristics (ninjas and wrestling) than their type, but their types are far from unexplored in Smash. Half the cast uses fire, and squirtle+greninja along with Mario's down B cover pretty much everything water has, really. Grass types, however, have a MASSIVE array of moves and skills that NO ONE on the roster uses to any extent.
Ivysaur has razor leaf and vine whip covered pretty well, so we can cross that off the list. What does that leave? Solar Beam- one of the most iconic moves in Pokemon, and its physical counterpart Solar Blade. Both of which could be used in a number of ways as a move, or even a final smash. Sleep Powder/Spore, poison powder, stun spore, "dust moves," the ability stun spore, etc... Status moves and grass types go hand-in-hand in pokemon, and wouldn't you know it? Debuffs are hardly explored at all in Smash- Only Joker comes to mind immediately. Grass Knot and other similar moves also lead the way for an interesting "trapper" moveset, which once again, is nowhere near being in Smash. Grassy Terrain, Ingrain, Strength Sap, etc- Recovery moves are used sparingly among Smash movesets, leaving any kind of recovery once again as an interesting unique gimmick grass types could bring to the table.
I could go on, but of the three main pokemon types, I think I've made my case pretty clear- grass is the most potentially interesting and unique when it comes to Smash movesets. And if you know anything about me, you probably know how much I love unique and interesting gimmicks in Smash Movesets.
With that out of the way, let's talk about some specific candidates-
Sceptile:
Sceptile has been the "face" of grass types, especially in Smash, for quite a while. He used to be my favorite pokemon of all time, and he's one of the most popular pokemon of all time for good reason. He was on Ash's team in the anime, and thus has quite a lot to draw from on that front. Solar Beam and Leaf Blade are a MUST for his moveset, and his moveset is almost TOO easy to make. Just copy paste him from the anime. (like Sakurai did for so many other pokemon fighters, lol) He's also been in Pokken, making the moveset even easier to come up with.
I love Sceptile, and he's still one of my favorites of all time, but if we got a Gen 3 Grass type, I'd much rather it be...
Grovyle:
Grovyle represents everything Sceptile does, and more- Grovyle was also on Ash's team for quite a while, even longer than Sceptile if I recall correctly. A lot of people, myself included, think Grovyle's design is better than Sceptile's. The best part is, he still has the signature move of Leaf Blade without needing to evolve. What makes a mid-stage better than it's final stage, though, other than subjective opinions? Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.
For those who don't know, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon is a spinoff of Pokemon, and has a MASSIVE cult following- a twitter fan account dedicated to PMD memes has more followers than the company that MADE PMD. And Grovyle, while not the main character, (the player's self-insert can be any first-form starter pokemon) is the most important pokemon to the story of Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky. Grovyle to PMD is Geno to Mario RPGs.
So Grovyle in Smash would not just be the grass type starter, finishing the trio- he'd also represent a spinoff of pokemon that is quite literally untouched in Smash right now, and he'd bring the godlike OST of those games with him.
I love Grovyle so much, I made a moveset for him~ Saw that coming, didn't you?
Concept:
Grovyle's moveset will be mainly based around things any Grovyle could do, primarily attacking with leaf blade and generic plant moves, but some moves will be based on his appearance in PMD. Grovyle in PMD was known for having access to some things most Grovyles wouldn't use, especially Dig.
Stats:
Very fast ground speed, relatively fast air speed, one double jump, below average weight. Most of his kit will be combo-oriented and fast, but with a few moves that are slow and pack a punch for flashy combo finishers or hard reads.
Normals:
Most of Grovyle's normals will use Leaf Blade. If no move is mentioned, assume he's using Leaf Blade. For certain moves, he still uses the blades on his arms to do the attack, but with a different visual effect. Leaf Blade makes them turn bright green, any other attack they don't change color.
Jab- Fury Cutter. Classic 1-2-3 jab combo, with each hit stronger than the last.
F-Tilt- He steps forward and slashes, good poking tool.
D-Tilt- Low Kick. Self-explanatory.
U-Tilt- Quick upwards swipe, covers a large area.
N-Air- A horizontal spin that slashes at both sides, short multi-hit.
F-Air- Crunch. He leans forward and bites. Small hitbox, fairly strong.
B-Air- A slower Leaf Blade with a lot more wind-up, backhanded behind him. Strong kill power.
U-Air- Two upward swipes, very similar motion to U-tilt, but he does it once with each hand.
F-Smash- Leaf Blade, slow-ish start-up, slow-ish end-lag, very strong move. Motion is similar to T.Link's F-Smash. In combination with Side B can be very confusing.
U-Smash- X-Scissor, one slash upward with both hands at the same time, has a strong sweetspot in the center, weaker everywhere else. Has a slight delay between the slash and the X appearing, the X has a hitbox and not the slash.
D-Smash- A low to the ground slash that hits both sides, one at a time. Quick start-up, doesn't combo into second hit.
Grab and Throws:
Grovyle's grab is fairly standard, holding the opponent with both hands.
Pummel- Absorb. Weaker and slower than most pummels, but Grovyle heals a small amount with each hit. Biting animation.
D-Throw- Grovyle tosses his opponent to the ground and bullet seeds them to launch them away. Can randomly do between 3-5 hits for small damage variance, knockback is always low for combo follow-ups.
B-Throw- Grovyle vanishes and reappears in front of the opponent as if he just used Leaf Blade, and they get launched backwards half a second later. Very strong kill power near the ledge.
U-Throw- Grovyle quickly does an uppercutting Leaf Blade, sends opponent straight upward. Decent kill power for an up-throw.
F-Throw- Grovyle transitions to a different holding stance similar to how he grabbed Dusknoir, and transitions to a "cargo throw" state like DK's, but he can't jump, only move slowly along the ground. While cargo-holding, Grovyle has access to a new F-Throw and B-Throw. (No up or down cargo throw)
Cargo F-Throw- Grovyle pushes his opponent forward with his full body weight, launching them directly forward with no angle. Not very strong kill-power, but can be dangerous against bad recoveries.
Cargo B-Throw- Grovyle lifts the opponent overhead and slams them into the ground behind him, launching them backward. Weaker than normal B-throw, but can kill earlier in some scenarios due to the extra distance walking backward.
Specials:
Down B- Dig
Grovyle digs into the ground and pops up later. While underground he's intangible, and you can move left or right before he pops up. The amount of time spent underground has a set limit, but he can pop up early by pressing an attack button. If this move hits, it's extremely strong. Grovyle is left wide open if this move misses.
When used midair, Grovyle will immediately start moving downwards to reach the ground, with a spike hitbox covering his whole body. Using this offstage will kill you. Makes it easy to land, but easily punished if the opponent sees it coming.
Up B- Luminous Orb
Referencing one of the coolest moments in PMD:EoS, Grovyle pulls out a Luminous Orb and tosses it to the ground, creating a bright flash of light that he can use to escape. He then "teleports" in whatever direction you hold while using the move, defaulting to straight up. Functions similarly to Sheik's up B, but the flash is weaker and comes out faster. Useful as a "get off me" tool/quick out-of-shield.
Side B- False Swipe
Grovyle pretends to use Forward Smash, with the exact same animation- except the attack only deals 1%, has very low set knockback, and has no endlag. You can bait your opponent into thinking you're using a laggy option, then surprise them by having no lag. Obviously is a great combo-starter if it hits, too.
If used in the air, Grovyle will instead use Quick Attack, a move very similar to Fox/Falco's side B, but with much less recovery distance and less endlag, decent combo starter. Does not put him into free-fall.
Neutral B- Leaf Storm
Using all of his energy, Grovyle shoots a barrage of leaves in front of him, dealing tons of damage and having very high kill-power. Every time he uses this move it gets weaker (about half as much damage/knockback), only resetting when he loses a stock. If Kirby gets this copy ability, he can reset it by losing the ability and getting it again, instead of losing a stock.
Final Smash- In the Future of Darkness
A Dimensional Hole appears in front of Grovyle, sucking in everyone touching it. Grovyle then follows his victims inside, where he, Celebi, and Dusknoir all attack them- before Primal Dialga steps in and uses Roar of Time to send Grovyle and his victims back to the present, launching Grovyle's opponents to the blastzone.
Up Taunt- Grovyle acts shocked, taking a step back as the PMD shocked sound effect and visual effect plays.
Side Taunt- Grovyle puts a twig in his mouth and leans back with his arms folded for a moment, then spits it out to continue fighting.
Down Taunt- Celebi (the pink one from the future) appears and twirls around Grovyle while giggling, causing Grovyle to blush.
Explored in this moveset are quite a few things we've not really seen much at all of in Smash- lowering his own power with a strong move, a "fake-out" type move in False Swipe, self-healing with his pummel, a new type of cargo throw, (currently only DK has one, Grovyle's is significantly different though.) and several moves referencing his appearance in PMD, like Luminous Orb and Dig. Grovyle would be my first choice for a grass type in Smash, or any pokemon in general.
Decidueye:
As soon as Rowlet was revealed, everyone loved this guy and his whole evolutionary line. His appearance in Pokken makes a moveset pretty easy to make- and Decidueye also has some moves unique to just him, as well as all the classic grass type standards. Sure, he has his arrows he could use for standard attacks, but his ghost type status also allows him some unique stuff with locking opponents in place and whatnot. Also, his final Smash is pretty much done for him. Personally, with Incineroar also repping Gen 7, I'd rather have a different grass starter... but Decidueye is one of my favorite pokemon, so I'd be ecstatic about his inclusion anyway.
Rillaboom:
The newest member of the DK grass-type crew, Rillaboom is the most likely rep- and I would love it if he got in. Sure, he'd probably borrow a lot of moves from DK, just by being a gorilla, but with grassy surge (summons grassy terrain, which heals everyone on it and powers up grass moves) as his signature ability, and drum beating (a move that summons vines from the ground and slows opponents) his signature move, his moveset would undoubtedly make itself unique enough that no one would confuse the two.
Plus he's a drummer, AND he's monky. Baboom always win.
Here's a moveset I made for him. I didn't do normals or taunts and whatnot, this is more a proof-of-concept just to explain how I think he could be unique.
Rillaboom Moveset
Concept:
Rillaboom is a giant gorilla with two drumsticks and a wooden drumset. He's also a grass type, his hair made of leaves. His moveset, of course, will revolve around using a combination of all three- Music, Plants, and general Gorilla Things™. He'll be a relatively basic heavyweight for the most part, similar to Donkey Kong, but with a few projectiles and strong stage control focus.
Stats:
Rillaboom will move and feel generally similar to Donkey Kong- not just a similar size, but sharing very similar weight and speed stats across the board. Rillaboom stands more upright, though, making him seem a bit taller. In general, a heavyweight with decent mobility, and strong moves.
Special Moves:
Neutral B- Drum Beating
Rillaboom's signature move, he pulls out his drum and starts playing it, causing a soundwave to cover his whole body for a moment to deter opponents trying to stop him. When he finishes playing the drums, vines will grow on the stage in front of him. He's vulnerable after he finishes playing the drums, because he has to do a short pose and then put away the drum. If used mid-air, it has a lot less endlag, but doesn't grow any vines.
The vines grown by his Neutral B will trip opponents that run over them, forcing them to jump over them or use character-specific tools for dealing with them. Similar to Isabelle's Lloid trap, but it can't be destroyed by just attacking it- this is balanced by the much longer time to set up. If Rillaboom tries to place a new one, the old one disappears.
Side B- Boomburst
Rillaboom roars loudly, sending out a wave of sound that deals damage and a LOT of hitstun. The roar has pretty slow start-up, but can be VERY strong as a combo-starter, and the projectile is hard to see and avoid due to being sound.
Down B- Grassy Surge/Grassy Terrain
Using his hidden ability, (or just the move Grassy Terrain, since his hidden ability isn't released yet) Rillaboom pulls out his drum, lays it on the ground, and slaps it once, causing grass to grow on the battlefield. The move is about as quick as Isabelle's Down B, but only has a very small/weak hitbox on his hand when he slaps the drum.
If ANYONE stands in the grass (including his opponents) they slowly heal, but not so much to be totally game-changing. The most important effect of the terrain is making Rillaboom deal more damage while standing on it. The terrain slowly fades away over the course of 15 seconds, is slightly larger than a BF platform, and disappears entirely when he uses Down B again to replace it.
Up B- Slumbering Weald Swing
An original move for his Smash appearance, Rillaboom tosses a vine upwards. The vine stops either when it hits a ceiling, the ledge, or after a set distance, and then allows Rillaboom to swing on it to launch upwards. If it hits the ledge, it works like a tether recovery. Otherwise, it has quite a bit of start-up before he gains any height. It doesn't put him into free-fall after using it, but he has to grab the ledge/touch the ground or get hit to use it again.
While there are other grass starters, none of them really scream playability- Ivysaur is already in with PT, so Bulbasaur and Venasaur are out. Chikorita's line is four-legged, and thus hard to make a moveset for, and not exactly fan-favorites. Turtwig's line is in the same boat as Chikorita, though slightly more popular? Though with them, Torterra is a bit too big, and no one likes Grotle, and Turtwig is a tiny baby. Snivy, Servine, or Serperior, all have a decent shot, especially repping Gen 5, but I don't see them as likely as the other ones above here, even if they're well loved. Chesnaught... exists, I guess. I kinda hate him, lol.
In conclusion, I stan Grass Types. Put one in Smash or I'll cry. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
As everyone should be aware by now, Pokemon only gets characters from the latest games. I don't know if that's Sakurai weirdness, or corporate mandates from The Pokemon Company, but either way that's a fact of life. So, right now, the latest games are Sword and Shield, and that's how it will probably remain for the entirety of Ultimate's DLC cycle. So, are we getting a Sword and Shield character? Of course not, they already got a DLC Spirit event, that wouldn't have happened if there were plans to include a character. Maybe by a hypothetical Season 3, but at that point Sword and Shield would be old hat and I dunno if they'd be up to do the promotion anyways.
As for want, first off I'm tired of starters all the time, we could be getting more unique and popular Pokemon but we're just limiting ourselves to humanoids of three typings. Second, I find the Sword and Shield starters to be kinda lame, and the Grookey line to be the lamest of all. Third, even if we somehow went back to previous Gens, the notion of "Any grass-type starter" doesn't mesh with me; if I want a character, I want it because I like it, not because it fits some sort of starter trio quota.
Protector prediction: 00.15%
Noms: Atari rep x5
I'll probably update noms sometime tomorrow because I'm super tired.
Chance: The problem with rating chances is because of several unknown factors. We don't know what Grass-type Pokémon will be relevant enough to be on the table. We don't have a guideline for if Pokémon can get in through fan demand, or if Pokémon picks are controlled through other factors such as cross-promotion with the anime or other media. And generally, that's not a very narrow selection; this could be a stealth Rillaboom topic, this could be a stealth Sceptile/Grovyle topic. Hell we could be talking about Vileplume or Jumpluff. Because of the lack of specifics, I feel abstaining on this would be a solid choice.
Want: 25%. Pokémon is good when it comes to roster spots in general. And while a grass type would be nice to have, I feel like if we should get another Pokémon, it should be from a type we don't have yet, like Rock or Ghost. And no more starters, please. We have more than enough of them. At least Sceptile/Grovyle have had long lasting fan support.
Protector will probably see around 0.42%. Lloyd x 5.
Chance 20 - So if we're getting a grass starter I feel like its probably Rillaboom since he's the newest. I don't think this is going to happen since we just got the spirit event, but they didn't give away too many spirits in that so I don't think it's impossible. I don't think we'll see Sceptile or Decidueye in the game since Gen 3 was so long ago and we already have 1 gen 7 rep in the game. Torterra would be the pick if we're looking at a grass starter to rep gen 4 for potential remakes, but there's a lot of issue there that's not worth going over at the moment.
Want 40 - Can't say I'd be too hyped for a Pokemon right now but I wouldn't be disappointed in one either. Would probably just react with an "Oh, cool. At least it's not a charcter I dont want." And move on after that
Double 10%s
we could get the gen 8 one but that's it. there are far more popular pokemon in previous gens for them to pick a grass type. as for want, i dont want rillaboom, the lamest of the starters. as well, that 10% is for Grovyle because mystery dungeon is awesome. dont really want any other grass type starters. oh and decidueye.
nominations: shadow x5
If you had asked me this two years ago, the score would be a lot higher in both chance and want. But two things changed.
One, everyone is happened. Which led to the return of Squirtle and Ivysaur. So the desire to add another starter lessened. And then two, we got another starter anyway. Incineroar I stand by as the worst addition to smash and one of the worst Pokemon ever. His inclusion really sucked all the desire for a new Pokemon I had left, and the fact that the new Pokemon games have been decreasing in quality doesn't help.
As for actual chance. The way I see it, Cinderace is obviously the one getting Game Freaks favour. I mean his hidden ability is the same as Greninja's. And the grass starter evo has that giant drum he'd have to carry around. And given the spirit board it seems unlikely we'd get an SS Pokemon anyway.
So in the end, I'll go Chance 3% the odds are not in their favour
Want is 7% I do still really like Sceptile and Decidueye. But I know if we got one it wouldn't be them
Chance: 5%
Let's look at all of the gens one by one and see how likely it is that we'll get a grass-type starter from each of them:
Gen 1 already has Ivysaur, but considering how iconic Bulbasaur is I'd say he at least has a non-zero chance as an echo. Still don't think we'll be getting any Pokémon echoes though.
Gen 2 is long gone so I don't see them getting any character soon especially with Pichu sort of repping the gen. Also the Cyndaquil and Totodile lines would definitely have priority anyway since they are way more popular than Chikorita.
Gen 3 has Grovyle who is a main character in the Mystery Dungeon games, but that series has never had any form of Smash presence so I don't even think they'll bother with it. There is also Sceptile but like I said before I don't think they'll bother with the past gens.
Gen 4 could possible get a remake soon but either way I don't think they'll bother with the Turtwig line when they have Lucario/Spear Pillar repping the Sinnoh games.
Gen 5 is long gone and we even have N's Castle to sort of represent it. Also Snivy is a pokeball Pokémon and I really don't see Sakurai promoting any of the pokeball Pokemon within Ultimate's lifespan.
Gen 6 is already repped through Greninja and Lumiose City. Chespin is also a pokeball Pokemon.
Gen 7 has Decidueye who almost got added over Incineroar. If Sakurai planned to add Decidueye sometime in Ultimate's lifespan I don't think he'd go out of his way to talk about him in that interview though. And with Sword/Shield being released I doubt they'll add another Alola Pokemon.
Gen 8 is definitely the most likely gen to get a grass rep in the form of Rillaboom considering how recent the game is. However with the the Galar region spirits being added around the launch of Sword/Shield I personally believe that we will not be getting any Galar newcomer. Even if we did get a Galar starter, Cinderace seems to be the most likely pick.
So in terms of likeliness I'd say Rillaboom > Bulbasaur > Decidueye > everyone else, but that's not saying much. I just don't see us getting another Pokemon for Ultimate's DLC especially with the Sword/Shield spirit event happening months after the announcement of more DLC.
Want: 20%
In just about every Pokemon game I have always chosen the fire type starters because I liked them more. The only exceptions to this were Totodile in Gen 2 and Rowlet in Gen 7, so really I only have one grass type starter I'd really want to see which would be Decidueye. My interest in Pokemon as a whole has been declining greatly over the years; it started with Gen 6 and Gen 8 may be the only mainline entry game I completely skip. So while I'd be alright with Decidueye he isn't really one of my most wanted anymore. Aside from Decidueye the only other grass starter I'd be interested in would be Bulbasaur since he could possibly work as an Ivysaur echo. For Gen 2 I'd prefer Totodile and for every other gen I'd want the fire starters instead (including Gen 8 since I actually kind of like Cinderace's design).
In just about every Pokemon game I have always chosen the fire type starters because I liked them more. The only exceptions to this were Totodile in Gen 2 and Rowlet in Gen 7, so really I only have one grass type starter I'd really want to see which would be Decidueye. My interest in Pokemon as a whole has been declining greatly over the years; it started with Gen 6 and Gen 8 may be the only mainline entry game I completely skip. So while I'd be alright with Decidueye he isn't really one of my most wanted anymore. Aside from Decidueye the only other grass starter I'd be interested in would be Bulbasaur since he could possibly work as an Ivysaur echo. For Gen 2 I'd prefer Totodile and for every other gen I'd want the fire starters instead (including Gen 8 since I actually kind of like Cinderace's design).
Chance: 10%
Mh, I don't really see it happening. Past trends for Pokémon were that we always get prominent new ones, with Sakurai only ever going back to a previous generation for Pokémon Trainer. . . which was more attention thrown towards generation one. My point with this is, the Grookey's line already has passed due to bad timing and the Spirit event. And if Sceptile with ORAS and Smash 4 is anything to go by, the currently rather likely looking Diamond/Pearl remake doesn't really mean that the Turtwig line has any chance. Beyond that, I doubt that Sakurai and his team have the kind of OCD that'd compell them to complete the trio.
As for want. . . well, it's a case-by-case basis. Let's see:
Bulbasaur line: I may like the line, but not only has generation one gotten more attention than it deserved already, but Ivysaur is already in. Don't want another one from that line.
Chikorita line: I kinda like the line, but it's nothing I want in Smash. Don't want it.
Treecko: I like it, Grovyle is something I really want as a PMD representative - I want it.
Turtwig line: My favourite starter of the gen, but one I don't see working in Smash. Don't want it.
Snivy line: Generation five is my favourite generation, so yes. I may prefer something like Zoroark to represent the generation as a whole, but I'd gladly take Snivy.
Chespin line: It's alright, and I'd take it.
Rowlet line: While I'll admit that Incineroar has somewhat won me over with its personality, I still stand by the fact that it should not have been included in Smash. Hell, I still think that it's design is terrible, and that Gamefreak should have kept the line quadrupedal. Decidueye would've been far preferrable to me.
Grookey line: Rillaboom is my favourite final evolution of the bunch, so yes, I'd be up for it. Funny monkey is always good.
Bulbasaur Line would get 1%, and most likely as an Ivysaur echo. There is also a Venusaur spirit, but chances are very slim.
Chikorita Line would get 5%. A Pokémon based on Sauropods could get in, but it would be rare. Chikorita would most likely be a Pokeball Pokémon again.
Treecko Line: 20%. Popularity has been kind to them enough for them to have a chance. Treecko for starter, Grovyle for Mystery Dungeon and Sceptile for the finish. Potential is there for all 3, but Sceptile is the most likely choice.
Turtwig Line would be 5%, since due to less popularity. That does not mean that they don't have a chance.
Snivy would be 10%. While Snivy is in the Pokeball, it's line could have a chance. Plus a snake based Pokémon would be very unique since they have no arms and legs.
Chespin Line would be 5%. Chespin is a Pokeball Pokémon, but it's kind has a slim chance of getting in. Competition is very fierce for it.
Rowlet Line would be 20%. Decidueye was planned, but Incineroar was chosen. That does not necessarily mean Decidueye cant make it in. Competition is the concern, but I think Decidueye has a chance.
Grookey Line would be 25%, due to being a newcomer. Rillaboom would take cues from Donkey Kong and even use Donkey Kong's former final smash, for some new jams.
Want: 90% Of them, I pick either Sceptile or Decidueye, who I think would be very fun to play as. There not my most wanted Pokémon (that goes to Lugia), but they were very close. Plus we get more stages and music and perhaps more Pokeball Pokémon.
Chance: 10% - Not counting Ivysaur, Grass is the only fully evolved starter type left unrepresented, and at some point I'm sure Sakurai will aim to fill the slot. The real question is who he would choose to do so. As mentioned by other replies in the thread, Sakurai rarely jumps back to previous generations and Nintendo themselves usually stick to advertising the newest Pokemon the most heavily (along with a bias towards another group of Pokemon but that's a different discussion entirely, since it doesn't apply to Smash). With the exception of Mewtwo, Pokemon Trainer, and Pichu (who were returning veterans) all Pokemon newcomers since Brawl had been from a recent game, and even Melee reflected this itself. Melee had Pichu, Brawl had Lucario, 4 had Greninja, and Ultimate has Incineroar. All of these released a year after their respective Pokemon's games. We could've potentially gotten Decidueye instead but Sakurai chose the starter he liked most. Furthermore he was in Pokken Tournament DX as a heavily advertised new character so maybe they didn't want to double up (both it and Smash were developed by Bandai Namco).
The only possible exception was with Sceptile, and even he had recency on his side. During 4's ballot days, Sceptile was seen by many as a prime choice for a DLC fighter, both for completing the starter type trio with Charizard and Greninja, and his recency due to the release of Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire (on the same day as Smash Wii U no less!). As of now we don't know if remakes are on the table for starters entering the game.
DLC is a different matter in itself. Aside from the "brand new worlds" Reggie statement, anyone could be on the table for post-pass, but I'm not sure if any Pokemon will be chosen for additional DLC. Rillaboom would be a prime choice due to his timing and unique design, but The Pokemon Company seems to be leaning towards Cinderace as the big starter of this generation, and if we go by Sword and Shield's recent spirit event we may not get a Sword/Shield rep at all. If this happens, it'll likely be the Gen 9 starter in the next game (if that happens any time soon), and Rillaboom would end up being Zoroark'd. Still, Sakurai could easily surprise us, there's still plenty of Sword and Shield content left unrepresented. Furthermore, even if we don't get Rillaboom, a Grass-type starter is a broad concept and first-party as well, I'm more than certain it will arrive eventually!
Want: 80% - As a huge Pokemon fan I'm always up for more Pokemon reps! While I personally would rather see some more non-starter choices (especially non-Gen 1), I was very hopeful for Sceptile during the Smash 4 DLC cycle, and I wouldn't have any problems at all of Rillaboom was one of our post-pass characters (even if he wouldn't be as exciting as the rest of Ultimate's DLC cast). Rillaboom's drum alone could make fore some super cool sound and long-range moves, and I can imagine him playing a lot like a zoning-based Donkey Kong. That'd honestly be super fun!
I feel more confident about Quote than others do since Smash Ultimate seems to be building towards the idea of an indie fighter, and I feel that Quote is the most famous (or at least historically significant) option. That said, Cave Story isn't all that discussed nowadays outside of CS-specific communities, and I do agree that the legal complications over the rights might get complicated (although Nicalis had asked people to vote Quote for the Fighters' Ballot, so they'd be on board, and I doubt Pixel would object, so I don't think there would be difficulty with anyone trying to keep him away from Smash, at least).
Want: 100%
Cave Story is one of my favorite games ever, and I feel like Quote would have some great potential for an interesting playstyle given his array of weapons (I've actually written up a moveset myself that I'm rather proud of).
Pretty much no chance we're getting a Sword and Shield Pokemon with the Spirit event, and the odds of getting a grass starter from a previous generation are pretty low since we've only ever gotten Pokemon newcomers from the most recent generation or Gen 1. Mewtwo was only DLC in Smash 4 because it was a incredibly highly requested veteran, especially after Dr. Mario got in. The clamor for a Pokemon in general right now is pretty low compared to that, and even if Grass Type starters are slightly more highly requested than Water or Fire types, there's still a sizable group of Pokemon fans that are sick of starters in general.
Want: 0%
OK, I will concede that Grass Type starters are slightly more underrepresented than Water and Fire type starters. But to be honest, I never really cared that much about Grass Type starters in the first place, I think the reason for Grass type's underrepresentation is that water and fire are just more popular. For Pokemon in general, the series is practically guaranteed to get a newcomer every game, so there are plenty of opportunities in the future to try. One thing about Pokemon's representation in Ultimate in general that vastly differentiates it from previous games in my opinion has to do with everyone is here. In every previous game, yes Pokemon has had multiple newcomers or returning veterans, but there were always multiple characters cut as well. While Pichu and Mewtwo both joined in Melee, they were both cut in Brawl when Lucario and Pokemon Trainer were added. While Greninja joined and Mewtwo came back in Smash 4, Squirtle and Ivysaur were both cut from Brawl. The thing about Ultimate that made Incineroar's inclusion seem more shoehorned in compared to Lucario and Greninja was the fact that there were no cuts, so while many were already satisfied by Pichu, Squirtle, and Ivysaur returning (and none of the Smash 4 Pokemon being cut), Incineroar getting in over the core characters of so many other series just seemed to be living proof of a character getting in solely because of their series rather than any actual merit. For all the complaints about fans demanding representation for their series and being entitled, t'is was a slap in the face to see Pokemon always being able to skip to the front of the line and never having to wait their turn. Not that I mind Incineroar in it of itself, I liked to see a cat finally get added to the roster, but that's just a personal thing. (I'm a dog and cat person). Getting back to the starter argument, even if they were to add a Pokemon from a previous gen, I'd rather see Meowth or Eevee as another Pokemon mascot to round up the representation than a another water/fire/grass starter.
Now we get to Gen 8, I think a big difference between Gen 8 and a game like Three Houses is that Gen 8 has ran into a fair share of, let's say controversy with its fanbase. I really don't think now is the time to be adding Pokemon as DLC when it has already been incredibly blessed with three veterans returning and a newcomer on top of that. Combine that with the incredibly controversial nature of the most recent entry, I think we can look for other veteran series to add newcomers from and just wait for the next Smash for their inevitable shillmon pick. I'm sorry about the Grass Type underrepresenation, but I cared pretty little about that to begin with, and there are both other Pokemon that could be better additions to the Pokemon representation and other series that need a newcomer far more.
The fighter's pass is coming to a close, and there's no chance in hell that we'll be getting a Pokémon as FP5. Even after the fighter's pass, there is a very slim chance of getting a Pokémon this time around. If we did, I don't think Rillaboom, or another grass starter would be the best choice, considering Gen 8 just came out. There are much more popular options for a gen 8 Pokémon than Rillaboom. I don't hate Rillaboom, but he's my least favorite of the three starters this gen. The only other grass starter that makes sense, other than Decidueye, is Sceptile, but I feel like his chance has passed since the Smash 4 Fighter Ballot. There is still a very slim chance for a Gen 8 mon to make the cut after the fighter's pass, but I think the best choice would be my nominee, Toxtricity. I'm sorry, but Rillaboom sounds like a disappointing inclusion waiting to happen. I wouldn't mind his inclusion, but there are better choices out there.
Plant types Chance: 0.01%
After Incineroar it's pretty obvious Sakurai doesn't think about Pokemon representation the fans do. He isn't looking for quotas to fill, he just puts in characters he views as interesting. If he wanted to, he could add in Cinderace and have three Fire-starters on the roster while saying Ivysaur already represents the Grass type. The few Grass-starters I consider even on the table have major things going against them. Decidueye was shafted for the tiger, Sceptile used to have some popularity but isn't talked about anymore and with the recent Sword/Shield spirit even I don't expect those games to receive a playable mon anytime soon. So Rillaboom is also off the table for me.
Want: 15%
I'd appreciate Decidueye or Sceptile (or Grovyle) joining the roster but I don't really hard support any Pokemon for Smash. The franchise already has 10 mons playable and there are alot of characters I'd prefer when it comes to first-parties.
Concept: Any new Xenoblade character x115
Unsafe Wiimote Guy x112
Sunflower (Plants vs. Zombies) x110
Aloy x100
[Rerate] Sora x91
Glover x90
[Rerate] Shadow the Hedgehog x90
100 - 51
Noctis Lucis Caelum x85
[Rerate] Ryu Hayabusa x85
[Rerate] Prince of All Cosmos x85
Ryo Hazuki x80
[Rerate] Heihachi x80
Mii Costume: Hollow Knight x80
Proto Man x75
Papyrus x75
Sackboy x68
X (Mega Man) x68
Brian (Quest 64) x65
Kunio (River City) x65
[Rerate] Claude von Riegan x60
Reporter & Wrestler x55
[Rerate] Monokuma x55
Decidueye x53
50 - 25
Dwight Fairfield (Dead by Daylight) x50
[Rerate] Lloyd Irving x50
[Rerate] Bandana Dee x50
Concept: Atari rep x45
Meowth x39
Earthworm Jim x38
Akira Howard x38
[Rerate] Dante x37
Kasumi (Dead or Alive) x35
King Boo x34
Concept: Pokéball Pokémon becomes playable x30
[Rerate] Phoenix Wright x30
Kazuma Kiryu x25
Under 25
Chun-Li x23
Urbosa x21
[Rerate] Crash Bandicoot x20
Giygas x17
The Blob (De Blob) x15
[Rerate] Rayman x15
Boss: Ender Dragon x14
Rival Pokémon Trainer x13
Echo: Lord Fredrik (67e) x13
[Rerate] Doomguy x10
[Rerate] Reimu Hakurei x10
Vault Boy x10
Echo: Zeraora (41e) x10
[Rerate] 2B x10
[Rerate] Waluigi x8
Freddy Fazbear x7
Toxtricity x7
[Rerate] Skull Kid x7
Sparky (Clash Royale) x5
Concept: Overwatch character x5
Gordon Freeman x5
Black Shadow x5
Asha (Wonder Boy) x5
Nightmare (Soul Calibur) x5
Terra Branford x5
[Rerate] Monster Hunter x5
[Rerate] Isaac x5
Chell x3
[Rerate] Andy x2
Taranza x1
Concept: Any new Xenoblade character cuts through Unsafe Wiimote Guy and takes first place. Glover and Shadow the Hedgehog win their tie with Noctis Lucis Caelum and Ryu Hayabusa. Glover and Shadow remain tied for sixth place while Noctis and Hayabusa fall off the top seven.
Monokuma pops up over the 50 nom mark.
Your new challenger for the day is Vault Boy with 10 noms.
).
