NOTICE: I have decided to discontinue updating the Advanced section of this guide in this post. All updates to the Advanced section will be in future posts. Please check later posts for updates. Read on.
IMPORTANT: This is a NTSC guide. Many techniques such as the PK Thunder Barrier do not work in the PAL version. It should also be noted that the PK Thunder Barrier does not work in the NTSC version while in training mode(why? who knows).
--WARNING--
If you don't feel right playing Ness you should probably ignore this. PK Thunder is among attacks that require the most practice in all of SSBM because mistakes made using it will most likely lead to you being severely punished...and you will make mistakes. Practice the **** out of this attack.
--BASICS--
PK Thunder is Ness' up+B. I'd explain what it looks like, but there is no mistaking it with Ness' other moves. PK Thunder's direction can be manipulated using the control stick. An opponent hit by a PK Thunder will receive 7-9% damage. Ness' recovery involves directing the PK Thunder to hit hisself, turning him into a projectile. An opponent hit by this attack will receive around 25% damage(I will call it PK Thunder2).
PK Thunder2 Lag Time/Distance: This ammount of time it takes for the PK Thunder to get around and hit you is roughly the same as the charge time on Fox's up+B(depending on where you are trying to hit yourself. There is a small recovery lag if PK Thunder2 ends with Ness on the ground. If it ends in the air Ness will fall down but will not have the same recover animation. The distance of PK Thunder2 can be changed using the environment. It can be shorter than Ness' WD(using floor traction) and reach a max distance that is equal to Fox's up+B.
--ADVANCED--
Look! It's Ness' learning curve!
Aiming PK Thunder2: PK Thunder2 can be aimed in ANY direction on the 2-D plane. While on the ground you can change the distance of PK Thunder2 by hitting yourself from different angles. A shot directly behind you(parallel to the stage) will give you maximum distance. A shot angled from below will give a small ammount of air time. Angling the shot from above will make the distance shorter and shorter(depending on the angle) until Ness simply knocks himself down.
Changing Directions of PK Thunder2: PK Thunder2 will give to the arena. Ness will change direction if fired into a slope or curve in the arena.
PK Thunder Barrier(PKTB): This term is being used to describe any time when Ness' flight/fall distance is cancelled by hitting a PK Thunder. Timing PK Thunder correctly on recovery can protect Ness from meteor smashes and spikes by turning the PK Thunder into a net that will catch Ness as he falls(and deal damage to him). Use the head of PK Thunder for the best effect.
PK Thunder Barrier Counter(PKTBC): PKTB can also used to guard against smash attacks and let's you abuse an opponent's lag time. As Marth is considered a bane for Ness, I will use his FSmash as an example here. Marth's FSmash starts above Marth then swings down to the ground and is strongest as a tipper hit. The speed of this attack combined with Ness' height makes a PKTBC possible, but you have to be quick to react(very quick). Marth is about to tipper you with his FSmash! As soon as you see it, fire a PK Thunder. Marth's attack will hit you, but you won't move anywhere. You will be on the ground and ready to abuse the after lag of Marth's FSmash. CAUTION! This attack is best used to land a finishing hit/combo only! You still take damage from the attack and from the PK Thunder, so if you can, avoid the attack unless you are sure the hit/combo you land as a counter will kill your opponent. Use the tail of PK Thunder for the best effect.
Tail-Whipping(Ground): Using PK Thunder to tail-whip a grounded opponent is dangerous and is only useful when perfected. This should be used to stun your opponent, slow his/her advance and at higher %s set up for a combo. There are many methods of getting the tail of PK Thunder to hit the opponent. Find the one that works best for you and practice. TAIL-WHIPPING A GROUNDED OPPONENT SHOULD ALWAYS END WITH THE HEAD HITTING THE OPPONENT!
Tail-Whipping(Air): Using PK Thunder to tail-whip an airborne opponent is not nearly as dangerous as tail-whipping a grounded oppoenent, but just the same it has little use unless perfected. Using this while an opponent is above you stuns that opponent and while keeping him/her airborne, but low enough to hold in a combo. Tail-Whipping an airborne opponent is best put to use as an edgeguard. A recovering opponent loses upward distance when hit by PK Thunder's tail and tail-whipping a recovering opponent that is level with the ledge 3 times will kill nearly any opponent(Fast-fallers will die after 2 tail-whips). A second option is the tail-whip a recovering opponent twice then hit them with the head of PK Thunder. This drops them down and pops them back up(This is a setup technique that should be followed up with whatever edgeguard attack).
PK Thunder2 False Edgeguard(PK2FE): This is a very very difficult and extremely risky PK Thunder manipulation. It is almost as hard as the PKTBC. To use this you must not only have perfect control of your PK Thunder but you must know your opponent's third jump(where applicable) just as well. While your opponent is recovering(at about its second jump) fire a PK Thunder and move it around your opponent. DO NOT HIT THEM! Use the PK Thunder to block their recovery options. Leave a window of recovery open so they can recover and land directly behind you(circling and figure-eights work). As soon as they take the bait aim your PK Thunder at yourself. If done correctly you will hit your opponent with a PK Thunder2 just before their feet hit the ground. If your opponent hit the PK Thunder instead of landing behind you then simply follow up with whatever edgegaurd. Things to watch out for: Getting pushed off the stage as your opponent lands(space better), hookshots, grapple beams, jigglypuff. This does work on Peach, but only under hard2reach circumstances...and plz, don't waste this on Falco...his recovery is so bad as it is. Easiest to use on: Fox, C. Falcon, and Ganondorf.
PK Thunder Reverse Edgeguard(PKTRE): I saved the hardest for last. This one wins. I'd say you have to be lucky to use it if I didn't believe that any ability in the game can be mastered(I'm gonna perfect this even if its the last thing I do). Don't worry, it does work. Everyone knows that a good Ness player will never get knocked off the edge(^_^), but for the rest of the Ness players out there getting knocked off is **** because people like to edgeguard him. This one is for you. When you are off the edge and need to use PK Thunder2 to get recover your opponent should be edgeguarding you. When they jump out to get you as soon as they are close to you fire your PK Thunder. WARNING! Hard Part: Tail-whip your opponent once before hitting yourself. After you have whipped your opponent you have 3 options: sweetspot the edge(if your opponent cant make it all the way back then they're done), get to the stage(then edgeguard them as they recover), or BLAST THEM TO ****!(aim your PK Thunder2 into their recovery path and intercept, but make sure this path allow u to get back). This does work, but is the most difficult and most risky of all PK Thunder and probably Ness' and probably any ability in the game. If this fails and your opponent lands a hit then try your hardest to pull off a PKTB. If the head of your PK Thunder hits the opponent, kiss your *** goddbye. Anyone who masters this has my utmost respect as a Ness player.
What's left:
--TEAM TACTICS--
--A PARALLEL--
--LAST WORDS--
Next Update: Soon!
--CREDITS--
Simna ibn Sind's Guide to PK Thunder (click for video)
Started: December 11, 2004 3:07am
Last Update: January 30, 2005 4:25pm
Thanks a lot to VilNess and dan smith for convincing me to write this and for their other contributions to this guide.
For more info on Ness and info on PK Thunder in tandem with other attacks see NESSBOUNDER'S Nesstastic Ness Guide.
IMPORTANT: This is a NTSC guide. Many techniques such as the PK Thunder Barrier do not work in the PAL version. It should also be noted that the PK Thunder Barrier does not work in the NTSC version while in training mode(why? who knows).
--WARNING--
If you don't feel right playing Ness you should probably ignore this. PK Thunder is among attacks that require the most practice in all of SSBM because mistakes made using it will most likely lead to you being severely punished...and you will make mistakes. Practice the **** out of this attack.
--BASICS--
PK Thunder is Ness' up+B. I'd explain what it looks like, but there is no mistaking it with Ness' other moves. PK Thunder's direction can be manipulated using the control stick. An opponent hit by a PK Thunder will receive 7-9% damage. Ness' recovery involves directing the PK Thunder to hit hisself, turning him into a projectile. An opponent hit by this attack will receive around 25% damage(I will call it PK Thunder2).
PK Thunder2 Lag Time/Distance: This ammount of time it takes for the PK Thunder to get around and hit you is roughly the same as the charge time on Fox's up+B(depending on where you are trying to hit yourself. There is a small recovery lag if PK Thunder2 ends with Ness on the ground. If it ends in the air Ness will fall down but will not have the same recover animation. The distance of PK Thunder2 can be changed using the environment. It can be shorter than Ness' WD(using floor traction) and reach a max distance that is equal to Fox's up+B.
--ADVANCED--
Look! It's Ness' learning curve!
Aiming PK Thunder2: PK Thunder2 can be aimed in ANY direction on the 2-D plane. While on the ground you can change the distance of PK Thunder2 by hitting yourself from different angles. A shot directly behind you(parallel to the stage) will give you maximum distance. A shot angled from below will give a small ammount of air time. Angling the shot from above will make the distance shorter and shorter(depending on the angle) until Ness simply knocks himself down.
Changing Directions of PK Thunder2: PK Thunder2 will give to the arena. Ness will change direction if fired into a slope or curve in the arena.
PK Thunder Barrier(PKTB): This term is being used to describe any time when Ness' flight/fall distance is cancelled by hitting a PK Thunder. Timing PK Thunder correctly on recovery can protect Ness from meteor smashes and spikes by turning the PK Thunder into a net that will catch Ness as he falls(and deal damage to him). Use the head of PK Thunder for the best effect.
PK Thunder Barrier Counter(PKTBC): PKTB can also used to guard against smash attacks and let's you abuse an opponent's lag time. As Marth is considered a bane for Ness, I will use his FSmash as an example here. Marth's FSmash starts above Marth then swings down to the ground and is strongest as a tipper hit. The speed of this attack combined with Ness' height makes a PKTBC possible, but you have to be quick to react(very quick). Marth is about to tipper you with his FSmash! As soon as you see it, fire a PK Thunder. Marth's attack will hit you, but you won't move anywhere. You will be on the ground and ready to abuse the after lag of Marth's FSmash. CAUTION! This attack is best used to land a finishing hit/combo only! You still take damage from the attack and from the PK Thunder, so if you can, avoid the attack unless you are sure the hit/combo you land as a counter will kill your opponent. Use the tail of PK Thunder for the best effect.
Tail-Whipping(Ground): Using PK Thunder to tail-whip a grounded opponent is dangerous and is only useful when perfected. This should be used to stun your opponent, slow his/her advance and at higher %s set up for a combo. There are many methods of getting the tail of PK Thunder to hit the opponent. Find the one that works best for you and practice. TAIL-WHIPPING A GROUNDED OPPONENT SHOULD ALWAYS END WITH THE HEAD HITTING THE OPPONENT!
Tail-Whipping(Air): Using PK Thunder to tail-whip an airborne opponent is not nearly as dangerous as tail-whipping a grounded oppoenent, but just the same it has little use unless perfected. Using this while an opponent is above you stuns that opponent and while keeping him/her airborne, but low enough to hold in a combo. Tail-Whipping an airborne opponent is best put to use as an edgeguard. A recovering opponent loses upward distance when hit by PK Thunder's tail and tail-whipping a recovering opponent that is level with the ledge 3 times will kill nearly any opponent(Fast-fallers will die after 2 tail-whips). A second option is the tail-whip a recovering opponent twice then hit them with the head of PK Thunder. This drops them down and pops them back up(This is a setup technique that should be followed up with whatever edgeguard attack).
PK Thunder2 False Edgeguard(PK2FE): This is a very very difficult and extremely risky PK Thunder manipulation. It is almost as hard as the PKTBC. To use this you must not only have perfect control of your PK Thunder but you must know your opponent's third jump(where applicable) just as well. While your opponent is recovering(at about its second jump) fire a PK Thunder and move it around your opponent. DO NOT HIT THEM! Use the PK Thunder to block their recovery options. Leave a window of recovery open so they can recover and land directly behind you(circling and figure-eights work). As soon as they take the bait aim your PK Thunder at yourself. If done correctly you will hit your opponent with a PK Thunder2 just before their feet hit the ground. If your opponent hit the PK Thunder instead of landing behind you then simply follow up with whatever edgegaurd. Things to watch out for: Getting pushed off the stage as your opponent lands(space better), hookshots, grapple beams, jigglypuff. This does work on Peach, but only under hard2reach circumstances...and plz, don't waste this on Falco...his recovery is so bad as it is. Easiest to use on: Fox, C. Falcon, and Ganondorf.
PK Thunder Reverse Edgeguard(PKTRE): I saved the hardest for last. This one wins. I'd say you have to be lucky to use it if I didn't believe that any ability in the game can be mastered(I'm gonna perfect this even if its the last thing I do). Don't worry, it does work. Everyone knows that a good Ness player will never get knocked off the edge(^_^), but for the rest of the Ness players out there getting knocked off is **** because people like to edgeguard him. This one is for you. When you are off the edge and need to use PK Thunder2 to get recover your opponent should be edgeguarding you. When they jump out to get you as soon as they are close to you fire your PK Thunder. WARNING! Hard Part: Tail-whip your opponent once before hitting yourself. After you have whipped your opponent you have 3 options: sweetspot the edge(if your opponent cant make it all the way back then they're done), get to the stage(then edgeguard them as they recover), or BLAST THEM TO ****!(aim your PK Thunder2 into their recovery path and intercept, but make sure this path allow u to get back). This does work, but is the most difficult and most risky of all PK Thunder and probably Ness' and probably any ability in the game. If this fails and your opponent lands a hit then try your hardest to pull off a PKTB. If the head of your PK Thunder hits the opponent, kiss your *** goddbye. Anyone who masters this has my utmost respect as a Ness player.
What's left:
--TEAM TACTICS--
--A PARALLEL--
--LAST WORDS--
Next Update: Soon!
--CREDITS--
Simna ibn Sind's Guide to PK Thunder (click for video)
Started: December 11, 2004 3:07am
Last Update: January 30, 2005 4:25pm
Thanks a lot to VilNess and dan smith for convincing me to write this and for their other contributions to this guide.
For more info on Ness and info on PK Thunder in tandem with other attacks see NESSBOUNDER'S Nesstastic Ness Guide.