splat
Smash Lord
Introduction
Let me start by stating this is not a joke thread. This is a legitimate idea for a new character in Smash, as I personally think that the Grunt is a character that hardly anyone has thought of, but still has a fair shot of making the cut. His situation might be comparable to the one Pokémon Trainer had before Brawl, in that he's an absolute staple of his own series, but hardly recognized as a possible newcomer. Much like Pokémon Trainer, the Grunt grew to be the unofficial face of his games.
GRUNT
Grunt as he appears in Battalion Wars II.
About
A lot of people might be wondering who Grunt actually is. In all honesty, Grunt is not an actual character, but part of a 'species', like Toad or Yoshi. He is a single Rifle Grunt, which is the most basic unit in the Battalion Wars series. As a result, the Grunt is generally weak, being countered by most other units. Equipped with a fairly simple weapon, they deal relatively low damage, but have a longer reach than the other units. He is typically created before people have access to any of the five other Infantry units.
In other games from the Famicom Wars series, there were two kinds of non-vehicle units: 'Infantry' and 'Mech'. The Infantry unit was the weak, early unit of the two, and a simple comparison makes it seem that the 'Infantry' unit was the base of the Grunt. Though obviously distinct by name, I consider them pretty much the same characters, having so much in common, and as such I will refer to the earlier 'Infantry' unit as Grunt, too. In these earlier games, the Grunt had a longer reach than the 'Mech' unit, which was the only other non-vehicle unit in these games, possibly indicating the speed and nimbleness of the Grunt.
The Grunt is a quirky, little character. This not only shows in their design, but also in their action. A quote on it from the Battalion Wars wiki:
When not in combat, Grunts tend to take part in idle chit chatter about their respective nations or conditions they're in. Tundran Grunts tend to complain about how cold it is, how they miss farming turnips, or stating the obvious when under fire, or simply yelling "Do your worst!" to enemy forces.
Some of the quirkier quotes from the Western Frontier Grunt include:
- Why aren't there any girl soldiers?
- How about a card game while we wait?
- What are we doing here anyway? I missed the briefing.
- Do I have time to write a letter to my mom?
- How about we settle this whole thing with a game of dodgeball?
- Those guys need to see a dental hygenist.
Grunt and Sakurai's four criteria
1: A character must make people want to play the game.
I copied the idea of including this list from Super Smash Bros. Fan's Mach Rider thread, and I think the sentence his used for this criteria fits for Grunt, too: "95% of people will say he obviously fails this criteria due to not being a popular request, but if Captain Falcon, Ice Climbers, Mr. Game & Watch and R.O.B. taught us anything, it's that a character can meet this criteria and not be a popular request."
I personally would be psyched to see Grunt and I reckon I wouldn't be the only one.
2: A character must be unique.
Grunt is not unique in the most literal sense of the word, as there are lots of other Grunts in the series. He is, however, very unique compared to other characters from the Nintendo universe, and especially from those who are currently playable in Smash. Due to Grunt relying on his arsenal, Snake would be the character closest to Grunt. Even between them there are vast differences, as Snake is a technical shooter, choosing the right time to attack, where Grunt is more of an in-your-face assault character. The cartoon-like and quirky style of the Battalion series could be reflected in his fighting style, creating a hectic and fun to play newcomer.
3: A character must fit into the game.
I'd say Grunt fills this criteria perfectly. His character design is done in such a way that he fits in the Nintendo universe flawlessly, but is still different enough to retain his own flavor.
4: A character must contribute to the game balance.
Grunt has enough options to make him stand out from other characters, battling style wise.
Proposed alternative colors. From left to right: Iron Legion, Tundran Territories, Xylvania, Solar Empire, Anglo Isles references.
Moveset
Home Stage
I'm still working on this part. I hope to update this part soon.
Other
I'm still working on this part. I hope to update this part soon.
FAQ
Q: Do we really need to have a character that represents the Wars series?
A: We don't need it, no, but what do we really need anyway? I think the series is due for a playable character. There have been twelve games in the series; two for the Famicom, four for the Game Boy, four for the DS and two for the Wii. Considering Mother has had two characters from three games, I'd say we could do with a Wars representative.
Q: Isn't Andy a better pick?
A: Maybe he is, because he's an actual defined character. Andy is also known to be the no strengths/weaknesses character, much like Mario and could be considered the main character for those reason. However, he appeared in only three of the games, while the common Grunt appeared in all. Not to mention Andy's dead.
Q: Grunt isn't a single defined character, but part of a species, that's not right! (Not much of a question, but still. Image a question mark or something)
A: ROB disagrees with your statement.
Q: Didn't Sakurai state he did not want to use realistic weapons?
A: This is my main issue when creating Grunt's moveset. I recall a statement like this, but if you look at Snake and Samus you can tell that Sakurai tried not to use common guns, but cartoonesque weapons are fine. In theory, Grunt could be given a moveset that uses weaponry supplied by other Infantry units from Battalion Wars, such as rocket launchers, flamethrowers and mortars. It's just a tad tricky when you realize the Grunt weapon of choice is an assault rifle..
Q: Where did you base the series logo on?
A: You can see the logo from the top of this thread here as well. It finds it base on the Western box-art for the games. Famicom Wars associates itself with stars, as well, but as that is taken by the Kirby series, this one needed something more. The wheel from said box-art was a nice fit to me.
Q: How can I show Grunt my support?
A: Simple, put any of these images in your signature or roster:
Note: I lack the font that is used in most of these images. If anyone could tell me which font it is or redo the image, I'd be very grateful.
Any more questions? I'll answer them and put them up here.
The Barracks: supporters of Grunt
splat
3Bismyname
GoldenYuiitusin
jigglover
Inawordyes
Genericmartini
deuxhero
Let me start by stating this is not a joke thread. This is a legitimate idea for a new character in Smash, as I personally think that the Grunt is a character that hardly anyone has thought of, but still has a fair shot of making the cut. His situation might be comparable to the one Pokémon Trainer had before Brawl, in that he's an absolute staple of his own series, but hardly recognized as a possible newcomer. Much like Pokémon Trainer, the Grunt grew to be the unofficial face of his games.
GRUNT
Grunt as he appears in Battalion Wars II.
About
A lot of people might be wondering who Grunt actually is. In all honesty, Grunt is not an actual character, but part of a 'species', like Toad or Yoshi. He is a single Rifle Grunt, which is the most basic unit in the Battalion Wars series. As a result, the Grunt is generally weak, being countered by most other units. Equipped with a fairly simple weapon, they deal relatively low damage, but have a longer reach than the other units. He is typically created before people have access to any of the five other Infantry units.
In other games from the Famicom Wars series, there were two kinds of non-vehicle units: 'Infantry' and 'Mech'. The Infantry unit was the weak, early unit of the two, and a simple comparison makes it seem that the 'Infantry' unit was the base of the Grunt. Though obviously distinct by name, I consider them pretty much the same characters, having so much in common, and as such I will refer to the earlier 'Infantry' unit as Grunt, too. In these earlier games, the Grunt had a longer reach than the 'Mech' unit, which was the only other non-vehicle unit in these games, possibly indicating the speed and nimbleness of the Grunt.
The Grunt is a quirky, little character. This not only shows in their design, but also in their action. A quote on it from the Battalion Wars wiki:
When not in combat, Grunts tend to take part in idle chit chatter about their respective nations or conditions they're in. Tundran Grunts tend to complain about how cold it is, how they miss farming turnips, or stating the obvious when under fire, or simply yelling "Do your worst!" to enemy forces.
Some of the quirkier quotes from the Western Frontier Grunt include:
- Why aren't there any girl soldiers?
- How about a card game while we wait?
- What are we doing here anyway? I missed the briefing.
- Do I have time to write a letter to my mom?
- How about we settle this whole thing with a game of dodgeball?
- Those guys need to see a dental hygenist.
Grunt and Sakurai's four criteria
1: A character must make people want to play the game.
I copied the idea of including this list from Super Smash Bros. Fan's Mach Rider thread, and I think the sentence his used for this criteria fits for Grunt, too: "95% of people will say he obviously fails this criteria due to not being a popular request, but if Captain Falcon, Ice Climbers, Mr. Game & Watch and R.O.B. taught us anything, it's that a character can meet this criteria and not be a popular request."
I personally would be psyched to see Grunt and I reckon I wouldn't be the only one.
2: A character must be unique.
Grunt is not unique in the most literal sense of the word, as there are lots of other Grunts in the series. He is, however, very unique compared to other characters from the Nintendo universe, and especially from those who are currently playable in Smash. Due to Grunt relying on his arsenal, Snake would be the character closest to Grunt. Even between them there are vast differences, as Snake is a technical shooter, choosing the right time to attack, where Grunt is more of an in-your-face assault character. The cartoon-like and quirky style of the Battalion series could be reflected in his fighting style, creating a hectic and fun to play newcomer.
3: A character must fit into the game.
I'd say Grunt fills this criteria perfectly. His character design is done in such a way that he fits in the Nintendo universe flawlessly, but is still different enough to retain his own flavor.
4: A character must contribute to the game balance.
Grunt has enough options to make him stand out from other characters, battling style wise.
Proposed alternative colors. From left to right: Iron Legion, Tundran Territories, Xylvania, Solar Empire, Anglo Isles references.
Moveset
Standard attacks:
Jab (first hit): Shoots his rifle at a slight upward angle.
Jab (second hit): Shoots his rifle at a slight downward angle.
Jab (third hit): Shoots his rifle straight forward.
Multi-hit: Yes, repeats the third hit quite quickly.
- note: shoots out 'blasts' instead of actual bullets.
- note: consider this a reference to the need to 'aim' or locking on to the target.
Dash attack: Combat Roll. A forward roll that has both little start-up and ending lag.
Specials:
Assault Set: the Assault Set Grunt is the most tactical of the three.
Standard: Assault Rifle. Grunt fires off blasts until the special buttons is released. It is reminiscent of his 'jab' attack, except that these blasts fire a bit more rapidly, have less range and zero knockback or hitstun, and that this move can be aimed freely upwards and downwards.
Up: Rope Ladder. Grunt finds a rope ladder in his backpack and flings it upwards, acting as a tether recovery. The rope swinging upwards deals ever so slight damage to any character positioned directly above Grunt. This move finds no roots in Battalion Wars as far as I'm aware, but is often used in scenario's where a soldier has to leave a battlefield quickly (as seen in Snake's final smash).
Side: Sandbags. Grunt stacks some sandbags, stacking them high enough for him to hide behind if he crouches. The sandbag wall acts as a tiny wall, has a set amount of health. If enough damage is dealt to it, it falls apart. Damage dealt from either side will cause the wall's health to decrease. The Grunt can only put down one sandbag wall at a time.
Upon collapsing, the wall leaves behind two tiny sandbags which can be tossed around.
Down: Swap weapon. Grunt switches his secondary weapon to change into his Rocket Set. This is a reference to the player being able to switch freely between units in Battalion Wars, and as such, this move is accompanied by the sounds you hear upon switching units.
Rocket Set: The Rocket Set Grunt is the camper of the three, using projectiles to keep the opponent at bay.
Standard: Launch Rocket. Comparable to Samus' side special, Grunt shoots out a rocket that flies at a straight angle. Opposed to Samus' move, this one comes in only one variation.
Up: Rocket Jump. A technique used by players in various FPS games, Grunt aims his Rocket Launcher downwards and shoots. The explosion deals damage to himself, but also shoots him up for quite a bit. It can be angled slightly.
Side: Mortar. Grunt launches a shell that follows a trajectory similar to Diddy Kong's neutral special. This move can be charged. Charged shells shoot out with greater power, increasing the distance they cover. These shells explodes on contact, splitting into three smaller pieces that also explode on contact.
Down: Swap weapon. Grunt switches his secondary weapon to change into his Flame Set. This is a reference to the player being able to switch freely between units in Battalion Wars, and as such, this move is accompanied by the sounds you hear upon switching units.
Flame Set: The Flame Set Grunt loves to jump straight in the action. His specials consist of moves that are help him control the battle.
Standard: Flamethrower. It is comparable to Bowser's and Charizard's neutral special, but Grunt's flames grows in size rather than shrinking before coming to an abrupt halt. Using this attack for too long will cause the flamethrower to overheat, disallowing Grunt to use this move or his up special again. This references the Flame Vet's weapon overheating.
Up: Flame Boost. Smash cares little for realism, so I reckon this could work, too. Grunt aims his weapon downward and fires it, making him able to move around freely much like Pit's and ROB's up special. Grunt's, however, has a shorter duration as a trade-off for the flames he's leaving behind. Anyone touching said flames is dealt a very little amount of damage. This move cannot be used if Grunt's weapon is overheated, and can be cancelled out of by pressing the up special move a second time.
Side: Fuel Spray. Grunt splashes out a tiny, well, splash of fuel in front of him. Characters that will walk over the splash will slip and fall over. Lasts a couple of second or until two people have tripped over it. Grunt can only have three splashes of fuel on the field at any time.
Down: Swap weapon. Grunt switches his secondary weapon to change into his Assault Set. This is a reference to the player being able to switch freely between units in Battalion Wars, and as such, this move is accompanied by the sounds you hear upon switching units.
- note: overheating will appear as a slight cloud above Grunt's head, much like Donkey Kong has when his neutral special is charged.
Jab (first hit): Shoots his rifle at a slight upward angle.
Jab (second hit): Shoots his rifle at a slight downward angle.
Jab (third hit): Shoots his rifle straight forward.
Multi-hit: Yes, repeats the third hit quite quickly.
- note: shoots out 'blasts' instead of actual bullets.
- note: consider this a reference to the need to 'aim' or locking on to the target.
Dash attack: Combat Roll. A forward roll that has both little start-up and ending lag.
Specials:
Assault Set: the Assault Set Grunt is the most tactical of the three.
Standard: Assault Rifle. Grunt fires off blasts until the special buttons is released. It is reminiscent of his 'jab' attack, except that these blasts fire a bit more rapidly, have less range and zero knockback or hitstun, and that this move can be aimed freely upwards and downwards.
Up: Rope Ladder. Grunt finds a rope ladder in his backpack and flings it upwards, acting as a tether recovery. The rope swinging upwards deals ever so slight damage to any character positioned directly above Grunt. This move finds no roots in Battalion Wars as far as I'm aware, but is often used in scenario's where a soldier has to leave a battlefield quickly (as seen in Snake's final smash).
Side: Sandbags. Grunt stacks some sandbags, stacking them high enough for him to hide behind if he crouches. The sandbag wall acts as a tiny wall, has a set amount of health. If enough damage is dealt to it, it falls apart. Damage dealt from either side will cause the wall's health to decrease. The Grunt can only put down one sandbag wall at a time.
Upon collapsing, the wall leaves behind two tiny sandbags which can be tossed around.
Down: Swap weapon. Grunt switches his secondary weapon to change into his Rocket Set. This is a reference to the player being able to switch freely between units in Battalion Wars, and as such, this move is accompanied by the sounds you hear upon switching units.
Rocket Set: The Rocket Set Grunt is the camper of the three, using projectiles to keep the opponent at bay.
Standard: Launch Rocket. Comparable to Samus' side special, Grunt shoots out a rocket that flies at a straight angle. Opposed to Samus' move, this one comes in only one variation.
Up: Rocket Jump. A technique used by players in various FPS games, Grunt aims his Rocket Launcher downwards and shoots. The explosion deals damage to himself, but also shoots him up for quite a bit. It can be angled slightly.
Side: Mortar. Grunt launches a shell that follows a trajectory similar to Diddy Kong's neutral special. This move can be charged. Charged shells shoot out with greater power, increasing the distance they cover. These shells explodes on contact, splitting into three smaller pieces that also explode on contact.
Down: Swap weapon. Grunt switches his secondary weapon to change into his Flame Set. This is a reference to the player being able to switch freely between units in Battalion Wars, and as such, this move is accompanied by the sounds you hear upon switching units.
Flame Set: The Flame Set Grunt loves to jump straight in the action. His specials consist of moves that are help him control the battle.
Standard: Flamethrower. It is comparable to Bowser's and Charizard's neutral special, but Grunt's flames grows in size rather than shrinking before coming to an abrupt halt. Using this attack for too long will cause the flamethrower to overheat, disallowing Grunt to use this move or his up special again. This references the Flame Vet's weapon overheating.
Up: Flame Boost. Smash cares little for realism, so I reckon this could work, too. Grunt aims his weapon downward and fires it, making him able to move around freely much like Pit's and ROB's up special. Grunt's, however, has a shorter duration as a trade-off for the flames he's leaving behind. Anyone touching said flames is dealt a very little amount of damage. This move cannot be used if Grunt's weapon is overheated, and can be cancelled out of by pressing the up special move a second time.
Side: Fuel Spray. Grunt splashes out a tiny, well, splash of fuel in front of him. Characters that will walk over the splash will slip and fall over. Lasts a couple of second or until two people have tripped over it. Grunt can only have three splashes of fuel on the field at any time.
Down: Swap weapon. Grunt switches his secondary weapon to change into his Assault Set. This is a reference to the player being able to switch freely between units in Battalion Wars, and as such, this move is accompanied by the sounds you hear upon switching units.
- note: overheating will appear as a slight cloud above Grunt's head, much like Donkey Kong has when his neutral special is charged.
Home Stage
I'm still working on this part. I hope to update this part soon.
Other
I'm still working on this part. I hope to update this part soon.
FAQ
Q: Do we really need to have a character that represents the Wars series?
A: We don't need it, no, but what do we really need anyway? I think the series is due for a playable character. There have been twelve games in the series; two for the Famicom, four for the Game Boy, four for the DS and two for the Wii. Considering Mother has had two characters from three games, I'd say we could do with a Wars representative.
Q: Isn't Andy a better pick?
A: Maybe he is, because he's an actual defined character. Andy is also known to be the no strengths/weaknesses character, much like Mario and could be considered the main character for those reason. However, he appeared in only three of the games, while the common Grunt appeared in all. Not to mention Andy's dead.
Q: Grunt isn't a single defined character, but part of a species, that's not right! (Not much of a question, but still. Image a question mark or something)
A: ROB disagrees with your statement.
Q: Didn't Sakurai state he did not want to use realistic weapons?
A: This is my main issue when creating Grunt's moveset. I recall a statement like this, but if you look at Snake and Samus you can tell that Sakurai tried not to use common guns, but cartoonesque weapons are fine. In theory, Grunt could be given a moveset that uses weaponry supplied by other Infantry units from Battalion Wars, such as rocket launchers, flamethrowers and mortars. It's just a tad tricky when you realize the Grunt weapon of choice is an assault rifle..
Q: Where did you base the series logo on?
A: You can see the logo from the top of this thread here as well. It finds it base on the Western box-art for the games. Famicom Wars associates itself with stars, as well, but as that is taken by the Kirby series, this one needed something more. The wheel from said box-art was a nice fit to me.
Q: How can I show Grunt my support?
A: Simple, put any of these images in your signature or roster:
Note: I lack the font that is used in most of these images. If anyone could tell me which font it is or redo the image, I'd be very grateful.
Any more questions? I'll answer them and put them up here.
The Barracks: supporters of Grunt
splat
3Bismyname
GoldenYuiitusin
jigglover
Inawordyes
Genericmartini
deuxhero