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The Best Customs for Each Character

The_Bookworm

Smash Master
Joined
Jan 10, 2018
Messages
3,195
Let's talk about the best custom moves each character can possess. I will put in my list with explanations why.

:4mario:: Gust Cape, High-Pressure F.L.U.U.D.
His customs are very balanced, following an x over y pattern. While these two are, in my opinion, Mario's best, they are not simply superior over the original. These two moves improves Mario's already great edgeguarding game, while the lower damage and longer charge time, receptively, is somewhat negligible.
:4luigi:: Floating Missile, Quick Missile
While the majority of Luigi's custom moves are useful, the most notable ones are his side B variations. Floating Missile is much riskier to intercept because it propels Luigi in a perfectly straight line, charges much faster, and is only slightly weaker than Green Missile. Quick Missile travels much farther and moves much faster, similarly to how Green Missile functioned in Melee. However, it is slightly weaker, while its considerably higher ending lag and lack of traction upon landing on a stage or platform make it much more punishable.
:4peach:: Sleepy Toad, Light Veggie, Flying Peach Bomber
Peach only has a few useful custom moves. Sleepy Toad knocks airborne opponents and puts grounded opponents to sleep, allowing for great followups. Light Veggie is great at keeping projectiles out in the open for a while, disrupting her opponents' neutral game. Flying Peach Bomber also assists Peach's recovery by extending her impressive horizontal distance even more, as well as dealing more damage overall, at the cost of a smaller hitbox.
:4bowser:: Fire Shot, Dash Slash
Bowser greatly benefits from customs, and these two are his best. Fire Shot is slower and has noticeable intervals between each fireball, but has more range and deals consistent damage, which make it better for Bowser's neutral and edgeguarding games. Dash Slash deals less damage, but deals high knockback, hits throughout most of its animation and maintains the default version's autocanceling, granting Bowser a very reliable move for approaching and setting up combos. Dash Slam, on a lesser note, is also a viable alternative. Both Flying Slam alternatives can also improve his recovery.
:4yoshi:: Lick
Yoshi gains noticeable benefits from his custom moves, although his best is Lick: it is a semi-spike that is powerful enough to KO reliably, yet can also provide function as a horizontal recovery option, thanks to it slightly boosting Yoshi forward.
:rosalina:: Shooting Star Bit, Luma Warp
Since DLC characters cannot have custom moves, Rosalina may become the best character in the game with customs on, due to the sheer benefits these two moves bring. Shooting Star Bit functions similarly to Falco's Blaster: instead of firing three close-range Star Bits, Luma will quickly shoot a single long-range one, which makes it better at shutting down approaches and/or punishing opponents. Luma Warp, instead of having Rosalina charge up Luma and send it to a certain location, has Luma warp to a fixed distance forward almost immediately. Due to its high speed and weak hitbox as Luma reappears, it is nearly unpunishable and with precision can lead to trapping an opponent.
:4bowserjr:: Air Cannon
Bowser Jr. gains very few buffs from his custom moves. Air Cannon is his best custom move, mainly due to how mediocre his default neutral B is. It briefly stalls him midair, and it re-purposes it into an edgeguarding tool. The only other notable custom moves is Piercing Cannon and Big Mechakoopa, but like Air Cannon, it has it's own flaws.
:4drmario:: Soaring Tornado
Dr. Mario benefits significantly from his custom moves. Like Mario, his custom moves define the fundamentals of customization, but in Dr. Mario's case, some of them alleviate his most significant flaws. Soaring Tornado, ultimately, is his best move, and one of the best custom moves in the game. It grants noticeably better vertical recovery, has incredible edge-guarding potential thanks to its windbox and hitbox, and its hitbox is powerful enough to KO early either on-stage or off-stage. However, these benefits come at the cost of it granting no horizontal recovery. When you see a doc in a custom tournament, prepare for this move.
:4wario:: Quick Waft
His customs bring him solid options, such as his side B variations, down B variations, and Corkscrew Leap. Quick Waft is, in my opinion, his best. It is decidedly stronger than the Rose-Scented Waft, charges almost four times faster than the standard, and executes faster than the other versions, giving Wario a more readily available KO option in exchange for the massive power of the standard or the damage of Rose-Scented Waft.
:4dk:: Kong Cyclone
No description needed. Just equip the best custom move in the game to DK and move on.
:4diddy:: Rocketbarrel Attack, Shocking Banana Peel
Diddy Kong doesn't benefit much from his custom moves, having only two that are overall better than their defaults. Rocketbarrel Attack has much less maneuverability and is slower, but is extremely powerful even when uncharged, granting Diddy Kong a lethal surprise KO option. Shocking Banana Peel has a different throw trajectory and is less effective when thrown directly at the opponent, but is able to paralyze the opponent, leaving them wide open to any attack more effectively. The rest of his custom moves have disadvantages that noticeably outweigh their advantages.
:4gaw:: Chain Judge, Trampoline Launch
He has a few noteworthy customs. Chain Judge has no special effects but deals more damage the higher the number is, significantly improving the move's consistency and damage racking capabilities. Trampoline Launch has no parachute at the cost of granting more distance and being stronger as well, although this move is not directly superior to the default.
:4littlemac:: Compact Counter
Although Mac benefits from his custom moves, none of them are unarguably better than Little Mac's default special moves. As such, the best option depends entirely on the player's preference. His nuetral B variations, down B variations, and Grounding Blow brings some benefits. In my opinion, Compact Counter is his best. It is weaker and faster, opening up opportunities for follow-ups, but lacks the default version's immense power and one-hit KO potential.

Second row of characters coming soon. You can input and give out your opinions on this too.
 
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Mario & Sonic Guy

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I'll just mention that for Bowser Jr., his Koopa Drift is safer to use than Clown Kart Dash, as it can deliver multiple hits that make the attack more difficult for opponents to punish, and it even has better recovery potential. You do sacrifice KO power, however.

For Wario, his Speeding Bike does have recovery benefits, and because the bike moves so fast, it's more difficult for opponents to grab Wario. It's less durable than normal, however.
 
D

Deleted member

Guest
To me, custom special moves are why I firmly believe that Smash 4 is far superior to its predecessors, even Melee. Sa, tsuite wa...let me give some input here:
  • :4ganondorf: - The combination of Dark Fists and Wizard's Dropkick does something to help out his otherwise pitiful recovery. As for the neutral B, I would say Warlock Blade. I see no reason to use Warlock Thrust; less damage/knockback than his other KO options while having ****ty end lag. Uh-uh, not worth its faster wind-up.
  • :4dedede: - Armored Jet Hammer is probably the only one worth using. It may be weaker than the normal which has laughable knockback values anyway but the launch resistance sure does come in handy.
  • :4charizard: - Dragon Rush, hands down. His other side B variants do a decent amount of recoil damage upon using them, and they do not even inflict high enough damage to be worth it.
  • :4olimar: - Sticky Pikmin Throw is cool since the Pikmin are harder to shake off.
  • :4palutena: - The combination of Super Speed and Lightweight is what benefits her so greatly. To me, this combination makes her just as fast as :4sonic:.
  • :4shulk: - Power Vision since to me it is pretty much the same attributes as the normal one (someone correct me on this if I am missing something) but much more powerful.
  • :4miibrawl: - This one is easy: Ultimate Uppercut for its launch resistance and great damage; Onslaught and Helicopter Kick for their good KO power; Feint Jump for helping recovery and having a fairly powerful kick that has good recovery.
  • :4miisword: - Shuriken of Light since it is her fastest neutral special, does more damage the farther it goes, and is long-ranged; Reversal Slash to reflect projectiles and otherwise function similarly to :4mario:'s Cape; and finally, it is a toss-up between Stone Scabbard and Hero Spin (and I prefer using the latter since it is slightly more flexible to recover with).
  • :4miigun: - Easy: the combination of Bomb Drop and Grenade Launch so she has a few more landing options; I would personally choose Cannon Uppercut since it is a somewhat powerful finishing move but its recovery distance is lacking so I would say Lunar Launch is her go-to recovery move; lastly Flame Pillar for ledge tricks and slowing down opposing approaches.

Sayonara :kirby:
 

The_Bookworm

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Jan 10, 2018
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To me, custom special moves are why I firmly believe that Smash 4 is far superior to its predecessors, even Melee. Sa, tsuite wa...let me give some input here:
  • :4ganondorf: - The combination of Dark Fists and Wizard's Dropkick does something to help out his otherwise pitiful recovery. As for the neutral B, I would say Warlock Blade. I see no reason to use Warlock Thrust; less damage/knockback than his other KO options while having ****ty end lag. Uh-uh, not worth its faster wind-up.
  • :4dedede: - Armored Jet Hammer is probably the only one worth using. It may be weaker than the normal which has laughable knockback values anyway but the launch resistance sure does come in handy.
  • :4charizard: - Dragon Rush, hands down. His other side B variants do a decent amount of recoil damage upon using them, and they do not even inflict high enough damage to be worth it.
  • :4olimar: - Sticky Pikmin Throw is cool since the Pikmin are harder to shake off.
  • :4palutena: - The combination of Super Speed and Lightweight is what benefits her so greatly. To me, this combination makes her just as fast as :4sonic:.
  • :4shulk: - Power Vision since to me it is pretty much the same attributes as the normal one (someone correct me on this if I am missing something) but much more powerful.
  • :4miibrawl: - This one is easy: Ultimate Uppercut for its launch resistance and great damage; Onslaught and Helicopter Kick for their good KO power; Feint Jump for helping recovery and having a fairly powerful kick that has good recovery.
  • :4miisword: - Shuriken of Light since it is her fastest neutral special, does more damage the farther it goes, and is long-ranged; Reversal Slash to reflect projectiles and otherwise function similarly to :4mario:'s Cape; and finally, it is a toss-up between Stone Scabbard and Hero Spin (and I prefer using the latter since it is slightly more flexible to recover with).
  • :4miigun: - Easy: the combination of Bomb Drop and Grenade Launch so she has a few more landing options; I would personally choose Cannon Uppercut since it is a somewhat powerful finishing move but its recovery distance is lacking so I would say Lunar Launch is her go-to recovery move; lastly Flame Pillar for ledge tricks and slowing down opposing approaches.

Sayonara :kirby:
:4dedede:Armored Jet Hammer is actually a pitiful custom move. It is muuuuch weaker than the normal version, gathers recoil must faster, and it has a billion years of endlag to the point that is not safe even when you hit them (unless they are at a high percent). The armor is alright, but it is easily countered using the z-button. Dedede's only custom moves that has real benefits over their normal variation: both his side B variations, and Rising Dedede. You can make an argument for his other down B variation.

:4shulk:Power Vision's duration, unlike normal Vision, decreases after each consecutive use. It is still one of Shulk's best custom moves though.

:4palutena:Lightweight alone makes her faster than Sonic. He may be a hedgehog, but she is a goddess.

:4miibrawl:Whether you chose Piston Punch or Helicopter Kick is basically personal preference. Piston Punch is simply a better version of Mac's up B.
 

Crystanium

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:4samus:
Neutral B: Keep Charge Shot. The other options aren't better.

Up B: Keep Screw Attack. The other options aren't better.

Side B: Relentless Missiles would be best for Samus. Homing missiles lock-on better, and super missiles can actually kill.

Down B: Keep Bomb. The other options aren't better.
 
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The_Bookworm

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Jan 10, 2018
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Second row:

:4link:: Meteor Bomb
I don't really much research on Link's customs (mainly because he is the only character in Smashwiki that mentions nothing about his customs in the main article). You guys are free to input me on Link's customs especially, but I chose Meteor Bomb though for it's edgeguarding and potential vertical survivalbility, although it is impractical for recovery.
:4zelda:: Din's Flare, Phantom Breaker
Lets get one thing straight: her custom moves suck. She only has two custom moves that are overall more beneficial than her default moves. Din's Flare deals consistent damage regardless of its charge, travels much faster, and has both longer range and a faster detonation. However, it is much less maneuverable than Din's Fire. Phantom Breaker can break shields very easily and possesses KO potential like Phantom Slash, although it travels a set distance regardless of its charge and its slightly lower damage output results in it KOing later than Phantom Slash.
:4sheik:: Gravity Grenade, Penetrating Needles, Pisces
Sheik gets some good benefits from customs. Penetrating Needles only shoots three needles instead of six and has less range, but it deals extra shield damage, granting her a new pressuring option. Gravity Grenade loses the suction effect, but the grenade can be thrown much farther and pulls enemies towards Sheik, allowing multiple follow-up opportunities. Pisces, while having a much more shallow flip, removing her forward throw combo, gains more horizontal distance, is faster, has little lag if the follow-up attack is not executed, and is significantly stronger, being able to KO 59% earlier than the default Bouncing Fish. Her other custom moves, like Paralyzing Needle and Abyss, are slightly riskier, yet more rewarding than Needle Storm and Vanish.
:4ganondorf:: Wizard's Dropkick, Dark Fists
Ganon drastically benefits from customs. Wizard's Dropkick is weaker, cannot meteor smash, and has slightly more ending lag when performed in the air, it is excellent against projectiles and for recovery, acting as a superior version of Flame Choke's recovery that does not leave him helpless while allowing Ganondorf to fly over projectiles while attacking. Dark Fists is a two-hit attack with better horizontal reach, armor, and very potent power, giving him impressive protection against edgeguarders if used as a recovery and a very effective out-of-shield option, something that he lacks. When using both of these moves on his moveset, Ganondorf is granted a very efficient recovery and improved offensive prowess, as he can travel high distances while being exceedingly difficult to edgeguard without being punished. Other beneficial customs include: Warlock Blade, and his two side B variations being semi-viable alternatives to normal Flame Choke.
:4tlink:: Fire Arrow, Flying Spin Attack
Toon Link has specifically four custom moves that are more beneficial to him (but they really help indeed). His best two is Fire Arrow and Flying Spin Attack. Fire Arrow is incredibly useful for spacing, as it allows him to greatly hinder an opponent's approach. It is also capable of functioning as a jab lock at any percentage, or act as a set-up into a number of attacks, particularly his aerials. Flying Spin Attack boasts impressive KO potential near the upper blast line, and has an even more reliable edge sweetspot. His other two, still very helpful custom moves are Floating Boomerang and Short-Fused Bomb.
:4samus:: Apex Screw Attack, Slip Bomb
She has some customs to boost her strengths. Apex Screw Attack has slightly more start-up lag and the recovery it provides is slightly worse, but it deals more damage and outstanding knockback, to the point of KOing most middleweights at 75% from the stage and as low as 50% near the upper blast line. Slip Bomb, while dealing less damage, has the useful property of tripping grounded opponents and meteor smashing airborne opponents, making it useful as a set up for a grab or a punish and an edge-guarding option to spike the opponent.
:4samus:
Neutral B: Keep Charge Shot. The other options aren't better.

Up B: Keep Screw Attack. The other options aren't better.

Side B: Relentless Missiles would be best for Samus. Homing missiles lock-on better, and super missiles can actually kill.

Down B: Slip Bomb is probably better, with Mega Bomb being the second best. Just think about it. Slip Bomb will cause your opponent to slip, and if an opponent is hit by it in the air, they will be meteor smashed.
Her other neutral B options are viable, but it really depends on your playstyle and matchups.
:4zss:: Whip Lash
Zero Suit Samus' custom moves are among the most polarized in the game. New advantages are gained from using them, but each one has a noticeable disadvantage to go alongside them, to the point that some are inferior to her default specials because of their disadvantages outweighing their advantages. Her best custom move, in my opinion is Whip Lash. The move has excellent set-up potential, but it requires precises spacing to be effective.
:4pit::4darkpit:: Guiding Arrow, Amplifying Orbitars
Those two have some decent customs. Guiding Arrow is argubly more desirable for Dark Pit, so he can also apply stage control with his arrows (Piercing Arrow is a viable alternative for Dark Pit specifically). Amplifying Orbitars are significantly stronger reflectors, making them a better choice against projectile-reliant characters. However, they lack pushboxes and have less durability.
:4palutena:: Lightweight, Super Speed
She becomes an entirely different fighter, and a scary one at that, with customs on. Lightweight amplifies her movement speed and jump height to the point that she dashes faster than Sonic and jumps higher than Falco. Super Speed has immense utility: it allows Palutena to move faster than even an uncharged Spin Charge, it can either be jump-canceled into any aerial move and an up smash, or perform a ramming attack, the latter of which can also lead into the aforementioned attacks, but only as long as it is not telegraphed or interrupted with a disjointed hitbox. Both overall improve her KO potential and grant her various mix-ups, set-ups, mindgames, combos and edge-guards that her default moveset otherwise does not possess.
:4marth::4lucina:: Crescent Slash, Iai Counter
Marcina's customs gains options to address some of their drawbacks, at the cost of creating different ones. Their best ones, in my opinion, is Crescent Slash and Iai Counter. Crescent Slash provides more horizontal recovery, but less vertical recovery. Also, while it grants him a fairly reliable follow-up from his forward throw and aerials at low percents, and can punish airdodge landings, it loses out of shield functionality. Iai Counter has quicker startup (active from frame 3), increased utility, and deals electric damage as well; however it requires significantly stricter timing. As a result, their customs have a learning curve to master.
:4myfriends:: Tempest, Paralyzing Counter, Smash Counter, Close Combat
Ike gains several benefits from custom, with his neutral B and down B variations benefiting him the most. While Furious Eruption is a viable alternative to Eruption, Tempest charges faster and, like Cape, stalls Ike's descent when used in the air and can gimp recoveries. Both improve his already good edgeguarding game so take your pick. Paralyzing Counter functions almost identically to Disable: it allows Ike to stun the opponent instead of counterattacking, but deals minuscule damage as a trade-off, allowing for some followups. Lastly, Smash Counter functions oppositely: its much higher damage multiplier enables it to OHKO many strong moves, although its lag is significant enough that many moves with low ending lag will allow the opponent to block the counterattack. Close Combat grants transcendent priority during its dash, which allows it to ignore projectiles and shields, making it even better for recovering. In other words, Ike's customs are good.
:4robinm:: Thunder+, Speed Thunder
Robin benefits little from his custom moves, with his only notable options being the Thunder variants. Thunder+ has highly increased power across all charges, the projectiles have more range, and both Elthunder and Arcthunder use up a very slightly smaller amount of durability. However, it charges slower, and has only half the durability of the original, with Thoron immediately exhausting the tome regardless of how much durability is left. Speed Thunder is faster across all charges, but the projectiles have less range and noticeably less power.

Third row of characters coming soon. You can input and give out your opinions on this too (especially on Link).
 
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Nah

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Goetia's not really worth using at all imo. Losing the healing ability of Nosferatu in exchange for more damage (while also being even slower) on a character who does enough damage as is is not really helpful.
 

CSWooly

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:4robinm:: Thunder+, Speed Thunder, Goetia
Robin benefits little from his custom moves, with his only notable options being the Thunder variants and Goetia. Thunder+ has highly increased power across all charges, the projectiles have more range, and both Elthunder and Arcthunder use up a very slightly smaller amount of durability. However, it charges slower, and has only half the durability of the original, with Thoron immediately exhausting the tome regardless of how much durability is left. Speed Thunder is faster across all charges, but the projectiles have less range and noticeably less power. Goetia deals more damage and has a much larger hitbox, but it loses it's healing capabilities and has a slightly slower startup, making it purely a damage racking tool.
Honestly, I'd say Speed Thunder and Thunder+ are the only good ones. Whilst Goetia is massive, it's also got even more start-up lag than regular Nosferatu, is even more punishable than normal Nosferatu and is honestly just inferior to Nosferatu in every way. Nosferatu has some cool platform tricks whereas Goetia is so slow it's not even funny.
 

The_Bookworm

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Guess it isn't that useful after all. I will change it.

The funny part is that Goetia is the most powerful dark magic spell in FE: Awakening.
 
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The_Bookworm

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I'm feeling custom-y today. The third row (and third out of fourth part) on customs is here:

:4duckhunt:: Quick Draw Aces, Mega Gunman
Duck Hunt's most promising customs are the variations of Wild Gunman: Quick Draw Aces makes Duck Hunt's zoning game more powerful and even more difficult to counter at the cost of covering less distance, whereas Mega Gunman's improved defense and larger hurtbox grant them a way to ward off pressure at the cost of weakening their zoning and stage control games. Zigzag Shot almost made the list, but I am not entirely sure it is better than Trick Shot considering recent innovations to Trick Shot.
:4kirby:: Jumping Inhale, Upper Cutter, Hammer Bash
Kirby possesses some significant benefits with customs on, benefiting from all of them. Jumping Inhale propels Kirby forward, which often puts opponents in bad positions and can even allow it to function as a quick horizontal recovery option, though it is slower and lacks a vacuum. Upper Cutter is faster, stronger and grants much more vertical recovery and momentum, and can be a potent combo finisher, but immediately cancels at its ascent's apex, and lacks both a descending hitbox and shockwave. Hammer Bash is almost identical to Hammer in Brawl, as it is much faster, KOs earlier than the uncharged version of Hammer Flip, and could stall in midair.
:4dedede:: Topspin Gordo, Bouncing Gordo, Rising Dedede
He is one of the few characters that has the least effective custom moves in the game, as he has only three that either match or surpass the utility of his default special moves. Topspin Gordo has consistent power and moves much faster, giving it much more range, but starts up slower and does not last as long. Bouncing Gordo is electrical and allows for stage control and pressure, but is much weaker. Rising Dedede maintains its super armor while having a strong hitbox on the way up, making it impossible to interrupt his recovery, but loses its very powerful descending hitbox. It also cancels immediately at the apex of the jump, making it able to grab the edge at any time. Btw:
:4dedede:Armored Jet Hammer is actually a pitiful custom move. It is muuuuch weaker than the normal version, gathers recoil must faster, and it has a billion years of endlag to the point that is not safe even when you hit them (unless they are at a high percent). The armor is alright, but it is easily countered using the z-button. Dedede's only custom moves that has real benefits over their normal variation: both his side B variations, and Rising Dedede. You can make an argument for his other down B variation.
:4metaknight:: Dreadful Tornado
The advantages granted by MK's customs are much more situational overall and sacrifice the versatility of the default specials, which results in none of his custom options being especially worthwhile. His best, in my opinion, is Dreadful Tornado, as it hits much harder, but cannot stall him in the air and is slower.
:4fox:: Twisting Fox
Fox gains several options with customs on. His best is Twisting Fox. It does not fly as far and propels Fox slower, but has less start-up, sucks opponents in, and is much more powerful, KOing as low as 60% off the top blast zone. It also grants a large momentum boost, making it just as good for recovery despite the lowered distance. Other notable custom moves include Impact Blaster, Charge Blaster, Flying Fox, and Wolf Flash.
:4falco:: Burst Blaster, Reflector Void
He has some decent customs as well. Burst Blaster gives him his Brawl lasers back, at a shorter range. Nevertheless, it is much faster, forcing bad approaches from the opponent much more easily. Reflector Void destroys most projectiles instead of reflecting them, but deals more damage on contact, and is the optimal choice against certain characters like Villager or if the opponent lacks projectiles. Other notable customs included Falco Phase and Distant Fire Bird.
:4pikachu:: Thunder Wave, Heavy Skull Bash, Distant Thunder
Pikachu receives minimal benefit from its custom moves, though they still have their uses. Thunder Wave paralyzes grounded opponents, opening up opportunities for follow-ups at the cost of having much less range. ESAM's infamous Heavy Skull Bash travels and charges faster, and has immense power if used at point-blank range. Distant Thunder has more start-up and a much weaker shockwave hitbox around Pikachu, but it has more vertical range, much more power near the thundercloud, and cannot meteor smash. This allows for easier Thunderspiking, which restores most of that technique's usefulness.
:4charizard:: Dragon Rush
You guys pretty much know what this moves does for Charizard. Although it deals slightly less damage and has very minimal KO potential on stage, it hits multiple times, cannot be blocked by opponents when recovering, has less lag and lacks recoil damage. It could KO off of the side blastzone too. Other notable customs include: Rising Cyclone and Sinking Skull.
:4lucario:: Long-Distance Force Palm, Ride the Wind
Lucario has numerous customs to aid him in battle. Long-Distance Force Palm has less power, but as its name implies, it has more range, allowing Lucario to strike distant opponents more easily. The grab is also stronger and a semi-spike, making it lethal in any situation. Ride the Wind gives the full distance at any percentage, as well as greatly improved maneuverability. Other notable customs include his neutral B variations and Glancing Counter.
:4jigglypuff:: Relentless Rollout, Pound Blitz, Hyper Voice
Jigglypuff has among the most polarized custom moves in the game, with only three of them having utility that overall surpass the default versions. Relentless Rollout has much less power, but is much faster, hits multiple times and pierces opponents, making it less punishable and allowing it to be used as a recovery mix-up. Pound Blitz is slower and less powerful, but can still pressure shields while hitting multiple times and granting more momentum. Hyper Voice is better for protecting Jigglypuff, since it deals reasonable knockback and works in the air. It's other customs (most infamously Spinphony) is mediocre at best except for maybe Jumping Rest. While Jigglypuff does benefit from those three custom moves since they enhance its strengths in one way or another, they also fail to fix most of its major flaws.
:4greninja:: Shifting Shuriken, Exploding Attack
Greninja's custom moves are rather polarizing, as the majority of them are inferior to their regular versions, while only very few are very useful. Shifting Shuriken is extremely useful in that while it slightly detracts from Greninja's already poor range, it addresses its combo game's issues: when uncharged, it launches opponents straight up, and when charged, launches opponents toward Greninja. Although Substitute Ambush is a viable option with Substitute, Exploding Attack is a superior option to both due to being more practical, powerful, and easier to hit with.

Final Part Coming Soon.
 
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The_Bookworm

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Jan 10, 2018
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3,195
Final Part is here. Recap of the four other parts:
:4mario:: Gust Cape, High-Pressure F.L.U.U.D.
His customs are very balanced, following an x over y pattern. While these two are, in my opinion, Mario's best, they are not simply superior over the original. These two moves improves Mario's already great edgeguarding game, while the lower damage and longer charge time, receptively, is somewhat negligible.
:4luigi:: Floating Missile, Quick Missile
While the majority of Luigi's custom moves are useful, the most notable ones are his side B variations. Floating Missile is much riskier to intercept because it propels Luigi in a perfectly straight line, charges much faster, and is only slightly weaker than Green Missile. Quick Missile travels much farther and moves much faster, similarly to how Green Missile functioned in Melee. However, it is slightly weaker, while its considerably higher ending lag and lack of traction upon landing on a stage or platform make it much more punishable.
:4peach:: Sleepy Toad, Light Veggie, Flying Peach Bomber
Peach only has a few useful custom moves. Sleepy Toad knocks airborne opponents and puts grounded opponents to sleep, allowing for great followups. Light Veggie is great at keeping projectiles out in the open for a while, disrupting her opponents' neutral game. Flying Peach Bomber also assists Peach's recovery by extending her impressive horizontal distance even more, as well as dealing more damage overall, at the cost of a smaller hitbox.
:4bowser:: Fire Shot, Dash Slash
Bowser greatly benefits from customs, and these two are his best. Fire Shot is slower and has noticeable intervals between each fireball, but has more range and deals consistent damage, which make it better for Bowser's neutral and edgeguarding games. Dash Slash deals less damage, but deals high knockback, hits throughout most of its animation and maintains the default version's autocanceling, granting Bowser a very reliable move for approaching and setting up combos. Dash Slam, on a lesser note, is also a viable alternative. Both Flying Slam alternatives can also improve his recovery.
:4yoshi:: Lick
Yoshi gains noticeable benefits from his custom moves, although his best is Lick: it is a semi-spike that is powerful enough to KO reliably, yet can also provide function as a horizontal recovery option, thanks to it slightly boosting Yoshi forward.
:rosalina:: Shooting Star Bit, Luma Warp
Since DLC characters cannot have custom moves, Rosalina may become the best character in the game with customs on, due to the sheer benefits these two moves bring. Shooting Star Bit functions similarly to Falco's Blaster: instead of firing three close-range Star Bits, Luma will quickly shoot a single long-range one, which makes it better at shutting down approaches and/or punishing opponents. Luma Warp, instead of having Rosalina charge up Luma and send it to a certain location, has Luma warp to a fixed distance forward almost immediately. Due to its high speed and weak hitbox as Luma reappears, it is nearly unpunishable and with precision can lead to trapping an opponent.
:4bowserjr:: Air Cannon
Bowser Jr. gains very few buffs from his custom moves. Air Cannon is his best custom move, mainly due to how mediocre his default neutral B is. It briefly stalls him midair, and it re-purposes it into an edgeguarding tool. The only other notable custom moves is Piercing Cannon and Big Mechakoopa, but like Air Cannon, it has it's own flaws.
:4drmario:: Soaring Tornado
Dr. Mario benefits significantly from his custom moves. Like Mario, his custom moves define the fundamentals of customization, but in Dr. Mario's case, some of them alleviate his most significant flaws. Soaring Tornado, ultimately, is his best move, and one of the best custom moves in the game. It grants noticeably better vertical recovery, has incredible edge-guarding potential thanks to its windbox and hitbox, and its hitbox is powerful enough to KO early either on-stage or off-stage. However, these benefits come at the cost of it granting no horizontal recovery. When you see a doc in a custom tournament, prepare for this move.
:4wario:: Quick Waft
His customs bring him solid options, such as his side B variations, down B variations, and Corkscrew Leap. Quick Waft is, in my opinion, his best. It is decidedly stronger than the Rose-Scented Waft, charges almost four times faster than the standard, and executes faster than the other versions, giving Wario a more readily available KO option in exchange for the massive power of the standard or the damage of Rose-Scented Waft.
:4dk:: Kong Cyclone
No description needed. Just equip the best custom move in the game to DK and move on.
:4diddy:: Rocketbarrel Attack, Shocking Banana Peel
Diddy Kong doesn't benefit much from his custom moves, having only two that are overall better than their defaults. Rocketbarrel Attack has much less maneuverability and is slower, but is extremely powerful even when uncharged, granting Diddy Kong a lethal surprise KO option. Shocking Banana Peel has a different throw trajectory and is less effective when thrown directly at the opponent, but is able to paralyze the opponent, leaving them wide open to any attack more effectively. The rest of his custom moves have disadvantages that noticeably outweigh their advantages.
:4gaw:: Chain Judge, Trampoline Launch
He has a few noteworthy customs. Chain Judge has no special effects but deals more damage the higher the number is, significantly improving the move's consistency and damage racking capabilities. Trampoline Launch has no parachute at the cost of granting more distance and being stronger as well, although this move is not directly superior to the default.
:4littlemac:: Compact Counter
Although Mac benefits from his custom moves, none of them are unarguably better than Little Mac's default special moves. As such, the best option depends entirely on the player's preference. His nuetral B variations, down B variations, and Grounding Blow brings some benefits. In my opinion, Compact Counter is his best. It is weaker and faster, opening up opportunities for follow-ups, but lacks the default version's immense power and one-hit KO potential.
:4link:: Meteor Bomb
I don't really much research on Link's customs (mainly because he is the only character in Smashwiki that mentions nothing about his customs in the main article). You guys are free to input me on Link's customs especially, but I chose Meteor Bomb though for it's edgeguarding and potential vertical survivalbility, although it is impractical for recovery.
:4zelda:: Din's Flare, Phantom Breaker
Lets get one thing straight: her custom moves suck. She only has two custom moves that are overall more beneficial than her default moves. Din's Flare deals consistent damage regardless of its charge, travels much faster, and has both longer range and a faster detonation. However, it is much less maneuverable than Din's Fire. Phantom Breaker can break shields very easily and possesses KO potential like Phantom Slash, although it travels a set distance regardless of its charge and its slightly lower damage output results in it KOing later than Phantom Slash.
:4sheik:: Gravity Grenade, Penetrating Needles, Pisces
Sheik gets some good benefits from customs. Penetrating Needles only shoots three needles instead of six and has less range, but it deals extra shield damage, granting her a new pressuring option. Gravity Grenade loses the suction effect, but the grenade can be thrown much farther and pulls enemies towards Sheik, allowing multiple follow-up opportunities. Pisces, while having a much more shallow flip, removing her forward throw combo, gains more horizontal distance, is faster, has little lag if the follow-up attack is not executed, and is significantly stronger, being able to KO 59% earlier than the default Bouncing Fish. Her other custom moves, like Paralyzing Needle and Abyss, are slightly riskier, yet more rewarding than Needle Storm and Vanish.
:4ganondorf:: Wizard's Dropkick, Dark Fists
Ganon drastically benefits from customs. Wizard's Dropkick is weaker, cannot meteor smash, and has slightly more ending lag when performed in the air, it is excellent against projectiles and for recovery, acting as a superior version of Flame Choke's recovery that does not leave him helpless while allowing Ganondorf to fly over projectiles while attacking. Dark Fists is a two-hit attack with better horizontal reach, armor, and very potent power, giving him impressive protection against edgeguarders if used as a recovery and a very effective out-of-shield option, something that he lacks. When using both of these moves on his moveset, Ganondorf is granted a very efficient recovery and improved offensive prowess, as he can travel high distances while being exceedingly difficult to edgeguard without being punished. Other beneficial customs include: Warlock Blade, and his two side B variations being semi-viable alternatives to normal Flame Choke.
:4tlink:: Fire Arrow, Flying Spin Attack
Toon Link has specifically four custom moves that are more beneficial to him (but they really help indeed). His best two is Fire Arrow and Flying Spin Attack. Fire Arrow is incredibly useful for spacing, as it allows him to greatly hinder an opponent's approach. It is also capable of functioning as a jab lock at any percentage, or act as a set-up into a number of attacks, particularly his aerials. Flying Spin Attack boasts impressive KO potential near the upper blast line, and has an even more reliable edge sweetspot. His other two, still very helpful custom moves are Floating Boomerang and Short-Fused Bomb.
:4samus:: Apex Screw Attack, Slip Bomb
She has some customs to boost her strengths. Apex Screw Attack has slightly more start-up lag and the recovery it provides is slightly worse, but it deals more damage and outstanding knockback, to the point of KOing most middleweights at 75% from the stage and as low as 50% near the upper blast line. Slip Bomb, while dealing less damage, has the useful property of tripping grounded opponents and meteor smashing airborne opponents, making it useful as a set up for a grab or a punish and an edge-guarding option to spike the opponent.

:4samus:
Neutral B: Keep Charge Shot. The other options aren't better.

Up B: Keep Screw Attack. The other options aren't better.

Side B: Relentless Missiles would be best for Samus. Homing missiles lock-on better, and super missiles can actually kill.

Down B: Slip Bomb is probably better, with Mega Bomb being the second best. Just think about it. Slip Bomb will cause your opponent to slip, and if an opponent is hit by it in the air, they will be meteor smashed.
Click to expand...
Her other neutral B options are viable, but it really depends on your playstyle and matchups.
:4zss:: Whip Lash
Zero Suit Samus' custom moves are among the most polarized in the game. New advantages are gained from using them, but each one has a noticeable disadvantage to go alongside them, to the point that some are inferior to her default specials because of their disadvantages outweighing their advantages. Her best custom move, in my opinion is Whip Lash. The move has excellent set-up potential, but it requires precises spacing to be effective.
:4pit::4darkpit:: Guiding Arrow, Amplifying Orbitars
Those two have some decent customs. Guiding Arrow is argubly more desirable for Dark Pit, so he can also apply stage control with his arrows (Piercing Arrow is a viable alternative for Dark Pit specifically). Amplifying Orbitars are significantly stronger reflectors, making them a better choice against projectile-reliant characters. However, they lack pushboxes and have less durability.
:4palutena:: Lightweight, Super Speed
She becomes an entirely different fighter, and a scary one at that, with customs on. Lightweight amplifies her movement speed and jump height to the point that she dashes faster than Sonic and jumps higher than Falco. Super Speed has immense utility: it allows Palutena to move faster than even an uncharged Spin Charge, it can either be jump-canceled into any aerial move and an up smash, or perform a ramming attack, the latter of which can also lead into the aforementioned attacks, but only as long as it is not telegraphed or interrupted with a disjointed hitbox. Both overall improve her KO potential and grant her various mix-ups, set-ups, mindgames, combos and edge-guards that her default moveset otherwise does not possess.
:4marth::4lucina:: Crescent Slash, Iai Counter
Marcina's customs gains options to address some of their drawbacks, at the cost of creating different ones. Their best ones, in my opinion, is Crescent Slash and Iai Counter. Crescent Slash provides more horizontal recovery, but less vertical recovery. Also, while it grants him a fairly reliable follow-up from his forward throw and aerials at low percents, and can punish airdodge landings, it loses out of shield functionality. Iai Counter has quicker startup (active from frame 3), increased utility, and deals electric damage as well; however it requires significantly stricter timing. As a result, their customs have a learning curve to master.
:4myfriends:: Tempest, Paralyzing Counter, Smash Counter, Close Combat
Ike gains several benefits from custom, with his neutral B and down B variations benefiting him the most. While Furious Eruption is a viable alternative to Eruption, Tempest charges faster and, like Cape, stalls Ike's descent when used in the air and can gimp recoveries. Both improve his already good edgeguarding game so take your pick. Paralyzing Counter functions almost identically to Disable: it allows Ike to stun the opponent instead of counterattacking, but deals minuscule damage as a trade-off, allowing for some followups. Lastly, Smash Counter functions oppositely: its much higher damage multiplier enables it to OHKO many strong moves, although its lag is significant enough that many moves with low ending lag will allow the opponent to block the counterattack. Close Combat grants transcendent priority during its dash, which allows it to ignore projectiles and shields, making it even better for recovering. In other words, Ike's customs are good.
:4robinm:: Thunder+, Speed Thunder
Robin benefits little from his custom moves, with his only notable options being the Thunder variants. Thunder+ has highly increased power across all charges, the projectiles have more range, and both Elthunder and Arcthunder use up a very slightly smaller amount of durability. However, it charges slower, and has only half the durability of the original, with Thoron immediately exhausting the tome regardless of how much durability is left. Speed Thunder is faster across all charges, but the projectiles have less range and noticeably less power.
:4duckhunt:: Quick Draw Aces, Mega Gunman
Duck Hunt's most promising customs are the variations of Wild Gunman: Quick Draw Aces makes Duck Hunt's zoning game more powerful and even more difficult to counter at the cost of covering less distance, whereas Mega Gunman's improved defense and larger hurtbox grant them a way to ward off pressure at the cost of weakening their zoning and stage control games. Zigzag Shot almost made the list, but I am not entirely sure it is better than Trick Shot considering recent innovations to Trick Shot.
:4kirby:: Jumping Inhale, Upper Cutter, Hammer Bash
Kirby possesses some significant benefits with customs on, benefiting from all of them. Jumping Inhale propels Kirby forward, which often puts opponents in bad positions and can even allow it to function as a quick horizontal recovery option, though it is slower and lacks a vacuum. Upper Cutter is faster, stronger and grants much more vertical recovery and momentum, and can be a potent combo finisher, but immediately cancels at its ascent's apex, and lacks both a descending hitbox and shockwave. Hammer Bash is almost identical to Hammer in Brawl, as it is much faster, KOs earlier than the uncharged version of Hammer Flip, and could stall in midair.
:4dedede:: Topspin Gordo, Bouncing Gordo, Rising Dedede
He is one of the few characters that has the least effective custom moves in the game, as he has only three that either match or surpass the utility of his default special moves. Topspin Gordo has consistent power and moves much faster, giving it much more range, but starts up slower and does not last as long. Bouncing Gordo is electrical and allows for stage control and pressure, but is much weaker. Rising Dedede maintains its super armor while having a strong hitbox on the way up, making it impossible to interrupt his recovery, but loses its very powerful descending hitbox. It also cancels immediately at the apex of the jump, making it able to grab the edge at any time. Btw:

:4dedede:Armored Jet Hammer is actually a pitiful custom move. It is muuuuch weaker than the normal version, gathers recoil must faster, and it has a billion years of endlag to the point that is not safe even when you hit them (unless they are at a high percent). The armor is alright, but it is easily countered using the z-button. Dedede's only custom moves that has real benefits over their normal variation: both his side B variations, and Rising Dedede. You can make an argument for his other down B variation.
:4metaknight:: Dreadful Tornad
The advantages granted by MK's customs are much more situational overall and sacrifice the versatility of the default specials, which results in none of his custom options being especially worthwhile. His best, in my opinion, is Dreadful Tornado, as it hits much harder, but cannot stall him in the air and is slower.
:4fox:: Twisting Fox
Fox gains several options with customs on. His best is Twisting Fox. It does not fly as far and propels Fox slower, but has less start-up, sucks opponents in, and is much more powerful, KOing as low as 60% off the top blast zone. It also grants a large momentum boost, making it just as good for recovery despite the lowered distance. Other notable custom moves include Impact Blaster, Charge Blaster, Flying Fox, and Wolf Flash.
:4falco:: Burst Blaster, Reflector Void
He has some decent customs as well. Burst Blaster gives him his Brawl lasers back, at a shorter range. Nevertheless, it is much faster, forcing bad approaches from the opponent much more easily. Reflector Void destroys most projectiles instead of reflecting them, but deals more damage on contact, and is the optimal choice against certain characters like Villager or if the opponent lacks projectiles. Other notable customs included Falco Phase and Distant Fire Bird.
:4pikachu:: Thunder Wave, Heavy Skull Bash, Distant Thunder
Pikachu receives minimal benefit from its custom moves, though they still have their uses. Thunder Wave paralyzes grounded opponents, opening up opportunities for follow-ups at the cost of having much less range. ESAM's infamous Heavy Skull Bash travels and charges faster, and has immense power if used at point-blank range. Distant Thunder has more start-up and a much weaker shockwave hitbox around Pikachu, but it has more vertical range, much more power near the thundercloud, and cannot meteor smash. This allows for easier Thunderspiking, which restores most of that technique's usefulness.
:4charizard:: Dragon Rush
You guys pretty much know what this moves does for Charizard. Although it deals slightly less damage and has very minimal KO potential on stage, it hits multiple times, cannot be blocked by opponents when recovering, has less lag and lacks recoil damage. It could KO off of the side blastzone too. Other notable customs include: Rising Cyclone and Sinking Skull.
:4lucario:: Long-Distance Force Palm, Ride the Wind
Lucario has numerous customs to aid him in battle. Long-Distance Force Palm has less power, but as its name implies, it has more range, allowing Lucario to strike distant opponents more easily. The grab is also stronger and a semi-spike, making it lethal in any situation. Ride the Wind gives the full distance at any percentage, as well as greatly improved maneuverability. Other notable customs include his neutral B variations and Glancing Counter.
:4jigglypuff:: Relentless Rollout, Pound Blitz, Hyper Voice
Jigglypuff has among the most polarized custom moves in the game, with only three of them having utility that overall surpass the default versions. Relentless Rollout has much less power, but is much faster, hits multiple times and pierces opponents, making it less punishable and allowing it to be used as a recovery mix-up. Pound Blitz is slower and less powerful, but can still pressure shields while hitting multiple times and granting more momentum. Hyper Voice is better for protecting Jigglypuff, since it deals reasonable knockback and works in the air. It's other customs (most infamously Spinphony) is mediocre at best except for maybe Jumping Rest. While Jigglypuff does benefit from those three custom moves since they enhance its strengths in one way or another, they also fail to fix most of its major flaws.
:4greninja:: Shifting Shuriken, Exploding Attack
Greninja's custom moves are rather polarizing, as the majority of them are inferior to their regular versions, while only very few are very useful. Shifting Shuriken is extremely useful in that while it slightly detracts from Greninja's already poor range, it addresses its combo game's issues: when uncharged, it launches opponents straight up, and when charged, launches opponents toward Greninja. Although Substitute Ambush is a viable option with Substitute, Exploding Attack is a superior option to both due to being more practical, powerful, and easier to hit with.
Now lets finish this.

:4rob:: Fire Gyro, Slip Gyro, High-Speed Burner, Reflector Arm
R.O.B.'s custom moves can alleviate many of his weaknesses. Fire Gyro deals more damage and is slightly more powerful, but at the cost of covering less distance and having increased ending lag. Slip Gyro trips the opponent which allows for some followups which includes his grab, although it deals less damage when fired normally and is more predictable, since it slides across the stage instead of bouncing on it. High-Speed Burner travels much faster R.O.B.'s, which allows him to recover and combo easier, although it must be used much more wisely because of its lower amount of fuel. Reflector Arm reflects projectiles much stronger than before, making it optimal for projectile based matchups.
:4ness:: Lasting PK Thunder, Forward PSI Magnet, PSI Vacuum
Custom moves can give Ness great advantages and brand new options. The first two custom moves is a powerful fusion of the PK Kid's PK Thunder and PSI Magnet, respectively. Lasting PK Thunder gives Ness all of Lucas's PK Thunder's recovery benefits, while having Ness's PK Thunder's offensive potential due to it's high damage output, pushback, and possessing Ness's PK Thunder's frame data. Forward PSI Magnet is Lucas's PSI Magnet (which means damage at the center), but with Ness's PSI Magnet's physics, frame data, and advantages. If the opponent has no energy projectiles, similar to Falco's Reflector Void, PSI Vacuum is the optimal choice, as it draws opponents in and is the strongest of Ness's down special moves damage-wise.
:4falcon:: Falcon Strike, Lightning Falcon Kick
With customs on, Captain Falcon gets many benefits. Falcon Strike, while being unable to grab opponents, thus sacrificing reusability, has a hitbox during the entire ascent, granting better overall protection. It also goes higher and has much more horizontal momentum, not only giving Captain Falcon a better vertical recovery, it also gives him one of the quickest horizontal recoveries in the game, as his already fast air speed is put into even better use. Even though Lightning Falcon Kick has slower startup and weaker knockback than Falcon Kick, it travels significantly faster and the landing hit paralyzes opponents, which allows numerous setups should the Captain Falcon player be skilled and lucky enough to pull it off. It also goes straight through opponents, allowing for easy cross-ups. Other beneficial customs include: Falcon Dash Punch, side B variations, and Explosive Falcon Dive.
:4villager:: Timber Counter
Sorry saps. I have to remind people the existence of this move. Anyways, here are some of his other options: Nuetral B Variations, Pushy Lloid, and Extreme Balloon Trip. By combining these custom moves, Villager can significantly enhance his already potent camping abilities, making him very difficult to approach. He does, however, give up some offensive ability in the process, and some players may prefer his more balanced default moveset.
:4olimar:: Sticky Pikmin Throw, Tackle Pikmin Throw, Order Tackle
Olimar's customs work together surprisingly well. Sticky Pikmin Throw has each Pikmin deal less damage and cover less distance when thrown, but they stay latched on for much longer and deal damage at a faster rate. Tackle Pikmin Throw makes Red, Yellow, Blue, and White Pikmin function like Purple Pikmin by tackling opponents instead of latching onto them. Order Tackle has all latched on Pikmin deal damage upon being recalled, which grants Olimar another way to deal damage. Warning: Order Tackle is directly inferior to normal Pikmin Order if Tackle Pikmin Throw is used. Other viable options are Hardy Pikmin Pluck and Mighty Winged Pikmin.
:4wiifit:: Jumbo Hoop
Wii Fit Trainer benefits significantly from one: Jumbo Hoop. While it grants minimal vertical distance and has an extreme amount of ending lag, it grants very good horizontal distance. It also possesses a very large hitbox, which can deal up to 30%, a good amount of shield damage, boasts priority over all non-disjointed and/or non-projectile attacks, and can even be used to edge-guard, gimp, or KO. Her other customs are generally situational.
:4shulk:: Power Vision
Shulk gains new options with customs, with his best being arguably Power Vision. It has much more start-up upon counterattacking and a much stricter counter window if used repeatedly, but the counterattack itself is immensely powerful and capable of scoring OHKOs, especially with Smash. Other beneficial customs are his nuetral B variations, Back Slash Leap, and up B variations.
:4pacman:: Lazy Fruit, Meteor Trampoline, On-Fire Hydrant
Custom moves gives rather.... unique options. Lazy Fruit is slower and deals less damage, but the fruits and objects take longer to disappear, which enables them to be usable more than once and provide different mix-ups. Meteor Trampoline decreases in height after each jump, but the fourth jump can bury grounded opponents and, true to its name, meteor smash airborne ones, as its name implies. On-Fire Hydrant does not shoot out as far, but it shoots fireballs instead of water, shoots three times instead of twice, takes less damage to launch, and the hydrant itself deals more damage. Other customs that work well with Pac-Man is Freaky Fruit and Power Pac-Jump.
:4megaman:: Tornado Hold, Skull Barrier, Danger Wrap
Mega Man's customs, alongside Palutena's, are among the most unique, as they are virtually different moves. Tornado Hold has more offensive value due to it dealing damage and granting Mega Man new combo potential. Plant Barrier does not last as long as the default Leaf Shield, but can deal and absorb more damage. However, Skull Barrier lacks a hitbox when circling Mega Man and deals less damage when thrown, but it reflects projectiles when orbiting and cannot be destroyed, giving it a more defensive value than both Leaf Shield and Plant Barrier lack. Danger Wrap produces a bubble-encased bomb that floats slowly in an upward curve, exploding and dealing multiple hits upon making contact with an opponent. Significantly stronger than the other Crash Bomber custom moves, having actual KO potential at 139% from ground level. Its trajectory makes it difficult to use directly, but very powerful against opponents trying to land, while it can KO surprisingly early against opponents near the upper blast line, while covering a crucial angle. Other viable custom options are Beat, Hyper Bomb, Shadow Blade, Ice Slasher, and (as mentioned above) Plant Barrier.
:4sonic:: Hammer Spin Dash, Stomp
Gist of the first move: Reee- Reeee- Reeeeeeeeeee- Reeee- Reee- Reeeeeeeeeeeeee- Reeeeeeeeeee- Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee- Ree- Reee-
Stomp gives a rather underused move in Homing Attack some edgeguard value. Other options include: Burning Spin Dash and the down B variations.
:4miibrawl:: Helicopter Kick, Piston Punch
One of the reasons why some professionals view the Mii Brawler as a potential top tier character. These two moves KOs the opponents horizontally and vertically, respectively, while relieving the Mii of using his poor recovery move in Soaring Axe Kick. His neutral B variations and Feint Jump improve the Mii further.
:4miigun:: Grenade Launch
This move explodes on contact with an opponent, being able to reverse a three times charging it, and it is useful for edgeguarding as well. It is a great move, and it works well with Flame Pillar. Both her down B variations, up B variations, and Gunner Missile gives out some good benefits as well, while the others isn't too bad either.
:4miisword:: Shuriken of Light, Chakram, Reversal Slash
Due to his poor frame data, the Mii works better with zoning options. The shuriken or chakram, take your pick. Both moves improve his zoning game, although the shuriken does require spacing and the chakram has a steep learning curve. Reversal Slash is literally Mario's cape, making him one of the few sword characters with a way to deal with projectiles. Hero's Spin, btw, is considered his most consistant recovery move.

And that is it at last! As usual, you can input and give out your opinions on this too.
 
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Nathan Richardson

Smash Ace
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
796
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Warren MI.
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Zeratrix
As someone who mains charizard I actually find dragon rush to be pretty crappy due to one reason, it's easily interruptable. Any attack stops dragon rush cold, allowing for easy punishes.
Fly high is garbage due to the way fly high works, it doesn't do any damage whatsoever and the height boost is minimal at best plus the extra height is added at the end of the move meaning if you don't have zard lined up it's an easy SD.
Sinking skull? No super armor like rock smash or rock throw and the amount of time the opponent is buried in the ground is laughable at best not to mention it guts zard's range and doesn't have the lingering hurtboxes of rock smash or rock throw.
I prefer blast burn, much higher power, shatters shields, kos opponents, did I mention it shatters shields? The sheer amount of shield damage Blast Burn does not to mention the explosion radius of the move compliments zard's other moves which hit multiple opponents.
It puts the opponent in a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation. Hold shield, have it shatter and be easy pickings for zard's other moves? Or don't use it and get KOed anyways? It's an excellent move to punish shield spammers as it does more damage to an opponent's shield than any of zard's other moves and a one hit shield smash is absolutely essential in zard's arsenal!
 

Uffe

Smash Hero
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
5,500
Location
Fresno
:4ness:: Lasting PK Thunder, Forward PSI Magnet, PSI Vacuum
Custom moves can give Ness great advantages and brand new options. The first two custom moves is a powerful fusion of the PK Kid's PK Thunder and PSI Magnet, respectively. Lasting PK Thunder gives Ness all of Lucas's PK Thunder's recovery benefits, while having Ness's PK Thunder's offensive potential due to it's high damage output, pushback, and possessing Ness's PK Thunder's frame data. Forward PSI Magnet is Lucas's PSI Magnet (which means damage at the center), but with Ness's PSI Magnet's physics, frame data, and advantages. If the opponent has no energy projectiles, similar to Falco's Reflector Void, PSI Vacuum is the optimal choice, as it draws opponents in and is the strongest of Ness's down special moves damage-wise.
Lasting PK Thunder is good for annoying offstage opponents who are recovering below the stage, for tailwhipping the opponents get up options from the ledge, and as a better recovery option. However, PK Thunder 2 isn't even worth bothering with, because the end of the attack is the strongest hit, and because of this, your opponent can see what you're doing from a mile a way, thus it can be blocked or countered. Even as a recovery, it can be countered by anyone with a counter. There is the possibility of using PKT2 and the counter completely whiffing. PK Thunder is good for annoying offstage opponents who are recovering below the stage, and you can spin the PK Thunder around near the edge of the stage if your opponent is on the ledge, making their get up options a bit tough. It can also stage spike the opponent. The tailwhip can also flub the opponents second jump, making them mess up. PKT2 is high risk, high reward, meaning that if you land it successfully, then you got an early kill. PK Thunder can also lead into an f-smash or uair. It can also juggle the opponent. It can be countered when recovering, but like Lasting PK Thunder, counter can whiff at times.

Forward PSI Magnet doesn't protect Ness' backside. The hitbox on the Forward PSI Magnet is also small, so using it as an attack or a kill option isn't really worth it. PSI Vacuum might be worth using, if you can get a B-reversal with it. I don't think it sucks in an opponent with their shield up. PSI Magnet covers Ness all-around, and the windbox, despite being fairly small, is further away from Ness' body compared to the hitbox in the Forward PSI Magnet, and is useful for pushing an opponent away if you decide to use the B-reversal > bair.
 

The_Bookworm

Smash Master
Joined
Jan 10, 2018
Messages
3,195
As someone who mains charizard I actually find dragon rush to be pretty crappy due to one reason, it's easily interruptable. Any attack stops dragon rush cold, allowing for easy punishes.
Fly high is garbage due to the way fly high works, it doesn't do any damage whatsoever and the height boost is minimal at best plus the extra height is added at the end of the move meaning if you don't have zard lined up it's an easy SD.
Sinking skull? No super armor like rock smash or rock throw and the amount of time the opponent is buried in the ground is laughable at best not to mention it guts zard's range and doesn't have the lingering hurtboxes of rock smash or rock throw.
I prefer blast burn, much higher power, shatters shields, kos opponents, did I mention it shatters shields? The sheer amount of shield damage Blast Burn does not to mention the explosion radius of the move compliments zard's other moves which hit multiple opponents.
It puts the opponent in a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation. Hold shield, have it shatter and be easy pickings for zard's other moves? Or don't use it and get KOed anyways? It's an excellent move to punish shield spammers as it does more damage to an opponent's shield than any of zard's other moves and a one hit shield smash is absolutely essential in zard's arsenal!
I guess Fly High isn't too good. Sinking Skull is slightly faster and it, when sweetspotted, meteor smashes aerial opponents.
Dragon Rush is his strongest recovery option of any of his moves, while being able to KO of the side and it is pretty easy to hit the opponent with it when they are near it, and it comes out quicker than his other side B variations.
Blast Burn, although it is a viable alternative for Flare Blitz due to reasons you already mentioned, takes a little more to charge up, and travels slowly for a short distance. It additionally gives even more recoil to Charizard, dealing 6% by merely using the move, and 10% if it hits something.
Lasting PK Thunder is good for annoying offstage opponents who are recovering below the stage, for tailwhipping the opponents get up options from the ledge, and as a better recovery option. However, PK Thunder 2 isn't even worth bothering with, because the end of the attack is the strongest hit, and because of this, your opponent can see what you're doing from a mile a way, thus it can be blocked or countered. Even as a recovery, it can be countered by anyone with a counter. There is the possibility of using PKT2 and the counter completely whiffing. PK Thunder is good for annoying offstage opponents who are recovering below the stage, and you can spin the PK Thunder around near the edge of the stage if your opponent is on the ledge, making their get up options a bit tough. It can also stage spike the opponent. The tailwhip can also flub the opponents second jump, making them mess up. PKT2 is high risk, high reward, meaning that if you land it successfully, then you got an early kill. PK Thunder can also lead into an f-smash or uair. It can also juggle the opponent. It can be countered when recovering, but like Lasting PK Thunder, counter can whiff at times.

Forward PSI Magnet doesn't protect Ness' backside. The hitbox on the Forward PSI Magnet is also small, so using it as an attack or a kill option isn't really worth it. PSI Vacuum might be worth using, if you can get a B-reversal with it. I don't think it sucks in an opponent with their shield up. PSI Magnet covers Ness all-around, and the windbox, despite being fairly small, is further away from Ness' body compared to the hitbox in the Forward PSI Magnet, and is useful for pushing an opponent away if you decide to use the B-reversal > bair.
Forward PSI Magnet shares the same flaws as Lucas's PSI Magnet due your mentioned reasons. He uses the move arguably better than Lucas's due to it having less lag than Lucas's magnet, which can allow Ness to reverse it upon the move's startup more effectively (and have Ness's magnet's benefits sans the uncovered back).
The fact that Lasting PK Thunder 2 has less KO power doesn't make it directly superior to his normal PK Thunder, but the orb's mentioned offensive benefits and the rocket having Lucas's longer distance PK Thunder 2 is helpful, despite Lucas's PK Thunder having unaddressed flaws from Ness's PK Thunder. Not every character has a counter though. His Lucas based magnet and PK Thunder is better than Lucas's own normal magnet and PK Thunder, which is very interesting (although his Lucas based PK Fire, not so much).
Interestingly, the Lasting PK Thunder orb doesn't trap opponents like Lucas's, but it knocks back opponents. This, combined with it's ridiculous damage output and having Ness's normal PK Thunder's frame data, makes it a scary offensive move to face.
 
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Uffe

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Forward PSI Magnet shares the same flaws as Lucas's PSI Magnet due your mentioned reasons. He uses the move arguably better than Lucas's due to it having less lag than Lucas's magnet, which can allow Ness to reverse it upon the move's startup more effectively (and have Ness's magnet's benefits sans the uncovered back).
The fact that Lasting PK Thunder 2 has less KO power doesn't make it directly superior to his normal PK Thunder, but the orb's mentioned offensive benefits and the rocket having Lucas's longer distance PK Thunder 2 is helpful, despite Lucas's PK Thunder having unaddressed flaws from Ness's PK Thunder. Not every character has a counter though. His Lucas based magnet and PK Thunder is better than Lucas's own normal magnet and PK Thunder, which is very interesting (although his Lucas based PK Fire, not so much).
Interestingly, the Lasting PK Thunder orb doesn't trap opponents like Lucas's, but it knocks back opponents. This, combined with it's ridiculous damage output and having Ness's normal PK Thunder's frame data, makes it a scary offensive move to face.
I actually had no idea there was a slight difference in Ness' Lucas customs compared to Lucas' PK and PSI. That's an interesting observation. I'm curious as to how Lucas' Ness customs would have been like or looked like had the DLC characters had customs themselves.
 

Lukingordex

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:4yoshi:: Lick
Yoshi gains noticeable benefits from his custom moves, although his best is Lick: it is a semi-spike that is powerful enough to KO reliably, yet can also provide function as a horizontal recovery option, thanks to it slightly boosting Yoshi forward.
I believe that, overall, the neutral b that sends people far away (i don't really remember the name of those moves) is better than lick.
It's pretty janky, with it, a succesfull read in the middle of stage can put your opponent in a really bad offstage position. This murders characters with weak recoveries.
I'd say lick is better for the rosalina matchup for killing luma and avoiding the fact luma can hit yoshi while he's swallowing rosalina and that's it.

Basically, for yoshi's neutral b, i'd say:
- Normal one for characters with good recoveries;
- Lick for Rosalina;
- The one that sends people far away for characters with easy to intercept or bad recoveries

All the other yoshi custom moves are useless
 
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The_Bookworm

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I believe that, overall, the neutral b that sends people far away (i don't really remember the name of those moves) is better than lick.
It's pretty janky, with it, a succesfull read in the middle of stage can put your opponent in a really bad offstage position. This murders characters with weak recoveries.
I'd say lick is better for the rosalina matchup for killing luma and avoiding the fact luma can hit yoshi while he's swallowing rosalina and that's it.

Basically, for yoshi's neutral b, i'd say:
- Normal one for characters with good recoveries;
- Lick for Rosalina;
- The one that sends people far away for characters with easy to intercept or bad recoveries

All the other yoshi custom moves are useless
Here are Yoshi's other beneficial customs:
Egg Launch deals more damage and launches opponents away, which can be used as a potent way minimize their chances of recovering. Heavy Egg Roll is slower, but deals much more damage and has armor throughout its duration. Conversely, Light Egg Roll has more power and moves higher and faster, but ends after its bounce. High Jump covers noticeably more distance, but in turn removes Yoshi's only projectile. Star Bomb has less power, but its stars are larger and more damaging. Conversely, Crushing Bomb is strong enough to easily KO opponents of any weight, yet is punishable because of its much slower speed and lack of stars.
I actually had no idea there was a slight difference in Ness' Lucas customs compared to Lucas' PK and PSI. That's an interesting observation. I'm curious as to how Lucas' Ness customs would have been like or looked like had the DLC characters had customs themselves.
If they made a custom PK Fire that has the same frame data and slide of Lucas's, and the trapping abilities as Ness's, for Lucas, than that could be instant high tier. XD
#busted
 
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Lukingordex

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Here are Yoshi's other beneficial customs:
Egg Launch deals more damage and launches opponents away, which can be used as a potent way minimize their chances of recovering. Heavy Egg Roll is slower, but deals much more damage and has armor throughout its duration. Conversely, Light Egg Roll has more power and moves higher and faster, but ends after its bounce. High Jump covers noticeably more distance, but in turn removes Yoshi's only projectile. Star Bomb has less power, but its stars are larger and more damaging. Conversely, Crushing Bomb is strong enough to easily KO opponents of any weight, yet is punishable because of its much slower speed and lack of stars
I don't really think the variations of Yoshi's specials besides Neutral B are worth trading the usual move for.

- Eggs are very important for Yoshi's kit, eliminating it or making it slow with crappy throwing range isn't really a good idea imo.
- Neutral specials I explained in my previous post.
- Yoshi's usual down B is an important kill move for Yoshi. It comes pretty kickly so you can use it oos to punish people lagging even slight on your shield or for a read. Star Bomb doesn't kill very well... already not a better option than normal down b. The stars only are important if you throw the move careslessly, which you shouldn't be doing in the first place.
Crushing Bomb comes to slow and is useless to punish stuff on or your shield, very unlikely to hit anyone.
- As for the Egg rolls... none of them are particularly useful so... yeah...
 
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NINTENDO Galaxy

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I would throw PK Freeze on Ness for the following reaaons: it does more damage than Lucas's PK Freeze, it's easier to control, and the projectile moves faster.

In fact, all of Lucas's specials on Ness do more damage (I'm not sure about PK Fire though). So I'll glady take them as an upgrade. I would take Lasting PK Thunder over the default solely for the recovery buffs (distance, smaller turn angle so the recovery is a little faster, and PKT1 is a multi-hit so it cannot be intercepted to get rid of it and gimp Ness).
 

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  • :4dedede: - Armored Jet Hammer is probably the only one worth using. It may be weaker than the normal which has laughable knockback values anyway but the launch resistance sure does come in handy.
Sorry to tell you this, but Armored Jet Hammer is just downright terrible. The inclusion of super armor is good, but the attack suffers from increased start-up lag, increased ending lag, AND deals less damage than the default Jet Hammer. In fact, even when fully charged, Armored Jet Hammer KOs later than Jet Hammer's weaker charge levels.

Needless to say, Armored Jet Hammer has way more cons than pros, and is easily among the worst custom special moves in the game; maybe not as bad as Warlock Thrust or Spinphony, due to the super armor inclusion, but it's still terrible for its impractical properties.
 

The_Bookworm

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I would throw PK Freeze on Ness for the following reaaons: it does more damage than Lucas's PK Freeze, it's easier to control, and the projectile moves faster.

In fact, all of Lucas's specials on Ness do more damage (I'm not sure about PK Fire though). So I'll glady take them as an upgrade. I would take Lasting PK Thunder over the default solely for the recovery buffs (distance, smaller turn angle so the recovery is a little faster, and PKT1 is a multi-hit so it cannot be intercepted to get rid of it and gimp Ness).
Lasting PK Thunder also gives Ness offensive buffs, especially in comparison to Lucas's PK Thunder. I explained about this more in the actual list above. His PK Freeze is definitely an upgrade over PK Flash and especially Rising PK Flash, but it doesn't buff Ness as much as Lasting PK Thunder and his down B variations does.
For Rolling PK Thunder, for those who are wondering, gives Ness one of the most powerful moves in the game. However, the orb is even slower, which harms it's offensive potential, and the move turns his below average recovery into one of the worst in the game. The move can be useful in specific matchups though.
Sorry to tell you this, but Armored Jet Hammer is just downright terrible. The inclusion of super armor is good, but the attack suffers from increased start-up lag, increased ending lag, AND deals less damage than the default Jet Hammer. In fact, even when fully charged, Armored Jet Hammer KOs later than Jet Hammer's weaker charge levels.

Needless to say, Armored Jet Hammer has way more cons than pros, and is easily among the worst custom special moves in the game; maybe not as bad as Warlock Thrust or Spinphony, due to the super armor inclusion, but it's still terrible for its impractical properties.
Speaking of which, I am soon going to start a thread on the worst custom moves of each character. I will post the link to it here when I get it ready. More discussions, more possibilities!
 
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adom4

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Wizard dropkick is good but not a must in every MU for Ganon, it's more flawed than it looks:
* slower startup can hurt
* isn't good for the most part vs short characters because it goes over them
* a lot harder to edge cancel
* while air dropkick is a good recovery move missing out on air wizkick really sucks because it's a damn good kill move
* while it gives Ganon a lot of distance it's still easy to edgeguard because of how laggy it is and how predictable the angle is, it mostly helps vs characters who don't have strong moves offstage like Pikachu and Sheik.

Dark fists is a must though, that move is busted lmao.
 

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I prefer blast burn, much higher power, shatters shields, kos opponents, did I mention it shatters shields? The sheer amount of shield damage Blast Burn does not to mention the explosion radius of the move compliments zard's other moves which hit multiple opponents.
It puts the opponent in a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation. Hold shield, have it shatter and be easy pickings for zard's other moves? Or don't use it and get KOed anyways? It's an excellent move to punish shield spammers as it does more damage to an opponent's shield than any of zard's other moves and a one hit shield smash is absolutely essential in zard's arsenal!
This sounds great, except that the oponent can usually already dodge Flare Blitz on reaction, and with Blast Burn's extra start-up, it's even easier, to the point you can't even use it to punish laggy attacks or landings. And if they powershield it, roll past it or jump out of the way, you will eat a tremendous punish with the increased endlag, and if they happen to have a counter... Not to mention any projectile during the move's (long) startup animation will interrupt the move.
If you want to break shields, just go for Rock Smash.

Other than that, I agree. Sinking Skull sounds good but Dair is already a lethal spike, and the Fly variants are basically: See, we got a laggy move with terrible hitboxes that has trouble snapping to the ledge and eliminates horizontal momentum, with his only perks being protection against edgeguards via super armor and decent vertical range. Great! Now, how can we make it even more terrible?


On an unrelated note, some Greninja players say that Stagnant Shuriken offers some ledge-trap based niches against characters where the zoning potential of the stantard shuriken is not needed. I personally prefer to just go for the stantard shuriken that already has a good ledge trap when fully charged, but to each his own...

Wizard dropkick is good but not a must in every MU for Ganon, it's more flawed than it looks:
* slower startup can hurt
* isn't good for the most part vs short characters because it goes over them
* a lot harder to edge cancel
* while air dropkick is a good recovery move missing out on air wizkick really sucks because it's a damn good kill move
* while it gives Ganon a lot of distance it's still easy to edgeguard because of how laggy it is and how predictable the angle is, it mostly helps vs characters who don't have strong moves offstage like Pikachu and Sheik.

Dark fists is a must though, that move is busted lmao.
I personally don't like Dark Fists that much. The vertical distance becomes so bad you will fail to make it back from any decent semi-spike in the game at around 40%, and against characters with counters, it's essentially a suicide button. Pick your poison.
 
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adom4

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This sounds great, except that the oponent can usually already dodge Flare Blitz on reaction, and with Blast Burn's extra start-up, it's even easier, to the point you can't even use it to punish laggy attacks or landings. And if they powershield it, roll past it or jump out of the way, you will eat a tremendous punish with the increased endlag, and if they happen to have a counter... Not to mention any projectile during the move's (long) startup animation will interrupt the move.
If you want to break shields, just go for Rock Smash.

Other than that, I agree. Sinking Skull sounds good but Dair is already a lethal spike, and the Fly variants are basically: See, we got a laggy move with terrible hitboxes that has trouble snapping to the ledge and eliminates horizontal momentum, with his only perks being protection against edgeguards via super armor and decent vertical range. Great! Now, how can we make it even more terrible?


On an unrelated note, some Greninja players say that Stagnant Shuriken offers some ledge-trap based niches against characters where the zoning potential of the stantard shuriken is not needed. I personally prefer to just go for the stantard shuriken that already has a good ledge trap when fully charged, but to each his own...


I personally don't like Dark Fists that much. The vertical distance becomes so bad you will fail to make it back from any decent semi-spike in the game at around 40%, and against characters with counters, it's essentially a suicide button. Pick your poison.
The vertical distance on Dark fists is the same as Dark dive, it also goes slightly farther horizontally.
And counters aren't good vs it, the first hit hitbox isn't big enough to be abusable, it's a hell of a lot better than having your recovery punishable on grab, there is no real reason to ever pick Dark dive over it ever.
 

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While I'm thinking about it, Dash Jet Hammer does give Dedede a larger attack distance, but at the cost of KO power. It does deal better knockback than Armored Jet Hammer though.

In the end though, Jet Hammer pretty much has problems, no matter if you stick with the default attack, or go for its custom variants. Sure, Jet Hammer did get a damage buff for its full charge, but since it KOs later than Kirby's fully charged Hammer Flip, it's still pretty much inferior to the forward smash, which can strike hard in less time.
 

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:4megaman:: Tornado Hold, Skull Barrier
Mega Man's customs, alongside Palutena's, are among the most unique, as they are virtually different moves. Tornado Hold has more offensive value due to it dealing damage and granting Mega Man new combo potential. Plant Barrier does not last as long as the default Leaf Shield, but can deal and absorb more damage. However, Skull Barrier lacks a hitbox when circling Mega Man and deals less damage when thrown, but it reflects projectiles when orbiting and cannot be destroyed, giving it a more defensive value than both Leaf Shield and Plant Barrier lack. Other viable custom options are Shadow Blade, Hyper Bomb, Danger Wrap, Ice Slasher, and (as mentioned above) Plant Barrier.
Danger Wrap and Plant Barrier are probably the most popular customs. Danger Wrap covers an important angle and gives Mega Man a non-situational KO move. Plant Barrier is mostly interchangeable with Leaf Shield, as it's mostly used for edgeguarding & gimping. It just depends on whether or not you want an extra projectile.

Beat is good for deep edgeguarding/recovery. Skull Barrier is super situational due to it's lack of a hitbox, and is only preferable when fighting someone like Link or Villager. Hyper Bomb has some interesting uses, but is overall less preferential to Metal Blade. Shadow Blade & Ice Slasher can be amusing, but no one who mains Mega Man would say they're viable.
 

The_Bookworm

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Danger Wrap and Plant Barrier are probably the most popular customs. Danger Wrap covers an important angle and gives Mega Man a non-situational KO move. Plant Barrier is mostly interchangeable with Leaf Shield, as it's mostly used for edgeguarding & gimping. It just depends on whether or not you want an extra projectile.

Beat is good for deep edgeguarding/recovery. Skull Barrier is super situational due to it's lack of a hitbox, and is only preferable when fighting someone like Link or Villager. Hyper Bomb has some interesting uses, but is overall less preferential to Metal Blade. Shadow Blade & Ice Slasher can be amusing, but no one who mains Mega Man would say they're viable.
Shadow Blade kinda works like Toon Link's rippling boomerang, but since it cannot stick to a wall...
Ice Slasher is simply Crash Bomber but it puts opponents on ice rather than being a time bomb, which can lead into followups.
For the rest you said: noted.
While I'm thinking about it, Dash Jet Hammer does give Dedede a larger attack distance, but at the cost of KO power. It does deal better knockback than Armored Jet Hammer though.

In the end though, Jet Hammer pretty much has problems, no matter if you stick with the default attack, or go for its custom variants. Sure, Jet Hammer did get a damage buff for its full charge, but since it KOs later than Kirby's fully charged Hammer Flip, it's still pretty much inferior to the forward smash, which can strike hard in less time.
Dash Jet Hammer is a semi-viable alternative, especially on certain matchups. Jet Hammer is faster than his billion-year forward smash, but it's stronger hitboxes takes longer to charge.
 

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and the Fly variants are basically: See, we got a laggy move with terrible hitboxes that has trouble snapping to the ledge and eliminates horizontal momentum, with his only perks being protection against edgeguards via super armor and decent vertical range. Great! Now, how can we make it even more terrible?
See I don't fully agree with your assessment of fly. I don't see how it's laggy per say (There's not much starting lag for instance). It's vertical hitboxes are surprisingly good and you can easily get a star KO off of FD because the last hitbox of the move has such high KB. I've been able to easily bait out Airdodges with fly and use it as a chase or a follow-up for opponents overhead.
 

The_Bookworm

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See I don't fully agree with your assessment of fly. I don't see how it's laggy per say (There's not much starting lag for instance). It's vertical hitboxes are surprisingly good and you can easily get a star KO off of FD because the last hitbox of the move has such high KB. I've been able to easily bait out Airdodges with fly and use it as a chase or a follow-up for opponents overhead.
It's hitboxes, especially OOS, can be difficult to connect at times.
 

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Dash Jet Hammer is a semi-viable alternative, especially on certain matchups. Jet Hammer is faster than his billion-year forward smash, but it's stronger hitboxes takes longer to charge.
Still, an uncharged f-smash is nothing to laugh at. Jet Hammer actually has to take longer than 45 frames to start being a threat, and even then, you don't want to overcharge it, as the full charge has 5 BKB and 66 KBG, instead of the 30 BKB and 100 KBG that the weaker charge levels use.
 

The_Bookworm

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Update: I actually want to add Shield Piercer to MK. An explanation why is at the list.
 

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Update: I actually want to add Shield Piercer to MK. An explanation why is at the list.
I think Shield Piercer is probably more in the lines of being one of the worst custom special moves. Although the attack is unblockable, it doesn't deal enough knockback to prevent opponents from punishing Meta Knight right back. Unless you've damaged your opponent enough, I'd strongly advise against using Shield Piercer against low damaged targets.

I will say though, that High-Speed Drill and Blade Coaster are pretty good recovery options, though the latter does sacrifice vertical height to improve horizontal movement.
 
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I personally don't like Dark Fists that much. The vertical distance becomes so bad you will fail to make it back from any decent semi-spike in the game at around 40%, and against characters with counters, it's essentially a suicide button. Pick your poison.
....Except it actually covers more recovery distance than either of his other up specials, and it's pretty hard to properly time a counter against the second hit.
 

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I think Shield Piercer is probably more in the lines of being one of the worst custom special moves. Although the attack is unblockable, it doesn't deal enough knockback to prevent opponents from punishing Meta Knight right back. Unless you've damaged your opponent enough, I'd strongly advise against using Shield Piercer against low damaged targets.

I will say though, that High-Speed Drill and Blade Coaster are pretty good recovery options, though the latter does sacrifice vertical height to improve horizontal movement.
Shield Piercer, with further research, I realized that it only goes more vertical distance, and it's frame data is worse. It is not one of the worst custom moves in general, but it isn't that good. I will change it back.
 

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....Except it actually covers more recovery distance than either of his other up specials, and it's pretty hard to properly time a counter against the second hit.
A good way to get the timing down is to use the counter about a quarter of a second after the Warlock Punch-like animation starts. Also, make sure to be at a height equivalent to a full Ganondorf above him and fastfall, or that the counter has intangibility frames since the lingering hitbox of Dark Fists is FAT.

EDIT: remember that I took this timing from Corrin's counter, it might vary a little depending on the character. For example, Ikai Counter might need extra time as it triggers half a dozen frames before.

And in the case of Greninja, you are better off just Hydro Pumping him to death. Substitute will ALWAYS collide and get cancelled by the lingering hitbox (as usual, seriously I hope that on Switch they either give it super armor or replace it by something more functional) unless you go straight upwards, in wich case you won't kill him until past 150% due to Ganondorf being a fast faller super heavyweight.
 
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A good way to get the timing down is to use the counter about a quarter of a second after the Warlock Punch-like animation starts. Also, make sure to be at a height equivalent to a full Ganondorf above him and fastfall, or that the counter has intangibility frames since the lingering hitbox of Dark Fists is FAT.
Lol, that could really help me, actually. My friend plays this crazy custom Ganon and he keeps kicking my ass. Thanks for the tip.
 

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I can probably mention a few more custom special moves that may be on the viable side.

:rosalina: - Guardian Luma: This is basically Rosalina's best Gravitational Pull variant to use against fighters who don't have any projectile attacks (such as Ganondorf). The Luma can block direct attacks and retaliate right back.

:4link: - Whirling Leap: Although it doesn't deal any damage, this move does greatly improve Link's recovery with its brief air speed boost.

:4pikachu: - Quick Feet: Considering how tricky Quick Attack can be, Quick Feet would be on the easier side to handle, since the increased travel distance makes up for only moving once.

:4charizard: - Fly High: While it can't deal any damage, the increased vertical height can be handy when doing low altitude recoveries.
 

The_Bookworm

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I can probably mention a few more custom special moves that may be on the viable side.

:rosalina: - Guardian Luma: This is basically Rosalina's best Gravitational Pull variant to use against fighters who don't have any projectile attacks (such as Ganondorf). The Luma can block direct attacks and retaliate right back.

:4link: - Whirling Leap: Although it doesn't deal any damage, this move does greatly improve Link's recovery with its brief air speed boost.

:4pikachu: - Quick Feet: Considering how tricky Quick Attack can be, Quick Feet would be on the easier side to handle, since the increased travel distance makes up for only moving once.

:4charizard: - Fly High: While it can't deal any damage, the increased vertical height can be handy when doing low altitude recoveries.
Fly High doesn't give out too much increased distance, while being open for edgeguards. Quick Feet makes his recovery and approach more linear, due to consisting of one move.
Those two are not bad moves, but they are more of the situational side.
 
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:4myfriends:- Personally, Unyielding Blade is an actually an extremely effective, underrated custom that's slept upon way too much. I formed this opinion only about a week or so after trying it out. It makes you blast forward while outright no-selling any opposing combat moves, with lowered speed and range to balance it out. This would normally just make it okay, but what really makes this one good in my eyes is the extent that the knockback is increased; it kills Mario at just 93% (compare that to the original killing at 123%) In essence, this means you can rush forward at a moment's notice at high percents, a giant impending, unstoppable wall of death. It's lack of speed is also completely negligible, because the disadvantage you'd gain from being able to be stopped by projectiles during the move is completely reversed by the fact that, well, thanks to the stupid super armor, nothing can stop you, you're pretty much all the way up. The only bad thing IMO is the horizontal recovery.... which can be completely migrated by pairing it with Aether Drive. Of course, this is all just my uneducated opinion.
 

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:4myfriends:- Personally, Unyielding Blade is an actually an extremely effective, underrated custom that's slept upon way too much. I formed this opinion only about a week or so after trying it out. It makes you blast forward while outright no-selling any opposing combat moves, with lowered speed and range to balance it out. This would normally just make it okay, but what really makes this one good in my eyes is the extent that the knockback is increased; it kills Mario at just 93% (compare that to the original killing at 123%) In essence, this means you can rush forward at a moment's notice at high percents, a giant impending, unstoppable wall of death. It's lack of speed is also completely negligible, because the disadvantage you'd gain from being able to be stopped by projectiles during the move is completely reversed by the fact that, well, thanks to the stupid super armor, nothing can stop you, you're pretty much all the way up. The only bad thing IMO is the horizontal recovery.... which can be completely migrated by pairing it with Aether Drive. Of course, this is all just my uneducated opinion.
I guess I could say that it is situational, rather than inferior (like in my "Worst Custom Move" article). It is not too difficult to dodge it's path, and after you use the move for recovery, the only way you can use Aether Drive is if you hit someone with Unyielding Blade. This amplifies the issue with the move. Aether Drive's loss of vertical distance harms Ike more than you think.
Danger Wrap and Plant Barrier are probably the most popular customs. Danger Wrap covers an important angle and gives Mega Man a non-situational KO move. Plant Barrier is mostly interchangeable with Leaf Shield, as it's mostly used for edgeguarding & gimping. It just depends on whether or not you want an extra projectile.

Beat is good for deep edgeguarding/recovery. Skull Barrier is super situational due to it's lack of a hitbox, and is only preferable when fighting someone like Link or Villager. Hyper Bomb has some interesting uses, but is overall less preferential to Metal Blade. Shadow Blade & Ice Slasher can be amusing, but no one who mains Mega Man would say they're viable.
Looking at it again, I guess I can include Danger Wrap, and Shadow Blade seems to be situational. The thing about Skull Barrier is that it patches up protection issues his other two variations have. It is interchangeable with his other two variations, of course. Beat lacks speed, making it similar to Snake's Cypher in Brawl. Can you explain to me why you think Ice Slasher is not good? It's ability to go through multiple enemies and also freeze them on contact (provided that they have sustained a moderate amount of damage beforehand) seems good to me.
 
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