Thoughts on the Smash Ball and its competitive viability

[Sheikachu]

Upon seeing a thread rethinking the competitive ruleset of Smash 4 from the beginning, I began to question if the Smash Ball could ever be a balanced thing to have in tourney play. Upon experimenting with it, I realized how different the Smash Ball behavior is in this game than it was in Brawl. All of the changes seemed to be for the purpose of making the Final Smash more similar to super moves in other fighting games (which are almost always allowed in competitive play). So I made a list of the changes I have observed and why I think the Smash Ball is more balanced than it was in Brawl and should be given a chance in competitive play.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying that we should jump right into Evo with Smash Balls on. I.m just saying it's definitely something that should be taken into consideration and experimented with at small tourneys before moving to the big stage (if at all).

1. The Smash Ball appears way less often. With Smash Balls only on high, it would still only appear once in a three stock match (this was generally toward the end of the second stock or the beginning of the third). This meant that the Final Smash was either a strong finishing move, or something to get the early jump on your opponents last stock. Furthermore, it appeared reliably during this time so the players knew when to expect it.

2. The Smash Ball is much easier to break. In Brawl it needed a couple strong hits to break. Now it only takes one smash or even a solid aerial like Fox's uair. This lead to the strategy of keeping your opponent away from the Smash Ball all the while trying to hitting your self, rather than letting your opponent hit it a few times and then going in for the final blow.

3. Final Smashes have been nerfed pretty hard. The duration of Landmaster, Super Sonic, and others that stay out for a certain amount of time have been cut down drastically. Moves that have massive areas of effect have either been cut down in damage, knockback, or both. They no longer guarantee you kill. If your opponent is at low percent, you have a choice to make. Either chip away at their damage and risk losing the Smash Ball, or use it immeadiately, take the guaranteed percent, and have to work for the kill later.

I realize that this is would be a big change for competitive Smash. Because they were banned in Brawl, nobody really gave them a thought. But if we experiment with them, I believe we can find a way to make it work. And even if we can't, we can just turn them off and there's no harm done. The ruleset for Melee did its fair share of evolving and changing, I don't see why Smash 4's can't do the same.

 

[Jahnathan]

This is satire right? Please let this be satire.

 

[Reaperfan]

The problem is the power behind the attacks. Super/Ultra attacks in other games tend to be based on a character's performance (dealing/taking enough damage, limited uses per round) as well as being equal opportunity for both characters (both characters constantly have access to them eventually). A more accurate comparison to a Super Move would be Little Mac's KO punch. The Smash Ball, though, is too one-sided. Whoever gets it has a huge leg up and its method of obtaining favors whoever is already in control of the match. Final Smashes in general are also much more unbalanced than other Super Moves in other games. Ultra Combos in Street Fighter IV, even when fully charged, almost never do more than 50% of a character's health. In UMvC3, they tend to act as situational combo extenders, without so much as doing nuke-level damage but allowing you to occasionally use a move to extend a combo you otherwise wouldn't have been able to. Final Smashes, though, depending on character and situation, can easily allow for a 0% death. I don't think, in their current state, Final Smashes really have a place in the competitive scene.

 

[Slugginz]

The Smash Ball appears way less often. With Smash Balls only on high, it would still only appear once in a three stock match

I kinda see that as a downgrade in competetive play as it could give one player a huge advantage over the other without any skill involved. The players could be neck and neck in their percents and have an even chance of winning the game but then one of them manages to grab the ball which gives them a free stock.

The Smash Ball is much easier to break.

Even if that is true it doesn't change the fact that it requires running around and chasing it just to initiate a ridiculously powerful attack/a useless time waster (depending on the character). Competetive Smash should not focus on running after a finishing move, I want to see some sick plays.

Final Smashes have been nerfed pretty hard. The duration of Landmaster, Super Sonic, and others that stay out for a certain amount of time have been cut down drastically.

There are still others that are much better than others (e.g. DK's < Ganon's). Even with nerfs they are still massivley unbalanced.

Smash Balls would not work.

 

[Sheikachu]

The problem is the power behind the attacks. Super/Ultra attacks in other games tend to be based on a character's performance (dealing/taking enough damage, limited uses per round) as well as being equal opportunity for both characters (both characters constantly have access to them eventually). A more accurate comparison to a Super Move would be Little Mac's KO punch. The Smash Ball, though, is too one-sided. Whoever gets it has a huge leg up and its method of obtaining favors whoever is already in control of the match. Final Smashes in general are also much more unbalanced than other Super Moves in other games. Ultra Combos in Street Fighter IV, even when fully charged, almost never do more than 50% of a character's health. In UMvC3, they tend to act as situational combo extenders, without so much as doing nuke-level damage but allowing you to occasionally use a move to extend a combo you otherwise wouldn't have been able to. Final Smashes, though, depending on character and situation, can easily allow for a 0% death. I don't think, in their current state, Final Smashes really have a place in the competitive scene.

Thank you for actually giving a well thought out response. I linked this thread on the smash subreddit and the comments were a train wreck. I see where you are coming from and now agree that it doesn't really belong on the big stage, but I see no reason we can't throw in some smash balls at locals every now and then

 

[Purin a.k.a. José]

The Smash Ball is viable, but there is the problem that the loser always breaks it in one hit, making it a really unfair comeback.