tru.
Smash Cadet
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2015
- Messages
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- 3DS FC
- 3239-5360-8490
This is my (opinionated) list on the top 4 best characters in SSB4 for Wii U/3DS. In my list, I will consider a character's overall performance in battle, and not just one specific ability he/she may have (for example, Ganondorf would not be added simply due to his attack power, or Sonic primarily due to his speed). This list will include a character's aerials, recovery, and other statistics that make them valuable during competitive play.
Please note: In order to avoid making this another infamous tier list consisting of all characters, only four characters will be present, along with honorable mentions. They will not be ranked in any specified order. Again, this is not a tier list.
Jigglypuff
A lot of people, at first glance, don't use the Puff during competitive play due to his (her?) weak appearance. Although Jigglypuff doesn't look too menacing, he can often end up taking quite a beating from opponents, and perform some punishes that will leave your opponent pretty frustrated. If Jigglypuff is not used correctly, it usually will not be much of a challenge for an opponent to rack up damage and send thisinnocent guy flying. Jigglypuff can leave himself wide open for opponents if his techniques are not executed superbly. On the other hand, his quick but powerful aerials can knock opponents with inferior recoveries offstage in no time flat.
Aerials
This one is a little tricky for Jigglypuff. Depending on the weight and damage % of your opponent, Jigglypuff's aerial combos are a hit-or-miss type of situation. If you catch an opponent just right with his neutral-air and forward-air attacks (and with precise timing), Jigglypuff can literally sweep an opponent of their feet and offstage, consisting of neutral-air and forward-air attacks. Setting up this aerial combo just right takes practice, as it is difficult to always be able to juggle a foe offstage without them dodging or retaliating. Jigglypuff's down-air is useful for quickly dealing some damage to an unsuspecting opponent, but it should not be one's primary attack. His back-air is moderately slow, but is helpful for punishing an opponent at high percentages while they are attempting to recover in mid-air.
Recovery
Jigglypuff's recovery is either going to be extremely helpful, or be the reason you get knocked-out in battle. Unlike other characters, Jigglypuff's up-special (Sing) is not a good form of recovery. In fact, it does not get Jigglypuff anywhere except KOed. So how do we make a decent recover with this guy? Using his jump. Yep, without his ability to constantly jump in air, the Puff would be an utter failure when trying to get back onstage *cough* Little Mac *cough*. When recovering from below the stage, it's a good idea to mash the jump button and ascend to ledge. Remember, Jiggly's side-special can steadily get him back to stage as well.
Other Information
Since Jigglypuff's smash-attacks are not too reliable (as they leave him vulnerable for attack), using Sing and Rest is an excellent but risky way to instantly kill opponents. Before considering this technique, make sure your opponent is at least at 80% damage, or else this could end up backfiring. When your opponent is vulnerable, use Sing next to them to put them to sleep. Know that this attack is very easy to avoid, so be certain you can strike your target. When Jiggly finishes singing, walk into your opponent and perform Rest. If executed correctly, your opponent should be blasted off stage. Note that if any of these steps are done incorrectly, an opponent as a wide-open opportunity to punish you offstage. As a tip, Jigglypuff can crouch under many attacks and projectiles!
Yoshi
Yoshi can inflict some devastating attacks on his opponents. Really. Just one attack can rack up a staggering 30% damage if done correctly. If you think about it, that's about 1/4 the damage needed to easily knock an opponent offstage with a smash-attack. Yoshi in Brawl wasn't quite as dominant as he is now in SSB4, so he certainly made a huge comeback. He is definitely someone to seriously consider using as a main, as he makes opponents aware of his potential wary at all times.
Aerials
Yoshi's aerials are what make him so powerful. His down-air attack is going to be his primary move to inflict some serious damage, about 30%. Note that in order to damage your opponent to such a high percentage, you must be pretty accurate with your low jumping. If you are wondering what "low jumping" is, although it's pretty self-explanatory, it's basically just more of a hop than a jump. In order to successfully execute Yoshi's down-air, perform a low jump by quickly tapping the jump button rather than holding it. For any character, their jump will be shortened, which sets one up for aerial combos. Low jump with Yoshi, and start toward your opponent. Before making contact, perform the down-air and fall into the target. If done correctly, your opponent will have no escape from this move. If you miss, Yoshi will hit the ground and take some time to get back up, so try to be accurate. His forward-smash can also be used with a low jump, but better used as a Meteor Smash. The perk of this move is that even if you do not sweet-spot the target for a Meteor Smash, the attack still provides some strong knock-back at high percentages. Finally, be sure to use Yoshi's back-air as a kill move if the opportunity arises. If you strike an opponent with Yoshi's tail three times in succession, there''s a pretty good chance that the third blow could KO the foe. Whew, that was quite a bit for aerials.
Recovery
To make this short and sweet, Yoshi's up-special doesn't get him very far (much like Jigglypuff). Although it does provide a little bounce in mid-air, just jumping will allow him to flutter up to the stage from most points in the battlefield. Yoshi's flutter is usually successful, unless an opponent manages to interrupt it and knock you backward.
Other Information
Make sure you take advantage of Yoshi's up-special (the egg throw move). At first this move may be seemingly useless, but practicing the trajectory and distance at which you throw your eggs could turn the entire game around. While an opponent is recovering, striking them with an egg will cause them to stagger/flinch. Continue belting out more egg throws while an opponent is at a distance to rack up some damage, as each egg can do about 5% damage if done successfully. Another good trick to use with Yoshi is his down-special. If one makes contact with an opponent while Yoshi bounces upward, they will be knocked backward and set up to be struck by Yoshi falling downward.
Lucario
Lucario is a very strong opponent. Not just in Smash Bros., but in other games as well. In Brawl, he was a mediocre character at best. Sure, his Aura Sphere could definitely provide knock-back at high percentages, he could deliver a couple combos, but he didn't give me that "wow, this is a good character" impression like he does in SSB4. Lucario now brings something new to the table that many characters don't. When Lucario is in peril, his aura based moves (pretty much all of them) are buffed, or made significantly stronger. When he reaches high percentages, his Aura Sphere grows larger, his attacks belt out exceptional damage and knock-back, and is recovery is just incredible.
Aerials
Lucario's aerials can be very useful in battle from the very get-go. A good way to get some damage inflicted on your opponents is low jumping and immediately performing down-air. Lucario's feet will double-kick the opponent and send them away from you. In the middle to end of the battle this is the most useful, because this move provides pretty decent knock-back and gives you some time to slightly prepare an Aura Sphere, or strike the opponent while they are down. What makes this attack so helpful in battle is that it temporarily stops Lucario's fall in air. This aerial can be used to fake out an opponent when above them. Other than this, Lucario's aerials are not phenomenal. His forward-air can be used consecutively in air when the target is at low percentages to deal decent damage and first, but later in battle they are not very reliable.
Recovery
To put it simply, Lucario's recovery is probably the best in the entire game in certain situations. When he is at low percentages, his up-special does not travel very far, but still a fair distance. Now, when Lucario is at high percentages (90%+), good luck getting him offstage. His recovery at this point can easily fling him back onstage from any point in the battlefield. Not only this, but his movement can be controlled. Therefor, one can aim the direction they want Lucario to fly through the air, and change direction in the process. This is extremely applicable when he is below the stage and wants to grab a ledge, as he can curve his recovery to ensure he stays in battle. Let's not forget that his recovery can also damage foes! Make sure you use this technique wisely, as if you slide back onto stage, it takes almost two seconds to gain control of Lucario and opponents will have an opportunity to attack.
Other Information
Sometimes it's difficult to kill an opponent with Lucario due to the slowness of his smash-attacks (which make them predictable), and the lag provided afterward. When I use Lucario, my primary kill move is his side-special. His side-special is not effective if he does not grab the opponent in the beginning when attempting this move. If you do successfully grab them, Lucario will punish them and send them offstage at high percentages.
Sheik
Lastly, Sheik. For the sake of argument, Sheik will be referred to as a female, although her gender is still not certain. Sheik has always been nefarious in competitive play for her excellent aerials and the ability to confuse her opponents. Her useless side-special attack in Melee was replaced with a more useful component that can be used as a kill move. Sheik's overall performances in SSB4 make her one of the best characters to use in battle, although she is difficult to get the hang of. Combing grabs, quick and unexpected aerials, low jumps, and technical moves, and the formidable Bouncing Fish, Sheik can achieve victory if used correctly.
Aerials
Oh boy, where to start? Sheik displays some of the most consistent aerials all around of any character playable in the game. By grabbing opponents and throwing them, Sheik can almost always follow up with devastating aerial combos that are almost unavoidable. Her forward-air attack is going to be one of her main sources of racking up damage to take out her enemies. By low jumping and attacking with forward-air, damage can quickly be dealt with little lag when landing. Sheik's down-air is only useful in specific situations, so it is best to be used wisely and not be spammed. It has lag upon hitting the ground, so opponents can punish. This moves main use is when faking out an opponent when falling toward them in air. This move does have Meteor Smash potential, but is difficult to pull off. Sheik's back-air can be used as a kill move when the target is at fairly high percentages, and at low percentages, can be used to juggle the opponent.
Recovery
Sheik's recovery is great on its own, but it can also be used as a kill move during its initial explosion. Jumping toward an opponent offstage and performing her up-special will cause her to vanish, leaving an explosion that can kill unsuspecting foes. Her recovery is also useful on the ground, where holding down on the control stick during the move will allow Sheik to attack the enemy while vanishing, then reappear in the same place. Vanish is also helpful for edge guarding. If an opponent is hanging on a ledge for a long time, running to the edge of the stage and performing her up-special will blast them off the ledge.
Other Information
Sheik has an arsenal of tricks to use. Her neutral-special can charge up some lightning-quick needles when shot, totaling a fair amount of 7%. Sheik's side-special, Burst Grenade, can hit and kill enemies attempting to recover. The vortex created when a Burst Grenade is beginning to explode can suck in enemies, so characters with poor recovery can be pulled away from the stage and KOed. One move to be used primarily during early battle is Sheik's side-attack, which is a fast kick that can juggle opponents, and set her up for an aerial strike.
Honorable Mentions (in no specified order)
Sonic
+ Consistent aerials
+ Decent recovery (and it damages foes)
+ Very fast
- Doesn't have much kill potential
- Attacks generally do minimal damage
Little Mac
+ Quick, strong attacks
+ Can KO opponents at low percentages
+ Has a KO move when meeting certain circumstances
- Laughable recovery
- Can't create many combos
Zero-Suit Samus
+ Neutral special can paralyze enemies
+ Down-special can Meteor Smash
+ Grab can latch on to ledges from absurd distances
- Recovery isn't reliable
Fox
+ Quick attacker
+ Very strong combos and smash-attacks
+ Neutral special will drive opponents insane
-Sounds like an old man
Villager
+ Excellent recovery, both up-special and side-special
+ Down-special creates a devastating attack
+ Can pocket powerful projectiles
- Difficult to create combo with
- Gimmicky moves can be hard to manage
Rosalina & Luma
+ Can create powerful combos with Luma
+ Paired with Luma, smash-attacks do high damage
+ Down-special can steal projectiles
- Limited aerial combos
- Recovery is very difficult to control
- Luma can be lost, halving attack power
Please note: In order to avoid making this another infamous tier list consisting of all characters, only four characters will be present, along with honorable mentions. They will not be ranked in any specified order. Again, this is not a tier list.
JigglypuffA lot of people, at first glance, don't use the Puff during competitive play due to his (her?) weak appearance. Although Jigglypuff doesn't look too menacing, he can often end up taking quite a beating from opponents, and perform some punishes that will leave your opponent pretty frustrated. If Jigglypuff is not used correctly, it usually will not be much of a challenge for an opponent to rack up damage and send this
Aerials
This one is a little tricky for Jigglypuff. Depending on the weight and damage % of your opponent, Jigglypuff's aerial combos are a hit-or-miss type of situation. If you catch an opponent just right with his neutral-air and forward-air attacks (and with precise timing), Jigglypuff can literally sweep an opponent of their feet and offstage, consisting of neutral-air and forward-air attacks. Setting up this aerial combo just right takes practice, as it is difficult to always be able to juggle a foe offstage without them dodging or retaliating. Jigglypuff's down-air is useful for quickly dealing some damage to an unsuspecting opponent, but it should not be one's primary attack. His back-air is moderately slow, but is helpful for punishing an opponent at high percentages while they are attempting to recover in mid-air.
Recovery
Jigglypuff's recovery is either going to be extremely helpful, or be the reason you get knocked-out in battle. Unlike other characters, Jigglypuff's up-special (Sing) is not a good form of recovery. In fact, it does not get Jigglypuff anywhere except KOed. So how do we make a decent recover with this guy? Using his jump. Yep, without his ability to constantly jump in air, the Puff would be an utter failure when trying to get back onstage *cough* Little Mac *cough*. When recovering from below the stage, it's a good idea to mash the jump button and ascend to ledge. Remember, Jiggly's side-special can steadily get him back to stage as well.
Other Information
Since Jigglypuff's smash-attacks are not too reliable (as they leave him vulnerable for attack), using Sing and Rest is an excellent but risky way to instantly kill opponents. Before considering this technique, make sure your opponent is at least at 80% damage, or else this could end up backfiring. When your opponent is vulnerable, use Sing next to them to put them to sleep. Know that this attack is very easy to avoid, so be certain you can strike your target. When Jiggly finishes singing, walk into your opponent and perform Rest. If executed correctly, your opponent should be blasted off stage. Note that if any of these steps are done incorrectly, an opponent as a wide-open opportunity to punish you offstage. As a tip, Jigglypuff can crouch under many attacks and projectiles!
YoshiYoshi can inflict some devastating attacks on his opponents. Really. Just one attack can rack up a staggering 30% damage if done correctly. If you think about it, that's about 1/4 the damage needed to easily knock an opponent offstage with a smash-attack. Yoshi in Brawl wasn't quite as dominant as he is now in SSB4, so he certainly made a huge comeback. He is definitely someone to seriously consider using as a main, as he makes opponents aware of his potential wary at all times.
Aerials
Yoshi's aerials are what make him so powerful. His down-air attack is going to be his primary move to inflict some serious damage, about 30%. Note that in order to damage your opponent to such a high percentage, you must be pretty accurate with your low jumping. If you are wondering what "low jumping" is, although it's pretty self-explanatory, it's basically just more of a hop than a jump. In order to successfully execute Yoshi's down-air, perform a low jump by quickly tapping the jump button rather than holding it. For any character, their jump will be shortened, which sets one up for aerial combos. Low jump with Yoshi, and start toward your opponent. Before making contact, perform the down-air and fall into the target. If done correctly, your opponent will have no escape from this move. If you miss, Yoshi will hit the ground and take some time to get back up, so try to be accurate. His forward-smash can also be used with a low jump, but better used as a Meteor Smash. The perk of this move is that even if you do not sweet-spot the target for a Meteor Smash, the attack still provides some strong knock-back at high percentages. Finally, be sure to use Yoshi's back-air as a kill move if the opportunity arises. If you strike an opponent with Yoshi's tail three times in succession, there''s a pretty good chance that the third blow could KO the foe. Whew, that was quite a bit for aerials.
Recovery
To make this short and sweet, Yoshi's up-special doesn't get him very far (much like Jigglypuff). Although it does provide a little bounce in mid-air, just jumping will allow him to flutter up to the stage from most points in the battlefield. Yoshi's flutter is usually successful, unless an opponent manages to interrupt it and knock you backward.
Other Information
Make sure you take advantage of Yoshi's up-special (the egg throw move). At first this move may be seemingly useless, but practicing the trajectory and distance at which you throw your eggs could turn the entire game around. While an opponent is recovering, striking them with an egg will cause them to stagger/flinch. Continue belting out more egg throws while an opponent is at a distance to rack up some damage, as each egg can do about 5% damage if done successfully. Another good trick to use with Yoshi is his down-special. If one makes contact with an opponent while Yoshi bounces upward, they will be knocked backward and set up to be struck by Yoshi falling downward.
LucarioLucario is a very strong opponent. Not just in Smash Bros., but in other games as well. In Brawl, he was a mediocre character at best. Sure, his Aura Sphere could definitely provide knock-back at high percentages, he could deliver a couple combos, but he didn't give me that "wow, this is a good character" impression like he does in SSB4. Lucario now brings something new to the table that many characters don't. When Lucario is in peril, his aura based moves (pretty much all of them) are buffed, or made significantly stronger. When he reaches high percentages, his Aura Sphere grows larger, his attacks belt out exceptional damage and knock-back, and is recovery is just incredible.
Aerials
Lucario's aerials can be very useful in battle from the very get-go. A good way to get some damage inflicted on your opponents is low jumping and immediately performing down-air. Lucario's feet will double-kick the opponent and send them away from you. In the middle to end of the battle this is the most useful, because this move provides pretty decent knock-back and gives you some time to slightly prepare an Aura Sphere, or strike the opponent while they are down. What makes this attack so helpful in battle is that it temporarily stops Lucario's fall in air. This aerial can be used to fake out an opponent when above them. Other than this, Lucario's aerials are not phenomenal. His forward-air can be used consecutively in air when the target is at low percentages to deal decent damage and first, but later in battle they are not very reliable.
Recovery
To put it simply, Lucario's recovery is probably the best in the entire game in certain situations. When he is at low percentages, his up-special does not travel very far, but still a fair distance. Now, when Lucario is at high percentages (90%+), good luck getting him offstage. His recovery at this point can easily fling him back onstage from any point in the battlefield. Not only this, but his movement can be controlled. Therefor, one can aim the direction they want Lucario to fly through the air, and change direction in the process. This is extremely applicable when he is below the stage and wants to grab a ledge, as he can curve his recovery to ensure he stays in battle. Let's not forget that his recovery can also damage foes! Make sure you use this technique wisely, as if you slide back onto stage, it takes almost two seconds to gain control of Lucario and opponents will have an opportunity to attack.
Other Information
Sometimes it's difficult to kill an opponent with Lucario due to the slowness of his smash-attacks (which make them predictable), and the lag provided afterward. When I use Lucario, my primary kill move is his side-special. His side-special is not effective if he does not grab the opponent in the beginning when attempting this move. If you do successfully grab them, Lucario will punish them and send them offstage at high percentages.
SheikLastly, Sheik. For the sake of argument, Sheik will be referred to as a female, although her gender is still not certain. Sheik has always been nefarious in competitive play for her excellent aerials and the ability to confuse her opponents. Her useless side-special attack in Melee was replaced with a more useful component that can be used as a kill move. Sheik's overall performances in SSB4 make her one of the best characters to use in battle, although she is difficult to get the hang of. Combing grabs, quick and unexpected aerials, low jumps, and technical moves, and the formidable Bouncing Fish, Sheik can achieve victory if used correctly.
Aerials
Oh boy, where to start? Sheik displays some of the most consistent aerials all around of any character playable in the game. By grabbing opponents and throwing them, Sheik can almost always follow up with devastating aerial combos that are almost unavoidable. Her forward-air attack is going to be one of her main sources of racking up damage to take out her enemies. By low jumping and attacking with forward-air, damage can quickly be dealt with little lag when landing. Sheik's down-air is only useful in specific situations, so it is best to be used wisely and not be spammed. It has lag upon hitting the ground, so opponents can punish. This moves main use is when faking out an opponent when falling toward them in air. This move does have Meteor Smash potential, but is difficult to pull off. Sheik's back-air can be used as a kill move when the target is at fairly high percentages, and at low percentages, can be used to juggle the opponent.
Recovery
Sheik's recovery is great on its own, but it can also be used as a kill move during its initial explosion. Jumping toward an opponent offstage and performing her up-special will cause her to vanish, leaving an explosion that can kill unsuspecting foes. Her recovery is also useful on the ground, where holding down on the control stick during the move will allow Sheik to attack the enemy while vanishing, then reappear in the same place. Vanish is also helpful for edge guarding. If an opponent is hanging on a ledge for a long time, running to the edge of the stage and performing her up-special will blast them off the ledge.
Other Information
Sheik has an arsenal of tricks to use. Her neutral-special can charge up some lightning-quick needles when shot, totaling a fair amount of 7%. Sheik's side-special, Burst Grenade, can hit and kill enemies attempting to recover. The vortex created when a Burst Grenade is beginning to explode can suck in enemies, so characters with poor recovery can be pulled away from the stage and KOed. One move to be used primarily during early battle is Sheik's side-attack, which is a fast kick that can juggle opponents, and set her up for an aerial strike.
Honorable Mentions (in no specified order)
Sonic+ Consistent aerials
+ Decent recovery (and it damages foes)
+ Very fast
- Doesn't have much kill potential
- Attacks generally do minimal damage
Little Mac+ Quick, strong attacks
+ Can KO opponents at low percentages
+ Has a KO move when meeting certain circumstances
- Laughable recovery
- Can't create many combos
Zero-Suit Samus+ Neutral special can paralyze enemies
+ Down-special can Meteor Smash
+ Grab can latch on to ledges from absurd distances
- Recovery isn't reliable
Fox+ Quick attacker
+ Very strong combos and smash-attacks
+ Neutral special will drive opponents insane
-
Villager+ Excellent recovery, both up-special and side-special
+ Down-special creates a devastating attack
+ Can pocket powerful projectiles
- Difficult to create combo with
- Gimmicky moves can be hard to manage
Rosalina & Luma+ Can create powerful combos with Luma
+ Paired with Luma, smash-attacks do high damage
+ Down-special can steal projectiles
- Limited aerial combos
- Recovery is very difficult to control
- Luma can be lost, halving attack power
