Ultimate Ness Techniques (New & Returning)

[EarthBoundEnigma]

Cataloging Ness' techniques in Smash Ultimate, add more if you have them:

• The head of PKT will not be interrupted until the tail has emerged from Ness.
• PKT2 Wall Bounce makes a return, and it works on both sides of stages now.
• PKT2 snaps to ledge instead of bonking and falling off.
• PK Fire has less end lag in the air.
• PK Flash has significantly more lateral control and no longer leaves Ness in a helpless state if used while airborne.
• PK Flash stalls momentum like PSI Magnet.
• PSI Magnet can now damage opponents that make contact with Ness' body, flinching and interrupting grabs/attacks.
• PSI Magnet can be rolled or spot-dodged out of after a successful absorption.
• Short Hop Down Aerial can now meteor people into the ground, popping them up for a follow-up.
• Up Aerial and Neutral Aerial were given disjointed hitboxes making them safer and easier to space with.
• Up Smash can now be held over a ledge to prevent grabbing within the 2 vulnerable frames of recovery.
• Down Smash can now be held over a ledge to prevent grabbing within the 2 vulnerable frames of recovery.
• Forward Smash can now be more reliable as a reflector, due to the new ability to hold Smash Attacks for longer.
• The new ability to hold Smash Attacks for longer is an indirect buff to Up/Down Smash Yo-Yo damage duration.

 

[Thunderjay]

- PK Flash also goes through platforms, and doesn't disappear into the ground anymore.
- Down and back air's startup frames can still be auto-cancelled upon landing.
- When using PKT2, launching Ness down into the ground makes him bounce off the ground a little, instead of him just plopping down on the ground like in the last game (which makes him more vulnerable when doing so now).
- PKT2 now has a sick zoom-in view that makes it more difficult for the opponent to tech when hit.

 

[L9999]

You can double PKT2 from the ground. Entirely predictable and unsafe but can net some cheese.

 

[EarthBoundEnigma]

Downtilt still trips, and the trip lasts long enough to get a free Forward Smash

 

[Omastar]

- Downtilt can also jab lock. Eg. 2 downtilts into a forward smash if opponent doesn't tech on the ground.

I also know directional air dodge is universal, but I think its legit amazing for Ness and we aren't talking about it enough. It allows us to edge guard aggressively off stage without having to use Up B and having someone potentially intercept us. Also with magnet and air dodge we have a lot of mixups on how we get back to stage. We can directional air dodge back into the ledge or on to the stage without using any jumps or pk thunder.

So used to Smash 4 and Ness' crappy recovery that I forget the air dodge is a legit way to get back on stage and gives us a lot of options, a great example was BestNess vs Xzax.

 

[Specs64z]

Not sure if this counts as a technique per se, but it's situational knowledge that can be the difference between life and death

- the left wall vs right wall for bouncing PKT2 recovery still has bizarre properties. Left walls still don't bounce you off for a second PKT2 at steeper angles, but unlike Smash 4 you won't bounce at an angle -> SD, and will instead ride the wall up toward ledge. The right wall will bounce you even at very steep angles.

 

[EGsmash]

- PKT2 will not snap ledge and cause Ness to bounce if you hold down as you're about to hit the ledge. If your aim is right and you aren't too low, it's a good way to nail someone camping right on the edge since the hitbox will catch them, and you can hit your second PKT2 to recover right after. (This also worked in Smash4)
- PK Magnet still stalls out momentum, but given its new hitbox and lag buffs, Ness can use it to delay a landing for insane mixups, or even follow up a down throw at low %, which combos into falling FAir

- Just confirmed that PK Magnet will absorb and heal:
Inkling's ink spray and ink bomb
Snake's explosives. All of them. Even the smash attack mortars.

 

[EarthBoundEnigma]

PSI Magnet kills all attached Pikmin.

 

[Luigifan18]

I can say from experience that PSI Magnet is useless against Samus's missiles. Bummer.

 

[DataNin]

Continuing on with the Ness 2-frame trap, if an opponent touches the charging up hitbox from below, letting go immediately to finish the DSmash will kill characters at 100 percent.

I tested this out on K.Rool on 100 percent, who was recovering low. For lower percentages and on other characters, it doesnt always kill, but they still dont get to touch ledge or ground. This means a Mario who double jumps onto ledge, gets hit by charging hitbox, and then sent diagonally towards the left with dsmash, will most likely not recover with up-b alone.

 

[EarthBoundEnigma]

I can say from experience that PSI Magnet is useless against Samus's missiles. Bummer.

However, it DOES work on Nikita. Snake can't use it at all.

 

[Sonnerr]

PSI Magnet kills all attached Pikmin.

!!!

 

[MG_3989]

However, it DOES work on Nikita. Snake can't use it at all.

This is one of the reasons I think Ness wins the Snake matchup. Magnet eats gernade, up smash, nikita, and I think forward smash. Plus our CQC options and OoS is so much better than Snakes and we can harass with PK Thunder. Snake is seriously oppressed by Ness