There has been talk about whether Customs should be legal for tournaments or not; despite this, we should test out the viability of all the tools given to us. If someone would like to add their conclusions in addition to mine, that would be superb. I find the most efficient way to unlock Customs is Trophy Run for 2:30. Anyways ~
Freaky Fruit
The name gave me hope that it would allow for greater use of the fruit; unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. The Fruit move erratically as per the attack's name, but it doesn't do much to increase its offensive capability; it does, however, increase the zoning abilities it provides. This move would have merit if not for the nerfs it creates for the non-fruit weapons; Galaxion flies forward much like the key does, so it doesn't have juggling capabilities; Bell travels forward, then upwards (the range is extremely feeble); and, the final nail in the coffin, the Key, if thrown, travels no distance whatsoever, and its damage is 10% rather than 15%. The cons are too great to even consider the pros. The name is aptly put, considering we should never see it.
Slow Bonus Fruit
The merit of this move is double-edged; the fruit can be used to defend, but for not much else. Simply, it decreases the offensive capabilities of the fruit.
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Distant Power Pellet
DPP feels as though it was intended to be used as an offensive move; the malleable paths offer more space to combo off. Furthermore, it increases our capability to recover from ridiculously far away.
Despite these pros, I have two bones to pick with this move: it shouldn't be used as an attack, and we should be able to recover from anywhere vertically. This first point is that the move is easily punishable, and nullifies tons of zoning work. The second point is that Final Destination has a sweet spot on the ledge, so even if you end up under the stage after a regular Power Pellet, the trampoline should be able to save you.
DPP has a lot going for it, and if we evolve from a zoning game to a combo game, it could be handy; as for the moment, it doesn't fit the bill for what we need.
Enticing Power Pellet
Furthering the trend, EPP seems to change Power Pellet from a recovery move to a full out attack; it forces the opponent to come closer, and if the entire move hits, a whopping 19% is the result. However, I feel the same way about this move as Distant Power Pellet: PP is currently a move in which should solely be used for recovery, and weapon-izing the move is incorrect for our correct meta. Finally, with the combined sluggishness of the move and less of a trajectory, it fails to synergize with trampoline to create reliable recovery from everywhere under the stage.
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Power Pac-Jump
This is an immediate trade-off between the original move's zoning power for a more reliable recovery option. Coming back from the bottom of the stage isn't an issue when combined with the already immense ability of Power Pellet, so the loss of the second and subsequent third jump isn't dreadful.
What the designer of this move seemed to have in mind is that Pac-Man would be far enough under the stage so that it would need the extra vertical jump from the third trampoline, and the opponent would try and steal a kill by jumping and breaking the third trampoline. This thinking is flawed, because this scenario is exceedingly rare, since Power Pellet should get you close enough to the ledge (or its sweet spot), so even the second jump wouldn't be needed, and that if the opponent were in a position to take your third jump, surely there would be another way to knock you off the stage rather than a gimmicky loophole.
As mentioned before, it takes away the zoning capability of the original; no longer lingering, the move is outclassed in every way by the original due to the reasons mentioned above.
Meteor Trampoline
Like Power Pac-Jump, the designer of this move seems to have this idea that the opponent will see us coming up from the second trampoline jump and think they can get a gimmicky kill; unlike Power Pac-Jump, however, this move retains the trampoline after its been used. Therefore, it can be used as a zoning tool like the original ~! Outlined in the OP, it can be used in combination with the Hydrant to force your opponent to play by your script, which is always favorable. The only difference in this move, then, is that you don't have a third jump, and it punishes your opponent for thinking they can jump on the trampoline if its red.
The first difference is negligible; again, the third jump (and to an extent, the second jump) shouldn't be needed if used in conjunction with the Power Pellet. That means this move, the first time you use it, will be better than the original. After that, the opponent will be forced to jump over it, giving them only one option. For the reasons mentioned, Meteor Trampoline should be used over the original.
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Flame Hydrant and Exploding Hydrant
I group these two together because they are essentially the same thing, and share the same flaws: making the Hydrant a weapon. Unlike the original Hydrant, you can no longer Hydrant Dash, and instead, you are given pure damage; this alone is reason not to use either of these customs. There are many more cons, but they are not worth mentioning in light of the glaring problem that is at the basis of both of these moves' designs.
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Phew ~! That was quite lengthy. I apologize for creating the second text block since I've arrived, but analysis cannot be ignored ~! It is my hope that we can grasp the moment provided to us in the early days of this new metagame to better understand this unique character.
