Why no stance system characters?

[AfroGamerNinja]

Why do you think Smash has yet to include a character with multiple stances? I mean, there's now puppet fighters, fighters with limited resources and more, but that's the only archetype that hasn't been filled in.

 

[Deleted member]

I mean, technically it's buffing/nerfing his attributes, but he's pretty close otherwise.

 

[CyberHyperPhoenix]

Who knows, something akin to Gen would be really cool, but I can imagine Sakurai saying no because it would be too complex for the casual crowd

 

[AfroGamerNinja]

Who knows, something akin to Gen would be really cool, but I can imagine Sakurai saying no because it would be too complex for the casual crowd

Then again, he never has the competitive crowd in mind for Smash.

 

[Raijinken]

Shulk's the closest we have for now, and I'm pretty satisfied with that. Obviously there are a lot of theoreticals that could be crafted onto DLC characters (basically any character from a game with an armory system would cater nicely to this playstyle, Final Fantasy, Castlevania, Tales of Graces, Soul Calibur, whatever), but unless it's tied to a B move to swap stances, I wouldn't expect much. Previously we had transformation characters (somewhat stance-like), but those aren't really around now.

 

[AfroGamerNinja]

Shulk's the closest we have for now, and I'm pretty satisfied with that. Obviously there are a lot of theoreticals that could be crafted onto DLC characters (basically any character from a game with an armory system would cater nicely to this playstyle, Final Fantasy, Castlevania, Tales of Graces, Soul Calibur, whatever), but unless it's tied to a B move to swap stances, I wouldn't expect much. Previously we had transformation characters (somewhat stance-like), but those aren't really around now.

Well, they kind of had that opportunity for Ike: I mean, he picked up the ability for axes in Radiant Dawn, correct? Or Chrom, since a commenter on Siliconera said he can use spears too.

 

[Raijinken]

Well, they kind of had that opportunity for Ike: I mean, he picked up the ability for axes in Radiant Dawn, correct? Or Chrom, since a commenter on Siliconera said he can use spears too.

Fire Emblem characters based around that would probably end up in a Robin situation: Using both for different moves, instead of swapping stances. I think (as a FE fan) that there are better series' which already include swapping combat styles as a mechanic, rather than Fire Emblem where it's simply weapon choice.

 

[AfroGamerNinja]

Fire Emblem characters based around that would probably end up in a Robin situation: Using both for different moves, instead of swapping stances. I think (as a FE fan) that there are better series' which already include swapping combat styles as a mechanic, rather than Fire Emblem where it's simply weapon choice.

Okay, Robin uses his sword(s) for regular attacks and his tomes for specials, I'll give you that.

Still, what series, in your opinion, would grant Smash a stance system character?

 

[Raijinken]

Okay, Robin uses his sword(s) for regular attacks and his tomes for specials, I'll give you that.

Still, what series, in your opinion, would grant Smash a stance system character?

Soul Calibur and Tales (especially Tales of Graces which was basically designed around it) spring to mind as good options for Nandai's second character (if we give them some since Capcom got two).

Castlevania's more recent sidescrollers (thinking particularly Portrait of Ruin and Dawn of Sorrow, maybe Order of Ecclesia) also lead to largely different combat styles depending on your weapon/glyph choices. Swapping between Jonathan and Charlotte may be too Zelda-Sheik-y, but I could easily see Shanoa swapping between certain pre-defined options based on glyphs, cycled by certain B moves, for instance. Wouldn't give any of them priority over Simon or Richter, though.

I'll post more as I think of them and get input from some friends, but those spring to mind.

 

[MOI-ARI]

I will agree Shulk is the closest to that.

But maybe a future Dlc character will get something completely like that? Honestly Mega man could've been given something like that with his specials being changed into different bosses ability/weapons. But meh. Like megaman can't spit out enough projectiles.

Maybe if Amaterasu would be in the game, that'd be obviously perfect for that character, especially since in MvC3 she had the same moveset basically. x) Thats Just me though... :,(

 

[Raijinken]

The Wonderful 101 could work in a stance-based capacity as well, in a similar vein as Amaterasu (but exclusive).

 

[MacDaddyNook]

Shulk is the closest I can think of. I'm guessing that anything more advanced is stepping into Transformation Character territory, since it would be a moveset change.

 

[Reila]

As mentioned before, Shulk is a stance character.

What the Smash Bros series is truly lacking is a proper grappler. No, Bowser, Yoshi, Dedede and Ganondorf aren't grapplers (their command grabs aren't their defining moves and their play styles aren't centered around grabbing the opponents), neither were the Ice Climbers (they are only known for grabbling because of chain grabs, not because of their actual mechanics). The closest we have is Ness, a character that doesn't even have command grabs, but who has his play style heavily centered on grabbing the opponents and giving them hell thereafter.