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Why not Doc?

Zalak

Smash Lord
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
1,632
Location
Washington
NNID
Zalak123
Honestly though, I'm a pretty strong anti-tierist. While Doc is higher than Mario on most tier lists, he is not better than Mario in every way. A lot of it has to do with my personal preferences. I can't list all of the differences that I like for Mario, but here are a few:

Disclaimer: I really don't play doc a lot (because I hate him), so I might get some info wrong, making Doc seem worse than he actually is.

MOBILITY: Mario's cape adds momentum when used in the air. It increase Mario's aerial movement options, and I find myself often using it to trick/bait my opponent. It can also be helpful for spacing. PLUS Mario can walljump, which comes in handy more often than you might think (especially with the super jump punch to walljump technique).

KILLING OPTIONS: This is pretty controversial, but I actually prefer Mario's killing options overall. The most notable difference in their killing options is fmash vs fair. Docs tend to send people off stage with fair+dsmash, but Marios tend to use fsmash+dsmash. Marios don't tend to kill with fair because Mario's fair is mostly just used for extending combos, and meteor smashing people off the stage;on the other hand, Doc's fair actually sends people flying, and can be used effectively to kill from any point on the stage. Docs don't tend to kill with fsmash because doc's fsmash SUCKS has extremely short range. Doc's fair is an aerial, which have advantages over smash attacks. I don't like it though, because it leaves you more vulnerable, and is too telegraphed for my tastes. Admittedly, it can finish some sick combos, but Mario has plenty of ways to set up his fsmash (with combos and baiting).

COMBOS:
I don't play Doc nearly enough to give a detailed explanation, but I feel Mario has much more combo potential than Doc. I'm always finding new ways to extend my Mario combos, letting me rack up enemy % much more quickly. When your opponent's % is high enough, some of Mario's weaker/quicker moves (such as ftilt and bair) can be used to kill. Also, if your edge guarding is on point, Mario's rad combos can be used to get someone offstage for low% kills. Doc is not without his own combos though. I just prefer Mario's.

VARIOUS TINY DIFFERENCES SUCH AS:
doc's neutral string's slow speed just feels so weird to me. blech

which brings me to..

FAMILIARITY AND APTITUDE:
When I first started playing the game, Mario felt more natural to me than Doc. This is probably the #1 reason I prefer Mario. When I first started playing Melee competitively, Doc just felt WEIRD to me, whereas Mario felt just right. Because of this, I've spent much more time on Mario, and grown more and more familiar with the character.

I think the most important thing is to play a character that you enjoy playing. There is some truth to tier lists, but tier rankings are not the deciding factor in whether or not you can do well as a character. In a way, tier lists are kind of like self-fulfilling prophecies. High-tiered characters attract more players, and those players advance the meta of those characters, inventing new and improved ways to play those characters. If you think a character is right for you, you should definitely stick with them for a while and decide for yourself whether or not you want to keep going with that character.
 

Zalak

Smash Lord
Joined
Nov 15, 2013
Messages
1,632
Location
Washington
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Zalak123
sorry I couldn't really do a proper comparison :p i'll leave that to someone who has an extensive knowledge of both characters.
 

MudkipUniverse

Smash Ace
Joined
Jun 4, 2013
Messages
770
Location
Seatac, WA
NNID
VolcanicAsh
mario's aerials have a couple less frames of landing lag. This is what makes him "faster" than doc.

also @ Zalak Zalak you should play "Help" for best Mario in Washington
 
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-ACE-

Gotem City Vigilante
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
11,536
Location
The back country, GA
Doc's punish game is more reliable due to his fair and bair being much more lethal than Mario's. That is the biggest difference along with recovery. Pills > fireballs I'd say, and at least doc's dtilt isn't completely useless (situational obviously but sets up gimp when landed near ledge facing center stage). Lab coat reaches slightly lower than cape and does a tad more damage. Usmash tends to send people more behind. Doc's dsmash is better, and his bthrow a tad stronger.

Mario is faster. Mario has a MUCH better recovery and more combo potential. Mario's utilt is more combo friendly. His tipper fsmash helps his neutral and combo game a ton. His cape allows for extra floatiness (even the second aerial cape, which in terms of recovery, gives Mario about the same benefit of doc's one and only useful side-b) and aerial mobility/mindgames. Mario's usmash is better.
 
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NeoTalon

Smash Rookie
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
4
Location
Germany
It's a style thing!
Mario feels much more creative and mentally demanding in my hands.

It definitely seems that when 20XX arrives, Doc will win. But I think that when we consider the considerable amount of mixups and mindgames which are present in the current meta game, we can see that Mario has a good fighting chance.

Finally, I agree with what Zalak wrote, my choice also comes from familiarity and preference.
 

Hunybear

Smash Ace
Joined
Sep 27, 2013
Messages
405
Location
Nashville Tennessee
It's a style thing!
Mario feels much more creative and mentally demanding in my hands.

It definitely seems that when 20XX arrives, Doc will win. But I think that when we consider the considerable amount of mixups and mindgames which are present in the current meta game, we can see that Mario has a good fighting chance.

Finally, I agree with what Zalak wrote, my choice also comes from familiarity and preference.
I think playing a character that feels right for you rather than playing a character cuz its higher on the tier. list is better because if you believe in it and have more fun playing that character you'll stick with it, play more often and become better as a result. Too many people only play their true mains (characters they love) as secondarys just because their not high enough on the tier list. its a shame. I know i main Marth... but i love him. I just meet so many people who love other characters more than their main. so sad
 

Sp1nda

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
107
Location
Ohio
Slippi.gg
*****#69
If you beat somebody with a top/high tier, it doesn't give you as much $W@G points if you win with who's considered a bad character.
Mario gives you serious swag points if you win, or even pull off a sick combo.
 
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