Idea to try out: 60% Handicap/5 Stocks

[Master Knight DH]

I thought I'd go ahead and make this thread since Artisan has to put up with character limit responding in the thread for his comment on my profile.

Recently, I thought about how players have been disliking Smash 4's general pace and how I find that the problem is particularly bad with lightweights, who like in prior installments have managed to overtake the higher tiers. Then I thought of something: what if each player started with a good amount of percent per stock. While lightweights would lose about half their durability, heavyweights wouldn't be so gimped. I initially thought of going with 40% before doing some math and catching on that the weight dispersion for damage needed to KO wouldn't be as wide as one may think. 60%, on the other hand, allows a wide enough weight dispersion, and rest assured that damage dealing is still important, albeit toned down.

I use 5 stock as the standard to make up for the increase in the rate of how fast stocks are taken in 60% Handicap matches. This whole thing is currently experimental and ATM I only have AI available, but I do have a few 1.0.6 replays that I'll upload when I'm up for doing so to showcase it. One of the replays is even a Link VS L9 Little Mac where I JVL6 Stock the L9 Little Mac under these conditions, and it clocks below 2 minutes as well. That is no exaggeration. I actually had my Handicap set to 100% out of habit, but Little Mac is light enough anyway, so I don't think it's that big a deal.

With that, I'll provide a list of pros and cons.

Pros:

• Faster matches
• Effectively widened weight gaps
• Attack power is also more useful
• Players want to use their kill moves more often
• More useful healing (PSI Magnet, Sun Salutation, Deep Breathing, and Nosferatu)
• Little Mac's matchups get more evened out
• Rosalina gets nerfed by Luma's respawn time mattering more

Cons:

• Lucario
• Removes damage dealing below 60% (though I'm tempted to list this as a Pro, personally)
• Handicap must be on and set
• Could overencourage projectile spam via bogus damage output being heightened (Mega Man, Duck Hunt, and Villager to name a few would need to be reviewed for this)

Again, the whole thing is experimental right now, but I'd like to see what could be done with it at least.

 

[Artisan]

Like you said in the cons it removes the time getting damage up to 60% or higher and more encouragement of projectile spam. Attack power might be a littler stronger but I think it's more noticeable around the percentages of 100-150 because that's how I heard the rage mechanic works. Rosalina and Luma are stronger with rage but I'm honestly not sure if we even need Rosalina nerfed as she already has some trouble against some matchups for instance the following tournament sets:

But looking at this^ match the nerf of slowing Luma down doesn't even seem significant to I would be okay with it.
Remember this match is with the nerf. DK's fair and uair is just really good at approaching:

But honestly I still think it won't encourage players to use kill moves often but if it does it would be like Mii Brawler up special or bair or potentially kill throws and there are quite a few characters with them. And when you mean weight gaps I think you mean lighter characters might have and easier time because damage is up but heavy characters get knocked back farther. I know Link is a good character but honestly It think he would have some trouble against a good Mac because Link is about the speed of normal Shulk in terms of execution of his moves and I can see how that would be troublesome at times. I think lightweights are still really high in the tier list as they are either fast like Sheik or Yoshi or have strong kill moves like Rosalina, G&W and Mewtwo. And in general faster characters have an easier time reacting and counterattacking slower characters and heavier characters still have the advantage of killing really early.

 

[Master Knight DH]

I just watched that first video now and by the looks of it, now I'm sure Rosalina would have her matchups evened out. There is one thing she can do that would likely stump Pikmin Throw spam: Luma hit-and-run attacks. Since Luma can't be grabbed, there shouldn't be risk of him being KOed, and meanwhile, Rosalina isn't worried about taking relevant damage.

About the frequency of KO move usage, you never know. With 5 stocks to wade through, I doubt people would like taking until even 140% to net a KO. They don't even like it with 2 stocks. They'd want to consider using them at good frequency to get around that. And I can tell you the following:

• Ness's PSI Thunder Missile has high reach to gut people about to hit the ground.
• Kirby's Hammer Flip allows Kirby to move and jump while being atomic.
• Ganon's Warlock Punch superarmor lets it wall attacks with high attack paralysis.

And these are extreme examples. With this sort of thing in mind, I don't doubt KO moves would still prove useful just to end a stock early enough.

Like I say, the idea is still experimental so keep that in mind.

 

[Master Knight DH]

As you see, Mac being sent flying very far after being hit makes a big difference. Now he has to be more careful conventionally, and he can't camp or else he'd get shelled into submission.

 

[Artisan]

As you see, Mac being sent flying very far after being hit makes a big difference. Now he has to be more careful conventionally, and he can't camp or else he'd get shelled into submission.

That's some really good play although Lv. 9's are easy to beat anyways, especially as an aggressive Link although I would've used grabs and maybe air attacks more whenever you see a good smasher with a character with items you abuse them for spacing reasons. CPU enemies are notorious for getting hit by items and projectiles. It's something to consider.