DO YOU HEAR THE CREAKING OF BRANCHES, THE HOWLING OF WOLVES? A LOW GALLOP SPLITS THE NIGHT; THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN STALKS THE LAND!
(((DESCRIPTION)))
The Headless Horseman was originally a fictional character from "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", a short story by Washington Irving. He has the form of a ghostly rider in cape and fancy dress, but has no head. Or rather, his head is a jack-o-lantern with sinister grin, that he sometimes has on his neck and sometimes carries, blazing furiously.
The Headless Horseman has gone beyond one character in a short story. He has become an icon of the Halloween tradition, a recognisable monster who reappears years after year, bringing fear and despair to yet another generation.
(((THE TWIST)))
The Headless Horseman may appear to be a typical fighter at first; he begins the battle with his pumpkin head squarely on his shoulders. However, as you will quickly discover, his head is in fact an item. Several of his own attacks will knock it off of his shoulders, making it a regular item that can be picked up and thrown by just about anyone. As a projectile, it flies similarly and has similar knockback to any piece of Zero Suit Samus's discarded armor. A neutral toss will do 5%, a tilted one will deal 7%, and a smash toss - which, remember, can be executed in midair in any direction - does 10%.
Before you despair, know that The Horseman cannot be wounded by his own head. If it is thrown in his direction by an unfriendly arm, it will come to him of its own accord, landing smoothly in his hands.
There are advantages to having the head on his neck, and there are advantages to having it loose in the air. A skilled player can toss it at the foe multiple times, using The Horseman's speed to grab it before they can, and so keeping them at a good range while racking up damage. To juggle between the two states, The Horseman has ways of putting the pumpkin back on his head while he's holding it.
So what can the foe do to stop this maniacal assault? They can't throw it at The Horseman, but they CAN throw it off of the side. And that's bad for The Headless Horseman. Therefore, you should never get too far from your head, and press the attack against your foe.
More details on the fine points of the concept will be found in the Specials below.
(((OVERVIEW)))
Idle Stance --- The Horseman's stance depends on where his head is at the current moment. While it's on his head, he stands slightly hunched over, his chest heaving up and down, and occasionally rears back and cackles, his pumpkin grin growing wider. If he's holding his head, he keeps it tucked under his arm, standing straight and still, while the head occasionally snickers, eyes flashing. If he doesn't have it at all, he is hunched over again, and every once in a while turns around, searching to and fro for his precious head.
Walk --- He stalks forward, feet lightly brushing the ground, purpose in his every motion. Whether he's going in search of his missing head or prowling towards a quaking foe, he knows what he want, and will do anything to get it. A relatively quick walk.
Run --- The Horseman leans way forward, his elegant cape billowing out behind him as he does so. His arms pumping furiously, and a grim expression on his face (if he has one at the moment), he moves with all the speed of an angry Sheik. Speed is one of his advantages.
Crouch --- The Horseman here drops to one knee, his hands on either side of him, looking around warily. If he's holding on to his head, he puts it on the ground next to him, where it grins and flashes its eyes. This is not at all a low crouch, even if he has no head.
Dizzy Stance --- Even the most evil and forbidding of characters must have a dizzy stance, but The Horseman's is more relevant than most. If he becomes dizzy while he has his head, it will in fact drop off, landing by his feet. He will stagger around slightly, feeling with his toe for his precious head. IT IS BAD TO BE DIZZY as they have plenty of time to pick up the head and toss it off, and punish you to boot. And if you don't have it, everything happens the same way, with them STILL having time to throw it away before you snap out of it.
Sleep Stance --- The Horseman does not require sleep. This simply causes his head's flame to gutter out, leaving it cold and dead. With his head no longer working, The Horseman cannot move, and stands ramrod straight until it lights once again.
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Height --- Without his jack-o-lantern where it belongs, The Horseman stands on par with Link. Even with it, he doesn't gain much: it may be bulbous, but it's not very substantial vertically. What pumpkin is?
Weight --- Does he even have a corporeal body beneath those fine clothes and dark green cape? Or is he nothing more than a wips of something greater, lingering in this world after an unjust death? Whatever the case, The Headless Horseman is much lighter than his size would indicate. I'd rank him on par with Pikachu.
First Jump --- In a disappointingly short primary jump, The Horseman lunges forth, his cape billowing behind him, and his hand clutching at the air around. His jack-o-lantern face bears an angry hiss, as he seeks to chase down those fools who would stand in the way of his mission.
Second Jump --- I told you that The Horseman was no longer quite human. Mysteriously, bewilderingly, once in midair, he has merely to extend his body fully and kick down with his legs to receive a sizable leap. About as good in length as Ness's second jump.
Power --- Sad to say, most of the Horseman's attacks are not fantastic in knockback terms. With his constant barrage of projectile item, and several attacks that do high damage, he has excellent damage output, but he sort of has trouble sealing the deal. A Smash-thrown jack-o-lantern won't KO until 150% on light characters, just so ya know.
Attack Speed --- The Horseman is beyond the level of mere mortals. Since so much of his offensive will be based on an item, his attacks in themselves may not be the quickest, and that's alright. Some of his attacks are good in this department, most are not. It's all the same.
Traction --- The Horseman does skid a bit as he turns; his scuffed boots just don't grip the ground well enough. He's far too sinister and smooth to trip, except in very rare situations, but he does slide a bit more than average. Only a bit.
Fall Speed --- The Horseman is more or less average in this regard. He's not heavy as a regular human, nor is he weighed down by tools, but he's also not exactly a wisp of smoke.
Range --- Very decent. Between his pumpkin barrage, his will-o-wisp attacks, and the occasional mushroom, The Horseman specializes at keeping his foes far away and too afraid to approach.
(((MOVESET)))
SPECIALS
Neutral Special --- Jack-O-Lantern Ablaze --- With a sudden wave of his hand and a cackle that seems to come from everywhere and nowhere, The Headless Horseman's head lights on fire, its grin growing wider briefly. This happens almost instantaneously, and the pumpkin goes on burning for about two seconds after the attack is executed. There is a little lag as the Horseman's body stands there, admiring its work, but this is minimal. This is an attack with diverse and plentiful uses.
Notes --- Depending on where his head is, this attack will have various functions. First use: if the jack-o-lantern is on his neck, his head becomes a small hitbox with next to no range. Foes coming into contact with the burning pumpkin take about 5% and are knocked back a ways, although not enough to KO. Since it lasts for about two seconds, this is best used by jumping into a foe while you're on fire.
Second use: If the jack-o-lantern is in his hands at time of usage, he can proceed to toss it, as the fire does not harm him, its master. If he throws it while it's burning - or, for that matter, if he lights it on fire as it's flying toward a foe - it deals an extra 5% on contact with a foe, and has 10% more knockback. This must be timed correctly, or you'll end up wasting time for nothing. Remember that a neutral throw does 5%, a tilted throw does 7%, and a smash throw in any direction does 10%. Use this whenever you can.
Third and perhaps most important use: Is your foolish mortal foe trying to pick up your precious head and toss it off the edge? The second it touches their hands, tap B to make it light on fire. This will not only cause them to drop it instantly, but also deal 5% and enough knockback to keep them from trying it again right away. Tis The Horseman's only tool against those who seek to dispose of his head, and so vital to his survival.
Fourth minor use: Apply immediately before using any of The Horseman's attacks that brandish his head. Up Smash is a great example of this; this will allow you to slip in extra damage here and there, and add 10% to your knockback. Yet another link in the chain.
Forward Special --- Feast of Flesh and Seed --- With a sudden, nasty, cackle, his head zooms off of his shoulders and flies forward at a speed equivalent to Samus's Charge Shot. It travels about as far as a thrown item, losing height as it does so. This attack suffers from lag as the head leaves him. However, if the pumpkin comes into contact with a foe during its arc, it will attach itself onto their head - or, if they have none, where it should be - making them look somewhat like The Horseman himself. This forces them into the dizzy animation, but with the slight adjustment of having a grinning jack-o-lantern on their head, which flares up ever second, dealing damage. They must mash A to liberate themselves, which is easier at lower %s, and when they finally do, the pumpkin drops and they slide backwards a foot or two.
Notes --- Every second, The Horseman's head deals 2% to its hapless victim. More relevantly, The Horseman is free to do what he likes to their helpless body. If they're too far away, I would advise using Jack-O-Lantern Ablaze, which boots up the damage to 4% per second. Alternately, if you're close enough, and they'll be trapped long enough, rush on forward and punish their weakness with a powerful attack.
This is executed fairly quickly with some wind-down lag, and has great rewards if the foe can't mash properly or is at very high %s. However, I don't suggest overusing this one, as it's somewhat inaccurate. Unless you're cautious, you'll end up consigning your own head to falling, leaving you more or less helpless. Not to mention that unless you have your jack-o-lantern on your head, this attack won't work at all; it'll just be your Neutral Special instead. The bottom line, then, is to save this for the opportune moment.
Up Special --- Path of the Will-O-Wisps --- As The Headless Horseman gestures and waves his arms about him, a veritable cloud of small, ghostly lights appears around him. During this period, he is suspended in midair, rather like Fox's or Falco's Up Special. After that period, the will-o-wisps move away from The Horseman in the direction you tilt the control stick, forming a path. The farther away from you you tilt it, the farther they will go, to a maximum length of a Battlefield platform and a half. You can also tilt the control stick to choose the angle of the will-o-wisp "platform", making it anywhere from perfectly vertical to perfectly horizontal. After about a second, you will lose control, and they will solidify, making a path that begins right at your feet. You can actively walk on this for the ten seconds it remains in existence, but your foes cannot.
In all so many words, you're creating a path that you can walk on to get to the stage. Relevantly, you can only make one while you're in the air. After you touch solid, real ground, you can make another one.
Notes --- This recovery may sound long-winded, but it only takes two seconds to execute, meaning the path forms quickly and you have to move if you're going to make it long enough and tilted enough that you can stroll on back to the stage. It's all too easy to punish The Horseman while he's just hanging there, but after that, as you've pretty much made your own platform, you can approach the stage however you want without fear of being spiked down. If you fear the foe's retaliation, stay fairly far away and just make a small platform to land on, so that you can regain your regular jump.
This has another level, though. It not only holds up The Horseman, it also holds up his head. In a pinch, you can make a vertical wall of will-o-wisps to stop your foe from tossing the pumpkin off of the edge; it'll simply bounce off of the translucent wall.
Down Special --- Mastery of the Forbidden Art --- This attack does several things depending on where the jack-o-lantern is. If it is on The Horseman's head, he will quickly and efficently take it off, cradling it under one arm, ready to toss it at foes. If he is holding it at the time of usage, he'll, rather obviously, place it onto his neck. Either result is extraordinarily quick, taking a split second to execute.
Alternatively, if the jack-o-lantern is just lying around someplace, or is in someone else's hands, or is falling, or is just about anywhere other than with The Horseman, it will hurtle suddenly and quickly through the air, seeking its master as he lets out a menacing chuckle. This has about a second's lag, and the flying pumpkin doesn't do damage and can't go through the stage, but it's still vital to his game. It doesn't automatically come onto his head, though.
Notes --- This is manipulation. With this, The Horseman can switch his playstyle instantly, wielding his head as either projectile item or part of is hitbox. Extremely important, as so many attacks need you to use this pumpkin one way or another.
The second part of the attack is also very important. It probably won't come out quick enough to save your head if it's falling - save Neutral B for that --- and it's quite a bit laggier than just picking it up, so use only if it's at a distance and you have some urgent, pressing need of it.
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BASIC ATTACKS
Neutral A --- A Treat --- In a misleadingly named attack, The Horseman extends one arm, palm facing up, and tilts his head slightly, allowing his pumpkin head to roll down his shoulder, arm, and into his hand. The pumpkin itself deals damage when it reaches his hand. If you do not proceed to tap A, he will soon raise his arm, allowing his head to roll down it and back to its rightful place.
If you have no head, this attack will do no damage, but will have The Horseman wringing his hands in anger at the loss of one of his moves; a very short animation.
Notes -- Yep, his first attack is one of those few he requires his head for. It's not the handiest, though. It takes a bit more time than it should for him to roll his jack-o-lantern down to his hand, and it only does 3% and "flinchback" (flinching knockback). However, as you are about to see, it does have some use.
Tap A --- A Trick --- When the pumpkin is in his hand, The Horseman begins to channel his fury and malice into it, causing it to burn brightly for as long as you tap. It seemlingly sucks the foe in with its multiple, fiery hits, and so can rack up a decent bit of damage before they DI out of it.
Notes --- The second part of the combo comes out in a split second, and the jack-o-lantern really does burn A LOT. Even more than with his Neutral B. Each hit may only do 1%, but it's fairly easy, especially against larger character, to keep them in close long enough to rack up 5-10% with this. This is a big reason FOR keeping the pumpkin on your head, and will make them recoil warily every time The Horseman lowers his arm.
Dash Attack --- Play of Light --- In a new breed of dash attacks - ones that make the character stop dead in his tracks instantly - The Horseman instantly cuts off his forward momentum and, extending his hand, with fungers curled into a claw, he causes three or four will-o-wisps to gambol about just before it. They fly around in little circles, close together, for about a second before fading.
Notes --- This comes out quite suddenly, and stops all momentum - sort of a horizontal Lucario Down Aerial. It may have speed, but there is only one hit and poor knockback - too much to follow up easily, too little to do any kind of damage. Speaking of damage, this one does 6%. Okay as a way of mixing up your approaches between item tosses.
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Forward Tilt --- String of Slashes --- The Horseman suddenly draws the long, elegant sword at his waist, and extends it to its full range. This first strike just causes the foe to flinch and deals small damage. However, pressing forward tilt once again will cause The Horseman to flick his wrist upwards, bringing his sword to a diagonal angle above him. Now, THIS strike is quite powerful, and shoots foes upwards. These two have quite a bit of starting lag, but the pay-off is quite decent.
Notes --- It takes almost a second for the Horseman to draw his blade, and a bit less for him to sheathe it. The strikes themselves are almost instantaneous, and can be stringed beautifully. The first shot does 4%, but the second does 7% with enough knockback to KO at 150%. The Horseman's swordsmanship is different from most every character in the game currently as he wields his rapier with incredible speed, using movements of his wrist rather than his arm.
Up Tilt --- Half-Man's Breakdance --- This is a unique attack in that it cannot be used unless The Horseman doesn't have his head on his shoulders. If he does, this one will simply have him glaring vaguely above him. However, if he does, he will flip upside down, standing on his head (well, shoulders), and will do a single breakdance-style spin, kicking foes above him with outstretched legs and multiple hit that resemble the Master Hand's drill attack in that they suck foes in.
Notes --- This one takes a moment to use and is only conditionally useful anyway, but there are about ten hits, each doing 1%, and it's pretty easy to land them all. The hitbox is sadly quite small here, though, making it easy for foes to poke you while you're off your guard with long-reaching attacks. The final hit has minimal upwards knockback while The Horseman takes a bit less than a second to get back on hit feet.
Down Tilt --- Candle-Lit Eruption --- A very quickly executed move. In a split second, the ground around his feet erupts in a gout of flame that goes up to about the level of his head before fading. This is a very short, but very sudden attack.
Notes --- Despite its extraordinary speed and incredible hitbox, this is a pitifully weak attack, as candle flames are weak and cool. It only does 4%, with horizontal knockback that's essentially impossible to follow up on - although maybe with your head, you could. Best used when you need some breathing room.
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SMASHES
Forward Smash --- Spirit's Ire --- The Horseman leans backwards, arching his back and thrusting out his chest. Some sort of white, transparent, ghostly matter emerges from it, and, as it moves forward, it becomes clear that it's a ghostly image of a frowning, mournful-looking man. This man extends himself forward, everything below his midsection still not having emerged from The Horseman, and brandishes a rapier with a single downward swing. Disjointed hitbox here in every sense of the word. He then vanishes back into his host.
Notes -- The spirit of The Horseman's mortal self takes a long moment to emerge and strike forward, but its single swing is quite powerful, doing 19% and having some nice knockback. This attack has an interesting property, aside from the way in which it comes out - when the spirit pulls back, if it made contact with the foe, all of your physical attack for the next ten seconds have bolstered range, as the attack have a ghostly afterimage that extends ever so slightly farther. However, for those ten seconds, you can't use Spirit's Ire. This is extraordinarily useful, obviously, adding to The Horseman's already nice range, but is pretty hard to pull off, as he needs a solid hit, and this is a slooow smash.
Still, try to pull it off whenever you have a good opening, as the added range can really help to keep the foe at bay when you need to pull off that vital KO.
Up Smash --- Ghost Pressure Discharge --- This attack has two different outcomes depending on whether your jack-o-lantern is on your shoulders or not. If it is, this is an extremely simple attack. There is about half a second's pause as The Horseman stiffens, and then his head pops off of his shoulder as if it were thrown from a Smash attack, flying straight up. Quickly executed, does as much damage as if you'd thrown it - 10% - and the same knockback.
If he doesn't have it, after the same amount of start-up, a large, ghostly hand reaches out of the hole that his head should rest on, travelling up about the length of a Bowser, outstretched and clawed. This hand deals damage on contact, about 12%, with fairly small knockback that depends on the angle the foe was hit at. It fades after about a second of reaching up and out.
Notes --- The first is extremely useful, even if it doesn't do much damage. If the foe is above you, it's exceptionally easy to use it, hit them with your head, then jump it and grab it in midair, chucking it at the foe yet again once you hit the ground. Very handy indeed, and nice and sudden..
The second variant isn't all that great. It lasts quite long and still has good range, but it's easy to strike the guy from the sides as he uses hit, for those very reasons. It's still very sudden, though, and hard to predict, so it's not totally without uses.
Down Smash --- Shadow and Flame --- The Horseman summons to his aid the two elements that he has at his disposal. Turning to face the screen, a wicked grin upon his head (wherever it may be), he extends one hand to either side (near his feet). He doesn't duck while doing so, like, say, Lucario does. Instantly, a ball of fire appears in the palm of one hand, and a vortex of darkness appears in the other. These stay out, swirling and blazing, for one second, before fading with very little cool-down lag.
Notes --- This attack comes out fast, but should only be used when the foe is near - it has little range. It does have good priority, though. The fireball - which always appears on the right side - has the usual properties of fire attacks; good knockback, good damage (16%), and blazing effects. It shoots foes almost directly parallel to the ground.
The vortex, though, well, that's a different story. It sucks foes nearby towards it, and then dishes out multiple hits against them as the flinch repeatedly. Each hit does only 1%, but there's a grand total of fifteen of them. It's hard to break out of it once you've been ensnared. The final hit trips the foe and knocks them to the ground; can't ever KO, obviously, but a nice way to get a foe who thinks he's going to an unbreakable approach.
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AERIALS
Neutral Aerial --- Ring of Rising Moon --- As The Horseman pulls in all his limbs, an unbreaking ring of white energy forms around him, swirling a few times before fading away. This makes a hitbox that's more or less impossible to outprioritize, but is very weak. However, if The Horseman has his head, it gets caught up in the swirling energy and swirls along with it. If a foe gets hit by THAT, the effect is much greater. At the end, the head is deposited right back on his head.
Notes --- Without your head, this attack does a mere 4% and a set amount of knockback - good thing, too, because it comes out so quickly. With it, though, and only if you aim just so that the head, which spins along with the energy, comes into contact with the foe, this does some impressive knockback and about 13% damage. This is definitely a big plus to keeping your head with you.
Forward Aerial --- Claw of the Devil --- In one of The Horseman's few literal melee attacks, he pulls his right hand back, curling his fingers slightly into a claw, his left hand slightly extended. In a quick, sudden move after this wind-up, he tosses his whole body forward, becoming nearly parallel with the ground, and drives the clawed hand forward. It has a cutting sound effect upon contact, and is actually quite powerful with unique knockback.
Notes --- What knockback might this be? Well, with this attack, upon contact with the claw, the foe is actually knocked away
backwards, that is to say, behind you. Apparently The Horseman imbues even his simplest attacks with his sinister touch. This does less damage than most of his moves - 8% - but has quite decent knockback. This is best used when the foe flies out to edgeguard you; time its wind-lag properly and they'll be in for a nasty surprise.
Back Aerial --- Penumbra Mount --- A strange attack. The Horseman does not, in fact, move at all; however, a shadow that appears to resemble a ghostly horse appears beneath him. It is NOT a hitbox or even an extension of The Horseman, except when it strikes. Which it does quite quickly, almost immediately after materializing. It strikes out backward, kicking with its two hind hooves. Decent range here.
Notes --- A rather simple attack. Note that this one can in fact be bolstered by the Spirit's Ire range boost, even though it's your ghost horse that strikes. And strike he does, for 12% and disappointingly little knockback. Combined with the wind-up and wind-down as it vanishes, this is not the greatest of attacks, and well worth skipping in most situations.
Up Aerial --- Hollow Blade --- Three-swing attack. The first is as he draws his blade, yanking it out of its sheath and jabbing it straight up into the air. Second strike happens automatically after that; he essentially sharply shakes his wrist, as though he were cracking a whip, and strikes in the whole area above him, a fairly wide radius. The third strike, you must tap A for, and quickly, as the first two take less than a second. This one sees two ghostly hands reach out of the sides of The Horseman's arm, each brandishing a ghostly imitation of his own sword. This results in a three-pronged attack. All three of these take about a second to pull out; one of his best damage-racking attacks.
Notes --- This attack is extremely quick. The first strike has beautiful range, sweetspotting on the needle-sharp edge of the rapier for 7%. Anywhere else, it's 4%. Whatever the case, the foe doesn't have time to be knocked back, as the second strike comes out. This one covers a better radius, catching foes who airdodged, and does 5% no matter where it hit. This one has very little knockback even if you don't use #3. The optional third hit has excellent range, coming out at three separate angles. Again, the tip of any of the sword sweetspots for 7%. This has horizontal knockback, but not too much.
So, at best, this attack racks up 19%! Obviously, that's extremely hard to pull off, and only possible against hardly damage fastfallers, but still, some interesting potential here.
Down Aerial --- Deliverance --- This is a devastating attack, but you have to pay for it. First, it only works while he has his jack-o-lantern. In about one second, The Headless Horseman removes it from his shoulders and tosses it in the air in front of him. While it's beginning its descent, he raises his right leg as high as it could go, his toe almost touching his forehead (or where it would be), then bringsit downwards, kicking his head down with his heel. It goes hurtling at an impressive speed straight down. If it strikes a foe, it loses all momentum and bounces off of them, while they are spiked quite handily. However, since The Horseman is suspended in the air while doing this, he has no hope of recovering his head before it falls to the abyss - if you used it to spike a foe, that is.
Notes --- So what we have here is a spike that costs The Horseman his head if used without some sort of ground beneath him (and his foe). It takes some time to start up, but it has more or less unlimited range (on a certain trajectory) and is quite effective. Not the most effective of spikes, doing 9% and only really working at 50%+, but still effective. Losing your head is a HUGE setback, though; so many attacks rely on it in some way. Will you take the risk? Do you dare? Is it worth it? Ask yourself these questions before employing Deliverance.
And remember, you CANNOT use this attack without your head.
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GRAB & THROWS
Grab --- A rather simple one. No jack-o-lantern shenanigans here. Okay range; he has longer limbs than most of the cast. The Horseman grasps his prey by the throat, heaving them into the air as they flail about futilely.
Forward Throw --- Executioner's Duty --- The Horseman releases his foe, causing them to collapse in a heap. He then heaves an axe that seems to materialize in his hands AFTER he begins the swing, in a downward arc that end in the foe. They go flying forward.
Notes --- This has the best knockback of all The Horseman's throws, but not as much as you might think from the description. It can KO Mario at 100%, but only if they're on the very edge of the stage. It does about 9%. Useful if they're at high percents and you need a KO fast.
Back Throw --- Whiplash Combo --- In a single fluid motion, The Horseman backhands the foe, sending them slightly into the air. He then slips right under them, draws his sword, and swings it sharply and briefly, like a whip, against the foe neck as they fall. A damaging and awesome-looking throw, but with little knockback.
Notes --- This does 10%. It has wind-down lag as he sheathes his rapier. The knockback is rather pathetic, though. There's really not that much more to say about this throw.
Up Throw --- Void Tear --- The Horseman, still gripping his foe with one hand, causes a small black vortex to materialize in his other hand. He then clenches it into the foe stomach, causing them to bob along around it. With them held in by the vortex, he lets go, but lifts the hand that's holding them in place, lifting them with it. When it's directly above him, he pushes out, forcing both the foe and the void sucking them in to fly straight up for a certain distance before going into free-fall.
Notes -- Despite how complicated it may sound, this is quite simplistic. It does a tidy 8%, and doesn't really have exceptional upwards knockback, but the foe cannot move or do much of anything untl the vortex releases them, at the top of its arc. This isn't too long, so 95% of the time, you won't be able to punish them for it, but it has some applications in team battles.
Down Throw --- Gnashing Tooth and Hungry Fang --- While The Horseman is still gripping his foe by the neck, his head jumps off of his neck, and begins to gnaw at the foe's head furiously. He quickly drops them, whereupon the head chews them a bit longer before jumping off and landing at The Horseman's feet. The foe is knocked a short ways away.
Notes --- This throw CANNOT be used unless you have the head. The pay-off for that is a neat 13% damage and a way to separate yourself and your head while conveniently also dishing out damage. The foe can't really be punished after this throw, but you can quickly pick up your jack-o-lantern, ready to toss at a moment's notice. Or even just place it back on your head.
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FINAL SMASH
Final Smash --- All Hallow's Eve --- The Horseman cackles, a deep, rough sound that chills hearts and stops blood; the Smash Ball is his. When he activates it, the screen grows darker, as if it has gone to night. Will-o-wisps suddenly cover the screen, glowing serenely, a part of the foreground and background. Most importantly, fresh pumpkins sprout all over the screen. The number of these depends on the surface area of the stage; Final Destination would have four, Battlefield, five. Hyrule Temple would have an astonishing fifteen. And so on.
The Horseman can do with these pumpkins anything that he could do with his own head, which is different only in that it is carved. Disregarding that, he can pick them up, put them onto his head, use them for his Up Smash or A Combo, press B to light them all on fire, or summon them with Down B. If he does the last, the closest one will be the one that comes to him. These pumpkins can be picked up by anyone, but just as with his own, they can't be thrown at him. They can be thrown off of the stage, though.
Whether they are or not, they all vanish into thin air after thirty seconds. The lights fade and the night recedes, leaving the horrors of the night as nothing more than a memory.
Notes --- So you have thirty seconds with several pumpkins instead of one. Now, the obvious thing to do here is to spam B. On most stages, there won't be much room between the pumpkins to move around. Lighting them all on fire at once should send multiple foes bouncing around a bit, racking up the damage, and it's so easy to scoop one up, use it again to power it up, and then chuck it for the KO.
However, it gets more complicated in one on one, where a foe can tactically throw them off one by one. There, you'll have to subject the foe to a barrage of thrown pumpkins, Forward B assaults, burning pumpkins, full-power attacks (think Neutral Aerial or Down Aerial), and flying pumpkins. The sky's really the limit with the clever things you can do here. Keep one pumpkin on your head at all times, I suggest, while you throw the others around willy-nilly.
This is not overpowered despite its long duration because The Horseman can be hit throughout. He's not invincible or anything; he's just got more resources to tap into, making him stronger. In fact, despite all the potential, this Final Smash is probably on the lower side of the power spectrum, fitting in with DK's and Mario's as one that you have to be quite skilled to make the most of.
(((PLAYSTYLE)))
When you consider The Horseman's playstyle, you hae to remember that it should be looked at in a way pretty much different from anyone else's. His regular attacks ARE important, but not as important as usual, because so much of his attacks will be thrown items. His Specials - especially the Down Special - are going to be much more important.
Anyway, you want to keep the foe on their toes. You have close range power, long range power, and everything in between; however, you need your jack-o-lantern to have any given one of those. If the foe stops a throw or catches your pumpkin out of the air, they can easily break up your attack and close in, and you're missing half of your best melee attacks. You want to be cautious, but not so cautious that the foe can find their own openings to attack. You want to seemlessly combine the two styles - having your head or throwing it - by employing Down Special constantly.
Protect your head at all costs. Perhaps even more than Popo and Nana, if you lose it, your hopes of winning will fall dramatically. Many attacks will become weaker or won't function at all.
The Horseman has a sketchy recovery. He can go far, but the wind-up is risky. You're going to have to keep both feet on the stages. Combined with the constant risk of losing your head accidentally, and The Horseman certainly prefers the middle of the stage as his prime fighting grounds.
Plant yourself, keep up steady pressure, be careful, and guard your head. These truths are at the heart of mastering The Headless Horseman.
(((EXTRAS)))
TAUNTS AND POSES
Up Taunt --- The Horseman draws his sword and swings it about twice in the air above him, a dark grimace on his face. Murder is to follow, all know.
Forward Taunt --- "Your head will adorn my belt," The Horseman growls. A slooow taunt, he doesn't talk quickly in the least. And therefore can't be spammed like, say, "You're to sloo-oow!"
Down Taunt --- The Horseman does a salute, remembering his days as a soldier. It's obviously quite a mocking salute, as he has no real head to put his hand to. A commentary on the blindness of soldiers and of the cruelty of those who lead them. Or something.
Victory Pose #1 --- The Horseman is sitting on the ground, his head beside him, and surrounded by other carved jack-o-lanterns. As he carves out yet another one and places it beside him, they all cackle and grin simultaneously.
Victory Pose #2 --- The Horseman holds his head under his arm as he faces the screen, still as stone. There is an almost plaintive look on his face, as if he wants to be released from his hellish existences, and is disappointed that no foe can accomplish this.
Victory Pose #3 --- The Horseman clenches his fists, causing heat waves to radiate from them, and turns his head completely around so that it faces the losers. We can only guess at what kind of murderous expression he's showing them.
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ALTERNATE COSTUMES
Dark Costume --- As shown in the below picture. Completely black get-up. Very sinister. This is his default costume, as the opening picture doesn't exactly have colour details.
Red Team --- The Horseman's cape is completely red. This is the only real visual change. Let's not go overboard unnecessarily.
Blue Team --- The cape becomes blue, and most of his clothes take on some darker shade of it as well. Looks ethereal and misty, like something not quite of this world.
Green Team --- Jack-o-lantern takes a greenish tinge, as does his cape and parts of his clothes. See below.
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SNAKE'S CODEC
Snake: Colonel. Am I seeing things or is this guy really throwing his head at me?
Colonel: Your eyes work fine, Snake. Your foe is The Headless Horseman.
Snake: What a creative name.
Colonel: Focus, Snake. You won't be able to outrange him unless you can somehow get that pumpkin away from him.
Snake: Sure thing. Give me a few minutes, and I'll be eating a nice, steaming pumpkin pie.
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MISC
Entrance --- The Horseman comes in from the background on a mighty, dark stallion, holding his head high in the air. He leaps sideways off of it as it vanishes seemingly into thin air.
Wiimote Sound --- A high-pitched, maniacal cackle.
Kirby Hat --- Kirby quite simply becomes a walking pumpkin. He still has little feet and hands, but he's orange all over, and his eyes and mouth become carved like those of a jack-o-lantern. Pressing B causes him to light on fire for two seconds, rather like in The Horseman's Neutral B.
Symbol --- The jack-o-lantern of the Halloween series:
Victory Theme --- I'm stealing from the 1931 Dracula.
The segment from 0:04 to 0:14, remixed, of course, is The Horseman's victory theme.
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FEAR THAT WHICH WALKS IN THE NIGHT...
