Considering this current version (3.02), where M2, Sonic, Lucas, and Pit dominate the meta game, how viable do you think Ness is? In your opinion, what could make him more viable and what are his glaring weaknesses that you think prevent him from being viable?
In my opinion, Ness is a top 20 character, but no where above that. He has one option in neutral in PK Fire, which isn't even that good, and his second best option in spaced fairs is slow and easily baitable. Ness has a great combo game, but it is very DI dependent and because his dair hitbox is so small (compared to someone like Samus), he doesn't have great platform follow ups. You usually need to make a read to continue a combo. His recovery is one of the worst in the game. Sure, it goes a great distance, but it is extremely easy to edge guard as the end of it has very low priority and most character's aerials will beat it. For example, if Lucas hits you below the stage, consider yourself dead, his bair straight up destroys PKT2, same with Diddy's fair, Wario's bair, and any character with disjoint.
Of course, that isn't to say that Ness doesn't have some great tools. If you do catch your opponent with PKF, you can do three DJC dairs before the fire is gone, if you read their DI, you can combo until extremely high percents, and put your opponent off stage, where Ness has some of his best tools (PK Flash, Rising aerials, magnet, etc.) Also, he has some great grab follow ups, but has one the shortest grab ranges in the game.
I just honestly think that Ness' lack of options in the neutral limit his ability to be a top character. I have reason to believe that PK Fire will still activate on shield in 3.5, and that instead, the hits will be further apart, but this doesn't remedy the fact that he has to rely so much on one option in the neutral.
What are your thoughts?
In my opinion, Ness is a top 20 character, but no where above that. He has one option in neutral in PK Fire, which isn't even that good, and his second best option in spaced fairs is slow and easily baitable. Ness has a great combo game, but it is very DI dependent and because his dair hitbox is so small (compared to someone like Samus), he doesn't have great platform follow ups. You usually need to make a read to continue a combo. His recovery is one of the worst in the game. Sure, it goes a great distance, but it is extremely easy to edge guard as the end of it has very low priority and most character's aerials will beat it. For example, if Lucas hits you below the stage, consider yourself dead, his bair straight up destroys PKT2, same with Diddy's fair, Wario's bair, and any character with disjoint.
Of course, that isn't to say that Ness doesn't have some great tools. If you do catch your opponent with PKF, you can do three DJC dairs before the fire is gone, if you read their DI, you can combo until extremely high percents, and put your opponent off stage, where Ness has some of his best tools (PK Flash, Rising aerials, magnet, etc.) Also, he has some great grab follow ups, but has one the shortest grab ranges in the game.
I just honestly think that Ness' lack of options in the neutral limit his ability to be a top character. I have reason to believe that PK Fire will still activate on shield in 3.5, and that instead, the hits will be further apart, but this doesn't remedy the fact that he has to rely so much on one option in the neutral.
What are your thoughts?