Bowser Jr. would play nothing like Bowser at all. Wario is essentially a fatter, larger Mario (in most regards), but plays entirely differently.
Bowser Jr. needs only AT status. Look at the Mario characters. The four (six including Wario and Yoshi) are classics, and have been around for ages. There's only one character not on the roster who is more than deserving.
Toad. He's as classic as Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser are, and much more important than Yoshi and Wario (let alone Bowser Jr, who has only risen to fame in recent years). Don't counter this with, "then Peach wouldn't have a counter!" because that's the biggest load of honkeytrash I've ever heard. Characters' moves have changed over the course of Smash Bros - including MARIO. Peach can ditch the Toad move so that he can be a character.
Look at it from Sakurai's point of view:
Geno is at the top of the polls, but his popularity is declined a lot. If he decides the roster before making the polls, he'll put in Geno first, unfortunately. Although Square might get selfish, and Geno might get a separate icon.
And another thing to point out: when Waluigi was announced as an AT, Sakurai apologized to those who wanted him playable. Do you think/fear that he will assume Waluigi is the next most popular Mario character and add him instead?
And OF COURSE Jr. would play nothing like Bowser. He has an awesome paintbrush to add a new goopy element to Smash, while using tricky moves. I said the same thing about Toon Link before Brawl was released, though, and I'm saying, that Bowser Jr. makes a great choice because of his original moveset potential, BUT he's also easy to clone.
About Toad: NO! He is classic, but since when has he been important? SMB2 and Wario's Woods. That's like putting in Daisy because she's been around a long time and still makes appearances. Would you honestly sacrifice a paintbrush original moveset from actual games for an uncreative one from spin-offs? Toad would actually suit the AT position better, as it fills his personality perfectly (a small, but powerful helper).
Yes, Toad could be easily replaced, though. Toadsworth would be funny to see countering foes!
Captain Rainbow seems just like Olimar in the case that it came right after the current Smash and could've made a great character. If he becomes more popular over the years, I'd fully expect him in as the current series rep.
***
>~~BACKGROUND~~<
Kaptain Skurvy is a recurring antagonist on the Donkey Kong Country animated series. He is the plunderous pirate captain of his own crew of three. He often invades Kongo Bongo Island with his two best mates, Kutlass and Green Kroc (and occasionally his pet parrot, Polly Roger), in search of the mystical Crystal Coconut. Skurvy's great-great-great-grandpappy discovered the Coconut and hid it on Kongo Bongo Island, leading Skurvy to believe that the Coconut is his birthright. However, the idol it was contained in shed the coconut like a tear, leaving it on the ground, where it was later found by Donkey Kong. Sailing the seas on his massive galleon, Skurvy will stop at nothing to reclaim his prize from those stupid apes, even allowing an amnesia-struck DK to join his crew temporarily as his first mate. His weapon of choice is his prized hand cannon. Over the series, Skurvy has been established as a rival for K.Rool as well as Donkey Kong, seeing as how they are all after the Cystal Coconut at the same time. Although he is a black-hearted pirate, he provides a decent amount of comic relief and musical talent while still being a badass.
>~~STATS~~<
Power: 8.5/10
Skurvy is among the most powerful characters in the game. He's not on par with the likes of Bowser or Ganondorf, being more on the level of Dedede. However, he still outclasses that landlubber Donkey Kong, making Skurvy a force to be reckoned with.
Walking Speed: 3/10
Skurvy is clearly in no hurry here. Why should he be?
Dashing Speed: 6/10
Surprisingly not awful, Skurvy is fairly speedy when he needs to be, although still not that great.
Weight: 8.5/10
Skurvy is definitely a heavyweight, weighing in at around the weight of Dedede due to his rather large girth.
Range: 7/10
Skurvy is a heavyweight who actually *gasp* has means of attacking from a distance, save Dedede. At close range, however, he lacks a good deal of the penguin king's skill.
Projectile Distance: 7/10
Skurvy's projectile has a nice range to it, so he can use it to edgeguard quite handily. However, it is not spammable by any means...
Size: 9.5/10
Skurvy is not the tallest of Kremlings, but still is about Ganondorf's height due to his pirate hat. Plus, his pirate belly makes him about as wide as Bowser or Dedede, making him a prime target for chaingrabs and speedy attacks.
Attack Speed: 4.5/10
Skurvy's attack speed is...not horrible? His attacks are, of course, not that fast, having below average speed, but they can still be used fairly regularly. His KO moves are still slow as molasses, without a doubt, though...
Priority: 8.5/10
Well, he's a heavyweight. When he gets his moves to connect, they're supposed to cut through most everything else.
First Jump: 3/10
A poor first jump. Skurvy is hindered a great deal here, thanks to his awkward boots.
Second Jump: 5.5/10
This jump has a slight improvement here, as Skurvy gives his all to get back to the stage.
Aerial DI: 3.5/10
Skurvy has difficultly moving while airborne due to his massive size. He can move well initially, but slows down a lot after that.
Fall Speed: 7/10
Like the other heavyweights, Skurvy has a rather speedy fall speed.
Recovery: 4.5/10
While Skurvy's recovery can allow him to travel a great distance, he is quite vulnerable to gimping due to its awkward movement.
Crouch: 2/10
Probably one of the worst crouches in the game. It can't effectively dodge anything.
Traction: 3/10
Another low point for Skurvy. He tends to slide a lot, due to his slippery sea boots.
Comboability: 4/10
Skurvy can throw together a few combos better than most of the other heavyweights. That's still not saying that much, though, as Skurvy is better suited setting up foes for a KO with one powerful move, or gimping them with a projectile.
Wall Jump: No
Wall Cling: No
Crawling: No
Gliding: No
Tether Recovery: Yes
>~~ANIMATIONS~~<
Standard Pose:
Skurvy stands at full height, peering around his new surroundings with an evil gleam, one hand on his hand cannon in his belt, the other clenched in a fist at his side. Occasionally, he'll give a piratey "arr!" to keep his foes intimidated.
Idle Pose
Skurvy looks side to side to make sure no one's watching, then begins to do a few dance moves to himself in a bored manner, kicking his booted feet out to the side a few times with his hands in the air. After a few seconds, he'll smile stupidly and stop.
Walking:
Skurvy grins toothily and pumps his arms loosely at his side as he slowly moves forward.
Running:
Skurvy bends over slightly and pumps his arms harder as he picks up his pace.
Dashing:
Skurvy really puts his back into it here, bending over even more, holding his hat to his head with one arm and pumping the other rapidly.
Jump #1:
Skurvy raises his arms above his head as he bounds upwards, a bit like K.Rool's jump in his DKC Boss Fight.
Jump #2:
Skurvy holds his arms out to his sides as he spins around once to propel himself further into the air, a bit like Wario.
Crouching:
Skurvy bends over and covers his head like the Mario Bros. However, due to having a much bigger belly than Mario or Luigi, he doesn't get down as far, making this a fairly useless crouch.
Ledge-Hanging:
Skurvy hangs with one arm, to show off his strength, his other arm holding his cannon in his belt.
Swimming:
Skurvy does a sort of breaststroke to paddle forward, kicking awkwardly with his boots. His swimming speed is fairly slow, and he can't stay up for long. Pirates who fall overboard are supposed to go down with dignity.
Forward Roll:
Skurvy slides forward along the ground like Dedede, not wanting to waste energy with fancy acrobatic rolling.
Backward Roll:
Skurvy simply does a small short-hop backwards to put some space in between him and his foes.
Spot Dodge:
Skurvy's eyes widen slightly and his mouth opens as he throws up his arms, jumping into the background for a brief period, before jumping back into the fray.
Air Dodge:
Skurvy spreads out his arms and legs in midair, in a sort of jumping jack formation, before lowering his limbs again.
Shield:
Skurvy holds up a defensive blocking position with his hands in front of him, as a standard shield forms.
Tripped:
Skurvy falls on his arse, rubbing where he fell on his tail angrily if you leave him down.
Dizzy:
Skurvy staggers around drunkenly, spinning in circles and trying to stay on his feet. He tries to hold his hat to his head, but he ends up just flailing his arms around stupidly, unable to do so. Occasionally, he'll mutter dizzily, "Steady as she goes, now!"
Sleeping:
Skurvy sleeps on his back, snoring loudly. Nothing special here, except that sometimes, he'll make contented piratey noises. Sounds like he's having a successful raid in dreamland...
***
>~~MOVESET~~<
>~~SPECIALS~~<
Neutral Special - Hand Kannon
Using Skurvy's weapon of choice here is all but mandatory. For this move, Skurvy pulls his hand cannon from his belt to fire a projectile at foes. However, what the projectile is can vary. By tapping the button once, there is an 85% chance that Skurvy will fire a disjointed cannonball the size of a Smart Bomb. He fires these with about half a second of lag on both ends. The cannonball has above average priority, and flies for about half of Final Destination before disappearing in a cloud of gunpowder.
The cannonball deals below average knockback and 5-8% to whoever it hits. If a foe outprioritizes it, the cannonball will vanish early. It travels at about the speed of Wolf's laser until it reaches maximum range. Skurvy can move forward and backwards, and jump once while waiting to fire, allowing for some movement, although it can be difficult to set up. By moving the Control Stick up or down during the startup, Skurvy can angle his shot like several Smashes or Tilts. The distance still stays the same, though, and if the cannonball is aimed down while on the stage and hits the ground, it vanishes early. Properly timed, this can be great for gimping.
Wait...cannonballs appear 85% of the time...what appears for the other 15%?!
It looks like Skurvy's taken a page out of K.Rool's book and gotten an upgrade. He has a low chance of shooting one of three different colored clouds from the Kaptain K.Rool battle in Donkey Kong Country 2. Each of the three different cloud types have a 5% chance of appearing, rounding out the likelihood of each of Skurvy's ammo types to 100%. The three clouds are about 75% the size of Kirby, and are not affected by gravity. They soar out about half the distance of Final Destination (unless they hit a character or obstacle) before vanishing. Clouds fly at a slightly faster speed than Luigi's fireball. When Skurvy fires a cloud, he loses half of the starting and ending lag he has when firing a normal cannonball. Only one cloud can appear every twenty seconds. Although they can't really be planned due to their rarity, clouds can be a great way to surprise foes.
Each cloud type has no different effect on the way it is fired, but it sure does on the way it affects foes. Here are the types:
Light Blue Cloud: These clouds have rather high priority, being able to cut through most attacks, although fire attacks can disperse them in one hit. These beauties deal 15-16% and freeze foes for around the same period of time as a Pitfall buries foes. However, instead of being trapped in an iceblock, foes merely turn blue and freeze right where they are, falling straight down in the air, stopping whatever they are doing. They can button-mash to lessen the time frozen, but any good player will stick around to build damage on the player, putting their good fortune to good use. Foes with more damage are frozen for longer. This is useful onstage, and can be deadly offstage, so be careful to drop below the stage ledge when recovering against an edgeguarding Skurvy; you never know when this might occur.
Light Red Cloud: These clouds have above average priority, but not to the extent of that of the the above cloud. This variety deals 9-11% and slows down the foe hit drastically, as if they were hit by a Timer item. Of course, this makes the foe highly vulnerable to following attacks for the same period of time as a Timer. Unless of course you are Meta Knight. Foes cannot shake off their slow speed, so their best hope is usually to dodge, run, or ledge-stall. Or be risky with quick attacks, although Skurvy can usually outprioritize these, especially with the foe's new lack of speed. Especially devastating for slow characters, and also useful for offstage foes that Skurvy can gimp.
Light Purple Cloud: People who fought Kaptain K.Rool will sure remember these pieces of hell in vapor form. The priority of these is average, lower than that of the other two, which is highly useful for foes trying to flee, although with the element of surprise clouds have as a whole, this is hard to do. Purple clouds deal a lower than usual 4-5%, but they reverse the foe's controls for fifteen seconds. For players who are unaware of this effect, the results can be hilariously devastating, as the player ponders why his character is running off the side of the stage. Although this is not nearly as useful if the player actually knows what he is doing, it can also be used to quickly move away recovering characters who will barely make the edge, as a small gimping tool. This can be quite useful, or only a temporary surprise, depending on your opponent.
These effects come from tapping the B Button. However, when you hold the button for about half a second, Skurvy will load the cannon with a standard wooden barrel. He loads the cannon quickly, but you must hold the button down for half a second in one time period (not interrupted) to load successfully. After the cannon is loaded, Skurvy can walk around freely with the cannon loaded (like DK or Samus' Neutral Specials). If Skurvy's cannon is loaded, he can't load another barrel until the first one is gone (if you try this, Skurvy will look at his cannon and facepalm, for average lag, so don't try this).
When he presses the B Button again with the cannon loaded, he shoots out the barrel, which travels at a slow speed, about that of Ganondorf's dashing speed. The barrel is disjointed, traveling the same distance as a normal cannonball before shattering (unless it hits an obstacle or foe). It has low priority and is the size of Kirby. Skurvy has little startup or ending lag when firing the barrel. If the barrel hits any character (including Skurvy if he runs into it by mistake), it deals 12-13% and a low set knockback. However, possibly the best use of this is to recover. Any character can jump off the barrel to be bounced up the distance of Falco's first jump while the barrel shatters early. Although they can't second jump after this (only Up Special), it can be great if you want to cover extra distance when offstage. However, Skurvy will have to aim carefully when trying to gimp with this, as he doesn't want to help his foes...take care!
Side Special - The Pirate Handbook
Skurvy reaches into his belt for a device of pure torture...the Pirate Handbook? Really? Well, they're actually more like guidelines, but whatever. Taking out the book takes a very short period of time. By pressing the button input, Skurvy takes out the book and starts to read random piratey facts like he does to his mates, such as why pirates bury treasure and the like.
This seems to have no effect at first, but if a foe stands on the ground three Stage Builder blocks away from Skurvy (or closer, with more detail below), he'll start to take 1% per second, being bored to tears from the reading of the handbook. The player can hold the input to keep out the book for as long as he wants, but after three seconds of reading, Skurvy begins to get tired from reading, losing some breath, and begins reading faster, with a shorter range; this time, only two Stage Builder blocks in front of him. Foes at this range take 2% per second, and are stunned for a split second (although a bit longer if they have more damage).
After three more seconds, Skurvy begins sweating as he reads in almost a yell, and loses breath fast. The smaller range here is one block in front of the Kaptain. Foes here fall asleep, and stay asleep for about 1.5 times the time they do for Jigglypuff's Sing (which is utter garbage in Brawl). Putting the book away normally takes a short period of time, but after three seconds, Skurvy will stop and pant for a second afterwards, having a good deal of ending lag. Skurvy can move around while speaking, similarly to holding a shooting item. He can't attack or dodge, but he can move forward or backward and use one jump, to allow for some versatility while using the move, and to allow for the startup lag to not make the move useless. This is useless in the air, but it can lead to some interesting setups on the ground, and can be used to build damage on foes effected.
As a bonus, if you scroll the camera all the way up to the handbook, you can see a picture of the book's famous author along with the title.
That's right. Foes of Kaptain Skurvy, prepared to be
Krunch-a-tized!
Down Special - The Mirror Never Lies
With low startup and ending lag, Skurvy takes an empty red mirror frame the height of Ganondorf and places it on the ground in front of him, it taking up one Stage Builder block. The frame has 20 HP and can be attacked by any character, including Skurvy. Only one frame can be out at a time.
The frame itself deals absolutely no damage. Then...what the hell is Skurvy using it for? Well, if Skurvy stands within one Stage Builder block of the mirror and uses an attack...nothing happens...unless a foe is standing within one Stage Builder block of the mirror on the other side. In this case, the foe repeats the same move that Skurvy just used on the other side. For example, if Skurvy fires a cannonball with his Neutral Special against Mario, with both characters in range, Mario will shoot a fireball right back. What the...what kind of ****** would do that? The foe must have amnesia!
Skurvy can use a move of his that is quicker than the foe's so as to be able to punish him or her. However, he should never try this if a foe has a quicker attack, or the scale will be reversed and Skurvy will be the one vulnerable in the end. Also, since the frame has only 20 HP, Skurvy must be careful not to use attacks that can hit the mirror, as foes may be close enough to do so as well, and may break the frame, causing the foe to not repeat the attack. Attacking through the center may be the best option, although sometimes taller foes can still hit the attack and not perform any attack. Airborne foes are not affected, and Skurvy can't make the foe repeat aerials if they are on the stage and he is airborne.
All in all, this is a nice move to have if you can set it up properly. The move is useless in the air, but Skurvy can still drop the frame straight down below him while airborne. In that case, it spikes the foe lightly and deals 6-7%.
A video of the move's origins can be seen
here.
Up Special - Hot-Air Balloon
Remember those levels from Donkey Kong Country 2 where you had to use hot-air balloons to traverse safely over large pools of lava? Well, here, Skurvy puts a balloon to use as a recovery. When the button's input is pressed, one of these balloons appear under Skurvy. Skurvy's balloon is black, unlike the blue ones
seen here, and has a Kremling pirate skull and crossbones on it like the one on his hat. Skurvy's balloon is almost the size of Bowser, and has the space on top of one Stage Builder block. Skurvy is not confined to the balloon during recovery; he merely stands on top of it, although he cannot walk off it. Walking to the edge of the balloon in either direction causes the balloon to slowly float in that direction, at the speed of Ganondorf's walk.
The balloon has no priority; any attack will rupture it and make Skurvy helpless, and only one balloon can be used per recovery. However, Skurvy can jump off the balloon in one jump (no midair jump here) to catch the edge, as the balloon gives him no vertical gain (it is extremely manuverable horizontally, however). Skurvy can also perform attacks while on the balloon, giving him a reasonable defense against edgeguarders (his own attacks can break the balloon as well, however, so don't do anything like Down Smash or D-Air).
If Skurvy jumps off the balloon, it vanishes in a cloud of smoke. The balloon itself deals no damage, but foes beneath it are blown downwards slightly, making it dangerous for them to get below it offstage. If the balloon touches the ground at any time, it also vanishes. This provides Skurvy with a decent, but not reliable, recovery. It can be edgeguarded easily by projectile users, and even blocked by characters who can position themselves properly in order to break the balloon. However, it still makes Skurvy's air game a lot better than it would be without it, so don't neglect this move.
>~~BASIC ATTACKS~~<
Basic Combo - Scurvy Toothache
Skurvy bends down slightly and opens his mouth wide, showing a mouthful of pearly whites (with one large tooth notably pointing out). He holds this pose for about .75 second before chomping down hard, after which he lets out a loud 'ow!' and holds his jaw for another split second. This deals great knockback and 13-14% due to having a mouthful of teeth. It also has high priority and fair range. However, the attack speed just kills it. The startup and ending lag are both awful, so why is this a viable move at all? What are you smoking, Kupa!? You can't give characters attacks with such a long startup time!
Never fear, if you somehow pull off this move twice (whether or not it hits a foe) without being punished, Skurvy's hurt tooth will fall out, making it painless for him to chomp anymore. After this, Skurvy's chomp is much quicker, starting and ending. However, the priority, damage and knockback drop, due to him losing teeth and not being able to dig into the foe as well with less chompers. This isn't a problem though, as this is a sacrifice you'll be willing to make.
One chomp after this has above average priority and deals above average knockback, with 9-10%. Another chomp will yield decent priority, with fair knockback and 7-8%. One more chomp will have average priority, do average knockback, and deal 5% to foes, in Skurvy's insatiable urge to get a fix of flesh. The starting and ending times are halved each time this happens after Skurvy loses the tooth. Getting down to the last chomp is not a problem, as it is similar to Ganondorf's electric punch jab, which is quite viable for use. However, if left unused for fifteen seconds, the hurt tooth will start to grow back up from the status it is in, making the move slower and more powerful. This repeats every fifteen seconds until the tooth is back to default useless status again. Crocodiles regrow thousands of teeth in their lifetimes, remember? This time resets whenever the move is used again, so be sure to utilize it regularly to keep it as a good attack. You'll probably want it, as it can be a great combo tool of Skurvy's.
Dash Attack - Pure Scum
As Skurvy runs forward, his pirate boots enlarge slightly and turn green with sea scum, leaving behind a trail of green slime on the stage behind him. Tapping this input causes a patch the size of one Stage Builder block, but Skurvy can hold down the input to keep creating a trail of scum behind him, for as long as he wants. Turning around, releasing the input, or stopping Skurvy's dash will end the move. However, the longer Skurvy dashes, the more likely he will trip he is due to the scummy boots. Remember, his traction already sucks, so this is not something you want to risk. Foes who walk over the slime have a 50% chance of tripping and taking 1%. The slime can be cleared by water attacks (Super Mario Sunshine nostalgia, anyone?), but will last for five seconds otherwise. Used limitedly, this is a valuable tool for setting up opponents for stronger attacks. However, used carelessly, it can lead to Skurvy's downfall rather than victory.
>~~TILTS~~<
Forward Tilt - Epic Clash
What's a pirate without his sword? Not a very manly pirate at that. Here, Skurvy takes his cutlass out and does a standard horizontal slash at foes. Nothing special, right? This slash has average priority, with average range, due to the sword being disjointed. The startup and ending lag is below average, making this a simple one-hit attack. The knockback here is between that of Marth's sweetspotted F-Tilt and Ike's F-Tilt, dealing 6-8% to foes. This slash also has a sweetspot effect similar to Marth's attacks.
Well, here's where the move gets interesting. If a foe clashes with it, you can continue pressing the F-Tilt input for Skurvy to do a series of impressive swordfighting slashes, dealing no damage, but being able to negate the priority of any attack if timed correctly. If you have bad timing with this, foes can break through your slashes and hit you for 1.2 times the normal damage of their attack, that is if they try to fight against you with quick attacks, keeping the two of you battling it out in a series of epic moves.
However, if you catch the foe offguard, like when they stop attacking back or use a slow move over your fast timing, you can give them a strong slice with great priority, average range (with a sweetspot for knockback), and a disjointed hitbox. This deals above average knockback and 11-12%. If you are fighting a faster opponent and have a hard time with timing, don't bother using this, as you are just setting yourself up for trouble. However, against a slower opponent, or a human with bad reflexes, take advantage of this to score some damage and maybe even a KO.
Down Tilt - 'X' Marks the Spot
From his awful crouching position, Skurvy performs a slashing attack with both claws at the ground, crossing them apart to slash in an 'X'. The slash has below average priority and range, with average lag on both ends. This attack merely trips foes and deals 6%. Skurvy cannot spam this to trip foes multiple times, making it seemingly useless...
However, after five seconds have passed, a red 'X' appears on the ground where Skurvy slashed, taking up about half of a Stage Builder block. Foes who touch the X take 10% and are buried with a Pitfall effect. Foes can mash the Control Stick to try and escape, but foes with higher damage are held for longer. Skurvy can punish foes caught in the ground, although foes with less damage can escape rather easily, and the lag and positioning makes this move hard to pull off. Try to grab your foe when the X is about to appear, as it doesn't affect Skurvy himself. The X lasts for one second before vanishing. Only one X can be out at a time, meaning that if Skurvy uses this again during the five second wait or while the X is out, the slash is only a slash. Used carefully, this can be helpful to stop approaches, but you can't abuse it by any means.
Up Tilt - Pirate Pipe
Skurvy takes out an old-fashioned seaman's pipe and begins smoking it. What? Smoking's bad for you...but Skurvy is a bloody pirate, so why should he give a ****? Anyways, pressing this move once causes Skurvy to pull out the pipe and stick it in his mouth, with below average startup lag, and puff a small cloud the size of a Smart Bomb upwards the height of Mario. It vanishes at this maximum range, unless it hits a foe first or is attacked. The priority is very low, but the range is decent. Skurvy puts the pipe away after use, with average ending lag. This cloud of smoke deals 6% and low knockback. Not that great, right?
Wrong! If you keep tapping the A Button after Skurvy lets out the first puff, but before he puts the pipe away, he'll continue puffing the pipe, causing one more cloud the size of a Pokeball to rise up the same height (unless it connects or is attacked), with low lag on both ends, before disappearing. These clouds have the same awful priority, and a slightly smaller hitbox, but the same decent range. The knockback here is almost done, meaning Skurvy can keep tapping the A Button to juggle the foe in clouds of smoke. Cool! Each cloud of smoke deals a low 2-3% to foes, but if you connect with the first cloud, you can generally get in several hits with the smaller clouds, unless your foe is floaty or knows how to DI properly. Don't underestimate this move; it can be one of Skurvy's best damage-builders.
>~~SITUATIONALS~~<
Downed Attack - Pieces of Eight
Skurvy hops to his feet with below average startup and ending lag. While he is rising, several gold coins the size of the ones from Coin Battle to fly off on either side of him. Four coins fly out to either side the distance of 3/4 a Stage Builder block, having below average priority. The coins do a small set knockback, and do 1-2% each. This is mainly a multi-hit damage builder, not being super slow, but not having much power at all. If you are playing in a Coin Battle (which no one does anyways), each coin counts for ten Coins to whoever they hit, doing no damage or knockback at all, making this useless unless there are no foes around and Skurvy can snare the coins back for himself.
Flipped Attack - Seadog Stretches
Skurvy slowly gets up on his feet, leaning his arms backwards over his head as he does so, bending over backwards in a stretch with a contented 'Arr!'. This has below average range, average priority, and starts up with below average lag. Foes who hit this part of the stretch take low knockback and 4-5%.
After holding this backwards stretch pose for a brief period, Skurvy leans over forward, stretching his arms out in front of him, while cracks from his back are heard. This second stretch has average range and priority, and comes out fairly speedily. This part has more of a slashing effect than the first stretch, dealing barely below average knockback and 6-7% to foes. After both stretches, Skurvy leans back upright with average ending lag. Foes who are close to Skurvy when he initiates the second stretch receive slightly more knockback due to the motion 'throwing' the foe over his head. This can be tricky to pull off, but it can clear foes from the area directly around Skurvy if timed properly.
Tripped Attack - Krook's Hooks
From Skurvy's tripped position on his arse, two silver pirate hooks appear over his hands, while Skurvy sweeps his arms forward to hurl the hooks forward like boomerangs as he gets to his feet, with below average starting lag. The hooks travel up to 1/3 of Final Destination at the speed of Captain Falcon's dash, both being disjointed and the size of a Smart Bomb. The hooks turn around and return to Skurvy after reaching maximum range, unless they hit a foe or obstacle, which makes them bounce back early. One hook travels right behind the other, so they can do two hits to foes, although the opponent will likely only hit one hook due to its knockback, unless they have low damage.
Each hook deals 7% and below average knockback to foes. They have average priority as well. Skurvy cannot move until the hooks return to him, upon which he stows them in his belt with average cooldown lag. If Skurvy is hit while the hooks are out, they vanish and Skurvy is free to move again. This can be used to stop approaches and edgeguard foes, but it is easily punishable, making it far from spammable. Throwing hooks was the primary form of offense used by Krooks (pictured above) in Donkey Kong Country 2.
Ledge Attack - Land Ho!
As Skurvy climbs onto the ledge, he yells the name of the move as he pulls a brass telescope out of his belt with below average startup lag and holds it to his eye in front of him, the telescope end enlarging to hit away foes from a below average distance away. The telescope has low priority, due to the hitbox being made of glass, but it's a disjointed hitbox because of its extension. The telescope deals 6-7% and below average knockback to foes. Skurvy puts the telescope back in his belt after using it to view the stage, having average ending lag. This can be great for clearing the ground directly in front of Skurvy, but it can be punished, so don't rely on it too much.
Ledge Attack (Over 100%) - Sea Legs
If you stay on a boat for a while, you feel quite disoriented when you come to shore again. Here, Skurvy gets above average lag as he struggles onto the ledge, then stumbles about in place, losing his balance for a split second before regaining his composure with average ending lag. During his stumbling period, he deals three hits to foes; two light ones to hold the foe, then a final one to knock the foe away lightly. Skurvy's feet and frontside are the hitbox here, having below average priority. This has close range, but its decently-sized hitbox makes it bearable to hit with. Each hit deals 3%, for a maximum of 9%. This attack is not overly useful, but it can still deal damage to close range attackers. However, a competent opponent can easily shield-grab Skurvy out of this, making it safest to jump onto the stage from the ledge.
>~~SMASHES~~<
Forward Smash - Cat-O-9-Tails
Skurvy reaches behind his back, holding something unseen, while charging this Smash. Upon release, Skurvy pulls a Cat-O-9-Tails (not a knotted whip, an actual cat with nine tails) out of his arse a la Ganondorf's sword, holding the mewling creature by its neck, and whips its tails forward onto the ground in front of him with a resounding whip-like crack. This has below average startup lag, but almost a second of ending lag, as Skurvy holds the cat out for a period of time before stashing it away behind him again. This move has great priority, with the hitbox on the cat's tails. The range is average, the cat's tails helping a lot in this category. Foes who get hit take 18-25% and above average to great knockback, the cat having a slight sweetspot closer to its body. This is quite punishable, but it is one of Skurvy's best KO moves, so use it to punish foes if you can.
What makes this move interesting is that the cat is a disjointed hitbox. If foes hit the cat while it is out, Skurvy drops the cat, causing it to land on the battlefield and serve as an enemy to anyone it comes into contact with (Skurvy is in for it too, seeing as the cat is not all that fond of being swung around and stashed in Skurvy's arse). The cat is about the size of Diddy, having 20 HP. The cat's basic stance is to sit stupidly in place. However, if anyone gets within a Stage Builder block of it on either side, it rises and begins twirling around in place like a whirling dervish, trapping foes in its tails like a tornado.
The cat's spinning lasts twice as long as Meta Knight's Whorenado, but has half the priority of it. If the cat catches a character, it meows and spins around more quickly, hurling the foe into the air above it for average knockback and 10%. The cat has fair range, and starts and stops the tornado quickly, but once it flings a foe or finishes its spinning, it falls to the ground dizzily, and it unable to attack again for three seconds. Kill it off then to prevent further chaos. Skurvy can use the cat to build damage on foes, but he can be caught as well if he's not careful, so don't rely on this. Also, Skurvy can't use his F-Smash again until the cat is KOed, so take it out to get your KO move back.
Down Smash - Drop the Anchor
While charging, Skurvy takes a heavy metal anchor and holds it above his head, dangling by a chain. Upon release, Skurvy drops the anchor onto the ground in front of him with a clang. The hitbox here is one the head of the anchor, having great priority. The range is quite close, due to Skurvy dropping the anchor in front of him. There is little startup lag as the anchor is dropped, but Skurvy holds the pose for a split second before the anchor vanishes, so this can be punished if the move is whiffed. However, the knockback dealt by the anchor ranges from great to insane with the charge, dealing 23-29% to foes. At full charge, it hits foes horizontally like foes hit with a thrown Star Rod. The best use of this is to punish close-ranged foes who have gone helpless for whatever reason.
What's interesting to note about this move is that Skurvy has invincibility frames while charging, holding up for however long he charges. However, when he releases the move after being hit, Skurvy accidentally drops the anchor on his booted foot with an 'Ow!', taking whatever % of damage that was dealt to him while charging, and hopping around while holding his foot comically for anywhere from .25 second to one and a half second, depending on charge (no knockback, though). Foes can still get hit by the anchor here for the same damage as normal, but Skurvy won't be able to pursue them, and may even become more vulnerable himself. Be cautious when facing aggressive opponents.
Up Smash - Maelstrom
While charging this Smash, Skurvy bends down, peering up wickedly. Upon release, Skurvy goes mad, spinning around crazily in place with his claws outstretched above him, while looking upwards and snapping his jaws at the same time. Well, he's gotta use his Kremling assets to their best potential somewhere, does he not? This Smash starts up very quickly, and has slightly more ending lag than Link's Spin Attack. This attack has average vertical range, as Skurvy holds his claws high above his head while spinning to slash foes. He has average priority on his claws and above average priority on his jaws, which are the hitboxes. Foes can easily hit Skurvy from the side while he's spinning, though, as he only covers the area above him.
The time Skurvy spins ranges from short (R.O.B. Down Smash) to long (1.5 times the time of Link's Up Special), depending on the charge time. Foes barely above the attack range can be hit by a tiny vacuum effect that can pull them into the slashing. Foes hit by Skurvy's claws take multiple hits that can deal from 2-18%, as well as a below average set knockback. Foes in the slashing are slowly pulled down to Skurvy's chomping mouth, which deals above average to great knockback and 16-21%. Foes should DI to try and stay away from his mouth so they can punish Skurvy after he stops spinning. Skurvy can use this attack to cut through aerial platforms to build damage on foes, and maybe even KO them if they have high damage. Just don't get too carried away, or your foes will have a predictable opening to put the hurt on you.
>~~AERIALS~~<
Neutral Air - Wind in the Sails
Skurvy takes out a black pirate jolly roger, emblazoned with the Kremling pirate skull seen on his hat, and lets it ripple in front of him in the wind. The flag is slightly wider and longer than Mario's cape, but since he holds it in front of him, this doesn't really matter, as the move still has close range. Skurvy calls out, "Well blow me down!" as he pulls out the flag, having below average lag pulling it out, but above average lag putting it away into thin air. The flag can hit foes at close range, having average priority and dealing 10-11%, plus average knockback.
However, the lag (especially if Skurvy lands mid-move) and close range of this move makes it hard to abuse, meaning you'll want it more for its second use. A wind effect blows from the flag a distance of 3/4 a Stage Builder block on either side of the flag during the move, having fair horizontal range, but not much at all vertically. Foes hit are blown back as if by Pit's Wings, except a bit stronger. While this is not that great onstage, as the wind has no priority to keep Skurvy save, it can be used offstage to gimp foes who would barely make the ledge. The lag makes it somewhat difficult to time though. Not the best N-Air, but definitely one that can be used in situations to help Skurvy out. The flag itself has the same properties while the wind is blowing, meaning it can clear out a FFA crowd nicely, if necessary.
Forward Air - Grappling Hook
Skurvy takes out a standard pirate grappling hook (the kind used to swing onto ships), holds it back for a second, then casting it forward in front of him. This is a tricky aerial to use; it has about .75 second of startup lag as Skurvy prepares to cast the hook forward, and about .5 second of ending lag as he pulls it back in and puts it in his belt. The lag is even worse if Skurvy lands before the move finishes, him bumbling about with the hook as he pulls it in. The line is made of chain, with a four-ended curved hook on the end, and flies out the distance of 1/3 of Final Destination horizontally (no vertical or diagonal control here), staying out slightly longer than Samus' Grapple Beam. The priority of the chain is next to none, while the hook's priority is above average.
Foes who get hit by the chain take 2-3% and no knockback, just some hitstun, and are free to punish Skurvy as he puts the hook away. However, those unfortunate enough to hit the ends of the hook take 14-15% and great vertical knockback. What?! Well, it's hard enough to get this out, and you need good spacing to hit with the hook, so you can be sure that this will knock them for a loop. Plus, those hooks are sharp, man!
What else that's notable about this move is that it can function as a unique tether recovery. If you catch the edge with the hook (not the chain), Skurvy will pull up and dangle from the edge as usual. The catch? Skurvy's old fashioned hook won't pull him up itself, he's got to do that on his own. To do so, start mashing the A Button like a monkey on crack to slowly pull Skurvy up the ledge. For a normal masher, this might take about five or more seconds, so definitely only use this as a last resort. Do do so otherwise is suicidal, unless your opponent is brain-dead. If you hit him while hanging or button-mashing, Skurvy becomes helpless. Definitely a last resort move if there ever was one. As a normal aerial, it's extremely risky and hard to do as well. Use with care!
Back Air - Corporeal Punishment
Here, Skurvy pulls off his pirate belt, and swings it behind him, buckle first, to give the foe a powerful whuppin'. The belt extends about the range of a Battlefield platform behind Skurvy, coming out rather quickly, and having below average ending lag as Skurvy puts it back on. There are two hitboxes here; the strap and the buckle. The strap has low priority, while the buckle has great priority, being of hard metal. As is expected, foes who are hit by the strap take low knockback, only getting around 3-4%. The foes who hit the buckle end (which is a small portion of the total hitbox, by the way) take 12-13% and good knockback. A pretty useful move, right?
Well, there's an interesting twist here. If a foe comes up behind Skurvy, they're in for major pain, right? Well, if they time a press of the A Button (the way you do to grab items out of midair), they'll snatch the belt right out of Skurvy's claws! If this happens, they'll pocket it, while Skurvy shakes his fist at them and threatens, "Why I oughta...", having above average ending lag in this case. While the foe has the belt in their possession, it replaces their grab as a tether grab, being tossed out and pulled in with the speed of Samus' Grapple Beam, making it less than ideal if you have a fast grab.
However, by pressing up or back while grabbing, you can angle it in those respective directions, rather than just forward, making it somewhat useful. It extends as far as Link's Clawshot, and can also be tossed out as a tether recovery, which can help characters that need better recovery options. Once a foe is grabbed, the character simply holds them in their normal pummel stance, the belt going away. Characters hold onto the belt for 30 seconds before it appears back on Skurvy's waist, him swiftly and laglessly brushing the landlubber's slime off it.
The effect on Skurvy during those 30 seconds is that for every move he needs a prop or weapon for (e.g. all of his Specials, all tilts except D-Tilt, and all other moves that are not strictly physical), he has double the startup lag for, having to go through the effort of pulling them out of his arse (like Ganondorf's sword) rather than reaching into his handy belt. Because other characters can use this to their advantage and make you unable to use some good moves effectively, be sure to use this move unpredictably so you can keep your assets with you safely.
Up Air - "Candles"
Skurvy takes out a present he stole from the Kongo Bongo Festival of Lights day, wrapped in white paper and tied with a red ribbon, and holds it above his head. Through the top of the box comes out a single firework, the size and shape of the ones from Jeff's Assist Trophy. There are three different types of fireworks, each with different properties and trajectories. All fireworks come out with below average startup lag, and Skurvy always has below average ending lag as he puts the box away (although a good deal if he lands while stowing it). This is one of his faster aerials, being decent for juggling, although only one firework can be out at a time, the box exploding on Skurvy laglessly for 5% and no knockback if you try. Be sure to wait for each cracker to vanish before you use another one. Each firework type is listed below.
Yellow Firework: The most common, having a 10 out of 20 chance of appearing. These fly straight up out of the box about the height of Diddy at the speed of Luigi's Fireball before exploding (unless they hit a foe first), having average priority. They deal barely below average vertical knockback and 7-8%. These are fairly run-of-the-mill, being average in their use. They can also be the easiest to get a nice solid hit with at times.
Green Firework: This slightly rarer cracker appears 9 out of 20 times. These little blighters fly out at a slight diagonal angle at the speed of Samus' Missile in front of Skurvy (the distance of Mario before blowing, unless they come into contact with an opponent), and have below average priority. You'll know when you get these, not only because of their trajectory, but because they let out a small sizzling sound when released. Green fireworks can do up to five light hits to foes, each hit dealing 1-2%, for a maximum of 10%. The first four hits trap the foe, although they can DI away, while the last hit deals below average forward knockback. This can combo well, due to holding the foe, but if your opponent is tricky, they can get Skurvy back first, so this is slightly inferior to the yellow crackers. Still, not a bad option to get.
Red Firework: These are rare, if you haven't figured by the stats by now, only appearing 1 out of 20 times. These guys fly out at a diagonal angle behind Skurvy, the distance of Mario before blowing with a loud bang (although none of the fireworks have damaging explosions, they're just special effects; only moving crackers hurt foes). They travel at the speed of Samus' Missile, and have great priority. If a foe is hit by these, they take 16-17% and high vertical knockback, likely being a Star KO for foes with high damage. However, this is quite rare, and here, the box glows red during the startup lag, so the foe can anticipate this and air dodge, while they won't know for the other two crackers. Treat these like a gift, as you'll likely not see these that often.
Down Air - Kaboing!
Skurvy aims his boots toward the ground with an evil grin. Surely he's planning something...whoa! WTF?! Skurvy has spring-loaded boots! One coiling spring, encased in metal, extend from each boot, with low startup lag, as Skurvy leans up briefly (for below average lag), then stomps down hard. As you may have guessed, this is a spike, and a strong one at that, being on par with the spikes of Donkey Kong and Ganondorf's Thunderstomp. It also deals them 15-16%, being damaging, but hard to land.
However, Skurvy bounces off the heads of foes, going up about 3/4 as high as a Super Dedede Jump, meaning this is great as a footstool, or even to pull a fast one on edgeguarders. There is little ending lag, as the springs retract, but the startup lag makes it a bit of a challenge to pull off. The springs have good priority (an Up Smash is the best way to block it from the ground), and extend as far as Thunderstomp. This is a pretty nice spike, but is not insanely abusable, although still viable for competitive use. Its origins come from the spring-loaded peglegs of the Kaboing enemies in Donkey Kong Country 2.
Skurvy holds his arms up comically after be bounces off someone or the ground and rises into the air, coming down normally in the air. That's right, you can jump off the ground too, it taking the same amount of time to do, not lagging additionally unless you do it mid-move instead of right above the ground at the start. Unlike some other movesets' D-Airs, he can't repeatedly jump off foes or the ground for additional height. Why would he need to do that? However, he
can do a nifty little attack while rising. By pressing the A Button while rising (not falling), Skurvy will turn over and do a belly flop onto the stage, crashing down like Dedede and becoming a falling hitbox (he's not a hitbox when springing up alone). Hitting him falling does below average knockback and 5-6%, while being under him when he lands gives you 13-15% and good horizontal knockback.
Skurvy starts the flop with very little lag, and has super armor frames coming down (but not up, him still getting hit out as usual). Getting up from the belly flop takes the same time as Dedede does after landing from his Up Special. Although this isn't helpful after spiking a foe, and if you're a ******, it'll kill you if you press A while bounding back from offstage (Skurvy has no DI when flopping), but in FFAs or on unsuspecting opponents, this is terrific for a double whammy. Ka-pow!
>~~GRAB AND THROWS~~<
Grab - All Mine!
While standing, Skurvy reaches forward with both claws greedily, trying to grab foes in front of him. This grab has barely less range than DK's grab, and comes out quickly, but finishes with moderate lag. If Skurvy grabs a foe like this, he holds them close to him with one claw menacingly. If he misses, however, he stumbles in place briefly before getting back in control. Not the best grab...
However, from a dash, Skurvy doesn't dive. No, he starts dashing forward in a mad attempt to grab your character. This has almost no startup lag, as Skurvy starts dashing at Donkey Kong's dashing speed (which is on par with that of Toon Link, which many people neglect). To stop dashing, press the Z Button to cause Skurvy to skid to a stop with moderate ending lag. If Skurvy runs into a foe while dashing, he'll tackle them to the ground before grabbing them, dealing 5% and no knockback before entering his normal holding stance.
This is not all positive, however, as Skurvy has no priority while dashing, meaning any attack can cause him to slip and fall on his arse for a lot of ending lag, meaning although he can run infinitely (although he can't turn around, or he'll simply trip), you'll want to be careful with how you do it. Also, if Skurvy runs off an edge, he becomes helpless, so try to stay well onstage to prevent any accidents. Although competent foes can avoid this quite easily, it can still be nice to herd foes into traps, or surprise them when they're open.
Grab Attack - Scurvy Breath
Skurvy lets out a hearty evil pirate laugh in the face of his victim, causing a small yellow cloud of bad breath (the size of a Pokeball) to come out of his jaws, dealing 1% to the foe. This is not extremely spammable, but can still build damage at a moderate pace.
If Skurvy is losing the match in second place, however, he'll let out a bigger cloud of breath and laugh louder and harder, having finally 'caught' the foe. These clouds aren't slower than normal, due to Skurvy losing, and do 3% each. This is helpful to try and build the damage necessary to get back on top. These clouds are the size of a Soccer Ball.
And, if Skurvy is in any place less than second in a FFA, he'll let out an even bigger cloud, even more excited to catch his foe, this cloud being Kirby-sized. These clouds aren't slowed down, either, and deal 5% each. Also, these clouds can actually hit foes other than the one being grabbed, having low priority, but still dealing 5% and low knockback. This isn't that useful, though, as any smart foe will punish Skurvy at that close range. If Skurvy moves up to a higher place from here, or to first place from second, the cloud shrinks with him. These are nice temporary bonuses to cushion Skurvy, as sometimes he'll need it.
Forward Throw - Black Spot
Skurvy pulls a black ink pen out of his belt and draws a legendary black spot on the foe before releasing them with an evil laugh. What the hell kind of throw is that? Well, the foe takes no damage from this initially, just taking on a black-gray shade, while the spot can be seen on their arm.
After 10 seconds, though...an unearthly voice echoes over the stage, asking the spotted foe, "
Do you fear death?", after which the spot explodes and the foe takes 30% and insane vertical knockback. The explosion is the size of four Bowsers, covering the victim, and to other foes, has stellar priority and deals the same knockback to them, although the explosion lasts fairly briefly. This is almost definitely a KO if you have more than 60%.
So how the hell do you avoid it? Well, the spot has 30 HP when it is on you, meaning you, as well as any other character (including Skurvy) can attack you to damage the spot, it vanishing after 30% is dealt. Of course, you'll want to try and get it off yourself the same way you'd shake off a Pikmin, by using attacks that cover your body, but foes that hit you can help you here as well. Be sure to make getting the spot off before those ten seconds are up is your first priority when you're marked. If you or your foes get it off, you are safe. If you still have the spot after ten seconds, though, it's down to Davy Jones' Locker with you.
For Skurvy, don't expect to land this on a competent foe, but if you keep the pressure up with lots of attacks and traps, they may just get overwhelmed and forget about the spot, which is a great result for Skurvy. However, if you know it won't work, don't bother, as Skurvy is open after marking the foe, which deals no damage or knockback.
Back Throw - You Are a Pirate!
Skurvy yells out the name of the attack to the foe, placing a spare pirate hat on their head and releasing them behind him. This deals no damage or knockback, but the foe is now being controlled by a Level 9 CPU! They must have amnesia or something...anyways, if you really aren't that great with Skurvy, this is a hindrance rather than help. However, if you are facing a character whose CPU is highly stupid, or inferior to the skill of the player playing, by all means go for it.
Foes are controlled by a CPU for five seconds (after which the hat falls off and vanishes), although the foe can lessen this time by button-mashing. Skurvy can only use this throw three times per stock to balance this out, and if he KOs the controlled foe, he can't use it again until he is KOed
twice (if he tries, he'll look at the screen in shock at the foe not falling for it, having average ending lag and leaving him wide open). Be careful when you use this to make sure it's being used wisely, and don't even bother if you suck with Skurvy.
As a bonus, there's a 1/10 chance that
this song will play as the BGM after the foe is being controlled, lasting until the same foe is KOed. There is also a .1/10 chance that
this song will play instead of the former one, lasting just as long. This is all but mandatory here. Do what you want cause a pirate is free, you are a pirate!
Down Throw - Dastardly Trap
Skurvy pulls the foe to the ground, as a chained barrel appears at his feet. Skurvy sticks the foe into the barrel quickly, so only their head pokes out, then leaves it there, saying, "Let's see you get out of this one, ye little guppy, arr!" The foe remains trapped in the barrel for three seconds before automatically busting out, although they can button mash to escape quicker. Foes with more damage are held for longer, as usual. The barrel is left on its side, being the same size as regular sideways barrel containers.
The foe in the barrel takes 3% per second due to the uncomfortable barrel, but after Skurvy places them in (his talking doesn't make him lag), he can attack the imprisoned foe to build damage. However, while this may seem unbalanced, due to Skurvy having a quick startup on his close range D-Smash, the foe can not only button mash, but they can tilt the Control Stick to either side to do a barrel roll!
They will roll in the direction they pressed at the speed of Ganondorf's dash, meaning they can escape Skurvy at first, until they can break out later. If they roll off an edge, though, they are screwed, unless they escape. Foes hit while in a barrel take no knockback, but maintain the damage while being stuck, and are released with no knockback, like DK's Headbutt in Melee. This is great for building damage on Skurvy's part, but he has to prevent the foe's escape if he wants to do it effectively.
Up Throw - Dead Men Tell No Tales
Skurvy simple chuckles wickedly and releases the foe a small distance in front of him. What? Where's the merciless pirate in him? Your victim has no time to ponder such questions as Kackle, the skeletal Kremling ghost appears behind the foe and gives chase, being the size of Mario, but floating slightly off the ground. Kackle has no HP, rather having very low priority instead, due to being skeletal. He chases your foe at the speed of Diddy's dash, though, so if your foe is slow or unprepared, this is pretty much a guaranteed hit.
If he comes into contact with your character, he'll let out the ghastly cackle for which he is known and materialize (yes, when he's chasing you, he's still transparent) on you, dealing 12% and good horizontal knockback, vanishing after he does so. And once he's over you, you can't dodge, as it's too late. How do you avoid him? Be quick to hit him before you lose too much ground to him. Since he has such low priority, any attack will cause him to vanish. However, if you let him, he'll chase you indefinitely.
Even if you're Sonic and run away, he'll follow you until you hit him or vice versa, vanishing afterwards, only affected you and not Skurvy or other combatants. You can't air dodge or spot dodge through him if he's behind you either, as he'll just stop in place until you're back onstage, then hit you. If you're a fast character, you should never get hit by this. If you're slow, being able to use a quick B-Air or other quick move to make him dematerialize is vital; otherwise, you give Skurvy a clear killing option. With practice, it's not that hard to do, but it's work learning.
>~~FINAL SMASH~~<
Final Smash - Welcome Aboard!
Skurvy lets out a pirate laugh, then does a big jump off the top of the screen. A cinematic cutscene shows the skies change to cloudy blue, switching from the background of the normal stage, as Skurvy comes down, landing in a chair on his very own ship. The chair is in the background, in the center of the main deck, which is the size of Final Destination, with walk-off edges, even though there are offscreen walls there. Skurvy's chair is barrel-shaped, and has a small ship steering wheel in front of it. The screen zooms in on Skurvy as he settles into the chair, then comically zooms in on his eyes as he opens them in shock, as the camera zooms out, to find the other characters he was fighting on his boat. Skurvy sits up angrily and yells, "I don't like stowaways!"
He then gets an evil grin on his face, realizing what he can do on his home turf, and mockingly calls out, "Welcome aboard, me hearties!" The screen then zooms out to show the characters, who gain control of themselves. Skurvy has his own moveset of sorts he can perform on his ship to damage his foes, who can be KOed off the sides and top of the stage. This Final Smash lasts for 30 seconds before Skurvy stretches and hops back offscreen, the background changing back to normal as he comes down back on the stage with the foes at his side (unless one is KOed for good here).
Here are the moves he can use here:
Neutral Special - Bottle of Rum
Skurvy pulls a bottle out from behind the chair, and gets up, doing a little dance and singing, "15 men on the Dead Man's Chest, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, arr!" This takes about 4-5 seconds of startup lag, but after this, Skurvy chugs the wine in about 2 seconds, healing him 25 damage. This is helpful for healing damage if you need it, while still being able to give your foes hell with your other moves, although Skurvy can't perform other commands until he's done dancing and drinking, so keep your foes busy with an attack while you get drunk for maximum effectiveness.
Side Special - Kaptain's Kannon
Skurvy has his own hand cannon for picking off foes in his way. But here, he snaps his fingers for a massive ship cannon the size of Bowser to appear on the far left side of the screen, with below average startup lag. It can't be attacked to break it, so your only hope is to dodge the following attack. After about a second of startup as the fuse goes down, the cannon fires three cannonballs in rapid succession, each going at the speed of Sonic's dash, dealing 21-23% each and great knockback. Jump over these, or time three spot dodges like with the Red Rings of Death, although you may still have trouble. The cannon doesn't vanish after use, and by pressing this input again, Skurvy can fire without the startup lag of the cannon appearing, although the fuse still has to go down.
Down Special - Stormy Seas
Skurvy gets up from his chair briefly and does a powerful stomp on the deck, causing the ship to lean over into the background for half a second, then swiftly crash back into normal position, causing ocean waves to crash onto the ship, covering 90% of the stage and sweeping foes toward the side of the screen for a KO. The waves last for about a second before subsiding. This deals no damage, but is great for sweeping foes into other hazards or offstage. Skurvy gets into his chair again after use, with minimal lag, so this can be used quite frequently. Double jumping and using your Up Special is the best hope to dodge this.
Up Special - The Boom
Skurvy turns the wheel of the ship, then yells, "Hit the deck!", as the boom (the lower wooden part of the sail), sweeps across the deck from above before rising up again. The boom deals 24-25%, being a prime KO move here. This has little startup or ending lag, meaning it can be used quite often, although the boom comes from left to right, and right to left with different uses. Foes should listen to Skurvy yell and time a spot dodge to avoid this. It can be quite devastating if there are other effects out. Skurvy should try to time this in conjunction with his Side or Down Special here. However, if you have out either of your mates (below), this will knock them away as well, so decide whether you want to sacrifice them or not before using this move when they're out.
Basic Combo - Lockjaw's Locker
Skurvy snaps his fingers again for the cargohold to open. The cargohold is in the center of the deck, and takes up 1/3 of the playable room. If foes are over this area when it opens, they fall into a pool of water. Apparently, Skurvy's cargohold is flooded, like Gangplank Galleon in Donkey Kong Country 2. They can swim and jump out, of course, but after half a second, Lockjaw swims up and starts snapping around madly, dealing 12-13% per chomp. He is about the size of Jigglypuff, but he swims around at the speed of Mario's dash, so get the hell out of there! However, instead of dealing knockback, his chomp has a spike effect, taking you down under the cargohold, which counts as a KO. If you are chomped with over 40% or so damage, this is an easy KO. The hold stays open for three seconds before closing. Foes can fall in if they're stupid, so stay away, although be sure to watch any other hazards Skurvy may call upon as well. If one of Skurvy's mates falls in, they'll sink down and vanish, so time this when they're away from the hatch.
Forward Tilt - Throw 'Em in the Brig!
Skurvy yells the attack name for his first mate, Kutlass, to run out from the screen's right and begin chasing foes around, trying to throw them off the side 'into the brig' to a KO. He shares Skurvy's moveset, being a clone, but he only attacks if attacked back, mainly using Skurvy's dash grab to get you and hurl you off. Unlike Skurvy's Black Spot F-Throw and Pirate Controlling B-Throw, Kutlass merely shot-puts you with above average force in either direction, dealing 8-9% as he does so. He shares Skurvy's stats, meaning he's not that agile, but can still distract foes enough to get rid of them with other hazards. However, all hazards that hit foes can hit Kutlass, who has an invisible % meter, so try to keep him safe, as if he dies, you can't call him out again. Foes can also attack him, so try to lure him into a hazard for an early KO, since his AI isn't terrific.
If you are playing as Skurvy using his Kutlass alt. costume, Skurvy himself will come out and do this, having the same effects as Kutlass does now.
Down Tilt - Swab the Deck!
Skurvy once again yells the attack name for his second mate, Green Kroc, to run out from the screen's left and begin swabbing the deck with a deck mop. He is the size of Marth, not having a character to clone. His deck swabbing leaves behind wet areas that last twenty seconds, tripping foes 50% of the time. He moves around slowly to swab the entire stage, lasting a long time, but having no effect on battles himself, unless he is attacked by a character. If this happens, he swing the mop at the character for 10% and average knockback, to get them away. He can't be KOed by enemy attacks, but he certainly can be stage moves, him having an % meter as well. He can't be lured like Kutlass, but he is slow-moving and can't dodge, so he'll likely be KOed if you use any damaging hazards. Choose what will score you more KOs and run with it. If he manages to swab the whole deck, he'll go away off the right side of the screen, although this takes a long time.
Up Tilt - Kaptain of the Krew
Skurvy facepalms and does a long jump off his chair and into the fray. You can now play as Skurvy to finish off your foes. However, you can't go back into your chair again, losing the rest of the moveset you previously had. Plus, with the exception of Kutlass and Green Kroc, any other stage moves that are currently out can hit you as well, so be careful, and only use this as a last resort if your foes have high damage.
>~~PLAYSTYLE - KAPTAIN KOMMANDER~~<
Skurvy is an interesting heavyweight. His use of weapons makes him not only powerful, but actually able to edgeguard competently. He has ways of approaching and distancing himself from foes. However, a lot of his attacks have little details that must be taken note of to use properly. You can't just spam F-Smash or a projectile to finish your foes like with many of the existing heavyweights. A lot of Skurvy's game is reading what your foes will do and setting up traps to finish them from there.
For example, if you see a foe using strong, slow attacks near the edge, what do you do? You will compute this, and use his Side Special to put them to sleep, then throw them offstage and edgeguard with your Hand Cannon. Or, if you see a speedy foe running around and spamming fast moves like crazy? Use F-Tilt to clash with them and catch them offguard, then retaliate with it and follow up with a sweetspotted aerial if possible. Skurvy has pretty decent speed for a heavyweight, so he can keep up with a lot of the cast, and his projectiles can help him while escaping foes or edgeguarding them.
However, you have to make sure you space yourself while plotting these traps, or foes will combo you to no end. Skurvy is a fatty and pretty tall, so he can be chaingrabbed and hit by speedy Basic Combos over and over, making him last for a short time unless you take advantage of his ability to overcome most rival offenses with a few moves. He is good as a character because he has the resources to beat most foes, but you must learn the small details of these to use them well. Even then, some moves can be unreliable, so you must learn what is best to do, and what can be done, but carefully.
All in all, Skurvy is a balanced heavyweight with lots of traps to use. If you don't take advantage of these, you'll go down fast due to his size. You'll need to know the match-ups against characters to read their strengths and weaknesses, then learn to react accordingly with specific moves. Skurvy needs to balance the traps to beat his foes, while his foes generally need to get in close to finish Skurvy off early. Skurvy takes some work to play as well, and you'll always be in for epic pirate battles with many match-ups, but he'll be able to go quite far if you meet these needs.
***
>~~EXTRAS~~<
>~~Extra Animations~~<
Up Taunt - Old Acquaintance
Skurvy c*cks (stupid censoring SmashBoards!) his head to the side mockingly and asks the foe, "I'm sorry, have we met?" before straightening up and letting out an evil chuckle.
Side Taunt - Long-Winded Speech
Skurvy takes out a pirate scroll and reads, "I've come to claim me birthright, the Crystal Coconut, in the name of me great-great-great-grandpappy!", before stowing it in his belt.
Down Taunt - Successful Sniping
Skurvy takes his hand cannon out of his belt, holding it up, and wickedly blows some smoke off the end of the cannon. This is especially cruel to do after edgeguarding a foe with your Neutral Special.
Entrance - Buried Treasure
A large treasure chest appears onstage, and opens up, filled with gold coins and jewels and whatnot. Before you can see it too long, out jumps Kaptain Skurvy, with an angry, "Avast ye!", as the chest vanishes.
As a bonus here, if Skurvy won the last match he played, he'll confidently and menacingly comment, "Arr, target practice!" as he hops out.
Victory Pose #1 - Shipmate Celebration
Skurvy is seen standing in the middle of his shipmates, Kutlass and Green Kroc, the three of them singing the end of Pirate's Scorn, from
1:23 - 1:36. They dance as they do so, swinging their arms and kicking their feet. At the end, Skurvy walks up from his mates and lets out a piratey 'Arr!' at the screen, posing until you leave the Results Screen.
Victory Pose #2 - Krazy Kaptain
Skurvy is seen laughing hysterically and good-naturedly onscreen, almost like Wario does when he wins. Just as he is about to fall over, rolling on his back laughing, he straightens up evilly and rapidly and aims his hand cannon at the losers, threatening, "Stand aside, ye spineless worms, or I'll blow ye to bits!" He holds this pose until you leave the Results Screen.
Victory Pose #3 - Apple?
Skurvy holds up a bright red apple, facing the losers, and asks them, "How ye like them apples?" He then turns around, laughing evilly, and takes a big bite out of the apple and striking a badass pose, apple in hand.
Victory Against Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong - Stolen Goods
Skurvy, Kutlass, and Green Kroc are onscreen, Skurvy holding up the Crystal Coconut, while DK/Diddy/both of them (for teams) hold disgraced positions on the ground. Skurvy laughs to his men and tells them, "Alright mates, we've got the booty, now let's scooty!" The three pirates then run offscreen, laughing wickedly, while the Kongs hold their sad stances.
Victory Theme - A Toast to the Kaptain
As Skurvy is not part of the main Donkey Kong Country series, being in the TV series instead, it's fair that he gets his own anthem in the form of Pirate's Scorn, from
1:23 - 1:36.
No Contest against K.Rool - Heated Bickering
If Skurvy or K.Rool quits the game against each other, the two will appear on center stage, bickering comedic insults at each other. K.Rool's are generally more intelligent, while Skurvy's are more name-calling. This continues for as long as you leave it. A basic bickering session may go like this:
K.Rool: You overstuffed piece of sharkbait!
Skurvy: Who are ye called overstuffed, you baldy-eyed bookwork?
K.Rool: You undereducated salty scab!
Skurvy: Swamp-sucking salamander!
K.Rool: Good-for-nothing brainless buccaneer!
Skurvy: Blubberbutt!
And on and on they go!
Loss Pose - Butthurt Hurl
Skurvy gets pissed and hurls his pirate hat to the ground and stomps it flat. He then simply stares angrily at the ground. He's not really the type to applaud his foes.
Loss against Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong - Sworn Revenge
Skurvy backs away from the celebrating Kongs, threatening, "Arr, ye may have won this round, but I'll be back for me birthright, I swear it on the Great Pirate Oath!", before running offscreen to plot his next course of action.
>~~Kirby Hat - Kaptain Kirby~~<
Kirby gains Skurvy's pirate hat and earring. He can use his hand cannon Neutral Special in the same way Skurvy can, except due to Kirby's great jumping, using the barrel for recovery is near useless. In this form, Kirby also gains Skurvy's cutlass for his F-Tilt. A pirate without a sword is definitely not a manly pirate!
>~~Codec Conversation~~<
-Press Select-
Snake: There seems to have been a raid in the base; there's an overweight crocodile here wearing a pirate hat.
Otacon: Kaptain Skurvy leads his own crew of three. I wouldn't care too much about any invasion as much as Skurvy himself. He is a schemer, and has the power to match.
Snake: Really? He looks like an incompetent fatso playing dress-up.
Otacon: Don't underestimate him, Snake. He possesses some mighty weapons, including a powerful hand cannon.
Snake: Those went out of fashion centuries ago. Let's see if some modern weaponry will knock some sense of style into the "Kaptain".
Otacon: Good luck, Snake, you'll need it.
-End Transmission-
>~~Other~~<
Wiimote Sound - Forgotten Title
Skurvy announces, "You've forgot one very important thing, mate...I'm Kaptain Skurvy!"
Crowd Chant - Cheering the Kaptain
The crowd chants, "Kap-tain! Skur-vy!" over and over, alternating between male and female voices.
Icon - Famous Initials
Skurvy uses the standard DK icon, not being important enough for his own icon.
>~~Alternate Colors~~<
-Standard
-Red Skin, Blue Belly (Red Team)
-Blue Skin, Green Belly (Blue Team)
-Green Skin, Brown Belly (Green Team)
-Black Skin, Silver Belly (A.K.A. Pimp Skurvy)
-White Skin, Gray Belly, Red Eyes in Black Sockets (A.K.A. Dry Skurvy/Other Pimp Skurvy)
>~~Alternate Costume - Kutlass~~<
Kutlass, Skurvy's first mate, serves as an alternate costume for him due to having similar body structures. There are several differences from the normal Skurvy, however, with Kutlass having a few new moves, a different voice actor (with a distinctive Italian accent), and a different name call when he wins or is chosen on the Character Select Screen. Additionally, whenever Kutlass would normally appear for Skurvy (as in his Final Smash or several Victory Poses), Skurvy himself takes his place while you play as Kutlass, doing whatever Kutlass would normally do, although with his normal voice. Kutlass has his own alternate colors as well.
They are listed below here, along with his moves and stats that are different from Skurvy's, making him a cool little mini-clone.
Alternate Colors
-Normal
-Red Skin, Yellow Belly (Red Team)
-Blue Skin, Purple Belly (Blue Team)
-Darker Green Skin, Gold Belly (Green Team, resembles K.Rool)
-Brown Skin, Dull Pale Belly
-Orange Skin, Yellow Belly (resembles normal Skurvy slightly)
>~~STATS~~<
Power: 7.5/10
Kutlass isn't actually more powerful than Skurvy himself, although he's far from a weakling.
Dashing Speed: 7/10
Although he is a bit faster than his Kaptain. He is often the one that chases the Kongs and ends up paying the price.
First Jump: 7.5/10
Quite impressive, he isn't hindered by boots like Skurvy is. Kremlings are generally good jumpers.
Second Jump: 3/10
Although this jump causes Kutlass to lose a lot of momentum. He's still not especially great at recovering.
Crouch: 1/10
Even worse than Skurvy's, Kutlass just bends down slightly lazily. It's pretty pathetic.
Traction: 5.5/10
A big step up from Skurvy's pitiful traction, Kutlass doesn't slide nearly as much, due to his lack of boots.
Dash Attack - Blow the Man Down
Kutlass doesn't have scummy boots like Skurvy, so he has a new Dash Attack. Here, he takes in a big puff of air, skidding to a stop, then blows out like the Big Bad Wolf, letting out a stream of air. There are two hitboxes here; Kutlass' stomach as he skids to a stop has average priority, close range, and comes out almost immediately. It deals about 6-7% and a stun to foes, not being the real hitbox, just holding the foe.
The main hitbox is the stream of wind. It is rather thin, not being a cloud, but a thin stream, but extends 1.5 Bowsers away from Kutlass. Foes who hit it are pushed away with moderate force. The wind comes out after about half a second of lag, as Kutlass prepares to blow. It has average ending lag as well. Foes who are close to Kutlass as he blows fall to the ground (he's blowing them down), becoming temporarily vulnerable unless they use a quick get-up attack. This is an interesting attack, but it must be used with care to avoid punishment.
Down Tilt - Swab the Deck
This is a classic one; clean, simple, and badass. It's also more in-character for Kutlass to use, due to Skurvy being too lazy to swab himself, leaving the job to his mates. Kutlass takes out a deck mop the height of Mario and begins swabbing the ground in front of him. The mop extends out about 3/4 a Stage Builder block, having below average priority and coming out quickly. Foes who hit the mop while Kutlass is swabbing take 3-4% and low knockback. Kutlass can hold the input to keep swabbing, putting it away with moderate ending lag.
However, the main use of the move is not for damage. If Kutlass holds out the move for a second or more on a single part of the stage, the area of one Stage Builder block around it will become wet, causing foes to trip on it. These spots stay wet for ten seconds before drying again. Tapping the input only causes Kutlass to swab for half a second, so holding it is mandatory for any real use. Kutlass can also move slowly side to side while swabbing, at the speed of Ganondorf's walk. This is great for slicking up the stage for foes to trip on, but you'll need some time to set it up.
Down Air - Hempen Halter
Kutlass takes out a simple rope noose and casts it a small distance above him. This is a unique D-Air, as it doesn't cover below Kutlass, which gives him a mediocre approach from above, so beware. The noose goes about one Olimar above Kutlass, and comes out quickly. It has below average priority as well.
If a foe hits the noose head, Kutlass will pull it tight around the foe's neck and yank it down, pulling the foe down in a powerful spike, up on par with the D-Air spikes of Donkey Kong and Ness. There are two hits to this move; the tightening pull and the yank, which do 5-6% and 9-10% respectively. If the foe somehow survives the spike, or is spiked onto the stage, the noose stays around their neck as a prop until they are attacked, upon which it vanishes. This can be used for an interesting pull-down spike as long as you watch your underside. If Kutlass catches nothing, he stows the noose with average lag. This can also be used for endless racist jokes with Mr. Game & Watch. Ah, the maturity of the Internetz...
Back Throw - Clap of Thunder
Kutlass turns around, while taking a swig of alcoholic beverage from a canteen, still holding his foe, then claps his hands together powerfully, dealing 10-11% and good knockback to the victim. Foes other than the grabbed character can get hit by this as well, as the clap makes a shockwave in the air extending a fair distance out. It stays out for a brief period and has great priority. Definitely a great throw for Kutlass, and an interesting hitbox to experiment with in FFAs. A clap of thunder is a pirate's drink, but Kutlass' clap actually has electric effects here to convey this. Cool, huh? But generic? Kutlass is the muscle of Skurvy's crew, and plus, he needed some throw that competent foes couldn't escape from, like all of Skurvy's throws...
Side Taunt - Sharp Threat
Kutlass laughs in his Italian accent, pulling out his cutlass and threatening, "Stop running and I'll run you through!" He can't really brag about claiming the coconut like Skurvy, as Kutlass is just in it for the booty. He could care less about the coconut.
Loss Pose - Humble Defeat
Kutlass claps humbly, not having as big of an ego as Skurvy and respecting the opponents who defeated him. As an alternate losing pose, Kutlass will sometimes just appear passed out drunk instead of clapping.
Kutlass has no unique poses against the Kongs or K.Rool, due to not being acquainted with them like his Kaptain.
>~~Assist Trophy - Polly Roger~~<
Skurvy's pet parrot, who, throughout the series switches from the alliances of Skurvy and K.Rool and back. Here, he appears as an Assist Trophy. He is small, being about the size of half a Battlefield Platform, but rounded out, of course. He flies around above the stage, going back and forth, observing the fight. He flies at the speed of Mario's dash, occasionally taking a crap onto the stage. The white bird crap is the size of a Deku Nut and deals 3% and a slight stun to foes, not being that useful.
However, occasionally, he'll start following a foe, honing in on them. After about three seconds of this, he'll squawk and give them a peck, infecting them with 'Kongo-Bongo-Gone-Wrongo Disease', a sickness found in parrots. This gives the hit foe 5% of poison damage per second, over ten seconds. Try to do a timed spot or air dodge to avoid this, as Polly will continue flying if he misses. After about 30 seconds of flying, over which he'll do maybe two pecks, Polly will squawk and fly away. He can't be hit, him flying out of your reach if you try. He is useful for building damage, but will never KO a foe himself. He appears semi-frequently.
>~~Assist Trophy - Junior the Giant Klaptrap~~<
Junior is an abnormally large Klaptrap, being large enough to be unusable as Klap-Blaster ammo. As such, he never has anything to eat, and is always hungry. The fact that he lost his teeth doesn't help matters. Here, he's about the size of Olimar, and appears, asking, "Has anyone seen my teeth?" in a slurred voice. Upon hearing this, 5 teeth items appear on the stage. These are sharp, and can be picked up and thrown at enemies for 7-8% and below average knockback. They can also be thrown offstage to hinder the summoner, but they'll reappear soon after.
Players can also throw the teeth at Junior himself (who just walks around miserably) for them to lodge back in his mouth. If this happens, he'll jump up excitedly. If all five teeth get in, he'll cry out, "Thank you, I'm so hungry!" and proceed to dash around the stage at Captain Falcon's dashing speed, chomping madly. He can hit any character except the one who threw in the last tooth. Meaning that if someone other than the summoner threw in the last tooth, the summoner can get hit by his own Assist Trophy. So be sure to get in the last tooth.
Junior has a Piplup effect, trapping foes as he chomps them, meaning while his individual chomps only do 1-2%, he can easily build more than 30% on a large foe. He chomps for about 10 seconds before vanishing, and stays out for 30 seconds before vanishing if no one gets his teeth in. He is great for building damage, and can push foes off edges if he's near them (although he won't fall himself), but Junior won't actually KO your foes. He's rare for an AT, so take advantage of him when you get him.
>~~Stage - Skurvy's Ship~~<
Really, this is kind of a given for Skurvy's homestage. You fight on the main deck here, like you do in Skurvy's Final Smash. However, there are several notable differences here. The stage is larger here, adding about a Battlefield platform's space on either side to allow the ship walls to actually become walls so it's not a walk-off stage anymore. The ship's walls rise up to about the height of four Ganondorfs on both sides, with the upper deck being there. This is a walk-off, but very few characters can get up there without being hit up. This area is about the size of three Battlefield platforms, so play it safe and stay away.
On the main deck, replacing where Skurvy sat in a chair for his Final Smash, is the mast of the ship. It rises up and out of sight, and has 50 HP. If this number is lowered to 0, the mast collapses with a crash, revealing...a bird's nest? With a squawk from above, Krow flies down, being pissed at you ruining her nest. She has 100 HP that can be lowered to make her turn into a ghost and fly away for good. While out, Krow attacks by dropping bouncing eggs the size of Kirby, which deal 10% but no knockback, each. She also will fly across the stage at the speed of Mario's dash sometimes, dealing 4-5% but average knockback. After a minute, she leaves anyways. Also after a minute, a new mast comes out of the ground like magic, complete with topsail.
Also, every 45 seconds or so, three Neeks (bilge rats) will wander onto the stage, squeaking. They are quite small and have 15 HP each. They don't try to attack, wandering off the other side of the screen if you let them, but if you get too close, they'll bite you for 10% and below average knockback. Your best bet is to KO them with projectiles from a distance. They move at the speed of Mario's walk. Not really a threat, just a minor annoyance.
Finally, occasionally a barrel will appear at the side of the stage. 2 out of 3 times, the barrel can be picked up and thrown to reveal items and hit foes, like a normal barrel. However, 1 out of 3 times, a Kremling head will pop out of the barrel, as Kremling feet pop out the bottom and begin chasing you around! It wasn't really a barrel, it was Klobber, a common cowardly annoyance in Donkey Kong Country 2. He chases foes around at the speed of Diddy's dash, doing average knockback to those he hits, but no damage, just being pushy. Klobber's head and feet make him slightly larger than a normal barrel standing up, but he has no priority. Any attack will make him groan and go back into his barrel. He'll stay in for three seconds before coming back out to attack again. However, while he's hiding, any attack will destroy the barrel, and him in the process. Be sure to dispose of him quickly to prevent chaos. You can also destroy him before he even comes out, but you can't predict which barrels he's in, so this can be tricky.
***
Avast ye! Ye skimmed, didn't ye? Scroll yer swarthy hide back up there and finish readin' me moveset!
He's a clone, like it or not. It would literally be impossible to make Paper Mario a clone, as he's physically unable to perform many of Mario's attacks.
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