SSBM/Bowser

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Edit Introduction

Introduction

A true heavy grappler in the flesh, Bowser is gigantic, slow, and hits like a truck. He is in possession of one of the best out-of-shield options in the game in the form of up-B, has surprisingly impressive edgeguarding prowess, and is capable of striking fear into the hearts of opponents with his neat tricks. A unique command grab and some wacky tools make Bowser a surprise for most players, as he is one of the least common characters in the game. However, this is not for bad reason. Bowser is currently ranked 26th on the tier list, placing him last among all of Melee's characters. He is widely considered to be a low tier, with many believing he truly is the worst in the game. His abhorrent jumpsquat, in combination with generally slow frame data, huge size, and limited options make him a considerably difficult character to win matches with in Melee. He is outsped by the top tiers, outranged by the mid tiers, and out-gimmicked by the low tiers. However, he, more than any other character, presents an opportunity for anyone with strong fundamentals to pull some amazing feats off. Reads are certainly required in order to get the job done, you won't find much reaction-based comboing, but just a few hits from this bruiser can net a stock, and against uninformed players, he can be a force to be reckoned with.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Get Off Me: Powerful out of shield tool in Whirling Fortress. (Up-B) Surprise Factor: Excels at taking of advantage of opponent's lack of matchup knowledge. Grappler: Punishes opponents who get too comfortable in shield, his command grab is unlike any other. Heavy Hitter: As he is a heavyweight, he can dish out some serious damage off the individual hit, and is rarely CC'd.

Bottom Tier: Bowser's poor frame data and large body make him an easy target for top tier shenanigans. Requires superior skill to win. Read-based Combos: Bowser requires a few good reads to land a lot of damage, so winning a stock can take playing neutral many times. Polarizing Stages: Bowser does surprisingly well on Yoshi's Story, but terrible on Final Destination. Small Playerbase: While there are some dedicated to the craft, it is difficult to find high-level footage of the character, as he has not been played that way in recent times.

Physics
Weight	117(1st)
Fall Speed	1.9/2.4 (13th)
Gravity	0.13 (4th)
Ground Movement
Walk Speed	0.65 (26th)
Initial Dash Speed	1 (1st)
Initial Dash Length	13f (18th)
Run Speed	1.5 (16th)
Traction	0.06 (15th)
Jumping
Jumpsquat	8f (26th)
Jump Height	Full 31.57/Short 10.66/Air 28.77 (15th/22th/9th)
Air Speed	0.8 (21th)
Air Acceleration	0.05 (12th)

Frame Data

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