Dark Samus [Metroid] Discussion

the first thing i would add to her kit is a "Phazon Pool" Down Special.
Using it, she's able to create exactly that, a pool of phazon kinda like how inklings lay ink on the floor.

whenever Dark Samus is standing on it, her smash attacks and her specials will receive buffs that will force approaches.

The pool itself disappears on a time limit, while also being "Spent" more quickly the longer dark samus stays on top of it and/or uses it.

It will have a slow start up if there's already a pool present onstage, forcing layers to fight for "Pool control" the same way you would fight for stage control. Keep Dark Samus away from her Phazon Pool and you will have the advantage!

Entrance - Different from Ultimate's, Dark Samus would come out of a Phazon Puddle to reference her creation at the end of Metroid Prime. This leaves the first "Phazon Pool" onstage for her Gimmick.

Idle, Walk, Run, Taunts, victory/Lose animations, Color Palettes, etc. would be taken from Ultimate's

Air Jumps: 1
Float: Yes
Crawl: No
Wall Jump: No
Weight: medium/Mid-light
Fall Speed: Floaty

Jab 1 > Jab 2 > Jab 3

Very Similar to Samus', but references the Victory animation from Melee. She performs 2 straight punches, then uses her arm canon to punch the foe.
When standing on a Phazon Pool Jab 3 has a tiny burst of energy similar to Samus' Side Smash to increase it's range.

Side Tilt

The Same as Samus', she uses her levitating idle as a way to easily perform an horizontal kick while spinning in place.

Up Tilt

Referencing Samus Returns, She performs an uppercut with her arm canon. Quick get-off me tool that does not combo into anything.

Down Tilt

The Same as Samus', but uses a burst of dark Energy instead.
When standing on a Phazon Pool The burst of dark energy increases in size and damage slightly.

Dash Attack

The Same as Samus'.

Side Smash

The Same as Samus', but acts more like it's Melee counterpart where the arm canon is stronger and does not shoot a small burst as a tipper Sweetspot.
When standing on a Phazon Pool the arm canon itself bursts with energy to increase it's vertical range and turn into a 2-hit attack (Straight punch, explosive burst as she pulls arm canon away). It also increases it's knockback slightly

Up Smash

The Same as Samus', just with a dark energy effect instead of Fire.
When standing on a Phazon Pool instead she creates the energy spheres from her Smash 4 Assist Trophy attack. The Spheres travel more slowly and deal very minimal knockback as They are meant to be used as projectiles to force approaches.

Down Smash

References her Smash 4 Assist Trophy attack, summoning tentacles from the floor.
When standing on a Phazon pool the tentacles grow in size, enlarging the range both horizontally and vertically.

Neutral Air

The Same as Samus' from Sm4sh, she spins while throwing out an horizontal Kick forward to later follow up with one behind her.

Forward Air

Based on Samus' but with the animation reversed. She shoots dark energy forward and repeats the process while moving her arm canon upwards instead of Downwards.

Back Air

Similar to Mii Gunner's, She aims her arm canon behind and shoots a small burst to launch foes away. Think of a Ganondorf Back Air.

Up Air

The Same as Samus', she just performs a single hit instead of a multi hit. Think of Sheik's Melee Up Air.

Down Air

The Same as Samus', no changes.

Grab

Has a Tether Grab, but as a reference to metroid Prime 3's Wiimote + Nunchuk controls Dark Samus will use her hand to release the Tether Grab instead of her Arm Canon. After a succesful grab, She holds the enemy by choking them.

Pummel

As a reverse of Samus, she uses her arm canon to hit the foe with it.

Forward Throw

Referencing her Assist Trophy Attack, She releases rapid fire phazon shots in an angle forward. Think of Mewtwo's Forward Throw.

Back Throw

Similar to Falco's Sm4sh Back Throw, She tosses the enemy with one hand, then shoots to hit them midair.

Up Throw

Performs a gut punch with her arm canon to lift the enemy to her head-level, then shoots phazon to launch them away.

Down Throw

Floats upwards, then comes crashing down to slam the foe against the ground. Think of an Aerial Ganondorf Side Special.

Neutral Special

The Same as Samus', but with less knockback and damage. It instead applies a "Phazon Poison" effect on the enemy that damages them over time and increases knockback received from Phazon-based attacks. (Think a mix of Lip's Stick Flower head effect alongside the Lion from Rivals of Aether)

it also more closely resembles a Metroid Prime charge shot with the smaller concentrated beam.

When used on top of a Phazon Pool the Phazon Poisoning lasts longer.

Side Special

Creates a clone of herself which travels forward quickly a set distance.
Players will then be able to decide if the original that remained behind catches up to the clone that moved or the opposite, the clone returns back to the original.

it has the same knockback, but the angle changes from hitting people away to hitting them towards you for a follow up.

the clone will also move faster into position if you are standing on a phazon pool

Up Special

Sakurai'd to make it more unique. She still "Screw attacks" but instead of a multi hit it's just a single hit as she moves.
She can move in any direction from horizontal range and up (No downwards directions).

After she travels the basic Samus Up B distance, she just makes a Mewtwo N-Air Pose to release a discharge of Phazon that launches opponents. It kills but leaves her very vulnerable.

if You Up B and end up on the phazon pool, the discharge has a bigger range and bigger shield damage.

it's a nice "Get off my pool" move, but it can still be punished on whiff

Down Special

With a potent burst of energy, she shoots downwards to make a "Phazon Pool" for her gimmick.
If there is already one Phazon Pool, using this move will create a new one while the last one vanishes, but the start up will be slower compared to if used when there is no Pool at all.

Final Smash

She creates a clone and both get to a fixed position on stage. A reticle points at where both will shoot a concentrated Phazon beam.
The difference in coordinates will make both dark samus shoot a Cross-shapped laser beam with slightly different shapes

i.e. if both are at the edges of final destination, shooting to the middle and slightly above will result in a clean X mark.
But if you move it more horizontal to one side, the angle of the X will change. if you shoot drectly above of one dark samus, it will form a triangle instead like this |\ where the | represents the left Dark Samus shooting straight up while the other shoots diagonally up.

Yes, Players can be caught in the crossfire, but it will be stronger if you actually get both beams to connect.