PSI Magnet

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PSI Magnet
Ness and Lucas using PSI Magnet inUltimate.
Users	Ness Lucas
Universe	EarthBound
Article on WikiBound	PSI Magnet

PSI Magnet (サイマグネット,PSI Magnet), calledPsychic-Magnet inSuper Smash Bros.'s character profiles, isNess andLucas'sdown special move.

Overview[edit]

The user creates a psychic field that canabsorb certain projectile attacks (mostly energy-based rather than physical objects) to healdamage. The move lasts as long as thespecial button is held. Ness and Lucas' versions of PSI Magnet differ slightly in terms of speed, size, positioning,healing power, and auxiliary utility.

Ness[edit]

Ness absorbingCharizard's Flamethrower inBrawl.

Ness's PSI Magnet is centered around himself and covers his entire body.

InSuper Smash Bros., the move has very high starting lag and thus it has little utility. However, the crowd releases very enthusiastic cheers for its successful use. InSuper Smash Bros., the move recovers double the damage the projectile would have dealt normally.

InSuper Smash Bros. Melee, it is now blue instead of green. The move comes out 5 frames faster, but retains the same 30 frames of minimum absorption time and an additional 10 frames of ending lag before it can be dropped, making it a less than viable option.

InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, the color changes again, from blue to a more purplish color. This move recovers about 1.6x (or one and two thirds) the damage the projectile would have dealt normally, and is the fastest of Ness' PSI Magnets. InBrawl onwards, Ness's Magnetpushes enemies and some items (such asSnake'sHand Grenades) away from his body when released.

InSuper Smash Bros. 4, the move returns to itsMelee-like blue coloring and is larger in size. In addition, due to certain explosions now being absorbable, it can absorb some previously troublesome items such asBob-ombs (outsideSudden Death) and attachedGooey Bombs. As inBrawl, it heals 1.6x, but has a cap of 30% healed damage. Its end lag was reduced in later patches of the game.

InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Magnet now features PSI graphics based on how PSI Magnet appeared inEarthBound. It now also slightly damages adjacent foes upon activation, allowing it to confirm into any of Ness' aerials. Ness can use his double jump before the magnet in order to boost forward, being useful as a mixup or burst movement option.

Lucas[edit]

Lucas being healed after using PSI Magnet inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Lucas's PSI Magnet is centered around his outstretched hand: while it does not visibly cover his whole body nor the area behind him, Lucas will instantly turn around when hit from the back. Lucas's version of this attack also has a hitbox on his hand when released, which deals 9% damage and is a moderately strongsemi-spike. Though it has little use due to the delayed nature of it and its extremely small hitbox making it very difficult to land, tactical use of it canbait opponents and its horizontal knockback can prove effective in certain circumstances. Additionally, Lucas recovers more percentage than Ness when he absorbs a projectile (2.5x the damage the projectile would have dealt normally, a 56% improvement over Ness's). Its startup and ending lag are much lower than Ness's version.

InSSB4, Lucas's PSI Magnet once again heals 2.5x damage but was nerfed to heal less from teammate's attacks, but with a cap of 30% healed damage. It also has a larger hitbox, but it only deals damage if the opponent is in the center of the magnet. It also deals slightly less damage than it did inBrawl. In addition, Lucas no longer turns around when hit from behind, decreasing the move's range and overall practicality.

InUltimate, the move is largely unchanged like Ness' version of it, though it now featuresEarthBound like PSI graphics. It now heals 2x damage (ignores1v1 multiplier) but 1x in from teammates. The attack no longer halts Lucas's momentum when used airborne, much like how it worked inBrawl. Its endlag has also been reduced making it safer to use.

Tactical uses[edit]

When used in the air, this move will cancel any vertical/falling momentum temporarily. This allows for this move to be used as a pseudo-SHFFL if used immediately after a jump, or a pseudo-wavedash if the player activates the move at a downward diagonal angle. Using C-sticking special moves control scheme for the Gamecube Controller, this move, used right after PK Fire for Lucas, will allow the wavedash to work much more easily.

This move is very useful inTeam Battles withFriendly Fire on, as a teammate can use their projectiles to heal Ness or Lucas. This is often used in doubles by Ness or Lucas players, who can team up with characters who have fast, damaging projectiles (e.g.,Lucario orBowser) to heal themselves. As of version1.1.3 inSuper Smash Bros. 4, the amount of damage healed when absorbing a fellow teammate's projectiles is cut in half.

When a projectile is absorbed, if the player taps the control stick or control pad (depending on controller) in a direction, Ness and Lucas will eitherroll in that direction,sidestep, orjump without having to release the attack first.

In the originalSuper Smash Bros., CPUs level 5 and above will almost never use the Fire Flower against Ness because he can absorb the fire with PSI Magnet. Instead, they will throw the Fire Flower at him. This also applies toFox, as he can deflect the fire with hisReflector.

The attack can be put to significant use on theCorneria stage by absorbing theGreat Fox's lasers. However, if Ness or Lucas touch the cannons while they are "charging", it is almost guaranteed to KO them. Only the actual laser shots can be absorbed.

Instructional quotes[edit]

instruction booklet		Absorb enemy energy attacks and recover health.
instruction booklet		Absorb projectiles to reduce Lucas's damage percentage a corresponding amount.
Smash Bros. DOJO!!		Ness’s PSI Magnet... pushes away foes with a gust of wind as the move finishes.
instruction booklet		Absorb energy-based projectiles to heal damage.
fighter tips		This move lets Lucas absorb energy-based projectiles and heal himself. It'll even slow his descent while airborne!
Move List		Absorbs energy-based projectiles and weak explosions to heal damage.
Move List		Absorbs energy-based projectiles and weak explosions. Activates faster and heals more than Ness's.

Customization[edit]

Special Move customization was added inSuper Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:

Ness[edit]

1. PSI Magnet	2. PSI Vacuum	3. Forward PSI Magnet

"Absorb projectiles to heal damage. Blows opponents away at the end of the move." "Surrounds you with a psychic field that absorbs energy-based projectiles to heal your damage."	"Pull in opponents, and then deal damage at the end of the move. Does not pull in projectiles." "Draws in opponents, then deals damage at the end of the move. Can't absorb projectiles."	"The field appears in front of you. It can launch foes when vanishing, as well as absorb projectiles." "The field appears in front of you. It can launch foes when vanishing, as well as absorbing projectiles."

PSI Magnet: Default.
PSI Vacuum (known asPSI Vortex in thePAL version): Ness draws opponents in, and once the move is released, an explosion hits foes around him. Does not absorb attacks.
Forward PSI Magnet: Ness draws his Magnet in front of him. Works like Lucas's version (which deals damage to foes within the absorption hitbox when the button is released), except the physics are still similar to Ness' original PSI Magnet Variation.

Lucas[edit]

1. PSI Magnet

" Create a magnetic field in front of you that absorbs energy-based projectiles. Create a magnetic field in front of you that can absorb energy-based projectiles. Creates a magnetic field in front of you, useful for absorbing energy-based projectiles."

PSI Magnet: Default.

Like the other DLC characters, Lucas has no custom move variations.

Magnet Pull[edit]

Magnet Pull is anadvanced technique exclusive toLucas inBrawl first publicly discovered by Kink-Link5. The technique involves becoming airborne, performing either awavebounce or awaveland withPK Fire, then immediately performing PSI Magnet. If done correctly, Lucas will launch forward a great distance, effectively being a longer waveland. Magnet Pull can be useful to approach a far away opponent or allow Lucas to recover from very far off the stage.^[1] Engine-wide physics changes toSmash 4 rendered this technique impossible, and it has yet to return to the series.

Reverse Magnet Pull[edit]

Setting up a waveland with PK Fire, then immediatelytapping thecontrol stick opposite to Lucas' facing direction while activating PSI Magnet will have Lucas launch in that direction instead. This variant is more difficult to perform, requiring more precise actions, but is useful for running away and zoning, while also increasing the KO potential of PSI Magnet by it incidentally becoming a combo starter.

Origin[edit]

Paula using PSI Magnet α inEarthBound.

PSI Magnet appears in all threeEarthBound games. However, neither Ness nor Lucas can use it in their source games; instead, PSI Magnet is learned by some of their friends and party members,Paula andPoo inEarthBound andKumatora inMother 3 respectively.

In all three of theEarthBound games, the move involves the user absorbing an enemy's Psychic Points (PP) and adding it to their own PP: PSI Magnet drains 10 PP inMother and 2-8 PP inEarthBound andMother 3. It does not, however, absorb incoming attacks, that being a property of PSI Shield. As PP are not a mechanic in theSuper Smash Bros. series, PSI Magnet recovers a small amount of health instead: this could be a reference to the healing techniqueLifeup which, unlike PSI Magnet, is available to both Ness and Lucas in their respective games.

Gallery[edit]

Ness using PSI Magnet inSuper Smash Bros.
Ness absorbingMaster Hand's Bullets with PSI Magnet inSuper Smash Bros.
Ness using PSI Magnet inSuper Smash Bros. Melee.
Ness using PSI Magnet inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl.
Ness using PSI Magnet inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
Ness using PSI Magnet inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U.
Lucas catching Charizard'sFlamethrower attack.
Lucas using PSI Magnet infor Wii U.
Ness and Lucas defending themselves with PSI Magnet infor Wii U.
Ness using PSI Magnet as shown by the Move List inUltimate.
Lucas using PSI Magnet as shown by the Move List inUltimate.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language	Name
Japanese	サイマグネット,PSI Magnet
English	PSI Magnet
French	Aimant PSY (SSB64) PSI Magnet (Melee) PSY magnétisme (Brawl onwards)
German	PSI-Magnet
Spanish	Imán PSI
Italian	MagnetePSI
Chinese	精神磁力
Korean	PSI 마그넷,PSI Magnet
Dutch	PSI-magneet
Russian	Психомагнит
Portuguese	Íman TC

Trivia[edit]

This is both Ness and Lucas' only special move that is not aprojectile.
InSSB64, PSI Magnet uses the same sound effect asErase Data, as well as when changing thelanguage in the European version.
PSI Magnet,Agility,Teleport andTransform are the only attacks inMelee to have no direct effect on opponents.
The color of Ness's PSI Magnet has changed throughout the series, being green inSuper Smash Bros., blue inMelee, indigo inBrawl, and back to blue inSSB4.
PSI Magnet is the only special move that Ness and Lucas do not shout out.
PSI Magnet is Ness and Lucas's only special move whose name does not begin with "PK".
InSSB4, Ness's PSI Magnet is visually slightly larger than Lucas's, but in terms of absorption radius, they are the same size.
If theShadowAssist Trophy freezes Ness and Lucas while PSI Magnet is active, it remains fully functional while frozen, being able to absorb attacks and heal as normal.
- This interaction causes a visual quirk of the PSI Magnet effect acting at normal speed while frozen despite Ness and Lucas themselves not moving and the affect being slowed while in Shadow's slowdown phase.