Cloud's negative reputation is putting me off trying him; help change my mind!

[ItsASquid]

There's no doubt that Cloud oversaturates the player base - even Sakurai himself recently proved that point - but there are so many people out there who call Cloud "braindead" or "no skill."

I currently play as Robin and need back up for the matchups I struggle with. Now I'm not a Final Fantasy fan for the most part, but I am a Kingdom Hearts fan. Cloud of course has featured many times in Kingdom Hearts, so he's the closest representation we'll get. This alone makes him very fun to play as, at least in my eyes.

However I'm playing this game with a very particular goal in mind. I'm bedbound by chronic illness, and want to prove that anyone in nearly any situation can succeed at a competitive video game if they try hard enough. I'm hoping to enter online tournaments - my goal is not to be the world's greatest, it's to earn respect and be recognised as being good at something. Playing as Cloud however, I don't feel like I'm earning my victories, certainly not compared to being Robin. I'm fairly sure I will be ignored as "another Cloud player" too if I try to take him to a tourney setting.

Please help fix my faulty mindset. What way should I be thinking if I want to pick up a character for my goal of respect rather than glory?

 

[Deleted member]

There's no doubt that Cloud oversaturates the player base - even Sakurai himself recently proved that point - but there are so many people out there who call Cloud "braindead" or "no skill."

I currently play as Robin and need back up for the matchups I struggle with. Now I'm not a Final Fantasy fan for the most part, but I am a Kingdom Hearts fan. Cloud of course has featured many times in Kingdom Hearts, so he's the closest representation we'll get. This alone makes him very fun to play as, at least in my eyes.

However I'm playing this game with a very particular goal in mind. I'm bedbound by chronic illness, and want to prove that anyone in nearly any situation can succeed at a competitive video game if they try hard enough. I'm hoping to enter online tournaments - my goal is not to be the world's greatest, it's to earn respect and be recognised as being good at something. Playing as Cloud however, I don't feel like I'm earning my victories, certainly not compared to being Robin. I'm fairly sure I will be ignored as "another Cloud player" too if I try to take him to a tourney setting.

Please help fix my faulty mindset. What way should I be thinking if I want to pick up a character for my goal of respect rather than glory?

People played as Kirby in 64, MK in Brawl, Fox in Melee, and Bayo in Sm4sh.

Compared to other top tiers in this game like Peach and Pichu, Cloud isn't actually that crazy strong. People who complain are still stuck in the Sm4sh days.

 

[MangoPeachey]

every victory is earned in smash, whatever gets you the win

 

[Firox]

If it makes you feel any better, Cloud only saturates the player base at lower tiers of skill. Once you get into Elite smash, he becomes much more of a rarity. And as stated above, there's a lot more OP characters being spammed in the meta right now such as Pichu, Chrom, Lucina, Inkling and Olimar. Just look at the latest major tournament, Frostbite. There wasn't a single Cloud anywhere in the top 64. If you can make a name for Cloud in the pro scene, that's a victory unto itself. Anyone who claims that he's a "braindead" character is braindead themselves.

 

[Fenrir-Bolt]

I feel like Cloud is somewhat cursed too, and it only adds to his Grendel perception, the way he handles his sword, it’s lkke he seriously gutting you with it or something. What is up with that?

Otherwise, I think it’s one of the main points of the character, he’s supposed to offend and upset people a little bit. I don’t think he was created with this perception in mind, but it’s become one of the predictable reactions or feedback when choosing a character like this. It just goes with the territory so you have to personally own it in is enough way I believe. You just have to keep feeding the Cloud haters and keep the animosity growing, it’s a beast that needs satiating.

Stab, stab, stan, stab.

I stab-e with thee steely knives. Stsb, stab, stab.