Competitive players - Why do some of you choose not to play top tier characters?

[hoopspr226]

(This thread only really pertains to competitive players)

SSBM has a clearly defined top tier of characters (Marth, Sheik, Fox). It's generally agreed that these characters have more favorable matchups than the rest of the cast and, all other things being equal, give you the best chance at winning. So why do some of you choose to main other characters? (This includes high tier mainers)

1. Is it because, despite being a competitive player, you don't mind handicapping/limiting yourself a little in return for playing your favorite character?
2. Is it because you've already put so much effort into learning a character that your skills/knowledge of that character is way ahead of that of top tiers? (meaning that it would take far too long to get a top tier to the level of your current non-top-tiered main)
3. Or is it because you believe that your main suits your playstyle and brand of strategies/mindgames the best? Meaning that if you had mained a top tier all along, you wouldn't necessarily be any better than you are now.

Is scenario 3 even a realistic one? Or do you think everyone would be better off maining a top tier (speaking purely from a competitive standpoint).

Please explain your thoughts. I'm very curious about this issue.

 

[Hibiki]

Most of the time, I use pretty high tier characters.
For example: Marth, Falco, and C. Falc.
But I guess you can say that some people like to try something different. Not that it's different, but it's a more complicated playing style. Like those people who use Link.
I don't know, it's usually freedom.
But I don't see that many people using Bowser around, so I guess there can be a cap.

 

[slartibartfast42]

Well, I really just main top tier characters, along with pikachu. Pikachu is a nice wild card, as some people have almost no experience against him. And I can actually combo a bit... Dtilt > aerial, Dthrow > random move, Usmash > Thunder, fair > utilt > random move, and a few more (I haven't really tried these against REALLY good people, so don't quote me that they work). I have done better against some people with pikachu than with all my high tier mains before, just because my opponent had no pikachu experience. But of course, that was just in friendlies. In a real tournament, it's not worth the risk... Maybe. This thread may make me counterpick pikachu next time I get crushed the first match...

I really like playing high tier characters because I have more options and thereby more intensity and thereby more fun with them.

 

[Pink Reaper]

http://allisbrawl.com/blogpost.aspx?id=750

 

[game set]

everybody maining fox wouldn't be fun, that's why.

actually i had such close emotional bond with OOT i had to play link regardless of his teir... lol

 

[Metà]

I've put a lot of time into learning Fox, Falco (mained him exclusively for the first half year I was playing competitively), Sheik, and Jigglypuff, and more recently Marth and Falcon, and I've found my character. In most situations I do better with Jigglypuff than any other character, so I stuck with her. I used to be more dependant on counter-pick characters, but now that I've found that most of my other characters just don't cut it, I'm using Jigglypuff in like, >95% of my tournament matches. Jigglypuff just suits my play style, and I f*cking love rest.

 

[Justerbuster07]

I'd like to here people like Hugs'/Mangos etc. testimony on this subject. Although, they've gotten pretty far with those characters.

 

[Parker1006]

ive always just had more fun playing middle tier characters. they come easier to me. when i first started playing melee, i mained Roy, but quickly upgraded to Captain Falcon. The only top tier character I can use somewhat effectively is Falco. The rest of my usable characters are Jigglypuff and Ganondorf. and I'm more comfortable playing middle tiers in melee, because if you're good, tiers don't make or break the match.

 

[MikeHaggarTHAKJB]

You're acting like the gap between the top tiers and high (and mid) tiers is huge, which it really isn't. I'm pretty sure that most people who play mid/high tier characters play them because they're comfortable with them and above all, good with them.
Many high/mid tier (and in a few cases, even low tiers!) characters have properties and advantages that top tiers don't.
Samus' unique projectile game is an example. Jiggly's air control and WOP is another example. IC's deadly grab game is another one.

(Can't speak for low tier mainers, though >.> *starts reading pink reapers blog*)

 

[D20]

I main Young Link just to be different. True story.

 

[Havokbringer]

I don't think there is a need to question why people use some of the low/mid tier characters they use.Reason being that it's just fun playing a char you like/no one else uses and just be glad we have some variety in melee.

 

[Dav657]

Just a matter of preference. Some people dont like having to press 6 buttons at certain times to do a certain action. Fighting styles differ with different people. Its all about how people play. Or its their favorite character. And they just choose to play them.

 

[Doggalina]

You use the character that you have the best chance with. I have the best chance with Falcon, even though I can play some Fox, Falco, Marth, etc. If you have the best chance of winning with Roy, you use him, plain and simple.

 

[Cam3ron]

I choose samus just cuz she's awesome but also choosing low or mid tier characters and winning with those characters shows how good of a player you are. But its all about whoever fits your style of play.

 

[Vts]

as you said #3 for me its my playing style ice climbers just fit me best.

i like to be able to stop my opponent for being able to fight back with chain grabs/wobbling but i also like how they are unique.

ice climbers have few bad match ups like marth/fox/c.falcon/falco but its not a full counter.

 

[okiyama]

I chose Fox not because he is top tier but because he fits my playstyle best. I like to be very technical to make up for my pathetic mindgames. This means I get ***** by high level players who see though my tricks and **** low level players.

I wish I'd mained DK.

 

[Skler]

I main Young Link just to be different. True story.

That's strange, because I main Link to be more like you.

 

[Red the Ghost]

I chose Fox not because he is top tier but because he fits my playstyle best. I like to be very technical to make up for my pathetic mindgames. This means I get ***** by high level players who see though my tricks and **** low level players.

I wish I'd mained DK.

Pick up Falcon if you are having trouble in that area. He basically requires it.

Thread topic: I play with whoever the hell I want to. xD I play with the same people I played with before I got into the competitive scene (Marth, Doc, Falcon). I'm more worried about whether I like playing with the character and if they fit my style than how high they are on the tier list. Of course, I'm not playing with anybody really low, except for maybe Pikachu, who I randomly picked up recently.

 

[DTKPch]

I recently picked up Mewtwo, because his playstyle is ridiculously flashy, even if he sucks as a character.

Seriously, no approaches? I don't care! I look really cool while playing him!

Oh, and I get a much more satisfying feeling when I win with m2, just because it happens so rarely.

 

[rhan]

I main Young Link for 3 reasons.

1) I love him all around from his playstyle and his origin. LoZ rocks my socks and in any fighting game speed is my favorite advantage to have. Young Link provides speed and is stocked with a few power moves.

2) I like to be different. I don't play Fox, Falco, Marth,etc. because a lot of people play these characters. I go by the beat of my own drum. Once I picked Young Link and tried to look up some combo videos/matches, I noticed that there aren't many Young Link players and I thought it would be a awesome way to be known as one of the best Young Link players.

3) I love the challenge. Owning the space animals is so rewarding. Even when losing, I love the challenge. If I bring a top tier down to one stock in a heated match, I'll feel accomplished no matter what the out come.

 

[Tamoo]

Ive only just recently bought melee and couldnt find a single character that i liked in the game due to the totally different physics system to brawl. However, after playing my friend at a Doc. ditto match, I suddenly felt right back at home. I just like the way he can stall an opponent whilst you just check out the move combinations they attempt inbetween your pills. Ive always been a 'spacer' in terms of tactics having mained olimar in brawl so it just seemed right when I picked up and played the doc. Plus, none of my friends main mid. tier characters and the just go all out with the top/high tier characters so its nice to throw something different at them.

 

[theONEjanitor]

I play who I think will make me win.

in some matchups, I think Roy will make me win.

 

[Tee ay eye]

I recently picked up Mewtwo, because his playstyle is ridiculously flashy, even if he sucks as a character.

Seriously, no approaches? I don't care! I look really cool while playing him!

Oh, and I get a much more satisfying feeling when I win with m2, just because it happens so rarely.

Taj can ****ing work that d-tilt.

 

[Tee ay eye]

having to press 6 buttons at certain times to do a certain action.

My god, I hate you...

 

[Gothic Zelda]

That's kind of a bad question...because people like different characters. Zelda is sex to me o.o SEX.

 

[The Immortal Sir NZ]

i choose not to play top tier characters because i am pretty good with Mewtwo.
Also because no one knows much about Mewtwo's play style, i can surprise them with awesome d-tilt -> random move combos. And because i like killing "Mewt2 sux" noobs with My Mewtwo.

 

[St. Viers]

Because in melee, the difference was there, but not insurmountable. I played doc out of familiarity, but also (after I learned shiek and fox) because he can still space well, gimp, combo (if you count c-grabs) and has a decent projectile/anti-projectile game. Just because he isn't the best doesn't mean he won't win.

 

[Zodiac]

1. Sort of, mostly its because I like my character that much, I picked up fox because I thought he was fun to play, I picked up dr.mario cause I thought he was fun to play. I picked up link because he's a bad *** and fun to play.

2. No, I have a top tier character, always have. sheik.
3. Yes, and then no.

Of course they would be better maining a top tier, they are top for a reason, faster stronger, more priority in most cases good recovery. great range, its like fighting with a first generation Mech and going up against a ninth generation mech, the specs just wont be in your favor.

the common bs is "Play who you want you" while thats true, peple misunderstand it. it should be "When choosing a character to main screw the tier list because why the hell do you play this game if not to use your favorite character, this is Super Smash Brothers! An All star cast."

 

[hoopspr226]

"Of course they would be better maining a top tier, they are top for a reason, faster stronger, more priority in most cases good recovery. great range, its like fighting with a first generation Mech and going up against a ninth generation mech, the specs just wont be in your favor."

I'm not sure its really that simple. While its true that overall, top tier characters are stronger than lower tiered characters, they are not better in every facet. Especially when it comes to high tier characters and upper mid tier characters, these lower tiered characters often have advantages that the top tier characters don't have.

Basically, my argument is that if certain players are especially effective at certain facets of the game, they may actually be at their best with a character that is less than top tier. This includes players who are particularly proficient in mindgaming into and executing chain grabs (ICs), players who are particularly good at utilizing speed and tech-chasing (CF), players who are good at being patient, defensive game and capitalizing on one mistake (Puff), etc. As proof, I would guess that players like ChuDat wouldn't be much better/at all better even if they had mained a top tier all along, for the simple fact that ICs play to his strengths so well and allow him to get the most out of the skills he's particularly good with. If this weren't true, I don't imagine he wouldn't just switch. Since he's so close to the top anyway, if a top tier main were always the beneficial choice he could just switch and become the number one player.

I think the lower tiered characters like Link, DK, and perhaps Mario, Ganon, etc. might be too "bad" for this to actually apply, but characters that are somewhat close to the top like CF, Puff, ICs, etc. are unique enough in their strengths that they might actually be a person's best main. Essentially, I'm arguing/wondering if in some cases a non-top-tier main can be not only the "fun choice," but the practical one as well. To continue your analogy, maybe you are better off using the 8th generation mech rather than the 9th generation mech, if (while worse overall) the 8th generation one has better projectiles and you are particularly good with projectiles, and relatively weaker at other mech-related skills (lol).

 

[Dark Sonic]

^^Yes. Though it's always good to have a top tier as a secondary, if not your main.

 

[1048576]

I recently picked up Mewtwo, because his playstyle is ridiculously flashy, even if he sucks as a character.

Seriously, no approaches? I don't care! I look really cool while playing him!

Oh, and I get a much more satisfying feeling when I win with m2, just because it happens so rarely.

No approaches? Wavedash to grab or d-tilt, son. Keep 'em guessing.

 

[pockyD]

2) I like to be different. I don't play Fox, Falco, Marth,etc. because a lot of people play these characters. I go by the beat of my own drum. Once I picked Young Link and tried to look up some combo videos/matches, I noticed that there aren't many Young Link players and I thought it would be a awesome way to be known as one of the best Young Link players.

thoughts like these are the best

"I go by the beat of my own drum, so I let the characters that everyone else is using directly influence the characters I use"

 

[MarsFool!]

If you have a brain you play the character that you perform the best with. If it happens to be Fox, then ****ing play fox. I really like Ganondorfs style so he was main for almost a year.

 

[D20]

thoughts like these are the best

"I go by the beat of my own drum, so I let the characters that everyone else is using directly influence the characters I use"

Posts like these are the best.

"I point out flaws in your logic to make myself look smarter and to feel superior."

 

[pockyD]

obviously in a thread about reasons, pointing out that a reason is self-contradicting has no place and serves no purpose, right?

 

[Professor Pro]

Most people who dont play top tier is because they are rebelling against the tier list, or just personal preference, or they feel they have to prove a point about their specific character.

 

[th0rn]

They like having a john that they play a low tier character, when in reality they just suck. LOLLOL jay kayy

 

[Hibiki]

They like having a john that they play a low tier character, when in reality they just suck. LOLLOL jay kayy

That'd be the best john ever. o_o;
rofl.

 

[Jigglymaster]

I used Jigglypuff in Melee because of how easy it was to destroy low comeptitive top tier characters. But after I played better player I evolved my meta game with jigglypuff and became a good Melee Jigglypuff player. Then I went back to N64 to main jigglypuff in there, for the exact same reason. But in Brawl, that wasn't the case and Jiggs was so bad I droped her. Even though Diddy Kong is a top tier character that is not the reason I main him now. Before brawl came out I wanted to secondary him and he was the second character I played when I first played Brawl (during japanese only) and I used him in gamestop's brawl launch tourny. It wasn't till a month ago or so that I found Diddy was really good so he became my main. I also secondary snake but I dropped him along with Jigglypuff because I didn't like him. Diddy kong's bananas felt good to use because I played with items alot even during compettitive play with my friends and became very good handling items.

 

[FIISHHER]

i like to play top tier chars, like falco or marth. not because they are top, but because they feel good for me. but also i like to play as jiggs or samus to have fun when i dont want to have a serious match