Is it wrong to be obsessed with top tier?

[PrimeTF]

I always feel self-conscious about picking top-tier characters. I don't want to be judged, but does that make me look like a jerk for picking top tiers?

 

[finalark]

I think instead you should ask yourself if it was necessary to make two nearly identical threads withing the span of two minutes.

 

[PrimeTF]

That was a mistake.

 

[finalark]

That was a mistake.

That's fair.

To answer both your questions, it really depends on the scenario.

The fact is, no matter if you're playing a fighting game, an MMORPG, a TCG or a Wargame, there will always be options that are straight up better than others. Some people play to win, so they go for those top-tier options. And that's fine, but you can't assume that just because you're playing top tier you should win. You also shouldn't look down on people who choose not to play top tier, because sometimes they've got some aces up their sleeves you can't expect.

And that brings me around to your other question about being fixated on tiers in general. It's fine to monitor the tier list and keep track of how well each option is doing, but don't let it give you tunnel vision. I've played a lot of games competitively, or at least on a hardcore level. Smash, Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon, the Pokemon TCG, Magic, World of Warcraft, I could go on for a while. But the point is that there's always that one guy who is so fixated on the meta, on playing whatever is top tier and focusing on the options that are also top tier that he doesn't think beyond that. Said guy usually gets blindsided by people using rogue options that he can't anticipate or think to counter.

tl;dr version: It's okay to play and monitor the meta, but don't assume that playing top-tier should net you easy wins or that you can't lose to somebody playing something else.

 

[PrimeTF]

Believe me, I've been down that road before. I've learned.

 

[iAmMatt]

From a competitive standpoint, no.
However, if you play this game with friends occasionally on a Friday night and nothing more, and you pick the best characters just to body your friends, there might be a small problem.
If that's how you have fun, good for you, but be conscious of the fact that you MIGHT be ruining the game for everyone else, and for the sake of your friends, pick mewtwo once in a while

 

[Minato]

There's no reason to feel self-conscious about it. Top tier can be fun because they grant more options most of the time. You may be judged and you probably will be judged to where a crowd might root against you. I've had it happen in tourney matches, but it doesn't matter. If people's opinions hold you back from picking certain characters because they're too strong, I feel like a player's already lost one part of the mental game.

 

[Hacksignify]

I always feel self-conscious about picking top-tier characters. I don't want to be judged, but does that make me look like a jerk for picking top tiers?

Let me tell ya, play whoever you feel comfortable with. You will always be judged anyway. I play Mika in SFV and I get grilled constantly even though she isn't a top tier.