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The 'Easy Mode' Newbie Character Tier List

EGsmash

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Dec 16, 2018
Messages
121
Recently I had the pleasure of introducing my wife to Smash Bros. She has been watching me play since Brawl but has yet to partake. While I assumed that since she knew her way around a controller (enough to play turn-based RPGs) she would be quick to learn the nuances of the game. What we found was that her tendency to mash everything and forget which buttons I'm talking about when I say 'Up-B' to recover led me to start making some suggestions as to which character would better fit her (lack of) playstyle. Since I've also been playing exclusively online (much more potato controls due to latency and Nintendo's poor structure even with good connections), mainlining Smash tournament videos on YouTube, as well as running my schools' Gamer Club, I've seen a number of characters, players, and playstyles. The combined frustrations led me to this: the EASY MODE NEWBIE CHARACTER TIER LIST

The purpose of this list is simple: To provide suggestions of characters for new players to get started in the game without making them toss the controller in the trash, as well as to shame the rest of you for picking stupid easy characters and playing like hot garbage online. As with all tier lists, most of you will take offense at what I've posted so feel free to tell me specifically in what ways I am delusional for putting your :ultcloud: in the 'easy' category when you clearly spent many long hours perfecting your Up-B out of shield, or something about adapting to projectile spam... whatever I wasn't listening.



POTATO - The 'Extra Easy' tier. One-button wonders and die-hards, generally forgiving recoveries for those who are challenged to find the Up-B without looking for it. These are characters that, while they may certainly be deadly in the hands of a technical master, are also slightly-less deadly in the hands of a button masher. Even if you're a pro, nobody is going to be particularly impressed when you win. If your significant other is wondering what all the fuss is about but doesn't play games with action faster than Skyrim, have them pick one of these:

:ulthero::ultkrool::ultbowser::ultcharizard:

EASY MODE - These characters tend to be high-tier picks that take advantage of the distinct changes to SSBU over previous installments: Quick and nimble; large, disjointed hitboxes; spammable projectiles; etc. The point of 'Easy Mode' isn't that these characters are necessarily less technical, but that even low-tech players can find advantages with boneheaded playstyles. You will definitely need to know how to Up-B and move around the stage, (probably by rolling or air-dodging). If your self esteem is tied intimately to your ability to win games against your 'friends' at all costs, or if you play online smash with items and Smash Balls, these picks are for you:

:ultbayonetta::ultcloud::ultjoker::ultvillager::ultyounglink::ultdiddy::ultcorrin::ultinkling::ultlucas::ultivysaur::ultwolf::ultyoshi::ultsnake::ultsamus::ultdarksamus::ultness::ultganondorf::ultduckhunt::ultmegaman::ultpalutena::ultrob::ultpit::ultdarkpit::ultkingdedede:

RESPECTABLY REGULAR - Regular, everyday, normal mother functions. A mix of good, bad, ugly, with a splash of spectacular. Button mashers will find some difficulty gaining ground, while technical players get the respect they deserve for mastering the ins and outs. A great play with one of these guys or gals as a main gets some attention because you know it took some practice to get right:

:ultalph::ultbowserjr::ultfalcon::ultdk::ultdoc::ultfalco::ultfox::ultgreninja::ultike::ultkirby::ultlink::ultlucario::ultluigi::ultmario::ultmarth::ultlucina::ultmewtwo::ultmiifighters::ultgnw::ultpichu::ultpikachu::ultshulk::ultsonic::ulttoonlink::ultwiifittrainer::ultzelda::ultzss::ultrobin::ultrosalina::ultroy::ultchrom::ultpacman::ultrichter::ultsimon:

WTF JUST HAPPENED? - Playing these characters means you've spent months in training mode fighting against fated tier list oppression just so you can put the smackdown on that stupid Inkling jerk and have the room pop off afterwards. These characters are harder than most for newbies to grasp but once mastered can and will surprise just about anyone all the way to the blast zone. Yes, Peach and Daisy are here because you try doing top-tier plays by button mashing. Yeah, that's what I thought.

:ultmetaknight::ultjigglypuff::ultlittlemac::ultpeach::ultdaisy::ultpiranha::ultsquirtle::ultridley::ultryu::ultken::ultsheik::ultwario::ultincineroar:
 

Arrei

Smash Lord
Joined
Nov 25, 2014
Messages
1,303
I can't agree with putting super-laggy characters like those in "extra easy". Learning to use your moves accurately and safely is a big part of playing those characters, especially K. Rool and Hero who have both some really slow moves and some really laggy ones, and throwing a newbie into those will just result in them spending entire matches getting punished and manhandled by anyone who knows how to shield and dodge, like your average low-GSP Quickplay Ganondorfs who just spam smash attacks. In the case of the three super-heavies, you're also saddling them with enormous hurtboxes to get hit by every attack under the sun.
 
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Sebas22

Smash Journeyman
Joined
May 28, 2019
Messages
317
I was going to comment on how giving K. Rool to a newbie is just too cruel, but poster above explained it better than I could.
 

Xelrog

Smash Lord
Joined
Feb 24, 2019
Messages
1,136
Location
Battle Ground, WA
Switch FC
SW 2367 4933 3404
I would call this... way, WAY off. Little Mac is one of the easiest characters for new players to find success with when facing other new players--and since it doesn't sound like your wife is interested in jumping into any tournaments, definitely towards the bottom. You don't even have to know how to recover to play Little Mac--he can't do it anyway. Mario is specifically designed to be a tutorial character, and Jigglypuff is ludicrously easy to grasp. She just rolls and hits stuff, not to mention having excellent recovery.

Meanwhile you've got Hero in super easy? I guess that's true if your controller is missing a B button, as his regular attacks are hard for new players to deal with. I still haven't wrapped my head around the different charge levels of his side special, or even really use his down special in any capacity. Whether you consider him OP or not, he's WAY too complex and memorization-heavy a character for someone who's never played the game before. Then you've got highly technical characters like Bayo, who requires knowing the several ways in which her specials function and some serious combo game to get anything done, and Duck Hunt, who requires being able to manage three different things on the screen at once, down in easy. What?
 

EGsmash

Smash Apprentice
Joined
Dec 16, 2018
Messages
121
I would call this... way, WAY off. Little Mac is one of the easiest characters for new players to find success with when facing other new players--and since it doesn't sound like your wife is interested in jumping into any tournaments, definitely towards the bottom. You don't even have to know how to recover to play Little Mac--he can't do it anyway. Mario is specifically designed to be a tutorial character, and Jigglypuff is ludicrously easy to grasp. She just rolls and hits stuff, not to mention having excellent recovery.

Meanwhile you've got Hero in super easy? I guess that's true if your controller is missing a B button, as his regular attacks are hard for new players to deal with. I still haven't wrapped my head around the different charge levels of his side special, or even really use his down special in any capacity. Whether you consider him OP or not, he's WAY too complex and memorization-heavy a character for someone who's never played the game before. Then you've got highly technical characters like Bayo, who requires knowing the several ways in which her specials function and some serious combo game to get anything done, and Duck Hunt, who requires being able to manage three different things on the screen at once, down in easy. What?
I hear your criticisms and while I'm not trying to be a naysayer of your experience, I'm going off of what I've experienced with both seasoned vets and complete newbies (I am in a position where I see a lot of the entire spectrum of video game competency, not just in Smash). My wife took to Hero because she's familiar with turn-based RPG gameplay, and we invented a game where we took turns choosing from the first Down-B menu on a tech-city map. I actually agree that Little Mac may be much more 'easy mode' on stage, but I have to keep in mind that non-fighting game players don't necessarily have the concept of spacing (or even facing the correct direction). But yes, if you put LM on a walkoff stage then he jumps to Potato really quickly.

What I'd like to hear is what other characters you would recommend to brand-spanking-new players to the Smash franchise?
 
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Xelrog

Smash Lord
Joined
Feb 24, 2019
Messages
1,136
Location
Battle Ground, WA
Switch FC
SW 2367 4933 3404
What I'd like to hear is what other characters you would recommend to brand-spanking-new players to the Smash franchise?
It should come down to the complexity of the character's most base mechanics, newbie versus newbie. Seasoned vets are not a part of the equation in any capacity.

:ultbowser::ultfalcon::ultcloud::ultdk::ultganondorf::ultike::ultjigglypuff::ultkirby::ultlittlemac::ultmario::ultlucina::ultpikachu::ultroy::ultryu:

All of these are very easy characters to grasp--for the most part, they just hit stuff. They don't have any complex mechanics (:ultduckhunt::ultshulk::ultrosalina:), many odd projectiles or other specifically situational moves (:ultyounglink::ultsnake::ultmegaman::ultpacman::ultvillager:), they don't suffer from a very low damage output without combo knowledge (:ultsheik::ultbayonetta::ultluigi:) or have a recovery that's difficult to understand or easily suicidal (:ultincineroar::ultness::ultridley:), nor are they so slow and vulnerable that the player will feel like they can't do anything (:ultkingdedede::ultkrool::ultcharizard:). By far I think the most characters are disqualified from being newbie-friendly by the second standard, overly specific and situational moves. The standard should be that they're very basic. Expand from there.
 
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