Vayseth's Voyage: In 1.1.6 Everyone is a Threat

Vayseth's Voyage is an article series written by The Big House Wii U Head TO Vayseth straight from Japan. Every week, he will be bringing you articles on various topics regarding the Japanese Smash Community. Bringing Smash Communities around the world closer and closer together with every article!

Previous Articles:
Vayseth's Voyage: Japan's Top 3 Wii U Tournament Series
Vayseth's Voyage: KARISUMA 6 Results and Review
Vayseth's Voyage: SUMABATO 9 Results and Review
Vayseth's Voyage: Japanese Game Bars
Vayseth's Voyage: KVOxTSB 2016 Review and Results
Vayseth's Voyage: Japan's Love of Team Tournaments
Vayseth's Voyage: Vayseth Visits Umebura 23
Vayseth's Voyage: Japan's Lack of Consistency
Vayseth's Voyage: The Struggling Japanese Melee Community
Vayseth's Voyage: Interview with Double A Battery
Vayseth's Voyage: Komorikiri's Resurgence
Vayseth's Voyage: Making a Difference
Vayseth's Voyage: ZeRo's EVO Training

Your Umebura 24 Top 3 (from left to right): 1st Place @Pichi, 2nd Place @T, 3rd Place @Tsu.
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Everyone loves checking in on the results of Japanese tournaments because they simply do not make any sense. Even for Japanese tournaments, Umebura 24 had some of the craziest results yet. Many people try to theorize that Japanese rulesets lead to an overabundance of variance but, the truth is, Japan's metagame gives us a preview of what Smash 4 in the 1.1.6 era will look like around the world in the near future. Once the other regions have as high of an average player skill level as in Japan it will become clear that in 1.1.6, everyone is a threat.

Once Round 3 of Winners started the tournament looked extremely different than originally predicted. Many of the world's strongest players had already been sent to Losers including @Kameme, @Kirihara, @Taiheita, @Sigma, @Nyanko, @KEN, @Takera, @Atelier, and more. Soon after, more well-known players such as @Nietono, @YOC, and @Rain failed to make it to Top 8. Umebura 24 showed off Smash 4's character diversity by having another Top 8 with no character overlap, but unlike EVO this Top 8 is like nothing we have seen before.

Umebura 24's Top 8 (translated bracket, provided by @juddy):

1st Pichi (Captain Falcon; Kanto)
2nd T (Link; Kanto)
3rd Tsu (Lucario; Kanto)
4th Choco (Zero Suit Samus; Kanto)
5th Umeki (Peach; Kanto)
5th KEN (Sonic; Kanto)
7th Hikari (Mario; Kanto)
7th Yui (Fox; Kanto)

Everyone gets ready for Top 4 and Umebura S.A.T.'s big announcement.​

That is not all Umebura 24 had for everyone who attended and tuned into the stream. Just before beginning Top 4, Umebura staff announced to everyone that their Second Anniversary Tournament (Umebura S.A.T.) would be featuring top talent from outside Japan just like last year's Umebura F.A.T.. As each name was announced the crowd cheered louder and louder. Tweets were being sent out like crazy and everyone was extremely hype for Umebura S.A.T.. I hope we can bring this energy and excitement to their scene more often.

@Nairo Joins S.A.T. | @Dabuz Joins S.A.T.

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It is rare for Japanese players to get hype at tournaments. Some tournaments are an exception but in general it takes something really special for the crowd to get involved in the matches. Japan has sent countless players multiple times to the US and when Japan comes everyone in the States gets really hype. We need to give that feeling back to Japan. I am going to be working on more ways to send players over to Japan and find more ways to hold tournaments featuring talent from outside Japan. I hope you all visit soon!

The Japanese community has been a critical part of Smash 4's story line and I want to support them so we can continue to have amazing tournaments going forward. This weekend I will be at Sumabato for THE BIG HOUSE where I will represent The Big House 6 and award the winner with an all expenses paid trip to compete on one of America's biggest stages this October. Stay tuned to Smashboards for the preview article coming out soon! In the meantime, check out the trailer here.

Sayonara until next week.

Umebura 24's name card designed by community member @Mow. Please give them a follow!​

 

I could see it in a potential 1.1.7, but let's be real. No matter how much you might try to hype it up, there's no way "everyone is a threat" or even going to be a threat.

 

Those cards look amazing

 

I could see it in a potential 1.1.7, but let's be real. No matter how much you might try to hype it up, there's no way "everyone is a threat" or even going to be a threat.

I immediately thought of Jigglypuff and said ''Nah brah''. lol

 

bayo still shuts down a lot of characters on her own, so i find this hard to believe(that's not to say i feel bayo needs another nerf, i personally think the high tiers atm are fine or should have extremely minuscule nerfs at most in 1 or 2 areas, i personally think everyone below them needs to be buffed.)

 

I could see it in a potential 1.1.7, but let's be real. No matter how much you might try to hype it up, there's no way "everyone is a threat" or even going to be a threat.

In Japan the culture is so that if you do not think you can compete you do not enter tournaments. They are too embarrassed to come out just to lose and especially Umebura has this image of being extremely competitive so many casual players are turned off by it. The only people who show up to these tournaments are only people who really know what they're doing. It's just a huge cultural difference. I theorize that soon, after more and more players have leveled up and the metagame has developed further, we will see the same kind of environment outside of Japan as well.

 

In Japan the culture is so that if you do not think you can compete you do not enter tournaments. They are too embarrassed to come out just to lose and especially Umebura has this image of being extremely competitive so many casual players are turned off by it. The only people who show up to these tournaments are only people who really know what they're doing. It's just a huge cultural difference. I theorize that soon, after more and more players have leveled up and the metagame has developed further, we will see the same kind of environment outside of Japan as well.

So...what you're saying is that you expect more and more people are going to stop showing up to tournaments?

Sounds like a heap of fun and great for the scene.

Still won't see low or bottom tiers with anything approaching regularity, because not every character is actually a threat.

 

So...what you're saying is that you expect more and more people are going to stop showing up to tournaments?

Sounds like a heap of fun and great for the scene.

Still won't see low or bottom tiers with anything approaching regularity, because not every character is actually a threat.

Oh no, I mean that Japan has currently developed into a metagame where anyone can win. But they only have between 150-350 entrants at their biggest tournaments. I believe that soon we will see the same kind of environment around the world once we get to the top 150-350. We will still get the attendance we usually do because we are not going to tournaments only to participate and try to win. Tournaments have become about much more than just competing. Japan isn't there yet. Streaming numbers also show that the smash spectator appeal just isn't here yet.

I would have believed you before until I saw a Link dominate top international threats and take all of winners bracket.

 

I would have believed you before until I saw a Link dominate top international threats and take all of winners bracket.

It's so hilarious right? Who knew someone who people consider bottom/low/lower middle tier has the potential to be top 8 in a major?

Then again, we have American elitists say otherwise despite the astonishing evidence supporting Link is a viable character. Link can do well in literally all the regions that matter most, but people just don't want to admit that Link's finally good for once.

(You should NEVER make a thread that features a Link in top 8. That thing's more of a magnet than a brick magnet to a larger brick magnet.)

 

To be fair, the gulf between high-tier and low-tier is far closer in Sm4sh than in Melee.

 

It's so hilarious right? Who knew someone who people consider bottom/low/lower middle tier has the potential to be top 8 in a major?

Then again, we have American elitists say otherwise despite the astonishing evidence supporting Link is a viable character. Link can do well in literally all the regions that matter most, but people just don't want to admit that Link's finally good for once.

(You should NEVER make a thread that features a Link in top 8. That thing's more of a magnet than a brick magnet to a larger brick magnet.)

Yes, Larry. We all know you're a singleminded idiot.

There's no need for you to remind us.

 

Yes, Larry. We all know you're a singleminded idiot.

There's no need for you to remind us.

I know Larry has...radical opinions, but insulting him won't do any good.

 

To be fair Japan, as I've been ranted before when Kamemushi almost won Evo 2016, features some of the craziest players the world has ever seen in terms of skill. And as a plus side, there was at least one well known player that made it far... Umeki still the fact that a peach made top 8 ugh, just great.

 

Yes, Larry. We all know you're a singleminded idiot.

There's no need for you to remind us.

You are not exactly helping your case by flaming the guy though.

 

I would have believed you before until I saw a Link dominate top international threats and take all of winners bracket.

Is that what spurred this on? Where can I watch this? I need to see this.

 

Is that what spurred this on? Where can I watch this? I need to see this.

What the Link that almost won. I'm surprised you don't notice a Lucario almost won that thing as well. But youtube try if you want Maybe I will check out this T kid myself.

 

Link is a good character lol, easily top of mid tier if he had enough good rep. Larry is actually right for once. T actually could have won this since Falcon isn't that hard of an MU for Link (50:50).

Anyways 2 of the best Link players (Scizor and Cat) will be attending the next Genesis. We're going to start raising money for Cat to go to Genesis next week (he lives in the Netherlands). This is really important to us, so if you're willing to help us Links make history, please donate/spread the word. Any amount is fine.

If you have any questions, please PM me or ask over in the Link boards. We'll let you know when it starts next week, possibly by posting a thread about it in the Link boards. We were already given the go-ahead by Foxy to do so when it starts.

Edit: Dang that was a lot of editing lol.

 

Link is like you said more of a 50:50 in most of his matches, but it doesn't mean he's awful ( unless if he's playing anyone that's crazy good such as Rosaluma). Other than that, hope this benefit works out in the end, even if Cat doesn't make it. P.S, I just liked what you said cause of the edits.
Edit: Damn I talk a lot!

 

Link is like you said more of a 50:50 in most of his matches, but it doesn't mean he's awful ( unless if he's playing anyone that's crazy good such as Rosaluma). Other than that, hope this benefit works out in the end, even if Cat doesn't make it. P.S, I just liked what you said cause of the edits.
Edit: Damn I talk a lot!

Ths Rosa MU is actually 50:50 (same with Zss, Ness and Bayo for the most part). And you're right about him having a lot of 50:50s haha (he has about 17). His worst MU is Sheik and he struggles against Fox, Ryu, Diddy and Rob mostly though they're doable. He's at a slight disadvantage with 13 or so characters and the rest are either 50:50 or in his favor. This is all accoding to Cat btw.

I just really like editing my stuff to perfection lol.

 

Ths Rosa MU is actually 50:50 (same with Zss, Ness and Bayo for the most part). And you're right about him having a lot of 50:50s haha (he has about 17). His worst MU is Sheik and he struggles against Fox, Ryu, Diddy and Rob mostly though they're doable. He's at a slight disadvantage with 13 or so characters and the rest are either 50:50 or in his favor. This is all accoding to Cat btw.

I just really like editing my stuff to perfection lol.

So what you summize is that, all due to his disadvantage against 13 characters, evens with many others, ability to fend against some top/high tier characters, and advantage on so many other characters, that Link would be in the middle of high tier?

And yet of course, if either Scizor or Cat get into top 8 at Genesis, this would prove once and for all Link is no low tier, or even center middle. But that is a shot in the dark of course, haha.

Now I'd like to ask, how is the Sheik v. Link MU the worst? In my general opinion, I've figured it to be a 50:50 (55:45 Sheik's favor at worst), ever since Sheik has been heavily nerfed that is. And I had always thought that Diddy was the worst for Link, followed by ROB, then Fox and Ryu.

But hey, what about Cloud?

 

Then Corrin... what a guy can dream right?

 

So what you summize is that, all due to his disadvantage against 13 characters, evens with many others, ability to fend against some top/high tier characters, and advantage on so many other characters, that Link would be in the middle of high tier?

And yet of course, if either Scizor or Cat get into top 8 at Genesis, this would prove once and for all Link is no low tier, or even center middle. But that is a shot in the dark of course, haha.

Now I'd like to ask, how is the Sheik v. Link MU the worst? In my general opinion, I've figured it to be a 50:50 (55:45 Sheik's favor at worst), ever since Sheik has been heavily nerfed that is. And I had always thought that Diddy was the worst for Link, followed by ROB, then Fox and Ryu.

But hey, what about Cloud?

Lol no man Sheik is a terrible MU. Have fun not being able to do anything for 4 minutes against a high level Sheik in tourney. She rushes us down and zone breaks easily, can force us to approach, combos us across the screen, and destroys us in neutral. She trashes our recovery too. Scizor says to just switch characters against her I believe, it's that bad. It's not pretty though it's a good thing Link doesn't struggle this much against any other character. Diddy, Fox, Rob and Ryu are much more doable to an extent, but still hard.

In terms of tier placement no, I think he's top of mid tier at best. Bottom of high tier is stretching it a lot. But yes that about sums it up. Link is possibly a top 20 character but most would refuse to believe that lol. Cloud is 45:55 in Cloud's favor.