Which is better? One, Two, Three, or Four Stocks?

[FredTheGCNGamer]

Personally I prefer two Stocks.

 

[Zatchiel]

I usually play with no stocks.

 

[Muttley]

Ninety-nine stock matches are the only acceptable matches

 

[A Gray Person]

In a serious sense, three stock.
In a all the time sense, whatever 99 minutes can allow.

 

[Blue Warrior]

I've heard that the difference between two-stock and three-stock changes some matchups. For instance, ZSS's armor pieces take up more of the match time, and Trainer's stamina variable is less of a hindrance.

 

[PedroSmashFan2014]

Three stock matches.I think it is just better and fairer overall...

 

[TF4U-Speed]

This is how I view 1-4 stock matches, personally (no time limits);
One Stock - Accidents can end the game, no cushion for comebacks.
Two Stock - Even with an accident, or some mishap, you're still in the game. But, your opponent has a cushion that you do not. Each percentage of damage you take is something you can't afford to take, and something your opponent can.
Three Stock - Personally, it provides a balance. There's a nice cushion for a comeback should you die first, or if an accident happens. This doesn't give your opponent a terrible advantage, since you still have room to maneuver without losing immediately.
Four Stock - Same advantages like Three, but I feel this drags out games too long. This can also provide your opponent with a considerable lead should you take too much damage after your first death.

Overall, Three Stock provides a nice balance of speed, cushion for comeback, and less advantages for the leading opponent. This is my opinion, but I tend to play Three stock more than anything else.

 

[Deleted member]

(I'm ignoring tourney organization concerns for time, as some rulesets have that in mind more than I'd like them to)
I think 3 or 4 stock is some of the best for balance and most enjoyable to play . It might be my time away from Brawl, but it seems like certain match-ups do better with different stocks. Recovery in general is easier in Brawl than in Melee, but gimping works with some effort. I usually lean toward 4 stock for casual play, but 3 might be more for me in tourneys with tech like Ganon/Bowserciding...

 

[eradication0]

3 stocks is perfect

 

[Trickerhere]

2 stocks 6 minutes

 

[Ekans647]

Generally I prefer 3 stocks, but because Brawl is slower (That's not a bad thing), I use 2 stocks 6 minutes.