Loading interface...
 Back to overview

Event Rules

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Singles Tournament Ruleset

1. Tournament Rules
1.1 Set Length
  • All tournament sets will be a best-of-3 games, until a top cut where games are extended to best-of-5 games. The recommended top cut is 3.125%, for example, the top 32 in a 1024 entrant bracket, or the top 16 in a 512 entrant bracket.
1.2 Set Procedure
  • Players select their characters. Either player may elect to do Double Blind Character Selection (see section 1.4)
  • Use Starter Stage Striking to determine the first stage
  • The players play the first game of the set
  • Winning player of the preceding game strikes 2 stages (when applicable).The losing player of the preceding game picks a stage for the next game
  • The winning player of the preceding game may choose to change characters.
  • The losing player of the preceding game may choose to change characters after the winning player has decided to change characters or not.
  • The next game is played.
  • Repeat Steps 4 through 8 for all subsequent games until the set is complete.
1.3 Stage Agreement Clause
  • Players may select any LEGAL stage if they both agree on it. Players may not play on illegal stages or change the length of a set. If this is violated, both players will be subject to complete disqualification from the event.
1.4 Double Blind Character Selection
  • Either player may request that a double blind selection occur. In this situation, a referee or third party will be told, in secret, of each player’s choices for the first round. Both players are to then select their first round character, with the referee validating the character selections.
1.5 Stage Striking
  • Players play a best-of-1 Rock-Paper-Scissors, and winner may choose to either strike a stage first or select a port first. Stages are stuck in a P1-P2-P2-P1 order.
1.6 Pausing
  • Pause setting should be off. However, if it is not, pausing is only legal while either player remains upon their OWN respawn platform, and only for the purpose of summoning a tournament official or in the case of a controller malfunction. All other pauses will incur a stock loss to the player who pauses the game. If the pause causes the opponent to lose a stock, the player who pauses forfeits 2 stocks
1.7 Stalling
  • Stalling, or intentionally making the game unplayable, is banned and at the discretion of tournament staff. Stalling includes but is not limited to becoming invisible, continuing infinites past 300%, and reaching a position that your opponent can never reach you. Stalling will result in a forfeit of the game for the player that initiated the action.
1.8 Self-Destruct Moves
  • If a game ends with a self-destruct move, the results screen will determine the winner. If a sudden death occurs, standard sudden death rules apply (see 1.9).
1.9 Sudden Death
  • If a game goes to Sudden Death, the winner is determined by stocks and percentage at the time the game ends. If both players are tied in stocks the player with the lower percentage is the winner. In the event of a percentage tie, or a game in which both players lose their last stock simultaneously, a 1 stock tiebreaker will be played with a 3 minute time limit. The results of an in-game 300% Sudden Death do not count. If Sudden Death occurs in a Sudden Death game, this process is repeated.
1.10 Warm-ups
  • Warm-up periods, button checks, and “handwarmers” may not exceed 30 seconds on the game clock. Violation of this rule may result in an automatic forfeit at the discretion of the TO.
1.11 Counterpicking
  • Each Player is designated 30 seconds between each game to notify their opponent of their counterpick. If no counterpick is selected in this time frame, a judge should be engaged and the counterpicking player will receive a game loss.
1.12 Coaching Violations
  • Coaching is not permitted during the duration of a tournament set. If coaching occurs during this window, they will receive penalties as outlined below: * 1st offense (minor): Verbal warning to the player and the coach. This warning persists for the entire event. * 2nd offense (major): Player receives a game loss. * 3rd offense (severe): Player and offending coach receive complete disqualification from the event
Guideline for violations
  • Cheering - Nondescript statements such as “Lets Go!”, “You got this!”, or “mess them up!”. These are not violations
  • Minor violation - General statements such as “Play Slow”, “Take your time” or “Hit him!”
  • Major violation - Specific statements pointing out habits, specific options, or timings such as “Watch for his neutral getup!”, “His waft is almost ready!” or “He keeps rolling!”
  • Severe violation - Physical interference to either player.

Tournament Staff reserve the right to judge on what is deemed “coaching” and the severity of the violation.

1.13 Tardiness
  • Anyone who is not present for their set by 5 minutes past the scheduled start time is subject to a set loss
1.14 Collusion
  • Players suspected of colluding may be immediately disqualified from the tournament. This includes intentionally throwing a game, splitting a payout, or committing any other form of bracket manipulation. The TO reserves the right to deny payout of event winnings to any player suspected of colluding.
1.15 Misinterpretation/Misconfiguration
  • Games or sets are not to be replayed due to a misinterpretation of the rules OR misconfiguration of game settings. Game settings should be configured according to section 2.1. It is the players’ responsibilities to ask the TO for any clarification of the rule set in the event of a disagreement, and the outcome of a game or set will not be changed after the fact unless under extreme circumstances, judgment reserved for tournament staff.
1.16 Payouts
  • Less than 16 players: Top 2 * 1st: 60% * 2nd: 40%
  • 17-39 players: Top 3 * 1st: 60% * 2nd: 30% * 3rd: 10%
  • 40-128 players: Top 4 * 1st: 55% * 2nd: 27% * 3rd: 13% * 4th: 5%
  • 129-512 players: Top 8 * 1st: 50% * 2nd:25% * 3rd: 12% * 4th: 7% * 5th: 5% & 5% * 7th: 1% & 1%
1.17 Final Rulings
  • If any unforeseen situations occur, judgment of Tournament Staff is final. Rules may be altered between phases of a tournament in the best interests of the event. (Example: A game breaking glitch is discovered on a stage mid tournament that could be exploited. Thus, the stage may need to be removed from legal play for the remainder of the event.)
Game Rules
2.1 Game Settings
  • Stock and time are set to 3 stock and 8 minutes
  • Handicap: Off
  • Team Attack: On
  • Damage Ratio: 1.0x
  • Items: Off and None
  • Pause: Off
  • Hazard Toggle: Off
  • Mii: All moveset combination are legal
2.2 Stage List

  • Starter Stages * Battlefield* * Final Destination** * Pokemon Stadium 2 * Smashville * Town & City *Counterpick Stages * Kalos Pokemon League * Yoshi's Story * Small Battlefield

  • *Battlefield variations of the stages are allowed in place of Battlefield.

  • **Omega variations of the stages are allowed in place of Final Destination.

The following stages are not allowed for Battlefield and Omega variations due to the changing in the Z Axis:

      * Dream Land GB
      * Flatzone X
      * Hanebow
      * Mario Maker
      * Mute City SNES
      * Pac-Land
      * Duck Hunt
2.3 Additional Rules

Starter Stage Striking

  • See section 1.5 for details on choosing who strikes first. Players may strike from the legal stages (each person strikes stages in a 1-2-2-1-1 format) to determine the starting stage for the first game. If battlefield or final destination is chosen and both parties agree, a variant can be used.

Counterpick Stage Striking

  • After each game of the set, before counterpicking, the player who won the previous game may strike two stages from the starter list. This strike does not persist throughout the set. If final destination or battlefield is chosen as a counterpick, a variant may be chosen by the loser of the previous game.

Controllers

  • For ease of access, Tournament Staff recommends the use of the Nintendo Gamecube controller, however, The Switch Pro controller (wired) and Joy cons are all permitted control options. Turbo/Macro options on controllers are banned. Box variants of the gcc are currently permitted so long as they do not have macros/turbo enabled.

Controller Interference

  • If your controller is found to be the cause of disruption to the tournament (mid-game or otherwise), you are subject to complete disqualification from the event.

Mii Fighter Clause

  • Mii Fighters can be named anything; however, if the set of moves is requested by the opponent the Mii Fighter player must disclose the special moves that they are using