Theodore "Bladewise" Saybold is a longtime Smash player from Washington State, currently ranked 36th in the Summer Melee PGR and is sponsored by Will2Win Gaming. With his continued consistency throughout his competitive history, I thought it would be nice to catch up with the longtime Peach main and see where his head is at with Melee in its current state.

How long have you been playing melee?

Bladewise: I've been playing Melee competitively for about 13 years. I started entering tournaments at a local LAN center in November 2005.

What made you stick with Melee for so long?

Bladewise: Ever since I started playing Melee, I loved every aspect of the game, whether it's Adventure mode, Home Run Contest, Break the Targets, Free For Alls, Teams, Singles, etc. I never got bored of the game.

Part of the beauty of Melee is this: at every skill level, there's something incredibly fun and cool looking you can do. And that provides you with motivation to get even better and do the next cool looking thing. And even after 13 years I still feel that way. I still find incredibly fun, new things to try out.

Further, the satisfaction of playing well is a remarkable feeling. Combining all the knowledge and execution - along with those cool looking things you've developed - feels amazing.

Do you think Melee will continue to have staying power even with the release of Smash Ultimate?

Bladewise: I believe that the Melee scene will have no problem continuing its growth after Smash Ultimate is released. If anything, it might bring in more exposure to Melee. I expect the scene for Ultimate to be tremendously larger than it was for Wii U. The population of potential players is so much higher due to Switch's sales.

Since it is common for events to run brackets for both games, Melee will once again get an opportunity to appeal to a new, even larger crowd.

What made you main Peach?

Bladewise: Back when I first started Melee, I spent countless time on every mode and played every character. But the thing that drove me most was the desire to beat one of my college friends, my main rival at the time. We went very even in most cases, except when I used Peach. Peach is a rather easy character to win with at a low level. But after playing Peach more over time, I found her ability to float to be tons of fun. Once I started attending tournaments in my state, I also found out that the best player in my state, (Sastopher), also played Peach. Having a player like him to learn from basically solidified my choice of main.

What do you think of Peach in the current Metagame?

Bladewise: I think Peach is quite capable of threatening to make Top 8's at major tournaments consistently. She can be an tremendous obstacle for some players and it can be very difficult to break through her defenses. However, I don't think Peach will see Top 3 at any major for quite some time - now that Armada retired, unfortunately.

Do you think that Armada has the best turnip pull luck in Melee history?

Bladewise: No, although he's had some very memorable moments. It can appear that he has excellent luck, but I believe he has 'luck' because he's so skilled, (which wouldn't make sense at first). Because he's so good, he can create more openings to pull turnips. We tend to forget the ordinary turnips. Also, because Armada was able to compete so late into brackets, we had more chances to see his turnip pulls.

How do you feel about Armada’s retirement?

Bladewise: Armada's retirement hit me pretty hard. He is by far my favorite player. His presence in the scene improved Melee in so many ways. We all sought to emulate him, both in his ability to execute well in the game and his ability to maintain the mental focus necessary to win tough matches. Everything about my playstyle changed after he exploded onto the scene at Genesis 1. My younger, scrubbier self could hardly believe what I was seeing. I don't blame him at all for his decision, but I do still wish it wasn't so. Hopefully there's a Peach player, (whether an established one like ll0D or Trif or myself, or an aspiring up-and-comer), out there who can continue pushing the metagame like Armada did.

What is your favorite combo to hit with Peach?

Bladewise: One of my favorite things to do in Melee is find ways to hit opponents with Peach's Upsmash. I suppose that my favorite combo is the KO setup of Down Tilt to Platform Upsmash. It works on a surprising amount of the cast, but it can be difficult to set up.

What is it like being one of the best players in Washington State?

Bladewise: It does provide a degree of satisfaction to have a title of sorts. I know that I've put in countless hours of practice, and it feels good to have recognition. However, my goal is to become the best player in the world and I know I've got a long, long way to go. So, that satisfaction is always kept in perspective.

Do you feel like Washington State is an underrated region?

Bladewise: Yes, although most regions probably answer the same way about themselves. I am quite proud of the players in my region though. They've so often surprised me with how quickly they can grow as competitors, and I know that I can't coast my way into any victory anymore. Our scene has lost a few excellent players over the years, but, on a regular basis, I still see incredible potential seeking to fill those voids.

How do you feel about constantly being ranked in the top30 of every Melee ranking?

Bladewise: I'm happy that I've been able to maintain consistency over many years. The metagame is constantly evolving and the game is so incredibly difficult. However, that consistency has its downsides. My placings at majors have tended to be close to as expected of my seeding. I haven't made huge splashes at majors in a few years, which can be very frustrating. With new talent constantly growing in the scene, I'll probably fall out of the 30's unless I find some better answers to my obstacles.

What events are you going to later this year?

Bladewise: I'll be attending Canada Cup, GameTyrant Expo, and Don't Park on the Grass 2018.

Where can people find you?

Bladewise: The best place to find me is on twitter @bladewise00. I am to hoping to stream consistently someday on Twitch @bladewise , but it'll be some time before I can start that up.