Stage Striking

Players play best-of-one RPS. Winner may choose to have port priority or the first stage strike. Port priority can be ignored if neither player brings it up. The player with first stage strike shall strike one of the 5 starter stages. The other player then strikes two, and then the first player strikes one more to leave one (1-2-2-1 order).

Stage Bans

(Best-of-3 only) After each game of the set, before counterpicking, the player who won the previous game may ban one stage from the stage list. Stage bans last 1 game, therefore a player who banned a stage may counterpick that stage themselves later in the set, unless banned by their opponent.



There are no stage bans in best-of-5 sets.​

Neutral Ports

Some relative spawn points in some stages are significantly advantageous to one player/team. Either player/team may request, before a match begins, to have controller ports to be switched to avoid these situations. This request cannot be turned down. Port priority must be maintained through the switch. A list of neutral ports for each stage will be available on request.​

Neutral Start

Players may NEVER ask for a "neutral start" where both players move to the opposite side of the stage after the game start and then countdown to 'officially' start the game. If anyone does ask for this, use neutral ports rule instead. Players that neutral start on stream will be removed from the stream. A player that has been warned about this rule but asks the other player anyway will forfeit the game of the set about to be played.​

Double Blind

A player requests double blind to the opponent This player calls over a pool captain or other tournament official (must be approved by the other player), and tells them their character selection in secret. The other player selects their character. The official then announces the first player's pick and that player must select that character for the first stage. Set procedure continues from step 2 as described above.

Stage Clause

Players may not pick ANY stage they have won on in the set previously except by agreement of the opponent. This is also known as Modified Dave's Stupid Rule. Can be circumvented by Gentleman's Clause.​

Gentleman’s Clause

This rule can only be used to allow an opponent to go to a stage they already won on in the set, or to agree on a legal stage instead of stage striking. It cannot be used to pick a stage off the stage list or to agree to different game/set rules or settings, etc. Playing a game contrary to this rule may result in a forfeit of that game by the player who asked to do so.​

Pausing

In the event that pause is not turned off, pausing the game is only legal while a player remains upon their OWN respawn platform AFTER notifying the other player, and only for the purpose of summoning a tournament organizer, or in the event of a controller malfunction. In the case of an accidental pause, the other player has the option to cause the other player to forfeit their current stock upon unpausing. If a pause causes an opponent to lose a stock, the offending player may be required to forfeit two stocks. If such stock loss would reduce the player to zero stock, they lose the game regardless of the result of the match on screen. If the opponent lost their last stock of the game, and the offending player was not reduced to zero stock, the game may be replayed. All judgments are up to the TO’s final discretion.​

Stalling

The act of stalling, or intentionally making the game unplayable, is banned and at the discretion of the TO. Stalling tactics include but are not limited to becoming invisible, infinites, chain grabs, or uninterruptible moves past 300%; or abusing a position in which one player’s opponent can never reach them. Any action that can prevent the game from continuing (e.g. freeze glitches, disappearing characters, game reset, etc.) will result in forfeiture of that match for the offending player. Players are responsible for knowing their own character, and must be wary about accidentally triggering these effects.​

Timeouts, Ties, and Sudden Death

In the case of the time reaching zero, the player with the higher stock wins the match. If players are tied in stock, lower percent wins. If players are tied in percent, or two players/teams lose all their last stocks simultaneously, players play a 1 stock game with a 3 minute timer to determine the result of the match. If this was a doubles game, all players play in the game.​

No Grab ‘n’ Go

Teammates may not touch each other’s controllers during games.

Stock sharing is allowed in doubles.​

Colorblind Clause

Players may request that their opponent change colors to accommodate colorblindedness, or if their color is indistinguishable from either the other team color or the stage background. This request must be made before the first game of the set.​

Warm-ups

Warm-up periods, button checks, and “handwarmers” may not exceed 60 seconds on the game clock. Violation of this rule may result in an automatic forfeit at the discretion of the TO.​

Misinterpretation

Coaching

There will be no coaching allowed between or during games of a set. Players may having coaching between sets, including after a reset of grand finals, or any other time when the bracket is such that only one set may be played at a time. Players are always allowed 3 minutes between sets for this purpose in addition to ordinary time constraints.​

Collusion

Any collusion or results manipulation with competitors is forbidden. If the TO determines that any competitor is colluding to manipulate results or intentionally underperform, the colluding players may be immediately disqualified. This determination is to be made at the sole discretion of the TO. Anyone disqualified in this manner forfeits all rights to any titles or prize money they might have otherwise earned.​

Wireless Controllers

Only wireless controllers licensed by Nintendo are allowed. All use of wireless controllers must be reported to the pool captain before their use.​

Malfunctions

Any controller malfunctions are entirely the player’s responsibility. Players are responsible for using the correct settings BEFORE the set begins. Both parties need to agree if a match is to be paused or restarted because of a controller problem.​

Players will eliminate stages from the starter stage list until one remains. Procedure is as follows:In order to avoid being character counterpicked by another player after one player selects theirs, they may call for a double blind pick. They must request this before stage striking begins. The procedure is as follows:Games or sets are not to be replayed due to a misinterpretation of the rules; 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 except under extreme circumstances.