As everyone has said, this is the most stacked tournament in Smash history. In addition to the 47 PGR members, the bracket is filled with hidden bosses from around the world. In an effort to bring more spotlight to these players, we’ll be looking at each of the most dangerous non-PGR players who will be competing this weekend.

Note: This list was made by me looking at the Smash.gg attendees and writing down everyone I felt confident covering. If you feel someone has been left off, please leave a comment here, on Twitter, or on Reddit. If your argument is well-written, I’ll add that player to the list and credit you for the addition.

The European Greninja main captured the hearts of many with his run at BEAST 6, overcoming Panda Global invaders MVD and ESAM. Easily one of the strongest in Europe, iStudying has struggled to find the same success on the international stage. However, with bracket wins over players like Ally, he has proven to be a danger for anyone not prepared for his slippery playstyle.

FOW–Ness–Nevada

The man with the best “ego twitter” in all of smash, Fow was relatively silent for the latter half of 2016. He has answered Zero’s call to arms, and should be properly prepared for this event. Ness has been an under-used character of late at the top level, perhaps Fow will be able to surprise a few unprepared foes.

9B–Bayonetta–Japan

The best Bayonetta in Japan, 9B is a student of the game and a terror on the field of battle. He came to SoCal early and planted his flag by winning Wednesday Night Fights this week. Will we see the same result in bracket at the main event?

Glutonny–Wario–France

While most have written off Wario as a gimmick, Glutonny is forcing smashers everywhere to reconsider the character. With strong sets against elite players like Anti and Kameme, France’s finest smasher will be a difficult for any opponent unfamiliar with the matchup.

8BitMan–R.O.B–Florida

While his bracket wins are not overwhelming, 8bitman has always lurked right on the fringe of greatness. He has been working hard in preparation for this event, and could elevate the R.O.B meta game to brand new heights this weekend.

Venom–Ryu–Canada

Ally is famous for carrying very little about smash events on his Twitter. However, when Venom’s chance came to fight at Civil War, Captian Canada suddenly came to life. If Team Ally’s general felt he needed Venom for the war effort, we certainly should not ignore him as a real threat.

John Numbers–Wii Fit Trainer–New York

Wii Fit Trainer is a fascinating character who has struggled to find high level success. John Numbers remains one of the few strong players pushing that metagame, and will be looking to make waves this weekend.

Shuton–Olimar–Japan

Shuton will be on the next PGR. He’ll probably be in top 8 this weekend. He is very good, and no one is prepared for his caliber of Olimar play. This is one of the most dangerous hidden bosses in the bracket.

Elegant–Luigi–SoCal

Elegant’s star is on the rise of late. He’s made waves at a number of recent events, and is a permanent fixture at the top of SoCal locals. With a recent sponsorship by the Beefy Smash Doods, Elegant has made it clear he’s ready to take the next step.

Zenyou–Mario–SoCal

With a top 8 finish at Genesis Saga, any competitor would be a fool to sleep on Zenyou. His combos are clean, and his Mario is a joy to watch. There are many elite Marios in this bracket, but Zenyou absolutely has the potential to surpass them all.

2scoops Nicko–Shulk–SoCal

Nicko is among the players most hyped-up by his local fans. As one of the best Shulk’s in America, he’ll be looking to truly test himself against the best in the world. Who knows how far he’ll go, but if the SoCal community is to be believed, this is a dangerous man to sleep on.

Aarvark–Villager–SoCal

When Ranai isn’t in town, Aarvark is the best villager player you can find. Together with his teammate Elegant, the pair will be true contenders for the doubles crown this weekend. In singles, he has yet to really break through, but there is no better time than on the biggest stage the game has ever seen.

T–Link–Japan

To many, Link is a mediocre character with a far superior clone. Those people have not watched T play. With some of the flashiest kill setups in the game, T can turn around a match at any moment, and punish anyone not ready for the Hero of Time.

Tsu–Lucario–Japan

If you have a win against Zero in the top 8 of any tournament, you are a threat to destroy any bracket. We’ve never seen Lucario played at the caliber Tsu showed us at Frostbite, and Tsu will be looking to repeat that performance this weekend. Watch any game you can when Tsu is on screen–if you blink, you’ll miss some of the craziest kills Smash 4 can deliver.

S1–Ness–Netherlands

In most of the world, Ness is consistently falling down the tier list. In Europe, S1 takes names on the regular. To my knowledge we have never seen S1 in international competition, so this weekend could be his chance to plant a flag for his region.

Javi–Cloud–Mexico

While MKLeo is the most famous player from Mexico, the region is filled with killers. Javi is among the strongest. With a solid stable of swordsmen at his disposal, Javi is a terror when playing at his peak.

Fuwa–Marth–Japan

Wife of Earth, and an elite player in her own right, Fuwa is the definition of a hidden boss. She regularly cuts down all takers in Japan, but much of the community has not seen her full potential. The PGR may well have it’s first female player after this weekend if Fuwa can take a few names.

SilentDoom–Charizard–U.K.

Many of the commentators this weekend have signed up for the singles bracket. To me, SilentDoom is the one most likely to do actual damage in the tournament. From his Twitter to his commentary, SilentDoom has the clear heart and mind of a competitor. He’ll be looking to really test his skills this weekend in addition to wowing the crowds on the mic.

Kome–Shulk–Japan

Japan is known for bringing lower-tier characters to international events and shocking everyone. We’ve seen what Tsu, Some, and Shuton can do, perhaps this event is Kome’s turn. If he is playing on point, we’ll likely see Shulk in a whole new light next week.

HIKARU–DK–Japan

Hikaru was added last minute as a goal for Civil War. His goal was met almost immediately. People are hungry to see Donkey Kong destroy a bracket, and Hikaru seems to be just the player to make that happen.