Alright, Smash Bros. Melee enthusiasts, get ready to dive deep into the thrilling world of competitive Melee! Whether you're a seasoned tournament veteran or a newcomer eager to prove your skills, understanding the ruleset is absolutely crucial. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about Smash Bros. Melee tournament rules, ensuring you're well-prepared for your next event. So, grab your controllers, and let's get started!

Understanding the Basics

At its core, competitive Melee aims to level the playing field, ensuring that matches are determined by skill and strategy rather than luck or arbitrary factors. To achieve this, tournaments typically adhere to a standardized ruleset, often with slight variations depending on the region or organizer. Let's dissect the key components of these rules.

General Rules

The general rules are the bedrock of any Smash Bros. Melee tournament, designed to maintain order, fairness, and a consistent experience for all participants. These rules cover a broad range of aspects, from player conduct to hardware configurations, and are essential for ensuring smooth and enjoyable competition. Key elements often include:

• Respectful Conduct: Players are expected to maintain a respectful and sportsmanlike attitude towards their opponents, tournament organizers, and fellow attendees. This includes refraining from excessive taunting, unsportsmanlike behavior, and any form of harassment or discrimination. Violations can lead to warnings, penalties, or even disqualification from the tournament.
• Hardware and Setup: Tournaments usually provide the necessary hardware, including Nintendo GameCubes, controllers, and televisions or monitors. Players may be allowed to use their own controllers, but they must comply with the tournament's specifications and be free from any modifications that could provide an unfair advantage. The tournament organizers are responsible for ensuring that all setups are in proper working order and that any technical issues are addressed promptly.
• Communication: Clear and effective communication is vital for the smooth operation of a tournament. Players should be attentive to announcements, listen carefully to instructions from tournament staff, and promptly report any issues or discrepancies they encounter. This helps prevent misunderstandings, resolve conflicts efficiently, and maintain a positive atmosphere throughout the event.
• Punctuality: Players are expected to be punctual for their matches and adhere to the tournament schedule. Delays can disrupt the flow of the event and inconvenience other participants. If a player is unable to make their scheduled match time, they should notify tournament staff as soon as possible to avoid penalties or disqualification. Tournament organizers will typically provide clear guidelines for reporting absences and rescheduling matches.
• Rule Disputes: Inevitably, disagreements or disputes may arise during a tournament. Players should address these issues calmly and respectfully, following the established procedures for resolving conflicts. Tournament organizers will typically have a designated staff member or panel responsible for mediating disputes and making fair and impartial decisions based on the ruleset. Players should accept the decisions of the tournament organizers gracefully and refrain from engaging in disruptive behavior.

Game Settings

Game settings are the specific configurations within Smash Bros. Melee that dictate how matches are played. These settings are carefully chosen to promote balanced gameplay and competitive integrity. Here's a breakdown of the standard game settings:

• Stock: 4 stocks per player. This means each player has four lives to eliminate their opponent(s).
• Time Limit: 8 minutes. If no player has lost all their stocks by the end of the time limit, the winner is determined by who has the most stocks remaining. If stocks are tied, the player with the lower percentage wins. In the rare event of a tie in both stocks and percentage, a sudden death match occurs.
• Sudden Death: If a sudden death match occurs, players start with 1 stock and a very low percentage. The winner is the player who either eliminates their opponent or has the lower percentage when time runs out.
• Items: Items are turned off. This is to ensure matches are decided by skill, not by random item appearances.
• Pause: Pausing is usually disabled, but if it happens accidentally, the player who paused must forfeit a stock, unless the pause was caused by the other player.

Stage List

The stage list is a curated selection of stages deemed suitable for competitive play. These stages are chosen for their balanced layouts and minimal elements of randomness. The stage list is typically divided into two categories: starters and counterpicks.

• Starters: These stages are used for the first game of a set. The standard starter stages are:
  • Battlefield
  • Final Destination
  • Fountain of Dreams
  • Yoshi's Story
  • Dream Land
• Counterpicks: These stages can be chosen by the loser of the previous game. The standard counterpick stages are:
  • Pokémon Stadium

Stage Striking and Banning

Before the first game, players engage in a process called stage striking to determine the stage for the first match. The process typically works as follows:

1. Players rock-paper-scissors to determine who strikes first.
2. The winner of rock-paper-scissors strikes one stage from the starter list.
3. The loser of rock-paper-scissors strikes two stages from the starter list.
4. The winner of rock-paper-scissors strikes one of the remaining stages. The stage that remains is used for the first game.

After the first game, the winner of the game bans one stage from the entire list (starters and counterpicks). The loser of the game then chooses the stage for the next game from the remaining stages.

Character Selection

In Smash Bros. Melee tournaments, character selection is a strategic element that can significantly influence the outcome of matches. The rules surrounding character selection are designed to ensure fairness and prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage. The most common method is Double Blind Character Selection.

Double Blind Character Selection

Double-blind character selection is a procedure used to ensure that neither player knows their opponent's character choice before the stage is selected. Here's how it typically works:

1. Both players simultaneously tell a third party (usually a tournament organizer or another player) their character choice.
2. The third party writes down both character choices secretly.
3. The stage striking/banning process then occurs.
4. After the stage is selected, the third party reveals the character choices to both players.

This method prevents players from selecting a character specifically to counter their opponent's choice, adding an element of surprise and strategy to the character selection process.

Advanced Rules and Procedures

Beyond the basic rules and settings, several advanced rules and procedures govern specific situations that may arise during tournament matches. These rules are designed to address potential ambiguities and ensure fair play in complex scenarios.

Wobbling

Wobbling is a technique specific to Ice Climbers where Nana grabs the opponent, and Popo repeatedly jabs them, resulting in a guaranteed KO. Most tournaments ban wobbling to prevent excessively long and unavoidable sequences.

Glitches and Exploits

Exploiting glitches or unintended mechanics is strictly prohibited. This includes but is not limited to, using glitches to leave the stage, become invincible, or otherwise gain an unfair advantage. Players found to be intentionally exploiting glitches may face penalties or disqualification.

Gentleman's Agreement

The Gentleman's Agreement, often referred to as the