The SBR's Official Position on Meta Knight

He is not banned.

Originally Posted by M3D

Let me just start by saying that this has been no easy decision. I have been a moderator over the Back Room since 2004 and the issue of whether or not to ban Metaknight from tournament play has been the most heated discussion we have ever had in that room. So I want to stop anyone from suggesting that we didn't carefully consider this before we decided to post our collective opinion. This decision has been months in the making. We have reviewed tournament results, discussed the match-ups extensively, argued about the effect that stage lists have on Metaknight's effectiveness and even argued all the way down to the core idea of what we think tournament smash is all about. So yes, we've considered this carefully and explored it extensively.

I should also say that we were not unanimous in this decision. There are some players that are adamantly for the ban of Metaknight, some that are adamantly against it and some that have a relatively neutral stance. So we recognize that there is going to continue to be disagreements within the community about it. We fully expect that conversation will continue and new evidence will be brought up as the game continues to be explored.

After months of discussion and reviewing all the information we could gather, the SBR voted on whether or not to ban Metaknight. It was voted that Metaknight should not be banned by a ratio of 3-1 in the voting. A significant majority of the SBR believes that Metaknight should not be banned from tournament play.

However, a significant majority of SBR members also recognizes that Metaknight is currently the best character in the game in singles tournament play. We believe that the community should grow organically and we do not consider it wrong for individual tournament organizers to ban Metaknight if they feel it will draw in more players or improve the community in their area. However, they should recognize that the majority of tournaments around them or in other regions will probably continue to include Metaknight. It's up to the tournament organizer to decide if they should ban MK at their event and up to the players to decide what kind of tournaments they wish to attend.

Finally, I should point out that game evolve over time. We are already seeing Diddy rise up as a potential counter to Metaknight and certain other players winning tournaments consistently without MK in tow. It's possible that in time, Metaknight will no longer be considered so formidable. It is also possible that new tricks with Metaknight will arise that will make him even better than he already is, driving the community as a whole to ban him. It's a game played by millions of people all over the world. Any development is possible and the SBR will continue to monitor how the competitive smash scene develops.

Please feel free to discuss this decision here, but any flaming or inappropriate language will result in warnings. We understand its a heated discussion, but please keep it clean.

Yep. Just all depends on your skill level versus the other persons, no reason to ban a fun character from play, well done SSB high positioned people.

Maybe giving some time to develop MK counters is the best for now. I just hope that if such thing does not happen he get's banned.

Originally Posted by Toon Flink

Yep. Just all depends on your skill level versus the other persons, no reason to ban a fun character from play, well done SSB high positioned people.

Naturally skill is most important. An amazing Bowser can beat a mediocre Metaknight.

But at the highest levels of tourney play? Metaknight is broken, man. Deal with it. You see top-level MK players that can play super-aggressive in a very defensive metagame, taking crazy risks no other characters can take and even when they get punished for them, which is rare, they still win the matches by considerable margins. MK has too many tools to cover every situation.

Anyway, this will just serve as motivation for others to get better with the other chars and develop effective MK counters, and hopefully all the MKs in the world will rely on their character being strong and get lazy

Yeah! good news. I play with MetaKnight.
"Victory is my destiny"

Can you not post it in orange? It's annoying having to highlight it in order to read it.

Originally Posted by Twilight Wolf

Can you not post it in orange? It's annoying having to highlight it in order to read it.

Same here.

Anyways, I gotta say it's a good thing they didn't ban MK. He's just as valid of a character as any other. Sure he has the best technical stats, but that means crap. Besides, with as long as smash bros has been out, there are bound to be competitive MK users. Getting rid of MK would have been totally unfair to them. Personally, I don't see any reason to get rid of him that out weighs the reason to keep.

Originally Posted by Tally-chan

Besides, with as long as smash bros has been out, there are bound to be competitive MK users.

And the MK community was so lucky to have Mr. Competetive-Character-Creator M2K pick up and main Metaknight quite early on... and now he pwns

Originally Posted by Tally-chan

Sure he has the best technical stats, but that means crap.

Argh! Do you guys even play this game? Metaknight has broken (as in absurdly effective/un-punishable) moves all over the place, ungimpable recovery, great range, and retarded priority. That means a ton. It means a MK noob vs. another character somewhat experienced is an even match.

Originally Posted by Tally-chan

Getting rid of MK would have been totally unfair to them.

I agree with this, a lot of people will have wasted much time, but then again, not everyone plays in big tourneys... I imagine most all tourneys would follow the ban though, that would be no fun.

Originally Posted by Tally-chan

Personally, I don't see any reason to get rid of him that out weighs the reason to keep.

Once again, educate yourself. There is a lot of potential for MK to skew Brawl's metagame and tourney standings into something terribly vapid.

I play Marth, DDD and G&W. My G&W is a decent MK counter, but ultimately, if a player of equal skill faces me and chooses MK while I choose any of my mains, the match will eventually come out in MK's favour.

In any case, I am neutral for the ban, but leaning towards no ban. So this decision is pretty cool with me. We'll all learn the best ways to counter MK anyway.

Originally Posted by Twilight Wolf

Can you not post it in orange? It's annoying having to highlight it in order to read it.

Sorry, M3D's post was originally orange. I changed it now.

Daed, I know all about the specs. I'm just saying the reasons to keep MK outweigh the reasons to ban.

Do you know what Captain Falcon players call Meta Knight's A jab?
The fortress.
Do you know what Captain Falcon players call Meta Knight's B Tornado?
The impenetrable fortress.

Hah. I don't care. Bring it on, I can beat you using Ice Climbers.

And now the serious part of my post:
I do believe MK should be banned. Why don't we host another, MK only tourney? Because that's what this tournament is going to turn into if MK isn't banned. Although I still believe that a great user of other characters can win.

So he's not banned, eh? That's okay with me I guess. My brother uses him, that that's good for him.

MK is my secondary. I main falco. MK's 'nado can be countered fairly effectively with falco's reflector. And MK's range is not THAT good, better than a few others, but not that good.

My only issue is that the 'nado is far more effective than the drill rush? why did they even put the 'rush there?

Originally Posted by Double A

MK is my secondary. I main falco. MK's 'nado can be countered fairly effectively with falco's reflector.

That leaves 37 other characters.

Originally Posted by Nickybo

So he's not banned, eh? That's okay with me I guess. My brother uses him, that that's good for him.

Does your brother attend to competitive tournaments? If no, this doesn't affect him ^^

MK is my secondary. I main falco. MK's 'nado can be countered fairly effectively with falco's reflector. And MK's range is not THAT good, better than a few others, but not that good.

My only issue is that the 'nado is far more effective than the drill rush? why did they even put the 'rush there?

It is MK's range plus is ridiculous priority and speed. Damn near impossible to gimp. Has 2 fast moves that can kill. Or can gimp anyone at almost any %.

Drill Rush is situational. It can be good for a recovery. I don't see much else it is good for though.

Meh. Metaknight is no stronger than any other character to me. Is strange is rather meh-ish, and if you play like me, you won't be on the ground long enough for his attacks to do too much damage. Metaknight is short, therefore his attacks are closer to the ground. Metaknght does his 'nado. Samus double jumps. Problem easily solved.

Originally Posted by Dark Rose

if you play like me, you won't be on the ground long enough for his attacks to do too much damage.

Um... aerial attacks?

Originally Posted by Dark Rose

Metaknight is short, therefore his attacks are closer to the ground. Metaknght does his 'nado. Samus double jumps. Problem easily solved.

MK spams his 'nado, which actually goes up if the button is mashed, problem not solved. Or, he can catch you while u fall.

Meh. Metaknight is no stronger than any other character to me. Is strange is rather meh-ish, and if you play like me, you won't be on the ground long enough for his attacks to do too much damage. Metaknight is short, therefore his attacks are closer to the ground. Metaknght does his 'nado. Samus double jumps. Problem easily solved.

Why would MK be on the ground unless he is doing Down Smash or Ftilt. You want MK to be on the ground. Otherwise he will completely own you in the air.