Tournament ruleset (Super Smash Flash 2)

The following is the current Super Smash Flash 2 Alliance tournament ruleset for Super Smash Flash 2. Note that it currently applies to Beta 1.3.1.2, and therefore it is subject to be changed at any moment following demo updates.

General rules

 * Matches are played with 4 stocks and 8 minutes.
 * If time constraints are of concern, 3 stocks and 7 minutes can be used.
 * All items are turned off and item frequency is set to off.
 * Stage hazards are turned off.
 * Launch rate is set to x1.0.
 * Sets are best out of three, with the exception of "Top 8" sets (Winners Finals, Losers Finals, and Grand Finals), which are best out of five.
 * Special Smash and Arena are not allowed.
 * Though not enforced, it is advised that quality settings are to be set to Minimum in order to minimize lag.

Stage legality
There are three types of stages: neutral, counterpick, and banned. Neutral stages are seen as the most balanced stages, as the advantages and disadvantages they give to each character are minimal at best. Counterpick stages tend to favor certain characters or playstyles due to their design, but they are still balanced enough overall to remain legal. Banned stages are those that are either too polarizing towards a given character or have characteristics that are deemed unsuitable for competitive play. Stages not listed below are considered banned options.

Neutral stages

 * Pokémon Colosseum
 * Smashville
 * Tower of Salvation
 * Yoshi's Story
 * Yoshi's Story

Counterpick stages

 * (shares a stage strike with Tower of Salvation)
 * Rainbow Route
 * WarioWare, Inc.
 * WarioWare, Inc.

Set procedure

 * The higher-seeded player bans first.
 * Players will "double-blind" pick their first characters, meaning neither player is required to state which character they are playing as.
 * The stage is counterpicked before the characters. The winner of a match announces their character change before the loser.
 * In the case of a nullified match, the winner of the previous non-nullified match will strike, and the loser will counterpick.
 * Game 1 should be a 1-2-1 striking order. Afterwards, the winner bans two stages in a best-of-three set, or one stage in a best-of-five set.
 * Final Destination cannot be selected in Game 1 unless through the Modified Gentleman's Clause. Afterward, it can be selected as an alternative to Tower of Salvation by the counterpicker.
 * During Winners Round 1 and Round 2, players are entitled 10 minutes before the set; after 10 minutes, the player will lose that set and the subsequent one in the losers bracket.
 * After Winners Round 1 and Round 2, players are entitled 10 minutes between sets; after 10 minutes, the player will lose that set and be sent to the losers bracket.
 * If a player leaves in the middle of the tournament and does not show up, they will be given a 5 minute timer after their opponent is selected for their set to respond, after which they will be disqualified.
 * If the player then continues to be unresponsive in the losers bracket, the aforementioned timer will continue running until it reaches 10 minutes from when their first set was supposed to start.
 * Dave's Stupid Rule: Players cannot select a stage they have already won on without the other player's consent.
 * Modified Gentleman's Clause: Only legal stages and Waiting Room may be agreed upon by both players.

Stalling rules

 * Stalling is banned and will result in the forfeiture of the current game being played. Stalling is defined as intentionally delaying the game as to make it unplayable. This includes:
 * Excessively going under and around a stage for purposes other than recovery, also known as scrooging. This is enforced after three consecutive instances of scrooging back and forth without landing, fifteen instances of scrooging throughout a match, or 20 seconds of being below the stage without landing or coming back to the stage from the ledge.
 * Using infinite combos to deal more than 150% damage in one combo or chaingrab, or continuing an infinite combo or chaingrab past 300% damage.
 * Using invincibility or intangibility glitches, including but not limited to edge-cancelled sidestepping, to remain invincibility or intangibility for more than 5 seconds at a time.
 * Using 's Focus Attack to leave the opponent inactionable for more than 5 seconds at a time.
 * Using freeze glitches to freeze the player's or their opponent's character. This includes but is not limited to 's cargo throw freeze glitch.
 * Using glitches that negate gravity with characters such as and.
 * Moving around the stage to get to a better position is not stalling.
 * Stalling does not include planking nor remaining in the air, as both of these strategies can be countered.

Lag and desyncing rules

 * If the players desync, the game will be replayed on the same stage with the same characters. In the case where at least one stock was lost before the desync, both players will start the game with the same number of stocks that they had at the time of the desync.
 * If an argument arises over desyncing, then the tournament organizer will determine if the game should be nullified. If the tournament organizer finds out that one player intentionally throws a game in an attempt to emulate a desync, their opponent advances regardless of their current score. If there is no replay information, a judgment based on past behavior of both participants will determine advancement.
 * If severe lag issues occur, then the offending player will play with their quality settings at Minimum.
 * If the players lag even with quality settings set to Minimum, then either player may request a speed test in which both participants will test their respective connections. The results must then be sent to the tournament organizer attending the request in private. To be considered valid, this action must be taken before game 2 starts; players have to try and play before requesting a speed test. If players play longer than game 1, they both give up their right to request it.
 * Players must test their connections using the Internet speed test provided by Cloudflare on the following website: https://speed.cloudflare.com/
 * If a player's result is considered unsuitable for competitive play, they will then be disqualified. To be considered unsuitable, one of the following must apply:
 * The player has less than 15Mb/s upload and download speed.
 * The player has less than 5Mb/s upload or download speed.
 * The player has more than 35 ping.
 * If player connection speed is not the issue, players will instead have the option to play a game with reduced stocks and time. Depending on the severity, they may play with 3 stocks and 7 minutes, 2 stocks and 5 minutes, or 1 stock and 3 minutes.
 * If players desync twice in one game, then the match will be considered nullified and will not count against either player.
 * If players are unable to successfully connect with each other after three attempts, both players will test their respective Internet connections and the player with the better connection advances.
 * If the source of the lag is unable to be determined or if both players lag equally, the players will choose to either play the game through Parsec or let the player with the higher seed advance.
 * If a set lasts longer than 35 minutes, or 55 minutes for a best-of-five set, the tournament organizer will personally determine the outcome of the set based on replay information and past tournament results. If this occurs because of lag, then the player with the better connection advances.
 * Lag Clause: If a player requests a Lag Clause, the tournament organizers must mediate it and judge it privately. Players will have to send their Internet speed test results in private to the organizer handling the request.
 * If a player refuses to provide their results after a Lag Clause has been requested under reasonable circumstances twice, then they will be added to the SSF2 Alliance's Lag List and must provide one if they wish to participate in future tournaments.
 * If both players' results pass after a Lag Clause is called, the organizer can request that both players prove they have the downloaded version of SSF2 in use.
 * If the players do not give permission to the tournament organizer handling the situation to share their Internet speed test results publicly and the tournament organizer does so, they will immediately stop their functions within the tournament and their TO'ers Alliance membership will be revoked. If they are the owner of a tournament series, said series will stop being PR-supported for a period of time depending on the gravity of the consequences coming from the leak.
 * Toaster Clause: The systems used to play SSF2 must reach specific technical requirements.
 * Players may only request a Toaster Clause if the game lags and their opponent passes an Internet speed test.
 * Use of Chromebooks is banned.
 * Systems' CPUs must have at least four cores, or two cores with hyper-threading enabled.
 * Systems must have at least 4GB of RAM.
 * Systems must be running an up-to-date Linux version, Windows 7 or newer, or Mac OS X Snow Leopard (version 10.6) or newer.
 * Program Clause: Players may request a Program Clause before, during, or after a Lag Clause or Toaster Clause. If said clause is applied, the player may only be allowed to run either Discord, SSF2, and a web browser with two tabs open or SSF2 and a web browser with three tabs open. Additionally, the player may not upload or download anything while a game is playing. To prove the clause is being followed, the player must send a screenshot of all the applications being run.
 * Ethernet Clause: While not a requirement to enter, in the event of poor connection, players using an Ethernet connection will be favored.

Other rules

 * If time runs out, then the player with the most remaining stocks wins. If both players have equal stocks, then the player with the lowest damage percentage wins. If both stocks and damage percentages are equal, then a 1-stock 3-minute tiebreaker match will be played using the same characters and the same stage to determine the winner.
 * If the tiebreaker match ends with both stocks and damage percentages being equal, then it will be replayed again until a winner is determined.
 * If the match ends with both players falling simultaneously when they are on their last stocks, then the winner will be determined by the results screen.
 * If a player intentionally disconnects from their opponent during a match, it will count as a win for their opponent. The only exception to this rule is if a reset is necessary due to an error during the game's setup.
 * If a player unintentionally disconnects, then the game is to be replayed with the same characters, stage, and stock counts.
 * Game modifications are banned with very few exceptions, with one exception being the Super Smash Flash 20XX mod. To know if a mod can be legal, the player must consult a tournament organizer.
 * Players cannot use bugs or glitches to improve their respective characters or movesets.
 * Players in top 8 matches must save their replays, as all top 8 games that do not have replays are considered "nullified" and must be replayed.
 * If one of the players deliberately quits before a replay can be saved, they will lose that match, regardless of the outcome.
 * If the tournament organizer does not catch the players quickly enough, then the set will proceed as normal.
 * Colorblind Visibility Clause: Any player may reset the game on the grounds of not being able to see the opponent's character, such as when using a dark or transparent costume with stage backgrounds disabled. If this is called, the opposing player must either switch their costume or forfeit the match. This right becomes null if the player deals or is dealt damage.
 * Asshole Clause: Calling a player out on lag in a disrespectful manner, verbally attacking a player, discrimination, and being rude in general will not be tolerated.
 * Conduct outside of events may also be grounds for being barred from future events.
 * The tournament organizer has the final ruling in all disputes.
 * Sub Clause: Players cannot sub in to a lower seed. Subbing can only be done in Losers round 1.
 * Scooby Dooby Doo Clause: If the tournament organizers cannot find an opponent because their bracket name does not match their Discord username, they will lose the current set that they are in until they identify themselves.