A tournament ruleset is a set of recommended and accepted rules and settings for use in competitive tournaments. The following is the current Smash Flash Back Room ruleset for Super Smash Flash (as of May 23, 2015) and Super Smash Flash 2 (as of May 1, 2015). It should be noted that Super Smash Flash, due to its physics and mechanics, has only recently been given tournament rules, as its competitive scene is virtually nonexistent. For Super Smash Flash 2, the following ruleset currently applies to SSF2 Beta, therefore it is subject to be changed at any moment following demo updates.
For Super Smash Flash
General rules
- 5 Stock, 7 minute matches.
- Items are set to none/off
- Sets are best out of 3; winners/losers/grand finals are best out of 5.
- Due to only two neutrals being present, a coin toss will decide the outcome of the neutral stages.
- Counterpicks have two bans to make up for the limited stage choice.
Stage legality
There are three types of stages: neutral, counterpick, and banned. Neutral stages are seen as the most balanced stages, as the advantages/disadvantages they give to each character are minimal at best. Counterpick stages tend to favor certain characters or playstyles due to their design, but 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.
Neutrals
Counterpicks
For Super Smash Flash 2
General rules
- 4 stock, 8 minute matches.
- If time constraints are of concern, 3 stocks and 7 minutes can be used.
- Items are set to none/off.
- Though not enforced, it is advised that Quality settings are to be set to Minimum in order to minimize lag.
- Hazards are set to off.
- Sets are best out of 3; winners/losers/grand finals are best out of 5.
- Best of 5 may be used for Top 4 or Top 8. Top 4 includes Losers Semis, while Top 8 includes Winners Semis, Losers Semis, Losers Quarters, and Losers 7th place.
Stage selection rules
- Either player/team may ask for a double blind character selection.
- This will not be needed for online tournaments.
- For the first game, players use the 1-2-1 stage striking system to determine which stage is played first. Rock-Paper-Scissors is used to determine which player strikes first.
- First player strikes a neutral stage.
- Second player strikes two more neutral stages.
- First player chooses from the remaining two neutral stages.
- For each subsequent game, the winner may strike 3 stages from the stage list. The loser picks from the remaining stages. The winner may then change their character, followed by the loser.
- Any stage that is previously stricken will be available again for the next game.
- Dave's Stupid Rule: A player cannot choose a stage that they have previously won on in the same set.
- Gentleman's Clause: If both players agree, they may choose to play on any stage, banned or otherwise.
- FDS Clause: In the event that a player picks Waiting Room / Final Destination during the striking process, it is up to said player to decide which of the two stages will be played on.
Stage legality
The same three types of stages apply on the stage legality for SSF2. Stages not listed below are considered banned options.
Neutrals
- Battlefield
- Final Destination / Waiting Room (Both are eliminated with a single strike or ban)
- Smashville
- Pokémon Colosseum
- Dream Land
Counterpicks
Other 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, AKA scrooging
- Using infinite combos to deal more than 150% damage in one combo/chaingrab, or continuing an infinite combo/chaingrab past 300%
- Using invincibility/intangibility glitches, including but not limited to Edge Cancelled Spot Dodges, to remain invincible/intangible for more than 30 seconds at a time.
- Using freeze glitches to freeze you or your opponent's character. This includes, but is not limited to Donkey Kong's cargo throw freeze glitch.
- Moving around the stage to get to a better position is not stalling.
- Sudden Death Clause: If a Sudden Death occurs, a 1 stock 3 minute tiebreaker will be played instead, using the same characters and the same stage. The results from a Sudden Death will be ignored.
- If the tiebreaker goes to Sudden Death, it will be replayed again, until a winner is determined.
- Controller Clause: Offline tournaments may choose to ban certain types of controllers (keyboards, macro controllers, etc.) to prevent potential cheating. For online tournaments, players who are found to be using modded/illegal controllers will be disqualified.
- Players are responsible for bringing their own controller to the tournament. The tournament will not provide you with one.
- Tardy Clause: Players should arrive on time to play their sets (offline and online). Players who are 10 minutes late will lose the first match. After an additional 5 minutes, players who are still absent will lose the set. If a player knows they will be late for any reason, they must contact the TO or another tournament representative.
- For team matches, both partners must be present for the match to commence. If one partner arrives too late to a set, both players are penalized with the Tardy Clause above.
- Disconnect Clause: In online tournaments, if a disconnect or desync happens during a match the first time, that match is to be replayed. For subsequent disconnects during the same set, the player who had the highest stock count wins; if stock counts are tied, the player with the lowest percentage wins; if stock and percentages are tied, a 1 stock 3 minute tie breaker is to be played.
- If a player intentionally disconnects without proof of there being a desync or network error, they forfeit the match. It is highly recommended that you contact the other player before disconnecting.
- Players who abuse this rule to obtain favorable match results will be disqualified.
- Coaching Clause: Coaching of any kind during a set is banned. Players may receive coaching before or after a set, but never during a set. Additionally, players may not receive coaching if they are late to a set. Both the coach and the player in the set will be penalized if the player intentionally receives coaching.
- Coaching may not be done to stall time before the first match of the set begins. Coaching has a time limit of 5 minutes.
- Asking for help during an online set is the same as asking for a coach, and is therefore not allowed. Helping a player during an online set is the same as coaching them.
Consequences
- If any rules are broken, the player may be punished by the discretion of the TO or another tournament representative. This include but is not limited to: loss of match, loss of set, and disqualification.
- If there are any questions about rules, the TO or another tournament representative should be consulted
- If the TO or another tournament representative suspects a player of any form of cheating, bracket manipulation or collusion, that player will be immediately disqualified.
