NSW Smash 4 Power Rankings Q2 2016

This power ranking is based on results from NSW tournaments dating back to 27/3/16. The power ranking for Q1 was used as a starting guideline, and adjustments were made based on both tournament placings as well as individual takedowns against other top players in tournament sets.

The top 7 of the Q1 PR were very hard to place. With the notable exception of Kira, whose enthusiasm for the game and subsequent tournament placings slipped after the ZSS nerfs of patch 1.1.5, it was just as difficult to separate the top players this time around. Killy and MM have clearly cemented themselves as the top two players in the region this quarter, but spots 3-6 were highly contested between the four remaining players.

This PR saw the rise of two neighbouring cities, with two new faces on the PR - Dr. Ainuss from Newcastle, and Kristoph from Wollongong. Both of these players have had numerous takedowns on those above them, but aren't quite at the same level of consistency just yet. These two, alongside Enn, have edged Kira, NINjA and Lunacy off the PR for now, but the women of the Sydney smash scene will certainly be looking to return with a vengeance.

1. Killy (±0)
Killy has been dominating NSW since November 2015, and this dominance shows no sign of slowing down. Although he has fallen victim to a few more upsets this quarter than last, when he is in his zone and trying his hardest he is virtually unstoppable.

2. MM (+2)
After an impressive showing this quarter, MM has risen back into 2nd place. He consistently places top 2 at home in Sydney, and his performance at BAM inside the top 8 AU players with Palutena had the whole world talking. MM has taken Killy to game 10 in grand finals multiple times this quarter and the gap between them shrinks every time they face.

3. Luco (+4)
Luco arrived back in Australia at the beginning of 2016 after a year abroad, and immediately made a splash towards the end of the Q1 period. It was hard to evaluate him back then, but now that he's been around for a while he's made a huge impact, with a positive win-loss ratio against every player except Killy, MM and Jeese. Luco's Lucas and Ness are equally fearsome, and being able to pick between the two for the matchup is a great asset for him.

4. SaucyDancer (+2)
SaucyDancer's new placing may come as no surprise if you have already seen his claim to be the best solo Mewtwo main in Australia. Fortunately, his claims have been backed up by consistently strong performances throughout this period. Developing a more calm and passive approach to playing his character, he has well defined his high placement with wins over all but a select few players. With a newfound determination to travel and further hone his abilities, Saucy will no doubt continue to remain a threat.

5. Jeese (-3)
Previously known as Randy Savage, Jeese has always been known for his Luigi. His Charizard has slowly been seeing more play as it receives gradual buffs, and in this quarter was responsible for a majority of Jeese's tournament wins – more so than his Luigi. He may have fallen somewhat since last quarter, but is still very relevant in NSW with a monthly tournament win over Luco under his belt.

6. Scarpian (-1)
In this quarter Scarpian has shown dominance at our weekly events, placing 1st more often than not. While in the previous quarter he had been focussing solely on his Ryu, this quarter Scarpian has been much more experimental with his character choices, including a notable return to his Captain Falcon roots. Although Scarpian has wins in the weekly brackets, he has recently dropped sets to many players below him and his placings have slipped at the larger SGT and YSB tournaments. While these lower placings have lead to a drop for this PR he is still a very strong contender who will be looking to reclaim this lost ground next quarter.

7. Dr.Ainuss (NEW)
Hailing from Newcastle, the mere fact that Dr. Ainuss regularly commutes to Sydney (a 2 hour journey each way), sometimes multiple times a week, is evidence of his dedication to smash. A regular since October 2015, and the progenitor of 'dark tech', Dr. Ainuss has made a big showing the past couple of months with takedowns on Killy, SaucyDancer, Jeese and Scarpian, as well as the second best BAM finish of any NSW player at 25th. If he manages to keep up these results, Dr. Ainuss has nowhere to go but up next quarter.

8. Kristoph (NEW)
The 'state' of Wollongong has a somewhat established smash scene, where Kristoph has been an undisputed #1 for some time. Recently, he has set his sights on statewide recognition, turning up more regularly at Sydney tournaments and not going unnoticed either. His result data may be somewhat limited, but he already has a few takedowns to his name in Killy and Jeese. He also won Final Fight 3, the third of a Wollongong tournament series held every few months that attracts strong attendees from Sydney and Canberra.

9. Boundaries (-1)
Boundaries really made a name for himself after switching to Bayonetta in February. As expected, he had strong placings at the beginning of this quarter, but when patch 1.1.6 hit, there was some concern as to whether he would be able to continue to do so. He was unphased by this and stuck with Bayonetta, silencing his critics by continuing to place well despite the nerfs.

10. Enn (OLD)
Enn has always been on the cusp of the power ranking, placing at #10 at the end of 2015 and only just missing out on Q1 2016. Once again, the 10th spot for Q2 was hotly contested, but Enn managed to narrow out the competition thanks to his recent strong placings.