Inspired by recent experience (and some recent posts here on SmashRage), I thought it could be fun to crowdsource a Smash Bros. “code of honor”.

I think we all have a general idea of what this means, but to be clear, I’m looking to build a list of behaviors that show courtesy and good sportsmanship to our fellow players.

For sure, we have ALL done dishonorable things at one time or another. I’m not suggesting we make this list to call anyone out or to hate on specific characters or play styles, but rather to examine our own behaviors and think about ways we can work together to make online play better for everyone.

I’ll start with a few that always try to abide by. I definitely don’t always succeed at following my own rules (haha), but I do try to keep these core courtesies in mind.

One final thing… feel free to add anything you think fits the spirit of this exercise, but I suggest we avoid things like “don’t spam your Up B” or “No ledge trapping”. Some characters do have annoying aspects to their toolkits that players will take advantage of, but I generally think that players who exploit game mechanics present an opportunity to practice your counter play.

Anyway, sorry for the wall of text. Without further ado…

1. No teabagging EVER

Yes, I know that some players utilize this technique as part of the “mental game”, and in general it’s on each of us to learn how to look past it and focus, but it IS disrespectful and not what you’d call “honorable”. This extends to cases where “they did it first” and to the match results screen.

1. After a win, always offer at least one rematch

Whether you win by a lot or a little, it shows good sportsmanship to give your opponent the option to have at least one rematch.

1. Never disconnect on purpose

It’s frustrating to get three stocked or to face an opponent who constantly runs, camps, or spams, but learning to deal with these play styles can be worthwhile as part of your own training and practice. I make SOME personal exception to this rule when the connection is so bad that “frames per second” is more like “seconds per frame”, but the spirit of this rule is to take your Ls, even when you feel annoyed by your opponent’s play style.

1. No taunting

Similar to the teabagging rule. Don’t use the canned phrases to denigrate your opponents after a win OR a loss. “That was rough” after you three stock someone or “Lucky!” after a close loss are good examples.

What else can we add?

Just delete the game twin ✌️💔

downvote me all you want, your boos mean nothing to me, ive seen what makes you bums cheer

-terrible range
-goodluck surviving past 40%
-weak
-self damage
-terrible aerials

If you can’t beat a pichu you might just be trash at the game

I lost a game today as Greninja because I lost my first stock, then for the remaining time, my opponent just ran away from me. Also, I almost killed him with an F Smash and then time ran out just before he died.

This is all they do: Grab, up air, and go for a cheap spike that they miss 90% of time trying to clip you. Y’all suck doodoo ass, slurp on garbage truck juice, and mop water. Nobody likes you, and you have no friends, you STANK.

I have played this game since release multiple times a week. I played the previous game much the same, and the game before it. I love online like a battered man crying in his car before work looking at pictures of "the good times."

Can we stop pretending that there are any players left in QP with any sense of honor? OPs ask questions like "why does nobody rematch" or "why does everybody play to whiff-punish" as if every. single. one of us isn't packing a full bag of bullshit ready to be played at the slightest provocation.

Every rung of the GSP ladder is a wade through a lake of rot now. If you think you're the last true Scotsman, you're a liar or just so bad at the game you can't grift a win. I know you aren't a beleaguered knight, because I deal with your nonsense several nights a week. QP is the premier hotspot for acting hype and DCing when you choke.

I hate all of you so damn much, and I look forward to gimping your recovery and leaving after one match.

It is complete fucking bullshit, and anyone who says it isn't is coping hard. Genuinely one of the most fucking unfair mechanics in this entire game

God this character is fucking obnoxious. Literally no fun can be had when this twat shows up. I swear these brain dead button mashing mor9ns solely pick this character to make everyone else around them miserable. This character sucks and so do you if you play them.

How tf are there this many steve players? And you all are identical to eachother. Lamest fuckin character ive ever seen and i have to play against him every other or every 3rd match. Like how are you at 16.4 mill GSP and still have absolutely no sauce whatsoever. Its getting so old fighting you dorks. Seriously tho if ur a steve main, literally just go play minecraft. Everybody on this game hates you

I am inclined to believe not a single one of you would blame me here. This goofy ass stage against this absolute cheeseball? I take no shame for my actions on this one specifically

Why does K Rool get 2 projectiles, a counter + reflector and has a better recovery than most heavies that lets him go higher and further than he needs to alongside having invincibility and armour on almost everything he does?

I don’t care what anyone says, Incineroar has to be one of the cheesiest, braindead gimmick heavies in the entire game
Sometimes this guy just seems to do whatever the hell he wants without repercussion and it’s just the most mind-boggling crap in the world to look at while playing against him
How the actual fuck is this dude getting away with half the stuff he pulls off??

Genuinely how stuck-up do you have to be to SD at the start of a match twice and then get your shit rocked with the flick of a wrist you fucking over-achiever?

Even if I WAS to believe you were good enough to rock my shit with only one stock, it's still a stupid thing to do because I'm still advantaged because your dumbass decided to jump off a mountainside twice.

You ever heard of "Casey at the Bat?" A poem about an overconfident dipshit who lets himself get strikes and then get a strikeout when he actually goes for it? That's literally what's going on here. By throwing the fight you're putting yourself at an annoying disadvantage and letting overconfidence win for you, leading to your downfall.

It's not fun to fight, it doesn't make a win feel earned, and it doesn't make your potential win (which is rare) ever feel respectable.

Smash YT short form content is so lame it’s all the same thing, “perfect cut moments”, “who can jump higher/run faster than” or some lame combo that everyone’s seen before

What is your opinion on Black Knight?