An uprising is stirring in the Super Smash Bros. Melee community. For years, Wobbling – a technique that allows the Ice Climbers to kill their opponent from one grab at any percent – has been legal and accepted at nearly every tournament. Now, many players want to see the move banned. What should Ice Climbers mains do in the wake of this movement?
Competitors choose to play Ice Climbers for a number of reasons: strong smash attacks, a great wavedash, stylish handoffs, immense wealth, and sometimes wobbling. No matter the reason, Ice Climbers players may soon be without their strongest move. There are a number of ways to cope in life without wobbling.
Move to Another State
Despite the craze that’s sweeping the nation, a number of states still live in the dark ages. These are the states that Ice Climbers players will look to migrate to. However, players should choose their state wisely. Look for states with prominent Ice Climbers players.
Everyone wants their state to perform well so target regions where the best player mains Ice Climbers. Choose regions that have all of their pride resting on the shoulder of someone who plays the controversial mountaineers. Texas has rising star Connor “Bananas” Lamb and North Carolina is represented by Tyler “Sharkz” Bass.
Avoid regions that have seen the rise and fall of Ice Climbers. The Northeast has experienced the rise and fall of Chudat and they’re unlikely to let it happen again. Regions that know the damage an Ice Climber can cause are dangerous waters.
Choose a Different Character
Ice Climbers players can opt for a new face at the character select screen. Common knowledge says to switch to Jigglypuff. Puff offers a similar method of farming low-skill players at locals and even has the upside of becoming the best player in the world. However, with the civil unrest around Ice Climbers, Puff may be the next to go.
The closest thing to an infinite – and often an argument that wobbling should be legal – is chain grabbing. Chain grabbing is bound by character matchups and percentages. It does still offer a certain amount of control over the game flow and opponents’ souls.
The best avenue to achieve this is a calculated combination of Pikachu and Sheik. Pikachu can re-grab fast fallers like Fox, Falco, and Captain Falcon. Sheik covers many of the floatier fighters.
Bonus: Pikachu can keep an enemy locked onto a wall during certain transformations on Pokemon Stadium with rapid jabs. This functions as an infinite as long as the transformation lasts.
A number of other characters can inflict tournament-legal forms of psychological damage on their opponents. The defense nature of Ice Climbers is often the ire of their detractors. They promote a slower and “campy” style of play.
Young Link can take this to a new level. With an arsenal of bombs, arrows, and boomerangs, this pesky child pushes tournaments into the dark hours of the night on his own.
Find a New Crowd
If choosing a new hero isn’t an option, there are still a number of ways to play this 17-year old party game. Numerous tournaments host low-tier events. After Wobbling has been eradicated, Popo and Nana will descend from their icy peaks of being mid-tier fighters. This will make the climbers eligible for low-tier tournaments.
Here, their down smash is among the most powerful moves. Their Blizzard attack is the equivalent of three Falco lasers. They become king and queen of a much smaller mountain. If the community is going to move Ice Climbers down the tier list, their mains should make full use of a minor advantage that offers.
Find an Ice Climbers support group. During prohibition, speakeasies were created where patrons could drink and talk freely. Outcast Ice Climber players can gather in dimly lit basements for their own Wobbleasy meetings. Should wobbling ever become accepted again, Ice Climbers can emerge from hibernation and dominate the Melee scene once again. Maybe Wobbling becomes its own sport like NASCAR.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is panned for a number of mechanics that promote defensive and stale play. Because many characters have chain-grab infinites, Ice Climbers have been allowed to Wobble in this game. Melee converts are able to Wobble freely amidst the onslaught of Metaknight mains.
Maybe life after Wobbling won’t be so bad after all.
Featured image courtesy of Smash Wiki.
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