Editing Steve (SSBU)

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Due to the character's unorthodox playstyle and sudden rise in the metagame, many people began to argue that Steve should be banned. While this movement initially took a while to gain momentum, the discussion began in earnest in early 2022 with the sudden rise of players unknown prior to Steve's release, as well as the number of top player upsets by then-unranked players (such as {{Sm|Dabuz}} by {{Sm|yonni}} or {{Sm|Tweek}} by {{Sm|DDog}}). Discussion on Steve's ban heated up around the Summer of 2022 with the rise of {{Sm|acola}} and {{Sm|Onin}}, both of whom dominated their scenes and won multiple majors despite being relatively unknown players months prior. In particular, Onin's dominant victory at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2022}}, which included a devastating 3-0 victory over {{Sm|MkLeo}}; acola's victory at his debut overseas tournament {{Trn|The Gimvitational}}; and the Steve ditto between the two players at {{Trn|Let's Make Moves Miami}} led many players to compare Steve to ''Brawl'' {{SSBB|Meta Knight}} and ''Smash 4'' {{SSB4|Bayonetta}}, two characters who dominated their game's respective metagames.
Due to the character's unorthodox playstyle and sudden rise in the metagame, many people began to argue that Steve should be banned. While this movement initially took a while to gain momentum, the discussion began in earnest in early 2022 with the sudden rise of players unknown prior to Steve's release, as well as the number of top player upsets by then-unranked players (such as {{Sm|Dabuz}} by {{Sm|yonni}} or {{Sm|Tweek}} by {{Sm|DDog}}). Discussion on Steve's ban heated up around the Summer of 2022 with the rise of {{Sm|acola}} and {{Sm|Onin}}, both of whom dominated their scenes and won multiple majors despite being relatively unknown players months prior. In particular, Onin's dominant victory at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2022}}, which included a devastating 3-0 victory over {{Sm|MkLeo}}; acola's victory at his debut overseas tournament {{Trn|The Gimvitational}}; and the Steve ditto between the two players at {{Trn|Let's Make Moves Miami}} led many players to compare Steve to ''Brawl'' {{SSBB|Meta Knight}} and ''Smash 4'' {{SSB4|Bayonetta}}, two characters who dominated their game's respective metagames.


Proponents of Steve's ban argue that his ability to change a stage's layout with blocks and create near-unbeatable setups whether onstage or ledgetrapping has led to him being too strong with little viable counterplay. Some of his more notorious techniques include placing a block above the ledge and then using his Back Throw to either [[Stage Spike]] the opponent if they don't [[tech]] or guarantee a Forward smash if they do. This tech is called a Block Spike. Steve can also chain jabs across the stage to carry the opponent offstage or combo into a Forward Smash at the ledge, and using Down smash on his own TNT and buffering an [[Air dodge]] to avoid the explosion, covering most recovery options with a single move. Some of these players also argue that most players who saw success with Steve were "unknown" players prior to the character swap, and that their sudden burst of success proves that Steve "carries" his players. They pointed out how the metagame was being populated with Steve players - for example, Super Smash Con 2022 had 9 Steve players make top 64 while all other characters had 4 or less players<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/woohfu/top_64_character_representation_at_super_smash/|title=Top 64 Character Representation at Super Smash Con 2022}}</ref> - and that the character's increasing presence in the metagame was driving players away from the game.
Proponents of Steve's ban argue that his ability to change a stage's layout with blocks and create near-unbeatable setups whether onstage or ledgetrapping has led to him being too strong with little viable counterplay. Some of his more notorious techniques include placing a block above the ledge and then using his Back Throw to either [[Stage Spike]] the opponent if they don't [[tech]] or guarantee a Forward smash if they do, chaining jabs across the stage to carry the opponent offstage or combo into a Forward Smash at the ledge, and using Down smash on his own TNT and buffering an [[Air dodge]] to avoid the explosion, covering most recovery options with a single move. Some of these players also argue that most players who saw success with Steve were "unknown" players prior to the character swap, and that their sudden burst of success proves that Steve "carries" his players. They pointed out how the metagame was being populated with Steve players - for example, Super Smash Con 2022 had 9 Steve players make top 64 while all other characters had 4 or less players<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/woohfu/top_64_character_representation_at_super_smash/|title=Top 64 Character Representation at Super Smash Con 2022}}</ref> - and that the character's increasing presence in the metagame was driving players away from the game.


On the other hand, opponents of Steve's ban argue that Steve's dominance in the metagame had been exaggerated or required more context, and that people have been developing counterplay in the matchup for a while. They also argued that Steve's dominance in the metagame was less notable than ''Brawl'' Meta Knight or ''Smash 4'' Bayonetta, pointing to how only two Steve players - {{Sm|acola}} and {{Sm|Onin}} were consistent top 8 threats, and even then, Onin's results have been seeing a noticeable decline in 2023. In addition, some players noted how most players who picked up Steve were younger players who either had less opportunities to enter tournaments prior or began playing during the online metagame; for example, acola had his start in the [[Smashmate]] ladder and began ranking highly well before his offline debut.
On the other hand, opponents of Steve's ban argue that Steve's dominance in the metagame had been exaggerated or required more context, and that people have been developing counterplay in the matchup for a while. They also argued that Steve's dominance in the metagame was less notable than ''Brawl'' Meta Knight or ''Smash 4'' Bayonetta, pointing to how only two Steve players - {{Sm|acola}} and {{Sm|Onin}} were consistent top 8 threats, and even then, Onin's results have been seeing a noticeable decline in 2023. In addition, some players noted how most players who picked up Steve were younger players who either had less opportunities to enter tournaments prior or began playing during the online metagame; for example, acola had his start in the [[Smashmate]] ladder and began ranking highly well before his offline debut.
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Some people have proposed using Ultimate's [[Handicap#In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate|Custom Balance]] feature to weaken Steve as opposed to a full ban. However, this proposal has raised concerns of it being a slippery slope, possibly leading to people to advocate using custom balance on more characters to weaken high tier characters who aren't ban worthy and strengthen low tier characters, which will lead to disputes over which characters get buffed or nerfed and by how much. Others became concerned that the lower knockback from custom balancing could actually end up strengthening Steve by making his combos more consistent.
Some people have proposed using Ultimate's [[Handicap#In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate|Custom Balance]] feature to weaken Steve as opposed to a full ban. However, this proposal has raised concerns of it being a slippery slope, possibly leading to people to advocate using custom balance on more characters to weaken high tier characters who aren't ban worthy and strengthen low tier characters, which will lead to disputes over which characters get buffed or nerfed and by how much. Others became concerned that the lower knockback from custom balancing could actually end up strengthening Steve by making his combos more consistent.


====PMLG (Phantom MLG) and ban efforts====
====PMLG and ban efforts====
Despite the heated discussion, there was little effort toward banning Steve for most of 2022, with notable exceptions being the French regional {{Trn|CrocoCup 1}} and [[Tournament:Shockwave|Ultimate Shockwave]] testing out a Steve ban, among other characters, for a few of their tournaments in November and December.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/CrocoCorporated/status/1521540624469659649|title=Steve will be banned from CrocoCup #1}}</ref> However, the early-2023 discovery of [[Phantom MLG]]—a tech involving Create Block that allows Steve to escape out of a move and immediately follow it up with a counterattack—led to renewed and successful efforts to ban the character, with many organizers arguing that the tech was the breaking point for them. A few tournaments, including {{Trn|Collision 2023}} and {{Trn|MAJOR UPSET}}, made efforts to only ban the tech itself, or give out penalties to those who were accused of using the tech, however some players argued that banning only the tech was impractical, as it could be difficult telling whether a Steve player performed PMLG or just simply fell out of a move. By May 2023, 17 out of the 50 United States have banned Steve completely, while many other states have seen bans at a local level.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/LoopBarnard/status/1654190092951384064|title=Steve ban map in North America as of May 4th, 2023}}</ref> Bans were also exacerbated with {{Sm|Hungrybox}}'s decision to ban the character from his [[Tournament:The Coinbox|Coinbox]] tournaments,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/LiquidHbox/status/1631435704772317186|title=Steve is officially banned at the Coinbox for the foreseeable future.}}</ref> and many other tournaments would also announce a ban, including {{Trn|Gateway Legends 2023}}, {{Trn|Luminosity Makes Moves Miami}}, and {{Trn|Regen 2023}}.
Despite the heated discussion, there was little effort toward banning Steve for most of 2022, with notable exceptions being the French regional {{Trn|CrocoCup 1}} and [[Tournament:Shockwave|Ultimate Shockwave]] testing out a Steve ban, among other characters, for a few of their tournaments in November and December.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/CrocoCorporated/status/1521540624469659649|title=Steve will be banned from CrocoCup #1}}</ref> However, the early-2023 discovery of [[Phantom MLG]]—a tech involving Create Block that allows Steve to escape out of a move and immediately follow it up with a counterattack—led to renewed and successful efforts to ban the character, with many organizers arguing that the tech was the breaking point for them. A few tournaments, including {{Trn|Collision 2023}} and {{Trn|MAJOR UPSET}}, made efforts to only ban the tech itself, or give out penalties to those who were accused of using the tech, however some players argued that banning only the tech was impractical, as it could be difficult telling whether a Steve player performed PMLG or just simply fell out of a move. By May 2023, 17 out of the 50 United States have banned Steve completely, while many other states have seen bans at a local level.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/LoopBarnard/status/1654190092951384064|title=Steve ban map in North America as of May 4th, 2023}}</ref> Bans were also exacerbated with {{Sm|Hungrybox}}'s decision to ban the character from his [[Tournament:The Coinbox|Coinbox]] tournaments,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/LiquidHbox/status/1631435704772317186|title=Steve is officially banned at the Coinbox for the foreseeable future.}}</ref> and many other tournaments would also announce a ban, including {{Trn|Gateway Legends 2023}}, {{Trn|Luminosity Makes Moves Miami}}, and {{Trn|Regen 2023}}.


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