What are the match rules for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Crews)?

SMASH BROS ULTIMATE CREW RULES

LAST UPDATED: January 6th, 2025

1.1 Match Procedure

  • Tournament Crews
    • A “crew” will consist of three (3) Players. Multiple teams from each eligible institution will be allowed to participate in the tournament.
    • Players are not allowed to compete on more than one crew within the same week if a school has more than one crew.
    • Players are not allowed to sub within the same match. Each team needs to play with 3 different players for the entirety of the full match. If one player is unavailable and there is no sub, the team will play 2 v 3. The team playing one player down will automatically take a 0-1 score penalty, reflecting the loss of one of their players.
  • Set Length
    • All tournament sets will be 3 v 3.
    • One GAME will be determined by one player running out of stocks.
    • One MATCH will be determined by one team running out of players will any available stocks remaining. The first team to lose all stocks will lose the match.

2.1 Game Rules

  • Crew Battle Format:
    • Each player will have three (3) Stocks.
    • After a player has lost a game, they will be eliminated and the next person on their team will play the next game against the same opponent that they lost to. That opponent will keep their remaining stock pool going into the next game.
      • Teams will have a maximum of 2 minutes to pick their character and stage between games.
      • Once a team has no remaining players (all three have been eliminated), the opposing team will be considered the winner of that Crew Battle.
    • Any stock(s) a player lost in the previous game must be relinquished at the beginning of the next game. They must do so by jumping off the edge of the stage. The game will officially start when the player is at the correct amount of stocks, jumps off spawning platform, and both players are resent to neutral and initial invincibility has fully worn off. Attacking while invincible will require the violating player to relinquish a stock. If the violation player fails to do so, they will forfeit the game.
    • Sudden Death Rules
      • In the event of both players getting eliminated at the same time, incurring a sudden death, both players are to be considered eliminated. If it is the last player from each team, they are to replay the game with each player having one stock.
  • Game Settings:
    • Stock: 3
    • Time: No limit
    • FS Meter: Off
    • Damage Handicap: Off
    • Team Attack: On 
    • Damage Ratio: 1.0x 
    • Items: Off and None
    • Pause: Off
    • Hazard Toggle: Off
    • Score Display: On
    • Show Damage: Yes 
    • Custom Stages: Off
    • The designated HOME TEAM will be responsible for making the lobby.
  • Remake Procedure: In the event of a server crash that impacts both teams, the game may be remade. Picks must stay consistent with the previous iteration of the game, and the rest of the game will be played out in full. 
    • In the event of a controller disconnect, the match must be paused immediately.
    • If this is the first occurrence, the player who disconnects is allowed one pause. The match will pick up where it left off once the controller is reconnected.
    • If this is the second occurrence, the player who disconnects will lose the round. The match will pick up with the next round of the game.
    • If this is the third occurrence, the player who disconnects will lose the game. The match will pick up with the next game starting, unless that ends the whole match.

3.1 Stage Bans and Character Selection

  • Character Selection:
    • Once both players have shown their characters in the arena, they may not change to a different character. This includes a character that survived the previous round and eliminated an opponent team's character. If the player that won that game played Mario, they are expected to play Mario in the next game.
      • For subsequent rounds, character is selected and announced before stages are banned/selected.
    • Lobby host must give adequate time in between games to allow the opponent to switch to a different member of their crew. Host may not immediately start the next game upon re-entering the arena.
      • If getting the next member of their crew into the next game takes longer than 10 minutes, only then may a forfeit for that specific game be called.
      • A team cannot play two of the same characters within a set (example: two players on the same team cannot both play Pikachu)
  • Stage Selection:
    • Stage Striking:
      • The HOME TEAM will ban first.
      • Players eliminate stages from the Starters Stage list until there is one stage remaining. 
        • The HOME TEAM will strike the first stage.
        • The AWAY TEAM will then strike two stages.
        • Then the HOME TEAM will strike one more stage and the remaining stage is used for the first game of the set.
      • After a player has been eliminated (lost all stocks), the team that eliminated that player will ban any 3 Starter or Counter-Pick stages, and the team whose player was eliminated will pick the next stage.
    • Starter Stages:
      • Battlefield
      • Smashville
      • Small Battlefield
      • Town and City
      • Pokemon Stadium 2
    • Counter-Pick Stages
      • Kalos
      • Hollow Bastion
      • Final Destination

4.1 Restrictions

  • Mii Fighters
    • Mii Fighters must use their default costumes (though players may select any color for their Mii) and must use a Guest Mii.
    • Mii Fighters should be named after the combination of special moves chosen, listed in the format “XXXX.” Any combination of moves may be used, but any movesets that any player may want to use during a set must be created before the set begins.
  • DLC Characters
    • All DLC Characters are allowed for use in official matches
    • In the event of a new character being released, that character is prohibited until one week after their initial release date.
  • Amiibo
    • The use of Amiibo Characters is prohibited in official matches.
  • Banned Characters
    • Characters that are seen as largely banned across collegiate and professional competitions are likely to be banned by Vanta as well. Characters shown on the list below are unable to be used in Vanta-sanctioned competition.
    • If an opponent uses a banned character, please report to support@vanta.gg so that a forfeit loss will be awarded to the team that used the banned character.
    • Banned Characters:
      • Steve (exploitable bug/tech “Phantom MLG”)

5.1 Scoring

  • Scoring for this game will be in the format of 3-0, 3-2, 3-1, etc.
  • Forfeits will be scored as 3-0.

For more information about our general competition rules, please click here.

Did this answer your question? Thanks for the feedback There was a problem submitting your feedback. Please try again later.