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This week we’re counting down the Top 50 players during season 2 of the NA RCS circuit. For more information about the methodology and how rankings were decided, check out the S2 Top 50 Introduction post. To enter free Rivals of Aether events online and play in season 3 of the circuit yourself, head over to smash.gg and register.

Other Articles in the Series

• S2 Top 50: Introduction
• S2 Top 50: Honorable Mentions
• S2 Top 50: #50 – 41
• S2 Top 50: #40 – 31
• S2 Top 50: #30 – 21
• S2 Top 50: #20 – 11 (you are here)
• S2 Top 50: #10 – 1

#20 – Handbuttt

Mentality’s own Handbuttt is a very strong Etalus player, and an oldschool one at that, playing the character even in season one before he saw a spike in popularity. Prominent takedowns for him this season include Kaos, Turquoise, and Risky at Shine where he secured himself a 5th place finish. Though he plays less competitively these days, his skill is still apparent as he came back for several RCS events towards the end of the year – placing in the top 16 without even needing to shake off any rust.

#19 – Jesier

Jesier has been on the rise this year after he switched from being a long-time Wrastor main to focus on Ori and Sein. It’s safe to say the swap has paid off for him as our panelists have voted him the top solo Ori main in the game. With consistent top 32 finishes all year, and a huge 3rd place finish in December with wins over Penguin, TheFailWhale, and Dynla he’s safely solidified himself among the top 20.

This massive jump of over 20 ranks from last year certainly shows his growth as a player, and his recent qualification for the Mentality League is a good sign that it’s not stopping this year either.

#18 – ProDoubleSushi

ProDoubleSushi is an excellent Forsburn player who quite literally wrote the book on some of the Forsburn tech still used today. A highly competitive player, he’s found success in not only Rivals but other games like Dragon Ball FighterZ and is a prolific streamer and entertainer. Though he’s participated less in the official circuit this year, the fact that every single event he’s placed in has been top 16 or higher has locked in his spot in the ranking – and reminds people to never sleep on him.

#17 – Lord Bagel

Lord Bagel is a player who’s come incredibly far in such a short time. Going from completely unranked last year to 17th is a huge accomplishment and one he should be proud of. He’s still struggling to climb the last hurdle and defeat some of his rock-throwing demons, but with his growth mindset, great starting point, and passion for the game we expect to see him go far in season 3 with just a few breakthroughs.

#16 – Heyodogo

Texas is home to some of the strongest Rivals players in the world, and the young talent Heyodogo is no exception to that rule. His Orcane is always a massive threat and has sent many a top player to losers bracket. Though everyone agrees his online skills are top notch, many are hoping he’ll show up to a large season 3 local event to see if he can keep up his success in a different environment.

#15 – Jorane

Flash Point’s Jorane is not only a talented and creative player, but also a talented and creative artist. A fan favorite for his bright personality and poignant art, solid showings all year landed him in the top 20 for both overall pointholders in the RCS as well as the top 50. He’s already registered for Hyrule Saga and representing Canada in the crew battle as well, so we’re excited to see how he does in season 3 this summer.

#14 – Ceztellz

Ceztellz’ Absa takes the character to a completely new level then most people are used to. Over this season he’s been a bane to the best players in the game with wins over FullStream, CakeAssault, DolphinBrick and more. Recently he seems to be soul searching, entering events with secondaries and coming back with lower results than we’ve seen from him earlier in the year. Hopefully in season 3 he’ll find what he’s looking for since he clearly has the potential to make any Rival a threat.

#13 – Protagify

Players have known that Vireo’s Protagify was good for a long time, we just didn’t know how good until Genesis 5. Living in Hawaii kept him relatively untested in a serious setting until he was able to prove himself at the most stacked event of the year. With wins over TurtleBox, Ralph, ProDoubleSushi, and more he was able to push his limits just like the first time NA and EU Rivals players met at Genesis 4. These results combined with his history in the WCS and other events have solidified it in the panelists’ minds that he’s a top 15 player.

#12 – TheFailWhale

TwistedSin’s TheFailWhale is a fast-paced player that has always had the moves. This year the smoothest Kragg in the game has switched to Etalus which is quite fitting for his slippery playstyle. His consistent placings and track record against some of the best this year have landed him just outside the top 10.

TheFailWhale is also known throughout the community for his monumental TO work. Rivals wouldn’t be the same without him running hundreds of consecutive tournaments for regions all across the country. Make sure you thank your TOs! We hope to see him push even further with his gameplay in season 3.

#11 – TurtleBox

FlySociety’s TurtleBox was a constant threat as we saw him travel to more events than ever last season and consistently place high. Potential is an often talked about characteristic in players, and our panelists certainly don’t think TurtleBox has hit his yet. When you’re as close to the top of the game as he is that’s a very good thing to hear.

Aside from his tournament accolades, TurtleBox is also quickly coming for the title of number one Kragg in the game. With his recent head-to-head setcount against MSB, he only needs a few more solid performances to have a fair claim.

This week we’re counting down the Top 50 players during season 2 of the NA RCS circuit. For more information about the methodology and how rankings were decided, check out the S2 Top 50 Introduction post. To enter free Rivals of Aether events online and play in season 3 of the circuit yourself, head over to smash.gg and register.

Other Articles in the Series

• S2 Top 50: Introduction
• S2 Top 50: Honorable Mentions
• S2 Top 50: #50 – 41
• S2 Top 50: #40 – 31
• S2 Top 50: #30 – 21 (you are here)
• S2 Top 50: #20 – 11
• S2 Top 50: #10 – 1

#30 – geck-0

Geck-0 is a character specialist and household name for seasoned players when it comes to Kragg. His unique ability to keep up a relentless barrage of specials and combine them in ways you never knew existed makes him a dangerous adversary. With a few more wins against the upper echelon he could easily solidify himself in the top 20. As he’s always refreshing to watch or encounter thanks to his uncommon approach, we’ll be on the lookout for him in upcoming events.

#29 – SisterEden

The final write-in on the list, SisterEden was recognized by our panelists for her outstanding Ori play. Her potential is high and though she’s not very battle-tested in official events, she has plenty of wins and experience in the community to be prominent. Her tricky Ori play continues to advance the character even though it’s one of the rarer Rivals, and we hope to see her more in the future.

#28 – TheBestAdamCarra

Not only is Tuxedo’s TheBestAdamCarra a top notch Maypul player, he’s also an amazing artist beloved for his Rivals YouTube videos and skits. Though he doesn’t play in many online events, Adam makes it a point to travel for west coast live events where he lays down the law.

Notable finishes this year for him include 13th at Heat Wave and a 17th at G5 where he eventually fell to Ralph. With Adam’s lack of bad losses and stellar results the only thing holding him back from being higher is activity.

#27 – Mugi

Mugi is another up-and-comer with some great upsets this season. He really hit his stride in the tail end of the season after the release of Ranno and Clairen, where he took Rivals’ first sword character to new heights. One of his most prominent wins this season included defeating MrLz in the December RCS Monthly.

Our panelists believe Mugi had the ability to press even further but the season ended before he could continue. If his results at Frostbite are any indication of what to expect though, people will definitely have to keep an eye on him in season 3.

#26 – Risky

Risky is an old school player who has a way with games. In addition to his skill in Rivals, he’s also been invited to AGDQ multiple times to show off speedruns in his favorite titles. His passion in Rivals falls to unique characters where he finds joy in making rarely used characters shine. His Forsburn and Etalus play are dangerous to underestimate as shown by his 7th place finish at Shine, where he upset AZCards after coming off of a hiatus.

#25 – Gaming

Gaming is a Zetterburn main that truly embraces the rushdown side of the character, and his fast and fiery playstyle can leave opponents looking like they weren’t even holding a controller. His record throughout the RCS season last year was excellent, with him placing higher than top 32 at 2/3rds of the total events offered.

This type of consistency in events that range from 150-400 players is nothing to scoff at. With his recent qualification for the Mentality League, this may be the time we see him take a stab at the top again, especially with all of the practice he’s getting against LBO.

#24 – Dynla

Dynla is a Maypul player who is much better than he thinks he is, which is refreshing in any competitive landscape. Panelists rank Dynla as the best solo Maypul main outside of the top 10. His strongest placing was a solid 9th place finish in the last online RCS event of the year, though during the offseason he showed up big to Frostbite. He’ll definitely be a player to watch and learn from in season 3.

#23 – ZeeBee

ZeeBee is another player on the rise who has been doing very well for himself both online and in his local scene in New York. Like many other players around this ranking, he has the ability to rise and be a real threat next season. Wins over WooF and Jorane earned him a 13th place at Genesis 5, where he probably babydash jabbed someone. He’s just a couple breakout tournaments away from climbing to the top and he knows it.

#22 – SBS

SBS has grown leaps and bounds this year with the help of the amazing scene that he’s grown from scratch in Arizona. Most recently, his 5th place finish at GT-X and 17th at G5 have made people sit up and take notice. Relatively unknown players are starting to come out of AZ and put up strong finishes like it’s a hyperbolic chamber, so their region is certainly one to look out for. Now that he’s become a part of TwistedSin we expect to see much more of him at even greater heights in season 3!

#21 – Dunk

Dunk is another OG Kragg player who’s been around the block. Season 2 was excellent overall for him compared to last year, with surefire growth seen by him locking in multiple 9th places at large live events. If he’s able to raise his power level even a little in season 3, that’s all he’ll need for top players to have another Kragg to look out for.

This week we’re counting down the Top 50 players from season 2 of the NA RCS circuit. For more information about the methodology and how rankings were decided, check out the S2 Top 50 Introduction post. To enter free Rivals of Aether events online and play in season 3 of the circuit yourself, head over to smash.gg and register.

Other Articles in the Series

• S2 Top 50: Introduction
• S2 Top 50: Honorable Mentions
• S2 Top 50: #50 – 41
• S2 Top 50: #40 – 31 (you are here)
• S2 Top 50: #30 – 21
• S2 Top 50: #20 – 11
• S2 Top 50: #10 – 1

#40 – Seggo

ManDown’s Seggo is an up-and-coming Kragg with great potential. Originally getting his start on the Xbox version of Rivals, he eventually moved over to PC where he started entering tournaments seriously towards the end of last year.

His skill shone through in online events as he secured himself a top 8 and took games off of some of the best like DolphinBrick and MrLz. The only thing holding Seggo back from placing higher on the list was the fact that due to his late start he ran out of events to prove himself at! He has a bright future and we’re looking forward to how he continues to break into competitive Rivals in season 3.

#39 – Corkxx

<.< Corkxx is the first player on the list that was submitted as a write-in. A long time player, Corkxx has had a hard time proving himself due to world travel preventing him from playing in many events. Though he’s been one of the top players (and leaders) in the Middle Eastern scene it’s always a different beast entirely to play a large event in North America.

However Corkxx’ performance during the offseason finally let him put his money where his mouth was as he proved himself at Frostbite. We hope to see more of his aggressive Forsburn in season 3, especially as other players will underestimate him only at their own risk next time.

#38 – ITS A CAT

ITS A CAT is a fairly old-school player and long time Kragg main. Though he wasn’t incredibly active in the RCS this year, panelists were still confident enough in his skill to rank him 38th. He can often be found commentating, and is an integral part of Rivals Weeklies and the Texas scene. Last year he helped organize events in the region and was also able to secure a top 8 at LTC5. He may be slightly underrated at this placing but we’ll need to see more in the coming season to find out!

#37 – Quote_a

Quote_a is another solid legacy player. Though he wasn’t incredibly active this season his skills have still earned him 37th on the list. His Orcane has great fundamentals and is hard to catch off guard. Most recently he was voted into the Frostbite compendium but was sadly prevented from playing due to a massive snowstorm. Hopefully Quote_a gets some more chances to prove himself this year, since with a few more results he could easily be higher on the list.

#36 – Sparx21

Sparx21 is on the rise right now and was just recently picked up by Ice Storm Gaming. He spent most of last season honing his talent and has recently started to break through with great Kragg finishes and creative Elliana play. With a strong showing at Frostbite during the offseason and a first place at Push More Buttons 2018, the future is bright for Sparx21 this year.

#35 – Mephiles

Mephiles is a strong Absa player who’s just outside of the greats as a character specialist. His methodical Absa play can easily dismantle lesser players which always makes him a threat when he shows up. With many Absa mains switching off of the character or going into hibernation, we’ll have to wait and see if Mephiles tries to bring her back to the fore in season 3.

#34 – hoppyKnitz

HoppyKnitz is a great player to see this far down the list, especially with how much he’s grown over the year. His competitive drive and love of learning paid dividends this season as he went from a scrappy Maypul to one to look out for. Some notable upsets include taking down both Jorane and Handbuttt to get 7th place in the 235 entrant November Monthly.

#33 – Adi

Adi is a fast paced player who’s not afraid to put his mayflash where his mouth is regarding his skills. He’s done quite well at local events, securing himself a PR spot in the tri-state scene as well as a 13th place at Super Smash Con – the largest Rivals event of last year. Though he’s less active in online RCS events, many of our panelists think Adi is underrated and just needs the right tournament for a massive breakthrough.

#32 – Shadow

Shadow is another player that’s fairly new to the competitive scene. He started competing in RCS events towards the end of season 2 and has been making waves with his punishing Ranno play. Since he’s come up so fast, some of his results are contentious among top players. However, our panelists recognize that he’s got the skill to be this far up the list. We’ve heard this exact mentality about other players in the past (like CakeAssault), so all in all it’s a good place to be. If that’s any indication of the future, Shadow will definitely be a player to look out for in season 3.

#31 – Dam Danny

As a player who’s honed himself in the thriving AZ local scene, it makes sense that TwistedSin’s Dam Danny doesn’t have many events in the RCS under his belt. However as we’ve seen from players in this region in the past, sleeping on them is never a good idea.

In one of the most harrowing sets in the top 32 at G5, Dam Danny upset SNC to secure himself 17th place in the most stacked event of the year. Since then he’s been making moves as well, taking first place in the AZ PR from long time top hyena SBS. If he continues to enter events and play in season 3, it’s a safe bet that he’ll be leap frogging his way up this list.

This week we’re counting down the Top 50 players from season 2 of the NA RCS circuit. For more information about the methodology and how rankings were decided, check out the S2 Top 50 Introduction post. To enter free Rivals of Aether events online and play in season 3 of the circuit yourself, head over to smash.gg and register.

Other Articles in the Series

• S2 Top 50: Introduction
• S2 Top 50: Honorable Mentions
• S2 Top 50: #50 – 41 (you are here)
• S2 Top 50: #40 – 31
• S2 Top 50: #30 – 21
• S2 Top 50: #20 – 11
• S2 Top 50: #10 – 1

#50 – Tandori

Tandori is an OG Maypul with a rich history in Rivals. Even though he didn’t have a breakthrough event last season, he proved he still had what it took to rise to the top of S2’s much larger tournaments. He was also able to make these respectable placings at the beginning, middle, and end of the season which is a testament itself to his consistency.

Tandori is one of those players who seems to come back stronger after a break, and several of our panelists believe he’s starting to separate himself from the pack skill-wise again. If he decides to participate in S3 it might be his time to make moves.

#49 – YOU

Last year we were accused of making a “meme pick” (as the kids say these days) in the 49th slot. To avoid that this year and make a decision that no one could possibly criticize, we’ve picked YOU as #49 in the top 50. That’s right you special snowflake. Nobody deserves this slot more than you and you know it. Every game you’ve won is a testament to your skill, while every game you lost is because your ‘A’ button was sticky, or something.

For the majority of readers this is your only spot on the list. If you are reading this and you are also included somewhere else on the list you can choose which ranking you prefer. If the special mirror player card above isn’t showing your reflection properly please make sure you have the latest version of Java installed.

#48 – yesdefinitely

With probably a dominant showing over #49, Yesdefinitely clocks in on the list at 48th. He’s a strong Wrastor player with dedication to a character that’s quite risky to play at the top level. While he’s made some notable upsets in the past, yesdefinitely hasn’t quite gotten the consistency needed to beat those players with regularity. You can still be sure to see him rising through the bracket at events and even take some big names if he can get past a few roadblocks.

#47 – Vaporeon

Vaporeon is an explosive Forsburn player. Most people agree he has a high ceiling and potential to break through if he continues to develop his growth mindset. He didn’t enter many events in the tail end of the season which contributed somewhat to him placing in the high 40s despite his skill. We’re eager to see more of him in season 3 since stylish Forsburns are always a blast to watch.

#46 – Skittles

Skittles is a great Etalus player who’s active in the Georgia scene. He has stellar placings at regional locals, and took it a step higher last Summer with a breakthrough 7th place at national Super Smash Con. While he can’t threaten the top players just yet, it’s a safe wager that he’ll do well at any event he shows up to.

#45 – Bumblebomb

There’s a lot to be said about FlySociety’s Bumblebomb and oddly enough most of it isn’t about his competitive career. A consistent streamer and Rivals commentator, Bumblebomb is ever present with love and support for the community. He is easy to underestimate in bracket and always a threat with his wealth of game knowledge and character experience that comes from long stream sessions.

As one of the preeminent Rivals caster we can certainly expect to see more of him this season on the mic. Make sure you keep an eye out for him in bracket and the ladder as well, where he still likes to hop on and dunk people.

#44 – Pepe

Pepe is a bit of a wildcard. He’s able to place very well and one of his specialties seems to be offline play (which can be a hurdle for many players in a primarily online game). His most notable win in S2 was his upset at Super Smash Con, where he knocked Gabe out of winners side of the bracket. He’s already the second member of the crew NEO! on this list, who favour stylish and aggressive plays.

#43 – Nevereatcars

Nevereatcars is a dedicated Maypul main and legendary TO for the NCS. A season of solid results has secured this legacy player #43 on the list. Many people consider him one of the top solo Maypul mains in the game. Cars embraces Maypul’s speed demon play style and pairs it perfectly with his aggressiveness to make exciting plays.

#42 – Woof

WooF is another player from the OG Georgia Rivals scene. His Kragg is notably technical, helping him stand out in the field of rock-hurling beetles. While it’s clear WooF is a great player with plenty of potential, he’s still looking to secure a big upset. We hope to see him make that breakthrough this season.

#41 – Sawsebawse

Sawsebawse is another old-school player with more skill than results (notice the theme in this part of the list). Most recently he showed up at the RCS S2 season finals and proceeded to pierce all the way to 17th in the most stacked event of the year. He’s definitely an outlier when looking at results since he has the skill to make some serious upsets when he shows up. Sawsebawse being a NEO! member as well alludes to the fact that he’s a very fast and fun Orcane to watch.

In preparation for season 3 of the Rivals Championship Series, it’s time to revisit where the competitive scene stands leading into the first events this weekend. Before we reminisce on the plays, popoffs, and personalities from last season, let’s get some frequently asked questions and other information about how this list was created out of the way.

Other Articles in the Series

• S2 Top 50: Introduction (you are here)
• S2 Top 50: Honorable Mentions
• S2 Top 50: #50 – 41
• S2 Top 50: #40 – 31
• S2 Top 50: #30 – 21
• S2 Top 50: #20 – 11
• S2 Top 50: #10 – 1

Methodology

There are numerous ways to create a ranking system in any game, and we’ve put much consideration into the options while weighing what fits best for Rivals. This year we’ve elected to use a polling method with player eligibility on the ballot based on RCS standings. Thirty panelists from regions around North America were selected primarily based on their activity, skill, and involvement in the competitive scene. Their ratings and input were aggregated to create the final list.

This method was the favorite to avoid a major point of contention for a scene our size – mainly not having a system in place to “objectively” compare placings in different events against each other. For season 2 events at least, we don’t think weighing or tiering tournaments is wise due to properties like the arbitrary schedule, region availability, and top player attendance with the current size of locals (even though a system like this is likely to be formed during season 3).

Panelists

As mentioned above, 23 panelists were selected primarily based on their activity, skill, and involvement in the competitive scene. Seven additional panelists were selected based on contributions other than skill (while still maintaining some involvement in the competitive scene) for a total panel of 30 members. The panelists are broken down by region here:

Canada:

• DolphinBrick
• Jorane
• LordBagel

East Coast:

• CakeAssault
• Ceztellz
• Jesier
• MSB
• Penguin
• Windows
• ZeeBee

Central:

• FailWhale
• FullStream
• GamingClan
• Heyodogo
• ITSACAT
• Mephiles
• ProDoubleSushi

West Coast:

• AZCards
• Dunk
• LBO
• Protagify
• SBS
• TurtleBox

Community: (Not region specific. Non-competitive qualifications.)

• Bumblebomb
• Etalus
• Jarek
• Menace13
• Renzo
• Shengon
• Willby

Player Eligibility

Players were eligible to be on the top 50 ballot if they gathered at least 2 RCS points over the duration of season 2. These circuit points were earned during the season by placing top 32 or higher at RCS events. Players could also be added to the ballot as a write-in by any panelist. Votes on these players were brought forward separately.

Region

Though this list is intended to be for the North American region only, this eligibility system does mean that players from other regions who have traveled and performed well in NA could become qualified. If panelists felt they had enough knowledge to give input, they could rank and vote on them like any other player. Naturally a separate ballot and panelists familiar with each scene are needed for other regions. Separate top player lists for EU and AU will be published following The Top 50.

Inactive Players

Since the competitive season is long and players come and go, panelists were asked to make notes next to any player on the ballot they believed to be inactive. Players with enough flags were removed from the top 50 and certain players were audited additionally to determine activity.

If a player reached a certain threshold of notes indicating that they were highly skilled but inactive, they were moved to an honorable mentions list. Participation is an important part of a growing community!

The Ballot

Taking a page out of the brilliant SSBMRank’s book, we asked our panelists to rate eligible players based on the following question:

Let us know if you have any additional questions in the comments. The S2 Top 50 will be released throughout the week counting down from #50 to #1. We hope you’re looking forward to the reveal!