Yahallo!
If you anything about sports, you'll know that people LOVE discussing 'top 10' lists. 15 years into Smogon and after the completion of the latest individual tournament, why not have this discussion on this site? We do have the Hall of Fame, but that's obviously flawed due to team tournament reliance. This is a topic that I discussed with some friends earlier today in the Durza jerk, that has also happened many times in the Stours Discord. I'm sure it has happened in most jerks too. Smogon is obsessed with calling people overrated and garbage. There are people who value trophies and the sheet, and those who do not. This simple fundamental difference guarantees that no one will ever agree on a top 10. There's also the fact that most people on the site right now have no idea how good some lauded individuals like Veteran in Love and husk actually were. Nonetheless, this shouldn't stop us from trying.
I will now give my own personal top 10 list. Feel free to disagree or post your own lists or whatever; it's not like there's a right answer. I'm sure someone will even put Sweepage in the top 10 so.
For my list, there were some obvious factors I relied upon. I only included people who I had actually seen play for a good amount of time, for obvious reasons. I value individiual trophies and the sheet, so those obviously were important. I tried to refrain from putting individuals without an individual trophy on this list, but I did have to make an exception. Ultimately, though, the most important factor was my perceived notion of player skill. This obviously takes into account an individual's accolades, but my individual assessment of their talents also weighed pretty heavily. If I never thought an individual as a top 3 or higher player on the site at a given time, I wouldn't put him / her on the list. I suppose that going backwards would make more sense, so let's begin.
Honorable Mentions:
All the DPP and ADV legends.
People like VIL and goofball may have been good; people like teal will tell you they were trash so LOOL I really have no idea. The same can be said for people like Gouki.
Tamahome: Wins leader on the sheet and consistent for many years. In my mind, though, his peak wasn't high enough.
gr8astard: At a certain point, accomplishments HAVE to matter, at least for me. Hugo simply just did not play enough games to crack the top 10. He only has 10 on the sheet, and didn't play THAT MANY individual tours. Add in the rather dubious circumstances surrounding his OST win (he legitimately lost in Round 2) and that's enough to keep him off the list.
Earthworm: Earthworm's peak was also before my time. I started actively watching tournaments in 2011, so only results after that time will be taken into account. This, whether fairly or unfairly, wipes his individual trophy off the board. While he has had some good recent performances, his peak coming before my entry to Smogon barely knocks him off the list.
11. SoulWind
Accomplishments: 70-56, made finals of like EVERY individual tournament LOL
I know this is a top 10, but I just had to give SoulWind his own section. He has come a long way since being benched in SPL 5 for Kevin Garrett. He's made the finals of so many tournaments that I can't count them all. He's been consistent for years, and if it wasn't for his rather abrasive personality, would be over 20k in every SPL for the past 5 years. If he just won ONE individual tournament, he would be in the top 10. Unfortunately, the monkey remains chained to his back, so I leave him at 11th.
10. Lavos "ChlorineDrinker1" Spawn
Accomplishments: 57-34, won Classic, had THE BEST SPL of all time
If you told me back in 2012 that the dumbass I smashed with DD Latios would end up being a top 10 player, I would have called you unviable. But, here we are. Lavos became known as an arrogant clown in his debut, going 5-1 while making heaps of enemies in the process. He was then infamously ghosted by Isa in SPL 6. Before SPL 9, putting Lavos in the top 10 would have been blasphemy. Since then, though, he has dominated the competition and won a Classic trophy along the way (technically, he lost it, but lol). He was legitimately the best player on the site for a stretch something I cannot ever say I felt about SoulWind. After eliminating all results pre-2012, that combined with his sheet record is enough for me to put him at 10th.
9. M Dragon
Accomplishments: 54-41, won Smogon Tour
I've always been an M Dragon fan. The fact that he is only ridiculously old player to crack the list says enough. This man was playing on netbattle or some shit LOL What gives hin the edge over other older individuals like Earthworm in particular is his far more recent Smogon Tour win. Whether that's fair or not is up to you to decide, but with these razor thin margins, I will be giving him a slight edge. He's been one of the best GSC and ADV players for over a decade.
8. Ciele
Accomplishments: 28-25, only player ever with 3 individual trophies
When I was discussing this on Discord, I had Ciele as high as 3rd. The man has 3 individuals LOL But, when I thought about it, I don't think I ever felt he was the best player on the site. Oftentimes, I wouldn't even have considered him as top 3. Still, though, he achieved something that had never been done in Smogon history. Just off of that, he deserves to be on the list. While it is lower than many people would like, I personally think this position is justified due to the skills of the people above him.
7. bro fist
Accomplishments: 57-27, undisputed best tiebreak player ever until very recently, consistently worth over 30k in SPL for the past few years
John would definitely be higher with an individual trophy. Considering how stiff the competition is, though, it's hard to move him up without one. I've said many times over the past few years that I think he is the most talented battler on the site. That enough vaults him this high. As a former teammate, I can say with confidence I have never believed more in someone's ability to win an important game. While lax may be on his way to claiming the 'Tiebreak King' mantle, bro fist racked up the tiebreak wins over the course of many years. That consistency is important, and lands him at 7th, even without a trophy.
6. ABR
Accomplishments: 53-22, won OST, 38k in SPL, incredible consistency in both individual and team tours
ABR has arguably been the best player on the site since his debut in SPL 7. While othe players have had stretches of dominance, ABR has remained a constant beacon of stability throughout. His sheet record is ridiculous, and that doesn't even factor in his amazing individual tour performances. His building is obviously next level. I was always high on ABR as a player, but the gears he showed last summer were impressive even for him. With his unmatched dedication and consistency, he could easily reach the peak before he quits. The man is even a God in the old gens!! But for now, he sits just outside the top 5.
5. Bloo
Accomplishments: 15-6, won Smogon Frontier, 40k in SPL, 71% win in Smogon Tour
Bloo is right up there with Mazar as the biggest cheater in history. We all know how much I love cheaters, so it's only natural that Bloo cracks the top 5. There have been many ghosting allegations against her, but hey, based on solely what I know, Bloo has to be in the top 5. Bloo was a complete menace in her peak, and managed to go for a ridiculous 40k in SPL despite not even being a legendary builder like ABR...which is RIDICULOUS LOL When I entered Smogon, Bloo was the best player. The absurd Smogon Tour points she put up is the icing on the cake.
4. Ojama
Accomplishments: 75-57, won Smogon Tour and Smogon Classic
Ojama, without question, has been a top 5 player on the site for the past 5 years. During SPL 7, I definitely believed that he was the best player on Smogon. He won two trophies, and that combined with his longer career gives him the edge over ABR to me. When Ojama is on his game, he can easily be the best player on the site. It's a nice mix of peak and consistency.
3. BKC
Accomplishments: 61-45, he's the GOAT, won 2 Smogon Tours, 37k retain in SPL
BKC's sheet record was a lot more fire before the absolute disaster that was Snake 3 LOOL But either way, he's amazing. As someone who has teamed with him before, BKC's team support is unparalleled. The man builds in every old gen. He is the most knowledgeable DPP player ever, and can figure out your team as soon as you reveal 2 Pokemon. BKC has, in my eyes, definitely been the best player on the site at various points in his career. In the categories of knowledge and passion, BKC unquestionably takes the top spot. But for me, overall, he lands at 3rd.
2. McMeghan
Accomplishments: 55-45, won Smogon Tour, won Smogon Classic, 40.5k RETAIN in SPL
My first memory of McMeghan was his participation in a random unofficial team tournament. Teams of 3 battled each other, one at a time. The winner of game 1 would battle the second person in the other team...with a catch. You could only use as many Pokemon as you won with last game. If you beat your first opponent 4-0, you could use 4 Pokemon against the next opponent, and so on. Roro solo'd like 4 teams or something ridiculous LOL It was absurd. All you really need to know about McMeghan is that the BIGS RETAINED him for 40.5k in SPL 7, and Valentine was convinced they could just keep retaining him every year and find other steals to support him. That's how good he was. He was never as prolific a builder as someone like ABR, but his peak was ridiculous. His most recent trophy in the most stacked Classic ever cements his status as number 2 all time.
1. Tesung
Accomplishments: 25-21, won Smogon Tour 2x
Some of you may think that putting someone who only played for around 3 years is ridiculous and goes against my prior words. However, there are many individuals who think Tesung is the best player ever. He had the highest peak in the history of Smogon, and could have easily had 4 trophies in 3 years if things broke his way. Without even counting those, what he did accomplish is impressive enough. No one has ever won 2 Smogon Tours in such rapid succession. His accomplishments themselves are obviously not what puts him at the summit, though. I and many others have never seen anyone play as well as Tesung at his peak. It was inconceivable. The man even learned ADV on a whim in World Cup and did well against stiff competition like Astamatitos. If Tesung played for longer, he would no doubt have far more accolades. But even without those, he did enough to take the top spot for me.
So, there you go vros. This list is very subjective, and isn't really unbiased at all LOL I trust my memories, though, and from what I recalled, this list reflects my beliefs.
Now...let the fun begin!
If you anything about sports, you'll know that people LOVE discussing 'top 10' lists. 15 years into Smogon and after the completion of the latest individual tournament, why not have this discussion on this site? We do have the Hall of Fame, but that's obviously flawed due to team tournament reliance. This is a topic that I discussed with some friends earlier today in the Durza jerk, that has also happened many times in the Stours Discord. I'm sure it has happened in most jerks too. Smogon is obsessed with calling people overrated and garbage. There are people who value trophies and the sheet, and those who do not. This simple fundamental difference guarantees that no one will ever agree on a top 10. There's also the fact that most people on the site right now have no idea how good some lauded individuals like Veteran in Love and husk actually were. Nonetheless, this shouldn't stop us from trying.
I will now give my own personal top 10 list. Feel free to disagree or post your own lists or whatever; it's not like there's a right answer. I'm sure someone will even put Sweepage in the top 10 so.
For my list, there were some obvious factors I relied upon. I only included people who I had actually seen play for a good amount of time, for obvious reasons. I value individiual trophies and the sheet, so those obviously were important. I tried to refrain from putting individuals without an individual trophy on this list, but I did have to make an exception. Ultimately, though, the most important factor was my perceived notion of player skill. This obviously takes into account an individual's accolades, but my individual assessment of their talents also weighed pretty heavily. If I never thought an individual as a top 3 or higher player on the site at a given time, I wouldn't put him / her on the list. I suppose that going backwards would make more sense, so let's begin.
Honorable Mentions:
All the DPP and ADV legends.
People like VIL and goofball may have been good; people like teal will tell you they were trash so LOOL I really have no idea. The same can be said for people like Gouki.
Tamahome: Wins leader on the sheet and consistent for many years. In my mind, though, his peak wasn't high enough.
gr8astard: At a certain point, accomplishments HAVE to matter, at least for me. Hugo simply just did not play enough games to crack the top 10. He only has 10 on the sheet, and didn't play THAT MANY individual tours. Add in the rather dubious circumstances surrounding his OST win (he legitimately lost in Round 2) and that's enough to keep him off the list.
Earthworm: Earthworm's peak was also before my time. I started actively watching tournaments in 2011, so only results after that time will be taken into account. This, whether fairly or unfairly, wipes his individual trophy off the board. While he has had some good recent performances, his peak coming before my entry to Smogon barely knocks him off the list.
11. SoulWind
Accomplishments: 70-56, made finals of like EVERY individual tournament LOL
I know this is a top 10, but I just had to give SoulWind his own section. He has come a long way since being benched in SPL 5 for Kevin Garrett. He's made the finals of so many tournaments that I can't count them all. He's been consistent for years, and if it wasn't for his rather abrasive personality, would be over 20k in every SPL for the past 5 years. If he just won ONE individual tournament, he would be in the top 10. Unfortunately, the monkey remains chained to his back, so I leave him at 11th.
10. Lavos "ChlorineDrinker1" Spawn
Accomplishments: 57-34, won Classic, had THE BEST SPL of all time
If you told me back in 2012 that the dumbass I smashed with DD Latios would end up being a top 10 player, I would have called you unviable. But, here we are. Lavos became known as an arrogant clown in his debut, going 5-1 while making heaps of enemies in the process. He was then infamously ghosted by Isa in SPL 6. Before SPL 9, putting Lavos in the top 10 would have been blasphemy. Since then, though, he has dominated the competition and won a Classic trophy along the way (technically, he lost it, but lol). He was legitimately the best player on the site for a stretch something I cannot ever say I felt about SoulWind. After eliminating all results pre-2012, that combined with his sheet record is enough for me to put him at 10th.
9. M Dragon
Accomplishments: 54-41, won Smogon Tour
I've always been an M Dragon fan. The fact that he is only ridiculously old player to crack the list says enough. This man was playing on netbattle or some shit LOL What gives hin the edge over other older individuals like Earthworm in particular is his far more recent Smogon Tour win. Whether that's fair or not is up to you to decide, but with these razor thin margins, I will be giving him a slight edge. He's been one of the best GSC and ADV players for over a decade.
8. Ciele
Accomplishments: 28-25, only player ever with 3 individual trophies
When I was discussing this on Discord, I had Ciele as high as 3rd. The man has 3 individuals LOL But, when I thought about it, I don't think I ever felt he was the best player on the site. Oftentimes, I wouldn't even have considered him as top 3. Still, though, he achieved something that had never been done in Smogon history. Just off of that, he deserves to be on the list. While it is lower than many people would like, I personally think this position is justified due to the skills of the people above him.
7. bro fist
Accomplishments: 57-27, undisputed best tiebreak player ever until very recently, consistently worth over 30k in SPL for the past few years
John would definitely be higher with an individual trophy. Considering how stiff the competition is, though, it's hard to move him up without one. I've said many times over the past few years that I think he is the most talented battler on the site. That enough vaults him this high. As a former teammate, I can say with confidence I have never believed more in someone's ability to win an important game. While lax may be on his way to claiming the 'Tiebreak King' mantle, bro fist racked up the tiebreak wins over the course of many years. That consistency is important, and lands him at 7th, even without a trophy.
6. ABR
Accomplishments: 53-22, won OST, 38k in SPL, incredible consistency in both individual and team tours
ABR has arguably been the best player on the site since his debut in SPL 7. While othe players have had stretches of dominance, ABR has remained a constant beacon of stability throughout. His sheet record is ridiculous, and that doesn't even factor in his amazing individual tour performances. His building is obviously next level. I was always high on ABR as a player, but the gears he showed last summer were impressive even for him. With his unmatched dedication and consistency, he could easily reach the peak before he quits. The man is even a God in the old gens!! But for now, he sits just outside the top 5.
5. Bloo
Accomplishments: 15-6, won Smogon Frontier, 40k in SPL, 71% win in Smogon Tour
Bloo is right up there with Mazar as the biggest cheater in history. We all know how much I love cheaters, so it's only natural that Bloo cracks the top 5. There have been many ghosting allegations against her, but hey, based on solely what I know, Bloo has to be in the top 5. Bloo was a complete menace in her peak, and managed to go for a ridiculous 40k in SPL despite not even being a legendary builder like ABR...which is RIDICULOUS LOL When I entered Smogon, Bloo was the best player. The absurd Smogon Tour points she put up is the icing on the cake.
4. Ojama
Accomplishments: 75-57, won Smogon Tour and Smogon Classic
Ojama, without question, has been a top 5 player on the site for the past 5 years. During SPL 7, I definitely believed that he was the best player on Smogon. He won two trophies, and that combined with his longer career gives him the edge over ABR to me. When Ojama is on his game, he can easily be the best player on the site. It's a nice mix of peak and consistency.
3. BKC
Accomplishments: 61-45, he's the GOAT, won 2 Smogon Tours, 37k retain in SPL
BKC's sheet record was a lot more fire before the absolute disaster that was Snake 3 LOOL But either way, he's amazing. As someone who has teamed with him before, BKC's team support is unparalleled. The man builds in every old gen. He is the most knowledgeable DPP player ever, and can figure out your team as soon as you reveal 2 Pokemon. BKC has, in my eyes, definitely been the best player on the site at various points in his career. In the categories of knowledge and passion, BKC unquestionably takes the top spot. But for me, overall, he lands at 3rd.
2. McMeghan
Accomplishments: 55-45, won Smogon Tour, won Smogon Classic, 40.5k RETAIN in SPL
My first memory of McMeghan was his participation in a random unofficial team tournament. Teams of 3 battled each other, one at a time. The winner of game 1 would battle the second person in the other team...with a catch. You could only use as many Pokemon as you won with last game. If you beat your first opponent 4-0, you could use 4 Pokemon against the next opponent, and so on. Roro solo'd like 4 teams or something ridiculous LOL It was absurd. All you really need to know about McMeghan is that the BIGS RETAINED him for 40.5k in SPL 7, and Valentine was convinced they could just keep retaining him every year and find other steals to support him. That's how good he was. He was never as prolific a builder as someone like ABR, but his peak was ridiculous. His most recent trophy in the most stacked Classic ever cements his status as number 2 all time.
1. Tesung
Accomplishments: 25-21, won Smogon Tour 2x
Some of you may think that putting someone who only played for around 3 years is ridiculous and goes against my prior words. However, there are many individuals who think Tesung is the best player ever. He had the highest peak in the history of Smogon, and could have easily had 4 trophies in 3 years if things broke his way. Without even counting those, what he did accomplish is impressive enough. No one has ever won 2 Smogon Tours in such rapid succession. His accomplishments themselves are obviously not what puts him at the summit, though. I and many others have never seen anyone play as well as Tesung at his peak. It was inconceivable. The man even learned ADV on a whim in World Cup and did well against stiff competition like Astamatitos. If Tesung played for longer, he would no doubt have far more accolades. But even without those, he did enough to take the top spot for me.
So, there you go vros. This list is very subjective, and isn't really unbiased at all LOL I trust my memories, though, and from what I recalled, this list reflects my beliefs.
Now...let the fun begin!
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