PGRv5.
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#PGRv5: 20-11

Familiar faces, higher peaks and more pride than ever before in Smash Wii U.
By Luis “suar” Suarez
14 min readPublished on
The fifth season has concluded and following the energy and excitement of 2017, the Smash community continues to evolve.
PGStats has compiled numerous brackets into an algorithm that empirically measures the strength of each player relative to each other. The X-Factor also makes a return with the same conventions as before with a positive score indicating public opinion is in favor of the player, while a negative score shows the opposite. For more information on the process, visit the FAQ.
With set counts and placements indexed into the database, the algorithm makes sense of 54 events that occurred this season and produced the Top 50 presented before you.
Welcome to the PGRv5.
#PGRv5 No. 20: Falln.

#PGRv5 No. 20: Falln

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No. 20: Chris “Falln” Rugg
As if it hasn’t been said before: Falln might just be one of Smash 4’s most underappreciated players. The Rosalina and Luma loyalist, at least compared to his peers, has long flew under the radar -— but not anymore. After silently making it into the bottom 10 last season at No. 41, continued success from the Southern Californian brings him up more than 21 spots on the list.
With Kirihara’s relative inactivity, Falln is now indisputably the second best Rosaluma in the world -- with quite the resume to back him up, like Top 8 at GENESIS 5 and CEO 2018. It will be interesting to see how Falln elevates his game come Ultimate, but if anything can be taken from the growth of his Smash 4 career, it’s that he’ll find a way to become one of the best.
- Justin Banusing @PopiSSB
#PGRv5 No. 19: Lima.

#PGRv5 No. 19: Lima

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No. 19: Bharat “Lima” Chintapall
There are a number of questions surrounding Lima as a whole as he keeps to himself mostly, but none of them should be about his strength as a player and unruly control over his character. Hailing from the DFW metropolis of Texas, he is one of the premier Bayonetta mains in Smash Wii U. His combination of flashy and solid gameplay seem to give the Umbra Witch a new coat of personality, and Lima uses this to remind both spectators and opponents that when he’s on the sticks, his opponents are playing his game, not the other way around.
Lima showed up to every PGR event that would have him in Season 5, finishing amongst the world’s best at all of them — when 13th and 33rd at GENESIS 5 and Frostbite 2018 respectively are low points on your portfolio, you know you’re in good shape. This is hardly a low for most players, but in comparison to the rest of his season, these can be looked at as blemishes. Lima refused to miss Top 8 at a number of tournaments afterwards, starting with King of the Springs 3 where he placed seventh, straight through 2GG: Hyrule Saga in June where he closed out the season with another rare 33rd. In between, he has fifths at EGLX 2018, Get On My Level 2018 and MomoCon 2018; and sevenths at Glitch 4, Denti’s Bizzare Adventure 8 and Dreamhack Austin 2018. A very gratuitous string of months led Lima straight into the Top 20, and if given the tools, it’s safe to say he can go much, much farther.
- Dom Moore @PG_Dom
#PGRv5 No. 18: Elegant

#PGRv5 No. 18: Elegant

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No. 18: Matt “Elegant” Fitzpatrick
Dropping seven spots from his previous ranking, Matt “Elegant” Fitzpatrick returns to the top 20 with his third consecutive PGR appearance. Currently regarded as the best Luigi player in the world - a character who widely disappeared at the top level following his nerf - the Southern Californian has been one of the biggest new success stories in Smash Wii U. Elegant features a highly explosive play style that is amplified through Luigi’s rapid burst damage potential. Using Luigi’s potent grab game and exceptional off-stage edge guarding, Elegant has consistently proven he has the ability to end stocks at any moment regardless of his opponent’s percent. Elegant’s exceptional edge-guarding skill even became somewhat of a mantra in the Smash community - “Don’t go offstage against Elegant”.
Despite having a very successful PGRv5, Elegant’s season has been somewhat of a double-edged sword. While achieving the spectacular feat of not placing lower than 13th at any event this season, Elegant’s worst results come from 13th place finishes at four out of the five A-tier events he attended this year - 2GG: Hyrule Saga, CEO 2018, Genesis 5 and Get On My Level 2018. Elegant’s best results from this season are derived from an amazing 5th place finish at the other A-tier event he attended - Smash N’ Splash 4 - and a quad of top two finishes at C-tier events Noods Noods Noods: Melee Edition, RISE 2018, Super Smash Fight Club 2 and No Fun Allowed 2. Featuring a respectable 12-15 record against the top 50, Elegant defeated many notable players this season including SDX, Rags, Tyroy, Nairo, Ac, Larry Lurr, and WaDi. After finding an overwhelming amount of success over the past three seasons, Elegant has put himself in a prime position to carry his momentum through the end of Smash Wii U and into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
- Adam Braham @PG_Mayday
#PGRv5 No. 17: ANTi

#PGRv5 No. 17: ANTi

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No. 17: Jason “ANTi” Bates
Known for his larger than life personality and electrifying gameplay, Jason “ANTi” Bates returns to the top 20 for the fourth time and joins the handful of veterans in the illustrious five-time PGR circle. While considered mainly a Mario player by most, the New York native has an extensive set of tournament-ready characters that he can play at a remarkably high level and bring out at any time. This season marked a small shift in character usage for ANTi as his primary secondary in Cloud took a smaller role while his methodical Zero Suit Samus saw more play time. ANTi is highly regarded for his extremely strong neutral game and his ability to coerce players into making desired reactions through nothing more than standard movement. Excelling at forcing high pressure situations, ANTi utilizes his uncanny ability to chase his opponents and his phenomenal micro-spacing to bait his opponent into making very costly mistakes.
While ANTi has never been the most consistent player, his spectacular peak performances at the largest events of the year continue to propel him to the top. ANTi began his PGRv5 season with his two worst placements of the year finishing 33rd place at A-tier event Genesis 5 and 49th place at B-tier event Evo Japan. Rallying back from his rough start, ANTi would proceed to have strong showings at B-tier events EGLX 2018 and Full Bloom 4 where he finished 7th and 9th, respectively. Continuing with the trend, ANTi would then have his highest numerical placing with a pair of second place finishes at C-tier events Noods Noods Noods: Oakland Edition and Port Priority 3: TriState Throwdown. However, it wouldn’t be until the largest event of the season where ANTi would notch his major breakout performance of the year — an outstanding fourth place finish at 2GG: Hyrule Saga.
Despite some consistency issues, ANTi has always been one of the most talented players throughout both Smash Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. While he had a slow start to the former due to not personally enjoying Smash Wii U on launch, it will be very unlikely for that situation to repeat itself with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and ANTi’s raw talent should position himself as a key player heading into the transition.
- Adam Braham @PG_Mayday
#PGRv5 No. 16: Larry Lurr

#PGRv5 No. 16: Larry Lurr

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No. 16: Larry “Larry Lurr” Holland
As one of the longest currently active tenured players around, Larry Lurr continues to build on his Smash legacy with his fifth consecutive PGR appearance. Competing for over a decade across multiple titles in the Super Smash Bros. franchise, Larry Lurr’s extensive experience has honed his in-game “Smash sense” to a near unrivaled level. That high in-game intelligence mixed with his patented pursuit-based punish game and Fox’s high mobility has established Larry Lurr as one of the most dynamic players in Smash Wii U. With consistently ranking Top 10 in season one through four and ranking top 20 in season five, Larry Lurr has become a household name that is synonymous with Smash Wii U and a staple of one of the most talented regions, Southern California.
Beginning his PGRv5 season on a rather somber note with a 17th place finish at Genesis 5, it wouldn’t be until B-tier event EGLX 2018 two months in where Larry Lurr would hit his stride. Peaking during the middle of the season, Larry Lurr put together an impressive string of results highlighted by a ninth place finish at EGLX 2018, a 7th place finish at A-tier event Smash Masters League: Battle for Vegas, a resounding third place finish at A-tier event Switchfest, and a 7th place finish at A-tier event Get On My Level 2018. Despite strong performances at C-tier events DreamHack Austin 2018 and Saints Gaming Live, Larry Lurr would end the last two months of the season on a lesser note finishing 13th at A-tier event Momocon 2018 and 17th at 2GGC: Hyrule Saga and CEO 2018 — the two largest events of the year.
With having over a decade of success and numerous achievements in multiple titles, Larry Lurr is very likely to be a candidate to lead the pack when Super Smash Bros. Ultimate releases.
- Adam Braham @PG_Mayday
#PGRv5 No. 15: Abadango

#PGRv5 No. 15: Abadango

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No. 15: Yuta “Abadango” Kawamura
In a season where many veterans are being outplaced by the new guard, Abadango maintaining his rank is nothing to scoff at. Japan’s top Mewtwo remains in Smash 4’s upper echelon of players in the game’s final days, mostly through consistency and a clean style of play. It’s this very consistency that was able to keep him in the top 13 of the majority of tournaments he attends, peaking with a second place finish at Evo Japan 2018.
Ironically, a major tournament win has consistently evaded Abadango this season, hindering his stock from growing any further. Repeated Top 8 and Top 16 finishes can only take a player so far, and breaking past that is what set those above on the list apart. Still, few players can match-up to Japanese legend, and even fewer can match what he’s achieved since the game’s release.
- Justin Banusing @PopiSSB
#PGRv5 No. 14 Fatality

#PGRv5 No. 14 Fatality

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No. 14: Griffin “Fatality” Miller
After a minor decline last year, Fatality storms back into the Top 20 with his highest ranking to date. Accentuated by a trio of spectacular A-tier tournament placements - a 5th place finish at Frostbite 2018, a fourth place finish at Smash Masters League: Battle for Vegas and a ninth place finish at Momocon 2018 — the Georgia native further cemented his legacy as the best Captain Falcon player in Smash Wii U history with his spectacular PGRv5 performances. Perhaps even more impressive than his tournament results this season, Fatality had a consummate 17-16 record against the PGRv5 Top 50 garnering key wins against some of the brightest players including Salem, Cosmos, Samsora, Dabuz, Larry Lurr, komorikiri, Mistake and Light.
As a longtime Captain Falcon player across multiple different Super Smash Bros. titles, Fatality features near unrivaled control over his character. Combining his exceptional movement and punish game with Captain Falcon’s lightning quick dash speed and great combo game, Fatality has the ability to deal massive amounts of damage incredibly quickly. Going even further, if Fatality is able to successfully get a read on his opponent, he can end games in under a minute. Given how much he already utilizes his extremely fast and precise movement in Smash Wii U, it will be extremely exciting to watch what he can do in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate — a game with seemingly more movement freedom.
- Adam Braham @PG_Mayday
#PGRv5 No. 13: Light

#PGRv5 No. 13: Light

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No. 13: Paris “Light” Ramirez
“He plays like a kid that’s had nothing bad happen to him in his whole life.”
A description quoted from MD/VA caster Coney holds up painfully well when it is revealed that he is referring to Most Valuable Gaming’s Light, one of the brightest personalities to grace the Smash Wii U scene. The Connecticut native spent Season 4 budding into New England’s No. 2 guy, but in Season 5 he hit his stride and never slowed down, drawing in lots of attention through his nutty play and kiddish charm. Side note: It’s been a little over 3 and a half years since the title of best Fox was unanimously crowned, but after what Light has shown us, is it time for a recount?
Light’s season typically led him in the direction of dominating lower tiered events, but slightly falling short at the larger ones. Case and point: he placed 17th at Frostbite 2018, but third at Overclocked II and 2nd at Collision XV. Come Switchfest, he started to gain a bit of momentum, slightly improving to a 13th place finish. A month after placing second at Immortal Tech, Light missed Top 8 by a hair at MomoCon 2018, getting stuck with ninth and yet to break his glass ceiling. However, he finally did so at Smash ‘N’ Splash 4, arguably his best career performance, where he finished at fourth place, being only 1 game from making Winner’s Finals. He took another 1st at ALPHA II before returning to his usual form, rounding out the season with 13th at 2GG: Hyrule Saga and 17th at CEO 2018. Light added a scary side of consistency to his volatility, and thanks to it his card is filled with nothing but high placings and stacked wins, proving that nowadays even his average is nothing to scoff at.
- Dom Moore @PG_Dom
#PGRv5 No. 12: Samsora

#PGRv5 No. 12: Samsora

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No. 12: Ezra “Samsora” Morris
You would never expect Samsora to be one of the deadliest players on the planet from his vibrant personality and humorous social media appearance, but let it be known that this Louisiana bred-Florida resident can run, skip and float with even the game’s strongest names. He displayed excellent consistency to match his activity in Season 5, with his overall spot on the PGR v5 reflecting exactly that. Samsora’s movement with Peach is his calling card, and is matched by only an exclusive amount of players. Switching at ease between oppressive offense and daunting defense, he repeatedly takes Peach to levels we haven’t seen since the early days of Smash Wii U, then blows right past them.
After missing GENESIS 5 to begin the season, Samsora made making up for lost time his M.O- narrowly missing Top 8 at Frostbite 2018 the following month helped with that goal. In March, he placed seventh at EGLX 2018, fourth at Overclocked II, and second at Full Bloom 4, which all served as a launching pad for his impressive Spring. Samsora again flirted with Top 8 at the season’s large events: seventh at Switchfest, ninth at Get On My Level 2018 and seventh again at MomoCon 2018. Samsora carried the high placings straight into the final act of Season 5 as well, earning fifth at Dreamhack Austin 2018, first at Saints Gaming Live 2018, ninth at 2GG: Hyrule Saga and an uncharacteristically low 17th at CEO 2018. Staying in the thick of the action at every event he attends, Samsora continues to prove that the Mushroom Kingdom’s esteemed ruler can fight for herself, and you can expect him to keep showing off what Peach can do as Season 6 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate approach.
- Dom Moore @PG_Dom
#PGRv5 No. 11: VoiD

#PGRv5 No. 11: VoiD

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No. 11: James “VoiD” Makekau-Tyson
Early 2018 could have been VoiD’s greatest season yet. Various complications for the Hawaiian Sheik however, resulted in a rank drop despite his first-ever major tournament victory at Smash N’ Splash. For every good placing, such as the aforementioned Smash N’ Splash win and fifth at Switchfest, was an underperformance among the likes of 17th and 13th place finishes at Momocon and Hyrule Saga. Nonetheless, issues didn’t deter him from racking up wins over the likes of Salem, Light and Mistake, proving that the VoiD of seasons past is still there.
VoiD’s recent peaks show that he has what it takes to be at the very top. Employing a technical, pressure-heavy playstyle that gives opponents no room to breathe, there is no one quite like him in the scene. It remains to be seen as to whether or not he can fully carry his stock into Ultimate, but it’s safe to say that he’ll be a threat for years to come.
- Justin Banusing @PopiSSB
Administrative Team:
  • Statistician: Andrew “PracticalTAS” Nestico
  • Graphics: Shawn “Spike” Dennis
  • Fact-Checking: Zeyan “Zan” Nizami
  • Systems Engineer Peter “Giant” Wensel
  • PGstats Director: Luis “suar” Suarez
For the full, up-to-date rankings list, check out our main page here.