Jump to content

Tier Whore


Snatch Steal

Recommended Posts

Some players of video games are obsessed with the objective, programmed manners in which certain characters function which determines their subjective viability in the metagame. Oftentimes, these players flock towards the most popular characters in the game, hoping to win as much as possible regardless of whether or not the character matches their playstyle, and are susceptible to shaming players who choose a character with less viability, or a “low tier.”

 

I would also like to introduce the concept of a “Low Tier Whore,” someone who obsesses over using the worst characters in the game. Although, like the above phenomenon, this quality is on a spectrum, some players in this realm can have just as much toxicity as the former. By using a character which is objectively programmed to be less functional, low tier whores hope to dishonor their opponent by proving that even though their opponent used a character which is objectively easier and more useful in most matchups, the skill possessed by the low tier whore still trumps their lack thereof. It can lead to an excessive amount of practice due to the nature of low tier characters’ difficulty, as well as generally unpleasant showboating and a superiority complex. Note that some people just happen to like low tier characters and can respect other players for using whichever character they choose.

 

Depending on the game, some are more common than others; for example, beginner competitive Smash Bros. harbors many people who want to win just by using high tiers, as well as many people who either despise high tiers or who love to arrogantly gain attention or put down their opponent by using a low tier. Think of Bayonetta and Donkey Kong mains as two sides to the same coin.

 

Have you observed these traits in anyone? How has the tier list of games you play affected the characters you use? Have you been shamed or felt bad about the character you use? Do you agree with either of these ideologies?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I typically don't give a rat's ass what people think of me. I intend to keep using Ganondorf and Meta Knight in Smash 4

 

It's a game, not your life. Enjoy it. Granted if you're playing a shitty enough character you might win much which might impact how much you enjoy the game. But that should be a decision you make.

 

Anyway this reminds me of how people always like to rag on me playing shaddolls? I enjoy it, it doesn't matter if it's meta or top tier. If you don't like it 1) don't play it 2) don't play me if it irritates you that much

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you observed these traits in anyone?

Yes

 

How has the tier list of games you play affected the characters you use?

It affects characters I like but are designed to be in lower power levels and thus I cannot win as consistently with them. For instance, Bowser in all Smash games, although thankfully Project M is nice towards him; in Pokemon, most of my favorites are UU at best, but on the other hand, the tiers improved Tangrowth competitive-wise, as it moved to OU because of the new Gen7 metagame.

 

Have you been shamed or felt bad about the character you use?

Nope. If this counts, I feel sad for Bowser not being made as good as the top tiers in Smash.

 

Do you agree with either of these ideologies?

Yes. Everyone is free to play with whatever they want, and the split of tiers gives a space to every power level. E.g. If you don't enjoy high power levels, you can always fall back to Casual tiers/setting and have some fun there, all while playing with your favorite characters/decks/etc. so what's not to love? Needless to say, I don't like when either side picks on the other: that's just rude and ignorant, showing that they don't actually know, understand and appreciate the other side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I intend to keep using Ganondorf and Meta Knight in Smash 4

tenor.gif

 

Similar to Winter, I don't really care what people think of me based on who I main. I'd say I intend to keep maining Ganondorf as well, but I'm on like my sixth main identity crisis now and am currently more into playing Luigi so...

 

Anyway, I've observed that no matter what I play, I seem to enjoy average-at-best characters most of the time, but exceptions pop up every so often (most notably Rakan in League of Legends; good-ass support and one of my most played champs). I'd be lying if I said I don't get a sense of satisfaction from beating someone playing a high-tier character since it proves my low-tier superiority when I'm playing a low-tier character, but I try not to make it a goal, and it's more something that just happens and makes me happy every so often. I can't really say I know any tier whores, or any "low-tier-whores" (which totally exist) either, though I'm a tiny bit of the latter myself. The tier list doesn't really affect my choices though, which is probably how I end up picking low-tiers most of the time.

 

Directly, I've never been shamed for picking a low-tier main, though we've all seen videos about "Why you should main a high tier this" and "Stop playing a low tier that", so I guess since I tend to sit on the lower rungs of the tierlist, that might count? I don't think tier-whoring or low-tier-whoring is a good thing though. With enough time and effort put in for a player's chosen character, anything can be viable and win. A skilled Roy can defeat any Fox if he's good enough, but he needs to recognize the fact that he's got one hell of an uphill battle in store, and while the Fox also needs to put in a lot of practice, his practice will show much greater results due to Fox's absurd superiority in Melee while Roy is one of the worst characters in the entire game. This is why you see people like Ray Kalm who in Smash 4 mains Ganondorf, or Low Tier God who - true to his name - always plays low-tier characters in Street Fighter, and you see them win and get results.

 

tl/dr, tiers are for queers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, I remember that tiers affect me in another way: Cloud happens to be another character I like in Smash4, and thankfully it has good enough traits to be top tier so became my main in Smash4, and every now and then I get people ranting or complaining about me playing it because the character is "sacky", annoying, etc., but hey, that's how tier 1+ characters are, right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reason I ask is because I have recently begun practicing with Wario, and in spite of how low on the tier list he is, I can still snag games from people who don't know his playstyle (or a stock off of people who can adapt). Cloud did serve as an "easy win" main for a little while, but when I lost it was so crushing because I always used to think that Cloud is SUPPOSED to win, no matter what.

 

Wario has made me better appreciate the skill that some players possess with all different kinds of characters. I don't assume I'm going to beat someone just because they use Ike or Little Mac or Bowser and then feel like a bad person afterwards if I lose, because that was the mindset which Cloud put me in.

 

So by using Wario, I can get better at the game without feeling a responsibility to win every time. I play only on the 3DS and for 1 hour at most on weekdays, so I don't get to practice as much as people who have been die-hards since 2013. 

 

On a side note, my friend has been talking a lot about Udyr getting buffed, does that have any relevance?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is very big in YGO. 

 

I'm pretty content running a rogue deck, winning the odd locals and topping sneaks. The thing is that a lot of top-tier players feel that because they're playing top-tier decks, they don't have to painstakingly keep tabs on what every rogue deck can do because their own deck cost so much money and its strengths have been hyped to kingdom come. Meanwhile, everyone knows what top-tier decks do precisely because they've been hyped to kingdom come, and good rogue players will keep abreast of every subtle nuance and potential weakness in their opponent's Death Star of a deck, then proceed to blow it up. However, there do exist top tier players who take every pain to maintain their Death Star, arming themselves with knowledge and respecting every sheet tier deck for the potential threat it could pose, and these are the players that win big events - and a world of difference exists between them and those who spend the requisite money to finish their Death Star, consider their job done, rest on their laurels and perish a fiery death at the hands of Crimson Nova the Dark Cubic Lord. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vehicroids are my main Yugioh deck for a reason. I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing peoples' reaction to me playing (and winning) with it.

 

For example, a few months ago a 12 year old turned up at my locals and I had a few casual duels with him. He turned out to be a massive Rank10YGO fanboy and was amazed when I beat his Train deck with my roids. ("but they were on Legacy of the Worthless!!!")

 

It's not the only reason I play the deck, but it's part of what keeps me playing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In Yugioh? Perhaps. Though, I have used some Decks regardless if they were Tier 1.

 

In Super Smash Bros? Nope. I don't care about tiers in this game. I use Lucas, Bayonetta, Peach, Rosalina, Sonic, Kirby, and Captain Falcon regardless of what Tier they're in.

 

Overwatch? More or less the same thing. If I recall, Torbjorn is low tier, but I still use him. I also use Junkrat, which is at a higher Tier. Especially with two mines instead of one.

 

For me, it really boils down to appearance and practicality.

 

That's why I don't like characters like Toon Link or Hanzo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...