Marth (SSBM): Difference between revisions

'''Marth''' ({{ja|マルス|Marusu}}, ''Marth'') is an [[unlockable]] [[newcomer]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. Marth was placed in ''Melee'' due to heavy requests from Japanese players, but as his games had never been released outside of Japan prior to ''Melee'', his character was among the most obscure in the game in other regions. His popularity as a character, alongside {{SSBM|Roy}}, is pointed to as a reason Nintendo began releasing ''Fire Emblem'' games internationally.

Marth is voiced by {{s|wikipedia|Hikaru Midorikawa}}, who reprises his role from [[fireemblemwiki:Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem (anime)|the 1996 animated adaptation of ''Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem'']]. Marth's spoken Japanese lines are kept in every regional version of the game.

Marth currently ranks 2nd on the ''Melee'' [[tier list]], placing him in the S tier and is currently his best placement in the series. Marth has many powerful tools at his disposal, including fast overall [[startup]] in his attacks, long and [[disjointed]] [[range]], large amounts of additional power at the [[Sweet spot (hitbox)|tip]] of his blade, very potent [[juggling]] and [[combo]] ability, the longest non-disjointed [[grab]] range, and great [[edgeguarding]] capabilities. Marth also has a multitude of good movement options to approach and pressure with; his [[dash-dance]] and [[wavedash]] are among the longest in the game, as well as being able to dash away from shield grabs without getting punished, complementing his already-impressive range extremely well. Marth also has two very powerful options to KO his opponents and finish combos: his down aerial (a very potent spike when sweetspotted, and the closer to the notorious [[Ken Combo]]) and his forward smash when tippered.

Marth must be defeated in battle before he can be unlocked. There are two ways the player can encounter Marth:

*One way is to use all fourteen starter characters in VS. Mode, {{SSBM|Classic Mode}}, {{SSBM|Adventure Mode}}, or All-Star Mode. The single-player modes do not have to be completed, and losing in them is a guaranteed way to encounter him without having to encounter other characters. If the player fails to defeat Marth, they can re-fight him by playing any character in any of these modes again. If VS. Mode is played and {{SSBM|Mewtwo}}'s unique encounter requirement is met, then Mewtwo must be unlocked before Marth can appear.

*Another way is to play 400 VS. matches to completion. If the player fails to defeat Marth, they can re-fight him by playing another VS. match to completion. If this method is used, fighters with lower VS. match quotas must be unlocked before Marth can be fought. Additionally, using this method when {{SSBM|Mewtwo}}'s unique encounter requirement is met will cause Marth to appear in place of Mewtwo.

[[File:MarthGimpTaj.gif|200px|thumb|The majority of Marth's moveset, if chained together, can be highly effective at edgeguarding.]]

|neutralname=Slash ({{ja|スラッシュ|Surasshu}}) / Counter Slash ({{ja|カウンタースラッシュ|Kauntā Surasshu}})

|ftiltname=Sharp Edge ({{ja|シャープエッジ|Shāpu Ejji}})

|utiltname=Anti-Air Slash ({{ja|アンチエアスラッシュ|Anchi Ea Surasshu}})

|dtiltname=Low Stab ({{ja|ロースラスト|Rō Surasuto}}, ''Low Thrust'')

|dtiltdesc=A quick crouching Falchion poke. As it pokes out and is a [[semi-spike]], it is very useful for edgeguarding, and is also a staple in Marth's neutral game as it can safely be used to interrupt dash-dancing and wavedashing approaches or follow-ups. It may lead into a grab follow-up below 100%. It also has a high number of [[interruptibility]] frames. Because of this property, Marth is unable to shield as quickly as compared to other actions such as dashing or performing smash attacks.

|dashname=Raid Chop ({{ja|レイドチョップ|Reido Choppu}})

|fsmashname=Dragon Killer ({{ja|ドラゴンキラー|Doragon Kirā}})

|usmashname=Justice Sword ({{ja|ジャスティスソード|Jasutisu Sōdo}})

|dsmashname=Whirlwind Blade ({{ja|旋風のブレード|Senpū no Burēdo}})

|nairname=Double Slash ({{ja|ダブルスラッシュ|Daburu Surasshu}})

|fairname=Aerial Swipe ({{ja|エアリアル スワイプ|Eariaru Suwaipu}})

|bairname=About Face ({{ja|アッパースイング|Appā Suingu}}, ''Upper Swing'')

|uairname=Luna Slash ({{ja|ルナスラッシュ|Runa Surasshu}})

|dairname=Half Moon ({{ja|ハーフムーン|Hāfu Mūn}})

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|pummelname=Knee ({{ja|膝|Hiza}})

|fthrowname=Bounce ({{ja|バウンス|Baunsu}})

|bthrowname=Throw Away ({{ja|捨てる|Suteru}})

|uthrowname=Emblem Toss ({{ja|エンブレムトス|Enburemu Tosu}})

|dthrowname=Slam ({{ja|スラム|Suramu}})

|ssdesc=A sequence of Falchion slashes with several variations based on [[control stick]] inputs. All variations have transcendent priority. For the first attack, Marth glows red; the second, green; the third, blue; and for the last one, red again.

|dsdesc=Assumes a defensive stance and retaliates against incoming attacks. The damage and knockback of the attack will always be the same, regardless on what attack is being countered. When Marth's Counter is successful he may either say "{{ja|そこだ！|Soko da!}}" ("''There!''"), "{{ja|させるものか！|Saseru mono ka!}}" ("''I won't allow that!''"), or "{{ja|見切った！|Mikitta!}}" ("''I saw through (your attack)!''")

''See also: [[:Category:Marth players (SSBM)]]''

 

*{{Sm|KoDoRiN|USA}} - One of the best Marth players in the world, currently second best behind Zain. He made his breakout during the COVID-19 pandemic through online tournaments, and continued improving at offline tournaments with placements such as 3rd at {{Trn|Mainstage 2021}}, also taking multiple wins over {{Sm|Cody Schwab}} and {{Sm|Hungrybox}}. He cracked top 10 on the [[MPGR Summer 2022]] rankings, being the 10th best player on the list.

*{{Sm|La Luna|USA}} - A Marth player with competitive history dating back from 2011, becoming one of the best Marth players in the world in the late 2010s. Considered a top 30 player around this time, and ranked 19th during the [[SSBMRank 2017]] season, with placements of 3rd at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2017}} and 7th at {{Trn|EVO 2017}}, beating players such as {{Sm|Leffen}} and {{Sm|ChuDat}}. He was banned from tournaments in 2020 due to controversies relating to previous behaviors at tournaments.

*{{Sm|PewPewU|USA}} - The best Marth player in California and one of the best in the world before retiring. He is one of the best solo Marth players of all time, being the first Marth player to be ranked top 10 on an SSBMRank/MPGR ranking, doing so in [[Summer 2015 SSBMRank]]. He placed top 8 at multiple supermajors such as 4th at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2018}}, 5th at {{Trn|GENESIS 6}}, and 7th at {{Trn|EVO 2016}}. Throughout the 2010s, he remained a top 20 player and was considered the best solo Marth player in the modern era before Zain's rise in the scene. He was also well known for his proficiency in doubles with static partner {{Sm|SFAT}}, becoming one of the best doubles teams in ''Melee'' history.

*{{Sm|PPMD|USA}} - One of the [[Five Gods]], co-maining {{SSBM|Falco}} and Marth. Considered one of the best Marth players in terms of neutral game and against floaty characters. One of his most notable feats was winning {{Trn|Apex 2015}}, beating {{Sm|Armada}} in grand finals with Marth, which is considered one of the most notable grand finals sets in ''Melee'' history. He retired from competition due to health-related reasons.

Very early in the ''Melee'' [[metagame]], Marth had a negative low-level perception despite being high-tier, as players generally relied on [[rolling]] and [[C-stick]] abuse to play him. However, this impression would not last very long, as Marth players such as {{Sm|Ken}} and {{Sm|Azen}} would emerge in the scene shortly before the third tier list iteration (June 2003) to show the world how the character was played at a high level. Notably, Ken decisively won [[Tournament Go|Tournament Go 4]] with Marth, introducing the uses of [[dash-dancing]], [[chaingrabbing]], and a higher focus on [[spacing]] and [[aerial]] combat, including the creation of the infamous [[Ken Combo]]. He and Azen would continue incorporating advanced techniques into Marth's metagame, developing the foundation for his precise movement through dash-dancing and [[wavedashing]], and showed how powerfully he could punish enemies off small mistakes and reads.

Because of these contributions to Marth's metagame, Ken's and Azen's continued rivalry and dominance over their respective regions, and Ken's eventual rise to the very top of competitive play as the undisputed King of Smash, Marth moved up to the top tier and solidified his place there for the rest of the Golden Era. He would usually place around the second to fourth highest spot on the list, only being considered merely high-tier again once in the eighth tier list (July 2006), where he dropped to fourth place. However, in the ninth tier list (October 2008), he again moved up to second place, in what would become his highest tier placing in all the tier lists. Despite not ever being placed at the top of the tier list, it could be argued that Marth saw the best results in practice for the majority of this era.

In the post-''Brawl'' metagame, however, Marth's results saw a slight decline from what they were before. After {{Sm|Mew2King}}'s absolute dominance with Marth for a short time span around ''Brawl''{{'}}s release, Marth's tournament performance began to fall, as newer players learned to exploit his weaknesses while the representation he had stopped being as dominant. Ken and Azen faded away from competitive ''Melee'', and Mew2King eventually switched to playing primarily {{SSBM|Sheik}} during this era, reserving Marth for very specific matchups on certain stages. There were certainly up-and-coming Marth players around this time, such as {{Sm|Tai}} and {{Sm|PewPewU}}, accompanied by strong veterans such as {{Sm|Taj}}, who kept Marth's results up. However, they were not as dominant relative to the field as those who came before them. This led to players questioning Marth's true viability in the metagame, which coincided with a drop to fifth place on the tenth tier list in September 2010, and a fourth place finish on the eleventh tier list in July 2013.

 

Marth's playerbase had also seemingly given up on him as a character; these jaded voices about Marth's viability tainted the community's views on him as a whole. Notable examples include Ken himself claiming in 2012 that Marth was now allegedly a mid-tier character who lost in every important top-tier matchup, and Mew2King ranking Marth as 5th in his personal 2014 tier list, claiming that Marth could only ever hope to win on [[Final Destination]] against those characters. However, while some of these top players were complaining, other players were doing serious work in the background to innovate and push the character. Community members such as {{Sm|Kadano}} compiled [http://smashboards.com/threads/kadano%E2%80%99s-perfect-marth-class%E2%80%94advanced-frame-data-application.337035/ Marth's frame data and ways to apply that knowledge], and players such as the aforementioned PewPewU and {{Sm|PPMD}} would put all of this discussion into practice on the biggest stage.

PPMD's pickup of Marth as a dual main was especially notable, as he found that his playstyle was uniquely suited to taking on {{Sm|Armada}}'s {{SSBM|Peach}} and other floaty characters, which other Marth mains had significantly struggled against in recent years. Despite not all of his encounters going his way, the fact that PPMD, who had just developed this Marth recently, was already doing so well in matchups traditionally considered difficult for Marth showed that the character had tons of room to grow past what the metagame had established. Going into 2013 and beyond, Marth would gradually return to prominence. PewPewU would take a set against {{Sm|Hungrybox}} at [[Apex 2015]], demonstrating that [[pivot]] tipper forward smashes allowed Marth to consistently KO Jigglypuff off of a throw. PPMD won [[Apex 2015]] relying mostly on Marth in the final bracket stages, showing that Marth can still win supermajors despite the greater matchup knowledge against him. Mew2King would finally return to playing more Marth in bracket, eventually opting to even use Marth against Armada's Peach himself, and outright forcing Armada off Peach in [[Smash Summit 6]], which he resoundingly won.

All of this culminates into the state of the modern metagame, where {{Sm|Zain}} has risen to prominence as a solo Marth main, blending together all the styles of Marth that came before him to become one of the most dominant players in the game. He has won a significant number of supermajors including [[GENESIS 7]] and [[GENESIS 8]], and boasts a positive record against {{Sm|Hungrybox}}, completely turning the Marth-Jigglypuff matchup on its head with his gameplan in it and consistency in executing pivot tippers. Zain's reign at the top has even led some top players (particularly Fox and Falco players) to begin complaining about how strong Marth is, even sometimes picking up Sheik secondaries to have an easier time with the matchup - the complete opposite of what was said and done in previous eras where Marth's results were more sparse. Reflecting this, the thirteenth tier list released in March of 2021 ranks Marth as the second best character in the game once again, only behind Fox.

*Marth and {{SSBM|Roy}} are the only playable characters in ''Melee'' that do not have a stage representing their universe, though hacked data shows that [[AKANEIA|one was planned]].

*The developers included Marth in ''Melee'' despite knowing he could be cut from its non-Japanese versions. He was ultimately kept in all versions after positive reception from their non-Japanese partners.<ref>[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/flash/1204/index.html "海外版では外す覚悟でマルスを作っていたのですが、キャラを立てた結果、海外のかたにも絶賛され、結果日本と全く同じ仕様で搭載されています。（ゆえにマルスは日本語のままです）" - Smabura-ken]</ref>

*[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/flash/1204/index.html Official character page on the Japanese ''Melee'' website] ([[smashwiki:26TP/Marth|Translation]])