Howdy! I've been kicking this idea around for a while, and I finally think it might be a feasible reality. Introducing RBYOMPL! RBYOMPL is a team tournament designed to celebrate RBY's wide array of niche tiers. I'm making this thread to gauge interest in such a tournament. If it looks popular and possible, I want to figure out the optimal tiers and number of teams. Let's discuss!
Prospective Tiers
My goal for this tournament is 6 teams × 6 tiers. Here are my top contenders for the six slots. I'd love to see what folks think would make the best six here.
RBY 1v1
Overview: RBY 1v1 is a fairly popular metagame with a dedicated community and a low barrier to entry. The most recent major tournament, RBY 1v1 Cup, had over 25 signups. I think it would easily fill six slots without taking too many players from other tiers. Its inclusion would be a good way to better integrate the RBY and 1v1 Communities. It also arguably has the most robust resources of any RBY OM, even when compared to some of the LTs.
Format: Best-of-seven is best suited for the fast pace and volatile nature of the tier. Best-of-five could be possible though if seven is too many games.
Nintendo Cup 1997
Overview: NC97 has seen an increase in popularity lately on Smogon and a handful of players from the dedicated NC97 Community have recently even joined Smogon to play it here. I think this presents a great opportunity to expand the tier and merge the two communities. The most recent major tournament, Nintendo Cup 1997 Revival, had over 60 signups, though it was a money tour. I don't anticipate NC97 taking too many players from other slots. The tier has also proved rather competitive, despite what many believe.
Format: The Revival tournament established an acceptable standard of best-of-three with team preview, no changing teams between games, and cartridge Sleep Clause.
RBY STABmons OU
Overview: STABmons is my perfect child. The tier has a small but relatively passionate following largely composed of "core Smogon tour players." It is reasonably competitive, especially compared to most RBY OMs. The most recent major tournament, Saber II, had 18 signups. It may compete with some tiers for players, but I'd really like to see this tier hit a big stage like this and I anticipate a high level of play and metagame development.
Format: Best-of-three is standard. Best-of-five is possible, but the sheer number of ties STABmons games result in may make it a somewhat unreasonable commitment.
RBY ZU
Overview: ZU isn't much of an "OM," but it is probably the biggest RBY tier without representation in either of the two major annual RBY team tours: RBYPL and ALTPL. Its inclusion seems like a very obvious choice to tap into a large base of players that specialize in either RBY or ZU. I honestly think this tier is necessary to get us to reach the player count requirement. Otherwise, it's a reasonably competitive and popular tier in its own right.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
RBY SU
Overview: SU is pretty similar to ZU, pulling from both the RBY and SU Communities. I honestly don't know too much about the tier from a competitive standpoint, but I think it would hit the entry requirement fairly comfortably without pulling too many players from other tiers.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
Stadium OU
Overview: Stadium is, in my opinion, probably the most competitive tier on this list and yet it gets very little attention. I do think there is a market for a small but dedicated set of players to get into this tier in a team setting. I think this tier would draw those "core Smogon tour players" and could see a very high level of play. With this tier being nearly completely unrepresented in the Smogon tour scene, I think this is a great opportunity to get it some of the activity that it deserves.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
RBY Little Cup
Overview: LC doesn't have a particularly large or dedicated base of players to my knowledge, but I believe the tier has some passing interest and a relatively low barrier of entry. I don't know if LC would necessarily draw too many people to sign up, but I could see it attracting a few players while still being approachable to new players. The most recent major tournament, Dratini Age: Origins, had over 90 signups, though it was a money tour.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest, especially given the typical game length and ease of teambuilding.
Modern Generation I
Overview: MG1 is more of a Pet Mod than an OM, but I think it somewhat fits the spirit of the tour, given it's rooted in RBY mechanics. The tier has a decently large community consisting of players largely separated from the RBY Community, meaning it should fill six slots pretty easily and have little conflict with other tiers. In fact, it did so last year in SOLOPL.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
RBY 7U
Overview: Going to be honest, I think interest in 7U has completely waned, but I threw it on here in case I'm wrong. If you want 7U in this tour, make your presence known.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
Some Other Tier
Let me know if I forgot something that you care about.
Logistics
As noted above, my goal here is 6 teams × 6 tiers. The regular season would be five weeks, followed by the top three or four teams advancing to a two-week playoffs. However, if turnout is low, we can do 4 teams × 6 tiers. This would likely see each team play every other team twice, followed by the top two teams advancing to a one-week playoff match.
If you are interested in managing or hosting this tournament, play note that here or message me. I would really like to gauge if we have enough of those to support this tournament.
If this tour seems feasible, I plan to release manager signups next week, then player signups for the two weeks after that, and finally start around March 31st.
Cheers!
Prospective Tiers
My goal for this tournament is 6 teams × 6 tiers. Here are my top contenders for the six slots. I'd love to see what folks think would make the best six here.
RBY 1v1
Overview: RBY 1v1 is a fairly popular metagame with a dedicated community and a low barrier to entry. The most recent major tournament, RBY 1v1 Cup, had over 25 signups. I think it would easily fill six slots without taking too many players from other tiers. Its inclusion would be a good way to better integrate the RBY and 1v1 Communities. It also arguably has the most robust resources of any RBY OM, even when compared to some of the LTs.
Format: Best-of-seven is best suited for the fast pace and volatile nature of the tier. Best-of-five could be possible though if seven is too many games.
Nintendo Cup 1997
Overview: NC97 has seen an increase in popularity lately on Smogon and a handful of players from the dedicated NC97 Community have recently even joined Smogon to play it here. I think this presents a great opportunity to expand the tier and merge the two communities. The most recent major tournament, Nintendo Cup 1997 Revival, had over 60 signups, though it was a money tour. I don't anticipate NC97 taking too many players from other slots. The tier has also proved rather competitive, despite what many believe.
Format: The Revival tournament established an acceptable standard of best-of-three with team preview, no changing teams between games, and cartridge Sleep Clause.
RBY STABmons OU
Overview: STABmons is my perfect child. The tier has a small but relatively passionate following largely composed of "core Smogon tour players." It is reasonably competitive, especially compared to most RBY OMs. The most recent major tournament, Saber II, had 18 signups. It may compete with some tiers for players, but I'd really like to see this tier hit a big stage like this and I anticipate a high level of play and metagame development.
Format: Best-of-three is standard. Best-of-five is possible, but the sheer number of ties STABmons games result in may make it a somewhat unreasonable commitment.
RBY ZU
Overview: ZU isn't much of an "OM," but it is probably the biggest RBY tier without representation in either of the two major annual RBY team tours: RBYPL and ALTPL. Its inclusion seems like a very obvious choice to tap into a large base of players that specialize in either RBY or ZU. I honestly think this tier is necessary to get us to reach the player count requirement. Otherwise, it's a reasonably competitive and popular tier in its own right.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
RBY SU
Overview: SU is pretty similar to ZU, pulling from both the RBY and SU Communities. I honestly don't know too much about the tier from a competitive standpoint, but I think it would hit the entry requirement fairly comfortably without pulling too many players from other tiers.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
Stadium OU
Overview: Stadium is, in my opinion, probably the most competitive tier on this list and yet it gets very little attention. I do think there is a market for a small but dedicated set of players to get into this tier in a team setting. I think this tier would draw those "core Smogon tour players" and could see a very high level of play. With this tier being nearly completely unrepresented in the Smogon tour scene, I think this is a great opportunity to get it some of the activity that it deserves.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
RBY Little Cup
Overview: LC doesn't have a particularly large or dedicated base of players to my knowledge, but I believe the tier has some passing interest and a relatively low barrier of entry. I don't know if LC would necessarily draw too many people to sign up, but I could see it attracting a few players while still being approachable to new players. The most recent major tournament, Dratini Age: Origins, had over 90 signups, though it was a money tour.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest, especially given the typical game length and ease of teambuilding.
Modern Generation I
Overview: MG1 is more of a Pet Mod than an OM, but I think it somewhat fits the spirit of the tour, given it's rooted in RBY mechanics. The tier has a decently large community consisting of players largely separated from the RBY Community, meaning it should fill six slots pretty easily and have little conflict with other tiers. In fact, it did so last year in SOLOPL.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
RBY 7U
Overview: Going to be honest, I think interest in 7U has completely waned, but I threw it on here in case I'm wrong. If you want 7U in this tour, make your presence known.
Format: Best-of-three is standard, though best-of-five is possible if there's interest.
Some Other Tier
Let me know if I forgot something that you care about.
Logistics
As noted above, my goal here is 6 teams × 6 tiers. The regular season would be five weeks, followed by the top three or four teams advancing to a two-week playoffs. However, if turnout is low, we can do 4 teams × 6 tiers. This would likely see each team play every other team twice, followed by the top two teams advancing to a one-week playoff match.
If you are interested in managing or hosting this tournament, play note that here or message me. I would really like to gauge if we have enough of those to support this tournament.
If this tour seems feasible, I plan to release manager signups next week, then player signups for the two weeks after that, and finally start around March 31st.
Cheers!
