What is an s tier?
Rankings and tier lists are part of The Discourse now. Starting at the bottom with D, E, or F, things are ranked via letter grade. But instead of ending with A, the top rank is, for some reason, commonly referred to as the S tier.
Why is the s tier so important in esports?
By now, the S tier has become vital to video games, and esports especially, as character rosters expand and developers try their best to keep their games at least relatively balanced.
What is a tier list?
A tier list is a list of playable characters or other elements of a video game, subjectively ranked by their respective viability in high-level competitive settings.
What does the s stand for in special?
Something that is so superlative that it cannot be described by any traditional ranking system. It is A++, 11/10, six stars, and three thumbs up. In rare cases, something can be so exemplary that it becomes SS or even SSS-rank. Many people have wondered what the S stands for. Special? Super? Schwarzenegger? No one knows for sure.
Why is s tier better than A?
Originally Answered: What is the origin of having an “S” rank above “A” in video games? It's based on grades in the Japanese school system, where anything below a C is a failure, so they only had three passing grades initially and had to add another grade at the top to signify truly exceptional performance.
What do Tier letters mean?
Simply put, a tier list is a way to classify people, places, and objects in different ranks, like game characters, in-game elements like features and weapons, Twitch streamers, YouTuber's houses, etc.01-Oct-2021
Is a tier better than B tier?
A Tier – (Strong) Very strong class, but not on the same level as S Tier Choices. B Tier – (Good) Solid Choice and can be viable in the hands of a skilled player.
What is C tier?
Mission: The mission of the Center for Telehealth, Innovation, Education and Research (C-TIER) is to promote innovation, education, and research in telehealth for those involved in the provision of health care, health care education, research, and healthcare technologies through collaborative opportunities, educational ...
What does C tier mean?
C-Tier. These are local events that can easily be run in one day, on one course, with a minimal amount of staff and volunteers, but they certainly do not have to be small and/or simple.
What is above God tier?
What is higher than Godtier? The answer to the riddle is « nothing. » Nothing is greater than God.
What is F tier?
F Tier is a tier in the game's meta and it's the worst tier. These builds are almost never played seriously or successfully. They are good for a laugh or two but nowhere near viable. Unless these builds are buffed, they will not be viable for the meta anytime soon.
What makes a character top tier?
Simply put, what a character is capable of doing as a form of offense right after shielding is a tool many top-tier characters have. An easy example would be Mario, who can Up-Special out-of-shield in order to get a character off of him.15-Aug-2020
What is a tier list?
A tier list is a list of playable characters or other elements of a video game , subjectively ranked by their respective viability in high-level competitive settings. Characters listed high on a tier list of a specific game are considered to be powerful characters compared to lower-scoring characters, and are therefore more likely to be used during tournaments. Tier lists are popular in fighting games such as the Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros. series, and multiplayer online battle arena titles such as League of Legends and Dota 2, in addition to hero shooter titles such as Overwatch and Paladins .
Why are low tier characters better than higher tier characters?
Writing for Kotaku, Maddy Myers noted that characters that are considered low-tier have an advantage over higher-tiered characters, as players have less experience dealing with low-tier characters and often underestimate them . Myers stated that "the element of surprise can only get you so far, but it's still an undeniable asset. And one that the bottom third of every tier list enjoys." Already popular characters may also rise in tier lists because high-level players establish and iterate on their combos and techniques. Myers also noted that tier lists are less useful in team-based games, because character roles and team composition introduce a complex set of variables.
Why do characters rise in tier lists?
Already popular characters may also rise in tier lists because high-level players establish and iterate on their combos and techniques. Myers also noted that tier lists are less useful in team-based games, because character roles and team composition introduce a complex set of variables.
How does a competitive game affect tiers?
Even when no balancing changes actually took place , the inclusion of new characters or new systems can affect tier lists. In fighting games, the strength of a character is always held relative to that of other characters, meaning that something that is strong in one fighting game does not necessarily have to be strong in another. The metagame may shift over time as dominant strategies get overturned using less popular characters.
Why are Smash Bros. Melee characters overpowered?
Melee, which was released in 2001 and has not been updated since, but is still popular in tournament settings, characters originally overpowered remain that way, due to their inability to receive character balancing updates.
What does it mean when a character is strong in a fighting game?
In fighting games, the strength of a character is always held relative to that of other characters, meaning that something that is strong in one fighting game does not necessarily have to be strong in another. The metagame may shift over time as dominant strategies get overturned using less popular characters.
What does the S tier mean?
Given all this, defining the S tier by what the S actually stands for might be interesting historically, but doesn’t really help us understand the term any more than a common-usage explanation that defines the S tier as “the place Honey Bunches of Oats belongs in a ranking of cereals, because it is the best one.”.
What does the S grade mean in Japanese?
Because of its ubiquity, the actual meaning of the S grade got a little bit muddy. As it is used in the Japanese schooling system, the S that overachieving students receive stands for “Shū,” the Japanese word for “exemplary.”.
What is the grade of failing in Japan?
Multiple online sources confirm that in Japan, many post-secondary schools use a 5-scale grading system, where a failing grade is anything below 60%, a C grade is given for anything between 60% and 69%, a B grade is given for anything between 70% and 79%, and an A is given for anything between 80% and 89%. Anything above that can be classified as either an A+ grade or an S grade depending on the school’s grading system. But this doesn’t confirm that this is where the S grade originated, nor does it really explain what the S actually stands for, in games or otherwise.
Why are S classes called Star classes?
These S class races were reserved for top athletes, who were referred to as “Star class” because of the stars on their uniforms. A few years later, manga (most notably the Yu Yu Hakusho and Naruto series) started using the S rank to refer to particularly dangerous or powerful beings.
When did the S grade come to prominence in Japan?
According to an incredibly well-sourced blog post (in Japanese, but parseable using Google Translate) the S grade or something like it came to prominence in Japan in the early 1900s.
Is the S rank valid?
It’s very common. So , to say [the S -grade or S-rank] originates from school rankings is maybe only partially true, but definitely valid.”. In other words, because the S rank is so ingrained into Japanese culture, it’s almost impossible to track how it worked its way into video games in any kind of straightforward way.
S-Rank
Something that is so superlative that it cannot be described by any traditional ranking system. It is A++, 11/10, six stars, and three thumbs up. In rare cases, something can be so exemplary that it becomes SS or even SSS-rank.
S rank
A perfection in a subject. Flawless in whatever it is your doing. Getting a higher percentage or always at the top 100% rate.
What does it mean to have a rank above A?
Having a rank above "A" also means that it can be somewhat more secret, some extra or additional goal to shoot for. Prior to the widespread adoption of achievements, offering a "S rank" was a way to reward your most devoted players. Share. Improve this answer.
Why is the Giant Bomb S-rank?
Giant Bomb's S-rank article states that because C was the lowest passing grade in the Japanese school system, "S" was used to allow for a wider range of grades. See the following excerpt: Originally created in Japan where anything below grade ‘C’ was considered a failure. The 'S-Rank' allowed for a wider range of obtainable grades ...
Where does the S rank come from?
S as a ranking above A originates from Japanese games. Aside from Metal Gear Solid 4, it has also been used in other games, such as Gran Turismo series (driving licenses), Devil May Cry (level performance), Final Fantasy VII (chocobo classes), Guilty Gear (character rankings), and countless others.
