Smash 4 – Custom moves, Effects, Stats allowed (“Customs” meta)
Effects
- Critical-hit Capability
- Explosive Perfect Shield
Characters
- Little Mac (later unbanned if Attack was <0)
- Cloud (later unbanned if Attack was <60)
Smash 4 – No Custom moves, No Effects, No Stats allowed (“Vanilla” meta)
- Ness

Smash Ultimate – Effects, Stats allowed (“Spirits” meta)
“Big Five” Spirit Effects
- Armor Knight
- Super Armor
- Slow Super Armor
- Great Autoheal
- Autoheal
Characters
- Incineroar (always banned)
- Bowser (usually banned)
- Terry (usually banned)
- King K. Rool (usually banned)
Smash Ultimate – No Effects, Stats allowed (“Vanilla” meta)
Characters
- Incineroar (always banned)
- Bowser (usually banned)
- Terry (usually banned)
- King K. Rool (usually banned)
Note: some tournaments ban Ness. This is not the majority opinion, but if it becomes the widely accepted rule then Ness will be added here for a full ban.