Note: you can include characters not shown in this image, I just needed an image with multiple good reps and this was the one I found first.

I think the obvious answer is Malenia, since she’s basically the mascot of the game (alongside Ranni, who definitely isn’t in the cards here), but I’m not actually too high on the idea of her inclusion.

She would be fine, but I think her moveset potential is limited; while she does have the single most iconic attack in the game, if you ignore that one, can you even think of any special moves for her, without resorting to phase 2 rot stuff?

And if we’re willing to fold in elements from different phases, instead of using their exact ingame version, I think Radahn is the best rep. 

Not only is he definitely the second most recognizable boss in the game (at least for those who haven’t played it), he’s also a fan favorite, and could fulfill a unique niche as a superheavyweight disjointed zoner. And unlike Malenia, he has a TON of moveset potential.

The only two problems with Radahn are his size, and the fact that the most iconic version of his character is a zombie riding a horse. For his size, he could be scaled down, and they could just have him be his pre-rot self and not riding Leonard, but I can see an argument that this ‘betrays’ the most iconic aspect of his character. Obviously, you could just go with Consort Radahn, but I don’t love that solution.

Another I think is interesting is Morgott. He has a LOT of moveset potential, if not slightly less than Radahn, and could also fulfill the archetype of a weird heavy disjointed zoner. And while I do think he is less iconic than Malenia and Radahn if we’re only looking at the general public, if we’re only including people who played the game, he is EXTREMELY iconic, by virtue of how much Margit fucks new players up. He’s also a fan favorite among loreheads, which is a positive.

One character I think would be great if not for one thing is Messmer. He’s cool as fuck, everyone who played the DLC remembers him, he has tons of moveset potential, he has a clear silhouette, he has a built-in command grab as an obvious side B, AND He’s a fighter who primarily fights using spears, something which has been a fan request for ages. In fact, aside from maybe Banana Waddle Dee or a Monster Hunter protag wielding a gunlance, I think he might be THE BEST possible representative for a ‘guy who exclusively uses a spear’ in gaming.

The issue is that he’s from the DLC. I’d argue he basically plays the same roll in DLC marketing that Malenia and Ranni played in base game marketing, but arguably to an even greater degree, so I think he would be a GREAT choice as a second rep. Unfortunately, if you’re only including ONE character, I think the base game needs to be represented more.

I feel the same way about any possible Nightreign class candidates, as a second or god forbid THIRD rep they’d be fine, but I wouldn’t want them as the first.

Also, feel free to make arguments for other characters you think would work. You could even argue the Tarnished, if you want. I’ll disagree with you, though.

TL;DR: if you could only pick one ER character to add to smash, who would you choose? And if you could choose two, who would be the second?

Who would be the best Smash Bros rep, if you could only pick one?