Minecraft’s Steve has been causing quite a stir in the Smash Bros. community since joining the game. Known for his campy playstyle and unique combos, Steve has now introduced a new technique called the “Whivot.” This technique takes advantage of Steve’s walk acceleration value, allowing him to dash backwards the same distance as a roll while maintaining full control over his actions. The Whivot gives Steve a defensive advantage against opponents, as he can safely respond to incoming attacks.
The Whivot can only be effectively performed by Steve and Joker, as each character has a different walk acceleration value. However, due to the difficulty of executing the technique on a traditional Gamecube controller, content creator Zach “WhyDo” Toner recommends using an arcade box controller. This recommendation has sparked further debate within the community regarding the legality of both Steve and the arcade box controller in tournaments.
The Whivot technique is reminiscent of past movement techniques in Smash games, such as Wavedashing in Melee and Perfect Pivoting in Smash 4. These techniques have had a significant impact on high-level play and character tier lists. Luigi in Melee heavily relies on Wavedashing to compensate for his shorter range against top-tier characters, while Cloud in Smash 4 can safely space and charge his Limit gauge thanks to Perfect Pivoting.
In the hands of Steve, a character similar to Cloud who benefits from charging up a resource meter, the Whivot enhances his defensive play even further. Steve can already frustrate opponents with his ability to wall them out, leading to calls for his banning in tournaments. As more unique techniques like the Whivot continue to elevate Steve above other fighters, the Smash community may push for further discussions on his tournament legality.
The decision on Steve’s tournament-legal status currently varies among organizers, with no clear consensus reached globally. However, as more exclusive techniques are discovered and developed, the community may increasingly call for bans on certain characters or controllers. This echoes TSM Leffen’s previous call for alternate controller bans in 2022, arguing that they provide an unfair advantage to specific characters on the roster.
WhyDo, the Smash community’s foremost Steve pioneer, continues to push the limits with his discoveries. Techniques like EPIC, CRUD, and now the Whivot showcase new ways to cancel Steve’s moves or combo them into devastating instant-kill combinations. Steve remains one of the most powerful and impactful characters in Smash, thanks to WhyDo’s ongoing research and development of exclusive tech.
WhyDo plans to introduce five more techniques to the community during the “Week of Steve Buffs,” which began on Sept. 28 and will continue until Oct. 4. The Whivot is just the beginning, and there is much more to come as Steve’s potential continues to be explored.
Source: DOTESPORTS
