These are the Official Melee Rankings, brought to you by The Council. We are a group of five Napoleonic Wars veterans who have decided it is the time to create the decisive melee list, to clear up any doubt once and for all. This ranking differs from the others since we have not only compiled the current top 20 NW players, but also broken down their individual statistics and capabilities. Please note this is a list of CURRENT groupfighting ability, deduced from what has been shown in the competitive scene (tournaments, leagues and other types of official matches). Although some players may exhibit higher scores in certain categories it does not mean they lack prowess there completely; it depends greatly upon relativity compared to other players and other aspects of their playstyle. Please have a look below now, where you may find our current, ORDERED top 20 melee rankings, and a spoiler which you may open for a follow-up breakdown.
In order to clear up what each of the categories mean, here is a brief summary. These are not limited and may contain other nuanced aspects of melee.
Blocking - Probably the most straight-forward category. Blocking however refers not only to the ability to quick block, but also tap blocking / reactive blocking. This means being able to defend yourself in 2v1s is just as important as being able to block a lunge at you in the midst of cluttered melee.
Chambers - Chambering is oftentimes a great way to secure a fast kill and outperform an opponent's block. Chambers included are obviously of various categories: stun chambers, spam chambers, block chambers and others.
Range - Ranging is a category that incorporates not only stabbing but also footwork. A player's movement is considered greatly in this area, in combination with their ability to lunge, cover a large area of a stab quickly and otherwise use momentum to out-footlance an opponent.
Teamwork - A vague yet somewhat very specific category. This covers all areas of teamwork including ease of completing 2v1s with this person, relying on them to complete trade kills, having your back or the patience to hold a stab in order to facilitate kills.
Impact - This is the most artificial category. It includes but is not limited to: the ability to create picks, the vision to create space or otherwise disrupt formations to help the team, the willingness to sacrifice themselves in order to help the team (dragging players, being a decoy, lunging in) and in other ways making big and important plays.
