Template:SSB4 to SSBU changelist/Sheik

Aesthetics

• Sheik's design is based on the Sheikah Set from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, including the long white scarf of the Stealth Mask. Her armor and hair feature subtle detailing, with the latter's shadow being more pronounced to further obscure her face, and her pupils are smaller. She also no longer carries her dagger around. Lastly, the aesthetic used in Ultimate has resulted in Sheik's overall color scheme being more vibrant.
• The Stealth Tights appear to have heels, and the Stealth Mask scarf is shorter. These changes are unique to Ultimate.
• Sheik is more vocal. She vocalizes when using Vanish and Bouncing Fish.
• Up taunt has been shortened, where it no longer has Sheik do a flip to rebound.
• Palutena's Guidance conversation for Sheik has been changed.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Sheik's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• Sheik's initial dash speed (1.7 → 2.178) and run speed (2.016 → 2.42) are faster, having the fourth fastest run speed in the game.
• Sheik's air speed is slightly faster (1.1 → 1.155).
• Sheik's weight has been decreased (81 → 78), being lighter than Kirby and making her the 6th lightest character in the game. This further worsens her already poor endurance.
• Sheik's traction is higher (0.06 → 0.106).
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 28 → 27).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-15 → 4-12).
• Back roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-15 → 4-14) and has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 33).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 25 → 24).
• Spot dodge has more startup and grants less intangibility (frames 2-15 → 3-14).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-25 → 2-26).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 31 → 45).
• The removal of perfect pivoting hinders her ground mobility, worsens Needle Storm's mindgame potential, and worsens her ability to extend combos.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first and second hits have altered angles (70° → 361°/180° (hit 1), 361° (hit 2)) and knockback (10 base/100 scaling → 35/30/20 base/30/30/15 scaling (hit 1), 20 base/40 scaling → 35/25 base/25/20 scaling (hit 2)) to keep opponents close to Sheik, akin to other neutral attacks.
    • This allows them to connect better and lock.
    • However, this worsens Sheik's guaranteed jab cancel setups, which played a large part in the utility of her neutral attack in Smash 4 (though they're still the only neutral attack able to jab cancel, if done on aerial characters).
  • The neutral infinite has faster startup (frame 9 → 5), a consistent angle (50°/60°/70° → 361°), lower hitlag (1× → 0.5×) and SDI (1× → 0.4×) multipliers, and deals less knockback (14 base/20 scaling → 12/15) while gaining a hitstun modifier of 2 on each hit. This vastly improves its linking capabilities, making it much more reliable overall.
  • The neutral infinite's finisher has significantly less ending lag (FAF 53 → 36), no longer being the slowest in the game and being much less punishable if shielded.
  • The finisher uses 3 small hitboxes instead of one extended hitbox. Overall, it does not reach as far horizontally as before, and its range is narrower vertically.
  • All hits except the first deal less damage (3% → 1.6% (hit 2), 0.8%/0.6% → 0.3% (infinite), 3% → 2% (finisher)), with knockback scaling not fully compensated on the finisher (115 → 132), slightly reducing its already lacking KO potential.
  • The infinite has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 9×. This allows it to lock opponents into their shields between each hit, and thus pressure them more effectively, but also allows them to cancel shieldstun and punish Sheik more easily if they shield 10 hits or more.
• Forward tilt:
  • The move deals less damage (4% → 3%). It's knockback scaling was also adjusted (158/165 → 180/188), dealing slightly more knockback at low to mid percents, weakening its combo potential.
• Up tilt:
  • The second hit has less startup lag (frame 19 → 16), allowing it to connect better from the first hit, with total duration adjusted to compensate (FAF 36 → 33).
  • Both hits deal less damage (5% hit 1/6% hit 2 → 3%/4%).
    • Also, the second hit's knockback was adjusted (20 base/125 scaling → 25/147), dealing more knockback at low to mid percents, weakening its combo potential.
  • Due to the changes to jostle mechanics, the first hit is harder to connect against grounded opponents.
  • The move has a slightly altered animation: Sheik's heel hits the ground after the second hit, bearing a closer resemblance Samus's up tilt. This slightly increases its range in front of Sheik, and allows it to hit opponents grabbing the ledge.
• Down tilt:
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 27), improving its safety and combo potential.
  • It deals less damage (5% → 4.5%).
    • Its knockback was not compensated, allowing it to combo for longer.
  • The middle hitbox is smaller (3.5u → 3.2u), and has been moved inwards (X offset: 4 → 3). This makes it easier to land the outermost hitbox, but makes it harder to hit opponents below the ledge and slightly reduces the attack's range.
• Dash attack:
  • The move has less ending lag (FAF 41 → 35).
  • It deals slightly more damage (6.5% → 7% (clean), 4.5% → 5% (late)) with no compensation on knockback, slightly improving its KO potential.
  • It has increased shieldstun (1x → 1.5x), improving its safety against shields, although it is still more unsafe than most dash attacks in Ultimate.
• Forward smash:
  • The second hit has faster startup (frame 26 → 20), allowing it to connect better from the first hit. The move's total duration has been reduced as well (FAF 51 → 45).
• Up smash:
  • The first hit deals more knockback (50 base/86 scaling → 52/88).
  • The first hit has a marginally larger hitbox (6u → 6.1u).
• Down smash:
  • The move has less startup (frame 11/18 → 8/15) and ending lag (FAF 55 → 48).
  • The first hit deals more damage (3% → 4%).
  • The first hit has received an additional hitbox that launches opponents more inward (140° → 200°), allowing it to connect much better into the second hit.
  • The second hit launches at a lower angle (48° → 43°), and has more knockback scaling (155 → 165), improving its KO potential and letting it set up edgeguards better.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (10 frames → 6 (neutral), 10 → 5 (forward), 12 → 7 (back), 21 → 13 (up), 30 → 22 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • The move deals less damage (8%/7% → 6%/5% (clean), 5%/4% → 4%/3% (late)), with only base knockback compensated (20 → 30). This hinders its limited KO and gimping potential, while not improving its combo potential.
• Forward aerial:
  • Sheik can grab ledges after using forward aerial much sooner (frame 88 → 59).
  • It deals less damage (4.3%/5% → 3.8%/4.5%).
  • It deals less knockback (40 base/132 scaling → 44/43 base/127 scaling). Coupled with its lower damage, this improves its combo potential but also hinders its limited KO and gimping potential.
  • It has more range after the first 2 active frames (Y offset: 0 → -0.5/-1, Z offset: 0 → 1/1.5). This allows it to hit opponents below her slightly more easily.
• Back aerial:
  • The move deals more damage (7%/8% → 7.5%/9.5% (clean), 5% → 6% (late)), with knockback not properly compensated on the clean hit (30 base/100 scaling → 32/30 base/98 scaling), improving its KO potential especially if sweetspotted.
• Up aerial:
  • The move auto-cancels earlier (frame 47 → 44).
  • The looping hits launch grounded opponents at a slightly different angle (90˚ → 80˚).
  • The looping hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1.3× → 0.7×), making them harder to SDI out of.
  • However, the changes to hitlag and the introduction of the DI angle indicator make it much easier to react with appropriate DI when the final hit connects, hindering its cross-up potential.
• Down aerial:
  • The move deals more damage (8% → 10%), with no compensation on the clean hit's knockback, increasing the meteor smash's power.
  • The late hit launches at a lower angle (70° → 56°), and has altered knockback (30 base/105 scaling → 55/78). Overall, it does more knockback, but launches at a worse angle for KOing.
  • The landing hit launches at a higher angle (40° → 48°), and has altered knockback (40 base/150 scaling → 77/50). This makes it safer on hit at any percentage, but removes its previously limited KO power.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have noticeably more ending lag (FAF 28 → 37 (standing), 35 → 45 (dash), 33 → 40 (pivot)).
  • Standing grab has more range (Z2 offset: 8.9 → 9.4).
  • Dash and pivot grabs have less range (Z2 offset: 10.7 → 9.5 (dash), -14.9 → -13.4 (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grab have more startup lag (frame 8 → 9 (dash), 9 → 11 (pivot)).
• Pummel:
  • Sheik has a new pummel, a knee strike rather than an elbow jab.
  • It deals much less damage (3.1% → 1%). Additionally, the first pummel she uses can miss many fighters, due to the way the early stages of grabs work.
  • However, has significantly faster startup (frame 9 → 1), deals more hitlag (5 frames → 11), and has less ending lag (FAF 24 → 6), shortening its duration. This makes it one of the fastest pummels in the game and increases the amount of times Sheik can pummel the opponent before they break free or she throws them, thus being more reliable for racking up damage.
• Up throw:
  • The move deals more damage (2% → 3% (throw), 5% → 6% (total)).
  • The move deals significantly more knockback (80 base/60 scaling → 110/62). This limits its 50/50 setups to low to mid percentages only, while still unable to KO at realistic percentages (until Sudden Death).
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has altered knockback (80 base/90 scaling → 95/60). This overall improves its combo potential.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Needle Storm:
  • Its charge can be canceled by jumping or spot dodging.
  • Its charge cancel animation when inputting shield is shorter (8 frames → 4), allowing it to be canceled faster.
    • However, Its charge can no longer be canceled immediately by rolling, instead incurring 4 frames of lag beforehand.
  • It reaches its full charge faster (98 frames → 82).
  • It has much less landing lag (30 frames → 12).
  • It has less ending lag (1-5 needles/6 needles: FAF 48/54 → 42/49), allowing for better followups with the aerial version.
  • The clean hit has a longer duration, with the late hit's duration reduced accordingly (frames 1-3 (clean)/4-10 (late) → 1-5/6-10).
  • A needle deals less damage (1.9% → 1.5% (clean), 1.2% → 0.8% (late)).
  • Needles travel slower (speed 12 → 10), and have a shorter duration (10 frames → 9).
  • A needle has less knockback scaling (180 → 167). Coupled with its lower damage, this reduces the move's already limited KO potential, but further increases its combo potential at high percentages.
  • The flight trajectory of aerial needles has been altered from approximately a 45° angle to a shallower 30° angle. This makes them worse for followups into aerials at lower percents, but better at higher percents.
  • After charging the move, Sheik holds the produced needles in one hand until they are fired.
• Burst Grenade:
  • The move no longer leaves Sheik helpless in the air.
  • It has less ending lag upon releasing the grenade.
  • The explosion’s hitbox is 20% larger (10u → 12u).
  • The grenade's vortex is clear/white rather than light blue.
• Vanish:
  • The move grants intangibility earlier when used on the ground (frame 19 → 14).
  • Vanish's explosion has more knockback scaling (102 → 112), noticeably improving its KO potential.
  • Sheik emits a gold flash right before she disappears.
  • Sheik's silhouette can be briefly seen in the direction the move travels, before she disappears. This makes it easier to predict where she teleports.
• Bouncing Fish:
  • After the first kick of Bouncing Fish hits an opponent, successive kicks deal more damage (12% → 13%) and knockback (26 base/90 scaling → 28/97), making them much stronger.
  • The move has slightly more startup lag (frame 17 → 18).
  • The move no longer grants intangibility.
  • The move no longer refreshes if Sheik is hit in midair after using it, hindering her recovery.
  • The first kick deals less damage (12% → 11%), though with its knockback scaling compensated (90 → 97).
  • The attack's hitboxes are considerably smaller (6u/4u → 3.5u/3u), reducing its reliability.
  • Bouncing Fish produces a splash of water at the start.
• Sheikah Dance:
  • Sheik has a new Final Smash called Sheikah Dance, replacing Light Arrow. She dashes forward while the Sheikah symbol flashes on-screen. If the initial attack lands, Sheik will trap the opponent in place and repeatedly beat them up and slash them with her dagger, before launching them away and behind her. This Final Smash is similar to Triforce Slash.
  • Sheikah Dance can only trap one opponent, as opposed to up to seven.
  • Sheikah Dance deals much higher, consistent damage (1% hit 1/44% first opponent/33% second/24% third/19% fourth/14% fifth/11% sixth/6% seventh → 3% hit 1, clean/2% hit 1, late/3% hits 2-3, 5-7, 9-11, 13-14/2% hits 4, 8, 12, 15/12% hit 16/52%-53% total).
  • Sheikah Dance launches at a higher angle compared to Light Arrow (20° → 361°).
  • Sheikah Dance's last hit deals less knockback due to its lower damage output. Combined with its higher angle, this makes it KO slightly later than Light Arrow despite its increased knockback (30 base/65 scaling → 65 base/135 scaling), though it remains among the strongest Final Smashes in the game.
  • Sheikah Dance does not produce the Home-Run Bat sound effect, unlike Light Arrow.