Sheik (SSBB)

This article is about Sheik's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. For other uses, see Sheik. Also, for information about Sheik's alter-ego, see Princess Zelda.

Sheik
Sheik
Universe	The Legend of Zelda
Appears in	SSBM SSBB
Availability	Starter

Sheik is a character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Sheik transforms from Zelda by using her down special move Transform, and can also transform back into Sheik. The design changes for her Brawl form are rather minimal compared to other characters, the notable changes is that she carries a knife on her back, and a braid similar to Zelda's new design.

The playability of Sheik had earlier been hinted by Eiji Aonuma, the director of Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, who stated that he sent Twilight Princess-style designs of Sheik and Ganondorf to Sakurai.

Sheik can be selected off of the Character Select screen by clicking on her image, like selecting a starting Pokemon with Pokemon Trainer. However, unlike Pokemon Trainer, there is no Random option between the two.

Changes from Melee to Brawl

• Needle Storm immediately begins charging if B is tapped, rather than firing a single needle. B must be tapped twice to fire a single needle. Needles' lag can no longer be cancelled by landing. If Sheik lands while charging needles, Sheik continues charging.
• A fully-charged Needle Strom will stop and Sheik will flash, allowing her to move around and use it whenever she wants without rolling, rather then standing still until the needles are thrown.
• Needle Storm when used in midair throws downwards at a 45 degree angle
• Chain can be used as a tether recovery
• Up B has more damage and significantly increased knockback with less landing lag
• Forward Smash has increased knockback on the second hit
• Down Smash has lower knockback
• Up Smash has increased knockback on the sides. If Sheik is close enough, the tip and side hits can both strike the opponent, sending the enemy at a ~60 degree angle
• Forward Air has lower knockback and a smaller sweetspot
• Up Aerial is a better juggle move, but a worse Kill move (like the PAL version)
• Down Aerial sends Sheik downwards, and is a Stall-Then-Fall
• Forward tilt has less knockback, comboing better
• Up tilt has increased knockback on the second hit
• Can be chosen to start a match instead of Zelda at the character selection screen.
• Can no longer chain-throw
• Has a shorter, better short hop
• In-battle transformation takes more time (loading times in Brawl are longer in general; the Wii system can be heard clicking during transformation), but renders Zelda/Shiek invincible for much of the time
• In Melee Sheik's braid is not visible

Role In Subspace Emissary

After Peach and Zelda are rescued by Snake, Metaknight and Lucario, the two princess are ordered to stay where they are until the Halberd is under their control. Zelda transforms into Sheik and walks out with Peach, opening a window to the outside of the ship. Both princesses then make their way to the front deck of the ship. There, they witness Fox's Arwing attacking the Halberd, and his lasers meant for the Halberd's turret nearly injure Peach. In response, Sheik leaps into the air and teleports onto the Arwing, striking the windshield and forcing Fox to jettison. They fall back to the Halberd, and begin to fight, but Peach offers them both tea, ending any erroneous hostilities.

As they drink their tea, several Mr. Game and Watches fall from the bridge and turn into shadow bugs that coalesce to form the monstrous Duon. The three prepare to fight, but are joined by Lucario, Snake, and Falco. They then proceed to defeat Duon, and it turns into the trophy of Mr. Game and Watch, who Peach revives.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Very fast, fourth fastest running speed and fastest female character in the game (tied in both areas with Zero Suit Samus).
• Attacks string together nicely and have decent range. One of the best combo potential characters.
• All of her attacks (except Dair) come out very quickly, and most have a long duration and hit for the entirety of their duration.
• Little lag on any of her attacks.
• Forward tilt can repeatedly combo at low percentages and can set up most of Sheik's finishers.
• Quick and fairly long-ranged Jab.
• Down Aerial is one of the Stall-Then-Fall down aerials, allowing it to cancel vertical knockback.
• Needles are the fastest projectile in the game. It is a quick, chargeable projectile good for stopping attacks (even projectiles), hindering recovery, and racking up damage.
• Uptilt and Down smash are fast, multi-hit attacks with high priority and long range, making them great defensive maneuvers.
• Fast sidestep and roll.
• Side B is a Tether Recovery move.
• Has a very low crouch that can avoid many projectiles.
• Can perform a Dash-Attack-Cancelled Up-Smash (Hydroplanning).
• Can Wall cling.
• Can Crawl.
• Can Wall Jump.

Cons:

• Her killing power is one of the worst in the game.
• Relies heavily on edge-guarding for easy kills.
• Dependent on being able to combo opponent to high percentages for a kill.
• Transformation is rather slow, even though it leaves her temporarily invulnerable.
• Down Aerial has high landing lag, and can SD if not careful.
• Poor priority on a good number of attacks.
• Fairly Light.
• Easy to combo & juggle due to her fast falling speed
• Horrible forward smash.
• Her chain special is very slow, and virtually useless in advanced play.
• Since Transform is so dreadfully slow and grants no invincibility, swapping in the feather-light, sluggish Zelda often ends in dying as Zelda, and, in multiple-stock battles, returning as Zelda, and, usually, taking significant damage before morphing back into Sheik.

Damage Chart

Smash Attacks:

Forward Smash:

• Damage: 5% first hit, 9% second hit
• Knockback: Low(first hit), High (second hit).

Up Smash:

• Damage: 12% side hit, 17-18% "tip"
• Knockback: Moderate-High (side hit), Very High (tip)

Down Smash:

• Damage: 13% initial hit, 10% late hit
• Knockback: Moderate(initial hit), Low(late hit)

Tilts:

Forward Tilt:

• Damage: 5%
• Knockback: Very Low

Up Tilt:

• Damage: 6% first hit, 7% second hit
• Knockback: Very Low(first hit), Low-Moderate(second hit)

Down Tilt:

• Damage: 8%
• Knockback: Very Low

Aerials

Forward Aerial:

• Damage: 9%
• Knockback: Very Low

Back Aerial:

• Damage: 12% initial hit, 6% late hit
• Knockback: Moderate, Low(late hit)

Down Aerial:

• Damage: 10%
• Knockback: Moderate, Low(late hit)

Up Aerial:

• Damage: 11% strong hit, 6% late hit
• Knockback: Moderate, Low(late hit)

Neutral Aerial:

• Damage: 13% initial hit, 5% late hit
• Knockback: Moderate, Low(late hit)

Other Attacks:

Jab:

• Damage: 3% first two, 1-2% rapid hits

Dash Attack:

• Damage: 7%
• Knockback: Low-Moderate

Ledge Attack

• Damage: 8%

Ledge Attack (over 100%)

• Damage: 8%

Specials:

Neutral B (Needles):

• Damage: 3% per needle, up to 5 needles (18%)

Side B (Chain):

• Damage: (3% weak hit(non-tip), 5% strong hit(tip)

Up B (Vanish):

• Damage: 15%
• Knockback: High

Throws:

Forward Throw

• Damage: 7%

Back Throw

• Damage: 7%

Up Throw

• Damage: 5%

Down Throw

• Damage: 6%

Tips and Strategies

• Sheik is a very fast character in all aspects. She moves quickly both on the ground and in the air, jumps quickly, has very little landing lag on any attack (save the Down Aerial), and attacks quickly. Take advantage of this to relentlessly harass your opponent.
• Sheik's Forward Tilt is a quick move with fairly long range, though low damage. Its knockback is probably its most interesting aspect, however. If it hits with the tip of the foot, especially at low percentages, it will knock the opponent towards Sheik, allowing for just about any move to be used immediately afterwards. This includes using another Forward Tilt. At low percentages, multiple forward tilts can be repeatedly comboed together to increase damage. If the opponent DI's towards Sheik, the combo will keep going. If they DI upwards, the combo can be ended with an Up Tilt, Up Smash, or Short-Hopped Aerial. If they DI away, Sheik's long-ranged Jab Combo can rack up some quick damage.
• Sheik's Up Smash has two distinct hits. The moment her hands part above her head, there is a very powerful hit that can kill at around 90% (the "tipper"). There is also a second hit as the hands move to the sides that has less powerful knockback. Both hits do 15%, and if Sheik is overlapping with a character on the ground as the move is released (most easily done by performing a Running Up Smash), both hits can connect, which deals very good damage, though unfortunately only has the knockback of the Side Hit. The Tipper is very difficult to get except against airborne opponents, but is by far Sheik's most powerful Kill Move.
• If Sheik cannot pull off a sweet-spotted Up-Smash, her second best Kill Move is Vanish (Up-B), which can KO at around 130%, but is difficult to pull of due to its start-up lag. Sheik's tilts cannot KO until 190% (Up Tilt) or over 200% (Forward and Down Tilts), and her other smashes (Down Smash's First hit, Forward Smash's Second hit, Up Smash's Side hit) take about 150% to KO. This leaves just Sheik's aerial attacks. Unfortunately, the power on these is also lacking. Neutral Aerial, Up Aerial, and Down Aerial cannot kill from the center of Final Destination until around 150%, and for the Forward Aerial it is closer to 180%. However, these moves are capable of scoring kills at lower percentages than that, if properly used to Edge Guard. When an opponent is sent flying horizontally, Sheik should ALWAYS pursue. If Sheik can score several hits on an opponent who is off the stage, it is very likely that she can KO. The Forward Aerial is the easiest to chase with, due to its incredible speed and decent range, but after that hit (which will likely not KO), it is best to try to hit with a Neutral Aerial. An off-stage Neutral Aerial hitting on its initial extension can KO easily at 120%.
• Sheik has a quick grab that has a fairly long range. Unfortunately, her throws are rather weak, dealing only 6% for the Downthrow, 5% for the Upthrow, and 7% for the Forward and Back Throws. Additionally, the knockback on these throws will never KO during a reasonable match (even at Sudden Death percentages). However, Sheik's most damaging throws (Forward and Back) have interesting Knockback. They send the opponent diagonally, with the main component of the knockback being vertical (upwards). If the opponent attempts to DI towards Sheik, the knockback will be entirely vertical, allowing Sheik to follow up with a Neutral, Forward, or Up Aerial very easily.
• Due to the low-damaging nature of Sheik's throws, it is always recomended to Pummel the opponent several times before throwing them to rack up damage.
• Sheik has a powerful Jab Fake. At a moderate range, the second Jab can be canceled into a F-tilt, D-tilt, F-Smash, Short-hopped Forward Aerial, Dashing Shield-Grab, or a Dash Attack. At close range, the second Jab can be canceled into a Grab, any of Sheik's Tilts, Smashes, Short-hopped Aerials, or another set of Jabs. Probably the safest option is Jab->Jab->(Cancel)-> Grab.
• Sheik actually has a fairly comprehensive defensive/"safe" game. Her Downsmash and Uptilt are amazing defensive moves, both having a long duration, multiple hits, high priority, and large hitboxes. This makes them great for repelling attacks and punishing the attackers. Sheik can actually approach defensively, by running at the opponent, pivoting, and short-hopping a Back Aerial. The Back Aerial is a very long-ranged Sex Kick, and it has no landing lag. Your opponent will likely shield the attack, but if spaced properly they will be too far away to grab you. If they try to run at you and attack, a Downsmash will hit them. If they try to jump and come from above, an Uptilt will hit them. And either of these moves can be performed immediately due to their fast speed and the Back Aerial's lack of landing lag. Once your opponent has been hit once, Sheik now has an opening to pursue.

Special Movements

Taunts

Up: Does a one handed handstand.

Side: Brings her chain out in a strangle pose.

Down: Does her standard Sheikah pose and makes a disappointed/arrogant huff.

On-Screen Appearance

Appears from a burst of magical sparks.

Wii Remote Choice

Magical sounds can be heard, and Zelda says "Hiya!". Same as Zelda's because they share a character choice square.

External Links

• Sheik's page at Smash Bros Dojo!!.