Virgman
Smash Apprentice
First of all, I'd like to give a special thank you to @
Codyyy
for helping me confirm the escapability/inescapability of this content. I'd also like to thank @Wasserwipf for the gifs (you're the best), @
Tristan_win
for his awesome thread about rage (http://smashboards.com/threads/a-true-ninja-never-lose-their-cool-sheik-rage-research-thread.385409), and @
Othayuni
for his contribution to the Sheik boards.
This is an informational thread, not revealing anything new to Sheik's metagame, but revealing the potential of something that many may not have been aware of. Sheik has a combo that kills at normal kill percents, instead of the usual 145-160 we're all so used to:
DTILT > DOUBLE JUMP UAIR
Sheik must first hit with the tip of her dtilt, because that's the only hitbox that sends the opponent straight up. Any closer than that, and they are sent away from you, negating the rest of the combo.
The minimum kill percentage for each character can ONLY be achieved by performing a full hop (after a fresh dtilt), then using the second jump at the PEAK of the initial full hop. Immediately after inputting the second jump, perform an uair (which must be fresh). If the second jump comes out too early or too late, the uair either won't hit or won't kill. Performing this technique with this much accuracy is only necessary if you want to kill as early as possible. If you wait til your opponent has ten or twenty percent more, you can do the combo a lot easier.
DOUBLE JAB CANCEL COMBO
So it turns out that double jab can cancel into the dtilt combo, at kill percents. A fresh double jab gives five percent of damage, which should allow you to kill roughly five percent earlier than usual. When performing the jab cancel, you can't be too close to them, or the dtilt won't be a tipper. If you're too far, the dtilt won't hit them at all. This double jab cancel allows the possibility of a two-frame (jab hits on frame 2) set-up for a kill combo for Sheik, which is phenomenal.
We've tested a few characters, using their nairs to see if they could interrupt the combo (Yoshi, Ness, Pit), and found that the hitboxes won't hit Sheik while she's doing her dtilt. However, this combo is really easy to get out of. All you have to do is jump after the double jab, and the dtilt won't connect. Though the combo isn't true, I've played against different competitive players, and have not had a single one of them escape the combo, for the following reasons:
1. Double jab to dtilt happens too fast for them to respond to. The double jab very slightly picks the opponent up into the air, and within a few frames, they're back on the ground. Once they touch the ground, there is landing lag. More than enough to perform dtilt.
2. The double jab gives the effect that a pummel is about to take place. Most good players either try to counter the pummel with a jab of their own, or they DI backwards and toward the ground, in an effort to shield the final hit and get the punish. In both of these cases, the dtilt will come out on top, simply because the character has to land in order to do them, but landing gives them lag, giving Sheik plenty of time to follow-up with dtilt. As mentioned above, most characters' nairs or fast aerials won't hit Sheik, simply because dtilt is super low to the ground. Yoshi's nair comes out, but doesn't connect with Sheik, as she's crouched performing the dtilt. A few ways that people might get out of this is by using either frame-one specials, fast-starting dairs, or specials that have invincibility or super armor frames. Either way, if the tipper dtilt connects, the uair follow-up is secure, as long as the DI is straight up. If they DI backwards, go for a fair or commence kiting.
This combo works at low percents as well, but it obviously won't kill.
DTILT TO UAIR LEDGE GUARD
This dtilt combo is also a ledge guarding option. If your opponent no longer has invincibility frames and is hanging on the ledge, a dtilt will pop them straight up into the air, allowing for a double jump uair punish. In this case, the dtilt doesn't need to be a tipper. You can stand as close as a foot away from the ledge, and dtilt will still send them straight up. Any closer than that, however, will send them away from you (this varies per character).
VANISH
Something that I found works as well as (if not better than) the uair follow-up, is the Vanish follow-up. Dtilt to full hop Vanish, or double jab cancel dtilt to full hop Vanish. It punishes those who try and anticipate an uair follow-up by air dodging, which I've found to be most people. A very good tool against a reaction-based opponent.
I have used all of these combos in real fights, and they work (a good set-up is to space a fair into someone's shield, then dtilt immediately, as they try to shield grab/punish you). If the DI is ideal, then the combos work. If the DI isn't ideal, then adapt your follow-up.
PERCENTAGES
NOTE: Below are the absolute lowest percentages I would start the combos at and get a KO, which means I couldn't get the kill every single time, but majority of the time they would work. The higher the percentage, the more consistent the kill. Most people probably won't be killing as early as what you'll see below because of DI and such, but I do want you to be aware that killing this early is possible. They were tested in Training Mode on Final Destination, and the dtilt to Vanish percentages were tested and calculated from the center of the stage. Since the trajectory from Vanish sent the characters to the top corner of the screen, testing its DI wasn't called for. Rage doesn't exist in Training Mode, despite the visual presence of it (smokey characters). So that's not taken into account in these percentages nor in the gifs you've seen.
These are the percentages for each character, lightest to heaviest (for lack of a testing partner, I confirmed the percentages of the heaviest character, the middle weight character, and the lightest character in the game, in how much longer DIing uair would cause them to live, and averaged them together. DIing away from Sheik--the direction Sheik is facing--is the most effective method of DIing uair. On average, DIing uair at these percentages allows you to live about 9.5% longer; that is only an average, as some characters will die slightly earlier and some will die slightly later. Feel free to calculate mentally as you check out these values):
Projected DI = Average percentage that said character would die at, even though they DI
Character | Standing Combo (Proj. DI) | Double Jab Combo (Proj. DI) | From Ledge (Proj. DI) | Vanish Combo
Jigglypuff| 86% (95%)| 80% (89%)| 91% (100%)| 84%
Game & Watch| 91% (100%) |86% (95%) |99% (108%) |90%
Kirby| 95% (102%) |88% (95%) |97% (104%) |94%
Rosalina| 96% (105%) |92% (101%) |105% (114%) |93%
Pikachu| 99% (107%) |94% (102%) |103% (111%) |100%
Olimar| 100% (108%) |94% (102%) |104% (112%) |97%
Fox| 107% (116%) |104% (113%) |115% (124%) |101%
Meta Knight| 106% (115%) |101% (110%) |110% (119%) |101%
Zero Suit Samus |107% (116%) |102% (111%) |121% (130%) |101%
Falco |109% (118%) |105% (114%) |118% (127%) |103%
Little Mac |110% (119%) |106% (115%) |123% (132%) |108%
Sheik| 103% (112%) |99% (108%) |114% (123%) |101%
Zelda |101% (110%) |97% (106%) |111% (120%) |100%
Peach| 101% (110%) |96% (105%) |1009% (116%) |99%
撃 (Smash) Stance Shulk| 99% (106%) |92% (101%) |107% (116%) |97%
Marth| 114% (123%) |108% (117)| 122% (131%)| 110%
Lucina| 115% (124%) |110% (119%) |122% (131%) |109%
Duck Hunt| 112% (121%) |110% (119%) |123% (132%) |112%
Palutena| 102% (110%) |99% (107%) |115% (123%) |100%
Diddy Kong| 112% (121%) |110% (119%) |124% (133%) |112%
Toon Link| 104% (112%) |100% (108%) |112% (120%) |102%
Ness |105% (114%) |102% (111%) |114% (123%) |104%
Greninja| 111% (120%) |107% (116%) |120% (129%) |105%
Pac-Man |106% (114%) |101% (109%) |114% (122%) |106%
Sonic |112% (121%) |106% (115% |120% (129%) |107%
Robin |113% (122%) |109% (118%) |127% (136%) |109%
Pit |108% (117%) |104% (113%) |122% (131%) |109%
Dark Pit| 109% (118%) |104% (113%) |120% (129%) |109%
Wii Fit Trainer| 107% (115%) |101% (116%) |118% (126%) |103%
Luigi |105% (114%) |100% (109%) |110% (119%) |104%
Villager| 109% (117%) |104% (112%) |116% (124%) |106%
Mario |111% (121%)| 106% (115%)| 117% (126%) |109%
Dr. Mario |110% (119%) |107% (116%) |116% (125%) |110%
Lucario |117% (126%) |114% (123%) |125% (134%) |114%
Mega Man| 124% (133%) |119% (129%) |129% (139%) |120%
Shulk |116% (125%) |111% (120%) |129% (138%) |113%
Yoshi| 108% (117%) |105% (123%)| 116% (125%)| 109%
Link |114% (123%) |112% (121%) |132% (141%)| 115%
Captain Falcon |124% (134%) |119% (129%) |140% (150%) |119%
ROB| 120% (130%) |116% (126%) |128% (138%) |116%
Wario |119% (129%) |114% (124%) |128% (138%) |121%
Ike| 121% (131%) |118% (128%) |139% (149%) |120%
Samus |115% (126%) |111% (120%) |131% (140% |110%
Ganondorf |120% (130%) |116% (126%) |139% (149%) |120%
Bowser Jr. |117% (127%) |129% (139%) |113% (123%) |119%
Charizard |116% (126%) |111% (121%) |124% (134%) |115%
Dedede| 133% (145%) |133% (145%) |155% (167%) |136%
Donkey Kong| 125% (137%) |123% (135) |140% (152%) |131%
Bowser| 126% (138%) |121% (133%) |138% (152%) |121%
盾 (Shield) Stance Shulk| 190% (202%) |186% (198%) |203% (215%) |178%
RAGE
So everybody knows what rage is, and the general effect it has on a character (increased KB on certain attacks). Recently, @
Tristan_win
posted a thread regarding rage and how it affects Sheik specifically. If you haven't read it, you really should check it out: (http://smashboards.com/threads/a-true-ninja-never-lose-their-cool-sheik-rage-research-thread.385409). Well, in regards to this combo and the way rage effects Sheik specifically, rage makes this all the more viable. With rage drastically increasing the KB of certain attacks, moves that are generally combo starters would be rendered ineffective. But dtilt isn't one of those attacks. The extra KB given by rage is so minimal, that dtilt can still combo into uair at kill percents. However, uair IS one of those attacks that receives an incredible boost in power from rage. So it kills way earlier. So basically this combo just got more awesome. I tested the raged combo on Dark Pit in Vs Mode. I use Dark Pit because he is the middle character of the cast, in regards to weight and fall speed. Generally, normal dtilt to uair can kill at 109 without DI. But with Sheik at 100%, rage allows her to kill 16% earlier, which overwhelms the 9 extra percent that DI would usually account for. And at 130%, it allows her to kill 26% earlier. Sure this is great, and please do revel in its awesomeness...but just try not to die.
Dark Pit:
Standard - 109
Rage (100%) - 93...16% earlier
Rage (130%) - 83...26% earlier
Codyyy
for helping me confirm the escapability/inescapability of this content. I'd also like to thank @Wasserwipf for the gifs (you're the best), @
Tristan_win
for his awesome thread about rage (http://smashboards.com/threads/a-true-ninja-never-lose-their-cool-sheik-rage-research-thread.385409), and @
Othayuni
for his contribution to the Sheik boards.This is an informational thread, not revealing anything new to Sheik's metagame, but revealing the potential of something that many may not have been aware of. Sheik has a combo that kills at normal kill percents, instead of the usual 145-160 we're all so used to:
DTILT > DOUBLE JUMP UAIR
Sheik must first hit with the tip of her dtilt, because that's the only hitbox that sends the opponent straight up. Any closer than that, and they are sent away from you, negating the rest of the combo.
The minimum kill percentage for each character can ONLY be achieved by performing a full hop (after a fresh dtilt), then using the second jump at the PEAK of the initial full hop. Immediately after inputting the second jump, perform an uair (which must be fresh). If the second jump comes out too early or too late, the uair either won't hit or won't kill. Performing this technique with this much accuracy is only necessary if you want to kill as early as possible. If you wait til your opponent has ten or twenty percent more, you can do the combo a lot easier.
DOUBLE JAB CANCEL COMBO
So it turns out that double jab can cancel into the dtilt combo, at kill percents. A fresh double jab gives five percent of damage, which should allow you to kill roughly five percent earlier than usual. When performing the jab cancel, you can't be too close to them, or the dtilt won't be a tipper. If you're too far, the dtilt won't hit them at all. This double jab cancel allows the possibility of a two-frame (jab hits on frame 2) set-up for a kill combo for Sheik, which is phenomenal.
We've tested a few characters, using their nairs to see if they could interrupt the combo (Yoshi, Ness, Pit), and found that the hitboxes won't hit Sheik while she's doing her dtilt. However, this combo is really easy to get out of. All you have to do is jump after the double jab, and the dtilt won't connect. Though the combo isn't true, I've played against different competitive players, and have not had a single one of them escape the combo, for the following reasons:
1. Double jab to dtilt happens too fast for them to respond to. The double jab very slightly picks the opponent up into the air, and within a few frames, they're back on the ground. Once they touch the ground, there is landing lag. More than enough to perform dtilt.
2. The double jab gives the effect that a pummel is about to take place. Most good players either try to counter the pummel with a jab of their own, or they DI backwards and toward the ground, in an effort to shield the final hit and get the punish. In both of these cases, the dtilt will come out on top, simply because the character has to land in order to do them, but landing gives them lag, giving Sheik plenty of time to follow-up with dtilt. As mentioned above, most characters' nairs or fast aerials won't hit Sheik, simply because dtilt is super low to the ground. Yoshi's nair comes out, but doesn't connect with Sheik, as she's crouched performing the dtilt. A few ways that people might get out of this is by using either frame-one specials, fast-starting dairs, or specials that have invincibility or super armor frames. Either way, if the tipper dtilt connects, the uair follow-up is secure, as long as the DI is straight up. If they DI backwards, go for a fair or commence kiting.
This combo works at low percents as well, but it obviously won't kill.
DTILT TO UAIR LEDGE GUARD
This dtilt combo is also a ledge guarding option. If your opponent no longer has invincibility frames and is hanging on the ledge, a dtilt will pop them straight up into the air, allowing for a double jump uair punish. In this case, the dtilt doesn't need to be a tipper. You can stand as close as a foot away from the ledge, and dtilt will still send them straight up. Any closer than that, however, will send them away from you (this varies per character).
VANISH
Something that I found works as well as (if not better than) the uair follow-up, is the Vanish follow-up. Dtilt to full hop Vanish, or double jab cancel dtilt to full hop Vanish. It punishes those who try and anticipate an uair follow-up by air dodging, which I've found to be most people. A very good tool against a reaction-based opponent.
I have used all of these combos in real fights, and they work (a good set-up is to space a fair into someone's shield, then dtilt immediately, as they try to shield grab/punish you). If the DI is ideal, then the combos work. If the DI isn't ideal, then adapt your follow-up.
PERCENTAGES
NOTE: Below are the absolute lowest percentages I would start the combos at and get a KO, which means I couldn't get the kill every single time, but majority of the time they would work. The higher the percentage, the more consistent the kill. Most people probably won't be killing as early as what you'll see below because of DI and such, but I do want you to be aware that killing this early is possible. They were tested in Training Mode on Final Destination, and the dtilt to Vanish percentages were tested and calculated from the center of the stage. Since the trajectory from Vanish sent the characters to the top corner of the screen, testing its DI wasn't called for. Rage doesn't exist in Training Mode, despite the visual presence of it (smokey characters). So that's not taken into account in these percentages nor in the gifs you've seen.
These are the percentages for each character, lightest to heaviest (for lack of a testing partner, I confirmed the percentages of the heaviest character, the middle weight character, and the lightest character in the game, in how much longer DIing uair would cause them to live, and averaged them together. DIing away from Sheik--the direction Sheik is facing--is the most effective method of DIing uair. On average, DIing uair at these percentages allows you to live about 9.5% longer; that is only an average, as some characters will die slightly earlier and some will die slightly later. Feel free to calculate mentally as you check out these values):
Projected DI = Average percentage that said character would die at, even though they DI
Character | Standing Combo (Proj. DI) | Double Jab Combo (Proj. DI) | From Ledge (Proj. DI) | Vanish Combo
Jigglypuff| 86% (95%)| 80% (89%)| 91% (100%)| 84%
Game & Watch| 91% (100%) |86% (95%) |99% (108%) |90%
Kirby| 95% (102%) |88% (95%) |97% (104%) |94%
Rosalina| 96% (105%) |92% (101%) |105% (114%) |93%
Pikachu| 99% (107%) |94% (102%) |103% (111%) |100%
Olimar| 100% (108%) |94% (102%) |104% (112%) |97%
Fox| 107% (116%) |104% (113%) |115% (124%) |101%
Meta Knight| 106% (115%) |101% (110%) |110% (119%) |101%
Zero Suit Samus |107% (116%) |102% (111%) |121% (130%) |101%
Falco |109% (118%) |105% (114%) |118% (127%) |103%
Little Mac |110% (119%) |106% (115%) |123% (132%) |108%
Sheik| 103% (112%) |99% (108%) |114% (123%) |101%
Zelda |101% (110%) |97% (106%) |111% (120%) |100%
Peach| 101% (110%) |96% (105%) |1009% (116%) |99%
撃 (Smash) Stance Shulk| 99% (106%) |92% (101%) |107% (116%) |97%
Marth| 114% (123%) |108% (117)| 122% (131%)| 110%
Lucina| 115% (124%) |110% (119%) |122% (131%) |109%
Duck Hunt| 112% (121%) |110% (119%) |123% (132%) |112%
Palutena| 102% (110%) |99% (107%) |115% (123%) |100%
Diddy Kong| 112% (121%) |110% (119%) |124% (133%) |112%
Toon Link| 104% (112%) |100% (108%) |112% (120%) |102%
Ness |105% (114%) |102% (111%) |114% (123%) |104%
Greninja| 111% (120%) |107% (116%) |120% (129%) |105%
Pac-Man |106% (114%) |101% (109%) |114% (122%) |106%
Sonic |112% (121%) |106% (115% |120% (129%) |107%
Robin |113% (122%) |109% (118%) |127% (136%) |109%
Pit |108% (117%) |104% (113%) |122% (131%) |109%
Dark Pit| 109% (118%) |104% (113%) |120% (129%) |109%
Wii Fit Trainer| 107% (115%) |101% (116%) |118% (126%) |103%
Luigi |105% (114%) |100% (109%) |110% (119%) |104%
Villager| 109% (117%) |104% (112%) |116% (124%) |106%
Mario |111% (121%)| 106% (115%)| 117% (126%) |109%
Dr. Mario |110% (119%) |107% (116%) |116% (125%) |110%
Lucario |117% (126%) |114% (123%) |125% (134%) |114%
Mega Man| 124% (133%) |119% (129%) |129% (139%) |120%
Shulk |116% (125%) |111% (120%) |129% (138%) |113%
Yoshi| 108% (117%) |105% (123%)| 116% (125%)| 109%
Link |114% (123%) |112% (121%) |132% (141%)| 115%
Captain Falcon |124% (134%) |119% (129%) |140% (150%) |119%
ROB| 120% (130%) |116% (126%) |128% (138%) |116%
Wario |119% (129%) |114% (124%) |128% (138%) |121%
Ike| 121% (131%) |118% (128%) |139% (149%) |120%
Samus |115% (126%) |111% (120%) |131% (140% |110%
Ganondorf |120% (130%) |116% (126%) |139% (149%) |120%
Bowser Jr. |117% (127%) |129% (139%) |113% (123%) |119%
Charizard |116% (126%) |111% (121%) |124% (134%) |115%
Dedede| 133% (145%) |133% (145%) |155% (167%) |136%
Donkey Kong| 125% (137%) |123% (135) |140% (152%) |131%
Bowser| 126% (138%) |121% (133%) |138% (152%) |121%
盾 (Shield) Stance Shulk| 190% (202%) |186% (198%) |203% (215%) |178%
RAGE
So everybody knows what rage is, and the general effect it has on a character (increased KB on certain attacks). Recently, @
Tristan_win
posted a thread regarding rage and how it affects Sheik specifically. If you haven't read it, you really should check it out: (http://smashboards.com/threads/a-true-ninja-never-lose-their-cool-sheik-rage-research-thread.385409). Well, in regards to this combo and the way rage effects Sheik specifically, rage makes this all the more viable. With rage drastically increasing the KB of certain attacks, moves that are generally combo starters would be rendered ineffective. But dtilt isn't one of those attacks. The extra KB given by rage is so minimal, that dtilt can still combo into uair at kill percents. However, uair IS one of those attacks that receives an incredible boost in power from rage. So it kills way earlier. So basically this combo just got more awesome. I tested the raged combo on Dark Pit in Vs Mode. I use Dark Pit because he is the middle character of the cast, in regards to weight and fall speed. Generally, normal dtilt to uair can kill at 109 without DI. But with Sheik at 100%, rage allows her to kill 16% earlier, which overwhelms the 9 extra percent that DI would usually account for. And at 130%, it allows her to kill 26% earlier. Sure this is great, and please do revel in its awesomeness...but just try not to die.Dark Pit:
Standard - 109
Rage (100%) - 93...16% earlier
Rage (130%) - 83...26% earlier
