Looking at Sheik as a main, critique?

[GooeyBanana]

Ok, so I've been back and forth for I don't know how long on choosing either Captain Falcon or Sheik as an official main. It's really weird to describe, but my Sheik just becomes more...predictable as I play her for longer periods of time, so I cease playing her for awhile. Then I come back and get silly gimps and want to play her again because I've become slightly better with tech skill overall so stuff just comes easier and looks cooler *shakes fists* I just wish practicing tech skill was more entertaining like Fox/Falco xP Anyway, I got some friendlies in the other day, and I figured I'd upload them just to get an idea of what I may need to work on =)

Vs. Falcon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob0K-Nwku-M&list=UU1BcZO3szjNeC5bT-aAqs2w&index=3&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnOjPmb6tjs&list=UU1BcZO3szjNeC5bT-aAqs2w&index=2&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ke2-0fHsP0&list=UU1BcZO3szjNeC5bT-aAqs2w&index=1&feature=plcp

Vs. Pikachu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMQipHiGjZw&list=UU1BcZO3szjNeC5bT-aAqs2w&index=5&feature=plcp

 

[t3h Icy]

Against Pikachu, don't Dthrow to Ftilt, do Dthrow to more Dthrow.

 

[KirbyKaze]

I refuse to comment on Pikachu vs Sheik because I'm god awful against Pikachu.

I feel your Falcon game would benefit a lot from ironing out your percents game a bit. You don't dash attack anyone below like 25% because it doesn't knock them over. If it doesn't knock them over, it doesn't accomplish anything. Grab, conversely, leads to things. I understand this feels constricting (especially if you dabble in spacies *sigh*) but it really is important to respect those kinds of rules. It does make a world of a difference and you use your openings more effectively that way.

I see you going for a lot of crouch --> down smashes or comboing into down smashes from tilts. Down smash is good, but it ends your combo (or requires you to tech chase, but you're doing it at percents where it won't knock over [see above section on percents]). Grabbing is really good in a lot of these situations, and often better. CC down smash's benefit of being faster is certainly real, sure, but after CCing a raptor boost you can definitely grab. Similarly, learning how to CC grab is invaluable against spacies because it shuts down a lot of pressure (and jab-related stuff).

I also think you could benefit a lot from just working on a better basic punishment game. This requires just fiddling around with her and getting a feeling for when you have enough time to dash attack directly after a tilt or wait for the tech. I also think you could work on tech chase, but I don't have a practical solution or option for you to try aside from, "Just try to do it." I think you're trying to predict him a lot, or scared of missing and being hit by get-up attack or something. I'm not sure. But just work on hitting him for non-tech (f-tilt, d-tilt, d-smash, and jab reset [below 28] are all good options).

Use more up air in combos. And more up tilt. Up moves in general are really good with her.

Don't come down with nair so much. Especially from the top platform. I actually like how you use the nair and I would like to see it developed more. Remember, however, it doesn't have as much range as bair and fair so try to think about when each of those would be appropriate. Coming down from bad positions with attacks is generally dangerous. Try to implement more evasive maneuvers in those situations, rather than constantly trying to muscle through your opponent or defend out of desperation.

You seem to have decent movement with her onstage. If you clean up your decision-making and work on your combos you might improve a lot really quickly.

 

[GooeyBanana]

If it were tourney, I'd chaingrab...but I feel so mean doing it often in friendlies =X...only every so often. But recorded seriouslies I will chaingrab from now on lol.

And thanks KK, your points make sense. I guess I use dash attack because I'm veryyyyy discouraged to grab since I play against spacies a lot and they always spot dodge my grab =( I'm starting to get Sheik's dash dance and wavedash down so that movement is really well, I'll probably have to work that into baiting the opponent's spot dodge into a grab or something...Doesn't usmash punish spot dodge?

 

[Teczer0]

About using upsmash to punish side steps , it does, but you commit a lot more for upsmash rather than waiting then grabbing.

Rewards aren't often better either.

 

[Tope]

Especially when they cc.


Pikachu has absolutely no approach to sheik. He can like nair and that's about it. Fortunately, almost every move sheik has beats this. Just don't get off the stage and it's free. You have to play the match up similiar to how you play against CF.