Critique and advice are welcome. This is how I tech chase and my thoughts on tech chasing. There is no correct way to play sheik, but I think this is optimal.
Disclaimer: This is for reactionary grab based tech chases. Doing different options besides grabs/guessing, increases chance of escape exponentially against a spacie that knows what they are doing. Both spacies can be tech chased on reaction. Due to Falco's character properties; he has an easier time escaping tech chases naturally. I tried not to get into too much frame data, so yes there are some things I left out such as the properties of sheiks jab among other things.
The 4 different stages of resets are. 1. None 2. Forced wakeup 3.Forced wakeup with options 4.Popup (when jab reset is not the best option)
Both Fox and Falco have the same fall speed but not the same fall speed acceleration. Fox has a faster fall speed acceleration then Falco and will hit the ground before Falco. The Faster spacies hit the ground after a jab the longer it will take to receive a getup/popup animation. (The higher the % the worse the jab reset becomes.)
The worst thing that can happen when you jab reset is when they SDI the jab. This can happen at 0% but it is easier for Falco to do it then fox by around 10%. You don’t have to be too worried about this since most people don’t do it, however it is becoming more popular and it sucks when it happens. Your options include: Double jab, jab-ftilt or dsmash. You can always reset with uptilt/dtilt to make it harder for them to SDI.
Forced wakeup is when sheik’s jab reset happens and the only thing that can happen (unless they SDI) is to stand up. The forced wakeup % range is different for Fox and Falco. Fox’s Forced wakeup is around 0-42% while Falco’s is 0-32%. After their respective %’s they get options.
Options out of jab reset are determined on the percent that sheik jabs at and the input they are holding. If they are holding left/right they will tech roll correspondingly. If they are holding A they will get up attack, and if they are holding up they will stand up. Fox gets options after 42% and Falco gets options after 32%. Both tech rolls and stand up you can re grab. The getup attack you will have to time a Dair, dash dance grab, shield grab or upsmash OOS.
Pop ups are when they pop up from the jab into a standing animation and have little lag. It’s similar to when fox shines you in the air and you’re lag is reduced when you hit the ground. Discluding SDI, Fox pops up after a jab after around 72% while Falco pops up after around 42%. Falco’s broken.
Generally this is the hardest tech to cover since it is the fastest and gives you the least amount of time to react to. Generally this is the first tech you should be ready to cover so have your finger on Z. You CAN’T react to tech in place with upsmash, you don’t have enough time and you will be guessing. Upsmash is bad at low %’s because it can be crouch cancelled/ they will get out of it before your animation ends and you will have a hard time following.
You can down smash tech in place, but it will most likely end your tech chase. One exception to this is when they are near an edge and they will be hit off. If you downthrow near an edge they can edge cancel off the stage and grab the edge/ DI off stage and double jump sweet spot the edge before you can react. In most cases grab is the best option.
Again Falco has the advantage on this one. Both Fox and Falco’s tech roll are the same amount of frames, start-up speed and invincibility. They are not the same distance however. Falco has a longer roll, giving you less time to react and taking up more of the stage. This means he covers more distance and will be in tech chases for a shorter length. Fox is 12.6ft and Falco is 14.4ft.
The tech roll is the slower tech and will give you more time to react. The only disadvantage to this is it will limit your tech chase because they will eventually reach the edge (Falco even faster). The basic way to cover this is to boost grab (dash attack cancelled with Z).
Dash attack is the other option, but things get tricky here. As a general rule you want to use this above 40%. It can be CC’ed by Fox until around 32% and Falco until around 72% depending on if it’s a true CC or not. If the dash attack launches them at mid % and they Di properly they will hit the ground before you get out of your animation and you won’t be able to dash attack again. In this situation you will want to run up and cancel your animation with duck in front of them, then start a new tech chase from there.
If it knocks them over you will end up right next to them and behind them. From there you have a couple options. You have to pick you’re option fast because you will have a tiny delay from the dash attack animation or you will most likely get hit by a getup attack. You can either upsmash, shield/turn around and shield or jab reset. If they tech roll away you have to be ready for that also.
Pseudo down throws are situations that happen that should be treated like a down throw. Examples are, when you ftilt at mid % and when you dash attack at mid % and they miss the tech. You will have to walk up to them so if they tech roll away you can cover with boost grab and if they tech in place you can grab. The majority of people will panic and getup attack, so you should be ready to duck and CC or shield. This is relative to how much time you have/how far you get up to them before they can choose an option, so it will vary.
One problem most people have and post about on the sheik forums is that they get shined after the spacie techs in place. This happens for 2 reasons. You are flat out to slow (or to fast), or they are too far from you and when you walk and grab the shine hits your grab hit box. This can be avoided.
Because sheiks down throw can be Di’ed, you need to follow the Di before your tech chase can begin. There are 3 different Di inputs they can do. Firstly they can Di away; you cover this by walking towards the opponent then proceeding. Next they can Di behind, and all you have to do is turn around then proceed. Lastly and hardest to cover is slight Di. When this happen it is almost ambiguous on which way they go. Pay attention to their animation when they do this and you should be able to figure out which way they Di’ed.
There are a couple different methods to how you react. Find what works for you. Kirbykaze memorizes the animations then reacts to whatever animation he sees. Crystalnite watches the screen above the characters and follows its direction. If it moves a certain way that’s which way they tech rolled, If the screen shakes that’s a non-tech and if the screen does nothing he regrabs the tech in place. I personally zone out and only watch Fox/Falco, if they move I start running, if I see him bounce I jab and I’m ready for the tech in place since I assume/cover that first.
Sorry if this was too long. GL HF
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Disclaimer: This is for reactionary grab based tech chases. Doing different options besides grabs/guessing, increases chance of escape exponentially against a spacie that knows what they are doing. Both spacies can be tech chased on reaction. Due to Falco's character properties; he has an easier time escaping tech chases naturally. I tried not to get into too much frame data, so yes there are some things I left out such as the properties of sheiks jab among other things.
Non-tech
The 4 different stages of resets are. 1. None 2. Forced wakeup 3.Forced wakeup with options 4.Popup (when jab reset is not the best option)
The Difference between Fox and Falco:
Both Fox and Falco have the same fall speed but not the same fall speed acceleration. Fox has a faster fall speed acceleration then Falco and will hit the ground before Falco. The Faster spacies hit the ground after a jab the longer it will take to receive a getup/popup animation. (The higher the % the worse the jab reset becomes.)
The worst thing that can happen when you jab reset is when they SDI the jab. This can happen at 0% but it is easier for Falco to do it then fox by around 10%. You don’t have to be too worried about this since most people don’t do it, however it is becoming more popular and it sucks when it happens. Your options include: Double jab, jab-ftilt or dsmash. You can always reset with uptilt/dtilt to make it harder for them to SDI.
Forced wakeup is when sheik’s jab reset happens and the only thing that can happen (unless they SDI) is to stand up. The forced wakeup % range is different for Fox and Falco. Fox’s Forced wakeup is around 0-42% while Falco’s is 0-32%. After their respective %’s they get options.
Options out of jab reset are determined on the percent that sheik jabs at and the input they are holding. If they are holding left/right they will tech roll correspondingly. If they are holding A they will get up attack, and if they are holding up they will stand up. Fox gets options after 42% and Falco gets options after 32%. Both tech rolls and stand up you can re grab. The getup attack you will have to time a Dair, dash dance grab, shield grab or upsmash OOS.
Pop ups are when they pop up from the jab into a standing animation and have little lag. It’s similar to when fox shines you in the air and you’re lag is reduced when you hit the ground. Discluding SDI, Fox pops up after a jab after around 72% while Falco pops up after around 42%. Falco’s broken.
Tech In Place
Generally this is the hardest tech to cover since it is the fastest and gives you the least amount of time to react to. Generally this is the first tech you should be ready to cover so have your finger on Z. You CAN’T react to tech in place with upsmash, you don’t have enough time and you will be guessing. Upsmash is bad at low %’s because it can be crouch cancelled/ they will get out of it before your animation ends and you will have a hard time following.
You can down smash tech in place, but it will most likely end your tech chase. One exception to this is when they are near an edge and they will be hit off. If you downthrow near an edge they can edge cancel off the stage and grab the edge/ DI off stage and double jump sweet spot the edge before you can react. In most cases grab is the best option.
Tech Roll
The Difference between Fox and Falco:
Again Falco has the advantage on this one. Both Fox and Falco’s tech roll are the same amount of frames, start-up speed and invincibility. They are not the same distance however. Falco has a longer roll, giving you less time to react and taking up more of the stage. This means he covers more distance and will be in tech chases for a shorter length. Fox is 12.6ft and Falco is 14.4ft.
The tech roll is the slower tech and will give you more time to react. The only disadvantage to this is it will limit your tech chase because they will eventually reach the edge (Falco even faster). The basic way to cover this is to boost grab (dash attack cancelled with Z).
Dash attack
Dash attack is the other option, but things get tricky here. As a general rule you want to use this above 40%. It can be CC’ed by Fox until around 32% and Falco until around 72% depending on if it’s a true CC or not. If the dash attack launches them at mid % and they Di properly they will hit the ground before you get out of your animation and you won’t be able to dash attack again. In this situation you will want to run up and cancel your animation with duck in front of them, then start a new tech chase from there.
If it knocks them over you will end up right next to them and behind them. From there you have a couple options. You have to pick you’re option fast because you will have a tiny delay from the dash attack animation or you will most likely get hit by a getup attack. You can either upsmash, shield/turn around and shield or jab reset. If they tech roll away you have to be ready for that also.
Pseudo down throws are situations that happen that should be treated like a down throw. Examples are, when you ftilt at mid % and when you dash attack at mid % and they miss the tech. You will have to walk up to them so if they tech roll away you can cover with boost grab and if they tech in place you can grab. The majority of people will panic and getup attack, so you should be ready to duck and CC or shield. This is relative to how much time you have/how far you get up to them before they can choose an option, so it will vary.
Directional Influence
One problem most people have and post about on the sheik forums is that they get shined after the spacie techs in place. This happens for 2 reasons. You are flat out to slow (or to fast), or they are too far from you and when you walk and grab the shine hits your grab hit box. This can be avoided.
Because sheiks down throw can be Di’ed, you need to follow the Di before your tech chase can begin. There are 3 different Di inputs they can do. Firstly they can Di away; you cover this by walking towards the opponent then proceeding. Next they can Di behind, and all you have to do is turn around then proceed. Lastly and hardest to cover is slight Di. When this happen it is almost ambiguous on which way they go. Pay attention to their animation when they do this and you should be able to figure out which way they Di’ed.
Method
There are a couple different methods to how you react. Find what works for you. Kirbykaze memorizes the animations then reacts to whatever animation he sees. Crystalnite watches the screen above the characters and follows its direction. If it moves a certain way that’s which way they tech rolled, If the screen shakes that’s a non-tech and if the screen does nothing he regrabs the tech in place. I personally zone out and only watch Fox/Falco, if they move I start running, if I see him bounce I jab and I’m ready for the tech in place since I assume/cover that first.
Sorry if this was too long. GL HF
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