These moveset ideas are based on the following;
Goals:
"Stretch the knockdown and choke out positioning from opposing characters"
— @
Juushichi
Pros
Great Punisher
Great Edgeguard Game
Solid Projectile
Great Combos
Transform (?)
Cons
Weak overall Approach options
Weak to pressure
Unsafe Normals (They're a lot better when spaced, but still)
-- Highly suceptible to Crouch Canceling**
Unsafe Recovery
Transform (?)
Chain (?)
Bad Air Speed
What needs to be improved as a result (IMO)
Movement
Approach Options (grounded)
Her Special Moves
? - Based on public opinion, but I'll explain my stance later
Moveset Ideas
Grounded Normals
At the moment her normal ground moves are highly susceptible to CC when not expertly spaced except F-Smash. This limits Sheik's options to act on her own prerogative by a lot and makes her very predictable in this area. My only suggestion here is to make her Jabs -3~0f advantage on hit. Every character deserves at least a couple safe moves to mix up between on the ground to be used as a approach/footsies. This is my biggest peeve with Sheik, having to rely on my opponent messing up 80% of the time with the smallest tool box to use for baiting mistakes out. (
Especially at low percents). I would also suggest to increase the start up time of the Jabs to 3~4 so it's not oppressive in neutral.
Aerials
Not much to say here. Beautiful moves imo. (Yes, even D-Air)
Specials
Needle Storm** - Earlier in the thread I mentioned giving Needles an additional pinch (2~3f) of hitstun and promised to further elaborate on my reasoning. I believe making 6 needles charged being such a threat creates a situation where your opponent feels the need to approach you in order to stop your sudden power creep. Sheik at a fundamental level still needs people to approach her in order for her to be most effective (Her Punish game). If 6 Needles is a bigger threat, (about 60f of hitstun, followups technically would be possible at late percentages, etc possible advantages), you could use this as a bait for your opponent to possibly stop his game plan to keep checking on your Needle charge. With your opponent more focused on that, Sheik can take advantage and punish bad approaches to her. Just possessing 6 needles w/o using them could cause some your opponents some stress with them constantly looking out for you using them.
There are solid ways to get around Needles too, so I believe this wouldn't be too crazy, just trying to create some interactive game play here. I would also suggest that Needle charging to be a little slower with this effect in place.
**Not a high priority to me
Chain - I want to give this move a chance. The move by itself doesn't seem to fit Sheik at all imo, like Sakurai just put there just because or w/e. Briefly talking about it w/ @
Umbreon it does have some pretty cool niche uses w/ Chain Jacket glitch. Though, not everyone's creative as M2K and Umbreon with the Chain. :L I made a suggestion earlier in the thread to make a tether grab similar to Link's, but thinking about it further, that doesn't really scream Sheik. Lucas, T/Link, ZS/Samus, and Ivysaur are 6 characters with tethers already, and I don't think the cast needs
another one...
I'll probably edit this later with more ideas for it.
Vanish - Not looking to make this move better, but I'm curious about a few things. When 3.5 dropped there were a few posts here concerning Shino Stalling not feeling right. I also saw a sudden drop of the technique. Was this confirmed to be broken with the patch? Did anyone ever examine this? We never got an official answer.
If there's really nothing wrong with it, cool. If there is, FIX IT FIX IT
FIX IT.
Transform - I'm pretty indifferent to this move. If it gets removed, oh well; if it doesn't, cool I get to play with 2 characters at will. Logically, this move has to be replaced due to the previous treatment to Pokemon Trainer and Samus.
(No 4tlas, I won't discuss this with you).
In the event that it does get removed though, I'm going to take @
Arcalyth's idea and suggest it should be replaced with a command dash mixed with characteristics from Ike's Quick Dash and Lucario's Double Team. A mid range dash (long enough to get to the other side of a character) that's not invincible and can be Jump Cancelled. I wouldn't allow this to occur in the air though. Another approach option, yes. It also allows more manipulation of spacing when you mix this up with her Wave Dash and creates more opportunities to bait out whiffs and bad moves.
Throws
Regarding B-Throw and D-Throw; I'm pretty indifferent to the changes applied in the 3.6 beta. Ironically the B-Throw change doesn't bother much "cuz melee". They work for their intended purpose I guess. I wouldn't mind if the 3.5 throws came back toned down.
Up Throw - Change this to an Izuna Drop. No really, why doesn't she have this as a ninja? I wouldn't know what the exact stats would be right at this moment, but I would suggest that it scores a hard knockdown on landing. (A soft knockdown is also interesting for tech chasing). We might even see some cool platform play.
Basic Defenses
Pretty covered here. Slightly above standard too.