New to Zelda

[Magic Samus]

I've decided I want to get into Melee and I've also decided I want to main Zelda, but I have no idea where to start or what techniques to focus on.

 

[gmBottles]

Check the stickies before making a thread.
http://smashboards.com/threads/sigh...-discussion-zone.317656/page-30#post-17910790
http://smashboards.com/threads/zelda-hitboxes-and-frame-data.319598/
http://smashboards.com/threads/guide-to-weilding-the-real-triforce-of-wisdom.46029/

 

[RetroGamersGuru]

It will not be easy to main Zelda, but if you want to main her, here is my advice for learning Melee other than just going to tournaments (which is still needed for experience sake). Zelda's useful moves include Fair, Bair, and Dsmash. Fair and Bair need to be sweetspoted though. Her recovery is linear, and the stage can cause you to just stop and not come back. So learn to control the Up B precisely. Side B is useless in the air since it puts you in free fall. Just focus on learning how to use your move set effectively. The stickies should give you the basics. Also, for Zelda players to study, there are three main ones that I can think of: Cosmo, The Lake, and Upke.

 

[Perfecthell4]

In addition to that, if you're completely new to Melee be sure to spend a lot of time researching the general advanced techniques, terms, players, watch lots of videos, etc. Be informed. I'd also recommend learning at least 1 top tier character as each has different things to offer the development of your overall playstyle, even if you plan to main a different character.

 

[RetroGamersGuru]

Going off of the mentioned idea of learning top tiers or high tiers, there are three main characters that can transfer the most fundamental and optimal styles to Zelda: Marth, Jigglypuff, and Sheik. Marth is a spacing character with his semi-fast aerials (if you spam it you will get punished through baiting), and his tipper mechanic can help you with the emphasis on sweetspotting your main aerials. He embodies patient, strategic, precise playstyles, so he is not really an aggro character by nature. Jigglypuff is similar. She may have the best aerial mobility, but she still emphasizes spacing and patience. Once you find an opening with Jigglypuff, you can punish the player to the fullest extent, which is something that all players should learn IMO. Besides, you like Puff it seems, so it would be beneficial. Sheik, your alter ego, is a defensive, fundamentals character who loves the grab. Learning how to play her will teach you how important it is to create an opening and follow up the attacks and throws without over extending. The other top tiers and high tiers can teach you more, but those are the main ones that can help your Zelda develop. Fox and Falco might be the least applicable for Zelda since they are aggressive characters that control the stage with projectiles and approaches, which Zelda doesn't do that often. The best to learn from those two is to become fast and precise with inputs, and once you do that with Fox it will feel much easier to play Zelda, but don't kill your hands like Hax did. Peach can help with the idea of carrying out punishes with slower tech chases than most of the high tiers, since both women have a similar speed. Ice Climbers emphasize grabs and their followups. Captain Falcon will somewhat feel like a nerfed Fox with mostly unsafe approaches (his aggression) and no projectile to take advantage of, but he will emphasize tech chasing. That is what I can tell you with the application of high and top tiers into your Zelda gameplay. The rest depends on how you develop your playstyle of Zelda.

 

[Magic Samus]

Yeah, I was planning on packing one or two top tiers alongside Zelda just in case, though I was struggling with which to choose. Though, one learning barrier for me in regards to Zelda (and also Puff) is that I'm not sure which AT's I should master and which of those I should focus on first.

 

[RetroGamersGuru]

When starting out with Melee, don't go too deep in the ATs. It's like swimming, you cover the basics first, and then you go into the deep end. Start out getting used to SHFFLs (Short hop, fast fall, L-cancel) first since it applies to all characters, including Zelda, even though Puff can use the wall of pain later. Next you watch the Advanced How to Play Video to find all techniques that can apply to your character, which is most https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vckV2MJgBzo. Learn those and their applications. After that, there are some newer techs that can be used later after you incorporate the other applicable ones like shield dropping and the light-shield powershield, but don't worry about those yet until you are comfortable with the basic techniques. After the basic techs that apply to everyone, you focus on character specific ones. Two things to remember about this though, one: learning these techniques will take time to learn, do not try to go too fast in learning and incorporating them. Two: do not get caught up in only tech skill, only Fox and Falco have to do that. Learn all the fundamentals of Melee as well since tech skill is only part of it.

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Here are some resources that I can give you to look at for more information:
The Four Aspects of Melee by Wobbles: http://smashboards.com/threads/the-four-aspects-of-melee.94597/
Drastic Improvement: http://smashboards.com/threads/drastic-improvement.311129/
Melee Mechanics by Kadano: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC5kTkoEn9jKYDhQ0p2nz9IA
EMG's guide to PM and Melee: https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL7EcSDUpgrOmM3pjPbX1e5D22EVL32f1g&v=ZGS5eT68P-8

 

[Magic Samus]

Ah, thank you!

 

[X WaNtEd X]

http://smashboards.com/threads/the-secret-zelda-strats-discussionzone.266327/

this thread right here is the best zelda resource on the boards. i have learned a lot from reading the entire things, although it is not organized at all. if there is one thread that you read in the entire boards, it would be this thread.