Rate their Chances: the DLC Edition. Day: 192: The final day

[Aetheri]

Hooray Impa day! I feel like I'm gonna get heart broken during the next 24 hours though....X(

Either way, there is another trend that I'm noticing amoung people in this thread. If someone desires the character they tend to give a better rating on the characters chances, as I've seen people rate about 50-60% when their wants are almost 100% and for those who are not too inclined to have the character will rate 20-30% chance and wants are 10% or less...of course not everyone is like this but I'm speaking generally...

IMPA

Chance: 30%
With all that said...Let's start by talking about what she has going for her. Impa has been apart of the Zelda franchise since the very beginning and has since appeared in more games than any other character not named Link, Zelda, and Ganon. Which I feel is a bit of a big deal considering all the characters the series goes through.
Lately she has grown in popularity with her roles in both Skyward Sword and the Hyrule Warriors spinoff, as well as an appearance in the fairly recent release of A Link Between Worlds. Like A Link Between Worlds she was one of the sages that Link must rescue in Ocarina of Time (being the Sage of Shadow). Even in Twilight Princess and Wind Waker she is still implied in some way, so she's still got a bit of a presence on the series. Her roles vary game to game, but she is usually directly associated with Princess Zelda acting as an adviser, nursemaid, guardian, etc. I guess you could go as far as to say that she is 'Zelda's Toad' (mind you her role within the Zelda series isn't quite as prominent as Toad's in Mario so it is a bit of a stretch, but the comparisons are there nevertheless)...
As far as moveset goes some would argue that she would just be a clone for sheik but their is potential to for her to have something a lot more unique with the use of magic and even her abilities in Hyrule Warriors (I'd like the former personally, with her design from Skyward Sword which keeps it Zelda Official, but Giant Swords are awesome too), I feel she may be a semi-clone at worst, especially for a DLC character.
Of course there's also the matter of representation within the game already, The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's Top Three Franchises, and of the three it hasn't received any newcomers, in fact in Brawl Toon Link was the only newcomer and he simply replaced another (similar) character from melee. So Zelda (at least to me( feels somehat underrepresented especially considering Fire Emblem is likely to be at par with Zelda when it comes to newcomers. In addition to being another Zelda rep she is also female (which seems to be the case for most of the other female characters we talked about). So she's got that going for her.

Now for the cons...firstly one thing about Impa within the Zelda series is consistency...in almost every game she plays almost a completely different role and her design varies greatly game to game, from an old wise woman, to a fat nursemaid, to a middle aged guardian, to a youngish girl...so there would be a little confusion...but there's also what role will she play in Zelda Wii U? Will she even be in Zelda Wii U? Heck we don't even know if Link is going to be in his Green Tunic for the game (it is unlikely he won't but there hasn't been confirmation on that just yet) and with it's delay till next year and pretty much lack of appearance at E3 even if we do get some news Impa's role is still up in the air (I think it is likely as the game is supposed to be one of the largest games of the franchise so including her may indeed happen) Finally her biggest obstacle is the inclusion of other characters, now, her popularity is nothing to laugh at, she usually scrapes into most Top 10 wanted newcomers, and it is very likely anybody that makes it in the top 10-20 will undoubtedly get noticed by the Smash team (otherwise what's the whole point of the balloting, eh?) but there's still the uncertainty of how DLC will go and how many characters we'll get. If it's 6 then I think we're out of luck, but if it's around 10 or so then her chances are looking a bit more optimistic I'd say...

phew...

All things considered her chances I'd say are decent at best, but with too many unknowns I can't rank her chances being all that great so i think I'll give her a modest...30% I think it's a fair amount considering it's slightly better than a quarter but definitely not a coin toss...

Want: 100%
Duh...Her role in Skyward Sword definitely ranks high for me when you compare it to her other incarnations within the series...The possibility of giving her a ninja like moveset but with a stronger emphasis on magic (especially Shadow based magic relating to her being the Sage of Shadow) than Sheik gives her some very good potential I find...The Sheikah are also one of my favourite races from the Zelda series based on their overall backstory and mystery (plus the Shadow Temple was amazing in OoT), and guess who's the only Sheikah encountered within the entire series? Sheik is technically not a Sheikah since she is Zelda, who is of course Hylian, so Impa being the sole representative of one of my favourite races within the series ranks her high in my books. Also grown quite fond of that...ponytail? rat tail? (also felt it was quite creative the way they made it work like a pendulum in Skyward Sword to teach Link songs)...would be neat to see that feature implemented in future incarnations of her.
Overall I do prefer Midna but as she's an assist trophy her chances for dlc dwindle greatly and Impa as the next best choice as a newcomer is good to me!

Prediction:
Shantae 10%
Another one of my top picks for smash! Although I feel like I'm being quite generous, even with 10%, when it comes to third party characters Shantae ranks very high even amoung actual Nintendo characters (both her and Shovel Knight are appearing quite frequently for Indie Characters)...Sakurai is an impossible person to predict so you never know what happens...

Nominations:
I'm running out of characters to nominate....
Let's go...
Wolf x3
Wolf Link & Midna x2

 

[Warlock*G]

In case you haven't noticed already, her day is tomorrow. You should be predicting her overall chances today, please.

I deduced that her day was coming from your own prediction. I refuse to make one.

 

[IvanQuote]

Impa:

Chance: 39%

I honestly have no clue how to rate her. She's the next main Zelda character, but is nowhere near as popular as the others. I can see her moveset going in one of 2 directions: 1-Hyrule Warriors inspired, or 2(the more likely)- as an amalgamation (semi clone) of both Zelda and Sheik to make up for the lack of transformation (ex. Needles, Bouncing Fish, Farore's Wind, and Din's Fire, plus a mix of their standards together). Ultimately though, I think her chances may be low.

Want: 50%

Completely indifferent.

Shantae Predict:

Chance: 40%

Want: 60%

Nom: Quote x5

 

[PK_Wonder]

Impa.
Chances - 14%

Sakurai and I probably view this very differently, but in my opinion, The Legend of Zelda hasn't had a true newcomer since Melee.

In Melee, Brawl, and 4, we've had:
Link, Zelda, Sheik, Ganondorf, and a smaller, lighter, faster incarnation of Link.

In that time, there's a been a few tweaks to each character, sure. Zelda and Sheik were split apart and enhanced, Gdorf a little more decloned, Link got a fancy new dash attack, and Young Link and Toon Link are distinct entities. and the Zelda series has always been christened with lots of stages, music, and items. So I would never call the series even remotely ignored. But I still feel like we're past due for a true Zelda newcomer.

Impa probably has the best shot of any Zelda character, as she is the most recurring spiritual reincarnation to actually be named outside of the essential Triforce three. She is popular, badass, and has one of the most important roles in the series of any secondary characters. She could be a great Sheik semiclone with the Giant Blade, or be a full throttle unique character with that, water-based attacks, and her Naginata.

Want - 55% She's not my first pick for a Zelda character, just the most likely. Her Hyrule Warriors moveset and Skyward Sword costumes would be awesome though.


nominate Paper Mario x5

 

[Deleted member]

Impa - 20%

I have never understood what makes her stand out as a candidate. We already got all of the important Zelda character in Smash already and Sheik has already returned, her main "competition" (although I never thought Sheik would be cut). Plus I highly doubt Impa is actually high wanted; moderately wanted at best which hardly means anything for the Smash Ballot. Maybe she could be a pre-planned character but I think the main issue I see with her is that I don't think she stands out. I can't think of anything particularly crippling either thought so I guess I wouldn't be too surprised by her inclusion?

Want - 1%

Certain users rabid fanboyism of Impa have turned me off of the character, likely permanently. Aside from that, I just don't want another Zelda character. I have little attachment to the franchise and if we were to get another character; I'd rather they'd promote Ghirahim or even Tingle to playable status (which won't happen). At least she won't be replacing Sheik if she gets in thought.

Ice Climber x3
Chorus Men x2

Prediction Shantae - 10%

I will not be nice to indie characters.

 

[Pacack]

Spoiler: My Chance Ratings

This is meant to give perspective on my ratings. They tend to be a lot lower than most here.

King K. Rool: 33.34%
Captain Toad: 30%
Isaac: 27.5%
Dixie Kong: 17.5%
*Bandanna Dee: 10.5%
Krystal: 7.5%
Banjo-Kazooie: 2%

*Was not here on rating day.

Impa:

Chance: 10.75%

+ Kind of popular
+ Arguably the most iconic character from the Zelda series left
+ Probably easier to make than most
+ Female representation
+ Competition within series extremely low
+ Zelda series is overdue for a true newcomer
- Inconsistent incarnations throughout series
- Plenty of competition outside of her series
- Not a lot of canon moveset potential
- Potential to be an alternate costume character
- Zelda newcomer isn't really hugely wanted
- Might be a semi-clone, which wouldn't attract buyers for DLC.

Impa is easily the strongest newcomer candidate for the Zelda series. She's the most recurring character from the series that hasn't already made an appearance in Smash Bros as a playable character. She's been in existence since the first Legend of Zelda (albeit only in the manual for that game), and has been there ever since, making a resurgence in recent years. If we get a Zelda newcomer, it will be Impa.

But...no one seems to be clamoring for a Zelda character like they're clamoring for a lot of other characters. Compared to a lot of other characters, she's just a bit lacking. Along with that, she's not "iconic" per se because she doesn't really appear in a consistent form.

Spoiler: Forms

The most common forms are the young, more athletic form and the old, more sagely form. While it's pretty much a given that Impa would appear in her younger form, it's notable because "Impa" in the form people support her, has only really appeared in Ocarina of Time, Skyward Sword, and Hyrule Warriors. So she's not really a character that more casual players will recognize at first glace.

Expounding on that, the moveset potential for this young and athletic Impa is limited, and would have to be made mostly from non-canon materials. In Zelda canon, we only ever see Impa fight in Skyward Sword, where she uses barrier magic and is extremely fast. Outside of that, the Ocarina of Time Impa is the Sage of Shadow, and likely was the one who taught Zelda the arts of the Sheikah. There is a lot of material from Hyrule Warriors to choose from, but this is entirely non-canon.

There is a possibility of Impa being a Sheik costume or a semi-clone, but the former wouldn't make her a genuine character, and the latter wouldn't attract DLC buyers nearly as much, so it's not incredibly likely to happen.

Also notable is that Impa does not appear in Twilight Princess, and thus doesn't have a design to match the main Zelda cast.


Want: 85%

I actually supported Sheik and Zelda splitting and Impa replacing Shiek. While the former happened, I'm honestly glad that the latter didn't. Despite that, I'd still love to see her make an appearance, and would be interested in seeing what they would do with her.


Shantae Prediction: 7.34%

Nominations: Ms. Pac-Man Alternate Costume x5

 

[smileMasky]

Impa
chance 10%
I honestly don't see a lot to her character she has only shown up only a few times as a supporting character and the only time I've seen her playable is on the zelda spin-off only the fact that she is a ninja I know she has a long standing with the zelda franchise I just don't see anything else she can bring that shiek already has. I know they can bring something from Hyrule Warriors but still I just don't see them doing it. But I might be wrong.

Want 10%
ya ninja character would be cool but Sheik has that covered. I would rather have some one fresh gameplay wise I can't shake the feeling of her being some what of what Sheik is. Sorry.

Nomination
Django x5

 

[Nimbostratus]

Impa
Chance- 20%
Impa has appeared in a pretty strong number of games, though admittedly in many different incarnations. And she is far from forgotten, having appeared in a Link Between Worlds, having a notable role in Hyrule Warriors, and clocking her best entry yet in Skyward Sword. She has some popularity, but I don't think it is enough to have much influence on TPTB. LoZ didn't get a newcomer, though, so it could definitely use another character. Impa seems like the likely choice for having appeared so many times and since she will presumably continue to have roles in the games.
Want- 85%
I actually really like the idea of Impa in Smash. She's a pretty cool character, and I hope to see her some more in future games. That said, I'll have to count off some points actually due to Impa's own fan base. While Sheik is obviously in, I remember hearing from some how she ought to be replaced by Impa as she is the more important character, and the characters shouldn't be in together due to aesthetic and move set similarity. I'd love to see Impa in the game and the two characters feel very different. I do have a few reservations, and I still haven't quite gotten over all the criticism of Sheik I remember. Bias aside, though… Impa's still awesome.

Shantae Predictions- 16%
I expect to see at least a few zeroes for being a noniconic indie.
Nominations:
Ice Climbers x5

 

[colder_than_ice]

And I vote Shantae x5 (of course).

Shantae is already locked in as tomorrow's rating so those five nominations you gave her today aren't really going to do anything. You can still nominate someone else though.

 

[Braydon]

Impa:
Chance: 10%
Not major enough

Want: 5%
To close to shiek

Prediction shantae: 6%

Nominate: 5x monster hunter

 

[Warlock*G]

Shantae is already locked in as tomorrow's rating so those five nominations you gave her today aren't really going to do anything. You can still nominate someone else though.

I know, I know. I just nominated her for the hell of it.

 

[Kalimdori]

EDIT: Stealing this idea from @ Pacack because I liked it:

Spoiler: My Chance Ratings

To compare with my other ratings. I'm of the opinion that Nintendo will milk the DLC hype train for as much cash as they can, and recent events have only strengthened that notion. As such, I expect plenty of DLC characters.

King K. Rool: Chance 80%
Want: 75%

Bandanna Dee Chance: 70%
Want: 95%

Isaac Chance: 65%
Want: 85%

Captain Toad Chance: 58%
Want: 90%

Dixie Chances: 39%
Want: 49%

Impa Chance: 25%
Want: 60%

Banjo Chance: 20%
Want: 100%

Krystal Chance: 15%
Want: 0%

That awkward moment when you realize you rated Banjo higher then Krystal, and that awkward moment when you realize you still agree with said ratings

Impa Chance: 25%

Legend of Zelda characters are an interesting case when it comes to Smash Bros. The Legend of Zelda series revolves around a core cast of 3 characters, Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf, representing the 3 points of the triforce. Smash Bros reflects this, we've only had different versions of Link, Zelda and Ganondorf on the roster. As such, the bar is set incredibly high for Zelda characters to get into the roster.

Is Impa important enough to fit this bill? In my opinion, no, she is not. She's a recurring character in the Zelda franchise, but has only appeared in about half of the games, and drastically changes appearances and roles between games, AND only had a stand out role in two Zelda games, Hyrule Warriors and Skyward Sword. These are some of the most recent Zelda games, which is in her favor, and if she continues to have an important role in the next Zelda game I'd bump this up to a 35%. But as it stands now she doesn't seem important enough to warrant a spot on the roster.

Not only that... Zelda doesn't seem to be shown much love when it comes to characters in Smash. We've only had 3 actual characters in the game, alongside two variations of said characters, and in addition to that, two of the characters are semi clones. And in addition to THAT, we have Falcondorf and Sakurai's repeated decision not to change him. If Sakurai can't even bother to give Ganondorf, one of the most important Zelda characters in the game, a unique moveset, I get the feeling he won't bother with Impa, a character with middling popularity and questionable importance to her franchise.

If we do get a Zelda newcomer, I think it would be Pig Ganon, and I don't think that's likely either. Impa IS from one of Nintendo's most loved franchises, which does give her a fighting chance, and she MIGHT get enough votes on the ballot to get her noticed, which may get her in, but I don't see her happening otherwise, unless she plays a major role in the next Zelda game.

Want: 60%

I'd take Pig Ganon over Impa in a heartbeat, but at this point I just want the Zelda series to get another character. The Mario series got Rosalina, a character who only gained popularity very recently (Speaking in terms of Nintendo's history), and Pokemon got Greninja, a character that didn't exist outside of concept art when it was added into the game. So why can't Zelda, one of Nintendo's biggest and most popular franchises, get a character that's been around for much longer, and gained plenty of popularity recently?

Shantae Prediction: 10%

She doesn't even come close to the other 3rd party characters that are and could be added into the game.

Noms: Rayman x5

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Impa

Chance: 40%

Impa's actually got a lot going for her this round. The Zelda series hasn't had a newcomer since Brawl, despite being one of Nintendo's biggest franchises (arguably since Melee, if you consider Toon/Young Link the same). And yet, out of five characters, they share only three unique final smash moves, one of which is even given to another clone (therefore I shall call him the usurper, and hat him for it). I can also say that Ganondorf is the only villain without a remixed theme (but with only two villains in the first place, that's a bit diluted), and that Link and Toon Link now share crowd chants. Basically, Sakurai pulled his pants down and relieved himself on the Zelda franchise. I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that his baby Pit is seen as a Link wannabe, and as a Link main, I agree with the statement wholeheartedly, and that is my reason for bias against that franchise.
Long story short, Zelda got ignored in Smash.
Problem is, it wouldn't have been as bad if there hadn't been a Zelda spinoff which released a month before Smash which showed EXACTLY how they should all be. I think Hyrule Warriors got pretty universal acclaim for its character design &c. (partcularly the gloriousness that is Ganondorf). That showed that we still love Zelda, and we want a more unique spin on the characters, rather than being the series of clones we have now.
So for Impa in particular, she's got a lot going for her - she's been in a fair percentage of the games, and her latest appearance(s) make her into a total bad***. However, she's a bit on the generic side as well...it's not like Smash has never seen a female Sheikah ninja before... I'd be afraid that that they'd simply put her in as a Sheik clone - Smash has a history of doing that to the Zelda series. She's also not very notable in most of her games. In the early ones, she was a handmaiden. Ocarina was the first game she wasn't ancient or overweight (or both), and then she isn't seen until she pops up in Skyward Sword, and again she's only young in the past timeline (and has a bizarre model - was she made by a fashion designer? Being that thin is unhealthy.) Her Hyrule Warriors incarnation is honestly her best, and the one that may have a chance...but I hope then other stuff from HW can also come by (can we say...costumes?)
​

Want: 5%

[Gasp!] A Zelda fan rating Zelda characters low!? I'm not going to be too generous with want scores since there is definitely limited DLC. While Impa is OK in Warriors, she's just that - OK. There are so many other characters I'd want in instead. I was really hoping for Midna in Brawl (I LOVED Twilight Princess), and seeing her return in Warriors was amazing. Ghirahim was also a fantastic character (Warriors was great with the interplay between Zant, Debbie, and Ganondorf). But they are both one-game-wonders (well, so are quite a few members of the Smash roster...) Heck, I'd rather they give us a real Ganondorf first (again, HW incarnation please) and port the current one to Black Shadow - actually that's the one I want most. That leaves Impa at about the fourth thing I'd want from the Zelda series, and I highly doubt any series is getting more than one DLC character if that. Now, if they gave us one of the above and replaces that empty Assist slot with Impa, particularly if we get the Nagniata-wielding Impa, I'd be OK with that too.
​

Prediction: Shantae
Chance: 2.25%, Want: 10.0%

Nominations:
Keep sending up the promotions x5

 

[Kenith]

I don't want to rate Impa for fear people will accuse me of intense bias...
**** it.

Impa:
Chance: 25%.

+ A recurring character in the Zelda series
+ Could be an easy clone or semi-clone
+ Relatively popular

- Small role in every game she's in
- As they are both Sheikah, there isn't that much to differentiate her from Sheik
- Better character choices even disregarding Assist Trophies
- No real need for a new Zelda character

When people say Impa, they're really referring to Skyward Sword's incarnation, or the samurai "badass" seen in Hyrule Warriors. Skyward Sword Impa is overall a small character, and her other incarnations are inconsistent.

Hyrule Warriors Impa, on the other hand, is both non-canon and unfaithful to any version of Impa. People cling to a version of Impa that isn't Impa at all because they desperate want her. I hate that idea.

In my opinion, for every reason to justify the inclusion of Impa, there's a better option.

Easy clone for Zelda-related padding? Toon Zelda doesn't have to be redesigned to fit in with the others and gives Toon Link a friend.
Prominent character in the series? Tingle has his own games.
Popular character
Prominent character in Skyward Sword? What about Ghirahim?
Most of those options are Assist Trophies? All that means is Impa has little competition...which doesn't mean anything if she doesn't have much merit in the first place.
I would rather have no new character than have Impa shoehorned into the roster for the sake of a new Zelda character.

Want: 1%.

That one percent only comes from the chance she's a free clone, as she'd basically be a cool skin for Sheik.
Otherwise I absolutely do not want this character as a huge Zelda fan.

-------------------------
Shantae prediction: 10.5%. People will not rate her very high, even her fans.
-------------------------
Nominations:
Wolf Link & Midna x 1
Anna x4

 

[Swamp Sensei]

-Butch lesbian (might not be popular with a lot of insecure ****s).

****ing what?

 

[Pacack]

****ing what?

Is that even allowed to be said on here?

 

[Warlock*G]

****ing what?

I was wondering when I'd get some reaction. This took longer than I thought.
Seriously though, that line is taken straight from there:

 

[Pacack]

I was wondering when I'd get some reaction. This took longer than I thought.

Are you happy that you just got that reaction from a moderator?

 

[A10theHero]

Impa

Chance: 35%
+Prominent Zelda character
+Popular choice
+Female
-Low potential for unique moveset (might just be a Sheik semi-clone)
-Not a prominent recurring character

I noticed that some people said something similar to "There has been no real Zelda character since Melee (Toon Link doesn't count)". I think it's important to mention that a character's franchise should not have much of an effect on his/her/its selection. We should care more about what the character can bring to Smash rather than from which series does he/she/it originate.

Want: 90%

Prediction:
Shantae
Chance: 9%

Nominations:
Spyro the Dragon [x5]
Have I been the only person nominating Spyro?

 

[Warlock*G]

Are you happy that you just got that reaction from a moderator?

It's okay. Worst case scenario, I'll get banned because of a joke.

Anyway, I changed my mind; I'll try and predict Shantae's average ratings!

Shantae: prediction

Want: 10%. I'm expecting that not a lot of people want her... but that's only because not a lot of people know her, really. L'essayer c'est l'adopter.

Chance: 2.5%. People won't give her a chance on account of her being an indie character, even though the "indie representative" card might end up being in her favour.

 

[AlphaSSB]

Impa​

Chance: 30%
- Impa's probably the number one choice for a new Legend of Zelda fighter with Tingle and Midna (With or without Wolf Link/Shadow Wolf) out of the picture. She's not overly popular, but she'd be a unique fighter nonetheless. Her giant sword and elemental abilities would be great. A flaw for Impa would be if they just copy-and-pasted Sheik's moveset over to her. The last thing we need are more full-on clones (Sorry Roy fans). Semi-clones are... forgivable to a degree though.

Want: 45%
- A few weeks ago, I made a Top 5 DLC fighters for Smash 4. Due to it being a Top 5, Impa didn't make the cut on the list, but was the first honorable mention. I have my 'want' score so low on her because of there being several other characters I'd like to get in first (Hence that Top 5 video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPkVT_VR9mI) If we were to get another Legend of Zelda newcomer, though; It'd better be Impa. Note: Her 'want' score will skyrocket for me if this Roy+Ryu bullsh*t comes out officially. No way in hell does Fire Emblem need as many reps as The Legend of Zelda series.

Prediction: Shantae 5%
- Sorry, but no. I don't care for her, don't know anything about her or her games. Just nope. On an 'intelligent' stand-point against her, the outsit she wears may be deemed as too inappropriate. I mean, look at the Tharjia trophy situation.

Nomination: Wolf x5
- We need him back​

 

[Warlock*G]

Prediction: Shantae 5%​

- Sorry, but no. I don't care for her, don't know anything about her or her games.[...]

Time for everyone reading this message to click here.

 

[Aetheri]

Time for everyone reading this message to click here.

That video is the reason I support Shantae beeteedubs...

 

[Arcanir]

Impa
Chances: 20%
To her credit, she's one of the few recurring characters in the Zelda series, which is a rarity in the franchise due to the series rotating cast members not named Link, Zelda and Ganondorf. She also carries a decent amount of popularity, which has risen a bit in recent years. However, she does have her share of problems within those very merits that she has. The first is that while she is a recurring character, it's only recently that she's become more notable in the mythos, beforehand she was just either in the manual or a minor NPC, so she's not as important as her track record would lead you to believe. Similarly, while she is popular, there's not that much of a demand for her like the other potential newcomers, and even in her own series, she's in contention with other popular potential Zelda characters.

So overall, she does have a number of flaws that hinder her good points, but those good points are still there and they can win her favor if the circumstances line up for her.

Want: 50%
Ambivalent, I really don't mind either way.

 

[Strider_Bond00J]

Day 8: Impa!

Chances: 35%
+I believe out of all the possible Zelda characters that aren't present in the form of playable characters or Assist Trophies, Impa probably has the best chance to be selected as DLC. (Though it seems Young Link may hold a chance if he were to get the Masks concept approved, then he'd be Impa's competition for Smash DLC)

+Can be based on her appearance in Skyward Swords/Hyrule Warriors, both of which are popular/relevant titles that gamers will recognise Impa from. Maybe I should mention that she has some notable combat role in those games, especially Hyrule Warriors which could be useful to draw moveset potential from, be it the Giant's Blade and water magic, the Naginata with fire magic or using ninja and shadow magic based on her status as the Sage of Shadow.

+Has a longstanding history with the series, going all the way back from the original Legend of Zelda, making her as old as the Triforce Trio.

+Her inclusion will also prove that the series has more than the Triforce wielders, but their allies as well, and in Impa's case, she's an ally for Link and Zelda.

~She'll need a hefty amount of ballot votes, but it wouldn't be an improbable scenario for Zelda to get a newcomer through the ballot.

~One thing is that to some people who don't really take much interest in the huge amount of characters that the Zelda series may offer, Impa may seem 'out-of-place' to them until they learn more about her character.

~Young Link could be competition, but small unless he has a massive supporter influx or gets revealed first (if he was considered in the first place and put aside for DLC when they could work out a new concept for him)

~Not really many people's first thoughts when it comes to selecting a Zelda newcomer, since they'd probably go for characters such as Ghirahim or Tingle (though sadly they need to be promoted one day)

Wants: 79%
I'd happily accept Impa as a DLC character for Smash DLC, since I liked her in Hyrule Warriors and can see potential in drawing from that game (even though it breaks all the canon of Zelda ) A Zelda newcomer would also be welcome, since it didn't get a newcomer like everyone expected we would and all the best options were relegated to non-playable forms like Ghirahim or Tingle. Shame. Though if Ghirahim becomes a more mainstay in the series, he'll have more of a chance next time. For now, it's realistically Impa or Young Link.

Shantae Prediction: 56%

Nominations:
Reimu Hakurei (Touhou) X1
Young Link (Revamped) X4

 

[Diddy Kong]

Chance: 50%
want: 100%

I shamefully don't have the time to explain myself...

 

[PsychoJosh]

Chance: 1%
Want: 0%

It's highly improbable they're going to have anyone from the Zelda series that isn't a staple big player. As Sheik covers the Sheikah angle from Ocarina of Time, Impa is not needed in this game at all.

 

[FalKoopa]

IMPA:
CHANCE: 20%
WANT: 30%

Impa has been quite prominent in the Zelda series as of late with her plot-important role in Skyward Sword and her well-received redesign in Hyrule Warriors. So, I think she does have a chance. That said, I don't think the Zelda series is a prime candidate for DLC.

As for want, FOUR WORDS: TINGLE, TINGLE, KOOLOO LIMPAH!

SHANTAE PREDICTION: 12%

NOMINATIONS: IVYSAUR × 5

Reimu Hakurei (Touhou) X1

Wait, seriously?

I...err... go ahead.

 

[Delzethin]

This one won't be as informed as I wish it could. I don't even have a Wii U still, much less Hyrule Warriors.

-♪-

Impa

Chance: 30%
Kind of a strange situation The Legend of Zelda is in right now. It gained four newcomers in Melee, yet hasn't truly had one since (if you believe Toon Link is an evolution of what Young Link was, playstyle-wise). People were clamoring for one this time around, but couldn't decide on who it should be. Midna? Ghirahim? Even Tingle?

Not that it mattered, since all of them became Assist Trophies and Impa was left with little to no competition. The fans want a Zelda newcomer, and now Impa is the clear frontrunner. Despite that, though, her poll rankings aren't really turning heads, usually sitting somewhere in the 10-15 range. Considering many of the characters that usually sit in front of her have major roadblocks, though, she may have a better chance than it initially seems. This seems especially so because of her new role in Hyrule Warriors where she went beyond the role of a supporting character she usually gets stuck with and got to be, frankly, a total badass. Some of the fanbase has taken her newfound fame and run with it, Giant's Knife in hand.

And yet...there are still a lot of questions Impa faces. First of all, Impa as a character varies greatly in appearance from game to game. The Impa of one Zelda game may be young, lithe, and athletic, while the Impa of a different game can be old and decrepit, or heavyset and boisterous. While the first of those options is the clear better choice, it still wouldn't represent all of the character of Impa throughout the series' timelines. Furthermore, while Hyrule Warriors has propelled Impa into the spotlight, the game was made by Koei-Tecmo. How willing would the Smash team be to use third-party assets for a first-party character's identity? If they hesitate, Impa could be in trouble, because her moveset beyond Hyrule Warriors starts to get muddled and more difficult to design.

Impa definitely has a chance, but a few hurdles will make it more difficult than for some other characters yet still easier than, say, anyone from a third party. How well she fares will likely depend on which hurdles the developers are willing to tackle.

Want: 47.5%
I'm one of the ones intrigued by the Hyrule Warriors Impa. A moveset combining the Giant's Knife, her alternate naginata, and Sheikah magic would be really interesting. If they can't pull from that, though, there's still some potential there, although I worry it could leave her feeling too similar to Sheik. Even still, she sits in my top 10 right now.


Shantae Prediction: 5.85%
There'll be a few outliers, but most...what would we call ourselves? Contributors? Speculators? Most will acknowledge just how difficult she has it.


Nominations: Sceptile x5

 

[YoshiandToad]

"It's dangerous to go alone, take me."

Impa

Chance: 28%
The most reoccurring non Triforce character(or second, I honestly don't know how she and Tingle compare) in the world of Zelda.

Impa's recent role in Hyrule Warriors as the leader of the Hyrulian army and Zelda's personal bodyguard has been praised a lot and made her into a pretty popular character as a Samurai/Ninja type character who wields the elements of water and fire.

The less than typically sexualised body type has been noted by many, particularly in this time where people have been complaining for more diverse female characters.

She has also been considered a badass by the Hyrule Warriors playing community as the character that gets the most stuff done without having a magical artifact that grants her immense power. Everything Impa does is through her own skill, strength and speed.

So as a result of those three things, she's somewhat popular and requested. If we're getting a Zelda character she's certainly the fore runner as far as the fans are concerned.

Unfortunately there's some negatives against her too; whilst Link, Zelda and Ganondorf remain fairly consistent in their appearances in LoZ, Impa is somewhat more diverse:

Spoiler

Which makes her identification process a little trickier to nail down. Which Impa do you go for? Presumably not old or fat as OoT, SS and HW Impa are the most hands on as fighters. HW is a mix of both OoT and SS so technically it's the ideal choice, but will a deal have to be made with KT in order to use that particular design?
All the other Zelda characters in Smash seem to be leaning towards their Twilight Princess designs, but Impa never appeared in TP, so which fits the easiest?

Depending on which Impa design is picked would also decide on her moveset abilities; SS Impa showed the ability to use magical barriers, HW Impa is a weapon user with elemental magic, old Impa is presumably proficient with magic, fat Impa threw cows(no really), etc...she's very diverse in each appearance which whilst giving her a lot of options make her hard to truly nail down as a Smash character.

As a Ballot character she gets requests, but the support isn't as notable as some other characters. Again, it's not a winner gets in kind of vote so it may not matter either way. I'm just having trouble imagining Impa getting in over the more popular individuals.

Lastly there's the simple fact Sakurai hasn't added ANY Zelda character in Smash 4, and arguably Toon Link was just the natural replacement for Young Link in Brawl, essentially being the same character, so he may think that's it for Zelda.

Want: 100%

I'll be honest; prior to HW's release Impa would of been a 50% neutral want from me, but it ended up being my game of the year 2014 and I've racked up more playtime on that than even Super Smash Bros(although Smash was released after two months of solid HW playing).

Throughout all that play time Impa was easily my character of choice.
I don't know whether it's because it was the first time I could play as her that made her more appealing than the triforce trio, the fact she weilded a sword that would make even Cloud Strife get sword envy, that she's genre savvy enough to know the Hylian army are useless or that she, like Bandana Dee and Toad are royal bodyguards that get their hands dirty, but she made me a fan of hers through her playstyle and personality.

Overall I've been slightly spoilt now, Impa appears to essentially be what fans in Zelda have been clamouring for; a female warrior hero. I hope she gets more prominent roles in the newer Zelda titles from here on.

Whilst I feel Dixie is a more deserving female fighter for Smash due to her repeated roles as the heroine, Impa is probably second only to Captain Toad in my personal want for fighters at this point.

Shantae Prediction: 22%
Non Legendary 3rd party with a lot of vocal support. She'll do decently for what she is.

Nominations: Vaati X 5.
Might as well vote my other favourite Zelda character.

 

[Nintendotard]

Wasn't aware that these were daily haha, I missed ranking 3 characters

IMPA

Chance: 35%
One of the most reoccurring Zelda characters in the games and takes many forms. Depending on the game, her importance is different, but still could work out.

Want: 15%
It'd be great to have more Zelda characters, but to be quite honest, I'd prefer Groose over her. I'm sure that Sakurai could think of an interesting moveset for her, but at the same time I can easily see a Sheik clone-esque being slapped onto Impa, which does her a lot of injustice imo. Any other villain from Zelda (who unfortunately most have been condemned to Assist Trophy hell) would've worked out better...

Shantae Prediction: .1% (I'll explain this later)

Nominations
Paper Mario x3
Daisy x2

Previously Missed Characters:
CAPTAIN TOAD
Chance: 44%
Want: 8%
(I'd prefer a different Mario character or regular Toad. I do not like how other Toads [Blue and now Captain] are leaving THE Toad out to rot :\)

KRYSTAL
Chance: 50%
Want: 32%
(Krystal would be the first of the Star Fox characters to be completely different in her own way, at least I think so. She wields psychic powers, weapons, and a staff, if they slapped another Fox variation on her people would be PISSED. After Wolf, there's no one else really to go in the Star Fox series that matters. And more femmes, haha)

DIXIE
Chance: 42%
Want: 42%
(Dixie is very much relevant to the Donkey Kong series unlike the villainous reptile king himself, however Smash lacks evil characters in it BADLY. A majority such as Dark Pit, Dedede, Wario, and Meta Knight can be considered as evil, but they're anti-heroes if anything nowadays. Smash portays Mewtwo as evil, but the real ones we have are Bowser, Jr., and Ganondorf. But anyway, Dixie would be a great addition, but seeing how K. Rool is leading the polls from the looks of things, her chances seem slim, but she should be coming right with him. If Fire Emblem gets 4 going on possibly 5 representatives, a staple and old-as-Mario series should get the last 2 that would practically set the DK cast great for the series)

 

[DNeon]

Impa

Chance: 30%

Toon Zelda/Tetra are most likely to be the next Zelda characters if they are to get more. But Impa is next in line.

Want: 65%

More females, more Zelda, awesome. Buuuuuut if she comes before a Toon Zelda or a Tetra, I'm gonna be pissed (except not but damn do I want those 2)

Shantae

Prediction: 20%

Votes: 5xAdvance Wars character

 

[jahkzheng]

Interesting. I'm kind of surprised we got Impa next. I don't feel like I saw anyone giving her votes, heh. Well, here we go. My patented text wall incoming!

Here's my picture of the categories I'll use for assessing characters again again...

These points are for making a best estimate of their chances, although the weight of each category is still unknown at this time. Other unforeseen factors could keep the character from being added. I'll likely post this at the start of all my assessments.

Impa

Popularity
Well, I guess she has some popularity but she's kind of the first character we've discussed that exists well outside top 10 newcomer material. She does appear on lists though inside the top 20 often times. I think she may be the most popular Zelda newcomer around, but then most of the others are unusual or sporadically supported at best. Toon Zelda, Toon Ganondorf, Young Link? People pushing for them are hoping for unique representations of existing characters, but admittedly me and many other probably aren't sold on that. Thus these characters don't have a following that compares to Impa's although they are there. Then there's suggestions like Lana, Ghirahim, and Midna that many aren't sold on because of limitations and/or because they've only appeared in one game. Much of Impa's popularity and why she's leading other Zelda characters in that regard likely comes from her importance, relevancy, it's easier to imagine her being unique, and her lack of limitations... all of which I'll discuss later.

Importance
Impa has fairly significant importance for a character that isn't Link, Zelda, or Ganon. She's appeared in many Zelda games, not something all popular Zelda characters can claim, and always plays the part of Zelda's guardian. The way she fulfills that role differs between games, as well as how she's represented. There are other characters that appear in many Zelda games too, but few have as important a role as Impa. Importantly for Impa, she's had a dynamic role in the much beloved Ocarina of Time and the most recent major Zelda title on console, Skyward Sword. In the popular spin-off Hyrule Warriors she also played a very major role being the second playable character in that game and finally showing us that she's the really cool warrior we always suspected she was. Like with Bandana Dee though, there's a real tangible tier of importance between the "Triforce characters" and everyone else. But also like Bandana Dee, Impa appears to be the "best of the rest". In terms of her importance to video games, it helps she's a Zelda character and featured prominently in many Zelda games people really like. She may be recognized but perhaps not known however.

Uniqueness
There was a time not so long ago that this subject was very much up in the air. She could be like Sheik or Sakurai could come up with some different moveset based on what he believed she could do since there was little to go on for her in any Zelda games. Skyward Sword at least introduced the notion that she could use a sword but that was hardly inspiring by itself with all the sword users in the game already. But then Hyrule Warriors happened, and for the most part people love this newly developed Impa. If you play Hyrule Warriors and take Impa for a spin you can see where the appeal is to maybe have a moveset based around her giant blade or naginata in Smash. That's not to say that Sakurai should or would take straight from Hyrule Warriors, but it's given her new material he may be able to work with if he so chooses. Impa does have other options however, but most require thinking outside of the box since they're not obvious... or we could just make her a Sheik clone with maybe a sword, but why would we want that?

Relevance
Impa is pretty relevant, although the situation is a bit odd. She appeared in Link Between Worlds, but as her "old lady" representation that isn't what inspired desire for her character to be playable, heh. She also very recently appeared in Hyrule Warriors where a ton of her inspiration and recent popularity has come from, but it's a non-canon Zelda game. At least Skyward Sword had Impa in it and it wasn't that long ago. It's an interesting situation but if you regard all these Impas as Impas that count towards her being relevant, then she certainly is. There's also a chance that she could appear in the new Zelda game coming out, but so little is known at this point and the game is far off enough that we might not know enough to know she's in before the ballot period is over.

Representation
Zelda is pretty well represented in number, but it is arguably Nintendo's second most iconic franchise after Mario, (although many would put Pokemon above it), and it hasn't gained a true newcomer since Melee. I know, I know... Toon Link was new, but then he was also kind of just Young Link with a different look, and Sheik being separated from Zelda basically doesn't count. For as many reps as Zelda already has, it could use another. It doesn't necessarily need it imo, but it should get it just because it has interesting characters it could use and it's a huge franchise and it's been a while. So yeah... "maybe", Zelda could use more reps.

Limitations
Impa has no real limitations. She's not an AT and she's obviously not third party, but she is from an arguably well repped franchise and suffers from being less popular than a lot of other characters. Some of that is negated because she's from a very popular franchise and she's currently the most wanted newcomer for that franchise. Oddly, Zelda has it's character support spread in many places though so maybe no one character has a chance to stand out for the franchise. Even Young Link is getting an odd amount of support and is possibly taking votes from Impa. Zelda Wii U could help her possibly if she appeared in it, but it's probably too far away and I could see Nintendo throwing in some late DLC for a character that first appears in the new Zelda, like some "Midna" of the new Zelda game. Who knows.

Final Assessment

Chance: 30%

Impa doesn't quite have the popularity and I'm not sure Sakurai and co are interested in looking to the Hyrule Warriors version of Impa that so many people favor. I'd have rated her closer to Bandana Dee's rating of 40% if she had Bandana Dee's popularity since I see similarities between those two characters, but she simply doesn't appear to have that kind of popularity. If Zelda's getting a rep though, it's likely her... unless we get Young Link for some reason or some unknown character from the new game at a later date. I'd honestly like to rate her higher but I don't see her odds as being any better than Toad's.

Want: 65%

I really liked Hyrule Warriors and I'd be all about an Impa like that one in Smash. In fact, I wish Smash had taken the designs and some inspiration from Hyrule Warriors because the Zelda characters in Smash feel a bit lifeless. More Hyrule Warriors in Smash would be a good thing imo, though I'm sure many wouldn't necessarily agree. Fact is though, Impa is unlikely to get in like this. I still think she was quite cool in Skyward Sword however and I'd be all about that design too. Hyrule Warriors mostly got it's design from that Impa anyways. This all said, she's not my most wanted, but if there's enough DLC characters coming and Zelda is going to get another rep, I'm rooting for Impa.

(Admittedly, I'd buy character appearance redesigns based on Hyrule Warriors for the existing Zelda characters first... if it was reasonably priced. Those character designs are just so great imo and the Zelda characters in Brawl look so bland, uninteresting, and kind of goofy in comparison. Don't get me wrong, I still love playing as Zelda characters in Smash.)

~~~~

Sweet! Shantae! Seems the characters I vote for get in next before too long, heh. Here's how I think the thread will average her chance and want...

Prediction for Shantae

Chance: 6.7%
Want: 44%

~~~~

Time to think up some other characters to vote for...

2 Points to Snake~
2 Points to Sceptile - (that one's for you Delzethin!)
1 Point to Rayman?

I don't want to pick Wolf because I don't think it would be interesting even though I really want him too.

 

[Sabrewulf238]

Impa
Chance - 10%
I've never really gotten why people think she's such a prime candidate. It seems more because all the other more viable options (Midna, Tingle, Ghirahim) are gone than anything else, and so we're left with Impa. She has her signigicance I can't doubt that, but it pales in comparison to the current Zelda representatives. I just think her chances are being overrated by a lot of people.

Want - 5%
She doesn't really appeal to me, particularly her Hyrule Warriors form. Give me her Skyward Sword form and maybe we'll talk, maybe. She doesn't seem to me like she have much to differentiate herself from Sheik and considering we already have two clone characters in Toon Link and Ganondorf, I don't think the Zelda series needs another clone. (and frankly it deserves better than to be half filled with clone characters)

Nominations:
Inkling x2
Bayonetta x2
Chibi Robo x1

 

[WeirdChillFever]

Impa
Abstain from chance
80% Want

I'd be estatic if we get a new Zelda character from the ballot or pre-ballot.
Impa would be my favorite (aside from Toon Everything)

Shantae 17.897%

Magolor x5

Tingle Tingle?
Vote for Impa!

 

[Deleted member]

The Directory has been updated.

Impa
Chance: 10%
She's the next in line for a Zelda character, but I don't think that is saying much. She is important to the Zelda lore and franchise, but that's not reflective in her overall demand or want on the ballot.

Want: 0%
Hasn't really interested me.

Shantae Prediction: 7.13%
I expect some overrating.

Nominations: Phoenix Wright 5x

 

[ShinyRegice]

Impa chances: abstain
I honestly don't know how to rate her accurately, so I'll not give a chance score for her. She's one of the few reoccurring characters in the Zelda franchise, and Skyward Sword and Hyrule Warriors increased her popularity quite a bit, so it counts for something I guess.

Impa want: 7.5%
I'm not really interested in this character, and considering she kind of overlaps with Shiek as a Sheikah supporting character from The Legend of Zelda series and I think Shiek's moveset would fit her perfectly, then I'd be completely fine with her being an Shiek alt even though I'm aware there would be some wasted potential (from Hyrule Warriors most notably).

(Insert 75% of original want score cut because no custom moves for Mewtwo rant here)

Shantae prediction: 4.15%
I expect mostly ratings in the 0-3% range with a few inflated scores making her overall rating higher.

Nominating:
Concept: DLC characters get custom moves (including Mewtwo through patching) x5

 

[4theRECORD]

Impa:
Chance:35%
This is the highest rating I will give a Zelda character, by the way.
Out of any Zelda character, Impa is probably the most likely. She's female, she's a reocurring character, and seems to fairly popular. Most of her roles in a Zelda game are usually pretty large too, with both of the two recent Zelda games having her in a pretty big role.
However, I can't shrug off the feeling that she'll just end up being a semi-clone of Sheik. If they could pull stuff out from HW, it might make things more original, but that things not canon is it?
Want:20%
Currently more intrested in Vaati who seems to provide me both villany and toon. I say she should just be a costume for Sheik this round, and then take her spot entirely in the next game. Whatever.

Shantae predictions:10%
I think there would be some people who overate her...and then others are going to slam a big no in chance.

Nominations:Ray(Custom Robo) x5

Nominations:
Reimu Hakurei (Touhou) X1
Young Link (Revamped) X4

Reimu Hakurei (Touhou) X1

Uh
Woah
U Serious Bro

 

[Strider_Bond00J]

Probably too late to change nomination vote now, but the reason why I gave Reimu X1 nomination today when I gave her X2 or X3 is because I wanted to see if Young Link was on the nominations list, and I mentioned Young Link earlier in my evaluations of Impa's chances, so... Don't expect the same X1 tomorrow. It'll probably go back to the normal X2/3 again. Still, Reimu's 1 nomination ahead of Young Link, which is good.

 

[A Distant Demon]

Impa
chance 10%
*50% if important to zelda wii u

Impa pretty much is the only zelda character with a chance.

Want 0%
not only is she a very large example of "muh reps" but she is a ninja meaning a lot of overlap with shiek. I see no reason to have another shiek on this game. Especially when all her popularity came from her spin off appearance. I would rather have volga. At least he is unique.

Shantae prediction 7.1%

Noms
Wonder. Red 2x
ridley 2x
viridi 1x