KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
Sheik's offense is mostly run-stop.
-
Welcome to Smashboards, the world's largest Super Smash Brothers community! Over 250,000 Smash Bros. fans from around the world have come to discuss these great games in over 19 million posts!
You are currently viewing our boards as a visitor. Click here to sign up right now and start on your path in the Smash community!
Q&A Sheik Strategy & QnA
- Thread starter KirbyKaze
- Start date
Kaffei
Smash Hero
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2008
- Messages
- 7,048
Is that like running and shielding kinda
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
Yeah kind of.
Feeling lazy right now. I'll give a better outline later.
Feeling lazy right now. I'll give a better outline later.
Kaffei
Smash Hero
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2008
- Messages
- 7,048
soap
Smash Hero
Make an epic all encompassing 'how to win' flow chart
ChivalRuse
Smash Hero
I'm a fan of run -> wavedash in place but I know people are gonna get on me about that.
Fortress | Sveet
▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀
Because sheik's initial dash is so short and her traction is so low, its very viable to run -> crouch for spacing. To do it right, you need to be able to ftilt and utilt out of the crouch properly though
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
Got 3rd today. I have some johns (was gonna play Mario but then Weon requested Sheik and I went Fox vs Europhoria [decent Marth main, about 5-6th on our PR]) so I hadn't warmed her up. But still lost and I still noticed areas that need work. I need to reevaluate some key weakpoints I have and how to handle them before the Big House. I wonder if these are areas that Mango noticed. Might need to ask him the next time I play his Fox...
Anyway!
I think I lose focus in matches too much and devolve into flailing. Especially after winning a bunch of exchanges. I think winning a bunch of consecutive exchanges makes me play lazier 'cuz I figure I can just read them... this tournament specifically I stopped using reactionary play entirely for long stretches. aND whenever you play mostly on prediction the more opportunities the opponent has to bait you or read you (this is basically Ganon's Achilles heel btw, and basically every laggy character ever). I also need to refine my 120%+ tech chase on Fox. I miss d-smash so much yet I can hit regrab. But regrab is pointless at 120%+ :/
May need to consider tilting too. WD > f-tilt tech chase may need to make a comeback.
I've improved my drift to the edge game but Weon has a lot of counters to it (Raynex, Weon, and Unknown are the only Foxes I've faced recently that seem to understand the drift game [I think Cactuar knows about it though 'cuz he knows everything]). Not so sure how to counter this one. Sheik's limited in the air... but I'm sure there's something I could be doing better. My timing's sometimes weak...
Boo. Kind of bummed about losing so badly to Unknown. I need work.
Anyway!
I think I lose focus in matches too much and devolve into flailing. Especially after winning a bunch of exchanges. I think winning a bunch of consecutive exchanges makes me play lazier 'cuz I figure I can just read them... this tournament specifically I stopped using reactionary play entirely for long stretches. aND whenever you play mostly on prediction the more opportunities the opponent has to bait you or read you (this is basically Ganon's Achilles heel btw, and basically every laggy character ever). I also need to refine my 120%+ tech chase on Fox. I miss d-smash so much yet I can hit regrab. But regrab is pointless at 120%+ :/
May need to consider tilting too. WD > f-tilt tech chase may need to make a comeback.
I've improved my drift to the edge game but Weon has a lot of counters to it (Raynex, Weon, and Unknown are the only Foxes I've faced recently that seem to understand the drift game [I think Cactuar knows about it though 'cuz he knows everything]). Not so sure how to counter this one. Sheik's limited in the air... but I'm sure there's something I could be doing better. My timing's sometimes weak...
Boo. Kind of bummed about losing so badly to Unknown. I need work.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2008
- Messages
- 26,550
Sheik's aerial mobility is pretty balls.
I like Sheik.
I like Sheik.
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
Sheik's jump is great defensively. I actually have come to like the height.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2008
- Messages
- 26,550
Height's great, mobility aka drift-ability isn't.
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
I won't argue that one; I know I would love more aerial mobility. Wavelands off platforms & high priority only go so far. And it would buff her recovery immensely :/
@ Kaffei (and others interested in this)
Sheik doesn't have a move that really covers her front with decent priority & safety, and simultaneously encroaches a good chunk of the stage (which is basically the recipe for a quality approach - look at Falco's laser & dair). For Sheik, her high priority moves have high range because of how far she extends her limbs but don't actually cover that much space (because of low aerial mobility, her fair's arc, her bair not hitting on front, or her needing to stop to tilt [on a side note, ground moves are usually not so good for approaching]). Where Pikachu can lob some form of SH nair into dash dance camps to keep the opponent honest, Sheik really can't because she doesn't really have anything like that (aside from needles, I guess, but standing needles are a really defensive play by necessity). The closest thing she has is her own nair (and the obvious dash attack & boost grab), but her high SH cripples the offensive use of her SHFFL (but buffs its defensive use by expanding the reaction window on beating attacks). The result is basically that Sheik's offense needs to be controlled & paced because she can't threaten the whole stage - she needs to gradually take it. In this sense, her offense is kind of a spin-off of her defense. Only, you're proactively challenging space and then defending the new spot, rather than pulling opponents into your death wall. It's neat. Sometimes it's very effective.
If it helps, think of how Dr. Peepee's Marth plays. Only, you don't have d-tilt (which is honestly a big deal), you don't have dash dance (also a huge deal), and instead you have a plethora of slightly laggier but comboing tilts, a better shield game, a good WD back, a decent run > crouch, air needles (okay vs some chars), the ability to waveland off platforms into hard ranged moves, and a fair that's safer if you miss it (basically, a bunch of slightly worse but still respectable options). The overall principle remains the same - you're boxing the opponent into a zone and then picking off their options from there until you can just SH and cover their remaining options or force them to jump and tilt > fair them to death, etc.
Unfortunately, there are obvious drawbacks to this style (like with any style). The issue run-stop offense Sheik faces is that by moving forward you shrink the reaction window for timing her attacks. This can restrict the usefulness of the style against characters that can run her over in the absence of the reaction window (unless she starts flailing around and prays her limbs connect on the opponent, but at that point you're not playing offensive Sheik so much as you're playing 'please protect me from scary Falco my legs!', which is really just a bad version of defensive Sheik). That said, it's still a very good mixup (staggered Foxes can often by caught by this in my experience, and it's sometimes great vs slower characters like Ganon, Jigglypuff, and Peach) so you should know it just for that. And in my own experience against good players, some of them are just so much better at dealing with the standard Sheik that it's actually beneficial to play her janky offense as the main style.
It's a real shame that her only real way of attacking a big piece of ground is by dash attack or boost grab. While these are both strong options, they aren't good enough to be the foundation of a whole style (not anymore, anyway). So they're kind of demoted to "strong mixup". Which is alright, I guess. But they're nothing like Marth dash dance, Fox jump distance & dash dance, Falco laser, Falcon dash dance & jump stuff in general, Peach turnip > float zoning, etc. Y'know... the much better ground control & approach tools.
The problem with this is that it assumes Melee is figured out. Most characters aren't. Not completely. Just Falco.Make an epic all encompassing 'how to win' flow chart
@ Kaffei (and others interested in this)
Sheik doesn't have a move that really covers her front with decent priority & safety, and simultaneously encroaches a good chunk of the stage (which is basically the recipe for a quality approach - look at Falco's laser & dair). For Sheik, her high priority moves have high range because of how far she extends her limbs but don't actually cover that much space (because of low aerial mobility, her fair's arc, her bair not hitting on front, or her needing to stop to tilt [on a side note, ground moves are usually not so good for approaching]). Where Pikachu can lob some form of SH nair into dash dance camps to keep the opponent honest, Sheik really can't because she doesn't really have anything like that (aside from needles, I guess, but standing needles are a really defensive play by necessity). The closest thing she has is her own nair (and the obvious dash attack & boost grab), but her high SH cripples the offensive use of her SHFFL (but buffs its defensive use by expanding the reaction window on beating attacks). The result is basically that Sheik's offense needs to be controlled & paced because she can't threaten the whole stage - she needs to gradually take it. In this sense, her offense is kind of a spin-off of her defense. Only, you're proactively challenging space and then defending the new spot, rather than pulling opponents into your death wall. It's neat. Sometimes it's very effective.
If it helps, think of how Dr. Peepee's Marth plays. Only, you don't have d-tilt (which is honestly a big deal), you don't have dash dance (also a huge deal), and instead you have a plethora of slightly laggier but comboing tilts, a better shield game, a good WD back, a decent run > crouch, air needles (okay vs some chars), the ability to waveland off platforms into hard ranged moves, and a fair that's safer if you miss it (basically, a bunch of slightly worse but still respectable options). The overall principle remains the same - you're boxing the opponent into a zone and then picking off their options from there until you can just SH and cover their remaining options or force them to jump and tilt > fair them to death, etc.
Unfortunately, there are obvious drawbacks to this style (like with any style). The issue run-stop offense Sheik faces is that by moving forward you shrink the reaction window for timing her attacks. This can restrict the usefulness of the style against characters that can run her over in the absence of the reaction window (unless she starts flailing around and prays her limbs connect on the opponent, but at that point you're not playing offensive Sheik so much as you're playing 'please protect me from scary Falco my legs!', which is really just a bad version of defensive Sheik). That said, it's still a very good mixup (staggered Foxes can often by caught by this in my experience, and it's sometimes great vs slower characters like Ganon, Jigglypuff, and Peach) so you should know it just for that. And in my own experience against good players, some of them are just so much better at dealing with the standard Sheik that it's actually beneficial to play her janky offense as the main style.
It's a real shame that her only real way of attacking a big piece of ground is by dash attack or boost grab. While these are both strong options, they aren't good enough to be the foundation of a whole style (not anymore, anyway). So they're kind of demoted to "strong mixup". Which is alright, I guess. But they're nothing like Marth dash dance, Fox jump distance & dash dance, Falco laser, Falcon dash dance & jump stuff in general, Peach turnip > float zoning, etc. Y'know... the much better ground control & approach tools.
soap
Smash Hero
After a long time of giving up on needle approaches cuz they were too hard to set up and didn't yield enough a guarantee of a followup, I've been trying to work them back in more to my shffl game. Into a kind of quasi-offense as you are saying.
The key here is having a full to near full charge as that is what you gives that formidable extra option. Most of the use is based off that aerial to ground needle animation versatility.
Alright to explain I'll use the scenario of FD vs. Fox.:
We are both running each at each other towards center stage in that endless game of chicken. Usually I would run to the point of about where he is gonna attack and short hop back to counter the nair. The problem is when he just stops out of range, you have just conceded space to him. Although you still have alot of options, you can only short hop backwards a couple more times from this position before you are cornered.
Now, consider had you short hopped forward early as he was running at you, and you had spaced it so that as you are entering the space where he can nair, you have already gone past the peak of your short hop and can viably defend with fair.
The obvious is that if he takes heed of your short hop and does not continue forward you have to land. Enter the needle options:
If you have some needles already on you, from a short hop you can tap down to fastfall and tap b and sheik will go thru the startup animation of throwing an aerial needle but she lands too early and it turns into a standing needle. This effectively looks like falco sh lasers somewhat. Obviously a full charge is really needed to drive point home of "stop spacing so far away from shffls."
If you don't have needles you can also land and hold the charge and use the threat of needles to lock down ground options or force them in the air. The key thing to keep in mind is you want to keep pushing pressure towards their corner.
This is all very spacing dependent obviously. If they space just out of shffl range you probably wouldn't even want to shoot them point blank even with a full charge, altho that is useful at times too. You have your other options of empty sh move/waveland back/ waveland forward
Also, Short hop and full hop needle charge approaches can be held and turned into ground pressure. This is also an excellent way to gather needles in general, because it is mobile and has the illusion of attack.
Now, ways to counter this are general tactics used to counter standing needles anyway. Full hops. Just be aware that you can store and re-space. More often than not you actually want to store and re-space.
It's obviously not guaranteed combo starters you're getting but it is a certain layer of protection to your aerial game. At the least, I find it real useful for safe low percent damage. It may seem like a novelty trick that will not trick people repeatedly, but the true strength is what you can do when they start adapting. If instead of dash dancing into pressure you get them to try a platform workaround approach, and now you get to trap their way back down.
The key here is having a full to near full charge as that is what you gives that formidable extra option. Most of the use is based off that aerial to ground needle animation versatility.
Alright to explain I'll use the scenario of FD vs. Fox.:
We are both running each at each other towards center stage in that endless game of chicken. Usually I would run to the point of about where he is gonna attack and short hop back to counter the nair. The problem is when he just stops out of range, you have just conceded space to him. Although you still have alot of options, you can only short hop backwards a couple more times from this position before you are cornered.
Now, consider had you short hopped forward early as he was running at you, and you had spaced it so that as you are entering the space where he can nair, you have already gone past the peak of your short hop and can viably defend with fair.
The obvious is that if he takes heed of your short hop and does not continue forward you have to land. Enter the needle options:
If you have some needles already on you, from a short hop you can tap down to fastfall and tap b and sheik will go thru the startup animation of throwing an aerial needle but she lands too early and it turns into a standing needle. This effectively looks like falco sh lasers somewhat. Obviously a full charge is really needed to drive point home of "stop spacing so far away from shffls."
If you don't have needles you can also land and hold the charge and use the threat of needles to lock down ground options or force them in the air. The key thing to keep in mind is you want to keep pushing pressure towards their corner.
This is all very spacing dependent obviously. If they space just out of shffl range you probably wouldn't even want to shoot them point blank even with a full charge, altho that is useful at times too. You have your other options of empty sh move/waveland back/ waveland forward
Also, Short hop and full hop needle charge approaches can be held and turned into ground pressure. This is also an excellent way to gather needles in general, because it is mobile and has the illusion of attack.
Now, ways to counter this are general tactics used to counter standing needles anyway. Full hops. Just be aware that you can store and re-space. More often than not you actually want to store and re-space.
It's obviously not guaranteed combo starters you're getting but it is a certain layer of protection to your aerial game. At the least, I find it real useful for safe low percent damage. It may seem like a novelty trick that will not trick people repeatedly, but the true strength is what you can do when they start adapting. If instead of dash dancing into pressure you get them to try a platform workaround approach, and now you get to trap their way back down.
darkatma
Smash Hero
I really want to get some friendlies with Unknown at the big house with Sheik
I hope he can end up making it
I hope he can end up making it
KK, you going to BH2?
knightpraetor
Smash Champion
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2005
- Messages
- 2,321
dang, reading KK's post on sheik makes me realize how silly I am to complain about not being able to approach with marth's aerials safely against fox like marth can on most of the cast. I still have great grab range and dash attack and dtilt to poke with so at least i'm not forced to do what sheik does.
but then I always thought sheiks were amazing when they beat top fox/falco players, but it makes you realize that while you're worrying about all the weaknesses in your strategies and your character other people have similar gripes about the limitations of their own.
Except falco players, their only gripe is that powershielding exists lol
but then I always thought sheiks were amazing when they beat top fox/falco players, but it makes you realize that while you're worrying about all the weaknesses in your strategies and your character other people have similar gripes about the limitations of their own.
Except falco players, their only gripe is that powershielding exists lol
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
*shrug*
It's not so bad.
It's not so bad.
silentSWAG
Smash Lord
Sylvester still stoned
omgwtfToph
Smash Master
KK, are there any vids of the tournament you got 3rd?
Also, are there any sets you particularly think are worth watching?
Also, are there any sets you particularly think are worth watching?
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
I think me and weon-x/unknown were both recorded
unknown522
Some guy
Oh god. Every set is bad this month. It's laughable
joejoe22802
Smash Ace
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2005
- Messages
- 873
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQIz85cJUtI&feature=g-all-u
Hey guys, I'd appreciate if you all could give me some advice on this set vs Sung.
Hey guys, I'd appreciate if you all could give me some advice on this set vs Sung.
You were all over the place.
You'd do a really good string of moves, then fsmash accidentally, or roll into him.
There isn't much I personally can critique, but what I can say is I really liked your use of walljumps. With platforms like YS, if you're below it, upthrow them, and follow it with a dair to pop them up. The longer they stay in the air on YOUR accord, the better it is for you. With that being said, if he's in control and in the air, remember he has dair, and can really mess you up if he follows it up with a shine pillar. If you get dair'd, it's always best to try to not land on a platform. If you do, you have nowhere to go, which leads to you getting fsmashed.
Work on your edgeguarding. Sometimes the best option is to just regrab the ledge for the frames, and roll when they go for the. You wouldn't imagine the amount of spacies that will try to fight you for the ledge when you're on it.
Instances where you backthrow, do a rising nair if they sideb. If they firebird from below, go down there and do a rising fair or bair, or do a falling nair hitting Falco's head with Sheik's bottom leg. depending on whichever is more opportune. If they are firebirding above, they will most likely go to the edge, which can be solved with a good timed run off fair.
Just mix up your approaches. With a Falco that moved kinda slow at points like he did, take control of the match, play offensively, and don't back down if he's back away.
If you're coming down above him, dair isn't always the best option, because they can shield grab you if they shield. Best option is to do a falling nair, using Sheik's bottom leg to cover the option of them being exposed, or in a shield.
Don't be afraid to use your needles more. They're a great tool. They cut through lasers.
Your tech skill is really good. Better than mine, probably. You just kinda left yourself open to get attacked quite a bit. Sometimes shielding and wavedashing out of it to get away is the best option.
You'd do a really good string of moves, then fsmash accidentally, or roll into him.
There isn't much I personally can critique, but what I can say is I really liked your use of walljumps. With platforms like YS, if you're below it, upthrow them, and follow it with a dair to pop them up. The longer they stay in the air on YOUR accord, the better it is for you. With that being said, if he's in control and in the air, remember he has dair, and can really mess you up if he follows it up with a shine pillar. If you get dair'd, it's always best to try to not land on a platform. If you do, you have nowhere to go, which leads to you getting fsmashed.
Work on your edgeguarding. Sometimes the best option is to just regrab the ledge for the frames, and roll when they go for the. You wouldn't imagine the amount of spacies that will try to fight you for the ledge when you're on it.
Instances where you backthrow, do a rising nair if they sideb. If they firebird from below, go down there and do a rising fair or bair, or do a falling nair hitting Falco's head with Sheik's bottom leg. depending on whichever is more opportune. If they are firebirding above, they will most likely go to the edge, which can be solved with a good timed run off fair.
Just mix up your approaches. With a Falco that moved kinda slow at points like he did, take control of the match, play offensively, and don't back down if he's back away.
If you're coming down above him, dair isn't always the best option, because they can shield grab you if they shield. Best option is to do a falling nair, using Sheik's bottom leg to cover the option of them being exposed, or in a shield.
Don't be afraid to use your needles more. They're a great tool. They cut through lasers.
Your tech skill is really good. Better than mine, probably. You just kinda left yourself open to get attacked quite a bit. Sometimes shielding and wavedashing out of it to get away is the best option.
soap
Smash Hero
You have good movement and a nice platform game. Perhaps just focus it a bit more. What I mean is instead of just going up there to dance and evade, have a specific purpose and an angle you are trying to get. Be on and off and back in his face.
Do not wavedash back away when you have him in shield. It seems you were looking for a roll in, but you can cover that by simply turning around. You give him enough space to laser and re-establish control.
Do not try to double jump over falco to regain stage postion. He jumps too high.
Clean up your tech chases. At the very least never let a spacie tech in place and shine you. Always look for that option first and have your grab/downsmash/usmash whatever ready.
Some nice edgeguards but alot of flubbed ones too. Alot of times I know I can't get to their illusion in time and I'll just look for a regrab on stage.
Why so much Yoshi's? Also, I wouldn't counterpick Fountain against falco. He combos too hard on those platforms. I'm guessing he banned battlefield. I like Dreamland if you are good at working with alot of space.
joejoe22802
Smash Ace
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2005
- Messages
- 873
Hey thanks sweet and soap. These tips were really helpful since I almost never play with a plan. Keep it coming.
darkatma
Smash Hero
Uh oh, I may be feeling the sheik for TBH2 :D
Had a TON of fun playing her tonight, like more than I ever have. Mostly because I was doing 95% of what I wanted to do 70% of the time.
Had a TON of fun playing her tonight, like more than I ever have. Mostly because I was doing 95% of what I wanted to do 70% of the time.
SonuvaBeach
Smash Lord
I love that feeling. Most of my failures aren't because I didn't know what to do, but because I fullhopped accidently, or f-smashed, etc. I'm planning on continuing to practice techskill at least 15 minutes a day in hopes that this won't happen at TBH2.
I hope you play sheik, I'll be looking for when you do for sure.
Gonna watch those KK videos now from 6-4, despite whether or not he's happy about them
I hope you play sheik, I'll be looking for when you do for sure.
Gonna watch those KK videos now from 6-4, despite whether or not he's happy about them
soap
Smash Hero
I'm gonna miss big house cuz I had other plans already in place. I did really want to go tho. Honestly really back into melee nowadays. Like I'm fiendin for it.
Anyways good luck to all my sheiks going.
Anyways good luck to all my sheiks going.
Doser
Smash Ace
Where can I watch them?
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
youtube search: kirbykaze
filter by most recent
filter by most recent
darkatma
Smash Hero
http://www.youtube.com/user/JethrotexMeleeFun
for the lazy
for the lazy
silentSWAG
Smash Lord
damn those Canadians are good at the sheik match up
Smooth Criminal
Da Cheef
y u control Sheik so well, KK.
Smooth Criminal
Smooth Criminal
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2011
- Messages
- 5,493
brb moving to Canada to learn how to fight Sheik
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
Because if you can't control your character, you're driving a tricycle instead of a Harley.
KK, you should tell me what to do in Pool 6 for BH2.
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
The best players are Puff & Samus so probably a lot of bair & fair.
You're my new dad.
KirbyKaze
Smash Legend
You really don't want me as your Dad :X
Anyway, more detail 'cuz I feel like gossiping about players.
Idea is pretty solid vs Sheik AFAIK so you might be screwed against him (he was beating Amsah's Sheik at APEX although gay MU sometimes makes people not try plus last day johns plus he has me training and idk if Amsah cared about those friendlies anyway [and I mean absolutely no disrespect to Amsah - you know I think you're good]). Plus the MU is against you (although only by a bit now *flex*). Just don't grab at her crouch, max-range all your grabs, never dash JC grab (walk > max range grab is so much safer, better, etc), be good OOS with WD (nair OOS is sometimes good but WD should be the go-to), and try to keep better footing when you're at advantage and just swat her as she tries to get back into the game (see me vs HBox on BF in WB to see what I mean). On that note, Idea is pretty aggressive unless he's losing by a lot so you can probably play defense if you're comfortable on it without really competing for it. Playing offense vs Puff's offense is tricky but doable. Be prepared to run-stop a lot and SH needles are going to be an MVP vs Puff's SH aerials. Also, something you should be aware of... he goes for cheese a lot (pounds near the edge, u-tilt vs shields, etc). Don't get pulled into his BS KO attempts; if you're solid enough you should handle that fine but be aware of it. On that note, if you handle the cheese well, you'll probably benefit from it a lot - many free grabs and hits are hidden in those cheese attempts if you're cheese-savvy and know the timings for the counters.
Oh and watch out for tomahawk grab. It's kind of a classic Puff play but if you're not ready for it you might get grabbed a zillion times and most of them were avoidable.
As for Duck... Duck is super patient and will probably have better spacing than you with his normals and such but it's Samus. You're allowed some leeway for spacing 'cuz your moves are better. Duck plays pretty standard overall, just way more defensive so standard Samus stuff applies: respect her sidestep, WD back, CC, d-smash, and tilts. Then find a way to grab her (conditioning her to shield vs your super safe aerials and then mixing up with grab is a good start). Also - jump OOS if you think she's coming in for a grab (Unknown says you can react but I can't so intuition may be a good way to do it - Sheik's jump away isn't particularly punishable anyway). Also - a lot of Samus players telegraph grabs with movement tricks (usually some kind of DD) but Duck might be above those kinds of habits since he's good. Something to keep in mind though. D-throw into uair if you have the tech skill to do it, otherwise fair her and try to keep pressure on her / deny her the footing she wants. I don't believe in platform camping but it can work if you want to play the attrition game (most effective with a big lead). Don't bother to outcamp missiles with needles. Just crouch them, waveland across platforms, etc. Samus has issues with Sheik in combat so just play to that. You hit her hard with grab and she doesn't have good answers to air needles, fair, and bair unless she can get her u-tilt out or stuff them on prediction with a rambo nair or something.
I don't know the other people in your pool but unknowns generally play FFers (probably Falco). And preparing for Samus & Puff gives you the gist of how you're gonna fight Peach.
Good luck!
Anyway, more detail 'cuz I feel like gossiping about players.
Idea is pretty solid vs Sheik AFAIK so you might be screwed against him (he was beating Amsah's Sheik at APEX although gay MU sometimes makes people not try plus last day johns plus he has me training and idk if Amsah cared about those friendlies anyway [and I mean absolutely no disrespect to Amsah - you know I think you're good]). Plus the MU is against you (although only by a bit now *flex*). Just don't grab at her crouch, max-range all your grabs, never dash JC grab (walk > max range grab is so much safer, better, etc), be good OOS with WD (nair OOS is sometimes good but WD should be the go-to), and try to keep better footing when you're at advantage and just swat her as she tries to get back into the game (see me vs HBox on BF in WB to see what I mean). On that note, Idea is pretty aggressive unless he's losing by a lot so you can probably play defense if you're comfortable on it without really competing for it. Playing offense vs Puff's offense is tricky but doable. Be prepared to run-stop a lot and SH needles are going to be an MVP vs Puff's SH aerials. Also, something you should be aware of... he goes for cheese a lot (pounds near the edge, u-tilt vs shields, etc). Don't get pulled into his BS KO attempts; if you're solid enough you should handle that fine but be aware of it. On that note, if you handle the cheese well, you'll probably benefit from it a lot - many free grabs and hits are hidden in those cheese attempts if you're cheese-savvy and know the timings for the counters.
Oh and watch out for tomahawk grab. It's kind of a classic Puff play but if you're not ready for it you might get grabbed a zillion times and most of them were avoidable.
As for Duck... Duck is super patient and will probably have better spacing than you with his normals and such but it's Samus. You're allowed some leeway for spacing 'cuz your moves are better. Duck plays pretty standard overall, just way more defensive so standard Samus stuff applies: respect her sidestep, WD back, CC, d-smash, and tilts. Then find a way to grab her (conditioning her to shield vs your super safe aerials and then mixing up with grab is a good start). Also - jump OOS if you think she's coming in for a grab (Unknown says you can react but I can't so intuition may be a good way to do it - Sheik's jump away isn't particularly punishable anyway). Also - a lot of Samus players telegraph grabs with movement tricks (usually some kind of DD) but Duck might be above those kinds of habits since he's good. Something to keep in mind though. D-throw into uair if you have the tech skill to do it, otherwise fair her and try to keep pressure on her / deny her the footing she wants. I don't believe in platform camping but it can work if you want to play the attrition game (most effective with a big lead). Don't bother to outcamp missiles with needles. Just crouch them, waveland across platforms, etc. Samus has issues with Sheik in combat so just play to that. You hit her hard with grab and she doesn't have good answers to air needles, fair, and bair unless she can get her u-tilt out or stuff them on prediction with a rambo nair or something.
I don't know the other people in your pool but unknowns generally play FFers (probably Falco). And preparing for Samus & Puff gives you the gist of how you're gonna fight Peach.
Good luck!
darkatma
Smash Hero
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gquhja3c4M
How to beat duck from 1.5 years ago
more samus MU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_O76S1jEsk vs darrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZI9QKeQ7SI vs IHSB
Darrell has the best vs sheik game of any samus i've played, but the matchup is heavily skewed in sheik's favor.
Edit: I'm no expert at the matchup, just good enough to beat most of the good sami.
How to beat duck from 1.5 years ago
more samus MU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_O76S1jEsk vs darrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZI9QKeQ7SI vs IHSB
Darrell has the best vs sheik game of any samus i've played, but the matchup is heavily skewed in sheik's favor.
Edit: I'm no expert at the matchup, just good enough to beat most of the good sami.