User:Monsieur Crow/Sheilda rewrite

Sheilda, also referred to as Zelda/Sheik, Z-Sheik and similar terms, is a term that refers to the usage of Zelda and Sheik in tandem in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The term is primarily used in statistical rankings of the games, due to relatively little tournament representation for the playstyle.

As a playstyle
Sheilda is an unorthodox style that requires extensive knowledge of both Zelda and Sheik to use properly, as well as knowledge unique to the playstyle. In order to maximise Sheilda's efficiency, players need to be aware of which options are available to the two characters in the midst of battle, as well as have proper knowledge of when Transform can be safely used. Specific knowledge of individual matchups is also important, as to improve the survivability of either character against specific opponents.

Conventionally, the use of Sheilda as a playstyle strictly involves the use of both characters; solely using Transform to use Zelda for recovery is not considered use of the playstyle.

In tier lists
A combined Sheilda position is featured on the Brawl tier list, and the position first appeared in its fifth tier list. Currently, Sheilda is ranked 24th on the eighth tier list, placing directly above (25th) and thirteen places higher than  (37th). Sheilda, however, is not given a specific mean of votes, and is intentionally placed above Sheik under the idea that Zelda's few advantages would make a mixed playstyle of the two characters slightly more viable than Sheik alone. Earlier revisions of the list featured significant divides between the two spots, with the seventh list featuring a gap of four places between Sheilda (21st) and Sheik (25th). Despite this theoretical advantage, Sheilda has rarely been used at tournaments; research by showed that both Zelda and Sheik were separately used more often than a combined unit in Brawl tournaments. The reason can potentially be attributed to Zelda's poor tournament viability, as the character has consistently ranked as the second-least viable character in Brawl's metagame since the fifth tier list.

Sheilda is effectively unused in Melee, owing to Sheik's high viability both in the general metagame and in comparison to Zelda; Sheik places fourth on the tier list compared to Zelda's twenty-second position. Owing to this, the Melee tier list has not recognised a position for the playstyle in any of its incarnations.