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Zelda (SSBM): Difference between revisions
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snarky edit comments aside, a lot of this is sugarcoating and biased (eg "she is undervalued by most the the community")
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Despite most of her moves dealing high knockback, she has an acceptable combo game. Her dash attack is her primary combo starter on the ground, all of her tilts are great comboing moves, her forward tilt send her opponents backwards, allowing for potential combo starters, her up tilt can juggle at low percentages and follow-up with a up aerial when it stops comboing and her down tilt can combo into itself until around 95% and can also combo into her down smash. Up smash can also be used a few times in a row at low percentages if the opponent gets caught right above her. In addition to this, Zelda possesses a good grab game, having the 9th longest non-tether grab range in the game. Her up throw can be a kill confirm around 80% as it leads to a guaranteed bair/fair on certain matchups. It also has the potential to chain throw at low percentages, and her down throw has several potential follow-ups, such as a dash attack, Lightning Kick, or even a forward tilt and can set up stage spikes and early edge-guards. Her forward and back throws are quite powerful and can set up edge-guards or even K.O. at high percentages. Her down air also has a fair amount of utility if edge cancelled. It can lock down some ennemies to garantee a bair/fair if fast falled. Neutral air can also be used to garantee these aerials (on certain matchups) if landed without the last hitbox, which will make the opponent pop up with a set knockback. | Despite most of her moves dealing high knockback, she has an acceptable combo game. Her dash attack is her primary combo starter on the ground, all of her tilts are great comboing moves, her forward tilt send her opponents backwards, allowing for potential combo starters, her up tilt can juggle at low percentages and follow-up with a up aerial when it stops comboing and her down tilt can combo into itself until around 95% and can also combo into her down smash. Up smash can also be used a few times in a row at low percentages if the opponent gets caught right above her. In addition to this, Zelda possesses a good grab game, having the 9th longest non-tether grab range in the game. Her up throw can be a kill confirm around 80% as it leads to a guaranteed bair/fair on certain matchups. It also has the potential to chain throw at low percentages, and her down throw has several potential follow-ups, such as a dash attack, Lightning Kick, or even a forward tilt and can set up stage spikes and early edge-guards. Her forward and back throws are quite powerful and can set up edge-guards or even K.O. at high percentages. Her down air also has a fair amount of utility if edge cancelled. It can lock down some ennemies to garantee a bair/fair if fast falled. Neutral air can also be used to garantee these aerials (on certain matchups) if landed without the last hitbox, which will make the opponent pop up with a set knockback. | ||
Zelda also possesses a fast initial dash speed and initial airdodge speed, allowing her to move fairly quickly around platforms when optimized at its best. When timed perfectly, removes almost any lag on landing. As mentioned, her initial dash speed is abnormally fast, as it reaches the peak of the dash speed almost instantly. Dashing for between 2 and 4 frames before wavedashing leads to an extended wavedash; it is a faster way to cover ground than dashing, or wavedashing. | |||
On the ground, Zelda has a slow dashing speed, a short wavedash, and a slow dash dance; combined with decidedly average range in her attacks, Zelda cannot effectively attack on the ground. Zelda doesn't fare better in the air; despite an above average air speed, Zelda suffers from a low falling speed and a high short hop, leading to a very poor SHFFL. Zelda's lack of an effective projectile also prevents her from attacking from afar; [[Din's Fire]] is far too laggy, weak, and predictable to be an effective projectile. | On the ground, Zelda has a slow dashing speed, a short wavedash, and a slow dash dance; combined with decidedly average range in her attacks, Zelda cannot effectively attack on the ground. Zelda doesn't fare better in the air; despite an above average air speed, Zelda suffers from a low falling speed and a high short hop, leading to a very poor SHFFL. Zelda's lack of an effective projectile also prevents her from attacking from afar; [[Din's Fire]] is far too laggy, weak, and predictable to be an effective projectile. | ||
Despite her array of powerful moves and decent platform movement, she suffers numerous flaws. In addition to a poor approach on the ground, most of Zelda's moveset consists of unreliable finishers. Her up smash suffer from SDI problems as opponents can easily SDI out of it before the last hit. Zelda's up aerial, while powerful, is impossible to land on a grounded opponent, as it has some start-up lag and the hitbox is just above her. Her Lightning Kicks need to be sweetspotted to KO effectively and finally, her forward and back throws can only KO at very high percentages when used near the edge. As such, Zelda's up tilt and down smash are possibly her only reliable KO moves and even those have their flaws; the former is rather slow and the latter is rather weak for a smash attack. | |||
Despite her array of powerful moves and | |||
Zelda also suffers from having generally situational specials (save [[Transform]]). Nayru's Love can only harm attackers in short ranges, and it has high ending lag and it doesn't protect her from attacks above her. Din's Fire, as mentioned earlier, doesn't aid her approach at all and it too suffers from high ending lag. [[Farore's Wind]], generally considered her best special move, as its hitbox can lead most of the time to a bair / fair if done properly. It also allows Zelda to have some extremely precise techs on platforms and ledges. One of the main use of up B, is the ability to stall at the ledge while remaining invincible, while also throwing constant hitboxes. The move itself has a rather low ending lag when Zelda lands on the ground with it, wich can be used to have some tricky movement. Although when reentering with Up B while airborne, the move has an awkwardly long endling lag, wich can be easy for opponents to react. It can also be edge cancelled to make some surprise attacks. Although Farore’s Wind can grant | Zelda also suffers from having generally situational specials (save [[Transform]]). Nayru's Love can only harm attackers in short ranges, and it has high ending lag and it doesn't protect her from attacks above her. Din's Fire, as mentioned earlier, doesn't aid her approach at all and it too suffers from high ending lag. [[Farore's Wind]], generally considered her best special move, as its hitbox can lead most of the time to a bair / fair if done properly. It also allows Zelda to have some extremely precise techs on platforms and ledges. One of the main use of up B, is the ability to stall at the ledge while remaining invincible, while also throwing constant hitboxes. The move itself has a rather low ending lag when Zelda lands on the ground with it, wich can be used to have some tricky movement. Although when reentering with Up B while airborne, the move has an awkwardly long endling lag, wich can be easy for opponents to react. It can also be edge cancelled to make some surprise attacks. Although Farore’s Wind can grant some decent vertical distance, she can be susceptible to missing the ledge or landing in an exploitable spot on-stage, leaving her susceptible to punishes. It is also burdened for being rather slow and for lacking power. | ||
Zelda mostly wants to have a defensive gameplay by trying to find openings for grabs, dash attacks, or lightning kicks. While engaging a fight isn't her forte, she does have a lot of tools to counterattack. Also optimizing her movement is extremely important to mitigate her slow speed, as she will be able to be on par against the rest of the cast. Many players beleive that her short wavedash makes it useless to use. While partially true, she benefits alot from wavesurfing on the ground. Wave dashing can be used to mix up her movement around platforms and micro-space herself, wich is crucial for her in order to find openings. She also greatly benefits from platforms, due to her mechanics that allows her to zip fairly quickly around them. In addition, Zelda also has very good OOS options, such as down smash, short hop fair/bair, up smash and neutral B. By being extremely technical, mixed with the fact she is being currently undervalued by many players, Zelda is pretty held back by the lack of development. She could potentially have what it takes to fight against high-tier characters on her own. | Zelda mostly wants to have a defensive gameplay by trying to find openings for grabs, dash attacks, or lightning kicks. While engaging a fight isn't her forte, she does have a lot of tools to counterattack. Also optimizing her movement is extremely important to mitigate her slow speed, as she will be able to be on par against the rest of the cast. Many players beleive that her short wavedash makes it useless to use. While partially true, she benefits alot from wavesurfing on the ground. Wave dashing can be used to mix up her movement around platforms and micro-space herself, wich is crucial for her in order to find openings. She also greatly benefits from platforms, due to her mechanics that allows her to zip fairly quickly around them. In addition, Zelda also has very good OOS options, such as down smash, short hop fair/bair, up smash and neutral B. By being extremely technical, mixed with the fact she is being currently undervalued by many players, Zelda is pretty held back by the lack of development. She could potentially have what it takes to fight against high-tier characters on her own. | ||
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Although Zelda may possess a few small niches against some high-tier characters, such as her lightning kicks that can KO unaware opponents, most of them are difficult to land and these same characters can work around them and easily retaliate with their own vastly superior and consistent movesets, such as {{SSBM|Fox}} and {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}}. While Zelda’s low weight may be beneficial in hindering opposing combos, her large hurtbox makes it easier for other top-tiers to set up comboes on her, requiring her to achieve multiple successful reads to hold equal footing against the majority of the cast. | Although Zelda may possess a few small niches against some high-tier characters, such as her lightning kicks that can KO unaware opponents, most of them are difficult to land and these same characters can work around them and easily retaliate with their own vastly superior and consistent movesets, such as {{SSBM|Fox}} and {{SSBM|Jigglypuff}}. While Zelda’s low weight may be beneficial in hindering opposing combos, her large hurtbox makes it easier for other top-tiers to set up comboes on her, requiring her to achieve multiple successful reads to hold equal footing against the majority of the cast. | ||
====Current metagame==== | ====Current metagame==== | ||
Almost all of Zelda's supposed winning matchups are considered to be semi to non-viable in the current meta, and many of them actually have a few (albeit situational) tools to combat the best characters in the game, making them overall better than her despite her advantages in the head-to-head. | |||
Overall, Zelda suffers from a metagame that has not seen a great deal of development in recent years | Overall, Zelda suffers from a metagame that has not seen a great deal of development in recent years. Many of her notable players, such as {{Sm|Narcissa}} and {{Sm|Magus}}, have since retired or stopped playing the character entirely. Those who continue to solo main her, such as {{Sm|The Lake}}, have become rather inactive and suffer from worsening tournament placements as other top-tier characters continue to have their metas being pushed. | ||
===Notable players=== | ===Notable players=== | ||
:''See also: [[:Category:Zelda professionals (SSBM)]]'' | :''See also: [[:Category:Zelda professionals (SSBM)]]'' | ||
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*{{Sm|Drephen|USA}} (#49) - Despite being a {{SSBM|Sheik}} main, he is known to switch to Zelda for recoveries far more frequently than other Sheik players, often to his own detriment. He also sometimes uses Zelda as a counterpick against the Ice Climbers. | *{{Sm|Drephen|USA}} (#49) - Despite being a {{SSBM|Sheik}} main, he is known to switch to Zelda for recoveries far more frequently than other Sheik players, often to his own detriment. He also sometimes uses Zelda as a counterpick against the Ice Climbers. | ||
*{{Sm|Kalne|Japan}} - Co-mains Zelda and {{SSBU|Sheik}}. Ranked 37th on the [[Japan SSBM Rank 2019]]. | *{{Sm|Kalne|Japan}} - Co-mains Zelda and {{SSBU|Sheik}}. Ranked 37th on the [[Japan SSBM Rank 2019]]. | ||
*{{Sm|Rienne|USA}} - Created [https://www.profaneto.me/2017/07/the-profane-tome-index.html?m=1 The Profane Tome], which is considered a "bible" for Zelda players | *{{Sm|Rienne|USA}} - Created [https://www.profaneto.me/2017/07/the-profane-tome-index.html?m=1 The Profane Tome], which is considered a "bible" for Zelda players. | ||
====Inactive==== | ====Inactive==== | ||