Zelda (SSB4): Difference between revisions

However, Zelda's numerous flaws are severe enough to completely outweigh these strengths: her mobility, [[hitbox]] placements, survivability, and [[neutral game]] are all among the worst, while her [[projectile]]s are middling. A large number of her attacks are KO moves that require the landing of a [[sweetspot]] to be effective, resulting in her KOing ability being rather weak and netting her an abundance of ineffective moves. Din's Fire is slow, easily avoidable and leaves Zelda vulnerable due to its lag and rendering her [[helpless]] in midair, though it has use in [[doubles]] by supporting a teammate. [[Phantom Slash]] requires charging to cover any actual distance and can even be rendered temporarily inactive if the Phantom is destroyed, but it can become a useful edge-guarding option if timed properly and also possesses impressive power when fully charged. Finally and most notably, Zelda can no longer [[Transform]] into {{SSB4|Sheik}} to alleviate her weaknesses, due to the latter having become an entirely separate character. This is compounded even further by the massive amount of buffs Sheik received.

As a result of her numerous, glaring weaknesses, Zelda has garnered poor results and representation in competitive play.

*{{nerf|Dash attack's hitbox duration is shorter (frames 6-13 → 6-10).}}

*{{nerf|Forward tilt deals less damage (13%/12%/11% → 12%/10%) and its hitbox duration is shorter (frames 12-14 → 10).}}

*{{nerf|Down smash has increased start-up lag (frame 4 → 5 (front), frame 12 → 13 (back)), resulting in it no longer being the fastest down smash. Its hitbox durations are shorter (frames 4-6 (front) → 5-6, frames 12-14 → 13-14 (back)) and it has lost the intangibility around Zelda's leg.}}

*{{buff|Neutral aerial's back hits now drag the opponent toward the front hits, allowing the move to deal more damage from that position.}}

*{{nerf|Both Lightning Kicks autocancel later (25 (forward)/26 (back) → 50>/52>) and they can no longer autocancel with a short hop.}}

*{{nerf|Sweetspotted down aerial has decreased knockback (50 (base)/90 (growth) → 30/65).}}

*{{nerf|[[Nayru's Love]] deals 4% less damage (15% → 11%) due to consisting of four hits instead of six. Additionally, the removal of [[momentum canceling]] makes Nayru's Love Jump gain significantly less vertical height, hindering its recovery potential.}}

*{{buff|Nayru's Love has increased intangibility frames (5-11 → 5-15) and its hits connect together better.}}

*{{buff|[[Farore's Wind]] deals more damage (12% → 16%/13%/18%/14%) and has decreased start-up lag (frame 11 → 7). Additionally, its grounded first hit's angle has been altered (80° → 91°), allowing it to combo into its reappearance hit. Lastly, its reappearance hit has altered knockback (40 (base)/100 (growth) → 90/90), granting it KO potential.}}

*{{buff|Farore's Wind travels farther, gains significantly more height when used with a jump, and it now snaps the edge when first used, rather than needing Zelda to reappear first. Altogether, these changes significantly improve its recovery potential.}}

Update [[1.1.5]] brought about some of Zelda's more noteworthy buffs, such as increased damage outputs to her neutral attack, neutral aerial and up aerial, with the latter's hitbox size also increasing and thus becoming a more reliable KOing option. In addition, Zelda's grab had its range improved, while her forward tilt and down smash became less laggy. Although some of her attacks also saw a slight decrease in knockback growth via updates, they all now allow Zelda to rack up damage more reliably to set up a KOing option. Regardless, Zelda still remains at a disadvantage compared to most of the cast.

*{{buff|Up smash has been improved. Its knockback increased, its multiple hits' hitbox sizes increased|3u|3.5u and its SDI multipliers decreased, improving its KO potential.}}

*{{change|Neutral aerial's front hits and back hits' damage outputs reversed|1% (front)/2% (back)|2%/1%.}}

*{{buff|Neutral, up and down aerials' landing lag decreased|22 (neutral, up)/21 (down)|19/18.}}

*{{buff|Neutral attack has been improved. It deals 2% more damage|6%|8%, its hits connect together better and its angle altered, improving its combo potential.}}

*{{buff|Up tilt's ending lag decreased|32|29, improving its combo potential.}}

*{{buff|Neutral aerial's back hits now drag opponents toward its front hits, allowing the move to deal more damage from that position.}}

|neutraldesc=Extends her arm and emits a small blast of [[magic]]al energy from her hand. It launches opponents slightly backward, making it a decent combo starter at low percents. It hits on frame 11, making it the slowest neutral attack in the game, although it has minimal ending lag. The hitbox follows Zelda's palm, meaning it can miss if the opponent is either small and/or [[crouching]].

|fsmashdesc=A palm thrust that emits a blast of magical energy. Hits multiple times and deals decently high knockback, enabling it to KO around 108% and pressure shields.

|fthrowdesc=Magically spins the opponent in front of herself and then throws them away. One of the most damaging forward throws in the game. Useful for putting the opponent off-stage.

|uthrowdesc=Magically spins the opponent overhead and then throws them upward. One of the most damaging up throws in the game. On fast-fallers, it can be followed up with a neutral aerial or up aerial if timed precisely.

|dthrowdesc=Magically shoves the opponent underneath herself and then blasts them with fiery, magical energy from her hands. It launches the opponent overhead, which allows it to be followed up with a neutral aerial and, if timed precisely, an up aerial or a back aerial. At high percents, Zelda can also follow it up with an up aerial or back aerial to score a relatively secure KO.

|dsdefdmg=6% (uncharged), 14% (charged), 24% (fully charged), 11% (fully charged hit 1), 13% (fully charged hit 2)

|dsdefdesc=Conjures a {{s|zeldawiki|Phantom}} and propels it forward, slashing opponents and blocking attacks. A chargeable projectile, charging longer increases the distance covered and the slashing attack is altered. When fully charged, it becomes a two-hit attack. However, since the Phantom is considered a projectile, it can be [[Reflection|reflected]] and [[Pocket]]ed. The Phantom is also considered a physical entity and provides a few benefits as a result: it can slow down opponents that try to move through it (except for the Zelda that conjured it) and block some non-penetrating hits due to the Phantom having set health on all charges (which also applies to its custom variations). Unlike Din's Fire, it will not render Zelda helpless if used in midair.

|desc=Teleports onto the stage with magic glowing between her hands and magical sparkles rising up from the floor around her.

|desc-1=Clasps her hands together, which glow with magic, as if praying. She then turns her head and looks up toward the sky.

|desc-3=Puts her hands together in front of her torso, conjures [[Din's Fire]] between them and stares at it. Appears almost identical to her side taunt.

Due to Zelda's key flaws not being properly addressed in the transition from ''Brawl'', as well as the fact that {{SSB4|Sheik}} was made into a completely separate character and buffed significantly in the transition from ''Brawl'', Zelda was ranked 56th, placing her at the bottom of the entire tier list. Since then, game updates granted Zelda some helpful buffs, such as decreased lag on some moves, higher damage outputs and increased grab ranges. As a result, she is currently ranked 55th, which is a marginal improvement over her initial placement in ''SSB4'' and her placement in ''Brawl''. However, Zelda's initial and subsequent buffs are generally considered to be outweighed by the prominence of her inherent weaknesses, resulting in her having poor representation and results in tournaments.