Brawler Arsenal

Grounded Attacks

Neutral Attacks

Neutral Attacks

Sheik’s incredibly fast jab is one of the best offensive neutral attacks in the game. When shielded, she’s free to act at the same time as the opponent. Since her neutral attack comes out so quickly, she can beat out any kind of defensive response (unless it’s a well-timed shield-grab reprisal). Sheik’s jab is so quick that it can be looped into repeated jab strings (i.e., you can combo neutral attack 1, 2 into neutral attack 1, 2). While it may not be practical in most high-octane matches, it demonstrates her jab combo’s advantage and speed.

Jabs can be used both defensively and offensively. They can be used to follow up neutral air, forward air, and tilt attacks, allowing you to keep up offensive pressure safely.

The main weakness in her neutral attack is its low range, although this is mitigated by Sheik’s remarkable speed, as she can generally get into jab range whenever she pleases.

Dash Attack

Sheik uses her high-velocity dash momentum to carry out a horizontal slashing attack with her fingertips that knocks enemies into the air. While it boasts an impressive start speed for a dashing attack, Sheik’s dash attack launches foes up and far away from you, leaving little possibility for further combo damage. Because it has a lot of end lag (compared to Sheik’s side and down tilt attacks), it’s generally best saved for rare situations, like if you need the extra dash distance for punishing a retreating enemy. Otherwise, you’re better off using a sequence such as dash into side tilt, down tilt, or jab. Since Sheik’s dash speed is so remarkably quick, you should always be able to close the distance to get into range of your safer tilt attacks (they also lead into combos, whereas dashing attack does not).

Defensive Attacks

Tilts

Side Tilt

Sheik performs a swift slashing kick aimed forward at an upward angle that pops up enemies struck by it. Side tilt is one of your bread-and-butter attacks. It’s remarkably fast and combos into essentially any kind of follow-up, including another side tilt. At lower percentages, your goal is to set up your foes into a side tilt knock-up, allowing you to combo into short hop forward air attack, which then leads into a plethora of other possible juggle opportunities. For instance, against a Luigi-sized fighter at around 25%, you can side tilt into side tilt, forward short hop forward air, then finish with a dashing jump forward air into double jump forward air.

At higher percentages, side tilt provides enough vertical launching power for a jump up air attack follow-up.

Up Tilt

Sheik extends her heel above her, perpendicular to the ground, then after a very brief pause, drives it downward into the ground, knocking up foes struck by the axe kick. Like many of her attacks, up tilt can be used to set up and extend combos. The first heel hit naturally combos into the axe kick portion, which pops the opponent up into a potential follow-up (such as forward short hop forward air). You can use up tilt as an anti-air against foes coming down from directly above you, then dish out additional damage with follow-up attacks.

Down Tilt

From a low-profile prowling position, Sheik sweeps the enemy off their feet and into the air for a potential follow-up. The tip of down tilt knocks up foes vertically, while the inner portions of Sheik’s leg pop them up at a slight away angle. Either launcher can be used to start combos, but the tip launcher makes it much easier to follow up with side tilt since the enemy is knocked up closer to you. Against medium-sized fighters at around 20% damage, you can do down tilt (tip hit), side tilt, forward short hop forward air, fast fall, then dash in for another juggle mix-up opportunity.

Although down tilt is an amazingly quick and safe poke with combo potential, its only drawback is that Sheik has a slightly better poke with her side tilt. Down tilt deals a bit more damage, is slightly faster, and Sheik’s vulnerability during the attack is minimal thanks to her low-profile crouch.

Smashes

Side Smash

Sheik delivers a heavy side kick to the opponent’s midsection, then transitions into a spinning flying kick, blasting the enemy away. Like most of Sheik’s attacks, her side smash starts up quickly compared to most other brawlers’ smash attacks. But it leaves you exposed to reprisals, including out-of-shield tilt attacks and, of course, shield grabs.

Side smash can be used to punish high-lag whiffs and air dodges. Its high launching power makes it strong for finishing off foes near side blast zones.

Up Smash

Sheik raises her arms directly above her, then slashes them down to her sides, knocking back foes in front and behind. This is Sheik’s most damaging attack. While it’s unsafe if whiffed and when shielded, you can use it to punish air dodges and rolls thanks to its double-sided hit effect. Like most finisher attacks, if you make a good read on the enemy’s forward aggression, you can throw out up smash to knock them out of the stage if they’re close to a blast zone.

It’s also a strong anti-air attack. As Sheik raises her arms, they’re intangible, so if a descending foe comes down on you with an attack, you’ll most likely beat them out if you challenge their attack with a well-timed up smash. Against middleweights at around 120%, this is essentially a guaranteed knockout.

Down Smash

Sheik spins on her back and performs a windmill kick attack, launching away foes around her. Down smash is a double-sided attack with limited use in one-on-one battles. It’s extremely unsafe when shielded and is easily punishable on whiff. It should be left out of your neutral game arsenal altogether since, even if it hits, it doesn’t set up any meaningful damage follow-ups.

It has its uses in free-for-all and team battles if you’re surrounded by multiple foes.

Grabs

Grabs

Sheik’s grab suffers from having one of the shortest ranges in the game, but her incredible dash speed makes up for these shortcomings. All of Sheik’s throws launch the enemy vertically into the air (even her forward and back throws), making them effective for juggle-trapping foes and less effective for instant side-blast-zone knockouts.

Front throw allows for combo opportunities against certain fighters, such as front throw into forward air, double jump forward air.

Down throw into jump forward air into double jump forward air is a potential guaranteed combo against certain weight classes (such as Mario at 30%). Alternatively, you can simply do down throw into jump up air attack (adapting to how the opponent shuffles).

You can also down throw into footstool, then fast-fall into a low-altitude back air attack to punish the opponent’s tech get-up. Otherwise, you can hit them with an off-the-ground attack (or “lock” hit) for added damage.

Aerial Attacks

Aerials

Neutral Air Attack

Like Mario’s and Link’s neutral air attacks, Sheik’s extends a persistent hit effect that, in conjunction with fast fall, makes for an exceptional air-to-ground and air-to-air attack. While forward air is your primary offensive air attack, its hitbox doesn’t stay out as long. You can mix up your deep forward air attacks with early neutral air attack into fast fall to keep your foes on their toes. Once you condition them with neutral airs, you can start going for empty short hop fast fall grabs and other mix-up tricks.

It’s a strong aggressive option, but it’s riskier than using forward air. If it’s shielded early on (i.e., if it’s not connected “deep,” low altitude), it can be punished with a shield grab as soon as you land. You can make it much safer by crossing over the enemy and landing on top of their head with Sheik’s rear leg hitbox.

If you short-hop neutral air (made easier with the shortcut of Jump+Attack), you suffer no landing lag since your neutral air attack animation end before you land.

Forward Air Attack

While airborne, Sheik performs a swift slash with her hand that arcs directly in front of her and at a slight downward angle, knocking up foes for a potential follow-up.

Forward air attack is a staple tool in your arsenal. It’s a versatile attack that’s safe to throw out in most situations, thanks to its low air and landing lag. You can use it as an air-to-air poke, an air-to-ground offensive maneuver, and of course, to extend and finish combos.

Sheik’s offense-based aerial game centers around using her fast jump and fall speed in conjunction with her forward air attack, so learning how to manipulate your jumps while timing your forward air attacks is crucial. You can usually convert any connected forward air attack into a follow-up. Off of a low-altitude or ground hit, you can usually dash in for a side tilt. At medium and higher percentages, you can follow up with another dashing full/short hop forward air, then double jump forward air.

Performing “while-rising” forward airs canceled into fast fall should be a part of your muscle memory, since you need to use it in combos frequently. Depending on enemy percentages and your rage buildup, you must be able to short-hop and jump into well-timed forward airs to maximize your damage output.

Back Air Attack

In midair, Sheik thrusts her right leg back behind her at an upward angle, knocking away enemies. Back air attack is primarily used as an edge-guarding tool in conjunction with Bouncing Fish. It can also be used offensively to start standing hitstun combos at lower percentages, or to stop aggressive enemies chasing you as you back away. You can do a deep back air jump-in attack followed by a down tilt, side tilt, forward short hop forward air, fast fall, dashing short hop forward air attack, for instance.

Up Air Attack

Sheik delivers an up-angled corkscrew attack, similar to Samus’s up air. On hit, it launches foes upward into the sky. While it isn’t particularly effective as a poke, up air is a solid attack used to finish off foes near the upper blast zone. Its narrow, vertical attack range can make it challenging to hit with unless you send your opponent into the air with a vertical launch.

The first three hits of up air attack cause a “drag” effect, allowing you to pull foes through the air into certain positions. For example, against an airborne foe around jump height, you can perform the following: at the peak of your jump, up air attack, then immediately cancel into a fast fall, then as your foe is left next to you, you can follow up with a side tilt or down tilt combo-starter. To mix it up, you can go for a throw instead, if you think your opponent will raise their shield.

Down Air Attack

Sheik halts her aerial momentum briefly, then dives down with a forceful kick attack, driving her weight into the ground. Upon landing, she causes a small eruption that launches foes. Down air attack causes a meteor smash effect during the early portion of the attack, right as Sheik begins her descent. It’s essentially a kamikaze attack if performed offstage, since you have no way of reversing your trajectory or recovering after it hits.

As one of Sheik’s riskiest attacks, down air is difficult to use effectively without being punished for it. Like most stall-then-fall attacks, it leaves you vulnerable when shielded, and its landing lag is quite significant.

Special Moves

Specials

Neutral Special: Needle Storm

Sheik loads up throwing needles between her fingers, then throws them directly forward, piercing her foes. While airborne, Sheik throws them at a down-forward angle. Needle Storm projectiles deal more damage during the first half of their flight.

Before Sheik throws her needles, she goes into a loading stance, loading up to a maximum of five needles to throw out in a direct line. Each needle takes a third of a second to load, so to quickly throw out a fully charged Needle Storm, you need to charge for just under two seconds, then immediately hit Special again.

Needle Storm charge is cancelable into shield, jump, dodge, and needle release, allowing you to keep your stored needle load. The best time to cancel the charge is as soon as you see the visual spark effect on Sheik’s needle-loaded fingers. This indicates when an additional needle has been loaded.

Using Needle Storm in your neutral game is rather straightforward. It’s a long-range high-speed attack that deals damage, forcing action from the enemy. It’s too fast to use as a combo-starter or as cover for a follow-up offense, but it’s excellent for dishing out quick shield damage and keeping stage control. It’s best used at max charge since firing needles causes a significant amount of lag. Charging your needles from long range can provoke the enemy into attacking you since they can’t simply allow you to charge up a high-powered projectile attack freely. Use this to your advantage and cancel out of your charge with a jump, then surprise your foe with an attack.

Side Special: Burst Grenade

Sheik throws a grenade, attached to a chain, at the enemy. After a full second, Sheik pulls on the pin, using the attached tripwire in order to detonate it. Upon detonation, the grenade inflicts a damaging gravitational effect, pulling in nearby foes before incinerating them with an explosion. Burst Grenade throw range and detonation time can be extended by holding the Special button. Release Special to have Sheik pull the pin.

If Sheik is interrupted as she’s pulling out a Burst Grenade (and before its pin is pulled), it becomes an interactable item that can be picked up and thrown by anyone. The item-grenade doesn’t explode, but deals enough damage and hitstun to be used as a projectile. And Sheik can pull another Burst Grenade while there’s an item-grenade on-screen.

Burst Grenade has some uses as an edge-guarding tool. If you can hit with its explosion, it deals a large amount of knockback, potentially finishing off enemies at higher-damage percentages. If used while airborne, you can alter your aerial momentum slightly, so in rare instances you can use it during a disadvantage juggle state to throw off your aggressor’s juggle timing.

For the most part, it’s a risky projectile to throw out haphazardly, due to its laggy animation.

Up Special: Vanish

Sheik deploys a bomb at her position and then disappears, reappearing behind another damaging explosion. You can combo the first and second explosive hits of Vanish by tilting the control stick toward the enemy’s launch path. You generally shouldn’t be using Vanish as an offensive tool, though, since Sheik has much more effective, and safer, attacks at her disposal.

Nevertheless, Vanish is one of the best recovery options in the game. Sheik is one of the only fighters who can bypass the momentary vulnerable period right when a fighter grasps a ledge, before they become intangible while hanging. When Sheik is intangible during Vanish (while she’s invisible), you can grab on to a ledge while keeping your intangibility. The trick is to Vanish and hold the control stick toward the ledge (to maneuver toward it), then time a down direction input before grabbing the ledge. If done correctly, you’re intangible and unpunishable even to the meatiest of attacks. The best way to think of this maneuver is that while you’re traveling up past a ledge, as long as you’re holding down on the stick, you won’t actually grab on to the ledge, but as soon as you let go of down and input a direction toward the ledge, you’ll grab it with intangibility.

Down Special: Bouncing Fish

Sheik performs a backflip through the air toward the enemy and strikes them with a double-heel kick, bouncing off her foe into another unique flip kick. You can alter the trajectory of Bouncing Fish by holding left or right. You can trick opponents with a Bouncing Fish feint by holding the opposite direction as soon as you leave the ground.

After connecting with the first Bouncing Fish attack, if you immediately cancel the bounce-off jump with the kick attack, you can reduce your landing lag.

Bouncing Fish is a strong edge-guarding tool for attacking offstage enemies since it extends your effective horizontal reach considerably. For instance, after launching a foe off the side of a stage, you can go for a dashing forward hop into forward air attack, then Bouncing Fish farther into its follow-up kick attack, then you can return to the stage with your double jump and Vanish.

If Sheik is hit out of her Bouncing Fish while airborne, she can’t use the attack again until touching ground or reaching a ledge.

Final Smash: Sheikah Dance

Sheik charges forward and strikes an opponent in her path. Upon being hit, the opponent is surrounded by darkness, and Sheik unleashes multiple quick attacks. The final attack can strike other opponents as well.