Roses and thorns: Playing defense
No matter what character you play you should always have a general idea of how they work and what you want to do during a match. You should also take the time to learn the weaknesses your character has and how to deal with them. A few key things to know about Zelda is that she is slow, she works best from a distance or when she has the momentum, and her attacks are powerful but have very punishable ending lag. To make up for her low speed and the lack of approach options you will spend most of your time forcing others to approach by using your ranged moves. Jab, down tilt, up tilt, and grab are the only attacks in Zelda's move set with low end lag so these will be your primary defensive options in close combat. Down tilt and grab in particular will net you a lot of combo options so stick to these two attacks whenever possible.
Ranged options:
No matter what character you play you should always have a general idea of how they work and what you want to do during a match. You should also take the time to learn the weaknesses your character has and how to deal with them. A few key things to know about Zelda is that she is slow, she works best from a distance or when she has the momentum, and her attacks are powerful but have very punishable ending lag. To make up for her low speed and the lack of approach options you will spend most of your time forcing others to approach by using your ranged moves. Jab, down tilt, up tilt, and grab are the only attacks in Zelda's move set with low end lag so these will be your primary defensive options in close combat. Down tilt and grab in particular will net you a lot of combo options so stick to these two attacks whenever possible.
Ranged options:
- Din's Fire: Long ranged projectile that can be controlled. This will be your key to forcing approaches and ranged pressure.
- Phantom Slash: Short ranged projectile that covers grounded and aerial approaches.
- Farore's Wind: Deadly teleport that can instantly punish the opponent for laggy moves. However, you are easily punished yourself if you miss.
- Down Tilt: Your best attack to catch approaches since it's fast and combos into a variety of options for easy damage/kills.
- Up Tilt: One of your best options to punish aerial approaches and usually combos into Nair or Uair.
- Jab: A disjointed and fast attack, but it has little combo potential in higher percents. At low percents this will combo into a grab or dash attack.
- Grab and Pivot Grab: You have multiple combos out of grabs and this can also get your opponents offstage.
- Nayru's Love: Surrounds yourself with a multi-hit attack that has a lingering hit box. This attack reflects projectiles at 1.2x the power/speed and can be use to catch approaches or rolls.
- Down Smash: Main use for this move will be to catch opponents with a rolling habit.
- Farore's Wind: Great option out of shield if the opponent approaches with a punishable attack. Can also be used to warp away from opponents if you are under pressure.
- Phantom Slash: Can be used to block projectiles while putting something between you and the opponent. This allows you to hide behind your phantom and use Din's Fire safely.
Get off my stage! Playing offense
Zelda has a great offstage game so you want to try and get your opponent out there as much as possible. This allows you to freely pressure them with Din's Fire, Phantom Slash, and your powerful aerial attacks. Down air is a very strong spike that can kill at early percents when sweet spotted so use this move every time your opponent tries to recover low on you. If they try recovering high you can either attempt a forward air or apply pressure with Din's Fire. This will force them to air dodge or die otherwise, setting you up for a down air spike. Phantom Slash is also an option for edge guarding. If you fully charge it from the edge you can cover a good distance off stage to catch opponents trying to make it back to the ledge. Phantom Slash has a non-damaging push box directly in front of Zelda that can gimp some recoveries such has Marth and Lucina's Dolphin Slash or block Ike's Aether from grabbing the ledge. Finally, Phantom Slash can catch opponents that are hanging on the ledge when fully charged.
Getting the kills:
Zelda has a large selection of kill options that range from set ups to the destruction incarnate known as Farore's Wind. If you find yourself having trouble landing kills here are a few options:
Zelda has a great offstage game so you want to try and get your opponent out there as much as possible. This allows you to freely pressure them with Din's Fire, Phantom Slash, and your powerful aerial attacks. Down air is a very strong spike that can kill at early percents when sweet spotted so use this move every time your opponent tries to recover low on you. If they try recovering high you can either attempt a forward air or apply pressure with Din's Fire. This will force them to air dodge or die otherwise, setting you up for a down air spike. Phantom Slash is also an option for edge guarding. If you fully charge it from the edge you can cover a good distance off stage to catch opponents trying to make it back to the ledge. Phantom Slash has a non-damaging push box directly in front of Zelda that can gimp some recoveries such has Marth and Lucina's Dolphin Slash or block Ike's Aether from grabbing the ledge. Finally, Phantom Slash can catch opponents that are hanging on the ledge when fully charged.
Getting the kills:
Zelda has a large selection of kill options that range from set ups to the destruction incarnate known as Farore's Wind. If you find yourself having trouble landing kills here are a few options:
- Farore's Wind out of shield. If the opponent attacks your shield you get a free kill at high percents. Nifty right? The start up from Farore's Wind combos into the second hit which has high kill power.
- Jab → Farore's Wind. At around 100% on most characters the knock back from jab sends opponents flying the perfect distance to follow up with Farore's Wind.
- Down tilt → Uair or Fair. At high percents down tilt will pop the opponent into the air which sets up for an easy kill.
- Down throw → Uair is pretty reliable.
- Up Throw → Farore's Wind can catch people offguard but it's a 1 trick pony.
- Use Din's Fire to force air dodges and create landing traps.
- Throw them offstage and punish.
I'm a lover and a fighter: Playing in doubles
Zelda's move set can be very limiting in 1v1 against fast characters simply because you punish yourself with end lag and she has a hard time approaching anyone playing defensive outside of grab. In doubles however, Zelda is a force to be reckoned with. She is a scary support/stock tank that can constantly supply pressure to the opponents simply because Farore's Wind is always an option. She is capable of sniping opponents from afar which allows Zelda to follow up her partner's combos from pretty much anywhere on the stage to land her devastating attacks. Din's Fire can be used to cover your partner during approaches and pressure opponents when they are offstage or in the air. Farore's Wind can quickly punish opponents every time they grab your partner with easy sweet spots. Being able to reflect projectiles and items is great for maintaining stage control and Zelda also has synergy with a variety of characters in doubles. Long story short: Zelda shines in doubles.
Some examples of team synergy:
Zelda's move set can be very limiting in 1v1 against fast characters simply because you punish yourself with end lag and she has a hard time approaching anyone playing defensive outside of grab. In doubles however, Zelda is a force to be reckoned with. She is a scary support/stock tank that can constantly supply pressure to the opponents simply because Farore's Wind is always an option. She is capable of sniping opponents from afar which allows Zelda to follow up her partner's combos from pretty much anywhere on the stage to land her devastating attacks. Din's Fire can be used to cover your partner during approaches and pressure opponents when they are offstage or in the air. Farore's Wind can quickly punish opponents every time they grab your partner with easy sweet spots. Being able to reflect projectiles and items is great for maintaining stage control and Zelda also has synergy with a variety of characters in doubles. Long story short: Zelda shines in doubles.
Some examples of team synergy:
- Villager can pocket her Phantoms and use them for large amounts of damage and early kills. Zelda can also reflect Villager's tree for them to pocket. Phantom and Din's Fire can be used from behind Villager's tree for projectile camping.
- Game and Watch can bucket Din's Fire. This can lead to early kills from oil spill.
- Ness can absorb Din's Fire to recover health. This allows you to heal your partner while you are stock tanking yourself. When done correctly this can be a hard team to take stocks from. Ness can also get free heals when you are using Din's Fire to attack opponents.
- Lucario makes an excellent partner for Zelda. Even though the Anubis strategy from Brawl was nurfed, Lucario still gets extremely strong from aura + rage.
- Zelda can aid characters with a terrible recovery (Little Mac) offstage with her custom Farore's Squall move. This allows her to carry them back on stage without damaging them. (preventing you from taking Little Macs KO punch if it's ready).
- Zelda flows well with any character that has a strong offensive presence since she works best from a distance.
- Farore's Wind allows Zelda to escape a lot of pressure. This makes her a great stock tank when paired with her defensive moves and ranged attacks.
- Zelda + Rage is scary! She can kill as early as 40-50% with an elevator when she is at max rage. Don't be afraid to be an aggressive stock tank!
Things to keep in mind when playing Zelda: (Sums up the first 3 parts.)
- You are a defensive ranged character that lacks approach options. Let the opponent come to you if possible and set up combos on your own terms.
- Grab and Down Tilt are your best friends. They combo into a variety of different options to safely land your otherwise risky kill moves.
- Offstage is your playground. Zelda is very threatening offstage thanks to her powerful aerials and great recovery. Down Air is one of the best spikes in the game so go for it every chance you get! Don't be afraid to be offstage as Zelda since this is the only time you are free to be as aggressive as you want.
- Farore's Wind is great for punishing projectile heavy characters such as Link, Samus and Duck Hunt. It is basically a free punish every time they try to zone you out.
- She is much better when played in doubles. That is not saying Zelda is bad at singles, she is just more threatening when she is not the focus of attention the entire match.
- You have the tools to end a stock at pretty much any percent which can easily cause you to play overaggressive. Don't, this will get you punished.
- Din's Fire and Phantom Slash are great for dealing damage from a distance and making it hard for the opponent to approach or land safely.
- Opponents have to run through your phantom but you can freely pass through it like it's not even there. This unique property can net you some easy grabs and punishes.
Knowing the match up:
The game has only been out for a short time so keep in mind this info is nowhere near 100% fact. This info is based on my personal experience with the match ups. Since the game is still so new I grouped up the characters by typing and did a general overview for them. This is mainly a placeholder for now with tips on what to expect and I plan on expanding this in the future
The game has only been out for a short time so keep in mind this info is nowhere near 100% fact. This info is based on my personal experience with the match ups. Since the game is still so new I grouped up the characters by typing and did a general overview for them. This is mainly a placeholder for now with tips on what to expect and I plan on expanding this in the future
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High Projectile/Zoning Characters:
Zelda has a pretty easy time with these characters due to Farore's Wind and Nayru's Love. She can easily force approaches and turn the opponents attacks against them. Farore's Wind in particular allows you to teleport through projectiles and punish the opponent for the end lag. Phantom Slash provides a wall for you to hide behind and out camp if necessary. Be sure to watch out for Link and Samus' tether grabs. |
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Heavy/Power Characters:
You can easily force approaches and punish their laggy attacks but one wrong move can easily cost you a stock and possibly the game. These match ups are in Zelda's favor as long as you respect the opponent's power and don't play carelessly. All of these characters are easy to pressure offstage (watch out for Ganoncide though). |
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Sword/Extended Range Characters:
These characters can use their long and disjointed attacks to safely pressure you, but you can still force approaches and keep your distance. Marth, Lucina and Shulk all have a counter which allows them an easy escape to your offstage pressure while Meta Knight has multiple jumps to avoid you when offstage. This will make killing them harder than most opponents. Respecting their range while up close and punishing openings will be your keys to winning these match ups. |
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Reflector + Projectile Characters:
These characters make it difficult for Zelda to do any ranged pressure since they can easily reflect or nullify Phantom Slash and Din's Fire. They basically force you to come to them which is not a fun spot to be in as Zelda due to your limited approach options. All of these characters are capable of zoning you out with their own projectiles and are also quicker than she is so Nayru's Love will be important. Focus on safe approaches and setting up your kills from tilts and grabs. Farore's Wind is useful if you can bait the opponent into doing a laggy projectile. |
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Fast/Overly Difficult Characters:
You are not going to enjoy these match ups. Zelda has a very hard time dealing with quick characters that can supply a lot of safe pressure. Din's Fire is easily punished by this group which removes a lot of your ranged pressure and most of them have a better projectile to force you to approach them. Play very safe and stick to your few quick attacks. Fox and Falco also have reflectors which makes Phantom Slash risky. |
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Other:
These characters are pretty even match ups for Zelda. They don't have any extreme advantage that make them overly difficult to deal with. |