Summary
The Duck Hunt vs Sheik matchup is largely a defensive matchup for Duck Hunt. Sheik has the agility to circumnavigate Duck Hunt's projectiles with ease but will inevitably need to get up close to Duck Hunt in order to secure combos. Duck Hunt needs to reduce Sheik's options by setting up lanes and using Shield Can as insurance against agressive pressure. Assuming the Sheik is confident in their combo game and is able to thread the needle, this can be a challenging matchup for Duck Hunt to secure neutral safely.
External Resources
Counterplay
Any State
Neutral
- Try to avoid becoming cornered as it will severly choke the options available to use safely
- Around mid-percents, Sheik may fish for opportunities to force the opponent into a tech situation on platform and try to punish with UpSmash or a Grab into vertical combos
Advantage
Anti-Air
- Sheik has very few options to contest Up Air safely
Ledge Trapping
Edge Guarding
Disadvantage
Offstage
- Needles -> Bouncing Fish is a common confirm for kills into offstage.
Overstage
- Be sure to punish Sheik with F1 Can if they become overzealous with their combos; a can trade is generally favourable for us due to the large percentage windows both characters must overcome to secure KOs.
- UpSmash is one of Sheik's most reliable killing moves; be careful about how you land on platforms
- Sheik can reach the upper portions of the stage very quickly with her agile vertical airspeed; her UpAir is very easy for her to connect with and eventually kill with
On Ledge
- Sheik DTilt -> Aerial can kill
- Sheik's explosive Side B can put pressure to option select. Note that it has a suction windbox.
Stage Selection
- Because DH typically wants to have breathing room to afford being able to spawn support, larger stages such as PS2, Kalos and Hollow generally provide this. These stages also reduce the risk to UpSmash kills. Accordingly, smaller stages like Battlefield(s) and Smashville make finding space more challenging.
- Sheik and Duck Hunt find mutual usage from platforms; sheik gains access to vertical chaining and platform tech chases while Duck Hunt cuts lanes and can shark more efficiently
- FD significanly simplifies approach strategies for Sheik by way of eliminating platform navigation risk. While ladder combos are reduced in this setting, remember that Duck Hunt is more vulnerable to Sheik in offstage situations.
Combo Windows
Duck Hunt Combo Windows
Opponent Combo Windows
Other
Game Start and Angel Platform
Timeout Considerations
Sudden Death
Projectile Effectiveness
Trick Shot
- Shield Can is very strong in keeping Sheik out
- Needles is an effective way for Sheik to detonate Can at spawn or into shields. Be especially wary of being shieldpoked as a byproduct of this, and be careful about usage when offstage
- Spawning Can in pure neutral (particularly at match start) is inherently risky because of Needles; a bad pull will send you into disadvantage immediately
Clay Pigeon
- It is difficult to find safe opportunities for Clay Pigeon due to Sheik's agility; they can easily avoid the projectile and punish for its use.
Wild Gunman
- Gunman will survive a limited number of needles; provided that Sheik is not within distance to physically disrupt Gunman during spawn the move is relatively safe for lane coverage.
- Gunman can hitstun landing nair long enough to be punishable
Opponent Counterplay
- Circumnavigate bad Clay Pigeon pulls
- Detonate Can with needles if they Sheild Can or spawn directly in front of you (e.g. match start)
- Use DA to down bad Gunman pulls
- Keep Can offstage / facing away (to avoid traps, throw-can damange, lane blockers, etc)
- DI away when grabbed at high % (to avoid downthrow kill confirm)
- Use needles when ledgetrapping if you think you can callout Can spawns
Recommended VODs
Move Frame Advantage Comparisons
Effective Tech and Percentage Windows
Outstanding Questions
Contributions
Written by DocHunt & Vultures. Compiled and edited by Vultures. Not peer reviewed.
