- Game Versions
- Smash 3DS, Smash Wii U
Cloud was destined to be my main from the beginning of his release and I would have mained him regardless of how trash he became. As a Final Fantasy VII veteran Cloud was a reckless powerhouse in home game and movie Advent Children and being a balanced character he can be patient as Mew2King plays or even more reckless then Captain Falcon or Roy.
First Cloud is a heavyweight so he can survive to higher % allowing himself to abuse rage. Use this to your advantage.
His jab like most of his moves has "broken" frame data, meaning they'r all quick and safe to use with a few exceptions and even then the lag is minimal. His best get off me moves would be jab ftilt utilt and
Ftilt can combo into itself at very low % and if the opponent doesn't know how to DI or is very fat (like Dedede.) Ftilt is also safe on shield if spaced properly and even if you're close allow for immediate follow ups with a grab possibly. If the opponent doesn't react quick enough or keeps the shield up. Utilt is the best way to play Mario simulator because it can combo into itself up to 7 times on superheavyweights and 3 on superlightweights after you get your Mario on you and put on your overalls and use your 120lb 6ft long 1ft wide sword to continue imitating Mario and use uair for juggles. Hair is arguably the best hair in the game due to its quick start up and no ending lag. It also covers a good amount of space and during a fast fall autocancels. This is a good combo starter from the air.
To end a juggle use nair fair Cross-Slash Climbhazzard or after 3 utilts an usmash and follow up with any of the other listied above suggesting the opponent doesn't jump or DI but you can still use uair if they do DI or jump. Dtilt has only 3 reliable follow ups but can lead to several strings those reliable setups are uair and Climbhazzard but it can lead to any aerial attack all specials minus Blade Beam.
Dtilt is also good at avoiding most projectiles do to the low profile fast movement and good distance. It also has high priority so it can cancel many other attacks but lacks many reliable follow ups (Climbhazzard is the only truely reliable follow up)
Your aerials are very safe on shield if spaced properly. (Minus hair and fair is safe if autocanceled) Nair is your best approach option and can lead to nasty strings like a 0-death string that im not so sure is true but I have killed with it every time I successfully landed the sweetpotted fair.(I have pulled this off on skilled players but this works way to often on for glory) The combo is short hop nair full jab dash attack and once off the ledge immediately dash jump and use fair to spike and kill. it has ended a stock within the first 5 seconds of the match but is situational. Nair can also lead to several other strings and even kill confirms with finishing touch which i'll touch on later.
His smash attacks are fast and strong. Fsmash is fast with minimal ending lag. Due to how fast it is it can be spotdodgex if timed correctly. Usmash is slower but is good for anyone approaching directly from above. Dsmash is good for covering anyone trying to get back on stage as it covers the roll. It also covers rollers period.
Now before we continue most of you know of the stat increase Cloud gets while under Limit Break influence. His walking, dashing, gravity, air, and falling speed all increase while under Limit Break. Now to get Limit you must do one or any combination of the following which will almost ALWAYS happen: take 100% deal 250% or manually charge it with dspecial. Now his specials
sspecial which is called Cross-Slash is reliable as a kill option with Limit at around 70% and without Limit at around 95% at the ledge. Limit Cross-Slash is your primary kill option because Finishing Touch is a little risky due to its ending lag if shielded. Climbhazzard (uspecial) won't kill without a stage spike while not under Limit or at least relaibly unless are either in sudden death or haven't killed the opponent until 250%. Limit Climbhazzard is vicious and just normal Climbhazzard is a good out of shield option. It's fast and can put some damage on the opponent. It also doesn't send the opponent to FAR away from you allowing for follow ups. Limit hazard is much more powerful kills earlier and although you may want to do Limit Cross-Slash (another good out of shield option) is good for mix ups. As a recovery without Limit Climbhazzard is not very good because of the lack of invincibility and the fact that it doesn't autolach to the ledge. With limit it is a whole nother beast. It nearly triples in distance gets invincibility and autolaches.
Blade Beam is a useful projectile but is slow and very situational however under Limit it is deadly as it goes through all other projectiles for a nasty surprise but leaves you vulnerable if another projectile is coming at you. It can kill at around 95% under Limit and is very fast as well unlike its normal variant. Use limit blade beam for mixups.
Cross-Slash is a decent attack but shouldn't be used to much because at higher% it can be jumped out of. With limit it kills much earlier and is incredibly fast as well. As I mentioned earlier this is a good out of shield option but launches opponents too far any reliable follow ups.
Finishing Touch is Clouds ultimate trump card and can kill as low as 35% but must be used wisely because it does leave you open if shielded. It also has a windbox for gimps even if you don't hit with the initial blow. This attack only does 1 damage so it is strictly a KO option. Nair can set up for Finishing Touch if they miss the tech. Dair can also lead into FT at around 50% on lightweights and 60% on bowser. They kill confirm I mentioned at the beginning is tricky and is situational but works from 30%-45% and goes like: Fast fall uair footstool immediately use dair and slightly fast fall if done correctly you should experience no landing lag and immediately jump for FT.
If you miss the limit attack (not FT and didn't use it for recovery) then use any other attack because ypu have no ending lag whatsoever. Also don't waste limit right away once you get it hold on to it and wait for an opening to use it then strike. If you are at higher % you may want to hold on to limit for the off chance you're launched so you can get back to the stage safely.
Clouds grab range is poor but his uthrow can kill at high % of around 180% not good but against a good player who can DI it is possible to get up there. (And sudden death) Fthrow and bthrow are strictly for stage control but dthrow at 0-15% leads into Climbhazzard, Cross-Slash, Jab, Ftilt, Nair, Bair, dash attack, and regrab. At med % without Limit Nair isn't true because they can jump out but covers everything else. However with Limit it is true due to the increase in speed. At higher % fair or Dair for a stage spike.
He also has 2 jab locks 1 requires platforms like on battlefield with the first hit of Cross-Slash and the top of it. The second is footstool Ftilt twice. Once done you can charge up your fsmash.
Many people open with charging his Limit which is a more defensive start and requires patience but does work.
Clouds has several arial strings and large range (only beaten by Shulk) and his speed and power should not be ignored. He is also a heivyweight so he can make use of rage. Nair is your best approach option. Bair is good for racking damage and is incredibly safe on shield of spaces correctly. His limit forces opponents to approach him and if you don't he gets his limit which puts massive pressure on opponents. Think of it this way (you're fighting Cloud) he gets limit bed basically holding a gun to your head. But if you approach him your playing his game and if you let him get it t your playing his game either way you lose.
My style is use pressure and offence with dashing at the opponent which is not normal and usually puts them into a panic which results in a shield perfect for grabs. Or confused opponents.
To counter just gimp him due to this poor recovery. His poor recover is drastically outweighed by his combo game and spacing options as well as his low learning curve.
First Cloud is a heavyweight so he can survive to higher % allowing himself to abuse rage. Use this to your advantage.
His jab like most of his moves has "broken" frame data, meaning they'r all quick and safe to use with a few exceptions and even then the lag is minimal. His best get off me moves would be jab ftilt utilt and
Ftilt can combo into itself at very low % and if the opponent doesn't know how to DI or is very fat (like Dedede.) Ftilt is also safe on shield if spaced properly and even if you're close allow for immediate follow ups with a grab possibly. If the opponent doesn't react quick enough or keeps the shield up. Utilt is the best way to play Mario simulator because it can combo into itself up to 7 times on superheavyweights and 3 on superlightweights after you get your Mario on you and put on your overalls and use your 120lb 6ft long 1ft wide sword to continue imitating Mario and use uair for juggles. Hair is arguably the best hair in the game due to its quick start up and no ending lag. It also covers a good amount of space and during a fast fall autocancels. This is a good combo starter from the air.
To end a juggle use nair fair Cross-Slash Climbhazzard or after 3 utilts an usmash and follow up with any of the other listied above suggesting the opponent doesn't jump or DI but you can still use uair if they do DI or jump. Dtilt has only 3 reliable follow ups but can lead to several strings those reliable setups are uair and Climbhazzard but it can lead to any aerial attack all specials minus Blade Beam.
Dtilt is also good at avoiding most projectiles do to the low profile fast movement and good distance. It also has high priority so it can cancel many other attacks but lacks many reliable follow ups (Climbhazzard is the only truely reliable follow up)
Your aerials are very safe on shield if spaced properly. (Minus hair and fair is safe if autocanceled) Nair is your best approach option and can lead to nasty strings like a 0-death string that im not so sure is true but I have killed with it every time I successfully landed the sweetpotted fair.(I have pulled this off on skilled players but this works way to often on for glory) The combo is short hop nair full jab dash attack and once off the ledge immediately dash jump and use fair to spike and kill. it has ended a stock within the first 5 seconds of the match but is situational. Nair can also lead to several other strings and even kill confirms with finishing touch which i'll touch on later.
His smash attacks are fast and strong. Fsmash is fast with minimal ending lag. Due to how fast it is it can be spotdodgex if timed correctly. Usmash is slower but is good for anyone approaching directly from above. Dsmash is good for covering anyone trying to get back on stage as it covers the roll. It also covers rollers period.
Now before we continue most of you know of the stat increase Cloud gets while under Limit Break influence. His walking, dashing, gravity, air, and falling speed all increase while under Limit Break. Now to get Limit you must do one or any combination of the following which will almost ALWAYS happen: take 100% deal 250% or manually charge it with dspecial. Now his specials
sspecial which is called Cross-Slash is reliable as a kill option with Limit at around 70% and without Limit at around 95% at the ledge. Limit Cross-Slash is your primary kill option because Finishing Touch is a little risky due to its ending lag if shielded. Climbhazzard (uspecial) won't kill without a stage spike while not under Limit or at least relaibly unless are either in sudden death or haven't killed the opponent until 250%. Limit Climbhazzard is vicious and just normal Climbhazzard is a good out of shield option. It's fast and can put some damage on the opponent. It also doesn't send the opponent to FAR away from you allowing for follow ups. Limit hazard is much more powerful kills earlier and although you may want to do Limit Cross-Slash (another good out of shield option) is good for mix ups. As a recovery without Limit Climbhazzard is not very good because of the lack of invincibility and the fact that it doesn't autolach to the ledge. With limit it is a whole nother beast. It nearly triples in distance gets invincibility and autolaches.
Blade Beam is a useful projectile but is slow and very situational however under Limit it is deadly as it goes through all other projectiles for a nasty surprise but leaves you vulnerable if another projectile is coming at you. It can kill at around 95% under Limit and is very fast as well unlike its normal variant. Use limit blade beam for mixups.
Cross-Slash is a decent attack but shouldn't be used to much because at higher% it can be jumped out of. With limit it kills much earlier and is incredibly fast as well. As I mentioned earlier this is a good out of shield option but launches opponents too far any reliable follow ups.
Finishing Touch is Clouds ultimate trump card and can kill as low as 35% but must be used wisely because it does leave you open if shielded. It also has a windbox for gimps even if you don't hit with the initial blow. This attack only does 1 damage so it is strictly a KO option. Nair can set up for Finishing Touch if they miss the tech. Dair can also lead into FT at around 50% on lightweights and 60% on bowser. They kill confirm I mentioned at the beginning is tricky and is situational but works from 30%-45% and goes like: Fast fall uair footstool immediately use dair and slightly fast fall if done correctly you should experience no landing lag and immediately jump for FT.
If you miss the limit attack (not FT and didn't use it for recovery) then use any other attack because ypu have no ending lag whatsoever. Also don't waste limit right away once you get it hold on to it and wait for an opening to use it then strike. If you are at higher % you may want to hold on to limit for the off chance you're launched so you can get back to the stage safely.
Clouds grab range is poor but his uthrow can kill at high % of around 180% not good but against a good player who can DI it is possible to get up there. (And sudden death) Fthrow and bthrow are strictly for stage control but dthrow at 0-15% leads into Climbhazzard, Cross-Slash, Jab, Ftilt, Nair, Bair, dash attack, and regrab. At med % without Limit Nair isn't true because they can jump out but covers everything else. However with Limit it is true due to the increase in speed. At higher % fair or Dair for a stage spike.
He also has 2 jab locks 1 requires platforms like on battlefield with the first hit of Cross-Slash and the top of it. The second is footstool Ftilt twice. Once done you can charge up your fsmash.
Many people open with charging his Limit which is a more defensive start and requires patience but does work.
Clouds has several arial strings and large range (only beaten by Shulk) and his speed and power should not be ignored. He is also a heivyweight so he can make use of rage. Nair is your best approach option. Bair is good for racking damage and is incredibly safe on shield of spaces correctly. His limit forces opponents to approach him and if you don't he gets his limit which puts massive pressure on opponents. Think of it this way (you're fighting Cloud) he gets limit bed basically holding a gun to your head. But if you approach him your playing his game and if you let him get it t your playing his game either way you lose.
My style is use pressure and offence with dashing at the opponent which is not normal and usually puts them into a panic which results in a shield perfect for grabs. Or confused opponents.
To counter just gimp him due to this poor recovery. His poor recover is drastically outweighed by his combo game and spacing options as well as his low learning curve.
