SOLDIER Training Program

First, I'll cover his specials and his combos that I've found to be effective. Second, I'll cover his bread-and-butter moves that you want to be using to up the opponent's percentages. Third, I'll cover his kill options. Percentages given are average on default settings. But before all that, let's list his pros and cons.

Pros:
>Fights nimbly
>Excellent air game
>Fast dash (he freakin' glides along the stage, anime-style)
>Fast dtilts
>Spacing technique
>Balanced character
>Nice rolls
>Fast grabs
>Limit Break mechanism allows you to power up all your shortcomings
Cons:
>TERRIBLE recovery without a Limit Break (all vertical)
>Bad grab range
>Medium weight
>Limit Breaks take a long time to charge.
Neutral Special: Blade Beam (8% one beam)
Cloud smacks the ground with his crazy-huge sword, causing a large shockwave with decent damage and a large height. I've found this to be a good spacing tool. It's good to chase it with a dash attack, but savvy players will air dodge, so prepare to spotdodge if you miss the follow-up. The actual blade doesn't do damage – only the shockwaves do.
Side Special: Cross Slash (4% first slash, 7% second slash, 10% third slash, 19% full combo)
This is a slash with medium speed. Keep mashing the button for a simple combo. It significantly weakens a shield, but be careful with this one, as it's pretty slow and doesn't have much launch.
Up Special: Climhazzard (3% stab, 7% upward slash, 11% downward slash)
The Mako-infused maniac soars into the air with a strike. Hit the button again for a downward slash. This move is similar to Final Cutter or Aether, but you don't need to commit to the downward hit. For recovery purposes, Climhazzard is pretty weak, especially due to its low horizontal movement. However, I have used the downward strike to meteor unsuspecting combatants that get a little too over-eager with the ledgeguarding. Due to its ability to snap to ledges on the second hit, it's more like Aether.
Down Special: Limit Charge/Finishing Touch (1% tornado)
Finally, Cloud's unique gimmick. Limit Charge, well, charges up your Limit Gauge, and allows you to see its progress. It takes about seven seconds to charge fully from none at all using only the move. Dealing around 250% damage or taking around 100% also charges it fully. It can be shield-canceled or roll-canceled like most charging moves. At max charge, it changes the effect of moves, as well as increasing their damage and knockback. It also increases Cloud's overall stats. I'll list these effects.

• Blade Beam (19% full trapping combo)

Goes MUCH farther and has a trapping effect like Arcthunder. If your opponent's at a low percent when you have a Limit ready, this should be your go-to move to use.

• Cross Slash (26% automatic full combo)

Very tricky to land, but releases a blindingly fast six-hit combo with high launch. Not a great option unless you can read the opponent's attempts to dodge. It's good for faking out by looking like you're going for a Finishing Touch.

• Climhazzard (6% stab, 13% upward slash, downward slash unaffected)

Allows WAY more vertical as well as horizontal recovery. Doesn't affect the downward slash. This Limit Break is exclusively for recovery if you manage to get a Limit Break and you're pushed beyond your normal recovery area. It's also really good for

• Finishing Touch (1%)

Using this is highly gimmicky. It's a move that hits on both sides and does 1% damage. However, it has EXTREME killing potential, able to kill a Mario as low as 63%. It's not a very easy move to land, but I rank it up there with KO Punch and Luigi's down taunt in most satisfying kills to use. Use with extreme discretion; it leaves you pretty open, but can quickly decide a match.
This section covers combos and attacks you should use frequently. Notably, Cloud's dash grab has quite poor range, as well as his pivot grab. Due to this, it's not a great idea to use these to start combos. Also, the sweetspot for Cloud's moves is right in the center of his blade.

• Side Smash (3% first slash, 5% second, 18% full combo)

This is Cloud's main offensive option. As noted, it's a three hit combo with a low damage first strike and high damage and launch for the third. It's a very effective kill option and much better than his dash attack. However, mind the startup, it's easily punishable. This can be comboed into a down tilt along the ground.

• Down Smash (4% handle, 16% blade, 12% blade alone)

Notably good for roll spammers, this strike whacks the opponent with the Buster/Fusion Sword's pommel, then gores them on the blade, tossing them behind Cloud. As far as I can tell, this is best for evasive enemies.

• Up Smash (13%)

Quite bland. Simply a powerful upward slash that launches nearly directly upward. Like DTilt, it can be used to start aerial combos, but I wouldn't recommend it due to its comparitively slow speed.

• NAir (8%)

Cloud's NAir is faster than all his other aerials, being a quick circular swipe. This has immense combo potential and can follow up almost all of his launching moves. To add to the fun, it meteors at its sweetspot near the center of the swing.

• FAir (13%)

An incredibly effective strike, this is one of Cloud's faster attacks. It's a good alternative to a dash attack (screw that slow crap). It can follow up a NAir to add a meteor. The very end of the move has the meteor effect, so time it accordingly.

• UAir (13%)

A surprisingly good juggling option, this strike is faster than his FAir and has just as much combo potential. It also has a good kill potential at higher percentages. A good combo at around 50% is DTilt > UAir.

• DAir (13%)

Similar to Link, Cloud thrusts his blade downward. Obviously, combine with fastfall for best results. It's no good for bouncing on unlucky opponents' heads like Link, but it's a nice punish nonetheless. At the blade's tip, there's an excellent meteor, but it's hard to recover from a meteor performed this way.

• DTilt (7%)

Cloud slides along the ground, low enough to avoid some projectiles. This move launches opponents and covers ground. It's also very quick, nearly his fastest ground attack. The launching potential of this attack can be exploited with a FAir, UAir, or NAir to start a combo.

His other tilts are not recommended, and come out rather slowly for the character.

Now we get to the good stuff: taking a stock. Cloud has a couple good kill options in store, in addition to the aforementioned meteors.

• Dtilt > Uair > Uair > Uair