Cloud Moveset analysis (including Gifycats + Frame Data)

[Puppyfaic]

I'm currently watching GameXplain's discussion about Cloud and there's been a really good idea about the Limit Gauge during that discussion; what if Cloud could fill it faster as he gets more damage?

All we know is that he can manually charge it, and he can charge it by doing damage. It'd be accurate to the source if it charged by taking damage, but I highly doubt that.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

All we know is that he can manually charge it, and he can charge it by doing damage. It'd be accurate to the source if it charged by taking damage, but I highly doubt that.

You misread my post.

The theory I mentionned is that maybe Cloud could take less time filling the Limit Gauge if he has more damage.

 

[Dark Phazon]

Ryu was from a fighting game. Whether or not Ryu wasn't good in Street Fighter doesn't matter when he was from the ground up made to emulate his Street Fighter self meaning almost everything he had from Street Fighter was made available in Smash. That means all the light, medium, and heavy moves, the ability to anti-air with Shoryuken, the idea of stage control with Hadouken unlike the fumbling of all projectiles in Smash, and staple combos like cr. LK to Hadouken were all available to him. It would be insane if Ryu was a bad character and it might even anger not just Street Fighter fans, but Smash and maybe the entire fighting game community to see Ryu be bad in Smash. If Cloud, Snake, or Sonic were bad? Eh, people could give it a pass saying they don't really work in Smash, they couldn't or didn't know how to design them without breaking the game - case in point, Buster Sword's size which Smash makes closer to FFVII instead of Dissidia where Cloud would have outranged Shulk - or whatever reasons there are, but Ryu? Everything about Ryu is right there; Capcom, Street Fighter itself, and the community.

Fair enough... its more so that why do the newcomers and 3rd parties even more so get tremendous love as in special abilities and deep depth and all the veterans are just......
.
.
.
There....

All the heavies should have got a bowser/yoshi like treatment and yes i only play heavies and im salty

 

[ccthirteen]

All we know is that he can manually charge it, and he can charge it by doing damage. It'd be accurate to the source if it charged by taking damage, but I highly doubt that.

When I watched the trailer for him, I didn't see any player icons at the bottom showing damage percents, a possible limit bar (similar to the KO Punch meter for Little Mac), or any representation of the Limit Bar until the "Limits are meant to be broken!" screen where he actually used it.

My question is, how do we know for certain that he charges it manually? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me to be more speculation than anything at this point. Perhaps he is only able to activate it once he's received 100% or more damage?

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

The Down Special theory is the common one due to how trailer showed it.

It showed Blade Beam (likely neutral), Cross-slash (likely side), Climhazzard (definetly up), then we don't see any Limit Break as the Down Special, but rather him charging his Limit Gauge.

Then, we see LB Cross-slash, LB Blade Beam, LB Climhazzard and finally, Finishing Touch, showing that fully charging the Gauge gives a new attack we hadn't seen before in the trailer.

Speaking of new attack, what about Meteor Rain? Could it be the aerial version of Finishing Touch?

 

[Shamsy]

The Down Special theory is the common one due to how trailer showed it.

It showed Blade Beam (likely neutral), Cross-slash (likely side), Climhazzard (definetly up), then we don't see any Limit Break as the Down Special, but rather him charging his Limit Gauge.

Then, we see LB Cross-slash, LB Blade Beam, LB Climhazzard and finally, Finishing Touch, showing that fully charging the Gauge gives a new attack we hadn't seen before in the trailer.

Speaking of new attack, what about Meteor Rain? Could it be the aerial version of Finishing Touch?

Assuming Meteor Rain to be his Up Throw, probably a kill throw.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

Assuming Meteor Rain to be his Up Throw, probably a kill throw.

How would it work?

Jump up and go back down a la Kirby/Meta Knight/Charizard?

That'd be just like one of Tifa's Limit Breaks...forgot the name of it...Meteor something...

EDIT: Meteor Strike! That's the one!

 

[LifeMushroom]

I think Taunt 2 is actually his idle animation.
I think Taunt 2 is his opening when he holds his sword over his shoulder.

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

I think Taunt 2 is actually his idle animation.
I think Taunt 2 is his opening when he holds his sword over his shoulder.

Idle animation or opening?

Make up your mind!

 

[LifeMushroom]

No, you misread.
Taunt 2 in the thread is probably his idle animation.

His Taunt 2 SHOULD be 0:49 in the Trailer.

https://gfycat.com/CheapLastElephantbeetle - Neutral Taunt
https://gfycat.com/FrailSickKentrosaurus - Side Taunt
https://gfycat.com/PositiveSatisfiedDragonfly - Down Taunt

He has two idle animations from what shown in the trailer, one where he positions his sword horizontally and one where he positions his sword vertically.

https://gfycat.com/DecisiveSpitefulAustralianfurseal

 

[The Stoopid Unikorn]

No, you misread.

If I had a nickel for each time I did that...

Taunt 2 in the thread is probably his idle animation.

Yes. Yes it is.

His Taunt 2 SHOULD be 0:49 in the Trailer.

The one where he casually put the sword on the side?

Yep, that's definitely a taunt.

 

[LifeMushroom]

No need to be rude.

Neutral Taunt

Side Taunt

Down Taunt

He has two idle animations from what shown in the trailer, one where he positions his sword horizontally and one where he positions his sword vertically.

 

[Puppyfaic]

So, due to a recent leak happening involving Cloud, we now also know of an additional property on his up smash: it can hit behind him. A short clip was shown of his up smash hitting a DK diagonally above-behind him. I won't post the video itself because some people don't like that stuff, but it's a thing.

 

[Saltyman]

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - Cloud Moveset & Midgar Stage (Normal and Omega) First Look!

Clouds finalized moveset! testing him more now ​

 

[meleebrawler]

Looks like Cloud's sword glowing really is an accurate depiction of hitbox duration.

 

[Pikabunz]

Here's some frame data:

jab 4
utilt 6
ftilt 9
dtilt 7
da 9

grab 7
dash grab 10
pivot grab 10

usmash 15
fsmash 19
dsmash 8 (front hit) /21 (back hit)

nair 5
uair 7
fair 18
bair 11
dair 11

b 18 / 16 (limit)
upb 7
forwardb 10
downb 16 (limit)

 

[Saltyman]

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - Defeating Lvl. 9 Cloud with Cloud! (Midgar)

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - Defeating Lvl. 9 Ike with Cloud! (Midgar)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7ddwxOBtE8

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - Defeating Lvl. 9 Shulk with Cloud! (Omega Midgar)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp8IrXMQGUg

For Glory Cloud Ditto Match (The other Cloud was decent!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iVV-5XdR50​

 

[Saltyman]

Clouds Neutral Air really needs a nerf. It's just too quick..

 

[DrizzyDrew]

Here I have a Day 1 breakdown of Cloud's moveset and how to use them
Link: https://youtu.be/kdt3fDZCye8

 

[GFD]

There's an interesting moment I noticed during the stage exhibition part of the trailer that I haven't seen anyone else mention. Here's a gfycat of it that I manually stabilized:

(You can slow it down with the controls in the bottom-right to get a better look.) It looks like Cloud dashes for ~18 frames, then suddenly interrupts it with jab 1. (Earlier example of jab 1 included for reference.) How does this happen, exactly? Is there a global AT used here that I'm not aware of? Is this ability granted by the stage's buff mechanic? Or can Cloud just do this normally, somehow?

Looks like Cloud just has a deceptive stop animation and a pretty good foxtrot. (Way better than Wario, at least.) Still pretty cool!

 

[HFlash]

Clouds Neutral Air really needs a nerf. It's just too quick..

Cloud has definitive weaknesses, like his throws and recovery (particularly since his moves don't seem to do much shield damage). He is a spacing character (if played optimally) and nair is central to his neutral.

 

[Saltyman]

He has really good movements, high jumps, and a wall jump the biggest issue is probably his short standing grab and preditactable recovery. Also easy to cancel his limit breaker specials you need to time them well.

Like his Limit Breaker Up B goes really high but is still easy to block then you just die anyways if you don't have a jump lol​

 

[Saltyman]

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - Breaking The Limit! A Cloud KO & Combo Montage

some pretty good clips considering he'd only been out a few hours.
Might do another one after I get some more practice with Cloud ​

 

[Saltyman]

Cloud has definitive weaknesses, like his throws and recovery (particularly since his moves don't seem to do much shield damage). He is a spacing character (if played optimally) and nair is central to his neutral.

Yeah but it just seems to be a bit too quick, breaks just about every non-true combo string (his up B does the same thing but neutral air is more reliable) it's quite a hassle when fighting him. Just feels like he's an offensive powerhouse all around. Overwhelming speed, punishes air dodges like their nothing, big hitboxes, and early KO power..

Also his recovery isn't that bad when used properly. The limit breaker up b goes so high I've been able to charge it while falling and recover in some situations.

I find his throws to be really good, it's more his pummel and standing grab that are problematic. He has decent tech chasing and setups, the biggest issue I'm finding with his throws is you can DI into the stage and tech away from down throw at low percents

Although I agree his recovery is bad, it's just too easy to block even on the super version.. side b stalls you and has almost no lag in the air, I've been using that and blade beam a lot to prevent gimps

Up tilt is actually a bit broken when combined with neutral air and up air. If you have no jump there's just no escape lol, just bait out an air dodge autocancel and punish everytime

 

[Saltyman]

I really wish Climhazzard had a more reliable spike. You can set up the spike and ledge cancel it, but it's not strong enough and has an unreliable hitbox so it's really situational

Soaring Axe Kick on the other hand KOs at 0% if your hit anywhere near or below the ledge. lol

 

[LifeMushroom]

His recovery sucks. With Limit Break, it's godlike and second to Villager.

 

[meleebrawler]

Finishing Touch honestly isn't all it's cracked up to be as a punish option for me, at least out of shield... noticeable startup and lack of armour/invincibility mean I often miss windows or get stuffed.

 

[Deku Skrublord]

Finishing Touch honestly isn't all it's cracked up to be as a punish option for me, at least out of shield... noticeable startup and lack of armour/invincibility mean I often miss windows or get stuffed

You're right, I usually just use either Side B or Neutral B. Side B will kill Fox at 77% from the middle of the stage, and Neutral B is good for edge guarding and surprising opponents. I usually whiff the Finishing Touch and then get hard punished because of its huge ending lag, so I don't often use it, if ever.

 

[roymustang1990-]

Man,I wish cloud had more kill moves outside limit break mode. Fishing for the f smash,up air,and bair every time just to end a stock is really annoying. They should buff the Knockback on his d smash and up smash. ^^

I also wished we weren't faced to waste a full limit bar when recovering off stage with up b.

 

[MagiusNecros]

Will be doing extensive testing against projectiles to see what moves can stop em. Will post results sometime tomorrow.

Edit: BAH! Cloud's a wimp. His attacks can only stop small grade projectiles. He ain't no Palutena or any of the heavies.

 

[Saltyman]

Man,I wish cloud had more kill moves outside limit break mode. Fishing for the f smash,up air,and bair every time just to end a stock is really annoying. They should buff the Knockback on his d smash and up smash. ^^

I also wished we weren't faced to waste a full limit bar when recovering off stage with up b.

Cloud buffs? Not going to happen lol.