Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
If Meta Knight gets to force point-blank scrambles or carry Cloud offstage, the stock can unravel quickly, so the matchup hinges on whether Cloud keeps center stage with sword range and Limit pressure.
Meta Knight’s nair, down tilt, up tilt, and dash attack are the starters to watch, but his grounded range is still short enough that Cloud can keep him out with spaced back air, forward air, and low-commitment down tilt.
On shield, down tilt, forward air, back air, and dash attack all give Cloud clear Up B or OOS Nair punishes, so taking those guaranteed swings is enough to slow Meta Knight’s approach cycle.
For kills, it is more reliable to trap landings and ledge options with back air, up smash, and Limit threat than to chase Meta Knight deep offstage and play into his recovery mix.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Cloud OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Jab | 4/7/10… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 3 | -24 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 6 | -16 |
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| Forward Tilt (2) | 2 | -22 |
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| Forward Tilt (3) | 2 | -23 |
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| Up Tilt | 8 | -20/-19 |
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| Down Tilt | 3 | -9 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -18 |
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| Forward Smash | 24 | -6 |
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| Up Smash | 8/12/17 | -28 |
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| Down Smash | 4/9 | -26/-19 |
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| Neutral Air | 6 | -3/-4 |
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| Forward Air | 9/12/15 | -8/-8 |
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| Back Air | 7/13/20 | -9/-8 |
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| Up Air | 6 | -6 |
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| Down Air | 4 | -6 |
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| Neutral B | 12 | -81 |
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| Side B | 26/30/34/38/42/46/ 50/54/58/62/66/70 | -24 |
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| Up B (1) | 8/22 | ** | ||
| Up B (2) | 7/20 | ** | ||
| Down B | — | — | ||
| Grab | 7 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 11 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 12 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Hold center stage and use retreating back air or tipper forward air so Meta Knight has to overextend past sword range before starting pressure.
- Punish down tilt, dash attack, forward air, and back air on shield with Up B or OOS Nair instead of letting him restart close-range pressure for free.
- When you get launched, prioritize landing over swinging back immediately, and vary jump timing plus fast-fall usage so the up-air ladder does not keep going.
- Use Limit as a positioning threat before you spend it, then cash out at ledge or landing with back air, up smash, or a Limit special.
- Favor ledge trapping over deep edgeguards, and be ready to cover the landing after Meta Knight commits to Up B or Down B.
Actions to Avoid
- Do not pre-commit Cross Slash or smash attacks in neutral just because Meta Knight is dashing nearby; his air drift makes those whiffs expensive.
- Do not assume every neutral air is punishable on shield and freeze in place waiting for a response that is not there.
- Do not recover at one fixed height without Limit, because Meta Knight is built to stack repeated aerial edgeguards and Shuttle Loop threats.
- Do not chase Meta Knight too far offstage and turn the exchange into a recovery contest that favors him.