Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Dark Pit can keep the pace busy with arrows and stable aerial approaches, but Sephiroth still controls the matchup well when Masamune tipper spacing is maintained and entries are stopped before they become close-range scrambles. Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Up Smash, Neutral B, and Side B all give Sephiroth meaningful punish windows, and every one of those should be converted into stage push and ledge pressure. The matchup turns bad when Sephiroth jumps first out of impatience or lets Dark Pit slip inside the sword tipper zone, because Sephiroth’s light weight and endlag make each close scramble expensive. Use Shadow Flare and long aerials to chip away at landings, then close stocks through ledge Flare pressure, Bair, Up Smash, and the movement boost from Wing rather than gambling on single huge swings.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Sephiroth OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -18 |
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| Jab 2 | 5 | -21 |
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| Jab 3 | 3 | -23 |
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| Rapid Jab | 6/8/10… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 4 | -40 |
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| Forward Tilt | 10 | -22/-19 |
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| Up Tilt | 6/15 | -23/-13 |
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| Down Tilt | 6 | -13 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -17 |
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| Forward Smash | 10/21 | -26 |
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| Up Smash | 6/7/10/18 | -27 |
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| Down Smash | 5/18 | -27/-28/-14/-15 |
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| Neutral Air | 4/7/10/13/16/19/22/25 | -12/-11 |
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| Forward Air | 11/14/18 | -10/-9 |
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| Back Air | 10 | -4/-3 |
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| Up Air | 10/13/16/19/22 | -12/-11 |
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| Down Air | 10 | -8 |
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| Neutral B | 16—76 | -21 to -15 |
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| Side B (1) | 18 | -36 |
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| Side B (2) | 21 | -40 |
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| Up B | — | — | ||
| Down B | 7 (Start of Reflect) | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Show tipper normals and Shadow Flare often enough that Dark Pit cannot keep approaching at one comfortable height
- Punish Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Up Smash, Neutral B, and Side B on block whenever the opening is there
- Do not overreact to arrows; convert the moment Dark Pit stops moving into long-range pressure instead
- Prioritize ledge hold over deep edgeguards so Up B rise and neutral getup are easier to cover
- Once Wing appears, use the speed gap to pin Dark Pit near the corner and finish the stock before neutral fully resets
Actions to Avoid
- Full hopping in early just to bypass arrows and landing into Dark Pit’s Nair or Fair counter-pressure
- Abandoning tipper spacing and accepting repeated close-range scrambles where Sephiroth’s weight becomes a liability
- Chasing too deep offstage and letting Dark Pit’s long recovery flip the position
- Forcing desperate Smash or counter reads for early kills and handing back the match pace