Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Lucas is dangerous precisely because he can fight just inside Sephiroth’s ideal range. Fair, zair, down tilt, and forward tilt let him poke from one step in, while PSI Magnet makes lazy projectile pressure actively harmful if you keep feeding it. If Sephiroth retreats upward too often, Lucas also gets to chain juggles with up air and push the light Sephiroth all the way to the ledge.
The answer is to win the spacing war with normals first. Retreating fair, forward tilt, and preemptive bair force Lucas to take real risks to enter, and once PSI Magnet appears, Sephiroth should stop treating Flare or Shadow Flare as chip tools and instead walk forward behind tipper range. The matchup stays stable as long as Lucas is the one forced to commit under the sword instead of absorbing projectiles for free.
The frame table also shows that Jab 1-3, Up Tilt, Forward Smash, Up Smash, Down Air, Side B, and Up B (2) all give Sephiroth a real punish with Grab or OOS Nair when Lucas lands too close. By contrast, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Fair, Back Air, and Up Air are not buttons you should challenge on the spot every time from shield.
Stocks are best taken through ledge control rather than deep edgeguards. Push Lucas out with Shadow Flare and long normals, stay on stage, and cover tether timing plus PK Thunder angles with bair, down tilt, and delayed ledge pressure instead of chasing into reversal PK Freeze or Thunder situations.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Sephiroth OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 2 | -13 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -13 |
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| Jab 3 | 6 | -19 |
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| Forward Tilt | 7 | -10/-8 |
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| Up Tilt | 4/7 | -18 |
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| Down Tilt | 3 | -6 |
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| Dash Attack | 13 | -15/-12 |
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| Forward Smash | 14 | -21 |
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| Up Smash | 28/30 | -54 |
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| Down Smash | 20/29/39 | -12 |
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| Neutral Air | 7…/26 | -10/-9 |
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| Forward Air | 9 | -3/-2 |
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| Back Air | 15 | -5/-4/-6 |
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| Up Air | 7 | -3 |
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| Down Air | 10/18/26/34 | -14/-13 |
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| Z Air | 9 | -2 |
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| Neutral B | 40-92 | -14 to -5 |
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| Side B | 21 | -24 |
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| Up B (1) | 20 | — | ||
| Up B (2) | 1/4/6/8/10/12/14/17/20/23/26/29 | -21 |
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| Down B | 19 (7 is start of absorb) | +0 |
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| Grab | 12 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 14 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 15 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- The moment Lucas shows PSI Magnet, stop forcing Flare and Shadow Flare and return to retreating fair, forward tilt, and bair at tipper distance.
- Punish Jab 1-3, Up Tilt, Forward Smash, Up Smash, Down Air, Side B, and Up B (2) with Grab or OOS Nair whenever Lucas lands too close.
- Do not insist on immediate shield punishes against Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Fair, Back Air, and Up Air; take the drift path and reclaim space with the sword instead.
- Once Lucas is cornered, cover tether timing and PK Thunder routes with bair, down tilt, and delayed ledge pressure rather than gambling on an offstage chase.
- Even with Wing active, use the mobility boost to keep spacing and extend ledge pressure, not to start a close-range brawl Lucas can scramble out of.
Actions to Avoid
- Feeding Flare or Shadow Flare directly into PSI Magnet and letting Lucas heal while advancing.
- Swinging out of shield at every Forward Tilt or Down Tilt and getting clipped before the range advantage matters.
- Drifting above Lucas repeatedly and giving him clean up air juggles into ledge pressure.
- Chasing too far offstage and turning a winning ledge trap into a reversal from PK Freeze or PK Thunder.