Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
In Sephiroth vs Lucina, it is more stable to stop Lucina’s Forward Air, Neutral Air, and walk-in pressure with long grounded buttons and Side B first, then send her offstage instead of forcing a direct sword scramble.
The table shows that Lucina’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral B, and Side B are all realistic punish points for Sephiroth, with Grab (10f) and OOS Nair (12f) doing most of the work against careless grounded pressure.
At the same time, Lucina’s Forward Air, Neutral Air, Up Air, and Back Air are largely safe here, and Lucina still has Dolphin Slash, so close Forward Airs or grounded swings on shield from Sephiroth can hand the turn right back.
Do not force the kill in center stage; use Side B attachment and ledge Gigaflare pressure to narrow the get-up routes and finish Lucina once her shorter horizontal recovery is exposed.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Sephiroth OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 5 | -16 |
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| Jab 2 | 4 | -19 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -15 |
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| Up Tilt | 6 | -19 |
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| Down Tilt | 7 | -8 |
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| Dash Attack | 13 | -21 |
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| Forward Smash | 10 | -31 |
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| Up Smash | 13 | -41/-35 |
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| Down Smash | 6/21 | -42/-24 |
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| Neutral Air | 6/15 | -4/-3 |
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| Forward Air | 6 | -6 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -5 |
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| Up Air | 5 | -3 |
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| Down Air | 9/11 | -9/-9 |
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| Neutral B | 19—79 | -23 to Shieldbreak |
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| Side B | 9 | -26/-16 |
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| Up B | 5 | — | ||
| Down B | 6 (Start of Counter) | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Sephiroth should not swing big first into Lucina’s walk-in pressure; use Side B and long grounded pokes to make Lucina stop before she freely reaches Forward Air and Neutral Air spacing.
- After Sephiroth blocks Lucina’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral B, or Side B, answer immediately with the reachable punish, centered on Grab (10f) or OOS Nair (12f).
- After blocking Lucina’s Forward Air, Neutral Air, or Up Air, Sephiroth should not mash back; take the next landing spot or drift route first and keep the turn going that way.
- Once Sephiroth forces Lucina offstage, prefer Side B attachment and Gigaflare ledge coverage over deep chases so jump, air dodge, and Up B reappearance all stay under control.
Actions to Avoid
- Meeting Lucina’s Forward Air and Neutral Air at the same height with Sephiroth’s own aerial swings and letting Lucina’s faster walk speed and startup decide the exchange.
- Blocking Lucina’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, or Dash Attack but giving the punish window away and letting Lucina keep close-range pressure for free.
- Hitting Lucina’s shield with close Forward Airs or grounded swings from Sephiroth and giving Dolphin Slash a clean out-of-shield punish.
- Chasing too deep offstage, getting clipped by Lucina’s Up B or Counter, and turning a won edgeguard into an even recovery race.