Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Snake wants to block Sephiroth’s Jab 1-3, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Up B (1), Up B (2), and Down B (1), then answer with OOS Dair (6f), Grab (10f), OOS Bair (10f), or Up Smash (11f) so Sephiroth never gets to keep the long-sword spacing for free.
Sephiroth still pressures Snake’s setup with Shadow Flare, the Flare charge line, and Winged Sephiroth’s mobility, but his moves stay committal and he is light enough that one grenade or C4 scramble can turn directly into ledge pressure.
The table shows large punish windows on Sephiroth’s Jab string, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, both grounded Up B outcomes, and a missed Scintilla, so Snake should let explosives pin the landing and retreat path before stepping in on the body.
For kills, Snake should not overforce a single raw Up Air or Forward Smash read and should instead lock the ledge and recovery angle with Grenade, C4, Up Smash, and Nikita while Sephiroth is still vulnerable before Wing changes the pace.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Snake OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 5 | -19 [-19] |
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| Jab 2 | 5 | -25 [-24] |
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| Jab 3 | 7 | -23 [-22] |
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| Forward Tilt | 14 | -15/-11/-14 [-13/-8/-12] |
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| Up Tilt | 10/13 | -32/-21/-19/-18 [-31/-18/-16/-14] |
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| Down Tilt | 9 | -25 |
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| Dash Attack | 14 | -20(-22) [-16(-19)] |
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| Forward Smash | 24 | -33/-29/-32 [-31/-26/-30] |
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| Up Smash | 23 | (-29/-31 front)/(-23/-25/-24 back) [(-26/-29/-30)/(-21/-23/-25)] |
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| Down Smash (1) | 21 | -20/-22 [-17/-20] |
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| Down Smash (2) | 21 | -24 [-22] |
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| Neutral Air | 9 | -5 [-4] |
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| Forward Air | 13 | -10 [-9] |
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| Back Air | 15 | -11 [-10] |
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| Up Air | 16 | -17 [-17] |
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| Down Air | 19 | Normal: -27 [-25] | Landing: -19 [-18] |
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| Neutral B | 41 | -28 |
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| Side B | 16—42 | -17 — -15 |
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| Up B (1) | 25 | -27 [-26] |
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| Up B (2) | 36 | -63 — -61/-47 [-62 — -60/-45] |
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| Down B (1) | 38 | -25 [-25] |
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| Down B (2) | 7 | ** | ||
| Grab | 7 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 11 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- After Snake blocks Sephiroth’s Jab 1-3, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Up B (1), Up B (2), or Down B (1), cash out immediately with the reachable option from OOS Dair (6f), Grab (10f), OOS Bair (10f), and Up Smash (11f).
- Do not walk straight into Masamune’s tipper range; use Grenade and C4 to seal Sephiroth’s retreat path first, then touch the body with Jab, Down Tilt, or Grab.
- Once Snake pushes Sephiroth to the ledge, show Nikita and Up Smash together, and layer C4 over the pre-Wing Up B route and the ledge roll path.
- After Wing appears, respect the extra air mobility and Shadow Flare attachment pressure; do not burn an airdodge or overcommit to Nikita control when Grenade can still force a trade.
Actions to Avoid
- Getting clipped by Shadow Flare, freezing in place with shield, and letting Sephiroth run both the detonation timing and the long-range swing at once.
- Walking into Masamune’s tipper range without Grenade or C4 already changing the space and playing directly into Forward Tilt, Forward Air, and Back Air.
- Overrespecting the fully charged Flare at the ledge so much that Snake telegraphs the getup timing into Up Smash or Forward Air coverage.
- Fixating on Nikita control or C4 detonation so hard that Snake loses body positioning and gives Sephiroth a free Scintilla or Winged whiff punish.