Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Running straight at Sephiroth’s sword tip is bad for Sora, but Sora can still make the matchup workable by shifting his air timing and using magic to force Sephiroth off his ideal spacing. Jab, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral B, Side B, and Up B all leave real punish windows, so the matchup is best played by making Sephiroth miss first and then cashing out into close-range strings. Once Nair, Fair, or Uair connects, keep chasing floor and platform landings so the lead is built before Wing turns the pace around, and do not let Shadow Flare plus ledge pressure line up for free. Stocks should come from ledge Bair, confirmed Up Smash, and stable edgeguard routes, not from forcing reckless challenges into Masamune’s tipper zone or scramble hits at bad ranges.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Sora 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
- Use Firaga and Thundaga to stop Sephiroth from simply walking back and resetting tipper spacing
- Punish Jab, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral B, Side B, and Up B on block whenever the opening is there
- Avoid head-on trades at sword tip range; drift inside first, then start Nair and Fair pressure
- Once Wing is active, prioritize ledge containment over overcommitted edgeguards so Bair and Up B reversals stay limited
- Finish stocks through ledge Bair, Up Smash confirms, and clean edgeguards instead of forcing big midstage reads
Actions to Avoid
- Dashing or full hopping straight into Masamune’s tipper range instead of bending the spacing first
- Staying airborne too long with Shadow Flare attached and giving Sephiroth easy Bair or Up Smash timing
- Reusing the same landing height after Wing activates and feeding anti-airs like Uair or Up B
- Chasing too deep offstage for early kills and losing position to counter, drift mix, or Sephiroth’s long recovery