There is an absolute bounty of fighters in Nintendo’s epic rendition of Super Smash Bros. on Switch — many of whom are laced with some truly unique mechanics and moves. One of the biggest examples of such a Smash Bros. Ultimate fighter has to be Final Fantasy 7‘s own Sephiroth.
With his magic abilities and particularly long-range, the FF villain employs a rather distinct fighting style that can be dominant in the right hands. It makes sense, as he was largely designed to have the feel like playing as a boss, as series lead Masahiro Sakurai has himself mentioned. It’s no surprise then that he’s become a fan favorite when it comes to the growing lineup of DLC fighters.
With that said, Sephiroth does have a few blemishes and quirks that can take some getting used to.
This guide will touch on the mechanics and abilities of this powerful swordfighter. It’ll also cover some tactics, tips, and key areas to focus on to help players dominate with him.
Overview Of Sephiroth’s Moves And Abilities
- Sephiroth’s attacks, Smash Attacks, and aerials mostly involve quick slashes, spins, and stabs of his legendary sword, the Masamune. Though he also fires projectiles and dishes out various kicks, slides, and thrusts.
- Grab – This is an important area to highlight as it’s fairly unique, being pretty below-average compared to most of his moves and powers. When triggering it, Sephiroth will reach out a hand infused with dark energy. You’ll want to plan ahead when using it, as it’s somewhat poor when it comes to range and speed.
- Final Smash – this initiates a very wide slash, which can strike up to three opponents. When struck, they’ll be trapped in a cutscene that shows his transformation into the ominous Safer-Sephiroth. He’ll then summon a devastating meteor and trigger a supernova. This is powerful from the offset, though the effectiveness extends by way of random status effects to surviving foes.
Strengths:
- Range of his sword
- Power
- Edge-guarding
- Neutral special range
- Charged specials
- Swift, wide recovery
- Neutral air game
Weaknesses:
- Close-range game
- Lightweight (seventh-lightest character in the game)
- Grapples
- Grab
- Down special — a counter move that’s fairly slow and only works from the front.
- Up Special is predictable
Tips To Dominate With Sephiroth
- Spacing, stage control, and boxing out opponents are key. This will exploit the range of Sephiroth’s sword, and he tends to be more vulnerable against swift attacks from close range.
- It’s important to note that his stab moves inflict the most damage from the tip of the blade, while his slashes and spinning slashes deal the most damage in the middle of the sword, so plan accordingly.
- Use air attacks liberally. Not only is Sephiroth swifter in the air, but the hitbox covers a wider range and makes it relatively easy to hit more foes when attacking. This is especially the case for the up-air attack.
- Sephiroth has among the lowest short hops in the game. This can be exploited by performing these hops in neutral air and slashing foes.
- While it has its flaws, Sephiroth’s Counter can be exploited when off-stage with other players to ruin their recoveries.
- Take advantage of his up tilt (an upward stab) when below players, as it has incredible range and can even reach the higher middle platform in the Battlefield stage.
- Mix up your moves and utilize combos. Being somewhat slow and clunky, it’s a good idea to be as unpredictable as possible and keep opponents off-guard with a range of moves.
More On Sephiroth’s Projectiles And Tips For Using Them
- Take advantage of Sephiroth’s charged side special Shadow Flare, as it’s arguably his best special move. It will produce up to three spheres of dark energy, which will encircle a foe for a bit before hitting them. Up to five spheres can be stacked to orbit a target at one time.
- Charges Flare (neutral special) and Shadow Flare are distinct features of Sephiroth. These can really make an impact, especially when fully charged. They should thus be used liberally — but plan ahead.
- Projectiles can be canceled with a shield, roll, jump, or grab when charging. Keep in mind that the charge won’t be stored when canceling Charges Flare.
- Charging and shooting projectiles can leave Sephiroth vulnerable. Be sure to keep at a distance and have a backup plan ready.
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