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Cloud

Jab1 & Jab2:
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)
DSmash (Frame 20)

Jab3 (-27):
FSmash (Frame 26)

FTilt (-16):
Grab (Frame 16)

UTilt (-18):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)

DTilt (-26):
FSmash (Frame 26)
(Can cross up)

Dash Attack (-26):
FSmash (Frame 26)

FSmash (-29):
FSmash (Frame 26)

USmash (-24):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)
DSmash (Frame 20)

DSmash (-38/-20):
GSA (Frame 9)
USmash (Frame 10)
DSmash (Frame 20)

NAir (-5):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield, can be spaced out of range)

FAir (-6):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield, can be spaced out of range)

BAir (-3):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield, can be spaced out of range)

UAir (-5):
Unpunishable
(Safe on shield)

DAir (-11):
NAir (Frame 7)
GSA (Frame 9)

Blade Beam (-25/-9):
Unpunishable
(Projectile usage)

Cross Slash (-24/-12):
Grab (Frame 16)
DSmash (Frame 20)
(The Limit version is unpunishable when spaced)

Climhazzard (--/-21):
--

Limit Charge (--):
--

Finishing Touch (-70):
FSmash (Frame 26)
(Can even charge the move)

• Neutral Moves: Aerials, Tilts, Jab, Limit Charge, Cross Slash.

• Kill Moves: BAir, FTilt, FAir, DAir, Smash Attacks, Limit Specials.

• Kill Confirms: Falling UAir/DAir > Limit Move, FAir > FAir, NAir > Limit Cross Slash.

• Cloud’s Climhazzard is Frame 7, making shield pressure incredibly difficult and precise (it also has a second hit on Frame 10). Your shield pressure is limited in many ways because of it. DTilt is completely unsafe for instance. Spotdodging can avoid it, though.

• Cloud’s Dash Attack is a great burst option for him in any state of the game, though extremely unsafe on shield. It can also catch bad DI, killing early.

• Cloud’s backflip from a jump shifts his hurtbox, which provides defensive utility when jumping. It’s an integral part of Cloud's neutral in means of minimizing damage. Take it into account when anti-airing.

• Cloud can use Limit Charge as a mix-up to punish consistent passive play. The speed boost from Limit is very beneficial to Cloud. Be able to adjust spacing accordingly to Cloud when he has increased speed. The best ways to punish it are with Fire Arrow and positional pressure.

• Understand that a near-fully charged Limit Meter should be treated like a full Limit Meter, as your next hit or his next hit will fully charge it, and start the timer before he loses it.

• Cloud’s threat range is larger than most characters, since he’s a sword character. Young Link has to space around him, and must be more disciplined with normals. Cloud can clank with projectiles quite easily with aerials, and can retreat while hitting at close range.

• If Cloud goes for an aggressive landing aerial, one slightly pre-emptive answer is to dashback Boomerang or pivot Grab.

• Fire Arrow serves its general purpose in this MU, but one thing to note is how Cloud can punish Fire Arrow and specifically dashback Fire Arrow.

• Cloud can shield dash in as you dash away or jump in. Dashback Fire Arrow can create these situations where Cloud is granted the exact spacing he wants. Cloud ideally wants to be within or at the left end of the blank line in the image below.

• Boomerang is an extremely high cost move vs sword characters. There isn’t much space to use it in neutral without retreating/jumping back. As such, Boomerang is more of an advantage tool. Be careful with Cloud shield dashing in as you’re throwing Boomerang, this’ll put you at an extreme frame disadvantage.

• Bomb can be used as a passive punish to Cloud retreating or Limit Charge camping. It can help with getting aggressive as well. Otherwise, it’s risky to pull in this MU.

Boxing

(How do I escape this situation?):

• Projectiles are even more committal here, as giving the Cloud a chance to approach further is high risk. Aerial Fire Arrows and Bombs (if given time to pull) are the safest.

• The sword’s safety makes Cloud super scary when in the corner. He has moves like FAir and FTilt to catch movement, Dash Attack as an aggressive option, and BAir as a safe, general purpose pressure move.

• If Cloud is falling with a BAir, one better option is to opt to cross up with a roll in instead of shielding.

Platform Pressure

(What tools do they have? How can we escape this pressure?):

• Cloud’s NAir is a rather safe option for platform pressure. It’s a Frame 5 move that covers platforms well and sends away, which sets up for ledgetraps.

• Cloud’s USmash goes through platforms and kills quite well, so being on platforms at kill percent is a risk.

• On platforms and platform tech chases, Cloud can rip Finishing Touch with Limit.

• FAir and BAir can pressure platforms while he’s to the side of it.

• Options for escaping this situation include: jumping above or away from Cloud, dropping down while Cloud is being aggressive on the top of the platform and vice versa, shield, attacking, etc.

• Avoid being above Cloud, and attempt to escape when he is in landing lag.

Landing

(How do they cover it? What are my best options?):

• Cloud can safely cover airspace with NAir, UAir, and BAir.

• With Limit, Cloud can reach and challenge Young Link's landing from farther away than normal.

• Cloud can catch landings with Tilts/BAir/Dash Attack.

Offstage

(How Do I Escape This Position And What Do I Look Out For?):

• Be wary of Cloud’s Limit Options, such as Limit Blade Beam and runoff Limit Cross Slash.

• Cloud can cover all airspaces with his sword. DAir to cover low recoveries, BAir/FAir for general edgeguarding, and UAir to juggle high recoveries.

• Cloud can use NAir to interrupt tether.

• Cloud can’t extend far offstage, so he’ll usually edgeguard when you get closer to ledge. If he does choose to extend offstage, one option is to drift back slightly to dodge an aerial, and then recover.

Ledge:

• His Dash Attack, DSmash, DTilt, and Limit Blade Beam hit ledge.

• Swordies vs Young Link tend to be able to cover multiple options from multiple positions. This option coverage overlap means there will be few options left.

• It’s all about timing your option to what position they will be in or are in. From there, do not overcommit if you’re still not in advantage/neutral state.

• Bomb can be decent in the ledge game, but refrain from overcommitting with it.

• There aren’t many viable double jump options here. The two most viable are wall jump B-Reverse Fire Arrow, and double jump ZAir.

Juggling/Boxing:

• Cloud can use the first hit of Cross Slash to stall in the air.

• Cloud can challenge Young Link easily from a vertical plane with DAir, meaning it isn’t a consistent angle to punish from.

• Opt for catching his landings horizontally. Projectiles work well in doing this, but options like ZAir and FAir can work.

• Generally, opting for ledgetrapping over juggling is better due to Cloud’s poor recovery.

• Cloud’s NAir, BAir, and Jab lead to tech chase scenarios, Jab tech chases starting at 0%. Be especially wary of Limit options when being tech chased.

Offstage:

• Cloud can reduce his fall speed with both Cross Slash and Blade Beam for a brief moment. Cross Slash is used more for this purpose.

• NAir can trade with Climhazzard if done above and closer to Cloud’s body, but it is a risky option.

• With Limit, Cloud has more airspeed, which means more options to get back to stage. Cloud is more likely to keep Limit, as he would rather use it to take a stock. His increased speed means he would rather opt for either landing on stage, or air dodging to ledge.

• Airdodge can be covered with DTilt, DSmash, and Boomerang (has to be used as a read, but is low execution). Time the hitbox to be just before Cloud snaps to ledge (2-frame and slightly earlier).

• DSmash can hit Cloud as he’s going up to ledge.

• If Cloud goes low and hugs the stage, Z-drop Bomb can catch him on the way up. However, Cloud can space Climhazzard to avoid this. When this is done, opt for Z-dropping the Bomb as a mix-up to cover this option.

• Cloud could double jump NAir/FAir from the ledge. With Limit, he can double jump and use Limit Blade Beam from ledge, as well.

• Cloud can use DTilt to cross up on shield.

Ledge Info:

XLR8’s Spreadsheet Young Link Ledge Info:

DTilt: Doesn’t hit

DSmash: Hits, specific

FTilt: Hits

Most Reliable Move: Ftilt

Animation Info: N/A

Note: Overall hard, FTilt is the safest.

• FD DTilt > ASA %s: 110, 100

• FD FThrow %s: 182, 157

• FD Milkshake %s: 108-148, 95-123

• Cloud Kill Throws: None

• Limit Cross Slash deals a lot of shield damage.

• Hold out on Climhazzard to avoid the second hit, if you’re at the tip of the hitbox.

• Expect Finishing Touch to kill around 70%, 80% from the back side.

• Climhazzard’s landing hit can be spotdodged, which leads to hefty punishes like GSA and FSmash.

• Battlefield:
  Terrible. When Cloud is around the lower platforms, he covers a lot of airspace, and the platforms extend his juggles or force you to the ledge more.

• Final Destination:
  Good. Cloud makes less use of his great juggling game here, and is overall easier to contest.

• Smashville:
  Indifferent. Cloud exerts a lot more pressure on this stage, and can juggle super easily. It’s also much harder to avoid Limit. The layout helps our zoning, but also makes disadvantage even worse.

• Town & City:
  Good. Same reasoning as FD.

• Lylat Cruise:
  Bad. Platform layout helps Fire Arrow pressure, which diminishes Limit camping, but Cloud can control the entire stage with drop down aerials.

• Pokémon Stadium 2:
  Indifferent. There is much more space to work with, but the platforms can be annoying at times.

• Kalos Pokémon League:
  Good. Basically better FD since we gain the platforms, added space and wall jumps. Cloud get wall jumps as well, though.

• Yoshi’s Story:
  Bad. Though not as bad as BF, it still sucks for the same reasons.

• Hivesteel's Young Link vs Cloud VOD Playlist: Cloud vs Young Link

• Kobe vs Diabeo: Smash Ultimate Tournament Set - Kobe (Y.Link) vs Diabeo (Cloud) - Overlords of Orlando

• Yungsz vs Dietsoda: Dietsoda (Cloud) vs Yungsz (Young Link) - Don't Roll With It!

• MU Review Night VOD Notes by Hivesteel: Cloud MU Review Night

• Grounded Finishing Touch Kill %s: Grounded Finishing Touch Kill %s