User blog:Poostanky!/How To Beat: Cloud Strife

Welcome to another guide, my second one actually, on how to beat a character in SSB4!

Today, we have the one who limit breaks until his limit breaks! We all know him as: Cloud Strife!

Cloud has been limit breaking foes since December 15th, 2015. Being a third-party character, he has lots of unorthodox moves that are ridiculous toward his enemies!

Right now, I will show you how to face, defeat, and conquer Cloud, and limit break him!

Enjoy!

Weaknesses of Cloud

 * Poor recovery potential.
 * Too much reliability on "Limit Break".
 * Throw game is not so good.
 * Low out of shield potential.
 * Inconsistent KO ability.
 * Most moves have a significant cool down.

Remember, KNOW YOUR OPPONENT! As we move on to Cloud's strengths, you have a choice to read or not (along with the rest of the guide). It is up to you, just know that a choice has it's consequences, whether good or bad.

Strengths of Cloud

 * Limit Break enhanced moveset and gives intangible frames (meaning it can go through hits and projectiles).
 * Superb range.
 * A threat in the air.
 * Especially with Limit Break, he is a good edge guarder.

Now, the thing you have been waiting for, how to beat Cloud! Hopefully, you read the things above, otherwise you will most likely NOT SUCCEED AGAINST CLOUD!

How to beat
For his Limit Break recovery, as I said before, force him offstage to lose his Limit Break so he can use it for recovery.
 * Use reflects, pockets, and even absorptions. They are detrimental towards Cloud.
 * Force an offstage presence to cancel Limit Break when Cloud has it (it will be used for recovery).
 * Since most smash attacks have ending lag, just attack when they are over and finished. You should get an open punish.
 * Can punish his recovery on stage, since it does not grab the edge easily AND instantly. Some characters can use spikes when he goes above the ledge, or some could have "transcendent priority" (or at least a higher priority) on attacks and punish it while on the ground, like Diddy Kong's D-Smash I believe.
 * With his Limit Break special moves, they ALL have intangibility at some point. With his Limit Break projectile, just jump, reflect, absorb, or probably you can pocket it. If you don't have any of those things, except for jump, blocking won't hurt, unless your shield is low, cause it does quite a bit of shield damage.
 * For his Limit Break Multi-Slash, you have to bait him out with slick moves! It may be hard to do, but it is also efficient, cause 1. His limit break is lost, and 2. YOU GET A FREE, WIDE OPEN PUNISH WHEN HIS SPECIAL IS DONE!
 * Also, with his Up-Smash, DON'T CHALLENGE IT! Please just don't do it. It has good range, and if you block it, it may push you back far enough for Cloud not to get punish. Just wait for Cloud to use it, and punish it, since it has noticeable end lag.
 * His U-Air can be avoided easily. Tired of people juggling (or keeping you in the air) you with U-Air? Don't worry! Spam jump AWAY from him, or use a move that can flee away from him. For example: Fox's Side-B, Pit/Dark Pit's Side-B, and maybe Yoshi's Side-B. Note that some special moves that are used for recovery, or get-aways, may put them in a free-fall state, like Ganondorf's Side-B and Fox/Falco's Up-B.

That is all for today. Tell me what you thing about this guide. KNOW your opponent and KNOW yourself. Beat up that Limit Break and finish the blonde menace (Shulk is not a blonde menace, Cloud is better than and stronger than Shulk, but Shulk is a good character though)! Enjoy and triumph! Max-Daxo, out for a while.!