Cloud Strife (Dissidia 012)
| Info | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cloud Strife |
| Original game | Final Fantasy VII |
| Weapon | Sword, Greatsword, Katana, Spear |
| Armor | Shields, Bangles, Hats, Helms, Clothing, Light Armor, Large Shields, Chestplates |
| Run Speed tier | 7 (Average) |
| Dash Speed | 77F (Average / Good) |
| Fall Speed | 87F (Below Average) |
| Fall Speed Ratio After Dodge | 39 (Below Average) |
| Exclusive weapons | Buster Sword, Force Stealer, Butterfly Edge, Fenrir |
Overview
Cloud Strife (Japanese: クラウド ストライフ) is the main protagonist in Final Fantasy VII. Primarily a close range fighter, Cloud utilises a variety of pokes, projectiles and large sword swings to establish his advantage. Akin to an all-rounder with an emphasis on damage output, Cloud has something for many situations, although his mileage will vary.
Cloud is recommended to players who
- are new to the game
- wish to learn more about Duodecim's many gameplay elements with a single, easy to understand character.
- enjoy doing a lot of damage with a single combo
Strengths
- Unreactable bravery pokes in Double Cut that recover fast on whiff, generate a good amount of EX and can be converted to HP damage with assist
- Can safely attempt to generate assist meter with Double Cut
- HP links with great wall rush potential, allowing good independent damage output which is then greatly bolstered by assist and Side by Side
- Solid, straightforward ground game with Double Cut pokes, Climhazzard punishes, Sonic Break HP link starter, four different projectiles and average running and dash speed
- Mid priority projectile in Firaga that can hinder or wall off melee fighters in their approaches
- Flexible assist and build synergy
- Can punish opponents below and above him with relative ease, latter being stronger with Rising Fang's range and wall rush potential
- All of his melee priority moves become high priority (same as HP moves) during EX mode
- EX Burst baseline strength is among the strongest in the game when at full health
- High base defense of 112 at LV100, reducing bravery damage taken more than majority of the cast
Weaknesses
- Both HP link follow-ups, Finishing Touch and Omnislash Version 5 are long animations that are susceptible to punishment after Assist Change. Against stronger characters that can reliably build an assist meter and make it difficult for Cloud to connect hits, this can greatly neuter Cloud's damage output.
- Average fall speed, resulting in floaty aerial dodges that can make them unsafe against many characters without committing to Adamant Chains set
- No move to perform out of dodge that can consistently threaten dodge punish attempts, fastest being Double Cut that relies on clashing with an opponent's low priority bravery move.
- In addition, as most of his key moves involve sequences of melee priority attacks, LV2 Assist Change can be exploited against Cloud to a good effect.
- His good (and only) bravery projectiles can only be accessed on the ground, which greatly reduce their effective application in stages and matchups that favor aerial combat.
- Barring a linear aerial Meteorain, Cloud's aerial approaches are limited to close range physical attacks, with no utility properties on moves to bypass mid / high priority projectiles and traps without notable risk.
- While capable of punishing with braveries vertically with Rising Fang and Aerial Fang, they are flawed enough to justify omitting in favor of Slashing Blow and aerial Double Cut. Both are somewhat slow moves with either a notable start-up, end lag or lack of notable reward on hit, mainly in consistent assist conversion opportunities. As a result, Cloud's effective range is rather linear.