Tifa Lockhart (Dissidia 012)

General	Starter Guide		Strategy
Matchups	Resources

Info
Name	Tifa Lockhart (ティファ・ロックハート)
Original game	Final Fantasy VII
Base ATK (LV100)	108 (Very Low)
Base DEF (LV100)	111 (Average)
Run Speed	4 (Fast)
Dash Speed	69 (Very Fast)
Fall Speed	77 (Above Average)
Fall Speed Ratio After Dodge	37 (Above Average)
Fastest BRV
Fastest HP
1-Hit HP
HP Links
Command Block
Weapon	Grappling Weapons, Parrying Weapons, Poles, Rods, Staves
Armor	Bangles, Chestplates, Clothing, Gauntlets, Hairpins, Hats, Light Armor
Exclusive weapons	Godhand, Premium Heart, Seventh Heaven
Unlock
Alignment
Voice Actor (JP)
Voice Actor (ENG)

Strengths	Weaknesses

Overview

Tifa is a close range character with fast movement speed and the ability to feint attacks. Ground combat is bolstered by mid priority projectiles and an HP link, while aerial combat is supported by moves with vertical tracking. Decent EX gain and one of the highest damaging EX Bursts in the game the more EX meter she has remaining. Damage potential is high with HP attacks thanks to high base bravery and Aerith assist specifically. Low average bravery damage, limited utility on feints and below average vertical prowess while airborne limit her overall effectiveness, however.

Tifa is a low tier character.

Bravery Attacks

Ground

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	8, 11, 16 (35)	21F	Physical	Melee Low	90
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Chase, Feint	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Close~Mid] A flurry of punches. Can combo without hitting.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	10 (10)	31F	Magical	Ranged Low	0
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	--	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Long] Fire ice crystals. Slow speed, but long range.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	1, 2 x 10, 3 (24)	31F	Magical	Ranged Low, Ranged Mid (Explosion)	0
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Mid] Fire multiple ice crystals. Strike opponent down.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	1, 2 x 10, 9 (30)	93F	Magical	Ranged Mid	0
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Long] Drop ice crystals on foe to surprise opponent.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	8, 12 (20)	11F	Physical	Melee Low	30
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush, Feint (both hits)	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Close] A low-to-high kick combo. Can combo without hitting.

Aerial

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	8, 12 (20)	11F	Physical	Melee Low	30
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush, Feint (both hits)	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Close] Elbow smash combo. Can combo without hitting.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	26	23F	Physical	Melee Low	0
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush, Feint	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Dive] Descend quickly from above.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	9, 9, 2 x 3, 16 (40)	25F	Physical	Melee Low	90
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Chase, Feint (both parts)	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Mid] Graceful kicks. Can combo without hitting.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	1 x 5, 24 (29)	23F	Physical	Melee Low	30
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush, Feint	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Rise] Uppercut in the form of a dolphin. Useful from below.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	10 (10)	31F	Magical	Ranged Low	0
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	--	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Long] Fire ice crystals. Slow speed, but long range.

HP Attacks

Ground

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	15	39F	Physical	Melee High	30
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush, Feint	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Close] Kick upwards, then strike down. Vertically limited.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	1x (2/7/13), 15 (17/22/28)	33F, 42F (half charge), 58F (full charge), hitbox 7F after release	Physical	Melee High	3 per hit
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush, Feint	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Close~Long] Charge at foe. Hold button to change distance.

Meteor Strike for brv damage + wall rush and as a pseudo-poke for relatively short end lag and minor evasion against nearby aerial opponents.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	-	47F	-	Melee High	0
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush, Feint	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Mid] Ultra high-speed kick. Extremely quick.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	1 x 7 (7)	45F	Physical	Melee High	3 per hit (max 21)
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush, Feint	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Rise] Grab foe and throw to ground. Short horizontal range.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	-	/ +Waterkick (8)	-	Melee High	60 / 90
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	-	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

Branching from Waterkick. [Combo] Kick opponent upwards.

Aerial

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	1 x 7 (7)	45F	Physical	Melee High	3 per hit (max 21)
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Wall rush, Feint	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Dive] Grab foe and throw to ground. Short horizontal range.

	Damage multiplier	Startup frame	Type	Priority	EX Force
	1 x 8, 2 (10)	33F, 32F (half charge), 46F (full charge), hitbox 17F after release	Physical	Melee High	87
	Effects	CP (Mastered)	Cancels	Assist Gain (Attack)	Assist Gain (Hit)
	Feint	30 (15)
	Unlocked at level	Mastered at AP

[Close~Mid] Unleash a flurry of attacks. Increase charge speed with button hold.

EX Mode: Equipped Premium Heart!

Effects:

• Regen
• Critical Boost
• Premium Heart

Premium Heart

[Always active while in EX Mode] The fuller the EX Gauge, the more damage dealt.

EX Burst: Final Heaven

A flurry of attacks ending in one ferocious tackle. Watch your timiing and stop the reels. The better the combo, the more damage dealt.

The damage multipliers scale with remaining EX gauge. More EX left, higher damage.

Maximum EX

Damage multiplier (initial)	Damage multiplier (rest)	Type
15, 25 (40)	13 x 7 (91) (131 total)	??

Minimum EX

Damage multiplier (initial)	Damage multiplier (rest)	Type
8, 13 (21)	7 x 7 (49) (70 total)	??

Tifa's mechanics (Feints)

Many of Tifa's bravery and HP attacks can be cancelled into an advancing invincible dash that can go through opponents. Press X during an attack's start-up to "feint" it. After the motion has occurred, Tifa can continue with the preceding attack or wait until the feint state ends. So for example, Beat Rush > X > Beat Rush (hits).

Attacks with feints
Attack	Feint window	Post-feint action
Beat Rush	Before first hit	Beat Rush
Waterkick	Before second hit	Second bravery hit of Waterkick
Moonsault Kick	Before either hit	First part or second part depending on feint timing
Falcon's Dive	Before first hit	Falcon's Dive
Dolphin Blow	Before first hit	Dolphin Blow
Meteodrive	Before first hit	Meteodrive
Meteor Strike	Before / during first hit	Meteor Strike (can be charged)
Burning Arrow	Before first hit	Burning Arrow
Rolling Blaze (both)	During first part	Rolling Blaze
Meteor Crusher	Before attack connects	Meteor Crusher (cannot be charged)

A feint allows Tifa to delay her attack for about one (1) full second before being locked into unactionable recovery frames. This can be used to extend an attack's range and increase ambiguity on your attack timing, most notably with the Rolling Blaze HP attacks.

Because Tifa is invincible when initiating a feint, it is also possible to use it as a post-dodge defensive option.

Tifa can be hit after the feint teleport and during the recovery period, which make her vulnerable to interruptions. One way to cover this is to have assist meter ready to respond to opponent’s interactions. Escaping damage or intercepting the opponent’s approach can work out well, but there will inevitably be a little bit of guessing involved when facing a different player.

Feints are better used sparingly early in the match to see how the opponent reacts to them. Once you get a good idea of how they respond, you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

Common counterstrategies to feints include;

• Running or jumping out of range
• Interrupting with fast attacks (e.g. Squall’s Beat Fang, Yuna’s Diamond Dust)
• Chasing with a homing attack (e.g. Cloud's Braver, Vaan's Inferno)
• Reacting with assist and using it in tandem to pincer her.

Combos

Assist

All assists use their designated bravery attack unless stated otherwise.

Tifa's easiest air assist combo enders are Moonsault Kick (bravery damage and EX) and Meteor Crusher (HP). Meteor Crusher has very short range if it's uncharged, so it is recommended to finish an assist combo by charging Meteor Crusher for roughly 0.6 seconds. This is enough time for the Assist Chase teleport slowdown to end without sacrificing much hit stun in the process.

Ground

Tifa combos well with wall rush and her damage output increases exponentially with ground wall rushes thanks to Kuja bravery assist's holding potential.

Starter	Combo	Damage	EX Force	Notes	Video
Waterkick > Somersault	--	8 + HP	90 (30, 60)	--	--
	Kuja > AC > Meteor Crusher	68 + HP x2 (8, HP, 50, 10)	177 (30, 60, 87)	Basic HP link combo that leaves Tifa airborne. Charge Meteor Crusher for roughly 0.6 seconds to increase tracking and hit the opponent consistently.	video
Beat Rush (2nd hit)	--	19 (8, 11)	??	BRV starter, either after approaching or defending with feint after a dodge.	video
	Kuja > AC > Meteor Crusher	79 (8, 11, 50, 10 + HP)	??	--	video
Blizzara	--	24 (1, 2 x 10, 3)	0	Wall Rush.	--
	WR > Kuja > Falcon's Dive > DC (towards Kuja) > Falcon's Dive > DC (towards Kuja) > AC > Meteor Crusher	133 + HP & WR (24 + WR, 47, 26 + WR, 26 + WR, 10 + HP)	87 (0, 0, 0, 87)	The later Blizzara hits, the more time Tifa has to fit in two Falcon's Dives during ground Kuja BRV assist.	video
Blizzaga	--	30 (1, 2 x 10, 9)	0	Wall Rush. Blizzaga is Tifa's highest damaging ground BRV combo starter, but due to it's slow startup it is difficult to land it in practical situations.
	WR > Kuja > DC (up or towards Kuja) > Falcon's Dive > DC (towards Kuja) > Falcon's Dive > DC > AC > Meteor Crusher	139 (30 + WR, 47, 26 + WR, 26 + WR, 10 + HP)	87 (0, 0, 0, 87)	Tifa is actionable before Blizzaga wall rushes with a dodge cancel. Use that to add Falcon's Dives during the ground Kuja BRV assist.
Burning Arrow	--	0 + HP WR	0	Wall Rush. Dodge punishment combo starter.	--
	WR > Kuja > AC > Meteor Crusher	60 + HP x2 & WR (0 + HP WR, 50, 10 + HP)	87 (0, 87)	Base bravery HP damage is usually enough for base bravery to mostly recover during Meteor Crusher.	video
Rolling Blaze	--	1x7 + HP WR	3 per hit (max 21)	Wall Rush. Works after staggering with a block or anti-airing.	--
	WR > Kuja > DC (towards Kuja) > Falcon's Dive > DC (towards Kuja) > Falcon's Dive > DC > AC > Meteor Crusher	116 (7 + HP WR, 47, 26 + WR, 26 + WR, 10)	108 (21, 87)	Wall Rush. Falcon's Dive is Tifa's highest damaging assist combo filler, but it can be easy to miss the opponent or dodge cancel the dive slightly late.	video

Aerial

Tifa doesn't have access strong assist combo fillers and her aerial combo starters aren't particularly stronger compared to the ground combo starters. She can still get ground Kuja assist with Falcon's Dive and Rolling Blaze, but they're not easy to land against airborne opponents. Nevertheless, even though the combo routes are basic, they're all functional.

Starter	Combo	Damage	EX Force	Notes	Video
Elbow Smash (1st hit)	--	8	??	Quick air poke combo starter.	--
	Kuja > AC > Meteor Crusher	68 (8, 50, 10 + HP)	?? + 87	Basic.	video
Elbow Smash	--	20 (8, 12)	30	Wall Rush.	--
	WR > Kuja > DC (pincer the opponent) > Moonsault Kick (1st part) > DC > AC > Meteor Crusher	98 + HP (8, 12, 50, 9, 9, 10 + HP)	?? (30, ??, 87)	Wall Rush. Moonsault Kick is an easy filler during Kuja's air brv assist. Dodge behind the opponent so that Tifa and Kuja are attacking from both sides.	video
Moonsault Kick (1st part)	--	18 (9, 9)	??	Air combo starter. No wall required. Can be used after approaching or doing a feint.	--
	Kuja > DC (pincer the opponent) > Moonsault Kick (1st part) > DC > AC > Meteor Crusher	96 (9, 9, 50, 9, 9, 10 + HP)	?? (??, ??, 87)	Moonsault Kick (1st) works as a filler here as well. Just like with the Elbow Smash WR, dodge behind the opponent to attack the opponent from both sides, without pushing them out of Kuja assist.	video
Moonsault Kick	--	40 (9, 9, 2x3, 16)	90	Wall / corner only. High damage combo starter when ground wall rush is not available.	--
	Kuja > Empty Chase (Kuja hit) > AC > Meteor Crusher	100 + HP (40, 50, 10 + HP)	177 (90, 87)	Wall / corner only. Call Kuja before chase prompt and initiate chase as Kuja hits the opponent. Don't do anything during chase (also known as empty chase and follow up as usual.	video
Falcon's Dive	--	26 + WR	0	Wall Rush. Commonly used in air-to-ground situations or otherwise fighting an opponent who is below Tifa. Note that wall rush can happen on both floors and walls. If the dodge direction keeps Tifa close and slightly above the opponent, Falcon's Dive also works after staggering with a blodge.	--
	Wall Rush > Kuja > DC (towards Kuja) > Falcon's Dive > DC (towards Kuja) > Falcon's Dive > DC > AC > Meteor Crusher	135 (26 + WR, 47, 26 + WR, 26 + WR, 10 + HP)	87 (0, 0, 0, 87)	Wall Rush.	video
Dolphin's Blow	--	29 (1x5, 24)	30	Wall Rush. Ceiling only. Dolphin Blow overall speed and vertical tracking are only average, so this won't be used too often. As a filler, it is stronger than Falcon's Dive but only in Dolphin Blow conversions specifically.
	WR > Kuja > DC (pincer the opponent) > Dolphin Blow (WR) > DC > AC > Meteor Crusher	118 (29 + WR, 50, 29 + WR, 10 + HP)	147 (30, 30, 87)	Wall Rush. Ceiling only. Similiar to Moonsault Kick fillers, dodge behind the opponent and attack them from both sides. Dolphin Blow's recovery can be dodge cancelled early, which makes timing the filler Dolphin Blow much easier.

Builds

Stats
HP	10904
CP	450
BRV	1215
ATK	176
DEF	184
LUK	61
Max Booster	x2.7

Special Effect: None

Equipment
Assist	Kuja
Weapon	Seventh Heaven
Hand	Hero's Shield (CP Glitch)
Head	Dueling Mask
Body	Heavy Armor (CP Glitch)
Accessory 1	Block Ring
Accessory 2	Zephyr Cloak
Accessory 3	Dismay Shock
Accessory 4	Battle Hammer
Accessory 5	Empty EX Gauge
Accessory 6	Pre-EX Mode
Accessory 7	Pre-EX Revenge
Accessory 8	Blue Gem
Accessory 9	Miracle Shoes
Accessory 10	Side by Side
Summon	None

Bravery attacks
Ground	Aerial
Beat Rush	Moonsault Kick
Waterkick	Falcon's Dive
Blizzaga	Elbow Smash
HP attacks
Ground	Aerial
Rolling Blaze	Meteor Crusher
Burning Arrow	Rolling Blaze
Somersault (from Waterkick)

Basic Abilities
Actions	Support	Extra
Ground Evasion	Always Target Indicator	Precision Evasion
Midair Evasion	EX Core Lock On	Counterattack
Ground Block	Assist Lock On	Assist Critical Boost
Midair Block		Disable Sneak Attack
Aerial Recovery		EXP to HP
Recovery Attack		Master Guardsman
Controlled Recovery
Wall Jump
Free Air Dash
Ground Dash
Free Air Dash Boost
Assist Gauge Up Dash
Speed Boost
Jump Times Boost
Ground Evasion Boost
Midair Evasion Boost
Evasion Boost

Build overview

A Side by Side build that doesn't specialise in damage, but instead focuses on a good balance of offense and defense. Most equipment come with useful effects to help with defense (Hero's Shield's Wall Rush HP defense for example), and accessories lean towards meter depletion and bravery boost on block and dodge. Side by Side synergises well with the three boosters for a consistent x2.7 multiplier throughout the match.

Tifa's bravery damage output is often average if not below average, which is where higher base bravery, her exclusive weapon and Assist Critical Boost come in. Landing any HP attack outside of assist combos will produce a chunk of assist bar which will help Tifa stay competitive with the meter.

Kuja assist combos off of wall rushes, staggers and unfinished bravery sequences (e.g. Elbow Smash 1st hit), which is great for learning and applying basic assist combo theory. Tifa also has access to her highest damaging assist combo filler (2x Falcon's Dive) if she wall rushes with Falcon's Dive, Meteor Strike or Rolling Blaze.

Because Side by Side freezes Tifa's EX gauge, she cannot gain EX at all. Be sure to collect any EX Cores that appear to prevent the opponent from taking advantage of the EX Force that Tifa generates.

CP allocation

This build has no spare CP. If you wish to use additional CP to support your playstyle, you will have to replace an accessory with Hero's Essence .

Substitutes

Substitutes here.

Attacks

Staple

These attacks are recommended regardless of matchup, stage or player preference.

Bravery attacks
Ground	Aerial
Beat Rush	Elbow Smash
Waterkick	Falcon's Dive
HP attacks
Ground	Aerial
Rolling Blaze	Meteor Crusher
Somersault (from Waterkick)	Rolling Blaze

Waterkick: Poke and an assist combo starter with Somersault HP link.

Beat Rush: Poke and post-dodge defensive option. Can hit confirm the Kuja assist reliably with the first two hits.

Elbow Smash: Aerial close range poke, dodge punisher. An important assist combo starter either with the first hit or after wall rushing. Practice confirming this visually.

Falcon's Dive: Relatively safe downward (air-to-ground) poke, post-dodge defense with Feint. Assist combo starter with wall rush and for Kuja assist specifically, Tifa's strongest assist combo filler.

Rolling Blaze (ground): Assist combo starter and an anti-air.

Somersault: HP link from Waterkick. Assist combo starter and increases Waterkick's overall threat.

Meteor Crusher: Air assist combo ender, block punisher and pre-emptive dodge punisher when fully charged. Can combo into Kuja when sending the opponent into a corner (the wall / corner reduces knockback distance).

Rolling Blaze (midair): Air assist combo ender, air-to-ground dodge punisher / clash / space occupation.

Flexible

These attacks are great to have, but can be swapped or removed depending on matchup, stage or player preference.

Bravery attacks
Ground	Aerial
Blizzara	Moonsault Kick
Blizzaga	Dolphin Blow
HP attacks
Ground	Aerial
Meteor Strike	--
Burning Arrow	--

Blizzara: Ranged low projectile that becomes mid priority when it explodes at max range. It can convert to assist combo on hit after wall rushing. Occupies space in front of Tifa, but be wary of the initial low priority.

Blizzaga: Ranged mid projectile, can convert to assist combo on hit after wall rushing. Spawns on top of opponent and has limited vertical reach, but it is mid priority all the way through, staggering regular blocks.

Moonsault Kick: Slower close range poke with higher brv damage, post-dodge defense with Feint. Assist combo starter with a chase setup that doesn't require a wall, making this a good recommendation for Aerith assist specifically.

Dolphin Blow: Upward poke that is slightly faster than microdash Elbow Smash. Also works as a post-dodge defense tool with Feint. Assist combo starter with wall rush and it is Tifa's highest damaging bravery filler during air Kuja assist at the ceiling. Recommended vs. Sephiroth and Cecil.

Meteor Strike: Pseudo-poke with forward movement, slight low-profile, longer active frames and bravery damage than Rolling Blaze when charged. Leads to ground Kuja brv assist combos and of course, let's Tifa add damage with Falcon's Dive.

Burning Arrow: Single hit HP. Kuja assist can follow up after a wall rush, which increases Burning Arrow's damage potential. Because it doesn't inflict bravery damage, it also avoids EX Revenge counters with EX depletion. Good as a ground dodge punish, ground block punish or as an otherwise hard callout move.

Avoid

Generally not recommended due to being outclassed by other attacks or having no distinct utility.

Bravery attacks
Ground	Aerial
Blizzard	--
HP attacks
Ground	Aerial
Meteodrive	--

Blizzard: Low priority projectile with longest reach out of the Blizzard type spells. With other spells already having higher priority and providing better reward on hit, Blizzard is not recommended for this build. It does have enough hit stun to combo into Kuja brv assist, but this requires calling him pre-emptively for consistency.

Meteodrive: Low brv damaging HP with wall rush. The wall rush lets Kuja follow up, but otherwise it is not particuarly noteworthy compared to Tifa's other HP attacks. Meteodrive does have better feint than Meteor Strike and short animation overall, however.

Stats
HP	9683
CP	450
BRV	1623
ATK	175
DEF	183
LUK	60
Max Booster	x3.5

Special Effect: None

Equipment
Assist	Aerith
Weapon	Piggy's Stick (CP Glitch)
Hand	Chainsaw (CP Glitch)
Head	Thornlet
Body	Maximillian (CP Glitch)
Accessory 1	Muscle Belt
Accessory 2	Sniper Eye
Accessory 3	Bravery Orb
Accessory 4	Dismay Shock
Accessory 5	Empty EX Gauge
Accessory 6	Summon Unused
Accessory 7	Pre-EX Mode
Accessory 8	Pre-EX Revenge
Accessory 9	Back-Breaking Straw
Accessory 10	Side by Side
Summon	Rubicante

Bravery attacks
Ground	Aerial
Waterkick	Moonsault Kick
Beat Rush	Elbow Smash
Blizzara	Falcon's Dive
HP attacks
Ground	Aerial
Rolling Blaze	Meteor Crusher
Meteor Strike	Rolling Blaze
Somersault (from Waterkick)

Basic Abilities
Actions	Support	Extra
Ground Evasion	Always Target Indicator	Precision Evasion
Midair Evasion	EX Core Lock On	Disable Counterattack
Ground Block	Assist Lock On	EXP to Assist
Midair Block		Best Dresser
Aerial Recovery
Recovery Attack
Controlled Recovery
Wall Jump
Air Dash
Free Air Dash
Ground Dash
Multi Air Slide
Free Air Dash Boost
Assist Gauge Up Dash
Speed Boost
Jump Boost
Jump Times Boost+
Ground Evasion Boost
Midair Evasion Boost
Evasion Boost
Descent Speed Boost

Build Overview

A Side by Side damage build that invests in high base bravery and HP wall rush to increase Tifa's damage output exponentially with Aerith assist specifically. The idea is simple: Land an HP, combo into Aerith's Seal Evil and do another HP late enough for base bravery to fully recover. A single assist combo can do over 3000 HP damage.

In match-ups where Tifa can compete with her Somersault HP link or Rolling Blaze such as Cloud and Firion, she can output a lot of HP damage without relying on high attack stat or critical hits. Any HP guarantees an Aerith followup (Meteor Crusher only at wall) and bravery hits still work well enough to secure at least one HP attack in an assist combo. Aerith is the only competitive assist that lets Tifa assist combo off of a completed Moonsault Kick without walls.

The infamous double assist combo is also possible and it's where this build really shines. If Tifa can wall rush again and use another assist meter during the first Seal Evil, she can do Rolling Blaze and call Aerith once more. Needless to say, this increases damage even further.

CP Allocation

15 CP is available for another ground HP attack, the Auto-Assist Lock On support ability or additional action abilities. Removing Air Dash and Descent Speed Boost frees up another 10 CP for a total of 25 CP.

Substitutes

Substitutes

Equipment	Replacement	Notes
Muscle Belt	Zephyr Cloak / BRV = 0 / Hero's Essence / Great Gospel / Hero's Seal / Winged Boots	Muscle Belt isn't crucial for damage output, so it can be replaced with one of the listed accessories for increased survivability, CP (extra abilities for increased crit rate, base HP or BRV) or bravery recovery.
Back-Breaking Straw	Together as One / accessory of your choice	Back-Breaking Straw negates Thornlet's bravery boost penalty on dodge and block. The damage output is still high even with the penalties, so if it doesn't feel deterring, it can be replaced with Together as One for more assist meter at the start which is good for stability. Otherwise this can be exchanged to suit the player preference or match-up.
Muscle Belt and Summon Unused	Battle Hammer and BRV = 0	This is for adding assist depletion to the build. Muscle Belt doesn't benefit from BRV = 0 booster, whereas Battle Hammer does, so the booster is swapped out for something stronger and more consistent. BRV = 0 applies to wall rush damage and meter depletion.
Best Dresser (extra ability)	Master Guardsman (extra ability)	The base bravery (1623) can be reduced by 100 to raise the maximum health above 10,000 instead.

Attacks

Tifa has a good selection of viable bravery and HP attacks, with a bit of room to accomodate different circumstances.

Staple

These attacks are recommended regardless of matchup, stage or player preference.

Bravery attacks
Ground	Aerial
Waterkick	Moonsault Kick
Beat Rush	Elbow Smash
HP attacks
Ground	Aerial
Rolling Blaze	Meteor Crusher
Somersault (from Waterkick)	Rolling Blaze

Waterkick: Poke and an assist combo starter with Somersault HP link.

Beat Rush: Poke and post-dodge defensive option. Cannot combo into Aerith, but can synergise with her Planet Protector or even Holy if the situation allows Tifa to initiate chase.

Moonsault Kick: Slower close range poke with higher brv damage, post-dodge defense with Feint. Assist combo starter with a chase setup that doesn't require a wall, making this a good recommendation for Aerith assist specifically.

Elbow Smash: Aerial close range poke, dodge punisher. Assist combo starter with wall rush.

Rolling Blaze (ground): Assist combo starter, extender and an anti-air.

Somersault: HP link from Waterkick. Assist combo starter and increases Waterkick's overall threat.

Meteor Crusher: Air assist combo ender, block punisher and pre-emptive dodge punisher when fully charged. Can combo into Aerith at wall.

Rolling Blaze (midair): Air assist combo ender, double assist combo extender, air-to-ground dodge punisher / clash / space occupation.

Flexible

These attacks are great to have, but can be swapped or removed depending on matchup, stage or player preference.

Tifa has good contenders for the remaining BRV (1 ground, 1 midair) and HP slots (2 ground):

Bravery attacks
Ground	Aerial
Blizzara	Falcon's Dive
Blizzaga	Dolphin Blow
HP attacks
Ground	Aerial
Meteor Strike	--
Burning Arrow	--

Blizzara: Ranged low projectile that becomes mid priority when it explodes at max range. It can convert to assist combo on hit. Occupies space in front of Tifa, but be wary of the initial low priority.

Blizzaga: Ranged mid projectile, can convert to assist combo on hit. Spawns on top of opponent and has limited vertical reach, but it is mid priority all the way through, staggering regular blocks.

Falcon's Dive: Downward (air-to-ground) poke, post-dodge defense with Feint. Assist combo starter with wall

Dolphin Blow: Upward poke that is slightly faster than microdash Elbow Smash. Also works as a post-dodge defense tool with Feint. Assist combo starter with wall rush. Recommended vs. Sephiroth and Cecil.

Meteor Strike: Pseudo-poke with forward movement, slight low-profile, longer active frames and bravery damage than Rolling Blaze.
Great to have.

Burning Arrow: Single hit HP. Doesn't combo into Aerith, but avoids EX Revenge counters with EX depletion.

Avoid

Generally not recommended due to being outclassed by other attacks or having little to no distinct utility.

Bravery attacks
Ground	Aerial
Blizzard	--
HP attacks
Ground	Aerial
Meteodrive	--

Blizzard: Low priority projectile with longest reach out of the Blizzard type spells. With other spells already having higher priority and providing better reward on hit, Blizzard is not recommended for this build.

Meteodrive: Low brv damaging HP with wall rush. Doesn't combo into Aerith, but has better feint than Meteor Strike and short animation overall.

Stats
HP	9972
CP	450
BRV	997
ATK	174
DEF	185
LUK	60
Max Booster	x5.5

Special Effect: Adamant Chains

Equipment
Assist	Aerith / Tidus
Weapon	Adamant Knife (CP Glitch)
Hand	Adamant Shield (CP Glitch)
Head	Dueling Mask
Body	Adamant Vest (CP Glitch)
Accessory 1	Zephyr Cloak
Accessory 2	Dismay Shock
Accessory 3	Battle Hammer
Accessory 4	BRV > Base Value
Accessory 5	Summon Unused
Accessory 6	Pre-EX Mode
Accessory 7	Pre-EX Revenge
Accessory 8	Aerial
Accessory 9	After 30 Seconds
Accessory 10	Tenacious Attacker
Summon	Rubicante

Bravery attacks
Ground	Aerial
Waterkick	Moonsault Kick
Beat Rush	Elbow Smash
Blizzaga	Dolphin Blow
HP attacks
Ground	Aerial
Rolling Blaze	Meteor Crusher
Meteor Strike	Rolling Blaze
Somersault (from Waterkick)

Basic Abilities
Actions	Support	Extra
Ground Evasion	Always Target Indicator	Precision Evasion
Midair Evasion	EX Core Lock On	Disable Counterattack
Ground Block	Assist Lock On	EXP to HP
Midair Block		Best Dresser
Aerial Recovery
Recovery Attack
Controlled Recovery
Wall Jump
Air Dash
Free Air Dash
Ground Dash
Multi Air Slide
Free Air Dash Boost
Assist Gauge Up Dash
Jump Boost
Jump Times Boost+
Ground Evasion Boost
Midair Evasion Boost
Evasion Boost

A build that provides bravery every time an attack is evaded with a dodge. This style of build is often reserved for specific match-ups where a character may struggle to land hits and are dealing with projectiles often. Against Sephiroth this is good for discouraging Shadow Flare use. The Emperor and Ultimecia also create situations with projectiles frequently, but all three are difficult match-ups for Tifa even with this build. Landing an HP is challenging and often carries a lot of risk, so having more bravery can justify taking the plunge.

The boosters don't depend on the opponent as much (no summon unused for example), but are weaker than a fully optimized set with boosters reliant on the other player's build. At maximum booster multiplier, a single dodge generates 146 bravery.

25 CP is available for Auto Assist Lock On support ability, another ground HP attack, additional basic actions or extra abilities.

Substitutes

Equipment	Replacement	Notes
After 30 Seconds	Opponent Summon Unused	1.2 booster to 1.3 booster, a slight increase. The opponent does not have to equip a summon, so if they don't have a summon for the fight, this booster is useless.
Dismay Shock	Opponent Empty EX Gauge	If the opponent has Side by Side equipped, this is another good 1.3 booster with consistent uptime.
Tenacious Attacker	Free choice	--

Assist

Tifa's assist data

Type	Attack	Startup	Position	Spawn	Damage multiplier	Effects
BRV	Beat Rush	21F	Ground	Opponent	8, 11, 16 (35)	Chase
BRV	Falcon's Dive	23F	Air	Opponent	26	Wall Rush
HP	Meteodrive	39F	Ground	Opponent	15	Wall Rush
HP	Rolling Blaze	45F	Air	Opponent	1 x 7	Wall Rush

Assists

Poke and wall rush conversions, high brv damage, high risk of being locked when used.

Poke and wall rush conversions, lower damage, but faster startup and shorter animation on air BRV assist, making Tidus safer to use even if the opponent escapes it with LV1 Assist Change.

If you don't need Kuja or Tidus for whiff punishments or conversions, Aerith can boost your damage near the ground with triple HP combos or reliably set up HP damage off of Moonsault Kick's chase. Recommended for Side by Side and / or high base bravery builds.