The Emperor is a defensive, trap-laying powerhouse. His strategy revolves around filling the stage with lingering projectiles and uninteractable spells that force nearby opponents to move. Deny space with the unblockable Thunder Crest, pollute the stage with Flares and set up Dreary Cells for airborne threats. The Emperor is effective in stopping characters in close range, because his traps stay active even when he gets hit. This makes him hard to catch, and lets him take advantage of traded hits more than anyone else in the game. If The Emperor is left alone, the chargeable homing Starfall HP attack creates a unique win condition for him; This is a barrage of projectiles that rain down on the field, which allow The Emperor to call Jecht assist and charge another one to chain them together in large stages. Side by Side builds are very strong because of this and traps leading to HP damage in general. EX builds are also viable if they are needed, and the assist synergy is adequate for interruptions and combos.
Historically The Emperor has been considered a high tier character. His traps restrict melee characters’ options a lot and force them to take big risks to stop further escalation. However, without traps he relies on fundamental defense (blocks, dodge timing) to stay alive. His aerial offense is exceptionally flawed due to lack of conventional melee pokes and fast mid range tools. Long range fighters (e.g. Ultimecia, Kefka) give him a lot of trouble, who can largely ignore The Emperor's traps. The Emperor also has to watch out for disjointed attacks, such as Squall’s Blasting Zone or Firion’s Rope Knife. When played well, The Emperor is a strong, suffocating character with free-form combo conversions and a high skill ceiling. However, his disadvantages are also far more pronounced when they are in effect, creating one of the most lopsided characters in competitive Dissidia 012.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Area-Denial: Traps fill space and deny the opponent's options, which can create rewarding chain reactions.
Unique Win Condition: Starfall takes time to cast, but it is unavoidable once it starts. It forces opponents to approach and interact with his traps, or expend resources to avoid HP damage.
Defensive mixups: The Emperor can adjust his attack and dodge timing even against adept opponents thanks to low full recovery on most of his moves and trade potential with projectiles.
Assist Gain: Rotating low recovery moves, such as Starfall, Mine and Dreary Cell fill the assist gauge quickly. Every trap and Flare can lead to HP damage, which fill the assist gauge even faster with Side by Side builds.
High Damage Punishes: Thunder Crest and Dynamite enable high damage combos, which can be greatly boosted with Mines. Assists that knock downwards (e.g. Jecht and Yuna) can practically double the damage with repeated combos. A Thunder Crest combo can secure a Bravery Break break from 2000 bravery.
Lack of Air Melee Abare: The lack of Melee moves in the air is a huge downside when there are no traps around him. Although emergency Mine and Dreary Cell can still trade with certain moves, they are unreliable, and a major flaw in his game plan.
Polarizing Matchups: Both a good and a bad thing. With all his upsides, The Emperor lacks severely in offense, giving him the most polarizing matchup spread in the entire game. Some characters are outright denied with the right conditions, while others can neglect the traps and eventually force offense that The Emperor is not well suited for.
Polarizing Stage Strengths: Stages affect his game plan harder than most other characters, requiring him to sometimes learn new effective strategies for some of the more unorthodox / smaller stages.
[Close] Sweep with staff. Extra explosion damage on hit.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Bombard is The Emperor's close-range poke. It breaks blocks, counterpokes lower priority attacks in neutral and creates assist combos on hit. If the blue Flare is reflected, The Emperor can use Bombard to reflect it back and regain its control. This is a very useful move to have. It is very safe to use by itself due to its short (actionable) recovery. The combination of Melee High priority and 21-frame startup speed are exceptional.
Despite these strengths, Bombard can be risky to use without traps protecting The Emperor. It has very short range and the staff's hitbox is a bit awkward. It follows the staff motion precisely, while being active longer to The Emperor's right.
Bombard sends opponents away and straight up. It has so much hit stun that several assists can combo from it easily. Also it's a nice combo ender after Thunder Crest, since it gives better positioning and EX Force. Bombard can be combo'd into the vacuum of Mines and Dreary Cell with specific positioning as well. This makes it useful for some setups that can confuse the opponent even more.
[Close] Lay mine. Multiples OK; they will persist a long time.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
A maximum of 8 Landmines can be set.
Up to 8 Landmines can be on the field.
Landmine is a staple move for The Emperor. It fills assist gauge safely, adds lots of damage during Thunder Crest combos, and quickly occupies a bit of space. The short recovery makes this attack rather non-committal, which is great for filling assist gauge when nothing else is going on. Landmines can stop basic movement, but they lose to dashes. They have a slight vacuum effect against opponents who are in hit stun, but it doesn't come into play often due to the grounded position.
The vacuum effect from Dreary Cell and Landmines can create assist combos. However, this can mess up ground Wall Rush assists (e.g. Jecht, Yuna, Gilgamesh) if the opponent falls into them first, instead of Thunder Crest. Flare can salvage the situation, which is worth noting.
The Emperor lays 2 Landmines at a time. If The Emperor tries setting more than 8 Landmines, the earliest Landmines will simply disappear.
[Mid] Draw vertical light sigil. Fires when foe enters range; large vertical range.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Light Crest fires upwards.
Only 1 grounded Light Crest can be on the field.
Light Crest is a secondary tool, best used in conjunction with Flare and Dreary Cell to anti-air opponents. It has situational combo potential with assists, prior aerial traps and vacuum effect from Mine / Dreary Cell, but usually it sees less use than The Emperor's other moves. It has fairly high recovery when used, and the low hit stun makes it difficult to use for combos. Light Crest does give The Emperor more time to set up more traps if it hits, though.
Light Crest activates when the opponent is above the light sigil. It fires 5 projectiles, which have slight tracking. They can also bounce off of walls and projectiles. The firing angle can cross up blocks, which isn't reliable, but happens more often than not. The sigil spawns slightly above the ground, which makes it miss against standing characters immediately.
[Long] Emit bomb from staff that lands and draws in foe.
Unlocked at level 9
Mastered at 100 AP
Dynamite sticks to surfaces.Dynamite explodes after some time.Dynamite can be aimed as well.
Dynamite's ground version is mostly identical with the aerial version. It puts The Emperor airborne, which is useful for placing the projectile in front of The Emperor. Aerial Dynamite can't shoot straight down, so this covers a niche angle if needed in a pinch. This is also useful for maintaining Pre-Jump accessory booster.
Since The Emperor becomes airborne with this attack, he becomes more vulnerable to air brv assist punishes. This is notable when fighting anyone with Kuja or Tidus assist, for example.
For more information, please refer to the aerial version.
[Mid] Draw sigil on the ground. Paralyzes foe when in range.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Thunder Crest holds the opponent in place. Excellent for combos.
Only 1 idle Thunder Crest can be on the field.
If Thunder Crest activates, another Thunder Crest can be placed.
Thunder Crest is THE trap of all time, a must-have for The Emperor. It is used for area denial, block staggers and various combos. It is quite effective against close-range characters, such as Onion Knight, Jecht and Prishe. The Emperor can combo into Flares for solo HP damage with this move, and the BRV damage potential skyrockets with Landmines. Getting hit by Thunder Crest is deadly, but there's more: Thunder Crest is a true unblockable, which means it ignores every other priority. Blocks and LV2 Assist Change always lose to it. Standing near Thunder Crest provides a notable advantage for these reasons. Once Thunder Crest is set, The Emperor can start setting up other traps, such as Landmines, Flares and Dreary Cell. Since Thunder Crest remains active even when The Emperor gets hit, it can be used to trade against attacks, such as Firion's Lord of Arms. Trading with HP attacks in this fashion can lead to guaranteed Bravery Breaks.
Thunder Crest is slow enough that The Emperor can get punished by fast attacks if he uses it after a ground dodge. The Emperor may need to use Starfall to provoke opponents into Thunder Crest's range. It is ground only and it does not interact with projectiles or disjointed attacks. Just to name a few, watch out for Kefka's Trine, Cloud's Firaga and Squall's Thunder Barret and Blasting Zone.
The Thunder Crest sigil travels a short distance forward on the ground. It can bounce off of walls, and it stops at ledges. Thunder Crest has a slight upward hitbox and the sigil itself is very accurate to its hitbox. It can activate as soon as it's visible right in front of The Emperor. The opponent can dodge Thunder Crest and activate it this way, but then The Emperor can place another Thunder Crest. When Thunder Crest is active, it slightly draws in characters and assists.
The Emperor can lock off and place Thunder Crest in any direction he faces, if it is set to neutral Circle input.
[Close] Drop mine. Multiples OK; they will persist a long time.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
A maximum of 8 Mines can be set.
Up to 8 Mines can be on the field.
Mine is similar to Landmine in many ways, a key move for The Emperor. It is fast, non-committal and occupies the air space quickly. Great for filling assist gauge in neutral safely, thanks to its low recovery. Mine is also a high BRV damage option as combo filler, such as during Thunder Crest and assist combos in the corner specifically.
Mine has a different spread compared to Landmines. It still pulls opponents in if they are in hit stun, which can cause chain reactions into other traps or even assist combo conversions.
The Emperor always sets 2 Mines at a time. The projectiles explode after a set time. Up to 8 Mines can be active. If The Emperor tries setting more than 8 Mines, the earliest Mines will simply disappear.
Midair Light Crest is more horizontally aligned, but acts similarly to ground version otherwise. It is still a secondary tool, best used as a preemptive anti-air, or stopping slow moves above The Emperor, such as Exdeath's Black Hole.
It has a huge activation range vertically, and strong 360° detection range. Unfortunately this makes it easy to disarm with movement alone. If opponents gets close, Light Crest fires 4 projectiles at them with same hit stun and homing as ground version. On its own the hit stun is not that threatening, but it still has potential to chain into other traps with vacuum effect (Dreary Cell, Mine). Wall hits can help with converting to assist combos.
If the opponent is not careful, Light Crest can also activate Assist Charge, which greatly benefits The Emperor.
[Long] Emit bomb from staff that lands and draws in foe.
Unlocked at level Level 32
Mastered at 100 AP
LV2 Dynamite is larger than uncharged.LV3 Dynamite is even larger.
Dynamite is used as a tool for pressure and combos. Charging it increases priority, which staggers or crushes blocks the longer it is charged. This, along with strong pull effect and generous hit stun make it good for starting assist combos whether it hits or gets blocked. The max charge (LV3) Dynamite can also combo naturally into the sticking ball against characters on the ground / at a wall. LV3 Dynamite holds the opponent in place long enough to knock them into other traps, such as Flares or Dreary Cells.
Once Dynamite sticks on the surface, it starts pulling opponents in from midrange and deal damage continuously on contact. Here, Dynamite turns into a Special priority move for the consecutive hits and the final explosion. Blocking it is impossible due to the priority, but attacks, dashes and higher Ranged priority moves can still nullify it. The explosion has a decently sized hitbox, so attacks with few active frames can fail to protect the opponent if they are misplaced. The explosion always knocks the opponent away from The Emperor, which means it can be influenced with the camera. This is useful for getting the best angle for Wall Rush or chaining other traps together.
The Emperor takes aim at the opponent during startup, but any further adjustments must be done manually before firing. The Emperor can adjust the aim in any direction, with a maximum angle of ~45°. This can be done even without charging Dynamite. Charging Dynamite affects all of its properties, such as attack priority, BRV damage, max range, the strength of the absorb vacuum effect and duration once it sticks to surface. The explosion does most of the damage, so finding ways to connect it is important for maximizing Dynamite's potential.
[Long] Call down giant meteor. Long cast. Aim with analog stick.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
(1) Sigils are drawn as Starfall reaches completion...
(2) Once completed, projectiles rain down.
(3) The Emperor can move while the meteor falls!
Traps can protect The Emperor while casting.
Starfall is The Emperor's signature long-range pressure tool. It is used to get quick access to low altitude air HP attacks, fill assist gauge quickly with repeated button presses, and force HP damage on anyone who plays too passively. Casting Starfall takes over 8,5 seconds, but it hits almost anywhere and becomes borderline inescapable without meter. The long attack duration and the ability to move while Starfall does damage allow repositioning and casting more Starfalls. In essence, this is a provocation tool and a unique win condition with Side by Side , since The Emperor gets enough assist gauge from Starfall hits to loop it with Jecht assist multiple times.
The Emperor can move while casting, and is completely actionable once he is finished casting. When Starfall is successfully cast, The Emperor also gets brief invincibility before his casting state ends.
The Emperor blocks Ranged Low attacks while casting, which is great for protecting against moves such as Sephiroth's Shadow Flare, Lightning's Blizzara and Shantotto's Stun. If Starfall is only pressed briefly, The Emperor becomes actionable very quickly. This is great for filling assist gauge faster, but it also functions as a type of command block for The Emperor.
Starfall's grounded version is mostly identical with the midair version, which is used more often. However, the slight initial upward movement lets The Emperor avoid very low grounded attacks, such as Tifa's Waterkick and Cecil's Valiant Blow. Since Starfall puts The Emperor airborne, it also preserves the Pre-Jump booster without actually using a jump. Overall a great attack, even if it does not activate all that often.
[Mid] Gather globe of blue light that slowly homes in on opponent.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Blue Flare follows the opponent for long distances.
Only 1 Flare can be set at a time.
If Flare is reflected, The Emperor can set another Flare.
The Emperor can reclaim Flares by reflecting with Bombard, but using Flare again removes all reclaimed Flares.
Blue Flare is one of The Emperor's signature moves. It is often used to occupy space and make it harder for opponents to fight near The Emperor. It is also used in Thunder Crest combos for solo HP damage. Flare can force opponents to move or reflect it with an HP attack, which gives The Emperor a chance to strike back. Flare has little hit stun and mostly leads to situational combos, but it can take out assists with Auto Assist Lock On and protect The Emperor against various melee attacks.
While Flare is a good move, The Emperor is briefly vulnerable to counterattacks after using it. This requires good reactions from the opponent, but caution is advised anyway. Watch out for characters dodging through Flare, or assists hitting from the sides. High priority command blocks (Jecht Block, Exdeath Omni Block) and Bravery Boost on Dodge builds also work against The Emperor here.
If blue Flare is reflected, The Emperor can reflect it back with Bombard as many times as he wants while they last. The opponent's choice to reflect Flare can be used to set up more traps or fill assist gauge.
[Close] Set discreet light trap. Detonates when foe approaches.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Dreary Cell activates when the opponent gets close...... and stops them from pressuring The Emperor.
Up to 3 Dreary Cells can be set, regardless of version.
Dreary Cell is a single hit trap that detonates once the opponent gets close to it. Similar to other traps, Dreary Cell is used for area denial, disrupting aggressive play and solo HP combos. Even if The Emperor gets hit, Dreary Cell can stop the opponent afterwards. The unblockable priority ignores other moves, so opponents must evade the explosion to avoid damage. Since Dreary Cell only does HP damage after detonating, it also activates meter depletion and Side by Side assist gain effects. For these reasons, Dreary Cell is very effective as an anti-melee character tool. If that's not enough, the absorb effect pulls in anyone without strong momentum or short recovery for their attacks. Many assists can also get caught in the blast, which makes Dreary Cell even safer to use.
The ground version is often used in tandem with Thunder Crest for support. The Emperor has no innate protection while using Dreary Cell, so watch out for projectiles and other midrange attacks that avoid the sigil; Squall's Thunder Barret, Kuja's Snatch Shot and Firion's Reel Axe to name a few. Dreary Cell also has an innate weakness against Bravery Boost on Dodge builds, though that's normal for The Emperor.
The placed sigil is rather small, but it depicts the activation range pretty accurately. The absorb effect works even when the sigil is idle and the opponent is in hit stun. The pull effect is stronger than Mine, so it has more potential to drag opponents into Flares and Mines.
[Long] Call down giant meteor. Long cast. Aim with analog stick.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
The Emperor can still move while the meteor falls.Traps can protect The Emperor while casting.
Starfall's midair version is mostly identical with the ground version, but it is even more important. This is used more often since it's an aerial move. The practical applications are the same; Forced HP damage, constant magic shield while casting and quick assist gains by tapping Square and dodging. The Emperor wants to use Starfall after the traps have been set, since it forces most opponents to approach and interact with his traps. This can be difficult for some characters to deal with, such as Tifa, Zidane and Jecht, as it creates disproportionate risk for them to stop the situation.
If The Emperor succeeds, the opponent is forced to take HP damage or spend Assist / EX gauge to avoid it. The frame advantage is huge; Thanks to Jecht assist, and Side by Side's assist gain effect, a successful Starfall enables further Starfalls that are pretty much guaranteed. At bare minimum, Starfall's grounded Wall Rush ensures the second Starfall can be cast halfway.
Once Starfall is cast, it can be very overwhelming. The Emperor gets invincibility as he recovers from the cast. Starfall is completely unblockable and stays out even if The Emperor gets hit somehow. It hits almost anywhere. Auto Assist Lock On ability stops the opponent's assist and then switches back to the main target afterwards.
This is easily one of the most important moves for The Emperor. It rounds out his screen pressure, so building intuition for checkmate situations, when to fake out and when to just move while casting are crucial for effective high level play
[Mid] Gather globe of red light that awaits remote detonation.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Only 1 red Flare can be set on the field.
Wall Rushes downward on hit.
Red Flare travels a little, then stays in place for some time.
The red Flare is also used for area denial, protection and combos. It has two main differences; It Wall Rushes downwards for more HP damage and assist combos, which is great for Thunder Crest combos. It also tracks the opponent for a short period, and then stays in place for some time. This is more of a defensive trap by comparison. The Emperor can use it to stop reckless air dashes and create tricky setups with Mines and Dreary Cell vacuum effect. Just like blue Flare, it will stay on the field after startup no matter what. That means it can trade with opponent's attacks.
If given enough time, The Emperor can also use Flare to create tricky okizeme setups.
[Close] Set discreet light trap. Detonates when foe approaches.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Up to 3 Dreary Cells can be set, regardless of version.
A maximum of 3 Dreary Cells can be set.
Aerial Dreary Cell substitutes Thunder Crest in the air, which makes this version more important for The Emperor. It can be placed anywhere, although only three Dreary Cells can be set at a time. Its traits are otherwise shared with the ground version, including the single hit HP, absorb effect and vulnerability to Bravery Boost on Dodge builds.
This Dreary Cell is still effective against close-range attacks with longer recovery, such as Jecht Stream, Cloud's Slashing Blow and Onion Knight's Turbo-Hit. However, The Emperor should watch out for attacks with strong aerial momentum and medium range; Squall's Beat Fang and Prishe's Raging Fists can evade the explosion, while Yuna's Sonic Wings can pierce through without activating Dreary Cell.
EX Mode: Power of Hellfire!
Effects:
Regen
Critical Boost
Blood Magic
The Emperor's EX mode is fairly powerful, despite the compact perks. Critical hits are great for Thunder Crest and Landmines, while Blood Magic restores enough health for a serious momentum shift. The Emperor generates a decent amount of EX with his key moves, and playing the long game with Starfall complements his traps and EX Core races alike. He may not be the fastest to reach EX mode, but the effects are devastating once he activates it.
Blood Magic
[Activates when HP attack hits] Absorbs HP equivalent to damage dealt.
Blood Magic heals the same amount of HP damage that The Emperor inflicts on the opponent. This is quite potent when considering The Emperor's high bravery damage output and his ability to connect HP attacks. A single assist combo can prove to be very beneficial. Having EX Mode is already good for the assist gauge drain and its guaranteed match finishes, but it is also very effective for creating comebacks and cementing huge health leads.
EX Burst: Absolute Dominion
An attack that takes over the opponent's mind. Absorbs HP damage dealt. Enter the commands that display on screen.
Damage multiplier (initial)
Damage multiplier (rest)
Type
6, 13 (19)
16x4, 17 (100 total)
Magical
Absolute Dominion is a relatively straightforward EX Burst to execute. Tap whatever button is shown on screen five times to get a perfect EX Burst. Even if character movement is set to directional buttons , they must always be used when prompted. No analog stick inputs for this EX Burst.
Combos
Main combo article pending
Solo
The Emperor has various combos, though most of the practical combos revolve around Thunder Crest.
Punish / Trap Starter Ground Staple BRV > HP Combo
Thunder Crest > Flare
~40 + HP
120
Base Damage (Breakdown): 2 x 17, 6 + HP
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 60 > 60
The Emperor's staple solo combo for HP damage. A bread-and-butter, so to speak. This can be done whenever Thunder Crest connects and The Emperor is close to opponent. Block staggers, trades or just stray hits are all ok. If Thunder Crest connects before The Emperor can move afterwards, the grounded blue Flare can be pressed repeatedly and it works consistently.
Punish / Trap Starter Ground Higher HP Damage
Thunder Crest > DC (↑) > Flare (Midair)
17~ + HP & WR
120~
Base Damage (Breakdown): 2 x 17 > HP + WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 60? > 60
In close range, The Emperor can also dodge upwards and combo into the red midair Flare for more HP damage with Wall Rush. The dodge cancel can be pressed repeatedly and the Flare has enough time to connect afterwards. Since red Flare forces ground Wall Rush, an early hit can take away max damage from Thunder Crest. This is often negligible, as The Emperor benefits a lot from assist combos and Side by Side's assist gain.
For assist combos, it is best to call assist right before red Flare Wall Rushes. This is to ensure The Emperor can do another Thunder Crest as a follow-up.
Punish / Trap Starter Ground BRV Damage
Thunder Crest > Move Closer > Landmine
110
60
Base Damage (Breakdown): 2 x 17 > 35 + 35
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 60 > 0 + 0
This combo capitalizes on Landmine's high damage for Bravery. To ensure both Landmines connect, move closer to the opponent for a split-second before using the attack. This can be made slightly easier if Landmines are set to up ↑ + Circle . That makes it so that The Emperor only has to hold up and press Circle when appropriate.
Assist (Jecht)
The Emperor primarily uses Jecht's air BRV assist for assist combos. The downward slam makes it ideal for additional Thunder Crest combos. Whenever Thunder Crest connects, Jecht air BRV can follow up. Use that if nothing else works. Optimizing damage for Thunder Crest routes takes some work, but it is worth the effort.
Base Damage (Breakdown): 40 > 35 + 35 (Landmine) > 40 (AST) > 40 > HP + WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 60 > 0 + 0 > 60~ > 60
A fairly standard mid level Thunder Crest combo with Landmine fillers and HP Wall Rush. The following notes assume that Thunder Crest is done close to opponent.
After Thunder Crest, The Emperor must move closer to connect both Landmines consistently. The BRV damage is high enough to outclass several combo fillers in the game, so it's recommended to practice this. Call assist immediately after doing Landmine, but before they connect. When done correctly, Landmines should hit and Jecht assist still picks up successfully.
After Jecht assist connects, move towards opponent with basic movement or a Ground Dash. Then use Thunder Crest after Jecht assist has done two downward hits (he says "I'll give it to you!" during this). If done correctly, Jecht slams the opponent down and Thunder Crest connects smoothly afterwards. If Thunder Crest hits a bit later, The Emperor has more time to jump and midair Flare more easily.
Punish / Trap Starter Ground Combo After Side by Side Assist Gain
Base Damage (Breakdown): 40 + HP > 40 (AST) > 34~ + HP & WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 60 + 60 > 60~ + 0
If The Emperor needs assist gauge from HP attacks (EXP to Assist or Side by Side ), this is a useful route for air BRV assist. The timing is a bit strict though; Call assist almost immediately after blue Flare does HP damage. If done correctly, Jecht assist should pick up before Thunder Crest knocks the opponent too far. Afterwards the execution is fairly straightforward. Move closer to opponent and use Thunder Crest again. If Thunder Crest hits a bit later, The Emperor has more time to jump and midair Flare more easily.
HP Starter Starfall, 1 Assist Gauge, Side by Side Starfall Loop
1st Starfall > DC > 2nd Starfall (Hold , Move Away ) > 1st Starfall WR > AST BRV > 2nd Starfall OK > DC > Repeat...
Base Damage (Breakdown): ~9 x 3 + HP & WR > 42 + WR (AST) > Repeat...
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 0 > 0...
The infamous Starfall loop. This is what The Emperor works towards in any given match, so if he gets this far, victory is pretty much guaranteed. If Starfall activates, The Emperor can use Jecht assist to buy himself enough time to cast another Starfall before the opponent can interrupt it. Side by Side causes subsequent Starfalls to fill assist gauge even with the initial bravery hits, which guarantees assist for each repetition. This may not be intended by developers, but it is a very strong side effect for The Emperor.
The mileage of Starfall loop can vary greatly depending on the matchup and the stage, but the general rule is longer distance means higher chance of Starfall activation. If the opponent has no long-range attacks to stop The Emperor, that is even better. This is best done in large stages such as Order's Sanctuary or Old Chaos Shrine, where Jecht assist can create larger gaps while The Emperor is running away.
The Emperor must start casting the second Starfall while the first one is raining down. Assist must be called after the Wall Rush, while still casting Starfall. To ensure only BRV assist is used, hold Square and Circle , then press L . This can be tricky to perform with the face buttons, but it is the most consistent way to do it with 2 full assist gauges. Remember to move away from the opponent while casting Starfall as well.
Once Starfall has activated, the only thing opponent can do is use Assist or EX to escape. If they mistime Assist Change early (see video example), they can still get hit by Starfall and suffer the loop regardless. Without Side by Side , The Emperor cannot guarantee nearly as many Starfalls even with 2 assist gauges. This is still unavoidable HP damage, but naturally it gets cut off much earlier, while relying on existing resources. This is one reason to use Side by Side builds over others.
indicates a "Gear" extra ability or the use of Equip Glitch. The total Capacity Point cost assumes the equip glitch is done.
Equip Best Dresser Extra Ability for +100 base BRV.
Damage build focused on maximizing damage from TC, Dynamite and assist confirms into ground wall rush. It also makes random Mine and Dynamite tags hurt way harder. And it still keeps EX open as a resource with Glutton to win the endgame
Basic Abilities
Actions
Support
Extra
Ground Evasion
Always Target Indicator
Precision Evasion
Midair Evasion
EX Core Lock On
Best Dresser
Ground Block
Auto Assist Lock On
Midair Block
Aerial Recovery
Recovery Attack
Controlled Recovery
Wall Jump
Free Air Dash
Ground Dash
Free Air Dash Boost
Assist Gauge Up Dash
Speed Boost++
Jump Boost++
Ground Evasion Boost
Midair Evasion Boost
Evasion Boost
Descent Speed Boost
Build Overview
Point Allocation
30 Capacity Points are available to put into either Disable Counterattack, Jump Boosts, Gamblers Spirit or other preferences like Multi Air Slide.
Pre-Jump requires to have no Jump Times Boosts
Substitutes
Substitutes
Equipment
Replacement
Notes
Pre-Jump
After 30 Seconds
Hero's Essence
A more stable alternative since Pre-Jump can be finnicky to play around for a 5.5x max booster instead of 6.4x. Otherwise if more Jumps are preferred, Hero's Essence can also be substituted in to get the CP
Grounded
Aerial
Large Gap in HP
If air play is favored in the matchup, Aerial can keep the boost up consistently. Large Gap in HP can be triggered very easily through an early lead on either side, making it an alternative to push advantage or for comeback potential.
Power Ring
Dismay Shock
Battle Hammer
Bravery Orb
If depletion is wanted, Power Ring is easy to replace for minimal damage loss. Higher bravery recovery through Bravery Orb can help with reducing the risk of post-HP hit situations where sitting at 0 bravery for too long might risk a bravery break too easily.
Attacks
Staple
These attacks are recommended regardless of matchup, stage or player preference.
Basic Abilities
Actions
Support
Extra
Flexible
These attacks are great to have, but can be swapped or removed depending on matchup, stage or player preference.
Basic Abilities
Actions
Support
Extra
Avoid
Assist
Synergies
Jecht
One of The Emperor’s strongest assists. Jecht trades some range issues from Yuna for fast braveries, long setup time for traps and deadly win condition with Starfall. He holds the opponent long enough to enable the infamous Starfall loops from a successful Starfall cast. This is very strong with assist gauge depletion, Side by Side and in large stages especially.
Jecht also sets up Thunder Crest follow-ups, similar to Yuna and Gilgamesh. Jecht’s ground BRV is also useful for converting from stray midair Flare or Dynamite Wall Rush on reaction. It’s great for building momentum, though The Emperor can struggle to combo afterwards from afar. In this regard, jecht assist provides notable benefits both in large stages and small stages.
Jecht’s usual downsides are in effect here. He gets locked from LV2 Assist Change easily. If the opponent escapes with LV1 Assist Change, The Emperor can struggle to protect Jecht or get high reward due to missing fast aerial melee attacks.
Yuna
One of the strongest and reliable assists for The Emperor. Yuna's air BRV is the main draw here. It has immunity against LV2 Assist Change staggers. It converts reliably from Thunder Crest and Bombard. It has adequate range for whiff punishes and interruptions. The air BRV also leads to Thunder Crest on the ground consistently, though the short attack duration makes it hard sometimes in neutral. Yuna can also stabilize trap setups, and is one of the safest assists against Assist Change > Assist Lock attempts. This is great for keeping assist gauge advantage.
Yuna's ground BRV is less reliable, but it allows The Emperor to do Dynamite combos even from far away. Yuna's air HP is also fast and save against LV2 Assist Change if needed for interruptions or combos. Ground HP is not as fast, but nice for scramble situations or interrupting opponents when casting Starfall.
Yuna assist has a few downsides too. Her lateral range is lacking, and she sometimes struggles to pierce through projectiles. Her Wall Rush range is on the shorter side too, and the short attack duration on air BRV makes it harder to combo with out of the blue in neutral. Her HP assists cannot reflect back blue Flare easily despite ground HP having a Melee High priority hitbox.
Something akin to a "Melee Yuna", Gilgamesh trades LV2 Assist Change immunity for more range, melee HP attacks. Air BRV is slower than Yuna for whiff punishes, but it has more range and BRV damage (with Excalibur). It combos reliably from Thunder Crest and Bombard, and the ground Wall Rush lets The Emperor set up another Thunder Crest for more damage. Gilgamesh air BRV has similar duration as Yuna's, so setups only need minimal adjustment. His ground BRV Wall Rushes from longer distances, and if it doesn't, The Emperor can try to salvage the combo with Flare in close-range.
Gilgamesh's air HP is a fast melee HP for whiff punishment, and it can reflect back blue Flares. Ground HP is considerably slower, but it can be a decent (albeit expensive) option for finishing matches in grounded scramble situations.
Similar to Yuna, Gilgamesh has no Assist Chase and relies on mid-range ground Wall Rush. Gilgamesh is less reliable with vacuum effect setups and he is more vulnerable to LV2 Assist Change staggers than Yuna.
Tidus assist has no height requirement for HP combos, and he is safer against Assist Lock attempts than most assists.
The air BRV Hop Step is once again the main draw here. Its fast startup is great for whiff punishing on reaction. A delayed Assist Chase lets The Emperor combo into Flare or Mine, so the basic needs are met.
Ground BRV allows consistent combos from red Flare, though there is little time to react. It can lead to Thunder Crest follow-ups on flat ground though. Air HP Slice n Dice can also pin opponents down and deal HP damage even if The Emperor's traps happen to hit too early. Spiral Cut can punish some attacks, but it's not used often.
A helpful assist when insane range is needed.
Air BRV has huge range for both unique whiff punishes and conversions from weird hits, where even Gilgamesh might not reach. It also gives him a ground Wall Rush to work with, and works fine from his important hits. Ground BRV is a niche punish tool, only really used if The Emperor is in range to confirm off of the Wall Rush.
Air HP can be very annoying for the opponent if put into a bad situation by traps, as well as catch floaty dodges when anticipated. And it gives a ground Wall Rush too for a nice damaging combo.
Ground HP is once again a niche punish, although a fine one at that. It can catch ground dodges if anticipated, but it's often avoided like the ground BRV.
Cecil's huge Air BRV and HP range makes him wanted if ever for Mateus, as he can uniquely punish and deal with moves that can otherwise completely shut him down with how safe they are. Not the first choice, but not to be forgotten when he might be really useful.
Top Tier assist of 012, reliable when you need him.
Not the most optimal of combo conversions, but once more a great whiff punish Air BRV and a decent ground BRV for catching dodges, and both having assist chase with loads of hitstun to work with, meaning he is the most reliable if Mateus wants the assist chase. His Air BRV in particular is of interest for him because it moves forward and up so much it largely ignores reflected Blue Flares, and his BRVs have a great homing so that the vacuum of DC can easily pull them in during if near.
His HPs are notable for him the most, Air HP giving one more thing to throw into scramble situations with his traps and Ground HP as a possible dodge punish, whiff punish and conversion from Red Flare if its worth the cost.
An overall top assist with few notable traits for Mateus, but nonetheless a solid choice to have.
A niche matchup specific assist.
His range is what should interest Mateus as his Air and Ground BRV are both good whiff punishes and can poke through certain moves, and lead both into assist chase that he needs to manually delay to combo off of.
Air HP is even more of a niche punish and scramble glue, having great homing and covering a huge space which can be hard to avoid with traps all around. Ground HP is much the same and the least notable for Mateus.
Worth considering to solve matchup woes that can come up while still being perfectly usable in all the ways needed.
The Emperor Assist Data
Type
Attack
Startup
Position
Spawn
Damage multiplier
Effects
BRV
Thunder Crest
35F
Ground
Player
2 x 17, 6 (40)
Absorb
BRV
Mine
23F
Air
Opponent
35 each (up to 70)
Chase, Absorb
HP
Flare
35F
Ground
Player
-
-
HP
Flare
37F
Air
Opponent
-
Wall Rush
Assist Overview
The Emperor assist is niche, but powerful under certain circumstances. He enables various ground combos with Thunder Crest, and Mines do lots of damage after long holds and early ground Wall Rush assist calls. Contrary to most assists, The Emperor is difficult to Assist Lock due to his priorities ignoring LV2 Assist Change staggers. Hitting The Emperor manually is also challenging, since he disappears quickly after his attacks. This gives him a distinct advantage, even if it comes at the cost of accessible assist combos.
The main thing that limits The Emperor's combo potential is having his attack tied to the player's position; Thunder Crest only comes out if the player character is on the ground, and Mine only comes out if the character is in the air. That being said, The Emperor is one of the few assists that can be used twice in a single combo thanks to his disappearance before Thunder Crest combo disables assist gauge temporarily. Squall is especially effective at capitalizing on The Emperor's strengths and combo potential. Prishe can also combo into Mines with delayed Raging Fists, creating elaborate high damaging air combos. Other than that, The Emperor assist is not commonly used in competitive play.
builds.
accessory booster.
input.
and dodging. The Emperor wants to use Starfall after the traps have been set, since it forces most opponents to approach and interact with his traps. This can be difficult for some characters to deal with, such as 
, they must always be used when prompted. No analog stick inputs for this EX Burst.
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> Landmine
Earring
