Revision as of 14:40, 17 June 2025 by Muggshotter(talk | contribs)(Moved unique mechanic above bravery attacks. Rewrote overview. Added strengths and weaknesses. Wrote overviews for braveries (dark knight, paladin) and hp attacks (dark knight))
Cecil Harvey is a close / mid-range character who functions with two different jobs - Dark Knight and Paladin. Dark Knight focuses on ground combat and wall rush, while Paladin focuses on air combat and a more balanced moveset. Cecil is practically two characters in one, and he can switch between jobs at will. This requires performing certain HP attacks, which is a double-edged sword; Cecil has decent HP attacks for neutral and punishes, but they're all relatively lengthy attacks with long recovery. As such, Cecil can adapt to different situations, but he carries an inherent risk every time he wants access to a specific job.
Cecil is not explicitly built for offense, or rock-solid defense. Instead, he works well as a punisher. Many of his moves have good reach, either vertically or laterally. He can punish opponents' whiffs effectively with both jobs, given the right matchup. Cecil has various solo combo routes, which he can setup with assist to suit his needs for damage or EX.
Cecil struggles in a few ways. His frame data is below average, with long startup, animations and late cancel windows. Building assist gauge safely with whiffs is dangerous for Cecil as a result, which is a fundamental weakness in competitive play. This makes him vulnerable to both whiff punishes and assist punishes alike. His tracking is also a bit finicky, which can lead to inconsistencies when punishing dodges or even hitting moving opponents at all. While Cecil has projectiles, their low priority and / or slow speed overall limit their effectiveness as zoning tools.
In competitive play, Cecil has been commonly ranked at bottom / low tier. The nature of his job system restricts him in ways that other characters rarely have to deal with. He has good grounded pokes, but lacks a strong air poke. He cannot enforce ground combat to offset that weakness. Despite specializing in either ground or aerial combat, Cecil is not considered the strongest in either aspect. Cecil often takes relatively high risks for lower reward, which makes him less consistent for tournaments. However, he can still capitalize on clean hits effectively with assist if an opportunity arises.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Good poking and burst damage as Dark Knight
Good EX generation as Paladin
Whiff punishment - Cecil has various moves fit for punishing missed attacks from different angles, such as Valiant Blow, Shadow Bringer and Sacred Cross.
Solo combos can deal high bravery damage and combo into HP attacks.
No safe air pokes make Cecil more vulnerable to whiff punishment on average. He struggles to build assist gauge safely and effectively as a result.
Situational solo combo starters limit Cecil's opportunities to take advantage of his combo routes
Lackluster zoning - Cecil often uses telegraphed projectiles which have decent reward on hit, but are difficult to connect in the neutral
Job change usually requires using telegraphed attacks that leave Cecil vulnerable to punishes
Job dilemma - Cecil can specialize in either job, but it always comes with notable trade-offs. He cannot rely exclusively on one job in large stages.
Unique Mechanic: Job System
Dark Knight (Ground)
Paladin (Midair)
Cecil has two jobs, which have vastly different moves. Dark Knight is focused on ground combat, while Paladin is focused on aerial combat. Both jobs have their own set of ground and aerial moves, while HP attacks are universal. Cecil can only have one job active at a time. The job can be changed by using specific attacks. Cecil turns to Dark Knight with ground HP attacks or Dark Step (during Paladin). Similarly, Cecil turns to Paladin with midair HP attacks or Paladin Arts (during Dark Knight). Each attack must be equipped, or Cecil cannot perform them to change jobs.
Cecil will always start each fight as a Dark Knight. Therefore, Cecil must commit to specific attacks in order to access Paladin moves. This can be a risky proposition for Cecil due to his long whiffs, but it is a risk he has to deal with. If Cecil is in EX Mode, he can change jobs freely without attacking by pressing R + Square + .
Certain equipment also affect Cecil's stats when he is in a specific job, such as Cimmerian Edge (ATK +1 in Dark Knight) and Lightbringer (DEF +1 in Paladin). In Dissidia 012, Cecil also has two new HP attacks; Shadow Bringer for Dark Knight and Luminous Shard for Paladin. Equipping one of these HP attacks prevents the other HP attack from being available. As a result, Cecil can only equip Shadow Bringer or Luminous Shard, but not both.
Generally speaking, Cecil usually specializes in one job in competitive play.
Valiant Blow is Cecil's ground poke. It has fast startup and moves Cecil towards opponent, which is good for punishing missed attacks or dodges. On hit, Cecil can finish the attack for a wall rush, or stop halfway for an assist combo. A staple for Dark Knight Cecil.
Valiant Blow can struggle to hit airborne opponents that Cecil managed to block. This is not great for auto piloting, but Cecil has other moves he can use in those situations instead.
[Long] Draw foe with projectile. Good start for other combos.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Cecil fires projectiles and draws them back to him. This is Cecil's only ground combo starter, but it can combo into most of his other moves. It provides decent reward on hit as a result, though its damage and EX generation is fairly low in practice. Dark Cannon can punish neutral ground dodges with a good read, so when used sparingly, Cecil can establish some momentum with this.
Hitting Dark Cannon may not be very easy though. Dark Cannon has limited vertical reach and all projectiles are ranged low priority when moving forward. That makes Cecil a sitting duck against opponents who dash towards him. In addition to that, the projectiles don't protect Cecil's front constantly when they travel. Because of this, Dark Cannon has a blind spot in front of Cecil before the projectiles return to him.
[Mid] Throw weapon. Major damage if lands near opponent.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Shadow Lance is Cecil's secondary Dark Knight bravery. It functions as a projectile which can combo into assists with wall rush. It has decent horizontal tracking on the ground and it can poke at midrange.
This is also a strong move near opponents; It has highest base damage out of Dark Knight braveries, and it has a melee high priority hitbox in close-range. This is on par with HP attacks, so it can be used as a mixup against blocks. Shadow Lance also works as a safe, low commitment tool for reflecting HP projectiles, such as Vaan's Windburst and The Emperor's Flares. Cecil can dodge cancel this move relatively early, so it can be difficult to whiff punish.
Shadow Lance is generally low reward without assist and its close-range base damage. It's thrown at a low vertical angle, so it cannot function as an anti-air in a way that Dark Flame can.
[Close] Hit foe upwards. Slow, but very accurate strike.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Slash is a two-hit Paladin bravery with high reward if it connects. It has decent base damage (20), but generates a good 90 EX. What really stand out are the cancel options on hit; Cecil can cancel Slash into an attack or a dash, which lets him follow up with his air melee braveries consistently. Dash cancels are rare outside of dash feints and EX Revenge, so Cecil having one is a great benefit. If opponent is at a wall, Cecil can even combo into Paladin Force for HP damage.
Slash is used for its reward on hit. The Slash combos fill more assist gauge for Cecil and he can opt for more bravery damage with ground wall rush + assist or EX. This is one of Paladin Cecil's strongest combo starters, but also assist combo extensions on the ground. Cecil can connect Slash reliably after block staggers or by whiff punishing slower attacks on the ground. This may run in opposition to the normal Dark Knight-Paladin dynamic, but it pays off well if Cecil succeeds.
Cecil can struggle to use Slash as a poke and a snap reaction punish tool for a couple reasons. The 23-frame startup isn't the worst in the game. However, Slash doesn't move Cecil far and it has very weak tracking. While the hitbox isn't small, Cecil moves upward at a diagonal angle and then stops. That limits Slash's overall reach, to the point it can miss in close-range even in dodge punish situations. Cecil becomes airborne when he uses this move, so he cannot use Slash repeatedly as a mixup.
[Mid] Charge, then leap. Good start for midair attacks.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Cecil charges forward with a series of attacks. As this move is mid priority for the first half, it can work as a somewhat telegraphed mixup against block with a hard read. If Cecil succeeds with this, he can use chase to convert into HP damage with Aerith assist.
Lightning Rise can block Ranged Low priority attacks. Unfortunately this is offset by the fact that the move has long startup and relatively long animation overall. In this regard, Lightning Rise is not recommended as a central defensive tool. It has good base damage and fairly short dodge cancel window at the end. However, its utility as a punisher and a gap closer are outclassed by other moves. Cecil's forward movement is stronger compared to Slash, but the lack of solo combo routes makes it weaker by comparison.
Dark Step is a two-stage attack, that changes Cecil's job to Dark Knight. The initial animation is the same as Slash, but the dash cancel property is missing. Cecil will change to Dark Knight as soon as the follow-up is confirmed with Circle .
The base damage is decent and it generates 90 EX, which is good. However, Cecil has relatively good HP attacks on the ground that can be used for job change, such as Shadow Bringer and Dark Flame. Dark Step's initial tracking is on the weaker side as well, so it doesn't have many uses in the neutral. Cecil can finish this move even if it misses, which can hit opponents as a situational gimmick.
[Mid] Fire off gravity ball. Good start for ground attacks.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Gravity Ball is a medium speed homing projectile. Due to its low priority, Cecil's long startup and recovery, Gravity Ball is not very effective for controlling space. It will drag opponent downwards if it hits, which can wall rush on the ground. Cecil can use this to start assist combos afterwards.
Dark Knight has very few ways to fight effectively in the air, so Gravity Ball is not recommended as a primary air bravery for Cecil.
[Close] High-speed dive. Useful for quick descents.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Cecil dives down in a straight line. Nightfall is Cecil's air-to-ground bravery, which is typically used to get to ground faster or mix up landings. It has decent damage and EX gain, but hitting this can be difficult due to its predictable angle. If opponents are trying to challenge it early, the mid priority explosion can keep them in check.
Nightfall has a maximum travel distance. Cecil will remain airborne if he doesn't reach the ground. He moves quickly during the dive and it can be dodge cancelled at the end. That makes it safe against assist punishes during the recovery. However, it is not as safe during the slow startup. So if Cecil air dodges at a bad time, he can still get interrupted with an assist punish.
Paladin Arts is a two-stage attack, that changes Cecil's job to Paladin. The initial animation is the same as Gravity Ball, but the projectile has upward knockback on hit instead of downward. Cecil will change to Paladin as soon as the follow-up is confirmed with Circle .
This move is good for it's reward on hit. It enables solo and assist combos, and it's part of Cecil's optimized EX mode combos as well. The Dark Knight projectile's upward knockback lets Cecil combo into assist or the job change. The follow-up is functionally the same as Paladin Cecil's Searchlight, so Cecil can get a guaranteed Paladin Force for HP damage.
Paladin Arts' neutral applications aren't very prominent. It doesn't protect Cecil from offensive approaches. All projectiles are low priority and relatively slow, which can be dashed through. And the whole animation is very telegraphed, with no ways to mix it up other than doing nothing. It may look the same as Gravity Ball initially, but both moves are slow, ranged low moves that leave Cecil open for rushdown.
It is recommended to use Paladin Arts from afar or during assist combos.
Caution is advised when Cecil is near walls or ceilings. The Paladin magic orb and projectiles can vanish if they collide with physical objects, such as World of Darkness' pillars or walls in most stages.
[Close] Splendid swordplay. Long reach, fast strike speed.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Radiant Wings is one of Paladin Cecil's main braveries. It is the closest to an air poke for Cecil. It is also one of his highest damaging moves with assist thanks to wall rush and high base damage. Cecil can use this as an assist combo starter with or without the wall rush. Radiant Wings is also good for punishing whiffs and block staggers, as Cecil moves forward before striking.
The 19-frame startup is great for Cecil in theory. However, Cecil will not track the opponent once he starts moving. His movement is linear and he performs the motion even if he is in point blank range. This means he can have a hard time hitting moving opponents, even with more apparent openings. Furthermore, Cecil will perform three spinning slashes before he can dodge cancel out of Radiant Wings. That makes Cecil vulnerable to whiff punishes, which hurts his safety and assist gauge building a lot.
If Cecil uses Radiant Wings while locked off, he will move in the direction he is facing. This can be done to build assist gauge a bit more safely, since opponents cannot dash into Cecil and block him as reliably.
Sacred Cross is Paladin Cecil's vertical punish tool. It's relatively fast at 21 frames with good base damage. Cecil moves toward opponent before attacking. If he is above opponent, he will attack down. If he is below opponent, he will attack up. This gives Cecil plenty of utility for punishing opponents at different heights, and it's pretty consistent at that. The built-in movement lets Cecil close gaps vertically, but it also has some evasion to it as well. If opponents try to dodge punish Cecil, Sacred Cross can potentially evade an incoming attack.
Sacred Cross generates 90 EX which is good, but it's low reward without Aerith assist or ground wall rush. The hit stun is short, which makes it less effective in empty chase and EX Core scenarios.
Cecil follows through with the whole attack even if it misses. Therefore it doesn't function safely as a primary air poke. Cecil can be assist punished for using Sacred Cross, and the long active frames make it easier for opponents to block it from a distance. The finishing hit doesn't have a large hitbox in front of Cecil, so it can miss if Cecil misjudged his position. And despite the evasive movement, Cecil is not actually invincible during it.
[Long] Launch magic orb. Orb fires projectiles. Effective vs. any height, good diversion.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Searchlight is Cecil's long-range projectile which opens up solo combos and checks opponents poorly placed dodges and whiffs. Cecil summons a magic orb, which moves to opponent's position, stops and fires. A total of three projectiles are fired, and they have decent hit stun. Since the projectiles hit relatively late, Cecil can use Searchlight to combo into his other attacks like Radiant Wings or Sacred Cross. This can be good against opponents who overextended their approach. Searchlight can also activate hit glitch for Radiant Wings and Paladin Force. Because of this, Searchlight can be used to apply pressure from a distance, as it enables follow-ups outside of Cecil's common ranges.
Cecil uses Searchlight as a long-range tool, but it's far from being safe. The startup is slow and very telegraphed with distinct audiovisual cues. Cecil is completely vulnerable to attacks during the entire animation, so he can get hit or even assist punished from afar. Searchlight also won't adjust its position once the magic orb is in motion, which makes it weak against fast movement in general. Despite this, Searchlight is a staple move for Paladin Cecil due to its reward on hit and occasional safety at long distances. It is his most common way to occupy space in the air without risking a huge whiff in close-range.
Caution is advised when Cecil is near walls or ceilings. The magic orb and projectiles can vanish if they collide with physical objects, such as World of Darkness' pillars or walls in most stages.
[Close] Stab fore and devour his soul. Limited height, quick strike.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Soul Eater functions as a grounded punish tool against dodges and block staggers. It has good lateral knockback on hit, which can wall rush for assist combos. Soul Eater can also power through low priority moves, since Cecil transitions to the follow-up when he makes contact with opponent.
This is a decent move for Dark Knight Cecil. It's reactable like many other HP attacks, but it provides good reward on hit. It doesn't hit above Cecil at all, so similar to Valiant Blow, Cecil cannot auto pilot with this. Unfortunately Soul Eater is generally outclassed by Shadow Bringer, so it won't see much use if that's also equipped.
[Long] Summon dark fire. Slow speed, strong homing.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Dark Flame is Dark Knight Cecil's zoning tool. It occupies space for a couple seconds and it tracks above Cecil well. It's commonly used to apply pressure in close / midrange, and calling out air dodges. In a way, it functions as an anti-air against airborne opponents looking to approach Cecil. If opponents try to assist punish Cecil, he can automatically protect himself with Auto Assist Lock On against slower assists. Dark Flame is composed of multiple high priority projectiles, so even if the opponent deflects the first one, they can still get hit by another one.
On hit, Dark Flame sends opponents upwards, helping Cecil keep his position. This can also wall rush, but it is only feasible in stages with low ceiling, such as Pandaemonium - Top Floor and M.S. Prima Vista. Dark Knight Cecil operates more consistently in those stages, so this a great boost in damage for Cecil there.
Dark Flame is slow, both in startup and traversal. While this isn't a big problem as an anti-air, it struggles to keep up against backwards movement. Cecil stays in place for a moment after the projectiles have become active. That presents a small gap of vulnerability against fast ground assists, such as Jecht Rush. Dark Flame is good at preventing close-range characters approaching from above, but it cannot stop zoning from a distance. The speed is too slow for that in large stages, and the flames won't stay near Cecil to protect him either.
[Ultra-close] Dark sword slash. Dark Knight BRV damage +3%, Paladin BRV damage -3%.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Shadow Bringer is one of Dark Knight Cecil's strongest moves. It comes out blindingly fast at 13 frames, it can anti-air and it has very high diagonal knockback for wall rush. This move can be dodge cancelled fast enough, to the point it can serve as an honorary poke.
Shadow Bringer outclasses Soul Eater in a few key ways. It has the same base damage, but it has far more knockback and safety in neutral and assist combos. Its Dark Knight BRV damage passive also adds damage slightly. Just like Soul Eater, Cecil commits to follow-up hits if Shadow Bringer connects. This is where Shadow Bringer is slightly weaker; Cecil can dodge cancel out of Shadow Bringer on hit slightly later than Soul Eater (roughly ~22 frames). Cecil needs to use a ground dash to increase Shadow Bringer's range, whereas Soul Eater can move forward by itself. Both of these factors aren't very detrimental to Shadow Bringer though, considering the overall benefits. Shadow Bringer's reach helps Cecil beat melee low moves from above, whereas Soul Eater has a much harder time doing that.
Although Shadow Bringer is very fast, Cecil is still vulnerable to attacks during recovery.
Equipping Shadow Bringer will disable Luminous Shard for the Paladin job.
[Close] Holy sword magic. Effective against any height.
Unlocked at level
Mastered at AP
Paladin Force becomes a homing onslaught of attacks if it connects.
Using Paladin Force right after connecting with Searchlight activates the homing followup attacks even if Paladin Force would've otherwise missed.
Equipping Luminous Shard will lock you out equipping the grounded Shadow Bringer HP for the Dark Knight job.
As Ranged High priority, Luminous Shard will prevent Cecil from staggering during LV2 Assist Change. This relative safety is about all the move has going for it though, only worth consideration for Paladin-oriented playstyles.
EX Mode: Job Augment!
Effects:
Regen
Critical Boost
Proteus
Inner Strength
Proteus
[Activate with R + Square] Bridles light and darkness to instantly change jobs without attacking.
Inner Strength
[Always active while in EX Mode] Each attack is 1.5 times as powerful.
EX Burst: Face Shift
A chain of attacks combining the power of light and darkness. Enter the commands that appear on both sides of the screen at the same time.
Cecil has a couple combo starters with both jobs, which can lead to bravery and HP follow-ups alike. Most of his attacks can be used as follow-ups, so Cecil has rather flexible combo routing. Cecil's most reliable starters (Dark Cannon & Searchlight) are telegraphed low priority projectiles, so he may need assist to do these combos more consistently.
Dark Knight
Dark Knight can combo with either Dark Cannon or Paladin Arts. Dark Cannon leads to other Dark Knight melee attacks, while Paladin Arts leads to Paladin attacks. Cecil gets decent damage with Dark Cannon starters, but its low damage can vary due to how projectiles move. On average, Dark Cannon can deal four hits (3x3, 3 / 9 total).
Condition
Combo
Base Damage
EX
Notes
Projectile starter Ground
Dark Cannon > Valiant Blow
49+ WR
42+
Base Damage (Breakdown): 9 > 40 + WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 3, 3, 3, 3 > 30
Basic bravery combo with high damaging wall rush ender.
Projectile starter Ground
Dark Cannon > Shadow Bringer / Soul Eater
29 + HP WR
42
Base Damage (Breakdown): 9 > 20 + HP WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 3, 3, 3, 3 > 30
Basic HP combo with wall rush potential. Shadow Bringer ender is prioritized over Soul Eater since it has higher knockback.
Projectile starter Air
Paladin Arts > Paladin Force
45 + HP WR
30
Base Damage (Breakdown): 30 > 15 + HP WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 0 > 30
Solo HP combo that also wall rushes on the ground. Good for ground assist combos. Paladin Force has slightly higher bravery damage output compared to Saint's Fall, and it also has better vertical tracking in close range, making this combo easier to land.
Paladin
Cecil's combos expand considerably with Slash and Searchlight. Slash provides a few good Paladin combos on the ground. Searchlight also supports both jobs (and in EX Mode), and Cecil can do more if the opponent is on the ground. With Searchlight, Cecil can also go for the hit glitch with Paladin Force as means to do HP damage in the neutral.
Condition
Combo
Base Damage
EX
Notes
Punish starter Ground
Slash > Free Air Dash > Radiant Wings
60 + WR
120
Base Damage (Breakdown): 20 > 40 + WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 90 > 30
Ground combo into a wall rush. Cancel Slash's recovery into Free Air Dash and close the gap to follow up with Radiant Wings.
Punish starter Ground
Slash > Free Air Dash > Sacred Cross
50
180
Base Damage (Breakdown): 20 > 30
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 90 > 90
Ground combo with higher EX generation.
Projectile starter
Searchlight > Paladin Force
30 + HP WR
30
Base Damage (Breakdown): 15 > 15 + HP WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 0 > 30
Solo HP combo that also wall rushes on the ground. Good for ground assist combos. Paladin Force has slightly higher bravery damage output compared to Saint's Fall, but it also has far superior tracking after Searchlight connects. Naturally, the bravery damage is slightly reduced if Cecil has to close the distance with the attack first.
Assist
Dark Knight
Cecil can convert off of wall rush, first part of a bravery attack or by initiating chase. Dark Knight primarily converts off of the first two, while Paladin can also convert off of chase.
Note that Dark Flame can wall rush in stages with low ceiling such Pandaemonium - Top Floor and M.S. Prima Vista!
The same principles apply as with Jecht assist, except ground wall rush off of Gravity Ball requires a wall for follow-ups. Yuna holds for a shorter amount of time as well.
Valiant Blow (1st part) - Yuna - Dark Cannon - BRV / HP
Shadow Lance / HP (wall rush) - ground dash if at a distance - Dark Cannon - BRV / HP
Valiant Blow / HP (wall rush) - ground dash if at a distance - jump - Paladin Arts - dodge cancel - BRV / HP
Due to the assist's knockback, ending combos in Paladin Force is often most reliable. Shadow Bringer can help in safely transitioning back to Dark Knight, however.
Valiant Blow 2nd part + Assist call upon inputting 2nd part - assist teleport - Paladin Force
Valiant Blow 2nd part + Assist call upon inputting 2nd part - lock off - assist teleport - turn around to face opponent - Paladin Arts - BRV / HP
Shadow Bringer - Assist call after second hit of Shadow Bringer - assist teleport - Paladin Force
Valiant Blow / Shadow Lance / HP (wall rush) - Sephiroth - Paladin Force
Paladin
Chase sequences allow Cecil to trap the opponent inside Aerith's Seal Evil or brute force an HP attack via chase. What Cecil loses in EX depletion on assist hit, he makes up for it with opportunities to set up solo combos and accumulate bravery or inflict HP damage.
Any grounded wall rush Aerith combo can be followed up with a Searchlight solo combo or an HP attack. This creates a lot of variance, but they all do the same things as they normally would - The Slash solo combo adds bravery damage or EX depending on the ender (Radiant Wings or Sacred Cross respectively), but landing an HP is also an option with Paladin Force or even Shadow Bringer.
Note, that if an opponent does not evade a chase HP attack during an Aerith setup, they can get wall rushed when close to a wall or a corner. This will net Cecil HP damage on top of the assist combo.
Ground
Slash solo combos also serve as assist combo starters for Aerith, so the damage and EX gain differ with the starter. Slash > Free Air Dash > Radiant Wings is more damage, while Slash > Free Air Dash > Sacred Cross is more EX.
Starter
Combo
Damage
EX Force
Notes
Video
Lightning Rise
--
30 (3, 3, 5, 4, 4, 11)
90
Not often used due to Lightning Rise's shortcomings, but Cecil can follow up after setting up Aerith assist with a chase HP.
--
Aerith > Chase > Chase HP > opp dodged > Searclight > Paladin Force
60 + HP WR (30 > 3x5 > 2x5, 5)
135 (90, 15 chase, 30)
Chase setup. Call Aerith before the chase prompt appears, then proceed to enforce an HP attack on the opponent.
video
Slash > Free Air Dash > Radiant Wings
--
60 (10, 10, 3, 3, 7, 6, 6, 6, 9 + WR)
120 (90, 30)
Higher damaging starter combo.
--
Aerith > WR > Searchlight (right before landing) > Land > Searchlight (hit) > Slash > Free Air Dash > Radiant Wings
135 + WR (3x5 > 10, 10 > 40 + WR)
240 (120, 0, 90, 30)
Bravery damage.
video
Slash > Free Air Dash > Sacred Cross
--
50 (10, 10, 3x5, 5, 10)
180 (90, 90)
No wall rush, Sacred Cross ender prioritizes EX Force generation.
--
Aerith > Chase > Chase HP > opp dodged > Searchlight > Sacred Cross
95 (50 > 3x5 > 3x5, 5, 10)
285 (180, 15 chase, 0, 90)
EX focused combo with no HP at the end.
video
Aerith > Chase > Chase HP > opp dodged > Searchlight > Paladin Force
80 + HP(50 > 3x5 > 2x5, 5)
225 (180, 15 chase, 30)
HP ender sacrifices brv damage and EX.
video
Dark Step
--
27 (5, 10, 1x2, 10)
90
Chase setup. Call Aerith before Cecil becomes grounded, then initiate chase.
--
Aerith > Land > Chase > Chase HP > opp dodged > Searchlight > Paladin Force
57 (27, 3x5 > 2x5, 5 + HP WR)
135 (90, 15 chase, 0, 30)
--
video
Aerial
Starter
Combo
Damage
EX Force
Notes
Video
Sacred Cross
--
30 (3x5, 5, 10)
90
Air combo starter. Doesn't require a wall and Sacred Cross is one of Cecil's better aerial moves, which will see use often.
--
Aerith > Chase > Chase HP > Opp dodged > Aerith (hit) > Searchlight > Paladin Force
60 + HP WR (3x5, 5, 10 > 3x5 > 2x5, 5 + HP WR)
135 (90, 15 chase, 30)
Air chase setup into a solo HP combo. Aerith must be called quickly after Sacred Cross' last hit, because of the early chase prompt.
video
Aerith > Chase > Chase HP > Opp dodged > Aerith (hit) > Searchlight > Sacred Cross
75 (3x5, 5, 10 > 3x5 > 3x5, 5, 10)
195 (90, 15 chase, 90)
Air chase setup into solo BRV combo. Ending the combo with Sacred Cross generates a lot more EX Force.
Air-to-ground assist combo with a solo combo ender. This one has highest EX gain. Must be near ground for empty chase to cause wall rush. Delay the chase a little bit to force the grounded wall rush from higher altitude.
video
Radiant Wings
--
40 + WR (3, 3, 7, 6, 6, 6, 9 + WR)
30
Wall Rush. Aerith is too slow to convert off of Radiant Wings' first part unless done pre-emptively as a punish.
--
Aerith > WR > Searchlight > Paladin Force
65 + HP WR (40 + WR > 3x5 > 2x5, 5 + HP WR)
60 (30, 0, 30)
Wall Rush, basic assist combo into HP. Call Aerith after last hit, but before wall rush happens.
video
Aerith > WR > Searchlight (right before landing) > Land > Slash > Free Air Dash > Radiant Wings
115 + WR (40 + WR > 3x5 > 10, 10 > 40 + WR)
150 (30, 0, 90, 30)
Wall Rush. Slash combo that prioritises bravery damage.
video
* Searchlight - Tidus (air) - BRV / HP
Radiant Wings (1st part) - Tidus (air) - BRV / HP
Radiant Wings (wall rush) - Tidus (ground) - dodge cancel - Searchlight - land on ground and approach - Slash - Free Air Dash cancel and dash for a split second - Radiant Wings or Sacred Cross
"Muscle Belt" basic accessory and "Opponent Summon Unused" booster can be substituted with what the player wants more.
Tenacious Attacker is not essential if Aerith assist is used. Hero's Essence can be used for additional Extra Abilities (critical hit rate). Winged Boots is good for banish trap stages.
Assists
Cecil Assist Data
Type
Attack
Startup
Position
Spawn
Damage multiplier
Effects
BRV
Shadow Lance
35F
Ground
Opponent
8, 7 x 6 (up to 50)
Wall Rush
BRV
Radiant Wings
19F
Air
Opponent
3, 3, 7, 6, 6, 9
Wall Rush
HP
Soul Eater
39F
Ground
Opponent
4, 2 x 5, 6 (20)
Wall Rush
HP
Saint's Fall
53F
Air
Opponent
1 x 3, 2, 1 x 2, 3 (10)
Wall Rush
Synergies (Dark Knight)
Fast whiff punishes, converts off of Cecil's key moves and wall rush, sets up solo combos and lets him transition into Dark Knight from Paladin on hit as part of a combo.
Whiff punishes and more notably, easy knockback cancels. With assist meter, Cecil won't have to rely on wall rushes for assist conversions.
Ranged Low priority that isn't staggered by LV2 Assist Change, converts off of key moves, wall rush and often works within Cecil's effective range in smaller stages.
Assists (Paladin)
Lets Cecil combo Sacred Cross into an HP by initiating a chase at the cost of no EX depletion on hit. As such, can set up solo combos anywhere. Combos safely into Luminous Shard without being staggered by LV2 Assist Change.
Fastest whiff punisher in the air with less air combo potential, but ground assist can wall rush on the ground for extended solo combos.
Air conversions have restrictions, but doesn't stagger from LV2 Assist Change. Works well when playing near the ground.
+ 
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(ATK +1 in Dark Knight) and Lightbringer 
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Sniper Eye
BRV = 0
Blue Gem
indicates a "Gear" extra ability or the use of