Firion (Dissidia 012)/Matchups

Firion

General	Starter Guide	Combos	Strategy	Frame Data
Matchups	Builds	Match Videos	Gallery	Resources

Matchups

Warrior of Light

Generally speaking, this is not an inherently a difficult matchup for Firion.

Firion has stronger zoning tools here, so it's recommended to take advantage of that. Shield Bash can counter Red Fang and Blue Fang. But most importantly, it counters the most commonly used White Fang. This can restrict WoL's approaches, as Shield Bash's long-range counter activates more easily, covers a lot of space and is difficult to evade with Precision Evasion.

Firion's Straightarrow is effective for checking whiffs and slower moves. If WoL is trying to zone with Shining Wave or Radiant Sword, Straightarrow can hit him out of those moves.

As such, WoL will attempt to get close to attack. If he is approaching from above, watch out for Shield Strike. Firion can avoid camera cross-ups with Lord of Arms (when set to Square ), but don't rely too much on it. It's high reward and has a faster startup for the rising hits, but leaves Firion wide open if it misses.

If WoL is trying to approach from the front, Firion can control space with Swordslash (ground) and Rope Knife. Swordslash is useful for building assist gauge, but it can also act as a mixup with Rope Knife. Rope Knife can hit from midrange, where WoL has no safe and reliable options to counter it. So if Firion doesn't get predictable with Rope Knife, he can use it to control the pace of the match. Shield Bash acts as the last line of defense after every dodge, and provides a chunk of assist meter on hit with Side by Side .

Both WoL and Firion can use Side by Side builds effectively, so a single combo can build strong momentum. One thing worth noting is that Firion's usual combo starters guarantee HP Wall Rush consistently in most stages, whereas WoL's does not. However, low ceiling stages such as Pandaemonium - Top Floor and M. S. Prima Vista make it easier for WoL's Ascension > Rune Saber to wall rush consistently as well. It is recommended to avoid the ceiling for long periods of time; WoL can dodge punish Firion's air dodges with Free Air Dash > Dayflash and challenge his zoning with Rising Buckler or even Crossover.

Garland

Garland's run speed is slow and he cannot camp inside Cyclone, which means Firion can use Straightarrow to harass him at long range. This forces Garland to dash and eventually get closer to Firion, but be careful he doesn't break through with Lance Charge. Its Melee Mid priority beats Lance Combo, Rope Knife and Shield Bash, and it leads to an assist combo. Firion has to be a bit more cautious about his whiffs at midrange, but a single combo can build a lot of momentum.

That being said, exercise caution when using Double Trouble. If Garland has assist available, he can escape from Double Trouble with Assist Change and get a combo out of it. Garland's Thundaga can combo near walls, but Chain Cast also leads to a midscreen combo that gives him 180+ EX. This is not ideal for late-game due to his potent EX Revenge combos. Firion can use Kuja assist to interrupt Chain Cast as it comes out, but this requires having assist gauge already when using Double Trouble.

If the neutral is going slow at midrange, Firion can use Magic Arts: Fire for a couple things. Given enough time and proper positioning, it can stop Garland from punishing Firion. And of course, if it's reflected, Firion can use it for a Shield Bash counter later.

Garland can also use Tsunami as a hard callout tool against most moves and dodges on the ground. This puts Firion in the air, where Garland can try to dodge punish with Twist Drill and push for even more advantage. This is not a good position to be in, so it's recommended to use Multi Air Slide and Descent Speed Boost to get to ground as soon as possible. Once again, Kuja assist can interrupt Tsunami if Firion cannot avoid it in time. This situation can escalate if Garland escapes with LV1 Assist Change; He can lock Firion's assist with Chain Cast, Thundaga, Flare or dodge > Blaze. In this instance, Firion can use Straightarrow to force HP damage, or a dodge mixup at minimum. This is generally low risk for Firion even if Straightarrow barely misses.

Firion has the necessary tools to win this matchup, but Garland can challenge him head-on with good timing. Good use of your patterns, the stage and distance between Firion and Garland will be key to victory.

Firion

This mirror match is mostly about using Swordslash to build assist, firing Straightarrows and punishing with your own assist just right without getting Assist Locked. Straightarrow can catch air dodges and late Straightarrow counter attempts. Straightarrow is also vulnerable to assist punishes, so a well placed Kuja assist can occasionally discourage repeated Straightarrow use.

If you are far away, Magic Arts: Fire can be used to bait the opponent into using Shield Bash. And if that happens, Straightarrow can hit through the long range Shield Bash counter before it can hit you.

If you get hit by an HP link while having assist gauge, you can escape from Double Trouble with LV1 Assist Change and use Straightarrow to do some HP damage. Firion doesn't stay still for long, so there isn't a huge opening without risking a deflected Straightarrow. Side by Side fills assist gauge even when assist gauge is locked, which mitigates the cost. Just be careful the opponent won't call their own assist and bravery break you right before Straightarrow connects.

The Emperor

The Emperor relies on Starfall pressure and people running into his traps, so countering both is important here. Firion has adequate tools to at least prevent worst case scenarios. Against Thunder Crest and Dreary Cell (ground), Firion can use Rope Knife and Reel Axe as disjoints to poke through them. Straightarrow can force a dodge and punish The Emperor's air dodges. It can also hit through traps, so it's a good move for keeping The Emperor on his back foot.

Shield Bash counters Landmine and Mine, so if The Emperor uses them without support from Thunder Crest, use it to pressure for HP damage.

Whenever Firion is not actively engaging with The Emperor, it is recommended to build assist gauge with Swordslash and Ground Dash / Free Air Dash (with Assist Gauge Up Dash ability). This is to make Starfall counterplay safer to do. If The Emperor attempts to create distance by going high above, it is crucial to not leave him alone. He will most likely start casting Starfall, which gives him a strong win condition in large stages due to looping it with Jecht assist. Because Starfall blocks Ranged Low attacks during the casting animation, Firion must use an HP to stop it. Straightarrow is the safer option here with Auto Assist Lock On and delayable timing. Do note, that by the time The Emperor casts Starfall, he can probably call assist to interrupt Straightarrow. If The Emperor calls assist right before Straightarrow hits, he gets a bravery break. If you choose to fire Straightarrow at maximum delay, this may become easier for The Emperor to anticipate.

If The Emperor tries to approach Firion and use Flare, Firion can use an HP attack in response. It is not recommended to just reflect Flare, as Firion's HP attacks have long recovery. The best HP attack depends on the stage and the angle Firion is in, but Lord of Arms and Weaponsmaster have some lateral reach.

Firion is not expected to trade with traps or stray projectiles often, but his attacks are also somewhat telegraphed if used in response to The Emperor. If The Emperor manages to avoid most Straightarrows, Side by Side builds may not always pull ahead. This means Firion may have more time to build assist gauge without landing HP attacks. EX cores can provide long term benefits with the EX gauge, especially if Firion can take advantage of his Blood Weapon perk in EX mode. This strategy may have more potential in large stages, but The Emperor can also pressure with Starfall if Firion goes for EX cores.