ChatGPT Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Cloud becomes stronger the longer he can hold sword-tip spacing, while Ganondorf only needs one close-range read to convert into massive damage or an early stock.
The real danger here is letting jump-ins, Wizard’s Foot, or a smash swing catch your landing or ledge drift all at once. It is far better to make the commit whiff first and advance second than to brawl in front of him.
The table shows that Down Smash, Down B (2), Down B (1), Up Smash, and Forward Smash all hand Cloud stable answers such as Up B, OOS Nair, Grab, and OOS Uair, which is enough because the real reward is pushing Ganondorf back to ledge.
You usually do not need a deep edgeguard to finish the stock. Hold stage, watch for the high recovery, and close the game from ledge with Back Air or a Limit threat instead.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Cloud OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab | 7 | -8 |
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| Forward Tilt | 10 | -17/-16 |
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| Up Tilt | 60 | -14 |
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| Down Tilt | 10 | -12 |
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| Dash Attack | 10 | -13/-11 |
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| Forward Smash | 29 | -24 |
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| Up Smash | 20 | -25 |
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| Down Smash | 15/35 | -39/-13 |
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| Neutral Air | 7/17 | (-7/-7)(-5/-6) |
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| Forward Air | 14 | -7/-7 |
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| Back Air | 10 | -4/-5 |
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| Up Air | 8 | -6/-6/-6/-7/-7/-8 |
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| Down Air | 16 | -9/-10 |
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| Neutral B (1) | 70/80 | -20/-14 |
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| Neutral B (2) | 70/80 | -14/-12 |
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| Side B (1) | 16 | — | ||
| Side B (2) | 16 | — | ||
| Side B (3) | — | — | ||
| Up B | 14 | — | ||
| Down B (1) | 16 | -29 |
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| Down B (2) | 16 | -34 |
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| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 11 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 12 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Mix walk shield with slight retreats in center stage so you can place tipper Fair or Bair only after the jump-in or Wizard’s Foot actually starts.
- When you block Forward Smash, Up Smash, Down B (1), Down B (2), or Neutral B (1), choose the punish that safely sends him back to the corner instead of fishing for the absolute maximum.
- After getting clipped upward by throw or aerial pressure, spend the next beat rebuilding spacing rather than mashing on the way down.
- Treat the ledge trap as the default kill sequence and only swing offstage when the high recovery route is already obvious.
Actions to Avoid
- Diving far out to intercept Flame Choke or aerial recovery and shrinking your own route back for no reason.
- Swinging first with Dash Attack or Down Tilt when the spacing is not clearly yours and handing Ganondorf the reversal range he wants.
- Overextending for a flashy punish after shield and getting hit by panic dodge or mash instead of keeping stage.
- Sitting on Limit while forcing your way in, even though simply threatening it already changes how he can land and recover.