Press Z or R twice: Project M Moveset Writeup: Tifa Lockhart

I must admit that I am not exactly a vocal Final Fantasy VII fan. I have played the original game once, and found it fine, but it had aged very poorly by the time I had first gotten my hands on it. Still, it has a very large fanbase, and I was asked to see what I could come up with for a Smash Tifa moveset by someone. I'm not exactly extremely knowledgeable for the character and lore, but I decided to give it a shot. I do apologize if I get things wrong, but hopefully, this captures the feel of the character to their liking.

Tifa would be quick, be able to combo and rack up damage, and have strong finishers, but I would make her easy to kill, both because she is a fast faller, and because she would have low weight. Her recovery would not be amazing either. Here is a rundown of her special mechanic:

Unbridled strength:

Using ATB, Tifa can get 3 charges of it. She gets to cancel her normal attacks and normal specials into slightly stronger specials by using A+B inputs. Unlike Lucario, these don’t give her a massive buff, but they also charge faster than Lucario. These will only work on hit. The only exception is Chi Trap, which will instead become Beat Rush. However, final hit will incorporate Chi. Otherwise, this is essentially a combo-extender, as opposed to a super move. This meter fills up faster on longer combo chains.

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Specials:

Neutral Special: Chi trap –

Summons a Chi trap in front of you. If in the air, this stalls your fall as it is being set up. This is essentially a damaging orbs that deals small amounts of damage to whatever touches it, and remains active until it is struck. If struck, it will explode and do increased damage and KB. It has a fair amount of hitlag, reminiscent on Lucas’ Up Smash.

It’s Unbridled strength Version will instead be Beat Rush (Classic ver.):

https://youtu.be/ne0Wv1JtpbQ?t=1

It’s a very fast series of punches. If performed in the air, Tifa’s fall will stall. It’s Multi-hit, and final strike is quite strong.

While most Unbridled Strength input cancels work on hit, this is a rare instance where setting up the Chi trap lets you cancel into a move. If you cancel the Chi Trap into Beat Rush for instances, this will make Tifa punch the orb into exploding, keeping the foe from being knocked back due to the fast multi-hit nature of Beat rush, racking up a lot of damage. Then there’s the powerful Beat Rush Finisher.

Forward Special: Overpower –

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=286

Tifa launches herself forward with a kick, causing multi-hit damage. Tapping A again at the end of the dash with have her perform an additional flip kick, a weak finisher that knocks enemies away, slightly upwards, and Tifa gets to bounces off backwards. This is good for getting an easier offstage recovery if it hits. The bounce only work if the final hitbox of the side B hits the enemy.

Unbridled Strength version is the same, but final kick has a tiny bit more power to it.

Another option for the Unbridled Strength version is Burning Arrow:

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=455

For simplicity purposes, simply add fire effect.

Up B: Dolphin Blow –

Tifa does a rising dolphin kick (could also be a punch, but needs an arced hitbox), actually summoning water / ethereal dolphin. This is fairly strong, and can kill sideways. It’s doesn’t give her much height, albeit the Unbridled Strength versions summons a larger, dolphin, does more KB and damage, and rise Tifa a little more. Unbridled Strength also doesn’t put her in special fall. She can jump again if she has one left.

https://youtu.be/ne0Wv1JtpbQ?t=11

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=489

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=94

Down Special: Divekick –

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=225

Tifa divekicks downwards, hitting foes. This causes a fair amount of damage, hits up and away.

Unbridled Strength version is stronger, easier time killing on the side.

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Normals:

Jab: Meteor Crusher:

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=597

Multiple attacks, weak, but combos very easily into Beat Rush special.

Beat Rush (Dissidia ver.)

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=133

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=143

Multiple attacks, weak, but combos very easily into Beat Rush special. Doesn’t move her forward quite as much as the reference material.

Dash attack:

https://youtu.be/qHeLt51NRts?t=25

https://youtu.be/qHeLt51NRts?t=43

Halts for a brief moment, then dash forward with a punch that actually sends up and back, letting her air combo afterwards.

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Smashes:

Forward Smash: Omnistrike:

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=48

https://youtu.be/qHeLt51NRts?t=138

Will move her forward and do decent KB, lowish angle. Charging it very slightly increases the distance of the shoulder barge.

Alternative:

True Strike:

https://youtu.be/qHeLt51NRts?t=670

Similar function, different animation.

Up Smash: Dolphin Strike –

https://youtu.be/qHeLt51NRts?t=1090

Has high reach, does maximum KB and damage if hits at Apex.

Alternative:

Whirling Uppercut:

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=64

Has high reach, does maximum KB and damage if hits at Apex.

Down Smash: Final Heaven:

https://youtu.be/ne0Wv1JtpbQ?t=18

Slams fist to the ground, fiery shockwave. Sends up and slightly away

Alternative: Rolling Rise

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=345

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=358

Spins, smashes ground with both fists, actually hits forward, sends up, slightly away.

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Tilts:

Forward Tilt: Dolpĥin Kick –

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=158 (Second hit)

Kicks in front of her, less launch power than smash, low angle. Has decent range.

Up tilt:

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=47

Simple uppercut, send diagonally up. Meant to lead into N-air, U-air, or F-air

Down tilt: Dolphin Kick -

https://youtu.be/ne0Wv1JtpbQ?t=5

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=158 (First hit)

Hits enemies up and behind her. If the enemy has very low damage, can combo into up tilt, otherwise sends behind her. Good leadup to B-air.

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Aerials:

Forward air: Spin kick aerial -

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=129

Hits hard, meant for off the side aerial finishers. This is a tiny bit slower than the other aerials.

N-Air: Rise and Fall -

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=194

https://youtu.be/qHeLt51NRts?t=168

Multi-attack (3 hits). The first two have very low KB, but are ideal for cancelling into a boosted special. Third hit is actually good for gimping. On stage, its utility can be twofold. If you decide to not fastfall it, you will likely hit all three attacks, ending with a little knockback at the end. If you do fastfall, then this will only connect with the weaker hits, and as such, can be followed up with a grab / used for shield pressure.

Back air: Moonsault kick (but from behind) -

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=322

Kicks foes in an upwards arc. KB actually sends the opposing direction. In other words, it should be possible to do. Down tilt to back air, and then going into up air or forward air, depending on DI and percent. It felt like it would be different do have an aerial that doesn’t exactly send in the direction one is pressing.

Up air: Sommersault kick -

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=189

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=51

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=322

Similar to ZSS in function, upwards kick that is weak, but sends up and forward. Meant to combo well into Unbridled Strength Up B.

Down air:

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=327

https://youtu.be/WgSqTOgDY1k?t=349

Spin kicks down / diagonally. Actually fairly weak KB, but the angle is meant to synergize with Unbridled Strength Divekick.

Alternative:

Rolling strike -

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=386

As a multihit, could more easily translate into a boosted divekick.

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Throws:

Forward Throw: Heat Crush -

Jumps and falls very falls, punches ground where foe stands, pillar of flame arises, multihit, the sends forward. The multi-hit nature is good for cancelling into a booster special.

Back Throw: Meteor Strike (Dissida ver.) -

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=69

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=250

Tifa chucks enemy behind her with a flame or chi blast. Low angle, low KB

Up throw: Star Shower –

https://youtu.be/qHeLt51NRts?t=460

Disappears, causes multiple hits, ends with an uppercut. Sends up

Down Throw: Meteodrive (Dissidia ver.)–

https://youtu.be/gsfzqxdmplc?t=522

Tifa jumps and chucks foe to the ground with explosive force. To keep this balanced, Tifa descends with them and slams them to the ground.

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Miscellaneous: