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Game:Sephiroth: Difference between revisions

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{{Game|KH1|FM1|KH2|FM2}}
{{Game|KH1|FM1|KH2|FM2|UCX}}
{{cleanup|correct technique and strategy info in KH1 section; update deflection values in KH2 table when templates are created, and remove the redundant information from technique notes as appropriate}}
{{suite}}
{{suite}}
{{Enemy
{{Character
  |name=Sephiroth
  |name=Sephiroth
  |katakana=セフィロス
  |katakana=セフィロス
  |romaji=Sefirosu
  |romaji=Sefirosu
  |fr=Sephiroth (Ennemi)
  |fr=Sephiroth (Ennemi)
  |image=[[File:Sephiroth KH.png|300px]]
  |image=[[File:Sephiroth KH.png|300x400px]]
  |tab1=KH
  |tab1=KH
  |image2=[[File:Sephiroth KHII.png|300px]]
  |image2=[[File:Sephiroth KHII.png|300x400px]]
  |tab2=KHII
  |tab2=KHII
|image3=[[File:Sephiroth KHUX.png|300x400px]]
|tab3=KHUχ
  |game1=Kingdom Hearts
  |game1=Kingdom Hearts
  |game2=Kingdom Hearts II
  |game2=Kingdom Hearts II
|game3=Kingdom Hearts Union χ
  |type=Entelechy
  |type=Entelechy
  |spec=CharacterBoss
  |spec=CharacterBoss
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  |KHcup1=Platinum Match
  |KHcup1=Platinum Match
  |KHseed11=1
  |KHseed11=1
  |CKHHP1=N/A
  |CKHloc1=Platinum Match
  |CKHATK1=N/A
  |CKHloc2=-
  |CKHDEF1=N/A
  |CKHHP1=1800
  |CKHMP1=N/A
  |CKHATK1=46
  |CKHEXP1=N/A
  |CKHDEF1=46
  |CKHHP2=1800
  |CKHMP1=70
  |CKHATK2=46
  |CKHEXP1=18000
|CKHDEF2=46
  |CFMEXP1=10000
  |CKHMP2=70
  |FMtab=*
  |CKHEXP2=18000
  |CKHweapon=x1.0
  |CKHweapon=x1.0
  |CKHfire=x0
  |CKHfire=x0
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  |CKHko=x0.5
  |CKHko=x0.5
  |CKHother=x0.5
  |CKHother=x0.5
|KH2loc1=Radiant Garden
|KH2LVL1=45
  |KH2HP1=3000
  |KH2HP1=3000
  |KH2EXP1=0
  |KH2EXP1=0
  |KH2STR1=42
  |KH2loc1=Radiant Garden
  |KH2DEF1=24
  |KH2LV1=80
  |KH2weapon=x1.0
  |KH2phys=×1.0
  |KH2fire=x0
  |KH2fire=×0
  |KH2bliz=x0
  |KH2bliz=×0
  |KH2thun=x0
  |KH2thun=×0
  |KH2dark=x0
  |KH2dark=×0
  |KH2other=x1.0
  |KH2neut=×1.0
  |KH2reward=Drive Gauge +1 (Sora)
  |KH2reward='''Sora:''' Drive gauge +1
  |KH2world=Radiant Garden
  |KH2world=Radiant Garden
|KHbattlename=One-Winged Angel (from FINAL FANTASY VII)
|KHbattlefile=One-Winged Angel (from FINAL FANTASY VII) KHHD.ogg
|KH2battlename=One-Winged Angel (from FINAL FANTASY VII)
|KH2battlefile=One-Winged Angel (from FINAL FANTASY VII) KHII.ogg
}}
}}
<!--Don't include KH stats, they will be within the upcoming coliseum infobox
<!--Don't include KH stats, they will be within the upcoming coliseum infobox
[[File:OneWingedSephiroth.jpg|220px]]
[[File:OneWingedSephiroth.jpg|220px]]
-->
-->
'''Sephiroth''' is an optional boss in ''[[Kingdom Hearts (game)|Kingdom Hearts]]'' and ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''. He was originally the main antagonist from ''[[finalfantasy:Final Fantasy VII|Final Fantasy VII]]''.
'''Sephiroth''' is an optional boss in ''{{c|Kingdom Hearts|game}}'', ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]'' and ''[[Kingdom Hearts Union χ]]''. He was originally the main antagonist from ''{{ff|Final Fantasy VII}}''.


In ''Kingdom Hearts'', he appears in [[Olympus Coliseum|Olympus Coliseum's]] [[Platinum Match]]. In ''Kingdom Hearts II'', he is the antagonist of [[Cloud|Cloud's]] side story, and is fought in the [[Radiant Garden#Dark Depths|Dark Depths]].  
In ''Kingdom Hearts'', he appears in [[Olympus Coliseum|Olympus Coliseum's]] [[Platinum Match]]. In ''Kingdom Hearts II'', he is the antagonist of [[Cloud]]'s side story, and is fought in the {{c|Dark Depths|rg}}.  


==Strategy==
==Strategy==
===''Kingdom Hearts''===
===''Kingdom Hearts''===
;Attacks
Sephiroth's attacks are quite powerful, but many of them can be negated using the invincibility frames of [[Leaf Bracer]] or Sora's Special Attacks. [[Sonic Blade]] and [[Strike Raid]] are most reliable for this, and Strike Raid is particularly good at hitting Sephiroth from a distance; in ''Final Mix'', however, Sonic Blade only has invincibility frames through the first thrust. In order to provide for maximum defense and restoration, [[Second Chance]], [[Dodge Roll]], [[Superglide]], at least one [[MP Rage]], and in ''Final Mix'', [[Leaf Bracer]] should be equipped. While [[Guard]] can be used against several of Sephiroth's techniques, it is not as reliable for defense as using a Special Attack due to Sephiroth's Rapid Mow Down and Stepping Mow Down, which telegraph similarly but require different timing to successfully block. [[Curaga]] and [[Aeroga]] should be set as shortcuts, as well as several [[Elixir]]s or [[Hi-Potion]]s in order to recover from Heartless Angel. Sora should equip a Keyblade that boosts his MP and magic, such as [[Ultima Weapon]] or [[Diamond Dust]], as well as armor that boosts his HP, defense, and resistance to the Dark element, such as [[Crystal Crown]], [[Gaia Bangle]], or [[Omega Arts]]. Sephiroth's blockable techniques all have maximum recoil, so dodging or negating them is preferable to blocking unless Sora is equipped with the Ultima Weapon or [[Divine Rose]]. Sora should focus on keeping his MP up so that he can quickly heal whenever his HP gets low, and performing a Special Attack to deal damage if he has excess MP. In ''Final Mix'' and ''HD 1.5 ReMIX'', [[Hurricane Blast]], [[Slapshot]], and [[Combo Master]] are useful for dealing large amounts of damage to Sephiroth, although they do not provide the invincibility frames of a Special Attack.
*'''Horizontal Slash''': Sephiroth's basic sword slash. Covers a long reach and has a wide arc, but can easily be deflected or jumped over.
 
*'''Leaping Slash''': Sephiroth rushes forward with a wide draw, then leaps back a distance. Tends to be used alongside the first slash, throwing off the player's block-timing as the move comes out a bit more slower than the other slash.
In the first phase, Sephiroth will walk around the arena, occasionally performing Rapid Mow Down, Stepping Mow Down, or Figa Wall. It is possible to hit him with Keyblade combos by jumping towards him to dodge his Rapid Mow Down, but it is more reliable to focus on Strike Raid or Sonic Blade. If [[Scan]] is equipped, Sephiroth's HP Gauge will not appear to deplete at first even though he is taking damage, as he has a full sixth HP bar.
*'''Teleport Slash''': The second Sora delivers the finishing combo, Sephiroth will vanish and flashes behind Sora to deliver a sword slash. (Teleport period approximately about 1~2 seconds.)
 
*'''Stigma''': Sephiroth conjures three flame pillars around him. Using a special move like ''Ars Arcanum'' or ''Strike Raid'' will make Sora invincible to this attack, so it is recommended to use such techniques if you get caught in it. Sephiroth in turn is highly vulnerable while performing this move, though he has super armor during it and will not flinch.
Once Sephiroth's first, red HP bar is depleted, he will enter the second phase, telegraphed by him holding out his hand and saying "Come." In the second phase, Sephiroth will run instead of walk, and more frequently use Rapid Mow Down. His first action will be to cast Heartless Angel, and he will occasionally recast throughout the rest of the phase. He will also begin using Wild Dance.
*'''Heartless Angel''': Sephiroth's trademark attack, used when around 70% of his first [[Health Points|HP]] meter is shaved away. Drains Sora's HP to 1 and MP to 0. It can't be dodged, but it can be interrupted if Sephiroth is hit while casting this attack. Sephiroth will say "Descend, Heartless Angel!" before using this attack, so listen carefully for it. It is best to strike him before the halo around him completes, as this will interrupt the casting. If Sora happens to be too far away from Sephiroth while he is performing the Heartless Angel attack, use '''Superglide''' to get close to him pronto. You could also use the ''Trinity Limit''. If damaged while performing this move, Sephiroth will immediately use Stigma.
 
*'''Omnislash''': Sephiroth does a frenzy of standing and leaping blows, then leaps up and does a finisher. Be wary of the last blow, because it does a great deal of damage. However, the blows are not entirely consecutive, so Sora can avoid many of them with properly timed guards and dodge rolls.
Once Sephiroth's second, yellow HP bar is depleted, he will enter the third phase, shrouding himself in a dark aura. His first action will be to cast Supernova. He will also begin using Shadow Flare.
*'''Shadow Flare''': Sephiroth will conjure dozens of dark orbs to surround him. The orbs serves as his shield and a distraction for a spinning sword slash. He often uses this move many times in succession.
<!--merge in:
*'''Super Nova''': Sephiroth's ultimate attack, his body emits a glowing white aura and he summons several meteors, which surround and orbit around him. A black hole later appears above his head and absorbs all the rocks, which later releases a meteor homing Sora. The initial meteors can be avoided by running around them, and the last attack requires quite a bit of timing to dodge.
*'''Whirlwind Slashes''': Sephiroth executes a spinning combo of three slashes while gracefully leaping into the air. Usually followed by a Horizontal Slash, then another Whirlwind Slashes. Sephiroth begins to use this attack after Super Nova.


Sephiroth is easily one of the hardest bosses in the original ''Kingdom Hearts,'' and a great deal of preparation is needed. First, ''[[Strike Raid]]'', ''[[Second Chance]]'', ''[[Dodge Roll]]'' and ''MP Rage'' are absolutely essential. If possible, equip two ''MP Rage'', meaning, unless you chose the staff, you'll have to be at Level 66 to earn the second ''MP Rage''. Otherwise, being above Level 55 is best. Do not equip any other special abilities like ''[[Ragnarok]]'' or ''[[Ars Arcanum]]''. Don't equip more than one "Combo Plus" and "Air Combo Plus" abilities. Equip any other abilities to boost [[Sora|Sora's]] power like ''Berserk'' and ''Critical Plus''. ''Scan'' is useful, as it lets you see Sephiroth's HP and know when he's about to enter the next phase of the battle, but there are other signs to let you know this. If possible, equip the [[Ultima Weapon]] keychain, but otherwise equip weapons to boost Sora's MP and magic abilities. [[Oathkeeper]], [[Lionheart]] or [[Lady Luck]] work for this by increasing Sora's max MP while still giving a strong attack. Also equip as many [[Elixir]]s as possible, or Megalixirs if you are out of Elixirs, and be sure to get [[Curaga]] from [[Aerith]] in [[Hollow Bastion]]. Be sure to have Curaga as one of the Spells equipped for Shortcut options when you need it. If you're not too confident with evading Sephiroth's attacks, you can equip whatever variation of [[Aero]] you have available as a Shortcut to reduce damage from Sephiroth's attacks. Finally, equip accessories to boost Sora's defense and HP. Gaia Bangles or Omega Arts work for this. Also note that all of Sephiroth's attacks except for Stigma count as the dark element, so equipping armor to resist that element will help greatly.
Sephiroth is easily one of the hardest bosses in the original ''Kingdom Hearts,'' and a great deal of preparation is needed. First, ''[[Strike Raid]]'', ''[[Second Chance]]'', ''[[Dodge Roll]]'' and ''MP Rage'' are absolutely essential. If possible, equip two ''MP Rage'', meaning, unless you chose the staff, you'll have to be at Level 66 to earn the second ''MP Rage''. Otherwise, being above Level 55 is best. Do not equip any other special abilities like ''[[Ragnarok]]'' or ''[[Ars Arcanum]]''. Don't equip more than one "Combo Plus" and "Air Combo Plus" abilities. Equip any other abilities to boost [[Sora|Sora's]] power like ''Berserk'' and ''Critical Plus''. ''Scan'' is useful, as it lets you see Sephiroth's HP and know when he's about to enter the next phase of the battle, but there are other signs to let you know this. If possible, equip the [[Ultima Weapon]] keychain, but otherwise equip weapons to boost Sora's MP and magic abilities. [[Oathkeeper]], [[Lionheart]] or [[Lady Luck]] work for this by increasing Sora's max MP while still giving a strong attack. Also equip as many [[Elixir]]s as possible, or Megalixirs if you are out of Elixirs, and be sure to get [[Curaga]] from [[Aerith]] in [[Hollow Bastion]]. Be sure to have Curaga as one of the Spells equipped for Shortcut options when you need it. If you're not too confident with evading Sephiroth's attacks, you can equip whatever variation of [[Aero]] you have available as a Shortcut to reduce damage from Sephiroth's attacks. Finally, equip accessories to boost Sora's defense and HP. Gaia Bangles or Omega Arts work for this. Also note that all of Sephiroth's attacks except for Stigma count as the dark element, so equipping armor to resist that element will help greatly.


For the first part of the battle, Sephiroth walks around the arena performing his Horizontal Slash and Stigma attacks, usually using the former when you come close. It is possible, by leaping towards him to avoid his Horizontal Slash, to hit Sephiroth with a combo. However, he may use his Leaping Slash in tandem with his Horizontal Slash, which may mess up your timing in intercepting him. After suffering three to four hits from a combo, Sephiroth will teleport and attempt a Teleport Slash on you. You can either jump away or use Dodge Roll to evade the attack. Also note that in the short period after he teleports and before he reappears, you can actually lock on to him and see where he is going to appear. At this time, simply chip away at Sephiroth's HP with normal attacks, and heal when needed as ''MP Rage'' will restore your MP when you are attacked. It is important to note that while Sephiroth has six health bars; only five will show up, so your first attacks will only appear to do no damage. Once Sephiroth's red health bar is depleted and the yellow bar is showing he holds out his hand and says "Come", signaling he is entering his second phase of attack.
For the first part of the battle, Sephiroth walks around the arena performing his Horizontal Slash and Stigma attacks, usually using the former when you come close. It is possible, by leaping towards him to avoid his Horizontal Slash, to hit Sephiroth with a combo. After suffering three to four hits from a combo, Sephiroth will teleport and attempt a Teleport Slash on you. You can either jump away or use Dodge Roll to evade the attack. Also note that in the short period after he teleports and before he reappears, you can actually lock on to him and see where he is going to appear. At this time, simply chip away at Sephiroth's HP with normal attacks, and heal when needed as ''MP Rage'' will restore your MP when you are attacked. It is important to note that while Sephiroth has six health bars; only five will show up, so your first attacks will only appear to do no damage. Once Sephiroth's red health bar is depleted and the yellow bar is showing he holds out his hand and says "Come", signaling he is entering his second phase of attack.


Sephiroth will next begin dashing around the arena very quickly (and will run around onwards as opposed to walking), frequently using Teleport Slash. His first move upon entering this phase is to teleport and cast Heartless Angel. It is vital to hit him with '''Strike Raid''' at this time. The casting animation for Heartless Angel involves a halo appearing around Sephiroth. If you can attack him before the halo completes, you can stop the casting. Even if he successfully starts to casts it, continue to attack him. If you are hit while casting Heartless Angel, Sephiroth will run up to you in an attempt to finish you off with an attack. If you can't hit Sephiroth in time to stop him, your only chance is to quickly heal yourself with an Elixir right before you are struck by Heartless Angel. If timed right, the Elixir will refill your HP and MP right after Heartless Angel damages you. Sephiroth uses this attack periodically during this phase, so listen carefully for him to call the attack and stop him. Alternatively, to stop Heartless Angel, use '''Superglide''', get close to him and hit him before he can finish announcing the attack.
Sephiroth will next begin dashing around the arena very quickly, frequently using Teleport Slash. His first move upon entering this phase is to teleport and cast Heartless Angel. It is vital to hit him with '''Strike Raid''' at this time. The casting animation for Heartless Angel involves a halo appearing around Sephiroth. If you can attack him before the halo completes, you can stop the casting. Even if he successfully starts to casts it, continue to attack him. If you are hit while casting Heartless Angel, Sephiroth will run up to you in an attempt to finish you off with an attack. If you can't hit Sephiroth in time to stop him, your only chance is to quickly heal yourself with an Elixir right before you are struck by Heartless Angel. If timed right, the Elixir will refill your HP and MP right after Heartless Angel damages you. Sephiroth uses this attack periodically during this phase, so listen carefully for him to call the attack and stop him. Alternatively, to stop Heartless Angel, use '''Superglide''', get close to him and hit him before he can finish announcing the attack.


Sephiroth's other tactics are to simply run around the arena using Teleport Slash frequently. His other new move, Omnislash, hits very quickly and can be difficult to survive. You can cast Curaga during the attack, but he'll likely attack you and stop you before you can cast it. A better option is to hit him with '''Strike Raid''' when he calls out the attack, as you are invincible during Strike Raid and thus can become immune to his many slashes. Otherwise, repeatedly use ''Dodge Roll'' or well-timed ''Guards''. His final attack in Omnislash is to pierce the ground, sending a shockwave in every direction, but it can be avoided by ''Dodge Rolling'' directly away from his frontal area. After using Omnislash, Sephiroth immediately teleports and uses Heartless Angel.
Sephiroth's other tactics are to simply run around the arena using Teleport Slash frequently. His other new move, Omnislash, hits very quickly and can be difficult to survive. You can cast Curaga during the attack, but he'll likely attack you and stop you before you can cast it. A better option is to hit him with '''Strike Raid''' when he calls out the attack, as you are invincible during Strike Raid and thus can become immune to his many slashes. Otherwise, repeatedly use ''Dodge Roll'' or well-timed ''Guards''. His final attack in Omnislash is to pierce the ground, sending a shockwave in every direction, but it can be avoided by ''Dodge Rolling'' directly away from his frontal area. After using Omnislash, Sephiroth immediately teleports and uses Heartless Angel.
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Although this is easily Sephiroth's most dangerous form, the damage all of his moves can be minimized with deft dodging and usage of ''Strike Raid'' to exploit its temporary invincibility. Since he may still be landing hits on you quite often, your MP should be high throughout the phase, and healing yourself and attacking should be no trouble. As long as you can react to Sephiroth's moves quickly with the appropriate counter, you can defeat him. Focus on getting in hits whenever possible, while surviving his attacks using Curaga and ''Strike Raid'' and he will eventually be defeated.
Although this is easily Sephiroth's most dangerous form, the damage all of his moves can be minimized with deft dodging and usage of ''Strike Raid'' to exploit its temporary invincibility. Since he may still be landing hits on you quite often, your MP should be high throughout the phase, and healing yourself and attacking should be no trouble. As long as you can react to Sephiroth's moves quickly with the appropriate counter, you can defeat him. Focus on getting in hits whenever possible, while surviving his attacks using Curaga and ''Strike Raid'' and he will eventually be defeated.


In the ''Final Mix'' version, there are more options, due to the new Leaf Veil/Leaf Bracer ability, you can time Curaga right to avoid most of Sepiroth's blows and powerful finishers. Thus you can also avoid and heal at the same time, so if you see a powerful attack coming, don't hesitate to heal if you have the chance, though make sure you time it right in order to phase through the said incoming attack.
In ''Kingdom Hearts Final Mix'' version, there are more options, due to the new Leaf Veil/Leaf Bracer ability, you can time Curaga right to avoid most of Sepiroth's blows and powerful finishers. Thus, you can also avoid and heal at the same time, so if you see a powerful attack coming, don't hesitate to heal if you have the chance. In this version you should keep track of the number of hits you deal, since on the 7th hit Sephiroth will immediately react with one of his attacks no matter what. You may want to use ''Strike Raid'' right after dealing the 7th hit so he doesn't catch you off guard. Only attacks that stagger him do count.-->
{{Atk-o|KH1}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''High-Speed Mow Down'''|高速なぎ払い|<br>Kōsoku Nagiharai}}
|None
|x0
|6
|Repellable<br>(Recoil: 100)
|Swings his blade from left to right.
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Step Mow Down'''|ステップなぎ払い|<br>Suteppu Nagiharai}}
|None
|x0
|6
|Repellable<br>(Recoil: 100)
|Jumps forward and swings his blade, then returns to his original position.
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Firaga Wall'''|ファイガウォール|<br>Faiga Wōru|lit. "Figa Wall"}}
|Fire
|—
|8
|—
|Summons three pillars of fire around himself.
|Sephiroth is stationary while performing the technique, making him vulnerable to attack, but will not flinch. Sephiroth often performs this technique when close to Sora, making it difficult to dodge.
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''High-Speed Mow Down (During Dark Aura)'''|高速なぎ払い(ダークオーラ中)|<br>Kōsoku Nagiharai (Dāku Ōra-chū)}}
|Dark
|x0
|8
|Repellable<br>(Recoil: 100)
|Performs High-Speed Mow Down while under the effect of Dark Aura.
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Step Mow Down (During Dark Aura)'''|ステップなぎ払い(ダークオーラ中)|<br>Suteppu Nagiharai (Dāku Ōra-chū}}
|Dark
|x0
|8
|Repellable<br>(Recoil: 100)
|Performs Step Mow Down while under the effect of Dark Aura.
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Spin Attack'''|スピン攻撃|<br>Supin Kougeki}}
|None
|x0
|10
|Repallable<br>(Recoil: 100)
|Jumps diagonally forward while spinning like a drill.
|Only used in the third phase. Frequently used after performing Shadow Flare, and usually followed by Rapid Mow Down or Stepping Mow Down. If Sephiroth hits Sora or is deflected, he will finish the attack while no longer moving forward.
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Wild Dance'''|乱舞|<br>Ranbu}}
|None
|x0
|10
|Repellable<br>(Recoil: 100)
|Repeatedly swings his blade while chasing the opponent.
|Telegraphed by the arena darkening. Usually followed with Heartless Angel. If Leaf Bracer is not equipped, Sephiroth will usually interrupt any healing that Sora attempts, so it is more reliable to use a Special Attack.
}}
{{atk-m|{{nihongo|'''Wild Dance (Final Blow)'''|乱舞(最後の一撃)|<br>Ranbu (Saigo no Ichigeki)}}
|Sword
|None
|x0
|12
|Repellable<br>(Recoil: 100)
|Jumps up high, and swings his blade while falling down.
|
|Shock wave
|Dark
|x0
|12
|—
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Supernova (Meteor)'''|スーパーノヴァ(メテオ)|<br>Sūpānova (Meteo)}}
|Dark
|—
|8
|—
|Drops meteorites and makes them spin around himself.
|The rings of meteorites have gaps between them, which can be threaded with well-timed running or [[Dodge Roll]]s. Although Sephiroth is stationary, he is invulnerable for the duration of the technique.
}}
{{atk-m|{{nihongo|'''Supernova (Main Explosion)'''|スーパーノヴァ(本体爆発)|<br>Sūpānova (Hontai Bakuhatsu)}}
|Explosion
|Dark
|—
|12
|—
|Releases energy forward, creating an explosion.
|Can be dodged with a well-timed [[Dodge Roll]], [[Superglide]], or [[Sliding Dash]], or negated using the invulnerability frames of [[Leaf Bracer]] or a Special Attack.
|Energy
|Dark
|—
|6
|—
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Shadow Flare'''|シャドウフレア|<br>Shadou Furea}}
|Dark
|—
|8
|Repellable<br>(Recoil: 100)
|Summons pale blue spheres in the air.
|The spheres are summoned in various configurations. Often followed by Spin Attack, while the spheres are still following Sora.
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Heartless Angel'''|心無い天使|<br>Kokoronai Tenshi}}
|None
|—
|HP to 1<br>MP to 0
|—
|Makes a halo appear over the opponent's head.
|Only used in the second and third phases. Telegraphed by Sephiroth summoning a halo above himself before transferring it to Sora, sometimes teleporting beforehand to gain distance from Sora. Can be interrupted by attacking Sephiroth in between his telegraph and the halo being transferred to Sora. If interrupted, Sephiroth will perform Firaga Wall.
}}
{{Atk-c|kh1}}


===''Kingdom Hearts II''===
===''Kingdom Hearts II''===
{{Q|Use all your skills and all your strategies to defeat Sephiroth!|Battle hint}}
Sora should have his Defense as high as possible, through the use of equipment such as [[Ribbon]] and [[Cosmic Arts]], or by applying [[Defense Boost]]s. [[Ultima Weapon]] and [[Circle of Life]] are useful Keyblades for their MP regeneration abilities, while [[Decisive Pumpkin]] is useful for its Combo Boost. For maximum mobility, equip Sora with [[High Jump]], [[Aerial Dodge]], [[Glide]], and [[Slide Dash]]; for defense equip [[Guard]], [[Counterguard]], [[Aerial Recovery]], [[Leaf Bracer]], [[Second Chance]], and [[Once More]], and for offense equip [[MP Haste]], [[MP Rage]], and [[Trinity Limit]]. [[Defender]], [[Combo Boost]], [[Air Combo Boost]], [[Finishing Plus]], [[Retaliating Slash]], and several [[Elixir]]s are also useful, but not as essential. [[Reflect]] and [[Cure]] should be set to shortcuts, preferably at their Reflega and Curaga levels, as well as any stocked Elixirs and, in ''Final Mix'', [[Limit Form]]'s Auto Limit.
;Attacks
*'''Flash''': The screen darkens, and Sephiroth says "''That's enough.''" before dashing past you. Sora then is hit multiple times. It can be avoided quite easily by using the Reaction Command; otherwise it is virtually impossible to avoid except with deft jumping, or using ''Reflect''. Sephiroth always opens the battle with this. It should be noted that you have a very short window of opportunity to activate the Reaction Command before Sephiroth executes the attack. You can't use the Reaction Command while jumping.
*'''Ground Combo''': Sephiroth charges forward, unleashing several quick damaging slash attacks. These can be avoided simply by keeping your distance, leaping over them, using ''Guard'', or simply flying around with ''Glide'' (although you might get hit sometimes). Later in the battle, Sephiroth dashes behind Sora before starting the series of slashes. Counterguard can be used to reverse this assault.
*'''Aerial Combo''': Sephiroth only uses this move when Sora is in the air and attacks him multiple times, after which he teleports. Sephiroth often uses this attack three or more times in a row. They can be avoided by using ''Aerial Dodge'' and counter-attacking when Sephiroth re-appears. If this follows his teleport slash, it can also be countered with retaliating slash to prevent the combo and start your own if timed correctly.
*'''Teleport Slash''': Sephiroth teleports behind Sora and attacks, knocking him high into the air. This is usually followed up with Aerial Combo. This move is difficult to detect and avoid, but can be blocked with Guard and fast reflexes. Even if Sora is hit, the follow-up combo, as told above, can be countered easily.
*'''Shadow Flare''': Sephiroth summons several dark orbs around Sora that follow him around briefly before hitting him. They can be deflected back at Sephiroth using the Keyblade or ''Reflega''.
*'''Heartless Angel''': Sephiroth flies into the air, glows and calls out "Descend... Heartless... Angel!". A halo appears over Sora's head, which after a delay, depletes all of Sora's MP<!-- ONLY IF SORA'S HP IS ABOVE 1 even if he is using a limit. If his HP is at 1; there's a glitch in the game that leaves your MP as it is--> and kills him instantly (unless the Second Chance ability is equipped, in which case Sora will be left with 1 HP). This can be stopped by attacking Sephiroth before the halo appears, or by timing Curaga to heal Sora just after the attack finishes casting. At any rate, if it's successful, Sephiroth will immediately follow this with Flash. This attack often ends up as an instant death attack for most players since they're unable to heal themselves in time.
*'''Stigma''': Sephiroth draws Sora towards him and summons many flame pillars around himself. These can be avoided by running away from Sephiroth, using ''Quick Run'', or using ''Reflega'' if Sora is caught in them.
*'''Meteor''': Sephiroth floats into the air in front of the chasm and summons many meteors to hit Sora. These can be avoided with a combination of ''Aerial Dodge'', ''Reflega'' and deft moving.
Equip Sora with as much equipment to increase his defense as possible. Ribbons work well for this. The Ultima Weapon Keyblade is the best to use due to MP Hastega - otherwise, [[Circle of Life]] is a suitable substitute. [[Decisive Pumpkin]] is also a good choice. Also equip Sora with the following abilities; ''Guard'', ''Counterguard'', ''Aerial Recovery'', ''High Jump'', ''Aerial Dodge'', ''Glide'', ''Slide Dash'', ''Combo Boost'', ''Air Combo Boost'', ''Finishing Plus'', ''Leaf Bracer'', ''Defender'', ''Second Chance'' and ''Once More''. If you are at a higher level, ''MP Haste'', ''MP Rage'', ''Berserk Charge'' and ''Retaliating Slash'' are also helpful. Also equip any other abilities to power up Sora's combos, such as ''[[Explosion]]'', and give him as many Elixirs or Megalixirs as possible. Equip ''[[Reflect|Reflega]]'', ''Curaga'', the Elixirs and Megalixirs to Sora's shortcut menu. Level-wise, you should be at least at Level 50, but being at a higher level naturally helps. For armor, equip Ribbons and Petit Ribbons, as they have high defense and elemental resistance and will greatly reduce the damage Sephiroth inflicts. Cosmic accessories are good for this fight, too. Accessories should be used to boost Sora's Strength for the fight. It should also be noted that Trinity limit can be used alone and can be a great help to use in the fight if one wishes to use items to heal instead of magic.


Sephiroth always begins the battle with Flash, so hit the Triangle button as soon as the fight begins, then target Sephiroth. Flash leaves Sephiroth open for a while, so hit him with ''Slide Dash'' and unleash a combo until he teleports. It can also be helpful if you have ''Berserk Charge'' to use Trinity Limit on him right after he finishes the Flash attack, then hit him with as many hits as you can until he teleports. After this, Sephiroth will unleash a Ground Combo if you are in close range of him. Use ''Guard'' and ''Counterguard'' to deflect and interrupt the attack and counter with a combo. Sephiroth will only teleport once the finisher is used - if the player uses a combo but does not use the finisher, Sephiroth will leap back and perform Ground Combo again, which can be easily countered again. This is an effective way to defeat Sephiroth in his first phase without having to deal with his other attacks; as long as the player does not hit the finisher, Sephiroth will only use Ground Combo against them. As another counter, the player can use Reflega to block the attacks and deliver massive damage to Sephiroth. While using ''Guard'' to block the slashes, cast Reflega towards the last couple of slashes in Sephiroth's Ground Combo. While Sephiroth is receiving the backlash damage of Reflega, ''Slide Dash'' towards Sephiroth and follow up with a combo.
Sephiroth always opens with Flash, so be prepared to use the "Block" Reaction Command, then use the opportunity to attack with [[Trinity Limit]] and Keyblade combos. If Sephiroth warps to use Cut Combo, be prepared to guard or use [[Reflect]], then attack again. Sephiroth will not use the more difficult-to-block Aerial Cut Combo if Sora does not hit him with a combo finisher, so it is useful to forgo using finishers during the first phase unless proficient in using Reflect. Curaga is the best way to heal during the first phase, and can be followed with [[Berserk Charge]] to deal lots of damage without Sephiroth breaking free. However, if Sora uses Berserk Charge in the air, Sephiroth will teleport away and perform Flash after several strings of combos, and if Sora uses it on the ground, Sephiroth will still teleport away, and may counterattack if Sora fails to connect with any of his hits. If Sephiroth does Aerial Cut Combo, be sure to use Retaliating Slash to catch Sephiroth and deal an aerial combo.


If you are a far distance from Sephiroth, he will usually hit you with his Teleport Slash and follow up with Aerial Combo multiple times. If you can time it quickly enough, you can use ''Guard'' or ''Reflega'' to block the Teleport Slash. Be warned that doing this will result in Sephiroth going into either another Teleport Slash or a Ground Combo so be prepared in both instances to defend and counterattack. If you do get hit by the Teleport Slash, quickly use ''Aerial Recovery'' when he teleports and attack him when he reappears to minimize the damage. Or when he reappears, use ''Retaliating Slash'' to deal damage and open up an opportunity to use an aerial combo on him. If Sephiroth uses Flash again, simply use the Reaction Command to avoid it. If Sora is in the air and cannot use the Reaction Command, a well-timed Reflectga can be used to avoid damage. Curaga should be the main method of healing in this phase. If you have it, the ability ''Berserk Charge'' will effectively disable Sora's finisher during MP charge, allowing you to attack Sephiroth more than you would with the finisher enabled, allowing your MP to charge while he is being attacked. Be aware though that Sephiroth will teleport away after you perform several combo strings on him with ''Berserk Charge''. However, if he's on the ground, it is possible for Sora to miss an attack during "Berserk Charge", giving Sephiroth an opportunity to counterattack. If Sora's doing an aerial combo during "Berserk Charge", Sephiroth could teleport and use "Flash".
After losing four and a half bars of his health bar, the battle will shift to its second phase as Sephiroth calls out, "Know your place."


Sephiroth's moves in this phase can all be easily countered if you can recognize the signs of which attack he is using. After losing four and a half bars of his health bar, Sephiroth will say "Know your place", signaling he is entering his second attack phase.
In the second phase, Sephiroth will begin using Firaga Wall and Shadow Flare, often in conjunction with Flash, and his Cut Combo will have greater reach and speed. Reflect will deflect each of these attacks while damaging Sephiroth, and there is a small window of opportunity to attack Sephiroth directly as he finishes Firaga Wall.


Next, Sephiroth will begin using Shadow Flare. You can beat the attacks back at Sephiroth with the Keyblade or Reflectga - since the Shadow Flares appear surrounding you, the latter option is advised. Sephiroth will also sometimes use Shadow Flare, then follow up with Flash - using the Reaction command in this case will reflect both Sephiroth's attacks and the Shadow Flares. Sephiroth will still use his various slashing attacks from his first phase, so react accordingly. His Ground Combo has greater reach and speed in this phase so using ''Guard'', ''Counter-Guard'', and Reflectga against him will be trickier during the attack. Sephiroth will also start utilizing his Stigma, summoning multiple flame pillars around him while drawing you towards him. Run, jump and glide away to avoid them, or if you're caught in them, use ''Reflectga'' to protect yourself and do heavy damage to Sephiroth. Sephiroth can be attacked with a combo as he finishes the attack, but it is difficult to do so.
Sephiroth will also start using his signature technique, Heartless Angel. As soon as he begins to say, "Descend... Heartless Angel!", ignore any other obstacles like Shadow Flare and use High Jump and Aerial Dodge or Trinity Limit to immediately close in on Sephiroth and hit him. If Sora fails to interrupt the technique, or is too far away to even try, immediately consume an Elixir to recover health, and prepare to deflect Sephiroth's followup attack.


Sephiroth also begins using his trademark Heartless Angel attack. Watch and listen for the signs he's casting it - he will rise into the air and say "Descend...Heartless Angel". Use ''High Jump'' and ''Aerial Dodge'' to reach and attack him before he completes the casting. If you have MP, you can also use ''Trinity Limit''. Sephiroth floats high into the air while using this attack, so these two abilities are a must to reach him quickly and attack him, as it is impossible otherwise to stop him, barring you being close enough to him to hit him before he rises. If he casts it successfully, Sephiroth descends back to the ground and uses Flash or Teleport Slash. You have the option to either quickly heal with an Elixir before the next attack is cast or defend and counterattack Sephiroth with a Reaction Command or ''Guard ''and ground combo before using an Elixir as Sephiroth recovers from the counterattack. Curaga's lag between casting it and it healing can also be exploited here; if the spell is cast so it starts before Sora's MP is depleted, but finishes after the attack, Descend Heartless Angel can be neutralized at the cost of MP. Sometimes, Sephiroth will summon Shadow Flares then use Descend Heartless Angel. If so, remember that the Shadow Flares are just a distraction so focus on getting to Sephiroth in time.
After losing nine and a half bars of health, the battle will shift to its final phase as Sephiroth gains an aura of darkness and calls out, "All shall be one with me."


Sephiroth in general becomes much more aggressive in this stage, so you will need to heal more often. After losing nine and a half bars of health, Sephiroth will summon a dark aura and begin his final attack phase.
In the final phase, Sephiroth is much faster, and will fly around low to the ground instead of walking. The best time to heal is after Sephiroth performs one of his basic techniques. Sephiroth will also start using Moving Cut and Meteor, which can be dodged or countered.


In the final phase, Sephiroth retains all his previous attacks, but performs them much more quickly and is much faster in general. Healing will be difficult this phase as Sephiroth's attacks come so fast that finding a safe opportunity can take some time. Typically, attacking after Sephiroth performs one of his moves from his first phase is a safe choice. However, his Ground Combo now involves him leaping erratically between slashes, so while it can still be blocked with ''Guard'', it is unlikely that ''Counterguard'' will hit him. Sephiroth will also dash behind Sora and attack him before using Ground Combo, so if he zooms towards you be sure to leap away to avoid the attack. If you are quick enough to evade, you can also jump in on Sephiroth with an aerial combo while he is in the middle of his dash attack. Sephiroth's Shadow Flare also tends to summon more orbs of dark energy than it did in Phase Two, and Sephiroth will occasionally use Shadow Flare up to three times in a row.
If using [[Limit Form]], be sure to use Limits frequently (especially Sonic Rave) to attack and heal, but unless proficient in using Guard, avoid using their final blows to prevent Sephiroth from retaliating. Due to Sephiroth's speed, Strike Raid's invincibility frames may not always occur when needed, so be careful to time the attacks well.
{{Atk-o|KH2}}
{{Atk|col=3|{{nihongo|'''Cut Combo'''|連続斬り|<br>Renzoku Kiri|lit. "Continuous Slash"}}
|Physical
|1.0
|△
|Warps close to Sora, then slashes seven times.
|Can be dodged or deflected with [[Guard]] and [[Counterguard]], which must be activated more than once throughout the combo, or interrupted with an aerial combo if the initial hits are dodged. In the final phase, Sephiroth will warp behind Sora before slashing to evade Sora's Guard, and leap around after to prevent Counterguard from connecting. Keeping Sora's back to the edge of the arena will help prevent Sephiroth flanking him.
}}
{{Atk-m|col=3|{{nihongo|'''Aerial Cut Combo'''|空中連続斬り|<br>Kūchū Renzoku Kiri|<br>lit. "Aerial Continuous Slash"}}
|(kiri-age)
|Physical
|0.25
|△
|Warps close to Sora, knocks him into the air with a {{w|kiri-age}}, then slashes him four more times in the air.
|Can be dodged or countered, and can interrupted entirely by attacking Sephiroth as soon as he warps in. Sephiroth will generally counterattack with Aerial Cut Combo in response to finishers while in the air, or if Sora is at a distance, and will follow with Cut Combo or another Aerial Cut Combo if blocked. If hit by Aerial Cut Combo, use Aerial Recovery to regain balance, then block Sephiroth's followup attacks. Retaliating Slash is also more useful, as it can easily stun Sephiroth.
|(aerial)
|Physical
|1.0
|△
}}
{{Atk|col=3|{{nihongo|'''Moving Cut'''|移動斬り|<br>Idou Kiri|lit. "Moving Slash"}}
|Physical
|1.0
|△
|Moves at high speed while tracing a semicircle with his slash.
|Only performed during final phase, when Sephiroth is flying instead of walking.
}}
{{Atk-m|col=3|{{nihongo|'''Swift Strike'''|一閃|<br>Issen|lit. "Flash"}}
|(charge)
|Physical
|1.0
|X
|Unleashes a charging slash which inflicts thirteen additional hits if it connects.
|Swift Strike is always the first technique Sephiroth uses in the battle, and leaves him open for Keyblade combos if deflected.
|(added)
|Physical
|0.25
|X
}}
{{Atk|col=3|{{nihongo|'''Shadow Flare'''|シャドウフレア|<br>Shadou Furea}}
|Dark
|0.5
|O
|Deploys orbs of pale light to surround Sora, then has them suddenly strike him.
|In the final phase, Shadow Flare generates more orbs. Each orb is targettable, making Sora more likely to use Vicinity Break or Ripple Drive to deflect them.
}}
{{Atk|col=3|{{nihongo|'''Firaga Wall'''|ファイガウォール|<br>Faiga Wōru|lit. "Figa Wall"}}
|Fire
|1.0
|X
|Raises fifteen pillars of fire around himself, one by one, while drawing Sora toward himself.
|Can be avoided with [[Quick Run]] by dashing away from Sephiroth.
}}
{{Atk|col=3|{{nihongo|'''[[Meteor]]'''|メテオ|<br>Meteo}}
|None
|0.25
|X
|Rains countless meteorites from the sky.
|Used at low HP. Can be avoided with Aerial Dodge or deflected with Reflega.
}}
{{Atk|col=3|{{nihongo|'''Heartless Angel'''|心無い天使|<br>Kokoronai Tenshi}}
|None
|HP to 1<br>MP to 0
|X
|Rises high into the air, then summons a halo over Sora's head that depletes his HP and MP.
|Used below half HP. Becomes immune to any damage but physical. Can be interrupted by attacking Sephiroth before the halo appears, or practically negated by casting Curaga just before the MP depletes, if Leaf Bracer is equipped. The attack can also be negated by using an item before Sora gets hit by the halo, after which the item takes effect. In addition, the MP will sometimes fail to deplete if Sora only has 1 HP when Sephiroth performs the technique. Sephiroth follows with either Firaga Wall if Sora is very close, or Swift Strike if otherwise.{{?}}<!--or Aerial Cut Combo?-->
}}
{{Atk-c}}
{{rc|o}}
{{rc|{{nihongo|'''Block'''|ガード|<br>Gādo|lit. "Guard"}}|—|—|Can be used when Sephiroth performs Swift Strike.<br>Parries all Sephiroth's hits.}}
{{rc|c}}


Sephiroth's new attack this phase is to rise in front of the castle in the background, out of reach of the player's attacks, and use Meteor. Meteor hits many, many times, and although the damage is negligible individually, the sum damage of the attacks is potentially fatal. Through the use of ''High Jump'', ''Aerial Dodge'', and deft running, you should be able to avoid the majority, if not all, of the attack.
==Videos==
 
{| class="video"
At this point, it is mostly the same as Sephiroth's second phase, except that he attacks faster, making counter-attacking harder. Nevertheless, all his moves still have a specific counter to avoid or minimize the damage, so you merely need to be patient until he is vulnerable to attack. ''Guard'' and ''Reflectga'' will be very helpful to survival.
! Sephiroth ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]''
 
|-
==Trivia==
| {{#widget:YouTube|id=oTgIi0O_FG4|width=320|height=240}}
*GameFAQs voted [[Sephiroth]] as one of the hardest bosses of all time in his ''[[Kingdom Hearts (game)|Kingdom Hearts]]'' version.
|-
 
! Sephiroth ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''
==Video==
<center>
{|width="720" border="1" style="text-align:center; border-radius:10px"
|width="360" style="border-radius:10px"|'''Sephiroth - ''Kingdom Hearts'''''
|width="360" style="border-radius:10px"|'''Sephiroth - ''Kingdom Hearts II'''''
|-
|-
|style="border-radius:10px"|<youtube width="320" height="240">K_eXVVWkpWQ</youtube>
| {{#widget:YouTube|id=hEwvQ_hNdEI|width=320|height=240}}
|style="border-radius:10px"|<youtube width="320" height="240">1O1jUtZnEFI</youtube>
|}
|}
</center>
 
==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Cloud]]
*[[Cloud]]
*[[Tifa]]
*[[One-Winged Angel]]
*[[One-Winged Angel]]
*[[Fenrir]]
*[[Fenrir]]


{{-}}
{{OptionalBossDirectory}}
{{OptionalBossDirectory}}
[[Category:Gameplay]]

Latest revision as of 19:49, 23 September 2024

Oh no! The water! I'm in big trouble if I don't fetch it!
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Sephiroth

Sephiroth

Sephiroth KHII.png

Sephiroth from the 3rd Anniversary event

Japanese セフィロス
Rōmaji Sefirosu
Origin Final Fantasy VII
Games Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts Union χ
Themes Header.png

KH tracks
Battle theme - One-Winged Angel (from FINAL FANTASY VII)
KHII tracks
Battle theme - One-Winged Angel (from FINAL FANTASY VII)
HP STR DEF MP rec EXP
Platinum Match 1800 46 46 70 18000
Weapon Fire Blizzard Thunder
x1.0 x0 x0 x0
Percentage Stop Stun Other
x0 x0 x0.5 x0.5
Seed(s)

Platinum Match

Seed 1: Sephiroth

HP STR DEF MP rec EXP
Platinum Match 1800 46 46 70 10000
Weapon Fire Blizzard Thunder
x1.0 x0 x0 x0
Percentage Stop Stun Other
x0 x0 x0.5 x0.5
Seed(s)

Platinum Match

Seed 1: Sephiroth

Location HP Strength Defense EXP
Radiant Garden 3000 70 41 0
Physical Fire Blizzard
×1.0 ×0 ×0
Thunder Dark Neutral
×0 ×0 ×1.0

Rewards
Sora: Drive gauge +1
World(s)
Radiant Garden

Sephiroth is an optional boss in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts Union χ. He was originally the main antagonist from Final Fantasy VII.

In Kingdom Hearts, he appears in Olympus Coliseum's Platinum Match. In Kingdom Hearts II, he is the antagonist of Cloud's side story, and is fought in the Dark Depths.

Strategy[edit]

Kingdom Hearts[edit]

Sephiroth's attacks are quite powerful, but many of them can be negated using the invincibility frames of Leaf Bracer or Sora's Special Attacks. Sonic Blade and Strike Raid are most reliable for this, and Strike Raid is particularly good at hitting Sephiroth from a distance; in Final Mix, however, Sonic Blade only has invincibility frames through the first thrust. In order to provide for maximum defense and restoration, Second Chance, Dodge Roll, Superglide, at least one MP Rage, and in Final Mix, Leaf Bracer should be equipped. While Guard can be used against several of Sephiroth's techniques, it is not as reliable for defense as using a Special Attack due to Sephiroth's Rapid Mow Down and Stepping Mow Down, which telegraph similarly but require different timing to successfully block. Curaga and Aeroga should be set as shortcuts, as well as several Elixirs or Hi-Potions in order to recover from Heartless Angel. Sora should equip a Keyblade that boosts his MP and magic, such as Ultima Weapon or Diamond Dust, as well as armor that boosts his HP, defense, and resistance to the Dark element, such as Crystal Crown, Gaia Bangle, or Omega Arts. Sephiroth's blockable techniques all have maximum recoil, so dodging or negating them is preferable to blocking unless Sora is equipped with the Ultima Weapon or Divine Rose. Sora should focus on keeping his MP up so that he can quickly heal whenever his HP gets low, and performing a Special Attack to deal damage if he has excess MP. In Final Mix and HD 1.5 ReMIX, Hurricane Blast, Slapshot, and Combo Master are useful for dealing large amounts of damage to Sephiroth, although they do not provide the invincibility frames of a Special Attack.

In the first phase, Sephiroth will walk around the arena, occasionally performing Rapid Mow Down, Stepping Mow Down, or Figa Wall. It is possible to hit him with Keyblade combos by jumping towards him to dodge his Rapid Mow Down, but it is more reliable to focus on Strike Raid or Sonic Blade. If Scan is equipped, Sephiroth's HP Gauge will not appear to deplete at first even though he is taking damage, as he has a full sixth HP bar.

Once Sephiroth's first, red HP bar is depleted, he will enter the second phase, telegraphed by him holding out his hand and saying "Come." In the second phase, Sephiroth will run instead of walk, and more frequently use Rapid Mow Down. His first action will be to cast Heartless Angel, and he will occasionally recast throughout the rest of the phase. He will also begin using Wild Dance.

Once Sephiroth's second, yellow HP bar is depleted, he will enter the third phase, shrouding himself in a dark aura. His first action will be to cast Supernova. He will also begin using Shadow Flare.

Technique Element Tech Power Bonus Guard?
High-Speed Mow Down (高速なぎ払い
Kōsoku Nagiharai
?)
None x0 6 Repellable
(Recoil: 100)
Swings his blade from left to right.
Step Mow Down (ステップなぎ払い
Suteppu Nagiharai
?)
None x0 6 Repellable
(Recoil: 100)
Jumps forward and swings his blade, then returns to his original position.
Firaga Wall (ファイガウォール
Faiga Wōru
?, lit. "Figa Wall")
Fire 8
Summons three pillars of fire around himself.

Sephiroth is stationary while performing the technique, making him vulnerable to attack, but will not flinch. Sephiroth often performs this technique when close to Sora, making it difficult to dodge.
High-Speed Mow Down (During Dark Aura) (高速なぎ払い(ダークオーラ中)
Kōsoku Nagiharai (Dāku Ōra-chū)
?)
Dark x0 8 Repellable
(Recoil: 100)
Performs High-Speed Mow Down while under the effect of Dark Aura.
Step Mow Down (During Dark Aura) (ステップなぎ払い(ダークオーラ中)
Suteppu Nagiharai (Dāku Ōra-chū
?)
Dark x0 8 Repellable
(Recoil: 100)
Performs Step Mow Down while under the effect of Dark Aura.
Spin Attack (スピン攻撃
Supin Kougeki
?)
None x0 10 Repallable
(Recoil: 100)
Jumps diagonally forward while spinning like a drill.

Only used in the third phase. Frequently used after performing Shadow Flare, and usually followed by Rapid Mow Down or Stepping Mow Down. If Sephiroth hits Sora or is deflected, he will finish the attack while no longer moving forward.
Wild Dance (乱舞
Ranbu
?)
None x0 10 Repellable
(Recoil: 100)
Repeatedly swings his blade while chasing the opponent.

Telegraphed by the arena darkening. Usually followed with Heartless Angel. If Leaf Bracer is not equipped, Sephiroth will usually interrupt any healing that Sora attempts, so it is more reliable to use a Special Attack.
Wild Dance (Final Blow) (乱舞(最後の一撃)
Ranbu (Saigo no Ichigeki)
?)
Sword None x0 12 Repellable
(Recoil: 100)

Shock wave Dark x0 12

Jumps up high, and swings his blade while falling down.
Supernova (Meteor) (スーパーノヴァ(メテオ)
Sūpānova (Meteo)
?)
Dark 8
Drops meteorites and makes them spin around himself.

The rings of meteorites have gaps between them, which can be threaded with well-timed running or Dodge Rolls. Although Sephiroth is stationary, he is invulnerable for the duration of the technique.
Supernova (Main Explosion) (スーパーノヴァ(本体爆発)
Sūpānova (Hontai Bakuhatsu)
?)
Explosion Dark 12

Energy Dark 6

Releases energy forward, creating an explosion.

Can be dodged with a well-timed Dodge Roll, Superglide, or Sliding Dash, or negated using the invulnerability frames of Leaf Bracer or a Special Attack.
Shadow Flare (シャドウフレア
Shadou Furea
?)
Dark 8 Repellable
(Recoil: 100)
Summons pale blue spheres in the air.

The spheres are summoned in various configurations. Often followed by Spin Attack, while the spheres are still following Sora.
Heartless Angel (心無い天使
Kokoronai Tenshi
?)
None HP to 1
MP to 0
Makes a halo appear over the opponent's head.

Only used in the second and third phases. Telegraphed by Sephiroth summoning a halo above himself before transferring it to Sora, sometimes teleporting beforehand to gain distance from Sora. Can be interrupted by attacking Sephiroth in between his telegraph and the halo being transferred to Sora. If interrupted, Sephiroth will perform Firaga Wall.
Guard: Repellable = Can be blocked and interruptedSymbol - Crown.png; Returnable = Can be blocked and deflected backSymbol - Crown.png; Preventable = Blockable by Goofy's shield only.

Kingdom Hearts II[edit]

Sora should have his Defense as high as possible, through the use of equipment such as Ribbon and Cosmic Arts, or by applying Defense Boosts. Ultima Weapon and Circle of Life are useful Keyblades for their MP regeneration abilities, while Decisive Pumpkin is useful for its Combo Boost. For maximum mobility, equip Sora with High Jump, Aerial Dodge, Glide, and Slide Dash; for defense equip Guard, Counterguard, Aerial Recovery, Leaf Bracer, Second Chance, and Once More, and for offense equip MP Haste, MP Rage, and Trinity Limit. Defender, Combo Boost, Air Combo Boost, Finishing Plus, Retaliating Slash, and several Elixirs are also useful, but not as essential. Reflect and Cure should be set to shortcuts, preferably at their Reflega and Curaga levels, as well as any stocked Elixirs and, in Final Mix, Limit Form's Auto Limit.

Sephiroth always opens with Flash, so be prepared to use the "Block" Reaction Command, then use the opportunity to attack with Trinity Limit and Keyblade combos. If Sephiroth warps to use Cut Combo, be prepared to guard or use Reflect, then attack again. Sephiroth will not use the more difficult-to-block Aerial Cut Combo if Sora does not hit him with a combo finisher, so it is useful to forgo using finishers during the first phase unless proficient in using Reflect. Curaga is the best way to heal during the first phase, and can be followed with Berserk Charge to deal lots of damage without Sephiroth breaking free. However, if Sora uses Berserk Charge in the air, Sephiroth will teleport away and perform Flash after several strings of combos, and if Sora uses it on the ground, Sephiroth will still teleport away, and may counterattack if Sora fails to connect with any of his hits. If Sephiroth does Aerial Cut Combo, be sure to use Retaliating Slash to catch Sephiroth and deal an aerial combo.

After losing four and a half bars of his health bar, the battle will shift to its second phase as Sephiroth calls out, "Know your place."

In the second phase, Sephiroth will begin using Firaga Wall and Shadow Flare, often in conjunction with Flash, and his Cut Combo will have greater reach and speed. Reflect will deflect each of these attacks while damaging Sephiroth, and there is a small window of opportunity to attack Sephiroth directly as he finishes Firaga Wall.

Sephiroth will also start using his signature technique, Heartless Angel. As soon as he begins to say, "Descend... Heartless Angel!", ignore any other obstacles like Shadow Flare and use High Jump and Aerial Dodge or Trinity Limit to immediately close in on Sephiroth and hit him. If Sora fails to interrupt the technique, or is too far away to even try, immediately consume an Elixir to recover health, and prepare to deflect Sephiroth's followup attack.

After losing nine and a half bars of health, the battle will shift to its final phase as Sephiroth gains an aura of darkness and calls out, "All shall be one with me."

In the final phase, Sephiroth is much faster, and will fly around low to the ground instead of walking. The best time to heal is after Sephiroth performs one of his basic techniques. Sephiroth will also start using Moving Cut and Meteor, which can be dodged or countered.

If using Limit Form, be sure to use Limits frequently (especially Sonic Rave) to attack and heal, but unless proficient in using Guard, avoid using their final blows to prevent Sephiroth from retaliating. Due to Sephiroth's speed, Strike Raid's invincibility frames may not always occur when needed, so be careful to time the attacks well.

Technique Element Power Guard?
Cut Combo (連続斬り
Renzoku Kiri
?, lit. "Continuous Slash")
Physical 1.0
Warps close to Sora, then slashes seven times.

Can be dodged or deflected with Guard and Counterguard, which must be activated more than once throughout the combo, or interrupted with an aerial combo if the initial hits are dodged. In the final phase, Sephiroth will warp behind Sora before slashing to evade Sora's Guard, and leap around after to prevent Counterguard from connecting. Keeping Sora's back to the edge of the arena will help prevent Sephiroth flanking him.
Aerial Cut Combo (空中連続斬り
Kūchū Renzoku Kiri
?,
lit. "Aerial Continuous Slash")
(kiri-age) Physical 0.25

(aerial) Physical 1.0
Warps close to Sora, knocks him into the air with a kiri-age, then slashes him four more times in the air.

Can be dodged or countered, and can interrupted entirely by attacking Sephiroth as soon as he warps in. Sephiroth will generally counterattack with Aerial Cut Combo in response to finishers while in the air, or if Sora is at a distance, and will follow with Cut Combo or another Aerial Cut Combo if blocked. If hit by Aerial Cut Combo, use Aerial Recovery to regain balance, then block Sephiroth's followup attacks. Retaliating Slash is also more useful, as it can easily stun Sephiroth.
Moving Cut (移動斬り
Idou Kiri
?, lit. "Moving Slash")
Physical 1.0
Moves at high speed while tracing a semicircle with his slash.

Only performed during final phase, when Sephiroth is flying instead of walking.
Swift Strike (一閃
Issen
?, lit. "Flash")
(charge) Physical 1.0 X

(added) Physical 0.25 X
Unleashes a charging slash which inflicts thirteen additional hits if it connects.

Swift Strike is always the first technique Sephiroth uses in the battle, and leaves him open for Keyblade combos if deflected.
Shadow Flare (シャドウフレア
Shadou Furea
?)
Dark 0.5 O
Deploys orbs of pale light to surround Sora, then has them suddenly strike him.

In the final phase, Shadow Flare generates more orbs. Each orb is targettable, making Sora more likely to use Vicinity Break or Ripple Drive to deflect them.
Firaga Wall (ファイガウォール
Faiga Wōru
?, lit. "Figa Wall")
Fire 1.0 X
Raises fifteen pillars of fire around himself, one by one, while drawing Sora toward himself.

Can be avoided with Quick Run by dashing away from Sephiroth.
Meteor (メテオ
Meteo
?)
None 0.25 X
Rains countless meteorites from the sky.

Used at low HP. Can be avoided with Aerial Dodge or deflected with Reflega.
Heartless Angel (心無い天使
Kokoronai Tenshi
?)
None HP to 1
MP to 0
X
Rises high into the air, then summons a halo over Sora's head that depletes his HP and MP.

Used below half HP. Becomes immune to any damage but physical. Can be interrupted by attacking Sephiroth before the halo appears, or practically negated by casting Curaga just before the MP depletes, if Leaf Bracer is equipped. The attack can also be negated by using an item before Sora gets hit by the halo, after which the item takes effect. In addition, the MP will sometimes fail to deplete if Sora only has 1 HP when Sephiroth performs the technique. Sephiroth follows with either Firaga Wall if Sora is very close, or Swift Strike if otherwise.[?]
Guard/Block: △ = Can be blocked; O = Can be blocked and interrupted (melee) or deflected back (projectile); X = Cannot be blocked.
Reaction Commands
Reaction Command Element Power Description
Block (ガード
Gādo
?, lit. "Guard")
Can be used when Sephiroth performs Swift Strike.
Parries all Sephiroth's hits.

Videos[edit]

Sephiroth – Kingdom Hearts
Sephiroth – Kingdom Hearts II

Notes and references[edit]

See also[edit]