The Beginner’s Guide to Training the Sora Amiibo in Smash Ultimate

by Planetar, Guest Contributor

Hello there. I’m Planetar, and since the time since Sora has been released, I have been labbing out the character and finding the best possible way to train the character, and have already got top 8s with him. With that said, I’ll give you guide on how to train the Sora amiibo.

AI Issues

Sora doesn’t have that many AI flaws, and the ones that he does have don’t affect him much, but I will talk about the ones that show up often, like recovering. Sora recovers really weirdly – much like Ness and Lucas. Sora recovers to a specific spot relative to the ledge if the double jump has been used at that point, and this leads to him getting spiked quite easily by virtue of being a nonmoving target. He may also recover high, but he doesn’t get punished much, because he uses Side Special right after. Sora may also just not complete Forward Air, which can cause him to just whiff a potential edgeguard, and may get punished in the process.

Overall Playstyle

Sora should mainly be semi-defensive, as Sora gets a lot out of parry and shield while also being able to juggle with Up Air, and he’s able to approach with Neutral Special (Firaga and Thundaga specifically). Having a Mix of onstage and offstage to utilise both his amazing ledge trapping and the deadly offstage game is advisable, but leaning to one or the other is fine too.

How to train the Sora amiibo in Smash Ultimate

Down Tilt: Sora’s best move, leads into many combos, no matter the %, sets up for juggles, and it doesn’t get shielded/parried much, overall just a really good move, use it often in training

Up Air: Sora’s primary aerial, can juggle opponents for a long time, racking up a ton of percent, and also killing. Use this move to juggle, and sometimes to land in training

Down Smash: This move is much like K. Rool’s and Incineroar’s Down Smash, and that alone makes it good, alongside that it sends at a really good angle, has good kill power, and can catch rolls. Use this move at ledge and when the amiibo is behind you in training.

Grab: Sora’s grab game is amazing, having a kill throw in back throw, and two combo throws, being Down throw and Up throw, and forward throw sets up for edgeguards/ledgetraps. Grab a lot in training.

Dash Attack: An amazing approach option, able to kill at higher percents and combos off of Firaga. Use it to approach alot in training.

Back Air: an amazing kill option, able to secure stocks onstage and offstage, it comes out decently fast, amazing landing tool and sets up for edgeguards well. Use this move to land, and if you decide to edgeguard, to ledgedrop with it in training.

Forward Smash: Amazing mid-range kill tool, and lasts for an unreasonably long time, and like Down Smash, is great at catching rolls. make sure to use this move a decent amount in training.

Down Air: Amazing landing tool, able to get sora to land safely, and it also kills at higher percent. Use this move as your primary landing option, and occasionally edgeguard if you do plan on edgeguarding.

Neutral Special: Alright, I’m gonna go in depth with this move, talking about all 3 variants and their uses.
Firaga: The approach tool, amiibo tend to shield/parry it, but its still very good with the combos built in. This is the worst of the 3
Thundaga: The ledge trap tool, able to secure stocks at high percents, and unlike Firaga, does not get shielded, it has the power to ledgetrap, and it hits very often. this is the best of the 3
Blizzaga: The get in the air tool, this move can stop approaches like Alolan Whip, Falcon Kick and Space Pirate Rush, and it can combo into Up Tilt, Up Air, or at high percents, Up tilt into up air. This is the middle of the pack.
You do not need to teach the 3 separately, as training one trains them all, and Sora knows how to use all three. Use this move a decent amount, but not more then Forward Smash

Up Smash: Sora’s primary anti-air, good kill option and amazing anti-air, it gets parried alot on platforms but its still really good, use this move when the amiibo is above you in training

Forward Air: a decent aerial, has good edgeguarding prowess despite him using only the first hit, and is a follow-up from down tilt and down throw. Use this move sparingly and once to land.

Up Tilt: an optional move, good mix-up anti-air from Up Smash that combos at low percent, can kill, and is a multi-hit. If you plan to use this move, do a 80/20 split with Up Smash being favoured.

Neutral Air: an optional move, decent landing option, and thats about it, he can follow it up with Forward Smash if he fast fall lands with the first hit, and he already uses it in combos. If you use this move, only use it to land, and don’t land with it too often.

Forward Tilt: an optional move, Forward Tilt is basically either a replacement to forward smash or a sprinkle in option, it struggles to kill sometimes and he uses it at ledge on its own. If you use this move, use it either as much as you would Forward Smash, and scrap Forward Smash, or use it sparingly.

Moves to avoid

Side Special, Up Special, and Down Special: these moves in general don’t need to be used, as sora uses them himself in some way, Up Special is used out of parry/shield, Side Special is used out of spot-dodge at a distance and also after Up Special, and Down Special is used at ledge to counter get up attacks.

Why It Works

Sora is overall an amazing amiibo, able to juggle with up air, ledgetrap with Thundaga, do well up close with down tilt and forward smash, and can dodge attacks with down smash, Sora can keep up with basically any amiibo in the game, and has a place as a high tier threat.