Yuna

Standing in the meta

Tier B 21st of 30 — 2017 tournament tier list from dissidia.wiki (half matchup values, half expert player votes).

Ranked 21st (tier B) on the 2017 competitive tier list. The overview places her historically in mid tier or low tier: enough utility to stand out in the roster, but potential held back by her below-average damage and her modest conversion.

Overview

Yuna excels through disjointed attacks at short and medium range: every move summons an aeon that strikes in her place, from a fast poke to a long-range projectile. The essential point is the aeons themselves: they strike beyond her reach, without moving her forward and with no hurtbox of their own — excellent for poking and whiff punishing, but also for connecting through Ranged attacks of higher priority where other characters struggle. With options at almost every distance, she keeps up the pressure wherever the opponent is.

This arsenal lets her build her assist gauge safely by whiffing her bravery attacks, notably Heavenly Strike, a very fast Ranged Low move. Her HP attacks, less committal than average, remain effective in neutral for punishing bad movement or controlling space. Like many characters, she depends on assists and on raw HP attack reads for HP damage: her only solo combo into an HP attack requires EX Mode, so it is situational. In exchange, almost all her attacks generate above-average EX Force, and her EX Mode adds hits to all her bravery attacks — markedly increased damage and better dodge catching, but Heavenly Strike becomes vulnerable to staggers (melee priority hits).

She accepts a wide variety of builds, including EX-gain hybrids. Her exclusive level 100 weapon offers a valuable +3 m of EX Intake Range: without it, her disjoints make absorbing EX difficult. Her assist conversion is average with most competitive assists; she does not depend on walls for her combos, even though they help, and her large mid-range attacks make extra movement abilities such as Multi Air Slide valuable.

On weaknesses: low stats and low base damage on her bravery attacks, which weigh down her overall damage and make her a little fragile. Her aerial tools, rather projectile-oriented, suffer against disjointed or high-priority melee attacks; her long-range projectiles, being simple, are neutralised by universal defensive options — added to her slow movement, that makes it hard to bring a defensive opponent into her optimal zone. Finally, her air dodges are more vulnerable than average (an average fall, slow acceleration, no reliable defensive option against melee); the Adamant Chains set makes them safe but sacrifices other parts of the build, which suits her poorly.

Stats & speeds

Moves

Bravery attacks

Ground

Normal 19FMelee Low

Base damage	10, 20 (30)
Startup	19F
Type	Physical
Priority	Melee Low
EX Force	30 (30, 0)
Effects	Wall Rush
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 800 Fresh: 1050
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

EX Mode 19FMelee Low [Ranged Low]

Base damage	10, [5, 10], 20 (45)
Startup	19F
Type	Physical [Magical]
Priority	Melee Low [Ranged Low]
EX Force	30
Effects	Wall Rush
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 950 Fresh: 1300

Normal 27FMelee Mid (strike) Ranged Low (projectiles)

Base damage	3 x 4, 5 x 6 (42)
Startup	27F
Type	Physical (strike) Magical (projectiles)
Priority	Melee Mid (strike) Ranged Low (projectiles)
EX Force	90 (36, 53~54)
Effects	Chase
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 920 Fresh:1170
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

EX Mode 27FMelee Mid (strike) Ranged Low (projectiles)

Base damage	3 x 4, [10, 10], 5 x 6 (62)
Startup	27F
Type	Physical (strike) Magical (projectiles)
Priority	Melee Mid (strike) Ranged Low (projectiles)
EX Force	90
Effects	Chase
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 1120 Fresh: 1370

Normal 39FRanged Low

Base damage	each 7
Startup	39F
Type	Magical
Priority	Ranged Low
EX Force	0
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 570 Fresh: 820
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

EX Mode 45F [15F]Ranged Low [Melee Low]

Base damage	[20], 7 each (27+)
Startup	45F [15F]
Type	Magical [Physical]
Priority	Ranged Low [Melee Low]
EX Force	0
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 851 Fresh:1020

Aerial

Normal 27FMelee Low

Base damage	5 x 4, 15 (35)
Startup	27F
Type	Physical
Priority	Melee Low
EX Force	90 (30, 60)
Effects	Chase
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 850 Fresh: 1175
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

EX Mode 27FMelee Low

Base damage	5 x 4, [2 x 4, 10], 10 (48)
Startup	27F
Type	Physical
Priority	Melee Low
EX Force	30
Effects	Wall Rush
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 860 Fresh:1290
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

Normal 11FRanged Low

Base damage	4, 6, 12 (22)
Startup	11F
Type	Magical
Priority	Ranged Low
EX Force	30 (15, 15)
Effects	Wall Rush
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 720 Fresh: 970
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

EX Mode 11F [19F]Ranged Low [Melee Low]

Base damage	4, [4], 6, [4, 4], 12 (34)
Startup	11F [19F]
Type	Magical [Physical]
Priority	Ranged Low [Melee Low]
EX Force	30
Effects	Wall Rush
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 840 Fresh: 1090

Normal 39FRanged Low

Uncharged 39FRanged Low

Base damage	10
Startup	39F
Type	Magical
Priority	Ranged Low
EX Force	0
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 600 Fresh: 850
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

Charged 39FRanged Low

Base damage	Each 5
Startup	39F
Type	Magical
Priority	Ranged Low
EX Force	0
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 700 (all hits) Fresh: 950 (all hits)
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

EX Mode 39FRanged Low

Base damage	10 / [10] each 5
Startup	39F
Type	Magical
Priority	Ranged Low
EX Force	0

HP attacks

Ground

Hellfire 37FMelee High (claw) Ranged High (pillars)

Highly active anti-approach pillars of fire, tall and wide — to be used when the opponent approaches through the air or along the ground (it does not hit directly above Yuna). A very fast HP attack for its power, an excellent anti-air and very good against close dodges thanks to its enormous active frames. Ifrit's claw is her fastest and safest Melee High move, and her option for reflecting Ranged High attacks. The pillars serve as a 1-hit HP attack against an opponent with a full EX gauge, and the knockback converts into a combo with precise timing on the Kuja assist.

Base damage	10
Startup	37F
Type	Physical
Priority	Melee High (claw) Ranged High (pillars)
EX Force	60~150
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 600 (claw) Fresh: 850 (claw)
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

Energy Ray 59FRanged High

A long-range HP attack: Valefor traces a line that explodes vertically after a short delay. The slight curved tracking forces slow characters to dodge sideways, without really catching dodges. It reaches its maximum distance quickly; useful for forcing a lateral dodge with an assist in support, or for punishing a long whiff. Very vulnerable to assist punishes on reaction — to be used with care.

Startup	59F
Priority	Ranged High
EX Force	60
Cancels	Dodge
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

Aerial

Thor's Hammer 49FRanged High

Ixion places a sucking electric orb almost anywhere across 360°, but with limited maximum distance and orb size. To be used at semi-close range when the opponent, at a big frame disadvantage, is likely to dodge. It leaves Yuna very exposed to assist punishes and to fast mid-range attacks; the opponent often recovers the EX generated through Glutton. Diamond Dust remains a safer block check in neutral.

Base damage	2 x 5 (10)
Startup	49F
Type	Magical
Priority	Ranged High
EX Force	90
Effects	Absorb
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 600 Fresh: 850
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

Diamond Dust 21FRanged High

Shiva's persistent ice cloud: a very fast anti-approach tool and mixup, especially against advancing melee attacks. Surprisingly strong vertical tracking (it even combos after EX Aerospark). The last hit sends the opponent straight upwards for easy assist conversions. If the opponent sets off the hits at the end of the active frames, Yuna becomes actionable again before the hit stun ends: a real combo follows, with Heavenly Strike being the most practical.

Base damage	2 x 5 (10)
Startup	21F
Type	Magical
Priority	Ranged High
EX Force	90
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 600 Fresh: 850
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

Mega Flare 63FMelee High

Bahamut fires a big laser at mid range: good damage and Yuna's only HP attack with a Wall Rush. Excellent horizontal tracking before the shot and good downward tracking during it — it catches most close dodges. Yuna's only aerial Melee High move, but it covers her body poorly and leaves her completely exposed to punishes (a long duration). It is also used as okizeme close to the ground or a wall, and as a last resort for reflecting Ranged High projectiles.

Base damage	2 x 8 (16)
Startup	63F
Type	Magical
Priority	Melee High
EX Force	24
Effects	Wall Rush
Cancels	Dodge
Assist gain	Stale: 660 Fresh: 910
CP (mastered)	30 (15)

EX Mode: Grand Summon! & EX Burst

The “Grand Summon!” EX Mode grants Regen, Critical Boost and Double Summons: two aeons are summoned simultaneously on every bravery attack. All the bravery attacks gain extra hits with their own base damage, which increases her overall damage and her ability to catch dodges.

In detail: Meteor Strike gains Shiva hits while keeping its lenient input window; Aerospark makes Yuna airborne with more hit stun, allowing the dodge cancel > Diamond Dust combo; Energy Blast receives a Melee Low hitbox before the projectiles; Heavenly Strike becomes partly Melee Low and can therefore stagger Yuna if blocked; Sonic Wings trades the chase for a Wall Rush; Impulse adds a Valefor projectile, at maximum charge only. It is a gain in power overall, but a blocked Heavenly Strike has to be watched and the assist timings adapted to the extra hits.

EX Burst : “To the Farplane”: press the button shown when the white circle closes in, several times in a row. Above-average damage (the initial hits ignore the opponent's EX defence) for undemanding execution.

Unique mechanic

The summons: every bravery attack calls an aeon. Yuna stays still during the incantation while the summon attacks in front of her, with a hitbox disjointed from her body and good range — the aeon strikes even if Yuna is threatened, but she stays vulnerable throughout the animation.

In EX Mode, Double Summon adds a second summon to every attack: increased damage and modified effects (the data in brackets in the tables corresponds to Double Summon).

Gameplan & advanced tech

Yuna's gameplan: stand just outside the opponent's poke range and put her aeons to work there — Heavenly Strike as her main aerial poke and assist generator, Sonic Wings as a disjointed melee poke, Meteor Strike and Aerospark on the ground (a Melee Mid gap closer, an occasional anti-air). Whiffing her bravery attacks safely builds assist gauge; her low-commitment HP attacks (Hellfire and Diamond Dust on defence and anti-approach, Thor's Hammer to catch dodges around her, Mega Flare for the Wall Rush, wake-up pressure and projectile reflection) punish bad movement in neutral.

HP damage comes mainly through the assist and through raw HP reads: Heavenly Strike often causes a ground Wall Rush that combos into the ground Kuja assist for heavy damage and follow-up time. Solo combos exist but remain situational: the charged Impulse hit glitch into Heavenly Strike at long range, EX Aerospark > dodge cancel > Diamond Dust (her only solo combo into an HP attack, in EX Mode near a wall), and a late-hit Diamond Dust > Heavenly Strike.

Managing EX is central: almost all her moves generate a lot of EX Force, and Spira's Hope (+3 m of EX Intake Range) makes up for the distance of her aeons — without it, the opponent absorbs a good part of the EX through Glutton. Once EX Mode is reached, Double Summons reinforces every bravery attack and opens her only solo combo into an HP attack.

She excels on small and medium stages (M.S. Prima Vista, Top Floor for instance) where her disjoints, her EX generation and her HP attacks control more space; stage elements help her without being indispensable.

Character-specific tech

Universal techniques (blodge, dash feint, lock off, dodge punishment): see the Techniques & glitches page.

Matchups

The wiki's matchups page is a stub, but the overview and the move notes give a few markers: Sonic Wings' disjoint passes through certain higher-priority projectiles, notably The Emperor's Flares and Ultimecia's charged Knight's Lances, which makes it a very good tool in those matchups. More broadly, Yuna has enough utility to compete in a variety of matchups, but she struggles against defensive opponents she cannot force into her effective zone. She prefers small and medium stages where her disjoints and her HP attacks control more space.

Match videos: Replay Theater — Yuna matches.

Builds

The documented build is a general-purpose hybrid: constant EX absorption, a long EX Intake Range thanks to the exclusive weapon Spira's Hope, and high base bravery. The damage comes from base bravery, which regenerates far faster with Royal Crown and Great Gospel; if Yuna lands an HP attack on its own at base bravery, the Kuja assist generally leaves time to recover it. The Best Dresser extra ability is required for the higher base bravery. The build uses the Equip Glitch (the total CP cost assumes it has been performed) and the Kuja assist, with Rubicante as the summon.

On attacks, the core barely moves: Meteor Strike, Aerospark, Heavenly Strike and Sonic Wings as bravery attacks; Hellfire, Diamond Dust, Thor's Hammer and Mega Flare as HP attacks. Impulse and Energy Ray are flexible depending on the matchup, the stage or personal preference; Energy Blast is advised against (low priority, low damage, mediocre space control), unless the opponent's ground assist is slow.

Basic Abilities

Build Overview

CP Allocation

Substitutes

Attacks (Staple)

Attacks (Flexible)

Attacks (Avoid)

25 CP remain available for Energy Blast, Energy Ray, the Counterattack extra ability or other basic abilities. Documented substitutes: Blue Gem can be replaced by First to Victory (an initial gauge and bravery boost) or Winged Boots (against the banish traps of certain stages); Omni Ground Dash can be replaced by Ground Dash or Reverse Ground Dash; Assist Critical Boost can be replaced by Counterattack (good with her pokes but often negated by Disable Counterattack). A second build is provided on the wiki but left empty.

Build and check a Yuna loadout slot by slot: build creator (CP gauge, ability exclusions and tournament rules applied).

Assist synergies

Yuna as an assist

As an assist, Yuna is ranked in the High tier of Muggshotter's assist tier list (alongside Sephiroth, Tidus and Onion Knight). The sources on her page do not detail her use as an assist beyond that ranking.

Recommended assists

• Kuja — Most of Yuna's builds use Kuja, for his heavy damage and his consistent confirms from most of her moves: Heavenly Strike (with or without a ground Wall Rush), the first part of Sonic Wings and even Hellfire. Heavenly Strike's ground Wall Rush combos into the ground Kuja assist for a lot of damage and follow-up time.

Community tech

Sources

• https://dissidia.wiki/Yuna_(Dissidia_012)
• https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/psp/605802-dissidia-012-duodecim-final-fantasy/faqs/62416
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV4xQP3f7zU
• https://pastebin.com/8FWDXjvJ
• https://dissidia.wiki/Tier_List_(Dissidia_012)
• https://dissidia.wiki/Tier_List_(Assist)

Known limits

• The wiki's matchups page is a stub: no detailed analysis per character.
• The assist section of the page provides for Tidus, Jecht and Sephiroth tabs, but only the Kuja content is filled in.
• The second build (“Build #2”) is an empty template: stats, equipment and attacks are not filled in.
• No dated or sourced community reference (the wiki's References section is empty); the community tech entries come from the external sources pass.
• No “Unique Mechanics” section is documented for Yuna: the field is left as null.