What IS Transience?

[ProfileJC98]

I've not really played Sephiroth much lately, as I've been trying to practice with my Golbez (Going well). As I was flicking through his offensive abilities, I noticed Transience. I originally passed on Transience in favour of Shadow Flare - good choice, obviously.
Short ranged, only moderate damage, and doesn't even stagger guards... it appears quite worthless. I originally thought it might be like Emperor's Bombard; it's anything but that, it seems. It's a shame that Sephiroth got such a worthless addition to his arsenal; especially in comparison to others - such as Exdeath and Garland, whom both got exquisite additions.

So can anybody enlighten me on what exactly it is useful for, unless of course, it is pointless.

[LonelyGaruga]

Transience is simply a fast, short ranged poke that can cancel into other moves or a block. It would be useful on other characters, but seeing how Sephiroth should basically always be in the air, yeah, it's pretty pointless.

[PridePaci]

it is dammit fast, just like dayflash for wol, double cut for cloud ecc...

[ProfileJC98]

it is dammit fast, just like dayflash for wol, double cut for cloud ecc...

It has the greatest speed of all of Sephiroth's attacks, as a concequence, however, it's range is... minimal. It's just a little silly to give a character - whose BRV attacks have arguably the best reach out of any melee character - an attack that will only connect if they're essentially holding hands (Extremely close to one-another).

[X-Zone]

It's useful if you're getting pressured by a rushdown opponent like Squall. Due to its speed, it works as a quick 'get away' attack and will give you an opportunity to go aerial again and regain your composure. As Garuga said, you should be aiming to stay aerial with Sephiroth anyway. I personally only use Transience and SF as my ground brvs, just to fall back on.

However, it's perfectly viable to ignore Transience, just as its perfectly viable to ignore the rest of his ground BRVs if you wish to save the CP.

[Cookies]

It's slightly useful against opponents that wont leave the ground, but then as everyone else has said, being in the air should be too much for them.

[kewldude475]

If Sephy somehow is not on the air using SF and the opponent comes to him, it it used as a "GTFO". Equipping ground SF is dumb. Or at least largely pointless.

[LonelyGaruga]

It has the greatest speed of all of Sephiroth's attacks, as a concequence, however, it's range is... minimal. It's just a little silly to give a character - whose BRV attacks have arguably the best reach out of any melee character - an attack that will only connect if they're essentially holding hands (Extremely close to one-another).

Basically, it can be considered rounding out the moveset. Sephiroth has no fast, safe moves on the ground aside from Transience. Because of that, his ground game sucked in DFF. This is another factor in why his air game is so useful, his ground game is just silly. Transience helps a little, but there are so many characters that lack a move that can be canceled into other moves that I find the decision to give Sephiroth a move like that to be slightly questionable. Ah well.

[ProfileJC98]

Basically, it can be considered rounding out the moveset. Sephiroth has no fast, safe moves on the ground aside from Transience. Because of that, his ground game sucked in DFF. This is another factor in why his air game is so useful, his ground game is just silly. Transience helps a little, but there are so many characters that lack a move that can be canceled into other moves that I find the decision to give Sephiroth a move like that to be slightly questionable. Ah well.

I admit it has it's advantages, though. Due to the fact that it's executed expeditiously, it has little recoil and is relitively safe; therefore meaning that it's hard to punish.Although I believe that it would've been better to make it at least stagger the opponent, or even both - or whatever. It would therefore force you to dodge the attack. Not to mention that it would be more realistic, considering Sephiroth is a 'Master Swordsman', you'd expect a person to 'stagger' somewhat after blocking a strike from a 'Master Swordsman'. Garland has the same problem with Bardishe... but, obviously, that's hardly relevent.

[LonelyGaruga]

Sephiroth's swordplay is about precision, accuracy, and timing. He does not forcefully break an opponent's guard with his moves because that would not only make little sense for such a precise character, but also because, from a gameplay perspective, it would make zero sense for ANY of Sephiroth's BRV moves to stagger blocks. Moves have adjusted priorities because that's either what makes them useful (Spite 2, switch Spear), or prevents them from being nigh useless as an offensive tool. (Reverse Polarity, Heel Crush). Transience does not stagger opponents when blocked because it wouldn't make sense for it, nor does it need to. If you get yourself blocked while using it, you DESERVE to be staggered, because you aren't using it right.