Justin Wong breaks down the strengths of SFV Rose, the newest character to hit Street Fighter V. Aerial fireballs and a lethal V-Skill 1, Rose means serious business.
Justin Wong: "She (SFV Rose) is definitely going to be my new main character"
Rose, the Soul Powered psychic, makes her debut in Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition as the second character of Season 5. Originally appearing in Street Fighter Alpha, Rose returns to the center stage of Street Fighter V with many of her classic moves in tow. SFV Rose is a brilliant addition to the roster and already Justin Wong's new main.
Justin Wong describes her as being perfect for a “Lame style”, and it’s easy to see why. With her long reaching normal buttons, multiple projectiles, and both her V-skills in mind, she can create an obstacle course of hitboxes for her opponents to traverse.
Boasting a strong fireball in her Soul Spark, an air version similar to Akuma’s Zanku Hadoken, her new Soul Punish which can absorb two projectile hits, and both of her V-skills, she can easily go toe-to-toe with the strongest of Street Fighter V’s zoners such as Guile or Sagat. With her entire kit in mind, Justin says that SFV Rose has “Very strong neutral tools” and that she is “a character who is gonna make people frustrated.”
SFV Rose's V-System
Rose's V-Skill 1, Soul Fortune, allows her to rely on the Heart of the Cards with 4 different Tarot Cards, two of which are projectiles which cannot be blocked and place debuffs on the opponent. Making SFV Rose incredibly fun to play.
- The Magician (White card) allows her to build V-meter and can be held to build even more (Justin says that this one is ideal!).
- The Chariot (Red card) gives her a 10% damage buff for 10 seconds
- The Tower (Green card) is a 1 hit projectile that decreases the opponent’s attack by 10% for 7 seconds
- The Death (Purple card) increases the amount of block damage the opponent takes by 50% for 10 seconds (or until Rose is hit)
Her V-Skill 2, Soul Satellite, gives her access to the move of the same name. Similar to her Ultra 2 in Street Fighter IV, though not as strong, and requires a bit of setup to get them on screen. These orbs will revolve around her and can extend combos as well as absorb projectiles. They only last for 4 seconds though, so be sure to make them count!
V-Skill 1 is the way to go says Justin Wong
Justin says that in his opinion, “V-skill 1, the tarot cards, that’s the play.” Because of V-skill 2’s lengthy setup time, he feels that the more spontaneous action of V-skill 1 fits the speed of Street Fighter V better.
Her V-Trigger 1, Soul Dimension gives her access to a very fast, very tricky teleport option. Justin explains that “The opponent has to guess, they can’t react to it.” It can be used up to two times per activation, and she can choose between teleporting away from the opponent, teleporting behind them, or teleporting above and behind them. This teleport can be used both on the ground or in the air, as well as off the end of certain special moves, giving her access to some very tricky mixups.
Her V-Trigger 2, Soul Illusion, is a throwback to her super in the Street Fighter Alpha series of games. For a brief period of time, a shadow of Rose will mimic all of her moves, giving you access to long custom combos, or long block strings. This is definitely the choice for an aggressive or stylish player. This trigger can quickly change the tide of the battle off a single touch. As Justin puts it “The opponent’s life will just dwindle.” Not only can it lead to incredible combo damage, but it can also end with a 50/50 mixup on which side you end up on.
Final Thoughts on SFV Rose
Rose’s addition to Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition has certainly been a hit with many players. Justin Wong even goes on to say that in his mind, she could easily be seen as a top 10 or even possibly top 5 character! Watch this guide by the legendary American player, to get the head start on your journey to becoming an SFV Rose master!
