Rosalina vs. Master Hand + Rosalina vs. Master Core
This post will cover Rosalina's battle strategy for defeating Classic Mode's final boss, Master Hand. It'll also cover Rosalina's battle strategy against Master Core, who is only fought by setting the intensity level to 5.1 or higher.
Rosalina vs. Master Hand
Overview
3DS /
Wii U
Against Master Hand, Rosalina can deal more damage than normal to him with the Luma by her side. However, when it comes to avoiding Master Hand's attacks, while Rosalina may be able to evade most of them with the proper timing, the Luma's inability to defend itself can mean that it could be taken out.
Big Slap
3DS /
Wii U
How easily Rosalina can avoid this attack depends on how close she is to Master Hand when he uses it. Jumping avoids the attack altogether.
Fake-Out Slap
3DS /
Wii U
This attack can be a problem, as Rosalina can't exactly shield the attack to avoid its impact. Running and dodging at just the right time is basically the best option.
Finger Bullet
3DS /
Wii U
When Master Hand fires bullets at Rosalina, she can use Gravitational Pull to render them ineffective.
Finger Drill
3DS /
Wii U
Probably one of the most annoying attacks to deal with, even for Rosalina, as she needs to time her rolling dodge just right to avoid getting hit.
Finger Walk
3DS /
Wii U
Rosalina can jump high enough to avoid this attack.
Fireball Blitz
3DS /
Wii U
I might have to look at this attack more closely, as the smaller fireballs could be rendered useless by Gravitational Pull.
Flying Punch
3DS /
Wii U
Rosalina simply has to jump to completely avoid the punch.
Icy Wind
3DS /
Wii U
Master Hand usually doesn't perform this attack until you've set the intensity level to 3.0 or higher. Perhaps Gravitational Pull can be used against the projectile attacks that get spawned from it.
Jetstream
3DS /
Wii U
Rosalina simply has to stay off the ground to avoid this attack's impact.
Laser Nail
3DS /
Wii U
Since this is a laser attack, Gravitational Pull will be ineffective against it.
Platform Dealer
3DS /
Wii U
Rosalina is able to maneuver quickly enough to get off the rising platforms before they deliver any Star KOs on her.
Power Punch
3DS /
Wii U
Much like the Fake-Out Slap, Rosalina needs to run and dodge at the right time to avoid getting hit. Shielding isn't the best answer.
Sleeper Grab
3DS /
Wii U
Rosalina simply has to dodge at the right time to avoid the attack.
Snapper
3DS /
Wii U
Rosalina needs to stay off the ground against this attack, or else it'll leave her dizzy if it hits her.
Toss Grab
3DS /
Wii U
Much like the Sleeper Grab, Rosalina just needs to dodge the grab at the right time.
Crazy Hand's Inclusion
Overview
3DS /
Wii U
Normally, Master Hand will be fighting solo, but by increasing the intensity level, Crazy Hand may fight alongside Master Hand. Much like Master Hand, Crazy Hand has his fair share of attacks that he'll use.
3DS
If you set the intensity level to 3.0 or higher, Crazy Hand may appear alongside Master Hand, but only if you take the black path. Intensity levels 8.0 and higher will force you to take the black path.
Wii U
In Classic Mode, Crazy Hand will always fight alongside Master Hand if you set the intensity level to 3.0 or higher.
In Crazy Orders, however, Crazy Hand will normally be fighting without Master Hand's assistance. Of course, a fighter or two may fight alongside Crazy Hand if the player has completed over 5 turns during a single Crazy Orders run. Master Hand will join the battle when the player is at turn 14 or higher.
Big Rip
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand is capable of creating a rift, which will suck in Rosalina if she gets too close to it. If caught inside the rift, Rosalina will take damage and have a flower planted on her head.
Big Slap
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand basically slaps forward to deal damage. Rosalina just has to avoid getting hit by shielding or jumping over him.
Bury Bash
3DS /
Wii U
If Crazy Hand manages to grab Rosalina, he can slam her into the ground after pummeling her a bit with a squeeze. This will leave Rosalina buried if she doesn't break free from the grab.
Cross Punch
3DS /
Wii U
While Master Hand is around, Crazy Hand can use this attack, with Master Hand catching it. Rosalina simply has to dodge the punch.
Dual Sweep
3DS /
Wii U
While Master Hand does an uppercut, Crazy Hand will run his fingers like a plow on the battlefield. Rosalina needs to watch out for Crazy Hand after she manages to dodge Master Hand's attack.
Finger Bomb
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand will drop a series of bombs with his fingers. They're unaffected by Gravitational Pull, so Rosalina will have to avoid the attack altogether.
Finger Drill
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand's Finger Drill is pretty much the same as Master Hand's. Rosalina can evade this attack in the same way.
Jetstream
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand's version of this attack is no different from Master Hand's. Rosalina can just jump to avoid it.
Juggling Act
3DS /
Wii U
If Master Hand is present, Crazy Hand may toss an orb that the two of them will juggle around. Gravitational Pull has no effect against the orbs, so Rosalina has to avoid them by shielding or dodging.
Laser Nail
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand's Laser Nail is exactly the same as Master Hand's. As such, Gravitational Pull won't affect the lasers.
Pink Pillar
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand will place electrical cylinders on the battlefield, which will deal damage upon contact. Rosalina simply has to stay away from the attack's path.
Power Punch
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand's version of the Power Punch is quite similar to Master Hand's, except for that he'll do two additional punches to try to catch the player off-guard. As such, Rosalina should probably refrain from getting near Crazy Hand until he finishes his punches.
Shadow Ball Bash
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand will create a dark ball of energy, and slam the battlefield with it. Rosalina has to jump off the battlefield to avoid this attack's impact.
Spasm
3DS /
Wii U
Crazy Hand will lay on the battlefield, and starts flopping around, dealing damage to those near him. Rosalina has to avoid making contact with Crazy Hand to avoid being affected by that attack.
Spider Walk
3DS /
Wii U
Unlike Master Hand's Finger Walk, Crazy Hand will use all fingers and thumbs to walk. Rosalina doesn't have to jump as high to avoid this attack, but Crazy Hand will sometimes use this attack after Master Hand's Finger Walk.
Rosalina vs. Master Core
Master Core has five forms that it uses in the 3DS version. However, another form appears exclusively for the Wii U version.
Master Giant
3DS /
Wii U
This form of Master Core is only fought by setting the intensity level to 7.5 or higher in Smash 3DS. In Smash Wii U, Master Giant will appear when the intensity level is set to 7.0 or higher.
Master Giant has a good deal of moves that can either rack up Rosalina's damage, or push her off the battlefield. As such, it's quite a nasty threat to deal with.
When Master Giant releases energy orbs above itself, it'll then lift the battlefield up towards the orbs. Rosalina needs to be careful not to get surrounded by the orbs, as Gravitational Pull will not affect them.
Master Giant may also rip open its head to try to suck in Rosalina. During the process, a couple energy orbs will fly by. Rosalina has to avoid the orbs, or else they may push her towards Master Giant's head, sucking her in, and dealing even more damage. Again, Gravitational Pull won't save Rosalina.
Alternatively, Master Giant will create some extra arms, and try to grab Rosalina with them. Rosalina has to avoid the arms altogether, as getting grabbed will result in her getting sucked into Master Giant's head, delivering damage to her.
Another attack to be weary of is when Master Giant turns its head into a hammer. If it manages to hit Rosalina, she'll be buried for a while. Additionally, four small orbs are made, which will explode after a while. If Rosalina avoids the headbutt, she'll still have to avoid the explosions.
There's also the slash attack, where the first strike does nothing, while the other will actually damage Rosalina. The slash can't be blocked, so Rosalina has to dodge the attack by rolling, sidestepping, or doing an aerial dodge. The Luma likely won't get past this attack. Also, jumping is futile, as the second slash will always be at the same altitude as Rosalina.
Lastly, Master Giant may create a wave that pushes Rosalina off the battlefield. Against this attack, Rosalina really needs her standard Launch Star to recover, as the other Launch Star variations likely won't save her.
Master Beast
3DS /
Wii U
This form of Master Core is fought by setting the intensity level to 6.0 - 7.4, or by defeating Master Giant. In Smash Wii U, Master Beast will be the first form to fight on intensity levels 6.0 - 6.9.
Master Beast requires a lot of concentration if Rosalina is to avoid its assaults without too many injuries. When it performs its bite attack, Rosalina must dodge or block the hit, though the Luma might not be so fortunate.
If Master Beast jumps, it'll land on either side of the battlefield, tilting it for a moment. Rosalina simply has to avoid being at either corner if she's to avoid the attack's impact.
Another attack to watch out for are the shadow spikes that Master Beast can create. If possible, Rosalina should try to jump high enough to dodge the spikes. Either that, or have Rosalina block the attack with her shield. Again, the Luma likely won't be spared if Rosalina shields herself.
Lastly, there's the lightning strike, where Master Beast will emanate lightning around its body. This lightning is most likely unaffected by Gravitational Pull, so Rosalina will just have to avoid the attack altogether.
Master Edges
3DS /
Wii U
This form of Master Core is fought by setting the intensity level to 5.1 - 5.9, or by defeating Master Beast.
When Rosalina faces Master Edges, she is able to use Gravitational Pull against the blade projectiles, repelling them as a result.
The larger blade projectiles can also be rendered useless by Gravitational Pull, but their range is larger than that of the smaller blade projectiles.
In terms of direct assaults, Rosalina needs to pay close attention to each set of blades that strike. Sometimes, the smaller blades will attack in a set pattern before the large blade delivers its attack. You might suffer a small setback if the Luma falls to the attacks.
Master Shadow
3DS /
Wii U
After defeating Master Edges, Master Core will change into a dark version of the fighter that the player is using.
When Rosalina reaches the Master Shadow phase, she basically has to face a clone of herself. In a way, this is a mirror match, except for that Master Shadow's clone is slightly larger. Of course, the clone will gradually shrink as it takes damage. Rosalina has to either KO Master Shadow, or fully deplete its stamina to defeat it.
Be advised, however, that Master Shadow will copy Rosalina's equipment and custom specials if customizations are turned ON; this basically means that if Rosalina is using auto-healing equipment, Master Shadow will have that very same benefit.
Master Fortress
Wii U
This form of Master Core is exclusive to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. It will appear after Master Shadow if the intensity level is set to 8.0 or higher, but only in single player mode; Master Fortress will never be encountered in co-op play.
Rosalina does receive a Heart Container, along with an additional 3 minutes before entering the fortress, but she will have to contend with some shadow variations of the Smash Run enemies, which include the Stalfos', Geemers, Plasma Wisps, and Lethiniums.
To make matters even worse, Master Fortress has danger zones, which are in the form of acid walls and acid water. They will instantly KO Rosalina if her damage goes over 100%. Fortunately, customizations are allowed in Smash Wii U's Classic Mode, so healing equipment can potentially help avoid such an ordeal.
To defeat Master Fortress, Rosalina has to destroy all of its weak points. However, she needs to watch out for any enemies that pop up, as they'll try to stop her from completing that task. If any enemies pop up, Rosalina should switch her attention to them before continuing with destroying the weak points. Remember, if Rosalina's damage is over 100%, she'll get KO'd upon touching the acid walls and acid water.
Master Core
3DS /
Wii U
This is Master Core's true form, which is used after Master Shadow is defeated. In Smash Wii U, if the intensity level is set at 8.0 or higher, it'll appear after Master Fortress is defeated, but only if the player is playing solo; in co-op play, Master Fortress will be skipped.
Rosalina has to build up Master Core's damage so that it can be KO'd. If her attacks fail to KO Master Core, it'll simply return to the center of the battlefield, but as its damage increases, it'll be sent flying further. Once damaged enough, Rosalina simply has to deliver one powerful hit to send Master Core flying past the blast zone, destroying it in the process.
It should be heavily noted, however, that Rosalina only has around 45 seconds to KO Master Core. If she takes too long to KO it, Master Core will eventually unleash a wave attack that instantly KOs upon contact. But much like Tabuu's Off-Waves, these waves can be dodged with the right timing, and Rosalina does seem to have a good sidestep dodge that she can use. Master Core will use the wave attack up to five times before self-destructing itself.
Intensity 9.0 Notes
3DS
When facing Master Core on intensity level 9.0, it attacks at a much faster rate, which makes it way more difficult for Rosalina to avoid its attack assaults; even Master Hand and Crazy Hand attack faster. Although you have a 5-minute time limit to defeat Master Core, going all out on attack equipment is not a good move without bulking up Rosalina's defense.
Of course, bulking up on defense isn't exactly enough, as Master Core's attacks are much more damaging, and have more knockback than on the lower intensity levels. Having Rosalina use healing equipment might help reduce the pressure, but in most cases, she'll likely take more damage than what she can heal.
You really need to pay close attention to what Master Core's next move is, as the slightest slip-up, even with Rosalina, can mean disaster. You're only given two lives, and if you get a Game Over, the intensity level will drop to 8.5, removing any hopes of clearing the "Classic on intensity 9.0" challenge.