Alright guys today I'll be talking about
(Rosalina and Luma). I know this character can be hard to deal with, but I've got some tips and stuff that should make the MU much easier.
Pros
- Can jab lock Luma.
- Purples are great for disrupting approaches.
- Smashes go through Luma making a great tool for walling out.
- Small size makes certain aerial approaches harder to hit.
- Olimar's out of shield options can be very strong, especially when coming from a power shield.
Cons
- She can absorb your smashes with Down-B.
- Luma makes grabbing very unsafe.
- Can kill Olimar early.
- Is able to go offstage to gimp/kill Olimar.
First off I'm gonna start with how to deal with the two types of Rosalina, offensive and defensive. Let's start the with offensive ones. There are a couple ways they will approach you there is the standard auto-canceled Nair approach, the Dash Attack/Dash Grab, and the Luma Shot. Keep in mind there are other ways to be aggressive, but these are the most common ones.
Let's start off with the Nair approach. When a Rosalina Nairs the hitboxes are active all the way until the move cancels on the ground, but the best way to punish this approach is to power shield into jab or smash. This is almost guaranteed everytime if they are throwing out Nair to often. It becomes a much more punishable move, and allows the Olimar to appropriately wrack damage for incorrect aggression. I cannot stress the importance of power shielding, this is a vital part of Olimar's punish game since so many of these higher tier characters have little to no lag on their attacks.
Next I'll talk about the Dash Attack/Dash Grab approach. The Dash attack can be a bit of a hard move to punish, but it is definitely possible. Keep a purple on hand is a great way to immediately stop her from running in. Another method is to bait out an attack/grab then run back and pivot smash/pivot grab. These moves have a lot of range, and are great for grounded opponents. Shielding is what I have found to be a tried and true method for most approaches due to the great OoS options, but make sure not to get to predictable when shielding, because they may start grabbing. Try to find a good balance of shielding, camping out with Pikmin Throw, and pivot attacking. This will make the grounded approach much easier to avoid.
Finally I'll talk about what I find the easiest aggressive style to play against. The Luma Shot is a pretty simple work around. If the Rosalina is shooting in the Luma constantly you can either shield it or jump above it. Once it's out watch out for any attacks, but if you're able to catch it with a jab you can lock it there by jabbing and moving forward as the Luma does. This will make her approach and from there you can do the other options listed above. One thing I have found can work well against less experienced players is to F-Smash right as they approach you. This will end the jab lock, wrack up some extra damage, and will either make the player shield most likely giving you time to get away or hit them.
Now for the Defensive Rosalina. I won't be breaking this down into certain sections, but instead covering how to deal with the ones who stay back and are constantly retreating back. When Rosalina is more defensive I find it to be a much easier MU, because it allows the Olimar much more room to breathe while letting him wrack up easier damage. Defensive Rosalinas are usually there when they can't find out how to get through the wall of Pikmin Olimar can put up. This means that keeping a strong defense of your own is key. Olimar is a defensive character, he wracks up damage from a distance and punishes when the opponent approaches. Another key element is stage control. When you have the Rosalina on the defensive it allows you to push forward on the stage. This allows more safe offense, and an easier time getting those hard hitting attacks on her. Keeping purples with you is key, because it you do decide to press forward for more aggro attacks having the purple will make them retreat to shield, dodge, or get hit. These options are all good, because it allows for much better follow ups. I know this section might sound a little contradictory with me saying Olimar is defensive, but having some stage dominance and offensive pressure, but I hope that you guys will learn what I'm saying as you progress in the MU.
One last note I want to talk about is how to recover when offstage. Rosalina is very good offstage because of her great recovery and large hitboxes. When knocked offstage you need to be able to mix up either going high or low, and when I say low I mean very low. You need to make Rosalina commit to going down so that if you aren't hit she won't be able to throw out another attack. It is also advised when going low to ride the wall of the stage. It will increase the chances of you being hit into the wall which will allow you to tech it and recover.
Overall I'd say the Rosalina MU is a 50/50 for Olimar. He has tools to keep her back, and ways to get around strong pressure. Just make sure to keep the reaction timing up for good power shields and tech, and you'll be able to deal with a lot of offensive pressure she will put out. Purples are huge for going in and keeping her out as well. Abuse the fact that your smashes go through Luma too. If you guys have any more questions feel free to ask!
