Princess from Beyond the Stars - Using the RosaLuma Duo

I N T R O D U C T I O N

First and foremost, I'd like to put out a disclaimer of sorts - I'm not a professional player and in writing this guide, I am in no way claiming to be incredibly good at SSB or anything of that sort. That said, I //do// know a good thing or two when it comes to Smash and I'm writing this guide to share what I know with the intent of helping other players that can benefit from my knowledge. If there's anything you feel I can add to this guide/is mistaken or out of place, please let me know! I, too, am also learning.

Welcome to my little guide on Rosalina and Luma! I've played her nonstop since I nabbed my copy of SSB3DS and I've picked up a handful of strategies along the way. I'm hoping to shed some light for newcomers that are interested in playing RosaLuma, but don't quite know where to get started.

This guide is currently a work in progress and I will be adding more to it as I improve my own game.

Pros:
- Great map control with Luma
- Luma can be used as a meatshield
- Ability to attack while stunned or grabbed, assuming Luma is currently active
- Wonky hitboxes with nice range
- Invisible rolls make her tricky to predict
- Nice overall damage and high kill potential with Luma
- Down special can put projectile-reliant fighters in a bad position
- Amazing recovery; the distance her up special covers is insane

Cons:
- She's huge. Like... CRAZY huge. Large hitbox can be a struggle sometimes.
- Insanely floaty and easy to kill if caught out
- Without Luma, she has a difficult time approaching and is also more susceptible to grabs
- Weak knockback, especially without Luma; while this helps your combo game a bit, it's harder to secure kills

M O V E L I S T A N D D A T A

I'm not going to list this here because it's a lot of work and it's already been posted in the Character Discussion forum. Head over there for specifics!

I will, however, list my 5 favorite moves and why I feel they are important/really solid.

1) Jab
-- Rosalina's jab is a nice and quick one that combos well and has decent knockback. What makes her jab even more potent is the fact that Luma moves slightly forward as he jabs with Rosalina, granting you a bit of space and allowing you to proceed with a long range follow up for more damage.

2) Down throw
-- Rosalina's down throw has mediocre damage, but it puts her opponents above and in front of her, allowing for some nice combos at low percents. Down throw to forward air is a popular option, but recently I find that down throw to two up airs works just as well, if not, better. This will be one of your bread and butter moves for your neutral game.

3) Up throw
-- I prefer Rosalina's up throw over her ground throw during early game; it has poor knockback, giving her an easy up tilt to double up air follow up. With Luma by your side, you should be able to rack up a nice 30-40%with this simple pattern.

4) Down air/up air
-- Rosalina's up and down airs have nice priority and long range, and are great for midair pokes. Her standalone knockback is pretty horrible, but if you have Luma by your side, you can send people flying with ease, making them great kill moves, as well. Luma's down air has the stronger knockback of the two, and I think its got some deceptively large hitboxes as well, making it a great offensive asset.

5) Neutral special (Luma Shot)
-- Not only is this move key for controlling space and applying pressure, but it can be quite the sniping tool, as well! Luma shot does a surprising amount of damage to unsuspecting foes and is great for edgeguarding. You can also play mind games with your opponent by holding the charge and releasing it when they are most vulnerable.

G E N E R A L S T R A T E G Y

Let's first split RosaLuma's fighting style into two distinct types: separated and together. The former provides the player with virtually complete control of the stage at the cost of dueling power, while the latter turns you into something of a pseudo-powerhouse. Knowing when to send Luma out as well as understanding Luma's capabilities and limitations is going to be extremely crucial to improving your game.

I find that keeping Luma by your side is particularly useful if you're planning to turn up the aggression. He (she?) extends the range on all of your attacks, contributes a nice amount of bonus damage, and has impressive knockback for kill securing. Be sure to keep an eye on where Luma is relative to Rosalina's position; if he's trailing you slightly, you have the advantage of extended range on your backside, allowing you to poke at opponents behind you with pivots. If he's moving slightly ahead of you, you have the advantage of extended range on your front, allowing you to sneak in some safe hits that wouldn't normally connect.

On the other hand, playing separated gives Rosalina a few more defensive options. You can scare opponents by commanding Luma from afar, and then punish any sort of attempt they make to get past him. If they roll behind Luma, close the distance and make them regret it with a well-timed dash grab. If they jump, throw out a quick up smash. If they insist on taking out Luma first, call him back and then reposition yourself for another play. Luma can only sustain about 50% before he disappears, leaving Rosalina with fewer options until he respawns. Keep that in mind when you send him forward, and be prepared to fight alone in the event he is KO'd.

Sending Luma out also does wonders for edgeguarding. You can try to snipe players with a charged up Luma Shot. If Luma is already out in front, a good forward smash or down air will thwart many recovery attempts. It IS possible to knock the opponent back towards the stage, however, so always be ready for that!

You aren't limited to playing as I've described - I've seen many players who play separated and super aggressive, and many players who play a defensive game as a duo. These are just what I find works best, but feel free to experiment!