~B
ROLENTO Character Guide version 1.0
Street Fighter Alpha 2 (SATURN/PLAYSTATION)
By John "CUL" Culbert (tigeraid@geocities.com)
INTRO:
======
At first Rolento attracted my attention when I began to play SFA2, but I
quickly went for Zangief so I could work on my big 'Gief compendium (on my
homepage; see URL in credits). Just a while ago we got SFA2 BACK in the
arcade, and I've again found my love for playing Rolento. He is probably the
most unique fighter in SFA2, with a very new style compared to other
characters. He is not a big-time comboer, nor a heavy grappler, and is not a "
pecking" fighter in the true sense; the best way to describe his style is
hit-and-run. And hey, just read his story; now THAT'S discipline! :)
*******
LEGEND: BUTTONS
*******
.-------------Jab
D-PAD | .-----------Strong
| | .---------Fierce
U/B U U/F | | |
\|/ | | |
B--o--F | | |
/|\ O O O
D/B D D/F O O O
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | ----------Roundhouse
| ------------Forward
-------------Short
QCT= Quarter Circle Toward (roll the joystick from D to F)
QCB= Quarter Circle Back (roll the joystick from D to B)
HCT= Half Circle Toward (roll the joystick from B to D to F)
HCB= Half Circle Back (roll the joystick from F to D to B)
+ = enter commands simultainiously
N = Neutral (return D-Pad to center)
C. = Crouching
S. = Standing
J. = Jumping
CU.= Cross-up (jump over opponent and hit back of neck with attack)
(Note: the graphical legend applies to default arcade settings; the Saturn or
other platform systems can be set up in many different ways)
Some Short Forms Used in This FAQ:
----------------------------------
SF2= Street Fighter II: the World Warrior (may also refer to it as Classic)
SF2CE= Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (may just be CE)
SF2T= Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting
SSF2= Super Street Fighter II: the New Challengers
SSF2T= Super Street Fighter II Turbo (may refer to it as Super Turbo)
SFA= Street Fighter Alpha: Warrior's Dreams
SFA2= Street Fighter Alpha II
L1, L2, L3= Alpha Meter levels
DP= Dragon Punch- can be referring to Ryu's, Ken's, or Akuma's Special move,
or to the similiar joystick/D-Pad motion (F, D, D/F)
HK= Hurricane Kick- can be referring to Ryu's, Ken's or Akuma's Special Move,
or to the similiar motion (QCB+any kick)
FB= Fireball- can be referring to Special Move possessed by many characters,
or to the similiar motion (QCT+any punch)
SC= Super Combo- pertaining to Super Combos from SSF2T or SFA2
CC= Custom Combo- pertaining to Custom Combos from SFA2
FK= Flash Kick- Guile's and Charlie's move, or similiar motion (charge D,
U+any kick)
SB= Sonic Boom- Guile's and Charlie's move, or similiar motion (charge B,
F+any punch)
HHS= Hundred Hands Slap- pertaining to E. Honda's Special Move (tap any punch
repeatedly)
YF= Yoga Flame- pertaining to Dhalsim's Special Move or similiar motion
(HCT+any punch)
SBK= Spinning Bird Kick- pertaining to Chun Li's pattened move (charge D,
U+any kick)
TAP= Turn-Around Punch- pertaining to Balrog's pattened move (charge all 3
punches or kicks, release)
TU= Tiger Uppercut- pertaining to Sagat's pattened move (F, D, D/F+any punch)
TK= Tiger Knee- pertaining to Sagat Pattened move (QCT, U/F+any kick or
F, D, D/F+any kick in SFA2)
SPD= Spinning Pileriver- Zangief's pattened move, or similiar motion (roll
360 degrees)
FAB= Final Atomic Buster- Zangief's SC
A Throw or Grab (including Special Move Throws, eg. Zangief's SPD) must be
done right up close, and is unblockable; they can only be avoided. For grabs,
repeatedly tap the button used and shake the joystick or D-Pad to make the
repeated hits last longer. Do the same thing if you are caught in a grab to
escape early. Rolento has two normal Throws.
TAUNTS:
To taunt or tease your opponent with Rolento, press the button you designated
as "Chouhatsu" in the controller config screen (I recommend L if you use it
at all, though it's better to have all three punches or kicks on the trigger
buttons). Note that taunts cannot be stopped, and you are totally vulnerable,
so choose where to do it wisely. With the exception of Dan, Taunts can only
be done once per round. IMO this is the only thing that the PS version has
over the Saturn version (i.e. the Select button for the Taunt).
TECH HITS:
In SFA2 the Throw soften was renamed the "tech hit", and it was given a
little more freedom. To perform a tech hit, hold B or F and hit Strong or
Fierce just as the opponent grabs you; in SFA2, you can now escape ALL
regular Throws, including presses and grabs! It is still impossible to tech
hit Special Move Throws (eg. Birdie's Bandit Chain).
BUFFERING:
This is a technique used in 90% of all fighting games out today. To buffer
means to do the motions of one move while the animations of another move
are still being performed. I will use Adon's 3 hit combo as a model:
-S.Strong buffered into Roundhouse Rising Jaguar
This combo can be done either of two ways for it to count as a true combo:
a) hit Strong, then F, D, D/F+Roundhouse
b) F+Strong, D, D/F+Roundhouse
Both cases have their advantages. A is much easier to time and more
difficult to screw up, but you must have FAST fingers. The second can be
confusing, but EXTREMELY effective if you can get the timing off. Just
remember that the idea is to pull off the Rising Jaguar BEFORE the Strong
Punch is finished its animations ("cancelling" the animation.) In addition,
the second technique will also cause Adon to Throw the opponent if they
block.
Eg. 2- (same button buffering)
-crouching Short buffered into Short Rising Jaguar
a) hold D and hit Short, F, D, D/F+Short
b) F, D+Short, D/F+Short
c) press and HOLD Short, F, D, D/F, release Short
The latter is MUCH easier to time and requires less button presses. But in
that case the D-Pad motions have to be done faster, but it is easy to get
used to. I personally use b.
ALPHA METER:
At the bottom of the screen there is a meter called the Alpha Meter. This
fills up when a) Rolento is hit by the opponent with any attack, or he hits
them with any attack, b) using any Special move or c) hitting any Fierce or
Roundhouse. When the meter begins to flash it's outline, Rolento is cabable
of a level 1 Super Combo. If you continue to build his meter to level 2,
Rolento's cabable of a level 2 Super Combo. A level 2 Super of Rolento's must
be done with TWO buttons (for example, Rolento's Take No Prisoners is done
QCT, QCT+any kick; to perform a level two, do the same motion with TWO
kicks). When the meter fills to level 3, Rolento is cabable of his most
powerful Super Combos. These must be done with all THREE buttons. NOTE: I
only list the SCs with one punch or one kick; to perform their level 2 and 3,
substitute 2 and 3 punches or kicks...
ALPHA COUNTERS:
Immediately after blocking an opponent's attack, Rolento can immediately
retaliate with an Alpha Counter. To do this, perform the motion B, D/B, D,
and any punch or kick; a kick will perform a counter for ground attacks, and
punch will counter air attacks (in most cases) Note: you need at LEAST a
level 1 Alpha Meter to do one.
BLOCKING:
To block an oncoming attack, hold in the opposite direction. To block a low
attack (i.e. the enemy hits low), hold D/B to crouch and block. In addition
to blocking on the ground, it is possible in Alpha 2 to block attacks in the
air. Attacks that cannot be blocked include most DPs, Super Combos, and
ground-based uppercut/high kick attacks (eg. Ken's standing Strong, or Ryu's
S.Roundhouse).
OVERHEAD STRIKE:
In addition to any jumping attack, there is an attack, introduced in SFA
(actually, back in SSF2T with Ryu's), that can hit ducking, blocking
opponents. Rolento does NOT have an Overhead Strike.
SAFETY ROLL:
To avoid a lot of meaty attacks, Capcom added a roll to every fighter's
repitiore. By rolling from B to D in one motion and hitting punch just as you
land from a knockdown, Rolento will roll forward along the ground to a
standing position. You will not lessen any damage taken, but you can avoid
meaty attacks in this fashion. Bear in mind that because of this added
technique, meaty attacks are more difficult to cheese with in Alpha 2; if you
are close enough to an opponent when you knock them down, wait a split second
to see if they'll roll, then start your meaty tactic.
SUPER COMBOS:
Each Super Combo is a powerful attack that can be powered up to three
different levels. You will know a character has executed a Super Combo
because the screen will grow dark for a moment as they gather "chi" (spirit),
and the game will pause for a second.
If you finish your opponent with an SC of Rolento's, the screen will flash
brightly.
CUSTOM COMBOS:
Replacing Chain Combos from SFA, Custom combos allow you to chain ALL normal
moves and even SPECIAL MOVES together into combos (it speeds the move up so
their recovery is faster and you can throw another one emmediately). To
perform a CC, you must first fill the Alpha meter at the bottom of the
screen, then activate the CC with any two punches+any kick. Rolento will get
blue shadows behind him. A time meter will appear right above the Alpha
Meter; depending on how much Alpha Meter energy you have when you initiate
the CC, the timer will count down for a period of time. Once the CC is
activated, Rolento will slide forward and CANNOT be stopped until you attack.
If you activate the CC in the air, they will fall at a normal rate, then
start sliding forward. You CANNOT stop a CC once it is activated, and even if
the opponent switches sides with you (i.e. jumps over you, or teleports), you
will keep going in the same direction. BTW, the CCs I have listed to help out
require a level 3. It is my opinion that this is the only time worth doing
CCs, if at all...
TICKS:
The definition of a tick is basically this; a tick is an attack that, if you
connect with it, you can go into a combo of your choice, and if blocked, you
will recover in time to throw another attack before your opponent can; but,
note that they also recover from their blocking animations at relatively the
same time, so they will also be able to block the follow-up. But, since
Throws are unblockable, you can nail them with a Throw!
This tactic has been refined by many players, and in SF2: the World Warrior,
Guile had the ability to Throw a Jab, and if blocked he could Throw
emmediately (this was remedied in the later version--still possible, though,
but can be avoided quickly) This tactic was used to win a popular SF2
tournament in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and ticks were to forever be
considered extremely cheesy by anyone who loses (in some arcades they have
gone so far as to BAN ticks!). If, however, the people you play against are
okay with ticks, they are great in Rolento's up-close game.
For example, if you are up close throw a crouching Short--if it connects, you
can buffer into a Patriot Circle, and if blocked, immediately hold forward
and Throw! It is possible to avoid, especially if they AC, but still quite
difficult--works great on human opponents who are less experienced.
REVERSALS:
When a fighter is knocked down, there is a small window of opportunity for
them to get up faster and attack at the same time (about 1/60 of a second).
If a move is performed during this time, it becomes almost totally
invulnerable unless the opponent is able to connect with a meaty attack first
(see below.) See Tactics for more info on Reversing with Rolento.
MEATY ATTACKS:
A meaty attack allows you to hit an opponent who is recovering from a
knockdown (i.e. getting up) without them connecting with a reversal move (see
above); for example, normally it is possible for Ken and Ryu to do a DP JUST
as they begin to rise, and it can surprise many enemies. But, using a A VERY
WELL-TIMED meaty attack will prevent them from doing that, even more so in
SFA2 with their altered, vulnerable DPs. I'm not sure about the exact timing
of a meaty attack, but I do know it has to be what I refer to as a "constant"
attack, in other words an attack that is thrown without stopping and
withdrawn without stopping; fireballs will not work as meaty attacks because
they flicker in and out as they fly, and the opponent will be able to block
them as they rise. Basically, you have to use good timing for it to connect
just as they get up. If you connect with a meaty attack you can perform
combos you cannot normally perform, because the stun put on the opponent when
hit is longer than normal.
SAC-THROWING:
"Sac-Throwing" (short for sacrifice Throwing) put in loose terms is
countering with Throws. In previous versions, I included blocking and
Throwing, as well as Throwing the enemy from a missed attack in this
section. However, as one of my replies to this FAQ pointed out, a sac-throw
is ONLY considered a true sac-throw when you have been HIT, then throw the
enemy while they are still in their recovery frames. My explanation was a
little clouded, sorry for the mix-up. As far as blocking and Throwing, or
Throwing a missed attack, I suppose these are just "Counter-Throws".
An insane warrior that never turns away from a battle. A commando in the
Vietnam War, the strict Rolento now controls his own army of soldiers. He
keeps them in line because he once hung a soldier with metal cable during a
training session just to make a point. He was preaching that a good soldier
must be able to survive at all times, even if captured by the enemy. Rolento
then proceeded to demonstrate on one of his own soldiers...
ENDING:
Kind of a cool ending; A flag is shown with Rolento standing at the head of
his army. Then it cuts to a shot of MIKE HAGGER answering a phone call that
some maniac name Rolent (not Rolento, for some reason) is driving a tank down
the streets of Brazil. Then it cuts to a shot and Rolento says that anyone
who joins him will live...
Background: A large service elevator in Metro City, with a big billboard in
the far background. The elevator goes up as you fight... BTW, this
is the same stage you fight him on in Final Fight...
Mid-boss: Sodom
End-Boss: Guy
Taunt: throws a fake grenade that explodes in a brown puff
Start Pose: hops in upside down from the top of the screen, lands on his feet
and exclaims "Ready!"
Win Pose #1: Tosses a grenade on the downed opponent :)
Win Pose #2: Rolento snaps his fingers and five of his mercenaries come down
from the top of the screen; four have knives and one has the
hook used in his Trip Wire SC
Win Pose #3: same as above, but all five guys have knives
Win Pose #4: same as above, but only four mercenaries show up...
Win Pose #5: Rolento utters "Mission complete..."
Winning Quotes:
-Get real! Skill and strength determine the winner!
-Fear prevents learning and you've failed.
-Let's fight again, so I can stick it to you!
-It's okay, perfection is not for everyone.
Just as a note, Rolento's mercenaries look an AWFUL lot like the "Elgados"
in Final Fight...
-Patriot Circle: QCT+any punch (up to 3 times)
-Mekong Delta Escape: QCB+any punch, any punch
-Mekong Delta Air Raid: QCB+any kick, then any attack
-Mekong Delta Attack: all three punches, any punch
-Stinger: F, D, D/F+any kick
-Pogo Hop: D, U/B or U/F
-Pogo Stand: F+Forward
-Pogo Drop: D+Forward (in mid-air)
-Shoulder Toss: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close)
-Grenade Lay: F or B+Forward or Roundhouse (close)
-Punch AC (Circle): B, D/B, D+any punch (after block)
-Kick AC (Leap over): B, D/B, D+any kick (after block)
Super Moves:
------------
-Take No Prisoners: QCT, QCT+any kick
L1-1 hit L2-1 hit L3-1 hit
-Mine Sweeper: QCB, QCB+any punch
L1-2 hits L2-3 hits L3-4 hits
When standing or crouching Rolento throws quick jabs with his Baton. These
are fast attacks that are great up close when things get hot (see tactics);
they are also comboable and can be used as ticks up close...
Short-
The S.Short is not big deal; the C.Short is a great attack; fast with good
priority, and enough recovery to work well as a tick up close; it is also
bufferable. Good in conjunction with the Jabs up close.
Strong-
S.Strong is an upward strike with his baton, which is an awesome air counter.
NOTE that it is NOT as good an air counter as some believe; opponents can CC
through it, and hit it very early with their jumping attacks, so don't think
it's invincible. The C.Strong is a great 3-hit Baton spin with GOOD speed and
GOOD priority; an awesome attack up close, or in combos. The J.Strong is also
a 3-hit baton spin, and it's a great jump-in that leaves Rolento right in
front of the opponent; good for a tick. Also OKAY priority vs. mid-air foes.
Forward-
The C.Forward is a great low kick for Rolento. it's a good poking attack and
will also buffer into the Patriot Circle for a fast and fairly damaging
combo. Use it often from its max range, or up close. J.Forward's a
half-decent jump-in, but Roundhouse works just as well. S.Forward's no big
deal, except to counter some jumpers.
Fierce-
Fairly good attacks, the S.Fierce is Rolento's most powerful regular attack.
It is an overhead baton swipe that can hit 2 times; its range is great, so
it's probably his best move for nailing missed attacks from a short distance;
it can also hit VERY far jumpers with good timing. Its recovery is BAD so be
careful and make it count when it hits. The C.Fierce is a kinda useless poke.
The J.Fierce is a 1-hit airborne version of the S.Fierce (also the second
part of the Mekong Delta Escape) that has GREAT range, so it is an ideal move
if you are in the air and need to hit the enemy from a distance. It is very
difficult to combo off of, however...
Roundhouse-
The S.Roundhouse is a high back kick, a slower version of the S.Forward--
also a fairly good air counter to deep-jumpers. J.Roundhouse is probably the
best jump-in for combos, and C.Roundhouse is a long-ranged slide, a good
knock-down. The damage is good, but it is kinda slow coming out and
recovering, and on rare occasions it will leave the enemy standing (at
extreme long range). Use it only if you're sure it'll hit.
(Rolento spins his baton forward in a circular path about his waist for
multiple hits; he then repeats around the waist for more hits than swings
the spinning baton upward for the finishing hits, knocking his foe away)
Despite the fact that it does a max of 11 hits, the damage is not amazing.
Still, it is damage. This is his only easily comboed attack, and for the most
part that is all you should use it for. The recovery of the last spin is VERY
long, and it lunges Rolento forward with little push away, leaving him close
and open for a very big combo or Throw (bad news fighting the grapplers). The
last hit DOES have great priority over jumping attacks, however by the time
it comes out, the enemy will have already landed, so forget it. Use this move
carefully.
MEKONG DELTA ESCAPE:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento rolls backward, then leaps forward with an overhead baton strike as
in his J.Fierce)
The strength of punch for the roll determines the distance he rolls back
(Fierce he rolls away almost full screen, Strong a little over 1/2 screen
distance, and Jab a little under 1/2 distance), and the strength of punch for
the baton strike determines the arc he jumps in (Jab is a very high arc that
makes him land only a short distance away from where he started to leap, and
Strong makes him leap about 1/2 screen, and Fierce puts him almost a full
screen away from where he leaped).
Quite a useful defensive move. The roll backward is VERY fast (much faster
than Ken's Forward Roll), and the follow-up strike has decent priority and
speed. If it is blocked, it pushes the enemy back well enough to defend
against most counters, except of course ACs, and the occasional buffered SC.
This move has two good applications. You can roll out from under jumping in
opponents and quickly counter them with the baton strike, or you can use it
to avoid and counter lunging, slow-recovering attacks (eg. Gen's Rolling
Punch, Birdie's Jab or Strong Headbutt, or even SCs like Ken's Shoryureppa).
See tactics for more info.
MEKONG DELTA AIR RAID:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento leaps toward the side of the screen, then leaps off)
In many ways a more flexible version of Vega's Wall Dive from SF2. Once
Rolento bounces off the wall, you can control how far out he goes; holding
back after he bounces off will cause him to only jump a short distance ahead,
leaving the joystick neutral will cause him to dive in about mid-screen, and
holding forward will bring him to the other side of the screen. Note that
this is basically a big jump, since Rolento can perform any of his jumping
attacks after he bounces off the wall (meaning, he can also start jump-in
combos). A great all around move to confuse and aggravate the enemy with, its
greatest asset is speed. You can use it to avoid anticipated jump-ins, most
Special Moves and especially projectiles. Use it generally to confuse the
enemy and poke away at them from the air; if you're jumping attack connects,
you can usually go into a combo. See tactics for more info.
MEKONG DELTA ATTACK:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento performs a backflip, then rushes forward in a VERY fast roll)
Another great defensive tool; the strength of the single punch determines the
distance Rolento will roll. A good move if you anticipate a high projectile,
so that you backflip AS they pull back for the FB, and then fly under it with
the roll. Good for avoiding some low moves, but Rolento does not flip back
very far, so a lot of long-range moves may still snag 'em. Its greatest asset
is again the speed of the roll, so it is a good surprise attack.
STINGER:
^^^^^^^^
(Rolento leaps into the air with knives in his hand, then throws one down)
Any strength of kick initially will make him jump the same height, but the
next kick affects the angle of the knife; Short will make him throw very
close to him, Forward further ahead, and Roundhouse a little under full
screen distance. He's vulnerable before he throws the knife, and on the way
down as well, but this is a great keep-away move and if you anticipate it,
you can knock jumping opponents away with it. It's also a have-decent
projectile counter from mid-range, again if you can inticipate it. This move
is, however, best from a distance to keep the enemy away, that way they
cannot counter it if they block. NOTE: the enemy does NOT HAVE to block this
move; it is actually possible for the opponent to PUNCH OR KICK the knife out
of the air! They can also do this Special Moves (eg. DP), but it looks quite
annoying with a Jab or Short (for Rolento, I mean). If they do this
persistantly, a good tactic is to switch QUICKLY to the Air Raid, combo 'em,
then Taunt! :)
POGO HOP:
^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento stabs his baton into the ground and bounces far forward or backward)
A good way to get over projectiles or to surprise the opponent, it is even
less noticable initially then the Air Raid. Note that you can throw a jumping
attack during the hop, and it will often cross the enemy up at the right
range. A good way to get over some projectiles, and generally to surprise the
enemy.
POGO STAND:
^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento jabs his baton into the ground and balances on it briefly)
A good move to use up close ONLY if you anticipate a low attack, especially
sweep; you'll poke 'em in the foot! :)
POGO DROP:
^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento performs an airborne version of the Pogo Stand)
Not overly useful; if you can get RIGHT over the enemy's head, it will leave
you right in front of them, for a combo or Throw (if they blocked). A good
move after the Air Raid...
SHOULDER TOSS:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento grabs the enemy and tosses them over his shoulder across the screen)
GRENADE LAY:
^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento grabs the enemy, strings grenades around them, and hops off
exclaiming "FIRE!" as the enemy explodes)
IMO the grenade lay is a lot cooler, but if you're going for strategy, the
Shoulder Toss puts the enemy further away. Use the Jabs and Shorts up close
to tick for these (see tactics).
PUNCH AC; CIRCLE:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento blocks an opponent's attack and counters with the upward spin of the
Patriot Circle)
KICK AC; LEAP OVER:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento blocks the enemy's attack and flips over them)
The Punch AC is good against jumping attacks, however I find it a waste of
energy when you could have hit 'em with a S.Strong, S.Roundhouse, rolled from
under and countered with the Delta Escape, or nailed 'em with the Mine
Sweeper. The Kick AC is more useful, and actually worth using. If you're up
close and block an attack, use it. Then, follow with a C.Forward XX Patriot
Circle, C.Roundhouse or the Take No Prisoners SC if they have less than
lightning reflexes...
SUPER COMBO 1; TAKE NO PRISONERS:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento fires a spark along the ground, trailing a thin wire; if the spark
hits the enemy, one of Rolento's goons hoists them to the top of the screen
with the line, choking them. Rolento then releases them with an audible
"Twing!" sound)
A FUN Super Combo to use, but difficult to use. NEVER use the L1 of this SC,
firstly; it only travels a few steps and is SLOW. At L3 this SC becomes quite
useful; it travels quite fast nearly the whole screen. This is good for going
under high attacks, especially from about mid-range. The recovery is no good,
but the best thing about it is that it must be blocked LOW. So, a good tactic
is to follow a LOT of jump-ins with this, forcing them to remain standing...
SUPER COMBO 2; MINE SWEEPER:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(Rolento tosses a grenade, then rolls back, then tosses another, etc...)
You get one more grenade for every level used. At L3 the damage is quite good
and this is the more useful SC of the two. If blocked, it will drag the enemy
right to Rolento, giving them a chance to do whatever they wish; so above all
else make sure it connects. Its best application is against a jumping, and it
will grab them to juggle for ALL the hits. NOTE: start this move early in the
enemy's jump, because Rolento needs time to roll FIRST then drop the first
grenade. The Mine Sweeper can also take out select Lunging Special Moves (eg.
Dan's Gale Kick).
2. J.Roundhouse (or Delta Air Raid), C.Forward XX Patriot Circle
Comments: the only real combo Rolento has, the damage is kinda low, but hey,
it's damage. 13 hits. Alternately, you can jump in with Strong for
15 hits (about the same damage).
3. Stinger, S.Fierce
Comments: if you hit them low enough to the ground with the knife, you can
follow up with long-range moves. C.Fierce and C.Roundhouse also
work (haven't tried C.Forward XX Patriot Circle yet...)
Hit and run, that's what everyone says with Rolento. For the most part, this
is true; however you should note that against offensive opponents, it is best
that you go for MAXIMUM damage when you can, while still playing hit and run.
By far your best move in your fight will be the Mekong Delta Air Raid; it is
faster than your regular jump, and can be controlled to confuse the enemy.
For instance, if the enemy is any good at timing DPs as air counters, then do
a few Air Raids near them to get them into thinking you'll fall for a DP;
then, the next time you perform the Air Raid, hold B to land in front of them
and counter their whiffed DP! Keep mixing up the Air Raid as much as
possible, but always have your jumping attack ready do you can go into a
combo if it connects.
Against offensive opponents, the Air Raid is not as useful, but you should
use it a lot still, especially if they jump in a lot; perform the Air Raid
and hold back to avoid their incoming attack, and possibly counter. Of
course, the Mekong Delta Escape works well here too if you anticipate their
jump-in early enough. Stress the Delta Escape and the S.Strong as your
defensive maneuvers, and of course the Mine Sweeper SC. A good way to slow
down offensive opponents is with Rolento's great Kick SC; against enemies who
rush in from the ground, or tend to peck at you with kicks (eg. Adon), block
and flip behind them--as long as you don't do it too often, they will not
react fast enough to counter your easy follow-up. Another VERY useful
application of this AC is to counter CCs; the enemy has ABSOLUTELY nothing
they can do, since they keep walking forward from their CC. Try your own
quick CC here!
Against persistant FBers, you're in luck; there are many ways to counter
these annoyances. The Pogo Hop will go over many projectiles and frequently
land you behind the opponent for a quick hit, and if the enemy likes to
follow their projectiles in for pressure, the Mekong Delta Attack will fly
under them if you start early enough.
UP CLOSE: up close is not THE ideal place for Rolento strategically, but it
is workable. Your goal up close should be to hit the enemy as hard and safely
as possible, then retreat. The best ways to do this are with the C.Roundhouse
and Throws. When up close, stress the C.Short and the Jabs as ticks, and
throw a lot (either Throw will do). The C.Roundhouse allows you to setup a
follow-up faster, but is riskier to use. Note that if the opponent isn't real
fast, a backwards Pogo Hop can also bring you to safety, as can a Delta Air
Raid.
REVERSALS: on the occasion that you get knocked down, it is essential to get
on the move the SECOND you can get up, and possibly to hit the enemy as well.
The best way to do this is with one of his SCs; if the enemy attempts to
pressure you with a meaty jumping attack, buffer in the Mine Sweeper so that
you finish the motions JUST as he gets up, making a true reversal. If they
come in from the ground, especially if they throw a FB from a short distance
(i.e. Ryu!), buffer in the Take No Prisoners. If you do not have a level
charged, go for the Delta Escape or Air Raid to get out fast.
CCs: Rolento's CCs are more useful than most characters. They can sometimes
provide invulnerability at the right moments. The best place is if you're
jumping in and anticipate that the enemy will throw a REGULAR air counter
(eg. Ken' C.Fierce), activate the CC in mid-air just before you land and you
will usually slip right through their air counter! This also works when they
whiff an attack (of course), and frequently to catch them off guard even when
they've hit you (eg. after a jump-in).
MORE POKING TACTICS: try having some fun with the enemy to screw them up with
your jump-in, even if it's blocked. For instance, wether you hit the enemy
with an Air Raid J.Roundhouse or it is blocked (from max range), emmediately
perform a Pogo Hop as you land to cross 'em up!
Another good poking tactic is to jump in with your attack, then immediately
follow with the Delta Attack. Frequently this will avoid and counter an
attempted sac-throw, and even some mis-timed ACs. This also avoids the
infamous CC counter, i.e. hitting with the jumping attack and having them CC
right through the rest of your combo.
Make the enemy want to block high persistantly. Scare them into doing so with
lots of Mekong Delta Escapes and Air Raids, and when they're standing,
surprise 'em with a L3 Take No Prisoners!
Generally you want do use a LOT of confusion, and stress the Delta Air Raid;
if the enemy gets frustrated and starts trying desperately to hit you,
counter CALMLY and appriopriately--if they jump for you, use the Mine Sweeper
the next time you land from the Air Raid; if they try to counter from a short
distance with a regular attack, counter with the Take No Prisoners...
Generally not too difficult, especially if he uses his FB too much. Counter
the projectile appropriately with any of your jump-in moves, or that L3 Take
No Prisoners. You can take out his HK with the Mine Sweeper if you see it
coming, and otherwise the Delta Escape usually works. In the air you can
easily take him out with the J.Strong, and counter his jump-ins with any of
your various defenses. Try to confuse him with your peckings, because he can
Jab DP your attacks with ease if he has the timing down pat. Other than that,
be careful at mid-range for the Shinkuu-Hadouken, and the Vacuum Hurricane up
close (do NOT C.Roundhouse slide often!)
VS. KEN:
^^^^^^^^
As with Ryu, be careful with jumping in too much, because he has the DP and
the Shinryuken. Up close beware of throwing out moves randomly, because he
has the high-priority Shoryureppa. Counter his HK the same as Ryu's, and if
you block it, counter with a Throw, CC or Mine Sweeper. If you were hit by
it, try nonetheless for a Throw or Mine Sweeper, since the HK doesn't knock
down, and you may catch Ken by surprise. Another thing to watch out for up
close is the Ground Roll; he can cross you up and generally annoy you up
close with it; to counter an anticipated Roll, try the Delta Escape with Jab
(so that you hit him just in front of you--of course, this depends on what
strength of the Roll he uses as well.)
VS. CHUN LI:
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Watch for her Split Kick up close--don't slide too much. If she whiffs the
SBK, counter as best you can, of course. Up close she will peck you a lot
with the C.Forward, and if anticipated it can be countered with the Mekong
Delta Attack. Her Kikoken has a big start-up lag and therefore easy to see
coming, so counter with the Air Raid or the Pogo Hop and combo. If she jumps
a lot, counter with the Air Raid and meet her in the air with your jumping
attacks. Once she has a level charged, refrain from jumping (she can counter
with the Kikosho or Super SBK) and throwing too many regular attacks out
randomly (she can counter those with the TBK.)
VS. ADON:
^^^^^^^^^
Like Rolento, Adon is a poking, hit-and-run fighter. If you see him jump back
for the Jaguar Tooth, you can usually counter with the Delta Escape. If
you're up against the edge of screen, do the Air Raid instead. You can also
counter the Tooth with a Stinger if you know he'll land below you. You can
take out his Jaguar Kicks with the Mine Sweeper IF you know it's coming
(since there is a short lag before he does the grenades). In the air, he has
great priority and can hit you out of jump-ins as well, so stay mostly
defensive and play on his mistakes. If he throws out a lot of moves from a
distance, get over to him with the Pogo Hop, and remember, if he pecks you a
lot from mid-range with Jaguar Kicks, C.Forward and S.Roundhouse, counter
with your Kick AC. :) NOTE: when he has a level charged, refrain from
throwing out the Mekong Delta Attack, Delta Escape or even Pogo Hop or Air
Raid without a reason, because he can juggle you repeatedly with the Jaguar
Revolver SC.
VS. GUY:
^^^^^^^^
If Guy jumps a lot, he's easy to defeat. He has decent air-to-air priority,
but his long hang time makes it easy to set up a counter (eg. Air Raid, or
Mine Sweeper.) If he stays on the ground, he ca nbe exeedingly difficult.
Don't attack from the air often, he has great defenses. He will poke with
the S.Forward, and remember to use the AC in this case. Counter his slides
(the C.Roundhouse or Bushin Run+Slide) with the Delta Attack and keep him at
bay with the Stinger (he has little he can do from a distance to counter it.)
VS. DHALSIM:
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep away! That's what he'll do, but you can usually get over his keep-aways
with the Air Raid (hold F to travel over his S.Roundhouse, or other moves).
If he teleports a lot, fly around with the Air Raid to confuse him in his
attempts. Counter his Yoga Drills and Mummy with the Delta Escape (easy) or
the Mine Sweeper. If he throws an excess of regular attacks on the ground
from mid-range or closer, take him out with the L3 Take No Prisoners. And of
course, counter his annoying Yoga Fires with the appriopriate projectile
counter.
VS. GEN:
^^^^^^^^
If he plays in the Mantis Style, stay primarily defensive and poke with the
Air Raid; counter his jump-ins appropriately. Once he has a level charged,
don't throw out a lot of regular moves, 'cause he'll take 'em out with the
Omega Dash. In Crane Style, he can fly around a little bit (but not as
effectively) like you; meet him in the air with the Air Raid and Pogo Hop,
and if he does this often, counter with the Mine Sweeper. The Rolling Punch
can be countered with whatever you wish if blocked, and can be taken out by
a fast Take no Prisoners.
VS. SAKURA:
^^^^^^^^^^^
A bit like fighting Ryu, her biggest mistake is using her HK excessively,
especially the Roundhouse version. You can counter it with the Mine Sweeper
SC, or the Mekong Delta Escape. If you block her DP, counter as you wish, and
if you're REALLY fast, you can take out the Fierce version early during its
dash with the Take No Prisoners. Counter her FBs accordingly. Once she has a
level, watch the regular moves up close; she can take them out with her
Violent Dragon, and she can take out high moves with her HK super. However,
you can counter either of them with the Mekong Delta Escape if you anticipate
them.
VS. ROLENTO:
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Playing the mirror match, there will be a lot of air-to-air combat. :)
Basically, not much here to talk about that you don't already know; just try
to confuse him more!
VS. ZANGIEF:
^^^^^^^^^^^^
STAY AWAY! Also, don't use your Delta Escape as a pecking technique, 'cause
he can SPD or FAB if he blocks. He can Lariat you out of the air, so a VERY
useful jumping move is the Pogo Drop, as it hits high and on his head.
Basically, stay mostly defensive and wait for him to screw up, countering his
missed grabs with the best move you can at the time.
VS. CHARLIE:
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Counter his SBs appropriately, but bear in mind that he has exceptional
recovery, and may in fact be baiting you. Counter his regular moves from
mid-range with the Delta Escape and Delta Attack, and cross him up often with
the Air Raid. If you block his Crossfire Blitz, the best move is your Kick AC
to get behind him for major damage. If you are at mid-range and he throws
lots of SBs, counter with the L3 Take No Prisoners.
VS. BIRDIE:
^^^^^^^^^^^
Counter his Headbutts EARLY with the Delta Attack; the Delta Escape can work
too, though you may trade hits with the jumping attack. Peck with the Air
Raid a lot, but like Zangief, don't let him block from up close, or it's
Chain Grab time. From a distance watch for the Leaping Chain Grab if you
throw out moves randomly; bear in mind that if you anticipate it, you can
counter the Leaping Chain Grab with the Mine Sweeper. Don't use the Stinger
too often, 'cause he can counter a blocked one with a Headbutt.
VS. ROSE:
^^^^^^^^^
Quite a bitch, play defensively, and remember that her greatest weakness is
the Soul Spark; counter it appropriately. Don't jump too often, 'cause she
has the Soul Catch AND its SC version. Up close you're basically safe, and
counter her slide with the Delta Attack. If you do jump, cross her up with
the Pogo Hop or Air Raid. You can counter her high attacks, including the
Soul Spiral, with the Take No Prisoners (best with a L3.)
VS. SODOM:
^^^^^^^^^^
Watch for the S.Forward XX Power Bomb tick up close, and remember that his
Jigoku Scrapes have HIGH priority. Attack from the sky VERY high, and
crossing up, so he can't counter you with a Strong Scrape or SC Scrape. Evade
his kicks and even the Jab or Strong Jigoku Scrapes with the Mekong Delta
Escape; if you block one of the Scrapes, it's best to counter with the Kick
AC, and ALWAYS remember that you have a LOT of time to counter a blocked
Rug Burn. :)
VS. SAGAT:
^^^^^^^^^^
Don't jump in often, his defenses are a nightmare. From mid-range he'll peck
a lot with S.Forward--the only easy counter is the Kick AC... If he jumps in
counter appropriately, and note that, with anticipation, you can take out a
Tiger Knee with the Mine Sweeper. Up close be careful when he has a level
charged, especially with the slide; he can take it out easily with the Tiger
Raid or Genocide SCs. Alternately, you can counter these anticipated SCs with
the Delta Escape.
VS. AKUMA:
^^^^^^^^^^
Basically a pumped up version of Ryu, his Air FB is now easier to counter
with the Air Raid. You can also counter his Air Roll with the Mine Sweeper.
Of final note is the Raging Demon; once you block one of his moves,
especially the air FB or ground FB and he has a L3, GET A MOVE ON! He will
go for the Raging Demon! Remember as well to ALWAYS Safety Roll if he has a
L3 and has knocked you down; you may be able to counter the Raging Demon with
a Take No Prisoners reversal, but this takes GREAT timing. Other than that,
see Ken and Ryu for more vs. strategy.
VS. BISON:
^^^^^^^^^^
Don't really know.. no one plays this shitty character! Um... you can counter
the Scissor Kicks with the Delta Escape, other than that, counter his Psycho
Shots appropriately, and peck with the Air Raid.
VS. DAN:
^^^^^^^^
Heh, heh, Dan. Still, don't get too cocky with him. Counter his Gale Kick
with the Mine Sweeper, or Mekong Delta Escape, and peck with the Air Raid
high, so he cannot counter with the Koryuken. Once he has a level, watch out
up close for his Desperation SC!
Thanks to Capcom for a great game, and thanks to the following FAQ writers:
Dan Wells
Gene Leong
Tyler Oswald
and Sean Hoyles
For their great FAQs.
Also thanks to the guys over at the arcade for getting me started on the game
and convincing me to rent it (After reading the newsgroup's put-downs). Also
a Special Thanks to Jason Jamieson, who proved that Dhalsim's Teleport is a
REAL pain in the arse, and JD Baptie, who convinced me through force that
Ryu's FB traps are still disgustingly effective! ;-)
This and other FAQs can be accessed at my new homepage:
