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Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Wii U Rosalina & Luma.png

The lady of the stars have became a recurring character in the Mario series since her first appearance in Galaxy, and Rosalina makes her debut as a fighter in the fourth iteration of Smash Bros. Rosalina's most obvious feature is her Luma, which she can command to assist her in attacks or strike from a distance. With intelligent control of the Luma, Rosalina can set up deadly combos and create devious traps to keep foes on their toes. However, Rosalina herself is no slouch when it comes to fighting alone. With plenty of quick attacks, all of which possess awesome reach and disjoints, great evasive options as well as one of the best recoveries in the game, Rosalina can hold her own just fine without the help of Luma. Rosalina and Luma is one of the best characters to choose if you like calculated, strategic play. Once you get past the moderate learning curve, Rosalina and Luma is one of the most flexible and creative characters in the game.

Basic Attributes[edit]

Rosalina is one of the tallest characters in the game. Unfortunately, she is also one of the lightest, near the extreme end of the lightweight spectrum, which hampers her survivability. Rosalina's speed on the ground is pretty average. Her aerial performance is standard for a lightweight, having floaty jumps and good lateral air speed. Rosalina has some really good dodges. They are both moderately fast and turns Rosalina invisible briefly, so using multiple dodges is good for confusing your foes. Rosalina is one of the few characters that can crawl, even though her crawling animation is quite odd. Due to Rosalina's height, you won't be evading much by crawling, so this feature is pretty pointless on Rosalina.

The Luma Mechanic[edit]

Rosalina is always accompanied by Luma, who helps her out in battle. Good use of the Luma is crucial in using Rosalina optimally, so it's worth understanding how Luma works.

Whenever Rosalina attacks, Luma will attack with a move of its own depending on the attack used, regardless of the Luma's position. However, the Luma won't attack if you use a grab or a throw, as well as when wielding held items such as the Beam Sword. When next to Rosalina, her attacks will usually combo into the Luma's to extra damage and knockback. Rosalina is even reliant on Luma for some of her moves, such as Star Bits. The Luma can also provide added protection, blocking enemy attacks including projectiles. Luma can still attack when Rosalina is stunned, asleep or grabbed, so its great for interrupting combos.

Rosalina can separate herself from the Luma to strike foes remotely and control stage positions. Her primary way of separating from the Luma is with Luma Shot and its variants. The Luma might also be separated after being hit. Once away from Rosalina, Luma will still follow Rosalina's orders regardless of range. You can make Luma change the direction it is facing using any sideways attack in the direction you want, like Side Smash or Star Bits. When not using an attack, the Luma will slowly hop toward Rosalina. Incidentally, the Luma will automatically separate from Rosalina when she is healed. Keep this in mind if you're using Auto-Healer or other similar types of equipment.

Although Luma can keep Rosalina safe, he is pretty poor on the defensive front, being unable to shield or dodge enemy attacks. Luma will still take damage and knockback in most situations when hit by enemies. The Luma has a hidden health bar, and he will pop out of existence upon having his health depleted. Luma can also, and will often, die from falling off the stage. This is usually the result of being launched past the edge by an enemy attack. Whenever a Luma is KO'd, it takes around 13 second for Rosalina to summon a new one.


Moveset Analysis[edit]

Standard Attacks

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) 2 button(+2 button2 button2 button) Wand Twirl Rosalina hits two times with her wand, then twirls it continuously and does one final strike when the button is released. For Luma, he will do a punch, a kick, a spin attack and then lunge forward for the finisher. A pretty decent standard attack, it comes out fast and traps foes with its continuous combo pretty well. You can use it as a pretty safe poke or to rack up damage due to its relative speed. Note that Luma will move forward slightly while using the move. If he is close by, you can knock foes from Rosalina into Luma's attack, doing additional damage.
A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) A button(+A buttonA buttonA button) A button(+A buttonA buttonA button)
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button (Left nunchuk or Right nunchuk)+A button (Left dpad or Right dpad)+2 button Galaxy Sweep Rosalina does a sweep kick along the floor. Luma will do a stronger roundhouse kick sideways. As Rosalina, this is a pretty good move to use at close to mid range due to its disjointed hitbox. This means that Rosalina can safely attack enemies with the tip of the move and often remain safe from any counterattacks if spaced properly. Luma's roundhouse is a bit slow, probably to help both Strong Side Attacks connect when he is next to Rosalina. It isn't too bad when using it as Luma alone, as it does moderate knockback and has surprising reach.
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button (Left control or Right control)+A button (Left cpad or Right cpad)+A button
Up lstick+A button Up nunchuk+A button Up dpad+2 button Rising Ring Rosalina sends planetary rings upward to attack aerial foes. Luma will do an upward headbutt which is stronger at the start. This move is an awesome anti-air due to the reach granted by the rings. As Rosalina doesn't extend any part of her body while sending out the rings, she remains safe from enemies that attempt to counterattack from above. It can also be used to juggle or set up air combos at low percentages. However, note that the move strikes too high up to affect grounded foes, unless you have Luma nearby. Luma's Strong Up Attack can hit grounded foes, and is stronger than Rosalina's if you can land the early sweetspot. When both fighters are close, the attack will combo into itself for more damage and knockback. When Luma is away, he can use it as a fairly good anti-air as well.
Up lstick+A button Up control+A button Up cpad+A button
Down lstick+A button Down nunchuk+A button Down dpad+2 button Galactic Poke Rosalina kicks downward, sending a spark off the tip of her feet. Luma will lunge diagonally downward. Like most of Rosalina's ground attacks, this move is fast and comes with good reach as well, with the sparkles extending Rosalina's range slightly. You can use it to poke or space opponents and remain moderately safe due to its speed and range. This attack is pretty useful for edgeguarding when you have Luma positioned offstage, as Luma can lunge below the ledge and strike recovering enemies.
Down lstick+A button Down control+A button Down cpad+A button
A button while dashing A button while dashing 2 button while dashing Crescent Strike Rosalina bends down, then tackles the opponent and hits them upwards. Luma will do the same maneuver. This move has really neat knockback that launches opponents up just enough to start air combos. However, it requires a fair bit of commitment from Rosalina, and leaves you vulnerable to attacks and grabs when its shielded. You can use certain attacks and throws to set this attack up if you want. When you're separate from Luma, use this move to make Luma quickly advance in your chosen direction whenever you need to quickly reposition him.
A button while dashing A button while dashing A button while dashing
A button while hanging A button while hanging 2 button while hanging Rosalina gets up and kicks.
A button while hanging A button while hanging A button while hanging

Smash Attacks

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
Smash (Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button Smash (Left nunchuk or Right nunchuk)+A button (Left dpad or Right dpad)+1 button+2 button Cosmic Blast Rosalina bends forward and shoots a galaxy from her wand to knock foes sideways. Luma foes a hard punch forward. The move can be angled up or down, which affects its damage and knockback minutely. This attack is Rosalina's best KO move due to its high knockback, and its great reach helps you land it when it matters. The attack has a bit of startup delay, so you can't use it mindlessly. Save it for openings when you can punish hard, or use it to strike recovering foes with its ranged hitbox. Even when Luma is alone, the attack still hits pretty hard, and can function as a surprise long-range KO move.
Smash (Left lstick or Right lstick)+A button Smash (Left control or Right control)+A button Smash (Left cpad or Right cpad)+A button
Smash Up lstick+A button Smash Up nunchuk+A button Up dpad+1 button+2 button Wand Launcher Rosalina bends back and swipes with her wand. Luma performs a moderately powerful uppercut. This attack is another one of Rosalina's KO move. While it lacks the range and power of Side Smash, it makes it up with sheer speed. This is a very useful move for punishing mistakes or to take advantage of minor openings, especially since you can use it out of a dash. Luma's version of the move is a bit slower, but still serves as an adequate upward KO move from a distance, and can also be used for anti-air.
Smash Up lstick+A button Smash Up control+A button Smash Up cpad+A button
Smash Down lstick+A button Smash Down nunchuk+A button Down dpad+1 button+2 button Orbit Kick Rosalina kicks both sides around her, hitting with small galaxies. Luma also kicks both sides, but in the opposite direction of Rosalina's kicks. This move is quite fast and hits both sides, making it great for punishing roll spamming. You can also use it on reaction to strike foes away or to set up edgeguards by sending them off the stage. With Luma, you can potentially combo the move into Luma's at close range for extra damage. When used on Luma alone, it as the same purpose as Rosalina's, but it is slightly slower and not as strong.
Smash Down lstick+A button Smash Down control+A button Smash Down cpad+A button

Air Attacks

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png 2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Spiral Galaxy Rosalina spins 270 degrees clockwise with stardust at her feet. Luma kicks in both directions. This attack has a fairly long duration, but you can still control Rosalina's lateral movement during the attack. Like many of her moves, Neutral Air has a disjointed hitbox at the tip, meaning that you can safely poke at foes if you space the move correctly. This move is adequate in both aerial interception as well as air-to-ground assault, as it is fast, has amazing range and has nice priority when spaced well. With Luma, his double kicks can knock foes pretty far sideward, making it a good choice for self-defense or edgeguarding.
A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Right lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Stardust Summersault Rosalina kicks upward with her feet covered in cosmic particles. Luma lunges forward. This move is similar to her Neutral Air, but a bit stronger. Rosalina moves anti-clockwise now, which makes it slightly harder to hit grounded foes with the later portion of the attack. Again, this move has a disjoint as well as a fair amount of damage and knockback, making it good for general aerial combat.
Right lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Right cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Left lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Backward Galaxy Rosalina kicks backward with stardust on her feet. Luma also kicks backward. Like all of Rosalina's air attacks, this move is quick, has good reach and a nice disjoint to keep Rosalina safe when the move is spaced well. Use this for harder, single strikes, such as when you're trying to get foes away or hit them offstage during an edgeguard. The attack works fine whether Luma is close by or not, although it is a bit hard to hit using Luma's move alone.
Left lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Left cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Up lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Airborne Rings Rosalina sends planetary rings to hit foes above her. Luma does a summersault. This move is pretty much Rosalina's Strong Up Attack in the air, with nice speed, power and reach. You can use this to juggle enemies or as an anti-air when they are high up. Use this in conjunction with Rosalina's good air speed to pressure characters trying to land. You can do extra damage if Luma is nearby.
Up lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Up cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png
Down lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down nunchuk+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down dpad+2 buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Meteor Ring Rosalina strikes at opponents below with planetary rings. Luma kicks downward. This move will do a meteor smash at the very beginning, which becomes sideways knockback after a while. Luma's attack always sends foes sideways. It is a fairly safe offstage edgeguard due to the disjoint, although it is slightly difficult to land the meteor smash, since you need to be much closer to your target. Nevertheless, the sideways knockback of the later hits of the move is still good enough for edgeguarding. For Luma, this is one of the strongest attacks you can use while separated from Rosalina. When hovering above an abyss, you can use this move as a potent edgeguard, sending opponents further from the ledge with each hit.
Down lstick+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down control+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png Down cpad+A buttonArcade-Modifier-Air.png

Throws

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
A button after grab A button after grab 2 button after grab Wand Bash Rosalina hits the grabbed foe with her wand. This is one of the faster pummels in the game and it racks up damage pretty well. Use it a few times every time you grab an opponent once they are at mid percentages or above to do additional minor, guaranteed damage.
A button after grab A button after grab A button after grab
Right lstick after grab Right nunchuk after grab Right dpad after grab Whirling Wand Rosalina spins the grabbed foe around and launches them forward. At low percentages, the move can lead to follow-ups like Dash Attack. However, it is a bit redundant with Down Throw when it comes to starting combos, as Down Throw does the same damage, but has weaker knockback and better trajectory for easy follow-ups. At higher percentages, use it as a standard sideways throw to reposition foes or get them offstage.
Right lstick after grab Right control after grab Right cpad after grab
Left lstick after grab Left nunchuk after grab Left dpad after grab Backward Whirling Wand Rosalina spins the grabbed for around and launches them backward. This throw does the most damage and knockback out of all of Rosalina's throws, although it is only slightly stronger than Forward Throw. It is pretty much Forward Throw in the opposite direction, just not as good for early combos and much better for setting up edgeguards.
Left lstick after grab Left control after grab Left cpad after grab
Up lstick after grab Up nunchuk after grab Up dpad after grab Counter Gravity Rosalima hurls the grabbed foe upward. This throw does weak upward knockback, perfect for starting juggles. You'll be using this throw a lot at low percentages as an easy combo starter. At mid-high percentages, you can also use this to set up stronger moves like an Up Smash by reacting to your opponent's response after being thrown.
Up lstick after grab Up control after grab Up cpad after grab
Down lstick after grab Down nunchuk after grab Down dpad after grab Crater Impact Rosalina slams the grabbed foe into the ground, knocking them diagonally upward. Being a Down Throw, it has great combo potential. Although it does more knockback than Up Throw at low percentages, you have a lot more options to follow up the throw with. It also does more damage. Like Up Throw, use this often when you get a grab on a low percentage opponent to ensure extra hits.
Down lstick after grab Down control after grab Down cpad after grab

Special Attacks[edit]

Control Attack Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
B button B button 1 button Luma Shot Rosalina fires Luma forward, hitting foes that get in Luma's way. The attack can be charged to increase Luma's power and travel distance. Luma becomes invincible while travelling if the move is fully charged. Use it again when Luma's far away to call him back to you. This is one of Rosalina and Luma's bread and butter moves, used to position Luma away from yourself, letting you use him to affect distant foes or to control parts of the stage from a distance. However, while you do gain more stage control by doing so, you make Luma and yourself more vulnerable to attacks, since he can't block attacks for you and might be knocked over the edge and perish. It can also be used as a KO move if fully-charged, although you'll most likely land it on recovering opponents, who can't retaliate while you're charging the attack.
B button B button B button
Luma Warp Rosalina makes Luma teleport a set distance ahead. Luma will do minor damage and cause flinching at the moment it reappears. This is the speed variant of Luma Shot, and it is certainly fast enough for surprise Luma attacks. Your foes will have much less time to react compared to the other special variants, as Luma will move to his destination instantaneously instead of over time. Although you can't change the distance forward Luma warps, you can still get him anywhere you need him to be with some good positioning. The main tradeoff of this move is its low power, so you can't use Luma as a moderately strong projectile anymore.
Power Luma Shot Rosalina launches Luma forward with concentrated force. Luma travels slower, but has more power and stays spinning longer. The main benefit of this move is not its increased power, although it is quite potent when charged up, but its long duration. Since Luma travels really slowly, you basically have a lingering projectile that opponents have to watch out for, effectively granting you some additional stage presence. However, the move's long duration is also its greatest drawback, as you will have to fight without Luma until he stops moving. Positioning Luma is harder due to the reduced speed, and you have less flexibility when fighting separately as well.
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+B button (Left nunchuk or Right nunchuk)+B button (Left dpad or Right dpad)+1 button Star Bits Rosalina commands Luma to shoot three Star Bits, hitting foes nearby. The move and its variants have no effect without Luma. This is a decent projectile that is quick and does a good amount of damage, even though it doesn't boast a lot of range. It still has enough to disrupt opponents at mid-range, and its range can be manipulated by changing the position of the Luma. Use it often to pressure or poke at enemies just out of range of Luma's normal attacks. You can also use it to harass offstage opponents.
(Left lstick or Right lstick)+B button (Left control or Right control)+B button (Left cpad or Right cpad)+B button
Floaty Star Bit Rosalina commands Luma to fire one large Star Bit. The Star Bit travels slowly and doesn't do a lot of damage, but lasts quite long. It also does not disappear after hitting a foe. You can't fire another floaty star bit until a previous one expires. The purpose of this variant is for area denial, being quite big and restricting your foes' options for approaching you. It's made more for direct combat, as you can use it to disrupt enemies trying to fight you up close. It is worse than the other star bits for general harassment and damage dealing, since it can't be spammed as well.
Shooting Star Bit Rosalina commands Luma to shoot a single Star Bit straight ahead. This move is a great projectile that sacrifices damage per use for significantly enhanced distance. It is the best at disrupting and annoying your foes, since it is both fast and travels far, so you can use it without much commitment to rack up damage bit by bit. It doesn't have as much stopping power as the other star bits, but it fits Rosalina's defensive and strategic playstyle really well, preventing you from being zoned out by other strong keepaway characters and forcing characters in general to approach you.
Up lstick+B button Up nunchuk+B button Up dpad+1 button Launch Star Rosalina launches herself upward using a Launch Star, after which she enters a helpless freefall. The move does no damage, but travels a long distance and can be angled to alter her trajectory. Rosalina has one of the best recoveries in the game, and it is all because of this move. Its sheer distance, speed and flexible trajectory will ensure that you always make it back to the stage with good angling and timing. It is also one of the few recoveries that doesn't necessarily require you to aim for the ledge, as you can still remain safe by launching yourself on to the stage over and behind opponents waiting at the ledge.
Up lstick+B button Up control+B button Up cpad+B button
Launch Star Plus Rosalina launches herself upward using a more powerful Launch Star. The move launches Rosalina faster, but her direction cannot be changed, being set at the most vertical angle. Not the best variant, as its speed doesn't really compensate for the loss in control. You must aim to recover more vertically instead of horizontally, and you can't choose to soar on stage away from your foes like you can with the default Launch Star, which further limits the move's versatility. However, its increased speed makes it less likely to be intercepted by edgeguarders while recovering, which may come in handy against players that are really aggressive offstage.
Launch Star Attack Rosalina kicks enemies as she is launched from a Launch Star, but travels less distance. The first few hits trap foes and combo into the final strike. This variant is a bit iffy, since it doesn't really fulfill any niches for roles that Rosalina lacks. It's not very good for combos or damage dealing as it leaves Rosalina helpless after the move, and it isn't strong enough to KO either. You may want to use this if you don't think you need the distance provided by the default Launch Star, and the attack could be used against edgeguarders and earn you a potential KO if they rebound off the stage from your attack.
Down lstick+B button Down nunchuk+B button Down dpad+1 button Gravitational Pull Rosalina spins her wand, sucking in nearby items and projectiles. She will take possession of any items and projectiles she receives. Enemies in the path of a gravitating item or projectile can be hit by the moving object. The move stalls Rosalina's fall the first time it is used midair. This is a good utility move that negates general projectile zoning and helps greatly when you need to grab an important item. With good timing, you can neutralize anything thrown or shot at you and potentially use it against your opponents. Use this generally for defense and whenever there is a desirable item nearby.
Down lstick+B button Down control+B button Down cpad+B button
Catch & Release Rosalina creates a vacuum that only sucks in other players, ending the move with an explosion to knock foes away. The move has no effect on items or projectiles. While it is certainly more useful than Gravitational Pull when playing against enemies that lack projectiles or with item spawning disabled, the attack doesn't really come in handy often either. The move has a problematic delay before the explosion occurs, and it is neither strong enough to KO or weak enough to combo. It could be used to knock away foes that are too close for comfort, but the vacuum effect of the move may only draw in attacking enemies closer.
Guardian Luma Rosalina commands Luma to grow and spin. The Luma will protect Rosalina from attacks when close by and does a weak attack of his own. Luma himself will not take damage from attacks or be knocked back during the move. Rosalina can still pull in items with this move, but its area of effect is reduced. Although the move is meant to protect Rosalina, you are more likely to use it as a form of defense for Luma, since it renders him invincible during the move. This is especially if you are separated from Luma and need to prevent it from getting knocked into the abyss. The attacking part of the move is also quick and can surprise foes. Even though Guardian Luma retains some of Gravitational Pull's functionality, its radius is reduced so much that it is pretty pointless to draw items in with it.

Taunts

Control Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller Wii Remote + Nunchuk Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller GameCube Controller Nintendo 3DS
Up dpad 1 button Up dpad+A button Rosalina hovers and spins around. Luma emulates Rosalina's spinning.
Up dpad Up dpad Up dpad
(Left dpad or Right dpad) 1 button+2 button A button Rosalina twirls her wand in circles. Luma does a backflip.
(Left dpad or Right dpad) (Left dpad or Right dpad) (Left dpad or Right dpad)
Down dpad 2 button Down dpad+A button Rosalina waves her wand around while bending back. Luma does a little dance.
Down dpad Down dpad Down dpad

Final Smash - Power Star[edit]

Rosalina creates a giant Power Star and places it above her. Smaller stars radiate from the Power Star and can hurt enemies. After a set duration, the Power Star undergoes a meltdown, knocking away nearby opponents with high knockback. Foes that touch the Power Star will be trapped and hit multiple times, before being caught in the Power Star's explosion. Fittingly for Rosalina and Luma, their Final Smash involves positioning and stage control more than overwhelming power and speed. The Power Star seems a bit weak in comparison to other Final Smashes, since it is completely stationary, its area of effect is relatively small, and it is much weaker if opponents aren't caught at the center. However, Rosalina and Luma can move around and attack during the Final Smash, so enemies have to contend with the character as well as the Power Star that's taking up plenty of space and throwing out countless projectiles. The most obvious use of this move is to use it to cover much of an often traversed part of the stage, then running around and hitting foes into the Power Star to maximize damage and knockback. You can also hunt down opponents heavily injured from the Power Star and finish them off with your smash attacks. Note that Rosalina and Luma does not have any form of invincibility or super armor while the Power Star is active, so your foes can still fight back.