Melty Blood/MBAACC/Roa/Crescent Moon

Additional resources

Be sure to check this article about C-Roa: Meltybits-C-roa

Players to watch/ask

JP: Redmelon
NA: Shana

Overview

Strengths Weaknesses

*Strengths	Suffocating pressure that is almost inescapable Above average speed One of the biggest and fastest heat activations in the game Orbs which are incredibly versatile and getting even one out in a match could mean the end Access to a nearly full screen whiff punish tool in 236c
Weaknesses	Most of his normals are average to below average Although he has many reversal options, none of them are particularly good Character has some problems with aggressive characters if he doesn't have an orb present on the screen

C-Roa is considered one of the strongest characters in Current Code right below F-Hime. Sporting some of the most powerful special moves in the game, including his infamous orbs which have incredibly fast start up, air unblockable when blowback edged (similar to increasing a move in UNIST), can be confirmed at most ranges, and grant massive frame advantage on block. Outside of his orbs, he sports above average ground and air speed, a myriad of reversals, and solid albeit average normals. All of these traits create a character truly worthy of the community given nickname of “War Crime”. Although he is extremely strong, he does require a lot of practice to play well as his combos and are pretty difficult so be ready to spend a lot of time in training mode.

General Gameplan

Do what you need to do to extrapolate on the character. Here are example categories below.

Combos

Normal Combos

2AA/5AA 5B 2B 5C(2) 2C 5A 6C j.BC dj.BC airthrow (4187)

Metered Combos

2AA/5AA 5B 2B 5C(2) 6C 236C (66) 2C 6C jBC jBC throw (4664)

Midscreen/corner.

2AA/5AA 5B 2B 5C(2) 6C 236C (66) 2C 6C 22C > jump/iad > jBC/2B (4036)

leads to 3-way mixup (high/low + crossup)

Orb Setup Combos

Combos which end with your opponent on top of, or near an orb.

2A 2B 5B 5C(2) 2C xx 214A/B/C

Meterless, chargeless, orb setup. Use 214A to place the orb infront of them, 214B to place it on them, and 214C to place it behind them. 214B is good for setting off a meaty orb from a safe distance for completely safe okizeme. 214C orbs are good for pushing opponents into the corner: if you get them to block a meaty on wakeup you can push them to the orb with a block sting, set it off and reset your blockstring to push them further or go for a tickthrow.

2A 2B 5B 5C(2) 236A xx 214B/C xx 236C (2C) 6C j.BC dj.BC throw

Corner only, requires 100% meter. This combo airthrows the opponent onto an orb in the corner, you can then set the orb off and rush back in; or combine it with the corner trap and rushback in with an orb to spare.

2A 2B 5B 5C(2) 2C 5AA 6C 22C(4L+) 214B/C 22C

Requires at least four 22A charges. Orb setup from anywhere on the screen. 214B drops them slightly infront of/on the orb; 214C drops the orb behind them.

2A 2B 5B 5C(2) 2C *delay* 6C 214A(!) 214B(!) 22C 214A/B/C

A and B are used as an example, the actual orbs used don't matter. Pretty useless as it requires the opponent to be on top of two orbs when you sweep them with 2C; and having them be ontop off an orb is what we were trying to accomplish to begin with.

Advanced Combos

Special notations:
(!) : Set off laid orb
(xL): x number of 22A charges in gauge

~2C 5AA 6C 22C(4L) 214B 2C (pick up) 6C delay 214B(!) sj8.BC dj.BC airthrow

~2C 6C (slight delay) j.C dc j.C delay 214A/B/C(!) 22C

Best for an orb set on the ground in the corner on the ground or the highest possible point above. After the jump cancel, even if you hit with a charge of 4 or above, the follow up is sensitive. If you are at the end of the screen, ~236C JC dc JC (delay explosion) 22C, leaving out a jump cancel.

214C 2C 2B j.C dc j.C delay 214C(!) 22C

Use on V Sion, Mecha, Kishima, and Arc

※If you don't delay 2C -> 2B, you may whiff 2B so be careful. If you do hit, it's the basic speed for the rest; you only need to delay the explosion.

～2C 5C(2)214B(!) 214C(!) 22C 2A (pick up)

Hit confirm requires that you have at least 2 orbs out and a charge of 1.

~236C (2C) 5C(2) 214B(!) 214C(!)~

2A 5B 2B 5C(2) 2C 5AA 6C 22C (4L) ->　214B 2B j8.C (dc) j.C delayed 214B(!) 22C

Use on Roa, Shiki, Ries, Wara, Akiha, Ciel, Len, VAkiha, and Miyako

214C 2B j.C (dc) j.C delayed 214C(!) 22C

Use on Sion and Ciel

214C 2C 2B NJC (dc) delay 214C(!) 22C

Use on Satsuki, Kohaku, and Aoko.

※ All omitted but 2C -> 2B

～ 2C 5AA 6C 22C 214C 2C (pick up) 6C j.C (dc) j.C Delayed 214C(!) 22C

This combo is hard to do on some characters. Especially on Satsuki, Miyako, Ciel and Aoko. You'll need to devise various timings for the 2C -> 5A delay depending on the distance.

Move Descriptions

Normal Moves

2A

2A	Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 300 - 75% - HL First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 4 4 8 0 3.0% - The normal of choice for Roa’s extended staggers and a good normal for tick throws. Like his 5A, it’s a bit stubby so it’s not that great for abare.

5A

5A

Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 300 - 75% - HL First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 4 4 8 0 3.0% - Whiff cancelable. Kinda stubby, and the outer hitbox will whiff on most crouchers. The inner hitbox is great for staggers and tick throws, and when further out the move is solid for reverse beating into as well as catching jump outs. It doesn’t push Roa very far away so it’s useful for the anti-hmoon bunker OS and since it hits crouchers you can use the anti-heat OS when resetting your pressure.

2B

2B	Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 550 - 80% - L First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 7 6 14 -5 6.0% - Another decent normal that can be used to follow up 22C(0) at distance, when spaced properly it will beat out most 5As, but it will lose to 2A mash.

5B

5B	Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 550 - 80% - HL First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 8 5 13 -3 5.5% - Mid with an exceptionally long reverse beat window. It can be whiff canceled into for staggers and can be used after 22C(0) at distance to continue blockstrings as it will beat out most 2As.

2C

2C

Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 900 - 55% - L First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 8 11 13 -6 9.0% - Hard knockdown. A solid 2C that slides Roa forward and has a small disjoint, it’s useful to call out jump outs due to causing hard knockdown and having a hitbox that extends rather high up. Helps Roa establish presence in pressure outside of 2B range. Can be used as abare to challenge characters able to pressure outside of the range of 2A as it is relatively quick and since it moves him forward so much covers a large amount of ground. The disjoint will cause it to beat out a number of normals, like Nero’s 2B before frame 13 and F Nanaya’s 5B, and its relatively low startup lets Roa contest more than he would otherwise be able to. Good places to look to use it as abare are after a Reverse Beat into 2A/5A when you think they are going to follow up by poking to try to catch a jump, pokes after moves that are neutral or minus, such as F-Sion using 236A 2B, or when your opponent is using repeated non-disjointed pokes. Keep in mind though, while it’s quick and moves him quite a ways, it will still get blown up by big disjointed normals such as Warachia 2C, C Nero 5C and the like.

5C

5C

Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 400, 550 - 80%, 90% - HL, HL First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 8 3 (10) 7 14 -3, -3 4.0%, 5.5% - 2 kicks that hit mid. Really you should always be canceling before the second hit on block, as the first hit getting ex blocked will usually result in the second hit whiffing and you dying. On top of that people can bunker out between the two hits. That’s not to say that the second hit is useless, 5C(2) is difficult to get over due to its height and covers a large area while active as it covers 2 sprite states over 7 active frames. Additionally it moves Roa forward quite a ways, so it can be used as a sort of way to get back in after getting pushed out by your pressure while throwing out a hitbox that will challenge attempts to escape. It’s situational for sure, but in conjunction with plus specials like 236[A]>22A and 236C, you can use 5C(1) whiff to some strong results.

6C

6C

Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 1000 - 55% - HL First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 11 5 16 -3 10.0% - Reverse Beatable mid command normal. Solid for calling out jump outs from too far out to use 5A, and more reliable than 2C or 5C due to hitting higher up. Generally, when using it to poke like this, cancel into 22C when farther out to get a hard knockdown on hit and plus frames on block, and 5a when a bit closer to whiff cancel back into your blockstring or confirm into 22C on hit. One strong example of this kind of tool is distanced 5C(1) reverse beat 5A whiff cancel 6C>22C, which is a solid way to spending 1-3 22A charges to reset pressure.

j.A

j.A	Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 250 - 75% - HL First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 5 4 - - 2.5% - Roa’s go to air to air, it’s quick and can be canceled into itself, letting you confirm or air tick throw. You can use it to cancel your forward airdashes while running away to get to the ground quicker.

j.B

j.B

Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 700 - 90% - H First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 6 7 - - 7.0% - Roa’s usual jump outside of the corner as it won’t push the opponent out nearly as much as J.C on block. It’s active for 7 frames so you can use it somewhat early when you are jumping in so you don’t run the risk of being airthrown. Used as an air to air for opponents under you.

j.C

j.C

Damage Red Damage Proration Cancel Guard 950 - 90% - H First Active Active Recovery Frame Adv Circuit Invuln 7 4 - - 9.5% - Used heavily in IAD shenanigans as its long reach and ability to link into 2B lets Roa combo off airdash back J.C, which plays a large part in his mixups and okizeme. Another solid air to air for opponents under you, but since it’s less active than J.B its less useful for scrambles.

Special Moves

Name 「JP name」 - 22ABC (Description) - Charges up a lightning bolt, or releases it. If the charge would go over 9, it's treated as 22C instead (i.e. doesn't add charges, just releases lightning). (A version) - Charges up +1. Hold to continue charging. (B version) - Charges up +3. Cannot be held. (EX version) - Releases the lightning, expending all charges. There are actually two counters for charges: Visible: The number of charges, as displayed on the screen. If you'd end up at more than 9 charges, lightning is released. Recovery frames are reduced with more charges. At 4+, it sets off your orbs. At exactly 6, the lightning circuit breaks and deals less damage than normal, it also has 1 frame longer startup. Knocks down if hidden charges <5 (at least one B-charge), else launches (6 A-charges). At 7+, it tracks the opponent. Hidden: The number of times charges have been added. All A-version charges count fully, but B-version charges count the number of times the move was used, so each use counts as 1 instead of 3. Increases damage. At 0-3, airborne opponents will be knocked down. At 1+, launches grounded opponents. (At 0, it only knocks them back.). At 3+, launches grounded opponents higher. At 4+, the launch is untechable. Airborne opponents will bounce up instead of going down. (If visible=6, airborne opponents start bouncing at 5+.) At 5+, the bolt comes out two frames earlier (-2 startup, +2 recovery). This even applies to the Circuit Break bolt's +17. At 6+, it is air unblockable. At 9, it has a larger (4/3x) hitbox. This even applies to the Circuit Break bolt. Frame advantage (compared to 0 charges) At 0 charges, advantage is +2. v1-3: -6 recovery. v4-6: -8 recovery. v7-9: -10 recovery. Visible charges 22B used 0 1 2 3 0 1000, +2 - - - 1 1300, +14 - - - 2 1500, +14 - - - 3 1700, +14 1200, +14 - - 4 2000, +16 1500, +16 - - 5 2200, +14 1700, +16 - - 6 (break) 2000, +15 1500, +17 1200, +17 - 7 2800, +16 2200, +16 1700, +18 - 8 3100, +16 2600, +16 2000, +18 - 9 3500, +16 2800, +16 2200, +16 1700, +18

「」 - 236ABC (Description) - Lightning stab. (A version) - Cancels into 22A/B/C and 214A/B/C. (B version) - Can be held for extra damage. Cancels into 22A/B/C. (EX version) -

「」 - 623ABC (Description) - ...

「」 - 214ABC (Description) - Sets an orb. Use again to shoot lightning from it. One orb per button (up to three). Can be held to set a bigger orb. Disappears after some time. Ground - A/B/C sets the orb near/mid/far. The lightning shoots up. Air - Sets the orb right in front. Can be tiger-kneed. The lightning shoots forward. When lightning is shot from 22A/B/C with at least 4 visible charges, all orbs trigger. Grounded version can be cancelled into 22A/B/C. j.214[X] can be cancelled into j.214X.

Arc Drive

「」 (Description) - AD description

Another Arc Drive

「」 (Description) - AAD description

Last Arc

「」 (Description) - LA description. Mention where it is activated (air or ground shield) first.