Roll: Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Moves, Combos, Strategy Guide

Last updated on May 18, 2010

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Guide by Nyoronoru

Character Overview

Roll is an unusual character in the cast of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. She is a very capable character with unique ground combos and juggles. She is also good as a team character.

While your opponents may scratch their head when you pick Roll, you can definitely play her competitively, although it's not very easy.

The key to winning with Roll is the knockdown. Try to get as many as possible, and try to hold your opponent on the ground for as long as you can. Characters that can assist Roll with knockdown such as Casshan and Yatterman-1 are her best teammates.

• Strengths •
+ Undisputed champion of un-megacrashable, on-the-ground damage.
+ Hard to hit when crouched due to her small hitbox.
+ One of the best projectiles in the game.
+ Broom acts as a disjointed hitbox.
+ All of her Hypers are viable.
+ One of two characters in the game who can restore health through a Hyper move.
+ A deceptive dash with good range.
+ Normal moves are some of the fastest in the game.

• Weaknesses •
- Combos done with an uncharged broom are really weak.
- Requires a good teammate to maintain her defense and offense.
- Is very meter-dependent to both stay alive and deal damage.
- Comboing from air-to-ground attacks is unnecessarily difficult.
- Her attack range is short, so hit confirms are hard.
- Second lowest stamina in the game.

Special Moves

A (2) next to an arrow means to hold the joystick in that direction for 2 seconds to 'charge' the move.

With moves that charge by holding back or down, you can use the diagonal positions to charge up as well. For example, if you're holding back, you can jump backwards or block low and still maintain your charge.

• Roll Power Up! •
Executing this move powers up Roll's broom. You should do this whenever you have the opportunity because it powers up the properties of Roll's moves, and gives her much-needed damage boosts.

The charge disappears after you use a special move. It also doesn't matter what button you press to initiate the charge, all versions are the same.

(Can also be used in the air)
• Roll Broom Swing •
This move has good range compared to a lot of Roll's moves. It also knocks down on hit, meaning that you can Baroque Cancel it and head into a Roll Mop Up.

The Light version keeps them closest to you and does the least damage, and Hard is vice-versa. You can place this at the end of air combos and follow with a Roll Mop Up after the knockdown.

When your broom is charged, it wallbounces struck opponents, giving you a large amount of time to either relaunch them after a finished air combo or activate a Hyper such as Roll Down Time.

      (Mash Attack buttons)
• Roll Mop Up •
After doing the motion, you'll dash forward and start sweeping the floor. One of Roll's best offensive moves. It's meant to hit opponents that have been knocked down by your Broom Swing or your sweep. The Light version starts up the fastest, Hard the slowest.

Mashing the specific attack button you used to activate the move will add more hits and damage, but only on opponents that are on-the-ground. This move can also be used to close the distance between you and an opponent if you use Baroque to cancel it.

When Roll's broom is charged, this move does a lot more damage, and builds a lot more Hyper meter as well because of all the extra hits.

• Roll Splash •
This projectile does the most stun compared to all of the projectiles in the game, but the startup is slow.

Light has the fastest activation but the least range, Hard is the opposite. It's easy to combo off of this move, not to mention that it hits opponents lying on the ground. This projectile travels on a rainbow arc, making it cover a lot of space.

If you use this move and it whiffs, it will leave a puddle on the ground for the opponent to slip on that has to be blocked low. If the opponent slips, then that's an opportune knockdown for you.

As an assist, this move is absolutely fantastic. The stun the assist leaves along with the puddle hazard makes it absolutely ideal.

Hyper (Super) Moves

• Roll Mop Up Turbo (Level 1) •
Roll's main Hyper to turn to for damage. If you land it while the opponent is standing, it will end the Hyper with a knockdown. If you activate it after the opponent has been knocked down, it will still work, but the last hit will miss, leaving Roll open to characters that have quick normal moves.

It's best to DHC this Hyper into another ground-hitting Hyper such as Casshan's Brutal Axe to make it safe for Roll.

This Hyper has a quick startup time, and it holds the opponent still for awhile whether they are standing or lying down.

In Crossover Combinations it's good if you need to land something with a lot of startup like Viewtiful Joe's Six Machine. If you're just going to land extra damage from something small like Ryu's Shinku Hadouken then don't bother.

• Roll Down Time (Level 1) •
A healing Hyper. This has some startup and some recovery time, but it's very easy to make safe. If you're fighting a character without long distance options it becomes even better.

This maneuver helps you recover about 1/5 of your life, which translates to roughly 9,000 health points restored.

If you activate this Hyper and then Delay Hyper Combo with your teammate who happens to be a robot, they will gain the health increase that would've hit Roll.

Unfortunately, this applies to enemy characters as well. These potential characters are Casshan, Mega Man, Zero, and another Roll. PTX-40A and Gold Lightan can steal your energy pellet from you as well. Characters who are not these robots will take damage from the pellet if it hits them.

• Oh. No. You. Didn't! (Level 3) •
Roll sweeps the floor in front of her maniacally, creating a massive fire from the friction. If it lands it lights the opponent's butt on fire, removing all of their dignity and doing pretty good damage.

Unfortunately, this move doesn't activate fully if used as an on-the-ground technique. It's fairly easy to combo into this move, but since Roll has trouble with mid-range hit confirms you are more than likely going to have to fish for it with your overhead or standing Hard Attack.

While this move has its uses, you can probably get more damage using DHC setups, since Roll depends on meter so much. However, against the Giants this is one of Roll's few options.

Normal Moves

• Broom Smack (Overhead) •
Roll's overhead attack. This comes out fairly quickly for an overhead and it's possible to combo into your Level 3 from it.

• Slide •
Roll's slide doesn't knock down or move very far compared to other slides, but it does hit low. Roll needs to get close to opponents where her quick attacks are strongest and this move helps.

• Launcher •
This will launch your opponent into the air.

Assists

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Storyline

A sweet female robot, Roll is often known as Mega Man’s sister.

She was created by Dr. Light, a prominent roboticist, to assist him in the lab. She is a peace-loving robot, but is not afraid to confront villains with her broom during times of emergency.