Lightning Beast is Blanka's second V-Trigger in Street Fighter V and Level 2 Super Art in Street Fighter 6.
| Street Fighter V |  +
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| Street Fighter 6 (Classic) |
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| Street Fighter 6 (Modern) |
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Description[]
Executed by pressing Heavy Punch and Heavy Kick simultaneously, Blanka ruthlessly pounds his chest as legs surge with electricity. While this V-Trigger is active, he also gains access to a new move called Rolling Cannon. By pressing any direction and pressing Heavy Punch and Heavy Kick simultaneously after connecting with one of his Rolling moves, Blanka retains his ball-shaped position and shoots toward the selected direction with his entire body surging with electricity.
Tactics[]
Unlike his first V-Trigger, Lightning Beast is 3-bars. This means that Blanka has to sacrifice a decent amount of health to obtain this move. While his first V-Trigger enhances juggling potential and damage output, Lightning Beast gives Blanka better mobility and increases his offensive pressure.
He also acquires a new move while his second V-Trigger is active. The Rolling Cannon can be used after connecting with one of his three Rolling moves: Rolling Attack, Vertical Roll, and Backstep Roll. It can be used this move on hit or on block. If Rolling Cannon hits his opponent, it puts them in a juggle state, allowing Blanka to follow up with another Rolling Cannon. He can use this attack up to three times in the same juggling combo.
This new attack lets Blanka perform some tricky, yet insane pinball-like combos before landing on the ground. With one successful combo, he can enhance his pressure by switching sides or landing very close to him for better okizeme. Using at least one Rolling Cannon consumes about 1/3 of his V-Gauge. Any additional Rolling Cannon from the same combo drains about 10% of V-Gauge. Blanka can perform up to two full combos with Rolling Cannon before his entire V-Meter is consumed.
Blanka can also cancel into Rolling Cannon from his EX special attacks. This makes even his unsafest moves more difficult for his opponent to punish. For example, Blanka usually performs his EX Vertical Roll as an invincible reversal to create separation from his opponent. However, if they manage to block EX Vertical Roll, he can use Rolling Cannon to shoot himself out of harm's way and thus make the move safe. Finally, Blanka can also create some mix-up situation with his newest attack. It can cross-up his opponent and open them up for some good damage and positional advantage.
As a Super Art, Lightning Beast costs two bars of the Super Gauge. Much like before, it can be used in conjunction with Overdrive Rolling Attacks. Rolling Attacks now also consume some of the remaining timer, however the cost for both it and a Rolling Cannon are considerably less than before, reaching roughly around 20%. Blanka can also use the activation of Lightning Beast from Overdrive Special Moves and certain normal attacks to combo afterwards or keep up pressure.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Lightning Beast and Rolling Cannon reference Beast Cannon, the iconic special move of Jon Talbain, a character from Darkstalkers. Rolling Cannon works similar to Beast Cannon's follow ups, striking in the direction chosen from the usual Rolling Attacks.