The 16 starting characters in Street Fighter V cover everything from aerial-focused ranged combatants to up-close-and-personal grapplers who like to like to land those punches as near to an enemy as possible.
These updated versions of the classic fighters contain all the same eye-rolling racial/national stereotypes as usual with characters like Dhalism, Rashid, and Zangief. But it’s all in good fun as scantily clad wrestlers beat up guys in their underwear on public city streets.
Rounding out our complete look at the moves list for each character, below you’ll find all the combos available for Rashid, R. Mika, Ryu, Vega, and Zangief.
Remember that these moves are presented in the right-facing direction. For a left facing character, reverse the movement directions. If you are looking for a different character’s moves, take a look at:
- Beginner tips and tricks
- Complete moves list for Birdie, Cammy, and Chun Li
- Complete moves list for Dhalism, F.A.N.G, Karin, and Ken
- Complete moves list for Laura, M. Bison, Nash, and Necalli
Rashid
Difficult to fully master without plenty of practice, Rashid’s air-based attacks offer excellent mobility and see him moving all around the arena, even dodging under or over attacks while landing a few blows himself.
Rashid
Unique Character Attacks
- Flap Spin: Move Right + Medium Punch
- Beak Assault: Move Right + Heavy Punch
- Dash Spinning Mixer: While dashing, Move Right + Any Punch (keep pressing the punch button to change the attack)
- Dash Eagle Spike: While dashing, Move Right + Any Kick
- Wall Jump: While jumping next to a wall, either Move Diagonal Right Up or Move Diagonal Right Down
Throws
- Riding Gear: While near an opponent, Move Right (or stand still) + Light Punch, Light Kick
- Rising Sun: While near an opponent, Move Left + Light Punch, Light Kick
V-Skills
- Front Flip: Medium Punch, Medium Kick
- Airborne Eagle Spike: Medium Punch, Medium Kick → Any Kick
- Rolling Assault: Crouch Down + Medium Punch, Medium Kick
- Nail Assault: Crouch Down + Medium Punch, Medium Kick → Any Kick
V-Trigger
- Ysaar: Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick
V-Reversal
- Sliding Roll; While guarding, Move Right + Any Punch, Any Punch, Any Punch
Special Character Moves
- Spinning Mixer: Move Quarter Circle Right + Any Punch (keep pressing the punch button to change the attack)
- Eagle Spike: Move Quarter Circle Left + Any Kick (can also be done while jumping for a different effect)
- Whirlwind Shot: Move Quarter Circle Right + Any Kick
Critical Art Finisher
- Altair: Move Quarter Circle Right, Move Quarter Circle Right + Any Punch
R. Mika
This Zangief-worshiping professional wrestler is all about grappling and increasing her defense. Her wild V-Skills can even tag in another wrestler resulting in a double sided attack for twice the on-screen booty!
R. Mika
Unique Character Attacks
- Stomp Chomp: Light Kick → Medium Punch
- Dive Bomb: While jumping forward, Crouch Down + Medium Punch
- Lady Mika: Move Right + Heavy Punch
- Passion Press: Either Move Right or Move Left + Medium Punch
- Passion Rope Throw: Move Right + Medium Punch → Move Right + Medium Punch (this attack can also be reversed and done backwards by switching to Move Left instead)
Throws
- Daydream Headlock: While near an opponent, either stand still (or Move Right) + Light Punch, Light Kick
- Sell Down: While near an opponent, Move Left + Light Punch, Light Kick
V-Skills
- Mic Performance: Medium Punch, Medium Kick (holding down also powers up certain special attacks – see below)
V-Trigger
- Nadeshiko Above: Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick
- Nadeshiko Front: Move Left + Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick
- Nadeshiko Behind: Move Right + Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick
V-Reversal
- Peach Gator: While guarding, Move Right + Any Kick, Any Kick, Any Kick
Special Character Moves
- Shooting Peach: Move Quarter Circle Right + Any Punch
- Wingless Airplane: Move Quarter Circle Right + Any Kick (powered by Mic Performance)
- Rainbow Typhoon: While near an opponent, Move Half Circle Left + Any Punch (powered by Mic Performance)
- Brimstone: While near an opponent, Move Half Circle Left + Any Kick (powered by Mic Performance)
Critical Art Finisher
- Peach Assault: Move Quarter Circle Left, Move Quarter Circle Left + Any Punch (powered by Mic Performance)
Ryu
Easily the most readily identifiable character in the Street Fighter universe, Ryu continues to be an excellent all-around choice in this latest iteration of the series, and is a great starting point for learning how the game’s combos work.
Ryu
Unique Character Attacks
- Collarbone Breaker: Move Right + Medium Punch
- Solar Plexus Strike: Move Right + Heavy Punch
- Axe Kick: Move Left + Heavy Kick
- Jodan Nirengeki: Heavy Punch → Heavy Kick
- Jodan Sangrengeki: Medium Punch → Heavy Punch → Heavy Kick
Throws
- Shoulder Throw: While near an opponent, either stand still or Move Right + Light Punch, Light Kick
- Somersault Throw: While near an opponent, Move Left + Light Punch, Light Kick
V-Skills
- Mind’s Eye: Medium Punch, Medium Kick
V-Trigger
- Denjin Renki: Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick
V-Reversal
- Hashogeki: While guarding, Move Right + Any Punch, Any Punch, Any Punch
Special Character Moves
- Hadoken: Move Quarter Circle Right + Any Punch (can be charged for extra damage by holding down the punch button after using V-Trigger)
- Shoryuken: Z-Movement Right + Any Punch
- Tatsumaki Senpukyaku: Move Quarter Circle Left + Any Kick (can also be performed while airborne during a forward jump)
Critical Art Finisher
- Shinku Hadoken: Move Quarter Circle Right, Move Quarter Circle Right + Any Punch (this attack has a different effect if you use it after V-Trigger)
Vega
The sweet whisper of death makes a triumphant return in Street Fighter V, but with some big changes. Vega’s moves list is altered drastically depending on whether you are fighting with or without his iconic claw, so you’ll have to learn two skill sets to effectively use him in battle.
To put the claw on or take it off, Move Quarter Circle Right + Any Punch.
Vega
Unique Character Attacks
- Mercury Shard: Move Right + Medium Kick
- Buster Claw: Move Forward + Heavy Punch (only while claw is equipped)
- Matador Flash: Heavy Punch → Heavy Punch → Medium Punch, Medium Kick (only while claw is equipped)
- Matador Blitz: Medium Punch → Heavy Kick → Medium Punch, Medium Kick (only while NOT using claw)
- Wall Jump: While jumping near a wall, Move Diagonal Right Up
Throws
- Rainbow Suplex: While near an opponent, either Move Right or stand still + Light Punch, Light Kick
- Crescent Line: While near an opponent, Move Left + Light Punch, Light Kick
- Stardust Shot: While in the air, use Light Punch + Light Kick
V-Skills
- Matador Turn: Medium Punch, Medium Kick (hold down for an attack)
V-Trigger
- Bloody Kiss Torero: Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick
- Bloody Kiss Rojo: Crouch Down + Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick
- Blood Kiss Azul: While jumping forward, use Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick
V-Reversal
- Backslash: While guarding, Move Right + Any Punch, Any Punch, Any Punch
- Short Backlash: While guarding, Move Right + Any Kick, Any Kick, Any Kick
Special Character Moves
- Flying Barcelona Attack: Z-Movement Right or Z-Movement Left + Any Kick → Any Punch
- Izuna Drop: While near an opponent, use either Z-Movement Right or Z-Movement Left + Any Kick → Light Punch, Light Kick
- Grand Izuna Drop: While near an opponent, Move Half Circle Left + Any Punch (only while claw is NOT equipped)
- Crimson Terror: Move Quarter Circle Right + Any Kick
- Aurora Spin Edge: Move Quarter Circle Left + Any Punch (only while claw is equipped)
Critical Art Finisher
- Bloody Rain: Either Move Quarter Circle Right, Move Quarter Circle Right or Move Quarter Circle Left, Move Quarter Circle Left + Any Punch
Zangief
Good old Captain Underpants is a slow moving, grapple-focused character, and using him effectively means learning how to take some damage while getting in close for a devastating direct attack.
Zangief
Unique Character Attacks
- Head Butt: Move Right + Heavy Punch
- Knee Hammer: Move Right + Medium Kick
- Flying Bloody Press: While jumping forward, Crouch Down + Heavy Punch
Throws
- Atomic Drop: While near an enemy, Move Right or stand still + Light Punch, Light Kick
- Captured: While near an enemy, Move Left + Light Punch, Light Kick
V-Skills
- Iron Muscle: Medium Punch, Medium Kick (hold down and move forward to absorb enemy attacks without being knocked backwards)
V-Trigger
- Cyclone Lariat: Heavy Punch, Heavy Kick (hold down for a different effect)
V-Reversal
- Muscle Explosion: While guarding, Move Right + Any Kick, Any Kick, Any Kick
Special Character Moves
- Screw Pile Driver: While near an opponent, 360 Degree Movement Right + Any Punch
- Double Lariat: Any Punch, Any Punch, Any Punch
- Siberian Express: Move Half Circle Left + Any Kick
- Borscht Dynamite: While jumping up or forward, 360 Degree Movement Right + Any Punch
Critical Art Finisher
- Bolshoi Russian Suplex: While close to an opponent, use 360 Degree Movement Right, 360 Degree Movement Right + Any Punch
We’ve made it to the end – that’s all the moves for the current 16 starting characters in Street Fighter V! Check back in when the first DLC starts landing and we’ll cover all the new characters as well.
