Street Fighter V
Hints and Tips:
---------------
Submitted by: David K.
-= Pick One Character and Build a Small Game Plan =-
Street Fighter V has 45 unique fighters in its final roster. Do not try to learn the
whole cast at once. Pick one character, open the Command List, and build a small plan
around a reliable poke, an anti-air, a throw, one safe confirm, one metered punish,
and one knockdown follow-up. That is enough to start learning real matches without
drowning in combo lists.
Ryu is a straightforward starting point for traditional motion inputs, Guile is a
clean introduction to charge timing, Zangief teaches command-grab spacing, and Ed
uses unusually simple special-move inputs. These are learning examples, not a tier
ranking; the best first character is still the one whose movement and buttons make
sense to you.
-= Win the Ground before You Jump =-
SFV rewards deliberate ground movement. Walk into the range of your best medium
buttons, make the opponent miss, and punish the recovery. Jumping is powerful when it
is earned, but repeated raw jump-ins give a prepared opponent the same anti-air
opportunity over and over. If you are losing quickly, reduce the number of guesses
you take in the air and make the opponent prove they can control the ground.
-= Treat Knockdowns as a Repeating Decision =-
After a knockdown, decide whether you want pressure, spacing, or safety before you
press anything. On defense, vary quick recovery, back recovery when available,
blocking, throw escape, reversal options, and V-Shift. On offense, learn one timing
that reaches both common recovery timings, then add throws only after the opponent
shows they will keep blocking.
-= Spend V-Gauge for the Match You Are Actually Playing =-
V-Gauge is not a prize for the final seconds of a round. V-Trigger can create a large
comeback or pressure sequence, but V-Reversal and V-Shift can buy space before the
round gets out of control. Because unused V-Gauge does not carry to the next round, a
defensive spend that keeps you alive can be better than dying with a full gauge.
-= Save Replays of Close Losses =-
CFN can save replays and place them in a playlist. Review losses where you almost
won, not only blowouts. Look for three things: where you were first pushed to the
corner, what attack repeatedly hit you on wake-up, and where you spent or failed to
spend meter. Turn one repeated mistake into one Training Mode drill before the next
set.
Battle System and Universal Controls:
-------------------------------------
-= Button Notation =-
LP, MP, and HP mean Light, Medium, and Heavy Punch. LK, MK, and HK mean Light,
Medium, and Heavy Kick. This guide uses Street Fighter button names because the
same command reads cleanly on keyboard, gamepad, and arcade-stick layouts.
-= Universal Battle Inputs =-
The commands below are universal. Directional commands assume your character is
facing right; reverse left and right after the sides switch.
* Forward dash: tap toward the opponent twice.
* Back dash: tap away from the opponent twice.
* Throw: press LP + LK while close to the opponent.
* Throw escape: press LP + LK during the throw-escape timing window.
* V-Skill: press MP + MK.
* V-Trigger: with a full V-Gauge, press HP + HK.
* V-Shift: while grounded and free to move, press HP + MK; costs 1 V stock.
* V-Shift Break: after a successful V-Shift parry and slow-motion effect, press HP +
MK again.
* V-Reversal: while guarding, press toward the opponent plus all punches or all
kicks; the required attack group is character-specific and costs 1 V stock.
* In-place recovery: after a recoverable knockdown, press Down or any two punch
buttons during the recovery window.
* Back recovery: when that knockdown permits it, press Back or any two kick buttons
during the recovery window. It is slower but creates more distance.
Throws prevent back recovery, so a throw leaves in-place quick recovery or the normal
slow wake-up. A hard knockdown prevents both quick and back recovery.
-= Guarding, Chip Damage, and Throws =-
Hold away from the opponent to guard. Standing and crouching guard cover different
attack heights, and you cannot block in mid-air. Special moves can cause a small
amount of chip damage when blocked, but ordinary chip cannot KO in SFV; only a
blocked Critical Art can finish the round with chip damage. Medium and heavy normals
and blocked specials can also leave recoverable gray life. It heals if you avoid a
clean hit; getting hit before it recovers removes the remaining gray portion. Throws
beat passive blocking at close range, so defense is always a choice between blocking,
moving, escaping a throw, or using a defensive system option.
-= Stun and V-Gauge Building =-
The Stun Gauge rises when you take damage and drains again over time; reaching MAX
leaves you stunned. V-Gauge rises when you take damage or land V-Skills, and its
maximum stock count depends on the fighter. A short defensive reset can therefore do
more than create space: it can let stun fall while you reassess how much V-Gauge is
available for the next pressure sequence.
-= Critical Gauge and EX Moves =-
EX special moves spend one stock of Critical Gauge. The Critical Gauge builds as you
land moves, and a full gauge enables your character's Critical Art. Unlike V-Gauge,
unused Critical Gauge carries into the next round. This makes round-end meter
decisions important: spending one EX stock to secure a round can be correct, but
carrying a full bar into the next round can also change your punish threat.
-= Normal-to-Special Cancels =-
Some normal attacks can be canceled into special moves. Enter the special-move
command during the normal's cancel window rather than waiting for the normal to
recover. Cancelability is move-specific, so test the exact normal and follow-up in
Training Mode and use the Command List for the special-move input.
-= V-Skill and V-Trigger Selection =-
Champion Edition-era SFV lets you choose between V-Skill I and II and between
V-Trigger I and II on the character-select screen. The selection changes the V number
shown by the gauge and can change neutral tools, combo routes, pressure, or defense.
If a combo guide does not work, check that it was written for the same V-Skill and
V-Trigger combination before assuming your timing is wrong.
-= V-Shift versus V-Reversal =-
V-Reversal is activated from blockstun and always spends one stock; it also reduces
your accumulated Stun Gauge on activation. V-Shift is a free-movement defensive
action that moves you backward and can trigger slow motion when it cleanly avoids or
parries the attack.
Use V-Reversal when you need a direct pressure escape from guard, and use V-Shift
when you can read the incoming timing and want a larger punish or reset opportunity.
Training Mode:
--------------
-= Set up Training before Practicing Combos =-
Training Mode exposes Basic, Dummy, and Gauge settings. Before grinding a long combo,
make the dummy reproduce the situation that actually beats you. Record the opponent's
attack or sequence, set the gauge state you need, and practice from the same spacing
until the answer works repeatedly.
-= Five Drills That Transfer Directly to Matches =-
* Anti-air drill: record a jump-in and practice one grounded anti-air until you can
react without jumping first.
* Punish drill: record a blocked unsafe move, then find the fastest reliable punish
you can execute every time.
* Hit-confirm drill: use a short normal string and finish the special move only when
the first hit connects.
* Wake-up defense drill: record a throw and a meaty attack, then practice blocking,
throw escape, and your chosen V-Gauge escape without mashing.
* Meter drill: set Critical and V-Gauge deliberately and repeat the same conversion
with no meter, EX meter, and V-Trigger so you know the real round-ending options.
-= Use Attack Data and Dummy Playback =-
Training's Attack Data is more useful than memorizing a giant frame table. The final
updates added recovery-frame information, and combo damage now includes continuous
damage such as poison or flames. Dummy recording and playback can also be assigned to
wake-up and guard-recovery situations, letting you test whether pressure is real
instead of guessing.
-= Move Lists and Frame Data =-
Use the in-game Command List for the exact special, EX, V-Skill, V-Trigger,
V-Reversal, V-Shift, and Critical Art commands for your selected fighter. Capcom's
CFN character pages also retain move lists and frame data for the final roster. When
an old guide disagrees with the final game, trust the current in-game command list
and final-version data.
Roster and Editions:
--------------------
-= The Final 45-Fighter Roster =-
The final game has 45 unique playable fighters. Champion Edition covers the first 40
through Season 4; Season 5 adds the last five. Eleven is bonus content that copies a
randomly selected fighter you own, so it is not a 46th unique moveset.
* Original 16: Ryu, Chun-Li, Nash, M. Bison, Cammy, Birdie, Ken, Necalli, Vega, R.
Mika, Rashid, Karin, Zangief, Laura, Dhalsim, F.A.N.G.
* Season 1: Alex, Guile, Ibuki, Balrog, Juri, Urien.
* Season 2: Akuma, Kolin, Ed, Abigail, Menat, Zeku.
* Season 3: Sakura, Blanka, Falke, Cody, G, Sagat.
* Season 4: Kage, Poison, E. Honda, Lucia, Gill, Seth.
* Season 5: Dan, Rose, Oro, Akira, Luke.
* Bonus Eleven: selects one fighter you own at random, plus a random V-Skill and
V-Trigger for that fighter, rather than using a separate Eleven moveset.
-= What Champion Edition Actually Includes =-
The Champion Edition package and Upgrade Kit cover content through Season 4: 40
fighters, 34 stages, and more than 200 costumes. Fighting Chance costumes,
brand-collaboration costumes, Capcom Pro Tour DLC, and Season 5 content are excluded
from that package.
If you want the complete final character roster, Champion Edition alone is not
enough. Add the Season 5 characters Dan, Rose, Oro, Akira, and Luke, either through
Season 5 content or individual ownership. The Season 5 Character Pass and Premium
Pass include Eleven as bonus content; the Premium Pass adds more costumes, stages,
colors, titles, and 100,000 Fight Money.
-= Base Game Ownership =-
The base Steam game starts from the original 16-character roster. Additional fighters
can be owned through DLC or individual in-game purchases. Check ownership before
buying because Champion Edition, season passes, and other bundles can already grant
the same fighter or cosmetic.
Modes and Progression:
----------------------
-= Arcade Mode and Gallery =-
Arcade Mode has six routes based on earlier Street Fighter games. The available
characters, stage counts, bonus stages, and extra challengers vary by route, and the
same character can receive a different ending on a different route. Once an ending
has been seen, it is stored in Gallery for later viewing.
Arcade scores can be submitted to monthly online rankings. Fight Request can stay
enabled while you play, so Arcade is useful when you want single-player practice
without leaving the online matchmaking queue.
-= General Story: A Shadow Falls =-
The cinematic General Story is a separate free download. Inside the game, its
official access path is Shop > Special > STREET FIGHTER V General Story "A Shadow
Falls." On Steam, the same expansion is also listed as free DLC. During General
Story, the controlled fighter changes between battles and a Time Over counts as a
loss.
-= Character Stories, Demonstrations, and Trials =-
Character Stories are short character-specific campaigns and are separate from A
Shadow Falls. Demonstrations explain battle systems, move properties, and each
fighter's style. Trials are preset combo and link challenges. Use Trials as execution
practice, not as a promise that every listed combo is the best match combo for your
chosen V-System setup.
-= Survival Mode =-
Survival has four fixed run lengths and a compact reward ladder:
* Easy: 10 opponents; unlocks Color 3 for eligible Default, Story, and Extra Battle
costumes.
* Normal: 30 opponents; unlocks Colors 4, 5, and 6 for those eligible costumes.
* Hard: 50 opponents; unlocks Colors 7, 8, 9, and 10 for those eligible costumes.
* Extreme: 100 opponents; unlocks a title instead of another color set.
The first clear of each difficulty with a character also awards character EXP. Score
is posted only when the run is started and finished online.
After each fight you can spend score on one optional Supplement such as health
restoration or an attack boost. Battle Goods are separate consumables, and up to five
can be used between rounds. Your unused V-Gauge carries into the next stage.
After clearing a stage, the Supplement screen can save and quit the run. If you lose,
a continue costs 800 Fight Money and resumes the same run with full health, EX Gauge,
and V-Gauge. Use the exact costume you want colors for; Survival color unlocks
are not global across every outfit.
-= Extra Battle, Missions, and Fighting Chance =-
Extra Battle uses limited-time fights with a Fight Money entry cost and requires an
internet connection. Missions are also online objectives with expiration times.
Fighting Chance is a separate Shop activity: one Fantasy Fortune Reading costs 500
Fight Money and can return Survival Battle Goods, special colors, rare costumes, or
artwork. In the final 2022 update, alternate costumes and colors previously tied
to Fighting Chance were also made purchasable in the Shop.
Extra Battle and Mission schedules expire. If an old guide lists a fight or reward
that is no longer shown in the current in-game listing, the old schedule does not
make that event claimable now.
-= Versus and Team Battle =-
Versus is local offline play and requires two controllers. Team Battle is also
offline only: build teams of two to five fighters and choose either Elimination,
where the winner stays, or Best of Series. You can also configure health carryover
and battle order. Team Battle is not an online lobby format.
Online Play and Ranked:
-----------------------
-= Ranked, Casual, and Battle Lounge =-
Ranked Match changes League Points. Casual Match uses online matchmaking without
changing LP. If both players choose to play again, Ranked and Casual can continue for
up to three consecutive matches. Battle Lounge supports up to eight players; when
three or more players are present, people not currently fighting can spectate.
Steam and PlayStation 4 players share cross-platform matchmaking. If you want a
controlled practice set with a specific opponent, use a Battle Lounge instead of
trying to meet through Ranked or Casual.
-= Queue and Training Shortcuts =-
Press OPTIONS from the Main Menu to toggle Network Battle Standby. With standby or
matching enabled, other players can challenge you while you continue playing. After
a Ranked or Casual match, Begin Training with This Character sends you directly to
Training Mode with the same fighters, which is ideal for rebuilding the matchup that
just exposed a problem.
-= Battle Settings Favorites =-
Set a favorite character and stage in Battle Settings and they become the default
choices for battles and Training Mode. This removes repeated menu work when you are
training one main character or repeatedly testing the same stage conditions.
-= League Point Rank Thresholds =-
* Rookie: 0-499 LP
* Bronze: 500-999 LP
* Super Bronze: 1,000-1,499 LP
* Ultra Bronze: 1,500-1,999 LP
* Silver: 2,000-2,999 LP
* Super Silver: 3,000-3,499 LP
* Ultra Silver: 3,500-3,999 LP
* Gold: 4,000-5,499 LP
* Super Gold: 5,500-6,499 LP
* Ultra Gold: 6,500-7,499 LP
* Platinum: 7,500-9,999 LP
* Super Platinum: 10,000-11,999 LP
* Ultra Platinum: 12,000-13,999 LP
* Diamond: 14,000-19,999 LP
* Super Diamond: 20,000-24,999 LP
* Ultra Diamond: 25,000-29,999 LP
* Master: 30,000-34,999 LP
* Grand Master: 35,000-99,999 LP
* Ultimate Grand Master: 100,000-299,999 LP
* Warlord: 300,000 LP and above
-= Ranked Win-Streak Bonus =-
From Rookie through Ultra Platinum, six or more consecutive Ranked wins increase the
LP awarded for victories. The bonus grows as the streak continues and stops
increasing after 15 wins. It returns to the normal rate when the streak ends or you
reach Diamond. Diamond and higher do not receive this bonus.
If the opponent disconnects, your win streak is not reset. If you disconnect, the
streak is reset. The losing player's LP calculation is not changed by the winner's
streak bonus.
-= Disconnect Penalties =-
Disconnecting during an online match has consequences beyond a lost win streak. The
disconnecting side can lose LP as if the match were lost. Repeated disconnects
can restrict Ranked and Casual matchmaking and mark the profile according to the
disconnect rate.
Crashes, power loss, or network failure can still be recorded as a disconnect, so fix
a recurring stability problem instead of repeatedly re-entering matchmaking.
-= Connection Quality Matters More Than the Matchmaking Label =-
SFV's actual fights are peer-to-peer when a direct connection can be established,
with a relay path used when direct communication fails. Prefer a wired connection and
a stable 60 FPS on both PCs. A connection that looks fine in a simple speed test can
still play badly when it has jitter, packet loss, unstable Wi-Fi, or frame drops.
If a specific opponent is consistently bad, compare in a private Battle Lounge. If
many opponents are bad, check whether the versus-screen connection icon indicates a
relay path, then investigate router/NAT restrictions or contact the provider before
blaming one opponent. Do not disable normal security protections just to chase a
better match.
-= CFN Replays, Favorites, and Rankings =-
CFN can search Fighter Profiles and replays, add players to Favorites, add replays to
a playlist, and show rankings and League Points. Use this to study a matchup by
searching for strong players of your character and the opponent you are learning.
Capcom stopped updating the public Fighting Stats and Character Usage charts in June
2023. Those charts are historical snapshots, not current tier or usage data. Fighter
profiles, rankings, and the remaining CFN tools are separate from those frozen
aggregate statistics.
-= Online Tournament Mode =-
The final game includes Online Tournament mode in addition to ordinary Battle Lounge
play. Open CFN > Tournament to enter the tournament interface, where user-created
tournaments have their own registration, check-in, participant-list, and bracket
flow. CFN's CAPCOM TOURNAMENT area also exposes official tournaments and past
tournament information. This is separate from the offline Team Battle mode.
-= Dojo Utility =-
Joining a Dojo unlocks access to the Dojo stage. The stage can be customized with
objects earned in-game, including Fighting Chance items. Dojo Points are earned
through regular modes such as Arcade, Survival, Extra Battle, Ranked, Casual, and
Battle Lounge, so you do not need a separate combat ruleset to make progress there.
Fight Money, Shop, and Unlocks:
-------------------------------
-= Spend Fight Money after Checking Ownership =-
Fight Money is used by the in-game Shop for eligible characters, stages, colors,
costumes, and other content. The standard permanent Shop prices include:
* DLC fighter: 100,000 FM.
* New stage: 70,000 FM.
* Alternate stage: 40,000 FM.
* Story costume: 40,000 FM.
Premium Battle costumes do not have the normal Fight Money purchase option. Story
costumes also no longer require a Character Story clear before purchase. Because
Champion Edition and season passes can grant large parts of the catalog, check the
ownership status before spending FM on content your bundle already includes.
-= Character Levels Are a Fight Money Source =-
Each character level-up awards 1,000 Fight Money. Character Stories, Demonstrations,
Trials, and Survival give finite completion EXP, and online play can also build
character EXP. Arcade Mode and General Story do not award character EXP. Repeatedly
clearing finished solo content is therefore not an endless Fight Money farm. If you
still have unused fighters, their unclaimed one-time EXP is more efficient than
replaying already-cleared solo content and expecting another completion payout.
-= Costume Colors and Survival =-
Many costume color entries can be obtained through Survival Mode, bought with Fight
Money, or supplied by DLC ownership. The exact source is costume-specific. If a color
is missing, check the costume's own color entry rather than assuming that clearing
Survival with a different outfit unlocked it globally.
-= Change Your Fighter ID =-
Fighter ID changes are handled through Shop > Other Services and require the
appropriate change ticket. The new ID is applied after returning to the title screen
on a later login. IDs use 6-16 characters and support letters, numbers, hyphens, and
underscores; a name that is already in use or was previously used cannot be selected.
Cheats, Codes, and Secrets:
---------------------------
-= Hidden Costume Variant Input =-
Many premium and crossover costumes have a hidden alternate visual state. During the
match loading screen, hold Up + LP + MP + HP + LK until the fight begins. On
supported costumes the code removes, adds, or changes costume pieces. The same input
can be used between rounds on many supported costumes to toggle the variant.
-= Urien's Special Costume Input =-
Urien uses a different hidden input. Hold LP + MK + HP during the loading screen to
switch supported Urien costumes to their alternate, more revealing classic-style
variant. This is a visual costume change and does not alter his move properties.
-= Akira's Extra Costume Inputs =-
Akira has an extra LP + MK code in addition to the general costume-variant input.
With her Story outfit selected, hold LP + MK during the loading screen to keep the
helmet on but open its visor. With her Default outfit, the same LP + MK input
removes the jacket tied around her waist. These changes are cosmetic only.
-= Offline Visual Filters =-
The final Champion Edition updates added Cel Shading and Pixel display filters to
some offline modes. Open Options > Filter Settings to use them. If the option seems
to do nothing in an online match, that is expected: the feature was added for
supported offline modes rather than as a global rendering replacement.
-= Random Select Can Randomize Owned Costumes =-
When choosing Random on the character-select screen, the final game can also
randomize among alternate costumes and colors you own. Use the Random settings when
you want variety without manually changing appearance before every match.
-= Skip Victory Scenes =-
Press Start during the post-match victory scene to skip it in supported Versus,
Ranked, Casual, Battle Lounge, and replay situations. In online modes, the next
match-selection screen arrives faster when both players skip.
PC Saves, Cloud, and Settings:
------------------------------
-= What Steam Cloud Does and Does Not Save =-
Steam Cloud support was added in Ver. 07.001. It synchronizes game-progress save
data, including Story, Tutorial, Trials, Demonstrations, Survival clears, and Arcade
ending unlocks. It does not synchronize system-settings save data. A new PC can
therefore recover progress while still losing local graphics, input, or other
settings.
-= Current Windows Save and Config Paths =-
* Game progress: %LOCALAPPDATA%\StreetFighterV\Saved\SaveGames\GameProgressSave.sav
* Configuration: %LOCALAPPDATA%\StreetFighterV\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor
For a manual safety copy, close the game and back up the entire
%LOCALAPPDATA%\StreetFighterV\Saved folder. This preserves both the cloud-synced
progress file and the local settings that Steam Cloud does not cover.
-= Server Data versus Local Progress =-
Fight Money, experience, League Points, Fighter ID profile data, and similar CFN
account information are server-side. Story, Trial, Survival, Tutorial, and Gallery
progress use local game-progress data, now backed by Steam Cloud. Replacing a local
progress file is therefore not a way to edit your server-side currency or rank.
-= Change the Steam Game Language =-
The final Steam build takes its language selection from the Steam client. Open
Library > Street Fighter V > Properties > Language, choose the language you want, let
Steam apply any needed files, and relaunch the game.
-= Final Game Build versus Website Maintenance =-
Capcom's game-update index ends at Ver. 07.010 from September 2022. Later Shadaloo
C.R.I. maintenance notices concern the web/service side, not a new character-balance
branch. When comparing old combo or balance guides, make sure the guide targets the
final 07.010-era game rather than an earlier season.
PC Controllers and Mods:
------------------------
-= Controller Support =-
The Steam version supports XInput and DirectInput USB devices, including common
gamepads and arcade sticks. If a controller works in Steam but not in SFV, close the
game first, confirm the device is detected in Steam's Controller settings, enable the
appropriate Steam Input or configuration support for that device, verify that the
layout has buttons assigned, and then relaunch SFV.
-= Keep Online Performance at a Stable Frame Rate =-
For online play, prioritize a stable 60 FPS over expensive visual settings. If your
PC drops frames during effects-heavy stages, lower graphics settings and test again
before diagnosing the connection. Rollback cannot compensate cleanly for a machine
that is repeatedly missing real-time simulation frames.
-= A Current Mod-Manager Route =-
Street Fighter V still has an active PC mod scene. Fluffy Mod Manager 3.083 was the
maintained public release in September 2026 and supports packaged SFV mods. Before
first use, verify the game's files in Steam so the base archives are clean, select
Street Fighter V in the manager, add the mod archive, and enable it from the mod
list.
Disable mods before verifying game files or troubleshooting a crash. After a game or
DLC change, re-read the game archives before reinstalling mods. Keep gameplay-
altering mods out of online matches; cosmetic and presentation mods are the safer use
case for a competitive game.
Solutions:
----------
-= General Story: A Shadow Falls Is Missing =-
1. Open the in-game Shop from the main menu.
2. Open Special.
3. Select STREET FIGHTER V General Story "A Shadow Falls" and start its free
download. On Steam, make sure the free A Shadow Falls DLC is installed.
4. Return to Story Mode after the download finishes.
5. Select General Story. The cinematic campaign should now be available.
-= Steam Language Is Wrong =-
1. Close Street Fighter V.
2. In Steam Library, open Street Fighter V > Properties > Language.
3. Choose the desired language and let Steam apply any required files.
4. Relaunch the game and confirm the new language on the title screen.
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