Street Fighter 5’s Season 5 pass is now available for purchase, featuring Dan as one of the “new” characters in the game. The release also means a new update of the game’s battle mechanics; now players have access to a defensive option called V-Shift.

In a nutshell, the V-Shift lets you use up V-meter to perform an invincible parry backdash move, complete with slowdown effects and a cool anime eye shine. If your enemy does a meaty attack or mixup, you can perform this move by pressing HP+MK, initiate the slow-down, and then perform an appropriate punish. You can follow it up with a Critical Art or even a V-Shift Break move that is invincible and knocks down an opponent hard. You can also avoid throws using this move, but that doesn’t initiate the slowdown.

V-Shift arrives to #SFV soon! Here's a tutorial on how this new mechanic works ? pic.twitter.com/lpA7EZWOXk

— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) February 21, 2021

The downside? It can be baited if you aren’t careful with it, like I’ve said earlier during its official reveal. Moreso, if you hit an opponent after the animation of the V-Shift is done, it’s counted as aa counter hit.

https://twitter.com/RushdownV2/status/1363718855676280832

??: V????????K????????? pic.twitter.com/5BOHCfexuS

— Kotabou (@kotabou1108) February 22, 2021

In other words, you need to pre-emptively use V-Shift instead of treating it as a get-out-of-jail-free card. It’s still very useful, but just be wary as higher-level players will want to fish this move out of you.

Who Got Buffed?

As with most Street Fighter 5 updates, there are new character balances and buffs. The most notable is Ryu, who has more plus frames and has a bigger advantage when in V-Trigger 1 mode (+2 on hit). Also, he can successfully cancel a Dragon Punch into a manual V-Trigger 2 attack. His crouching MK and crouching HK has faster start-up, making them easier to use as counters.

In VT1, all of Ryu's punch normals are an extra +2 on hit!! Check out this new link! #SFV_RYU @jav1ts @HiFightTH @amkidd @MachoorTV pic.twitter.com/R2jHn9jUQK

— DacJosh (@DacJoshFGC) February 22, 2021

ALSOOOO You can juggle into tatsu from EX fireball x VT!!!!@MachoorTV @amkidd @MDZ_jimmY pic.twitter.com/YNoUT3YFzn

— DacJosh (@DacJoshFGC) February 22, 2021

ryu can cancel specials into VT2 now!!! pic.twitter.com/h7AUcpEfAk

— dominic b. (@lildom911) February 22, 2021

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— ??? (@nangokuryu) February 22, 2021

Feel free to call this the Fortnite buff if you wish. Other notable character buffs include:

Alex now kinda useful in doing a corner carry.

GUILTY GEAR STRIVE pic.twitter.com/ZMUNKAC7k1

— ???? (@kosiminooyazi) February 22, 2021

Certain grapplers being able to combo to a command throw ala KOF.

This is gonna be fun. pic.twitter.com/7pY8vZdlbz

— GG | FluxWaveZ (@FluxWaveZ) February 22, 2021

Birdie’s crouching HP/Bad Hammer 2-hit combo is now a Crush Counter move, is a hard knockdown, and has special properties when opponent is CCH.

Birdie c,hp cch combo and target combo is hardknockdown @jav1ts @HiFightTH @TheFuudohttps://t.co/x3G4Frjp6A pic.twitter.com/L8zqM0li79

— ??HDG Younghou??? (@jovenhou) February 22, 2021

Characters who can jump out of corners via wall jump are taking a bigger risk now, since they can now be air-juggled if they’re hit.

So the new air juggle state might be on wall jump only? Putting more risk to corner escape https://t.co/rKJYFMHzKF

— HiFight(??????) (@HiFightTH) February 22, 2021

You can combo Gill’s EX fireball into one of his V-Trigger moves.

EX Fireball can cancel into VT Trees now? O.o pic.twitter.com/xK2aQrd1dt

— LPN ? (@LPN510) February 22, 2021

Seth’s air axe kick is now bearable.

https://twitter.com/Dankadillas/status/1363719775717785602

A new Sakura combo.

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???????????? pic.twitter.com/mOZjQqycJL

— ?????Nauman? (@naumanzoh) February 22, 2021

We’ll be sure to add in more notable changes & updates, since the update just came out and we’re discovering a lot of new stuff along the way.