How to play Steven Universe in MultiVersus – Moves, strategies, perks, and more

The titular Steven Universe has a lot of powers at his disposal, but making them all work in harmony can be difficult. If you can master these mechanics, Steven will be a solid pick in any multiplayer match. Here are some tips for making use of your beams, shields, and watermelons.

Steven Universe’s key abilities and how to use them

Bubble Boy! (Neutral Special)

Steven is tricky to use, and it’s easy to see why even with this neutral special. The bubble you fire out travels a far distance, so you’ll need to get comfortable with aiming it. It bursts and deals damage after a moment, but it also begins to stack an effect called Rose’s Gaze. When this tops out, an enemy (or ally) will be taken up in a bubble. This leaves them immobile, but invulnerable. While this can be very effective, it’s not always the most reliable strategy. The initial tether can serve as a decent edge guard at least.

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Shield Wall Activated (Side Special)

This attack is much simpler to use: you’ll charge forward with the shield, dealing more damage the longer you rev up. The shield also hovers in that spot for a moment. If your opponent is knocked back toward you, they’ll hit the shield again and take another hit. You can use this to surround the opponent, and planting the shield generally is a great way to zone or edge guard.

Shield Stepper (Up Special)

This attack is similar, but it leaves the shield hovering in the area face-up, serving as a platform. Rescuing a teammate with this is tricky, but giving yourself a breather above the action can be quite helpful.

Watermelon Steven, Go! / X-treme Moves! (Down Special)

Steven’s down specials are very different depending on where you use them. On the ground, he plants a watermelon that heals in the area around it, so that’s already very useful for you and your teammate. After a moment, this watermelon grows into a clone of Steven that attacks the enemy. It’s a good idea to keep this third fighter going as often as possible if only to cause distractions for the other team. When used in the air, this down special becomes a slamming attack with the shield. That’s best served if you’re returning to a lower platform from a knockback.

Best Steven Universe perks

Using perks that accent Steven’s knockback attacks are crucial here. Collateral Damage is a good choice for when you deploy the shield horizontally, and Up Up and A-Slay will boost the damage of your up special. Both are great for adding an extra kick to your shield attacks. As for unique perks, your choice depends on your playstyle. If you favor planting watermelons, go with Green Thumb, as it’ll buff the clone you summon. If you don’t use that move often, then go with Bounce Bubble to get more knockback from your shields.