Nightwolf Guide By SonicFox (Both Variations)

[FonicSox]

I agree with you 2nd statement (first is up to you I do not downtalk Sonicfox ).

NW is honest but has lot of good tools to play with. It is not a problem but an opportunity to play an overall good honest character. I like him very much from the begining I picked him up.

Probably when Sonicfox or other pro players pick him up seriously it will turn out if he is viable on highest level or just "fake stagger" character.

I saw Foxy Grampa's play with NW he played his usual "neutral god" kind of play: it was absolutely viable to me!

Maybe he has no brainded staggers but it looks like this is not his main carry - but time will tell if the gaps in the stagger strings are just a no go for NW on high level or definitely a thing besides the other stuffs.

To me his hitconfirmable (and also currently staggerable) strings with good footsie and very good throw game are both enough to enjoy him and be successful.
Not mentioning his okayish zoning and counter zoning.

And for extra he can take risk in counterpoke situations with his unsafe launcher... just to confuse the "I know there is a gap and will challenge you and I know you always stop at 111 on block" players.

Or as you would do in general you simply block his counter poke and take your turn back after his poke or even full combo punish him for his "haha I D1 and S1 jail you" move.

In situations where a D1 will always interrupt the 3rd hit (e.g. B132) you can not really do but block this and counterpoke... and in that case the opponent will not D1 but try to do anything else which might be not an interrupt speed or HIGH...

Good write-up. The main standout to me is that NW has a LOT of tools. He’s very versatile. I’m tempted to liken him to Baraka, but the Cassie comparison may be more appropriate (or even a cross between the two). I don’t see him struggling in situations where Baraka would.

Foxy’s NW has been the most convincing thus far. He’s got an uncanny ability to refine a character to the sheer basics of d3 -> strike/throw and has made it work with both Kollector and Lao, and now NW.

I’m quite happy with the character, and if he does in fact end up falling where I suspect he will—that is, somewhere in the top 10 range but not necessarily a meta-shifter the turns the game on its head—NRS has done a damn good job. Strong but not overbearing is the ideal starting point.

Looking forward to seeing if (1) any top players actually commit to the character for tournament play and (2) if they make waves with him.

 

[Jowabunga]

Based on experience and seeing him online I'm predicting he'll end up somewhere between 8 and 15 depending on who picks him up. IMO he's definitely good but NOT S/S+ tier as Sonic has suggested.

 

[Hor_PeT]

Based on experience and seeing him online I'm predicting he'll end up somewhere between 8 and 15 depending on who picks him up. IMO he's definitely good but NOT S/S+ tier as Sonic has suggested.

Why is not he S or S+? What is missing or what are the flaws?

I know one: lack of 9F MID hit confirmable safe string and 11F MID is short range (but it is hitconfirmable safe).
That can be an issue in certain situations compared to the characters who has better MIDs.

Other tools look solid though. Maybe honest and therefore can be too calculated without dirt (unsafe special to mess up with the opponent is not dirt to me).

S tier means no bad match ups... I do not know the match ups yet to see it. So far I did not struggle against any character.
Maybe Cetrion but surprisingly less struggle than with others.
But I am not that experienced so I rather ask than judge.

 

[Jowabunga]

Why is not he S or S+? What is missing or what are the flaws?

I know one: lack of 9F MID hit confirmable safe string and 11F MID is short range (but it is hitconfirmable safe).
That can be an issue in certain situations compared to the characters who has better MIDs.

Other tools look solid though. Maybe honest and therefore can be too calculated without dirt (unsafe special to mess up with the opponent is not dirt to me).

S tier means no bad match ups... I do not know the match ups yet to see it. So far I did not struggle against any character.
Maybe Cetrion but surprisingly less struggle than with others.
But I am not that experienced so I rather ask than judge.

I've played primarily with Matoka Warrior so far. He's not flawed per se, he just has demonstrable weaknesses without anything that's crazy good to set him apart from other characters who specialize.

He has quite a few mids, but a. the fastest (B3) has an 11 frame startup and is super stubby. F1 is great advancing, but 13 frame startup, so you can't just throw it out there. B1 is also great, but at 17 frames to start up again you have to be wary about how you use it. Arguably the best, F1, leads to F12, both -7 staggers (just "ok"). F12 is actually -2 ON HIT so you're essentially required to hit confirm this to get any real value.

He's got solid highs too (1, 2, and 3), all which startup quickly but are also very stubby. 111 is arguably his best combo starter, but like F12 it's actually NEGATIVE on hit (-1) so you've got to hit confirm.

All this stubbiness means your spacing and game knowkedge need to be ON POINT with this character if you're going to do well. S/S+ tier characters typically don't require that much work to excel with. I expect he'll have some of the same issues Jacqui has, relieved somewhat by the fact that he has a projectile but compounded by the lack of getting in tools besides Rhino Charge.

His projectile so far is average, but I haven't spent much time cancelling it to see what I could pull off.

His dash is best in class, which should help with the spacing thing mentioned previously.

Overall the amount of usable tools he has when an opponent is spacing you properly decreases quite a bit from close neutral imo. I suspect strong spacing characters (Noob, Skarlet, and others) played well might give him more problems than most.

I've played a LOT of matches vs. Sub and Noob. Both are manageable matchups but require patience to avoid getting outspaced by most everything Noob has and Sub's B1. The Sub matchup is a LOT more annoying when he's got slide (Thin Ice) and not the replacement (in Dead of Winter).

 

[Hor_PeT]

I've played primarily with Matoka Warrior so far. He's not flawed per se, he just has demonstrable weaknesses without anything that's crazy good to set him apart from other characters who specialize.

He has quite a few mids, but a. the fastest (B3) has an 11 frame startup and is super stubby. F1 is great advancing, but 13 frame startup, so you can't just throw it out there. B1 is also great, but at 17 frames to start up again you have to be wary about how you use it. Arguably the best, F1, leads to F12, both -7 staggers (just "ok"). F12 is actually -2 ON HIT so you're essentially required to hit confirm this to get any real value.

He's got solid highs too (1, 2, and 3), all which startup quickly but are also very stubby. 111 is arguably his best combo starter, but like F12 it's actually NEGATIVE on hit (-1) so you've got to hit confirm.

All this stubbiness means your spacing and game knowkedge need to be ON POINT with this character if you're going to do well. S/S+ tier characters typically don't require that much work to excel with. I expect he'll have some of the same issues Jacqui has, relieved somewhat by the fact that he has a projectile but compounded by the lack of getting in tools besides Rhino Charge.

His projectile so far is average, but I haven't spent much time cancelling it to see what I could pull off.

His dash is best in class, which should help with the spacing thing mentioned previously.

Overall the amount of usable tools he has when an opponent is spacing you properly decreases quite a bit from close neutral imo. I suspect strong spacing characters (Noob, Skarlet, and others) played well might give him more problems than most.

I've played a LOT of matches vs. Sub and Noob. Both are manageable matchups but require patience to avoid getting outspaced by most everything Noob has and Sub's B1. The Sub matchup is a LOT more annoying when he's got slide (Thin Ice) and not the replacement (in Dead of Winter).

I agree with your thoughts I look at him similarly.
I use Matoka Warrior too and fortunately can do the strict corner combos very consistently to be practical ("knock knock" ).

To me the "lack of requirement" of good fundamental and spacing is not a definition of S tier but of course we can see from that side too.

I am very fine with his current status he is so rewarding and entertaining with that conditions - but all the weaknesses you mentioned are there.

I try to play around throw and 111 autoshimmy too whenever I have the chance it looks really strong (really like throw krushing blow too) - 111 2nd hit hitconfirming is not a big deal even with lag. Same for all the other strings. I can not hitconfirm F12 2nd hit so I sometimes risk when I see F12 2nd hit will whiff punish or something like that (but it is not that reliable ).

D1/D3 to S1, jail is pretty consistent too (especially S1) so hitconfirmable safe jail and autoshimmy tool is not that bad.
D3 to S3 jail is pretty tricky you need to be point blank with that S3... It is not really practical to me. Therefore I use less 31(2) as I can not really start it properly.

Yes he has no easy "get in" tool so need to be patient especially a strong fundamental player. I try to space for F1 whiff punish range and use that amazing dash to catch people off guard or whiff punish.

Reflect looks not that bad when it can work as most of the time you can even react with it.

I am pretty okay with his projectile combined with reflect (after a reflect people hesitating to shot another and it can be an advantage) - especially as amplified is so fast extra 2 to cover opponent advancing on whiff. And delay is also good... Preparing the shot is the more time... shooting is fast. And can catch people jumping, etc. Nothing crazy but usable.

13F MID is not that bad (e.g. I could full combo hitconfirm punish Jax's mashing after -7 for full combo which is better than a D1) but yes in certain frame range it is not enough to bypass poke against discrespectful opponent.
B3 looks true MID so that is positive. However I use less B3 just because I am not familiar in the spacing of every character's every move, yet lol. But 11F is better than 13F. And not 9.

I am definitely interested in high level play upcoming - I like how Foxy plays him so far and I try to play that fundamental style too.