Garou: Mark of the Wolves/Kain

Overview

Combos

Matchups

Strategy

Misc.

Introduction

Kain R. Heinlein is the final boss in Garou. He is uncle to Rock Howard, and runs the family business after Geese's death.

Gameplay

Kain is a setplay character with both zoning and rushdown elements in his play. His main gameplan is to build meter while controlling space in neutral, then to go in for a guard crush setup once he has the resources (super and/or T.O.P.) required to do so. T.O.P. placement is very important for Kain as it is often used in his guard crush setups. Typically you would want to have a combination of S-Power and T.O.P. or P-Power for a guaranteed guard crush setup, otherwise a reset is necessary.

Strengths	Weaknesses
One of the best break moves in the game (invincible and very advantageous on block) Best setplay/okizeme in the game which can lead to guaranteed guard crush setups Good meter build Seele bug can force the opponent from just defend to block, leading to checkmate scenarios Higher guard crush gauge than average	Lacks faster damaging punishes Must charge in order to guard cancel with a special move

Character Colors

Move List

Frame Data Source : https://w.atwiki.jp/garoumow/pages/32.html and https://w.atwiki.jp/garoumow/pages/70.html

Data Help
Disclaimer: This is meant to teach basic terminology used when describing moves.
Hitbox:	A predefined area (usually a rectangle or rectangles) that tells the game how any given attack can come in contact with a character. Hitboxes are invisible to the player when normally playing.
Hurtbox:	A predefined area (usually a group of rectangles) that tell the game how your character is allowed to get hit by any incoming attack. Specifically, you'll get hit by (or block) an attack if that attack's hitbox ever overlaps your hurtbox.
Throw Box/Range:	Active throw frames and range. Your opponent will be thrown in this field if not in block or hit stun.
Projectile Box:	Hitbox on a projectile attack.
Guard/Counter Box:	The Guard Box or Counter Box. This appears when blocking or using a counter move.
Push Box:	Has no bearing on hit/hurt boxes. Just prevents characters to not pass through each other. (Also known as "Collision Box".)
Startup	The number of frames before an attack can hit the opponent. Does not include the first active frame.
Guard	The way this move must be blocked. High or H or Overhead (especially when from the ground) -- must be blocked standing. High-Low or HL or Mid -- can be blocked either standing or crouching. Low or L -- must be blocked crouching.
Damage	"Basic" damage -- Unmodified damage values "Correct" damage -- Damage values accounting for damage scaling, TOP multiplier, and defense rate
Guard Crush Value	Decreases the defender's guard durability gauge by this value.
+X	Attacker has X number of advantage frames.
-X	Attacker has X number of disadvantage frames.
KD	Short for "knockdown", knocks down opponent on hit.
◯	Cancelable on both hit and block.
∞	Chain cancelable with the same button (renda cancel).
※	Cancelable on the first hit/part only.
《X》OR «X» OR <<X>> OR (X)	X number of inactive frames between hits of multihit moves.
△	Only cancelable on block.
▽	Only cancelable on hit.
× OR X	Not cancelable.

Close Standing Normals

Cl.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
4	Mid	4	4	5	13
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
+6	+6	Yes/chainable	Yes/chainable	4
Standing jab.

Cl.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
7	Mid	5	4	11	20
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
+0	+0	Yes	Yes	4

Cl.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
10	Mid	8	3	24	35
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-6	-6	Yes	Yes	5

Cl.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
5×3	Mid	9	1, 1, 3	30	44
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-12	-12	No	No	3, 3, 3

Far Standing Normals

Far

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
5	Mid	4	4	5	13
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
+6	+6	Yes/chainable	Yes/chainable	4

Far

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
7	Mid	5	4	11	20
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
+0	+0	Yes	Yes	4

Far

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
8, 8	Mid	12	2, 1	23	38
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-3	-3	Yes (1st hit)	Yes (1st hit)	3, 3

Far

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
6×3	HL	9	1, 1, 3	30	44
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-12	-12	No	No	3, 3, 3

Crouching Normals

Cr.

Cr.	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	4	Mid	3	5	6	14
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	+4	+4	No/chainable	No/chainable	4
Cr. > Cr.	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	4, 5	Mid, Low	4	4	7	15
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	+4	+4	No	No	4, 4
Target combo from 2A.
Cr. > Cr.	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	4, 8	Mid, Mid	7	3	19	29
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	-1	-1	No	No	4,5
Target combo from 2A.

Cr.

Cr.	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	6	Low	4	4	7	15
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	+4	+4	No/chainable	No/chainable	4
Cr. > Cr.	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	6, 8	Low, Mid	7	3	19	29
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	-1	-1	No	No	4, 5
Target combo from 2B.

Cr.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
10	Mid	7	3	19	29
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-1	-1	No	No	5

Cr.

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
10	Low	11	5	21	37
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
KD	-5	No	No	5

Jumping Normals

Jump

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
6	High	5	6	-	-
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-	-	No	No	4

Jump

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
6	High	6	8	-	-
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-	-	No	No	4

Jump

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
10	High	9	6	-	-
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-	-	No	No	5

Jump

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
10	High	8	6	-	-
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-	-	No	No	5
Small jump D can beat out upper-body evasion attacks.

Universal Moves

St.
Lower-body evasion attack

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
6, 6	Overhead	23	3, 8	12	46
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-1	+5	No	No	3, 3
Overhead.

Cr.
Upper-body evasion attack

Cr.	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	10	Mid	8	4	27	39
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	-12	-6	Yes	No	6
A good anti-air option against jumps or hops farther out in front of Kain, where his Lanze break would otherwise whiff. Can be cancelled into Panzer B for a knockdown. 1～6F upper-body invincibility
Cr. > St.	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	10, 10	Mid	6	1	36	37
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	-16	Yes	Yes	6, 3
Target combo from 2AB (on both hit and block). Launches the opponent up into the air on hit for a juggle combo. You can make 2AB safe on block by feint cancelling the C follow-up (Kain is the only character that can do this).

Schwarze Stoß (T.O.P. Attack)

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
19 (base damage)	Mid	18	-	-	-
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
KD	-13	-	-	25
One of Kain's main tools used for guard crush setups. Usually used at the end of a guard crush blockstring, if Kain guard crushes the opponent with this move, he is able to convert into a full combo afterwards. Depending on the spacing, the move can be hard to punish for some characters due to its pushback on block, but it generally isn't used in neutral because it has a fair amount of startup and is easy to jump over. The move is also used as an optimal meterless combo ender in some juggle combos as it does slightly more damage than Panzer B. It is possible to use this move in conjunction with the Seele bug by kara cancelling from a st.C or cr.C (depending on whether the opponent crouch or stand JDs respectively), which can lead the move hitting multiple times, quickly guard crushing the opponent and doing a massive amount of damage.

Throws

Schwarze Mond
Close / +

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
7×3	-	1	-	-	-
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
+78	-	-	-	-
Kain is able to combo after his throw in the corner with Lanze or Seele D.

Feints

+
Forward Feint

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
-	-	-	-	-	10
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-	-	-	-	-
Mimics the start of Schwarze Panzer D and its break.

+
Down Feint

Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
-	-	-	-	-	10
Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
-	-	-	-	-
Mimics the start of Himmlische Atem.

Special Moves

Schwarze Flamme
Charge ~ + /

All versions are impossible to just defend at 0-pixel health bar.

~ +	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	12	Mid	12	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	-5	-5	-	-	8
A fireball that travels horizontally, used for controlling space in neutral. One of Kain's main tools for building meter and keeping the opponent out. It can also be cancelled into from a light normal in close range to act as a frame trap. Kain travels backwards slightly and is airborne for part of its recovery.
~ +	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	15	Mid	12	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	-14	-14	-	-	8, 5
A fireball that travels diagonally upwards, used for controlling the air space in front of Kain. Typically not used as much as his Flamme A, as it leaves Kain vulnerable to attacks on the ground, with him having a good anti-air in Lanze break already. Kain travels backwards slightly and is airborne for part of its recovery.

Schwarze Panzer
Charge ~ + /

All versions are impossible to just defend at 0-pixel health bar.

~ +	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	18	Mid	13	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	-8	-	-	7
Used as a combo ender, commonly after a Lanze break or cancelled into from a 2AB. Leads to a knockdown for a meaty Seele setup.
~ +	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	9, 9, 9	Mid	22	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	-7	-	-	2×3, 3
Generally not used because it can't be comboed into and is fairly unsafe on block.
~ + Break	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	9, 9	Mid	22	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	-2	-2	-	-	2×3
Generally not used outside of gimmicky resets.

Schwarze Lanze
Charge ~ + /

All versions are impossible to just defend at 0-pixel health bar.

~ +	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	7, 6	Mid, Mid	6	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	-4	-	-	7, 5, 7
The non-break version generally isn't used outside of missing your break. 1～6F full-body invincibility
~ + Break	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	7	Mid	6	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	+11	-	-	7
Has slightly more invincibility, more frame advantage, and does more damage than his D break, so it's the preferred break move. Excellent as an anti-air due to its invincibility and quick recovery, making it very difficult for most characters to punish even if they air JD (since he can just do another Lanze break). Also used to combo from a hop or jump and sets up a knockdown in conjunction with Panzer. Kain's main tool for building meter in neutral, alongside his fireball. 1～6F full-body invincibility
~ +	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	5, 3, 3, 8, 6	Mid, Mid	6	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	-8	-	-	8, 5×2, 7
Used as a combo ender in some scenarios, such as after a throw in the corner. It is often difficult to JD the downwards fireball from this move as Kain throws two out in quick succession, making it impossible to JD them if they both connect and overlap. 1～5F full-body invincibility
~ + Break	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	5	Mid	6	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	+9	-	-	8
1～5F full-body invincibility

Super Moves

Himmlische Atem
+ /

Both versions are:
Impossible to just defend at 0-pixel health bar
Have 1～6F full-body invincibility
Guaranteed to go through their entire startup and come out.

+	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	28	-	1	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	+8	-	-	15
Used in combos, commonly after a launcher with 2AB > 5C or Lanze break. Easier to combo and confirm into after a counter hit Lanze break starter, but can also be done from a non-counter hit if done quickly enough (e.g. if you anti-air with Lanze break, it leads to a higher juggle which can give you more time to confirm). Can also combo into it from a Seele B juggle. The super can also be used as an OTG conversion off counter hits from farther away. If Kain performs the super just as the opponent touches the ground from a knockdown, the super freeze will prevent the opponent from being able to input a tech roll to escape the OTG. The super can potentially be used as a raw anti-air in neutral, but more experienced players will often be able to air JD it or guard cancel against it on the ground and will result in wasting meter.
+	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	28, 16, 16	-	2	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	+34	-	-	15, 8×2
Similar in function to the A version, but hits 3 times and deals more damage. You are able to combo into Flamme A midscreen with the C version. Not used as an OTG like the A version.

Himmlische Seele
+ /

Both versions are:
Impossible to just defend at 0-pixel health bar
Have 1～4F full-body invincibility
Guaranteed to go through their entire startup and come out.

+	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	5×7	Mid	13	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	+34	-	-	2×7
Kain's bread and butter for his guard crush setups as it deals a fair amount of guard crush damage and locks the opponent down. Usually done as part of a blockstring or as a meaty setup after a knockdown from Panzer midscreen. If Kain performs the super just as the opponent touches the ground from a knockdown, the super freeze will prevent the opponent from being able to input a tech roll, so they are forced to take the resulting Seele as a meaty.
+	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total
	5×10	-	9	-	-	-
	Hit Adv	Block Adv	Cancel on Hit	Cancel on Block	Guard Crush Value
	KD	+46	-	-	2×10
Used in more niche situations such as to combo after a throw in the corner or as a meaty setup after a Panzer knockdown close to the corner (it travels slower than the B version, so it won't whiff in some instances close to the corner where the B version would). In addition to travelling more slowly, the D version also tracks the opponent unlike the B version, so it can be used when you have the life lead to run the timer out at the end of a round.