Garou: Mark of the Wolves/Meta Strategy

Controls/Notation

HUD

Basic System

Movement

Offense

Defense

Damage and Other Calculations

Advanced Techniques

Miscellaneous

Wakeup

Meta Strategy

FAQ

Basic Neutral

Source: Garou Discord Group. Picture created by player Kuronekoekoeko.

Description of basic neutral.

Generally,

5A > Runs, dashes.

2B > 5A.

Hops > 2B.

Anti-air > Hops.

Jumps/cross-ups < Use IAJD.

(Exceptions exist, such as Kevin's excellent 5A that when close can beat 2B.)

In Garou, 5A is not as strong against hops as in KOF.

The best bet against hops is to GC / block / backdash (or even neutral jump-in to avoid the hop-in and attack when they land).

The best options against jumps, besides going airborne with IAJD, are backdash / GC / run below it and 2B when they hit the ground (unblockable).

See "Just Defend & Neutral Guide" posted in the Garou Discord Group for more info.

Rolling Strategy

See the System Mechanics page for basic information on Rolling (or ground recovery)

Roll Options:

• D roll is the safest (often means your opponent doesn't get oki)
• C roll is the more rewarding but it's far riskier. Use cautiously, if not sparingly
• A/B-roll are mostly used to fake out
• No roll

For rolls, you should mostly mix between D-roll & nothing (not rolling at all).

You almost always want to roll except some rare cases.

• All rolls have faster wakeup than not rolling
  • B-roll and D-roll are quicker than A-roll and C-roll.
• All rolls have no collision box
  • it's easier to throw on wakeup, especially in the corner.

You can’t always be obvious on wake-up, relying on the same options, because then you’ll be called out. You have to vary it.

And when you do, your opponent won't really know which roll will be done and if their approach or setup will work.

In the end, it depends on who you are playing and how they react to roll recovery.

The opponent will expect the D-roll usually, and are prepared to cross-through if you use C-roll.
The use of A and B rolls are situational used mainly for fake-out/baiting.
You're baiting something out by changing your position you'd normally be at with C and D rolls.

An opponent expecting a D-roll is caught off-guard with a B-roll

• Dashing twice to chase a D-roll, but a B-roll happens and you unexpectedly side-switch.
• Jumping forward to chase a D-roll, and missing your jump-in.
  
  

Some people have a bad habit of C-rolling towards their opponent a lot. Usually you can take advantage of that by using a straightforward dash cross-through.
But an A-roll can catch them off guard

• Doing a dash forward expecting a C-roll, but staying on the same side because of an A-roll.
• Doing a double side-switch setup expecting a C-roll (or D-roll), but are positioned further away because of an A-roll.
  
  

Usually people expect a C-roll recovery out of the corner.
Not just doing the other rolls, but sometimes not doing a roll at all also throws people off (no tech-roll fake-out)

• The opponent may mistime their approach
• Oppositely, when your opponent is near the corner and you’re mid-screen, not rolling can prevent you from being cornered by a cross-through.

Roll Oki Side-Switching Examples

Your forward and back directions reverse as you pass through each other and switch sides.

The time you have to side-switch (or for okizeme in general) is really dependent on the character, moves, and combos (i.e., distance) being done. e.g., a knockdown with Jae's 2D has more time to do this than one with his 236D

6>5>4 Oki

---

See this post for video of this example.

Jenet is going to mash throw after you soft knockdown her in the corner.

To run input 6>5>4: - vs C roll it can run out of throw range - vs B/D rolls it walks back (won't backdash)

The [6] is done during recovery, and the [5] is done during recovery.

then the [4] is done as recovery ends and the roll is happening.

(and side-switch during forward roll)

Match-Up Chart by Japanese Players

See this link for translated match-up notes.

BnB Combos Document

See this link for the original "Garou: Mark of the Wolves - Bread and Butter combos" discord document.

Core Garou MetaGame

Garou Meta strategy.

Below the diagram is the transcription of all its items, organized by type, and their relationships (what beats what).

Diagram

Source: Posted in the Garou Discord Group. Created by player Stone (?).

Key

Color

red = strong,

orange = somewhat strong,

yellow = somewhat weak,

green = weak,

blue = equal/neutral,

purple = variable

Type

rectangle = defense,

diamond = offense,

oval = movement,

hexagon = situation,

cloud = elements (space/time)

Situation (hexagon)

---

far-range footsies (AKA neutral)

---

(purple = variable, hexagon = situation)

Equals

(blue = equal/neutral) projectiles

mid-range footsies

---

(purple = variable, hexagon = situation)

Beaten by

• (green = weak) projectiles

close-range footsies

---

(purple = variable, hexagon = situation)

Beaten by

• (red = strong) DP (breaks)

life disadvantage

---

(blue = neutral, hexagon = situation)

Beaten by

• (red = strong) turtling/blocking (fishing for GC's too)
• (purple = variable) meter building
• (red = strong) timer (time control)
• (red = strong) 2d space (space control)

life advantage (often turtles. check what beats turtling!)

---

(red = strong, hexagon = situation)

Beats

• (red = strong) turtling/blocking (fishing for GC's too)

Beaten by

• (orange = somewhat strong) JD (GC)
• (yellow = somewhat weak) (feint) pressure/mixups
• (orange = somewhat strong) 0f supers/supers

Elements (space/time) (cloud)

---

timer (time control)

---

(red = strong, cloud = elements(space/time))

Equals

• (blue = equal/neutral) meter building

Beats

• (red = strong) life disadvantage

2d space (space control)

---

(red = strong, cloud = elements(space/time))

Equals

• (blue = equal/neutral) projectiles

Beats

• (red = strong) life disadvantage
• (red = strong) turtling/blocking (fishing for GC's too)
• (red = strong) Backdashes (invincible)

• backdashes give space control to the opponent, because backdashes move you closer into the corner

Beaten by

• (red = strong) advanced dash/run footsies and movement (requires high level understanding and skill)
• (red = strong) Empty jumps (a powerful mechanic; IF you can master empty jump JD's)
• (red = strong) jump normals

• if done reacting to an opponent trying to jump, say, out of the corner
• this is the smart way to use full jump attacks -- to control space and used on reacting to the opponent.
• keep full jumps either empty, or wait to press a button after the opponent jumps

• (yellow = somewhat weak) forward dash/run
• (green = weak) jabs

Movement (oval)

---

forward dash/run

---

(yellow = somewhat weak, oval = movement)

Beats

• (yellow = somewhat weak) 2d space (space control)

advanced dash/run footsies and movement (requires high level understanding and skill)

---

(red = strong, oval = movement)

Equals

• (blue = equal/neutral) jabs

Beats

• (red = strong) 2d space (space control)

dash/run unders (under jumps)

---

(yellow = somewhat weak, oval = movement)

Beats

• (yellow = somewhat weak) Empty jumps (a powerful mechanic; IF you can master empty jump JD's)

Empty jumps (a powerful mechanic; IF you can master empty jump JD's)

---

(orange = somewhat strong, oval = movement)

Beats

• (green = weak) (feint) pressure/mixups
• (red = strong) 2d space (space control)

Beaten by

• (yellow = somewhat weak) dash/run unders (under jumps)

hop attacks (you can't JD during a hop's descent, but can JD during the ascent)

---

(yellow = somewhat weak, oval = movement)

Beaten by

• (green = weak) 2AB

• w/proper spacing or timing

• (blue = neutral) Backdashes (invincible)
• (yellow = somewhat weak) JD (GC)

Defense (rectangle)

---

Pressure v. Turtling

---

(purple = variable, rectangle = defense)

Pressure is green at mid-range, turns to orange/red in the corner, which is why space control is so effective at getting turtles to make a move

Backdashes

---

(yellow = somewhat weak, rectangle = defense)

Backdashes are invincible.

Beats

• (blue = neutral) DP (breaks)
• (blue = neutral) hop attacks (you can't JD during a hop's descent, but can JD during the ascent)
• (purple = variable) 0f supers/supers

Beaten by

• (red = strong) 2d space (space control)

• backdashes give space control to the opponent, because backdashes move you closer into the corner

JD (GC)

---

(red = strong, rectangle = defense)

Beats

• (red = strong) DP (breaks)
• (red = strong) jump normals

• full jump attacks get DESTROYED easily by many things;
  DO NOT throw out random high jump attacks without reaction. You'll get blown up.

• (yellow = somewhat weak) hop attacks (you can't JD during a hop's descent, but can JD during the ascent)
• (orange = somewhat strong) (feint) pressure/mixups
• (orange = somewhat strong) life advantage (often turtles, check what beats turtling!)

Beaten by

• (orange = somewhat strong) jabs

• mashing jab or 2B can interrupt lots of JD/GC's

• (orange = somewhat strong) lows (2B mainly)

• mashing jab or 2B can interrupt lots of JD/GC's

meter building

---

(green = weak, rectangle = defense)

Equals

• (blue = equals/neutral) timer (time control)

Beats

• (green = weak) turtling/blocking (fishing for GC's too)
• (purple = variable) life disadvantage

Beaten by

• (orange = somewhat strong) projectiles

turtling/blocking (fishing for GC's too)

---

(orange = somewhat strong, rectangle = defense)

Pressure v. Turtling -- pressure is green at midrange, turns to orange/red in the corner, which is why space control is so effective at getting turtles to make a move

Beats

• (red = strong) life disadvantage

Beaten by

• (purple = variable) (feint) pressure/mixups
• (orange = somewhat strong) throws
• (red = strong) life advantage (often turtles. check what beats turtling!)
• (red = strong) 2d space (space control)
• (green = weak) meter building

Offense (diamond)

---

(feint) pressure/mixups

---

(yellow = somewhat weak, diamond = offense)

Beats

• (purple = variable) turtling/blocking (fishing for GC's too)
• (yellow = somewhat weak) life advantage (often turtles. check what beats turtling!)

Beaten by

• (orange = somewhat strong) JD (GC)
• (yellow = somewhat weak) DP (breaks)
• (yellow = somewhat weak) 0f supers/supers

• risky!!

• (yellow = somewhat weak) 2AB
• (green = weak) Empty jumps (a powerful mechanic; IF you can master empty jump JD's)

projectiles

---

(yellow = somewhat weak, diamond = offense)

Equals

• (blue = equal/neutral) 2d space (space control)
• (blue = equal/neutral) far-range footsies (AKA neutral)

Beats

• (green = weak) mid-range footsies
• (orange = somewhat strong) meter building

jump normals

---

(yellow = somewhat weak, diamond = offense)

full jump attacks get DESTROYED easily by many things; DO NOT throw out random high jump attacks without reaction. You'll get blown up.

Equals

• (blue = neutral) DP (breaks)

Beats

• (red = strong) throws

• neutral jumps can be a hard counter to attempted throw on wake-up.
  this is why wake-up throw is risky!

• (red = strong) 2d space (space control)

• if done reacting to an opponent trying to jump, say, out of the corner
• this is the smart way to use full jump attacks -- to control space and used on reacting to the opponent.
• keep full jumps either empty, or wait to press a button after the opponent jumps

Beaten by

• (red = strong) JD (GC)

DP (break)

---

(yellow = somewhat weak, diamond = offense)

Equals

• (blue = neutral) jump normals

Beats

• (yellow = somewhat weak) (feint) pressure/mixups
• (red = strong) close-range footsies

Beaten by

• (red = strong) JD (GC)
• (blue = neutral) Backdashes (are invincible)

jabs

---

(red = strong, diamond = offense)

Equals

• (blue = equal/neutral) advanced dash/run footsies and movement (requires high level understanding and skill)

Beats

• (orange = somewhat strong) JD (GC)

• mashing jab or 2B can interrupt lots of JD/GC's

• (green = weak) 2d space (space control)

Beaten by

• (green = weak) 2AB
• (green = weak) lows (2B mainly)

lows (2B mainly)

---

(red = strong, diamond = offense)

Beats

• (orange = somewhat strong) JD (GC)
• (green = weak) jabs

Beaten by

• (blue = neutral) AB

sweeps

---

(green = weak, diamond = offense)

Beaten by

• (red = strong) AB

2AB or AB

---

2AB (red = strong, diamond = offense)
AB (green = weak, diamond = offense)

2AB Beats

• (green = weak) hop attacks (you can't JD during a hop's descent, but can JD during the ascent)

• w/proper spacing or timing

• (yellow = somewhat weak) (feint) pressure/mixups
• (green = weak) jabs
• (purple = variable) 0f supers/supers

AB Beats

• (blue = neutral) lows (2B mainly)
• (red = strong) sweeps

throws

---

(yellow = somewhat weak, diamond = offense)

Beats

• (orange = somewhat strong) turtling/blocking (fishing for GC's too)

Beaten by

• (red = strong) jump normals

• neutral jumps can be a hard counter to attempted throw on wake-up. this is why wake-up throw is risky!

0f supers or supers

---

0f supers (yellow = somewhat weak, diamond = offense)
supers (yellow = somewhat weak, diamond = offense)

Both Beats

• (orange = somewhat strong) life advantage (often turtles. check what beats turtling!)

0f supers Beats

• (yellow = somewhat weak) (feint) pressure/mixups

• risky!!

0f supers Beaten by

• (purple = variable) Backdashes (invincible)
• (purple = variable) 2AB