Garou: Mark of the Wolves/Wakeup

Garou Wakeup Game

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Adapted from "The Usual Wakeup Mixups in Garou" by Kota in the Garou Discord Group

Hello, This is a primer that teaches you the “rock/paper/scissors” (RPS) of Garou’s wakeup game. You'll learn what options beat what, whether you or your opponent is waking up.

Note that much of the situations below apply not only to wakeup specifically, but the overall neutral/meta game that is Garou!

An interesting thing about Garou is that the player who is waking up from a knockdown is more advantaged compared to most other fighting games.

Knockdown Okizeme

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Meaty attacks done on the opponent after knockdown.

Beaten by

Wakeup options (usual options for the player who is waking up)

1. Wakeup grab (grabs have priority over meaties)
   
   
2. Just Defend (JD's > random GC's)
   
   
3. 2AB
   
   
4. DP break
   
   
5. IAJD (with/without air grab)
   
   
6. Backdash
   
   
7. Random super or delayed random super

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Wakeup grab (grabs have priority over meaties)

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Beats

Knockdown Okizeme

• Meaties
  
  

Beaten by

Throw bait jump

• Come as close as possible to the opponent in order to bait/provoke a throw, then jump at the very last moment. The opponent’s cl.5C will whiff below you and you can punish it after you land.
  
  

Throw bait normal out of throw range

• Come as close as possible to the opponent in order to bait/provoke a throw, then walk back and attack outside of throw range.
  
  

Throw Tech OS

• e.g., 3BD (or 2BD?) will do 2B, but will also escape a throw because of the inputted D.
  
  

Dash forward out of throw range

• After knockdown, opponent tech rolls forward and attempts wakeup throw. Dashing forward to cross over to the other side of the roll, you’ll be out of throw range, and can also can give you a left/right mix-up, depending on your character’s dash speed and your timing.
  
  

Invincible move -- DP (break), lanze, etc.

• timed correctly, opponent's throw attempt comes out as a normal and whiffs during the invinciblity, potentially giving you a CH.
  
  

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Just Defend (JD's > random GC's)

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Your opponent waits for you to do a meaty, buffers a special move with a JD as an OS, then does a GC on reaction.

Beats

Knockdown Okizeme

Beaten by

Opponent expects a meaty and wants to JD/GC it. Bait the JD/GC by jumping up. (also beats wakeup throw)

Varied timing of oki attack

• DON'T place your meaties/begin your pressure at the same time every time! Delay the attack a bit after they have woken up.
  
  

• This makes it much harder for your opponent to score easy GC's and you avoid being GC'ed every time.
  
  

Multi-hit moves (Jenet cl.5AAA, Terry cl.5C~6C, most characters' cl.5D(2))

• can sometimes beat non-invincible random GC's
  
  

jabs

• mashing jab or 2B can stuff out GC's (risky) and in general interrupt JD/GC's.

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2AB

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Every 2AB has upper body invincibility.

Beats

Knockdown Okizeme

• Meaties (such as 5A or 5C)

Beaten by

Lows beat 2AB

• 2B loses against jump
  
  
• 2A (not a true low) beats both the jump and 2AB

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DP (break)

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Beats

Knockdown Okizeme

Beaten by

Punishes after block (especially after JD)

• break that is 0 or becomes 0 after a JD can be "punished" with a throw, but the opponent can still escape the throw or even beat out your throw attempt with a 0f super.
  
  

• guaranteed punishes in cases where the break is -2 or becomes -2 after a JD, you can throw or 0F super.
  
  
• if even more minus, you can do a bigger punish.
  
  

DP (break) bait jump.

• Jump avoids DP break and guarantees a free punish upon landing.

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IAJD (with/without air grab)

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Instant air just defend

Beats

Knockdown Okizeme

Beaten by

Meaties (except jumps beat low meaties like 2B)

• Since meaties are beaten by almost everything in the game (such as throws, GC, DP (break), backdash, super, etc.), wakeup IAJD is a viable option.
  
  

Air throw

• such as delayed hop C that will grab if the opponent tries to jump (OS's the air throw).

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Backdash

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They cover a good amount of distance and are completely invincible. But you can end up cornering yourself and very quickly lose against a skilled player.

Beaten by

hitting opponent when backdash's invincibility ends.

• delayed forward jump
  
  
• in the corner, everyone’s jump D will catch a backdash.
  
  
• double hitting moves that would catch a potential backdash. (such as Terry meaty 2B, cl.5C. if the dB doesn’t hit due to the backdash, the close C will catch it (corner only)).
  
  

input a run or a dash to punish a backdash when invincibility ends.

• dangerous if your opponent doesn't backdash, so try to do this option on reaction.
  
  
• Throw tech OS -- run, D OR run, BD|AD to escape a throw attempt after the opponent recovers from their backdash.
  
  

specials/supers that beat backdashes when invinciblity ends

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Random super or delayed random super

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Beaten by

delayed attack

• The main problem is that if you are blocking but then press a button during the opponent’s super freeze animation, you’ll get hit by a counter. It is possible to use a delayed attack if you have enough reaction time to not press a button if an enemy super comes out.
  
  

neutral jump (especially buffered with IAJD)

• A neutral jump (associated with an IAJD) at the very last moment before the opponent recovers is also a good solution, since it gives you enough time to react and air JD the super. Just be careful -- doing an empty jump can lead to getting hit by a 0F super right when you land, because there's a few frames of jump landing recovery.
  
  

blocking before JDing 0F supers

• To JD a 0 frame super, you need to block before the freeze then release your guard.
  
  

Ave maria (after-cancel)
Using this type of advanced option select can allow you to beat some random wake up 0 frame supers.

• You have to do the motion of an invincible move (let’s say a Dragon Punch for the example), then inputting 2BD. If the enemy’s super animation comes out, press the dragon punch button (B or D for Terry, A or C for Dong, etc).
  
  

Other advanced applications on beating 0F supers -- https://youtu.be/rsprZE755nc

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Jumps

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Inverse of beating an opponent who is waking up, let us focus on beating an opponent who jumps or hops in on you.

This applies to an opponent who jumps/hops in on you as you wake up, but of course also applies to Garou’s neutral game in general.

Beaten by

1. Anti-air DP, normal move or super (normals like 5A, 2C, cl.5D, etc.).
   
   
2. Trying to JD/GC
   
   
3. Instant Air JD (with an air throw if possible)
   
   
4. Dash-under
   
   
5. Air to Air
   
   
6. 2AB and Low Profile attacks
   
   

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Anti-air DP, normal move or super

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Normals like 5A, 2C, cl.5D, etc.

Beats

Jumps, hops

• It is often a bad idea to go for an unsafe anti-air since a skilled (!) garou veteran can air JD everything. The risk/reward is a matter of point of view and skill level.
  
  

• You can delay a super to counter the air JD (risky).
  
  

• Wait for the last moment before the opponent lands, and then do a DP (break) (depending on distance).
  
  

• Do note that if an opponent becomes too confident with their empty jumps, you can always score a free 0F super if you activate it right when the opponent hits the ground. This applies to hops as well.
  
  

• Hops don't allow you to JD while in the air! So the standard anti-airs are easily viable.

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Trying to JD/GC

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Beats

Jumps, hops

• The main problem with trying to JD an air attack is that you need to release your guard soon enough in order to be able to JD a potential move, meaning you can misread the timing and get hit if you're banking too much on getting a JD GC.
  It's smart to transition into block if you mistime the JD instead of attempting another JD after the next chance to JD (after 7 frames since the last attempt).
  
  

• Furthermore, a GC attack that is too slow and not invincible is beaten out by a multi-hit air attacks such as “target” air chain combos or Jenet’s jump C.
  This is why it is usually preferable to GC with a dragon break or an invincible attack or simply using a dragon punch on his landing if the opponent tries a throw attempt.
  
  

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Instant Air JD (with an air throw if possible)

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Beats

Jumps, hops

• The miracle answer. When your opponent jumps on you, jump with an instant air JD which is done by inputting 874. See it like a reverse Hadouken.
  If he pressed a button, you’ll JD his attack and be placed above him. If he didn’t, you’ll back jump and it’s up to you to decide what you want to do.
  
  

• If your characters has an air throw, input it after the IAJD, it will air throw in case your opponent didn’t press a button.
  
  

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Dash-under

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Beats

Jumps, hops

• It requires a good reaction time, but gives you the opportunity to be in someone’s back when he hits the ground.
  Delay the dash under at the last moment for the dirtiest left/right mix-up.
  
  

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Air to Air

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Beats

Jumps, hops

• It might work and can lead to the unblockable setup with a 0 frame super (remember that if you activate a 0F right when the opponent hits the ground, you are guaranteed a free 0F).
  Though, against an air JD you’ll find yourself completely free on your landing, unless you do a jump back air to air.
  
  

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2AB and Low Profile attacks

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Beats

Jumps, hops

• Doing an anti-air 2AB works if your opponent has pressed a button too soon/too high. The 2AB’s upper body invincibility will pass over a jumped attack.
  That being said, it doesn’t work against some delayed jump attacks.
  Learning how to 2AB an opponent's jump properly requires you to get used to your specific character’s 2AB -- it's hitbox, start-up, active frames etc.
  You must learn the proper timing, range, and also have to pay attention to the opponent's timing of their jump attack.
  It takes some experience and a good player is mindful to avoid it, but it's a great tool to have fresh in your mind.
  
  

• Low profile moves (Griffon’s forward feint, Hokutomaru’s 3D, Jenet’s 2B, etc) allow you to dodge most jump in attacks.
  
  

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Hops

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Inverse of beating an opponent who is waking up, let us focus on beating an opponent who jumps or hops in on you.

This applies to an opponent who jumps/hops in on you as you wake up, but of course also applies to Garou’s neutral game in general.

Beaten by

Everything listed for jump

You can handle hops the same as you would with a jump, the only issue is you have less time to react (or buffer/input a reversal).

1. Anti-air DP, normal move or super (normals like 5A, 2C, cl.5D, etc.).
   
   
2. Trying to JD/GC
   
   
3. Instant Air JD (with an air throw if possible)
   
   
4. Dash-under
   
   
5. Air to Air
   
   
6. 2AB and Low Profile attacks
   
   

Blocking

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Blocking

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Beats

Hops

• Hops are rarely positive on block.
  Most of the time it’s better to block it, rather than trying to JD, backdash, etc.
  The lower the opponent presses a button in their hop, the more the frame advantage tips in their direction, but the easier it becomes for you to react to and anti-air.