Wolf Hawkfield FAQ 3 v1.2
By Jes 'WolfMan' Joudrey.
jes@npsnet.com
Currently this FAQ is available at The Home of Virtua Fighter Web sight
and occasionally on Rec.Games.Video.Arcade (RGVA).
Version 1.2 was completed on March 7, 1997.
Copyright 1996, by Jes Joudrey.
Table of Contents
Chapter 0 - Introduction.
0.0 Just an Introduction.
0.1 Why?
0.2 Legal Stuff.
0.3 Open Letter.
0.4 Acknowledgements.
Chapter 1 - Wolf's Story.
1.0 A Little Background.
1.1 VF Story.
1.2 VF2 Story.
1.3 VF3 Story.
1.4 Extra Stuff.
Chapter 2 - The Moves and Analysis.
2.0 Introduction.
2.1 Punches and Hand Attacks.
2.2 Kicks and Foot Attacks.
2.3 Miscellaneous Attacks.
2.4 Ground Attacks.
2.5 Throws
2.5.1 High throws.
2.5.2 Ranged Throws.
2.5.3 Low throws.
2.5.4 Side Throws.
2.5.5 Behind Throws.
2.5.6 Counter Throws.
Chapter 3 - Combos.
3.0 Introduction.
3.1 Attack Combos.
3.2 Throw Combos.
3.3 Mixed Combos.
Chapter 4 - Strategy.
4.0 Introduction.
4.1 The Special Tactics.
4.1.1 'E'ing.
4.1.2 Dash.
4.1.3 'G'-Cancel.
4.1.4 Senbon Punch.
4.1.5 The Major Counter.
4.1.6 The Minor Counter.
4.1.7 Escaping throws.
4.1.8 Okizeme.
4.1.9 Getting Up.
4.2 Counters.
4.3 What to do about...
4.3.1 ...Scrubs.
4.3.2 ...Relentless attackers.
4.3.3 ...High/Medium/Low Mixer people.
4.3.4 ...Shun.
4.3.4 ...Takaarashi.
4.3.5 ...Stages.
4.3.6 ...Picking a stage.
4.3.7 ...The people who KNOW you.
4.3.8 ...Passives.
4.4 How do I beat Computer...
4.5 What to practice on who.
4.6 Alignments.
4.6.1 Wait and Kill.
4.6.2 Nickel and Dime.
Chapter 5 - The Rest
5.0 Introduction.
5.1 Ethics.
5.1.1 Speach Etiquette.
5.1.2 Replay Etiquette.
5.1.3 Thrown Rounds.
5.1.4 Coin Etiquette.
5.1.5 Giving Advice.
5.1.6 Cheezy Moves.
5.2 Easter Eggs.
5.2.1 The Taunts.
5.2.2 Alternate Outfits.
5.2.3 Holding the Re-play.
5.2.4 Dural's Backgrounds.
5.2.5 Playing Dural.
5.2.6 Playing the Letter Character.
5.3 What I want to know.
Chapter 6 - Compressed Moves List
6.1 Punches.
6.2 Kicks.
6.3 Miscellaneous Attacks.
6.4 Ground Attacks.
6.5 Throws.
6.6 Combos.
Chapter 0 - Introduction
- Just an Introduction.
As with any pursuit of skill, this is a work in progress. Some of the
information in this document will likely be found to be inaccurate, or even
down right wrong. If you discover anything you disagree with please e-mail
me at jes@npsnet.com with your suggestions, or just let me know what you
think.
0.1 - Why?
Ah yes. "Why?"... Well the answer is, "Why Not?". That's not
entirely true, but it's close. In VF1 I played Sarah and Pai almost
exclusively, in VF2 I moved through those characters fairly quickly and
when it came time to change again and I realized that not only had I never
played any of the Large characters, but neither had anyone in the group I
usually played against. So I tried Jeffry, but he was too slow. Then I
tried Wolf, and there was no turning back. Sure, I use other characters
once in a while, but I now consider myself a Wolf player. Sometimes I feel
that the large slow characters have few advocates compared to the Akiras or
the Bryants and I felt it was time to share my opinions with others. For
those of you out there who are only considering taking up Wolf I say, Give
it a try. "I liked him so much, I wrote the FAQ."
0.2 - Legal Stuff.
Sega owns everything in here except the way I put their words together.
Apparently I actually have some rights for my effort, But I really have no
idea what they entail. If it were only up to me I'd say you should
distribute this freely to everyone you know, put it on VF3 Web pages and
Copy bits of it into other FAQs you may be writing. All I ask is that
either you keep it whole or I get some credit for the bits you copy. You
can't however, include any portion of this information in any form of media
which you receive payment for without 'expressed written permission' from
me. This means magazines, restricted access web pages, etc. Above all, I
insist that you learn to use Wolf and make this all worth while.
I've written this entire work with the exception of Wolf's history for
each of the games to carry the VF title. But these are, I believe, a
matter of official record. The moves, I've read from multiple sources and
almost all were confirmed by myself. Since 1.1 I have changed the names of
some of the moves. The current lists have the 'official' names for each
maneuver.
0.3 - Open Letter.
For me, Wolf is a study in progress. I'm always trying to improve, and
I'm always open to new Ideas. If you've got anything that I may want to
hear, e-mail me at jes@npsnet.com and tell me about it. If you disagree
with something I say in here, e-mail me. If something I say in here is
wrong, e-mail me and phone me and pester my neighbors until I fix it. Some
of the strategy isn't that well explained, but I keep plugging away at it,
and it's getting better.
0.4 - Acknowledgements.
Firstly, I'd like to thank Chia Jin Ngee, Colin Leong and Thomas H
Harper for posting their contributions while VF2 was the big kid on the
block. They pretty much taught me to play. Secondly, I'd like to thank
Jirawat Uttayaya, the person who wrote the new FAQ, the crew behind the
'Home of Virtua Fighter' Web page, and SuperDoug who was kind enough to
point me towards some more good Wolf info. Thirdly I'd like to thank a big
heavy red-haired Canadian Wrestler.
...And last but not least, Sega and Yu Suzuki for the last three years
of VF.
Chapter 1 - Wolf's Story.
- A Little Background.
Wolf Hawkfield Was Born on February 8, 1966. He weighs 104 kg and
stands 182 cm tall. He hails from here in Canada, and sings Karaoke. And
if you ever need a blood transfusion, he's there for you with his
ultra-rare type O blood (what a silly stat).
Certain people believe Wolf is from an area near Calgary Alberta.
There is a patch of dessert near that area which could be where he fights.
Also the similarity between his Cowboy Wolf outfit and some of the Costumes
at the annual Calgary stampede is hard to ignore. Nothing after the word
"certain" is official, but I'm going to believe it until Sega tells me
otherwise.
1.1 VF Story.
He lived as a woodsman and hunter in the Canadian wilderness until he
was discovered on a scouting trip by a professional wrestling promoter. A
quiet man who loves nature, he has his gentle side. He is filled with
fighting spirit, however. Once aroused, he is not satisfied until he
finishes the job at hand.
He was an instant star in the pro wrestling area, and successfully
defended his title several times. Dissatisfied with the level of
competition, however, he turned in his belt and retired from the ring.
He entered the World Fighting Tournament in search of a rival worthy of
his abilities.
1.2 VF2 Story.
He is determined to fight against Akira again, an opponent that
defeated him at the last Tournament.
1.3 VF3 Story.
After losing to Akira in a close match, Wolf returned to his home, and
resumed his training with the forces of nature as his opponent. One day, he
had a dream in which somebody stopped a man who was trying to destroy the
world. When he told this to a local fortune teller, he was told to "Obey
your dreams. This is something you cannot ignore."
1.4 Extra Stuff.
Wolf has always been a muscle bound hulk, but with VF3 Sega has decided
that he should also seem a bit dumb. I found this personally
disappointing, but I'm doing what I can (See Taunts, 5.2.1). I also think
that by educating an army of Wolf players I'll be sure that people take him
seriously. We will RISE up and Frankensteiner the Akiras. We will
Ghostbuster the Aois. And the Lions, I've been saving the T&H for you.
There, I feel much better after my rant.
Chapter 2 - The Moves and Analysis.
- Introduction.
This chapter introduces the most terminology of any in the faq. All
the buttons, directions and levels must be defined. As well as any other
relevant information. So, lets get started.
G - Press the Guard Button. (Sometimes called 'Defend', but not
here).
P - Press the Punch Button.
K - Press the Kick Button.
E - Press the Escape Button. (Sometimes called 'Dodge', but not
here.)
for - Press the stick in the direction Wolf is facing.
back - Press the stick towards Wolf's back.
up - Press the stick upwards.
down - Press the stick Down.
FOR, BACK, UP, DOWN -
Press and Hold the stick in the appropriate direction.
HCT - Half Circle Towards. ie back,down/back,down,down/for,for.
HCA - Half circle Away. ie for,down/for,down,down/back,back
, - Separate the two sides of the comma by a small pause. The
smaller the better. IE. For a Punch kick combo (P,K) you
would press P and then K.
+ - Execute both sides of the plus simultaneously. IE. To execute
a Tomahawk flash (for+P+K) you press down and at the same time
punch and kick.
/ - Combine the directions on the two sides of the slash to get a
45 degree angle.
L - This will hit a standing opponent or a crouching non-guard.
H - This will hit a standing non-guard.
Note: For throws, Guard is irrelevant.
M - This will hit a standing non-guard or anyone crouching.
n - This will hit anyone who is not guarding.
G - This will effect someone lying on the ground.
B - This is for throws executed while your opponent has their back
to you.
S - This is for throws executed while Wolf is at his opponents
side.
FC - The execution of this move begins while crouching, or "From
Crouch".
Catch - These moves can only be executed after Wolf's Wrestling lock
up.
BGrab - These moves can only be executed while grabbing the opponent
from behind after the wrestling lock up.
-Down - This message means that Wolf is laying on the ground after the
move finishes.
-Wall - This move will only happen when your opponent is backed against
a wall.
2.1 Punches and Hand Attacks.
Straight Hammer P H
Jab, Straight P,P HH
One, Two, Uppercut P,P,P HHM
Pretty much self explanatory. The punch alone or the double punch
have their uses in throwing an opponent off guard, but aren't very useful
without a greater purpose. The Punches with uppercut works fairly well
when you're not exactly sure what's going on. I only use them when someone
is in the air, and even then I'd rather use kick (K,K).
2 Punches Elbow Smash P,P,for+P HHH
This attack is a good way to get your opponent to duck. Alone, it
has a mediocre success rate at best. But with a little conditioning it may
lead to great low-throw possibilities. I've just never had the patience or
money to condition an opponent. On the machines here, the computer is
likely to duck and leave itself open to the low throw combo (see section
3.3), but in my experience, human's usually block high.
Low Hammer down+P L
Low Hammer FC, down+P L
This move is an interrupter. Do this to stop your opponent's
rushes. It leads well into the Reverse Sledge Hammer. But I'd much rather
use the Low Smash Kick as it leads well into throws.
Sonic Upper down/for+P M
Vertical Upper FC,down/for+P M
The uppercuts recover quickly and have enough power to lead to
float combos. The occasional uppercut thrown into the fray can be quite
effective, just don't freeze up and miss your well deserved float.
Body Blow for+P M
Body Blow, Dragonfish Blow for+P, P MM
The body blow has good range and moderate damage. It won't knock
the opponent down unless it hits as a major counter. I don't recommend
using the Dragonfish more than half the time, it's recovery is fairly long,
but at least it knock's down. These attacks have a greater success rate if
your opponent doesn't know if you will follow up with the Dragonfish or
not.
Level Back Chop P+K H
Not a terribly useful move. Of the few times I have used it was
usually blocked, and the recovery isn't that great. This move can hit an
opponent out of those kick flips where the opponent leaves their hands on
the ground, but it's really hard to time.
Tomahawk Chop up/for+P H
This move is quite useful against anyone who predictably rises with
a sweep attack. If it hits, it can also lead to a unique throw (See
Section 3.3).
Dodging Punch P+E H
Along with the Dodging Kick (See Section 2.2) this move is used to
avoid long range attacks.
Reverse Sledge Hammer FC,for+P M
Moderate to good damage. And if it hits, there won't be a response
for a while.
Screw Hook HCA+P M
A spinning punch. Built in with a bit of a dodge.
Screw Lariat HCA+P, P MH
A spinning double punch. Built in with a bit of a dodge.
2.2 Kicks and Foot Attacks.
High Kick K H
Double High Kick K, K HH
Quite an Effective escape tracker. Of course if your opponent
ducks you are history. The first kick may float enough for the second to
hit.
Low Smash Kick down+K L
This attack has good reach and mediocre recovery. If it hits as a
major counter, any throw you have buffered in will connect, even the
dreaded T&H. This isn't something to do half way. You should start the
throw before you know whether the MC was successful or not until you're
really good with it. The trick is to know when you will get the MC and
when you won't. If by some chance the attack is not a Major Counter, you
should be aware that your enemy's next attack is likely to be mid-level.
You may even be able to reverse it.
Face Lift Kick down/for+K M
After VF2 I have a real problem calling this a Side kick. I miss
the old one. Still, use this in almost the same places as before and it
should do well. It still knocks down fairly frequently and it's really
fast, but doesn't have the range or visual effect that it did in VF2.
Knee Blast for+K M
Ah, My old friend. This is a great response for any attack your
opponent makes that you block, with the exception of the really quick
recovery moves. Note, this knee won't knock Takaarashi down under normal
circumstances. Recovery time of Wolf's knee has been improved over VF2 but
it's damage and floating capability have been reduced.
Neck Cut Kick K+G H -Down
This move is quite effective against someone who is charging in.
However, it's offensive capabilities are slightly hindered by the fact that
a single lucky low punch can knock you out of it.
Drop Kick up/for+K M -Down
This move is quite effective against certain players. Anyone who
Rolls towards you when they are rising is in trouble. Learn to time this
move for when they begin to rise. It's almost unfair. Just don't muss it
up or you'll end up on your back getting kicked in the shins by Jacky.
Rolling Sabot for+K+G M
Good Range, good possibility of knock down, and a Wide arc, so it
hits some escapers. But it telegraphs, so be careful of players that can
reverse mid-level kicks. Those who know how to escape properly it will
clean your clock.
Dodging Kick K+E H
Duck Dodger! K+E,G -
This is good to know. unlike the dodging punch (2.1) this move
ducks under high attacks. By G-Canceling it, you get a dodge that ducks
under high attacks and still leaves you with time to do something besides a
straight kick. If you keep holding defence, you may find that you are
vulnerable longer than you think you should be.
Front Roll kick back,for+K+G M -Down
If you know someone is going to rise with an attack, stand just out
of range and initiate this attack as soon as their foot starts to swing.
Also use it to Keep opponents guessing.
Flying Knee Kick for,for+K+G H
Good range, Moderate recovery, but won't hit crouchers. Still,
once someone catches on to some of Wolf's stuff, this throws a bit of a cog
into the wheel. If it's blocked, you rise fairly quickly and an immediate
double kick (K,K) hits more often than you'd think, but only until your
opponents catch on.
Low Drop Kick for,down+K L
This attack is hard as hell to do. If you can, Learn it. It has
excellent range, and the computer is the only opponent you'll face who'll
expect it. It's quite quick but if it is blocked, you can be in trouble.
Side Middle Kick down/for+K+E M
This move looks like Wolf's old side kick. The reason I don't call
it that is because when it's executed, the kick will miss the opponent,
usually by going beside them into the screen. Obviously, this was made to
catch excessive Escapers at their own game, but it will hit opponents who
are very close to Wolf.
Toe Crush up+K+G M
A Hopping Kick. There's not much to say on this except that when
you want to do a Toe Crush (also up+K) you may accidentally pull off the
Drop Kick (up/for+K). Merely adding the G button ensures that there will
be no mistakes.
2.3 Miscellaneous Attacks.
Elbow Butt back+P H
This is lightning fast and knocks down. If used properly you won't
have to worry about it's recovery. This is the move you squeeze between
your opponents PPP, PPP. Button mashers beware. Anytime you're opponent
isn't giving you time to react, try this.
Comet Hook back/down+P M
Similar to the above, but it doesn't knock down. If your opponent
is staggered, any buffered throw will connect without fail.
Shoulder Attack back,for+P H
This is very effective against anyone who misses by executing an
attack too far away. It does good damage and covers ground quickly. If
you start this move as soon as you realize that your opponent's attack will
miss, you should hit them. This does not apply to punches and attacks with
almost instantaneous recovery. Also, watch out for people crouching. The
resulting flip is painful and embarrassing.
Running Shoulder Attack (Run)P+K H
This attack only works once Wolf has taken a few steps to gain
speed. You should release the joystick before pressing P+K.
Hammer, Kick P,K HH
I used to be utterly relentless with this, but in VF3 it doesn't
knock down each time it hits. It's Quick and does good damage. Another
move to slide in during your opponent's pause. Most people think it's
recovery is a bit longer than it really is. If one of your P,K attacks is
blocked, try another immediately. If it works, good, if it doesn't, don't
try it again on this opponent, you will be reversed.
Tomahawk Flash for+P+K H
Arrow Knuckle down+P+K M
These have good range and push your opponent into a crouching
position. Someone Who's not used to them may be taken by surprise enough
for you to Dash in and low-throw them, Most others will at least be unsure
of what's coming next, so mix it up a bit. If the Tomahawk Flash hits as a
major counter, a buffered low throw is guaranteed.
Grizzly Lariat down/for+P+K L
Many non-Wolf's dislike this move. It's Wolf's sweep and it's
sweet. It has a broad arc which makes it hard to escape, but does trivial
damage. A regular pounce is anything but guaranteed. However the
Somersault drop ( aka back body splash, aka Wolf's bad back) Has a much
better success ratio. It makes a really good opener against the computer
or when someone is getting to their feet.
Short Shoulder back,for+P+K M
This shoulder attack is accompanied by a low posture. This gives
some leverage for a float combo. Follow it up with a Shoulder charge
(back,for+P) and a back body splash (up+K) for some floating damage.
Axe Lariat for+P+E H
AKA Clothes Line. You know, Some people still think you can block
this. You can't. It's a hit or miss deal. And quite an effective one at
that. But you can be hit out of it. A pounce is not guaranteed.
2.4 Ground Attacks.
Elbow (Pounce) up+P G
The old stand by. With the addition of varying terrain, not many
moves have true guaranteed pounces anymore. But this is the simplest
pounce to do. Remember, pouncing from high altitude does more damage.
High Elbow (Pounce) down, UP+P G
Not too much call for this. It does a bit more damage than the
regular pounce, but it takes longer, making it less likely to hit.
Somersault Drop up+K G
AKA Back body splash AKA "Wolf's bad back" This quick pounce
covers a lot of area, making it quite difficult to escape, but it has short
range, and if you miss, Wolf climbs slowly to his feet rubbing his sore
spine, Hence the "Wolf's bad back" thing. If you hit the joystick just a
little to far forward Wolf does a Drop kick that has no chance of hitting,
so what I've been doing of late is pressing back/up+K. This works without
the chance of failure.
Elbow Drop down/for+P G
A nice quick Drop onto your opponent without too long a recovery if
you miss. It's got very little range though. So either run in or only do
it while you're close.
Double Claw down+P+G G
Wolf bends down and picks up his opponent by the neck and gives
them a shove just out of throw range. Most ranged moves go well here, some
better than others, See the combo's Section (3.2). As far as I know the
pick up is only a sure thing after the Ghostbuster, though I've gotten it
after a single knee and other moves. Opponents who are easily stunned are
easy to dash in and throw. This move can be quite useful against someone
who ends one of their attacks on the ground (ie. Shun). You will also
realize a higher success rate if you dash up to a player's feet before
attempting the Pick Up.
Front Roll Kick back,for+K+G G
Yep, This move does double duty. Don't know what the big deal is,
but it's a pretty neat idea.
2.5 Throws
2.5.1 High throws.
Brainbuster P+G H
AKA Backfall Suplex. This is Wolf's generic throw. It's the
easiest to escape however, so it should be used sparingly. This throw
works well when you and your opponent are both standing and guarding.
Since this condition only lasts a few moments, speed is required and this
throw can succeed because of it's minimal required effort and thought.
Bodyslam down/for+P+G H
This is a simple move and it is unlikely that anyone will escape
from it unless they are accustomed to fighting Wolf. It can squeeze
between certain attacks and always leaves time for an elbow drop. This is
the general purpose throw that I use.
Bodyslam wall throw down/for+P+G H -Wall
This is quite simply a body slam that throws the person against the
wall. For this to work, your opponent must be between Wolf and the wall,
as well as very close to the wall. The opportunity to use this throw is
pretty rare.
Giant Swing HCT+P+G H
AKA Twirl and Hurl (T&H). The king. Practice the T&H and use it
on opponents who wiff attacks with long recovery times. It does awesome
damage and has a lot of ring out potential. It's really difficult to
escape (back, for+P+G) and it's really cool to watch.
Wrist Lock Throw HCA+P+G H
This throw's motion is no different than the T&H except the
direction is reversed. Unfortunately it does less damage. Since Wolf can
get predictable with his T&H, people may eventually catch on and begin
escaping it. That being the case, this move will serve the same purpose as
the T&H, and with a little swapping, they'll be guessing again.
Wrist Lock Throw HCA+P+G H -Wall
The wall throw variant of the Wrist lock throw does no extra
damage, but it recovers a little faster (not much).
Steiner Screwdriver down/for,down/for+P+G H
AKA Ghostbuster. This is IMO, the best throw Wolf has. It's
motion isn't too slow, and it does great damage. It also flows into the
Double Claw ground throw or another ground attack. It goes well after
anything your opponent does that has a slow recovery.
Wrestling Lock up (Catch) for+P+G H
When this 'throw' connects, Wolf Locks up his opponent as
professional wrestlers often do. Alone this throw goes no damage, but it
leads to a series of possible moves that are listed below. Each of these
throws is listed as 'Catch' under the level column. This throw is really
easy to execute, but you should move on to the next stage as quickly as
possible, because it doesn't take long for your foe to break out of it.
Thunder Fire Powerbomb P+G Catch
This is the first and easiest of the Lock-up throws to do. Wolf
hoists his opponent above his head and gives a little damage there, and
them power bombs them onto the ground for more damage.
Front Neck Chantry down/back+P+G Catch
With this throw, Wolf grabs his opponent the neck and flips them
over his shoulder.
Push down/for+P+G Catch
Wolf Pushes his opponent back out of range of most normal moves.
This move alone, does no damage.
Slingshot Front Suplex back+P+G Catch
Wolf picks up his opponent and tosses them backwards over his head.
There are ring-out possibilities here.
Grab from Behind (Change) for+P+G Catch
With this throw, Wolf spins around his opponent and Grabs them from
behind. This throw leads to the following throws labeled 'BGrab'. This
move alone does no damage.
German Suplex P+G BGrab
With his arms around his opponent's waste, Wolf Bridges backwards
causing his opponent to fall on their upper back.
Tiger Suplex back+P+G BGrab
With his arms around his opponent's waste, Wolf first applies a
sleeper hold then Bridges backwards causing his opponent to fall on their
upper back. Ouch.
Calf Branding down/for+P+G BGrab
Wolf Jumps up and presses down and forward on his opponent, who
then stumbles forward a few steps and collapses underneath him. If both
players fall out of the ring with this move, Wolf still wins.
Push for+P+G BGrab
Wolf Pushes his opponent away while they still have their back to
him, However, they are as yet, no worse for wear. Sometimes you can dash
in and behind-throw them, most times this won't work.
2.5.2 Ranged Throws.
These throws are separated from the other high throws in the FAQ
for two reasons. Firstly, their reach is much longer and secondly, they
are risky because Wolf can be easily avoided. What they are good for is
when an opponent does a move that would normally require Wolf to dash to
throw them. For example, a Kick flip. Or a charge that falls short.
Officially these throws are called 'Catch' throws. And officially Wolf's
Wrestling Lock up is called 'Catch', but it's not a catch throw. To avoid
this confusion I'll refer to these as Ranged throws.
Arm Whip for,for+P+G H
Being a double action joystick move, this throw takes a little
longer to execute. It also covers a lot of ground, ring-outs are possible.
However, once the move begins and Wolf starts to run in, the throw can be
interrupted by anything, even another P+G throw. If this throw hits but
both players fall out of the ring, Wolf will lose as he falls first.
Frankensteiner up/for+P+G H
The Frankensteiner is unlikely to be interrupted, however if it
misses, Wolf falls flat on his back and can be pounced. If it hits, you're
opponent is sent flying behind you. I've saved some bad rounds by using
this throw to ring-out opponents with a lot more health than me.
2.5.3 Low throws.
The Low throws are only useful against people who are crouching. They
are quite challenging to execute in a pressure situation where people won't
crouch for long. And if you get one, the other player usually learns
quickly and doesn't crouch for to long any more. A good time to try for a
low throw is after you block a sweep. Also when an opposing Wolf's Grizzly
Lariat (down/for+P+K) is blocked, a low throw will connect. If you
anticipate that your opponent will soon be susceptible to a low throw, you
can ride out the lead up time holding Guard. Once they crouch, merely
pressing the Joystick direction and the Punch and Kick buttons while still
holding Guard will execute the throw.
Double Arm Suplex down/back+P+K+G L
Wolf grabs his crouching opponent by the two arms and flips them
over.
Tiger Driver down/for+P+K+G L
Wolf grabs his crouching opponent by the arms and delivers a mean
pile driver. This allows an elbow drop.
Side Suplex down+P+K+G L
Wolf leans over his crouching opponent and grabs them from behind.
He then swings them behind him.
2.5.4 Side Throws.
When Wolf is standing beside someone there are two normal throws
and one low throw he can do.
Sliding Leg Scissors P+G S
A nice simple maneuver where Wolf falls to the ground and places
one leg in front of his opponent and swings the other one to trip them.
Cyclone Whip back, for+P+G S
Wolf Grabs the opponent's arm and falls away from them, flipping
the opponent on the ground on the other side of him.
Close Arm Breaker P+K+G SL
2.5.5 Behind Throws.
Wolf can have some real fun when his opponent is facing the other
direction. These throws aren't as rare as they were in VF2.
German Suplex P+G B
When you've got to act quickly, this is the move to do. Wolf grabs
his opponent around the waist and bridges them backwards.
Dragon Suplex back+P+G B
If you think to do a back+P+G rather than the simpler P+G, do it.
It does a little more damage.
Low German Suplex down+P+K+G BL
This throw is similar to the German suplex, except that it grabs
opponents who have their back to you and are in a crouched position.
2.5.6 Counter Throws.
Wolf's Counter throws allow for some interesting situations. The key
to using them is to learn when an opponent is likely to use a kick that you
can counter. Once you know this, the remaining aspect is that of timing.
You must initiate the counter just before the opponent's kick hits.
Dragon Screw(Side Kick Rev) down/back+P+K M
This move is more or less the same as in VF2. This is also quite
often a one time thing. Once an opponent knows you can counter his
attacks, they usually become much less predictable.
Captured (High Kick Rev) back+P+K H
This is a new attack. Wolf moves inside the range of the high kick
and grabs his opponent around the chest. He then makes them pay with a
suplex. Note this move also does a little damage to Wolf as the opponent's
kick hits weekly on his shoulder.
Chapter 3 - Combos.
- Introduction.
Wolf's power is, in my opinion, NOT in combos. At least, not the
conventional ones. Still, they definitely do have a place in the game and
they do often accomplish things that single moves can't.
3.1 Attack Combos.
Punches Elbow Butt P,P,for+P,Back+P HHHM
This combo is not what many people expect from Wolf. The first
three attacks can be easily stopped, but not many people expect the fourth
Mid level attack. But since any mid or low level attack will suffice to
end your charge, it's success is, in my experience, limited.
Short Shoulder, Punches back,for+P+K,P,P,P MHHM
As the Shoulder is a fairly quick move, this combo/float does quite
well. Provided that the terrain is with you. It does good damage and
allows a pounce when it's finished.
Knee, Knee for+K,for+K MM
This simple combo hits light characters on level ground. The
steeper the incline, the greater the chance of it working on a heavier
character. It also allows a pounce at the end.
Short Shoulder x2, Shoulder Charge MMM
back,for+P+K,back,for+P+K,back,for+P
( The 'Cold' Shoulder Combo. )
This combo was successfully accomplished on Aoi, I wouldn't count
on all the segments connecting on a heavy foe.
3.2 Throw Combos.
Wrestling Lock Up (Catch) for+P+G... H
This throw may be considered a throw combo, but I felt it should be
described in the throws section (2.5.1).
Steiner Screwdriver, Double Claw, Frankensteiner HGH
d/f,d/f+P+G,d+P+G,u/f+P+G
This is quite an effective combo, provided your opponent is stunned
by the Double Claw or chooses to guard. The damage is quite high. But it
won't work on anyone who tends to be offensive after the Double Claw.
Steiner Screwdriver, Double Claw, Arm Whip HGH
d/f,d/f+P+G,d+P+G,f,f+P+G
This is similar in most ways to the SS,DC,F combo above, but it is
easier for the opponent to stop. it is more or less assured that anything
they do besides guard will prevent the Arm Whip throw from working.
3.3 Mixed Combos.
Tomahawk Flash-Side Suplex for+P+K,d+G+P+K M-L
Tomahawk Flash-Tiger Driver for+P+K,df+G+P+K M-L
The tomahawk flash has to hit as a Major Counter, then the throw
will connect.
Tomahawk Chop, Neck Rolling Throw u/f+P, for+P+G MH
This combo only succeeds when your opponent is hit by the Tomahawk
Chop. When the throw comes off, you'll know because it's not a throw you
can do without the Tomahawk.
Combo Elbow, Double Arm Suplex P,P,f+P,d/b+P+K+G HHHL
Lots of potential here. This works on mid-level computer opponents
and certain humans. It hurts a lot and the throw will always connect if
the opponent ducks under the elbow.
Steiner Screwdriver, Double Claw, Drop Kick HGM
d/f,d/f+P+G,d+P+G,u/f+K
Steiner Screwdriver, Double Claw, Axe Lariat HGH
d/f,d/f+P+G,d+P+G,for+P+E
These two combos are a better way to use the Double Claw. These
have a much higher success rate than the SS,DC combos in the throw combos
section (3.2). The Drop kick hits those that duck despite some attacks
that they may make. However if they stand and guard, Wolf will land flat
on his back. With the other, the Axe Lariat will hit anyone standing. It
also allows a stomp if you are lucky.
Lock up, Change, Push, Arrow Knuckle, Dragon Suplex HCBM-BL
I use this combo every so often. It does good damage but at high
risk as the behind throw is not a certainty. Most other throws in the
Wrestling Lock up do almost as much damage without as much risk of
screwing. But it's flashy enough for me to keep doing it.
Low Smash Kick, Throw down+K,Throw LH
This combo is described under the Low Smash Kick (section 2.2).
The main trick is learning when a Low Smash Kick will result in a Major
Counter and when it will simple hit. Once you learn that, then you should
start by attempting the combo with simple throws like the BrainBuster (P+G)
until you learn the precise timing. Then you should practice it until you
can whip off a Ghostbuster at the very least.
Comet Hook, Throw back/down+P,Throw MH
If the Comet Hook staggers your opponent, the throw will connect as
well. Of course it must be executed immediately. The Comet Hook has a
rather disappointing effect itself, so if the throw doesn't come off, you
should be ready for a fairly speedy retaliation.
Chapter 4 - Strategy.
- Introduction.
If there's a chapter in this FAQ that could be slightly off, this is
it. I'm trying to write strategies that I sometimes neglect myself.
Still, I'll tell you what I know, and so-as not to give a biased view, I'll
try to interpret what I've read and been told, as well as real world
experience.
4.1 The Special Tactics.
This section is about some of the fundamental things that any VF3
player should know, Wolf player or not. There is a lot of info on these
subjects in various posts to rgva and articles in 'The Home of Virtua
Fighter' web sight (http://www.vfhome.com) where you can always download
From: jes@netcom.npsnet.com
Comments: Authenticated sender is
To: Edward de la Cruz , steveh@ime.net (Dodee)
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 1997 18:37:47 +0000
Subject: Wolf FAQ 1.2
Priority: normal
the FAQ. So if you need a more in depth analysis, that's where you should
go.
I still haven't mastered all of these myself, but I do at least know
most of the theory and have some practice, so I'll share what I know.
4.1.1 'E'ing.
The E button is used to control Wolf's (or anyone else's) position
relative to his opponent. You can move in any direction by pressing the
joystick in a direction and the E button at the same time. The forward
directions move you towards your opponent while the back directions move
you away. The up direction moves you into the screen, and the down
direction moves you out towards where you are physically standing.
down/for and up/for both move you closer and to the side, they are really
useful for side throws etc. If you are far away from your opponent, any
escape, except the back directions will also move you closer to your
opponent.
Some good uses of the dashes are... When you are close to a ring edge
and wish to get some distance, and the Okizeme Tactics (4.1.8).
4.1.2 Dash.
Dashing is an extension of E-ing. It moves the character quickly.
There are two ways of dashing. One is to double-tap the joystick forward
or backward. The other is to tap forward or backward and the E button.
This moves you a short distance quickly, so you can do throws or something
that requires you to be closer or further away. If you have to cover a lot
of ground quickly, try tapping then holding forward, or holding forward and
E. This makes Wolf run. When an opponent is surprised by a Pick Up By The
Neck (down+P+G) or similar push, you can sometimes dash in and throw them
before they realize what has happened.
4.1.3 'G'-Cancel.
G-Canceling is used to stop attacks before they finish. It can be
confusing for an opponent and allows you to recover quickly. Often it
allows enough time to start another attack before your opponent realizes
what's going on. The only G-Cancel tactics that I use often are K,G to
begin a kick and recall it, and the Duck dodger (K+E,G) to escape to the
side and duck without attacking. G-Cancel is also directly related to the
Senbon punch (See 4.1.4).
4.1.4 Senbon Punch.
The Senbon punch was discovered in VF2. The idea is that you begin the
P,K Combo of your favorite character, then after the punch completes (hits
or misses) you G-Cancel the Kick on as close to frame 1 as possible. Since
the kick begins before the recovery of a single punch would be finished and
it was canceled immediately, you are left with a single punch with only 1
frame (1/60 seconds) of recovery. In VF2 it was possible to string an
infinite number of these together in the dreaded (and cheezy) Senbon Grind.
Fortunately, his was removed from VF3.
The Senbon Punch is a fairly simple idea, that is quite a chalenge to
execute properly. If I had more time, I'd like to include a larger section
on exactly how the Senbon Punch applies to Wolf. But alas, I don't. So
what I'll do is say that there are many documents and FAQs on the Senbon
Punch, so read them.
4.1.5 The Major Counter.
The Major Counter is one Tactic that happens a lot to skilled players
whether they know what it is or not. Basically, when you opponent starts
an attack and then you hit them with something. This does a bit more
damage (25% I beleive), causes a different sound and stuns the opponent for
a longer period than the attack normally would. It is important for you to
learn when a Major counter has occurred and which moves are likely to cause
them. Once this is accomplished, you have to plan on what you will do in
the case of a MC. Some MC's leave Wolf enough time to execute a throw of
some kind. Plan ahead so that when your low floor kick hits as a Major
Counter you've got something big coming next.
You will know if you get a major counter because of the sound the
attack makes. if is sounds like an anvil being hit by a chicken leg with a
steel core, then it's an MC.
4.1.6 Minor Counter.
A minor counter is similar in most respects to a Major Counter, only
it's not as good. When an opponent begins an attack and it executes (ie.
hits, misses, or is blocked) but they haven't yet returned to the ready
position, any hits are classified as Minor Counters (Not abbreviated 'MC').
A Minor Counter does extra damage (but only 10%). Other than the attack
bonuses, there are no other special properties to the Minor Counter.
4.1.7 Escaping throws.
In VF3 you can escape (almost) any throw. For most, the way you escape
is to execute the final motion you would do if you were to use the throw.
For example, To escape a P+G throw, you would also press P+G, To escape
Sarah's Clothesline (for,for+P+G) you would press for+P+G. However there
are exceptions to this rule. For Wolf's two semicircle throws, and I
believe for anyone else's semi circle throws, you have to do the first and
last motions to escape. So to escape the dreaded Twirl & Hurl (HCT+P+G)
you would have to execute a back,for+P+G, The directions are reversed for
the Wrist lock throw.
Now that you know HOW to escape a throw, you've got to learn the
motions for every players throws in VF3. Not a simple task. Then you've
got to learn WHEN to escape from a throw. There may be times when an
opponent always executes the same throw. This is when you could try to
escape from it. If they mix their throws well and leave you guessing but
you still want to try to escape, then you should try to escape by using a
motion that is the final motion of one of their throws and is also one of
Wolf's throws. In this way, should they decide not to throw you, you'll
throw them, and if they do try to throw you, you still have a chance to
escape. A good example of this is one time when I was Fighting a Computer
Sarah who had learned the Clothesline (for,for+P+G) a little too well.
When ever I thought she was going to use it, I would attempt to grab her in
the Wrestling Lock Up (for+P+G). In two rounds, the results were, Sarah:
One Clothes Line, Wolf: One Avoided Clothes Line and one Power Bomb. This
is still the only time I've seen that throw avoided. Sarah took two steps,
put out her arm and jumped into the air, Wolf ducked and Sarah flew
overhead, landing on her back on the hard subway floor.
4.1.8 Okizeme.
Coming Soon.
4.1.9 Getting Up.
Coming Soon.
4.2 Counters.
The advice I gave under the counters section of the moves chapter
(2.5.6) is still good. Beyond their defensive purpose, you can set up
specific situations that you believe will cause your opponent to respond
with a counterable move. For example, If you crouch while you are still
close to an opponent they may decide to sidekick you. So you crouch and
quickly stand up doing a Dragon Screw reversal (down/back+P+K). With luck
you will intercept the incoming attack. Without luck, you'll look quite
foolish as some Akira SPoDs you. Also, on certain low levels, the computer
will start the round with a normal high kick, This was how I executed the
High kick counter for the first time.
4.3 What to do about...
This section is designed to answer questions about specific situations.
Shun and Takaarashi both have qualities that allow them to be treated as
specific situations. As always, any comments are welcome.
4.3.1 ...Scrubs.
Scrubs come in two flavors, the 'button masher' and the amateur.
Amateurs often do moves that are easy to block and have long recoveries,
this makes them throw fodder. The button masher, on the other hand doesn't
know how to do any moves, but still manages to mix the levels of their
attacks well, they also often don't know what the 'G' button is for. Don't
try to throw a button masher, it's harder than it looks. Counters can
work, as can the Elbow Butt (back+P) or a Knee Blast (for+K).
4.3.2 ...Relentless attackers.
Unlike the 'Button Masher' this player knows exactly what is going on.
He's almost impossible to counter, unless you actually are fighting an
amateur in disguise. The Grizzly Lariat (down/for+P+K) is very useful, as
is the Elbow Butt (back+P), the Knee Blast (for+K) and the Facelift Kick
(down/for+K). If they use PPP Combos or anything that uses a couple
consecutive high attacks, the Low Smash Kick (down+K) as a major counter is
an invaluable throw lead in. If you've got some distance, the drop kick is
good. The key is that once you hit them, they should fall down. If this
happens a few times, it can shake them out of an aggressive pattern, giving
you the initiative.
4.3.3 ...High/Medium/Low Mixer people.
If there was ever a question with many answers, this is it. I may as
well be asking how to beat a 'good' player. Firstly, you must try to
figure out which levels they are concentrating on, if any. If their low
attacks do little damage and don't knock down, then ignore them. This will
only work until they realize you're ignoring low attacks. If they are
concentrating low, DO NOT ignore their attacks, if you duck for more than a
moment then you'll likely find out that that's what they were trying to get
you to do by attacking low. Try to guard and when you're turn comes up,
try do hit them high and low so that their stop hits may not work. The
Commet Hook (back/down+P) as a Major Counter works fairly well, as does the
Tomahawk Flash (for+P+K) MC. Both of these lead to moderate throw
possibilities. The Grizzly Lariat is worth a good hit or two as well. Good
luck.
4.3.4 ...Shun.
Shun's special circumstance is his ability to do moves that are
designed only to confuse. I wish I had more effective experience here, but
I'll take a stab at it using what I've seen. Shun will every so often just
haul back and take a drink. My advice here is to drop kick immediately.
If he stands on his hands, drop kick again. If he suddenly sits down...
Currently I stand back and wait for him to rise at a distance, but low
attacks will work if he doesn't get you first. Sometimes Shun will lay
down on the ground and watch you, just stay back, or step in and guard low.
He gets up quickly, but doesn't do too much damage. Lastly, some of Shun's
attacks leave him sprawled on the floor. The best option here is the
Double Claw throw (down+P+G), If you miss your opportunity don't attempt to
execute this throw late. When it misses it has a very long recovery. Just
pounce on him, or even better use the elbow drop (more likely to hit and
quick recovery).
4.3.4 ...Takaarashi.
Takaarashi's special circumstance is that a lot of moves won't knock
him over. Even the Knee Bash will only rock him back. My advice here is
to chain as many attacks together as you can. Don't stop until he finally
falls or he successfully guards against one, then go back to using more in
depth strategies. You will likely only get two or three extra attacks, but
if they hit, you'll find they do at least as much damage as a pounce would
have.
4.3.5 ...Stages.
This section is composed of a few helpful comments to help with each
level. Don't expect anything too detailed.
Lau's Section of the Great Wall: Try to stay on level ground with your
opponent unless you're trying to float them. Wolf's Knee Bash (for+K) can
lift an opponent over a low section of wall if you are lucky. The Short
Shoulder and Uppercut have a similar effect.
Sarah's Subway Station: Avoid the stairs, they can really muss up a
throw. Also, this stage feels a little narrow. Don't panic, just escape
away from the edges if you start to get close.
Shun's Raft: It's difficult to throw someone who's on a different
platform than you. You may consider backing up and letting them onto your
platform. This level is pretty wide, don't be overly concerned with Ring
Outs until you get near the edge.
Pai's Roof: This is quite a simple level, but the slant adds a bit of
variety. Floating is biased towards the uphill player, and of course, most
Ring outs occur at the bottom edge. Just be aware.
Lion's Library: Try to stand on the level sections, allowing enough
room for your opponent to stand level with you.
Jeffry's Island: The best advice I can give on this level is to try to
stay dry. Some people 'panic' when they get in the water because of the
potential of Ring outs. Some of them may make foolish mistakes in an
attempt to get back to the center of the ring.
Kage's Cliff-side Castle: When you're standing on either the small
hill right behind player 2 an the round's start or on the stairs, throws
and High attacks won't work well.
Jacky's Building: It's not uncommon for the edges of this level to be
a lot closer than you think. Whether they're hidden by the pile of girders
or if you get knocked back and find yourself with one foot in the grave.
You should be careful when using throws that exchange your relative
positions.
Wolf's Desert: There are no Ring Outs here. Just fight. But keep an
Eye on the terrain to see who's got the high ground or if you're level.
Positions change frequently.
Akira's Dojo: Always be aware of which sides of the ring will allow a
ring out. Look for opportunities to capitalize on that awareness.
Aoi's Snowy Garden: Don't spend too much time trying to get throws
that aren't working. Keep it simple unless the ground is smooth, or you
have some practice at the tough throws.
Takaarashi's Sumo Ring: Try to get the center ground in the ring and
make your opponent try to take it from you, unless you are trying to Ring
out your opponent. Just be careful that it doesn't happen to you.
4.3.6 ...Picking a stage.
Some machines allow the challenger to select what stage the match will
take place on. If you're a Wolf that likes to throw a lot, then select a
flat level. Uneven ground prevents a lot of normally simple throws. I
recommend Takaarashi's Sumo Ring, Akira's Dojo and to a lesser extent
Wolf's Desert and Jeffry's Island.
4.3.7 ...The people who KNOW you.
Here's another tough one. What I'd recommend is alternating sets of
moves. One day do a lot of throwing, the next, focus on Shoulder Atatacks,
Axe Lariats and Elbows, the third day, use the K+G moves. And try to learn
the Low Drop Kick (for,down+K). It should be worth a few good hits. You
will also have to alternate between the throws that you use to follow up
your Major Counters. These can become quite predictable and easy to
escape. One of the key things to remember is that if something isn't
working, don't keep trying it.
4.3.8 ...Passives.
Some players sit back quietly guarding and wait for you do act. What
ever that action is, they'll do a quick attack (like Akira's Dashing Elbow)
that will interrupt most anything you've decided to do. if you're at a
distance, try the Front Roll Kick (back,for+K+G). It's slow, so when they
attack they may come up short and your attack will finish, knocking them
down. Note: this doesn't always work. Also a G-Canceled P,K Combo will
often catch them off guard. If they go for it, try a second P,K
immediately. Don't try a third, it probably won't work, and may be
reversed.
4.4 How do I beat Computer...
This section is designed to give advice to players on how to beat
certain CPU opponents. In previous versions of VF this section was fairly
easy. But now that the players are in a random order and the Computer
'Learns' from it's mistakes, it's become a lot more complicated. It's
possible for a Lau on someone's machine to be a real pushover, while on the
machines here, he's one of the toughest. Only certain characteristics will
remain constant everywhere so I'll try to deal with them. One thing you'll
notice about these tips is that I mention the Low Kick Major Counter (which
is followed by a throw) often. I can't stress it's use enough, but I must
be getting pretty close.
...Lau
If you are going to assume a wait and kill alignment (4.6.1) against
Lau, you must not ignore his low attacks, he will make you pay. Also, his
recovery for most attacks is short enough to prevent any big throws. Use
Quick attacks and wait for a rare chance to pull out a big throw. Note:
Become familiar with Lau's Combos because some of them are longer than they
look. Many of them have an attack strung onto the end that catches people
off guard.
...Sarah
When you Sarah does a Knee attack with a long recovery you must
remember that you have to wait until she lands before you can throw her.
It's often better to combo her and pounce, especially since she's light.
Unfortunately it can be a bit of a challenge doing anything too complex to
her because of her speed.
...Shun
Shun can be really confusing. He is designed so to fool you into
thinking it's time for you to retaliate before he's actually finished
attacking. Memorize each of his combos so that you know which ones have
long recoveries, which leave him on the ground for you to pick up or Elbow
drop, and which leave his back to you.
...Pai
Be careful of her sweeps. Her effectiveness against the standard 'Wait
and Kill' method prevents it's normal use. Do not ignore her low attacks,
and don't get fancy.
...Lion
I don't find Lion too difficult to throw, as opponents go. As the
level increases, I stop responding with the Steiner Screwdriver as much and
switch mainly to the Body Slam. Of course there are throws in Wolf's
arsenal which have pretty good odds of getting a Ring Out on a light
opponent...
...Jeffry
Jeffry will mainly execute three throws a standing opponent. His
Fireman's Carry (P+G), his Power Slam (for+P+G) and the Crucifix PileDriver
(down/for, down/for+P+G). Wolf has a corresponding throw for each of
these. Just remember that your chance of escaping a throw is higher if you
stick to these throws. Also remember that his chances will increase as
well. When in doubt, Low Kick and go for the throw.
...Kage
The Low Kick Major Counter is invaluable here. Whenever you start to
feel overwhelmed, just go for it. It is important that you learn to avoid
Kage's Flying kick that strikes standing defenders. By avoiding it you are
also almost assured a Behind Throw.
...Jacky
Go for the Frankensteiner immediately if he misses a kick flip.
Remember that the Beat Knuckle (aka 'Bitch Slap') leads into combo's now.
It's a good idea to watch him to learn how long each of his combo's can go.
...Wolf
A High level computer Wolf can be close to relentless. So you do what
you do when someone starts being overbearing, you go for the Low Kick Major
Counter and avoid anything with long recovery.
...Akira
Computer Akira is a pushover on the machines I play, even on level
eight (the max here). I assume a Wait and Kill pose and he seems to walk
into it every time. He's got some great moves but a lot of his recovery
times are bad enough to cause his death. Note: That double arm (not double
palm) attack of his leaves his side facing you, do any high side throw and
it will connect without having to dash or anything.
...Aoi
Despite her quick appearance, she can be a little slow sometimes. Just
don't get predictable, remember, she can counter anything.
...Takaarashi
At high levels Takaarashi is mean. He can push you back to the ring's
edge before you realize that the match has started. On low levels he'll
usually stumble into an attack with a bad recovery. On the high levels, a
well placed Frankensteiner does good things when you're near the edge, as
do some of the moves following the Wrestling Lock Up.
...Dural, Dular
Float Combos won't work well on Dural as she (it?) weighs a lot and
falls to the ground quickly. Other than that her behavior is quite a bit
similar to Akira's, but she throws in a Kick Flip or two every now and
then.
4.5 What to practice on whom.
When it comes time to learn a move, there are many ways. The most
common is to use it against the computer players. To this end, I've made a
bit of a list to illustrate what attacks to practice against whom. As the
CPU learns to play VF3, the amount of practice you get decreases. On our
machine, I wouldn't do any new moves on anyone over round 4, unless they
are Takaarashi.
It doesn't matter who's first, you'll be able to practice any move at
all against them, except the counter throws. The reason for this is that
they don't attack consistently, they may not deliver a counterable blow in
an entire round.
Shun, Akira, and Lion are good for low throws, especially akira. If
you're trying to escape around someone and do a side throw, it would better
be someone from level one or maybe two. The easiest person to throw from
behind is Shun. One of his attacks launches him feet first towards you, if
this attack is blocked, he stands with his back to you long enough to
throw.
The complex throws ie the Steiner Screwdriver, Giant Swing, and
Wrist-Lock Throw can best be practiced on Takaarashi, Wolf and Jeffry. In
that order. At the start of any round, assume the "Wait and Kill" method
(4.6.1 Below) and once they leave an opening, make them pay. These are
also good people to practice the Counter throws on.
Complex Combos can be practiced on most low levels, but some of the
mixed combos (P,P,for+P,down/back+G+P+K) Require the computer to act
intelligently for the big moves to hit. You can't count on the computer
being intelligent until about the third round.
4.6 Alignments.
Sometimes you will observe a distinct pattern that players follow. It
governs the way that people play. Once you develope your alignment, you
will improve at a faster rate, however, you also get predictable.
Basically, you know what to do in certain situations, but your opponent
knows which situations you know and will try to make sure they never
happen. Still, there are two main Alignments and I think that they would
be useful to point out. Ideally, a player will master both alignments and
know when to switch.
4.6.1 Wait and Kill.
The "Wait and Kill" alignment involves a lot of guarding high. You
don't respond to low punches or small damaging moves. Basically, you wait
for an opening that is big enough to get a sure hit through, then you
either execute a throw or a Quick attack that is guaranteed to knock down.
So while they get four puny hits that do moderate damage in total, you
execute a SS,DC,F combo and drop them well below half. This alignment's
main strength comes in the damage Wolf dishes out when his turn comes
around. It's weaknesses are... Low attacks that knock down ie sweeps,
other throws, and Lau. There is a modification of this alignment that lets
Wolf Block Sweeps. Blocking other low attacks only invites retribution.
4.6.2 Nickel and Dime.
The "Nickel and Dime" approach is more or less the opposite of the
"Wait and Kill" approach. basically you never stop attacking unless
absolutely necessary. You mix attacks and be sure to do a little damage
every time. The theory being that a lot of little hits can do as much as
one large one. This is a bit harder with Wolf, However he does have enough
variety to be quite an effective "Nickel and Dimer".
Chapter 5 - The Rest
- Introduction.
This chapter is merely some odds and ends that you may want to know
during your VF3 days. And also some things that I'd like to know. As
always any suggestions are appreciated, especially on the Ethics section
(5.1).
5.1 Ethics.
It's rather uppity of me to write a section on ethics. I'd like to
clarify that I am not trying to impose my judgement on anyone, and people
may disagree with a lot of what I have to say. I just thought that someone
might care what I think and what codes some others I've seen play by. If
not, then feel free to skip this section.
5.1.1 Speach Etiquette.
While I'm playing I'm usually concentrating on the game. Sometimes
people decide that now would be a good time to talk to me. They are wrong.
I remember specifically one individual that kept insisting that I do the
crucifix piledriver. I explained to him that Jeffry had the CPD and that I
was playing Wolf. He continued, I ignored. I'm not saying silence here.
But since then I've only said simple things like 'Wow! The Stun
palm-o-doom!' and "that was cool.' Nothing that required a response.
After the match of course, anything goes. I really enjoy discussing
matches after the fact. This is one of the main ways that I realized some
simple flaws in my Wolf that I had been previously unaware of.
5.1.2 Replay Etiquette.
There is some controversy over the cancellation of replays. It's my
impression that the winner should get to decide to watch a replay. It
bothers me when opponents cancel the moves that I worked hard to do. But
it happens often enough that I'm starting to get used to it.
5.1.3 Thrown Rounds.
Some players are really good. They do their best until they are one
round away from a sweep, then allow the other character to catch up and
then kick their but in the final round. This is admirable. It allows a
beginner to practice rather than be swept. I don't do this. But I do
allow the opponent one free round of practice rather than sweeping them.
The problem is that once I do, I often lose the next two rounds and the
match. It's really embarrassing, but I just remember who's fault it is.
Mine.
5.1.4 Coin Etiquette.
When someone is playing it's common courtesy to ask whomever it is if
you can play against them. Alternately, someone who's playing shouldn't
continue without looking to see if there is anyone waiting to play, lest he
be challenged without asking just to get him off the machine.
5.1.5 Giving Advice.
When someone asks me a question or states a fact that I know to be
false, I'll answer and answer honestly. But since I'm writing this, it's
pretty obvious that I want to spread the good word. the other day I
defeated another player in the final round by using the Axe Lariat. He
backed away from the machine saying "I don't understand it, I was holding
defence!" So I explained to him how you couldn't guard against it and he
had to crouch or hit me out of it.
5.1.6 Cheezy Moves.
Next we have the controversial topic of 'cheezy moves'. A cheesy move
is one that is 'too' good, so much so that it unbalances play. For
example, in an early version of VF3, lion had a ground attack that could be
repeated over and over until his opponent was defeated. Similarly, there
are the teleport moves that can be executed no matter how much distance is
between the characters. Lastly there are the freeze moves, these lock the
opponent into a single position, unable to attack until they are hit or
thrown. These three catagories are considered bugs that certain cheezy
people exploit. Using these bugs to defeat a human opponent is wrong. You
may as well take out a knife and steal your opponent's money. Your
opponent will likely enjoy either method about the same, and the theft
would be more exciting for you as well. ( Disclaimer: DO NOT truly rob
your fellow gamers! ) If you want to test these bugs out on a computer
opponent, well that's Ok, I guess. But you won't learn them from me.
There is another type of 'Cheezy' move. These are the moves that
people assume are unbeatable until they know what to do about them. The
senbon punch started by accident, but was fully integrated into VF3
(Without the Senbon Grind). People thought Wolf's Low Kick (down+k) was
too good, but further investigation revealed that it was intentionally made
that way. Certain People have thought that every character in the game was
cheezy at one time or another. What I've learned about this is to learn to
deal with it. A low kick can be blocked, throws can be escaped, kick flips
can be avoided. If you use a move too much, no matter how good it is,
people will catch on, you will pay.
5.2 Easter Eggs.
These are small undocumented features that are becoming quite common
place in arcades these days. Taunts (5.2.1) and Outfits (5.2.2) are
nothing new, but I hope to be able to add more as they become known.
5.2.1 The Taunts.
In VF3 each character has more taunts than ever before. Wolf's taunts
have always been simple, but he never spoke to his biceps before. It's up
to each of us to select a taunt from the following list that is doesn't
give people the impression that Wolf is some kind of muscle-bound fool*.
Taunts can be selected by holding the proper combination of buttons at the
end of any re-play that Wolf Wins. The taunts are listed here.
I'll update the rest of these as I figure them out.
G - "I'll raise you for your strength!" Wolf jumps up, does the
splits, and lands, shaking his arm. Avoid this humiliating taunt at all
cost.*
P - "I'll raise you for your strength!" Wolf Holds up his arm and
measures his muscle with his other hand. Avoid this humiliating taunt at
all cost.*
K - Howl! Wolf Bends forward then stands up with his hands in the
air flexing his Pectoral muscles.
E - Howl! Wolf brings both elbows behind him in a double "Yes!" type
motion and then bends backwards bringing his hands up above his head.
P+G - Howl! Wolf raises one hand into the air reaching for the sky.
* No I'm not really that hung up on Wolf. I just think these taunts
are a bit, well, dumb.
5.2.2 Alternate Outfits.
If you begin on the left hand side of the machine, you will normally
start with Wolf's wrestling tights (Red pants, no shirt). If you start on
the right you will start with Cowboy Wolf (a short leather jacket, dark
pants and boots). If you don't want the outfit you would normally start
with you must hold down your start button after moving the box onto Wolf
and then pressing an attack button to select your character while still
holding start.
5.2.3 Holding the Re-play.
If your opponent is continually canceling your replays, it is your
right to insist that they play. Without reverting to true violence, this
can be accomplished by holding all four buttons. Exercise your rights
today.
5.2.4 Dural's Background.
It is appearantly possible to play a regular match of VF3 in Dural's
arenas. Dural's Arena's forground look exactly the same as each of the
other arenas, but the background and mood is significantly different. It
is not yet known how to get Dural's stage 100% of the time. It is known
that on certain occasions people have gotten it by holding start between
matches. People say that they have about a 1:15 ratio of success. When
more on this technique becomes known, I'll pass it on.
5.2.5 Playing Dural.
Dural has many moves taken from a variety of the characters in VF3.
Each of her maneuvers is the best in it's class. She has the best
Kickflip, the most damaging throws, and the most confusing combos. Not to
mention her great weight, which makes her hard to float. This would make
her easily the best character if you were to play her. This is still just
a rumor. Personally, I hope that it isn't true. I think that being able
to play Dural would be in violation of the game. I like VF because,
despite all the cinematic maneuvers, it's still the most realistic fighter
out there. I see playing Virtua Fighter as a toned down martial art in
it's own right. Playing Dural is a quick, easy way to win. Playing Dural
represents the 'Dark Side'.
5.2.6 Playing the Letter Character.
I've seen the image of this on the Sega of Japan web sight. From the
image, it appears as if Jeffery is fighting the character that is used for
skilled players to enter their names with. The image quite clearly has a
life bar representing the 'Letter Man'. This image may simply be an early
shot of what the name entrance could be, or it could really be someone
playing the letter character. I'm actually not too resistant to this idea,
at least not as much as I am against playing Dural. Despite what looks
like colosal range due to large limbs, his/her moves could still be on par
or worse than the remaining characters.
5.3 What I still want to know.
If anyone knows the answers to any of these questions, I'd love it if
you'd drop me a line.
When are the best times to do low throws other than when a sweep is
blocked? Exhaustive list prefered.
Specifically which high and medium kicks can be reversed and at which
levels? Exhaustive list prefered.
If an opponent is higher than you, will his medium attacks be countered
as high? I think not.
Chapter 6 - Compressed Move List.
6.1 - Punches Motion Level Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Straight Hammer P H
Jab, Straight P,P HH
One, Two, Uppercut P,P,P HHM
2 Punches Elbow Smash P,P,for+P HHH
Low Hammer down+P L
Low Hammer FC, down+P L
Sonic Upper down/for+P M
Vertical Upper FC,down/for+P M
Body Blow for+P M
Body Blow, Dragonfish Blow for+P, P MM
Level Back Chop P+K H
Tomahawk Chop up/for+P H
Dodging Punch P+E H
Reverse Sledge Hammer FC,for+P M
Screw Hook HCA+P M
Screw Lariat HCA+P, P MH
6.2 - Kicks Motion Level Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
High Kick K H
Double High Kick K, K HH
Low Smash Kick down+K L
Face Lift Kick down/for+K M
Knee Blast for+K M
Neck Cut Kick K+G H -Down
Drop Kick up/for+K M -Down
Rolling Sabot for+K+G M
Dodging Kick K+E H
Duck Dodger! K+E,G -
Front Roll kick back,for+K+G M -Down
Flying Knee Kick for,for+K+G H
Low Drop Kick for,down+K L
Side Middle Kick down/for+K+E M
Toe Crush up+K+G M
6.3 - Miscellaneous Motion Level Notes
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Elbow Butt back+P H
Comet Hook back/down+P M
Shoulder Attack back,for+P H
Running Shoulder Attack (Run)P+K H
Hammer, Kick P,K HH
Tomahawk Flash for+P+K H
Arrow Knuckle down+P+K M
Grizzly Lariat down/for+P+K L
Short Shoulder back,for+P+K M
Axe Lariat for+P+E H
6.4 - Ground Attacks Motion Level Notes
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Elbow (Pounce) up+P G
High Elbow (Pounce) down, UP+P G
Somersault Drop up+K G
Elbow Drop down/for+P G
Double Claw down+P+G G
Front Roll Kick back,for+K+G G
6.5 - Throws Motion Level Notes
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
6.5.1 High throws.
Brainbuster P+G H
Bodyslam down/for+P+G H
Bodyslam wall throw down/for+P+G H
-Wall
Giant Swing HCT+P+G H
Wrist Lock Throw HCA+P+G H
Steiner Screwdriver down/for,down/for+P+G H
Wrestling Lock up (Catch) for+P+G H
Thunder Fire Powerbomb P+G Catch
Front Neck Chantry down/back+P+G Catch
Push down/for+P+G Catch
Slingshot Front Suplex back+P+G Catch
Grab from Behind (Change for+P+G Catch
German Suplex P+G BGrab
Tiger Suplex back+P+G BGrab
Calf Branding down/for+P+G BGrab
Push for+P+G BGrab
6.5.2 Ranged Throws.
Arm Whip for,for+P+G H
Frankensteiner up/for+P+G H
6.5.3 Low throws.
Double Arm Suplex down/back+P+K+G L
Tiger Driver down/for+P+K+G L
Side Suplex down+P+K+G L
6.5.4 Side Throws.
Sliding Leg Scissors P+G S
Cyclone Whip back, for+P+G S
Close Arm Breaker P+K+G SL
6.5.5 Behind Throws.
German Suplex P+G B
Dragon Suplex back+P+G B
Low German Suplex down+P+K+G BL
6.5.6 Counter Throws.
Dragon Screw(Side Kick Rev) down/back+P+K M
Captured (High Kick Rev) back+P+K H
6.6 - Combos Motion Level Notes
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
6.6.1 Attack Combos.
Punches Elbow Butt P,P,for+P,Back+P HHHM
Short Shoulder, Punches back,for+P+K,P,P,P MHHM
Knee, Knee for+K,for+K MM
Short Shoulder x2, Shoulder Charge MMM
back,for+P+K,back,for+P+K,back,for+P
6.6.2 Throw Combos.
Wrestling Lock Up (Catch) for+P+G... H
Steiner Screwdriver, Double Claw, Frankensteiner HGH
d/f,d/f+P+G,d+P+G,u/f+P+G
Steiner Screwdriver, Double Claw, Arm Whip HGH
d/f,d/f+P+G,d+P+G,f,f+P+G
6.6.3 Mixed Combos.
Tomahawk Flash-Side Suplex for+P+K,d+G+P+K M-L
Tomahawk Flash-Tiger Driver for+P+K,df+G+P+K M-L
Tomahawk Chop, Neck Rolling Throw u/f+P, for+P+G MH
Combo Elbow, Double Arm Suplex P,P,f+P,d/b+P+K+G HHHL
Steiner Screwdriver, Double Claw, Drop Kick HGM
d/f,d/f+P+G,d+P+G,u/f+K
Steiner Screwdriver, Double Claw, Axe Lariat HGH
d/f,d/f+P+G,d+P+G,for+P+E
Lock up, Change, Push, Arrow Knuckle, Dragon Suplex HCBM-BL
for+P+G,for+P+G,for+P+G,down+P+K,P+K+G
Low Smash Kick, Throw down+K,Throw LH
Comet Hook, Throw back/down+P,Throw MH
