Offense
When in your opponents face, you have many ways of applying pressure.
In Human Mode, you have a high low mixup from most normals and gatlings. For example, you can use 2C > 3C or even the 2C > j.C instant overhead which is not easy to react to. Remember that the j.C > RC > j.C instant overhead can be used from any jump cancel or even immediately on someone's wakeup, and it's these kind of tools which can make an opponent guess block with your pressure. 236A can be to close the gap between you and your opponent, but this is not particularly safe as your next attack can be poked out of. This is why you have the wolf form to close gaps because it's much more scary and provides a lot of flexibility. It is more effective when rapid cancelled as it provides a more safe way to apply more pressure. 236A > RC > 2C can catch counter hits if your opponent is used to pressing buttons after 236A, and this can prove to be a great reward. Throws are useful for good damage for very good corner carry but usually you'll be out of range for this to be really effective unless you're using it on an opponent's wakeup. This is because Valkenhayn's human normals generally have a big pushback, especially when barrier blocked, and Valkenhayn can run like other characters. This is where integrating wolf mixups come in. By combing your offense with wolf movements you can close the gap between you and your opponent and place them into a more difficult position. How to integrate the mixups? I'll give you a general idea by using a basic example. By using human 5B, you can jump cancel it, transform into wolf, and then use 3C to get in closer to your opponent and still be able to provide a high/low mixup. In addition to this you also have a command grab. Look at that, in just a second you've already transformed into wolf and earned better pressure and mixup. Try not to be reliant on this however because mashing will beat any of your attempts, but remember that you can do this setup from any jump cancellable normal (2A/5A, 5B and 2C). Another way of incorporating wolf mixups is by using 2A > 5D > 236C. It is really effective because it's difficult to see and react to if done correctly and fast enough, and because of this, I would highly recommend players to practice this. Rushing this may put you back in human form again, losing your advantage, and not doing it fast enough would give your opponent more time to react to it. You don't even have to go into command grab, and you can go into > w5A/5C and begin your pressure from there. Remember the command grab refills your wolf gauge and leads into 3k max in the corner.
If you use the command grab midscreen and you want to followup from it, you have to RC and then input 66D as soon as Valkenhayn has biten the opponent. If done too fast you'll probably spin in the same position and probably revert to human form. If done too slow, you won't be able to followup with 2C. You can even followup with RC > w236A if you find that easier.
Earlier I mentioned how it might be difficult to catch your opponent with a human grab. This is easily remedied by wolf movement & example of this is: w[5A/5B > 6D > j.D] > Throw. See? In your opponent's face in a matter of seconds, and it has a very high chance of working because by dashing you trick your opponent into thinking you will be opting for a high when you're not (unless your opponent is really mashy). In addition to this, you could use the same setup but for a 2B instead of a grab..
Wolf brake is another another form of form which is very useful in Valk's offense. You can use it to maximize the damage dealt with wolf loops (-5C > [1D/2D/3D > 4C] xN) or you can use it as an instant overhead (6D > 4CA or 1DCA) which is extremely difficult to react to. More details can be seen in the wolf brake tutorial:
| BBCP Valkenhayn Wolf Brake Tutorial |
|---|
Defense
Valkenhayn lacks any strong reversal to fall back on when it comes to escaping pressure. He has 6A but that only has head and body invincibility, not to mention it is not active from the first frame meaning you can be hit out of it. Also, as there is no foot and throw invincibility, 6A will lose to lows and throws (including command grabs), which makes this very risky to use on your wakeup as you'll have to guess with what your opponent is going to do. Proper use of this move include IB'ing and using it as a counter against overheads for example. Valkenhayn also has low health, which means you do not want to be blocking a lot. He also has sturm wolf, but that comes at the cost of using heat and it's not all the time you may be sitting on heat. Sturm wolf (632146D) is horrible to use as a wake up reversal because the super flash gives the opponent time to try and react to it, for example, Ragna could beat it out with Divider. Even if they try and pressure you with 5A/2A, they may still be able to block the attack in time. The opponent could even jump over it. This is why it's better to use the move while you're blocking (preferably IB'ing), so you can punish a followup special/gatling which has slow(er) startup. For example, any normal that Ragna gatlings into a drive or special (5D/2D/6D/Dead Spike/Gauntlet Hades/Hell's Fang) will lose to Sturm wolf.
In situations where you are on the defensive, use your barrier to push the opponent out and get away by either backdashing, jumping out, or even using wolf mode to get out. high jump > j.D > 7C provides an invaluable escape route when you're backed in the corner. In addition, IB'ing provides you with more heat and gives you more opportunities to poke players out of certain blockstrings. Even if the combo damage you do is abysmal, at least you've gotten the opponent off your back. IB'ing also makes it easier for you to backdash out of blockstrings if necessary. You could counter assault with Valkenhayn too, but consider the downfalls. His counter assualt is his 5C which lacks foot attribute, so characters can evade it by using attacks which low profile it, i.e Taokaka's 2A or Tsubaki's 3C. It is also quite slow in startup which makes it quite easy to bait.
His 2C is a decent anti air but it has no invincibility meaning there are times where you can be hit out of it, or it will trade. Remember that w5B is a very good anti air which guarantees corner carry.
List of Defensive Options
- Backdash (when there's a gap in someone's pressure)
- Counter Assault (while blocking 6A+B) - To get someone of you quickly
- Hj.D > 7D (> w236A) - Mainly used to get out of corner pressure
- j.D > 6D > j.D > air backdash
- w66D > j.D > w7D or w236A > 7D - To avoid/bait anti airs
Neutral
There is no reason why you should be far from your opponent unless you are buying time to your wolf gauge or playing against Tager. Valkenhayn gains little to no benefits from being long range so you want to constantly be in your opponent's face. Normally Valkenhayn does not have many manouvers to get in his opponent's face while in human form. Despite this, he has really good footsies with good priority such as 5B and 5C, which has massive range. The only problem with 5C is that it's slow in startup and and many characters can evade it by using an attack which allows them to under it, such as Makoto's or Tsubaki's 3C. 5C can usually guarantee you counter hits and it links into 236C nicely which guarantees not only good damage but corner carry as well. Valkenhayn cannot run, and instead hops which is near to useless for offense. 236A covers alot of ground and is pretty fast so it's useful for startling your opponent when they're trying to get onto you, especially if they try to air dash since it'll send them flying to the other side of the screen. Remember it's only 0 on block, and the recovery is not too bad which makes punishing it hard unless your opponent reads it but try not to abuse this. It's something you'd really fall upon when you have no wolf meter or when you're playing against another Valkenhayn player. The key of using human mode is to play footsies with your opponent and catch counter hits in order to guarantee your corner assault.
However, in wolf mode, Valkenhayn is granted with a ton of ways to get in. A typical way of getting in is by jumping and using w66D which has a massive jump arc and covers alot of distance. This can be followed up with a j.B or j.C to begin the pressure you inflict onto your opponent. This is a very easy technique to anti air though, and in those instances you could use w7D followed up with an attack to punish your opponent's recovery and evade the hit. Alternatively you could barrier block but then you'll be put onto the defensive which is not what you want. There are two ways to stop your movement by wolf braking and you can use 7D/4D > 4C or 1DC. 1DC is easier and allows you to brake in the same position and it's easier, but the 7D method will make you move back a little before breaking. 1DC allows for more fluid movements, and it's better to for this rather than what I mentioned in the wolf movement tutorial below in some cases.
In addition, the wolf's variety in movement allow for mixed ways of getting in and some examples are as follows:
- Running around in wolf form
You can play footsies with w5A and w5C Slowly drains wolf gauge and can quickly close gaps. Can encourage players to use attacks they wouldn't normally use and you can evade them with 4D/7D
- wj.66D
Overused approach. Barely uses any wolf meter and covers a great distance. Main approach is wj.66D > j.B/j.C Can use wj.44D for a defensive/evasive manouvere. Can use this approach to air grab opponents in the air Can use followup 7D, or wj.214A to bait anti air attempts Can barrier to block the anti airs, but you'll be on the defensive. Even more useful against Nu-13 and Mu-12 for example.
- wj.236A
Can be used for movement or to get hits. Unsafe if blocked so use 4D > 4C, 7D > 7C/4C or 1DC wolf brake followups. Can use 7D > 4CD wolf brake to revert to human form and have access to an air dash (w236A > 7D > 4CD wolf brake > Forward/Back air dash) If opponent blocks wj.236A you can followup with 3D > j.A to stay on the offensive. Can be combined with wj.66D movement. So w236A > 7D > 7CD (or 1DC) wolf brake > wj.66D.
- w236B
Same as above. Can use w236B > 3D > j.A for offense, or w236B > 3D > j.D > j.B Against Tager, can use high jump D > wj.236B > 1DC (or 7D > 4C) wolf brake > wj.66D to get around him.
- 2C/5C/3C in neutral > 6D
5C especially can trick the opponent into thinking you're in recovery whilst you go on the offense with wolf. The 6D followup is a wolf command dash and consumes more meter Can be used defensively. For example, 3C > 7D > 4C wolf brake
- 6D/high jump > 6D
Very quick way of closing gaps but uses a lot of wolf meter. More useful against characters with weaker normals. Combining with 7D/4D will use even more wolf meter. Jump > 6D > j.D > j.B/j.C can be used to save wolf meter.
These are just examples so feel free to get creative, but you want to use as little of the wolf gauge as possible since if you manage to get in with little to no wolf meter, your offensive options will be limited. Here is a tutorial explaining various approach options.
| Valkenhayn Wolf Movement Tutorial |
|---|