The King of Fighters '98 UMFE/Wolfgang Krauser

Introduction

Krauser is a character with an unusual moveset, combining a big-bodied character's huge normals and specials for midrange control, a grappler's command grabs and strong up-close buttons, and a zoner's multiple projectiles and long-range options. His anti-air capability is also very strong, allowing him to control his opponent's air movement from a variety of ranges and angles, and his offensive pressure is also good, with a special-cancelable special and a strong overhead special. Krauser is comfortable at every range, with tools for every situation and a variety of DMs that allow him to get a lot of damage in those situations as well. Krauser's weaknesses are that his big size leaves him more vulnerable to mixups and pressure, and that he needs meter for a proper reversal.

Changes from Previous Versions

98UM to 98UMFE

Normals:

• cl.C now does less damage

• st.C now does less damage

• st.D now does less damage

• st.CD now does less damage and has a smaller hitbox

Specials:

• rdp+K now does less damage, the D version no longer has invincibility, and it now has more recovery

• qcf+K now does less damage

• qcf+P/K now do less damage, and the C/D versions now have faster startup but more recovery

• f,hcf+P now does less damage

Supers:

• qcf,hcb+P now has more recovery on whiff, and its characteristics don't change if both buttons are pressed

Normal Moves

Close

• cl.A: Good for stopping hops when you're too close for st.A/B. Good light combo filler. Chainable and cancelable.

• cl.B: Standing low. Cancelable.

• cl.C: Hits higher up than cl.D, but is otherwise outclassed by cl.D. Good anti-air. Whiffs on short crouchers. Cancelable.

• cl.D: His best heavy button for combos. Has a nice amount of active frames, so it can be a good meaty. Cancelable.

Standing

• st.A: Good anti-hop button. Whiffs on short crouchers. Cancelable.

• st.B: Good anti-hop button and fast midrange poke. Whiffs on short crouchers.

• st.C: Pretty nice higher-hitting poke, as it's safe on block. Good anti-air because of how high it hits and its fast startup. Whiffs on short crouchers.

• st.D: His best long-range poke, as it will hit the shorter crouchers. Has good priority.

Crouching

• cr.A: Good for blockstrings and light combos. Chainable and cancelable.

• cr.B: A standard cr.B. Good for blockstrings and low combos. Chainable.

• cr.C: A nice midrange poke with a good hitbox. Very active. Cancelable.

• cr.D: A sweep with decent range and a lot of active frames. Cancelable.

Jumping

• j.A: Good jump-in normal. Also his fastest jumping normal by far, so it's the best air-to-air normal when you need the speed.

• j.B: Good jump-in normal with more downwards priority than j.A.\

• j.C: Great crossup normal.

• j.D: His highest-damaging normal jump-in.

CD Normals

• st.CD: Has faster-than-average st.CD startup and a great high-hitting hitbox for anti-airing. Also has good amount of active frames. Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

• j.CD: Fairly fast startup for a j.CD, and a decent hitbox for air-to-airing. Also good for blockstun pressure.

Throws

Cliff-Hanger Drop: b/f+C (close)

• Regular throw, techable. Krauser picks up the opponent and knees their back, sending them about fullscreen away. Causes a soft knockdown.

Kaiser Driver '91: b/f+D

• Regular throw, techable. Krauser picks up the opponent, turns around, and then knees their back, sending them about halfscreen away. Causes a hard knockdown and switches sides.

Command Moves

N/A

Special Moves

Lift Up Blow: hcb,f+B/D (close)

• Krauser throws the opponent up into the air and then punches them. 1-frame command grab.

• Good for close-range punishes, mixups, and combo-ending.

• Causes a hard knockdown.

Kaiser Suplex: hcb,f+A/C (close)

• A command grab with some invincible startup.

• Good for mixups and for beating out people trying to mash out at close range.

• You can make qcb+P and qcb+K unblockable by whiffing this move while they are onscreen, due to the unblockable projectile bug.

Phoenix Throw: qcf+A/C

• Counter throw for aerial attacks and physical specials / supers. Sends the opponent a small distance away in front of Krauser.

Blitz Ball-Upper: qcb+A/C

• Krauser throws a high-flying airborne projectile.

• Can't be hopped over, unlike qcb+K, but can still be jumped over.

• Good for mixing up with qcb+K, to keep the opponent guessing which one will be thrown and how to respond.

• Will whiff on short crouchers.

Blitz Ball-Lower: qcb+B/D

• Krauser throws a fireball that flies low to the ground. Basically a ground-traveling projectile.

• Not as good for zoning as qcb+P, as opponents can simply hop over it.

• Good against the characters that can crouch under qcb+P.

• Good for unblockable setups after some of his moves.

• Can't be low-profiled.

• Will hit all crouchers.

Leg Tomahawk: qcf+B/D

• Krauser does a jumping kick that arches downwards and knocks down on hit.

• B version goes a shorter distance than the D version.

• Hits overhead, making it pretty good for mixups.

• Can be used as a good preemptive anti-air, as it takes up a huge amount of space both above and in front of Krauser in the air.

• It has a lot of priority.

• Good move to use during blockstrings to see if the opponent is ready to block it standing.

• Will whiff on most crouchers up close; midscreen the move might even go over the opponent, making Krauser land on the other side.

• B version is only -3 on block and D version is -4, making it very safe to use.

• Will not combo from anything.

Kaiser Kick: dp+B/D

• Krauser does a long-reaching dropkick.

• B version goes about midscreen and D version goes fullscreen.

• Can be used as an anti-air against full jumps.

• Both versions are very punishable on block.

• B version can't be combo-ed into. D version will combo from heavies but will whiff against short crouchers.

Kaiser Duel Sobat: rdp+B/D

• Krauser does two kicks in a row.

• B version has Krauser doing them where he stands, while the D version has him hop forwards and then do the kicks.

• B version will combo from lights and the D version will combo from heavies.

• The move can be cancelled into qcb+P, qcb+K, and qcf+K on hit or block. This makes the move good for both pressure and combos.

Desperation Moves

Kaiser Wave: f,hcf+A/C (can be held)

• Krauser unleashes a giant projectile.

• Can be charged to increase the power of the wave.

• Will blow right through normal projectiles.

• A version moves pretty slow, while the C version moves really fast.

• The C version is a good move to win fireball wars or to punish things at long range.

• The MAX version goes the same speed as the C version, and does more damage, but will still only trade with super projectiles, not destroy them.

Gigantic Cyclone: hcbx3+A/C (close)

• Krauser grabs the opponent and spins fast, creating a cyclone while hitting them.

• A 1-frame command grab DM.

• Can combo from lights or heavies, but the hcbx3 input makes it hard to do.

• Good for mixups or close-range punishes.

• MAX version does more damage.

Unlimited Desire: qcf,hcb+A/C

• A ranbu-type super with invincibility on startup and some of the active frames, making it a true reversal.

• Good for reversals and anti-airs.

• Punishable on block.

• Can juggle into cl.D in the corner.

• MAX version has more invincibility and deals more damage, but cannot be juggled out of in the corner.

Combos

General Notes:

• In any metered combo, you can replace qcf,hcb+P with qcf,hcb+AC, hcbx3+P with hcbx3+AC, or f,hcf+P with f,hcf+AC for more damage if you have the resources.

Meterless

Low

cr.B, cr.A, rdp+B, qcb+P/qcb+K/qcf+K

Although it won't combo, you can do a follow-up special directly after rdp+B hits to add some extra pressure with qcb+P/K or get a meaty overhead hit with qcf+K if they aren't ready to block it.

cr.Bx1~2, cr.A, dp+D

More damaging low combo, you can use an extra cr.B and still connect dp+D.

cr.B, cr.A, hcb,f+K

Same damage as previous combo, but ends in a hard knockdown.

Mid/Jump-In

cr.C, rdp+D, qcb+P/qcb+K

Safe on block, so no need to hit-confirm. Although it won't combo, you can do a follow-up special directly after rdp+D hits to add some extra pressure with qcb+P/K.

(j.X), cl.D, rdp+D, qcb+P/qcb+K

Standard jump-in combo. Safe on block, so no need to hit-confirm. Although it won't combo, you can do a follow-up special directly after rdp+D hits to add some extra pressure with qcb+P/K.

(j.X), cl.D, dp+D

Slightly more damaging than the previous combo, however dp+D is very unsafe on block so you need to hit-confirm it.

Corner

qcf+K, cl.D

With Meter

Low

cr.B, cr.A, hcbx3+P

Very difficult combo, try to buffer the half circles as much as possible. If you're using Extra gauge, the Quick MAX low combo is an easier alternative if you want to combo into a DM from a low.

Mid/Jump-In

(j.X), cl.D/cr.C, qcf,hcb+P

Corner

(j.X), cl.D/cr.C, qcf,hcb+P, cl.D

With Quick MAX

Low

cr.B, cr.Ax1~2, ABC, cr.C, f,hcf+P

Mid/Jump-In

qcf+K, ABC, dp+D

qcf+K, ABC, f,hcf+P

(j.X), cl.D, ABC, cr.C, f,hcf+C

You can add a jump-in but it must be a cross-up, j.C recommended.

Corner

qcf+K, ABC, qcf,hcb+P, cl.D

Videos

King of Fighters 98 UM FE: Krauser Guide by Mash It Out