Mortal Kombat 11 Nightwolf Guide Featuring A F0xy Grampa

Nightwolf made his Mortal Kombat debut in Mortal Kombat 3 and was part of a slew of new characters that came into the game that included Stryker, Kabal, Cyrax, Sektor, and more. While his characteristics are anachronistic, especially considering our greater understanding of the effects of harmful stereotypes, he is still a well-liked character with some great options in Mortal Kombat 11.

To help us unlock the secrets of the Matoka warrior, we have a veteran, A F0xy Grampa, to take us through this guide. There aren't many people who do not know of the exploits of F0xy, and there are few better at using Nightwolf in the entire world. Before we go any further, you really should give F0xy a follow on Twitter and check out his Twitch. 

F0xy's Nightwolf Guide

Base Normals

Nightwolf is a nimble character that's able to zip across the screen. This also means that his normals are pretty decent and can be used to flit in and out of the opponent's face. The base normals you'd need to concern yourself with are the following:

• D3- A great poke that has some pretty good range and is a great combo starter
• 1, 1, 1
• F3, 1, 4
• D1
• F1, 2
• Forward throw
• Back throw

Krushing Blows

Nightwolf doesn't have too many krushing blows, so you'll have to make really good use of the ones you do get. Let's look at some of his most viable KBs.

• Forward Throw, KB
• Back Throw, KB
• B3, 1, 2, KB

The Offensive Game

Nightwolf is a quick character capable of getting around with ease. Due to this, a lot of his offense relies on grabs and the mind games he plays on opponents as he coaxes them to try and grab him. So, to get the best out of Nightwolf offensively, you could try out the following combos:

• DBF3
• BF4, AMP, DASH, 3, 1, DBF3
• F1, 2, BF4, AMP, DASH, 3, 1, DBF3
• D3, 1, 1, 1, BF4, AMP, DASH, 3, 1, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, DBF3
• F2, 1, BF4, AMP, DASH, 3, 1, DASH, 3, 1, DBF3

Anti-Air Like a Champ

A common misconception with Nightwolf is that he doesn't have good anti-air options, but this is just not true. The best way to get out of the cycle of grabs that Nightwolf will subject you to is to duck or jump, so having options to snipe opponents out of the air is a huge deal for Nightwolf. The best anti-air option for Nightwolf? 3. Nightwolf's S3 is a great anti-air, and it could also lead to a decent amount of damage if used right. Try this combo if you can:

• 3, 1, 1, 1, DBF3

It might take some practice, but once you have it nailed down, it works like a charm.

Armor Breaking

Tomahawk swing (DBF3) is an Armor Breaker and it would be of great benefit to be able to use if effectively along with other offensive moves like Spirit Tracks (BF4). Take this combo for instance:

• 1, 3, BF4, AMP, 3, 1, DASH, 3, 1, DBF3

Every hit of that combo has Armor Break potential meaning you can keep your opponent guessing as to what you are about to do. So you can easily do:

• 1, 3, BF4, AMP, DBF3

or

• 1, 3, BF4, AMP, 3, DBF3

or even

• 1, 3, BF4, AMP, 3, 1, DBF3
• 1, 3, BF4, AMP, 3, 1, D1, DBF3

So, with Armor Breaking potential at basically each stage of the combo, you can keep your opposition on their toes when using Nightwolf.

The Neutral Game

Nightwolf is also pretty adept in the art of keeping the opponent away. To achieve this, he could use his Arrow, which can also be delayed to slow the game down and gain some bits of meter back. He can also use Reflect to rebuff some projectiles and even the ones it can't reflect, it will at least absorb. This forces the opponent to try and get close in which case you revert to the offensive game which relies on grabs. 

If they try to sneak in, you can use your overhead (F2) to start an attack like:

• F2, 1, BF4

If you are the one who wants to close the gap, then your best bet is to Dash up as often as possible and hit them one of the following:

• D3
• F1

After which you can execute a command grab. 

Nightwolf's Worst Strings

Normally we'd focus on the best strings to use, but with Nightwolf, he has a couple of stinkers that would be best avoided as they are unsafe.

• F2, 1, 2, 1
• F1, 2, 1, 2
• B1, 3, 2
• B3, 4, D4

Nightwolf's Weaknesses

Most of Nightwolf's weaknesses have to do with the problems encountered while building his variation. Due to slot limitations, it always feels like Nightwolf is going into battle with at least one element missing which could really mess with his game. 

Also, his overhead is reactable which makes it relatively unsafe. Apart from that, he is a pretty solid pick and would serve any decent player well. 

Combos Dependent on Height/Hitbox

So, a little peculiarity with Nightwolf is that some of his combos are more effective depending on the physique of the character. So, for a big character like Robocop, you can try:

• F1, 2, BF4, AMP, DASH, 3, 1, 3, 1, DBF3

For a smaller character like Kitana, this might be more useful:

• F1, 2, BF4, AMP, DASH, 3, 1, F1, 2, DBF3

And as for the corner, a great option that works on everyone is this:

• F1, 2, BF4, AMP, DASH, 3, 1, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, DBF3, DBF3

Nightwolf Guide Conclusion

So, there you have it. If you can successfully implement these tips, you should be well on your way to doing your part for the restoration of the Matoka. For guides on other characters, you can check out our catalog here, and for all your FGC needs, bookmark DashFight.