YomiHustle/Wizard

Overview

Strategy

Combos

Links

Profile

Wizard is a setup and projectile zoning character. They can use their projectiles to cut off their opponent's options, and then call out a risky option with one of their ranged pokes, or play tricky with air movement to take the opponent by surprise.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Flexible Projectiles: Flame Wave and Vile Clutch are unparryable area denial tools, while Spark Bomb and Magic Dart can be used to close off options in combination with gust. Orb's darts, lightning, and swords all play very well with gust and Wizard's other projectiles. Mental Stack: Wizard can threaten a lot of different spaces at the same time. Trying to find a way to deal with their various setups and projectiles can leave your opponent open to getting hit by an option they should have seen coming. In practice this normally means having a chess timer lead over your opponent and gaining an advantage in bullet timer. Excellent Mobility: Hover and Fast Fall can be mixed with attacks or other movement options like Missile Form and Double Jump to make your movement highly unpredictable. Benji-hop tech grants a safe, fast, meter-building air approach that can even spawn projectiles. To top it off, Wizard's ground dashes are decently fast, and they along with all air movement are boosted to incredible levels by Spark Install. High Damage Combos: Wizard can often go for high damaging combos that are resistant to DI or sacrifice a bit of damage to make their combos completely burst safe using Orb and other projectiles. Strong Okizeme: With proper setup and spacing, Wizard's okizeme can be even stronger than Robot's, with multiple OSC and chip damage setups that can swing the advantage off of a single hit. Advanced Setplay: Wizard possesses very tricky setups that can give huge rewards if executed correctly, such as an unblockable command grab into spark bomb which can combo and even restand if the stars align. Range: Wizard has the longest effective threat range in the game, able to harass opponents at fullscreen with Geyser, use lengthy midrange normals like Mana Strike and Conjure Weapon, and attack with orb in the opponent's face for a frame 2 teleport or a frame 10 unpunishable attack.

Weak Close Range: The lack of a 4f jab and no combos off grab leave wizard quite vulnerable to getting pressured up close. Everything Wizard can do at point-blank range is more or less equally unsafe. Meter Feeder: A lot of Wizard's projectile options can end up giving the opponent free parries for meter if not used carefully. Meter Hungry: Orb, Wizard's strongest neutral tool, isn't available until Wizard has at least 3 bars of meter, and drains meter constantly while it's out, meaning you can actually lose meter while you're being comboed. Additionally, other characters find more reliable neutral use for their 1 meter supers than Wizard does with Spark Bomb. Punishable Moveset: With a few unusually safe exceptions, many of Wizard's best moves have high enough recovery to be easily whiff punished if used without free cancel, which also further increases your reliance on meter in late neutral. Projectiles can also be called out at range by a handful of moves like Geyser and Quick Draw. Unremarkable Defense: Wizard's kit is not especially good at getting opponents away from you once they're in, forcing you to guess on a lucky strike/grab/roll to get out of disadvantage, all of which the opponent will likely have multiple answers to at close range. Getting out of midrange to stay safe from moves such as Quick Slash can also be incredibly difficult against a persistent opponent. Finally, Wizard's Whiff Cancel escapes are in practice the worst in the game, as the lack of a 4f jab turns many clash and win opportunities into a total loss where you're down 75% burst.

Wizard

Move List

Movement

Dash

Dash	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - 8-15 - - 0 - Always interruptible when opponent is able to act. IASA increases as the speed slider is increased.
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Back Dash

Back Dash	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - 9 - - 0 - Always interruptible when opponent is able to act. Does not become actionable if opponent uses forward movement.
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Super Dash

Super Dash	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - 25 - - 0 - Interruptible on the opponent's turn. If interrupted during the "charge up" animation, your next Dash or Backdash gains much more distance, allowing you to approach rapidly or escape more situations than with a normal Backdash.
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Jump

Jump	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - 8-15 - - 0 - Short jumps are 8f to act. Grounded large jumps are 11f to act, but are upped to 15f if jumping straight up or backwards. In the air, large jumps are always 11f.
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Super Jump

Super Jump	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - - - - 0 -
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Hover & Fall

Hover & Fall	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - - - - 0 - Wizard's unique movement mechanic. Toggling hover puts Wizard into a floating state that slows their fall and dampens vertical momentum. Limited only by the hover bar. Toggling fall increases Wizard's downward momentum. Fundamental to Wizard's air combos. Great for prediction mixups.
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Grounded Normals

Tome Slap

Tome Slap slapslapslapslapslapslap slapslapslapslapslapslap	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 800 5 3 12 - High 0 - Wizard's fastest grounded normal. Very strong button that sends them a short distance forward.
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Mana Strike

Mana Strike best poke in the game :D best poke in the game :D

Ground Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 600 6 1 16 - High 1 - Fast aimable poke with deceptively long range, beating anything without armor or invulnerability. Uses a distance slider from 0-100, with a deadzone approximately 150px in front of Wizard. Knockback direction changes based on which side the blast hits, with the inward hit typically used for hitconfirms or to extend combos. Very strong air-to-ground button when used with Fall, but can lose to slower moves like Cowboy's Stinger due to its recovery.

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Kick

Kick	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 600 7 13 25 - Low -1 - Slow-moving sweep kick affected by Wizard's momentum. Very long active frames allows them to set up meaties. Low profile from frames 7-25. Summons lightning when used with orb.
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Conjure Storm

Conjure Storm First Hit First Hit Second Hit Second Hit	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 900,900 12,16 3,3 26 - High -1 - High damage move with -1 proration, covering either side of Wizard. Sends away on hit and keeps opponents grounded. Wallsplats on hit. Summons lightning when used with orb.
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Conjure Weapon

Conjure Weapon when the CW hits just right when the CW hits just right

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 1400 11 3 22 - High - - Slow armored move used to as a callout and beats Block. Sends away on hit, and does not cancel into normals, requiring meter to combo off of midscreen. Typically used in corner combos, but has utility in neutral when combined with Spark Install or Fall. Projectile invulnerable and gains Armor starting on frame 7. Wallsplats.

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Icicle

Icicle In the words of a certain gear, "Slash!" In the words of a certain gear, "Slash!"	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 1000 7 3 17 - Low 0 - Disjointed low that sends upward on hit, while moving Wizard a short distance forward. High risk high reward option in close up RPS, beating out shorthops and Spot Dodge. Summons swords when used with Orb.
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Bolt of Magma

Bolt of Magma Out of my air space. Out of my air space.	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 1000(600)(600) 6 2 13 - High 0 - One of the best anti-airs in the game. Deceptively short recovery allowing you to use this in neutral without Free Canceling. This move is not commonly seen in combos because of Missile Form's Backblast, but can be used in a pinch due to it's larger horizontal range.
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Grab

Grab	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 900 3 3 23 - Throw 0 - Universal throw. Sends the opponent very far away on hit, making it difficult to combo off of or set up oki with. Conversely, this allows Wizard to safely gain two charges of Draw Moisture, two Spark Bombs, or set up Orb. If done in the air, Down Throw allows you to set up oki.
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Aerials

Mana Kick

Mana Kick Divekick at home: Divekick at home:

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 700 8 5 20 - High 0 - Pseudo-divekick, groundbounces on hit. Low knockback, making it difficult to DI away from compared to Missile Form and Combustion. An otherwise niche button than the rest. Summons lightning when used with Orb. Shorthop > Fall Mana Kick allows you to safely set up Orb Lightning in neutral.

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Icicle

Icicle (air) Best air normal in the game hands-down. Best air normal in the game hands-down.	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 900 5 2 15 - High 0 - One of the best air buttons in the game. Fast, big, and disjointed move that sends downward on hit. Great at air-to-air and air-to-ground when combined with Hover and Fall. Beats out 4f jabs like Punch or Pommel when spaced correctly. Summons swords when used with Orb.
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Combustion

Combustion KABOOM! KABOOM!	Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 1150 9 1 20 - High 0 - Sends upwards on hit with high hitstun. Used in combos as a DI mixup with the threat of Air Icicle. Very easy to combo off of using Jump, Gust, or B-hops, making it a staple in combos. Wallsplats.
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Specials

Magic Dart

Magic Dart

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 500 9 - 14 - High 0 - Wizard casts a spell, summoning a Magic Dart. Air OK and can be Free Canceled. Tracks forever until it hits your opponent. Aimable, allowing you to threaten a wide variety of spaces in neutral. Bounces off of the ground. Combined with Gust and picking shallow angles, this covers space and makes Wizard much more of a threat at midrange. Summoning Magic Dart at a low speed makes it more difficult to parry.

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Confusing Touch

Confusing Touch nyeh nyeh

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 200 3 - 24 - High 0 - Flips the opponent's facing direction and horizontal velocity on hit. A situational reversal tool, which can cause an opponent to whiff a move. Is very slow on recovery itself, leading to disadvantage against fast moves or losing to 4f buttons outright when given enough momentum. Unblockable and Air OK. Does a miniscule but unavoidable amount of damage on hit, making it a niche option to finish off low health opponents. Does not count as a hit in combos.

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Flame Wave

Flame Wave

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 300x5 9 1x5 15 - High 0 - Wizard summons a slow-moving Flame Wave that travels across the screen. Active for 1 frame every 5 frames. Covers a ton of space in neutral without much cost. Air OK and Unparriable. Dictates the matchup against Ninja and Robot, while being moderately useful in the mirror. Is not much of a threat against Cowboy due to the existence of Teleport and Quickdraw. When used after a knockdown against everyone but Ninja, it can set up a blocksting that nets you chip damage and a ton of meter, with very few escape options.

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Missile Form

Missile Form COMIN' IN HOT! COMIN' IN HOT!

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 1200 backblast, 650 headbutt 7 1,Until Landing/IASA 22 - High 0 - The second most versatile move in Wizard's kit. Free cancellable and Air OK. Wizard turns into a missile and sends themself forward, turning themself into a hitbox and creating an explosive backblast. Enables tech known as benjihopping, which is done by toggling Fall and doing Missile Form at any upwards angle, giving you an 11f actionable movement option that carries your momentum. Builds meter, shoots Orb darts, and is a generally safe approach option that you should be going for constantly. The explosive hitbox, colloquially known as simply "Backblast" is the strongest combo tool in Wizard's arsenal, with ridiculous hitstun, 500 minimum damage, and fast startup. The high knockback is mitigated by its high hitstun -- allowing Wizard to combo with options such as Super Jump, Gust, and Zephyr (which is a last resort). Backblast can also be used as an air combo ender, giving Wizard a highly advantageous knockdown and enough time to set up oppressive oki.

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Zephyr

Zephyr c'mere c'mere

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 200, 900 7,9 21 35 - Mid, Command Grab 0 - Massive anti-air windbox that pulls them into a large blockable hitgrab, then an unblockable command grab up close. Only cancels into Spark Bomb, Instant Cancel, or Hustle on hit. Sees use as a risky jump read in neutral, but is essential to certain unblockable corner setups.

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Gust

Gust forgot to check gust gg forgot to check gust gg

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - 1 16 16 - - 0 - Aimable windbox that strongly pushes projectiles and weakly pushes the opponent. Windbox strength gradually decays after each use in a combo, and then resets at the end of said combo. Pushes Wizard in the opposite direction of the Gust. Does not push them off the ground unless Hover is toggled. 1f startup is technically true but misleading, as it usually needs more like 4f or 5f before projectiles are pushed more than a few pixels. The most versatile and arguably the most important move in Wizard's kit. Is combo glue similar to Cowboy's Teleport, getting them close enough with ample frame advantage to hit them again. Typically used after Backblast and Combustion. Also allows them to slam Spark Bombs into opponents for massive damage and frame advantage. Being roughly +14 after Spark Bomb should give you an angle that works. Can extend wallsplats from distances where it normally wouldn't hit - if a move like Conjure Weapon doesn't quite knock them far enough to wallsplat, Gusting them into the wall for the splat will normally give great frame advantage. Creates very scary and multifaceted neutral by making Wizard's projectiles more threatening by: Shoving projectiles forward to catch opponents off guard from midrange. Shoving projectiles upward to safely call out jumps. Briefly hanging projectiles in the air to beat Block, hitting opponents after Block becomes inactive. Turning Spark Bomb into a scary space-denial tool, as being within Gusting range of one forces the opponent to play neutral more carefully. There are even more uses too niche to list here, but this covers most cases. Gust is the type of move that your opponent has to check every turn as soon as projectiles are on the field, and you should be checking it too, trying to see something they don't. Be sure to free cancel it essentially every time against Ninja, who can often Quick Slash punish careless users on reaction.

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Draw Moisture

Draw Moisture

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - 14 - - 0 - Interruptible on opponent's turn, as if it had been free cancelled Adds a charge of moisture, up to 3, which are used to cast/power up Geyser. Often safe to go for in neutral, as you have a chance to react to things like Quick Draw, and if the opponent did something like a movement option, you will have the opportunity to go for a very safe hold, or even cancel it and go on the aggressive to punish their passivity. Alternate between this and magic dart during faraway neutral, but be sure to hold the move on the turn after to actually finish it - be sure you hear the sound and see the droplet count go up.

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Geyser

Geyser 1 Droplet 1 Droplet 2 Droplet 2 Droplet 3 Droplet 3 Droplet

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 1300 11/10 2 23 - High 1 - Air OK Parryable on reaction. Not hit cancellable. Land cancellable. 2 Droplet version: 1500 damage, (500 min) longer range. 3 Droplet version: 1700 damage, (800 min) longer range, 10f startup, unparryable. Requires at least one drop of moisture to use, and can power up by spending additional droplets. A long range poke which can be used to call out more committal options, but which feeds the opponent meter when they are using less commital movement. Is also very punishable at all but the longest ranges excluding the 3 droplet version. Level 3 geyser is a great win condition to go for when your opponent is on a sliver of health, as they will be forced to block for substantial chip damage and die if they do anything but dodge the beam entirely. This is also your main answer to deter Cowboy's Quick Draw, as they won't be able to block in gun stance and will just have to eat the hit every time

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Vile Clutch

Vile Clutch Learn the tech for this thing, it'll be worth it Learn the tech for this thing, it'll be worth it

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 800, 400 19 5, 3 12 - Low, High 0 - Hits OTG (Off the ground/On the ground) Unparryable. Distance can be set with a slider Vine hand reaches out of the ground. Useful for extending combos at range. In neutral, it is usually a noncomittal, low-reward setup move that can trade favorably with opposing Wizard's geysers and framekill opposing Cowboy's quick draws while applying pressure at the same time. Pretty bad at grounded space denial, but can immediately put a ton of pressure on falling opponents who are down at least one air option. If you have extra frames right before a knockdown (such as +21) and good spacing, Vile Clutch is a setup for some of the strongest oki options in the game with meaty missile form or flamewave.

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Supers

Telekinesis/Launch

Telekinesis/Launch Boulder Boulder Pebble Pebble Fruit Fruit Tire Tire Bomb Bomb

Boulder Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - - - High - - Placeholder Pebble Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - - - High 0 - Placeholder Fruit Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - - - High - - Placeholder Tire Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - - - High 0 - Placeholder Bomb Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - - - High 0 - Placeholder

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Spark Bomb

Spark Bomb Skidaddle skidoodle, it's pretty good in neutral Skidaddle skidoodle, it's pretty good in neutral

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 1400 8 - 14 - - 0 - Bomb is able to explode as soon as 16f after spawning. Ignores projectile immunity, acting as a normal strike for those purposes. If blown up with the Spark toggle, it will detonate in 2f, as Wizard takes 310 damage and gets a temporary speed buff. Duration stacks with number of spark bombs endured. A high damage, massive-hitstun tracking projectile. Can be used in neutral with Gust to cover space and mess with parries, in combos also with gust to do massive damage in just a few hits, or far away just to give yourself "Spark Install" and approach at mach 5 with a bhop. The spark toggle can also let you use it as something of a shield, as if they get close to you but not close enough to parry the bomb, they now are forced to play a nasty guessing game between blocking your 2f detonate or reading your read into that. In the Wizard and Robot matchups you are probably better off saving up enough meter to get Orb out before using these, but against Cowboy and in the mirror, spark-only wizard is a powerful alternative playstyle.

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Orb

Orb Spawn Spawn Darts Darts Lightning Lightning Swords Swords

Spawn Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - 8 - 9 - - 0 - Spawn the beast. Gradually drains your meter until it disappears when it hits 0. Will summon projectiles every time you do an attack with a hitbox attached to your character. Dart Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 600 - - - - - 0 - Projectile appears: Frame 10 from tome slap. Frame 13 from mana strike / magic dart. Frame 18 from missile form. Frame 23 from confusing touch. Frame 28 from bolt of magma / zephyr. Frame 33 from flame wave / geyser. Frame 63 from vile clutch. Tome slap or bhop missile are the best ways to spawn lots of darts. The fact that they're faster gives them a bigger spacing window to parry them, but also makes them much more threatening with Gust. Swords Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 600x3 - - - - - 0 - Unparryable. Hits frame 16 from icicles. Hits frame 24 conjure weapon. Big AOE sword, good at applying pressure since it can force your opponent to take chip damage. Great for burst-safe kill combos to close out a game with. Lightning Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage 900x3 - - - - - 0 - Hits OTG. Hits frame 18 from kick / mana kick. Hits frame 33 conjure storm. High damage lightning strike, difficult to control due to the recoil it inflicts on the orb. Very DI resistant, good damage, and its OTG can continue a lot of combos that you really deserved to drop. Useful in neutral in that it's actively a threat for far longer than any other orb projectile, and is, like everything in this cruel world, made a menace by gust.

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Orb Lock & Unlock

Orb Lock & Unlock

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - - - - 0 - Orb lock fixes the orb's location, wherever it is. Orb unlock releases the orb, allowing it to follow you or be pushed again. Very rarely worth the turn, especially in neutral. Try to think ahead and micromanage orb's position with the push arrows instead, as that allows you to do more useful moves simultaneously.

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Orb Tether

Orb Tether

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - 9 - - 0 - Slowly pulls wizard towards orb for 90 frames. Effect gets weaker over its duration. Unusual movement tool that has some use in saucy-looking suboptimal combos. The pull effect persists even if you get hit, which can sometimes pull you far enough away to escape combos proactively, but it's normally just better to do something else.

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Orb Portal

Orb Portal

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - 3 7 - - 0 - Costs 1 bar of meter Moves on frame 2 Air OK Supremely fast and safe get out of jail free card. Safe on frame 2. Losing 1 meter and orb is a heavy price to pay without enough meter to spawn another orb, but it's normally worth it just to have an unpunishable escape. It's even quick enough to dodge and then whiff punish a good majority of moves in the game if they are used without free cancel.

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Taunt

Hustle Knowledge Knowledge

Damage Startup Active First Actionable Frame Advantage * Guard Proration Block Advantage - - - 45 - - 0 - Builds 1 bar of super on frame 45. Decreases friction during use A swag looking taunt with some niche utility. Can be used if slightly plus before a knockdown to gain meter and kill enough frames to disallow holding on the ground, which allows for more reliable oki from moves like icicle, kick, or flamewave.

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