Chaos Breaker/Vargan

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Vargan's victory screen

Introduction

Vargan is a curious character who can play keep away with his various projectiles and can also juggle his opponent from full-screen. The biggest obstacle that beginning Vargan players face is learning when to reload and understanding the full importance of it. Many of his special moves and supers require at least one loaded bullet in order to work and being out can quickly spell disaster for him.

The Basics

Combos

Mid-screen

5A/2A xx 214A

  • Basic link combo that sends the opponent flying across the screen and will wall-bounce.

(5C/6C) > 214C > 214C, 623A, 236B, j.C

  • Low attack to powder juggle and air reset. The hardest part about this combo is the spacing, as you'll want to hit your opponent with the edge of the initial 214C to get them into the air the right way. From there, you delay the second 214C until they're near the top to give them more airtime, then do 623A and the remaining inputs as quickly as possible.

j.C, land, 360X

  • Heavy jump-in to super throw. This will not work on block and will also whiff if you somehow manage to do the 360 far too late, as characters are immune to command throws for a few frames immediately following hitstun.

j.C, land, 214A > 214A, wall-bounce, 236236B

  • Heavy jump-in to wall-bounce to super. The only weird part about this combo is that having too many loaded bullets can actually make it do less damage because the last shot is what does the most damage. Trying to do this with Extra Bullet and 2 extra shots will completely mess up the combo, so you should only have around 6-8 shots when attempting this.

Corner

j.C, land, 5B > 236A xx 360X or 214A > 214A

  • Interesting link combo that relies on the fact that 5B doesn't push back that far and that 214A and Vargan's 360 start up quite quickly. Gimmicky, but worth a try.

low j.C, rising j.C, 214A > 214A

  • Double j.C to Head Charge. As you'll be using j.C a lot anyway, it's not a completely impractical combo to attempt, just a little bit odd.

Strategy

Item Compatibility

Talisman

  • An incredibly useful Item that boosts Vargan's magic defense and also opens up various powder loop opportunities with the use of the IB near the corner. It is also good for its Stock Action, which will cause the opponent to hesitate before attacking or take a counter-hit while you get the chance to reload for free.

Nightmare Blade

  • After the wall-bounce from Head Charge, the Nightmare Blade IB is a good alternative to Last Shot because it will not consume all of your bullets but still give damage and untechable knockdown. The unblockable SA is also useful after an anti-air Mana Counter.

Shining Bow

  • The Shining Bow SA is good for providing cover while you reload, as your opponent will either block the hits or get knocked down by the arrows. The IB can be used for a similar purpose, but it mainly compensates for Vargan's overall lack of chip damage.

Extra Bullet

  • While it is Vargan's signature weapon and it does give him two extra bullets to work with, it tends to be one of the poorer Item choices. The extra damage in certain combos doesn't seem worth it as it tends to screw up other combos if too many are loaded at one time and Extra Bullet doesn't do anything for the other characters on your team.

Character Chemistry

Matchups

Serious Advantage Matchups

  • Orc
  • Evetta
  • Bernhard
  • Mara
  • Nsidor
  • Curse Head
  • GerhardsenII
  • Dorgan

Advantage Matchups

  • Ramda
  • Sandra
  • Troll
  • Fina
  • Goblin

Fair Matchups

  • Zon

Disadvantage Matchups

  • Vritra
  • Nagar
  • Elion

Serious Disadvantage Matchups

Vargan has no serious disadvantage matchups.

Move Analysis

Normals and Command Normals

Standing

5A

  • Nudge with the muzzle of Vargan's gun that comes out quick and can be linked into 214A or into itself on counter hit. One of the main normals that you'll actually be using, so learn it and learn it well.

5B

  • Smack with the butt of Vargan's gun that has slightly more range than 5A and 2A but isn't really used much outside of the occasional combo.

5C

  • Heavy smash with the front of Vargan's gun that is used to occasionally combo into things, but not very often. 6C has the better range of the two C normals if you intend to use it on its own and there isn't much reason to use it after a jump-in. It will combo if you're close enough after the j.C connects, but misjudging the distance can be a painful mistake and you're much better off using the max range of j.C and just comboing into 214A. Avoid this move.

5D

  • Leaping headbutt that hits overhead and isn't all that great. It's possible to cancel this move into j.236X and shoot the opponent while you're airborne, but odds are that you'll be hit out of one or both of the moves and firing from the air has landing recovery.

Crouching

2A

  • Lower muzzle nudge that hits mid, stops dashes, and has the same range as 5A. Links into 214A and into itself on counter hit. This move is pretty much interchangeable with 5A, but it's good to use when you think your opponent might try dashing.

2B

  • Butt smack that's a lot like 5B, only it has a lot more range. Use this as a ranged poke if the situation calls for it or you're trying to apply Gunpowder pressure at close-range.

2C

  • Jumping launcher that has really bad recovery, but it can be cancelled into j.236X while Vargan is airborne. It can be used as an anti-air in certain situations but it should generally only be used when your opponent is about to land on you and you know there's no way out for them.

2D

  • Sliding kick that's exactly like Dorgan's and just happens to start up in 15 frames. As you won't be relying very much on high/low mixup, this move is not something that you'll need to use very often and should only come out as the occasional surprise attack.

Command

6A

  • Muzzle nudge that moves Vargan forward and seems to be aimed lower, although it won't stop dashes like 2A. Has more range than 5B and the other two A normals. It can be linked into 214A on counter-hit, but that's about it. Not really much call for this move, unless you just so happen to be in optimal range for it and you know that it will counter-hit. Otherwise, you're better off sticking to 5A and 2A.

6B

  • Slightly downward swing with the muzzle of Vargan's gun that moves him just a little bit forward. Has less range than 2B but can be used in much the same way.

6C

  • Turning smash with the front of Vargan's gun that has pretty good range and is also cancellable. Mostly used for punishes or times when you're pretty damn sure that it's actually going to connect. Don't throw this out a lot.

6D

  • Blowback kick that allows Vargan to defy gravity. Looks the same as his kicks during 214A and 214B but is slower, has more recovery, and is less safe on block. There's really no reason to use this move unless your opponent has trained themselves to block 214A and you wish to catch them off-guard somehow.

Jumping

j.A

  • Flying muzzle nudge that comes out fast. Good for clashes and catching your opponent off-guard, this move is good when you've just clashed with something like j.C and need a fast normal to beat out whatever your opponent has in store. Since it hits slightly downward, you can think of it as a faster version of j.C. It also serves as one of the best instant overheads in the game, as it will connect on every member of the cast.

j.B

  • Scoops. Scoops muzzle smack. This move has a strange down-up animation that can be difficult to place, but it works well for hitting something above Vargan. Good for clashes and okay as an air-to-air under the right circumstances.

j.C

  • Vargan holds the gun by the barrel and wallops his opponent as hard as he can from the air. This move has a lot of active frames and the hitbox is fairly sizeable making it useful for clashes, as an overhead, applying pressure, combos, and as an air reset. In fact, there really isn't a whole lot that this move can't do. Consider it one of Vargan's main tools.

j.D

  • Awkward kick that can actually cross-up. As Vargan's limbs aren't exactly long, the actual range of this move is quite pitiful, but it can be used as a surprise to stop clashes. Linking 5A upon landing is a simple matter that will score an easy combo, but you really shouldn't use this move very much.

Normal Throws

Front Throw: 6D (in close)

  • Vargan climbs onto his opponent's head, then smacks them in the face with his gun, knocking them to the ground. Cannot be pursued on knockdown.

Back Throw: 4D (in close)

  • Vargan climbs onto his opponent's head, then smacks them in the face 3 times with his gun, knocking them to the ground. Cannot be pursued on knockdown.

Mana-Counter

A heavy, turning smack that's the same animation as 6C that will wall-bounce near the corner, but doesn't leave Vargan with many good options. He can use his 236236B super or he can hit them with 214A, if the spacing is right, but these options seem trivial at best. The most useful aspect of hitting an opponent with a mana-counter is the option to reload without fear of retribution. This applies to every circumstance.

Specials

Shoot: 236A/B/C (Consumes one bullet)

  • Fires a shot across the screen. Can be performed in the air.
  • Button strength controls trajectory. A fires horizontally, B fires 30 degrees up, C fires straight up.
  • Air version is slightly different. A fires straight, B 30 degrees down, and C 45 degrees down.
  • Opponents that dash-clash the shot are left at a major disadvantage and can easily be hit by Head Charge.
  • A and B version are burst cancellable.

Gun Powder: 623A/B/C

  • Lobs a flask of gunpowder into the air.
  • Button strength determines distance thrown. A short, C is long.
  • Can be used to stop multi-hit projectiles like Fina's Divine Justice and the Shining Bow IB.
  • Inflicts no chip damage on block.
  • The flask persists even after Vargan has sustained a hit, which can result in highly frustrating trades for your opponent.

Explosion (Shoot the Gun Powder)

  • The bullet and the resulting explosion count as 2 hits. Places opponent in juggle state.
  • Loop combo is possible in the corner as the explosion forces the opponent upward.
  • Bullets from Last Shot (236236X) and dry firing (no loaded shots) will not detonate the powder.
  • Explosion can be set off after powder hits, is blocked, or is clashed.
  • The explosion seems to be primarily magic damage.

Head Charge: 214A

  • (After Head Charge) Shoot: 214A (One bullet required)
  • Two-stage headbutt to blowback kick that wall-bounces.
  • The headbutt and kick come out really fast and cannot be clashed. Very powerful.
  • Both parts can be burst-cancelled.
  • Additional input will cancel the kick into a 3 shot volley that blows back on the last hit and can wall-bounce.
  • The kick part can be cancelled into Reload or the reload feint. Timing is strict.

Jumpin' Charge: 214B

  • (After Jumpin' Charge) Shoot: 214B (One bullet required)
  • Overhead kick to blowback kick. Same as Head Charge.
  • Burst cancellable.
  • Follow-up is the same as Head Charge.
  • Slow and ineffective overhead. You're better off just using j.C.

Slidin' Charge: 214C

  • (After Slidin' Charge) Shoot: 214C (One bullet required)
  • Two-stage sliding kick that hits low, then launches into the air.
  • Performing this move outside of its optimal range turns it into a blowback kick instead of a low.
  • Additional input is a three-shot volley that blasts the opponent straight upward.
  • Follow-up can be delayed to increase opponent's height, allowing further follow-ups.
  • Cannot be cancelled into reload.

Reload: 22A/B/C/D

  • Reloads a number of bullets depending on the button pressed. A=1,B=2,C=3.
  • The more bullets you try reloading at one time, the longer the recovery time is. C version is quite lengthy.
  • Good times to reload are after Head Charge, a move with blowback, or after a Mana Counter.
  • It is actually possible to reload at the end of a match whether it's during a time out or after you KO the opponent. Since bullets carry over between matches, using C is a good idea.
  • 22D is a feint that makes Vargan whistle. It can be used to gain meter.

Mana Bursts

Last Shot: 236236A/B/C

  • Fires every last loaded bullet into the opponent. The last shot is the most powerful.
  • Will not work without any loaded bullets.
  • Trajectory control is the same as 236X. A is straight, B is angled up, C is straight up. However, it is possible to mix and match by pressing buttons as the super is active.
  • Burst cancellable, but it is completely pointless to do so.

Lift & Fire: 360A/B/C

  • Super throw that tosses the opponent up, blasts them, then hits them with an exploding powder flask.
  • Requires two loaded bullets to perform.

Super Reload: 214214D

  • Vargan whistles, then reloads all of his bullets at once.
  • Complete waste of meter.

Extra Shot: 2141236A/B/C

  • Single unblockable shot that consumes all currently loaded bullets.
  • Trajectory is controlled by button strength and firing can be delayed by holding the button.
  • Damage is the same regardless of current loadout.
  • Can still be clashed.

Frame Data

Attack Cancel State Total Start-up Active Hit Guard
5A No Mid 16 5 +4 -1
6A No Mid 18 5 +2 -1
2A No Mid 17 6 +4 -1
j.A Yes Overhead 5
5B Yes Mid 26 10 +3 -4
6B Yes Mid 25 10 +4 -4
2B Yes Mid 28 10 +1 -4
j.B Yes Overhead 10
5C Yes Mid 45 18 -2 16
6C Yes Mid 44 19 0 -16
2C Yes Mid 40 16 Float -9
j.C Yes Overhead 13
5D Yes Overhead 38 19 0 -9
6D No Mid 45 19 Blowback -16
2D No Low 40 15 Knockdown -15
j.D Yes Overhead 8