Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup gets dangerous if Ike lands Nair, Bair, or Dash Attack cleanly, because one sword hit can quickly turn into corner pressure and a kill sequence.
The tradeoff is that Wolf is much better at forcing the first movement in mid-range, since Blaster and fast aerial drift make Ike’s slow approach and weak out-of-shield game work much harder than they want to.
The table also shows that Jab 1-3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Neutral B, Side B, and Up B are all punishable with Grab (10f), OOS Fair (10f), OOS Nair (10f), OOS Uair (10f), or Up Smash (13f), so Wolf should take the grounded swing punishes and turn blocked aerial pressure into landing traps instead of forcing immediate scrambles against Nair, Bair, or Uair.
For kills, it is more reliable to close stocks with Up Smash, Bair, Down Smash, and Uair around ledge and landing routes than to chase too far offstage and expose Wolf’s own recovery.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Wolf OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -15 |
|
|
| Jab 2 | 3 | -20 |
| |
| Jab 3 | 5 | -29 |
| |
| Forward Tilt | 12 | -17 |
|
|
| Up Tilt | 11 | -17 |
|
|
| Down Tilt | 7 | -13 |
|
|
| Dash Attack | 15 | -17 |
|
|
| Forward Smash | 31 | -39/-36 |
| |
| Up Smash | 25 | -34 |
| |
| Down Smash | 13/32 | -46/-25 |
| |
| Neutral Air | 10 | -5 |
| |
| Forward Air | 11 | -9 |
|
|
| Back Air | 7 | -6 |
| |
| Up Air | 13 | -5 |
| |
| Down Air | 16 | -9 |
|
|
| Neutral B | 30-239 | -38 to Shieldbreak |
| |
| Side B | 16 | -28 to -22 |
| |
| Up B | 15/44/51/61 | -29 |
| |
| Down B | 9 (Start of Counter) | — | ||
| Grab | 7 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 11 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use Blaster to stop Ike’s walk and jump early, so Nair and Bair do not get to start the neutral exchange on Ike’s terms.
- After blocking Jab 1-3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Neutral B, Side B, or Up B, answer immediately with Grab (10f), OOS Fair (10f), OOS Nair (10f), OOS Uair (10f), or Up Smash (13f).
- Do not swing back in place against Nair, Bair, or Uair; cover the landing and drift-out routes with Fair, Bair, or Dash Attack so Wolf wins on the second touch.
- After launching Ike, threaten Uair and Up Smash to trap air dodge and fast-fall timings, then carry the advantage into ledge pressure with Down Smash and Bair.
- At kill percent, stay disciplined offstage and finish from ledge and anti-air coverage before Wolf’s own recovery becomes the bigger liability.
Actions to Avoid
- Do not stand in front of Ike’s Nair, Bair, or Dash Attack and volunteer for the sword’s strongest spacing.
- Do not try to punish every blocked Nair, Bair, or Uair immediately and give Ike another landing trap when the answer whiffs.
- Do not let the pressure end after Blaster forces movement; if Wolf gives back mid-range for free, Ike gets another chance to reset the sword wall.
- Do not overchase offstage for the early stock and let Aether or a recovery read turn Wolf’s weaker recovery into the bigger risk.