This guide will reveal a lot of advanced Mewtwo techniques, such as the lethal cat claw counter- something that can be done almost instantly out of a shield. Master all the techniques, chains, spacing and timing strats in this guide, and the next time your opponent sees a shaved, bi-pedal telekinetic tomcat, they'll think twice before trying to just rush in with a flurry of rapid-A attacks..
Mewtwo has a lot more potential than many people give him credit for. You just have to be aware of some key techniques to be able to bring it out.
Section 1) The Shield-Hop Attack, and other Shielding Tactics.
You all probably know about the sheild-grab(L+A), a very useful technique for Mewtwo, as well as using teleport(up+B) out of a shield, but did you know Mewtwo can use several other attacks right out of a shield? It's by combining the shield-jump with aerials. Simply tap Y or X(I prefer Y because it's closer to B) while still holding your shield, then quickly press the button for whichever aerial attack you want to use is. On a more trivial note, I think this may actually speed up Ganondorf's reversable, unblockable shield attack(Up+B)..
Other characters can do this as well('cept Yoshi), but Mewtwo's attacks seem particularly useful here due to the speed, range and power of some of them.
Here's one of the best ones- Cat's Claw Counter: Holding shield button, quickly tap Y/X, then quickly hold forward+A. If you do this just right, Mewtwo will make an arched short-hop, thus increasing the range of this attack.. Did I mention the technical specs here- almost instant execution, good range, low lag, and topped off with both smash-like priority and power(14%). It goes without saying- feel free to use this move on it's own as a near-ground attack.
Other useful shield hop-attacks include: Disable(down+B), Spark(aerial A), Flick(aerial back+A), and even Confusion(Forward+B), which has the most range out of all the forward('cept shadow ball) shield attacks, and though it can be countered, it's priority is un-matched. A good human opponent will almost always counter it, though.(I'm going through this correcting my thoughtless mistakes; I was in a rush doing this the first time through)
Last, but not least, Shadow Ball(B).. When the aerial Shadow Ball's fully charged, it's about the most severe shield hop-attack in the game, next to Samus and Dk's charge attacks, though Mewtwo's may still be faster.
The out-of-shield teleport(up+B, but let go of shield button first) will save you from a grab, since it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try Mewtwo's dodge, or the roll in this situation. Of course, the Cat's Claw Counter (I'd use CCC, but you may confuse it with CC(crouch cancel)) can also be used-don't ever forget about this lil' number. You can also use the aerial dodge by shield-hopping into it(Y/X, then L/R), and remember to hold a direction to move to instead of just dodging in place. It is faster than the ground dodge when done right.
Last, is the shield-grab. I use L+A, in fact, I use it whenever I want to grab unless I'm dashing, though if wave-dashing(tap Y/X, then instantly tap L/R+forward 'n ever-so-slightly downward for best results), I prefer the L+A grab with it. The reason you should use L+A(or R+A) when not dashing is because it’s reliable-you’ll never shield instead of grabbing when you knew the grab would of connected.
Crouch cancel(hold down on C-stick) can let you reach the ground in order to shield- and if you've been paying attention you'll notice this opens a window of oppurtunity for retaliation. You could just use Mewtwo's Sweep(tilt down+A) to counter with this and start a chain, though. If you find yourself unable to reach the ground, time a cat claw- every rapid A attack has a pause after the first two hits, and this attack can nail them in that split-second yeilding if you try to stay close to your opponent, though at higher damages, it's probably best to just DI(hold control stick in a certain direction) away from your opponent and try to teleport or do an aerial dodge to the ground.
For projectile spammers, use tilted forward+A to neutralize them in a quick manner, and heck- don't be afraid to show your skills by using ground A-stopping a super missile with this lil' spark(and not taking damage by timing it well)has gotta do something to your opponent on a mental level, as well as make your Mewtwo look pretty bad-***. Don't try this on lasers and needles, though, but feel free to disintegrate Link's arrows with it..
I'll end the defensive section with one last tip: If your opponent's below you, or if you just feel uncomfortable where you are, teleport away. Try to teleport to the ground for a faster recovery. Teleport's distance can be adjusted by pressing downward on the C-stick with left or right when used on the ground. Note:Ganondorf can catch teleporters with his Dark Dive(up+B), so watchout for it when using this. I'm guessing C. Falcon can do this with his up+B as well..
Section 2) Offensive Tactics and Chaining
Mewtwo also excels in the chaining department, with moves that can keep a chain going on indefinutely, as well as exetremely reliable moves that don't lose their reliability when the opponent's damage level's altered or with different factors like weight and size, things that can throw-off most chains, have almost no effect on the likes of attacks like Disable and Spark.
Attack Use
The Shadow Ball(B to charge, B to release, L/R to save charge) is much more than the simple charge projectile that it seems to be at first- if your opponent touches it when charging, they can get stuck in a 10+% damaging combo, and if timed, you can spam small ones to slow down aggressive opponents and give you a great opening for a disable attack or grab-thus starting your first chaining onslaught. It's odd weaving-motion makes it hard for your opponent to time avoiding it in the air, and it will push you backwards when you fire a fully-charged one, possibly giving you the distance needed to avoid any counter-measures from your opponent if it fails to connect. It's range is unaffected by how charged it is- small ones will go just as far as fully-charged ones, and damage will never decrease with distance.
(Down+B)Disable's paralysis duration depends on your opponent's damage level, much like grab's duration does- the more damaged they are, the longer it lasts. It has better range than you'd expect too-a Pichu will get hit with it even if done out of a short jump, since Mewtwo ducks a little when firing it and by the time he fires it it'll be pretty close to the ground unless you tapped the jump button too hard(and didn't use the attackfast enough, since it will take away the jump's momentum). Sheik can duck under it, though, so be careful about using it on her. If you ever see your opponent recovering, hit them with this(make sure they're facing you) for a super-cheap chain starter, not that they don't deserve it for being so foolish.. Disable on a disabled opponent will knock the opponent further away than a smash at low damage, but less than a smash with a damaged foe. Quite useful near the edge early in a match if you think your edge-guarding game can end the match quick..
Confusion shouldn't be used often, and though it has deceptive range and un-matched priority, it's only real usefulness lies in bomb/shell reflecting. Like mentioned earliar, it's best used to actually counter something, which seems to lessen the chances of it being countered, but only agaisnt the cpu. It's not too useful against a good human player unless it's a bomb-happy Link.
Dark Flash(Grounded Neutral A)'s first hit can be used in chains, but it's best used only as a show-off projectile disintegrater move. Disabling an opponent, then pinning them against a wall with this may be useful, though. It's best to knock your opponent down or get them from behind before trapping them in the rapid flash.
Torch- Dash+A has low priority, and is most powerful at the begining of the attack, so don't use it unless you're plowing through a flailing opponent- follow up with G-Force(Up Smash) for a nice little one-two chain, if they flail near Mewtwo's head.
Whip(tilt forward+A) is the best move for neutralizing most types of projectile spam, and is a ranged, strong attack good for fending off an agressive opponent if they try to rush you. Like most tail attacks, it's sweet-spot is up-close.
Flip(tilt up+A) is a good follow-up to other tail attacks when used up-close, where it's sweet spot is. It can allow you to begin juggling your opponent..
Sweep(tilt down+A) is one of Mewtwo's best attacks. It can be used multiple times to make a chain, or start one- this can set up your opponent for a grab, an up smash, or juggling.
Shadow Blast(forward smash) has a sweet spot at the tip of it that does 20% uncharged. It's power and knockback is cut in half, more or less, when used too close. Good for edge-guarding, and nailing a flailing opponent after a down-throw or sweep.
Shadow Bomb(down smash) does less damage than Shadow Blast, but doesn't have a sweet spot, and also has a greater knockback. It's even better for edge-guarding than S-Blast. Fox 'n Falco can give Mewtwo trouble, but if you time this attack right, you can nail them every time they try to recover.
Galaxy Force(up smash) is one of Mewtwo's best vertical ko moves, as well as a good chain finisher-to-start-juggling move. It's lag is horrid, so only use it in chains when your opponent is right next to you, or close to your head. Don't use this attack on an opponent that's falling towards you unless they're helpless, because this attack's escapable if they're bouncing on top of it. It first sucks them into it, dealing damage, then spits them upwards, dealing more damage. A fun thing to do with n00b Fox 'n Falcos is let them up+B into one while trying to recover. The cpu will also fly right into this.
Body Spark(aerial nuetral A) is a great damage racker, and can be used in a chain by sweeping your opponent above you, then simply press Y/X and then A. Try to get your opponent trapped in it right before Mewtwo begins to stop rising from the jump to connect with the whole attack.
Scratch, aka Cat's Claw(aerial forward+A) is one of Mewtwo's best vertical ko moves, but is also useful for attacking out of a sheild-jump or dash. If you hit your opponent with this while they're high in the air, they can be vertically ko'd a lot sooner.
Flick(aerial back+A) has very good range for an aerial attack, and can even be used in a shield jump to hit an opponent that's behind you and too far away to hit with anything else.
Somersalt(aerial up+A) is one of Mewtwo's best aerial jugglers, and can be used several times in a row with good timing. It's sweet-spot's the tip of the tail, in the middle of the attack..
Meteor Kick(aerial down+A) is Mewtwo's meteor, and can be used to attack a recovering opponent from the air, as well as edge-guarding, but it's lag makes it too risky to use for much else.
Pyschic(Z, or L/R+A) is one of the better grabs in the game, with deceptive range, and some of the best throws. Just don't forget to use Shock(A when holding) to add a little more damage to your opponent before throwing them. The more damage your opponent has, the more they can be shocked before they'll escape the throw.
Throws: Psychic Whirlwind(up) does 17%, and is Mewtwo's best vertical Ko move, capable of ko'ing most on FD at 120%. Feel free to pause a sec to let your opponent realize what's already over when you're holding them before chunking them into oblivion.
Shadow Cannon(forward) does the least amount of damage(normally 8%) and has the least knockback, but can catch other opponents in the attack, and if the shadow balls hit a wall, the explosions can give the opponent smash-level damage(I'm told it can do 20+%).
Telekinesis(back)is good for ko'ing horizontally, so don't forget about it when near the edge of a stage.
Tail Slap(down)is one of the few down-throws that can't be rolled out of before you're free to follow up with another attack to keep the throw chain going. Feel free to do anything ranging from a simple timed F-smash to whatever tail-flinging chain's your favorite.
Chains
Sweep(tilt down+A) is the best chain-starter, and can be used repeatedly fairly quick if timed right. You can do one sweep, then grab your opponent, shock them, down-throw, then rinse and repeat. If your opponent tries to flail away to land, have a shadow ball spam then use disable/grab to keep them from escaping.
If they try to go over you, tap Y/X then up+A to juggle them repeatedly. If they DI towards you while you sweep them, try an up smash, Y+A, or tilt up+A to keep the pressure on.
Finishers
Vertically, up-throw is the best, followed by a more-or-less three-way-tie between up-smash, aerial forward+A, and a fully charged Shadow Ball. There are exceptions to this, though. Fox, Falco, G&W, and Pichu KO easier with aerial forward+A then with up throw. Marth, Sheik, Kirby, Pikachu, Jigglypuff and other Mewtwos are ko'd at equal % with up-throw and aerial for-A.
Horizontally, the FC Shadow Ball's the best, followed by the down smash, then the forward smash and back throw.
For edge-guarding, you can either stand near the edge and time forward and down smashes, as well as Shadow Ball spam, or you can come after them with aerial down+A(risky stuff), or aerial back+A by facing away from them before jumping. You can also try standing there charging a Shadow Ball facing away from them, but a good player will know how to get around it in most instances.
Section 3) Extra techniques, credits.
Wavedashing
Tap Y/X, then imediately press L/R while holding the C-stick forward or back and very slightly downward for a quick dash that allows you to use ground attacks while sliding fast. Can also be used out of a shield hop, allowing you to use ground attacks out of a sheild. Sweep is good, as well as a dashing grab to grapple an out-of-range opponent. You can go straight down(useful out of a sheild jump), or in front or behind you. Don't forget to take advantage of the spacing advantages this tech. can give you. Mewtwo can keep a chain going on a lot longer if you wavedash attack an opponent that tries to escape your chain.
This takes practice though. I mean, a "Sheild-jump-wavedash-sweep-attack" goes something like this: Y(while still holding shield button)then let go, L+tilt, down+A. That's harder than it looks, too. It takes precision button holding and pressing at split-second timing, though with practice this does get a lot easier.
The grab and sweep are both great moves to use with the wavedash- namely because you'll typically already still be holding one of the buttons or C-stick to use them when you do the wavedash.
Credits
shockfrost, for some info from his Mewtwo guide(it has some stuff I left out, so go check it for more Mewtwo strats.
Mewtwo has a lot more potential than many people give him credit for. You just have to be aware of some key techniques to be able to bring it out.
Section 1) The Shield-Hop Attack, and other Shielding Tactics.
You all probably know about the sheild-grab(L+A), a very useful technique for Mewtwo, as well as using teleport(up+B) out of a shield, but did you know Mewtwo can use several other attacks right out of a shield? It's by combining the shield-jump with aerials. Simply tap Y or X(I prefer Y because it's closer to B) while still holding your shield, then quickly press the button for whichever aerial attack you want to use is. On a more trivial note, I think this may actually speed up Ganondorf's reversable, unblockable shield attack(Up+B)..
Other characters can do this as well('cept Yoshi), but Mewtwo's attacks seem particularly useful here due to the speed, range and power of some of them.
Here's one of the best ones- Cat's Claw Counter: Holding shield button, quickly tap Y/X, then quickly hold forward+A. If you do this just right, Mewtwo will make an arched short-hop, thus increasing the range of this attack.. Did I mention the technical specs here- almost instant execution, good range, low lag, and topped off with both smash-like priority and power(14%). It goes without saying- feel free to use this move on it's own as a near-ground attack.
Other useful shield hop-attacks include: Disable(down+B), Spark(aerial A), Flick(aerial back+A), and even Confusion(Forward+B), which has the most range out of all the forward('cept shadow ball) shield attacks, and though it can be countered, it's priority is un-matched. A good human opponent will almost always counter it, though.(I'm going through this correcting my thoughtless mistakes; I was in a rush doing this the first time through)
Last, but not least, Shadow Ball(B).. When the aerial Shadow Ball's fully charged, it's about the most severe shield hop-attack in the game, next to Samus and Dk's charge attacks, though Mewtwo's may still be faster.
The out-of-shield teleport(up+B, but let go of shield button first) will save you from a grab, since it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try Mewtwo's dodge, or the roll in this situation. Of course, the Cat's Claw Counter (I'd use CCC, but you may confuse it with CC(crouch cancel)) can also be used-don't ever forget about this lil' number. You can also use the aerial dodge by shield-hopping into it(Y/X, then L/R), and remember to hold a direction to move to instead of just dodging in place. It is faster than the ground dodge when done right.
Last, is the shield-grab. I use L+A, in fact, I use it whenever I want to grab unless I'm dashing, though if wave-dashing(tap Y/X, then instantly tap L/R+forward 'n ever-so-slightly downward for best results), I prefer the L+A grab with it. The reason you should use L+A(or R+A) when not dashing is because it’s reliable-you’ll never shield instead of grabbing when you knew the grab would of connected.
Crouch cancel(hold down on C-stick) can let you reach the ground in order to shield- and if you've been paying attention you'll notice this opens a window of oppurtunity for retaliation. You could just use Mewtwo's Sweep(tilt down+A) to counter with this and start a chain, though. If you find yourself unable to reach the ground, time a cat claw- every rapid A attack has a pause after the first two hits, and this attack can nail them in that split-second yeilding if you try to stay close to your opponent, though at higher damages, it's probably best to just DI(hold control stick in a certain direction) away from your opponent and try to teleport or do an aerial dodge to the ground.
For projectile spammers, use tilted forward+A to neutralize them in a quick manner, and heck- don't be afraid to show your skills by using ground A-stopping a super missile with this lil' spark(and not taking damage by timing it well)has gotta do something to your opponent on a mental level, as well as make your Mewtwo look pretty bad-***. Don't try this on lasers and needles, though, but feel free to disintegrate Link's arrows with it..
I'll end the defensive section with one last tip: If your opponent's below you, or if you just feel uncomfortable where you are, teleport away. Try to teleport to the ground for a faster recovery. Teleport's distance can be adjusted by pressing downward on the C-stick with left or right when used on the ground. Note:Ganondorf can catch teleporters with his Dark Dive(up+B), so watchout for it when using this. I'm guessing C. Falcon can do this with his up+B as well..
Section 2) Offensive Tactics and Chaining
Mewtwo also excels in the chaining department, with moves that can keep a chain going on indefinutely, as well as exetremely reliable moves that don't lose their reliability when the opponent's damage level's altered or with different factors like weight and size, things that can throw-off most chains, have almost no effect on the likes of attacks like Disable and Spark.
Attack Use
The Shadow Ball(B to charge, B to release, L/R to save charge) is much more than the simple charge projectile that it seems to be at first- if your opponent touches it when charging, they can get stuck in a 10+% damaging combo, and if timed, you can spam small ones to slow down aggressive opponents and give you a great opening for a disable attack or grab-thus starting your first chaining onslaught. It's odd weaving-motion makes it hard for your opponent to time avoiding it in the air, and it will push you backwards when you fire a fully-charged one, possibly giving you the distance needed to avoid any counter-measures from your opponent if it fails to connect. It's range is unaffected by how charged it is- small ones will go just as far as fully-charged ones, and damage will never decrease with distance.
(Down+B)Disable's paralysis duration depends on your opponent's damage level, much like grab's duration does- the more damaged they are, the longer it lasts. It has better range than you'd expect too-a Pichu will get hit with it even if done out of a short jump, since Mewtwo ducks a little when firing it and by the time he fires it it'll be pretty close to the ground unless you tapped the jump button too hard(and didn't use the attackfast enough, since it will take away the jump's momentum). Sheik can duck under it, though, so be careful about using it on her. If you ever see your opponent recovering, hit them with this(make sure they're facing you) for a super-cheap chain starter, not that they don't deserve it for being so foolish.. Disable on a disabled opponent will knock the opponent further away than a smash at low damage, but less than a smash with a damaged foe. Quite useful near the edge early in a match if you think your edge-guarding game can end the match quick..
Confusion shouldn't be used often, and though it has deceptive range and un-matched priority, it's only real usefulness lies in bomb/shell reflecting. Like mentioned earliar, it's best used to actually counter something, which seems to lessen the chances of it being countered, but only agaisnt the cpu. It's not too useful against a good human player unless it's a bomb-happy Link.
Dark Flash(Grounded Neutral A)'s first hit can be used in chains, but it's best used only as a show-off projectile disintegrater move. Disabling an opponent, then pinning them against a wall with this may be useful, though. It's best to knock your opponent down or get them from behind before trapping them in the rapid flash.
Torch- Dash+A has low priority, and is most powerful at the begining of the attack, so don't use it unless you're plowing through a flailing opponent- follow up with G-Force(Up Smash) for a nice little one-two chain, if they flail near Mewtwo's head.
Whip(tilt forward+A) is the best move for neutralizing most types of projectile spam, and is a ranged, strong attack good for fending off an agressive opponent if they try to rush you. Like most tail attacks, it's sweet-spot is up-close.
Flip(tilt up+A) is a good follow-up to other tail attacks when used up-close, where it's sweet spot is. It can allow you to begin juggling your opponent..
Sweep(tilt down+A) is one of Mewtwo's best attacks. It can be used multiple times to make a chain, or start one- this can set up your opponent for a grab, an up smash, or juggling.
Shadow Blast(forward smash) has a sweet spot at the tip of it that does 20% uncharged. It's power and knockback is cut in half, more or less, when used too close. Good for edge-guarding, and nailing a flailing opponent after a down-throw or sweep.
Shadow Bomb(down smash) does less damage than Shadow Blast, but doesn't have a sweet spot, and also has a greater knockback. It's even better for edge-guarding than S-Blast. Fox 'n Falco can give Mewtwo trouble, but if you time this attack right, you can nail them every time they try to recover.
Galaxy Force(up smash) is one of Mewtwo's best vertical ko moves, as well as a good chain finisher-to-start-juggling move. It's lag is horrid, so only use it in chains when your opponent is right next to you, or close to your head. Don't use this attack on an opponent that's falling towards you unless they're helpless, because this attack's escapable if they're bouncing on top of it. It first sucks them into it, dealing damage, then spits them upwards, dealing more damage. A fun thing to do with n00b Fox 'n Falcos is let them up+B into one while trying to recover. The cpu will also fly right into this.
Body Spark(aerial nuetral A) is a great damage racker, and can be used in a chain by sweeping your opponent above you, then simply press Y/X and then A. Try to get your opponent trapped in it right before Mewtwo begins to stop rising from the jump to connect with the whole attack.
Scratch, aka Cat's Claw(aerial forward+A) is one of Mewtwo's best vertical ko moves, but is also useful for attacking out of a sheild-jump or dash. If you hit your opponent with this while they're high in the air, they can be vertically ko'd a lot sooner.
Flick(aerial back+A) has very good range for an aerial attack, and can even be used in a shield jump to hit an opponent that's behind you and too far away to hit with anything else.
Somersalt(aerial up+A) is one of Mewtwo's best aerial jugglers, and can be used several times in a row with good timing. It's sweet-spot's the tip of the tail, in the middle of the attack..
Meteor Kick(aerial down+A) is Mewtwo's meteor, and can be used to attack a recovering opponent from the air, as well as edge-guarding, but it's lag makes it too risky to use for much else.
Pyschic(Z, or L/R+A) is one of the better grabs in the game, with deceptive range, and some of the best throws. Just don't forget to use Shock(A when holding) to add a little more damage to your opponent before throwing them. The more damage your opponent has, the more they can be shocked before they'll escape the throw.
Throws: Psychic Whirlwind(up) does 17%, and is Mewtwo's best vertical Ko move, capable of ko'ing most on FD at 120%. Feel free to pause a sec to let your opponent realize what's already over when you're holding them before chunking them into oblivion.
Shadow Cannon(forward) does the least amount of damage(normally 8%) and has the least knockback, but can catch other opponents in the attack, and if the shadow balls hit a wall, the explosions can give the opponent smash-level damage(I'm told it can do 20+%).
Telekinesis(back)is good for ko'ing horizontally, so don't forget about it when near the edge of a stage.
Tail Slap(down)is one of the few down-throws that can't be rolled out of before you're free to follow up with another attack to keep the throw chain going. Feel free to do anything ranging from a simple timed F-smash to whatever tail-flinging chain's your favorite.
Chains
Sweep(tilt down+A) is the best chain-starter, and can be used repeatedly fairly quick if timed right. You can do one sweep, then grab your opponent, shock them, down-throw, then rinse and repeat. If your opponent tries to flail away to land, have a shadow ball spam then use disable/grab to keep them from escaping.
If they try to go over you, tap Y/X then up+A to juggle them repeatedly. If they DI towards you while you sweep them, try an up smash, Y+A, or tilt up+A to keep the pressure on.
Finishers
Vertically, up-throw is the best, followed by a more-or-less three-way-tie between up-smash, aerial forward+A, and a fully charged Shadow Ball. There are exceptions to this, though. Fox, Falco, G&W, and Pichu KO easier with aerial forward+A then with up throw. Marth, Sheik, Kirby, Pikachu, Jigglypuff and other Mewtwos are ko'd at equal % with up-throw and aerial for-A.
Horizontally, the FC Shadow Ball's the best, followed by the down smash, then the forward smash and back throw.
For edge-guarding, you can either stand near the edge and time forward and down smashes, as well as Shadow Ball spam, or you can come after them with aerial down+A(risky stuff), or aerial back+A by facing away from them before jumping. You can also try standing there charging a Shadow Ball facing away from them, but a good player will know how to get around it in most instances.
Section 3) Extra techniques, credits.
Wavedashing
Tap Y/X, then imediately press L/R while holding the C-stick forward or back and very slightly downward for a quick dash that allows you to use ground attacks while sliding fast. Can also be used out of a shield hop, allowing you to use ground attacks out of a sheild. Sweep is good, as well as a dashing grab to grapple an out-of-range opponent. You can go straight down(useful out of a sheild jump), or in front or behind you. Don't forget to take advantage of the spacing advantages this tech. can give you. Mewtwo can keep a chain going on a lot longer if you wavedash attack an opponent that tries to escape your chain.
This takes practice though. I mean, a "Sheild-jump-wavedash-sweep-attack" goes something like this: Y(while still holding shield button)then let go, L+tilt, down+A. That's harder than it looks, too. It takes precision button holding and pressing at split-second timing, though with practice this does get a lot easier.
The grab and sweep are both great moves to use with the wavedash- namely because you'll typically already still be holding one of the buttons or C-stick to use them when you do the wavedash.
Credits
shockfrost, for some info from his Mewtwo guide(it has some stuff I left out, so go check it for more Mewtwo strats.