I feel that the central playstyle of spacing with your normal attacks seems too straightforward to continue theory crafting about, with the little information we have. What I'm eager to talk about it's the specials: how to open up the opponent, pressuring, making setups and punishing accordingly with the reach of the whip. So, I made list with ideas and opinions on how we can exploit each one of these moves.
Disclaimer: I'm mostly using as reference the frame data from this post. Shout out to JosePollo.
60 frames it's 1 second IRL. Human reaction time it's 16 frames on average, pro players get close to 11-12 frames.
Some setups maybe a little of wishful thinking, probably could never work on actual matches, but at the very least knowing that you have more options it's the base for a great pressure playstyle.
Cross: thrown on frame 19, animation ends on frame 62. But has FAF at 46. Travel away on frames 19-65 from the initial input, 66> starts to return.
- It seems it would be optimal to throwing it at a shorthop height (or maybe a little lower), so it could severely prevent rushdowns do to hitting at least 2 times both standing and jumping opponents.
- At 2/3 of the travelled distance (roughly a second after the animation started), before the cross starts spinning in reverse, the player's lag from the animation is already over, so a second hit is coming, and you are free to do anything from this point onward.
- As an antiaerial this also could lead to a defensive action from airborne opponents such as air dodge (directional or neutral) or double jump, being easily punished by the sheer range of the whip. I don't think clashing with an attack could work, because it destroys Wario's motorbike with a single hit, so probably has good priority/damage.
- As a generalization, the best option for an airborne opponent would be to fastfall to the ground and then shield, perfect shield, roll, spotdodge or just waiting it out. The last three options would give enough time to react if your opponent is anything but next to you.
- If it can be wavebounced it would be more secure and better as harassing tool.
- Throwing the cross opposite from the opponent so when it's returning it could work as sort of a Lloid for the Belmonts, maybe even for edgeguarding. Although it would solely depend on how much distance does travel in reverse before disappearing. Obviously, you will need to prevent catching it: D-tilt, crouch, jump or spot dodge could do the trick.
Holy Water: Thrown on frame 18, animation ends on frame 70. But has FAF at 50.
Hits the ground: without bouncing on frame 30. With a bounce on frame 45. Flame pillar active 1-50 frames, frames 30-80 from the start of the animation.
- Many clips on the trailers shows that with proper spacing you could easily combo the fire into a F-Smash or a ladder combo. If you don't have the spacing, it seems that the fire doesn't have a launching final hit, so at least open up for mixups because the opponent is airborne at the end of it.
- The bounce hitbox after the throw helps to better comboing into the fire, also give you more time to prepare the followup.
- The bounce hit could intercept the opponent's recovery or double jump and not launching them anywhere (sort of Falco's laser).
- B-reversing on the air could change your momentum and secure your landing with a flame pillar that last for almost a second.
- If it can be wavebounced it would be more secure and better as defensive tool.
Axe: Thrown on frame 30, animation ends on frame 80. FAF:??
- As shown in the trailer, it can cover many options on edge guarding: recoveries under the ledge, hanging, double jump, jump from the ledge, normal ledge get up and ledge attack. Buffering roll could be still punished if spaced and timed correctly.
- The axe ending lag is already over by the time the axe it's on the same height of the Belmonts. Following the axe with a cross or whip attack will cover the rest of the zone. Seems about the right distance to combo with D-tilt2 (Slide Jump) on hit or cover an airdodge on whiff.
- The arc in which it flies could cover 2 or maybe 3 platforms on triplat stages.
- If you are recovering from outside of the stage but higher than the main platform, you could throw the axe to cover the ledge, then double jump and tether grab. (probably the cross could work better on this scenario)
Uppercut: First hit at frame 6, then hits 5 times more until frame 21 (re-hit rate 3 frames), then special fall starts at frame 41.
- Great as OoS option or a fast one when they breach your zoning.
- Aside from a combo ender and recovery obviously, I don't see any other uses.