Honestly, if you've ever spent five minutes in the Tekken 7 online ranks, you probably have a visceral memory of Craig Marduk. Maybe it’s the sound of your ribs cracking during a mount. Or perhaps it’s the sheer panic of seeing that massive Australian giant sprinting at you from across the screen.
He’s a nightmare.
Craig Marduk Tekken 7 isn't just another DLC character; he’s a walking win-condition for players who love high-stakes grappling and absurd damage. Since his Season 2 debut, he’s consistently stayed at the top of the "most hated to fight" list. But why? Is it just the mount? Well, sort of, but there's a lot more under the hood of this Vale Tudo monster than just a cheesy tackle.
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The Mount That Broke the Game (Kinda)
Let's address the elephant in the room: the Mount. Officially, it’s the Ultimate Tackle, usually accessed through the Vale Tudo Stance (VTS). It’s basically a 3-way guessing game where the wrong choice costs you a third of your life bar.
If Marduk mounts you, you have to guess whether he’s going for the 1 (left punch), 2 (right punch), or 1+2 (the double-arm power bomb). If you guess wrong? You take massive damage. If you don't guess at all? You take even more. Most characters have to work twice as hard to get half the reward Marduk gets for just landing one tackle.
It’s frustrating. It feels "unfair." But to a Marduk main, it’s just efficient.
Why the Mount is Actually Scary
- Tracking: In VTS, the tackle tracks better than you’d think.
- Bufferable: You can buffer the stance into almost anything.
- Mental Frame Advantage: Even if he doesn’t tackle, you’re so scared of it that you stop pressing buttons, letting him hit you with mids like d/f+1 or b+4.
Breaking Down the Move List
Marduk is big. Really big. This means his hitbox is a magnet for Jins and Kazuyas to land their electrics, but he makes up for it with reach. His d/f+1 is one of the best in the game. It’s a 15-frame mid launcher with range that shouldn't be legal.
Then you have u/f+3. This knee is a low-crushing nuke. On counter-hit, it leads to a full combo that will carry you from one side of the Infinite Azure stage to the other.
And don't even get me started on d/b+2. It’s a 16-frame counter-hit launcher that’s mid and looks like a low. It’s one of those moves that seasoned players call "unseeable" in the heat of a match. If you’re playing against a Marduk who knows how to time this, you’re basically playing on a timer until your health hits zero.
The Lore: Murder, Jaguars, and Rematch Letters
If you're new to the series, you might not realize that Marduk is technically a murderer. Back in Tekken 4, he killed the original Armor King in a bar fight.
That single event defined the next 20 years of Tekken lore.
In Tekken 7, the rivalry reached a fever pitch. We find out that the "new" Armor King is actually the younger brother of the man Marduk killed. King II, being the nice guy he is, tried to make peace between them. He even became tag-team partners with Marduk in Tekken 6.
But Armor King II wasn't having it.
The story in Tekken 7 ends with Marduk sending a literal letter to Armor King while they were both in the hospital. The deal? A final rematch. If Marduk loses, he retires. If he wins, Armor King has to take off the mask. It’s the ultimate grudge match, and honestly, the fact that we didn't see the conclusion in the T7 story mode is a crime.
Top 5 Moves You Need to Abuse
If you’re picking up Craig Marduk Tekken 7 today, stop trying to learn 100-move combos. Just focus on these five:
- VTS 1+2 (Tackle): Obviously. Learn the different timings to mess with their break window.
- d/f+1: Your primary poke and whiff punisher. It’s fast enough and has incredible range.
- d/b+2: The "Flash Hook." Use it to catch people trying to press buttons during your pressure.
- f, f+1+2: This is the "Around the World" throw. It’s a 1+2 break and deals 20 damage on its own, but it sets up a guaranteed ground throw or oki (wake-up) situation.
- b+4: A long-range mid that is safe on block. It’s great for "keeping them out" and checking if they’re getting impatient.
The Tournament Scene: Joey Fury and Ty
You can’t talk about Marduk without mentioning Joey Fury. He’s arguably the most famous Marduk player in the West. Seeing him play is like watching a masterclass in "controlled aggression." He doesn't just spam the tackle; he uses Marduk's massive pokes to chip away at the opponent’s soul until they make a mistake.
Ty is another name that comes up constantly. These players proved that while Marduk is "big and slow," his ability to explode for 100+ damage off a single mistake makes him viable at the highest level of play.
Facing the Big Guy: Counter-Strategy
So, how do you beat him? First, you have to stop ducking. A lot of Marduk’s scariest stuff is mid. If you duck out of fear of a low, you’re going to get launched by d/f+1 or u/f+3.
Second, you need to learn the tackle breaks.
- If he punches with his left hand, press 1.
- Right hand? Press 2.
- Both hands? Press 1+2.
It sounds simple, but when he’s screaming in your face and the match is on the line, it’s anything but. Also, remember that Marduk has a terrible sidestep. He’s wide. Use moves with good tracking or just stay linear and out-range him if you can.
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What’s the Next Step?
If you're serious about mastering Craig Marduk Tekken 7, your next move is to hit the practice lab and master the VTSC (Vale Tudo Stance Cancel).
Optimal Marduk combos require you to enter the stance and immediately cancel it to extend the juggle. It’s the difference between doing "okay" damage and "I just deleted your health bar" damage. Start with a simple launcher like d/f+1 and practice the 3+4~3+4 cancel until it’s muscle memory. Once you have the VTSC down, you’ll stop being a "tackle spammer" and start being a true Vale Tudo expert.