So I have been getting into the flow of KI season 3 and I realize I have a lot of trouble against TJ Combo, Saberwulf, and Shadow Jago’s rushdowns. I have a problem against rushdown tactics altogether but I am useless on knockdown. What are the best options Gargos has on wake up? How safe are they? What can/should he do against rush down opponents?
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The only wake up is backdash(which sucks) and heavy preckoning(whihc is unsafe)
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M. Reckoning has upper-body invulnerability, so you can use that if they’re trying to hop all over you too.
With Gargos? Mostly just block.
Your backdash is passable, but will lose to smartly applied pressure. Your reversal is terrible and should pretty much be avoided. You’re going to have to learn to block it out if you want to play Gargos seriously.
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This.
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I haven’t found anything if I block I get thrown so I have to tech throw.
Actually, you should be using Gargos’s command throw as it is throw invincible. In many situations when you want to throw or tech, you should be command throwing as well. No to mention the light throw has more range than his standard throw. It’s not the best option but it’s something.
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Yeah, basically block is your main option, backdash should come 2nd as an option to use frequently but not too frequently and command grab should come as the option you use whenever you would otherwise try teching grab. Beats any grab attempt and gives you the advantage.
With instinct, if you notice your opponent is meatying with non-heavies pop it and punish. If it’s a heavy, explode immediately, before even taking the hit.
He could backdash cancel into medium command grab. 
That’s something like 30+ frames to the command grab hit - he’d be quite easy to poke out of this, unless the opponent committed to a meaty with some crazy amount of recovery.
I just figured he could “bounce back in” on a throw whiff on wakeup, for example, and cash in on the punish. While I’m sure he could be poked out of it, I also don’t think many people will expect it and do so in time (similar to how you can still hit with reckoning despite it’s delay - it “bounces back in” too).
The command grab seems to miss or they jump oit if it. I did the tech throw to hopefully create some distance. 
It might work in this scenario. As others have said though - if you really expect to be thrown, you may as well just command grab on your wakeup.
He’s free to try it out though. At the very least, I doubt people will be expecting it, since it’s not a great option overall. Might catch a person or two sleeping.
What if it’s another character that also has a command grab that they try on wake-up? I’ve always questioned which command grabs get priority over others…
Generally speaking, whichever one takes longer than the other. Gargos’ command grab start-up and active frames are somewhat middling. His command grab will outright beat any of Hisako’s, but would probably lose to Thunder’s, which takes forever to come out. It would also beat any non-throw-invincible command grabs, like TJ’s shoot toss or Hisako’s possession.
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Thank you all for the suggestions. I am trying to incorporate the command throws more into my game. It is not as natural to me at the moment because the only option I was getting mileage out of was qcf-MK. Even that gets stuff to oblivion though. Sometimes it saves me on wake up from a jumping opponent. I was thinking off trying out cr.HP it seems like a good anti air. Any thought?
It’s a good anti-air, but it won’t save you on wakeup, where jump-ins tend to be meaty. You really do just have to block with Gargos most of the time - trying to “do stuff” will have you eating a ton of damage. Gargos doesn’t have the tools to wake up with things.
Options on wakeup: well you could block. Block again. And block some more.
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Block, and try to shadow counter your way out, or know the frames of your opponent’s pressure and interrupt. You can try to backdash but it probably won’t work. Heavy reckoning is terrible and should be avoided against any opponent who knows the game.
If you have instinct, you can pop it and then either armor a non-fierce hit, or immediately pop it for some breathing room. Not great but at least it’s something.
Gargos’s defense is terrible and beating characters with scary rushdown will be difficult.
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Yeah you could block it but then you get thrown. His wakeup options indeed suck.
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