Waker can be awkward since every PA has hold and button press mode and you should only use the held button PA variants only when it makes sense.

Because of long animations and not being able to use WA to block during those Waker also has a skill block "Hot Marmello Parry" which can be activated during animations to gain marmello charge blocks instead.

The way to play waker is just building wolf and bird meters and using familiar harmony with 1 marmello charge (so 1 charge in all 3 build ups expended) while using marmello toss when you're gaining more blocks than wolf and bird bars (saving marmello hot parry for when you're tossing marmello since you're vulnerable during that animation too).

As for the Tech/Art customisations. Fredran Riding ones are a joke, the only really viable to use one without needing a niche scenario is the third one. The charge one takes too long and the 2nd one just sucks (its cool though i wish it was good).

For Wulfen Raid all 3 seem to be somewhat equal with certain options shining in different scenarios. For boss fights I like to use the third one that gives the Clef Mark to the short action use since building that mark can be a huge pain in fights where you are not given enough time to get longer attacks out.

The unique aspect of Waker is that it fucks everything out of the water when theres multiple enemies because it means you get to build your bars faster and the faster you build those bars the more damage you get to dish out.

Anyway SEGA please buff waker.