Maxima (Arcade Version)

[Kane317]

maxima also seems to do some good damage for short combos. but basically every character should be able to do 50% for 1 dc and 1 super bar.

Most characters can do 30-35% with 1drive and 1 stock, that's more like the average than 50%.  Some can do 40% like Terry and there's a few exceptions like Shen etc...

[Reiki.Kito]

Hi again!

I know I'm kind of spamming up this board with newbie questions, but I wanted to get some advice. You see, I'm dealing with multiple rushdown and turtling players in my area. I'm either rundown by combo-intensive players or getting fireball-dp spam. Maxima is supposed to be my one-size-fits-all answer since he's my anchor. However, I find that people are learning to block a lot more when I use my EX Maxima press and hopping in for cross-ups.

It's to the point where I try to stop a hop and I get punished for whiffing an A from Yuri (Long story ><). Anyway, my question is how do I get in for damage. I feel like I am very weak with throws and a lot of Maxima's game is throwing. How can I use his B and D grab effectively and what's some good timing in block strings to get it going. I especially have problems with the B grab. I don't know when I can throw it out and I sometimes miss the timing for the follow up.

Any help is appreciated on getting around turtles and rushdown strategies! Thank you very much in advance.

[Kane317]

Hi again!

I know I'm kind of spamming up this board with newbie questions, but I wanted to get some advice.

No need to apologize, this is what the board is for--to learn.

You see, I'm dealing with multiple rushdown and turtling players in my area. I'm either rundown by combo-intensive players or getting fireball-dp spam. Maxima is supposed to be my one-size-fits-all answer since he's my anchor. However, I find that people are learning to block a lot more when I use my EX Maxima press and hopping in for cross-ups.

It's to the point where I try to stop a hop and I get punished for whiffing an A from Yuri (Long story ><). Anyway, my question is how do I get in for damage. I feel like I am very weak with throws and a lot of Maxima's game is throwing. How can I use his B and D grab effectively and what's some good timing in block strings to get it going. I especially have problems with the B grab. I don't know when I can throw it out and I sometimes miss the timing for the follow up.

Any help is appreciated on getting around turtles and rushdown strategies! Thank you very much in advance.

The local Maxima player is also pretty new at XIII (about 2 months of exp) and he's already doing really well against us.  He actually uses a lot of hop C instead of going for Crossup C and uses a lot of his d.A into df.C. Don't forget to abuse the air.Ex Vapor Cannon (air.qcb+P) to get in as it has good autoguard as well.   At a mid range distance he likes to use d.C for the autoguard and if I try to jump it he'll cancel his d.C cancel into df.C to make sure I don't jump.  Ex Maxima Press (Ex hcb K) is meant to be a quick punish the opponent throws out anything remotely laggy.  D Maxima Press is used during mixup blockstrings (d.A x2, df.C {blocked}, hcb D) and B Maxima Press is just an old fashion 1 frame command throw.

As for the follow ups, just practice; it's as soon as Maxima slams them into the wall.

Personally, I don't think Maxima's a good "intro" character to XIII as he has to rely on some unconventional tools like his autoguards etc to be effective, especially if your opponents are playing Andys, K', Liz, Kula, Kyo and Raidens.

[MUSOLINI]

didnt maxima only have autoguard on standing  & ? you mentioned crouching  , does it also have AG?

[Reiki.Kito]

Maxima has guard point on Close C, Close D, Far C, Far D, Blowback (CD), and Down C in terms of normals. He also has some special moves that have guard point, but I figure most people know that.

I'll give it a shot, sounds great!

[SAB-CA]

Just as a classic Maxima note,  has traditionally been the Guard point move of choice to block incoming ground moves, for me.

It was the only far Guard Point move that could be normal-cancelled in the past, so using it VS Burn Knuckles and Slash Kicks was fantastic. It could also be used to absorb fireballs , multi-hit moves, and "hit confirm" supers like Ranbus.

I'm so glad that Maxima has the NEW double Vapor Kannunnnnn DM, rather than his old chest beam. That move had no guard point, it was anti-combo, and it only really seemed to exist in order to cause problems for inputting his Rekka series too fast...

[MUSOLINI]

maxima also seems to do some good damage for short combos. but basically every character should be able to do 50% for 1 dc and 1 super bar.

Most characters can do 30-35% with 1drive and 1 stock, that's more like the average than 50%.  Some can do 40% like Terry and there's a few exceptions like Shen etc...

that  to 30 to 35% damage is what k and lizzy do without any bar. same for kula probably. raiden is even worse, but he needs to cvharge dropkiciks to do so.

[Reiki.Kito]

I will definitely give using d.C a try. I have never really put a great emphasis on using it because I could never get the timing right. But this is good, I like that idea. For the most part, I've been using standing Far C and D to stop projectiles or jump-ins. However, they're using hyper hops to get in quick before I do or use regular jumps to go over me because I'm anticipating a hop.

d.C just seems to be much more safe of an answer cause I can cancel it.

[Kane317]

I will definitely give using d.C a try. I have never really put a great emphasis on using it because I could never get the timing right. But this is good, I like that idea. For the most part, I've been using standing Far C and D to stop projectiles or jump-ins. However, they're using hyper hops to get in quick before I do or use regular jumps to go over me because I'm anticipating a hop.

d.C just seems to be much more safe of an answer cause I can cancel it.

It's actually a very logical strategy, and not to take anything anyway from our local Maxima player Ricardo, I was using it just before I stopped playing him as well.  The gist of it is that it stops most ground approach, (it's got good reach) and the df.C deters jump attacks as well (not to mention the df.C also has good horizontal reach).

His weakness is still his lower body, if you're not careful they can sweep you (which I do to Ricardo a lot), also in the corner it's hard for Maxima to protect himself from hyper jumps.

[MUSOLINI]

cant he use a jumping attack to stop incomming superjumps when cornered.

[Kane317]

cant he use a jumping attack to stop incomming superjumps when cornered.

Sure he can if it's the first one, but if they attack repeated and keep you in block stun (e.g. j.CD against a cornered Maxima, hyper jump CD repeat), it's just harder to counter since his two main forms of anti air is his df.C and dp+K and they don't protect his head (and don't forget he's relatively tall too).  His s.A won't stop a hyper jump and only a well timed Close C might but it's still risky.  

[Reiki.Kito]

Something I noticed while playing a few people the other day. Sometimes, when I'm doing a blockstring, d.A x2 into df.C won't connect at the df.C. This leads to me getting a quick sweep. It's to the point where I don't know when it's a safe idea to throw it out for a block string.

[Kane317]

Something I noticed while playing a few people the other day. Sometimes, when I'm doing a blockstring, d.A x2 into df.C won't connect at the df.C. This leads to me getting a quick sweep. It's to the point where I don't know when it's a safe idea to throw it out for a block string.

If I'm not mistaken, it's a not a real blockstring; it definitely "breaks" before a Vapor Cannon at least that's for sure (you can roll before the Vapor Cannon hits you).

---
EDIT: This round is too beautiful not to link, on K' nonetheless--great setups.

[Demoninja]

I feel like I should pick up Maxima as well after seeing that round. Too awesome haha.

[SAB-CA]

Something I noticed while playing a few people the other day. Sometimes, when I'm doing a blockstring, d.A x2 into df.C won't connect at the df.C. This leads to me getting a quick sweep. It's to the point where I don't know when it's a safe idea to throw it out for a block string.

I've been wondering about that while watching the vids; I'm suprised people even go after it with 2 punches or kicks. 2K2UM, I wouldn't bother doing for ;c except for after 1 weak ;a attack, and even then, only when kinda close.

For  ;b, I'd do it as a distanced hit confirm, and to mix between the ;c and a sudden sweep.

That brings me to a question:

Do the normal and EX version of Double Vapor Cannon have full body guard point? Could you use them aganist sweeps?

If so, I could see them being very useful VS whiffed  ;c punishes.