Maxima (Console)

[nilcam]

Notation
= Light Punch
= Light Kick
= Strong Punch
= Strong Kick

* = EX version possible

Throws
Dynamite Drop - / + /

Command Normals
M9 Missile - +

Special Moves
M4 Vapor Cannon - + / (ground or air) Has Guard Point properties (more in the ) *

M19 Blitz Cannon - + / *

Maxima Press - + /   *
∟Press Plus - + /   > Super Cancel only                                                                                                                                  
Desperation moves
Double Vapor Cannon - + /

Neomax
Maxima Laser - x2 +

Maxima's Wiki entry.

Console changes:
-df.C has better recovery
*No recoil after air vapor canon
*Guard points on normal are now cancellable by specials
*Hit box on the follow up to EX Maxima Press improved. Can now hit from counter CD.
-No bounce back when EX Maxima Press is guarded. He’s now more vulnerable to punishes.

Producer Yamamoto says: df.C can be used effectively as an early (okiwaza) anti-air as the recovery has improved. Also counter df.C and counter j.CD can be followed by EX Maxima Press for extra damage, possible to counter-confirm. Pressuring the opponent by earning precise follow-up damage is the ideal way to play Maxima.

[nilcam]

Reserved

[nilcam]

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[Reiki.Kito]

So, anybody have any ideas how to deal with cross-ups with the "Big Guy"? Aside from a well-timed st.D, I'm not figuring how to get around it.

[SAB-CA]

• Standing C GP-Cancel into Vapor Cannon / Blitz Cannon
  
• Firing up That D Press to jet away to semi-safety
  
• Crouch C? I'd love for this + GP-Cancel to me the definitive answer, but we know how trusty this usually is.
  
• Back Hop or Forward Run to escape sunscathed, depening on how they hit
  
• ROLL!
  
• Backhop so that you take the reset hit, and flip out to a more GP-happy position
  
• (Waste) EX Blitz Cannon to get the heck out of there.
  
• (Waste) EX Press to escape
  
• (Waste!) Neomax a bit earlier to create that "You can't jump over me!" invisible barrier that forces them to fall into the Neomax.

I think I depend on just blocking... and then letting them do something throw-punishable first, though. Since he's so tall, I find it pretty easy to block "Early", and let them get desperate as they try to crack open the Iron Turtle...

I can say I found his normal DM Double Vapor Cannon to be a much better movement-controller than I initially gave it credit for. They can't do ANYTHING stupid at all while within that range. It punished poorly-spaced sweeps and normally-safe incoming moves very easily. And the Step-forward for the EX Vapor truly helps give him a near half-screen 2 meter punish to many things (like Hien-shippukyaku Roberts, Sweep/Backflip Kenso Fireball spam, or Leona's that end blockstrings with X-calibur) that people normally consider fairly safe. (EX press accomplishes this too, but you might wanna land the DM damage by itself, or spend 2 meters on a EX DM, rather than 3 + SC on EX press to EX DM... options!)

[Reiki.Kito]

st.C will often leave you facing the other direction. This is the same with Vapor Cannon.

If someone crosses you up, you also can't do EX M19 Blitz Cannon because it approaches at a diagonal. If you let someone cross you up, you'll miss the move for certain. The amount of time it takes you to land is like doing a DP on any other character, which is free damage for your opponent.

Crouch C needs to be well timed, but it's also the same problem with st.C as it might leave you facing the wrong direction.

I figure I'm looking for more offensive options, but I guess waiting for an opening by blocking or hopping backwards helps.

[Saitsuofleaves]

Best you can do is just block or stop the attempt before he even gets to cross you up.

[SAB-CA]

st.C will often leave you facing the other direction. This is the same with Vapor Cannon.

I'm trying to remember if I've ever turned around with the window of time the GP hit causes, and done a "corrected-direction" move. I believe I have a time or 2 in there (and I've run under a crossup attempt, and landed a Blitlz cannon before they landed), but it's nothing I've tested to any extremity.

But yeah, I prefer turtling up with him. His increased guard gauge helps, and GP is gonna catch SOMETHING eventually.

[Raynex]

I'm been having a few issues with offense too. Rather than waste meter on whiffed EX Presses/Vapors, I just wait for a hit on my guard and GCCD to get out of there. I'm really having problems using GP to stop things. Certain projectiles that st.D will GP, cr.C won't and vice versa. Its hard for me to decide which GP move to use when. Though I have to say, C Vapor Cannon is so free in blockstrings against fidgety opponents.

What are you guys doing in terms of his neutral game? I'm running him on anchor, thanks to all of your advice Reiki/SAB.

My general strategy:

-Scare tactics with A Vapor Cannon. Condition them to look for it, then run in and B Press/blockstring (40% Guard Guage gone)/or GP move depending on what the situation calls for.

-Lots of j.CD, and comboing if it CHs. Also doing a late whiff j.CD into B Press once they start blocking.

-Roll into B press, punish with B press, etc. Then run ambiguous splash/empty hop low/B Press setups in the corner.

I'm still not really familiar with his normals. st.D is usually my go-to GP move. cl.C GP is good for AA, but it resets them and you get only 1 hit for negligible damage. Far C is terrible to whiff and has to literally be psychic, plus the GP doesn't feel like it lasts as long as the others. I usually do DP+D preemptively or df+C.

[FlyMike]

Max is the biggest factor on my team easily. He's a monster. GP is too strong. Most trouble I have with him is getting through projectile spam, but knowing when to roll and when to nullify with the GP on normals or Vapor Cannon hit(A vapor cannon nullifies on hit, C version has some other degree of GP before hit) is extremely handy.

Basically, I throw out st. D whenever. It eats up so much shit. Stops supers and projectiles. I use it preemptively. Also st. C to stuff things, if they run in it turns into cl.C and still maintains a degree of GP so it's very likely to eat up attacks while also being easy to hit-confirm into the combo.

Rushdown wise, I just do the above. Try to be a wall. Might do blowback->Vapor cannon to shut down both vertical and horizontal space plus if blowback is CH then I auto into Vapor Cannon. But you kinda dont want this to whiff but just keep in mind that you have a degree of GP on both moves so sometimes it works out quite nicely. While inside you can do cl.C, d/f+C, light Vapor Cannon, since the string is basically safe and takes a nice amount from guard bar. But you don't want to attack wrecklessly and risk getting reversaled or guard-rolled. You should mix in B version Press when you feel you have them shut down. They'll start jumping, d/f+C is so good for stuffing people in the air and you might get some CHs in which you can do into Vapor Cannon or Blitz Cannon. Also Blitz Cannons when you clearly expect a jump-in are deadly. Cl.C works alright for preventing jumps while in close range.

Don't forget about cr. C. It stuffs quite a bit of things. At the right timing, the GP on this move completely eats up lows and you can go into combo.

Under pressure, sometimes it's wise to go ahead and waste that bar on EX Blitz. This is Max's get the fuck off me move. A dragonunch with complete invincibility. Most times, the knockdown from this is all it takes to get back on the pressure game, or return to "wall mode" while you anticipate them either doing something stupid or tightening up.

Jumpins, of course j.CD is good. Hop C-> air Vapor. Cross-up splash into combo or safe string. J.D to get in over zoning.


Um, cant think of much else. That's pretty much it for me. I run Max 2nd and dont even really use supers as I save the meter for EX Blitz moments or NeoMax if the match has been hell and I can get a clean opening. Or combo'ing into EX Press->EX Vapor loop rinse, repeat if I have the meter and drive and just want to style on them.

The preferred playing style would be up to the players discretion and should prob just be switched up according to the situation. Me, I'm pretty brave with him, so I'm confident once I get in. It's just a matter of actually getting in sometimes. And not just being close, you can play a decent midrange game with him for people who like to stick shit out. Those normals hurt alot and once people get tired of eating them, they'll play into your hands. If they try to rush you, great, he has tools for this. But you dont want them going back fullscreen, as your only option is either trying to get back in, or baiting the startup of a projectile or jump and wasting 3 bars to beam them. 2 bars if you HD first, but the fact that you even HD'ed at all may make them be like wtf and you can start to run in. Even if it's people you play regularly or who are familiar with Max, still doesn't change the fact that they cant escape GP or command grabs. Or getting baited multiple ways. In dry matches, they still have to respect shit and blockstrings and contend with GP. So yea lol.

[Reiki.Kito]

So for those that might be wondering, Saiki is not a fun match-up for Maxima.

His fireball's hitbox seems to be ahead of the actual image so you have to guardpoint it early. You also cannot guard point that dumb super slow fireball. It's just not gonna happen.

[Raynex]

That's good to know. I haven't had the chance to play a Saiki yet so I'll keep that in mind.

During Toronto's first tournament (2 weeks ago), this guy put his Terry on anchor and I couldn't take him. I had to switch to my sub anchor Kim, because he kept beating me air-to-air+playing solid runaway. I think that match-up is pretty tough for Max.

[Reiki.Kito]

The more I try it, the more I feel I should mention it.

As a possible anti-air, have you guys considered doing a TKed (Tiger-Knee'd) Air Vapor Cannon. Actually, what can we use it for?  If you're not familiar with what Tiger-Kneeing is, it's when you do a qcf or qcb move, but stop at the up back position. After a delay, you press the button and you do the move off the ground almost instantly.

I've been using it and I think if you jump back and do it, it covers a lot of space and has some nice priority. I don't think it will help if they're right on top of you though, but that's never happened.

Also, to guard point a cross-up, I've been trying out close D. I know it's slower, but it's actually very useful in stopping crossups.

EDIT:

I've been playing with the move for a bit, but here's a list of spacing for moves you guys might want to know. Let me be clear that this is the MAXIMUM effective range of Maxima's normals, specials, etc. The spacing was tested using how many steps from point blank will the move still hit.

As a reference, in training mode: You are 8 steps away from your opponent's avatar.

Maxima Press (B) - 2 steps
st.A - 3 steps
st.CD- 3 steps (Note: Maxima takes a step forward so it potentially covers 4)
d.C - 3 steps
st.B - 3 steps
st.C (far) - 4 steps
st.D (far) - 5 steps
d.D  - 5 steps
Double Vapor Cannon - 6 steps
Vapor Cannon (A) - 7 steps (Note: Maxima takes a step forward so it potentially covers 8)
Vapor Cannon (C) - 8 steps (Note: Maxima takes a step forward so it potentially covers 9)
EX Vapor Cannon - 9 steps (Note: Maxima takes a step forward so it potentially covers 10)
EX Double Vapor Cannon - 9 steps (Note: Maxima takes a step forward so it potentially covers 10)

Hopefully this is helpful in considering the spacing and the proper punish at a given range.

[Milln]

Not that this would impact a match, but I figured I'd pop in with a tidbit. Was messing around in casuals with a Kula player with Maxin'Relaxin' and I spaced a Vapor Cannon a little too far out expecting to catch a Ray/Layspin counterhit but he pressed the wrong button did counter slap and OUT CAME A PROJECTILE.  After exploring a bit it seems the vapor counts as a projectile and definitely be Kula slapped and shell get a counterhit from it.  We didn't test to see if Athena can reflect.

[Diavle]

^That's very interesting.

Looking for a new team to learn and took Maxima to practice and wow, this guy's damage output is crazy. 45% for just 1 power bar? A hit-confirmable, relatively easy, and short 4 bar HD kill combo? Yes, please.

How's the timing on his guard points? Like parrying and just defense or more delayed like Ryo's parry?

Now to decide who to run him with, definitely thinking of 2nd position for him.