Mai has a more well-rounded and relatively safer toolkit, including a DP.
EX Mai's toolkit is a mix between safe keepaway tools and risky offensive tools.
Combo differences
Mai has high damage using Quick MAX and Dodge Cancel, but requires red health to do solid damage.
EX Mai has even higher damage than Mai using the same mechanics, with less of a requirement for red health. Her most damaging routes also give her a hard knockdown, allowing her to charge more meter or run strong okizeme.
Neutral
Both versions of Mai have extremely similar neutral presences. However, regular Mai has access to a DP for her reversal-style anti-air.
EX Mai has more movement options due to being granted regular Andy's divekick (Genei Shiranui, j.236K), and her reversal-style anti-air is more akin to a flash kick.
Preferred System Mechanics
Mai necessitates both Extra and Attack Cancel Dodge to shine. Her zoning gameplan gives her many opportunities to charge her meter, but she needs red health to gain the most reward from these mechanics.
EX Mai is generally similar to regular Mai in the fact she is optimal with Extra and Attack Cancel Dodge, alongside the same opportunities to charge meter. However, her super routes are much better in and out of red health, often giving her very solid damage and a hard knockdown.
EX Mai is a hybrid poking / zoning character with multiple movement options and fantastic keepout, alongside some decent offensive tools.
Pros
Cons
Solid Movement: EX Mai has some of the most interesting movement options in the game, including her signature command jump and two divekicks alongside a fast ground speed.
Strong Zoning: Using a combination of her Kachousen fireballs and Ryuuenbu special, EX Mai can easily control space and keep the opponent out while remaining relatively safe.
High Reward with Extra Gauge: Using Quick MAX and Dodge Cancel combos, EX Mai's payoffs for using the meter she can easily charge are very rewarding, often giving her very high damage and a hard knockdown.
Small Frame: EX Mai's standing hurtbox is among the shortest in the game, meaning some specific combos / moves can whiff on her even while standing.
Weak Mixups: While the reward for a successful mixup is high, EX Mai struggles to confirm from crouching lights, resulting in a diminished low threat alongside an already rather slow overhead.
Reversal has weaknesses: EX Mai's only reversal, Kagerou no Mai, is weak to spacing, very unsafe, and is tied to a charge input. This can also harm her anti-air game, as she cannot anti-air against crossups without this charge.
Unsafe Offence: Due to most of her offensive tools being very negative on block, EX Mai has to take major risks when on the offensive, and can get punished severely with a single mistake.
Changes to Previous Versions
98 to 98UM
Normals:
5B's priority has been reduced
2D's priority has been reduced
Specials:
Kachousen (236P)'s recovery has been shortened
Kagerou no Mai ([2]8K) has been added; series of flame pillars that work well as an anti-air
Genei Shiranui (j.236K) has been added; K and P followups have also been added
Sayo Chidori (214K)'s startup has been reduced, B version can combo from lights and D version can combo from heavies
Supers:
Chou Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi (2141236K) now travels diagonally upwards
Hana Arashi (236236P) can now have its travel distance modified by holding the button
98UM to 98UMFE
Specials:
Kagerou no Mai ([2]8K) now has invincible startup, but less damage and longer recovery as a result.
Normal Moves
Close
cl.A: Fairly standard cl.A. Her best choice when it comes to combos from lights. Chainable and cancelable.
cl.B: Mai's only other cancelable light except for cl.A, and simply a worse choice than it when it comes to combos and cancels. Cancelable.
cl.C: Works well as an anti-air when they're close enough for it to activate. Cancelable.
cl.D: Hits a good vertical portion in front of Mai. Another decent anti-air if they're up close, but it doesn't have as much range as cl.C, so stick to that one for anti-airing purposes. Cancelable.
Standing
5A: Fast poke, but with short reach and bad priority.
5B: Fast and long-ranged. Excellent poke to stop the opponent's hops. Whiffs on all crouchers.
5C: Poke with decent range that can function as an anti-air for hops and occasionally jumps. Can also be used as an occasional poke to try and beat an opponent's button.
5D: Has low invincibility starting from the active frames through half of the recovery frames.
Crouching
2A: Long range and good priority for a 2A, so it works well as a poke; unfortunately, unlike most 2As it's not chainable or cancelable.
2B: EX Mai's only low combo starter and therefore an important tool, but when compared to other 2Bs it is quite slow. Chainable.
2C: EX Mai's main combo normal alongside 2B. It comes out fast, has good range, and has a nice amount of active frames, making it good for meaties. This also makes it a good hit-confirming tool. Cancelable.
2D: It has good range and a nice amount of active frames, making it good for meaties, and is cancelable into 236P or something like [2]8P. Altogether a nice sweep. Cancelable.
Jumping
j.A: Has a nice long hitbox below her, so it can be used as a jump-in, though it is outclassed by j.D for this. Cancelable.
nj.A: A jumping attack, very similar to j.A, but with her fan fully unfolded. Just like with j.A, EX Mai has better options for downwards-hitting attacks than this.
j.B: This move has nice priority, making it useful as an air-to-air. Can also crossup.
nj.B: Has a long hitbox in front of her, but doesn't have good priority, so it's prone to trading or getting beaten as an air-to-air. Therefore, it's best to avoid this move.
j.C: This move comes out fast and has a good hitbox for air-to-airs. On grounded opponents, it has less hitstop than other jumping heavies, making it trickier to combo out of as you need to do the following attack in the combo very quickly. Cancelable.
nj.C: Can hit people above EX Mai, but has no other real uses.
j.D: EX Mai's main jump-in attack of choice, as it is fairly fast and has a good hitbox. It can also be used as an air-to-air when jumping back. Cancelable.
nj.D: Your best air-to-air normal when you happen to be neutral jumping.
Throws
Shiranui Gorin:4/6C (close)
Regular throw, techable. Launches the opponent fullscreen, causing a soft knockdown.
Fuusha Kuzushi:4/6D (close)
Regular throw, techable. Launches the opponent fullscreen behind EX Mai, causing a backturned hard knockdown.
Yume Zakura:4/2/6C (close, in air)
Air throw, not techable. Travels straight down, causing a hard knockdown.
Despite the hard knockdown, there is no time for oki, even in the corner.
By holding a direction that isn't up, you can option select the grab with j.C for air-to-airs.
Command Moves
Koukaku no Mai:3B
A sliding kick that hits twice.
The second hit causes a soft knockdown.
The first hit can be dodge cancelled with meter for a combo.
Neither hit is special cancelable, even when cancelled into.
Both hits are low, even when cancelled into.
Kurotsubame no Mai:6B
A long overhead hopkick.
Has a lengthy startup, but is plus on block.
On hit, you can link 2C afterwards dependent on spacing.
Cancelling into this move can enhance damage with Quick MAX or create a frametrap during pressure.
Despite the speed, it is one of EX Mai's strongest mixup tools because of it's reward on hit, especially with Quick MAX.
Daiwa Fuusha no Mai:j.2A
A downwards hammerfist, similar to Kyo's j.2C. Has short range, but has a lot of hit/block stun, making it usable for pressure and combos.
Naturally combos into j.214P on hit, and is a true blockstring when blocked.
When used during a backdash, it makes the backdash go faster and further. The earlier you do j.2A, the further the backdash will go.
Causes a hard knockdown if it hits an aerial opponent.
Special Moves
Kachousen:236A/C
EX Mai chucks a fan as a projectile. Both versions travel fullscreen, but the A version travels slower than the C version.
One of the key tools in EX Mai's long-range zoning game, as the A version recovers fast enough for EX Mai to react to the opponent's reaction to the fireball.
Not great to use at midrange, as the opponent can easily jump or hop over it for a punish, and at that range you have 214P, which covers a similar space but with less recovery.
Sayo Chidori:214B/D
A big arching swipe with her fan.
B version starts up faster than the D version, but has a little bit less range.
Can be used as a mixup alongside 214P, as it will catch people trying to jump over that move.
Unsafe on block.
Cancelable into 214P on contact, which makes it a good close combo ender.
Ryuuenbu:214A/C
EX Mai produces a flame strike with the tail of her dress.
Has a projectile hitbox, giving it amazing priority as the entire flame doesn't have a hurtbox. It's essentially a big fiery shield in front of EX Mai.
One of Ex Mai's go-to anti-airs for jumps from further away.
It also works great as a safe pressure tool, as the opponent can't really contest it head-on and its large hitbox and generous amount of active frames make it good to catch hops, ill-timed jumps, and roll recovery frames.
Causes a soft knockdown on hit and is safe on block.
A version hits once and combos from heavies, C version has a second non-projectile hit that allows it to combo from lights.
This move is really good, so use it a lot.
Musasabi no Mai:[2]8A/C (can be held)
EX Mai jumps to the wall at the end of the screen behind her.
When done without the followup, EX Mai simply falls to the ground below the wall. This can be a good occasional escape option if you want to create some distance from the opponent.
If done with the followup by holding the button, EX Mai does a diving attack diagonally downwards. Actually hitting an opponent with this followup can be tricky, as it will most likely miss if they're not committing to some forward movement.
Followup causes a soft knockdown.
Musasabi no Mai (Air):214A/C (in air)
This does the followup from [2]8P by itself from anywhere in the air, giving EX Mai a pretty standard divekick. This can be a good move to use, since it changes your jump arc and can beat out the opponent's air-to-airs. If spaced well, can be made fairly safe on block.
Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi:41236B/D
EX Mai does a cartwheeling kick that carries her forward.
Mostly good as a combo ender, since it's very unsafe on block and thus is risky to throw out in neutral. However, it can technically function as an anti-air.
Causes a soft knockdown.
Genei Shiranui:236B/D (in air)
EX Mai rolls up into a spinning ball in midair and descends diagonally. Her other divekick.
Unsafe on block if done without a followup.
Can be used for some crossup shenanigans by jumping over the opponent and doing it.
Genei Shiranui Shimo Agito:A/C (during j.236K)
This followup to j.236K does a mid-hitting forwards strike with the fan.
Combos from j.236K and creates a true blockstring on block if done right away.
Fairly safe when properly spaced.
Causes soft knockdown.
Genei Shiranui Uwa Agito:B/D (during j.236K)
EX Mai does a downwards arching kick from j.236K.
Hits overhead.
Leaves you open to reversals.
The big problem with this followup is that it's less safe than her other one, and since that one hits mid, there's actually no mixup from this. The opponent can always stand block the whole thing, regardless of followup.
Causes a soft knockdown.
Kagerou no Mai:[2]8B/D
EX Mai creates a projection of herself out of fire that then travels around her a bit.
EX Mai's go-to meterless anti-air and reversal choice.
Punishable on block or whiff.
Has invincibility throughout startup and the entire first hit.
Causes a soft knockdown.
Desperation Moves
Chou Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi:2141236B/D
EX Mai does cartwheeling kick similar to her 41236K, but this one is more fiery and travels diagonally upwards.
B version travels upwards directly, and D version travels forward for 2 hits and then upwards.
B version makes for a good metered anti-air.
D version is good for combo-ing into.
Has startup invincibility.
Causes a soft knockdown.
Hana Arashi:236236A/C (can be held)
A forwards-rushing move that flies straight upwards on contact or when you choose to.
If you push and hold the button she'll charge forward and you can release at will before you hit the opponent; if you don't hold & charge, she'll go straight up like a DP.
A good combo DM, since it causes a hard knockdown, which gives you more time to set up oki.
Has startup invincibility.
Combos
General Notes:
Meterless
Low
2B, 5A, (214K), 214C
Most damaging meterless combo from a low starter. The 214K, 214C has to be done fast or the last 214C will whiff. You can choose to just do the 214C for more consistency at the cost of a small amount of damage.
Mid/Jump-In
(j.X), 2C, (214K), 214C
214C is the most consistent ender for your combos. 214K, 214C can be used point-blank.
(j.X), 2C, 41236D
More damaging than the above combo, but much more unsafe if not confirmed.
Overhead
6B, 2C, 214C
Link combo after hitting the overhead fairly close.
With Meter
Low
2B, 5A, 2141236D
Mid/Jump-In
(j.X), 2C, 2141236D
Very consistent, because it carries forward before going upwards.
Overhead
6B, 2C, 2141236D
Dodge Cancel
3B, AB, A/B/C/D, 41236D/2141236D
Slide conversion with Extra mode or Ultimate mode with dodge.
King of Fighters 98 UMFE: Mai / EX Mai Quick MAX Combos by surabu! (Note: Most combos are shown being done by regular Mai, but will work exactly the same with EX Mai)
- Light Punch
- Light Kick
- Heavy Punch
- Heavy Kick
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