KoF XIII Hyper Guide - Maxima
"KOF XIII Technical Reference" Chapter 11 - pt. 2: Maxima
DDTC Combo Video: Maxima - The Armored Trooper
Maxima is called “The Armored Trooper” for one reason. This cyborg deals as much as he can take. Maxima is at base-level is a physical based character, specifically a grappler, and operates at fairly close range. Maxima does not do long and complicated combos, but he excels at doing damage in his small and basic strings, averaging at about 25% life without spending any meter. Not only does he deal a great deal of damage, he has a heightened guard bar and full use of KOF XIII’s “Guardpoint” Mechanic (Explained in a separate section) which most of Maxima’s normals and specials have. Another avenue for victory is Maxima’s Vapor Cannon and “Wiring” which is the act of bouncing an opponent off the wall. Maxima can do this using a counter hit vapor cannon, counter hitDM Double Vapor Cannon, or EX Vapor Cannon on hit. Although limited in moves, his versatility with meter is frightening.
Guardpoint
So, in order to fully understand Maxima’s guardpoint mechanic, I made it a separate section. Guardpoint is caused when someone attacks a person with a guardpoint move as they do said move. The start-up of the move is slowed, but the person who is being attacked takes no damage until the animation is complete. One might think of “Super Armor” in other fighting games, but the key differences are the following:
[LIST]
[]You do not take damage when you guardpoint a move
[]You can be grabbed out of the guardpoint move
[]Unless the properties allow, two different hits will interrupt guardpoint
[]Guardpoint moves are first in, last out. First person to do a guard point move when both are trying to do one is the last in priority.
[*]Some guardpoint is not full body.
[/LIST]
Now, for Maxima, he has 5 normal moveswith guardpoint. His C vapor cannon has guard point on start-up. EX Air Vapor Cannon has 360 degree guardpoint as well as his EX M19 Blitz Cannon (dp+BD). His regular DM has 360 degree guardpoint. Learning when and how to use guardpoint is a very important aspect. For example, only 1 normal move (d.C) can guardpoint low moves. Far D and close D can guardpoint mid area moves like fat fireballs. Far D can guardpoint multi-hit moves like Joe’s Screw Upper or Ash’s Thermidor as well as C Vapor Cannon. st.C (Far or Close) can stop jump-ins and can hit confirm into DMs. You can guardpoint attack grabs like Kyo’s Kototsuki You (hcb+k) and any move that requires a hit. You can’t guardpoint grabs like Leona’s V Slasher DM or Vice’s Splash.
In console, you will be able to cancel your normal specials while in guardpoint state into specials for an easy hit confirm. This makes learning the properties and uses of guardpoint even more important!
KOF XIII Console Changelog, Part 4: Maxima
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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.
Basic combo starters:
Below are basic set-ups that I use in matches. Keep in mind that these are combo starters, how you’d start a combo. I only list combo starters because I feel you should decide what to follow up with on which situation. You can practically follow up anything though.
NOTE If your opponent is crouching, you will sometimes whiff df+C. Unless you’re in the corner or you know they’re not crouching, it might be best to try the [Any] combos.
[Non-crouching or Corner only] Hop. C, d.B, d.A, df+C =>
[Non-crouching or Corner only] Hop C, d.A, d.A, df+C =>
[Non-crouching or Corner only] Hop C, st.C (2 hits), df+C => Note Cancel df+C on first hit to do on anybody.
[Any] Hop C, d.A, df+C =>
[Any] Hop D, st.D, df+C => (BIG DAMAGE starter)
[Any] Hop C/D, d.A, d.A => (Only EX moves will work)
[Any] d.C, df+C => (Low guard point for the d.C and d.C also whiff cancels into specials and command normals like df+C)
Combo finishers or extenders:
=> qcb+A (Vapor Cannon)[Super cancellable]
=> qcb+AC (Ex Vapor Cannon) (Bounces off a the wall)[Super Cancellable]
=> qcf x2 A/C or AC (DM or EXDM)
=> hcb+B or BD (Maxima Press if really close and EX in any situation)(Combo extender)
=> hcb x2 AC (Neomax)
Here’s a combo video from Persona featuring Maxima. You can apply a lot of the pieces from his combos into general strategies like juggling an aerial opponent in the corner with EX Air Vapor Cannon into constant df+C.
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