The King of Fighters '98 UMFE/EX Terry

Introduction

EX Terry is a character with tools for every distance, like a fireball for long distances and solid pokes for midrange, but close up is where he shines. He has great confirms from both lows and jump-ins, a mix of frametraps and true blockstrings, and great combo damage. One of his best aspects is that his go-to strings are good combos on hit and safe blockstrings/frametraps on block, letting him autopilot his way through. With Extra mode meter, he also gets access to some very damaging Quick MAX combos that make him a lot scarier. His weaknesses include fairly weak anti-airing options, and a lack of mixups outside of the general system tools.

Character Comparison

	Terry	EX Terry
Gameplan differences	Terry has more hard knockdowns, and thus better left right mixups.	EX Terry's power wave, round wave, and fire kick, in addition to the same crackshoot as Terry, let him mix up how he sneaks in the frame advantage in a blockstring, making him better at that part of Terry's game.
Combo differences	Terry's combos can lead to hard knockdown.	EX Terry's combos can do more damage than Terry's, against standing opponents. Standconfirming is useful for EX Terry.
Neutral	Terry has a motion DP. Power wave isn't much of a projectile; it's more of a long range poke that can only ever be slightly positive. Power charge is a fast forward moving attack with an unremarkable hitbox that loses to most active pokes, but is a great way to capitalise on frame advantage and a good punishment move.	EX Terry has a flash kick style reversal and anti air. Power wave is almost always significantly positive on block. His slide, fire kick, is a great poke that can go under a lot, but must be cancelled to a special to be safe, which makes it vulnerable to guard cancel rolling if used too often and too predictably.
Guard crushing	Terry has pretty good guard gauge damage, and has an easy way to avoid ever wasting a guard crush.	EX Terry has even better guard gauge damage, longer strings, and better ways to sneak in frame advantage to do even more, but he doesn't have any easy way to avoid wasting a guard crush
Preferred System Mechanics	Terry can use either kind of meter. Stocks build quickly because he spams many special moves, but charge gives him better combos and crossup and crossunder setups. Rolling combined with running unlocks more left right mixups, and running by itself increases the range at which he can end combos in power dunk for a hard knockdown, while stepping and dodging don't give him anything beyond the universal, although he can always combo a dodge strike to power charge and then hitconfirm it, which is more than many characters get with the dodge strike.	EX Terry spams even more special moves than Terry, which could be good for a stock battery, but quickmax also improves his combos, and gives him an infamous combo against standing opponents that does more damage than anything Terry has. Running and rolling let him use the hard knockdown from his D grab for setups, but other than that, he has no hard knockdowns, so his system choices are up to user preference.

Changes from Previous Versions

98 to 98UM

Normals:

• The activation range of cl.D has been reduced

• 5D's priority has been reduced

• Full jump j.D now has less downwards priority, meaning that you can no longer use it to instant overhead on regular height crouchers; hop j.D still works for instant overheads, though

Specials:

• 236P now has 5 frames less recovery

• [4]6P now has some throw invincibility on startup

• 41236B's damage has been reduced by 5 points

• 41236D's damage has been reduced by 6 points

• 623P has been added as a new move, it is special-cancelable on hit or block

Supers:

• 21416P's hit effect is now the one from Real Bout Fatal Fury Special

• Third hit of 21416AC has had its hitbox increased behind it

• All hits of 21416AC now connect even at the edge of the screen; it will drop if used all the way in the corner though.

98UM to 98UMFE

Normals:

• 5B's damage has been increased from 5 to 6 points

Specials:

• 214D's recovery has been reduced by 3 frames

• 214D's hitbox has been extended downwards, it can now hit short crouchers

• 41236K is now special-cancelable into any other special than another 41236K

• 236C now builds less meter

• [2]8C now has extra invincibility

Supers:

• 21416P now has 8 frames faster startup, but it no longer has invincibility after the super flash.

Normal Moves

Close

• cl.A: A standard cl.A. Whiffs on short crouchers. Chainable and cancelable.

• cl.B: Will hit all crouchers. Cancelable.

• cl.C: Two-hitting cl.C. Good to use in combos, as both hits are cancelable, making it easy to confirm from. Cancelable.

• cl.D: Larger activation range than cl.C, but only does 1 hit. Has a lot of active frames, so good as a meaty. Cancelable.

Standing

• 5A: Standard jab. Good for stopping hops. Whiffs on regular crouchers. Chainable and cancelable.

• 5B: Good far-reaching midrange poke.

• 5C: Whiffs on low crouchers. Comes out at a nice height for stopping hops.

• 5D: Slow startup and recovery. Long range.

Crouching

• 2A: Standard crouching jab. Chainable and cancelable.

• 2B: EX Terry's main low confirm option. Chainable.

• 2C: Fairly fast, nice range and combo-able. Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

• 2D: A long-range sweep with fairly long startup. Decent for midrange poking when canceled. Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

Jumping

• j.A: Nice priority for air-to-airs. Can also be used as a jump-in.

• j.B: Mostly good as an air-to-air. Whiffs on regular crouchers.

• j.C: Decent jump-in. Can crossup.

• j.D: His most-used jump-in and a great multipurpose tool. It's good as an air-to-air and as a jump-in. It can also crossup, and the hop version can instant overhead on regular-height crouchers.

CD Normals

• 5CD: Slow attack with a lot of startup. Has a lot of low invincibility. Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

• j.CD: Great jump-in for pressure due to its downwards angle.

Throws

Grasping Upper: 4/6C (close)

• Regular throw, techable. EX Terry grabs the opponent and uppercuts them, sending them almost fullscreen away and causing a soft knockdown.

Buster Throw: 4/6D (close)

• Regular throw, techable. EX Terry slams the opponent to the ground behind him, sending them almost fullscreen away and causing a backturned hard knockdown.

Command Moves

Back Knuckle: 6A

• Two-hitting move for combos and blockstrings.

• The second hit can whiff if there's too much pushback before the f+A.

• Only the second hit is cancelable.

Rising Upper: 3C

• Has two hitboxes, the first one in front of him and the second one diagonally above him. Only hits once, however.

• The second hitbox can function as an anti-air, and in fact works as EX Terry's main anti-air normal against full jumps.

• Good to use in combos that starts with lights, as 6A won't combo from them.

• Cancelable.

Special Moves

Burning Knuckles: 214A/C

• A dash punch. A version goes a short distance and C version goes fullscreen.

• A version is a good pressure tool, as it's safe when properly spaced out, works as a preemptive anti-air to catch jump-outs, and has a good hitbox to catch pokes.

• C version is safe from fullscreen away and can be used as a way to get in, but use it sparingly as its slow startup makes it easy to react to and stuff.

• Can be low-profiled and then punished by some moves.

Power Wave: 236A/C

• A grounded projectile. A version travels slower than the C version.

• Good zoning and pressure tool, as it's safe on block.

• Can be hopped over.

• Has a deadzone right in front of EX Terry.

• Moves with low invincibility can go through the projectile.

Round Wave: 623A/C

• A close-ranged stationary projectile.

• On hit and block it's special- and super-cancelable, so you can use it to extend pressure or combos.

• Long startup and recovery, making it very punishable on whiff since you can't cancel it into something safe.

• Also very punishable on block and hit if you don't cancel it into anything.

Crack Shot: 214B/D

• An arching kick. B version travels shorter and lower down than the D version.

• B version is a good preemptive anti-air, and can be fairly safe on block if spaced.

• B version will whiff on short crouchers.

• D version takes longer to come out, but is plus on block and does multiple hits.

• As an anti-air, D version hits higher up than B version.

• Only the last hit of the D version will hit short crouchers.

Fire Kick: 41236B/D

• A sliding kick with two hits.

• The first hit of the sliding kick hits low and is special-cancelable, meaning you can make some true blockstrings and frame traps when combined with his other specials.

• The second hit hits mid and is only cancelable into [2]8P.

• Good move to cancel into both in combos and on block, as it has a lot of reach and comes out fast so you can combo even from long range.

• Unsafe on block unless the first hit is canceled into 236A or 214B.

• When not canceled, it launches the opponent so you can do a j.D for a reset. If you just let the opponent fall, it causes a soft knockdown.

Rising Tackle: [2]8A/C

• EX Terry's DP. A big upwards-traveling spinning kick. A version goes a shorter distance but comes out faster.

• A version has startup invincibility and can be used as a fast anti-air.

• C version has invincibility lasting into the active frames, making it a good reversal.

• Unsafe on block or whiff.

• Causes a soft knockdown.

Desperation Moves

Power Geyser: 21416A/C

• A large energy wave in front of EX Terry.

• Hitbox extends a ways upwards and in front of EX Terry, so it works great as an anti-air.

• Its large range also makes it easy to combo into from all of his super-cancelable tools.

• Has full startup invincibility, but none on the active frames, so it can trade.

• Causes a soft knockdown.

• The MAX version does 3 big power geysers in a row, each appearing increasingly far out from EX Terry.

• Does more damage, but the last hit can whiff if the move was done too close to the corner.

• Causes a soft knockdown.

• The input can be done as 246P or 2146P to make it easier.

Combos

General Notes:

• In any metered combo, 21416P can be replaced with 21431AC for more damage if you have the resources.

Meterless

Low

2B > 2A > 2A > 3C > 41236K > [2]8C/236A/j.D

Low confirm combo. The d~u+P ender is for max damage, the qcf+A is for safety on block, and the j.D is for a reset.

Mid/Jump-In

(j.X) > cl.C > 6A > 41236K > [2]8C/236A/j.D

Standard combo from a jump-in or a heavy starter. On a jump-in, you need to go into 6A on the first hit of cl.C for the combo to work.

With Meter

Low

2B > 2A > 2A > 3C > 21416P

Low confirm into DM.

Mid/Jump-In

(j.X) > cl.C > 6A > 21416P

Simple combo into DM from a jump-in or heavy starter.

With Quick MAX

Low

2B > 2A > 2A > 3C > 41236K > ABC > 21416P

Low confirm into Quick MAX that allows a DM to connect after the second hit of 41236K.

Mid/Jump-In

(j.X) > cl.C > 3C > 41236K(1) > 214D > ABC > 2A > 3C > 21416P

A Quick MAX combo that works on standing opponents only, as the 214D will whiff on crouchers. On a crossup starter, you can replace the last 2A with a cl.D for more damage. This combo does not work on: Kensou, Chin, Choi, Chris, Mai and Kasumi. You will have to adjust your Quick MAX timing to account for how many times Crack Shoot will hit, either 2 or 3 depending on character.

Strategy & Tips

Fire Kick (1) > Crack Shoot Quick MAX

• When performing a Quick MAX combo with Crack Shoot being cancelled into from the first hit of Fire Kick, timing has to be adjusted to account for how many hits Crack Shoot does on each character.

• The following characters will be hit 3 times by Crack Shoot if cancelled from the first hit of Fire Kick: Kyo, Benimaru, Daimon, Ryo, Ralf, Clark, Chang, Yashiro, Heidern, Saisyu, Heavy-D!, Eiji, Shingo, Rugal, Geese, Krauser.

• The following characters will be hit 2 times by Crack Shoot if cancelled from the first hit of Fire Kick: Terry, Andy, Joe, Robert, Yuri, Leona, Athena, Chizuru, King, Shermie, Yamazaki, Mary, Billy, Iori, Mature, Vice, Takuma, Lucky, Brian, Mr. Big.

• Crack Shoot only hits once on Kensou, Chin and Mai, meaning the combo will not work at all. It completely whiffs on Choi. It hits twice on Chris and Kasumi, but will not be able to link from Fire Kick.

Videos

King of Fighters 98 UM FE: EX Terry Guide by Mash It Out