GGST/May/Matchups

May

Overview

Starter Guide

Combos

This page covers advanced topics which require competitive expertise to confirm.

Content here can be considered incomplete until expertise is given.

This page is missing significant information.

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Matchups

Keep on Rockin' is a great resource to find specific matchups played by good players: https://strive.keeponrock.in/#/?p1chars=may
Character Strategy pages generally have basic, universal counterplay.
Please keep in mind matchup charts are subjective and not all players will agree
- Current Matchup favorability is taken from Rating Update high rated matches. (<41% is unfavorable, 41%-45% is slightly unfavorable, 45%-55% is average, 55%-59% is slightly favorable, >59% is favorable)

Anji

Anji MitoPlay safe and take minimal risks.

Average

Anji controls space against May fairly well, so avoid risky approaches
- KouGuardAllStartup12 [28]Recovery14Advantage-, 5P, and 6P are dangerous anti-airs, so avoid jumping if possible
Autoguard makes the risk-reward of S DolphinGuardAllStartup7Recovery20 (24 OH)Advantage-3 in neutral not favorable
Using IB against his blockstrings makes punishing FujinGuardAllStartup16 [32]Recovery21Advantage-8 [-6] and its followups much easier

Overview | Frame Data | Matchups | Counterstrategy | Reverse Matchup Return to Top

Axl

Axl Low

Average

WIP

Overview | Frame Data | Matchups | Counterstrategy | Reverse Matchup Return to Top

Baiken

Baiken

Slightly Unfavorable

WIP

Overview | Frame Data | Matchups | Counterstrategy | Reverse Matchup Return to Top

Chipp

Chipp Zanuff

Average

WIP

Overview | Frame Data | Matchups | Counterstrategy | Reverse Matchup Return to Top

Faust

Faust

Slightly Favorable

WIP

Overview | Frame Data | Matchups | Counterstrategy | Reverse Matchup Return to Top

Giovanna

GiovannaRun your best gameplan while watching spacing

Average

May can choose to match Giovanna's aggression or play defensively and force her to approach
Giovanna's great anti-air options encourage a grounded playstyle
5H is a fantastic counterpoke against her normals, but is easily whiff punishable.

Round Start Options Gio's roundstart options rarely directly beat yours unless you both take huge risks.

2S: a standard starter
- Beats all P/K buttons and most special moves
- Loses to 214SGuardAll, HighStartup{4} 27Recovery21Advantage-5
- Trades with f.S, 2S, and 5H

S DolphinGuardAllStartup7Recovery20 (24 OH)Advantage-3: slightly more risky
- Beats Gio's 5H/2H and all special moves except 623SGuardAllStartup7Recovery21Advantage-15
- Loses to all P and K buttons
- Trades with f.S and 2S

5H: a very risky opener
- beats Giovanna's 5S/2S and 214SGuardAll, HighStartup{4} 27Recovery21Advantage-5
- Loses to 5H and 236KGuardAll [All (Guard Crush)]Startup27Recovery13Advantage+4 [+15]
- Trades with 214KGuardAllStartup13Recovery20Advantage-4

Neutral

May can switch between matching Gio's aggression or playing defensively at will
Air approaches are discouraged due to Gio's great anti-air options.
Avoid whiffing buttons too often, as gio has a variety of tools to punish whiffed normals
May's 2S or 5K are great pokes to check Gio's dashes, but lose to Gio's 2D at a distance
May's 5H is a fantastic counterpoke against both her approaches and gio's 2D, but can be baited and whiff punished

Defense

The Giovanna Counter Strategy section has plenty of advice on defense in this matchup.

Offense

Giovanna's VentaniaGuardAllStartup5+4Recovery49Advantage-37 is a 7 frame reversal, which means many safe jumps will not work against her if she has meter.
After a blocked S DolphinGuardAllStartup7Recovery20 (24 OH)Advantage-3
- 6P beats 5H and dash f.S, but loses to 2D and other dash buttons
- Backdash loss to dash f.S/5H, but will reset to neutral if she uses 2D
- Jumping can be caught by 5H, but otherwise puts you in the air above Giovanna. Use this to escape or commit to an attack.