Megaman Battle Network 3, Folder Building FAQ (NOTE: If you use the 'Ctrl-F' feature, simply stick a ^ in front of the number of the section you are looking for and search, you'll go straight to it...so to go to Lesson2, type ^4) Table Of Contents: 1.) Purpose 2.) What is a folder anyway? 3.) Lesson1: Fluidity 4.) Lesson2: Theme 5.) Lesson3: Addons 6.) Lesson4: NC Tips 7.) Contact, Info, Credits...and that stuff. #--------------# | ^1) Purpose: | #--------------# In Megaman Battle Network 3, you must use a folder to defeat enemies and bosses. While it is fairly easy to make a folder that will get you through the "story mode" of this game, when you face off against another human in a NetBattle, the worth of your folder will almost certainly be the deciding factor in the fight. This FAQ will help you make an excellent folder, from scratch. #------------------------------# | ^2) What IS a folder anyway? | #------------------------------# What is a folder? Well, in the simplest sense, a folder is a collection of 30 chips, of which a few (4-6 ish) are megachips, and one gigachip. In MMBN3, you earn these "battlechips" either by finding them, getting them out of "chip traders", or fighting and earning them from enemy "viruses". This FAQ assumes that you have a large amount of chips to draw on at the time of making your folder. If this is not the case, you can still use this FAQ, in tandem with an FAQ that shows you all available chips (I would recommend nessie's Chip FAQ). Use the FAQ and make a "hypothetical" folder, which you will work to build or "construct" by earning more battlechips. #------------------------# | ^3.) Lesson1: Fluidity | #------------------------# Fluidity is a measure of how fast your folder "flows". You may or may not have noticed its effects, and a lot of what I'm gonna say is intuitive. Still, I'm gonna explain why fluidity is a must for every folder. There are two parts to fluidity (folder speed). The first part almost everybody always knows and remembers right away, that is code compatibility (having all chips in the same code). Then there is the much-less frequenly thought of meaning of the word, and that is how well your FOLDER actually flows...more on what I mean about that in a second. ***Part1: Code compatibility I'll take this moment right now to ask all of you about the strongest chips in the game. Excluding the promotional gimmicks from capcom, you can score 500~ damage with a certain gigachip, the AlphaArmOmega. That's a hefty amount of damage, but yet the chip is all-but completely useless. Why? Because it is in V code. It is (almost) always better to use 5 chips than to use just one. ESPECIALLY if you are trying to work your way through your folder till you hit a certain PA. You can cause a lot more damage per turn if you use 5 chips.... here are some reasons: 1.) Much more chance of actually getting a hit (ever prepare an awesome 300 hit attack, then MISS) 2.) Your five chips can help each other (invis + varsword, Areagrab + Plasma3, Plasma3+ Elec30, Plantman + Wood30 etc.) 3.) You can use defensive chips, and evade your opponents' attacks without slowing your attack pace down. 4.) Even if you get worthless chips to chose from, you can just sift your way through them and get to the rest of your folder quickly. So, remember - One coded folders ONLY. If you have a two coded folder, be ABSOLUTELY sure that at least 15-20 of your chips are * code, to offset the difference a little bit. ***Part2: Duplication It's not enough that you use 5 random chips every turn. If you want to have maximum damage potential, you have to use the RIGHT chips. You probably all know this concept, I'm just trying to put it in words for you. Tell me: Is Salamander, Bolt, and Gaiablade without Fountain any use? Not really, no. So even though they ARE * coded, having them in the custom window WITHOUT fountain works AGAINST fluidity. This can be applied to almsot every attack. If I like using Plasma3 and Plantman, how would I benefit from having 4 *-coded Elec30's in my custom window without any Plasma3's? Though they all are * coded, not having anything BUT them hurts fluidity. To quantify this, anything that requires some (2/3/4/5) chips-in-order (PAs are a prime example) can potentially impede fluidity. This, unfortunately, includes ALL PA's and ALL combos. SO: whadda ya do 'bout it? There are some ways to offset this problem greatly, and that is duplication. This basically means putting more than one of each chip of that specific combo/PA in your folder. Why does it help? Well, your odds of getting the chip increase DRAMATICALLY. So, naturally, you're more likely to see it in a battle (and at the time you need it). Though it is possible that you will get swamped by these chips, it is also somewhat unlikely. Typically I can get a three-chip-combo of which I have 4 copies in one turn (my first turn). Of course, that's because I use ANOTHER trick. That trick is to use Custom1 and Custom2 programs. If you have 10 chips in your custom window, you are seeing a full 1/3 of your folder in your first turn. After you use your first five chips, you've seen 1/2! It's almost CERTAIN that you will get the chips you need in that time frame if you have enough duplicates. By what I've just told you, you can see why MasterStyle is not a good PA. It impedes fluidity, and since it's composed of Megachips, it CANNOT be duplicated. So you'll almost always have the individual components clogging up your chip window...the same goes for Z-PA's (since you can only have 4 of a chip, and they are multi-coded). That's the basics of Fluidity in a nutshell...practice the principle well and your folders will automatically perform better than they are now. #---------------------# | ^4.) Lesson2: Focus | #---------------------# ***Part1: Why Bother With Focus Most beginners including myself, when i was a beginner organize their pack by "attack value" and then pick out some of the strongest chips available for their folders. Having strong chips is always a good thing, but not at the cost of having an effective FOCUS. A Focus is a combo, or PA that your folder is centered around. It is the primary method that you use to deal damage. If my focus was the 2xHero PA, I'd be sure to have 3 or 4 copies of it, so that I was able to get it quickly. Yes, this is the same as in the case of fluidity, duplication. Remember: having more of any particular chip increases the odds of your getting it dramatically. Since the focus of your folder is what you are trying to damage your opponent with, you'd better do everything in your power to get it efficiently. Back to the central question of this part, Why Bother? You'll recall that I mentioned earlier it's not enough to toss out 10 chips each of which does a lot of damage, those 10 chips have to be coordinated in their efforts for MAXIMUM potential. I can't ZeusHammer my opponent and THEN put my barrier on, I have to do it the other way around. Having a central theme in your folder makes sure that your 30 chips are all working together to achieve one goal...one crushing modus of attack. Yes ladies and gentleman ALL 30 CHIPS. Not just the few that are part of your central PA/Combo. ***Part2: Choosing a Focus - what goes into it? -Originality There are lots of things to consider when choosing a focus, some more important than others. When designing a folder that you intend to show off online, >originality< becomes an important factor. The reason so many folders (nowadays) are considered utterly unoriginal is because they select an overused focus (such as Flashman + Hyperrat) and DO NOT DO ANYTHING UNIQUE WITH IT. Anytime an interesting twist or a new combo is added that still fits with the theme and flows well, the new folder is almost guaranteed to be appreciated. Take, for example, a Bubbleman + BubSprd + Sensor folder. There are plenty of BubSprd folders in the RFF, we've had Bubbleman +Sensor folders in the RFF, but fusing all three ideas together in a manner that worked.....that makes it worth rating (well, not anymore, since i made that folder now, but that aside). -Accuracy Another thing to consider, how >accurate< is your main combo? If you decide to focus an entire folder around the GutsShoot PA, you've got to pay attention to the way your attack only hits one panel. It'd be very easy to miss....your opponent would have to be stunned for it to work. So even though the PA only REQUIRES 3 chips, you're gonna be needing another chip in there to keep your opponent stuck...a Timpani * IIRC for example. The EverCrs PA can deal up to 1500 damage. but if you can successfully land this sucker on an opponent, you're lucky, nothing more. Accuracy is a big deal. -Fluidity Another thing to consider, >fluidity<. How fluid is your main combo? You all probably knew this from last section ;) but I'm just gonna show the connection anyway. If I try to center my folder around the Z-Cannon3, the Z-Cros, H-Burst (Spreader O-Spreader P-Spreader *), BodyGrd, PoisPharoah, Masterstyle PA, or the Meteors R chip, I can only have one copy of it in my folder. As you all know, less duplicates = less fluidity = bad. Also, what code is your main offensive in? If I have a very accurate attack (Bass+) but it is in X code, I'll have a hell of a time working out fluid and effective support for it. Of course, you COULD make an effective 2-coded folder, but now I'm just repeating lesson1 :). Just remember, fluidity of your main combo matters. -Effectivity Then there's the effectivity of your main combo. Effectivity basically means will your basis cause a sufficient amount of damage, and will the damage likely land. The PoisPharoah PA is EXTREMEMELY accurate, as it hits anywhere. Furthermore, it goes through barriers and Auras and invis and shadow and moles (yes Yoh, it goes through mole3). However, it doesn't do enough damage. You'll probably net about 300 damage before your opponent destroys the statue. Furthermore, you're limited to only one copy of it. Effective? Nah, not really...not the way that 4 flashmen and 3 hyperrats are effective. ***Part3: Supporting your Focus If my focus is the BodyGrd PA, what use is it to me if my opponent is on icepanels and has areagrabbed my front row? Answer: no use at all. They'll dodge almost every single shuriken, perhaps one or two at most will hit. If I'm focusing on LifeSword, what good is it to me if my opponent stays in their back row and grabs my first? Nothing at all! I won't even be able to hit his nose, let alone cause the 400 damage my focus indicates. It is not enough to create an effective, accurate, and fluid focus, you have to be sure that ALL 30 of your chips help (or at least do not hinder) your focus. NO CHIP in your folder should be wasted. If my focus is the LifeSword PA, I'm gonna need some areagrabs/metagels...to make sure I stay in range, I'm gonna need some way of making sure my opponent is in range, just in case he counters my areagrabs. What about fan*? To suck him in? 4 lifesword Y + 3 Fans + 3 Areagrabs...I'm up to 18 chips all on my focus. Now as for coded add-ons.... hmm, why not add the Yamatoman chip series? They're all in Y code, and they're dangerous chips...they don't hurt my focus, and will keep my opponent on their toes. Will I use attack boosters like atk+10 and atk+30? Yeah, why not? They'll boost the yamatomens's multiple attacks, making them quite deadly. In fact, why not use Navi+20 and Navi+40, since I'm only gonna be needing the boosters for yamatoman? This now brings us up to 26 chips. That's solid. The last four chips can be used for other "standards", I'll talk about that in another lesson. For now, you're done! That's a folder right there. Note, how 12 of the chips are the focus, 14 are support, and ALL are in one code!. That's the way a folder should *ideally* be. #-----------------------# | ^5.) Lesson3: AddOns | #-----------------------# OK, here it goes! Compared to the last lesson (ie: about Focus) this one should be REALLY easy to understand and implement. So you've got a central theme, and you've struggled with it. You've made many duplicates, you've added sufficient support chips, you've chopped it down to one or two codes, and made it as fluid as diarrhea. Now what? Well, there are some chips that you still ought really to add...the "addons" or extra chips. I've split them into two categories, defense and beneficials. We'll do beneficials first. ***Part1: Benenficial chips There are some chips that are almost always needed. Things that you simply can't do without, or - at the very least - are very good to have. Now (of course) this can all be changed if your folder is BASED on a weird system (more on that later). Confused? I would be too...let's just cut to the chase. >>Stage Changing chips: -Includes: Grasstage, Icestage, Metalstage, Geddon3*, Geddon2*, Geddon1*, SandStage *, Lavastage*, Sanc**, Repair **. *) need something extra to be fully effective (ie: Geddon3+Sanc/Repair, Geddon2+Airshoes, Lava+HeatStyle Sand+FlotShoes etc.) **) Only serve one of two purposes..more on this later. Here's why these are so necessary... a) They are very likely to bother your opponent: If you control the stage type, they'll find themselves at a disadvantage. If they are aquastyle and you set an icestage and launch a areagrab + plasma3, odds are that they're finished. Or if they are a woodstyle and u go lavastage, they'll be harrassed every time they try to move (100 damage). b) Protect yourself: If they control stagetype, you might find the stage Geddon2'ed (all holes), and you'll be limited to one tile, and you'll just be helplessly watching as 18 shurikens slam you (bodyguard), or 15 snakes bite you (2xAreagrab */R + Snakes R) c) For those chips marked with **, they only do your side, so while they almost can't bother your opponent, they can still serve you very well defensively. Sanctuary/Repair will save you from what your opponent tries to get you with. Nevertheless, i wouldn't advise using these except if comboed with something else that brings out their potential (ie: Geddon3 + Sanctuary). Most good folders have at least one stage-changing chip....plus, almost all stage changing chips (except Geddon2 and 3 and Sanctuary) come in * code. >> Obstacles: -Including: Rook, Pawn, Rockcube Rook * is ideal and best. Pawn and Rockcube are kinda okay but no, Rook * is the best. The reason? Well, though it is possible to counter, very few folders have the chips needed to counter this chip...and it lasts a long time. a) Likely to bar many attacks: Any gun-type attack will find this an irritant. b) WILL stop arealocking!!!! This is an EXCELLEnt way to stop ppl from grabbing you and getting in range c) As is the case with most of these chips, is * coded and easily fits in most folders...2 is enough...unlss you have to have more for your focus. >> Grabchips -Including: Areagrab, Metagel1 -3, Panelgrab If your opponent is on one tile, they are as good as dead. Think about it...... all your chips have perfect accuracy. You can chuck a blackbomb on their head, set up perpetual sensor3 chains, stepsword/cros them, evilcut them, hell...you can put on an invis and shoot them with your buster if you want. Though they CAN put on a lifeaura or defense chip and then countergrab out, odds are excessively high that they will die at your hands, or take a significantly high amount of dmaage. The converse is true as well, however. If they grab you, and arealock you, you are done for. So 3 areagrab *'s (or *well-coded* metagel1/2/3's, and panelgrab *'s if all else fails) are an ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT...there is only one exception. That is if you are basing your folder on the assumption that your opponent will areagrab/lock you, and are prepared to respon with 4 GrabRvng chips. This is VERY effective at times, but equally risky. While you CAN deal 80*8 (640) damage, per chip, without attack boosting, by locking yourself... you leave yourself vulnerable to far worse. Anything from lifesword slashes (400 each), to Full Blown Meteoric Hell (40+30x4)x31 = 4960. >> Fluidity Increasing Chips: -Including: Folderbak, Fstgauge*, and Fullcust * Only if it is not in your NC block. The very ROOT of these chips is to make your fluidity go up. The one gives you all your chips back and instantly gives you a fresh selection of chips in your custom window. The FastGauge makes your custom window go at 2x the speed, so that you are almost never without a chip. The Fullcust allows you to end a custom window early, so that you can cut that 1/2 time in 1/2, if you wish. You should almost certainly make space for these chips...i'd probably preset the fullcust * too, if i were you. *** Part2: Defense chips >>Recovery vs Avoidance Obvious aint it? Recov chips are popular especially among beginners, and I won't deny that it is extremely annoying to have an opponent in the crushing grip of death and they suddenly get back 300 health. But still, the mere act of recovering indicates that you have lost health. WOuldn't it be better never to lose that health at all? After all, that DOES increase your busting level. Rather than having 4 recov chips, have 4 defense chips that nullify damage before it hurts. That said, let's proceed to discuss the best means of defense: [worst] DarkAura-> Though many pros will disagree, I hold that this is an extremely effective means of defense. Still, i would highly recommend AGAINST using it. Why? Because of three things. One, it is A-Coded, and hence only any use with A-coded folders. Two, it requires that wretched hole * chip (which is frankly too large an inconvenience for a defense chip) or the DarkLicencese (which seriously messes up your NC Block). Three, it is a gigachip (so you only get one, and you can't use folderbak). [Not very good] LifeAura-> Not as good as DarkAura, but still highly effective. Don't be fooled, you're far from invincible. But yes, most opponents will have to bust a good combo to get rid of this (and very few folders have northwinds in them). Still, only use it if your folder is D-Coded, as it is really pointless otherwise. [Very good, BUT] Barr500 PA-> This is an EXTREMELY solid means of defense...this + a sanctuary is INSANE (as it takes your base 1000 hitpoints and makes it 3000). Unfortunately the Barr200 is limited in its choice of codes. E-Coded, this is a great defense. But still, it is 3 chips for a one-time defense. If you plan on using this, be sure to make it part of your focus (hence 2 or 3 copies). [Not too hot] Antidamage -> Though it is quite popular, and seems very powerful, it isn't the best. Here's why, all your opponent has to do is take a buster shot at you, and then run around madly for about a second. There goes your defense, and zero damage suffered. The only exception to this rule is if you pair it with a heavier means of damage. For example, antidamage + a lifeaura. Now your opponent has to deal you enough damage to break the lifeaura....TWICE. One time trips the antidamage, and the other time makes you lose the barrier. [Best...but] Mole1/2 -> Almost as good as Invis and Shadow in that it only needs one chip, and requires zero setup. * coded, and lasts quite long. Why doesn't it recieve their high status? Because in order to attack, you have to come up, and in that time you are easily countered. Well, not easily, but potentially. Lots more potential for pain than invis/shadow. [Best?] Mole3 -> VERY VERY long lasting, unfortunately it is limited by codes. zero setup needed. [BEST!!] Invis/Shadow -> They both come in * code, and are 5-6 seconds of almost pure invincibility. Though they can be countered, and by quite a few diferent attacks, you'll find that almost always your opponent does not have the needed chips. They require 0 preparation to use, and hence I would HIGHLY recommend that you include 4-6 of these in your folder, ANY folder that you make. Also, try to keep it a mix....2invis, 3 shadow...or 3 invis 2 shadow, or 2-2, or 3-3. That way you're covered against different kinds of attacks at different times (so that a 2xHero or FlashCrush folder doesn't leave you TOTALLY defenseless). ALso, experiment with Antiswrd + Shadow combos...they give you pure invincibility for a short period of time on occasion. That's that as far as addons are concerned. Still, remember...these are just extras. They don't make a great folder (even though they can take up to 1/3 of it or more). THey're just "nice to have". It's the main theme/combo that gives a folder its true power, and the fluidity that allows that power to shine through. Don't forget that. #------------------------# | ^6.) Lesson4: NC Tips | #------------------------# At this point, we've covered almost all the material on building a good folder. You got through the process of picking one or two major attack types or comboes to go with as your FOCUS (ie: Meteoric Hell and Snakes). You've made sure that the two things had SYNERGY and helped each other, (you have to grab and preferrably arealock for both, and atk+30 and atk+10 chips REALLY help both). You've put in adequate SUPPORT chips for them (lots of areagrabs, geddons, atk+ chips, some wind thing...airsword maybe). You've made sure to include the ADD-ONS that ought best go with every folder (grabs, stagechanging in the geddons, might add couple of rooks, and add 4-5 def. chips, fullcust and foldrbak if u can). You've then gone through and made sure that the folder was as FLUID as it could be by making DUPLICATES of the essential chips and making sure that the folder had as few codes as possible (ie: Meteors R, 4 grab *, 4 snake R, 2 Wood30 *, 2 Fire30 *, 1 Atk30 *, 3/4 Geddon *). In many senses, you've made the folder as good as you really can. a the NC Block is something very important. It can be used to...enhance your folder's ability. In this lesson, I will try to give some useful advice about NC Blocks. Though I warn you in advance, three things. 1-I have not consulted with other people in writing this, therefore any ideas I have can, and in all fairness most likely WILL be influenced by my personal bias 2-All the advice I give is PURELY intended for the netbattle. If it just so happens to help you in-game, that is a coincidence. 3- I'm assuming you have modtools, have all the "spin" items, and have compressed everything that was compressible. For a fuller explanation on these terms and things, go to the Navi Customizer FAQ. *** Part1: Programs NOT to use, and why There are some programs that, under almost any conditions, should not be used... if it's "your style" to use them, you should change your style. BusterEnhancers: ----- These include atk+1, WeapLV+1, chrg+1, Sped+1, and BustrMax. Why are they so horrible to use? Because in order for them to be useful, you have to use your buster. The only reason to use your buster is because, at that given time, you have no chips worth using. So instead, you use your pea-shooter. This is not acceptable, as it means that your FOLDER wasn't good enough to have good chips available for you! Either make your folder more fluid, or use more Custom1 and Custom2 programs so you get a better selection. The space you waste enhancing your buster would have been much better invested in the extra chips. The MOST powerful buster or megabuster attack possible is not as dangerous...not NEARLY as dangerous as the AVERAGE chip attack...especially if you enhance it and use it properly. Never ever ever make extra space for these programs, as it is space taken away from worthier NCP's. MegFldr1/2 ----- It's not worth it. Mathematically, it is smarter to GET more chips per turn than it is to have more megachips in a folder, but get them less frequently. Adding that "extra one chip" is not gonna help your folder overall. Since you can only have one copy of it, it will be non-fluid. If you can't find a more important support chip to put in there instead, then it's really not worth having. Now, there ARE exceptions. Namely, when you try to use two Navi chips as a combo, and need the megachip space to hold 6 or 8 of them (ie: Flamman + Flashman). Storyline Programs ------ These include the Snkrun, OilBdy, Bttry, Collect, Fish, Jungle, EnergyChange, Press, and Alpha program. They have zero application outside of the storyline, and do nothing to augment Megaman's battle ability. As of such, there is absolutely no point WHATSOEVER in using them. Beat ----- Beat is quite large, as is Tango, whereas Rush is EXACTLY one square. Since you can only use one of them, it stands to reason to pick the best. Beat will remove your opponents' hand when he has "good" chips, once. This may be useful, but if you're playing a good opponent, he has multiple copies of his major attacks. Furthermore, when he uses "folderbak", he'll get all his chips over. Tango on the other hand is a crapload of extra hitpoints plus a barrier 200 right before you die. Far more useful, seeing as to how your opponent has to hack away at you for an extra, unanticipated period of time. Rush paralyzes an enemy at the time he most wants to be mobile and sneaky - when he uses an invis/shadow/mole. Furthermore, it only takes up one square, so it's DEFINITELY worth using if you aren't using tango. Either way, Beat is useless and should never be used. Block, shadow shoes ----- They have the advantage of being smaller, but their larger counterparts are superior by SOO MUCH, that it becomes foolish to use them. Block, requires excellent timing and u still take 50% of the damage. Compared with Shield, a mere 2 squares more, which allows you to take none. Shadowshoes will prevent you from cracking tiles, BIG DEAL! Your opponent will probably not be relying on your cracking them for him, and will do it himself with an extra geddon if he finds it important. But flotshoes, a mere extra 2 squares more, will protect you from lavatiles, slipping, and cracking tiles. Is it worth it? Definitely. SetHoly, SetMagma/Lava ----- These are simply too big to be worth it. End of story. If you are so desperate to have a lavastage at the beginning, do yourself a favor and preset "Lavastage *" in your folder. SetHoly, however, is simply stupid. Sure, it's nice to have holypanels' damage halving effect, but any good folder should contain (as an Add-On and to increase utility) SOME stage changing chips. SetIce and SetGreen are small enough that, even if they DO get changed, they can easily make up their sizes worth. The same is not true of SetHoly and SetMagma. Airshoes --- Allows him to go over holes. ZeOMIgod! This is freaking awesome! No, I'm not being sarcastic, the function of this program is excessively important and it GREATLY increases your utility (ability to adapt to changing circumstances). There is one little problem, however. That problem is that this programs isn't so little, lol. It's huge, and so oddly shaped, that it almost always is not worth putting in. Instead of using this NC Part, use a Custom1 and use the EXCode for Airshoes (check the Navi Customizer Guide for details). The Custom-1 glitch is nullified by your Custom1 part...and it's all set. Alternatively, tack the chip into your folder and be done with it. SprArmor, BrakBuster, BrakCharge ----- SuperArmor is quite worthless. There are some attacks that, if you were NOT wearing superarmor, would have made you flinch, and hence been invincible from taking damage for a short period of time. Put this on, and you lose that in trade for what? Allowing you to charge that buster which, under ordinary circumstances, you should NOT be using. BrakCharge has more potential usefulness, but the time it takes to charge *SHOULD* be too much. If you're using charge+ programs, then you've gone against my first bit of advice. BrakBuster is tempting, but when compared size-wise with HubBatch, it's a no-brainer why BrakBuster becomes quite worthless.....Hubbatch has easily 5 times the functions. Though there may be others, I'm gonna have to say that these are the ones that I NEVER want to catch in your NC Blocks. You might ask "About Chrg1, Spd1 programs, what if we have leftover space in our NC Block? Shouldn't we just add them in?". In response I'd have to say "If you DO have that space, and you're sure that you CAN'T fit in any more important programs without removing the ones you like/need, then yes, it is best to put in chrg1 programs. However, when submitting a NC setup along with a folder, just use an 'X' and mark them as "empty spots". Seeing as to how nobody is gonna take chrg1 or spd1 as a serious addition to your NC." ***Part2: Programs you ought to use, and why Right, that's what you shouldn't do with an NC Block...now let's move on to what you SHOULD do. The principle of the NC Block, in my opinion should be primarily to augment Megaman, and secondarily assist his folder. First let's cover programs that augment Megaman ---------------- HP+100 <> HP+500 --- OK, I personally don't find these very useful. I think that your folder SHOULD be protecting you from most damage. Getting a 350 HP boost from the EX code is probably a good idea in case your opponent manages to thwart your defense twice, but don't forget... our job is to ANNIHILIATE with IMPUNITY! We shouldn't be needing to soak up damage. HP+ programs are like recov150's for the NC Block. As an EX code, this is one of the more valuable ones, as it causes no glitch, but as a program, it is not quite so useful. Reg+5 --- Under normal circumstances, your megaman's regular memory should be around 45-50. This is good enough, IMO, to load up most chips that you would ever consider using as your regular chip, such as Stagechanging chips, geddon1-2, FullCust, Fastgauge, Airshoes, and Areagrab. Now if you're thinking of loading up an assault chip, like meteors or some gigachip, you'll see that CAPCOM was very careful in making sure that you'd have to use pretty much your ENTIRE NC block to do so. Frankly, it's not worth it. Still, your netNavi...your decision. DarkLicense --- Allows you to use your ONE dark chip (you can only have 1 darkchip in your folder if you use this program) without needing a hole *. Unfortunately, this is not very useful. Seeing as to how much space it takes...especially if you choose to add in the bugstop to prevent the custom-1 glitch (you'd be better off adding a custom1 (yellow) program). Not only that, but it takes away your EX code. Let's analyze this real quick: Bass, DarkAura. Bass is usesless..you'd be better off with meteors R...it can't be worse coded than Bass. Why then did I not include this in Part1? Simple! DarkLicense as well as reg5, when used together, allow megaman to preset DarkAura and use it as soon as a match begins. And don't kid yourself, popping a darkaura is EXTREMELY difficult. There is, however, one MAJOR problem...that is that it will disappear by itself within 45 seconds, IIRC. If your opponent has been using folderbak (I know you haven't ;) he'll still have a ton of chips and will destroy you with them, guaranteed. FlotShoes --- This allows you to exist on any paneltype without suffering its inherent disadvantages. You won't slip on ice, you won't burn on fire, and you won't crack panels when they are geddoned. Though you can still take 2xDamage from stage-element combinations, it is incredible how MUCH your utility is improved by using this NCP. No matter what the stage type, you can still have perfect control of your megaman. As long as it's not poison, you'll live. Antidamage/Reflect --- This program is excellent. I fault the antidamage program for being a tad ungainly in shape, but if you use a custom1 and then the EX code for antidamage, it all works out. The critical thing to think about when deciding whether to put this in or not is will you USE it? I have a friend who equips reflect and, when I have him arealocked on an icestage and I put a Plasma3 with two elec 30s right next to him (300 damage per hit for 6 hits). He takes only 300 damage, since he manages to block every single one of them with his reflect. I once arealocked him and used meteors R with 3 fire30s (130 damage per hit for 30 hits...over 3000 damage). However, he managed to get up reflect JUST before i launched it, and he took 0 damage... I was in front of him and so, since he reflected the damage forward, I ended up taking 100 to the face XD. So yes, if you are going to use it at least twice, then it is almost CERTAINLY worth putting in (or EX-Coding in, as you prefer). However, if you are like me and will forget that you have it, or forget to use it when you need it, or simply are bad at using it (the button combination), then it's not worth your time to equip this program, regardless of its benefits. HubBatch --- This augments megaman, and is EXTREMELY useful. I personally don't like it, but that is strictly personal. This gives you all the benefits of these "littler" programs which are by themselves quite useless, but when they all come in such a convenient package deal - along with some excellent programs like Custom1, FlotShoes, and Airshoes - it becomes a package much worth getting. Unfortunately it comes at a cost, and that cost is half of your HP as well as your EX code (500 hp out of a typical megaman). Bugstop stops this glitch, which is the only thing that, IMO, keeps bugstop from being a 'worthless' program. Still, bugstop is very big, so if you use Hubbatch + BugStop you won't be able to fit too much more in. Righto! Now on to the programs that augment megaman's folder ---------------- Custom1/Custom2 --- VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY useful! U see, i'm a stickler and a freak about fluidity. If you use enough Custom1 and Custom2 programs, you can have TEN chips in your starting window. that's a THIRD of your folder on your FIRST TURN! If you monocode your folder too, and use 5 chips, then you can see HALF of you folder in 2 turns!!!! Can u deny the excellence of such an ability? And let's say that you use all 5 on your second and third turn, by your fourth turn you've seen your ENTIRE folder! Every chip in your folder you've gone through, meaning that you've CERTAINLY come back to folderback by now! Technically, you could use the add function on your first turn. But you tell me, do you want to be open to anything and everything that your oppnoent throws at you for a FULL turn? Hell no! Annihiliate with Impunity! Frankly, the amount of deadtime that you have while waitin for a chip after using the add feature just won't cut it. Fastgauge --- This program is large, but it is EXTREMELY useful. It makes the custom menu go at 2x the usual speed. Very rarely will an opponent carry a SloGuage * to counter this NC piece. I know that you can preset the Fastguage chip, but once you use the fastguage chip it becomes useless. And you'll be seeing it EVERY time you use folderbak. That's why Fullcust * does so much better as a preset. Yet, you STILL want that guage to move quickly, right? That's why the fastguage NCP is so important. It allows you to have your caek and eat it too, in a sense. Hubbatch --- It contains a Custom1, hence it is in this category. But i'm too lazy to re-copy what I wrote earlier so go ahead and scroll up for a discussion on Hubbatch. --------------------------------- That, all said and done, is as full an analysis on the NC as I could possibly have given you. I hope you all learned something from this. After having told you all of this I will say that not every folder NEEDS a seperate NC Block. Sometimes there is a folder that just won't work if its NC is not done in EXACTLY one way. For example, meteoric hell folders NEED 2xCustom2 in custom style. Otherwise, it'll take forever to get to their attack chip. Snake folders, when they don't include an airshoes * chip, REQUIRE that their NC Block contain it. Under those circumstances, when submitting a folder, it is very important to include an accompanying NC Block. However, when your folder is a kind of "standard one", the NC Block might be less important to include. Finally, I present you with my favorite NC Block of all time: [2][2][2][X][F] [2][2][1][1][F] [2][R][2][1][F] [X][2][2][1][F] [2][2][2][F][F] Style: Custom 2-Custom2 (blue) R-Rush (yellow) 1-Custom1 (yellow) F-Fastguage X-Blank EXCode: Reflect/Airshoes/FlotShoes/HP+500 I hope you've learned soemthing from this lesson. Congratulations on reading this far....I daresay you're ready to go and make a folder! #-----------------------------# | ^7.) Contact Info, Credits | #-----------------------------# Yar. First my contact info: AIM: BountyHunterSAx ... that's the number one way you'll be able to contact me. You could send me an e-mail, but i dunno how soon i'd check it. That address is ahmadrasheed [at] gmail.com . I freqent the BN3 Blue Messageboard so meet me there. Second, Credits. * I'd like to thank The Dark Unkown and Malinhion for teaching me so much about folder building. * I'd like to thank all of the devoted newbies of the BN3 boards (who are now intermediates). THeir devotion was the only thing that inspired me to write all of these lessons in the Folder Building School. * I'd like to curse Capcom for ruining this perfectly good series with their despicable sequels....but instead I'll just thank them for doing this one right. * I'd like to thank Aien Cyril for giving me the kick in the rear to actually make an FAQ out of this, and then offering to do all of the organizational work. ...i owe you for motivating me. * I'd like to thank my Dad for this $5k dollar computer. Lastly, copyright information: Wanna host this somewhere? I would be AWED and AMAZED. So that means you have my FULL permission to copy ALL of it, edit it, and yeah. You must, however, add this line to either the top or the bottom: "All made by t3h 1337 awesome BountyHunterSAx" or words to that effect. Alternatively, just don't say that you made it, and then give me a link via AIM, a post on the BN3 Board, or my e-mail. Alright, I'm done.