.......................................................(79 Character Width).... -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- ZONE OF THE ENDERS The 2nd Runner - = VERSUS MODE HANDBOOK = - -+-+- Version 1.1 -+-+- Unpublished Work By Arct!c / Ramon Gutierrez - and - Tulkas / Ryan Jay Manuguid -+-+- Best Viewed with Wordpad at 1024 x 768 pixels Set to "Small Fonts" in the Advanced tab of the Settings tab under Display Properties. Use (Ctrl+F) to find what you're looking for quickly. ___________ / FOREWORD \__________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arct!c: ------- After playing ZOE for so many times now, I can truly agree with so many critics that the game was a big disappointment. It was a game that had a good idea behind it, but was itself too short and/or incomplete to give an exceptional gaming experience. The included versus mode only had three or four good frames, which really limited its replay value. With the release of ZOE2, I was a bit skeptical, worrying it may turn out like its predecessor...a good idea that, unfortunately, would disappoint lots of expectations. Seems I underestimated Konami too much. ZOE2 was nearly everything I could have wanted from the original game, and came strong in many of the points that ZOE lacked in. The game itself was very good, and the EX Missions provided the much needed replay value, plus the actual game appearing more Metal Gear-ish in design (VR Training, game interface, etc.), which obviously meant more of Kojima in the game's development...which, to me, is a plus. But, similar to the first ZOE, the feature I most looked forward to was the versus mode. And after endless hours of 1 on 1 mech-ing with friends, I guess it wasn't bad at all...apart from a lot of cheapness required with some mechs *coughVicVipercough*. Well, I guess you might say it was a whole lot better than the first game, having 10 mechs, all of which are actually useful one way or another...compared to the 7 mechs of the first ZOE...of which only 4 are, in their own way, useful. And since we liked it so much, my friend RJ and I decided to write something about it, share some strategies for each of the mechs, etc. etc. Hope this guide makes YOU the better runner! ;D _____________________ / FONT SPACING CHECK \________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check please if the numbers and dots align. If not, then switch to a monospaced font to properly view this document. 1234567890 .......... The default Wordpad font (Courier New) is most suited for viewing this document, as it is the font that was used during the writing and editing. __________________ / VERSION HISTORY \___________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.1 - Added Ardjet "Invincible Grab" strategy. - Added new anti-Anubis strategies for Jehuty. - Added new anti-Vic Viper strategies for Nephtis. - Added "Dmg-Vernier" property. - Released (02/22/03) 1.0 - First Version (06/30/03 - 08/07/03) The most current version of this guide may be found at the ff. sites: GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com) Death Corps (www.deathcorps.net) We can guarantee that these sites are always up to date with this guide, so always check there for the latest updates. ___________ / CONTENTS \__________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction to Versus Mode 2. Battle System 3. Versus Mechs 3-1. Jehuty 3-2. Jehuty ver.2 3-3. Damaged Jehuty 3-4. Naked Jehuty 3-5. Vic Viper 3-6. Ardjet 3-7. Nephtis 3-8. Inhert 3-9. Anubis 3-10. Aumaan Anubis 4. Individual Strategy/Move Lists 4-1. Jehuty 4-2. Jehuty ver.2 4-3. Damaged Jehuty 4-4. Naked Jehuty 4-5. Vic Viper 4-6. Ardjet 4-7. Nephtis 4-8. Inhert 4-9. Anubis 4-10. Aumaan Anubis 5. Map-Specific Strategy 5-1. Battle Arena 5-2. Wind Tunnel 5-3. The Core of Aumaan 5-4. Aumaan 5-5. The Way to Phobos 5-6. Vascillia City 5-7. Margaritifer 5-8. Callisto 5-9. Antilia 6. Tips and Tricks 7. Miscellaneous 8. Disclaimer 9. Final Words 10. Credits ______________________________ / INTRODUCTION TO VERSUS MODE \________________________________________[ 1 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Basically, you can describe it as a game mode that allows players to pit two OF's (or LEV's...Vic Viper) against each other in single combat. But before thinking "But Nephtis has a cheap ass barrier!!" or "Cool! I can 0-Shift!! ph33r!!", consider that many frames were either toned down, or slightly modified from their story mode counterparts. But still, there's no denying that two mechs squaring it off in an arena, missiles and lasers flying all over the place (not to mention the melee battles), is cool as hell ;) You will notice, the first time you run your ZOE2 DVD, you won't see any versus mode on the menu. The thing is, unlike in the first ZOE where you could input a code to unlock VS mode and all mechs at once, you'll have to start a new game, defeat the first boss, and save the game to unlock this feature. However, if you play it at that early stage, you'll only have one available mech. To obtain all the others, you must complete the entire game, while collecting all three hidden VS mechs in the game (Aumaan Anubis, Inhert, Naked Jehuty). Not that it's too difficult or anything, it isn't even that long (1 - 2 1/2 hours should be all it takes). ________________ / BATTLE SYSTEM \______________________________________________________[ 2 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The battle system used is similar to that of the VS mode in ZOE1. The basic control system is similar as well. Here are the basic controls of the mechs. Note that some commands may not apply for some exceptions: Left Analog Stick = X-Axis Movement (left, right, forward, backward) X = Descend Triangle = Ascend Left Analog Stick + X = Descend Diagonally Left Analog Stick + Triangle = Ascend Diagonally R2 + Left Analog Stick = X-Axis Dash R2 + Triangle = Ascending Dash R2 + X = Descending Dash R2 + Left Analog Stick + X = Descending Diagonal Dash R2 + Left Analog Stick + Triangle = Ascending Diagonal Dash Circle = Grab R1 = Guard Square (Far) = Shot Square (Close) = Melee Attack R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Far) = Dash Shot R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Close) = Dashing Melee Whenever you change direction, you must press and hold the R2 button again to continue dashing. Melee attacks can only be performed when the "Close" icon appears on the screen. In all other cases, the long-range set of attacks are used by default (obvious exception...Naked Jehuty). Dash attacks can be performed quickly by pushing R2 + Square and moving the left analog stick in one direction. But if you want to do dash attacks smoothly and combining it with movement, just press Square in the middle of a dash in any direction. Some characters have special abilities, which can be used by pressing the L1 button. Others have a Grab ability, which is used by pressing the O button. By default, normal/dash shots can be blocked by R1. The same goes for normal/dash melee attacks, with the exception of the last hit of Anubis' spear combo and the last hit of Inhert's slash combo. Grabs cannot be blocked. In most cases, burst attacks break through the R1 guard, but that isn't always true. I've listed some special properties for each mech here as well, so as to help make their individual obvious and not-so-obvious abilities easier to understand. Please note that this has nothing to do with the game's actual coding, as these are my own descriptions and terms made specifically for this guide, and further understanding of the battle system. Here is the list of the special properties mentioned in this document, and what they mean: -> Homing-Shot = The attack assigned to Square homes in on the opponent. -> Homing-DShot = The attack assigned to [R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square] homes in on the opponent. -> Homing-BShot = The attack assigned to [R2 + Square] homes in on the opponent. -> Homing-SpcShot = The attack assigned to Circle homes in on the opponent. -> Homing-DSpcShot = the attack assigned to [R2 + Left Analog Stick + Circle] homes in on the opponent. -> Homing-SpcAtk = The attack assigned to L1 homes in on the opponent. -> Enhanced-Guard = Can block certain attacks that are normally unblockable, with the use of R1. -> Auto-Guard = Invulnerable to most Normal/Dash Shots without the use of R1. -> No-Guard = Has no R1 block function. Only one mech has this property: Damaged Jehuty. -> Stun-Guard = The force field produced by R1 stuns melee attackers for a brief moment. -> No-LR = Cannot use any long range attacks. Once again, this only applies to Damaged Jehuty. -> Transform = Can switch attack sets. Only Vic Viper has this property. -> Dmg-Dash = Normal dashes [R2 + Left Analog Stick] deal damage to any projectiles that have the Destructible property. -> Dmg-Vernier = Contact with the mech's vernier jets (rocket boosters, if you like) deal damage to any projectiles that have the Destructible property. -> Peerless-Dash = Normal dashes render the mech invulnerable to any damage. -> Peerless-Warp = While warping with L1, the mech is invulnerable to any damage. -> Peerless-Grab = While grabbing with Circle, the mech is invulnerable to any damage. This lasts throughout the entire grab sequence. -> Grab-Null = Cannot be grabbed. Using a grab will either have little (and harmless) or no effects on this mech. -> Destructible = Projectile can be destroyed. _______________ / VERSUS MECHS \_______________________________________________________[ 3 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this section you will find the profiles and background information of all ten playable versus mode mechs. Also included are instructions to unlocking them (at the end of the section to as to separate the spoilers). Reference for profiles and other ZOE2 information can be found on the official site at: http://www.konamijpn.com/products/zoe2/english/ Oh, and as a warning, this section may contain a few spoilers, so for those of you who don't want that, skip to the next section. =========== [ 3-1 ]: Jehuty -------- Type: Orbital Frame Runner: Dingo Egret Affiliation: Not affiliated, anti-BAHRAM Other Details: Installed with battle A.I. "ADA" Background: One of the two Orbital Frames secretly developed on board the Antilia space colony. Unlock: Play the game until you reach the BAHRAM ship right after the Ardjet battle. Save the game and reset. Versus mode should be unlocked, along with Jehuty. ================ [ 3-2 ]: Jehuty ver.2 -------------- Type: Orbital Frame Runner: Dingo Egret Affiliation: Not affiliated, anti-BAHRAM Other Details: Installed with battle A.I. "ADA". Can compress space similar to Anubis using the "0-Shift" program. Background: This is Jehuty, after the Zero Shift program sinks into the system (after the Aumaan Crevasse event). Only after this happens, is Jehuty truly a match for Anubis. Unlock: Complete the game once. ================== [ 3-3 ]: Damaged Jehuty ---------------- Type: Orbital Frame Runner: Dingo Egret Affiliation: Not affiliated, anti-BAHRAM Other Details: Installed with battle A.I. "ADA". Can compress space similar to Anubis using the "0-Shift" program. Incapable of defense, and long range combat. Background: After easily defeating the Anubis clone, Jehuty is caught in the middle of a beam of compressed space, severely damaging its armor, thus removing his ability to guard. Not only that, all its long- range capabilities have been disabled as well. Unlock: Complete the game once. ================ [ 3-4 ]: Naked Jehuty -------------- Type: Orbital Frame Runner: Dingo Egret Affiliation: Not affiliated, anti-BAHRAM Other Details: Installed with battle A.I. "ADA". Can compress space similar to Anubis using the "0-Shift" program. Background: Again, this is Jehuty...having repaired itself after the battle with Anubis on the way to Phobos. Unlock: Play the game a second time (meaning you have a CLEAR save in the same memory card) until you reach the "On the Way to Aumaan" stage. Fight your way to the second area. Once at the end, ignore the upper passageway. Under there should be two sealed off paths with red lasers guarding them. Fire a shot right through it to remove the barrier, and enter any one of the passages. Inside, you will have to fight Naked Jehuty. Defeat it and you will recieve its VS Mech doll. ============= [ 3-5 ]: Vic Viper ----------- Type: LEV Runner: Leo Stenbuck Affiliation: UN Space Force Other Details: Transforming LEV, can activate "Ship Mode" Background: One of two V2 LEVs developed by the UNSF to combat BAHRAM's Orbital Frames. An improvement to the standard LEV design, it can also switch between LEV Mode and Ship Mode. Unlock: Complete the game once. ========== [ 3-6 ]: Ardjet -------- Type: Orbital Frame Runner: Ken Marinaris Affiliation: BAHRAM, later revealed to be anti-BAHRAM Other Details: Protected by a tough outer shell Background: Ken's frame throughout the game...she probably got it upon joining BAHRAM as a frame runner. Though it loses its AI later in the game, and since Ken is not experienced in piloting without an AI, it is rendered useless. Unlock: Complete the game once. =========== [ 3-7 ]: Nephtis --------- Type: Orbital Frame Runner: Viola A.I. Affiliation: BAHRAM Other Details: Protected by a powerful energy field Background: Nephtis was created by Nohman to supplement his creation of the Viola A.I., a battle A.I. designed to match the skills the original frame runner once possessed. Nephtis' design is based on Viola's original frame, Neith. Unlock: Complete the game once. ========== [ 3-8 ]: Inhert -------- Type: Orbital Frame Runner: Lloyd Affiliation: BAHRAM / Neutral Other Details: Protected by an experimental gel coating Background: Lloyd's experimental frame, nothing much is known about it except that it has a special type of armor, and has the ability to create "ahadows" of itself to confuse enemies into hitting the wrong targets. Unlock: Play the game a second time (meaning you have a CLEAR save in the same memory card) until you reach the "Fortress City Inner" stage. Head to the second area. Once there, move down to the second row of moving pillars. The Inhert doll is located in the gap between one of the pillars and a corner platform. When the pillar is out of the wall, it covers the doll, so you'll have to wait for it to retract completely. If you still can't find it, keep pressing L2 around the area until you lock on to it. ========== [ 3-9 ]: Anubis -------- Type: Orbital Frame Runner: Ridley Hardiman a.k.a. Nohman Affiliation: BAHRAM Other Details: Can compress space to simulate "warping" Background: One of the two Orbital Frames secretly developed on board the Antilia space colony. The most powerful Orbital Frame. Unlock: Complete the game once. ================= [ 3-10 ]: Aumaan Anubis --------------- Type: Orbital Frame Runner: Ridley Hardiman a.k.a. Nohman Affiliation: BAHRAM Other Details: Can compress space to simulate "warping" Background: This is Anubis, after being destroyed by Jehuty, and having repaired itself by fusing itself with Aumaan, and harnessing its power. Unlock: Play the game a second time (meaning you have a CLEAR save in the same memory card) until you reach the "Capri Canyon" stage. Take the western path until you reach a fork along the path. Again, take the western path. Fight your way to the end of this path, which is a pile of boulders. Use the Vector Cannon to get rid of this obstacle and proceed forward. Enter the tunnel on the ground and you will be at the "Wind Tunnel" stage. Defeat all the enemies here, then enter the path on the opposite end of the tunnel to end up in yet another room. Here you will encounter Aumaan Anubis. Defeat it and you will recieve its VS Mech doll. ___________________________________ / INDIVIDUAL STRATEGY / MOVE LISTS \___________________________________[ 4 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Each playable mech is listed in the same order as above. Displayed for each mech is its own unique move list, special properties, combat tips, and strategy VS other mechs respectively. If you have your own strategies you wish to include, please send them to with the subject header "ZOE2 Versus Strategy". Of course, if the tip you send in is included in a later version of this guide, you will be given due credit for it. =========== [ 4-1 ]: Jehuty -------- MOVE LIST --- R1 = Guard R2 = Burst Mode Square, hold down hard (Far) = Shot (single) Square, hold down lightly (Far) = Shot (triple burst) Square (Close) = Sword slash Square x 3 (Close) = 3-hit starter of Combo Smash - Square = 4th slash pushes enemy straight backwards. - Triangle = 4th slash pushes enemy up. - X = 4th slash pushes enemy down. R2 + Square (Far) = Burst Shot* R2 + Square (Close) = Burst Slash Circle = Grab - Wait = Release and throw - Mash Circle = Giant Swing** R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Far) = Homing Lasers*** R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Close) = Dash Slash * - Hold Square longer to increase the damage of the burst shot. You will know when you've reached the maximum charge when you see streaks of light appearing around the ball, along with a quick flash sound. ** - The faster you mash the circle button, the longer Jehuty spins the enemy, and the longer the recovery time of the enemy (even longer if the enemy hits a wall). *** - Hold Square longer while continuing to dash to select more than one target. SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- Homing-DShot Homing-BShot COMBAT TIPS --- - Close combat is your friend. Try and get up close to the enemy as much as possible, since Jehuty outclasses nearly all of the other mechs up close (apart from Jehuty ver.2, Naked Jehuty and Nephtis...Damaged Jehuty's increased attack power isn't enough to compensate for its lack of defense). Possibly every effective Jehuty strategy out there revolves around sword slashes and grabs, so you will want to concentrate more on honing your melee skills rather than long-range offense. - Besides using the regular sword combos, try mixing and matching that with dash slashes, burst slashes, or grabs. For example, you could press Square, Square, [R2 + Square] to trick a blocking opponent into getting a burst slash in the face. Or in the instances where you're against a mech that can block your burst slashes, try Square, Square, Circle to grab them instead. But then of course, for mechs that can't be grabbed, such as Ardjet, Inhert, Anubis, or Aumaan Anubis, it's obviously best to use the previous combo. For more variety, you could try changing the number of slashes each time you do the combo. But in general, this is just an example. It's recommended you try your own mixups to your style to see what works best for you. - Here's a nice tactic. When in a sword fight, try dash slashing backwards. You will move backwards, evading your opponent's own attack, then immediately dash forward and slash the enemy. This works since dash slashing automatically locks on to the target, and moves in closer, completely ignoring the direction you dashed in, when the actual slash motion starts. - Normal slashes can be cancelled into other moves. For example, if you input Square ~ Circle, Jehuty will do part of the slashing animation, then use a grab in the middle of the move. The slash won't do any damage, but it's a nice trick to try. Other combinations that work are Square ~ [R2 + Forward + Square], or Square ~ [R2 + Square], or even Square ~ R1. - In all the time I've been playing ZOE2, I've seen far too many people abuse the grab button when using any form of Jehuty, mashing it repeatedly, and they win a lot...sometimes even by a time out. Strangely enough, Jehuty's grab seems to out-prioritize almost all other close range attacks in the game. Well, you might be able to use this easily against an inexperienced player, but you must know that a well timed dash slash from a quick opponent (any form of Jehuty, Nephtis) will be impossible to deal with using this tactic. However, on opponents that can't be grabbed, it's pretty much useless anyway. Ok, back to the subject of a well timed dash slash, it should be used in a hit-and-run strategy in order to avoid being grabbed right after. It's safe to say after avoiding a grab two to three times following a well timed dash slash, it's the perfect time to do it again without fear of being damaged (two or three times depending on how fast you move and the style of your opponent). - When grabbing an opponent, try staying close to a wall. Use giant swing to increase the force of your throws, and increase the opponent's recovery time. When releasing, throw them at the nearby wall, then press [R2 + Square], and you should get a free burst slash, if you used giant swing long enough. You may also follow this up with yet another grab if you're quick enough, repeating the process. Hmm, coincidentally, while I was writing this, my cousin showed me a great combo after grab stuns. Basically he grabbed me and slammed me on a nearby wall, he did a burst slash, followed by two hits of the regular slash combo, which I was able to block, then finishing it with another grab, to make it [R2 + Square], Square, Square, Circle, then slamming the opponent into the same wall, repeating the process. The two slashes trick the enemy into blocking, then Circle follows....but it would be nice to mix the number of slashes you include, yet again, for the sake of being random. - Square, Square, Circle or Square, Square, Square, Circle work very well in melee combat. I've noticed that once the first slash connects with the opponent, even if it is blocked, the following grab is guaranteed. Though I have only tested this against Jehuty's many forms, I'm sure it will work on Vic Viper. Nephtis though, I'm not sure of, since she's so fast she just might be able to dash to the side in time to avoid getting grabbed. - This is the very basic form of Jehuty, thus most characteristics from the original ZOE Jehuty apply. Normal/dash shots and most melee attacks can be blocked with R1. Burst shots or burst melee attacks cannot be blocked. Probably the only change is that dash slashes can now be blocked as well, unlike in the first game where a simple [R2 + Forward + Square] would be enough to break a turtle's shell. Never EVER attempt to trade hits. Keep a time-pressured mentality, and try to beat your opponent in as little time as possible, and taking as little damage as you can. It's either get a free hit in or wait for another opportunity. If you're sure to take damage, try dashing forward in random directions to avoid shots. For projectiles with homing properties, either try to outrun the shots by dashing diagonally up or down to one side, or blocking the shot(s) if applicable. - If you insist on playing long range, or have a tough time getting in close to play melee, it will be a lot more difficult obviously. Mix up volleys of normal shots and the occasional dash shot. If you notice the opponent blocking shots instead of evading, try setting him up for a grab. Move in closer while continuously using normal/dash shots. When you get close enough, take the chance to grab or burst slash. Though this will obviously work so much better for the second player (since the 1P's mech will be blocking the view), it doesn't mean it's totally useless for the other player. Oh, and obviously, for Jehuty ver.2 and Naked Jehuty, this is pretty much useless since they don't need R1 to block Jehuty's normal shots (energy shield). - If you accidentally charge up a burst shot, and don't want to release it for some reason, you can easily cancel it by dashing to one direction without releasing Square. - There's a nice little trick you can use to hide your burst shot attempts. This is only guaranteed to work for the player in the background. First of all, you have to play in a map with many destructible areas (Margaritifer, Callisto). Stay close to one of those places in the map, and destroy it. While the dust covers the screen, and the sound drowns the charge-up sound of your shot, take the chance and fire an uncharged burst shot. Hopefully it won't be seen quickly enough for the opponent to evade it. Alternatively, it's also a good tactic to hide behind one of those destructible areas, and safely charge-up a burst shot behind it. It would be better if it was a bit far from the opponent, so the charge-up sound won't be heard so clearly, if at all. when the opponent destroys the obstacle, release your shot just as the dust scatters. This will provide the perfect smokescreen for your shot to get safely through to your target. If this is being done on YOU, it's easily countered by staying on the move, even when your opponent seems idle. - While normally dash shots would be very handy in the actual game, this feature's usefulness is limited to a select few instances in VS mode, the most obvious one being the L1 Wisp Missiles attack when battling Ardjet. Another instance would be against Inhert's mines, or Anubis/Aumaan Anubis' burst shot (but this can be dealt with easier using a burst shot of your own straight towards it). VS OTHER MECHS --- Jehuty: Well like the game says, it all depends on the skill of the runner. Keep your forward movement random until the last possible moment to keep your opponent guessing where you'll come from, then greet him up close with a dash slash. If he keeps blocking, then use grabs, not burst slashes, as there are more follow-ups to a grab (an exception being the Way to Phobos map, it having no walls and all). If you find yourself caught clashing blades with your opponent, break the rhythm with a dash slash towards one side. If your opponent plays keep away, try and score a few hits in by randomizing between shots, then show him your own run-away game. Sure, this doesn't sound like much fun, but if that's what your opponent does, you'll have to beat him at it. However, if you still don't feel like playing long range, simply hold R1 and advance slowly towards him, dashing whenever you see a chance without having to get hit. Anyway if he decides to use a burst attack, you'll see it coming in time to dash away to one side. Though you have to be very careful, because if you get hit even once, and your opponent has more life than you, you'll have a tough time catching him for that bit of damage you need to deal to win (time-out....not the most spectacular finish). Jehuty ver.2: Basically, it's the same as fighting Jehuty, only worse. You're at a serious handicap here, not only because nearly all your long range attacks are rendered useless because of the energy field, but your enemy can block your burst slashes! Another thing, Jehuty ver.2 outclasses Jehuty in long range combat 3-to-1, thanks to the fin-funnel-like things assisting it with every attack. You'll just have to rely on your skill to win here. But if your opponent just so happens to be an excellent player as well, probably the most you can hope for is a draw. Sure, sure, I know you're intent on beating the crap out of the guy, even with this handicap. Well, either get better than him in maneuvering your frame...or just and choose a better mech. =P Damaged Jehuty: The easy way to win against Damaged Jehuty is to stay long range, and keep using dash shots. Do not EVER let D. Jehuty get up close, otherwise you could be in big trouble. Remember, although D. Jehuty has very low defense, and lacks the ability to guard, it still has nearly equal melee attack strength with Jehuty ver.2, making it a threat up close. Just keep your distance and you're guaranteed to win! Naked Jehuty: Hmm, to put it flatly, treat N. Jehuty like a tough, beefed-up version of Jehuty ver.2. If you have trouble against ver.2, then consider yourself toast with this badass. =/ Vic Viper: Pray that the player you're against isn't really skilled at evasion, or better yet, doesn't know of plane mode...otherwise it's practically useless to try to win against this cheap-ass piece of work. When against it in LEV mode, dash slashing from multiple, random directions will deal serious damage. When it's in plane mode, try hitting it with dash shots, but otherwise, keep on your toes and move, move, MOVE!! While it's easy to evade every one of Vic Viper's attacks, you have to watch out for when Option is used, which makes evading twice, thrice, or even four times more difficult than usual. Ardjet: First of all, since you cannot grab Ardjet, so obviously every strategy mentioned above involving grabs cannot be applied here. At long range, you're at a disadvantage, so stick to coming up close and using melee attacks. Square, Square, [R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square] works well when you randomize the direction of the dash slash each time, or on occasion, replace it with a burst slash so as to keep your opponent guessing. When you see Ardjet starting to charge for her burst attack (armor coming off for a second, then reforming as a protective shell), get far enough away to avoid the charging energy, making sure not to get trapped in a corner, where Ardjet can trap you within the energy field and kill you in an instant. While the attack is charging, keep dashing to one side in order to avoid the beam as it comes. The moment the beam passes, dash forward towards Ardjet during the long recovery period, and punish it with custom slash combos with a burst slash or two. The L1 Wisp Attack can easily be defeated by using the dash shot in the same way you beat Mosquito squadrons, or even Ardjet herself in the actual mission. Simply hold down Square when performing the dash shot, and select as many wisps as you can. You won't get them all in one volley though, so you'll have to dash shot again to mop up the extras. After you destroy every one of them, get up close to Ardjet and pay back the same way you do after successfully avoiding her burst shot. Nephtis: Melee combat with Nephtis is a risky business. Quite possibly the only mech who can actually exceed Jehuty's abilties in melee attack variation. Crossing blades repeatedly is not a good idea, since not only does Nephtis have a faster melee attack rate, but her burst slash will go right through your slashes and you won't even notice it much until you see a huge portion of your life fade away. So how do you get the upper hand in close combat? Grabs. Either grab like there's no tomorrow and follow up a successful grab to giant swing with a burst slash, or use hit-and-run dash slashing to deal damage. Watch out for her extremely deadly burst shot when fighting from afar. It's not at all like Zombie Neith's similar burst shot, where you could avoid it by simply moving straight forward. Dash diagonally up or down in one direction repeatedly until the shots dissipate. If you notice Nephtis glowing red for a prolonged period while idle, you'll know that this will be a good chance to deal some serious damage. Stay in one place until she comes dashing, then quickly evade it by dashing once or twice to one side, and use her recovery time to get in a free burst slash, or simply a dash slash if she's too far away. That leaves her dash shots. Not only are they easy to evade, but you can get a few free hits in if you're quick enough, and are at the right place at the right time. Within mid-range, dash forwards to one side rapidly to evade the dash shots, and get close at the same time. Get a few slashes in, then either continue with timed dash slashes, or get the hell outta there before she gets a chance to use her own dash slash. Inhert: While it's true that the Inhert far exceeds Jehuty in terms of melee attack damage, its lack of mobility gives the latter a huge advantage. With this in mind, NEVER rush in and mash that Square button expecting to kick ass and come out unscathed...that's a sure fire way to have have YOUR ass handed to you. Similar to fighting Nephtis, continuous well-timed dash slashes are your key to winning. This time around, however, try to limit movement from side to side, and never straight up or down when executing attacks, since Inhert's own dash slash has considerably great vertical range. Also, since this mech cannot be grabbed, don't waste your time with Circle and concentrate on using your sword. If your opponent keeps distance, releasing mines all over the place (especially deadly in a small map, such as the Wind Tunnel), you might want to use dash shots to mop up a couple of mines first to clear the way. Then keep dashing towards him while firing dash shots along the way. Jehuty is much faster than Inhert, so you'll catch up in no time. Once you get close, get a few dash slashes in, or even a Combo Smash, until he manages to get away. If your opponent uses Decoy a lot, then you might want to try using regular slashes randomly, and you'll eventually get a hit or two in. Other Inhert players may try dash slashing a bit, then using Decoy before you get a hit in. In that case, when you know he's about to Decoy, wait around half a second, then use a burst slash. That should hit him just about the time he comes out of the teleport. As for Inhert's two types of spread shots, they aren't much of a threat, and are easy as hell to avoid. For the vertical type, simply move to one side to evade. And for the horizontal type, either move up or down. It has a rather long cooldown time as well, so you can probably get a couple of free normal shots in. Anubis: The worst thing an Anubis player can do to you is play hit-and-run, as that is the most ideal way to play this mech. When you see Anubis warp towards you, keep R2 held in preparation. When he materializes, wait half a second, then press Square to burst slash right after his invulnerability period wears off. Keep one thing in mind though, there is NO way Anubis can defeat Jehuty in close combat, even if all the Jehuty player does is mash Square. Anubis' attack rate is simply too slow. If you start crossing sword to spear everytime, not a single one taking a hit, use a dash slash to take the initiative. If you are forced to block while Anubis is attacking (like when you're under attack by Anubis' dash shots), watch the spear closely. If you see Anubis hesitate for a while during a slash combo, either cease guarding and dash away to one side quickly, or break the combo with a dash slash, then resume guarding (assuming the dash shots are still there). The reason for this is the guard-break property of the 4th or 5th hit of Anubis' slash combo...this varies because Anubis can delay the unblockable hit. This tip applies as well for the 4th hit of Anubis' burst slash combo. The most annoying attack of Anubis would have to be those dash shots. If used in conjunction to hit-and-run attacks, Jehuty will have a very tough time avoiding damage. Trying to dash away to avoid them is risky. Instead, use guard and take note of the tip given above concerning Anubis' unblockable melee attacks. Your opponent may also decide to use grabs instead of slashes. In that case, you might want to try moving backwards while guarding. While Anubis recovers from grabbing, dash in and get a burst slash, or a Combo Smash in...that is, assuming Anubis' dash shots have already disappeared. If not, then dash backwards and fire a dash shot and guard right after until the annoying things are gone. Yet another thing you don't want an Anubis player to do is to mix up dash shots and burst shots. Normally, Anubis' burst shots can simply be destroyed before they reach you by using dash shots. But if preceded by dash shots, you will be forced to guard. What you have to do is to keep your guard up, right until the burst shot gets nearly within melee range, then start dashing backwards while firing dash shots. An alternative way to beat this is to gradually move backwards closer and closer to a wall, then dashing to the side the moment the burst shot is right in your face, to trick it into hitting the wall. Just remember to resume guarding right after if the dash shots are still there, which is highly unlikely. As for Anubis' normal shots, they can be avoided pretty easily, or simply blocked so don't worry too much. If they're used in conjunction with dash shots and/or burst shots, simply do the same strategy above for dash/burst shot combinations, since Anubis cannot charge up a burst shot while firing normal shots anyway. If you see Anubis charging up for a grab, use a burst slash to knock him out of his charge-up. Otherwise you can simply evade the grab, and punish him during the long recovery. ------------ *NEW to v1.1 ------------ While playing against extremely skilled Anubis hit-and-run players, I found a good strategy to counter it with Jehuty. Basically, this tactic revolves around repeatedly dashing straight left or right while periodically using dash shot. Keep a fair distance away from Anubis, but also make sure he is within range of Jehuty's dash shot. If your opponent's favorite tactic is to fire a volley of dash shots, warping in to melee/grab as the shots reach their target, then you've pretty much got this match in the bag. If you see Anubis charging a burst shot, delay your dash shot by holding down the Square button, until you lock on to two targets (Anubis and the ball of energy) before releasing. You'll destroy the burst shot before it even finishes charging, and you'll dish out a bit of damage on Anubis as well. Aumaan Anubis: In most accounts, Aumaan Anubis is to be treated the same way as Anubis. One important difference is their burst shots. For regular Anubis, it's a slow homing version is more suitably destroyed from afar. As for A. Anubis, it has a new version in its disposal: a fast, non-homing shot. It's recommended to evade this one instead of attempting to destroy it. One thing to remember though, is that A. Anubis has the ability to release two burst shots in a row, the second one's charge-up being cancelled. But this cannot be done unless you fire a shot at A. Anubis while he's charging. If you cease your fire while he is charging, you won't have to worry about any double burst shots heading your way. Another difference is the grab. Unlike when fighting regular Anubis, A. Anubis' grab charge-up is uninterruptible, so the grab itself must be avoided. Once you do, however, you can easily get a few free hits in while A. Anubis recovers. As for his other attacks, simply treat them like much stronger versions of those of regular Anubis. =========== [ 4-2 ]: Jehuty ver.2 -------- MOVE LIST --- R1 = Guard R2 = Burst Mode Square, hold down hard (Far) = Shot (single) Square, hold down lightly (Far) = Shot (triple burst) Square (Close) = Sword slash Square x 3 (Close) = 3-hit starter of Combo Smash - Square = 4th slash pushes enemy straight backwards. - Triangle = 4th slash pushes enemy up. - X = 4th slash pushes enemy down. R2 + Square (Far) = Burst Shot* R2 + Square (Close) = Burst Slash Circle = Grab - Wait = Release and throw - Mash Circle = Giant Swing** R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Far) = Homing Lasers*** R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Close) = Dash Slash * - Hold Square longer to increase the damage of the burst shot. You will know when you've reached the maximum charge when you see streaks of light appearing around the ball, along with a quick flash sound. ** - The faster you mash the circle button, the longer Jehuty spins the enemy, and the longer the recovery time of the enemy (even longer if the enemy hits a wall). *** - Hold Square longer while continuing to dash to select more than one target. SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- Homing-DShot Homing-BShot Auto-Guard Enhanced-Guard COMBAT TIPS --- - First things first. Remember, that ver.2 is invulnerable to most normal or dash shots in the game. A few exceptions include Anubis/A. Anubis' normal shots, and Vic Viper's Ripple/Gravity Bullet attacks. An interesting thing is that you are also invulnerable to Ardjet's wisp attacks, including the L1 Wisp Missiles ability. Note that when I said invulnerable, I meant you would not take damage from them EVEN WITHOUT BLOCKING. Speaking of blocking, ver.2's guard has been upgraded as well, and can now block several burst attacks. Using ver.2, you can block Jehuty's burst shot/burst slash (all versions), Ardjet's burst shot (!!) and charge-up, Inhert's mines/burst slash, and Nephtis' burst shot/burst slash. With all this in mind, you might want to concentrate on dashing closer rapidly, than wasting time guarding. - Firepower has been tripled with ver.2, thanks to those things rotating around it. Using a normal shot will fire three instead of one, and using the 3 shot burst will launch a volley of nine shots. When using dash shots, burst shots, and any form of slash, the small rotating things rush forward and deal additional damage to the target simultaneously. This makes fighting at a distance much more advantageous, so you won't have to rush in everytime you want to deal considerable damage...but I still prefer melee anyway =P - Every strategy mentioned above (section 4-1) concerning slashes and grabs still applies to ver.2. Same goes for nearly everything else, but including the added invulnerabilty as well. The grab to burst slash combo works much better now not only because of the added damage, but because the rotating things will keep the opponent stunned a little while longer with each burst slash, so you'll have more time to get a Square, Square, Circle combo in right after. VS OTHER MECHS --- Jehuty: This time, YOU have the advantage. Don't worry about normal/dash shots as you're immune to them anyway. Jehuty's burst shots can be blocked with R1, so no problem there. When fighting melee, you might notice the Jehuty player do grabs more than burst slashes, considering ver.2 can block the latter. Use hit-and-run dash slashing tactics against grab- happy opponents. You can also try keeping your distance and randomly firing normal and dash shots, as Jehuty would have to block them with R1, slowing him down each time. Jehuty ver.2: Like I said before on Jehuty VS Jehuty matches, this will depend on your skill as a runner (duh!). Grab is your best friend here. Use and abuse the Circle button, then use follow-ups ALWAYS! If your opponent uses the hit-and-run dash slash strategy to counter, either dash slash vertically to avoid and hit at the same time, or simply back off for a moment if you feel it's too risky. Instead, you can try using Combo Smash, while interrupting it at random points with dash slashes to confuse your opponent. Nothing much else I can say about it, but as a rule of the thumb, keep your movement as random as possible. Damaged Jehuty: Keep your distance, make full use of that increased firepower to keep D. Jehuty at bay. Dash shots work best for this. If D. Jehuty manages to get close, you can choose to either time your dash slashes much more accurately, or try and find a way to back off. Never mind the damage you take if so, since you can easily catch up with a few dash shots while retreating. Naked Jehuty: Again, treat N. Jehuty like a stronger version of ver.2. Give a higher priority to avoiding damage, rather than dealing it. Stay on your toes, trying to get the occasional dash slash in. Relying on grab may work as well, but be extra careful to avoid getting slashed in the process. Vic Viper: With ver.2, you can now block Vic Viper's twin laser attack...but it's not as if a decent V2 player would rely on that anyway. You can also block the regular missile attack, but that's not where the danger is. Get this straight, you CANNOT block Ripple and Gravity Bullet, with the former being more difficult to avoid. Those two attacks are very very dangerous, especially Gravity Bullet, which takes off an insane amount of life. It's also difficult to get a hit in during plane mode because of its high mobility. Yes I know, it's really a major disadvantage on your part, but that's pretty much the case with V2 against nearly any other mech anyway. Get a few shots in while V2 transforms into plane mode (which the player would most likely do), then try to evade ANY damage to win by time-out. But if the V2 player is very good at landing hits, there might be nothing you can do anyway. Good luck! Ardjet: Ardjet has almost no chance of winning against ver.2. Now that you can block her burst shot and charge-up, and are immune against her L1, as well as her wisp attacks, there's nothing much to worry about. Take advantage of every one of Ardjet's long recovery times, and you should do more than fine. Jehuty ver.2 easily outclasses Ardjet in melee combat, so use whatever slash combo you like (apart from grabs of course, as Ardjet cannot be grabbed). Ardjet's grab can be a bit of a danger, as it deals quite a lot of damage, and comes out fast. So you would do well to keep attacking without letting up when in close range, never letting her get the chance to get you in a grab. Nephtis: Use the same strategies mentioned in section 4-1 against Nephtis. The only difference is that you don't have to worry about her long range capabilities anymore, since you don't have to block her normal/dash shots, and you can now guard against her burst attack. The L1 charging attack is nothing to worry about as well, a single dash to the side rendering it useless. You have a better chance in melee combat now, but Nephtis still has much more maneuverability, so don't take too many risks, and attack systematically using dash slashes and evasion. Inhert: Now that you're immune to Inhert's normal/dash shots, and you can block any possible damage from the mines (but they're better of destroyed anyway) as well as his burst slash, you don't have much to worry about. Stay close and apply the same strategies mentioned in section 4-1 to defeat Inhert. Side-to-side dash slashing is still the best way to win since you can't grab him. Anubis: Well, nothing has changed in what you can and cannot block, so the same strategies mentioned above (and again, in section 4-1) apply. It's much easier to destroy incoming burst shots now that you have increased firepower. You also have an even greater melee advantage now that you can deal even greater damage, not to mention the rotating things keeping Anubis at bay. Aumaan Anubis: I really shouldn't be saying this again, but use the same tips in section 4-1. The same differences apply between Anubis and A. Anubis, same with the differences in strategies needed to defeat them. It's all about dash slash and Combo Smash, so you would want to get close as much of the time as possible. =========== [ 4-3 ]: Damaged Jehuty -------- MOVE LIST --- R1 = Guard R2 = Burst Mode Square (Close) = Sword slash Square x 3 (Close) = 3-hit starter of Combo Smash - Square = 4th slash pushes enemy straight backwards. - Triangle = 4th slash pushes enemy up. - X = 4th slash pushes enemy down. R2 + Square (Close) = Burst Slash Circle = Grab - Wait = Release and throw - Mash Circle = Giant Swing* R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Close) = Dash Slash * - The faster you mash the circle button, the longer Jehuty spins the enemy, and the longer the recovery time of the enemy (even longer if the enemy hits a wall). SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- No-Guard No-LR COMBAT TIPS --- - Ok, first for the obvious stuff. Damaged Jehuty cannot guard what R1, so all you can rely on is evasion. D. Jehuty cannot use any kind of long range attacks, limiting you to melee combat. I don't recommend using D. Jehuty myself, except if you want a hell of a workout (or an ass-whooping, whichever). - D. Jehuty can deal a considerable amount of damage close-up. However, that's just the point, you need to get close-up to fight, and without R1, that's no easy task all the time. D. Jehuty can be useful in practicing your evasion skills, because you'll be needing them every step of the way if you want to win. D. Jehuty takes damage like a beat-up old can, so this is very important. Remember, if you can't even get close, then don't hope on winning any matches. - Every close combat strategy mentioned for Jehuty and ver.2, excluding those that require R1 and/or long-range setups. VS OTHER MECHS --- Jehuty: Since you outclass regular Jehuty in melee combat, perhaps the most obvious question is "How do I fight when Jehuty fights long distance?" The most dangerous threat are the dash shots, which can home in on you quite easily. You'll have to stick to single-direction dashing if you want to have a chance at getting away with a full life bar (and believe me, that life bar can drop FAST if you're not careful). Try luring your retreating opponent into a corner, where you can trap him and get up close where you can actually deal damage (obvious exception, Way to Phobos map). Once you actually get in close, hit-and-run dash slashing is the safest way to go. If you don't like that, then performing Combo Smash to grab combos work well too, if you continue with follow-ups during the grab stun. Jehuty ver.2: Using the same strategy to get in close won't be as effective as when against regular Jehuty, due to ver.2's increased firepower. You might want to keep your distance instead, out of the range of any incoming normal/dash/burst shots. Yes I know this is just as boring as it is lame, but there's really nothing you can do if you rush in like an idiot. Best to take the intelligent way out of this ;) Though you could just dash forward like mad, trying to evade everything that comes your way, then dash slash like crazy once up close. Doubt that will work though, and you'll probably have lost half your life bar when you finally reach your enemy). If your opponent decides to go in close though, you can simply treat him like a stronger, tougher Jehuty, and do hit-and-run dash slashes, or Combo Smash to grab combos, only being even more careful about avoiding hits. Damaged Jehuty: Well well, a close-combat-only match. Timing will play a very important part here. Hit-and-run dash slashing is the best way to go, the more accurate player getting the advantage. If you get chance to grab, make sure you follow-up!! The golden rule with grabs, is to never leave it as just that...a grab. Add whatever you can right after, especially a burst shot. If that grab opportunity comes, this match is yours. So on the other hand, don't ever let up with your movement and dash slashing, so as not to give your opponent any chances for a grab. Naked Jehuty: Need I say anything different? Imagine N. Jehuty as a much more powerful form of Jehuty ver.2, and you should be fine (or not). Vic Viper: If V2 is in plane mode in the hands of a decent player, then you have absolutely no chance of winning. Why the hell did you have to go and choose this crappy frame against V2 in the first place?! This isn't a challenge, it's a massacre. And guess what, you're the dead guy. >:) Ardjet: If Ardjet decides to use the L1 Wisp Missiles attack, then you're pretty much screwed. That's all it takes, a single push of L1 by your enemy, and it's bye bye you. If you mean fighting Ardjet close range, however, you have a clear advantage if you keep dash slashing. But if your opponent knows any better, you won't be getting many chances to get up close, if at all. Nephtis: Nephtis shouldn't be as hard as you expect....as long as you get near her that is. Since this frame is so fast, I doubt you'll be able to get close if she plays keep away. If it's a close combat match, however, then you'll simply have to use the same strategy mentioned for nearly every mech against D. Jehuty....hit-and-run dash slashing. The reason I keep recommending that tactic, is that with D. Jehuty, you really can't risk taking any melee hits from any other character. Otherwise, you might try taking advantage of Nephtis' immediate lack of range by using grabs repeatedly on random occasions, but not too often, so your opponent doesn't expect it. Inhert: All of Inhert's projectiles are easy to avoid. His normal shots can be avoided by dashing vertically or horizontally forward, depending on the type of volley. The mines aren't hard to avoid, especially in large maps like Margaritifer. You can easily avoid damage from his dash shots by continuously dashing to one side while moving forward. Ok sure, now we know it's easy to avoid damage, now let's concentrate on actually dealing damage of your own. Getting close shouldn't be a problem since Inhert isn't what you would call fast. Even on a map like the Way to Phobos, you'll be able to catch up to Inhert eventually. Once you get near, you might want to use the same strategy...hit-and-run dash slashing. But this time, limit your dashing from side to side. Anubis: Ok, this is going to be very tough, and I don't really know whether D. Jehuty has a chance against a fairly decent Anubis player. If Anubis decides to use dash shot, that's bad news for you. It's difficult to completely avoid the dash shot, because for one thing it's homing, and you can't guard so evading it is the only thing you can do. You will have to actually get close, as usual, to deal damage. And you might as well wait for a time-out if Annubis decides against warping or moving closer. That is of course, if you can't trap Anubis in a corner...which I doubt will be an easy task. Aumaan Anubis: I'll say the same thing I said about N. Jehuty to ver.2. A. Anubis is a stronger, tougher version of Anubis, and should be treated as such. =========== [ 4-4 ]: Naked Jehuty -------- MOVE LIST --- R1 = Guard R2 = Burst Mode Square, hold down hard (Far) = Shot (single) Square, hold down lightly (Far) = Shot (triple burst) Square (Close) = Sword slash Square x 3 (Close) = 3-hit starter of Combo Smash - Square = 4th slash pushes enemy straight backwards. - Triangle = 4th slash pushes enemy up. - X = 4th slash pushes enemy down. R2 + Square (Far) = Burst Shot* R2 + Square (Close) = Burst Slash Circle = Grab - Wait = Release and throw - Mash Circle = Giant Swing** R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Far) = Homing Lasers*** R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Close) = Dash Slash * - Hold Square longer to increase the damage of the burst shot. You will know when you've reached the maximum charge when you see streaks of light appearing around the ball, along with a quick flash sound. ** - The faster you mash the circle button, the longer Jehuty spins the enemy, and the longer the recovery time of the enemy (even longer if the enemy hits a wall). *** - Hold Square longer while continuing to dash to select more than one target. SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- Homing-DShot Homing-BShot Auto-Guard Enhanced-Guard COMBAT TIPS --- - So now you have the most powerful form of Jehuty in your hands. Don't get carried away, or you might accidentally let down your guard. You'll still want to get in close to deal damage, but your options aren't limited to that. Firepower has been increased since ver.2, minus the rotating things that deal added damage after the actual hit (which means less stun with each attack). But the increased attack damage more than makes up for it anyway. - Just like ver.2, N. Jehuty is immune to several attacks, and the R1 guard has been improved. The list is the same between both frames, so I need not list them again. - In the game mission, you may not have noticed but the initial burst when pressing R2 actually deals damage to enemies. It's actually a very powerful attack, and can take out most bosses in one or two hits. Take note though that you can't do this anymore in versus mode, so don't try it. I'm not sure if it works for regular Jehuty, D. Jehuty, or ver.2, though. - Every strategy mentioned previously for regular Jehuty and Jehuty ver.2 are applicable for Naked Jehuty as well, only things should be more efficient because of the added damage. If I mention something about added stun with ver.2, however, it might not work as well for N. Jehuty due to the absence of the rotating things around ver.2. VS OTHER MECHS --- I don't know if I should still write versus strategy for Naked Jehuty, because I guess what I would suggest is similar to using ver.2. It would simply be a waste of space and time, so if you want strategy for N. Jehuty, simply check section 4-2. However in future versions, if I get enough requests for unique strategies for N. Jehuty against other mechs, I'll see what I can do. =========== [ 4-5 ]: Vic Viper -------- MOVE LIST --- [LEV Mode] R1 = Guard R2 = Burst Mode Square (Far/Close) = Punch (?) Square x 5 (Close) = 9-hit punch combo R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square = Dash Punch R2 + Square (Close) = Burst Punch R2 + Square (Far) = Gravity Bullet L1 = Mode Change (to Ship Mode) [Ship Mode]* R2 = Burst Mode R1 = Shield** Square = Twin Lasers Circle = 3x-Missile Barrage R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square [OR] R2 + Square = Ripple R2 + Left Analog Stick + Circle [OR] R2 + Circle = Gravity Bullet R3 = Option*** L1 = Mode Change (to LEV Mode) * - In Ship Mode, distance does not affect which attacks you do. This means the "close" and "far" variables are inactive, so for example, whether you're near or far won't change that pressing Square does Twin Lasers. ** - Using Shield takes off 20% of your life bar with each use. You may not use Shield again while one is still active. Shield gradually wears down as it takes damage for V2. When it's down to color red, you'll know it's almost gone. *** - Using Option takes off ~16.67% of your life bar with each use. You may have up to four Options active at any given time. SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- Transform Homing-DShot (Ship Mode) Homing-SpcShot (Ship Mode) Homing-DSpcShot (Ship Mode) Grab-Null (Ship Mode) COMBAT TIPS --- - Ship Mode...'nuff said. Without it, you've got about as much of a chance as D. Jehuty has against N. Jehuty, long range. Ah yes, V2...the ZOE2 version of kicking someone in the nuts. Constant and rapid motion is the most basic part of any V2 strategy, since this guy can't really take much damage. If you keep dashing to one direction in ship mode, I doubt you'll lose much of your life bar, if at all. - Based on my experience, only two attacks of V2 really matter much...Ripple and Gravity Bullet. These two not only dish out massive doses of whoop-ass, but they have the guard break property as well! While in constant motion, using Ripple when you can, and Gravity Bullets + normal missiles, you're practically invincible...if you use the evasion tactics discussed further down, that is ;) - You may notice when fighting V2 as a boss in the game mission, that Ripple can be easily avoided by standing still. Well, I've noticed that the direction of the entire Ripple attack isn't constant with the first ring, but each proceeding ring's path is unique, and determined by V2's current position. Normally you might be doing Ripple while dashing to one side. What you end up doing is making a clear path in the center of all the rings, which the opponent can use to evade the attack easily. The best way to use Ripple is as follows: While dashing to one direction, initiate the Ripple attack by pushing R2 + Square. Just as the first ring comes out, start dashing back and forth rapidly while the succeeding rings appear. What happens, is that the rings' centers overlap each others, creating a solid wall that most certainly cannot be avoided by simply standing still. By doing this, you can be sure it's much much harder to avoid your attack. If you had a few Options with you, then all the more would it be tough to avoid. - There is another way to use Ripple effectively. Instead of relying on the attack to do the actual damage, use it as a setup move for a Gravity Bullet. First of all, you'll have to use the standard method for using Ripple...by dashing fluidly to one side and using the attack. This will have the blank center like I described earlier. The trick is, instead of using Ripple alone, simultaneously use it with Gravity Bullet using the following input while dashing: R2 + Square ~ (Move to the opposite direction) ~ R2 + Circle. Eh, if you're familiar with Tekken, then you'll know that "~" means "press immediately after." This will fire the Gravity Bullet right in the center of the Ripple attack, closing the escape hole effectively. - Another alternate method of using Ripple and Gravity Bullet effectively is to alternate directions while attacking. Dashing one direction, use Ripple. Then just as the last ring comes out, dash to the opposite direction and fire a Gravity Bullet. This works best when using Options, of course. - The regular missiles are very inaccurate. You would only want to use them as a diversion for your real attack, which can include Ripple attacks or Gravity Bullets. Even if the missiles do manage to hit, they don't really do much damage anyway, so don't make it your primary means of offense. - Using Options is like using a double-edged sword. True, you get to double, triple, or quadruple your firepower...but you lose a considerable amount of life for it. When fighting against any mech apart Nephtis, Ardjet, or V2, use only around 2 Options. Use around 3-4 when against Nephtis, and 2-3 plus Shield when against V2. Against Ardjet, don't use any, neither should you use Shield. You'll see why later on. These are just recommendations, and you can still use whatever suits you...just watch your life bar. - I don't really use Shield much, apart from when I'm against V2. It takes away a bit more off your life bar using Options do. The reason I don't recommend it against any other mech, is that they hardly have any chance of hitting the V2 anyway, considering you are always in constant motion in ship mode. - This is very important when using Option/Shield. Transforming back to LEV mode will remove all Options and your Shield, even if you change back into ship mode. This means you'll have to use up another 1/6th of your life if you want one Option or your Shield again. Once you get into ship mode, stay in ship mode until the battle ends (exception being against Ardjet). - If you find your opponent's projectile attacks bothering you too much, you can try dashing in close, right within melee range. This will trick your opponent into slashing, instead of firing shots. Then while your enemy is slashing, launch a few Gravity Bullets up close to deal major damage. - If you plan on playing in LEV mode, which I don't recommend, you'll have to make the most of the V2's sluggishness to dodge your opponent's long range attacks, and get up close to fight in melee combat. Use Gravity Bullet to push your opponent to a wall, meaning a LOT of added damage. When using the 9-hit punch combo, try not to perform last hit. The reason for this is that it comes out so slow, that the opponent will easily be able to counter during the delay. Instead of completing it, dash back a bit and use Gravity Bullet. Speaking of Gravity Bullet, you can try tricking opponents by dashing forward so as to fight up close, then dash back right when your opponent starts attacking, firing a Gravity Bullet dead on. Otherwise, use the burst punch to break through your opponent's guard. - Best map for V2 to play on? The Way to Phobos. No walls. ;) VS OTHER MECHS --- Jehuty: Stay away from Jehuty, and keep using Ripple, Gravity Bullet, and regular missiles, along with using 3-4 Options. Keep this up and you should win in no time. Jehuty ver.2: Same strategy as above... Damaged Jehuty: Hmm, do you even need strategy for this guy? Well if you do, it's exactly the same as the one mentioned for Jehuty. Naked Jehuty: Okay, this is different. You might want to be extremely careful not to get backed into a corner. Do not let N. Jehuty get close, because a few slashes from his sword will end this battle really quick. Ripple would be your "wall" here, preventing N. Jehuty from getting too close, and your diversion for Gravity Bullets. And speaking of Gravity Bullet, this will be where most of the damage comes from. However, it's very easy to avoid, so keep up with Ripple and regular missiles until you see an opening. As long as you stay away, and avoid any attempted dash shots, you should be fine. It'll take a while to whittle down N. Jehuty's health though, so you might want to use Gravity Bullets to slam your opponent against walls, for a LOT of added damage. Don't hesitate to use Shield if you feel like you need it. Vic Viper: When Konami mentioned "High Speed Robot Action", they weren't kidding. A V2 against V2 fight demonstrates this very well. This match will be fast paced, non-stop, and tough!! You'll have to outmaneuver, outwit, and outclass your opponent, and it doesn't let up at any part of the match. Stop moving for a second, and you're just asking to die. Do NOT let up constant movement at all costs! Use Ripple as much as you can, as it covers a much wider area than Gravity Bullets do. Use 2-3 Options to increase your attack spread, and Shield, so you have insurance in case you let up for a second. Nothing much I can say on this, since it's all been covered. It may sound simple enough, but it's actually quite tiring once you get to the later part of the match. Ardjet: First of all, I don't recommend using Option and Shield, as you'll be switching from ship mode to LEV mode often. It's very easy to avoid Ardjet's regular Wisp attacks and her burst attack. The problem with this battle lies in the L1 Wisp Attack. No matter how fast you move, you'll never be able to avoid all the wisps forever. So when you see this attack coming, simply transform back to LEV mode and guard with R1. Also, while holding R1, inch forward towards Ardjet, so that when the attack finishes, you have a chance at getting a free Gravity Bullet. Besides that danger, there's really nothing else you should worry about. If you're having trouble avoiding the burst attack, just remember not to accidentally get trapped by walls while dashing to evade it. Also, don't ever get too close to Ardjet, it's much safer to stay away. Nephtis: Using V2, it's not too difficult to take anyone down as long as you're in ship mode. Nephtis is an exception. This frame is the only one who can fight at the same velocity at which the V2 does. The main things you have to look out for are her suddenly getting close (which can happen), or if you give her time to charge up, her burst attack. One burst attack is enough to kill you if all three hits connect, so make it your priority not to let up long enough to give Nephtis a chance to perform this attack. A highly skilled Nephtis player will at least get a draw from this match, because technically, Nephtis can avoid all of V2's attacks with ease, and the only reason you don't see this often is because it takes a heck of a lot of skill to pull it off everytime. Inhert: The mines should be your main concern. Since you're moving so fast, you might not notice you're about to hit a mine. This is a very costly mistake. Destroy the mines with Ripple to stay on the safe side. You'll want to watch out for when Inhert uses Decoy as well, so he doesn't get a free chance to use melee attacks on you. This means, that you cannot afford to stop moving. I know, it's practically the same strategy mentioned against nearly other mech...but it's the most basic tactic when playing as V2 and is necessary if you want to win all your battles. Inhert's other shots are very easy to evade with constant motion, so don't worry about them too much. Anubis: Anubis' dash/burst shots are your main concern. Burst shots should be destroyed with Ripple or Gravity Bullet, long before they get anywhere close to the V2. Dash shots are a different matter, however. You could try dashing continuously in one direction to avoid the shots, or switch to LEV mode and guard. I don't recommend transforming to LEV mode though, as it gives Anubis a chance to attack, and breaks the most basic rule of playing with V2...constant motion. Anubis' warping shouldn't be a problem, since by the time he reaches his destination, you'll be long gone. His regular shots are pretty dangerous since they have homing properties. This is a good reason to use Shield in this battle. But if you can avoid the shots, then that's much better. Aumaan Anubis: Compared to other mechs, this one takes damage quite well. You may have a bit more trouble whittling down A. Anubis' life. But overall, you should just fight the same way you do with regular Anubis. However instead of trying to detroy dash shots, it's much safer to simply avoid them, since they're too fast but lack homing properties. =========== [ 4-6 ]: Ardjet -------- MOVE LIST --- R1 = Guard Square (Far) = 4x-Wisp Missiles Square (Close) = Sword slash Square x 4 (Close) = 4-hit sword combo R2 = Burst Shot* Circle = Grab L1 = Wisp Missile Barrage** * - Press R2 while not moving. Has a charge-up time in which energy surrounds Ardjet. The temporary energy field can damage your opponent when it comes in contact. Ardjet is invincible during charge-up and execution. ** - Ardjet is invincible during charge-up. SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- Homing-Shot Homing-SpcAtk Dmg-Dash Peerless-Grab Grab-Null Destructible (L1 Attack) COMBAT TIPS --- - Ok, after discovering Ardjet also has the Peerless-Grab property, my thoughts on this frame have changed drastically. To put it short, Ardjet is a very VERY good Anti-Jehuty mech. Her grab comes our very fast, and has quite a long cooldown time. The good thing is that she's invincible while the ENTIRE grab animation/cooldown sequence is going on. Another good thing is that there is no delay between periods of invulnerability if you press Circle again right after (assuming you're still within melee range). I'm just assuming that, since I haven't taken a single hit fighting Naked Jehuty up close while using the Invincible Grab strategy, so if there is indeed a delay, it is very slight, and the vulnerability. - You can try using the L1 special attack, but only on a few mechs. It isn't really that useful, except maybe to help you avoid certain attacks (because of the temporary invincibility). - If you're in the background, you can try using normal Wisp missiles rapidly to form a smokescreen. The explosion from these missiles, especially if they're blocked, creates clouds of smoke and sparks enough to hide Ardjet's entire body. While pressing Square at regular intervals, dash towards your opponent, using both the smoke and your opponent's body as cover. Once you get close enough, use grab. It'll catch your enemy by surprise almost all the time. Of course, this tactic only works against players who would rather block than evade attacks. - If you can't manage to beat your opponent normally, use time-out. Ardjet has a few moves that have temporary periods of invulnerability. For instance, if you keep using the burst attack, you'll only be vulnerable during the period of cooling down. Though I don't really recommend using this strategy, it's still up to you. But you have to make sure to get a lot of damage in with your attacks so you end up winning. VS OTHER MECHS --- Jehuty: Get up close. Grab. Get close again. Grab again. If you find yourself taking too many hits, time your presses of Circle so that right after the grab animation ends, the next one starts. Or better yet, time your grabs to catch Jehuty. You might want to try the R2 burst attack, but it's too easy to avoid. If you ARE going to use it, do it in a very small map, like Vascillia City. Jehuty ver.2: Same strategy as when fighting regular Jehuty. Don't bother using the R2 burst attack though, as it's practically useless against this guy. Damaged Jehuty: Use L1, that's it. If he's not dead yet after that, use normal Wisp missiles to finish the job. Naked Jehuty: Pretty much the same as fighting ver.2...just try not to take any hits =P Vic Viper: L1 will stop V2 from using Options or Shield too much, and if your opponent still uses them, it's actually a good thing. What decent V2 player would sacrifice 4 Options just like that? The L1 attack is impossible to evade, so V2 will be forced to return to mech mode. I'm not sure if Shield can hold up to it though, but this really is you're best bet at winning. You could also try normal Wisp missiles, but they don't do much damage, and they are avoidable. Ardjet: I haven't really found any good strategies for this match, but if you use the basic tips for fighting with Ardjet, you should be fine. Just remember, you have to keep moving. Randomize your attack pattern, and try dashing in on random occasions just to trick your opponent into slashing instead of using Wisps. Then while he/she is recovering from the slash animation, fire a couple of Wisp missiles to get a bit of free damage in. Since Ardjet cannot be grabbed, the Invincible Grab tactic is rendered useless. Nephtis: You might want to stay away from this enemy as well. Maintain constant distance so as to avoid getting into unnecessary melee combat. Going into the background and using the smokescreen to grab strategy might work to an extent, but it can be assumed that Nephtis would much rather evade than block. All in all, you're at a major disadvantage, so you will want to choose a better frame next time :P Inhert: Since this guy can easily evade most of your attacks simply by using Decoy, you could try sticking to using regular Wisp missiles continuously to avoid too much recovery time. You cannot use Invincible Grab for this battle as well, so you'll have to rely on long-range combat. If Inhert uses Decoy all the time to get close, you'll have to try your best to outclass Inhert at swordfighting....but that's not an easy task for Ardjet. Anubis: The only way I've found to actually have a chance at winning against a good Anubis player is to win by time-out. Directly comparing these two frames clearly shows Anubis' edge in this match. Dash shots are your main worry, since his burst shots are pretty much easy to destroy. Aumaan Anubis: Nothing much to say. Fight him like you would regular Anubis. The one difference is that it is better to avoid the burst shot this time around, rather than destroying it. But if you can do so while A. Anubis is charging, then by all means do it! =========== [ 4-7 ]: Nephtis -------- MOVE LIST --- R1 = Guard - L1/Circle = Forward Guard* R2 = Burst Mode Square (Far) = Shot (6-shot burst) Square (Close) = Slash Square x 3 (Close) = 3-hit starter of Combo Smash - Square = 4th slash pushes enemy straight backwards. - Triangle = 4th slash pushes enemy up. - X = 4th slash pushes enemy down. R2 + Square (Far) = Burst Shot R2 + Square (Close) = Burst Slash Circle = Grab R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Far) = Dash Shots R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Close) = Dash Slash L1 = Warp** * - Forward guard has absolutely no added effect, so don't bother using it =P ** - While performing this move, Nephtis is invincible. This lasts throughout the duration of the warp. SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- Homing-Shot Homing-DShot Homing-BShot Dmg-Dash Peerless-Dash Peerless-Warp COMBAT TIPS --- - In my opinion, Nephtis is one of the best mechs in the game. This frame has the best melee capabilities, which are only hindered by lack of range. You can get a lot of damage in with only a few hits, which is good especially against fast opponents. Same as Jehuty, melee combat is your best chance at victory. But then again, unlike Jehuty, Nephtis actually has a good chance of winning even if she stays away. THE most balanced frame in the game. - Being the fastest mech in the game (besides the V2 in ship mode, which I don't count) makes Nephtis very tough to predict. One moment she's in the background, then the next she's slashing the opponent up close. Use this to your advantage by zipping in and out of swordfights. Since Nephtis can also fight from a distance, you won't be useless when you get out of slashing range. Except for Anubis/A. Anubis, no other mech can use hit-and-run quite as effectively as Nephtis. Dash in closer while strafing in random directions, get one or two slashes in, then leave just before your opponent can do a thing about it. With Nephtis' speed, it's actually a bit easier than it sounds, since you'll be out of range before you know it. - Many of the melee tips for Jehuty can apply to Nephtis as well. For example, the Square, Square, [R2 + Square] combo can still work if you manage to get close enough. Or Square, Square, [R2 + Forward + Square] works as well. The main difference between Jehuty's and Nephtis' dash slashes are their homing properties. Jehuty's dash slash will automatically lock on to the opponent and move Jehuty closer to the enemy's direction without any added button presses. Nephtis' dash slash, on the other hand, does not give you an extra mini-dash towards the opponent, so if you're not close enough (which happens a lot), you'll have wasted your dash slash attempt, and will be left open for a counter attack. - Combo Smash isn't really as useful for Nephtis as it is for Jehuty. The main problem is range, which Nephtis lacks badly. I'm not sure if there's any effective way to use it, especially since Nephtis' grab comes out very slow. If you want results, better stick to, at most, just Square, Square, Square part, and mix it up or follow through any way you wish. - Here's a tip very few people know. While dashing, Nephtis is invincible. And I'm talking about the regular [R2 + Forward] dash. Repeated dashing forwards or backwards will get you through any attack in the game unharmed. A few noteable attacks are the V2's Ripple and Gravity Bullet attacks, Anubis/A. Anubis' burst shot, or even Ardjet's burst shot! This is especially useful in getting extra bits of damage in after any character's burst shot recovery time. - Nephtis' burst shot takes away insane amounts of life in three separate parts. It's charge-up time isn't so bad, and it can home in on opponents pretty well. You'll want to use this from time to time, preferrably from the background with some cover. The recovery time for this move is actually much better than her dash shot's cooldown time, and the move outprioritizes most other projectile attacks (mainly because of there being three separate shots). - The L1 Warp ability is really overrated. Sure, it's Nephtis' unique ability, but considering the high speed nature of this game, it's almost useless in most cases. The only instance I know this CAN be useful is when fighting in Vascillia City, because there's hardly any room to move. But the charge-up time isn't really what I would call "fast", and even worse, it's interruptible. If you really want to use this move, then use it when you have enough of a cover or diversion to pull it off safely. - For some reason, Nephtis cannot dash diagonally in any direction. You can only dash up, down, left, right, forward or backward one direction at a time. This greatly limits Nephtis' maneuverability. The redeeming factor is Nephtis' great speed. Since this mech can move in and out of anything and everything in just a few moments, it doesn't really change the fact that Nephtis is still the most maneuverable mech in the game. But if you're going to use her, you'd better get used to this orientation of movement, and balance your dashing between directions so you don't mistakenly end up taking shots in the face for free. VS OTHER MECHS --- Jehuty: Melee combat is the best way to go. True, it's Jehuty's greatest strength, but it's all the more for Nephtis. Keep on using dash slash, and the occasional Square, Square, [R2 + Square] combo. If your opponent has a thing for grab combos, dash slash will put him in his place. Excessive use of burst slash isn't a good idea. Instead, the only time you should be using it is after a part of the Combo Smash. Long-range combat should also work. Keep on using normal shots and keep away from Jehuty. Fire the occasional burst shot when you get a free chance to charge-up uninterrupted. Don't try grabbing though, as it comes out too slow, and you'll end up giving Jehuty a free grab combo or burst slash. Jehuty ver.2: Basically you will want to fight this guy the same way. But this time, you may want to stick to simply melee combat, as ver.2 is immune to your normal/dash shots, and can block your burst shot. Using burst slash at all is not such a good idea, because as you know, it can be blocked by ver.2 as well. Damaged Jehuty: Play keep away, and keep using normal shots. If D. Jehuty manages to get close, just use dash slash, or dash away, which is wasy considering how fast Nephtis can move. Even with D. Jehuty's increased melee attack power, it still doesn't compare with Nephtis, so you pretty much have a big advantage in this match. Naked Jehuty: Fight N. Jehuty the same way you would ver.2. The only difference you'll have to adjust to is the amount of damage this guy can dish out, as well as his increased defense. Your best bet would be staying away, then getting close quickly at random occasions and dash slashing away. Vic Viper: If you compare them on terms of speed, V2 slightly outclasses Nephtis. But if you include the attack speed of each, I'd say they're about equal. True, Nephtis might not be able to hit the V2 a lot, but the same goes for the V2 on Nephtis, if you can manage dashing around a lot. Try your best to hit V2 using normal shots. Don't even try with dash/burst shots as they're really too slow for this match's pace. If you can't see a way to get a hit in no matter how hard you try, then you might as well wait for the time to run out, avoiding attacks as they come. Yes, I know, the V2 is cheap, but there's really nothing you can do if your opponent picks it. But I can say that no matter how skilled the V2 player, a good Nephtis player can always manage a draw. It's just up to your dashing skill. Ardjet: Either way works here. You can move in close or stay back, it doesn't matter. However, you can get a lot more damage in if you fight with your swords. The main thing to watch out from Ardjet when fighting up close is her grab. If any of your hits are blocked, it's pretty easy for Ardjet to get a grab in. The solution here is to use burst slash. If Ardjet makes a grab attempt while Nephtis' burst slash is active, the slash will outprioritize the grab. If you see Ardjet start her L1 attack, the best thing to do is use the L1 warp to get close to her. She won't be able to interrupt you because of the charge-up time, and you won't take damage from the missiles. After warping, you might want to press and hold R1 while close to Ardjet, so you block the missiles (since they're inescapable). Right after the last missile hits, start slashing at Ardjet while up close to get in even more damage. If you worry about Ardjet's burst attack, then you should take notice of when her armor transforms into a shell. When that happens, dash away a bit, then start dashing all the way left or right until the shot comes. Right when you evade the shot, charge up a burst shot and it's almost guaranteed to hit. But if you like, you can use repeated dashing to get through the shot itself, then punish Ardjet up close during the long recovery time using melee combos. Nephtis: The runner who can make the most out of Nephtis' maneuverability will win this. Most probably, both players will stick to melee combat, and the first one to pull off a dash slash will win each close encounter. However, if by chance this match ends up being a long range battle, get close. That is of course, unless you want a long, boring match. Inhert: Get Inhert up close if you want to win this. Don't dash just anywhere in this match. Watch out for the mines and you'll be fine. If you see Inhert releasing mines, use L1 to go right through him, and destroy a couple of mines in the process. The invincible dashing might work as well, but I haven't tried that out on mines yet. Dash slashing constantly will keep you on the advantage, but you have to stay on Inhert's sides, so as to avoid taking damage from his own dash slash. Anubis: As usual, you will want to rely on fighting up close. If Anubis plays hit-and-run, then you might have some difficulty getting much damage in, but at least it isn't too hard unlike when you're using Jehuty because of Nephtis' speed. She should be able to catch Anubis fairly easily, regardless of his warping. Just as Anubis finishes warping close to you, perform a burst slash and it's guaranteed to hit if you time it well. Every one of Anubis' melee attacks can be countered easily with a dash slash. As for long range attacks, probably the only one that you should be concerned about is his dash shot. Evading it is not that difficult though, as dashing countinuously to one side will ensure you don't take a hit. Since Anubis' burst shot can be destroyed, use the L1 warp attack when you see it coming. Nephtis will go right through the shot, destroying it, and will hit Anubis if they aren't that far from each other. Besides burst slashing, another good way to deal with Anubis' warp is to use Nephtis' own warp. If you push L1 just as Anubis vanishes, and the distance isn't that big, Nephtis should warp dash just as Anubis' invulnerability wears off. In other cases though, Nephtis and Anubis will just warp past each other without any damage done. Think of it as an evasion move. One more thing, don't try burst shots since Anubis can block them easily. Luckily the same thing doesn't apply to her burst slashes. Aumaan Anubis: Same as fighting Anubis, except this guy is much tougher. You shouldn't risk trying to warp through A. Anubis burst shots though, as they come out too fast this time. This time, use Nephtis' invincible dashing property. Dash right through the burst shots and you'll be fine. In any other case, fight this guy as if you were fighting normal Anubis. =========== [ 4-8 ]: Inhert -------- MOVE LIST --- R1 = Guard R2 = Burst Mode Square (Far) = Horizontal Shots (33-shot barrage) Forward/Backward + Square (Far) = Vertical Shots (33-shot barrage) Square (Close) = Knife slash Square x 4 = 4-hit knife combo* R2 + Square (Far) = Floating Mines (up to 7 per use)** R2 + Square (Close) = Burst Slash R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Far) = Dash Shot R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Close) = Dash Slash Circle = Grab L1 = Decoy*** * - The 4th hit of this combo is unblockable. ** - While performing this move, Inhert is invincible. You'll know that when you see him glowing red during the move. *** - Besides deploying a clone of Inhert, this ability also teleports him right next to the opponent. SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- Homing-DShot Peerless-Warp Grab-Null Destructible (Floating Mines) COMBAT TIPS --- - It's tough where to place Inhert. Whether it be close combat or long range battles, Inhert still doesn't fit in any of the two. Why? Well, simply because a lot of the damage Inhert does will come from the Floating Mines. Fill up the stage with these little buggers to give your opponent a heck of a rough time. Inhert is also very good at melee combat, so a few mines on the level, plus Inhert attacking up close is a very deadly combination. - Inhert's dash slash has a lot more range than you would think. But it's not horizontal, but vertical range I'm referring to. [R2 + X + Square] is a good move to use, since you avoid a lot of attacks by descending alone. Not only that, but the dash slash has a good chance of connecting. - Using any of the two normal shot volleys isn't really that useful. Inhert is left defenseless for quite some time. And since he can't move that fast, it will be hard to escape in case your opponent fires some dash/burst shots in that time. Stick to dash shots and Floating Mines when fighting from afar. - If I'm not mistaken Inhert can't dash diagonally as well, similar to Nephtis, so your movement is very limited considering Inhert doesn't have the speed Nephits has to compensate. - I'll probably add more stuff for Inhert later on. Sorry there isn't much, but neither of us are exceptional Inhert players :P VS OTHER MECHS --- Jehuty: Vertical dash slashing is once way to fight this guy. But then again if you find yourself getting too many of Jehuty's dash slashes head on, you might want to keep away. Like always, try to place as many Floating Mines as you can around the map. Besides that, use dash shots to keep Jehuty away. If you do insist on fighting melee though, don't try to trade hits with Jehuty. Instead, escape via Decoy when needed. Jehuty ver.2: Long range is going to be harder against this guy, because Inhert's normal/dash shots are rendered ineffective by the auto- guard. Up close, ver.2 can block Inhert's burst slashes, as well as the fourth hit of the slash combo. I suppose filling the map with mines and dash slashing are your only chance. Though against a good Jehuty player, it's probably not going to be enough. Damaged Jehuty: Fill the place with mines, stay away from D. Jehuty and keep using dash shots. Fighting up close may work as well, since Inhert gets more damage per hit on D. Jehuty than vice versa. In any case, Inhert should ALWAYS be on the offensive, so as not to give D. Jehuty too many chances to get in close by surprise. Naked Jehuty: Fight this guy the same way you do with ver.2. Although in some cases, a win may only be pulled off by time-out. Vic Viper: Floating Mines. Rely on them as much as you can, because V2 will be flying all over the place, and hopefully you'll get some of your mines to hit. And since V2 moves so fast, it will be hard to spot every single mine on-screen, not to mention those to V2's sides. Keep using Decoy to avoid Ripple or Gravity Bullets, because you can expect these to be V2's main offense. Ardjet: Since Ardjet is one of the few mechs Inhert outclasses in melee combat, getting up close and personal isn't a bad idea. But that doesn't excuse you from having to place a few mines here and there, as it always helps. Ardjet's L1 special attack can be temporarily avoided by using Decoy strategically. Get to the farthest point away from Ardjet, wait until the missiles are right up close, then press L1 to teleport right next to Ardjet. Once close, don't hold back! Slash away until the rest of the missiles come back, then guard. And what's nice about this, is that you still get added damage while Ardjet is recovering. For her burst attack, just keep dashing away to the left or right. When the attack finishes, immediately use Decoy to teleport next to Ardjet, then hack away as much life as you can! Nephtis: Use as many mines as you can. Since Nephtis is so fast and can't dash diagonally, she will have a relatively hard time spotting all the mines on the map. Use dash slash vertically to make the most of its range. You probably won't be using burst slash often, but if you do, make sure you aren't open for counterattack during the time it takes to pull the move out. Anubis: Mines might have limited use against Anubis, especially if that player decides to play hit-and-run. Melee combat is yet again the only way to go. Use Decoy often to evade when Anubis uses burst/dash shot. Simply move all the way back, wait for the shots to reach you, then press L1 to teleport close to Anubis. Start dash slashing away once you get up close. Aumaan Anubis: Treat this guy the same way you would regular Anubis, but be extra careful in timing the evasion of his burst attacks. =========== [ 4-9 ]: Anubis -------- MOVE LIST --- R1 = Guard* R2 = Burst Mode Square (Far) = Shot (triple burst) Square (Close) = Spear Square x 4 (Close) = 4-hit starter of spear combo - Wait = Delay** - Square = Unblockable spear swing R2 + Square (Far) = Burst Shot R2 + Square (Close) = 4-hit slash combo*** Circle = Grab R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Far) = Homing Lasers R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Close) = Dash Slash L1 = Warp**** * - Anubis' guard will stun melee attackers. It causes the offensive mech to lose function for half a second, as if hit by a powerful attack. Note however that this stun doesn't deal any damage. ** - Delays the unblockable spear swing. After delaying for a second, press Square again to continue the combo without using the slow unblockable hit. You may keep doing this infinitely, and may end the combo with the unblockable hit at any time. *** - The 4th hit of the burst slash combo is unblockable. **** - While performing this move, Anubis is invincible. This lasts throughout the duration of the warp, including an extra half second after the actual warp. Anubis can only warp forwards and backwards, depending on your location. SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- Homing-Shot Homing-DShot Homing-BShot Stun-Guard Peerless-Warp Grab-Null Destructible (Burst Shot) COMBAT TIPS --- - Anubis is the game's ultimate hit-and-run character. No other mech can quite do it as this badass can (well, besides A. Anubis). Anubis has the fastest warp move in the game (apart from Zero-Shift, but it's a shame that no form of Jehuty has it in versus mode), which automatically makes it easy as pie to execute precise and risk-free quick hit tactics. An easy method is to use [R2 + Forward + Square], L1, Square, Square, L1. Anubis will use his dash shot, warp forward, then will slash twice at the opponent, warping back right before the dash shots dissipate. - Anubis has an excellent burst shot attack. The only attack that can home in like it is Ardjet's L1 attack. This big reddish-orange-black ball of death will follow your opponent wherever he goes, stopping only when one of two things happen. 1, the ball hits something (your opponent, or an obstacle). Or 2, the ball dissipates normally, which takes an awful lot of time. - Dash shot is your prime weapon. Use it to either damage your opponent, or force him to block. It's very difficult to evade for most mechs, and it is not affected by the Auto-Guard property. This attack is best used as a starter for hit-and-run raids. But nevertheless, you may find yourself using it every chance you get ;D - Another thing that makes Anubis so great is that every one of his projectile attacks are homing. Random bursts of regular shots are enough to annoy almost anyone. Couple that with dash shots around the place, and your opponent will most likely be reduced to blocking everything...a good opportunity to warp in and use the burst slash combo. - By all means, avoid using Anubis' grab. It comes out very very slow, plus it can be interrupted by any attack from your opponent (unlike that of A. Anubis which I highly recommend using). If you insist on fighting up close, use your spear! It's there for a reason! - I'll say this now. It's very difficult to be efficient at close combat with Anubis' slow melee attack rate. Your best bet up close is to use the burst slash combo. Otherwise, you can try confusing your opponent by delaying your melee attacks, then pulling off the unblockable when you see him blocking for a certain time. - Quick hit-and-run attacks consisting of L1, Square, Square, L1 are effective, but you should also take note of the warp's recovery time. Sure, you're invincible for a half second afterwards, but the delay actually lasts longer than that, and you could get a burst slash in the face. If your opponent loves countering your hit-and-run attempts with burst slashes, send a few dash shots his way to shut him up, THEN use a hit-and-run attack. Because of the dash shots, your opponent will have to block. And if he decides to attack you anyway, the dash shots will hit him and stun him at the same time. Take this opportunity to dish out Anubis' burst slash combo, or even a grab if you're feeling lucky. - Playing keep away is also one of Anubis' specialties. If your opponent gets you in close for prolonged periods of time, it could be bad on your part. The best choice is to simply warp away. A single push of L1 will do the trick for you no problem. Just remember, anytime you want a bit of "space" between you and your opponent, use L1. - Never get caught in long swordfights. If you notice you've been clashing weapons continuously for a while, just block. Anubis' Stun-Guard property will render your opponent defenseless for a while, so you can then unleash a counterattack of your own, preferrably in the form of a burst slash combo. Although it may not seem like it, blocking is a very very good escape method. If you don't like warping around too much, and want to stop an enemy from going berserk on you up close, use block. Besides the burst slash combo, you can also use the opportunity to warp away if you couldn't do it earlier. VS OTHER MECHS --- Jehuty: Try not to get close to this guy, or you might find yourself losing big chunks of life. Instead, make the most of Anubis' range and homing capabilities by mixing up normal/dash shots, and the occasional burst shot. If Jehuty somehow manages to get up close to you, simply use L1 to warp away to safety. Don't overdo it with the burst shots however, because the charge-up time is so slow, that Jehuty has a very good chance of interrupting you with an attack of his own. Jehuty ver.2: Since Auto-Guard doesn't protect against any of Anubis' shots, you shouldn't pay too much attention to it. Deal with him the same way you would normal Jehuty. It shouldn't be too difficult if you keep your distance. Damaged Jehuty: Even easier, just keep using dash shot on this guy. You could stick to the same strategy used against Jehuty. But then if dash shots alone are enough, then don't waste too much energy trying. Whatever you do though, do NOT let D. Jehuty get near. If that happens, you know what to do with that L1 button. Naked Jehuty: Just use the same strategy for ver.2. You should be more careful about keeping Jehuty away though, because if he DOES get close, you can lose a heck of a lot of life in just a few moments. Warp away as usual if you find yourself in trouble. Vic Viper: Even if you wanted to, it's useless to try and get close to this guy. You might find burst shots to be too slow to catch up to the V2, so stick to normal/dash shots. Constant warping around could be both a good or bad idea. Good, because it helps you avoid a lot of the V2's attacks. Bad, if your opponent notices it and starts timing your reappearances with Gravity Bullets. Don't stay too far away, or you'll find your dash shots dissipating even before they reach your target. V2, on the other hand, has much longer range on its attacks than Anubis. If you still have trouble, then try this starter: The moment you see V2 start transforming (most probably at the very start of the match), charge up and release a burst shot. Afterwards, if you still have any free chances, launch a dash shot and use L1 immediately after so any incoming attacks are rendered useless. Ardjet: This match is probably the only one where you would actually want to move in close to your opponent. Hit-and-run attacks work well as usual. But this time, you can stay close longer than usual, because Ardjet is one of the few mechs Anubis actually outclasses in melee combat. Although that doesn't necessarily mean that fighting up close is better than playing it safe by staying away. Take full advantage of Ardjet's long recovery times, and use burst shots to deal some serious damage. Nephtis: Whatever you do, don't get close to Nephtis, it's suicide. Your best bet at winning is to make use of Anubis' hit-and-run tactics. The good old [R2 + Forward + Square], L1, Square, Square, L1 combo works very well in this case. Don't even try using burst shots on Nephtis, as she will have no trouble interrupting the attack. Remember that in this match, the player who keeps the offensive going will win. Never get into a shell and block everything, or you'll lose every chance you have to deal damage. Inhert: Dash shots might be your favorite weapon here, but you might find warping to be a lot more useful against Inhert. Not only does it help Anubis get far away, it also helps in avoiding mines, since Anubis is invincible during the warp. A few normal/dash shots (like always) will keep your opponent on the defensive. Hit-and-run attacks may not work as well, since Inhert can easily use Decoy to get out of a sticky situation. What you DO want is to stay away as much as you can. True, Inhert can easily use Decoy to get close to you, but you can warp away just the same. If you just can't shake him off, and are forced to fight with your spear, simply block and make full use of the Stun-Guard property to disable Inhert for a brief moment. Use that time for a burst slash combo to deal a considerable amount of damage, then warp away right after. Anubis: If both of you decide to play hit-and-run, then this could end up being a match of speed and timing...and quite a long one at that. Always try to take the initiative, or you might find yourself endlessly avoiding and blocking attacks for the rest of the match. Dash shot is of course the weapon of choice here. Although normal shots will do as well since Anubis doesn't move too fast without warping. The occasional burst shot should only be executed when you see your opponent start to warp. The trick is to time the release of the shot to when your opponent loses invulnerability (around 1/2 second after appearing). In any other case it's not recommended to make use of burst shot, since it comes out very slow, plus it can easily be destroyed with a few normal shots as it moves extremely slow. Aumaan Anubis: Use the same strategy against normal Anubis, only you might have to watch out for burst shots even more. A. Anubis' burst shot is much faster than yours. A tip is not to shoot A. Anubis while a burst shot is charging, so as to avoid him using the double burst shot trick (read section 4-10 for this tip). This will be a slow-paced battle, so don't rush too much when timing attacks. And precise timing obviously is a key deciding factor. =========== [ 4-10 ]: Aumaan Anubis -------- MOVE LIST --- R1 = Guard* R2 = Burst Mode Square (Far) = Shot (triple burst) Square (Close) = Spear Square x 4 (Close) = 4-hit starter of spear combo - Wait = Delay** - Square = Unblockable spear swing R2 + Square (Far) = Burst Shot R2 + Square (Close) = 4-hit slash combo*** Circle = Grab**** R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Far) = Homing Lasers R2 + Left Analog Stick + Square (Close) = Dash Slash L1 = Warp***** * - A. Anubis' guard will stun melee attackers. It causes the offensive mech to lose function for half a second, as if hit by a powerful attack. Note however that this stun doesn't deal any damage. ** - Delays the unblockable spear swing. After delaying for a second, press Square again to continue the combo without using the slow unblockable hit. You may keep doing this infinitely, and may end the combo with the unblockable hit at any time. *** - The 4th hit of the burst slash combo is unblockable. **** - A. Anubis' grab is uninterruptible. Once the grab animation is initiated by Circle (close), the move will be executed regardless of how many hits your opponent attempts (A. Anubis is invincible during the grab animation). ***** - While performing this move, A. Anubis is invincible. This lasts throughout the duration of the warp, including an extra half second after the actual warp. A. Anubis can only warp forwards and backwards, depending on your location. SPECIAL PROPERTIES --- Homing-Shot Homing-DShot Homing-BShot Stun-Guard Peerless-Warp Peerless-Grab Grab-Null Destructible (Burst Shot) COMBAT TIPS --- - Before anything else, I'm going to take back what I said earlier about Anubis being ZOE2's ultimate hit-and-run mech. A. Anubis raises nearly every aspect of regular Anubis up a notch (apart from the Homing-BShot property, which was slightly reduced). Defense and attack power have been raised quite a bit, so you can risk a few more hits and mistakes. - A. Anubis has a pretty interesting trick with its burst shot. First of all, begin charging up a burst shot. If by chance you're hit with a normal/dash shot during this period, charge-up time for a succeeding burst shot will be negated. In English, this means that if you press Square (yes, just square, no R2) right after the first burst shot is released, A. Anubis will almost immediately fire the second one. While normally it takes several moments to charge-up a burst shot, it will only take around 1-2 seconds for the second one to come out. As I said, the catch is that you have to take a hit by a normal/dash shot from your opponent during the charge-up period of the first shot, and not after the shot is released. This can be useful in tricking opponents, especially since A. Anubis' burst shot travels extremely fast. The timing of Square for the second shot is extremely difficult, so you may want to mash the Square button right after the first burst shot to be sure you get it right. - Grabbing is a so much better with A. Anubis. The Peerless-Grab property renders A. Anubis invincible during the grab animation, so don't worry about being interrupted or damaged while grabbing. A good alternative hit-and-run strategy is [R2 + Forward + Square], L1, Circle, L1. This will definitely not work for normal Anubis, so don't even think of trying it. - While testing out A. Anubis' grab, I noticed something weird. The map being played was Margaritifer. Whenever A. Anubis grabbed the opponent, he always automatically aimed for the most open direction (meaning without obstacles) before throwing. I'm not so sure why this happens, but it possibly prevents players from using strategies similar to the endless grab-slam-grab tactic in ZOE1. Although I haven't tested this for regular Anubis, I assume it's the same case. So when grabbing, make sure you're near as many obstacles or walls as possible. Or better yet, fight in a small or cluttered map like Wind Tunnel, Antilia, or Vascillia City. - A. Anubis moves slightly faster than normal Anubis. Though you may not notice it at first, it's true. This helps A. Anubis avoid attacks much easier without having to rely on warping all the time. - All the strategies mentioned for Anubis will definitely work for A. Anubis, if not even better. You may think of A. Anubis as a "newbie" version of regular Anubis, because you are allowed more mistakes in battle due to the increased defense/attack power. VS OTHER MECHS --- Jehuty: Same strategy as in section 4-9, but you won't lose huge chunks of life this time around. Though it still is a bad idea to get up close, it's much less painful if you have to because of the added defense. It's recommended that you switch to using the improved hit-and-run strategy here (with grab), so you have a lot more chances of dealing damage. Jehuty ver.2: Again, refer to section 4-9 on what to do, which by chance is the same as dealing with regular Jehuty. Stay away...'Nuff said. Damaged Jehuty: Keep away and keep using those dash shots!! Normal shots will work nicely in keeping D. Jehuty back. And again, warp away if you see that "Close" indicator flash, because that's never a good sign in this match. Naked Jehuty: Treat this guy the same way you would ver.2, only you should be extra careful, because technically N. Jehuty is superior to A. Anubis. Although storywise they're both equal, but hey, who am I to argue? Vic Viper: You would want to deal with the V2 in a relatively small map. The best choice would be Vascillia City. Keep on using dash shots, and use warp to evade the most complicated of attacks. Don't bother with burst shot as it's not very useful in this match. If you keep on using dash shot, eventually you'll get a hit in. On large maps, it's a heck of a lot tougher to damage this guy, so you may want to settle for constant evasion. Try to get a few hits in as well for insurance. Normal shots work nicely as well, but dash shots should still be your main means of offense. The starter mentioned in section 4-9 on the V2 will work MUCH better for A. Anubis, due to the burst shot's greatly increased speed. Ardjet: It's all about poking in at the right time. After a major attack by Ardjet (L1 or R2 attacks), use a burst shot. The same tactics mentioned in section 4-9 (yet again) on Ardjet will work for A. Anubis. This shouldn't be much trouble if you've got the basics of Anubis pinned down. Nephtis: The easiest way I've found to defeat Nephtis is to use the improved hit-and-run combo. You could use the other version (with two slashes), but it's only to be used if you can't seem to get the grab to connect. Do not get close to Nephtis, because even with A. Anubis' increased defense, her melee attacks still do a heck of a lot. As I mentioned for regular Anubis, keep the offensive and never let up. The second you do, your opponent can easily reverse the tide of the match against you. Use dash shots if needed, just to keep the match in your favor. Inhert: Actually, just use exactly what I mentioned for Anubis in section 4-9 against Inhert. Besides that, the only thing different is that you can now use burst shot more often...but still not too much. Right...anyway, that's that, heh. Oh yeah, and you still take way too much damage if you happen to hit a mine, so don't get too cocky. Anubis: Same strategy as mentioned in section 4-9 (why do I even bother...). Only this time, the match is technically at your advantage. =) A. Anubis: If I still need to mention it, then refer to section 4-9. Naturally, this time you're at par with each other. And remember...precise timing is crucial at all times. ________________________ / MAP-SPECIFIC STRATEGY \______________________________________________[ 5 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this section, you will find playing tips for each of the available levels. Note that these were done very quickly, so they're all very brief. I have a lot more strategies for the maps that I have not yet gotten into writing as of now. I'll possibly add some ASCII maps as well, if that helps, as well as specific tips for particular points on each map. What you'll find here will range from general playing tips, to recommended mechs for each map. Once again, if you have any tips to add to this section, send them to with the subject "ZOE2 Map Strategy". Of course, credit will be given to all submissions. =========== [ 5-1 ]: Battle Arena -------- Your basic no-nonsense level. The only cover you'll find are the four pillars on each corner of the elevated middle area, and the bars and beams at the top of the map. Among these, you'll probably only need the pillars. Use these to cover you when fighting at long range, but you'll most probably want to fight up close. If you're using Jehuty, then this is a very good map to corner opponents with grab combos. There's enough room in this map for free roaming and fast-moving strategies as well, so that makes it ideal for Nephtis and the V2. One thing though, as farfetched as it sounds, the pillars can actually be a hindrance if you're not careful, especially when madly dashing all over the place, so practice caution. Recommended Mech(s): Jehuty, Jehuty ver.2, Naked Jehuty, Nephtis, Vic Viper =========== [ 5-2 ]: Wind Tunnel -------- If Battle Arena was a simple level, this one is extremely complicated. There are so many ways to get yourself stuck here, so I don't recommend using mechs that require constant dashing around and maneuvering, especially fast ones. Use the beams and propellers as cover, while using homing weapons to attack from a distance. Grab combos are also very easy to pull off here, but Jehuty requires a lot of maneuverability, so you'll want to think about it first. Though the rewards are great if you do manage to perform a grab combo successfully in this stage (tough to escape getting grabbed because of all the obstacles). Inhert can go into a mine-laying frenzy in here, as there's not too much space to fill, and as you know, those things deal a heck of a lot of damage. Recommended Mech(s): Anubis, Aumaan Anubis, Inhert, Ardjet =========== [ 5-3 ]: The Core of Aumaan -------- Ok, this map is complicated in more ways than one. For one thing, it provides Aumaan Anubis with very good camouflage, and the floating tiles will serve to hide many small long range attacks. Naked Jehuty will do well here in long range and short range alike, because all the white in the stage will help to hide any burst shot attempts, and it will be slightly easier to suddenly rush in with a dash slash. Random flying around may or may not work, depending on how the runner maneuvers around the obstacles. Mines are fairly easy to hide around the map, so you might want to try using Inhert. Recommended Mech(s): Aumaan Anubis, Naked Jehuty, Vic Viper, Inhert =========== [ 5-4 ]: Aumaan -------- An outdoormap, wide and open. Perfect for fast flyers who need all the room they can get. Long range combat will work nicely, so add Anubis and Aumaan Anubis to your choices. Mine laying is not a good idea because of all the space made available. Close to the ground, there are a few small places that can be used as obstacles, but they aren't enough to be used as cover, or as walls for grab combos. The invisible walls here only cushion thrown opponents, which basically makes them useless. Though this is generally a long range map, melee combat is not at all discouraged, and with Nephtis' quick speed, it isn't that hard to get up close to an opponent who's so badly trying to stay away. Recommended Mech(s): Nephtis, Vic Viper, Anubis, Aumaan Anubis =========== [ 5-5 ]: The Way to Phobos -------- THE map for long range fighting. If anything, this is an anti-Jehuty map. No walls, no obstacles, nothing. Nephtis' usefulness will be limited if all she can do is attack from afar, and Inhert's mines are totally useless. Stick to long range attacks with this map, and you'll be fine. Recommended Mech(s): Anubis, Aumaan Anubis, Vic Viper =========== [ 5-6 ]: Vascillia City -------- If The Way to Phobos was the best long range map, this is the best map for melee combat. The space is so limited, you'll find yourself fighting up close whether you like it or not. I don't know exactly how, but there's a way to make the force field damage your opponent while performing giant swing with any form of Jehuty. I think it had something to do with the corner where the force field meets solid ground near the bottom. You'll know this is happening when each time Jehuty swings the opponent, the latter takes damage (and a whole lot too). though I've seen this happen on other maps (Callisto, for one), I've seen it more here, so I just figured I'd mention it. Anyway, if you ever find out how to get this to work, let me know via email. And going back to the map, you'll want the best melee fighters as your selection, because long range combat is discouraged. It's actually hard to keep distance here in the first place. Recommended Mech(s): Jehuty, Jehuty ver.2, Damaged Jehuty (at your own risk), Naked Jehuty, Nephtis =========== [ 5-7 ]: Margaritifer -------- One of my favorite levels, a well designed map with wide open spaces, and just enough obstacles to encourage melee combat. Nearly all of the available mechs will do well in this map. Long grab combos are easy to maintain here because of all the corners on the walls and on the ground. It isn't easy using mines in this level though, because theres a lot of space to avoid them. Another interesting quirk about this map is the rock solid ceiling. Test it yourself, and throw your opponents up using Jehuty. They'll smash into the invisible sky like they would the rocky walls and ground. This only serves to add to the places where you could start and maintain a grab combo >:) Recommended Mech(s): Jehuty, Jehuty ver.2, Naked Jehuty, Vic Viper, Nephtis, Anubis, Aumaan Anubis =========== [ 5-8 ]: Antilia -------- There's no other map quite as cluttered as this one. It's riddled with randomly placed space debris and pieces of metal, which might make maneuvering around tough. It can be interesting to hide mines among the wreckage. Actually, you can also use them to hide burst shot attempts, and as cover from incoming shots. Close range is recommended here. So is indirect long range, using homing attacks. Anubis could work, but then again it's not easy to warp around this place, so think twice before using him. Recommended Mech(s): Jehuty, Jehuty ver.2, Naked Jehuty, Nephtis, Inhert, Ardjet =========== [ 5-9 ]: Callisto -------- This map can be treated like a smaller version of Margaritifer, a mix of open spaces and obstacles. Grab combos work very well in this map, and it isn't that hard to lay mines around. However, the map is very direct so any mines laying around can be seen clearly. Though they may work on fast moving opponents like the V2, who don't have time to look around everywhere before dashing. Both methods of combat will work here, so it's a matter of choice. Warping around is easy here, so Anubis is a good pick as well. Recommended Mech(s): Jehuty, Jehuty ver.2, Naked Jehuty, Nephtis, Anubis, Aumaan Anubis __________________ / TIPS AND TRICKS \____________________________________________________[ 6 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Keep movement random at all times. Don't be predictable when you evade attacks and you'll be fine. Horizontal dashing is the standard for evading most attacks, but at other times, you'll need to use those Triangle and X buttons as well. For better results, combine both vertical and horizontal dashing (or even diagonal dashing if your selected mech allows it). Also, remember that it is always better to dash than to move normally. - There is actually a WRONG way to dash. Pressing and holding the R2 button just once won't be any good, because as time passes, a dash slows down. The peak speed of a dash is when you have just finished pressing R2. So to avoid the slowing down of your dash, continuously tap and hold R2 to "multi-dash". You'll nearly always be at the peak of the dash, so you'll find yourself moving much faster. - Side to side dashing can be useful, but only when used properly. If you rapidly dash left and right, not actually covering much distance, you might as well be standing still, since you end up making yourself an even larger target. When attempting this form of movement, make sure you cover around twice the width of your mech before dashing the other way. - Dashing forward to your enemy, especially from a long distance, is a very risky move. But then again, in most cases, it is necessary to win. Dash around randomly while moving forward until you reach your opponent. Don't hesitate to stop and block when you need to, as the less hits you take, the better. - Perhaps the easiest way of moving is to use a Warp move. However, this only applies to mechs that have this ability. When you have it however, use it if you feel dashing forward to get close is too dangerous. - Pick whatever mech you see fits your needs. Don't just choose one because you "think he's cool". Try them all out and see how they fare, then choose the right one after that. If you're just starting out, then perhaps the best choice would be either Jehuty ver.2 or Naked Jehuty, as they have all the basic abilities you would need, and you should be used to Jehuty by now anyway. And since choosing normal Jehuty is a little bit risky, then his big brothers will do the job. After you get accustomed to the battle system, you might want to try more advanced mechs like Anubis, Nephtis, or Inhert. _______________ / MISCELLANEOUS \_______________________________________________________[ 7 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- No notes on these tables yet, just some random things I was messing with before this guide was produced, and I just included them for the sake of it. I'll probably add notes to them later on if needed, and if I get the time. _______Stat_______Jeh___Vr2___Dmg___Nkd___Vic___Arj___Nph___Inh___Anb___AuA__ SPEED | | | | | X | | X | | | | POWER | | X | | X | X | | X | X* | | X | DEFENSE | | X | | X | | | | | | X | ABILITY | | | | | X | X | X | X | X | X | WARP | | | | | | | | X | X | X | MANEUVERABILITY | X | X | X | X | X | | X | | | | LEARNING CURVE | | X | | X | X | | | | | | ============================================================================= * - Using Floating Mines ________________Jeh___Vr2___Dmg___Nkd___Vic___Arj___Nph___Inh___Anb___AuA__ Slash | X | X | X | X | | X | X | | X | X | DashSlash | | | | | | | | | X | X | BurstSlash | | | | | | | | | | | CmbSmash (Und)| X | X | X | X | | | X | | X | | Grab | X | X | X | X | | X | | | | | Shot | | | | | X | | | | | | DashShot | | | | | | | | X | | | BurstShot | | | | | | | | X | | X | Spc | | | | | X | | | | | | Warp | | | | | | | | | | | _________________Jeh___Vr2___Dmg___Nkd___Vic___Arj___Nph___Inh___Anb___AuA__ Jehuty | - | X | O | X | X | X | X | O | X | X | Jehuty ver.2 | O | - | O | X | X | X | X | O | O | X | Damaged Jehuty | X | X | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | Naked Jehuty | O | O | O | - | X | X | X | O | O | X | Vic Viper | O | O | O | O | - | O | Z | O | O | O | Ardjet | O | O | O | O | X | - | X | X | X | X | Nephtis | O | O | O | O | Z | O | - | O | O | O | Inhert | X | X | O | X | X | O | X | - | X | X | Anubis | O | X | O | X | X | O | X | O | - | X | Aumaan Anubis | O | O | O | O | X | O | X | O | O | - | O - Strong VS X - Weak VS Z - Match (Highly depends on the skill of the runner =P) ____________ / DISCLAIMER \__________________________________________________________[ 8 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you've enjoyed this guide as it is for now. I know it may not be as complete, but I can honestly say all of it is written by me (Arct!c), and my friend (Tulkas). I did not copy any of this from any other FAQ (except that which is referenced). This document is based purely on my knowledge on Zone of the Enders 2. I expect you to do the same, and do not copy this FAQ or any text contained within. This unpublished document is copyright of Arct!c and Tulkas. You may not post this FAQ on a site without my consent. I will protect my work with what I can do. I will not tolerate any online copies without my permission. E-mail me and ask first before making copies of this guide. You may not exchange this FAQ for any sort of monetary value. It has been made for personal use only. The sole purpose of this guide is to help players play ZOE2 Versus Mode, and is not to be used for any other purposes whatsoever. You may not claim any part of this guide as your own. If you download it, you are merely viewing it, and do not own it. If I have taken material from another source, then it is noted and due credit is given. Everything else is Copyright 2001-2003 Arct!c / Ramon Gutierrez, Tulkas / Ryan Jay Manuguid. Only the following sites are given permission to host this document: GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com) Death Corps (www.deathcorps.net) Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner and all characters/terms contained and mentioned within are copyright of Konami Co. (c). PlayStation/PlayStation 2 are copyrights of Sony Computer Entertainment America [SCEA] (c). _____________ / FINAL WORDS \_________________________________________________________[ 9 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, that's that. This is not a full release of this guide. I'm not sure if I will still update this or not. Perhaps add a few more things as miscellany, but by the look of how busy things are for me right now, I can't say this is high on my list of priorities. But if I do find time to update it, then maybe I'll add the few missing pieces to this guide. ZOE2 is a game, and sure I've played it so much already and have looked into many aspects of the underrated versus mode, which few players would even touch, but by no means do I consider this a big part of my life. I hope you've learned a thing or two from the text above, maybe it will give me reason to continue it....or not. _________ / CREDITS \____________________________________________________________[ 10 ]__ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- RJ/Tulkas (watcher2030@yahoo.com), for being a great friend, for getting me into ZOE, and for so much of the info contributed to this guide. Sarah, for being the best girlfriend ever!! Thank you for staying by me, supporting me always...I love you so much ^_^ Kyle and Karlo, for being the best ZOE2 sparring partners EVER. You guys kick ass! SineNomine (Jason@lelando.net), for the formatting corrections, and for being an all around funny (but great) guy. Michel Van Gutierrez, for being my personal punching bag...in any game. You make me enjoy the glory of winning every single day. Oh, and you suck btw :P Konami, for making this awesome game, among other great titles. CJayC, for hosting this FAQ, and for the great site and message boards. ------- "And that, as they say, is that." - Maechen, FFX http://www.deathcorps.net (c)2003 - Arct!c/Tulkas