Archon

Archon

General FAQ
Written by Reverend Eric "Vegita" Johnson (Emails located in section VII-D)
Version 3.1415

Sections:

I - Introduction
II - Game Story
III - How To Play
IV - The Light Side (not "The Far Side")
A - Knight
B - Archer
C - Valkyrie
D - Golem
E - Unicorn
F - Djinni
G - Phoenix
H - Wizard
V - The Dark Side (of the Force)
A - Goblin
B - Banshee
C - Manticore
D - Troll
E - Basilisk
F - Dragon
G - Shapeshifter
H - Sorceress
VI - Strategies and Matches
A - Special Class: Elementals
B - Versus Matches
C - Win/Loss/Tie Charts
D - Strategos
VII - Various
A - Revision History
B - Thanks
C - No Thanks
D - Contact Information

By the way - to anyone that has e-mailed me about this game with information, I
have (unfortuantely) lost your e-mails. If you would be kind enough to resend
'em, I'd be very appreciative!

==================================== Archon ===================================
---------------------I: Introduction-------------------
==================================== Archon ===================================

Welcome! I am Vegita, Guardian Of Destiny, and I see you want help for the
Nintendo/Famicom game "Archon". Well, lemme tell ya, I might not be the best
person in the world to talk to about this game, but I certainly am an
experienced person to talk to. Ever since this game first appeared on the
Commodore 64, I have been a fan of it. Learning the subtle nuances of the
pseudo-chess world, I eventually became fairly proficient at it. Now, I'm here
to share my experience with you in my NES/Famicom FAQ. I hope it helps!

First off, let's get one thing straight: Even though I am Vegita, I will try to
write from an un-biased point of view (although I still think I'm the best at
everything). Second of all, if I catch anyone copying all or part of this FAQ,
ANY part of this FAQ (not counting little, inconsequential sentences like
"First off, let's get one thing straight), I will destroy you. I will rip you
limb from limb like the excessively weak individual you are, and then I will
sue you for copyright infringement. Well, ok, maybe I'll just sue you, but if
I got the chance I'd certainly go for the ripping of limbs from other limbs.

Third of all, I do not own the rights to this game, the names of the characters
in this game or FAQ, or have any ownership whatsoever of this game (except for
the cartridge sitting in my room, that is). Those are the property of their
respective owners. If I find a website with this FAQ on it, and it has been
changed in any way, does not give me proper credit, or is selling it without my
knowledge and consent, then I WILL have my lawyers contact that site. Are we
clear (this means YOU, Vertsk8!)?

Hey folks, if you're going to write me about this game, I must insist that you
put, in the subject header of the e-mail, the name of game that you are writing
about. I am tired of having people write me, asking about games that I've
written for, but they never tell me WHAT game they need help with. This will
help me in identifying what game you are talking about, and will also help me
weed your e-mails out from the Spam I constantly receive. If you do not put
the name of the game in the Subject header, then I may not read your e-mail at
all; I get a lot of spam, and people like trying to send me viruses, so if you
don't do something that will actually help me in determining whether or not
your e-mail is legitimate, you can only blame yourself.

==================================== Archon ===================================
----------------------II: Game Story--------------------
==================================== Archon ===================================

Well folks, the plotline for this game is simple. Take the game of chess and
combine it with ancient monsters of myth, Light and Dark. Now, add in a new
style of winning pieces (instead of simply moving to their spot, you actually
battle it out with that piece), and you've got Archon, the game of twisted
chess with good against evil!

==================================== Archon ===================================
----------------III: How To Play (and Win)--------------
==================================== Archon ===================================

First off, I should mention how to control yourself in this game. For
starters, at the opening menu screen choose your game mode by pressing UP or
DOWN on the DIRECTIONAL PAD, and make your selections by pressing the A BUTTON.
Once in the game, move the cursor around the game board with the DIRECTIONAL
PAD and select the character you wish to use with the A BUTTON. Upon selecting
what you wish to do with this character, press the A BUTTON to end your turn.
If you chose the wrong character, or wish to do something else instead, move
that character back to their original spot and press the A BUTTON.

Now, the game is based around chess in the fact that you pick your character
and you move them a certain distance. The funny thing is, instead of simply
taking an enemy piece by moving your piece onto the same spot as theirs, you
must fight for it. When your character piece moves onto a space inhabited by
another character piece, the two then go to a battlefield where they fight.
Each character has a certain amount of Life (a Bar located at the bottom of the
screen), and they must successfully drain their opponent of all their life by
attacking. The surviving character remains on the board space, while the loser
is "taken". The survivor will regain their life after a couple turns, so make
sure your stronger characters get to a safe place when healing before they're
decimated!

You make your move, then your opponent gets a turn, then back and forth until
either all 5 "Magical Squares" are covered by your sides' players, or all of
your opponents are dead. When that happens, the game ends. Got it? Good.

==================================== Archon ===================================
--------------------IV: The Light Side------------------
==================================== Archon ===================================

Each side has a variety of players at their disposal. Let's discuss each and
how to use them effectively, ok? Since each side has mirror-matched characters,
I'll list each pieces' movement, method of attack, and their Hit Point Range.
The Hit Points, Damage, and Attack Speed are grouped together by terms, as
are the attack speeds:

1 - Worst
2 - Low
3 - Average
4 - High
5 - Best

1 is the smallest amount of life, 5 is the highest.

NOTE - the Groupings are based off of the stats of the individual sides (Light
and Dark), not overall. In other words, if something says "Best" then that
character is the Best of that particular Attribute for their individual side.
One sides' "Best" might not be as good as the others sides' "Best".

------------------------------
----------About the Light Side----------
------------------------------

In general, the Light Side has the same pieces as the Dark. The difference,
aside from graphical changes and names, is the fact that the Light Side has
pieces that can move further and strike faster than their counterparts (Unicorn
moves further than Basilisks and shoots faster than most anything). However,
this is offset by the noticeable lesser amount of Hit Points by most every
character and their counterpart! The Light Side has the Phoenix, which attacks
in the same style as the Two Banshees the Dark Side has. However, the Phoenix
has more life than the Banshees, so there is a slight advantage there. For the
most part, though, it is best if you do not have a character fight its own Dark
Counterpart, as they will most likely be slain.

Looking at the board objectively, the Light Side's greatest assets are being
able to take out weaker characters with little to no trouble, but they all seem
to falter when it comes to the stronger enemies. Most people initially look
upon this as a bad thing, but they are looking at it on equal terms. The name
of the game is STRATEGY, and that is where the Light Side shines. While they
lack the brute force of the Dark Side, they can easily turn the tide of a match
be decimating half the enemy's squad with a few pieces. However, it's that
other half that usually gives the Light Side a run for their money...

_______________________================================________________________
A - Knight
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 7 of these players, all of them grouped
in the center of the front line.
Movement: 3 Ground Spaces. What this means is that they can
travel up to 3 spaces in any direction, as long as
there aren't any characters barring their path.
Method of Attack: The Knight has a sword. He must get in range with
before attacking.
Hit Point Range: Worst.
Damage: Worst.
Attack Speed: Worst.

The Knight, as well as the Goblin, are the equivalent of the Pawn - they are
plenty of 'em, but they have little use aside from strategic purposes. They
are hardly a match for any other piece on the board, as their little range
makes them difficult to use in a battle. Use these guys to wear your opponent
down and kill the weaker enemies, but don't expect them to hold the front line
for long!

When in battle, it's best if they dodge as much as the can while getting in
close. Because enemies can only attack 8 directions, try to stick to a point
in between while drawing fire. In between shots, rush in and see if you can't
get a hit or two on your opponent. However, one or two hits on the Knight and
it's all over, so they really aren't worth THAT much effort. If you're good
enough, you can take some characters, but don't expect to win everything with
the Knight - if you can get a few wins with a Knight, they've done their part.

_______________________================================________________________
B - Archer
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 2 of these players, each one on the
opposite ends of the front line.
Movement: 3 Ground Spaces.
Method of Attack: The Archer shoots arrows from a distance.
Hit Point Range: Worst.
Damage: Worst.
Attack Speed: Low.

The Archer, unlike the Knight, can attack from a distance, and therefore are
much more effective in battle. Unfortunately, it takes just as many hits to
kill an Archer as it does a Knight, so be careful!

In Battle, the Archer should be played like the Knight - stick back and do what
you can, but remember that to be used effectively this character has to be used
more defensively than offensively. Don't expect to outlast your opponent in a
firefight, as you'll most likely be killed first. Get in close so your
opponent can't dodge, but don't forget that you CAN run away and still fight.

_______________________================================________________________
C - Valkyrie
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 2 of these players, on the opposite
ends of the rear line.
Movement: 3 Flight Spaces. What this means is that they can
move to any space within range, regardless of if
another piece is in the way.
Method of Attack: The Valkyrie fires arrows from a distance,
just like the Archer.
Hit Point Range: Low.
Damage: Low.
Attack Speed: Average.

The Valkyrie is a slightly-stronger Archer, and should be played as such.
While you were forced to play a defensive game with the Archer, dodging and
occasionally firing, the Valkyrie can afford to take an extra hit or two,
allowing her to fight more offensively. See if you can get closer and deal out
more damage, but remember that you're not THAT much better than the Archer...

_______________________================================________________________
D - Golem
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 2 of these players, located 1 space up
(and 1 space down) on the rear line.
Movement: Ground 3.
Method of Attack: The Golem hurls chunks of mud at his/her/its
opponents.
Hit Point Range: Best.
Damage: High.
Attack Speed: Worst.

The Golem, though slow and easy to hit, is a menace you don't want to deal with
on the battlefield. He has the best life out of most any of the pieces (well,
the Light anyways), but he still only moves as well as a Knight! Oh well...

In battle, the Golem is one of the best characters the Light has. It has a
slower projectile, but it more than makes up for it with the damage dealt by
said projectile. The Golem can easily rip apart weaker enemies, and can hold
its own against stronger enemies, should there be some strategy involved. I
suggest you get the Golem out there as quickly as possible and take out as many
Goblins, Manticores, and Banshees as possible before they can start removing
some of your precious characters!

_______________________================================________________________
E - Unicorn
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 2 of these players, located 1 space
above (and below) the Golem, in the rear line.
Movement: Ground 4.
Method of Attack: The Unicorn shoots a magical beam of light from its
horn, acting as a projectile.
Hit Point Range: Average.
Damage: High.
Attack Speed: Best.

The Unicorn is a lithe and strong character, and good at attacking from afar
due to its projectile and fair amount of life. However, remember that in order
to get this piece into play you have to move around other pieces. Its added
movement allows it to reach more troublesome enemies quicker, allowing you to
take out a difficult enemy before they become annoying.

In battle, the Unicorn is a very good character to have, as it can shoot fast
and hard, while having a decent amount of life. The Unicorn has a natural
advantage over quite a few Dark enemies, so make sure you take advantage of
these advantages (usually attack speed) and destroy those opponents!

_______________________================================________________________
F - Djinni
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Number of Pieces Given: You start off with 1 of these pieces, located 1 space
above the center of the rear line.
Movement: Fly 4.
Method of Attack: The Djinni shoots powerful blasts of Air across a
distance. Woe to the person who offends the Djinni...
Hit Point Range: High.
Damage: Best.
Attack Speed: Average.

The Djinni can move far and has a fair amount of life, making it ideal for
holding key points of the board. It has projectiles, so it can safely attack
from afar. Due to its large flight space, you can move the Djinni to a crucial
part of the board in no time. However, it is still outclassed by a couple of
the larger enemies due to its not-quite-high-enough life and
not-quite-quick-enough attack.

In a fight, the Djinni can go all-out offensively and usually come out the
winner. However, because its attacks aren't the quickest in the game it is
forced to move in closer to be more effective. As has been said before, this
is a Double-Edged Sword, as this makes it easier for your enemies to damage
you. Since the Djinni does so much damage, though, it is usually a decent
trade off - the Djinni will probably still win!

_______________________================================________________________
G - Phoenix
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 1 of these pieces, located 1 space
below the center of the rear line.
Movement: Fly 5.
Method of Attack: The Phoenix emits a flame that does continuous damage
around it. However, the flame itself has a short
range.
Hit Point Range: High.
Damage: Low (draining effect causes multiple hits on the
target within range).
Attack Speed: High (well, kinda...).

The Phoenix moves fast on the board, has a large amount of life, and can drain
others' life quickly. Generally speaking, putting the Phoenix up against any
one that doesn't have a projectile attack is a definite win for the Phoenix -
they have to get in close, as does the Phoenix. Since the Phoenix's attack is
a draining attack, it can easily outlast any others that attack it by simply
getting in close and blasting it. The Phoenix has a natural advantage against
Goblins, since they are forced to attack in close - the Phoenix can just wait
until they try to attack, then drain them of their life before they get close
enough to do anything!

The Phoenix does have some distinct disadvantages, however. The downside to
doing a lot of damage very quickly? First off, you have to get in close,
which means that projectile-hurling opponents can take potshots while playing
runaway, giving you a severe headache. Also, the Phoenix CAN be hurt while
attacking, so if your opponent dodges you while you're draining, you can be
attacked just the same. Finally, unlike the Banshee, the Phoenix can NOT
move while attacking; thus, you are left motionless AND open to attack. It's
nice to be able to rip apart your opponents' in a few seconds just by being
near them, but if your opponent can avoid you well, you are going to have
some serious problems.

_______________________================================________________________
H - Wizard
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Number of Pieces Given: You Start off with 1 of these pieces, located directly
in the center of the rear line.
Movement: Teleport 3. What this means is that the Wizard
generally travels the same as someone with Fly 3, only
he teleports. Neat, eh?
Method of Attack: The Wizard shoots magical bolts (Magic Missile,
perhaps?) across a distance.
Hit Point Range: High.
Damage: High.
Attack Speed: High.

The Wizard is the Light Side's focal character. While he can't move as far as
other pieces, nor does he have the life of some pieces, he is a force to be
reckoned with nonetheless. The Wizard has quick, powerful projectiles that can
decimate lower characters in 1 or 2 shots, and his teleporting ability, while
low in distance, allows him to travel as if there were no characters in his way
(think of it as flight).

When in battle, the Wizard can attack quickly and effectively from a distance.
He also has a high amount of life, making him very difficult to topple by
weaker characters.

The finest point of the Wizard, however, is the spells he can envoke. By
moving the cursor onto him and pressing the A BUTTON twice, you can select from
a list of spells the Wizard has to encorporate. Here are the individual spells
he can cast and what they do:

TELEPORT - Teleports any character to any square on the map
(excepting the 5 "Magical Squares").
HEAL - If you can't wait long enough, this spell will
instantly rejuvinate one of your characters back to
full health.
SHIFT TIME - This causes your opponent to remit their last move,
forcing their last movement to be reversed. In other
words, whichever character your opponent moved last
will be returned to the space they were originally at.
Sadly, this doesn't restore lost pieces from the
previous turn - it just moves pieces.
EXCHANGE - This exchanges any two pieces on the map, excluding
those currently occupying one of the 5 magic squares.
SUMMON ELEMENTAL - This causes an Elemental (Fire, Wind, Water, or Earth)
to come forth and attack one enemy of your choosing.
REVIVE - Brings back one of your slain companions.
IMPRISON - This prevents one of your opponents' characters from
making any actions for 5 rounds.

==================================== Archon ===================================
---------------------V: The Dark Side-------------------
==================================== Archon ===================================

As with the Light Side, the Hit Points, Damage, and Attack Speed are grouped
together by terms, as are the attack speeds:

1 - Worst
2 - Low
3 - Average
4 - High
5 - Best

1 is the smallest amount of life, 5 is the highest.

-----------------------------
----------About the Dark Side----------
-----------------------------

Ok, Star Wars references aside, the Dark Side is, at a first glance, the
stronger of the two sides. All characters have more life than their Light
counterparts, and they seem to do more damage with their attacks as well. The
ways that they are different, however, can still mean the difference between a
win and a lose. The Dark Side has 2 Banshees, while the Light Side has 1
Phoenix. While the Phoenix has more life and can move further, the Dark Side
still has 2 Banshees. Hoewver, the Banshees can easily be topped by any
Projectile character, as can the Phoenix. The Dark Side, instead of having
another Projectile-User, has the Shapeshifter. This can be both a good thing
AND a bad thing, as the style of attack depends on the opponent being attacked.
Therefore, you'd actually stand a better chance against stronger enemies than
you would against a Knight!

_______________________================================________________________
A - Goblin
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 7 of these players, all of them grouped
in the center of the front line.
Movement: 3 Ground Spaces. What this means is that they can
travel up to 3 spaces in any direction, as long as
there aren't any characters barring their path.
Method of Attack: The Goblin has a Wooden Club. He/She/It must get in
range with before attacking.
Hit Point Range: Worst.
Attack Damage: Worst.
Attack Speed: Worst.

As you can see, the Goblin is marginally better than a Knight, and will almost
always win against their Light Counterpart. However, these are still the
lowest of the low characters on the Dark Side's team, so don't expect that
upper edge to hold up against stronger Light Warriors (mainly everything else
they've got).

_______________________================================________________________
B - Manticore
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 2 of these players, each one on the
opposite ends of the front line.
Movement: Ground 3.
Method of Attack: The Manticore shoots spikes at you. However, I have a
question to the Game Makers - the Manticore of myth
was made up of a Lion, a Goat, a Snake, and a
Dragon...so where do the spikes come from? Methinks
they got this mythological creature mixed up with
another one...
Hit Point Range: Worst.
Attack Damage: Worst.
Attack Speed: Low.

The Manticore, aside from not being an Archer and having more life, is
generally just the same as the Light's Archer. They have the same movement,
the same attack speed, and both throw sharp objects from a distance.

_______________________================================________________________
C - Banshee
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 2 of these players, on the opposite
ends of the rear line.
Movement: 3 Flight Spaces. What this means is that they can
move to any space within range, regardless of if
another piece is in the way.
Method of Attack: The Banshee lets loose with a scream, draining an
enemy (within range) of their life.
Hit Point Range: Average.
Attack Damage: Low (draining effect causes multiple hits on the
target within range).
Attack Speed: High (well, kinda...).

The Banshee is much like the Light's Phoenix - they are fairly quick, can fly
(although not NEAR as far as the Phoenix can), and they have a short-range
draining attack that can quickly destroy opponents in range.

_______________________================================________________________
D - Troll
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 2 of these players, located 1 space up
(and 1 space down) on the rear line.
Movement: Ground 3.
Method of Attack: The Troll throws...well, it throws SOMETHING at you.
Maybe it's a chunk of dirt they just ripped out of the
ground. I don't really know what it is.
Hit Point Range: High.
Attack Damage: High.
Attack Speed: Worst.

The Troll is pretty near the same as the Golem in terms of life, Damage, and
Attack Speed. However, I think the Troll has a marginal amount of life more
than the Golem. These guys are clearly a force to be reckoned with.

_______________________================================________________________
E - Basilisk
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 2 of these players, located 1 space
above (and below) the Golem, in the rear line.
Movement: Ground 3.
Method of Attack: The Basilisk was known, in mythological times, to be
able to turn things to stone by simply looking at
them. Carrying over into this game, the Basilisk
shoots a damaging Eye Beam at its opponents.
Hit Point Range: High.
Attack Damage: Average.
Attack Speed: Best.

The Basilisk has a slight edge in life over the Unicorn, but can't quite move
as far. Oh well...despite its limited movement (which is the same as a regular
ol' Goblin!), the Basilisk is still a dangerous character. They can attack
swiftly from a distance and outlast opponents by firing off a shot before they
can move!

_______________________================================________________________
F - Dragon
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Number of Pieces Given: You start off with 1 of these pieces, located 1 space
below the center of the rear line.
Movement: Fly 4.
Method of Attack: The Dragon spews powerful blasts of Flame over a
distance, acting as a projectile.
Hit Point Range: Best.
Attack Damage: Best.
Attack Speed: High.

Talk about a monster! The Dragon has the best life of most anything in the
game (I don't think even the elementals have an edge over this guy), not to
mention its extremely-damaging and quick Breath attack. The Dragon can move
far, attack hard, and take a beating...no wonder people usually opt to play as
the Dark Side!

_______________________================================________________________
G - Shapeshifter
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Number of Pieces Given: You start with 1 of these pieces, located 1 space
above the center of the rear line.
Movement: Fly 5.
Method of Attack: The Shapeshifter (aka Doppleganger, from the old
German myths) will change into the form of whatever
enemy it is fighting, thus mimicking its style of
attack. However, it retains its unusually high amount
of Hit Points.
Hit Point Range: High.
Attack Damage: Varies.
Attack Speed: Varies.

The Shapeshifter is a VERY strange character indeed. It turns into a dark
version of whatever it is fighting, even fighting in the same style with the
same attack! While this can be a blessing and a curse, this Doppleganger also
has an unusually large amount of life, so it usually holds the edge of a fight.

_______________________================================________________________
H - Sorceress
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Number of Pieces Given: You Start off with 1 of these pieces, located directly
in the center of the rear line.
Movement: Teleport 3. What this means is that the Sorceress
generally travels the same as someone with Fly 3, only
she teleports. Neat, eh?
Method of Attack: The Sorceress shoots magical bolts (Magic Missile,
perhaps?) across a distance.
Hit Point Range: High.
Attack Damage: High.
Attack Speed: High.

The Sorceress is the closest to her Light Counterpart (the Wizard) than any
other character in the game. She has the same movement, nearly the same life,
the same Attack Damage and Speed, and even the same spells! The only real
difference is the fact that...well, she's a Sorceress instead of a Wizard, and
she commands an Army of Darkness rather than an Army of Light!

If you want to see a list of the spells the Sorceress can use (and the
Elemental Stats, which are the same for both Light and Dark), see "The Wizard"
under the "Light Side" section (Section VI-H).

==================================== Archon ===================================
----------------VI: Strategies and Matches--------------
==================================== Archon ===================================

Here are some strategies you should envoke while playing (in general), along
with the Match-by-Match Win/Loss ratios (average). Also, there is 1 class I
didn't list above for the Light or Dark - the Elementals, which are employed
by both sides and, thus, do not fall within the "Light Side" or "Dark Side"
bounds. Thus, I list it here, and I list it first.

_______________________================================________________________
A - Special Class: Elementals
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Number of Pieces Given: The only way you can gain an Elemental is by having
the Wizard cas the "SUMMON ELEMENTAL" spell.
Movement: Anywhere on the map, excluding the 5 magic squares.
Method of Attack: The Elemental will shoot a quick projectile of
whatever element they embody (be it air, water, fire,
or earth).
Hit Point Range: High.
Attack Damage: High.
Attack Speed: Average.

The Elementals are One-Shot characters. You cast the spell to summon one, they
come out and attack an enemy, and regardless of whether or not they win, the
Elemental disappears after the fight. Therefore, make sure you pick your
target well, and DEFINITELY make sure you win! Actually, winning with them
isn't THAT difficult, given their great damage, large HP, and decent projectile
speed.

NOTE - aside from graphical and name differences, there are no differences
between the 4 Elementals. You are given a random Elemental, but there is no
difference between the lot of 'em. They just look neat (I, personally, like
the Fire Elemental...it's neat lookin').

_______________________================================________________________
B - Versus Matches
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯================================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Hoo boy...I'm now going to go through every possible match-up of characters and
describe who has the advantage in each fight and whom the most likely winner
would be. Since each character will be covered, I will stick to the Light Side
and go from enemy-to-enemy, so if you want to look up a particular fight with a
Dark Side enemy, simply go to the Light Side character you'd have the Dark Side
character fight and look at the fight listed there. I hope that makes sense!

NOTE - I am basing the Win/Loss ratios off of 2 equally-skilled players. That
way the determining factors of the fight are the characters' individual traits
themselves.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Knight ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
~~Versus a Goblin: The Knight has a slight disadvantage here. Both characters
have the same style of attack, which is get in close and thwomp the other
character to death. Therefore, it is a fight of traded blows, and since the
Goblin has more life than the Knight, the Goblin will most likely win out.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Goblin.

~~Versus a Manticore: The Knight is fighting something that has marginally
more life, but can also strike from a distance. He will really have to work
to get in close and fight, which (sadly) will suit the Manticore just fine.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Manticore.

~~Versus a Banshee: Great...the Knight has toget in close to attack. The
Banshee has to do the same. The Banshee, however, has an attack that
surrounds its entire being, and lasts longer than the Knight can avoid. It's
about as one-sided as you're going to find.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Banshee.

~~Versus a Troll: The Knight has a slightly easier time with the Troll than he
does with other projectile-wielding enemies, simply because the Troll has a
slower projectile which he can more easily dodge. However, since the Troll
has a lot more life and does so much damage, the Knight will probably not
live long enough to do a significant amount of damage.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Troll.

~~Versus a Basilisk: Since the Knight can only hope to dodge projectiles long
enough to get in close and fight, he will be seriously outmatched by the two
Basilisks. Their quick projectiles will make short work of him, and their
high amount of life will make them extremely difficult to deal with.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Basilisk.

~~Versus the Dragon: The lowest of the low characters vs. a Projectile-using
monster that dwarfs the Knight in strength, speed, and life...gee, I wonder
who's going to win? Seriously, if a Knight kills a Dragon, you should look
upon it as the greatest move of the entire friggin' GAME.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Dragon.

~~Versus the Shapeshifter: While the Knight finally has the ability to NOT
worry about dodging projectiles all day, he still has the problem of
encountering an opponent who will require getting in close. Therefore, this
fight quickly degenerates into a blow-for-blow contest, and since the has
more life, the Knight is once again at a disadvantage.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Shapeshifter.

~~Versus the Sorceress: Much like other projectilists (I hope that's a word),
the Sorceress can make short work of the Knight by standing her ground and
blasting him from afar. More life, as well as stronger and quicker blasts,
make this foe extremely difficult to overcome.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Sorceress.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Archer ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
~~Versus a Goblin: The Archer will have a fairly easy match here, since they
can simply stand back and shoot the Goblin with Arrows before it can get in
close. However, the Goblin has about the same amount of life and does the
same amount of damage, so if you're not careful the battle can quickly go to
the Dark Side.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Archer.

~~Versus a Manticore: The Archer and the Manticore are character rivals, and
thus are nearly the same. Because of this, the two characters will usually
end up trading blow-for-blow, and since the Manticore has more life it is
more likely to come out the winner.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Manticore.

~~Versus a Banshee: This fight is along the lines of the Archer/Goblin fight -
the Archer pegs the enemy from afar, while the enemy works to get in close.
However, unlike the Archer/Goblin fight if a Banshee gets close enough you
can count this fight over. It's a slim margin, but due to the fact that the
Banshee, unlike the Goblin, doesn't have to aim (and this is less likely to
miss), I think the battle will go to the Banshee. However...if the Banshee
is out of range, they are an open target, giving the Archer an opportunity to
get away AND take a free shot. Ultimately, you could rate the fight based
off of how much life each contestant has, but the Archer has the advantage of
being able to attack sooner - thus, by the time the Banshee gets in close
enough TO attack, he'll not have enough life to outlast him. No, I count
this fight as a Draw.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - Both and/or Neither.

~~Versus a Troll: The Archer has the faster weapon here, but the Troll has a
LOT of life, and one well-placed shot will take the Archer flat out. Basing
the fight on Equal Skill Levels for each, the Troll will come out on top (but
not without taking a hit or two!).
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Troll.

~~Versus a Basilisk: The Archer will have a very difficult time with this
battle. This is another Light Projectilist vs. Dark Projectilist, with the
Dark Character having more life. In this case, the Basilist also has an
incredibly fast attack, so the Archer will spend more of the battle on the
defense. In the end, one or two shots will take down the archer, while it
will take at least 3 to tame the Basilisk.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Basilisk.

~~Versus the Dragon: The Archer, much like the Knight, has the severe
disadvantage of losing this fight from one hit. Therefore, you will have to
make sure you get as many hits as you can before you're removed from the
playing field in a fiery death.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Dragon.

~~Versus the Shapeshifter: Once again, a Light Projectilist vs. Dark
Projectilist match, with (once again) the Dark Side having the advantage of
more life. Don't expect to win this one as well.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Shapeshifter.

~~Versus the Sorceress: Light Projectilist vs. Dark Projectilist, with Dark
having the advantage. Frankly, I don't know why you'd bother sending an
Archer up against the Sorceress.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Sorceress.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Valkyrie ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
~~Versus a Goblin: The Valkyrie has the same amount of life as the Goblin,
does the same amount of damage as the Goblin, and has a faster attack that is
a projectile. The Valkyrie has an advantage on 2 points, giving her the
(expected) win.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Valkyrie.

~~Versus a Manticore: In this case, the Valkyrie is fighting something with
more life, but utilizing a slower attack. Because of this, the Valkyrie is
much more likely to dodge attacks from afar, giving her a slight edge on the
defense. When it comes to offense, they're equal; despite the fact that the
Valkyrie has less life, she can dodge far more, and can also attack with more
accuracy. Thus, the Valkyrie holds a slim margin.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Valkyrie.

~~Versus a Banshee: The Valkyrie does more damage than the Archer, and has
more life. Because of this, she has a slim advantage over the Archer/Banshee
fight.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Valkyrie.

~~Versus a Troll: Here is where the Valkyrie runs into trouble. The Troll
CLEARLY has more life and does more damage, but it IS a slower opponent.
While the Valkyrie can get her licks in, I doubt if she'll outlast the Troll
in a fight. She's better from afar than the Troll is, but once they get in
close the match generally becomes one-sided.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Troll.

~~Versus a Basilisk: Here is another troublesome match for the Valkyrie.
While the Basilisk doesn't do as much damage as the Troll, it has a much
quicker attack, making it difficult to play defensive from afar. The
Valkyrie, in order to be effective, is forced to get in close so the Basilisk
can't dodge as well...however, this works for the Basilisk as well! Finally,
the higher Hit Points give the Basilisk the win in this fight.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Basilisk.

~~Versus the Dragon: The Valkyrie is outmatched, outgunned, and outstrengthed
here. The Dragon, just like most everything else, will make short work of
the fight with a mere 2 shots.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Dragon.

~~Versus the Shapeshifter: The Valkyrie is once again at a disadvantage due to
the life of the opponent. The attacks, attack damage, and attack speed are
all the same, so (player skill aside) the deciding factor would be hit
points, which the Shapeshifter has the advantage of.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Shapeshifter.

~~Versus the Sorceress: Light Projectilist vs. Dark Projectilist, with the
Dark Side have the Hit Point and Attack Damage advantage. Not much of a
fight here, sadly...
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Sorceress.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Golem ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
~~Versus a Goblin: The Golem will make short work of the Goblin, being able to
take them out in 1-2 hits from afar. His high amount of life, combined with
powerful projectiles, hand him an easy win here.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Golem.

~~Versus a Manticore: L.P. (Light Projectilist) vs. D.P. (Dark Projectilist),
with the Light side having the Life and Attack Damage advantage. The
Manticore may have the upper hand when it comes to attack speed, but odds are
the Golem will simply outlast them.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Golem.

~~Versus a Banshee: The Banshee is in real trouble here. It will have to
successfully drain the Golem's life several times in order to win here, while
the Golem simply has to connect with 2-3 Projectiles to win. While the
Golem's projectile is easy enough to dodge from afar, the in-close fight will
still usually end up with the Golem as the winner.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Golem.

~~Versus a Troll: Ah, the infamous "Counterpart" match. In this particular
case, both characters have the same style of attack, as well as the same
Attack Speed and Attack Damage. The Troll, however, has the Life Advantage,
so by a very slim margin the battle is in favor of the Troll.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Troll.

~~Versus a Basilisk: In this case, the Golem has an advantage with more life,
while the Basilisk has an advantage of the quicker projectile. This leaves
attack damage as the deciding factor, which both characters are tied at. The
Golem has trouble dodging attacks from afar, but has more life and therefore
can last long enough to get in close and destroy the Basilisk. In the
Basilisk's case, it has less life, and therefore won't last the close-melee
as long as the Golem will. Sadly, this one usually comes to a Draw.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - Both and/or Neither.

~~Versus the Dragon: The Golem has a slight disadvantage in Hit Points here, a
MAJOR disadvantage in Attack Speed, and a significant disadvantage in Attack
Damage. The Dragon is considered the best player in the game, so it's no
surprise that the Dragon would win this fight. However, the Golem is one of
your best bets for successfully taking on and defeating the Dragon, so don't
think that this fight has no purpose...if you're good enough, you might just
pull off a win!
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Dragon.

~~Versus the Shapeshifter: The Attack Damage, Attack Style, and Attack Speed
are all the same. However, as is the case of the Golem/Troll fight, the Dark
Side has a slight Hit Point advantage. The Dark Side wins again.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Shapeshifter.

~~Versus the Sorceress: This fight usually turns out along the lines of the
Golem/Basilisk fight. The Sorceress has nearly the same life as the Golem,
but attacks quicker. The Golem has more life, but is slower to damage its
opponent. While this fight should probably be considered a draw, one also
has to take into account just how much damage the Sorceress does, which is
more than the Basilisk. By that merit alone, the Sorceress wins the fight.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Sorceress.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Unicorn ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
~~Versus a Goblin: Just like in other cases, the Projectilies will win out
here. Of course, the fact that the Unicorn has more life, a faster attack,
and does more damage certainly helps as well...
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Unicorn.

~~Versus a Manticore: L.P. vs. D.P. (Light Projectilist vs. Dark
Projectilist), with the Light Side having the advantage in Life, Attack
Damage, and Attack Speed. This one goes to the Unicorn as well.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Unicorn.

~~Versus a Banshee: Just like the Archer, the Valkyrie, and the Golem, the
Unicorn can peg a Banshee from afar and make short work of them. The added
life and damage done, though, make the Unicorn a better choice than the
Archer or Valkyrie to take into the fight.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Unicorn.

~~Versus a Troll: Just like the Golem/Basilisk fight, the Unicorn has the
Attack Speed advantage while the Troll has the Hit Point advantage.
Therefore, the deciding factor comes down to Attack Damage, where the two
characters are tied. In Battle, this fight is a draw. However, the Unicorn
can move 4 spaces to the Trolls' 3, so the Unicorn is that much a better
player. Unfortunately, I'm gauging the winner off of the battle, so I still
have to put this one down as a Draw.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - Both and/or Neither.

~~Versus a Basilisk: Here we have another "counterpart" match. Since the
deciding factor (again) comes down to Hit Points, the Dark Side has the
advantage again.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Basilisk.

~~Versus the Dragon: Ugh...the Unicorn's attacks are quicker than the
Dragon's, but the Damage and Life are clearly in favor of the Dragon. If you
want to risk this fight, go right ahead...however, I still think the Dragon
Will win.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Dragon.

~~Versus the Shapeshifter: Once again, a L.P. vs. D.P., with the Hit Point
advantage going to the Dark Side. I tells ya, that pesky Shapeshifter is
just as bad as the Dragon!
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Shapeshifter.

~~Versus the Sorceress: The Sorceress, while lacking the attack speed of the
Unicorn, clearly has more Hit Points and Attack Damage. Curses, foiled
again!
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Sorceress.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Djinni ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
~~Versus a Goblin: As usual, the Goblin loses out simply because it needs to
get in close to be fight, while the Projectilist can simply blast them to
death from afar (with 1-2 shots, no less).
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Djinni.

~~Versus a Manticore: L.P. vs. D.P., with the Djinni having more Hit Points,
doing more Damage, and attacking quicker. This is a fairly one-sided battle,
but if you're a clumsy and/or stupid player you CAN still lose, so be
careful!
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Djinni.

~~Versus a Banshee: Just like the Goblin, the Djinni has more life, has a
stronger Attack, and attacks quicker (and from afar). The Banshee best not
attempt this fight.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Djinni.

~~Versus a Troll: Both characters have the roughly the same amount of life,
while the Djinni has the advantage of a faster Projectile and marginally more
damage. The Djinni usually wins here.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Djinni.

~~Versus a Basilisk: The Djinni, while having a slower attack, has more life
and a more damaging attack. This generally means that the Basilisk can get
in its shots, but the Djinni is just too powerful and, in the long run, will
outlast the Basilisk.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Djinni.

~~Versus the Dragon: This is about as close a match as you're going to get
with the Dragon. Both characters have High Hit Points, High Damage, and High
Attack Speeds; however, the Dragon barely exceeds the Djinni in all 3, so its
usually a slim win for the Dragon. If you want to win against the Dragon,
take him on with a lesser character first (Archer, Valkyrie) to wear him down
to an even match.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Dragon.

~~Versus the Shapeshifter: The Djinni is up against an opponent who, because
of its shapeshifting abilities, is just the same. Both characters end up
with the same amount of Hit Points, and because of the Doppleganger tactics
they both fight the same (Attack Damage and Speed are equal). This match is
a Draw.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - Both and/or Neither.

~~Versus the Sorceress: The Sorceress has the advantage in Attack Speed, while
the Djinni has a marginal lead in Hit Points. The deciding factor is Attack
Damage, which they are tied in. Once again, the match is a draw.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - Both and/or Neither.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Phoenix ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
~~Versus a Goblin: This is much like a Knight/Banshee fight. The Goblin must
get in close to attack, but every opportunity is quickly dashed by the
Phoenix's flames. The added life certainly doesn't hurt the Phoenix's case,
either.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Phoenix.

~~Versus a Manticore: While the Phoenix is required to get in close and fight
it out, while the Manticore can shoot from a distance. However, the Phoenix
has a sizeable amount of Hit Points, so it can usually afford to get in close
and destroy the Manticore.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Phoenix.

~~Versus a Banshee: Despite what you might thing, this is NOT a "counterpart"
match with the Phoenix. Both characters attack in the same style; however,
the Phoenix has more life, so since this battle will degenerate into a blow-
for-blow fight, the Phoenix will still win out due to its larger amount of
Health to work with.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Phoenix.

~~Versus a Troll: The Troll has as much life as the Phoenix, does tons of
damage, and usually has to get in close to be effective. Sadly, this is how
the Phoenix attacks as well, so a missed attack will quickly turn this into a
VERY one-sided match in favor of the Troll.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Troll.

~~Versus a Basilisk: Much like Manticore, the Basilisk can peg the Phoenix
from afar with its quick projectile. However, the Basilisk has much more
life than the Manticore, thus rendering null and void the advantage the
Phoenix had.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Basilisk.

~~Versus the Dragon: While the Phoenix CAN do good here, odds are the Dragon
will destroy the Phoenix with its greater Hit Points and stronger Attacks.
If the Phoenix whiffs, it's Death for the Bird of Immortality.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Dragon.

~~Versus the Shapeshifter: THIS is the true "counterpart" match with the
Phoenix. Although the Shapeshifter isn't by nature a Phoenix-styled
attacker, because it matches its opponents' style of fighting this becomes a
Blow-by-Blow fight. Since both characters have the same amount of life, this
match is a draw.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - Both and/or Neither.

~~Versus the Sorceress: This is much like the Phoenix/Basilisk fight - the
Sorceress is too powerful for the Phoenix to outlast. You CAN win, but odds
are the Sorceress will get you before you can get a successful attack off.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Sorceress.

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Wizard ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
~~Versus a Goblin: The Wizard will utterly destroy a Goblin, thanks to its
powerful and quick projectile, as well as his higher Hit Points.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Wizard.

~~Versus a Manticore: The Wizard has a stronger Attack than the Manticore, as
well as more Hit Points and a faster Attack. This one goes to the Wizard.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Wizard.

~~Versus a Banshee: The Banshee has to get in close to attack, while the
Wizard can simply peg 'em while they're moving in. The problem is, the
Banshee has to attack several times to win, while the Wizard only requires 2-
3 shots to win.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Wizard.

~~Versus a Troll: The Wizard and the Troll are even in Hit Points and Damage;
thus, the deciding factor is attack speed (and luck, but I'm going off of in-
the-game factors). Since the Wizard has the faster attack, the Wizard wins
out here.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Wizard.

~~Versus a Basilisk: The Wizard has the upper hand here due to having more
life and doling out more damage. While the Basilisk does have the faster
attack, it doesn't aid him enough to warrant a deciding factor.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Wizard.

~~Versus the Dragon: The Dragon is clearly the best piece on the board
(according to most), having extremely Strong and Quick Attacks, as well as
having a high amount of Hit Points. The Wizard is simply outmatched here,
although the margin is slim on all accounts.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - The Dragon.

~~Versus the Shapeshifter: The Shapeshifter and the Wizard have the same
amount of life. Also, because the Shapeshifter takes on the Wizard's attack
style their Attack Damage and Attack Speed are the same. By this merit, the
winner is the player who is more skillful, as there is no deciding factor
within the game to change the outcome.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - Both and/or Neither.

~~Versus the Sorceress: These two are tied in terms of Attack Damage, Attack
Speed, and Hit Points. It comes down to whoever is the better player at this
point.
USUAL/EXPECTED WINNER - Both and/or Neither.

_______________________=================================_______________________
C - Win/Loss/Tie Charts
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=================================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

I figure this is a little self-explanatory.

___________________________________________________
| | Wins | Losses | Draws |
| Light Side |========|==========|=========|
| | | | |
| The Knight | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| The Archer | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| The Valkyrie | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| The Golem | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| The Unicorn | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| The Phoenix | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| The Djinni | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| The Wizard | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| | | | |
| Total | 23 | 33 | 8 |
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
___________________________________________________
| | Wins | Losses | Draws |
| Dark Side |========|==========|=========|
| | | | |
| The Goblin | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| The Banshee | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| The Manticore | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| The Troll | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| The Basilisk | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| The Shapeshifter | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| The Sorceress | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| The Dragon | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| | | | |
| Total | 33 | 23 | 8 |
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Going off of the totals alone, you can see that the Dark Side has the higher
wins with certain characters, but ranks poorly with the weaker ones. The Light
Side is more consistent with their winnings, due to the difference in
characters (Valkyrie vs. Banshee, Phoenix vs. Shapeshifter). But then again,
what do these matter? If you're the better player, it doesn't matter who's got
what - you're going to win!

_______________________================================________________________
D - Strategos
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯================================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

1) The 2 ways to win the game are to either control all 5 points on the board
or to wipe out all of your opponents. Since taking the 5 points usually
requires wiping out opponents anyways, but not taking them ALL on, this
is most often the preferred method to win. Thus, try to take control of
each point with your more powerful characters - Golem or Troll, Phoenix or
Shapeshifter, Dragon or...well, Dragon - and then wrest the remaining few
from your enemy.

2) Is your opponent automatically going for the 5 Squares? Hey, you can use
this to your advantage. When they start doing this, make sure you hold
the Wizard/Sorceress's point (keeping at least 1 prevents them from
winning) and start picking off their lesser characters with your Dragon,
Golem, Phoenix, Djinni, etc. They might control more points, but they
still have to go through your Powerful Magic-User to win; thus, you can
cut down on their ranks while they're fretting over taking the 5 Points!

3) It is extreme importance that you learn to move about on the various
battlefields. On each one, there are randomly placed "obstacles" that
limit movement and can block projectiles. Immediately absorb the lay
of the land when entering a fight, then try to use it to your advantage.
If you are using a character that relies on projectiles, try to force
your opponent into a position where they cannot move without getting shot.
Fire in such a way so that they are "herded" into sections of the stage
where they cannot take cover, or are so thoroughly trenched in objects
that they can't effectively avoid your attacks.

4) That's fine, Veggie, but what happens when you're a Melee Character and
are fighting someone who uses projectiles? In these cases, you need to
try and turn the tides by either seeking refuge from the blasts, or
working your opponent into such a location where they cannot shoot you.
Remember, there is a bit of downtime between shots for EVERYONE who uses
projectiles, so if you can make them misfire, hit them, then safely get
away, then you are well under way to taking control of a match. Even
if you can't defeat their projectilist with a Melee character, doing
every bit of damage you can will often mean the difference between a
win and a loss. I once took down a computer-controlled Dragon with a
Knight - no small feat, but it was through my ability to move into
a series of obstacles, blocking each shot, then quickly running out,
stabbing it, then rushing back before its flames could singe me. It
took 3 Knights to do it, but I pulled it off!

5) Another interesting thing to keep in mind - the color of the square that
you occupy when you join a fight corresponds to which side you are a member
of (Dark and Light). If the color of the square matches the side that you
are on, then your character will have a little extra health at the start of
the match. It's not much, but it certainly helps when you're going into a
disadvantaged matchup and need an extra boost. Also, it aids you
strategically by making your opponent re-think where he/she/it moves their
pieces, as that extra health can suddenly allow your character then
necessary edge towards winning an otherwise lopsided fight. Ha!

6) Finally...do NOT forget that you have to be holding a direction to
attack (not counting the Phoenix or Banshee). If you aren't holding
a direction on the Directional Pad, your character WILL NOT ATTACK.
My brother was thoroughly trounced on quite a few matches because he
kept forgetting he had to hold LEFT to shoot me; he blamed me for his
losses. Therefore, I tell you now: hold a direction if you want to
attack.

==================================== Archon ===================================
-----------------------VII: Various----------------------
==================================== Archon ===================================

Stuff that doesn't fit anywhere else? Find it here!

_______________________================================________________________
A - Revision History
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05-15-01: Started this FAQ.
05-23-01: After much deliberation, resumed work on this FAQ.
06-06-01: I finally finished this FAQ. I figured this'd take less time than
Fester's Quest, and it did - I just found Fester's Quest more
enetertaining to do, that's all. Maybe next time I'll do the FAQ
that takes no work FIRST. All in all, I put in about 2 hours work
into this FAQ, spread over the course of 3 weeks!
04-09-02: Deliberation, Procrastination, Abstination...yeah, I've got that
stuff down COLD. Almost a YEAR later, I return to this guide and
reformat the dickens out of it, as well as make some adjustments
here and there to the content itself. Hopefully, I won't have to do
this again.
03-13-03: Formatting changes!
06-08-03: More formatting changes!
11-09-03: Yes, you guessed it...MORE formatting changes! Geez, aren't I the
picky one?

_______________________================================________________________
B - Thanks
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯================================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

~CJayC ([email protected], www.gamefaqs.com) for putting this FAQ up. Your
hard work as earned my respect.

[email protected] for giving me a heart attack with your childish "I
stole your FAQ and sold it with my name on it" antics. Because of that, I now
do dozens of things to make sure people don't steal my work. If they do, I
know exactly what to look for to see if they took MY work or not.

~Uh...I can't exactly thank God for the role he's taken in my life, because
that would seem like I'm trying to force my religious opinions on someone else
(which I'm not). Therefore, I'd like to thank "Murray" for the role he's taken
in my life (Murray, you know who you are).

_______________________================================________________________
C - NO THANKS
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯================================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

If you write me asking for help with the game, I'll send you a link to my FAQ.
If you ask for specific help, I'll try to aid you. However, if you ask me
about something that is already covered in the FAQ, I will simply refer you to
the FAQ again. I wrote the FAQ so that your questions would be answered here,
not so I could repeat that FAQ bit by bit through e-mail for the next few
years. If you need clarification about something in the FAQ, ask about it -
but don't ask me to repeat anything.

_______________________================================________________________
D - Contact Information
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯================================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Questions? Comments? Just feel like harassing me? Well then, feel free to e-
mail me! Given the frequency of e-mails that I get, I find that I have to sort
through a lot of junk; thus, it is imperative that you send e-mail to the right
address (a common mistake, as I have several) AND include the name of the game
in the subject line. So let me help you out, then:

FAQ-related Questions/Comments: [email protected]
Review-related Questions/Comments: [email protected]
Personal Questions: [email protected]

Much to my chagrin, I have to admit that I *was* an AOL user for a tremendously
long time. As such, there are several guides of mine floating about on the
internet that still show "[email protected]" as the contact address. Don't be
fooled, as I have finally wizened up and gotten rid of AOL (which sucks,
believe me - I have been a member of AOL since version 2.0, and it's NEVER
gotten to a level where it was worth having). Thus, e-mails sent to this
address will not be received by me. Make sure you're sendin' 'em to the right
place, folks, or else you won't get the answer(s) you want!

===============================================================================
End FAQ
===============================================================================

The following are sites that can NOT use my work. If you see these sites using
ANY of my FAQs, please e-mail me ASAP. Each of these websites are sites that
have plagiarised myself or others in the past, or simply taken our work(s)
without our prior permission. Since they do not have enough respect for the
authors (or an ignorance of the law), I am expressly forbidding them from using
my work. I will not promote such sites that partake in these actions.

911 Codes http://911codes.com
9 Lives http://www.9lives.ru/eng/
Bean's PlayStation Dimension http://www.bean.dk/psx/index.htm
Cheat Code Central http://www.cheatcc.com
Cheat Index http://cheatindex.com
Cheat Matrix http://cheatmatrix.com
Cheat Search http://cheatsearch.com
Cheatstop http://www.panstudio.com/cheatstop/
CNET Gamecenter http://games.netscape.com/Faqs/
Console Domain http://www.consoledomain.co.uk
Dirty Little Helper http://dlh.net
Dark Station http://www.darkstation.com/
Dreamland http://kirby.pokep.net
Games Domain http://www.gamesdomain.com
Game Express http://www.gameexpress.com
Games Over http://www.gamesover.com/
Mega Games http://www.megagames.com
Square Haven http://www.square-haven.net
Ultimate System http://www.flatbedexpress.com
VideoGaming.net http://www.videogaming.net/
Cheats.de http://www.cheats.de

(Taken from Jim "Red Phoenix" Chamberlin's FAQ Theft Guide, as well as added
onto.)

As I stated above, if you want to use one of my guides, I ask that you e-mail
me to gain my permission first. I like to keep track of which sites use my
work, so I know where to send the updates, and it's a little difficult to keep
you updated if you don't e-mail me.

This FAQ Copyright Rev. Eric "Vegita" Johnson, 2004. All Rights Reserved.