ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz012345678901234567890123456 Shanoa Guide V. 1.5 This guide is intended to help both beginning and advanced players learn the ins and outs of Shanoa (go ahead and chuckle...). If you think something has been missed, PM me on Gamefaqs, with Shanoa FAQ in the subject. Thanks and enjoy your read Table of Contents ================= Introduction.......................[INTR] About Shanoa.......................[ABUT] Shanoa's Glyphs....................[GLYP] Key Equipment and Set-ups..........[EQMT] Helpful Tips.......................[HELP] Leveling Tricks....................[LVLT] Quick Drop List....................[DROP] Shanoa Exclusives..................[EXCL] Contact, Copyright and Versions....[VERS] Intoduction [INTR] ================== First off, why Shanoa? Because she was one of two non-DLC characters without a guide. She was also the first character in Castlevania HD that I mained. This is the first guide I have ever written, so bare with me, okay? About Shanoa [ABUT] =================== Shanoa original came from the Nintendo DS game Order of Ecclesia. She is hunting down Dracula in a time without a Belmont. She can absorb Spell and Weapon Glyph's from enemies to use as weapons of her own. Unlike in her original game, her Weapon Glyphs do not consume MP. Shanoa's Glyphs [GLYP] ====================== Shanoa has four Spell Glyphs (Ignis, Grando, Fulgar, Nitesco) and three Weapon Glyohs (Confodere, Lapiste, Pneuma) in the base game. The four base spells come from enemies, and the weapons come from chests. "One Who is Many" DLC added her Globus spell glyph. "Lord of Flies" DLC adds her Acerbatus spell glyph. "Origins" DLC Adds her Sinestro and Dextro Custus Weapon Glyphs "The Legend of Fuma" DLC adds her Luminatio spell. Each spell is useful in certain situations, some more than others. To absorb a Glyph from an enemy,when you see them ready a spell, a blue, circular glyph will appear above the enemies head. When you see this, press and hold up to absorb the spell. Do not worry about being hurt by the enemy while absorbing the spell, as they cannot move. Other enemies can however still hurt you. You can absorb glyphs from anywhere in the level. Her attack power for both weapon and spell glyphs will power up through leveling her subweapons. Her sub-weapons gain XP for each hit on an enemy, even hits that do no damage (indicated by the word "GUARD" appearing). The following is from darkclawx's post on the forum, the topic can be found at: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/997663-castlevania-harmony-of-despair/58132981 The XP to get to each level is as follows: 1 0 2 16 3 64 4 256 5 1024 6 4096 7 16384 8 32768 9 99999 *Note that this is cumulative, so to get from 8-9, you need 67231 XP, which will put you at 99999 total for that spell* You get more XP based on the difficulty, and whether you have Master Rings on. Master Rings can be purchased for 200,000 Gold in the shop. |No M.Rings|1x M.Ring|1x M.Ring| Normal | 1 | 3 | 4 | Hard | 4 | 8 | 12 | >+Weapon Glyphs+< Name: Confodore Element: Pierce Location: Start (x2) Discription: A rapier. Short range, but effective non-the-less. The most powerful starting weapon. Name: Pneuma Element: Slash Location: 3-7 Boss Chest (Both Difficulties) Discription: A wave of wind. If timed right with two Pneumas, the waves can be combined into one large one. Takes some getting used to. The range is nice, and can be used to hit Dracula's final form from the corner of the room. Name: Lapiste Element: Strike Location: 3-7 Boss Chest (Both Difficulties) Discription: A large stone fist. BDC's well. One of her best weapon glyphs in the base game all-round. More range and power than Confodere, and simpler than Pneuma to use, though less powerful. Best choice against Slash resistant enemies (Astarte) Sinestro Custos Element: Slash/Ice Location: 10 Boss (Normal), 10 Purple and Boss (Hard) Discription: A large, white wolf head. Similiar to Lapiste in usage, though shorter and faster. Can also deal more or less damage depending on the enemy type. Dextro Custos Element: Slash/Fire Location: 10 Boss (Normal), 10 Purple and Boss (Hard) Discription: A large, black wolf head. Similiar to Lapiste in usage, though shorter and faster. Can also deal more or less damage depending on the enemy type. They look awesome if you BDC one of each. >+Spell Glyphs+< Spell: Ignis Element: Fire Location: Starter (x1), Aliorumnas Range: Short Description: Shoots a short-ranged, tri-direction fire blast infront of Shanoa. Most useful if used so all three hit the same enemy. Spell: Grando Element: Ice Location: Aliorumnas Range: Long Description: Shoots a single ice projictile directly in front of Shanoa. High power. Has unlimited range. Backdash cancel it at one end of a hallway, and watch everything fall over. Spell: Fulgar Element: Lightning Location: Aliorumnas Range: Medium Description: Fires a homing lightning bolt from Shanoa. Can hit enemies behind her. Hits twice. Has good power and can hit through enemy shields, but not walls. Good way to stay safe if you are low on health. Spell: Nitesco Element: Holy Location: Nova Skeleton Range: Medium Description: Fires a purple beam that moves with Shanoa. Hits three times. It will get longer as you level it, it a fairly impressive length. Shanoa's only Holy damage without DLC. A warning, do NOT use this on Astarte. It will block your view of Astarte, and get you AND your party killed. DO NOT DO IT! Spell: Globus Element: Strike Location: Chapter 8 Normal Boss, Hard Purple and Boss Range: Long Discription: Fires two balls that lauch from shanoa at 45 degree angles up and down. They will bounce off walls until they disappear. They also passes through enemies. Very useful on Chapters 8 and 9 boss. Can clear hallways rather well, but I prefer Grando for that. Spell: Acerbatus Element: Dark/Lightning Location: Chapter 9 Normal, Hard Purple and Boss Range: Short Discription: A large ball that will hit the enemy multiple (3-4) times for high damage. Inflicts curse status, which lowers enemies attack power. Hardly any enemies resist Lightning and Dark, so this spell is very useful. Spell: Luminatio Element: Holy Location: Chapter 11 Hard Purple and Boss Range: Medium/Long Discription: Two balls of light appear on Shanoa, and rotate slowly around her outward away from her. Pierce's walls and shields. Similar to the Whip-users Bible. Personal Skill Skill: Magnes Description: Shanoa only has one personal skill, and it comes in the form of Magnes. Magnes is a great mobility increase. While holding RB, a circle will extend around Shanoa. If tis circle comes in contact with any of the Magnes points on various levels, you will latch on and can slingshot your self in any direction. For example if you grab a point, Hold left and RB, then release them, you will fly off to the right. It can be an interesting thing to get used to, but is very useful, and enables the use of many shortcuts, as well as aiding in the dodging of the attacks of bosses and enemies. As well as Magnes canceling, which will be covered in the Helpful Tips [HELP] section. Key Equipment and Set-ups [EQMT] ================================ Shanoa's equipment setup will vary depending on whether you want to focus on a Physical, Magical, or Hybrid build, as well as how concerned with defence you are. The most important armour you will wants is listed below, with DLC items marked accordingly. >+Head+< Holy Veil DEF +5 INT+10 Holy Resist +5 Dark Resist +5 Drops From: 5/Normal/Gold Comments: The BEST intellegence boosting head piece. No competition. Minerva Mask DEF +11 STR +3 MND +8 Drops From: 6/Hard/Purple Comments: The best boost to strength. Also has the biggest defence boost. >+Chest+< Berzerker Mail DEF -10 STR +10 CON -50 MND -50 HP -20 Drops From: 5/Hard/Gold, 6/Hard/Gold Comments: Do not be decieved by the seemingly poor stats. For raw damage, the Berzerker mail tops all. It increases damage by a huge amount. However, you will die in one or two hits from most everything, so be very cautious while wearing this! Robe Decollette (DLC) DEF +20 STR +4 CON +8 INT +4 MND +8 Fire Resist +15 Ice Resist +15 Lightning Resist +10 Petrify +15 Holy Restist +10 Dark Resist +10 Curse Resist +15 Poison Resist +15 MP Regen +0.4mp/second Drops From: Chapter 7, Hard, Gold Chest Comments: A absolutly astounding piecs of armour! If you are going with a magic build, or physical, but don't feel confident wearing Berzerker Mail, this should be your armour od choice. Death's Robe DEF +26 STR +4 CON +4 INT +4 MND +4 LCK +4 MP +44 Drops From: 5/Hard/Gold Comments: Use this if you don't have the Chapter 7 DLC to get a Robe Decollette, it is the second best physical and magical armour (disregarding Berzerker Mail). Legs: Sonic Boots (DLC), Winged Boots, Artemis Shoes, Minerva Greaves Back: Benten Rainment (DLC), Blue Cape, Assassin's Cape Acc.: Apollonian Ring (DLC), Artemisian Ring (DLC), Chaos Ring, Sunstone, Moonstone, Megingiord, Miser Ring (DLC) Item: Caviar, Super Potion Helpful Tips [HELP] =================== One of the most important things for Shanoa is "Back-dash Canceling", hereby abbreviated as BDC. Only some spells can be effectively BDC'd. BDC capable spells: Ignis Grando Fulgar Globus To BDC, place the spell you want to BDC on your "Down + B" slot. Then in game, alternate pressing B and LB while holding Down. BDC can be done on other slots, however you need to press the appropriate direction for the spell + B, release the direction, press LB, tap down, then repeat the cycle. Weapon Glyphs can also be BDC'd, though it harder to perform. You press the X(+Y) button(s), tap LB, tap "Down". Then repeat ad infinitum (or until the monster dies...) >+What about the spells that cannont be BDC'd?+< Slot Rotation. If anyone, I think this was discovered by AuTpBoRomulus. Some spells when BDC'd, you will see that you will get only 1 hit per several projectiles. Slot Rotating gets around this. Basically the same spell on multiple slots count as different projectiles. For example, Nitesco hits 3 times per cast. If BDC'c it will still only hit 3 times. However, if you put Nitesco on say, "B" and "Forward + B" and cast one after the other it will hit 6 times. Add "Up + B" and "Down + B" and it will it 12 times. If you do a short- hop between each cast, you will cancel the cast animation, thus speeding up the casting. Slot Rotation can be a little tricky to get down, but really helps with Survival grinding (covered in the next section.) Magnes Cancelling. Her other technique is Magnes Canceling. It is most useful on the bosses of Chapters 5 and 9. Basiclly, while Holding on to the Magnes point, you can tap one or both attack buttons, Release RB, Press and Hold RB again, then Repeat. You will attack much faster than usual possible. This will allow you to decimate Beelzebub, and when he cooperates, Death. Leveling Tricks [LVLT] ====================== The only real way to level quickly is Survival Mode. I warn you though, it is boring... >+What You Need+< -Astral Ring -Master Ring (optional, but very helpful) >+How it Works=< In Survival, you and another player ar matched up against each other. The host can pick between Normal Chapter 1 and Hard Chapter 1. Hard Chapter 1 should be chosen. You will find your self in Gergoth's tower, with access to the rest of the level blocked off. You and your partner are intended to fight each other, however you should instead fight Gergoth. With the Astral Ring on, you will use HP to cast spells, as opposed to MP. When your HP gets low, simply run into Gergoth to die and come back with full health. Lather, rinse and repeat. For best results you and your partener should alternate rounds, so Gergoth doesn't die as quickly. BDC as appropriate. Repeat Ad Nauseum Quick Drop List [Drop] ====================== Listed by chapter. All Drops are both normal and hard unless specified. Weapon Glyphs have a high chance of dropping on Normal. Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Pneuma Lapiste Chapter 4 Pneuma Lapiste Chapter 5 Holy Veil Death's Robe Berzerker Mail Pneuma Lapiste Nitesco Chapter 6 Ingis Grando Fulgar Nitesco Chapter 7 Royal Crown Robe Decolette Miser Ring Pneuma Lapiste Nitesco Chapter 8 Apollonian Ring Artimisian Ring Nitesco Globus [PURPLE/BOSS] Chapter 9 Nitesco Acerbatus Chapter 10 Dextro Custos Sinistro Custos Chapter 11 Luminatio Shanoa Exclusives [EXCL] ======================== Chapter 1 & 2 Normal: NOTHING Chapter 3 Normal Lapiste Pneuma Chapter 4 Normal Lapiste Pneuma Chapter 5 Normal Holy Veil (Shared with Other Females, but listed for completion) Lapiste Pneuma Chapter 6 Normal Lapiste Pneuma Chapter 1 Hard NOTHING Chapter 2 Hard Healing Mail (Shared with Whip Users, but listed for completion) Chapter 3 Hard Lapiste Pneuma Chapter 4 Hard NOTHING Chapter 5 Hard NOTHING (Death's Robe and Berserker Mail however) Chapter 6 Valkyrie Mask Valkyrie Greaves Valkyrie Mail Minerva Mask Minerva Greaves Minerva Mail Chapter 7 Hard Robe Decollete (Shared with the females, but worth noting) Chapter 8 Hard Globus Chapter 9 Hard Acerbatus Chapter 10 Hard Dextro Custos Sinestro Custos Chapter 11 Hard Luminatio Contact, Copyright and Versions [VERS] If you want to contact me, PM me on Gamefaqs. Please indicate that it is about this FAQ. I will gladly accept additions and corrections, as errors are quite likely. Copyright 2011, Nick King. GameFAQs is the only web site currently allowed to post this FAQ. Please contact me if you have found this on a different site. This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. Version 1.0 *REJECTED* Completed and Submitted: June 5th 2011 at 5:24am First completed version. Version 1.25 *NEVER SUBMITTED* Completed and Submitted: Never Submitted Added Magnes Info Added Exclusives Added Copyright Information Version 1.5 Completed and Submitted: June 8th 2011 at 10:00pm Updated Spell and Weapon Glyphs (Locations added, Discriptions Updated) Added Experience Chart Updated "About Shanoa" section