Battle Arena/Matt Strategies

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To do: Flesh out Matt's wave-specific strategies

Matt's best option for most of the Battle Arena is the Lightning Shard; it has a fair Stun chance that can be amplified by status-boosting gear, and its Slicing Cyclone counter lets him immobilize foes on their turn. In Equip Remix, he can get even better results with the Alt Golden Axe, which has the same counter skill and an even better Stun chance; on the other hand, the Alt Lightning Shard offers two elemental boosts and a decent chance of automatic Haste, which is especially valuable in a solo challenge.

If Stun isn't an option, Matt can use the Ultra Pro 9000X for a third status boost, making skills like Shredder, The Reaper, and Electron Gun (if Lance already completed his solo challenge) more powerful. Alternatively, the Love Blade and the Devil's Fork work with the Flame Suit's buff boost to let him max out his defenses with Heavenly Shield; their offenses aren't great, so he may want to use the Tentacle or the Emerald Earrings to help wear down his foes.

Remember that Matt is one of two characters who can't learn Revive, which means that his best option for using the Companion C*be, the Dog Tags, or the Narutomaki is to Defend himself with the Fairy. He also has access to physical skills that let him cover every element in the game, although defense is usually more important than a build tailored to maximize his damage against specific foes.

If Weather Remix is enabled, a Sandstorm will be active for every battle. Increasing Matt's Dry resistance may be helpful to mitigate the effects of this while enabling him to exploit the boost to his Fire and Bomb skills against the relevant foes; alternatively, strong Fire and Bomb resistance can be used to weaken incoming attacks that'd be boosted by Dry.

Battle 1: Bats and a Dragon

Two Blood Bats aren't much of a challenge, but these ones are accompanied by an Earth Dragon. High resistance to Fire, Earth, and Bio are useful, especially since the Blood Bats can inflict Virus; Confuse and Scorch resistance helps deal with the annoying status effects Matt might face as well. The Flame Suit is a good armor to wear; it completely negates the threat of the Earth Dragon's Fire attacks, and its status boost is useful for taking out the Blood Bats with Shredder. Electron Gun is probably the most effective way to incapacitate the Dragon; in absence of that skill, Matt may want to try using Unleash with the Lightning Shard.

Weather Remix especially benefits the Dragon; not only does it have strong Fire attacks to exploit Dry on Matt (in addition to its own means of Drying him), becoming Dry itself reduces its most severe elemental weakness.

Alt Battle 1: Bats and a Dragon mk.3

Foe Remix has the same families, but different representatives; specifically, an Electric Bat duo and a Sea Dragon. The Bats remain distant secondary threats, but their ability to occasionally Confuse Matt may necessitate their quick elimination. If you're using a full status build, the Ultra Pro 9000X can help dampen the Sea Dragon's Water and Ice attacks; pair it with some Thunder-resistant Flairs to help handle its Spark attack and any follow-ups from the Electric Bats. Alternatively, the Lightning Shard's Unleash remains Matt's best option to Stun the Dragon; the Electric Bats are Stun-immune, but a Shredder or two should get rid of them easily enough.

Weather Remix is a double-edged sword in this fight: Sandstorm-induced Dry reduces two of the Sea Dragon's weaknesses, but it also lowers the damage of the Ice and Thunder attacks that may come Matt's way.

Battle 2: Turtle Creeps

A Green Creep, a Red Creep, and a Blue Creep are the opposition here. Their shared Earth weakness will do them no favors - especially if Matt's carrying Giga Drill to exploit their attempts to Defend themselves - while Dispel and Weaken resistance mitigates the threat of their main status effects. They're all pretty resistant to Stun and Death, but Matt's status builds should still have decent success if you opt to take that route.

It's best to kill the Red Creep first, since it's the only one of the trio that can heal its allies (albeit slightly). Remember that the Blue Creep can blow itself up at low HP, which hurts even more if Weather Remix makes Matt Dry; make an effort to finish it off in one powerful strike before it hits that HP threshold.

Alt Battle 2: Skeletal Scourge

Foe Remix ups the stakes considerably (and gives us a little throwback to Epic Battle Fantasy 3) by replacing the Creeps with a Zombie Hydra (albeit with only one head and a little more than half its normal HP). Fortunately, Matt is well-equipped to exploit its elemental weaknesses (mind the risk of decapitating it, however), and it being alone means that the Lightning Shard status build can use Unleash to Stun it fairly reliably.

If you're not set on the Stun strategy, Matt can also try to outlast the Zombie Hydra by using the Fairy; automatic skills help here, since he'll spend most of his turns defending himself to maintain Auto-Revive. In this regard, the Spartan Cuirass and Spartan Helmet can be useful; equipping them both provides empowered Fire attacks to exploit one of the Zombie Hydra's weaknesses, occasional Crucified Fallen auto-summons and Morale, strong Fire resistance, complete immunity to Instant Death, great bulk, and on-Defend buffs to HP and Defence to endure the Zombie Hydra's brutal physical attacks. Alternatively, the Officer's Hat can be used for its Fire and Dark resistance (also giving Matt a second auto-skill) and the Priest's Tunic offers another source of Auto-Revive along with further Dark resistance and a Holy boost; if needed, Matt can equip the Bandage to give himself Death immunity.

Battle 3: Boulder Brigade

Three Boulders to deal with here: Sandstone, Coral, and Dirt. They have more than a few ways to lower Matt's stats; between the Sandstone Boulder's Sand Dune and the Dirt Boulder's Tired infliction, his Accuracy will be a particular concern. They're only 50% Stun-proof, so the Lightning Shard status build can immobilize them quite reliably; on the other hand, they're also quite Thunder resistant, so Matt will need other skills to actually kill them. Fortunately, they're all severely weak to Ice or Water, which Matt can easily exploit; if Weather Remix is active, the Sandstorm can Dry them out to amplify their shared Bomb weakness for Big Bullet.

Alt Battle 3: Bugging the Big Guns mk.2

This Foe Remix wave is very similar to one of Lance's battles in the non-Custom Game; all three Turrets backed by a single Worm. However, the latter is a Book Worm this time, allowing it to support the Harpoon Turret's physical attacks by making Matt Enchanted; on the other hand, it can end up hampering the other two's offensive. In either case, the Lightning Shard status build will easily Stun them all in a single Slicing Cyclone; it also makes it easier for Matt to force the Cannon Turret and Laser Turret to Surrender with Bubble Ring.

Battle 4: Not-So-Helping Hands

Three Zombie Hands and two Skeleton Hands aren't here to give you a round of applause. They're immune to Instant Death, but the Lightning Shard status build should keep them quiet more often than not. They're all weak to Earth and Holy, and the Zombie Hands have an additional Fire weakness that can be amplified if Weather Remix is enabled; mind their auto-Virus and ability to inflict Doom, however.

Alt Battle 4: Deep-Fried Skeletons

Foe Remix brings an entirely different wave of undead to this round: three Magma Hands and two Skeleton Cats. The latter have an annoying immunity to Stun and Instant Death, which largely invalidates both of Matt's main status options; regardless, he should start with a full status build and quickly kill off the Magma Hands with Shredder. Once it's just him and the cats, Matt can focus on neutralizing them with Syphon or Freeze (from Bubble Ring and weapon-elemental attacks with the Chrome Earrings, respectively); alternatively, he can switch his gear to something that helps him beat them the old-fashioned way.

The Skeleton Cats don't have much elemental damage, so physical bulk is the best option to endure their attacks. It's best to kill them both at once to prevent the survivor from retaliating with Bone Pillar; try to knock away their shields and hit them with Dispel to remove the risk of them giving themselves Morale (which helps them fulfill the other condition for casting Bone Pillar). Their biggest weakness is Holy, but Matt has options to hit their other weaknesses as well; Weather Remix also makes Fire more appealing with its occasional Dry application.

Battle 5: Gems, Stones, and Bone

There's a pair of Gem Idol pests backing up the unique enemy of Matt's Arena Challenge: a Bone Golem! Keep in mind that the latter can also summon Stone Idol reinforcements with some of its attacks, although they're largely inconsequential aside from being extra bodies.

The Bone Golem is completely immune to Stun, Freeze, and Death, so the status build will be minimally useful; however, the Lightning Shard's counter remains effective for passively Stunning the Idols. High Defence is vital to survive the Golem's non-elemental moves; Earth resistance is also handy for weakening its Ground Pound and Sand Dune attacks, while Stagger and Weaken resistance handles the worst status effects it can throw at you. Conversely, Wind resistance isn't a priority; Shrouding Breath is more annoying than dangerous as long as you're prepared for the possibility of Shroud hiding Matt's condition.

Outside of Weather Remix, the optimal offense is probably to use Typhoon until you inflict Wet, then smack the Bone Golem with Iceberg for extreme damage; if there's a Sandstorm blowing, consider using Big Bullet to exploit the foes' shared Bomb weakness. For the former strategy, the Scottish Kilt can sometimes call Rain to amplify Ice damage; for the latter strategy, the Camo Jacket, the Officer's Coat, and both pieces of the Santa set provide automatic sources of Bomb damage (with the Camo Jacket in particular also boosting its auto-skill's damage).

Alt Battle 5: Pearls Before Swine...Err, Worms

If you're playing a Foe Remix Custom Game, this fight features a Pearl Golem backed up by two Scaly Worms; the former can also summon certain Ores with some of its attacks. The Lightning Shard status build remains effective, although the Pearl Golem's high Stun resistance will likely necessitate Unleash to reliably circumvent; alternatively, Matt can try the Ultra Pro 9000X and the Chrome Earrings to exploit its complete lack of Freeze resistance while giving himself resistance to most of the foes' attacks. Unless Weather Remix decides to make the enemies Dry, Ice attacks will be most effective against the bulk of the wave; Matt should carry Big Bullet as a backup to exploit the status if the opportunity arises.

Battle 6: Solo Squid

The only battle against a single foe for this challenge: a Pink Squid. Most of its attacks are magic-based (and its sole physical attack is lost with its arms) and focused on Water damage and Wet application, so equip Matt accordingly. A Shell Armor build with other on-Defend buffs can help Matt power up while keeping himself relatively safe via Enchanted; alternatively, a full status build can use The Reaper to try and get past the Pink Squid's 50% Death resistance. Since there's only one foe, Matt generally doesn't have to worry about being picked off after being bailed out by Auto-Revive or Morale - mind the Squid's multi-hit attacks if relying on the latter. Lock On or high-Accuracy equipment can be helpful to counteract the severe debuff of its Ink Blob.

If "Weather Remix" is on, the Sandstorm can help Matt by replacing Wet with Dry, thereby reducing the damage of the Pink Squid's Ice Storm; on the other hand, it'll increase the damage of the Sea Bomb the Squid can use on higher difficulty levels while dampening its Ice and Thunder weaknesses.

Alt Battle 6: Shocking Solo Squid

In Foe Remix, Matt will have a Lime Squid to deal with in this round. It's largely vulnerable to the same strategies as its Pink counterpart, but remember to account for its Thunder affinity and ability to inflict Disable. It also has a few more physical skills - one of which it can use even without its arms - so Enchanted may not be as effective. "Weather Remix" hurts it a bit more than the Pink Squid; not only does Dry weaken its Thunder skills, it accentuates its serious Fire weakness. Once again, mind the risk of powered-up Sea Bombs on higher difficulties.

Battle 7: Fallen Fiends

A Drowned Fallen, a Lost Fallen, and a Burned Fallen are looking to make Matt as dead as they are; naturally, he has other plans. All three are weak to Holy, but Matt can exploit their more severe individual weaknesses with Glacier, Eruption, and Typhoon, respectively. More importantly, none of them resist Stun, so the Lightning Shard can easily immobilize them despite doing very little damage (thanks to their shared Thunder immunity). Said sword also has the benefit of preventing the Burned Fallen from Stunning Matt in turn; regardless, you should take it out first to stop it from applying Haste to its allies and Defence debuffs to Matt.

"Weather Remix" adds another reason to aim for the Burned Fallen first; its Fire attacks get a boost if Matt ends up Dry (although the Flame Suit takes care of that problem). The Sandstorm also benefits the Drowned Fallen by reducing the damage it takes from its extreme Ice weakness. On the other hand, the Lost Fallen becomes more manageable in a Sandstorm; Dry dampens its Ice attacks and amplifies its already-serious Fire weakness.

Alt Battle 7: Fiery Fallen Fiends

Foe Remix replaces the Drowned and Lost Fallen with a Beheaded Fallen and a second Burned Fallen, but the core strategy remains the same; immobilize them with the Lightning Shard's Slicing Cyclone and then hit their weaknesses with Matt's Holy and Water attacks. However, Stun resistance becomes more important with twice as many foes able to cast Slow Down, and Reflex becomes an option to exploit the less-than-stellar Accuracy on the Beheaded Fallen's strongest attacks.

Battle 8: Beastly Trio of Burning Ice

This wave pits Matt against a Grolar Bear and a Tanuki Dog duo. Aside from the usual Lightning Shard tactic, a full status build can tear through the Dogs with Shredder, but the Grolar Bear's 70% Death resistance will probably require The Reaper to overcome - luckily, the Target Badge and the Ultra Pro 9000X can offset the skill's poor Accuracy. For added insurance, use Flairs like the Target Badge (for its Accuracy boost) and the Hoop Earrings (for the chance of Good Luck on Matt). If you take this route, consider using The Reaper to kill the Grolar Bear first; the Flame Suit's Fire immunity will keep Matt safe from the Tanuki Dogs' strongest attack.

Alt Battle 8: Beastly Trio of Chilling Fire

There's still two Dogs and a Bear to deal with in the Foe Remix version of this wave, but with opposite elements; a Wolf Dog duo reinforcing a Black Bear. The same strategies apply here, but the Dogs are a bit more dangerous, since they can buff Attack and potentially Freeze Matt without the proper resistance (which, fortunately, the Ultra Pro 9000X also provides in a full status build).

Battle 9: Mud Slimes

A pair of Mud Slimes and a Big Mud Slime aren't especially threatening to begin with, but Matt's full status build makes a mockery of them. With their massive weaknesses to Instant Death, Shredder will wipe out all three foes in one turn.

Alt Battle 9: Sand Slimes

Foe Remix replaces the Mud Slimes with Sand Slimes, including a Big Sand Slime. Unfortunately for them, they're just as weak to Instant Death as their muddy counterparts, so Shredder will rip them to pieces just as easily.

Battle 10: Phantoms and a Plant

If you've been following this list, this should be the last fight: two Master Wraiths and a Magma Chomper. They're all weak to Wind and Holy; Power Metal can heal Matt while hitting all three foes, but it's probably better to use something like Tempest or Seiken unless you really need the HP. A full status build can kill the Magma Chomper with The Reaper, but the Death-immune Master Wraiths will have to be beaten the old-fashioned way; on the other hand, the Lightning Shard status build can easily Stun the Wraiths, but it'll need some effort to do the same to the Chomper.

A more niche strategy for a conventional fight is to scare the Magma Chomper with The Chopper, causing it to spam its Burning Root attack. Despite it being only 50% elemental, Matt can still nullify the damage by combining the Flame Suit, the Flame Badge, and a Fire-resistant hat; adding the Agnry Faic even lets him slightly heal off of it while he focuses on the Master Wraiths. Adding the Officer's Hat and the Bandage to this build serves to top off Matt's Fire resistance while protecting him from the Death chance on Ice Needles, which the Wraiths are more likely to use given Matt's resistances to Fire, Bio, and Dark; a similar effect can be achieved with the Spartan Helmet and a Syphon-resistant Flair, although this lets the Wraiths use Dark attacks along with their Ice spells.

Alt Battle 10: Phantoms and a Plant mk.2

In Foe Remix, this wave consists of two Steel Wraiths and a Leafy Chomper. The Lightning Shard status build is probably the safest bet, as their attacks are harder to build resistance to, but Instant Death/Doom resistance remains important for the Wraiths' Sawblade and Dark Swoop attacks. Regardless, you can still scare and neutralize the Leafy Chomper thanks to The Chopper's natural Bio resistance; with the Gas Mask, the Surgical Mask, and a Bio-resistant armor, Matt can heal off of its Berserk-boosted Poison Root spam and still have two free Flair slots. Alternatively, Matt can use the Pumpkin Head and two Bio-resistant Flairs in addition to the Surgical Mask; this prevents him from accidentally healing the Chomper with the Gas Mask's Poison Gas auto-skill. In terms of armor, the Hobo Clothes are preferable to the Explorer's Jacket; aside from Bio resistance, they're immune to Death/Doom and give Matt double-boosted Earth attacks with The Chopper.