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Boss Level

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X5 LifeEnergyMeter Sigma

Boss Level (ボスレベル)[1] is a mechanic featured in the Mega Man X series. It is a variable number on a boss life meter that changes depending on the player performance in the game, signifying higher or lower difficulty.

History

Mega Man X5

Axle tanggled

Boss Levels first appeared in Mega Man X5. The value begins at Lv. 1 during and after the game's Opening Stage, and is recalculated at the beginning of each subsequent stage, based on several factors:[2]

  • The number of Special Weapons/Techniques the player has unlocked is added (maximum of +8).
  • Every two hours that have gone by on the Stage Select screen are added (maximum of +16, in increments of 2).
  • The Hunter Rank of the current player character can add a value, if high enough (SA adds +2, GA adds +4, PA adds +8, and MMH adds +16).

Boss Level primarily determines the size of a boss's life gauge: the Boss Level total is added to the boss's life points, potentially over doubling their life gauge size.[2] Additionally, if Awakened Zero is fought under Lv. 20, he excludes the Genmu Zero finisher from his moveset, allowing players to fight him for longer than two minutes.

This value is also important to watch due to the way upgrades work in Mega Man X5. Life Ups/Weapon Ups are only obtained from bosses defeated at Lv. 4 or higher, while Power-Up Parts are only obtained at Lv. 8 or higher.

Mega Man X6

Boss Levels return in Mega Man X6, though they are highly simplified. Boss Levels are determined solely by the player character's Hunter Rank, according to how many Nightmare Souls they have collected. All bosses are at Lv. 1 by default up to Rank A, afterwards becoming Lv. 2 at Rank SA, then Lv. 3 at Ranks GA and PA, before maxing out at Lv. 4 at Rank UH. Like in Mega Man X5, this affects the size of the boss life meter, and in some cases affects their attacks: for example, Blizzard Wolfang's Dash attack spawns additional icicles when he is at Lv. 2 or higher.

Mega Man X7

In Mega Man X7, Boss Levels are again determined by the player character's Hunter Rank. This only changes the size of the boss life meter, and does not affect their attack patterns at all.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Compendium of Rockman X, p. 97.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Haoh Game Special 188: Rockman X5 Kanzen Kouryaku Guide. Kodansha. 2000.