Falcon Armor

The Falcon Armor (ファルコンアーマー, Farukon Āmā) is a set of Armor Parts for X first found in Mega Man X5. A downgraded form of this armor also reappears in Mega Man X6.

Characteristics

Fitting for its name, the Falcon Armor has a streamlined design with many birdlike traits; the curves on the arms and legs resemble talons and the chestplate has a beak. The back has a long pair of wings with their tips pointed upwards and there is a smaller pair on its helmet. The helmet and ankles have red gems at the front and there are green ones on the chest and gauntlets.

The Falcon Armor focuses less on raw power and more on precision and mobility; its aerial maneuverability is unsurpassed. The armor's main feature is its flight function, which allows for multi-directional maneuvering in a Nova Strike-like air dash. While in flight, X is invulnerable to any instant-kill obstacles. However, it sacrifices the ability to charge Special Weapons for this feat. The Falcon Armor's charged shot is a small, fast-moving, thin beam similar in appearance to a needle. The shot can pierce through walls and shields.

In Mega Man X6, the player begins the game with the Falcon Armor. Alia had to repair it quickly, and its flight function is offline for the entire game. The charged shot is now essentially a fast-moving, smaller projectile with no piercing properties, but can now charge Special Weapons. The Falcon Armor's Giga Attack stays the same in the transition between games. It causes needle-like projectiles to dart up and down across the screen.

Functions

Note: Specific parts do not have effects as this armor can only be equipped when complete.

Mega Man X5

• Head Parts - Increases the maximum shot capacity for all Special Weapons by 50%.
• Body Parts - Halves damage taken and reduces recoil. X can use the Giga Attack, which unleashes a storm of Spear Charged Shots up and down all across the screen, severely damaging enemies they hit.
• Arm Parts - X obtains a new high-powered charged shot named Spear Charged Shot that can penetrate surfaces, terrain and shields when fired. However, this also disables X's ability to charge Special Weapons.
• Foot Parts - Enables the Free Move, which allows X to stay airborne for a limited period of time, effectively flying. X gains invincibility against collision damage, allowing him to fly through enemies without taking damage and also reach places where normal jumps are unreachable. Enemy attacks and projectiles, however, can still damage him. As X flies, a barrier is generated around him, damaging enemies upon contact. Also, the Foot Parts in this game sacrifices the air-dash for the flight function.

Mega Man X6

• Head Parts - Decreases Special Weapons energy usage by 33% when equipped.
• Body Parts - Halves damage taken and reduces recoil. X can use the Giga Attack.
• Arm Parts - The Spear Charged Shot is unable to penetrate obstacles and its damage power is reduced to somewhat close to the level of Normal X's Charged Shot. To compensate for this, the Arm Part of the modified Falcon Armor can now charge Special Weapons used, complementing to the Z-Saber weapon added to its modified suite of arsenal in the latter.
• Foot Parts - The flight ability is weakened, and it instead allows X to perform a damaging air-dash. As compensation for this drawback, normal air-dashing is possible which works the same way as the flight ability in that game, albeit having two different air-dash distances: The air-dash distance executed by double-jumping in place of the "Free Move" will be shorter than the regular version. Both versions damage enemies upon contact.

Locations

	Falcon Armor Foot Program
	Runaway Truck Stage (Crescent Grizzly)
	Upon crashing the trucks and landing in the cave, dash-wall kick to climb a shaft in the ceiling to the capsule.
	Falcon Armor Head Program
	Super-Electromagnetic Lab Stage (Volt Kraken)
	Collect all eight energy spheres during the Ride Chaser segment, opening the door at the end to reveal a room with the capsule.
	Falcon Armor Body Program
	Deep-Sea Submarine Stage (Tidal Whale)
	After descending a drop in the sunken ship, the capsule will be in plain sight behind a wall to the left. Shoot Goo Shaver under the wall to detonate the bomb and gain access.
	Falcon Armor Arm Program
	Laser Institute Stage (Shining Firefly)
	Near the middle of the climb with Prism Generators, there is an opening above a Hotarion with Prism Generator orbs across the ceiling. Climb up to find the hidden Prism Generator and destroy it with Crescent Shot/Mikazukizan to find the capsule.

Other game appearances

• Falcon Armor X appears as a playable S Rank Hunter Program in Mega Man X DiVE. His Active Skills are Spear Charge Shot and Giga Attack.
• In Mega Man X Legacy Collection and Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2, Ultimate Armor X will briefly transform into the Falcon Armor during the final battle against Ultimate Armor X and Awakened Zero, attacking with its Spear Charged Shot and Free Move.

Production Notes

Developer Comments
This really is a ?? armor. (grin) My intention was to make an armor that was above all the rest, so I ended up taking the offensive. (sweat) The source material being the previous game's Fourth Armor also worried me a lot. I discarded any number of designs proposed by Seito, the designer in charge. (bitter laugh) I was very particular about it design-wise when I made it, since it would be the "poster armor" [as in "poster child"] for selling the game. From the fact that it can fly, he designed it using the image of a hawk. Its name has its origins in that too. I like the beak on the chest. Did you all notice it?^[1][2]

Designer Comments
This was the toughest. I caused trouble for a lot of people when I couldn't make it very well. Sorry. Consequently, though, it may be the one I like the best. I drew it with the image of a hawk in mind, and changed its name from Wing Armor to Falcon Armor. This was fun. I'm touched it'll shown up in commercials and in vending machines (since it's the first time for me).^[1][2]

Gallery

Artwork

Falcon Armor art for Mega Man X5.

Concept art of the Falcon Armor for Mega Man X5, art by Ryūji Higurashi.

Falcon Armor card in Rockman X & Rockman X Mega Mission Selection Box.

Riobot Falcon Armor X Tribute Art.

Falcon Armor X Kotobukiya's artwork

Sprites

X equipped will all weapons in the Falcon Armor from Mega Man X5.

X equipped will all weapons in the Falcon Armor from Mega Man X6.

Trivia

• The Falcon Armor's Giga Attack is one of two that is immediately available at the start of the game (in this case, Mega Man X6). The other is the Giga Attack of the Ultimate Armor, one game earlier.
• The Falcon Armor is the only armor that cannot be given up. In Mega Man X6, X begins the game with the Falcon Armor and can still use it even if the Ultimate Armor code was used.
  • However, if it is only a part, the armor of Mega Man X also cannot be given up, because its Foot Parts must be obtained to complete Chill Penguin's stage, and the Arm Parts in Sigma Stage 1, if X did not get them from Flame Mammoth's stage.

References