Variant

Variant (バリアント, Barianto) is a type of enemy from Mega Man Zero 4. They are Dr. Weil's new foot soldiers, replacing the Pantheons after the events of Mega Man Zero 3. They are similar to Pantheons in design, but there are only 4 types of Variants while there are a wide variety of Pantheons. They are a bit tougher than Pantheons that even one saber slash cannot defeat them.

Types of Variants

Variant Fire

Variant Fire (バリアント・ファイア, Barianto Faiya) is the most common type of Variant armed with a buster on the right arm that shoots incendiary rounds which erupt into flames on contact with anything. They are found in most stages in the game. The Blaze Shot weapon stolen from these Variants via Zero Knuckle can be used to melt the snow in Fenri Lunaedge's stage. Sometimes they will come down from the air, having jet thrusters on their backs.

Variant Missile

Variant Missile (バリアント・ミシル, Barianto Mishiru) is a type of Variant equipped with a rocket launcher on the right shoulder that shoots out 5 missiles in front of it. They are found in Heat Genblem's stage, Particle Beam, and the final stage. They bear a slight resemblance to Vile.

Variant Claw

Variant Claw (バリアント・クロウ, Barianto Kurou) is an assassin type Variant that uses sneak attacks. They can be found in Fenri Lunaedge's stage, Hibernation Chamber, and the final stage. If the weather is snowy, they hide in the snow and jump out when Zero approaches them. The snow that explodes when they jump out can also hurt Zero.

Variant Fencer

Variant Fencer (バリアント・フェンサー, Barianto Fensa) is a type of Variant that hangs from power lines and stabs with a flame sword when Zero comes too close. They are primarily found in Mino Magnus' stage, Magnetic Zone, and Randam Bandam's stage, Teleporter Base.

Trivia

• Due to the sound of r and l being identical in Japanese, its name could be "Valiant", which can be also transcribed as バリアント (Barianto) in Japanese.

Similar enemies

• Pantheon
• Galleon

Neo Arcadia
Leaders
X • Copy X (substitute) • Sage Harpuia (interim) • Dr. Weil (usurper)
Four Guardians
Sage Harpuia • Hidden Phantom • Fairy Leviathan • Fighting Fefnir
Eight Gentle Judges
Blazin' Flizard • Childre Inarabitta • Devilbat Schilt • Deathtanz Mantisk Cubit Foxtar • Glacier le Cactank • Volteel Biblio • Tretista Kelverian
Military Forces
Strong Air Squadron	Aztec Falcon • Herculious Anchus • Kuwagust Anchus • Panter Flauclaws
Scorched Earth Squadron	Anubis Necromancess • Phoenix Magnion*
Deep Sea Squadron	Blizzack Staggroff • Poler Kamrous • Maha Ganeshariff • Hanumachine*
Cutting Shadow Squadron	Hanumachine • Hyleg Ourobockle • Phoenix Magnion • Burble Hekelot • Rainbow Devil • Tech Kraken *(Note: After Phantom's demise, this squadrom was disbanded and units were transferred to different positions.)
Mechaniloids	Golem • Guard Orotic • Hittite Hottaid • Asura Basura Mega Scorpia • Carnage Force 0 • Randam Bandam
Foot Soldiers	Pantheon (List) • Variant
Others
Craft • Omega
Einherjar Eight Warriors	Popla Cocapetri • Mino Magnus • Tech Kraken* • Sol Titanion Noble Mandrago • Pegasolta Eclair • Fenri Lunaedge • Heat Genblem

Mega Man Zero series
Main characters
Zero • Ciel • Cerveau • Alouette • X • Elpizo • Crea and Prea • Dark Elf • Neige Sage Harpuia • Fighting Fefnir • Fairy Leviathan • Hidden Phantom • Copy X • Dr. Weil • Omega • Craft Resistance • Caravan • Four Guardians • Eight Gentle Judges • Einherjar Eight Warriors
Games
Mega Man Zero • 2 • 3 • 4 • Collection • Legacy Collection
Scripts
Mega Man Zero • 2 • 3 • 4
Related Items
Zero's weaponry • Chips • Cyber-elf (List) • EX Skill • Energy Crystal • Item Box • Secret Disk Locations (Neo Arcadia • Resistance Base • Area Zero • Ragnarok) • Pantheon (List) • Bosses（Mutos Reploid) • Golem • Armed Phenomenon • Variant Mega Man Zero Official Complete Works • RTRZ-Telos Drama Track Translations • Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero Rockman Zero (manga) • Vile's Incident: Eden dome, its sin and rebirth