Post by Iron Blue Arremer on Feb 14, 2011 7:39:17 GMT -5
Introduction
Julius Belmont was first introduced as both NPC and playable character in Aria of Sorrow, where you could unlock the secret Julius Mode, which is considered being one of the hardest bonus modes in the series. He also was a boss, and one of the few enemies that would not give a soul. He returned in Dawn of Sorrow, again as NPC and playable, together with Alucard and Yoko.
Julius is considered one of the most important descendants of the Belmont clan as he was the one who killed Dracula for good in 1999, the so called "Demon Castle War". There has yet to come out a game to cover these happenings and this is one of the most eagerly awaited games of the whole series. When Aria and Dawn of Sorrow happen, Julius is well over 50 years old.
In Harmony of Despair, Julius plays more like Simon from Super Castlevania IV, and if you like playing oldschool styled whipping action with classic subweapons, Julius is definitely your man.
He is available as character DLC for 240 Microsoft points.
Abilities
Facial Hair
This is the most important part of Julius. He is the only playable character in the entire male cast to sport a beard. The only other person to have a beard in Castlevania HD is Dracula himself. This makes Julius the manliest character of all. If you want to be ridiculously manly and defeat your enemies as a MAN instead of a long-haired boy-faced metrosexual, use Julius. If you want to have a face-off of beards in Chapter 6, use Julius.
General Overview
Joking aside, Julius has your standard fair of mobility options - slide kick, jump kick and back dash. His personal skill (RB) also boosts his mobility, he is able to use Shanoa's Magnes points (the silver shiny crystals scattered throughout almost all stages) by whipping and latching onto them. In Super Castlevania IV-esque style, you now are able to swing from these magnets, allowing you to build up momentum for a further jump. He also is able to move directly upwards with this method.
Here you can watch a video tutorial on how to do that.
Noteworthy is also that the recovery lag of Julius after landing from a jump and slidekicking is the lowest. If you use Slide Boots on Julius, you can easily overtake Sonic Boots users.
Julius' Vampire Killer
Julius' whip is probably the most useful out of all 4 variations of the Vampire Killer. While it doesn't have as much power as Richter's (a difference that's almost neglectable), it's the longest and second-fastest whip of the 4, only Simon's being faster. He also is able to whip in all 8 directions, just like Simon in Super Castlevania IV. Obviously, he can only whip down and diagonally down when in mid-air. This makes Julius' version of the whip incredibly useful.
As already mentioned, Julius swings his whip with the press of the RB button and will latch onto magnets when they are in range.
Subweapons
Julius uses 6 subweapons in the base game which are the so-called "Belmont Classics". He also has access to all 5 of the DLC subweapons. He starts out with 1 copy of the Knife, which he cannot acquire more copies of. Every other subweapon he, like every other whipper, needs to find in stages. I will provide you with their locations.
Aside from getting stronger with each level, several subweapons will change their visual appearance if they level up, with a maximum of 3 possible variations.
Form 1: Level 1-4
Form 2: Level 5-8
Form 3: Level 9
Knife
Cost: 6 MP.
Location: Starter (1 copy)
Form 1: 1 knife | Form 2: 2 knives | Form 3: 3 knives
Recommended Form of Leveling: Backdashcancel
Also dubbed "the dagger", the Knife is a very easy to understand weapon. Julius throws a knife that flies straight forward until it hits an obstacle. It has infinite range. It deals very little damage and you will find better subweapons soon. Some people like to use it due to its comparably high speed and the ability to backdashcancel it.
Axe
Cost: 12 MP.
Location: Drops from Axe Knight enemy
Form 1: Small handaxe | Form 2: Round battleaxe | Form 3: Big crested battleaxe
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The axe is probably one of the first, if not the first subweapon you will find. When using it, Julius tosses an axe in an upward arc. It will drop down when reaching its peak. The Axe is a handy subweapon, since it allows to cover space above the user, but it is easily cancelled out by many other projectiles and obstacles, is a bit difficult to aim with and especially Julius can just whip upwards. The Axe also is able to hit multiple times, thus making it fairly useful against bigger targets above you.
Ricochet Rock
Cost: 12 MP
Location: Drops from Lerajie enemies
Form 1: A small bullet with a blue "tail" | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: n/a
Recommended Form of Leveling: Backdashcancel
One of the "newer" subweapons, using the Ricochet Rock will throw out a small projectile in a diagonally downward angle. It will bounce off of solid obstacles and pierce through enemies. It will disappear after some time or hitting the walls a certain amount of times. It's not specifically useful in most situations due to being hard to hit with and dealing comparably low damage, but if you are in a small room where the projectile has little or no room to escape (Brauner's room, for instance), it can be absolutely devastating.
Bible
Cost: 15 MP
Location: Chapter 2 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Form 1: Small brown book | Form 2: n/a Form 3: Huge red and gold book
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The Bible is a very interesting subweapon that might be difficult to work with, but can pay off pretty well. When using it, it will start spiraling in a circle motion, drawing bigger and bigger circles until it disappears after some time. There is nothing that can stop the Bible from moving, not even walls or impenetrable shields. The book deals considerable damage of Holy type. Most people use it as a form of shielding themselves (like in Medusa Head rooms), or to hit enemies through walls, ceilings or shields (Final Guards, for instance). Due to its multi-hit property, it can hit bigger targets quite a bit, however, its speed and weird pattern make it a bit more difficult to use. You should definitely give it a try, though.
Holy Water
Cost: 15 MP
Location: Chapter 4 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Form 1: Blue flames moving across the ground | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: n/a (flames are bigger? not sure)
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
Ah yes, the Holy Water, one of the very first subweapons in the Belmonts' arsenal. When using it, Julius tosses a small vial that will shatter on the ground, producing a blue flame that crawls across the floor until hitting a wall or its duration is over. It does not work on most "drop-through platforms". The bottle itself is non-damaging, only the flames do damage of Holy type. Several people consider Holy Water to be not specifically good, but it actually deals quite a lot of damage on more stationary enemies, and can definitely aid while whipping at your enemies.
Cross
Cost: 15 MP
Location: Chapter 5 Boss, Chapter 6 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Form 1: A small blue shiny cross| Form 2: n/a | Form 3: The cross becomes very big
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The Cross, the last and arguably one of the most powerful subweapons the whippers have access to. Julius throws a cross-shaped boomerang that will go straight forward for a bit, stick in mid-air for a second and then will fly back to where it originated from. It is able to hit not only while flying, but also while it stops, where it is able to hit multiple times. It deals a LOT of damage even with only one hit due to its Holy properties, and it is immensely useful.
DLC Subweapons
Javelin
Cost: 10 MP
Location: Chapter 8 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Form 1: A purple spear (Slogra's to be exact) | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: A huge red spear
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
Julius tosses a spear forward, the projectile having a slight upward arc. It will stick in the ground for a few moments before disappearing. The spear has, otherwise when falling down, infinite range until hitting a wall or the ground. The Javelin is able to hit multiple times when falling, and up to 3 times while sticking in the ground. Only the blade of the spear is actually able to damage, not the pole. It's a handy weapon since you can hit enemies from afar even multiple times. However, where it really shines Legion and Beelzebub, which are pretty much exactly shaped to fit the Javelin's arc, making them great targets for using it, at least until they broke apart.
R. Dagger
Cost: 4 MP
Location: Shop after purchasing Chapter 10 DLC
Form 1: 1 dagger | Form 2: 2 daggers | Form 3: 3 daggers
Recommended Form of Leveling: Backdash Cancel
Here we have the actual dagger, even in 8-Bit for that matter. It works exactly like the Knife, just with a few differences. It has only limited range, is slower but deals more damage. Not to mention it's a bit cheaper. The R. Dagger is clearly superior over the Knife.
R. Axe
Cost: 10 MP
Location: Shop after purchasing Chapter 10 DLC
Form 1: 1 axe | Form 2: 2 axes | Form 3: 3 axes
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The R. Axe works fairly similar to the actual Axe in terms of its arc. However, there is one major difference - instead of tossing one big axe, R. Axe throws out up to 3 axes that spread after reaching the arc's peak. Thus this allows you to cover more area and deal more damage for a cheaper price. R. Axe is clearly superior to it's standard counterpart.
R. Fire Bomb
Cost: 12 MP
Location: Chapter 10 Boss (Normal), purple/Boss (Hard)
Form 1: vial bursting into 8-Bit flames | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: n/a
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The Retro version of the Holy Water, the R. Fire Bomb, is obviously again very similar to its counterpart. However, the differences between the two are quite noticeable aside from the cost. First, the thrown bottle projectile deals actual damage. The damage is a bit higher. And where the Holy Water's flame moves across the floor, the R. Fire Bomb's flame will, although moving a bit, pretty much stay in the general area, hitting the same target multiple times. It's kinda like a burst. The weapon is incredibly useful and in most situations clearly superior to Holy Water.
R. Boomerang
Cost: 12 MP
Location: Chapter 10 Boss (Normal), purple/Boss (Hard)
Form 1: a tiny 8-Bit Cross | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: n/a
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
Do not mistake this sub with Jonathan's Boomerang; it actually is the Retro version of the Cross! Again, this works fairly similar to its standard version. It just is far smaller, deals a TON more damage and its pattern is a bit more weird - it goes forward only a tiny bit, but covers a huge distance when flying back. Personally, I prefer the standard Cross over this, but it can be quite useful unless you catch it on its way back.
Martial Arts
Martial Arts are techniques your character can perform as soon as you recieve a copy of them. You don't need to equip them, but rather have to put in a certain button combination which you can check in the "Martial Arts" section on the Main Menu.
Martial Arts do not level up - one copy is enough - and they do not improve your character's stats.
Uppercut
Cost: 5 MP
Location: Chapter 4 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
As the name hints, Julius jumps upward with his fist risen. He deals quite a bit of damage, but unfortunately, the hitbox is actually right where his fist is. This makes the Uppercut really difficult to use against most enemies, and whipping straight upward is usually far more safe. You can hit enemies through small ceilings, though.
For instance, in Chapter 6 there's a Final Guard protecting a purple chest. In the room before the room that one is in, there's a Final Guard standing right above on a rather thin ceiling. You can actually hit him with the uppercut through that ceiling which deals a lot more damage than whipping upward.
Omnia Vanitas
Cost: 5 MP
Location: Chapter 5, 7, 8 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Taken from his Aria of Sorrow incarnation, Omnia Vanitas is the only martial art exclusive to Julius. Upon initiating it, Julius will teleport forward and turn around. During the entire move, he will be invincible, allowing him to avoid taking any damage. He can only use it on the ground, though. It also allows him to move faster than someone running with Sonic Boots if you are able to pull it off constantly.
Recommended Setups
Since there's so many possible setups with the whip users, I will give you a run-down on the most important pieces.
Simon's set (Plate, Sandals, Bandanna, Cloak):
Mainly powers up STR and HP, as well as good DEF and defensive stats.
Retro set (Armor, Helm, Boots, Cloak - Chapter 10 exclusive):
Pretty much outclasses Simon's set in everything but HP, and some defensive stats. Retro Boots have the speed of Mercury Boots.
Fuma's set (Armor, Helm, Greaves - Chapter 11 exclusive):
Is more geared towards INT and MP, as well as its regeneration. Fuma's Greaves have the speed of Winged Boots.
Good equipment to use outside of these:
Head: Royal Crown (INT, Fuma's Helm is better)
Chest: Death's Robe (INT, Fuma's Armor is better), Berserker Mail, Ancient Armor
Legs: Sonic Boots, Winged Boots
Back: Bishamon Raiment (MP regeneration), Assassin's Cape (STR), Paludamentum (MP, only use if you don't have Bishamon Raiment), Blue Cape (INT)
Accessory: Chaos Ring (MP reg), Miser Ring (ATK), Artemisian/Apollonian Ring (INT and STR) - secondary are Sunstone/Moonstone (INT) and Megingiord (STR)
Progressing Julius
Julius levels up his abilities through usage like most of the characters. His attack power for both subweapons and whip will power up through leveling his subweapons. Contrary to popular belief, Julius will NOT get stronger when leveling the DLC subweapons. These have no influence on his stats, and are independent from the "base" subs.
A very good way to ease up the progress is to get all the subs to level 8 before going on to 9.
Julius Belmont was first introduced as both NPC and playable character in Aria of Sorrow, where you could unlock the secret Julius Mode, which is considered being one of the hardest bonus modes in the series. He also was a boss, and one of the few enemies that would not give a soul. He returned in Dawn of Sorrow, again as NPC and playable, together with Alucard and Yoko.
Julius is considered one of the most important descendants of the Belmont clan as he was the one who killed Dracula for good in 1999, the so called "Demon Castle War". There has yet to come out a game to cover these happenings and this is one of the most eagerly awaited games of the whole series. When Aria and Dawn of Sorrow happen, Julius is well over 50 years old.
In Harmony of Despair, Julius plays more like Simon from Super Castlevania IV, and if you like playing oldschool styled whipping action with classic subweapons, Julius is definitely your man.
He is available as character DLC for 240 Microsoft points.
Abilities
Facial Hair
This is the most important part of Julius. He is the only playable character in the entire male cast to sport a beard. The only other person to have a beard in Castlevania HD is Dracula himself. This makes Julius the manliest character of all. If you want to be ridiculously manly and defeat your enemies as a MAN instead of a long-haired boy-faced metrosexual, use Julius. If you want to have a face-off of beards in Chapter 6, use Julius.
General Overview
Joking aside, Julius has your standard fair of mobility options - slide kick, jump kick and back dash. His personal skill (RB) also boosts his mobility, he is able to use Shanoa's Magnes points (the silver shiny crystals scattered throughout almost all stages) by whipping and latching onto them. In Super Castlevania IV-esque style, you now are able to swing from these magnets, allowing you to build up momentum for a further jump. He also is able to move directly upwards with this method.
Here you can watch a video tutorial on how to do that.
Noteworthy is also that the recovery lag of Julius after landing from a jump and slidekicking is the lowest. If you use Slide Boots on Julius, you can easily overtake Sonic Boots users.
Julius' Vampire Killer
Julius' whip is probably the most useful out of all 4 variations of the Vampire Killer. While it doesn't have as much power as Richter's (a difference that's almost neglectable), it's the longest and second-fastest whip of the 4, only Simon's being faster. He also is able to whip in all 8 directions, just like Simon in Super Castlevania IV. Obviously, he can only whip down and diagonally down when in mid-air. This makes Julius' version of the whip incredibly useful.
As already mentioned, Julius swings his whip with the press of the RB button and will latch onto magnets when they are in range.
Subweapons
Julius uses 6 subweapons in the base game which are the so-called "Belmont Classics". He also has access to all 5 of the DLC subweapons. He starts out with 1 copy of the Knife, which he cannot acquire more copies of. Every other subweapon he, like every other whipper, needs to find in stages. I will provide you with their locations.
Aside from getting stronger with each level, several subweapons will change their visual appearance if they level up, with a maximum of 3 possible variations.
Form 1: Level 1-4
Form 2: Level 5-8
Form 3: Level 9
Knife
Cost: 6 MP.
Location: Starter (1 copy)
Form 1: 1 knife | Form 2: 2 knives | Form 3: 3 knives
Recommended Form of Leveling: Backdashcancel
Also dubbed "the dagger", the Knife is a very easy to understand weapon. Julius throws a knife that flies straight forward until it hits an obstacle. It has infinite range. It deals very little damage and you will find better subweapons soon. Some people like to use it due to its comparably high speed and the ability to backdashcancel it.
Axe
Cost: 12 MP.
Location: Drops from Axe Knight enemy
Form 1: Small handaxe | Form 2: Round battleaxe | Form 3: Big crested battleaxe
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The axe is probably one of the first, if not the first subweapon you will find. When using it, Julius tosses an axe in an upward arc. It will drop down when reaching its peak. The Axe is a handy subweapon, since it allows to cover space above the user, but it is easily cancelled out by many other projectiles and obstacles, is a bit difficult to aim with and especially Julius can just whip upwards. The Axe also is able to hit multiple times, thus making it fairly useful against bigger targets above you.
Ricochet Rock
Cost: 12 MP
Location: Drops from Lerajie enemies
Form 1: A small bullet with a blue "tail" | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: n/a
Recommended Form of Leveling: Backdashcancel
One of the "newer" subweapons, using the Ricochet Rock will throw out a small projectile in a diagonally downward angle. It will bounce off of solid obstacles and pierce through enemies. It will disappear after some time or hitting the walls a certain amount of times. It's not specifically useful in most situations due to being hard to hit with and dealing comparably low damage, but if you are in a small room where the projectile has little or no room to escape (Brauner's room, for instance), it can be absolutely devastating.
Bible
Cost: 15 MP
Location: Chapter 2 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Form 1: Small brown book | Form 2: n/a Form 3: Huge red and gold book
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The Bible is a very interesting subweapon that might be difficult to work with, but can pay off pretty well. When using it, it will start spiraling in a circle motion, drawing bigger and bigger circles until it disappears after some time. There is nothing that can stop the Bible from moving, not even walls or impenetrable shields. The book deals considerable damage of Holy type. Most people use it as a form of shielding themselves (like in Medusa Head rooms), or to hit enemies through walls, ceilings or shields (Final Guards, for instance). Due to its multi-hit property, it can hit bigger targets quite a bit, however, its speed and weird pattern make it a bit more difficult to use. You should definitely give it a try, though.
Holy Water
Cost: 15 MP
Location: Chapter 4 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Form 1: Blue flames moving across the ground | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: n/a (flames are bigger? not sure)
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
Ah yes, the Holy Water, one of the very first subweapons in the Belmonts' arsenal. When using it, Julius tosses a small vial that will shatter on the ground, producing a blue flame that crawls across the floor until hitting a wall or its duration is over. It does not work on most "drop-through platforms". The bottle itself is non-damaging, only the flames do damage of Holy type. Several people consider Holy Water to be not specifically good, but it actually deals quite a lot of damage on more stationary enemies, and can definitely aid while whipping at your enemies.
Cross
Cost: 15 MP
Location: Chapter 5 Boss, Chapter 6 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Form 1: A small blue shiny cross| Form 2: n/a | Form 3: The cross becomes very big
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The Cross, the last and arguably one of the most powerful subweapons the whippers have access to. Julius throws a cross-shaped boomerang that will go straight forward for a bit, stick in mid-air for a second and then will fly back to where it originated from. It is able to hit not only while flying, but also while it stops, where it is able to hit multiple times. It deals a LOT of damage even with only one hit due to its Holy properties, and it is immensely useful.
DLC Subweapons
Javelin
Cost: 10 MP
Location: Chapter 8 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Form 1: A purple spear (Slogra's to be exact) | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: A huge red spear
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
Julius tosses a spear forward, the projectile having a slight upward arc. It will stick in the ground for a few moments before disappearing. The spear has, otherwise when falling down, infinite range until hitting a wall or the ground. The Javelin is able to hit multiple times when falling, and up to 3 times while sticking in the ground. Only the blade of the spear is actually able to damage, not the pole. It's a handy weapon since you can hit enemies from afar even multiple times. However, where it really shines Legion and Beelzebub, which are pretty much exactly shaped to fit the Javelin's arc, making them great targets for using it, at least until they broke apart.
R. Dagger
Cost: 4 MP
Location: Shop after purchasing Chapter 10 DLC
Form 1: 1 dagger | Form 2: 2 daggers | Form 3: 3 daggers
Recommended Form of Leveling: Backdash Cancel
Here we have the actual dagger, even in 8-Bit for that matter. It works exactly like the Knife, just with a few differences. It has only limited range, is slower but deals more damage. Not to mention it's a bit cheaper. The R. Dagger is clearly superior over the Knife.
R. Axe
Cost: 10 MP
Location: Shop after purchasing Chapter 10 DLC
Form 1: 1 axe | Form 2: 2 axes | Form 3: 3 axes
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The R. Axe works fairly similar to the actual Axe in terms of its arc. However, there is one major difference - instead of tossing one big axe, R. Axe throws out up to 3 axes that spread after reaching the arc's peak. Thus this allows you to cover more area and deal more damage for a cheaper price. R. Axe is clearly superior to it's standard counterpart.
R. Fire Bomb
Cost: 12 MP
Location: Chapter 10 Boss (Normal), purple/Boss (Hard)
Form 1: vial bursting into 8-Bit flames | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: n/a
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
The Retro version of the Holy Water, the R. Fire Bomb, is obviously again very similar to its counterpart. However, the differences between the two are quite noticeable aside from the cost. First, the thrown bottle projectile deals actual damage. The damage is a bit higher. And where the Holy Water's flame moves across the floor, the R. Fire Bomb's flame will, although moving a bit, pretty much stay in the general area, hitting the same target multiple times. It's kinda like a burst. The weapon is incredibly useful and in most situations clearly superior to Holy Water.
R. Boomerang
Cost: 12 MP
Location: Chapter 10 Boss (Normal), purple/Boss (Hard)
Form 1: a tiny 8-Bit Cross | Form 2: n/a | Form 3: n/a
Recommended Form of Leveling: Slot-Rotation
Do not mistake this sub with Jonathan's Boomerang; it actually is the Retro version of the Cross! Again, this works fairly similar to its standard version. It just is far smaller, deals a TON more damage and its pattern is a bit more weird - it goes forward only a tiny bit, but covers a huge distance when flying back. Personally, I prefer the standard Cross over this, but it can be quite useful unless you catch it on its way back.
Martial Arts
Martial Arts are techniques your character can perform as soon as you recieve a copy of them. You don't need to equip them, but rather have to put in a certain button combination which you can check in the "Martial Arts" section on the Main Menu.
Martial Arts do not level up - one copy is enough - and they do not improve your character's stats.
Uppercut
Cost: 5 MP
Location: Chapter 4 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
As the name hints, Julius jumps upward with his fist risen. He deals quite a bit of damage, but unfortunately, the hitbox is actually right where his fist is. This makes the Uppercut really difficult to use against most enemies, and whipping straight upward is usually far more safe. You can hit enemies through small ceilings, though.
For instance, in Chapter 6 there's a Final Guard protecting a purple chest. In the room before the room that one is in, there's a Final Guard standing right above on a rather thin ceiling. You can actually hit him with the uppercut through that ceiling which deals a lot more damage than whipping upward.
Omnia Vanitas
Cost: 5 MP
Location: Chapter 5, 7, 8 green/blue/purple/Boss (both difficulties)
Taken from his Aria of Sorrow incarnation, Omnia Vanitas is the only martial art exclusive to Julius. Upon initiating it, Julius will teleport forward and turn around. During the entire move, he will be invincible, allowing him to avoid taking any damage. He can only use it on the ground, though. It also allows him to move faster than someone running with Sonic Boots if you are able to pull it off constantly.
Recommended Setups
Since there's so many possible setups with the whip users, I will give you a run-down on the most important pieces.
Simon's set (Plate, Sandals, Bandanna, Cloak):
Mainly powers up STR and HP, as well as good DEF and defensive stats.
Retro set (Armor, Helm, Boots, Cloak - Chapter 10 exclusive):
Pretty much outclasses Simon's set in everything but HP, and some defensive stats. Retro Boots have the speed of Mercury Boots.
Fuma's set (Armor, Helm, Greaves - Chapter 11 exclusive):
Is more geared towards INT and MP, as well as its regeneration. Fuma's Greaves have the speed of Winged Boots.
Good equipment to use outside of these:
Head: Royal Crown (INT, Fuma's Helm is better)
Chest: Death's Robe (INT, Fuma's Armor is better), Berserker Mail, Ancient Armor
Legs: Sonic Boots, Winged Boots
Back: Bishamon Raiment (MP regeneration), Assassin's Cape (STR), Paludamentum (MP, only use if you don't have Bishamon Raiment), Blue Cape (INT)
Accessory: Chaos Ring (MP reg), Miser Ring (ATK), Artemisian/Apollonian Ring (INT and STR) - secondary are Sunstone/Moonstone (INT) and Megingiord (STR)
Progressing Julius
Julius levels up his abilities through usage like most of the characters. His attack power for both subweapons and whip will power up through leveling his subweapons. Contrary to popular belief, Julius will NOT get stronger when leveling the DLC subweapons. These have no influence on his stats, and are independent from the "base" subs.
A very good way to ease up the progress is to get all the subs to level 8 before going on to 9.
