Post by Iron Blue Arremer on Feb 14, 2011 8:58:12 GMT -5
Introduction
Simon Belmont, the one who "started it all", dare I say. He was the star of the very first Castlevania, or Akumajo Dracula, translated to Demon Castle Dracula, as it was called in Japan. He was - not canonically, but in terms of games - the first Belmont to pick up the whip.
He starred as the main character in many games of the series, is usually the Castlevania representation in crossovers with other games, and widely considered being one of the most iconic game heroes of all time. He also will have his 25th anniversary this year (2011), as he was created in 1986.
In Harmony of Despair, Simon comes in his pixelated form of Castlevania for the NES.
He is one of the 2 8-Bit characters.
He is available as character DLC for 160 Microsoft points.
Abilities
8-Bit
Simon Belmont is 8-Bit. That is all.
General Overview
Simon is tiny. He has the size of Maria and Fuma. Thusly, he can walk under things the other characters have to duck or slide kick under. He has a back dash, a slide kick and a jump kick, and also a double jump, since we're already talking about what he has he didn't have in his original games. Otherwise, he has nothing that makes him stand out mobility-wise, neither does he have an RB skill, being the only whipper not to do so.
Simon's Vampire Killer
This whip is so awesome, it has its own item compendium entry. No, really, it does. Unlike the VKs of the other 3 whippers that have 3 ATK on the weapon, Simon's Vampire Killer has 10 ATK. His base power is around the same as Julius, though he deals more damage as Richter when using the whip (at least if I remember correctly, don't quote me on that).
"Additionally, Simon has the fastest whip swing, although it is shorter than both Julius' and Richter's whip attacks." - Chronos
He also throws subweapons the quickest compared to all the other whip users. His whip also has 2 very unique things about it. First, Simon is able to shoot a fireball from the whip. To do that, you have to put in the "Hadoken" button input - Down, Down Forward, Forward, Attack. This will have Simon shoot a projectile that travels straight forward and deals Holy damage. The second important property is that the whip changes the further you level up Simon. You start out with a leather whip, which will then upgrade to the chain whip and when maxing him completely out, you will get the long-ass chain whip. The first 2 levels of the whip are actually shorter than anybody else's. Despite this, you will still be able to do respectable damage even with the leather whip.
Subweapons
Simon uses 5 subweapons in the base game which are the so-called "Belmont Classics", not including the Ricochet Rock. 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. Simon 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, Simon 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 and a bit difficult to aim with. The Axe also is able to hit multiple times, thus making it fairly useful against bigger targets above you.
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, Simon 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. Simon 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
Simon 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.
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 Simon
Simon 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, Simon will NOT get stronger when leveling the DLC subweapons, including the R. 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.
Simon Belmont, the one who "started it all", dare I say. He was the star of the very first Castlevania, or Akumajo Dracula, translated to Demon Castle Dracula, as it was called in Japan. He was - not canonically, but in terms of games - the first Belmont to pick up the whip.
He starred as the main character in many games of the series, is usually the Castlevania representation in crossovers with other games, and widely considered being one of the most iconic game heroes of all time. He also will have his 25th anniversary this year (2011), as he was created in 1986.
In Harmony of Despair, Simon comes in his pixelated form of Castlevania for the NES.
He is one of the 2 8-Bit characters.
He is available as character DLC for 160 Microsoft points.
Abilities
8-Bit
Simon Belmont is 8-Bit. That is all.
General Overview
Simon is tiny. He has the size of Maria and Fuma. Thusly, he can walk under things the other characters have to duck or slide kick under. He has a back dash, a slide kick and a jump kick, and also a double jump, since we're already talking about what he has he didn't have in his original games. Otherwise, he has nothing that makes him stand out mobility-wise, neither does he have an RB skill, being the only whipper not to do so.
Simon's Vampire Killer
This whip is so awesome, it has its own item compendium entry. No, really, it does. Unlike the VKs of the other 3 whippers that have 3 ATK on the weapon, Simon's Vampire Killer has 10 ATK. His base power is around the same as Julius, though he deals more damage as Richter when using the whip (at least if I remember correctly, don't quote me on that).
"Additionally, Simon has the fastest whip swing, although it is shorter than both Julius' and Richter's whip attacks." - Chronos
He also throws subweapons the quickest compared to all the other whip users. His whip also has 2 very unique things about it. First, Simon is able to shoot a fireball from the whip. To do that, you have to put in the "Hadoken" button input - Down, Down Forward, Forward, Attack. This will have Simon shoot a projectile that travels straight forward and deals Holy damage. The second important property is that the whip changes the further you level up Simon. You start out with a leather whip, which will then upgrade to the chain whip and when maxing him completely out, you will get the long-ass chain whip. The first 2 levels of the whip are actually shorter than anybody else's. Despite this, you will still be able to do respectable damage even with the leather whip.
Subweapons
Simon uses 5 subweapons in the base game which are the so-called "Belmont Classics", not including the Ricochet Rock. 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. Simon 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, Simon 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 and a bit difficult to aim with. The Axe also is able to hit multiple times, thus making it fairly useful against bigger targets above you.
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, Simon 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. Simon 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
Simon 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.
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 Simon
Simon 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, Simon will NOT get stronger when leveling the DLC subweapons, including the R. 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.
