Boss: Doppelganger
The Doppelganger is a unique boss encounter that mirrors your own abilities, making it a test of your mastery over Jonathan and Charlotte's skills. This fight takes place in the Nest of Evil, specifically in Stage Seven. There are two distinct phases to this battle, each requiring a different approach.
Preparation
Before engaging the Doppelganger, consider optimizing your setup:
- Weapons: Equip your strongest physical weapon for Jonathan. The Alucard Spear or Valmanway are excellent choices if you have them. For Charlotte, a high-damage spell like Thunderbolt or Hellfire is recommended.
- Sub-Weapons: The Cross or Axe are highly effective for Jonathan due to their wide hitboxes and decent damage.
- Armor & Accessories: Focus on boosting your ATK and DEF. The Berserker Mail is a great option for Jonathan if you can manage the defense trade-off. Accessories like the Mist Cloak or Chaos Ring can be beneficial for MP regeneration or evasion.
- Spells: Charlotte's Heal spell is crucial for recovery. Ensure it's at a high level for maximum effectiveness. Offensive spells like Thunderbolt or Hellfire are good for burst damage.
- Items: Stock up on High Potions and Super Potions. Mana Prisms are also useful for Charlotte to maintain her spellcasting.
Phase 1: The Mirror Match
In the first phase, the Doppelganger will mimic the character you are currently controlling. This means it will use your equipped weapon, sub-weapon, and even some of your spells. The key here is to exploit its limitations.
Jonathan's Strategy:
- Aggressive Offense: The Doppelganger often uses your sub-weapon frequently. If you have a powerful, slow sub-weapon like the Axe, it can leave itself vulnerable during its animation. Use this opening to land multiple hits with your main weapon.
- Whip Mastery: Utilize Jonathan's whip attacks, especially the upward and downward strikes, to keep the Doppelganger at bay.
- Sub-Weapon Spam: If you have a fast sub-weapon like the Knife, the Doppelganger will also spam it, making it harder to approach. Switch to Charlotte if this becomes an issue.
- Avoidance: Pay close attention to its movements. Since it mirrors your attacks, you'll know what's coming. Dash and backdash frequently to evade.
Charlotte's Strategy:
- Spell Power: Charlotte's offensive spells are incredibly effective here. Cast Thunderbolt or Hellfire from a safe distance. The Doppelganger's Charlotte form is generally less aggressive than its Jonathan form.
- Healing: Don't hesitate to use Heal if your HP drops significantly.
- Summoning: If you have a strong summon like Summon Skeleton, it can provide a distraction and extra damage.
- Keep Distance: Charlotte's strength lies in ranged combat. Maintain distance and pepper the Doppelganger with spells.
General Tip for Phase 1: Switch characters frequently. If Jonathan is getting overwhelmed, switch to Charlotte and unleash spells. If Charlotte is low on MP, switch to Jonathan and deal physical damage while her MP regenerates.
Phase 2: The True Doppelganger
Once you've dealt enough damage, the Doppelganger will transform into a more monstrous, shadowy entity. This phase is more straightforward but still challenging.
Attacks:
- Shadow Orb: The Doppelganger will launch a slow-moving shadow orb that tracks your position. This can be destroyed with a few hits.
- Shadow Dash: It will occasionally dash across the screen, dealing damage if it connects. This is telegraphed and can be dodged by jumping or backdashing.
- Ground Slam: The Doppelganger will sometimes rise into the air and slam down, creating a shockwave. Jump over the shockwave to avoid damage.
- Dark Pillars: It can summon pillars of dark energy from the ground. Watch for the visual cue on the floor to anticipate their location.
Strategy for Phase 2:
- Constant Aggression: This phase is about dealing consistent damage. Both Jonathan and Charlotte can contribute effectively.
- Jonathan's Role: Get close and unleash your strongest physical attacks. The Alucard Spear's rapid thrusts are excellent here. Use your sub-weapons when the Doppelganger is momentarily stationary.
- Charlotte's Role: Continue to use your high-damage offensive spells like Thunderbolt or Hellfire. Her Heal spell remains vital for recovery.
- Prioritize Orb Destruction: Destroy the Shadow Orbs as soon as they appear to prevent them from becoming a nuisance.
- Movement is Key: Continuously move, jump, and dash to avoid its attacks. The arena is relatively open, allowing for good maneuverability.
- Team-Up Attacks: use your Team-Up attacks when the opportunity arises, especially if you have a powerful one like Greatest Five or Thunderbolt (Charlotte's version).
By understanding the Doppelganger's patterns and utilizing both Jonathan and Charlotte's strengths, you'll be able to overcome this challenging boss and continue your journey through the Nest of Evil.