Annihilation

Style Change


The MM.exe customizing and enhancing Style Change system returns in this game, along with a few changes. There is the prominent addition of a few new style types, and in a subtle yet significant overhaul, many of the benefits of the styles have been integrated with the new NaviCust system.

You'll gain your first Style Change of the game during an event in Chapter 3. As before, the style combines an "element" determined at random with a "type" determined by your battle technique in the fights leading up to the change. By themselves, the Styles may seem weaker than in the previous game and levelling up doesn't make them any stronger. Instead, levelling up grants you NaviCust programs based on the Style's abilities and you're expected to install them to bring the Style to its true potential.

Once you have a Style, the Megaman Status screen has the option to switch between it and Normal Style. In BN2 you could hold two alternate Styles at a time, but this time it's only one. That makes it look like this game's system is less versatile, but that's where the NaviCust comes in to even the score again. When you do overwrite your one alternate Style you can continue to benefit from its abilities by installing the Programs you gained from it. Unfortunately you may be limited in this crossover of powers by compatible Program colors; you might need to enter a special code to be allowed to install a Program from a different Style and if so, only one at a time. See the NaviCust page for more info.

When a Style reaches its max level and you receive the last Program it has to offer, there is nothing left but to find a new Style and continue the cycle. The ins and outs of the cycle are determined by the events that give you a new Style and level it up.

Style Change Events

The interval between Style Changes and level-ups is based on a certain number of battles won. This counts any battle that has a results screen, so running from battle, battles with multiple rounds, and many event battles as part of the storyline will not count towards the Style process. Navi Battles will sort of count, including storyline Boss fights, friendly netbattles, and navi ghosts both at specific points on the net and as random encounters afterwards. I say they "sort of" count because you will not actually level up or change Styles after defeating a navi, instead the counter increases past the mark where the event would normally occur and the event will instead occur after the next regular virus battle you win. So if you wanted to level up a style against Protoman for instance, you could fight him a hundred times in a row, fight one virus to get the level, and repeat as necessary. The number of battles you need to level up is different between Style types, but the counter to find a new Style is set at 101. At the end of the last battle the screen goes white and fades back in as Megaman tranforms into his new Style. Dr.Hikari pops in to give an overview of it then give you the choice to either:
a) Take that Style, or
b) Keep the old Style while finding another.

Rejecting the new Style resets the counter to find a new one. If you didn't like the element, then you can just keep trying until the random number generator works in your favor. If you didn't like the type, change up your strategy to increase your chances of getting the one you want. You don't have to worry about getting the same type twice in a row at least, because it's taken out of the running until the next change.

If you choose to take the new Style, you'll have to confirm that you're overwriting the old one. Then you're immediately given another choice:
a) Level it up, or
b) Find another.

The b) option is the same as the previous b) option, only in this case you'll be using the new Style instead of sticking with the old one as you search for your next new Style right away.

Starting the level up process sets a different counter, and at the end of the last battle in that set you'll receive a message that the Style has levelled up and that you've gained a NaviCust Program attributed with that level. Then it's time for another choice:
a) Keep levelling up, or
b) Start looking for a new Style.

Same as before, the second option starts the counter to find a new Style. The first resets the counter to level up. When the Style hits its max level, you won't be given the choice, you'll automatically start the counter to find a new Style. If you start finding a new style before the level is maxed, but reject the next style that comes up, you'll also be given the choice to go back to leveling up your current style. The flow chart may look a little complicated, but when it comes down to it you're either finding a new style or leveling up your current one.

Note that your battle techniques only affect the Style type you receive next during the "finding a new style" period, it doesn't matter how you fight while leveling up your current Style.

Now to go over the actual Styles, their strengths, weaknesses, abilities, levels, Programs, compatibilities, and triggers.

Style Elements

As mentioned above, the elemental component of the Style is determined at random. Due to your lack of control in the matter, it's best to take whichever element you're dealt and adapt to it rather than trying repeatedly to get the element you want.

The features here are elemental strengths/weaknesses and the special charged attack to replace your MegaBuster's charge shot. In the previous game your charged attack damage levelled up along with your style, but this time you need to install WeapLvl+1 Plus Parts into the NaviCust to get that effect. Note that the basic strengths and weaknesses of each element are shared by navis and viruses attributed with that element as well, so these are general descriptions.

Element Charged Attack Charged Attack Damage per WeapLvl Description
123

Heat Style
FlameThrower - slow, powerful stream of fire pierces 3 panels down the row. 50 80 100 Takes double damage from Aqua-elemental attacks, but can move unharmed over lava panels.

Aqua Style
BubbleShot - instantly hits the first target in the row and bursts damaging the panel behind the target as well. 40 60 80 Takes double damage from Elec-elemental attacks, but can move over ice panels without slipping.

Elec Style
ZapRing - weak but quick projectile shot down the row paralyzes the first thing in its path. 20 30 40 Takes double damage from Wood-elemental attacks.

Wood Style
Twister - leafy tornado focused on the second panel in front of MM deals eight quick stunning hits. 10x8 15x8 20x8 Takes double damage from Fire-elemental attacks, but gradually regenerates HP when standing on grass panels.

Style Types

This is where the bulk of your unique abilities come from, mostly in NaviCust Program form. For this component your battle technique can lean the selection process in various directions, making it easy to control which type you achieve with the next Style Change.

During battle in you "finding a new style" phase, your actions will add points to unseen counters in the data and the points are tallied up at the end to determine which style best represents your technique. That style will get one point added towards it in a second set of counters, and after 101 battles like that, the style with the most points in that second set will be the one to which you change. If that sounds confusing, the important thing to remember is that the change is mainly determined on a battle-to-battle basis. You could use five navi chips every battle trying to get Team Style, but you only need to use one because they're worth the same. Doing a lot of the same thing in one battle only matters if you're doing a lot of another thing and you want to make sure the right thing wins out. You may occasionally get a point towards two styles in the same battle but it's rare to get a tie like that. Two to three counters won't be functioning; the one for the type you currently have, the one for the other version's exclusive type, and possibly the one for the last type you were offered but rejected.

While you need to have your current Style equipped to level it up, you can switch to Normal Style while finding a new one and it will have no effect on the battle counters. Also, while it's not likely to happen, if you get a tie between counters at Style Change, then the type will be chosen at random from the tie.

Type Triggers Innate Abilities Battles to LevelUp Program from Level

Guts Style
Take flinching hits and use Buster shots and Normal Charge shots (elemental charge attacks don't count). You don't have to hit anything with your shots either, you only need to fire and every shot will add towards a Guts Style point. You get ten times as many in-battle points for firing your regular buster shots when the Custom Gauge is filled than when the gauge is filling up. The Style of brute force. Buster attack is doubled and you can use the GutsMachineGun in battle by rapidly tapping B; MM will fire off a rapid stream of six buster shots, the last of which will have a flinching effect on enemy navis. While GMG is firing, MM won't flinch either. 2 - 80SuperArmor
3 - 100BreakBuster
4 - 130BreakCharge

Custom Style
Take more than one chip per turn, use the Add function, and make Program Advances. Using the chips doesn't matter, sending them is the important part. The Style of effective chip combinations. The Custom Screen in battle will start with one more chip to choose from than usual (Custom1 effect). Also, if you get an S Busting Level without using the buster or Navi Chips against viruses, you may win chips with a rare code, or even new exceptionally rare chips, like BigWave from Met3 or BurningCross from Birdraft. 2 - 50Custom1
3 - 100Custom1
4 - 160Custom2

Team Style
Send NaviChips in battle. Using them doesn't matter. Non-navi MegaChips and GigaChips do NOT count. Sending a NaviChip as part of a PA does count, though that may add more towards Custom Style because of the PA. The Style of powerful high-class chips. You can have one more MegaChip than usual in your folder (MegaFolder1 effect). Also, if you get an S Busting Level in under 20 seconds against Beta-level navis, you may win their V4 NaviChip. 2 - 50MegaFolder1
3 - 100MegaFolder1
4 - 160MegaFolder2

Shield Style
Use defensive chips in battle. Includes CurseShields, MetGuard, Recovs, Barriers, Auras, and Roll. The EverCurse PA counts, though strangely none of the other defensive PAs do, also it may count more towards Custom Style as a PA. Shield is also basically the default type so doing nothing that adds to any other type will add a point to Shield Style. The Style of defense. Megaman starts each battle protected by a 10HP Barrier. Also, if you have Shield or Reflect installed and press left+B the smallest split-second before the enemy's hit connects, then you may recover 100HP in addition to nullifying/countering the damage. 2 - 60Block
3 - 80Shield
4 - 180Reflect

Ground Style
Use terrain-type chips and many chips that are just loosely related to the Ground concept. Includes LavaCannons, CannonBalls, Spices, Geyser, Magnums, MetaGels, Knight, Snake, PanelOuts, Stealers, StealPunishers, Repair, Geddons, AirShoes, Stages(except DarkHole), Heat/AquaStyle MegaChips, GodStone, OldWood, Gutsman, Desertman, Drillman, and Metalman. Exclusive to the White Version, the Style of utilizing the terrain. Your charged attack gains the property of cracking the panels it hits. 2 - 50SetGreen
3 - 50SetIce
4 - 50SetLava
5 - 200SetHoly

Shadow Style
Use Invis, Shadow, and Mole chips. Despite popular belief, AntiDamage does not count. Exclusive to the Blue Version, the Style of ninja elusiveness and mobility. The buster's WeaponLevel is reduced by 1, so if no WeapLvl+1 Parts are installed, you have the WeaponLevel 0 Invis charge - instead of an attack, charging up will give MM Invisible status for a second. 2 - 60ShadowShoes
3 - 120FloatShoes
4 - 150KawarimiMagic

Bug Style
Keep the NaviCust bugged. The Style of chaotic risk and power. At the start of each battle MM will be afflicted with a random selection of the following effects: Barrier100, Invincibility(10 seconds), 10 chips on the Custom Screen, BusterMax, Poison, CustomPoison, and MoveBug(up or down). The wait is longer to level up, but the payoff is greater. 2 - 120BugStopper
3 - 200DarkLicense

Affiliates

Blyka's Door
E-Can Factory
MMAyla
MM BN Chrono X
MM PC Website
Protodude's RM Corner
Reploid Research Lavatory
RM AMV Station
RM EXE Online
RM EXE Zone
RM:Perfect Memories
Sprites INC