A complete guide to Super Metroid speedrunning - User contributions [en]

Phantoon

2025-02-20T23:05:13Z

Popplars: /* Phantoon Second */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 type of motion around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]].

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

===First Round===

In the first round, Phantoon will start at the top center of the room and then choose to move to the right or to the left, each with 50% chance. A right side figure 8 will always be the same pattern, with Phantoon opening his eye in one of three possible positions, named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Similarly, a left side figure 8 will always be the same, with the three possible positions for the eye to open named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Given a right or left side pattern, fasts and mids have 25% chance each, while slows have 50% chance of occurring. The frame Phantoon starts moving is what sets where Phantoon's eye will open.

===Second Round===

For the second and subsequent rounds, Phantoon will start at either the top right or top left of the room and proceed to move in a figure 8 pattern. Even though these two figure 8 patterns are different from those of the first round, they also are always the same and each have three different eye opening spots, "fast", "mid" and "slow". The percentages for each eye opening spot [https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt have been simulated to be]

* left: fast 24.52% | mid 0.70% | slow 24.87%

* right: fast 0.35% | mid 36.80% | slow 12.76%

Therefore, the compounded percentages for second round and above are:

* left 50.09% | right 49.91%

* fast 24.87% | mid 37.50% | slow 37.63%

===Flames===

Whenever Phantoon is moving in figure 8, flames will drop from his eye as if tears. There are four possible flame patterns, each with 25% chance of being chosen and with a roughly 3 second cooldown between them. Indicating a flame by "F" and a 16 frames interval by "-", the four flame patterns are:

* F-F-F (quick 3)

* F--F--F--F--F (moderate 5)

* F---F---F---F---F---F---F (sluggish 7)

* F-F--F----F--F----F-F (varied 7 or 322)

A flame pattern that is interrupted by Phantoon's eye opening will be paused and continued later, when Phantoon closes his eye and starts doing figure 8's again (this still applies if Phantoon turns invisible).

== Eye Open ==

When Phantoon's eye opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage after opening his eye (from a figure 8 pattern), he will close his eye, disappear, and start to move in a figure 8 pattern but now invisible (flames continue to drop). When invisble Phantoon opens his eye, instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

Phantoon can close his eye at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. The amount of time the eye stays open and its chance percentages are: 15 frames, 25% | 30 frames, 37.5% | 60 frames, 37.5%.

The image below shows the probability of a given pattern in a given round, the position where Phantoon will open his eye, and the position(s) that will give the best chance of destroying all of the flames with one shot.

[[File:Phantoon-patterns.png|thumb|none|600px|alt=Probability of each Phantoon pattern by round, with positions of eye opening and where to stand to shoot the flames|Phantoon Pattern Probabilities by Round]]

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

=== Enrage Skip ===

If a Super hits Phantoon on the specific frame as he starts moving around the room, he will not become enraged. If implemented in a run this would allow for killing Phantoon in a single round, though it would be very difficult.

{{#ev:youtube|CEqi68cc70o}}

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVWUEc_Z7pG_1ycbEB5FIhKkPLBaeKAxrJ4javr2i5M/edit?usp=sharing FreyasSpirit's analysis of Phantoon's AI to explain this behavior]

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 360 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

For each pattern, there's also a way to doppler Phantoon while keeping him on-screen, which is a few seconds faster than letting him go off-screen. This may involve a very difficult move such as an Air Doppler.

{{#ev:youtube|fiuQTIZCXOg}}

{{#ev:youtube|gc_i6AGMOzQ}}

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

There are multiple good strategies for fighting Phantoon second depending on skill level, category and future goals.

For beginners, starting with Ice/Wave/Spazer Charge shots is recommended. Adding in missiles can improve this approach to a 3 round fight.

Intermediate/Advanced players should decide between x-factors or missile doppler strategies to accomplish 2 round fights. X-Factors are only relevant to certain categories but are much easier to master than dopplers. Dopplers are applicable to every category but take much longer to become proficient with.

=== Any% KPDR (Ice/Wave/Spazer Charge Only) ===

Beginner strategy. With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Charge Plus Missiles) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (popTOON - X-Factor Plus Missiles) ===

With this strategy you do not need to know every eye open position that Phantoon has and is a strat for easy 2 round Phantoons once you get the hang of it. While it can certainly help to know them it is not explicitly necessary.
The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

[https://youtu.be/G7_vN68P6Fw?si=OLtzowm3gzSyrdPh Popplars' popTOON explanation]

=== Any% KPDR (X-Factor Only) ===

One optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two on-screen rounds. This saves some time over popTOON and 2 round dopplers.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 4 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

This [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCwpP47E-0A video] summarizes some 2-round strategies for the common item combinations.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://youtu.be/G7_vN68P6Fw?si=OLtzowm3gzSyrdPh Popplars] - popTOON strat (2 round).

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6uispJt8zk Dr_Girl_Friend] - Phantoon double X-Factor tutorial.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjdDQWAPfQ4 ShinyZeni] - Phantoon Patterns and Doppler Quick Kill Tutorial

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2025-02-20T23:03:50Z

Popplars: /* Tutorials */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 type of motion around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]].

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

===First Round===

In the first round, Phantoon will start at the top center of the room and then choose to move to the right or to the left, each with 50% chance. A right side figure 8 will always be the same pattern, with Phantoon opening his eye in one of three possible positions, named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Similarly, a left side figure 8 will always be the same, with the three possible positions for the eye to open named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Given a right or left side pattern, fasts and mids have 25% chance each, while slows have 50% chance of occurring. The frame Phantoon starts moving is what sets where Phantoon's eye will open.

===Second Round===

For the second and subsequent rounds, Phantoon will start at either the top right or top left of the room and proceed to move in a figure 8 pattern. Even though these two figure 8 patterns are different from those of the first round, they also are always the same and each have three different eye opening spots, "fast", "mid" and "slow". The percentages for each eye opening spot [https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt have been simulated to be]

* left: fast 24.52% | mid 0.70% | slow 24.87%

* right: fast 0.35% | mid 36.80% | slow 12.76%

Therefore, the compounded percentages for second round and above are:

* left 50.09% | right 49.91%

* fast 24.87% | mid 37.50% | slow 37.63%

===Flames===

Whenever Phantoon is moving in figure 8, flames will drop from his eye as if tears. There are four possible flame patterns, each with 25% chance of being chosen and with a roughly 3 second cooldown between them. Indicating a flame by "F" and a 16 frames interval by "-", the four flame patterns are:

* F-F-F (quick 3)

* F--F--F--F--F (moderate 5)

* F---F---F---F---F---F---F (sluggish 7)

* F-F--F----F--F----F-F (varied 7 or 322)

A flame pattern that is interrupted by Phantoon's eye opening will be paused and continued later, when Phantoon closes his eye and starts doing figure 8's again (this still applies if Phantoon turns invisible).

== Eye Open ==

When Phantoon's eye opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage after opening his eye (from a figure 8 pattern), he will close his eye, disappear, and start to move in a figure 8 pattern but now invisible (flames continue to drop). When invisble Phantoon opens his eye, instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

Phantoon can close his eye at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. The amount of time the eye stays open and its chance percentages are: 15 frames, 25% | 30 frames, 37.5% | 60 frames, 37.5%.

The image below shows the probability of a given pattern in a given round, the position where Phantoon will open his eye, and the position(s) that will give the best chance of destroying all of the flames with one shot.

[[File:Phantoon-patterns.png|thumb|none|600px|alt=Probability of each Phantoon pattern by round, with positions of eye opening and where to stand to shoot the flames|Phantoon Pattern Probabilities by Round]]

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

=== Enrage Skip ===

If a Super hits Phantoon on the specific frame as he starts moving around the room, he will not become enraged. If implemented in a run this would allow for killing Phantoon in a single round, though it would be very difficult.

{{#ev:youtube|CEqi68cc70o}}

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVWUEc_Z7pG_1ycbEB5FIhKkPLBaeKAxrJ4javr2i5M/edit?usp=sharing FreyasSpirit's analysis of Phantoon's AI to explain this behavior]

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 360 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

For each pattern, there's also a way to doppler Phantoon while keeping him on-screen, which is a few seconds faster than letting him go off-screen. This may involve a very difficult move such as an Air Doppler.

{{#ev:youtube|fiuQTIZCXOg}}

{{#ev:youtube|gc_i6AGMOzQ}}

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

There are multiple good strategies for fighting Phantoon second depending on skill level, category and future goals.

For beginners, starting with Ice/Wave/Spazer Charge shots is recommended. Adding in missiles can improve this approach to a 3 round fight.

Intermediate/Advanced players should decide between x-factors or missile doppler strategies to accomplish 2 round fights. X-Factors are only relevant to certain categories but are much easier to master than dopplers. Dopplers are applicable to every category but take much longer to become proficient with.

=== Any% KPDR (Ice/Wave/Spazer Charge Only) ===

Beginner strategy. With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Charge Plus Missiles) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (popTOON - X-Factor Plus Missiles) ===

With this strategy you do not need to know every eye open position that Phantoon has and is a strat for easy 2 round Phantoons once you get the hang of it. While it can certainly help to know them it is not explicitly necessary.
The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars' popTOON explanation]

=== Any% KPDR (X-Factor Only) ===

One optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two on-screen rounds. This saves some time over popTOON and 2 round dopplers.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 4 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

This [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCwpP47E-0A video] summarizes some 2-round strategies for the common item combinations.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://youtu.be/G7_vN68P6Fw?si=OLtzowm3gzSyrdPh Popplars] - popTOON strat (2 round).

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6uispJt8zk Dr_Girl_Friend] - Phantoon double X-Factor tutorial.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjdDQWAPfQ4 ShinyZeni] - Phantoon Patterns and Doppler Quick Kill Tutorial

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2024-10-06T17:08:54Z

Popplars: /* popTOON */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 type of motion around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]].

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

===First Round===

In the first round, Phantoon will start at the top center of the room and then choose to move to the right or to the left, each with 50% chance. A right side figure 8 will always be the same pattern, with Phantoon opening his eye in one of three possible positions, named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Similarly, a left side figure 8 will always be the same, with the three possible positions for the eye to open named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Given a right or left side pattern, fasts and mids have 25% chance each, while slows have 50% chance of occurring. The frame Phantoon starts moving is what sets where Phantoon's eye will open.

===Second Round===

For the second and subsequent rounds, Phantoon will start at either the top right or top left of the room and proceed to move in a figure 8 pattern. Even though these two figure 8 patterns are different from those of the first round, they also are always the same and each have three different eye opening spots, "fast", "mid" and "slow". The percentages for each eye opening spot [https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt have been simulated to be]

* left: fast 24.52% | mid 0.70% | slow 24.87%

* right: fast 0.35% | mid 36.80% | slow 12.76%

Therefore, the compounded percentages for second round and above are:

* left 50.09% | right 49.91%

* fast 24.87% | mid 37.50% | slow 37.63%

===Flames===

Whenever Phantoon is moving in figure 8, flames will drop from his eye as if tears. There are four possible flame patterns, each with 25% chance of being chosen and with a roughly 3 second cooldown between them. Indicating a flame by "F" and a 16 frames interval by "-", the four flame patterns are:

* F-F-F (quick 3)

* F--F--F--F--F (moderate 5)

* F---F---F---F---F---F---F (sluggish 7)

* F-F--F----F--F----F-F (varied 7 or 322)

A flame pattern that is interrupted by Phantoon's eye opening will be paused and continued later, when Phantoon closes his eye and starts doing figure 8's again (this still applies if Phantoon turns invisible).

== Eye Open ==

When Phantoon's eye opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage after opening his eye (from a figure 8 pattern), he will close his eye, disappear, and start to move in a figure 8 pattern but now invisible (flames continue to drop). When invisble Phantoon opens his eye, instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

Phantoon can close his eye at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. The amount of time the eye stays open and its chance percentages are: 15 frames, 25% | 30 frames, 37.5% | 60 frames, 37.5%.

The image below shows the probability of a given pattern in a given round, the position where Phantoon will open his eye, and the position(s) that will give the best chance of destroying all of the flames with one shot.

[[File:Phantoon-patterns.png|thumb|none|600px|alt=Probability of each Phantoon pattern by round, with positions of eye opening and where to stand to shoot the flames|Phantoon Pattern Probabilities by Round]]

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

=== Enrage Skip ===

If a Super hits Phantoon on the specific frame as he starts moving around the room, he will not become enraged. If implemented in a run this would allow for killing Phantoon in a single round, though it would be very difficult.

{{#ev:youtube|CEqi68cc70o}}

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVWUEc_Z7pG_1ycbEB5FIhKkPLBaeKAxrJ4javr2i5M/edit?usp=sharing FreyasSpirit's analysis of Phantoon's AI to explain this behavior]

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

For each pattern, there's also a way to doppler Phantoon while keeping him on-screen, which is a few seconds faster than letting him go off-screen. This may involve a very difficult move such as an Air Doppler.

{{#ev:youtube|fiuQTIZCXOg}}

{{#ev:youtube|gc_i6AGMOzQ}}

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

This [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCwpP47E-0A video] summarizes some 2-round strategies for the common item combinations.

=== popTOON (2 round hybrid) ===

With this strategy you do not need to know every eye open position that Phantoon has and is a strat for easy 2 round Phantoons once you get the hang of it. While it can certainly help to know them it is not explicitly necessary.
The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - popTOON strat (2 round).

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6uispJt8zk Dr_Girl_Friend] - Phantoon double X-Factor tutorial.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjdDQWAPfQ4 ShinyZeni] - Phantoon Patterns and Doppler Quick Kill Tutorial

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2024-10-06T13:19:03Z

Popplars: /* Tutorials */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 type of motion around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]].

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

===First Round===

In the first round, Phantoon will start at the top center of the room and then choose to move to the right or to the left, each with 50% chance. A right side figure 8 will always be the same pattern, with Phantoon opening his eye in one of three possible positions, named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Similarly, a left side figure 8 will always be the same, with the three possible positions for the eye to open named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Given a right or left side pattern, fasts and mids have 25% chance each, while slows have 50% chance of occurring. The frame Phantoon starts moving is what sets where Phantoon's eye will open.

===Second Round===

For the second and subsequent rounds, Phantoon will start at either the top right or top left of the room and proceed to move in a figure 8 pattern. Even though these two figure 8 patterns are different from those of the first round, they also are always the same and each have three different eye opening spots, "fast", "mid" and "slow". The percentages for each eye opening spot [https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt have been simulated to be]

* left: fast 24.52% | mid 0.70% | slow 24.87%

* right: fast 0.35% | mid 36.80% | slow 12.76%

Therefore, the compounded percentages for second round and above are:

* left 50.09% | right 49.91%

* fast 24.87% | mid 37.50% | slow 37.63%

===Flames===

Whenever Phantoon is moving in figure 8, flames will drop from his eye as if tears. There are four possible flame patterns, each with 25% chance of being chosen and with a roughly 3 second cooldown between them. Indicating a flame by "F" and a 16 frames interval by "-", the four flame patterns are:

* F-F-F (quick 3)

* F--F--F--F--F (moderate 5)

* F---F---F---F---F---F---F (sluggish 7)

* F-F--F----F--F----F-F (varied 7 or 322)

A flame pattern that is interrupted by Phantoon's eye opening will be paused and continued later, when Phantoon closes his eye and starts doing figure 8's again (this still applies if Phantoon turns invisible).

== Eye Open ==

When Phantoon's eye opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage after opening his eye (from a figure 8 pattern), he will close his eye, disappear, and start to move in a figure 8 pattern but now invisible (flames continue to drop). When invisble Phantoon opens his eye, instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

Phantoon can close his eye at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. The amount of time the eye stays open and its chance percentages are: 15 frames, 25% | 30 frames, 37.5% | 60 frames, 37.5%.

The image below shows the probability of a given pattern in a given round, the position where Phantoon will open his eye, and the position(s) that will give the best chance of destroying all of the flames with one shot.

[[File:Phantoon-patterns.png|thumb|none|600px|alt=Probability of each Phantoon pattern by round, with positions of eye opening and where to stand to shoot the flames|Phantoon Pattern Probabilities by Round]]

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

=== Enrage Skip ===

If a Super hits Phantoon on the specific frame as he starts moving around the room, he will not become enraged. If implemented in a run this would allow for killing Phantoon in a single round, though it would be very difficult.

{{#ev:youtube|CEqi68cc70o}}

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVWUEc_Z7pG_1ycbEB5FIhKkPLBaeKAxrJ4javr2i5M/edit?usp=sharing FreyasSpirit's analysis of Phantoon's AI to explain this behavior]

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

For each pattern, there's also a way to doppler Phantoon while keeping him on-screen, which is a few seconds faster than letting him go off-screen. This may involve a very difficult move such as an Air Doppler.

{{#ev:youtube|fiuQTIZCXOg}}

{{#ev:youtube|gc_i6AGMOzQ}}

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

This [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCwpP47E-0A video] summarizes some 2-round strategies for the common item combinations.

=== popTOON ===

With this strategy you do not need to know every eye open position that Phantoon has and is a strat for easy 2 round Phantoons once you get the hang of it. While it can certainly help to know them it is not explicitly necessary.
The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - popTOON strat (2 round).

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6uispJt8zk Dr_Girl_Friend] - Phantoon double X-Factor tutorial.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjdDQWAPfQ4 ShinyZeni] - Phantoon Patterns and Doppler Quick Kill Tutorial

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2024-10-06T13:18:19Z

Popplars: /* popTOON */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 type of motion around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]].

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

===First Round===

In the first round, Phantoon will start at the top center of the room and then choose to move to the right or to the left, each with 50% chance. A right side figure 8 will always be the same pattern, with Phantoon opening his eye in one of three possible positions, named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Similarly, a left side figure 8 will always be the same, with the three possible positions for the eye to open named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Given a right or left side pattern, fasts and mids have 25% chance each, while slows have 50% chance of occurring. The frame Phantoon starts moving is what sets where Phantoon's eye will open.

===Second Round===

For the second and subsequent rounds, Phantoon will start at either the top right or top left of the room and proceed to move in a figure 8 pattern. Even though these two figure 8 patterns are different from those of the first round, they also are always the same and each have three different eye opening spots, "fast", "mid" and "slow". The percentages for each eye opening spot [https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt have been simulated to be]

* left: fast 24.52% | mid 0.70% | slow 24.87%

* right: fast 0.35% | mid 36.80% | slow 12.76%

Therefore, the compounded percentages for second round and above are:

* left 50.09% | right 49.91%

* fast 24.87% | mid 37.50% | slow 37.63%

===Flames===

Whenever Phantoon is moving in figure 8, flames will drop from his eye as if tears. There are four possible flame patterns, each with 25% chance of being chosen and with a roughly 3 second cooldown between them. Indicating a flame by "F" and a 16 frames interval by "-", the four flame patterns are:

* F-F-F (quick 3)

* F--F--F--F--F (moderate 5)

* F---F---F---F---F---F---F (sluggish 7)

* F-F--F----F--F----F-F (varied 7 or 322)

A flame pattern that is interrupted by Phantoon's eye opening will be paused and continued later, when Phantoon closes his eye and starts doing figure 8's again (this still applies if Phantoon turns invisible).

== Eye Open ==

When Phantoon's eye opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage after opening his eye (from a figure 8 pattern), he will close his eye, disappear, and start to move in a figure 8 pattern but now invisible (flames continue to drop). When invisble Phantoon opens his eye, instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

Phantoon can close his eye at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. The amount of time the eye stays open and its chance percentages are: 15 frames, 25% | 30 frames, 37.5% | 60 frames, 37.5%.

The image below shows the probability of a given pattern in a given round, the position where Phantoon will open his eye, and the position(s) that will give the best chance of destroying all of the flames with one shot.

[[File:Phantoon-patterns.png|thumb|none|600px|alt=Probability of each Phantoon pattern by round, with positions of eye opening and where to stand to shoot the flames|Phantoon Pattern Probabilities by Round]]

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

=== Enrage Skip ===

If a Super hits Phantoon on the specific frame as he starts moving around the room, he will not become enraged. If implemented in a run this would allow for killing Phantoon in a single round, though it would be very difficult.

{{#ev:youtube|CEqi68cc70o}}

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVWUEc_Z7pG_1ycbEB5FIhKkPLBaeKAxrJ4javr2i5M/edit?usp=sharing FreyasSpirit's analysis of Phantoon's AI to explain this behavior]

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

For each pattern, there's also a way to doppler Phantoon while keeping him on-screen, which is a few seconds faster than letting him go off-screen. This may involve a very difficult move such as an Air Doppler.

{{#ev:youtube|fiuQTIZCXOg}}

{{#ev:youtube|gc_i6AGMOzQ}}

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

This [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCwpP47E-0A video] summarizes some 2-round strategies for the common item combinations.

=== popTOON ===

With this strategy you do not need to know every eye open position that Phantoon has and is a strat for easy 2 round Phantoons once you get the hang of it. While it can certainly help to know them it is not explicitly necessary.
The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - popTOON strat (hybrid 2 round).

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6uispJt8zk Dr_Girl_Friend] - Phantoon double X-Factor tutorial.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjdDQWAPfQ4 ShinyZeni] - Phantoon Patterns and Doppler Quick Kill Tutorial

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2024-10-06T13:10:45Z

Popplars: /* popTOON (Newer Xfactor strat) */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 type of motion around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]].

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

===First Round===

In the first round, Phantoon will start at the top center of the room and then choose to move to the right or to the left, each with 50% chance. A right side figure 8 will always be the same pattern, with Phantoon opening his eye in one of three possible positions, named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Similarly, a left side figure 8 will always be the same, with the three possible positions for the eye to open named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Given a right or left side pattern, fasts and mids have 25% chance each, while slows have 50% chance of occurring. The frame Phantoon starts moving is what sets where Phantoon's eye will open.

===Second Round===

For the second and subsequent rounds, Phantoon will start at either the top right or top left of the room and proceed to move in a figure 8 pattern. Even though these two figure 8 patterns are different from those of the first round, they also are always the same and each have three different eye opening spots, "fast", "mid" and "slow". The percentages for each eye opening spot [https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt have been simulated to be]

* left: fast 24.52% | mid 0.70% | slow 24.87%

* right: fast 0.35% | mid 36.80% | slow 12.76%

Therefore, the compounded percentages for second round and above are:

* left 50.09% | right 49.91%

* fast 24.87% | mid 37.50% | slow 37.63%

===Flames===

Whenever Phantoon is moving in figure 8, flames will drop from his eye as if tears. There are four possible flame patterns, each with 25% chance of being chosen and with a roughly 3 second cooldown between them. Indicating a flame by "F" and a 16 frames interval by "-", the four flame patterns are:

* F-F-F (quick 3)

* F--F--F--F--F (moderate 5)

* F---F---F---F---F---F---F (sluggish 7)

* F-F--F----F--F----F-F (varied 7 or 322)

A flame pattern that is interrupted by Phantoon's eye opening will be paused and continued later, when Phantoon closes his eye and starts doing figure 8's again (this still applies if Phantoon turns invisible).

== Eye Open ==

When Phantoon's eye opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage after opening his eye (from a figure 8 pattern), he will close his eye, disappear, and start to move in a figure 8 pattern but now invisible (flames continue to drop). When invisble Phantoon opens his eye, instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

Phantoon can close his eye at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. The amount of time the eye stays open and its chance percentages are: 15 frames, 25% | 30 frames, 37.5% | 60 frames, 37.5%.

The image below shows the probability of a given pattern in a given round, the position where Phantoon will open his eye, and the position(s) that will give the best chance of destroying all of the flames with one shot.

[[File:Phantoon-patterns.png|thumb|none|600px|alt=Probability of each Phantoon pattern by round, with positions of eye opening and where to stand to shoot the flames|Phantoon Pattern Probabilities by Round]]

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

=== Enrage Skip ===

If a Super hits Phantoon on the specific frame as he starts moving around the room, he will not become enraged. If implemented in a run this would allow for killing Phantoon in a single round, though it would be very difficult.

{{#ev:youtube|CEqi68cc70o}}

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVWUEc_Z7pG_1ycbEB5FIhKkPLBaeKAxrJ4javr2i5M/edit?usp=sharing FreyasSpirit's analysis of Phantoon's AI to explain this behavior]

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

For each pattern, there's also a way to doppler Phantoon while keeping him on-screen, which is a few seconds faster than letting him go off-screen. This may involve a very difficult move such as an Air Doppler.

{{#ev:youtube|fiuQTIZCXOg}}

{{#ev:youtube|gc_i6AGMOzQ}}

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

This [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCwpP47E-0A video] summarizes some 2-round strategies for the common item combinations.

=== popTOON ===

The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - popTOON strat (hybrid 2 round).

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6uispJt8zk Dr_Girl_Friend] - Phantoon double X-Factor tutorial.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjdDQWAPfQ4 ShinyZeni] - Phantoon Patterns and Doppler Quick Kill Tutorial

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2024-10-06T13:10:13Z

Popplars: /* Hybrid Strat */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 type of motion around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]].

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

===First Round===

In the first round, Phantoon will start at the top center of the room and then choose to move to the right or to the left, each with 50% chance. A right side figure 8 will always be the same pattern, with Phantoon opening his eye in one of three possible positions, named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Similarly, a left side figure 8 will always be the same, with the three possible positions for the eye to open named "fast", "mid" and "slow". Given a right or left side pattern, fasts and mids have 25% chance each, while slows have 50% chance of occurring. The frame Phantoon starts moving is what sets where Phantoon's eye will open.

===Second Round===

For the second and subsequent rounds, Phantoon will start at either the top right or top left of the room and proceed to move in a figure 8 pattern. Even though these two figure 8 patterns are different from those of the first round, they also are always the same and each have three different eye opening spots, "fast", "mid" and "slow". The percentages for each eye opening spot [https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt have been simulated to be]

* left: fast 24.52% | mid 0.70% | slow 24.87%

* right: fast 0.35% | mid 36.80% | slow 12.76%

Therefore, the compounded percentages for second round and above are:

* left 50.09% | right 49.91%

* fast 24.87% | mid 37.50% | slow 37.63%

===Flames===

Whenever Phantoon is moving in figure 8, flames will drop from his eye as if tears. There are four possible flame patterns, each with 25% chance of being chosen and with a roughly 3 second cooldown between them. Indicating a flame by "F" and a 16 frames interval by "-", the four flame patterns are:

* F-F-F (quick 3)

* F--F--F--F--F (moderate 5)

* F---F---F---F---F---F---F (sluggish 7)

* F-F--F----F--F----F-F (varied 7 or 322)

A flame pattern that is interrupted by Phantoon's eye opening will be paused and continued later, when Phantoon closes his eye and starts doing figure 8's again (this still applies if Phantoon turns invisible).

== Eye Open ==

When Phantoon's eye opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage after opening his eye (from a figure 8 pattern), he will close his eye, disappear, and start to move in a figure 8 pattern but now invisible (flames continue to drop). When invisble Phantoon opens his eye, instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

Phantoon can close his eye at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. The amount of time the eye stays open and its chance percentages are: 15 frames, 25% | 30 frames, 37.5% | 60 frames, 37.5%.

The image below shows the probability of a given pattern in a given round, the position where Phantoon will open his eye, and the position(s) that will give the best chance of destroying all of the flames with one shot.

[[File:Phantoon-patterns.png|thumb|none|600px|alt=Probability of each Phantoon pattern by round, with positions of eye opening and where to stand to shoot the flames|Phantoon Pattern Probabilities by Round]]

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

=== Enrage Skip ===

If a Super hits Phantoon on the specific frame as he starts moving around the room, he will not become enraged. If implemented in a run this would allow for killing Phantoon in a single round, though it would be very difficult.

{{#ev:youtube|CEqi68cc70o}}

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVWUEc_Z7pG_1ycbEB5FIhKkPLBaeKAxrJ4javr2i5M/edit?usp=sharing FreyasSpirit's analysis of Phantoon's AI to explain this behavior]

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

For each pattern, there's also a way to doppler Phantoon while keeping him on-screen, which is a few seconds faster than letting him go off-screen. This may involve a very difficult move such as an Air Doppler.

{{#ev:youtube|fiuQTIZCXOg}}

{{#ev:youtube|gc_i6AGMOzQ}}

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

This [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCwpP47E-0A video] summarizes some 2-round strategies for the common item combinations.

=== popTOON (Newer Xfactor strat) ===

The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - popTOON strat (hybrid 2 round).

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6uispJt8zk Dr_Girl_Friend] - Phantoon double X-Factor tutorial.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjdDQWAPfQ4 ShinyZeni] - Phantoon Patterns and Doppler Quick Kill Tutorial

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2022-09-05T07:30:13Z

Popplars: /* Tutorials */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 pattern around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]]. Phantoon tends to spawn these flames in similar ways each time.

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

Phantoon can open at these speeds on either the left side of the room or the right side of the room. Some combinations of speed and side are more common than others. Slower patterns tend to be more common than faster patterns.

== Open ==

When Phantoon opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage in time from an opening, he will disappear and move in an invisible figure 8 pattern. Phantoon can disappear from an opening at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, and will open up again after closing in this manner at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, except instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

=== Enrage Skip ===

If a Super hits Phantoon on the specific frame as he starts moving around the room, he will not become enraged. If implemented in a run this would allow for killing Phantoon in a single round, though it would be very difficult.

{{#ev:youtube|CEqi68cc70o}}

[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVWUEc_Z7pG_1ycbEB5FIhKkPLBaeKAxrJ4javr2i5M/edit?usp=sharing FreyasSpirit's analysis of Phantoon's AI to explain this behavior]

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

For each pattern, there's also a way to doppler Phantoon while keeping him on-screen, which is a few seconds faster than letting him go off-screen. This may involve a very difficult move such as an Air Doppler.

{{#ev:youtube|fiuQTIZCXOg}}

{{#ev:youtube|gc_i6AGMOzQ}}

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

This [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCwpP47E-0A video] summarizes some 2-round strategies for the common item combinations.

=== Hybrid Strat ===

The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kt2b0n7Sc DbX] - How to X-Factor Phantoon.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - popTOON strat (hybrid 2 round).

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6uispJt8zk Dr_Girl_Friend] - Phantoon double X-Factor tutorial.

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Botwoon

2022-09-05T07:16:25Z

Popplars: /* Any% (Optimal) */

{{Boss info
|title=Botwoon
|image=Botwoon.gif
|location=[[Botwoon's Room]], [[Maridia]]
|health=3000
}}

= General Knowledge =

Botwoon has 3000 health.

Botwoon is only vulnerable to damage at his head, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Botwoon will always first appear from the upper left hole, and will appear after an amount between 271 and 273 frames has elapsed after Samus has entered the room.

Botwoon deals 32 / 64 / 128 damage with his body and 30 / 60 / 120 damage with his head to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively. Samus can come into contact with multiple parts of Botwoon's body at once, so be careful of where you have her positioned when an invulnerability period ends.

Botwoon's acid deals 24 / 48 / 96 damage to Gravity Suit / Varia Suit / Power Suit Samus, respectively, and can strike multiple times depending on how Samus comes into contact with it.

= Interactions =

== Snaking ==

Botwoon's standard procedure is to serpentine around the room in a seemingly random manner.

Botwoon has four different opening snaking patterns he can perform, and many different snaking patterns that he can use throughout the fight.

== Spitting ==

After every snaking pattern, Botwoon can choose to poke his head out from one of the holes in the room and spit five pieces of acid in an arc from his location.

Botwoon can perform this action multiple times in a row.

Botwoon will lose the ability to perform this action upon being below 1500 health after a spitting period ends.

== Death ==

Botwoon's body parts will still act as a source of damage until they explode.

A reduced amount of drops will spawn if Botwoon's tail explodes too early compared to the rest of his body, which will occur if his tail is too close to the floor upon his death.

If Botwoon's chamber is escaped before the center pillar has been fully destroyed, the game will not consider Botwoon to be dead. In this case, Botwoon will be inside his chamber, along with the center pillar, if his chamber is reentered.

= Categories =

== Any% (Beginner) ==

A charged [[Ice Beam|Ice]]/[[Wave Beam|Wave]]/[[Spazer]] shot will deal the same amount of damage as a Super Missile. A way to start the fight is by positioning yourself slightly behind the bottom hole, facing left with angle up held and a charge shot ready. Fire the charge shot as soon as he appears, and then use Super Missiles afterward. Return to using the beam if Botwoon is not dead after you have expended your Super Missiles.

In case of danger, Botwoon cannot damage you with his body if you are positioned next to the left wall as none of his patterns extend to that location. Acid particles can still cover that location; however, as stated above, he will not generate these once below 50%, and they are simple to avoid when morphed.

== Any% (Optimal) ==

There are two primary setups for performing the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] opener on Botwoon.

The setup using an audio cue involves charging the beam for the X-Factor on the fourth note of the miniboss music riff while facing left underneath the upper left hole, turning around to face right, then jumping on the fifth note of the second repetition of the riff. Your jump should peak at the height of the upper left hole.

The setup without an audio cue involves running into the room, running right into the right wall, immediately turning around and running into the left wall, then charging the beam as soon as Samus touches the left wall, turning around to face right, then jumping when Samus blinks white quickly the second time (almost immediately after a charge is gained). Again, your jump should peak at the height of the upper left hole.

Afterward, finish him off with Super Missiles. If your X-Factor was on point, it should only take six. If you run out of Super Missiles before Botwoon explodes, you can either use Missiles (3 Missiles = 1 Super Missile) or charged Wave Beam shots (2 charged Wave Beam shots = 1 Super Missile).

Botwoon will make a noise every time a projectile connects with his head. This means that if every X-Factor particle connected with his head, you should hear Botwoon make four noises.

{{#ev:youtube|94qUNhMRP0U}}

Decalled found a setup that allows an opening X-Factor to hit without Samus taking a hit, allowing you to immediately start hitting him with Supers. This can also be combined with missiles at the opener to save Supers for Draygon.

{{#ev:youtube|uzzrPEEJrjo}}

This setup also allows 2 X-Factors to fit in the round, finishing him off when combined with 3 supers.

{{#ev:youtube|jJf7gGfy19g}}

This information also applies to the 100% categories.

== 14% Ice ==

You will want to position yourself slightly behind the bottom hole, facing left with angle up held. It is recommended to start with Missiles as the start of the fight will be the slowest Botwoon will ever be, and then deal the remaining damage with Super Missiles. You should be able to get about 3 Super Missiles in when Botwoon pokes his head out from a hole to spit acid, although he is not guaranteed to ever do that during the fight.

Although it is possible to "one round" Botwoon in this category, it is significantly more difficult than in Any%, and certain opening patterns make "one rounding" extremely difficult.

If Botwoon is still alive after you have expended all of your ballistics, you can finish with charged Ice Beam shots. You can also try using [[Ice Shield]], but it can cause tremendous lag when used incorrectly, be difficult to damage Botwoon with, and expend Power Bombs that would be useful for [[Draygon]] later.

This information also applies to the 14% Speed category; however, certain actions may be ever so slightly different due to having [[Speed Booster]].

== GT Classic ==

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Botwoon's head.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Botwoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

== Reverse Boss Order ==

Since Botwoon will deal maximum damage to Power Suit Samus, a strategy for handling Botwoon in this category is to camp in the safe zone next to the left wall and unload Super Missiles into him from there.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Botwoon, but [[Phantoon]] and Draygon as well.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/404641735?collection=P0iRwVDDFRbPtw Popplars] - Decalled X-factor strat tutorial

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Botwoon

2022-09-05T07:14:09Z

Popplars: /* Any% (Optimal) */

{{Boss info
|title=Botwoon
|image=Botwoon.gif
|location=[[Botwoon's Room]], [[Maridia]]
|health=3000
}}

= General Knowledge =

Botwoon has 3000 health.

Botwoon is only vulnerable to damage at his head, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Botwoon will always first appear from the upper left hole, and will appear after an amount between 271 and 273 frames has elapsed after Samus has entered the room.

Botwoon deals 32 / 64 / 128 damage with his body and 30 / 60 / 120 damage with his head to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively. Samus can come into contact with multiple parts of Botwoon's body at once, so be careful of where you have her positioned when an invulnerability period ends.

Botwoon's acid deals 24 / 48 / 96 damage to Gravity Suit / Varia Suit / Power Suit Samus, respectively, and can strike multiple times depending on how Samus comes into contact with it.

= Interactions =

== Snaking ==

Botwoon's standard procedure is to serpentine around the room in a seemingly random manner.

Botwoon has four different opening snaking patterns he can perform, and many different snaking patterns that he can use throughout the fight.

== Spitting ==

After every snaking pattern, Botwoon can choose to poke his head out from one of the holes in the room and spit five pieces of acid in an arc from his location.

Botwoon can perform this action multiple times in a row.

Botwoon will lose the ability to perform this action upon being below 1500 health after a spitting period ends.

== Death ==

Botwoon's body parts will still act as a source of damage until they explode.

A reduced amount of drops will spawn if Botwoon's tail explodes too early compared to the rest of his body, which will occur if his tail is too close to the floor upon his death.

If Botwoon's chamber is escaped before the center pillar has been fully destroyed, the game will not consider Botwoon to be dead. In this case, Botwoon will be inside his chamber, along with the center pillar, if his chamber is reentered.

= Categories =

== Any% (Beginner) ==

A charged [[Ice Beam|Ice]]/[[Wave Beam|Wave]]/[[Spazer]] shot will deal the same amount of damage as a Super Missile. A way to start the fight is by positioning yourself slightly behind the bottom hole, facing left with angle up held and a charge shot ready. Fire the charge shot as soon as he appears, and then use Super Missiles afterward. Return to using the beam if Botwoon is not dead after you have expended your Super Missiles.

In case of danger, Botwoon cannot damage you with his body if you are positioned next to the left wall as none of his patterns extend to that location. Acid particles can still cover that location; however, as stated above, he will not generate these once below 50%, and they are simple to avoid when morphed.

== Any% (Optimal) ==

There are two primary setups for performing the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] opener on Botwoon.

The setup using an audio cue involves charging the beam for the X-Factor on the fourth note of the miniboss music riff while facing left underneath the upper left hole, turning around to face right, then jumping on the fifth note of the second repetition of the riff. Your jump should peak at the height of the upper left hole.

The setup without an audio cue involves running into the room, running right into the right wall, immediately turning around and running into the left wall, then charging the beam as soon as Samus touches the left wall, turning around to face right, then jumping when Samus blinks white quickly the second time (almost immediately after a charge is gained). Again, your jump should peak at the height of the upper left hole.

Afterward, finish him off with Super Missiles. If your X-Factor was on point, it should only take six. If you run out of Super Missiles before Botwoon explodes, you can either use Missiles (3 Missiles = 1 Super Missile) or charged Wave Beam shots (2 charged Wave Beam shots = 1 Super Missile).

Botwoon will make a noise every time a projectile connects with his head. This means that if every X-Factor particle connected with his head, you should hear Botwoon make four noises.

{{#ev:youtube|94qUNhMRP0U}}

Decalled found a setup that allows an opening X-Factor to hit without Samus taking a hit, allowing you to immediately start hitting him with Supers. This can also be combined with missiles at the opener to save Supers for Draygon.

{{#ev:youtube|uzzrPEEJrjo}}

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/404641735?collection=P0iRwVDDFRbPtw Decalled Botwoon Xfactor] Link contains a full walk through of the above vid.

This setup also allows 2 X-Factors to fit in the round, finishing him off when combined with 3 supers.

{{#ev:youtube|jJf7gGfy19g}}

This information also applies to the 100% categories.

== 14% Ice ==

You will want to position yourself slightly behind the bottom hole, facing left with angle up held. It is recommended to start with Missiles as the start of the fight will be the slowest Botwoon will ever be, and then deal the remaining damage with Super Missiles. You should be able to get about 3 Super Missiles in when Botwoon pokes his head out from a hole to spit acid, although he is not guaranteed to ever do that during the fight.

Although it is possible to "one round" Botwoon in this category, it is significantly more difficult than in Any%, and certain opening patterns make "one rounding" extremely difficult.

If Botwoon is still alive after you have expended all of your ballistics, you can finish with charged Ice Beam shots. You can also try using [[Ice Shield]], but it can cause tremendous lag when used incorrectly, be difficult to damage Botwoon with, and expend Power Bombs that would be useful for [[Draygon]] later.

This information also applies to the 14% Speed category; however, certain actions may be ever so slightly different due to having [[Speed Booster]].

== GT Classic ==

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Botwoon's head.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Botwoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

== Reverse Boss Order ==

Since Botwoon will deal maximum damage to Power Suit Samus, a strategy for handling Botwoon in this category is to camp in the safe zone next to the left wall and unload Super Missiles into him from there.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Botwoon, but [[Phantoon]] and Draygon as well.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/404641735?collection=P0iRwVDDFRbPtw Popplars] - Decalled X-factor strat tutorial

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Tutorials

2020-09-30T22:04:23Z

Popplars: /* Any% */

Categories with multiple tutorials will have them listed starting with ones more tailored towards new runners.

==Various Categories==

[[Strat Chat]], hosted by Kipp and TrueMoss, with various guests

==[[Any%]]==

===KPDR (Kraid, Phantoon, Draygon, Ridley) (a.k.a. "old route")===

[[Beginners Route|UNHchabo]]

[https://www.twitch.tv/collections/_6FqA5izdhUfQg Melonax]

[https://www.twitch.tv/mishrak109/v/69192497 Mishrak109]

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/168638200 Galamoz]

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA9JK6IE24g Sweetnumb & Oatsngoats]

[http://www.twitch.tv/zoasty/v/46317411 Zoast] - [https://pastebin.com/11RbKe3L Timestamps for this tutorial]

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/560645759 MrGuyAverage]

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/753046491 Popplars] Part 1 - Ceres to Speedbooster

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/753041899 Popplars] Part 2 - Speedbooster to Space Jump

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/753037132 Popplars] Part 3 - Space Jump to .done

===PRKD (Phantoon, Ridley, Kraid, Draygon) (a.k.a. "new route")===

Oatsngoats - [https://www.twitch.tv/oatsngoats/v/40042594 P1] [https://www.twitch.tv/oatsngoats/v/43080073 P2]

[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdtrbA7NvFa1Vb2bVK7XXA0k9CwkQZKCs ShinyZeni]

===IGT (In Game Time)===

[http://pastebin.com/ZzdihKmM Overfiendvip (PDKR/PRKD)]

==[[100%]]==

===Early Crocomire===

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGEaZdGvGvA KronicSauce]

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/49840837 Apathae]

[https://www.twitch.tv/wildanaconda69/v/47182416 WildAnaconda69]

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQd70ixaT6A Sweetnumb & WildAnaconda69]

==[[RBO|Reverse Boss Order]]==

[https://www.twitch.tv/foosda/v/41525804 Foosda]

[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdtrbA7NvFa17i_Xdh6K41iHCXam9kYg4 ShinyZeni]

==[[Any% Glitched]]==

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w2JpDtfNRg&hd=1 Total]

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UUWVB3xMTs ShinyZeni] (covers the Door Skip route)

==[[14% Ice]]==

[http://www.twitch.tv/zoasty/v/46737316 Zoast] (Beginning can also be applied to Any% PRKD)

[http://pastebin.com/qT8TUxKS Overfiendvip] (Post-2014 changes to the route)

==[[GT Classic]]==

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFDSkyRb2N8 Mumu Didi] French-language tutorial

==[[Max% GT Code]]==

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351991665 MrGuyAverage's Early Game Tutorial]

[http://www.twitch.tv/mrguyaverage/v/356200270?sr=a&t=5s Late Game Tutorial]

Big Boy Room

2020-08-22T19:41:27Z

Popplars:

{{Adjacent rooms
|west=[[Seaweed Room]]
|east=[[Dust Torizo Room]]
}}

[[File:BigBoyRoom.png|x256px]]

[[File:Big_Metroid_room%2C_state_1%262.png|x300px]]

In all categories, the player should move left as quickly as possible in order to start the Metroid cutscene as soon as possible. For categories with Space Jump this will mean retaining jump speed through the door transition, then Space Jumping until the camera locks. For all other categories, the optimal strategy is to shoot the dust enemies, then mockball on the ground between the first and second pillars sticking out of the ground.

= Metroid Skip =

By doing careful jumps manipulating the Baby Metroid's position, you can exit the room without the Metroid draining your health, followed by the cutscene where you're temporarily locked in place.

== Non-Space Jump Method ==
Begin running after Baby rises all the way to the top and starts moving back downwards. You can delay the start quite a bit before Baby will come down and grab you. Jump as late as possible to maximize the horizontal distance traveled. You can jump as early as the first sandy floor tile and still make the jump past the next protruding floor tile. If you accidentally run into the floor tiles without jumping, turn around and run back under Baby and try again. You can usually fail this way twice before Baby will grab you. Aiming down throughout this first jump can grant you a bit more distance and put Baby in a more favorable position for the next jump.

The second jump will need to wait until Baby has passed by and begins changing direction back toward you. Run forward and jump over Baby rather than turning around to increase your distance traveled. Try not to jump too high and hit the Dust Geemer on the ceiling. If you choose to shoot out all of the dusty obstacles (which can cause around a second worth of lag frames), you can fire a horizontal shot after you start falling and Baby is in approximately the 2 o'clock position. You may need to shoot the Dust Ripper on the floor depending on how well you perform these first two jumps. Aiming down and firing just before landing on the Dust Ripper will make Baby swing further to the left, but may require tighter execution. An angle shot may be easier if you're not clearing as much distance on these two jumps.

The third jump is where the "jump-rope" movement comes into play. Immediately turn around upon landing and run about 1-2 tiles distance to the right and spin jump over Baby when it's coming toward you in the 8-7 o'clock position. Try not to jump too high (about 3/4 of the way to the ceiling) even if you cleared the way with your beam. Higher jumps will give you less overall distance and puts Baby in a higher position on the next jump. Focus on getting into a good position to jump-rope with Baby.

Take the time to become proficient at this jump-rope technique before incorporating the shots at the vines. You'll want to know how to correct Baby's movement if things get out of hand. If it goes too high, or starts circling in a tighter pattern, you may want to sacrifice some forward progress by running further backwards before jumping. Try to tune your jumps to be around a tile's distance (16px) over Baby. Any runner that is consistent at Baby Skip should be able to keep Baby in a loop for as long as they want.

Once you've mastered this technique, begin working on clearing out the vines with your beam. You'll want to clear out all or most of the vines that are at or above door height. Horizontal shots can be the easiest if you have cleared out the ceiling dust, but may require extra jumps if Baby circles too high. Angle shots are best for clearing the top portion, but requires releasing jump before Samus will break spin and aim diagonally. Be careful about breaking spin too early as Baby tends to close the distance quickly if you're too close.

Leaving at least one row of vines at the bottom can help you get into position when the time comes for the final jump. The single, top-left tile of vines can be ignored, but no other tiles in the top corner should be left in place. You'll want to manipulate Baby's pattern to be low and wide for the final positioning. Take the time and extra jumps to get Baby in a favorable position before committing. Try to get into position against the tiles (or on the foreground vines if you destroyed them all) quickly and wait for Baby to swing low, around the 7 o'clock position. Jump straight up as late as possible and mid-air morph immediately. Hold left to bounce into the door transition. It's possible to get in the door with a spin jump, but may require a closer starting position. On PAL, the final spin jump can be easier due to poor horizontal movement with air ball in that version.

{{#ev:youtube|c4Gff6OJp7w}}

{{#ev:youtube|JFy4SjbjCrs}}

Baby Skip Tutorial focusing mostly on the first, second, and last jumps of baby skip, along with some analysis on what went wrong when things go wrong during the tutorial.

{{#ev:youtube|IELruthj6ZI}}

Some runners lay bombs during the final jump, but this is not advised. The sound of the bomb explosion can cause [[processing]] delays before the door transition starts, during which the Baby will continue moving. This can drastically increase the chance of getting grabbed during the transition, causing the slowdown effect as described below.

== Space Jump Method ==

A very basic explanation of the Space Jump variant's beginning is pictured below.

[[File:Babyskip.png]]

3 Jump and 4 Jump skips shown below:

{{#ev:youtube|aOZh7S5yoDM}}

== Springball Method ==

Possibly the most inconsistent method of Baby Skip. Developed by Behemoth (and Kottpower?).

{{#ev:youtube|g87_0VgZEfc}}

= Metroid Skip Skip =

For runners who can't get the Metroid Skip, they would be faster damaging themselves as much as possible on the side hopper, before jumping straight into the Metroid's grasp. The side hopper damage can be sped up by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo screwing]] into it, since a pseudo screw resets the invulnerability period. This is done especially in [[14%]] categories, since runners lack both Wave Beam and High Jump Boots, making the Baby Skip much more difficult and time-consuming.

If you fail the Baby Skip (or succeed at the Skip Skip), you should face right before you reach 1hp and get locked in the crouch position. When facing left, Samus goes through the animation of standing back up slowly. Facing right skips this animation and saves 35 frames.

{{#ev:youtube|OPKdyDcfRTo}}

= Slowdown =

If you go through the door transition while the Baby Metroid has a hold of you (including if it grabs you during the fadeout), you will be in a permanently slowed down state in terms of your horizontal velocity. You can complete the game like this, but the escape sequence will be significantly more difficult.

To remove the slowdown, you'll need to get to the save station, save, then reset your console.

{{#ev:youtube|8hfgX2CkV9E}}

If you reach 1 hp during the door transition, there's a decent chance you will be softlocked in the crouching position.

= See also =

* [[General Movement|Individual rooms]]

Kraid

2020-03-28T07:04:53Z

Popplars:

{{Boss info
|title=Kraid
|image=Kraid.png
|location=[[Kraid Room]], [[Brinstar]]
|health=1000
}}

= General Knowledge =

Kraid has 1000 health.

Kraid is only vulnerable to damage through his mouth, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Striking Kraid's eye will cause him to open his mouth.

Striking Kraid's eye with a charge shot will freeze the position of his claw.

Kraid deals 5 / 10 / 20 damage with his body, 2 / 5 / 10 damage with his claw, and 0 / 1 / 2 damage with his stones, to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

The spikes underneath Kraid will deal 4 / 8 / 16 damage to Gravity Suit / Varia Suit / Power Suit Samus, respectively.

= Quick Kill =

The Kraid quick kill, sometimes abbreviated to "KQK", saves a minimum of ten seconds compared to fighting Kraid normally. The KQK slays Kraid before he is able to fully emerge from the ground, and is simple enough that even beginning players should attempt it every run. If you do more than 140 damage to Kraid, he will begin the "stand up" phase once his mouth is closed. However, if you miss one of the initial setups and do less damage than this, it sometimes is still possible to still do the Quick Kill on a backup strategy. For instance, if you do the Charge setup, and then shoot the first Super too low to hit his mouth, you might be able to backup with the Missile Quick Kill, or do another Charge setup, replacing the last Super with a regular missile.

When Kraid opens his mouth normally, it involves five unique positions. The first two will last for 10 frames each. The third, when his mouth is the widest, will last for 64 frames. The last two will last for 10 frames each. You will want to damage Kraid with a Super Missile when it is in the second of these five positions in order to lock it into position, so that it will not close when additional damage is dealt.

Kraid's mouth will look like this when locked into the quick kill position:

[[File:Kraid_maw.png]]

Kraid's mouth will remain in the above position for 83 frames. It will shift into a slightly less exposed position afterward and remain there for 10 frames, at which point, if Kraid has not been slain, he will [[#Stand Up|rise from the ground]].

== Charge Quick Kill ==

Upon entering the room, choose a favorable location and stay morphed on it until Kraid rises. Unmorph, charge a shot, and fire the charge shot at Kraid as soon as he has risen, so that the shot causes Kraid's claw to stay frozen in a lowered position, leaving his mouth exposed. Fire four Super Missiles into his mouth, making sure that the first connects when his mouth is in the second position.

{{#ev:youtube|57C6Z-_DWyI}}

To conserve a Super Missile, you can item cancel and then select Missile to fire (instead of a fourth Super Missile) if you are quick enough in your inputs. This is not recommended for beginners; it is more a backup option for experienced players who miss the Missile quick kill.

This method is slightly slower than the Missile quick kill method explained below, as you have to wait longer on Kraid's mouth to open, and may produce more lag than the Missile quick kill method due to beam usage.

WhiteMageBecky created a strat to time the delay between the charge shot and the supers. After you land from the charge shot, do two turnarounds, then jump and fire the supers. This has become known as the "Becky Twist".

{{#ev:youtube|EYN0QSPetBY}}

== Missile Quick Kill ==

Upon entering the room, you will want to position yourself in a manner that allows the two Missiles you will be firing to strike Kraid in such a manner that his mouth will pop open without the normal delay. When Kraid's eye is struck, it will cause him to pop his mouth open for a few frames, and if his mouth is struck by a Missile at that time, he will shift the position of his mouth into the quick kill position after 29 frames. The timing of these two Missiles is the most important aspect of executing this quick kill.

The image below is an example of how players typically position themselves in order to have the Missiles properly strike Kraid. Samus's front foot (how much it sticks out past the block) and back foot (it makes a straight vertical line with the left side of the block) are visual indicators.

[[File:KQK_positioning.png]]

Another common setup that has the advantage of being normalized is to morph, hold left against the door, lay a bomb, unmorph, turn right, remorph, and allow the bomb to propel you into position.

{{#ev:youtube|O18zuqDZbDM}}

Regardless of what positioning and timing you choose to use, figure out how much you can deviate from it while still maintaining proper execution of the quick kill. You will want to become quick and consistent at positioning yourself before Kraid starts to emerge, so as to not cause lag.

Upon positioning yourself, morph until Kraid has nearly fully risen. Jump and shoot two Missiles at Kraid's face. You can use the end of the room's shaking, or Kraid's hand descending from his first raising of it, as a cue for this jump. Try to have no delay (outside of the 10 frame cooldown that Missiles have) between them when you fire them. As explained earlier, the first is to open Kraid's mouth, which will cause the second to deal damage, which will then cause Kraid to widen his mouth quicker than normal. Afterward, select Super Missiles and fire three into his half-exposed mouth. You should be able to fire two Super Missiles during one of your jumps to save additional time.

If you have Charge Beam, then you can fall back on the other quick kill method in case something goes wrong. You may have to wait on Kraid to fire a volley of stones and/or ram his claw forward before finding an opportune time to execute a backup.

If you ever experience a Missile randomly disappearing upon trying to execute the quick kill, it is because Kraid's stones that pop out of the ground while Kraid is emerging can consume your shots, and sometimes the stone in question may not be visible when this happens.

== Peashooter Method ==

An alternative method to kill Kraid quickly is by using the Peashooter method. If you get as far forward as you can you can then wait in morph until Kraid rises from the ground. Once Kraid's hand raises out of the ground for the first time and then goes back down, unmorph and jump. Once Samus's back is lined up where the top of the door meets the wall fire the pea shooter. There is a lot of leeway for where the pea shooter can hit Kraid and its possible for the shot to be off the screen and still "hit" Kraid and cause his mouth to open. Then simply perform the quick kill as normal with 4 supers.

{{#ev:youtube|iMhyNmtRQaI}}

== Facehug Tactic ==

It is possible to kill Kraid slightly faster by closing the distance between Samus and Kraid as the player fires Super Missiles. To achieve this, the player must start the beginning 2 missile opener, then jump and move right to shoot Kraid with the appropriate Super Missiles.

The player should begin to jump and move to the right sooner than the player typically must jump for the normal Quick Kill, because the first super will hit Kraid sooner than usual. The last 2 Super Missiles should be administered with the angle down and angle up buttons, respectively. This ensures that the projectiles do indeed hit Kraid's mouth and ensure a cleaner, more reliable kill.

{{#ev:youtube|1FXLCouN2Ao}}

It is not recommended to attempt this until mastery of the normal Kraid Quick Kill has been achieved.

== Lag ==

The game will lag a variable amount while Kraid is rising from the ground, and is dependent on the position Samus is in while Kraid emerges, the actions she is performing while Kraid emerges, and the frame she entered Kraid's room. Depending on the frame Kraid's room is entered, Kraid can lag an additional amount up to 74 frames. The lag experienced tends to be slightly less while playing on Virtual Console.

Regarding the Missile Quick Kill, your timing of the Missiles may be affected by lag depending on how much it persists during Kraid's emergence. You can try becoming accustomed to unmorphing into a crouched position before beginning the quick kill to avoid potential issues caused by lag. Selecting Missiles as late as possible before performing the quick kill can also potentially reduce lag, as having them selected while Kraid emerges may cause additional lag.

By taking damage from the spikes as Kraid emerges, lag will be reduced as Kraid emerges. The reason for this is because when Samus is damaged, she will only be drawn every other frame, giving the game less information to process. Obviously, this is more viable with Gravity Suit equipped due to the reduction in damage.

Below are two slightly different quick kill methods involving lag reduction via spikes. The first involves taking two spike hits and then performing a normal quick kill barrage. The second involves taking three spike hits and then jumping towards Kraid's mouth to reduce the travel time of the Super Missiles.

{{#ev:youtube|yAy2O4UMKiU}} {{#ev:youtube|iuS7FjI9kKw}}

The more spike hits you take, the further you will reduce lag; however, each spike hit will leave you with less time to set up in the quick kill position.

Lag can be reduced by destroying the stones that emerge while Kraid is visible and rising, but doing so will likely cause more lag instead.

The game can lag an extreme amount if a Super Missile connects with a surface as Kraid is rising from the ground.

Lag can also be reduced significantly if you kill Kraid's fingernails with Wave Beam while they're below the ground, before Kraid rises up:

{{#ev:youtube|tIMsmtG5YFo}}
{{#ev:youtube|levsMXc1SJ8}}

A Power Bomb can also work, but will cause lag itself. This method will instead make the lag more consistent when Kraid rises up, so you can get 50 lag frames consistently instead of a chance between either 40 or 120 lag frames.

== After Quick Kill ==

The camera will not unlock from its position upon Kraid's death from a quick kill, so you will need to navigate towards the location of the door to [[Varia Suit]] without Samus being visible, and fire your beam right next to the door to have it connect with the door and open. It is suggested that you do this while holding angle down, as an immediate angle down shot in the room after will strike the egg which holds Varia Suit (after opening the door, simply run into the room with right, run, angle down, and shot held). The door unlocks roughly half a second after Kraid's drops spawn, and some drops that spawn will be off-screen. Until they disintegrate, the spikes surrounding Kraid can still deal damage while he is submerging during his death animation -- some runners use this to [[damage boost]] through the drops as they spawn. When you re-enter the room, the camera will be unlocked.

= Stand Up =

If you miss the Quick Kill and make Kraid stand up, you'll need to fight him "normally". At the start of this phase, Kraid will take a random amount of time to open his mouth the first time. After this, he goes back to his normal behavior of opening his mouth a few seconds after his face is shot. As with the Charge Quick Kill, you can hit his face with a charge shot to keep his claw frozen in place.

Since the game's logic expects you to have [[Hi Jump Boots]], you'll need to walljump to reach the floating platforms.

For beginners, the easiest strat will be to stand on the rear floating platform and spam charged Spazer shots near the ceiling.

{{#ev:youtube|7OgTzZeO7oE}}

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2019-12-09T22:42:42Z

Popplars: /* Hybrid Strat */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 pattern around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]]. Phantoon tends to spawn these flames in similar ways each time.

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

Phantoon can open at these speeds on either the left side of the room or the right side of the room. Some combinations of speed and side are more common than others. Slower patterns tend to be more common than faster patterns.

== Open ==

When Phantoon opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage in time from an opening, he will disappear and move in an invisible figure 8 pattern. Phantoon can disappear from an opening at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, and will open up again after closing in this manner at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, except instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

=== Hybrid Strat ===

The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kt2b0n7Sc DbX] - How to X-Factor Phantoon.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - Hybrid 2 round strat.

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2019-12-09T22:40:29Z

Popplars: /* Hybrid Strat */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 pattern around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]]. Phantoon tends to spawn these flames in similar ways each time.

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

Phantoon can open at these speeds on either the left side of the room or the right side of the room. Some combinations of speed and side are more common than others. Slower patterns tend to be more common than faster patterns.

== Open ==

When Phantoon opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage in time from an opening, he will disappear and move in an invisible figure 8 pattern. Phantoon can disappear from an opening at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, and will open up again after closing in this manner at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, except instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

=== Hybrid Strat ===

The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When Phantoons eye opens, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

There is a video tutorial reference for this strat below in the tutorial section, as well as other tutorials for other amazing strats. If any of the descriptions confuse you, feel free to consult the video tutorials at the bottom of the page.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kt2b0n7Sc DbX] - How to X-Factor Phantoon.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - Hybrid 2 round strat.

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2019-12-09T22:04:53Z

Popplars: /* Hybrid Strat */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 pattern around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]]. Phantoon tends to spawn these flames in similar ways each time.

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

Phantoon can open at these speeds on either the left side of the room or the right side of the room. Some combinations of speed and side are more common than others. Slower patterns tend to be more common than faster patterns.

== Open ==

When Phantoon opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage in time from an opening, he will disappear and move in an invisible figure 8 pattern. Phantoon can disappear from an opening at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, and will open up again after closing in this manner at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, except instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

=== Hybrid Strat ===

The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile (2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles xfactor - this is if you have no super missiles for round 2). When the fight starts, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kt2b0n7Sc DbX] - How to X-Factor Phantoon.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - Hybrid 2 round strat.

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2019-12-09T22:03:44Z

Popplars: /* Hybrid Strat (popTOON) */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 pattern around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]]. Phantoon tends to spawn these flames in similar ways each time.

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

Phantoon can open at these speeds on either the left side of the room or the right side of the room. Some combinations of speed and side are more common than others. Slower patterns tend to be more common than faster patterns.

== Open ==

When Phantoon opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage in time from an opening, he will disappear and move in an invisible figure 8 pattern. Phantoon can disappear from an opening at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, and will open up again after closing in this manner at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, except instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

=== Hybrid Strat ===

The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile. When the fight starts, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kt2b0n7Sc DbX] - How to X-Factor Phantoon.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - Hybrid 2 round strat.

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2019-12-09T22:03:16Z

Popplars: /* Phantoon Second */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 pattern around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]]. Phantoon tends to spawn these flames in similar ways each time.

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

Phantoon can open at these speeds on either the left side of the room or the right side of the room. Some combinations of speed and side are more common than others. Slower patterns tend to be more common than faster patterns.

== Open ==

When Phantoon opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage in time from an opening, he will disappear and move in an invisible figure 8 pattern. Phantoon can disappear from an opening at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, and will open up again after closing in this manner at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, except instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

=== Hybrid Strat (popTOON) ===

The hybrid strat for Phantoon is 2 missiles, 2 missiles, xfactor, 2 missiles, 2 missiles, super missile. When the fight starts, you want to shoot two regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon, then dash to the left wall, do a full jump and at the peak fire two more regular missiles (reds) into Phantoon. Immediately press and hold right and menu over to power bombs. As soon as you are towards the lower portion of Phantoons body you will want to start charging to perform an X-Factor. Continue holding right until you reach the right side wall, you want to make your way to this wall without using dash. Once you reach the wall, perform a full jump (with no spin) this will pull Phantoon to the top of the screen where your X-factor will connect with all four shots. From there you will want to shoot 2 more missiles into Phantoons eye when it opens next, wait a moment, fire two more missiles, and then immediately a super missile. That will finish off Phantoon. If you do not have a super missile to finish the fight, simply repeat the pattern for round 1 and do a double x-factor instead.

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kt2b0n7Sc DbX] - How to X-Factor Phantoon.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - Hybrid 2 round strat.

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]

Phantoon

2019-12-09T21:45:14Z

Popplars: /* Tutorials */

{{Boss info
|title=Phantoon
|image=Phantoon.png
|location=[[Phantoon's Room]], [[Wrecked Ship]]
|health=2500
}}

= General Information =

Phantoon has 2500 health.

Phantoon is only vulnerable to damage through his eye when it is exposed, where [[Missile|Missiles]], [[Super Missile|Super Missiles]], [[Charge Beam|charged shots]], and [[Charge Beam Combos|special beam attacks]] will deal damage.

Super Missiles will deal 600 damage to Phantoon instead of their normal 300; however, using a Super Missile on Phantoon that does not finish him off will enrage Phantoon, causing him to spend roughly 18 seconds sending waves of flames down from above before starting another pattern.

Phantoon's flames can be negated by [[Pseudo Screw Attack|pseudo-Screw]] or [[Screw Attack]].

Phantoon will perform one of six patterns to begin the fight, and then will perform one of six different patterns in the second round, as well as remaining rounds thereafter. (12 total patterns)

A "round" consists of the time from which Phantoon appears to begin a pattern, to the point he disappears to start another pattern or perishes.

Both Phantoon and his flames will deal 10 / 20 / 40 damage to [[Gravity Suit]] / [[Varia Suit]] / [[Power Suit]] Samus, respectively.

Multiple flames can strike Samus at once. If you are on top of Phantoon's eye without invulnerability as he opens and produces eight flames, they can all collide with Samus at once, which usually spells death, and is referred to as the "Sunrise Surprise."

= Interactions =

== Figure 8 ==

Phantoon will move in a figure 8 pattern around the room until he opens his eye, dropping flames as he does so. These flames can [[Enemies#Bosses|drop items]]. Phantoon tends to spawn these flames in similar ways each time.

Phantoon can open at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed. A 'fast' opening will have Phantoon open his eye around one second after becoming visible. A 'medium' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'fast' opening, and a 'slow' opening will take about five seconds longer than a 'medium' opening.

Phantoon can open at these speeds on either the left side of the room or the right side of the room. Some combinations of speed and side are more common than others. Slower patterns tend to be more common than faster patterns.

== Open ==

When Phantoon opens from a pattern, he will produce eight flames that will spiral outward across the screen.

After Phantoon takes damage during this opening, he will fly around the room in a similar manner, attempting to ram Samus. Samus's positioning will influence his movement.

Phantoon can be damaged at multiple points during an opening. If Phantoon takes 300+ damage during one barrage, he will disappear to start another pattern, so make sure to keep your shots spaced out enough. If Phantoon has taken a total of 400+ damage after the third barrage (example - Missile hit, wait for a second, repeat three times), he will disappear to start another pattern. If Phantoon is struck with a Super Missile at any point during his opening, he will disappear to begin an enrage phase. If Phantoon is not made to disappear from one of these conditions, he will naturally disappear on his own after about six seconds of flying around.

If Phantoon does not take damage in time from an opening, he will disappear and move in an invisible figure 8 pattern. Phantoon can disappear from an opening at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, and will open up again after closing in this manner at either a 'fast', 'medium', or 'slow' speed, except instead of sending a spiral of flames out, he will rain flames down in a horizontal line from the ceiling. After the first time he opens in this manner, he will continue to disappear and reopen every couple of seconds while continuing to rain flames until he takes damage.

== Enrage ==

As stated previously, Phantoon will enrage if struck with a Super Missile that does not destroy him. Phantoon cannot be damaged while in this state. He will stay at the top of the screen where he will send waves of flames whipping down from the ceiling that will alternate from left to right. The waves happen at 128 frame intervals.

After eight waves, he will disappear to start another pattern.

With appropriately-timed beam shots, you can destroy many of these flames at once, thus farming them. Alternatively, you can perform a pseudo-Screw throughout this entire phase to avoid all damage.

= Categories =

== Phantoon First ==

=== Any% PRKD ===

The primary method for destroying Phantoon in this category is through the use of the "[http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#Phantoon doppler]" technique. Basically, whenever Phantoon takes damage that would make him disappear (excluding being struck with a Super Missile), he will attempt to close his eye; however, Phantoon needs some time (approximately ten frames) for that to happen, making it possible for him to continue to take damage if this time is interrupted, which it can be if Missiles are fired at the appropriate rate.

The cooldown for missiles is 9 frames, but to avoid having an input not register by being too early, the ideal doppler spacing is 10 frames. This gives a tempo of 350 beats per minute, which this video essentially gives a metronome for.

{{#ev:youtube|-mWsZ3mqFPw}}

The easiest method for performing a doppler on Phantoon is to allow him to fly off-screen, then hold a forward direction while mashing the shot button with Missiles selected until you are right next to Phantoon. Doing so, you should be able to consistently have three to four Missiles connect with Phantoon before he disappears.

A typical round utilizing the doppler in this manner will look something like this:

* Fire an uncharged beam shot towards Phantoon to extinguish the flames he generates upon opening from a pattern
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then wait briefly
* Fire two Missiles at Phantoon, then let him gain some distance
* Fire as many Missiles as you can while walking towards him right as he would re-enter the room

Even doing something as simple as this, you can become consistent at defeating Phantoon in under four rounds. In the last round, you will want to fire a Super Missile at the end of your third barrage. If you managed to doppler efficiently enough in the first two rounds, then you may not need to doppler anything at all in the third round.

It is possible to slay Phantoon in under three rounds if you incorporate stuttering during your doppler to have more Missiles land. Ideally, you will be able to strike Phantoon with ten Missiles total in the first round (2-2-6) and nine Missiles with the Super Missile as a finisher (2-2-5+S) in the second round. It is possible to still two round even with a worse first round, but every additional Missile needed makes it that much more unlikely.

{{#ev:youtube|cl7ETKGNflQ}}

Another option for this fight is to incorporate charged shots between Missile barrages. Two charge shots will reduce the amount of Missiles normally required by one, potentially making a two round fight easier in that regard.

A concern for this strategy is having enough ammo to defeat Phantoon in these few rounds. Although fast patterns are certainly ideal for speedrunning, multiple fast patterns can cause the player to run into an issue where they are not equipped with enough Missiles from drops to defeat Phantoon accordingly with the doppler technique.

Being familiar with how Phantoon will move off-screen and how Samus can influence his movement is important here. Without proper manipulation of Phantoon, there will be certain patterns where he will fly directly over your attempt at a doppler if you allow him to fly off-screen. For these patterns, having Samus jump up a certain height right as Phantoon swings off-screen can influence him into having a lower positioning when he swings back into the room.

Slower patterns tend to be the hardest to punish due to the time in which Phantoon will lay flames before opening, as well as the position in which Phantoon will open from these patterns. It is recommended to practice those the most, especially since you are likely to receive them the most in runs.

The optimal manner of dealing with the eight flames Phantoon produces when he opens his eye from a pattern is to fire a single beam shot at them, such that the beam shot consumes all of the flames at once, leaving Phantoon's eye directly exposed to Missiles, and leaving a cluster of drops floating in the air. You can alternatively dodge them with pseudo-Screw or possibly by being morphed. In case you miss the opening beam shot, you can try intercepting flames with the beam as well.

Something you may have to get used to is that the hitbox of the uncharged [[Power Beam]] is small enough that it can appear to pass through flames.

Due to the lack of Varia Suit, everything will deal at least 40 damage, making large energy drops much less effective than in Phantoon Second routes since it would require two of them to nullify a flame's damage. It can also put you in an awkward position where, if you end up between 30 and 40 energy, you will be low enough to die to a single flame, but not low enough to force the 'health bomb' effect to occur.

If Phantoon begins to rain flames, you can crouch or morph to lower the chance of Phantoon appearing on top of you, and hold angle buttons appropriately to shoot the flames that would fall on top of you, while also striking Phantoon with a Missile or two when you have the opportunity. For maximum safety, you can strike Phantoon with three Missiles in a row so that he will disappear and start another pattern.

=== 14% ===

Basically, all information for [[Any% PRKD]] also applies here; however, in 14% categories, the chance of executing a two-round on Phantoon is reduced due to always having a cap of 10 Missiles, making well-timed Missile drops more important than in Any% PRKD.

== Phantoon Second ==

=== Any% KPDR (Beginner) ===

With Charge Beam, [[Wave Beam]], and [[Spazer]] equipped, you can slay Phantoon in four rounds.

Strike Phantoon with a charge shot when he opens, then hit him with two more and he should disappear. Repeat this process three more times and he should perish. This can be sped up slightly by the inclusion of a Super Missile in the last round - charge shot when he opens, then Super Missile.

It can help to fight from the corners of the room (probably the left corner) to minimize damage. The flames Phantoon drops will rarely reach the corners of the room before being shot. You can crouch in the bottom left corner when flames are raining down, and aim up to shoot the flame that would land and fall on top of you during this scenario. Phantoon's body should rarely (if ever) touch you when performing this strategy.

To minimize damage taken, fight from the corners, usually the left corner. Flames he drops while moving around rarely touch the corners before you can shoot them. Then crouch in the bottom left corner when he is in the rain state. You should rarely, if ever, get touched by his body doing this. Aim up and shoot to kill the flame that would land and fall on you. Strike Phantoon in the middle or right side of the screen to help prevent him from drifting into you, which should give you time to hit with the three charge shots needed to make him disappear before he would fly into you. Jumping and shooting across the center of the screen to hit him off-screen works in most situations; however, you should listen for Phantoon's cry to confirm that you actually damaged him.

This method should also work with [[Ice Beam]] instead of Wave Beam in this combo; however, it would be much more difficult to execute since the beam would not penetrate the walls. There is also essentially no reason to not have Wave Beam at this point anyway, so this is simply a note for knowledge purposes.

=== Any% KPDR (Intermediate) ===

In the 2018 Any% Tournament, runner MassHesteria demonstrated a good technique for runners who pick up both Spazer, and Early Ice. For each round, fire two missiles, then two missiles, then a Charge Shot. This will kill Phantoon in 4 rounds. This allows the runner to save on pauses compared with the Beginner technique listed above.

It can finish in 3 rounds if you use a Missile and a Super Missile in a mini-doppler pattern on the third round. This technique can save ample time over a three-round doppler if you still need phantoon to fly offscreen in order to hit enough missiles to achieve the 3 round, since the first two rounds don't need to wait for Phantoon to come back on-screen.

{{#ev:youtube|vpZ6TnEXlKQ}}

=== Any% KPDR (Optimal) ===

The optimal strategy for defeating Phantoon is to utilize the [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Wave_Shield|X-Factor]] to attempt to defeat Phantoon in only two rounds.

You will want to open every time with a pseudo-Screw (from your charge shot that you are about to use) to avoid the flames from Phantoon's opening, then use the charge shot directly on Phantoon, followed by the X-Factor, performed accordingly based on the speed and position of Phantoon's opening.

Below are guides which will provide strategies for each variation of Phantoon's openings. These different setups will be explained via crude drawings and text summaries.

The drawing of Phantoon is based on where he is going to appear on the screen. The black arrow is where you want to fire the charge shot for the opener. The X is where you are going to be hitting him with the X-Factor. The green line indicates the direction and way you need to move to make the X-Factor connect. For the left slow opening of the second round, the red line indicates how Phantoon is going to move.

'''1st Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/AqMF7.png Left Fast] - Phantoon is going to appear on the bottom left and you want to make sure that you jump through the flames and hit Phantoon on his right side to initiate the setup. From here, he will recoil back, so you need to immediately start charging and run to the right. Once you hit the right wall, you need to jump to the top of the room immediately. So long as you do not turn around and you move as the green arrow indicates, it should connect every single time.

[http://i.imgur.com/JVdIQ.png Left Medium] - This is one of the easier patterns. Simply jump up, shoot him, and then face left in the middle of the room while trying not to move. If for whatever reason Phantoon is moving in an usual manner, you can make adjustments by performing turnarounds to delay the X-Factor, or by walking to the right (if you were too slow). Jumping can sometimes help, but it is not recommended. This is also the most common setup for this method of quick kill.

[http://i.imgur.com/ApvVA.png Left Slow] - Another pattern where you pretty much just shoot and stay in the middle of the room while facing left. Once again, make adjustments if it looks like it is about to fail.

[http://i.imgur.com/0FdAM.png Right Fast] - This pattern is ideal for speed and ease.

[http://i.imgur.com/MdTZN.png Right Medium] - This one is a tad tricky. You can actually hit him from three different places - the middle of the room, the top right corner, and the place displayed in the image. The place displayed in the image is probably the easiest to use, but feel free to test all three to see which of them you prefer.

[http://i.imgur.com/OVn5x.png Right Slow] - Not much needs to be said here.

'''2nd Round'''

[http://i.imgur.com/t5bhv.png Left Fast] - Similar to first round's Left Fast, you want to jump in the air, and upon landing, run to the right wall, then jump towards the ceiling.

[http://i.imgur.com/6akbt.png Left Slow] - This is by far the most complex X-Factor to setup, but so long as you move the same every time, it should connect properly. Basically, you just want to spinjump into him and as soon as the shot hits, hold left. '''Do not stop holding left and do not face right'''. After you have landed, you want to immediately jump up to the ceiling so you can manipulate Phantoon into a fixed Y-position. After you have touched the ceiling, you want to start charging up a shot right as you're about to touch the grey door to your left. Upon landing, just jump back up to the ceiling as phantoon approaches and it should hit. This one will probably require a little bit of practice since it's the only one that's timing based instead of being solely position based.

[http://i.imgur.com/oIw2u.png Right Medium] - This is by far the most common second round pattern. For the most part, it is pretty simple. As long as you stand in the middle of the room and adjust your positioning based on Phantoon's movement, it should connect.

[http://i.imgur.com/wK1kR.png Right Slow] - For this pattern, it is very helpful to run to the left wall to make it connect. You can execute from the middle of the room as well, but it is not nearly as consistent.

Below is a simple summary of the above regarding how to respond to patterns. "Track" means to predict Phantoon's movement to allow all X-Factor particles to connect. This vague description is only used when it should be relatively simple to accomplish. "Shoot" means shoot Phantoon's eye - it is implied that you begin charging the X-Factor after shooting.
{|
! Pattern (Round, Position, Speed) || Response
|-
| 1st, Left, Fast || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Left, Medium || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Fast || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 1st, Right, Medium || shoot, hop, walk right
|-
| 1st, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Left, Fast || jump, then quickly: shoot, turn right, charge, land, move right
|-
| 2nd, Left, Slow || jump, shoot, jump, shoot, charge when in middle of screen, jump
|-
| 2nd, Right, Medium || shoot, track
|-
| 2nd, Right, Slow || jump, shoot, track
|}

The way you move after striking Phantoon when he opens his eye is much more crucial to be aware of than the speed and fluctuations of his patterns. Moving in a consistent manner and then making tiny adjustments in case of incorrect initiation of an opening is crucial for consistent execution of an X-Factor two-round.

Phantoon's speed is directly correlated to the location of Samus as she delivers the opening shot and the distance she is from him while he moves around the room. Phantoon will recoil more if Samus is nearby and speed up if Samus is far away.

For the most part, the most consistent thing a player can do is move around as little as possible to ensure that Phantoon always performs the same movement during an opening; however, there are some patterns where this is not possible.

Adjustments during the fight can be made in two ways - either moving to the the left or right depending on Phantoon's position, or turning around while charging. Performing turnarounds while charging the beam will delay the X-Factor by a small amount of frames per each time.

Behemoth's method of this fight involves opening up with a charge shot per usual, then firing a Missile right after the first X-Factor particles collide, before Phantoon disappears from the damage, and then firing 3 Missiles and a Super Missile in the second round to finish him off.

An alternative second round method is to open with the charge shot like normal (or shoot out all the flames as phantoon opens akin to PRKD and shoot 2 missiles), and follow it up with two Missiles shortly afterward. Let Phantoon fly off screen, then at the appropriate time, fire two Missiles followed immediately by a Super Missile towards Phantoon. This is sometimes slightly slower than a second X-Factor, but conserves a [[Power Bomb]] as well as allows the player to collect the flame drops from the open on the second round if they opt to mirror the PRKD strategy. These two bonuses to the missile second round allow a player to potentially skip certain farms on the way to Phantoon if they so choose which saves even more time and is generally why the missile second round is regarded as the most optimal way to do the fight by players at the highest level.

If you were only able to damage Phantoon with one particle of the second X-Factor, then on the third round, you should be able to defeat Phantoon with two charge shots and a Super Missile.

If an X-Factor particle hits a flame (usually referred to as being "flame lamed"), you won't output enough damage to defeat Phantoon in two rounds without adapting. One way to adapt is to shoot an extra charge shot shot before the X-Factor in the second round, which entails another set of setups.

'''Video Of Every Pattern, by Nutella'''

[https://www.twitch.tv/nutella4eva/v/97258557 Every Phantoon Pattern]

=== Max% GT Code ===

Phantoon is much more difficult in this category due to only having 99 health, 5 missiles, and having to rely on Phantoon's eyedrops for more missile drops. There are a few strategies to get a semi-consistent Phantoon fight. If doing dopplers, shoot out a missile so that you have 4 missiles at all times. By doing that, you can shoot the eyedrops until Phantoon's eye opens and pick up the drops as you are performing the doppler. This is most reliable if you are at full health so the drops are always either missile drops or super drops. Alternatively, since drop rng is not something you want to depend your run on, a slightly easier variation of this doppler includes utilizing super frames which allows you to shoot a super at Phantoon without enraging him. [https://clips.twitch.tv/ObeseEagerOrangeArsonNoSexy Here is an example of a 2 round using super frames.]

Instead, if you collect charge beam, you can use a fully charged beam particle to replace the super missile. This method is much more consistent since you don't have to shoot a frame perfect super. [https://youtu.be/9-y5pfm1cEo Here is an example of a 2 round using charge beam] However this method is much more dependent on missile drops.

Another method is using [[Charge_Beam_Combos#Spazer_Shield|Golden Showers]] to replace x-factors since grabbing wave takes too much time compared to getting spazer. An optimal fight using golden showers would be to fire 2 missiles immediately after Phantoon's eye opens, waiting a bit, then firing two more missiles. Then, as Phantoon flies offscreen, select power bombs and charge as quickly as possible. If done correctly, both particles should hit and Phantoon can be beaten in 3 rounds. [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351591951 Here is an example of that.]

== Phantoon Third ==

=== Reverse Boss Order ===

Assuming you obtained [[Plasma Beam]] and thus have charged Ice/Wave/Plasma at your disposal, Phantoon will only require seven Missiles and two charge shots to defeat. You can strike Phantoon with three Missiles and a charge shot in the first round followed by four Missiles and a charge shot in the second round, or visa versa.

== Phantoon Fourth ==

=== GT Classic ===

Having the items from [[Golden Torizo Code|GT Code]] allows for the [[X-Plasma]] exploit to be performed by activating X-Ray Scope multiple times as a charged Ice/Wave/Plasma shot passes through Phantoon during an opening.

Since charged Ice/Wave/Plasma deals 900 damage, you can slay Phantoon in this manner with only one charge shot with proper X-Ray Scope activations.

Phantoon needs to be struck by a source other than the charge shot ''before'' attempting this exploit, otherwise he will simply disappear once struck without allowing the exploit to occur. Try using Missiles when he opens (a well-timed Missile can consume all of the flames when they spawn, and a second will strike Phantoon) so he will start to fly around, then perform the exploit. Be careful not to accidentally strike him with more than two Missiles in this manner, otherwise he will disappear.

= Tutorials =

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1jy3dejsgQ DbX] - Explains methods for how to X-Factor not only Phantoon, but [[Botwoon]] and [[Draygon]] as well.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kt2b0n7Sc DbX] - How to X-Factor Phantoon.

[https://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/learning_about_phantoons_patterns.html M2K2] - Metroid 2002 thread about Phantoon patterns.

[https://milde.no/public/sm/science/PhantoonRng.txt Pinkus] - Further research into Phantoon's pattern RNG.

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/351589490 MrGuyAverage] - Shows how to deal with Phantoon in Max% GT Code

[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/401242927 Popplars] - Hybrid 2 round strat.

= See also =

* [[Bosses]]