When Lan Hikari and MegaMan.EXE defeated WWW, they and their friends once again have to face a new threat in Mega Man Battle Network 2, this time around in the form of the terrorist group Gospel. Although similar to its predecessor in its core gameplay and story flow, the Mega Man Battle Network sequel boasts the same customizability and flexibility in its technical components - especially for players who know their way around the game’s combat system.
For players who recently acquired the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, playing Battle Network 2 once again or even for the first time will introduce quite a number of improvements from the original entry. Thanks to the addition of multiple folders, more chip codes, and even the visually-impressive Style Change mechanic, Battle Network 2 gives players more opportunities to go wild with their chip combinations. However, just which chips stand out from the rest in Battle Network 2?
10 FreezBom
When it comes to facing tricky opponents like the evil Dr. Wily in Battle Network gameplay, sometimes delaying the enemy’s assault in order to get time to prepare for a counter is more important than a hard-hitting attack. In this regard, FreezBom can be a must-have for players who want to debilitate the enemy’s progress. Acquired as a secret chip in high-level NetBattles when the title screen has three or more stars, FreezBom transforms the enemy into a block of ice for a certain period of time.
While this effect is similar to other stunning chips, FreezBom is a highly efficient deterrent when combined with the right chips. The ice-block transformation works in tandem with Zaprings and even Toadman for continuous stuns, leaving enemies vulnerable to deadlier attacks. Whipping out a FullCust and FoldrBak ensures players always have the means of shuffling their deck’s contents.
9 Anubis
Damage dealers in any RPG know that damage-over-time gameplay can become pesky to deal with, and this is often represented by poison-affecting attacks. Players of the Battle Network franchise have a means of focusing on poison as well, and Anubis can become a centerpiece of DOT-based combos. Acquired from either PharoManV3 or the Marine Harbor Chip Trader, Anubis summons a coffin that continuously deals poison damage to panels in front of it unless either it or its user is destroyed.
While poison damage, in general, is a measly 10 Attack per second, combining Anubis with other poison dealers can make it the core piece of a neat DOT kit. For instance, Anubis is best paired with Geddon3, since the latter transforms the enemy’s side into swamp tiles that are automatically poisonous. Capping this with either PoisMask or PoisFace can add yet another coating of poison to the field. Estimating that PoisMask/PoisFace lasts around 20 seconds, players can deal as much as 800 Attack without direct attacks. For maximum effect, players might want to consider adding AreaGrabs to their Battle Network 2 gameplay to ensure enemies are trapped in this DOT nightmare.
8 Meteors
The reason why there’s no singular “great” chip in any Battle Network game is that they’re oftentimes relegated to the role of “core” chips built into massive combos. Such is the case of Meteors, a Fire Attribute chip that deals 40 Attack for a total of 30 times spread in an area (all panels x3, three panels x4). While its base 90-120 Attack is already decent as a generic attack chip, it’s when slotted into a combo that Meteors can become a force to reckon with.
Maximizing Meteors’ potential does need quite a lot of chips, but it can easily defeat almost any boss when executed properly. Players need to use three AreaGrabs to ensure opponents are stuck in a single panel, and then GrassStg to convert all panels to grass and remove damage-reducing Holy panels. Afterward, Meteors has to be used with four Fire+40 chips, resulting in a base Meteors of 200 Attack. Since there’s only one Grass panel left, the first meteor hits for 400 Attack (Fire-type Meteors interacting with Grass) and the other 29 for 200 Attack, totaling a whopping 6,200 Attack.
7 SnakeMn
If there’s anything Battle Network teaches about games, it’s that winning smartly is more satisfying than winning the traditional way. In Battle Network 2 gameplay, this translates to exploiting the system - and SnakeMn is a seemingly unimposing battle chip that packs a lot of punch when used in this manner. At its core, using SnakeMn hits for 50 Attack on top of snakes he releases from holes that deal 50 Attack (for each hole). However, players who understand that the game does let players break panels to lock opponents in place that SnakeMn can become a centerpiece for a decent combo.
Essentially, SnakeMan is best paired with the Geddon chip family designed to break panels, particularly Geddon2, which immediately breaks all empty squares. When players use SnakeMan modded with four Wood+40 chips in this setup, he gets a base 210 Attack. Using this combo can make SnakeMan do a 15-hit combo to an opponent that can deal as much as 3150 Attack in one go.
6 LifeAur3
Players of any RPG know that damage mitigation is just as important as protection, and Battle Network 2 players enjoy such a feature in the form of LifeAur3. Considered the most potent in the LifeAur family, LifeAur3 in Battle Network gameplay will repel all abilities under 200 Attack. This is obtained by defeating BassDelux, with its Aur2 (repels 150) and Aur1 (repels 100) being purchasable from the ACDC Station Chip Trader and various members of the Scuttle virus family. While a 200 Attack shield doesn’t seem as much in terms of defense, it’s using this shield in a combo that makes it an annoyance to foes.
LifeAur3 is best paired with Sanctuary, which transforms all of the player’s panels to the Holy Attribute. When standing in a Holy panel, all damage received by the player gets halved. Combine this with any LifeAur and players can get twice the shielding. In turn, enemies can only pierce the 200 Attack shield of LifeAur3 in Holy panel by first dealing as much as 400 Attack. A cheaper alternative to Sanctuary would be HolyPanl, which changes the front of the player to a Holy-element panel.
5 VarSwrd
Fans of the Mega Man X spinoff will appreciate Battle Network for how it calls back to the swordsman Zero in the form of ProtoMan.EXE and the VarSwrd chip. Acquired from the Netopia Chip Trader, the Marine Harbor Chip Trader, and an assortment of Mole2 enemies, the VarSwrd lets players input combos to access devastating attacks.
The VarSwrd and its multiple combo options are a callback to Zero being able to earn slash combos as opposed to Mega Man X “stealing” an enemy’s powers throughout Mega Man X. Learning Sonic Boom (Hold A, and then Left, B, Left, B) will release three wide slashes that reach the other side of the battlefield, potentially eliminating multiple generic opponents along the way. Mastering this combo can easily clear pesky viruses in random encounters.
4 Guardian
When it comes to combat in a player’s Battle Network experience, Battle Network 2 exhibits early on that proper control over the battlefield can give massive benefits. Instead of shields, blockers in the form of obstacles can ensure enemies can’t get attacks through. And in the case of Guardian, trying to remove this obstacle warrants a punishment.
Acquired from the Marine Harbor Chip Trader, Guardian summons a statue that lingers on the battlefield. What’s special about the statue isn’t just its unique appearance, but also its effect. When hit, the Guardian immediately uses its Punishment attack that instantly deals 200 Attack to the opponent that hit it. This is a harsh counterattack that can eliminate most foes and make tougher enemies easier to kill.
3 Prism
Outside attacking opponents with powerful combos, gameplay in the Battle Network series relies heavily on controlling the environment to ensure attacks hit enemies. This is also why it’s integral for players when obstacles such as holes and other objects appear, as they can effectively block attacks on either side. In the case of Prism, players get an object that acts as a damage extender.
Acquired from both the Netopia Chip Trader and the Marine Harbor Chip Trader, Prism is classified as an object that, when shot, spreads damage to adjacent tiles. This can extend the reach of most basic attacks, and even potentially take advantage of direction-based chips such as diagonally-hitting CrossGun to cover the entire field.
2 AreaGrab
Similar to the gameplay of most other Battle Network titles, mechanics in Battle Network 2 rely heavily on positioning. Since both players and enemies can move around a battlefield, attacks only hit opponents that follow that strike’s trajectory - making chips such as AreaGrab essential for control. Using AreaGrab immediately takes up a column in front of the player, increasing their moving space and reducing the enemy’s.
While AreaGrab is at first glance perfect for players in melee, its benefits when it comes to area control are invaluable to a player’s strategy. Players who want to secure damage to opponents via multi-strikes can simply AreaGrab the field to oblivion and lock enemies in a single panel.
1 FullCust
Key to Battle Network gameplay is the Custom Gauge, which is essentially the meter that brings out the Custom Screen for Mega Man to choose new chips throughout the turn. Until the Custom Gauge is full, Mega Man has to buy time to hit enemies and dodge enemy attacks. For the more technical players of Battle Network 2, most combos should last within the span of one or two Custom Gauges. And for players who want to breeze through combat, FullCust is a must-have chip.
As the name implies, FullCust immediately fills up the Custom Gauge, automatically opening the Custom Screen. Among all the utility chips in the game, FullCust is an essential component not just for being able to select more chips immediately but also for setting up combos without having to wait too long for the screen to pop up.
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is currently available on PC, PS4, and Switch.