# Pharoah Man

Pharaoh Man can be visited first or second in the any% route - the only major difference is screen 1. It is visited early for both the Balloon Support Item, and the powerful Pharaoh Shot

# Pharaoh - First Screens

For the two routes (Pharoah First or Bright First), there are two strategies for this screen.

**For either one**, note that Mega Man might sink slightly between slides if your timing is not perfect. Expect to have a small hop every 3 to 5 slides.

### Bright First

This is fairly self explanatory - use Bright so enemies do not move or spawn, and slide as fast as you can. Given the Bright Slide mechanic, you could conceivably reach the end after one use of bright. Use Bright again on the second screen.

Most experienced runners can make "The Jump" to Balloon without Rush Coil, but if you wanted Rush, you must wait for the Flash Stopper effect to end.

Note that a no-reset strat might summon Rush Coil and then attempt the jump normally, so that a resulting Bee hit will center rush under Mega Man in the pit, propelling him back into the air.

### Pharaoh First

Scorpions have 4 hit points. This requires either quick mashing (especially if the scorpion is moving fast), or a prepared full charge plus one extra shot. Jumping over the scorpions is also possible, but it is laggier than killing them.

You can also slide under a scorpion. Mega Man must sink slowly into the sand 3 times (typically after sliding) to "fit" under a scorpion on the surface.

### Should You Ever NOT Get Balloon?

The raw amount of time to get balloon versus reaching the checkpoint the normal way is about the same. The primary advantage to taking the lower path might be the E-Tank in the path, though Rush must be summoned to reach it.

On top of that, time saved in Ring and Skull is enough (along with potential Bright Grasshoppers for experts) to get Balloon in most normal scenarios.

# Pharoah - Checkpoint Screen

**Note** - this is also where you respawn after collecting Balloon.

### Spike Platforms

The platforms fire shots in each direction until you jump on them, then float across the spikes. This makes the section somewhat auto-scroller-like, however you can save a small amount of time by reaching platforms before they fire shots. This saves lag frames from the bullets being on screen.

This is not needed at all for normal play, and does not otherwise affect the route beyond time saved, so it is safe to ignore this.

As Chelney explains in his tutorials, land on the left edge of each platform. When the next platform comes into view, "Neutral Slide" to the right (that is, slide while facing right, but to not push right while sliding). Mega Man should "land" on the right edge of the platform without falling off. The moment the following platform opens its eyes, jump to it. You *should* land before it fires shots. Repeat this for each platform. (The last platform can jumped off of as soon as it reaches the right edge).

The first to second platform may prove hardest depending on the bats position.

### Spike Slide

<p class="callout danger">This is a WR tier strat which only saves a little time, and has a high potential of death or at least time loss.</p>

At the last platform, it is possible to get a damage boost off the right side bullet, along Mega Man to slide on the spikes with invincibility frames. This is faster than riding the platform.

# Pharoah - Last Screen

Like the checkpoint screen, you want to land on platforms as soon as possible to prevent shots, however this is not always possible.

Mummy heads can fly forward at 3 angles, straight ahead, or high or low at about 30 degrees. Keep this in mind as you approach to avoid getting hit.

For the second mummy on the platform between pits, it might be faster to either turn left and "back-boost" through the mummy with i-frames, or slide directly into it to reduce knockback while otherwise ignoring it.

# Pharoah Man Fight

### Damage Table

To Pharoah

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-lemons-%28flash-stoppe" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 50%;"></col><col style="width: 50%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td>Lemons (Flash Stopper)</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Mega Buster</td><td>1:1:3</td></tr><tr><td>Dust Crusher</td><td>2</td></tr></tbody></table>

From Pharoah

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-contact-%2F-getting-bo" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 50%;"></col><col style="width: 50%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td>Contact / Getting Bodied</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Small Jumping Shots</td><td>  
</td></tr><tr><td>Full Charge Pharoah Shot</td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table>

### True Weakness / Beginner Option - Use Bright

This is the slowest option.

Pharaoh Man is weak to Bright Man's Flash Stopper. He is the only Robot Master that is frozen by it, at which point you simply mash lemons until he is defeated.

Given each lemon only does 1 damage, this is an extremely slow, if reliable, option. This is not recommended for speedruns.

### Mega Buster

Whether doing Bright First of Pharaoh first, the Mega Buster and full charge shots are the recommended options. This is because the boss's invincibility frames in Mega Man 4 are longer than earlier games, to encourage the player to use the full charge.

Note that the Charge Shot does 3 HP, so after 9 full charges, Pharaoh Man would have 1 HP left. Most runners enter the room with a charge shot, and use the second shot to fire a lemon at Pharaoh, sometimes from a distance for a "CF0" build a charge while the lemon crosses the room strategy.

Research shows Pharaoh is less likely to jump around if you stay close to him, so stay close to Pharaoh.

### Dust Crusher

<p class="callout info">This strat would work in the early stages, but really only applies to refights.</p>

Pharaoh has a soft weakness to Dust Crusher. This is faster than the other two options (Buster and Bright). In refights, remember to save enough Dust for Skull.

### Magic Pixel

All 8 robots in Mega Man 4 have a magic pixel.