# General Information
# Route Information
### All Stages
*This is largely incomplete information at this time after a brief conversation in The Practice Room in 2025.*
The route for X5 All stages primarily focuses on defeating mavericks with a high grade to give parts. These parts then take time to craft, dictating when they are available for use.
It also focuses on using Zero and his Saber Dash Cancel for maximum damage output. This results in the at first bizarre route of Pegasus as the next to last stage, since Pegasus's weapon removes the saber dash cancel.
#### Parts Routing and Grade
Getting a part from a maverick depends on having a GA(?) grade upon completing the stage.
Your rank itself is determined by how well the game thinks you completed the stage (as opposed to X6 where it is purely a function of an item collected). Rank is calculated based on
- Damage taken (by stage)
- enemies defeated (by stage)
- Time taken (by stage)
- Total Mavericks defeated
As such, there are two routes, one for WR attempts, and one that is safer for beginner.
- Dinorex First, which requires getting an immediate GA rank to make the parts routing work. It gives the Hyepr Dasher and Saber+ quickly, which is of course faster.
- Bat first, which is more likely to get you GA rank after two stages (with Dinorex second), at the cost of having those parts slightly later and a longer journey through the Bat's stage.
The parts gained are listed on the parts page - [https://goodboyrush.net/books/mega-man-x5/page/maverick-parts](https://goodboyrush.net/books/mega-man-x5/page/maverick-parts)
# The Enigma Manip
The enigma manipulation refers to guaranteeing the Enigma Cannon shot at the space colony successfully destroys it, unlocking the final stages with Zero still a playable character.
Normally, even if you defeat all 8 mavericks, there is a small chance the colony is not destroyed, resulting in not being able to play as Zero for the remainder of the game (at least until a new game is started).
There are two known manips. Neither counts against In-Game-Time. One is significantly faster for Real Time, however only has a 4 frame window. The other is trivial to execute except the significant Real Time needed.
### The RNG Manips
#### Intro Stage Demo
This is faster RTA but has tighter timing. You must press start to end the demo at a specific point.
#### Mattrex Demo
It takes longer to see the Mattrex Demo, since the game will play other demos first, however the Mattrex demo has a very easy place to end the demo for success - watch the whole thing.
That's it. Watch the whole demo, don't press start until you see the title screen again. Then continue your game and go immediately to the Enigma Shot.
### How do the manips actually work?
The Enigma cannon succeeds or fails on a variety of factors, however these are ultimately controlled by the game's current "RNG" value. The game's randomness is set to a known value when a stage starts, then changes based on the events that follow. This value sticks through the stage selection screen, where the Enigma Cannon (and the Shuttle, if you get there) ultimately checks it for success against the Space Colony.
The manip works because of the title screen demo.
Just like normal gameplay, the demo screen itself sets the RNG value to known values at beam-in, and progresses it "normally" as the demo plays itself out. As such, it always lands on known RNG values every time it plays out.
The places mentioned above, the 4 frame window in the Intro Stage, and watching Dinorex to completion, are both RNG values where it is a 100% success rate for the Enigma Cannon even without upgrades (that is, with 0 mavericks defeated).
In theory, there are likely other places the manip could work. However, these are the best two - one is fast RTA, the other is extremely reliable.
# Maverick Parts
After defeating mavericks with a level of at least 8, Alia will ask if you want Life+ or Weapon Energy+. That + is a part that can be equipped, and the part you get depends both on the Maverick defeated, and the Life/Energy choice.
Many of these are currently documented at the Mega Man Home Page - [https://mmhp.net/GameHints/MMX5.html#Items](https://mmhp.net/GameHints/MMX5.html#Items)
### All Stages Route Parts
- Bat - Life
- The Anti-Virus options are not useful in a speedrun, so take the HP
- Mattrex - Life
- Again, neither part is particularly useful.
- You should be here early enough there is no part anyway
- Grizzly - Energy (Hyper Dash)
- Whale - Life
- Weapon+ grants the Energy Saver
- Axle Rose - Energy (Z-Saber+)
- Izzy Firefly - Life
- For the HP. Energy gives shot eraser for Zero
- Squid
- Life if you play the last stages as X
- Energy grants Saber Extend for Zero but is not available until the final stages
- Pegasus - Life
- this part will never be built if you do it next to last, but this creates the Jumper part
### Time Until Part is Crafted
After selecting a part, it takes 2 in-game-hours (so 2 selected stages) to be created. This Includes Dynamo encounters and Zero/Sigma stages. This is why the optimal route for All Stages defeats Grizzly for the Hyper Dasher second, then uses Dynamo and the autoscrolling Duff McWhalen to have the Dashing part crafted.
### What controls a Maverick's Level?
- Rank increases a maverick level. The route assumes GA before fighting Grizzly
- Hours left until impact
- Does not affect Level after the colony is destroyed (such as by using The Manip immediately)
- The route depends on hours passing to allow mavericks to gain levels. Do not fire the enigma cannon until after fighting Grizzly for the Hyper Dasher.
# Ranking System
### Akiteru's Pastebin
[https://pastebin.com/cnvAww69](https://pastebin.com/cnvAww69)
> Mega Man X5 ranking system documentation by Akiteru
Done on USA version
POINTS TIERS
STAGE TIME:
less than 1'00"00 - 8 points
less than 2'00"00 - 4 points
less than 5'00"00 - 2 points
5'00"00 or greater - 1 point
ENEMIES DEFEATED:
less than 40 - 8 points
less than 80 - 4 points
less than 150 - 2 points
150 or greater - 1 point
DAMAGE RECEIVED:
less than 16 - 8 points
less than 32 - 4 points
less than 64 - 2 points
64 or greater - 1 point
MAX DAMAGE DEALT TO ANY ENEMY IN THE STAGE (INCLUDING BOSS):
8 or greater - 8 points
6 or greater - 4 points
4 or greater - 2 points
1 or greater - 1 point
NUMBER OF TIMES GONE INTO "VIRUS MODE" DURING THE STAGE:
0 - 8 points
1 - 4 points
2 - 2 points
3 or greater - 1 point
----------------------
NEW RANK CALCULATION
MEH:
less than 32: decrease rank
32 or greater: same rank
PA:
less than 32: decrease rank
less than 40: same rank
40 or greater: increase rank
GA:
less than 24: decrease rank
less than 36: same rank
36 or greater: increase rank
SA:
less than 20: decrease rank
less than 32: same rank
32 or greater: increase rank
A:
less than 12: decrease rank
less than 32: same rank
32 or higher: increase rank
B:
less than 15: decrease rank
less than 28: same rank
28 or higher: increase rank
C:
less than 12: decrease rank
less than 20: same rank
20 or higher: increase rank
E:
less than 16: same rank
16 or greater: increase rank
The short version is, don't get hit, have at least one massive damage hit, and do it fast without needing kills.