Aria
of Sorrow Weaponry
Aria of Sorrow is yet another game whose many parts are based on an RPG system. Soma Cruz begins with weak defensive abilities and two offensive options--his fists and a weak knife. In order to become more powerful, he must in part collect weapons and armor to increase his strength, defense and other statistics. He can also retain his HP and MP stats by collecting items like food and potions. Soma will rely mostly on one of the game's selling points: The Tactical Souls system, which supplies him over one hundred and ten different powers in four different categories. This system will be discussed on the first two pages while equippable weapons/armor and items will be featured on pages three and four.
Tactical Souls
Soma is not a Belmont descendant--he was instead chosen by Genya Arikado (Alucard) to come to the castle and take on the task of cutting off the source of the castle's leaking energy. He was chosen because his powers are one in the same with Dracula's--dark powers that while destructive are not classified as "evil." This power is a natural absorbing ability that allows him steal enemy souls and some essences and keep them as his own; all of these souls fit into four separate categories: (1) Bullet Souls: These allow Soma to use projectile attacks as sub-weapons, most similarly to how the Belmonts use mystic weapons. (2) Guardian Souls: With a push of the "R" button, these will supply to him spirit helpers and special shields. (3) Enchanted Souls: By in his inventory selecting these, Soma's attributes will increase in unexpected ways. And (4) Ability Souls: Essences that allow Soma to use typical special moves--double jumps, dashes, slides, etc.
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Soul-collecting
depends on luck
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But Soma easily
steals candle essences
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The system allows Soma to combine single souls/essences from the Bullet, Guardian and Enchanted categories to become a more potent fighter. The fourth category, Ability, exists on its own, its powers always available if you have them switched "on." I'll provide for the four separate categories basic information, images and descriptions. (In the case of Bullet and Guardian souls, "Usage" signifies how effectively or frequently an item can be used.)
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Bullet Soulsss
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These are sub-weapons
and projectile attacks that can be activated by pushing "Up"
plus the "B" button. They can be thrown one at a time or continuously.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Bat
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5MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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A circular shield quickly
expands outward and damages/destroys any enemies it touches.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Skeleton
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8MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma erratically arcs through
the air bones, to damage enemies high and low alike.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Merman
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14MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma fires from his fingertips
a stream of water (about 80% of a screen's length) to damage enemies
at a distance.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Axe Armor
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22MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws half a screen's
length a boomerang-like axe; rather than catch it on the return, it
flies past Soma, directly off-screen.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Skull Archer
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8MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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A magical bow appears behind
Soma and quickly fires an arrow forward; in the air, the bow fires from
the position activated.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Killer Fish
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16MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Only while in water, Soma
will release a piranha-like killer fish that quickly swims along and
destroys enemies.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Blue Crow
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10MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma will throw out large
blue ravens that fly a short distance and then return to his care.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Zombie Soldier
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14MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma will arc grenades into
the air and onto the ground, where they'll bounce around; they explode
about two seconds after being thrown.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Ghost
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16MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma will in either direction
send out two heat-seeking spirits; they're powerful but not too accurate.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Siren
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10MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws out wavy, destructive
musical notes that travel long distances; he can run with them, using
them as moving shields.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Tiny Devil
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18MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma fires out a heat-seeking
three-directional vortex that provides a strong range of attack even
though they're not accurate.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Durga
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20MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws strong, quick-moving
katana blades long distances.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Rock Armor
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22MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma arcs large stones into
the air and crashing onto the ground, damaging foes all along the way.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Winged Skeleton
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12MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma tosses spears that quickly
fall through the air; they're strong against enemies that rest on platforms
below.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Student Witch
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20MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma releases a lethal cat
that runs the length of any room, damaging/destroying any enemy along
the way.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Arachne
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15MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws out a web formation
that quickly falls through the air; it lands on enemies and destroys
or ensnares them.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Fleaman
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15MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma summons a fleaman that
for three seconds erratically runs and jumps about the room, damaging
enemies.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Evil Butcher
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5MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws quick-moving
but weak butcher knives at a long range.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Waiter Skeleton
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30MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma tosses a dish of curry,
which damages enemies on its flight; when on the ground, it will damage
foes that pass over it.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Killer Doll
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20MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws onto the ground
cute-looking dolls; enemies are drawn to them and thus focus their attack
on the dolls instead of Soma.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Nemesis
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65MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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A symbol (bloody eye) appears
over Soma, rendering him invisible to the enemies, who will just stroll
along or stand there.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Kyoma Demon
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80MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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A magical mirror will lend
the power of invincibility to Soma, who will flash and be invulnerable
for about four seconds.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Chronomage
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96MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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A a magic symbol (a golden
watch) appears over Soma and stops time for five seconds.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Valkyrie
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50MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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A beautiful sword-wielding
woman will appear (from where Soma activated the soul) and raise its
sword to the air, damaging all enemies it touches.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Altair
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22MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma summons and throws out
large eagles that cover a long vertical range and fly as far as any
room can stretch.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Cockatrice
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24MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma fires down a beam of
petrification at a 45-degree angle; the beam can penetrate walls and
floors to reach enemies.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Werewolf
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28MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma commands a large flame
rise up and at a short distance wave along the ground; this can only
be used while he's on the ground.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Disc Armor
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34MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws out a short distance
a yo-yo-like bladed disc; it spins wildly, cutting up enemies while
both going and coming.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Harpy
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25MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma fires out in either
direction quick-moving razor-like feathers, each flying as far as the
room stretches.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Bomber Armor
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80MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma tosses onto the ground
a large bomb; it explodes after two seconds no matter its position.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Lightning
Doll
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46MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma fires out an electrical
blast from his current position that stretches 75% of the screen's length
to damage enemies.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Une
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20MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws land mines onto
the ground; four seconds later, long, thorny weeds will pop straight
up from the mines.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Needles
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15MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma makes needles (the enemy--not
a spike trap) appear at the location in which he activated the soul;
each explodes on contact or within three seconds.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Man-Eater
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22MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma fires out colorful ripple
lasers (ringed energy) that for three seconds slowly travel along.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Fish Head
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18MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma releases a quick-moving
fireball the length of the screen.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Nightmare
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30MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma releases nightmares
to fly across the screen from the position they're activated.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Slime
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20MP
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One after
another
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Description
|
Image
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Soma throws a ball of slime
onto the ground where it begins rebounding around rooms for five seconds
or until it leaves the room.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Dryad
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33MP
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One at a time
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws a seed that can
only land onto an enemy, on which a dryad will sprout up, steal away
the enemy's HPs, and use them to restore Soma's.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Ripper
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35MP
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One after
another
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Description
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Image
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Soma throws quick-moving
blood-soaked knives at a screen's length.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Werejaguar
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40MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma throws a powerful but
short-ranged dash punch; in the air, he stays in place to throw the
punch.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
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Usage
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Ukoback
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12MP
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One after
another
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Description
|
Image
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Soma sets small five-second
fires from whatever position he's in when he activates the soul power.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Biphron
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35MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma sends a wave of flame
traveling along the ground, at a screen's length; this is ineffective
while airborne.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Mandragora
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110MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma makes a mandragora appear
in his current position; thereafter, it screams, damaging enemies that
lurk up to a half a screen away.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Weretiger
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40MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma throws a powerful uppercut
a short vertical distance; in the air, he stays in place to execute
the punch.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Killer Mantle
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19MP
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One after
another
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Description
|
Image
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Soma swings a short-lengthed
cloth that swaps the HPs and MPs of enemies.
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Soul Name
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Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Mudman
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20MP
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One after
another
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Description
|
Image
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Soma throws arcing toward
the ground small quick-but- weak mud balls.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Red Minotaur
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150MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma swings an oversized
axe back, forward and around; the axe remains in the position from which
it was activated.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Beam Skeleton
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28MP
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One after
another
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Description
|
Image
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Soma releases a powerful
beam at half the screen's length; for its short duration, it remains
in front of Soma.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Skull Millione
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25MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma uses large poison claws
to unleash a short-ranged three-directional slash.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Giant Skeleton
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19MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma arcs into the air and
off the screen large skulls, which damage enemies all the way down.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Gladiator
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30MP
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One after
another
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Description
|
Image
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Soma throws onto the ground
a carriage wheel, which rolls a long distance before stopping; it of
course damages enemies along the way.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Demon Lord
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38MP
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One after
another
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Description
|
Image
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From his current position,
Soma releases meteor-like orbs, each flying as far as the room can stretch.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Flame Demon
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44MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma releases an expanded
version of Dracula's three-directional fireball barrage.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Legion
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66MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Behind Soma appears three
tentacles, which follow behind and fire forward lasers at half the screen's
length.
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Soul Name
|
Magic Points
Used
|
Usage
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Balore
|
120MP
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One at a time
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Description
|
Image
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Soma charges up and then
unleashes a powerful dashing punch.
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