From: Chuck Cochems Subject: Additions to castlevania FAQ. Most bosses have two weapons that work well on them. Level 1: Bat boss. Best weapon is the Axe. Fortunately, it's not hard to get it. An alternate is the Watch, but the Axe is easier to keep, and there's a double in a block near the lower right. RECCOMENDED STRATEG: Axe him. Easy peasy. Level 2: Medusa. Best weapon is the Watch. However, double or triple Firebombs work VERY well too. If you just get everything you see, you should have double firebombs. The Watch will freeze the crushers, though. Reccomended strategy. If the Crushers just seem to keep getting you, hang onto the watch. Otherwise, just get the firebombs, and be sure to whip the block after them that has the double (it's not too hard to find). Also if the crushers DO get you, you have little choice but to use Firebombs unless you run out of lives. Level 3: Mummies. The best weapons are triple boomerang and firebombs. You don't even need a multiplier if you have firebombs, but you are gonna need the triple to boomerang them to death. The proper way to firebomb them is from above, where they can't hurt you. In a pinch, your whip will work if you've got lots of energy. if you must fight on their level, try to get on the other side of one so you can whip both at once from the same side. Makes it much easier when wrappings are only coming from one side... Reccomended strategy: Firebombs, as per the current FAQ. If you are feeling brave, whip the food block, and flail about like MAD with the whip. Level 4: Frankenstein and igor. Best weapon by far is triple firebombs. The thing to remeber is that you can get multipliers EASY if you have the firebombs when you get into the castle. If you finish a Bone Dragon off with a firebomb, it will give you a multiplier! There are two bone dragons in the castle, so keep your firebombs, head to the right platform, and keep chucking firebombs through Igor and onto Frankie, and you will MURDER him. Triple boomerang is a second choice, but why? you CAN take him out with the whip too, but it's NOT easy. Nintendo power says the dagger is good, probably because it fires quick, but I say no. Recommended strategy: Triple firebombs. Easy peasy. THe double will work too, but the triple works better. Level 5: Grim Reaper. The weapons of choice are triple boomerangs and triple firebombs. The thing to note is not only is the boomerang available on the last section of the level, but you can get the multipliers and build up to 99 hearts easily! Get the Boomerang (unless you already have triple firebombs). There will be two red skeletons on the top floor. Knock both down five times with boomerangs (knocking both out with the same boomerang). then run upstairs. The candle on the right always has a big heart, and the candle next to it will have a multiplier, if you knocked both Red Skels down five times. jump and hit the right candle. Get heart, turn around, jump and whip the other candle, and then run down the steps. your head will hit the multipler block (oh, and DO watch out for the medusa heads). Repeat. Once you get triple boomerangs, then stop killing red skeletons, but keep getting the big heart. Once you hit 99, just triple boomerang your way past the axe knights and medusa heads, and you should still have enough left to take out the Reaper from the left side of the screen. Again, Nintendo Power seems to think the Dagger is a good weapon against the Reaper. Uh, NO. Triple boomerangs, or triple firebombs... To take out the axe knights in earlier sections, use the Axe (!). The axe can fly over their shielding, and wipe them in a couple hits if you graze the backside. They can dish it out, but they sure can't take it... :) Recommeded strategy: Triple Boomerangs. Practice that way, cause it's REAL hard to get up to him with triple firebombs. You can always have the triple boomerangs, though. If you die trying the firebombs, you have no choice but to go for triple boomerangs. Level 6: Drac. Firebombs are the weapon of choice for killing second form. You don't even need a multiplier (which is good, cause u ain't gonna get one) With practice, you will be able to dodge his fireballs in first form and whip him in the head. The timing is very tight on this, so expect to get frustrated... :) But just keep at it... once you reach him, you get to continue from his screen. Make liberal use of the watch in the clock tower whenever those goddam Rocs show up... don't even bother with candles once you see the rocs, just concentrate on not getting hit so you can get into Drac's Lair. Note. if you firebomb enough of his fireballs you CAN get a multiplier, but it's just not worth the trouble... (Nintendo power sez to boomerang him in the head, and if you build up hearts, you COULD do that, but you will have a hard time not hitting the candle with the firebombs if you try that, and you NEED firebombs to kill the ghost. Just get the firebombs quickly, and use the whip. it will be so much more rewarding.) Recommened strategy. Build up some hearts in drac's lair (go down and up the steps to reset the candles), and take him with your whip, and use the firebombs when the ghost shows up to freeze him and whip him in the head while frozen. You will ALWAYS be able to beat him this way.