                    ETERNAL CHAMPIONS OPPONENT STRATEGIES
                  -----------------------------------------


BLADE:

  1. Blade moves slowly, and has no way to travel quickly across the
     screen.  When far, he'll usually throw a Tracking Blade or Stun
     Beam which you can block.  Up close, he'll try a Wild Fury Attack,
     or a Throw.

  2. To beat Blade, just move in *quickly*, and attack.  But don't stay
     too close when you've finished.  Jump away, then advance again.

JETTA:

  1. Jump kick her.  Usually she'll jump into it.  If she Phases, do a
     quick jump kick.  She should run into that too.  She's also
     susceptible to repeated throws.

  2. Don't let Jetta corner you - especially when Phased.  You will get
     pounded no matter how much you block.  If you get out of the leap
     and hit cycle, back away and try to start it again.

LARCEN:

  1. Never, never leap into Larcen when he's on the ground.  He will do a
     Flip Kick and damage you every time.  When he's in the air or on the
     ceiling though, he's fair (and easy) game.

  2. Larcen is also very quick to block, so the best way to attack him is
     by waiting until he attacks you.  Determine how he's coming at you,
     then go for an exposed spot.  For example, if he's coming with a 
     punch, counter it with a sliding low kick.

MIDKNIGHT:

  1. Like Jetta, Midknight will almost always counter a leap with a leap.
     Determine which leap is effective for your character (ie. the Flying
     Downward Hit for Rax) and repeat.

  2. Midknight will also do a lot of Flying Wall Smashes and Mist Attacks.
     Learn to recognize the early frames of these animation sequences, and
     jump over him when he attempts them.  He will do them when far away.

RAX:

  1. When far away, Rax will almost always try a Jet Knee Smash.  Learn to
     see this one coming, and jump over it.  Otherwise, you'll be cornered
     and prone for some pounding.  Also, when he starts his Lock and Load,
     jump straight up, and the projectile will go into the air instead of
     you.  If you get stunned by it, he'll jump over and do a toe pounding.

  2. Rax is very strong offensively, so you can't stay too close.  Go for
     moves where you move in quickly and strike.  Try to keep him blocking,
     let up (block/jump back) then strike again.

SHADOW:

  1. Shadow is easy to beat once you figure out her pattern.  The trick is to
     stay away from her.  Preferably on the other side of the screen.  Jump
     over anything she throws at you.  Pretty soon, she'll get tired of
     throwing things and will disappear.  Wait around 2 seconds and jump
     straight up.  She should appear right next to where you were standing
     before and attack.  The attack will miss because you're in the air.
     Once you land, immediately throw her and/or get back to the other side
     of the screen.

  2. When she goes into a long move (like the Twirling Fan Attack) jump
     over her and kick or throw her from behind.  Low undercut kicks are
     also a good frontal counter for these attacks.

SLASH:

  1. Slash has a very easy pattern.  He'll throw a few Claws then try to
     do a Power Thud.  Block or jump the Claws then jump at him when he
     starts the Power Thud.  With Xavier, just press Z until he drops!

  2. A Running Head Butt can be countered with a low undercut kick.

  3. Trick Slash into walking towards you, then do a low undercut kick.

TRIDENT:

  1. Trident blocks everything (very frustrating!).  If you avoid him,
     he'll try to stun you with Plasma Bolts.  These are easy to see
     coming and to block (unless you're unlucky and he catches you in
     the middle of something or in the air).

  2. If cornered, Trident will either Throw you or do a Spinning Trident
     which is very damaging.  Don't let this happen!!!

  3. The best offense is to do some type of long distance special move,
     and avoid him the rest of the time.  Sometimes a low undercut kick
     will get through, but if not, jump back immediately!

XAVIER:

  1. Be careful about getting close to Xavier, because you will be
     thrown.

  2. When Xavier starts to do a spell, he will hold his cane straight up.
     Jump forward immediately when you see this, and you will dodge the
     spell he's fired at you.  This is usually the best time to attack.

CHAMPION:

  1. You have to beat the Eternal Champion 5 times.  After the first, he
     will reincarnate himself from one of four images on the windows, and
     you will be given about a third of your life bar restored.  These
     matches are not timed - it's to the death - and you have to beat all
     5 with one life (you get 2 chances).

  2. Only attack the Champion when he's not flashing, and avoid or block
     everything that he throws at you.  Stay out of range, and learn which
     kind of leaps and advancing attacks are effective for your character.

                       ETERNAL CHAMPIONS OVERKILL LIST
                     -----------------------------------

GENERAL RULES:

1) Overkills only work in the fight which will cause you to win (or
   lose) the match.
 
2) Overkills only work if your last hit does more than 13% damage.
   Consult your manual for the appropriate moves, or just use a throw.
 
3) Overkills are BACKGROUND DEPENDENT.  This means every character can
   do all the fatalities, and that every player therefore may want to
   learn all of em.
 
4) Overkills occur when the first 3 criteria are satisfied, and when the
   loser lands on the magic spot on the background.
 
**************************************************************************


BLADE'S STAGE:

  Landing Position:

    The Loser must land centered at the bottom of the huge fan.

  Effect:

    Loser gets sucked into the fan, sliced up, leaving only a trademark
    item behind.


JETTA'S STAGE:

  Landing Position:

    The Loser must land in the middle of the gate.

  Effect:

    An earthquake occurs, and the loser falls into the fiery hole
    to his/her death.
 

LARCEN'S STAGE:

  Landing Position:

    The Loser must land a touch to the left or right of the ticket booth.

  Effect:

    The Loser gets gunned down by a passing car, then again left to
    right, while blood flies out of the loser everytime the bullet trail
    hits the loser.

MIDKNIGHT'S STAGE:

  Landing Position:

    Starting from in front of the hut to the left (the shorter part),
    finish the opponent so he/she bounces to the right and lands in front
    of the cow.

  Effect:

    The helicopter will launch a missile at the loser, blowing him up
    and leaving charcoal briquettes behind.

 
RAX'S STAGE:

  Landing Position:

    The Loser must land just to the right of the dragon statue.

  Effect:

    Some UFO robots fly onto the scene, freezing the enemy and then
    stattering the loser-si-cle.  Then a vacuum robot cleans up the
    remains.
 

SHADOW'S STAGE:

  Landing Position:

    The Loser must land centered on the second letter from the left.

  Effect:

    Loser will fly into the letter, be electrocuted with lots of blood,
    explode, and drop an eyeball onto the ground.


SLASH'S STAGE:

  Landing Position:

    The Loser must land roughly one body length away from the far left
    or right of the background.

   Effect:

    The loser gets dragged off-screen by a dinosaur that you can't see
    (yet).  The dinosaur then moves on-screen while chewing happily on
    the loser.  Finally, a trademark item is spit out of his mouth.

TRIDENT'S STAGE:

  Landing Position:

    The Loser must land directly below the statue in the right half of
    the background (the statue with the water spout).  It has also been
    seen in front of the big rock located on the left side of the area,
    and centered in front of the sky city in the background.

  Effect:

    Three vines slowly wrap the loser up, then pull him/her under.
    A big series of splashes, followed by bubbles, lead up to a pool
    of blood where the loser fell.


XAVIER'S STAGE:

  Landing Position:

    The Loser must land centered in the fire.

  Effect:

    The loser will be slowly burned to death, arms flailing, leaving
    behind a skeleton.  The skull then falls to the ground.


                            Larcen's Character Guide:
                                by Chris Schneider

  General Info:

  So you want to play Larcen, eh? Excellent call. He's got a very good mix
of speed, power, and defense. Combine that with what I think is the easiest
throw in the game and you've just become a walking weapon. I've only got one
combo to mention and it has become the mainstay of my Larcen arsenel. Use
a leaping "C" kick and as soon as you hit the ground, go for a sweeping "C",
and immediately jump forward again with a second leaping "C". Somewhere in
the course of that flurry, you're probably going to get a shot or two (or
three) in. Beyond that combo, I generally fight with what I call the "In 
yo' face" style, leaping over opponents and striking as often with "C" kicks 
and "Z" punches as possible. The opponent often has no chance to open up any 
offense or perform any charge moves.

  Your opponent can't get much off with you constantly in his
or her face. Leap over your opponent with kicks and punches and keep the 
pressure up when you land. Vary your attacks high and low and above all, 
don't let up. When you throw, always use the "Y" throw. It's quicker and
equally as effective as the "Z" one. If you get the opponent hurt and you fear
jumping in, throw a sai. With a full IS load, you can throw 3 sais before
needing to rest. Also, when throwing sais, it is easy to get into the air with
a leaping kick right behind the weapon. They'll block the sai, but usually not
the kick.

  vs. Blade:

  This is the epitomy of "In yo' face". Jump in from the get-go.
You can get three easy leaping kicks because Blade will jump up. After any 
of them, you can elect to stay on the ground and walk up to him. As soon as
he gets up, throw him. Back off and repeat the kick/throw as necessary. 
If he throws a tracking blade, it is usually possible to jump in and catch
him with a leaping kick before the blade gets you, effectively killing it.

  vs. Jetta:

  You can bait Jetta into the air just like Blade. Just throw your
kicks/punches early and she won't touch you. Jetta is very easy to throw, so
exploit that. If she does her back hand spring (the one where she then jumps
back at you) jump back and use a leaping "C". She'll jump into it every time.
be ready to block if you can't stop that back hand spring, because her 
favorite combo is that with a rapid series of kicks. Don't bother with the
sais, as you'll just leave yourself open and she'll plant you. If she
phases, wait for a second and bait her into jumping into the air, so you 
can kick her out of it.

  vs. MidKnight:

  Another "In yo' face" opportunity. Throw your kicks early or he'll feed you
his all day. If he is in the air and you're on the ground, block and throw.
MidKnight has this real problem with projectiles. If you throw one, he'll
immediately mist attack to dodge it. Somewhere along the line somebody thought
it was such a good idea that he'll always do it unless he's in the air. Using
this knowledge, just throw a sai and he'll mist up. Jump over the mist and walk
toward it. You will not get hit, but he'll materialize right in front of you.
Now throw. MidKnight is also easily corner trapped by Larcen using the leaping,
sweep, leaping kick combo from above.

  vs. RAX:

  Watch jumping in! RAX will slam you at every opportunity. For some
reason, RAX loves using that cyber-kick against Larcen, so watch out for
that too. Your best bet is to jump in from long range (so you land outside 
of RAX's throw range and can duck the cyber-kick) and sweep. He may block
it, but you're now close enough to start in on the "In yo' face" stuff. 
Use standing "Z" punches and occasionally jump away to launch a sai. When 
he goes for the jet knee, jump toward him (if you can get in the air early
enough) and use the "C" kick. You can often kick him out of the attack.

  vs. Shadow:

  Have fun with this, because it's where you'll get the most
practice with the knock-back projectiles move (hold back and hit "X" when
the weapon is almost upon you). Since Shadow is so adept at launching stars,
use them to your advantage. Stay away from her and knock back her stars. She
rarely blocks them. When she goes for a cartwheel-fan, jump over, chase her
down, and throw her. If she disappears, jump up and throw. If she does her
spinning jump (that thing where she jumps and part way up rolls into a ball
for greater height) simply jump back and use the "C" kick. Throw the 
occasional sai to shut up her "Coward" ranting.
 
  vs. Slash:

  What can I say? Slash loves to eat the leaping, sweep, leaping
combo. Just play hard inside and he's yours. If he tries the running charge, 
block and leaping kick him. If he uses the de-claw, knock it back. Larcen's
speed can easily handle the ground smash by kicking Slash out of the air.
Standing "Z" punches work great too if you work them into patterns of jumping
over Slash.

  vs. Trident:

  Not as big of a problem as RAX, Trident is much easier to jump
in on. Constantly leap over him with a barrage of kicks and standing "Z"
punches. The occasional sweep will hit, but not that often. Frequently, when
you go to the air, Trident will roll away, with the intent to launch a plasma
ball. Keep leaping at him, throwing "C" kicks. The extention of the leg will
often take him down before the plasma gets going. If he does use the plasma
from long range, throw a sai and block. Your sai will hit him while he's
exposed and let you block in time.

  vs. Xavier:

  Keep him at a distance with your sai. The only way you'll be able
to jump in on him is from close range, so you won't be thrown. Anytime he
uses a dragon trap or throws the cane, leap over and use a "C" kick. If it 
connects, walk up and throw. Anytime he gears up to throw a spell, go airborne 
and kick him while he's exposed. It is possible to use the knock back 
projectile move on the spells, but their weaving makes it very difficult.
When you get him off balance, proceed to the leaping, sweep, leaping kick 
combo for what's usually a moderately easy fight.

  vs. Champion #1:

  Piece of cake. There's a nice little pattern that will
work against the Champions most of the time. When you're in close, jump away
with a kick. He'll hesitate for a moment and then follow you. As soon as you
land, leap back in with a kick. You'll come up underneath him and get a solid
hit. If you stay in close and keep jumping over him, hammering the whole 
time, he won't have a chance to use his powers. Don't get too confident, 
though. It gets much harder than this.

  vs. Shark Champion:

  Use him as a refueling stop. By this, I mean take your
time and plan your shots. The Shark is pretty easy to handle if you're
careful and you can get back another chunk of that precious health you're
going to need against the Tiger and the Dragon. Don't throw the sais unless
you're comfortable with jumping the fin, because that's his favorite counter.
Don't try for those quickie throws like you can cinch in against the regular
players, because you'll catch a weak low kick. Use the leaping out then back
in pattern I mentioned above to shut the Shark down. 

  vs. Eagle Champion:

  Here's another refueling stop. The Eagle telegraphs his
wall dive worse than RAX. It gives you plenty of time to go to the air and
try to kick the Eagle out of it. Use hit and run tactics and throw alot of
sais. Another quirky thing about this Champion is the repluser field. If he's
on the left of you, you can't approach him. If he's on the right, however, 
you can press on, albeit slowly, and get in close. Once you're in range, use
a "Z" punch to put him down.
   
  vs. Tiger Champion:

  Here's a rough fight. I suggest staying in the air and
using the jumping out/jumping in pattern already mentioned. The cartwheel
attack is hard to counter unless you use the sais. The speed of the Tiger
is your biggest problem, though. Take your time and block his leaping attacks.
This will leave him wide open for a throw. Keep your cool and you'll handle
him.

  vs. Dragon Champion:

  Ugh. I hate this guy. I have yet to knock back one of
his fireballs, so I can't say if it's even possible. Barring them, the other
problem is that half-damage field he puts up. Hard to put him down when every
punch and kick you've got does pitiful amounts of damage. If you can catch
him in the jumping out/jumping in pattern, use it as long as you can. Your
sais will give you some help, but don't stay that far away from him for long
or you'll be eating fireballs. 

                           Midknight's Character Guide:
                                by Chris Schneider

  General Info:

  He's tremendously vicious in close when you can get the other character off
balance. His Flying Wall Smash combined with a throw will spell fast death for
those caught by it.  Another combo I love starts with the Tornado Attack, and
when the opponent blocks it, hit the Ceiling Ram (repeat D > C, then U + C).
This combo is easily modified to taste for the Stomach Punch or the Life Drain,
but I find it easier to hit the Ceiling Ram, since you don't have to reposition
your fingers to new buttons.

  Use the strongest kick as a hop kick (grab extra air-time).  Only use the
kicks if you suspect you're going to be hit on the way down, such as Larcen's
backflip.  The Flying Wall Smash is generally a safe maneuver, but can cause
trouble.  Do *not* use the mist attack. It's pretty much worthless given the
recovery time and how much warning it gives the opponent.  Only use the Stomach
Punch and Life Drain in a combo or on a stunned opponent.  They seem to have
a very low strike priority.  Another good one especially against human players
is a Flying Spin kick followed by the Back Roll Twirl kick.  Same button (B),
but you have to block high then low to stop it.  The crouching uppercuts (Y or
Z with D) are nice for advancing on your opponent and will take them out of the
air if timed correctly.  And when close, use repeated Y or Z punches (or with
F for throws).

  vs. Blade:

  Go to the air.  Blade is probably the worst programmed fighter in the game.
He's easily goaded into the air and then punched before he can get a move off.
Quickly follow this up with a throw.  If the timing is right, you will nail
him about 90% of the time.  Catch him just as he gets back to his feet and use
the middle punch for the throw, rather than the hardest one.  His projectiles
are a joke, since the Flying Wall Smash will soar right under them, hitting
the often exposed Blade.

  vs. Jetta:

  Go to the air.  She'll usually try to meet you, but can be batted down just
like Blade.  The followup throw will work if timed right.  Do *not* attempt a
Flying Wall Smash, as she tends to phase when you make your move.  By the time
you hit, she's invulnerable to the strike.  Keep moving and use a lot of
throws.  Good combo:  U + F > Z, then repeat Y and F > Y.  It'll probably be a
close one.

  vs. Larcen:

  Don't jump in on Larcen.  He loves that backflip and it can be used against
him.  Jump in on him, and at the peak of the jump, use one of the two strongest
kicks.  That added elevation will throw off his timing for the flip and can
leave him vulnerable for the throw.  If he goes for his grappling hook swing,
simply block and throw.  The Flying Wall Smash will catch him off guard maybe
30-40% of the time, so use it sparingly.  Larcen is also a sucker for the
Tornado/Ceiling Ram.  If you can get him off balance, use alternating high/low
strikes.  The computer seems to have major difficulty with Larcen on shifting
between blocks.

  vs. Rax:

  Use quick aerial punches and avoid jumping in if he's on the ground.
Inevitably, he'll start in with the jet knees.  When he does, standing block it
and then walk forward after he bounces off.  Once he lands, you can nail the
throw.  If he hits with the jet assisted uppercut (the one that carries him
almost off-screen) you can score another easy throw when he lands.  Rax is also
a major sucker for the Tornado/Ceiling Ram combo.

  vs. Shadow:

  Use the standard Shadow defenses.  Jump straight up when she disappears and
throw her when you land.  If she throws projectiles, either jump or block.  If
she cartwheels, leap over and chase her down from behind.  You can usually
catch her and throw.  Be careful with the Flying Wall Smash, or you'll end up
being thrown.

  vs. Slash:

  Use alot of Flying Wall Smashes. He seems to love being hit by them...
When he goes for the ground smash, knock him out of the sky. If it appears
that you'll land without a hit before he does, use one of the stronger kicks
to give you that extra "oomph."  The Tornado Attack usually gets you a nice
club for the effort, so use it very sparingly.

  vs. Trident:

  With Trident, it's a matter of beating him to the punch.  I will usually jump
at him at the start and kick quickly.  He's very vulnerable to the throw after
getting knocked down.  If he goes for the plasma, go for a body launch.  Don't
worry too much about a computer controlled Trident when he uses the fields.
He'll usually block, rather than give you the damage.  If you're not in the air
before him, don't try to meet him.  He's not nearly as forgiving as Blade and
Jetta.  As with any character vs Trident:  Don't get caught by the plasma, or
you may get the insta-death combo (spinning trident followed by another
spinning trident).

  vs. Xavier:

  This is the one character I hate almost as much as the Dragon Champion.
Xavier will block just about everything you throw and hit you with that killer
combo.  The way to deal with Xavier? Defense. Let him come to you.  He'll be
open after a magic spell, so jump over it and strike fast.  If he jumps in,
block and throw. If you can get behind his standing cane throw or the dragon
trap, go for the throw. He'll fall for the tornado/ceiling ram about 50% of the
time.  The Flying Wall Smash will tear him apart if you catch him after
throwing a spell and leave him open for a quick throw.

  vs. Champion #1:

  The first champion is a good introduction to the computer's cheating.  To
deal with him, use the two strongest kicks as hop kicks.  You can catch him
from underneath.  Don't try to follow-up with the throw or you'll end up
getting smacked by a few low weak kicks.  The Flying Wall Smash will work about
35-40% of the time.  The best way to deal with him quickly is the tornado/
ceiling ram combo, since you can hit him with it twice in quick succession
before needing to back off for your IS to replenish.

  vs. Shark Champion:

  The shark loves to counter the Flying Wall Smash with the fin move.  Don't
use it unless you're comfortable with jumping over it.  Don't jump straight up,
rather jump over it, trying to stay in the middle of the screen.  When the
champ pulls back together, go for a quick throw. This battle will best be
fought in the air.

  vs. Eagle Champion:

  Don't try to meet his body launch with a Flying Wall Smash.  Instead, keep
this fight in the air.  The eagle's reach is a bear to deal with, but can be
stopped if met with aerial attacks.  Beware his vertical "sawblade" strike.
Use a lot of hit and run, and use your Flying Wall Smash often, provided he
isn't going for it himself.  If he begins after you've launched, you'll catch
him flush in the stomach.  The tornado/ceiling ram is another good bet for this 
champion.

  vs. Tiger Champion:

  His speed is impressive, but he's dumb.  His aerial priority is seemingly
low, so go high often.  When he uses his cartwheel attack, body launch. You'll
hit him every time.  When he jumps in, block and throw.  Keep up the pressure
with hit and runs and he's yours.  Expect to trade a lot of blows though.

  vs. Dragon Champion:

  This is the real test of your mettle. He cheats so bad that it's very
difficult to stop him.  His aerial priority is very high, so stay on the ground
as best you can.  His fireballs can stop the Flying Wall Smash and he'll
usually strike with quick weak hits if you get close.  Your best bet is to
block as best you can and try to catch him coming down from the air with a
Flying Wall Smash.  Quickly go for the tornado/ceiling ram and you may get it.
Don't jump in, but try to take him out of the air with uppercuts and middle
punches.  This will be the hardest opponent you face as Midknight.


                             Rax's Character Guide
                                by Dave Woodall

  General Info:

  Rax is one of the strongest offensive players in the game - only Trident
can match his sheer offensive strength.  And given the slightest opening, he
can totally devastate his opponent.  Luckily for Rax, it is impossible to
Insult and Block at the same time.  When Insulted, immediately fire off a
"Lock and Load", then leap over *quickly* and give'em a "Toe Pounding" (close
C).  Instant 45% damage!  It feels soooooo good!

  In most situations, use the strongest buttons - Z for punches and C for
kicks (of course in combination with leaps, crouches, etc.).  I rarely use any
of the others except with Special Moves.  Rax also has an amazingly fast Throw!
Be VERY aggressive with it.  After you make contact with a punch or kick,
immediately move in and Throw!  Very effective against most opponents,
especially Jetta and Trident.

  vs. Blade:

  Blade is a major sucker for the Flying Downward Hit (U + F > Z).  You can
easily win with this move alone, but that gets boring.  An occasional Lock and
Load/Toe Pounding is fun, and when Blade does his Spin Kick, knock him off his
feet with an Afterburner Thrust (D > C).  Blade's projectiles are slow moving,
and easily avoided by pressing D.  For fun, finish him with Jet Knee Smash!

  vs. Jetta:

  Start every match by leaping away from Jetta.  At this point, do one of two
things:  1) Fire off a Lock and Load and get ready to leap over for a Toe
Pounding if it hits, or 2) Wait for her to Phase.  When she does, do a leaping
Z (U + F > Z) and 90% of the time she will meet you in mid-air.  If all that
fails, she will jump over to you.  At this point, IMMEDIATELY hold F and hammer
on Z.  When she lands, you will do an instant Throw.  Follow every Throw with
a leap back and a Lock and Load.  About 50% of the time it will succeed!

  vs. Larcen:

  Larcen is pretty quick defensively, which makes it hard to get many moves
to connect.  NEVER NEVER leap in on Larcen when he's on the ground!  You will
never win that encounter.  Basically, let Larcen come to you.  When he does
the Ceiling Crawl/Drop, meet him at the top with a leaping Z.  Or, if your
quick, fire off a Lock and Load and knock him down.  Counter the Long Distance
Sweep or a leap with either a leaping Z or C.  Counter the Grappling Hook
with an Afterburner (D > C).  A good combo against Larcen is D > C, D > A,
D > A.

  vs. Midknight:

  Midknight is also fairly easy - but more fun to defeat than Blade.  The
basic moves are U + F > Z, and D > C.  He's a sucker for both.  NEVER do
either a Lock and Load or an Overload (A + C) - he will go for his Mist
Attack every time!  Just leap to avoid the Mist.  If he jumps in close,
do a quick Throw.  You can also do repeated Throws if you corner him.
A satisfying combo against Midknight is the Jet Knee Smash (CB .5, F + C)
followed by a Throw.

  vs. Shadow:

  Start every match with a leap away followed by a Lock and Load - most
likely, she will begin her match with Insults!  If successful, leap over for
a Toe Pounding, and if not, wait.  Block whatever she throws, and if she does
the Shadow Mode, wait a second, jump straight up and press D > Z coming down.
Counter her Twirling Fan Attack with an Afterburner (D > C), jump back and do
a Lock and Load.  Do not leap in on Shadow - you'll get a projectile up your
nose.

  vs. Slash:

  Whatever you do, don't stay close to Slash!  If you do, you're in for a
world of hurt.  What I've found that works best is to get about 2/3 screen
length away, and slowly move forward.  When he starts to walk, do a quick
Afterburner (D > C), and you'll catch him off guard every time.  You can
repeat this until you back him into a corner, then leap to the opposite
corner and try a Lock and Load/Toe Pounding.  Overloads will sometimes get
through, but he often bats them back.  NEVER NEVER NEVER do an Overload
when Slash is close - if he bats it, YOU'LL eat it!  Ouch!  Also, counter
a Running Head Butt with an Afterburner (D > C).

  vs. Trident:

  Trident blocks everything (almost :-).  Start every match with 2 or 3
Overloads followed by a leaping Z.  Trident has 3 ways to stun you, and
the worst of these is the Plasma Bolt.  Don't get caught by this or you're
dead!  To win a leap, you must beat Trident into the air, so more often
than not, leap away from him.  If he leaps in close, do a quick Throw (hold
F, and hammer on Z).  When he does an Advancing High kick or a Spinning
Trident, counter with an Afterburner (D > C) - this is the only time he
doesn't block it!  Of course, counter an Insult with a Lock and Load.
Don't forget to follow a contact with a quick Throw!

  vs. Xavier:

  Xavier also is very good at blocking, and if you get close, he'll throw
you.  He is also good at avoiding Lock and Loads, so use Overloads.  Most
of the time, they'll get through.  At this point, Xavier will do one of
three things:  Insult, a new spell, or a leap.  Counter the first two with
an Afterburner (D > C), or let him leap over you then leap away.  You can
usually get 2 or 3 Afterburners in a row!  When your Inner Strength runs low,
block Xavier's spells and wait for .75.  If you fire an Overload before a
spell has past you, they will cancel each other, so wait.  Not a glamorous
win, but it works.

  vs. Champion #1:

  Fight this one like Blade.  Do lots of leaping Z's, and don't let up on
him.  If you do, he'll go invincible or do a Special Move.  If you do end
up on the other side of the screen and he insults you ("Fight!"), quickly
fire off a Lock and Load (effective about 40% of the time).  Another thing
I've found effective against any of the Champions is if you happen to kill
one of them right next to you, do an Overload when the next starts to pull
himself together.  Do not Throw this champion unless you are cornered.  He
has a magic (:-) ability to counter it with a damaging undercut kick.

  vs. Shark Champion:

  Above all else, DO NOT use Lock and Load or Overload!  Like Midknight, this
one will always go into his "shark fin" attack.  Use plenty of leaping Z's,
and stay in the air.  He seems very good at blocking Rax's undercutting kicks
(bummer).  If he goes into the "shark fin", jump the opposite direction he's
going and jump high.  Or use any leap followed by Y for "extra air".  When
doing the leaping Z, get into a pattern where you leap, jump back and
repeat.  This works against all the champions.

  vs. Eagle Champion:

  Try to catch this one on the ground and do a Lock and Load / Toe Pounding
combo.  He doesn't block the Lock and Load very well!!!  Do this twice and
you've got 90% damage on him!  Other than that, try using well timed C kicks
and Throws if you're cornered.  Avoid the Midknight style "Flying Wall
Smashes" - you usually can't counter them.  The leap back and forth is also
very effective.

  vs. Tiger Champion:

  Like the first Champion, use lots of leaping Z's.  This guy reminds me of
Jetta, and you can fight him pretty much the same way - try to stay in the
air because you'll get pounded on the ground.  If you get attacked on the
ground, Block, then Throw (he's fairly susceptible to them).  Counter most
leaps with a leaping Z, or if he goes high, use a Vertical Twirl (U > Z) to
knock him down.

  vs. Dragon Champion:

  This guy reminds me of Trident with those @$)!($ fireballs.  DO NOT jump
straight up to avoid them, because they travel too slow.  Leap over them
and try to get in a quick kick!  He seems to have priority in BOTH the air
and the ground, which makes it tough to fight him.  He will block most Lock
and Loads, Overloads, and Throws (unless you're cornered).  Have patience
when fighting this one - don't forget there is no clock.  It seems that the
weakest punches and kicks get through more often than the strongest ones.
While my normal strategy is to get in their face and pound away, you have
to hit-and-run (block) this jerk-wad.  Like the Tiger, use a Vertical Twirl
(U > Z) to knock him down if he goes high.

                            Shadow's Character Guide
                                by Dave Woodall

  General Info:

  Shadow isn't the strongest of the Eternal Champion characters, but she does
have some awesome Special Moves.  The best of these is the Smoke Screen, since
you can control where you reappear.  The pattern is very easy to remember:

                  upper left:  X + Y      Y + Z   :upper right
                  lower left:  A + B      B + C   :lower right

Most of the time, you can catch your opponent in the air with one of the upper
positions, and you'll damage them almost every time.  For the remainder of the
guide, I'll just say "Smoke Screen", but this means to follow with one of the
above re-entry positions (the uppers are best, since you appear doing a kick).
Another useful move is the leaping A, since it will give you "extra air" and
can get you out a close spot very quickly.

  vs. Blade:

  Leaping C!  That's about it.  Fighting Blade is very much like Midknight.
Other than the leaping C, Flying Mines and Smoke Screens keep things
interesting.  If you corner him, give him a Throw.

  vs. Jetta:

  Jump away at the start of every match.  Let her Phase, and do a leaping C.
Repeat!  Most of the time, you'll meet her at the top and win.  If she jumps in
close, do a quick throw.  You might as well, because if she does her Flurry
Kick, you can't block it anyway!  Starting with a Shadow Mode isn't always very
effective since she moves around so fast it's hard to catch her.  If she tries
a Choke Hold, do a Smoke Screen and wham her from behind.

  vs. Larcen:

  Play defensively against Larcen.  He can hurt you in a hurry if you let him!
Keep your distance, but counter his offensive moves.  If he does a Ceiling
Crawl, counter with a leaping C, or a Flying Mine if you're quick.  A Smoke
Screen can also knock him off the ceiling.  When Larcen calls you a Punk,
throw a Flying Mine at him.  Counter a leap with a leaping Y and a Power
Sweep with a leaping C.

  vs. Midknight:

  You can win with only the leaping C!!!  This fight is best kept in the air,
because Midknight will do that annoying Wall Smash otherwise.  Don't throw
projectiles either because he will just get all Misty.  The Smoke Screen is
also fun, and use a Throw if you get cornered.  And don't use the Twirling
Fan Attack - he'll jump over it and attack your behind.

  vs. Rax:

  The toughest for me! (maybe because Rax is my main character).  I like
to start with a Shadow Mode, and quickly hammer away with Z and Y punches.
If you punch instead of Throw (keep your finger off the D button), you can
get four hard punches in followed by a Throw - about 60% damage!  Do a jump A
(straight up) when he does his Jet Knee Smash (zooms across the screen).  If
you are at one end of the playing area, he will stop right next to you, and
you can get 2 Throws in a row! (hold F and keep hammering on Z).  Use Smokes
to catch him in the air, but don't do it when Rax is on the ground, or you'll
get thrown.  Counter leaps with a leaping Y or Z.

  vs. Slash:

  Slash is a sucker for Flying Mines!  80%-90% they'll get thru - and they'll
always get thru if you can catch him doing a Running Head Butt.  When he tries
a Power Thud, either leap in with Z, or Smoke to the side he's on.  Starting
with a Shadow Mode (see Trident's description) also works well.  Slash doesn't
jump much, but if he does, leap back with C.

  vs. Trident:

  Start every match with a Shadow Mode, get over to him fast, and hit him
repeatedly with Y and Z.  If you're quick, you can do about 50% damage before
you come out of it!  Trident loves to jump, and that's a fatal mistake when
playing against Shadow.  Do a Smoke, then appear in the upper corner that
he's facing.  Whammo!  Flying Mines are also great if you can catch him in
the air.  If cornered, Throw.

  vs. Xavier:

  Xavier is tough - he blocks everything.  Like Trident, start every match with
a Shadow Mode.  After that, just wait for him to try a spell, and either leap
over and kick him before he gets it off.  Also good:  Do a Smoke Screen and
before you reappear, hold a Throw in the same direction he's facing (ie. Left
and Z if he's facing left).  You'll appear behind him - and do a Throw!  Works
very well!!!  Lastly, flying Mines only work against leaps, which he doesn't
do very often.

  vs. Champion #1:

  First a general note on beating the Champions:  Start most matches with
your Shadow Mode!!!!  Most of the time, you can do serious damage right off
the bat, then back off and wait for your meter to refill.

  This guy is a lot like Blade.  Use lots of leaping C's and Smoke Screens
to keep him off balance.  If you move away from him, he'll go invincible or
throw the 5 "power balls".  If you try a Shadow, he will go invincible most
of the time.  And your Throw is only effective if you get cornered.  One
thing that is handy is to do a Flying Mine (CB, F > Z) when he leaps into
the air!  This champion is very tough - only because he cheats so much.

  vs. Shark Champion:
  vs. Eagle Champion:
  vs. Tiger Champion:

  I grouped these three together because you can fight them pretty much the
same way.  Basically, the tactic is to start your matches with a Shadow and
inflict as much damage as you can.  Then start a leaping C then leap back
pattern and wait for your I.S. meter to refill.  Repeat.  For these guys,
your Throw is pretty handy as well.  Flying Mines and Smokes are also good
if timed correctly.

  vs. Dragon Champion:

  What makes this guy so tough is that he: 1) Blocks everything, 2) throws
those half-speed fireballs, and 3) executes moves that seem to be un-
blockable.  Shadows, Smokes and Throws will work - granted you can get
close enough to use them.  I try to lure him into a corner (by standing
there myself) and try to get off 2 Throws and leap away.  If at a good
distance and he leaps, fire off a quick Mine.  You can also try the leap
in and out pattern, but he doesn't usually fall for that very long.  Above
all else, young grasshopper - have patience!

                           Slash's Character Guide
                               by David DAuria
  General Info:

     First of all, he's kind of slow.  That's o.k. since he has one main
advantage:  the club.  The club gives him two main advantages:  A long
reach and lots of power to damage with.
     Now, here's some tips and tactics.  First of all, learn to do the
ground thump.(That's y+z.  He jumps way up into the air and drives his club
into the ground)  It maybe be the slowest stunning move in the entire game,
but if your opponent is on the ground when you land he will be stunned.
(Even if he blocks.  I'm not too sure how well this works on humans since
they'll probably try to knock you out of it instead of blocking.  It may
be possible to fake a ground thump by jumping straight up and then just
knock them out of the sky as they try to prevent a thump that's never going
to come)  This move is very effective when the computer is far away.(At mid
and close range, the computer will probably knock you out of it.  This is
especially true of Jetta and Shadow.  Their speed and jumping power make
this quite a dangerous move to attempt so be careful with it against them)
Another thing is that Slash is quite effective in up close battle.  Just pound
away with your club, doing y and z shots.  What's even better up close is his
"Batting Practice" throw.  This is probably the easy throw to get started.
It a good idea to try to get in close for this throw, since you will be
successful quite often.(You do have to time your swing when your opponent
comes down.  When they're about waist high is the right time to swing for
the fences.)  Also, it seems to do more damage than any other throw.(These
2 factors are probably there to make up for the fact you have to time your
swing.  BTW it's really a bad thing when you miss.  Slash becomes so suprised,
He's stunned!)  In the air, Slash has his z club swing.  The good thing
about this is that if you jump back and do this, you reverse directions
and move toward your opponent.  This can suprise many an opponent and
is quite damaging and effective.  Finally, he has his declaw move.
He basically shoots a projectile at an opponent.  I use this to keep
an opponent on his toes.(I'm not sure if this move can be used in a combo
or not)
     Now,  I'm not sure if Slash has any true combos.  It seems that hitting
your opponent with y then z maybe a combo.  He does have the thump and throw
combo.(Not a true combo but it is effective if timed right.)  Basically
You stun your opponent with the thump.  You then go for his throw.(And don't
miss it, against trident you'll probably lose if you miss)  After you
hit him, go for another thump so that you land just after he gets up.
(You'll stun him and get to throw him again)  Just keep this up as long
as you can.(Of course, if you throw him or her first, then go for the thump
when the get up trick.)
  vs. Blade:
  vs. Jetta:
  vs. Larcen:
  vs. Midknight:
  vs. Rax:
  vs. Shadow:
  vs. Slash:
  vs. Trident:
  vs. Xavier:
  vs. Champion #1:
  vs. Shark Champion:
  vs. Eagle Champion:
  vs. Tiger Champion:
  vs. Dragon Champion:

                           Trident's Character Guide
                                by Ryan D Hose

  General Info:

  Basically, he's a kicker.  Use the strongest jumping kicks (jump and C) and 
sweeps (Down and C) for most of the moves.  But keep your finger on Z for 
fireballs and flips.  Awesome Combo - IS must be at full strength (or off).
Lob a fireball, and if it hits, continue.  If not, don't.  When the fireball
connects, walk up to your dazed opponent and do a Spinning Trident (XYZ).
Then, as soon as the person falls back, lob another fireball, which will hit.
Walk up, and throw your opponent.  Then walk up and do a foot sweep.
Guaranteed to take off 80% of their energy. 

  vs. Blade:  Same as Midknight.

  vs. Jetta:

  She was hard for a while until I realized something.  If she 
is just standing there (non-phased) you can jump towards her and do 
either a kick (C) or hit (Z) and she'll jump into it every time.  Watch 
out when she's phased though, just turn on the stun shield and then do 
the jumping again.

  vs. Larcen:  Same as Midknight.

  vs. Midknight:

  Just keep jumping at him and then try two or three sweeps.  If none of
them knock him back, jump back and block before jumping back towards him.

  vs. Rax:  Same as Midknight.

  vs. Shadow:

  Jump back in the very beginning and wait for her to do one of these things
and react accordingly:
  Throws shurkien, knife, bomb, star:  Stand and Block
  Jumps in the air towards you: Jump back
  Jumps in the air towards you, then goes higher for a kick:  Jump back,
    and as she comes down, hit hard kick (C).
  Teleports:  Wait a second, then jump straight up and hard kick (C).  Hit
    the ground pressing down and (C) several times, then jump back.
  Somersaults toward you:  Fireball, then combo.
  Anything else (rare):  Back off and wait for one of these things.

  vs. Slash:

  Same as above, but watch out for thorns.  Also, wait to jump at him until
he tries to do a ground pound.  You can really mess him up that way.

  vs. Xavier:

  Keep a jump distance away from him.  When his staff raises as he's about to
perform a move, jump in and kick (C) him, then sweep two or three times.  The
sweeps probably won't land, and you might get thrown, but in the end you'll
win.  If he keeps coming at you as you stay a jump distance away, lob a
fireball at him and then jump towards him with a kick (C).

  vs. Champion #1:

  Jump kicks work best. Use Jetta's pattern.

  vs. Shark Champion:

  Same as First, but beware the bubble he throws and the Electric Fin.

  vs. Eagle Champion:  Same as Tiger.

  vs. Tiger Champion:

  Same as Jetta, but use fireballs sometimes too.  Stun shield is good here.

  vs. Dragon Champion:

  The toughest one.  Use stun a lot.  Don't try to jump kick him - he's
too fast.


                           Xavier's Character Guide
                                by Jason Adams

  General Info:


  vs. Blade:

  Same opening round instructions as for Jetta.  This sucker always jumps!
His jump is too slow to get him over the Spinning Cane Attack, but if for some
reason he does get over it, and comes in with his lightning bolt, you're in for
a world of hurt.  You'd better block like nobody's business.  The snake does
quite nicely against his shield.

  vs. Jetta:

  Ever noticed how pissed someone gets when they're going for a ceiling grab
and you do the switch thing on them?  Very easy to cheese Jetta.  If you can
throw her once, then you can just walk up and throw her again and again while
she's getting up.  Always start out a first round against a computer Jetta with
a jumping fierce punch.  She always jumps first thing first round.  Second
round she phases first thing.  Jump in again, again with the fierce punch (to
guard against the freak occurence of something other than her Phasing).  She'll
block it as you're coming in.  This situation screams THROW!!!!!  That'll knock
her out of phase.  The rest is cake.

  vs. Larcen:

  Can be a problem if you let him.  If he does the Ceiling Crawl a forward jump
in conjunction with a fierce punch will dissuade him from doing anything else.
If he is coming down the same will work, but if you're that late in doing it
you're probably not quick enough to jump before you're hit.  The light punch
works well on larcen, as well as the light kick.  They also work well in
tandem.

  vs. MidKnight:

  Well, what can I say?  This guy's a sucker for the Spinning Cane Attack.
I think that the fierce punch borders on cheese when fighting MidKnight.  In
a fight with everyone's fav. vamp. stay mid-range.  Don't get close, because
he's got the crouching double punch and a wide variety of other totally
devastating moves from the inside.  Using Xavier I have a lot of luck throwing
MidKnight right after he comes out of the Wall Smash.  And that's the only
thing the Spinning Cane Attack can't stop.

  vs. Rax:

  Don't stand near Rax when you knock him down, or it's throw-slam city.
Otherwise, his sliding crouching punches and kicks are best met with a medium
crouching kick right after your block.  I don't usually use the fierce punch
in this situation for one reason.  If the first hit knocks rax down, then he's
gonna throw you through the second hit.  The cyber kick and punch are painfully
obvious from the telltale sound and windup, so they're no problem to avoid.

  vs. Shadow:

  It's basically just a game of keep-away.  Make sure you stay clear of her at
all times.  The standard wait a couple of seconds and then jump routine works
when she has disappeared, but I would also say to use a jumping (fierce?)
punch, the one that helicopters the staff above your head.  This way when she
comes from the top corners of the screen she'll catch a staff in the legs.
For her cartwheel thing, charge a snake in the air while jumping over her.
If not, the Spinning Cane Attack always hits for some damage when you land.  

  vs. Slash:

  You don't even have to be awake during this fight!! Slash is one of the most
pitiful players EVER DEVELOPED against someone with a long-range attack.  Using
Xavier's Spinning Cane Attack, you shouldn't even get scratched.  He shouldn't
get closer than a cane's length.  You can also win by just pressing Z over and
over.  Doesn't matter, he's dead either way.

  vs. Trident:

  There are two big dont's against Trident:
    1) Don't ever let him get in close.
    2) Don't ever eat a plasma ball.
  You can't stress these enough.  Let number two happen with a player who knows
what he is doing and you are DOL (dead on landing).  Stay medium range so that
a Spinning Cane Attack can cancel a fireball, but don't eat one at medium range
or even a novice can get in and do the grand-slam.  Don't jump.  Don't rush in.  Don't do anything except press the fierce punch, jump straight up and press the
fierce punch, or jump forward and press the fierce punch in response to
Trident's moves.

  vs. Champion #1:
  vs. Shark Champion:
  vs. Eagle Champion:
  vs. Tiger Champion:
  vs. Dragon Champion:

                    ETERNAL CHAMPIONS MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
                  -----------------------------------------

  1) Yes, the computer cheats.  The most obvious form of cheating is when
     the CPU performs Special Moves when it has NO Inner Strength.  Some
     also believe that it cheats by blocking player attacks more effectively
     than possible, and by "breaking through" player's valid blocks.  But
     these are difficult to prove.  Sega only admits to I.S. cheating.


