Model ZX vs. Model OX - Saber Speed Comparison
79Within my ZX Omega analysis piece, I belabored the point regarding Model ZX’s lack of battle acumen versus Z3 Zero; this video is meant to serve as a palpable demonstration of that point by comparing Model ZX to Z3 Zero’s nearest analog: Model OX. For as much as I wrote about the minutiae of Omega himself, it’s undeniable that a substantial portion of the challenge was inflicted by virtue of my compulsion to succeed using the ZX-Saber only.
The descriptor, “Saber Speed Comparison” was chosen for the specialized nature of this video. My intention isn’t to showcase OX’s full suite, rather, it’s to illustrate the fundamental differences in striking speed between the Biometals and the entailing consequences.
The comparison is structured thus: Omega is my test dummy of choice. Perhaps using the hardest boss in the series for this experiment isn’t wise, but conversely, it should drive the point home nicely. Both ZX and OX are restricted to using their respective sabers only; ranged weapons are holstered for this fight. OX also has access to “EX Skills” via its Overdrive, naturally, I eschew these as well for the sake of fairness, seeing as how ZX possesses no such moves. With this set of rules, the intrinsic advantage OX has should become readily apparent.
Luck is a major factor in the battle against Omega, and I’d argue this is the most contentious point regarding his use as a dummy. For this reason, I recorded another fight for the ZX portion of the video rather than recycling the already existing footage from my run. Ideally, I want to control the number of times Omega uses Rekkoha; although this isn’t an absolute speed comparison of the battle, I wanted to achieve some degree of fairness. Omega heals twice in the ZX fight versus once in the OX fight, that’s about the best I can hope for given how much longer it takes to defeat him with ZX. The frequency with which Omega uses Ryuenjin—consequently opening himself up to counterattacks—is the other major chance-driven component. I’ve less control over this than the former, but it’s worth noting that Omega is kinder to OX during the course of the comparison regarding this.
Glaringly obvious is the difference in execution speed of the grounded slashes. Model ZX’s bespoke slashing animations are visually pleasing but inferior in the metric of speed. Model OX rightfully retains Z3 Zero’s blisteringly fast cuts. If you have a completed postgame save of ZX, I implore you to boot it up and compare the two for yourself.
ZX’s attacking speed is too slow to keep Omega stunned for the duration of the triple slash; the only surefire chance you have at escaping unscathed is if Omega uses Rekkoha, which offsets the additional damage dealt anyway, defeating the purpose. For this reason, I never even attempt to use a double slash with ZX let alone a triple slash; the risk-reward proposition just isn’t there. As demonstrated, OX suffers no such ills; while not 100% consistent, it can keep Omega stunned while inflicting knockback over 95% of the time in my estimation. A knock-on effect of forcing Omega to flinch twice is that he’ll be further back upon initiating his next maneuver, thus making escape trivial for OX.
Luckily, there is no conspicuous difference between the two regarding the spin slash; landing while in the middle of executing a spin slash is another story. Model OX’s first slash has nigh instantaneous startup; leading into a triple slash while landing is no issue at all if you just mash the attack button. Frequently, you’ll observe me relinquishing the opportunity to follow up with a single ground slash in the ZX fight. Unlike the mindless mashing OX affords players, ZX requires actual thought and timing on account of the risk of overextending your combo. Although rare, there will be occasions where Omega will retaliate before ZX can initiate its first ground slash; this mostly happens in scenarios where Omega lands before the player while he’s still being assailed by the spin slash.
Ultimately, this means that using Model OX—even when relegated to no Overdrive—almost guarantees that every counterattack opportunity will deal a minimum of 16 damage, and usually more. The nature of all battles, but particularly one as luck driven as this, is that the longer you deign to dance around, the greater the risk of failure becomes. To say that Model OX’s offensive prowess dampens the otherwise overwhelming challenge is a bit of an understatement. To provide some perspective, the OX recording in this video took a total of 3 minutes to achieve. Granted, there is a lot of luck involved; I was graced with an exceptional pattern, and the prior hours of practice with Model ZX allowed for snappier reactions to Omega’s movements.
For those seeking a challenge, I recommend confining yourself to Model ZX; doing so extracts the true potential of the battle, making the triumph of victory supremely satisfying.
Other Videos By DZ3
Other Statistics
Mega Man ZX Statistics For DZ3
There are 7,704 views in 9 videos for Mega Man ZX. Less than an hour worth of Mega Man ZX videos were uploaded to his channel, roughly 3.18% of the content that DZ3 has uploaded to YouTube.