Ninja Gaiden Black : Chapter 6 - Combat & Enemy Data Analysis | "By the Numbers"

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Guilty Gaming

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Published on August 27, 2023 11:46:35 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkOoOcS_BGs

Game:

Ninja Gaiden Black (2005)

Duration: 22:56

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27

0:00 Intro
5:47 NGB Chapter 6 [Normal]

Hey everybody, Guilty here and wow—it’s been a while since the last “Numbers” episode, right? Well, let’s get into it.

Here we are in NGB, Chapter 6, on Normal difficulty, where we are introduced to more of the demons Rachel was telling us about: the auburn-skinned Shadow or Kage demons (影); the scythe-wielding Warrior Monks or Sohei (僧兵); the winged Wasps or Hachi Mushi (ハチ虫); the undead Ghuuls (グール); and the chapter boss, Kaseki Kyōryū (化石恐竜), the Fossil Dinosaur.

Chapter 6 also introduces Fiend Challenges, or what the Sigma Master Collection calls “Ambushes.” These encounters are optional, so I will present two different numbers when briefing out how many of each enemy I fought. For example, in Chapter 6, not counting the Fiend Challenge: I fought 52 Shadows, 11 Monks, 24 Wasps, and 50 Ghuuls. And with the Fiend Challenge, I fought 91 Shadows, 31 Monks, 24 Wasps, and 50 Ghuuls.

The standard health value for the Shadow demons is 600 points, considering every one of them spawned at that value. The standard health pool for the Monks is 1000 points. Excluding the Fiend Challenge, 9 (or 81%) spawned at 1000 and 2 spawned with 1400. Including the Fiend Challenge, 15 (or 48%) spawned at 1000; 2 spawned with 1400; 2 spawned at 1200; and 2 spawned with 800. The standard health value for the Wasps are 400 points. 18 (or 75%) spawned at 400 and 6 spawned with 560 points. I don’t want to declare a “standard” or average health value for the Ghuuls as it would appear the values are… particular. For instance, Axe-Zombies (of which, there were 21) typically spawned with 1400 points; and Mace-Zombies (16) typically spawned with 1600 points, although there were some that spawned at 1800. Of the 8 Archers, 2 spawned with 1000 and 6 spawned with 1200 points.

Still on the topic of the Zombies, like the horses in chapter 2, there is apparently a damage resistance mechanic at play under-the-hood. I initially discovered hints of this when recording the Armlets video, but after finishing my research and analysis of chapter 6, it’s rather conclusive that attacking a Ghuul head-on usually results in that attack only doing half-damage. This mostly affected light attacks, but it did extend to ETs and UTs, too. In today’s video, these weathered attacks are marked with blue numerals.

I released the Vigoorian Flail showcase video a few days ago because I acquire and max them out in this chapter. And, of course, found out something brand new and incredibly insane: the Flails have a damage multiplier. Not an unrestricted multiplier, mind you. This multiplier only affects Ultimate Techniques and, so far, only affects the Ghuuls and the Wasps. The Flails’ Ultimate Technique, Gathering Clouds, hits 11 times for 1680 total damage at level 1 and 2520 damage at level 2. The opening strike is never multiplied (though Ghuuls can “resist” it), but each subsequent hit is inexplicably multiplied by 2.5, elevating the damage per hit from 80 to 200, or 120 to 300. What’s more, if the Ghuul is somehow able to resist those hits too, the resistance calculation is taken after the multiplier is applied. So, worst-case scenario, Ryu will still do more damage (if only slightly) than he would against a traditional enemy, like the Shadow.

Now, that 2.5 multiplier was only specific to the Ghuuls. For the Wasps, the multiplier is even higher: 6. Again, the opening hit is not multiplied, but each subsequent strike—including the finisher, that already does double the damage as the opener—is boosted by 6. That’s an increase from 80 to 480 at level 1, or 120 to 720 for level 2. I had to give the Wasps about 10,000 HP to test my initial hypothesis the Flails UT had some sort of instant-kill property. They don’t—they just do an absolute mega-shit-ton of damage. For a more detailed study of the Flails and its technique list, be sure to check out the Flails Showcase video I recently published.

Finally, a quick word about the Fossil Dinosaur. This fight is much more straightforward when compared to Hydracubus. This boss has 10,000 HP split across his four limbs: 2,000 per arm and 3,000 per leg. Damaging a limb only affects that specific limb and there is no regen or regrowth mechanic. He can just be a little squirrely.

Well, I think that’s everything. There were some funny little quirks playing this chapter, like clearly sticking the Monks with incendiaries and the ensuing explosion deciding to just not do any damage, but I’m happy to finally push this baby out and get back on track.

Chapter 7 is next and although I max out the Dragon Sword at the first Muramasa, it’s a much shorter chapter and I no kidding burn Alma’s ass, so expect another “Numbers” before the next Showcase.

Thanks for stopping by. Like, subscribe, go outside.

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