First of all, congratulations! It is always a joy when someone manages to clear this for the first time. The reason I use Taunt Up +8 is that Taunt Up chips do not stack. You can test this yourself (which I recommend doing if you're curious) in the debug room by spawning invincible enemies and looking at the damage numbers using various levels of Taunt Up chips in combination. Also, if Taunt Up chips did stack, the most efficient combination would be +3, +2, +0. You need to subtract 100% from each, add them up, and then add 100% back in. Offensive Heal +6 works. In my test runs with different weapons and chips, I often use Offensive Heal +6, but in this video I used Offensive Heal +7 because I didn't find anything better to do with the space. I find that it's hard even for me to beat this time, because it requires perfect execution on every single part. I know that A2 can use the flashlight as well, but the best way to do that would be to use a turbo controller and I didn't want to do that. This game is fairly interesting when you restrict yourself to level 1 with the Proof of Oath. Route A can be done pretty easily (and quickly) at level 1 using the chips shown in this video. Route C, on the other hand, requires constant use of Counter, because all of your attacks will do 0 damage, even with this setup.

Thanks! I sort of just sat there stunned that I managed to finish it, because if I somehow didn't make a mistake and got to Shade Adam and Eve, I kept getting surprise kick-juggled or silicon+carbon blocked to death. And, you were right! Taunt chips don't stack, indeed. Damn, and here I thought that people didn't experiment with higher "stacks" to exceed 500% by some amount (which exact amount of excess I didn't figure out, but when you put the would-be computation that way, it makes a whole lot more sense). I was just using the game's alert to tell me when I hit the limit... Oops. Yeah, then the Taunt +8 is the only way to go for the maximum 500% strength increases. On that note, sometimes I was curious about whether their alert about hitting the limit in the chip category was always accurate. There's a strange, alleged chip stack for Resilience: If you have two Resilience +0 chips, the game will tell you that you hit the maximum output, even though it makes more sense that two Resilience +3 is the best load. But since I never really cared about Resilience chips for what I was doing, I thought it was an odd accidental find, but I didn't care to test that. Yeah, the toggle light taunt method is really inconvenient for regular PS4 controller users. I felt like I was going to shorten my controller's life by doing this. I definitely wouldn't be smashing L3 in during the whole trial, but it saves a second of A2's taunt time, just here and there--but then it's a matter of making sure everything else you do or didn't do doesn't nullify how much time you saved by toggle light taunting, which might be more luck than not at your level of gameplay. I have no idea how one might go about topping that. On the note of restricting level in gameplay, I was originally considering doing a minimal chips, no items, no offensive pod program, and passive support run of Routes A and B at levels 1 and 5, respectively (I have yet to test if no-buff level 5 against Eve at 48 is doable without help, however). When I was doing my pseudo low level runs (without Proof of Oath and the fruits), my experience has been you can finish Route A at level 13; B at 23; and C at 35, but even beginning at level 27 for Route C was proving to be really difficult at the time (because the high potential of being IKO-ed without chips or buffs), without enhancement items and Spear of the Usurper. This time around, I originally intended to shoot for eventually finishing C at level 10 with Weapons Attack Up +8, Taunt +8 (not two +4s, after testing), maybe Last Stand +8, Melee/Range Attack Up items, and if I failed badly, Spear of the Usurper, but actually, the counter idea might be far cooler to consider, now. I was always a crappy counter-er (in the chip's sense), but that might be the most satisfactory way to go through C, without eventually cheesing my way through, hahaha. I apologize for more essay vomiting.

If you've attempted the special rank as many times as I have, you eventually get to a point where you can see Adam and Eve's attacks coming from a mile away. You die because you decided to throw one more hit instead of dodging their attack. For a fast time, you want to be continuously landing hits whenever they're not attacking. Sometimes, you let them hit you because you wouldn't beat your best time anyways. I find that flashlight taunting has a very small area of effect, and it takes almost as long as taunting. Furthermore, you can taunt as the enemies are dropping, so there's no time lost that way. Another approach is to switch to gauntlets to taunt (due to the fast taunt animation), and then switch back to small swords, but taunting while the enemies are dropping largely eliminates the benefits of doing this. Counter is the only practical way to deal damage in Route C while restricting yourself to level 1, even with Weapon Attack +8, Critical Up +8, Taunt Up +8, Melee Attack Up items, and berserk. This is because at level 1, all of your attacks do 0 damage. Taunt multiplies that by 5, which is still 0, and critical multiplies that by 5, which is still 0. There are other ways to deal damage at level 1, for example using Vengeance +8 with Reset +8 or berserk and intentionally taking hits. Of course, this is quite impractical. I haven't tried this at level 10, so you might be able to deal damage, but Counter would likely still be much faster.

You know, I was beginning to suspect that toggle light taunting did have a smaller radius (or perhaps it's more about where your pod blinks), but I thought that was just me. I guess the added benefit would be that you can attack while taunting, but that smaller AOE--now that I know I'm not the only one who suspected this--makes it all the less worth it, unless you want to target one particular foe. Not useful then for this rank where numbers and area of enemy coverage are the killer, so scratch that idea, hahaha. On the note of ideas to toss out--but this one is really ridiculous--maybe there's an optimally low Offensive Heal and decently high Last Stand to be worth the boost, in the place of Offensive Heal +7 and maybe Overclock +3. However, I'm not at a point of skill where I can easily test this out. That will require a level of timed skill and a good post-berserk hobble that I wouldn't be comfortable with, not to mention a lot of tedious P/M-shield or Slow pod program maybe. But perhaps the option to berserk burst almost every round might make this even more worth it. As for low level running, if one wanted to preserve story linearity in gameplay, then there will be dreaded small flyers to be wary of in Route C. If there's way to counter them, I certainly haven't noticed, and these machines are everywhere. Spear of the Usurper may be doable, but I just saw the abysmal amount of damage I was doing at level 9, and decided that level 10 is probably still too difficult to be practical or satisfying with 9S in particular. Perhaps a 1-10-15 run is a better idea. I want to see if I can reasonably maintain levels which are no more than a quarter of those of the final boss levels in each route, and find something interesting like FFXII's 122333 challenge.

Again, geez, my essays. Please don't feel pressured to reply in the same quantity if it's too much time!

Keep trying and I'm sure you can do this too.

Pipboy3004 Congrats! You’ll probably find the second time a lot easier even not on Easy difficulty, especially since you lose all your HP on one hit on any difficulty with this chipset.

I was thinking of replaying this game but I want to keep my weapons etc, but as low level, seems like it's not going to happen there's no way im boringly grinding for getting the best stuff just to be able to beat this challenge to replay the game without having to go lvl 99 against lvl 1 seems like this game is going to the shelf now and I'm never coming back to it

@@ukko8457 all I can say is it is a definite grind, it's not for everyone but it was still fun.

Thanks! I use an all-out dps build.

@@atmoer Any tips for farming the chips needed for this load out? (I already figured out the fusing system, I just need more diamond chips)

Hi Sung, this build is good for this challenge. This build is also good for going through the game as well, with some changes like movement speed or evade if desired.

@@atmoer Thank you for responding! what would you recommend for going through the game on hard or very hard difficulty?

Thanks! Probably the Forest special rank is the easiest, and then the Desert special rank, and then the Flooded City special rank is the hardest.

Iida-kun Thanks. Most of the chips were from the desert arena I think, and some from repeatedly clearing this arena.

Joseph Choi Ah thanks that is unfortunate with this arena as I haven’t been able to beat it. If you already completed the desert arena though, could you replay it and still get the chips?

Iida-kun Yes, you can replay the desert arena to get more chips. All chips can be obtained without the arenas, so you can try to find out which spawns drop which chips and farm those.

Joseph Choi alright I’ve been farming and redid the arenas. Thanks I appreciate it

berserk mode perks in case you didn't know still

Do you use the taunt up before attacking the boss?

Dylan Jones Are you sure that the plug in chips are exactly the same, or is it what you assume to be equivalent? Some chips don’t stack the way you might expect, most notably the Taunt chip.

Rt I don't even know a way to destroy them quickly xD

Yoooooo, I forgot I commented this on somewhere. I bested them after like 4 days straight of attempts all that time ago. Basically a mix of A2's berserk, taunting (quadrupling attack damage), and getting critical hits kills even the bosses in a few hits. So much time has passed since I did this that by now I have my own completion uploaded onto my channel. But anyways. This challenge was by far the most difficult gaming feat I've accomplished.

@@chokeonbread7285 I saw that video Sir, and I hope I had a chance against Adam and Eva xD they are so annoying, I want too finish that game to 100% and I saww you got a lot of experience to beated that stage, that's admirableee

Yeah took an absurd amount of trial and error.

@@chokeonbread7285 :"(

Heavy, light, heavy, light, heavy, light.

Strong, thanks!

Thanks!

You can change the zoom in the settings.

You can fuse two +6 chips to get +7, and two +7 chips to get +8.

@@atmoer oh sorry I mean the ones with the diamond, I made some +8 but their costs were too high you know, like yours have the lowest storage cost possible when they show the diamond, so you farmed for them or just fused?

@@saulogarlet1181 You can get diamonds when you fuse diamonds.

Thanks. This took a lot of tries.

I obtained my +8 diamond chips before the DLC was released. Weapon Attack from Chapter 17. Critical Up from Chapter 10. Shockwave from Chapter 17. Offensive Heal from Chapter 17. Overclock from Chapter 9. Taunt from Chapter 3. You can also complete the special rank at the desert arena or flooded city arena to obtain multiple +6 chips. I don't think Drop Rate Up chips affect the arena prizes.

Joseph Choi where do taunt chips drop in ch3? did you farm shockeave in adam's pit? and offensive heal in forest kingdom?

Taunt chips can be found in the desert. You are right about Shockwave and Offensive Heal.

Joseph Choi thanks a lot

Of course.

Yes. I got it from the music CD, but I hear you can get it from the arena DLC as well. I think it's only included for some regions and systems though.

Thanks!

Only one I tried beating it over n over and it gives just one

COMBO BREAKER 96 Taunt Up does not stack, you must use +8 for the full effect.

@@atmoer Damn, back to farming then. Thanks for the reply.

firstname lastname You have to hold the laser for a bit and then release. Pod upgrades may be needed.

@@atmoer but weren't you using melee shield?

Off lazer pod not lazer pod program cool thanks!

You can obtain diamond chips from the arenas. In fact, it is one of the fastest ways to obtain high level diamond chips.

Damn. I should stop wasting my time in chapter and buy the DLC. I don't it yet sadly xD. Thanks for the prompt response, btw. You earned a sub!

Thanks. The DLC is very good if you like challenges.

I definitely will buy it very soon. Thanks again man

Joseph Choi Hi! so I bought the dlc, but I do not exactly know how to "farm the chips", so far I've tried special rank in desert and looks like I only got the rewards once. does it need to be in the flooded city?

Yup.

@@atmoer There is a better build than this)

@@xaksflaks1768 Yup. I haven't tried to get a better time since I posted this video.

emp activated What bouncy thing do you speak of? If you’re referring to the ricocheting lasers, hold the laser for a bit and let go. You may need a fully upgraded laser for this ability.

Joseph Choi oh, well thyme to look for materials

Offensive Heal and Overclock diamond chips can be obtained in the forest arena.

Oh, Special Rank or Lower? :( I can't beat Special right now

Special Rank.

toshio1334 Really is that true?

@@atmoer late asf, but no, thats cap, hacking minigames are really challenging on bosses, on normal enemies it's just the same as ever. I actually find this challenge easier if you just hack waves with stun equip and just kill the bosses normaly, thats the way that works for me

toshio1334 I think you can’t use auto chips, but normal chips are okay to use.

I still remember when the fastest was still at 7 minutes. You really did it

jase276 haha, thanks. I stopped playing this game a while ago, but I had the best time for a few months. I think the best now is about a minute less.

I don’t think it’s even possible tbh you kind of need B mode

Do your best!

My copy of Automata is w/ my friend, at the moment; the love deserves to be shared. But when I get it back, some distant time in the future, I'll take a run at it, sure.

Thanks

I used the desert arena Special Rank to obtain my taunt chips. You can also obtain them in Chapter 2 as 2B or 9S in the desert. The flyers drop taunt chips.

I see. What is the level of taunt chips obtained from the desert arena Special Rank and can it be farmed repeatedly?

The desert arena Special Rank gives Taunt Up +6 and can be done repeatedly.

I see. That is certainly a good way to farm it though. How long did you take to get enough chips for +8?Diamond chips are usually rare drops from arena fights.

An hour or two I think.

shadow19831 Weapon Attack x2, Shock Wave x2, Taunt Up x5, and Berserk x2 all add up... or should I say, multiply up.

@@atmoerhow do U multiply them?

can u tell me how u get the Diamond chip for the Shockwave +8 and which chapter and character did u use to farm it? i cant seem to get any when i keep farming at the desert pit...

I obtained Shockwave chips at the desert pit in Chapter 17.

which section of chap 17 tho

Chapter 17-03, desert pit.

thank you so much man u ve been a great help

lee xiao mao You can farm these chips by beating the arenas again and again. I think this is the fastest way to farm these chips.

@@atmoer thx becouse now i farming 2day ago very long time