Castlevania: Circle of the Moon/DSS


 * Type: Category of attack
 * Strike: Modifies the standard whip strike
 * Boost: Increases a specific stat
 * Absorb: Attacks heal you instead of losing HP
 * Healing: Restores HP
 * Projectile: Thrown objects (not necessarily long range)
 * Shield: Blocks projectiles and/or damages enemies at close range
 * Tool: Useful as a tool for navigating through the castle
 * Summon: A creature or projectile is called that attacks on its own
 * Misc.: Something that doesn't fit into another category
 * MP Cost: Cost of MP to use. If your MP recovery rate is greater than or equal to the cost, the combo is basically free
 * Stats: What stats are affected by activating the combo
 * Effects: What the combo does (besides the stat boosts)
 * Description: In-game description of combo

Mercury/Salamander

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 6/Attack
 * Stats: STR +5%
 * Effects: Engulfs whip in flames
 * Description: Fire whip to attack enemies.

Somewhat useful against ice-based enemies, though you're better off using the Venus/Salamander combo to boost your strength by 25% against all enemies regardless of element type.

Mercury/Serpent

 * Type: Strike/Tool
 * MP Cost: 2/Attack
 * Stats: STR -30%
 * Effects: Turns whip into ice
 * Description: Ice whip. Frozen enemies can be used as platforms.

More useful as a tool to freeze the Brain Floats for use as stepping stones than as an offensive weapon. In theory it's effective against fire enemies, however the 30% strength penalty completely negates any elemental damage. You can actually do equal damage to a fire enemy with the Mercury/Salamander combo as you can with this one.

Mercury/Mandragora

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 6/Attack
 * Stats: STR +10%
 * Effects: Turns whip into a bouquet of roses.
 * Description: Whip of Thorns to attack enemies.

Nothing special except it gives your whip the plant elemental. As the number of enemies weak against plant are few and far between, this isn't a particularly useful combo.

Mercury/Golem

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 8/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Earth based attack and extends the length of the whip.
 * Description: Earth whip to attack distant enemies.

Potentially useful as enemies have this annoying habit of hanging on ledges above you and standing back just far enough that you can't hit them with a normal whip. However, since it also adds the earth element to your whip, it tends to lessen the damage dealt. Most of the time you can just use an axe to hit them instead.

Mercury/Cockatrice

 * Type: Strike/Tool
 * MP Cost: 6/Attack
 * Stats: STR +10%
 * Effects: Stone attack that can petrify enemies when they are low on HP.
 * Description: Stone whip. Enemies turned to stoned can be used as platforms.

Basically the same as the Mercury/Serpent combo, except you get a small strength boost instead of a large penalty. As both combos are fairly useless as attacks and better used as tools, stick with the Serpent combo as it costs less.

Mercury/Manticore

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 6/Attack
 * Stats: STR -10%
 * Effects: Whip upwards to release a small could of poison in front of you that continually damages enemies. Similar to the holy water sub-weapon.
 * Description: Poison whip that will release a mist of poison.

Useful for the occasional time when holy water would be useful, but you can't find one or don't want to give up your current sub-weapon.

Mercury/Griffin

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 10/Attack
 * Stats: STR -13%
 * Effects: Holding the attack button causes continual forward attack instead of circular whipping.
 * Description: Wind whip. Continuous attack will occur while attack is held.

In addition to the strength penalty, the rapid whipping does about half the damage as the initial strike. That said, it's still much more powerful than the circular whipping (which does 10% of the normal damage) and has the full range of the whip. Useful against slow moving enemies such as the Armors.

Mercury/Thunderbird

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 10/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Lighting based attack when using circular whipping attack. Normal strike is non-elemental.
 * Description: Electric whip. Will electrocute while attack is held.

Potentially useful in areas where you're getting attacked by weak flying enemies (Bats, Medusa Heads, etc.). However, unless you have very low levels, your non-enhanced whip will be enough to kill them in one hit.

Mercury/Unicorn

 * Type: Healing/Strike
 * MP Cost: 20/Attack
 * Stats: STR +22%
 * Effects: Strikes with a holy attack and heals you with each swing.
 * Description: Holy whip. Health is replenished with each swing of the whip.

Healing amount is equal to Jupiter/Mandragora, except you don't have to be stationary to use it. However, it costs more and is slower. Still, a very useful combo in boss fights and times when you are constantly whipping. Note that it only works with whip strikes; circular whipping does not restore any HP.

Mercury/Black Dog

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 40/Attack
 * Stats: STR +40%
 * Effects: Hitting an enemy leaves a dark cloud on them that rapidly drains their HP.
 * Description: Darkness whip to attack and envelop enemies in darkness.

Costly, but incredibly powerful as the dark cloud drains life several times faster than poison. Additionally, this gives you the largest strength boost of any DSS combo.

Venus/Salamander

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: STR +25%
 * Effects: --
 * Description: Inflicted damage increases by 25%.

The first combo you'll get, this is useful until the end of the game when you get the.

Venus/Serpent

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: DEF +25%
 * Effects: --
 * Description: Defense increases by 25%.

As a low cost way of raising defense significantly, this card is very useful if you don't yet have the to completely absorb the element of enemies that cause problems.

Venus/Mandragora

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: LCK + 25%
 * Effects: --
 * Description: Luck increases by 25%.

If you don't think this combo is useful, then you don't understand how the luck stat works. Luck is what determines how often an enemy drops items and cards. The higher it is the fewer enemies you have to kill to get what you want. This is especially useful when going after cards as the base drop rate for them is usually between 1 in 33 to 1 in 100.

Venus/Golem

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 16/Time
 * Stats: DEF + ?
 * Effects: --
 * Description: Defense increases as the % of the map uncovered increase.

Basically, the more rooms of the castle you visit, the higher the defense boost. You can check your rate on the status screen. Not particularly useful until very late in the game, especially with the high MP cost.

Venus/Cockatrice

 * Type: Misc.
 * MP Cost: 2/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Experience increased by 1 point for ever couple of steps.
 * Description: Gains experience points from walking.

Free experience - sounds great, doesn't it? It's not - this combo is actually worthless unless you play really cheap. Unless you're playing as a Magician, by the time you get this card you will need thousands of experience points to gain a single level, which equates to hours of walking. There is a glitch where you can tape down the attack button while Nathan is facing a wall immediately after coming out of a slide attack. This counts as walking, so you gain experience and since your MP recovery rate is higher than the cost to use this, you never run out of magic. At this point you can just walk away from the game and come back in a day to have gotten a lot of free experience. You earn about 1exp per second, so that equals 86,400 experience a day. If you do this at level 1 (which you can if you're playing in Magician mode), you'll get up to level 22.

If you're going to use the card as it was intended, it's not worth while as you'll gain a trivial amount of experience. The entire game should take less than 10 hours, which means that if you had this card on every second of the game and were constantly walking, you would only gain 36,000 experience, which is only enough for a few levels. Factor in that you aren't actually walking through much of the game (standing still while attacking and jumping do not get you experience). In the end, even if you never unequipped this combo, much less used a different one, you would probably only get a few thousand exp out of it.

Just level up normally and use Pluto/Mandragora. Chances are that with the number of enemies that you need to kill to get the twenty cards, you won't have to do much level grinding anyway.

Venus/Manticore

 * Type: Misc.
 * MP Cost: 2/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Gains double hearts.
 * Description: Gains double the amount of hearts received.

This effect doesn't work with the heart restoring items that you select from the menu - only the small (+1) and large (+5) hearts found in candles and from enemies. Even so, it is a great time saver when you need to restock your hearts after a boss fight.

Venus/Griffin

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: INT +25%
 * Effects: --
 * Description: Intelligence increases by 25%

Like several of the other combinations in the Venus series, this gives a flat boost to a stat. Higher intelligence means stronger magic and a much faster MP recovery rate. This is the only magic spell that can be used to recover MP. Unfortunately, with the MP Cost, your intelligence will have to be very high in order for this combo to actually raise your recovery rate - anything under 1920 and you're better off not using it. As no class except for the Magician will ever go over 1080 intelligence, this combo is of little practical use.

Venus/Thunderbird

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 16/Time
 * Stats: STR + ?
 * Effects: --
 * Description: Damage increases as the % of the map uncovered increases.

The twin of the Venus/Golem combo, this raises your defense as you explore more of the castle. As with the other combination, the high cost and necessity of exploring most of the castle prevent this from being that useful.

Venus/Unicorn

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 8/Time
 * Stats: STR -50%, DEF +100%
 * Effects: --
 * Description: Defense x 2 while inflicted damage is 1/2.

Trading your strength for your defense is actually quite useful at certain times - specifically when you are fleeing for your life to a save room. Since you'll probably want to avoid fighting as much as possible, you don't need the strength and the more defense you have the better.

Venus/Black Dog

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 8/Time
 * Stats: STR +100%, DEF -50%
 * Effects: --
 * Description: Inflicted damage x2 while defense is 1/2.

The opposite of the Venus/Unicorn combo in many ways, specifically in the sense that while the Venus/Unicorn combo was a good way to stay alive, this combo is a good way to become dead. Since, for most enemies, high strength goes hand in hand with high defense, if an enemy is so powerful that you need to double your strength then chances are that halving your defense will just result in you being mauled to death twice as fast. If you need more strength, use the Venus/Salamander combo instead or find equipment that boosts your strength without sacrificing [as much] defense.

Jupiter/Salamander

 * Type: Projectile/Shield
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Two fireballs slowly rotate around you, damaging whatever they hit.
 * Description: 2 fireballs circle you in defense.

The fireballs generally move too slowly to block projectiles, but do a decent amount of damage to enemies. Quite useful when fighting in close quarters.

Jupiter/Serpent

 * Type: Projectile/Shield
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Four ice blocks quickly rotate around you, freezing enemies.
 * Description: 4 ice balls circle you in defense. These can freeze enemies.

Since the ice block move fairly quickly, they do a decent job of blocking projectiles. Additionally, they can freeze enemies which further prevents damage. Very useful for climbing the towers infested with Bats and Medusa Heads. Note that while this combo can freeze enemies, it does not make a good tool for climbing, as enemies will be damaged as you stand on them, most likely killing your platform before you can jump off.

Jupiter/Mandragora

 * Type: Healing
 * MP Cost: 16/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Heals as long as you remain stationary.
 * Description: If stationary, health will gradually replenish.

Stand still, get healed. The usefulness of this combo should be really obvious. When it says stationary, it means stationary - no whipping or using sub-weapons. This means that you can't use it if you are in the middle of a fight, but it is very useful as a way of healing up after you've cleared out a room. The amount of HP recovered is small, so it's unlikely that you'll be able to fully restore your HP even if you drain your MP completely, it's still better than nothing.

Jupiter/Golem

 * Type: Defense
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: The amount of time you remain invincible is quadrupled.
 * Description: If damaged, the invincibility duration is x 4.

This does not absorb any damage or prevent you from being thrown, however it is very useful against bosses like Adramelech and Death who like to blanket the entire area with projectiles.

Jupiter/Cockatrice

 * Type: Defense
 * MP Cost: 8/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Immunity from petrification, but at the cost of your speed and jumping ability.
 * Description: Transform into stone and become invulnerable.

The in-game description is a flat out lie. You take just as much damage as you do normally. The big differences are that you can't be thrown and you are immune to petrification. However this comes at a high cost as you can't run, can't double or kick jump, normal jump at about half the height, and walk at half speed. Since the vast majority of times when you have to worry about petrification is when you need to run and jump between platforms, the loss of your jumping ability renders this card almost useless. It can be useful in the rare occasion when you want to stand in front of a stationary enemy and attack constantly without worry about your HP.

Jupiter/Manticore

 * Type: Projectile/Shield
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Poison clouds quickly burst out of you hitting anything at close range.
 * Description: A cloud of poison spreads to protect you.

One of the most useful shield combos, this does a very good job of blocking projectiles as you are almost completely covered in clouds. It doesn't offer full protection, but will probably be more than enough until you can use the Jupiter/Unicorn combo.

Jupiter/Griffin

 * Type: Projectile/Shield
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: An energy barrier is projected in front of you while dashing, damaging enemies.
 * Description: While dashing, a sonic wave appears to protect you.

It could have been useful, except for one major issue. It works wonderfully if you can kill all of the monsters that you run through in one hit, but you'll still take damage if you run into something without killing it. It also shuts off if you get hit or jump. Since it does less damage than your kick-slide, you might as well just slide your way through an area instead of using this combination.

Jupiter/Thunderbird

 * Type: Defense
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Cuts damage in half, but every hit will throw you, even ones that normally don't.
 * Description: You will be sent flying when damaged, but takes 1/2 damage.

Very useful as it doesn't actually cause you to be thrown any further than normal. However, every attack, no matter what kind or how weak, will throw you (including running into things). So, if you're fighting something that always throws you anyway, you have a way of doubling your life with no noticeable drawbacks.

Jupiter/Unicorn

 * Type: Shield
 * MP Cost: 8/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: A barrier will surround you, blocking most projectiles and damaging enemies.
 * Description: A circular barrier will surround you.

This does what the Jupiter/Griffin fails to do: work as a shield that allows you to run through a room without worrying about enemies. The barrier blocks any destroyable projectile and does the same about of damage as a whip strike, so if you can defeat the enemies in one hit, you can just dash through the corridor. It makes a perfect barrier for climbing the towers.

Jupiter/Black Dog

 * Type: Shield
 * MP Cost: 8/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: A barrier surrounds you, damaging enemies and blocking projectiles, but drains your HP.
 * Description: A black hole barrier will surround you, but HP is drained.

Much like the Jupiter/Unicorn shield, but with two differences. First, it does about twice as much damage and second, it puts you in a poisoned state. It's a trade-off that is occasionally worth it, but most of the time you should use the Jupiter/Unicorn shield instead.

Mars/Salamander

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 8/Attack
 * Stats: STR +10%
 * Effects: Swings a flaming sword.
 * Description: Attack with a fire sword.

Somewhat useful at times, but more because you can hit things above you than because of the fire element or strength boost.

Mars/Serpent

 * Type: Strike/Tool
 * MP Cost: 4/Attack
 * Stats: STR -30%
 * Effects: Swings an ice sword; freezes enemies.
 * Description: Attack with an ice sword. Can free enemies.

Basically a sword version of Mercury/Serpent. Very fast, but since it has a much shorter range that the whip, when it comes to freezing enemies to use as platforms, the whip is actually more effective.

Mars/Mandragora

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 10/Attack
 * Stats: STR +12%
 * Effects: Turns whip into a gigantic bundle of flowers, swung like a sword.
 * Description: Attack with a rose sword.

Interesting effect, if not particularly useful. The "sword" is significantly larger than other Mars weapons, so it can, in theory, hit more enemies at once.

Mars/Golem

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 4/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Swings a large, but incredibly slow hammer than can cause earthquakes.
 * Description: Attack with a massive hammer. Causes earthquakes.

Worthless as the swing is way to slow to do anything but give the enemies more time to hit you. The earthquake causes trivial damage, and only works on enemies standing on the ground.

Mars/Cockatrice

 * Type: Strike/Tool
 * MP Cost: 12/Attack
 * Stats: STR +20%
 * Effects: Attacks with tonfers, but has no practical difference than a whip. Can petrify enemies.
 * Description: Attack with tonfers. Can turn enemies into stone.

Really, the only benefit of this combo is the strength boost, but you can get a better one from other combos, such as Venus/Salamander.

Mars/Manticore

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 8/Attack
 * Stats: STR -11%
 * Effects: Rapid attack with claws.
 * Description: Attack with poison claws.

Basically, it's a poison version of Mars/Cockatrice. It's much faster, so you can get in two swings in the time it normally takes to swing the whip once, which makes up for the strength penalty.

Mars/Griffin

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 16/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Charged attack.
 * Description: Sword Draw. Holding attack longer will inflict more damage.

When fully charged, the sword can do 8-10x normal damage, and has a fairly long range. However, as it takes two or three seconds to fully charge, its usefulness is somewhat limited.

Mars/Thunderbird

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 16/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Rapid punches, can be comboed into four consecutive hits.
 * Description: Martial Arts. Hold attack to perform combinations.

Don't hold attack - mash rapidly to perform combos. Despite the short range, this is a very useful card combo as you can get four hits of normal power in very quickly.

Mars/Unicorn

 * Type: Strike
 * MP Cost: 32/Attack
 * Stats: STR +70%
 * Effects: Sword strike that's a bit longer than others.
 * Description: Attack with a holy sword.

As if the strength boost isn't enough, the attack is also very, very rapid. The MP cost is high enough that you'll need to keep an eye on your stats, but not so high that the combo is unusable.

Mars/Black Dog

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 32/Attack
 * Stats: STR +100%
 * Effects: Shoots a gun with surprising slowness.
 * Description: Attack with a gun.

Very, very powerful even early in the game. However, there are two big drawbacks related to its speed. First, the slowness of the bullet means that you can only use it when you are facing a limited number of slow moving targets. Second, the time between when you hit and actually fire is quite long, so you can't really use this against flying enemies or ones on ledges above you.

Diana/Salamander

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 32/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Shoots a fireball
 * Description: A fireball is released with each attack.

Like the old Game Boy Castlevanias, you can shoot a fireball from your whip. Unfortunately it is rather costly and moves annoyingly slow, so it is not of much practical use.

Diana/Serpent

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 64/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Fires a three-way ice shot.
 * Description: 3 slivers of ice are released with each attack.

Three drawbacks: it's costly, it has a short range, and it can't freeze enemies. That said, it is very strong.

Diana/Mandragora

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 96/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Fires flowers in three directions.
 * Description: 3 plumes of petals are released with each attack.

Incredibly powerful and, unlike Diana/Serpent, the projectiles can go across the entire screen. Unfortunately it is very expensive to use.

Diana/Golem

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 16/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Releases an earthquake (similar to the Earth Demons) that travels along the ground.
 * Description: A quake is released with each attack.

Acceptable only because it's so cheap to use. Most of the other Diana combos are incredibly powerful, but this does about half your normal whip damage. Additionally, it only works on enemies that are on the same platform as you, and if you jump and swing the quake won't fire at all.

Diana/Cockatrice

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 16/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: A handful of rocks are thrown in the air in an arc similar to the axe.
 * Description: 3 rocks are fired with each attack.

Boring and ineffective as the range and power is very low. The rocks can't be aimed precisely, nor can they petrify enemies.

Diana/Manticore

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 16/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Flings a ball of poison in the air.
 * Description: When the whip is swung upward, there is a poison shower.

The description implies that the poison shower is some kind of rain that covers a wide area, however the "shower" is just a ball of poison the size of standard projectiles. It's difficult to aim since it travels in an arc instead of a line and does very little damage. However, if used on tall or large enemies and aimed correctly, it causes constant damage until the attack disperses.

Diana/Griffin

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 128/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: A very fast, very powerful bolt of wind is fired straight ahead.
 * Description: A Wind wave is unleashed with each attack.

It can be the most powerful of the Diana combos, however it is rather cost prohibitive. Stick with the Diana/Salamander and Diana/Mandragora combos instead.

Diana/Thunderbird

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 12/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: When using the circular whipping technique, the whip is electrified.
 * Description: Electricity fills the air when the whip is spun.

Mildly useful, though most of the time if your spinning whip doesn't do enough damage you should just use a standard strike or sub-weapon.

Diana/Unicorn

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 48/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Homing missile. 'Nuff said.
 * Description: A guided shell is released with each attack.

Not only does it have full homing abilities and can change directly instantly, it hits for multiple times before disappearing. Costly, but highly effective in many situations. Unfortunately it is very weak (about a fourth of normal damage), but effective against certain enemies.

Diana/Black Dog

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 32/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: 8-way spread shot, hitting in every direction.
 * Description: 8 shells of darkness are released with each attack.

Very useful for clearing out enemies when you are surrounded. Does about normal damage, though the shells only travel about one whip length in any direction.

Apollo combinations
All Apollo combinations require you to press the standard button sequence to use the attack.

then / (whichever direction you're facing), then +  (simultaneously). Do this in one fluid motion, and you'll use the combo instead of your sub-weapon. If you mess up, you fire the sub-weapon instead as the game will think you just pressed Up + Attack.

Apollo/Salamander

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 20/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Throws a bomb in the same fashion as the axe.
 * Description: A bomb is thrown.

Basically, it is an axe, just one that explodes when it hits something. As it can't go through things and requires a button sequence to use, it's a bit harder to use than the axe. On the other hand, it is significantly more powerful.

Apollo/Serpent

 * Type: Projectile/Tool
 * MP Cost: 20/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Throws a block of ice that sends ice shards in every direction.
 * Description: An ice ball is thrown can freeze enemies.

While it can freeze several enemies at once, it is incredibly weak and difficult to use for creating platforms. Just stick with Mercury/Serpent for all your freezing needs.

Apollo/Mandragora

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 40/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Throws a bundle of roses in a low arc, leaving a trail. The trail stays on screen for a moment, causing continual damage.
 * Description: A rose is thrown.

Surprisingly powerful as a result of the trail, which causes damage faster than holy water. Since the arc is much lower than an Axe, it's much easier to hit enemies in front of you.

Apollo/Golem

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 30/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Five spears raise out of the ground and stab enemies.
 * Description: A stalactite is raised to attack.

Not sure how Konami mistranslated five metal spears as a single natural rock formation. Also, stalactites are the rocks that hang from the ceiling; stalagmites are the ones that are on the ground. Horribly wrong description aside, it's not a particularly useful attack (cool looking though). Basically an enemy has to be standing in a very exact spot to be hit, so even if the enemies are near you, it might miss. It is quite powerful, when it actually hits something.

Apollo/Cockatrice

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 60/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: A shower of meteorites rain down.
 * Description: A comet is dropped on the enemy.

Like, the Apollo/Golem attack, this one is cool looking and powerful but ineffective (not to mention mislabeled). Three meteorites (not comets) fall from the sky, but they can each only hit one enemy and it is somewhat hard to aim. Factor in the overall weakness of the attack, and there are better things to spend 60 MP on. It can petrify enemies, redeeming it somewhat.

Apollo/Manticore

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 10/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: A ball of poison is thrown and detonates in midair, spreading a cloud of poison that causes continual damage.
 * Description: A poisonous bomb is detonated.

The coverage area of the cloud is reasonably large, though it is weak. The clouds that come from the explosion move quickly, so the enemies don't take that much damage.

Apollo/Griffin

 * Type: Projectile/Summon
 * MP Cost: 60/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: A mini-tornado appears in front of you throwing 8 wind blades left and right.
 * Description: A tornado is created.

Powerful enough to wipe out the hordes of weak enemies, though it won't do much against the stronger ones. The wind gusts move horizontally with a random tilt, so they'll fly outward at an angle somewhere between -30 and 30 degrees (approximately). Good for clearing out walking enemies, but won't do much against fliers.

Apollo/Thunderbird

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 80/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects:
 * Description: A lightning ball is thrown.

Similar to Apollo/Mandragora - a projectile is thrown in a low arc. The difference is that it will attach itself to the first enemy it hits. Causes massive damage as each hit is powerful and it stays put for a decent amount of time. As a bonus, if the first hit kills the enemy, the ball will keep moving so you don't waste an attack when a weaker enemy gets in front of the stronger one that you're aiming at.

Apollo/Unicorn

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 80/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Massive holy arrows rain down, able to hit everything on screen.
 * Description: An arrow of light is hurled down.

Whoever wrote the descriptions can't count - multiple arrows are thrown. Unlike the other pseudo-summon Apollo combos (Golem and Cockatrice), the arrows actually cover the entire screen and can pass through objects, so there are no targeting issues. However, it is costly and many of the Uranus combos are more effective.

Apollo/Black Dog

 * Type: Projectile
 * MP Cost: 120/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: A vortex flies forward and attaches itself to the first thing it hits. If it kills it before dissipating, it moves on to a random target.
 * Description: A black hole is created.

Cool looking, but not particularly useful. Very weak considering the MP cost, plus it's slow moving. There are a lot better combos out there that cost less and do more damage.

Neptune combinations
All Neptune combinations function the exact same way, but with a different element. When hit with the same element as the equipped attribute card, you lose MP (the same amount of HP that you would normally lose) and get healed by 10% of the damage. So if an attack would normally take away 100HP, you lose 100MP and gain 10HP.

Neptune/Salamander

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Fire elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Fire attacks heal character while reducing MP.

Not exceptionally useful for non-Magicians, as most of the fire enemies are encountered in the very beginning of the game and you'll be near the midpoint of the game by the time you get Neptune.

Neptune/Serpent

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Ice elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Ice attacks heal character while reducing MP.

With this equipped you are nearly invincible in the Underground Waterway as not only will you avoid damage from most of the enemies, but you cannot be frozen either.

Neptune/Mandragora

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Plant elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Plant attacks heal character while reducing MP.

Due to the low number of plant enemies, and the relative ease of them, this isn't particularly useful.

Neptune/Golem

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Earth elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Earth attacks heal character while reducing MP.

Another card that isn't particularly useful due to the low number of times when an earth based enemy is difficult enough to bother swapping out your Cards.

Neptune/Cockatrice

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Stone elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Stone attacks heal character while reducing MP.

More important that blocking physical damage, this combo makes you immune to the petrification status.

Neptune/Manticore

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Poison elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Poison attacks heal character while reducing MP.

Immunity from poison makes this one of the best Neptune cards, especially in the Underground Gallery which is infested with poisonous creatures.

Neptune/Griffin

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Wind elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Wind attacks heal character while reducing MP.

Wind enemies don't generally appear until late in the game, but some of them are quite powerful - especially the Wind Demons.

Neptune/Thunderbird

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Thunder/Lightning elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Electric attacks heal character while reducing MP.

As the Thunder Armor's attack is one of the most annoying (though not the most dangerous) in the game, this makes getting through the beginning of the Underground Warehouse less aggravating.

Neptune/Unicorn

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Holy elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Holy attacks heal character while reducing MP.

Could have been useful, but since you have to clear the Battle Arena to get it, by the time you do you'll probably have finished fighting most holy enemies (all five of them), and the few that you do encounter will be so much weaker than you that you won't need it.

Neptune/Black Dog

 * Type: Absorb
 * MP Cost: 3/Time (plus MP lost from being hit)
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Dark elemental attacks take away MP and restore HP.
 * Description: Dark attacks heal character while reducing MP.

Many of the most powerful enemies in the game are dark elementals, including Lilith and Dracula. Just be careful when using this combo to absorb their attacks. You still take damage, but against your MP - which means that getting hit by them will cost you 100 - 400 MP, which can actually be worse than losing HP.

Saturn combinations
Saturn calls a familiar spirit to help you. Just activate the DSS and it'll appear and disappear when you deactivate it. Due to the low MP cost, you'll probably recover MP faster than you lose it so, so for all intents and purposes, familiars do not use MP. Several familiars attack by ramming enemies, while most fire projectiles. They are all similar, but have their own distinctiveness that makes them all useful in different situations.

Saturn/Salamander

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 4/Shot
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Bat
 * Description: A bat familiar appears to attack in tandem.

While reminiscent of Symphony of the Night, there is nothing exceptional about this familiar. It moves vertically more often than others, making it easier to target its fireball, but the projectile is weak and slow.

Saturn/Serpent

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 4/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Ghost
 * Description: A ghost familiar appears. Will head toward enemies.

It's a metroid, plain and simple. It will drift around and then latch onto enemies and suck their life out. It drains life very quickly, however it takes it a while for it to decide to actually attack an enemy.

Saturn/Mandragora

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 4/Shot
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Owl
 * Description: An owl familiar appears to attack in tandem.

A very rapid projectile that flies in an arc, similar to the axe, but with a better range. The attack isn't powerful, but it can be fired quickly enough to do a fair amount of damage.

Saturn/Golem

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 4/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Hawk
 * Description: A hawk familiar appears to dive at nearby enemies.

A bird flies around with you, dive-bombing enemies automatically. Probably the most useful familiar due to it's speed, power, and the fact that it doesn't take a hour for it to get around to attacking something. Very good at getting enemies above you and rows of skeletons, as well as opening breakable walls in the ceilings.

Saturn/Cockatrice

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 6/Shot
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Medusa
 * Description: A medusa familiar appears to attack in tandem.

Fires rocks in a straight line. It's very similar to the bat familiar, except the familiar doesn't move up and down at all. Reasonably powerful, this one is good for hitting enemies that are just out of reach.

Saturn/Manticore

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 8/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Ghast
 * Description: A ghast familiar appears and will attack enemies.

A cloud of poison will float around you and, well, not attack anything. It just hangs behind you, not attacking anything unless you move in such a way that the cloud is over top the enemy, generally causing you get hit in the process. Use the ghost instead if you want this type of familiar.

Saturn/Griffin

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 8/Shot
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Wind Sprite
 * Description: A wind sprite familiar appears to attack in tandem.

Similar to the bat, but with none of the drawbacks. The projectiles move fast, are reasonable powerful, and the sprite aims them, so they don't move strictly horizontally.

Saturn/Thunderbird

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 16/Attack
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Crow
 * Description: A crow familiar appears and will electrocute enemies.

Another familiar that attacks with physical contact instead of a projectile. Like the ghast (but not as bad), it likes to wait until the enemies are on top of you before bothering to attack. The attack is very powerful and since it's a burst with decent range, it is able to hit several enemies at once.

Saturn/Unicorn

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 32/Shot
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Cherub (Angel)
 * Description: A cherub familiar appears to attack in tandem.

Another bat-like familiar, the cherub is very powerful, and the projectile passes through enemies and barriers, making it very useful in certain situations.

Saturn/Black Dog

 * Type: Familiar
 * MP Cost: 4/Shot
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Imp
 * Description: An imp familiar that has power up attacks when attack is held.

The charge doesn't make the attack more powerful, it makes it last longer. The imp will unleash a steady stream of energy that goes horizontally (and is able to pass through enemies to hit multiple targets). While the attack makes a lot of hits, each one is very weak, and the imp will not move until the attack is over. Overall not as useful as many of the others.

Uranus combinations
All Uranus summons require you to press the standard button sequence to use the attack.

then / (whichever direction you're facing), then +  (simultaneously). Do this in one fluid motion, and you'll use the combo instead of your sub-weapon. If you mess up, you fire the sub-weapon instead as the game will think you just pressed Up + Attack.

When you are summoning, you are invincible so not only are they powerful attacks, but they make great shields for when you know that you're about to take a lot of damage.

Uranus/Salamander

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 160/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Attacks all enemies with fire element
 * Description: A Salamander will be summoned to attack.

As you probably have all of the Attribute cards (except Unicorn and Black Dog) by the you get Uranus, you can just use the Cockatrice or Thunderbird summons instead, which do much more damage and only cost 40 MP more.

Uranus/Serpent

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 120/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Attacks all enemies with ice element
 * Description: A Serpent will be summoned to attack.

Ice shards spiral out from the center of the screen, meaning the closer an enemy is to the center, the more damage it will take. Quite powerful if the enemy is in the right place, but very weak if they are near the edge of the screen.

Uranus/Mandragora

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 100/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Attacks all enemies with plant element
 * Description: A Mandragora will be summoned to attack.

Impact points appear at random, meaning the enemies may take a lot of damage, or they may take very little. Not bad if you are low on MP or are simply trying to clear out a bunch of weak enemies, but for most fights, use Cockatrice or Thunderbird instead.

Uranus/Golem

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 100/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Attacks all enemies with earth element
 * Description: A Golem will be summoned to attack.

Rocks fly up from underneath, but don't spread out quite enough to cover the outer edges of the screen. Fairly weak as well, so there is no reason to use this over the others.

Uranus/Cockatrice

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 200/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Attacks all enemies with stone element
 * Description: A Cockatrice will be summoned to attack.

One of two high powered summons (the other being Thunderbird), Cockatrice is good against enemies that stay on the screen at all times and move around too much to take the full force of Thunderbird. Since the stone attack comes as a horizontal wave, it is impossible to avoid if the enemy can't fly off the edge of the screen, though it causes less damage per hit than Thunderbird's bolts.

Uranus/Manticore

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 80/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Attacks all enemies with poison element
 * Description: A Manticore will be summoned to attack.

An impossible to avoid shower of rain ensures that your enemies all take damage, but it won't be as much as with other summons. Good for dealing moderate damage to numerous enemies, and as it is the cheapest of the summons, it doesn't have to be saved for special circumstances.

Uranus/Griffin

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 100/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Attacks all enemies with wind element
 * Description: A Griffin will be summoned to attack.

For only 100 MP, the Griffin can do quite a bit of damage; significantly more than the Manticore. Useful against common enemies, but use Cockatrice and Thunderbird against bosses, unless you have very little MP.

Uranus/Thunderbird

 * Type: Summon
 * MP Cost: 200/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Attacks all enemies with lightning element
 * Description: A Thunderbird will be summoned to attack.

Easily the most powerful summon, Thunderbird is often the best choice against bosses (except for a few situations when Cockatrice is more accurate). Thunderbird is also the best choice for fighting winged demons (Nightmare, Lilith, Lilim, & the Fallen Angel), as the bolts can hit enemies when they are off the screen.

Uranus/Unicorn

 * Type: Summon/Healing
 * MP Cost: 100/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Heals approximately 18% of your max HP
 * Description: A Unicorn will be summoned to attack.

The only other way to heal through magic, it's very fast, and it makes you invincible while casting. However, unless you have very high intelligence, Jupiter/Mandragora is less costly in terms of MP used for each HP gained. Use Unicorn in special circumstances, like boss fights when you can't' wait around to heal. However, as you can only get Unicorn after the Battle Arena (except in Magician mode), it really isn't that useful most of the time. Extremely useful for Magician mode though, as you have more than enough MP to use this as your primary healing.

Uranus/Black Dog

 * Type: Summon/Healing
 * MP Cost: 100/Use
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Attacks all enemies with darkness while healing you.
 * Description: A Black Dog will be summoned to attack.

Healing yourself while damaging enemies sounds good, however it does neither of these very well. You'll get about 3% of your max HP for every enemy on the screen when it is summoned (assuming that they don't die during the summoning). The damage against the enemies is trivial as well - usually single digit damage. Unless there are a lot of enemies on screen at once or you have less than 200 MP, just use Unicorn instead.

Pluto/Salamander

 * Type: Misc.
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Item Crush
 * Description: Item Crush attack is unleashed.

Uses the special attack of your current sub-weapon.

Pluto/Serpent

 * Type: Misc.
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Use two sub-weapons at once.
 * Description: Sub-weapon number doubles when attacking.

Throws two sub-weapons at once, with no increase in heart cost. Occasionally useful, especially the boomerang double shot, which throws forward and backwards simultaneously.

Pluto/Mandragora

 * Type: Misc.
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: All enemies give 120% of their normal experience points.
 * Description: Experience points gain increases by 20%.

Very useful, especially late in the game when it takes over a hundred thousand exp points to go up a single level. Unfortunately using this one means you can't use any of your other combos, so you have to defeat enemies with only the whip or sub-weapons.

Pluto/Golem

 * Type: Misc.
 * MP Cost: 8/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Creates a mirror image that mimics all of your moves.
 * Description: Projects an image of yourself.

Useful, especially since the image can throw sub-weapons at no cost to you. However, there are often other combos that do more damage at no additional cost.

Pluto/Cockatrice

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 6/Time
 * Stats: DEF + ?
 * Effects: Defense increases the longer you play the game.
 * Description: Defense increases depending on the elapsed game time.

This would be useful, except that you have to play 20 - 30 hours before it becomes more useful than other defense boosting combos, such as Venus/Golem. As CotM normally takes under 10 hours, this combo isn't worth bothering with.

Pluto/Manticore

 * Type: Misc.
 * MP Cost: 5/Use + Heart cost
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Sub-weapons drain MP instead of hearts. The cost of throwing one weapon in MP is the normal heart cost plus 5.
 * Description:

Very useful in all modes, though you get it very late in the game. Exceptionally useful in Magician mode when your extremely high intelligence lets you throw boomerangs for free early on.

Pluto/Griffin

 * Type: Misc.
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Doubles your speed, both when walking and when running.
 * Description: Walking and dash speed are increased.

Mildly useful if you're bored running through corridors, however this combo really doesn't having any effect on the gameplay.

Pluto/Thunderbird

 * Type: Boost
 * MP Cost: 4/Time
 * Stats: STR + ?
 * Effects: Strength increases the longer you play the game.
 * Description: Inflicted damage is increased depending on the elapsed time.

The offensive version of Pluto/Cockatrice, and equally worthless. Just use Venus/Thunderbird instead to boost your strength based on map coverage.

Pluto/Unicorn

 * Type: Shield
 * MP Cost: 20/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Complete invulnerability, though you cannot damage enemies either.
 * Description: The body glows with light and cannot be hit with anything.

Obviously being completely invulnerable to anything is going to have its uses. However, you cannot kill enemies either, which means if you do nothing but run through the game with this combo on you won't be gaining experience, and you'll be exceptionally weak when fighting bosses. Most useful for going from a save point to a boss room and back in Magician mode.

Pluto/Black Dog

 * Type: Misc.
 * MP Cost: 5/Time
 * Stats: --
 * Effects: Transforms into a bone-throwing skeleton, occasionally dealing 9999 damage to anything but can always be killed in one hit.
 * Description: Transforms into a skeleton.

More of a "fun" combo than a practical one. You turn into a skeleton (the same ones you fight throughout the game). You'll normally throw regular bones that do trivial damage, but randomly you'll throw a Big Bone, which does 9999 to enemies regardless of their defense (including bosses). However, any hit, no matter how weak, will kill you instantly. As you are often swarmed by enemies, this is incredibly hard to pull off against regular enemies, and by the time you get it, you'll have defeated all of the bosses besides Dracula (except in Magician mode).

If you get the from the Skeleton Medalist, you'll turn into a cartoon bear. The bear is weak, though stronger than the skeleton (expect for the Big Bone, which the bear cannot do), however it can still be killed in one hit. This is an easter egg made for amusement, not something to use for getting through the game. (See http://castlevania.classicgaming.gamespy.com/cotm/bear.htm for more on the bear.)