Mega Man 7/Cloud Man

Stage
Cloud Man appears on the left of the stage selection screen.

Items

 * 1 spare body (1up)
 * 2 large energy capsules
 * Proto Man, 1st meeting (needed to get Proto Shield later)
 * 1 large screw

Collectable with extra items:
 * Rush "U" plate (need Freeze Cracker)
 * Mega Bolt (need Rush Search)

Cloud Man
Cloud Man follows an pattern:
 * 1) Cloud Man floats upward, calls lightning and fires a Lightning Bolt towards Mega Man. If the beam hits the ground, it creates floor sparks that travel in both directions.
 * 2) Cloud Man returns to the ground, calls lightning to cause wind to push Mega Man. On the first call, the wind is to the left. It alternates on each rain.
 * 3) During the storm, Cloud Man calls lightning, then shoots Lightning Bolts directly on the to create floor sparks.
 * 4) When the storm subsides, Cloud Man will float left and right across the arena at low altitude. You can slide under him.

Cloud Man is locked down by Danger Wrap from Burst Man. When he recovers, he will restart his pattern. If you are low on ammo for that weapon, you can also use a charged Mega Buster shot.


 * Attacks
 * 1) Lightning Bolt: summons a bolt of lightning to hit him, thus charging him with energy; if he's high in the sky, he releases it towards Mega Man, if he's low near the floor, it hits the ground straightaway; when it hits the ground, it sends electricity along the ground in both directions.
 * 2) *Solution: interrupt with a D. Wrap or jump over the bolt and the electricity on the ground.
 * 3) Windstorm: makes the weather stormy, thus it rains and Mega Man is pushed in either direction.
 * 4) *Solution: run into the wind, don't fall off or run into Cloudman.

Strategy
When he is not charging, shoot a Danger Wrap towards him (I recommend doing this next to him). If you hit him with a Danger Wrap, you can easily take him down without him doing anything for the rest of the  fight. Just after he recovers, he will do his Lightning Bolt attack; at the point before he is struck he is vulnerable against anything, so get him then. If you wait too long, he becomes invincible.
 * Weakness Strategy

Without the Danger Wrap in your possession to take advantage of his weakness, Cloud Man might give you a hard time if you don't know what's coming. His pattern is to shoot the lightning bolt, summon stormy weather, fire off some ground sparks, then patrol the arena. After that, he'll start back at the lightning bolt again. The battle can drag on because of all the moving you have to do to dodge Cloud Man's attacks, and the fact that he is invincible when charged with the lightning he uses for his electric attacks. Slide often during the stormy weather, because it's faster than walking and will allow you to pass beneath Cloud Man as he moves around. Charge up the Mega Buster as you slide, put a little distance between you and Cloud Man, and open fire. The key in this battle is to keep far away from Cloud Man, because he gets easier to shoot and dodge if he's farther away.
 * Mega Buster Strategy

Special weapon
You will receive the Thunder Bolt once he is defeated.

Re-visiting the stage
Two items can be obtained only after you cleared Freeze Man's stage:
 * Rush "U" plate (need Freeze Cracker)
 * Mega Bolt (need Rush Search)