Falcon Armor

The Falcon Armor (ファルコンアーマー) is an armor found in Mega Man X5. Its main feature is a flight function, which allows multi-directional maneuvering in a Nova Strike-like air dash. While in flight, X is invulnerable to everything except for instant-kill objects such as spikes and lasers. However, it sacrifices the ability to charge Special Weapons for this feat. The Falcon Armor's charged shot is a small, fast-moving, thin beam similar in appearance to a needle. The shot can pierce through walls and shields.

The Falcon Armor's Giga Attack stays the same in the transition between games. It causes needle-like projectiles to dart up and down all across the screen.

In Mega Man X6, the player begins the game with the Falcon Armor. Alia had to repair it quickly, and its flight function is offline for the entire game. The charged shot is now essentially a fast-moving, smaller projectile with no piercing properties, but can now charge Special Weapons.

Functions

 * Note: Specific parts do not have effects as this armor can only be equipped when complete.


 * Head Parts - Decreases the amount of Weapon Energy used per shot.
 * Body Parts - Reduces the amount of damage received, and allows X to use the Giga Attack, which sends energy blasts flying up and down the screen.
 * Arm Parts - The Charge Shot can penetrate through any surface, including the terrain and enemy shields. It is not possible to charge Special Weapon attacks. This is changed in Mega Man X6. The Charge Shot is now essentially a smaller, fast-moving projectile with no piercing properties, but can now charge weapons.
 * Foot Parts - Enables X to fly for a limited period of time. X is invincible, and can damage enemies by running into them while he's flying. In Mega Man X6, the flight ability is weakened (due to the armor being damaged), and it instead allows X to perform a damaging air-dash.

Locations
You need to collect all 8 plasma balls during the bike area. After the bike area, Zero/X will be shooting the plasma balls into a door. If you succesfully collected all 8 balls you can get inside.
 * Head Parts: Squid Adler's stage

After defeating the second ship, just move forward and you will be reaching a broken wooden wall. Don't move so much to the right or else you will be automatically go to the final ship. You will be using the Goo-shaver from Duff using X.
 * Body Parts: Duff McWhalen's stage

This Arm Capsule of the Falcon Armor is found in Area 2 of Izzy Glow's Satge. You will be needing the C-Slash of Zero in order to break the energy cannon balls. You will find an opening above somewhere near the start of area 2.
 * Arm Parts: Izzy Glow's stage

This Foot capsule of the Falcon armor is found after the train collision in Grizzly's Stage. There will be an open area above that it seems to be hard to reach. Using Zero will be a lot of easier here. For X you can dash jump to get here.
 * Foot Parts: Grizzly Slash's stage

Production Notes
Developer Comments This really is a ?? armor. (grin) My intention was to make an armor that was above all the rest, so I ended up taking the offensive. (sweat) The source material being the previous game's Fourth Armor also worried me a lot. I discarded any number of designs proposed by Seito, the designer in charge. (bitter laugh) I was very particular about it design-wise when I made it, since it would be the "poster armor" [as in "poster child"] for selling the game. From the fact that it can fly, he designed it using the image of a hawk. Its name has its origins in that too. I like the beak on the chest. Did you all notice it?

Designer Comments This was the toughest. I caused trouble for a lot of people when I couldn't make it very well. Sorry. Consequently, though, it may be the one I like the best. I drew it with the image of a hawk in mind, and changed its name from Wing Armor to Falcon Armor. This was fun. I'm touched it'll shown up in commercials and in vending machines (since it's the first time for me).

Trivia

 * Some fans speculate that the Falcon Armor is the basis for the character Harpuia from the Mega Man Zero series.


 * The Falcon Armor's Giga Attack is one of two that is immediately available at the start of the game (in this case, Mega Man X6). The other is the Giga Attack of the Ultimate Armor, one game earlier.