Flame Stag

Flame Stag, known in Japan as Flame Stagger (フレイム・スタッガー), is a Reploid in the Mega Man X series based off a deer. Once serving as a member of the Maverick Hunters 17th Elite Unit, he defected along with his colleague Boomer Kuwanger to join Sigma's first Maverick rebellion. Afterwards, his whereabouts became unknown, but later he resurfaced occupying an active volcano with the intent of triggering an eruption that would block out the sun with volcanic ash, starting a new ice age.

Mega Man X2
Flame Stag is one of the eight bosses. In battle, he leaps about in his chamber (which, together with Morph Moth's post-metamorphosis boss room, is perhaps the first boss room that is larger vertically than horizontally), trying to charge into X and throwing fireballs from his Speed Burner. Being a fire Reploid, he's naturally weak against water, so use Bubble Splash if it's available. In fact, with proper use and timing, the player can trap him in a sort of pattern. He is also vulnerable to Sonic Slicer.

Other appearances

 * Flame Stag appeared in Mega Man Xtreme as reproduced boss data from the past protecting the core of the Mother Computer in the Hunter Base. He uses the same attacks from Mega Man X2. His weakness is Storm Tornado.
 * In Mega Man Xtreme 2, he appears in the Boss Attack mode, which has no relation to the main story. His attacks are the same from Mega Man Xtreme. He is weak to Marine Tornado and Fish Fang.
 * Flame Stag appears in Battle Memory from Rockman ×over.
 * Flame Stag appears in Street Fighter × All Capcom.
 * Flame Stag is an unit card in TEPPEN.

Abilities

 * Triangular Kick (三角蹴り) - Flame Stag jumps diagonally between walls.
 * Rushing Burner (Projectile) (ラッシングバーナー(飛び道具)) Rushing Burner is Speed Burner's Japanese name. Flame Stag releases two small fireballs, the first going downward and the second upward. The second flame also crawls up in walls.
 * Rushing Burner (Body Blow) (ラッシングバーナー(体当たり)) - A dash attack that leaves a trail of flames. Flame Stag may attack with an uppercut afterwards, especially when near walls.
 * Super Mode (スーパーモード) - After losing half of his health, Flame Stag's flames will become blue and his attack speed will increase. He will also now perform an uppercut more often when he collides with X during his dash attack. If that dash attack connects with X on the ground, not only will Flame Stag uppercut X, but also grab him, and slam him down on the ground with great force. Flame Stag starts in this mode in the final stages rematch.

Mega Man X2 stats

 * Height: 240 cm (7'11")
 * Weight: 216 kg (476 lbs)
 * Power: 3600rp
 * Speed: 7000rp

Rockman X2
Flame Stag was a member of the 17th Elite Unit that often bullied rookies. To give him a lesson, Zero made him fight against X, and he is easily defeated. Being a sore loser, Flame Stag doesn't admit defeat and got hostile toward X. Some time later he disappeared, but would later resurface as a Maverick that upgraded his body to defeat X, fighting against him in a volcano. Although he was a tough opponent for X, Flame Stag's upgrade went out of control and set his body on fire. He collapses and is destroyed by Agile.

Rockman X Mega Mission
In Rockman X Mega Mission and its manga adaptation in Rockman Remix, he is revived by Dr. Doppler as "Flame Stagger L" as a test subject for the Limited. Although he became more powerful, he is easily defeated by X.

Archie Comics
In Mega Man #35 Flame Stag was one of the Maverick Hunters who made a cameo with other members from the 17th Elite Unit. He would later appear in Worlds Unite as part of Sigma's cloned Maverick Army, who attacked the heroes aboard the Sky Patrol before most of them scattered to various worlds using the Genesis Portals.

Trivia

 * In the official artworks, Flame Stag's flames (including those forming his antlers) are red. In Mega Man X2, however, his flames are blue in both his intro pose and when fighting against him the second time. The only instance where they are red is in both his mugshot in the stage select screen and the majority of the battle in his boss room before his health gets low.
 * In his official art, Stag's armor is also a deep blue. With the exception of his mugshot, however, it's black in his in-game sprites.


 * Coincidentally, both of Flame Stag's weaknesses, the Bubble Splash and the Storm Tornado, come from Mavericks who are weak to the Spin Wheel.


 * The way Flame Stag fights is similar to Sigma's from the first Mega Man X game.
 * Flame Stag is the only Maverick from Mega Man X2 that does not bear Sigma's mark on their forehead, instead displaying it on his chest piece. An arguable exclusion might be Morph Moth, who does not have Sigma's mark at all while in larva form, but does, however, bear the mark on his forehead when in moth form.
 * Flame Stag is one of the three Mavericks who share a common first half of their names, along with Flame Mammoth and Flame Hyenard.