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Weapons & Holo-Plan FAQ

by outsider90909

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Weapons/Holo-Plan FAQ
by outsider90909

Legal Notice:
This guide Copyright 2007 Brian Cook. This guide may not be reproduced under
any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on
any website or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written
permission. Use of this guide on any other website or as part of any public
display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright.



At this time, this guide is authorized for publication on the following
websites ONLY!:

www.gamefaqs.com
www.neoseeker.com
www.supercheats.com




Table of Contents
To jump to a section, press Ctrl+F, and insert the [bracketed] section #.

[?.001] Introduction
[?.002] Obtaining My Arsenal
[?.003] Better Destruction Through Upgrades
[?.004] Weapon Details
     Combuster
     Fusion Grenade
     Plasma Beast
     Tornado Launcher
     Predator Launcher
     Shock Ravager
     Shard Reaper
     Buzz Blades
     Nano-Swarmers
     Alpha Disruptor
     Pyro Blaster
     Negotiator
     Razor Claws
     Mag-Net Launcher
     RYNO IV
[?.005] Holo-Plan Details
[?.006] Challenge Mode, or How To Build A Better Cragmite Trap
[?.007] Thanks and Contacts


Version 1.0 - First playthrough data complete (exception of RYNO IV). Holo-
        Plan info hosted from cbt711. Hex upgrades and power growth rates
        complete.

Version 1.1 - Part of cbt711's information was accidentally omitted. This
        update corrects that. Minor formatting corrections.

Version 1.2 - A few typos corrected. RYNO 4-EVER obtained. Guide approved
        for hosting on neoseeker.com effective 11/3/07

Version 1.3 - Assumptions corrected regarding the Mag-Net Launcher and the
        Challenge Mode multiplier. Additional Smuggler information added.

Version 1.5 - All Power upgrade data complete. Barring any revelations of
        incorrect or incomplete information, or anyone figuring out what causes
        ammo pickups to scale, guide is complete.




[?.001] Introduction

Weapons. Let's face it, this is the reason you opened the box. You want to
blow stuff up. That's fine. But with so many choices, which is right for you?
This guide is designed to show you how to put your hard-earned bolts to good
use by obtaining the true Tools of Destruction.





[?.002] Obtaining My Arsenal

A weapons merchant is an odd fellow, making money by supplying the tools of
warfare. In our case, this is a very good thing. Every planet you visit will
have at least one Weapons kiosk, where you can buy new armaments, refill your
ammo, or purchase upgrades to your current weapons (more on that later). As a
side benefit, opening up the shop window will also refill your Nanotech (life)
for free, so you should stop on by if you're ever in need of healing. But if
you've got the bolts to spend, you can get your hands on some nice hardware.


The weapons you can buy depend on which planet you've landed on so far. The
cost for each weapon is predetermined and will not change (sorry, no Gadgetron
discount this time). Weapons remain available until purchased, so don't worry
if you can't afford everything right away. Kiosks on each new planet will
have all items not purchased on previous planets.

Some weapons don't require you to spend a single bolt. Two are in your hands
at the start of the game, two are found for free on certain planets, and one
is unlocked after a sidequest is completed (details below).


Ammo for each weapon can be bought at the kiosk, or found inside Ammo Crates
scattered through each level. When you crack a crate open, a cartridge pops
out containing a certain amount of ammo for a certain weapon. While there is
a level of randomness about which type of ammo you get, the game does tend to
favor whatever you have equipped at the time. So if you need tornadoes, equip
the Tornado Launcher and start cracking crates open. Each cartridge bears the
icon for the weapon it will refill if you look closely enough, so if you get
some spare cartridges you can know what they will work for. I will point out
what color icon each weapon's ammo cartridge will use.

In the Arena and certain other areas, you will find Ammo Crates sitting
on small round pads. These crates will respawn a few seconds after they are
broken, so that you don't run out of ammo completely when you can't return to a
kiosk. The crate will not respawn until you have collected the cartridge.

I have tested the ammo pickup rates for all weapons, and found something quite
odd. The amount actually contained in an ammo crate is not a round number, but
rather a decimal. While the message for the cartridge will always round this
number up to the nearest whole number, your ammo counter will keep the hidden
decimal. As a result, there are times when a cartridge will give you less ammo
than it actually says. It should never be enough to make or break you, but if
you think an ammo crate shorted you, this is why.


Your weapons can be accessed through the Pause Menu, or with the Quick Select
rings. By holding Triangle, you pull up one page of the Rings (use L1 and R1
to change pages). Highlight the weapon you want, and release Triangle to equip
it. Weapons with no remaining ammo will have red icons instead of white. By
tapping Triangle, you will instantly switch between your current weapon and
the one you last equipped (this clears when you die, so you will have to
select them normally before you can switch again). This hot-swap becomes very
important, allowing you to adjust your tactics with little or no interruption
in the destruction.




[?.003] Better Destruction Through Upgrades

Every weapon in your arsenal can be upgraded in two different ways. The first
method is by simply using the weapon. As you inflict pain upon your foes, the
weapon is gaining experience. You can see a meter below your ammo counter
showing how close you are to reaching the next level of the weapon. When it
levels up, the weapon's power is increased. At Version 5 (V5 for short), the
function of the weapon actually changes - you may fire extra shots, have an
explosive bounce through a room, or freeze a foe solid, just for example. The
name of the weapon also changes to reflect this change. Once a weapon reaches
V5 it will stop gaining experience.


The other way to upgrade your weapons is to customize them by spending
Raritanium. By doing so, you add one of four properties to the weapon. Each
armament will have a different array of features that can be upgraded, and
may have anywhere from one to seven hexes of each type of upgrade. The basic
grid for customizing weapons is a hex arrangement. With apologies to anyone
who knows ASCII drawing, it looks something like this:

+------------------------+
|..XX--XX--XX--XX--XX--XX|
| /   /   /   /   /   /  |
|XX--XX--XX--XX--XX--XX..|
|   /   /   /   /   /    |
|..XX--XX--XX--XX--XX--XX|
| /   /   /   /   /   /  |
|XX--XX--XX--XX--XX--XX..|
+------------------------+

Legend for Raritanium Upgrade Chart:
WP - the weapon itself, your starting point on the grid.
PW - increases power of the weapon.
BT - increases bolts dropped when enemy is killed with the weapon.
RT - increases raritanium dropped when enemy is killed with the weapon.
RG - increases effective range of each shot.
SP - increases firing speed of the weapon.
WD - shots cover wider area.
CH - improves charge time (each shot charges quicker).
AM - increases ammo capacity.
AR - increases weapon's area of effect.
LK - increases simultaneous missile locks.
RC - increases # of ricochets (bounces).
CU - custom upgrade, varies by weapon.


Of course, not all 24 hexes will be used to represent a possible upgrade, but
you get the idea. One hex will be the weapon itself. Once a hex is purchased,
the adjacent hexes are unlocked and can be purchased.

Each of the four upgrades for a weapon are represented on the upgrade menu by
a bar on the right of the screen. When an unpurchased upgrade is highlighted,
the bar flashes the % of upgrade that hex will give you. Note that filling
the "power increase" bar by 100% does not equate to a 100% gain vs. the base
power of the weapon, but is simply all the upgrade that is possible.

Buying an ammo upgrade will also fully reload the weapon, so if you're feeling
miserly you can wait to buy them until you're out of ammo and save bolts.


Also, every weapon has one "custom" upgrade for purchase. It is initially
represented by a question mark icon, and the connecting lines are shown in
yellow. To access the custom upgrade, you must buy each upgrade that is
connected to the custom hex. It is not necessary to purchase all the upgrades
for a weapon to be able to get the custom upgrade.

Costs will vary by each hex, but in proportion to the gain for that weapon.
For example, the Combuster has 3 SP hexes. Two of them will add 25% of the
bar, while the third adds 50%. The third upgrade also costs twice as much
Raritanium (since 50% is twice as much as 25%, for the 5/4 of people who have
trouble with fractions). I will list each cell's costs along with the grid.


Both level-up and purchasable power boosts are actually a percentage-based
gain. Although it might seem that buying power upgrades as soon as possible
will give you the highest grand total power, this is not the case. Your
results on a particular step might seem different, but the end result will be
the same as long as you get them all.

Ammo cartridges are also scalable gains. Unfortunately, at this time I have not
been able to prove exactly what causes them to scale. I thought it was whether
you have bought any AM hexes, but that has been proven irrelevant. It also
does not seem to matter what other upgrades you have purchased, or what level
the weapon has reached.




[?.004] Weapon Stats

For each of your 15 weapons (excluding the Wrench), I will include a profile
like this:

Name and short description

First Acquired: the first planet where you can obtain it

Ammo Capacity: how many shots/charges it holds initially

Refill Qty: how much ammo you can get from a single crate, along with what
        color of icon is on the ammo cartridge

Ammo Cost: how many bolts each shot costs at the kiosk

Range: long, medium, short, or melee

Power: listed on the Weapons menu, the initial Power rating of the weapon.
        Numbers in parentheses represent Power levels at V2 through V5,
        assuming no PW upgrades. Also provided is the relative growth rate of
        the weapon, so that upgraded Power ratings can be extrapolated.

V5 Upgrade: what change occurs when the weapon reaches V5

Raritanium Upgrades: the hex grid for each weapon, along with prices for each
hex and a description of the "custom" upgrade effect.

Notes: My thoughts on the weapon itself, my preferred purchases, and the V5
upgrade and custom upgrade.



Combuster - shoots a fire shot

First Acquired: when you begin the game

Ammo Capacity: 100

Refill Qty: 15 shots (orange icon)

Ammo Cost: 1 bolt/shot

Range: Medium

Power: 36 (43, 52, 62, 71)     Power Growth rate 20% per level.

V5 Upgrade: Magma Combuster. Fires 3 blasts per shot. They travel in a spread
        of roughly 30 degrees laterally, with no increase in ammo use.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|..........SP--SP--PW....|
|         /       /      |
|WP--RG--SP......RT......|
|       /       /        |
|......RG......CU--RT....|
|     /       /   /      |
|....RG--RT--PW--PW......|
+------------------------+
PW - all 3 hexes cost 100 each. Each adds 5% to current power.
RG - all 3 hexes cost 50 each.
SP - top center hex costs 200, other 2 cost 100 each.
RT - hex above CU costs 75, other 2 cost 50 each.

CU - Pyrocidic Precipitation. Each shot will leave a small patch of fire on
        the ground after striking an enemy or wall. Does some damage to
        anything in the fire. Costs 300.


Notes: Not bad for a pistol, but not something you want your life to depend
on. Useful primarily for small foes, or as your early defense against distant
targets.

Since your base power is so low, the PW upgrades won't change things much. On
the other hand, since you will be throwing out so much ammo to get a kill, the
RG and SP upgrades are a better investment. There are better options for RT
upgrades, so it's nice but not a priority. At least these are all cheap, for
now.

The V5 upgrade makes it better for swarms, but still not great. It lets you
hit multiple targets, but the damage does not stack on a single opponent even
if you connect with all three shots.

The custom upgrade didn't make any difference for me. I never noticed anything
taking damage from the fire (heck, half the time I didn't notice the fire).
Only buy this one if you have Raritanium to spare. But with prices like these,
you probably will.




Fusion Grenade - throws a grenade, explodes on impact

First Acquired: when you start the game

Ammo Capacity: 8

Refill Qty: 2 bombs (purple icon)

Ammo Cost: 50 bolts/bomb

Range: Medium

Power: 150 (173, 198, 228, 262)     Power Growth Rate 15% per level

V5 Upgrade: Fusion Bomb. After the initial explosion, several smaller bombs
        are released, which explode separately for extra damage.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|......CU--PW......AR....|
|     /   /       /      |
|....PW--PW......AM......|
|       /       /        |
|......WP--AM--AR........|
|     /                  |
|BT--BT..................|
+------------------------+
PW - all 3 hexes cost 200 each. Each adds 5% to current power.
AR - both hexes cost 400 each.
AM - both hexes cost 100 each. Each adds 1 to max ammo.
BT - both hexes cost 250 each.

CU - Concussion Detonators. Enemies not killed in initial blast are knocked
        down for a longer time, giving you more time to act. Not all enemies
        can be knocked down by this effect. Costs 300.


Notes: Not a bad bomb, but you have to remember to use it when you don't "need
to" in order to level it up. Targeting is annoying, so try to throw it on one
enemy in a cluster rather than at the ground. It has a brief knockdown effect
built in, so anything not killed outright will be stunned for a bit. This is
not a weapon for killing - this is a weapon for stopping, and something else
handles the killing.

AR upgrades are vital to the Fusion Grenade, since the initial blast is rather
small. You'll pick up the AM along the way, so that helps. PW upgrades are
needed if you like the Grenade, but don't expect to get many kills as your
journey ends.

The V5 upgrade is similar to the Bouncer weapon from R&C 2 and 3. It will
essentially expand the effective radius of each bomb. Not as powerful as it
looks, but a definite step up.

The custom upgrade is more useful than you might think, especially with the
area upgrades. Since a one-shot kill is less likely against larger foes after
a few planets, the knockdown works to open a fight and set up a follow-up
strike, particularly nice with melee-range weapons. Definitely a worthy
investment.




Plasma Beast - launches a beast that finds and throws itself at an enemy.

First Acquired: Cobalia, buy at the kiosk for 15,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 8

Refill Qty: 2 pods (green icon)

Ammo Cost: 75 bolts/pod

Range: Medium (see notes)

Power: 240 (276, 317, 365, 420)     Power Growth Rate 15% per level

V5 Upgrade: Plasma Stalker. If you fire a Stalker that does not find a target,
        it will burrow underground and follow you as you leave the immediate
        area. Once a target is found, it will resurface and attack.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|......................PW|
|                     /  |
|........AM--AR--AM--AR..|
|       /           /    |
|..PW--WP..........CU....|
| /   /           /      |
|PW--RT--AR--RT--RT......|
+------------------------+
PW - all 3 hexes cost 100 each. Each adds 5% to current power.
AM - both hexes cost 75 each. Each adds 1 to max ammo.
AR - all 3 hexes cost 250 each.
RT - all 3 hexes cost 100 each.

CU - Proximity Sensors. Increases range at which Plasma Beast will find and
        attack its target. Costs 350.


Notes: The first weapon you will probably buy. Each Beast can only target a
single enemy (it will actually turn toward its target before "launching", so
be aware of that delay), but the impact can hit multiple foes. Decent power
for early and midgame, and probably the first weapon you will use for
Raritanium harvesting.

Once you buy all 3 RT hexes, you make the costs back in just a few shots. It
won't let you kill any faster, but you will be better rewarded. Again, AR is
possibly your most important purchase. With the 3 AR boosts, Plasma Beasts
become viable for swarms, giving you more harvesting opportunities.

The V5 Upgrade helps with the low ammo supply, since any "wasted" shot can
simply follow you to your next target. It *will* follow you across gaps.

The custom upgrade only makes a good thing better, since you can set a beast
from farther away and strike unnoticed. Helps make Beasts useful for Leviathan
hunting. Well worth it.





Tornado Launcher - fires a disk that creates a tornado (steerable)

First Acquired: Cobalia, buy it at the kiosk for 40,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 5 disks

Refill Qty: 1 disk (purple icon)

Ammo Cost: 100 bolts/disk

Range: Medium for initial toss, can be steered farther.

Power: 373 (448, 537, 645, 774)     Power Growth Rate 20% per level

V5 Upgrade: Tempest Launcher. Tornadoes now shoot lightning bolts at targets
        at medium range.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|......WP--RT......RT....|
|     /   /       /      |
|....BT--PW--AR--AR......|
|       /                |
|......PW......CU........|
|     /       /          |
|....PW--PW--BT..........|
+------------------------+
RT - left hex costs 200, right hex costs 400.
BT - upper hex costs 300, lower hex costs 600.
PW - third row hex costs 300, other 3 cost 350 each. Each adds 5% to
        current power.
AR - both hexes cost 700 each.

CU - Gyro Turbine. Increases duration of each tornado. Costs 1200.


Notes: The Tornado Launcher is controlled with the Sixaxis tilt functions, so
let's discuss that now. When you first fire a tornado, the controller face
should be parallel to the ground - this is "neutral". As you tilt in one or
another direction, the disk from which the tornado emanates will steer in that
direction. Rotating the controller clockwise/counterclockwise has no effect,
nor does throwing it side to side. Also remember you are not steering the
TORNADO, you are steering the DISK along the ground. If the disk gets hung up
on an obstruction, that will block your path.

All that said, the Tornado Launcher is one of the signature weapons of this
game. The fact it can be steered means you can maneuver it around corners to
hit turret gunners, or delay on larger targets to do maximum damage. Once a
target takes fatal damage, it is pulled into the vortex. You can also use it
to PULL targets back towards you, so that they drop their bolts closer to
your position and possibly out of harm's way.

PW upgrades are a big help, not in spite of its power but because of it. It's
not easy trying to precisely steer this thing when you're being shot at, so
the less time you have to focus on a single target the better. AR boosts also
help those with bad aim.

The V5 upgrade is phenomenally useful when you have the ground room to use it,
since it causes damage from a good distance away from the vortex. The bolts
can actually reach back to Ratchet from the launch point of the disk, so if
you overshoot your target it's not a big concern.

The custom upgrade is a boon to any tornado fan (pardon the expression), and
very potent against big targets at endgame since the damage keeps going as
long as the tornado spins. The effect is great, but it might not be worth the
cost investment for a while.





Predator Launcher - locks onto one or more targets, release trigger to fire

First Acquired: Kortog, buy it at the kiosk for 25,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 25

Refill Qty: 6 missiles (yellow icon)

Ammo Cost: 30 bolts/missile

Range: Long

Power: 144 (166, 190, 219, 252)     Power Growth Rate 15% per level

V5 Upgrade: Raptor Launcher. Each missile splashes napalm upon impact, doing
        damage to any enemy that touches it.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|..........PW--AM--LK--AM|
|         /   /   /   /  |
|....PW--PW--AM--CU--LK..|
|       /   /   /   /    |
|......AM--WP--LK--AM....|
|     /   /   /          |
|....SP--SP--SP..........|
+------------------------+
PW - all 3 hexes cost 200 each. Each adds 5% to current power.
AM - all 5 hexes cost 125 each. Each adds 1 to max ammo.
LK - all 3 hexes cost 250 each.
SP - left hex costs 400, other 2 cost 200 each.

CU - Dual Target Detectors. Two separate locks are possible on a single target.
        Costs 500.

Notes: I have a love/hate relationship with the Predator. The lock-on is great
and being able to lock onto up to 3 foes at once initially (up to 6 foes with
upgrades), in any direction, is a definite boon. On the other hand, the
missiles are somewhat weak. Most early targets take two hits to bring down,
and it just gets worse as you progress. If an enemy has multiple strike zones,
such as a Leviathan, each zone can be locked onto separately, causing damage
to stack.

If you're going to be using the Predator on multi-target foes, buy the LK and
AM upgrades early. SP is a little less useful here, but it's not a bad buy.

The V5 upgrade is actually better than I gave it credit for. The spread on the
napalm drop is quite wide, so it's especially good if you have a mix of ground
and aerial targets in play, such as Rykan V.

The custom upgrade helps with power issues, but requires that you pay close
attention to how much damage your enemies can take. It will do both locks for
the first target before acquiring another target (though with the speed
upgrades this doesn't take long). The problem is that if the first target only
needs one more hit to drop, you have to either let go at one lock or waste a
missile. And don't forget that you go through your ammo supply twice as fast.
Finally, you can only have a maximum of eight locks, two each on four targets.
Buy it and be careful.





Shock Ravager - electric whip

First Acquired: Kortog, in the chamber with the first turret. It is possible
        to get the weapon before destroying the turret, if you get close
        enough to it.

Ammo Capacity: 30

Refill Qty: 11 cells (blue icon)

Ammo Cost: 2 bolts/cell

Range: Medium

Power: 138 (159, 183, 210, 242)     Power Growth Rate 15% per level

V5 Upgrade: Lightning Ravager. Creates a "chain lightning" effect, allowing
        you to damage targets just out of whip range.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|..............RT--RT--RT|
|             /       /  |
|....WP--AM--AM......PW..|
|   /       /       /    |
|..BT......BT--BT--BT....|
| /       /              |
|CU--AM--BT..............|
+------------------------+
RT - center hex costs 200, other 2 cost 100 each.
AM - all 3 hexes cost 150 each. Each adds 2 to max ammo.
PW - single hex costs 800. Adds 15% to current power.
BT - all 5 hexes cost 150 each.

CU - Voltage Multiplier. Increases range of electrical shockwave. Costs 400.


Notes: If you liked the Lava Whip in R&C 3, you'll love the Shock Ravager. It
has a much longer range than you would expect from a whip, actually reaching
about as far as a Fusion Grenade can be thrown. It will also reach slightly
behind you and to your sides, so it's great if you're surrounded. It is
perfect for shielded foes, since it bypasses the shield. However, electrified
enemies take no damage.

With both Bolt and Raritanium drop upgrades, it's my favorite choice for early
harvesting. Try to kill larger foes with the Ravager to get the most out of
every drop.

The V5 upgrade chains damage from the targets you hit, to those standing
nearby that you just missed. 

The custom upgrade is more helpful if you've missed completely. At the end
of the whip's range, it throws out a shockwave on the ground. The Voltage
Multiplier extends that shockwave, to a range of roughly a non-boosted Fusion
Grenade explosion. Anything in the range of the shockwave takes damage, the
same as if they had been hit by the whip in the first place. If you already
have the V5 upgrade, that triggers as well.





Shard Reaper - fires a shotgun-like blast of metal shards

First Acquired: Mukow, buy it at the kiosk for 35,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 30

Refill Qty: 6 shells (blue icon)

Ammo Cost: 40 bolts/shell

Range: Short

Power: 166 (199, 239, 287, 344)     Power Growth Rate 20% per level

V5 Upgrade: Nitro Reaper. Each shard impacts with liquid nitrogen, which can
        freeze an enemy in place. Frozen enemies take no added damage but will
        not move or attack until the effect wears off.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|..............AM--PW--WD|
|             /   /   /  |
|........PW--PW--WD--AM..|
|       /   /   /   /    |
|..WP--SP--SP--SP--PW....|
|             /   /      |
|............SP--CU......|
+------------------------+
AM - both hexes cost 200 each. Each adds 5 to max ammo.
PW - all 4 hexes cost 250 each. Each adds 5% to current power.
WD - both hexes cost 500 each.
SP - all 4 hexes cost 250 each.

CU - Pyrocidic Nano-Clusters. Shots will explode upon impact, doing additional
        damage to the target.

Notes: My favorite mid-game weapon. Many of your fights at this time will take
place at shotgun range (especially in the Arena), making this a potent choice.
Each shot also has a knockdown effect, giving you a moment to breathe between
shots. If an enemy has multiple strike zones (such as a Leviathan), each zone
will register as a separate hit, further increasing total damage output. By
endgame it will be largely outclassed, but the upgrades help it stay useful. As
with all shotguns, the farther away you are from the target the less damage you
do.

What the Shard Reaper needs most for crowd control is WD. If you're up close
on one target you should be fine unmodified, but a second threat would be a
problem. Along the way to WD you can (and should) pick up the SP, which helps
you put more Shards in the air quickly.

The V5 upgrade is fantastic for a shotgun, since most anything you don't kill
in one hit is close enough to be a real threat. Freezing them lets you either
move away or fire again with less fear of retaliation. Unfortunately, it only
works when your target is just about dead. What a letdown.

The custom upgrade is nice, especially towards endgame when stronger enemies
(and more powerful weapons) start appearing, helping the damage output.




Buzz Blades - fires a saw blade, which bounces around for a short while.

First Acquired: Ardolis, buy at the kiosk for 40,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 200

Refill Qty: 20 saws (blue icon)

Ammo Cost: 8 bolts/saw

Range: Long

Power: 45 (54, 64, 77, 93)     Power Growth Rate 20% per level

V5 Upgrade: Doom Blades. Coats blades in acid, which keeps damaging enemies
        over time.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|......AM......RC--PW....|
|     /       /   /      |
|AM--RC--CU--RC--BT--PW..|
|   /       /            |
|..BT......PW............|
| /       /              |
|BT--WP--PW..............|
+------------------------+
AM - all 3 hexes cost 350 each. Each adds 20 to max ammo.
RC - all 3 hexes cost 500 each.
PW - second row hex costs 1000, other 2 cost 500 each. Second row adds 10%
        to current power, other 2 add 5% to current power.
BT - right hex costs 800, other 2 cost 400 each.

CU - Cesium Blade Edges. If blades stick to an enemy or wall (ground), they
        will explode after a short time. Costs 1200.


Notes: I want to hate the Buzz Blades for being weak, but they do have their
uses. They do work at long range (a little farther than the Predator can
target), and each Blade can hit more than once. Just don't expect to do much
damage per hit. Holding the fire button will throw out Blades at ludicrous
speed. Each Blade also has a limited homing capability, and can reacquire its
previous target. What hurts them most is the achingly slow level-up rate, since
that is based off of damage done.

Buzz Blades badly need AM, since you will be putting out lots of Blades. RC
and PW are helpful, but you may be better served by limiting its use to weak
targets like the Thwogs on Ardolis or small Cragmites.

The V5 upgrade adds a little bit of damage, but not enough to make using the
blades practical in most cases.

The custom upgrade is even less interesting. You don't get the benefit most of
the time, since the blades rarely stick to a wall and are even less likely to
stick to an enemy. Almost a complete waste.



 
Nano-Swarmers - places a turret which automatically attacks targets in range.

First Acquired: Ardolis, buy it at the kiosk for 65,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 4

Refill Qty: 2 ammo (purple icon)

Ammo Cost: 150 bolts/ammo

Range: Medium for deploying turret, then Medium range FROM turret

Power: 143 (172, 206, 248, 297)     Power Growth Rate 20% per level

V5 Upgrade: Toxic Swarmers. The insects from the swarmer are now acidic,
        damaging targets over time.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|......PW......PW......RG|
|     /       /       /  |
|....RG--AM--RG--RG--WP..|
|   /   /           /    |
|..AM--PW..........BT....|
| /   /           /      |
|CU--BT......BT--BT......|
+------------------------+
PW - top left hex costs 1800, other 2 cost 900 each. Top left hex adds 10%
        to current power, other 2 add 5% each to current power.
RG - all 4 hexes cost 650 each.
AM - both hexes cost 700 each. Each adds 1 to max ammo.
BT - bottom middle hex costs 1200, other 3 cost 600 each.

CU - Zero-Kelvin Laser Diode. Freezes enemies struck by the targeting laser.
Costs 2500.


Notes: For big fights and room control, this is worth every last bolt. It's a
turret that doesn't have to swivel, so it can cover every direction much more
efficiently than in the past. Helpful for preventing damage (Arena, and for
Challenge Mode) as long as you stay near it. The damage stacks with other
weapons you should be using at the same time. Note that "invisible" Drophyds
in Zordoom Prison will not be targeted by a Swarmer until they are hit by
something else and made visible.

Turrets need RG. If they don't have a target, they're sitting around looking
pretty. AM is helpful but not really vital; most of the times you want a
stationary turret, there will also be a Kiosk or repeating ammo crate nearby.

The V5 upgrade is very important, since the swarm focuses on one target until
it dies. The added damage will help it move on to the next target faster.

The custom upgrade is perfect for this weapon. The laser freezes the enemy so
the swarm has a stationary target. Not to mention (but I will again) that a
frozen foe can't retaliate.




Alpha Disruptor - charge to unleash a superpowerful shot

First Acquired: Sargasso, found at the Secret Testing Facility ruins. After
        the flight segment, go through the Gelatonium Plant, unlock one more
        door with the Decryptor, and the Alpha Disruptor is on the ledge above
        you to the right.

Ammo Capacity: 4

Refill Qty: 1 charge (blue icon)

Ammo Cost: 250 bolts/charge

Range: Long

Power: 4300 (5160, 6192, 7430, 8916)     Power Growth Rate 20% per level

V5 Upgrade: Alpha Cannon. Every time the beam strikes an enemy, an explosion
        occurs damaging nearby targets.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|..........CH............|
|         /              |
|....PW--WP--AM--CH......|
|       /       /        |
|......CH......BT........|
|     /       /          |
|BT--PW--BT--CU..........|
+------------------------+
CH - all 3 hexes cost 1400 each.
PW - both hexes cost 2000 each. Each adds 10% to current power.
AM - single hex costs 1800. Adds 1 to max ammo.
BT - all 3 hexes cost 1000 each.

CU - Anti-Matter Transfluxor. Reconfigures the beam to penetrate any enemy,
	striking those behind them. Costs 2000.

Notes: Hoo boy, this thing is strong. It's also deadly accurate at a distance,
making it the closest thing you have to a sniper rifle. Unfortunately, there
aren't too many good sniping situations in this game, so we'll have to settle
for crushing normal foes and doing great damage to Leviathans and bosses. Too
bad your ammo stock is almost nonexistant. And no, those upgrade prices are
not typos. This thing is very expensive to power up. As it should be,
considering the initial stats.

One extra shot is nice, but the CH is more important. Still, this is one that
is good enough on its own - if you have to wait for most of the upgrades, you
won't be behind the curve.

The V5 Upgrade means that not only will you decimate whatever you hit, but
anything near it as well. Good times.

The custom upgrade is a great complement to the Disruptor, making it an even
deadlier choice. Some of the worst foes at endgame appear in clusters, and
you can usually line up two or three in one blast.




Pyro Blaster - shoots a jet of flame

First Acquired: Kreeli Comet, buy it at the kiosk for 100,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 30 fuel units

Refill Qty: 10 fuel (blue icon) (suprised me, too)

Ammo Cost: 50 bolts/fuel unit

Range: Short

Power: 516 (619, 743, 892, 1070)     Power Growth Rate 20% per level

V5 Upgrade: Incinerator. Shoots two streams of fire for added power.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|......RG......PW........|
|     /       /          |
|....RG......PW......RT..|
|   /       /       /    |
|..RG......PW......RT--CU|
| /       /       /   /  |
|WP--AM--AM--AM--AM--AM..|
+------------------------+
AM - all 5 hexes cost 500 each. Each adds 2 to max ammo.
RG - all 3 hexes cost 600 each.
PW - all 3 hexes cost 700 each. Each adds 5% to current power.
RT - both hexes cost 1000 each.
CU - Superheated Fuel Injector. Adds an extra stream of fuel at the nozzle,
        making the flame stream wider. Costs 1500.

Notes: Another multi-target killer. You still have to be up close and personal,
but it will demolish the Arena and its bosses in particular. Sweeping damage
allows multiple target zones to be hit at once. Ammo drains as you hold the
trigger, at roughly 1 visible unit per second. The consumption rate is 
actually a hidden decimal stat, so you may find yourself getting ammo crates
with "1 unit of Pyro Blaster fuel" when you seem to be full. Don't turn too
fast when trying to sweep multiple targets, or you'll jump right over them.

If you're building up the Pyro Blaster, you really can't go wrong. The AM is
almost unnecessary but is required to reach everything else, so I don't mind.
RG is probably your best investment. With all upgrades in place, you can deal
with deep swarms on the last few planets with relative ease.

The V5 upgrade adds a second flame jet. Each waves around separately, and each
causes separate damage. No added ammo drain.

The custom upgrade widens each flame jet, roughly doubling the range both
laterally and vertically with no added ammo drain. Highly recommended.




Negotiator - a rocket launcher

First Acquired: Viceron, buy it at the vendor for 200,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 12 rockets

Refill Qty: 2 rockets (red icon)

Ammo Cost: 150 bolts/rocket

Range: Long

Power: 1548 (1858, 2229, 2675, 3210)     Power Growth Rate 20% per level

V5 Upgrade: Judicator. Fires 3 rockets at once. They fan out roughly 90
        degrees for a short distance at reduced speed, and then fire ahead of
        you as normal. Still only consumes 1 rocket of ammo.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|..........PW--PW--SP....|
|         /   /   /      |
|........PW--CU--AM......|
|       /   /   /        |
|......PW--AM--AM........|
|     /   /   /          |
|....RG--WP--RG..........|
+------------------------+
PW - all 4 hexes cost 1000 each. Each adds 5% to current power.
SP - single hex costs 3000.
AM - all 3 hexes cost 1400 each. Each adds 1 to max ammo.
RG - both hexes cost 1500 each.

CU - Napalm Cells. Each rocket will release a globule of napalm on the ground
	after impact. Costs 2500.

Notes: Like I said, it's a rocket launcher. No subtlety, Just big bang with a
small clip. You know you want it.

PW and AM are what a rocket launcher needs. The other upgrades are nice, but
you're better getting a kill in as few rockets as possible. RG helps if one
strong target has a few weaker ones hanging around.

The V5 upgrade essentially expands the explosive radius of the rocket three
times laterally, with no added ammo consumption. I find myself sometimes
lining up targets to the two outside rockets, and counting the middle one as
a bonus.

The custom upgrade sounds great, but the napalm spread is fairly small. I don't
recommend the purchase until you have nothing left to buy.




Razor Claws - electric slash attacks, can grow in power

First Acquired: Jasindu, buy it at the kiosk for 125,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 30 charges

Refill Qty: 6 charges (green icon)

Ammo Cost: 25 bolts/charge

Range: Melee

Power: 892 (1070, 1284, 1541, 1849)     Power Growth Rate 20% per level

V5 Upgrade: Shredder Claws. Adds an energy wave to each swing, knocking
	back surviving targets.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|..........AM--WP--PW....|
|         /       /      |
|....RT--AM......PW......|
|       /       /        |
|......AM--CU--PW--BT....|
|     /       /          |
|....AM......PW..........|
+------------------------+
AM - all 4 hexes cost 1000 each. Each adds 5 to max ammo.
PW - all 4 hexes cost 1500 each. Each adds 5% to current power.
RT - single hex costs 2500.
BT - single hex costs 3000.

CU - Fission Accelerator. Improves the rate at which your Claws gain power
	during a successful combo.


Notes: Many players swear by the Claws for building up insane quantities of
bolts and Raritanium. Just be aware that while they are very strong and can
cut through shields, they have just a little more range than the Wrench. Be
very certain of your timing, so you don't miss and leave yourself exposed.
They actually grow in power as you attack *without getting hurt*, changing
color to reflect this. The combo will maintain if you switch to another
weapon and then switch back, as long as you still don't get hit. If you're
having trouble walking up to your foe and attacking, try a jumping slash -
it lets you close in above the typical height of most attacks. They are
useless on electrified targets. so don't bother.

The AM upgrades on the Claws add a generous number of swings, and should be
your first buy. RT is a definite, as well. PW is helpful to keep you from
spending any more time close-up than you have to.

The V5 upgrade helps somewhat with range, but you can't rely on it.

The custom upgrade just takes everything you already love, and makes it
stronger. No problem except the price, but that's what you have the Claws
for in the first place.





Mag-Net Launcher - fires an electromagnetic net, trapping and damaging a foe

First Acquired: Ublik Passage, buy it at the kiosk for 250,000 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 12 nets

Refill Qty: 3 nets (green icon)

Ammo Cost: 250 bolts/net

Range: Medium

Power: 892 (1070, 1284, 1541, 1849)     Power Growth Rate 20% per level

V5 Upgrade: Mag-Net Cannon. After the net runs out, it explodes.

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|..CU--RT--RT--RT........|
| /   /       /          |
|RT--RT......SP--SP--SP..|
|   /       /       /    |
|..RT--RT--WP......AM....|
|         /       /      |
|........PW--PW--PW......|
+------------------------+
RT - left hex on top row costs 2000, all 6 others cost 1000 each.
SP - right hex costs 2500, other 2 cost 1400 each.
AM - single hex costs 2000. Adds 4 to max ammo.
PW - right hex costs 3000, other 2 hexes cost 1600. Right adds 10% to
        current power, other 2 add 5% each to current power.

CU - Inductor Coils. Increases time the Mag-Net can last on its target.
        Costs 3500.


Notes: Great idea, pretty darn strong. Traps an enemy in the net, damaging
over time or until dead. While a foe is trapped, they can't move or attack.
Some multi-target enemies may be able to attack while netted (the last boss
in particular). Despite my previous assumptions, targets in a net *CAN* be
hurt by your other weaponry. Still no good on electric foes.

You're seeing right. That is 7 RT boosts. Everything else is just a bonus.

The V5 upgrade helps with the one big drawback of the original Mag-Net
Launcher - multiple targets. At V5, once the net is broken you deal extra
collateral damage, which is perfect for clusters of foes (does not work if you
don't connect with the net in the first place).

The custom upgrade is probably something you should buy right away, since
it won't hinder your offense while substantially increasing your protection,
since trapped enemies usually can't fight back.



RYNO IV                  

First Acquired: once all the holo-plans are collected, bring them to the
        Smuggler. He will build it for you for 0 bolts.

Ammo Capacity: 300

Refill Qty: 60 ammo (orange icon)

Ammo Cost: 20 bolts/ammo

Range: (see notes)

Power: 678 (813, 976, 1171, 1406)     Power Growth Rate 20%

V5 Upgrade: RYNO 4-EVER (a.k.a.RYNO IV EXTREME) - (see below)

Raritanium Upgrades:

+------------------------+
|..CH--AM--BT......PW--PW|
| /       /       /      |
|AM......WP--AM--AM......|
|       /       /        |
|..AM--BT......PW--PW....|
| /   /                  |
|CH--BT..................|
+------------------------+
CH - both hexes cost 2500 each.
AM - all 5 hexes cost 2000 each. Each adds 30 to max ammo.
BT - third row hex costs 5000, other 2 cost 2500 each.
PW - all 4 hexes cost 3000 each. Each adds 5% to current power.

CU - none


Notes: The RYNO. The game-breaking attack force that makes a one-man army look
like a sissy. Except... First, you have to earn it, which means collecting the
Holo-plans. The last plan is just before the final battle, so you have to 
deliberately leave once you get it. Second, take the plans to the Smuggler on
Sargasso (he stays there until game's end) and he will assemble it for free.

As for the weapon itself, it charges for a short time, then begins spewing out
beams of energy. At medium or long range, you will see a target lock on your
foes during charging; at close range, the weapon may not target properly. The
beams are fired at a very high rate (faster than the Buzz Blades), so by the
time you take your finger off the trigger you will have wasted a number of
shots. Fortunately, ammo is both plentiful in crates and cheap to buy. And,
did I mention the power rating is PER BEAM? That's what makes it so...
"gameplay destabilizing".

The V5 upgrade is...I've got to be honest here, I don't see a change. Then
again, with a weapon that puts out as much death per second as this, I'm not
complaining. Just observing.

The custom upgrade does not exist for the RYNO IV. It doesn't need one.





[?.005] Holo-Plan Details

The Holo-Plan pieces make up the schematic for the RYNO IV. After creating the
weapon, Gadgetron decided it was too powerful be put into production, so they
broke up the plans and the pieces were scattered throughout the universe.
Fortunately for you, every piece is on a planet you visit during the game,
found inside of a bolt crate or Raritanium chest. All you have to do is break
it open and collect the piece. If you break the box but don't collect the
Plan, the box should respawn later with the piece inside.


There are 13 pieces in all. You can see your total on the Inventory menu. The
pieces are on a hex grid, but the alignment is 4 on top, 4 on the bottom, and
5 in the middle row. If you have already spoken to the Smuggler about the
Holo-Plans, he will send you a message when you have 7 pieces (saying that you
are "halfway there"), and when you have 10 pieces.


Once you have all the plans, you can turn them over to the Smuggler. On an
initial playthrough, you can collect them all and return to Sargasso to get
the RYNO IV. if you have started Challenge Mode, you can also turn over a
complete Holo-Plan to the Smuggler on Rykan V. If you already have the RYNO IV
in your possession the sequence will still play, but will not change anything.
[As a side-note, make sure you sell him your Leviathan Souls *ONLY ON PLANET
SARGASSO!* His price is best there, and Souls do not carry over to your next
playthrough - you might as well get all the bolts you can for them.]


Once you have the Treasure Mapper (found after defeating Captain Slag, it's
possible to bypass it but why would you?), an icon will be added to the Planet
Select screen. Next to the Gold Bolt indicator, there will be a picture of a
blueprint if the planet has a Holo-Plan piece. If you have the piece, the icon
will be white. If not, it will be gray.



****************************************************************************
(The following submission is provided courtesy of GameFAQs user cbt711, with
credits to other posters in parentheses for information they provided.)


Index:
1. Intro and version history
2. General Info
3. Holo plan locations by planet
4. RYNO IV frequently asked questions


1. Intro and version history
Thanks to everyone in parenthesis, especially DesiredFX_EF. This is a walk
through of the holo plan pieces in Ratchet and Clank:FUTURE Tools of
Destruction for the Playstation 3, as well as an FAQ for the pieces and
the weapon collecting the pieces will get you, the RYNO IV. This was list
and FAQ was generated entirely on gamefaqs.com message boards by fans of
the game.

>>V1.1 changes:
Igliak, Kortog and Mukow holo plans added. FAQ section added. Planets now
listed in order of gameplay with the help of Pure_LionHeart
>>v2.0 changes:
Viceron holo plan added, completing the list. Holo plan glitch FAQ added.
Spelling errors corrected, and multiplier update to x20


2. General Info:
Once you get the Treasure Mapper, the Pieces of the holo plan will show up on
the world jumping menu, dark grey if you haven't gotten them yet, or Light
grey if you have gotten them, once you get all the pieces, you can find the
Smuggler on Sagrasso, and he will make your very own RYNO IV.
Holo plans are found by breaking crates or raritanium chests.


3. Holo plan locations by planet:

Kortog (Stratus city)

After you get your robo wings and follow the Zoni rings. Launch the robo wings
again, and fly to the middle of the map, hit select and look for a diamond
shape with 4 circles as the corners. Land here, there will be two ways to go,
either will work. Work your way through the enemies to the North most corner,
break these boxes and you will have the holo-plan for this planet.
(angelbemine3, cbt711)


Fastoon

Not possible until later in the game - See "return to Fastoon"


Mukow

Take the ferris wheel (after you get all the statue pieces and go through the
tunnel of death thing) up the right side and about halfway up jump and glide
to the right. You'll reach an area with a buncha of crates a holo plan is
hidden within em. (argargarg1, edited by cbt711)


Nundac Asteroid Ring

That one is on one of the farthest outer asteroids, on Delta right beside a
box by one of the green launch pads, the one further away from the teleporter.
Have to swing your way over there across two gaps (outsider90909, junor324)


Ardolis

Before taking the elevator to the warp pad back to your ship there will be a
door to the right of you. Use a heli -pod on it and go to the right. There
is a chest of raritanium and crates smash the crates and you will be rewarded
with a Holo-plan.(nayr626)

[author's note: The elevator in question is found in the "Lounge" area. When
you have defeated the Pirates in the Lounge, three more use the elevator to
enter and attack. You must get the Holo-Plan BEFORE taking the elevator, or
you have to backtrack over about half the level to try again.

Also, this particular Holo-Plan has often been cited for a rather significant
glitch. If you use explosive weapons or the Box Breaker inside the Lounge,
there is a chance that the box with the Holo-Plan will be knocked off the
ledge. While there is no known "fix" to prevent it from ever occuring, it is
my understanding that you can claim the Holo-Plan on your next playthrough,
or as detailed below.]


Rykan V

Go to the "town" area where your ship and all the sales-bots are. At one edge
of town there is a river of lava flowing out from under some big structures.
You have to jump up and cross the river... do a hand-over-hand on the first
ledge of the cylindrical structure on the furthest corner of the "town" away
from the ship, then jump up when you have to and walk the rest of the way
across. In the farthest corner of the platform, there is a "box" with a
forcefield on one edge and a platform with a Helipod target on it. Jump into
the box from the platform to the left of it, then use your Helipod to raise it
high enough to get to the platform next to it. Break boxes there and you
should find the plan. (DesiredFX_EF, edited by cbt711)

[author's note: you can also get across the lava river faster with the Thruster
Pack. High Jump onto the two-crate-high structure on the far east side, Long
Jump from there to the three-crate-high structure, and then Long Jump and Glide
across the lava. Does not work with Heli-Pack.]


Sargasso

You have to climb onto the dinosaur by the gold bolt--the one who's standing
on two of the tri-pads. Once you get about halfway up his spine, you can jump
to the building. Of course, the other option is to use the Robo-Wings to get
there, but the dinosaur makes a good reference point. (DesiredFX_EF)


Kreeli Comet

At the point where you use the magnetic track to get past the pirate cannons,
jump out and glide down to the land below you. You will be right outside a
pirate doorkeeper, and behind you there is a swingshot target. Swing across to
get to the holo-plan piece. (DesiredFX_EF)

[author's note: Another way to reach this one is to jump off the left side of
the second ship (where you fight the large Pirate Robot), glide down, and swing
across to the Holo-Plan. The elevator beyond the Pirate Doorkeeper takes you
back to the second ship anyways.]


Viceron

After finally exiting Zordoom Prison, you will be on a grav-ramp. The path to
the left leads back to your ship, but the right is a very short detour with a
Holo-Plan piece. Also when you revisit the planet, You can take a taxi back to
the end of the level, then hop off the taxi. The piece is on the platform
before you take the taxi back to your ship. Instead of heading towards the
taxi turn around and the holo-plan is in a set of boxes directly opposite the
taxi. To make it easier to the taxi is on the left the plan is on the right.
(MrBlockHead, outsider90909)


Jacindu (Kerchu City)

Take the above ground path from where you land, kill the little bug eyed guys
until you get to some Pirates in an open area before you go under a Bridge. As
you approach the open area from the path, stop between the two rocks where the
first pirate is (kill him before you just stand there). Look directly to your
right, there is a ledge about a double jump high in the face of the rock of
the right wall of the open area. Up there is a Raritanium chest with the holo-
plan piece in it. (cbt711)



Ublik (Slag's Fleet)

After you take the first ship across, fight your way to an area with a bolt
crank. To your right is a magna-path that will take you around behind the
building. You'll find some Raritanium chests, etc, and a path that leads to a
ship. Don't follow the path just yet. Smash stuff up and run around until you
find the plan. I apparently went right past it on the first go. (DesiredFX_EF)


Reepor

There are two gun-control turrets that your robot pals use to take out the
force field. There is a platform in front of the control room to your right
that you have to jump across open space to get to. You can see it pretty
easily because it has a cluster of eight crates on it. Smash 'em and grab your
plan. (DesiredFX_EF)


Igliak (Meridian)

There's a big domed room about midway through the level with a trench in the
middle that you can fall through the city if you fall in. In the right hand
corner from where you enter it, before the trench, up on a ledge, there's a
group of boxes. It has the plans. (RayMoe the Conqueror, edited by cbt711)


Return to Fastoon

This one's kind of tricky to describe, and if you don't want to fight Tachyon,
you have to do this before Ratchet and Talwyn open the final chamber. When you
use the Decrypter to get into the area outside the final showdown, keep to the
right wall, smashing crates and whatever as you go. It's actually very easy to
find if you stay along that wall, but it will probably go unnoticed otherwise.
(DesiredFX_EF)


4. RYNO IV FAQ:

-What is the Ryno?

The Ryno is a signature world beater of a weapon dating back to the original
Ratchet and Clank, and this is its 4th appearance, and it is hence named the
Ryno IV - the original R.Y.N.O (Rip Ya a New One) was 150,000 bolts (RYNO II -
1 Million bolts, RY3NO - 3 Million bolts, or 2.7 million with the discount
from previous saves) on the original game and could be brought into Going
Commando if the original was saved on your memory card. No such luck with
version IV. But I would keep the game saved for the next PS3 release, since
this tactic may be repeated on the new platform. This version fires mass
amounts of targeted bullets that streak red behind them and fill the screen.
(cbt711)

RYNO 4EVER is the Omega version of the RYNO IV. It goes from the RYNO IV to
the RYNO 4 EXTREME when it reaches V5. When you buy the Omega version, it
becomes Omega RYNO 4EVER. (DesiredFX_EF)


-What is a holo-plan, what does it have to do with the Ryno?

Gadgetron has classified the blue prints to their ultimate weapon, which later
is revealed as the Ryno IV, you must find all 13 pieces of the blue print, or
holo plan, then turn it into the smuggler for a free Ryno IV v1. (cbt711)


-Is the Ryno worth all this trouble?

Depends on if you are sporting or not - it pretty much eradicates everything
on the screen. The down side, is that it makes the game ridiculously easy, and
if you're trying to get 2 million Raritanium for the infinite ammo groove
ball - it won't help directly. A great way to use it to help get Raritanium in
challenge mode, is kill everything in sight until the multiplier gets to x20,
then use any of the raritanium yielding weapons to generate tons of raritanium
and have it multiplied 20 times over! So the Ryno is great for grinding out
TONS of bolts and raritanium... but it will take most of the challenge out of
the game.. if not all the challenge. (cbt711)


-What are the max capabilities of the Ryno? Max level, ammo, and damage?

With all raritanium mods, at v5, the Omega can be bought for 50,000,000, and
at level 10, it has 900 rounds, with 5141 damage each. (DesiredFX_EF)


-I found where the holo plan should be, and it plays the animation, but then it
doesn't give me the piece, why did this happen, and what do I do now?

This happened to me on my first play through as well. Not ALL hope is lost,
but you might want to start thinking about picking it up on the second play
through. What happened is you either had the box breaker equipped or got in an
unlucky shot with one of your weapons around the box with the holo plan piece,
and you knocked it through the rendered textures, or off a nearby ledge. The
only fix for this has been to walk around adjacent walls and areas, and if
you're close enough (the armor magnetizer helps a lot with this), you will
eventually pick the piece up where ever it landed, even if it's stuck in the
background. On my play through and some other people I have discussed this
matter with's play through you eventually skip to where it should have been,
it plays the animation without actually holding the piece up, but then it does
show up in your inventory. If this doesn't work, you can always get it on the
challenge mode play through, since the boxes will respawn then. (cbt711)


(END HOSTED SUBMISSION)
****************************************************************************




[?.006] Challenge Mode, or How To Build A Better Cragmite Trap

You've crushed the hopes and dreams of another intergalactic menace. Surely
you don't think that's all there is to it, do you? Challenge Mode lets you
play through the game a second time, with all of your current weapons and
power-ups. How is this a challenge, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. Every foe
you face has become much stronger and more resilient, so even your V5 weapons
are going to need a little help.

When you open Challenge Mode, stop by the first Weapon Kiosk you see for a
pleasant surprise (which anyone who has played the previous games should
recognize). Omega versions of any weapons you already have at V5 are now on
sale, and buying them will put you at V6. Even better than that, you can begin
building them up to VX (version 10). However, power doesn't come cheap and
neither do the Omega Weapons. Costs are in the millions. How can you possibly
afford to keep getting stronger?

Another feature of Challenge Mode is the Bolt Multiplier. As you rack up kills
without getting hit, your multiplier goes up by one, to a maximum of x20. The
multiplier affects EVERY bolt drop and Raritanium drop you get, be it from
enemies or the environment. So it is in your best interest to keep from taking
damage to keep your multiplier as high as possible. Some things to keep in
mind:

-Taking ANY hit will reset the multiplier, whether from enemies or the
environment. There's nothing worse than cleaning out an entire planet in one
go, only to get too close to an exploding crate. Falling to your death does
NOT reset the multiplier, oddly enough.

-You can work with any weapon or gadget you want to begin. I recommend using
the Lightning Ravager, Incinerator, and possibly Shredder Claws to help rack up
bolts for later purchases. You may want to leave the Claws for later unless you
are supremely confident in your accuracy and dodging ability, as they can put a
hurting on your multiplier.

-Even when you're working with your weapons, don't forget your gadgets.
Particularly, the Groovitron and its wonderful ability to make your enemies
dance instead of attack.


Stats for Omega Weapons are as follows. Buying the V6 of a weapon will assign a
new base power (with whatever Power hex upgrades to be applied). Power growth
rates for all Omega weapons are 30% per level.

Omega Magma Combuster
Costs: 5,500,000 bolts
Power: 300 (390, 507, 659, 857)
Maximum possible Power: 986

Omega Fusion Bomb
Costs: 6,500,000 bolts
Power: 2250 (2925, 3803, 4943, 6426)
Maximum possible Power: 7390

Omega Plasma Stalker
Costs: 3,000,000 bolts
Power: 3000 (3900, 5070, 6591, 8568)
Maximum possible Power: 9853

Omega Tempest Launcher
Costs: 5,000,000 bolts
Power: 2250 (2925, 3803, 4943, 6426)
Maximum possible Power: 7711

Omega Raptor Launcher
Costs: 7,000,000 bolts
Power: 1500 (1950, 2535, 3296, 4284)
Maximum possible Power: 4927

Omega Lightning Ravager
Costs: 4,000,000 bolts
Power: 1200 (1560, 2028, 2636, 3427)
Maximum possible Power: 3941

Omega Nitro Reaper
Costs: 7,500,000 bolts
Power: 1200 (1560, 2028, 2636, 3427)
Maximum possible Power: 4112

Omega Doom Blades
Costs: 8,000,000 bolts
Power: 225 (293, 380, 494, 643)
Maximum possible Power: 772

Omega Toxic Swarmers
Costs: 9,000,000 bolts
Power: 600 (780, 1014, 1318, 1714)
Maximum possible Power: 2057

Omega Alpha Cannon (is it just me, or is that a contradiction?)
Costs: 8,500,000 bolts
Power: 15000 (19500, 25350, 32955, 42842)
Maximum possible Power: 51410

Omega Incinerator
Costs: 4,500,000 bolts
Power: 1500 (1950, 2535, 3296, 4284)
Maximum possible Power: 4927

Omega Judicator
Costs: 9,500,000 bolts
Power: 3750 (4875, 6338, 8239, 10710)
Maximum possible Power: 12852

Omega Shredder Claws
Costs: 3,500,000 bolts
Power: 1950 (2535, 3296, 4284, 5569)
Maximum possible Power: 6683

Omega-Net Cannon
Costs: 6,000,000 bolts
Power: 2100 (2730, 3549, 4614, 5998)
Maximum possible Power: 7198

Omega RYNO IV-EVER
Costs: 50,000,000 bolts
New ammo qty: 750 (max: 900)
Power: 1500 (1950, 2535, 3296, 4284)
Maximum possible Power: 5141





[?.007] Thanks and Contacts
If you have any feedback for me regarding this FAQ, or would like to use it
as part of your complete game FAQ, contact me at:

[email protected]





Thanks to all those who helped me on the message boards, particularly cbt711
(a.k.a. LuckyShot) and DesiredFX_EF for letting me host the Holo-Plan FAQ as
part of my own.

Thanks to Insomniac for creating a game series that proves you don't need to
have multiplayer to make a quality game. Yeah, I said it.

Thanks to my family for putting up with me having spent so much of my life
playing these silly games.