User:LegoAlchemist/Walkthrough/Unknown

Ah yes, that one boss we all know and love. He makes Dissidia: Final Fantasy's Chaos look like a Creepworm. He is the true epitome of video game cheap-ness.

This will be my attempt at explaining my way of fighting the Unknown, or, as I will refer to him, the Mysterious Figure. Mysterious Figure just sounds better, IMO. Anyway, I write this with the hopes that I can help others in defeating this boss, and possibly help myself defeat him as well. You may find this useful if you are looking to perfect the Thunder Surge strategy. I sure hope it is, because that's all I'm going to cover here.

Just for the sake of consistency, I am going to refer to the Unknown as a "him". I mean, looking at Larxene, I seriously doubt there's a woman under there.

Equipment
The following equipment is the equipment I am using to fight him. There may be other, better equipment choices, but this is the set that works best for me. Similarly, it is best you use what works best for you.

Gold font color indicates the shortcut deck command. Bold font indicates must-have abilities/commands; make sure you have the bolded ones.

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Weapon

 * Chaos Ripper

For the weapon, I recommend the Chaos Ripper because of its immense attack. Void Gear is also an option, however, since Thunder Surge is the only attack you're going to be using, Magic upgrades are obsolete.

Battle

 * Thunder Surge
 * Thunder Surge
 * Thunder Surge
 * Thunder Surge
 * Thunder Surge
 * Thunder Surge
 * Thunder Surge
 * Curaga
 * Curaga

It doesn't matter which Curaga to shortcut, essentially, but I find it helpful because the first Curaga is further away from the first command. The second Curaga, meanwhile, is just one click down from the first, making it easier to access and more difficult to heal twice in a row, should the need ever arise (and it will trust me). It's also better to keep the command flow in one direction; there simply won't be time to stop to scroll down during the fight.

The reason I recommend Thunder Surge is because of the Command Style Finisher it eventually leads to. Fire Dash technically is just as effective, but it isn't as easy to hit the boss with the "Firestorm" finisher, as opposed to the "Thunderbolt" finisher. I'll go more in-depth on Thunderbolt Command Style tips in Terra's strategy section.

Action

 * High Jump
 *  Renewal Block 
 * Counter Hammer
 * Slide
 * Sonic Impact
 * Air Slide
 * Sonic Impact
 * Payback Fang

Renewal Block is big'd here because it is an essential ability. If you don't have Renewal Block before you fight this guy, get it. If you use it correctly, it's like a free Curaga. Counter Hammer is also an extremely useful ability during this fight, especially when going for a Command Style or Finisher. Payback Fang also applies here.

Shotlock

 * Lightning Ray

The Shotlock you have equipped during this fight is obsolete. You're not likely to use it at all.

Abilities
These are simply the abilities I have equipped right now. Not all of these abilities are needed for this battle. Make sure you have the bolded ones.
 * Prizes
 * Treasure Magnet
 * HP Prize Plus
 * Link Prize Plus
 * Lucky Strike


 * Stats
 * HP Boost
 * Item Boost
 * Attack Haste
 * Magic Haste
 * Reload Boost
 * Defender


 * Support
 * Zero EXP
 * Combo Plus
 * EXP Chance
 * Damage Syphon *
 * Second Chance
 * Once More
 * Scan
 * Leaf Bracer

Make sure that the bolded abilities are at their highest level, especially HP Boost and Attack/Magic Haste. Yes, Magic Haste. You need those Curagas to be available to you at a moment's notice. Second Chance and Once More are bigger as well as bolded because they are an ESSENTIAL essential. Without them, you'll be dead in the first five seconds. Scan goes without saying. Leaf Bracer so you aren't killed in the middle of a Cure. Combo Plus isn't bolded because, well, you're likely never going to use a combo.

* Damage Syphon is only needed if you are planning on using Shotlocks in this battle. Even if you aren't using shotlocks, it's good to have this anyway; this is a very very useful ability.


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Aqua
To be added.


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Ventus
To be added.
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Mysterious Figure's Attacks
None of the Mysterious Figure's attacks have an official name. The following list is what I will call the attacks when I am mentioning them in the strategy. Keep in mind that all of the Mysterious Figures attacks will kill the player immediately, unless they have Second Chance and Once More equipped. Seriously, get Once More and Second Chance. The attacks in Red are the deadly ones, and should be watched out for. Strategies on how to deal with these attacks can be found in the "Avoiding Damage" section.
 * X-Beam – Jumps in the air and fires an "x" shaped beam which homes in on the player.
 *  Collision Magnet  – Jumps high in the air and fires a whip-like thing at the player. If the player gets too close to the whip, they will be dragged up toward the Mysterious Figure and damaged. The player will not be able to move until they touch the ground.
 * Combo – Preforms basic slashes.
 * Double Combo – Preforms basic slashes, but has a longer duration than the regular Combo.
 * Extended Combo – Preforms basic slashes, but has a much longer duration than the regular combo. Keep in mind that when MF is doing the Extended Combo, he cannot stumble or stop the attack.
 * Whirlwind to the Void – Or simply Whirlwind, an intricate circle will appear below MF and he will summon a whirlwind that is shot at the player. Contact with the whirlwind will scatter all of the player's commands around the field. Named after Marluxia's "Whirldwind to the Void" sleight from Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories.
 * Sliding Dash – Charges at the player, its weapon charged with light. If the attack contacts the player, MF will launch the player into the air with an upward spinning motion with his weapons.
 * Sonic Blade – MF charges his weapon with light and continuously rushes at the player with tremendous speed. Contact usually blasts the player into the sky, where the Sonic Blade combo continues. Usually has four cycles. Easy to confuse with Sliding Dash above.
 *  Renewal Barrier  – Not an attack as much as a counter-attack. When the Mysterious Figure is threatened by an attack, he may strike a blocking-pose with his weapons. Hitting him while he poses will block your attack and replenish some of the Mysterious Figure's attacks. Not a very dangerous ability, but one that should definitely be wary of, as MF can replenish an entire bar of HP if you aren't careful.
 * Reverse Time – When attacked directly, the Mysterious Figure may stop and rewind time to before he was damaged. He will immediately follow up with a random attack. Leaves the player very vulnerable to attack. This ability will never be seen at all if you are using the Thunder Surge strategy.
 * Gang Rape  Multiply  – Another intricate circle appears below him, and the Mysterious Figure will summon four clones of himself. He, along with the clones, will attack you relentlessly until the clones disappear. If you aren't using Aqua, this attack can be extremely problematic.
 * Raging Storm – An intricate circle will appear below him, and three pillars of flame will erupt around the Mysterious Figure. During the first stage of the battle, he will simply dash about the stage, homing in on you, to deal damage. However, during the second stage, he will accompany this with other attacks.
 *  Sniper Orbs  – Possibly one of his most lethal attacks. The Mysterious Figure will summon tons of orbs, each of which will shoot a single lazer directly at the player. Unless you are using Aqua, whose Barrier ability can easily dodge this, the use of this ability will likely result in game over, as the lazers are extremely difficult to dodge and attack in different periods. Only carefully timed Curagas, frantic Guarding, Shotlocks, Finishers, and luck can avoid being killed by this attack.
 *  Vanish  – When this attack is used, you'll know you've entered the second stage of the fight; an intricate circle will appear below the boss, and he will turn invisible. You will be unable to lock on to the boss during this time. While invisible, he is capable of using any of his former attacks. The way to know where the boss is is to look for his weapons, which do not turn invisible with him, and the slight visual distortion that marks where his body is.
 *  Megaflare  – Fires a slow moving but massive ball of fire at you which explodes upon impact. Only in red because I haven't found an efficient way to dodge it.
 *  Meteor  – Summons a giant meteor that rains down directly on top of you. Only in red because I haven't found a way to dodge it yet.
 * Doom – Fires a string-like thing at you with incredible speed. If you are hit by the string, you will be trapped in a Doom count, unable to move, which will kill you in five seconds unless you mash . The string part of the attack is very hard to see coming, which often leads to a surprise death if you are in alarm zone-health.

Strategy
Since he is the main character I use when fighting MF, this section will likely be Terra-oriented, even unintentionally. I apologize if there is any confusion or bias within the sections.

Thunder Surge
My main technique when fighting this guy is a hit-and-run strategy with Thunder Surge. Basically, it's as follows: When he begins his attack, Thunder Surge him. Then Slide away. Then Thunder Surge him again. Rinse and repeat. With careful timing, this can bring his health down pretty fast. I like this method for three reasons: One, sliding away after doing damage will likely dodge his next attack as well as giving a bit of distance between you and him. Two, I've found that Thunder Surge is more effective when used from a distance, as opposed to right next to the boss, because MF is less likely to guard it. Three, if you're right next to the boss when you use your next Thunder Surge, he may be in the middle of a block stance. Hitting him then not only replenishes his HP, it gives him an opening to attack you. Giving him distance with Slide gives a moment for him to lower his guard. Careful timing with this strategy will bring him down eventually. This method is effective because it often gives him no time to attack you. Just be relentless with your Surging the same way he is relentless with his X-Beams and Collision Magnets. Note: I don't know if this strategy works with Aqua or Ventus. I've only tried it with Terra.

The hit-and-run method I described before is a very reckless way to fight the boss. The "safe" way to do it is to only Surge during some of his attacks, namely the X-Beam and Whirlwind to the Void attacks. Both of these attacks provide just enough time to do damage to the boss while he isn't trying to attack you or block your attacks. The low accuracy of both of these attacks is also a major plus. The other advantage is the temporary invincibility Thunder Surge grants, making it possible to actually pass through either of these attacks to reach the boss.

There is one more interesting thing I've found with not just Thunder Surge, but almost all of the Dash/Surge commands. When MF is about to do an X-Beam or Whirlwind attack – heck, even after they do these – if you hit him with a Surge, he'll jump away and try to do it again. His tendency to repeat the X-Beam/Whirlwind attacks if they miss you can be a great advantage; it gives you the opportunity to nail him with a Surge command again and again and again, or at least until he's satisfyed with the amount of times he's used the attack. Be careful though: When using this little method on a Whirlwind to the Void attack, there's a chance it may be faster than you and take out your deck before you can even retaliate. That's the only problem I've encountered with this method. It isn't a rock-solid way of defeating him, simply a tip in case the opportunity ever arises.

One thing to watch out for with the Thunder Dash method, especially with the reckless hit-and-run method I mentioned, is your Curagas. When you're randomly Thunder Surging around, you may get into the habit of simply mashing the button, which could lead to you accidentally using Curaga at one point. A mistake like this could be fatal – literally – even if you're at low health when you do it. Getting out of the rhythm of the Thunder Dashes and suddenly throwing a Cure in there not only wastes a Curaga, it makes you extremely vulnerable to further attack, especially when then boss uses an attack like Collision Magnet. Keep a close eye on your Deck while you're using Thunder Surge, and when you see a Curaga, remember that you'll need to scroll past two of those to continue with the Thunder Surge combo. The split second moment where you're scrolling past the Curagas leaves you vulnerable to attack, so make sure that you're well away from the boss or in the middle of a Thunder Surge when you do it. More on Curaga usage in the "Avoiding Damage" section coming up.

Safe or reckless, just keep to Thunder Surge. Don't even try to attack him with your weapon. If you are persistent and patient with this method of dealing damage, I am confident the Unknown will fall.

Shotlocks
It really isn't the best way, but I have made a bit of progress fighting this boss with Shotlocks. The number one best time to use the Shotlock is during the Collision Magnet attack. Just keep distance between you and the boss when he does it, then keep steady aim as he preforms it, falls, and charges at you.

The main disadvantage to the Shotlock method is that the boss has a tendency to move out of the targeting parameter when you're aiming. When he moves out of the way, there's a chance the player may become confused as to his location and randomly start aiming about, leaving them open for attack. This is why the best times to use Shotlocks are when the Mysterious Figure is stationary, such as the attacks Collision Magnet, Whirlwind to the Void, X-Beam, and the beginning of the Raging Storm attack. The other disadvantage is that the Mysterious Figure has a tendency to use his Renewal Barrier during the Shotlock, which can restore a massive amount of the boss' HP.

I recommend using projectile Shotlocks for this boss, as they have long range and the final, more powerful shots are the ones the boss is least likely to guard. If you do plan to use Shotlocks, ensure that Damage Syphon is activated, as there will be next to no chance to restore the Focus gauge unless you stock up on Elixers, which waste deck space. As long as the player maintains a steady aim and is quick to turn on and off the targeting screen, this method can prove efficient in the short-run. However, as a long-term mothod, Shotlocks alone are unlikely to be able to defeat the Mysterious Figure.

Command Styles and Finishers
It's generally a good idea to keep an eye on the Command Meter while you're Thunder Surging your way through this boss. In fact, besides defeating the Mysterious Figure himself, your goal while fighting him should be to fill up the Command Meter and get to your Command Style or Finisher. The Thunderbolt Command Style in particular is a great Command Style to use during this fight, as it boosts the power of Thunder-attributed attacks, such as, you guessed it, Thunder Surge. Even more useful is its Finisher, "Thunderbolt", which summons a sphere of Lightning that zaps everything within a certain radius. This Finisher is useful when you're in a situation when you can't attack the boss directly.

However, Finishers should never be used to block attacks, especially when you're at one HP. The temporary invincibility is actually a weakness here as it gives the boss opportunity to attack you while you can't feel it, which will hurt you the moment your finisher ends. Only use a finisher when you are at full health and only use it as an attack, don't use it for defensive purposes.

Avoiding Damage
In this section, I'll go through step-by-step on when to cure and how to avoid specific abilities, as well as some dodging tricks in general.

Dodging in General
Unless the constant grunting of the characters while they do it bothers you, don't be afraid to simply mash to dodge certain attacks. If you're really in need of a Cure, but can't find a good opportunity to do it, just Slide/Roll/Cartwheel around the field, avoiding MF's attacks as necessary, until the opportunity presents itself.

When to Cure
The most important part about Curing is to only do it when you are absolutely safe from attack. Even if you're at low health and you simply HAVE to do it, wait until the opportunity best presents itself. Never Cure if you are in range of the Mysterious Figure's attacks. Whether it's Sliding, Rolling, Cartwheeling, just dodge his attacks best you can; buy some time until the opportune moment. Though you can get away with it, it's better if you don't try to damage MF when you get into alarm zone-health.

The best time to Cure when fighting this boss is when he is using his Collision Magnet attack – simply get some distance from him when he starts the attack and use Curaga while he's immobilized in the air. With the Leaf Bracer ability, there are a few more options; another safe time to Cure is during his X-Beam and Whirlwind to the Void attacks – with Leaf Bracer activated, and with the proper timing, the attack will pass right through you as your health is restored to full.

Renewal Block
This is God's gift to you. Without it, healing would just become even more of a pain-in-the-ass, and this guy would be even stronger. Yes, Renewal Block. Leaf Bracer aside, Renewal Block opens a wide wide window of healing opportunities. The nice thing about using Renewal Block during this fight is that MF's attacks inflict so much damage, blocking them restores a lot of health to you! This ability can get you out of very very sticky situations, if used properly.

The single best time to use Renewal Block is to counter MF's X-Beam attack, mainly because of the time it takes for him to preform it and how easy it is to spot. If Mysterious Figure uses this attack on you as much as he uses it on me, you'll have lots of opportunities to use this. Be careful, though: the X-Beam is faster than it looks, and if you're using a slower character like Terra, you may not be able to Block in time to survive, much less recover damage. The other times you could use Renewal Block is in anticipation of his Extended Combo. If you see him swinging his swords in your direction, give blocking a try. He may continue into the Extended Combo, in which case you'll get some health back as well as the opportunity to use a counterattack on him. Speaking of which, if you do ever get the opportunity to use a Counter ability on him, use it! They're good abilities – especially if you're trying to get the Command Meter up.

The final, most absolute times to use Renewal Block/Barrier: during MF's Sniper Orb and Multiply. In the case of the former, if you're playing as Aqua, Renewal Barrier is the perfect – not to mention only – way to block the Sniper Orb attack. If you're Terra or Ven, that's a little trickier, but frantically guarding may work, depending on which direction you're struck by first during the Orb attack. More on avoiding Sniper Orb in the next section. As for the latter, what I like to call "Gang Rape", blocking and then countering is one of the few efficient ways to take out all of the copies at once. This is especially true for Terra and Aqua, whose counter attacks have great range and power.

Tips on MF's Attacks
Avoiding this attack isn't generally difficult; it's as simple as using your dodge of preference to get out of the way. However, this attack does have a homing ability, and it's quite fast, so if you don't dodge fast enough, you could be hit.
 * X-Beam

This attack is generally the best "opportunity attack", as I like to call them; it provides an opportunity to Thunder Surge, Block-and-counter/renew, and Cure. This attack is likely your worst nightmare. It can't be blocked, and Leaf Bracer Curaga can't protect you from it. If you get caught in it, you're pretty much dead, for the Mysterious Figure will immediately follow up with either a Combo, a Whirlwind, an X-Beam, or another Collision Magnet. For your sake, hope he follows up with an X-Beam, for that's the only attack that you are guaranteed to be able to escape from. Otherwise, if you're caught, it's game over. Avoid this attack at all costs. The best way to dodge it is to Slide/Roll/Cartwheel and get either as far away from it as possible or underneath the boss. Another option is to Thunder Surge underneath him – it may last long enough for him to land on you, dealing damage.
 * Collision Magnet

If you are ensnared by this attack, the only way to break free is if MF is next to a wall when he grabs you, you are being hit by another attack (such as Sniper Orbs) while he's pulling you up, or if you're about to transition into a Command Style.

Meanwhile, it does produce some certain "opportunities". If you use Shotlocks during this battle, the best time to use it is while this attack is preformed. Also, if you're at a considerable distance while it's happening, you have the chance to Cure.

These are the simplest attacks to dodge; countering them is also a great alternative. Thunder Surging the boss while he's using a combo besides the Extended Combo will likely end it, as it'll make him stumble. If you aren't in a good position to dodge this attack, Blocking it is also an option, especially in the case of the Extended Combo.
 * Combos

Dodging the Whirlwind is as simple as dodging the X-Beam. However, getting hit with it can really throw a wrench in your plans, as getting hit with it will scatter your entire deck about the field. No worries, you can pick them back up again by simply passing over or near them.
 * Whirlwind to the Void

Like X-Beam, this attack is quite an "opportunity attack". Only blocking is out of the question when it comes to dealing with this attack. Otherwise, exploit it. Be careful, though – it isn't hard for MF to spring this one on you; don't let him or this attack catch you off guard.

Sliding Dash is simple to avoid, but has a surprising range to it – you may find yourself hit by this attack when it didn't seem to touch you. It's followed up by a spinning slash in which MF swipes you into the air. Be careful from here; though it is tempting to touch the ground and nail him with a Thunder Surge, MF has a tendency to follow up this attack with a Whirlwind to the Void.
 * Sliding Dash

While he's charging at you is an excellent opportunity to Thunder Surge him. Blocking is also an option, though there isn't a whole lot of warning before this attack is used, making an attempt at guarding a risky business.

This attack is easy to confuse with Sliding Dash; he cloaks his weapon in light and rushes at you with incredible speed. If he catches you, he will smack you around high into the air before stopping. While you are in the air, where he can't attack you, there is a good Cure opportunity. It is best to exploit this while you can. If you aren't able to Cure in the air immediately, use Air Slide to get a distance away before doing it.
 * Sonic Blade

I don't know if it's just me, but there is a small glitch involving this attack; if MF hits you with one of his Sonic Blades and you scroll to a Command in your deck before he hits you with the second one, sometimes Second Chance fails and the second attack of his kills you. I recommend, just to be safe, to scroll to your Curaga after he's finished attacking you.

Dodging this attack is difficult with Terra: It is possible to dodge the first Sonic Blade attack, but the second one cannot be outran. I'm pretty sure it's possible to cancel this attack by Guarding it, but I can't say for certain.

It's generally impossible to tell when exactly he's going to use this. I've found that he uses it more when you use Thunder Surge closer to him. The best way to avoid that is to Thunder Surge him from further away.
 * Renewal Barrier

Renewal Barrier is his staple way of avoiding Shotlocks. An entire cycle of Shotlock guarded by the Mysterious Figure can replenish a tremendous amount of his HP – keep this in mind if you're planning on resorting to Shotlocks.

This attack shouldn't ever crop up if you keep to the Thunder Surge strategy. I honestly don't know when exactly this attack is used or if it can be avoided. The animation and sound effects made when this attack happens is cool, though...
 * Reverse Time

"Gang Rape", as I like to call it, is generally tricky to avoid when you're playing as a character other than Aqua. The simplest way to get rid of the clones is to Thunder Dash the lot of them just as they all appear – normally they're all bundled together then, just hope that the Thunder Surge manages to take them all out. If not, try to guard their attacks and the Counter Hammer/Rush/Blast them. Aqua's Barrier is especially useful as it has a range of 360 degrees, allowing her to block the attacks from all sides.
 * Multiply

Being caught in this attack is potentially fatal. Though normally your Second Chance will hold you out until their constant attacking ends, there's a possibility one of them may use Slide Dash or Collision Magnet on you. With Collision Magnet, chances are you'll survive, as you're being constantly attacked, but with Slide Dash, when you're knocked into the air by the final move, Second Chance will fail and the next strike will kill you.

When you're caught in the attack, my advice is just to mash over a Curaga or Thunder Dash, hope the Thunder Dash kills them all, or the Curaga heals you in time.

This attack, though it looks formidable, isn't really a threat during the first stage of the battle. It's fairly simple to dodge, all you need to do is Slide/Roll/Cartwheel in random directions and the boss is likely to miss you. If you DO get caught in the vortex, just wait it out, let him hit you; Second Chance will keep you alive until the combo ends. There are some times where Second Chance fails, but that's on account of the boss not reaching you in time. Keep your scroller over a Curaga just in case this happens.
 * Raging Storm

Just before and just after the Mysterious Figure does this attack is a split-second opening to use Curaga. Time it well, though its success depends on whatever attack MF uses next.

During the second phase of the battle, Mysterious Figure will start to accompany this attack with other attacks.

If you're playing as Terra or Ventus, if this attack is used, you probably just lost. There's really no efficient way to avoid this attack as anyone other than Aqua, who can guard all of them with a simple Barrier. With this attack, there's a chance that they may strike just in time to allow Second Chance to kick in, leaving you alive until their next strike. If you feel the next strike is taking too long to happen, use Curaga. Quickly. Another option is to Slide/Roll away from these as quickly as possible and Guard frantically. Hopefully, most of the attacks will come at you from the front. Carefully timed Curagas can avoid taking damage as well, if you have Leaf Bracer activated. Shotlocks are also an option, but it's tricky getting one started. Your only other hope is if MF decides to, instead of standing idly by, watching you get maimed, attack you with Combos. If he does, you've got a lucky break. Second Chance will keep you alive hopefully through the duration of the Combos and the Sniper Orbs. I can't say for sure, but I think attacking MF while Sinper Orbs is being used will cause him to retaliate and attack you, which may just save your life. Thank God for Second Chance.
 * Sniper Orbs

Alternatively, the amount of Sniper Orbs summoned by the Mysterious Figure can be limited if you Thunder Surge him as he's summoning them. The damage will interrupt the attack, and he'll cease the summon of them. Chances are, though, he'll likely teleport a distance away and summon the rest of them.

Mostly surviving this attack relies on luck.

Once the Mysterious Figure uses this attack, that's a sign that the second stage of the fight has begun. You have probably lowered MF's health down past two bars, and now he gets serious. This attack causes MF to vanish instantly, making it impossible to lock on to him. He is still visible, however, by his weapons, which do not vanish with him, and slight distortion areas on the battle ground indicating his location. When he vanishes, don't panic. The simplest thing to do is wait it out by Sliding/Rolling/Cartwheeling around the stage, waiting for it to wear off. It eventually will, and you'll be able to lock on to him again.
 * Vanish

Along with this attack, MF will start to get serious; he'll begin using two or even three sets of attacks at once, such as Raging Storm with Sniper Orbs with Collision Magnet. Ugh. All of the following attacks are also attacks he is only capable of using during the second stage of the battle, as well.

Also, Mysterious Figure will retaliate with this attack if you use a D-Link. If you use a D-Link and MF uses Vanish, that doesn't necessarily mean that the second stage of the battle has begun. Note: Concerning D-Links, it's better to only use them as a last resort way of replenishing your health.

I haven't found a way to efficiently avoid this attack. Mysterious Figure is able to summon "Flare balls" in turn, one after the other, so keep this in mind. I oftentimes do not see this attack coming when it is used – keep in mind that you may not notice it either.
 * Megaflare

The only differece between Megaflare and Meteor is that Mysterious Figure literally summons a giant meteor that crashes down right on top of you. This attack is also easier to see coming. I haven't found a way to avoid it as of yet.
 * Meteor

It is possible to dodge this attack, though it is difficult. It's sometimes hard to see coming. If you are hit by the string-thing, simply mash to end it, otherwise it's game over in five seconds.
 * Doom

Conclusion
All in all, there really is no textbook way of defeating the Mysterious Figure. Tips and tricks may be useful, yes, but the best way to learn how to beat him is to fight him yourself. Unless you're some kind of gaming god, you're not going to be able to beat this guy on your first time. It takes patience, perseverance, practice, and, most of all, luck.

This is just the way that works best for me. If you want to claim that the Mysterious Figure can be defeated with a full deck of Strike Raids, I'm not going to argue with you. I'm sure it can be done. However, for a simple, almost easy way of beating this guy, the above strategy is what I'd recommend for you. I know that it's possible to defeat this guy without the Thunder Surge method, but for those of you who are like me and are too lazy to fight the guy for realz, well, here you go. I hope you found this guide useful.

And if, at the very least, your sanity reaches a critical level and the boss simply becomes too frustrating to fight, there's always the epic music playing when you fight him to make you want to come back for more. Seriously, sometimes I fight this guy just to listen to the music. It takes badass to a whole new level.

Good luck! You're going to need it.