| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Appears in | Pikmin 2, Pikmin 4 | ||
| Scientific name | Pseudoarachnia navaronia | ||
| Family | Arachnorb | ||
| Areas | Hero's Hideaway (Olimar's Shipwreck Tale) | ||
| Caves | Subterranean Complex, Hole of Heroes, Ultimate Testing Range, Cavern for a King | ||
| Challenge Mode stages | Secret Testing Range | ||
| Dandori Challenge stages | None | ||
| Dandori Battle stages | None | ||
| 2-Player Battle stages | None | ||
| Attacks | Fire explosive projectiles | ||
The Man-at-legs (ダマグモキャノン?, lit.: "Cannon Orb Spider") is a member of the Arachnorb family, and first appeared as a boss in Pikmin 2 and reappears in Pikmin 4. It's one of two bio-mechanical creatures featured in the game, having a mostly mechanical torso sheathed in metal with four spindly legs – three of them are black, organic and spider-like, while the other one is mechanical; this makes attacking its feet impossible. Several exhaust pipes on its body continually emit smoke. Unlike other Arachnorbs, it has no flat footpads to stomp Pikmin with, instead relying on its long-ranged attacks and speed, quickly skittering around the room to avoid being attacked. When agitated, it stops in place, the panels of its underbelly separate and a machine gun-like weapon extends out, tracking any nearby targets via a laser sight before rapidly firing a barrage of explosive rounds at whatever it manages to lock-on to. After firing a few dozen shots, with minimal breaks in-between, it sheathes its weapon before continuing to move about. While moving, it will occasionally stand still to rest, roaring like its relatives.
Its interior appears to be filaments of biological matter that stretch to allow its gun to fold out. The creature is not without its flaws, though: it lets off steam with a loud hiss before it attacks, signaling the player's retreat, and there is a visible red laser it uses to target the Pikmin, making it obvious where it's going to shoot. However, the blasts come very quickly, so the laser is not of much use when avoiding the enemy.
The Man-at-Legs is not in control of its attacks, as stated by Olimar's notes. In typical Arachnorb manner, it leaves no body behind upon dying. However, instead of slowly disintegrating like its two relatives, it freezes and releases lots of steam while shaking a bit, before exploding violently.
This boss is usually found in arenas that have raised ground that can be used as shields against the blasts. It is only found on the last sublevel (9) of the Subterranean Complex, sublevel 13 of the Hole of Heroes, and sublevel 2 of the Secret Testing Range in Challenge Mode. As a side note, it cannot be petrified while it is dormant.
Stats
| Game | Weight | Max. carriers |
Seeds | Value | Health | Regen. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2800 | No |
|
N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 5000 | No |
Notes
Olimar's notes
Louie's notes
Pikmin 2 Nintendo Player's Guide
Strategy
- When the creature has fully risen from the ground and starts aiming, the player should run for cover behind an object. Once it starts walking around, it should be chased. It is most easily attacked when it stands still and lowers its head. When it shakes the Pikmin attacking it off in a fury, the player should hide again, and repeat the cycle.
- A large mob of Purple Pikmin thrown at this enemy while it lies dormant in the ground should drop its health to a substantial fraction. Once it has risen fully, the first or third strategy should be used.
- The creature is attacked until it has stood up all the way, and at that point it is petrified. As soon as the spray wears off, it should be petrified again. However, occasionally the Man-at-Legs will exit the stun and start shooting immediately, without the aiming laser.
- Before the creature opens fire, the player can dismiss their Pikmin away from the Man-at-Legs and run in tight circles around its legs. As long as Olimar is closer to the creature than the Pikmin, he will be shot at, and with skill, unharmed. This strategy is easier to perform after obtaining the Rush Boots.
Unfortunately, the player faces the Man-at-Legs in a watery area two out of three times, leaving the aforementioned strategy of Purple Pikmin useless. In such circumstances, it is best to attempt the "Hit and Run" technique of number one. The second strategy does not work in New Play Control! Pikmin 2, as the creature is invincible while it is rising from the ground. The fourth method is effective, but hard to perform at times.
In Pikmin 4, its arenas usually have some mixture of vases and dirt walls that can be used for cover against its attacks. They will break after taking too many hits, requiring the player to move from one piece of cover to another to minimize the likelihood of being shot at; this is especially important when its health is low, as it will fire up to three barrages in a row before pausing and may stagger the timing between barrages to trick the player. It is advised to ride Oatchi while fighting the Man-at-Legs, since the Pikmin riding on his back cannot be shot at unless Oatchi himself is hit.
Technical information
| Pikmin 2 technical information (?) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal name | houdai
| ||
| Global properties (List) | |||
| ID | Japanese comment | Property | Value |
| s000 | friction(not used) | Friction | 0.5 |
| s001 | wallReflection | Unknown (wall bounce speed multiplier?) | 0.5 |
| s002 | faceDirAdjust | Unknown | 0.25 |
| s003 | accel | Acceleration | 0.1 |
| s004 | bounceFactor | Unknown (bounce when it hits the ground?) | 0.3 |
| fp00 | ライフ | HP | 2800 |
| fp01 | マップとの当り | Unknown (related to slopes) | 10 |
| fp02 | ダメージスケールXZ | Horizontal damage scale | 0.1 |
| fp03 | ダメージスケールY | Vertical damage scale | 0.1 |
| fp04 | ダメージフレーム | Damage scale duration | 0.5 |
| fp05 | 質量 | Unknown (weight?) | 0.0001 |
| fp06 | 速度 | Move speed | 250 |
| fp08 | 回転速度率 | Rotation acceleration | 0.2 |
| fp09 | テリトリー | Territory radius | 800 |
| fp10 | ホーム範囲 | "Home" radius | 75 |
| fp11 | プライベート距離 | "Private" radius | 70 |
| fp12 | 視界距離 | Sight radius | 600 |
| fp13 | 視界角度 | FOV | 180 |
| fp14 | 探索距離 | Unknown (exploration radius?) | 800 |
| fp15 | 探索角度 | Unknown (exploration angle?) | 7 |
| fp16 | 振り払い率 | Successful shake rate | 1 |
| fp17 | 振り払い力 | Shake knockback | 500 |
| fp18 | 振り払いダメージ | Shake damage | 0 |
| fp19 | 振り払い範囲 | Shake range | 25 |
| fp20 | 攻撃可能範囲 | Unknown (shock attack max range?) | 75 |
| fp21 | 攻撃可能角度 | Unknown (shock attack max angle?) | 25 |
| fp22 | 攻撃ヒット範囲 | Unknown (attack hit range?) | 10 |
| fp23 | 攻撃ヒット角度 | Unknown (attack hit angle?) | 0.004 |
| fp24 | 攻撃力 | Attack damage | 10 |
| fp25 | 視界高 | Unknown (height visibility?) | 50 |
| fp26 | 探索高 | Unknown (exploration height?) | 40 |
| fp27 | ライフの高さ | HP wheel height | 115 |
| fp28 | 回転最大速度 | Rotation speed | 60 |
| fp29 | 警戒時間 | Unknown (warning time?) | 15 |
| fp30 | 警戒ライフ | Unknown | 50 |
| fp31 | ライフ回復率 | Regeneration rate | 0 |
| fp32 | LOD半径 | Off-camera radius | 175 |
| fp33 | マップとのあたりポリゴンの選定 | Collision processing radius | 75 |
| fp34 | ピクミンとのあたり | Pikmin damage radius | 20 |
| fp35 | 石化時間 | Petrification duration | 1 |
| fp36 | ヒップドロップダメージ | Purple Pikmin drop damage | 50 |
| fp37 | 地震気絶確立 | Purple Pikmin stun chance | 0 (0%) |
| fp38 | 地震気絶時間 | Purple Pikmin stun time | 5 |
| ip01 | 振り払い打撃Ａ | Shake mode 1 – hit count | 10 |
| ip02 | 振り払い張付１ | Shake mode 1 – Pikmin requirement | 30 |
| ip03 | 振り払い打撃Ｂ | Shake mode 2 – hit count | 15 |
| ip04 | 振り払い張付２ | Shake mode 2 – Pikmin requirement | 37 |
| ip05 | 振り払い打撃Ｃ | Shake mode 3 – hit count | 25 |
| ip06 | 振り払い張付３ | Shake mode 3 – Pikmin requirement | 50 |
| ip07 | 振り払い打撃Ｄ | Shake mode 4 – hit count | 30 |
| Specific properties | |||
| ID | Japanese comment | Property | Value |
| fp01 | ベース係数 | Unknown (base coefficient?) | 9 |
| fp02 | 上げ減速係数 | Unknown | -0.1 |
| fp03 | 下げ加速係数 | Unknown | 0.5 |
| fp04 | 最低減加速係数 | Unknown | -2 |
| fp05 | 最高減加速係数 | Unknown | 10 |
| fp06 | 足の振り上げ | Unknown (feet swing?) | 40 |
| fp10 | 射撃On:Max | Max shooting duration before a pause (does not increase overall shooting duration) | 2.5 |
| fp11 | 射撃On:Min | Min shooting duration before a pause | 0.5 |
| fp12 | 射撃Off:Max | Max time the pause lasts while shooting | 1 |
| fp13 | 射撃Off:Min | Min time the pause lasts while shooting | 0.06 |
| fp20 | Last 2 Territory | "Territory" property (fp09) on the Hole of Heroes | 130 |
Other information
- Size: Leg span: 170mm, as per the e-card
- Pikmin 2 Piklopedia number: #76
- Musical theme: Common boss battle
Naming
- See more: Arachnorb family#Naming.
- Common name: Man-at-Legs. It is a pun on "man-at-arms", a professional soldier during the Middle Ages, with the word "Legs" referring to it being a member of the arachnorb family.
- Japanese nickname: ダマグモキャノン?, lit.: "Cannon Orb Spider".
- Japanese name: アシボソエンマツユハライ?, lit.: "Narrow-legged Yama Tsuyuharai".
- Scientific name: Pseudoarachnia navaronia. Navaronia is most likely a reference to the famous novel The Guns of Navarone, referring to the Man-at-Legs's own gun.
- Internal names: Internally, the boss is called
houdai. ほうだい? means "artillery battery", once more referring to the creature's firepower. - Prerelease: None.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
ダマグモキャノン? Dama Gumo Kyanon |
Cannon Orb Spider | |
 French |
Mécano-pattes (Pikmin 2) Mécanopattes (Pikmin 4) |
Mechanic-paws (Pikmin 2) Mechanicpaws (Pikmin 4) |
The names are both a portmanteau of "mécano" (mechanic) and "pattes" (paws) |
 German |
Weberbauer | Weaver builder | |
 Italian |
Ragno-macchina | Machine spider | |
 Portuguese (NoA) |
Aracnomáquina | Arachnomachine | The name is a portmanteau of "aracno" (arachno) and "máquina" (machine) |
 Spanish |
Arañator | Spidetor | The name is a portmanteau of "araña" (spider) and the suffix "-tor", referencing the pop culture character The Terminator |
 Spanish (NoA) |
Arañator | Spidetor | The name is a portmanteau of "araña" (spider) and the suffix "-tor", referencing the pop culture character The Terminator |
Gallery
Artwork of the Man-at-Legs from Pikmin 2.
The Man-at-Legs in the Piklopedia.
A Man-at-Legs in the Secret Testing Range, firing its weapon.
A dormant Man-at-Legs at the Subterranean Complex. Notice the web-like design on the floor.
A dormant Man-at-Legs up close.
The Man-at-Legs emerges.
Animation of a Man-at-Legs emerging.
The inside of the Man-at-Legs in Pikmin 2.
The Man-at-Legs' skin compared to a Beady Long Legs.
The Man-at-Legs firing in Pikmin 4.
The creature's e-card, #32 (10th blue card).
Trivia
- The overall appearance of the Man-at-Legs is likely based on the Martians from the novel The War of the Worlds. Both have a robotic and arachnid nature, as well as disproportionately thin legs. The way both creatures awaken is also by slowly lifting their spherical heads to reveal the legs attached to them. Both even have similar methods of attack, with deadly lasers.
- The Man-at-Legs also shares numerous similarities with the OG-9 Homing Spider Droid, being quadrupedal spider-like walkers with abdominal laser cannons. Both were released relatively close to each other, the Spider Droid preceding the Man-at-Legs by 2 years in Attack of the Clones.
- Like the Raging Long Legs, the Man-at-Legs uses Beady Long Legs's roar at a different pitch. There are no adjustments to make it sound more mechanical.
- Spider web patterns are seen on the floor of its battle arenas, similar to the shadows of webs in the Beady Long Legs and Raging Long Legs arenas.
- In the caves that it is found in, the Man-at-Legs appears to be somehow "buried" in solid metal in its dormant form. Its legs also come straight out of the solid ground, which also doesn't make much sense.
- Holes in its metal plating reveal "skin" with a texture similar to that of the Beady Long Legs.
- An unused cave reveals that two Man-at-Legs were to be fought in the same sublevel.
- It is unknown how Louie knows how to cook this beast, as it explodes after its health is degraded.
- This is the only member of the arachnorb family that isn't stated to be inedible or otherwise nearly unpalatable and unpleasant to consume according to Louie's notes on it, since he calls the oil a "mouthwatering gravy" and never mentions any unfortunate side effects of consuming the oil.
- This member of the arachnorb family is very different from its other relatives; it's the only one that doesn't crush Pikmin, fall from the sky (instead comes out of ground) and it is also the smallest known member.
- When its health reaches the halfway point, its mechanical legs' joints will start smoking.
