Credits
BIG Credits to: Schneeheide, Jaddo, heyyyhoooo, Ladnok, MatosMachine, and Drumset Fundamentals for their videos included in this guide and their help correcting the info! :D
Let me know in the my Speedrun.com DMs if any information needs to be added or corrected, I will try to address any issues and give you credit. Thank you! :D
(GIFs showcasing these moves will be done on a Controller with the “Controller (Alt.)” control scheme)
(Last updated: May 22th, 2024)
1. Roll Movements
Rolling is an evasive maneuver, used to dodge enemies and their attacks. However, Rolling is also a tool for fast traversal. If you chain a roll with another roll, or a jump, you can greatly increase your overall move speed.
Rolling is completely unhindered while underwater, making it invaluable in Subterranean Grave.
Alternatively, the speed of a Roll is halved when going up slopes and stairs.
Before you can dash, you will roll. Prioritize rolls as much as you can when traversing rooms, but also avoid reckless rolling.
1.1 Roll Chain (R>R)
Roll-Chain is done by rolling back-to-back. In other words, chaining them together.
Roll-Chain gives you a short burst of speed and i-frames with each roll. Roll-Chains are also completely unhindered while underwater.
In Human-Form, Roll-Chaining is best for general movement until you obtain the Dash Fragment/Cat Sphere.
In Cat-Form, Roll-Chaining is the worst for general movement, as Rolls in Cat-Form are faster, but lose momentum much faster and have more buffer in between each roll.
1.2 Roll-Chain Optimization
Roll-Chains are optimized by Rolling as soon as it is available again. Knowing some good visual and audio cues is a good place to start when practicing.
- Visually, Your next roll is ready starting from the 6th frame of the Roll animation, 3/4’s through the animation. You can also look at when Kaho’s eyes become visible again as a visual tell.
- Audibly, the Roll sound effect lasts almost as long as the buffer before Rolling again, you can use this as a tempo to work off of.
Additionally, Using a Metronome for practice helps too. BPMs ranging from 100 BPM to 112 BPM are good for fast roll-chains, with 112 BPM being for the most optimal Roll-Chains. However, it is recommended you pace yourself, and work your way up to that first.
Metronome [ 001 - 600 BPM ] Playlist by Drumset Fundamentals
1.3 Roll-Cancel (RC)
Roll-Cancel is done by meleeing mid-air while rolling,
it cancels the Roll's remaining speed, allowing you to more directly fall towards the surface below.
Once you’ve canceled the roll, you’ll be able to roll again as soon as you’ve landed. You can use smaller drops to briefly chain rolls faster than normally possible, granting more speed.
Works for both Human and Cat Form.
1.4 Roll-Jump (RJ)
Roll-Jump is done by Rolling and Jumping at the exact same time.
Roll-Jumps combine the speed, i-frames, and height for a very versatile piece of your kit throughout the entire speedrun.
Like Roll-Chain, Roll-Jump is also unhindered while underwater, up until you start falling back down.
In Human-Form, Roll-Jumps perfectly complement roll-chains, as it can be used to scale higher areas and/or evade enemies and their attacks without compromise.
In Cat-Form, Roll-Jumps suffer even worse than regular cat rolls, Like rolling, they start faster, but lose momentum rapidly, and have more buffer. Roll-Jumps especially are not worth using in Cat-Form, but we can fix that!
1.5 Roll-Jump Cancel (Low and High) (RJC)
Roll-Jump Cancel is done by meleeing mid-air while Roll-Jumping,
Like Roll-Cancels, Roll-Jump Cancels will cancel out any remaining speed, i-frames, and height left in the Roll-Jump, and begin falling faster.
A Roll-Jump can be canceled at any time once initiated, allowing you to tighten your jumps and control your speed. These can be referred to as Low or High Roll-Jump Cancels.
In Human-Form, Low Roll-Jump Cancels can be used as a shorter Roll or Roll-Jump in spots where the former would be too much. While High Roll-Jump Cancels can be used similarly, though don’t apply as often, and have less of an effect.
In Cat-Form, Low Roll-Jump Cancels can bypass the punishing momentum loss and buffer that comes with Rolls in Cat-Form. Chaining them together is the fastest method of general movement before obtaining the Dash Fragment. While High Roll-Jump Cancels can be used to more seamlessly evade enemies.
2. Dash Movements
Like Rolling, Dashing is both an evasive maneuver and a (even faster) traversal tool. Once obtained, it takes priority over Roll-Chaining/Low Roll-Jump Cancel-Chaining with its own options for traversal for either form.
Dashing is also completely unhindered while underwater as well.
Dashing near room exits should be avoided however, as the closer you are, the less distance you will Dash between rooms. Ideally, wait until the room transition effect starts before dashing, or re-work your movement through that room if it doesn’t line up properly.
Like Rolling, You should prioritize Dashes as soon as you can. Use it as much, and as soon, as you can.
Below are Roll-Jump + Dash combos meant to achieve the fastest movement speed possible for Human/Cat Form and on Land/Water.
2.1 Low Roll-Jump > Dash > Roll (LRJ>D) (Human-Form)
Roll-Jump > Dash > Roll is done by Roll-Jumping, Dashing, and Rolling in quick succession.
Human-Forms fastest means of general movement. Combining Roll-Jump and Dash together, with a Roll in between dashes.
2.2 High Roll-Jump Cancel > Dash (HRJC>D) (Cat-Form)
High Roll-Jump Cancel > Dash is done by Dashing after a High Roll-Jump Cancel.
One of Cat-Forms fastest means of general movement as well as the most commonly known. Combining the full speed and height of a Roll-Jump with a Dash quickly covers large distances, as well as achieving a nearly perfect alternating flow. An easy to use movement combination that works in many rooms.
2.3 Low Roll-Jump > Dash (LRJ>D) (Underwater)
Low Roll-Jump > Dash is done by Roll-Jumping and Dashing in quick succession.
While simply Dashing underwater works well enough, you can go further by chaining LRJ>Ds together for an extra burst of speed before dashing whilst staying low to the ground, giving enough time to immediately chain into another LRJ>D once you’ve landed.
3. Transformation Delay & Screen Transition Delay
Amongst RUtM’s various in-bounds movement options, are elaborate but precise glitches involving pause buffering, those of which used to manipulate the games mechanics and built-in out of bounds countermeasures, and open yourself up to new options in routing, skips, and shortcuts.
Below are brief and simplified explanations of these glitches and how to use them, for a more detailed explanation, go to Schneeheide’s documentation on them. They’re the ones who discovered these glitches, and deserve the credit and read! Also, make sure to check their TAS speedrun out!
WARNING: Flashing scenes and Rapid Pausing/Unpausing in the videos ahead!
Transformation Delay into Zipping or Clipping by Schneeheide
(TAS) Momodora Reverie under the Moonlight by Schneeheide
3.1 Transformation Delay (TD)
Transformation Delay is done by pausing and unpausing frame by frame, (Pause Buffering) during Kaho’s transformation animation. Delaying the transformation, and briefly regaining movement before the transformation is over.
While Pause Buffering mid-transformation, the timers for the transformation, and the movement lock put on Kaho become de-synced, and the movement lock’s timer will finish before the transformation’s timer does, allowing you to move in-between pauses before the transformation’s timer finishes.
This can be used anywhere where there is a reachable ceiling above you. In Cat-Form, you can use transformation delay to position yourself close enough to the ceiling once the transformation finishes, resulting in Human-Form’s taller hitbox getting stuck inside of the ceiling.
Once stuck, you won’t be able to move, but, upon transforming again, the game will warp you towards the right, (or upwards, if there is a surface above you close by) in an attempt to free you, allowing for potential sequence breaking.
Example: Bypassing the Locked Door between Karst City/Whiteleaf Memorial Park
Example: Skipping the Clone Angel/Vampire fight, from within Karst Castle's first few rooms
Example: Avoiding the Knight Mini-Boss trigger, and bypassing the locked door ahead
3.2 Screen Transition Delay (STD)
Screen Transition Delay is done by pausing and unpausing frame by frame, (Pause Buffering) while crossing over a room exit. (Loading Zone) Delaying the next room from loading, and allowing you to adjust your position once the next room does load.
While pause buffering as you’re moving into a Loading Zone, the Loading Zone will not be triggered, resulting in Kaho falling off the side of the current room, and into the out of bounds void that surrounds it. You can trigger the Loading Zone simply by stopping the pause buffering.
Like Transformation Delay, this can be used to position yourself inside of geometry or out of bounds in the next room, as you can use the out of bounds void you fell in to adjust Kaho’s vertical location. Once you decide to load the next room, Kaho’s vertical location from the last room will carry over. Kaho’s horizontal location however, is always at the side you came from in the room prior.
Example: Warping into the Spring Leaf well right after getting the Cat Sphere
Example: Warping through Forlorn Monastery's Church
4. Movement while Underwater
Subterranean Grave has various rooms that are fully submerged in water. Unlike land, or even shallow water, your rising and falling speed is greatly slowed in these rooms, causing for much floatier and sluggish movement overall.
As mentioned in earlier segments, Rolls and Dashes are unaffected by water, and are a key to traversing these rooms quickly. What you choose to use depends on your form and the room you are in however.
Without Dash Fragment, It’s best to stay grounded and keep Rolling whilst in Human-Form, and to Roll-Jump or Roll-Jump Cancel whenever you need to reach a higher area, no different from being on land.
With Dash Fragment, chaining dashes together as you’re floating is easy and effective, however it’s best to chain them together with a Low Roll-Jump, giving you a quick burst of speed before and after the Dash, as well as keeping you close to the ground, allowing you repeat the action with little downtime in-between.
5. General Movement Timings Spreadsheet
Below are the fastest methods of movement across most rooms. Split between Land and Underwater, and With and Without the Dash Fragment.
Inconsistencies in execution and/or slight fps stutters in these tests are present. Some methods may be faster than seen here, but only by 3-6 frames at most. I plan to retest this with TAS tools in the future.
The Underwater Sheet should also be taken with a grain of salt, as each underwater room varies somewhat, making these underwater charts more theoretical than practical.
[RUtM] General Movement Timings Spreadsheet (v1.07) WIP by Googler
6. Odds and Ends
These are unique and valuable tricks that aren’t used more than a handful of times (or less) throughout a run. But are worth keeping in mind.
6.1 Drop-Down Cast (DDC)
Drop Down Cast is done by dropping through a thin platform and using an item at the same exact time.
Drop-Down Cast can be used to slightly mobilize yourself while you apply buffs or cast spells, rather than stopping, casting, and then continuing on.
Avoid dropping into room exits in the middle of a casting animation though, as entering a new room will cancel out the animation, and you will need to cast it again.
6.2 Lagless Melee (LM)
Lagless Melee is done by Meleeing and Jumping at the exact same time. In Cat-Form, it can also be done by attacking just before you land after a jump/fall. Both methods use the first attack in a melee combo.
Lagless Melee can be used to seamlessly stagger certain enemies that may disrupt your movement, while also bypassing the hit-lag upon hitting the enemy, a very convenient tool when running past an enemy doesn’t work.
(Normally when attacking, Kaho will freeze for a half second upon hitting an enemy, this gives some visual oomph, but slows you down, Lagless Melee bypasses this while also granting you extra mobility if Jump+Melee is used)
6.3 Ladder Roll-Jump (LRJ)
Ladder Roll-Jump is done by Roll-Jumping during Kaho's ladder mount/dismount animation.
Ladder Roll-Jump can be used as a fast and precise way of dismounting ladders, and can also be used to evade any enemies waiting atop the ladder as well.
(When you interact with/reach the top of a ladder, Kaho will start an animation of climbing down onto/up off of the ladder, in this stage, you can initiate a Roll-Jump or use an Item)
6.4 Ladder Cast (LC)
Ladder Casting is done by using an Item during Kaho's ladder enter/exit animation.
Ladder Cast can be used as a fast and precise way to dismount ladders and use items, particularly the Cat Sphere, when you need to switch back into Cat-Form after climbing a ladder.
6.5 Fast Ladder-Mount (FLM)
Fast Ladder-Mount is done by entering into the ladder mount animation, jumping off of it, re-mounting it, and then sliding down, all in quick succession.
Fast Ladder-Mount can be used to skip Kaho’s mount animation and slide down a ladder instantly.
6.6 Tunnel Roll-Jump Cancel (Low/High) (TRJC)
Low/High Tunnel Roll-Jump Cancels are done by alternating between a Roll-Jump Cancel and a Roll in narrow spaces. (2 - 3 Tiles high)
(In this GIF, the first example shows HRJCs followed by a roll shortly after in a 3-tile high tunnel, while the second example shows LRJCs followed by an immediate Roll after in the 2-tile high tunnel)
These confined spaces can be used to chain a Roll-Jump into a Roll faster than if you were Roll-Chaining. Giving a brief boost to your speed, similar to Roll-Cancel.
3-Tile high spaces need a High Roll-Jump Cancel, and 2-Tile high spaces need a Low Roll-Jump Cancel.
6.7 Air-Attack Cancel (AAC)
Air-Attack Cancel is done by Air-Attacking, then Dashing and Air-Attacking at the exact same time.
Air-Attack Cancel can be used to cancel out the buffer between Air-Attacks in order to chain them faster.
So far, this is only known to speed up the Clone Angel/Vampire Fight, by a varying amount depending on speedrun category.
Leaderboard Forums:
Discord Server (Momodora Speedrunning Community):
Hey :D /
A few members of our discord community and I have agreed to polish up and clarify the leaderboard's rule tabs.
