This guide is purely notes. So, if you are looking for a video, watch the World Record to learn from that.
DISCLAIMER This guide was made solely for the Obscure Speedruns Club. These notes may help, but may confuse others more than help. If you have questions please ask us in our discord. https://discord.gg/lightfall
[section=THE BASICS]
There is no way to explain every individual movement for every level. It's all about the runner figuring out where to jump on his shadow core and where to place it. Dedew uploads all his individual world records to this website, so if you want the most up to date strats and precise movements, simply practice copying his runs to learn. With that out of the way, I'm going to start explaining tricks and speedtech for each level.
[section=-ACT I-]
WELCOME TO NUMBRA---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There's no real strats for the opening level. Find what works for you or watch the world record.
PATH OF THE GODS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This level has two major skips. To begin this level, place a block below you as soon as possible to gain control of Nox faster. You should do this for all levels accept Welcome to Numbra. Simply run and go over the first laser area until you reach an elevator. This is an autoscroller than can be skipped by climbing onto the top of the overhanging ledge on the left. Then use your shield block to navigate to where you would be dropped off.
Directly after this elevator is the biggest skip in the game which saves about 25 seconds. Reset your shadow core on the bottom peg of this wheel looking object on the right. Then, proceed to climb up to where you can jump off to the left without bonking the top of the wall. Once you've jumped, wall climb to the top where you must reset your shadow core and run across the top until you reach the final checkpoint.
If you have any questions, watch the world record.
LOST LAGOON----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the first boss level and can be divided into two sections: The Fish Market and Animus's Lair. The first section is on a global cycle and is something you simply have to get used to. Upon death the cycles continue, although the in-game time pause.
DO NOT USE THE BOAT! The boat is very slow and not necessary. You can jump over the boat and reset your shadow core on the rotating platforms. With this reset you can climb to the top of this tower and skip the lasers inside. After this, keep going until you reach the temple.
If you reach the temple door between 1:05.8XX and 1:06.7XX you should have an optimal wave cycle. You can go in front of the first two, and wait to go behind the last. There is no easy way to explain this so watch a world record and practice this yourself.
[section=-ACT II-]
SENTINEL OF HOPE----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This level is hard to learn, but fun when mastered. (except for when the lasers are finicky)
The first skip in the level involves precise movement, jumping at the apex of your jump to skip the first mountain. After this section, every runner does it differently so I suggest finding what works for you.
On the ladder half of the level, there is a 100% collectible that we pass through since it is faster than the intended route. This leads directly into the laser climbing section, which can be the most punishing section of the level. So long as you don't touch your block, it will move with you. We abuse this to scale the side of the wall with our wall climb block facing away from us to get past the first 2 climbs. The final climb has a convoluted and difficult skip that I will not bother explaining here since it hasn't been deemed viable by even the top runners.
MADNESS IN THE MUD------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bees...
Bees are the most confusing mechanic, especially for new players.They operate on a random cycle and home in on your character in a seemingly random direction.
As far as playing this level, the developers included some high platforms we can use to skip most of the level's core platforming. Simply stay above the core gameplay. This same idea applies inside of the passageway. Upon dropping into the oasis, stay near the ceiling and you will have seconds climbing out of the area. The rest of the level is straightforward with the exception of the bees. Don't worry, this is the only level with bees. :D
TEMPLE OF MICTLAN-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The level has a lot of traps. A LOT of traps. Most of your movement should involve blocking or avoiding the dozens of projectiles you will encounter. The bottom route is the fastest once you get to the split pathways.
This level includes the first deathwarp. After the second diverging paths meet. The checkpoint extends much lower on the right side, so we pause and select "Last Checkpoint" rather than climbing to save time. The rest of the first half if fairly simple and expands on the mechanics introduced in Sentinel of Hope.
This level also includes the first autoscroller, which inimitably, is a pretty decent autoscroller. This boss can be defeated by destroying four crystals which appear from bottom to top. Top runners will try and destroy these crystals as soon as possible or frame-perfect. The boss is fairly straightforward. The moving platforms are RNG as are the hazards on them. I suggest staying away from the spike platforms.
[section=-ACT III-]
RAVORIA'S REMNANTS---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd consider this level to be a break in the chaos of Act II. It has nice music and background, but who cares, we're trying to go fast. This level is very straightforward. There is nothing worth explaining other than how you can go above the spinning spikes at the beginning.
VIPERAS FOREST-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This level has two different routes which makes it one of my favorite levels to watch in a race.
At the beginning, the level plays much like Madness in the Mud with the philosophy of staying up high. The routes I was talking about revolve around doing Forest Skip, an out of bounds skip which around 7 seconds when done perfectly, but is very precise to do optimally. There is a split on who does it or now.
Forest skip has 3 sections:
-
Climb up the left side of the tree where the 100% collectibles are. Beware the notch on the top which is finicky with the physics engine.
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This section is the most inconsistent and is why some runners opt not to do this skip. It is a very steep slope which cannot be scaled with the wall climb nor running. It is also difficult to see where your sprite is and impossible to see the level around you as everything is black. Once you make it to the top jump and drop a little bit onto the third section
-
Jump before you reach the end, since there is a spike wall, and you will arrive at the end of the level.
SYLVEON----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This level is the first runkiller. It involves collecting 5 crystals which can be turned in one at a time or 5 at once. Keep in mind that when you die you lose ALL your crystals.
Starting with the right side is faster since you can "Last Checkpoint" on the elevator in a similar way to the Temple of Mictlan and it saves time. Collect all the crystals in any order, but keep in mind that the fastest route is BR, TR, Top, TL, BL.
[section=-ACT IV-]
GIANT'S MOUTH-------------------------------------------------------------------
Act IV can be split into two parts. Giant's Mouth and Hidden Grotto are shorter introductory levels while the last two levels are about mastery of the mechanics.
This level is all about fast falling. Your velocity increases as you fall into you reach your max speed so to go fast you need to have precise movement and not fall onto anything or grab the walls around you. Easier said than done.
Upon reaching the bottom segment of the level there are two developer intended shortcuts. One in the right pit after the first room with red orbs and another after the laser section.
The laser section uses the mechanic "so long as you don't touch your block it moves with you" to run through the lasers putting a block under you. It's very simple once you try it.
HIDDEN GROTTO-----------------------------------------------------------------
This level is heavy on cycles. By pausing before you gain control of your character, you bring up the pause menu before the timer starts allowing you to "Last Checkpoint" without wasting any time. This is cycle manipulation. Now it is mandatory that you go through the first section as fast as possible to get the fast cycle.
After the room with the blue orb and exhaust pipes, there is a diverging path. If you have the fast cycle, you can drop down and go through the bottom without any obstacles. If you made a mistake or a death, take the top path.
After these paths meet together, there is another developer intended shortcut that skips a difficult jump. Hug the right side of the wall and you should find it.
The rest of the level is straightforward.
NUMBRA'S CORE-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is where good runs die. The difficult spikes a lot compared to the rest of the game.
To complete this level, you must destroy three generators to open a portal to the final level. It is fastest to start with the top chamber since you are very close to it from the left entrance. The climb is difficult until you get used to it, so it is probably easiest to route it on your own or watch a video.
Next, you should do either the bottom or the right chamber. It doesn't matter which one you do first, but there is a trick that only works on the second chamber you complete. By hitting "Last Checkpoint" after punching the generator, the cutscene will play and the timer will pause since you are dead. This DOES NOT work on the last chamber and you will be softlocked instead.
Regardless of order, the right chamber has a cycle skip that saves about 10 seconds however is very punishing if failed. It's a high risk high reward strat that is necessary at the top level. At the top of the final section where the exhaust pipes are, yhe trick involves jumping on the top of the platform where the spikes aren't. You have about 20 pixels, which is easy in theory, but Nox de-accelerates which makes it difficult to land on the edge.
CELESTIAL PALACE-------------------------------------------------------------
The final level is divided into two sections. The first section is a chase sequence where you must climb to the top and scale the wall rather than taking the elevator. The second section is an autoscroller similar to the Forest in SMB where it is mandatory that you go fast since the Warlord's movement speed is faster than yours. Once you reach the end jump into the pit and wait until the Warlord crashes and punch him.
You win!
