Man-at-Legs

Man-at-Legs
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 is one of two bio-mechanical creatures featured in either game, having a mostly mechanical torso sheathed in metal with four spindly legs – three of which are organic and spider-like, while the remaining one is mechanical; this makes attacking its feet impossible. Several exhaust pipes on its body continually emit steam.

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 takes a few seconds to pull out its gun before it starts attacking, providing a clear signal of when retreating should be done, and it cannot lead its shots, meaning that if one circles the Man-at-Legs smoothly enough, preferably without any Pikmin, it'll be unable to land a single bullet.

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 found buried in the ground, dormant, always in areas that have raised ground or some objects that can be used as shields against its rounds. 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

Behavior

The Man-at-Legs is a unique member of the arachnorb family, as it is the only member that is unable to crush Pikmin with its feet, it does not start the fight by dropping down, and it is the smallest member of the family. Rather than dropping down from the sky when approached, the Man-at-Legs can be found partially buried in the ground, only the top half of its torso staying visible. Also, unlike other arachnorb family members, it only reveals itself if directly touched, rather than when its territory is being encroached upon.

When disturbed, the Man-at-Legs will emerge from the ground after first roaring to life. In Pikmin 2, it does this one step at a time, taking it a few seconds to fully stand up. Any Pikmin latched onto the Man-at-Legs will be knocked off at multiple points in its rising process. In Pikmin 4, it quickly jumps out of the ground with a spin, knocking down any Pikmin on it or close by in the process.

The way the Man-at-Legs attacks is by firing a machine gun that it lowers from its torso. The panels of its underbelly separate, allowing for the gun to extend out, capable of tracking nearby targets with a laser. After a few seconds of this tracking, it rapidly fires barrages of explosive rounds at whatever it has locked onto. Any Pikmin latched onto the Man-at-Legs will be thrown off from the force of its gun firing. During this firing process, the Man-at-Legs will be completely stationary, standing in one spot while it aims its weapon. In Pikmin 2, this attack consists of about 35-40 bullets in total, almost always spread across three volleys of explosive rounds, with the first volley always consisting of 16 rounds. In Pikmin 4, the amount of volleys is based on how much health it has, and each volley consists of around 15-30 rounds each. At full health, it will shoot one volley of explosive rounds, after reaching under two thirds of its health, it will shoot two volleys, and at under one third of its health, it shoots three. In both games, the Man-at-Legs' gun also has a maximum range to which it can target prey from. If there are no targets within its range while its gun it active, it will instead shoot randomly around its arena until its attack ends.

When it's not attacking, the Man-at-Legs will move about very quickly and will sometimes stop and slightly lower its torso, as if to briefly rest. Specifically in Pikmin 2, it will make strange mechanical noises in the process – similar to the roar-like noises made by other arachnorbs in the game. When it is defeated, much like other arachnorb members, it will not leave a body upon defeat. It will stop, with its body turning ajar and its torso plates slightly opening, before harmlessly exploding soon thereafter. In Pikmin 2, the Man-at-Legs will begin releasing steam, with the sound of rushing steam getting faster and faster until it explodes. The resulting explosion explosion is a violent orange, and its mechanical leg explodes too, though to a far more subtle degree. In Pikmin 4, the Man-at-Legs violently trembles before then partly losing balance as torso gets lowered near the ground. A rising pitch sound can then be heard as streaks of yellow light emit from its body, after which it explodes into a steamy cloud. In both games, chunks of metal and streaks of steam can be seen flying away during the explosion.

Locations

Pikmin 2

Caves

• Subterranean Complex
  • One can be seen on sublevel 9, holding the Stellar Orb.
• Hole of Heroes
  • One can be seen on sublevel 13, holding the Memorable Gyro Block

Challenge Mode

• Secret Testing Range
  • One can be seen on sublevel 2, holding The Key.

Pikmin 4

Caves

• Ultimate Testing Range
  • There is one Man-at-Legs on sublevel 5. It can be found directly ahead of the base, in the middle of the large, open arena with three dirt walls nearby. It holds a castaway, and defeating it lowers the two numbered gates, with one allowing for the Winged Freedom Sculpture to be collected.
• Cavern for a King
  • There is one Man-at-Legs on sublevel 9. It is located north of the base, on a small island surrounded by water that contains multiple breakable pots. It holds two Heroic Swords and two Bright Swords, and defeating it lowers the numbered gate towards the east, allowing for the next sublevel to be entered.

Olimar's Shipwreck Tale

• Hero's Hideaway
  • There is one Man-at-Legs in this story's area. It can be found towards the north of the area and on top of the kitchen island east of the Feasting Center base. The Man-at-Legs will towards the south on the table, with it being surrounded by multiple breakable pots. It holds the Chronos Reactor.

Strategy

The following article or section contains guides. The strategies shown are just suggestions.

Before the Man-at-Legs has risen, you should try to deal as much damage as possible beforehand. In Pikmin 2, Purple Pikmin can deal large chunks of its health, likely lowering it by about 33%. In Pikmin 4, Rushing Oatchi into the Man-at-Legs and launching your Pikmin onto it is another good method. It should be noted that in Pikmin 4 specifically, its dormant state has heavy defense; even Rock Pikmin deal a small amount of damage.

As soon as it wakes, you should quickly rush to cover behind objects like dirt walls or breakable pots, or just chunks of the terrain. After waiting for its attack to end, you should quickly rush towards the arachnorb and start throwing your Pikmin at it – ideally done when it's stationary. Using sprays will be useful, spicy spray to increase Pikmin damage and bitter spray to freeze it in place. Ice Blasts, Ice Pikmin, and Lightning Shocks are also useful, as they can also freeze the Man-at-Legs in place for a short while. If none of these are available, using one of the leaders as bait for the Man-at-Legs is a good strategy to reduce potential losses. This strategy is easier if the Rush Boots upgrade has been obtained. If you're feeling risky, when the Man-at-Legs is pulling out its gun, it lowers its hitbox, meaning that if its health is low enough, the fight can be ended swiftly. This is a risky strategy, however, so it may be better if you attack when its putting the gun away, as this also lowers its hitbox.

Purple Pikmin are heavy damage dealers, though they cannot stun this enemy. Using a large squad of Purple Pikmin should allow you to lower the enemy's health by a considerable amount. Yellow Pikmin are useful due to their increased throw height, allowing them to hit the boss pretty easily, though none of the caves in Pikmin 4 that house the Man-at-Legs recommend Yellow Pikmin. Winged Pikmin are also useful if charged, as they home onto the arachnorb, and if they are knocked off, they will fly right back and attack. Unlike in Pikmin 2, it is possible to fight the boss while it is firing. Distracting the bullets by trying to catch the boss's attention can let Winged Pikmin keep wailing on the boss even as it shoots at you; Rock Pikmin are also pretty effective at this. Commanding Oatchi to attack the boss will make him automatically run around to catch the boss's attention, making these strategies less risky.

Since the Man-at-Legs can be found in a few watery areas, Blue Pikmin should be used to reduce the chance of drowning-based deaths. In the Cavern for a King, the only real form of cover are the scattered pots, though these break very quickly. The best way to dodge the Man-at-Legs' bullets is to ride on Oatchi – the higher the Doggy-Paddle skill is, the easier this method becomes.

Notes

Olimar's notes

“This species of the arachnorb family fuses with machinery at a crucial point in the maturation process, giving it the ability to fire energy bursts from the launcher beneath its orbular torso. However, the man-at-legs itself is not in control of this weapon. Instead, the mechanical portions of its structure appear to automatically acquire and attack targets. The man-at-legs has a gentle disposition, and as a member of the arachnorb species, it has no natural enemies. It is particularly difficult to understand why this species would develop such awesome offensive capabilities, leading to rumors among the scientific community that it was the machinery that approached the arachnorb and proposed the symbiotic relationship.”

Louie's notes

“Although the meat is a bit on the metallic side, the oil makes a mouthwatering gravy or lubricative vinaigrette.”

Dalmo's notes

“Having a body made up of living cells, a metabolism, and the ability to produce offspring might be considered necessary traits to determine if something is truly alive. But this rapid-fire cannon blows away conventional definitions! Is it a machine AND a creature?! What a fascinating possibility!”

Olimar's notes (Pikmin 4)

“This species of the Arachnorb family fuses with machinery at a crucial point in the maturation process, giving it the ability to fire energy bursts from the launcher beneath its orbicular torso.

However, the Man-at-Legs itself is not in control of this weapon. Instead, the mechanical portions of its structure appear to automatically acquire and attack targets.

The Man-at-Legs has a gentle disposition, and as a member of the Arachnorb family, it has no natural enemies.

It is particularly difficult to understand why this species would develop such awesome offensive capabilities, leading to rumors among the scientific community that it was the machinery that approached the Arachnorb and proposed the symbiotic relationship.”

Pikmin 2 Nintendo Player's Guide

“Lasers and machine-gun fire give the Man-at-legs the edge over any other spiderlike creature. Seek shelter when the mechanoid is in firing mode, then toss Pikmin at its body. Only when the body sinks to its lowest point will you be able to hit it with purples.”

Pikmin Garden

Text

“3本の脚と内臓以外は、機械に侵食されてしまったダマグモの一種。融合された生体部分には意思はなく、自律した機械部分が体を操っている。

特徴 その1 機械との融合

生体部分の生命活動で発する熱で、機械部分が動力を得ている。

(Image text:

• 吹き出す蒸気の力でタービンを回して発電する
• 体内にランチャーが内包されている
• 融合初期は、機械の足が先導する)

特徴 その2 キャノン

胴体下部のランチャーから高速のエネルギー弾を発射する。”

Translation

“A kind of Arachnorb that has been eaten away by machinery except for three legs and its internal organs. The fused biological parts have no will, and the autonomous mechanical parts control the body.

Feature #1: Fusion with a machine

The mechanical parts are powered by the heat generated by the biological parts' vital activity.

(Image text:

• "The power of the blowing steam is used to turn a turbine to generate electricity"
• "The launcher is contained within the body"
• "In early stages of fusion, the mechanical leg leads the way")

Feature #2: Cannon

It fires high-speed energy projectiles from a launcher in the lower part of its torso.”

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
• Pikmin 4 Piklopedia number: #44
• Musical theme:
  • Pikmin 2: Common boss battle
  • Pikmin 4: Boss battle (cave)
    • Olimar's Shipwreck Tale: Boss battle (Olimar)

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. In Pikmin 4 its internal name is DAMAGUMOCANNON.
• Prerelease: None.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	ダマグモキャノン? Dama Gumo Kyanon	Orb Spider Cannon
Chinese (traditional)	加農炮球蛛 Jiānóngpào Qiú Zhū	Cannon Orb Spider
Chinese (simplified)	加农炮球蛛 Jiānóngpào Qiú Zhū	Cannon Orb Spider
Dutch	Ketelpoot	Boilerleg
French	Mécano-pattes (Pikmin 2) Mécanopattes (Pikmin 4)	Mecha-legs (Pikmin 2) Mechalegs (Pikmin 4)	The names are both a compound of "mécano" (mechanic) and "pattes" (legs, paws)
German	Weberbauer	Weaver builder	The name comes from "Weberknecht" (daddy long legs)
Italian	Ragno-macchina	Machine spider
Korean	박거미캐넌 Bag-Geomi-Kaeneon	Gourd Spider Cannon
Portuguese	Aracnomáquina	Arachnomachine	The name is a compound of "aracno" (arachno-) and "máquina" (machine)
Spanish	Arañator	Spidertor	The name is "araña" (spider) with the suffix "-tor", referencing the pop culture character The Terminator

Gallery

Pikmin 2

• 

  Artwork of the Man-at-Legs.

• 

  A 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.

• 

  A Man-at-Legs emerging from the ground.

• 

  Animation of a Man-at-Legs emerging.

• 

  The inside of the Man-at-Legs.

• 

  The Man-at-Legs' skin compared to a Beady Long Legs'.

• 

  Olimar and Louie fighting two Man-at-Legs at once in an unused cave meant for enemy testing (last_4, sublevel 21).

• 

  The Piklopedia icon of the Man-at-Legs in the Nintendo Switch version of Pikmin 2.

Pikmin 4

• 

  Renders of the Man-at-Legs, from the Japanese Pikmin Garden website.

• 

  Render of the Man-at-Legs firing, from the Japanese Pikmin Garden website.

• 

  A Man-at-Legs buried in the ground, dormant.

• 

  A Man-at-Legs in the Piklopedia.

• 

  The Man-at-Legs in Olimar's Shipwreck Tale's Hero's Hideaway.

• 

  A Man-at-Legs with its gun drawn, preparing to fire.

• 

  The Man-at-Legs in the Ultimate Testing Range aiming its laser.

• 

  A Man-at-Legs firing.

• 

  A Man-at-Legs defeated, and about to explode.

• 

  The Man-at-Legs in the Cavern for a King exploding.

• 

  Oatchi about to get shot by a bullet from a Man-at-Legs.

• 

  A Man-at-Legs as seen in the "Arachnorb Recital" comic.

Other

• 

  The Man-at-Legs' e-card, #32 (10^th blue card).

Trivia

This article or section needs to be cleaned up, either its format or general style. Notes: Due to the large amount of trivia points, it may be possible to add them to another section instead.

The Secret Testing Range Man-at-Legs standing on air.

• In Pikmin 2, the Man-at-Legs can be lured to stand outside the boundaries of its Secret Testing Range arena, causing it to walk on air.
• 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 combination of mechanical and organic aspects (the Man-at-Legs is part machine, part organic, while the Martians are life-forms piloting robots). They both initially only have their head visible, but eventually raise it by lifting their legs out of the ground, which are disproportionately thin and tower over the humanoid characters. They also both attack the humanoid characters with a gun, and the Man-at-Legs releases steam while the Martians release smoke.
• 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.
• In Pikmin 2, like the Raging Long Legs, the Man-at-Legs uses Beady Long Legs' "roar" at a different pitch. There are no adjustments to make it sound more mechanical.
• In Pikmin 2, spider web patterns are seen on the floor of its Subterranean Complex arena, similar to the shadows of webs in the Beady Long Legs and Raging Long Legs arenas and the web that the Groovy Long Legs hangs from.
  • Additionally, the metal that makes up the web pattern and that appears under the Man-at-Legs' resting place in all its arenas looks very similar to the Man-at-legs, and its texture is named houdaimetal in the game's files, implying the two may be related.
• In Pikmin 2, the holes in the Man-at-Legs' main body's metal plating reveal an appearance almost identical to the Beady Long Legs' waxy shell underneath. This detail is not kept in Pikmin 4, where it is visually implied to simply be more of the creature's flesh.
• An unused cave in Pikmin 2's files reveals that two Man-at-Legs were to be fought in the same sublevel.^{[source needed]}
• It is unknown how Louie knows how to cook this beast, as it explodes upon death.
• This is the only member of the arachnorb family that is not 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.
• Pikmin standing directly against certain walls of the arena may be invulnerable to the bullets it shoots due to a glitch with their hitboxes.^{[source needed]}
• In Pikmin 4, while the Man-at-Legs' bullets are able to destroy breakable pots and dirt walls, they cannot harm other enemies. The only location in the game where it coexists with other enemies is in the Hero's Hideaway in Olimar's Shipwreck Tale, and it is possible for its bullets to hit enemies from the bottom floor, although they will not deal any damage.
  • Additionally, the Man-at-Legs' bullets cannot activate Bomb Rocks and their equivalents.

See also

• Gatling Groink
• Baldy Long Legs
• Groovy Long Legs
• Beady Long Legs