Man-at-Legs In-game icon.
A Man-at-Legs, as shown from the Piklopedia.
Appears in Pikmin 2Pikmin 4
Scientific name Pseudoarachnia navaronia
Family Arachnorb
Areas None
Caves Subterranean Complex, Hole of Heroes
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, and at this point, mechanical-sounding inhales can be heard.

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 Olimar'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

Weight Max.
carriers
Seeds Value Health Regen.
N/A N/A N/A N/A 2800 No

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.

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.

Strategy

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

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 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 1
fp13 射撃Off:Min Min time the pause lasts 0.06
fp20 Last 2 Territory "Territory" property (fp09) on the Hole of Heroes 130

Other information

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
  Japanese ダマグモキャノン?
Dama Gumo Kyanon
Cannon Orb Spider
  French Mécano-pattes From "mécano" (mechanic) and "pattes" (feet)
  German Weberbauer Weaver builder
  Italian Ragno-Macchina Machine Spider
  Spanish (NoA) Arañator From "araña" (spider) and the suffix "-tor"

Gallery

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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.
  • 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 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.

See also