It occurred to me that there isn't a central place to discuss about the Match Challenges of Story Mode. There's a few loose threads in this forum for solutions to specific nodes but it's a chore to navigate and search through the forums for them.
I want to collate all those threads and make this thread as a go-to place for players to ask questions, discuss strategies and find solutions from players that have already completed these tricky challenges.
Hopefully, this thread could be useful for newer players that have just started or players that have just returned from a hiatus and confused about all these star thingies!
Before we start, let's just get to the general basics first:
What Are Match Challenges?
Match Challenges is a feature that arrived in the 4.1 update. After 100% completing all of a Story Mode Chapter's nodes on a given Difficulty, you'll unlock Match Challenges for that Chapter.
Match Challenges will provide three extra challenges that can be completed for EVERY Story Mode node, each awarding you with either Canopy Coins or Theonite for your trouble! Tap on the stars below the node to view the Match Challenges!
There's a total of
5,566,800 Canopy Coins and
4,850 Theonites that you can get upon successful completion of ALL these challenges!
The first two match challenges are the same for every node:
- Win the Fight without getting hit
- Taking any damage from a THROW counts as getting hit.
- BLOCKING a hit does NOT count as getting hit.
- Win the Fight in a short amount of time
The final Match Challenge which awards Theonite is custom tailored for each Chapter in an Act:
A Fishbone to Pick
- BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT/MASTER: Land a 15/20/25/30 HIT COMBO
Who's the Boss?
- BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT/MASTER [DOWNTOWN]: Gain 15/20/25/30 BUFFS
- BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT/MASTER [UNDER THE BRIDGE]: Block no HITS
Going All In
- BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT/MASTER [DOWNTOWN]: Keep all Fighters above 75/80/85/90% HEALTH
- BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT/MASTER [RIVER KING CASINO]: Suffer no damage
Ascent of a Woman
- BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT/MASTER: Inflict 15/20/25/30 DEBUFFS
These challenges are designed to be tricky and encourage players to have a wide range of fighters to clear them. I understand that everyone has different collections, some players may be able to clear these challenges easily with a rare Diamond variant while others may have to resort to use their Bronze/Silver/Gold fighters.
Please do share whichever
CHARACTER/VARIANT you use so that we can compile all of them here! If a certain
SPECIAL MOVE/BLOCKBUSTER is required, please do tell. And finally, if anyone has a video showcase on how to clear a challenging node, please do share a link!
BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT
To Earn the Third Star (Theonite Reward): Land a
15/
20/
25 HIT COMBO
- All nodes: Use a Robo-fortune with [CATASTROPHE CANNON ALPHA]. Let your Robo-fortune get hit to build meter for the BLOCKBUSTER. Once it's ready, fire it away to land an easy 30-HIT COMBO. Tip: use a minimal invested Bronze/Silver Robo-fortune to land the required COMBO HITCOUNT before the opponent dies.
MASTER
To Earn the Third Star (Theonite Reward): Land a
30 HIT COMBO
- Majority of nodes (8/9 nodes): Exactly the same as above. Use different Robo-fortunes to satisfy the ELEMENTAL requirements.
- Ms. Fortune only node: check this video out!
DOWNTOWN
BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT
To Earn the Third Star (Theonite Reward): Gain
15/
20/
25 BUFFS
- BigBand/Bronze only node: Use BEAT BOX equipped with FIVE of his TAUNT [BAGPIPE BLUES]. A single use of his TAUNT will grant 1 stack of ARMOR and 1 stack of ENRAGE from his Signature Ability. Spam them until you reach the required number of BUFFS. Evolve your BEAT BOX to complete the Silver/Gold only nodes.
- RERUN/SKETCHY/BASSLINE/ICY HOT are BRONZE fighters that grant BUFFS on tag-in. Bring them to gain BUFFS easily by continually switching fighters.
- PERSONA ASSISTANT and SURGEON GENERAL are GOLD fighters that will grant two BUFFS every 30 seconds. Bring them if you can.
- Equip TAUNTS that can grant stackable BUFFS.
You already
DIAMOND your
BEAT BOX!? Okay, here's some other options:
BRONZE only node
- JUST KITTEN can easily get BUFFS from her Signature Ability when she is HIT. You can also equip her with TAUNT [NYAAAWN] to gain stacks of PRECISION. As long as you can keep her alive long enough, reaching the required number of BUFFS should be easy.
SILVER only node
- SHADOW OPS can get THORNS by spawning a single TEAR and staying close to it for some time. Simply equip her with [NAPALM TOSS] to spawn a TEAR and wait for a while to get FIVE stacks of THORNS. Move away to remove the THORNS (or wait until the TEAR disappears). Repeat until you reach the required number of BUFFS.
GOLD only node
- Use PRINCESS PRIDE equipped with [NAPALM SHOWER], [BAILLEMENT], [NAPALM TOSS], and [EGRET CALL]. Her Signature Ability gives a REGEN for every TEAR. Allow yourself to get hit to build METER for NAPALM SHOWER.
- Use PRIMED with exact same setup as PRINCESS PRIDE. Instead of REGEN, she gains ENRAGE instead.
- Use RAINBOW BLIGHT and keep blocking to TRANSMUTE to a different ELEMENT and gain their corresponding BUFFS. Use BURST to keep the AI at a distance.
- Use BLUE SCREEN and keep blocking to gain stacks of ARMOR every 5 seconds from her Signature Ability. Allow yourself to get knocked down to remove the ARMOR. Equip her with TAUNT [REALLY TALKS!] to gain stacks of BARRIER.
- Use THAT'S ALL FOLKS! and allow yourself to get hit to gain stacks of PRECISION and EVASION from her Signature Ability.
MASTER
How to Gain
30 BUFFS and the Fighters You Want:
- BEAT BOX: see above for setup. To complete nodes with BIG BAND requirement, FIRE requirement, and SILVER requirement. Tip: the AI and STUN from the modifier can make it difficult to use TAUNT. Equip an OUTTAKE to handle the AI from aggressively closing in and regularly switch fighters to avoid the STUN.
- SHADOW OPS: see above for setup. To complete nodes with DARK requirement and GOLD requirement.
- THAT'S ALL FOLKS!: see above. To complete nodes with LIGHT requirement.
- SKETCHY: see above. To complete nodes with SILVER requirement and PEACOCK requirement.
- JUST KITTEN/FELINE LUCKY: see above for JUST KITTEN. FELINE LUCKY gains 3 stacks of PRECISION every 7 seconds from her Signature Ability. To complete nodes with MS. FORTUNE requirement and SILVER requirement.
- IN DENILE/TOMB & GLOOM: Their abilities gives you BUFFS when they trigger SEKHMET. Equip SEKHMET-based blockbusters and TAUNT [SCARLET LADIES] to get the BUFFS needed. Let yourself get hit to build up meter or occasionally switch to reset BUFFS. To complete nodes with ELIZA requirement.
- VAPORWAVE VIXEN: Simply equip BURST and avoid getting hit as much as possible to easily gain stacks of MIASMA and THORNS. To complete nodes with the GOLD requirement and AIR requirement.
- MYST-MATCH: Simply equip TAUNT [FALSE INTENTIONS] to get a random BUFF. Once that BUFF expires, her ability will give 3 stacks of PRECISION. The Marquee Ability VOLATILITY can also help to gain a random BUFF every 10 seconds.
UNDER THE BRIDGE
BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT/MASTER
To Earn the Third Star (Theonite Reward): Block no HITS
- Completing the Match Challenges for this area is a matter of gameplay. Use your heavily invested fighter to one-shot the opponent to easily clear the challenges. Characters such as CEREBELLA and PAINWHEEL that has a naturally high ATTACK stat can easily finish the opponent after a grab or a combo. A few retries may be needed depending on the AI aggressiveness. (I don't recall any node to be particularly challenging or requiring a very specific fighter, if anyone has trouble with a node please do say so!)
DOWNTOWN
BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT
To Earn the Third Star (Theonite Reward): Keep all Fighters above
75/
80/
85% HEALTH
- Completing the Match Challenges for this area is a matter of gameplay. Regularly BLOCK to minimize damage and use your highly invested fighters to minimize damage taken from BLOCKING.
MASTER
To Earn the Third Star (Theonite Reward): Keep all Fighters above
90% HEALTH
- The MASTER mode has an additional difficulty due to the modifier that can inflict BLEED every 3 seconds. This is only removed when landing a HIT. While heavily invested fighter can one-shot the opponent easily before the BLEED procs, additional restrictions requiring the use of Silver/Gold fighters makes certain nodes more difficult to clear.
Some tips:
- Use fighters that can land strings of multiple hits such as SQUIGGLY and ELIZA to minimize BLEED.
- If you can use multiple fighters, switch them regularly to keep your health above 90%.
- Equip IMMUNITY TAUNT (available for SQUIGGLY, PEACOCK, and PARASOUL) or tag-in with a SKETCHY at the bench to avoid BLEED.
- Use fighters that converts BLEED to REGEN such as BLOODBATH or VALENTINE with the ICU marquee unlocked.
- Silver only node (with ASSASSIN'S GREED): Use GRAVEYARD SHIFT with ICU marquee unlocked to counter BLEED, equipped with multiple [VIAL HAZARDS]. Her Signature Ability applies CURSE which prevents REGEN. Chain your attacks with L5->VH->L5 repeatedly to allow a string of long combos.
RIVER KING CASINO
BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT
To Earn the Third Star (Theonite Reward): Suffer no damage
- Completing the Match Challenges for this area is a matter of gameplay. It's important to note that you can still suffer damage from BLOCKING due to chip damage (unless you have 100% BLOCK PROFICIENCY). To easily complete these challenges, use heavily invested fighters to one-shot the opponent or use characters that can immediately grab the opponent during the start of the match such as CEREBELLA equipped with [MERRY GORILLA].
- Facing DREADLOCKS: Due to DREADLOCKS damage reflect, it may seem impossible to defeat her while suffering no damage! The key is to use BARRIER as damage taken while BARRIER is up does not count. ROCK STAR is a highly recommended fighter to use as she can grant BARRIER during a tag-in.
MASTER
To Earn the Third Star (Theonite Reward): Suffer no damage
- The MASTER mode has an additional difficulty due to the modifier that grants the opponent UNBLOCKABLE DASH ATTACKS and UNBLOCKABLE BLOCKBUSTERS. Aside from that, some nodes have an additional modifier that grants a permanent REGEN for every 15% health lost. Inflicting BLEED or HEAL BLOCK can slow or completely stop the REGEN for a certain period of time. Use this to your advantage to defeat the opponent before they regain health back. Characters that have a naturally high ATTACK stat such as PAINWHEEL are recommended.
BASIC/ADVANCED/EXPERT
To Earn the Third Star (Theonite Reward): Inflict
15/
20/
25 DEBUFFS
- Bronze only node: Use FRAYED ENDS or TWISTED METTLE and allow yourself to get hit. Both fighters have Signature Abilities that can inflict BLEED upon getting hit.
- Silver only node: Use WILDCARD equipped with FIVE SPECIAL MOVES (any). A single use of a SPECIAL MOVE will inflict a random DEBUFF from her Signature Ability. Spam them until you reach the required number of DEBUFFS. Use her to complete nodes that restricts the use of Golds/Diamonds.
Other notable fighters that can inflict debuffs with relative ease:
- RAINBOW BLIGHT: Keep blocking to transmute to a different ELEMENT and inflict a corresponding DEBUFF. Use BURST to provide distance to the AI.
- LOVE CRAFTED: Move back and forth to inflict two debuffs easily. Use BURST to provide distance to the AI.
- IVY LEAGUE: Use [NAPALM TOSS] and [NAPALM SHOWER] to spawn TEARS that will inflict a stack of SLOW.
- Any ROBO-FORTUNE with DDOS Marquee: Move close to the opponent and simply wait to inflict POWER SURGE after a certain amount of time has passed. Equip moves that can inflict DEBUFFS on-hit such as [THEONITE BEAM], [ASSAULT BATTERY], and [CATASTROPHE CANNON ALPHA]. The latter two BLOCKBUSTERS are multi-hits, possibly allowing you to inflict 5 stacks of DEBUFFS in one use.
MASTER
The
MASTER mode in this Act is definitely the hardest to clear due to the
AEGIS modifier which reduces all damage to 1% per hit which means you'll have to either hit the enemy 100 times or
BLEED them to death. All previous strategy to one-shot the enemy is no longer an option. This makes the Match Challenge to deal 30
DEBUFFS very challenging.
How to Inflict 30 DEBUFFS and the Fighters You Want:
- RAINBOW BLIGHT: see above. To complete nodes with DOUBLE requirement and GOLD requirement.
- WILDCARD: see above. To complete nodes with PEACOCK requirement, FIRE requirement, SILVER requirement, GOLD requirement.
- WRESTLER X: for triple Beowulf node. Check this video.
- IVY LEAGUE: see above. To complete nodes with AIR requirement, SILVER requirement, GOLD requirement.
- TOMB & GLOOM: Everytime a BLOCKBUSTER is used, her Signature Ability will inflict one out of five random DEBUFFS. Equip her with BLOCKBUSTERS that has a chance to inflict DEBUFFS such as [SEKHMET'S BITE] and [SEKHMET'S TURN]. It does require a bit of RNG and a few tries may be required to successfully clear this challenge, but it is possible! To complete nodes with ELIZA requirement, DARK requirement, SILVER requirement, GOLD requirement.
- PRIVATE DICK: Solely used for the BIG BAND only node. Equip him with [NOISE CANCEL] and a few BURSTS to inflict STUN and ARMOR BREAK respectively. Other moves that has a chance to inflict STUN such as [SUPER-SONIC JAZZ] and [CYMBAL CLASH] can also be used to whittle down the enemy before the time runs out while also inflicting DEBUFFS along the way. While this strategy works with any other BIG BAND, PRIVATE DICK does the job much better from his Signature Ability that grants him on-hit STUN and natural resistance from BLEED inflicted by the two PAINWHEELS.
- Any ROBO-FORTUNE with DDOS Marquee: see above.
- RUSTY/TWISTED METTLE: Equip moves that can inflict DEBUFFS such as [CRUEL LILY], [DEATH CRAWL], and BURST. Strategy works with any other PAINWHEELS but these two are preferred because of their on-hit BLEED that only lasts for 3 seconds. Short duration time means you can swiftly re-infect the enemy to easily hit 30 DEBUFF.
- GRAVEYARD SHIFT: Solely used for the VALENTINE only nodes. Equip her with BLEED-inflicting moves such as BURST, DEAD CROSS, and CHECKMATE INCISION. The TAUNT [CHOCOGLYCEMIA] can also be equipped to activate her Signature Ability and inflict two additional DEBUFFS. It is important to be careful with your attacks so that you don't kill them via the BLEEDS faster before reaching 30 DEBUFFS.
