scifiarchaeologist

[melonisopod]

Canto I: Abnos have a theme of "transformation," where they act in stages you need to disarm (heh) to fully get through (the Calendar's 'dormant' phase where you can only attack the Masked Dolls, Ebony Queen's vines you have to detangle, the Golden Apple's first phase before it unleashes its mass of maggots)

Canto II: Abnos are never fought directly, instead have a theme of enslavement/possession. What you fight instead are its 'minions' (Become Strong has the augmented robots, Pink Shoes has possessed corpses and robots, Baba Yaga has the frozen neighbors), only Pink Shoes is properly "neutralized"

Canto III: We technically never see a "straight" Abnormality, instead what are fought are human Inquisitors using EGO suits often Corroded. Kromer is a *weird* case as she is (probably) a human who behaves mechanically like an Abnormality (her lack of SP gauge and what *should* be either manifesting EGO or Distorting, while giving indication of neither)

Canto IV: Abnos all have a theme around tears/sadness/water; So That No One Will Cry is an obvious one just from its name; Brazen Bull who is always seeking water to relieve its suffering; Fairy Gentleman who offers you a glass of Fairy Wine; Shock Centipede, who is either given electric shocks or dropped in a tank of water; and Drifting Fox, the abandoned mutt caught in the rain, with only ragged umbrellas that can't keep it dry.

Canto V: Abnos have a theme around "miniboss sidequests," the main entity being surrounded by targets you have to kill first before you can properly fight the main target. Ambling Pearl has the Slime you have to attack so it can't 'eat' to boost its strength; Skin Prophet has its candles you have to light so that it can see you; Dream-Devouring Siltcurrent has the Flotsam you have to break both to breathe and to have it charge into.

Canto VI: There are no Abnormalities here this is just Heathcliff working out his childhood trauma and relationship problems.