General Strategies

• This should go without saying, but be familiar with the original game. While newer versions of the hack add custom areas and areas taken from other Mega Man games, areas from the original game are still prevalent so knowing how to clear them will be a useful asset. For the record, outside of the text and titlescreen graphics, there are no differences between Rockman 5 and Mega Man 5.
• This is related to the previous tip, know the robot masters' weaknesses and patterns. The robot masters are very dangerous enemies when you encounter them without full energy, so knowing how the eliminate them quickly is vital.
• The only difference between normal mode and hard mode is that each area must be cleared in 1:30 or under in hard mode. This is more than enough time for most areas, however, the amount of time per screen is decreased with each boss you defeat.
• Take your time. Even when playing on hard mode there is no need to rush through areas, and rushing through an area too fast is the easiest way to get killed. Be extra cautious when encountering an unfamiliar area.
• Use Rush to your advantage. Many areas, especially former fortress areas, have large bottomless/spike pits that need to be crossed; Rush Jet can be used to render these traps harmless. This is a good place to point out that Rush Coil and the Super Arrow are both ripoffs in the energy department, many screens that appear to require them to proceed can also be cleared using Rush Jet--for no energy most of the time.
• Fully charged shots do three times the damage a normal shot would; half-charged shots are simply larger than the normal shots. Most enemies can be destroyed with a single normal shot, so they can be eliminated quicker without charging at all, but keep in mind that the fully charged shot can pass through and destroy multiple weak enemies at a time. Even the half-charged shot has its uses, there are a few enemies that can be killed in a single shot but can't actually be hit with one because they're too low to the ground, the half-charged shot can hit these enemies.
• The chicken enemy will constantly attack you with walking eggs, these are a great way to refill your life and weapon energy. Keep an eye on the time when playing on hard mode though.
  
• Opening the menu will clear any weapon projectiles you currently have on the screen. This can be abused to fire the Power Stone faster than should be possible normally. You can also remove Rush from the screen this way, if you want to stop him from consuming energy or use him in another spot on the same screen.
• Lasers can be stopped with the Gravity Hold! This only affects lasers currently on the screen, so it's not nearly as useful as the Time Stopper was in Mega Man 2. Still, it can provide a good safety line should you mess up somewhere, so have it ready just in case.

  (Thanks to UFOman34 for this tip.)

• Version 081013 adds an area practice mode. Press Left + Start on the title screen to access it. You can practice areas on hard mode if you select hard mode before accessing area practice mode. ^*UPDATED*

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Area-Specific Strategies

Area Selection

• Gravity Man Area 4
• Gravity Man Areas 5 & 6
• Gravity Man Area 7 ^*NEW*
• Wave Man Area 3
• Stone Man Area 5
• Star Man Area 2
• Napalm Man Area 7
• Blues (Proto Man) Stage 4 Area 7 ^*NEW*
• Wily Stage 1 Area 4
• Wily Stage 2 Area 3
• Wily Stage 3 Area 1
• Wily Stage 3 Area 2
• Wily Stage 3 Area 4 ^*NEW*

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Gravity Man Area 4

The "proper" way to do this area. At first glance it appears this is a single, bottomless screen but the area actually scrolls down. Do note that you can simply sail over to the teleporter using Rush Jet and avoid all of this.

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Gravity Man Areas 5 & 6

There are two variations of this area, the first one (area 5) is not difficult at all, simply hold right to run out onto the spikes without jumping, you'll cross the entire section with no problem. The second one (area 6) features two wide gravity swappers over holes in the floor and ceiling, and is much more difficult if you don't know what you're doing. Again simply walk out onto the spikes, when you reach the first swapper over the holes hold down the A Button to increase your velocity, and continue holding it until you clear all four swappers.

This method was discovered by Lenophis, although it is also mentioned (in Japanese) on Rock5easily's homepage.

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Gravity Man Areas 7

And you thought lasers were bad! The second screen requires you to grab onto ladders while the gravity is reversed, which can be confusing. The third screen seems impossible to clear without taking damage; you cannot call Rush Jet and the Super Arrow doesn't act as a platform with the gravity reversed.

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Wave Man Area 3

At Leno's request, using Rush Jet to render the new Wave Man bubble area completely painless.

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Stone Man Area 5

This is a modified version of an original Stone Man area. Beware of the pits on the last screen, jump over the two sections with parts of the rock structure missing.

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Star Man Area 2

This area is taken from the original Mega Man 5, but the teleporter placement at the end can be confusing. Make a very light jump and take advantage of the low gravity to sail right into the teleporter. Alternatively, you can use Rush Coil to make a stepping stone in the spike pit and jump to the teleporter, or run Rush Jet into the wall and fall into the teleporter.

Thanks to romscout for the Rush Jet suggestion.

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Napalm Man Area 7

This area might be confusing; you can stand on top of the drills, something you might not have discovered in the original game. Here Leno uses Rush Jet and Rush Coil to make this area easier, it can be done without either by using the drills as platforms.

Thanks to Lenophis for the video demonstration.

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Blues (Proto Man) Stage 4 Area 7

The secret to this area is to not shoot the missles; instead, just jump over them and any shrapnel and you should make it through unharmed.

Thanks to Lenophis for the video demonstration.

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Wily Stage 1 Area 4

Just like Quick Man's stage in Mega Man 2, except this time you don't have the Time Stopper--you do have the Gravity Hold, which can mimic it for any lasers currently on the screen. Unlike in Mega Man 2 you cannot complete this area by running alone, you must use the slide. This area loops infinitely; ignore the teleporter the first time you see it and land in it on the return trip.

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Wily Stage 2 Area 3

No particular part of this one is really hard, a few of the screens are confusing at first, though. The underwater physics may throw you off; just practice this area until you get it.

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Wily Stage 3 Area 1

The only difficult part of this area is the third screen, where you must climb "steps" while lasers are fired from the hole in each one. In order to make it to the top fast enough you need to make very light jumps, otherwise you won't have enough time to make the next jump after landing. Alternatively, just use the Gravity Hold to stop the lasers on this screen after they are fired. The screens after the steps simply require you to slide through them.

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Wily Stage 3 Area 2

This one really isn't hard at all. The only part that might cause trouble is the sixth screen, where you have a choice of going left or right--go right, as the video demonstrates.

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Wily Stage 3 Area 4

An auto scrolling area, which speeds up at certain sections. Use the slide to get all the way to the right side of the screen so you have plenty of time to do any of the jumps, especially the last set, which is the most difficult. The screen moves so fast at the end that you must jump immeditely to make it to the next platform.

Thanks to Lenophis for the video demonstration

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Rockman 5 Endless was created by Rock5easily.
Dragonsbrethren is in no way trying to take credit for their work; this is simply an archive of past versions of the hack.