Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Enemy Set Mode FAQ
Version 1.0

Version History:

Version 1.1 Added one submitted strategy to Tips Section.

Version 1.0 Basic FAQ completed.

Copyright 2005 Justin "discoinferno84" Boot. Any unauthorized use of this 
guide is a violation of copyright law. This guide is to be used exclusively on 
Gamefaqs ( and may not be publicly distributed otherwise. See 
the end of this FAQ for further explanation.


I.    Introduction
II.   What is Enemy Set Mode?
III.  Controls and Basic Mechanics
      A) Soul Cost List
IV.   Running the Gauntlet
V.    Tips
VI.   Conclusion
VII.  Copyrights and Other Legal Stuff
VIII. Contact Information
IX.   Credits and Special Thanks

I. Introduction

Hey folks! Welcome to my Enemy Set Mode FAQ! Yes, I know you're busy playing 
the main game, harvesting souls and money to squeeze every last drop of 
greatness out of this game. I don't blame you, either. But should you take some 
time away from the main quest, you'll find that Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow 
offers a few other extras that are just begging to be played...extras like the 
Enemy Set Mode. Here's a brief explanation of how it works. Hope it helps!

II. What is Enemy Set Mode?

If you have a look at the starting menu of the game, you'll come across the 
option for the Enemy Set Mode. Simply put, this feature allows you to customize 
your own little Castlevania dungeon, filling it with enemies and challenging 
your gaming skill. The enemies you use are the ones whose souls you have 
captured in the main game. You will be timed for your efforts, and you can even 
pit your creations against a friend in a wireless multiplayer race. The one who 
slays the monsters the fastest may not get any special prize (a la Boss Rush 
Mode), but it does make for some interesting customization challenges and 
overall bragging rights. It's time to put your creative powers to work!

III. Controls and Other Basics

Soma's Controls:

D-Pad: Move around (Left/Right), Crouch (Down)

Y Button: Weapon Attack
A Button: Weapon Special
B Button: Jump
X Button: Use Doppleganger Soul*

L Button: Backdash
R Button: Use Guardian Soul

D-Pad (Up) + Y Button: Use Bullet Soul
D-Pad (Up) + L Button: Use Hippogriff Soul (Super Jump)*
D-Pad (Down) + B Button: Forward Slide/Kick
(Midair) D-Pad (Down) + Y Button: Aerial Kick

Start: Go to Character Menu

*These features must be found/unlocked in the main game.

Enemy Set Mode Menu Controls:

D-Pad: Toggle among Bullet, Guardian, and Enchant Soul Lists (Left/Right),
       Browse Soul Lists (Up/Down)
       Panning shot of the room (Menu Minimized)

A Button: Minimize/Maximize Menu Screen

L Button: Move into the next room
R Button: Move into the previous room

Stylus: Selection and placement of souls onscreen

Basic Mechanics:

In case you didn't quite understand the gist of the control setup, here's a 
visual representation of what you'll be seeing on the Touch Screen:

                 (L)          Room #           (R)

                                   |      <- SOUL TYPE ->     |
                                   |   Soul Name       Cost   |
    STAGE BACKGROUND               |   Soul Name       Cost   |
                                   |   Soul Name       Cost   |
                                   |   Soul Name       Cost   |
          (O) Chosen Soul Name     |   Soul Name       Cost   |   
                                   |                          |
                                   |      Total Cost/8        |
                                            ALL CLEAR


Okay, here's the cut and dry version: You see that menu there on the right? 
It's filled with the souls that you've acquired during the main quest. They are 
broken up in their respective categories:

Bullet: (Zombie, Skeleton, etc.)
Guardian: (Bat, Armor Knight, etc.)
Enchant: (Golem, Dead Pirate, etc.)

You can toggle among the categories by pressing Left/Right on the D-Pad. Each 
category will bring up another list of souls. You can then use Up/Down on the 
D-Pad to look over the listing to find a desired Soul. Once you've found one 
that you like, tap it with the Stylus. The Menu will disappear, leaving a 
colored dot and the name of the Soul floating onscreen. You can then use the 
Stylus to position that dot anywhere you want in the room. When you actually 
play, it'll be there, right where you placed it.However, it's not quite so 
simple. On the list, each Soul name has a number next to it. This represents a 
Soul's Cost. The tougher an enemy is, the more it will Cost. 

NOTE: Each room has a Cost limit of 8, so you must choose which enemies you 
want wisely. You can have a swarm of weaker enemies in one room, or you can 
have one incredibly strong enemy as well. But once you've spent your 8 Cost 
Points, you'll have to move on to the next room or reconfigure the combinations 
of foes.

If you choose a Soul and want to send it back to the List, you must press its 
colored dot and drag it to the Recycle Bin in the lower righthand corner. You 
won't lose it; it'll simply be placed back in the List. Or, you can tap on the 
"Clear" option to get rid of the Soul you just chose. But if you want to clear 
the screen entirely, tap on the "All Clear" option, and you'll start from 

Once you're satisfied with your selections, press the L/R buttons to shift to 
the next rooms and begin the process anew.

After all the rooms are filled, tap the "OK" option. The game will ask you if 
you want to save your progress. Do so, and the "Enemy Set/Play" option will 
appear. Tap "Enemy Set" to return to the menu, or tap "Play" to start the 
actual challenge.

A) Soul Cost List

Bullet Souls   Cost/8     Guardian Souls   Cost/8        Enchant Souls   Cost/8

Zombie          1          Bat               1            Ouija Table      1 
Skeleton        1          Ghost             1            Peeping Eye      2
Axe Armor       1          Skull Archer      1            Golem            5
Warg            2          Spin Devil        2            Skeleton Ape     1
Student Witch   2          Armor Knight      1            Skeleton Farmer  3
Slaughterer     2          Manticore         5            The Creature     2
Bomber Armor    1          Catoplebas        5            Ghoul            2
Slime           1          Corpseweed        1            Tombstone        1
Une             1          Mini Devil        1            Ghost Dancer     2
Rycuda          1          Quetzacoatl       2            Treant           6
Mandragora      1          Valkerie          2            Killer Doll      1
Yorick          1          Great Armor       5            Lilith           1
Amalaric Sniper 2          Persephone        1            Skelerang        1
Waiter Skeleton 1          Buer              1            Draghignazzo     2
Witch           1          Devil             5            Bone Pillar      1
Killer Clown    2          Needles           1            Wakwak Tree      4
Fleaman         1          White Dragon      4            Heart Eater      2
Guillotiner     2          Harpy             2            Mimic            1
Hell Boar       3          Barbariccia       2            Dead Pirate      2 
Imp             2          Medusa Head       1            Bugbear          3
Malachi         5          Bone Ark          3            Dead Crusader    3
Cave Troll      2          Gorgon            6            Tanjelly         5
Larva           3          Alura Une         5            Arc Demon        7
Merman          1          Mushussu          6            Stolas           7
Fish Head       2          Werewolf          3
Ukoback         2          Gaibon            3
Frozen Shade    2          Alastor           7
Disc Armor      2
Dead Mate       2
Great Axe Armor 5
Erinys          3
Succubus        3
Ripper          3
Flame Demon     6
Slogra          3
Malcoda         4

IV. Running the Gauntlet

Okay, it's battle time! You've spent all that time placing enemies everywhere, 
and now it's time for Soma to do what he does best: slay their sorry hides. 
Here's a map of the dungeon that you must play through:

 _________ ________________           __________________________
|         |           |    |          |    |    5      | Finish |
|  Start  H    1      H    |          |    H___________H________|
|_________|___________|    |          | 4  |
                      | 2  |__________|    |
                      |    H    3     H    |

H = Locked Door

Your goal is to make it from one end of the dungeon to the other in the 
shortest amount of time possible. You cannot exit a room without killing every 
enemy that is inside. As with Boss Rush Mode, you're timed not only for the 
fighting, but with changing equipped weapons, armor, and Souls. Soma is at 
Level 35, armed with whatever you have in the main game; if you haven't 
unlocked/found all the important Souls, Soma's fighting ability will reflect 

V. Tips 

-First and foremost: PLAN AHEAD. There's a reason why the challenge starts off 
in a little side chamber and not the first room. Spend that time choosing 
whatever equipment might suit your needs. Since you're working for fast times, 
Black Panther is almost a given no matter what kind of equipment set you're 

-Remember, Soma is Level 35 here, more than enough to slaughter the least 
Costly Souls in a single hit. But in case you happen to find yourself up 
against something a bit more powerful, try bringing along something that'll get 
the job done fast.

-Think strategically: If you're going up against a friend via multiplayer, 
you're going to want to make his run as tough as possible. Possible ideas:

   -Large enemies (Hell Boar, etc.) in smaller spaces/by entrances or exits.
   -Mix aerial and ground enemies to create a formidable blockade.
   -Tough enemies (Arc Demon, etc.) at the beginning, which softens your 
    opponent up for the other rooms.


**From Kyler D.**:

Room 1: Catoblepas in front, Axe Armor close behind. Slaughterer towards the
Room 2: Axe Armor on the first platform. Student/Witch over 2nd gap. Disc Armor 
        below second gap. Hell Boar near the exit.
Room 3: Treant near the front. Skeleton Ape and Bone Pillar on higher ground.
Room 4: Slaughterer and Student Witch at the start. 2 Axe Armors on the middle
        platform. Slaughterer near the exit.
Room 5: Flame Demon in the middle. Skeleton Ape on top platform.  

More ideas are welcome!

VI. Conclusion

Well folks, there it is. Who'd have thought you'd be able to create your own 
little Castlevania dungeon? Good stuff indeed. Hopefully this guide will prove 
handy as you give Enemy Set Mode a try. Also, don't forget to challenge your 
friend with your newly created deathtraps, and may the best gamer win! In the 
meantime, keep your DS battery charged, and may your gaming sessions be long 
and enjoyable.

VII. Copyrights and Other Legal Stuff

Look folks, plagiarizing someone's stuff isn't a very nice or smart thing to 
do. In fact, it's illegal! That being said, this document is an electronically 
published work under full copyright protection. If for some unbeknownst reason 
that you want to use this FAQ, permission is granted ONLY as a private and 
personal reference copy. This guide may only be used on Any 
other reproduction without my consent is strictly prohibited.

(c) discoinferno84 All Rights Reserved

VIII. Contact Information

People who send me useless emails tick me off. Thus:

-I will gladly take suggestions and/or constructive criticism for making this 
guide better. Be sure to include "Castlevania DS Enemy Set FAQ" somewhere in 
the title of the email.
-I will accept any information that I may have missed in this version.
-Do NOT send me spam/chain letters/ whatever other junk that might seem funny.
-You can reach me at: discoinferno84<at>

IX. Credits and Special Thanks

-Konami, for yet another awesome Castlevania game.
-DoubleJump Books for their complete listing of Souls and their Costs.
-Gamefaqs for providing so much information for gamers everywhere.
-Kyler D. for coming up with an enemey placement strategy.
-You for slogging through this FAQ.