Alucard/Symphony of the Night/Page 2

==Other equipment==
Alucard has several other "slots" representing different areas of his body where he can equip items. He can have a single item equipped in his Head slot, Body slot, and Cloak slot. He can also have two more items equipped in his Other slot. These items usually increase his stats or provide some other enhancement.
==Standard items and sub-weapons==
After meeting Death, Alucard will soon find the Cube of Zoe relic, which causes items to drop from candles. These items include Small Hearts and Large Hearts, which, like in previous games, are used to power sub-weapons. Money bags and coins of different values may also fall from candles. Rather than granting him additional lives, as in previous entries in the series, money is now used to purchase items from the Master Librarian. In some areas near enemies that inflict Curse status, candles may also drop Uncurse Potions.
Alucard will soon find his first sub-weapon, the Knife. Many sub-weapons from earlier games return with updated depictions and functionality. Alucard can only equip one sub-weapon at a time, but he can switch back to the previous one if it's still on the screen after being dropped. Alucard can use the same sub-weapons that Richter and the Saturn version of Maria can, but he tends to consume a greater number of Hearts when using them. Unlike Richter and Maria, though, he is able to increase the maximum number of Hearts he can hold by leveling up or by finding Heart Vessels. Similarly, he is able to increase the maximum amount of damage he can take by collecting Life Vessels, which can be found throughout the castle and are dropped by most bosses.
==Shapeshifting==
Throughout the course of the game, Alucard will gain relics that allow him to take different forms, including a Wolf Form, Mist Form, and Bat Form. Other relics can be obtained that enhance Alucard's abilities while assuming these forms. Each one of them is assigned its own button, which can be pressed to morph into the form and back. Maintaining these forms consumes MP. They are initially used in order to gain access to otherwise unreachable areas of the castle or to evade enemies, but are later able to increase their offensive capabilities as well.
==Familiars==
Alucard can find a variety of relics that grant him the use of a familiar. Only one familiar can be out at a time. They tend to follow Alucard around and perform independent actions. The familiars level up, just like Alucard does. They earn EXP for every enemy they kill (and for every enemy that Alucard kills while they're active), and for every 100 points acquired, they will gain a level. Their abilities and aggressiveness increase with their level. They also can't be targeted by enemies, and, as such, they never take damage or die. The Faerie Familiar heals Alucard's health or status as he needs it and consumes medicine found in his inventory to do so. Some of this medicine can only be used by this familiar since they were meant to be used in situations where Alucard is incapacitated and unable to take any actions (such as being petrified or dead). The Bat, Ghost, Sword, Devil, and Nose Demon familiars will attack nearby enemies. The Bat Familiar can be used in conjunction with Alucard's Bat Form to shoot fireballs. The Sword Familiar can cast a spell, and once it reaches a certain level, it can be equipped like a normal sword. The Devil and Nose Demon familiars can press switches that Alucard cannot reach himself. Because the Fairy and Nose Demon familiars are nearly identical to the Faerie and Devil familiars, respectively, they were left out of the North American PlayStation version of the game.
==Secret spells==
There are five spells that Alucard can use that don't require the use of a form, familiar, or relic. These can be performed from the start if Alucard has enough MP to cast them, although the button sequence required for their casting is not revealed initially. The sequence only becomes available in the Spells list if it's entered correctly by the player (found by trial and error or previously known) or upon purchase of a Magic Scroll from the Master Librarian. These are Dark Magic spells related to Alucard's vampiric heritage.
==Other relics==
Some relics can be found that enhance Alucard's mobility or give him information about enemies. When he reaches the Reverse Castle, he must find five of Dracula's Relics by defeating bosses. These are required in order to open the gate to Shaft's ceremonial room, fight Dracula, and beat the game. They also offer permanent statistical enhancements or protection.
==See also==
*Alucard
**Alucard/Symphony of the Night
*Symphony of the Night Inventory – For a full list of all the items found in the game separated by type.
==External links==
*Game FAQs by Zach Keene
Alucard