So I just completed my first TRUE speedrun of US version PS2 RE2 (Leon A). Final time 1:28:36, which crushed my former PB by like 18mins lol. Its amazing what you can learn in a week's time (this was not only my first speedrun but it was the first time I had played in like 2 weeks, was out of town ughhh!)

Anyways, had alotta good luck and RNG was extremely favorable to me, however I get to G3 Birkin, run behind him and pop off 3 Magnum rounds and not only did he bitch slap the Hell out of me but he didnt transform...what gives? I thought he changed after 3 shots in US? Was I just too late running behind him and getting set or what?

P.S. Whats hilarious is he slashed me into the perfect spot to shoot him a 4th time (upon which he did transform), and catch him in the loop where he jumps up on the tubes and just keeps jumping up there lol. The time I hit the train was pretty insane (cant recall it though, but every shot I fired normal shotting at 100% speed after he jumped up there hit him, and I was in Fine running to the Train, so do the math I guess).

I am pretty sure the magnums damage drops over distance so you may not have been close enough to get him in 3

This would make sense bc I was a BIT farther shooting G3 than the videos that show the G4-loop strat of getting him stuck, as evidenced by the fact that after he hit me that was enough to put me perfectly in that spot (which you normally have to move to on your own some steps).

I always thought the Magnum did the same amount regardless, didnt know it had damage range qualities like the Shotty.

hey i thought the magnum did the same amount regardless of distance too! all these years i've been playing the game wrong lol. no more magnum sniping, ah well.

MissRC, do you mean that ME PERSONALLY asked alotta question? Lol I know it's kind of a long post, but I really only asked if sometimes G3 can take more than 3 shots die in the finale.

Also @Loanshark, ya know I think it kinda makes sense really...about the Magnum damage/distance...if you think about it G-Embryo can take either 6 or 7 shots and I think I remember Carc saying in a video it took 7 instead of 6 because he wasn't close enough G-Embryo's big, shoulder-eye growth? Idk maybe he can chime in sometime and clarify that. And possibly bosses are the only enemies to have high enough EP for individual shots to matter lol.

Yea it definitely hasn't happened since, I make doubly sure to get myself to the "PL" in PLATFORM on the ground.

I'm sure it was nerves that messed me up, whether missed shot entirely or not close enough. That was the end of my first speedrun attempt, I didn't wanna fumble the ball and did nearly just that lol. Since that maiden voyage I've already managed to drop my time a few more mins, now just gotta iron out the kinks and shave 2 more mins off for PS Top 10.

You don't have to inflict the max damage on the magnum for Final Birkin. This only applies to G-Embryo for the 6 shot kill and 8 shot Train Birkin kill which requires perfect positioning and nonstop quickshots. You just need to make sure you don't cancel your turn after you aim. I use to do it a lot on this boss and I'd end up shooting the floor instead. You won't have to make any aim adjustments when Birkin is slowly moving towards you after auto aim does its thing.