There are 5 characters in the game: Rooks, Teefa, Darwin, Salah and Axs. Salah joins in chapters 2 and 4, Axs joins in chapters 3 and 4, Teefa joins in chapters 1 and 5, Darwin joins in chapters 2, 4 and 5, and Rooks is in your party for the entire game. Darwin always joins 3 levels above Rooks, while Salah always joins 3 levels below Rooks ( Teefa and Axs join at the same level ). Levels are taken for Axs and Salah when they leave the party at the end of chapter 4, as is equipment.
Statistics:
HP - You know what this is
MP - Obvious
Strength - Physical Attack strength, factored with the weapon's power
Endurance - Physical Defense power, factored with the armou + shield's defensive strength
*note that Endurance affects defense more than Strength affects attack*
Intelligence - Affects how much damage your spells do, as well as how much damage you take from magic
Alertness - The be-all end-all stat. Alertness is a mixutre of other RPG stats, better know as ( in no particular order ): Agility ( action rate ), Luck ( critical rate ), Evade ( dodge rate ), Accuracy ( hit rate )
And now a couple other notes:
1) Stat-down and stat-up spells stack. However, the stat-ups are less effective than the stat-downs unless you power-level or use lots of honeys. The stat-downs are much superior, and have ~99% accuracy.
2) Spirits are immune to all statuses.
3) Paralysis and Stone seem to be permanent statuses ( I've not seen them wear off ). Sleep wears off randomly, though it usually takes 4 rounds on the enemies I tested before it does. Attacking a sleeped character DOES NOT wake them up.
4) Confusion causes an enemy to use only physical attacks on himself, or enemies. It does not seem to wear off, even if the confused are hit.
5) When someone wakes up from sleep or is cured from paralysis, they can act the same turn they get cured ( ie, they don't lose a turn ).
6) Weapons and Shields in Arcana can be "Annihilated" in battle to cast a spell. Contrary to what proper English might indicate, the equipment is NOT destroyed. The spells cast from these weapons seem MORE effective than the usual, non-item spells. ie, a Smash 3 from the Demon Axe was doing 70 damage. Granted, the stat-ups are as useless as ever, and HP Restore All only heals about 10 HP more ( for a grand total of 70 ), but mostly, the spells are stronger. These spells will be indicated next to the respective equipment by [brackets].
Hm....well, that's all the major notes for now...until we get to Rooks, that is....yes, I'm working BACKWARDS for the characters here...( I'll get better character pictures later )
Salah
Level 33
HP - 456
MP - 175
STR - 61
END - 115
INT - 114
ALR - 87
Equipment:
Wish Wand - +86 Attack [Water 2]
Shaman Robe - +63 Defense
Magic Shield - +31 Defense [Sleep]
Attack Power - 90
Defense Power - 120
Capabilities:
Physical Attack - 60
Physical Attack after Defense Impair All - 72
Attribute 6 - 60 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Fire or Wind ( 23 MP )
Attribute 3 - 60 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Fire or Water ( 20 MP )
Attribute 4 - 60 Damage ( sensing a trend here? ), more if used on an emeny weak to Earth or Wind ( 15 MP )
Attribute 8 - 100 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Earth, Wind or Water ( 24 MP )
Heal 1 - Heals 85 HP ( 16 MP )
Heal 2 - Heals 190 HP ( 24 MP )
Defense Impair All - Lowers Enemy Defense Power ( 7 MP )
Accuracy Impair All - Lowers Enemy Accuracy ( 7 MP )
Offense Impair All ( crappy name, I might add ) - Lowers Enemy Evade AND Agility ( 7 MP )
Attack Impair All - Lowers Enemy Attack Power ( 7 MP )
Comments:
Salah....is screwed. She lacks good equipment ( nothing unique, nor really good store-boughts ), and her levels are a little low, due to her being a temporary PC, as well as starting at a low level naturally. A pity, since she'd have pretty good stats at higher levels, and she's a pretty cool character. Her stat-down selection is really nice, but, lacking the levels and equipment, she can't take too much of an advantage of it. Though, if you allow her to cast item spells, she gets a major boost from that Magic Shield.
Axs
Level 35
HP - 633
MP - 111
STR - 137
END - 136
INT - 82
ALR - 83
Equipment:
Demon Axe* - +120 Attack [Smash 3]
Demon Mail - +81 Defense
Demon Shield - +35 Defense [lightning 2]
Attack Power - 126
Defense Power - 145
*The Demon Axe does much less damage to Undead typed enemies. Granted, he probably wouldn't be fighting many, but it's important to note. And...even with the reduction, he's still better off with the Demon Axe*
Capabilities:
Physical Attack - 85
Heal 1 - Heals 80 HP ( 16 MP )
Offense Impair - Lowers Enemy Evade AND Agility ( 7 MP )
Sleep - Puts enemy to sleep, 80% effective ( 10 MP )
Comments:
Axs is kind of the stereotypical fighter. He's got a little variety, though. Sleep is very nice, since Arcana status effects seem to be quite accurate. With Offense Impair, he moves nice and fast ( his speed may be the lowest, but it actually isn't bad in-game; he occasionally double-turns ), and he has healing ( even though it sucks ).
Teefa
Level 42
HP - 539
MP - 247
STR - 81
END - 82
INT - 152
ALR - 150
Equipment:
Spirit Staff - +122 Attack [lightning 2]
Robe of Valor - +79 Defense
Spirit Gauntlet - +39 Defense [Accuracy Increase All]
Attack Power - 126
Defense Power - 138
Capabilities:
Physical Attack - 72
Heal 1 - Heals 85 HP ( 16 MP )
Heal 2 - Heals 185 HP ( 24 MP )
Attribute 1 - 20 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Earth or Water ( 10 MP )
Attribute 2 - 20 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Earth or Fire ( 15 MP )
Attribute 5 - 40 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Water or Wind ( 20 MP )
Attribute 9 - 60 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Earth, Fire or Wind ( 30 MP )
Attribute 10 - 65 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Water, Fire or Wind ( 30 MP )
Attribute 11 - 120 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to any element ( 40 MP )
Attack Impair All - Lowers Enemy Attack Power ( 7 MP )
Paralyze - Paralyzes Enemy, 80% effective ( 13 MP )
Comments:
Teefa is pretty good. Good MP reserves help her alot. Paralyze is nastily effective, and she can take advantage of any elemental weakness. And unlike her sister, she actually has unique equipment! A good character, overall.
Darwin
Level 44
HP - 630
MP - 193
STR - 155
END - 85
INT - 122
ALR - 159
Equipment:
Desiree - +187 Attack [Confused]
Earth Plate* - +91 Defense
Moon Gauntlet - +43 Defense [Stomp All]
Attack Power - 193
Defense Power - 155
*Earth Plate makes Darwin strong against Earth and weak to Lightning/Wind. This is not a good thing ( who uses Earth, anyway? ), but the drop in defense power would hurt him, and his HP should last him in a battle*
Capabilities:
Physical Attack - 96
Physical Attack + Defense Impair All - 124
Heal 1 - Heals 80 HP ( 16 MP )
Attribute 2 - 20 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Earth or Fire ( 15 MP )
Attribute 5 - 35 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Water or Wind ( 20 MP )
Attribute 7 - 65 Damage, more if used on an enemy weak to Earth, Water or Fire ( 24 MP )
Offense Impair - Lowers Enemy Evade AND Agility ( 4 MP )
Defense Impair All - Lowers Enemy Defense Power ( 7 MP )
Accuracy Impair - Lowers Enemy Accuracy ( 4 MP )
Attack Impair All - Lowers Enemy Attack Power ( 7 MP )
Sleep - Puts enemy to sleep, 80% effective ( 10 MP )
Comments:
Darwin should never use his magic, beyond sleep and his stat-downs. His physical attack is strong, and he's fast. Overall, he's got good stats ( minues the low defense and Wind/Lightning weakness, made up for by good HP ). Plus he's a badass Elf, and elves are cool.
And now, for some notes on Rooks:
1) Rooks can only have 1 spirit out at a time, though he is free to change during his turn without wasting his turn ( as long as he doesn't make another action other than switching spirits )
2) Rooks can carry many types of cards to use as items ( he's the only one who can use them, in-game )...he technically can have 8 stacks of 9 cards at any time, though he'll most likely NEVER need that many.
3) Rooks always starts with a spirit ( he doesn't need to summon them in-battle; he can have one ready to start as soon as he enters battle ). They are independent units, and are basically another fighter in battle.
And now for the individual spirits. They are basically the same, sans a couple spells and their elemental attributes, so I won't bother doing comments on them.
Sylph - Wind/Lightning Innate
Level 43
HP - 475
MP - 218
STR - 80
END - 151
INT - 151
ALR - 120
Attack Power - 34
Defense Power - 105
Capabilities:
Physical Attack - 20
Change Attribute to Wind - Changes the elemental affinity of all allies to Wind/Lightning. They are resistant to Wind/Lightning, weak to Earth, and their physical attacks are now Wind/Lightning-elemental ( 4 MP )
Dodge All - Increases Evade rate for all allies ( 5 MP )
Lightning 3 - 50 Damage ( 20 MP )
Paralyze All - Paralyze Enemy, 75% ( 23 MP )
Chaos Wind - Instant Death, 60% ( 25 MP )
Efrite - Fire Innate
Level 43
HP - 570
MP - 191
STR - 155
END - 84
INT - 120
ALR - 156
Attack Power - 38
Defense Power - 93
Capabilities:
Physical Attack - 25
Physical Attack + Stomp All - 30
Change Attribute to Fire - Changes the elemental affinity of all allies to Fire. They are resistant to Fire, weak to Water/Ice, and their physical attacks are now Fire-elemental ( 4 MP )
HP Restore - Heals 110 HP ( 30 MP )
Stomp All - Increases physical damage for all allies ( 5 MP )
Flame 3 - 50 Damage ( 20 MP )
Confused All - Confuses Enemy, 75% ( 20 MP )
Destroy - Instant Death, 60% ( 25 MP )
Marid - Water/Ice Innate
Level 43
HP - 527
MP - 248
STR - 83
END - 84
INT - 157
ALR - 156
Attack Power - 34
Defense Power - 93
Capabilities:
Physical Attack - 20
Change Attribute to Water - Changes the elemental affinity of all allies to Water/Ice. They are resistant to Water/Ice, weak to Fire, and their physical attacks are now Water/Ice-elemental ( 4 MP )
HP Restore All - Heals 60 HP ( 30 MP )
Accuracy Increase All - Increases accuracy for all allies ( 5 MP )
Water 3 - 50 Damage ( 20 MP )
Sleep All - Puts enemy to sleep, 75% ( 20 MP )
Restore All - Restores abnormal statuses ( 10 MP )
Dao - Earth Innate
Level 43
HP - 655
MP - 142
STR - 153
END - 154
INT - 86
ALR - 84
Attack Power - 38
Defense Power - 106
Capabilities:
Physical Attack - 25
Change Attribute to Earth - Changes the elemental affinity of all allies to Earth. They are resistant to Earth, weak to Wind/Lightning, and their physical attacks are now Earth-elemental ( 4 MP )
Wall All - Increases physical defense of all allies ( 5 MP )
Petrify All - Stones Enemy, 75% ( 23 MP )
Smash 3 - 50 Damage ( 20 MP )
Entomb - Instant Death, 60% ( 25 MP )
And the Big Man himself:
Rooks
Level 43
HP - 652
MP - 204
STR - 150
END - 153
INT - 118
ALR - 115
Equipment:
Spirit Sword* - +202 Attack [Heal 1 All]
Grand Armour - +95 Defense
Grand Shield - +43 Defense [Attribute 11]
Attack Power - 208
Defense Power - 170
*The Spirit Sword is not Rook's best weapon. His best weapon is the Giant Sword, which he gets through a plot scene pretty much like how Valkyrie gets the Glance Reviver. I didn't put it in yet, as A) Some people don't think the GR is legal, and The only enemy I could test it on is not the best enemy to test it. For best results, add about...30 points or so to his physical attack*
Capabilities:
Physical Attack - 150
Physical Attack + Defense Impair - 180
Heal 2 - Heals 185 HP ( 24 MP )
Heal 3 - Heals all HP ( 42 MP )
Call Fire Spirit - Deals 100 Damage ( 40 MP )
Call Wind Spirit - Deals 100 Damage ( 40 MP )
Call Water Spirit - Deals 100 Damage ( 40 MP )
Call Earth Spirit - Deals 100 Damage ( 40 MP )
Ruinous Mission - Kills Rook's currently active spirit to deal 100% Instant Death to all enemies ( 50 MP )
Restoration of Spirit - Revives all dead spirits ( 50 MP )
Attack Impair - Lowers enemy physical attack ( 4 MP )
Defense Impair - Lowers enemy physical defense ( 4 MP )
Confused - Confuses Enemy, 80% ( 10 MP )
Cards:
Elemental Card x3 - Deals 50 Damage of whichever element of card Rooks used
Null Card - Instant Death, 80%
Call Amulet - Casts "Call X Spirit" of a random element
Comments:
He's got variety, and lots of it. Full healing, statuses up the ass, and just about anything you could want on a character. A great fighter.
