Opinions. The future of Fire Emblem Characters in Smash Bros?

Good Morning/Evening/Afternoon

This had being an incredible week for the Fire Emblem Fans; with the annoucement of Summer's Dawn Micaiah (her first alternative version) in Fire Emblem Heroes despite she only having half-year in the game; and the confirmation of Chrom as a playable character in Smash Bros after 4 years of memes.

This time we'll talk about the Smash-side of the things as you would expect for the title; we'll talk about Summer's Dawn Micaiah another day.

Fire Emblem got their 7th Character; which is also the 2nd Echo Fighter (being mostly a clone of Roy's moveset) from this franchise and the 4th Character based in Marth's basics; Chrom is probably the character the most talked about in relationship with Smash Bros that isn't already playable (with Lyn usually considered the close second one), and it's very obvious that Chrom's apperance in Smash was a direct product of popularity alone (like pretty much all the characters revealed so far; except Inkling that also was a product of the success of the brand).

Chrom is an anomaly.

This however, is a very strange situation in the hindsight; Fire Emblem, like Pokémon (at a less extreme degree) gets their new character choices as product of relevancy and good timing; this applies with Roy, Ike, Robin, Lucina and Corrin; and the only exception so far has been done with the original Main Character Marth (and former most popular in the series)... Until now... Fire Emblem had always being in the obligation to represent what is new; but after Smash Ultimate change of focus; this isn't longer necessary; and the desire of the fans are having effect in the series more than ever...

Fire Emblem is a series that right now is probably the strangest moment of their whole existence in Smash Bros; the years between the release of Fire Emblem Fates and the things that would be relevant for Sakurai and his bunch (Late 2016?/Early 2017?) are pretty much the revival of the Fire Emblem's Past in the form of Cipher, Gaiden/SoV and Fire Emblem Heroes (and TMS#FE at a less extent).

The franchise lacked a obvious relevant choice in the moment of Smash Ultimate's development compared with previous years; this combine with the change of the character's selection focus; it had made possible one of most wanted desires of the whole fanbase; a Fire Emblem character that isn't a sword user.

Maybe isn't something we had thought that much before; but it would make sense in this new context; now, the problem would select one specific character that would fit the criteria.

To answer this question; I thought in a time where I was analizing the potential of the old-ish Fire Emblem Characters (it was done in Mid-2015; where I already knew the Fates characters would have the advantage in DLC obvious reasons, and many were already analizing their chances; so I didn't).

These were the comments I did to the non-sword users.


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Tiki

What exactly can she offer?

A Manakete is a recurrent aspect in Fire Emblem don’t already used. She can use powers related with her Manakete form, like flames, flame orbs attacks (like the one that uses in Awakening) and other dragon-like attacks. The manakete form could be used as a summon or as an actual transformation during her attacks.

Pros

• She is the playable character with more apparences story-related in the series: Three (Five if you count the Remakes, Six if you count Genei Ibun Roku #FE), this make her one of the few Fire Emblem characters that actually has “likeable future” in the series.
• She is a fan favorite, one of the most popular characters in the overall series, even was capable to get a good place in the Awakening’s Popularity Contest.
• She isn’t a sword-user.
• She is a female character… this always is an advantage.

Cons

• Her Ballot Support was Small.
• Possible issues with transformations (it depends on how exactly this works).
• She could overlap with other dragon-like characters (Bowser/Charizard) in some moves.
• The Awakening version Tiki could have a design too “sexy” for the game, because she has a big noticeable cleavage and use garter straps (in the 3DS Trophy model isn’t really notable any of these aspects).
• The Akanea/Ylisse games already has 2 characters (3 if you count Lucina).

Hector

What exactly he can offer?

He is a Armor Knight-like Lord and an Axe User (one of the few lords that doesn’t have as his main weapon swords). As a curious fact, many games in the franchise has “bumeran-like” axes (Hand Axes).

Pros

• Hector is a popular character in the Fire Emblem Franchises for similar reasons that Lyn
• He could perfectly be a Heavyweight character.
• He isn’t a Sword-User

Cons

• He is overshadowed for Lyn’s popularity
• Ike already fills a similar niche in the game.
• Niche Smash Support, but probably better than other characters because his high popularity.

Ephraim

What exactly he can offer?

A complete Spear-User Character (and the horse if you want)

Pros

• Completely unique moveset guaranteed with the spear.
• Like Eirika, he comes from a different Continent without representation (Magvel).
• Ephraim is a popular Fire Emblem Lord (for reasons usually related with characters like Hector).
• He isn’t a Sword-user

Cons

• Niche Smash Support, but probably better than other characters because his high popularity.
• Overlap with Bandana Dee as a Spear-User, one of most wanted characters in the Japanese Smash Fanbase, and also popular in some western communities.

Micaiah

What exactly she can offer?

Micaiah is an full magician character (unlike Robin that also uses swords in his/her moveset), with access to light magic and staffs, this latter is one of the most common elements in the Fire Emblem Series unused in Smash.

Pros

• Micaiah is confirmed as the Fire Emblem character with the loudest (and likeably biggest) Smash Ballot Support in Japanese Media. In Western Communities she is more a niche choice, but still one of the most popular between Fire Emblem Characters.
• Staffs are interesting options to a moveset, and magic isn’t still used in it’s full potential in Smash Bros.
• She isn’t a Sword-user
• She is a female character
• She was formerly controversial character in the Western Communities, that includes Fire Emblem Discussions and Brawl’s Days Predictions (even if her game doesn’t sell a lot, this helps her popularity in some way), and also one of the few Fire Emblem Characters in the Pre-Smash 4 with some actual support (because Chrom took all of the attention in the actual Speculation).

Cons

• Her game is one of the worst sellers in the series (even if ironically it’s main characters are popular, especially Ike).
• Micaiah is one of these character that formerly had a mixed reception with the Fire Emblem’s fanbase (already mentioned her “controversial” side in the Pros); with many lovers and many haters (nowadays the hate against her is more like indifference in many cases).

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How did you think these thoughts translate nowadays? I would happy to see your opinions.

(There would also exist the possibility of new Echo Fighters; but these are harder to predict outside of Chrom)

- Troykv (The Dawn's Historian and Micaiah4Smash Main Admin)

Opinions. Micaiah "Rate the Character" Post.

Disclaimer: This article was created with the intention to post my opinions about Micaiah's posibilities in Smash in the "Rate the Character" Thread in Smash Boards

Link: https://smashboards.com/threads/rate-their-chances-switch-edition-day-53-micaiah.453357/page-132#post-22037729

Let's begin

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The Chances.

Micaiah is a character in a hard position for a playable spot because she doesn't have the same recency that a character like (nowadays) Celica has, but Micaiah has some stuff on her side I would like to post some of them.

Micaiah is filled with niches and gimmicks that hadn't be replicate together, and she of course, is one of the Fire Emblem Main Characters.

1.- Micaiah is a user of Magic (Light Magic)

In the Fire Emblem Series exists different Light Magic Tomes, and like the anima tomes there exists tomes with different functions like being highly powerful but make you vulnerable (Aura), Long-Range Magic (Purge) and of course there are the ol'reliable ones that doesn't have particular disadvantages or advantages...

"But Robin alredy does the magic stuff"

Robin is more like a Mystical Knight, or whatever you think is the main focus in the moveset, the magic is a part of important of their gimmick, but they are essencially sword-user in most of their animations; Micaiah is a complete magic user that doesn't use swords, and she doesn't need them anyway; in fact, the lack of a sword make Micaiah more flexible in the way she can use the animations of her attacks to create some unusual hitboxes not possible with a weapon that is attached to the user.

But Magic isn't limited just to flashy movements, Micaiah also has in her side other way of using her power.

2.- Micaiah is a user of the Utility-Based Magical Staves.

The staves are one of the most useful tools you can find in a Fire Emblem because of their special uses. There are some very straighforward like the ones that heals HP or Status Ailments. But there are also some that offer many possibilities; Warping and Rescuing Units can be used to move units at positions that would otherwise being impossible, making them key to create powerful strategies to beat even the hardest maps.

Micaiah is the only lord that is actually associated (but not as much as the Light Magic) with Staves, and they're one of the key elements in the franchise (the Staves and their strategies are as old as FE1) that would be represented in some way.

3.- Micaiah's signature abilities.

Alongside the more well known use of Magic and Staves that appear across the series; Micaiah has her own abilities beyond these. Micaiah has Corona (also know as: Dawn Light), that is the name of the Micaiah's Proc Skill that does additional damage (more specifically, ignores the enemy's Magic Resistence) and can blind the enemies affected; in her game she isn't the only character that uses this skill, but unless you're very unlucky (getting Corona'd by Lekain or Sephiran), it's unlikely you ended up seeing someone using the ability that isn't her. 

When casting Corona, Micaiah creates a light sphere above her.

Micaiah also has another abilitiy, and this one is completely unique to her: Sacrifice (also known as: Healing Hands), this is a tricky skill, it's effect (as their names would indicate), is a healing skill that gives HP to other units; quite interesting

Also, Micaiah has her own personal magic tome: Thani, which would be an important element of how Micaiah would work in Smash Bros.

I did for Source Gaming a moveset exploring many of these ideas: http://sourcegaming.info/2016/12/22/ds-micaiah/

After explaining the gameplay stuff, the things that would interest Sakurai for a new character, it's time to explore other points; the things that helps or damages her chances.

Let's start with the negatives.

Micaiah hasn't have a new appearance in a Main Game since Awakening, and that was essencially a cameo; Micaiah most notable appearance in the last years was in the Fire Emblem Heroes some months ago (January 2018) and her moment as a Main Character being in Radiant Dawn 11 years ago (February 2007)

She is evidently behind some other people for a spot in the next Smash Bros; whoever is the New Fire Emblem Character from that Switch Game, and there would be another choices to consider too.

These are quite heavy problems, but Micaiah still has some things in her side.

Now the positives.

Something important for a character selection, it's stand out in the roster; Micaiah has a similar anime aesthetic to the rest of the Fire Emblem Character, so, isn't hard to see a which franchises she belongs, but the rest of her design makes her feel completely different from the usual Fire Emblem protags.

Also, related with her design, being a original female character kind of helps I guess.

Micaiah surprisingly got some support during the ballot time, as it was show for the Source Gaming Posts about it... Nothing super special, but the support actually exists.

And the last thing to consider... it's the Smash Bros Switch Weird timing; that ended ups hurting heavily the Fire Emblem Switch Protag, we don't even know if the game will still be released in 2018 (as DLC is practically is likely if the character is unique enough)

And so, I decided to give her a 15% Chance rate... she is definitely unlikely, but she just can't be ignored, the potential is here, waiting to be found.

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The Want

Micaiah is very important to me, she is the light that guided me to don't be a lazy person all the time; after knowing her, I start feeling a special attachment to her, even before I played her game, and I was already thinking how she would work as a Smash Character, and then... when I finally played her game; against my own fears of ended up don't like her; essencially signed for life my love for Micaiah. Now I dedicate to write and share stuff to show how Micaiah would work in Smash Bros, to help other people understand her character, and in general share Micaiah Love.

Maybe in the past I would have give 100% to other characters, but nowadays the only character I want with a burning passion is her. I love Micaiah in every way possible, I love her simple but extremely stylish and beautiful design, I love her character, I found her quite a charming person with many interesting aspects to see when you read the story, and of course, I love the fact she is a spellcaster unlike most of the Main Characters, I love my magic-based stuff in every single game I played.

- Troykv (The Dawn's Historian and Micaiah4Smash Main Admin)

Opinions. Ambush Reinforcements

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening 

Today we have a different topic to talk about inspired by a discussion I had with some friends, I decided to talk a bit about this particular and controversial topic.

Ambush Reinforcement it's specific version of the reinforcements in Fire Emblem (actually, the original version of the reinforcements in the series); basically enemies can move in the turn they appear in the map.

This mechanic has a very simple but effective objective: avoid turtling-heavy tactics and other low-effort strategies.

FE6 has many chapters like that blended Ambush with the Turn-Limit

For example, they appear in the beginning of the level to punish the player if she/he doesn't even try to move the units, they appear alongside forts, stairs and other kind of suspicious places with the intention to punish careless game-style.

Several people hate them for their "unpredictable" nature and prefer the most safe "Player Turn Reinforcement" (debuted in Blazing Blade), but I would like to explain why the Ambush Reinforcement are they way they're.

Reinforcements are created with the intention to be a threat, like in Real-Life Wars, these aren't supposed to be completely predictable; but you can get an idea of which kind of places would create reinforcements based in patterns that the game showed you in the Early Chapters.

FE1 Chapter 5 is the First Chapter in the Series' Story using this mechanic.

This shows you some important tactics you can do to counter this, it can be the difference between a clean victory or losing an ally; in fact, the games itself gives you tips about this in the houses (but it isn't something you can't find out on your own).

On the other hand, unlike the Ambush Reinforcement, the Player Phase Reinforcements are extremely forgiving, as they become more predictable, you can pick your fights easily and this attempt of "threat"  actually become "Exp Bags". 

What is the danger of these reinforcements if you are able to fix even your worse mistakes just because the enemy is unable to take an inmediate active role?

I found incredible how many people can hate the Ambush Reinforcements just because it tries to be realistic, you would argue this is a way to do "cheap difficulty" but it's actually a way to replicate the "War feeling" in the Game; you can't be reckless, you must understand your possible threats and prepare to deal with them. 

This isn't Kaizo's levels of "silliness", this is actually something that can work in strategy.

Awakening's Chapter 16 is probably the most common example given for people to argue against Ambush Reinforcement

What do you think about ambush reinforcements?

- Troykv (The Dawn's Historian and Micaiah4Smash Main Admin)

My thoughts of the Fire Emblem Direct (January 18, 2017)

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening people, this week was incredible special for Fire Emblem, with the official annoucement of a lot of content, let's talk about a little bit about the and what I think.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

The Direct started with the most shocking and unexpected idea ever; a remake of the least popular Fire Emblem (Gaiden). The game is describe as a "re-imagination" of the game; looks-like they decided to take the basic stuff about the game and expand it how it what originally needed for this game.

Fire Emblem Gaiden is known for be the Series' Black Sheep, with an awkward and outdated design, but filled with lots of interesting ideas; some of the only appears in this game (like visit towns/caves and the HP-Based Magic), but other ideas were adapted for future games (the most destacable are the World Map and the Branched promotion).

I don't have anything against Kozaki, but I'm happy to see this game with a different style (Art by Hidari/LeftSide)

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia as we can see in the Direct has a design based in a mix between the FE!3DS Basic Engine (with some changes to allow the exploration sections) and the Gaiden style to do several things (Minimal Damage is one, the attack/defense bars in the UI, Promotion using the Mila's Shrine, etc.).

I still have my doubts about the possible implications of this game, but the idea sounds great, I always have thought Fire Emblem Gaiden was the kind of game that really need and better Console and Development Time to actually work; and I hope this is the case.

There also some curious things about the Direct's indirect reveals.

We content it's a thing, we have a new villager in this game which her (?) name is Effie/Effa that appears as the forth villager after Gray, Tobin and Kliff (respectly); the original villager trio.

This probably opens the possibilities to more new characters outside of Effa. In fact, if she is indeed a female character, I wonder if the class selected for her promotion are gonna be the same that the other villagers, or she will replace some clases (like Soldier with Pegasus Knight).

Talking about the female classes. Wouldn't be great to see some Second Class like Sage/Saint/Priestess get a Third Tier Class unlike the original Gaiden?

Overall I'm cautious, but excited.

A three minutes video contains more Lore than the whole Fire Emblem Fates Vanilla Story

Fire Emblem Switch... for Switch (Working in a better title)

Hmm... This title is a complete mystery; we only know this game isn't a remake; I will eventually to any new related with the game, I'm not exactly excited, but I'm interested to see what become in the end, and...

Will this game feature the same Character Designer and Art Director from the 3DS Games? Who knows, but I doubt Maeda doesn't work in this new project (that I will call FE16), his games have been really succesful even I don't agree with several of his decisions.

Fire Emblem Warriors

Look like Chrom got his chance

Fire Emblem Warriors Extent Trailer didn't show anything new gameplay-wise outside of the overall Warriors-Style. Looks like we'll have to wait for the Koei Tecmo's updates to know more characters.

I good new in the other hand, Fire Emblem Warriors will arrive sooner of what we expected (Fall 2017), prepare yourselves people.

Also, if for some reason you don't like the Switch and you have a New 3DS; you're lucky, the game will have a version for the N3DS Users.

Fire Emblem Heroes (aka: Fire Emblem Mobile)

Featuring our two Original Protags, and some popular Fire Emblem Characters

And then, this is the thing we was waiting (but didn't exactly excited); I wasn't expecting a lot from this game, but at least this game fulfill a little idea I thought was perfect for this game: the ultimate fanservice game!

From Marth to Chrom, from Celica to Lyn, from Shiida to Sophia,... pretty much everything has a place here.

Fire Emblem Heroes is a simplistic version of Fire Emblem, and while doesn't have a particuarly great deep gameplay, the idea sounds fun, and I like the idea to recollect new Fire Emblem characters playing a lot (just don't get to greedy if you're using the microtranslations, the orbs aren't exactly cheap, I don't recommend pay for it unless you're really sure about it)

.

Looks like Chrom will get his chance another day... again.

This are my basic opinions about this games revealed, while my excitement it's mostly focused on Echoes and Warriors, I'll check Fire Emblem Heroes (the game is free-to-play), and I'm interested in what would brings us the future with Fire Emblem Switch. 

Prepare yourselves, this is a incredible year for Fire Emblem with three titles in the same year (two Spin-Offs and one main-game). Maybe I'll get the chance to review one of these games.

See you next time!

- Troykv (The Dawn's Historian and Micaiah4Smash Main Admin)

Opinions. Let's talk about Wada Arco's Micaiah DLC Art.

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening people, after some time without any activity this blog now have a new article!

What is the topic today?

Well, since some time I have the idea to talk about one little thing that generate many negative reactions and was one of the first weird designs to appear in the Awakening's DLC.

Micaiah Dark Mage Official Art for Wada Arco

And that of course is Micaiah's Dark Mage Picture. What is wrong with this picture? Why it was designed like that? What I would change in this picture if I have the power to do it?

Let's answer this questions and more.

Wada Arco's Design (and possible idea about Micaiah?)

One of the first one can see when know this artwork is the Micaiah's Head

Bigger shiny eyes, a noticeable lack of any thing resembling a nose (unless you count the thing at same height that the eyes), a weird smile hard to know what exactly is she feeling.

The hair has a ahoge instead of the line that divided the hair in the original artworks; and the bangs are traslucent (also, the hair's colors are overall darker).

Wada Arco has drawn character with nose in many different ways...


- Some times she draws characters with relatively realistic faces, like this Gilgamesh.

- Other times she does small noses, like this Saber Extra's Artwork

And then... We have the weird noses, like this Saber/Saber Extra Art; this is one of the arts more similar in style to the Micaiah's DLC Artwork.

Sharing the eye size, nose height, the transparent bangs and it has ahoges too.

This style appears in some arts from 2012 and 2013 (the years of Awakening and the DLCs release), so, it's likely that the Micaiah's Artwork had the disfortune to inheriting some of this style because Arco drawn some of these arts at the same time (or were made in short periods of time between them).

This explain the face's proportions and many details about the head and the hair. But what about the rest?

Micaiah's pose is one known as "Wariza", a japanese traditional informal sitting style where the butt is on the floor and the legs are bent backwards on each side of the body, mostly used for women; this is likely because the pose requires specific flexibility in the legs, making it painful to perform for some people, but for other it comes naturally.

Elise DLC Artwork by Kozaki Yuzuke

It could works as some kind of fetish in the Japanese Fandom (for some reason you can find it in many anime related media).

And finally... Why Micaiah was drawn doing a wariza with that ambiguously happy face?

This is probably a stretch, but in my opinion, Wada Arco saw Micaiah as some sort of "sexy character" that needed to focus on their appealing aspects. What reasons she would have to think that?

- First of all, Wada had draw a character using the skimpy Awakening!Female Dark Mage Outfit as the basic base. As many know, this custome is basically a combination between a bodystocking (covers the whole body but doesn't work to actually "cover" the user because it's a skin-tight garment), a bikini-like thing, a cape and some golden accesories. The whole description of the outfit as something sexy, and that technically should be used for a character that actually makes use of this dirty sexyness.

A brief description of Tharja's weird but appealing "clothes".

- The second reason is Micaiah's original design... Yes, I'm talking about Micaiah's own design, she has her own special sexy aspects, include: a overall nicely designed body  (mostly the legs, she also has breasts in a size that isn't too big or too small); the use of some kind of tights (they look like pantyhose); exposed shoulders and armpits; exotic and charming eye/hair colors; the presence of side-slits (made more modest thanks to the pantyhose), etc. Also, the hair ribbon and the scarf have their own charm in the design's balance.

You know, a pretty girl for all of kinds of tastes.

(The aspects focused in her outfit vary between class; with the exception of all of them be bare shoulders with the expose the armpits and have a big focus in her legs)

And these are the likely reasons for the direction that this artwork took, after explain the Wada Arco's vision, it's like to took a more critical analysis with the artwork itself.

Why Micaiah was selected as the Dark Mage? Other mistakes in the design and how to fix them

The first question is answered with a stretch again; Micaiah is the only lord in the franchise that use pantyhose (or maybe they're tight pants? It's hard to tell), make her easier to adapt in the Dark Mage Style; the other reasons are likely influenced for one curious and ironic aspect of Micaiah in Radiant Dawn: Her "Dark Affinity".

Between the viable choices for this outfit and the Shadowgift skill, Micaiah was the only one that made sense. 

Now again with the weird design choices of the art...

We already talked about her face and her hair. But... What about this custome has anything special compared with the Dark Mage outfit outside of Micaiah's Blue Hair Ribbon?

She doesn't have anything else; with other character even if the custome was mostly generic, they decided to give to the character some extra clothes or change the colors, or even change the clothes itself.

Just... look at them.

 

The colors are different (mostly blue and whilte is changed to include more red), Lyndis doesn't use the head armor.

Celica has some big changes in the outfit. Instead of the pants she has shorts; she lacks long sleeves but she has fingerless gloves; instead of the normal boots she has armored books; her outfit looks like it has a midriff, and the colors are completely different.

Elincia has her characteristic orange/white color scheme, alongside this, she has an orange cape, slighly different boots and some additional details.

Roy changes the color scheme, also he get a torn blue cape (a similar colors to the used in Binding Blade), the shield is draw differently, and other small details.

And this are enough examples in my opinion. Maybe the changes aren't big in most of the cases, but some little changes can give it a more unique look and personality to a draw; something that unfortunately Micaiah's Dark Mage drawing lacks in my opinion, looking very generic; the biggest reason for this artwork look so generic alongside the other Fire Emblem DLC Characters.

What could be change in the design to make it stand-out more as a Micaiah look but without breaking the design of Wada's drawing ? I have some ideas.

• Replace the cape and the choker with a blue scarf.

A simple and effective change, Micaiah most known design (her Light Mage custome) include a large blue scarf. The blue scarf can fit the role that the blue cape has in the original outfit, and make the references to Micaiah's more evident. Also, the cape's absence makes Micaiah's shoulders visible like in pretty much all of her outfits.

• Change the colors of the outfit to make it resemble Micaiah's color scheme more.

Another idea is to change some clothes colors to fit the blue/magenta Micaiah's Color Scheme. The cape is already blue like the cape that she has as a Light Sage. But the other blue elements in the outfit (the bra-like garment and the lower-body set in her crotch) could be changed to magenta, making the resemblance to Micaiah more evident.

Also, in both cases I would make the "bra-like" thing cover more the Micaiah's cleavage.

As an additional opinion there is the possibility to combine both ideas. 

What do you think of these ideas to change Micaiah's Dark Mage appearance? Do you have another one. 

I would like to see your comments explain your opinion. See you next time!

- Troykv (The Dawn's Historian and Micaiah4Smash Main Admin)