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Yeah, the franchise pretty much paints Nero as a narcisstic but essentially well-meaning populist whose worst atrocities were in response to the actions of family members and senators who were plotting against her. (Which is not a completely indefensible position from a historical perspective; Nasu does do his research, even if he runs with it in weird directions.)
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May 21, 2017 10:26
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Nero's voice seems completely wrong, both for her personality and appearance.
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May 21, 2017 10:31
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I love that Nero's narcissism boils down to 'let's face it, I'm great, and if you don't believe me, I'm going to stick around and prove it until you do. However long that may take.'
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May 22, 2017 04:23
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Sindai posted:Nero's voice seems completely wrong, both for her personality and appearance. Sakura Tange, most famous for being Sakura Kinomoto from Cardcaptor Sakura! Kaboom Dragoon posted:I love that Nero's narcissism boils down to 'let's face it, I'm great, and if you don't believe me, I'm going to stick around and prove it until you do. However long that may take.' More or less. She's great. 
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May 22, 2017 05:06
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Skirmish Before we roll out, let's make sure we're prepared. It's actually fairly easy to lose this fight, for reasons we'll get to soon, but overall, it's considerably more difficult than the previous stage. So, let's get some Install Skills installed.  And this is the menu. Once you've acquired an Install Skill, you can put it in any of the empty slots. Copies of the same Install Skill will combine to produce a greater effect (up to 20). There is generally a color-coded way to tell what skills are involved. Red is for general combat (adding elemental properties to your attacks or making your attacks stronger, and so on), blue is for defensive abilities (more health / defense, etc.), and yellow is for support (like making your Servant run faster, or the Extella Gauge charge faster). Now, once you've played the game a bunch and have a bunch of really strong Install Skills, it's certainly possible to create combinations that render your Servant virtually invincible. You can install as many copies of a skill on your Servant as much as you want (once 20 copies have been acquired and fused together, you'll just start building up another stock of 20 of a particular skill), but that's a handicap I'll be placing on myself, not to do that. You just can't feel alive if you're not staring defeat in the face, you know?  For this second outing, I'll be going with Prana Burst (Fire) and Prana Burst (Lightning), to add the chance of fire and lightning attacks to Nero's basic attacks. If you want a simple way to increase a skill's effectiveness, place same-colored skills in nodes that are connected to each other with lines. As your Servant's bond level goes up, you'll get more nodes and more lines. Also, every Servant has their own Install Skill configuration. Some are simply more effective than others, but it's not something that should make or break your enjoyment of a particular player character. Also, it should go without saying everyone draws from the same Install Skill pool. No need to collect new ones for a new character.  Next, we'll be making our first Mystic Code (I'm not counting the one you have by default). As I mentioned, QP is basically the game's currency that you get by killing enemies in the combat stages. Once you have enough, you can make a new one. You may also need particular parts, ranked B to S, as part of the crafting process. Assuming you have everything, feel free to make one. You can preview what you'll get in the box on the right. We'll be making the Cohort Mantle, which adds the (decoy) skill to the one we already had (though it is a separate Mystic Code). (decoy) is pretty good one, though I regret I forgot to use it in the coming up stage. Well, that's about all the preparation we can do.  And this is the Stage Select. The game mentions you can go back and play old stages, with a choice between "Play the whole Chapter" or "Play the Battle stage". The difference is that the first will incorporate the entire stage, beginning and all, whereas the second will start at the fight's beginning and incorporate the ending. We will pressing forward at all times. Before you start a stage, you can check out the mini-map for the upcoming stage, previewing any peculiaries about the stage. Here, you can see we have two Servant allies (Li Shuwen and Cu Chulainn), and we've got a lot of red to clear out.  Before you begin, you can also check out the recommended levels. I would highly advise you play Normal for a while, at least until Nero's at level 15 or something. Higher difficulties adds the usual "More damage done to you", but Hard and above (Very Hard is only unlocked after finishing the final chapter of the game's story) add a few more surprises on top of that. We'll be ignoring that for now.  A familiar battlefront   For Type-Moon veterans, the look of this stage should be instantly recognizable. It's based on none other than Fuyuki City, a fictional city in Japan that is the setting of stay night, hollow ataraxia, and zero. While we won't be hitting up all the major landmarks, we'll be hitting a few. While slaughtering a bunch of mooks, of course.   Can you hear me, Your Majesty? it is time to release the Regalia's hidden power. It has a hidden power? I knew it! Indeed. By its Royal Authority, you can draw mana from the Moon Cell. Directly from the Moon Cell...? So even the Moon Cell itself provides tribute to its ruler, then. Your Majesty, Hakuno Kishinami, both of you need to pour your own mana into the Regalia first. Yes, understood! I'm counting on you, Praetor!  Pouring mana into the Regalia... Since I'm fused with the ring, I can easily visualize how to do that. I wrap around Saber's finger and move as close to her as possible. I try to imagine the paths of the intertwined circuits. The ring, connected to Saber. Myself. I lay my breathing over hers. I lay my mana over hers. And... Flame Poem Stage 2          Yep, upon activating the Moon Crux for Nero, she'll transform her combat abilities, adding on jet-powered rocket boots and fire-spewing cestuses to smack them around with the best of them. Nero's attacks become considerably more powerful, and every basic strike will stagger an enemy. There's still square for weaker attacks and triangle for stronger, but with the damage you're outputting, there's not much of a difference. It's actually fairly hard to control Nero with her jumping around so much, but most her attacks will involve launching up into the air and crashing back down. Basically, if I really tried, I could attempt to learn exactly what everything does. But when a super power mode is activated, is your first instinct to learn how everything is played and control yourself rationally? Of course not. You just want to smack things around.  But alas, the fun must end sometime. You'll be able to charge up for next time by killing enemies and attacking, as you might expect. Luckily the game isn't too stingy with such things, and within any given stage, you'll be able to activate it 3-4 times.  Now, this particular area? I'm fairly sure this area is based on the arena where the first battle of Fate/zero, between Lancer and Saber, took place.  Once you've conquered this land (as in the first stage, the starting sector is locked down until you take it over)...    This place is already under my eye... Locked in my Blood Fort Andromeda.  Archimedes will helpfully point out which Sectors are responsible for the maintaining of the Blood Fort.  While it's not immediately obvious, the Blood Fort is sapping the strength of you and your buddies. If you suffer too long under it, you lose. So, there's not much time to waste. We'll be going in counter-clockwise order, starting from the northeast.  For an overview, Cu will quickly advance from G to C, conquering it, and will then head to I, taking it over, and also stopping there. He's a brother, is what I'm saying. Li Shuwen is holding F, but about 10 tons of poo poo is headed his way. There's also two Plants this time, so there's a lot of ground to cover.  Just as a random aside, I do like the detail of having one of the Blood Fort runes on the floor of the target Sectors. Medusa did the same thing in stay night, and she used runes to do it, but that one just covered a single school, because her Master was crap.  After a bit, one of the enemy Servants will attack. None other than the Berserker, Lu Bu. Now, you might want to help Li Shuwen, but with the Blood Fort Andromeda present, Lu Bu is *considerably* more powerful than you, and, even with the Regalia, is basically invulnerable from attack. That's not to say Li won't hold out for a while, but he's basically doomed. The best thing you can do for him as things stand is to dispel the Blood Fort as soon as possible. Once Lu Bu is finished with his fellow Chinese Servant, he'll come after Cu Chulainn. Ideally, that's when you take him down.  With our allies under attack everywhere, and with few territorial holdings, our backs are against the wall. But that's when a cornered animal is most dangerous. The enemy's Sector Key gauge will start to pulsate, and the DANGER icon will show up when a few more enemy conquests will result in your defeat. Best get your rear end in gear to make sure that doesn't happen. But, you know, I've been thinking...  Even with all this red, this is no place for a lover of the arts and a burning fiery spirit of passion like Nero Claudius. This is dirty work here, which means it's perfect for Nameless.  Yes, with a simple press of the left d-pad button, you can change to Nero's lieutenant Nameless (and no one else. That'll never change). That's how you use Mystic Codes, just pressing the corresponding d-pad button when there's an icon corresponding to the button. Now, while Nameless is a lot of fun when he gets all his moves, he's somewhat limited at such a low level. That's not to say he's not still fun, however. His most effective move right now is S S T, where he'll jump into the air, ready his bow and a sword-turned-explosive arrow Caladbolg, and fire it straight at the ground, scattering anyone in the blast radius. It can very quickly take you out of danger and deliver some payback to the crowd below. Very effective when utilized properly. His basic triangle attack is an arrow fired in a straight line, which also has a lot of utility. His S T is also an arrow that will knock nearby targets into the air, ripe for follow-up.  Nameless also has a special ability shared by a few others. Do you see that yellow gauge with READY over it? By pressing L1 + T, you'll go into this brief animation.  He'll transform his twin blades Kanshou and Bakuya into Kanshou and Bakuya Overedge, where they have longer reach and I think a bit more damage. The Overedge version of the swords are a direct reference to the 2006 Fate/stay night anime, where Nameless (also more generally well-known as Archer) used Overedge in his climactic battle against Berserker (which was a fight that was referenced but never seen in the original visual novel). Nasu liked them so much they've been incorporated back into other entries in the series, and are never far behind when Nameless shows up. To be honest, there is a LOT to talk about with Nameless, but bear with me. A more appropriate time will come, trust me. Before we get back to the gameplay, one more fun little fact: Nameless was the first-ever seen Servant in the entire franchise. He first showed up in the prologue to Fate/stay night, so his connection with this stage is highly appropriate. A long, long pedigree surrounds this man.   His Extella Maneuver is also good. This is actually a reference to a single line he used in stay night, and that special sword he's using, well... We'll get to that, too. Another note about his L1 + T thing is that it has a short cooldown between uses, but it's never too long. I sometimes forget about it, but it is (almost) always there.  All but two Servants also have an Over Limit mode, but it's called the Moon Drive, and it's basically a less-elaborate version of Nero's. There's no dramatic transformation sequence or changed moves, just powered-up versions of that Servant's regular attacks. As before, every regular attack will stagger the enemy, and you are (mostly) invulnerable to stagger yourself. After taking over this Sector, my current agenda is to sweep through the left-center of the map, taking out one of the two Plants on our way to the last Blood Fort Sector.  One of the things I really like about this game are the basic attack animations for a lot of characters. A lot of subtle flourishes and details are added to even basic attacks, that you might not even notice a lot. For example, Nameless' air attack ends with him tossing a spear he conjured up (projected, if you want to use the proper term for it) and knocking the target down. I'll point out others as I notice / find them worthy of mention.  If I could help, I would... Also, here's a weird fact for you. When you are not in an allied Servant's sector, they actually have a lot more health than when you are. It's hard to notice at first, but when there's a super-powered Servant like Lu Bu attacking, they go down pretty fast to their attacks when you're around. For both of our sakes, I'm gonna stay away.  When it comes to leveling up, sub-Servants are permanently tied to the host Servant. For example, right now, Nero is leveling up, not Nameless, who has his own levels. This is why I'm not going to play as sub-Servants at all after this. This is Nero's story, not his. He'll get his time in the sun (and, I mean, as of the last character poll, which admittedly was done a while ago, Nameless was the most popular male Type-Moon character, and he's got some stiff competition. We need to show our love to those less popular), but that day is far off.  Lu Bu's first conquest is complete. We'll need to go to Cu's aid, and fast. Also, that's an Install Skill, if you see these out in the field.    Well, now things are looking much nicer, indeed. I think Nameless can go back to his regular duties, and Nero can wrap the rest of this up nicely.  The appearance of this temple, called the Ryudou Temple, is a reference to the final sequence of FSN's second route, Unlimited Blade Works.   Also, that bottle in the back there is a Sake Jug or whatever. It fully restores the Extella Gauge. Also picked up the Phantasm Circuit located just beyond. My agenda now is to reassert my control over the two most northern-sectors under attack, then swing around and take out the last Plant and take on Lu Bu.  Nero's transformation sequence, while nice, is rather long, so I'll be skipping it with the PS4's touchpad when it comes up in the future. Well, mostly. You can skip every cutscene with the touchpad, for the record.  A fine result. One Extella Maneuver took over the entire Sector, and stopped two invasions before they started. There's also a Phantasm Circuit here. Now to confront one of China's great warlords.    I guess I should have expected it as a possibility, but there was a little intentional slowdown here, and I know I didn't get parried. It was actually Cu getting parried, because Lu was blocking. I don't think I've ever seen that happen before, actually.  You gotta have a super-powered slap fight between Servants, right? Well, Lu Bu has activated his Moon Drive (whose transformation is one thing that can stagger a Moon Drive / Crux), and he's blocking. What to do...  Why, break the sonuva bitch's guard, of course. While transformed, circle will throw out a special attack that will break right through any enemy guard, while also doing a ton of damage. This attack is rife for follow-up, if necessary, of course. Here, it took out Lu Bu entirely, which means we're done with the biggest menace to our conquest of Digital Fuyuki. The guard break is also why you should NEVER try to block an Over Limit'd enemy Servant. They have no qualms about guard breaking you, and trust me, that attack hurts. The reason you don't spam is is there's a bit of a wind-up on it. Well, after killing one more Aggressor, the greater part of the battle is definitely in our favor. Only one Sector remains in enemy hands (right in the center, where Li Shuwen fell). Time to-  Cu is currently under attack by the Boss Servant, but she'll come after us on her own. Cu's gonna be just fine.  Two sectors are under attack. The fall of even one would prevent me from getting an EX rank here, if I defeat Medusa after that happens but before I take them back. Luckily, the game still considers both under our control until they actually fall into enemy hands. As long as we finish the Boss Servant off before that happens, we'll be fine.   But of course, won't be that easy.  One particularly hilarious detail you'll see every now and then is that enemy Servants who are close to the center of a Sector, when that Sector is conquered by you, just go FLYING. I feel any game where characters can go flying for silly reasons is a good one. But less funny for her, is that I NP'd her shortly thereafter. Hopefully I can finish her off quickly.  Unfortunately, it was not to be. Never mind, we'll resolve this momentarily.  Running away from Boss Servants will cause them to get mad at you and chase after you. Luckily, I am not overly concerned with their opinions.  It is just not her day.  There's always time to strike a pose.  Cinderella Girl  Is that easy enough to understand? Communication in battle must be swift and clear. Hey, it's like an amusement park! The "World of Tamamo" is the first thing I think of. It's rather long, I suppose... But also rather brilliant! Oh, but we shouldn't call it that. It sounds too flattering. She is our enemy, after all. Now, only a few Tamamo Domains are left. Let us return to My Room and...   All of SE.RA.PH belongs to me! Tamamo? Regalia? What are those, appetizers? There's no need for Wizards or Servants anymore. All we need is for every sentient being in the world to bow to me. See, I'm...  It's you... Yep, it's me! Now pinker and more powerful than ever! Dark Eli! No, make it Dark Eliza! Yes, call me that, you little squirrel! Uh... Hmm.I see Nero is as breathless as anyone. Hehehe, hehehehehehe...! Oh, what's with the face? You surprised? You scared? Yeah, I can smell your fear from here! I, Dark Eli, the most beautiful princess ever to spawn from the depths, have come to conquer SE.RA.PH! And yes, I also go by Dark Eliza!She has a lot of nicknames, actually. Aside from her actual name, she also likes Eli, the two she mentions above, and she has one more later in the game. I'm not sure why Nasu thought the Fate series needed a vampire dragon idol, but now that she's here, you don't see me complaining. Dark Eliza. Well, it's simple. Like, "Tamamo Domain" simple. But that Servant... She has something in common with Saber, that's for sure... Dark Erzabet... I... I see... This is all highly unfortunate... I have nothing more to say. It's Dark Eli! Or Dark Eliza! What the hell name did YOU just call me?! Is my perfect new costume throwing off your eyesight or something?! Oh, no, your costume is magnificent! Such melodic majesty, my archrival, who drives me to grow stronger with every clash! You may have changed your appearance, but you are, no doubt, my strongest bandmate, Elizabeth Bathory!It should be noted that Elizabeth Bathory is known as Hungary's Blood Countess, who, if we're going by her reputation, was probably not an overly pleasant person. This form of the Countess is from before she committed her crimes, but I'm still not sure how we get from "Elizabeth Bathory before the bloodshed" to "Wannabe-Top Idol". It should be noted I am still not complaining. Uh... Ack... Urgh...! Y-Yeah. That's right! Same as usual, Saber. Now then, rival. The Praetor and I have business to attend to, so we must be off. But on the day when SE.RA.PH unites again, let us hold another concert and rise to even greater heights together. Huh, a collaboration concert? R-Really? Y-You'd share your stage with me? ...Wait, NO! That's not what I'm talking about! Not at all! Hm? As your rival, and as the soon-to-be top idol of SE.RA.PH, I'm going to give you a first and final warning. Don't get in my way...and give me that Regalia now. Or I'll tear your Master's limbs off like big, meaty caterpillars. That will never happen. The Regalia and the Praetor belong to me. Heed my words and understand. Wh-What?! You're brushing off my whole monologue? Just gimme! Besides, it's weird for you to be the King! I ought to be a bigger King than you! Hmm, and what about you is "bigger" than me? Nothing I can see. Do you follow me, Praetor? I'm not even talking about that! And even if I were, I can make them bigger anytime I want! Sorry, Dark Eli, but you can't. When Heroic Spirits are first created, they're already given their ideal form. No matter how much you may grow as a person, you...well, you'll never grow THAT way.Basically, a place called the Throne of Heroes is the big dimensional bank all Heroic Spirits are drawn from. When an individual has acquired enough fame, having ingratiated themselves into the human experience, a new Heroic Spirit is created. When they die, they are then brought to the Throne of Heroes for all eternity, where they can be loaned out in any time or place for any number of reasons, in any number of circumstances. The Throne of Heroes exists outside of all timelines and possibilities, and its members are as immutable as the mountains. When a Servant disappears (since they're not living things, they can't die, per se), they return to the Throne, to be loaned out again whenever they respond to a particular summon, be it from a simple Master or the Moon Cell itself. Heroic Spirits themselves are not limited to any region, time, or era. The oldest Servant on record so far is none other than the legendary king Gilgamesh, and the most recent (by birth) is Mata Hari, and by death, Nikola Tesla. Yes, unless you are skilled at constructing new bodies, you're forever stuck in that one. But worry not. I find you adorable just as you are. ...Hmph. You just don't get it. You're thinking too small, that's your problem! I won't be tied down to SE.RA.PH's rules. And I don't need to overthrow you to get what I want. I'll overthrow the Moon Cell itself. That's right. Then I'll be the Great King of Terror, and reign like the god of the red planet! "Great King of Terror...?" Why does that sound familiar? Yes, where have I heard that before...? Somewhere in some minor culture's mythology, perhaps? Seriously, you don't know the Great King of Terror? I'm quoting a pretty famous prophet here. You ever heard of him? Well, I'm going to bring that prophecy to life! And I'll be a BIG new star! Dark Eli Angolmois! ...Or something!I hereby request everyone refer to Elizabeth as "Dark Eli Angolmois" until further notice. Are you not merely plagiarizing...? Still the same as always... Dark Erzabet... Quit calling me that! I told you to cut that out! ...Whatever. I'm done with this little sparring match. Remember, final warning! I'll never lose again. You'll never lock me up, and I don't need redemption. If evil's all I can be, that evil will bloom like a bloody flower. And I'll never hold back, no matter who I'm up against. Soldiers, bosses, chosen wielders of the Regalia, whoever! Cross me again, and you'll regret it. Saber. Hakuno Kishinami. ...There goes Elizabeth. Strange, she didn't seem her usual self. Regardless, we have realms to conquer. Let us return to My Room and prepare. *nod*
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May 24, 2017 01:05
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Dark Eli put on a shirt, so my opinion of her has definitely gone up. Even if she is too "small" to pop out, those belts were worrying. However, even her idol stylings can't match Saber's magical girl transformation.
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May 24, 2017 08:07
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Did Nero just pull a Sailor Moon style transformation? Then again, as they say, when in anime Rome, do as the anime Romans do. That's Archerkins EX maneuver? He's going to be the smuggest rear end in a top hat in this game too, isn't he? That's why we love him after all. E: and somehow I now have this image of Nero and Bathory as the Blues Sisters. Omobono fucked around with this message at 08:20 on May 24, 2017 |
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May 24, 2017 08:18
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I really dig Nero's powered-up armoured form. Those big shields on her arms are ideal for smacking enemies with. Now whether that's better or worse than Liz's stupid sweater, I can't say for sure.
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May 24, 2017 18:47
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Thuryl posted:Yeah, the franchise pretty much paints Nero as a narcisstic but essentially well-meaning populist whose worst atrocities were in response to the actions of family members and senators who were plotting against her. (Which is not a completely indefensible position from a historical perspective; Nasu does do his research, even if he runs with it in weird directions.) In the Nasuverse, she "discouraged" religion, but she didn't persecute it like in our world. Nevertheless, her personality and proclivities gave her the same biblical nickname "The Whore Of Babylon" Andyzero fucked around with this message at 01:35 on May 26, 2017 |
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May 26, 2017 00:58
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Conquest So we'll be doing a bit more for this update. You know how the usual format is to cover the plot first, stage later? Well, there's not much to say about the opening to this next stage, and much will happen in the outro. So this time, we'll be doing the stage, then next time, the aftermath. Case in point with terse openings, talking to Nero after your last fight will just have her telling you to get some sleep. I did just that...  The woman in white I... In truth... Well... I feel quite good myself. It flusters me to say so, with you still recovering and all... But even so, I am proud of this mind, this body of mine. And do you know why? It has everything to do with you. I hope that much is clear to you already. You have...wrapped yourself around me, blanketed me with your presence. I have become one with you. Do you feel the same way? I wonder... Do you not feel it? My pulse, my breath, all of it? When you truly were wrapped around me, so tightly... I feel special to be yours in such a way. Oh, my heart is pounding at the thought of it. What about you...Praetor? I know exactly what she means. It's a unique sensation, enveloping her very essence. Heh - It's almost embarrassing to talk about. W-What is the matter, Praetor? You're shifting your eyes. Are you blushing? T-There's no need for that. The way you act, it's almost as if we... W-Well, there is no shame in what we have done together. None at all. Do you hear me?Not saying there was... Until we can be together again, in just that way. I'll have to endure our time apart. My memories will have to do for now... She asked me how I'm feeling. I should tell her. I want to say I'm feeling wonderful...but as soon as I open my mouth, my vision tilts sharply and I fall unconscious.    ...Apparently, this makes me happy. Go on, keep looking at me. I want you to see me like this. Try not to cover your eyes. You might make me sad if you do. At least, I think I remember what that feels like. But my feelings have always had a way of driving me to violence. ...So I can't let you get close to me, and I can't let myself get closer to you. ...Yet there you are. Still looking at me. It's like I can't move when you do that, not under my own will. You have some kind of hold on me. Just remember, Master... If you ever betray me, in any way, I will destroy you without remorse. ...That's right. ...It's best for you not to be here. If you weren't here, I...   How should I answer that? All of a sudden, Saber was gone, adn there was someone else in her place... A maiden in white. Brown skin, thin figure, red eyes. ...A warrior. That's how I could best describe her. She'd be right at home with a sword in her hand, just like Saber. I tell her everything right away, without holding back a single detail. ...Oh. Oh. Hm. Oh, oh. I see. I see. A maiden in white, you say? And you believe she is the same as I , a Saber class? "That's right" And you say you saw her after that sudden dizzy spell. So it seems you lost your wits and suffered a waking dream. "Yes. I believe so" ...Praetor, how dare you? Granted, you're still recovering, but regardless! And during our most precious time, at that! Your dreams are no place for thoughtless dalliances! How cruel! Have you any idea...? All I can do is listen and nod. I shouldn't have fallen asleep during such an important talk. But seriously... Sounds like we're going to need to set things straight before we move on. Besides, it wasn't like the woman in white was actually there...right? It's okay to talk to other female Servants, isn't it? It's not as if I wanted to see her in this first place. Thought now I am curious to know who she is... Ooh, evading the subject, are we?! I-I'm about to cry. I'm about to cry! Does it make you happy to see me like this?! Oh, I'm about to wail like a cat. But I must endure! I must be strong, like a diamond. Alas, I cannot! You and some imaginary girl you cannot even name! And here I was blushing just to be near you. *sniff* ...No, I don't want to make Saber cry. She's more important to me than anyone. Without hesitation, I tell her, "I don't want you to cry. I don't ever want to make you cry." "I only feel this way for you, Saber." I stare deeply into her eyes without looking away. *whimper*... That's...not fair. You are truly unfair. How dare you...? So you won't allow me to cry, then. And now I'm smiling. You've tricked me into smiling! How? Ah, so this is your Mind at work, is it? It is as if your passion took form...which makes sense, under the circumstances. The "you" I see before me must be the embodiment of your passion itself. That would explain why you are so straightforward. No matter what, you surge forward in all things! From taking lands in SE.RA.PH to...well, even me. Her tears have stopped. Thank goodness. Now we can both be at ease. I need a rest, badly. ...Praetor? You can sleep even after that little tempest of mine? All well and good, I suppose. Endearing, even. ...But this debt will be repaid. Do not forget, my passionate Praetor.  Servants of the Sun Now, I'm happy to report the following... Due to Your Majesty's steady advances, we continue to reclaim our territories. Your domination of SE.RA.PH is at hand. Taking all of SE.RA.PH's newest expanded lands into account... Your Majesty has conquered approximately 80% of the total. That total includes Regalia B's holdings - referring to the Tamamo Domains - of which approximately 70% are back in our hands. Of course, in order to reunite SE.RA.PH, we must still reclaim the remaining 30%. Since some of that land is new to us, taking it will effectively expand your empire more than before. Excellent progress, then. Between your wisdom and our martial skills, we are unstoppable. Berserker and Rider were both formidable opponents. It is no surprise that they occupied their share of the Tamamo Domains. But Caster's about to run short of generals. That being the case, it may be time to launch our campaign against her main stronghold. Are you ready, Praetor? Speak now, if you would. But hey, maybe can still talk things out. I feel a bit of hesitation. I know it's best to end the war as soon as possible, but it occurs to me that we could try talking to Caster before we attack her. ...Still, it's just a random thought, and deep down I know it wouldn't work, so I nod confidently at Saber's plan. Then the Master approves. Men! Are you ready? This time, we'll burn that hell-spawned fox alive! Your Majesty. May I speak? Hm? What is it, Sir Gawain? And please, a man of your imposing stature has no need to be so humble. Please pardon me. Sunlight does increase my "stature", after all. But that aside... Your Majesty, I would share a concern with you. The other day, while I was scouting the area in question... I felt a powerful source of mana. There was no doubt about it. No doubt, you say. Tell me more, please. My Noble Phantasm is the holy sword of the Sun, Galatin. The mana there was very similar to that of my sword. I believe it came from a very powerful Servant, who draws strength from the Sun, like me. Such flames could singe even you, Majesty. Please advance with caution. Remember, should Lady Kishinami fall, we will not be able to stand beside you.Well, to be perfectly exact, his Noble Phantasm is Excalibur Galatin[e], the sister sword to his king's more famous blade. Like most aspects of Arthurian legend, it kinda depends who you ask, but to make him stand out a bit more, Nasu made his Gawain more in keeping with some traditions that associates his power with the sun. The brighter the sun, the more powerful he is. Also, again, I will talk more about the various non-protagonist Servants at a more appropriate time, but I usually like to give some background to who they are. For our third friend in this scene, Archimedes, I am afraid I can't do that. Archimedes is totally original to this game, and can be found nowhere else in Nasu's works. Will that change? Very possibly. I'd say it's more likely than not he'll turn up in Grand Order eventually. Just a hunch. Hmm, someone who worries even you? Who could that be? In any case, many thanks for your warning. If this foe troubles even the fearless Sir Gawain, then we shall certainly be on our guard.But back to My Room to prepare. Fun fact: My Room has been a thing in the Fate series since EXTRA. Like in this game, it was just a place where you stopped off to shoot the poo poo with your Servant in-between the plot and action. In Grand Order, however, it's been demoted to a glorified extras menu. Still there, though.  Before the decisive battle That said, this is not a Holy Grail War. We fight on a much grander scale now, for control of entire territories. In truth, I wonder if I've been pushing your precious body past its limits. I really tried to please her here (the bond level pop-up is only there when a choice can raise it), but apparently my hot-blooded response did not assuage her doubt. "Proceeding well enough"... That doesn't sound like Saber. She sounds pessimistic, like she's holding something back. My memories are still a blur, but I know where I am now, and I can keep pressing on if she needs me to. M-My, so confident, Praetor...! And you hold my hand so casually... What unprecedented aggressiveness. But so be it. I let your feelings weigh too heavily upon me. If nothing troubles you, then nothing stands between us and victory! Leave it to me, then. I will cut down a thousand enemies at a single stroke. And I expect exceedingly poetic praise when I finish! I thank Saber for her concern. She answers with a smile. Honestly, I'm not completely at ease over my own well being. But with Saber nearby, I know I have nothing to fear.After that line, this particular scene ends, but for the sake of the video, I'm going to combine the above scene and the below one. It seems more natural that way, too. All that said, there is one matter that troubles me. No doubt, it troubles you as well. I speak of the second Praetor, who stood with Caster. There, next to the blue fox, gesturing with the slightest hint of vanity... Again, my failure to woo her. Probably should have known this one, though. Yes. As soon as I beheld the sight, I thought the same thing! But...the other "you" offered her no resistance... And villainous as Caster is, Praetor did not seem to be under any kind of curse. Not that I could perceive, at least...thought that fiend WAS surrounded as always in a sinister aura... Grr... I don't think that's the issue. Caster was certainly antagonistic, but I don't think she would treat her Master like a puppet. I'm mostly going by own gut feelings, but Caster seems very prideful, and if she had to use magic to cheat her way into "love", that would cheapen it below her standards. Caster doesn't seem like the kind of woman who would ever do that to herself. ...Then again, using magic to cater to her physicall needs... She might say, "That's a different story.♡" *giggle* Such a shame Caster isn't here to hear such talk. I wonder just how she'd react... But the truth is still hidden in the dark, and only the light of my sword can reveal it.Agreed. Prepare yourself well, and you've got a big fight ahead.  Tamamo's capital is going to be a long fight. You've got two enemy Lancers, one of whom we've met before, and the other, the one Gawain had such trepidation about. Speaking of the Knight of the Sun, he'll be joining us for this fight, helping us maintain control of the southwestern Sector. Also added for this stage are Side Missions. Side Missions are how you raise the bond level of every Servant in the game, even support ones like Archimedes. The idea behind them is simple.  For every stage not specifically designed around a boss battle, you can accept up to five Side Missions from Servants in your faction. Right now, that's Nero, Nameless, Li Shuwen, Gawain, Cu Chulainn, and Archimedes. So, unfortunately, someone's gonna have to be left out. Sorry Cu, that's your E-rank Luck for ya. Every mission, of course, has a requirement. Some of them are pretty easy, like "Perform an 1800 Hit Combo", or "Use a Noble Phantasm 1 time". The most difficult ones are like "Defeat 100 enemies at 70% health" or something like that. That one's hard to do, and if you get a bad hand like that, I would advise going back to the My Room menu, then coming back to the pre-battle menu. Doing so will shuffle the Side Mission requirements. Keep doing that until you get a line-up you can agree with.  Now, for the Roman Territories and Fuyuki, I thought the game wasn't challenging enough. So, I decided to punch above my weight...a bit. How did it turn out? Let's just see...  Last encounter    Gawain's portrait isn't a mistake here. Nero's doing her best Gawain voice, and quoting him. It's...not a fantastic imitation of Takahiro Mizushima's voice. Oh that Nero. Gawain warned us to be cautious, but my heart is on fire! This is the second time I can face the Sun! Let us decide who shines brighter: Appolon or ourselves. There is nothing to fear. Do you not agree, Praetor? No one else could ever eclipse my heavenly light.I believe her second line is referring to her duel with Gawain in EXTRA. The thought of her light engufs my imagination. She could be the Sun. She shines so brightly, especially when she smiles... I'm not trying to flatter her. I'm not even trying to be poetic. Depending on the circumstances, Saber could match Gawain's holy sword, shine for shine. Thought I've heard her compare herself to the Muses, I'd actually place her higher than them. In fact, I'd compare her to Venus herself. What...?! V-Venus...?! Not that I would deny it, of course, but even so, you fluster me... Hmph. My heart heart nearly stopped to hear you say such things... How flustered must I be to satisfy you? Truly, w-we need to restore your other half, or my body will not be able to keep up! My cheeks are hotter than Apollon's flames!    How shameless, and just because you think no one's listening. I may be greedy, but you're insatiable. It's so irritating, really. You have something I desperately need, and you want to go on stealing from ME? "Restore the other half"? Take MY Master? Where do you get off calling yourself "Righteous"? No, you're more like... Like a dirty, thieving cat! A conniving fiend who wants to steal my love! Play time is officially over. It's been a fun little party, but now it's time for me to show you the door! I couldn't have said it better myself, Caster! How dare you oppose the glory of the Roman Empire? Turn over your stolen lands, and I'll give you only 20 years in prison. ...My, my. You're awfully full of yourself, considering you're not even the proper chosen one. You know, sometimes, I envy your ignorant bliss. I wish I could dream the dreams of a simple young wife, but reality always ensues. But that's a different story. It's time to end your little winning streak, and your family line along with it. I can blow away your puny little empire with a whiff of my tail! Then prepare yourself, Caster! I take no joy in fighting a former ally, but I will do whatever must be done! And the same to you, Emperor of Fools! I've been putting off this duel, out of pity for you, but there's none of that left in me now! ...And another thing. Enough of your "shining like the Sun" nonsense. The only thing that needs to shine is my tail! Feel the heat, like the light of TWO suns, and know your place! ...And as for you, my other Husband, please wait just a little longer. I'll free you from her clutches in no time.For the record, Tamamo always refers to her Master as "Husband", as she aspires to be the ultimate wife. Has nothing to do with the Master's gender. Keep your wiles to yourself, you scheming fox! Of course, that doesn't mean you can reach me...♡ Flame Poem Stage 3 And off we go. Now, because we're playing on Hard, the game has added a particularly nasty trick for us, in the form of Sector Traps. See the snowflakes next to a bunch of Sectors? That means there's a trap attached to them. You'll see how they work soon enough, but for your own sake, steer clear of them for now, and defend the Sectors under your control that have traps attached to them. As long as you control a Sector, the trap won't trigger. Unfortunately, the status of our position is a bit overstated. While we currently hold four sectors, Gawain's going to stay stuck at E , the enemy has two Plants, and we're currently under attack at H. Now, the most sensible course of movement is to write off H and quickly move to B and take out that Plant. You'll have to pass through C, and that...let's just say that could be trouble. For the moment, we're going to swing around the outside, relieving H and taking over G. From there, it'd be a good idea to then head through C, take out the second Plant, then deal with Tamamo's bodyguards. Speaking of them, there are two Lancers, as you can see. The first one, of course, is none other than Elizabeth, holding the concert Sector. The other is at F, none other than the famous Karna, from Indian mythology. This is the Servant Gawain was so wary of, being the child of the Indian sun god and the wielder of an incredibly powerful spear. We'll get around to him once we've eliminated more serious threats.  The attack programs in red are third basic enemy, but also the rarest. They attack with spears, as you can see, and while not a particular menace, they do have a very annoying charging attack they'll perform at decent speed / range. Not quite as irritating as the archers, if only because they're much more infrequent, but still should be a priority target among the trash mobs.  Well, making good progress, at least. Gawain is under attack, and he's in a Sector Trap area, so it would be dutiful of us to attend to him. We can fight off another invasion before we get back to conquering more land. To be honest, this is a super long round, thanks to me playing it on Hard. I'm just going to jump ahead to when I actually do invade Elizabeth's Sector, because you can pretty much guess what I did between my last conquest and when I actually did invade a new one.  Unfortunately, if you do go to confront Dark Eli or Karna, or even are just passing through their Sector, you'll get locked down in the Servant Slammer. We'll just have to fight out way out.  So here's how Sector Traps work. When you enter an area with a Sector Trap, your Servant will automatically tell you to watch out for it. Some time later (with some traps it's a longer timer than others. It's best just to assume it'll be a short timer), the trap will go off. There are four ways to defuse the thing. 1. The least preferable option: just take the hit. However, Sector Traps do a LOT of damage. A Sector Trap with Nero's current health would probably KO her at least 3 times over. I'll get to how you "revive" a Servant a bit later. In addition, taking this hit would certainly end your chance at an overall EX rank from the stage. 2. Activate Moon Drive / Crux. This is how I did it, because for this stage, I didn't even have access to the third solution to Traps. While also substantially increasing your attack, your Over Limit mode also substantially improves your defense, as well. With this solution, a Sector Trap will take off all of about 1 / 9th of your health bar. However, there are a few downsides to this solution. Most obvious is you need a full Moon Drive / Crux charge going into a trapped Sector, or at least very close to it. Second is that you can't activate it in mid-air. You need to be grounded, and not in the middle of a combo or something. Third, taking the hit will cause you go flying straight up into the air. Fourth, taking the hit will cause you to suffer any adverse effects of the trap (Ice: get frozen for a few hits from the enemy, Fire: take some lingering burn damage, Lightning: high chance of getting stunned and not attacking, Poison: lingering damage, as you might expect). However, if it's your only defense against a Sector Trap, it's far better than nothing. 3. Use of a specific Code Cast. For every type of trap, there's a Mystic Code with either one, two, three, or all resistances as Code Casts. When a Sector Trap is about to hit (i.e. in the above screenshot), press the appropriate Code Cast button, and you'll harmlessly absorb the trap, it will do no damage, not inflict any effects on you, and your Servant will praise your ability. How can you lose? Just make sure you have enough Code Casts to defeat all the traps, or at least the majority of them, and you're using the right Mystic Code. 4. This is the most dangerous. If it's within your power to do so, if you take over a trapped Sector before the Trap fires off, it won't even bother you. However, you do have to take over the Sector before the trap gets primed (again, like the screenshot). Any later, and you'll take the hit anyway. Again, this is really dangerous, and for most Sectors, basically impossible. Oh yes, and don't even think about hanging out in a Sector, waiting for the trap to prime, then running off. The second you get back, the Trap will activate anyway. So yeah, this is why on Hard and Very Hard, always preview a stage to see what traps you'll have to deal with. Gonna save you a world of hurt.  The color of a box will always tell you what you'll get from it. Green is for health, blue is Extella Gauge, and orange is for Noble Phantasms. For example, this cube contained a Sake Jug.  Please notice Elizabeth is currently a lightning conductor. That's because of one of the Install Skills I'm using, if you'll recall. When a Servant enemy is affected by Lightning, they tend to play much more defensively. It can draw a fight out, but on the other hand, if you need to kill some trash mobs to get recovery items or build up the Extella Gauge, it's a very good choice.  Unfortunately, we were far too late to save Gawain. Our job just got a bit more difficult...  But we had our revenge. That big guy in the back there is our third enemy program-type Aggressor. As you might expect, it's big, it's slow, and it hits really hard. It has three attacks: an attack where it stops and spins its fists around in place, a jumping attack, and an overhead pounding attack. The jump can come out pretty fast, but with the other two, it's pretty easy to see them coming. Most of the times you take damage from them, you're in the middle of a combo and you can't break it off, or it jumped at you.. Not a huge threat, but they do take a lot of punishment, especially on higher difficulties. These guys mixed with enemy Servants can be a big problem.  Our third semi-common pickup is the Yakisoba Bread. It restores a respectable amount of your HP, which is nice, as it does drop fairly commonly. There is a deep, dark secret behind the bread, however...  Both Plants are finally down, after 7000 KOs... Well, that's the major threats eliminated. Now, if you've been following Nameless' advice, and heeding the taunting of both Karna and Elizabeth, both of them will get upset and Tamamo will give the order to attack, whereupon the Servant Slammers are deactivated, and they'll go off and rampage in different enemy-held Sectors. Now that Karna's been let loose, he'll go to Elizabeth's former Sector to settle things. Of course, we'll be there to meet him, as at the moment, there are no Plants and no invasions. Other than the one Karna will soon be leading, of course.  Small change of plans. This Plant showed up, like, instantly after I took the second-to-last screenshot. Well, we'll wrap this up, THEN Karna, for sure.    Karna's not too hard, actually. While his actual attacks have a lot of reach, thanks to his massive spear, and are quite powerful, he's one of the slowest-attacking Servants. It's a poor match-up between him and Nero, because he'll get stunned too much to really be able to retaliate against an aggressive Nero player.  And now, he's finished, and the road to Tamamo will open. The portal to her throne will appear in the very middle of the map, in the central Sector. As you might expect, that's the point of no return. However, we won't be taking that one. First, gotta take over the entire Millennium Capital. For the record, the reasserting our control of the central Sector is what actually won me the stage.  Soon...  And finally, the last Plant is down. Just look at that KO number, and we're not even done yet.  NOW we're done. More than 15,000 kills. Good grief. That item in the back is the Sake Jug equivalent for health. Occasionally you'll find a Sake Jug and whatever that thing is called together. Pretty rare, but of course, useful. You might notice there are only two Phantasm Circuits on this map. That's because in any map where you teleport to a different place to face the Boss Servant, there's only two Phantasm Circuits on the map. As for how you get a third, well...  Well, similar-minded people can often be the bitterest of enemies, or the best of friends. Maybe it's a little of column A, little of column B with Nero and Tamamo. Regardless, she will be our final enemy.  Now, of course, Tamamo has a Regalia of her own, and she'll be appropriately powered up whenever she uses hers. Now, Tamamo's Regalia transformation is extremely dangerous, as those rabbit keychain-things floating around her will increase the distance of her melee attacks, and she has a move where she'll stop and fire out a bunch of projectiles in a circle. This move is extremely dangerous and hard to see coming. My advice to avoid damage would either be to relentlessly assault her (only in your Over Limit mode, of course), or stay airborne a lot. The enemy doesn't really respond very well when you're in the air.  Every now and then, Tamamo will break off her attack to begin charging up her own Noble Phantasm. *Obviously* you want to stop that. The solution is just to smack her a few times, and that'll knock her out of it, and drop her own Phantasm Circuit. That's how you get a full charge on these kinds of stages. 1-2 hits in Moon Crux will stun her, a few more in normal mode, or just one Extella Maneuver. If you choose the latter, however, be wary. Missing may result in you getting a face full of Noble Phantasm.  We have no such limitations, however.  That's how fast an enemy can close the distance with a dash of their own. I took this one on the chin...  It was a small miracle I managed to dodge her projectile attack right after that dash. These duels can get pretty intense, especially when you can only take 1-2 hits before dead.  Honestly, I think we're gonna need a little (decoy) backup. This is the Shinji Doll, named after Shinji Matou, a character in both the original stay night, hollow ataraxia, EXTRA, and CCC. This extremely silly looking doll itself comes from CCC, where a friend has told me it's a gag in relation to his uselessness as a character, given to Hakuno in a mocking gesture towards the end of the game by one of the main antagonists. Here, the idea behind him is to draw enemy attention toward him for a while. It's actually fairly effective. The doll will bounce around, and enemies will chase after it, meekly attacking it and ignoring you (almost) completely. Maybe Shinji can finally dream of relevance now...  I mean, it's not like the enemy *won't* follow you into the air to try and attack. Just that they're not very good at it. To be fair, if I was fighting an enemy and all they were doing in my super mode was running in circles and jumping into the air, I'd probably be pretty bad hitting them, too.  She almost got me, she almost did, but it was not to be.  Of course not...  What a cluster... For the record, I managed a clean sweep of the Side Missions. Sylphid fucked around with this message at 04:58 on Jun 1, 2017 |
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Jun 1, 2017 02:58
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...Hakuno, I think that reasoning holds up even less well than usual when you're a girl saying it to another girl about a third girl. edit: by the way, if you go to the gallery and replay those My Room scenes where you made the wrong choice, you can still get the bond levels you missed. (You can only raise the bond level once per dialogue option, though.) Thuryl fucked around with this message at 05:09 on Jun 1, 2017 |
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Jun 1, 2017 04:52
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Is it really that much of a surprise that Hakuno is the type to daydream about beautiful people even while putting the charm on others? Also Sylphid, what are the pictures you're using for dialogue icons from, if you haven't said already and I just missed it?
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Jun 1, 2017 15:50
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freshlybaked posted:Is it really that much of a surprise that Hakuno is the type to daydream about beautiful people even while putting the charm on others? Fan art, actually. I did that with the Xillia 2 thread more out of necessity than anything, and I ended up liking it so much I did it here, too. Also, huh, didn't know that about playing the scenes again in the extra menu to actually get them. Neat.
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Jun 1, 2017 16:55
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Encounter One after another Why...? Urgh, it wasn't supposed to...be this way... Am I still no match for you...? It's like I've gone from Yin to Yang... I just wanted it to be...  *gasp* *gasp* I understand. It's natural. It makes perfect sense. Hakuno Kishinami, "the other me", steps between the fallen Caster and Saber's blade without any hesitation. By now, I think I've come to understand. The Hakuno standing there truly is me. If Saber had fallen, I would have done the same thing. That's how I know for sure. That she is the other half of me, and that she truly is Caster's Master. I thought you'd run off to be with Saber after I lost...! Aww, I'm so dumb, dumb, dumb - pretty, but dumb! I should've believed in our love. We should have just forgotten all about SE.RA.PH and lived happily ever after! I shouldn't have forced you into this. I shouldn't have meddled with who you were...! ... Ugh, huh?! ...Well, I know one thing. The other me is cool. "You didn't force me. It was fun." Caster's partner understood her needs, and trusted her without hesitation. Hmph... Caster, you... I can see the bloodlust fading from Saber's eyes. Caster and her partner have a bond, just like Saber and I do. And just like ours, it's invisible and unbreakable. Even I couldn't cut that bond, and this is myself I'm talking about. Servant and Master, or maybe even more than that. To try and tear them apart would be boorish and wrong. That's how I see it.More writers need to use the word "boorish" more often. It's a real good word. ...You're so beautiful, my Husband Hakuno Kishinami... I think I've fallen for you all over again. Whether I live, die, or move towards yang, it is our destiny to be together, come heaven or hell. Those words, unspoken for too long... Let me say them again, just this one last time... I was blessed with great fortune... W-Wait, wait, WAIT! Was I not the victor here?! Should not this scene be filled with endless cheers and confetti?! So why must be watch your grand, final confession?! Tamamo has a lot of great expressions, and her voice actress is really good. She doesn't really do "menacing", but as far as capturing the hyperactive, ever-excitable Tamamo, Saito Chiwa can't be beat. Urgh... This is psychological warfare! So be it, if you would truly go to THESE lengths to paint me as the villain, I shall spare your life. ...S-Saber? Are you saying...? Ugh, am I not yet clear enough? I may have proven myself the superior King, but you are the more devoted Servant. Now listen well, Caster. You surrender to me. You are now my subject. And "your" Regalia is mine by right of conquest. As for the matter of the two Praetors, I suppose we can take our time and find another solution. F-For I am a generous Emperor and a noble King! In other words... *gasp* Please pardon me, my Lord. In order to reunite the Regalia, I, in my duty as the Moon Cell's system engineer, must utilize my skills. For that reason, I was ordered to rush here as soon as possible. Please excuse my poor manners. Please excuse the delay. We were PLANNING to return straightaway once the second Regalia was in our hands. Now then, Caster, do you accept the terms of surrender? You may keep your Master for now, but you will render your Regalia unto me. ...Very well. Caster Tamamo no Mae, pay tribute to the true King! But rejoice! Once the Regalia's pieces are joined again, so too will the two aspects of the Master unite into one. The great danger has passed. And now, our Sovereign reigns over us all! ...! W-Wait, what? Is that true?! "Her Master" will become a part of yours. It's only natural. Now, allow me to initiate the process- Wait, wait. Allow me to speak with Caster... Caster, I am terribly sorry, but now that we know, your Master cannot stay with you. Don't even joke about that! Are you trying to make me un-surrender? Do nothing rash! There must be a better solution to this! Do you not agree, Praetor?! I do agree. It's best to stay calm and find an acceptable compromise. ...But there's a bigger issue. I can't blame Saber or Caster or not noticing, under the circumstances. I'd have expected Archimedes to notice at least, but he must be too wrapped up in his work. That mortifying shadow creeping from behind...   Huh, whaaa?!   Luckyyy jackpot! Pennies from Heaven! ♪ Got myself the Regalia! Urgh... You?! What are you doing?! Dark Erzabet?! So you STILL have yet to relent? Call me Dark Eliza! Or better yet, Dark Eli! *ahem* Now, listen. What you're doing here doesn't suit either of you. You know why? What you ought to be doing is just sitting back and acknowledging the REAL Anti-Hero in all this, me! And why bother turning those two little squirrels back into one? The more the merrier, right? I want a bigger audience! I want more fans, and groupies, and lovers, and all the best food! I want it all, you hear me? And lucky for me, I'm born nobility! So I'm going to squeeze everyone with equal kindness, tax your blood fairly, and by the time you're all dry husks, you'll love me for it!   Wh-What is this...this light? H-Hey. This is how i get my new power, right? ...Right? It's not going to punish me for being unworthy or anything, is it? Quite the mouth on Hakuno, hm? Well, we'll see where Elizabeth is going with this... NOOOOOO! No, no! This ring is mine! Okay, it doesn't fit my finger, but it's MINE! You are absolutely wrong, Elizabeth. Now take it off. I will say no more. N-NO! Not while I'm finally right here in the spotlight! I'd rather die! Ahh, it's too bright! Okay, okay, I'll take it off! ...It's not coming off. This isn't coming off. Ah... Aaahhh... Aaaaaaaaghhh...   Good going, Elizabeth... Ah...! ...It's been completely disintegrated. Half the symbol of authority over the Moon Cell Automaton. Gone. ...Now's our chance! Quickly, Husband! With me! What? Why can't you simply accept your loss?! And just when we'd agreed to your humiliating surrender...I love how Nero's implication there was it wasn't the victory, per se, what she's happy about, but the fact she got her opponent to capitulate is what this was all about. And she's wondering how things turned out so poorly for her. Then again, that may be harsh. Nobody factored a Dragon Idol showing up and ruining everything into their plans. Ohoho, what are you talking about Saber? We've got nothing left to fight over, now that the Regalia's gone. So what's the problem? Oh, and please don't worry. I'll take very good care of my dearest, someplace where no one else can see. Do whatever you please! Be King of SE.RA.PH. Whatever. ...But just for your own good, don't go around thinking you've won. All you've done is take on everyone's problems. You would vanish after spitting such vile words? You insufferable fool! Aw, the "Crying Elizabeth" portrait always gets me. She just wants to be happy... If it couldn't handle MY shine, it was just a cheap toy to begin with. T-They say the Moon Cell's supposed to be generous, right? It couldn't give me a better ring? W-Well, it's not like I'm sad about it or anything! What're you staring for, you bunch of idiots? Somehow, think we'll be seeing her again soon. ...You... Great King of Destruction It can't be... Impossible. Even with the Regalia split, a clash between the two of them couldn't possibly end like this. How could it possibly break? It couldn't. It's impossible. And how will I perform the update now? Without the full Royal Authority, it's impossible to run the system update. ...Unless the system updated itself just now... Could there have been some context-sensitive function that updated the system automatically? No. There's no way... His tone is irritated, but his face is still calm. I wonder if anything could break that facade, short of the loss of a loved one. It's difficult to know what might be going through his head at that moment. However stole his expression, he's certainly discouraged, and he doesn't seem to care if we know it. He must be deeply devoted to his work. Just as I find something to say to him, Saber quietly shushes me.I mean, he is freakin' Archimedes. Archimedes is not the guy to half-rear end important work. Your concerns are far greater than mine, you know. We let your second half get away. In other words... You still face the threat of mortality. Too many sad Servants, in this stage outro. I don't like it. Not one bit. I tell her it's okay. That everything will be all right. Even though I have absolutely no way of backing that up. *sigh* Your smile is a marvel, you know. I simply look upon your face, and my tears recede. And I, in turn, must do all that I can for you. There is no time to linger here. Great Scholar Archimedes! I understand that you are in shock, but please, stay focused. What's transpired is unfortunate, but not irreparable. We must devise another plan. For now, let us regroup. ...Yes, of course. I apologize for my emotional state. Think nothing of it. The fact remains that we unified SE.RA.PH. It is far too early to grieve, Great Scholar. We shall return in victory, not in sorrow. Hold your head high and shine brighter than the Sun itself... The sky... No, my intuition tells me, it's not the sky. ...It's not the sky. The world is about to break, right here, right now.     I see it! She has...another Regalia! Beyond the break in the world is a pitch-black dimension, impossible to see through - until an ominous light surges forward. A different class of hostile program? Or are they programs at all? I understand at once. They're broken programs. They're diseased, unable to function as they once did. All they do is run, and run, and run, until their bodies crumble and break. They are the embodiment of destruction, and I can only imagine how many lives they've already destroyed... They cannot be allowed within SE.RA.PH. They are an incurable disease. A poison that kills life. A predatory virus leeching off the world itself. They're Void Cells...!  Urk, restraining magic has no effect?! drat these things...! AAAHHH...!! Scholar...! Yikes... Sucks to be him. It's no use. Saber and I both reach out to him, but neither of us have any chance of grabbing him in time. The army of destruction rains down onto SE.RA.PH's soil and consumes Archimedes whole. I have a sickening feeling that both of us are next... That feeling... What happens next almost feels like a dream. All at once, the army halts. Apparently, they're taking orders from the maiden in white. The maiden in...wait. Haven't I seen her before? I am the Great King. I am destruction itself, falling like a star to crush all those beneath. ...A maiden in white. Brown skin, thin figure, red eyes. ...A warrior. That's how I could best describe her. She looks right at home with a sword in her hand, just like Saber. Destruction...   ...?! She swings her sword. And afterwards, nothing remains. Nothing. As if she'd sheared a whole dimension away from existence. Channeling so much power into one strike without even revealing her true identity... She must be a dragon type. No, more than that...As a quick aside, in Nasu's works (as in pretty much anything, to be fair), dragons are extremely powerful, and being connected with a dragon, either through pedigree or other circumstances, typically bestows great power. I can hear the amazement in Saber's voice. She's impressed, and surprised, but there's something darker in her voice as well. Something like...fear. ... Our eyes meet. There I am, face to face with the maiden who cuts away realities. ...Ah. And I realize something. I do know her. At least, I've seen her before. I remember now that episode of vertigo after the fight with Medusa. What had been a murky dream is now eye to eye with me. ...I've never met her, not truly. I shouldn't know her. But I can say her name. The Sword of Mars. The Scourge of God. Wherever her home might be, it must be close to the throne of Heaven. Her name is... What did you just say, Praetor? "Altera"? Is that her name? No, it could not have been you. Even if it did sound like you. Whatever voice called her that name must have come from beyond the darkness! Something does indeed lurk in the darkness beyond the break in the world. At first, I can't see its face. "...This is not what we agreed to, Altera. Please curb your destructive impulses for just a bit." Saber's right. The voice does sound like me. If I recorded myself and played it back, that's just what I would sound like. And that voice's owner is standing right next to Altera. It's a strange life I live, where I see a duplicate of myself standing next to a potential enemy and my first thought is, "Ah, this again."Glad to know her sense of humor has not abated. Though, honestly, Hakuno could point to pretty much any aspect of her life and think "Man, I am one odd duck". A THIRD Praetor...?! She is certainly surprised and confused, but again... I still sense that same fear as well. There is no fear in the other me. Only calm, analytical interest. ...You. I did not give you permission to show yourself. How dare you defy me? ... Her body language is clear. She carries herself with unquestioning fealty toward Altera. The other me, my reflection, holds both affinity and hostility. She gives Saber a curious look. "Do you recognize Saber?" I ask. "No, I've never seen her before." ...! I can feel Saber's sorrow. No matter what the circumstances, the image of me giving her that cold, indifferent look is unbearable to her. I remember she told me she was heartbroken once before. I can imagine her pain. So... You claim you know me not, Praetor? That you have no recollection of me whatsoever? The two others remembered me, even when they could not remember themselves. But you say you have never seen me at all? Do you not recall fighting alongside me?! Have you forgotten all I have done for you? Master?! ...Silence, woman! My Prisoner speaks to me alone. ...! We must sync, Praetor! Become one with me. Hurry!
Sylphid fucked around with this message at 22:49 on Jun 5, 2017 |
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Jun 5, 2017 22:45
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"pretty, but dumb" describes a good chunk of the Servant cast, I feel. "why do you even exist" is also a fine line. This game definitely gets too wordy at times, but some of the lines are gold.
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Jun 6, 2017 01:05
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I knew very little about Fate/Stuff coming into this game, and was quite pleasantly surprised by what I got. The writing is convoluted and wordy, but idealistic and silly and earnest in precisely the sort of way I like. Nero, of course, is the star of the show. Loud, passionate, goofy, but also (usually) competent and intelligent. The rest of the cast is strong too, but Nero is relentlessly charismatic.
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Jun 7, 2017 23:15
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The Scourge of God. That is not a nickname you get lightly. ...So is this Atilla the Hun or Genghis Khan? Either way I think we're in some serious poo poo.
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Jun 8, 2017 03:40
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You know, I know a lot of people complain about Nasu's wordiness, and fair enough, he does get carried away sometimes, but as someone who has done a fair amount of writing himself, I like to think of us as kindred writing spirits. Nasu loves to go on and on about topics and themes that interest him a lot, and as a general rule, I love reading his thoughts on stuff. There are tons of completely irrelevant but interesting asides in F/SN, and you want to keep reading because he does such a good job at creating character, though absolute efficiency in doing so is not one of his strong points, I admit. He also has the unique appeal where it's really hard for other writers to condense his source material, because there's so much subtlety in his writing, it's really hard to completely capture his thought processes unless you actually read his own stuff. It makes adapting something like Fate really tricky. But I'm pretty much the same way. I write what I feel and in a way that makes sense to me, and it happens to be verbose as hell. Usually I have to go back and cut down things as necessary, but that's out of simple necessity or I read it back, and I didn't like how I phrased it or whatever. The hardest part of being a really verbose writer is knowing that other people have to read it, so you have to collect all those thoughts bouncing around in your head into a fashion that makes it enjoyable to read. My personal hardest task when I'm writing something important, is just being able to step away from it and stop jamming every thought I have on the topic into my head. You just gotta know when enough's enough, and it's time to take a step back. I gotta think Nasu's living the high life these days. He's been putting his thoughts to paper since at least his high school days (Fate basically sprung out of his notebook doodling in high school math class or whatever), and now, because he's had so much success for 15+ years, he can indulge in pretty much any creative exercise he wants, because "Nasu Kinoko wrote this" is a big draw to a lot of people.
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Jun 8, 2017 06:52
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Rebound Catching breath Imagine, the great Nero Claudius and her glorious Praetor, forced to retreat, with scarcely even a proper name to call our foe! ...Despite all our past victories, it seems we still have much to learn. Perhaps we are not yet the equals of the Great Caesar... i find it prudent to praise Nero for her abilities. After all, Hakuno would probably have been absolutely incinerated if Nero wasn't there. Then again, she does seem to have quite the lucky streak. Still, down in the dumps Nero just isn't right. When the light of destruction us both, I thought that was the end for sure. But Saber saved us both. And here we are, healing up in My Room. Soon enough, we'll both be good as new... Do not shower such praise on me this time. It was you who saved us both. Alone, I fear I would have failed, been consumed in the light. ...Oof. Such a terrible state of affairs. Please forgive my lack of power on this one occasion. ...After all, her destruction was no great spectacle. I could easily compose one far grander! ...Or so I wish to say, but my heart has yet to rise from its sunken depths. Against such raw, rampaging aggression, even one such as I... I must be well and truly exhausted to worry so. Praetor, may I rest alongside you? Again, I'll just incorporate this and the previous scene into a single video. The game does this surprisingly commonly, at least in Flame Poem. *giggle* There was a time when I would simply charge into battle, heedless of all. You have certainly kept me fit for such things. Please, rest here upon my lap. What would you ask of me, Praetor? Would have you me sing a lullaby? Or perhaps a bedtime story? I have so many tales from the Moon's Holy Grail War... Number three is just boring, so that's right out. Much as I'd like to hear Sakura Tenge's singing voice (I don't think she actually sings, though I will check on that. You can replay these visual novel scenes in the Extras menu), I'd rather hear old war stories. Ah, now mind you, these tales tell of more than my own exploits. They chronicle our journeys together. Easy as our victories were in the Holy Grail War, they climaxed in spectacular fashion. Whenever a powerful foe appeared before us, we stood our ground, and gave not an inch. We even made allies along the way, a rarity in such trying times. Indeed, we did. So stand up and take pride, Praetor. Even in the midst of a fearsome contest, where annihilation was always one false step away, you won the hearts of many.Recall the time you met the proud warrior who fights for the world. Or the time you met the fragile Homunculus. Remember that certain student you met. A bit cocky, that one was, but resilient as well. Do you remember meeting the King, who maintained a world without mana? Or the hidden Assassin with a bloody tenacity? ...Many called us allies at the time, though times do change. I had to consult an associate about these references, as I have not played EXTRA. After consultation, we were still unsure about the first (though Nameless does fit the description. His deal is complicated). The "fragile Homunculus" is Rani VIII, Master of Lu Bu. The "certain student" is Rin Tohsaka (has the same name as the FSN character, but is not the same person), Master of none other than Cu Chulainn. "The King" is a bit complicated, as there are no kings in EXTRA. The closest we surmised was that it referred to Twice H. Pieceman, the main antagonist of EXTRA, who was a pretty head honcho guy within the Moon Cell. The final line is very likely a reference to Li Shuwen. For another EXTRA reference, in his opening speech before Stage 1, Gawain mentioned Hakuno being very instructive to Leo. He was referring to his former Master, Leonardo B Harway, who was quite friendly with Hakuno, but nonetheless, one must rise, and one must fall. In this case, it was the latter who rose. From Hakuno's perspective, she likely does not remember any of these folks, but these would be pretty fresh memories to Nero. All of Nero's generals are Servants who interacted with her in the past, and between summonings, Servants do retain their memories of events. Allies. Friends. Their faces touch my mind as Saber mentions each one. They're definitely part of my memories, and their faces are helping me recall other bits and pieces. ... Oh, fallen asleep, have we? *giggle* Your face is in such bliss when you're in slumber. It's as if you were always meant to be here, with me, in SE.RA.PH... I hope you dream a wonderful dream, where all your friends return to you. Rest well, Praetor...The next "morning"...  The expanding world But all in all, its lands are as diverse as they would be on Earth, complete with various resources. For example, in one territory, you can harvest tea leaves. With an especially pleasant aroma, I might add. Tea leaves... Is that what they are? Since I don't have many memories, all I can do is nod along with her. I tilt my head in a way I hope looks natural. Now, to be honest, I'm not entirely clear on what it means for SE.RA.PH to be expanding on its own. Were I to speculate, from my own vivid imagination, I might suppose... SE.RA.PH may be trying to imitate the Earth. Not in Earth's current state, bleak and blasted as it is, but old Earth, back when it was lush and green. Stars in the sky, flowers on the ground. If that's the era it wishes to recreate, then of course new growth would be a part of that."Bleak and blasted", indeed. In EXTRA's timeline (and by extension, CCC and this game), the depletion of mana on Earth, which started at the end of the Age of the Gods, finally finished in the 1970s. As a result, Earth's environment has generally begun declining. This lack of mana is what sets it apart from the other timelines in Nasu's works, where it's at least a fairly common thing magi can take advantage of. Also, because there is no mana left on Earth, there is no Holy Grail for magi to fight over, which happened in Fate/zero and Fate/stay night. In this timeline, those two Wars never happened. She might be right. If I see the new SE.RA.PH from a broader angle, will I get the same impression she does? *giggle* Then we must conclude this campaign at once. Let us stride across every great land this moon can offer us. First, we should visit that fox's city, blooming as it is with such beautiful flowers. Oh, and speaking of the fox, what were your impressions of that other "you" standing beside her? The Great Scholar spoke of your Soul, but I saw no such thing there. I saw a being devoid of spirit, without purpose or identity The other Hakuno Kishinami. I've been thinking about it ever since we first "met". I didn't get much of an impression from the other me at that time. Of course, Master, you were never particularly assertive to begin with, quiet and reserved as you've always tended to be. Even so, you always had a certain strength, an undying optimism in your very core. I could scarcely bear it at times. But enough of that. It seemed that Caster had deceived your Soul somehow. But there was something else there, something...fragile. As if Caster had some kind of maternal instinct toward her version of you. Perhaps that's what's been troubling me... Once again, if you're playing a Boring Hakuno, you'd pick number two, but if you're playing a Boring Hakuno, you're not really playing Hakuno Kishinami. *gasp* P-Praetor! Are... Are you jealous?! Is...that...what this is? B-But both of your are Praetors... I would have never expected this. How should I even feel? What am I supposed to do? I'm jealous of her...? Jealous of my other half...my soul? Is that what this is? ...What if the other were here with us now? Would I have to choose? Allow me to think... Praetor, you embody passion when you're near me. You are more than the Mind of Hakuno Kishinami - you are the fire! I never needed to think through it this way before... To think of you in this way before, to realize how much I want you to myself... I feel so open about this now. It's exhilirating, like unleashing my Noble Phantasm. But also... The heat i feel now has a way of laying bare the truth. The truth is this: Whether this heat burns on or fades, you are my companion. And so, Praetor, I hereby make you a promise. A promise...? No matter what happens, I, Saber, will save my heart for you alone, even if the other "you" stands before me. Even if you and the other never become one, you shall be MY "one", and it is your hand I shall forever hold. ...So worry not. I belong to you, and you belong to me. Believe in that, and believe in us, forevermore.Well...always good to know, certainly. Now, just based on a few of those lines, I'm going to guess this scene was supposed to be available before going to Tamamo's stage, but because Nero's bond level wasn't high enough, it didn't happen until now. There are several scenes in this game you can only see when your Servant's bond level is high enough. To unlock all of them, I think you need to be somewhere 20+ level. But for now, it's time to get back to work. Remember that apocalypse in pointed shoes? We should probably get around to finding out what her deal is.   The conqueror ...It is good to see you safe and sound, Your Majesty. The enemy force nearly swallowed me up, but I somehow managed to escape."Somehow", indeed... He got completely covered by those things, and yet stands before us. Seems like this guy has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. I had thought you lost for certain, Great Scholar. It does me good to see you well. The Praetor is also well, as you can see. With the three of us together, our troubles are as breezes against our mighty bulwarks. ...Impressive. Your enemies mount, but your spirit endures. I should have expected as much from the start. Even after witnessing such destruction with your own eyes, you still hold strong. SE.RA.PH could not ask for a more dependable King. I suggest we shore up our forces first. While half the Regalia may be gone, the automated system is still producing our military units. Additionally, our base of operations is both hidden and well defended. Hm. I knew this place had its advantages, but I dared not dream they would extend quite so far. Regardless, we won't win hiding here. The White Servant's forces are powerful, and her sword is on par with Vesuvio's fury. More than that...her Master is... Right. There's no doubt that her Master is the third Hakuno Kishinami. There must be a story behind that, but I can't imagine what it is. Do you have any guesses, Great Scholar? It's fair to surmise that the third Hakuno Kishinami is the Master's Body. And Caster, of course, still retains the Soul. Body and Soul... So I'm the Mind of Hakuno Kishinami, Caster's version is the Soul, and the one with the White Servant represents my Body? Okay. I can get on board with that. To be honest, when I first met the second me, I had a feeling that might be the case. Because...well, think about it. If there's more than one of you, why assume they'd stop at two?Sure...checks out. Incidentally, typing "Hakuno Kishinami" so much is starting to bother. From this point on, I'm just going to write "Hakunon", her fan nickname, from now on. You may substitute Hakunon as you see fit in the dialogue I type. Your thoughts are both confusing and magnificent. Truly a Praetor in name and deed, gentle and grand. These three beings are a kind of trinity. Now, generally, a digital life form requires all three to be connected. But oddly enough, this one time, the three of them have become independent, each with its own digital shell, or Cyber Frame. Unfortunately for yourself, Praetor, the Mind is the least stable of the three...and, if there is no dedicated vessel to record its data, such as a Body or Soul, that data is in constant risk of fading away entirely. But there is a solution. Isn't there, Great Scholar? Indeed. I have confirmed the object the White Servant wore was, in fact, another Regalia, much like Caster had before. So to amend my earlier statement, the Regalia must have been split into three pieces, not two. Three Praetors, three Regalia. And now the Royal Authority rests with... Hmm... Very well. Hmm, I should not have assumed this would be simple. More to the point, if we restore the Regalia, then Praetor will return to normal? Of course. Caster's Regalia has been broken, but Altera's Regalia still remains. If we establish one fused Regalia as the core, we can recreate the Master's Cyber Frame and place the Mind at the center. I understand just enough of that to approve. In any case, our goal remains unchanged! Does it not, Praetor? We need only fight to keep SE.RA.PH united and reprel the invading army. Powerful as Altera may be, she caught us exhausted after our fight with Caster. Against our full strength, she will surely yield.  Oh, I don't know about that. A good general needs to be confident, sure, but be careful not to take that too far. That Heroic Spirit... I don't know if Altera is her real name or not, but it's certain she's exceptional. She has to be some kind of special case. Her Noble Phantasm can't be explained by the normal rules. There must be a secret to it. Lancer. Am I to assume you clashed with Altera? And? Were you able to grasp her identity? No. We did technically fight, briefly, but when I saw how strong she was, I backed off immediately. But besides that, Miss Emperor... It's hard for me to say this, but... Sir Cu Chulainn. Our Majesty has already recovered. Please, speak freely. Hm? *sigh* Fine. I might as well get it out now... Hm? We were seconds away from our final victory over that fox lady, Tamamo. She had that one sliver of territory left, ripe for the taking. Yes, of course! And now she's defeated. She escaped, but she will never return. So now, instead of taking that one sliver from Tamamo, we need only take it from Altera, yes? *laugh* Not so much. Yeah, nope. Wh-What do you mean? You two seem to be getting along quite well. Praetor and I spend a day and a half at rest, and... Bingo. While you two were out, Altera's forces stomped over everything in sight. In half a day - no, not even that - they took over 80% of SE.RA.PH. Yeah.As another voice actor aside, Canna Nobutoshi is really good in this scene. Well, he's always great as Cu Chulainn, but this scene in particular, he's especially good. Nobutoshi is one of those Fate voice actors who were cast for the original Fate/stay night anime back in 2006 and have been hanging around the franchise ever since. As far as I'm aware, there's only one role that's been recast, and that was because the original voice actress got sick and couldn't do the role anymore. Whatever you think about the quality of that particular show, I will brook no opposition to its casting choices for all the characters. From what I understand, Nasu was particularly involved in the process, which may help explain why everyone fits so well into their roles. But for me, it's the voice actors' willingness to spend 10+ years, with no end in sight, with the same character that's really impressive to me. I mean, they VAs have to love the guaranteed paycheck and huge exposure that goes along with sticking with the franchise in their roles, but there's too much love involved in creating these characters through voice for it to be just mercenary work. Did you say 80%...?! Yes I did. Gawain, Assassin, that Archer, and I all manned our posts and fought like hell...but they swarmed every one of us. If we hadn't cut our losses and sealed off the last 20% from the rest, they'd be here already too. That girl's got guts, whoever she is. You can tell she's used to crushing her enemies. On top of that, her subordinates are no joke either... The Great Hero of Macedonia, was it? I never thought I'd see him working for her.Fantastic... Alexander the Great is one of our new enemies. Eigh...ty... E-Eight... Eighty... *laugh* Praetor... Did you hear that? Eighty in but half a day... "Okay", I tell her. "Snap out of it, Saber!" "If it's taken, then all we have to do is take it back. You're good at that, and you love doing it, right?! We'll fix this!" ...Y-Yes. You're right, Praetor. You speak the truth. B-But... 80% in half a day... That makes Caster's 50% in half a month seem postively adorable. Hmm... Very well! We have no choice! I must restore the Regalia and protect the Praetor from fading away! What was taken will be ours again!Should be simple enough. 'course, that's we said last time. Hopefully Archimedes isn't wrong...again. Off to My Room to prepare.  In the bath ...What? She's a Roman Emperor. Of course she'd have private baths. And we need to be fully relaxed before we head into the big fight, duh. Thermae is so incredible... I do like tepidariums, but a swim in a caldarium is simply incomparable.Isn't it funny how you can discern what all those Latin words mean, just from their English equivalents? I mean, even if we are going from Latin -> Japanese -> English here, it's still easy to know exactly what she's saying here. The day's fatigue is leaving my body even now, as it should here in the healing ambiance of My Room. And yet I feel something else as well. I feel... How do you feel, Praetor? Fantastic, of course. I can almost feel myself melting into the heated pool. And... I feel hotter than the water itself. Not just from the water on my skin, but form inside, all across my face and chest. I'm bathing with Saber. Nothing could cool me off right now. I...I see. So you do remember the beating of your physical heart. No need to conceal such feelings - not when I share them! Granted, neither of us COULD conceal much as this very moment, but... Ah, and now I feel hot for an entirely different reason. Ah, glorious Praetor, only in your presence could I feel so embarrassed. Nothing could heat my body as you do. Except perhaps for this water... *giggle* In case you were curious, by the way, you are the first and only person ever to share this bath of roses with me. There she is, a golden ruler, welcoming me to her emerald bath filled with roses. Despite all the beauty around us, I find myself unable to take my eyes from her. AAt even the slightest glance in her direction, I fall in love all over again. Ooh, ooh... J-Just as one would expect form such a passionate Mind, Praetor... So brazen, yet so humble. It gives me great pleasure to feel so quaintly embarrassed by you... Though I am growing accustomed to you now, Maiden that I am, always blushing over flowers, even I cannot stay surprised at you forever. In truth, I'd first invited you here for a serious discussion, but now that you're here, I find it difficult to focus on such things... Well, as they say, one must lose a fly to catch a fish. Might I have the pleasure of your embrace? I mean, I sure *hope* there aren't people who went for the first choice. ...!! T-Truly, you would bestow that pleasure upon me? Then there is not a moment to waste. Hold me, and give me the bliss I have yearned for... ...Ah, your shoulders are so soft, even more than I imagined. *sigh* Much as it pains me, the rest of this will have to wait... Indeed, we can indulge no further. If I must endure, then so must you, even if it takes all our strength. ...Hm? What is she talking about? Mmm. Since you seem so curious, I suppose I can tell you... I wish to teach myself the ways of self-restraint. Our time together now would be as a fine meal, but if I yield to that temptation, I will ruin my appetite for the great feast at the end of it all. As the Sovereign of SE.RA.PH, I must maintain an iron will. Oh, so that's the kind of strength she's talking about. I believe Saber does have the will to put her nation above herself. She considers SE.RA.PH's land important enough to be on her level, and that's incredibly high praise. ...Hm, you seem unduly amused. Speaking of which, do you happen to recall the three things I hate the most? Of course. The three things: Failure, treason, and moderation. Yes, but "moderation" is not self-restraint. Moderation is fear of one's own desire. Self-restraint is the will to overcome it. ...Of course, there was a time when I had no care for either. In "Emperor Beast Mode", I would gorge myself, even if I came to regret it. But here and now, we have no such luxury. I must use this bath for its healing purposes only. ...I must! Saber repeats those orders to herself. We both know we're in a predicament. We can't afford to slack off or lower our guard. ...Sadly, we need to discuss serious matters. Such as the third Hakunon. She's... ...Yes. About the third Praetor, or should I say the Body... Unlike Caster, Altera is keeping her "you" as a prisoner, or so it appears. It seems she somehow forced a contract between Master and Servant. If it is indeed so, I can understand why she keeps "you" close. Perhaps there is more to their relationship, but regardless, whatever they have together must be based around the Regalia... Or is based around Altera's power? We must learn more. We do know Altera is a Servant. So the other "you" is safe, at least from her, as long as that "you" retains the title of Master. ...I see. As long as the Body doesn't break the contract with Altera and lose the "Master" title, Altera won't let the Body die. ...Yes. If it were otherwise, we would need to move without delay. But one way or another, we do need to resuce the Praetor's Body, before Altera changes her mind.Well, we're charging straight into trouble here, but hey, that's when things are most exciting, right? Next time, we'll see what Altera's army has in store for us. Sylphid fucked around with this message at 04:41 on Jun 13, 2017 |
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Jun 13, 2017 01:50
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PlasticAutomaton posted:The Scourge of God. That is not a nickname you get lightly. Attila the Hun is the one that was known as the Scourge of God for causing the collapse of the western world, more or less. I think Genghis is only ever known for basically conquering a huge swath of the entire world in a record pace. That and you have a pretty good chance of being, in some way, related to him with all those kids he had.
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Jun 13, 2017 03:55
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The King might actually refer to Leo, who was treated as such because his family effectively ran the world.
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Jun 13, 2017 03:56
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I gotta say, I wasn't expecting a Fate/Extella LP. I also was not expecting it to be a Screenshot LP. Both of these things are plusses. I will say, Nero's relatively low attack power is actually a bit of a blessing when it comes to Boss Servants. Later Servants (it's not a spoiler to say we'll be playing as other Servants later on, is it?) have such high attack/have such powerful moves that it becomes significantly more difficult to keep the Boss Servant alive while you conquer the remaining sectors, since they'll relentlessly pursue you no matter how low their health gets. This actually lead to me accidentally killing one of them in one level.
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Jun 14, 2017 08:12
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Clash Well, it's time to meet the vanguard of Altera's Forces of Destruction. Before beginning, I equipped the Frost Wolf Mantle to deal with the Frost Sector Traps, as well as provide healing, offense up, and antidote Code Casts. It's a very good, all-around Mystic Code that you should be using a fair bit. In addition, Nero's bond level has grown high enough since Stage 2 to equip two new Install Skills. I chose regular attack damage up, and Moon Crux damage up. It's a nice all-around boost to attack, and it'll make this stage much less of a slog than the previous one. Well then, let us begin. Oh, and that mysterious first icon in the Side Mission list? We will be getting to that in due time, but not this attempt.     Flame Poem Stage 4 So, for a bit of overview for this stage: first, Li Shuwen will go from his current Sector to the one right next to ours. As before with Cu Chulainn, he will take it over in short order and do his best to hold it down for us. Our main adversary at this point in the stage is the enemy Servant, Iskandar, the King of Conquerors. He will quickly move to the Sector next to his and take it over. Once he has done so, he will become significantly more powerful, and different strategies will be required to face him. Ideally, you'll stop him before that happens. The way I played this, however...  However, it appears Jeanne d'Arc will be joining Iskandar, but she's not currently on the field. She will be our Boss Servant, as you might guess.  Saber? I'm surprised you're still alive. ...But my Forces of Destruction will eliminate you shortly. Wait! You're running away?! Well, jeez, be that way, I guess. Hm, she disappeared. Where's the third Praetor...? Like I said, just ignore these chumps, as Li will be along shortly. However, instead of going directly after Iskandar, I'm going up to the middle of the map to take out that Plant and the Sector.  These bat enemies only show up on a couple stages, but they are very annoying. There's usually a lot of them, and they fire electrcity downward. A whole bunch of them can hit you at once, and they'll usually hit you with paralysis after a few strikes, and it both takes a long time to go away, and can be very dangerous. If you do get his with paralysis, don't even attempt to fight an enemy Servant, as you'll flinch a lot and it'll be like trying to fight someone while your legs and hands are bound behind you. Just wait until it goes away, or, y'know, use yourself an antidote.   And this is what absorbing a Sector Trap looks like. A lot easier than having to do all that Moon Crux silliness, definitely. After taking over the Sector...    Unfortunately, Iskandar immediately took over the Sector as soon as I arrived. Bummer. We'll just have to deal with a powered-up version.  Do you see the lightning crackling on his body? That indicates when an enemy Servant is powered up in some fashion. In stages like this, after the enemy Servant has taken their first Sector, they'll get powered up. I'm not sure if they get stronger the more Sectors they take over, but not in the mood to find out. So, once an enemy has been powered up, it cannot be removed, so we'll just have to work for it. The most noticeable change to them is the fact square will no longer stagger them. Triangle / Moon Crux attacks are your best bet. Now, this actually isn't a major problem, and here's why. While in this powered-up state, they cannot enter Moon Drive mode, like they normally could. That means at all times they can be staggered. Oh, and Blitzkreigs. Blitzkreigs are rare invasion-types where an Aggressor, I think always a Servant, will immediately launch an invasion from one Sector to another. Iskandar is one such Aggressor.  So what about Iskandar as an enemy? Well, he's got some pretty strong hits, and some ranged strikes, but his thing is he is really slow. On higher difficulties, he'll throw out some new tricks, but even as he is, he is pretty powerful. Never take your eyes off him, since his attacks pound for pound are very powerful, and he has a lot of health to go through.  But once you've gone through ~60% of his health, he'll immediately become immune from damage and withdraw from the field. We'll have some time to do a little conquering of our own / taking back what's been taken.  But, Alexander the Great was never known from fleeing from the battle when things were getting hairy. Well, technically speaking, he is one of history's great commanders, who never lost a battle (poor Darius III), but then again, he never did face Nero in the field of battle on the moon, so who knows. Anyway, point is, he's not the type who goes down easy. He's going after Li Shuwen right now, so we're going to bail him out. I won't have another Gawain situation on my watch.  Well, after we take out this Plant, that is. Don't want the damage to spread while we're fighting him. But, because it is a Flame Sector Trap area, we'll have to use a Moon Crux.  Two losses already. Not looking good, friend. Now time to wrap things up. Nero's S T T combo, where she jumps up into the air, slams down, then executes a powerful slash in front of her, is really good for fighting single enemies, just because you don't generally need a lot of mobility against targets with a lot of health, especially when Nero's own attacks generally are pretty weak. Might as well use the strongest we got.  Like a bad penny, this guy. Well, I will assure you third time is the charm, and once you've chased him off a third time, he's gone. For this stage, at least.  When you activate a stat-boosting Code Cast, you'll get a circle of rings around your Servant. Always like when games give you a good idea how long a stat-boost will last.  But with wise use of S T T, I quickly put him down for good...and somehow got him stuck in mid-air. I'm not entirely sure what's happening here. Maybe his hitbox is bumping up against the hedge and not being able to clear it? Whatever, I find it funny, so I will ask no further questions.  With Iskandar's fall, we finally bring out Joan of Arc herself. This area is at the center of the map, which is currently subject to invasion. I have confidence my goons can hold off both the invaders and Jeanne until I can conquer the final Sector.  You may think I'm wasting my Noble Phantasm on two Aggressors. Well, I wanted to check if I could use an NP to avoid Sector Trap damage...  ...It did not. Now, even after this experiment, I cannot absolutely guarantee an NP will not nullify the damage. Perhaps I just activated the NP a moment too soon. But, even with that doubt, don't think I'll repeat this particular experiment.    So...Jeanne as an enemy is actually pretty dangerous. She's another fairly slow enemy, though a fair bit faster than Iskandar, but the main danger here is the reach of her attacks. By swinging her flag around, she gains a lot of reach, and while individually not especially powerful, she has a good ability to both keep you at bay and attack from beyond your reach.  One of her most dangerous attacks is dashing back and forth swinging her flag, and eventually sword, around. I'd recommend immediately throwing up block when she starts attacking.  This is from earlier in the fight, but she is, by my recollection, the only Servant in this game who has a persistent aerial attack, where she'll spin her flag around really, *really* fast, fast enough to propel herself forward a bit in the air. As you might guess, this attack will easily swat you away if you try to attack her in the air. Unless you're in Moon Crux mode, of course.  So what's the strategy for fighting her? There isn't really any special one. She's arguably the most dangerous enemy you've fought so far, just for the reach on her basic attacks, but all the usual stuff will work. I guess if you wanted a more specific strategy, take advantage of the lag between one special attack ending and the next beginning. But here's the thing: this game is actually pretty easy, even on Hard. Just the fact you can build basically invulnerable builds and have three extra lives makes things simple. So, when you get to that point, you need to create your challenge, which is why I try to go for EX rank every stage. That feels like the "right" way to play it, y'know? Not to say there aren't some pretty tough stages, of course.  But the standard-bearer has fallen this day.  Well, that wasn't too bad, right? Much better than the slogfest at the Millennium Capital, that's for drat sure.  The star    Just as we speak of you, you feel the need to appear before us. Are you so insecure, Heroic Spirit Altera? Hm, where is the third Praetor? Confined to your ring, perhaps? ...That's right. The "Praetor" is my property and my Prisoner. No wandering off, and no speaking without my permission. You keep your Praetor chained like a criminal. You vile fiend, who do you think the Master is? Not "who", "what". The Master is the key to the Regalia, and so I keep those two things together, with no chance to escape. ...You see, the last time I showed any leniency, the Master tricked me and tried to leave home. So, no more of that. You have forced your Master into submission. Truly, you are beyond redemption. It is my duty and my pleasure to strike you down. I could say the same of you, Servant. Your blather over my Prisoner is so pitifully naive. Still... You've managed to surprise me. Driving off the King of Conquerors, Iskandar? And he certainly wasn't holding back. How did that happen? Your function and statistics give you no advantage over him. Far from it. So how did you win? Tell me. Ha. Do you not understand, Altera? Heaven, Earth, humanity, it's all so much more than "function and statistics". Sometimes we hurl ourselves against all odds, heedless of the consequences. That's passion, and it's unstoppable. Before you coming, the Praetor and I won every battle in the Holy Grail War here on this Moon. No one could have predicted such a thing, not with a calculator. But we seized the grand prize with the power of our bond, our love!...I'll bet she's been waiting a while to deliver that speech. "Bond..." "Love..."? Is that some kind of hidden feature, some secret skill? Absolutely not! Are you truly so woefully misinformed? I speak of our heart, of our feelings! ...I'm aware of the concept, but that's all. I have no need to know more of such things. Now come and test the "power" of your love against the Sword of Mars.   I have not yet finished!  You spoke of the Sword of Mars. So you must respect the glories of the Roman gods. Do you have ties with Rome, perhaps? ...I am Altera. I am the destruction of the world and all those in it. Was there a place called "Rome" once? Then perhaps it was I who destroyed it. What?! But please, don't misjudge me. Destruction is my duty, not my...passion. Emperor Nero. If you hand over your Master and Regalia, we will spare you both. If not, then...your life and your Master's Mind are forfeit. Choose. Surrender or extinction.Hm... If you look closely there, I think Altera just gave away a bit of the game. What value would a self-described avatar of mindless, merciless destruction place on surrender, of all things? Unfortunately, don't think Nero is going to be able to beat an answer out of her. She doesn't seem like the talky type, or really doesn't seem to know of *anything* outside of breaking stuff. Her words are deadly quiet. "Surrender or extinction". The White Servant isn't lying. I'm sure Saber knows that too. Whatever else she might be, she's clearly true to her word. But... I refuse!   ...Today, in the name of grace, I will show you mercy. Consider it well. The next time we meet, that grace will fall away. ... Oh? Oh my, what is this...? You...! The Planet's embodiment, Heroic Spirit Altera. You know, for all that power of yours, you're taking your sweet time here, don't you think? ... "Falling like a star to crush all those beneath." Again, I think back to what Altera said. "The Planet". Her star. There has to be some greater connection. I mean, you NEED to kill her, and you're showing her mercy... Did the Planet say you could do that? Your job is to kill people and break things, right? I'm not wrong about that, am I? So unless you want to quit and take up, I don't know, cultivating piggies or squirrels, why don't you stop messing around and get it done? I mean, what have you got on your plate BESIDES destruction, really? ...Shut your mouth. Oh, scaaary. I can just feel the rays of destruction streaming off of you. But just remember this. Whatever happens, the Planet's going to do what it does, right? No matter what kind of "mercy" you want to show. ... ...You and the Planet... Irritating as you are, you seem to have a personal stake in this, Dark Eliza. Good, you finally got my name right. I was getting ready to kill you if you messed it up again. All right, my sad, clueless rival. As a special favor, I'll educate you. The one that gave me this power. The star of destruction that comes again every 14,000 years! It invades, breaks, and feeds, crushing everything in its path, including your world! Its name...   ...I feel like I saw something just now. Was it an illusion? Or a vision, forcing its way into my head? I saw the ground burning. I saw the world burning. I saw every inch, every corner, torn by pain and corruption. I felt the world's despair as the invaders spread and multiplied like cancer cells. "The catastrophe destroys all civilizations, without clemency or judgment. The beasts of nature suffer horrible mutations, run amok, and ultimately fall to ash. Prophets protest that the end has come too soon. Rulers call up on their people to fight. Scholars say only that it is too late. But some people cling to their optimism, believing that at least some of them will endure."  "...Until the true threat makes its appearance."  I saw something I'd never seen before, but it still seemed familiar. Was it a memory of mien? Where could I have seen it, and how? Was it...someone else's memory, maybe? And could it be related to the memories I lost in the Moon Cell core? This "Planet"... Velber? That's its name? *giggle* *laugh* You really are the Emperor of Fools, Saber. Why'd the Regalia choose you again? Tell you what: Go find out for yourself. Ask that engineer of yours, Mr. "Eureka, Eureka!" See what he has to say.The Japanese pronunciation of "Eureka" is interesting, and I don't think right... Then again, Fate has spelled Hercules' name in the original Greek right, as opposed to his more popular Roman name, since the start. So what do I know? He'll tell you all about it, I'm sure. Then you'll see what it really means! Now then, my eternal rival and her baby squirrel, see you later. I just hope...you enjoy the short time you have until the very end. Struggle, grieve, and then forget it all and sing. ...What kind of suggestion was that? And just what does this "Planet" want? Is it truly an actual planet, perhaps a star falling from the sky? Not that I would ever obey "Dark Eliza", but perhaps we should consult our Great Scholar...Yeah, seriously. First he gets the number of Praetors wrong, now he didn't feel like mentioning Velber. We had to hear it from the silly Dragon Girl. Someone's got some explaining to do...  The whole truth If you have, and if your reasons are acceptable, I will temper your punishment. However... If I find you have betrayed us in any way, you will pay the price in full. Are you prepared, Archimedes of Syracuse? ...It is as you suspect. I had orders to keep this secret until the Sovereign had fully unified SE.RA.PH. Please forgive me. Hm, so in other words...you were plotting behind my back? You took my hospitality and kept your secrets? In a sense. But as a Servant, I would like to put this temporary life on the line and make a statement. Very well. I will allow it. Speak. ...The fate of the world rests with you. However you might interpret that, the fact remains the same. The fate of the world. I feel that burden daily, and yet...this feels different somehow. Is this about the continuation of SE.RA.PH, perhaps? Speak truthfully. No, this is bigger than that. When I say, "the world", I mean, "all of existence as we comprehend it". I mean humanity itself. Earth, the Moon, everywhere humanity lives and breathes, its lives, its dreams, its cultures - all of it depends on you and that one little ring. The Moon Cell told me that as soon as it summoned me. And based on what it told me, I withheld one particular fact from you: The fact that you received the Regalia, just in time for the 14,000-year system update, was no coincidence. So the Moon Cell wished to give the Regalia to me, specifically, at this exact time? Correct. The truth is inevitable. The Moon Cell decided that you, the victor of the Holy Grail War, are the only being capable of fighting its recurring menace. You see, the Moon Cell treats most human conflicts impassively. At most, it will intervene for analytical purposes. ...There is only one being whom the Moon Cell considers a threat to itself. An enemy beyond humanity, beyond this solar system - indeed, beyond this universe. A being from outside space itself. It is called Velber, the Umbral Star. It passes through our system every 14,000 years, consuming and destroying all in its path. Velber...? Nowhere in my studies have I seen that name. Does it perchance compare to some myth or legend I might know? Only the Moon Cell knew its name until now, having recorded it in the Moon Cell core. But there is a single record that survived its last attack, a warning from 14,000 years ago. It reads, "It feeds from beyond the stars." Technologically, it seems similar to the Moon Cell, which also appears to have been made without humanity's knowledge. Much is unknown about its construction, but its circuits appear to have been made from something called "Void Cells". It runs on spiritrons, and keeps meticulous records of everything it destroys, like the Moon Cell's conceptual opposite. We know that Velber arrived in this solar system 14,000 years ago and destroyed all of human civilization. But more than that... Up to that point, the Moon Cell had accumulated a great number of 'if-futures", or "future histories". Velber took those too. When Velber passed by the Moon Cell, it must have hacked into its core and stolen the data. A few files survived in fragments, some labeled "Results From This Dimension", and others, "Future Measurements". Those who were able, fought tooth and nail to defend the barest sliver of humanity's memory. But... But this time, they might not succeed. It sounds as if the Moon Cell loves to hoard information and preserve all of humanity's memories, even the most trivial. Yes? Correct. For that reason, the Moon Cell prepared an anti-Velber defense mechanism, namely the Regalia and I. You see, at the core of the concept, the Moon Cell is built to survey and observe, not to fight or defend, even if it can see a threat coming. For such a wonderful machine, that's a rather glaring weakness. However, even if the Moon Cell can't or won't strengthen itself, it can use its omniscience to strengthen others. The entire Regalia System is pure Moon Cell ingenuity, all for the purpose of fighting off Velber. It prepared to counter-hack Velber, close off its core completely, and insulate itself in autosynnoia mode, an unbreakable digital wall. That was the planned purpose of the system update. But the Moon Cell also anticipated that Velber could adapt to that. If Velber could pierce the Moon Cell's defenses, the Moon Cell needed someone to fight for SE.RA.PH on the outside. For as long as Velber attacks, a being with the Royal Authority must hold the enemy at bay. And that would be you, your Majesty. You were not chosen to repair SE.RA.PH. You were chosen to protect it. So the Moon Cell's ideal "King" is no mere administrator, but a master of war. Incidentally, did you think of that speech, or did the Moon Cell give it to you? The latter, of course. But the people of the world will repeat it gladly. All that said, and despite your own fearsome reputation, the enemy Planet is a formidable foe, and no ordinary hero could stop it. Therefore, I...held off on telling you the whole truth. I waited to see if you could succeed in uniting SE.RA.PH. The moment I saw that you could, I intended to share the truth. ...Say no more. I understand. A King who defends the entire world. Many Roman Emperors have come and gone, but none with that task, and none in this castle. Archimedes of Syracuse. I will accept your statement as truth. I will overlook your lie of omission for now. And I grant you permission to keep your head. But! Reflect upon yourself for ever doubting me! Even if such a foe is beyond my understanding, what does that matter? I am the Emperor of Roses! She who cuts through stems and stars alike! The sword of the rose shall blossom in flame and glory! Think you I would hesitate to protect my people? I stand beside the Praetor, and beside all who dwell in my care! One strike will send this foe scurrying off! For my love, for my people, and not for any damned Moon machine! Impressive... Your eloquence is as admirable as your valor. So on behalf of the Moon Cell, and as its chief engineer, please accept my pledge of fealty. I am grateful to serve you. And now, we can finally begin the real battle. We know our enemy. We know what it wants. Now let us prepare to march, that the tide shall turn and our enemy fall!Indeed. Two rousing speeches, and now we know the Forces of Destruction can be beat. Next time, we'll put the final wheels in motion to put an end to this.
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Jun 16, 2017 02:02
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The Side Quest in that mission is so dumb. I mean, it kind of makes sense in the way it works, but its dumb in that you have absolutely no idea why you'd ever possibly consider doing such a thing  Also random factoid! Nero and Iskander facing off is kind a neat... meta-thing almost? When Fate/Zero aired, Nasu mentioned he really loved Gen's writing and creation of Iskander, and Nero was basically inspired by/created in response to Iskander.
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Jun 16, 2017 16:46
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Are the giant hanging barrels of wine reference to the "banquet" in Fate/Zero? Also, Altera's portrait.... It definitely gives a unique, uh, flavor to all her death-destruction dialogue.
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Jun 16, 2017 17:30
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Seaogre posted:Are the giant hanging barrels of wine reference to the "banquet" in Fate/Zero? Well, the in-game encyclopedia lists this stage as basically a hangout for Top Servants which includes Gilgamesh, so yeah, very likely.
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Jun 16, 2017 19:43
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Sylphid posted:Well, the in-game encyclopedia lists this stage as basically a hangout for Top Servants which includes Gilgamesh, so yeah, very likely. The floor in between the barrels has the same shape as the courtyard in the castle back then. The corner areas around the circle were full of flowers in the anime though. The other structures are a bit puzzling. They don't looks like Babylonia in FGO (that was more square and angular). But it doesn't look like any architecture associated with Iskander either? I'm probably missing some reference though.
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Jun 16, 2017 20:15
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Trivia: Saber Altera was designed by huke, the guy who made Black Rock Shooter.
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Jun 16, 2017 21:47
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Andyzero posted:Trivia: Saber Altera was designed by huke, the guy who made Black Rock Shooter. It should be noted that every character in this game who was *not* originally designed by Arco Wada (which is Cu Chulainn (kinda), Medusa, Nameless, Gilgamesh, Iskandar, Jeanne, and Artoria) has been Arco Wada-ized, to put it simply. While also doing the character designs for all the returning EXTRA characters, everyone else got pushed through her filter, because, as has been noted, the returning characters' designs are all final, because it would be very silly to have an established character with a brand new look. She is a good artist, and I'm glad she got to flex her muscles.
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Jun 16, 2017 23:07
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Resolve So here we are, marching off to the final battle of Flame Poem. I think this is a special occasion, don't you?  I think Nero would like to be in a little thinner of a dress, personally. This costume comes straight out of CCC (and if you were watching, the OP of this game), where it was her casual outfit. I think this should work out marvelously. Oh, and speaking of CCC, her regular outfit in that game, an unzipped bride outfit, is going to be one of Nero's costumes in the Switch port of this game, apparently the only outfit exclusive to that version of the game. Nero also got another non-DLC (kinda) outfit, but only in Japan, naturally. I really wish I could have gotten this, but it was not to be. It's such a shame, as I really like that oufit. The first time I remember seeing that particular costume was actually on a figure.  Late night thoughts She speaks of destruction, but has shown mercy. She says she is heartless, but she allowed me to retreat... I cannot understand what she means to do, or what she means to be. ...Just what is she? I'm just not too good at raising her affection... No, besides that... There has to be more to the story... Aaargh, even I cannot explain it! But the destruction of civilization... Still, something about that Servant's words, her presence... It's all so familiar, and yet so out of place...Well, we can worry about her later. What does Nero think about Altera? Physically, I mean.   ...What? Someone being your most powerful enemy is no reason not to appreciate the finer things. Time for sleepy time, however. It's been a long day.  [img]  Question and answer We have some time before we deploy, so please ask if you have any uncertainties. I cannot contribute as much as I would like to. But I will answer your questions with all sincerity, Hakunon. Know thy enemy and all that, right? We'll start from the third choice, just for larfs. Altera is a Heroic Spirit from Earth. She exists in SE.RA.PH as a Servant. For some reason, the Planet chose her to be its instrument, pitting her against the two of you. The black enemy programs now swarming SE.RA.PH are all soldiers of Velber, infected with the Planet's cells and corroded. Such soldiers are led by so-called Anti-Cells, who spearhead Velber's campaigns against other worlds. Altera commands them all now. Her goal is to rally the armies of the Zero Dark, the realms Velber infected ages ago, and bring ruin. If the Servant who wields the Regalia is the embodiment of the Moon Cell... Then Altera is most likely the embodiment of the Planet. And since she holds a part of the Regalia, her strength is beyond legendary. With her unimaginable amount of mana, and her armies from the Zero Dark, she aims to conquer every inch of our world. A titan in strength and stature. She is truly a fearsome foe.For the record, whenever anyone in this game refers to the "Planet", they're referring to the Umbral Star. Now, most of the time, when the proper noun "Planet" comes up in Nasu's writings, it's referring to the defense mechanism of the Earth itself, namely, the desire to avoid destruction (known as Gaia). Gaia is an intangible but important part of Earth's existence. It has a few ways it makes its presence felt when it senses a serious crisis. That's actually pretty important to this game's story, so just keep it under your hat for now. But in form, she is still a Heroic Spirit. Yes. Just as the Moon Cell chose you, Velber most likely chose her. Just like me, hmm? But then what is Altera's true name? Hmm. As of this moment, I cannot confirm a match for her among any known Heroic Spirits. Hm, I see. That's it. Did you hear that, Praetor?! Once we learn her true identity, then at the very least, we can find out which timea nd place she belongs to. Even if her records are missing, I feel I must have heard of her before. The answer is tugging at the back of my mind. She may be concealing her past willingly, through the use of her Independent Skills or Noble Phantasm."Independent Skills", as opposed to "Class Skills", which all Servants summoned under a particular class already have, just by virtue of them being a part of that class. Mad Enhancement (Berserker), Magic Resistance (Saber), and Independent Action (Archer) are three such examples. An example of an Independent Skill would be Nero's Imperial Privilege skill. With her rank in that particular skill (EX), she can, to quote the Fate/EXTRA material book "The acquisition of skills that one should not possess in a short period of time, due to personal wishes. Skills available included Riding, Swordsmanship, Artistry, Charisma, Military Tactics, etc. With A rank or above, alteration of the corpus (Divinity etc) was possible.". So basically, "Let's say one day Saber decided "I can pilot a jet! It is nothing, just adjust the plane according to altitude, not too different from the jet chariot I invented!" And just like that, she would figure out how to pilot the plane. .... but because of her short attention span and headache, she would soon forget what she learned. ". Her "headache" is related to another one of her skills, Migraine. It somewhat lowers her abilities, but if you want to know the Personal Skills of every Servant in the game, you can check out their bios in the extras menu in this game. Yes, we must consider that as well. I will continue to investigate, of course, but I must advise you that I don't expect to find much. Tell us more about the Planet. The all-consuming Planet, Velber. It masterminded the assault on you, Hakunon. Its path mirrors a comet's, crossing our solar system every 14,000 years. Based on photos from its last visit, it resembles a crying eye. Simply put, Velber is the greatest enemy of all sentient life. Whenever it passes near a planet, all civilizations upon that planet are destroyed. The last time Earth encountered Velber, 80% of the planet's surface was burned to ash. Velber also accesses certain partitions of the Moon Cell. Those partitions, now quarantined, are known today as the "Zero Dark". On earth, the civilzations that thrived before Velber's coming were all wiped out. When Velber shines in the sky, it is said that the Moon breaks asunder. That is how powerful our enemy is. The enemy of all life, all intelligence. And of the Moon Cell Automaton, who watches and records all human lives from above. We must also consider the sudden appearance of the White Servant, Altera. There is no doubt she is a soldier of Velber. H-Hmm. Pardon me, I couldn't help but hold my breath hearing all that again. Hmm, fighting a celestial body may be easier said than done. Supposing we find a Servant who weapon of choice is a... What is that word? A rocket! Hmm, but who...? Grr, I can think of no one. There was a certain Von Braun, but when the Western European Plutocracy froze the space program, he disappeared... How unfortunate.So I guess mankind never landed on the moon in this timeline. The Western European Plutocracy is more of a thing in EXTRA than anything you need to know about this game's story (which, fair point, goes for a lot of things that are more about establishing the setting of this game). More to the point, Werner Von Braun as a Servant would be interesting to see. We're about overdue for a rocket-based Servant, I think. He'd either be Archer or Caster. Archer more likely. They might be overthinking, but I can barely think at all right now. The scale of this situation is so large that I can't wrap my head around it. A living planet, eating its way through space? That's beyond my imagination. But it's true. Velber is real. The Moon Cell closing itself off. Mysterious enemy programs appearing in SE.RA.PH. ...And the White Servant, with her ravaging power. She is every bit the destroyer she claims to be. Velber, the Umbral Star... Hmm, I believe I understand now. It would trample our lands and cause my Praetor suffering. And so I curse its name.That's the least it'll do, but fair enough. Tell us more about the Regalia. Velber, the Planet that attacks every 14,000 years. The Regalia is one of our defenses against it. In short, the Regalia temporarily allows a third party to gain special admin access to the Moon Cell. The Moon Cell's mana powers the Sovereign's transformations, infusing her with anti-Velber technology. So we use the Regalia's authority to build up the Moon Cell's power and tailor its features as I see fit. But what about those enemy programs? Do they belong to Velber? A very insightful question, Your Majesty, if I may say so. The territories Caster tried to hold, which Altera now commands, are all infected with Velber's cells. The soldiers are remnants from Velber's previous attack, who've escaped quarantine. Their captains are called "Anti-Cells". The Moon Cell attempted to eliminate them when they first attacked, but could only seal them away in the Zero Dark. Until now... So please remember, the Regalia is a mystical piece of code designed to battle Velber and the likes of Altera. I see. I see. At first, I thought it merely a symbol of my union with the Praetor. A wedding gift, of sorts. If only the truth were so romantic. A harsh truth indeed...but I suppose I always knew the Regalia must have had some other purpose. Very well. I shall accept what was given to me. If the Moon Cell has gifted me a weapon, then I shall do what I do best and master it!Well, personally speaking, I see no reason *not* to think of it as a wedding gift. After all, Hakunon got the Regalia after receiving it straight from the Moon Cell, but it ended up with Nero. I see no practical difference. Just remember to keep in mind what it actually is supposed to do. Hakunon, I have something important to tell you, ma'am. Do you still remember? While we were registering your Royal Authority at the Moon Cell core, that enemy titan appeared... Apparently, it was an aspect of Velber. I believe it's the selfsame titan that laid waste to the Earth, and the Moon with it, long ago. Titan...? Is Velber not a planet? In a sense, but it doesn't simply crash into other planets. Rather, it sends its soldiers to assault those planets' civilizations. 14,000 years ago, that titan was among those soldiers, I believe. Since then, it's most likely been slumbering in the Zero Dark. ...And it awakened at the approach of its master. Is that what we're inclined to suppose? Yes. But its efforts had long ago left it near death. The harshness of the Zero Dark could barely sustain it. And exposure to the outside would kill it even faster. It's an old-generation model of soldier. That's why Velber needed a new replacement. To clear the way for its arrival, Velber marshaled its remaining resources in the Zero Dark and launched a surprise attack. As Hakunon and I were registering the Regalia, it attacked us and split her being into three pieces. I was able to help the Mind and Soul escape, but I was too late to keep the Body out of enemy hands. So even though the titan fell, the enemy's access to an aspect of the Master gave it access to the rest of the Moon Cell. The enemy then forced the Body to summon a Servant, Altera. Earthling or not, she is evil to the core, and is aiding the Planet willingly. She, of course, is the one who then forced Hakunon to stay on as her Master and prisoner. ... Very well. First and foremost, she holds my Praetor's Body in her clutches. Nothing we say here will change that. So I ask again, to make doubly sure: Her Regalia, properly restored, can save the Praetor from fading away? Yes. There is no doubt about that. Caster still has the Praetor's Soul, and her whereabouts remain unclear, but if we can restore the Regalia...then Hakunon will not disappear. Have no fear of such a thing. If we do unite the Mind and Body, what will happen to the Soul? Could we draw the Soul out of hiding that way? Indeed. You see, at this point, the three aspects of Hakunon are all in even balance. The Mind and Body in one would become the "true" vessel of Hakunon, drawing the Soul to the vessel eventually. I see, so the individual parts are drawn to the stronger whole. But what if the Soul refuses to rejoin the vessel? That would be impossible. Rejoining the vessel is the natural order of such things. However, you do raise an interesting observation, Your Majesty. If any of the Praetor's three aspects were to meet an untimely end, the other two would call for a replacement. For example, if the Soul of Hakunon were killed at the hands of Caster, that Soul would disappear. However, a new Soul would form inside the Body, and it would take on the old Soul's memories - up until the time of the split, at least. That goes for the Mind as well. If either Mind or Soul were killed, the Body would gain new versions of them. So if Altera defeats you and Caster, and kills their aspects of the Master, she would then obtain the perfect Master for herself. So Altera's possession of the Body gives her the upper hand. Ugh, this is intolerable. Still, recovering either the Soul or the Body will save the Praetor from fading away. That is more than enough of a reason to fight Altera. Even if... *sigh* First a sly little fox, then a harbinger of the apocalypse from beyond the stars. Why...? Caster I can understand. Beastly as she is, she stood no chance of resisting the Praetor's charms. But of all people... A starlet... A maiden from beyond the stars... How are you so very popular, Praetor...?Well, for Altera's sake, it's *probably* because of Hakunon's connection with the Moon Cell Automaton, but honestly, you never know. And hey, the Charisma skill becomes something of a drawback once it's A-rank or higher, and I mentioned Hakunon's Charisma rank is EX++++++++, so that would be a huge problem. Easy enough answer. ... That's a fair question. I can understand Saber's concern. But there are bigger issues at stake. We've gone from a serious discussion to a chat about love. I can see Archimedes trying to force a friendly smile. Saber, it's time to focus, don't you think? *laugh* Ah, isn't youth grand? But i have little to contribute on that particular topic. Shall we discuss our strategy? Perhaps after we defeat Altera, we can speak more of love and envy.Fade to My Room... Unexpected guest Nonetheless, her lips were sealed. Whatever her reasons may have been, she kept them hidden even at the end. No matter. If we take enough wild stabs in the dark, one of them will draw blood eventually.  You sensed me. How astute of you. This is the third time we've met. Your presence has a very distinctive aura, I must say. Regardless, I have questions, and you WILL answer. Why did the Holy Maiden turn?   ...It was you! She chose her side and fell because of you! So you've pointed out the obvious. Is that all you have to say? Oh, Saber, listen to yourself. But speaking of the obvious: Twice now, I've made you bow before the Sword of Mars. Ha! is that what you expect to happen here, Altera? The sparks flying from Saber's meteoric blade as it clashes with the Sword of Mars. THe surge of energy as Saber swings. The vast reserves of mana in Altera's sword of light. Twice before, Altera drove Saber back. This time, Saber stands her ground. Is there some deeper hidden power within the Regalia? Is it some untapped reserve in Saber's nature? Perhaps it's simply the result of all her training. All that aside, will Saber unleash the core of her passionate fire? I don't even need to ask. The arcs of her sword paint a picture as beautiful as a blooming rose. No one can take me head-on. If you try, you'll break like all the others. If you had any sense, you'd at least try a fighting retreat. Although I must admit, your style intrigues me. You fight to avoid destruction, and yet you court it. Perhaps you recognize its worth. ...Saber of Deep Crimson. You dance like a flower in the wind. You burn like an unceasing flame. Of course I do! I will gladly court death in pursuit of vandals like you. And... ...No, too late.   ...Phew. Even a surprise attack does nothing to phase you? I can see how you earned the Holy Maiden's respect. Though I must defeat you, allow me to praise you first. There can be no doubt of your strength or your will to conquer. But beware, lest your pride become arrogance! Soon enough, you will fall, and when you do, it shall be I above you!I think my favorite thing about Nero (and admittedly, I have only played this game in the EXTRA series), is she seems to have a speech ready for every occasion. It's such a shame she and Elizabeth don't get along. ... Altera. Why do you smile? No, let me ask instead: Why do you take pleasure in this? It does look like Altera's enjoying this. That's why I can't help but think there must be something human about her. Despite being powerful enough to embody the destructive will of an entire planet...she feels something. She enjoys something. I sense that she has the same feelings as us. Smile...? ...Me...? Indeed. Why are you happy, Altera? You claim that you exist to destroy, and yet you have not destroyed me. ...You're right. I haven't destroyed you yet. despite having every chance to... AM I smiling...? Truly...? Truly. Take a glance in the mirror if you must. But where does that smile come from? Do you smile because you envision my imminent death? Or because you have finally found a worthy opponent? Which is it? ...Can't you tell? My purpose is to crush you. I hope for nothing more than to make you suffer, no matter who you are or what you've done. But... Smiling... That's not possible. I've never smiled, not even once. You suggested a mirror, Saber. Very well. I should have one in My Room. I already know you're wrong, of course. There's nothing human about me, emotional or otherwise. But, if I must confirm it... What? S-She's leaving? Who would ever do such a thing?! Come back at once, and finish this! How uncivilized! Did she not say that she would not hesitate the next time we met?!Oh, and I also like how, whenever Nero is denied a chance at some glorious battle or triumphant moment, she always gets upset over it. Well, there's nothing worse than building up the drama, and someone backs off and ruins the whole thing. And there's not much Nero loves more than the dramatics, that's for sure. Another "scene-stitching together" follows...  My goodness. If we had been bathing, what then? She clearly has no sense of propriety...though she did seem a bit flustered herself... What? It's possible. Ha! I'll wager you have the right of it! She must covet my Mirror of Venus' Tranquility - my own handiwork, I might add! Heh. Altera must be a hasty one indeed to act so rashly. Or perhaps she feared and envied My Room's immaculate aesthetic? Hers must be filthy, then. Something else... I oppose her, but strange as it is, I do not despise her. Well, as they say, a fine line between love and hate. Praetor! Just what do you mean by "like her"? Or has her cool, feminine beauty worked its wiles on you as well? Urgh... I must confess. I do envy her flexibility. Her body may surpass even mine in that respect...but! But my features radiate like glamorous gold, making me invincible in comparison with her!So, we have one final scene before we're done for today. Normally, this scene plays after you actually begin the stage, but trust me, we're going to have plenty of outro next time, so why not?  Off to war ...Your Majesty, it is with greatest delight that I bring you this report. Lord Nero Claudius, true King of SE.RA.PH. There is no other who is suited to wield the Regalia. You have defeated the false King Caster and are well on your way to reclaiming the territories from the Forces of Destruction. Even the Umbral Star's champion herself has no chance against you when next you meet. In other words, the Moon Cell made the right choice. ...Hmph. Of course it made the right choice. What other choice could there be? But regardless of who is King, or who wields the Regalia, I have a score to settle. Leave all talk of Velber aside for now. Once I defeat his emissary, I shall resume the fight against him as a victor. Hmm? I'm afraid I don't understand. Is this something you have to prove as a Servant? Perhaps it's unique to the Saber class? That is indeed a part of it. She is a Saber as well, of course. If I were to lose to a fellow Saber again...it would reflect poorly not only upon myself, but upon my Master as well. then again, she has the same Master, so I suppose the Praetor's reputation would remain untarnished either way... Urgh.. Regardless, I wish to do battle with her because of who I am! A challenging, worthy opponent awaits, and I have every reason to face her. Does that not inflame your soul as it does mine? I love power. I love beauty. Altera has both of those things. Her challenge is more than that to me. It is a calling.See what I mean about having a speech ready for every occasion? Saber's eyes burn brightly. This has nothing to do with our strategic situation. Not anymore. Her fight with Altera is personal now. Altera. She called me a flame. She and I... The first time, I was in no position to fight. The second, I was desperate. The third, I stood fast, and we spoke as we fought. This time, I truly feel sorry for her. The fourth time...will no doubt be the last. This battle with unite SE.RA.PH once and for all. Whatever your orders, please, make use of my sword. Praetor, as you guided Leo, as you believe in the Emperor, I shall believe as well. Yes, I am counting on you, Sir Gawain. When we face Altera, remember: Our pride as Saber is on the line. But why are you looking at the Praetor instead of me? No matter. We'll discuss that later. Moving on for now. Huh? We're going to do this in order? ...Whatever. This is definitely going to be the final battle. Lancer Servant Cu Chulainn ready. If you wish, I will lend you my power. This place is your Ath nGabla.This is the "Ath nGabla" he speaks of. I'm not overly familiar with Irish mythology, but just judging by this Grand Order description, seems to be like a "Last stand magical circle". It is, apparently, described on Wikipedia thusly: "With the third he hits Cú Chulainn, mortally wounding him. Cú Chulainn ties himself to a standing stone to die on his feet, facing his enemies. This stone is traditionally identified as Clochafarmore, located near Dundalk". Cu is really metal in Irish mythos. The mythological Cu Chulainn was so ferocious as a spearman, that even when he's dead, he had one last trick left, to burn the hand off the man who ended his life. I don't care about any Umbral Star, planet, comet - whatever it is, I'll send the enemy packing with my cursed spear. Ath nGabla... I have heard of such a thing. The rune of the determined warrior, is it? That truly does pique my interest, but... My sword and I are both determined enough, Son of Light from Ulster Cycle. Regardless, you have my thanks. The Praetor and I honor the commitment of your spirit. Now... Hm, so this new Saber opposes our King? I have no say in our land's politics, but your words are convincing enough. You're no King of the Yin Dynasty, but I admire your honest spirit, and I've seen you grow tremendously as a ruler and a warrior. This battle is ours to win. Please use my fists to your liking. And at any rate... I am sworn to be an Assassin. Should you ask it of me, I will gladly go forward alone and return with your enemy's head. Ah, with apologies, Demon Fist Master, I would rather you hold to your current role and fight as a general. And speaking of roles, considering that you ARE an Assassin, I shall take your words as high praise. Are you so austere with your students, I wonder? Strict as you are, you must be a fine instructor. Indeed, once this battle is over, I would love to learn all I can from you. Now then, Archer, we come to you.  You have a knack for turning long odds into major victories. Based on that, I'd say we have a chance. And as long as we have that chance, all four of us will do what you say. But be careful... You also have a knack for losing control of your victories. Winning is all well and good, but it's what you do with the win that counts. *sigh* So don't make the mistake of taking our support for granted. That said, your orders are on part with a Master's orders, and we all know that Velber has to be stopped. Most of all, every one of us wants to bring down Altera, so we're all together on that. Isn't that right, Great Scholar? You are absolutely correct, Archer. And all praise to Her Majesty for her pure intentions of victory.Well, if there is one thing that unites all Heroic Spirits, it's the desire to protect the world from outside threats. After all, the foundation of all their existences is humanity itself. So when some punk-rear end planet is threatening everything, they can bury the axe for a bit to deal with it.   
Sylphid fucked around with this message at 03:32 on Jul 23, 2017 |
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Jun 23, 2017 11:22
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I half expect one of said generals to go: "Okay, but why are you dressed like you're going shopping?"
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Jun 23, 2017 13:24
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Sylphid posted:
Saber, that's gay.  freshlybaked posted:I half expect one of said generals to go: "Okay, but why are you dressed like you're going shopping?" They're used to her. They wouldn't be surprised if she had a strategy meeting completely nude. ....actually that was last Tuesday.
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Jun 23, 2017 20:05
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Duel Flame Poem Stage 5 (this video does NOT incorporate the boss fight)    While we hold plenty of land in the Forces of Destruction's main base, we are also under heavy attack, and Altera has deployed all of her lieutenants in this final battle. Jeanne is up in B sector, Iskandar is at J, and...she's got an Archer, too. He'll be going from G to C to begin challenging Gawain for it. However, even if we wanted to, we couldn't rush to intercept him, as he's completely blockaded at the moment. This is gonna be a big battle, as you might expect. We'll be ignoring Jeanne and Iskandar for now. Instead, we'll relieve the pressure on E, then go up to meet the enemy Archer. Shortly after beginning...    And that's the last of Altera's generals. None other than the King of Heroes himself, Gilgamesh. While he's out and about, he'll occasionally fire a bunch of weapons from his Gate of Babylon toward one of your Sectors, inflicting heavy damage on it and starting an invasion, all while not getting himself personally involved. Obviously, we're gonna have to put a stop to that. Just after that first attack, the barriers around Gilgamesh's Sector will drop, and he'll move to attack Gawain. As I said, we'll wrap things up here first, then go after him.  And the battle has begun. Failing to aid Gawain in time...would have an unfortunate outcome for us. And actually, slight change of plans. We're going to take over this Sector, too, to give us a bit more breathing room before we aid Gawain. He served under King Arthur. He can hold out for a bit.  That...weird-looking Aggressor in the back is the final generic type of Aggressor. This one is really annoying. Normally, it'll throw up an impenetrable shield in front of him to prevent attacks from the front, and its main attack is to throw up a shield in front of you, and charge straight at you, adjusting its course as necessary. It can also stop, drop to the ground, and spin around with its arms to swat you away if you're too close.The best way I've found to deal with this sucker, assuming you don't have a Moon Crux / Drive handy, is to try and get around it, and attack it while in the air. It seems to have less success blocking your attacks that way. However, even this isn't a great strategy. Best way? Catching it in the blast radius of an Extella Maneuver. Don't get me wrong, though: these guys are extremely annoying.     As great as Gilgamesh is, he and Nero just can't get along. Another great shame. Anyway, Gilgamesh as an enemy is pretty dangerous, indeed. Many of his attacks are projectile-based, and those really hurt. While he's a bit below par in terms of attack speed, the sheer-  Number of his ranged attacks is formidable. You always have to keep an eye on him, as he will punish you quite severely with attacks like this. As for dodging this attack, if he launches it from far enough way, and you see it coming, you can dodge around it and attack Gil from behind. Oh yeah, and he's already in powered up mode, which means no Moon Drive for him, but you will have to use triangle to stagger him.  Luckily, Gawain's skill (and my own not inconsiderable efforts), forced him to withdraw...for now. Next order of business is to swing around the top of the map, taking over the red Sector in the way, and then confronting Jeanne.  Even so, Iskandar and Jeanne are preparing for their next attacks. This fight is far from over.  And here he is...again. Just can't catch a break here. Now, unfortunately, Jeanne is in a Flame Sector Trap area, and we just used our Moon Crux to shrug off one. We'll take over this Sector to recharge a bit of it, then go after her.  But she didn't help drive the English out of France by waiting around. I do know that about Joan of Arc. Unfortunately, the initial battle with Gilgamesh left much of Gawain's HP drained, so we'll have to quickly bail him out.  Man, in-between his appearance and now, which has only been a few minutes, Gilgamesh has launched two Gates of Babylon into our Sectors. We really are gonna have to wrap this up soon.  Phew...I defeated her pretty fast, and took a major weapon out the enemy's arsenal. Let us continue on this path.  Not THIS path, though... To be fair, this is one of Gil's more dangerous attacks.  But that's it for the King of Heroes, at least for now. Finally we've gotten rid of the biggest threat here in the Zero Dark.   One cool thing about combos in this game is if you start a combo in a certain direction, before you press the final button of the combo, you can turn your character around with the left analog stick and they can fire the crescendo at their former 6-o'clock, like what I'm doing here. While I mostly do it to show off, it does help every now and then if you've got someone on your rear end you weren't counting on being there.  Unfortunately, my rematch with the King of Conquerors *could* have gone better. Mostly it was thanks to that stupid charging Aggressor. Really took this one on the chin, but of course, I eventually defeated him. Just goes to show you can never underestimate the effectiveness of an enemy Servant and an Aggressor. Except if it's that sword Aggressor. You don't ever need to worry about them. Once Iskandar fell, however, the rest of the conquest here more or less proceeded without interest. Before leaving, just make sure to pick up the two Noble Phantasm Circuits on the map, and get ready for our first real fight with Altera.  Dance of blades ... Allow me to explain how deeply in the wrong you are. ...Oh, I am not without my flaws. My obsession with my hated enemy, for one. Everywhere I turn, I hear your voice, and I see flames in the shape of flowers... And so now, in this instant, I will answer your voice with my own. ...Listen. Hear my True Name. Know my story. She holds her sword high as she declares herself. Whatever her history with the Umbral Star might be, she still looks like a proud Heroic Spirit. A smile is on her face. Just like the one on Saber's. A sword is made to destroy. Simply touching one can strip away flesh. A solid swing can hack through meat and bone. But even so, when I see these two Heroic Spirits, women who live by the sword, facing each other for the future of this place... The way they guard themselves from each other, not only their flesh but their resolve... It's too beautiful. You reveal yourself, then? I understand. A descendant of the Xiongnu, are you?! There is a scholarly theory going back 200 years identifying the Xiongnu, who mostly inhabited what's now Mongolia, northern China, and north-central Asia, with the Huns, as they were known in Europe. Wikipedia tells me that theory is broadly accepted, but not conclusive. However, Nasu seems to be running with it, for this game, so who am I complain? More importantly, we finally have the True Name of our enigmatic swordswoman. However...Altera, Attila...wonder why she goes by two names? ...Yes, I was once called that. The elders chose the name, not I. To hear it now is to recall a long-dead dream. My true name is Altera. You need remember only that, Sovereign of the Moon Cell. No, I...will not truly be called "Sovereign" until I have defeated you, Altera! I could ask for no stronger opponent than the champion of the Xiongnu! I am the fifth Emperor of the Roman Empire, Nero Claudius. I would have loved to clash with you above the heights of Olympus, to the cheers of young maidens, but this stage of ours will do nicely!  Our final opponent: Altera herself. Altera is actually *really* dangerous as an enemy. Not only does she has quite a reach on her sword (her sword always seems to hit from further away than you think it will), her attacks are extremely powerful, and every now and then she'll throw out a projectile attack from her sword that hurts a bunch, too. Now, even though she does have a Regalia, she can't transform in quite the same way Nero and Tamamo can. So, her attacks just become extra deadly while she's in her Over Limit mode.   I just love her here. A bunch of my goons (the yellow ones) were swarming her, so she responded...by sending those bastards flying.  Don't forget - just like Tamamo, at certain points in the fight she'll stop to try and use her Noble Phantasm.  The curtain falls.    Took way too much damage fighting Iskandar and that one Aggressor. But overall, a convincing victory.  Aestus Domus Aurea   ...Flare Effect. Commencing connection with Mars. ?!      Forgive me. You could not defeat me as a Servant. No man, woman, or civilization could. Though I do not understand what it means to live and die as you did... Though I did not wish to take your life... I...have nothing else but the drive for destruction. So... As am I. Each of us can live by our own rules, our own standards, choose what to forgive and what to forbid. ...One day, this body will burn as payment for my sins. But it will burn in the light of pure conviction, never in the shadow of doubt. I gave into despair once, a lifetime ago. I will never make that mistake again. No longer will I yield to anyone or anything. And above all else... When I see the gleam in my Praetor's eyes, that light sustains my own! No matter how low my flame might flicker, it cannot be extinguished...because...   You set all your resources on full defense? But if you do that, the Regalia will... Yes, it will surely break! But whatever happens, happens! Do not stray your eyes, my rival! Do not turn them away from me!   Refnum Caelorum et Gehenna... Heavens, build for me. Shine your greatest light upon me! Dance like a flower and strike down a star! All praise to Domus Aurea!!No idea about "Refnum", but "Caelorum et Gehenna" is "Heaven and Hell" in Latin.    Altera's movements stop, though her guard remains strong and ready. This new arena has clearly enraptured her. The image of this golden theater, and the lone woman at center stage with her sword in hand... It has captured Altera's heart, her human heart. Saber knows that, as terrifying a menace as Altera is...she can be made to recognize her own humanity. That's why Saber was so fixated on settling the score in a one-on-one battle. She respects Altera as a worthy and powerful foe. Altera would have no idea who she was if she saw herself in the mirror, so Saber took it upon herself to be the mirror. What kind of person is the Heroic Spirit Altera? What does she look like, how does she live, and how do other see her? And... The beauty you behold is yours as well! Destruction? There is more to you than that! We are Heroic Spirits, you and I. Remember always, this is who you are! And now that you have come to understand... I call upon the heavens - bless my sword! Allow me to bring down this shooting star!    Scream  Yes, thank you, Praetor! I knew you would be here when needed you the most! ...How painful. I have not felt such pain in my core since I first fell... This is not the light of a star, but the light of the human spirit...in such a resplendent theater... And in this theater, I have seen...true beauty... Your dance... Nero... And I would say the same of you, Altera. We danced the dance of life and death together. A pity I could not take the lead. It seems our rivalry must continue unabated. Then I...was your equal in the dance? I...was able to...dance with another person...for the first time, then...  The third Hakunon steps out next to Altera. The same face as me. The same appearance as me. Nothing needs to be said between us. Just like with Caster's version of me. And in just the same way... This version of me stands over the fallen Servant, meaning to protect her. No matter what, I'm a Master, sworn to fight alongside the Servant who joined me. My Master... No, it is...too dangerous...to leave the ring... I...cannot protect... "Protect", you say? Now the truth comes out. You had spoken of your Master as a prisoner, but that was a ruse, was it not? Like Caster... Like myself, you were a dedicated Servant to your Praetor. ...What are you saying...? I simply needed a Master... Without one, I could not have held onto this body... Oh, come now! At long last, have you no shame? First Caster plays the meek, mewling whelp, must you do likewise? Do you truly wish to make a villain of me? You must be joking. Some may have called me a tyrant, but none would ever call me a fool!Ah, Nero is peerless when it comes to pointing out others' poo poo. It's just the worst when no one has your flair for the dramatics. But, in total fairness, very few do. Ah, just as I thought... Ah, just as I thought... Saber and I must have felt the same thing, just as in the confrontation with Caster.  I shall hear you out later. But for now, as the vanquished, you must hear me. Altera. From now on, the two of you shall be my subjects. I had intended to seize your Regalia adn use it to fuse your Praetor and mine, but... For the moment, you shall be my prisoner - and my guest. I trust you have no objections? ...No, that would be... Only one - you, Your Majesty - can wield the Regalia. So you showed us in the Holy Grail War. After all, Servant Saber, have you not proven yourself to be the Sovereign of all SE.RA.PH? Great Scholar, you would join us in the field now? Are you so eager to see the Regalia restored? What are you...? There's Archimedes, strolling straight through the remains of Altera's Noble Phantasm. I had grown accustomed to his presence. Distant in a sense, but also warm and caring. The warmth of a teacher looking over his students. That was the Archimedes I know. But now, what I feel instead is something terribly... Terribly cold. Almost like ice. Like a storm, where the very cold cuts away at the body. Caster's defeat was a mathematical certainty. You had just enough experience and skill to ensure it. However... Altera's defeat was quite unexpected. Her chances of victory were well over 80%, for obvious reasons. What I fail to understand is how you not only survived, but overpowered her, despite your shortcomings. Your display was impressive, in a sense, but also rather unpleasant to watch. Nonetheless, the Moon Cell Automaton did choose you. I may have mentioned this, but the Moon Cell is helpless to defend itself, for all its vast knowledge. Therefore, it named you its champion. And it opened a door, just large enough for the invaders to get through, in order to lure them to you and let the battle take its course. From my perspective as an outside observer, I would call that a very foolish gamble. Why is he looking at me like that...? So, all hail the Sovereign, reunifier of SE.RA.PH. But now you shall begin to fall. You and your Master have flown too close to the Sun. My victories were as certain as you once proclaimed. Not even Altera could stop me. Does that truly surprise you? It does, in that you literally broke her spirit. Not only numerically - and I watched as her spirit value plummeted - but by forcing her to yield. And rather than finish her, you took her in as a subject. That was unexpected. And unwise, given the risks and the lack of benefits. On the one hand, it was rather endearing of you, but it was also one step too far. ...! That appearance, that symbology! ...Archimedes, is that what I think it is?! G... Grrr! So, my brilliant strategist, was this all part of your master plan? Let the rest of us clash and die, that you might seize control? Were your designs truly so banal? Ha! Imagine, the Great Scholar, brought forth to fight off infections, being the first one infected himself! ...Oh, you cut me to the quick, Your Majesty. But I cannot deny it. You see before you the most loyal servant of none other than Velber itself.If you notice from his regular portraits (and model), that there was something weird about his left hand / shoulder blade, but sadly, no one seems to have picked up on that. Now look where we are.     "He who craves power must always take more of it than others offer..." I warned you once of lying, Archimedes of Syracuse...! But this is not the second time I've lied to you. Technically, it's only the first. Ah, I admire your passion. And your beauty. I regret that we must be enemies. Please understand, I do still respect you. To be counted amongst your adversaries is an honor indeed. However... What baffles me is that you know your enemy, know what a threat she is, know it's best to kill her outright, and yet you would try to co-exist.  Ah, then do you not see the inherent contradiction in your hatred for human emotions? Of course I do. I am still human myself, after all, and well aware of my own flaws as such. But despite those flaws, I remain dedicated to order. Did I not set aside my disdain for you to assist in your efforts? I prioritized the greater goal over my own petty feelings. But you? Just the opposite. You knew what you had to do, yet you let your emotions seize and twist you! But that's the nature of a Heroic Spirit...or, shall we say, the charm of a Heroic Spirit. You truly were the most suited among us to bear the Regalia. Refined beyond measure. Beautiful beyond measure. To see you defeat the Blue Caster, to see you bring down even Altera, despite the staggering odds...it's simply too much. An invincible heroine, winning through every single time... Frankly, I can't stand to watch that anymore. You deserve praise for unifying SE.RA.PH. But I must see Velber bring you down, no matter what. I will see you break, see the Regalia break, see SE.RA.PH break, see the Moon Cell Automaton itself break... And all that lives below will break with it. All things beautiful and unsightly, bright and dark. Bonds, souls, flesh, minds, and the knowledge that holds them all together. ...Archimedes, a traitor... I still can't believe it. When did he turn, and why? How did he come across so sincerely before? When he saved me back then, was that a lie? Was it part of his plan? The hour of destruction has come, Altera. You have played long enough at being a Heroic Spirit, and at being a human.    Ah, ah...aah...! N...no...I...can't...! I've already lost... No more... No more! "Destroy"...? No...I can't do...it...! Altera! drat you, Archimedes. What did you do?! Her beautiful body art, gone to waste! ...And you think that's the problem? You and I would never have gotten along. That "body art" was her old, obsolete skill, "Star Symbol". The "Umbral Star" you see before you now is the sign of Velber. If anything, I've made it easier for the two of you to bond, now that you see who she truly is. Look well, and witness your own destruction!    ...Whatever it is, it's gigantic. It's channeling a terrifying amount of mana. Its very existence gives off tremendous pressure. However I turn my head, my eyes can't take in all of it at once. This being is so huge, it nearly defies comprehension. A human silhouette... When did I start to recognize individual features? When she first made her entrance? When her surroundings fell apart? When she turned her glowing red eyes toward me? The eyes. Yes, it was when I looked her in the eyes. As she screams, space itself seems to tremble. The sound is inhuman, unearthly. If a black hole could call out, this would be the sound of it. It's the sound of hunger. So primal, so tremendous, that it resounds across the infinite void of space. The world is breaking. The titan's scream alone is shaking SE.RA.PH apart. She truly is the King of Destruction. Yes, bear witness! Behold the power, far beyond that of any Servant! Watch as she consumes the works of man, as she grows ever larger, ever stronger! Watch as she transforms worlds into lifeless husks! Can humanity stop her? No! No one can! Nothing will survive her wrath, not even despair! As the Stone of Altamira foretold, the titan Sephyr has awakened in the desert! Now, she stretches out her hand to crush the Moon!  She's glaring at me. She's coming after both of us. Even now, as I look into those two great lights, I know she sees us. I know she recognizes us. And we have her full attention. The White Titan stands and roars. She reaches out toward us with her huge right hand. ...I've been this before somewhere... Of course, in the Moon Cell core. My memories of the attack are still in pieces, but I remember the sheer scale of the attacker, the Enemy, who split me into three. There's no doubt now - the White Titan can only be the same being. And now, here it is again, in front of me, ready to finish the job. It's rushing at me now. It's coming. It's here. In a flash, it fills my vision. I can't get away. It's too big. It's too fast. It'll catch me. I know it will. It always does. It already has. Can't fight. Can't run. Can't even beg. It's got me. It's tearing out my thoughts. My consciousness is flying apart. I try to hold onto something. Anything I can. Any image, any memory, anything at all... Pieces of the past glitter at me, like a mirror shattering in slow motion. I see battles. We're fighting Caster's army. Or is it Altera's army? I don't know. All I can do is stare out at whatever I can see. And then, for just a moment, I see a golden flame. And a smile. I remember her. I remember myself. I am Hakunon, and I am the sword in her hand.    Her name. From deep inside, I scream it out into the void. At your service. Leave it to me! Move, now! Hold on, Praetor!    Well...poo poo. Sylphid fucked around with this message at 07:08 on Jun 27, 2017 |
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Jun 27, 2017 06:59
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Sylphid posted:
Nero, please. Priorities.
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Jun 27, 2017 16:23
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After Altera (seriously  is that name) and da Vinci as the last case I've seen recently, what's up with Nasu and switching the gender of half historical and mythological figures? It's starting to get hilarious.Archimedes, no. You were cool. You know what? In all this bullshit, I still can't shake the feeling that Archerkins is keeping a fourth version of Hakuno stashed somewhere and he's going to backstab everyone by the midgame. I think this in part because he was the third playable servant in EXTRA with Nero and Tamamo but mostly because Archerkins. Thuryl posted:Nero, please. Priorities. I WAS prioritizing.
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Jun 27, 2017 18:36
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Omobono posted:After Altera (seriously Technically Da Vinci isn't a genderswap by the standard thinking. In Grand Order, he personally chose a female body to use as it was the idea of 'perfect' beauty. I think he choose to use Mona Lisa as his body or some such. He's actually still male in Nasuverse, he just chose (or ended up) in a female body instead. I forget if Francis Drake is in this or not. She's a fun one. Also random fact, in the art book from the LE, Archimedes is the only character that has Nero listed as their "Natural Enemy". And as mentioned in the update, if you did look at his portrait, something always DID look kind of odd around his neck...
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Jun 27, 2017 18:42
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krisslanza posted:Technically Da Vinci isn't a genderswap by the standard thinking. In Grand Order, he personally chose a female body to use as it was the idea of 'perfect' beauty. I think he choose to use Mona Lisa as his body or some such. He's actually still male in Nasuverse, he just chose (or ended up) in a female body instead. Sadly, there was an interview Nasu / Takeuchi did a while ago, and one of them mentioned Francis Drake *was* supposed to be in this game, but got cut along the way. More's the pity. In addition, apparently both Robin Hood and Florence Nightingale were also both planned to be in this game at some point, but again, cut for time or something. And yes. Basically, Da Vinci is a great lover of art and the female form, so if he must be a Servant, he said he'd rather be something beautiful. I mean, I don't really mind the genderswaps at all. This entire series is basically some Japanese guy's take on a bunch of historical / mythological figures, and he's allowed some creative license. I admit, some of the genderswaps are better thought out, like Artoria, than others, but it's one of those things that doesn't really need to be justified. Canonically, this series' Iskandar loves playing video games, can shoot lightning out of his sword, and wearing really bulky t-shirts, so we've abandoned a lot of pretense of being a total reflection of the actual reflection of these folks in real life even in the characters who are not genderswaps. Basically, as long as I find a character entertaining and I like them, Nasu and crew can do whatever the hell they want to all these figures. I'm not so married to the stories the Servants come from that I can't appreciate a fresh take on the character.
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Jun 27, 2017 19:38
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...I'm really confused with all these stars and stuff. Would it be possible to get a recap or summary for idiots like me?
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Jun 27, 2017 19:53
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Seaogre posted:...I'm really confused with all these stars and stuff. Would it be possible to get a recap or summary for idiots like me? The Umbral Star (Velber) is the "Planet" everyone's going on about. That currently is in some far-off galaxy, but Archimedes wants to invite it back to vaporize the Earth and kill everyone and everything. Altera is a plant from the Umbral Star from long ago, when it attacked the Earth 14,000 years prior to this game. Her job is to bring down the Moon Cell's defenses to pave the way for Velber to return. The "Star Symbol" Archimedes and Nero were talking about were the white lines on Altera's body, indicating her extraterrestrial origin.
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Jun 27, 2017 19:57
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To be fair, the stuff on Archimedes' hand could easily be mistaken for a glove, and the bit of his chest that you can see does require you to look a bit close to make it out.
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Jun 27, 2017 20:07
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