This will be a quick summary of how the characters compare to each other in a wave. The next few posts will be a series of much more in-depth assessments of each character and how they compare with others who share their crystal type.
Although I feel like we should be past this point, I want to start this series off as a reminder that all evaluations are a matter of opinion and personal analysis, and that you do not have to and should not follow the advice to a tee. It is simply one point of view that you either agree with or it allows you to see something in a different light.
That being said, here is one perspective on the Wave 1 Awakenings listed in no particular order, from worst to best.
P.S. It is important to keep in mind that if we are following JP schedule, the highest you can level a characters Crystal Level is to C. Lvl 55 at launch. That means a level cap raise, a DEF and CP raise, one Passive Buff, and the first Extended modifier. So for this time only, I will also be giving my thoughts on how the characters perform only up to C. Lvl 55.
TL;DR
My personal picks for Wave 1 are Terra and Cloud, with WoL receiving honorable mentions.
Notes:
- As a reminder, Affinity Bonus is also a factor in stats and is not shown above. Affinity Bonus is 20% of the stat bonus that a character’s weapons and armor gives, so it varies vastly from character to character, and fluctuates as you level the gear. It is too big a variable, so just know that a few hundred could be added to just about any stat shown for any character.
- All characters will be depicted at their absolute best: Lvl 60/60, Full MLB of all 4* and 5* gear, and al passives equipped, but with no artifacts. This is so readers can get the best view of what is possible with full investment and how these characters stack up to each other at their peak.
Table of Contents
Y’shtola: The Supreme Burst BRV Battery
Stats
| Modifiers | HP | INT BRV | MAX BRV | ATK | DEF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lvl 60/60 | 5905 | 1831 | 2180 | 671 | 890 |
| +MLB | 6821 | 2300 | 4929 | 1579 | 1822 |
| +Passive Buffs | 6821 | 2300 | 6408 | 1579 | 2733 |
| +Self Buffs | 6821 | 2300 | 7394 | 1579 | 2733 |
Awakening Passives
| C. Lvl | Description |
|---|---|
| 51 | Level Cap +10 |
| 52 | DEF +270 |
| 53 | CP +50 |
| 54 | BRV Guard Up: Increases DEF by (+50%) when BRV is over 50% MAX BRV. |
| 55 | Extended Stone: Increases potency of Stone by (+20%). Grants self (INT BRV 20%) BRV Regen for 5 turns. |
| 56 | MAX BRV +440 |
| 57 | HP +820 |
| 58 | Last Boost: Increases MAX BRV by (+30%) if HP is full entering last wave. |
| 59 | ATK + 100 |
| 60 | Extended Medica II: Grants all other party members (+20%) MAX BRV Up. Increases ally BRV gain by (+40%). |
Abilities
| Ability | Description | Type | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone | Single Target 1-Hit BRV Magic Earth Attack. (ATK 140%) potency. Grants Y’shtola (INT BRV 40%) BRV Regen for 5 turns. Delays enemy by 1 turn. | BRV Attack, Enemy Delay | 8 |
| Medica II | Grants all party members (+20%) MAX BRV Up. Increases all other party member’s BRV by (120%) of Y’shtola’s current BRV. | AoE Buff, BRV Gain | 5 |
Analysis
Oof. Looking at the first 5 C. Lvls for Y’shtola, you get nothing. Okay, that’s not true. It’s more accurate to say you get very little. BRV Guard Up is a joke. Such a waste of T4 crystals. And when you get up to the grand prize of Extended Stone, all you get for your trouble is +20% potency and a BRV Regen of INT BRV 20%.
In theory, I get it. Y’shtola is supposed to have an easier time building her BRV with a BRV Regen and the spike in DEF is supposed to let her hold onto it better, all so she can be better at her job of batterying while maintaining high BRV. The problem is the stat raises are just SO insignificant. INT BRV 20% is at best 460 BRV a turn. At best. And over 5 turns, that nets you a grand total of 2300 BRV. You could get almost that much in a single turn with a Stone. Honestly, there probably wouldn’t be much of a dip in performance if you left her at C. Lvl 50 or 51.
As for her full Awakening, it gets a little better, but still not much. Her second Passive Buff raises her MAX BRV by 30% in the final wave, which definitely helps her do her job better. And Extended Medica II allowing her to grant an AoE +20% MAX BRV buff along with a total 120% of her Current BRV in BRV gain to her allies definitely lets her do her job better. The problem again is that it’s just too little return for your investment. This many resources for this small a gain? First off, MANY Awakened characters will have their own MAX BRV buffs, so the MAX BRV buff on Medica II isn’t as enticing as it may seem at first. Secondly, while 40% more BRV gain – totaling 2563 more at best – IS significant, but not realistically practical. You won’t always be raising your allies’ BRV from 0, and they have their own BRV Gain and BRV+HP abilities. Chances are, more often than not, this extra boost WILL lead to BRV leakage.
All in all, I cannot recommend investing heavily into sinking resources into Y’shtola unless you are a big fan. In terms of functionality, she changes the least from her base 50/50 self.
Longevity: Low
Low: High tier for less than 1 month, if at all.
Medium: High tier for over 1 month.
High: High tier for over 2 months.
Final Score: 1/10
Shantotto: The Elemental Magic BRV Shaver
Stats
| Modifiers | HP | INT BRV | MAX BRV | ATK | DEF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lvl 60/60 | 5322 | 1093 | 3500 | 709 | 597 |
| +MLB | 6130 | 1326 | 6589 | 1729 | 1445 |
| +Passive Buffs | 6130 | 1326 | 6589 | 1729 | 1445 |
| +Self Buffs | 6130 | 1326 | 9224 | 2161 | 1445 |
Awakening Passives
| C. Lvl | Description |
|---|---|
| 51 | Level Cap +10 |
| 52 | HP +630 |
| 53 | CP +50 |
| 54 | HP Damage ATK Up: Increases ATK by (+10%) for 3 turns after taking HP damage. |
| 55 | Extended Spirit Magic: Aero: Increases the potencies of Spirit Magic: Aero and Play Rough: Aero by (+15%/15%)respectively. Increases MAX BRV Up effect on Play Rough: Bio by (+40%). |
| 56 | DEF +150 |
| 57 | MAX BRV +1000 |
| 58 | BRV SPD Up: Increase SPD when BRV is above 50% MAX BRV. |
| 59 | ATK + 100 |
| 60 | Extended Spirit Magic: Bio: Increases the potencies of Spirit Magic: Bio and Play Rough: Bio by (+10%/10%)respectively. Increases Poison potency by (20%). Adds an HP attack at the end of Play Rough: Bio. |
Abilities
| Ability | Description | Type | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Magic: Aero | Single Target 3-Hit BRV Magic Wind Attack. (ATK 150%) potency. Grants Shantotto (+40%) MAX BRV Up for 5 turns. Transforms into Play Rough: Aero for 3 turns after taking BRV or HP damage. | BRV Attack, Self-Buff | 7 |
| Play Rough: Aero | Single Target 5-Hit BRV Magic Wind Attack. **(ATK 215%) potency. Grants Shantotto (+80%) MAX BRV Up for 5 turns. | BRV Attack, Self-Buff | See Above |
| Spirit Magic: Bio | Single Target 1-Hit BRV Magic Dark Attack. (ATK 190%) potency. Grants Shantotto (+25%) ATK Up for 5 turns. Inflicts (INT BRV 20%) Poison for 6 turns. Transforms into Play Rough: Bio for 3 turns after taking BRV or HP damage. | BRV Attack, Self-Buff | 7 |
| Play Rough: Bio | Single Target 1-Hit BRV+HP Magic Dark Attack. (ATK 230%) potency. Grants Shantotto (+25%) ATK Up for 5 turns. | BRV+HP Attack, Self-Buff | See Above |
Analysis
Shantotto is another character that gains almost nothing from her first 5 C. Lvls. HP, a useless passive that relies on her taking HP damage to minimally increase her ATK, and an extra 15% potency to her first ability. The +40% MAX BRV buff increase is nice, but it’s tied to Play Rough: Bio, which is unreliable at best. Accompanying her Awakening, Shantotto received a buff in which her Play Rough abilities activate on BRV attacks now too. With an increased chance for her taunt and enemy AoE BRV attacks being commonplace, she will DEFINITELY see more use out of her Play Rough abilities, but again, RNG still plays a large factor in that.
The last 5 C. Lvls is where all of Shantotto’s good stuff is. HUGE MAX BRV and ATK increases, and Play Rough Bio becomes a BRV+HP attack. Again, this would be significant if it was not tied to a Play Rough ability.
While Shantotto’s Awakening makes it easier than ever to activate her Play Rough abilities, it also makes her more reliant than ever on her Play Rough abilities. Strong effects and huge buffs are tied to them, meaning it’s practically a waste to ever spend ability charges on the Spirit Magic abilities.
What I can say to Shantotto’s credit is that she has type coverage when it comes to the first wave of Awakening. Everything else is dubious. Not only is the nature of her kit unreliable, but the stat increases she got with her Awakening are abysmal. Base stat-wise, she’s supposed to be one of the hardest hitters in the game, but here in the Awakening Era, her MAX BRV is barely above WoL’s, and her ATK stat is eclipsed by his. AND HE’S A TANK/SUPPORT!
All said and done, her Awakening is truly pitiful, and that hurts to say because I love her character. In terms of damage dealers, she’s the worst of Wave 1 and even the latest 50/50 chars can rival her for power. And the Awakenings only get stronger from here. It doesn’t even help that she has stiff competition from the next two waves of Black Crystal characters.
Longevity: Low
Final Score: 2/10
Firion: The Relentless Physical BRV Shaver
Stats
| Modifiers | HP | INT BRV | MAX BRV | ATK | DEF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lvl 60/60 | 4156 | 1585 | 3077 | 700 | 744 |
| +MLB | 4937 | 1858 | 6344 | 1657 | 1567 |
| +Passive Buffs | 4937 | 1858 | 6344 | 1988 | 1567 |
| +Self Buffs | 4937 | 1858 | 12688 | 1988 | 1567 |
Awakening Passives
| C. Lvl | Description |
|---|---|
| 51 | Level Cap +10 |
| 52 | DEF +210 |
| 53 | CP +50 |
| 54 | HP Damage Base Up: Increases INT BRV by (+40%) for 3 turns after taking HP damage. |
| 55 | Extended Blood Weapon: Increases the potency of Blood Weapon by (+5%). Increases HP heal limit by (+10%). |
| 56 | HP +250 |
| 57 | MAX BRV +820 |
| 58 | HP SPD Up: Increases SPD when HP is above 50% MAX HP. |
| 59 | ATK + 100 |
| 60 | Extended Seize Attack: Increases the potencies of Seize Attack and Seize Attack+ by (+10%/15%) respectively. Increases MAX BRV granted by Seize Attack+ by (20%). |
Abilities
| Ability | Description | Type | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Weapon | Single Target 2-Hit BRV+HP Physical Non-Elemental Attack. (ATK 45%) potency. Recovers HP by 55% HP damage dealt up to 35% MAX HP. | BRV+HP Attack, Self-Heal | 6 |
| Seize Attack | Single Target 1-Hit BRV Physical Non-Elemental Attack. (ATK 170%) potency. Transforms into Seize Attack+ if Current HP is over 50% of MAX HP. | BRV Attack | 6 |
| Seize Attack+ | Single Target 1-Hit BRV Physical Non-Elemental Attack. (ATK 255%) potency. Increases all other party members’ BRV by (ATK 100%). Grants Firion (+100%) MAX BRV Up for 5 turns and (INT BRV 80%) BRV Regen for 6 turns. | BRV Attack, BRV Gain, Self-Buff | See Above |
Analysis
Now we’re getting somewhere. Kind of. Firion’s early C Lvls are just as bad as Shantotto’s: DEF, INT BRV increase upon taking HP damage, and a +5% potency increase on Blood Weapon with a +10% heal cap? Pathetic. Almost a carbon copy of Shantotto’s but somehow worse.
A full Awakening doesn’t do much for him either. A SPD increase and a small gain for Seize Attack in potency and MAX BRV buff potency. BUT it’s the patch buffs and the release of his 35 CP that sets Firion above the ones before. Suddenly, Firion’s Seize Attack+ grants +80% MAX BRV Up, and INT BRV 80% BRV Regen, and provides a BRV battery of ATK 100% to his entire team. Suddenly, he’s able to unleash some damn good BRV shaving while constantly refilling his own BRV and the BRV of his teammates.
His potencies are deceptively low, too. Blood Weapon may be listed at ATK 45% potency, but Mighty Blood Weapon increases BRV damage dealt by 350%. That effectively brings the potency to ATK 200%. Seize Attack+ is 255% potency with Awakening, 240% without. And though I did not include it, Firion gets a +30% invisible ATK buff for 1 turn after every HP heal he receives, which is very significant. The reason I left it out of the stat block is because on his own, his HP healing is very limited. Pair him with Eiko, though…
So there you have it, Firion is a strong physical BRV Shaver with a strong BRV+HP attack, self-heals for longevity, and constant BRV recovery after his BRV+HP attack so he can keep up a relentless assault with impunity. Being able to gain a chunk of BRV back every time makes sure that he can take hits after dumping BRV and gives him much more freedom to dump BRV. And he’s passively building his teammates’ BRV while just doing his thing. Our first look at a superior character that Awakening brings.
But it’s not enough. While a good concept for a hybrid character, just doing damage with a light BRV battery is not enough anymore. It doesn’t help that there are characters who are better DPS and characters who are better batteries in his own wave, and he gets power creeped fast. In the next wave or two, there are people who make his ATK and potencies look like a joke, let alone his BRV battery.
Firion is still an “okay” character and unlike Y’shtola and Shantotto, I think he’s a valid choice for those that love him. You can do a lot worse.
Longevity: Low
Final Score: 5/10
Warrior of Light: The All-Around Reliable Tank
Stats
| Modifiers | HP | INT BRV | MAX BRV | ATK | DEF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lvl 60/60 | 5905 | 1831 | 2180 | 680 | 1194 |
| +MLB | 6089 | 2217 | 4936 | 1648 | 2257 |
| +Passive Buffs | 6698 | 2479 | 7898 | 1978 | 3160 |
| +Self Buffs | 6698 | 3366 | 8885 | 2637 | 3160 |
Awakening Passives
| C. Lvl | Description |
|---|---|
| 51 | Level Cap +10 |
| 52 | HP +820 |
| 53 | CP +50 |
| 54 | Buff Boost: Increases MAX BRV by (+50%) while buffed. |
| 55 | Extended Shining Shield: Increases Shining Shield charges by 2. Increases BRV Gain granted by Shining Shield by (+60% of target’s INT BRV). |
| 56 | MAX BRV +440 |
| 57 | DEF + 400 |
| 58 | Buff ATK Up: Increases ATK by (+10%) while buffed. |
| 59 | ATK + 100 |
| 60 | Extended Throw Buckler: Increases the potency of Throw Buckler by (+20%). Adds an HP attack at the end of Throw Buckler. |
Abilities
| Ability | Description | Type | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shining Shield | Grants target a (WoL’s INT BRV 230%) BRV shield and (+20%) MAX BRV Up for 5 turns. Increases target’s BRV by (WoL’s INT BRV 50%), then again by 110%. | Shield, Buff, BRV Gain | 10 |
| Throw Buckler | Single Target 1-Hit BRV+HP Ranged Non-Elemental Attack. (ATK 220%) potency. Grants WoL (+40%) INT BRV Up and 75% Debuff Evasion for 3 turns, and (WoL’s INT BRV 230%) BRV shield and (+40%) ATK Up for 5 turns. | BRV+HP Attack, Shield, Self-Buff, Taunt | 6 |
Analysis
Now we’re talking. WoL was always built as the ultimate jack of all trades and team support/leader and his Awakening really drives it home. In terms of returns on investment in the first 100 T4 Crystals/5 C. Lvls of Awakening, WoL’s is hands down the best of the first batch. HP is not as useless a stat as DEF! Especially on a tank with a taunt! His first Passive Buff grants him +50% MAX BRV! His first Extended actually does something! +2 charges for Shining Shield AND significantly increases the BRV gain it provides. Just getting WoL to C. Lvl 55 is a HUGE power increase.
Not just that, but his kit and design are GOOD. His Passive Buffs are to MAX BRV and ATK – the two most important stats – and are triggered simply by buffs, which he can provide plenty by himself or receive them from other sources. Hell, he doesn’t even have to try, he just has to use his BRV+HP attack. Both his Extended passives are good. One adds more uses – and we all know how invaluable that is – as well as significantly increases its power and BRV gain provided. The other adds an HP attack and thus a whole new dimension to the ability.
And then just look at his stats when all his buffs align. This is more ATK than the other DPS this wave other than Terra, and all he has to do is keep a buff on him. He doesn’t have a single lacking stat. It’s fucking ridiculous. And don’t even get me started on turn efficiency. Shining Shield protects, acts as a BRV battery, and allows the target to dump BRV without fear. 10 fucking uses. Throw Buckler is a ATK 220% potency that dumps BRV, shields WoL, triggers his Passive Buffs, lets his allies dump BRV without fear, AND gives him a 75% chance to AVOID ALL DEBUFFS! 6 USES! At any given time, you’re fulfilling 4-5 purposes at once.
WoL also makes use of every stat, and his Passive Buffs are so well-designed that they continued that trend moving forward, not fucking “Small SPD Up when you have lots of BRV” or “More ATK when the enemy is targeting you.” NO! That’s STUPID! WoL takes minimal effort to be at peak efficacy and because each of his abilities are SO useful, minimal effort to play efficiently too. Strong, useful, intuitive, and easy to play. He is the hero Final Fantasy needs but does not deserve.
Now for the bad news. I will defend tanks in DFFO until my dying days, but it is true: they have never been and will probably never be top tier or peak meta. It is gaming meta fact that the best defense is a strong offense. In MMO raids, speed runs, and RPG scoring, the quickest kill will always be the best kill. It measure efficiency, reduces incoming damage, and all in all takes more skill and strategy than turtling. So speaking purely in terms of meta, yes, tanks are unnecessary and not the optimal choice.
BUT! Tanks make it possible to clear content that is normally outside your means. In the above scenarios I listed – MMO raids, speed runs, competitive RPGs – tanks are used as a learning tool. You have to know how to clear something before you work on fine tuning your strategy, and tanks buy you a lot of room for mistakes and time to study mechanics.
More importantly, in a “games as a service” gacha game where powercreep and a shifting meta is the entire backbone of the game, having a perfectly meta team at all times is impossible. You need to have 3 of 5 or so chosen units to complete the hardest content with optimal results. Unless you’re extremely lucky or extremely rich, you’re just not gonna be able to put up a true meta team every week. Tanks let you fill that gap.
And what fortuitous timing for a post like this, as we have just seen the advent of new difficulties in both GL and JP. And with the arrival of never before seen challenges, we hear the ever familiar rumors: tank clears. Though not full reward completes, there are more than a few anecdotes about first clears of IFRIT EX using Celes, or first clears of Sephiroth EX and COSMOS difficulty using Galuf. Because not everyone can field a full meta team, but they can at least field a tank and get the majority of the rewards with much less effort if they have a solid tank.
Anyone who has been following the JP meta and rankings are familiar with the fact that WoL and Snow have been neck and neck and bouncing between A tier and C tier month to month. How have they repeatedly jumped from C tier back to A tier multiple times? Easy. Whenever content difficulty increases beyond the scope of nuking it to death with DPS, suddenly people remember how valuable tanks are. That’s how it’s always been, and that’s how it is now. And I think the fact that WoL being the highest ranked Wave 1 character to this day – barring recent reworks – speaks for itself. He has never dipped below what is considered “usable” range once in the Awakening Era, because while he may never be the top choice, he is never a bad choice.
That said, it is a question you must ask yourself if you think a safety net is good insurance. Tanks will ALWAYS be a strong choice for newcomers and more casual players, and for that reason alone while I will without a doubt say that WoL isn’t a meta pick, I still think he is a damn good one. As far as tanks go, he is the most varied, the one that holds up the best over time, and the only one with an EX for a long time.
Longevity: Medium
Medium longevity because while he lasts practically forever, he bounces between mid and high tier, never top tier.
Final Score: 7/10
Cloud: The Utility Master
Stats
| Modifiers | HP | INT BRV | MAX BRV | ATK | DEF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lvl 60/60 | 4739 | 1339 | 3077 | 709 | 744 |
| +MLB | 4858 | 1609 | 6309 | 1802 | 1622 |
| +Passive Buffs | 4858 | 1609 | 6309 | 1802 | 1622 |
| +Self Buffs | 4858 | 1609 | 7886 | 2162 | 1622 |
Awakening Passives
| C. Lvl | Description |
|---|---|
| 51 | Level Cap +10 |
| 52 | HP +440 |
| 53 | CP +50 |
| 54 | BRV Danger ATK Up: Increases ATK by (+10%) if Current BRV is less than INT BRV. |
| 55 | Extended Cross-Slash: Increases the potency of Cross-Slash by (+20%). Deals an additional 10% BRV damage on a critical hit. |
| 56 | DEF +210 |
| 57 | MAX BRV +820 |
| 58 | Target ATK Up: Increases ATK by (+20%) when attacking an enemy targeting Cloud. |
| 59 | ATK + 100 |
| 60 | Extended Finishing Touch: Increases the potency of Finishing Touch by (+20%). Extends all existing buffs on Cloud by 1 turn. |
Abilities
| Ability | Description | Type | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-Slash | Single Target 2-Hit BRV+HP Melee Non-Elemental Attack. (ATK 140%) potency. 35% chance to inflict Paralyze. 10% more BRV damage on a critical hit. | BRV+HP Attack, Paralyze | 6 |
| Finishing Touch | Single Target 4-Hit BRV Ranged Non-Elemental Attack. (ATK 220%) potency. Grants Cloud (+25%) MAX BRV Up, (+20%) PATK Up, and (75%) Crit Rate Up for 5 turns. Extends all existing buffs on Cloud by 1 turn. | BRV Attack, Self-Buff | 3 |
Analysis
Cloud’s first 5 C. Lvls are nothing to write home about, but they’re decent for the current standard. Some HP and a bunch of conditional extra damage. It’s not the best first 5 C. Lvls, but it does increase his DPS by a noticeable amount.
Cloud has always been about burst damage and this is taken to the next level in his Awakening. As you can see, I listed no difference between his MLB stats and his MLB stats with Buff Passives. That’s because Cloud’s Buff Passives are not persistent and are very situational. But they’re huge. Sure, his Extended passives don’t give his abilities all the fancy utility that WoL’s and Terra’s does, but Cloud is here to (supposedly) do damage, and they aid in that.
+10% ATK after Cross-Slash or a launch means +10% ATK after any ability. Add another +20% during the first 3 turns of a wave. Another +10% if his Current BRV is below his INT BRV. And another +20% if the enemy is targeting him. That means when using an ability against an enemy targeting Cloud just after dumping BRV within the first 3 rounds of a wave, Cloud does 60% more damage. That’s an effective ATK of 3243, which is fucking bonkers at this level.
But, of course, it’s conditional. And limited. I just wanted to highlight his damage potential. What really keeps Cloud afloat in the Awakening Era for a long time is his utility. Other plain DPS like Shantotto and Firion get powercrept as soon as someone with bigger stats and potencies come along (Spoiler Alert: it’s soon!), but Cloud’s utility saves him from the same fate. Still the best Launcher for a good while and the only character capable of inflicting Paralyze, Cloud has a niche that cannot be overcome. Cloud’s buffs were purposely delayed for GL because in JP he was too strong for too long. He should have been far more dominant than he already was, especially with Sazh’s early 35 CP release, and he was already being used to cheese the hell out of some EX fights by those who couldn’t field a meta team. Oh right, and he’s the first to get an EX. And it is the best one for a long time.
Ever since I wrote that Cloud eval a while back, I’ve been met with a lot of skepticism, but those who actually used Cloud regularly know that he’s a force to be reckoned with and the key to clearing content that would otherwise be beyond one’s ability. And he’s just riding a huge powercreep wave right now. Awakened stats that will coincide with his patch buffs, and then an amazing EX weapon coming up. You really can’t go wrong with Cloud because even after much stronger DPS arrive, his launches and paralyzes only serve to make them better.
Longevity: High
Final Score: 8/10
Terra: Meta Goddess III
Stats
| Modifiers | HP | INT BRV | MAX BRV | ATK | DEF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lvl 60/60 | 4156 | 1831 | 3500 | 709 | 597 |
| +MLB | 4236 | 2217 | 6637 | 1801 | 1447 |
| +Passive Buffs | 4660 | 2660 | 7301 | 1981 | 1591 |
| +Self Buffs | 4660 | 2660 | 11283 | 2521 | 1591 |
Awakening Passives
| C. Lvl | Description |
|---|---|
| 51 | Level Cap +10 |
| 52 | HP +630 |
| 53 | CP +50 |
| 54 | BRV Danger SPD Up: Increase SPD by (+10%) if Current BRV is less than INT BRV. |
| 55 | Extended Meltdown: Increases BRV Gain potency by (+ATK 25%). Increases MAX BRV granted by Meltdown by (+20%). Grants Terra (INT BRV 40%) BRV Regen for 5 turns after Meltdown use. |
| 56 | DEF +150 |
| 57 | MAX BRV +1000 |
| 58 | BRV Base Up: Increase INT BRV by (+10%) when HP is above 50% MAX HP. |
| 59 | ATK + 100 |
| 60 | Extended Meteor: Increases total potency of Meteor by (108%). Increases number of hits by 6. |
Abilities
| Ability | Description | Type | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meltdown | Increases BRV by (Terra’s ATK 75%), then by 50%, then by 20% before executing an HP attack. Grants Terra (+40%) ATK Up for 4 turns and (+60%) MAX BRV Up and (INT BRV 40%) BRV Regen for 5 turns. Inflicts (-30%) DEF Down for 4 turns. | BRV Gain, HP Attack, Self-Buff, Debuff | 5 |
| Meteor | Single Target 15-Hit BRV+HP Magic Non-Elemental Attack. Increases BRV by (Terra’s ATK 75%), then by 50%, before executing the BRV+HP attack. (ATK 270%) potency. Grants Terra (+30%) ATK Up for 4 turns and Small SPD Up for 6 turns. Inflicts Small SPD Down for 2 turns. | BRV Gain, BRV+HP Attack, Self-Buff, Debuff | 5 |
Analysis
Jesus, what to say about Terra… She must have a huge fan club among the developers because they did not consider balance when they worked on her Awakening. Her first 5 C. Lvls of Awakening aren’t quite as good as WoL’s, but she is MILES ahead of the rest. Extended Meltdown gives her a huge BRV gain increase, more MAX BRV, AND BRV Regen. Not too shabby.
The rest of her Awakening is no less impressive. Meltdown itself adds ATK 75% BRV to her current pool, the multiplies it TWICE. To put that in perspective, she can break 10k BRV when casting at 4k BRV. Given that herINT BRV is 2660 and she has a BRV Regen running, you basically only need to get in a single BRV Attack to get the most out of Meltdown.
Meteor gets the standard potency increase, but instead of a 5%-20% increase, it’s 108%. If her 2 Extended passives aren’t enough to show you that she’s on another level, we are pretty much guaranteed her notorious patch buffs with them. The ones that tie her chants to her abilities. So not only is she going to be packing unheard of DPS, she’s going to have insane turn efficiency too.
Each ability gives her an INSANE amount of buffs, HUGE damage, AND debuffs the enemy. And these buffs and debuffs? THE most important stats. ATK, MAX BRV, and SPD increase for herself, DEF and SPD down for her enemies. Extremely easy and effortless to maintain; just spam abilities and you’ll be incinerating everything on the field, strategy optional.
And if that wasn’t foolproof enough for you, we must remember how incredible her base kit already is. One ability that can basically cap her BRV by itself and bypass all defenses and resistances, one attack that can annihilate enemy BRV while dumping hers. It’s the perfect DPS combo. We’re literally getting a much, much, much, much, much, much stronger version of Kain.
Cloud and especially Terra stayed top tier until the Big 3 Era – that’s Selphie, Cait Sith, and Layle for those just tuning in – and didn’t start REALLY dying off until DPS like Papalymo started pouring in. That’s effectively 5 months of being at the top. Sure, she doesn’t hog THE top spot for those 5 months, but she’s definitely Top 5 that entire time. Top 10 at worst. Some along the way will have her damage, and some will have her turn efficiency, but none will have both in the quantities she has. She is an EXTREMELY overpowered pick that will get you the most meta mileage until the Big 3 Era where BRV Battery is king. But until then, try not to miss out on the hype.
Longevity: High
Final Score: 10/10
Special credit: MinoSpelgud
