Highlander - Lancer of the Labyrinth
Who?
The Highlander is the personal class of the main playable character from the story mode of Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl, and features as a regular class option in Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight and Etrian Odyssey Nexus (henceforth abbreviated as "EOX"
What the **** is an "Etrian Odyssey"? Sounds horrible.
Etrian Odyssey is a series of dungeon-crawler RPG games from Atlus, inspired by classic computer RPGs such as the Wizardry series and The Bard's Tale. The series is possibly best known (if it's known at all) for these features:
- its punishing difficulty, embodied in particular by the infamous FOEs (which stands for either Formido Oppugnatura Exsequens, Foedus Obrepit Errabundus, or ****ing Overpowered Enemy depending on who you ask)
- for featuring map-making as part of the game's core experience (at least you can use the (3)DS' touch screen for this, on Switch you'll probably be made to use the graph paper you bought in secondary school and never thought you'd actually use for anything)
- probably also the loli art by Yuji Himukai and the awesome soundtracks by Yuzo Koshiro, but we'll get to those later
In each game, the primary objective is to navigate the maze-like dungeons of the Yggdrasil Labyrinth (a different location in each game, though all share the name) and uncover the secrets within, with the aid of your own map-making skills, and a team of adventurers and warriors of your own creation. Outside of the story modes of the Untold games, the games are light on story, and your characters have no dialogue - use your imagination to bring them to life, and tell your own story!
The series has featured exclusively on Nintendo systems since its inception - the first three games appeared on the Nintendo DS, while the 3DS has seen no fewer than five entries in the main series, plus four spinoffs (two games based on the Mystery Dungeon formula, plus two crossovers with the hugely popular Persona series
So do they have any chance of actually being added to Smash?
Probably not, no. If you want an Etrian Odyssey character with a non-zero chance of appearing in Smash in some shape or form (hey, 0.00000000001% is better than zero), you probably want the Protector thread instead.
Why are you wasting our time here, then?
As mentioned, the Highlander wields a spear, and can power up their attacks by draining their life force. Both attributes are relatively unique within the Smash games. As such, the Highlander has the potential to introduce a new and unique fighting style to the series, if they are chosen to join the fight.
Okay, but what are they actually going to do? Drawing maps isn't really a form of attack.
Depends on what you draw on them.
...okay, I don't really have anything for attacks that could be based on the map-making feature, unfortunately. So here's this instead, based on their skillset from the games:
Passive traits
Basic attacks
Tilt attacks
Aerial attacks
Smash attacks
Specials
Final Smash
Gáe Bolg: The Highlander throws their spear forwards across the stage. Anyone struck by it is transported to a distant battlefield: an ancient tower filled with bizarre and incomprehensible contraptions, relics of a long-lost civilisation seemingly far more advanced than our own. Here, the Highlander is joined by their party from Etrian Odyssey Untold, who all launch numerous attacks upon the victims before they return to the battlefield. The damage and knockback dealt increases depending on how much damage the Highlander has taken, but the Highlander suffers significant recoil damage from the attack (but it can still be recovered if anyone dies from the attack).
- Tipper: similarly to Marth, the Highlander's attacks deal increased damage and knockback if the tip of the spear strikes the target. For stab attacks, activates only when the attack is fully extended.
- Shield: the Highlander is one of three classes in the game capable of equipping shields, so they can have one here too. Blocks projectiles while the Highlander is walking or stood in place.
- Turning Tide: recovers health slightly if the Highlander defeats an opponent.
Basic attacks
- Jab (A -> A): a simple one-two stab with the spear.
- Dash: dives forwards with the spear.
Tilt attacks
- Forward: a curving forward-and-upward stab with the spear.
- Up: swings the spear in a wide arc overhead.
- Down: pokes at the ground with the spear.
Aerial attacks
- Neutral: spins in the air with the spear brandished.
- Forward: stabs forwards with the spear.
- Back: attacks behind with the shaft of the spear. Has a weak meteor smash if the opponent is struck with the end of the shaft.
- Up: stabs upwards with the spear.
- Down: launches diagonally downwards rapidly with the spear. Spikes opponents who are struck with the tip of the spear. Only ends when it hits the ground - if you miss the stage, you plunge to your doom.
Smash attacks
- Side - Draining Burst: A powerful stab attack forwards. Causes recoil damage based on charge level.
- Up - Head Pierce: A stab attack aimed upwards and slightly in front of the Highlander. Spikes the target if the tip of the spear strikes their head.
- Down - Mine: The Highlander produces a pickaxe and digs at the ground in front and behind them. Opponents on the ground are buried if struck. Has a small chance of yielding a food item if it strikes an opponent.
Specials
- Neutral - Bloody Offense: Causes up to 5% of damage to the Highlander, depending on how long the B button is held. The damage and knockback of their next attack used is increased accordingly.
- Side - Delayed Charge: The Highlander stands in place and readies an attack, losing health the longer the button is held. When the button is released, they launch forward with a powerful stab attack, with the distance travelled increasing based on the charge time. If used in the air, causes freefall.
- Up - Floor Jump: Produces a golden staircase in front of the Highlander, which they can use to climb back onto the stage.
- Down - Black Sabbath: A short-ranged downward-angled spear stab. If it hits, the target is pinned in place for up to 3 seconds, and the Highlander drains the target's health into themself. Has very slow startup, and slow endlag if it misses.
Final Smash
Gáe Bolg: The Highlander throws their spear forwards across the stage. Anyone struck by it is transported to a distant battlefield: an ancient tower filled with bizarre and incomprehensible contraptions, relics of a long-lost civilisation seemingly far more advanced than our own. Here, the Highlander is joined by their party from Etrian Odyssey Untold, who all launch numerous attacks upon the victims before they return to the battlefield. The damage and knockback dealt increases depending on how much damage the Highlander has taken, but the Highlander suffers significant recoil damage from the attack (but it can still be recovered if anyone dies from the attack).
"Black Sabbath"? That reminds me, what's the music in this series like?
There are no tracks from EOX for a very good reason; I haven't played the game yet and don't want to be spoiled. So don't link to any of them in this thread, please?
You know what, now I want this to happen just so we can get some of that music.
B-but there's more to the games than just the music... But yes, the music is quite excellent.
Still not convinced anything from this series will ever show up in Smash, though.
Yes, you don't have to spell it out like that, you know? Just let me dream ;-;
You (yes, you!) should at least consider playing one of the games, though. Demos for each of the 3DS games can be gotten on the eShop; I recommend the demo of EO5 (Beyond the Myth), it's the most recent game and you don't need to have played any previous games to get into it
In conclusion: go play Etrian Odyssey, that's the whole point of this thread, really :p
