Job #118: Aigis Moveset
(shout-out to my brother, who really helped me with this one)
General playstyle:
Aigis is a heavy zoner who relies on her strong projectiles and hard-hitting melee attacks to quickly rack up damage. However, her high weight and rather limited defensive options mean that she will have a hard time escaping from pressure, leading her to be a frail character despite her above-average stamina.
Her air dashes use her built-in jetpacks and her guard animation is borrowed from Persona 3. Aigis is not good at swimming and will start to drown in a short time. While just a visual detail, Aigis will be affected more by electrical attacks.
Aigis also has a unique meter called Orgia Mode which is indicated by a circular gauge beside her player display, resembling the discs on both sides of Aigis’ head. In addition to building meter from taking damage, Aigis also heats up by using her extended jab and Boost Dash, the latter always giving her one full segment of heat. In addition to moves that reduce her Orgia gauge, simply standing still also lowers the meter. The Orgia gauge is divided into nine with three big sections separated by white walls. As Aigis heats up, the red parts of the gauge gradually turn orange.
At the first level, this mechanic has no effect on the gameplay.
At the second level, Aigis’ open joints slightly light up and Aigis gains some movement speed.
At the third level, Aigis’ joints start to glow, and, apart from the speed bonus already gained, the properties of some of her moves change, giving them extra utility.
If the player allows the Orgia Gauge to build up all the way without releasing heat, Aigis enters Orgia Mode.
When Aigis enters Orgia Mode, this is indicated by a glowing orange aura around her body and raising steam. This state lasts about fifteen seconds and greatly boosts her movement speed and increases her overall damage output - also allowing her to use the Boost Dash twice in the air. However, after fifteen seconds (the time is shown by a gradually reducing Orgia Gauge) Aigis overheats and receives %8 self-inflicted damage, going into her shield break animation. If she manages to score a knockout before that, the damage penalty and the time she spends in the overheated state are halved.
Normal attacks:
For most of her moves, Aigis relies on her built-in abilities as a combat android. Her finger bullets act similar to other gunshot moves in the game, though they have significantly shorter range and are more clearly visible.
Normals
Jab: Aigis delivers a backhanded fist, extends both hands forward, and fires a volley of bullets from her fingertips. Has a disjointed hitbox. Normally, she stops firing after a second but if the attack button is held down, she will continue to shoot as the move slowly gets weaker. This rapid jab builds up heat and fills the Orgia Gauge.
Dash Attack: A jet engine emerges from Aigis’ back, propelling her forward. This attack shares its animation with her Boost Dash.
Forward Tilt: A powerful, short-ranged explosion from Aigis’ hand cannon. If Aigis’ Orgia Gauge is in its third level, this attack turns into Heat Wave - a strong, short-ranged projectile that exchanges strength with launch power and reduces the Orgia Meter a significant amount.
Up Tilt: A short volley of shots aimed upward in 45 degrees. If Aigis’ Orgia Gauge is in its third level, this move turns into Akasha Arts - a multitude of energy lines zig-zags around the opponent before throwing them forward with a final blast.
Down Tilt: Aigis jumps backward and shoots the ground she’s just been standing on, drawn from her critical attack animation in Persona 3. If Aigis’ Orgia Gauge is in its third level, this move turns into God Hand - instead of firing bullets, Aigis summons a giant, disembodied fist of yellow energy which smashes into the ground.
Floor Attack: Aigis stands on both hands and performs a spinning double kick.
Edge Attack: Aigis climbs up and does a jump kick forward.
Smash attacks
For her Smash Attacks, Aigis summons her Persona Pallas Athena, who performs these moves for her. With her Down Special, Aigis can separate the Persona from her body and can place it anywhere on the stage. In this state, Aigis can still perform Smash Attacks but they will only deal ignorable damage and knockback while having anemic ranges. Pallas Athena, wherever she may be, will perform the proper attacks instead of her, though their power will be reduced.
Forward Smash: Pallas Athena bashes the enemy with its shield and launches them upwards with its spear.
Up Smash: Heavenly Spear. Pallas Athena thrusts its spear upwards.
Down Smash: Pallas Athena stabs the ground with her spear.
Aerial attacks
Neutral Air: Megido Fire. Aigis extends her arms to both sides and spins in a circle, creating a ring of fire. Releases one segment of heat from the Orgia Gauge - this is Aigis’ quickest and most reliable way of “cooling down”.
Forward Air: Aigis hits the opponent with her raised knee.
Back Air: Aigis reaches backward and hits the opponent with her rapidly spinning hand.
Up Air: Aigis kicks upward with both feet.
Down Air: Aigis produces a giant jackhammer, hitting opponents diagonally below her.
Grabs
Aigis grabs the enemy with both hands and shocks them with high voltage instead of pummeling them. She compensates for her slow and short-ranged grab with some impressive damage output. She has no way of killing with throws - even at respectably high percentages - but they deliver large amounts of damage very quickly.
Forward Throw: Aigis throws the opponent forward with one hand.
Back Throw: Aigis heaves the opponent above her and throws them diagonally.
Up Throw: Aigis hoists the opponent upward before shooting them with her finger guns.
Down Throw: Aigis puts the opponent to the ground, jumps, and releases a small number of grenades from her back, which immediately explodes upon contact.
Special moves
Neutral Special: Blast Gatling / Multi-Mounter Machine Gun Orion
Aigis produces a tank-sized Gatling gun and opens fire, shooting a series of small energy projectiles before putting it away. Essentially a stronger version of her extended jab. The attack can quickly rack up damage but it doesn’t put the opponent into hit stun.
During Orgia Mode, this Special turns into its much stronger counterpart, Multi-Mounter Machine Gun Orion.
Side Special: Radical Cannon
Aigis leans forward and fires an arcing projectile from the small cannon that comes out of her back. The trajectory of the cannonball can be adjusted with a direction input (side-upward and side-downward).
Up Special: Orgia Boost
Aigis produces a jet engine from her back and launches herself upward. Just like her air dash, this Special builds up Orgia Gauge.
Down Special: Goddess Shield / Raise Up, Persona
Aigis summons Pallas Athena for a short period to reflect projectiles coming from the front. It also acts as a pseudo-super armor; if Aigis is hit while this move is active, the Persona tanks the hit instead of her, disappearing on contact. Aigis receives no hit stun and can retaliate on spot.
If the Down Special is held, instead of pressed, it turns to Summon Persona. Aigis says “I need your help!” and deploys Pallas Athena to a fixed spot and can leave her behind. After using the Down Special again or a remote Smash Attack, Pallas Athena vanishes and cannot be summoned for a few seconds. Regardless of which version of the move is used or how Pallas Athena is retrieved, her disappearance reduces the Orgia Gauge significantly.
All-Star Move: Heritage Liberator Palladion
Aigis summons Pallas Athena to throw its spear (if the Persona is deployed, the spear can be thrown from a remote location). If the spear hits an opponent - it can hit a maximum of three opponents - they are sent to a cinematic finisher: Aigis turns her Persona into a giant railgun, firing a single devastating shot. If she is in Orgia Mode, this Final Smash restores Aigis to her normal state with no repercussions.
Other
Aesthetics: Aigis is voiced by Maaya Sakamoto in Japanese and Karen Strassman in English. Half of Aigis's models use her Persona 3 design, while the others use her Persona 4 Arena look as a base. Her palette swaps are taken from Persona 4 Arena:
Entrance animation: Aigis starts the match wearing a long black trench coat. She turns to her opponent as she removes her clothing with one hand and throws it away, saying “Commencing mission.” If she's in her P3 costume, she'll just descend to the stage with her boosters.
Taunts:
Taunt 1: Aigis aims with one arm while steadying her wrist and says “Hasta la vista!”
Taunt 2: Aigis places a hand on her chest and briefly summons Orpheus.
Taunt 3: Aigis touches an ear disc and says “Let us strike while the iron’s hot!”
Victory Animations:
Victory 1: Aigis watches a blue butterfly flying to her. She reaches up with a finger, which the ethereal insect perches on.
Victory 2: Aigis raises an arm and reloads herself, saying “I made my decision to live.”
Victory 3: Aigis poses while holding an elbow, saying “Mission complete!”
Victory Theme