User blog:Leolab/Hawke's Party (Dragon Age 2) v Adventurers (Final Fantasy XIV)



Hawke's Party: Kirkwall's neighborhood watch

versus

Adventurers: Eorzea's volunteer peacekeepers, army, and odd-jobbers

Hawke's Tanks

 * -| Main Tank: Aveline =

"You don't want me as sour and dour as you. You need a counterpoint."

- Hawke



Aveline utilizes a sword and shield, primarily to draw enemies' attention to her and reduce incoming damage. Her Guardian and Defender trees allow her to mitigate a large chunk of damage, giving her a lot of survivability. The Guardian tree also allows her to protect her allies, utilizing her own slew of resistances to hep keep them alive. She also has a few talents from the Warmonger and Battlemaster trees. The former is focused on controlling the battlefield and drawing attention away from her squishier allies, and the latter gives her additional tools to help make said squishy allies more durable and let them fight better.

Weapon and Shield Talents: All

Guardian Talents: All, except for Watchful Eye

Defender talents: All

Warmonger talents: Taunt

Battlemaster talents: Rally, Battle Synergy, Fearless Synergy, Hero's Synergy


 * -| Off Tank: Carver =

"Spoiled, annoying, thick-headed, brattish little nitwit of a... oh, have we stopped?"

- Hawke



Carver's use of a two-handed weapon is primarily for offense, and is able to hit many enemies in a wide arc with each swing. This gives him major AoE coverage, and his use of the Warmonger talent tree further amplifies this, letting him attack and draw enmity from a large crowd. Carver also learns the ways of the Templars from the Grey Wardens, allowing him to be extremely effective against magic users. This primarily takes the form of preventing spellcasting, cleansing effects, and improving his resistance to magic. He also takes a few talents from the Defender tree to augment the latter.

Two-Handed Talents: All

Templar Talents: All

Warmonger Talents: All

Defender Talents: Turn the Blade, Elemental Aegis, Elemental Shroud

Hawke's DPS

 * -| Caster: Merrill =

"Handprints? Has someone been swinging on the chandelier? Merrill..."

- Hawke



Merrill, as the resident murder mage, has a wide variety of ways to kill her foes in various horrific ways. She primarily uses the Primal and Elemental trees, lashing out at her foes with fire, ice, earth, and lightning. Additionally, she has a few spells from the Spirit tree, which allow her to manipulate the Fade to strike. She has a variety of single-target and area effects, making her a very versatile caster. Further, she uses her personal Dalish Pariah tree, which gives her damage abilities centered around her, as well as the ability to use her health as a catalyst for spells rather than mana, at the cost of not being able to be healed.

Primal Spells: All

Elemental Spells: All

Dalish Pariah Spells: All, except for Outcast

Spirit Spells: Spirit Bolt, Spirit Strike, Walking Bomb, Corrosive Walking Bomb, Virulent Walking Bomb


 * -| Melee 1: Fenris =

"You're on your own, Fenris."

- Hawke. Not this Hawke, but my canon Hawke.



Fenris utilizes a Greatsword for offense, giving him large reach and the ability to strike multiple enemies per swipe. He also utilizes certain talents from the Warmonger tree to further increase his ability to strike multiple enemies and control their actions. He further utilizes his exclusive Tevinter Fugitive tree, which boosts his damage, crowd control, and damage absorption abilities. He also uses the Battlemaster tree, which increases his ability to utilize his abilities as well as helping out his allies, even transferring some of their damage to him.

Two-Handed Talents: All

Tevinter Fugitive Talents: All, except for Kindred Spirits

Battlemaster Talents: All

Warmonger Talents: Pommel Strike, Pommel Blow, Tremor, Aftershock, Quake


 * -| Melee 2: Isabella =

"Stab first, ask questions later?"

- Hawke



Isabella uses a pair of daggers to strike at her foes. This style is very reliant on performing critical hits and making targets bleed out over time. Isabella further augments this style with her exclusive Swashbuckler tree, which lets her fight more effectively against groups. Befitting her sly nature, she also utilizes the Subterfuge tree to lessen the chance enemies will see her and to improve her allies' chances of survival. She further uses parts of the Scoundrel tree to gain an upper hand.

Dual-Weapon Talents: All

Swashbuckler Talents: All, except for Thumbs Up

Subterfuge Talents: All

Scoundrel Takents: Blindside, Twist the Knife, Back to Back, Invisible Friend, Follow-Through


 * -| Ranged: Varric =

"Is it brilliant or horrible that you play diamondback with my dog?"

- Hawke



Varric uses his crossbow, Bianca, to damage his foes. He uses the Archery and his personal Marksman tree to strike with enhanced arrows, as well as improving his rate of fire and Bianca's power. He further augments these attributes with the Specialist tree, allowing him to enhance his attack speed, precision, and ability to stun foes. He also uses parts of the Scoundrel tree to gain the upper hand and assist his allies.

Archery Talents: All

Marksman Talents: All, except for Unauthorized Biographer

Specialist Talents: All

Scoundrel Takents: Blindside, Twist the Knife, Back to Back, Invisible Friend, Follow-Through

Hawke's Healers

 * -| Healer 1: Hawke =

"Can't anyone solve their own problems around here?"

- Hawke



Hawke is a motherfucking hippie, with no direct damage spells. He uses the Spirit Healer tree, which prevents him from even trying to hurt people, alongside the Creation tree to give maximum aid to his allies. He also uses the Force Mage tree to give his foes light shoves. He takes elements from other trees to improve his and his party's survivability, and is literally the only member of the party who can't attack. And is banging the only mage who can't heal. Go figure.

Creation: All

Spirit Healer: All

Force Mage: All

Primal: Rock Armor

Arcane: Elemental Weapons (Lightning staff), Arcane Shield


 * -| Heals 2: Anders =

"You're starting to glow again..."

- Hawke



Anders, utilizes a variety of spells to aid his allies. To do this, he uses spells from the Creation tree to heal and buff his party. He utilizes his unique Vengeance tree to improve either his healing or his damage-dealing abilities; however, he cannot boost both at once. To deal damage when he's not healing, he utilizes the Primal and part of the Elemental trees to fling fire, ice, and lightning at his enemies.

Creation: All

Vengeance: All, except No Compromise

Elemental: All

Primal: Rock Armor, Chain Lighting, Chain Reaction, Tempest, Strikes Twice

Adventuring Tanks

 * -| Main Tank: Argasar Urumet (DRK) =

"The first of us bared steel against one of the clergy─this is true. He sacrificed everything he once held dear in the name of justice. So must all who would walk in his footsteps."

- Sidguru



Argasar, as a Dark Knight, utilizes a greatsword and a variety of skills to keep enemies focused on him rather than on his allies. Dark Knights tap their inner emotions to unleash a variety of strikes and spells, using both swordplay and magic against their foes. Unlike other tanks, their damage-dealing and tanking stances are not mutually exclusive. This makes it easier for a Dark Knight to be a main tank, as they can deal more damage while in their tank stance.

The Dark Knights' combat style relies on using their greatswords, and kicks to reproductive organs, in sweeping motions to both damage and draw attention away from their allies, as well as stealing mana from their foes to power their spells. Their spells allow for ranged attacks and drawing aggression from foes in large areas, as well as allowing them to drain health and deal damage in large areas.

Here is a table with all their abilities. Note that "Combo Action: " means that if the skill being described is used after the listed skill, it gains the effects listed afterwards.


 * -| Off Tank: Aldwyn Lancebane (WAR) =

"Only the flames of animosity may temper a warrior's soul."

- Some book



Aldwyn, as a Warrior, utilizes a massive, two-handed axe and a variety of skills to keep enemies focused on him rather than on his allies. Warriors tap into their inner rage and battle frenzy - collectively known as the "Inner Beast" to fuel their abilities, using their greataxe to shatter foes. While the Warrior's tanking and damage-dealing stances are mutually exclusive, their unique mechanic - Wrath and Abandon stacks - transfer between stances.

A Warrior's combat style relies on their axes, using a combination of broad, sweeping blows, air pressure from a swing, and cracking the battlefield itself to both damage foes and draw attention from their allies. Utilizing their Inner Beast to manipulate their Aether lets them add certain properties to their strikes and themselves, usually to either increase their health or siphon health from their enemies.

Here is a table with all their abilities. Note that "Combo Action: " means that if the skill being described is used after the listed skill, it gains the effects listed afterwards.

Adventuring DPS

 * -| Caster: Leo Lab (BLM) =

"Well, if it isn't our very own paragon of destruction."

- Yayake



Leo, as a Black Mage, uses spells in addition to his staff to strike down his foes. Black Mages consume mana to deal high damage under the influence of Astral Fire, and then rapidly regenerate it while under Umbral Ice. Black Magic in particular is inextricably linked to he world, as the mana consumption and regeneration mirrors the natural Aetherial cycle of Astral and Umbral eras.

Black Mages use their Aether as well as the Aether of the world around them to fuel their spells, throwing fire, ice, levin (lightning), and unaspected (non-elemental) attacks at their enemies as well as protecting themselves. Black Magic is an inherently more dangerous discipline than others, as using the world's Aether as fuel without talent, years of study, arcane clothing, or the Gem of Shattoto - all of which Leo uses - an unfortunate practitioner can have their soul combust.

Here's a table with all of their abilities


 * -| Melee 1: Aurifort Haucheoux (DRG) =

"DRAGON POWER, ACTIVATE!"

- The best Dragoon on my server, whose name I forget



Aurifort, as a Dragoon, uses his spear work to attack his foes; one of the most common Dragoon techniques is the Jump and its variations, where the Dragoon leaps into the sky and lands spear-first on their foe. While the Ishgardian Dragoons whose arts he adapted use them exclusively against dragons, the style used by Adventurers across Eorzea is not specialized. This permutation of the Dragoon's ways can be used to strike fear in the hearts of dragons, monsters, humans, and low-hanging fruit.

Dragoons manipulate their own Aether to help themselves and their allies, adding effects to their strikes. A Dragoon's abilities also depends heavily on where they position themselves; certain skills have additional effects or increased power when used from the flank, for example. This means that mobility is one of the Dragoon's most important tools.

Here's a table with all of their abilities Note that "Combo Action: " means that if the skill being described is used after the listed skill, it gains the effects listed afterwards.


 * -| Melee 2: Artur Cook (NIN) =

"We draw power from the world around us─the heaven, the earth, and the hearts of man─and channel this power into physical form."

- Oboro



Artur, as a Ninja, uses two shortswords to attack his foes. In addition to the application of poisons, he is also able to enter stealth, preventing foes from detecting him. As several attacks have extra effects depending on where the rogue strikes, mobility is very important for a Ninja. Additionally, Ninjas channel their own Aether to imbue their strikes with extra effects, and can help manage aggro generation.

A ninja's other skill is Ninjutsu. While ninjas doing ninjutsu is bumfuck obvious, FFXIV handles it slightly differently than most. Ninjas use three Mudras - Ten, Chi, and Jin - to use special skills. The various Ninjutsu skills can take a variety of forms based on the Mudras used beforehand - from a shuriken, to speeding the Ninja up, to fire, to summoning a rabbit to sit on the Ninja's head.

Here's a table with all of their abilities Note that "Combo Action: " means that if the skill being described is used after the listed skill, it gains the effects listed afterwards.


 * -| Ranged: A'libo Dhen (BRD) =

"You know that saying about keeping your friends close? I disagree with its stance on your enemies."

- NPC



A'libo, as a Bard, utilizes her bow to attack her enemies and her harp to support her friends. She uses her bow like any other archer does, by nocking and shooting arrows. Like all other Adventuring disciplines, Bards utilize their Aether to increase the effectiveness of their attacks, adding damage and additional properties to each strike; their arrows additionally always find their target. Other than that, normal arrows are normal.

Where the Bard differs from normal archers is the harp they use to play various songs. These songs are specially composed to help their allies or harm their enemies. They can lower an enemy's magic resistance, restore a friendly mage's MP faster, and have various other effects.

Here's a table with all of their abilities.

Adventuring Healers

 * -| Healer 1: Helala Hela (WHM) =

"In order that this force of chaos be kept in check and balance preserved, at roughly the same point in history, white magic, the arcane art of succor, came into existence."

- Raya-O-Sena



Helala, as a White Mage, uses her staff and a variety of spells to aid her allies and to attack her foes. White Magic draws from Conjury, which borrows aether from the Elementals to fuel their spells. White Magic, however, was not invented solely to heal and help others. It drains the land's aether to power spells, much like Black Magic. It's less dangerous to the user, as the Elementals buffer the mana draw to avoid the user's soul combusting.

White Magic utilizes wind, water, and earth to heal their allies and prevent damage. They are also capable of using these elements to attack, throwing stones, high-pressure water, or damaging their foe over time. They are also able to use unaspected spells to damage and heal, including the powerful Holy spell to damage and stun their foes.

Here's a table with all of their abilities.


 * -| Heals 2: Hanagin Buhen (AST) =

"let me teach you of the diurnal sect, so that you may learn to wield the power of those stars"

- Leveva



Hanagin, as an Astrologian, uses her star globe, cards, and a variety of spells to aid her allies and attack her foes. Astrologians utilize the ambient Aether from other stars in the cosmos to manipulate time, destiny, and do various other trippy shit. Astrologian spells are typically unaspected, meaning elemental resistances won't help at all. Their methods of attack include manipulating gravity, manipulating destiny, and shoving pieces of theoretical stars into people.

Astrologians also have a pretentious tarot-themed card mechanic. They can draw one of four cards at random, each of which has a different effect. They can then apply this effect to one person or multiple. Look at the table linked below; I don't play AST, because I hate RNG. So instead, here's some lore. In FFXIV, "aether" is basically "souls." So when I mention that the physical classes manipulate their aether for shit, they're using their own soul to fuck you up. Similar thing with the BLM and WHM - they're consuming the planet's soul to blow you up or heal your scratches. AST uses the soul of goddamn stars to reverse time and heal scratches, which is metal as fuck.

Here's a table with all of their abilities.

X-Factors
Thal's balls, I'm doing X-Factors. Well, here goes...


 * -| Experience =



Hawke's Party: 78

Adventurers: 90

Hawke's Party, while certainly having a lot of experience, tends to fight the same foes. Throughout the Party's time as Kirkwall's Neighborhood Watch, their main foes came in four flavors: templars, mages, demons, and giant fucking spiders. They fight dragons and darkspawn on occasion, but very rare occasions. The Adventurers, meanwhile, are a full fifth of Eorzea's peacekeeping forces, as well as the most active. Adventurers fight, on a daily basis, anything and everything. Their foes include animals, monsters, elemental spirits, dragons, gods, people, giant robots, ancient giant robots, gunslingers, ancient magical giant robotic dragons with laser guns, and much more. The Adventurers get this one for the sheer variety of experience they have, allowing them to effectively fight nearly any foe.


 * -|Teamwork =



Hawke's Party: 89

Adventurers: 70

While Hawke's Party my not always get along, they still work very well together. Hawke's sheer charisma keeps the team afloat, and they also show no hesitance to help each other in combat. The Adventurers, on the other hand, more than likely don't know each other. They don't have much to work with, however their prior experiences with teaming up with random strangers does let them work together more effectively than other tossed-together teams.


 * -| Training =



Hawke's Party: 80

Adventurers: 45

A majority of Hawke's Party has been professionally trained by a variety of sources. Be it from the Ferelden army, the Wardens, the Qunari, learned and powerful magi, or even a group of pirates, every member of the team has had solid combat skills and team combat skills drilled into them. Adventurers, on the other hand, have minimal formal training. While they are members of guilds and have received guidance from prominent individuals, this is far from constant or consistent. Adventurers learn most of their skills on the job, actually going out and fighting or casting spells rather than being trained by another.


 * -| Team Unity =



Hawke's Party: 30

Adventurers: 85

While Hawke's Party works well together, every member of the team hates at least one of the others. This puts a bit of a strain on their combat ability; Anders and Fenris, for example, have both shown willingness to kill the other. The only thing keeping them in check is their loyalty to Hawke, and even that's not too strong of a binding. The Adventurers, meanwhile, have far more unity in purpose despite being total strangers. All Adventurers join up with the Adventurers' Guild to help Eorzea. Everything, even personal compatibility, comes second to that goal.


 * -| Tactics =



Hawke's Party: 85

Adventurers: 86

Both parties have similar tactics, and have practiced them quite a bit. They can plan and strategize in the middle of battle, and are flexible enough to adjust when needed. Not much more needs to be said here.

Battle Notes

 * Limit Breaks are not to be considered as weapons or skills for the Adventurers, as they are never given a lore explanation. They might show up in the sim because fucking building-sized meteors, but should not be mentioned here.
 * For the purposes of the Dragon Age enemy rankings, the tanks can be considered Lieutenant-class enemies while the Black Mage is an Elite Boss-class enemy. The other five are normies.
 * This is because the tanks "lead" the party and the Black Mage is me.

Voting Notes

 * Votes with good edges or at least 10 relevant sentences count as a full vote
 * Votes with meh edges or at least 5 relevant sentences count as a half vote
 * All others count as no vote
 * Well-reasoned rebuttals can lower the count of a vote by half.
 * Well-reasoned counter-rebuttals can restore the half-point.
 * I have the final say in how much a vote counts for. If I feel a vote merits counting differently than these guidelines, I will do so.
 * Voting ends when the battle's finished or on 06/16/2017. Whichever comes first.