Smash Ideas: Terra Branford · 12:00am Feb 15th, 2019
I've actually been planning to do this for a while, but Mythril Moth just (read: yesterday) gave me the best excuse to do this:
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/845869/creative-writing-exercise-write-your-own-smash-character-reveal-trailer
Also, some Final Fantasy 6 spoilers in here, though it's only things that every other Final Fantasy game assumes you already know.
The trailer starts in a wasteland where female Robin, Ken, Link and MetaKnight are currently being beaten by a giant King K. Rool. During the battle K.Rool manages to shoot MetaKnight and Link far off into the distance with his Blunderbuss. After that it doesn't take long for the remaining two fighters to land exhausted on the ground. A pink speck of light can be seen in the distance behind them.
Just when K.Rool prepares to end it with a final claw strike a female shout "Fire!" can be heard and an explosion pushes the giant lizard back. A mysterious white figure is now floating before the two fighters, a few remaining magic sparks still jumping around its outstretched claw. The creature slowly descends to the ground and transforms back into a blonde-haired woman drawing her sword.
The trailer cuts to gameplay of Terra and her various moves and probably some other references to the music of the Battle Theme of FF6. Like with Cloud, at one point the music stops and Terra is shown turning into her esper form. The music shifts into Decisive Battle and we get to see her fight in this form and which changes it brings.
We cut back to the group and see K.Rool fall before the three fighters with the FF victory jingle starting to play. Terra spots something off-screen and runs off to get it. It turns out to be Pichu, which she picks up and starts to cuddle it. (I know it's a bit random, but I just adore Duodecim's Moogle scene.)
Most of her moves are inspired by moves from the Dissidia games. What makes Terra unique gameplay-wise is her trance-ability, which works like a mix of transforming characters and Cloud's Limit. Terra herself is rather weak and frail and her specials have long starting animations.
Her standard jab is the Blizzard combo and her tilts utilize her sword. Her side smash is Flare, which creates an explosion before her. The down smash is Graviga, which creates a magic orb above her that travels downwards and explodes at her feet, it also spikes opponents. The up special is Ultima, which creates a magic sphere above Terra that deals multiple hits before exploding.
Similar to Cloud she has a limit bar styled after the FF6 ATB bar. When it's full she can enter trance mode by pressing shield+B (like refilling ink with Inkling) for a limited amoun of time. When she uses it the first time in a match the duration is pretty short, but with every use she can stay longer in this form. (Maybe from 10 to 20 seconds in 2 second increments) In this form she gets stronger and faster, her sword attacks get replaced with claw swipes, though that's purely cosmetic, and she can float. She also gets the chain spell ability, meaning if she hits someone with one of her specials she can immediately follow it up with a second Special that gets reduced start up lag.
Neutral Special: Fire – Terra shoots a fireball straight forward. In trance form she can move while charging.
Side Special: Flood – Terra summons a blast of water before her from the ground.
Up Special: Tornado – Terra uses a tornado to fly straight upwards. It can also block projectiles.
Down Special: Thundara – Terra summons four lightning bolts around her (two on each side).
Final Smash: Riot Blade – Terra flies above the stage and creates several crescent shaped energy blades (size depends on the stage) that fly in different arcs across the stage. Imagine multiple Cresselia blades at once.
Stage: Opera House – As the name suggests an opera house during a play and one of the few iconic moments that's not a stage in Dissidia yet. Ultros the octopus can appear as a stage boss.
Similar to NT Terra has two "main" outfits. One based on the Amano-artworks with blonde hair and cape. The other based on her ingame sprite with green hair and shoulder pauldrons. Each of them having four color version. Both would share the same Esper look though with only the color changing. (And please not the NT esper design.)
Well, that was fun. Final Fantasy 6 is one of my favourite (and first) RPGs and Terra is the character I always wanted as the Final Fantasy representative in Smash. I'm actually still lowkey-hoping she might make it in. Ultimate needs more FF content. But sadly Square is, well, Square. And having Cloud and Terra in World of Light might inspire DrakeyC to a Shards of Memory sequel
i would love for her to get in but with how SE is yea......