Death Battle: Equestria

by RLYoshi


Battle 7: Echo the Diamond Dog VS Griffin the Griffon

ABOUT. BLOODY. TIME.

Human in Equestria stories tend to have the human either stay the way he is, or turn into a pony. But there are some cases where this doesn't apply, giving us humans as other types of creatures.

These two particular ones can be named as the ones who pretty much started the whole "humans as non-pony creatures" trend, and now we're gonna see who's best!

We have Echo, the mute but intelligent Diamond Dog...

...and Griffin, Captain of the Griffon Pirates!

Both Echo and Griffin have a crew of sorts, and Griffin himself has quite a large variety of items at his disposal. However, for the purpose of this battle, these two will be going against each other solo with no help from their teams, and Griffin will only be using the items that are useful in a battle and that we have seen him use previously.

And since no teammates are allowed, we're not letting Trixie ride him with that laser thing, or whatever the hell you call her new hoof!

In addition, while Echo lost his claws near the end of his story so far, we're going to treat him as though he still has them.

Why? Because really, those claws are his main weapon, and taking them away would be like taking away Rainbow's wings. In his own story, he'll probably get them back or get something new, but since we don't know for sure yet, we'll just give them back so he actually has a chance.

I'm Yah-Shee and he's Arrell, and it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win a Death Battle.


Echo

Species: Diamond Dog
Previously human
Unable to speak
New Beta of Greenclaw clan; formerly Alpha
Writes with enchanted claws
Can set claws on fire
Eats gems and metal

Once a human brony whose name is currently unknown, Echo had a chance encounter with Discord back on Earth, and was literally kicked into Equestria, where he became a Diamond Dog. Once he got used to his new body, he ended up meeting Daring Do and protecting her from Ahuizotl and his minions. However, he got his vocal cords literally torn out of his throat in the process, rendering him incapable of speech.

Good luck, better luck, aaaaand then it goes straight to Tartarus.

Using his human intelligence and knowledge of how to read and write, Echo slowly began learning the Equestrian language and communicated with Daring through writing. He later met up with Disarray, the son of Discord and Princess Celestia, and-

Whoah whoah whoah, hold up! Discord and Celestia?!

I'm confused too. Don't think about it too much.

Too late...

Anyway, Disarray enchanted Echo's claws, allowing him to write on thin air as a form of communication without needing paper. This also accidentally gave Echo the ability to set his claws on fire, which he later used as a battle strategy.

And to tear through walls!

During a visit to the town of Wethoof, Echo became more skilled in fighting and helped to take down a large amount of hydras, as well as finally killing Ahuizotl. He acquired a spear in this time made of two different materials, which he has started to use as his primary weapon.

The spear consists of the head and the haft, which are made of two different things. The head is made of arcanite, a magic-resistant material that can't be broken or dulled whatsoever, and the haft is made from a magical zebra staff that doesn't fade or crack, and can't take a life unless combined with the head, allowing the wielder to choose whether or not to kill with it!

Echo is a skilled fighter with good reflexes and a fast train of thought. He can process extremely detailed thoughts in under a couple of seconds, allowing him to spot weaknesses and make quick decisions.

But despite being portrayed as a ruthless killer - including in his own story - he's usually polite and does whatever he thinks is right to help others. He never breaks a promise, even if it's not a Pinkie Promise, and only kills if he needs to.

When the situation gets tough, Echo can get an adrenaline rush that greatly increases his strength, speed, and reflexes. This rush often saves his life, but will tire him out.

"I already have a pack."


Griffin

Species: Griffon
Previously human
Leader of the Griffon Pirates
Experienced fighter
Has a sword named Hades gotten from killing a dragon
Can cast magic with special gems
Addicted to dragon blood

And in this corner, the literally bloodthirsty feathered fiend, Griffin the Griffon!

Like Echo, Griffin was once a human, but his life is explained a bit more. He spent his entire life being abused and bullied, eventually leading to him fighting back and gaining quite a bit of fighting experience and stamina.

This guy's luck is so bad, he donated a kidney to someone, only for that person to turn around and start beating him up! Not even joking here!

Griffin was sent to Equestria within a day of Echo, but who exactly sent him is unknown. When he arrived, he became a griffon for apparently no reason other than sheer irony, and met up with Gilda, who helped him recover and get used to his surroundings.

Then he killed a dragon. No, seriously.

Specifically, a black dragon, known as being the most dangerous dragon around. After killing it from the inside with one of its own scales, Griffin took a scale and some bones from its body to forge a sword, which he named Hades, after the God of Death.

Hades is completely indestructible and can't be bent, scratched, dented, or damaged in any way whatsoever. Being made from the sharp scale of a black dragon, it can often deliver a killing blow on the first swing if used properly, and can even reflect certain projectiles. Griffin can wield it like a pro, and never goes anywhere without it!

Now armed with Hades, Griffin decided to form a rebellion for the griffons and the poor way they were treated. While his goals were high and his resources were low, he slowly managed to go from just him and Gilda to having an entire army, becoming known across Equestria and places outside it as the leader of the mighty Griffon Pirates.

How does he do this? By killing anything that gets in his way and freeing slaves from the Diamond Dogs!

However, he doesn't do this with just Hades. Griffin has various other weapons he uses in battle. These include chemicals he has used to create smoke bombs, knockout gas, and small explosions, as well as very powerful thermite bombs.

These thermite bombs are made by just taking two containers of different chemicals, mixing them at the right time, and watching as you basically create portable exploding lava!

Griffin has also discovered how to use basic magic by using what were previously gemstone lamps. By saying a certain word while the gem is charged, he can cast spells such as fire, water, and wind, but only if the environment he is in has a certain amount of this element around.

But even without this equipment, Griffin isn't the kind of guy you mess with!

He is a skilled fighter and almost completely unstoppable. He has great abilities as a leader and strategist, but when he gets mad, he becomes blinded by rage and has trouble staying focused. Despite this, he also has a soft side, being able to joke around and care for others when not in battle.

Not the kind of thing you'd expect from someone who has an addiction to drinking dragon blood.

"I may be an idiot, but I'm not stupid."


Alright, finally, the combatants are set! Let's end this debate once and for all!

Hold up Yah; we've got a word from our sponsor first!

...sponsor? Why was I never told about this?

You know, the stories Echo the Diamond Dog and Griffin the Griffon are from?

Ah, yes! Be sure to check out those stories, ladies and gentlemen! Rust and BlackWing, the authors, are both exceptionally talented and deserve to have people reading their works!

But for now, IT'S TIME FOR A DEATH BATTLE!


Echo and Griffin stared each other down in the battlefield, which was little more than a large field far away from any civilization, so nopony would be hurt. Echo pulled out his spear, and Griffin wielded Hades, as they waited for the signal.

FIGHT!

The two combatants reacted instantly, charging at each other at top speed. They swung their weapons at the same time, causing them to clash and do nothing to each other. Griffin continued to swing Hades while Echo blocked with his spear, trying to stab the bird whenever possible. This continued for a short while until Griffin grew bored, jumping back and taking to the air. Echo, unable to follow, simply glared up and awaited his opponent's next move.

Now airborne, Griffin pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it down. The haze blocked Echo's view, leaving him vulnerable. Smirking, the griffon flew down into the smoke and swung Hades, expecting to decapitate Echo. However, his sword hit nothing but air, confusing him. Charging out of the smoke, he saw Echo standing a safe distance away, his increased hearing having warned him of Griffin's attack attempt.

Griffin pulled out a vial of knockout gas and hurled it, but Echo simply held his breath and sped out of range of the dangerous chemical. Now even more frustrated, Griffin tried pulling out his gemstone lamp and casting an ice spell on Echo to freeze him. However, since the environment was warm and no ice was to be found, all that happened was Echo felt a little chilly. Griffin faceclawed.

At this point, Echo went more on the offensive, holding up his spear and charging at his enemy. Griffin, seeing this coming, tried to fly away, but Echo thought quickly and stabbed his left wing. Griffin let out a cry of pain as he was wrenched back to the ground, unable to lift off. Echo grinned, but Griffin quickly took advantage of the situation, pulling on his wing hard. This caused the distracted Echo to lose his grip on the spear, sending it flying a distance away.

Grinning like a maniac, Griffin readied Hades and attempted to behead Echo, but the Diamond Dog rolled to the side and ignited his claws, rushing Griffin. The bird was unprepared and got slashed across the chest, but using the opportunity of Echo being so close, he swung Hades in a horizantal line. Echo received a large gash across his chest, causing him to stumble backwards.

Griffin jumped back to safety, then held Hades forward and charged, hoping to stab Echo and end the battle quickly. However, he didn't expect his foe to jump right over him, landing behind him and slashing once more, leaving a deep cut identical to the one on his chest marking his back. Griffin turned and glared at Echo, who was now pumping with adrenaline and beckoning him, as if to say "come at me bro".

The bird charged forward and swung, but Echo easily ducked it and kicked Griffin in the chest, launching him back several feet. Looking over, Echo saw his spear, and quickly retrieved it while Griffin was disoriented. Now full of energy and with his opponent in pain, the Diamond Dog took the advantage and rushed forward, beating and stabbing Griffin with his spear like crazy. Griffin couldn't fight back, only managing to block the more lethal hits with the blade of Hades. Eventually, he saw an opening, and kicked Echo away before jumping back.

Griffin took out a smoke bomb and threw it, covering his foe in blinding smoke. He then took out two vials, each containing different chemicals; the ingredients for a thermite bomb. Before he could throw them, however, Echo charged out of the haze and attacked again, swinging his spear in an arc to knock the two vials up into the air, somehow without shattering the glass. Before he can continue his assault, however, his adrenaline rush begins to die down, giving Griffin the chance to knock him away and steal his spear, throwing it away.

Hoping to try and win quickly before he passes out, Echo lit his claws and dashed forward, aiming for Griffin's throat. Seeing his lit claws, Griffin quickly thought up a plan and pulled out his gemstone lamp, aiming at Echo. Before the dog could get close enough to strike, Griffin managed to light him on fire, the gemstone lamp feeding off the fire that lit his claws. Looking up, Griffin saw two certain vials falling back down, and grinned. He turned and ran off, leaving Echo trying to put himself out.

Just as he managed to smother the flames, Echo looked up and saw the vials fall right in front of him, smashing to pieces and causing their contents to mix. His eyes widened just before a huge explosion erupted from the mixture, engulfing him and undoubtedly vaporizing him, as Griffin watched from a safe distance.

K.O.


Yeaaaaaaaaah! A real battle!

Despite the obvious flight advantage, Griffin also had combat training both before and after coming to Equestria, while Echo only had the limited practice he received in Wethoof, and Griffin's weapon was easily more deadly than Echo's.

Not to mention Griffin had all those cool chemical things to help and give him a huge arsenal advantage!

Plus, Griffin was used to fighting bipedal creatures back on Earth, as well as plenty of experience with fighting Diamond Dogs in general, helping him figure out their basic weaknesses and thought processes. Echo's opponents were too diverse to give him a true advantage, plus he only fought a griffon once before, which was Griffin himself and was only a sparring match.

Haters can complain, but we're not griffon a damn about your whining!

The winner is Griffin.


Next time on DEATH BATTLE: Equestria:

We've seen fighters with advantages in terms of brainpower, strategy, and weaponry. But what happens when you pit two fighters against each other whose only obvious traits are their physical prowess? Come back soon to see a powerhouse pony go up against their only known rival in strength!


Got a suggestion for a Death Battle? Post a comment below suggesting matchups, or send me a PM with suggestions in it!

You may suggest OC characters, provided they are from a story on this site that is at least somewhat well-known. You may also suggest characters from other universes (i.e. anything non-pony related), as long as their opponent is from MLP:FiM, either the show or a known fic.

Please do not suggest matchups that have already happened. You may suggest individual characters to appear in matches against a different opponent than one they have fought previously, but suggestions like those are less likely to be used (unless I REALLY like the idea).