FFVI Character Crisis (Part 1)

I started playing FFTCG right around the beginning of it hitting the states. Opus II was about to drop and I ventured in on the Ice/Lightning starter deck. I immediately fell in love with the ice element, admittedly because in the first few instances we played Freeze SOOO WRONG. From then on out, I was always playing some variant of ice, and though I built other decks, ice remained the choice for competitive events. Fast forward, and here comes the release of Opus IV and the world is losing its mind over all the FFVI characters. And that’s where this crisis begins.

After seeing all the spoils for Opus IV, it was clear I had to add in the FFVI package. Enter Celes, Locke, Setzer, Terra, and good ole ‘Naner Cid (Gestahlian Empire Cid … because reasons). I hastily added them to the deck I was playing and the ice engine kept on cruising (magic charge feels so good when you blow up two 8ks).

I had never played FFVI which I know makes me a true heathen to the overall world of Final Fantasy. I had spent my days fondly grinding through Tactics and FFVIII, making stops along the way with all the other games in the series until they required you to have internet access and a PlayStation account (WHO HAD TIME/ MONEY FOR THIS). Then I played XII…for another time.

With the lack of knowledge why these new Opus IV cards played so well together, and after hearing my good buddy Adam lament on me having never played the game, I finally caved. Call it a desire for nostalgia that I couldn’t actually grasp, I spent the $7.99 on Steam to buy FFVI and venture out into the world that created so many interesting characters.

It took a while to play the game, mainly because I had never had a way to play it on the original console and, until recently, didn’t have a PC that could run Steam. I was jaded going into this. To me this was going to be a cookie cutter RPG, good in its own right, but it surely couldn’t stand up the test of time. I had heard so many great things about the game and just always assumed it was the “COOL” kids touting how much more of a FF fan they were because they had played it.

I’m WRONG. Granted I’ve only made it half way through the game (currently grinding those Espers in Zozo), but, man, this game has legs. Phenomenal character customization, no real glaring weaknesses in characters all in all, smooth game play, and I’m sure I don’t even need to mention the storyline and music. Yet, one thing has really struck me as weird as I am playing through and relating gameplay back to the cards. I have done a complete 180 on half of the characters in-game compared to the cards they represent in our beloved TCG.

First, and I know this will probably make all of you hate me, SABIN IS A DOPE! I completely disliked his character since the beginning and actively try not to use him (albeit I must in certain situations due to his raw strength). I figured with him being such a highly regarded card in the TCG with abilities that really can break a board state, and the fact he can SUPLEX A FRIGGIN TRAIN, I would have to love this guy. On the contrary, I just find his “I went away from the world to become a monk but still act like a 6 yr old” (like the Ultros fight on the raft) to be so saddening. I wanted to love Sabin, I wanted to fear him as much as I do when I see my opponent playing Fire. I wanted to respect him coming in and changing the game, and he just sort of fell short for me. (Go ahead fight me outside later)

Switch that thought to another card. Having my first look at Gau in the game, I thought this card is garbage. Sure, it can get big, but the investment is so much to really make it worth it. Also, I just don’t like Water; it’s probably my least favorite element. His art just seemed so uninspired and I didn’t get why people were excited to build around him. Mind you, I’ve dabbled with Strago in a side project deck, but never really gave any love to the FFVI water guys. Fast-forward into hour 5 or so of my first run-through of this magical SNES game, and who do I see running around like a caveman version of a “you’re not you when you’re hungry commercial” -- GAU!

Now yes, I cheated. I looked up how to use Gau. After doing so, I realized that this kid is a TANK! Sure he just jumps on an enemy like a leech and sucks out their life force to randomly return after a few battles, having learned all the abilities of enemies you fought while he was breakdancing across the Veldt. But man oh man, this guy is fantastic. He can literally just run fights on autopilot if you Cat Scratch your enemies and I’m cool with that. I am happy to say I’m now a big fan of the little cavekid who could. Now, this may not relate to me building a water deck just for him, but I have such a new appreciation for him and the card itself. The synergy just makes so much sense now. Kudos to the card design team for making everything so flavorful.

At the end of all of this though, I’m still a huge fan of my Icey VI representatives. Locke’s abilities make a lot more sense now, rather than just the “he’s a thief” moniker. Celes’s ability to tap something down really rings true with the Runic ability in-game and on the card. I felt like I would probably feel an early appreciation for these guys, and it wasn’t a letdown meeting them in person.

I haven’t met Setzer, or a handful of some of the other characters we have in the cards, but I think my first impressions were wrong on about half, and right on half. It’s an interesting experience to see how the cards are really the embodiments of the characters.

I suggest anyone who has the means to go and play one of the original games that their TCG deck may be running characters of, and that they don’t know the story behind, GO AND PLAY IT. It has really opened my eyes to playing different styles in the game and had me reevaluate what characters are good based on cards/in game. 

Until next time, Returners…

Also to hell with Shadow for just dipping out like that, you made me ruin a save file because I was so scared I wouldn’t see you again.