MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh....*ahem*, excuse me.
So, as I mentioned before, part of the reason I did this study was so you guys could pick your own classes. Well, here we are! My good friend Vae Victis is already making a Disgaea story while I am certainly considering one, so the sooner you get back to me, the better. Some class choices were either obvious or I've already received answers about, but the rest I need your feedback on.
Group A- Overlord Vae Victis
Vae Victis-
Brea-
Brandon-
Group B- The 40th Defender of Earth
Ethan, 40th Defender of Earth
Alex- Dragon
Josh-
Group C- Demon Rebellion
Jenna- Thief
Aaron- Prinny
Group D- Rival Shyruni
Shyruni-
Group E- Wandering Units
Michaela-
Rin-
More characters can be added, and class choices can be changed if desired. Note that Ethan is only a special class due to being the 40th Defender of Earth. The list will be edited as more results come in. Please respond sooner than later!
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
Disgaea Study Part 2: Monsters
Note: Due to having beaten Disgaea 2, I changed a few monsters (mainly the last few) due to greater knowledge.
Monsters!!!!!
"Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves
And the dreams of trees unfold
When woodland halls are green and cool
And the wind is in the west
Come back to me
Come back to me
And say my land is best"
....wait, this isn't Lord of the Rings? DANGIT.
Wood Golems are essentially the monster version of Heavy Knights. They are natural pacifists, but can become aggressive when threatened (*ahem* ENTS *ahem*). Lots of health, lots of defense, lots of attack, but as slow as a walking tree. What makes them special is the fact that they regenerate 20% of their health every turn, making taking them out immediately an enemy priority, and it's certainly not an easy one. Another good bodyguard unit.
Rifle Demon
These are possibly the most demonic race of monsters: sadistic, greedy, and almost always drunk. Yet despite being drunk, this race has a very powerful and ye strange ability: they can't miss. It's not that they are just good shots or have great accuracy...they legitimately cannot miss a shot. They could have 0 accuracy and hit anything.
Beyond their strange and yet incredible ability, their attack and defense stats are also rather large, but similar to Wood Golems, they move fairly slow. But with quite a few powerful and ranged special moves, their ability, and good offense and defense, these are very large threats...and don't expect them to become allies very easily.
Deathsabers
Little is known about this strange race of monster, even scientists have obtained little about these creatures. Energetic and very catlike (no duh), these are just about as demonic as the Rifle Demons, impish and seductive.
They are weak defensively and aren't the smartest, but have good attack and move really quickly AND far. Not only that, but the farther they move, the more damage they deal. Plus they use a fish as a mace...which is kinda cool.
Mass Produced Kurtis
Apparently the EDF realized exactly how much potential Kurtis had, as they took the plans for his cyborg body from Disgaea 1 and used it to create an army of powerful robots.
These guys are living proof of why Kurtis is awesome: these units ROCK. Their stats are awesome, having 100%-120% growths all across the board, good movement, decent special moves, AND the ability to attack twice if they didn't move! Yikes!
Hilariously enough, their weakness is their class position: being a monster. Since they can't learn weapon abilities or equip any other weapon beyond the monster weapon, they become as straightforward of units as Prinnies; in other words, predictable. They have no ranged attacks beyond their special moves, and while their stats are good, they have no specific advantage over types of combat, meaning anything can hit them and deal damage.
Monsters!!!!!
As you probably expected, and probably already knew, Disgaea has monsters. Monsters are the most prominent beings in any dimension, and are thus unfairly treated by many. Yet monsters are not simply stuff to test out blades on. Some monsters are brainless, but others have as much if not more intelligence and power compared to the other races, and some rival the power of even the gods themselves.
Now, normally I would give a summary of monster attributes, but I actually can't do that here. Unlike the other races, different classes of monsters aren't different types of the same monster, they are completely different species. They all look different, live in different locations, and act differently, so there's no way to sum them up. So, for the monster section, I will go right into the class section and cover each monster there.
Classes
Faerie
Faeries are very unique monsters in many ways. For one, they are one of the few monsters that commonly reside in human worlds. They are very closely tied to other members of their species, and are considered to be quite intelligent. For some reason they normally lose their magical powers in the Netherworld, so they wear a special cape to prevent it.
These creatures, as I'm sure you guessed, are pranksters. They aren't very powerful normally, but possess a variety of tactics which can cause status effects and annoy the heck out of you. The danger from these creatures is most noticeable when they travel in packs, which is quite common for Faeries. Even though it's easy to underestimate them, don't.
Winged
Going back on the topic of annoying monsters, Winged are certainly not fun to deal with. Like Faeries, they tend to travel in packs, but are very selfish and stubborn, having little to no bond with their own people. Because of this, they often get into fights with their own pack.
These things are all about movement and annoyance. They can move really far and have a variety of status moves...but beyond that, they kinda suck. They don't do much damage, don't have much defense, and are really hard to use.
Lantern
Supposedly, these creatures were once normal pumpkins turned into monsters, and are thus considered to be edible. Lantern hunts aren't too uncommon in demon worlds.
However, these are not beings to be ignored. They are ruthless killers who know how to wield a blade, and they will not hesitate to do so. They stab and slash at targets repeatedly, most of their special moves being a string of sword slashes. Agile and strong, but not the best defensively.
Dark Knight
Unlike most monsters, Dark Knights have a strong sense of both chivalry and honor, only fighting on fair conditions. They possibly the most skilled swordsmen of all monsters, though their origins are unknown.
These guys are very similar to Lanterns, although they prefer one powerful swing as opposed to many weaker ones. They move somewhat slow, but are fairly bulky and can deal quite a bit of damage. These are some of the best guard monsters you can get.
Beast
Beasts have a lion's body, a monkey's face, a scorpion's tail, and bat wings, making you wonder where the heck this thing came from. Despite being animalistic and stubborn, they are some of the strongest monsters, and will attack on sight if it feels like it. The love chasing anything that moves, and have become considered near the top of the food chain. That being said, they aren't too bright, many not even knowing how to speak.
Shadow
Some of the most hated monsters, Shadows are magical beings that seem to have some control over souls. A special red Shadow leads the souls of Prinnies during the Red Moon. They are some of the strongest magicians of the monsters, and are especially good with fire and ice magic. That being said, like magicians, they also can be somewhat frail, and lack in terms of physical combat.
Treant
Treants are a common sight in the Netherworld, and are carnivorous plants that contain poisonous fumes. They originated from a tree that mysteriously gained it's own will, known as the Millennium Tree. They have longer lifespans than even the demons, but are fairly weak and don't stand strong in harsh weather.
They move slow, and while they can take quite a few hits, they are still pretty weak. They mainly are used as annoyances, having many ways of paralyzing opponents.
Gargoyle
Gargoyles are guardians created by ancient wizards, and still guard their treasures even after their master's death. Despite originally being very single-minded and controlled, some have begun to gain free will, and now roam free. Still, Gargoyles are very strong and loyal guardians. They are very well-rounded, even though they don't really use magic.
Golem
Golems are monsters created from highly pressured gases of the Netherworld. They are very peaceful monsters, but very powerful when provoked. Slow, but tough, they monsters are good guards and meatshields.
Serpent
Serpents are a rare shark-like dragon that mainly exist in the Netherworld. They are very aggressive and are continually on the hunt for other beings. They are very powerful, and should only be approached with extreme caution.
Galactic Demon
Literally born out of darkness, they first appeared in the Stellar Graveyard, and thus began wandering through dimensions and space. They aren't aggressive in nature, but aren't opposed to fighting either...they just don't care.
These monsters, while really slow, have incredible durability. They can take hits from opponents levels higher, and laugh. Their defense and resistance is insane, possibly being the greatest tanks in the universe. Only take one of them on if you KNOW you can handle it, or you might not even dent it.
Nether Nobles
Incredibly wealthy, these monsters don't like to fight much...they hire other monsters to fight for them. Often lazy and stingy, these are some of the meanest and most obnoxious being in all the Netherworld.
That being said, they can actually put up quite a fight if they have to. These guys are quite tough, and since their guards and warriors are usually some of the best, one should take extreme caution invading their castles...though the riches you will receive may be worth it.
Nosferatu
Common in both the human and demon worlds, but rare in appearance, these monsters are quite the sight. Whether the concept of the vampire came from the Nosferatu or not is unknown, but they can move in daylight. They are very strong and intelligent, and are one of the greatest threats to any Overlord due to their scheming tendencies. They wield both magic and melee very well, and their special attacks often have a large range.
Spirit
Spirits are the most mysterious beings in all the Netherworld, since nobody has any idea where they came from despite being so common. They tend to travel in packs, and are fairly quick in terms of travel.
They are magicians that naturally regain their SP, allow them to cast off spells rather continually. Very weak physically, but stronger spirits can be great threats.
Undead
Undead are humans that died in the Netheworld, but were revived by the poisonous air. Their bodies constantly rot but never fall apart, suggesting some form of constant regeneration. Most of them have lost their memories as humans, and wander the Netherworld as it's own species.
The strength and intelligence of any Undead depends on the strength and intelligence of the human it came from. Some Undead can't even speak, but others can talk normally and sometimes could even be school teachers. Some demons fall apart in a few hits, while others have the strength of Overlords. It makes them very unpredictabe.
Even so, most Undead serve as meatshields, as they have high HP and decent defenses and offense. They also heal whenever they defeat an opponent.
Succubus
*REPEATED FACEDESK*
Well...here we are, the proof that this game is Japanese...the Succubus.
Apparently they're sort of shapeshifters, as their appearance changes depending on whom they're trying to deduce. They also do more damage to males. They're fairly tough, but there's not much special about them.
Just...no.
Felynn
As if Japan needed to prove to people just how Japanese this game was...cat people. Underdressed cat people. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY-
Apparently they reside in the human world, and are cats who turned into people through...evil...power? Yeah, whatever, cool.
Essentially, they're skilled martial artists, with high counter rates and high damage. As much as I would hate to use them personally due to unnecessary looks, they are good fighters, and not a bad choice if you need some front line fighters.
Dragon
The classic dragon. One of the most powerful race of monsters and possibly the most respected. They only serve those stronger than them, so most Dragons wander the universe in search of challenges. Most of the strongest being in the universe are dragons.
Dragons are immune to any sort of fire attacks, and dish it out with ease. Good stats all-round, Dragons are never a bad choice for any team.
Prinny
Prinnies: mascots of Disgaea and possibly one of the most unique creations in the entire series. They are souls of sinners from the human world encased in a sown-together skin that looks like a penguin, and for some strange reason explode when thrown.
Simply, Prinnies are sort of like a "Second Chance" for humans. When a human becomes a Prinny, they have a chance at reincarnation. They must work to pay off their sins, and one they succeed they are reincarnated in a ritual known as the "Red Moon".
Prinnies exist both in Celestia and the Netherworld, but they are treated very differently. In Celestia, Prinnies work for Celestians, but are treated fairly and never overworked. In the Netherworld on the other hand, Prinnies are essentially slave labor. They get pretty much no pay, and are forced to work as hard as their owner demands. Since Prinnies don't really die and simply get resown, physical abuse and throwing of Prinnies is quite common.
Their pouches that seem to have infinite space carry multiple weapons which the Prinnies utilize in combat. They can also fly short periods of time due to their tiny wings..
They are the most basic footsoldier in the Netherworld, it's incredibly rare when an Overlord doesn't have any. They are pretty well rounded with more focus in attack than defense, but are pretty basic in terms of damage. However, Prinnies with enough training and experience (usually in Prinny Land) can become bringers of destruction, some even stronger than most Overlords.
Orc
One of the weaker and more common monster races is the Orc. They are pretty straightforward: smash first, questions never. They work together in packs, the strongest orc always being the leader, whom they always obey without question.
Very basic and not very strong, I wouldn't recommend them. They can fight well with the correct equipment, though.
Winged Warrior
These are pretty much Disgaea 2's version of the Winged. They serve the exact same purpose: moving large distances and annoying the heck out of your opponents. They are used mainly as messengers to dangerous places, but are very cowardly and get scared easily. Still, they're incredibly fast and move really far, so they make good scouts and messengers.
Aqua Demon
These frog/slug things are a race of monsters that live mainly underwater. Their feelers allow them to feel the flow of water and air movements, and have organs that emit electricity. They often hide underwater and pounce on intruders...well, as much as they can pounce.
They are immune to water/ice magic and are good for tanking hits. Their defenses aren't the greatest and they move slow, but they still have above average defense.
Flora Beast
Flora Beasts are forest spirits that grow from seeds. They are normally very shy and enclose themselves in their petals, but they can be aggressive when provoked.
These once again underdressed monsters are melee attackers/healers, which do their job with mixed success. They aren't bad, but sometimes other monsters or races do their job better. They're still handy backup healers, and they are resistant to magic.
Mystic Beast
Beasts with sharp horns that can control the wind, these wolves are immune to wind magic. Unlike most monsters, they have a strong tie between parent and child, the parents are willing to risk their lives for their children. They train their children strictly and send them into battle, but it's for their own good.
Fast and aggressive, they're good frontline fighters, with obviously a little less in the defenses.
Marionette
They are neglected toys of children, and they wander around sorrowing and singing songs. You can befriend them by singing with them.
They are fairly nice units to have due to the fact that they can't receive status effect. No poison, no paralysis, no curse, nothing. They can fight pretty well and are pretty quick, so they're always handy to have around.
Holy Dragon
A special kind of dragon that's honest and loyal. They mainly reside in Celestia, which might explain their different attitude. They're immune to all non-elemental magic and abilities, and deal damage mainly through magic attacks. Like normal dragons, they're very strong and very useful.
Dragon Zombie
Dragon Zombies are higher level Dragons that lived on even after death. They're faster and stronger, but less intelligent. They are very resistant to melee attacks and have high attack power. And when I mean resistant to melee, I mean you'd be better off trying to cut titanium with a pocket knife. Of course, they are very weak to magic and slow, but their high attack power and ranged abilities allow them to take those magicians out very quickly.
Great Wyrm/Entei/Etc
A powerful dragon/entei/demon/etc/etc/etc. I don't even think the game knows what it is. All that you need to know is that these burn everything in their path. These beasts have the highest attack power of any class in Disgaea, as well as pretty good defenses. Of course, like all other powerful beings, they move really slow.
Hilariously enough, despite being powerful beings of fire, they have great respect and care for others of their own kind. So much that they actually become stronger when another one is on the same map. A pack of these demons have the power to take down gods.
Hilariously enough, despite being powerful beings of fire, they have great respect and care for others of their own kind. So much that they actually become stronger when another one is on the same map. A pack of these demons have the power to take down gods.
Roc
I don't....I don't even...
A chicken/snake thing that were (not surprisingly) were the result of mislead experiments and thrown away, but they managed to reproduce enough to become a species. They were originally considered pests, but are now considered to be useful soldiers.
Their advantage lies in the fact that all nearby enemies become weakened in all attributes. Beyond that, they have a few annoying abilities, and fight pretty well overall.
Wood Golem
"Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves
And the dreams of trees unfold
When woodland halls are green and cool
And the wind is in the west
Come back to me
Come back to me
And say my land is best"
....wait, this isn't Lord of the Rings? DANGIT.
Wood Golems are essentially the monster version of Heavy Knights. They are natural pacifists, but can become aggressive when threatened (*ahem* ENTS *ahem*). Lots of health, lots of defense, lots of attack, but as slow as a walking tree. What makes them special is the fact that they regenerate 20% of their health every turn, making taking them out immediately an enemy priority, and it's certainly not an easy one. Another good bodyguard unit.
Rifle Demon
These are possibly the most demonic race of monsters: sadistic, greedy, and almost always drunk. Yet despite being drunk, this race has a very powerful and ye strange ability: they can't miss. It's not that they are just good shots or have great accuracy...they legitimately cannot miss a shot. They could have 0 accuracy and hit anything.
Beyond their strange and yet incredible ability, their attack and defense stats are also rather large, but similar to Wood Golems, they move fairly slow. But with quite a few powerful and ranged special moves, their ability, and good offense and defense, these are very large threats...and don't expect them to become allies very easily.
Deathsabers
Little is known about this strange race of monster, even scientists have obtained little about these creatures. Energetic and very catlike (no duh), these are just about as demonic as the Rifle Demons, impish and seductive.
They are weak defensively and aren't the smartest, but have good attack and move really quickly AND far. Not only that, but the farther they move, the more damage they deal. Plus they use a fish as a mace...which is kinda cool.
Mass Produced Kurtis
Apparently the EDF realized exactly how much potential Kurtis had, as they took the plans for his cyborg body from Disgaea 1 and used it to create an army of powerful robots.
These guys are living proof of why Kurtis is awesome: these units ROCK. Their stats are awesome, having 100%-120% growths all across the board, good movement, decent special moves, AND the ability to attack twice if they didn't move! Yikes!
Hilariously enough, their weakness is their class position: being a monster. Since they can't learn weapon abilities or equip any other weapon beyond the monster weapon, they become as straightforward of units as Prinnies; in other words, predictable. They have no ranged attacks beyond their special moves, and while their stats are good, they have no specific advantage over types of combat, meaning anything can hit them and deal damage.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Edge of the Empire: Maniac's Requiem
The destruction of the Death Star was a surprise to all of us. We all knew the risks, we knew what we were facing, and we knew it was near impossible. It had to be done, but it just seemed like there was no possible way. How could we, so unorganized and unproffesional, possibly stop one of the greatest powers in the galaxy.
And yet it happened, the greatest miracle we could have ever hoped for. It was all ended in one singular battle over the Death Star. There are plenty of rumors as to how it happened, but no one really cared in the end. The Empire had been dethroned, and the galaxy was at peace...well, as peaceful as it could get. The celebrations lasted for weeks, but now, a few months later, things were starting to calm down...except in Corellia.
I couldn't help but laugh as a few drunk Corellians walked by. Being fairly resistant to alcohol, it took a serious celebration for Corellians to get drunk, but I guess they considered this as an excuse for such. But with such a happy atmosphere, it was kinda hard to get frustrated at them, and we are somewhat known for our alcohol.
"Back at this bar again, Brennis? I never thought you were the drinking type."
I chuckled as a man sat down at another empty table. "I'm not, I just like the atmosphere here. Very peaceful, gives me a good place to think."
He smirked. "Right, because a bar in the middle of Coronet City is the most serene place you could think of."
"Hey, it's not THAT bad. Besides, this bar is a fairly unpopular one."
"Which is exactly why you're here," he said, laughing.
"Very funny, Torva." I said, taking a drink.
He was an old pal of mine from the Rebel days, Torva the mechanic. He always took care of our weapons and suits back in the military. We both were new recruits when we met, so we hit it off really well. He couldn't wield a gun very well, but that man could find any problem with your weapon and fix it in minute's flat. I'd hate get on his bad side, he could do some nasty stuff.
I stood up and walked over to his table.
"So, how's the family?" I asked, sitting down.
"You knew?" He said, smirking.
"I'm not THAT outside the circle. How was the honeymoon?"
"It was wonderful." he said, smiling. "It wasn't anything special, but we had a great time. Corellia is truly beautiful if you look in the right places."
"I second that," I said, raising my glass.
We both sat silently for a few minutes. At first I didn't pay any attention to it, but after a minute I became a little curious. Usually Torva was a massive chatterbox, long moments of silence weren't usual for him.
"Are you alright?" I asked, curious as to what made this change.
Torva's face suddenly became serious. "Yes...and you?"
"Hmm?"
He turned his face towards mine. "Don't act stupid, Brennis, you know exactly what I'm talking about."
"Do I?" I said, smirking.
He nodded, still looking serious.
"What gave you that idea?" I said, taking a drink.
"Why else would you be in this specific bar, ordering some of the worst alcohol known to all of Corellia? You know, just like..."
"That's enough, Torva."
"Oh, sorry..." he said, suddenly looking very shameful. "That bad, huh?"
"Eh, not really," I said, taking another drink. "Common depression, occasional nightmares, nothing serious."
His face took on a look of horror. "Shouldn't you see somebody about it?"
"I wish I could...but you know I can't do that."
"Because you're a stubborn coward?"
"Yeah."
We sat in silence for a few more minutes.
"So, why else are you here?" I asked.
He looked surprised. "What do you mean?"
"If you were done talking about serious things, you would have gone back into talking about your wife or something again. You obviously have something else in mind."
"Well..." he said, sheepishly.
"Is it because of my resignation?"
He looked surprised, then slowly looked down. I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Torva...the war is over. There's no need for me anymore."
"That's not true...there are still plenty of things for you to do." He said, looking serious again. "There's still quite a few Stormtroopers walking around, we're having some difficulty with some of the local merchants, and we stopped the Empire, we didn't destroy it."
"Isn't stopping them good enough for now?"
He suddenly stood up, looking very offended. "Of course not!!! The existence of the Rebellion was to put an end to the Empire!!!"
"Torva..."
"They're so powerful...even with the destruction of the Death Star, their reign of tyranny isn't over!!! They will come back, probably even stronger!!!"
"Torva." I said, slowly standing up.
"They've killed so many innocent people!!! They've destroyed so many planets!!! They've-"
"TORVA!" I said, grabbing him by the shoulders and glaring at him. His face quickly turned to one of shame.
"I-I-I'm..." he said, stuttering.
My glare softened.
"I'm sorry...," I said, firmly grasping his shoulders. "I know it's selfish of me. I know you still want me around, and I know there's more I could do. I just...just...I can't. Not now."
He looked sad at first, but slowly began to nod. "Yeah...sorry about bothering you."
He began to walk away, but was surprised as he felt one of the hands on his shoulders resist. Curious, he turned around, noticing in the other hand I was extending a cylindrical metal object to him. His curious look quickly turned to that of shock.
"B-Brennis! This is her..."
"I know." I said, putting it in his hand and closing his hand around it. I backed up a few steps, and he noticed that I was smiling, but with a touch of sadness.
"I will be back. I do not know when, but I will be back." I pointed at the object in his hand. "Consider that a symbol of my oath."
I then walked away. As Torva began to fade into the distance, hundreds of conflicting emotions flew through my head. So much had happened, and so quickly...how much more damage would it do? How many more people would I hurt? Why did it have to happen? Why?
As I continued to walk along, I noticed something strange in the distance. It appeared to be some form of ship, and a very messy one at that. But people seemed to be going in and out at a pretty fair rate. Curious, I walked towards it and peeked in.
To my surprise, it looked like it was some sort of small bar. It wasn't too pretty or that large, but it seemed to be rather crowded. It was full of all different kind of people: Tradoshans, Twi'leks, humans, Bothans, and even a Wookie. Whatever this place was, it appeared to be a fairly popular spot.
I walked in and ordered the cheapest drink on the menu. The bartender droid looked at me strangely for a second, but poured my drink and I sat down. I couldn't help but ponder over the strange look of the ship. It looked well used and I noticed many weapons that were hidden from plain sight. Just what was this place?
"You know that's trash, right?"
I turned around noticed there was another human sitting next to me. He was covered in strange gear and I noticed quite a few weapons hidden in his jacket. He also appeared to be very drunk.
"What are you talking about?" I said, taking a drink.
"That!" He said, pointing at my drink. "How can you drink that stuff?"
"It's not THAT bad." I said, taking another drink.
"I'm pretty sure that stuff came out of the drain." he said, drinking out of his own bottle.
"Well, maybe you don't have that good of taste then," I said, smirking.
He whirled around, suddenly looking very upset. "What did you just say!?"
"All I said was that maybe you don't have very efficient taste buds," I said, laughing.
He stood up. "You asking for a fight!?" he said, his voice getting louder. I noticed people beginning to look in our direction.
"I don't think you want to do that." I said, calmly taking another drink.
"Why not!?" He said, fuming.
"Because I'm not in the mood for bullying kids today."
That did it. He flipped the table over, and I quickly jumped back. He pulled up his fists and went into some form of fighting stance...if you could call it that. He was so drunk that it looked like he could barely stand up.
The people in the bar suddenly began to cheer. At first I was confused as to why they looked so excited, then I realized that they were expecting and looking forward to a bar fight. I couldn't help but grin. Who was I to displease the crowd?
"I guess a small warm-up won't hurt," I said, cracking my fists. I charged forward and landed a solid hit in the stomach. He staggered backwards, and I couldn't help but laugh.
Then all of the sudden HE charged forward, and before I knew what happened he punched me directly in the face...really hard. I was so shocked I almost fell over.
As I tried to regain composure, I tried to figure out what happened. Did that drunkard really just land a solid hit on me? He looked like he could barely stand up! Did I just dream that?
I tried to land a kick, but he suddenly dodged it. It was only a second later where I found his other fist once again aiming for my face. I managed to avoid it, but just barely. A second later and it would have been another direct hit.
I couldn't believe it. How was this happening? I may not have been the best fighter, but I was certainly no pushover. How was I doing so badly?
I backed up a second and looked him over. I suddenly noticed that his jacket didn't look worn because of alcohol stains, but with dirt and sand. There were even more weapons than I originally noticed hidden in his jacket. As he charged forward again, I noticed that despite his drunk appearance, his fighting stance and attacks were surprisingly solid.
I grinned. As drunk as he appeared to be, this man was not the simple idiot I imagined him to be. As to what exactly he was and what he did, I couldn't tell, but he certainly knew how to fight, and fight well. This was a good challenge, the best one I had found in awhile.
We traded blows a few more times, each blow coming faster. The crowd cheered more, and I got even more hyped up. This fight was awesome! It had been a long time since I had so much fun! It was just like when I hung out with the guys...
A thought suddenly occurred to me. I smirked and put up a certain combat pose I had learned long ago. I waited patiently, waiting for what I knew what was to come. Sure enough, he charged forward, going for another one to my face. Just when it looked like I was about to be hit, I suddenly dodged and retaliated, punching him directly in the face...
...a little TOO well. As to whether we were that different in physical strength, whether his drunkenness had finally began to take him over, or just dumb luck, we'll never know...but he flew. Over 10 feet backwards, directly into a group of wine bottles.
The crowd suddenly stopped cheering, and most of them began to leave. It took a minute for me to realize that I had just damaged some important beverage, and who knows how much I would have to pay for it. Everyone left looked in my direction both angrily and curiously as I sheepishly grinned back.
A few of them began to walk in my direction menacingly, and I prepared for the worst.
"Stop."
Everyone suddenly stopped and slowly turned around, hearing the commanding voice. It came from a tall Trandoshan wearing dark robes and concealing what appeared to be a powerful sword.
"Why!?" Asked what appeared to be some strange medic. "What's wrong with killing him!?"
"Whoah whoah whoah," I said, panicking rather seriously. "I didn't mean any-"
"Restrain him." He commanded. A bothan wearing incredibly massive armor came and took the gun from the medic while a wookie held him still. The Trandoshan walked forward and gestured the Twi'lek to follow.
"Just so you know, you just broke bottles of some very important alcohol known as Whyren's Reserve." the Trandoshan said, rather seriously.
"Of course, just my luck," I said, panicked and confused. "I'm guessing there's no peaceful way out of this."
The Trandoshan grinned. "No, there isn't...however, I think I have a solution to both of our problems that will work out for both of us in the end."
I stood there rather confused as the Trandoshan whispered to the Twi'lek for a few seconds. Then the Twi'lek stepped forward.
"We, um...have recently received a job offer from someone. Uh...in return, he has promised to replenish the supply of Whyren's Reserve upon completion." she said both very professionally and yet unprofessionally at the same time.
The Trandoshan then stepped further forward. "It is a...somewhat dangerous mission. It's not completely legal, and requires some precautions. I couldn't help but notice your...brawl with the drunkey..."
"Oh yeah, um, about that..." I said hoping to change the subject.
He actually grinned. "I was impressed by your skills, you handled the fight very well. And guessing by the many guns you have with you, I would assume you are not just good with your fists."
The conversation began to interest me. "What does that have to do with this mission?"
He gestured back towards the droid. "Our previous gunner was looking to become a full-time barkeeper, and we needed someone to fill his position. After seeing your fight, I think you'll do nicely."
"What are you offering?"
"A very generous deal," he said, grinning in an intimidating manner. "Help us with this mission, and consider the damage you dealt paid off. If you show enough promise, we might allow you to join us. That is, with your consent of course."
I thought for a minute. These guys were a band of fighters, definitely strong and definitely not legal. Whatever we would face would be incredibly dangerous, full of traps, tough enemies, and lots of other things. Who knows how many laws they broke on a daily basis, and none of them looked very trustworthy. They could easily just backstab me after the job and leave me for dead. In the end, the choice was obvious.
"Count me in," I said, grinning.
I chuckled as a man sat down at another empty table. "I'm not, I just like the atmosphere here. Very peaceful, gives me a good place to think."
He smirked. "Right, because a bar in the middle of Coronet City is the most serene place you could think of."
"Hey, it's not THAT bad. Besides, this bar is a fairly unpopular one."
"Which is exactly why you're here," he said, laughing.
"Very funny, Torva." I said, taking a drink.
He was an old pal of mine from the Rebel days, Torva the mechanic. He always took care of our weapons and suits back in the military. We both were new recruits when we met, so we hit it off really well. He couldn't wield a gun very well, but that man could find any problem with your weapon and fix it in minute's flat. I'd hate get on his bad side, he could do some nasty stuff.
I stood up and walked over to his table.
"So, how's the family?" I asked, sitting down.
"You knew?" He said, smirking.
"I'm not THAT outside the circle. How was the honeymoon?"
"It was wonderful." he said, smiling. "It wasn't anything special, but we had a great time. Corellia is truly beautiful if you look in the right places."
"I second that," I said, raising my glass.
We both sat silently for a few minutes. At first I didn't pay any attention to it, but after a minute I became a little curious. Usually Torva was a massive chatterbox, long moments of silence weren't usual for him.
"Are you alright?" I asked, curious as to what made this change.
Torva's face suddenly became serious. "Yes...and you?"
"Hmm?"
He turned his face towards mine. "Don't act stupid, Brennis, you know exactly what I'm talking about."
"Do I?" I said, smirking.
He nodded, still looking serious.
"What gave you that idea?" I said, taking a drink.
"Why else would you be in this specific bar, ordering some of the worst alcohol known to all of Corellia? You know, just like..."
"That's enough, Torva."
"Oh, sorry..." he said, suddenly looking very shameful. "That bad, huh?"
"Eh, not really," I said, taking another drink. "Common depression, occasional nightmares, nothing serious."
His face took on a look of horror. "Shouldn't you see somebody about it?"
"I wish I could...but you know I can't do that."
"Because you're a stubborn coward?"
"Yeah."
We sat in silence for a few more minutes.
"So, why else are you here?" I asked.
He looked surprised. "What do you mean?"
"If you were done talking about serious things, you would have gone back into talking about your wife or something again. You obviously have something else in mind."
"Well..." he said, sheepishly.
"Is it because of my resignation?"
He looked surprised, then slowly looked down. I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Torva...the war is over. There's no need for me anymore."
"That's not true...there are still plenty of things for you to do." He said, looking serious again. "There's still quite a few Stormtroopers walking around, we're having some difficulty with some of the local merchants, and we stopped the Empire, we didn't destroy it."
"Isn't stopping them good enough for now?"
He suddenly stood up, looking very offended. "Of course not!!! The existence of the Rebellion was to put an end to the Empire!!!"
"Torva..."
"They're so powerful...even with the destruction of the Death Star, their reign of tyranny isn't over!!! They will come back, probably even stronger!!!"
"Torva." I said, slowly standing up.
"They've killed so many innocent people!!! They've destroyed so many planets!!! They've-"
"TORVA!" I said, grabbing him by the shoulders and glaring at him. His face quickly turned to one of shame.
"I-I-I'm..." he said, stuttering.
My glare softened.
"I'm sorry...," I said, firmly grasping his shoulders. "I know it's selfish of me. I know you still want me around, and I know there's more I could do. I just...just...I can't. Not now."
He looked sad at first, but slowly began to nod. "Yeah...sorry about bothering you."
He began to walk away, but was surprised as he felt one of the hands on his shoulders resist. Curious, he turned around, noticing in the other hand I was extending a cylindrical metal object to him. His curious look quickly turned to that of shock.
"B-Brennis! This is her..."
"I know." I said, putting it in his hand and closing his hand around it. I backed up a few steps, and he noticed that I was smiling, but with a touch of sadness.
"I will be back. I do not know when, but I will be back." I pointed at the object in his hand. "Consider that a symbol of my oath."
I then walked away. As Torva began to fade into the distance, hundreds of conflicting emotions flew through my head. So much had happened, and so quickly...how much more damage would it do? How many more people would I hurt? Why did it have to happen? Why?
As I continued to walk along, I noticed something strange in the distance. It appeared to be some form of ship, and a very messy one at that. But people seemed to be going in and out at a pretty fair rate. Curious, I walked towards it and peeked in.
To my surprise, it looked like it was some sort of small bar. It wasn't too pretty or that large, but it seemed to be rather crowded. It was full of all different kind of people: Tradoshans, Twi'leks, humans, Bothans, and even a Wookie. Whatever this place was, it appeared to be a fairly popular spot.
I walked in and ordered the cheapest drink on the menu. The bartender droid looked at me strangely for a second, but poured my drink and I sat down. I couldn't help but ponder over the strange look of the ship. It looked well used and I noticed many weapons that were hidden from plain sight. Just what was this place?
"You know that's trash, right?"
I turned around noticed there was another human sitting next to me. He was covered in strange gear and I noticed quite a few weapons hidden in his jacket. He also appeared to be very drunk.
"What are you talking about?" I said, taking a drink.
"That!" He said, pointing at my drink. "How can you drink that stuff?"
"It's not THAT bad." I said, taking another drink.
"I'm pretty sure that stuff came out of the drain." he said, drinking out of his own bottle.
"Well, maybe you don't have that good of taste then," I said, smirking.
He whirled around, suddenly looking very upset. "What did you just say!?"
"All I said was that maybe you don't have very efficient taste buds," I said, laughing.
He stood up. "You asking for a fight!?" he said, his voice getting louder. I noticed people beginning to look in our direction.
"I don't think you want to do that." I said, calmly taking another drink.
"Why not!?" He said, fuming.
"Because I'm not in the mood for bullying kids today."
That did it. He flipped the table over, and I quickly jumped back. He pulled up his fists and went into some form of fighting stance...if you could call it that. He was so drunk that it looked like he could barely stand up.
The people in the bar suddenly began to cheer. At first I was confused as to why they looked so excited, then I realized that they were expecting and looking forward to a bar fight. I couldn't help but grin. Who was I to displease the crowd?
"I guess a small warm-up won't hurt," I said, cracking my fists. I charged forward and landed a solid hit in the stomach. He staggered backwards, and I couldn't help but laugh.
Then all of the sudden HE charged forward, and before I knew what happened he punched me directly in the face...really hard. I was so shocked I almost fell over.
As I tried to regain composure, I tried to figure out what happened. Did that drunkard really just land a solid hit on me? He looked like he could barely stand up! Did I just dream that?
I tried to land a kick, but he suddenly dodged it. It was only a second later where I found his other fist once again aiming for my face. I managed to avoid it, but just barely. A second later and it would have been another direct hit.
I couldn't believe it. How was this happening? I may not have been the best fighter, but I was certainly no pushover. How was I doing so badly?
I backed up a second and looked him over. I suddenly noticed that his jacket didn't look worn because of alcohol stains, but with dirt and sand. There were even more weapons than I originally noticed hidden in his jacket. As he charged forward again, I noticed that despite his drunk appearance, his fighting stance and attacks were surprisingly solid.
I grinned. As drunk as he appeared to be, this man was not the simple idiot I imagined him to be. As to what exactly he was and what he did, I couldn't tell, but he certainly knew how to fight, and fight well. This was a good challenge, the best one I had found in awhile.
We traded blows a few more times, each blow coming faster. The crowd cheered more, and I got even more hyped up. This fight was awesome! It had been a long time since I had so much fun! It was just like when I hung out with the guys...
A thought suddenly occurred to me. I smirked and put up a certain combat pose I had learned long ago. I waited patiently, waiting for what I knew what was to come. Sure enough, he charged forward, going for another one to my face. Just when it looked like I was about to be hit, I suddenly dodged and retaliated, punching him directly in the face...
...a little TOO well. As to whether we were that different in physical strength, whether his drunkenness had finally began to take him over, or just dumb luck, we'll never know...but he flew. Over 10 feet backwards, directly into a group of wine bottles.
The crowd suddenly stopped cheering, and most of them began to leave. It took a minute for me to realize that I had just damaged some important beverage, and who knows how much I would have to pay for it. Everyone left looked in my direction both angrily and curiously as I sheepishly grinned back.
A few of them began to walk in my direction menacingly, and I prepared for the worst.
"Stop."
Everyone suddenly stopped and slowly turned around, hearing the commanding voice. It came from a tall Trandoshan wearing dark robes and concealing what appeared to be a powerful sword.
"Why!?" Asked what appeared to be some strange medic. "What's wrong with killing him!?"
"Whoah whoah whoah," I said, panicking rather seriously. "I didn't mean any-"
"Restrain him." He commanded. A bothan wearing incredibly massive armor came and took the gun from the medic while a wookie held him still. The Trandoshan walked forward and gestured the Twi'lek to follow.
"Just so you know, you just broke bottles of some very important alcohol known as Whyren's Reserve." the Trandoshan said, rather seriously.
"Of course, just my luck," I said, panicked and confused. "I'm guessing there's no peaceful way out of this."
The Trandoshan grinned. "No, there isn't...however, I think I have a solution to both of our problems that will work out for both of us in the end."
I stood there rather confused as the Trandoshan whispered to the Twi'lek for a few seconds. Then the Twi'lek stepped forward.
"We, um...have recently received a job offer from someone. Uh...in return, he has promised to replenish the supply of Whyren's Reserve upon completion." she said both very professionally and yet unprofessionally at the same time.
The Trandoshan then stepped further forward. "It is a...somewhat dangerous mission. It's not completely legal, and requires some precautions. I couldn't help but notice your...brawl with the drunkey..."
"Oh yeah, um, about that..." I said hoping to change the subject.
He actually grinned. "I was impressed by your skills, you handled the fight very well. And guessing by the many guns you have with you, I would assume you are not just good with your fists."
The conversation began to interest me. "What does that have to do with this mission?"
He gestured back towards the droid. "Our previous gunner was looking to become a full-time barkeeper, and we needed someone to fill his position. After seeing your fight, I think you'll do nicely."
"What are you offering?"
"A very generous deal," he said, grinning in an intimidating manner. "Help us with this mission, and consider the damage you dealt paid off. If you show enough promise, we might allow you to join us. That is, with your consent of course."
I thought for a minute. These guys were a band of fighters, definitely strong and definitely not legal. Whatever we would face would be incredibly dangerous, full of traps, tough enemies, and lots of other things. Who knows how many laws they broke on a daily basis, and none of them looked very trustworthy. They could easily just backstab me after the job and leave me for dead. In the end, the choice was obvious.
"Count me in," I said, grinning.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Welcome to the Netherworld! Disgaea Study Part 1
Brennan's Study of Disgaea
Here it is, the long awaited, long discussed study of Disgaea! I'm really excited to do this, and I hope you guys enjoy this as well.
Today, we will be focusing mainly on the race of Disgaea known as "Demons", but before we begin, I would like to give an overview of what Disgaea is for those who don't know.
Disgaea: Dimensions of Fantasy, Monsters, and Japan
For those of you who have somehow not heard me going on tangents about it, Disgaea is a strategy rpg series that has mostly thrive on the platform of Sony. Known as one of the most Japanese rpgs on the market, this game has a decently sized, but very loyal fanbase. Either the player didn't get it, or they thought it was awesome (me obviously being the latter).
So, what is Disgaea? Well, many who have heard me talk about it have already heard this, but I'll cover it once more. Disgaea could be summed up by a simple question: "What if demons and angels were just like humans?"
Demons and Angels are not unknown to us, and either exists as simple myth or truth. Most of the time, they are shown as superior or inferior beings, either with incredible powers and majesty, or simply other creatures among the rest.
Disgaea takes the base concept of demons and angels and brings them either down or up to our level, depending on what you think of them. In Disgaea, humans, demons, angels, and monsters are simply different races, like elves and dwarves. They all have different physical and mental attributes, but all have emotions, thoughts, and all of them have souls.
Disgaea takes place across three different kinds of dimensions: Human Worlds, lands of the humans; Netherworlds, lands of the demons; and Celestia, land of the Angels. Monsters live throughout all three dimensions, but rarely do humans, angels, or demons go outside of their own dimension (though the means to do so exist).
But enough about that for now. If I feel more needs to be explained, I will do so later. Let's start our study with the main focus of the entire series: the Demons.
Demons: What's 911?
1. The Netherworld
2. Appearance
3. Behavior
4. Society
5. Classes
Demons: evil monsters of myth and legend as well as the main focus of Disgaea. As for why they chose to focus on demons specifically, that's unknown, but the majority of classes and characters in Disgaea are demons. First up, we will cover their home, the Netherworld.
The Netherworld
Now, one thing that makes this complicated (due to bad concepts) is that there are multiple different Netherworlds. This makes gathering data somewhat difficult, as things will obviously vary between Netherworlds. This information I have collected about Netherworlds may not be completely accurate, but they might not have Disgaea down to a science either.
The Netherworld, while not simply a fiery pit of doom, is pretty much what you'd expect: dark, gloomy, and the temperature completely depends on the landscape. The sky, while varying with amount of clouds and such, seems to be in a constant state of night. This suggests that Netherworlds may not actually have a sun, though they do indeed have a moon. Most of the lighting comes from either the moon or the terrain.
The Netherworld is overall very rocky, and the few places where vegetation grows are either small amounts of moss or swamps. Fertile soil is VERY rare in the Netherworld, suggesting that fruit and vegetables might be somewhat of a rarity, though Overlords could probably get their hands on some with ease.
There are very few buildings in the Netherworld, most of which being castles owned by Overlords. Most demons live in caves, small houses built out of what material they could find, or simply wander about with something to sleep on.
Temperature varies a lot depending on the landscape. While they have weather just like us, the constant night and large supply of hazardous areas affect that. Most of the time it's actually fairly cool, but landscape like lava or ice can affect this. There are many areas that are either completely frozen or running with lava, and the temperature of these areas follow suit.
But that's enough about their home, onto the demons themselves!
Appearance
Hah! You thought these demons looked liked monsters? Taste Japan!
In terms of physical structure, demons are almost exactly like humans, the only difference being their pointed ears. Oh yeah, and their gravity-defying hair...which the humans also have as well. Some demons have wings, tails, or other strange features, but what oddities demons have varies between each demon.
The main thing that separates demons from us (beyond manga art style) is their clothing. Even though the air in the Netherworld appears to be fairly cool, most demons wear very little clothing. Male demons almost never wear shirts (a jacket at best), and normally wear either long poofy pants or shorts. Female demons pretty much always have their stomache showing, wearing either short shirts or much less overall than desired. Like males, they also tend to wear short pants on long poofy pants, but sometimes wear short or long skirts. Trending colors seem to be red, black, grey, dark blue, etc.
It is possible that clothing somewhat expresses your rank among the demon world, as more important demons do wear more clothing. However, this is merely speculation, and has never been mentioned in the series.
Their physique tends to be either more buff or more agile, probably due to the harsh living conditions of the Netherworld. Their skin is actually pretty white, once again, probably due to the constant night of their habitat.
Behavior
Demons tend to be, well...devilish. It's not really that surprising. Demons have a greater tendency than most to steal, lie, fight, and kill. Whether due to Netherworld culture or genes, the majority of demons have devilish tendencies.
Notice that I said "tend", and this is where Disgaea changes demons a lot. Demons, while more evil than most, are not directly "evil". Sure, most demons like doing more evil things, but that does not restrict demons to that. There are kind, honorable, and sometimes, even generous demons.
Like humans, angels, and monsters, demons have souls, meaning they have feelings and emotions. While demons seem to be mostly evil, they have the capability of changing, proved by both Disgaea games, in which demons clearly show signs of change. This could mean that the nasty behavior is completely determined by society, which means things could and maybe have changed in some Netherworlds.
Society
Demon society can be related to what we call the medieval "dark ages". The Netherworld is a place where "survival of the fittest" is taken to the most literal sense. Either you become strong, or you die.
Once again, I would like to note that while these are tendencies, these are not restrictions, so everything I say about their society isn't always the case, it's more of a generality.
In the Netherworld, being the strongest is what matters most. It doesn't matter if you're a genius or the best artist in the world, if you can't fight you're nobody. What little respect demons have for each other depends entirely on combat skill.
In the Netherworld, the law is completely determined by a jury known as the "Dark Assembly". All laws made have to be passed by them, making this jury possibly the strongest force in all Netherworlds...not that it's a very well organized jury. Bribing officials is common, and sometimes laws will be passed by beating the crap out of the jury until they submit. They may be why the most respected member of the jury are the strongest of the jury.
As for the laws themselves, there's nothing against criminal activities unless the jury disagrees with it, and even then those laws are rarely held to.
The highest rank of demon is an "Overlord", and how that title is earned has no direct method. Some earn it by birth, others beat up other demons to get it, and sometimes demons just call themselves Overlord and then everyone follows suit. It's unknown who became the first Overlord and how.
Overlords have no actual power in the Dark Assembly, it's more of a symbol of capability. Overlords are usually the strongest demons in Netherworld who aren't a part of the jury and thus, are the most respected. They usually reside in castles, unlike most demons, and once again, there are various methods of obtaining one, most of them not legal by our standards.
Education isn't held very highly in the Netherworld, only members of the jury and Overlords have access to much education. Most of what is taught is magic and combat skills and how to live on your own. Most demons learn how to fight at early childhood, some having committed actual murders. There are a few schools, and the few that exist are quite popular, but there aren't many.
There aren't actually that many demons, I would estimate each Netherworld having about 1/50 of earth's population, which is probably due to the harsh living conditions and high crime rate. Despite this, demons live much, MUCH longer than humans. This is both good and bad, as they have the normal lifespan of a human being, just stretched incredibly long, meaning it could be thousands of years before a demon grows into an adult.
Classes
Now to discuss the different kinds of demon. Due to only having played these games, I will only be covering the classes from Disgaea 1 and 2. Skills, magic, and etc can be passed on from class to class, so what class you are is more of stats, appearance, and behavior.
Warrior
Male Warriors are pretty simple. In order for a man to become one, they must sign a contract with the Warrior God, Grandell. This apparently must be a common thing for demons, because these are about as basic as any unit gets. They're pretty much the peasants of the Netherworld. Most of them have little to no combat art and believe that simplicity in combat is best, and it certainly has it's advantages. Skilled with swords and axes. No ranged capabilities or magic.
Valkyrie
Valkyrie are essentially the female versions of warriors, although much more rare. They are often trained by retired Valkyrie's, sometimes for their entire lives. However, there is still very little art to their combat, and while a bit more refined, are still as simple as male warriors. Skilled with swords and spears. No ranged capabilities or magic.
Magician
Magicians, known as Skulls in Disgaea 1, are essentially male wizards. They go to pretty much the only kind of school the Netherworld has, and we're not talking Harry Potter. These guys pack a punch with their spells, mainly learning elemental spells that really hurt. A team is not complete without some form of magic user, and these guys aren't bad choices. They learn magic skills a lot faster than other classes. Very skilled with staves and magic. Very frail.
Witch
Witches (Mages in Disgaea 1) are female versions of Magicians. Unlike Magicians, becoming a Witch requires no prior training, meaning that they are very common and often very inexperienced. However, trained witches can be very deadly with their combat magic, and for some reason it's easier for them to cast spells than other classes. Very skilled with staves and magic. Very frail.
Ninja
Ninjas come from a brotherhood of assassins. They follow a strict code, and any breaking of that code comes with severe punishment. However, in some Netherworlds Ninjas have become very loyal and useful bodyguards. Very skilled with fists, dodges attacks easily, and knows a few special moves. Is somewhat frail and has no ranged capability.
Kunoichi
Kunoichi are also assassins, but unlike their male counterpart, they aren't part of an organization and mainly are assassins for hire. They are faster than even Ninjas, are skilled with fists, and know quite a few techniques. Unfortunately, they are frail, and while they are better with their magical techniques than Ninjas, are more average than Ninjas.
Majin
Unlike other demons, Majin are widely respected by all in the Netherworld. They are few and far between, but they are the best of the best, some considered to be demigods. They have come so far that they are skilled with all weapons, and can learn pretty much any technique possible. Unfortunately, they are can be sort of slow, and their rank makes them massive targets. However, fight against a Majin with no allies, and you'll wish you were never born.
Armor Knight
Trained in a special organization, these men are the main bodyguards of the Netherworld. Most that become them stay as them, and proudly wear their armor for the rest of their lives. Their special armor is given to them when their training is complete, and it's just as resistant against magic as it is physical damage.
These guys are some of the best minions to have. If they are several levels below their opponent, they'll take average damage. A few levels? It'll hurt a little. Equal? It won't even scratch. These guys take hits and laugh, and they have great throwing capability as well. Unfortunately, they move REALLY SLOW, and have no magic or ranged attacks. They are pretty decent with swords, spears, and axes.
Sinner
What exactly these guys are is kinda a mystery. These guys have to have committed some pretty serious offenses, because they actually ended up in Netherworld prisons. In a place where crimes are usually worn as honorable medals, they must've done some pretty nasty stuff.
This is somewhat funny, as while supposedly they train constantly and are called upon by the Dark Assembly for battles, they kinda...suck. They are good with fists and have a high counter rate, but they suck with all other weapons, are pretty frail, and have no magic skills. They're not horrible, but certainly one of the worse demon units by far.
Wiseman
These guys are the masters of Geo Crystals, mysterious crystals that affect the land about them in various ways. They can control them, destroy them, use them to teleport, and are masters in the item world. The price for this power is their youth, even young Wisemen can look thousands of years old. Good with staves, star and healing magic, they aren't bad units. That being said, they are frail, and while they have magic, they aren't amazing at it either.
Samurai
Samurai, the only demons that are almost naturally good. There are no battles in their hometown, and their clans usually have good morals. It is because of this that they are known throughout the Netherworld as good and loyal bodyguards. They are skilled with swords and have really high attack and good speed, but can be somewhat frail and are not skilled in any other weapon (magic included).
Female Samurai
Apologies for the small sprite, but apparently sprites don't exist for the Female Samurai of Disgaea 2. Anywho, they work pretty much just like normal Samurai, except they are a bit more skilled in bows and spears, and are more frail than their male counterpart. Still, they are just as loyal, and just as strong as normal Samurai.
Gunner
These boys almost need no explanation. They are good with guns and rarely ever miss their targets. They don't get along with other demons well at all, which is funny, as they do more damage when attacking with someone else. Maybe they just like killstealing, who knows. Behind the hair covering their right eye is what as known as the "Evil Eye" which can spot anything, even through objects. However, they are low on both the damage charts and are a bit frail. They aren't really good with anything else besides guns either. That being said, still the best gun users out there.
Thief
Since they are male in Disgaea 1 and female in Disgaea 2, I'm considering it a dual gender class. All thieves are a part of an organization known as the "Thieves' Guild", and are best as stealing anything. They can steal items, equipment, stats, even somehow emotions and abilities. That being said, they aren't really good at anything but stealing, they aren't that good at any form of combat. They are best with bows and guns, but other than that, don't ever throw them into combat.
Cleric
Supposedly fallen angels from Celestia, they are pretty much the only class good at healing. Though for hundreds of centuries, demons have stupidly believed healing to be "sinful", they are finally starting to realize that "Hey, maybe feeling less pain is a GOOD thing!" As expected, pretty much only good with staves and very frail, but they are best with healing magic, along with their male counterpart.
Male Cleric
Just in case I didn't mention before, all Disgaea 1 sprites are apparently smaller, so if it's a small sprite, it's because it's not present in Disgaea 2. Male Clerics believe, like other demons, that healing is mainly a sin, and thus wear barbed robes as self torture. Other than being demons for sure, they are no different from Clerics in terms of use.
Archer
Archers come from an all-female society in cold mountains protected by wind spirits. Masters of the bow and nothing else, they rarely miss and are fantastic in their element, but are kinda frail and low on the attack department like Gunners. Still, they aren't bad to have around.
Beast Master
The um...more-revealing-than-should-be Beast Master is a female class that specializes in the taming and raising of Monsters. They often are known to spend more time with Monsters than other Demons, and often grow distaste for their own kind. That being said, they are fairly nice overall. Decent with swords, spears, and axes, and they are great at making Monsters powerful. That being said, they can't really support other demons well, and aren't that good at fighting solo.
Magic Knight
The very rare and very sought after Magic Knights. A female class that is about as balanced as you can get. They are good with swords and staves, and are equal in both magic and melee, though have really powerful elemental magic. They can respond to any situation pretty well, but can become average in terms of stats. Apparently, they can see the future, and are very loyal (in terms of demon loyalty, of course).
Strider
Striders, like Wisemen, can control Geo Crystals, but to a lesser extent. They are childish boys who speak in a unique dialect known only to them, and thus hated by most of the Netherworld. Good with guns and fairly quick, but there aren't much to these guys beyond messing with the landscape. They aren't strong and are somewhat frail, but they can be very useful in Item Worlds...just not as much as Wisemen.
Male Martial Artist
These demons are martial artists who are good with fists and somehow guns and swords. They use a martial art known as "Dark Hadou", which is rumored to have actually been created by a legendary human street fighter. They have high attack and a high counter rate, but they tend to be overlapped by thieves, who have the same stats with dodging and special techniques. Still, they are great basic fighters.
Female Martial Artist
Female Martial Artists come from the outskirts of a Netherworld, a place known as the Village of Beasts. Originally a place for...marriage...training....somehow became a training ground for female fighters...yeah...anywho, they are pretty much no different from Male Martial Artists beyond gender.
________________________________________________________________________
Anywho, that's it for demons! Next up, Monsters!
Here it is, the long awaited, long discussed study of Disgaea! I'm really excited to do this, and I hope you guys enjoy this as well.
Today, we will be focusing mainly on the race of Disgaea known as "Demons", but before we begin, I would like to give an overview of what Disgaea is for those who don't know.
Disgaea: Dimensions of Fantasy, Monsters, and Japan
For those of you who have somehow not heard me going on tangents about it, Disgaea is a strategy rpg series that has mostly thrive on the platform of Sony. Known as one of the most Japanese rpgs on the market, this game has a decently sized, but very loyal fanbase. Either the player didn't get it, or they thought it was awesome (me obviously being the latter).
So, what is Disgaea? Well, many who have heard me talk about it have already heard this, but I'll cover it once more. Disgaea could be summed up by a simple question: "What if demons and angels were just like humans?"
Demons and Angels are not unknown to us, and either exists as simple myth or truth. Most of the time, they are shown as superior or inferior beings, either with incredible powers and majesty, or simply other creatures among the rest.
Disgaea takes the base concept of demons and angels and brings them either down or up to our level, depending on what you think of them. In Disgaea, humans, demons, angels, and monsters are simply different races, like elves and dwarves. They all have different physical and mental attributes, but all have emotions, thoughts, and all of them have souls.
Disgaea takes place across three different kinds of dimensions: Human Worlds, lands of the humans; Netherworlds, lands of the demons; and Celestia, land of the Angels. Monsters live throughout all three dimensions, but rarely do humans, angels, or demons go outside of their own dimension (though the means to do so exist).
But enough about that for now. If I feel more needs to be explained, I will do so later. Let's start our study with the main focus of the entire series: the Demons.
Demons: What's 911?
1. The Netherworld
2. Appearance
3. Behavior
4. Society
5. Classes
Demons: evil monsters of myth and legend as well as the main focus of Disgaea. As for why they chose to focus on demons specifically, that's unknown, but the majority of classes and characters in Disgaea are demons. First up, we will cover their home, the Netherworld.
The Netherworld
Now, one thing that makes this complicated (due to bad concepts) is that there are multiple different Netherworlds. This makes gathering data somewhat difficult, as things will obviously vary between Netherworlds. This information I have collected about Netherworlds may not be completely accurate, but they might not have Disgaea down to a science either.
The Netherworld, while not simply a fiery pit of doom, is pretty much what you'd expect: dark, gloomy, and the temperature completely depends on the landscape. The sky, while varying with amount of clouds and such, seems to be in a constant state of night. This suggests that Netherworlds may not actually have a sun, though they do indeed have a moon. Most of the lighting comes from either the moon or the terrain.
The Netherworld is overall very rocky, and the few places where vegetation grows are either small amounts of moss or swamps. Fertile soil is VERY rare in the Netherworld, suggesting that fruit and vegetables might be somewhat of a rarity, though Overlords could probably get their hands on some with ease.
There are very few buildings in the Netherworld, most of which being castles owned by Overlords. Most demons live in caves, small houses built out of what material they could find, or simply wander about with something to sleep on.
Temperature varies a lot depending on the landscape. While they have weather just like us, the constant night and large supply of hazardous areas affect that. Most of the time it's actually fairly cool, but landscape like lava or ice can affect this. There are many areas that are either completely frozen or running with lava, and the temperature of these areas follow suit.
But that's enough about their home, onto the demons themselves!
Appearance
Hah! You thought these demons looked liked monsters? Taste Japan!
In terms of physical structure, demons are almost exactly like humans, the only difference being their pointed ears. Oh yeah, and their gravity-defying hair...which the humans also have as well. Some demons have wings, tails, or other strange features, but what oddities demons have varies between each demon.
The main thing that separates demons from us (beyond manga art style) is their clothing. Even though the air in the Netherworld appears to be fairly cool, most demons wear very little clothing. Male demons almost never wear shirts (a jacket at best), and normally wear either long poofy pants or shorts. Female demons pretty much always have their stomache showing, wearing either short shirts or much less overall than desired. Like males, they also tend to wear short pants on long poofy pants, but sometimes wear short or long skirts. Trending colors seem to be red, black, grey, dark blue, etc.
It is possible that clothing somewhat expresses your rank among the demon world, as more important demons do wear more clothing. However, this is merely speculation, and has never been mentioned in the series.
Their physique tends to be either more buff or more agile, probably due to the harsh living conditions of the Netherworld. Their skin is actually pretty white, once again, probably due to the constant night of their habitat.
Behavior
Demons tend to be, well...devilish. It's not really that surprising. Demons have a greater tendency than most to steal, lie, fight, and kill. Whether due to Netherworld culture or genes, the majority of demons have devilish tendencies.
Notice that I said "tend", and this is where Disgaea changes demons a lot. Demons, while more evil than most, are not directly "evil". Sure, most demons like doing more evil things, but that does not restrict demons to that. There are kind, honorable, and sometimes, even generous demons.
Like humans, angels, and monsters, demons have souls, meaning they have feelings and emotions. While demons seem to be mostly evil, they have the capability of changing, proved by both Disgaea games, in which demons clearly show signs of change. This could mean that the nasty behavior is completely determined by society, which means things could and maybe have changed in some Netherworlds.
Society
Demon society can be related to what we call the medieval "dark ages". The Netherworld is a place where "survival of the fittest" is taken to the most literal sense. Either you become strong, or you die.
Once again, I would like to note that while these are tendencies, these are not restrictions, so everything I say about their society isn't always the case, it's more of a generality.
In the Netherworld, being the strongest is what matters most. It doesn't matter if you're a genius or the best artist in the world, if you can't fight you're nobody. What little respect demons have for each other depends entirely on combat skill.
In the Netherworld, the law is completely determined by a jury known as the "Dark Assembly". All laws made have to be passed by them, making this jury possibly the strongest force in all Netherworlds...not that it's a very well organized jury. Bribing officials is common, and sometimes laws will be passed by beating the crap out of the jury until they submit. They may be why the most respected member of the jury are the strongest of the jury.
As for the laws themselves, there's nothing against criminal activities unless the jury disagrees with it, and even then those laws are rarely held to.
The highest rank of demon is an "Overlord", and how that title is earned has no direct method. Some earn it by birth, others beat up other demons to get it, and sometimes demons just call themselves Overlord and then everyone follows suit. It's unknown who became the first Overlord and how.
Overlords have no actual power in the Dark Assembly, it's more of a symbol of capability. Overlords are usually the strongest demons in Netherworld who aren't a part of the jury and thus, are the most respected. They usually reside in castles, unlike most demons, and once again, there are various methods of obtaining one, most of them not legal by our standards.
Education isn't held very highly in the Netherworld, only members of the jury and Overlords have access to much education. Most of what is taught is magic and combat skills and how to live on your own. Most demons learn how to fight at early childhood, some having committed actual murders. There are a few schools, and the few that exist are quite popular, but there aren't many.
There aren't actually that many demons, I would estimate each Netherworld having about 1/50 of earth's population, which is probably due to the harsh living conditions and high crime rate. Despite this, demons live much, MUCH longer than humans. This is both good and bad, as they have the normal lifespan of a human being, just stretched incredibly long, meaning it could be thousands of years before a demon grows into an adult.
Classes
Now to discuss the different kinds of demon. Due to only having played these games, I will only be covering the classes from Disgaea 1 and 2. Skills, magic, and etc can be passed on from class to class, so what class you are is more of stats, appearance, and behavior.
Warrior
Male Warriors are pretty simple. In order for a man to become one, they must sign a contract with the Warrior God, Grandell. This apparently must be a common thing for demons, because these are about as basic as any unit gets. They're pretty much the peasants of the Netherworld. Most of them have little to no combat art and believe that simplicity in combat is best, and it certainly has it's advantages. Skilled with swords and axes. No ranged capabilities or magic.
Valkyrie
Valkyrie are essentially the female versions of warriors, although much more rare. They are often trained by retired Valkyrie's, sometimes for their entire lives. However, there is still very little art to their combat, and while a bit more refined, are still as simple as male warriors. Skilled with swords and spears. No ranged capabilities or magic.
Magician
Magicians, known as Skulls in Disgaea 1, are essentially male wizards. They go to pretty much the only kind of school the Netherworld has, and we're not talking Harry Potter. These guys pack a punch with their spells, mainly learning elemental spells that really hurt. A team is not complete without some form of magic user, and these guys aren't bad choices. They learn magic skills a lot faster than other classes. Very skilled with staves and magic. Very frail.
Witch
Witches (Mages in Disgaea 1) are female versions of Magicians. Unlike Magicians, becoming a Witch requires no prior training, meaning that they are very common and often very inexperienced. However, trained witches can be very deadly with their combat magic, and for some reason it's easier for them to cast spells than other classes. Very skilled with staves and magic. Very frail.
Ninja
Ninjas come from a brotherhood of assassins. They follow a strict code, and any breaking of that code comes with severe punishment. However, in some Netherworlds Ninjas have become very loyal and useful bodyguards. Very skilled with fists, dodges attacks easily, and knows a few special moves. Is somewhat frail and has no ranged capability.
Kunoichi
Kunoichi are also assassins, but unlike their male counterpart, they aren't part of an organization and mainly are assassins for hire. They are faster than even Ninjas, are skilled with fists, and know quite a few techniques. Unfortunately, they are frail, and while they are better with their magical techniques than Ninjas, are more average than Ninjas.
Majin
Unlike other demons, Majin are widely respected by all in the Netherworld. They are few and far between, but they are the best of the best, some considered to be demigods. They have come so far that they are skilled with all weapons, and can learn pretty much any technique possible. Unfortunately, they are can be sort of slow, and their rank makes them massive targets. However, fight against a Majin with no allies, and you'll wish you were never born.
Armor Knight
Trained in a special organization, these men are the main bodyguards of the Netherworld. Most that become them stay as them, and proudly wear their armor for the rest of their lives. Their special armor is given to them when their training is complete, and it's just as resistant against magic as it is physical damage.
These guys are some of the best minions to have. If they are several levels below their opponent, they'll take average damage. A few levels? It'll hurt a little. Equal? It won't even scratch. These guys take hits and laugh, and they have great throwing capability as well. Unfortunately, they move REALLY SLOW, and have no magic or ranged attacks. They are pretty decent with swords, spears, and axes.
Sinner
What exactly these guys are is kinda a mystery. These guys have to have committed some pretty serious offenses, because they actually ended up in Netherworld prisons. In a place where crimes are usually worn as honorable medals, they must've done some pretty nasty stuff.
This is somewhat funny, as while supposedly they train constantly and are called upon by the Dark Assembly for battles, they kinda...suck. They are good with fists and have a high counter rate, but they suck with all other weapons, are pretty frail, and have no magic skills. They're not horrible, but certainly one of the worse demon units by far.
Wiseman
These guys are the masters of Geo Crystals, mysterious crystals that affect the land about them in various ways. They can control them, destroy them, use them to teleport, and are masters in the item world. The price for this power is their youth, even young Wisemen can look thousands of years old. Good with staves, star and healing magic, they aren't bad units. That being said, they are frail, and while they have magic, they aren't amazing at it either.
Samurai
Samurai, the only demons that are almost naturally good. There are no battles in their hometown, and their clans usually have good morals. It is because of this that they are known throughout the Netherworld as good and loyal bodyguards. They are skilled with swords and have really high attack and good speed, but can be somewhat frail and are not skilled in any other weapon (magic included).
Female Samurai
Apologies for the small sprite, but apparently sprites don't exist for the Female Samurai of Disgaea 2. Anywho, they work pretty much just like normal Samurai, except they are a bit more skilled in bows and spears, and are more frail than their male counterpart. Still, they are just as loyal, and just as strong as normal Samurai.
Gunner
These boys almost need no explanation. They are good with guns and rarely ever miss their targets. They don't get along with other demons well at all, which is funny, as they do more damage when attacking with someone else. Maybe they just like killstealing, who knows. Behind the hair covering their right eye is what as known as the "Evil Eye" which can spot anything, even through objects. However, they are low on both the damage charts and are a bit frail. They aren't really good with anything else besides guns either. That being said, still the best gun users out there.
Thief
Since they are male in Disgaea 1 and female in Disgaea 2, I'm considering it a dual gender class. All thieves are a part of an organization known as the "Thieves' Guild", and are best as stealing anything. They can steal items, equipment, stats, even somehow emotions and abilities. That being said, they aren't really good at anything but stealing, they aren't that good at any form of combat. They are best with bows and guns, but other than that, don't ever throw them into combat.
Cleric
Supposedly fallen angels from Celestia, they are pretty much the only class good at healing. Though for hundreds of centuries, demons have stupidly believed healing to be "sinful", they are finally starting to realize that "Hey, maybe feeling less pain is a GOOD thing!" As expected, pretty much only good with staves and very frail, but they are best with healing magic, along with their male counterpart.
Male Cleric
Just in case I didn't mention before, all Disgaea 1 sprites are apparently smaller, so if it's a small sprite, it's because it's not present in Disgaea 2. Male Clerics believe, like other demons, that healing is mainly a sin, and thus wear barbed robes as self torture. Other than being demons for sure, they are no different from Clerics in terms of use.
Archer
Archers come from an all-female society in cold mountains protected by wind spirits. Masters of the bow and nothing else, they rarely miss and are fantastic in their element, but are kinda frail and low on the attack department like Gunners. Still, they aren't bad to have around.
Beast Master
The um...more-revealing-than-should-be Beast Master is a female class that specializes in the taming and raising of Monsters. They often are known to spend more time with Monsters than other Demons, and often grow distaste for their own kind. That being said, they are fairly nice overall. Decent with swords, spears, and axes, and they are great at making Monsters powerful. That being said, they can't really support other demons well, and aren't that good at fighting solo.
Magic Knight
The very rare and very sought after Magic Knights. A female class that is about as balanced as you can get. They are good with swords and staves, and are equal in both magic and melee, though have really powerful elemental magic. They can respond to any situation pretty well, but can become average in terms of stats. Apparently, they can see the future, and are very loyal (in terms of demon loyalty, of course).
Strider
Striders, like Wisemen, can control Geo Crystals, but to a lesser extent. They are childish boys who speak in a unique dialect known only to them, and thus hated by most of the Netherworld. Good with guns and fairly quick, but there aren't much to these guys beyond messing with the landscape. They aren't strong and are somewhat frail, but they can be very useful in Item Worlds...just not as much as Wisemen.
Male Martial Artist
These demons are martial artists who are good with fists and somehow guns and swords. They use a martial art known as "Dark Hadou", which is rumored to have actually been created by a legendary human street fighter. They have high attack and a high counter rate, but they tend to be overlapped by thieves, who have the same stats with dodging and special techniques. Still, they are great basic fighters.
Female Martial Artist
Female Martial Artists come from the outskirts of a Netherworld, a place known as the Village of Beasts. Originally a place for...marriage...training....somehow became a training ground for female fighters...yeah...anywho, they are pretty much no different from Male Martial Artists beyond gender.
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Anywho, that's it for demons! Next up, Monsters!
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