Welcome to the first bracket for the tournament. Please vote for your four favorite summons in the poll based on who they are challenging.
Our battles today are:
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The Mist Dragon
The symbol of Rydia's mother, the first boss of FFIV, and the summon who totally kicked Golbez's ass in the Dwarf Kingdom's Crystal room. It uses the powerful Mist Breath and has the ability to dodge physical damage by transforming into Mists itself. The summon was a powerful foe and ally to Cecil and his friends as they fought to stop Golbez's schemes.
VS.
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Kirin
Debuting in FFVI as one of the escapees from the Magitek Research facility along with Ramuh, Kirin could not survive the ordeal and his friend carries him as a memento until the day he bestows it upon the Returners to help Terra and the other imprisoned Espers. Kirin taugh the party healing magic like Regen and Cura and when summoned into battle, it bequeathed Regen on the whole party. Kirin would return in the FFTactics Advance titles as a summon for the Viera that also cast regen on its target.
Our second battle is:
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Ramuh
The first and original Lightning Summon. Ramuh has been a staple of the series since Final Fantasy III when the summon class was introduced. His most notable appearances over the course of the series are in VI, where he hides in the city of Zozo and takes care of the comatose Terra as he explains the horrors of what the Empire is doing to his kind. He also confronted Princess Garnet, a summoner by birthright and told her the story of Josef and the rebels to test her and see if she was truly worthy of his might. He most recently returned in full glory as the summon for Noctis in the original FFVX demo brandishing his signature Judgement Bolt attack.
VS.
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Zodiark
Debuting as the ultimate summon in Final Fantasy Tactics, Zodiark made his proper entrance into the numbered series in Final Fantasy XII as he hid in the Henne Mines. Originally conceived by the gods of Ivalice with the power to bend reality to it's will, the gods feared him enough to chain it for all eternity and keep it in a childlike form, and even this is not enough to stop it. Eventually it was banished to the physical world where it waits. Though largely showing up in the Ivalice titles, FFXIV has made a few sly references to this Les Enfants Terribles.
Battle three for the day:
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Bismarck
A whale often associated with water and the sky. Bismarck debuted in FFVI as the stand in for Leviathan as a water based summon. He taught Fire, Blizzard, and Lightning at very quick levels along with Raise. He reappeared as an enemy in XI, and made a minor cameo in XIII as a fal'Cie of Pulse. He has recently gained some more notoriety in XIV as a Primal worshiped by the Vanu Vanu, where he's become a sky whale.
VS.
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Ragnarok
In the cold dead city of Narshe, Locke can meet one of the few survivors of the city in the Ruined World. He possesses a damaged piece of Magicite which he can either give to the party or forge into a powerful sword. As a summon, Ragnarok has the power to morph enemies into items the party used to battle Kefka, as a sword it raised the characters stats and occasionally cast Flare after striking an opponent. Ragnarok was also one of only two ways to teach Ultima to party members.
Our final battle for this bracket...
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Phantom
An often important if overlooked Esper from Final Fantasy VI. Phantom taught the party spells like Gravity, Berserk, and most importantly Vanish. The last being the first half of the infamous Vanish/Doom trick. Phantom had the power to make the entire party invisible making them immune to physical attacks but vulnerable to magic. A risky strategy indeed but one that could have great benefits.
VS.
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GILGAMESH!!!
After swooping into to "hold onto" Zantetsuken for Odin who had just received the beating of a lifetime. This swarthy traveler of the Interdimensional Rift would occasional help (or not) Squall and company in battle by showing off the other cool swords he is... "holding" for their original owners. Debuting in FFV as ExDeaths quirky bumbling minion, Gilgamesh has been making appearances across the franchise through remakes and spin-offs. VIII debuts his entrance as a summon but he's also been a summon in FFVI, Revenant Wings, and Dissidia. His signature weapon is the poor knockoff legendary sword Excalipoor, which boasts having maxed attack power, but can only do one damage.