EoFF Tournament Returns!

[Slothy]

You can't compare these people based on battle mechanics,

Oh? So what were you doing when you said:

He may use a bow in the opening sequence, but I don't recall him starting with bows when you get him so those are out for him.

Battle mechanics and in-game mechanics (which are the basis of the bolded quote) are codepedent. You can't have one without the other.

I'm comparing based on the skills they start out with in game, and how they would fare in a real world situation. Skills such as the ability to use bows are not dependant on battle mechanics. You can't discuss these fights based on the actual mechanics of how someone fights within their own game since the battle systems in every FF are too different, let alone between IV and XII.

so any talk of attacking from the back row is pointless.

You missed my point. What I was saying is that if Basch can't use bows, then they are the equivalent of a melee weapon, except for the back-row potential. If you don't want to deal in battle mechanics, you must allow Basch to use bows.

Like I said, Basch doesn't start out with the ability to use bows in the game. That has nothing to do with the mechanics of the actual battle system. In my opinion he shouldn't get the use of them in this comparison then.

And the fact is that Basch, as a knight character wearing Heavier armour, and carrying a heavy shield will not be able to outrun a lightly armoured Archer. Ever. Even if he could still outsprint her, he would tire quickly at that pace.

That's assuming all people are clones, and that a female mage (archer is her secondary capacity) could compete physically with a male knight. In any case, if she could run away, then Basch can use a bow.

She doesn't have to compete physicaly with a male knight. Odds are, even a white mage is going to be reasonably fit from all of that travelling the world on foot. As such she should have no trouble keeping her distance from a knight with full armour, shield, and sword. Regardless of Basch's physical condition, a heavily armoured knight can only move so fast, and certainly can't keep a full run going for long. A lightly armoured mage should be able to move faster and keep her distance without tiring as soon.

She need do nothing but keep him at a distance and pelt him and she wins.

No. Unlike Balthier, Rosa's weapon, when you consider her strength, has little or no stopping power, and she would waste valuable seconds drawing the arrow, aiming, and firing, and the arrow would most likely be deflected by Basch's shield. This process will continue until she runs out of arrows. Then she will have no way to hurt Basch.

Actually drawing the bow takes little time at all for someone experienced with one. And given that she'd have the skill to hit a moving target, aiming and firing certainly wouldn't take very long either. Also, none of the shields in FFXII are large enough to cover the entire body. Basch is unlikely to be able to block all of her arrows, particularly if she aims for vital areas, such as the feet, knees and other joints, as any skilled archer would. And though Rosa would lack the physical strength to draw something like an English Longbow, a smaller bow more suited to her could still have tremendous stopping power. It may not pass through plate armour, but if the armour is to offer any mobility, then it won't be full body plate armour as that's just about the least practical thing you could wear. Therefore, she should still have plenty of stopping power, not to mention years of experience with a bow.