What if Valentia had more content?

[Perkilator]

Shadows of Valentia is one of my favorite 3DS games, so I'm admittedly a bit sad it's somewhat lacking in terms of Smash content. So with this in mind, I decided to beef it up, mainly with Celica as an Echo Fighter of Robin. Some of this is assuming she got in as an Echo instead of Chrom.

Celica Sets Off!

Spoiler

Intro: Celica appears from a Warp circle through red smoke

Stance/Idle 1: Her idle stance from Shadows of Valentia
Idle 2: Celica lowers her sword and looks upward, loosely mimicking her artwork from Gaiden
Idle 3: Celica puts her left hand on her sword and points it upward

Notable Palette Swaps:

1. Celica (default)
2. Alm (blue)
3. Mae (pink)
4. Boey (green)
5. Saber (brown)
6. Enemy Priestess (red)
7. Witch (purple)
8. Gaiden Celica (yellow)

Walk: Her run animation from Shadows of Valentia
Dash: Her dash animation from Shadows of Valentia
Damage: Her damage animation from Shadows of Valentia
Jump: Jumps and double jumps similarly to Marth
Crouch: Celica crouches with her sword pointing down to the ground

Normal Attacks
Jab: Combination Flurry; Celica slashes twice (4%), creates a wind flurry (1% each hit; .1% recoil), then finishes with a small explosion (7%, small knockback; 1% recoil)
Forward+A: Hard Edge; Celica performs a fast upward swipe while leaning forward (8%, small knockback)
Down+A: Celica performs a crouching, outward slash (5%, small knockback)
Up+A: Celica performs an inward turning, upward slash (6%, small knockback)

Aerial Attacks
Air+A: Double Slash; Celica performs two horizontal slashes around herself (6%, small knockback)
Air Forward+A: Flag Cut; Celica performs a descending crescent slash in front of herself (11%, OK knockback)
Air Back + A: About Face; Celica performs an upward crescent slash behind herself (9%, OK knockback)
Air Up+A:  Condense Blast; Celica extends her arm and creates a burst of fire (17%, OK knockback; 4% recoil)
Air Down+A: Halfmoon; Celica performs a horizontally downward crescent slash below herself (12%, OK knockback)
 

Dash Attack: Her running finish animation from Shadows of Valentia (9%, OK knockback)
Edge Attack: Celica backflips onto the stage and slashes (9%, OK knockback)
Get-Up Attack: Celica erupts in a heavenly light (10%, OK knockback)
 

Smash Attacks
Forward+A: Sunder; Celica rotates her body counterclockwise with a strong one-handed slash (14%, OK knockback)
Up+A: Flame Sword; Celica raises her blazing blade above herself, hitting the opponent multiple times (17%, OK knockback; 4% recoil)
Down+A: Whirlwind; Celica slashes downward on both sides of herself (8% each hit, OK knockback)
 

Grab Game
Grab: Celica uses magic to grab the opponent
Pummel: Celica uses a small blast of magic (2%)
Forwards+Throw: Shove; Celica does an elbow strike with her sword arm (5%, OK knockback)
Down+Throw: Thunder; Celica calls down Thunder from above (12%, OK knockback; 3% recoil)
Back+Throw: Celica turns around and magically tosses the opponent behind herself (11%, OK knockback)
Up+Throw: Celica magically heaves the opponent upwards (9%, OK knockback)
 

Special Moves

B : Seraphim; Celica charges an angelic orb of light in four stages

• The first stage is a small blast of light (5%, small knockback; 1% recoil)
• The second stage is a slightly larger blast of light (11%, OK knockback; 2% recoil)
• The third stage is a slower but larger projectile that briefly paralyzes opponents (17%, OK knockback; 3% recoil)
• The last stage is a powerful projectile with quite a bit of startup and endlag (26%, medium knockback; 5% recoil)

B + Forwards : Excalibur; Celica shoots a pillar of wind that launches opponents upward (14%, OK knockback; 3% recoil)
B + Up : Ragnarok; Celica soars upward with her sword set ablaze (15%, OK knockback; 5% recoil)
B + Down : Nosferatu; Celica grabs the opponent and saps their health, but only as a single hit (10%, OK knockback); how much Celica heals is based on how much damage she has compared to the opponent.
 

Final Smash: Ragnarok Ω; Celica summons a ring of five fireballs around herself that pulls in opponents (20%; 5% recoil). She then follows up with an explosion of fire (40%, far knockback; 15% recoil)
 

Gimmick: Celica takes recoil damage when using magic attacks.
 

Taunts
1: Celica loosely mimics her official artwork pose from Shadows of Valentia
2: “I am yours to shape, Mother Mila.” Celica holds her sword up in the air, mimicking her map sprite from Shadows of Valentia
1+2: “I fight to protect what is dear.” Celica loosely mimics her pose from Gaiden

Winposes
1: “All thanks to the Mother.” Celica's Priestess victory animation from Shadows of Valentia
2: “May the Earth Mother watch over us.” Celica performs the conclusion to her victory animation from Warriors
3: “Mila has seen us through safely.” Celica's Rigain victory animation from Shadows of Valentia

Applause: Celica claps for the opponent
Icon: The Fire Emblem series icon
Boxing Ring Title: The Exiled Priestess
Star K.O.: “How can this be…!?”
Victory Music: https://youtu.be/o0l6BSZURKE

 

Palutena’s Guidance

Celica: An actual angel…?

Pit: Whoa! Uh…who are you?

Palutena: That would be Celica-

Celica: And I take it you’re the goddess Palutena?

Palutena: Unbelievable…you can hear my telepathy!

Pit: Sorry, I don’t follow.

Celica: I’m a warrior priestess under the clergy of Mila, the Earth Mother of Zofia. So I’m plenty familiar with divinity.

Palutena: If I may speak next…as a warrior priestess, Celica fights with both black magic and holy magic. Her spell loadout may be similar to Robin, but there’s a couple important differences, besides how the identical spells are used.

Pit: And those would be…?

Celica: Well, for one, Valentian magic doesn’t just use Tomes like other spells do. They actually whittle down the user’s strength bit by bit.

Pit: So attacks that hurt the user? Just like Pichu!

Palutena: Celica also has an attack called Seraphim instead of Robin’s Thunder. It’s an angelic orb of light that goes fast and hits hard. So don’t get yourself hit, Pit.

Pit: Got it! Lady Celica, let’s make this fight an honorable one!

Celica: Hehe! Your enthusiasm is adorable, Pit.

Stage: Temple of Mila

Spoiler

Layout: Like the above picture, the stage starts off in front of the stairs leading up to the throne Mila sits on. Two long and thin bowl-looking platforms appear above the water on each side of the floor.
 

Gimmicks and Hazards: The platforms lower to the water’s surface when two of Mila’s servants (statues resembling Mila) rise from the water. When the statues appear, they each depict a different base class from Shadows of Valentia that alter a fighter’s stats:

• Soldier: Increases attack but decreases speed
• Mercenary: Increases speed but decreases defense
• Cavalier: Increases move speed but decreases launch power
• Archer: Increases launch power but decreases speed
• Pegasus Knight: Increases jump power but makes you easier to launch
• Mage: Makes you harder to launch but decreases defense
• Cleric: Greatly heals off damage but decreases defense

Music

Spoiler

1. March to Deliverance
2. With Mila's Divine Protection (Celica Map 1)
3. Fight 1 - Fire Emblem Gaiden
4. Lords-Showdown
5. What Lies at the End
6. The Sacrifice and the Saint
7. Those Who Challenge Gods
8. Twilight of the Gods
9. Lord of a Dead Empire
10. The Scions' Dance in Purgatory

Classic Mode: Genealogy of the Emblem

Spoiler

(This is assuming Lucina's Classic Mode is "Fight as One" and Byleth gets a new route entirely)

• Round 1: Corrin x2 on Find Mii (Lost in Thoughts All Alone (for 3DS / Wii U))
• Round 2: Robin and Lucina on Arena Ferox Ω (Prelude (Ablaze))
• Round 3: Ike on Castle Siege (Eternal Bond)
• Round 4: Roy on Norfair (Beyond Distant Skies - Roy’s Departure)
• Round 5: Marth on Coliseum (Story 5 Meeting)
• Round 6: Celica (Color 7) x6 (horde battle) on Temple of MIla (Those Who Challenge Gods)
• Final Round: Master Hand (and Crazy Hand on 7.0 or higher)
• Credits: With Mila's Divine Protection (Celica Map 1)

Spirits

Spoiler

(Spirit Battles listed here)

1. Celica (Fighter Spirit)
2. Alm
3. Gray, Tobin, Kliff & Faye
4. Lukas
5. Clair
6. Clive
7. Mycen
8. Mae & Boey
9. Saber
10. Sonya
11. Rudolf
12. Jedah
13. Fernand
14. Conrad
15. Berkut

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by Perkilator

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

14 hours ago, Perkilator said:

Notable Palette Swaps:

1. Celica (default)
2. Alm (blue)
3. Mae (pink)
4. Boey (green)
5. Saber (brown)
6. Enemy Priestess (red)
7. Witch (purple)
8. Gaiden Celica (yellow)

I like all of these! Except #6, since Enemy Priestesses never really make an appearance. What if, instead, she had a look based on Mila? With bright green hair (since Boey should give her white hair, if we're going by Echoes).

14 hours ago, Perkilator said:

Gimmick: Celica takes recoil damage when using magic attacks.

Definitely fits with the magic system in Gaiden/SoV!

14 hours ago, Perkilator said:

Palutena: Celica also has an attack called Seraphim instead of Robin’s Nosferatu. It’s an angelic orb of light that goes fast and hits hard. Sin don’t get yourself, Pit.

I broadly like the convo, but this line is misleading, since Celica retains Nosferatu access. Maybe say Seraphim "instead of Thunder spells"?

14 hours ago, Perkilator said:

Gimmicks and Hazards: The platforms lower to the water’s surface when two of Mila’s servants (statues resembling Mila) rise from the water. When the statues appear, they each depict a different base class from Shadows of Valentia that alter a fighter’s stats:

• Soldier: Increases attack but decreases speed
• Mercenary: Increases speed but decreases defense
• Cavalier: Increases move speed but decreases launch power
• Archer: Increases launch power but decreases speed
• Pegasus Knight: Increases jump power but makes you easier to launch
• Mage: Makes you harder to launch but decreases defense
• Cleric: Greatly heals off damage but decreases defense

Really cool idea! I like the idea of classes being represented in this way.

14 hours ago, Perkilator said:

(This is assuming Lucina's Classic Mode is "Fight as One" and Byleth gets a new route entirely)

• Round 1: Corrin x2 on Find Mii (Lost in Thoughts All Alone (for 3DS / Wii U))
• Round 2: Robin and Lucina on Arena Ferox Ω (Prelude (Ablaze))
• Round 3: Ike on Castle Siege (Eternal Bond)
• Round 4: Roy on Norfair (Beyond Distant Skies - Roy’s Departure)
• Round 5: Marth on Coliseum (Story 5 Meeting)
• Round 6: Celica (Color 7) x6 (horde battle) on Temple of MIla (Those Who Challenge Gods)
• Final Round: Master Hand (and Crazy Hand on 7.0 or higher)
• Credits: With Mila's Divine Protection (Celica Map 1)

What if, instead of fighting all Fire Emblem enemies, she could face opponents representing her quest? Like, she could face King K. Rool (representing the Pirates of Act II), Cloud (a quick and resilient swordsman, like Grieth), King Dedede (a "Cantor", since he can summon Kirby's foes), Bayonetta (represemting Witches), with the final matchup being againat Ridley (in Duma's place, of course).

[Zapp Branniglenn]

For me, the big miss here is in music. Fire Emblem gets a generous amount of remixes in each Smash game. But the two Echoes songs were taken directly from the game. Granted, the With Mila's Divine Protection remix from Brawl is still here, so that's good. I just wish the effort was spent on Echoes, rather than Heroes of all games.

I remember expecting an Alm echo fighter of Roy, before Chrom was introduced. They could have done it anyway, but I'm not particularly pulling for Alm or Celica in the first place. Celica as an echo fighter of Robin works, but only because Robin's game design is so unique and interesting in the first place, that you can't help but throw it on more interesting characters. If there's one thing wrong with Fire emblem character choices in Smash, it's that they can't get away from the sword lords. It would be better if they expanded to units with more personality and unique abilities. And no, I don't think holding a different shape of pointed stick (lance or axe) would fix the issue. In that respect, I don't think Echoes with its lack of shape shifting characters and lesser focus on mounted units is a compelling pool for playable characters beyond these echo suggestions.

 

Edited May 1, 2022 by Zapp Branniglenn