I do not like princess Aelene very much.
However, since my chum likes her so much, I can only give him support, but in fact, I don't like her. This may stem from the fact that she sucks in game.
Mechanically, princess Aelene appears in the first game of the series Defender of Lumaria, so it is expected that there are still a few kink in the system.
However, princess Aelene is solely the worst hero unit of the first series. Presented as a single target, DPS archer hero, I remember me being very excited about the heroine. However, she ruins it for me. I love my archer DPS archetype very much, but mechanically, princess Aelene sucks as an archer.
This being a war game, the number of enemies units are very numerous so her single target damage dealing abilities are gimped hard when there is a horde of enemies. In the third game, with the introduction of Aradon, they retool her toolkit and add it to Aradon to make it so that the face of the elven race fire off like a machine gun, cutting down enemies so fast that that even if he is a single target damage dealer, it does not matter since he kills so fast.
Compare that to the first game in which princess Aelene was introduced with various other human hero such as sir Howden Ballan, King Sadem, Manus Godfist and more, Aelene can't out damage any of her contemporaries human heroes even in single target.
Manus Godfist, the future human hero for example, is a giant brute who punches the ground so hard it causes earthquake that stunned all enemies surrounding him. All of his abilities are AoE, however, even compared it with a single target, he deals more damage than Aelene per second, especially against boss.
Aelene was designed as a pure damage, no trick archer, and yet, her single target damage isn't even comparable to a more versatile AoE hero.
Princess Aelene's most powerful ability is her multi shot in which she shoots 5 arrows at the same time that can hit multiple enemies unit or one unit. However, probably because the devs were afraid that it was too much, it has a long cooldown and low damage in comparison to just shooting normally 5 times. The Multi Shot was later retooled into Aradon's 'Arrow Rain' that can decimate an entire unarmored battlefield, which, while betraying the single target DPS root, is just more practical, more powerful and cooler.
In the first game, princess Aelene is also a glass cannon, with a hit and run style.
Again, let take Manus Godfist from the human race as example. In game, Manus Godfist, the most physical hero who is expected to be at the forefont at all time has 1000HP. An average hero in the first game has 300-500 HP. Princess Aelene has 180.
It is explained as her awesome damage offsetting her HP, of course, of course, but how can you even use that damage if she dies as soon as an enemies breath in her direction.
Aelene is vulnerable to mook rush, which none of her contemporaries heroes suffer from.
Also, the moment an enemies get into meelee range, princess Aelene damage immediately drops to single digit number. So again, her weakness is mook rush, when she is surrounded in meelee, she will die, no question asked.
Compared that with Aradon, who the devs retool all of Aelene's abilities from, the moment any enemies think of getting into meelee range, they get the 'chainsaw'.
Aradon is a complete package, a true elven ranger with both powerful bow skill AND swordskill.
Aradon's HP is 220, not much better than princess Aelene, however, to offset that, he puts his training to work.
Because he is a student of the Silent Monk order, he is also supposedly an exceptional swordsman who has transcended perfection. There are two scenarios waiting for a mook approaching Aradon. Scenario 1: Aradon jumps backward, escape and shoots them dead. Scenario 2: They get the chainsaw, which isn't actually a chainsaw, but still sounds like a chainsaw. For some reason, the Silent Monk's order is extremely weeb-ish, with Japanese's root. The chainsaw in which I refer too is actually a Sheathing motion.
Instead of fighting like a normal person in meelee, nah man, Aradon repeatedly sheat and unsheath his elven blade, which looks suspiciously like a katana, and deal horrendous damage. It is a special technique of the Order of Silent Monk in game.
In game, the Order of the Silent Monk are actual units, however they are very expensive and are endgame unit and you can only have 3 present on the field at the same time.
Their ultimate abilities, A Single Blade is described as the ultimate state of the sword which has reached transcendental level. It is the answer at the end of the swordpath to the mage's supremacy.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
A single blade determines the fate of the world.
A single blade determines life or death.
A single blade ends a war.
It is described as very powerful, akin to some mystical bullshit sword technique right out of my 'Annie-may', however it is very weeb-ish all the same. The Silent draw their sword, blurred effect happen on the entire map.
Somehow every enemies combatant on the map have been hit 9 times by the monks even though they haven't moved, and suddenly their swords are now sheathed.
You see, my friend supposedly has that as a passive skill in the future.
However, it is not an ultimate that takes a long time to cooldown, it is a passive that happen every attack if you enter meelee range with Aradon. But, to compensate for its OPness, Aradon's version is single target instead, however, it still deals horrendous damage.
In game, the player calls the sound and Aradon's rapid sheathing and unsheathing animation the chainsaw, because it chops down meelee enemies in meelee range instantly. Mook will be cut down in one hit, elite mooks will die in two. He is nothing like Aelene.
And that leads me to my point.
There is no way, Aradon will lose to princess Aelene.
The moment they go off alone, I know what will happen.
A head strong girl who likes to challenge people, Aelene Lunarii has turned down countless suitors by challenging them to a duel or an archery contest.
The moment she goes off alone with Aradon, I know she will challenge him to keep her secret, just like I was.
However, I am not talking about the Elven hero Aradon Gaethlock. I'm not talking about Aradon Gaethlock the greatest archer in the world either. Hell, I'm not even talking about Aradon Gaethlock the Elven hero who enter training with the Silent Monks with the Arrow Rain that can decimate battlefield and the Single Blade drawn forbidden skill (with the single target focus capable of mowing down people like a chainsaw going through tree), equipped with the Idol of Solarii, a perfect Fencer stance that let him dodge almost everything non magic, with the Arch Druid, Voralanar Gaethlock's DNA in him so he has the support of nature and can perform spacetime magic with his mother Elanna Caemfaere's skill.
I am talking about the peak elven male Aradon Gaethlock, who has undergone Solarii transformation, I am talking about the Aradon Gaethlock who has killed million and will kill million more, I am talking about Aradon Gaethlock on impossible mode who is literally the great ancestor second coming, I am talking about the Aradon Gaethlock who will surpass me in the future and bring peace to the elven race.
Ahem.
Basically, there is no way he can lose this.
----------------------------------------
Aradon lost.
"I won!" The princess who won jumped up and down in joy. They have competed in an archery contest in which I know Aradon literally can't lose as he has almost mastered his bow abilities in comparison to his sword skill. What the fuck Aradon, did you deliberately miss shots so that she can win?
"As promised, you can't tell anyone."
"Yes princess, you were the superior ranger, I, Aradon, am a man of my honor. I shall keep my promise. We are leaving Andarel."
Aradon says magnificently while dramatic flipping his cape in the wind. Who the fuck give you power to order me around huh? I react with some discontent, however, since we are still in range of the princess, I keep up Aradon's charade just a little longer.
You idiot, if you have won, you could have forced her to do anything, princess Aelene regularly challenged people for the right to be her suitor even though she already has a human in mind in the future, how many opportunities will you have if you keep losing like this?
Still I walk away.
----------------------------------------
"Huh, I am actually great ranger material. Didn't you say they were the most promising ranger recruit of this year Hisu?" After returning, the princess asks her childhood friend and maid, who managed to regain her composure and has wiped away her tear after reuniting with her princess.
"Yes, princess. Aradon is the best archer of all the recruit."
"Ha ha ha, that means I just bested the best archer in the whole ranger order, I can't believe I have a talent for this and you keep discouraging me. Doesn't this mean I will make a great ranger?"
"Wait, princess-"
"I have decided Hisu, sign me up for the military anonymously. I am going to be a ranger."
"Princess please!"
Somewhere, somehow, Andarel twitches.