Monster information was generously added in by Adam aka tocshi.

Introduction

The Final Fantasy Collab is one of the older events in Puzzle and Dragons, but it has not been seen for quite some time. This has led to the vast majority of cards growing stale and forgotten. With that being said, the entire Collab is receiving a massive overhaul for both new monsters, but also new evolution forms for existing cards along with buffs across the board.

All of this will make Final Fantasy one of the best events in Puzzle and Dragons that also costs 5 Magic Stones per pull. What makes the Final Fantasy Collab so strong is the fact that it has one of the best Diamond/6* rates of any Collab (22.5%) along with each card having numerous forms. This grants them an additional layer of viability along with the Weapon Assist forms (Crystals) being exceptionally powerful.

With that being said, one of the biggest drawbacks of the Final Fantasy Collab is the massive rolling pool, which makes it significantly harder to acquire any one specific card. Thankfully, the 5 Magic Stone cost grants us the lowest cost if using the Monster Exchange system.

This article will summarize each card’s strengths and weaknesses along with examining each individual form they can assume. As a result, this will be an exceptionally long article and CTRL + F may be your best friend. Furthermore, I will be breaking up this review into two parts for 6 and 5/4-star cards.

The 6-star review can be found HERE.

Video commentary

—video coming soon—

Overview

Final Fantasy Pros & Cons – July 29, 2019
Pros	Cons
5 Magic Stones per roll Friendly Monster Exchange rates Exceptionally high Diamond rate 22.5% total Cards have numerous forms Provide different roles Dupes are more welcomed All 5-star cards have a Pixel form Provides at least 2 VDP	Massive rolling pool Harder to snipe a specific card Top-heavy Many lower rarity cards are just okay

Final Fantasy REM
6 Star base
5 Star base
4 Star base

Final Fantasy REM – July 29, 2019
S
A
B
C
D

Order within each tier is random and not reflective of ranking. Icons only show the card’s evolved form, which may or may not be their best one.

Icons only show the evolved form for easier reference, which may or may not be the best one to pursue.

Regardless of card’s ranking, you should always keep it if it is your very first time acquiring them.

Limit Breaking

Limit Breaking is the process of leveling a card beyond level 99. This will unlock more weighted stats along with the potential to receive Super Awakenings. These additional awakenings can add significant power, but only function in solo mode.

Any card that can qualify for Limit Breaking will have their level displayed in blue and feeding a Super Snow Globe will push them beyond the level 99 cap.

You can read more about Super Awakenings HERE.

Monster Exchange

The Monster Exchange System has mostly eliminated the need to roll in most events as players can simply trade in for a card of their choice. This is often done during lackluster events to avoid spending Stones on poor bottom rarity cards or to snipe a specific card if luck is not on your side.

Weapon Assists

Weapon Assists are a special evolution for select cards that will be used exclusively as inherits. This form retains the same base stats as the original form, but will also transfer over all awakenings on the Weapon Assist card and this occurs if the Awoken Assist  is present.

My approach to Collab rolling

Rolling any Rare Egg Machine is a gamble and it becomes a matter of maximizing your rate of returns in an event.

This translates into rolling when the bottom rarity has high value as those will be the most common cards. Furthermore, I may utilize the Monster Exchange system to acquire the higher rarity cards if they will significantly advance my progress. As such, I tend to look most closely at the 5-star pool to determine if it is worth rolling in.

This is just my own personal approach and everyone has different goals/motivations so take this section with a grain of salt.

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5 star base

Thancred (New) – A

Base Thancred

Active: For 2 turns, no skyfall; For 1 turn, bypass damage absorb shield effects. (16 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK when matching 3 or more colors up to 5x at 5 colors; 3x ATK when matching 4 or more connected Dark orbs up to 5x at 6 orbs. [1/144/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 955 (1194)
HP 5011 (6264) / ATK 2241 (2801) / RCV 19 (24)

Pros	Cons
Triple Balance Killers Can gain VDP 16 turn CD Damage Absorb Void (Fujin ) No Skyfall acts as a pseudo colour absorb void Orb Skin	Only effective against Balance types

Thancred is a new 5-star card within the Final Fantasy event and comes with a wonderful orb skin, active, and awakenings. Both Evolved and Base Thancred share the same Damage Absorb Void active on a short 16 turn cooldown. This can help ensure it is ready in time when facing encounters such as Sopdet or Hera Dragon and the No Skyfall clause for 2 turns should not be too detrimental. In fact, the No Skyfalls can act as a pseudo Colour Absorb Void as you can consciously not match the absorbed colour and not run any risk of a Skyfall occurring.

In addition to the valuable active, Base Thancred is one of the only cards to own three Balance Killers. This grants him an amazing 27x ATK against Balance types and can single-handedly sweep those floors. Furthermore, he has able to gain a VDP , which enables him to pierce through Void mechanics. Of course this makes him quite niche, but the best at it.

Evolved Thancred

Active: For 2 turns, no skyfall; For 1 turn, bypass damage absorb shield effects. (16 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK when matching 3 or more colors up to 5x at 5 colors; 3x ATK when matching 4 or more connected Dark orbs up to 5x at 6 orbs. [1/625/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 955 (1194)
HP 5011 (6264) / ATK 2241 (2801) / RCV 19 (24)

Pros	Cons
Glass Cannon 16 turn CD Damage Absorb Void (Fujin ) No Skyfall acts as a pseudo colour absorb void Orb Skin Versatile sub	No Defensive multipliers Generic awakenings No special niche

Evovled Thancred has more all-around awakenings compared to his Base form, but also does not excel at any particular niche. This may sideline him in many cases, but having double 7 Combo with either VDP or Tape  is still reasonable overall. Furthermore, his awakenings are quite versatile and can work on a wide variety of teams. This can enable players to directly sub in a Fujin-style active that is on a short 16 turn cooldown.

In terms of his Leader Skill, he is able to function purely as a Glass Cannon, which is impractical for the most part. Being able to deal large amounts of damage may be satisfying, but being able to actually finish the dungeon is more satisfying.

With that being said, I am much more inclined to pursue cards who may be niche, but exceptionally good at it.

Pixel Thancred

Active: Change the outermost orbs of the board to Dark orbs. (13 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 5x ATK for Dark Att.; 3x ATK when matching 3 or more colors; Increase combo by 1 when matching 9 or more connected Dark orbs at once. [1/225/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 955 (1194)
HP 5011 (6264) / ATK 2241 (2801) / RCV 19 (24)

Pros	Cons
Makes 18 Dark orbs Triple VDP with SA	Active may make too many Dark Harder to break up without mono board before

Pixel Thancred is purely geared towards offense with his double (triple with Super Awakenings) VDP and four Dark Orb Enhances . Furthermore, he is able to produce exactly 18 Dark orbs, which can be easily rearranged into any desired pattern.

With that in mind, using Pixel Thancred after a full mono board changer will result in a perfect 18-12 Dark split, which can be quickly solved into a 7 combo VDP board.

Orb Skin

Which Thancred to make?

Base Thancred is the one of two triple Balance Killer in the game whereas his Pixel form is the only 18-Dark orb generator combined with a strong VDP card. In addition, his Evolved form can function as a flexible sub that can quickly bring a Damage Absorb Void to the dungeon in a short 16 turns.

As such, the decision of, which form to make comes down to what your Monster Box needs most.

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Prompto – C

Evolved Prompto

Active: For 3 turns, enhanced orbs are more likely to appear by 50%; Change Wood, Jammer, Poison, Mortal Poison orbs to Water orbs. (6 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x ATK for Water Att.; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 10x ATK for matched Att. when matching 5 Orbs with 1+ enhanced. [1/400/1]

Super Awakenings:
Typing: Balance / Machine
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 912 (1140)
HP 3865 (4831) / ATK 1908 (2385) / RCV 433 (541)

Pros	Cons
400x ATK 3 Killers Will be used in future DBDC Ranking	5o1e leader All Killers are different

Prompto’s Evolved provides several offensive awakenings, but not excelling at any one. This can be problematic as his three Killers are all different meaning it may be challenging to line up damage when it matters.

Furthermore, his Leader Skill is a 5o1e with no defensive multipliers making him an unreliable Glass Cannon. Of course this can have some merits under the right circumstances, but may be impractical for the most part. With that being said, he will be a popular choice in the future DBDC Ranking Tournament.

Pixel Prompto

Active: Change Fire, Light, Dark orbs to Water orbs (11 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK and reduce damage taken by 35% when above 50% HP; 4x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Light orbs. [1/144/1 Resist 57.75%]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Balance / Machine
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 912 (1140)
HP 3865 (4831) / ATK 1908 (2385) / RCV 433 (541)

Pros	Cons
Strong VDP damage against Balance types	Primarily only good against Balance spawns

Pixel Prompto’s main appeal will killing Balance type spawns and that is really it. He will outpace most VDP cards, but only against a single type of monster, which makes him quite situational overall.

Which Prompto to make?

Neither form is exceptionally exciting, but if you are lacking a Water VDP option, the Pixel form can act as a placeholder until something stronger arrives.

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Squall – C

Evolved Squall

Active: Change Heal, Jammer, Poison, Mortal Poison orbs to Fire orbs; Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn; Enhance all Fire orbs. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK for Fire Att.; Increase orb movement time by 5 seconds; 2x ATK when 4 or more combos up to 8x at 10 combos. [1/576/1]

Awakenings:      
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 909 (1136)
HP 3925 (4906) / ATK 2309 (2886) / RCV 166 (208)

Pros	Cons
Combo-glass cannon +5s Movement time Nice for S-Rankings	No Defensive multipliers Low impact active

Squall has become a more consistent Glass Cannon, but still requires 10 combos count to achieve his full multiplier. While it may be a fun challenge, it becomes impractical/inconsistent without any Defensive multipliers. This means stalling and preemptives may prove lethal and better combo teams exist.

Pixel Squall

Active: Unlock all orbs; Change Heal, Jammer, Poison, Mortal Poison orbs to Fire orbs. (6 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK for Fire Att.; 4x ATK when 4 or more combos up to 5x at 5 combos. [1/225/1]

Awakenings:      
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 909 (1136)
HP 4525 (5656) / ATK 2259 (2824) / RCV 16 (20)

Pros	Cons
Modest Fire VDP card	Modest is often pushed aside for more specialized cards

Pixel Squal functions as a modest Fire VDP card who can achieve higher amounts of damage when matching TPA alongside the 3×3 Box. This may prove harder as it requires 13 Fire orbs and stronger and easier to proc options exist.

Which Squall to make?

Neither Squall is exceptionally amazing, but I would pursue the Pixel form as it can function as a transitional VDP card.

---

Rinoa – B

Evolved Rinoa

Active: Recover 50% of max HP; Remove all binds; Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3.5x ATK for Water Att.; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 4x ATK and reduce damage taken by 25% when matching 2+ Water combos. [1/196/1 Resist 43.75%]

Awakenings:   
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Healer / Devil
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 906 (1132)
HP 3020 (3775) / ATK 1726 (2158) / RCV 778 (972)

Pros	Cons
Full Bind clear Provides FUA Valuable SA GK , Cloud , or Tape	Does not remove Awoken Binds Most things are Bind Immune Y’shtola  is better in almost every way

Rinoa is able to function as a utility-based card in mono Water teams as she is able to provide FUA , Team HP , and either Cloud  or Tape  Super Awakenings. Unfortunately, she will be overshadowed by Y’shtola who is the same rarity in the Final Fantasy Collab.

Pixel Rinoa

Active: Unlock all orbs; Change Heal, Jammer, Poison, Mortal Poison orbs to Water orbs. (6 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK for Water Att.; 4x ATK when 4 or more combos up to 5x at 5 combos. [1/225/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Healer / Devil
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 906 (1132)
HP 3020 (3775) / ATK 1726 (2158) / RCV 778 (972)

Pros	Cons
Effective against Attacker or God types	Less universal compared to other VDP cards

Pixel Rinoa naturally comes with two VDP and a single Attacker Killer with the chance at God Killer via Super Awakenings. This can grant them wonderful personal damage against those two spawns, which gives her a bit more flexibility. With that being said, players are only able to truly use Rinoa against these two types, which will cut down on her usability.

Which Rinoa to make?

Pixel Rinoa will be the better choice in most situations as she can function as a powerful VDP card against Attacker and God spawns.

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Zidane – B

Evolved Zidane

Active: For 10 turns, Wood, Light orbs are more likely to appear by 10%; Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 1.5x all stats for Attacker type; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 6x ATK and reduce damage taken by 25% when matching 4 or more connected Wood orbs. [2.25/81/2.25 Resist 43.75%]

Awakenings:       
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Devil / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 909 (1136)
HP 3160 (3950) / ATK 2516 (3145) / RCV 272 (340)

Pros	Cons
High Defensive multipliers Can use Zela 10 turn Wood & Light Skyfall buff	Low 81x ATK Can only use Attackers

Zidane is able to lead a high Effective Health team with 2.25x RCV. Sadly, he has a low 81x ATK along with being restricted to Attacker types. While this is a handicap, having access to Zela helps make him into a competent Wood leader.

Due to his high durability and access to high output card, Zidane can clear challenging content and acts as a budget alternative to stronger Wood leads.

Pixel Zidane

Active: Deal 99 fixed damage to all enemies; Change Water orbs to Wood orbs; Change Dark orbs to Light orbs. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x all stats for Attacker type; 5x ATK when matching Wood+Light. [4/100/4]

Awakenings:     
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 909 (1136)
HP 3860 (4825) / ATK 2516 (3145) / RCV 62 (78)

Pros	Cons
Modest Wood VDP	Nothing special

Pixel Zidane has less value compared to his Evolved form as he simply acts as a generic Wood VDP card. His output can be supplemented with a 7c Super Awakening, but he does face stiff competition from the numerous strong Wood VDP cards available.

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Tidus – C

Evolved Tidus

Active: For 2 turns, 2x RCV; For 2 turns, 2x ATK for Water Att.; Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x HP & ATK for Physical type; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 6x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Water orbs. [4/144/1]

Awakenings:
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 909 (1136)
HP 4808 (6010) / ATK 1714 (2142) / RCV 259 (324)

Pros	Cons
So many rows Easy swipe farming leader	Mostly a Farming leader Better ones exist Restricted to Physical types He has the worst laugh

Evolved Tidus has 6 Water Row awakenings, which has wonderful synergy with farming/swipe builds as they can quickly produce a row or full board of Water. This will help his 144x ATK to deal meaningful damage, but will struggle to find merit outside of this situation.

While he does have 4x HP, he is limited to Physical types, which lowers his available sub pool, which may make it challenging to effectively build him. Furthermore, more efficient farming teams exist who also have easier team building options.

Pixel Tidus

Active: Deal 99 fixed damage to all enemies; Change Fire orbs to Water orbs; Change Dark orbs to Light orbs. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x HP & ATK for Physical type; 6x ATK when matching Water+Light. [4/144/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Physical / Attacker
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 909 (1136)
HP 4808 (6010) / ATK 1054 (2568) / RCV 59 (74)

Pros	Cons
Some VDP potential	Does not provide much value overall

Pixel Tidus does not provide much value overall as he does not excel and any particular area and his VDP potential is on the lower end with only being present.

Which Tidus to make?

Neither form is particularly good so I would pursue the form that you may think will bring the most value to your Monster Box.

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Bartz – C

Evolved Bartz

Active: Change far left column and far right column to Wood orbs; Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn. (9 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x HP & ATK for Balanced type; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 6x ATK when matching 2+ Wood combos [4/144/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Balanced
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 903 (1129)
HP 3895 (4869) / ATK 1855 (2319) / RCV 428 (535)

Pros	Cons
Spawns 10 Wood orbs Double Column maker is easier to save orbs	Can only use Balance types Difficult to team build Niche value overall

Bartz is able to instantly spawn two columns (10) Wood orbs, which can help provide enough for a VDP or a way for match-5 farming leaders to gain two turns of damage. With that being said, his value is niche overall.

Pixel Bartz

Active: Unlock all orbs; Change far left column and far right column to Wood orbs. (9 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2.5x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Wood orbs up to 4x at 9 orbs; 4x ATK when matching 2+ Wood combos. [1/256/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Balanced
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 903 (1129)
HP 3895 (4869) / ATK 1855 (2319) / RCV 428 (535)

Pros	Cons
Spawns 10 Wood orbs Modest VDP potential	Wood is saturated with strong VDP cards

Pixel Bartz shares the same orb generating active as his Evolved form, but may feel drowned out by the large pool of powerful Wood VDP cards. As such, his value may feel niche, but is a better evolution to pursue compared to his Evolved form.

Which Bartz to make?

Pixel Bartz has a stronger active due to the Orb Unlock and has modest VDP potential, which makes this form the stronger one overall.

---

Terra – B

Evolved Terra

Active: Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn; Change far left column to Fire orbs and change far right column to Light orbs. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 1.5x all stats for Attacker type; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 8x ATK when matching Fire+Light [2.25/144/2.25]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 914 (1142)
HP 3513 (4391) / ATK 2093 (2616) / RCV 433 (541)

Pros	Cons
3 Enhanced Heart awakenings Acts as a healing solution for high HP teams Helps Attacker teams heal Natural L Enables Orb Unlocking Creates a column of Fire and Light	Restricted to Attackers for LS Primarily a Healing Stick

Terra is able to function as a Healing Stick due to their three Enhanced Heart Orb awakenings. This enables her to provide a sizable boost in healing when matching 4-connected Heart Orbs. This has the most value on High HP-low RCV teams and I prefer this route over a Kuroyuri System as you still retain all of your actives.

Pixel Terra

Active: Unlock all orbs; Change far left column to Fire orbs and change far right column to Light orbs. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2.5x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Fire orbs up to 4x at 9 orbs; 4x ATK when matching Fire+Light. [1/256/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker/Healer
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 914 (1142)
HP 2313 (2891) / ATK 2093 (2616) / RCV 793 (991)

Pros	Cons
Double VDP with supplemental awakenings	Still mostly a budget VDP card No Skill Boost

Pixel Terra continues the trend of 5-star Final Fantasy cards as she owns two VDP and other damage awakenings. For the most part, she will be a more budget option, but can still function reasonably well, but will be surpassed by flashier options.

One other major drawback is the lack of Skill Boost which can make it challenging to have all actives ready in time.

Which Terra to make?

Due to the mediocrity of her Pixel form, Evolved Terra is the best form to pursue as she can function as a reasonable Healing solution.

---

Shantotto – C

Evolved Shantotto

Active: Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn; Change top row to Dark orbs and change bottom row to Wood orbs. (11 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 4x ATK for Dark Att.; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 3x ATK when matching 5 or more connected Wood or Dark orbs up to 4x at 6 orbs. [1/256/1]

Awakenings:
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Devil
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 930 (1162)
HP 3035 (3794) / ATK 3053 (3816) / RCV 50 (62)

Pros	Cons
Row memes Double Row maker	Not practical

GH Employee: How many rows should we give Shantotto?
GH Boss: Yes

That was probably how the designing conversation went at GungHo when creating Shantotto as they only offer Rows. This can produce the highest spike possible from Cameo , but this is far from practical.

On the bright side, Shantotto is able to produce a Row of Dark and Wood, which may be useful for certain builds. With that being said, their Pixel form can also do this, but Unlocks orbs as well.

Pixel Shantotto

Active: Unlock all orbs; Change top row to Dark orbs and change bottom row to Wood orbs. (11 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2.5x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Dark orbs up to 4x at 9 orbs; 4x ATK when matching Dark+Wood. [1/256/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Devil
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 930 (1162)
HP 3035 (3794) / ATK 3053 (3816) / RCV 50 (62)

Pros	Cons
Double Row maker Double VDP with Rows	Row + VDP requires 15 Dark Orbs

Pixel Shantotto is better compared to their Evolved form due to diversity in their awakenings and a stronger active as it will Unlock Orbs as well.

Being able to instantly generate two Rows can be valuable for various farming builds as it can be used after a full mono board changer to produce a 7 combo VDP solution .

In regards to their VDP potential, Pixel Shantotto can produce modest amounts of damage when matching both VDP and a Row. Unfortunately, this requires 15 Dark orbs, which is not practical for the most part. With that being said, one can use Shantotto after a mono Dark board changer to produce a 24-6 split to proc the Row and VDP.

Which Shantotto to make?

The Pixel form is better in terms of active, awakenings, and overall usage. The Evolved form is better for Row memes.

---

Vaan – B

Evolved Vaan

Active: Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn; Change top row to Light orbs and change bottom row to Fire orbs. (11 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x HP & ATK for Light Att.; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 5x ATK when matching 4 or more connected Fire orbs up to 7x at 6 orbs. [4/196/1]

Awakenings:
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker/Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 912 (1140)
HP 4695 (5869) / ATK 2170 (2712) / RCV 28 (35)

Pros	Cons
Modest Leader Skill Double Row maker	Requires Light cards, but needs to match Fire Most awakenings are Rows

Vaan has strong Leader Skill multipliers, but has a somewhat convoluted requirement. He requires your cards to be Light attribute, but must match 4-6 Fire orbs to fully activate. This will cut down on combo count and restricts the types of orb/board changers that can be used. Furthermore, Vaan himself has low damage output and requires Super Awakenings to gain Bind Immunity

On the bright side, the ability to generate two Rows can aid in activation or for farming builds.

Pixel Vaan

Active: Unlock all orbs; Change top row to Light orbs and change bottom row to Fire orbs. (11 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 4x ATK and 2x HP for Light Att.; 3x ATK when matching Light+Fire. [4/144/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker/Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 912 (1140)
HP 4695 (5869) / ATK 2170 (2712) / RCV 28 (35)

Pros	Cons
Stronger Leader Skill Easier to activate Combos not hindered Double Row maker	Must match Fire + Light Restricts board/orb changers Lower personal damage

Pixel Vaan is an upgraded form of his Evolved form as it provides an easier to trigger Leader Skill and an Orb Unlock alongside the double Row active. Furthermore, they also trade many of the Rows for more useful awakenings.

As a leader, 4x HP is always strong and having a relatively low requirement for 144x ATK is beneficial. Matching Fire and Light should be doable from most given boards and the main concern is being unable to use some subs.

In regards to his VDP potential, he can deal meaningful damage when a TPA is matched alongside and if the Devil Killer Super Awakening is chosen.

Which Vaan to make?

The Pixel form is vastly superior due to a stronger active, awakenings, and easier to use Leader Skill.

---

Y’shtola – A

Evolved Y’shtola

Active: Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn; Change Dark orbs to Water orbs; Change Fire orbs to Heal orbs. (8 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 10x ATK when matching 4 or more connected Heal orbs; Reduce damage taken by 50% when matching 5 Heal orbs in a cross formation; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds. [1/100/1 Resist 75%]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Healer / Attacker
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 998 (1248)
HP 2608 (3260) / ATK 2235 (2794) / RCV 873 (1091)

Pros	Cons
Three SB + FUA Rare combination Powerful Skuld sub Useful active Tape or Cloud SA High RCV	LS is not practical

Y’shtola has become quite a powerful FUA option due to he Team HP , three Skill Boosts , and Tape or Cloud Super Awakenings. Furthermore, she has a useful active as it will generate more Water and Heart orbs while also being a modest cooldown. This makes her one of the better Mega Awoken Skuld subs as she has the right colours and lets Skuld pursue another L Super Awakening.

Overall, Y’shtola is a powerful utility FUA card for mono Water teams while still having modest damage output.

Pixel Y’shtola

Active: Unlock all orbs; Change Dark orbs to Water orbs; Change Fire orbs to Heal orbs. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: Reduce damage taken by 50% when matching 5 Heal orbs in a cross formation; 7x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Water orbs up to 10x at 9 orbs. [1/100/1 Resist 75%]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Healer / Attacker
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 916 (1145)
HP 2608 (3260) / ATK 2105 (2631) / RCV 703 (879)

Pros	Cons
Modest VDP option	Evolved form is much stronger

Pixel Y’shtola is significantly weaker compared to her Evolved form and should not be pursued unless you have duplicates.

Which Y’shtola to make?

The Evolved form is significantly stronger as a sub and should be pursued almost every time.

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Onion Knight – C

Evolved Onion Knight

Active: Change Wood orbs to Fire orbs; Change Dark orbs to Light orbs; For 3 turns, 1.5x orb move time. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 6x ATK when matching Fire+Fire+Light; 3x ATK when 4 or more combos; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds. [1/324/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Balanced
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 910 (1138)
HP 3848 (4810) / ATK 2110 (2638) / RCV 310 (388)

Pros	Cons
Time buffer Can overwrite Time Debuffs 20% Resist to Shirou sub	Lower usage outside Shirou

Onion Knight can function as a possible Shirou sub as he is the correct colour while also providing 20% Resistance to Blind , Jammer , and Poison .

This can free up inheritance space as it will be easier to achieve 100% Resistance to all three metrics, but may still be a niche choice overall.

Pixel Onion Knight

Active: Deal 99 fixed damage to all enemies; Change Wood orbs to Fire orbs; Change Dark orbs to Light orbs. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK when matching Fire+Light; 4x ATK when 4 or more combos. [1/144/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Balanced
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 910 (1138)
HP 3848 (4810) / ATK 2110 (2638) / RCV 310 (388)

Pros	Cons
TPA -based VDP card	TPA + VDP is orb hungry No SB

Pixel Onion Knight has the potential for high personal damage, but must match a 3×3 Box and 4-match to truly shine. This is orb hungry and not always possible, which relegates him to a more niche usage.

Which Onion Knight to make?

The Evolved form can act as a Shirou sub, but outside of this, it may be harder to justify using. Conversely, the Pixel form is also niche in his viability so the decision of, which form will most likely come down to personal preference.

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Yda/Lyse – B

Lyse

Active: For 3 turns, enhanced orbs are more likely to appear by 50%; Change Heal, Jammer, Poison, Mortal Poison orbs to Fire orbs. (6 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x HP & ATK for Physical, Attacker type; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 7x ATK for matched Att. when matching 5 Orbs with 1+ enhanced. [4/196/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:   
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 910 (1138)
HP 4300 (5375) / ATK 2245 (2806) / RCV 93 (116)

Pros	Cons
Natural Cloud Resist	5o1e leader Restricted to Physical and Attackers

Lyse is the final 5-star card in the Final Fantasy Collab and will most likely be stronger in her Pixel form. This is because this evolution lacks any standout special traits outside of a natural Cloud Resist and the Leader Skill is less ideal due to it being 5o1e and type restrictions.

Pixel Yda

Active: Unlock all orbs; Change far left column and 2nd column from left to Fire orbs. (10 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 1.5x HP & ATK for Physical, Attacker type; 9x ATK when matching 7 or more connected Fire orbs. [2.25/182.25/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:   
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 910 (1138)
HP 4300 (5375) / ATK 2245 (2806) / RCV 93 (116)

Pros	Cons
Three VDP with SA Stronger for a 5-star Active produces 10 Fire orbs	Vulnerable to Binds without SA

Pixel Yda is able to gain three VDP via Super Awakenings and puts her ahead of the other 5-star cards in terms of piercing potential. This can help ensure players are able to execute Void spawns with greater ease and the three Enhanced Fire Orbs can add modest amounts of damage. Furthermore, their active can produce 10 Fire orbs to ensure a 3×3 Box is formed.

Sadly, Pixel Yda cannot become Bind Immune unless she uses a Weapon Assist or Super Awakening, which takes away the third VDP.

Which Lyse/Yda to make?

The Pixel form is vastly superior and has high VDP potential with her Super Awakening.

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4 star base

Vivi – B

Active: For 1 turn, 70x Dark counterattack; Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 6x ATK and 2x HP for Dark Att.; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 10x Dark counterattack. [4/36/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 749 (936)
HP 1800 (2250) / ATK 2448 (3060) / RCV 239 (299)

Pros	Cons
70x Counterattack Can act as a “Button” Second highest available	Niche usage overall

Vivi is able to provide the second highest Counterattack value from any card (Lotta Lotta is the highest), which can be used as a “Button.”

Buttons refer to actives that can be used to instantly deal enough damage to an opposing spawn and facilitates faster and easier clears. Thus, the 70x Counterattack can be used like one if you know you will be facing high damage Preemptives/attacks. This is because the damage returned can be higher compared to Buttons, especially if your Health is high enough and 99% Gravities are involved.

With that being said, this is a niche application, but is worth keeping/having around.

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Ace – B

Active: For 2 turns, 4x ATK for Fire, Dark Att.; Charge allies’ skill by 2 turns. (15 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 8x ATK for Fire Att. when above 50% HP; 10x RCV additional heal when matching orbs; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds. [1/64/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Balanced
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 756 (945)
HP 3025 (3781) / ATK 1683 (2104) / RCV 351 (439)

Pros	Cons
Four SB 2 turns Haste 4x ATK for Dark + Fire Huge burst potential	15 turn base cooldown Harder to inherit over Farmable Tengu exists if looking for SB stick

Ace is a returning card to the Final Fantasy Collab and his main appeal will be his 4 Skill Boosts and possibly 2 turns Haste. This does translate into an effective 6 Skill Boosts if players use the base active, which is powerful in its own right.

Being able to provide 4x damage for both Fire and Dark cards is meaningful and can surpass Gemstones while also lasting 2 turns.

With that being said, if you are only looking for a Skill Boost stick, the farmable Tengu is a viable option as he has a 4-turn base cooldown, which make inheriting much easier.

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Aemo & Mootie -D

Active: Charge allies’ skill by 2 turns; Freely move orbs for 12 seconds. (12 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 4x ATK and 2x HP & RCV for Healer type; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds. [4/16/4]

Awakenings:
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Healer / God
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 816 (1020)
HP 2445 (3056) / ATK 1132 (1415) / RCV 1038 (1298)

Pros	Cons
12 turn Change the World Counters Spinners	Niche active overall

Aemo & Mootie’s main appeal will be providing a 12 second Change the World. This allows players to freely move orbs without triggering matching while also halting the Spinner mechanic.

For the most part, this is quite niche, but if going into a dungeon where you know Spinners will be prevalent, it can be invaluable.

---

Wol – C

Active: Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn; Enhance all Fire, Light orbs; Deal 200x ATK damage to an enemy. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 6x ATK for Physical, Attacker type; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds. [1/36/1]

Awakenings:
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 753 (941)
HP 3568 (4460) / ATK 1950 (2438) / RCV 20 (25)

Pros	Cons
7 turn 200x Button Double Dragon Killer + Healer	Button farming is not for everyone

Wol is able to provide a 200x Button on a fast 7-turn cooldown, which makes it easier to inherit on a Coop Boost card. For the most part, this will be used exclusively as part of a Button farming build, which is not applicable for every player.

On the bright side, Wol may be able to function as a niche Killer stick if facing Dragon/Healer spawns and maybe hit Button active will be enough to sweep a previous floor. One can always pad his ATK stat by inheriting a Coop Boost awakening.

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Rain – C

Active: Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn; For 1 turn, reduce damage taken by 75%. (10 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 5x ATK and 2x HP & RCV for Fire Att.; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds. [4/25/4]

Awakenings:
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Balanced
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 756 (945)
HP 4300 (5375) / ATK 1528 (1910) / RCV 335 (419)

Pros	Cons
Double Balance Killer Relatively rare	Only useful against Balance types

Rain is one of the few cards to own double Balance Killers , which gives him 9x personal damage against certain spawns. This can be useful in niche situations, but I do not foresee it being used that often. Amusingly, the only triple Balance Killer card is also found in the Final Fantasy Collab.

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Penelo – C

Active: Recover 30% of max HP; Remove all awoken skill binds; Change Dark, Jammer, Poison, Mortal Poison orbs to Heal orbs. (8 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 5x ATK and 2x HP for Wood Att.; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 10x RCV additional heal when matching orbs. [4/25/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Healer
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 783 (979)
HP 2230 (2788) / ATK 1810 (2262) / RCV 595 (744)

Pros	Cons
Inheritable full Awoken Bind clear	Does not remove Binds Mostly just a niche inherit

Penelo is able to provide an inheritable full Awoken Bind clear along with a 30% HP heal and converting Dark and Hazards into Hearts. This is situational overall, but may be useful for certain compositions.

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Auron – C

Active: For 3 turns, reduce enemies’ defense by 75%; Create 3 Fire, Dark orbs. (6 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x HP & ATK for Physical, Attacker type; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 4x ATK on the turn a skill is used. [4/64/1]

Awakenings:
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 751 (939)
HP 3000 (3750) / ATK 2255 (2819) / RCV 0 (0)

Pros	Cons
Lots of Killers 75% DEF reduction for 3 turns	No duplicate Killers Harder to line up damage

Auron boasts 6 unique Killers, but by not having any overlap, it will be harder to line up damage. This is because Killers are only effective against their particular typing, which is why it is best to have duplicate Killers. Thus, Auron will most likely have 3-9x personal damage against a given spawn, which may not be enough to succeed.

On the bright side, he is able to provide 75% DEF Break for 3 turns. This can enable players to easily overcome high DEF encounters and having 3 turns of DEF Break gives leniency if failing to one shot a spawn.

---

Reynn & Lann – C

Active: For 3 turns, enhanced orbs are more likely to appear by 50%; Change Fire, Jammer orbs to Dark orbs; Change Heal, Poison, Mortal Poison orbs to Light orbs. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 1.5x HP & ATK for Light, Dark Att.; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds; 6x ATK for matched Att. when matching 5 Orbs with 1+ enhanced. [2.25/81/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 749 (936)
HP 3965 (4956) / ATK 1725 (2156) / RCV 23 (29)

Pros	Cons
Double Healer Killer Double orb changer	Only 2 Killers Niche active

Reynn & Lann simply feels like Collab filler as they do not provide much merit in any particular niche. As such, they may simply end up as Box Cheerleaders.

Conclusion

The Final Fantasy Collab is jam-packed with powerful cards who have multiple, viable forms. This helps ensure any top rarity card finds merit in any Monster Box while also providing some powerful Weapon Assists.

For the most part, this is a solid event to roll in as it is home to unique and valuable cards along with having an amazingly high 22.5% Diamond rate. If you wish to read about the 6-star cards, please refer to my other article HERE.

Let me know what you think about the Final Fantasy Collab in the comments below along with your own personal approach to this event.

Happy Puzzling!

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