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 and 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 5/4-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.

6 Star base

Lightning – S

Evolved Lightning

Active: Deal 10000 fixed damage to all enemies; Change all orbs to Fire, Water, Wood, Light, Dark, and Heal orbs; Unlock all orbs (10 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 4x ATK and increase combo by 1 when matching 4 or more colors; 4x ATK and 2x HP for Light Att.; Increase orb movement time by 2 seconds [4/256/1]

Awakenings:   
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Healer / God
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1018 (1272)
HP 3755 (4719) / ATK 2190 (2738) / RCV 608 (760)

Pros	Cons
High personal damage against Gods Three SB 4x HP team +2 combos with activation Bonus orb movement time Requires 4 colours Some flexibility in orb/board changers Guard Break Can gain GK or FUA via SA	Active has a long cooldown 10k Fixed Damage is not special No Damage Reduction Vulnerable to Gravity+Hit Rainbow teams can have issues with orb troll/VDP

Lightning is one of the original cards within the Final Fantasy Collab and has received sizable buffs to her various forms. In her evolved form, she has wonderfully high personal damage against God types along with being able to acquire another God Killer or FUA via Super Awakenings. This can propel her damage output or provide utility as needed, but it may be better to make her a God killing machine.

This is because it is my belief that cards should try and specialize or pursue what they are already good at. Thus, having 36x ATK against Gods can cut down on the need for a burst. Furthermore, if facing spawns with high DEF, her natural Guard Break can make short work of them. As such, Lightning can be a stellar Rainbow sub, but is also able to lead a potent team herself.

As a leader, she provides 4x HP for Light cards and 256x ATK when matching 4 or more colours. This gives some degree of freedom with orb/board changers, which can make it easier to achieve more complex matching patterns. While the 4x HP means she can survive any hit, she must find a healing solution along with being wary of Gravity+Hit combos (eg. Hera Nyx in Arena 5).

Pixel Lightning

Active: Change bottom row to Light orbs; For 1 turn, increase combo count by 2 (10 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK & RCV for Healer, Attacker type; 3.5x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Light orbs up to 5x at 9 orbs [1/225/9]

Awakenings:   
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Healer
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1018 (1272)
HP 3775 (4719) / ATK 2190 (2738) / RCV 608 (760)

Pros	Cons
6 guaranteed Light orbs +2 combos 3 SB 2 VDP  + GK via SA	Low damage output without VDP Cannot use God Killer latents Only truly shines vs Gods in solo

Lightning’s Pixel form has the capacity to deal meaningful damage against God spawns when matching a 3×3 Box in solo mode. This will result in 18.75x personal damage, which may be sufficient to solve your piercing needs. Sadly, this will only work in solo mode and only provides 6.25x otherwise. As such, she makes for a poor all around VDP option as it may not be enough damage while also being unable to accept God Killer latents.

With that being said, her active skill has merits for farming applications. She is able to provide +2 combos along with a guaranteed 6 Light orbs, which can be quickly maneuvered into position after a full mono board changer.

Lightning’s Crystal Charm

Active: Delay enemies for 3 turns; Change all orbs to Fire, Water, Wood, Light, Dark, and Heal orbs (15 turn CD)

Awakenings:  

Pros	Cons
20% Resist against Jammer, Poison, & Blind >80% ATK awakening Bonus 1.5x ATK Useful active for Rainbow teams	Luxury Weapon when a similar farmable exists

Lightning’s Crystal Charm is a powerful Weapon Assist as it provides 20% protection against Jammer, Poison, and Blind attacks. These are used in conjunction with other Resist awakenings to provide 100% immunity against these mechanics. Furthermore, she also provides a wonderful >80% ATK awakening, which translates into 1.5x personal damage when above 80% HP.

For the most part, the >80% awakening is the weakest offensive awakening due to the fact that it has the smallest multiplier and narrowest window of effectiveness. With that being said, the fact that it comes “free” with valuable other awakenings makes Lightning’s Crystal Charm quite powerful.

Placing this on top of your VDP card may give the enough damage to pierce through a Void spawn without the need to use a supplemental burst skill.

The only “drawback” is that this is a luxury Weapon Assist in the sense that a farmable option exists through Trojan Horse . This may make it harder to justify this form if players already have a Trojan Horse or lack a strong Rainbow leader/sub.

Which Lightning to make?

I would pursue either her Evolved or Crystal form. For players with shallower Monster Boxes, her Evolved form can provide a stellar leader, but for myself, I am more inclined to make her Crystal form. This is because I have enough strong leaders, but lack an upgraded Trojan Horse card.

---

Cloud – S

Evolved Cloud

Active: Change far right column to Light orbs; Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn; Unlock all orbs. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x HP & ATK for Healer, Attacker, Machine type; 7.5x ATK and 1.5x RCV on the turn a skill is used. [4/225/2.25]

Awakenings:     
Super Awakenings:   
Typing: Attacker / Machine / Healer
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1008 (1260)
HP 3755 (4719) / ATK 2359 (2949) / RCV 688 (860)

Pros	Cons
Big Sword Powerful LS multipliers No combo requirement Can form a system of himself High personal damage Exceptionally strong against Devils	LS requires an active used each turn Aerith is only Light-primary card Typing restriction No Damage Reduction Vulnerable to Gravity+Hit

Evolved Cloud is able to form a powerful 4/225/2.25 team consisting of Healer, Attackers, and Machine types. While this does cut down on the total available sub pool, he still has access to himself (duh) and Bride Zela. Unfortuantely, his biggest downfall is a lack of a strong 1-turn Light card who is Healer, Attacker, or Machine type outside of the new Final Fantasy 6-star, Aerith . With that being said, Tao Ren does qualify but is off-colour.

If lacking Aerith, players could use an offcolour/type card, but they will be dealing significantly less damage and providing less HP. While this may not always be a deal breaker, it is a speed bump in what is a powerful leader. Of course, players can default to the Cloud System, which solves this problem, but requires players to own 3 Clouds.

A Cloud system is able to use his base active every single turn due to the Haste, but only leaves players with 2 subs to deal with the rest of the mechanics as 4 actives will be dedicated to the System. Amusingly, the System is able to always provide Light orbs, which can be quickly matched into a TPA for the full 225x ATK. This will sweep through plenty of content as his Super Awakenings can provide additional damage as needed.

Of course, players can simply choose an off-colour/type 1-turn card as the damage output and durability should be sufficient.

Pixel Cloud

Active: Change far right column to Light orbs; For 1 turn, increase combo count by 1. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK and 2x HP for Physical, Attacker type; 3.5x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Light orbs up to 5x at 9 orbs. [4/225/1]

Awakenings:
Super Awakenings:   
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1001 (1251)
HP 4673 (5841) / ATK 2190 (2738) / RCV 608 (760)

Pros	Cons
High VDP damage Exceptionally strong vs Devil Damage not tied to combos	AS has a lower impact Too orb hungry as a Leader

Pixel Cloud is a stellar option for Light VDP as he an gain triple VDP via Super Awakenings while also not being tied to combos. This is important because any powerful leaders are starting to activate from matching certain orbs/patterns instead of combos. This is valuable when facing Void + Resolve spawns as the column of Hearts and 3×3 Box can be matched without worry. Thus, having VDP cards who scale from just the 3×3 Box are important.

As such, Pixel Cloud can fulfill this role and gains an even larger impact against Devil spawns (who are common in A5). Taking all of this into consideration, Pixel Cloud should be pursued if you are lacking a powerful VDP option and have no interest in his Evolved Leader form.

Cloud’s Crystal Charm

Active: For 1 turn, bypass att. absorb shield effects; Change Water, Wood orbs to Light orbs; Change Dark orbs to Heal orbs. (13 turn CD)

Awakenings:    

Pros	Cons
Sizable damage boost for mono Light teams Powerful orb changer for mono Light	Attribute absorb is niche Provides no Resists

Cloud’s Crystal Charm changes his active into a powerful orb changer that will produce a 1/2 Light, 1/3 Dark, and 1/6 Fire board. This is not a board changer so hazards will still remain, but can be used to help guarantee a VDP and FUA. Furthermore, the offensive awakenings granted can provide a sizable damage boost on pre-existing Light orbs.

With that being said, defensive awakenings are often the best route to pursue due to the fact that players can completely avoid dangerous mechanics. As such, using Cloud’s Weapon Assist may place a strain on achieving 100% immunity. While this may or may not be a deal breaker, it is something to consider, especially when his other forms are already quite powerful.

Which Cloud to make?

Despite lacking an ideal 1-turn active for his Evolved form’s Leader Skill, it is still a powerful form to pursue and a single sub not contributing as much can be worked around. On the other hand, his Pixel form offers stellar VDP damage against Devils and can help trivialize many A5 spawns.

Thus, players need to determine if they can field a Cloud team or can better benefit from a powerful VDP card.

---

   Yuna – S

Evolved Yuna

Active: For 2 turns, reduce damage taken by 50%; Charge allies’ skill by 1 turn. (9 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 4x ATK when matching 4 or more colors (3+heal); 2.5x ATK when 5 or more combos up to 5x at 10 combos; 2x HP for Light Att. [4/400/1]

Awakenings:     
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Healer / Attacker
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1018 (1272)
HP 3038 (3798) / ATK 2078 (2598) / RCV 896 (1120)

Pros	Cons
Highest bonus movement time via awakenings Best way to add time via a sub Can become bind immune via SA Powerful LS multipliers 4x HP / 400x ATK Viable 7×6 pairings Useful base active	Too many TE Eats into other awakenings LS requires 10c for maximum effect Offset via 7×6 Still viable on 6×5

Yuna once reigned supreme as a Light sub during the last iteration of Final Fantasy, but steadily lost ground to newer and flashier cards. Fortunately, she has received a sizable buff to her overall kit and is now able to grant a walloping +3 seconds to orb movement time via her awakenings.

This can correct almost any team’s movement time issues while also providing respectable offensive awakenings and a useful base active. The 50% Damage Reduction for 2 turns can save players from dangerous preemptives or the modest 9 turn cooldown can act as a base for a different inherit.

As a leader, Yuna has impressive 4x HP and 400x ATK multiplier for Light cards when matching any 4 elements (3 colours + Hearts included). This gives her some flexibility with active skills as she is not completely restricted to only full Rainbow boards. This can help alleviate the strain of forming an FUA or VDP . With that being said, it will be challenging to reach her full ATK multiplier as it requires 10 combos. While this can be difficult on 6×5 boards (7 combos = 196x), it can always be hit on 7×6 boards. With that in mind, she can pair with 7×6 leaders to gain Damage Reduction and use her high HP and ATK multiplier to sweep content.

Pixel Yuna

Active: Change Fire, Heal, Jammer, Poison, Mortal Poison orbs to Light orbs; For 1 turn, increase combo count by 1. (10 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 4x ATK when matching 3 or more colors (2+heal); 3x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Light orbs up to 4.5x at 9 orbs. [1/324/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1018 (1251)
HP 4673 (5841) / ATK 2190 (2738) / RCV 608 (760)

Pros	Cons
Triple VDP via SA Double orb changer that removes Hazards Double SBR	Feels like a generic VDP card Is effective, but not unique LS is orb hungry and too fragile

Pixel Yuna is able to assume a triple VDP role in solo mode, which grants her 15.625x personal ATK when forming a 3×3 Box. This can allow her to pierce through Void spawns, but does face stiff competition from other Light VDP options within the Final Fantasy Collab. This is not to say she is weak by any means, but I feel she is somewhat a generic VDP card who brings a bit more utility via SBR and TE .

 Yuna’s Crystal Charm

Active: For 5 turns, reduce damage taken by 50%; For 5 turns, increase orb move time by 1 seconds. (16 turn CD)

Awakenings:

Pros	Cons
Coop Boost Tape Resist Still relatively rare Powerful active Long lasting shield Overwrite movement time debuffs Longer CD to help prevent accidental charging	Must give up Evolved form Most value is gained in coop

Yuna’s Crystal Charm is incredibly powerful if players utilize coop as she is able to provide +50% stats via Coop Boost along with Tape Resist . For the most part, Tape Resist is still relatively rare, especially as a Weapon Assist so being able to cancel out this mechanic can be valuable. Furthermore, many Tape Resists found on monsters are tied to Super Awakenings, which are cancelled in coop. Thus, Yuna’ Crystal Charm is the perfect solution. Finally, the 50% Shield for 5 turns can help a team overcome a problematic floor as it can be more easily stalled while also being able to overwrite Time Debuffs.

With that being said, if players do not plan to utilize Coop, Yuna’s Crystal Charm becomes less potent and should probably not be pursued unless the active is key to your success.

Which Yuna to make?

I am most inclined to leave Yuna in her Evolved form as it functions as a massive Time Extend stick while also having a useful active and awakenings. Furthermore, she can be used as a powerful leader.

On the other hand, if you play quite a bit of coop, Yuna’s Crystal Charm can be invaluable as it provides Coop Boost Coop Boost ,  Tape Resist , and a powerful active.

---

  Sephiroth – B

 Evolved Sephiroth

Active: Charge allies’ skill by 2 turns; Enhance all orbs; Recover all HP; Remove all awoken skill binds. (13 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 7x ATK and reduce damage taken by 25% when matching 4 or more colors; 3x ATK & RCV for Physical, Attacker, Devil type. [1/441/9 Resist 43.75%]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Devil / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1004 (1255)
HP 5035 (6294) / ATK 2302 (2878) / RCV 123 (154)

Pros	Cons
High personal damage against specific types Strong damage sub Strong utility active Strong LS multipliers 9x RCV = always full heal	Typing restriction Active is somewhat redundant on 2 leaders Longer CD Harder to inherit over Low Effective HP 9x RCV is somewhat excessive No VDP Can make the high personal damage go to waste

Sephiroth is now able to lead a powerful 1/441/9/43.75% team when matching 4 colours. This can deal spectacular amounts of damage, but is held back by a few aspects.

Firstly, Sephiroth must use Physical, Attackers, or Devils, which can cut down on his total sub pool. While this is not impossible to work around, it may be restricted for more shallow boxes. Secondly, being Rainbow-reliant can be a liability as it does restrict the types of actives you can bring along with the occasional orb troll.

In addition, the 9x RCV is somewhat wasted on a 1x HP leader and his only source of Effective Health is a 43.75% Damage Reduction. This may be sufficient against many encounters, but may become stressful on higher difficulties. Finally, Sephiroth’s active is redundant with two leaders. This is because players should only need 1 Awoken Bind clear and the 13 turn cooldown makes it challenging to inherit over.

While this may sound negative, he is still a capable leader, but players should be aware of his drawbacks.

With that being said, Sephiroth’s personal damage output is one of the highest when factoring in latents and Super Awakenings. This can allow him to deal incredible amounts of damage against God spawns but the main issue is a lack of VDP . Without VDP, his output will go to waste so it is a bit of a double-edged sword. Regardless, he can function as one of the most offensive Awoken Bind clearing cards.

 Pixel Sephiroth

Active: Change far left column and far right column to Dark orbs; For 1 turn, increase combo count by 1. (10 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK & RCV for Attacker, Devil type; 3.5x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Dark orbs up to 5x at 9 orbs. [1/225/9]

Awakenings:
Super Awakenings:  
Typing: Attacker / Devil
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1004 (1255)
HP 5035 (6294) / ATK 2302 (2878) / RCV 123 (154)

Pros	Cons
Creates 10 Dark orbs Ensures VDP Strong VDP against Machines or Gods Can use God Killers	Mostly shines against Machines or Gods

Pixel Sephiroth was one of the best VDP options upon release, but even with his buffs has not truly kept abreast with current options. While he does have the ability to generate 10 Dark orbs, many VDP solutions are found via bicolour boards as they usually result in more Dark orbs along with a higher combo count.

Furthermore, his main potential is locked to mostly Machines and Gods on the Super Awakening chosen. I am less inclined to pursue 7 Combo as it lowers his piercing potential along with forcing players to hit 7 or more combos (which may not be possible with FUA +VDP).

As a result, Pixel Sephiroth will function as a niche VDP option when facing God or Machine types.

 Sephiroth’s Crystal Charm

Active: Change top row to Dark orbs; Create 3 Fire, Water, Wood, Light, Heal orbs over non Dark orbs. (9 turn CD)

Awakenings:

Pros	Cons
Rainbow board with a guaranteed 6 Darks Helps blob-rainbow Dark teams Provides passive damage to Dark teams Merits on Phenom teams	Niche active No defensive awakenings

Like Cloud’s Crystal Charm, Sephiroth’s Weapon Assist is able to provide a single TPA along with three Orb Enhances. These can provide a noticeable damage boost to Dark teams, but comes at the cost of no Defensive awakenings. As such, it may become more challenging to achieve 100% Resistance against dangerous mechanics, which tends to be the better option compared to more damage.

With that being said, Sephiroth’s Crystal Charm can have merits on Phenom teams who already achieve 100% immunity with ease along with actually being able to take advantage of the Rainbow board with extra Dark orbs. Furthermore, the passive damage output may help when faced with less Dark-friendly boards.

---

Cecil – S

Evolved Dark Cecil

Active: Change all orbs to Heal, Light, and Dark orbs. (9 turn CD)

Leader Skill: [Board becomes 7×6]; 2x ATK & RCV for Dark Att.; 4x ATK and reduce damage taken by 25% when matching 2+ Dark combos. [1/64/4 Resist 43.75%]

Awakenings:   
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Devil
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1013 (1266)
HP 3498 (4372) / ATK 2603 (3254) / RCV 428 (535)

Pros	Cons
7×6 leader 10c triggers Fast charging tri elemental board with Hearts	Restricted to Dark Less universal flexibility Resist Dark is kind of wasteful Reliant on 7×6 for 10c

Dark Cecil boasts a fast charging tri elemental board changer that contains Heart orbs. This is important for teams who rely on Light or Dark orbs and want to have a fast charging active with no frills.

Furthermore, they are able to lead a potent 7×6 team as they can provide a reasonable multiplier along with Damage Reduction while also having 5x personal damage via the 10c awakening. This can be bolstered to 10x through 7c  via Super Awakenings, but Full Bind Immunity is probably better.

In regards to their leadership potential, they are reliant on pairing with a high ATK friend, but being restricted to Dark cards may provide some hurdles as they are less flexible compared to Diablos .

Evolved Light Cecil

Active: Change all orbs to Heal, Light, and Dark orbs. (9 turn CD)

Leader Skill: [Board becomes 7×6]; 3x ATK & RCV for Light Att.; 3x ATK and reduce damage taken by 25% when matching Light+Dark. [1/81/9 Resist 43.75%]

Awakenings:   
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1015 (1269)
HP 6302 (7878) / ATK 1796 (2245) / RCV 78 (98)

Pros	Cons
Fast charging tri elemental board with Hearts 7×6 leader 10c triggers Stronger LS multiplier compared to Dark evolved form Higher ATK & RCV	Auto Heal is wasted

Light Cecil is also able to provide a 7×6 board along with higher multipliers, but must match one Light and one Dark combo. For the most part, this should not be an issue as the 42 orb board will most likely provide these 6 orbs. Thus, his activation will be quite consistent, but players must be conscious of the types of board/orb changers they bring into the dungeon.

In addition to relatively consistent activation, the larger board helps proc the 10c awakening and can shore up his vulnerability to binds via Super Awakenings.

Sadly, Cecil is not without faults as the three Auto Heals are quite wasteful considering he already provides so much RCV.

Pixel Dark Cecil

Active: Unlock all orbs; Change all orbs to Light, Dark, and Heal orbs. (10 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK & RCV for Physical, Attacker type; 4x ATK when matching Dark+Light. [1/144/9]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1018 (1251)
HP 5302 (6628) / ATK 2303 (2879) / RCV 78 (98)

Pros	Cons
Valuable active Same tri-board, but unlocks Reasonable VDP potential	Average VDP card

Pixel Dark Cecil upgrades their evolved form’s active as it only adds a single turn for a Board Unlock. Sadly their viability tapers off as they falter like Pixel Yuna in that they are a very average VDP option.

Pixel Light Cecil

Active: Change all orbs to Light, Dark, and Heal orbs; For 1 turn, increase combo count by 1. (11 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3x ATK & RCV for Healer, Attacker type; 4x ATK when matching Light+Dark. [1/144/9]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Healer
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1013 (1266)
HP 3098 (3872) / ATK 2253 (2816) / RCV 758 (948)

Pros	Cons
Tri-board with +1 combo Helps teams hit combo threshold Easier to VDP + FUA and 7c	Average VDP card

Light Cecil’s Pixel form grants +1 combo with the same tri-board, which is valuable for teams who rely on a certain number of combos to succeed. This applies most when matching VDP and FUA as combo count will often be hindered.

Other than this situation, Light Pixel Cecil feels like an average VDP card and I would not pursue unless starved for this type of active.

Dark Cecil’s Crystal Charm

Active: For 1 turn, bypass att. absorb shield effects; Change all orbs to Light, Dark, and Heal orbs. (13 turn CD)

Awakenings:

Pros	Cons
Full bind immunity 40% Blind Resist Tri-board with Attribute Absorb Void	Light Crystal is better

Dark Cecil’s Crystal Charm is a powerful Weapon Assist as it provides Full Bind Immunity along with 40% Blind Resist . This pairing helps alleviate the stress of achieving full Resistance immunity while also patching up a bind-vulnerable card. This two-in-one combo is further bolstered by the attached board changer and situational Colour Absorb Void.

With that being said, the Light Crystal form is stronger in the most  situations.

Light Cecil’s Crystal Charm

Active: For 1 turn, bypass damage absorb shield effects; Change all orbs to Light, Dark, and Heal orbs. (25 turn CD)

Awakenings:  

Pros	Cons
Full bind immunity 40% Jammer Resist Damage Absorb Void (Fujin ) Tri-elemental board 25 turn CD Prevents inherit charging if undesired	25 turn CD Longer if you want the inherit

Light Cecil’s Crystal Charm is her strongest form due to the fact that it provides Full Bind Immunity , 40% Jammer Resist ,  a Damage Absorb Void, tri-elemental board, and a 25 turn cooldown. All of these factors are beneficial in the majority of situations as you can make a bind-vulnerable card immune along with providing 40% protection against Jammer attacks.

While the 25 turn cooldown is quite long for a Fujin-style active, it can be abused to protect that base inherit as well as prevent the Crystal Charm from charging up if that is undesired.

Which Cecil to make?

The Light Crystal Charm is the strongest form due to the power of Full Bind Immunity, 40% Jammers, a Damage Absorb Void, and long cooldown to prevent charging if undesired. By extension, the Dark Crystal Charm can be wonderful if you are needing a Colour Absorb Void or prefer to have Blind Resists instead.

---

Noctis – S

Evolved Noctis

Active: Create 4 Dark orbs over non Light orbs; For 1 turn, increase combo count by 1. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 2x all stats for Dark Att.; 4x ATK and increase combo by 1 when matching Light, Dark at once. [4/64/4]

Awakenings:   
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Physical / Attacker
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1010 (1262)
HP 4638 (5798) / ATK 2377 (2971) / RCV 214 (268)

Pros	Cons
Massive Devil killing potential	Lacks VDP Underwhelming LS

Evolved Noctis has been completely transformed in terms of his Leader Skill as it caps out at a pitiful 4/64/4 and offers nothing truly unique.

With that being said, he has amazing Devil Killing potential, but becomes somewhat moot due to no VDP . High damage cards are somewhat punished if they don’t have VDP as their damage will simply be voided and not provide much overall.

Pixel Noctis

Active: Change Fire, Water, Wood orbs to Dark orbs; For 1 turn, increase combo count by 1. (13 turn CD)

Leader Skill: [Unable to erase 3 orbs or less]; 1.5x all stats for all Att.; 7x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Dark orbs up to 10x at 9 orbs. [1/324/1]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Physical / Attacker
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1010 (1262)
HP 4638 (5798) / ATK 2377 (2971) / RCV 214 (268)

Pros	Cons
3 VDP as regular awakenings Functions in Coop Can further boost via 7c SA Tri-elemental orb changer Almost guaranteed 9 Dark for VDP Adds 1 combo	Leader Skill is impractical Primarily a sub

Pixel Noctis is an outstanding VDP card as he comes with three from his regular awakenings. This makes him a potent coop option along with having the ability to gain more value from Super Awakenings.

Furthermore, his unique orb changer will heavily flood the board with Dark orbs while still leaving Light and Hearts. This may still result in a VDP + FUA board and the +1 combo is icing on the cake.

Noctis’ Crystal Charm

Active: Create 6 Dark orbs over non Light orbs; For 2 turns, increase combo count by 2. (16 turn CD)

Awakenings:

Pros	Cons
Cloud Resist >80% = +1.5x ATK Unique active Guaranteed 6 Dark 2 turns of +2 combo

Noctis’s Crystal Charm is another powerful Weapon Assist as it provides Cloud Resist and a free >80% awakening. This enables the owning card to gain an additional 1.5x ATK when above 80% and provides immunity to Clouds.

Furthermore, the active provides a unique orb changer and +2 combos for 2 turns. For the most part, this active will have relevance in farming builds, but may be invaluable when playing teams who have a combo requirement and need to VDP + FUA.

Which Noctis to make?

Pixel Noctis offers amazing VDP in both solo and coop due to the fact that he owns three before Super Awakenings. On the other hand, his Crystal form is able to provide both Cloud and >80% which adds an extra layer of damage when protecting yourself against Clouds.

---

Tifa – S

Base Tifa

Active: Change Heal orbs to Light orbs; For 3 turns, reduce damage taken by 35%; Enhance all Light orbs. (8 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 4x ATK & RCV when matching 5 or more connected Fire or Light orbs up to 6x at 7 orbs; [Board becomes 7×6]; 2x ATK and 1.5x HP for Light Att. [2.25/144/36]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 950 (1188)
HP 5055 (6319) / ATK 2045 (2556) / RCV 109 (136)

Pros	Cons
7×6 leader High ATK & RCV Favourable pairings with Light-blob leaders Provides 6x RCV Solves all healing issues	Relies on Light blobs Limited pairings

Base Tifa is a reasonable 7×6 leader if you are planning on matching Light Blobs as she maxes out at 7 connected Light. This has wonderful synergy with Demon Yusuke or Dark Karin and the larger board can help alleviate activation inconsistency.

Furthermore, the 6x RCV can solve any healing issues along with having one of the highest ATK multipliers for 7×6. The RCV aspect is important in the future AA3 where massive RCV debuffs exist.

Evolved Tifa

Active: Change Heal orbs to Light orbs; For 3 turns, reduce damage taken by 35%; Enhance all Light orbs. (8 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 5x ATK and increase combo by 0 when matching 4 or more connected Fire and Light orbs at once; [Board becomes 7×6]; 2x ATK and 1.5x HP for Light Att. [2.25/100/1]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1020 (1275)
HP 5555 (6944) / ATK 2145 (2681) / RCV 109 (136)

Pros	Cons
4 TPA Modest VDP potential Powerful 7×6 leader	Most damage is tied to TPA May be harder to VDP + TPA on 6×5 More unconditional VDP options exist LS requires both Light and Fire 4-match Low defensive multipliers

Evolved Tifa can be thought of as a reasonable VDP option who is able to quickly ramp up damage when TPA are able to be matched as well. This may prove to be more restrictive compared to other VDP options, which may make it harder to bring her along on 6×5 boards.

Fortunately, she is a powerful 7×6 leader as she offers a high 10x (high for 7×6), a relatively easy to activate multiplier, and modest bulk. This can be paired with high output cards such as Yuna or Zinogre

Pixel Tifa

Active: Change Heal orbs to Light orbs; For 1 turn, increase combo count by 1. (7 turn CD)

Leader Skill: [Board becomes 7×6]; 2x ATK for Light Att.; 7x ATK and 2x RCV when matching 7 or more connected Light orbs. [1/196/4]

Awakenings:  
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1020 (1275)
HP 5555 (6944) / ATK 2145 (2681) / RCV 109 (136)

Pros	Cons
3 VDP via SA	Mostly just offers VDP Feels less unique within the FF Collab

Like Pixel Yuna, Pixel Tifa is another triple VDP option in solo mode, which can enable her to easily pierce through Void spawns. With that being said, she does not bring any other interesting aspect/potency against certain spawns. This is not to say she is a poor choice, it is just that she feels somewhat blurred among the other options.

Tifa’s Crystal Charm

Active: Change top row and 2nd row from top to Light orbs; For 1 turn, 2x orb move time. (14 turn CD)

Awakenings:

Pros	Cons
Two Team HP Makes 12 Light orbs Overwrite Time Debuffs	Awakenings are underwhelming Provides no Resists

Tifa’s Crystal Charm will be mostly for the double Row generation and two Team HP . For the most part, both of these mechanics are strong in farming builds, but will most likely be underutilized in harder content as it provides no Resists.

Which Tifa to make?

If you enjoy 7×6 leaders and have available pairings, her Base or Evolved form can create a powerful team. Her Pixel form is an all-around Light VDP option and her Weapon Assist is underwhelming.

---

  Balthier – A

 Base Balthier

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

Leader Skill: 4x ATK and reduce damage taken by 25% when matching 3 or more colors; 4x ATK for matched Att. when matching 5 Orbs with 1+ enhanced [1/256/1/43.75%]

Awakenings:       
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1010 (1262)
HP 5588 (6985) / ATK 1940 (2425) / RCV 190 (238)

Pros	Cons
Other forms exist	Active skill is underwhelming Should have full Hazard Resist Chance at Enhanced orbs is not reliable Heavily competes with many other Wood leads Requires Rainbow + 5o1e May restrict combo count Restricts orb/board changers Harder to VDP/FUA 5o1e is a bad LS mechanic

Based Balthieris a Rainbow team who must also rely on the lackluster 5 orbs, 1 enhanced (5o1e) mechanic. 5o1e is problematic as players must have at least one enhanced orb of that specific colour and can be ruined by board/orb changers. As such, it is unreliable and when paired with a Rainbow mechanic, becomes even harder to use.

With this in mind, it is best to pursue his other forms.

Evolved Balthier

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

Leader Skill: 3x ATK and reduce damage taken by 25% when matching 3 or more colors; 5x ATK and reduce damage taken by 25% when matching 5 orbs in L shape. [1/225/1 Resist 68.36%]

Awakenings:     
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1010 (1262)
HP 5588 (6985) / ATK 1940 (2425) / RCV 190 (238)

Pros	Cons
2 Damage Reduction components Can easily trigger at least 1 High personal damage	Active skill is underwhelming Should have full Hazard Resist Chance at Enhanced orbs is not reliable Heavily competes with many other Wood leads Requires Rainbow + May restrict combo count Restricts orb/board changers Harder to VDP/FUA

Evolved Balthier is able to lead a 225x ATK / 68.36% Damage Reduction team when matching 3 or more colours along with an L. For the most part, either option should be relatively doable with each contributing their own shielding value. As such, Balthier teams should always be enjoying some degree of Damage Reduction along with a relatively high chance to fully proc the 225x ATK.

These are respectable multipliers overall and the main issue is Balthier may feel drowned out by other potent Wood leaders while also not being able to utilize Zela . The absence of what is arguably the best Wood sub is not ideal along with having to rely on rainbow coverage to succeed. This can dilute damage as bicolour boards can no longer be used along with having Combo count being negatively impacted. This is further exasperated by the need to match an L when needing to VDP/FUA.

Pixel Balthier

Active: Create L shape of Wood orbs with center at top row and far right column; Create L shape of Wood orbs with center at bottom row and far left column. (9 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 3.5x ATK when matching 6 or more connected Wood orbs up to 5x at 9 orbs; 3.5x ATK and reduce damage taken by 25% when matching 5 orbs in L shape. [1/306.25/1 Resist 43.75%]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Attacker / Physical
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1010 (1262)
HP 5588 (6985) / ATK 1940 (2425) / RCV 190 (238)

Pros	Cons
Spawns 10 Wood orbs Naturally comes with 3 VDP & 3 L Chance at high personal damage	Orb hungry LS Orb hungry to tap into his full personal damage

Pixel  Balthier naturally comes with 3 VDP , which means he will have high piercing damage in both coop and solo. This alone would have been enough, but he is also blessed with three L’s ,  which can catapult his personal damage output to new levels.

While this is a tricky thing to achieve (14 orbs total), it is still possible and his damage is not tied to combo count.

Balthier’s Crystal Charm

Active: For 6 turns, enhanced orbs are more likely to appear by 50%; Replace all orbs. (10 turn CD)

Awakenings:

Pros	Cons
Board refresh +1s orb movement time	Underwhelming active Less ideal awakenings

Baltheir’s Crystal Charm is an underwhelming affair as both the active and awakenings leave much to be desired. Being able to add an extra second of orb movement time is nice, but should not be needed and the extra L does not make up for the lack of any Resist awakenings.

Which Balthier to make?

Evolved Balthier is able to function as a strong leader with reliable Damage Reduction components whereas his Pixel form has tremendous VDP potential. As such, the decision of, which form to pursue comes down to what your Monster Box needs most.

---

Aerith (New) – S

Evolved Aerith

Active: For 1 turn, Heal orbs are more likely to appear by 10%. (1 turn CD)

Leader Skill: 4x ATK when 6 or more combos; 3x ATK on the turn a skill is used; reduce damage taken by 50% when matching 6 or more connected orbs. [1/144/1 Resist 75%]

Awakenings:    
Super Awakenings:
Typing: Healer
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1034 (1292)
HP 4263 (5329) / ATK 1323 (1654) / RCV 1032 (1290)

Pros	Cons
1 turn base active Correct typing for Cloud Allows for easier inheritance Almost always available 75% Damage Reduction No sub restrictions	Low personal damage Further exasperated by lower ATK multiplier Relies on other cards to do the heavy lifting LS requires an active every turn Easy to achieve, but does cut down on available actives

Aerith is the only new 6-star card to be added into the Final Fantasy Collab and is able to function as a powerful sub or leader.

Looking at their awakenings, they are able to provide copious amounts of bonus HP via Team HP while also having modest personal damage. This can be used to achieve certain health thresholds or just to simply add bulk as there is not such thing as too much HP. Furthermore, she also possesses a 1 turn active, which can inherit anything with ease. For the most part, 1 turn actives are desirable as they give the most flexibility and Aerith does not have a negative effect (like Fenrir Viz ) and can be safely used without fear. With this in mind, they are the best sub for Cloud teams as she is the correct colour/typing along with providing even more HP.

As a leader, Aerith boasts a massive 75% Damage Reduction shield when matching 6 or more connected orbs. This should be achievable on virtually every board and any element or hazard can be used. In addition to this, Aerith maxes out at 144x ATK when an active skill is used in conjunction. This is always doable and with the right offensive cards, can deliver high amounts of damage. On that note, it is important to populate Aerith teams with high damage subs as her own personal output will be on the lower end. With that being said, any sub can be used.

Pixel Aerith

Active: Unlock all orbs; Create 9 Light orbs. (9 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: Healer
Weighted Stats (Limit Break): 1034 (1292)
HP 4263 (5329) / ATK 1323 (1654) / RCV 1032 (1290)

Pros	Cons
Always makes enough orbs for VDP Highly effective against Dragons	Similar Damage Reduction as Edward Worse because also requires 6 Light Orbs Harder to activate Not everything is a Dragon

Pixel Aerith is able to always make 9 Light orbs, which promotes 3×3 Box matching in order to tap into her two VDPs . For the most part, 2 VDPs will not be sufficient, but Pixel Aerith gains extra zest against Dragon spawns and can acquire a 7 Combo Super Awakening. Together, this can make her a higher piercing option, but only truly shines against Dragon types.

Aerith’s Crystal Charm

Active: Change all orbs to Fire, Water, Wood, Light, Dark, and Heal orbs; Remove all binds and awoken skill binds. (12 turn CD)

Awakenings:  

Pros	Cons
Full Bind/Awoken Bind clear Rainbow Board changer 40% Resist to Blind  & Poison	12 turn cooldown May charge up too quickly

Aerith’s Crystal charm is the final Weapon Assist for the Final Fantasy Collab and is incredibly powerful. For the most part, players want to achieve 100% Resistance against Blind, Jammer, and Poison attacks and being able to provide 40% to two mechanics with a single inherit is amazing. With this 40%, full immunity can be achieved via a 60% Weapon (eg. Monster Hunter) and frees up an additional active skill slot.

This extra flexibility is invaluable and makes Aerith’s Crystal Charm an amazing choice. Furthermore, the active skill tied to the card is powerful as it provides a Rainbow board change and a full Bind/Awoken Bind clear.

Which Aerith to make?

Both her Evolved and Crystal form are tremendously powerful and it comes down to your current level of progression. If you still have lots of content to clear, her Evolved form can provide you with a powerful leader to do so. On the other hand, more developed boxes may find more merit in the Crystal form to take advantage of the powerful awakenings.

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 5/4-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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