In our first Dissidia: Final Fantasy character guide, we take a look at the character who jump started the franchise, the iconic Warrior of Light, who makes his appearance in Dissidia looking similar to how he was originally designed by Yoshitaka Amano, over 20 years ago.

 [Game of Origin] Final Fantasy I

 [Concept] All-Rounder

 [EX-Mode] The Warrior of Light changes into Amano’s
 rendition of the Knight class from the original NES
 box-art. His armor design is more complex, and the
 horns on his helmet point forward, instead of up.

 [EX-Mode Bonus] “Protect” Defence is increased.
 The Warrior of Light will also be able to defect his
 opponent’s magic attacks.

 [EX-Burst: Oversoul] 6 directional arrows will appear on
 screen. Correctly inputting all 6 of these will raise the
 power of his Ex-Burst attack, while missing will result
 in a weaker attack.

 
[Warrior of Light - Gameplay Mechanics]

TIER RANKING: 78

Although the Warrior of Light will likely be the first character that traditional Final Fantasy fans will want to play as first, he still requires some difficulty to master. Extended play will give you a better feel for the timing of his move.

His usefulness in battle relies heavily on you positing yourself above or below the opponent to take advantage of his best abilities. Placement is key with him.

His attacks tend to move in straight lines, and because of their general slow speed, it can be harder to land hits on opponents. Only with a lot of practise will you be able to accurately predict your opponent’s movements and place yourself accordingly to make hits count.

While the Warrior of Light might be the heart and soul of Dissidia’s story (and the Final Fantasy franchise itself), the rest of the cast tends to come across as godly in comparison to him, due to his limitations.

 
[Background Story]

The Warrior of Light stands at the heart of the warriors of Cosmos as their leader. A legendary knight blessed by the power of light, he cast off the darkness that gripped a world slowly tumbling towards ruin. While fostering the light of justice within himself, he dedicated himself to battle in order to rescue this world from chaos.

He is austere and honourable in dealing with himself and others, always remains composed, and harbours a strong sense of responsibility. His heart is deeply empathetic towards his companions, and he is every inch the hero one would wish to entrust with the world’s safety.

Under the guidance of the princess Cosmos, the Warrior of Light comes to learn of the state of the world, caught in the whirl of chaos. He sets out alone to find the one thing that can save the world… the Crystals.

But along the way, the troops of Chaos attempt to knock him from the noble path. If the “truth” they preach is correct, then how can the Warrior continue to believe in the “Light?” Can even the most noble of all heroes lose his way?

 
[Personal Commentary]

It’s interesting (and refreshing) to see that Square Enix choose to use the Warrior of Light as the “leading man” in Dissidia’s story, when they could have chosen one of the more recognisable characters in his place.

It’s an endearing nod to fans that the hero of Dissidia is the character who kicked off the franchise, and it seems only fitting for him to be so.

Seeing as your entire party of adventurers had a completely blank slate when it came to personality in the original title, this gave Square Enix the ability to retrofit Anamo’s classic design with the most noble of personalities for Dissidia’s story; a hero amongst heroes.

It may not be realistic characterisation, but it fits into the context of his character in the overall mythos of Final Fantasy; he was the first true hero.

 
[Warrior of Light Image Gallery]

 
On Monday, we will take a look at Garland, the original Final Fantasy villain, who stood in opposition of the Warrior of Light in the first game, and takes up the role as the leader of the forces of Chaos in Dissidia.