Board 8 > Ranking 100 Trails - Kiseki Characters Before Daybreak

(+) Yeah! (+)

Yes, I'm doing another ranking topic. The writeups for this one will be much shorter I think. No major spoilers in this one. I might accidentally reveal non-important spoilers though so reader beware.

Did you all know that Trails Through Daybreak comes out in the West in two months (July 5)? Wow!

Old Boring Guys

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/3064c6ec.jpg
100 . Albert Russell, or "Any Scientist"
Albert doesn't deserve this, since he's actually a nice guy and a good grandpa, but I wanted the list to have representation of Trails scientists (Schmidt, Novartis, etc.) I think Albert's the best one so here he is.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/f9d6d05d.jpg
99 . Carl Regnitz

Machias's dad, pictured here doing his best Phoenix Wright impression. Wants to be a "man for the people" but ends up just going along with Chancellor Osborne's massive war crimes.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/6c000044.jpg
98 . Major Michael
There's actually nothing to say here. He's a black hole. He's Claire's cousin? Whoop de freaking do.

Up next: Hide your kids, hide your wife.

Ready to be disappointed that Kevin is not #1.

Tag

What on earth is Major Michael doing so high

I actually kind of like Karl. He's good at what he's there for I think. Nowhere near the high spots on my ranking of course though/

Terrible Women
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/9/96472c91.jpg
97 . Angelica
This literal sex pest needs to be in prison. I hate this character trope so much. I don't know what to call it. I'm sure there's a TV tropes page for it but I refuse to go to that site. It's okay for her to be a pervert since she's also a girl, get it? Along with the gay panic stuff it's probably the worst thing about modern Trails. It's sad that there's at least four other characters coming up that also fall into this weird pervy category too.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/e/e0505172.jpg
96 . Irina Reinford
It's totally fine to be a war profiteer. It's totally fine to be a terrible mother. It'd be one thing if the game actually let us hate her like she deserves, but the game wants us to like... forgive her and understand her or something. There's nothing to understand! She makes weapons of mass destruction for money! She treats Alisa like shit! Being a bad person doesn't make you a bad character, but when the game doesn't seem to understand that she's a bad person that's a problem.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/e/e3f3324e.jpg
95 . Cecile

It sucks that your big bro died Lloyd, but at least now there's nothing standing between you and his GF making weird googly eyes at each other. If she had any sort of plot relevancy besides "potential harem member" she'd be higher, but yeah there's nothing really going on upstairs here. At least she isn't a war criminal or a sex offender.

Up next: Botched Villains

anyone on this list from the abomination that is the Cold Steel saga is a mistake tbqh

colliding posted...

Up next: Botched Villains

so all the villains?

MZero posted...

so all the villains?

Loewe!

You forgot Claire for the Terrible Women/War Criminals section.
NFUN posted...

Loewe!

Jeb! energy

colliding posted...

Up next: Botched Villains

MZero posted...

so all the villains?

REVENGE!
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/750b33cd.jpg
94 . Ian Grimwood, esquire

Definitely not a suspicious NPC whatsoever. Certainly there's nothing more to this character than being a friendly lawyer. A name like "grimwood" in no way links him to a plan to make a giant spirit tree appear in the middle of Crossbell. In what universe is he actually a mastermind plotting an elaborate plan to get revenge for his family. Also, there's no possible way that once he gets called out for being a villain he'll just immediately give up and say "dang you're right I have been kind of bad haven't I." (Spoilers: yes I know he comes back in Reverie but dang if Azure doesn't have the most anti-climactic ending of all time)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/2/22871bb2.jpg
93 . Luciola

I forget about Luciola every damn time. But then again maybe that's the point? Doesn't she have powers that make you forget stuff? Maybe her being so forgettable is actually brilliant meta writing. I know for a fact that she's Schera's obligatory Ouroborous relation. I also know that she became evil because she had a crush on the ringmaster of the family circus who was also your dad (note to self: do I go with a Justice for All 2-3 reference or a classic American comic strip reference? okay, both/neither). Or maybe she killed him? I honestly don't remember.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/50c59e30.jpg
92 . Dieter Crois

Like Vincent D'onofrio in Netflix's Daredevil series, Dieter Crois has big plans for this city. The geopolitical importance of suzerains is actually kind of interesting, and you can draw all sorts of parallels to Taiwan and Hong Kong if you want, but one thing I know for sure is that if Taiwan wanted to declare independence it wouldn't do so at the expense of big ass monsters roaming the countryside. Crossbell politics is more interesting than this dude, who like Grimwood is just being played. I guess to keep the theme he wants revenge for being constantly threatened by two competing superpowers? Fair enough.

Up next: That's your BROTHER. Gross.

Estelle already, huh? Bold move

MZero posted...

Estelle already, huh? Bold move

I am ready to update this tag
https://gyazo.com/8fda91fddd45ecca6a3e40db5526ae71

Assuming this is Elise, who I forgot about until coming into the topic this morning. There was a time when I actually liked her character to back in Cold Steel 1.

I like Dieter a lot actually, though yes he is definitely an idiot. To be fair, he didn't just get independence--he got independence AND giant magical super-robots. So really who can blame him?

why would Elise be top 100 at all? generic npc in mainz with no development goes above her

Maybe I'm too tired to read the sacasm. Is every reply toxic ;_;

Mega_Mana posted...

Maybe I'm too tired to read the sacasm. Is every reply toxic ;_;

disillusionment is a bitter curse

Dieter was fun in the Crossbell games, and him leaving the picture was basically the part where Azure became awful, so I also give him points for propping up the game. Wish he had a purpose in Reverie though.

Mega_Mana posted...

Maybe I'm too tired to read the sacasm. Is every reply toxic ;_;

in my defense I will not stand for Estelle slander

No quibbles so far. Grimwood's villain twist would be the most lame thing ever if it weren't for the fact that his decision to not be a bad guy anymore ten minutes later is the most lame thing ever.

Mega_Mana posted...

Maybe I'm too tired to read the sacasm. Is every reply toxic ;_;

He hasn't been dropping the characters people actually like yet. :p

Though I am a fan of Dieter. I found him to be a very enjoyable villain, even if he was being manipulated. Certainly in the top half for the series, maybe even the top 25%. If he's this low, I hope Cedric isn't in the top 100, haha.

AriaOfBolo posted...

I am ready to update this tag
https://gyazo.com/8fda91fddd45ecca6a3e40db5526ae71

in terms of cultural significance I stand by this! but yeah I was probably trolling someone when I said this originally.

fair warning I just listed trails characters until I got to 100 so don't be expecting very many deep cuts here. everyone you expect will be on it, and yeah cedric's gonna be on it.

it's not estelle

colliding posted...

it's not estelle

coward

Tag

Shouldn't of read that grimwood spoiler but honestly I don't fucking care

Trails into Miscellany: The Legend of Who Cares (I couldn't think of a way to link these thematically)
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/363cfe45.jpg
91 . Elise Schwarzer

God is dead, and your Elise/Rean fanfic killed him.

Someone get this poor girl to a family therapist. Doting on one's brother to this degree is typically a sign of an abusive household. For the record, Estelle and Joshua is also extremely gross but then Elise comes in and asks them to hold her virgin daiquiri. She's also S-tier boring; no one likes a prim and perfect angel.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/36d99e64.jpg
90 . Neithardt

Instructor Neithardt, who certainly has a first name but damned if I'm bothered to look it up, pictured here displaying the casual sexism this series is known best for. However, he did wife up Elliot's hot sister, so I'm sure there's some fucked up NTR doujin material for you nasty freaks out there.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/6d238b55.jpg
89 . Prince Cedric

Did this series need yet another blond white guy? I can't tell them apart after a while. One of the major plot points around Prince Cedric is how he was a whiny baby in one game and suddenly wasn't the next. He never actually stops being a whiny baby though. Surely they could've come up with a better character to pilot the red megazord.

Up next: The Gropings Will Continue Until Morale Improves

shirley inbound

Shirley was good in Azure I swear

Shirley is great this list is terrible already.

could be Angelica

colliding posted...

Instructor Neithardt, who certainly has a first name but damned if I'm bothered to look it up

It's Cloud

Shirley shouldn't even be above the characters named so far. Trails has too many gropers

Or Ilya

NFUN posted...

could be Angelica

again? will no one stop her

Thorn posted...

again? will no one stop her

Oh, I guess I instinctively tuned out the memory of seeing her in here, as I try to do with her in general

Gropebell Arc

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/c3a3b5c6.jpg
88 . Mariabell Crois

Is drill hair still a thing? I know it was big in anime for a while there. Whatever the case may be, drill hair is one of Mariabell's saving graces. I don't remember if Mariabell actually physically gropes Elie in the way Shirley does but if not physically, she's doing so mentally for sure. She's also really into creepy dolls, which is a major red flag. There's story stuff that makes her kinda sorta interesting but other than that she's one of those anime women whose main purpose is to go "Aaah ha ha ha" every once in a while.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/1/198dc573.jpg
87 . Ilya (many apologies for stealing someone's youtube thumbnail)

Y'all, we've only scratched the surface of the horny. Poor Rixia. At least Ilya was punished for her idol hands by having a chandalier dropped right on her dome. Let this be a lesson to keep your hands to yourself you sickos. Say it with me now Falcom: "being a woman does not make it okay to sexually assault women."

I could put Shirley here to complete the trio but I think she's a little better than this.

Up next: Some hot ILFS

Dos Vidanyas Comrades
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/c3c475da.jpg
86 . Gideon
85 . Vulcan
84 . Scarlet

It's kind of weird that these characters had code names (Comrade, G, V, & S respectively). Their actual names are code names too basically, unless their Christian name is Gideon (which I guess is from the bible to be fair).

I put them in this order. They're all kind of Kojima villains. Gideon's just an angry academic who can't get tenure. Vulcan is Vulcan Raven with hair and without the indigenous appropriation. Scarlet's secretly religious and only has one eye. You will regret your words and actions. And by that I mean, you'll regret that Rean saves her in CS2. She's probably the best one though cause she's got layers.

Anyway, the best thing about these characters is that they make you feel bad for Crow. I guess they make you hate Osborne too, but he doesn't exactly need the help.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/31810b78.jpg
83 . Garcia

I feel like Garcia probably has his fans, considering that he's kind of cool in Azure, what with breaking Lloyd out of the pokey and all. On the other hand, can I remember any notable qualities about him besides "strong former jaeger?" The answer's no, and there's a lot of strong ex-jaegers with a bit more presence. Nice face turn though, and I remembered him BEFORE I remembered the actual main villain of Zero (Joachim) who doesn't make the list at all, despite being such a chill fishing dude.

Up next: Trails's obsession with power levels rears its ugly head

Garcia was all right, but this feels about right for him probably? Maybe there's a lot more nothing characters than I'm remembering though.

Scarlet's kinda been rescued from the scrappy heap and maybe should be higher? But the other two are absolutely in "oh right those were people who existed" territory.

I like Mariabell quite a bit in the Crossbell games. She's way more boring in Cold Steel and Reverie.

dowolf posted...

Scarlet's kinda been rescued from the scrappy heap and maybe should be higher?

Yeah after the earlier post about Grimwood I'm trying to not mention Reverie stuff. That's fair though.

colliding posted...

Up next: Trails's obsession with power levels rears its ugly head

McFirebro inbound?

You down with OP People? No, not really!
Hot takes ahead. Let me remind you all that this list is just for fun!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/1/1a8318f0.jpg
82 . Aurelia K. Le Guin

As the rest of this list will show, I have nothing against strong female characters. What I have issues with is a character who was barely utilized in CS2 suddenly being the strongest person in the world in CS3 and 4. I feel like she wasn't introduced in a way that makes me care about her, and so she just ends up being strong for the sake of being strong. I don't know anything about her other than that she's pretty and strong, and pretty strong.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/abb3dc36.jpg
81 . Victor Arseid

This guy really gets the crap beat out of him over the series, which definitely puts him above Aurelia. He feels a bit more like a real person, albeit a real person who wears a stupid hat sometimes (and then a real person who wears a stupid mask sometimes). Great VA too. HOWEVER, he's still an overpowered guy who prevents the player from actually feeling like they've achieved anything by coming to the rescue all the time.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/fd5b418a.jpg
80 . Cassius Bright

Yeah, I said it. Unlike Aurelia, Cassius is introduced in a sympathetic way, and I genuinely like him in CS2, but he's still just too OP for me to take seriously. I get that his OP-ness (say this out loud) is supposed to be juxtaposed with his goofy fatherly nature and his failure to save his wife and all that but I can only take so much Cassius-worship.

Bottom line: I don't like the super-strong supporting cast person who's either 1) never challenged, 2) loses an arm and is still the second strongest person alive, and/or 3) partial to saving the day too much. It's bad writing!

Up next: The best romance in Trails

aurelia way too low. she basically stole the scene every time in CS3 and beyond.

I found Aurelia a lot more likable than Victor. Victor's just kinda boring.

I feel like the list in general is gonna be too generous to Trails villains...

oh hey somebody I know! I like Cassius but I don't feel compelled to complain about him dropping kinda low when I only know 1.25 games in the franchise >_>

I found Aurelia entertaining enough to mostly make up for the power level nonsense with her. Agreed Victor is boring, and he should have gone down with the ship if it meant saving us the stupid brainwashing mask.

Cassius would definitely be way, way higher for me, but maybe he really starts to get dull in the games I haven't played yet.

Alright, 80 down! Rankings from early Crossbell Act 1 of CSIV:

(Cassius Bright)
.
.
.
Angelica Rogner
Aurelia K. Le Guin
Garcia Rossi
Dieter Crois
Ian Grimwood
Victor S. Arseid
Cecile Neues
Elise Schwarzer
Ilya Platiere
Carl Regnitz
Michael Gideon
Major Michael Irving
Scarlet
Vulcan
Albert Russell
Luciola
Crown Prince Cedric Reise Arnor
Neithardt
Irina Reinford
Mariabell Crois

Cassius is cool I always love the wise older figure offering some wisdom but I can agree he's a little too OP..trails in general loves just saying 'yeah this person is strong as hell, a world ender' for no good reason and it's a little annoying but w/e comes with the territory

Love is Like a River
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/6dbeb1b3.jpg
79 . Annabelle

Admittedly the least important character on this list when it comes to the Phantasmal Blaze Plan, Annabelle is nevertheless higher ranked than the great Cassius Bright due to the twists and turns in her romance with...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/7b242a7d.jpg
78 . Kenneth, Lord of the Lake

... this dude, who simply cannot be bothered to learn military science while the fish are calling. Sure, they're dirty nobles, so they don't really understand what it means to live off the land. Still they're a better couple than Estelle and Joshua and Scherazard and beer.

Up next: *pushes glasses up nose*

Time for Dudley and Dudley 2.0?

how dare you rank Dudley 2.0 the seriess best hugger this low

Annabelle and Kenneth are a lot of fun. I'm always happy when they show up.