#judge drace ffxii

[kazbob]

FFXII Week - Day 1: Favourite Character

Judge Drace

Could it be I am simply enamoured by an older lady knight? Could it be that she has the rawest lines in the series? Who can say...

[ff12-ultimania]

FF12 wallpaper (1024×768)

from SQUARECN. alternative design here

[megamog]

Part 2 FFXII x Pokemon

Here is a link to the rules I made if it's your first time tuning in. Along with Part 1 which features Judge Ghis and Judge Bergan.

For the most badass lady Judge. I wanted Drace to have a team that was elegant but not a pushover by any means. She has two Pokemon that evolve via high friendship which I also think suits her. She wouldn't see Pokemon as tools but close allies and friends instead.

I will not lie and pretend that making a team for Zargabaath was easy. But I figured that the most normal of the Judges should have some Normal type Pokemon to reflect this. Yet he still has some of the elements I wanted for the rest of the Judges as well.

Let's start with Drace.

Leavanny (Bug/Grass)

This is Drace's first fun choice. Leavanny's design reminded me of Drace's armour they both have a sort of skirt and prominent covered legs and also a high collar.

The 'Nurturing Pokemon' to represent her relationship with Larsa.

In this crossover I associate the Grass type with healing as moves like Leech Seed can restore HP. They are immune to powder moves like Sleep/Poison/etc. With the added bonus of Bug type moves that can accomplish the same thing with Leech Life, among others. In trial mode Drace will restore HP to the other Judges.

Lucario (Fighting/Steel)

First of all, I can see Drace with a dutiful Riolu who she would teach so much to and be very proud when it evolved into a Lucario.

The Steel type as I have mentioned before makes me think of the armour the Judges wear.

Most of all I chose Lucario because when I think of Drace I am reminded of justice. Along with her willingness to see Vayne for who he was and not having blind loyalty to him. Just as Lucario is able to see the aura of all living things, Drace is able to see things as they are. But most of all Lucario's dex entry describes it as 'only those with justice in their hearts can earn its trust', and Drace embodies justice the most out of all the Judges.

Wyrdeer (Normal/Psychic)

Normal subtype because like Bergan, Drace is the second most normal of the Judges. The Psychic type is to represent the spell Shock which does non elemental damage that Drace can use in trial mode.

Wyrdeer also has the ability to 'erect invisible barriers' which are similar to buffs since they're not visible. On the theme of that this Pokemon can learn Agility (for Haste), Reflect (for Protect), and Light Screen (for Shell); all buffs Drace herself uses.

Lastly, Wyrdeer has those lovely black orbs on its antlers which reminded me of the spherical elements on Drace's helmet.

Shiny Haxorus (Dragon)

Shiny Haxorus is black and red, the same colours as the cloak bearing the Archadian symbol the Judges wear. National pride!

Haxorus is not to be underestimated as a powerful dragon, but it is described as 'kind but relentless when defending its territory.' Which I think suits Drace, she is kind but she is not blind and it is certainly not a weakness.

Haxorus is also 'covered in hard armour' just as Drace is.

And considering her name is close to Draco that I felt she needed a dragon of her own.

Yamper (Electric)

This is the second fun choice and admittedly maybe it is the English accent and being a distinguished lady of noble bearing, but I can't shake the idea of her having a corgi.

Type wise it does offer her coverage against other Pokemon and please imagine her with a cute but dignified dog bed in her office for Yamper to sit and sleep on.

The Galar region is inspired by the UK and I feel like with all the English accents that a Pokemon from that region would likely be in Archadia itself.

Rapidash (Fire)

A regal and dignified Pokemon for Drace was a must. I also wanted to give her a Fire type because she is vocal and speaks her mind! "Spare me your lies! I see the serpent coiled before me."

For a few honourable mentions Dragonair, Swanna and Magearna has Drace's look but it's a legendary so a no go.

Now for Zargabaath himself.

Walrein (Ice/Water)

Appearance wise Walrein's tusks reminded me of Zargabaath's helmet.

Zargabaath personality wise is reserved and he strikes me as not being quick to act. He takes time to consider facts and doesn't rush to judgement. A slow but steady Pokemon would be appreciated by him.

Walrein's dex entries describe it as 'having thick blubber that make enemy attacks bounce off of it' much like the protection the Judge's armour provides. It is also mentioned that 'to protect its herd, the leader battles anything that invades its territory' much like the threat of the Rozarria invasion that Zargabaath's fleet was made for.

Shiny Golurk (Ground/Ghost)

Golurk might seem like a strange choice at first but as with Ghis I wanted Zargabaath to have a team member reflect Alexander like his airship. Alexander is described as being an 'ancient weapon imbued with sacred power.' There aren’t many Pokemon that are considered holy (let alone one that isn't a legendary), but Golurk fits the bill. It is called the 'Automation Pokemon' and was made by ancient people.

Golurk is also capable of learning flying moves to soar through the skies just like the airship does. We also have a bonus Ground type for a man who is very well grounded.

Furfrou (Normal)

We have our first fun choice! Furfrou's ears also reminded me of Zargabaath's helmet. Somehow I can picture him with a poodle.

Furfrou's ability Fur Coat halves damage from physical attacks which would certainly be useful and similar to armour. As I mentioned before, for the most normal of the Judges Zargabaath would see the value in Normal types. They have only one weakness.

Furfrou's dex entries also explain that 'historically these Pokemon were the designated guardians of the king'. In many ways is what the Judges do protecting Archadia and House Solidor.

Sirfetch'd (Fighting)

In many ways the Judges are knights and a perfect Pokemon to represent this is Sirfetch'd. Knights come in all sorts of forms but Zargabaath is honourable and loyal to his nation as a whole rather than any single leader and a noble. A calm and collected Pokemon is fitting for that.

Sirfetch'd has a dex entry that describes 'the leek is both weapon and food'. That is a pragmatic and practical approach that in my mind works with Zargabaath.

Gumshoos (Normal)

Our second fun choice is another Normal type, you guessed it. Gumshoos name comes from gumshoe, a detective which is also associated with the law as Judges are.

Zargabaath is the oldest of the Judges and Gumshoos has the 'old man pose' with its arms behind its back.

While Gumshoos are not especially successful with their hunting, they 'boast incredible patience' which Zargabaath certainly is the patient type as well.

Magnezone (Electric/Steel)

We have Steel type for the Judges armour. While Magnezone doesn't have any dex entries that identify it as being related with law and justice, any who played the Mystery Dungeon games will know that Magnezone is often related to a sort of police force. Which is not all that different than the Judges involvement in enforcing Archadian law.

Magnezone also is described as using 'radar to monitor its territory. Intruders are quickly disposed of.' We can relate that to the 12th Fleet that Zargabaath leads that is the defence against an invasion from Rozarria.

For honourable mentions we have Zangoose (which was solely for the stripes it has similar to Zargabaath's armour), Skarmory, and Watchog.

Thank you for reading!

[moondvncer]

I still can't believe they flexed the fact that Balthier was a judge and we didn't get a single flashback about him wearing one of those cunty armors

[disillusionedjudge]

Truthfully, Gylfie is rather lonely.

She would never admit it, of course - she's too proud to admit such a thing. But... the friends she had grown up with, she lost when she joined the military. Her schedule was strict and rigorous, and she lost touch and they drifted apart. As she clawed her way up, there were few who would even consider her an equal, let alone a friend. She had to fight to prove herself - fight to get even a fraction of respect the men she fought alongside earned with little effort. She became fierce and ruthless, and began to keep distance between herself and those around her to keep control. To keep one step ahead of everyone else. No matter how she presented herself, she knew she would be judged and ridiculed, so she stopped caring about what others thought of her. Of how she appeared to be.

She had yearned for her father's affections and pride, and it took her nearly losing her life to realize she would never even earn a moment's attention from him. She had befriended Ffamran, and his disappearance felt like a personal slight. Even though she still holds a level of respect and gratitude for him after he took her mother and sister out of Archades, and now understands his reasoning for leaving, she feels she has changed too much to try and rekindle that friendship. She still loves her mother and sister, but since they left, she has made little effort to keep in touch. She feels they would be disappointed and disgusted with her for everything she has done, and fails to see that they still love her. She grew close with Drace and Gabranth, yet... even with them, she held them at a distance, even if unintentionally, to protect herself from further hurt. And still, their deaths broke a part of her.

Her loneliness is suffocating, but... it's a burden she has no choice but to bear if she wants to see Archadia thrive. If she wants to keep her vow to keep Larsa safe.

[4th-make-quail]

There's a really good costume analysis of Drace's armour here that you might be interested in! Also worth reading the rest of the ones for the other Judge Magisters, they're really interesting

{out of dalmasca} Can we just please talk about Judge Drace's set of armor in FFXII for a second? Because... um...

She... she has a skirt. Made of metal. Why have I never fully noticed this before or given it the proper attention it was due?

It looks to me to be in the shape and style of like a Victorian bustle (worn under the skirt of a dress to give shape) or an overskirt (worn over a skirt for fashion purposes or sometimes for added warmth. In this case, of course, it's just part of the armor, but even so...

They're literally hinged metal plates designed to look like frills or ruffles. She even has matching spaulders? Also made to look frilly? That's... so cool?

Nothing says, "I am a force to be reckoned with who can easily kill you and also I'm going be a fucking lady while I do it," like wearing skirt armor. She's not at all shying away from the fact that she's often the only major female Judge Magister in a room full of enormous, posturing male egos. She's handling her shit and looking good while she does it.

I love this because it smashes that horrible "strong woman" trope in writing whereby, in order to be or seem strong among men, women must become more masculine. Or conversely, that by being strong women, they are somehow less feminine. As if, in order to achieve one, you must give up the other. Nope, Drace is here to say that's total crap, heh. She's such a badass and I love her. I really wish they hadn't killed her in the game. Would've loved to have seen more of her. T_T

[mswlassie]

For FFXII Week 2024

Summary:

If only Gabranth was not so oblivious to Drace's advances. Still, as a determined and resourceful Judge Magister, she is no stranger to a little manipulative coaxing.

Characters: Drace, Gabranth

Rated: G

No Archive Warnings Apply

Tags: Character Study, One-sided Attraction, Subterfuge

[valentinesparda]

also I updated effie's (FFXII) design!! they resemble their sister (judge drace) more now

[ they/them pronouns only ]

[lives-in-a-harpsichord]

I wish we could've fought all the judge magisters in ffxii

Drace's weapon looks insane and I would've liked to be bonked in the head with it. Zargabaath could've delivered such a thorough spanking with his. Mother I crave violence but like towards myself

[yourhonor4u]

One more ordinary day in FF12 office AU

[b101-doctor]

gabranth e drace

[4th-make-quail]

Such strength – Inhuman!

[ff12-ultimania]

Airship Gallery: Ifrit

The first of the Ifrit-class aircraft belonging to the 8th Fleet. It has heavy armor and powerful firepower capable of decimating ground forces.

[ventusdrace]

BONUS:

Reddas & Rhynchophis boulengeri

[salmalin]

I have the utmost love and respect for Drace, but this was living rent free in my head so you all have to suffer with me.

Quote is from John Mulaney's "Horse in a Hospital" bit.

[disillusionedjudge]

For the headcanons meme: How do you think Gylfie's timeline or the course of her life in general might have changed if she hadn't killed her father? What if he'd lived through to the end of the events of FFXII, or even to see her become a Judge Magister in her own right? What might that have changed for Gylfie, either mentally or events-wise?

send me questions you have about my character!

((ooh, I like this! So... hmm. Well, for starters, Mt. Bur-Omisace. It could go two ways, though there's one way I prefer over the other, heh. The one I prefer less is that Takrin doesn't die, and Gylfie is forced to go on the run with Ashe & Co because she turned against him and Bergan. He could return to Archades, claiming that Drace's treachery had spread even to his daughter, and would ultimately put more pressure on Gabranth since he's now the only one able to protect Larsa, given that Gylfie no longer has the option of returning to the Empire.

Now, the other way I can see it going, is that... Gylfie doesn't stay behind on Bur-Omiscace with Takrin and Bergan. She wants to, because she doesn't trust her father or Bergan and wants to know what they're planning, but maybe Gabranth orders her to stay with him and Zargabaath once they collect Larsa. Maybe he's afraid he'll lose her, too, and needs someone around he can still trust. She listens to him (the hound's pup always follows), and Takrin escapes as the only survivor. He'd pin the blame on Ashe & Co (and Al-Cid), because, as much as he disdains Bergan, Bergan was an ally of Vayne's, and Takrin is ever faithful. He wouldn't tell what Bergan had done or what he had become, and would serve Vayne loyally - eager to continue Archadia's bloody expansion to the west.

Obviously, this means another obstacle for both Gabranth and Gylfie, though... I honestly see Takrin staying close to Vayne. I don't think he'd actually pose as an active threat until the showdown on the Bahamut, though, actually, he'd probably just follow in his own airship with his fleet in tow, much like Zargabaath. That could change because, uh... fun fact, I still haven't finished watching ffxii sfdgjhfsd - hopefully this weekend? I was gonna do it tonight but I also wanted to get things done, and I couldn't do that while distracted with watching the movie xD

Anyway, how I have it in mind, is that Takrin would follow with his own fleet, which means he can still remain Judge Magister when everything is said and done. Why? Because he, like Zargabaath, was following the Emperor. They fought for Archadia and were following Vayne's orders like the good Judge Magisters they are. Now, of course, with Zargabaath, he means well despite how his by-the-books approach to his duties can cause more harm than good, and... Takrin doesn't, heh. But, with Takrin alive and still in power, Gylfie would take over Drace's bureau instead of her father's. Which... ngl, I'm actually tempted to make that Gylfie's canon anyway. But we'll see!

Now, with Takrin still in power... things are going to be dicey. Gylfie is going to warn Basch that her father had been loyal to Vayne and had supported him because he shared his ideals, and would warn him that Takrin is easily a threat to Larsa. I... don't think Takrin would try to kill Larsa, but he'd... certainly make things difficult. He would challenge Larsa, try to make him seem incompetent or unfit to be Emperor, and may even branch out to run for emperor himself come the next election. If there is actually an election. I could get into how that one line from Vayne about Archadia voting for it's emperor doesn't make sense but I won't do that here sdfkhjsgdfhjk

However, the biggest issue is that, if Takrin ever finds out that Gabranth is actually Basch, everything is going to be screwed. He will not hesitate to blast that for everyone to know, and would absolutely call into question Larsa's loyalty to Archadia if he finds out Larsa was perfectly aware that it was Basch. He would also use it against Gylfie as well, and argue that that was a reason why he knew she should have never been promoted to Judge, let alone Judge Magister.

With all of that, Gylfie is going to have her hands full. Her father will continue to challenge her and undermine her authority even when she's promoted to Judge Magister in her own right, so he's an added stressor on top of losing Drace and Gabranth, needing to protect Larsa, and trying to keep Basch's secret to keep the Judge Magisters in line and to keep Larsa safe. Actually, now that I think about it, I could easily see Takrin causing enough unrest amongst the Judge Magisters to cause such a division it could equate to a civil war, but I digress. I feel he'd fill in Zargabaath's role in Fortress, though... that in itself is an entirely different issue I also won't address here because that is just me ranting lol. Anyway, so not alone is she struggling to adjust to everything, but... she now has to deal with her father a lot more than she did before because they're now in the same rank. The thing is, though, they're both going to be careful with how they play it out - Takrin doesn't want to lash out at her and look like a fucking idiot while Gylfie's calm, cool, and collected, but... at the same time, Gylfie knows she can't lose her temper with her father's subtle jabs and constant challenges, because if she does, she'll screw herself over because everyone will think she's too emotional like Takrin had been saying all along. It's... a lot of subtle mind games with the two of them, though there will be times when their hatred for each other will shine through, even if only briefly.

I... might tackle this after I finish the movie, because I could very well come up with other problems that Takrin would present if he were to have survived. But, in short, he would be an added stressor for Gylfie when she becomes Judge Magister, and he would not hesitate to wreck everything the moment he learns of Gabranth's death. He will make Larsa's rule as difficult as he can without getting dismissed from his position, though I think he'd be too much of a coward to attempt an assassination. He would keep the unrest amongst the Judge Magisters at best, and outright cause a complete division at worst.

Gylfie might still kill him somehow, though, heh. Still with the goal of protecting Larsa and Archadia in mind, of course, but... it'd definitely be harder for her to find a way to go about that without getting caught.