Shanoa Profile Preview

After a long wait, we now have the profile for the Bearer of Dominus and greatest sorceress in Castlevania: Shanoa. While she may not be as well known as her opponent or even people in her franchise, she is nonetheless a very powerful character, and has performed feats of power that are rivaled by few in the Castlevania universe. Will her great Glyph powers be enough to seal her victory against the Avatar, or will the versatility and power of Bending trump her magic?

SHANOA:

"I am the blade to banish all evil, and I've come to see you annihilated."

-Shanoa, to Dracula before the duel between the two

Bio:

An excellent introduction to the game, videos are hard to find so this will have to do. Still, not a bad video.

Shanoa is one of the greatest fighters in the Castlevania franchise and arguably the greatest wielder of magic. She wields glyphs; special forms of magical energy that allow her to create weapons and spells. She is the greatest user of glyph, to the point that she can use the cursed spell Dominus without losing her mind. Wielding elemental spells and the ability to simply make weapons, she is a versatile and deadly opponent.

Born  in the early 1800's, Shanoa is the protagonist of the DS game, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. She represents the Order of Ecclesia, one of many that was created to destroy Dracula in the abcense of the Belmonts, and the only successful one. She is the warrior of the Order under the order of Barlowe, the leader of Ecclesia and both a skilled scholar and warrior. She was taken into the order at a young age and trained to be a warrior, being the most skilled-glyph user in the rder, with Barlowe only after her. When she was around 20, Shanoa was chosen to be the Bearer, the wielder of Dominus, which would allow the user to kill Dracula. However, during the ritual, her step-brother Albus interrupted the ritual and stole Dominus, stealing both her memory and emotions. As Albus fled, Shanoa collapsed and Barlowe now had a cracked split Order.

Shanoa had to be re-trained in her art, which was a problem. After a couple

Long Range:

Arcus/Cutler/Ascia:

For ranges where Shanoa cannot use close range glyphs, she often uses these two glyph systems. Both can be upgraded to superior weapons. However, they are not the same at all. Power increases based on the power of the glyph, but more powerful Glyphs use more energy. Arcus casts a bow figure in front of Shanoa, which fires an arrow and then disentigrates. Yes, it does that; Shanoa does not fire an arrow, she creates a bow which fires an arrow. It is not affected by gravity, so theoretically she could create a wall of bows and use that as something that is almost undodgeable, except that it will not move and will only fire in a straight line. Vol Arcus does the exact same thing, except it is more powerful and shoots in a 45 degree angle. To note, it CANNOT be aimed. That is one of Shanoa's main weaknesses with the Arcus system, but is compensated by Melio Arcus. Melio Arcus actually tracks the enemy, and will adjust its positon to accuratly fire upon Potter. However, due to the waiting time it won't fire completly accurately; it will miss if Potter is moving too fast for the arrow to hit him. It can only adjust the positon before it shoots, and that is one of it's main weaknesses.



Cutler is a completly different type of Glyph. Shanoa actually throws these knives at opponents, making them more efficient and easier to use. Cutler does not deal much damage, but it is able to be spammed quickly and  cost little energy to cast. Vol Arcus and Melio Arcus simply throw more knives (2 and 3, respectively) and do more damage. To be serious, it isn't much but it will be useful for times when energy is low and Shanoa cannot afford her more powerful attacks.

Ascio is an axe glyph; rather than attacking up close with the axe, Shanoa hurls the axe upwards, which will slay flying enemies quickly and will also attack enemies on front of Shanoa. The main difference with the axes is their power and size; Melio Ascia is almost as big as Shanoa herself!

Medium Range:

Elemental Glyphs:

Shanoa has many spells which work as actual magic; performing powerful attacks with elements rather than summoning weapons. These are her spells, and some of her most effective techniques in her arsenal.

Ignis spawns 3 balls of fire that spread out in angles, 45 degrees away from each other. Each is capable of killing, and are very effective at destroyying foes weak to fire and agile opponents that by dodging the middle hit the top. Plus, they are very cheap to cast and easily capable of being spammed so that the end result is deader than dead, which enemies of Shanoa tend to be in the first place.

That's...actually pretty accurate.

Vol Ignis creates a wall of fire that is dropped from Shanoa's hand and erupts into a pillar of fire that can be effectively used as either a barrier or a bomb that can annhillate fallen enemies, also like a pyre. It is nearly impossible to block, being in effect an exploding fire bomb that can really mess up any shield. It can also be used as a sort of wall, preventing enemies from passing through into close-quarters, which I guess is useful if she's being cautious or something.

Grando shoots out a sharp piece of ice, similar to an icicle but more wide and more deadly. Basically, it shoots out  an icicle at speeds you are lucky to get a couple seconds to react to, so odds are you get an icicle to the chest. It's quite spammable, and able to realiaistically kill in a very short time. However, it can be blocked easily and I don't see an icicle breaking through a barrier of Earth, but regardless it's a nice technique.

Imagine this shooting towards you like an arrow. Doesn't feel good.

Vol Grando is an advanced spell, that by a simple gesture creates a small array of icicles in a sphere of icy death. Literally. It's hard to explain, but basically, think of it as an ice cube that rapidly expands, grows horns, and stops at the size of a person being able to stay inside it. It's a powerful spell and useful for making barriers, but is generally not that versatile in what it does.



Close Range:

Close Combat Glyphs:

Shanoa’s main skill in is close combat glyphs, which use magical energy to create weapons from thin air. These are very versatile and notable for having 3 stages; the original, Vol, and Melio. Vol and Melio do more damage and are better weapons, but cost more magical energy to cast. For example, Hasta does 9 base damage while Melio Hasta does 23 damage base; this is augmented through skill weak-points on a foe.

This is Melio Hasta, and one of the reasons she is not dead. Also pictured is either Cutler/Secare.

The full list of glyphs is of follows: Secare makes a sword, Confodore is a rapier, Hasta makes a lance, Macir makes a hammer, Falcis makes a sickle, and finally Redire makes magnetic throwing knives. Redire is an exception to the Vol/Melio rule, but has an added bonus. Using Magnes on the magnetic Redire allows Shanoa to use them as propulsion, boosting her speed immensely and allowing her to zip across the battlefield. These are her main forms of weaponry-almost all of her fan dipections (it's not like I have access to a movie, Order of Ecclesia isn't important enough for that) and official art depict her with her sword, and the official art shows her with a crimson rapier/sword.

Secare-a pretty nice weapon, and her most valuable non-magical tool by the time of her duel with the Count.

Special:

Glyph Unions:

Compensating for some- wait,  that doesn't work.

By combining the magical energy of two glyphs in her hands, Shanoa can make vastly more powerful versions of regular glyphs. For example, the Secare union (Secare +Secare) makes a BFS that is twice as wide as Shanoa and thrice as tall. It’s a pretty effective sword for defeating large foes. The thing is that they cost hearts; a separate form of magical energy that can only be replenished by obtaining hearts found in common items, like candles. Most close-combat glyphs simply make a larger version of the weapon, like the aforementioned Secare or the Confodore rapier, which also makes a blast of sharp magical energy. Two main exceptions apply; Arcus and Cutler.

Arcus makes a stream of arrows from the sky that will hit nearly every single part of the ground and can kill a normal foe instantly (When was the last time you heard of a person surviving an arrow through the skull into the brain?) , though it costs hearts to use and is useless against well-protected foes. Cutler unleashes a rapid stream of dozens of knives, very similar to the energy bullet attack of Vegeta for reference. They are released in a straight manner in the direction Shanoa is facing, and can pound through nearly any defense given time (and given the amount of knives, not that much time is needed!).

Combining a weapon and a spell will result in a powerful swing of an elemental weapon, able tp pierce excellent armor and defeat foes with a weakness to the element. Her second-most powerful glyph union is combining light and darkness, and this results in an obscenely powerful attack that rips open reality itself and pounds everything on screen with insane damage, and almost no foes utside of the final boss can survive a few shots. Unfortunately, 50 hearts are used in the attack out of a maximum of around 350 hearts at the best. It can only be used sparingly.

Defense:

Shanoa is not weak in terms of direct protection. She has a few defenses that are prime for defense, and also has spells for it. She wears primarily the Minerva Mail; a regular platinum or something like that breastplate that was blessed by a war goddess. In addition to the defense the platinum gives, the blessing protects Shanoa from being cursed and probably similar hexes. While being as strong as gold, not platinum for some reason, it also boosts her physical strength and mental resistance. The Minerva Greave are the legging version of that, and have an equal toughness to damage as platinum and they have similarly been enchanted by a war goddess. Shanoa also wears the Winged Boots that boost her speed by 200% and combining that with Rapidus Fio, her speed makes her very hard to actually damage. She also wears the Minerva Mask, which boosts her physical defense by 8 and also boost her physical strength and magical resistance.

Also, she has the Scutum glyphs, which form barriers against projectiles and lower damage from melee attacks. Scutum blocks the head from attacks, while Vol and Melio Scutum block the chest. Combining both allows her to block nearly any projetile if she wants. Finally, the Scutum glyph unions turn Shanoa completely invulnerable for a around 5 seconds, but she is completely immobile and cannot move.

Evasion:

Shanoa's no object in terms of movement. Though she has a lot of armor on, Shanoa is still able to leap around areas with ease, and can jump around her height at base. The Winged Boots and Rapidus Fio glyph boost her running speed to dodge attacks or get to or away from foes quickly. Her most valuable tool her is easily her flight-Volaticus, as previously mentioned, let's her fly with almost no limitations, provided she doesn't get hit by anything. She can jump her height and also double jump, making

Tactical Aid:
Back Glyphs:

Wielded on her back, Shanoa's main form of tactical aid is the form of glyphs that form aid. They are divided into four main categories, and while they can't be combined like the others they can be rapidly switched to adapt to the situation.

Mobility:

On mobility, three glyphs work to expand Shanoa's ability to move. Magnes creates a field of magnetic energy that binds her to magnetic surfaces, and could also theoretically mess with electronics or other devices. It can be pulled back to fling her from a magnetic surface, serving as great propulsion. Paries allows her to transform into an ethereal substance that can crawl through walls and the ground, but if the glyph is deactivated or sucked out she dies. Finally, Volaticus allows her to straight-up fly, with wings quite literally sprouting out of her back. She can fly for an unlimited amount of time, but if she takes a major hit she will stop flying and be forced onto the ground. This glyph is unrivaled in agility, but the factor of interruption makes it hard to really pull off.

Augments:
There are a multitude of glyphs serving as small, but reasonable augments to her stats. Most of them are simple increases like improving spell damage, resistance, or physical stength but one of the best is Arma Custos, which forces the physicality of Shana up correlating to her damage taken. Another is Rapidus Fio, which creates a green energy field around Shanoa and boosts her apeed to a far superhuman amount. Regularly, when she touches an enemy she loses health. When this is activated, weak enemies like skeletons will be destroyed! However, against bigger and stronger foes like Demon Lords it will hurt them a little but push back Shanoa. Also included in the package is the base stat improvers (Fides, Fortis, Vis, Sapiens) that respectively boost her physical strength, physical durability, or the same in magical terms. In addition, Reflectio gives her small-scale regeneration. She can heal one HP a second, and while it's not the worst 

Transformations:
Shanoa has three transformations. These are all inferior to Shanoa in most cases, but have special prowess that allow her to beat foes in special situations. Chiroptera turns her into a werebat, giving her control over bats, wings, and a set of deadly claws to slah with. Felix is the best offensively, giving her an insanely fast tail whip and a set of claws that also heal her for a small amount but adds up. However, the msot dangerous is Machina that turns her into a robot with absolutely no offensive value save falling on someone, but is absolutely immune to all attacks.

Familiars:
While not being used often, Shanoa can literally summon out of thin air familairs to help her. Alate summons winged skeletons, flying from the sky and armed with spears and shields. Aranea summons spiders that crawl around, biting and stracting the foes with spider-things. Caries resurrects a number of zombies, that while not very fast still are strong and will tear through anything that isn't defended well. Medusa makes a circle of Medusa Heads that turn all they touch into stone, making a functional wall that follows Shanoa and preventing good physical attack. Mortus summons some of the dead that leap around and scratch and claw whoever they find and attack. Noctua makes around three owls that track the foes and scratch them out and generally do what you would think how an owl fights. Finally, Polkir summons three Polkirs, regular octupus-things that make napalm-like explosions from scanning the ground. One of them is a major challenge to any ground-based foe, three is a nightmare. None of these can be combined but they can all be spammed theoretically for massed familiars.


Training:
Ecclesia

While Shanoa's training is rarely mentioned in the game, it is said numerous times that Shanoa was taken into the Order at a young age and was trained to be a great combatant. She was able to sense Albus when he was being some sort of invisible or possibly just hiding. She was absorbing the Glyph Union Dominus, the pinnacle of her power, when a problem occurred. Shanoa lost all of her memories and emotions in the 'accident', and the lost the training that she had the time from then on. She got rudimentary training the next two weeks to regain training and how to use glyphs, and proved to be a quick learner in the art of Confodore, showing she may still have some memories as of the end of OoE, but still she never was as well trained as before the accident.


Experience:


Ultimate Weapon:

Powerful individually, but together...

Dominus:

No weapon can compare to Shanoa’s ultimate attack.  Using the power of the great Lord Dracula, Shanoa can unleash a flux of dark energy that kills everything in her immediate vicinity, and is the only weapon able to beat Dracula. Costing no hearts or MP, why not use this immensely powerful spell? This spell kills everything in Shanoa’s immediate vicinity, including Shanoa herself.  Obviously, Shanoa cannot use this often, but in the extremely rare event she does I subtract that from the total number of kills. Really, about the Dominus glyph union little should be said because of the suicide bomber scenario. Shanoa has used it before, resulting in the death os Albus’ spirit, and has pledged never to use it again. However, use the glyphs on their own and you get Dominus Hatred, Anger, and Agony; three of the most powerful spells in the game.  Hatred creates a pillar of light that then rains down a rain of damaging energy. Anger creates a few balls of dark enegy that look like meteors at the foe in a straight line.  Agony boosts Shanoa’s stats by 66, and allows her to gain massive boosts that can seriously change the tide of battle. The catch? Anger and Hatred cost 1/6 of Shanoa’s total health to cost, and Agony costs 6 health every few seconds. Using these more than extremely rarely will end her life quickly.

Motivation:

Personality:

What is the personality of the great vampire hunter? What flows through the mind of Shanoa? Who does she think she is, and why? To make this simple and true, let me say something. Shanoa doesn't really have much of a personality. This is because of the accident in the beginning of the game-it wiped out her memories and emotions. After this, she became something like a tool. She single-mindedly persued Albus, never fleeing, never questioning her master. However, by the end of the game she has progressed some. She was capable of regret and sorrow-she cried when Albus passed on, and the vague ending (A legendary hero never heard from again...hmm..)

Aztec Jaguar vs Azande Warriors: Battle

Quauhtl was always one to be concerned of his surroundings; he had always looked at the world as a threat to his safety and rarely went on expeditions without much prior planning. However, this was a dire situation. While the 'gods' from the big boats were proven false, they did much damage and Quauhtl and his partners were told from their general to seek land to rebuild; for this empire might not survive. Around a month had passed since he and his partners had departed from their base in Tenochtitlan and the times had been hard; a terrible storm had killed all of the women who were to colonize a part of the world in the name of Tenochtitlan, and every man knows you cannot make a town with only men; they can't reproduce! The end result would be the same, but adjustments would have to be made to the plan.

Quauhtl was not fond of the idea, but if it was for Tezcatlpoca, it would be done. The history of the Aztec MUST survive, or else...

He didn't want to think about failure. He was a gifted warrior, and one of the few who wielded a macuahuitl; only the second-in-command and Itzli. His brother. He would hate for any of his men to die, but if Itzli were to fall in battle...

Impossible. They had javeliners, and anyone who did not have a Tepoztopilli or Macuahuitl was a javelin man. It could not- it WOULD not be a failure.

For the glory of Tezcatlpoca.

--

Zengedi was not having a particularly eventful day in comparison to the rest of his life. He woke up, had breakfast..not very important. Of course, that was neglecting the conditions where he was-he was on the very coast of Africa! Far outside the range of the Zande, he was in good shape wherever he was. He had crossed the longest areas of lives and crossed mountains that scraped the heavens, all at the bequest of the king. He expected nothing to come of the exploration, and indeed he was right-no problems had arisen especially due to the power of his arsenal. Any foes would be killed by Kpingas and Pimas before being impaled on the Makrigga. He was with his standard group for camp, and had been sent on a hunting task to find food.

As the fates would have it, the only way he would find food would be if the legends of their diets used for fear were true.

Aztec Jaguars:
Quauhtl: Atlatl, Macuahuitl
Coatl: Tepoztopilli, Chimalli, Quauholilli
Itzli: Macuahuitl, Chimalli
Chimalma: Atlatl, Quauholilli, Chimalli
Yaotl: Cuauholilli, Chimalli, Tepoztopilli

Zande Warriors:
Zengedi: Makrigga, Kube, Kpinga
Barafuya: Botto & Pima, Kpinga, Makraka
Baiperu: Makrigga, Kpinga, Kube
Kaleka: Botto & Pima, Makraka, Kube
Rikita: Kpinga, Makrigga

_________________________________________________________________________________

Quauhtl was unnerved for some reason, when normally he would not. He just felt something that was missing-but he couldn't put his finger on it. He had food, water, and men. What could go wrong. Besides typhoons, the only thing that could harm them would be warriors from an advanced distant land, and even then he would not fear it. He decided to take a nap to ease his nerves, but then the finale of it all happened;

They found land.

At last, the glory of the Aztec Empire would spread and no invaders would conquer it, powerful as they may be. They immediately pressed forward in that direction, not caring about safety or anything. Land was here, and the pursuit of happiness could begin anew. Besides, you have to have women to start families, and civilizations. It would be a time of fun. They landed, and set out to scout the area to find a place to camp. They approached a plains area, the smell of food in the air. Itzli noticed a small, round plump beast. It was unlike anything before, but hunger would get the best of fear. At Quauhtl's request, Chimalma let loose a dart that would instantly kill the beast.
--
Zangedi was leading the scouts, for a chance of food. At last, he had found a wild pig, which was mindlessly wandering the area. The pig was plump and full of life; it would let them feast for a day, spoiling themselves with needless meat. Barafuya had just set his sights on the pig, when a dart from far away impaled the pig and thrust it into the dirt of Africa. Zengedi was shocked to say the least, for no tribe would defy him here and live. He noticed a group of odd men, one who wielded a dart-thrower similar to the dart. He told Barafuya to shoot them, and the angry man complied, letting loose an arrow that shot through the air with lethal accuracy.

Chimalma did not react in time, for he was no superhuman but did notice the arrow in time. Opening his eyes at the arrow, he saw it shoot towards his chest-only to impede itself in the cotton, denying the poison any chance to kill. He saw the shooters, and angrily loaded up the Atlatl and shot the dart and the wielder of the Bow. A bow!? Only commoners used bows, and they tried to kill Chimalma, son of a noble. The dart glided with the same lethal precision, and Barafuya was not wearing cotton, not that it would stopped the dart. He was dead before he hit the ground, and never knew what killed him.

Aztec-V Zande-IV

To say the least, Baiperu was not pleased. Not in the slightest. Barafuya was his friend, and to see him killed brought tears to his eyes. Converting tears to rage, Baiperu angrily ran at the strangers, chucking two Kpinga in the process. One missed by a large margin, but the other slashed at the knee of Yaotl. Yaotl yelled in pain, and curled up for a moment, but then immediately got back up and ran at Baiperu with Tepoztopilli hand. Baiperu discarded his Kpinga for his Makrigga; now things were going to get fun.

Baiperu used his momentum to stab at Yaotl, but the killing blow was blocked by the Chimalli. Yaotl stabbed forward in a similar motion, only for the Kube to block it. The obsidian pierced, but nothing major, and Yaotl thrust back. Baiperu, with force stabbed at the Chimalli, which blocked as intended. Then, Baiperu thrust upwards, taking the shield with it and disarming Yaotl. However, Yaotl promptly resumed a fighting stance and shashed with the Tepoztopilli, cutting the Kube. Evading a Makrigga stab, he promptly slashed at Baiperu's neck, and oh so nearly connected-but it only grazed, and left Baiperu in rage fiercer than  Kratos. Baiperu stabbed with nearly superhuman might at Yaotl, whose armor provided no assistance against the piercing blades. Ripping the blades out, out came Yaotl's vital organs and his life. Looking up and baring his teeth to intimidate, Baiperu got a little more than fear; namely, his eye was impaled by a dart not unlike a certain victim of a speargun. He twitched for a second, then collapsed on the ground next to his kill.

Aztec-IV Zande-III

Itzli was the one who threw the dart, and was still angry about the kill. Not his, Yaotl's. Looking for a second, he decided to regroup and strategize. However, Chimalma was not into it. Charging at the African's, Chimalma encountered a Kpinga, deflected by his Chimalli. His name did mean shield-bearer after all. Chimalma came to the Zande that nearly claimed his life, and swung his Cuauholilli. Blocked by the Kube, Kaleka sung his Makraka, conecting with the Aztec's side but failing to kill. It still hurt however, and Chimalma shot back in the pain. Kaleka used this to his advantage, as he swung the Makraka as it was designed to do and beheaded the Aztec. He then threw a Kpinga, almost connecting with Quauhtl but hit Itzli instead. As fate would have it, Itzli was mortally wounded by the piercing stab. His vision spotted, he threw his last dart; and connected solidly with Kaleka in a moment of insant karma. The bowman and the dartman both died, connected in the land of the dead by forces incomprehensible.

Aztecs-II Zande-II

Quauhtl was pissed beyond belief. His friends killed, he himself held the key. Motioning Coatl to him, he commanded him to attack the Zande but not the chief-that was his duty. Coatl understood and an at the Zande. Rikita threw a Kpinga, but did not connect and was forced to draw his Makrigga. Coatl swung down his Tepoztopilli, but was parried by Rikita's Makrigga. Rikita tried to parry into a killing blow, but the skill of the Aztec denied him that and Coatl kicked him away. A swipe of the Tepoztopilli chopped deep into the Zande's shoulder, but the Zande was not trying to incapaciate;he thrust the Makrigga directly into Coatl's chest, killing the Aztec instantly. Quauhtl saw, and timed his shot just so that the moment the scum had looked up to kill him the Macuahuitl made contact with his neck, slaying the Zande for good.

Aztec-I Zande-I

Zangedi was not sad, not angry, but merely...motivated. Desire to kill overloaded his logic and he threw a Kpinga. The charging Jaguar was caught off guard, but the cotton armor barely endured against it and the Jaguar swung with his Macuahuitl, catching Zangedi off guard. He raised the Kube, but it held no defense against the chainsaw. Quauhtl used this distraction to chop at Zangedi with the Macuahuitl,  which succeded in giving him a very nasty wound, but not a lethal one. Zangedi picked up his Makrigga, and stabbed at the Jaguar. He evaded, and swung the Macuahuitl. At the Zande's neck-no man would survive it. Zangedi put up his Makrigga, to block the swing. Futile as it may be, the odds were still possible-

-But not on his side. The wood was chopped by the enraged Aztec, and the obsidian chainsaw then cut into his neck. Sawing into his throat, Zangedi had no regrets-he had done his best, and his time was over. He felt the icy hands of death grip him, and let himself be free from the agony that is life.

And there you have it! In a rematch of Deadliest Warrior, the Aztec Jaguars managed to overcome the technological disadvantage and win the battle! For those of you wondering, here are the points tallied:
Aztec on top, Zande on Bottom

Long Range:
24/30
12/30

Mid Range:
16/25
23/25

Close Range:
10/20
13/20

Special:
20/25
19.5/25

Shields:
8/20
12/20

Armor:
33/40
3/40

Mobility:
13.5/15
14/15

Tactics:
12/15
10/15

Psychological  Warfare:
8/15
13.5/15

Training:
14.5/15
2.5/15

Loyalty:
13/15
11/15

Experience:
11/15
12.5/15

Totals:
183/250 for the Aztec Jaguar

146/250 for the Zande Warrior

...Wow, that's a pretty harsh victory for the Aztecs. For those wondering, my next matchup will be a clash between two females in worlds dominated by males...

Wielders of the very environment, able to beat the greatest forces in their world..

Shanoa vs Korra!

Yes, I changed Shanoa's match from being with Potter to Korra. I think this is better, but say what you think about it. For those who wanted a Zande victory, here's an alternate ending for you:


-And indeed, luck was in his favor. The metal of the Makrigga stood excellently against the Macuahuitl, and Quauhtl was stunned, Using this distractuion to his advantage, Zangedi thrust the Makrigga into the very heart of Quauhtl, almost instantly killing the Jaguar. Zangedi took out his spear and rested on the ground. Time was no longer a factor; he was the victor and he was going to rest.

Zande Warrior vs Aztec Jaguar Edges

First of all, here is the grading system. Tell me if something is bad; I haven't done this before.

Long Range: 30 Points
Mid Range: 25 Points
Close Range: 20 Points
Special Weapons: 25 Points
Shields: 20 Points
Armor: 40 Points
Variables: 15 Points each

Those variables are:
Psychological Warfare
Tactics
Mobility
Experience
Training
Loyalty

This system is somewhat copied from Ares, but for now I think it is a good system to grade with, but later editions may not have this.
In any case, let's begin.

Long Range:

Atlatl & Tlecochtli vs Botta & Pima

Weapon vs Weapon

 On range, the two are pretty much even. The Botto has no recurves and it is made of just wood. The atlatl is just a spear thrower. On accuracy, I have to give an even. The Botto just inherently gives a little more accuracy, but it is countered by the Aztec training. In power, I will give an edge to the atlatl. It could pierce light chainmail for god's sake; the Botto cannot easily penetrate cotton. Incidentally, the Aztec is wearing cotton. In other factors, I give an edge to the Botto. The poison is a great help to the bow, while the atlatl has no such help. Overall, they are even as weapons. The atlatl edge in power is balanced by the Botto's edge in poison.

Weapon vs Armor

The atlatl is far superior here. The atlatl will penetrate the Kube and into the Zande warrior, while the Pima will probably get stuck in the Chimalli, and be blocked by the cotton. This is a huge edge for the Aztec. Will the poison go through armor? I don't know. DW was unclear on the subject, and I don't know.

Skill

Again, the atlatl is superior here. The Aztec was trained to throw the atlatl with much precision; the Zande has no training. Hunting helps, but it isn't enough. At all.

OVERALL: Aztec Jaguar

While the Botto and Atlatl are equals, the Aztecs edge in Armor and Skill is huge. The atlatl will be getting kills far more often than the Botto & Pima.
 

Mid Range:

Tepoztopilli vs Makrigga

Weapon vs Weapon

In range, the two weapons are even.  While the Makrigga has a bigger blade, it is a thrusting weapon and can only be used as such. In accuracy, I say edge Aztec. Both weapons are accurate, but the Aztec trained with this weapon more than the Zande giving them more accuracy. In power, I give an edge to the Makrigga. The iron weapon just is more powerful than the wooden one, and the Tepoztopilli is a slashing weapon, not a thrusting one. In other factors, the Makrigga gets an edge. The hooks will devastate the Aztec and make any blow exponentially lethal. Overall, the makrigga gets an edge. The hooks and power give an edge over the accuracy.

Weapon vs Armor

The two weapons will go through each others armor; the Zande has none, and we saw the Makrigga penetrate the cotton. Against shields… I give an edge to the Makrigga. The chimalli is just too small to not prevent penetration, and the slashing nature of the Tepoztopilli makes the Kube surprisingly effective. Overall, edge Makrigga.

Skill

The two are interesting here; the Aztec has more training but less experience and the Zande has less training but more experience. The Tepoztopilli, however, suffers from a lack of battlefield usage. The Zande uses the weapon more often than the Aztec, and he has a lot of experience with it. The Aztec also trained more with the atlatl and macuahuitl; the tepoztopilli is a second-rate weapon. Edge Makrigga.

OVERALL: Zande Warrior

While the Tepoztopilli is a decent weapon, the lack of thrusting capability and the Makrigga's deadliness make it an inferior weapon, and the Zande has a little more skill in the battle. Really, the Zande warrior brings in a great weapon to a mediocre one.

Close Range:

Cuauholilli vs Makraka 

  Weapon vs Weapon

 First, the two are about even in range. While the Cuauholilli only has a small area of death, the lack of cutting power against things that don't fit in the Makraka's death zone makes them even. On Accuracy, I give a narrow edge to the Cuauholilli, mostly due to training. The Aztec's training is becoming very important...Anyway, on Power I give it to the Makraka. The iron cuts better than the stone does blunt damage, and the curve on makes it better. Here, I give an edge to the Makraka; the edge in Power makes up for the small lack in accuracy.

Weapon vs Armor

The Cuauholilli is probably the only Aztec weapon not to be able to penetrate the Kube. While the Makraka will get stuck in the Chimalli, the important part is that the cotton does not protect the target of the Makraka, i.e. the neck. I give an edge to the Makraka based upon the fact that the Cuauholilli will be stopeed by the shield more often than the Makraka will be by the shield and armor.

Skill

Close one here. The Aztec has more training but less experience and the Zande the opposite. However, the Makraka was more often used as an execution weapon. The cuauholilli, on the other hand was used in combat. Both are pretty much even due to lack of usage, but the Cuauholilli gats a small edge.

Overall: Zande Warrior
The Zande takes a small edge here, mostly due to the cutting power of the iron and the lack of armor on the Aztec against the Makraka. The cuauholilli is a nice weapon, but a Makraka will do more damage faster. Plus, the Kube is a serious hindrance to the Cuauholilli's performance.

Special Weapon:

Macuahuitl vs Kpinga

 Weapon vs Weapon

 First of all, the Kpinga is a throwing weapon. The macuahiutl is a melee weapon. You cannot throw the macuahuitl; but you can throw the Kpinga. If you fight with the Kpinga at close range you will be killed by a superior weapon; heck, the Cuauholilli is on equal terms with it at melee range. The macuahuitl will absolutely devastate the Zande. Which has more range? You cannot really answer that. If you throw the Kpinga it has more range but if you go in close the macuahuitl will kill you. However, the Zande is not stupid. He won't charge into a deadly macuahuitl; rather, the elites with Kpingas would throw them. Therefore, I give an edge to the Kpinga in range. In accuracy, the two are pretty much equal. The macuahuitl is accurate as much as the kpinga at close range, but at throwing distance (15 yards?) the Kpinga is pretty accurate. In power, the two are equal. The obsidian blades cut through a LOT of stuff; to the point that blocking with the Kube against a body shot is nearly self-damaging from the reliance on the shield! The Kpinga is no weakling; it could cut through the chimalli if it was weakened and cut probably cut through the cotton armor. However, the macuahuitl is just as powerful if not more powerful than the Kpinga. In other factors, the Kpinga takes an edge. If the macuahuitl is de-bladed it is useless, while the Kpinga does not suffer from this. Also, the Zande carries multiple Kpingas, so the Zande can use them often. However, the weapon is hindered by its rarity; it was prized as a weapon for real men and was only distributed to professional warriors. It's not going to be available to every Zande; but neither is the macuahuitl, for the lack of construction materials needed for such a project. I give neither one an edge; the Kpinga will do a lot of hurt at longer ranges but when you get close the macuahuitl will dominate the Zande.

Weapon vs Armor

Will the Kpinga cut through the cotton armor and the Chimalli? I don't see it cutting through the Chimalli on the first hit; the shield is just a little too tough. However, it will hurt the defender's hand and may break through on a second throw. Let's see if the Kpinga cuts through cotton:

Well, the clip from DW is hard to find. 

Bahahahah! They didn't test it on the show! Time to make my judgement.

I think it will penetrate if it hits a spike on the Kpinga. If it just makes a slash with the sharp but flat part it won't cut, but if the spike hits directly it will penetrate. Will the macuahuitl penetrate the Kube? Yes it will. A macuahuitl hacks through horses' heads; and we saw in the battle of Zande vs Aztec that the macuahuitl cuts through the Kube with ease. This puts a huge dent in the Zande's game; they cannot always kill the Aztec but the Aztec can almost always kill the Zande. Overall,I give an edge to the macuahuitl here. The Kube will not stand up to the macuahuitl, while the cotton may stand up to the Kpinga.

Skill

This is interesting. The Kpinga is notable for being pretty valuable in Azande culture, and a man will probably have some skill throwing the thing, since they are gifts and Azande people are rather prone to warfare considering the region. However, I think that a macuahuitl is going to have skill behind it; Aztecs were trained warriors, and they would have undoubtabley gone over how to use the thing and how to successfully kill an enemy without significant damage to the blade. I give a small edge to the Macuahuitl, seeing as how they are trained with it and they also have experience with the weapon, as opposed to the Zande only having experience. This is really starting to hurt the Zande...
Overall Edge: Aztec Jaguar
This is a hard edge to give, and probably the haredest in the entire matchup. The Kpinga is an absolutely nasy throwing knife; if the blade hits you, you are not going to be in fighting condition at best and dead at worst. Plus, it scares the enemy because the Kube can hold 4 of these suckers. Thats like Chief just hurling frag grenades at you; just unpleasent in every way possible. However, the Macuahuitl makes a name for itself easily. It is probably the strongest weapon in the Aztec arsenal, and a man-killer. However, it is limited by range and manuervability; for example, a Zweihander is harder to wield than, say, a gladius and round shield (I know I am probably wrong, but you get my point). However, it makes up for it sheer POWER-it will annhilate the Kube and force the Zande to avoid CQC with the Aztec, and for this reason it gets the edge over the Kpinga.

Shields:
Good, now we have easy edges. The Chimalli is a nice shield, sure, but it is hindered by the incompatability with the Aztec's arsenal. Only the Cuauholilli and MAYBE the Tepoztopilli can be used with the Chimalli; and I seriously doubt the Tepoztopilli because you are using a halberd as a spear. It is also smaller and less important then the Kube. The Kube is the Zande's hail mary in this battle, and it is their greatest source of defense. Plus, the Kube can hold 4 Kpinga. You do not want more than 1 Kpinga against you.
EDGE: ZANDE WARRIOR

Armor:
Well, this isn't very close. The Zande has a loincloth and maybe a headress; the Jaguar has a cotton cuirass that will block both the Botto and the Makraka. (though to be fair, the Makraka is not designed to cut through the torso) The Aztec takes this for having actual armor, even if it won't stop the Makrigga.
EDGE: AZTEC JAGUAR

Variables:
Mobility:
The Aztec barely takes this, because while they have armor it's like wearing a sweater; it's not going to affect mbility that much. However, the Zande is limited by the Kube which could get in the way of good mobility.
EDGE: AZTEC JAGUAR

Tactics:
Well, i think this goes to the Aztec for the simple fact that they have had military training and know how to effectively fight. Not to say the Zande don't- I imagine they are stupid, but they aren't trained in the art and aren't going to fight as effectively.
EDGE: AZTEC JAGUAR

Experience:
This one goes to the Zande in my opinion. They are about equal in diversity and length, but the Zande grow up in a warlike environment and the odds of being in war from a young age is much greater than the Aztec, who are most often nobles.
EDGE: ZANDE WARRIOR

Training:
Must I truly explain this? Aztec Noblemen have exceptional training, and are very experienced with their weapons and warfare. The Zande have experience, but at most they are taught how to hunt and fight, but not that in-depth. Aztecs easily take this.
EDGE: AZTEC JAGUAR:

Loyalty:
Both of these warriors are disceplined and will not abandom their mission. However, here I give a small edge to the Aztecs because they are not only fighting for the Aztec Empire, they also are fighting for a god, and that is a great loyalty booster.
EDGE: AZTEC JAGUAR

Psychological Warfare:
The Aztecs are somewhat scary, sure, but carving your teeth and developing ways to specifically freak out the opponent- in addition to metal weapons, nets the Zande an edge here.
EDGE: ZANDE WARRIOR

Well, the edges are done. Feel free to comment or say that I am wrong, and I might change my opinion if I am really convinced. The battle will take...I have no idea. It took me a couple months to make this, sure, but I worked on it for around 3 hours maybe. So, may come next week and might come 'round Christmas. The next match will feature a famous European general, even if that doesn't teach you much.

 

Azande Warrior Profile

Azande Warrior Bio:

The Azande are an ethnic group in central Africa, primarily in what is now South Sudan, the DR of the Congo, and the Central African Republic. The word Azande means 'the people who possess much land' in their native language, which they call Pazande. Azande warriors often grow up hunting, although they have little formal military training, coming off of the tribal nature of the Zandes. This is crucial; the Azandes have hunting experience but no formal training. The Azande are a mix of agricultural and hunting; they mostly grow maize, rice, peanuts, sesame, cassava and sweet potatoes. They are warriors though; they are well known for raiding other tribes to gain resources. To give them a factor of psychological warfare, they would file their teeth and act like cannibals to scare the enemy. They also chant 'nyam-nyam', a phrase meaning 'great eaters'. Azande religion is a mix of Christianity and animism; they also follow the ideas of witchcraft and magic.


Long Range:
Botto & Pima

Pima on the left, Botto on right.

 The Botto is a bow. The Pima is an arrow. Together they formed the backbone of Azande long-range warfare. The Botto was made from polished 'yellowish' wood that was attached to a string made of tightly wrapped sinew. The bow is about 4 feet long, and a straight bow with no significant recurves. This limits the bows power; but the true strength lies with the arrows, not the bow. First of all, the Pima was made from cane shafts and around 2 feet long. They had iron arrowheads, against the obsidian used by Aztecs. However, the arrows were poisoned with Benge, a red powder made from a type of forest creeper. Benge contains strychnine, a lethal poison used today as a pesticide. The poison is lethal; about ten to twenty minutes after injection, the victim starts having spasms in the head and neck. Soon, the spasms spread to the rest of the body and death comes by asphyxiation from msucles needed to breath or get the breath to the brain. Oddly, the death will not be a quick one. Death usually comes in around 2-3 hours. The Aztecs may have already won the fight, but if you get hit with this thing and it hits you are a dead man.

Mid Range:
Makrigga

Makrigga.

This is a pretty special spear. A seven foot iron spear makes your fight already hard, but there is a twist. The spear is barbed; if you get stuck with it the hooks on it will catch your flesh and hook on. If you take the spear out, it will also pull out any organs, muscle, or flesh that it attaches to. That's nasty. Plus, the spear is a whopping 7 feet long which pretty much kills your chances of charging against it. It was also used in a sort of Phalanx formation, with shields covering you and the spear killing your enemies. It would be excruciatingly painful to pull out; that's why the Azande's were so feared. This weapon also was the one that killed the Aztec on the show. In all of it's gut-pulling glory.

If you got impaled with this and someone pulled it out...

Close Range:
Makraka

Makraka.

This is a sickle weapon. It is made of iron on the blade, with a wooden grip covered in hide. It curves along the middle, that catches your head and takes it off. Really, it is designed to cut off limbs and heads. However, the use of this in this exclusive purpose makes it more of a sacrificial weapon; but it was indeed used as a secondary weapon in combat. It's 2 feet long; which is better than the Cuauholilli. It is only sharpened on the inside; no chest shots unless you get it a complex stab with the heavier tip. Also, that same tip weights the blade so it has a third help to cut off limbs and your head. It also bears a resemblance to a certain...body part...

Yes, that was completely intended in the design. The Azande's prized their weapons as part of their manhood and symbolized that on their weapons. 

Special Weapon:

The Kpinga.

Kpinga
What? You thought I would leave out this, of anything? This is, also with the Makrigga, the iconic Azande weapon. This is a large thorwing knife; and it had 3 blades. If you dodged one, you had another 2 hitting you. The handle was mad eout of plant fiber, but could still kill you. The weapon could be thrown overhand to really kill the back or sideways to incapacitate. It was 21 inches long and weighed 3.5 pounds. It was regarded as pretty important in Azande culture; Kpingas were part of marriage prices given to men. Those are basically, I give you stuff and you marry my daughter. It also bears a resemblance to a... body part...

Zande armor.

Again, intended in the design. 

Body Armor:
Oh...So close. The Azande warriors have no body armor. They have a large loinclth, a nice pair of sandals, and a ceremonial headdress. Not exactly battle armor; they will get points for freedom of the senses, but that's it. Except the headdress; that looks like some form of a helmet. Then again, it is a ceremonial headdress for god's sake. This is the Azande's weak point.

Shields:
Ah. Here we go.

The Zande shield, the Kube.

The Azande shield is a wicker shield. It is called the Kube, as that is the shield of the warriors, not the dignitaries. It is highly decorated, to the point that people are distinguished by the wickerwork on their shield. The shield also served as a dispenser, as it held 4 Kpinga in an iron disk in the center of the shield. The shield is mostly used to cover the body, because it is too light to serve as adequate protection for heavy weapons; the wicker will block javelins and swords just fine. It is a nice source of defense, and 

Variables:
Mobility: Azande weapons are rather light, and they are not hindered by armor. However, they are somewhat limited by the Kube. They will be about as fast as the Aztec.

Loyalty: Not as good. While tribesmen are naturally loyal, people can rebel against a lack of central government. It won't happen often though; the situation does not really assist disloyalty. Also. they are bound by religion in the case of some instancesChristianity, so that helps.

Experience: Not bad here. From a lifetime of hunting to a adulthood of warfare they Azande are very experienced. The only thing limiting them is a lack of experience against military professionals.

Training: This is crucial; the Azandes have extremely little formal training. They could be taught by an elder or parent, but they are not organized and therefore have no system of official training. If nothing else, this will hurt them.

Tactics: Most of the time, Azande warriors fought in a way of throwing the knife, and then charging with the spear and shield. It worked; but it's not very adaptable. The two are rather even, but the Aztecs have a big advantage of training.

Psycological Warfare: Azande's are masters of this. First, they sharpened their teeth to look like cannibals. Second, they yelled a battle-cry that scared their opponent, although it is lost on the language barrier. Third, they, when out of formation just charged their opponent head on. This will scare them.

Aztec Jaguar Knight Profile

The greatest extenct of the Aztec Empire. Will the Aztec's greatest warrior beat the tribesman of Africa?

Aztec Jaguar Knight Profile:

Aztec Jaguar. Picture is not mine.

The Aztec Empire was not really an empire. It was more of a confederation; it is officially the Aztec Triple Alliance of the cities of Texcoco, Tlacopan, and Tenochtitlan. It spread to an 'empire' status through conquest of Mesoamerican peoples. These were spearheaded by the elite warrior societies; the Eagles and the Jaguars. Both worshiped specific Aztec gods, (the Jaguars themselves worshipped Tezcatlpoca, the god of the night sky) both were built towards skilled noblemen (although they were more skill based than people of noble birth) and they were the most feared Aztec warriors to both Mesoamerican peoples and the feared Spanish Conquistadors. Children naturally learned about warfare and weapons by the sheer fact that warfare was all around them and then they attended military schools. Nobles started military school between the ages of 6 and 13. It was not brutal military training like Spartans, (they learned about other aspects of life, like poetry and astronomy) but it was hard. They were given rigorious duties that were meant to bully the students into becoming mentally and physically strong. Punishments were severe, and outright disobedience was punished by death. They were taught how to live in the Aztec society, but nobles destined to become warriors were taught how to become warriors. Further training was given in the military societies; the Eagles and Jaguars. While commoners formed the backbone of the Aztec army, the nobles would go into battle with the best equipment and under the best and most costly warriors. This later tutelage and care received on the battlefield allowed them to quickly progress through the ranks of the Aztec military. The best of the best became part of the Aztec military societies; the Eagles and Jaguars.


Long Range:
Atlatl & Tlecochtli

A dude throwing an atlatl. Picture is not mine.

The atlatl was a spear thrower. It added force and accuracy to the javelin, making it the primary long range weapon of the Aztecs. The atlatl was a stick with a hook or socket in it to propell the javelin much farther than by hand. It 'flips' the dart, so it it not hindered by human motion of releasing. While it may seem in accurate, darts thrown with atlatls are accurate. What it really give is power; the dart would probably not penetrate plate armor, it would indeed penetrate light chain mail, leather, or padded cotton. This made a shot from it pretty much lethal in their time no matter what you were wearing. Range is alright; one has a maximum range of 45 meters, while a 10 cm accuracy can be acheived at 37 meters! Range is not as good as the bow & arrow or sling, but its power and penetrating capabilities made it the arquebus of the ancient world. This weapon is used by the elite forces, while commeners would use the bow or sling. 




Mid Range:
Tepoztopilli

Tepoztopilli. Picture is not mine.

 The Tepoztolpilli was a spear used in the frontlines. It was really a spear/halbrid hybrid, that was equally useful for cutting and thrusting. It was a stick with an arrowhead shape on the end, but much large than an arrow. It was as long as a man and as thick as two hands by some sources.  Sharp obsidian blades peppered the end of the blade, and glued in by bitumen or plant resin. It was somewhat fragile, but it is not really easy to destory it. You must chop off theblade at a distance where the Jaguar cannot simply use it again; not exactly easy. The weapon is not weak at all; Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castello says that his plate armor was penetrated by an Aztec lance, and only his padding underneth saved his life. Truly a fine lance to work with.

Quahholilli card. Picture is not mine.

Close Range:
Cuauhololli
The Cuauholilli is a club. It is a wooden club with a ball at the end, for crushing only. Sometimes other clubs were use din Aztec warfare, but I will limit it to this, for the sake of convienence. Besides, other clubs are mentioned less freqeutnly than the Cuauholilli, and listing all clubs would just be too time-consuming and not as benefitial to the Aztecs. Balls could be made of wood or stone, although Wikipedia saying that copper was an option is not mentioned in other sources. It had a curved handle and was most useful at the range of around a nunchuck, but oddly sources are limited on the Cuauholilli. It is also spelled the Quauholilli.

Special Weapon:
Macuahuitl 

Macuahuitl. Picture is not mine.

 The most well known Aztec weapon. This weapon was a club of wood 3-4 feet long, and embedded with razor-sharp shards of obsidian. The weapon was extremly effective; it was sharp enough to decapitate a man, and from Bernal Diaz it could decapitate a horse. It cannot in one swing, but it can certainly kill a man by severe neck injuries or bleeding. It was 3 inches across. What makes this weapon so effecetive? The obsidian. Obsidian is a very, very sharp volcanic glass and well sharpened obsidian can be 4x as sharp as high-quality steel. Plus, the blades are lodged in very tight so when the blades meet something they cut the thing and do not shatter. Macuahuitls are very lethal to soft areas like the neck, groin, and limbs. Even if you do not die of bleeding or the wound itself, very small obsidian fragments can be lodged in your body, and that will seriously hinder your game with pieces of obsidian in your arm. Or, it could straight-out cut your arm off.

Chimalli. Picture is not mine.

Shields:
Chimalli
The chimalli is a round shield made from different materials, but most of the time it was wood. Most of the time nobles used the chimalli; it was used to signify rank that the commeners knew who was in charge. Often the shields were decorated fancily, and the designs also signified nobility. I cannot find how big these shields are, but it can be presumed they are around a foot in diameter.

Armor:
Cotton

Aztec Cotton Armor. Picture is not mine.

Now why would a professional warrior, a trained, elite warrior of an elite warrior society, wear cotton armor? Simple. Quilted cotton was the best armor in Aztec times, for a reason. The quilted cotton would be soaked in salty brine water, and let it sit in the sun. The salt would crystallize, forming a serious barrier an inch or two thick that would resist obsidian and atlatl darts, although it would not stop darts. They are too powerful. What is so good about this is the other factors; mobility and weight. Cotton armor would stop mobility as much as a light coat would today. It would allow for almost uninhibited movement, which combined with the armor's strength makes it a formidable piece of equipment.   

Variables:

Mobility: First of all, cotton armor restricts little movement. Second of all, training left them very agile to fight off attackers. Third of all, the forests of the Aztec Empire is a naturally hundering terrain and they were fast; when let loose they will be very fast on their feet.

Tactics: The Aztec strategy was to pepper the enemy with spears, arrows, and stones before chargin right into the opponent. While they will have undoubtaby changed their tactics for a small skirmish, they are trained for a single method of combat. I don't really see the Jaguars getting much in the way of tactics, although training helps with creative thinking.

Loyalty: When one is trained from childhood to fight for the Aztec Empire one becomes very loyal to the Aztec Empire. When Cortes conquered the Aztec Empire, elite warriors were serious problems for the Conquistador, although he had quite a bit of help. But that is a story for another time.

Experience: Aztecs were almost always at war. In the days of the Aztec Empire, warfare was everywhere. Rival tribes or confederations fought the Aztecs without provoction, and Jaguars and Eagles spearheaded this assualt.

Training: Aztec Jaguars were very well trained; after at a minimum 7 and maximum 13 years in military school from childhood, they got tutelage from veterans on the battlefield. Warrior societies gave even more training; Jaguars were professional warriors, a sharp contrast to their Zande opponents. 

Psychological Warfare: The jaguar skin helps, but really the Aztecs aren't that scary, unless you get a priest with a knife. Then you will have fear.