Once upon a time, raid free units were game changing. Nowadays, people barely even notice them outside of their trust masters and former fusion-hell. This is understandable, given that most reviews are in terms of resource management, which includes pulls, enhancement spendings, and the occasional rare "others". That, and raid free units typically kind of suck in comparison to their current equivalent-star bases. These units, however, do benefit newer players with a limited unit pool, and as such, will be written with that in mind.

Gentiana - Raiders of the Free Review

Limit Burst

Diamond Dust (7★, 32 LB)

• 17-Hit Ice magic damage (27.1x ~ 30.0x) to all enemies
• Enable skill for 4 turns to caster: Quadruple Frozen
• 10-Fr Chain229-10-10-10-10-...

Primarily, Gentiana will be using her LB to unlock her IV-cast. Also, she has innate LB-damage boost, so her LB will actually have a modifier of 35.2x ~ 39x, assuming no additional LB modifiers.

Trust Reward

Gentiana's Outfit (Robe)

• DEF 22, MAG 46, SPR 32
• Ice Resistance 20%

Super Trust Master Reward (Materia)

Mark of the Glacian

• MAG 50%
• Increase Evoke damage by 25% (straight multiplier, separate from Evo Mag)

Notable Skills

Double Frozen

• Use to cast 2 of any of Gentiana's abilities

Quadruple Frozen (Requires unlock)

• Use to cast 4 of any of Gentiana's abilities

Frozen Flurry

• Ice magic damage (3.5) to all enemies
• Increase evocation gauge (1-2)
• Multicastable
• Chaos Wave Family50-20-20-20

Good way to build up the evocation on the fly. 80% of the damage is on the last hit, making this fairly backloaded.

Absolute Freeze (lvl 105)

• Ice magic damage (12x) to one enemy
• Increase LB gauge (3) to caster
• Multicastable

Mostly just to quickly build her LB gauge for a mission objective. Otherwise, generally not worth using.

Silvery Protection

• Increase ice resistance (60%) for 3 turns to all allies
• Increase resistance to ATK/MAG break (100%) for 3 turns to all allies
• Multicastable

On-demand innate Ice protection, with some offensive-break protection. Can be part of a multicast, so not too much turn action is lost using it. Do note that the ice protection is weak in comparison to Barblizzaga, which can be found on both 3* Shiva and Carbuncle.

Feast of the Divine (lvl 105)

• Increase fire, ice, and lightning resistance (100%) for 2 turns to all allies
• Increase resistance to ATK/MAG break (100%) for 2 turns to all allies
• Multicastable
• 4-turn CD, available on turn 1

The better version of Silvery Protection, with higher and more elemental resistances. The only catch is that it only has a 50% active period, so you would need a second Gentiana to maintain it permentantly (barring dispels), which is a case of how many will remain as friend units after the event is over.

Snow-Covered (lvl 105)

• Decrease ice resistance (100%) for 3 turns to all enemies
• Increase MAG (200%) for 3 turns to caster
• Enable skill for 4 turns to caster: Quadruple Frozen
• Multicastable
• 5-turn CD, available on turn 1

Pretty self-explanatory. Setup move to increase her main damage output.

Infinite Icebreaker

• Ice magic damage (32x) to all enemies
• Decrease ice resistance (110%) for 3 turns to all enemies
• Multicastable
• 4-turn CD, available on turn 1
• Chaos Wave Family50-20-20-20

Frozen Fractal

• Ice magic damage (5x) with consecutive increase (6 times, 2.5x each, 20x max) to all enemies
• Multicastable
• Chaos Wave Family50-20-20-20

Note: 80% of the damage is on the last hit.

Glacial Kiss (lvl 110)

• Ice magic damage (24x) to all enemies
• Increase evocation gauge (3-4)
• Multicastable
• 4-turn CD, available on turn 4
• Chaos Wave Family50-20-20-20

These three abilities can more or less be summed up with high backloaded damage (80% on last hit). Icebreaker comes with a slightly higher imperil, while Glacial Kiss can assist with evocation gauge filling. Frozen Fractal's damage is dependent on Gentiana maintaining her stacks which mostly boils down to her not dying. However, with IV-cast, she should be able to build up to max stack fairly quickly if it does happen.

Notable Others

• 190% innate unconitional Mag & 50% mTDW/H
• 60% innate resistance to ice damage
• 12% innate auto-refresh
• High innate auto-lb (6/turn), and fillrate ( 100%)
• 30% innate Evo Mag (for Esper nuking)
• Bonus esper stats (50%) if the esper in question is Shiva

Notable Issues

• Completely locked to Ice damage
• Suspectible to all relevant status ailments
• Low innate amounts of mTDH/W, and no innate dual wield
• Low innate survivability ( 20% HP, 30% Def/Spr)
• Relatively low innate MP ( 40%), no MP-recover besides auto-refresh, and heavy MP-consuming abilities (especially when IV-casting)
• Still using CW frames, which might go the way of the Dodo in GL

Interesting Tidbit

• Rarely opens her eyes, hence the reason she can't get "blinder".
• There's a very specific spoilery reason she has Evo Mag and Shiva-affinity.

Nude Expeditions

^{Subject to rounding errors
Success capped at 16%, anything above is solely for comparison purposes
No gear equipped or using a 0-statted variant for mastery
Parentasis denote with all masteries
7★★ denotes with S/TM ability activated, but without S/TMR equipment stats calculated}
Expedition Charts

Scantily Clad Comparisons

• All units will only have access to one of their own TMR, unless noted otherwise (mostly to equalize TM ability access). If the unit has easy access to their STMR, it can also be used for themselves.
• If any passive are conditional on equip, assume that the unit have a 0-statted variant of it equipped (unless its his/her S/TMR)
• (NEW) All units will be limited to story-shop-buyables. Materia are not included for the time being barring S/TMR on the above condition (WIP).
• Also assume spark chaining, whenever chaining math is done
  • Assume exactly 2 chainers, with the result calculation being damage dealt by a single chainer
  • Assume single-element for physical/hybrid, unless otherwise stated
• Base stat's only, no pots of any sort.
• If Limit Burst is used, calculation is done using a Lvl 1 version (unless noted otherwise).
• All units will get a minimum of 40% stat boost while in battle (via Leadership - Rain)
• All units will get a minimum of 35% imperil (Crazy Day)
• Using the below formula for calculations and comparisons, unless noted otherwise:
  • Reg Damage = (Stat2) * Skill.Mod * Chain.Mod * Imperil * (Lvl.Correction)
  • Phys eHP = HP * DEF / (1 - mitigation)
  • Mag eHP = HP * SPR / (1 - mitigation)

Gentiana Gentiana

HP: 5674
Mag pre-buff : 806
Mag post-buff: 890 / 1224 (via Leadership / Snow-Covered, respectively)
Def pre-buff : 243
Def post-buff: 309 (via Leadership)
Spr pre-buff : 307
Spr post-buff: 384 (via Leadership)

Phys eHP: 1,378,782 (1,753,266 w/ buff)
Mag  eHP: 1,741,918 (2,178,816 w/ buff)

Limit Burst
  890^2  * (27.1*1.3) * 3.712 * 1.0 * 2.2 = 227,888,969
  890^2  * (27.1*1.3) * 3.712 * 2.0 * 2.2 = 455,777,939
  1224^2 * (27.1*1.3) * 3.712 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 905,160,142
Frozen Fractals (Single, 100% imperil)
  1224^2 * 5  * 3.7225 * 2.0 * 2.2 = 122,693,123
  1224^2 * 20 * 3.7225 * 2.0 * 2.2 = 490,772,494
Frozen Fractals (Single, 110% imperil)
  1224^2 * 20 * 3.7225 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 515,311,118
Frozen Fractals (Quad, 110% imperil)
  890^2  * (20*4) * 3.94375 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 1,154,572,881
  1224^2 * (15 17.5 20 20) * 3.94375 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 1,979,029,164
  1224^2 * (20*4) * 3.94375 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 2,183,756,319
Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal x2
  1224^2 * ((7.5 * 3.7225 * 2)   (32 * 4 * 2)   ((10 12.5) * 4 * 2.1)) * 2.2 = 1,650,753,989
  1224^2 * ((20 * 3.7225 * 2)   (32 * 4 * 2)   ((20   20) * 4 * 2.1)) * 2.2 = 2,441,996,916
Frozen Fractals x3   Glacial Kiss (110% imperil)
  890^2  * ((20*3) * 3.9075   24 * 4) * 2.1 * 2.2 = 1,209,282,435
  1224^2 * ((20*3) * 3.9075   24 * 4) * 2.1 * 2.2 = 2,287,233,837
Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal   Glacial Kiss
  1224^2 * ((20 * 3.7225 * 2)   (32 * 4 * 2)   ((20   24) * 4 * 2.1)) * 2.2 = 2,552,742,086
Ice Dance   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal x2 (breaks if not sparked)
  890^2  * ((2.5)*3.445*1   (32*4*4*1.65)   ((24*2)*4*2.1)) * 2.2 = 2,189,798,074

Rotation
  T1: Snow-Covered   Frozen Fractals
  T2: Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal x2
  T3: Frozen Fractals x4
  T4: Frozen Fractals x3   Glacial Kiss

  T5 : Snow-Covered   Frozen Fractles
  T6 : Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal x2
  T7 : Frozen Fractals x4
  T8 : Frozen Fractals x4
  T9 : LB
  T10: Ice Dance   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal x2
  T11: Frozen Fractals x4
  T12: Frozen Fractals x4

  T1-4: 1,240,439,677 / turn
  T1-8: 1,404,107,165 / turn
  Asymptote: 1,374,741,426  / turn

Burst
  T-1: Snow-Covered
  T-2: Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal   Glacial Kiss
           2,552,742,086

* Note 1: if not spark-chaining, cast Fractals earlier in the IV-cast order
* Note 2: for the repeatable rotations, replacing one of the IV-cast Fractals
              w/ Glacial Kiss as it comes off cooldown

Above Build

For the comparison, I'll be mostly looking at each units innate damage with some consideration to other things like survivability and utility. I've included a seperate build below for maximizing her damage. This ignore STMR, limited, premiums, and IW stats, but does include her own STMR.

Build

HP : 5802
MAG: 2389
DEF: 343
SPR: 447
LB : 3/turn

Phys eHP: 1,990,086
Mag  eHP: 2,593,494

Limit Burst
  2389^2 * (30*1.3) * 3.712 * 1.0 * 2.2 = 1,817,722,382
  2389^2 * (30*1.3) * 3.712 * 2.0 * 2.2 = 3,635,444,764
Frozen Fractals (Single, 100% imperil)
  2389^2 * 5  * 3.7225 * 2.0 * 2.2 = 467,401,053
  2389^2 * 20 * 3.7225 * 2.0 * 2.2 = 1,869,604,213
Frozen Fractals (Single, 110% imperil)
  2389^2 * 20 * 3.7225 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 1,963,084,423
Frozen Fractals (Quad, 110% imperil)
  2389^2 * (15 17.5 20 20) * 3.94375 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 7,539,137,397
  2389^2 * (20*4) * 3.94375 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 8,319,048,162
Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal x2
  2389^2 * ((7.5 * 3.7225 * 2)   (32 * 4 * 2)   ((10 12.5) * 4 * 2.1)) * 2.2 = 6,288,568,838
  2389^2 * ((20 * 3.7225 * 2)   (32 * 4 * 2)   ((20   20) * 4 * 2.1)) * 2.2 = 9,302,819,083
Frozen Fractals x3   Glacial Kiss (110% imperil)
  2389^2 * ((20*3) * 3.9075   24 * 4) * 2.1 * 2.2 = 8,713,247,116
Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal   Glacial Kiss
  2389^2 * ((20 * 3.7225 * 2)   (32 * 4 * 2)   ((20   24) * 4 * 2.1)) * 2.2 = 9,724,704,251
Ice Dance   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal x2
  2389^2  * ((2.5)*3.445*1   (32*4*4*1.65)   ((24*2)*4*2.1)) * 2.2 = 15,778,160,002

T1-4: 6,004,952,884 / turn
T1-8: 6,478,791,394 / turn
Asymp: 7,755,562,291  / turn

*Ignoring buffs in damage math
*If using high enough external Mag buff, use LB instead during Snow-Covered turns

Ashe Enhanced Ashe

HP: 4711
Mag pre-buff : 360
Mag post-buff: 418 (via Leadership)
Def pre-buff : 185
Def post-buff: 234 (via Leadership)
Spr pre-buff : 148
Spr post-buff: 200 (via Leadership)

Phys eHP: 871,535 (1,103,374 w/ buff)
Mag  eHP: 697,228   (942,200 w/ buff)

Heaven's Fury 2
  (418)^2 * 4 * 3.07 * 2 = 4,291,221
    <1% of Gentiana's damage

Above build

• Ashe can AoE heal while chaining
• Ashe can AoE heal status ailments
• Ashe can AoE buff Mag/Spr and grants AoE refresh
• Ashe can equip light shields
• Gentiana deals signficantly more damage
• Gentiana has better elemental coverage
• Gentiana has a more standard chaining family
• Gentiana is tankier

Gentiana easily wins in the damage department, even if Ashe was using an optimat build ^70.9M.

Heliak Heliarc

HP: 3570
Mag pre-buff : 416
Mag post-buff: 482 (via Leadership)
Def pre-buff : 157
Def post-buff: 196 (via Leadership)
Spr pre-buff : 197
Spr post-buff: 257 (via Leadership)

Phys eHP: 560,490 (699,720 w/ buff)
Mag  eHP: 703,290 (917,490 w/ buff)

Freezing Energy
  482^2 * 4.2 * 3.667 * 1.5 * 2 = 10,734,344
Defrost   Freezing Energy (or Freezing Energy x2)
  482^2 * (4.2 4.2) * 3.8335 * 1.5 * 2 = 22,443,474
Undercooling   Freezing Energy
  482^2 * (1.5*3.667   4.2*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 15,542,824
  482^2 * (2.1*3.667   4.2*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 17,076,301
  482^2 * (2.7*3.667   4.2*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 18,609,779
  482^2 * (3.3*3.667   4.2*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 20,143,257
  482^2 * (3.9*3.667   4.2*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 21,676,735
Freezing Energy   Undercooling
  482^2 * (4.2*3.667   4.5*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 23,279,840
  482^2 * (4.2*3.667   5.1*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 24,952,573
  482^2 * (4.2*3.667   5.7*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 26,625,306
  482^2 * (4.2*3.667   6.3*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 28,298,038
  482^2 * (4.2*3.667   6.9*4) * 1.5 * 2 = 29,970,771

Rotation
  T1 : Freezing Energy
  T2 : Freezing Energy   Defrost
  T3 : Undercooling   Freezing Energy
  T4 : Undercooling   Freezing Energy
  T5 : Freezing Energy   Defrost
  T6 : Undercooling   Freezing Energy
  T7 : Undercooling   Freezing Energy
  T8 : Undercooling   Freezing Energy

  T9 : Freezing Energy   Defrost
  T10: Freezing Energy   Undercooling
  T11: Freezing Energy   Undercooling
  [GoTo T9]

Asymp: 27,461,672 / turn
         1.9% of Gentiana's damage

Above build

• Heliarc is Sol's backstory
• Gentiana does everything better

With proper gearing, Heliarc^441M still doesn't match Gentiana's damage output. I'll also stop the non-7* comparisons here, as the only other ice chainer is Belgemine, who has issue concern her imperils

Popstar Katy Immortal Flame Katy

*Note: Using her STMR and her event gear

HP: 5890
Mag pre-buff : 546
Mag post-buff: 614 / 715
Def pre-buff : 204
Def post-buff: 256 / 335
Spr pre-buff : 235
Spr post-buff: 280 / 346

Phys eHP: 1,201,560 (1,507,840 & 1,973,150 w/ buffs)
Mag  eHP: 1,384,150 (1,649,200 & 2,037,940 w/ buffs)

Limit Burst
  (614)^2 * (8.3*1.2) * 3.295 * 2.2 = 27,219,126
  (715)^2 * (8.3*1.2) * 3.295 * 2.2 = 36,910,465
Jackpot
  (614)^2 * 10 * 2.968 * 2.2 = 24,616,330
  (715)^2 * 10 * 2.968 * 2.2 = 33,380,947
Fortune - Out of Luck (W-Cast)
  (614)^2 * 11.6 * 3.07 * 2.2 * 2 (W-cast) = 59,072,558
  (715)^2 * 11.6 * 3.07 * 2.2 * 2 (W-cast) = 80,105,276
Tornado x2
  (614)^2 * 2.5 * 3.778 * 1.5 * 2.2 * 2 (Dualcast) = 23,500,799
  (715)^2 * 2.5 * 3.778 * 1.5 * 2.2 * 2 (Dualcast) = 31,868,232
Tornado x3
  (614)^2 * 2.5 * 3.851 * 1.5 * 2.2 * 3 (III-cast) = 35,932,337
  (715)^2 * 2.5 * 3.851 * 1.5 * 2.2 * 3 (III-cast) = 48,726,005
Firaja   Tornado
  T1: (614)^2 * (2*4*1.35   2.5*3.552*1.5) * 2.2 = 20,004,915
      (715)^2 * (2*4*1.35   2.5*3.552*1.5) * 2.2 = 27,127,643
  T5: (614)^2 * (6*4*1.35   2.5*3.552*1.5) * 2.2 = 37,919,765
      (715)^2 * (6*4*1.35   2.5*3.552*1.5) * 2.2 = 51,421,055
Firaja x2   Tornado
  T1: (614)^2 * (2*2.9*1.35   3*4*1.35   2.5*3.62*1.5) * 2.2 = 31,189,256
      (715)^2 * (2*2.9*1.35   3*4*1.35   2.5*3.62*1.5) * 2.2 = 42,294,155
  T3: (614)^2 * (6*2.9*1.35   6*4*1.35   2.5*3.62*1.5) * 2.2 = 57,613,659
      (715)^2 * (6*2.9*1.35   6*4*1.35   2.5*3.62*1.5) * 2.2 = 78,126,938
Flood   Thundaja    
  T1: (614)^2 * (2.5*3.552*1.35   2*4*1.5) * 2.2 = 19,895,436
      (715)^2 * (2.5*3.552*1.35   2*4*1.5) * 2.2 = 26,979,183
  T5: (614)^2 * (2.5*3.552*1.35   6*4*1.5) * 2.2 = 39,800,824
      (715)^2 * (2.5*3.552*1.35   6*4*1.5) * 2.2 = 53,971,863
Flood   Thundaja x2
  T1: (614)^2 * (2.5*3.552*1.35   (2 3)*4*1.5) * 2.2 = 34,824,477
      (715)^2 * (2.5*3.552*1.35   (2 3)*4*1.5) * 2.2 = 47,223,693
  T3: (614)^2 * (2.5*3.552*1.35   (6 6)*4*1.5) * 2.2 = 69,658,908
      (715)^2 * (2.5*3.552*1.35   (6 6)*4*1.5) * 2.2 = 94,460,883
Flood   Raging Water
  T1: (614)^2 * (2.5*3.568*1.35   1.2*4*1.35) * 2.2 = 15,361,983
      (715)^2 * (2.5*3.568*1.35   1.2*4*1.35) * 2.2 = 20,831,600
  T8: (614)^2 * (2.5*3.568*1.35   12*4*1.35) * 2.2 = 63,732,078
      (715)^2 * (2.5*3.568*1.35   12*4*1.35) * 2.2 = 86,423,813
Flood   Raging Water x2
  T1: (614)^2 * (2.5*3.568*1.35   (1.2 2.4)*4*1.35) * 2.2 = 26,110,893
      (715)^2 * (2.5*3.568*1.35   (1.2 2.4)*4*1.35) * 2.2 = 35,407,647
  T6: (614)^2 * (2.5*3.568*1.35   (12 12)*4*1.35) * 2.2 = 117,476,628
      (715)^2 * (2.5*3.568*1.35   (12 12)*4*1.35) * 2.2 = 159,304,049
Raging Ice   Freeze
  T1: (614)^2 * (1.2*4*1.5   2.75*3.568*1.5) * 2.2 = 18,178,596
      (715)^2 * (1.2*4*1.5   2.75*3.568*1.5) * 2.2 = 24,651,065
  T8: (614)^2 * (12*4*1.5   2.75*3.568*1.5) * 2.2 = 71,923,146
      (715)^2 * (12*4*1.5   2.75*3.568*1.5) * 2.2 = 97,531,301
Raging Ice x2   Freeze
  T1: (614)^2 * ((1.2*2.2 2.4*4)*1.5   2.75*3.8125*1.5) * 2.2 = 28,271,094
      (715)^2 * ((1.2*2.2 2.4*4)*1.5   2.75*3.8125*1.5) * 2.2 = 38,336,986
  T6: (614)^2 * ((12*2.2 12*4)*1.5   2.75*3.8125*1.5) * 2.2 = 105,603,530
      (715)^2 * ((12*2.2 12*4)*1.5   2.75*3.8125*1.5) * 2.2 = 143,203,548
Raging Ice x2   Tornado
  T1: (614)^2 * ((1.2*4 2.4*4)*1.35   2.5*3.552*1.5) * 2.2 = 27,170,855
      (715)^2 * ((1.2*4 2.4*4)*1.35   2.5*3.552*1.5) * 2.2 = 36,845,008
  T6: (614)^2 * ((12*4 12*4)*1.35   2.5*3.552*1.5) * 2.2 = 118,536,590
      (715)^2 * ((12*4 12*4)*1.35   2.5*3.552*1.5) * 2.2 = 160,741,409
Quake x2 (off-chained)
  (614)^2 * 2.75 * 3.4915 * 1.5 * 2.2 * 2 (Dualcast) = 23,890,509
  (715)^2 * 2.75 * 3.4915 * 1.5 * 2.2 * 2 (Dualcast) = 32,396,698
Quake x3 (off-chained)
  (614)^2 * 2.75 * 3.544 * 1.5 * 2.2 * 3 (III-cast) = 36,374,609
  (715)^2 * 2.75 * 3.544 * 1.5 * 2.2 * 3 (III-cast) = 49,325,748

Recommended Rotation (3-turns)
   Fortune - Out of Luck x2 (lesser buff)
   Fortune - Out of Luck x2 (lesser buff)
   Fortune - Out of Luck x2 (lesser buff)
  Avg: 59,072,558 (First 3 turns)
         4.8% of Gentiana's first four-turn damage
Recommended Rotation (Long, ignoring RIce/Tornado due to small increase and different elements)
   LB (Unless if well geared and/or using comparable/better buff)
   Jackpot
   Flood   Raging Water x2
   Flood   Raging Water x2 (lesser buff)
   Flood   Raging Water x2 (lesser buff)
  Avg: 90,971,475 (5-Turn Rotation, Asymptote)
         6.5% of Gentiana's asymptote damage

Above build

• IFKaty has more elemental damage options.
• IFKaty is immune to sleep, silence, and paralyze
• IFKaty has Entrust
• IFKaty has a semi-reliable stat breaks
• IFKaty can boost rare item drop rate and gils in battle
• IFKaty can buff stats and restore HP/MP
• IFKaty can equip light shields
• IFKaty is cheating with event-limited gear
• Gentiana deals significantly more damage
• Gentiana has AoE elemental-resistance buffs
• Gentiana has AoE offensive break protection
• Gentiana is magically tankier
• Gentiana didn't take hours to do her damage (re)-calculation

IFKaty falls within the 3-month time period I set for limited units, so here's the first (and only) big free comparison.

Damage-wise, Gentiana deals significantly more damage than IFKaty. However, Katy has elemental flexibility, while Gentiana is completely locked into ice damage. If there are fights that require either elemental flexibilty or otherwise highly resistant to ice damage, then Gentiana will fall significantly.

Utility-wise, IFKaty will have the upperhand due to having a better generalized kits, but its otherwise a toss up depending on what is specifically required for the fight. However, most of those utility abilities are not amazing compared to non-free units, compared to Gentiana where her elemental resistance are actually notable when they are applicable.

With proper gearing, IFKaty ^{no more than 793M} still loses out in the damage race, even to the poorly built variant. As a result, Gentiana should be a generally good upgrade for people still using Katy for damage.

Great Mage Kefka Archmage Kefka

HP: 8440
Mag pre-buff : 852
Mag post-buff: 938 /1286 (via Leadership/I Hate You!)
Def pre-buff : 271
Def post-buff: 332 (via Leadership)
Spr pre-buff : 371
Spr post-buff: 454 (via Leadership)

Phys eHP: 2,287,240 (2,802,080 w/ buff)
Mag  eHP: 3,131,240 (3,831,760 w/ buff)

Guffawing Ice   Frenzied Ice x3 (0% initial imperil)
  (938)^2  * (6.5*3.556*1   (7 9.5 12)*4*1.8) * 2.2 = 441,937,546
  (1286)^2 * (6.5*3.556*1   (7 9.5 12)*4*1.8) * 2.2 = 830,686,515
Frenzied Ice x3 (80% imperil)
  (938)^2  * (14.5*3.556   (17 17)*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 653,500,189
  (1286)^2 * (17 * 3.556   (17 17)*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 1,286,570,465
Frenzied Ice x3 (120% imperil)
  (938)^2  * (14.5*3.556   (17 17)*4) * 2.2 * 2.2 = 798,722,453
  (1286)^2 * (17 * 3.556   (17 17)*4) * 2.2 * 2.2 = 1,572,475,013
Frenzied Ice x4 (80% imperil)
  (938)^2  * (14.5*3.556   (17*3)*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 890,424,581
  (1286)^2 * (17 * 3.556   (17*3)*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 1,731,904,652
Frenzied Ice x4 (120% imperil)
  (938)^2  * (14.5*3.556   (17*3)*4) * 2.2 * 2.2 = 1,088,296,710
  (1286)^2 * (17 * 3.556   (17*3)*4) * 2.2 * 2.2 = 2,116,772,353
Frenzied Ice x3   Forsaken (80% imperil)
  (938)^2 * ((17)*3.556*1.8   (17*2)*4*1.8   21*4) * 2.2 = 847,069,740
Havoc Wing   Frenzied Ice x3
  (938)^2 * (20*1.9 (17)*3.648*2.2   (17*2)*4*2.2) * 2.2 = 916,795,195

Simplified Rotation (assume rotation already established once)
  T1: I ... HATE YOU!   Frenzied [X] x3
  T2: Frenzied [X] x4
  T3: Frenzied [X] x4
  T4: Guffawing Ice   Frenzied [X] x3
  T5: Frenzied [X] x3   Forsaken
  T6: Havoc Wing   Frenzied Ice x3

  Asym: 1,400,095,194
          101% of Gentiana's Asymptote damage

Above build

• AMKefka deals marginally more damage
• AMKefka has more element options
• AMKefka is innately immune poison, sleep, and paralyze
• AMKefka is generally tankier
• AMKKefka can escape battles
• AMKefka hates, hates, hates, hates, HATES YOU!
• Gentiana can provide elemental resistance to the party
• Gentiana is tankier when dealing against ice damage
• Gentiana can build the esper gauge

A much closer matchup to the other comparisons. Basically, both are relatively close in damage, with Kefka being better at general survivability while Gentiana having better team support

As gearing gets better, Kefka ^6.4B will be outpaced Gentiana, though will be more tankier by comparison.

Christine Christine

HP: 8595
Mag pre-buff : 687
Mag post-buff: 767 / 1087 (via Leadership/Snow Surge)
Def pre-buff : 227
Def post-buff: 293 (via Leadership)
Spr pre-buff : 354
Spr post-buff: 426 (via Leadership) 

Phys eHP: 1,951,065 (2,518,335 w/ buff)
Mag  eHP: 3,042,630 (3,661,470 w/ buff)

Limit Burst
  (767)^2 * 28 * 3.5005 * 1.8 * 2.2 = 228,335,809
Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2
  (767)^2 * (13*2.92   13*3.85   15*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 344,807,713
  (767)^2 * (13*2.92   21*3.85   23*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 491,108,128
  (767)^2 * (13*2.92   25*3.85   25*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 545,621,340
Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2 (Snow Surge buff)
  (1087)^2 * (18*2.92   17*3.85   19*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 907,775,358
  (1087)^2 * (18*2.92   29*3.85   29*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 1,311,106,299
Absolute Zero   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2 (80% imperil, Snow Surge buff)
  (1087)^2 * (18*3.556   18*4   (21 23)*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 1,459,889,562
Absolute Zero   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2 (80% imperil)
  (767)^2 * (14*3.556   13*4   (25 25)*4) * 1.8 * 2.2 = 703,043,382
Absolute Zero   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2 (100% imperil)
  (767)^2 * (14*3.556   13*4   (25 25)*4) * 2 * 2.2 = 781,159,313
Absolute Zero   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2 (120% imperil)
  (767)^2 * (14*3.556   13*4   (25 25)*4) * 2.2 * 2.2 = 859,275,244
Snow Burial   Piecing Chill x3
  (767)^2 * (13*2.92   13*4   (30*3)*4) * 2.2 * 2.2 = 1,281,179,549

Simplified Rotation (some damage loss, particularly at the start of the fight)
  T1: LB
  T2: Snow Surge   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2
  T3: Absolute Zero   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2
  T4: Frost Bite   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2
  T5: Absolute Zero   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2
  T6: Absolute Zero   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2
  T7: Absolute Zero   Snow Burial   Cold Snap   Piercing Snap
  T8: Absolute Zero   Snow Burial   Cold Snap x2

  Asym: 896,201,312 / turn 
           65% of Gentiana's asymptote damage

Above build

• Christine is generally tankier
• Christine has innate physical evasion
• Christine has innate dualwield
• Christine is innately immune to paralyze, confuse, disease, and stop
• Christine can imbue ice element, and give magic ice chaining moves to the party
• Christine can give high general mitigation to a single party member (and herself)
• Gentiana does more damage
• Gentiana has better elemental protection buffs
• Gentiana can build Evo gauge

If your wondering on the disparity on damage, skip to the very bottom of this entire post. Otherwise, with the current conditions, Gentiana does significantly more damage than Christine.

Support-wise, they differ mostly on Christine's offensive buffs and her ST mitigation and Gentiana defensive buffs. For players who do not have a strong support, Christine's mitigation buff can help make some units survive through attacks better. However, Gentiana's elemental resistance on her CD typically makes any relevant damage moot, barring some kind of super-imperil.

With proper gearing, Christine ^{~4.5B to ~9.1B} generally loses out to Gentiana still, but the comparison is much better in favor of Christine, especially if you also need to factor in survivability gearing. Because I used an simplified/unoptimized version of Christines rotation in addition to some lazy math for the geared calculations, I did a quick comparison against Furcula which puts Gentiana barely above Christine in damage.

Conclusion - New Player Variant

For starters, Gentiana does alot of damage. All of her CW abilities are heavily backloaded, making the short chain length of mostly irrelevant. With innate access to high amounts of LB generation each turn, she should easily be able to use her limit burst when she needs to refresh her IV-cast to maintain her damage. In addition, one of her means to unlock her IV-cast is available on turn one, meaning that she can begin hitting hard fairly quickly.

From a support side, she offers elemental resistance. With a single one, she can constantly provide 60% ice resistance to the party, and ocassionally using her CD for 100% resistance to not only ice, but also fire and lightning. However, if paired with a dupe, the 100% resistance can be maintained permenantly throughout the enitre fight.

She also comes with a way to quickly build Evo gauge and her own LB, mostly for mission objectives that require it.

Gentiana is a really good unit for new and older players alike.

Conclusion - Veteran Variant

First off, Gentiana's damage is a bit problematic. She's completely ice-locked, so if any content requires a different element, she is heavily handicapped for it. In addition, while she is a good mage, she's mediocre when compared to physical damage dealers and OPZyrus. Also, all her damage is from CW based abilities, which makes her less future proof as Global is signaling a transition to CWA frames instead for mages. Lastly, all her imperils are either locked behind CD's, or are fairly weak at this point in the game (Ice Dance). This makes her vulnerable to cases where the enemy gets dispeled.

Support-wise, her elemental-resistance still shines. The main issue is that her on-demand is weaker than barblizzaga, which can easily be equipped from two espers. On the otherhad, while the 100% elemental resistance CD can be maintained indefinitely (barring dispel), it requires a dupe which can only be achieved via friends, making the player at the mercy of the friend's list.

Gentiana is a good unit, but not shockingly amazing.

Side Note - Gearing Criteria

For a while now, I've been running into issues with how to manage stat boosts in regards to TDH/W while still maintaining a new player fiendly guide. As an initial pass currently, I've been allowing equipments that can be equipped through a normal playthrough of the game, but doesn't require farming significant amounts of time. This mostly leaves story shop items, and trials (more on that later).

However, one of the things noticed is that not all shop gears are created equal. While most of the physical gear are around the 40 range, the same cannot be said for magic gear. This is most significant for the weapon, as only Iron Rod, a 18 Mag rod, as a mage's best shop gear. This also cause significantly greater dispatiy if an unit's own TMR is a weapon, though said disparity will occur for the physical side too to a lesser extent.

As a result, I've been considering adding some of the lower level nemisis trials, with the criteria being that a player can randomly select any half-way decent random unit and be solo-carried through it with no prerequisite (ie: no asking for a specific-build). However, I haven't finalized the list, so they weren't added as potential legal gearing criteria for this particular review.

Trial-wise, I'm thing of adding all clear-only rewards from the Fallen up to and including Torturous Trio (before bomb trial), and all Scorns up to and including Marching Beast (before Gilly). 10-man, Vengeful, SSB, and reborn are ignored (later because of the scorn variant). Tell me what you think of this.

^{Math Fix Status: Satisfied}

^Edit: Typo, STMR evo, and updating Christine's triple PC, forgot rod image in equppables