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. Without further ado...

Xande - Raiders of the Free Review

Limit Burst

Demon King's Meteor (7★, 36 LB)

• 3-hit Magic damage (10.5x ~ 13.5x) with ignore SPR (50%) to all enemies

Note: Xande has an innate passive ability that boosts LB damage by an additional 100%, so the end result would a mod of 42x ~ 54x, assuming no further adjustments from equipments.

Trust Reward

Demon King's Power (Materia)

• Increase HP (15%) and MAG (40%)
• Recover MP (3%) per turn

Super Trust Master Reward

Xande's Rod (Rod)

• ATK 22, MAG 148, SPR 24
• MP 10%

Note: For new players, this STMR will be better statted than some of the more easily accessible rods. However, for veterans, this equipment is very disappointing, as it's just a stat-stick that worse than even the recent Scorn trials. On the flipside, the TMR is fairly usable: good magic boost, some survivability, and a minor amount of MP-refresh.

Notable Skills

Triple Ancient Magic (requires S/TMR equipped and 7*)

• Use to cast 3 of any of Xande's abilities

Quadruple Ancient Magic (Unlock)

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

Ancient Libra

• View info on one enemy
• Decrease SPR (60%) for 3 turns to one enemy
• Increase modifier (3x) for 3 turns to caster (can't be dispelled): Ancient Darkga, Ancient Stonga
• Multicastable

The option to use it as a SPR break is there if you don't have anyone stronger.

Dark/Stone Stopga

• Inflict stop (50%) for 2 turns to all enemies
• Decrease dark/earth resistance (80%) for 3 turns to all enemies
• Multicastable

Arena toys due to the stop inflictions. Might see some usage in non-arena purposes as his other imperil is both locked to a cooldown, and doesn't last long enough.

Invoker of Darkness

• Decrease earth and dark resistance (100%) for 4 turns to all enemies
• Increase resistance to MAG break (100%) for 4 turns to caster
• Increase modifier (2x) for 4 turns to caster (can't be dispelled): Ancient Meteor, Ancient Quake
• Multicastable
• 6-turn CD, available on turn 1

Note: Due to the way debuff duration works on an enemy, you technically have 5 turns to take advantage of the imperil, which leaves it with one turn that the imperil is not active. The break resistance and skill mod boosts lasts 4 turns still.

Demon King's Aura (lvl 110)

• Increase MAG (200%) for 4 turns to caster
• Refresh MP (240) split over 4 turns to caster
• Increase light resistance (100%) for 4 turns to all allies
• Enable skill for 5 turns to caster: Quadruple Ancient Magic
• Multicastable
• 6-turn CD, available on turn 1

Beyond the general damage boost and MP sustain, the only other notable thing is the AoE light resistance buff, which can be maintained if you staggered the ability among two Xande's (at the cost of some damage).

Ancient Meteor/Quake (lvl 105)

• Dark/Earth magic damage (0.5x) with ignore SPR (50%) to all enemies
• Dark/Earth magic damage (3x) with ignore SPR (50%) to all enemies
• Increase modifier (2.5x) for 3 turns to caster (can't be dispelled): Ancient Meteor/Quake
• Multicastable
• Chaos Wave Family50-20-20-20

Note: All mod boosts stack for these abilities. Due to the way the abilities is designed, any skill mod boosts will get quadrupled. As a result, when all boosts are active, the abilities have modifiers of 10x and 15x, with the latter being the backloaded damage.

Notable Others

• 160% innate boost to Mag, with easy-to-equip conditional masteries
• 50% innate resistance to earth and dark (w/ said masteries)
• 50% innate human magic killers
• 50 mTDH/W

Notable Issues

• No status ailments resistance
• Incredibly fragile
• Low MP sustain and high cost abilities
• Locked into CW chaining family, whose GL support is waning fast

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

Builds and 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, and possibly other units.
• 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)
• [WIP] All units will be limited to story-shop-buyables. Fallen gear up to and including Torturous Trio, and Scorn gear up to and including Marching Beast are also included. Espers aren't included and Materia's may be included depending on their revelance to the build, but will generally be included if part of S/TMR.
• 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)

Xande Xande

**Budget Build**

Right hand: Xande's Rod MP 10%, ATK 22, MAG 148, SPR 24  
Head: Frozen Crown HP 500, DEF 16, SPR 50  
Body: Siren's Robe DEF 30, MAG 40, SPR 40  
Accessory 1: Iron Gloves DEF 5  
Accessory 2: Iron Gloves DEF 5  
Materia 1: Demon King's Power HP 15%, MAG 40%  
Materia 2: Rod Mastery MAG 50%  
Materia 3: Malboro's Whisper HP 20%, MAG 30%  
Materia 4: Hat Arts MAG 30%, SPR 30%  
Total: HP:8558, MP:477, ATK:150, DEF:184, MAG:1138, SPR:361
       HP:8558, MP:477, ATK:201, DEF:235, MAG:1222, SPR:437 (40% Leadership buff)
       HP:8558, MP:477, ATK:201, DEF:235, MAG:1556, SPR:437 (200% DKA buff   Leadership)

PeHP: 1,574,672 / 2,011,130
MeHP: 3,089,438 / 3,739,846

Ancient X
  1556^2 * (10*2.6125   15*4) * 2.2 * 2 = 917,489,487

Ancient X x2
  1222^2 * [6*2.6125   (11 17)*4] * 2.2 * 1.8 = 754,993,937

Ancient X x4
  1222^2 * [6*2.6125   (11 17 17 17)*4] * 2.2 * 2 = 1,732,463,298
  1556^2 * [10*2.6125   (15 25 25 25)*4] * 2.2 * 2 = 4,113,389,007

Rotation (6-turns)
  Demon King's Aura   Invoker of Darkness   Ancient X
  Ancient X x4
  Ancient X x4
  Ancient X x4
  Ancient X x4 (weaker)
  X Stopga   Ancient X x2
Average: 2,624,185,623

* Note, assume Ancient X self-mods are already applied, for simplicity and long-run amount

Above Build

For the comparison, I'll be mostly looking at each units damage kit and survivability, but will note other utility abilities. I've included a seperate build below to maximize his damage output. This ignore STMR, limited, premiums, and IW stats.

Build

Right hand: Asura's Rod (FFBE) ATK 12, MAG 174  
Head: Shiva's Tiara DEF 3, MAG 51  
Body: Lordly Robes (FFBE) DEF 45, MAG 65, SPR 65  
Accessory 1: Nutkin Hairpin MAG 40, MAG 40%  
Accessory 2: Nutkin Hairpin MAG 40, MAG 40%  
Materia 1: Magic Charger   
Materia 2: Scepter of Justice MAG 60%  
Materia 3: Top Operative MP 30%, MAG 50%  
Materia 4: Magical Potential MP 10%  
Total: HP:7344, MP:745, ATK:180, DEF:216, MAG:2528, SPR:295

Phys eHP:  1,586,304
Mag  eHP:  2,166,480

Ancient X
  2528^2 * (10*2.6125   15*4) * 2.2 * 2 = 2,421,787,596
Ancient X x2
  2528^2 * [6*2.6125   (11 17)*4] * 2.2 * 1.8 = 3,231,135,654
Ancient X x4
  2528^2 * [6*2.6125   (11 17 17 17)*4] * 2.2 * 2 = 7,414,395,873
  2528^2 * [10*2.6125   (15 25 25 25)*4] * 2.2 * 2 = 10,857,622,476
Average: 7,606,697,758

*Note: does not include any buffs, including innate self-buffs

Ashe Enhanced Ashe

No longer getting compared against for damage role.

Seriously though, if I ever compare another damage dealer against Ashe, either said unit is bad, or Ashe truly is breaking the game.

Gentiana Gentiana

Right hand: Xande's Rod MP 10%, ATK 22, MAG 148, SPR 24  
Head: Frozen Crown HP 500, DEF 16, SPR 50  
Body: Gentiana's Outfit DEF 22, MAG 46, SPR 32  
Accessory 1: Iron Gloves DEF 5  
Accessory 2: Iron Gloves DEF 5  
Materia 1: Mark of the Glacian MAG 50%  
Materia 2: Rod Mastery MAG 50%  
Materia 3: Malboro's Whisper HP 20%, MAG 30%  
Materia 4: Demon King's Power HP 15%, MAG 40%  
Total: HP:7829, MP:414, ATK:175, DEF:259, MAG:1252, SPR:355
       HP:7829, MP:414, ATK:236, DEF:325, MAG:1336, SPR:432 (40% Leadership buff)
       HP:7829, MP:414, ATK:236, DEF:325, MAG:1670, SPR:432 (200% SC buff   Leadership)

Phys eHP: 2,027,711 / 2,544,425
Mag  eHP: 2,779,295 / 3,382,128

Limit Burst
  1336^2  * (27.1*1.3) * 3.712 * 1.0 * 2.2 = 513,518,634
  1336^2  * (27.1*1.3) * 3.712 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 1,078,389,131
  1670^2 * (27.1*1.3) * 3.712 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 1,684,983,019
Frozen Fractals (Single, 100% imperil)
  1670^2 * 5  * 3.7225 * 2.0 * 2.2 = 228,396,965
  1670^2 * 20 * 3.7225 * 2.0 * 2.2 = 913,587,862
Frozen Fractals (Single, 110% imperil)
  1670^2 * 20 * 3.7225 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 959,267,255
Frozen Fractals (Quad, 110% imperil)
  1336^2  * (20*4) * 3.94375 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 2,601,682,258
  1670^2 * (15 17.5 20 20) * 3.94375 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 3,684,022,729
  1670^2 * (20*4) * 3.94375 * 2.1 * 2.2 = 4,065,128,529
Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal x2
  1670^2 * ((7.5 * 3.7225 * 2)   (32 * 4 * 2)   ((10 12.5) * 4 * 2.1)) * 2.2 = 3,072,928,548
  1670^2 * ((20 * 3.7225 * 2)   (32 * 4 * 2)   ((20   20) * 4 * 2.1)) * 2.2 = 4,545,851,222
Frozen Fractals x3   Glacial Kiss (110% imperil)
  1336^2  * ((20*3) * 3.9075   24 * 4) * 2.1 * 2.2 = 2,724,963,240
  1670^2 * ((20*3) * 3.9075   24 * 4) * 2.1 * 2.2 = 4,257,755,063
Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal   Glacial Kiss
  1670^2 * ((20 * 3.7225 * 2)   (32 * 4 * 2)   ((20   24) * 4 * 2.1)) * 2.2 = 4,752,006,710
Ice Dance   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal x2 (breaks if not sparked)
  1336^2  * ((2.5)*3.445*1   (32*4*4*1.65)   ((24*2)*4*2.1)) * 2.2 = 4,934,429,774

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 : 2,156,992,752 / turn
  T1-8 : 2,729,570,169 / turn
  T1-12: 2,754,395,397 / turn

Burst
  T-1: Snow-Covered
  T-2: Frozen Fractals   Infinite Icebreaker   Frozen Fractal   Glacial Kiss
           4,752,006,710

Above build

• Gentiana deals more damage in a long fight
• Gentiana can AoE buff fire/lightning/ice resistance (former two are locked to CD)
• Gentiana can build esper gauge
• Geniana is mildly tankier
• Xande deals more damage initially
• Xande has more elemental flexibility
• Xande's chaining skills are more consistent (just CW)
• Xande can AoE buff light resistance (locked to CD, which is also required for damage dealing)

Generally, if you're going to be using free mages consistently, you'll probably probably be in the fight for the long haul. As a result, given her better damage for long fight, additional survivability, and support abilities, Gentiana is generally better overall in a vacuum. However, Gentiana is ice-locked, so if a fight requires not-ice or more elemental flexibility, then Xande wins there. As a result, they are more of side-grades to one another.

If widening the equipment access, then Gentiana's damage more or less stays consistent with previous comparisons.

Non-Free Magic Damage Comparisons

With the general increase of number of free units since the Mog King rework, I've been getting more swamped then usual. As a result, I decided to lean more on other resources to get other comparisons out. While I do lose the benefit of indepth individual comparisons, it comes as a general upside as I'm able to compare significantly more units in a single sweep.

Furcula's Damage Spreadsheet (general basis for below tiering)
Muspel's Damage Spreadsheet
ShadoWalker3065's "Bikini Bottom" Damage Spreadsheet

Units Approximately within 175% - 200% Damage Range

CG Dark Fina White Lily Dark Fina

Units Approximately within 150% - 175% Damage Range

Palom & Porom Palom & Porom
Operative Zyrus Operative Zyrus
Sweet Nichol Sweet Nichol

Units Approximately within 125% - 150% Damage Range

Kimono Fina Kimono Fina
Mordegon Mordegon
Veronica Veronica

Units Approximately within 75% - 125% Damage Range

Christine Christine
Gentiana Gentiana
Magitek Warrior Terra Magitek Warrior Terra
Xande Xande
Hein Hein
Sol Sol
Dark Mage Exdeath Dark Mage Exdeath
Light Warrior Krile Warrior of Light Krile
Tsukiko Tsukiko
Great Mage Kefka Archmage Kefka
Circe Circe
Grim Lord Sakura Grim Lord Sakura
Shantotto II Livid Shantotto

Conclusion - New Player Variant

To start with, Xande fulfills the basic of a magic chainer. He deals decent damage, and imperils the matching elements. However, it should be noted that unlike many damagers, instead of his abilities being reliant on the typical growing stacking modifiers (like Aeroja), he instead uses instanteous skill modifier boosts that are either activated for all relevant abilities, or quick to access. As a result, if Xande needs to switch elements on the fly, he can do so without losing his damage output unlike traditional stacking units.

In addition, he has some utility that can assist players beyond damage dealing. If the player chooses to run two Xande's and stagger their Demon King's Aura, then s/he has access to a maintainable 100% light resistance party buff at the cost of some damage. In addition, with his Dark/Stone Stopga, he can be a handy unit for arena as he can both inflict stop while dealing damage (when his abilities aren't banned).

All in all, a decent starting mage.

Conclusion - Veteran Variant

To start with, Xande just fulfills the basics of a magic chainer. He has chaining abilities, but are relegated to a family that sees very little support these days. He has some innate mTDH/W, but nowhere near enough to start off with (nor a source of dual wield), requiring additional support to build up.

On the sustain side, he's even sadder. For starters, his only innate defensive passives are 50% HP boost and niche earth/dark elemental resistance, making him incredibly fragile. While he is not a traditional stacking unit, he still relies on his CD to boost the skill modifier of his damage and his IV-cast, with no other means for the latter. As a result, dying while his CD is not available can reduce his output potentially in half. He has some MP refresh and MP passive boost, except they recover so little that his III- and IV-casts will potentially almost all his MP on the initial rotation assuming the player did not put any additional consideration for it.

In terms of support, it's close to non-existant. The only thing going for him are his ability Libra and stop (which are incredibly niche), or his light resistance (which is on a CD, and cannot be maintained by itself).

All in all, a decent starting mage. Except you aren't starting the game, are you?

^{Math Fix Status: Satisfied}

^{Edit #1}: Unit Icon typo