Nicholas/Strategy

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Ratings

Nicholas
	Edit rating Role: Attacker/Defender 60% DMG CutTaking 60% less DMG Duration: 1 turn Damage Cut reducing damage taken for all elements. Warning! Does not work for Plain Damage! and the substitute effect from Counter StrikeFocused on foe's attacks and ready for a counter (Cannot deal attacks / Can't be removed) are rare defensive abilities in Dark. Counter StrikeFocused on foe's attacks and ready for a counter (Cannot deal attacks / Can't be removed) can nullify enemy one-ally attacks, including one-ally hits from charge attacks. Increased hostility can draw attacks away from allies, and ATK Down (Stackable)ATK is lowered (Stackable) , high DEF, and self-healing help with survivability. Difficult to fit in a party for fights that don't require defensive support.

Site	RatingThe character's overall rating out of 10.	GrindingThe character's general efficiency in repeatedly clearing menial content with an emphasis on real-time speed. GW Max Grade: SS KG Max Grade: SS	Full AutoThe character's general performance in Full Auto parties. GW Max Grade: SS KG Max Grade: SS	High DifficultyThe character's capability relative to the game's most difficult content. GW Max Grade: SS KG Max Grade: SS	Last Update
GameWith	9.1	B	B	A	2019-06-14
Kamigame	8.5	C	C	B	N/A

Overview

Overall a very straightforward tank character.

Strengths

•  Giga ShieldAll allies gain 60% DMG CutTaking 60% less DMG
  Duration: 1 turn Damage Cut reducing damage taken for all elements.
  Warning! Does not work for Plain Damage!. has sufficient mitigation potential on off turns without Phalanx or as a general-use mitigation tool.
•  Willow CounterGain Counter StrikeFocused on foe's attacks and ready for a counter (Cannot deal attacks / Can't be removed)
  Duration: 1 turn and Charge Bar +20%Instantly boosts Charge Bar by 20%
  Strength: 20% (Dodge all foes' attacks and debuffs / Substitute effect / Can't attack on that turn).
  (Blast a wicked counter smash upon dodging!) helps negate target-based charge attacks, and acts similar to Seox's Thunderflash and Six-Ruin's Enlightenment while being available at Turn 1 but with a 6 turn cooldown. Very useful in situations where you can exploit a boss's charge attack timings using DelayReduce a foe's filled charge diamonds by 1
  to use this skill consistently in it's required situations.

Weaknesses

• Low multi attack and damage cap potential, in an element where there are a lot of characters that easily hit cap as well as have some form of innate multi attack buff, he suffers from being less reliable in dishing out consistent damage. Early on he will merely be utilized as a defensive option but his value will diminish over time.
• Low innate healing and a lack of Garrison-like (Defense increases as HP is lowered) skills means he suffers from becoming potentially squishy, especially when he has to compete for a slot against some of Dark's best attackers or supports at the moment who all have either dodge ( Seox, Vikala, Anthuria (Yukata)) or strong innate garrison while being able to draw attacks ( Vaseraga). In most situations, players will forego using him due to how consistent dodge abilities have become and the need to push for higher damage.

How to Play

• His main utility lies in  Giga ShieldAll allies gain 60% DMG CutTaking 60% less DMG
  Duration: 1 turn Damage Cut reducing damage taken for all elements.
  Warning! Does not work for Plain Damage!., a 60% cut skill, as well as  Willow CounterGain Counter StrikeFocused on foe's attacks and ready for a counter (Cannot deal attacks / Can't be removed)
  Duration: 1 turn and Charge Bar +20%Instantly boosts Charge Bar by 20%
  Strength: 20% (Dodge all foes' attacks and debuffs / Substitute effect / Can't attack on that turn).
  (Blast a wicked counter smash upon dodging!), a unique buff that provides him substitute and dodge. Because of this he is useful in several team compositions, and in early game a lot of players will greatly benefit from his mitigation against boss charge attacks. For HL raids he can offer mitigation in pinch situations (e.g. tanking Phosphorus from Lucilius (Hard) or Ultimate Bahamut (Impossible)'s Deadly Flare).
• Keep in mind, his 60% cut does NOT stack with Phalanx, and his utility is more ascertained if you were to combine his skill with a Light Carbuncle for Light raids or on off turns where you do not need 100% cut but require mitigation. Otherwise it is still safer to run a defensive Main Character Class alongside him such as the Spartan line of Phalanx classes or Tormentor in more difficult raids if you cannot ascertain that you will be able to survive most Charge Attacks.
•  Bio Blade4-hit Dark damage to random foes (Damage cap: ~540,000).
  Inflict 5% ATK Down (Stackable / Max: 25%)ATK is lowered (Stackable)
  Strength: 5% (Max: 25%)Duration: 180 seconds on all foes.
  At level 55:
  Effect enhanced. provides some utility in a form of a stackable attack down as a skill nuke but is mildly inefficient in later raids due to having to wait for his charge attack to activate for it to hit twice, however this debuff can help as a small tool in survivability.

Extended Mastery Perks

Nicholas			Stars: 10	EMP: 55
ATK ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ +500 +800 +1000	DEF ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 5% 8% 10%	DEF ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 5% 8% 10%	HP ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 250 500 750	Light Damage Down ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 2% 4% 5%
☆☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	☆☆☆	☆☆☆
ATK ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ +500 +800 +1000	DEF ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 5% 8% 10%	HP ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 250 500 750	Double Attack Rate ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 3% 5% 6%	Critical Hit ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 12% chance for 12% more DMG 20% chance for 20% more DMG 25% chance for 25% more DMG
☆☆☆	★☆☆	☆☆☆	☆☆☆	★★★
DEF ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 5% 8% 10%	Critical Hit ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 12% chance for 12% more DMG 20% chance for 20% more DMG 25% chance for 25% more DMG	Skill Damage Cap ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ 5% 8% 10%	Hostility Up ★☆☆ ★★☆ ★★★ +5 +8 +10	Gain C.A. DMG Up (1 time)Charge attack DMG is boosted (1 time) Duration: Indefinite upon Reverso activation.
★☆☆	★★★	☆☆☆	☆☆☆	☆☆☆
Last update: 2018-04-16

Gamewith's recommended EMP build for Nicholas.

Priorities

Prioritise Critical Hit first to increase damage output. Then put one point to each DEF node to improve survivability because of his high baseline hostility. After this take DA, ATK for damage. Take Hostility to further protect allies like Orchid (Grand) and Narmaya. Or choose Extended Mastery Ability to boost charge attack damage.

Resources

• Reddit Character Discussion (2018-05-15)
• Reddit Character Discussion (2020-10-21)