A/N: Here we are, my Magnum Opus. It took me weeks of research, comparison, and toil to create this breakdown. Hopefully I have lived up to the hype and done the characters involved justice. Now, for your reading pleasure I present Joel Ambrose and Fidelis Vs Edward Laura and Simon Alexander.
The Immortal and The Dead Wind Vs The Watchful Shadow and The Wraith
I clearly don't own anyone involved in this series, all characters and events mentioned belong to the respective authors.
Fidelis is a Faunus Male born 21 years before the Battle of Beacon. Left to die in an alleyway as a newborn infant he was taken in by a prostitute until the age of five, where he was forced to fight as a child gladiator for the entertainment of others. After three years of this emotional hell Fidelis inadvertently unlocked his own Aura, killing his captors in a rage-powered frenzy.
When the police came across the slaughter young Fidelis was adopted by one of the officers, a fellow Faunus. During his brief time in the man's home Fidelis encountered his adopted brother Reidat, and the two would share a close bond for the rest of their lives.
When the White Fang was created Fidelis joined at the age of twelve. After the organization turned violent he quickly climbed through the organization's hierarchy and became one of it's chief enforcers, answering directly to Adam Tarus. During his career Fidelis has earned the moniker "The Dead Wind" for his combative prowess, and for his infamous recklessness.
Joel Ambrose is a second generation Trapper who was eighteen years old during the Battle of Beacon. Born to a Huntress and a police officer Joel enrolled in Agis Academy at the age of thirteen. As a student at the academy Ambrose quickly built a reputation as one of it's best prospects, quickly learning how to utilize his Aura and how to bolster his own martial arts training.
At the age of fifteen Joel's mother and father were killed in a White Fang bombing. During the funeral he was approached by his Uncle Lucas Violette, commander of the Red Hand terrorist organization. Accepting his offer to join the group, Ambrose became a second generation Trapper. After undergoing physical augmentation and receiving intense training Joel was on the front lines, combatting the White Fang and other enemies of humanity.
During this time he was trained by a bounty hunter called Lady Luck, a powerful Dust Mage and first generation Trapper. In the aftermath of a raid when Ambrose witnessed the death of a young Faunus child he deserted the organization and turned himself into the police.
Languishing in a maximum security cell for several months, Joel Ambrose was eventually approached by Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy. Accepting his offer to attend his school, the former Trapper was placed in command of team AMBR. During the course of his education the Immortal has proven himself a great warrior and loyal ally.
The only son of Anthony and Martha Alexander, Simon was born seventeen years before the Battle of Beacon. At the age of twelve, a Civil Rights group turned terrorist organization called the White Fang entered the town of Exton and killed the young boy's parents. After Running from his burning home Alexander fled into the city of Vale, where he stowed away on a cargo ship to Atlas.
Within mere days of his arrival Simon was discovered by Roman Torchwick, who offered to take Simon somewhere he could take revenge on those who killed his family. Accepting his offer, Simon was recruited into the Black Fist terror group. After two years of intense training and passing his last test Alexander was deployed to the Atlesian Highlands.
For the next eighteen months the Vengeful Ghost served as a member of Rum Squad under the command of Captain Ty Kruger. During this time he regularly took part in covert military action against the Atleasian White Fang, personally assassinating high ranking officials in an attempt to draw out Schwartzer Belladona. During a battle at the White Fang Headquarters Simon had the opportunity to face enemy one last time and, with the assistance of his sniper allies, killed him.
Deserting the Black Fist after the assassination of a Atleasian Councilman, Alexander found himself severely wounded by two of his former squad mates. After six months of medical treatment Simon was hired by the head of the Schnee Dust Company as a bodyguard for his daughter Weiss.
Serving in this capacity for a year, Simon caught the attention of Headmaster Ozpin. Receiving an offer to attend Beacon Academy as a first year student, Alexander was placed in command of team SNST. Now he fights to protect his surviving Black Fist orphans both from kingdom authorities and themselves.
Born into the nobility of Spearpoint, Edward Laura's career was decided due to the reputation of his siblings. As the youngest child of a Huntress and a weapon mogul, Edward would be expected to enroll in Spearpoint Academy at the age of twelve. Fulfilling this criteria, he was trained at the militarized schools for four years, two of them being under the Infiltrator Program.
After graduation Edward then moved to Vale in order to work at the local Laura Armories branch. Within weeks of his arrival he was nearly killed by a rouge vigilante, only surviving due to the intervention of the Grey Mask operative Archangel.
He spent several weeks recovering from this battle and was approached by the Grandmaster of the Order, Kane Darius. His offer was simple, become a Grey Mask and dedicate his life to the ideals of the order in exchange for an apprenticeship.
The newly christened Wraith spent most of his time studying at the feet of Archangel, learning the tenants of precision and control above brute force. Early on in the third year of his apprenticeship Edward was tasked with infiltrating Beacon Academy in order discern the source of a recent spike in rouge Hunters.
Physical Capabilities/Handicaps
As a Dingo Faunus Fidelis is granted a number of advantages that place him far above his human counterparts. A higher level of hearing and eyesight grant a greater level of situational awareness, inborn night vision gives a situational edge, etc.
In addition to these inborn advantages, Fidelis has an exceptional aptitude with Aura Based Physical Augmentation. His ability in this field mostly is mostly attributed to strength, being able to drive his fist through a humanoid torso with ease and utilize his primary weapon, a 98lb (44.452kg) Gunbai war fan.
The Dead Wind's greatest asset was his stamina and endurance. Fidelis has been depicted tanking a charged plasma shot from Penny, who used powers of a similar magnitude to shoot down multiple bullheads. A human tank, Fidelis is capable of taking just as much damage as he dishes out.
Joel Ambrose, as a second generation Trapper, underwent several physical augmentation procedures to improve his native capabilities. Due to the nature of their enemies, the Red hand applied a 'broken bones' style of physical improvement, methodically damaging specific bones, muscle groups, and sensory organs. By applying Aura, steroids, and proper diet supplements these damaged area would become more efficient.
Joel's hearing in particular was enhanced to levels similar to that of most Faunus, and the muscles in his lower arms and wrists were enhanced far beyond the scope of the normal human. In particular, Ambrose has been shown to be capable of cracking human bone in his iron grip.
Something that must be considered is how Joel's implants effect his physicality. For those who are unaware, Joel has several Dust implants in his body which are designed to assist Ambrose in controlling his Semblance. They work by absorbing electrical energy, preventing it from causing Ambrose pain. However, they have been overloaded in the past and when they have Joel has had considerable difficulty controlling his Aura and Semblance.
Arguably, Joel's greatest asset is his nearly superhuman ability to take punishment. This is the guy who was thrown from a train, after being injured by a fellow Trapper, and proceeded to engage Red Hand Trappers with the assistance of his partner Maxine Argus. In total, we have something similar to an armored truck in human form.
The demands of forced Simon Alexander to become an incredibly fit human male. Standing at five feet nine inches tall and possessing a muscular athletic build. He initially relied upon speed and agility to blitzkrieg his opponents with pure offense. However, after a battle with Roman Torchwick Simon's knee was destroyed by a round from the criminal's weapon.
Due to the lingering effects of this injury Simon was forced to change tact. He no longer relied upon speed, agility, and acrobatics, building up his muscle mass. In accordance to this Alexander lost some of his acrobatic ability, exchanging it for greater strength and stamina.
As a result of his destroyed knee, Simon's agility and acrobatics are a far cry from what they once were. Because of the knee replacement's tendency to buckle under severe pressure, he simply cannot afford to place too much strain on the joint or it will eventually give out.
As is often the case with warrior archetype OCs, Simon can take a considerable amount of punishment. During his desertion of the Black Fist Simon endured a stab would that would destroy one of his kidneys, and yet he proceeded to briefly engage Roman Torchwick immediately afterwards, only being disabled after catching an explosive round with his right knee.
When compared to many of his contemporaries Edward Laura doesn't cut a very imposing physical presence, and can be described as a 'standard issue' martial artist. His strength and speed were on the level with the average 1st year Beacon student, and while he has shown that he can use his Aura to enhance the latter he typically refrains from such methods.
While his strength, speed, and agility were nothing to write home about, Edward's dexterity and reflexes were by far his greatest assets. These traits took priority above his other attributes due to their importance within Edward's fighting style. As his technique relies heavily upon precision and economy of motion it's easy to see how strength and speed would take a backseat.
Regarding his endurance, Edward is once again average. He has not been shown to be especially fragile or tough in this area. However, his stamina bears closer examination. Due to the military training given by Spearpoint Academy, and the length of time Edward spent studying there, his stamina would have to be well above the average Hunter trained individual within his age group.
When comparing the physical attributes of Fidelis and Joel to Simon and Edward it really is no contest. Nine times out of ten the physicality of a Faunus will outstrip a human's and the augmentation underwent by Joel only widens this gap.
Joel Ambrose and Fidelis get the edge in physicality.
Aura Strength and Usage
To put it simply, Fidelis is an Aura-powered wrecking ball. As a result of a self-activated Aura, all of his potential power has been made available to Fidelis from the beginning of his career potentially giving him access to five times the power typically enjoyed by others his age. However, because he unlocked this power at such a young age Fidelis isn't able to control all of his power and has a limiter implanted in his chest.
This limiter keeps Fidelis safe from his own Aura, restricting it's output so he won't drop dead from the physical strain caused by channeling so much power. As it stands, Fidelis has access to roughly 40% of his Aura at any given time. Therefore he had access to double the Aura of a first year Beacon student.
Because Fidelis has so much power at his fingertips, he employs his Aura in a blunt and direct manner. The most common application he employs is physically augmenting his strength so he can use his weapon, a Gunbai war fan weighing 98lbs. Other common uses include throwing up wind shields, coating his weapon in an Aura barrier, and using his Semblance for ranged wind attacks.
However, this power is a double edged sword. Since Fidelis has so much power at his disposal he has a tendency to lean on that power to carry him through any and all situations. When you add this to the fact that Fidelis knows that he's going to be more powerful than most of his opponents, you get someone who uses their power recklessly.
For example, Fidelis's weapon weighs nearly 100lbs. Because it is so heavy he needs to augment his strength with his Aura to use it effectively. So what will he do when his Aura is depleted? He has never come up with a contingency plan because he is powerful enough that he can steamroll 9/10 enemies. So he just uses his Aura to blitz these inferior opponents without thinking.
A good analogy would be pumping nitrous oxide through an engine. The car will run faster but you will wear out the engine faster than normal. Fidelis will burn his larger Aura faster than a more conservative opponent with less raw power, because he's never had to worry about running out. But when he does, the Dead Wind is in trouble.
Like his partner, Joel Ambrose has a stronger than average Aura. By my own estimation, he possesses about 15% more Aura than the average 1st year Beacon student. Beyond the use of his Semblance, Joel uses his Aura to further enhance his speed, strength and reflexes. This shows itself best in his use of Bastion Silver throwing knives, as the Trapper is able to throw the weapons at such a velocity that they can pierce the bone plates of an Ursa.
Apart from this application, Joel is capable in the realm of physical augmentation but nothing to write home about. His most notable application being the use of his Auratic Healing. Unlike everyone else in this matchup Joel Ambrose is able to heal injuries in a limited capacity during battle, employing stopgap measures in order to stop heavy bleeding and partially nullify pain. This allows him to continue fighting long after other Hunters of his skill level would've been beaten into submission.
As a Black Fist Hunter trained during the Highland War Simon Alexander was trained to use his large Aura as an offensive weapon, and physical augmentation was one of his primary skills in this area. Initially he utilized this power to boost his speed and acrobatic capability, but after his injury he was forced to shift his focus.
Due to his greater muscle mass augmenting his strength became a redundant exercise, but for several months the augmentation of his agility and speed was almost a necessity. While he has been able to recover a measure of his old speed, but it can never be what it once was due to the knee replacement.
After he began work as Weiss Schnee's bodyguard Simon's Aura took a more defensive role, as his body was more able to accommodate his new fighting style with it's native abilities. Therefore more of his Aura is available for defense, which results in greater long-term combative viability.
Unlike everyone else involved in this fight Edward Laura has a lower than average Aura, resting at 80% of the average Beacon freshmen. Because of this disadvantage Edward does not use physical augmentation as heavily as his contemporaries, instead relying upon his native physical capabilities unless no other choice is available.
When augmentation is applied by Edward Laura it is normally used to improve his speed, reflexes, and dexterity. Since he has such a finite source of power this enhancement is normally employed in short bursts instead of a consistent basis.
This approach comes with it's own pros and cons. Edward is incredibly efficient with his Aura, never using more than what is necessary. On the other hand, he is almost always going to be at a disadvantage in terms of how long he can augment himself.
In terms of individual power, the conclusion is obvious. Fidelis takes the top spot, followed Simon and Joel in a tie, and Edward coming in last. In terms of use, the order is almost entirely reversed. Edward is by far the most efficient in the use of Aura, Joel is second, Simon is third, and Fidelis comes in last.
Where this conclusion becomes difficult is when we compare the two teams. Fidelis and Joel are undoubtedly more powerful than Edward and Simon, but Edward has proven that he is more than capable of matching the output of both his opponents while Simon has shown that he can at least contend.
As each combatant is so evenly matched through either power or efficiency, neither side will be awarded the edge in Aura Strength and Usage.
Semblance
As this is such a narrowly focused topic, I will be explaining who receives the edge as I describe their Semblance. In first place is Edward Laura, as his Semblance provides him with a massive tactical advantage. The ability to phase through solid objects can be used for not only defense, but for maneuver and to set up for a counter attack.
Fidelis comes in second. His Wind control, while blunt, is incredibly destructive. He has used it to blast enemies backward, survive falls from great heights, and increase his movement speed.
Simon is in third. While his ability to affect the relative velocity of objects around him is incredibly useful, he lacks the versatility of his ally.
To put it simply, Joel's Semblance is like playing dice with the devil. He is able to convert his normal Aura barrier into electric current, at the cost of defense. The use of such a power is a major calculated risk, because every moment that barrier is down is a moment where defense is impossible. While he may be able to rapidly drain the Aura of an enemy, he is defenseless.
This conclusion is relatively simple. Simon and Edward have versatility on their side. Fidelis may be a juggernaut, but Joel's vulnerability pushes the odds out of their favor.
Edward Laura and Simon Alexander take the edge in Semblance.
Equipment
Fidelis carries a five foot long Gunbai war fan which weighs 98lbs. The bludgeoning end is three and a half feet long and a foot and a half wide while the handle is a foot and a half long. At the end of the handle a tassel is looped around Fidelis's right wrist.
Due to the weapon's balance it is primarily wielded in grand sweeping arcs. The supreme weight behind each blow can crush bones and pulverize soft tissues. This makes Amarum Solace a devastating offensive battlefield weapon, allowing it's wielder to simply crush anything in his way. As a defensive tool, it can be used as a shield to protect it's user from projectile based weapons and mêlée strikes because the sheer mass can take the impacts.
However, this great asset is a double edged sword. Because of the insane weight of this weapon it requires that the user be Gregor Clegane, or physically augment their strength to wield this weapon effectively. This will be a constant drain on the wielder's Aura and limit their long term viability. Normally this isn't an issue, as Fidelis has near-superhuman levels of stamina. But if this fight drags into the ninth or tenth round it will cause problems.
Fortunately, Amarum Solace isn't Fidelis's only weapon. He also possesses a black elbow length metal gauntlet with sharpened talons, allowing him to rip and tear into an enemy's flesh. This metal gauntlet does provide protection against most bladed weapons, but is incapable of deflecting projectiles.
One last piece of kit worth mentioning is Fidelis's mask, a pure white full face variant of the Grimm Masks worn by other members of the White Fang. This mask is armored with several layers of Kevlar and Steel in order to protect Fidelis's head. It also comes equipped with thermal, night vision, (kind of redundant for a Faunus though) and some explosives that detonate whenever someone tries to improperly remove the mask.
All in all, Fidelis's equipment is meant to accommodate his fighting style, and compliments it to a tee.
Due to his role as a Red Hand Trapper Joel Ambrose's armor prioritized maneuverability over protection, meant more to keep the wearer alive rather than completely immunize them from harm. Flak plates on his chest back, elbows, and knees provided moderate protection from ballistic weapons and shrapnel.
What truly set's Joel Ambrose's equipment apart was his weaponry. His primary weapon is a Baton-staff-knife combination called Storm Circuit. As the description suggests, it is a baton that can morph into a six foot long bladed staff, which can in turn shift into a pair of knives with a spool of microfilament wire capable of pulling Joel at considerable speed. In addition to these benefits, he is able to channel electricity into his weapon.
As a ranged option, Joel has two pairs of 24 silver throwing knives at his hips. These weapons can also be used in mêlée combat, though due to their silver alloy construction they are relatively fragile. This is where Joel's combat knife Sparky comes in. Constructed by Ruby Rose as a backup weapon, this knife is nearly identical to his throwing knives.
As a last resort, Joel carries a vial of Electric Dust with him. Should he shatter the glass vial and the Dust enter his bloodstream, the power of his Semblance is increased by several degrees of magnitude. To put this into perspective, he was able to bring down a Bullhead troop carrier with a sustained burst of energy. This comes with it's own risks, using so much power burns a lot of Joel's Aura. When combined with the fact that Joel's defensive Aura barriers are down when he uses his Semblance and you create a major risk.
In conclusion, Joel's equipment is meant to take maximum advantage of his Semblance.
As a Black Fist Hunter trained during the Highland Wars, Simon Alexander's equipment and weapons reflect a soldier's mentality. His primary weapon is a dual bladed battle staff combined with a General Machine Gun. Unlike other battle staves Umbara Vigilans has a shaft that is 90cm in length and a pair of blades that are 45cm each, with the forward blade fixed above the rest of the weapon. This allows the machine gun to be fired while in the staff form.
In addition to this primary weapon, Simon wears a pair of bladed gauntlets constructed from the remains of his previous weapon. These gauntlets are composed of an outer layer of steel reinforced with Kevlar, providing minor resistance from ballistic weaponry. The blades are 30cm in length.
Simon also uses custom body armor which covers his shoulders, lower arms, elbows, chest, flanks, knees, and back. This armor is primarily meant to protect it's wearer from several dozen impacts from mid-powered firearms. It also provides a considerable level of protection against blades. As a supplement to this Alexander has a pair of thermal goggles that he can wear in low light or obscured vision scenarios.
In keeping with his soldier mindset, Simon utilizes a wide variety of grenades and plenty of ammunition. For the sake of the VS Series, assume he has access to two fragmentation, two flashbang, and one smoke grenade. Regarding ammunition, Simon carries six 125 magazines loaded with flechette rounds. These bullets be can best described as flying darts, their lethality coming from their ability to punch through body armor rather than stopping power.
Simon's equipment reflects his training and experience. He carries what a Hunter in a war zone would carry, not what a Hunter would use starring down a Grimm horde.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Edward Laura carried a plethora of weapons both conventional and esoteric along with heavy body armor. His primary weapon is the High Velocity Ballistic Polearm called Specter. This consisted of a titanium-steel alloy Dust imbued shaft that was six feet in length, and was normally fixed with a foot long winged spearhead. Said spearhead could be launched at high speed towards an opponent. He carried two spearheads and an explosive tungsten armor-piercing spike.
As a set of secondary weapons, Edward uses a Qama shortsword with a 17.5 inch blade, complimenting a pair of Dust gloves. These gloves, as the name implies, are imbued with different kinds of Dust that grant the wielder different elemental effects. Corporal Laura currently wears an electric glove on his left hand and a wind glove on his right.
Finally we reach his holdout weapons, often carried as concealed weapons when he is in civilian settings. These consist of a pair of push knives attached to the back of his belt and a small six-shot .380 pistol loaded with hollow point rounds.
What truly sets Edward Laura apart from his contemporaries is his apparel, displaying a mix of Dust and armor. Foremost among them is his armored greatcoat. Imbued with a mix of fire, water, and wind Dust to create mist, generate gusts of wind for various purposes, and any number of various unexplored possibilities. It is backed with earth Dust imbued chainmail to provide a large area of protection.
Other components of armor include a Dust imbued chainmail shirt with elbow length sleves, vambraces, greaves, and an armored full-face Grimm mask which comes equipped with thermal and night vision.
Taken as a whole, Edward Laura's equipment feels like something from a lost age. It combines the steel of materiel world with arcane Dust applications to create a unique set of options, typical of an assassin.
This conclusion is relatively straightforward. Fidelis and Joel are both well equipped fighters who chose equipment to suit their needs. Unfortunately this does not hold a candle to the options and protection provided by the load outs of Edward and Simon. Since Joel's arsenal relies heavily upon electricity he is going to have difficulty with Edward and Simon. Their body armor simply doesn't conduct electricity, and that places Joel at a massive disadvantage. Similarly, Fidelis's gauntlet will not be as effective against heavy armor as it is against softer targets.
Edward Laura and Simon Alexander take the edge in Equipment.
Martial Arts Training and Tactical Prowess
During his time with the Black Fist Simon Alexander earned a reputation as a great warrior, personally killing many friends of the assassin Schwartzer Belladonna. Given the era he was trained in, effectiveness against multiple Auraless assailants and groups is practically a given, as is effectiveness against groups of Grimm.
In combat, he can be described as an offensive dervish. Normally starting combat with a burst of machine gun fire or a fragmentation grenade to soften up the enemy before charging in with the battle staff.
When Simon has closed with the enemy, his martial offense can be best described by the mantra 'victory through superior firepower.' His first action is to try and overwhelm their defenses with a flurry of powerful strikes using both ends of the staff. Should this initial assault fail Simon tries to defend with his gun staff, working hard to retake the offensive initiative.
This offense was mostly reliant on arcing cuts meant to dismember an enemy as quickly as possible. While the thrust wasn't completely abandoned by Alexander it certainly took a backseat, mainly because the cut is more useful against multiple opponents.
While this offense is absolutely devastating on the battlefield it does have its problems. Due to the sheer number of enemies on a battlefield Simon cannot try and out-fence every enemy in front of him, lest he open himself up to other threats. Therefore he developed a style meant to overwhelm and kill the enemy as quickly as possible.
When fighting Simon falls into a very distinct pattern. Engage, overwhelm, kill, engage, overwhelm, kill, rinse and repeat. As stated before, this is a great approach for the battlefield because it allows him to easily change focus and carve a bloody murder canyon through a massed enemy formation.
While this approach is absolutely devastating, when adapted to single combat it becomes a major calculated risk. He has adapted this staggered battlefield oriented style of fighting into a committed offensive approach, following the same battlefield patters of 'engage, overwhelm, kill' into 'engage, overwhelm, maintain forward momentum.' This tactic leaves Simon incredibly flexible, as he is able to apply his approach on instinct without having to think. Unfortunately it also makes his tactical responses painfully predictable.
This isn't something that can be counted too heavily against him, as this is a case of Simon's circumstances dictating his style. But it does limit his options when engaging an enemy who can defend against his offensive, as he is going to eventually break off to reload his weapon and prepare a grenade or two.
As far as defense goes Simon's skills are, I hesitate to use the term shoddy as he is quite capable, but he is inconsistent. When engaging a group of opponents Simon is capable of utilizing acrobatics to evade an enemy's strike before countering, using this to great effect against both Black Fist and White Fang troops. However, when facing Hunter trained opponents he follows the mindset 'a good offense is the best defense.' Alexander blitzkriegs his adversaries with a barrage of slashes and cuts before breaking off and going again, slamming himself against their defenses until it shatters.
This becomes a problem when he is incapable of overwhelming his enemy's guard with this approach. As they are able to counterattack Simon has severe difficulty meeting an enemy's offensive head on, preferring to evade the enemy. When this isn't an option Simon has repeatedly crumbled underneath a sustained enemy offensive, notable examples being his battles with Schwartzer Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, and Levi Hartman. In every example Simon has been either overpowered or outmaneuvered after Simon failed to break through their guards.
Where tactics are concerned, Simon's definitely more improvisational than strategic. He tends to charge first and think later, in keeping with his aggressive Black Fist. When engaged he adapts on the fly, prioritizing his targets on the battlefield and neutralizing them accordingly. However, he has a recklessness streak, allowing his emotions to dictate his tactical responses just as often as logic. A perfect example of this tendency was his multiple fights against Levi Hartman and his fight against White Fang troopers during the events of RWBY Volume 1. Before he realizes that he is in trouble Simon has already been outmaneuvered or wounded, and would've been killed in the latter example if the White Fang swordsman hadn't decided to monologue.
This should not be taken as detracting from Simon's accomplishments. At the end of the day he is a highly skilled warrior with plenty of experience under his belt. His skills and tactics are simply better suited for the battlefield, and even when fighting in single combat he's a force to be reckoned with.
As one of the White Fang's chief enforcers Fidelis was obviously an incredibly deadly combatant. Due to the logistics of his weapon, his offense was simple yet devastating. Given the time he operated, Fidelis had extensive experience against groups. Grand sweeping arcs of his war fan were used to bludgeon and break his opponents, and the weapon is often used as a shield to defend against projectile attacks.
In single combat, Fidelis subscribes to the Leeroy Jenkins school of tactics. In layman's terms, charge his enemies head on relying upon sheer power and stamina to see him through. It should be obvious that swinging a 98lb war fan around is absolutely devastating, practically ignoring body armor and pulverizing bone. The Dead Wind uses his weapon like a sledgehammer, bulldozing everything in it's path.
If this approach wasn't effective Fidelis wouldn't be held in such high esteem. However, this all-out offensive approach isn't without it's share of problems. As Fidelis is clearly an offensive juggernaut with a large pool of Aura for defense he has become both predictable and arrogant. His unyielding offense leaves massive openings in his defense that have been exploited on more than one occasion, and the logistics of his weapon force him to telegraph his strikes. Those grand sweeping motions that are devastating when they hit can be seen from a mile away, and an attentive opponent can defend against or evade them.
A good example of this would be his battle with Nick Alto, where the student was able to use the defensive openings created by Fidelis's constant offensive barrage in order to cause severe damage (however temporary) to the Dead Wind's hearing. This disrupted the faunus's balance for the rest of that fight and nearly resulted in his defeat.
One factor that cannot be overlooked when examining Fideis's combat effectiveness is fatigue. While he does possess prodigious levels of physical stamina the same cannot be applied to his Aura. This is a result of Amarum Solace's insane weight and his near constant use of his Semblance. Swinging around such a heavy weapon is impossible without the use of Aura based physical augmentation, when combined with the near continuous Aura intensive use of Fidelis's Semblance and you have a fighter who is racing against the clock.
In conclusion, Fidelis can be best described as a berserker. He can unleash an absolutely devastating offensive and can definitely take a hit, but he is arrogant and reckless, charging headfirst into combat without thinking ahead. If he cannot overwhelm his enemies outright within the first few minutes of the fight he will burn all of his resources. The key word there is if. Surviving Fidelis's onslaught is easier said than done, and he has ultimately earned his reputation as a fearsome warrior.
In keeping with his position as a Grey Mask apprentice Edward Laura is a pragmatic and skilled fighter. Due to his role as an assassin Wraith was forced to develop a wide variety of skills to prepare himself for a wide variety of enemies. His first love was the use of polearms, specifically a winged spear and quarterstaff.
Laura's fighting style was characterized by a heavy emphasis on precision and tactical supremacy. The use of polearms was bolstered by the application of Dust-based attacks into Edward's combat sequences. As a specialized duelist, Laura has chosen to prepare himself for single combat against an opposing Hunter. To this end, he has chosen to become multifaceted fighter who is better at exploiting the enemy's weaknesses than using a proven consistent method. Therefore, it is worth examining how Edward conducted himself in three radically different scenarios to better predict his reaction in this fight.
When engaging the rest of Team MELT in a training exercise Edward chose to take some time beforehand to cover the arena in fog, obscuring his enemy's vision. Then he used psychological warfare to further intimidate his subordinates before rushing them with quarterstaff and shortsword. After they got over the initial rush and ganged up on the assassin he activated his Semblance and shot the best fighter among them (Hanta Tori) then used the distraction to gain distance between himself and the enemy. Immediately after this, May Ignis used her flamethrower to dispel the fog and Laura was lit up like a Christmas Tree.
During an ambush by a team of Hunter Trained mercenaries Wraith first responded by limiting their advantage in numbers and positioning by running into an alleyway. After a brief hand-to-hand engagement with one of them he threw said mercenary at his comrade before using Dust to redirect a Ice projectile cutting off the attacker's line of advance. With the immediate threat now avoided Laura lept to the rooftop and met a sniper, before immediately jumping off the building and into a group of SWAT officers who promptly arrested him.
Finally, during a sword duel with Hanta Tori Edward utilized a combination of swordsmanship and Dust based attacks in order to bypass his opponents defenses and press his own advantages. In this fight in particular we have seen Laura use some truly devious and subtle applications of Dust such as channeling electrical energy along his weapons to disturb his enemy's swordsmanship, pulling an enemy onto his blade, lifting and throwing objects in the environment to attack from unexpected vectors, and most impressively, catching an opponent's weapon with a concentrated application of Wind Dust.
While undoubtedly effective, this method has it's problems like the others. Due to his multifaceted focus Edward simply isn't a committed martial artist, and is obviously more interested in using martial arts as a tactical tool instead of a go-to response. In terms of pure skill with the blade I would put him squarely on par with Blake Belladonna, a solid Tier 2 fighter.
As a tactician and strategist Edward Laura is cunning, devious, and subtle. The use of Dust for both attack and defense is second nature, as is using the substance for environmental manipulation. In a more material sense Edward was a duelist through and through, analyzing his opponent and responding with the most effective combination of skills. He has also proven that he can use psychological warfare to his advantage, wielding fear and terror with practiced ease.
This approach can be best described as a combination of concordat opposition and incremental escalation. He initially engages the enemy with conventional methods, deciphering their techniques and developing a strategy to defeat them as efficiently as possible. Against Dahlia Deluna Edward speed blitzed her and overwhelmed her defenses in seconds. When faced with Alec Kriger he used the weather to bypass his armor with lightning. During his duel with Tori Hanta Wraith quickly realized that he was outmatched as a swordsman, so he responded with the form of attack he knew Tori couldn't defend against, Dust and quickly turned the situation to his favor.
Ultimately Wraith could be described as a combat philosopher, taking the path of least resistance through his own understanding of martial arts and tactics. His technique was marked by cunning, precision and complete the integration of Dust. While he wasn't he best fighter in terms of skill with a blade, he was certainly a brilliant tactician and strategist who stands tall as a credit to both his instructors and his order.
Joel Ambrose was noted as one of the most dangerous members of the Red Hands Second Generation Trappers, and he certainly earned his reputation. Thanks to his training at Aegis Academy Joel was a highly skilled close range fighter and due to his time in the Red Hand he was highly experienced in this area, regularly engaging the physically superior Faunus race in hand to hand combat.
The Immortal took full advantage of his physical augmentation, primarily focused in his wrists and lower arms, to power brutal offensives utilizing his staff, various knives, and hands. Ambrose's most visible skill was his integration of physical strikes into his combat techniques, lashing out with inhuman strength and speed toward openings in his opponents guard. He has been able to splinter bone and cave in armor in a single blow.
Speed-based offensives were the bread and butter of his technique both on and off the battlefield. Joel is easily capable of bulldozing several Auraless enemies with little effort, and is able to contend with powerful Hunter-trained adversaries such as Mercury Black, Pyrrha Nikos, and Nora Valkyrie.
Another staple of his was the use of his Semblance to enhance the effectiveness of both his weapons and unarmed techniques. Unfortunately, since Joel needs to bring down his Aura barriers before using his electric powers he is playing a dangerous game. Normally this isn't an issues as the vast majority of people he fights aren't Aura trained, but when confronted with a Hunter he has to be insanely cautious with his Semblance.
Now we come to the major flaw in Joel's overall fighting style, the mental strain it places on the wielder. He is a great improvisational fighter, and absolutely lethal should he make contact with an unprotected area. However, he is so focused on ensuring that his own technique is executed correctly and keeping his Semblance in check that he is constantly missing tactical opportunities and allowing his opponents to gain the strategic advantage. This particular weakness has brought Ambrose to heel on multiple occasions, including his sparring matches with Virgil, combatting the wolf faunus twins of team GLDN, and his battle against Pyrrha Nikos during the Vytal Tournament. In the latter example Pyrrha Nikos specifically notes that this approach requires a certain amount of recklessness to pull off, and she is correct in that assessment.
To fight like Joel Ambrose is to play with fire. He will either completely destroy the enemy before him, or burn up in the attempt. Uncompromising skill and ruthlessness is held back by recklessness and disregard of his own personal safety, the greatest weapon in his arsenal is his greatest weakness. Make no mistake, Joel Ambrose is undoubtedly one of the best fighters I have ever had the honor of examining, but his fighting style is the dance of the extremist. In many ways he can be compared to Icarus, flying highest of all at the risk of burning in the sun's rays.
Every fighter involved in this contest is a highly skilled and experienced martial artist, and when compared by the numbers these teams match each other to a tee. Fidelis's lack of technical sophistication is balanced out by Joel's supreme skill and utter mastery of his fighting style. Simon's recklessness is balanced by Edward's tactical mind.
On the same token, Joel's vulnerability is balanced out by Fidelis's overwhelming power and Edward's lack of firepower is balanced by Simon abundance. So no matter how much I think I cannot declare a definitive advantage one way or the other. No edge is awarded for martial arts training and tactical prowess.
The Final Verdict
Taken purely on their individual merits, these teams are dead equal. Fidelis's and Joel's physics advantage cancelled out by the equipment and Semblances of Edward and Simon. There is a more likely outcome, born from the logistics of their fighting styles and equipment. As a final tally, odds to the victor are 55/100.
One factor that is important to consider is that three of these characters appear in the same AU, and this would effect who would engage whom. With Simon's reputation among the White Fang as a skilled fighter it is likely that Fidelis would engage the former terrorist through a storm of gunfire. This would leave Joel Ambrose to take on Edward Laura.
Simon, despite his physical injury, would be able to contend with Fidelis's speed through the use of his Semblance, slowing down the juggernaut's weapon and making defense far easier. After a brief initial engagement where Simon is driven into his back foot they would reach an impasse, with Fidelis either blocking or tanking Simon's desperate counters and Simon evading the Dead Wind's massive weapon.
Meanwhile Joel and Edward would meet in a battle of overwhelming speed against precision and efficiency. Due to the non-conductive properties of Edward's body armor and weapons it is unlikely that Joel would be able to attack the Grey Mask with his Semblance, his only viable targets being the spearman's upper legs. The longer reach of Wraith's weapon combined with his use of Wind Dust would allow him to keep the Trapper at arm's reach, ensuring that he is able to halt Ambrose's forward momentum while dismantling his defenses.
At this point, the course of battle is decided by a simple question. Would Edward be able to exploit the openings provided by Joel's Semblance before Fidelis bludgeons Simon into paste? If the answer is no, he's screwed. There's no way in hell that Laura would be able to contend with two adversaries who have such a massive raw power advantage. However, I'm inclined to believe that Edward would be able to either incapacitate or kill Joel before this happens. Mainly due to how often Joel uses his Semblance in battle, and if the Immortal attempted Lightning Dust Infusion all he would accomplish is the complete drain of his own Aura. In the end, Joel would be brought down by a either spearhead or shortsword through the chest, or a quarterstaff blow to the neck.
With Joel out of the picture Fidelis would now have to contend with two fighters who possess a greater level of skill, if not raw power. At this point Edward and Simon would work in tandem to keep Fidelis on his back foot, preventing the faunus from launching a sustained offensive. He would be assailed oenemy'sh a direct and strategic front, Simon contending with the Dead Wind on a martial front while Edward would attack on a strategic level, using either his Dust abilities or some environmental advantage to keep Fidelis off balance and slowly drain his Aura.
Fidelis would initially have the time of his life, but would soon realize that he was in trouble. Now two more questions arise.
Can Fidelis then put enough distance between himself and his two adversaries to deactivate his limiter, unleashing his full might upon the enemy.
If so, would that be enough to defeat Simon and Edward before the strain caused by his Aura rips Fidelis apart?
I'll answer the second question first. We have never seen Fidelis actually be torn apart by his own Aura, so he has at least a couple minutes at full strength before he falls unconscious. If this were a contest against just Simon the answer would be yes, as his defenses and evasion just wouldn't be enough to hold out. However, he is forced to split his attention between Simon, and the much more evasive Edward. Odds are fifty/fifty that one them would live long enough for Fidelis to drop dead from strain.
Now for the first question. I find it unlikely that Fidelis would have the opportunity to unleash his power, as both of his opponents would be constantly harassing the faunus, and if the faunus were able to blast them both with his Semblance it would likely only effect Simon. Edward is able to put up his own wind barrier to parry the attack and continue the fight with Simon providing a fusillade of support fire from a distance.
From then on the battle turns into a countdown until death for Fidelis, his defenses overloaded by the ferocity and strength of Simon combined with the variety and precision of Edward. It is possible that one of them would take a lethal blow before the Dead Wind finally went down. Their victory is by no means a guarantee and it is entirely possible that Fidelis and Joel can come out on top, but in the end I declare Simon Alexander and Edward Laura the battered, bloody, and broken victors.
I would like to thank The Baz, Mojo1586, CC-2224 Commander Cody, and Wa7chface for all their cooperation, support, and patience. I really couldn't have done this without you guys. If any of you disagree on this verdict I completely understand, this was easily the hardest match for me to call so far. I will hopefully see you all in the next fight, Simon Alexander Vs Edward Laura.