Ace (Type-0)

Ace is a playable character in Final Fantasy Type-0. He represents the number one of Class Zero and wields a deck of cards.

Appearance
Ace is a youth with short blond hair and light blue eyes. Like the other male members of Class Zero, he wears a uniform that consists of a black jacket, white pants, a medium-sized red cape and a brown pack. His summer outfit is a white shirt, black pants, black gloves, a necktie, and his cape and brown pouch. In his formal outfit he wears a red jacket, white gloves, black pants, a medium-sized white cape and a black pack. Were he to become one, Ace's l'Cie brand would be located on his right arm below the elbow. When Ace is studying, he wears glasses, as seen in the alternate ending and in the Steam Trading Cards artwork of him and Queen in the library.

Ace is described as having a cool look. In the novel, Izana Kunagiri described Ace when he saw him for the first time to have almost-feminine features, silky blond hair and refined beauty, but his eyes were sharp.

Personality
Despite his age, Ace has a mature speech and attitude, though he has been mentioned to be a rather sensitive boy. He is considered calm but can be reckless and act out of anger. He doesn't think twice defending his friends from trouble. Ace is reserved toward people outside of Class Zero. In the novel, he is described as putting up his guard immediately. Ace likes chocobos and spends time in the Akademeia chocobo ranch, once having commented how he admires the strong bird. Despite being collected, he can be seen fidgeting with his cards if left alone in game, indicating that he has much on his mind and is a constant analyzer.

Final Fantasy Agito
Ace is a member Class Zero, and is the first person met by the Cadet. While conversing with him, they are attacked by a behemoth who knocks out the Cadet before Ace defeats the behemoth and spirits the Cadet away to the safety of Akademeia.

He can be found in the Chocobo Ranch during the morning, afternoon and evening.

-The Answer-
When Ace came to Akademeia for the first time, he was spotted by Izana who asked if Ace liked chocobos. Ace acted cold, but after learning of Izana's fondness for chocobos, softened and said people see him as strange for showing concern to military tools. Ace had been an Agito Cadet for ten years, but this was his first time coming to Akademeia from the External Bureau, and he explained to Izana he isn't a genetically modified human.

Ace would frequent the chocobo stables and Izana found Ace to have extensive knowledge on magic, military and war, but his knowledge on other areas lacking. Ace belongs to Class Zero, which surprised Izana, as Class Zero is said to have ceased for a hundred years. In truth, Class Zero is placed under the External Bureau and until the situation calls for it, its existence is concealed even from the army. As the person-in-charge of communicating with Class Zero, Izana trained relentlessly, often with Ace. Ace's continues fighting because his adoptive mother, Dr. Arecia Al-Rashia, wants him to, but he has no fear of dying and forgetting the dead, saying that even if his friends die, the Vermilion Bird Crystal will make him forget. Izana requested that if he dies on the battlefield, Ace shouldn't look back, as there is no time for that while at war.

Izana meets Arecia who tells him that only Class Zero can destroy the empire's crystal jammer, and entrusts the COMM system to Izana. Izana rides his chocobo Chichiri after she saves him, but as his consciousness falters he falls off and as Militesi soldiers approach him, he shouts for Ace. Ace comes to his rescue along with his fellow classmates Queen and Nine, and Izana passes the COMM system to him. Attempting to fulfill his promise to the dying Izana, Ace turns away but at last turns back. Reading the anguished expression on Ace's face, Izana realizes Ace isn't as cold as he thought. Glad, he makes peace with dying and tells Ace, "Don't look back... Move forward. Keep you eyes on the enemies beyond. And one day, topple Milites and save this country."

As Ace's memories of Izana disappear, a COMM from Arecia asks them to destroy the crystal jammer in the Arena. Ace, Queen and Nine meet Machina and Rem, Agito Cadets of other classes of Akademeia, whom they tell to leave since they cannot use magic while under the effect of the crystal jammer. The crystal jammer explodes, but before they can confirm its operator, the White Tiger Secundus l'Cie Qun'mi Tru'e, is dead, she escapes.

Four hours after the Capital Liberation, Class Zero is talking with Arecia when the Ultima Bomb casts a blinding light in the night sky. Plans for an alliance with the Kingdom of Concordia are sealed. As Class Zero takes up their seats in the classroom for the first time, Kurasame Susaya is introduced as their commanding officer. After introductions Machina and Rem, who have joined Class Zero, offer to take them on a tour around Akademeia, to which only Ace agrees to come along. Ace regrets not being able to come earlier to save more people during the Capital Liberation, but Machina and Rem tell him that since they faced a l'Cie, it's understandable.

When they reach the graveyard, Ace is puzzled why people mourn for the dead when no one can remember them. Machina says it may be pointless, but he wants to at least remember someone who was close to him who has died. Arecia calls Ace's COMM asking him to come to the Sorcery Division for a check-up.

Before Ace can enter he hears Arecia arguing with the commandant of the Rubrum legionaries regarding the deployment of Izana Kunagiri without his consent. The commandant storms off after a stern warning to Arecia, saying Sorcery have no authority over the legionaries. Ace hides from his sight as he passes. Ace admits to Arecia he overheard the conversation, but she tells him not to be bothered by people dying since people can only move forward, and that's why the Crystals remove the memories of those perished from the living.

As Ace returns to the classroom, he finds Machina, Rem, Nine and Queen, and joins them. The conversation drifts to the topic of Izana, making Ace uncomfortable. He asks what Machina's brother was like, but Machina doesn't remember Izana. Machina asks if Ace feels an empty space due to having known Izana, which Ace denies. The alarm sounds denoting time for a mission.

They are briefed to take back four Rubrum cities occupied by Milites. Ace is assigned in a team with Machina and Rem, and is taken aback by Kurasame's decision, since he has never operated separately from his other eleven classmates before, all of whom, unlike Machina and Rem, are Arecia's adoptive children. Ace feels Machina and Rem are different from those raised in the External Bureau, but as they topple enemies, Ace recognizes the duo's abilities, changing his mind. They encounter Militesi General Qator Bashtar who challenges them on his MA, Gabriel, but he is forced to retreat and McTighe is liberated.

As the three sit down at the city square among the celebrating legionaries and civilians, Ace admits it was his fault Izana died, but Machina and Rem are dumbfounded. Two months later Rubrum regains control of much land area previously occupied by Milites.

On April 21st, Kurasame briefs Class Zero about a large scale operation to be held at Togoreth and warns them about the possibility of an encounter with a Primus White Tiger l'Cie. Queen teams up with Nine and Ace for the operation, and they face the White Tiger l'Cie Nimbus as Kurasame issues a command to withdraw. Nine winds up dead after attacking Nimbus and Ace, in Nine's defense, stands up against Nimbus and is killed. Kurasame appears and shields Queen. With his aid, he carries Ace and Nine's bodies away from the battle. Ace and Nine are revived by Arecia as they are brought back.

The next mission comes after two weeks with Kurasame showing them a photo of Gabriel, Qator's MA. He explains the MA are dangerous and their mission involves destroying them in Militesi facilities. The main team; Ace, Queen, King, Seven, Cinque, Trey, Cater and Eight; are to attack the empire's magitek development factory with the other three teams of two attacking other facilities as distractions.

Jack and Deuce encounter Soryu, a colossal dragon said to be the manifestation of the Azure Dragon Crystal, bearing the message of ceasefire from Queen Andoria of Concordia. Perplexed, Deuce communicates with Ace through COMM, but barely makes out Ace telling them they're in the Militesi capital, everyone is safe, asking them to come and group up.

When Class Zero gathers at 12th floor of Armada Hotel, Kurasame tells them Rubrum higher-ups are in a meeting regarding the ceasefire. Ace demands to know why Rubrum agrees to the ceasefire at a crucial moment, but Kurasame says Milites has stated their criteria for a compromise, and Rubrum has no reason to refuse.

Queen Andoria is assassinated and her enraged aide Celestia jumps out the window to pursue the sniper. They realize they are framed as scapegoats and try to contact Kurasame to no avail. The cadets escape. Machina is later woken up by Rem who says they are on the outskirts of Militesi territory. Rem finds the rest of Class Zero and asks if they feel bitter for fighting and training all their lives, and yet the Rubrum higher-ups never reward them. Ace claims to enjoy it, and the others agree. Machina and Rem are hurt by their answer, feeling the cadets never knew other lifestyles exist, and resolve to help them.

-The Penultimate Truth-
Ace patrols alone when he overhears a conversation between Machina and Qun'mi. As Machina attacks her, Ace approaches them. Qun'mi draws the last of her powers to pass them on to someone else. Light from her hand flies to the west and she crystallizes. The two call back the rest of the members on patrol and regroup at the campsite. They discuss whom Qun'mi passed her powers to. Judging from the direction, they deduce it must be someone within the Militesi capital. A COMM from Kurasame enters, telling Ace an airship will meet them and that as soon as they return they will be taken for questioning regarding the assassination of the queen.

Half a month after the battle where the Knights of the Round Verboten Eidolon were summoned by l'Cie Kurasame, beyond the boundaries of Ingram, the fourteen members of Class Zero sit surrounding a bonfire, contemplating how far they've come and grown. Machina and Rem know that Ace, who used to say "cut off the past to move forward", would sometimes visit Izana's grave. Rem asks what their ambitions are after graduating. They hesitate, realizing they can't forever stay in Class Zero. Ace says he wants to own a chocobo ranch; not as war supplies but chocobos to be raised as humans' friends.

The next day, the class is divided into four teams: three to destroy three crystal jammers on three different sides of the government building, and one involving Machina, Rem and Ace to cut through into the building the moment the jammers are destroyed. Along the way Ace says that he, who is brought up as a weapon, wants to continue fighting so people who cannot be revived wouldn't have to fight. Machina counters that his reason to fight is also so there wouldn't be people who are used as weapons for the sake of war.

They encounter Qator on his MA Gabriel, who is defeated with the help of the other three teams. Inside the building, they face Marshal Cid Aulstyne of the empire. Cid tells the cadets their goal of creating a peaceful world is futile as the memory erosion makes it impossible for people to learn from the past. Rem says that if the Crystals are the root of evil, they will destroy them. Satisfied, Cid feels his ambitions will be achieved even if Class Zero would be the one claiming victory, and takes his own life.

As Tempus Finis commences, Rem becomes the Judge who is to make the Final Decision on the world's fate. Class Zero realizes they might have to become Agito by means of felling her. They venture to Pandæmonium that appears at the point of Tempus Finis, convincing themselves they are not felling Rem, but releasing her. Qator offers to take them there on Gabriel since the temple is up in the sky. After finishing his task, Qator crystallizes. In Pandæmonium Rem sends the Rursan Reavers at them. Machina harvests phantoma from the first one they fell, but the next four they bring down are revived before their eyes. Rem reminds them they have come to the temple independent of Arecia, and thus cannot be revived. After a harsh battle the Rursus finally lay still.

As Queen dies, the cadets crowd around her. She is scared of dying and disappearing from everyone's memories. Ace holds her hand and soothes her, telling her they will remember her as they lived ten years together. As the last of the memories of Queen disappear, they only know the corpse of the girl in front of them was their comrade. The path to the Judge is clear, but everyone is weakened from the battle. Rem brings down everyone but Ace and Machina with her magic. Ace, knowing he can't hold out much longer, tells Machina to absorb all of their phantoma to give him enough power to defeat Rem. As Ace dies, Machina harvests their phantoma before the last of his memories of Ace and their conversation disappear.

Final Fantasy Type-0


In 833 RG, Dr. Al-Rashia adopted the eight-year-old Ace and flew him off to a special facility near Akademeia where she raised him under a rigorous training program focusing on combat and magic. Ace became a student of the legendary Class Zero, a group of Akademeia students, the magic academy of the nation of Rubrum, that fights the invasion by the Militesi Empire. As part of the resistance operation "Operation Apostle", Ace and his comrades seek to become the Agito, a messiah prophesied in ancient mythology to appear at the time of Tempus Finis, an apocalyptic calamity.

During Militesi attack on Rubrum's capital, Ace comes to Izana's aid when he is attacked by Militesi soldiers. Though Ace kills off the surrounding soldiers, his healing magic is not enough to save Izana. Ace helps Queen and Nine fight off another platoon of Militesi soldiers and by the time they are defeated, Izana has died, and Ace sheds a tear before taking his leave.

With Seven and Jack, Ace aids the cadets Machina and Rem when they are overwhelmed by Qun'mi, a White Tiger Secundus l'Cie, and defeats her and her magitek armor Dáinsleif housing a crystal jammer, ending the invasion. Machina and Rem join Class Zero that is officially enrolled into Akademeia.

When the class is informed their commanding officer will be Kurasame rather than Arecia, Nine refuses the change. Ace interferes with Cater to support Nine, but Kurasame stops them. Ace later finds Machina at the chocobo stables where the latter feels a sense of nostalgia when remarking that if he had a chocobo, he'd name it Chichiri. This leads Ace to learn from the commandant, Suzuhisa Higato, that Machina is Izana's brother, yet decides not to speak of it.

After Class Zero is deployed to retake the Rubrum Region from the empire, the cadets return to Akademeia. Ace visits the Sorcery Division and overhears Arecia argue with the commandant over her decision to deploy Izana to the campaign as a scout, which got him and his chocobo killed. Arecia says she made the order because Ace had asked for Izana. Ace is puzzled as he cannot remember it. Machina finds him looking depressed and asks if something is wrong, but Ace cannot bring himself to tell Machina about what happened to Izana being his fault.

The cadets are deployed to take back Togoreth in a Rubrum-Concordia joint mission. Despite dispatching the base commander and the empire's premier magitek pilot Qator Bashtar, Togoreth is obliterated in a battle between l'Cie, Vermilion Bird's Zhuyu Voghfau Byot and White Tiger's Nimbus.

After returning to Akademeia Ace has a chance to relax on the back garden bench and dreams of meeting Izana at the stables. Izana, a low-ranking footsoldier, had wanted to see his brother, but talked with Ace instead as both his brother and Ace seemed fond of chocobos. Izana explained being jealous his brother was chosen as an elite cadet over him despite being the more immature of the two, but that he had come to appreciate the brotherhood overtime. Ace had explained he didn't feel a strong bond to his adopted siblings as he had never asked to be anyone's brother. Izana had hoped Ace would come around to his way of thinking one day, and realize the strength siblings can share.

After the mission to liberate Iscah, Ace snoozes in the garden and dreams of meeting Izana who had argued with his brother. Izana had hoped for a chance to prove himself so his brother could be proud of him as well, and Ace had mentioned he had his first mission coming up and asked permission to request Izana's aid. Izana was skeptical as only the best work with Agito Cadets, and he was but a regular legionary not keen on receiving Ace's charity. Ace had assured it was not charity, but because it was to be his first mission he would prefer working with someone familiar.

When the cadets are sent to sabotage the imperial magitek armor program they get orders to cease fire due to a newly wrought armistice mid-mission. Kurasame travels to the imperial capital as Chancellor Khalia Chival VI's aide and negotiates for the cadets' safety, and afterward explains the situation to them: the empire had proposed peace before the cadets' mission was underway, but they could not contact them in time to halt it. The cadets disagree with the treaty, positing that the empire has no right to ask for peace for being the initial aggressor.

They meet Queen Andoria of Concordia who explains that peace is the Will of the Crystals, and the cadets' opposition would only lead to Tempus Finis. Yet, the cadets struggle accepting that what they have been fighting for is against the Crystal's will.

Ace wanders the streets of Ingram and hears of the imperial troopers' side to the conflict from the soldiers patrolling the city. He explains to a bemused Jack the energy that powers the imperial teknology comes from the White Tiger Crystal, and thus is similar to the power of magic granted by the Vermilion Bird Crystal of Rubrum, impressing Jack with his knowledge.

Queen Andoria is assassinated and Class Zero is blamed for it. The cadets are ambushed at the Armada Hotel and make a hasty escape from the city while unable to contact Central Command. Andoria's death drives her aide Celestia to attack Class Zero, knocking Rem and Machina out. Ace attempts to tell Celestia they have nothing to do with Andoria's death, but Celestia has her Diepvern attack him. Ace readies himself when Deuce interferes, convincing Celestia to listen before she secretly helps them escape Ingram to a deserted house in the woods in the Old Lorica Region.

Ace learns Machina knows of Class Zero's involvement in Izana's death causing a rift between the two and Machina storms off. They almost leave without him, until Machina finally returns and they can move on, as Deuce exclaims the COMM is working and she has reached the dominion. Ace asks what happened and when Machina starts explaining he saw "the White Tiger," he gets cut off and never elaborates further.

Kurasame organizes for the cadets to be rescued by airship and back in Akademeia tells them there will likely be an investigation, and implies the cadets switched off their COMM to avoid being contacted. The cadets find the accusations ridiculous, but nevertheless rumors spread. Ace relaxes on the Akademeia terrace singing the song Arecia used to sing to him when he was young, but can't recall all the lyrics.

After the cadets return from a mission to reclaim Eibon, they assemble in the classroom to hear their next orders from Kurasame. Ace is impatient as some cadets arrive late, and Machina doesn't attend at all. Kurasame explains to the rest the upcoming battle plan against the joint Militesi-Concordian forces, as after the queen's death the new King of Concordia allied with Cid Aulstyne of the empire.

Class Zero is to be sent with Lord Zhuyu to fight off the Concordian dragons with an airship fleet, while Kurasame will accompany the rest of Rubrum's legionaries, as well as Akademeia cadets and trainees, to the Militesi border for the Vermilion Bird Secundus l'Cie Lady Caetuna to summon a Verboten Eidolon.

While visiting the Akademeia cemetery Kurasame is accosted by Ace and Deuce, who criticize his nonchalant attitude. When the two question his battle-readiness Kurasame says the day the cadets need to worry about him will be his last and implores the cadets to do their best in the upcoming battle.

The cadets help Rubrum secure victory on the eastern front by defeating Shinryu Celestia. The western front is falling back and thus Class Zero is recalled as reinforcements to destroy the empire's crystal jammer, because as long as it is active, Class Zero is the dominion's only functioning unit. The cadets succeed, allowing for Lady Caetuna to summon Alexander for which Kurasame and the other Akademeia cadets give their lives to complete the summoning. Alexander obliterates the Militesi forces, and Caetuna enters crystal stasis.

Class Zero visits the numerous new graves in the Akademeia cemetery but cannot comprehend the losses as all memories of Kurasame and the others perished have been removed from them by the Vermilion Bird Crystal. Ace sings the song Arecia used to sing to them as children, imploring them to move on. He resents Machina being missing from the battle and reminds him that even if the top brass might overlook it, the rest of the cadets are not as forgiving.

The cadets help Rubrum conquer Concordia and as the final showdown against the empire and Cid Aulstyne begins, the class is sent to Ingram to help conquer the imperial capital. As Class Zero is to be deployed Machina disappears. The others go without him and best General Qator Bashtar in his new and improved MA. The empire falls and Orience is united under the Vermilion Bird banner. As the cadets return to Akademeia they find its cadets and legionaries slain by Rursan Reavers and the dominion commanders gone: Tempus Finis has begun.

Other cadets reveal the once code crimson missions, which Class Zero partook, making the remaining cadets turn against them, blaming them for the ensuing apocalypse. Rem's illness reaches its final stages and she collapses. Arecia explains the cadets have lived their lives according to the Will of Crystals recorded in the Akashic Records, but now that the "souls have been released" they can write their own ending, as humans have the power to decide how they live or die, hinting at a vital decision the cadets would soon need to make.

Ace and Queen meet up with Naghi Minatsuchi in the command center and learn the chancellor and all of the Central Command and the Consortium of Eight are gone, leaving the dominion leaderless and the class without orders. After hearing Cid Aulstyne headed to the sanctuary where the Rursus—the monsters currently killing everyone in Orience—emerged from, Queen, Ace and the others recall the words written in the Nameless Tome, an epic extolling the myths and legends of Orience, and surmise Cid plans to become Agito.

Queen calls everyone to the Altocrystarium room where she tells them about the Judge who resides in the newly appeared sanctuary, Pandæmonium, to make the Final Decision: if there is no Agito, Orience will be destroyed by the Rursus. The cadets plan to infiltrate the sanctuary to speak to the Judge while knowing that without Arecia they will not be revived if they fall in battle. Ace points out this is the first time they will go on a mission without being ordered to, but doesn't want to do nothing and perish with the rest of Orience.

The cadets are taken to Pandæmonium by Celestia who loses her humanity and turns into Shinryu Celestia for having defied the Focus given to her by the Azure Dragon Crystal. As the cadets head to the top of the temple guided by Cid's voice, the Vermilion Bird Crystal asks them to become l'Cie. If they accept the cadets are slain by the Rursus and Arecia deems the experiment a failure and restarts the spiral.

If they choose to remain mortal, the Vermilion Bird brands Rem, still slumped in Arecia's office back in Akademeia, in their stead, and sends her to intercept a White Tiger l'Cie it had sensed Pandæmonium, wanting one of the Vermilion Bird to become Agito. As Rem engages the l'Cie she is impaled by his rapier, and it turns out the l'Cie was Machina who had willingly inherited Qun'mi's Focus to become strong enough to protect Rem. As Rem dies, both enter crystal stasis, the cadets mourning the sight when they happen upon their crystal.

Ace and the others confront Cid Aulstyne as he becomes the l'Cie the Rursan Arbiter, possessed by the fal'Cie Gala, and nearly kills Class Zero. With Machina and Rem's crystal bestowing their power to the rest of Class Zero, they defeat Cid. The battle's victory comes at a price—although Class Zero's choice of refusing to become l'Cie breaks the spiral and changes its fate, they pay for it with their lives.

Ace hallucinates a reality where everything is back to normal, the cadets spending their time in their classroom, but snaps out of it to realize they are back but the room is in ruins and they are dying. When the cadets begin to break down from the revelation Ace calms them with a song. They spend their last moments sharing their dreams of what they wanted to do once the fighting ended. As Ace and the others perish, the mysterious Tiz and Joker, who had been observing the class's progress, ask for Arecia to listen to the class's wishes from beyond the grave.

By listening to their souls Arecia learns the class loves her, but have made their own decision on how they met their end and do not wish to be revived. Arecia releases Machina and Rem from crystal stasis and instead of restarting the spiral, departs from Orience, abandoning the experiment to find Etro's gate with the Agito. The Crystals of Orience fade and people are allowed to remember the dead, Machina and Rem holding dear the memories of Class Zero, as when the two arrive at the classroom they find their classmates dead. Ace's last card disappears and casts a rainbow in the sky, his voice saying, "We are here."

In the alternate ending where Arecia removes the Crystals from Orience's history, Ace survives the war and studies in the library. A bored Machina tries to convince him to go out for a walk with him but Ace refuses, stating he wishes to prepare for the next semester. A stubborn Machina drags Ace out of the library.

In the HD version's secret ending, another version of Ace is seen on the verge of death before he is revived. Encased in black samurai armor, Ace rises from the ground in his new armor, takes a phoenix feather into his hand and crushes it uttering the words, "We have arrived."

Gameplay


Developers have stated Ace is meant to be a beginner-friendly character. Ace wields a deck of cards in battle, and has a quick ranged battle style where he throws them at his enemies. Ace has low HP, but overcomes it with excellent evasion. Ace, after summoning his weapon, is the only character whose dodging changes to teleportation. With his teleporting dodge, he can easily pass through enemies and even allies for easier escape when cornered.

Abilities


Ace's cards automatically replenish to fifty-three pieces. His regular attack throws a handful of cards that home in on his target. By tilting the analog stick up or down he can use variants of his basic attack. The first is a melee attack that involves Ace creating a circle of cards around him. The second is a chargeable attack that summons up to three cards above Ace that fire at the enemy one by one when released. With an upgrade, Ace can summon up to five cards with the charged attack. The charged attack has an incredibly long range, which can be exploited when using Ace as a sniper character.

Ace's normal attack first fires off three cards, then four, then four again, and the finisher (learned with Finishing Blow) fires off six cards, totaling up of seventeen cards/hits for a full combo. Ace's cards during normal attacks actually sway quite a bit rather than just flying straight ahead, which allows the cards to move around anything in front of the target. Ace can easily change to either his melee or charged attack. His attacks' action time is short, allowing dodging right after an attack.

Cut Cards draws one card which changes the effects of Ace's basic attack. Up to four cards can be drawn before one use of Card, and there are four types of cards, each granting a different ability. The final effect is decided by the most present type of card, and is strengthened by the quantity of cards drawn.

The final effect can be one of the following:
 * Short Stop – Ace draws a majority of white cards. Feint, direct attack. Can Stop foes.
 * Drawing multiple white cards upgrades this ability to Long Stop, Mega Stop, or Giga Stop.
 * Burst – Ace draws a majority of red cards. Quick, powerful and direct attack.
 * Drawing multiple red cards upgrades this ability to Super Burst, Mega Burst, or Giga Burst.
 * HP Charge – Ace draws a majority of blue cards. Recovers Ace's HP.
 * Drawing multiple blue cards upgrades this ability to Super HP Charge, Mega HP Charge, or Giga HP Charge.
 * MP Charge – Ace draws a majority of yellow cards. Recovers Ace's MP.
 * Drawing multiple yellow cards upgrades this ability to Super MP Charge, Mega MP Charge, or Giga MP Charge.

Ace being able to draw four cards before being forced to use or dismiss them, there are four levels of effect for each ability. A two-card hand (Super-class, or Long Stop) simply increases power; a three- or four-card hand (Mega- and Giga-class) will deal damage to all enemies in the vicinity, or heal all allies. The higher the rank, the more potent it will be. However, if Ace is to draw, for example, the first two cards are Burst cards (into Super Burst), then the last two cards are HP Charge (into Super HP Charge), the Super HP Charge ability will be the end result.

Ace has four specialized variants of Cut Cards that are unlocked at higher levels, each of which has a higher chance of drawing a certain type of card; Attack Hand for Burst cards, Support Hand for Short Stop cards, Life Hand for HP Charge cards, and Spirit Hand for MP Charge cards.

Ace's Jackpot Shot is useful against slow, large enemies, such as the Colossus. Conjuring the Jackpot Shot up to three at a time can deal a lot of damage as they hit multiple times despite closing the opportunity for Killsight. Jackpot Triad shoots in three directions and is useful against swarming enemies, but lasts shorter than Jackpot Shot. Both Jackpot Shot and Jackpot Triad hit multiple times, but cannot stagger or Stun foes.

Blind Stud is great against chasing and sluggish enemies. Waiting for foes to walk on the trap and then triggering it will release a spinning spray of cards from the trap, dealing multiple hits but with lower power. It's more useful against smaller enemies as it staggers and can Stun them. Certain enemies, such as flan, are staggered so quickly by the spray of cards that they seem to almost immobilized by it.

Equipment
Ace's exclusive accessory is the Oracle's Codex that increases all magic stats by 30 and grants Auto Endure status.


 * Playing Cards
 * Argentic Deck
 * Akademeia Deck
 * Arcane Deck
 * Lustrous Deck
 * Imperial Tarot
 * Draconic Deck
 * Ironclad Deck
 * Mythril Deck
 * Platinum Deck
 * Reaper's Tarot
 * Cardshark's Deck
 * Magician's Deck
 * Hanafuda
 * Crazy Eights
 * Black Trump (ultimate weapon)

Support Personnel
Some Support Personnel characters in the HD version appear as Ace: Yuki Kaji (Ace's Japanese VA), Ryoto Shinzato (Rendering Environment Artist), Tatsuo Heianzan (Lead Character Modeling Artist), and Nobuyuki Ueda (Project Manager).

Creation and development
In early 2006 renders, from when Final Fantasy Type-0 was first announced as Final Fantasy Agito XIII, Ace had a younger looking face compared to his final design. His hair was longer and white, and his eyes were a deep blue.

Later, in 2008, when the game was re-announced for the PlayStation Portable, Ace's face became more mature, and his hair shorter and silver-blond. When the game was re-announced as Final Fantasy Type-0, Ace had a more youthful appearance, and his hair similar to his second design but more layered. His eyes are a lighter shade of blue. His uniform design didn't change aside from an overall darker color palette.

Ace's name was first revealed in the first Final Fantasy Type-0 TGS trailer in 2010. Before that, he was known as "Card-kun".

According to Final Fantasy Type-0 art book, designing Ace's fighting style along with Deuce's was the hardest.

Voice
Ace is voiced by Yūki Kaji in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy Type-0. He shares his Japanese voice actor with Hope Estheim from Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.

In the English version, Ace is voiced by Jonathon McClendon.

Other appearances
Ace has made appearances in the following games in the Final Fantasy series:
 * Dissidia Final Fantasy (2015) as a playable character.
 * Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia as a playable character.
 * Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call as a playable character.
 * Pictlogica Final Fantasy as a playable character.
 * Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade as a summonable Legend.
 * Final Fantasy Artniks as a series of cards.
 * Final Fantasy Type-0 HD Twitter Battle.
 * Final Fantasy World Wide Words.
 * Final Fantasy Brave Exvius as a summon.
 * Final Fantasy Trading Card Game as a series of cards.
 * Triple Triad as a card.
 * Final Fantasy Explorers as a optional character costume.

Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances
Ace has made key guest appearances in the following non-Final Fantasy games:
 * Puzzle & Dragons.

Gallery

 * Final Fantasy Type-0

Etymology and symbolism
By the prophecy of the Nameless Tome, Ace is said to bear the Power of Acceptance. While acceptance is a common conceptual practice in times of peace and stability, it is a crucial and morally demanding choice when confronted with difficult and complex situations.

Ace's weaponry highlights this, as his cards play on the luck of the draw and gamble with outcomes that demand tactical adaptability and precise judgment. This further highlights the card name theming with Class Zero and his own themes as a character. Military traditions and superstitions include playing card and tarot card readings due to the unpredictability of war to let soldiers know of their luck before heading into the field.

Trivia

 * In the Final Fantasy Type-0 demo, the underside of the card Ace holds is blank. It is unknown if this was intentional or a graphical error.
 * Based on the opening movie and the cards included with the Collector's Edition of Final Fantasy Type-0, it seems that the underside of Ace's cards does not depict the standard poker cards' imageries, but rather the pictures of various Eidolons.
 * Ace's ultimate weapon, the Black Trump, is a tie in to his namesake. Within the culture of the American military, the Ace of Spades is considered a sign of good luck, and is worn as a good-luck-charm into battle. Along with holding the highest value in the deck of playing cards, the Ace of Spades' symbolism ties back into its origins being derived from tarot cards and being used in divination: black lettered cards are considered symbolic of harsh, abrasive, and ominous elements, while the total amount of 52 cards in a deck is said to correspond to the number of weeks in a year. The Ace of Spades is considered to represent the coming of Yule, or the last week of December, which was feared in ancient times as a grave period in the heart of winter. It can also be interpreted to be that of a shovel used to dig graves.
 * In an interview published in Final Fantasy Type-0 World Preview, when asked which weapon he would choose to use from those used by Class Zero, Ace's Japanese voice actor Yūki Kaji said that he would choose Ace's cards as they "allow both motion and impact."
 * Ace was taught how to sing the song "Zero" by Arecia. He is one of the few main Final Fantasy characters to sing. According to the Final Fantasy Type-0 Ultimania, Ace is a good singer, but he only committed one song to memory.
 * According to a poll in the Final Fantasy Type-0 art book, Ace takes first place as favorite character in Final Fantasy Type-0, while taking third place as favorite playable character.
 * According to the Final Fantasy Type-0 novel, Izana was Ace's only friend outside of Class Zero.
 * When the player speaks to Cater at some point in the game, she mentions a rumor of a red-mantled candidate who appears every once in a while before the liberation mission in the chocobo ranch, referring to Ace.
 * There seems to be a running joke about Ace's sleeping habits, as he is found sleeping on a park bench and in class in two of the cutscenes. In the manga, Cater mentions Ace can sleep anywhere.
 * According to the Final Fantasy Type-0 novel, upon leaving Class Zero, Ace wants to own a ranch and raise chocobos as free animals which will become humans' companions because he cannot see himself taking a job which involves killing, but rather one which involves raising and nurturing.