Basch fon Ronsenburg

Basch fon Ronsenburg is a playable character in Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings. A disgraced knight, Basch had his name ruined throughout Ivalice when he was framed to have murdered King Raminas B'nargin Dalmasca, contributing to the country's downfall.

Appearance and Personality
Basch is a 36-year-old man with a strong, muscular-though-emaciated build, a tall frame, and blue eyes. He has long blond slicked back hair, beard and goatee. When first met his facial hair is wildly overgrown, but after joining the party it is trimmed down. Basch has a long scar across his left brow.

Basch wears a variety of different outfits during the game, the first being his Dalmascan Knight armor. As a prisoner he wears a pair of teal trousers and no shirt, revealing prominent scars on his shoulders and upper back. The clothing Basch wears throughout most of the game resembles a Bhujerban Sainikah. Later, he appears in an Archadian Judge Magister suit of armor.

Basch has a fierce sense of loyalty and a professional manner. He abides by a knight's code dedicating himself to restoring the country he serves. He is selfless, prioritizing others at the cost of his own reputation. Basch is reliably striving to fulfill promises and commands from his superiors, his friends and his family, regardless of the request or the circumstances.

Early Life
Born in 670 Old Valendian in the Republic of Landis to a Landisian father and Archadian mother, Basch grew up with his identical twin brother, Noah fon Ronsenburg, and their sickly mother. They lived peacefully until in 687, nineteen years prior to the events of Final Fantasy XII, the Archadian Empire attacked Landis.

Basch left Landis to train in Dalmasca in hopes of restoring his old homeland as a Dalmascan soldier. He joined the Order of the Knights of Dalmasca and, over time, was promoted to Captain. Landis fell and Basch assumed his mother and brother dead or enslaved to the Empire.

Protecting Dalmasca
Basch dedicated his life to protecting his adopted country and its royalty, King Raminas and his daughter, Princess Ashelia. As told in the manga version of Final Fantasy XII, before the royal engagement between Ashe and Lord Rasler of Nabradia, a Neo-Rozarria Faction arose in Nabradia, believing the proposed political allegiance to Dalmasca to be better placed with Rozarria to avert war with the Empire.

The faction plans to assassinate King Raminas to prevent the royal engagement from going ahead and pinning the murder on Archadia to send both Dalmasca and Nabradia into the hands of Rozarria. The Order of Knights intercepts their plan by having Basch pose as Raminas to lure the assassin.

When Marchioness Argas reveals herself a traitor to Dalmasca and the Neo-Rozarrian's elected assassin, Basch leaps from under the king's bed sheets and slices off Argas's arm. The Order of Knights headed by Vossler Azelas accost the remaining rebels. The Neo-Rozarrian movement is defeated, but the Archadian threat still looms on the horizon.

Final Fantasy XII


With the assassination attempt foiled, the pro-Rozarrian faction in Nabradia abandoned subtlety and rose up in open rebellion in the year 704. The Archadian Empire, under the pretense of restoring order in the country, responded by invading Nabradia after dispatching the Rozarrian troops headed for the capital, Nabudis. After a great battle the capital and the surrounding area were destroyed in a massive explosion of Mist by Archadian Judge Zecht under Doctor Cid's orders. Knowing that Dalmasca would be next, Basch led the Dalmascan army to fight the Empire at the Battle of Nalbina Fortress joined by his new Prince, Lord Rasler.

The battle began with the defenders using a combination of unmanned kamikaze airships filled with oil, the use of flaming arrows, and a chocobo cavalry charge to wipe out the Archadian vanguard. When the main body of the Archadian army arrived, bolstered by two Judge Magisters, a small task force under Judge Zargabaath teleported into Nalbina Fortress intent on disabling the paling. Although Rasler was reluctant to disengage, he listened to Basch's counsel and hurried back to Nalbina, but the damage had been done. The Archadian army, hot on their heels, attacked and entered the fortress before the defenses were fully prepared, and, with their attention divided, the Dalmascans were unable to prevent the task force from disabling the paling.

Basch proposed a retreat, and as the two began to flee an archer took aim at Rasler. Basch warned his lord and fired his own arrow at the archer, but Rasler was struck through the heart and died in Basch's arms as he fled the fortress with his fallen lord to Rabanastre. With Nalbina's fall, the Archadians swept over the remaining Dalmascan resistance within months.

Some time later, Archadia and Dalmasca met at Nalbina to discuss a peace treaty. The heir to the Empire, Vayne Solidor, wished to press further and conquer Dalmasca, and hatched a plan to assassinate Raminas. Vayne leaked rumors of assassins to the Dalmascan forces, and Basch led a force to Nalbina Fortress along with his long-time friend Vossler Azelas. Of his few remaining soldiers was a young man named Reks who reminded Basch of his brother, Noah. As they made their way through the Fortress, Basch told Reks about his regret leaving Landis, and not knowing whether Noah or his mother survived.

Basch rushed to Raminas while his forces – including Vossler and Reks – stayed behind to fight the Archadians. In King Raminas's chambers Basch was attacked and when Basch recognized the fighting style of Landis, he called his brother by name: Noah refused to acknowledge it claiming he is now Gabranth, a judge of the Empire. Gabranth defeated Basch, giving him a scar over his left eye in the battle. With Basch incapacitated, Gabranth killed the King while impersonating his twin brother. When Reks arrived on scene, saw the murdered King and was attacked by Gabranth, he believed Basch to be the culprit while the real Basch was held elsewhere.

Basch was blamed for Raminas's death and became known as the "King Slayer", while the peace negotiations fell apart and Archadian forces occupied Dalmasca. Basch was found guilty of incitement of sedition, the assassination of King Raminas, and high treason and Archadia announced him executed. In reality, Basch was being held prisoner in the Nalbina Dungeons to ensure Bhujerba's loyalty to the Empire.

Two years later, Vaan, Balthier, and Fran, while escaping from the dungeons, discover the Oubliette where Basch is being held prisoner. The party is surprised to see Basch alive – especially Vaan, Reks's younger brother. The trio catch Gabranth talking to an imprisoned Basch informing that the Empire has captured a woman from the insurgence, "Amalia".

Following Gabranth's leave, Basch pleads the party to set him free. Balthier is indifferent but Vaan yells at the disgraced Knight blaming him for his brother's death and Dalmasca's fall. When Vaan attracts the guards with the ruckus Fran has everyone jump onto Basch's cage and drops it into the pit below the dungeons. Freed from the cage, Basch joins the team as they escape through the Barheim Passage. Basch explains the Empire framed him as the King-Slayer and though Balthier believes him, Vaan remains unconvinced.

In Rabanastre Basch leaves to speak to the Resistance and when Vaan delivers the Sword of the Old Order to Vossler, he finds Basch there, trying to convince his old friend he was not responsible for killing King Raminas. Reluctant, Vossler gives Basch the Sword of the Old Order, implying he wishes him to deliver it to Marquis Halim Ondore IV, Bhujerba's leader; although Bhujerba is officially allied with the Empire, the Marquis works as an undercover Resistance sympathizer.

Basch leaves with Vaan and asks if he could join him since they both have errands in Bhujerba. He apologizes for how the war has affected Vaan and his friend Penelo's lives, and Vaan begins to believe in Basch's innocence. Basch accompanies Vaan, Balthier, and Fran to Bhujerba to rescue Penelo from Ba'Gamnan, a ruthless bounty hunter, and on their journey to the Lhusu Mines, the party are joined by Lamont, a youth whose intentions remain mysterious. Within the mines the party learn Penelo is no longer under Ba'Gamnan's capture and that they were lured in for the bounty hunter to capture Balthier. After escaping Ba'Gamnan and learning Lamont's true identity as Larsa Solidor, the party focus on Basch's errand to deliver the Sword of the Old Order to Ondore. With Vaan's aid they secure an audience with the Marquis and to reunite Basch with "Amalia", Ondore has Judge Ghis imprison the party aboard the Empire's Dreadnought Leviathan.

Basch is reunited with "Amalia", who Vaan and the others and surprised to find is Princess Ashe. Vossler, disguised as an Imperial Knight, springs the party free and working together they rescue Ashe whom Vossler has sworn to protect, and Penelo joins the party. They escape the Leviathan and return to Bhujerba where Ashe is returned to the Marquis. Ashe wishes to reclaim the throne of Dalmasca but cannot do so without finding proof of her lineage. In her quest to locate the Dawn Shard, a piece of deifacted nethicite belonging to her ancestor, Dynast-King Raithwall, she coaxes Basch and the others to accompany her. After acquiring the Shard the party are ambushed by the Empire and taken prisoner and the nethicite taken from them.

Aboard the Leviathan Vossler reveals he is working with the Empire to restore peace and order to Dalmasca. Basch is furious, but the party are transferred to the Shiva where Ghis attempts to test the nethicite. Fran's Mist-induced frenzy enables the team's escape, but Vossler refuses to let them leave, forcing Basch to defeat his old ally. Vossler asks Basch one last request to protect the Princess in his stead, and explains that everything he did, he did for Dalmasca. Basch says he never questioned Vossler's loyalty, and that he will protect the Princess. Basch and the party leave Vossler behind and flee the Shiva before it explodes. After the explosion destroys the entire imperial fleet the party recover the Dawn Shard, but it has lost its lustre.

The party return to Dalmasca where Basch keeps a low profile but stays true to his promise to Vossler to protect Ashe. He accompanies her to Jahara to learn of the nethicite from the garif, and they cross paths with Lord Larsa's who wishes an end to the conflict and Ashe to become the Queen of Dalmasca and propose peace to the Empire. They head to Mt. Bur-Omisace with Larsa's company to meet another political ally, Al-Cid Margrace of Rozarria. Before leaving, Basch questions Balthier's intentions fearing for Ashe's safety.

On their journey Basch and Ashe discuss the possibility of a truce between the Empire and Dalmasca and while Basch is supportive of the idea of peace, Ashe remains uncertain. At Bur-Omisace they learn Vayne has killed his father, succeeded him as Emperor, and disbanded the Imperial Senate, taking absolute control over Archadia. The plan for a peaceful resolution thus foiled, armed with the Sword of Kings the party set out to destroy the Empire's most powerful weapons, the nethicite.

In the Draklor Laboratory the party apprehend Doctor Cid but fail to destroy the nethicite he holds and pursue him to Giruvegan where they learn of the Occuria's wishes for Ashe to use nethicite to destroy the Empire. The Occuria task Ashe with carving more pieces of nethicite from the source, the Sun-Cryst, and Basch accompanies his conflicted Princess to the Ridorana Cataract alongside a wise sky pirate, Reddas.

Atop the Pharos at Ridorana Gabranth ambushes the party. After lecturing Ashe how she can do nothing as she could not even defend her kingdom, Basch steps in, saying he will protect both Ashe and Dalmasca. Gabranth claims Basch is powerless since he failed both Landis and Dalmasca, and reminds Basch that he has been vilified by the people he so loyally served, and that by killing the King's true slayer will not reclaim him the honor he has lost. Basch acknowledges this, saying he will bear it willingly as long as he does everything for hope. Gabranth is defeated in battle. Doctor Cid appears and asks Gabranth to leave. Cid re-integrates the pieces of deifacted nethicite in his possession to the Sun-Cryst, which begins to violently exhaust Mist. The outpouring Mist awakens the Sky Fortress Bahamut, the Empire's newest battleship, but Reddas sacrifices his life to destroy the Sun-Cryst.

Basch and the party board the Bahamut to confront Vayne. On their way up to the Cannon Superstructure they are accosted by Gabranth yet again, who questions Basch about his ability to keep his honor. Basch says that all he has done is protect those he has sworn to protect and asks Gabranth what he has protected, suggesting he should focus on protecting Lord Larsa. Gabranth attacks the party and is defeated, and asks if Basch is done. Basch responds by returning the question, and calling Gabranth Noah. The party leave a wounded Gabranth behind and confront Vayne. Larsa joins the fray on Ashe's side, but not even this quells Vayne. A weakened Gabranth follows and upon witnessing Vayne willing to harm Larsa, he turns on Vayne and supports Basch and the others in their final battle.

Vayne felled, the party escapes the Sky Fortress Bahamut. On his death bed Gabranth asks his brother to protect Larsa and Archadia. Believing Ashe – who has proven her lineage and can now take her throne – to no longer require his protection, Basch fulfills his brother's last wish and takes up Gabranth's identity and position of Judge Magister, becoming Larsa's personal guard, wearing Gabranth's suit of armor. Penelo sends a letter to Larsa where she writes she believes Ashe misses Basch and hopes to see him again soon.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings


Basch is still within the Empire under his late brother's identity, serving as Lord Larsa's bodyguard. Basch guides his Emperor across Ivalice to deal with the new threat, the Judge of Wings.

Vaan's party first encounters Basch upon the Dreadnought Leviathan in Lemurés. Basch voices the rising threat of sky pirates using the Yarhi and auracite to wreak havoc throughout Ivalice. After learning the party have experience handling the Yarhi, he requests their aid while the Empire researches the Yarhi back in Archadia. Once he secures Vaan's help, Basch directs the Leviathan to Ivalice where he mysteriously tells the party they will take on another member upon arrival.

Basch leads the party through the Dalmasca Estersand where he is to meet with his aforementioned ally. After being ambushed by wandering sky pirates, Basch introduces Lord Larsa to the party and informs them of the Empire's current issue: the Judge of Wings's choice of title is doing little to improve the Empire's public image, and thus Basch and Larsa implore to stop her with the party's succor. On the airship bridge, Penelo expresses how pleased she is to be fighting alongside Basch again, while Filo admits she finds his Archadian Armor intimidating. Vaan vows to continue calling Basch "Basch", despite his official title as Judge Magister.

Everyone gathers in the airship bridge of the Leviathan to discuss their knowledge of the Judge of Wings. Basch advises Vaan to seek out a man in the Giza Plains who knows of someone inquiring after Lemurés, which Basch deems suspicious. Basch is surprised how Lemurés remained undiscovered so long in a world filled with airships, and believes that Mydia's guise as an Archadian Judge could not be merely coincidental.

The party head down to the Giza Plains and locate Basch's source, the Rabanastre City Watch, who reveals it was Mydia who inquired after Lemurés. After learning Mydia was last seen in Kerwon, they venture to the Paramina Rift in hopes of unearthing clues about her past. After discovering the war memorial to the slain at Nalbina Fortress, Basch and Ashe conclude that Mydia had visited Paramina Rift to pay homage to her fallen love, Velis. Mydia arrives dressed in the armor of the Judge of Wings and saying she left her anima in Lemurés, and summons several Zombies to torment Basch with guilt over his dead comrades. Basch sees through the ploy and throws off Mydia's spell with several sword slashes, determined to look to the the future, and not the past. Though Mydia escapes her legion of undead warriors do not and after the battle, Basch returns to the war memorial. Fran comforts him by saying the zombies Mydia summoned were not those of the soldiers at Nalbina, but figments of Yarhi illusion.

On the party's passage to Roda Volcano they discover the Feol Warren and face both Chaos and Mydia. After defeating her, Basch agrees alongside Ashe and Balthier to honor Mydia's wishes to kill Feolthanos, the entity that made Mydia take on the role of Judge of Wings. They journey to the Keep of Forgotten Time to slay him and Basch insists they must not turn their back on Feolthanos's disturbing illusions and encourages the party to continue on in their endeavor. In their final stand against Feolthanos, Basch champions the strength of friendship overcoming suffering as his reason to fight. After Feolthanos is felled Lemurés crumbles from the sky. Basch returns to Ivalice with Ashe, and is last seen on her balcony alongside Lord Larsa.

Final Fantasy XII
Basch has the highest HP growth of all playable characters, and he is tied with Vaan for having the highest Strength. His MP growth, Vitality and Speed are the lowest of the party, and his Magick is low as well.

Basch's initial Licenses are near Quickening Licenses and he begins with the Licenses "Smallswords", "Swords 1", "Axes and Hammers 1", "Shields 1", "Shields 2", "Light Armor 1", "Heavy Armor 1", "Heavy Armor 2", "Accessories 3", and "Libra". He is initially equipped with a Mythril Blade smallsword, Bronze Helm, Bronze Armor, and Tourmaline Ring. His default weapon, the Mythril Blade, is not available in any shops, so the player can never reclaim it if sold. The game ignores Basch's "Weapon" slot in the story cutscenes where he requires weapon usage, always wielding the Mythril Blade: this is unique to Basch.

Despite using both his level 1 Quickening (Fulminating Darkness) and dispatching enemies with a bow in the battle at Nalbina Fortress, Basch joins with neither of these licenses.

Basch is the only character to not speak when performing his Quickenings, only letting out various grunts and cries.

When Basch first joins as a guest his level is the average of the two highest level party members +2. When he joins the party permanently his level is Vaan's level +2 and his LP is Vaan's LP minus 100.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Basch has high physical stats and can equip Heavy Armor and wield blades and knight swords, casting him as the party's heavy hitter. He has several defensive abilities as well as powerful attacks, making him similar to a Paladin. His Quickening, Apocalypse Shield, makes his group temporarily invincible. It can be obtained by defeating the Esper, Zalera.

Creation and Development
Basch's appearance went through multiple drafts from its initial concept. Originally designed with an armor and motif seemingly inspired by Old English knights, Akihiko Yoshida scrapped this look in favor of the Bhujerban Sainikah uniform. Basch's hairstyle also changed from its original design, as did his facial hair and distinctive scar, which appear to be non-existent in early concepts.

Voice
In the English release of Final Fantasy XII, Basch is voiced by. He is voiced by in the Japanese release.

Basch, along with Balthier and Ashe, speaks in formalized English in contrast to Vaan and Penelo's more casual style. In Japanese, Balthier, Ashe and Basch use an older, more formal form of Japanese than Vaan and Penelo.

Musical Themes
In Final Fantasy XII Basch's theme is titled "Basch's Reminiscence", a slow, melancholy piece reflecting his sorrow and past. It plays during the party's escape through the Barheim Passage when Basch tells the party of what really happened to King Raminas on the night Basch was charged for his murder.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
Though he does not appear in person, several references to Basch are made in Dissidia. Gabranth uses variations of Basch's Quickenings for his EX Burst, and Keith Ferguson, Basch's voice actor in Final Fantasy XII, voices Gabranth in place of his original actor,. Basch is also the namesake for a Ghost Card, a Level 100 Gabranth that the player can win Orange Gems and Nethicite from through battlegen.

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Gabranth gains a second alternate outfit based on his disguise when he impersonated Basch during the Battle of Nalbina Fortress, and Vaan's secret quote is "I'm Basch!".

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Basch appears in the Japan-exclusive Final Fantasy Trading Card Game.

Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable
Basch appears along with the other five main characters of Final Fantasy XII in Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable. The game was released prior to Final Fantasy XII.

Virtual World
Users in Square Enix Members Virtual World community can make their character appear as Basch. Basch's hair costs 100 crystals and his clothes cost 480 crystals.

Etymology
The name Basch (or Bäsch) is German from a southern short form of Sebastian. "Fon" is based on German word von which means "from", and is used to denote someone is of noble descent. Ronsenburg comes from a combination of the old English given name Ronsen meaning "Son of Roland" and the German surname Burg meaning "Fortress".

Trivia

 * Killing 500 enemies in Final Fantasy XII adds Basch's sprite to the Sky Pirate's Den, awarding the player with the title of Blood Dancer.
 * Basch's title within the Order of Knights of Dalmasca differs between the Japanese and American/European versions of Final Fantasy XII. In the Japanese version he is referred to as "General", whereas in the American and European versions he is referred to as "Captain".
 * In his official render, the sword Basch holds is the Claymore.
 * Gabranth is the younger twin and Basch is the elder. This is made evident in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy XII but was dropped in the English localization. Gabranth's status as the younger twin is noted in his biography in Dissidia Final Fantasy.
 * A Judge who seems to be wearing Gabranth's suit of armor appears in concept art for the Final Fantasy XII spin-off game Fortress, although he wields a lance rather than a sword. It is unknown whether this character was meant to be Gabranth, Basch posing as him, or an unidentified character altogether.

Basch von Ronsenburg Basch Fon Ronsenburg Basch von Ronsenburg バッシュ・フォン・ローゼンバーグ Баш фон Ронзенбург