Kuja is a warrior of Spiritus in Dissidia Final Fantasy NT and its arcade version, representing Final Fantasy IX as an antagonist. He is an Assassin-type character who fights using graceful spells. Kuja returns from his original appearance in the 2008 Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, in which he had a very similar combat style.
Kuja's default player name is Nameless Angel of Death, and his manikin counterpart is renamed Reaper's Caprice.
Profile[]
Appearance[]
Kuja's default costume is "Angel of Death", his original appearance in Final Fantasy IX. Compared to other appearances, his feathered ornament is slightly more distinguishable. The first alternate coloration of this costume colors his jacket, skirt-piece, and sleeves black, while the second colors his jacket gray and his skirt-piece and sleeves pink.
His first alternate costume is "Cloaked Anchorite", a revamped version of Kuja's "Treno Nobleman" attire in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, now based entirely on its original concept art by Hideo Minaba. Kuja wears an elaborate black coat with lavish patterns, white and blue pants, knee-length black boots, white gloves, and a pointed wizard hat. He has pale-blonde back-length hair with curls at the top and sides of his face. The first alternate coloration of this costume colors his hat and coat purple, his pants white and gray, and his gloves black. The second alternate coloration colors his hat and coat white, his pants black and purple, and his gloves black.
Personality[]
Kuja retains his memories from his homeworld and the previous cycles, and thus defects to aid Zidane and Terra to gather summons. He tries to remain distant and is reluctant to act outright heroic, but enjoys teasing Zidane and develops an amicable relationship with Terra.
Equipment[]
Kuja equips magical Cores as his main weapon. The cores have not appeared in the Final Fantasy series prior, and are original weapons for Kuja in the Dissidia series. The first three Cores, when split, resemble the Fire, Ice, and Lightning trifecta of elemental spells, while the remaining Turbid Cores represent light and darkness. The cores emit a fiery aura.
His default weapons are the Brumal Cores, two floating orbs of light representing the Holy and Flare spells, which can split to become six individual cores, similar to the six orbs in the PSP Dissidia games. Kuja's first alternate weapons are the Brilliant Cores, crystalline spikes that emits a frosty aura, with the Holy core colored sky blue, and the Flare core colored red. His second alternate weapons are the Scintllant Cores, sparking orbs that give off an electrical aura. The Holy core is dark blue, and the Flare core is plum. His third alternate weapons are the Turbid Cores, swirling pure light and dark energy. The Holy core is cyan with a light aura, and the Flare core is purple with a dark aura.
Story[]
Kuja is summoned as a warrior of Spiritus and gathers with the other antagonists at the god's tower. When Spiritus communicates with Materia, Kuja silently watches as Spiritus declares his intentions to rule World B.
At Midgar, when Zidane and Terra are ambushed by the Emperor and Sephiroth, Kuja fends the villains off and heals the heroes. The trio enters Trance to fight the Emperor and Sephiroth, but the battle is cut short when planesgorgers begin devouring the dimension.
Kuja, Terra, and Zidane escape through a portal, where Kuja attempts to brush the others off and go off on his own. However, a moogle blocks way and insists that he stays with Terra and Zidane. Remembering how Kuja freed her from Kefka's spell in the twelfth cycle, Terra persuades Kuja to join them, expressing her desire to have a proper conversation with him. With Zidane's approval to him let join, Kuja agrees to travel with them for the time being. An overjoyed Terra thanks Kuja for freeing her from Kefka's control in the twelfth cycle, though Kuja feigns ignorance of the event.
As they enter Alexandria, they are attacked by Alexander, despite Terra's assurances they aren't here to harm him. Kuja states it was a mistake for him to appear before the summon, but Zidane reminds Kuja it is not the same Alexander he destroyed on Gaia, much to Terra's confusion. After they prove their worth to Alexander, Kuja dismisses Zidane's gratitude for his help, claiming to have only helped them to obtain the summon. When the planesgorgers start to destroy the area, Kuja begins to depart and advises Zidane and Terra to do the same, acknowledging Terra's desire to see him again in the future.
Once Materia and Spiritus come to a truce, Kuja joins the rest of the champions to defeat Shinryu, the source of planesgorgers that threatens to eradicate the world. Before their staged battle to lure Shinryu out, Zidane suggests they meet up again "once things calm down," and Kuja nods in agreement and flashes a smile at him. During the battle, Kuja attacks Tidus and Vaan, but is interrupted by Cecil and starts battling him. Once the battle energy summons Shinryu, Kuja participates in a joint attack against the dragon, but is repelled as Shinryu reveals his true form in a potent burst of power. Once the warriors regain their composure, they work together to defeat Shinryu.
The moogles give Kuja a crystal to host his memories for Spiritus to use in the new cycles of wars. With a crystal doppelgänger of himself to serve on Spiritus's behalf, Kuja is sent home alongside Zidane.
Gameplay[]
- Type: Assassin - Kuja can glide around while performing many of his abilities.
Though he is an Assassin-type, Kuja specializes in mid-ranged magic attacks that grant him elements of a Marksman. He can move while attacking and has many moves to hit vertically and reposition himself, giving him a high degree of mobility. His EX Skill powers up as it is used, granting Kuja and his allies status buffs until he eventually enters his Trance form, which increases Kuja's movement and gliding speed as well as buffing his stats, and will last until he is KO'd. This makes Kuja extremely dangerous the longer a fight goes on, and makes him a target of opportunity if he is able to survive long enough to enter Trance. Despite being a mage, Kuja has no truly long-ranged attacks and is best as close and mid-ranges, and he has poor knockback that makes it difficult to combo his attacks unless close to the edges of the arena.
Abilities[]
Move | Damage | Input | Type | Power | Frame Data | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Astral Onslaught | Bravery | Ground | ||||
Use your orbs to trap your foe in a flurry of close-range attacks. (Can move while prepping, opponent cannot recover from some parts of the combo) | ||||||
Eruption | Bravery | Ground | ||||
Unleash a pair of fiery explosions in your opponent's direction. (Can move while prepping) | ||||||
Flarestorm | Bravery | Ground | ||||
Cause a fiery torrent to launch you upward. (Can move while prepping, hold to charge) | ||||||
Angelic Advance | Bravery | Ground Dash | ||||
Envelop yourself in the magic of your orbs before charging toward your foe. | ||||||
Infernal Whip | Bravery | Aerial | ||||
Use flare orbs to trap your foe in a flurry of close-range attacks. (Can move while prepping, opponent cannot recover from some parts of the combo) | ||||||
Sublime Ascension | Bravery | Aerial | ||||
Draw in an opponent above you with your holy orbs before sending them flying with a crushing blow. (Can move while casting) | ||||||
Crusade | Bravery | Aerial | ||||
Draw in an opponentn below you with your holy orbs before sending them flying with a crushing blow. (Can move while casting) | ||||||
Igneous Zeal | Bravery | Aerial Dash | ||||
Envelop yourself in the magic of your orbs before charging toward your foe. | ||||||
Flare Star | HP | - | ||||
Encircle nearby foes with mystic orbs that converge in a devastating explosion. (Can move while casting) | ||||||
Seraphic Star | HP | - | ||||
Spawn a sphere of holy light that draws in foes before detonating. Charging increases range. | ||||||
Symphonic Force | HP | - | ||||
Cleave nearby foes with the forces of light and flame. | ||||||
Ultima | HP | - | ||||
Bombard a distant foe with a barrage of arcane projectiles. (Can move while casting) | ||||||
Discarnate Chorus (Soul Resonance) | EX Skill | |||||
Raise either the defense, attack, or movement speed of any allies within range and temporarily increase the speed at which your EX skill gauge fills. Your second use will raise two attributes, and your third will raise all three. While in Trance move, however, this skill becomes Soul Resonance, and you will always raise all three attributes. | ||||||
Trance | EX Skill | Occurs at Discarnate Chorus, Level 3. | ||||
Using Discarnate Chorus a certain number of times allows Kuja to enter Trance mode, which enhances his attributes. Upon being incapacitated, he leaves Trance mode and the benefits of Discarnate Chorus (Soul Resonance) are reset. |
Gallery[]
Allusions[]
- During Dissidia NT's Story Mode, Alexander is immediately hostile towards Kuja, Zidane, and Terra. Kuja muses that his presence may explain this, alluding to the Battle of Alexandria and Alexander's summoning and destruction in repelling Kuja's assault in Final Fantasy IX.