We are very excited to reveal the latest character to join the Rivals of Aether roster! This is the first hidden character we are unveiling. If you don’t want to be spoiled for the final release, then ignore this post!
Absa – The Storm Architect
Profile:
Absa is a famed engineer and secret martialist of the Elders of the Air Alliance, who live high above the cloudline in the Archai Mountains. Before the Air Armada, winged citizens of the Alliance would fly between the high trees of the Aetherian Forest and the mountaintops of Archai. The Elders of Air dispensed wisdom and law from the Archaian mountaintops, and Air society flourished under a peaceful neutrality. However, after the Fire Kingdom burnt down the Aetherian Forrest, the winged citizens began to question the peaceful policies of the mountain-dwelling Elders. A rift formed between the Air citizens who could fly and those who could not. Soon the winged Air-dwellers built the Air Armada and declared war on the Fire Nation… leaving the Air Alliance in tatters.
Absa was only a young girl when half of the Air Alliance left with the Armada. However, young Absa, math prodigy and wunderkind inventor, perceived the vulnerability of her mountaintop civilization. She studied the world of Aether and developed a defense to protect the mountains from war. She mastered weather patterns and harnessed the power of lightning to create a permanent electrical storm at the base of the Archai Mountains. This storm barricade has hidden the mountains so well that the Air Elders consider themselves impervious to the turmoil of Aether. Yet, Absa, the inventor of the storms herself, fears that the barricades may prove insufficient. Despite the laws of the Elders, Absa secretly developed her storm techniques for offensive use. In martial arts societies hidden in the caves of the Archai mountains, Absa honed skills that she hoped to never need.
Elemental Powers:
CLOUD CONTROL – Absa can place a cloud using her Neutral or Forward Special. This cloud hangs in the air until Absa bursts it by tapping her Neutral Special and knocking enemies away.
THUNDER BOLT – Absa can charge her Neutral Special to create a powerful lightning blast that connects her to her cloud. All opponents caught between the two will be knocked away at high speeds.
CONDENSED STORM – Absa focuses the power of a lightning bolt to the tip of her hoof. If she can line up one of her aerial kicks perfectly, she unleashes great power.
Gameplay:
Wrastor’s gameplay is based around him quickly closing distances and comboing his opponents into the air. Absa is about controlling space through her clouds and preventing her opponents from staying close for too long. She wants to separate herself and use her clouds and thunderbolt to keep her enemies at bay.
When fighting against Absa, you have to be aware of the Cloud placement. She can quickly burst a cloud to knock you away from it. She can combo her opponents between herself and her clouds. She can also electricute the air between the two. When you are getting close to death percents, you have to be careful about Absa trying to line up her Thunder Bolt.
Absa can also set off an electric chain using her down special. Once the two sides of the chain meet, it will explode outward knocking opponents away at high speeds. She can create it either on her cloud to make part of the stage unsafe for opponents or on herself to use it offensively.
Absa also has very powerful aerial attacks. Her forward air, back air and down air kicks all have multiple hitboxes. If you can hit opponents with the sweet spot on the tip of her hooves, then opponents will be knocked away with extreme force.
Additional Screenshots:
If you are near the East Coast, then head over to Super Smash Con this weekend to get hands-on play with this newest Rival!
