May 8, 2020|

Filed under: Featured, Guest Article, History, Speculation, Super Smash Bros. Series, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Dream Smasher: Euden & Midgardsormr (Guest Article)

This guest Dream Smasher was created by @NickDaDroid on Twitter.

When it comes to video games in general, most people’s minds jump to iconic franchises at home on the PlayStation, Xbox, Wii, DS, and so on. However, mobile phones have begun to rapidly emerge as viable gaming platforms as well following the releases of a wide variety of titles that extend far beyond simple time wasters. Recently, Nintendo has made its presence known in the realm of mobile gaming through the development of its own titles, a majority of which being new installments in some of its older, proven properties. With this in mind, Dragalia Lost stands out especially well amongst Nintendo’s mobile lineup as the only completely original property. Featuring a cohesive story, exciting gameplay, and unique characters, Dragalia Lost goes a step further than most would expect from a mobile gacha game and has earned a devoted group of fans because of it. Given the new standard it set for Nintendo’s mobile offerings, Dragalia Lost’s complete absence from the Super Smash Bros. series, which is known for celebrating all corners of Nintendo’s history, is baffling. In fact, Dragalia Lost has already crossed over with various gaming all-stars that are already present in Smash like Fire Emblem, Mega Man, and Monster Hunter, so its lack of representation in Smash is especially jarring. With Smash Ultimate’s lineup of DLC continuing to introduce an abundance of new series to the iconic fighting game, Dragalia Lost’s chances of finally being included are higher than ever. Who better to spearhead the mobile juggernaut’s introduction as a fighter than Euden, the main protagonist, and Midgardsormr, the series’ most iconic dragon?

Who are Euden & Midgardsormr?

Euden is the main protagonist of Dragalia Lost, a mobile game Nintendo produced in cooperation with Cygames. In the kingdom of Alberia, dragons and humans live side-by-side thanks to its founder, Alberius, who was able to forge pacts with the six Greatwryms, or legendary dragons. These bonds were made using the power of pactstones, objects that allow humans to become pactbound with dragons. In doing so, Alberius gained the ability to shapeshift, or take on the form of a dragon. This power was used to unite the land and has since been passed down the Alberian bloodline. Euden, as the seventh scion of the Alberian throne, inherited these qualities. Besides being able to shapeshift, Euden is able to use the power of fire. Considered kind and thoughtful by his friends, Euden is a brave warrior who always fights for justice.

Euden’s first pactbound dragon was the wise and mighty Midgardsormr. Although reluctant to the thought at first, the dragon was swayed to become pactbound to Euden due to his strength and purity, traits he also saw in Alberius. Being the wind Greatwrym, Midgardsormr is able to conjure various types of tempests and fiends of the forest. He is blunt and knowledgeable, but has a soft side. Although Euden goes on to make pacts with more dragons, Midgardsormr is one of the most prominent ones, resulting in him acting as a sort of series mascot. And with him being the first dragon Euden’s automatically pactbound to, every player has played as and recognizes him.

Importance to Nintendo/Series

Nintendo has released a lot of mobile games since late 2016, such as Super Mario Run and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, but Dragalia Lost is the only one to come out as of now that is not based on an existing Nintendo IP. Despite its unfamiliarity, it has managed to outsell both Mario Run and Mario Kart Tour, grossing over $100 million less than a year after its release. It is currently the third highest grossing Nintendo mobile game, only being surpassed by Fire Emblem Heroes and the aforementioned Pocket Camp. As of now, Dragalia Lost is regularly updated and continues to have a large and active player base, making it a perfect pick to represent Nintendo’s line of mobile games.

Colors & Design

Rather than the chibi-like proportions seen in Dragalia Lost, Euden would have more realistic proportions in Smash, resembling how he is depicted in most of Dragalia Lost’s artwork. He wears white armor with a red hood and metal bits on the shoulders. A red cloth runs over his left leg, and he has armor-like pants.

Midgardsormr has a more consistent design than Euden’s and would simply carry over his standard appearance. However, Midgardsormr would need to be sized down a bit in order to fit in with the rest of the Smash roster.

Euden would have 2 outfits, his default outfit and his Gala outfit. Each outfit would have three pallet swaps, which would reference other adventurers and characters in Dragalia Lost, such as Alex, Cleo, Elisanne, Luca, Ranzal, and Midgardsormr.

Likewise, Midgardsormr’s palettes would reference other dragons and characters from the game, such as Brunhilda, Mercury, Jupiter, Fafnir Roy III, Notte, Zoidark, and Euden.

How Would They Play?

Now, let’s have a look at some stats:

Can they crawl? No
Can they wall jump? No
How many jumps do they have?: 2 (E) / 4 (M)
Are there any exclusive abilities they have*? Yes
Weight Class: D+ (E) / A (M)
Height Class: C+ (E) / A+ (M)
Speed Class: B+ (E) / C (M)
Are they mirrored when they face left? No

*Like Peach’s float

(A partially filled Dragon Gauge)

Euden’s main gimmick would be a passive ability called “Dragon Gauge,” which would be represented by a meter displayed to the left of his HUD. Its appearance would differ slightly from its Dragalia Lost counterpart, simplifying the two gauges into one meter and losing the portrait of Midgardsormr. Every time Euden would deal damage, his Dragon Gauge would slightly fill up. The more damage a move does, the more would be added to the gauge.

Upon the meter being completely filled, Euden’s eyes would turn red as he began emitting a golden aura. Upon using his down special while in this state, now replaced with the move “Shapeshift,” Euden would transform into the mighty Midgardsormr. As Midgardsormr, the Dragon Gauge would begin depleting on its own, but by dealing damage as Midgardsormr, its draining would slow down slightly, while it would speed up upon Midgardsormr taking damage.

Euden and Midgardsormr would function similarly to how they do in their home game. As Euden, most of your moves would be weak, but fast. Combos would be essential for getting the most out of his moveset. Midgardsormr would be the real heavy hitter of the two and rack up most of the damage while also having a decent amount of ranged attacks to keep opponents at bay. Players using this duo would need to be aggressive in order to keep their dragon form for as long as possible, but also careful with their newfound height and weight upon becoming Midgardsormr as to make sure they don’t get caught in a combo that quickly depletes their Dragon Gauge and leaves the much lighter Euden with a ton of damage.

Boxing Ring Title: “Bearer of Dragonlight” (E) / “The Wellspring of Knowledge” (M)

Series Icon

Stock Icons

Kirby Hats

Euden:

Move Type

Description

Entrance Animation:

A raging maelstrom would appear on stage as Euden rushed out of it and prepared for battle.

Stance:

Euden would stand with his legs squatted and his sword drawn.

Idle Animation #1:

Euden would tilt his head from side-to-side.

Idle Animation #2:

Euden’s pactstone would glisten in his pocket. He would take it out, glance at it, then put it back in his pocket.

Walking:

Euden would simply walk forward at a fast pace.

Running:

Euden’s run would simply be a faster version of his walk with added motion lines.

Jumping:

Euden’s first jump would be a simple leap into the air, while his second one would have him spinning in midair.

Crouching:

Euden would put his sword in its hilt and take a knee.

Shield:

Euden would hold out a wyrmprint to protect himself (as an added touch, the wyrmprint he held out would vary between The Rose Prince, A Brief Response, and The Fleeting Girl).

Jab:

Euden would slash forward twice before performing a spinning slash. The first two slashes would deal decent damage at a moderate speed, while the spin would be very fast, but weak. It would drag opponents closer, however, allowing for potential follow ups.

Forward Tilt:

Euden would simply stab his sword forward.

Down Tilt:

Euden would roll forward in a weak, but quick burst that could be used repeatedly and without much delay.

Up Tilt:

Euden would lunge into the air with his sword extended and carry opponents caught by the blade with him.

Dash Attack:

Euden would rapidly slash forward four times with a determined glare while running, somewhat resembling Luigi’s dash attack.

Side Smash:

Euden would put his sword to his side, then quickly thrust forward. The force would cause him to glide forward and hit any opponents in his path. The longer the move was charged, the further Euden would travel. This move would also have a decent amount of end lag.

Up Smash:

Euden would quickly slash upward twice in an “X” motion, somewhat resembling Meta Knight’s up smash.

Down Smash:

Euden would swing his sword in a circle above his head before slamming it into the ground. The longer the move was charged, the wider the range.

Neutral Air:

Euden would quickly spin his sword around him, like Marth’s neutral air.

Down Air:

Euden would thrust straight downward with his sword, sending him and opponents caught in the attack straight down, like Toon Link’s down air.

Forward Air:

Euden would slash forward in an arc motion, launching opponents upward, like Marth’s forward air.

Back Air:

Euden would kick backwards, then follow up with a thrust from his elbow.

Up Air:

Euden would raise his sword above him, then ignite its tip. Those caught by the initial stab would be left vulnerable to the sword’s explosive ignition.

Grab:

Euden would unsheathe his sword and simply grab the opponent with his hands.

Pummel:

Euden would punch the opponent with his open hand.

Forward Throw:

Euden would slash the opponent twice with his sword, then kick them forward.

Up Throw:

Euden would let go of the opponent and stab the ground, causing a pillar of fire to erupt from the ground and launch opponents upward.

Down Throw:

Euden would slash the opponent upward, then jump and slash them back towards the ground.

Back Throw:

Euden would simply throw the opponent behind himself, like Marth’s back throw.

Neutral Special: Force Strike

Euden would step back and begin charging up. Upon release, Euden would slash forward, dealing a good amount of damage, but with little knockback. This move could be angled in any direction depending on the analog stick’s direction. Like Marth’s Shield Breaker, this attack would hit shields especially hard.

Side Special: Exalted Fire

Euden would send a pillar of fire forward that would travel like Cloud’s Blade Beam, launching opponents hit by the flames upward and even ending stocks at high damage percents.

Up Special: Rising Blazing Circlet

Euden would do a variation of his Blazing Circle that would propel him upward. As his sword ignited, he would quickly spin in a circle once, rising into the air. This move would resemble Link’s Spin Attack, but hit harder and immediately launch opponents instead of trapping them.

Down Special: Pactstone / Shapeshift

If the Dragon Gauge is not filled completely, Euden’s pactstone would dispense a circle of crystals around him that would stun opponents, but drain the Dragon Meter. If the Dragon Meter is completely empty upon using this move, Euden would simply shake his head. If the Dragon Gauge is completely filled, Euden would shapeshift into Midgardsormr, shouting “Windwyrm, aid me!” while transforming.

Final Smash: Glorius Tempest

Euden/Midgardsormr would yell/roar before transforming into High Midgardsormr, then quickly send a pillar of wind upwards. Opponents caught in it would be launched into the sky and enter a cutscene. The Greatwyrms along with Luca, Ranzal, Cleo, and Elisanne would appear and unleash a flurry of attacks on the caught foes. Finally, High Midgardsormr would send a moving spire of wind at his victims, launching them back to the battlefield.

Up Taunt:

Euden would raise his sword and shout “For Alberia!”

Side Taunt:

Notte would appear and wave at the camera while circling around Euden as he smiled at her.

Down Taunt:

Notte would appear and smugly say “Boom.” as Euden laughed.

Victory Animation #1:

Euden and Notte would high five as the former sat on the ground.

Victory Animation #2:

Midgardsormr would slam into the ground and stretch before pulling out a book and reading it.

Victory Animation #3:

Euden would slash twice at the camera and start glowing gold as his eyes turned red. Euden would then yell and begin to shapeshift, turning into Midgardsormr as their yell became a roar.

Midgardsormr:

Move Type

Description

Stance:

Midgardsormr would stand upright with his claws out and tail curled.

Idle Animation #1:

Midgardsormr would raise his head into the air and shake it while flapping his wings.

Idle Animation #2:

Midgardsormr would hold out his palm and summon a mini tempest on top of it. He would watch it for a bit before closing his palm, dissipating the storm.

Walking:

Midgardsormr would stand tall and walk forward with his arms out.

Running:

Midgardsormr would lean and charge forward, giving a fierce expression while waving his tail.

Jumping:

Midgardsormr’s first jump would have him flap his massive wings, propelling him upward a good height. His next three jumps would simply have him flap his wings.

Crouching:

Midgardsormr would put his head down and cover himself with his wings.

Shielding:

Midgardsormr would cover his face with his wings and curl his tail up.

Jab:

Midgardsormr would do two quick slashes with his wings to the left and right, then finish with a wall of wind. The slashes would be weak but fast, while the wind would be the heavy-hitter of the combo, dealing considerable damage and knockback.

Forward Tilt:

Midgardsormr would simply flick a wing forward.

Down Tilt:

Midgardsormr would stomp downward and bury opponents, like King K. Rool’s down tilt.

Up Tilt:

Midgardsormr’s wings would poke upward as if raised his shoulders.

Dash Attack:

Midgardsormr would perform a variation of Tsumuji’s Air Tackle, pushing a great wall of wind forward with him as he charged forward.

Side Smash:

Midgardsormr would lean back before slamming his head and tail forward. This attack would be very powerful, but only hit close to the ground.

Up Smash:

Midgardsormr would use a version of Stribog‘s Test of Integrity, sending a pillar of wind upward. This attack would be similar to Palutena’s up smash, but cover Midgardsormr’s body and have less vertical reach in exchange for greater horizontal range.

Down Smash:

Midgardsormr would use a variation of Roc’s Test of Integrity, summoning two tornadoes to his sides that would trap opponents and damage them repeatedly before launching them.

Neutral Air:

Midgardsormr would fan his wings out, hitting any opponents in his path and suspending his fall for a moment.

Down Air:

Midgardsormr would use a variation of the Gust Drake’s Gust Drop. He would rapidly plummet downward, and hitting a grounded opponent directly would bury them for a short time. Even if the move didn’t directly hit an opponent, its impact would deal slight damage to surrounding opponents, like Bowser’s down air.

Forward Air:

Midgardsormr would use a variation of Vayu’s Purusha Prana, slashing forward and sending a wall of wind forward. Opponents hit with the slash would be immediately carried forward by the wind.

Back Air:

Midgardsmor would thrust his tail back, then jolt it up, hitting opponents both behind and above him.

Up Air:

Midgardsormr would simply thrust his head upward, dealing a lot of damage at the cost of there being a lot of end lag, like King K. Rool’s up air.

Grab:

Midgardsormr would summon a small tornado at the ground in front of himself, holding enemies in place.

Pummel:

The tornado’s winds would shake the opponent, battering them about.

Forward Throw:

Midgardsormr would bat the opponent forward with his wing.

Up Throw:

The tornado would launch the opponent upward.

Down Throw:

Midgardsormr would stomp the ground, burying the grabbed opponent, before charging forward.

Back Throw:

Midgardsormr would grab the opponent from the cyclone, slam his head into them, then throw them backwards.

Neutral Special: Summon Help

Midgardsormr would roar and summon one of two fiends to help him. This move would have two variations of charge, and a full charge would take about three seconds. If the move was barely charged, a Gobmancer would appear. It would send out a green ball of energy that would travel a short distance before disappearing. After firing three shots, the Gobmancer would summon a spire of wind under the closest opponent. This would lock on to an opponent and begin following them, but give them a chance to escape at the last second. If fully charged, an Arrow Raptor would appear and quickly charge forward, dealing plenty of damage. Afterward, it would begin flapping its wings at the closest opponents, summoning powerful tempests that would knock them away. Arrow Raptors would have a health of 8%, while Gobmancers would have a health of 12%. If that amount of damage was dealt to the fiend, they would be disabled temporarily and would simply not appear when summoned. Only one fiend could be present at a time, and using this move while a fiend is active would cause the first one to vanish. They would keep the amount of health they had taken previously upon their return.

Side Special: Tempest

Midgardsormr would summon a tempest that would drag opponents towards it, trapping and repeatedly damaging them. This would travel in a similar arc to Robin’s Arcfire, starting as a ball of wind before hitting the ground and turning into a tempest.

Up Special: Thunderous Charge

This move would be based on the dragon Takemikazuchi’s Thunderous Charge. Midgardsormr would step back as lightning engulfed him, then launch upward. He would be able to use this twice in a row before going into a helpless state. The direction of each burst could be in any direction, like Pikachu’s Quick Attack.

Down Special: Tornado Tail

Midgardsormr would wind up his tail in preparation, then spin in a circle with his tail sticking out. This attack would deal immense damage and hit both sides, but have a lot of end lag.

Up Taunt:

Midgardsormr would pull out a haunch of meat and snack on it.

Side Taunt:

A Slime would appear and nuzzle up against Midgardsormr. He would then pat it on the head.

Down Taunt:

Midgardsormr would summon a tornado that would tower behind him as he says “I am the lord of maelstroms.”

Victory Fanfare: Euden & Midgardsormr’s victory fanfare would be the “Cleared!” theme from Dragalia Lost, which plays upon completion of every mission.

Outro

Euden may not be the most likely newcomer considering he is competing with more relevant and widely known characters for a spot in Smash, but his potential to bring an interesting gimmick to the game while representing Nintendo’s ventures into mobile gaming would make him a worthwhile addition. Given the game’s release date, Dragalia Lost is currently in the same awkward position Splatoon found itself in during the DLC run of Smash for Wii U and 3DS, but I personally haven’t seen nearly as strong a push for Euden than that of the Inklings. That being said, given the unexpected return of ARMS through its presence in the second Fighters Pass, it seems Sakurai is more than willing to give brand new first party properties a chance this time around, leaving the door open for the mighty pair of human and dragon to join the ultimate fight.

A special thanks to Quinaise from the Dragalia Lost Discord server for helping me get the footage of High Midgardsormr, Hamada, who drew the great Kirby Hats, and Voyager, who did the excellent artwork seen throughout this concept!