Foreigner: Ada Lovelace by NMR-3
Bell and Lovelace compete for me in much the same way: both are casters that are "consumed" by their technology and - in my opinion - better than Babbage himself. The connection with foreigner hits the sweet-spot of Nasuverse Nonsense, adding to her character and abilities seamlessly, almost as if they were meant to be from the start! The theming of "artificial unfeeling superintelligence" is displayed in every part of the sheet which makes the whole sheet click for me.
However, robot-making - while cool - loses to Bell's madness inducing NP, and her abilities are less immediate, as artificial intelligence being the in the realm of sci-fi (for now, at least), and mass telecommunication is the world we live in. Overall, however, one of the top 5 sheets of this contest for me! Even though I compared her to Bell a lot in this, she'd probably stand out even more in story where artificial life and cold pragmatism would take center stage.
Assassin: Wong Feihung by Fabuzer
Wise kung-fu masters are actually one of my favorite tropes! The background reads like a proper story and the personality fits the trope to a T. This one would definitely make for an excellent main character in a Grail War, possibly as a mentor to a scrappy young master who wishes to protect the innocent from the more ruthless participants.
However, much like Duke Wellington, he's too good as a standard servant for his own good, and there are sheets with more dramatic (or at least less common) tropes in this batch that oust both of these from the top 3. But definitely a top-tier heroic spirit!
Alter Ego: Alice Pleasance Liddell by Spartacus
This particular sheet reads like a piece of poetry, and is more a creative work of art than any other servant summary I've read. Reading it is almost unsettling, because you're reading a servant sheet (like you've read so many in your lifetime), but it conveys it's information in its own terms, using structure and cadence that defies the usually to-the-point descriptions of skills and identity. The only way it could be improved would be that if the "Lore" section was also written in-character.
But beyond that, Alice presents a character very fitting to contemplative fiction. I'm not sure how her paradox works, but her inability to grow up and her existence as an ideal "kid protagonist" and a symbol for grieving the passage of time would make her a fitting companion character to a person who wishes to defy the inevitable, somehow, be it the flow of time, some preordained fate, the loss of a loved one... or mayhaps someone who desires to remain as they are even when the situation calls for the to change. And while the inherent weirdness of her could be seen as a trait for comedy, I rather see it as an opportunity for the delightfully absurd, something Type-Moon fiction is very familiar with. Basically, this sheet oozes narrative potential. Top tier sheet, enjoyable to read, compelling to ponder about, top 3 for sure!
Berserker: Manuel/Manuela Blanco Romasanta by Fabuzer
And we keep striking gold!
Here we have an example of excellent use of Nasuverse Nonsense; take a character that's not very well known aside from a few traits, and then build an actual character there using the foundations. The result is something greater than the sum of its parts, a fusion of fact and fiction that complement one another in a way the best Servants do. As far as I can tell, 90% of this character is OC but it still feels it could have been "real", that the conditions they were subjected to would cause someone the same trauma.
Gender dysphoria is not commonly seen in fiction, and having a servant whose entire existence is so skillfully bound to it is refreshing. To be sure, the condition does not make one a psychotic killer and force a multiple personality disorder, but their (Manuel/Manuela's) condition is made believable by some common touchstones: The trigger of the full moon which brings back traumatic memories, and the everpresent and deep-seated frustrations and sense of otherness in those who find their very bodies unsuited for them.
Additionally, the interplay of the two sides is fascinating, like vocalizing the mediation of id and superego, the deep animal instincts and the controlling socially accepted habits. There's simply so much stuff here!
So if it wasn't clear, this is the number 1 sheet for me in this batch. Stellar job, creative as hell!
Archer: Cecil Rhodes by Funderfullness
I have somewhat particular tastes regarding heroic spirits. Most of all, I like them heroic, which unfortunately dismisses historical figures such as this. Exceptions like Bell and Lovelace get by because their conceptual ground is so fertile, and villains like Romasanta are the flipside of heroic. So basically, I can't easily imagine an easy way to place this jolly-looking businessman to a Grail War even when the technical aspects are all sound. :P
Caster: HelenaJack the Ripper by zikari8
One of my favorite aspects about fictional characters is conflict and development potential. This sheet bakes conflict into her very being, and leverages the metaphysics of heroic spirits to create drama; Saint Graphs don't record people how they actually were, but all the interpretations of how people saw them as. Reality is perception, and to this Blavatsky, the perception of others has become reality. And discrimination can change even living people all too easily.
Basically, "Jack" would make an excellent pair with another character who shares her circumstances, or a foil to a character who wants to act in defiance of other's expectations of them. There are sound foundations for a redemption arc or just a straightforward dive to vindictive madness.
Unfortunately, Manuel/Manuela is just close enough in concept to Blavatsky and I want my placement points to represent different kinds of sheets... But this is still in my top 5 and one of my favorite character concepts in general.
Saber: Alexandrina Victoria by Bird of Hermes
A technically competent sheet that just doesn't push my buttons the way some others have, unfortunately. Mechanics are sound, and the interesting master-servant relationships and knighting could be used for some awesome shenanigans, but we've seen so many rulers from the British isles already! So a solid secondary character, and it would be great to see her inverting the usual master-servant relationship and be the top-dog to some haughty magus d-bag. Or perhaps some musing on what its like live "queenship", how much of yourself you need to sacrifice for your country while retaining your "self". :Q
Assassin: Camille Saint-Saëns by SleepMode
There is definitely narrative potential here is a "non-genius master", which is a pretty universally relatable concept. And I'd say one too well-trodden already. Again, the sheet - all of the sheets submitted, actually - are technically sound, enjoyable to read and ponder about, but this one joins the Lord Wellington and Wong Feihung club of "I think I've seen that trope somewhere before." Which isn't a bad thing, simply overshadowed by more novel or personally enthralling concepts in this particular batch.
But I do need to point out that the characterization is expertly done, as even a short summary such as this is able to convey so much of his personality.
Assassin: Belle Gunness/Myling by Funderfullness
This one is actually a story, and that's praise if you ask me!
Assuming the background section is the real-life account of this servant's past, it's hilariously aptly transferred to that little skit in the end. I see the personality section is omitted, but I can see that this particular character probably wouldn't benefit from having her true motivations revealed. It wouldn't make for a good protagonist, but as the skit suggests it would make for a terrific antagonist! Besides, simply reading the background gives enough of an indication of what Myling might have been like without getting into the concrete "why" of it, and I like how LDV lampshades this fact.
The Nasuverse Nonsense on the botchling is tastefully done, giving just enough creative madness without going completely overboard. All in all, the restraint in making this sheet that only gives you the bare minimum information to foster intrigue is really commendable. I'm not sure if there were many revisions when it was constructed, but the end result is tight as hell!
But as the third entry to our list of female(one unspecified!) serial killers(one allegedly!), it loses to Manuel/Manuela for top pick. But make no mistake, it's in the top 5.
Funny Vamp: Matou Shinji/Count Manfred by zikari8
We all know Shinji. Shinji is a piece of human garbage. While this servant is technically not Shinji, he still technically kind of is, and having Shinji in existential agony over his actions is all I've ever wanted for him. And to die a thousand times in the most painful ways I can think of. A+
Alter Ego: Simoun by Nuclear Consencus
I don't normally read other's feedback on a piece of writing (sheets in this instance) before giving my own, but I happened to see a few on this one and have to agree: I think we've seen this one done already. Again, technically sound sheet, but the background section simply leaves me thinking about Count of Monte Cristo. While I do like alter-egos in how they play with the concept of a servant, this "author avatar" lacks the absolute feverish madness of Alice we've seen in the running. I don't really feel comfortable demanding anything from creators, but I feel like this servant needs something "special" to make them truly stand out in a crowd.
Ruler: Mary Somerville by Daneel Rush
One of the most intriguing things about this particular contest was the emergence of the varied relationships between contemporary figures! But on to the sheet!
I like stories, the little skit at the beginning is pretty much all I need to start drooling. And it didn't disappoint! I've always liked the idea of polymath... ism? Polymathics? Whatever, I've always respected the thirst for varied kinds of knowledge in order to make use of the world in a more comprehensive scale. This servant scratches me in very delicate spots in that way, and I can't help but to immediately identify. Don't take me the wrong way though: I'm hardly as smart or knowledgeable, but I wish I could be!
Very close in concept to Bell and Lovelace, this servant also takes their brand of science and follows it to the absolute logical extreme, and I really dig the execution of it. While she can only shadow the genius of others that push the boundaries, she is the one who can bind it all together, truly fitting the Ruler class who is beyond the game. The personality painted by the skit and the extensive biography section allude to a character devoid of the tropey writing some of the worst Type-Moon servants suffer from, and truly make her stand out as her own person. So even if that personality is kind of a jerk, that jerkiness makes her better as a character!
The old saying goes: Being a jack of all trades makes you master of none, but also makes you a Ruler Class servant!
Berserker: Serizawa Kamo by Urlmash
Here is an archetypal Dragon! No, not the creature, the trope! A cruel, xenophobic and deadly swordsman is everything you need in a penultimate boss, and this servant delivers in spades. While I don't feel it's that complex, I also get that it's not supposed to be. However, there are enough facets to his personality to make him an interesting foe, able to avoid the most common clichés.
Sorry, I don't have much more to say. Sometimes all you need is a competent and evil antagonist and this one hits all the marks. However, we've already established that something more novel is needed for my personal top rankings, so this one has to sit out the points!
Originally Posted by Spartacus
Both Tsubame Gaeshi and Mumyou Sandanzuki are treated as skills in everything but F/GO. These two are the closest phenomena to Liston Style: Instant Immaculate Incision in canon which is why I went down the same route. Even No Second Strike is described as "not a real noble phantasm." This is the same reason why he doesn't have an NP. Like Okita Souji and Sasaki Kojirou, his technique, the most famous thing about him, isn't allowed to be an NP (again, in everything except for F/GO). As a rather charismatic fellow (and someone as crazy as Florence Nightingale), I saw it justified for him to get a handout allowing him to at least have a fighting chance.
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