Lea (CrossCode)

An avatar from the fictional MMO Crossworlds and the protagonist of the cult classic indie RPG CrossCode makes her way into Rivals of Aether. Lea is a Spheromancer with a wide variety of close and long range skills, but also a limited vocabulary.

Her weapon of choice is a virtual chakram, which can be swung and thrown around for deceptive range, giving her a playstyle very reminiscent of a swordie with Strongs that include a two hit FStrong and a three hit UStrong that Smash Bros. fans will recognise. In addition to this she has a gimmick that allows her to change the properties of her moves to give her more damage, knockback, speed or defence. So yes, she is basically Link with Monado Arts.

Hold the special button down to bring up a menu that allows you to switch between your chosen element, release the button to select the chosen element. Neutral is no element, holding down selects Heat, holding up selects Cold, holding left selects Wave and holding right selects Shock. Heat increases the damage that your moves do, Cold reduces the amount of damage that you take, Wave increases the knockback of your moves and Shock gives you faster attacks. You can switch freely between these elements but while you are in an element a flashing yellow gauge will build, shared between all elements. When the gauge is fill you will enter Elemental Overload state and your element will be cancelled. You will be unable to select an element again until the gauge is empty. You can cancel into this move if you successfully hit your opponent with a tilt or aerial.

This move can be aimed in all directions, even on keyboard. Pressing the button will fire a rapid shot and holding the button after that will allow you to rapid fire your shots, which do polite damage and are destroyed by walls. However, if you hold the button down you can set your sights. When the two yellow sights align into a single red one, you can shoot a more powerful shot that bounces off walls and floors.

Lea’s Up Special should be familiar, a spinning attack that remains on the ground if performed there but in the air it will propel her upwards and act as recovery. It doesn’t travel very far however, but you can improve her recovery using certain Elements. Switching to Shock turns the move into Tesla Waltz where she spins significantly faster, is instantly propelled to full height and will float downward allowing for greater horizontal recovery. However if you pick Wave element you get an entirely different recovery.

Lea trades potency for recovery in Wave element meaning that Spiral Dance cannot be empowered with more knockback. Instead you can teleport in one of 8 directions at a distance further than Spin Dance can take you. There is no hitbox on this move so be careful where you teleport.

Lea’s Down Special changes depending on the element selected and requires SP to use. SP automatically charges to 3 over time but can be extended beyond that by hitting the opponent a certain number of times. Level 1 Combat Arts cost 1 SP to use, Level 2 Combat Arts cost 3SP to use and Level 3 Combat Arts cost 6SP to use. Without an element there is no Level 3 Combat Art.

With no element Lea’s DSpecial is Proximity Blast, a weak explosion move with good range all around her and more potent knockback in the centre. It can be charged to Vortex Blast which sucks the opponent into the centre before performin the normal Proximity Blast. However this move isn’t great and you would want to switch it out with something else.

In Heat element Lea’s DSpecial becomes Flame Jab, a fast slash which burns the opponent. At Level 2 this becomes Blazing Dragon which adds a second slash and a spin attack. At Level 3 this becomes Vermillion Echo which is one of the most powerful moves in her kit and sees an upwards spinning slash followed by drawing in fire energy from around her and then punching the ground in a huge volcanic explosion.

In Cold Element this move becomes Brisk Barrier. This move creates an icicle spike on the stage. Charging the move to Icy Bastion creates two icicle spikes and charging the move to Fimbulvetr creates three icicle spikes which all have one extra HP and last longer. These spikes act as walls and have a hitbox on the very top that damages anyone who comes into contact, including Lea herself. If the snowflakes fall below an opponent the ice spikes can damage them as they form. Obviously the ability to create your own walls gives you the option to bounce your projectiles off them. Opponents can attack and destroy your walls.

In Wave Element this move becomes Fae Round, a more powerful projectile with piercing. Charging this move to Level 2 turns in into Elven Orb, which on contact with a wall will immediately rebound back towards Lea and when it hits her she will immediately shoot a second orb which does the same thing. Charging this move turns it into Ether Snipe which has the unique property of increasing its overall damage every time it bounces off a wall or floor but when it hits an opponent it will stop in place and explode for multihit damage. Bounce it off a wall for a real potent move, creating your own walls really helps with this move.

In Shock element this move becomes Thunder Dart, a lightning fast dash that leaves a trail behind Lea which then electrifies for the distance of the dash. Charging this move to Level 2 turns it into Storm Walker where Lea can add an additional two dashes that can be angled up or down but only in the reverse direction from the previous dash. After all three dashes all three lines will electrocute at the same time. Charging to Level 3 turns the move into Lightning Prophecy where Lea will mark two points and then dash between them back and forward at blinding speed, damaging the opponent as she comes into contact with them and ending at the second point.

Lea receives a massive powerup boost from Sergey and will proceed to attack the opponent for huge damage. They will be sent flying into the centre of the stage and Lea will go after them and perform a series of rapid slashes culminating in a powerful and potent finisher.

Other things to note: FStrong is a two hit move and the second hit requires the attack or Strong button to be pressed during a certain timeframe after the first hit, just like Link FSmash in Ultimate. Jab can hit behind in its final hit but isn’t as strong.

Check the forum thread for a list of compatibilities. Lea also has her own feature that activates when getting hit by certain base cast moves and by certain Workshop characters.

Credits:

Character sprite Art, Animation, Design and Coding: Aperson (with some non character sprites used or adapted from CrossCode)
Portrait: FireheadEngine
Miiverse posts: Aperson, Lood
Beta testers: ATalksToSelf, Aether’s Asylum, IceTheHottest, Sly, Eldombomb
This mod uses code originally developed by RuberCuber and DarkDakurai for the element switching and VRP aiming systems respectively.
This mod uses custom AI originally developed by PJ but modified with my own additions.

You are welcome to use these sprites in games like Smash Crusade and Fraymakers provided you credit me and let me know.

CrossCode belongs to Radical Fish Games, this is a fan project

Enjoy the mod

Play CrossCode!