Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

The Esper symbol has been explained, but I noticed one that is slightly different on the monsters in PSII. The Fiend, Caped Ones, and Wizards all have a white symbol that is somewhat similar, but not the same as the Esper symbol that appears so beautifully next to all message topics here. The Xe-A-Thoul symbol is the same in PSIV as their PSII predecessors.

Here are the screenshots of these vile beasties:

PSII
Caped One: http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... pedone.jpg
Fiend: http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... /fiend.jpg
Wizard: http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... wizard.jpg

PSIV
Xe-A-Thoul: http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... -thoul.jpg
De-Elm-Lars: http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... m-lars.jpg
Gi-Le-Farg: http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... e-farg.jpg
Le-Faw-Gan: http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... aw-gan.jpg

Anyone see these anywhere else? It's got me wondering!

And speaking of other symbols; Juza and the enemy Radhin have a unique one too:
Radhin: http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... radhin.jpg
Juza: http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... s/juza.jpg

In PSIII, the Xe-A-Thoul family also appeared, though all the names aren't the same. They still have the same symbol on their robes, though.

http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... njurer.gif
http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... rcerer.gif
http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... wizard.gif

Perhaps Dark Force has a symbol of its own, and these represent that? (I see these enemies as associated with DF, though it may not be the case)

I figured Juza's symbol would be a mark of Zio's cult. There's a vaguely similar wall decoration in Zio's Fort. Radhin I don't know about... I think that enemy was on Dezoris, so maybe it's more of a general Dark Force worshipper symbol.

The Wizard family's symbol looks kind of like a horned skull to me. You know, the cliche image of a steer's skull often associated with the old west? Not so much with the PSIII incarnation, but the others resemble the basic shape. The red enemy also appears in the only screenshot I've seen of the prototype PSIV 3D dungeon battle, and has that symbol again there.

As an after thought, I just looked through my Compendium to see if it's in there anywhere. There's one rough sketch of a Wizard type that shows the symbol really nice and clearly (plus the prototype battle, too). I'll have to try to scan that sometime. It's right at the edge of the page, so it should scan really well.

Tsunami wrote:In PSIII, the Xe-A-Thoul family also appeared, though all the names aren't the same. They still have the same symbol on their robes, though.

I forgot they showed up there too. That's a much better look at them than in PSII. Does anyone know if they showed up in PSO and PSU?

Perhaps Dark Force has a symbol of its own, and these represent that? (I see these enemies as associated with DF, though it may not be the case)

I suppose it's possible, since they are minions of the PD itself.

The Wizard family's symbol looks kind of like a horned skull to me. You know, the cliche image of a steer's skull often associated with the old west? Not so much with the PSIII incarnation, but the others resemble the basic shape. The red enemy also appears in the only screenshot I've seen of the prototype PSIV 3D dungeon battle, and has that symbol again there.

It does look a bit like a horned skull...

As an after thought, I just looked through my Compendium to see if it's in there anywhere. There's one rough sketch of a Wizard type that shows the symbol really nice and clearly (plus the prototype battle, too). I'll have to try to scan that sometime. It's right at the edge of the page, so it should scan really well.

That's interesting! I'd like to see that.

They weren't in PSO as far as I know. That's kind of interesting to think about - both PSI and PSO have Dark Falz and no wizards, while the other games have Dark Force with the wizards. I wonder if that's relevant.

Hm, I just had another thought. I wonder if these guys are in Generation 2? I bet that would have a good representation of the symbol too, if they are.

Thoul wrote:They weren't in PSO as far as I know. That's kind of interesting to think about - both PSI and PSO have Dark Falz and no wizards, while the other games have Dark Force with the wizards. I wonder if that's relevant.

That is interesting. There are some PSI wizards, called Magicians and Sorcerers that have the fleshless bony look of the Thouls, but they have no design on them, nor are they as similar looking. Maybe Falz is a baby DF (like, your fanfic ) and so it only brought weaker Thouls?

http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/sms/ ... gician.gif
http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/sms/ ... rcerer.gif

Oh! Your second comment reminded me of these guys; maybe they're weaker Thouls, the equivalent of the PSI guys?

http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... rcerer.jpg
http://rpg-home.lunar-net.com/psg2-web/ ... seller.png
http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... onmage.jpg
http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... ionist.jpg
http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... onmage.jpg
http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/gene ... iccape.jpg

Hm, I just had another thought. I wonder if these guys are in Generation 2? I bet that would have a good representation of the symbol too, if they are.

They are, though this fellow indicates they have different names:

http://rpg-home.lunar-net.com/psg2-web/ ... mauler.png
http://rpg-home.lunar-net.com/psg2-web/ ... il_sag.png
http://rpg-home.lunar-net.com/psg2-web/ ... finger.png

I would say that second batch is definitely the match of the PSI wizards. If I remember right, the first one is the guy that brings down the shuttle in PSIV. In the cutscenes for that, he looks just like them, with the bony chest thing and all. And, to further strength the PSO/Falz theory, he's a Chaos Sorcerer. There's an enemy with that name in PSO. It doesn't share the appearance, but he is a wizard with a staff and cape.

So... maybe the strength of the servants depends on the strength of the master. If DF is in a proto-form, like the Falz or PSIV's Prophallus, then the wizards aren't as powerful. But as the DF grows into a Force, the wizards become stronger and take on a new form. Hmm, interesting. I think both kinds of wizards exist in the Edge, though, so maybe there's some kind of training involved, too.

Thoul wrote:I would say that second batch is definitely the match of the PSI wizards. If I remember right, the first one is the guy that brings down the shuttle in PSIV. In the cutscenes for that, he looks just like them, with the bony chest thing and all. And, to further strength the PSO/Falz theory, he's a Chaos Sorcerer. There's an enemy with that name in PSO. It doesn't share the appearance, but he is a wizard with a staff and cape.

Yeah, that's the guy that brought down the shuttle. I'd forgotten about the up-close sequence there. It certainly does look like a PSI type.

So... maybe the strength of the servants depends on the strength of the master. If DF is in a proto-form, like the Falz or PSIV's Prophallus, then the wizards aren't as powerful. But as the DF grows into a Force, the wizards become stronger and take on a new form. Hmm, interesting. I think both kinds of wizards exist in the Edge, though, so maybe there's some kind of training involved, too.

It would make sense that different forces of evil could summon up different powered servants. I think you're right about the Edge, as I definitely at least remember the Chaos Sorcerer group being present there. There's also Prophallus there that looks just like a Falz. Perhaps I'll explore this more in my fan game. Though, I must say that it's your fanfic that brought this issue to my mind.

Here is the sketch from the Compendium that I mentioned before. This was on the same page as Neifirst and some of the other PSII generic monsters.
http://www.psalgo.com/images/scans/compend_fiend.jpg

With any luck, I may be able to get a better and larger screenshot, compared the ones already out there, of it from Generation 2 sometime as well. I haven't played it much beyond the first ten minutes, so that will be a while.