Artoria Pendragon (Alter)

Note: This material is translated by u/Kinalvinopen in new window

Info

Bio-Data

True Name: Artoria Pendragon
Class: Saber
Source: The Legend of King Arthur
Region: England
Gender: Female
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Height: 154 cm
Weight: 42 kg

Meta

Character Creator: Nasu Kinoko
Character Illustrator: Takeuchi Takashi
Character Voice: Kawasumi Ayako
Appearance in Main Works: Fate/Stay Night

Stats

Parameters	Values
Strength	A
Constitution	A
Agility	D
Magical Power	A++
Luck	C
Noble Phantasm	A++

Class Skills

Magic Resistance: [B]

Nullifies Magecraft spells that were invoked with a chant of three verses or below. It is difficult to damage Artoria Alter who has this rank of Magical Resistance with Magecraft, even if she was targeted by Great Magecrafts, Ritual Spells and the like.

… Because Artoria is being tainted by a Dark Attribute, her Magical Resistance has declined a rank.

Personal Skills

Mana Burst: [A]

Artoria Alter’s colossal Magical Energy covers her body, resulting in a dense fog around her even if she is not being conscious in using her Magical Energy. Due to the after-effects of her Darkened armour and Magical Energy, her defensive power has been remarkably improved. Of course, a large amount of Magical Energy is being constantly consumed for this as well, so as a result, her appetite has been increased to a level greater than when she was her normal self since that is necessary to maintain this ability.

Instinct: [B]

The ability to always “feel” the most suitable development for oneself during combat.

Because Artoria Alter is constantly suppressing her ferocity consciously, her intuitions have grown dull. Speaking of this conversely, it might not be obvious that with Artoria’s state in this condition, she is rather more likely to take action as a person who became distant from being a Hero.

Charisma: [E]

The natural talent to command an army. Increases the abilities of allies during group battles.

One’s leadership ability increases, but the morale of troops decreases to the utmost.

Noble Phantasm(s)

Excalibur Morgan: The Sword of Promised Victory

Rank: A++
Type: Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm
Range: 1~99
Max. Targets: 1000 people

The Sword of Black Auroras. Since Excalibur is an amplifier that converts the owner’s Magical Energy, even the light of the Darkened Saber’s Sacred Sword has similarly become a black colour too. Not only the light’s colour, but the sword’s outward appearance is also somewhat different, and that to the end is another aspect of the same Excalibur. Just like how Vivian and Morgan can coexist as the Fairy of the Lake, it appears that this Sacred Sword has the attributes of both good and evil as well. The black-stained Magical Energy is the primeval Cursed Energy that lurks in the British Islands, and it is the bewitching princess Morgan, Artoria’s older sister, who inherited that from King Uther. The name of this Sacred Sword was Altered because it may not come to light that it is the only connection Artoria has with Morgan, for they could not understand each other up to the very end.

Character

Pronouns

First Person: watashi
Second Person: omae / kisama / ○○ (without honorifics)
Third Person: omaetachi / kisamara / ○○ (without honorifics)

Personality

Having devoted herself to callousness, this is a different side of the Knight King, greatly unlike the time when she was the normal Artoria. She is also called Saber Alter.

While alive, Artoria did not fall onto the path of evil even once, but even doubts and inner conflicts, anger towards oneself, and grief towards the surroundings existed in her. This figure, with the influence of the Holy Grail’s Curse, is someone who had those issues that were hidden inside of her rise to the surface, and those issues caused her “policy” to be inverted.

The Alteration was not only in the inside, but it further extended to Artoria’s outward appearance. The colour of her skin became pale, and the pupil of her eyes that were concealed with a black visor when she was initially summoned has also changed from its original green colour to a golden colour. The armour Artoria wears was dyed jet black, and its power has increased due to it being changed into a heavier attire.

Because the personality section of her original attribute had been inverted, Artoria expresses and displays words and deeds like those of a “tyrant’s”, the exact opposite of her usual personality, but there are no changes in the very goals and ideals that exist within her foundation, and it seems that she still shows a bit of her original self as her feelings towards the people close to her have also been left behind in her, although barely.

It may not be known that perhaps, the “Ideal King” that King Arthur pursued was something of this sort. Artoria regulates and holds back her own power, but this current Artoria exerts her powerful Magical Energy without hesitation.

Furthermore, even her food preferences have also changed, and it is surely possible to say that this is a new identity for Artoria who came into contact with foreign cultures… er, rather, gastronomic cultures when she became a Heroic Spirit, spitting out cooking with courteous, exquisite and abstruse tastes as unappetizing, and binge eating junk food of a massive quantity in a cute and fluffy manner. Concerning her who has a Magic Core that is outside the standard, meals become nothing but fuel supplies to her, and it seems the manner of having food that can be easily eaten is what is most desirable for her.

Attitude Towards Master

Regarding Artoria Alter’s motives on what stirs her up and on what she wants to wish for on the Holy Grail, it is no different than Artoria’s. However, affirming her power to the point of tyranny, Artoria Alter not only responds to the desires of the Master who wishes for a strong Servant because of their objective in doing battle to save the world, but she also responds to do battle for the Master against the more powerful adversaries and the more repulsive enemies, and she decides to train the Master in refining their skills. Her methods differ for sure, but that attitude in intending to understand and guide the Master is certainly Artoria Pendragon’s way of doing things.

In addition, in the world of “Fate/Grand Order”, because her existence as a Servant is separate from Artoria Pendragon’s, this Artoria is no longer being consumed by the Darkening caused by the Holy Grail’s Curse.

Dialogue Examples

“You became strong… Shirou.”
“The proof of a reigning King, you say? Do not make me laugh, Golden One. A thoroughly enforced rule, a freedom that lacks freedom, the calling of a King. It is your glamour that is something superfluous.”
“You, my inner light. Sleep inside of a gentle dream at least.”

Historical Image / Character Image

Historically, while Artoria Alter is the legendary King Arthur in question, it might not be discovered by others that it was probable for her/him to be another figure. Accompanied with her inversion, the Sacred Sword Excalibur is also tainted with the attribute of evil, changing into a jet black sword. Just like how there exists Vivian, who possesses the attribute of good as the Fairy of the Lake, and Morgan, the antithesis to Vivian who possesses the attribute of evil, it seems that Excalibur, the sword Artoria received from the Fairies, also has the likelihood of possessing both attributes of good and evil.

In addition, in one of her “Interludes” in “Fate/Grand Order”, Artoria Alter was commented as “the spitting image of Vortigern, the late vile King” by a certain person (Servant). Vortigern is the elder brother of King Uther – Arthur’s father – and he is a figure who usurped the British throne.

Role within the Game’s Story

Being at the center of Fuyuki City’s Greater Holy Grail in the Prologue “Fuyuki – The Contaminated City in Flames”, Artoria Alter was being guarded by a certain Servant who has a strong connection to her. She appears as a Holy Spirit[1] in “Fate/Grand Order”, and it seems that Artoria was cursed by the Holy Grail in this Prologue.

In her “Interludes”, while she was conducting herself for the sake of training her Master, by being opposed by a Servant who could also be said to be someone born because of the Holy Grail’s Curse similarly like herself, and by being opposed by a Servant who was once called a King similarly like herself, it allowed Artoria Alter to picture her state of being in her mind and reaffirm her own ideal state.

[1] TL Notes: Not sure if this is a typo, but perhaps it should have been Heroic Spirit instead of Holy Spirit.

Artoria Series

“I understand the situation in that I exist as an aspect of Artoria, but whatever the circumstances may be, I think there are way too many sides of me, so I am secretly shocked.”

Heroic Spirits of the Round Table

It need not be said. No matter where, seeing Agravain with his difficult character makes Artoria Alter laugh too much.

Jeanne Alter

An amusing fellow. While wicked, she is not upfront about her feelings, and that nature is said to be truly still Jeanne as she is now; she totally rocks.

“Haha. The thing about that woman is that she is quite responsive.”

Comment from the Illustrator

I was very grateful for this character to come into existence, even though Artoria Alter has few transformation differences. Alter’s visor is one of those differences too. It is a small change, but it has a serious significance behind it. For her Third Stage dress, I am using a clothing article that was designed for the use of VOLKS dolls. In addition, I decided on doing things such as having this dress change into a miniskirt for her Final Ascension illustration. (Takeuchi Takashi)