[Hemisphere]

Originally Posted by Question

Spoiler:

What was with archer's usage of unlimited blade works in the anime? All he did in it was pick up some swords and stab berserker with it. I thought the main usage of UBW was to make imaging/tracing a whole ton easier, so why didnt archer trace/image some A++ noble phantasms to use?

Not only does it make it easier for him to Trace swords after Imaging them (hint they're the same cough), but the vast amounts of swords present within UBW itself makes it easier for Archer to pick up and use them on the get go.

Unlike Gate of Babylon, Archer, after having Traced a weapon, instantly becomes proficient with it because he also traces the memories that the weapon's owner had, making him an instant master. Which is why it's more beneficial to him to wield the weapons he creates in combat rather than chuck them as Gil does with his GoB.

Berserker can't be killed twice by the same attack, by the way. And reproducing A++ Noble Phantasms will make them go down one grade, to B++ - and it would be exhausting mana wise, since Rin is far from Archer to provide mana support.

Here's how Archer kicked Berserker's ass in the game. Unlike the anime, the game only presented what happened after Archer held back Berserker.

Spoiler:

"And the battle between the two ended.
The battle of annhilation where they killed each other to the limit ended with the defeat of the Red Knight.
The once gorgeous hallway of the mansion has dramaticatlly changed.
The floor has been cracked into thousand pieces.
Countless holes were driven into the walls.
The staircase has fallen and the crushed marble stones became dusts in the wind.
This space has been destroyed throughoutly, and has no resemblance of what it was.
Then time must have been tilted as well.
The dreadful marks of destruction won't even give one a chance to recall how it was just 2 hours ago.

'-------------------'
In the center of the ruin, there was a figure well fit to this scene.
Over 2 meters tall, it looks as if it's a statue carved out of a stone.
There was no need to explain.
It was Illyasviel's Servant, Berserker.

The giant didn't move.
His body was all red, and there were holes all over the place.
There wasn't even a location on the body without a scar.

1. Both legs were almost melted.
2. There's a clear mark that the head has been previously sliced off.
3. The arm is barely attached to the elbow.
4. The shoulder has been penetrated all the way to the crotch.
5. A chunk of blood is dripping down from the chest.
6. The organs in the stomach can be seen.
Berserker was immobile.
It was no surprise.
No matter how you look at it, it was a dead body.

The battle itself was actually over in half an hour.
However, the uexpected result made Berserker's master forget what she was doing.
She needed to go after her prey right away, but she couldn't take her eye off this devastating scene.

Ilya: '------I can't believe it, who was he?"
She said that annoyingly.
The battle that took place here was nothing but a humilation for the girl.

Her Servant was the strongest.
Being one of the most famous heroic spirit, there could probably only be one or two heroes who could stand against Hercules.
But an unknown archer defeated him.
The red knight fought Berserker equally, and in reality, killed the undefeated Berseker.

----This was unallowable.
For the girl, it was like a bug on the road striking her heart.
The girl's pride couldn't allow that an opponent who she's suppose to crush and show pity has driven them to a corner.

'This makes me angry!
To be defeated 6 times by that guy. You weren't going easy on him, were you, Berserker!'
'-----------'
The stone statue would not answer.
Perhaps it doesn't have the luxury to do so or find no reason to.
Berserker just quietly concentrates on healing his body.

Even for him, this battle was unbelievable.
His "Noble Phantasm" nullifies any kind of attacks.
Only an exceptional first rate attack can touch his body.
Therefore it was rare for him to even get a scar.
In reality, there was noone in the age of mythology that hurted him.

Even then, 6 times.
Archer inflicted such fatal damage as much as 6 times.
It goes without saying that all 6 were different methods.
Because even the strongest attacks, can not be used twice against Berseker.

If you say it was not normal, that itself was not normal.
If he had so many different abilities, then it would have been easy to identify which hero he was.
However, they couldn't figure out who Archer was even after destroying his body.
That contradicting nature as a Servant must have been the most unbelievable thing about him."

Again, this is from Beast's Lair.