[Kha]

Originally Posted by An Hero in Disguise

That pretty much sums up everything and I agree with the analysis. Aether Threads can indeed be overpowered (I mean something may overpower them ) under certain circumstances (like by Nanoha's bayonet attack) - that's why there're other moves except them available Fast-casting attacks with large area of effect are also hard to manipulate - solely defending against them is a much more probable course of actions. And yes, in case the opponent doesn't plan his/her actions in advance Serge loses one of his biggest advantages, though he retains some limited knowledge of the incoming spells' effects due to the changes in the flow of magic particles taking place beforehand (overall he doesn't read opponent's mind but foresees the effect of the spell, which is easier to do if the opponent concentrates on the desired effect consciously).

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I've remembered that Hikki's time h4xx is considered a counterattack. Now it makes me wonder how that'll work out

For Kha, I wonder if it'll be too h4xx to say that AO has no control over divine aether threads? Case in point: From WoW, a major inspiration for Kha's Holy Velka skills, Holy damage is normally low, but there's no +Resistance stat for it. A mortal can't stop the hand of God so to speak. This makes Kha's shields, buffs and siegels immune to Flow Manipulation, and how his barrier-piercing attacks are very effective. As it is, half of the Siegels' Urteil ignore protection.

Which brings us to the nerfing point: low DPS. As decreed by the God Empress, no man shalt hurt thy brother unless judged guilty. Most of Kha's divine damage is dealt in magic damage non-lethal to humans, so while he can bust armor, rip protection and tear through machines and aliens just like the other Aces, comparatively little does permanent damage to the flesh. He could knock people out pretty quickly, so his usual method of approach is to reversibly maim/disable then impose the full "Confession" bind while they're down to be arrested.

Only a charged Leutendes Licht burns through flesh in one shot, but like Spearengriff, the charged variation is more of a sniping attack.

Which is why Schneiderform is h4xx. I believe it is time to reveal this vile trump:

Spoiler for Schneiderform Knight Armor:

Schneiderform - This Knight Armor not only removes that last weakness of Holy damage, it reinforces Kha's attacks and inverts the rest of Kha's support spells. Blessings become Curses, Heals, be it point or AOE, rend flesh instead, Siegels hurt twice as much and the full Confession bind becomes something like an industrial grade Force Strangle meant to turn people into pulp.

In the original doctrine of the Cleric-knights, the God Empress's will is all that is needed to turn the non-lethal magic to lethal magic. However, we know that that's not possible in this modern day. And so Kha and Sophia figured out a very dangerous way of circumventing this problem.

Drawing from the forbidden manuscripts of the dark clergy of the High Temple, recovered from the Infinite Library while Yuuno was researching a way to deal with Dio in AlternateS, this is achieved by augmenting Kha's divine mana, granted by the Naaru, with Velka Chaos magic, derived from the Quera, thus giving Kha the insane ability to wield the twin forces of divinity at once, and smite his foes with absolute death and decay.

However, this form requires another person to activate. Sophia has to summon a mana bridge like the one that connects Kha to the Naaru and maintain it, thus granting Kha the additional armor. This influx of shadow mana runs the risk of the driving him, or the channeler, crazy and going on a rampage like Keroko if Neltharion's powers run amok.

Secondly, there's also a theoretical time limit to Kha being in this form. Using WoW and 40K terminology again, powerful demons like the Eredar and Chaos daemons can sense this mana drain and try to break into the material realm through the bridge, while filter barriers can only hold for so long.

Due to the risks involved, and by the degree that it overtly insults his ideals, Kha is practically sworn off Schneiderform. If only the God Empress could be found...

Note that AO has control over this black mana, so Schneiderform would be countered by Flow Manipulation.

Also, Kha can see the threads being manipulated, due to his Whispers, but cannot interfere. Only Sakura and Sakura Zaki, being emissary-designates of the divine, can fully counter the thread manipulation blow for blow by using divine wil to revoke the order imposed onto the threads, but it'll be a battle of wills between her/her and AO in this case.

How intense; Kha VS Serge would be a battle at every level, from mages, right down their Devices. In these type of anime fights, nothing around the combatants ever survive in one piece.

EDIT:

@Lowe: WTF...? Midchilda Chaos Magic?! Are we reading each others minds again?!