Post by Memphis on Nov 6, 2007 23:53:04 GMT -5
Unlike the shinigami, who use a sword as their primary weapon, the Quincy's weapon of choice is a bow. It is constructed from spiritual particles drawn from their surroundings, also unlike the shinigami, who rely on their own innate spiritual energy. (As a reflection of this, Quincies have white spirit threads like normal humans, while shinigami have red spirit threads.) Flashbacks in the anime show earlier Quincy using longbows or crossbows and firing spiritual arrows from them. Quincy bows are summoned using an artifact called a Quincy Cross. The only limit to a Quincy's ability to create and fire arrows is their own stamina and ability to absorb ambient spirit particles. Quincy also have various tools and battle aides that can increase their power or serve as secondary weapons.
Another contrast between the shinigami and the Quincy are their methods. While shinigami purify hollows, thus preserving the balance of souls between the two worlds, the Quincy destroy hollows, former soul and all. In doing so, the balance between the worlds is slowly tipped towards one side, endangering both worlds. This danger led to a Quincy-shinigami war, which ended in victory for the shinigami and the deaths of many Quincy. The Quincy line was closely monitored over the decades, as their numbers continued to dwindle. Later Quincy advanced the idea that since they were already among the living and still more numerous at the time, they could act as "first responders" to hollow attacks, protecting humans until the less-numerous shinigami could send a representative to finish the hollow off. Embittered by the recent war, the shinigami refused to participate, opting instead to allocate their limited resources to reacting to the most dangerous hollows and current hollow attacks.
Combat
Unlike shinigami, who use their inner spiritual power to fight, the Quincy fuel their abilities by absorbing the spiritual energy of their surroundings. They primarily absorb spiritual energy from the atmosphere, and have an easier time collecting this energy in environments with higher concentrations of spiritual particles, such asSoul Society or Hueco Mundo . To a sufficiently powerful Quincy, there is no difference between spiritual particles and spiritual energy as a source of power. The Quincy can also use the energy they gather, or use silver tubes filled with spiritual energy (gintō), to perform various offensive, support, and defensive techniques similar to the shinigami kidō. A Quincy's power can be significantly enhanced using the sanrei glove. A Quincy needs to complete a week of intense training in order to be able to use the glove. The glove operates by repelling spirit particles, making it far more difficult for the Quincy to summon their bow. Any Quincy who is able to successfully utilize their powers while wearing the glove can thus reach much higher levels of power. This training is also the basis for the Quincy final form.
A Quincy who wears the sanrei glove may remove it in desperate cases, entering a state known as the Quincy Final Form (Letz Stile (German for "Final Style", Letz Stile)). By removing the artificial repulsion to spiritual energy that the glove placed on them, the Quincy will experience an abrupt increase in power, along with a change in appearance. While in this form, the Quincy will absorb energy from their surroundings at such an alarming rate that they can actually deconstruct spiritual objects. In such a state, the Quincy is able to fight with extreme strength and speed, and can completely overwhelm an average shinigami captain. However, the final form is a double-edged sword, as no human body is capable of handling the immense power the form comes with. After a short period of use, the Quincy's body will forcibly seal itself off from all spiritual power in self-preservation, effectively robbing the Quincy of their abilities. The final form is only used as a last resort because even though it is possible to regain Quincy powers afterwards, the process is exceedingly dangerous. The only way for a Quincy to regain their powers after using the final form is to first exhaust themselves both mentally and physically, then be hit exactly 19 mm to the right of their heart with a spirit arrow. After this, a pentacle-shaped scar will form on the point of impact, and their powers will be restored.
Quincy items
The Quincy possess numerous artifacts and equipment which help them in different ways. Below are the ones that have been shown:
* Hollow bait — This item is a small, coin-shaped disk that attracts hollows when crushed. When used by Uryū, the bait, in combination with Ichigo's powerful spiritual pressure, was able to draw a Gillian-class menos out of Hueco Mundo.
* Quincy bangle (soushingu) — Introduced in the anime's Bount arc, the Quincy Bangle is an artifact designed to mimic a Quincy's natural powers. It works by drawing in spirit particles from the environment, much like a Quincy does regularly. It can only be used properly by those who are already adept at forming and directing spirit particles. When activated, it forms a metal bow on the user's hand and gives them an appropriate Quincy outfit to match. The bangle is an unstable and delicate device, which eventually falls apart with extended use. The bow it creates has a huge drawback in that spirit particles must be gathered and charged to be of any use; doing otherwise greatly weakens the power of the resultant projectiles. The arrows also seem to fire erratically, sometimes curving away from their intended target. Furthermore, if shot at the time when the device is at its maximum power, it could explode, killing the user and destroying anything else nearby. Uryū was able to bypass most of these problems by using the bow to focus his own suppressed powers, rather than relying on it to draw in spirit particles for him.
* Quincy cross (mekkyaku jūji) — Standard equipment for any Quincy, the Quincy Cross acts as the focus for a Quincy bow. The cross need not necessarily be in a cross shape, as Ryūken's cross is a pentacle.
* Sanrei glove (sanrei shutō) — The sanrei glove is a powerful Quincy artifact that can increase a Quincy's power exponentially, but requires difficult and dangerous training (wearing it for a week while constantly firing spiritual arrows) to master. The glove works by scattering the spirit particles in the surrounding area. If a Quincy can summon a bow and hold it for the required amount of time, they will experience a massive increase in power.
* Seele Schneider (German for "soul cutter") — The Seele Schneider is a portable arrow that doubles as a sword in melee combat. It's much longer than a standard arrow and functions something like achainsaw: the spirit particles of its blade vibrate at ultra-high frequencies, loosening the molecular bonds The Seele Schneiders Uryū uses are stolen from a secret storage room under Karakura hospital. between any spirit matter it cuts so that the Quincy user may easily absorb the freed spirit particles .
* Silver tubes (gintō) — Silver tubes are small liquid-filled capsules that store spiritual energy, and are used by Quincy for spellcasting in the same way that shinigami use kido.
* Soul-synthesized silver (reika gin) — Soul-synthesized silver was used by Ryūken Ishida to construct the hidden chamber in which Uryū trains.
* Soul-synthesized glass (reika gurasu) — Like soul-synthesized silver, soul-synthesized glass was used to construct the hidden chamber in the Karakura Hospital.
Forms
Guardian - Beyond the initial level of Quincy there is this level. At this point in a Quincies training their bow and cross change for the first time. Both are similar to the Quincies personality and will reflect that. The form is first unlocked when a Quincy is protecting something they truly care about, pledging to never let that special thing be destroyed.
Black - This level of the Quincy is rare and takes its power from a darker source than the normal Quincy's power. Their bows are black and the bow changes to a devastating shape.
Final - The Final form is the only known level of power exhibited. It gathers spirit particles from the area and concentrates it into the shape of an angel's wing. The outfit of the Quincy changes as well.
Divine - Not much is known about this form as it has only been seen once. The power wielded here is unmatched by any other form. Those reaching this pinnacle are truly blessed with the power of the Gods.
Another contrast between the shinigami and the Quincy are their methods. While shinigami purify hollows, thus preserving the balance of souls between the two worlds, the Quincy destroy hollows, former soul and all. In doing so, the balance between the worlds is slowly tipped towards one side, endangering both worlds. This danger led to a Quincy-shinigami war, which ended in victory for the shinigami and the deaths of many Quincy. The Quincy line was closely monitored over the decades, as their numbers continued to dwindle. Later Quincy advanced the idea that since they were already among the living and still more numerous at the time, they could act as "first responders" to hollow attacks, protecting humans until the less-numerous shinigami could send a representative to finish the hollow off. Embittered by the recent war, the shinigami refused to participate, opting instead to allocate their limited resources to reacting to the most dangerous hollows and current hollow attacks.
Combat
Unlike shinigami, who use their inner spiritual power to fight, the Quincy fuel their abilities by absorbing the spiritual energy of their surroundings. They primarily absorb spiritual energy from the atmosphere, and have an easier time collecting this energy in environments with higher concentrations of spiritual particles, such asSoul Society or Hueco Mundo . To a sufficiently powerful Quincy, there is no difference between spiritual particles and spiritual energy as a source of power. The Quincy can also use the energy they gather, or use silver tubes filled with spiritual energy (gintō), to perform various offensive, support, and defensive techniques similar to the shinigami kidō. A Quincy's power can be significantly enhanced using the sanrei glove. A Quincy needs to complete a week of intense training in order to be able to use the glove. The glove operates by repelling spirit particles, making it far more difficult for the Quincy to summon their bow. Any Quincy who is able to successfully utilize their powers while wearing the glove can thus reach much higher levels of power. This training is also the basis for the Quincy final form.
A Quincy who wears the sanrei glove may remove it in desperate cases, entering a state known as the Quincy Final Form (Letz Stile (German for "Final Style", Letz Stile)). By removing the artificial repulsion to spiritual energy that the glove placed on them, the Quincy will experience an abrupt increase in power, along with a change in appearance. While in this form, the Quincy will absorb energy from their surroundings at such an alarming rate that they can actually deconstruct spiritual objects. In such a state, the Quincy is able to fight with extreme strength and speed, and can completely overwhelm an average shinigami captain. However, the final form is a double-edged sword, as no human body is capable of handling the immense power the form comes with. After a short period of use, the Quincy's body will forcibly seal itself off from all spiritual power in self-preservation, effectively robbing the Quincy of their abilities. The final form is only used as a last resort because even though it is possible to regain Quincy powers afterwards, the process is exceedingly dangerous. The only way for a Quincy to regain their powers after using the final form is to first exhaust themselves both mentally and physically, then be hit exactly 19 mm to the right of their heart with a spirit arrow. After this, a pentacle-shaped scar will form on the point of impact, and their powers will be restored.
Quincy items
The Quincy possess numerous artifacts and equipment which help them in different ways. Below are the ones that have been shown:
* Hollow bait — This item is a small, coin-shaped disk that attracts hollows when crushed. When used by Uryū, the bait, in combination with Ichigo's powerful spiritual pressure, was able to draw a Gillian-class menos out of Hueco Mundo.
* Quincy bangle (soushingu) — Introduced in the anime's Bount arc, the Quincy Bangle is an artifact designed to mimic a Quincy's natural powers. It works by drawing in spirit particles from the environment, much like a Quincy does regularly. It can only be used properly by those who are already adept at forming and directing spirit particles. When activated, it forms a metal bow on the user's hand and gives them an appropriate Quincy outfit to match. The bangle is an unstable and delicate device, which eventually falls apart with extended use. The bow it creates has a huge drawback in that spirit particles must be gathered and charged to be of any use; doing otherwise greatly weakens the power of the resultant projectiles. The arrows also seem to fire erratically, sometimes curving away from their intended target. Furthermore, if shot at the time when the device is at its maximum power, it could explode, killing the user and destroying anything else nearby. Uryū was able to bypass most of these problems by using the bow to focus his own suppressed powers, rather than relying on it to draw in spirit particles for him.
* Quincy cross (mekkyaku jūji) — Standard equipment for any Quincy, the Quincy Cross acts as the focus for a Quincy bow. The cross need not necessarily be in a cross shape, as Ryūken's cross is a pentacle.
* Sanrei glove (sanrei shutō) — The sanrei glove is a powerful Quincy artifact that can increase a Quincy's power exponentially, but requires difficult and dangerous training (wearing it for a week while constantly firing spiritual arrows) to master. The glove works by scattering the spirit particles in the surrounding area. If a Quincy can summon a bow and hold it for the required amount of time, they will experience a massive increase in power.
* Seele Schneider (German for "soul cutter") — The Seele Schneider is a portable arrow that doubles as a sword in melee combat. It's much longer than a standard arrow and functions something like achainsaw: the spirit particles of its blade vibrate at ultra-high frequencies, loosening the molecular bonds The Seele Schneiders Uryū uses are stolen from a secret storage room under Karakura hospital. between any spirit matter it cuts so that the Quincy user may easily absorb the freed spirit particles .
* Silver tubes (gintō) — Silver tubes are small liquid-filled capsules that store spiritual energy, and are used by Quincy for spellcasting in the same way that shinigami use kido.
* Soul-synthesized silver (reika gin) — Soul-synthesized silver was used by Ryūken Ishida to construct the hidden chamber in which Uryū trains.
* Soul-synthesized glass (reika gurasu) — Like soul-synthesized silver, soul-synthesized glass was used to construct the hidden chamber in the Karakura Hospital.
Forms
Guardian - Beyond the initial level of Quincy there is this level. At this point in a Quincies training their bow and cross change for the first time. Both are similar to the Quincies personality and will reflect that. The form is first unlocked when a Quincy is protecting something they truly care about, pledging to never let that special thing be destroyed.
Black - This level of the Quincy is rare and takes its power from a darker source than the normal Quincy's power. Their bows are black and the bow changes to a devastating shape.
Final - The Final form is the only known level of power exhibited. It gathers spirit particles from the area and concentrates it into the shape of an angel's wing. The outfit of the Quincy changes as well.
Divine - Not much is known about this form as it has only been seen once. The power wielded here is unmatched by any other form. Those reaching this pinnacle are truly blessed with the power of the Gods.