When it comes to taking down big bosses, there’s a certain satisfaction when they’re in positions of authority. A common trope in RPG games is powerful authoritarian figures whose influence can be felt during your adventure. Bravely Default II has a number of characters who fit the bill in various ways.
Some of these figures will be helpful, others indifferent, and a few you’ll have to face in combat. One of them in the last category is someone named Martha Lancer. You’ll need to defeat her in order to continue the story and gain access to the Dragoon job.
Who is Martha Lancer?
Marth Lancer is an important figure in the city of Rimedahl, having been trusted to protect the Serpent’s Grotto where Gwydion the Lord of the Dragons resides. She is a master Dragoon who cares for the little dragon Gwilym and occasionally aids the party. You’ll get the chance to fight her in Chapter 3 when seeking an audience with Gwydion.
Martha In Battle
Although the context of this battle is a sparring match, Martha will go all out against you in order to test your strength. She fights the whole party on her own by using agility and strong physical attacks.
- Jump: Like a true Dragoon, Martha leaps into the air and becomes immune to attacks. She comes down on her next turn, dealing damage to one of your party members.
- Sonic Thrust: A strong weapon attack that hits the whole party.
- Thunder Thrust: A Lightning elemental attack that hits one party member.
- Spirit Surge: A dynamic attack that deals damage to a party member’s HP and MP before absorbing it into herself.
- Angon: A piercing attack that hits one party member while ignoring their Defense stat.
Fighting Martha
- A majority of Martha’s attacks are physical, which limits her damage output. As long as you equip your party with good armor and use defense-boosting skills, you’ll be able to reduce their effectiveness. She has a Lightning elemental attack so you can raise your resistance to prep for it.
- Since Martha is a human character, she has quite a number of combat weaknesses you can capitalize on. She’s vulnerable to Dark and Fire elemental attacks but takes reduced damage from Wind and Lightning. She also takes additional damage from Dagger and Bow weapons.
- Speed is definitely the name of the game for this fight and it’s the one that Martha relies on the most. As such, it’s a good idea to use skills that can lower her Speed stat or raise that of your party. Additionally, you can include some fast characters in your party.
- Martha has no counters or special guards against physical or magical damage so you’re free to use your strongest attacks. Since her damage output isn’t super high, you can have a balance between light and heavy jobs. Some of the heavier tanking jobs are Shieldmaster, Beastmaster, and Vanguard while faster hard-hitting jobs include Thief, Freelancer, and Gambler. If you’re set on having a support role in your party then a White Mage will be very effective in keeping everyone healthy.