Taro Oja

Taro Oja
Rice	250
Water	250
Yin	1
Melee	Magic
Missile/Ranged	None
Strengths	Fire (-75%), Magic (-75%), Piercing (-50%), Explosive (-50%)
Weaknesses	Cutting (+25%), Blunt (+25%)
Passive	Jumping: Taro gains height advantage when performing his spinning slash. Spell Edge: Taro's sword does magic damage instead of cutting and his attack damage is neither reduced nor increased by height (dis-)advantage.

You will address me by my proper title! I am Prince Taro, heir to the Serpent Throne!

— Taro Oja

Taro is a Zen Master of the Serpent Clan, available in the Winter of the Wolf expansion pack for Battle Realms.

Background

The pompous and pretentious Taro is none other than Kenji's older brother, and the heir to the Serpent Throne. Tales of his swordsmanship are widespread among the Serpent Clan, but Kenji knows the truth; he knows that Taro is little more than a cowardly fool who uses his rudimentary knowledge of the arcane arts to give himself and his magically imbued blade an unfair advantage in the field of battle.

Taro carries a powerful sword enchanted with magical properties that increases the blade's potency. This trickery gives him a sense of confidence that allows him to hold his own against other, more experienced fighters.

Usage

Taro is very weak in any combat as his weakness to cutting and blunt weapons shows. Even with his supposed resistances to Fire and Magic, he can still receive heavy amount of damage.

Quite fitting as a leader figure, he is best used as a support attack unit, letting strong units like the Bandit or the Ronin take the melee damage while Taro heavily damages enemy units weak to magic using his sword. He can be quite useful to a Lotus ally as his Insidious Hex ability can lower the magic resistance of all enemy units and can make tasty prey for an Unclean force or Master Warlocks with Soul Thresher.

The most common usage of Taro is the alliance with Utara ("Utaro" given by the players.). Taro's BG + Utara's BG can do enormous instant damage.

Battle Gear

	Insidious Hex	Stamina: 40%
As if his magical blade didn't give him a large enough unfair advantage, Taro can cast an Insidious Hex, which makes all enemies around him vulnerable to magic attacks, especially the sting of his sword.

Trivia

• The Sino-Japanese Taro (太郎) is either a stand-alone name or suffix meaning "eldest son."
• When Taro hexes his opponents, several Chinese characters "龍" (ironically meaning "Dragon") whirl around him.
• Taro is encountered only in the Battle Realms expansion, Winter of the Wolf. In the original Battle Realms, he has been dead for several years; according to the lore of Battle Realms, he was an incompetent ruler and died an inglorious death after falling from his horse and splitting his head open on a rock. In Grayback's Journey, he falsely accuses the Wolf of the strong blizzard that happened on the land (although this was Yvaine's power), so Grayback makes a deal with the former that if Grayback defeats the Lotus, then Taro will spare them, otherwise Grayback will tell Taro that he defeats the Wolf Clan if the latter was chosen.
• During flashbacks in both Dragon and Serpent paths of Kenji's Journey, Taro discusses with Kenji the enslavement of the Wolf Clan, and how the Oja are the only family fit to be lords of the land.
• Insidiously Hexed units shall have orange skulls hovering on their head.
• Taro is the only jumping attacker whose height-derived advantage is nullified by his weapon's nature. Conversely, he does not deal reduced damage to enemies mounted or on higher footing.
• When Taro mentioned that his brother was as quick-witted as Grayback, the latter says that with his (Kenji) wits, he can outlive Taro. Ironically, this was the fate that Taro received after Winter of the Wolf as in the Battle Realms, Taro was dead and Kenji was still living.
• Taro has 525 HP.
• Utara commented on Taro's decision to allow the Wolf clan to pass through, "I think he's more a woman than I am". Budo also pointed out that he seems to take a liking towards his enforcers and that it could mean an implication.

Gallery

Taro Concept Art

Quotes (Move)

• "Hmph...Fine!"
• "Must I?"
• "I deserve better!"
• "Hmph.."

Quotes (Attack)

• "To hell with these dogs!"
• "Into the FRAY!"
• "The Prince attacks!"
• "The hunt is on!"
• "The Oja fear nothing!"
• "Glorious!"

Quotes (When engaging in melee combat)

• "You vexed me, WORM!"
• "Bow before me!"

Quotes (Kills)

• "(Arrogant laughter)"
• "That's how royalty fights!" "(Arrogant laughter)"
• "At least they die well!" "(Maniacal laughter)"
• "I just had these robes washed!"

Quotes (Heal)

• "Talented and beautiful!"