LogFAQs > #946133868

Looking ahead to next year's class (assuming no change is made to the boots due to BD's inevitable remvoval), here are my predictions:

76. Seifer Almasy
77. Gaius van Baelsar
78. Larsa Ferrinas Solidor
79. Terra Branford
80. Sephiroth
81. Reno
82. Laguna Loire
83. Edward Chris von Muir
84. Vincent Valentine
85. Cidolfus Orlandeau

Of this year's soft boot class, I'm predicting returns by:

Vincent: Presumably Koala plays more next year. Vincent is a mainline character from one of the most popular games. He's not in the remake obviously and had nothing to gain from it this year, but I have a hard time believing he doesn't return. I'm assuming his main backer is playing next year and you really only need one truly devoted fan to make it through nominations.

Laguna: A widely popular character, probably 8's most reliably strong performer next to Squall. Should have no trouble.

Sephiroth: The "year of Sephy" will surely be upon us for the umpteenth time. It isn't SMFFFC is Sephiroth isn't around to fail spectacularly in some manner.

Terra: Probably the most polarizing character in the entire contest but certainly will be pushed back in by the remaining VI faithful. She is the defacto main character of the game, a member of the ECC and has still never won. There will always be people interested in her no matter what her history in this contest looks like. I have to wonder if she wasn't raytan's favorite would her reputation be what it is here.

Reno: LOL

I think the rest might get forgotten. Edward was probably a one and done sort of character and he was never going to do very well this year, and being soft booted was like the worst case scenario for him. He was absent for a very long time before this for a good reason. I could be wrong and perhaps his run did create some sort of longevity for him in SMFFFC, but I'm banking on people moving on to new things. In Seifer's case I really hope if he does get pushed in again that someone decides to main him. His contest history is truly pitiful and for a character that ranks somewhere on the edge of my top 25 I hate to see him suffer. I'd rather just not see him at all. Characters like Larsa, Gaius and Orlandu are really up to the whims of people. In Gaius' case I could see him returning because the person I associate with him should be free to use all his nominations on him, but I'm not 100% convinced he will, and if he doesn't there's really no chance of him returning. I don't think the general XIV crowd cares much about him.

So that's 5 I'm predicting return for now... the other 23:

1. Selphie (Redemption project vehicle. Early prediction from me is a top 10 appearance)
2. Yuna (Redemption project vehicle. Another top 10 contender, I predict.)
3. Balthier (Probably. Though he's never supported by anyone, he's too generally popular)
4. Noctis (I'm not sure if XV will ever do anything here, but another year will go by so people can play the game)
5. Wakka (I really don't want to see it because of the chances he gets booted, but Wakka has some fans out there.)
6. Shuyin (I personally guarantee this one is a "shoe-in")
7. Fran
8. Hope

Beyond that I really can't make a good guess. There's always some random push I don't foresee usually. I imagine the FFXIV crowd might push another one or two in here, depending if they forget Gaius or not. XV could always have an entrant or two more but that didn't happen this year so I'm not sure how sound of a prediction that is, so I won't make it. I'm just confident with seeing these 13 next year.
---

:>
Truly smilin'