If you think you can prove (facts only, no opinions please) that buzzsaws aren't the most powerful magic using facts, then go for it.
If you want to use your experience instead, then once you beat the game with all 31 characters, play on insane mode with all of them at least until you pass thieve's forest, and beat insane mode with 14 characters (and counting) then you can consider your experience equal to mine. In fact, to cut you some slack, just at least UNLOCK all 31 characters if you wanna debate me.
Here's everything I'd say regarding sawblades.
- Buzzsaws are the only splash attack besides Alien's laser that has full range from level 1.
- Buzzsaws stay out longer than normal for better crowd control and strategic use as a trap.
- Buzzsaws spawn behind you and above/below you which provides protection while casting.
Buzzsaws completely ignore all terrain including pits, slopes, walls, and the line in the volleyball game. This is another feature unique to them.
This is the most powerful spell for defeating enemies that aren't knocked over, due to the number of hits. This makes characters using this spell able to defeat ground-based bosses in mere seconds. Even taking enemies that are knocked over into consideration, the spell is still overpowered because of the incredible crowd control capabilities.
When at max potential, this attack does approximately 2.9x more damage to any enemy that receives chain damage than the next most powerful splash attack, but at the same time it yields four times as much XP per cast of magic, making it the most effective form of magic for XP farming Catfish/Painter.
Math has alwasy been one of my secret weapons so...
The buzzsaw splash magic does 28 damage per hit max, with a max of 28 hits. That's 784 damage per cast. At max you do about 15 casts per mana bar, which makes about 11,760 damage per mana bar. To put that into perspective, then next most powerful splash attack is the standard 7-hits per cast, which is 38 damage per hit max, making it deal 266 damage per cast. 3,990 damage per mana bar. In terms of XP, normal splash magic gets 7-hits per cast, so 7*5 = 105 XP per mana bar, and buzzsaws would be 28*15 = 420 XP per mana bar. However, the Buzzsaws do less damage per hit making them more economical, even though overall you still do more damage: 11760/3990 ~ 2.95.
Compared to Red Knight? Let's assume that Red Knight gets 4-hits per second, and holds his magic down for 15 seconds. (That's actually more hits per second and more time than he actually holds it for, but I'll leave it how it is so I don't disgrace him too badly.) Red Knight's splash magic at max would be 75*0.33 (Fencer would be 75*0.4) so that's about 25 damage for Red Knight per hit. 25*4 = 100, and then 100*15 = 1500. Seriously? Red Knight only does 1,500 damage? That's not even half of what normal characters do! Other characters do 2.66x more damage. That's more than twice as powerful... and Fencer does 7.84x more damage?!? This is why Red Knight will never be considered good, at least as far as boss slaying is concerned. If only Fencer didn't have better crowd control, then Red Knight might have at least one thing better than Fencer.
I'm looking forward to many death threats and hate comments below! :D Hit me with your best shot, m8.