Board Thread:Off Topic/@comment-14302856-20131005224013/@comment-65.33.123.49-20141029054650

In terms of combat, the two of them both use similar a scythe, however that is as far as they go in terms of similarity. Both are fragile in that they are smaller and weaker physically than their counterparts, making a 'power fight' completely pointless since a single unblocked strike from either would mean a victory (even with Aura). Thus, it becomes a battle of 'skill & weapon' 'speed' 'experience' and 'style'. However, if 'power' was an issue, power goes to Maka. Though it's irrelevant.

Not to ruin the order, but in terms of -style- Maka has a very straight forward style of using her scythe as a scythe in sweeping attacks meant to take a target apart in a single swing while blocking or dodging attacks. Whenever she came across an opponent that didn't work against in the series, she would just find a way to overpower them with soul resonance or plot armor would kick in. Ruby on the other hand has a fighting style that consists of the gun for range, the 'in the ground' firing (trailer), and even her attack style is based on something completely different because of the unique propulsion system she uses.

Style goes to Ruby.---

Next comes speed. I mentioned style first because it's a factor. To those who are fans of the Ruby series, you've seen the girl move fast, blindingly so, so you would assume this goes to Ruby, however that is both correct and wrong. Ruby's style is in fact faster, moving at speeds that can surpass human vision to keep up at time, and slice armies of monsters (first trailer) to pieces in a matter of moments. Maka is able to fight at speeds that surpass Ruby's in fact, as shown in their first fight against Jack where she seemed to effortlessly fight off the madman. 'Now hold on, that wasn't faster', you're right. However, in terms of raw speed -without aid- Maka is faster by a noticable degree, being able to spin Soul fast enough for him to hover in the air momentarily. With Ruby's fighting style, speed comes from her weapon and she doesn't consistently move at that speed while fighting, requiring stops from time to time. Thus... In terms of speed it is a tie. A. Because they are both crazy fast and B. Because one is consistently above average while the other shifts throughout the fighting.

Speed is tied. (consistency vs wider range)---

Skill and Experience is third and fourth, and is tough. Both were trained by an academy, both trained against actual monsters (one more human than the other, granted), and both use weapons that -are not actual weapons-. The fighting style Maka uses in Soul Eater is actually a style used for halberds and other similar weapons since scythes were not used as weapons, and Ruby's weapon is a creation of fiction. So we have two girls, both small in stature and durability with experience under their belts and using weapons that are hard to guage. However. Ruby's weapon was made to be one, not just as a gun, but as a -gun-scythe, using to recoil to turn what was once a crop harvesting tool into an actual weapon that could cleanly cut through targets, as well as give a mobility edge. Maka is undoubtedly skilled, but a scythe is a scythe. Without that 'burst' or shape altering of soul resonance, witch hunter, djinn hunter, etc... it has a short 'lethality' area and requires more effort to put targets -in- that area, and the skills that -do- alter it's shape require such strain while offering little or no increase in speed that it's essentially a move used on people who think they can take the hit. As for experience, yes they both fought as part of their leaning, however Maka said early on -in the first episode- that they had claimed 99 human souls, and while I don't doubt that some or even half culd have been non-combatants, they did that -twice- in the series on top of killing two witches for their souls (one of which was a non-human witch). And while yes, Ruby can dodge bullet fire from incompetent opponents, Maka has been fighting far longer against much greater opponents.

Skill & Weapon go to Ruby.---

But Experience goes to Maka. (For now. RWBY isn't done.)---

End Result: If it came down to a death battle fight, no holds barred... It would be a close match, however Maka's natural speed and experience are trumped by the range which trumps her melee, unreadable style which surpasses her natural speed, and near teleportation evasive abilities of Ruby. At their 'ultimate' level, Ruby would be moving too fast to strike, while Maka would simply have an unblockable attack and focus that's hard to break. While Maka has more powerful attacks, she herself is fragile (remember, she does not have black blood anymore), and if struck by a weapon meant to cleave, would be incapable of surviving, while wielding a weapon that is -fully capable- of feeling both pain and the dangerous effects of Ruby's blade (which with help was able to cleave a bullet proof creature's head off.)  Even if Maka's weapon was constantly upgrading, Ruby comes from a world where the weapons change in much greater, much more varying ways, and does in fact face magic as well (working with somebody who uses magic in fact.)

Victory: Ruby Rose ---