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Vanille
Name: Oerba Dia Vanille
Japanese name: ヲルバ=ダイア・ヴァニラ
Age: 19 (physically), 619 (chronologically)
Occupation: None
Hometown: Oerba
Height: 5'3" (1.61m)
Weapon: Rod
Seiyuu: Yukari Fukui
Voice actor: Georgia van Cuylenburg
Six hundred years ago, Vanille was an orphan in the village of Oerba, on Gran Pulse, and befriended Fang. They were chosen as a l'Cie by the fal'Cie Anima to become the beast Ragnarok and destroy Cocoon. But, fearing this fate, Vanille was unable to do it, and Fang alone became Ragnarok, scarring Cocoon's shell.
The two of them were crystallized before their Focus could be completed. Thirteen days before the start of FFXIII, Vanille and Fang wake from their crystal sleep and find themselves in the Bodhum Vestige in Cocoon. Fang's brand is scorched, and she doesn't remember anything of their Focus, but Vanille's is still active, and she pretends to remember nothing as well. Lost and confused in a world full of unfamiliar technology, they decide to try and find a fal'Cie in order to determine their focus. However, this results in a child becoming a l'Cie, and the two of them are separated.
Vanille ends up back in Bodhum, and meets Serah, who had wandered into the now-open Bodhum Vestige and been branded a l'Cie by Anima. Despite her guilt for what's happened to Serah, Vanille finds new hope in her conversation with Serah, and decides to board a Purge train. She doesn't want to leave Fang behind, but not completing her Focus of destroying the world is far more important. She's come to realize that Cocoon is a peaceful world, not the enemy she had been raised to believe, and she doesn't want to hurt anyone.
But then, of course, she ends up with a fresh group of l'Cie, and with no choice but to spin one lie after another to keep them from finding out who she really is and what she's done, Vanille is trapped behind a smile.
Vanille is one of my favorite characters ever, and I love every bit of her character development. You can expect my thoughts on her in the depth section in the future.
Vanille's name means Vanille of the Dia clan, from the village of Oerba.
Gameplay
Vanille's default roles are Ravager, Saboteur, and Medic. She's excellent in all three roles, and your use of her in your party really just depends on what roles you have available. Her Full ATB Skill, Death, has its uses, especially if you're trying to kill those pesky giant turtles, but even if you don't use it, she's a great Saboteur. You can view her full Crystarium here.
I recommend summoning her Eidolon, Hecatoncheir, at least once just to see the animation. Because it's an experience. Depending on what you use her for (healing or debuffing), the Healer's Staff and the Belladonna Wand are both good bases for her weapon.