Servants and the Holy Grail: An Exploration of Summoning Distance and Strategic Implications

In the realm of Nirsquo;gihaya, the distant Great Grail and the near cup of desire, the exact distance a servant can venture from its Master and the Holy Grail varies depending on the specific rules set within different adaptations. However, a general principle remains consistent: Servants benefit the most and achieve their peak strength when they are close to their Master and the Grail itself.

Strategic Flexibility in Summoning and Operation

The ritual itself does not stipulate that a servant or master must remain within a certain radius of the Holy Grail. Servants have been known to operate effectively far from the Grail. For instance, in Nirsquo;gihaya Zeroshiki, Saber was summoned at the Einzbern headquarters in Germany several weeks before the War started. Similarly, in Fate/Stay Night Resorts: London (FSN), Berserker was summoned in the Einzbern headquarters in London. Additionally, Diarmuid was summoned in London during the Zeroshiki timeline, and Jackie was summoned in Japan in the Apocrypha timeline despite the Greater Grail being in Romania.

Motivations for Proximity to the Grail

While these Servants operated far from the Grail, most masters chose to summon their Servants near the Greater Grail and reside there for the duration of the war. This choice was driven by the heavy toll of maintaining a Servant, which necessitates minimizing travel and other logistical expenses. Alternatively, some masters would scope out the area weeks in advance, as seen with Caster's original master.

Strategic Considerations and Summoning Advantages

Summoning a Servant abroad and then bringing them to Japan later might be a more strategic option. Servants often exhibit greater strength when summoned closer to their areas of origin. A prime example is Saber in Nirsquo;gihaya Zeroshiki, who was significantly more powerful compared to Stay Night (FSN). While this difference might have been partly due to Kiritsugu being a better Magus than Shirou (who is mostly mediocre), a significant portion stemmed from the fact that Saber was summoned closer to her lands of origin, thereby enhancing her baseline fame.

In another scenario, if Bazett had summoned Cu Chulainn in Ireland instead of waiting to be in Japan, he would have gained extra NPs (New Performance) due to being summoned in his lands of origin. However, Kirei would have stabbed her in the back anyway due to his betrayal.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Servants are not strictly limited to the vicinity of the Holy Grail, their strategic importance often necessitates locating them closer to the Grail for the purpose of winning the Grail War. The reason for this proximity is to ensure that they are in the best position to utilize their powers and maximize their potential.

Keywords:

Servants, Grail War, Summoning Distance, Heroic Spirits, Holy Grail