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[Mejilan]

You could always start on Normal to do the exclusive prologue chapters, then once you hit chapter 1, restart on one of the Hard modes (which all start at chapter 1 anyway).

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Fuck. I want to raise everyone evenly. I do it in every RPG but is a great way to get f'up in this game during the later levels. Luckily, their are faqs that help me choose which to focus on.

 

[Jiggy]

You know, I kind of wish Fire Emblem always had the fixed growth option that was allowed for second playthroughs of PoR. So many of my characters are turning out so awesome that it's like I'm playing Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones again in terms of having an army of overpowered war demons--my Frey, Caeda, Draug, Ogma, Lena, Linde, Catria, and Palla are each performing on way, way higher levels than they "should" be going by their growth rates. (I wasn't even going to use Catria and Palla, but on the map where they joined, one got two consecutive levels of four stats each and the other got a level of five stats followed by a level of three. They won their spots.) I'm playing on Normal because I kind of suck at Fire Emblem, but it still feels a bit too easy even for me with so many characters turning out so well.


Anyway, I just hope they turn out this well if I replay on Hard. (Excluding Frey, obviously.) Although I get the feeling that my true challenge on any other playthrough (on any other difficulty) is going to be managing to keep including enough useless characters in my lineup on every map so that I can kill off enough of them to see all the gaiden chapters.

 

[EvilMario]

You know, I kind of wish Fire Emblem always had the fixed growth option that was allowed for second playthroughs of PoR. So many of my characters are turning out so awesome that it's like I'm playing Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones again in terms of having an army of overpowered war demons--my Frey, Caeda, Draug, Ogma, Lena, Linde, Catria, and Palla are each performing on way, way higher levels than they "should" be going by their growth rates. (I wasn't even going to use Catria and Palla, but on the map where they joined, one got two consecutive levels of four stats each and the other got a level of five stats followed by a level of three. They won their spots.) I'm playing on Normal because I kind of suck at Fire Emblem, but it still feels a bit too easy even for me with so many characters turning out so well.


Anyway, I just hope they turn out this well if I replay on Hard. (Excluding Frey, obviously.) Although I get the feeling that my true challenge on any other playthrough (on any other difficulty) is going to be managing to keep including enough useless characters in my lineup on every map so that I can kill off enough of them to see all the gaiden chapters.

I think my next playthrough is going to be 'green hair' only.. :lol

But yeah, Normal is incredibly easy. Including Save Points did it no favors, especially if people exploit the Arena with them. I'm surprised you didn't include Wolf in your list of overpowered. He's a pre-promote, but his stat gains are uncanny:

HPs Str Mag Skl Spd Lck Def Res
120 80 5 70 60 50 60 0

I mean, give me a break. :lol

 

[JonAmikar]

What difficulty would be most suitable for someone who has completed Blazing Sword, Path of Radiance, and Radiant Dawn?

Which is about as difficult as RD?

 

[mattso]

beat normal, playing hard 2 now. My Marth pretty much did the entire last chapter himself on normal. That falchion doesn't mess around.

I'm enjoying hard 2. The boss on the second level actually gave me quite a bit of trouble.

Currently on chapter 6, gotta lose some dead weight to get 6x.

 

[jrricky]

I have gotten this game yesterday, but I have always wondered if it matters who goes to talk to a village. Does anyone know so I can choose carefully? Great game so far though as always.

 

[Mejilan]

It has in other FEs, on occasion. Not sure about this one, though.

 

[jrricky]

It has in other FEs, on occasion. Not sure about this one, though.

Ugh, this will keep me from playin anymore... thanks anyways.

 

[Mejilan]

:lol
Then let's not even get started with the typical FE desert map! Or the secret shops!

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

:lol
Then let's not even get started with the typical FE desert map! Or the secret shops!

EXPLAIN

 

[Mejilan]

Not sure if the original FE, or this remake, ever featured the typical desert stages and secret shops, as I know them from the other localized FEs, but...

Typically, there's some way to secure what's called a member card (or some such), usually by using a thief to steal it from a hard-to-catch baddy on a very specific map, for example. Typically, later on, there's some seemingly-random tile off on an isolated area of a map that winds up being a secret shop selling crazy-awesome (but expensive goodies)... if you find the tile, and the character that's standing on it has the member card in his inventory...

:lol

And, of course, there are the hidden treasures that only randomly show up on certain tiles of the desert map(s)...

 

[dragonlife]

Speaking of desert maps, PoR's had a character on one of its tiles...a character! :lol An awesome one, at that And you could only activate it with a small handful of characters...

 

[Mejilan]

Yeah, he came with that cool sword, no?

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

gah! Secrets like these make me feel like i didnt experience the game properly. I restarted a FFX playthrough because i missed Anima.

Anyway, characters get promoted at level 21 right? My lena is at lvl 20 and has a line through her experience counter and i would rather not spend a master seal to upgrade her. What stupidly simple thing am i forgetting or havent been patient enough to do?

 

[Mejilan]

Ah... probably not. Historically, something like Master Seals are needed for promotions. I think only the GCN and Wii games allowed for level 21 promotions...

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Ah... probably not. Historically, something like Master Seals are needed for promotions. I think only the GCN and Wii games allowed for level 21 promotions...

...

DAM. how can they do this to me.

I also, seriously miss that group XP that i could divy out to members between battles.

 

[Mejilan]

:lol

It's best to focus on a core of characters. You really don't want to waste seals on those that aren't worthy. IIRC, some FEs had secret shops that allowed you purchase more seals, but they were EXPENSIVE!

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Yeah, i am. Thank god for faqs. Still, i heard you can buy seals at the online store on days that end in 1. Hopefully i will have several worthy people by the 1st of march.

My only real beef with this game are the bonus missions. If only you could set of the fluff characters free like pokemon, i would have no issue with the game.

 

[Jiggy]

I'm surprised you didn't include Wolf in your list of overpowered. He's a pre-promote, but his stat gains are uncanny:

Well, I'm not talking about the growth rates themselves, just how my characters are turning out. Rounding from this data, my level 15 Caeda has 7 more Str than the average Caeda at her level, my level 14 Frey has 6 more Str, my level 15 Linde has 3 more Spd and 3 more Res, my level 14 Catria has 3 more Str and 1 more Def and Res, my level 14 Ogma has 2 more Str and Def and 1 more Spd...

I could go on, but basically quite a number of my units are either way ahead of their average or way, way ahead of their average. And they can kill all sorts of things or tank more hits than they "should" be able to.




Still loving FE: Shadow Dragon, though. Actually, from the recent crop of FE, DQV, and Retro Game Challenge, I was looking forward to this the last but wound up enjoying it the most. The music isn't great compared to the other Fire Emblem games, though (except Sacred Stones, but I think I'd give even that FE soundtrack the nod over Shadow Dragon), but the gameplay's awesome. Over in IRC, dragonlife mentioned that he appreciated the way you couldn't rescue units or push units, and I think I feel the same: I like the relative simplicity here.

Even putting that aside, I also like how magic was handled in this game. Almost nobody has anything resembling a decent Res stat and that makes magic a serious threat to all of my units, which is nice since I never felt enemy mages were terribly dangerous in the other FE games--at least not compared to enemy cavaliers, snipers, mercenaries, pirates, or basically most other units.

 

[wackojackosnose]

You really don't want to waste seals on those that aren't worthy. IIRC, some FEs had secret shops that allowed you purchase more seals, but they were EXPENSIVE!

So when did you use the seals though?

I checked my POR save recently and realised that by the end game the only character maxed out was Ike (on the final stage at that) and everybody else in my final team were about levels 2nd 10 - 14. I let my characters grow naturally and only promoted them when they were about to him the 1st level cap to give me the best potential for stats.

 

[RocketDarkness]

You can actually buy Master Seals through the online shop for around 2500 gold, which is really cheap, all things considered. Normal is definitely way too easy at times, though on occasion it likes to kill one of my important units in bullshit ways, just to remind me that it's still Fire Emblem.

 

[hidepsyence]

Just played the first three prologue chapter, but i'm loving the game so far ; )

 

[Kyosuke]

The music isn't great compared to the other Fire Emblem games, though (except Sacred Stones, but I think I'd give even that FE soundtrack the nod over Shadow Dragon), but the gameplay's awesome.

Sacred Stones had some really good battle themes, but overall I vastly prefer Shadow Dragon's soundtrack. Some of the tracks are really short (like the final boss theme, which is amazing), but otherwise it's one of my favourite soundtracks in the series.

Not sure if the original FE, or this remake, ever featured the typical desert stages and secret shops, as I know them from the other localized FEs, but...

The secret shop is definitely in, as its mentioned in a dialogue between Marth and a recruit. Haven't visited it yet though. I usually don't bother with them, except in FE6 where you have much more magic users than Guiding Rings.

If someone wants to know where the secret shops are, Serenes Forest has them listed.

And, of course, there are the hidden treasures that only randomly show up on certain tiles of the desert map(s)...

Radiant Dawn was really bad with this. I didn't even realize that treasure was hidden in almost every chapter until Sothe dug up an item during Chapter 7. :lol

 

[mattso]

It's also pretty hard to miss the vip card in this one and I don't think their are any goodies to be found in the desert map.

 

[Llyranor]

You could always start on Normal to do the exclusive prologue chapters, then once you hit chapter 1, restart on one of the Hard modes (which all start at chapter 1 anyway).

Okay, so if I want to play the prologue, I need to play a game on normal? And once I finish it, I can restart my 'real' game on hard?

 

[SilverLunar]

There is Fire Emblem booth at WonderCon '09:
http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8982363&publicUserId=5725436
There is a Falchion replica sword to win in a contest there!

 

[Captain N]

I'm going to finish up Mario & Luigi RPG3!!! And jump right into this. Now with all the talks of secrets I am pretty tempted to pick up the guide book.

 

[Mejilan]

So when did you use the seals though?

I checked my POR save recently and realised that by the end game the only character maxed out was Ike (on the final stage at that) and everybody else in my final team were about levels 2nd 10 - 14. I let my characters grow naturally and only promoted them when they were about to him the 1st level cap to give me the best potential for stats.

I always take my character to level 20 before evolving them. 21 in the GCN/Wii games. To fully max out a character (20/20, for example) you might need to make judicious use of arenas, or whatever. Barring arenas and Sacred Stones, experience is usually somewhat finite, though I hear that in the 5* Hard mode, enemy reinforcements keep on coming. I guess that'd be another option.

Okay, so if I want to play the prologue, I need to play a game on normal? And once I finish it, I can restart my 'real' game on hard?

Yep. The prologue chapters are exclusive to Normal mode. They're pretty short and serve more as a tutorial than anything, but they do a better job at setting up the story. They'll eventually segue into chapter 1. At that point, you can just restart your game and select any of the Hard modes, all of which start on chapter 1 by default. You'll miss whatever experience and whatnot you accrued during the prologue chapters, but that's not really a big deal.

 

[Captain N]

I always take my character to level 20 before evolving them. 21 in the GCN/Wii games. To fully max out a character (20/20, for example) you might need to make judicious use of arenas, or whatever. Barring arenas and Sacred Stones, experience is usually somewhat finite, though I hear that in the 5* Hard mode, enemy reinforcements keep on coming. I guess that'd be another option.



Yep. The prologue chapters are exclusive to Normal mode. They're pretty short and serve more as a tutorial than anything, but they do a better job at setting up the story. They'll eventually segue into chapter 1. At that point, you can just restart your game and select any of the Hard modes, all of which start on chapter 1 by default. You'll miss whatever experience and whatnot you accrued during the prologue chapters, but that's not really a big deal.

Do you need to play on Hard Mode in order to find some of the extra stuff?

 

[Jiggy]

Chapter 18 spoilers:

Turn X: Oh come on, a

Spoiler

level 3 Pegasus Knight recruit when all of my army is level 16 and up

? :/

Next turn: Well, at least they

Spoiler

gave her a Ridersbane when all of the enemy reinforcements are cavaliers, paladins, and horsemen. I'll give her a couple trial levels since she'll gain fast anyway

...

Next turn:

Spoiler

Level up, +Str, Skill, and Speed

.
Next turn:

Spoiler

Level up, +Str, Skill, and Speed again. Potential

? o_o
Next turn:

Spoiler

Level up, +Skill, Speed, Luck, and Defense. Amazing luck or a great character to be

? o_o
Next turn:

Spoiler

Level up, +Skill, Speed, Luck, Defense, and Resistance. What is this, seriously

. :O
Next turn:

Spoiler

Level up, +HP, Strength, and Luck. Five consecutive levels of at least three stats each. Level 3 character vindicated

! :O
Next turn:

Spoiler

Level up, +HP, Strength, Speed, and Luck

. :O
Next turn:

Spoiler

Level up, +Strength, Skill, Speed, and Luck

. :O
Next turn, finishing up the map:

Spoiler

Level up, +Skill, Speed, and Luck. At an average of 3.625 stats per level over enough levels to not be an accident, you better believe I'm keeping this character

!


Now I just need to figure out who's going to be the odd person out. My

Spoiler

Caeda, Catria, Palla, and now Est each turned out so amazing that I want to keep them all, but there are only three Elysian Whips allowed per save file. I could make the three sisters Falcon Knights and make Caeda a Dracoknight for the clean simplicity, but then again Palla's stat growths are way more catered toward being a Dracoknight since she's simultaneously the least likely to hit the speed cap of a Falcon Knight and the most likely to hit the strength cap of a Dracoknight

. Ah, decisions.

 

[EvilMario]

Onto my second and third playthroughs now. One I'm running an all female (and Marth :lol ) team, and the other I'm trying H3.. which is presenting a better challenge.

 

[KittenMaster]

You know, I kind of wish Fire Emblem always had the fixed growth option that was allowed for second playthroughs of PoR. So many of my characters are turning out so awesome that it's like I'm playing Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones again in terms of having an army of overpowered war demons--my Frey, Caeda, Draug, Ogma, Lena, Linde, Catria, and Palla are each performing on way, way higher levels than they "should" be going by their growth rates. (I wasn't even going to use Catria and Palla, but on the map where they joined, one got two consecutive levels of four stats each and the other got a level of five stats followed by a level of three. They won their spots.) I'm playing on Normal because I kind of suck at Fire Emblem, but it still feels a bit too easy even for me with so many characters turning out so well.


Anyway, I just hope they turn out this well if I replay on Hard. (Excluding Frey, obviously.) Although I get the feeling that my true challenge on any other playthrough (on any other difficulty) is going to be managing to keep including enough useless characters in my lineup on every map so that I can kill off enough of them to see all the gaiden chapters.

The hardest difficulty is more balanced in this regard, with the exception of Sedgar and Wolf, who can break the game as Generals and the Warp staves being far too good.

 

[Mejilan]

Yeah, I'm curious why a fixed stat growth mode hasn't been implemented here as well. I thought it was a neat way to mix up a replay.

 

[grandjedi6]

I do not approve of how little people are talking about this game >:-|

 

[RocketDarkness]

Just finished up the meat of chapter 18, and am about to send my new Pegasi into the arena. I know it's bad to arena abuse, but I just can't resist...and they make it so easy to do so. I suppose I'm not supposed to have something like 10 promoted units already, right? Oh well. Despite the steamrolling I'm doing, I've still been enjoying the game quite a bit.

While I'm somewhat disappointed by the limited backstory some characters get, what is there is still gold. The little random conversations you can have are great, and the poetic style of writing that begins each chapter is a nice touch.

 

[botticus]

I'm OCD so I'm trying to evenly level up all of my units without using the arena. Not easy!

I think I'm on Chapter 7, haven't been quite as sucked in as usual (seems to happen with the handheld games for some reason), but it's enjoyable.

 

[Teknoman]

Do people end up playing online MP mode of SRPGs much? Was late to the part with Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, so im not sure how that was.

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

You guys are putting so much more effort into stat growth and such than I am, it seems :lol

This time aroung I decided on my party fairly early on, and since I'm going for a no-death perfect play I've stuck with the same people for the most part, regardless of their stat growth. Is anyone actually using the reclass system? I'm not, I really don't like the idea. Seems like it could be pretty game breaking. I've promoted about five people who hit level 20 so far. I didn't realize you could buy master seals in the online shop, and since I abused the shit out of the arenas I think I'll hop on there and buy some and promote everyone who is level 20 now.

 

[ruffles]

Do people end up playing online MP mode of SRPGs much? Was late to the part with Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, so im not sure how that was.

A few of us have the game in the IRC.

 

[johnsmith]

I'm OCD so I'm trying to evenly level up all of my units without using the arena. Not easy!

I think I'm on Chapter 7, haven't been quite as sucked in as usual (seems to happen with the handheld games for some reason), but it's enjoyable.

You realize this is impossible, right?

Well, I mean it's possible, to level all your characters evenly, but since there's a finite amount of xp all you're going to accomplish is reaching the final chapters with severely underleveled characters and be in a worse position than if you focused on a smaller group of core characters.

 

[Teknoman]

A few of us have the game in the IRC.

Guess just like the new FFCC, WFC IRC saves the day (so many abbreviations).

 

[botticus]

You realize this is impossible, right?

Well, I mean it's possible, to level all your characters evenly, but since there's a finite amount of xp all you're going to accomplish is reaching the final chapters with severely underleveled characters and be in a worse position than if you focused on a smaller group of core characters.

Yes, I am aware of that. OCD is not always a beneficial trait in video games. Once some characters start to pull away from the group from more frequent use, I'll probably give it up.

 

[Daigoro]

i havent used the reclass option yet. maybe on some other playthrough.

progress is pretty slow though. i often make a slip up and let someone die, and then restart. having lots of fun though.

after playing Sacred Stones and then this im definitly becoming a Fire Emblem fan.

i have no idea how to actually abuse the arenas for leveling up. it seems like after a round or two i dont have enough HP left to fight and i have to abandon or die and restart (im im too slow).

does it just take a long time going about it one round at a time and healing, or am i missing something?

 

[mattso]

i havent used the reclass option yet. maybe on some other playthrough.

progress is pretty slow though. i often make a slip up and let someone die, and then restart. having lots of fun though.

after playing Sacred Stones and then this im definitly becoming a Fire Emblem fan.

i have no idea how to actually abuse the arenas for leveling up. it seems like after a round or two i dont have enough HP left to fight and i have to abandon or die and restart (im im too slow).

does it just take a long time going about it one round at a time and healing, or am i missing something?

Sedgar and Wolf are the best candidates to reclass. Making one a general and the other a hero make incredible additions to any party.

For the arena bring your healer over too and let them reap the rewards of the constant need to heal as well.

This time on hard 2 I think I'm going to avoid the arena though. On map 10 now. Gotta decide if I wanna take minerva with me or just her axe.

 

[EvilMario]

Sedgar and Wolf are the best candidates to reclass. Making one a general and the other a hero make incredible additions to any party.

For the arena bring your healer over too and let them reap the rewards of the constant need to heal as well.

This time on hard 2 I think I'm going to avoid the arena though. On map 10 now. Gotta decide if I wanna take minerva with me or just her axe.

I would level up Sedgar/Wolf in another class, other than General, for the speed gains.. until they're near capping it at least. Then reclass as a General, and you'll have great defense that never gets doubled.

As for Minerva, she always turns out horribly for me. Never fast enough, and never strong enough. And I really, really want to use her every time. :/

 

[RocketDarkness]

Est is so dang ridiculous...

Lv. 20 Dracoknight
43 HP
26 STR capped
1 MAG
26 SKL capped
23 SPD capped
30 LUCK capped
21 DEF
5 RES

4 capped skills, sheesh!

 

[Hobbun]

I've only played about 6 maps so far (including the prologue) and I like it.

The only thing I don't like about it is how it forces you to get rid of members to recruit others. Even though I can't put all my recruits on the screen, they could have some sort of off map area you choose them from before combat. Like in PoR or RD.

And that's another thing (but I could be wrong because I am so early) but there is no headquarters from my understanding. Although it's also understandable as this is the "first" Fire Emblem.

With the exception of those instances, I am finding the game enjoyable. I've taken a break from it right now to play DQ V, but once I finish DQ I will go back to FE.

 

[RocketDarkness]

I've only played about 6 maps so far (including the prologue) and I like it.

The only thing I don't like about it is how it forces you to get rid of members to recruit others. Even though I can't put all my recruits on the screen, they could have some sort of off map area you choose them from before combat. Like in PoR or RD.

And that's another thing (but I could be wrong because I am so early) but there is no headquarters from my understanding. Although it's also understandable as this is the "first" Fire Emblem.

With the exception of those instances, I am finding the game enjoyable. I've taken a break from it right now to play DQ V, but once I finish DQ I will go back to FE.

Chapter 4 gives you the preparations screen, so no worries.

It also gives you the amazingly awesome "Merge" function, which allows you to combine two partially used weapons into one. Sure, you lose any uses over the maximum one weapon allows, but it's great for clearing clutter. Instead of having to let a unit finish off it's 3-use sword and having him also carry a brand new version of that sword, you can stick the 3-use in the convoy. Then, after that next chapter when the new weapon has been used a few times, you can merge the old one into it to save space. <3

 

[Mejilan]

Chapter 4 gives you the preparations screen, so no worries.

It also gives you the amazingly awesome "Merge" function, which allows you to combine two partially used weapons into one. Sure, you lose any uses over the maximum one weapon allows, but it's great for clearing clutter. Instead of having to let a unit finish off it's 3-use sword and having him also carry a brand new version of that sword, you can stick the 3-use in the convoy. Then, after that next chapter when the new weapon has been used a few times, you can merge the old one into it to save space. <3

That makes absolutely no sense (unless we're talking about a vulnerary or other kind of potion), but it still fucking awesome.