Pierre Hoquet
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SpoilerOn 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Looks like I fell an update behind, so here come double comments
This is going to be a joy to reply to.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:I think its 2 RN...
I guess that I was just really unlucky, then.
While Wrys was really lucky back in Chapter 2.
You win some, you lose some.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:I think the only game with them on recruitables have them as part of the FE6 Hard mode bonuses, and FE7 HHM bonuses. Fun fact in FE6 they were a glitch, where the game unintentionally gave the bonus "levelup" stats that units get in hardmode, if they spawn as enemies after the map starts (even if they are only enemies in an event, as Milady showed...).
Well, isn't that curious?
I hope that future Fire Emblem games have this too.
Hard Mode bonuses add a nice twist.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Well that is an interesting fact about ~
In a deathless run that would be Draug's starting space, but I guess Jagen's death pushed him into there...
FE 1 really was an intriguing game.
...I have to beat it sometime, but I lack patience at the moment.
Hmmm, I see.
I think that it's funny that the game decided to push Wrys over there of all people.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:That is an unfortunate oversight...here is hoping the killer edge isn't true to its name...
The chance is small, but never 0%.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:The devil axe is a deadly temptation...
Deadly but almost necessary in these runs.
You only live once, might as well roll the dice.
Then again, isn't all of Fire Emblem like that?On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:The Vulnerary might end up being the limiting factor, as two hits deals more than a heal staff can fully fix...
I keep underestimating the value of vulneraries.
It would be prudent of me to stock up on them in the future.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Looks like that clever disarming strat is starting to fall through thanks to normal Javelin luck.
It didn't help that one of the fighters was waiting on top of a mountain.
That, combined with a weapon triangle disadvantage really hurt our Javelin luck.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:At least the devil axe wouldn't have killed him outright, but if it had backfire the counter attacks would finish him...
It really is just a gamble.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:I guess he is evasive enough that your assessment will likely prove right...
Nabarl has his reputation for a reason.
Even if dodgetanking is just not a viable strategy in Shadow Dragon.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Magic again...Wrys is going to be a solid mage at this rate.
I have a plan for this magical man, even if his path diverges from that of the mage.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:I guess the strat ended up helping, but that Javelin luck made it take a long time.
Patience is a virtue, I am just glad that we managed to outlast the onslaught.
Going slow and steady might be the best approach if I wish to keep avoiding casualties.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Finally a replacement for Jagen.
Abel really stepped up quickly.
He's turning out to be very reliable.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Little did we know that Nabarl knew the truth, despite the game's inability to show us that thief was a young woman, and true to his words he wouldn't hurt her.
Now that's a fantastic reason, good thinking on your part.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Interesting that it just started moving after so many turns of waiting...
He just kept showing people his hands....
It's probably some zone based AI.
"Look at these hands. Look!"
"These hands!"I should have made a hand joke.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:So begins the story of Nabarl the healer...
A former swordsman turned healer, truly, reality is stranger than fiction.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:After all of those magic levelups on Wrys, I was kinda expecting him to become a mage, but
His magic will find a use yet.
A magical blade awaits him in the future.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:with that kinda forge he can probably make this work.
Just plain favoritism.
It's his personal weapon.
And if he falls, then someone else will inherit it.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:I guess you took more notice of all of those speed levelups when thinking of how to reclass him.
I honestly just did it for the memes, but it all worked out.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Perfect...thank goodness Abel ascended to Jagenhood, and Shiida got that strength levelup, otherwise that archer could have been real trouble.
It really was a lucky break.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:At least he would live the backfire...a safe devil axe use is a nice thing to see.
You might end up seeing a few more of those.
After all, we must steadily work towards Darros's freedom from the Devil Axe.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Sneaky little punk, good thing the Javelins hit their marks
Luck smiled in my favor today.
On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Its been like one chapter...
The flow of time between chapters is unknown.
The trip from the Ghoul's Teeth did take a few days while his wound was left oozing.
...That, and a lack of sleep caused me to write in a plothole.
I'll fill that up somehow.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Oh wow, that is impressive...no wonder you made him a Myrmidon
Everyone has potential.
It's all about how willing you are to get it out.And luckOn 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Nice to see him survive. I know Saint Rubenio is a huge fan of him.
This already diverges from the timeline of my last run.
Lena fell last time, causing Matthis to die in combat while not knowing that his dear sister already passed on.
Now, Lena survived Chapter 3 and reunited with her brother, causing him to join our cause.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:I guess Gaggles does survive if you don't play the prologue, so no tyrant Marth by default.
"Yow! It's an enemy ambush!"
And then Gordin bites the dust.
Marth would have needed to lose all sense of reason to attack an unarmed hostage.
The players can be the true evil.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:That is some awful luck for 2RN...
I checked the calculations, he missed a 99,09% true hit,
Just oof.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:Now that is a crafty little strategy thanks to that one armored unit AI.
Funny that the armor knight ended up with some extra speed this time...
I wonder why they made it that way.
Still, it worked in our favor.Stat variance, always wild.
Still not as crazy as in Thracia, though.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:With that you are fully committed to killing the other or seeing Shiida take an arrow to the face. Good luck.
Double Oof...I guess he lived, but so did it...
Thank goodness for Jagen 2 and his trusty silver lance. Shiida is now safe.We needed to attack on that turn, else we'd get swarmed.
Unless we blocked the bridge, but even that might have been a questionable move due to positioning reasons.On 5/10/2021 at 2:00 PM, Eltosian Kadath said:So many people forget about poor Matthis, even his own leader...
If this was Tellius, then I'd be sure that his personal ability would be Shade.
Chapter 5 is upon us.
The Altean Army took 6 days to arrive at our next destination.
The trip was a peaceful one, even if we underestimated the terrain a little.
Shiida flew ahead and wasn't seen for a while.She eventually returned bearing news of a battle ahead.
The remaining Aurelian forces were heavily outnumbered by the Medonian forces.
One of their men ordered the retreat, causing them all to flee to the southern fortress.
Their fort had a superior position compared to the plains, only being accessible by taking one of two narrow mountain roads.
Their commander, Hardin, had a trick up his sleeve, blocking both passages with questionably obtained Shine Barriers.
This bought them enough time for prince Marth and his Altean Army to reach the battlefield.
Marth wanted to plan a strategy with Malledus, but here simply wasn't enough time.
Whose resolve will break first?
Current death count: 3
Names of the fallen by chapter
Chapter 1: Jagen.
Chapter 2: Draug and Bord.
Chapter 5
Spoiler
Aurelis has been fighting for all this time, still standing if only by some miracle.
Most of its soldiers have already been massacred while the flames of war rage on.
They need our aid as much as we need theirs .We got some moments to prepare before setting foot on the battlefield in front of us.
Tents were pitched as our camp took shape.
Shiida provided us with a rough map of the battlefield ahead thanks to her reconnaissance.
Who knew that this flying princess had an affinity for art too?
Marth decided to give Shiida a present for all of her hard work.
So he went to the armorer and had her Wing Spear enhanced.
He asked her if it was alright to name her Wing Spear after his fallen comrade, Jagen, and she agreed.
She might not have known the fallen veteran well, but she still respected him a great deal for keeping Marth safe throughout the years.
We have more units available than the deployment limit allows.
It took me some time to pick everyone, but we settled for Marth, Abel, Cain, Merric, Shiida, Wrys, Ogma, Nabarl, Darros and Barst.
I decided to not deploy any bow users since we have Merric to help us against the fliers.
Lena's safety is very important, so she gets to provide moral support from beyond the battlefield.
Matthis is happy to sit this one out, instead using his newfound time to catch up with his sister.
Julian kept close to Lena, who eventually just invited him to sit with her instead of sneakily hiding behind a tent.
Gordin and Castor trained their archery, though one of their arrows horribly missed the mark and flew right into Malledus's tent.
Screams were heard that day.
Cord went around camp and cut some wood.
Malledus went back to planning after removing the arrow from his cape.
His class might be that of a bishop, but he cannot fight.
His studies took him down the path of remote viewing and telepathy.
While not being fit for combat, he can still assist by giving advice from far away while having a clear outlook on the battle at hand.
He could also try telepathy on the opponent to confuse them, but that approach is ill advised,
The enemy likely has a similar tactician lurking beyond the battlefield...Nabarl was brought along to the battle despite his declining health.
If he's going to die, then he might as well go down fighting...Or around fighting.
This caused Wrys to tag along out of worry for the former swordsman.
Everyone else was selected by Marth and Malledus.
Nyna will stay safe no matter what, even if the fort is breached.
The Aurelian knights might not survive this battle if the past is any indicator.
But never fear, the Altean Army is here.
We will reach the end, no matter what it takes.
This is Hardin, the king's brother.
He is also known by the name "Coyote".
This man is a very solid unit, even if his starting location is less than stellar.
He starts with a D Rank in Swords and a B Rank in Lances.
This doesn't allow him to wield the Silver Sword gifted to us in the last chapter.
That aside, Hardin is a great Jagen replacement due to his weapon ranks and solid bases.Let's check his bases and growths.
24 HP
9 Str
0 Mag
7 Skill
8 Spd
3 Lck
8 Def
1 ResHis growths.
50% HP
30% Str
0% Mag
55% Skill
55% Spd
30% Lck
20% Def
0% Res
Hardin will turn out good no matter what you do with him.
I reclassed him to a curate once, he became the fastest healer alive.
Take this man with you and you'll be very glad you did.
This is Wolf, quite a notorious unit.
He has a tremendous amount of potential once you get the ball rolling.
Though that might not be visible at first glance.
He comes with an E Rank in Swords and a D Rank in Bows.
This means that he only gets to use Iron Swords but has access to Iron and Steel Bows.His bases and growths.
22 HP
6 Str
0 Mag
6 Skill
8 Spd
5 Lck
6 Def
1 ResHis growth rates.
160% HP
100% Str
0% Mag
85% Skill
85% Spd
50% Lck
65% Def
0% ResHis growths are everything.
Wolf will be a fantastic unit, unless you plan on making him a sorcerer.
I might actually try that if I manage to avoid casualties again.
This is Sedgar, he too, is notorious.
He's like Wolf, a pre-promoted unit with low bases but ridiculous growths.
Sedgar is also a little like Darros.
Being set up to fail.
He has an E Rank in Swords and a D Rank in Bows.
He comes with a Steel Bow which weighs him down to the point of getting doubled.Let's admire his bases and growths.
20 HP
6 Str
1 Mag
6 Skill
7 Spd
2 Lck
6 Def
2 ResHis growths.
160% HP
80% Str
0% Mag
95% Skill
85% Spd
30% Lck
85% Def
0% ResSedgar is usually picked to be a general.
Though really, he can be good at anything.
...Except being a sorcerer.
This is the fantastic Vyland.
...Though he's fantastic in name only.
He, too, is set up like Darros.
Starting with a weapon that weighs him down to the point of getting doubled.
He comes with an E Rank in Swords and a D Rank in Lances.
This gives him Javelin utility at the very least.Let's check his bases and growths.
20 HP
5 Str
0 Mag
3 Skill
6 Spd
2 Lck
7 Def
0 ResHis growths.
60% HP
30% Str
0% Mag
25% Skill
40% Spd
30% Lck
15% Def
0% ResVyland isn't a good unit.
He still has his uses due to Javelin utility, but he won't be good without a lot of work.
I once reclassed him to an Archer in one of my runs, he didn't do too much.
Roshea exists.
I once reclassed him to a mage in one of my runs.
He was underwhelming.Roshea comes with an E Rank in Swords and a D Rank in Lances.
Like Vyland, this allows him to wield Javelins, which adds some value to him.
Let's check his bases and growths, shall we?
22 HP
6 Str
0 Mag
5 Skill
7 Spd
4 Lck
7 Def
0 ResHis growths.
90% HP
40% Str
0% Mag
55% Skill
10% Spd
10% Lck
20% Def
0% ResRoshea is like Vyland, not that good of a unit.
His growths can make him decent, but that Speed growth is really his bane.Now that these character introductions are out of the way...
Let's finally get started with the gameplay.
Every enemy now uses Steel weapons.
This might seem bad, but there's a silver lining.
The flyers also use Steel weapons.
Why is that good, you may ask?
They get weighed down by 2 points of speed by them.
This allows our faster units to double them, like Wrys for example.
We don't do too much on the first turn.
Our main army is going to lure the nearby cavaliers and flyer to us while the knights of Aurelis keep a safe distance for now.
Nabarl came to Barst's aid, healing him enough to be able to survive another hit.
Shiida easily defeated one of the cavaliers with the almighty Jagen in hand.
She reached a B Rank in Lances for her hard work.
Merric flexed some of his magical muscle before Abel went in with his Ridersbane, the cavalier stood no chance.
Darros could KO the remaining cavalier on his own if he used the Devil Axe.
Luckily, he managed to reel himself in and use a Hand Axe instead.
Marth went in and got the kill, giving a thumbs up to Darros for his hard work.
Wrys awaits the flyer from the forest.
He should be able to survive and double in return.
Wolf decided to take a risk and lure one of the enemy archers to his group, alleviating the pressure on the Altean Army just a tad.
Wrys the dodgemaster!
Hah.
It seems that he is truly blessed with luck.
The diversion worked, though Hardin's group is now in peril.
Hardin takes Vyland's Steel Lance and readies himself for battle.
Only the nearby cavalier can reach their group right now.
Darros managed to resist the whispers of the Devil Axe once more, instead opting to use a regular Iron Axe.
He hit his mark and the enemy Pegasus Knight is no more.
Barst and Ogma team up to defeat this archer.
Is it just me or are the archers in Hard 5 really tanky for some reason?
Marth meets Wendell, a man who pleads for peace.
...Despite fighting for the enemy just moments ago with no hesitation to kill any of us.
Hm.
Wendell retrieved a Fire tome I had prepared from the convoy.
I forgot to give him one of my spare Heal staves, so he'll have to get that next turn.
Abel decides to lure the one cavalier wielding a Javelin.
I almost forgot to talk about Wendell.
He's a staple of any Hard 5 run.
Swift and strong despite his age.
He comes with a B Rank in Tomes and a D Rank in Staves.
This allows him to wield every tome barring Starlight, Excalibur included.
D Staves is just nice to have for extra utility.
Let's take a look at his bases and growths.
22 HP
3 Str
4 Mag
2 Skill
12 Spd
1 Lck
5 Def
5 Res
His growths.
40% HP
0% Str
20% Mag
20% Skill
20% Spd
40% Lck
0% Def
35% ResWendell is a very good unit.
His base strength allows him to use most tomes without getting weighed down.
His base speed is ridiculous, it getting even higher when reclassed.
His growths aren't that impressive, but his bases will last through most of the game.
Our unit positions before the turn ends.
The incoming archers might cause us some trouble.
Vyland blocks this path, he can only get attacked by one of the archers.
He's barely fast enough to avoid getting doubled.
We're going to chip this guy down until Hardin can take him out.
Sedgar goes first and draws his Steel Bow...
...And decides to show off, landing a crit and making our life a whole lot easier.
Bow Users and their random crits...
Both Wolf and Hardin occupy a fort for some small healing.
Abel wanted to get rid of this guy as soon as possible, especially because that 1% crit chance.
He made quick work of the cavalier with his trusty Ridersbane, gaining a point of speed for the kill.
Merric and Wendell burned the thief with their magic.
Marth went in and took the kill.
Nabarl lend a hand to Abel, healing him a little.
His resistance just keeps growing...
Being unable to use a weapon really bothers him.
And turning into a magical wall really wasn't one of his plans for life.
I suppose that that is one small advantage of his declining health, the frailer you become, the greater the need for magic becomes.
Let's see if he manages to get his resistance to 20 before promotion.
Also, I finally remembered to show proof of him having reached a D Rank in Staves.
We blocked the remaining thief with both Shiida and Wrys.
The village is ours.
Roshea trades places with his best friend, Vyland.
This should buy us one more turn before the casualties start.
Wolf had to flee back to our starting area, since a very dangerous Pegasus Knight approaches us from the left.
We might get lucky and have it fly into our range.
If not, then we're toast.
Marth visits the village and proceeds to silently stare one of the residents down until he hands his valuables over.
Jokes aside, I really do enjoy the writing here.
Abel throws a Javelin at the thief, pinning him in place.
Wrys quickly jumps in and slices him in half.
Wendell accessed the magical portal to our convoy within Marth's pocket dimension.
Now he can heal.
Nabarl the resistant heals Barst back up to full health.
Shiida lies in wait, ready to strike the boss at the next turn, hopefully preventing reinforcements.
He actually dodged.
Everyone might actually survive this chapter.
Wolf and Sedgar took the Pegasus Knight out without issue.
The Wolfguard will remain safe as long as someone blocks the archers.
Shiida made very quick work of the boss with a fantastic critical hit.
She obtained a pristine Silver Lance for the kill and hopefully stopped reinforcements from showing up.
Merric and Barst take care of a nearby Knight.
We need to open the way for Marth after all.
Darros waits in range of the other Knight.
I'd usually not bother, but this guy has a Door Key on him which will come in handy for the next chapter.
The Wolfguard just maintain their positions.
Merric went ahead and attacked the key-bearing Knight.
He really flexed some magical muscle and crit the Knight, nothing was left of him...
We got the Door Key, though.
Shiida flew over to the lone Curate and just started poking him.
She gained a level for her pestering.
Roshea went to the fort to rest while Sedgar unequipped his bow and manned the chokepoint.
Marth just needs two more turns to reach the seize point.
Nabarl healed to train his Staff Rank.
Sedgar got hit and switched places with Hardin.
He'll be the last one blocking the area.
Shiida murdered the defenseless curate in cold blood.
Experience is experience.
Marth can finally seize when the next turn comes.
Nabarl healed Barst once offscreen.
We also visited the armory and bought one Javelin offscreen.
Wrys got some practice swings in before the end of the chapter.
He gained Speed and even Resistance.Who needs strength anyway?
Darros wanted to get one final hit in before the chapter ended.
He readied the cursed Axe over the archer's head.
Then, he took a deep breath before bringing the axe down on his head.
A scream and a horrid crunching sound could be heard...
Alas, it was not his foe who suffered a grievous injury.
It was the man o' the sea, Darros once more.
He screamed in pain, holding his head.The Devil Axe slipped out of his hand, it still thirsts for more...
Darros looked death in the eyes yet again...
22 uses remain.
Marth seized the gate, ending the chapter.
He got the chance to meet Hardin's brother, the king of Aurelis.
More trouble awaits our small army within the castle walls...
Wait, where was the king hiding, then?
Was he held hostage?
He couldn't have been in the palace since it's still in enemy hands.
Curious.
I really didn't expect to get through this chapter without anyone dying.
I might never even meet generics if this keeps up.
I'm just glad.
Hopefully all goes well for the chapters yet to come.That concludes Chapter 5.
We've certainly seen many new faces.
Chapter 6 is next, in which we attempt torobliberate treasures from the castle nearby.
We'll also be meeting one new face there.
It really shouldn't take us 6 days to walk through the front gate, but you never know...
I'll try to update more frequently in the future.
Thank you all for following this screenshot let's play. -
Chapter 4 is finally here.
Our group took a bit of a break to celebrate the fact that we suffered no casualties during the last chapter.
Most of us are in good spirits, barring Nabrl, who wears his usual scowl.
He'll make his choice within the Preparations Menu.
The lea of Aurelis is going to be a bit of a challenge.
Shiida already scouted the area, noting the presence of two villages and thieves roaming about.
Malledus took note of this information and provided counsel to Marth.
Marth gave the order right after.
Protect the villages!
Current death count: 3
Names of the fallen by chapter
Chapter 1: Jagen.
Chapter 2: Draug and Bord.
Chapter 4
Spoiler
There can't be a chapter without a battle...
So is life.
Facing the enemy's cavalry will be a challenge, but we should be able to perservere with Shiida on our side.
Sound advice, Malledus.
Preparation is key in the art of war.
This menu will be the key to our victory.
I'll just give a brief summary of what I did to prepare.
Nabarl is no longer fit for combat after sustaining grievous injuries during the last chapter.
Our Heal staff ran out, causing the damage to his sword arm to be permanent.
He won't be able to wield a physical weapon effectively again.
Wrys felt bad for him, giving him the choice to wield the staff instead.
In a way, he still gets to decide over the lives of others, just in a different way.
Some of the members of our army chuckled at the sight of Nabarl in a curate's garb.
He'll be the one having the last laugh when they need healing.
Wrys steeled himself while deciding to take up the sword.
He'll continue Nabarl's legacy as a show of good faith.
There's just one slight problem....
Wrys lacks the strength to wield even an Iron Sword properly.
So we forged one for him.
The name might not be as creative, but it will do.
This blade will sever the enemy, healing the land of their presence.
At least, that is how Wrys wishes to see it.
We bought a few Heal staves offscreen for both Lena and Nabarl.
After all, we'll be needing it.
We altered our starting positions a little, having Ogma guard the rear.
He has enough speed to double the fighters, allowing us some breathing room later.
The enemy tries to intimidate the Altean Army with their band of lickspittles.
Whose cavalry will litter this lea, I wonder?
That Ridersbane he's holding would be a valuable addition to our weaponry.
Abel and Wrys team up to take the nearby thief out.
The blade bearing the same name as himself easily cuts through,
I only just noticed that Wrys is also fast enough to double the fighters nearby with his personal blade.
Ogma and Barst lure the incoming fighters.
Both will deal some decent damage on the counterattack.
Everyone else gathers nearby to help out on the following turn.
Abel and Shiida head over to the left side to intercept the other thief.
Our trusty Silver Lance is going to come in handy.
My plan was to clear a path for Ogma to defeat the hunter.
He was still in good health after dodging a hit from the fighter.
The hunter has 10 speed for some reason, I could have sworn that they usually have way more speed than that...
Maybe stat variance is playing in my favor?
Either that, or something is very wrong...
Anyhow, Darros tried his hand at throwing a Hand Axe.
The results were disappointing.
The Devil Axe seems to pulse, almost as if to urge him to use it again...
Barst showed Darros how it's done, landing a clean hit with his own Hand Axe.
He gained a decent level for the kill.
I wanted to make the area a little safer after I noticed that Ogma wasn't able to oneround the hunter.
Castor wanted to show off and simply crit the fighter.
They really are fond of their random crits, aren't they?
Nabarl used his heal staff for the first time.
He kind of awkwardly tapped Barst's shoulder with it, but it did the trick.
Cain and Ogma block the incoming enemies, both are capable of taking both a hit from a fighter and the hunter.
Cain even avoids getting doubled due to the poor stat variance on the hunter.
Shiida and Abel manage to finish the hunter off with exact damage.
They also did it in such a way to halt the thief's advance on the nearby village.
Ogma's wounds were mended by Lena.
Nabarl's healing wouldn't be enough to ensure his survival.
Ogma defeated the fighter in front of him, enduring a harsh counterattack.
Nabarl healed Barst once more.
The former swordsman seems to have some respect for him.
He gained a level, really showing that juicy 30% Res growth.
Darros succumbed to the whispers of that accursed Axe, readying it for combat.
He stood right next to the mortified hunter.
He lifted the weighty axe up, determination in his eyes.
Then, he swung it down without hesitation.
A scream echoed across all of the lea of Aurelis.
But it wasn't Darros.
The hit succeeded.
The hunter crumpled to the floor, barely clinging on to life.
The Devil Axe glimmered a little, satisfied for now.
Marth came in to finish the job.
Almost feeling bad for this hunter.
He closed his eyes and stabbed him, ending his suffering.
He then placed a hand on Darros's shoulder while giving him a worried look.The Devil Saint walks a path of sacrifice, be it his own or his enemies.
Will he make it to the end with his sanity intact?
Cain arrived next to Darros, helping him to wield another axe to avoid getting doubled.
Castor got a sneaky shot in before the opening was covered by Cord.
Everyone should be safe for the coming turn.
Darros survives a hit from the surrounded fighter.
He gains a level.
The pact with the Devil Axe might involve more than just the axe.
Perhaps it wishes for him to grow strong, only to revel when he finally succumbs to bad fortune.
The thief decided to be sneaky by crossing the river.
He sadly wasn't sneaky enough.
Getting impaled by two well-thrown Javelins ended him.
Wrys took hold of an Iron Sword like Nabarl used the chapter before.
It's weight made him a little uncomfortable, but there was no need to waste a use of his own blade on this fighter.
He quickly put the guy out of his misery, gaining a fantastic level.
Is it just me, or has he consistently gained Luck every level?
It really is fitting, considering his miraculous escape from death a few chapters ago.
This just shows that good intentions allow you to push past your boundaries.
Nabarl headed up to Darros, giving him some aid.
He does respect the former man o' the sea for being willing to wield such a weapon.
He doesn't linger on weapon usage too long, else he'll remind himself of his own condition.
Nabarl seems to be getting more frail with every passing chapter...
Lena went ahead and healed Cain.
She asked him to be gentle on one of the approaching cavaliers.
When asked which one she meant, she just gave a mysterious smile and said that he'll know the one she means.
There were no more healers available, so Ogma asked Wrys if he could have his vulnerary.
He kindly gave it to Ogma, who gratefully consumed it.
He'll be able to survive another round like this.
Everyone squishes themselves into this gap while awaiting the incoming cavaliers.
Abel waits in range of one of the cavaliers, mostly to spread them out.
This will lessen the burden on our main group.
Nabarl lends a healing hand to Darros, bringing him back to full health.
Looking at this man makes him feel weak, he slams his staff against the ground, reopening one of the wounds on his arm.
Lena lends a hand to Ogma while casting a worrying gaze at the conflicted former swordsman at her side.
He has to take it slow, lest he loses use of his arm completely.
Marth invoked his royal lineage, allowing him to walk into the lake and out of harm's way.
Cain and Cord will block the enemy's advance.
Cain gained just HP for surviving a hit.
Still, he's been reliable so far.
Wrys readied his special blade, gravely wounding the enemy cavalier with two swift slices.
In fact, he's currently the fastest person in our army, even outspeeding Shiida.
That aside, Gordin laid the cavalier to rest with one clean shot.
Barst and Marth teamed up to defeat the nearby cavalier.
More specifically, Barst attacked first, landing a clean hit while defiantly dodging the counterattack.
Marth once again invoked his royal lineage, crossing the waters as if they were just another path to tread.
His Rapier easily finished the job.
Lena recruits Matthis, the noticeably weaker cavalier.
Cain got some quick healing from Lena after her talk with her brother.
This is Matthis, Lena's brother.
I would normally make a joke about him being free experience, but that would be rather harsh.
He was forced to enlist, which means he really isn't a proper soldier.
That's a valid explanation for his rather disappointing bases.
He comes with an E Rank in Swords and a D Rank in Lances.
This gives him Javelin utility at the very least, even if he does get weighed down by them to the point of getting doubled by nearly every enemy.
Let's take a look at his bases and growths.
20 HP
5 Str
0 Mag
2 Skill
6 Spd
0 Lck
7 Def
0 Res
His growths
90% HP
40% Str
0% Mag
30% Skill
20% Spd
30% Lck
30% Def
0% Res
Matthis is not a soldier, just a victim of circumstance.
He can grow into an able warrior if he wishes it.
If not, then he'll become Malledus's personal bodyguard while safely keeping watch over our encampment.
Time will tell.
Shiida threw a Javelin at this lone cavalier while Abel decides to lure him away.
This should be a safe move, even if he does face a 1% crit.
This truly is a reversal, isn't it?
Their roles have switched.
Wrys is thankful for Nabarl's aid, giving him a small nod.
He then takes the opportunity to check Nabarl's arm, noticing the reopened wounds.
Wrys might have reclassed, but he's not above rendering aid to a friend.
He cuts a piece of fabric from his robe, then proceeds to wind it around Nabarl's injury.
It's best for him not to exert himself too much.
Even healing duty could cause his condition to worsen.
Wrys's face brightens as he gets an idea.
He asks Nabarl if he would be willing to provide him with some extra training of the sword.
Wrys would happily return the favor by teaching him some more about staves.
These two seem to be becoming fast friends....
The remaining cavalier is surrounded by our group.
He's most likely going to attack Matthis on the coming turn.
Shiida and Abel defeated this cavalier with ease.
Shiida got a typical level for her troubles.
She now has both equal Speed and HP to Wrys.
Nabarl seems to be giving Wrys priority despite many of our units being wounded.
Matthis looked at him pleadingly, but he was promptly ignored.
This guy must really have been terrified of Michalis.
Luckily, prince Marth isn't a tyrant.
Matthis will be safer with us than with Medon.
Really and truly.
Matthis took the opportunity to borrow a Javelin from our convoy.
He threw it at the remaining cavalier and hit the mark.
I'm trying to set him up as a kill for Julian.
Castor and Gordin slowly destroy his resolve...
Cain goes in to bring his HP down low enough for Julian to finish him off.
Except....He misses.
He misses a 93% hit.
Hah.
Marth takes the initiative, bringing the cavalier down low enough for Julian to take out.
He gained an excellent level for his contribution.
See?
Exact damage.
Julian got a typical level.
Lena saw Matthis getting ignored by Nabarl, so she decided to help him herself.
Matthis might be a fool, but he's still family to her.
It's nice and calm now that all the enemies on this side of the map have been routed.
I'll just show the highlights while everyone heads to the nearby village.
A few turns pass in relative peace while our two healers both gain a level.
Nabarl is just lucky to be alive, I suppose.
Ogma waits right over here, blocking the enemy from crossing the bridge.
This spot is perfectly safe since the knight doesn't move until attacked.
The archers can't attack him due to the knight's placement.
Cain and Abel both recieve aid.
They have grown into dependable cavaliers.
Haven't they?
One following in Jagen's footsteps while the others favors the path of the sword.
Marth visits the village, meeting a familiar face.
Merric, a childhood friend of his.
This is Merric, wielder of the famed Excalibur tome.
He's generally a good unit for me, no matter what I reclass him to.
He'll serve us well, especially with instant access to Excalibur.
He starts with a D Rank in tomes, allowing him to use Fire, Thunder, Blizzard and Elfire.
Mages are a bit of a mixed bag in this game, because tomes weigh them down.
They usually have no strength, so they'll lose 1 point of attack speed at the very least.
Let's take a look at his bases and growths.
20 HP
0 Str
3 Mag
6 Spd
3 Lck
4 Def
3 Res
His growths.
60% HP
0% Str
40% Mag
50% Skill
40% Spd
45% luck
5% Def
20% Res
His growths are generally quite good.
He's a solid unit to use and doesn't really fall off.
He'll even be useful if you don't train him much, due to the convenience of Excalibur.
I bought some Fire tomes back in the Battle Preparations Menu to allow him to save on Excalibur uses.
The tome usually lasts through the whole game, but it doesn't hurt to be frugal.
Darros is going to occupy the spot behind Ogma on the following turn.
This allows only one of the archers to attack him per turn.
This also gives us the chance to train some of our melee units when the archer gets himself stuck between the knight and Ogma.
Our healers are nearby and Julian has switched places with Ogma.
Darros will endure some punishment for the greater good.
This is going to be a little boring, so I'll just skip ahead and only show the important bits.
We made some good progress.
I'm starting to get attached to my units, a rarity these days.
Heh, I'll do my best to keep them alive.
The knight and Julian are having a staring contest until the turn ends.
Darros and Julian are going to switch places next turn.
After that, he's going to throw a Hand Axe to finally get the knight to move.
Darros attacked the knight.
He then got a helping hand from Merric to be able to double the knight during the enemy phase.
Merric got a hit in.
I swear that he usually doubles this knight.
Maybe stat variance changed it today?
That aside, Barst finished him off.
Abel went up to Marth to grab a new Javelin, since his one is about to break.
He might seem to be in a dangerous position, but he's capable of surviving two hits.
And he probably won't get crit.
Everyone moved around to just be a little closer to the incoming horsemen.
Abel's Javelin broke after counterattacking.
Shiida took care of the wounded horseman with exact damage thanks to her reliable Wing Spear.
Darros was healed up by both of our healers.
Nabarl reached a D Rank in Staves, though I didn't screenshot it in time.
Ah, I know, I'll show it at the end of the chapter.
Darros needs this healing for a sneaky plan of mine.
Marth wounds the remaining horseman with his Rapier, weakening him enough to succumb to another strong hit.
Darros readies himself,Devil Axe once again in hand.
The whispers coming from the axe intensify as the bloodstained metal emits an ominous glow...
He lifts it up, ready to destroy the threat standing before him.
He slams the axe down onto the head of his victim.
...A scream could be heard.
The axe did not tear into the flesh of his opponent.
Instead, it turned around at the last moment, cleaving into his own flesh instead.
Darros fell over backward, clutching his shoulder.
The cursed axe just lays on the ground, seemingly satisfied for now.
Our team of healers can't help him until the following turn.
He faced death, but lived to tell the tale.
Just 22 uses left, then he'll be free...
Abel rushed in to finish the job, Jagen's old Silver Lance in hand.
He easily finished the job, growing just a little stronger.
Wrys got two practice swings in on the remaining curate.
Not necessarily with the intent of killing him.
No, he simply wishes to teach this misguided soul a lesson.
Julian will come in to finish the job later.
Until then...
The curate has been surrounded.
No escape in sight.
The following turns won't be too eventful, so I'll only show the highlights.
Julian took him out on the next turn.
May he rest in peace.
That line hints at some unwavering confidence.
At least that is admirable.
You can die fighting for what you believe in.
It's quite interesting that he doesn't even acknowledge Matthis, despite him having stood next to him for quite a few turns.
He must really have it rough.
Then again, would they care about your betrayal if they completely forgot you?
Hmmm.
We welcome all contributions to our cause.
Though, never feel pressured to lend us your aid.
We simply wish to help.
Marth's heart is still very much open.
I wonder how long that will last.
I decided not to grind and just sent my fighter jet, also known as Shiida, to deal with him.
We got a nice level and a near-mint Ridersbane for our efforts.
There was some off-screen healing while Marth was walking from the village to the gate.
This reminds me that I forgot to show Nabarl's Weapon Ranks.
I'll try to remember to show it in the preparations menu in the next chapter.
I'll be keeping that Silver Sword for myself.
It's not like Hardin could actually use it.
No one died again.
This feels good, really good, even.
Though it's still early in the run and things could still blow up in my face.
Just...One chapter at a time.
Wrys did surprisingly well with a sword in hand.
Though that might be more because of the ridiculous forge than because of him.
Darros faced the first backfire of the Devil Axe and lived to tell the tale.
Will he manage to rid himself of that accursed axe before it takes his life?Chapter 4 is over already, how time flies.
It really felt liberating to get access to the Preparations Menu.
Chapter 5 is next, in which we'll meet Hardin and princess Nyna.
I have a feeling that the coming chapter might change history as we know it.
We'll see how it goes at our own pace.
Now then, thank you all for reading and see you again when the next post arrives. -
Replies visible in the post above.
Reason for the weird double post was a glitch in my original post.
I then tried posting it again, only to fail again.
More specifically, it only posted the "Replies" portion of the whole post.
So, I edited it instead, apologies for the weird format.Chapter 3 is here.
We'll be ascending onto the Ghoul's Teeth to rescue a certain cleric.
As usual, we took two days to arrive at our next destination.
This time to mourn the loss of Draug and Bord, may they rest in peace.
Malledus has been following our group and giving orders from the sidelines.
He did suggest taking a detour instead of cutting right through Soothsire territory, but he was shot down.
Marth cannot abandon people in need.
We have to wonder if Marth will still have such a big heart once we reach the end of our journey....
Current death count: 3
Names of the fallen by chapter
Chapter 1: Jagen.
Chapter 2: Draug and Bord.
Chapter 3
Spoiler
This chapter is going to be quite a challenge.
The terrain is quite unfriendly and our foes will be stronger than ever.
We'll also be attacked from two sides, only worsening our chances.
Julian and Lena make quite an entrance.
The writing in Shadow Dragon is really good.
I just wish there was more of it.
There's also
AlolanEuropean Navarre, otherwise known as Nabarl.
We'll get to him later.
This is Julian, a thief by trade.
He's locked in his class and unable to promote.
This isn't as bad as it is for Marth, though.
Julian has an eye for Lena, or it's implied at the very least.
He comes with an E Rank in Swords.
He can only wield Iron Swords at base.
This is still better as his NES counterpart, since he'll be able to improve his weapon rank.
He had a 0% Weapon Level growth back in the NES days, only allowing him to use other swords if you used a stat booster on him.
Let's take a look at his bases and growths.
17 HP
4 Str
0 Mag
6 Skill
12 Spd
7 Lck
4 Def
0 Res
His growths
80% HP
50% Str
0% Mag
50% Skill
50% Spd
80% Lck
30% Def
2% Res
His growths are amazing for Shadow Dragon standards.
He even beats Marth's Skill, Luck and Defense growths by 10% each.
Julian really is a good unit if you allow him to get a few kills and get his Sword Rank up.
He's also only one of two playable thieves in the game, the other one being quite inferior to him.
He once became a dragonslayer for me once he reached his Speed cap of 30 while using the Wyrmslayer and Mercurius.
This is Lena, the best cleric in the game.
She's the exclusive wielder of the Hammerne staff.
And she heavily outclasses Wrys.
Lena starts with a C Rank in Staves.
This allows her to use Heal, Mend, the almighty Warp, Physic, Barrier and Hammerne.
Let's check her base stats and growth rates.
16 HP
0 Str
2 Mag
7 Skill
8 Spd
8 Lck
3 Def
7 Res
Her growths
15 % HP
0% Str
25% Mag
25% Skill
20% Spd
60% Lck
0% Def
50% Res
Her growths are rather lopsided, heavily leaning to Luck and Defense.
Still, most of her stats won't really matter.
We might use her high Res to tank Gharnef in the far future.
I wonder why the game decided to deploy Wrys all the way over there compared to everyone else.
I must keep him alive, no matter what.
I've thought of a plan.
This specific tile can be used as a chokepoint.
I'll put a disarmed Cain here and make a thief break his Iron Sword on him.
Wrys and Lena will be nearby to provide relief.
He'll also still have the Vulnerary on him.
Marth rushes over to the nearby village.
We'll be needing the cursed weapon that rests within.
A small group of stronger units follow along, ready to intercept the fighters later.
Lena and Julian are evacuating to the lower areas of the map while Cain and Abel run up to block the passage.
Cain blocks the point and I realize my mistake too late.
Nabarl is going to move first, blocking the tile for everyone else.
The tile will be free once he's recruited, but the fighters can occupy it by then.
There's also the chance for getting hit by an unlucky crit.
Did I make this same mistake last time...?
Shiida waits nearby, ready to recruit Nabarl on the next turn.
Marth visited the village and obtained this EVIL abomination of an axe.
The Devil Axe.
This weapon would see little use in a normal run, but we are in desperate need of some firepower.
Darros heard whispers of evil coming from the axe.
He couldn't resist and took the weapon from Marth, ready to die with it in hand.
Ogma fortified himself on the nearby fort.
He'll make sure to hit hard when the fighters approach.
Everyone else is already bracing themselves for the massacre coming in just two turns...
Tears, Nabarl.
I came up with a new plan.
Shiida is going to recruit Nabarl, then he'll move to occupy the tile above Cain.
That way, the passage is still blocked.
Shiida will switch places with Nabarl on the next turn, throwing Javelins at whatever unit is waiting behind the first thief.
We should be able to keep this up until all of them have been cleared out.
Shiida convinced Nabarl to switch sides.
Now he can die for a better cause.
I'm kidding.
He says that he won't turn a blade on a woman, but he doesn't adhere to that at all.
This is Nabarl, the first myrmidon to join us.
He's similar to Ogma, but mostly worse.
He starts with a Killing Edge in his inventory, which will be great for dealing with the boss later.
I reclassed him to a curate once, which was completely out of character.
He comes with a C Rank in Swords.
This gives him access to a variety of blades.
Iron, Steel, Levin, Killing Edges, Devil, Wyrmslayers and the Wo Dao.
Let's check his base stats and growth rates.
19 HP
5 Str
0 Mag
9 Skill
11 Spd
8 Lck
6 Def
0 Res
His growths
90% HP
30% Str
0% Mag
40% Skill
50% Spd
40% Lck
10% Def
0% Res
He has the potential to be great, though he never really got there for me.
I hope that he lives to see the end.
Some reclass him to a cavalier, which is highly recommended.
Nabarl took the vulnerary and unequipped his Killing edge.
What do vulneraries taste like, anyway?
Cain went to the lower fort for some quick healing.
He's close enough to return to his spot on the next turn.
Abel made a start on our plan, throwing a Javelin at the second thief.
I sent both Wrys and Lena up to provide support.
Julian waits in front of them in case of an emergency.
Our other squad is keeping their distance, waiting for the enemy to approach.
Abel took care of one of the two thieves.
He gained a small level for his troubles.
Nabarl dodged one of the two hits from the thief.
He's still getting healed by Wrys, who reached a D Rank in Staves.
The terrain allows us to make a wall of four units.
We'll be making ample use of this later.
Shiida got started on pelting those fighters with Javelins.
I decided to change my plan and leave Nabarl in that spot.
The thief would keep targeting him, unable to die due to an unlucky critical counterattack.
This strategy only holds water until our Heal staff runs out.
Gordin went in for a solid hit, only to miss.
Maybe this is payback for that 85% dodge Wrys got the other day.
Barst manages to land a hit with his less-accurate Hand Axe.
Marth sets him up with the Steel Axe before going in for the killing blow.
One fighter down, two to go.
Ogma retreated, planning to heal on the fort on the next turn.
We closed the opening in our defenses by moving Cord down.
Nabarl recieved some aid from Wrys.
He'll need to withstand some more blows to the face...
Both Shiida and Abel miss the mark.
This is going to take a while.
Cord took an axe to the face and lived to tell the tale.
He got a modest level for his bravery.
Barst unfortunately missed on his counterattack.
This might be troublesome later.
Castor and Gordin ganged up on this dodgy fighter.
They thankfully hit both of their shots.
Gordin got a rather disappointing level for his trouble.
This was going to be the first time the Devil Axe got used in this run.
Darros held it tightly as he swung it down at his foe.
A visceral cruching noise could be heard as the axe crushed his opponent.
Darros was spared for now.
He resolved himself to carry the burden of the Devil Axe from this moment onward.
Not that he has a choice, the axe bound itself to him.
He'll only be freed of the weapon if it breaks through use alone.
And so, the story of the Saint of the Devil Axe begins...
Barst tries his luck with another throw of the Hand Axe.
He sadly misses his mark this time around.
Cord ran for the fort.
We'll be doing a lot of fort healing once this area is safe again.
Cain, Marth and Ogma combined their strengths to defeat this fighter with no chance of failure.
I also noticed that Cain is bulky enough to survive two hits from these monstrous foes.
Abel threw a Javelin and hit his mark.
Shiida tried the same, but missed.
Nabarl was healed again, the uses on the heal staff coming close to running out...
Wrys tries his best to keep Nabarl motivated, but the grumpy myrmidon just mumbles that he's fine.
Wrys healed Nabarl and gained a surprisingly good level.
We're going to be doing a lot of the same for the coming turns, so I'll only show the highlights.
Just the turncounter for reference.
Shiida got a level for hitting once.
We're going to switch things up now.
We managed to kill one of the fighters within those 4 turns that passed.
We'll now be attacking these fighters directly.
Nabarl ran off to get some fort healing in later.
Abel threw a Javelin at the thief, reaching a B Rank in Lances.
He's now capable of wielding Jagen's Silver Lance.
Cain got some fort healing in during the last 4 turns.
He now swoops in to fix Abel's weapon and subdue the final thief.
Julian ran for the mountains, wanting to contribute instead of just standing around.
He can survive a hit, so he should be fine.
The enemy went for Cain instead of Julian.
Cain decided to retreat for now, leaving the task of blocking the enemy to Abel and Julian.
Shiida threw a Javelin and actually hit the mark.
Everything should go just fine unless Abel crits on a counterattack.
Castor and Ogma got rid of the lower fighter.
Just one remains.
Ogma chokes the point while both Abel and Julian wait around the fort.
I also moved Shiida out of range.
Castor got the kill after Ogma countered the fighter on enemy phase.
The time for fort healing has arrived.
I'll just show the highlights until everyone is healthy again.
Abel accessed the convoy, retrieving both an Iron Lance and Jagen's old Silver Lance.
Abel will do everything to keep Jagen's memory alive.
Marth really has a big heart to welcome a former enemy so readily.
Then again, that's his specialty.
I do like the little bits of dialogue that Julian does get.
Lena really will be a great help once she gets her hands on a few staves.
Though instant access to warp is also fantastic.
Marth's genuine confusion is quite entertaining.
Nabarl seems to be in the same mood as usual.
I do admire his resolve, most people would quit after being forced to be a disarmed meatshield for a few turns straight.
I'm glad to have these conversations out of the way.
You never know, we might not have the chance to see them later...
The fort healing wasn't finished yet, but a hunter decided to move all on his own.
Still, it took 16 turns of that to get us here.
Barst will lure the hunter, Hand Axe ready.
Everyone else waits nearby, ready to surround him later.
The wounded hunter is easily defeated by both Darros and Julian.
Darros might be the wielder of the Devil Axe, but he's still sane enough to not use it when it's not needed.
Barst is patched up by Wrys to face the final hunter waiting ahead.
His trusty Heal staff broke, leaving us with nothing but fort healing for the remainder of this chapter.
Wrys plans to provide moral support instead, checking in on everyone during moments of calm.
Everyone except Nabarl heads over to the final part of the map.
He's still recovering from the injuries he got keeping everyone safe.
Wrys came to check up on him to discover something very troubling.
Nabarl sustained an injury to his sword arm that can only be healed by staves.
He won't be able to fight too much anymore....
The hunter decided to come over to us on his own.
We gave him a very warm welcome and sent him to meet his comrades.
Abel grew just a little after the deed was done.
We'll be luring the remaining two fighters on the next turn.
One has a Steel Axe, which is going to be scary to deal with.
They decided to move on their own, so Ogma will weather their onslaught.
Ogma dodged the incoming attack and countered.
Castor got a shot in and gained his first level.
Everyone is just waiting around until the next enemy phase.
Ogma dodged yet another attack and retaliated.
This left the fighter low enough to be struck down by the Devil Saint.
Darros pilfered a vulnerary from his fallen foe.
The Devil Saint took an axe to the face and retreated.
Gordin came in and shot the lone fighter.
Julian swooped in and occupied the fort after Darros left.
Julian dodged the attack and countered during the enemy phase.
Gordin and him then teamed up to wipe him out.
Julian is now just 20 exp short of gaining a level.
Only the boss named Reynard remains.
Well, him and a random unmoving hunter on the other side of the map.
I'll only be showing the highlights, since this boss is notoriously difficult to take down.
Shiida flew over to the armory to buy one Iron Sword for Nabarl.
She wasn't aware of his injury.
He gets doubled by the boss while using his Killing Edge, but an Iron Sowrd doesn't weigh him down.
Isn't that the point of an Iron Man run?
Anyhow, this chapter is going too well for someone to die now.
Ogma has really been growing nicely.
This is it, let's take him out!
Nabarl gathered his resolve, holding his Iron Sword with two hands.
He then brought his blade down on Reynard, ending his life with one clean cut.
That final slash was all that he could muster, his sword arm now being out of comission...
A man of the sword being unable to lift one anymore?
Pathetic.
Wrys came up to Nabarl after everything was over.
He presented Nabarl with a choice and an apology....
That didn't take long at all compared to my usual attempts.
Luck was on my side.
I'm just glad that everyone survived.
It only took 10 turns, that really is a new record.
This is the first time that Malledus appears.
He doesn't do too much throughout the story, but it's fun to have him around.
I'm really glad that I managed to survive this chapter in one piece.
In fact, enough people survived to avoid the recruitment of generics this time.
At least, I think that that holds true.
We'll have to wait and see what's going to happen between Wrys and Nabarl.
Also, it took around 4 hours and 30 minutes, not counting breaks, to finish this post.
Phew.Well, that was chapter 3.
It's always one of the harder ones on this difficulty.
We'll descend upon the lea when we reach chapter 4.
Well, unless the enemy litters the lea with our cavalry.
There are also going to be some reclasses then.
Anyhow, see you all when the next post drops. -
Replies
Spoiler9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Here is hoping you manage to take down Medeus this time!
I've certainly learned some things from last time, so let's hope for the best.
Still, I look forward to the unexpected twists and turns of this run.
9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:I am liking this extra characterization you are giving the characters here.
I love filling in the gaps.
Besides, a little flavor text spices things up.
I really took your original advice to heart.
9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Really foreshadowing Darros's recruitment there.
Nice, he survived being recruited!
Darros really is an oddball.
Being set up for failure since the very start.
I'll make him shine, or try to, at least.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:It looks more like Cord is in trouble, unless that Pirate has an extra strength than the others...
Ouch, he does have the extra strength...stat variance really screwed you here.
Stat variance, one of the other small things few people talk about in Shadow Dragon.
I don't know what I was thinking the other day, I just assumed that Cord would be fine.
I was right this time, but I really have to up my game.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Oof, that is a brutal mistake to make, and all of their similarities make it so much easier to make
You live and learn from your past mistakes.
9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Phew, looks like you managed to sur-
...Oh Bord, you could have fixed the mistakes of Cord, but you just had to miss...
Or, one lives and one dies due to those mistakes.
My hit rates just feel unreliable in general.
Which type of RNG does Shadow Dragon use again?9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Oh no, that is such an oversight. If only this were a game with the Rescue/Shelter command so you could fix it...
I really miss those mechanics in modern Fire Emblem games, they really added a lot.
Also, shove.
Hmmm...
I'm almost tempted to do a playthrough of the Radiance games now, but a screenshot Let's Play of those would take ages.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:That extra strength Pirate has proven a real monster, and if only Bord had gotten his last hit, he would have survived.
I wish recruitable characters had some stat variance too.
I'm not counting the generics at the moment.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Wow, he dodge the one that could one shot him...man Wrys is so very lucky...What a Legend
Dodging certain death is really a part of the raw Fire Emblem experience.
Wrys might become one of the more important senior members of our army through this playthrough.
Not that he has much competition.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Sleep Deprivation is a real Ironman killer...
I made sure to be well-rested today.
Or, I tried to.
I'm starting nice and early on this post,
My guess is that I'll be writing for about 4 hours, including playing and taking screenshots.
9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Strength already...she really is showing off.
That is an ominous thing to say...
Every point of strength counts.
It's supported by previous experience.
Both Shiida and Ogma haven't survived until the end for my last 6 or so Hard 5 Iron Man runs.
Of course, saying this might turn it into a self-fulfilling prophecy.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Yikes...thankfully he survived that kinda misread.
It surprised me as much as it did you.
That enemy hunter must have had some terrible stat variance.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Seems the archers just like to show off with the crits...
Spin to win, they say.
I don't mind it, as long as they don't mess up a strategy later with their shenanigans.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:The rise of Wrys!
Wrys shall rise beyond all else.
And, if not, then something else of him shall live on through the whole run.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:Marth is looking solid, which is a good sign for an ironman.
He might be the only one I can rely on for the whole run.
Might as well make him a capable warrior instead of a sheet of tin foil paper.9 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:I mean you beat it in about 1/10th the turns Excelblem did, so LTC starts it is
A fool returns to a Shadow Dragon Hard 5 Iron Man
in Let's Play/Streams
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He'll always live on in our memory.
It's always fun to watch what happens to those who get to stay behind safely.
Jagen would usually provide support to the Wolfguard.
However, he's...Missing in action.
Shiida was needed for our main army, so the Wolfguard had to get clever.
Wrys is truly the hero we need but don't deserve.
That might be it.
Though it also just seems like they have a lot of HP compared to most enemies.
Then again, that also has to do with what you mentioned, them not getting countered.
Luck seemed to smile upon us.
They would usually be close to being massacred by now.
Will his fate be different from Jagen's?
Only time will tell.
Archers really are a scary opponent.
I've had bad experiences with the reinforcements before, especially due to being swarmed by the pegasus knights.
Fortune favors the bold.
We defy fate itself by holding our ground despite the odds being against us.
No more enemies were nearby, but her HP did bring some extra security.
I can only hope that it lasts.
This might be the best timeline for my iron man runs yet.
Wrys will be our hero when the time comes.
I can only hope that he'll cap his speed.
Darros lives on the edge, sworn to wield the Devil Axe until it crumbles to ash.
He must live until the end...
The generics provide a lot of fun challenges.
Maybe I'll do a generic run someday.
Writing stories for all of them would be fun, after all.
Chapter 6 approaches.
The Altean Army has taken a different approach for this chapter.
Malledus urged us to deploy seige tactics, surrounding the castle and trapping the enemy within.
Nine days have passed and all is silent.
Our group is just camping out around the palace while the king of Aurelis paces around back and forth.
We eventually sent Julian inside to check the situation.
Everyone within had succumbed to hunger.
So, on to chapter 7!
...I'm kidding, if only things were that easy.
Marth discussed his options with Malledus before finally giving the order to breach the palace.
We might be walking into a death trap, but Marth has faith in his friends that all will be well.
...Will it, though?
Current death count: 3
Names of the fallen by chapter
Chapter 1: Jagen.
Chapter 2: Draug and Bord.
Chapter 6
We do have a thief on hand, actually.
And soon, we'll have two, and then even three.
Though one can only open chests part-time when his princely duties don't get in the way.
We didn't do too much for our battle preparations.
Matthis wanted to tag along to protect his sister.
Marth eventually accepted and allowed him to come as bearer of a Door Key.
We ended up deploying Marth, Shiida, Cain, Abel, Matthis, Darros, Merric, Wendell, Wrys, Ogma, Julian, Barst, Lena and Nabarl.
Everyone else is staying behind to protect our tactician, Malledus.
The entire Wolfguard is among them, gladly taking the opportunity to rest after narrowly escaping with their lives in the last chapter.
This man is Emereus, the boss of this chapter.
He's going to prepare to withdraw, despite being trapped.
If they ever remake FE1 again, then I'd hope that they add some new chapter goals, like protecting the fort Nyna hid in during Chapter 5 or the boss actually retreating if you can't get to him in time.
Matthis does his job wonderfully, unlocking the door for Julian.
Our thief heads over to this imprisoned man to have a chat.
Julian sways Rickard to our side.
Those two clearly have some history, it would probably be great material for a support conversation.
Hm, maybe someday.
This is Rickard, a thief by trade.
He hasn't washed his hands of thievery, still chasing the loot instead.
Fate turned against him when he was captured and imprisoned, but it also favored him since his life was spared.
He could have escaped at any moment, though.
Unless this is another callback to FE1.
I'm not sure if he had a Lockpick on him or not back then.
That aside, Rickard has thief utility.
Opening Doors, chests and bridges without needing a key is always a boon.
He starts with an E Rank in Swords, only being able to use a basic Iron Sword for combat.
Let us observe his bases and growths.
16 HP
4 Str
0 Mag
2 Skill
9 Spd
0 Lck
3 Def
0 Res
His growths.
50% HP
50% Str
0% Mag
30% Skill
50% Spd
40% Lck
10% Def
2% Res
Rickard is basically just a worse version of Julian.
Still, I won't say no to having another thief around.
Some say that he fell in love in another life, only to be cruelly parted from his beloved.
He dedicated himself to the blade after that, swearing to exact vengeance on all.
I hope that his tale won't end in heartbreak this time.
We plan to do this chapter somewhat quickly.
Shiida is going to lure the knight over to her, surviving the initial hit and destroying him on the counter.
Everyone else moves closer to support her.
And now, we wait and see what the enemy phase brings.
Shiida survived the attack, taking the knight down with a mighty crit on the counter.
Rickard went on ahead, getting his hands on a Small Bullion.
We always welcome the funds.
Darros traded his Vulnerary to Shiida, who proceeded to consume it after getting some aid from Wendell.
She needed to have more than 14 HP to survive the incoming attack of a nearby mage.
She's still out of range of everything else.
Shiida is ready for the mage to approach.
Her Javelin will finish him off with exact damage, provided that she doesn't miss.
One of the enemy thieves acquired a Seraph Robe.
Shiida managed to defeat the mage who attacked her on her counterattack.
Nabarl went up and smacked Shiida with his Mend staff.
He's still keeping his promise, to never turn a blade of his on a woman.
Staves are another story.
Anyhow, Shiida is back to full health.
We were urged to act quickly, before this corridor turns into the corridor of doom.
As such, we sent Shiida over to destroy one of the knights while Wendell defeated the other one.
There's still some work to do to secure the way...
Wrys and Matthis worked together to take this archer out.
Matthis seemed a little Shaky after getting the kill, really not feeling fit for the battlefield.
Wrys put a hand on his shoulder and comforted him while he wiped the blood off of his legendary blade.
I realized that our units would still be at great risk if we don't block the door.
I ended up deciding on this formation for a reason.
Matthis can survive one shot from the archers....Oh...Oh no...
...I made a miscalculation.
But I'll get back to that once I finish my original explanation.
The plan was for the archers to target the units who cannot counter their attacks.
This would cause them to ignore Abel due to his Javelin, instead going for Matthis and Wrys, leaving Abel healthy enough to tank a hit from one of the cavaliers.
This is with the assumption that the thieves on our left won't attack us, instead going for the treasure.
Even so, I shielded Wrys off with Cain just in case.
Of course, this only holds true if the archers move first.
Now, Matthis will fall if both of the Archers target him.
Abel will fall if the cavaliers move first.
I can only hope that things will go well...
The enemy thieves pilfered an Armorslayer, Killing Edge and Physic.
....
I'm sorry, Matthis.
You deserved better.
The silence was deafening when Matthis hit the floor.
He is no more.
Lena screamed in horror while Wrys couldn't avert his gaze from this loss of life.
Abel started to look rather pale, realizing that it could have been his life instead if fate decided so.
Rest in peace, Matthis.
The man who was unwillingly drafted, forced to fight only to switch sides later.
At least his wish came true.
He died as one of the dashing instead of one of the dastardly.
Wendell clears one of the archers, allowing us to enter the next room.
Shiida defeats the first cavalier, gaining an excellent level for her troubles.
We plan to deal with the second archer shortly.
My original idea was to chip the archer with Wrys and finish him off with someone else.
Sadly, the remaining cavalier oneshots Wrys.
So we'll have to deal with him first.
Wrys clears the way by cutting this curate down.
He still seems shaken from witnessing the life of Matthis end prematurely...
The second cavalier went down without too much trouble.
Cain tried to cheer those around him up with a fancy crit, but it didn't seem to make anyone feel better...
He acquired a Master Key, which will come in handy later.
I must have gotten tunnel vision after Matthis died.
There was a better way to go about this.
Marth wounded the archer with a quick stab while Darros took a deep breath.
He lifts the cursed axe, it seemingly pulsing in his grip.
He closes his eyes, bracing himself...
Then, he brings the axe down on the archer's head.
Crunch
Death....
Darros faces death itself once more.
The axe reversed its momentum at the last moment, lodging itself right into his own flesh.
This is...The third time in a row, is it not?
The third time that this accursed axe turned on him.
The enemy archer stands up and laughs.
He won't be dying alone anymore.
He gets to decide if the flying princess falls or the wielder of the cursed axe.
Soon....
Merric, Ogma and Julian ganged up on the nearby thief, quickly subduing him.
We retrieve a Physic staff from the fallen thief.
This will be great for later.
Nabarl heads over to Wendell, giving aid.
He clutches his right arm, witnessing the death of a comrade stirs something within him, but he doesn't allow it to manifest.
He feels an unnatural chill in the air, it unnerves him.
Something bad is going to happen, something that will change the course of history...
The archer gets to choose who to shoot.
The Wounded Devil Saint, Darros.
The Winged sweetheart of Talys, Shiida.
The Hope of the world, Marth.
Or a former Pontifex of Khadein, Wendell.
Time seems to slow to a crawl as the wheels of fate start to turn.
The enemy phase begins...
Darros was chosen.
The arrow pierced his already fresh wound, going through him like he wasn't even there.
The Devil Axe falls out of his hand into the puddle starting to form under him.
He has trouble breathing and his vision starts to blur...
Footsteps.
Wrys sprints over to him, trying to keep him conscious.
Marth seems to be frozen in place, a look of guilt in his eyes as he averts his gaze and runs out of the room to fetch our healers.
He returns but a moment later, both Nabarl and Lena in tow.
Nabarl's face darkens at the sight, Darros is...
Darros is beyond saving.
Alas, this is beyond healing...
Still despite knowing better, he rushes to his side, using his Mend staff on his fallen comrade.
Nothing.
Lena joins in, using her own Heal staff to try and prevent it from getting worse.
Nothing.
The Devil Axe is barely visible now, almost being submerged in that which it thirsts for...
Darros tries to stand up, coughing as he leans on Wrys for support.
He cannot see and everything hurts so much.
Yet, his body won't die.
That accursed axe, is this some kind of twisted joke?!
Darros crouches and picks the bloodstained weapon up from the ground.
It's so heavy...
He can't move on until the axe is broken.
He's stuck.
He eventually manages to stand up after Nabarl, Lena and Wrys stop the bleeding.
Lena then warps him back to our camp while Marth sends a signal to Malledus in regards to his situation.
Darros is no longer truly alive.
Just stuck until the Devil Axe finally breaks.
...We must break the Devil Axe before our journey comes to an end.
Julian is sent to deal with the archer who took Darros from us.
He'll suffer, slowly.
Cain and Abel blocked the fleeing thief, acquiring the pilfered Seraph Robe for their troubles.
Nabarl healed Wendell and gained a small level for his work.
Nabarl isn't really focused anymore...
Cain awaits the incoming thief for the following turn.
Merric chips the thief with some quick Fire Magic and gets a very good level for his work.
Julian defeated the injured thief with a quick slice of his blade.
He gained a level and reached a D Rank in Swords.
He also retrieved the Armorslayer from the fallen thief.
Marth switched places with Julian and ended the murderous archer.
He gained a good level for his work.
Marth was reminded that he has to become more reliable if he wishes to prevent more of his friends from dying...
Everyone capable of healing went around and helped those in need.
We are over halfway done with the map.
There's a mean enemy formation awaiting us in the throne room, but we should perservere.
Lena healed Cain offscreen.
Barst waits right over here to attract a knight down below to move.
Barst dodged the hit, then doubled on his counter.
The knight did dodge one of the attacks.
We're going to do the same thing this turn.
Barst just kept on dodging those 71% hits.
He gained 1 point of strength for his effort.
Merric cooked the knight, bringing a fiery end to his life.
Wendell and Barst both intend to lure an archer up for our other units to finish off.
Wrys makes quick work of the archer to our left, taking him down with two quick slices.
Barst recieves a helping hand from Nabarl.
He seems to be a little more relaxed now, like he can sense that all tragedies for today have passed.
Ogma and Cain combined the might of their sword and lance to vanquish their foe.
Cain gained a level, though it wasn't too impressive.
More luck means less of a chance for enemy crits, though.
So that's good.
Wendell recieved some healing from Lena as he wanders over to us.
We'll be getting into position on our next turn.
Marth and Rickard had a little chat.
Though it was really just Rickard chatting on while Marth stared at him.
We'll lure the nearby knight to us with Cain.
Merric, Barst and Marth worked together to take this guy down.
Some of you might have noticed that the numbers are inconsistent, good eye.
I accidentally pressed X before confirming my attack with Barst, causing him to attack with his Hand Axe instead.
Cain recieved the healing he needed from both Lena and Nabarl.
These two are quite troublesome.
Their ranges overlap and no one can really tank them too well.
I'll have to think of something.
I took a little while to get ready, but I think that I have a plan now.
Hmmm...We're going to need to use the Warp Staff.
Wendell blows the nearby knight away with the power of the mighty Excalibur.
Cain and Ogma work together to defeat this archer.
One more enemy needs to go down before safety is near guaranteed.
I originally wanted to warp Wrys, but he would get oneshot by the nearby mage.
That's why Shiida is going instead.
Shiida and Abel quickly take the trash out.
Just a little more, then we'll be all finished.
Now we wait...
Wendell killed the remaining mage during the enemy phase.
My patience and energy started to run out, so I just put the boss to rest with Wendell and Shiida.
We got another Master Key, we'll be keeping it in the convoy for now.
Just one more turn of walking before the end.
Abel decided to squeeze some experience out of the last remaining enemy on the map.
Rickard and Abel finished him off.
Abel was rewarded with experience, he's now at 99 of it, just one short.
Marth seizes the throne, ending this dark chapter.
Marth obtained the Fire Emblem, the namesake of the whole franchise.
What does it do?
It's a glorified lockpick for chests only and it's permanently stuck in Marth's inventory.
At least he can turn to thievery if this "Saving the world" business fails.
I'm sure that Rickard would be willing to give Marth some tips.
And so, the chapter finally ends.
Two deaths after doing well for a while...
Matthis, who fell due to a tactical blunder.
He deserved better...
And Darros, dead, but unable to move on until he's freed from his pact with that accursed axe.
He'll haunt our camp for the foreseeable future.
Or well, I suppose that it's not really haunting if he still has a body.
Hmmm....
And so ends Chapter 6.
That certainly was a ride.
And exhausting, too.
Chapter 7 is next.
We'll have to prepare well if we want to deal with the near infinite reinforcements.
Luckily, time is on our side.
The next update will appear eventually.
I'm still figuring out a good pace for this playthrough.