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Hey, so this is a discussion I've wanted to start for a while now, ever since recently I got into a debate with one of my friends who very much prefers the newer games to the older ones (they've played Awakening, Fates, and emulated Binding Blade and Blazing Blade). We started talking about writing fidelity in new vs. old, and we started talking about characterization. I am of the opinion that characterization was far more nuanced in the earlier games and characters were more interesting because of it, while my friend thinks that many of the characters in the earlier games came off bland and unremarkable. From my point of view, it's not that we didn't always have gimmicks, but as a whole, I feel like characters in the earlier titles felt more like living, breathing people existing in a fantasy world, with their own hopes, dreams and goals. Many of the newer characters feel, in my opinion, like parody characters written for a parody fantasy. There's nothing wrong with a joke...but I feel like a lot of characters are disproportionately focused on that joke. And then it stops being funny, and you're left with...not a whole lot remaining. Take Kellam, for example. He's a guy that disappears and is overlooked by everyone. And...there you go. That's the joke. That's all she wrote. Since one of FE's strengths is its amazing characters, especially in comparison to other strategy RPGs which use generics, I find that shallower characterization could even end up harming the series as a whole. After all, it's you caring about characters that makes you want to keep them alive, right? At least, that's true for me. Question time! Do you like character gimmicks? Do you think they should stick around in future characters/characterization, or do you wish they would be done away with entirely? So how do you feel about characters with gimmicks or an exaggerated trait or traits? Do you generally find them compelling? Do you personally feel that there has been a drop in the quality of characterization or character writing in the Fire Emblem series? In your opinion, what are some of the most well-written and fleshed out characters of the series, and just for balance's sake, what are some of the worst or flattest in your opinion?

I was originally gonna post this in the Ballistician thread, but I figured that I may as well make a thread for this kinda thing because other people may have some really neat combinations that I'd love to hear. I just found a really niche thing you can do with the Tanks, because of its ability to inflict friendly fire. [spoiler=Scarlet Build]All you have to do is get a unit that relies on Vantage, they won't even need Miracle. I'll use Scarlet as an example, but there are others, like Midori for example. Scarlet (Wyvern Lord) with a Forged Peri's Lance In Extremis (Personal) Awakening Vantage Luna 2 Other skills (Rend Heaven/Quixotic/Warp/Replicate/Galeforce, etc...hell even Lucky 7 is usable here) Here's the gameplan 1. Set up your Tank to hit an enemy while Scarlet's within range of the Cannon Command. 2. Scarlet's weak to Bows, so she'll get hit with that extra damage, and unless your Tank is really weak, she'll drop to 1 HP. 3. With In Extremis and Awakening active, you get a free +60% Crit, and with Vantage, feel free to go to town! Luna's a Failsafe on things like Generals, which is why I have Quixotic in the list of preference skills, if you're confident in Scarlet's ability to just destroy things before they can strike back. Plus you have a Ballistician (or 2, if you have Replicate) to back you up with extra chip damage, while Scarlet not minding if she gets caught in the crossfire. This build does have weaknesses though, of course. Namely Breakers/Quixotic/Certain Blow, as well as Generals if Luna doesn't proc. But its a pretty fun setup that I came up with while derping around in Revelations (shame I cant really build Scarlet there), and I figured someone may find it interesting. So, what do you think of this setup? Do you have your own builds/combinations that may not be optimal, but are fun to pull off? That's what this here thread is for.

"It's 5 Minutes to Midnight." Pressures mount between the United States and Russia. Diplomacy is strained. Peace talks turn hostile. An arms race of weapons of mass destruction is now underway. Scientists everywhere fear for the safety of all life on earth. And when the clock strikes 12, all hell breaks loose. Doomsday Clock Mafia Rules! -I am the U.N.. I made the rules and the setup. Decisions by me should be trusted and assumed to be be made in the interests of keeping the game fun. Please don't offend the UN Council or sanctions may be enforced. -Don't discuss the game outside the thread to anyone but the game mod, or in a mod-sanctioned quicktopic. Personal quicktopics are an exception (and are encouraged), provided only the game mods have access. -Posting will be disallowed whenever a mod posts something like "SHUT UP", typically before a flip. Posting is not allowed during the Night Phase. I won't delete posts, but don't abuse this fact. -If you die, you can't post, period. -Don't edit posts. -Votes should be structured as "##Verb: Player". Failure to bold may result in the vote being skipped. -Try to post actual, useful content at least once, preferably twice, every 24 hours. If you can't for some reason, tell me in advance. Otherwise I'll prod you with the force of ten thousand burning suns. -Quoting Mod PMs is a kickable offense. Don't quote the mod from outside discussion without permission. -Have fun and keep the thread fun for fellow players. -Failure to comply with rules might result in a modkill. If your alignment benefits from this, they'll be punished too. Don't make me do this, it will ruin the game. Setup! -Gimmick Setup (explained below) -This is a 14 player game. -Closed discussion, or whatever the term is. Keep it in the thread, guys. -72 Hour Days, 24 Hour Nights. -This game is guaranteed to have at least one Vanilla Town. -The Doomsday Clock (pictured above) is a very real and integral part of the setup. It starts at 5 Minutes to Midnight --Each new Day Phase, the clock may shift position forwards or backward in time. You will not know what causes the clock to shift. --When the clock reaches Midnight, Doomsday is imminent. Details for this are initially CONFIDENTIAL. -Role Flips will provide a Role Name, Basic Role Description (ie Vanilla, Cop, Doc), and an Alignment. Role PMs will be provided, but some Role PM details may be kept CONFIDENTIAL until certain events occur. --WARNING: Leaking of Top Secret information is grounds for immediate removal from the game! -The following things are considered ridiculous and not in this game: Jesters, RNG-based Roles, Hidden Players and Role Info, Non-Sane Cops, Alignment-Switching Roles, Alt Wincon roles, Captain Planet, and Roleflip-altering roles. -Town may no lynch once. A second no lynch results Mutually Assured Destruction. This is the BAD END. -Scum may idle the Nightkill once. A second Idle will result in the kill being RNG'd. -Play to your wincon. "Draw" is equivalent to "Everyone Loses". -Don't speculate with Flavor. It won't work. -Don't speculate the setup. It won't work. -Seriously, don't speculate the setup. It's not designed to be "solved". -On that note, don't send me PMs regarding Action Priority or "What would happen if X role is in the game" because I will hate you and not tell you anything useful and nobody will be happy. Assume roles work as per standard Mafia games unless your own PM says otherwise. Signups! -Eurykins -Pascal -Polywrath -kirsche -Elieson -Refa -SB -Shinori -Bluedoom -BBM -Curly Brace -Polydeuces -Scorri -Mitsuki

Welcome to Musical Chairs Mafia, hosted by NekoRex. This is a gimmicky open setup for 13 players. Standard Setup Notes: In addition to the standard gameplay of Mafia, this game has the following mechanics: Rules: Signups: -mafia sucks (Prims) Shin -EssBee (SB) -Elieson (Lynched D3: Town Roleblocker) -Strege -kirsche -Gregor (Lynched D2: Scum JOAT, Vanilla) -Kay (Killed N3: Town Vanilla) -Refa (Killed N2: Town Tracker) -scorri Shinori -BigBadMarshmallow (BBM) (Died N4: Town Vanilla) -Lonely Wallcrab (Killed N1: Town Watcher) -Objection! (Lynched D4: Scum Redirector, Vanilla) -Terrador (Modkilled N1: Town Cop) Subs: - - - Links to events Confirmation Phase, I fuck up the Confirmation Phase Day 1 Start, Votecounts: T-68 T-48 T-36 T-24 T-12 Really Stupid And Ugly Day End Day 2 Start Day 2 End Day 3 Start Day 3 End Day 4 Start