What is the best system to determine Stat Growths?

[Whitefang]

I've been thinking about level growths, and I wonder which system would be preferred. The RNG can either bless or curse any given character, and BExp is fixed to level up 3 stats in RD which I thought could be applied to all level ups. I personally find it frustrating that for one level a character can gain points in 7 stats, yet for another level only 1 stat is increased. The level itself does little, so the growth of the character can be limited early on.

I will use a simple example to demonstrate the various methods. The first 2 are implemented in Fire Emblem games. The third is implemented in other games but not in Fire Emblem (to my knowledge). The fourth is not implemented in any game that I am aware of, though I'm sure it exists somewhere (It could be how BExp is determined, though I won't claim to know that).

Let's say that Whitefang is a level 1 Lord with 99 exp. He just dodged an attack, and is now going to level up. Here are his stats.

Whitefang
Level 1 Lord
HP		16
Strength	4
Magic		0
Speed		6
Skill		7
Luck		3
Defense		5
Resistance	1

Method 1 - The standard Fire Emblem system

Growths:		RN
HP		60%	55
Strength	40%	60
Magic		5%	98
Speed		55%	2
Skill		30%	31
Luck		35%	19
Defense		30%	88
Resistance	20%	64

Whitefang
Level 2 Lord
HP		16	+>	17
Strength	4	->	4
Magic		0	->	0
Speed		6	+>	7
Skill		7	->	7
Luck		3	+>	4
Defense		5	->	5
Resistance	1	->	1

Method 2 - Fixed growths

Stat Points:

Whitefang used a sword, took no damage, and dodged all his attacks, giving him extra points in Skill, Speed, and Luck, while reducing his points in Defense and HP

	Points	Investment	New Value
HP		90	60 - 5		145 +
Strength	60	40		100 +
Magic		0	5		5
Speed		40	55 + 10		105+
Skill		80	30 + 10		120 +
Luck		10	35 + 5		50
Defense		50	30 - 5		75
Resistance	0	20		20

Whitefang
Level 2 Lord
HP		16	+>	17
Strength	4	+>	5
Magic		0	->	0
Speed		6	+>	7
Skill		7	+>	8
Luck		3	->	3
Defense		5	->	5
Resistance	1	->	1

Method 3 - Predetermined Stats. This is very similar to method 2, but has no variations.

Whitefang's Level 2 Stats are predetermined by his level.

Whitefang
Level 2 Lord
HP		16	+>	17
Strength	4	+>	5
Magic		0	->	0
Speed		6	->	6
Skill		7	+>	8
Luck		3	->	3
Defense		5	->	5
Resistance	1	->	1

Method 4 - Weighted Stat growths

	Weight	RN	Total
HP		60	55	105
Strength	40	60	100
Magic		5	98	103
Speed		55	2	57
Skill		30	31	61
Luck		35	19	54
Defense		30	88	108
Resistance	20	64	84

Whitefang gains a stat boost for exactly three stats which have the highest total weighted value. Ties would be broken by going for the higher weighted stat.

Whitefang
Level 2 Lord
HP		16	+>	17
Strength	4	->	4
Magic		0	+>	1
Speed		6	->	6
Skill		7	->	7
Luck		3	->	3
Defense		5	+>	6
Resistance	1	->	1

[Integrity]

Frankly, to my end, I don't like PureFixed (a la FETO) or FE9's PseudoFixed. I see it as a good setup (maybe) for competitive games, which Fire Emblems are rather far from.

So bring on the randomization, I say.

[Bearissoslow]

Fixed mode in POR was a great idea... save the bullshit that comes from specific weapon types and enemy types. Just leave it to adding the decimal value and nothing more, since that's the best way to do it imo.

[Celice]

As random as it can fookin get

[Darros]

Random numbers. FE would be less fun if the levels were all predetermined.

[Paperblade]

I honestly don't see a problem with FE11's system. It's random enough but has some prevention against RNG screwage. I voted Other because I don't think the Dynamic Growths system is exactly like the usual totes random FE system.

Edited June 19, 2011 by Paperblade

[Radiant Dragon]

I think a good way to handle it would be like FE9's Fixed growths (without the weapon/enemy modifiers), but instead of just adding the growth, adding "growth +/- 10', to keep some of the randomness and allow for blessings/screwages, but on a smaller scale. Obviously, growths as a whole would probably have to be lowered slightly (by 5% or so).

[Charpig]

Random level ups are actually one of the very few things I don't like about Fire Emblem. I think it would be nice if stats could increase based on actions taken during battle. Fire Emblem could also implement a system similar to the Mario RPGs where the player can give a bonus to one stat upon leveling up. Maybe for FE, the player could only gain 3 or 4 stats upon leveling up, but the player would get to choose which stats are boosted. It would give more strategy to the game, because you would have to decide which stats are most important. I also think it would alleviate some of the reseting people have to do to get good level ups around here.

[Radiant Dragon]

Fire Emblem could also implement a system similar to the Mario RPGs where the player can give a bonus to one stat upon leveling up. Maybe for FE, the player could only gain 3 or 4 stats upon leveling up, but the player would get to choose which stats are boosted. It would give more strategy to the game, because you would have to decide which stats are most important. I also think it would alleviate some of the reseting people have to do to get good level ups around here.

That would be a bad idea since not only are more stats far more important than others (speed >>> luck), it negates the uniqueness of different characters.

[Reikken]

Fixed mode style, but with half of the stat points or whatever being randomized, instead of 100% fixed.

Like you gain growth +/- growth/2*RN points instead of just growth points. And then have something similar to those bands, except more potent. Have them maybe give +15% in one stat, +10% in another, and -10% in another. That would be pretty sweet.

Edited June 20, 2011 by Reikken

[Whitefang]

I forgot about the dynamic growths in the DS game(s). I do like that system as well.

As to player's choosing which stats are increased, it could be done by increasing the cost of investing in one particular stat if the character's stats are unbalanced. However, this would likely lead to a very simplistic way of optimizing any character's stats which would be quite boring and tedious after a while. It's a good idea, but I doubt that it could be implemented without making the game extremely challenging.