Bandits, Barbarians, and Brigands oh my! Inclusion discussion.

[ErrantDShepherd]

Hey all,

So... Yeah I like thinking about Five Emblem and concepts, one topic I have been wanting to discuss is the idea of Bandits, Barbarians and Brigands(and I guess Axe users in general?)

Oftentimes these classes are not seen in the same game, the three names here apply to basically the same unit, or unit type. A typically enemy only Axe user, with some variation in stats from the Fighter and Pirate classes.

...what I am wondering, is are there some ways that they could all be incorporated into the same FE game? Either as separate classes or possibly as different tiers of some classes? What do you guys think? I'd love to hear some thoughts and ideas on this.

Here by the way is an example of how one might set up individual classes for the Brigand, Barbarian and Bandit.

Going from a FE8 style class system, and incorporating the idea of th3rd tier and trainee tier classes.

THIEVES

/>Robber>Bandit>Outlaw

Pickpocket>

\>Thief>Rogue>Trickster

AXEMEN

/>Barbarian>Berserker>Conqueror

Ruffian>

\>Brigand>Marauder>Reaver

/>Fighter>Warrior>Champion

Journeyman>

\>Pirate>Corsair>Raider

In this idea, Bandits would be a heavier thief basically. Alt idea was for Brigands to be heavy Axe thieves, Bandits medium lance thieves and Thrives the classic swords.

Brigands and Barbarians could be in a similar tree, but with variations/different weapons and abilities depending on which class chosen. For instance, Barbarians would gain access to swords... As a call back to Conan.

Fighters and Pirates could remain potentially not hugely different, but rebalanced to match up with the other classes better.

...I dunno, I think the idea has potential... But needs some more thoughts how to balance it and I guess the rest of the classes. I would love to hear some feedback or alternate ideas tosser about. :)

[Splodge]

In this idea, Bandits would be a heavier thief basically. Alt idea was for Brigands to be heavy Axe thieves, Bandits medium lance thieves and Thrives the classic swords.

I really like this idea, although I have no idea how it could work. It would be difficult to work into the thief archetype as being really weak besides their speed stats. Perhaps, like knives, these units could have their own axe-like weapon? Fitting enough, dagger-axes exist. Though don't get your hopes up, they aren't as cool as they sound.

If nor for third tier promotion, I doubt that all three of these classes would exist in one game. It would lead to too many axe users, probably. If not that, they would be any enemy only class, like the soldier class from many of the installments.

The main problem I see is that all three of the classes fill a similar role, and so if all three of these classes were to exist, they would all need to have stat adjustments. Considering the fact axe users are already pretty similar to one another, I think it would lead to confusion. If it could work though, I see no problem with it. More classes=more fun.

[Levy]

My idea has always to combine the bandit and pirate into 1 class(which can move on to both mountains and water)and them promote into the beserker then replace the +15 crit axe class into a new line.As far brigands go I'm not entirely sure what you could do them.

Raider->Beserker(+leathality)

Savage->Barbarian(+15 crit)

[Dragoncat]

I'd put berserkers in as an alternate promotion for fighter. Voila.

[Robert Stewart]

Technically, Barbarians and Bandits did coexist in FE3. Barbarians there were basically an enemy-only Tier 2 axe user.

I don't think all 3 Bandit classes should be included. Heck, I don't even think Pirates and (insert bandit class here) should coexist in their current forms. Too much redundancy.

Edit: that said, if Bandit and Pirate must coexist, I say have Fighters go back to promoting into Heroes, have Bandits promote to Warriors, and Pirates still promote to Berserker.

Edited February 27, 2015 by #RR shinpichu

[lonelyVoxel]

I feel like for all weapon types there should be a mounted version, armor version, flying version, and one or two foot versions. Fighter is a shoe-in for a foot unit, so I can't decide which of Pirate or Brigand to boot, or just combine them into one class a la FE9/10.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Forceman

[Captain Bligh!]

While this does sometimes happen with some of the pirate class characters, brigands and bandits are usually relegated to mere baddies that you can murder scores of and not loose any sleep over.

This was also almost implemented in PoR, as bandits promoted into berzerkers according to:

http://lparchive.org/Fire-Emblem-Path-of-Radiance/Update%2087/

(You will have to scroll about a third of the way down)

It is also often thought that the bandit, Nedata, from Ch 9 was orignially going to be recruitable and promotable to Berzerker.

If nothing else, I think adding those "bandit" classes might make for some interesting characters. Maybe a big brute who is actually a big softie for shinies and cute blue-haired girls?

Also: YAR HAR HO! YO HO HAR!

[Jotari]

The way I have it in my Super Awesome Three Tier Branching Class System That I'm Totally Not Plugging is two tier 1 classes. Fighters promoting to Heros or Warriors and Bandits promoting to Pirates and Brigands. Warriors get Bows, Heroes get Swords, Brigands get Crossbows and Pirates can move over water. Brigand can promote to either Reaver or Berserker, Warrior can promote to Berserker or Executioner which connects the two classes, and Pirates can promote to either Corsair (gets Knives, which are surprisingly dangerous since enemies can't counter attack them) or Desperados which get dark magic. That all reads a little complicated, it's much clearer in the link I provided but if you don't trust that, it goes,

- Hero

/

Fighter \ Executioner

-Warrior /

\

Berserker

/

---Brigand

/ \

/ Reaver

/

Bandit Desperado

\ /

\---Pirate/

\

Corsair

So by the end of it you have five primary axe wielding third tier classes, choosing between Bows, Crossbows, Knives, Dark Magic or 15% Crit Boost as an additional trait (Hero also goes on to promote to Dread Fighter or Vanguard but those classes are less axe centrc so I didn't mention them until now).

Edited March 3, 2015 by Jotari