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Third-Tiers or Branching Promotions?


Third Tier or Branching classes  

103 members have voted

  1. 1. Third Tier or Branching classes

    • Third tier
      43
    • Branching promotions
      60


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This was kinda tough, but I picked third tier promotions almost always end up super OP, since they're supposed to be hard to achieve, but in reality just encourages people to rush certain units to third tier as soon as possible and break the game hard. Branching promotions can result in one option being always superior to another like in Sacred Stones, but I think the choices were decently well-balanced in Fates. I think they can get that right in FE Switch.

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I'd lean more towards a branching system that a third tier promotion system. To be honest, I don't think any of the FE games that have had third tiers have entirely justified their inclusion.

A system I think would be interesting to try is a mix of the branching promotion system with the "personalized" promotions from the Jugdral games(where certain units had different promotions from others in the same class). Basically, all units get the same "base" promotion, but each unit can also choose a different class that's unique to them.

TBH I wouldn't even mind if we had neither branching promotions or third tiers. I'd be perfectly happy just having classes get one promotion.

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I went for branching promotions. Gives more variance to gameplay without being lolstat-inflation like RD's 3rd Tier system ( I don't even need to mention the ridiculous masteries. Quality game design right there /sarcasm).

Edited by Luchi
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18 hours ago, Jotari said:

So where's the Both option? Seems pretty clear there's a lot of supporters in that camp (myself obviously included in case anyone out there still doesn't know).

I probably should have added a both option, but I really doubt that they would have both systems in place. I just wanted to see what people would say if there could only be one choice.

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  • 1 month later...

I voted for branched promotions, since third tiers would only work in either specific situations (Gaiden and RD) or in an overly long game. While a longer game would mean longer enjoyment from the game (If it's a good one), it should be done in a different way than the stat inflation of third tiers.

I also don't think having both branched promotions and third tiers together would be a good idea. We would simply end up with way too many classes. Since there are only so many combinations for weapons, I fear that many third tier classes would feel too samey. 

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I feel like regardless of whether or not third tiers are a thing, I just prefer a more rigid class structure in general, if at the very least for the aesthetic benefits that it offers. This is part of the reason why I am not a fan of reclassing, I feel like it could lead to slightly better map design, but that is just baseless speculation(Devs know exactly what classes you will likely have at this point?). One of my favorite things about Radiant Dawn was the way that every character upon class changing would have a unique appearance where the model has been custom made for that particular character, this could also allow for a wider variety of animations for every class because resources don't need to be diverted to a bunch of secondary classes that may never see any use. Did anyone use the griffon rider?

I also prefered Radiant dawn's skill system a bit more, less grindy, don't need to screw around with classes that I will never have a unit use again. The occult skills were stupidly broken though.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I kind of want to see both to be honest. Branching promotion for Tier 2, and then Tier 3 being the follow up for that class. So take the Archer line for example. Tier 1 is archer, Tier 2 is Bow Knight or Sniper, and then the following tier 3 for each would be Bow Captain and Marksman,

Might be a lot of classes to balance, but I think it would be interesting to toy around with. I think part of it could be balanced by having various promotions be cross class. For example Bow Knight would be both a promotion for Archer and Hero. Assassin would be a promotion for both Thief and Myrmidon.

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I can go for either system, though I'm leaning towards third-tier promotions simply because they've appeared in less games.

One aspect of branching promotions I don't like is that while the promotions branch for units, a lot classes share one of their promotions with another class. I'd prefer if each class had their own set of promotions without any overlap.

Third-tiers are simply extensions of the standard promotion, though I understand concerns of making the game too long in order to allow for the promotions to occur. Perhaps changing what level you could promote or not having levels reset upon promotion could help address this.

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Honestly I had both branching promotions and third tier classes in my class tree.

You could pick your class in first your first promotion but not your second. Or well you technically could it just depended on your first class that you picked.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think most branching promotions are a lie to make it seem like there are more options. Many of the branched promotions suck, are terrible by comparison, or are only worth that one good skill. I think non-branched is best when you have reclass available (eg Silas could end as a paladin or a hero). I play the game with no grinding, or at minimum barely enough to make a certain character passable (being base/recruitment screwed. Think Odin in revelations), so I don't see the point in crazy weird builds.

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Branching promotions. A lot of the time third tiers feel superfluous and just pad out the character progression rather than add anything interesting.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Third tiers, if I had to choose. Branching promotion are random and often come with some awkwardness. 

I mean can you for example imagine Mia sneaking into people houses and murdering them in sleep? Or Wendy ditching her Ostian heavy armor and go full paladin? And let's not even start about all these innocent Pegasi bitten by radioactive lizards... 

Third tiers at least a allow units maintain their identity, both as characters and game wise. 

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I believe branching promotion is a better choice..It allows for better replayability, and  create different play-styles of units in the same class. The problem have I have with third tier class, Is that I only works well in a long game such as Radiant Dawn. Also it creates a lot of balance issues, with should you use that archer, when the sniper can do everything with better stats and less investment. Unless the game wants to be another version of Radiant Dawn (which is a bad idea imo),branching promotions is a safer bet.

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4 hours ago, Tenzen12 said:

Third tiers, if I had to choose. Branching promotion are random and often come with some awkwardness. 

I mean can you for example imagine Mia sneaking into people houses and murdering them in sleep? Or Wendy ditching her Ostian heavy armor and go full paladin? And let's not even start about all these innocent Pegasi bitten by radioactive lizards... 

Third tiers at least a allow units maintain their identity, both as characters and game wise. 

In Assassin!Mia's defense, I couldn't imagine Heather doing that either.

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On 9/16/2017 at 5:09 PM, Tenzen12 said:

Third tiers, if I had to choose. Branching promotion are random and often come with some awkwardness. 

I mean can you for example imagine Mia sneaking into people houses and murdering them in sleep? Or Wendy ditching her Ostian heavy armor and go full paladin? And let's not even start about all these innocent Pegasi bitten by radioactive lizards... 

Third tiers at least a allow units maintain their identity, both as characters and game wise. 

To be frank, I'd say third tiers have their fair share of awkwardness as well - they'd practically require either a really long game or specific situations to justify.

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