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Random Priority Runs


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I have this idea for a new (as far as I'm aware) type of challenge run in which characters are randomly assigned priority numbers that determine whether or not you have to deploy them when possible, assuming the game isn't already forcing you to use them.  You can assign priorities with a random number generator, like this one.  It would also help to keep a separate list of priority numbers, crossing out remaining ones as they are assigned.

In theory, the challenge would lie in having to make the best use you can out of bad units that end up with high priorities.  Random Priority runs would be most entertaining for games like Binding Blade that have smaller percentages of good units among their playable characters.  Some characters might end up becoming unrecruitable due to others' priorities being too low to be deployed and recruit them.

I came up with this idea as a way to encourage myself to branch out from my usual units when playtesting Sanctaea Chronicles.  Oftentimes I end up sticking to unpromoted Infantry and largely ignoring units like Cavalry and pre-promotes.

One rule that could be put in place for a run like this is that you MUST reset when a unit dies so that you can't cheese the priorities by simply killing off your bad units when possible until you only have good ones.  Also, the priorities refer strictly to deployment and have no bearing on how much you must train specific units.

Here is an example random priority list for Binding Blade.  Just imagine having to always deploy Barthe the moment you get him.  Yikes!

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Any questions or comments?

Edited by Von Ithipathachai
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One problem I can see is that there is nothing stopping the player from just using a good lord to solo the game as they cannot be undeployed, such as fe1 Marth, either Alm, Hector, Ephraim,Ike (either version) Chrom or Corncob. (Could be fixed by assigning the lord a value as well and if the value is higher than the unit limit they cannot have any items or be used to trade/rescue/talk/etc.) Soloing an fe game is easy enough with one good unit, unless you have to remove a units priority when they are used and reassign priority when you've exhausted the list. 

This kind of run would be great in any of the Archanea games or on tellius or Elibe but wouldn't work as well in Valentia, (basically the whole army is deployed each map) in fe4, (literally the entire army can be deployed at once) fe5, (fatigue can be easily manipulated if a player knows what they're doing, also scrolls) fe8, (relatively small roster of decently strong units) Awakening, (same issue as fe8, as well as ability to ignore side chapters easily) or Fates (see Awakening). 

It's a fun concept, but might need a few more rules (such as priority affecting move order and must always deploy max number of units or something)

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1 minute ago, Pengaius said:

One problem I can see is that there is nothing stopping the player from just using a good lord to solo the game as they cannot be undeployed, such as fe1 Marth, either Alm, Hector, Ephraim,Ike (either version) Chrom or Corncob. (Could be fixed by assigning the lord a value as well and if the value is higher than the unit limit they cannot have any items or be used to trade/rescue/talk/etc.) Soloing an fe game is easy enough with one good unit, unless you have to remove a units priority when they are used and reassign priority when you've exhausted the list. 

This kind of run would be great in any of the Archanea games or on tellius or Elibe but wouldn't work as well in Valentia, (basically the whole army is deployed each map) in fe4, (literally the entire army can be deployed at once) fe5, (fatigue can be easily manipulated if a player knows what they're doing, also scrolls) fe8, (relatively small roster of decently strong units) Awakening, (same issue as fe8, as well as ability to ignore side chapters easily) or Fates (see Awakening). 

It's a fun concept, but might need a few more rules (such as priority affecting move order and must always deploy max number of units or something)

I had forgotten lowmanning was a thing.  Roy does have a low-ish priority number of 35 in my example, but I hadn't thought of removing his stuff if his priority number is too low compared to other units who have to be deployed.  That could be a good rule to implement.

I do think I acknowledged that certain games are better for random priority runs than others, but certain games could have special rules as needed, e.g. minimal Skirmishes for Gaiden/Shadows of Valentia, Sacred Stones, Awakening, Fates, and possibly Three Houses.  Dungeons in Gaiden/Shadows of Valentia still have deployment limits if I'm not mistaken.  At the moment the Jugdral games are the only ones that stand out to me as potential lost causes for random priority runs.

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I think this is a neat idea. I might actually have to try it at some point. Obviously it'll work better for some games than others, but I don't think it needs to have like, a billion contingencies and alternate rulesets. Apply as it works. It's a solid, simple idea which I don't think needs these additional regulations to accomplish its purpose.

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