Looking for help finding an "intermediate" Fire Emblem to play next

[FreezingInferno]

Hey all. So, after years of wanting to get into this series but bouncing off of my attempts to do so. I actually broke through my own mental stumbling blocks (to a degree) and have now finished some Fire Emblem games! I started with a copy of Echoes I picked up on impulse for cheap, and eventually cleared it on Casual Normal Mode and quite liked its... uniqueness. That made me want to try a game that still let you level up between missions in a pinch, but had the permanent death in it. I dusted off The Sacred Stones, and gave that a try.

I probably should have started with that one, in retrospect, because I all but steamrolled the thing. Nevertheless, I'd like to make sure that my own obstacles to enjoying these games aren't only removed by the games that actually let you grind out levels. I'd like to try a game that has the permanent death risk, without any super easy level grinding... but not necessarily dive off of the deep end into some ultra-difficult hard game hell. So, I've come here to pose the question: What's a good "intermediate" Fire Emblem game for me to challenge next?

I have, already in the house here, copies of Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn, and Awakening. I also, in my GBA FE phase there, put out an order for a cart of Binding Blade. If the new Three Houses game is an option, I can likely pick that one up sometime next month.

With all that said... where do I go from here?

[redlight]

Path or Radiance as it's not too difficult of a game. You're given tools that make life a whole lot easier.

[Alastor15243]

Birthright would be my recommendation. While the Fates games range from "trash" (Revelations) to "best gameplay in the entire series" (Conquest), Birthright is pretty dang good, and fits your criteria. It's got permadeath and no turnwheel, but there are grinding opportunities that are pretty much infinite or at worst cost a little more than you get from them in gold. But if you're going to get into these games with the intent of giving classic mode a chance, the Fates games are some of the best-designed in the series for that, in that they have very, very few tricks up their sleeve that they don't give you advance warning for and explain thoroughly. No ambush spawns like Awakening (well, Birthright has something similar in one chapter but it's not nearly as bad due to how the level is designed), and all the gimmicks have well-explained and clearly defined rules. Conquest is even better about making sure every time you lose it's your fault, but that game is also a good deal harder, has no grinding, and forces you to think about more than the usual fire emblem game demands, so I wouldn't recommend it for somebody just starting out. However, if you happen to start getting more confident with these games and ever think to yourself you might want to try a game Ironman? Do Conquest on hard. Ironmanning a game is very demanding of game design, and there is no game in the entire series more friendly to the concept of ironmanning than Conquest is, even if it's hard.

[Shadow Mir]

Out of the games you already have, I would recommend Path of Radiance next. Radiant Dawn is really really hard, especially in the first part. But I would really recommend Blazing Blade.

Edited August 20, 2019 by Shadow Mir

[Von Ithipathachai]

Obviously Thracia 776 is the best choice

Just kidding.  My personal recommendation is either Blazing Blade (the one just called "Fire Emblem" internationally) or Path of Radiance.

I would not play Binding Blade yet because even on Normal Mode it can be fairly difficult and/or cheap in places.  I have not played Radiant Dawn yet, so I can't say anything about its difficulty, but if it makes you feel any better US Easy is actually Japanese Normal, and US Normal is actually Japanese Hard.

[De Geso]

I would suggest Blazing Sword.

[eclipse]

FE7 has a tutorial and doesn't stack things too hard against the player (a certain section nonwithstanding).  FE8 is shorter, and is fairly forgiving, numbers-wise.  While there is an overworld in FE8, it's easy enough to ignore the grinding and just plow through the story.

[Alastor15243]

12 minutes ago, eclipse said:

FE7 has a tutorial and doesn't stack things too hard against the player (a certain section nonwithstanding).  FE8 is shorter, and is fairly forgiving, numbers-wise.  While there is an overworld in FE8, it's easy enough to ignore the grinding and just plow through the story.

Ah yes, and if you are EVER going to play FE7, better play it sooner than later, because that tutorial only becomes more annoying to sit through the more of it you already know. It's quite helpful to beginners, but otherwise...