Training Dmitri

[Naoko_Akamori]

So, for my Blue Lions playthrough (That I want to experience on a harder difficulty), I need to train Dmitri in Axes, Heavy Armor, and Riding - as well as Lances and Authority when he's feeling up to it. The problem is, I'm not sure how I'd be able to fit all of that. Axes only have to go up to D+ before I can start taking the Brigand certification (And since it's the only requirement, I feel like it'd be pretty good odds of him passing). Heavy Armor has to go up to C for Weight -3 (Which is doable), but Riding has to go up to A+ (And I'm pretty sure I HAVE to instruct him for his Budding Talent to unlock). Especially since he becomes unteachable for a little under half of his route, I'm just really worried about fitting all of this in, and somehow managing to still leave time for him to get a decent score in Lances and Authority (Knowledge Gem, most likely). 

So far, my strategy is...

1. Train him in Axes first. It's the thing he has a flaw in, I only need to get it up three ranks, and I can instruct/set it as a goal to get a reasonable amount of experience per week. I feel like I should have that done by maybe Chapter 3 or so. Axes would be his ONLY goal, for the 1.5x boost. 

1a - While doing that, have him do weeding as his weekly chore so that, even if it's not a lot, he's still gaining at least 'some' Heavy Armor experience. 

2. Once he hits D+ in Axes, spam the Brigand exam once he hits level 10, and switch his goal over to Heavy Armor while I work on Instructing him toward unlocking his budding talent in Riding. Keep him in 'poke things with a stick' mode throughout all of this. Use the Knowledge Gem, possibly do a bit of grinding with a rusted/broken weapon and a decent Avo. Battalion. Pray he doesn't murder everything like Felix does when I try to train him in anything in combat. 

3. Once his budding talent  unlocks and he hits C in heavy armor, switch him over to Lances and Riding. Instruct him in Lances, and see how far he can go through the rest of the game at that point. 

Is that a viable strategy that won't leave him underperforming in other areas? 

[SpiceMan]

I Personally wouldn't bother training Dimitri in Heavy Armour, as a paladin he never had problems doubling and when he encountered faster enemies he was mostly able to one shot them anyway.  Are you aiming for Great Lord or Paladin Dimitri by endgame, because if you plan to go Brigand/Cavalier - Paladin - High/Great Lord then he will not have any speed problems. He will have a 50% growth and plus 4 speed bonuses purely for being in the class, and you can always dump one of your many speed rings on him for a nice extra. If you want to stay a Paladin however for the extra movement then speed might be a bit more of a problem, though I have personally never attempted to keep him as one because Great Lord just kicked so much ass.

Also Don't ever solo focus. You waste 1/4 of your experience when doing it and it can hurt a units skill ranks in the long run. Just train his Axes alongside Lances or Authority or Riding (But only after he gets his talent so you can maximise gain).

So overall I would say if you just go for Death Blow on Brigand you should be fine but I would not recommend getting Weight -3 as it takes to much time away from other ranks and ultimately doesn't change much, at least from my experience. 

[Naoko_Akamori]

1 hour ago, SpiceMan said:

I Personally wouldn't bother training Dimitri in Heavy Armour, as a paladin he never had problems doubling and when he encountered faster enemies he was mostly able to one shot them anyway.  Are you aiming for Great Lord or Paladin Dimitri by endgame, because if you plan to go Brigand/Cavalier - Paladin - High/Great Lord then he will not have any speed problems. He will have a 50% growth and plus 4 speed bonuses purely for being in the class, and you can always dump one of your many speed rings on him for a nice extra. If you want to stay a Paladin however for the extra movement then speed might be a bit more of a problem, though I have personally never attempted to keep him as one because Great Lord just kicked so much ass.

Also Don't ever solo focus. You waste 1/4 of your experience when doing it and it can hurt a units skill ranks in the long run. Just train his Axes alongside Lances or Authority or Riding (But only after he gets his talent so you can maximise gain).

So overall I would say if you just go for Death Blow on Brigand you should be fine but I would not recommend getting Weight -3 as it takes to much time away from other ranks and ultimately doesn't change much, at least from my experience. 

Alright! I was planning on going High -> Great Lord with him, yeah. Probably dipping into Paladin a little bit to pick up Aegis just for that little bit of extra protection. 

Also, thanks for the info about solo-focusing! Lances/Axes it is then, and then Lances/Authority until he gets his Riding talent. 

[PPPPPPP270]

Making Dimitri a cavalier/paladin is pretty good. As it gives you a lot of needed riding EXP to get A+ riding before the timeskip. Having +1 movement at the start of chapter 13 is extremely satisfying and useful as his personal classes have godlike modifiers. 

[Naoko_Akamori]

55 minutes ago, PPPPPPP270 said:

Making Dimitri a cavalier/paladin is pretty good. As it gives you a lot of needed riding EXP to get A+ riding before the timeskip. Having +1 movement at the start of chapter 13 is extremely satisfying and useful as his personal classes have godlike modifiers. 

 

Alright, so I'm looking at something like this... 

- Get Axes to D+ (Instruct in Axes, Goals Axes/Lances, Group Task Riding: Probably with Marianne to work on their Support)

- Once Axes are at D+, work on Riding (Instruct Riding, Train Lances/Authority, Group Task: Riding)

- Once Riding Budding Talent is unlocked, train Lances/Riding (He'll ask you to do it anyway). Group Task: Riding

I don't need the Group Task slot for any other characters besides Dmitri and Lysithea. 

Class-wise, I'll probably stick him in Brigand until Death Blow and then hop over to Cavalier for Riding EXP as mentioned once that becomes a Strength. I like having Lords who can yeet themselves across the battlefield.  

[kremelover]

Just a fun theory build here... what if you made dimitri a dancer?  He could be a great dodge tank with sword avoid, and his lineage+.

[SpiceMan]

5 hours ago, kremelover said:

Just a fun theory build here... what if you made dimitri a dancer?  He could be a great dodge tank with sword avoid, and his lineage+.

Well he would probably try to kill you in your sleep for starters just for making him one.

[Burklight]

On 9/1/2019 at 6:43 PM, Naoko_Akamori said:

Alright! I was planning on going High -> Great Lord with him, yeah. Probably dipping into Paladin a little bit to pick up Aegis just for that little bit of extra protection. 

Also, thanks for the info about solo-focusing! Lances/Axes it is then, and then Lances/Authority until he gets his Riding talent. 

If your late game plan is to have him as a GL, I think it might actually be worth while to try and get his lance rank to S+. Since GL is basically sacrificing mobility for far more forgiving weapon ranks and raw stats, it seems like doing a full tunnel vision on lance rank for the +5 damage might actually be worth it. You only need a C in authority to use his OPAF battalion, and a B in riding to get paladin for agies. 

[Naoko_Akamori]

3 hours ago, Burklight said:

If your late game plan is to have him as a GL, I think it might actually be worth while to try and get his lance rank to S+. Since GL is basically sacrificing mobility for far more forgiving weapon ranks and raw stats, it seems like doing a full tunnel vision on lance rank for the +5 damage might actually be worth it. You only need a C in authority to use his OPAF battalion, and a B in riding to get paladin for agies. 

I actually need A in Authority and A+ in Riding for what I plan to do with him, but theoretically I don't 'need' Deathblow to get what I want. 

There's a Battalion Vantage/Wrath combo that looks like it'll be really strong, and Movement +1 helps to offset GL's poor mobility (I can get him on par with a flier if I really want). 

I'm also totally not above grinding, especially on harder difficulties, so S+ shouldn't be impossible to get. Just plop him in a Thicket with a Rusted Lance. 

[Spirit Griffon]

On 9/4/2019 at 12:39 AM, SpiceMan said:

On 9/3/2019 at 6:56 PM, kremelover said:

Just a fun theory build here... what if you made dimitri a dancer?  He could be a great dodge tank with sword avoid, and his lineage+.

Well he would probably try to kill you in your sleep for starters just for making him one.

I did this! He kicked ass. I got super lucky on his level ups and beat the game (hard/classic) with him around level 45, having aura and like, 32 mag. He and Enlightened One!Byleth solo'd the last two maps... out of necessity, because everyone else was just slightly too underleveled for me to make it out without a casualty. :^)

But him being able to dance and heal was extremely helpful the whole game.

Also, forcing him to be a dancer midgame was so very, very funny...

[kremelover]

4 hours ago, Spirit Griffon said:

I did this! He kicked ass. I got super lucky on his level ups and beat the game (hard/classic) with him around level 45, having aura and like, 32 mag. He and Enlightened One!Byleth solo'd the last two maps... out of necessity, because everyone else was just slightly too underleveled for me to make it out without a casualty. :^)

But him being able to dance and heal was extremely helpful the whole game.

Also, forcing him to be a dancer midgame was so very, very funny...

Thanks for the info!  Looks like I should take Dimitri to choir practice!