Question about the 3 Modes

[Holla99]

I recently started playing this game for the first time and I already know about the three modes. I do have a question about them though. 
 

Can I duplicate my save before the start of Eliwood’s mode and come back later after completing Eliwood’s in order to start Hector mode without having to start from scratch? I’d like to get 19xx without having to do Lyn mode all over again if that’s possible basically.
 

My game has no previous saves so I do not have Hector mode available at the moment.

[Roxas]

The game lets you start Hector normal mode after beating Eliwood normal mode. 

[Ertrick36]

Once you've completed Lyn mode, you can select Lyn or Eliwood mode when you create a new game.

And once you've completed Eliwood mode, you can select Lyn, Eliwood, or Hector mode when you create a new game.

In all these options, you'll be able to create a new tactician so that you can get the Afa's Drops.  However, if you start with Eliwood or Hector mode, the characters that appeared in Lyn mode will not be the same as you left them in Lyn mode the last time you played through it; instead, they'll have the stats that are shown here under the "Eliwood's & Hector's Stories" section.

Generally speaking, it's okay to not do Lyn mode, especially if you don't plan to use very many of Lyndis's Legions.  But it should be noted that they'll be significantly lower in levels if you skip Lyn mode and will very likely need some investment in order to catch them up to speed with your army when you recruit them.  If you plan to use most or all of them, you may as well do Lyn mode.

The good thing is that if you were to play through Lyn mode again, the Hard difficulty will make it so that you don't have to do the tutorial all over again, and it goes by much faster when you skip all the scenes.  And if you go from Lyn Hard mode to Hector mode, you can turn it down to Normal difficulty if you aren't quite ready for the infamous HHM.

[Holla99]

I guess what I'm mainly trying to ask here is in order to play Hector mode (I don't have it unlocked yet) can I split my current save at the end of Lyn mode and use one copy to complete Eliwood's mode first, and later go back to the other copy that's still near the end of Lyn mode in order to start Hector's mode? Or will that save be locked to Eliwood as I started it before Hector mode was unlocked?

I just want to know if there's any point in splitting my save or do I have to start with a whole new save in order to play Hector mode?

 

[samthedigital]

2 hours ago, Holla99 said:

I guess what I'm mainly trying to ask here is in order to play Hector mode (I don't have it unlocked yet) can I split my current save at the end of Lyn mode and use one copy to complete Eliwood's mode first, and later go back to the other copy that's still near the end of Lyn mode in order to start Hector's mode? Or will that save be locked to Eliwood as I started it before Hector mode was unlocked?

Yes, but you might want to play it on hard mode so you can use your Knight Crest on a better unit than Wallace.

Edited October 22, 2019 by samthedigital

[Paper Jam]

Holding onto a chapter 10 save from before you completed the game won't make any difference: Chapter 11 will automatically be ENM if you continue from that saved game, whether you have completed ENM once already or not.

However, you do not necessarily have to do Lyn's tale again. Every subsequent time you start a new game after finishing the game at least once, you will have the option to start from the prologue with Lyn or from Chapter 11 with Eliwood or Hector.

In short: To take advantage of the extra modes unlocked after completing the game, you have to start from scratch, but you don't have to do Lyn's tale again.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Paper Jam

[Holla99]

Thanks Paper Jam that's what I was wanting to know.

I won't bother making a copy of my save then.

[blackestheart13]

I just keep a good file of my LHM saved at C10. So all I have to do is finish that one, then I can start up an Eliwood or Hector run whenever I want to. I admit I ran a little RN abuse since I decided it was gonna be my starting file for HHM so I made sure the team was gonna be sturdy enough to help out from the get go. At least as far as the units that would provide consistent utility. People who were filler for me, like Dorcas and Kent just buffered EXP rank and only killed what needed to be removed from the way. Plus you can usually use one booster in LHM and still S-rank it (or at least 5-star funds) which is a huge help especially for HHM.

[samthedigital]

Quote

Plus you can usually use one booster in LHM and still S-rank it (or at least 5-star funds) which is a huge help especially for HHM.

If you're really careful you can use both and get a level 7 Nils while still getting S rank Lyn mode.

[Hanes]

On 10/22/2019 at 12:49 AM, Ertrick36 said:

Once you've completed Lyn mode, you can select Lyn or Eliwood mode when you create a new game.

Is this true? It didn't seem like so when I first played FE7

[Paper Jam]

On 1/4/2020 at 11:04 PM, This boi uses Nino said:

Is this true? It didn't seem like so when I first played FE7

That is incorrect. The modes only unlock after you complete ENM.

On 10/25/2019 at 8:14 AM, blackestheart13 said:

I just keep a good file of my LHM saved at C10. So all I have to do is finish that one, then I can start up an Eliwood or Hector run whenever I want to.

Here's the full scoop on how the modes get unlocked.
Initially, you must play LNM and then proceed to ENM.
Completing ENM unlocks LHM, EHM, and HNM, and allows you to skip Lyn's tale.
Completing HNM unlocks HHM. I think completing EHM might unlock HHM too, but I haven't tested that.

So make sure that for that chapter 10 LHM save file, an HNM and/or EHM run is already in the books, or you won't be able to use the save file for HHM.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Paper Jam

[Hanes]

13 minutes ago, Paper Jam said:

I think completing EHM might unlock HHM too, but I haven't tested that.

I don't remember that happening to me so I don't think so.