Maddening Mode Help

[Hk543]

I'm having trouble deciding what paralogues are I should do before the timeskip.

I have beaten Cindered Shadows and recruited all of the Wolves. Their paralogues are available as a result. The file I'm playing is a Fresh Maddening Mode file on Golden Deer Route and I'm at the start of Chapter 9.

I know there are some rewards that catch my eye like the Rings of Drommi, Caduceus Staff, the boots reward, and the Experience Gem (I desperately Need that), but there's some with at least decent Battalions that I wouldn't mind doing.

I would appreciate any feedback for helping me get the most benefits before doing the timeskip on Maddening. 

This is also my first post on Serenes Forest. 

Thanks in Advance!

[Hk543]

I forgot to mention that I am at Professor Level B and I'm at two Battle Points.

I also have everybody except for Alois recruited as of where I am now. Every Student, the Ashen Wolves, and the Seiros NPC units. It was all done by Chapter 8.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Hk543
Additional Information.

[Zapp Branniglenn]

Are you asking because you're deciding which units to recruit for their paralogues? Because the answer is to do as many paralogues as possible if you want to be the most powerful. Still, I have many recommendations.

Of the non-DLC paralogues, Sylvain's is definitely the best payout of rewards. It comes with some very nice stat boosters, weapons, and a lot of gold. It's also a rout chapter with a pretty straightforward objective. I also have to shout out the Flayn paralogue, not so much for the rewards but for just being an easy map with no time limit to worry about. Felix's paralogue is also a quick payout. On Maddening, it's almost unbeatable through no fault of the player, since the enemies just mob Rodgrigue on Turn 1 and kill him. But if you have two fliers, two uses of warp and stride, you can attempt to kill the boss and end the chapter for 100% of the rewards. Easiest 10000 Gold you'll ever make, and the Aegis shield is great on Byleth or Felix if you plan to use him.

I don't know any of the DLC paralogues from experience. Anna's looks like the hardest one, but I also believe you have a generous time limit to do it. I might save that for later in post-time skip.

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

Honestly, do all of them. Did you want multiple ones to be selectable? Because I could only pick one.

Also, why is "Land of the Golden Deer" (Lorenz's paralogue) not listed here? The Thyrsus staff is, quite possibly, the best item in the game.

[Zapp Branniglenn]

4 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

Honestly, do all of them. Did you want multiple ones to be selectable? Because I could only pick one.

Also, why is "Land of the Golden Deer" (Lorenz's paralogue) not listed here? The Thyrsus staff is, quite possibly, the best item in the game.

I believe he excluded the Golden Deer paralogues because it is the route he chose and was planning on doing them anyway, or has already cleared them at the time of writing. I thought the question was asking what characters to recruit but he later clarified he has everybody, save for characters you can't get as early as chapter 9. 

So, knowing that all the recruitment business has been sorted, if I was in the OP's position, I'd first see if I can lab out a solution for a turn 1 clear on Felix's paralogue. If I can, great. If not, work on getting better fliers and more warps. Either two users of the spell, or one warp user in the bishop class with the assistance of a Dancer. Flayn may also serve as a substitute warper since she can get strided as well and run ahead to Rescue a flier closer to the boss. If the turn 1 clear on that map isn't ready yet, prioritize Sylvain, Flayn, and Oil and Water. The goodies from those are too good to pass up. Dorothea/Ingrid is another good one with a healing staff inside a chest. But I know the DLC lets you buy another healing staff while the Chapter 9 mission provides one as well, so probably not as big of a priority as it would be in a non DLC run.

[Burklight]

22 hours ago, Hk543 said:

I'm having trouble deciding what paralogues are I should do before the timeskip.

I have beaten Cindered Shadows and recruited all of the Wolves. Their paralogues are available as a result. The file I'm playing is a Fresh Maddening Mode file on Golden Deer Route and I'm at the start of Chapter 9.

I know there are some rewards that catch my eye like the Rings of Drommi, Caduceus Staff, the boots reward, and the Experience Gem (I desperately Need that), but there's some with at least decent Battalions that I wouldn't mind doing.

I would appreciate any feedback for helping me get the most benefits before doing the timeskip on Maddening. 

This is also my first post on Serenes Forest. 

Thanks in Advance!

It would help to know what units you've already recruited outside of the wolves to know what holes you may or may not have in your team. Obviously you should do as many of them as you can, but if I had to assume what your problems look like based on a typical GD run...

Rumored Nupitals is probably the number one top priority because Luin is great, and it gives you a B flying battalion, which GD are generally hurting for. An Ocean View would fall under the same category, because A rank flying battalion. 

If you don't have Lance of Ruin, The Forgotten is probably next on the list, you get several status boosters from it as well. Oil and Water is around the same level of priority. In addition to the Exp Gem that you mentioned, it also gives you a Rapier, which if upgraded is possibly the best sword in the game.

True Chivalry would be next on my list, but only if you're actually using Felix.  

 

[Relytive]

In general, Ocean View is imo the most valuable paralogue for a couple reasons: Cichol Wyvern co., and probably the most controllable source of xp spread the game has on maddening due to the level mechanics. It comes at just the right time to get your party up to speed/at or near 20 for advanced promotions. Cadeceus Staff and Spear of Assal are also great relics, with the former being ideal for your other caster not using Thyrsus, and Assal being the best source of taking down mounted units in the game with a single, accurate hit (that and Dspikes). It's even better if you're using Seteth or Ferdinand.

Edited March 5, 2020 by Relytive

[Hk543]

As a update to my progress, I have beaten Oil and Water, The forgotten, Ocean View, Sword and Shield of Seiros, and Rumored Nupitals and claimed all of the rewards.

Replying to Glennstavos, I have indeed cleared the paralogue with the Thyrsis.

To reply to some people already, I've recruited everybody Black Eagles and Blue lions Students, the Seiros units up to Alois, and all of the Wolves.

I might be trying to do Falling Short of Heaven and a Cursed Relic once I get into the Advanced classes on most of my units like Felix and Constance.

True Chivalry I can try and do once Felix is a Swordmaster because it's not as simple to play than it was on Hard Mode. I can see the Shield being something that could come in clutch later on.

Dividing the World is something I might try a few times pre-timeskip, but if it doesn't work, then I'll save it for post-timeskip.

Secret Merchant is available (for me) before post-timeskip, but it is a difficult one on Maddening.

I think I could try it out, but I haven't invested in Anna as much. I may skip out on it. If anyone wants to inform me on the rewards and how good are the battalions from that level, feel free to do so!

Feel free to give me more feedback! I'd greatly appreciate it!

[Burklight]

59 minutes ago, Hk543 said:

I think I could try it out, but I haven't invested in Anna as much. I may skip out on it. If anyone wants to inform me on the rewards and how good are the battalions from that level, feel free to do so!

From what I recall, there aren't any major "must have" drops from Secret Merchant, but you get a ton of money along with elixirs. I think you get venin weapons as well, if that's something you're interested in for whatever reason. The battalion is this guy:

 

Secret Transport Force

3

15

5

5

8

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

22 hours ago, Burklight said:

From what I recall, there aren't any major "must have" drops from Secret Merchant, but you get a ton of money along with elixirs. I think you get venin weapons as well, if that's something you're interested in for whatever reason. The battalion is this guy:

 

Secret Transport Force

3

15

5

5

8

This table doesn't exhibit the most valuable aspect of Secret Transport Force - namely, that it's a flying battalion that offers Stride. The paralogue is definitely woth doing, if only for this aspect.

[Relytive]

Yeah, unless your Petra (or whichever fast girl you may have, or Yuri) is already a dodge goddess, or you have a thick Sylvain with an aegis on his back or something, I wouldn't bother beating my head against Hilda's paralogue pre time skip. I always do it on AM early, but the left side is just annoying to deal with if you don't have Dedue to clog it up, or a dodge tank. It's definitely doable (I've done it as soon it was available with way underleveled units a couple times, and people have completed it on no growth runs) but it requires a lot of patience, and likely divine pulses and rng. Balthus could probably fill the gap, but not as reliably as a Dedue at that point. The battalions and Freikugal can wait a couple chapters tbh.

The key to Felix's paralogue is unit placement in the pre battle screen with a well placed stride or two turn one. Clear the upper group so Rodrigue doesn't die, then work your way SW. Keep in mind he can tank all the magic users on the map, it's the physical mobs that one shot him. Also, take one of your stronger units, preferably a flier to the northwest to wipe the group up there. The villager most prone to dying is the one there, and just to the south behind the soldier in the grass patch. It isn't a map you need to one turn by any means, but I know many do it just to avoid green AI decisions. It's very consistently controllable if you have a unit that can solo handle the nw side before the villager suicides, though (with physic support). Another option is bringing Flayn strictly for Rescue cheese on him the first couple turns to prevent him from moving too far ahead into packs.

Anna's paralogue pre-time skip is the most challenging map on maddening in this game, having played every map on every route on ng maddening. It makes 13 seem easy, and is probably only matched by 22 AM on a first run, but most use dodge mechanics/getting in the throne room, and maybe retribution to make 22 AM laughable at that point in the game. Secret Merchant as soon as it is available pre-skip doesn't have that luxury. The bow knights can and will ruin your day without smart placement, and you need a few decent rng rolls to clear all the mobs before turn 10 ends.

Edited March 7, 2020 by Relytive

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

3 hours ago, Relytive said:

Anna's paralogue pre-time skip is the most challenging map on maddening in this game, having played every map on every route on ng maddening. It makes 13 seem easy, and is probably only matched by 22 AM on a first run, but most use dodge mechanics/getting in the throne room, and maybe retribution to make 22 AM laughable at that point in the game. Secret Merchant as soon as it is available pre-skip doesn't have that luxury. The bow knights can and will ruin your day without smart placement, and you need a few decent rng rolls to clear all the mobs before turn 10 ends.

Staring down Master-tier enemies on a pre-skip paralogue is very much a bruh moment. What bothers me most is that defeating Pallardo doesn't even stop the reinforcements. You definitely want a lot of Pulses before you attempt this one. Still worth it if you want the Battalion.

[Azure the Scale Tipper]

On 3/7/2020 at 12:51 PM, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

Staring down Master-tier enemies on a pre-skip paralogue is very much a bruh moment. What bothers me most is that defeating Pallardo doesn't even stop the reinforcements. You definitely want a lot of Pulses before you attempt this one. Still worth it if you want the Battalion.

Yeah, make this the last paralogue you do.