azure moon Dedue must be trained hard in Azure Moon

[drattakbowser]

I know Dedue is absent between Chapter 13 and 15. In Chapter 15 we have a many paralogue available so in my opinion it's recommended to level Dedue to level 28 between timeskip

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

55 minutes ago, drattakbowser said:

I know Dedue is absent between Chapter 13 and 15. In Chapter 15 we have a many paralogue available so in my opinion it's recommended to level Dedue to level 28 between timeskip

I don't really agree with this. If anything, focusing experience into Dedue (rather than your other Blue Lions) will give you a harder experience in the early post-skip. Namely, chapter 13, perhaps the toughest in the game. And rejoining underleveled isn't all bad - he'll gain levels more quickly than your other units.

Moreso than level, I'd focus on how you plan to use Dedue post-skip. If it's as a guard adjutant, or benchwarmer, then there's no effort required. If it's as a defensive tank, then you definitely want him in Fortress Knight by the skip, ideally with Soldier mastery, and maybe some Defense or HP boosters applied. If it's as a brawling unit, then Fighter and Brigand mastery are must-haves, with Grappler mastery being ideal - but even without Fierce Iron Fist, he can likely get by on One-Two Punch. If it's as a flier, then definitely get him into Wyvern Rider before the skip happens. There are other builds of Dedue, of course, but these seem to be his most likely destinations.

Ultimately, Dedue is flawed by his availability, and no amount of effort pre-skip will have him do you any favors in chapters 13 and 14. He can be good from 16 onward, with a combination of reasonable prep and effort. That said, I'd say he's strongest in the earlygame - before his Speed dips relative to his teammates, and while his personal ability has an outsized impact on tanking. He'll be a key team member, in the first half pre-skip. Beyond that, it's player's discretion if, and how, to make use of him.

[Shadow Mir]

2 hours ago, drattakbowser said:

in my opinion it's recommended to level Dedue to level 28 between timeskip

"Between" timeskip??? If you meant before, then I don't see it happening. Most of my most used units can only get to level 25 at most, never mind 28.

[Zapp Branniglenn]

Putting priority on tutoring him some skill experience is fair, since you can't teach all of your students every week and some need more attention than others. But unless you're going for exotic builds or his lance combat arts (which I don't expect would out-damage his One-Two Punch performance) he shouldn't have trouble naturally hitting the ranks he needs as a grappler/war master. He and Dimitri even have a leg up on other students at level 1 if you look at their ranks. The developers certainly thought of this weakness of theirs. But altogether I'd say Dimitri takes even greater priority for tutoring, both because you can't a quarter of the game, and because of his stupid axe weakness.

If you're really worried about your other units overtaking him in levels, just don't knock out every single post-time skip paralogue as they become available. You've got the time to wait on some of those.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Glennstavos

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

17 minutes ago, Glennstavos said:

If you're really worried about your other units overtaking him in levels, just don't knock out every single post-time skip paralogue as they become available. You've got the time to wait on some of those.

Yeah, the Blue Lions are like the land of pre-skip Paralogues. Only Dimitri's, Annette/Gilbert's, and Mercedes/Caspar's come post-skip. So if you didn't poach any out-of-house students, or build up to C support with Rhea, then you literally have two paralogues for the entire post-skip (even with a full Church retinue).

[Etrurian emperor]

Speaking of Dedue and timeskips, I think his post timeskip design only really works in Crimson Flower. 

He looks like a military general with a fancy looking piece of armor, a Fearghus came and what seems to be a military medal. That works great in Crimson Flower where he's been fighting for the Kingdom the entire time, but in the other route he's been a hobo for five years. 

[Barren]

For me, he’s been able to keep up with my team because I’m using him as a vengeance bot. He may not be able to wield heroes relics safely nor does he have a crest like Bernadetta. But he’s bulky enough to take a hit or two on his own and spam vengeance. He’s level 23 on my run and will jump to 27 when he rejoins.

Pending on how well he does for me in part 2, he might either be contributing some more or be a guard adjutant.

[Dark Holy Elf]

1 hour ago, Barren said:

For me, he’s been able to keep up with my team because I’m using him as a vengeance bot. He may not be able to wield heroes relics safely nor does he have a crest like Bernadetta.

Honestly, if your gameplan is Vengeance, that last part is a good thing. Dedue can safely and naturally lower his own HP just from using his best damage (i.e. Vengeance with Lance of Ruin or Luin).

Overall I agree with others. I don't think Dedue needs any sort of special training pre-skip; as long as you get him to an Advanced class (which I consider pretty much a given for anyone being used seriously pre-timeskip), he'll do fine. I do think Dedue falls off a bit in part 2, but that's due his build being less desirable later in the game (i.e. concrete tanking falls off) moreso than his absence.

[Barren]

25 minutes ago, Dark Holy Elf said:

Honestly, if your gameplan is Vengeance, that last part is a good thing. Dedue can safely and naturally lower his own HP just from using his best damage (i.e. Vengeance with Lance of Ruin or Luin).

Overall I agree with others. I don't think Dedue needs any sort of special training pre-skip; as long as you get him to an Advanced class (which I consider pretty much a given for anyone being used seriously pre-timeskip), he'll do fine. I do think Dedue falls off a bit in part 2, but that's due his build being less desirable later in the game (i.e. concrete tanking falls off) moreso than his absence.

That is a good point. I haven’t considered that because I normally just position Dedue in place to where only one enemy approaches him and lower his HP then he can just one shot enemies next turn. Like luring in a sniper let’s say. But maybe if that doesn’t work or it’s not enough I’ll try it.

[Moltz23]

Doesn't Dedue automatically get +4 more levels when he returns in Azure Moon as of the last update? In my last run I swear he jumped from Lv25 to 29 for Chapter 16.

[Dark Holy Elf]

Yep, always has I believe. Of course, most other units get ~2 levels, and 2-3 extra maps on top of that. But it's true that Dedue won't fall much behind if at all.

[drattakbowser]

On 5/9/2021 at 2:50 AM, Moltz23 said:

Doesn't Dedue automatically get +4 more levels when he returns in Azure Moon as of the last update? In my last run I swear he jumped from Lv25 to 29 for Chapter 16.

That exactly what I want. I want my Dedue level 31-33 in Chapter 16. So before timeskip I Level up my Dedue Level 27-29

[drattakbowser]

On 5/7/2021 at 5:36 PM, Shadow Mir said:

"Between" timeskip??? If you meant before, then I don't see it happening. Most of my most used units can only get to level 25 at most, never mind 28.

Dedue gain +4 level in timeskip but join in Chapter 16. Just think, gain +4 level by skip 3 Chapter you think it's enough ? Chapter 16 have level 31-34 enemy.

[Shadow Mir]

5 hours ago, drattakbowser said:

That exactly what I want. I want my Dedue level 31-33 in Chapter 16. So before timeskip I Level up my Dedue Level 27-29

 

5 hours ago, drattakbowser said:

Dedue gain +4 level in timeskip but join in Chapter 16. Just think, gain +4 level by skip 3 Chapter you think it's enough ? Chapter 16 have level 31-34 enemy.

You're sounding (and in fact probably are) very misguided. Once again, getting Dedue to that level before the timeskip is utterly unrealistic, given that the enemies in the final chapter bafore that are mostly level 24 (on hard mode). And even if it wasn't, overleveling him does not help me at all in chapter 13.

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

4 hours ago, Shadow Mir said:

 

You're sounding (and in fact probably are) very misguided. Once again, getting Dedue to that level before the timeskip is utterly unrealistic, given that the enemies in the final chapter bafore that are mostly level 24 (on hard mode). And even if it wasn't, overleveling him does not help me at all in chapter 13.

Level 28 Dedue pre-skip would probably be perfectly achievable on Normal Mode, though, with its generous EXP curve. Especially if you're playing New Game+, with the Saint Statues maxed out, for a 20% EXP boost throughout the game. Of course, we don't know exactly what kind of playthrough inspired this thread. So its feasibility is up in the air, in that sense.