What if Radiant Dawn had trial maps?

[Jotari]

Hey, Zelgius has a bond support with Sephiran, so maybe they were planned. The only issue is that most of the villains in Radiant Dawn are senators who, while they work as characters, aren't really that cool or exciting. Jarod and Ludvick exist, but they're also given so early in the game, and typical trial map precedent is to give characters to you with the exact same stats hey have as an enemy. Still it would be fun to use blessed weapons and your full army in a different setting to the tower. As well as to pain some alternate scenarios for what factions could face each other during the way (which would practically just boil down to what enemies they want to give you an excuse to face).

[Shaky Jones]

I always enjoyed trial maps just because it gave me more to do with my endgame team that I over-trained. Its nice to have your final team show off their full strength for more than just the final area, even if the maps dont provide much story or anything else that's interesting. For RD, I always tend to have the mindset of preparing for the tower with 10 units, even though royals could probably do it all themselves, but with trial maps, Brom and Meg can brag further about their blessed Urvan and Alondite, so I'd be down for that. I wonder of they could do a harder version of part 2's endgame, but now you can use any unit to make it easier. Thatd be neat. I dont know if they'd find a way to have a trial map of laguz, given that the post game would presumably involve no more conflict, and just saying you found an island of ferals sounds cheesy, but I guess you'd have more use for beastfoe that way. One idea I have that isn't really a post game map, but more of an alternative version of a story map is playing part 3 chapters where the dawn brigade clash with the Greil Mercenaries, but you play as the opposite team, and you could maybe choose between fixed stats or post game stats, and you'd be required to actually beat your units to win, although this wouldn't amount to much if you dont train both. I dunno. Just throwing out ideas and maybe someone can expand or improve them. Maybe there'll be a trial map that requires defending Sanaki, so you'd feel more motivated to use them in the game if you really want to beat that one. Of course, I dont think anyone really cares enough about trial maps to actually train just fir them, unless the game gave you a cool reward for beating them all.

Either way, I would like trial maps to come back. No real downside in them. If they're meh, then you can just ignore it. I loved using a unit with wrath and resolve to solo trial maps of PoR. Zihark and Brom needed more showtime in my runs, since you got resolve so late. Its fun.

[Punished Dayni]

It is something I'd have liked to have seen when playing RD but alas.

1 hour ago, Jotari said:

Jarod and Ludvick exist, but they're also given so early in the game, and typical trial map precedent is to give characters to you with the exact same stats hey have as an enemy.

Maybe they'd be exempted due to their being not in a third tier class at base. BB did give Guinevere (who never fought), same with SS's Glen, Ismaire, Hayden and Fado (Hayden didn't even have a map sprite shown if I recall correctly so even his class was open to interpretation), so I don't think it would be impossible.

But yeah, few bosses matter at all that aren't on side by the end or a senator.

As for others who aren't senators, Dheginsea, Izuka, Levail could all work (I don't think the earlier more minor boses would be considered), to get more Laguz you could add Kezhda and Pain and Agony as a stretch and even Largo could be a fun one with PoR transfer data or as a surprise appearance

That doesn't even count adding Greil or Rajaion, who probably could have been good picks for PoR but weren't.

Edited January 31, 2022 by Dayni

[AnonymousSpeed]

I'd be down to use Izuka.

[Baron the Shining Blade]

I would've loved if RD had trial maps. I always kept an extra save file at Ch. 1-9 just so I could mindlessly mow down the mooks in there and 1-Endgame with BK, so doing the same with Zelgius in trial maps would've been splendid.

5 hours ago, Jotari said:

Hey, Zelgius has a bond support with Sephiran, so maybe they were planned.

I dunno about that. We can already recruit Lehran on subsequent playthroughs. I do believe trial maps were planned though. Not from said bond, but from an unused Gaiden map theme in the game's code, and we know trial maps (that aren't called Creature Campaign...) always use music from previous FE titles.

4 hours ago, Dayni said:

and even Largo could be a fun one with PoR transfer data or as a surprise appearance

I say put him in and straight up make him a Reaver. We have Stefan as a Trueblade, and if we add Levail as you said then we have a Sentinel, so we'd just need a Reaver to round up the single-melee-weapon-locked infantry 3rd tiers. Nevermind the fact that Reavers (and their 2nd tier Warriors) can use crossbows.

Edited February 1, 2022 by Baron the Shining Blade

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

One Trial Map I'd like to see is a "Deadlord" challenge. There was a thread here a while ago on the topic, and I listed who I wanted. Here's a set of example enemies:

Vanguard Greil (Ettard, Tomohawk, Aether, Nihil)

Dragonlord Shiharam (Brave Axe, Spear, Stun, Cancel)

Sentinel Jarod (Horseslayer, Killer Lance, Impale, Adept)

Trueblade Homasa (Wyrmslayer, Wo Dao, Astra, Vantage)

Silver Knight Petrine (Brave Lance, Silver Bow, Sol, Wrath)

Marksman Silvano (Silencer, Arbalwst, Deadeye, Pass)

Saint Valtome (Nosferatu, Elsleep, Corona, Fortune)

Summoner Izuka (Verrine, Elsilence, Flare, Renewal)

Archsage Maraj (Tornado, Physic, Flare, Resolve)

Cat Kezhda (SS Claw, Rend, Formshift, Quickclaw)

Raven Seeker (SS Beak, Tear, Formshift, Shriek)

Black Dragon Rajaion (SS Black Breath, Ire, Formshift, Night Tide)

Basically a mix of enemies and allies from Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn who've canonically passed on. Max level and capped stats, with threatening skills to boot. Not sure what kind of map they'd show up on.

[Jotari]

1 hour ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

One Trial Map I'd like to see is a "Deadlord" challenge. There was a thread here a while ago on the topic, and I listed who I wanted. Here's a set of example enemies:

Vanguard Greil (Ettard, Tomohawk, Aether, Nihil)

Dragonlord Shiharam (Brave Axe, Spear, Stun, Cancel)

Sentinel Jarod (Horseslayer, Killer Lance, Impale, Adept)

Trueblade Homasa (Wyrmslayer, Wo Dao, Astra, Vantage)

Silver Knight Petrine (Brave Lance, Silver Bow, Sol, Wrath)

Marksman Silvano (Silencer, Arbalwst, Deadeye, Pass)

Saint Valtome (Nosferatu, Elsleep, Corona, Fortune)

Summoner Izuka (Verrine, Elsilence, Flare, Renewal)

Archsage Maraj (Tornado, Physic, Flare, Resolve)

Cat Kezhda (SS Claw, Rend, Formshift, Quickclaw)

Raven Seeker (SS Beak, Tear, Formshift, Shriek)

Black Dragon Rajaion (SS Black Breath, Ire, Formshift, Night Tide)

Basically a mix of enemies and allies from Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn who've canonically passed on. Max level and capped stats, with threatening skills to boot. Not sure what kind of map they'd show up on.

They could be lazy and just reuse the final section of Genealogy's endgame. Or perhaps trim down the number and use Thracia's endgame. You're pulling from some pretty minor bosses to fill out that list. He'll I'd even go as far as to say Kezhda is one of the most obscure characters in the series. That and he doesn't even die at any point.

[AnonymousSpeed]

1 hour ago, Jotari said:

That and he doesn't even die at any point.

Brilliant mastermind Kezhda. 10/10 genius unit, literally never dies. Even in an ironman, where the main characters can die and force a reset, you can't kill him.

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

One Trial Map I'd like to see is a "Deadlord" challenge. There was a thread here a while ago on the topic, and I listed who I wanted. Here's a set of example enemies:

Please replace Silvano with Norris. I would also recommend adding Septimus.

[Jotari]

1 hour ago, AnonymousSpeed said:

Brilliant mastermind Kezhda. 10/10 genius unit, literally never dies. Even in an ironman, where the main characters can die and force a reset, you can't kill him.

Well he might have been petrified by Ashera. He's a weird character over all and I'm not sure he was even needed. His map is a survival for of war mapnso it could have just had no boss if Lethe is killed. Though personally right from the start I would have made Skirmr the boss. That resolves any what if they're dead issues and makes for a more memorable enemy encounter.

1 hour ago, AnonymousSpeed said:

Please replace Silvano with Norris. I would also recommend adding Septimus.

Septimus is a gem amongst generic bosses.

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

10 hours ago, Jotari said:

They could be lazy and just reuse the final section of Genealogy's endgame. Or perhaps trim down the number and use Thracia's endgame. You're pulling from some pretty minor bosses to fill out that list. He'll I'd even go as far as to say Kezhda is one of the most obscure characters in the series. That and he doesn't even die at any point.

Note: Kezhda died on the way back to his home planet.

8 hours ago, AnonymousSpeed said:

Please replace Silvano with Norris. I would also recommend adding Septimus.

I'd be good with bringing back Norris! As for Septimus, I do enjoy him as a boss. Not sure whom he'd replace... Homasa, maybe?

[Jotari]

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

One Trial Map I'd like to see is a "Deadlord" challenge. There was a thread here a while ago on the topic, and I listed who I wanted. Here's a set of example enemies:

Vanguard Greil (Ettard, Tomohawk, Aether, Nihil)

Dragonlord Shiharam (Brave Axe, Spear, Stun, Cancel)

Sentinel Jarod (Horseslayer, Killer Lance, Impale, Adept)

Trueblade Homasa (Wyrmslayer, Wo Dao, Astra, Vantage)

Silver Knight Petrine (Brave Lance, Silver Bow, Sol, Wrath)

Marksman Silvano (Silencer, Arbalwst, Deadeye, Pass)

Saint Valtome (Nosferatu, Elsleep, Corona, Fortune)

Summoner Izuka (Verrine, Elsilence, Flare, Renewal)

Archsage Maraj (Tornado, Physic, Flare, Resolve)

Cat Kezhda (SS Claw, Rend, Formshift, Quickclaw)

Raven Seeker (SS Beak, Tear, Formshift, Shriek)

Black Dragon Rajaion (SS Black Breath, Ire, Formshift, Night Tide)

Basically a mix of enemies and allies from Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn who've canonically passed on. Max level and capped stats, with threatening skills to boot. Not sure what kind of map they'd show up on.

So I'm going to take a shot at my own Tellius 12 Deadlords without resorting to random bosses.

1.Mus -  Zelgius

2.Bovis - Greil

3.Tigris - Ashnard

4.Lepus - Elena

5.Draco - Shiharam

6.Anguilla - Petrine

7.Equus - Lekain

8.Ovis - Rajaion

9.Simia - Bryce

10.Gallus - Izuka

11.Canis - Lillia

12.Porcus - Jarod

I'm guessing a lot of these didn't make Shanty's cut as someone them would be reserved as trial map characters. Though if we're giving them a Deadlord make over I don't see much issue with noncannon Black Knight fighting zombie Zelgius. For bonus points, I think, every character here except Izuka and Jarod died within the presence of Lehran's medallion (maybe Shiharam and Petrine weren't, I can't remember exactly when in the plot the heron's took it from Mist or when Zelgius took it from them). So you could make some kind of excuse about their souls being withheld by the medallion.

 

On the subject of the Medallion, Yune would have made for a great post game bonus boss.

Edited February 1, 2022 by Jotari

[Radiant head]

i wonder if the deadlords was also the inspiration for the 10 elites in three houses

Edited February 1, 2022 by Radiant head

[Jotari]

48 minutes ago, Radiant head said:

i wonder if the deadlords was also the inspiration for the 10 elites in three houses

Pretty likely, as, despite the name, there is actually 12 of them.