The 5 Best Skills/Skill Combos in FE: Awakening

[lpmeteora27]

I don't know if this has been done in the past or not but I wanted to put some discussion material together over the 5 best skills in Awakening.

That's a large basis so I'll slim it down with some criteria.

--Skills should be available to the player.

--DLC skills are excluded.

--Skills are optimized for post game.

I'm not looking for the skills to reach a certain goal. They're not being optimized for a certain unit or a run of a map.

This is just a list of 5 skills in Awakening that are most likely to sink your team if you have none of them.

Anyways, I'll start off with what I believe to be the 5 best skills in Fire Emblem.

5. Hit +20/Lucky Seven (Increased Hit!)

4. Armsthrift (Allows for infinite weapon uses)

3. Galeforce (Rewards you for ensuring a kill)

2. Faire- skills (Bonus damage at no cost)

1. Vantage (Best defensive skill in the game)

That's all there is to it. Discuss!

EDIT:

Changed a bit of stuff. Apotheosis optimization bit is gone (since I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about lmao). Criteria is more straightforward.

Thanks @Knusperkeks and @Czar_Yoshi for all the info!

Edited April 8, 2015 by lpmeteora27

[Vascela]

My top 5 (assuming Apo)

1) Vengeance is the best skill in the game. Not gender locked. Most consistent/strongest active proc. Applicable for both magical and physical classes. Easy to setup if you know what you're doing. Once it's online it stays online.

2) Vantage. The most offensive non damage proc in the game 8). It's interesting that 2 different parties can see it as offensive and defensive. Again, gender neutral, good for both magical and physical, but more likely to be used on magical. Easy setup (even if you don't want 1 HP, sub half HP is even easier to set up). And once it's online it stays online.

3) Hit Rate +20. Basically secures 100% hit rate on the front and back. Gender neutral. Flat bonus.

4) Anathema. Easiest free +10 hit. It's not even for your front and back units--it's also for units who don't have it equipped! Applicable on dedicated supports, rescue bots, and even on Long Bows users!

5) Hex. Easy staple on rescue bots to shred any terrain bonuses. Rescue in; free accuracy; rescue out (if in danger). Versatile, not needed on any specific raw support (but can).

Honorable mention goes to Galeforce, X stat +2, and Dual Strike+. Former is by far the best luxury skill in the game. Can be used to hit and run or even tackle multiple enemies at player phase; no knowledge is required to maximize it's value. "x" +2 secures benchmarks you are oh so close to getting. Dual Strike+ cuts the units required in half for consistent DLCless clears and cuts in down to 1/5 in consistent DLC clears. Needing only 4 units instead of 20? That's power, but I don't see it as top 5 power.

[Blaze The Great]

Sol, Lifetaker, Hex, Anathema, and Armsthrift would make for a wicked defensive combo. Wouldn't be touched by anything and you could grind for days.

[TheFriendlyFire]

I consider myself a pretty big Fire Emblem nub, but one of my absolute favorite combos are Chrom and family's Aether/Sol/RFK and Aether/Luna/RFK. Just the huge proc rate of both Luna and Sol with the added bonus of whatever you didn't choose with Aether is great IMO.

[Czar_Yoshi]

Sol, Lifetaker, Hex, Anathema, and Armsthrift would make for a wicked defensive combo. Wouldn't be touched by anything and you could grind for days.

Hex and Anathema don't improve your defensive capabilities, though. They lower the enemy's Avo, not their Hit.

[Knusperkeks]

Since your definition of "best" is unclear to me, I'll go with Rally Spectrum, Strength, Magic, Speed and Vengeance. I'm considering skill slot opportunity cost. And Vengeance is just Vengeance.

[eclipse]

Anathema - it's a nice little radius skill

Dual Strike+ - This is so funny when both units have brave weapons, but Chrom/Lucina are the only ones that get it

Vantage - You go first at half-health

Vengeance - And make it hurt

Lucky 7 - The only time I'd consider Hit+20 is if I know I'll see turn 7. Otherwise, this is Hit+20 with an avoid boost.

[Sroy]

I would say for an offensive unit...

Galeforce

Lifetaker (With galeforce can take 100% health back)

Astra (2.5 x damage on one attack? Hell yes.)

_____faire

Renewal/Pavise/Aegis/Vantage depending on the unit(Or limit breaker with DLC included)

Then for their support...

Galeforce (3 moves total hype)

Dual Support +

Astra

_______faire

Lifetaker (Limit Breaker)

Just my preference of playstyle.

Go in swinging and then fall back.

The only chapter I have yet to beat is Apotheosis because I need to grind rogues and redeemers 3 some more and then second seal for stat caps.

EDIT: I also have a tendancy to overlook the usefulness of non-promoted skills so I end up grinding for days.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Sroy

[lpmeteora27]

Since your definition of "best" is unclear to me, I'll go with Rally Spectrum, Strength, Magic, Speed and Vengeance. I'm considering skill slot opportunity cost. And Vengeance is just Vengeance.

best/best/

adjective

1. of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality.

adverb

1. superlative of well¹.

noun

1. that which is the most excellent, outstanding, or desirable.

verb

1. outwit or get the better of (someone).

I don't understand why it's unclear lol.

The focus is on generally effective skills and skill combinations to use in Awakening.

Well, yeah man rallies are great but we have RallyBots for that stuff. I'm mainly wanting to highlight units that are gonna be seeing some combat.

[Shadow Mir]

In no particular order:

Luna (May not be as powerful as Vengeance, but it also isn't setup dependent like Vengeance is)

-Faire skills in general

Anathema

Aether

Galeforce

[Czar_Yoshi]

best/best/

adjective

1. of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality.

adverb

1. superlative of well¹.

noun

1. that which is the most excellent, outstanding, or desirable.

verb

1. outwit or get the better of (someone).

I don't understand why it's unclear lol.

The focus is on generally effective skills and skill combinations to use in Awakening.

Well, yeah man rallies are great but we have RallyBots for that stuff. I'm mainly wanting to highlight units that are gonna be seeing some combat.

"Generally effective" isn't very specific. Effective at what? Veteran is hands down, no-holds-barred the best skill in the game on Lunatic(+) and very helpful in general when grinding or on lower difficulties, but it does nothing in Apo. What's your metric for being the "best"?

Also watching that dictionary trying to define a simple word using ones that are more complex than it is funny.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Czar_Yoshi

[Blaze The Great]

Hex and Anathema don't improve your defensive capabilities, though. They lower the enemy's Avo, not their Hit.

Wow, I was more tired than I thought last night. Haha thanks for correcting me, that was dumb.

[lpmeteora27]

"Generally effective" isn't very specific. Effective at what? Veteran is hands down, no-holds-barred the best skill in the game on Lunatic(+) and very helpful in general when grinding or on lower difficulties, but it does nothing in Apo. What's your metric for being the "best"?

Also watching that dictionary trying to define a simple word using ones that are more complex than it is funny.

In the OP I stated we were optimizing for Apotheosis... So yes, Veteran is nothing.

My metric for being the best? Skills or skill combinations that allow you to succeed in combat scenarios. I don't know how else to put it.

lol yeah Google's dictionary feature is... something

[Knusperkeks]

In the OP I stated we were optimizing for Apotheosis... So yes, Veteran is nothing.

My metric for being the best? Skills or skill combinations that allow you to succeed in combat scenarios. I don't know how else to put it.

lol yeah Google's dictionary feature is... something

Get off your high horse, I don't need you to show me a dictionary entry to understand what a simple word means when you are contradicting your own statements during the course of a thread. If you had expressed yourself better at the start, this wouldn't have become an issue in the first place.

5. Hit +20/Lucky Seven (Increased Hit!)

4. Armsthrift (Allows for infinite weapon uses)

3. Galeforce (Rewards you for ensuring a kill)

2. Faire- skills (Bonus damage at no cost)

1. Vantage (Best defensive skill in the game)

Per your own definition which I quoted above, Galeforce and Armsthrift are absolutely worthless to succeed in a combat scenario, since the player is easily able to replenish weapon durability in between waves and Galeforce is not certain to activate.

They have zero impact on combat itself. Even Luck+4 is better than the two, by nature of directly contributing to hit rating in combat, and thus directly to the success in combat. Half the skills you mentioned are not "best" per your own definition.

Heed your own advice. After you did that, research the equivocation fallacy. I'm not going to post you a link for that, since I assume you have enough brains to find the information yourself, something you didn't expect of me, as can be seen here.

[eclipse]

Alright, you two. . .

Rallies are quite useful in postgame - they're free stats, and a full rallybot (I'd go with Spectrum, Strength, Magic, Skill/Luck, and Speed) nets a nice stat boost - +4 or +8 (+12 for Luck) depending on what stat we're talking about. Combine that with tonics, and that's basically a better pair-up, albeit for only a turn. They wilt if an enemy attacks, though.

Why'd I mention Rally Luck? First, it influences both hit and avoid. Second, it allows for gimmick builds, like Tomefaire/Vantage/Vengeance/Miracle/Hit +20 (in case it isn't obvious, this would be on Morgan).

[Czar_Yoshi]

My metric for being the best? Skills or skill combinations that allow you to succeed in combat scenarios. I don't know how else to put it.

How about "most likely to sink your team if you have none of it"?

[someonewhodied]

My common skillsets:

Offensive:

Armsthrift

Galeforce
Sol

-Free skill- (-Faire, astra, vantage, aether, res+10, all stats+2, vengeance, or aggressor)

Limit Break

Support: (choose 3)

-Faire

Aggressor

Anathema

Dual Strike+

Dual Guard+

Dual support+

---and of course----

Armsthrift

Limit Break

Healer:

Limit Break

All Stats +2

Healtouch

Mag+2

-Faire

Now not counting DLC skills

Most used:

-Faire

Most Helpful:

Galeforce (Offensive)

Dual Support + (Support)

Healtouch (Healer)

Personal Favorite:

Armsthrift

so

1: -Faire skills

2. Galeforce

3. Dual Support +

4. Healtouch

5. Armsthrift

That is my own opinion

[lpmeteora27]

Get off your high horse, I don't need you to show me a dictionary entry to understand what a simple word means when you are contradicting your own statements during the course of a thread. If you had expressed yourself better at the start, this wouldn't have become an issue in the first place.

Per your own definition which I quoted above, Galeforce and Armsthrift are absolutely worthless to succeed in a combat scenario, since the player is easily able to replenish weapon durability in between waves and Galeforce is not certain to activate.

They have zero impact on combat itself. Even Luck+4 is better than the two, by nature of directly contributing to hit rating in combat, and thus directly to the success in combat. Half the skills you mentioned are not "best" per your own definition.

Heed your own advice. After you did that, research the equivocation fallacy. I'm not going to post you a link for that, since I assume you have enough brains to find the information yourself, something you didn't expect of me, as can be seen here.

I thought the dictionary thing was funny

Galeforce isn't certain to activate, sure, if you aren't optimizing your units correctly. If your units are optimizied you should have no problem taking out an enemy and activating Galeforce. With it one pair-up unit should be able to take out up to three enemies in a turn. Yes if you can't confirm the kill, technically it's a waste of a skill slot but that argument is silly. Galeforce doesn't directly relate to battle stats, but it allows for the same attacker to attack again and initiate combat up to 3 times. You can't tell me Luck +4 is better.

I can replenish weapon durability? With all those Hammerne's I'm banking on? Or with the infinite convoy system that allows me to trade in all my used up Ragnells or Helswaths? Armsthrift doesn't apply to combat or succeeding in combat scenarios? So say I have a unit taking on a mass of enemies and their weapons durability is expended mid-battle. As a result of this they die. This is a dumb scenario as my unit shouldn't have been placed in a location where the threat of death was imminent but it still applies to this all the same. In that instance Armsthrift would have saved my units life.

I guess the killer words here were "per my own definition".

What you considered the best was discerned by skill slot opportunity cost, so getting the most out of each skill slot. Now dumb down your thinking a bit for us casuals. If your best friend, who recently bought the game, asks you what the 5 best skills in Awakening are, what will you reply?

I know this also seems confusing since I took the assumption that most players had finished the game and were on Apo but this isn't for any kind of optimization test or anything. I just want some compare and contrast conversation on what most of you dudes think to be the top skills.

As vague as it sounds I'm asking the same thing; What are the 5 best skills in Awakening?

How about "most likely to sink your team if you have none of it"?

This works. Definitely more fitting lol

[Czar_Yoshi]

So say I have a unit taking on a mass of enemies and their weapons durability is expended mid-battle. As a result of this they die.

I know Lunatic+ isn't Apo, but...

Kuroi's two farthest reaching resetless runs so far (and two of the only three that made it past Cht.3) have both been done in by exactly the opposite of this (failed attempts to unequip weapons). You're fighting a horde of enemies, and because you have a weapon equipped you keep killing the things running at you, causing you to fight more and more battles until you get overwhelmed and die. Without a weapon, you'll take a beating and won't kill anything back, but not enough stuff can reach you to do you in.

[Knusperkeks]

Galeforce isn't certain to activate, sure, if you aren't optimizing your units correctly.

If I optimize my units correctly to get every last ounce of combat prowess out of them, they will not utilize Galeforce in the first place. That is my original point. The definition of combat prowess in Apotheosis is generally accepted as "kill more reliably". So I claim Luck+4 is better than Galeforce for that. I'm just repeating the same content as can be seen in #14.

In my latest apo challenge run, I was in a pinch when I had to decide which set was better for Frederick!Inigo@Berserker:

Str+2, Axefaire and Axe-/Sword-/Lancebreaker or Str+2, Axefaire, two of aforementioned breakers and Galeforce. It is a difficult decision.

If your units are optimizied you should have no problem taking out an enemy and activating Galeforce.

You mean if my unit's work like perfect killing machines with only 4 skill slots, then Galeforce is a good quality of life improvement to help them do more of it.

Then again, units optimized to kill do not use skills which contribute nothing to their combat effectiveness. By now I did mention a number of times that Galeforce doesn't do jack to help you kill enemies.

Yes if you can't confirm the kill, technically it's a waste of a skill slot but that argument is silly.

Talking about silly; By the standard you impose on people in this thread, Luck+4 is in fact a better skill than Galeforce.

Luck+4 is better at confirming kills than Galeforce. Whichever miniscule amount it is, it's still more than zero. This argument is not silly, it is flawless.

If you look for something to call silly, look at your premise.

Galeforce doesn't directly relate to battle stats, but it allows for the same attacker to attack again and initiate combat up to 3 times. You can't tell me Luck +4 is better.

In no known universe does Galeforce contribute to battle stats at all. When all that matters are battle stats, which is - let me remind you - your own prerequisite to even enter a skill into this discussion, then I am in fact telling you that Luck+4 is better. There is no room for you to argue rationally against this point.

I can replenish weapon durability? With all those Hammerne's I'm banking on? Or with the infinite convoy system that allows me to trade in all my used up Ragnells or Helswaths? Armsthrift doesn't apply to combat or succeeding in combat scenarios?

Off topic. We are strictly talking about combat effectiveness, and hence combat stats. Whether or not you are able to count to 30 (or whichever durability your weapons have) is irrelevant.

So say I have a unit taking on a mass of enemies and their weapons durability is expended mid-battle. As a result of this they die. This is a dumb scenario as my unit shouldn't have been placed in a location where the threat of death was imminent but it still applies to this all the same. In that instance Armsthrift would have saved my units life.

The unit doesn't die because it doesn't have enough weapon durability to fight back. It dies because the tactician didn't consider all possible outcomes of the scenario, leading to the units death.

It's not the units fault for dying. No amount of weapon durability would save the unit. In fact, having more weapon durability to begin with is what directly contributed to the units death, as outlined by Yoshi in #19.

Taking your examples. The skills you employ work together in tandem with your strategic blunders to punish you to the point of where your units die. It is entirely your own fault.

I guess the killer words here were "per my own definition".

What you considered the best was discerned by skill slot opportunity cost, so getting the most out of each skill slot.

What I consider the best is this and only this:

My metric for being the best? Skills or skill combinations that allow you to succeed in combat scenarios.

Now I take a look at this definition and come to the conclusion that the rallies I mentioned contribute more to my army than any other skill could. That is why I mention rallies. Do not mistake your own faulty interpretation of my argument for the truth.

Now dumb down your thinking a bit for us casuals. If your best friend, who recently bought the game, asks you what the 5 best skills in Awakening are, what will you reply?

Veteran, Veteran, Veteran, Veteran, Veteran.

I know this also seems confusing since I took the assumption that most players had finished the game and were on Apo but this isn't for any kind of optimization test or anything.

It is not confusing, it is illogical. You change the premise under which we discuss "The 5 Best Skills/Skill Combos in FE: Awakening" whenever you feel like it. First apotheosis optimization, now we have to assume the player is a scrub who picks up the game for the first time, what's next?

I just want some compare and contrast conversation on what most of you dudes think to be the top skills.

As vague as it sounds I'm asking the same thing; What are the 5 best skills in Awakening?

This entirely depends the goal you want to achieve. It is impossible to say "A, B, C, D, E" are the best.

I won't even bother to try to name them, since I have experience from the past that Yoshi tried to do it in #11 just to be mercilessly shot down in #13. I'm not going to walk into the same trap he did.

I'll give you some time to exactly specify your parameters of measurement for "The 5 Best Skills/Skill Combos in FE: Awakening".

I do not want to be shot like Yoshi.

[lpmeteora27]

If I optimize my units correctly to get every last ounce of combat prowess out of them, they will not utilize Galeforce in the first place. That is my original point. The definition of combat prowess in Apotheosis is generally accepted as "kill more reliably". So I claim Luck+4 is better than Galeforce for that. I'm just repeating the same content as can be seen in #14.

I see what you're saying. Yeah Galeforce doesn't actually contribute anything to stats but if I'm trying to do the most damage in a turn as possible, wouldn't it be more effective than Luck +4?

In my latest apo challenge run, I was in a pinch when I had to decide which set was better for Frederick!Inigo@Berserker:

Str+2, Axefaire and Axe-/Sword-/Lancebreaker or Str+2, Axefaire, two of aforementioned breakers and Galeforce. It is a difficult decision.

What did you decide on?

You mean if my unit's work like perfect killing machines with only 4 skill slots, then Galeforce is a good quality of life improvement to help them do more of it.

I suppose.

Then again, units optimized to kill do not use skills which contribute nothing to their combat effectiveness. By now I did mention a number of times that Galeforce doesn't do jack to help you kill enemies.

I disagree with this. I guess it falls under how you consider a properly optimized killing unit. Morgan + Lucina as a pair-up wielding Galeforce allows them to flatten Apotheosis but I think I see what you're saying. Luck +4 would be better used in place of GF if you're trying to reach a certain benchmark or kill a certain enemy you'd otherwise be unable to.

Talking about silly; By the standard you impose on people in this thread, Luck+4 is in fact a better skill than Galeforce.

​I've done a poor job of being clear with what I wanted from the start, so I suppose so.

Luck+4 is better at confirming kills than Galeforce. Whichever miniscule amount it is, it's still more than zero. This argument is not silly, it is flawless.

If you look for something to call silly, look at your premise.

I get your point of Luck +4 being a better skill in terms of it boosting stats.

In no known universe does Galeforce contribute to battle stats at all. When all that matters are battle stats, which is - let me remind you - your own prerequisite to even enter a skill into this discussion, then I am in fact telling you that Luck+4 is better. There is no room for you to argue rationally against this point.

When did I say the only skills eligible for discussion were stat boosters?

Off topic. We are strictly talking about combat effectiveness, and hence combat stats. Whether or not you are able to count to 30 (or whichever durability your weapons have) is irrelevant.

Alrighty.

The unit doesn't die because it doesn't have enough weapon durability to fight back. It dies because the tactician didn't consider all possible outcomes of the scenario, leading to the units death.

This is the same thinking that invalidates Iote's Shield, huh? The skill is worthless since your units shouldn't be in a position to take damage in the first place. Then on that front, I agree.

It's not the units fault for dying. No amount of weapon durability would save the unit. In fact, having more weapon durability to begin with is what directly contributed to the units death, as outlined by Yoshi in #19.

So in the situation Yoshi outlined, it would have been more beneficial to the units survival to un-equip their weapon? Wouldn't they just die the turn afterwards?

Taking your examples. The skills you employ work together in tandem with your strategic blunders to punish you to the point of where your units die. It is entirely your own fault.

I didn't think the skills I listed were entirely that bad to be honest.

What I consider the best is this and only this:

Now I take a look at this definition and come to the conclusion that the rallies I mentioned contribute more to my army than any other skill could. That is why I mention rallies. Do not mistake your own faulty interpretation of my argument for the truth.

Rallies are great but it's just kinda. I don't know... I mean the rallies are important, but aren't the skills you have equipped on the unit the rally was for, far more important?

Veteran, Veteran, Veteran, Veteran, Veteran.

Hmmmmmm.

It is not confusing, it is illogical. You change the premise under which we discuss "The 5 Best Skills/Skill Combos in FE: Awakening" whenever you feel like it. First apotheosis optimization, now we have to assume the player is a scrub who picks up the game for the first time, what's next?

My line of thought when giving the friend example was for this thread to be easily accessible to players who just kinda type in Best 5 Skills in Awakening. Ya know, the ones that ask for quick help or the ones that don't have enough experience with the game to make an opinion for themselves on whether or not a certain skill is good or bad.

This entirely depends the goal you want to achieve. It is impossible to say "A, B, C, D, E" are the best.

How is it impossible for a group of people to reach a consensus on what the best skills are? Although I think I understand what you're saying here. Unless I give a certain fitting criteria like "Best skills for beginning utility" obviously veteran would soar through every post. Unless I do that, it's impossible to claim a certain any 5 are the best?

I won't even bother to try to name them, since I have experience from the past that Yoshi tried to do it in #11 just to be mercilessly shot down in #13. I'm not going to walk into the same trap he did.

I didn't mercilessly shoot anyone down (at least, not on purpose), I just didn't have the clarification that I do now.

I'll give you some time to exactly specify your parameters of measurement for "The 5 Best Skills/Skill Combos in FE: Awakening".

I do not want to be shot like Yoshi.

I'll drop my parameters for optimizing with Apotheosis in mind. I'll make it a more general measurement thread, but still post-game.

Pftt I'm a lazy shot any who.

[Knusperkeks]

What do you want me to respond to, exactly? My own post, or the "response" you put into the quote of my post? In that case, the red ones, or the black ones, or both?

[lpmeteora27]

What do you want me to respond to, exactly? My own post, or the "response" you put into the quote of my post? In that case, the red ones, or the black ones, or both?

I screwed up I guess, uh just respond to anything you didn't type lol. a few were black by my own mistake

[Czar_Yoshi]

I've been shot?

*Suddenly wants to be left out of this*

[Knusperkeks]

I'm really glad I post everything in a non-standard font. Without it, it would be a huge pain in the rear to distinguish my own words from others. (Even more than it is right now.)

I see what you're saying. Yeah Galeforce doesn't actually contribute anything to stats but if I'm trying to do the most damage in a turn as possible, wouldn't it be more effective than Luck +4?

Yes.

What did you decide on?

I decided to settle with GF for the time being. Currently it's better for what I need him to do in my runs. If I decide that he needs to kill axes, I might change that.

I suppose.

Yes.

I disagree with this. I guess it falls under how you consider a properly optimized killing unit. Morgan + Lucina as a pair-up wielding Galeforce allows them to flatten Apotheosis but I think I see what you're saying. Luck +4 would be better used in place of GF if you're trying to reach a certain benchmark or kill a certain enemy you'd otherwise be unable to.

Right.

I get your point of Luck +4 being a better skill in terms of it boosting stats.

Okay.

When did I say the only skills eligible for discussion were stat boosters?

I never said only stat boosters are eligible, I also mentioned breaker skills,which are essentially +hit or avoid skills.

You mentioned something about it and I just quoted your very own words. How should I know what they mean if you don't know it yourself?

Alrighty.

Okay.

This is the same thinking that invalidates Iote's Shield, huh? The skill is worthless since your units shouldn't be in a position to take damage in the first place. Then on that front, I agree.

Skills are never worthless. Some of them just need certain conditions to be met in order to turn useful. Whether it's worthwhile to keep a skill even though it is useful to have is a different question.

So in the situation Yoshi outlined, it would have been more beneficial to the units survival to un-equip their weapon? Wouldn't they just die the turn afterwards?

If you don't pull a stunt like sending your battle ready team in there to save poor Inigo then he will probably die eventually, yes.

I didn't think the skills I listed were entirely that bad to be honest.

None of the skills you listed were "that bad" indeed. In fact I think they are all really awesome, but they are not worthy to be in the top 5 if one considers the criteria you provide.

Rallies are great but it's just kinda. I don't know... I mean the rallies are important, but aren't the skills you have equipped on the unit the rally was for, far more important?

My logic is that with the four skill slots you pay for Rally Strength/Magic/Speed/Spectrum, you can give so many stats to your whole army that nothing in the entire game comes even close to that.

Rally spectrum is 28 to all stats on all units. 560 stats over 20 units.

Rally Strength/Magic/Speed are 80 stats each over 20 units.

For comparison only, Limit Breaker gives 70 total stats.

People say Limit Breaker is the strongest skill in the game, but I disagree. This is why I mentioned the four rallies in my original post.

Hmmmmmm.

Right.

My line of thought when giving the friend example was for this thread to be easily accessible to players who just kinda type in Best 5 Skills in Awakening. Ya know, the ones that ask for quick help or the ones that don't have enough experience with the game to make an opinion for themselves on whether or not a certain skill is good or bad.

All the skills are situational. I'm using skills like Avoid+10, Speed+2 on my Severa, because they help her the best at what I need her to do. Doesn't mean that these skills are TEH_LEET and everyone needs to get them on every character in existence.

How is it impossible for a group of people to reach a consensus on what the best skills are? Although I think I understand what you're saying here. Unless I give a certain fitting criteria like "Best skills for beginning utility" obviously veteran would soar through every post. Unless I do that, it's impossible to claim a certain any 5 are the best?

Exactly.

I didn't mercilessly shoot anyone down (at least, not on purpose), I just didn't have the clarification that I do now.

Then I retract the mercilessly from my post.

Edit:

I'll drop my parameters for optimizing with Apotheosis in mind. I'll make it a more general measurement thread, but still post-game.

Pftt I'm a lazy shot any who.

Okay.

If you already have a unit which covers the rallies, I'll say Vengeance, X-Faire, Dual Strike+, Anathema and Galeforce are pretty dope.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Knusperkeks