UserShadow7989

Shove, Canto, and Rescue. I love using those. They let you create a wider variety of plans and serve as an 'out' if you place someone in the wrong position on accident. Capture. A simple but fun feature, making it harder to defeat an enemy but providing weapons and items for your troubles. It could even be used to effect the plot- capturing an enemy instead of killing them may let you recruit them, or change the story so that instead of their loved ones coming after you in revenge they join you or surrender to you. Perhaps capturing and releasing a certain villain will come back to bite the protagonists? It could even be used to narrowly avoid an event like with Camus from FE1 or the knight woman from FE8, allowing you to evade their plotline death in exchange for the extra difficulty (or simply ending with them dying anyways, if you don't want to lose the tragedy of the event). FE9 Supports. The best implementation of the support system to date, in my opinion. It makes more sense than the characters stopping mid-battle to chat amiably or pick fights with one another. Info conversations, such as from 9, 10, and 12. Like Supports, these events add so much character development to a game that is set apart by the individuality of each unit. Not only that, info conversations can add depth to the story, the setting, and characters that don't join your party until later, if at all. Varied objectives, secondary objectives. I'm of the mind that Shadow Dragon had fantastic maps despite all of them having the Seize objective other than the last, but there's no denying that the variety of objectives really breathed life into Radiant Dawn's campaign mode. The latter is the logical expansion of this; accomplishing optional objectives to get extra goodies and possibly open up side chapters. Just so long as they aren't utter pains and don't require something arbitrary to accomplish, I can see a few chapters getting spiced up by their inclusion. Transforming units. I'm a fan of both Laguz and Manaketes, though I admit both systems have their flaws. Perhaps a sort of cooldown system? For example, their transformations have a total of X attacks, and each turn they gain one back. If they hit zero, they can't attack or counter until their next turn. Higher weapon levels would add more attacks. I wouldn't mind a more balanced version of an existing system being reused, however. These are all just off the top of my head. Other things I'd like to see are Reclassing, Multiple Generations (FE4), Summoners, Monsters, Maps with Skirmishes, Split Promotions and Three Class Tiers, but those feel more like they should only appear in a setting/story structure that supports them or in games that need some extra 'pizazz'. All of those in the same game would be... actually, while it'd be a bit weird, that would make for an interesting entry into the series. Kind of like a pizza with everything but the kitchen sink thrown on it. ... Now I want to try some pizza with everything on it.

On the argument of 'why not change it to casual-only and pretend the units that are KOed are dead', the death of certain units affect the story in small, subtle ways. Dialogue the character might have said is removed or replaced, events that would happen if it were alive don't or events that wouldn't if it were alive happen do. Some people who want reclass don't want to lose the novelty of this, as it's one of the many things that sets Fire Emblem apart from others. For that matter, if one could play Casual mode and just 'pretend those units who died stay dead', then why keep Classic mode? Reclass's inclusion in or exclusion from the game does not affect the story elements; it is purely a gameplay mechanic, and is in no way vital to the experience, nor is it unavoidable. If you have problems with it not making sense, there are ways to make it make sense. Make it a case by case basis, limiting any given character to classes that make sense for them. Make it so they can still use their 'main' weapon in other classes, just treating their weapon level as two lower if the class they're currently in doesn't use that weapon. Possibly unlock more classes for that character to change to by going through certain events/supports (for example, a character attempting to learn magic in a support gives them access to magic classes). Completing the game once gives you the option to reclass anyone to anything from the get go. Alternately: Make reclass an option that can be turned on and off at the start, COMPLETELY SEPARATE from the choice of Casual Mode/Classic Mode and any other similar choices that may exist. No fuss, no muss. Back on topic, here's a list of some things I hope to see return in future installments: -Rescuing, Shoving, Canto -Skills (FE 10) -Full Supports (FE 9) -Capture -Base Conversations -Forging -Multiple Difficulty Levels -Multiple Story Routes -Casual Mode (never used it, but having the option would be nice for newer players/people who do)

I wouldn't mind. Would each of us get a note in the credits at the end/in the text document? A few scenarios I have bouncing around in my head is a zombie invasion deal. You're in a small town/city with a bunch of NPCs. If an NPC is killed by a Revenant or the Revenant enters a house, another Revenant appears (the house is destroyed in the later case). The goal is to maximize the use of the alley ways (choke points) to block off the path of Revenants while visiting houses (sealing them up and gaining you swag) and herding the NPCs to an escape point. The goal is to either survive until the local army can reach you, or kill/capture the summoner. The second is a group of townspeople defending themselves from an invasion of Bandits/Zombies/Soldiers/Bananas. Several allied NPCs wait on the roof tops and fire arrows and magic toward the invaders. your goal is to bait the enemies into each NPC's range and block off their way through. Your own Archer even gains access to a Bastilla or two to help out. Third is a sort of hunter and hunted deal. While fighting in a dense jungle (Fog of War in effect), the group are stuck with what seems to be a basic Route mission. However, 4 or 5 turns in, the enemy's numbers start to dwindle without any seeming interference from your units. You see text bits of soldiers screaming and (presumably) getting killed. After a while, the enemy boss or the player will stumble upon the cause. A powerful unit hostile to both sides, being a high powered monster, a Berserker who lost his mind, or even a rampaging mamkute, with great vision but slow/hindered by terrain move. The goal becomes luring the lumbering being towards the opposing units and letting it tear through their lines instead of yours. Perhaps you have a unit that can calm it down/remove it from battle? A friend to all living things cleric for the monster angle could send it away, or a thought-lost relative for the berserker/mamkute (perhaps meaning you can recruit him/her further down the line?), or even a particularly cute girl if the thing turns out to be a lecher. Fourth is exploring a booby trapped series catacombs, looking for a legendary item. There are no enemies in the traditional sense, but a series of destructable booby-traps. Theives can move without trigger most traps, while some have to be attacked like walls to eliminate. Hidden arrow launchers, pit traps, flame throwers, slopes that only allow movement one way, switches that reveal new paths or treasures or enables/disables traps... If the no enemy deal is a bit much, phantoms of deceased explores can appear (opportunity to place someone dead and plot relevant here, perhaps a dead relative for character development. Maybe dead allies show up to help?), or monsters, or even ambitious tomb raiders who aren't happy to find someone else there can work.

I have to say I love chapters that put a twist on a straightforward goal. I loved Shadow Dragon for its maps, because despite the constant use of "Seize" as an objective, each map forced you to think about how you were going to do get there, or how you would do it and get all the extra goodies along the way. My favorite would be the map with several stretches of land separated by water, crawling with Pirates who could simply move across while you were confined to the land masses (cause we all know Dart was pretty useless). The map that involved charging the ballistae across the three routes was an interesting concept, though admittedly not one I enjoyed greatly. Radiant Dawn's strong point was the variety in its maps, though this was more brought about by the many different objectives and sub goals. Extinguishing the houses that were lit on fire, burning the supplies in the enemy encampment, defending a line from waves of enemies, securing a goal under a time limit, using Ballistae to clear the way for NPCs who are weak to fire magic, crossing a bridge covered with booby traps, surviving a cavern of lava where fire rains down and damages allies and enemies, rescuing civilians from the muck as brigands and fliers attempt to close in and kill them, chasing a summoner from isle to isle as he calls in constant reinforcements... Each of these are creative twists on Defend, Route, Kill Boss, and Capture objectives. You can let the houses burn, and let several NPCs bite it. You can let the civvies get axe murdered. The summoner basically justifies the stream of reinforcements, and other then the teleporting is a basic Kill Boss objective. Your goals are the same as ever in the end, but how you get there and what you do along the way that's most interesting. It's not the destination, but the journey.

Rescue, Capture, Canto, Shove, Dismount, FE9 BEXP, FE10 Skills. Fire/Wind/Thunder Weapon Triangle, but better balanced. Knives are fine, and I wouldn't mind seeing them given to non-combat units like Dancers. It would allow the units another way to level/defend themselves without being as good at it as the melee classes and the like. For classes, Ballisticians, Dancers, Troubadours, Nomad Troopers. Summoners, Manaketes, Playable Soldiers. Some units capable of both magic and physical attacks, so long as they're in limited amounts. Perhaps simply the lord? I'd actually find a Male Pegasus Rider funny. Perhaps an extremely effeminate male who hates being mistaken for a girl? Third tier was cool, but only if the game is long enough to fit them in. Trainees were horribly underpowered and took too much effort to raise, but with BEXP they might be alright. Give Knights access to lower level bows like in SD.

Aran isn't bad. He's a unit with decent durability in a group where durability is sorely lacking. Laura is the only healer of the aforementioned group, and will have plenty of targets to heal (on my Boss Abuse run, where I tried to max out as many levels as possible, I got her to 20/20/3 at the end of Part 1). Meg is alright if trained, but being in an EXP starved group at a low join level definitely puts her in the suck category, so she fits. Speaking of Radiant Dawn, I always WANTED to do this with Fiona, but... holy crap does she suck. By the time she joins, even the run of the mill mooks can two round her. You have to spam BEXP and forge a powerful weapon for her to be any use, and even then she only gets two or three chapters where she can participate until Part 3. All of which are indoors and have a movement penalty for mounted units like her. Why, IS, why?!

I have an idea. What if the incantations ARE horridly long, but writing them down on something with a special ink lets you skip the parts you wrote down as long as you hold it. You have to understand it, and the ink only works for so long (more powerful spells make the ink's effect wear off quicker, and are heavier because they require a ridiculous number of pages to write down the incantations to make it reasonably short). That would explain why Mages can't attack without the tomes as well as the limited uses. Nino's a prodigy, so she can cast without having it written down, but it takes too long to chant to be any use in a battle.

That's what I mean. There's an emotional punch to the gut whenever one of your guys bite the dust. You value them more then you do units in other strategy games because they have faces, stories, personalities, families, and when they're gone they're gone.

The characters. Fire Emblem is one of the few Strategy series where you control actual characters, with their own histories and personalities, and not just faceless mooks. You actually feel bad throwing your units under the bus, and want to keep as many of them alive as possible. You get to see their lives, their actions, their emotions play out as you guide them. It really feels like you're leading an army, a cause, instead of a gaggle of emotionless machines. The game doesn't just focus on a handful of characters either- almost all of them get proper screen time, with a few exceptions (Radiant Dawn due to it's huge cast, Shadow Dragon being a remake of a game 20 years old).

Ohhhh yeah, that's MUCH better. Makes sense, too. This reminds me that I still have to play Fe4/5.

Dark Sword/Dark Knight. Basically a Myrmidon who can use Dark Magic, has good Mag and Res, and can take a few hits whenever his/her speed isn't enough to dodge. Would probably be a Lord, and their prf weapon would rely on both Str and Mag (half of each, rounded up) or whichever would do more damage (Str - target Def > Mag - target Res would be a physical attack, and visa-versa).

[*]FE9 Supports, with the ability to support anyone with anyone for a generic message like in 10 [*]Capture and Dismount [*]More weapon variety. Why should swords have all the fun? [*]FE3's system for transforming characters [*]Side quests that don't require killing off your allies, possibly multiple routes. [*]Choice of 2 or 3 Lords [*]FE10 Skills [*]Constitution for weapons [*]BEXP [*]Minimum Level Bonuses (I.E. you always get at least 1 stat increase each level) [*]Trade [*]Fire/Thunder/Wind [*]Arena [*]Wyverns weak to Thunder magic/Wyvernslayers. [*]Base [*]Soldiers/Halbreders [*]Return of Dancers/Troubadours/Ballisticians/Mounted Bow Users Whose Name I Can't Recall/Anything I Missed[/List] Off the top of my head.

L'arachel x Sain Eirika x Eliwood Titania x Seth Florina x Heather Volug x Minerva All Females x Roy (Pimp!)

Considering the games are heavily character driven? Yes. Great stories in video games have been done before, and there's no reason why IS couldn't have done it for FE. Granted, I'm not seeing a video game matching Shakespeare any time soon, but a half decent story isn't too much to ask for. On Topic: It's been stated before, but things like Lyre and Fiona make me go "WTF?". Really, they couldn't have spent a few hours to check the balance of units? Not to mention the Dawn Brigade chapters being harder then the rest of the game. Not to mention the story feels really rushed. Each character gets a few lines of screen time except for a handful, no real supports so you get little characterization, a laundry list of filler chapters that ruin what flow the story has (which in their defense are actually pretty fun and creative), and the bad execution of things like the Black Knight's identity. One thing I find depressing is how IS cut the A rank supports. Having generic C and B rank supports but a special A rank would have been more rewarding and gives a reason to support characters beyond 'lolEarth'.

Marth and Ike should return. I don't really care one way or another about Roy, and he was only included as an advertisement for FE6. I would love to see Lyn or Hector, but they're not as known as Ike and since they probably aren't going to appear in another Fire Emblem that ship has sailed. The next Fire Emblem Lord will likely get in, if only for the fact that they're the latest incarnation of Fire Emblem. The FE8 twins are out for the reason that Lyn and Hector out, only they don't even have Hector's cult following.