Finished my NG Verdant Wind maddening run recently, this is what I ended up with.
Going to be using the format Graveless did since it's easy to read and goes through everything.
I did utilize repo on all my fliers which made some parts (Manuela paralogue specifically) very easy.
DLC wise, I did the Anna quests as well as used the Sauna and some auxiliary battles early in the game.
F!Byleth
Class Progression: Soldier > Pegasus Knight > Falcon Knight
Early: Damage-
Mid: Damage, Dodge Tank
Late: Damage, Dodge Tank
Byleth turned out amazing. I ended up investing heavy into swords for Wind Sweep and I don't regret it.
Opening on a boss with a Wo Dao+ crit allowed Ignatz to take the rest out. Claude
Class Progression: Soldier>Brigand>Archer>Sniper>Wyvern Rider>Barbarosa
Early: Damage
Mid: Damage
Late: Dodge Tank/Crowd Control
Honestly, I was not impressed at all with my Claude. I felt that he struggled to keep up to damage with Leonie and Ignatz. I ended up using him as another dodge tank and utilizing his battalion and encloser to lock down enemies that I couldn't deal with on that turn. Hilda
Class Progression: Soldier>Brigand>Wyvern Rider>Wyvern Lord
Early: Damage
Mid: Damage
Late: Damage
Cookie cutter wyvern build for Hilda. Did great damage, could take a hit or two. Nothing much else to say.
Ignatz
Class Progression: Fighter>Brigand>Archer>Sniper
Early: Damage
Mid: Damage
Late: BIG Damage
Let me tell you about this boy. I have never been so impressed with a unit in my entire life. Hunter's Volley with a Killer Bow+ or Silver Bow+ deleted anything on player phases.
Leonie
Class Progression: Soldier>Brigand>Pegasus Knight>Falcon Knight
Early: Damage
Mid: Damage
Late: Damage, Dodge Tank
I decided to focus a lot on Leonie because I wanted to get her to Falcon Knight ASAP with Point Blank Volley and it did no disappoint. Later in the game I felt that throwing her as another avoid tank would be helpful. I found it useful, but I utilized her as a hit and run unit with PBV more.
Marianne
Class Progression: Monk>Mage>Bishop>Dancer
Early: Healer
Mid: Healer/Chip Damage
Late: Dancer
Marianne went through a few iterations. I felt that I needed to get her to be my dancer so she'd survive turn 1 of her paralogue (sword avoid 20) which did help a lot.
I ended up replacing her with Lindhardt as my primary healer and kept her a dancer.
A dancer is a dancer so good unit.
Lysithea
Class Progression: Mage>Bishop>Gremory
Early: - Damage
Mid: Damage/Warp
Late: Damage/Warp
Pretty standard here, decided to go Bishop for double warp since she doesn't really gain anything from warlock. She was able to one shot non-horses on the last map but I did feed her every mag booster I got.
Lorenz
Class Progression: Mage>Dark Mage>Warlock>Dark Knight
Early: Damage/Healing
Mid: Damage/Healing
Late: Chip Damage
I used Lorenz as a flex character in my roster. I got him poison strikes as well as Recover.
He just kind of did what I needed him to do on a particular turn, didn't excel at anything but was able to pick up slack.
Sylvain
Class Progression: Soldier>Brigand>Paladin
Early: Damage
Mid: Damage
Late: Damage
Swift strikes op is all I can say. Combing his relic or killer lances worked like Leonie's PBV or Ignatz's Hunter's Volley.
Raphael
Class Progression: Brigand>Grappler>Warmaster>Grappler
Early: Damage
Mid: Damage
Late: Damage
I opted to drop Raphael back to grappler for Fierce Iron Fist after I got Quick Riposte.
I felt that he shined for a few chapters but struggled to keep up with damage with the rest of the team.
He was able to not get doubled thanks to QR so that added some merit in baiting someone else if one of my dodge tanks weren't there.
Lindhardt
Class Progression: Soldier>Brigand>Paladin
Early: --
Mid: Healer
Late: Healer
Recruited solely to patch up the fact Marianne was going to be a dancer, also for the Leonie paralogue.
He healed, he did his job.