Questions about FE4

[Arashi-chan]

I'm finaly gonna start my first FE4 playthrough (You see, there's a small FE club im my school, but they are all FE4 fans (well, with the exception of me and another one), and while I don't mind that, it's annoying that they never want to talk about any other FE other than 4). But, considering that I'm used to play the GBA FE most of the time, I'm kinda nervous.

I just want to have a general idea about how the gameplay works. Like the battles, weapons, etc. Or like what characters should I use and what not. Or the Pairings and the Holy Blood thingie (Because I just don't plain understand it. I feel really REALLY stupid.). I don't know, something that can help me. Sorry about asking something so weird .

[Agro]

Gameplay: generally the same, but chapters are huge. Some mechanics are changed, certain characters have skills, etc. You capture castles, game moves on, etc. Weapons break, but can be repaired. Characters have their own wallet and the money is not collective. You cannot trade items. Weapon levels only increase on promotion. Some differences include:

Rings increase stats while held.

Dancers dance for four units all the time.

You promote at level 20, but you stay there and level until level 30, where it caps. For this reason, you should promote units ASAP.

You'll notice characters having huge movement. This is because of the road terrain.

Mounted units can move again after every command except for Talk and Visit (village).

The weight of weapons is direct. So if the weight is 18, you lose 18 SPD. You can have negative evasion, as well.

Characters: Try to avoid using Alec and Noish after the first few chapters. This is probably the only game where the Cain and Abel characters are bad units.

Make sure you recruit Ira/Ayra/Aira as she is a really good character.

Get Lachesis promoted ASAP.

Beowulf is recruitable by anyone with more than 10, 000 gold.

Pairings/Holy Blood: FE4's setting heavily emphasizes lineage and bloodlines as the title suggests. Certain characters are descended from holy warriors which gives them extra growths and allows them to use certain weapons more proficiently. After Chapter 5, a tragedy strikes, and there is a timeskip. After the timeskip, you will play as the children of the first generation. Characters will inherit usable weapons and holy blood.

Some notes on this:

The women are the ones who have the children. You give them husbands by letting them stand near each other like supports and watch them become lovers. Certain pairs get conversations to boost lover points. There are other topics on which pairings are good, but I won't go into detail here. Try to make sure all the women have lovers by Ch. 5. The only one you might not want to pair is Sylvia, since her kids are pretty crappy.

Good luck playing, and have fun. Ask any more questions if you need to.

Edited January 3, 2009 by Lachesis

[Swordsalmon]

First, try to use every character you recruit, except for Ardan. As the maps are massive, having multiple characters aids a lot in combat.

Also, pair all the female characters in the First Generation. Otherwise, you end with considerably weaker substitute characters, which the exception of Laylea and Sharlow.

[AceNoctali]

Don't forget that in FE4, unlike the other FEs, there's not a communal money pool : each character has his own gold wallet.

And unlike the other FEs as well, you can't trade items freely between two chars : when you want person B to have an item person A has, you have to make A sell this item to the Pawn Shop, and then make B buy this item at the Pawn Shop.

As such, it's preferable to make sure the character you want to have a specific item on him deals the killing blow on the enemy who drops said item, or making the character visit the village where you obtain said item, especially if the item is an expensive one (Rings or Staves for example) and if the character is a weakling at the Arena. Sure, money is rather plentiful in this game, but it makes things easier.

Edited January 4, 2009 by AceNoctali

[Herr Wozzeck]

You have a home castle that you must guard, and several castles that are splayed throughout the map. You can also guard your home castle with one of your own people; make sure you post somebody there (Arden is the best candidate for it since he's pretty useless otherwise). Also, you have to take your units out of the home castle to get them into the battle, and you can take everybody you have in your army on one map at the same time.

Also, once you get your dancer, use her a lot: she is invaluable in this game as she can refresh four units at the same time and this is in a game where at least one person will costantly be falling behind.

Also, promote your units as soon as they reach the stage where they can promote (Level 20 and in the home castle), as there's a level cap of 30 for each unit and you don't get a level reset once you promote.

[General Spoon]

Don't let Dew die.

[dondon151]

Characters: Try to avoid using Alec and Noish after the first few chapters. This is probably the only game where the Cain and Abel characters are bad units.

Alec and Noish are strictly below average, but since there is no limit on unit slots in FE4, you may as well deploy them every chance you get as well as use the arena with them. There is probably enough EXP to get everyone else near level 30 anyway; you have no reason not to use Noish and Alec. You also have no reason not to use Ardan (no one ever threatens the home castle), but he won't see combat a lot, if at all.

Don't forget to recruit Holyn. Secret items like the Hero Axe and Pursuit Ring are too good to miss, but SF's FE4 category covers everything important, so use it.

[PuffPuff]

Try to make sure all the women have lovers by Ch. 5. The only one you might not want to pair is Sylvia, since her kids are pretty crappy.

Also by pairing Sylvia's kids will result in..no Berserk Staff, no better looking dancer, no Charisma, and no Barrier Sword.

Don't let Dew die.

You will have to..that is if you are to get Edin the Warp Staff from him..that is if you don't want to pair her up with Mideel and Azel. You can revive him afterwards. Doing this will make it..so that Dew doesn't accidently fall in love with Edin, also to whichever other girl that he gives items to. Because Edin+Dew is a pretty crappy pairing.

[Mekkah]

You will have to..that is if you are to get Edin the Warp Staff from him..that is if you don't want to pair her up with Mideel and Azel. You can revive him afterwards. Doing this will make it..so that Dew doesn't accidently fall in love with Edin, also to whichever other girl that he gives items to. Because Edin+Dew is a pretty crappy pairing.

One convo does not a pair make. Aideen can easily fall in love with Jamka, Midir, Azel, Claude or even Beowulf before falling in love with Dew, as long as you don't keep the two together all the time. Same goes for Lachesis, who Dew gives the Thief Sword to.

[PuffPuff]

Same goes for Lachesis, who Dew gives the Thief Sword to.

Getting Dew to give Lacheisis the Thief Sword does give off 50 love points..I believe.

[Mekkah]

So? I didn't say they didn't give love points, I said you don't have to kill off Dew to prevent Dew/Lachesis from happening.

[General Spoon]

You will have to..that is if you are to get Edin the Warp Staff from him..that is if you don't want to pair her up with Mideel and Azel. You can revive him afterwards. Doing this will make it..so that Dew doesn't accidently fall in love with Edin, also to whichever other girl that he gives items to. Because Edin+Dew is a pretty crappy pairing.

I meant so he can open the bridge >_>

[Mekkah]

You'll be fine even if Dew dies. Any unmounted unit and promoted mounted unit can walk over the mountains to the castle. It just takes longer, but tbh, walking Dew there takes ages as well.

[Herr Wozzeck]

You'll be fine even if Dew dies. Any unmounted unit and promoted mounted unit can walk over the mountains to the castle. It just takes longer, but tbh, walking Dew there takes ages as well.

At least you can take Dew with you and have Syvlia overkill dancing for him when you storm Thove, though. Walking around the mountains just takes longer...