Integ's Axes Playthrough!

[Integrity]

Since playthrough logs are Flavor of the Month now (and I need something to type about while I pretend I don't have a ratings topic) I'm going to follow up on my promise to do an Axes run. Hooray!

THE RULES:

Hard Mode

Ephraim's Route

Recruit Everybody

Save Everything

Axes Only

Three elaborations:

I may not save the Civilians in C6 because I can't think of how to with only Ross and Garcia right now, so bear that in mind. Actually, that rule might be struck out as I tear out my hair in Chapters 5 and 6.

"Axes Only" refers to the weapon type. I will only attack with Axes. This means that the Cavaliers are out even though they can promote to GKs, because they would have to attack to get to 10. This means I will not kill anything with Ephraim. My roster, therefore, will be:

Garcia

Ross

Dozla

instant-hero!Gerik

Duessel

and a forced naked Ephraim.

Thirdly, Seth will be soloing Chapters P through 2 (the chapter where you recruit Garcia and Ross), and Orson will solo 5x.

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I'll probably half-ass this shit and quit, but who knows. Playing time!

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Chapter P was 2 turns: Seth kills two bandits, Seth kills Bandit Lord.

Chapter 1 was 4 turns: Seth killing, Seth killing, Seth killing, Seth killing the boss and leveling and Eirika seizing. Hayden gives me money.

Chapter 2 was like 7 turns or something, and some people who weren't Seth fought, but I saved the villages and recruited Garcia and Ross. Garcia and Ross did not build Support Points. Now for Chapter 3 and the actual playthrough.

Garcia  4.0  Base
Ross  -10.0  Base

Interesting, no?

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Chapter 3 pre-game: Using the money I got from Hayden just for being hot, I buy 4 Iron, 2 Steel, and 6 Hand Axes. Ross goes into battle with his Hatchet and 3 Vulneraries. Garcia has his Iron and Hand Axes, and two Vulneraries. I'm being careful.

CHAPTER THREE: THE BANDITS OF BORGO

[spoiler=turn-by-turn]Turn 1: Neimi runs north, Ross shoots a dude for 33XP (hooray!) and Garcia runs north. Colm arrives.

Turn 2: Colm is recruited to hide in the corner with Seth and his group. Ross shoots that dude again. Garcia runs more north. Garcia gets aggroed and counters for damage.

Turn 3: Garcia kills a bitch. Ross shoots a guy again. Neimi runs away. I activate ColmXNeimi C for lulz.

Turn 4: Garcia runs east, burns one Vulnerary. Ross shoots a guy again and levels (HP and STR!)

Turn 5: I suddenly realize Garcia can't open the door. He runs around to bash on the wall some. Ross shoots a guy.

Turn 6: Garcia runs south, Hand Axes a wall. Ross kills a guy and levels. HP and SPD! Garcia is attacked on the EP, is missed and misses in return.

Turn 7: Garcia misses, is missed. Ross runs north! Garcia is hit, hits back on the EP.

Turn 8: Garcia misses, is missed (what the fuck he has ~70 displayed hit), Ross runs north. Garcia hits, counter kills FINALLY. Archer aggros and damn near kills Garcia.

Turn 9: Garcia burns a Vulnerary - he could finish the Archer but with ~70 displayed hit I'm not chancing it. Stupid Garcia. Ross runs east. Garcia is hit and counter kills on the EP and levels! HP, STR, SKL, LCK

Turn 10: Ross runs south. Garcia runs north, trades for the Door Key and a fresh Vulnerary, and eats it.

Turn 11: Ross runs south, shoots a guy. Garcia runs east, pops the door.

Turn 12: Ross ...well, you know. Garcia runs south, eats another Vulnerary. Thief aggros and STEALS A VULNERARY WHYYYY

Turn 13: Garcia hits the Thief. Ross shoots a guy, levels. HP, STR. Thief runs away and EATS MY DAMN VULNERARY.

Turn 14: Garcia chases the motherfucking Thief down, kills it. Ross kills a guy, does not level but does get a Chest Key. Garcia is missed on the EP and fucking doubles the dude and kills him. YEAH BABY. DING. just hp. Other Fighter shoots Garcia, misses.

Turn 15: Ross runs north. Garcia eats a Vulnerary (his last one now fucking Thief) and equips his Hand Axe. Eirika begins moving to Seize. Garcia hits on the EP with his Hand Axe (yaaaaay)

Turn 16: Ross runs north. Garcia kills a guy. Eirika runs north.

Turn 17: Ross pops a Chest for a Hand Axe. Garcia runs north, Eirika runs east. Garcia aggros the Merc by the boss and hit him For Some Damage.

Turn 18: I feel very sad that I tried to go fast and still kill something with Ross. Garcia kills the Merc, levels: STR, LCK. Ross and Eirika run east.

Turn 19: Guess what Ross and Eirika do. Garcia steals a Vulnerary from Ross and eats it.

Turn 20: Everybody walks towards the boss. Garcia eats another Vulnerary.

Turn 21: Garcia shoots the boss with 39 displayed, predictably misses. Boss equips his Hand Axe on his turn, hits, is missed.

Turn 22: Garcia runs away, Vulnerarys.

Turn 23: Garcia misses with 48 displayed hit, is hit in return. Ross takes extra Vulneraries from the Convoy - this will be a while. Garcia almost dies on the EP but lands a hit.

Turn 24: Garcia runs away, both he and his son eat Vulneraries. Bazba heals.

Turn 25: Garcia approaches the boss, heals again. Ross gives him an extra Vulnerary, shoots the boss and misses. EP, Bazba misses Ross and is missed in kind.

Turn 26: This is stupid. Garcia heals back to full, Ross runs a square away. Garcia is missed, hits (!!!)

Turn 27: Ross hits, levels. HP, SKL, LCK. Garcia does nothing because he can't eat two hits in a row from Bazba and I'm not chancing it at this point. Bazba attacks Ross, hits, is missed.

Turn 28: Ross runs south, heals. Garcia misses, is missed. EP: Garcia is missed, hits (!!!)

Turn 29: ROSS KILLS THE FUCKING BOSS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. HP, STR. Eirika seizes.

Short version: Jesus that was annoying. If this doesn't get better I'm going to yell a lot and keep going anyway out of pride like I did with my L'Arachel debate. 29 turns. TWENTY-NINE. I've finished the DESERT faster on non-efficiency runs, using shit like Rennac and Knoll. Retarded.

Garcia  7.34  30|10|8|7|5|5|1
Ross   -3.93  20| 8|3|4|9|3|0

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I'll push on and rock Chapter 4 cause why not.

Chapter 4 pre-game: I get to undeploy everybody hell yes. I re-equip Ross and Garcia, look critically at my stock of Vulneraries, and wish I could buy some. Alas, that option won't come until Chapter 5.

CHAPTER 4: ANCIENT HORRORS

[spoiler=turn-by-turn]Turn 1: Garcia hits a zombie, Ross finishes it. Artur and Eirika run away. Skellie attacks Garcia, hits and is missed.

Turn 2: Garcia gets in a forest, hits that skellie and is hit in return anyway dammit. Ross finishes, dings (STR, SKL, SPD). Eirika and Ross run away. Zombie hits Garcia (wtfffff), dies. L'Arachel says hi.

Turn 3: Garcia runs north, heals and equips his Hand Axe. Ross runs south. Eirika and Artur continue to hide. Zombie misses Garcia, dies. Beholder hits Garcia, dies. Garcia levels for HP, STR, and SPD (!!!). Beholder attacks Ross, dies.

Turn 4: Ross runs into the mountains, heals. Eirika and Artur run into the mountains behind him. Garcia goes north, gets in a forest, and heals. One skellie attacks Garcia and dies. One attacks Ross and is hit but not killed. Neither damage their targets.

Turn 5: Garcia runs south to another forest, heals. Ross mops up his skellie buddy for a HP/STR/SKL/LCK. Eirika and Artur run further into the mountains. EP: Garcia's axes increases to B. He counters and kills three enemies, leveling him and gaining HP, STR, LCK, DEF.

Turn 6: Ross works his way to the Snag, Garcia hits the top village and Eirika and Artur run for the hills.

Turn 7: Where are those stupid reinforcements that I always forget about and that fuck me over? Garcia runs left in anticipation, Ross smacks the Snag to 2hp, and Eirika and Artur...

Turn 8: I'm worried now. Where the fuck are those zombies? Ross kills the Snag and gets D Axes from it (yeah baby). I check Serenes and find out that the reinforcements should already have arrived. Garcia runs towards the bridge. Artur proceeds into the mountains. Eirika gets wet. Skellie hits Ross on the EP and gets hit back.

Turn 9: Garcia runs left to aggro the last Beholder. Ross does nothing because I don't trust his 65 displayed hit. EP: Ross's 65 displayed hit fails. Garcia one-shots that Beholder.

Turn 10: Ross heals. Garcia crosses the bridge, follows suit. Garcia kills a zombie, and Ross misses and is missed. Stupid sword skeleton.

Turn 11: Garcia runs south.

Turn 11-2: This gets its own box because Garcia aggros a zombie on the EP, and kills it with THE FIRST CRIT OF THE RUN! Ross finally kills that skellie.

Turn 12: What the FUCK? Those reinforcements showed up NINE TURNS LATE. Um...

Ross moves north, prepares to throw down with one zombie. Garcia about-faces, runs north. Ross is missed and hits twice without killing to level on the EP, gaining STR and LCK.

Turn 13: Ross moves away, Garcia moves in and kills a zombie. He kills one and wounds one more on the EP and levels for HP/STR/SKL/LCK/DEF. Not bad.

Turn 14: Ross finishes the wounded zombie. Garcia runs east back towards the boss. Last zombie walks up to Ross and doesn't attack.

Turn 15: Ross drops the zombie to 1hp. Dammit. Garcia goes more south. The zombie hugs Ross again without attacking.

Turn 16: I leave that zombie at 1hp because it's broken. Ross and Garcia maneuver more. That zombie FOLLOWS ROSS AGAIN without attacking.

Turn 17: Garcia kills a zombie. Ross hides in a forest and heals just to be safe. That zombie FOLLOWS HIM AGAIN AAAAAAA. A skeleton aggros, and Ross counters, hits, and levels. STR/SPD!

Turn 18: Garcia finishes the wounded skellie. Fucking zombie finally attacks Ross and catches a nasty case of Died Again.

Turn 19: Ross gives Garcia his last Vulnerary. Garcia moves east.

Turn 20: Ross recruits Lute. Garcia parks his ass in a forest. Garcia EP crits the boss to clear the map and level STR/SKL/SPD.

Weird shit that chapter. I could have shaved two or three turns if I killed that zombie near the end instead of letting it follow me as long as it would, and I could have shaved five or six if the reinforcements had showed up on Turn 3 like they're supposed to. Oh well. I have 14 charges of Vulnerary and an unburned Elixir to get me through C5.

Garcia  11.53  14|10|9| 7|7|1
Ross     0.00  12| 5|6|11|3|0

Edited May 25, 2010 by Integrity

[Tables]

Those reinforcements appear once you reach a certain point on the map, they aren't based on turns. If the site says otherwise, I'll send a message to Vincent.

[Integrity]

Chapter 4: Ancient Horrors

* View Map

Location: Za'ha Woods

Objective: Defeat all monsters

Units out: 9 (Artur must be brought out)

New characters: Artur (Lightning, Vulnerary), Lute (Fire, Vulnerary)

Boss: Monster (Fetid Claw)

Items

Iron Axe (village to the north)

Reinforcements

Turn 2: 3 Bonewalkers from the east

Turn 3: 4 Revenants from the north west

Bolded for emphasis.

Yeah, if you could do that, thanks man.

[BBM]

Your usage of Ross was so bad. :( It's quite easy to get him to level 10 in Chapter 3, and a low turncount is obviously not a goal of yours.

[chococoke]

I take it you're gonna go the way of Pirate->Berserker for Ross?

[Integrity]

Your usage of Ross was so bad. :( It's quite easy to get him to level 10 in Chapter 3, and a low turncount is obviously not a goal of yours.

Low turncount was something more of a goal of mine than it appears but yeah. I haven't played a GBA FE in a few weeks on account of Radiant Dawn and FEDS. This is both me refamiliarizing myself, me showing off how pathetic I really am, and me writing this shit down so you can all laugh at my pathetic notion of "low" turncounts.

Everything wrong happened in C3, though, because I totally didn't plan for anything.

I take it you're gonna go the way of Pirate->Berserker for Ross?

I made him a Warrior. Once. Ever.

Yeah, Zerker it is.

[Jaybee]

Well, good luck with Mercs and Myrms :/

[Integrity]

Well, good luck with Mercs and Myrms :/

Frankly, my dear, I'm praying that by the time Myrms show up in any numbers (are there ANY of them before C9 or so besides Joshua?) Garcia will be a high enough level/have eaten enough Sekret Books to reliably one-shot them.

Otherwise, hilarity ensues.

By picking Ephraim's route, incidentally, I have avoided the Killing Edge Myrm who plagues C9Eirika.

[Parrhesia]

There's another killing myrm in 9Eph, but I believe he's up near the leftmost chest.

Anyway, good luck~

[Integrity]

There's another killing myrm in 9Eph, but I believe he's up near the leftmost chest.

Anyway, good luck~

Fuck.

Um...

Fuck.

Okay, maybe Garcia will have promoted by then.

EDIT: k, Chapter 5 is going to be as hard as I thought it would be if I'm going to save all the villages. Dammit.

Edited May 26, 2010 by Integrity

[Psych]

Sorry to say, you're not getting a crest till C10. You could just skip that chest he's near since it's just got a Restore staff anyway.

[Integrity]

Well, I'm not deploying Thieves, so I might not even be able to buy Chest Keys yet (isn't that C9Eirika and C...12Ephraim?).

EDIT: And doesn't only one drop in that map?

Edited May 26, 2010 by Integrity

[Psych]

No I meant avoid the myrm since you aren't using staves, and aren't promoted. The ocean seal for Ross is on the other side.

[Integrity]

Ah, right, damn.

Either way, I'll probably avoid the Myrm unless Ross is sitting at 10/20/0 when I nick the Seal.

[Parrhesia]

Alternatively, Tana can attempt to dodgetank the myrm. For, like, the greater good. Or something.

Hey, let her prove how much she loves her country, amirite?

[RNG Princess]

this sounds so fun good luck and why not include tethys in there?

[Integrity]

Tethys can't swing an axe. She's therefore disqualified.

I'm hanging exactly where I thought I would: Ross and Garcia cannot sustain the aggro it would take to clear everything and save all the villages. Do I care about all the villages, folks? Vote on it.

[Tables]

Hmm... can Ross advance up the mid-left, getting to the top house (avoid the left hand wall, Archer will shoot you), while Garcia heads right and up, using Natasha to recruit Joshua and Eirika to visit the bottom right house (if that's acceptable). Then head both upwards to stop the bandits before reaching the top left house.

In fact, maybe try heading both right to kill the two bandits, then zerg rush up, recruit Joshua, and lure the Bandits that spawn near the arena down, and kill them. After that you can take your time.

[Integrity]

That might work. I'd have to burn an Elixir or so to get Garcia sped up enough to eat Joshua's hit. Running Ross up the left side on his own is a no-go - he doesn't have to durability to go anything more than mano-a-mano yet.

I learned in this last playthrough that Natasha and Eirika can each eat exactly one hit from the axers everywhere.

[Tables]

But was that on normal or Hard? And try it, I guess.

[Integrity]

Hard. I meant my last go at this map just today.

[BBM]

Send both right to stop the two bandits, and then rush Garcia up, with Ross providing Hatchet support. Take an extra turn with Joshua if need be. If he's doubling Garcia, which he might be, he's got at least a 1/2 chance of criticalling, which is game over for Garcia.

[Integrity]

IT'S DONE AHHHH

Chapter 5 pre-game: I equip my dudes. Joshua talks.

CHAPTER 5: THE EMPIRE'S REACH

[spoiler=turn-by-turn]Turn 1 : Following the plans set out by you fine folks, Ross and Garcia both blitz straight right. Natasha and Eirika both head down towards the bottom-right corner.

Turn 1x: The Bandits arrive to steal their something something but I skipped the dialogue. Enemies reposition.

Turn 2 : Garcia attacks and then Ross finishes a Bandit. In hindsight, I should have done that the other way around so Garcia didn't eat the counterattack but oh well. The chicks keep on walking.

Turn 2x: The other Bandit attacks Ross, and the first of several Loldiers dies to Ross.

Turn 3 : Garcia moves north and left to Hand Axe a Loldier, Ross finishes the Bandit who attacked him in last EP and levels up!! for HP and SKL. Meh. In more erotic news, Tethys offers to dance for Eirika. Natasha also moves around to the right.

Turn 3x: A Fighter attacks Garcia. These Fighters were a BITCH, because they had HP in droves and Garcia wasn't fast enough to double them yet. ahhhhhh. An Archer also attacks Garcia but Garcia can double them and it dies. Garcia levels up!! for HP, STR, LCK, DEF and RES. NOICE.

Turn 4 : Ross finishes the Fighter who attacked Garcia. Garcia heads up one square down and to the right from the forest and burns an Elixir charge. The chicks kinda shuffle their positioning.

Turn 4x: Both of Joshua's reinforcements aggro Garcia. Because Garcia can't finish them, Joshua can't aggro him. The Archer moves into the forest and attacks Garcia (and is missed twice ffffuuuu-)

Turn 5 : Garcia burns a small heal and Ross trades for the Elixir and burns Charge 2 of it. I notice at this point that I have a GarciaXRoss C built but can't pop it yet :( Eirika also finishes moving up.

Turn 5x: Both Fighters attack Ross. Blessedly, one misses and Ross kills them both in return and levels ...only HP. Fucker. The Archer also attacks Ross and leaves him in the red. Another Fighter aggros Garcia.

Turn 6 : Those accursed Bandits arrive to plunder the middle villages. Ross finishes the Archer and Garcia hits the forest and finishes the Fighter. Natasha prepares for recruitment.

Turn 6x: Joshua attacks Garcia twice with his Killing Edge. He hits both times, doesn't crit either time, and leaves Garcia at 2hp. Remember that +HP and DEF level Garcia just got? Ho-ly shit. Garcia also hits Joshua in return (wtf?) and leaves him at 7hp.

Turn 7 : Garcia charges onwards to aggro the Bandits and pops a Vulnerary. Natasha hides in the forest he vacated and recruits Joshua. Ross moves up to support Garcy and pops the last Elixir charge. Eirika moves up and Joshua moves down.

Turn 7x: One of the two Banditos aggros Natasha and misses. The other one attacks Garcia.

Turn 8 : Ross runs up and kills one of the Bandits and levels HP and LCK (dammit.) and Garcia runs up to be ready to aggro the new Bandits and pops a Vulnerary. Eirika hits up House #2 for its Armorslayer.

Turn 8x: The Loldiers up north both aggro Garcia and die spectacularly. Garcia equals the spectacle with a leveling-up of HP, STR, SPD, LCK and RES. The final Loldier aggros Ross and dies. The second Bandito from the middle...attacks Joshua. I wasn't expecting this, I figured Natasha was higher on the priority list. Joshua counters and kills him and I feel a burning shame because I'm going to let it slide. :(

Turn 9 : Garcia moves more up and hits another Vulnerary. What I wouldn't GIVE for the Dawn Brigade's Vulneraries right now. mm-mm baby, 8 uses at 20hp. Natasha moves over towards House 3, and Ross runs up and finally activates RossXGarcia C. YEAH!

Turn 9x: Exactly as I planned, one Bandit attacks Garcia and the other attacks Ross. Both are hit and hurt, but that's aside from the plan.

Turn 10 : Natasha gets House #3's Sekret Book. Ross and Garcia finish their respective Bandits and Garcia ends up in a position to block the last Fighter from killing Ross. Ross finally gets a decent level (HP STR SPD LCK RES!)

Turn 10x: The last Fighter aggros Garcia. GARCIA DOUBLES. The Figher dies. YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAH

Turn 11 : Father and Son move up to tag-team the Merc guarding Amelia and both hit Vulneraries. Natasha follows.

Turn 11x: Nothing happens. Literally.

Turn 12 : Garcia and Ross both move to aggro the Merc. In hindsight, this was pointless - I could have shaved one turn by sending only Ross over there and Garcia over to the boss, but oh well. Natasha follows.

Turn 12x: Said Merc attacks Ross.

Turn 13 : Ross finishes said Merc. Garcia heads over to the right. Natasha visits Amelia for her loving Torch.

Turn 13x: Nothing.

Turn 14 : Ross parks near the boss to give support in case Garcia misses. Garcia doesn't miss and double Steel Axes to one-round the boss. Garcia also levels but I forgot what - except that it included Axes. An Archer and a Loldier in the bottom-left end up surviving. Oh well.

This post will be edited to include stats after I finish 5x. 5x will be an Orson rush.

EDIT: Chapter 5x:

[spoiler=play-by-play]Turns 1-11: Orson roflstomps everything.

Turn 12: Orson roflstomps the boss, Ephraim seizes.

So for C6, I suppose my best course of action is to rush the boss and kill him before the Bael can eat the civilians? What say?

Stats can follow now:

Garcia  14.58  35|17|10|10| 9|8|3  Ross C
Ross     5.48  27|15| 6| 8|12|5|1  Garcia C

Edited May 28, 2010 by Integrity

[Tables]

What're their HP stats?

[Integrity]

what

Oh, shit, I forgot HP the last twice. I'll fix that in a bit.

Ross has ~26 and Garcia is just over 30.

EDIT: heh. I forgot to save after 5x. Fortunately I instinctively made a savestate before Orson killed the boss out of paranoia, so I got back to the screen. Ross has 26 and Garcia 35.

EDIT2: So some points of information: Ross can reliably tank all the enemies that aggro the Fort if I eat the Dragonshield on him. Garcia with a STR level could *hypothetically* one-round the spider. Eirika cannot Take the Man or Woman civilians, but she can Rescue or Take the Child, which is pointless now.

So this boils down to rush the boss and kill him, or have Garcia try to kill the Bael at 2x ~60%. Joy.

Edited May 28, 2010 by Integrity