Difficulty Tier List

[Former Guest]

Thracia STILL features the most difficult outdoor maps in the entire series, and easily some of the most difficult indoor ones. If I were to assemble a top 10 in that outdoor map regard, at least half of them are coming from that title, no question. It also deserves major props for sustaining, even boosting in areas, its difficulty through endgame overall, all within limiting statistical caps of 20.

The Book 2 remake dumps ridiculously pricey forged weapon nonsense on top of pumping enemy stats up to rival your own (or worse, depending on the unit) later on. When it comes to outdoors, it crescendoes with the Akaneian palace perimeter, and then there are assorted segments like sieging the fort efficiently on the brief chapter right before that......but it just doesn't hold a candle.

[Fruitloop Multipuck]

With its massive amount of Bonus Experience and hilariously generous experience formula, PoR EM should be in Kindergarten Tier.

For what reason are FE7 ENM and FE7 HNM not right next to each other?

[Anouleth]

With its massive amount of Bonus Experience and hilariously generous experience formula, PoR EM should be in Kindergarten Tier.

Actually, in some ways, EM is actually harder than HM because in places, it uses Maniac Mode enemy data. So enemies in Endgame are all a few levels higher than their HM counterparts.

[eclipse]

Actually, in some ways, EM is actually harder than HM because in places, it uses Maniac Mode enemy data. So enemies in Endgame are all a few levels higher than their HM counterparts.

Are there any other spots like that in EM?

so I can get my butt kicked later

If it's a one-off thing, then I don't think it should count.

[NinjaMonkey]

Actually, in some ways, EM is actually harder than HM because in places, it uses Maniac Mode enemy data. So enemies in Endgame are all a few levels higher than their HM counterparts.

But your team in EM is likely to be 20/20 at this point, while in MM it's very unlikely to have more than a couple of units at that level...

[Life]

What the hell is RD Easy Mode doing in Average? It's Easy at the highest. I haven't felt a single threat since 1-2 and I'm on 2-2. Unless this game suddenly gets impossible for Easy Mode, there's no way it's harder than PoR NM.

[Narga_Rocks]

What the hell is RD Easy Mode doing in Average? It's Easy at the highest. I haven't felt a single threat since 1-2 and I'm on 2-2. Unless this game suddenly gets impossible for Easy Mode, there's no way it's harder than PoR NM.

The hardest part is part 1, so if you've found it easy up to that point it won't suddenly become hard. Levels become crazily inflated by mid part 1 in comparison to HM, so unless you make terrible unit choices (both which ones and the number of units to train) it becomes extremely before you start part 2.

Of course, various internet review sites complain about the difficulty even on EM and the same ones didn't complain about PoR. I'd assume that has to mean something. For those people who are bad at Fire Emblem, it is apparently easier.

NinjaMonkey doesn't fall into that category, though, since as far as I know he says RD EM is easier than PoR EM. So perhaps RD EM should drop after all.

[Life]

I'd like to think as someone who's played all the FEs from 4-12 that I know more about a couple of people on GameFAQs who might have heard of 3 of the games in the series if they're lucky (that's where a lot of the idiots who complain about difficulty usually are).

Also, I'm playing Normal Mode right now. I skipped Easy Mode entirely. And I wouldn't even rate NM above FE9 NM. FE9 tosses you some pretty wacky maps with weak characters, even on Normal (Chapter 6, 8 and 9 off the top of my head). I even sometimes find myself worrying about my characters safety. Not so with FE10 NM. If my guy dies, it's because I tossed him into a group of 3+ enemies since I was stupid. Stats and levels are way too high and it makes the game easier than it really should be.

Unless 3-6 and 3-13 are chapters where the difficulty spikes to stupidly high levels, I can't even see FE10 NM in Average, never mind EM. The only chapter that I've faced so far that was "slightly" difficult was 1-8 (I was trying to save all of the civilians and it was my first try for that map). The rest have been quite simple (like finishing 2-2 with everyone at more than 75% HP without using items).

Edited September 24, 2010 by 4chan

[Jaybee]

Agreed; FE10 EM and NM need to drop. Part 1 isn't even a challenge; Sothe steals shit, Nolan kills. Part 2 is boring, Part 3 is lol, Part 4 is even more lol. Slightly harder on NM, but still.

[Narga_Rocks]

I'd like to think as someone who's played all the FEs from 4-12 that I know more about a couple of people on GameFAQs who might have heard of 3 of the games in the series if they're lucky (that's where a lot of the idiots who complain about difficulty usually are).

I wasn't referring to idiots on Gamefaqs. I was refering to idiots hired by gamespot and places like that to review video games.

Besides, you've got actual skills. It's possible that RD EM and NM are easier than PoR EM and NM if you've got skills. Maybe it's the reverse if you don't? We can't actually know about that since all of us do have skills.

[eclipse]

I wasn't referring to idiots on Gamefaqs. I was refering to idiots hired by gamespot and places like that to review video games.

Besides, you've got actual skills. It's possible that RD EM and NM are easier than PoR EM and NM if you've got skills. Maybe it's the reverse if you don't? We can't actually know about that since all of us do have skills.

:(

I must be the Goddess of Getting RNG Screwed at Bad Times, because Part 1 RD NM is NOT easy. Parts 2-4 have varying difficulties (3-13 is laughable if you prepare the Greil Mercenaries ahead of time), and Endgame is currently giving me a headache. Right now, it's the Kurthnaga and Ena Improvement Show.

I have no idea how I handled that last part in the past, and I don't know if I'll be able to do it this time around.

[Narga_Rocks]

:(

I must be the Goddess of Getting RNG Screwed at Bad Times, because Part 1 RD NM is NOT easy. Parts 2-4 have varying difficulties (3-13 is laughable if you prepare the Greil Mercenaries ahead of time), and Endgame is currently giving me a headache. Right now, it's the Kurthnaga and Ena Improvement Show.

I have no idea how I handled that last part in the past, and I don't know if I'll be able to do it this time around.

To be honest, I held the opinion that RD was harder than PoR in all modes (RD EM tougher than PoR EM, RD NM tougher than PoR NM, etc). Just saying that a few people seem to disagree so maybe that's not the case?

Anyway, yeah, RD part 1 is not hard at all if you've played it a few times already and make forges and use Sothe, Nolan, Jill, big T, the LEA and Nailah. It's actually pretty simple. 1-P to 1-3 is still an RNG fest because most of your units will randomly miss at bad times on you. So RD can be called "annoying" until 1-4. But yeah, if you haven't already got it figured out it can be pretty tough. If you insist on trying to raise some of the not so great ones it can also be tough. I think I had more problems the first time I went through NM than the last time I went through part 1 NM. I kinda got bored, actually. If I wasn't testing support stuff I probably wouldn't have made it all the way to 1-E. It really is easy after you've already gone through HM and done the right things. But honestly, I think PoR is a lot like that anyway. Granted I never did the step down to NM after beating HM thing on PoR, but I suspect a similar thing would have happened.

But what's the problem with Endgame? Just bring a few royals (I tend to only bring Nailah since it is more fun that way) and your highest leveled units and you should be able to annihilate on NM.

[Byte2222]

IMO Radiant Dawn is harder than Path of Radiance. I played PoR first (I think it was my second Fire Emblem game) starting on easy mode and decided quite soon that it was very easy. Normal mode was a step up but still wasn't a real challenge. With RD I want straight onto normal mode less than an hour after completing PoR normal and managed to get a game over in the prologue. Even after I dropped the careless style I was using for PoR endgame Radiant Dawn was still tricky. Part 1 was slow progress and I played very defensively but afterwards things got much easier: part 2 was fine, part 3 was easy and part 4 was more boring than hard.

Then again I do have a very slow and defensive playstyle which means there is less chance for something to go wrong but my units take more hits and I spend time healing, which would make part 1 more difficult. I've never played RD EM but I find it hard to believe that it's easier than PoR EM. I do have to say, though, that my brother's been playing RD EM and I've been appalled to see how much experience the enemies give.

And yes, as far as I'm concerned general reviews for Fire Emblem games have no bearing on this discussion. General reviewers have no idea about Fire Emblem's difficulty; if you've properly played a Fire Emblem game before then RD is entirely playable and the series get much, much harder.

Edited September 24, 2010 by Byte2222

[Anouleth]

Also, I'm playing Normal Mode right now. I skipped Easy Mode entirely. And I wouldn't even rate NM above FE9 NM. FE9 tosses you some pretty wacky maps with weak characters, even on Normal (Chapter 6, 8 and 9 off the top of my head). I even sometimes find myself worrying about my characters safety. Not so with FE10 NM. If my guy dies, it's because I tossed him into a group of 3+ enemies since I was stupid. Stats and levels are way too high and it makes the game easier than it really should be.

I have no idea what you're talking about. Stats in FE10 are indeed higher than FE9, but enemy stats are also much higher. Wasn't it shown that 1-E Armors were significantly faster than FE9 Endgame Generals or something ridiculous like that?

Both FE9 and FE10 can be curbstomped on NM with correct resource distribution. I can sink a ton of BEXP and have 3rd tier Nephenee in FE10, but I can do the same with virtually any character in FE9.

[eclipse]

Hmmm. . .

I guess RD Part 1 NM is easy, if you know what you're doing, which necessitates a few playthroughs. If you don't (or if Nolan decides to shoot himself in the foot), then it's not easy.

There's still many things I haven't figured out about RD, so that's why I'm struggling.

As for Endgame. . .well, let's say I managed to NOT get the drop I wanted to (despite the fact that the unit in question died), someone on my team bit the dust, and I finished it on Turn 2.

[Life]

I guess RD Part 1 NM is easy, if you know what you're doing, which necessitates a few playthroughs. If you don't (or if Nolan decides to shoot himself in the foot), then it's not easy.

But I'm on my first playthrough. I don't really know what I'm doing.

[eclipse]

But I'm on my first playthrough. I don't really know what I'm doing.

May I ask how you got through 1-E? That chapter gave me all sorts of headaches, and losing Rafiel was the best I could do.

[Life]

May I ask how you got through 1-E? That chapter gave me all sorts of headaches, and losing Rafiel was the best I could do.

Black Knight is a god to go up the gaps and stuff since he OHKOs stuff with ~75 Hit from the bottom. Use Nailah to carry him up and have Volug carry Rafiel on Turn 2. Once you get past the first big section, the Black Knight kills everything in sight. It's not as hard as it looks.

[Anouleth]

I had a lot of difficulty with FE10 when I first played, and this was after beating FE8 and FE9.

[Narga_Rocks]

I had a lot of difficulty with FE10 when I first played, and this was after beating FE8 and FE9.

Which is why, even if fe10 might become easier than fe9 after lots of playing of each, at first I say fe10 really is harder. It depends on what you want to put on the list.

[WeaponsofMassConstruction]

The difficulty in FE10 on NM ramps up if you're hardcore and don't use the jeigan-y type characters. This is more of a playstyle thing, but stuff like 1-E gets ridiculous even with battles saves if you're trying to raise all the tier 1 DBers.

[eclipse]

Black Knight is a god to go up the gaps and stuff since he OHKOs stuff with ~75 Hit from the bottom. Use Nailah to carry him up and have Volug carry Rafiel on Turn 2. Once you get past the first big section, the Black Knight kills everything in sight. It's not as hard as it looks.

. . .and that explains a lot.

Perhaps this is artificially inflating the difficulty, but try that map without BK or Nailah, and tell me how it goes.

[Life]

Already done that.

Truthfully, it's not harder, it just takes longer to complete since you can no longer jump up the gaps (to put into perspective, Zihark has like ~25 Hit against anything when he's using a Wind Edge upwards). However, enemies still die on the staircase.

Edited September 25, 2010 by 4chan

[eclipse]

Already done that.

Truthfully, it's not harder, it just takes longer to complete since you can no longer jump up the gaps (to put into perspective, Zihark has like ~25 Hit against anything when he's using a Wind Edge upwards). However, enemies still die on the staircase.

My biggest problems on that map were the reinforcements at the top of the staircase and that stupid bow dude that starts near you, shooting at my guys on the staircase. I couldn't kill the former fast enough, and the latter meant that I had to really move, or else.

Sending guys up the ledge was really hard, because that stupid archer on the middle ledge ALWAYS managed to block that gap. . .

[dondon151]

I honestly just got plain bored of FE9 HM the last time I played through it, because it was so easy.

I also have a friend who (this was awhile ago) put down FE10 because 3-1 was really difficult for him on NM. Even aside from asking for impressions of the game difficulty, if you just look at mechanics and unit availability, it should be really obvious that FE9 is easier than FE10 all across the board.