Yet another FE4 Playthrough

[BEST TRYNDAMERE PLAYER]

I feel Alec was in more need of starting with a Steel Sword...'though if you get Sigurd's Silver early on, he pretty much gets one straight off. And Ardan would KILL for a blade of any type.

Alec's sword choice in chapter 1 really depends on what his speed is, if he can hold a steel sword without getting doubled by Aira then go for Steel, if he does then go for slim if you want someone to bait her out without worrying about getting astra'd. And lolardan, the only thing he's useful for is getting the Pursuit Ring.

[CT075]

I didn't get the pursuit ring.

...how is it that no one has pointed out that one of the Axe brothers is holding it during chapter 6 if you didn't get it/didn't inherit it?

[BEST TRYNDAMERE PLAYER]

...how is it that no one has pointed out that one of the Axe brothers is holding it during chapter 6 if you didn't get it/didn't inherit it?

Possibly because most people knew about the Pursuit Ring event?

Edited August 19, 2010 by Joey

[Parrhesia]

Alec's sword choice in chapter 1 really depends on what his speed is, if he can hold a steel sword without getting doubled by Aira then go for Steel, if he does then go for slim if you want someone to bait her out without worrying about getting astra'd. And lolardan, the only thing he's useful for is getting the Pursuit Ring.

Noish on forest worked well enough for me. Though Alec WOULD have had the Slim, had I known there was only one for sale, and not given it to Sigurd 'to dodge hunters even better'...

Sure, Meteor procced, but he luckily dodged 4/6 attacks, and lived on 4 HP.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Agent Dale Cooper

[Dr. Tarrasque]

...how is it that no one has pointed out that one of the Axe brothers is holding it during chapter 6 if you didn't get it/didn't inherit it?

Do they? I only remember Elite Ring on one and Speed Ring on the other.

[Parrhesia]

Anyway, I feel the need for writing. Have an updated character summary, in order of usefulness to the team so far.

SIGURD THE MANLY

Equipment; Silver Sword, Javelin, Ring of Superfluous Skill

Summary: Insane at everything forever. Clearly drinks PowerThirst all the time. Has, sadly, stopped doubling absolutely everything on the face of the earth, but still doubles most things with the sword...javelin is a little more shaky. If only he had good 2-range.

JAMKA THE TREACHEROUS

Equipment: Silver Bow, Hero Bow, Elite Ring, Ring of Legs

Summary: You wanted good 2-range? This man has the best offense on the team, no contest, and ONE MORE POINT OF DEFENCE THAN SIGURD (few less HP though). Sigurd gets the tip for contributing far more consistently, but if it came down to it now, Jamka would be probably more useful. Looking forward to 13 attack range on Lester next generation, too. One problem, and that is his sexy level 27ness.

FIN THE SLAUGHTERMEISTER

Equipment: Hero Lance, Silver Lance he couldn't use, Steel and Iron Lances, Ring of Superfluous Speed I can't sell to Beowolf who really really really needed it, Barrier Ring he actually did need

Summary: I'd say he did more than Cuan...more of an offensive powerhouse with his quadrupling madness. Also, he's sexier, and joins Sigurd and Lex as the entirely-blue brigade. Has a nice scarf. Seriously though, this man was a machine, clearing two arenas.

CUAN LANCEBITER

Equipment: THRACIA FUCK YEAH lance, Silver Lance, Steel Lance, Javelin.

Summary: Slow, strong, powerful. Like Fin, but better defensively and inferior offensively, an overall worse unit with a quite heavily better start. ...also, my third-manliest unit, after Sigurd and Briggid.

AIDEEN THE DESTRUCTOROUS

Equipment: Thunder, Relive, Warp, Libro, Magic Ring

Summary: 32 Magic with the Ring. ... She's pretty cool, and not only my best healer since forever but also a better fighter than Lachesis.

MIDIR OF THE APOCALYPSE

Equipment: Killer Bow, Steel Bow, Iron Bow, Return Trinket

Summary: Returns a lot. Gallops around a lot and slaughters things. Oddly enough I thought he was pretty meh until I started realising he was level 18 and beat Alec in pretty much anything.

AYRA MAGICTHIGHS

Equipment: Iron Blade, Hero Sword, Thunder Sword, Power Ring

Summary: Exactly the same as Holyn, except for doing less damage more times for about an equal amount. The Power Ring closed the strength gap (kind of), and the availability edges her ahead.

HOLYN THE AXERAPIST

Equipment: Silver Blade, Iron Blade, Slim Sword

Summary: Exactly the same as Ayra, except for doing more damage but doubling less (11 AS). Without Power Rings or Hero Swords, Holyn would be far better. But, well, they love each other anyway. So, whatever.

ETHLIN THE MAGENTA

Equipment: Slim Sword, Light Sword, Live, Return

Summary: Was always a crap fighter. Was always a good healer. My most reliable unit, saving my ass a lot of times.

LEX BADAXE

Equipment: Hero Axe, Iron/Steel/Silver Axe, Hand, Barrier Ring

Summary: ...Surprisingly rather mediocre, but ready to promote as I speak. I mean, he has his Hero Axe, but he can't fight swords at all, and doesn't take hits THAT well, and has 0+5 Res, which gels...poorly with mages. And he's inaccurate. Okay, Lex is kind of shit. He just relies on his bitchin' axe, which I got from luck/educated guessing/remembering a FE4A screenshot/remembering the myth it was based on. But...man, that axe.

ALEC COOLHAT

Equipment: The Sword of Manliness, Iron Lance, Iron Sword, Cutter

Summary: A cool guy with cool headgear. Gone from mediocrity caused by equipment to a really terrible low to the current mediocrity caused by statistics. Equal to Beo now, depending on whether Beo's quite poor (~7) AS can double things, compared to the ~13 Alec has. I can't help but feel that had he taken the +3 Str he'd be a killing machine.

BEOWOLF THE CUTPRICE

Equipment: Steel Sword

Summary: Stronger than Alec on arrival, but now they are equals. 18 Strength, and not even that high-levelled. Rarely doubles, however, and is doubled by non-Axe fighters.

LEVIN TIGHTPANTS

Equipment: Elwind. That's it.

Summary: Pretty mediocre, but has likely done more for me than Lachesis, and definitely will by endgame. Loves to not activate continue.

LACHESIS THE VAGUELY INCESTUOUS

Equipment: Prayer, Thief and Earth Swords, Wing Clipper, Live.

Summary: Pretty average at everything. Like, seriously. Between Latchkey and Noish the two cover the gamut of all generics everywhere forever.

AZEL OF THE SLOW DECAY

Equipment: Elfire, Fire

Summary: From doubling and killing Brigands to ...chipping things heavily. Like Tailto, but longer-lasting. And equally useless at this stage of the game_{sorry enjol}

NOISH THE AVERAGE

Equipment: Steel Sword, Iron Lance.

Summary: I have my own little generic social knight. Little slower, but stronger. Average. With no personality. Inferior to Alec at everything.

FURY MOSSYLOCKS

Equipment: Slim Lance

Summary: After Alec and the Swordfighters got resolved, she is the new recipient of 'needs good weapon most' award. Apart from that, she's kind of naff at combat but good at finishing off the weakened. You vulture, Fury.

TAILTO THE LUCKSINGA

Equipment: Tron, Thunder.

Summary: Get pregnant with Azel's kid already.

ALVA HONOURCORPSE

Equipment: He was pretty blinged out. I think.

Summary: This man has done far more than Dew and Diadora combined, ON ONE MAP. Dying halfway through that map, too. It's kind of sad how many actual PCs he's been better than.

CLAUDE THE RESERVED

Equipment: Reserve

Summary: Lolbadpun, but seriously. Oh, he did kinda resurrect Briggid, a little. Which was cool.

ARDAN THE GLORIFIED MOUSETRAP

Equipment: Iron Sword

Summary: He was great bait in lanceland. Now he just sits at home castle waiting slowly for death.

BRIGGID, PIRATE QUEEN

Equipment: Ichiaval, Steel Bow, Latent Amnesia

Summary: Pirate Queen is a great unit. She's just only been able to kill a few pirates who Sigurd one-rounded with insulting ease anyway, and cleared an arena. I'm sure she can overtake Azel, maybe Lachesis by endgame.

DIADORA, PLOT DEVICE

Equipment: Aura, Silence Staff, Praylife Thing.

Summary: Killed one dude, chipped another, Silenced Sandima and then advanced the plot with vengeance, TAKING SOME OF MY BEST SHIT WITH HER. I WANTED THAT DAMN PRAYER/LIFE THING.

DEW THE BRIDGEMASTER

Equipment: Iron Sword

Summary: ...Well, I needed some title to give him.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Agent Dale Cooper

[Dr. Tarrasque]

Edin: but also a better fighter than Lachesis.

Return staff abuse next time.

[Parrhesia]

Return staff abuse next time.

If anything, Aideen's necessary warp abuse led to her massive level, plus Libro/Reliveage. I just wish she was -faster-. I love smashing 32+lots of damage into a -fighter's soft unprotected flesh, but...how often, is the question?

Speaking of which, Claude is nearly level 30 just from casually tossing around Reserve. And ... I forgot Fury in that analysis. But I thought of an advantage to Claude!Sety; death may not be cheap, but at least it's a mere 30k a pop for a powerful combat unit. With a GOOD thief in the party.

After the first gen, I'll compile a list of things I wish I'd done.

EDIT: Put Fury above Tailto, below Noish.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Agent Dale Cooper

[Dr. Tarrasque]

If anything, Aideen's necessary warp abuse led to her massive level, plus Libro/Reliveage. I just wish she was -faster-. I love smashing 32+lots of damage into a -fighter's soft unprotected flesh, but...how often, is the question?

I've been able to end up with a Master Knight Lachesis at the beginning of chapter 4. Of course, she got funds from Dew to fix the Return staff whenever necessary (Prayer Sword in the Arena also helps) so I usually just had her stand in the home castle and return Arden every turn I could.

[Parrhesia]

Well, you found a use for Ardan, at least XD

[Thor Odinson]

What Sigurd has <14 Defense? How did this happen? What level is he right now?

I'm not seeing Holsetyman at all on your usefulness list. :<

Hmm... It seems the Leg Ring footunit ends up being the most useful unit under Sigurd on any team, since footunits has better stats/caps in exchange for less movement in general. Just an observation of mine.

[Balcerzak]

...how is it that no one has pointed out that one of the Axe brothers is holding it during chapter 6 if you didn't get it/didn't inherit it?

Not true. Pursuit ring did not exist for me in my playthrough.

[Psych]

Yeah I think Levin is missing.

Dew is awesome once he promotes. He's got the Silver Blade, married Ayra, going all Wacha! in their faces, dodging everything and using a Wind Sword. ;_;

You're playthrough sure is interesting.

*shameless hack plug* Ardan is really good in my patch, so much so, he's Lachesis's best pair...

[Thor Odinson]

But HolynAyra=Balmung!Lakche raping the entire Gen2 up to and including endgame Yurius! It's not cheap hax like Narga, but Lakche certainly does a better job than Celice at it. Celice can't three-turn Yurius even with supports, and actually faces hit rates!

/massive favoritism

[SuperTroll Maxim Lapierre]

...how is it that no one has pointed out that one of the Axe brothers is holding it during chapter 6 if you didn't get it/didn't inherit it?

Oh, a wise guy, huh? Johalva comes with the Elite Ring and Johan comes with the Speed Ring.

[Parrhesia]

What Sigurd has <14 Defense? How did this happen? What level is he right now?

I'm not seeing Holsetyman at all on your usefulness list. :<

Hmm... It seems the Leg Ring footunit ends up being the most useful unit under Sigurd on any team, since footunits has better stats/caps in exchange for less movement in general. Just an observation of mine.

He has 16, at level ... 25, 26. Jamka has 17.

Forgot about him completely. Added somewhere in there.

Jamka has caps? DAMMIT! Hey, does this mean Aideen only has an effective 30 magic? DAMMIT!

[Thor Odinson]

Oh. Okay. I got scared for a second. Sigurd is only slightly below average here. Not a big deal.

Rings make you go over caps. It's great.

Just saying, though, Holsety is probably the easiest way to kill the last boss of Generation one. +20 SPD and WTA FTW.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Luminescent Blade

[Parrhesia]

Rings make you go over caps. It's great.

Right. Good to know, means I didn't waste 20k of Jamka's ridiculous charity on a mere +3 and getting lower magic.

Now where did I say Sigurd had <14 def?

Edited August 20, 2010 by Agent Dale Cooper

[Thor Odinson]

Well, you said somewhere that Jamka had 14 DEF, and Sigurd has less than that..

Well, there's my shit reading again. It's Ardan. NVM.

No wonder I Asianfailed English.

Pretend I said nothing about Sigurd having <14 DEF. >_____<

Edited August 20, 2010 by Luminescent Blade

[Astelaine]

I was just playing through the first generation myself, and it's interesting to see how differently our games turned out. I gave Lachesis the Elite Ring and a Silver Sword, and when she promoted at the beginning of chapter 4, absolute rape ensued. She ended up one of my best units, next to Sigurd. I can't blame you for not raising her though, it's such a pain in the ass when the game gives you a weak, underleveled character so late. But she really is great if you can get her there.

Anyways, thank you for posting such a hilarious playthrough log. I look forward to reading the rest of it! :)

[Parrhesia]

I was just playing through the first generation myself, and it's interesting to see how differently our games turned out. I gave Lachesis the Elite Ring and a Silver Sword, and when she promoted at the beginning of chapter 4, absolute rape ensued. She ended up one of my best units, next to Sigurd. I can't blame you for not raising her though, it's such a pain in the ass when the game gives you a weak, underleveled character so late. But she really is great if you can get her there.

Anyways, thank you for posting such a hilarious playthrough log. I look forward to reading the rest of it! :)

Your endorsement fills me with gratitude.

[Jaybee]

Just saying, though, Holsety is probably the easiest way to kill the last boss of Generation one. +20 SPD and WTA FTW.

Pfft, Silesiaman can do it with Elwind.

[Thor Odinson]

Sigurd can do it with Tyrfing too. Ayra can do with with high enough STR+Astra+Hero Sword. 10 hits yeahhh

Holsety is just Overkill rape of awesome.

< Likes broken things *shot*

Edited August 21, 2010 by Luminescent Blade

[Parrhesia]

"You're still here?! Just go away! You're no use to anyone!"

-Jamka to Dew, channelling my thoughts completely.

THE REST OF CHAPTER ONE

Jamka crossed the mountains, Ayra saved a dude. I realised you got 100 XP for saving dudes. Alec saved the other four (one got pasted by an axeman), thus bringing him to level 20. Well, it was him or Midir, and Midir's better at fighting through the Arena. Anyway, the male villagers look like they're playing guitar.

Lex and Briggid valiantly fight off the PamSquid, as Beo distracted one of them (and then realised he couldn't actually win the fight. Ewps.). Well, actually, Briggid fought off the PamSquid, as Lex was busy crying in the northeastern corner of the map. Pamela retreated before she could be shown the error of bringing javelins to a bowfight, because everyone had already killed That General Dude Who Looks Like DiMaggio. Sigurd seized.

Lamia moved up with her warrior-bitches. I realised that they would fuck up my guys pretty easily. Not to worry, as I suddenly remembered that Alec is a nihilist and is thus perfect bait for Killer-toting archers. He proved perfect bait for Killer-toting archers, and my troops fell upon the warrior-bitches, performing acts of misogyny that would scar the survivors forever, except that there were no survivors.

Pamela got some new squid to play with, but Midir succeeded where Briggid failed and HOLY SHIT HOLSETY IS OVERPOWERED

Elliot's Dad's Pimp realised he only had three dudes left. He fell in short order to Levin.

CHAPTER FIVE

I had to do preparations twice, because the first time I'd made it impossible for Stigurd to get the mighty Sword of Mild Incontinence. Anyway, the second time, Levin got the Elite Ring, and I discovered you could actually use the Reserve staff in the castle itself. This was brilliant, because instead of losers running out with one hitpoint, they now ran out with 38 hitpoints.

Summary of the preparations; the Stig failed to defeat the Forrest, disappointingly. Lol!Ardan, lol!Noish. Alec didn't even bother against the Forrest, because...well, he ain't THAT great. Lex also didn't bother against the Forrest, but he promoted. lol!Hazel. Midir went pretty well, but came unstuck against the Forrest. I wish I could recruit him, but that would mean I'd just have Tenacious D on the brain all night, which is great until the next morning when you have a hangover and need caffeine before you shoot yourself. Midir also promoted, but lost all traces of greenness. Actually, I'll change that; lost all greenosity. Aideen was level 30 already, but beat the first dude, Jackal, anyway, just to get some money to repair her staves. Dew CLEARED THE ARENA no. Ayra cleared, promoting midway through. Holyn, however, couldn't get past the damn Forrest and was stranded on 19.69. Jamka didn't bother with the arena at all, but I'm confident he would have cleared it. Who's next? ahh...Lachesis didn't bother, nor did Beowolf, both of whom being remarkably shit at beating Fighters of the non-axe variety. In fact, both are kind of shit just in general now, both being level 12-13 at a stage where that doesn't cut it at all. At least Lachesis can heal and Beo can ride. And after Beo is Fury, who is the only unit in the galaxy who tore Jackal's head off but didn't dare to tread in the realm of the warrior, GreyassGreias. Briggid cleared, obviously. Levin cleared, attracting 0 hit rates from everything; because he used Elwind until the Forrest he even managed to afford Jamka's Elite Ring. He promotes as well; with Holsety, he has 100 evade. One hundred evade. That's ten tens. And that's horrific. Finally, Claude was level 30 after healing all the losers and Tailto wouldn't have made it past Jackal in a thousand years.

Starting impressions of the map? The axe armours on my east I named Team Awesome, those to the west Team Badass, and the less immediate axeknights of Team Cool loomed at us. Incidentally, you know before when I said

I have my own little generic social knight. Little slower, but stronger.

well I compared him to Team Cool's knights. He has one point of strength on them, and is beaten or matched in every other category. Damn, he sucks. At least Ardan is slightly better than other armours.

My promoted cavalry and Jamka formed a thin blue staggered line to draw out Team Awesome to the east. Holyn moved north to take out the Bandit, as Beo moved south to do the same. Noish and Fury, being completely and mostly useless at fighting respectively, dithered a little, behind the infantry who had been danced to move just behind my staggered line. Azel and Tailto, being collectively rubbish at fighting, wandered south. Dew went north. Byron sauntered west.

Enemy Phase. Team Awesome broke formation to rush my line. Team Badass moved slowly east, letting the bandit start to burn down the village. Team Cool failed to chase down Byron, but they were getting close.

Alvis has Deirdre. That bastard. I'm going to kill him for everything he's done to me. And yet...

I become conscious of the music. It's like a requiem. This is the last battle of the first generation. Sigurd's army. This is their last battle. Will they go out on a high note? I find a newfound resolve. I send my warriors forth to tear Team Awesome apart, leaving a couple scraps behind. Sigurd talks to Byron, who dies of his wounds. 'Broken acquired!' Fuck yes. With the help of Noish and Fury, Holyn kills the northern bandit, and is now ready to promote. Beo attacks, but doesn't especially harm the southern bandit...I move the mages down to help, but they can't reach him yet. Ardan and Lachesis move further west, far enough to attract Team Badass, but not far enough to be attacked. Although using Ardan as bait is ... tempting. So yes, I leave Ardan in range of the foremost axe armour.

Team Cool rushes west, slamming into my disordered troops, but failing to dent them particularly hard. Mostly because all of them aimed at Jamka, and only two hit. The first axe armour of Badass misses Ardan but is only scratched in return...but one of the mages can reach him from the road! Ardan is now half-dead...no matter what I do, he's gone next turn.

Angered at my own failure to protect my troops, I counterattack Cool and the last scraps of Awesome, leaving only two axe knights in my wake; the named was brought down by Levin with ease. Holyn promotes and sorties out cautiously, as Ardan and Lachesis shield him. Tailto zaps the bandit, Azel then brings him down to a state of life where Beo can cut him down with ease. Beo moves north after this, and its EP already. One knight of Badass almost kills Lachesis. A mage, as predicted, ends Ardan's life. I present his stats here, as they were when he died;

Name  Level  HP         Str  Mag  Skl   Spd  Luck      Def Res     Weapon
Ardan 9.45   forty-ish  17   0?   5     5    who cares 14  probs 0 Iron Sword

You will be missed. Maybe.

A badass soldier is almost killed attacking Holyn. Another takes on Beo, but misses; the other mage takes off half of Beo's health, though. Damn, Team Badass is living up to the name I gave them. The remnants of Cool fail to impact my plans in any way. However, the death of Daddy Cool means that The Nasty Bearded Man Who Yells At Me is sending in Blonde Prick. And Blonde Prick is sending in THE BEIGE RITTER!!!!!!! again!!!!!!!

...wait, Beige? BEIGE? Seriously, all the cool Rittern use German colours and shit, like 'Gruenen'. Beige is fucked up. And probably has the best chance of affecting my life.

The Beige crawl forward. I left Midir in range of the first one; he was barely scratched, and hit back hard. But this was gonna be a hard fight...they all have Heroes, and their stats aren't bad either. Don't mess with Jungb- oh, wait. They have 104 hit. Blonde Prick has 108. Levin has three-digit evade.

Everyone except Levin runs away, and all semblance of challenge is lost. I would have wanted to kill Blonde Prick with Midir, but Levin decided to continue him. The sage one-shot everyone else. Amazingly, one of the plucky Beiges managed to plug him with BOTH ARROWS at 4% each! Maybe I had him on a road or something. Man. Megabeige still died though.

After killing two of Langbart's generals, Briggid pegged him with Ichiaval, sending his HP down to about fifty. Flush with this success I sent in both Lex (twice foiled by greatshield) and then Sigurd (twice dealt one damage). Huh. Okay, just kill him with Levin *sigh*

Meanwhile in the west my battered rearguard all retreated into Zaxon, aside from Tailto, who ran east (her route to the castle was blocked by badasses) and Holyn, who was left to guard. Holyn subsequently cleared out three badass soldiers, freeing the way for the rest of my troops to kill the rest. Holyn subsequently proclaimed himself "King of Badasses" as he moved east with all of my troops but Beo, Noish and Fury, who moved west.

Oh, gods.

Not Ethlin and Cuan. In the desert. I know what's gonna happen next. Fuck. Some guy, who will remain nameless, let it slip in fucking FFtF. Fuck that guy. And...yeah. Trabant, generic captain who I will call Montano (his name's like Majore or something...Magorn?) and a shitload of fuckers with slayers. Again, the AI uses the trick of 'fuck over potential NPC victors using effective weaponry'. And the Lance Rittern (apologies to the beige. Seriously, fucking...LANCERITTERN. ORIGINALITY, ASSFUCKS) fall like blades of grass. Ethlin is slain. Cuan gives up his only weapon, and his life, to save a daughter I still haven't seen.

Fuck you, Trabant. Fuck you, and all your ilk.

I was angry. Angry, and faced with a potentially dangerous situation. Read this, and more, in the next edition of Yet Another FE4 Playthrough!

Edited August 31, 2010 by Agent Dale Cooper

[Life]

Very dangerous situation indeed.

A word to the wise. Try to capture Phinora before the Wyvern Knights get to your army. I know that sounds quite hard but there's a couple of things you should remember.

1) The Wyvern Knights won't abuse their whole move (you must have seen this before with the Peg Knights in Silesia).

2) Fury is amazing for taking out Meteo Mages nearby.

3) Sylvia is your best friend. I sincerly hope that she is near Daccar (or whatever Langbart's fort is).