Hector Hard Mode S-Rank Run

[Raven]

S-Ranking HHM is something I need want to do.

Rough plan so far:

- I'll be taking my sweet-ass time through LHM to get Lyn, Florina, Sain and Nils' levels up. I'll be looking to abuse Lundgren to promote Sain at Lv.20 and save a Knight Crest in HHM.

- I'll be using Hector, Oswin, Rebecca, Serra, Priscilla, Florina and Raven on the main, with Sain to be Marcus' aid (Ch.17 comes to mind) and then replacement when Marcus is no longer needed. Other units will be used on and off to help with the EXP rank.

- Both Thieves will be raised to Lv20 in HHM to build EXP faster.

Just a rough plan so far.

I'll be starting LHM now.

Anyone got suggestions and tips which may aid me?

I'll be using this thread to keep track of things regarding the rank.

[spoiler=Turn Count & Chapter Rank]

Chapter number: Turns taken / Maximum turns for 5* [Turns over/under for 5*] [Rank: Tactics, Survival, Funds, Exp, Combat]
Ch.11:   7 /  0  [+7]
Ch.12:   7 /  8  [+6]
Ch.13:   8 / 12  [+2]
Ch.13x:  8 /  7  [+3]  [Rank: 4 5 5 5 4]
Ch.14:   9 / 10  [+2]  [Rank: 4 5 5 5 5]
Ch.15:   8 /  0 [+10]  [Rank: 3 5 5 5 5]
Ch.16:   9 /  7 [+12]  [Rank: 3 5 4 5 5]
Ch.17:  11 / 18  [+5]  [Rank: 4 5 4 5 5]
Ch.17x:  9 / 10  [+4]  [Rank: 4 5 4 5 5]
Ch.18:   8 / 11  [+1]  [Rank: 4 5 4 5 5]
Ch.19:   8 / 10  [-1]  [Rank: 5 5 4 5 5]
Ch.19x: 11 / 10  [+0]  [Rank: 5 5 4 5 5]

Edited April 8, 2011 by VanguardRaven

[13th]

Switch to Legault when you get him.

[Raven]

Switch to Legault when you get him.

I often do that in my fun runs, but didn't think of it this time round. I'd probably still use Matthew up to the point I get Legault because he gets good EXP from killing things, then make the switch.

In this case, I think I will not bother raising him in LHM.

[General Horace]

On ranked runs, both thieves will reach level 20.

Oh, I would not plan on promoting Oswin either, instead promoting Kent or Heath.

[Raven]

On ranked runs, both thieves will reach level 20.

Oh, I would not plan on promoting Oswin either, instead promoting Kent or Heath.

Then both thieves shall reach Lv20, but they won't be promoted for obvious reasons.

What's your reasoning for favouring Kent or Heath over Oswin?

[General Horace]

Movement in Kent's case, and I guess a Sain support, and he will be a decent level coming out of Lyn Mode. Heath, because having a promoted flier before Vaida is awesome. And Heath can survive while carrying people around, whereas Florina and Fiora cannot, as well anyway.

And Oswin really falls behind before he gets the boots, which are not even a guarentee for him in the first place, as someone like Ninian or Hector can make equal or better use of them.

But really, it is your run. And what is the reasoning behind Rebecca?

And I'm sure you know this, but Hawkeye, Pent, Harken, and Vaida are all great filler units.

[Raven]

Movement in Kent's case, and I guess a Sain support, and he will be a decent level coming out of Lyn Mode. Heath, because having a promoted flier before Vaida is awesome. And Heath can survive while carrying people around, whereas Florina and Fiora cannot, as well anyway.

And Oswin really falls behind before he gets the boots, which are not even a guarentee for him in the first place, as someone like Ninian or Hector can make equal or better use of them.

But really, it is your run. And what is the reasoning behind Rebecca?

And I'm sure you know this, but Hawkeye, Pent, Harken, and Vaida are all great filler units.

I know Rebecca's not really a great unit for this type of run, but she's a favourite of mine and so I intend to persevere with her, within reason of course. I do plan on using Heath for the EXP, and if he turns out well, then he will join the main team full-time. I already have Florina, but I think Heath would be great too. It would be my first time properly using him.

I will undoubtedly use Pent. Taking into consideration that the only other 2 magic units I have are healers, it's more than likely he'll be used. Maybe Harken too, depending on my situation when I get to him.

[General Horace]

Harken is an awesome Boss Killer, due to being able to use both the Brave Axe and Brave Sword, and his WTFhax high strength in HHM. He's also slightly more solid defensively than Raven.

[Raven]

Harken is an awesome Boss Killer, due to being able to use both the Brave Axe and Brave Sword, and his WTFhax high strength in HHM. He's also slightly more solid defensively than Raven.

Indeed true. He's pretty awesome in his own right. By the time he's recruited, he's more or less Raven's equal. He'll more than likely come along full-time too, maybe replacing someone less useful.

[Florete]

I'll be using Hector, Matthew, Oswin, Rebecca, Serra, Priscilla and Raven on the main, with Sain to be Marcus' aid (Ch.17 comes to mind) and then replacement when Marcus is no longer needed. Other units will be used on and off to help with the EXP rank.

Florina needs to be on that list. Seriously, she's a staple in getting items and speeding certain things up. Support her with Lyn to make both of them much more offensively capable.

I often do that in my fun runs, but didn't think of it this time round. I'd probably still use Matthew up to the point I get Legault because he gets good EXP from killing things, then make the switch.

In this case, I think I will not bother raising him in LHM.

Both Thieves ought to be raised to 20, as General Horace said, due to their class experience boost.

Oh, I would not plan on promoting Oswin either, instead promoting Kent or Heath.

This as well. If doubling isn't problematic enough for Oswin, reaching enemies is. He's good through 16 and then on Pirate Ship, but I'd dump him after that. Heath and Kent are both great units and honestly, you may actually want to just promote both.

I will undoubtedly use Pent. Taking into consideration that the only other 2 magic units I have are healers, it's more than likely he'll be used. Maybe Harken too, depending on my situation when I get to him.

Pent is cool, but I wouldn't rely too heavily on eventually using Harken. With your team you'll most definitely be getting Kenneth's map, and it's...to say the least, inefficient to leave two of those enemies alive so Harken can be recruited on turn 10.

[dondon151]

Pent is cool, but I wouldn't rely too heavily on eventually using Harken. With your team you'll most definitely be getting Kenneth's map, and it's...to say the least, inefficient to leave two of those enemies alive so Harken can be recruited on turn 10.

Not exactly. You will most definitely be killing the general near the starting point. However, the sniper in the northwest is easily avoided, and I think the sniper near the throne room doesn't even count towards determining whether Harken or Karel will show up. If he does, you can just put him to sleep.

[Florete]

Not exactly. You will most definitely be killing the general near the starting point. However, the sniper in the northwest is easily avoided, and I think the sniper near the throne room doesn't even count towards determining whether Harken or Karel will show up. If he does, you can just put him to sleep.

* Only the Druid/Sniper to the north west, the Sage/General to the south west and the Bishop towards the centre count

And that guy has Purge.

[Raven]

Oh shit, I forgot to put Florina on the list. She is most definitely in the team, don't worry.

I'm not raising Matthew in LHM, I'm saving all the experience he can get for HHM.

On Ch.7 of LHM now.

[General Horace]

* Only the Druid/Sniper to the north west, the Sage/General to the south west and the Bishop towards the centre count

And that guy has Purge.

Personally, I use the Silence staff on that dude. Sure the hittrate isn't great, but you can get a 50ish hitrate on turn 1 with Pent, so it doesn't take that much effort to ensure it hits.

[Florete]

I'm not raising Matthew in LHM, I'm saving all the experience he can get for HHM.

This is actually not such a great idea. A level 2 Matthew has many problems in early HHM. Raising him just to 5 or 6 will help a lot and shouldn't hurt much in the long run.

[dondon151]

* Only the Druid/Sniper to the north west, the Sage/General to the south west and the Bishop towards the centre count

And that guy has Purge.

He's in the middle of a building. It's virtually impossible to off him without him firing off some Purges at your party.

[Florete]

He's in the middle of a building. It's virtually impossible to off him without him firing off some Purges at your party.

He'll get one, sure, but it's actually rather easy to get him if you can lure him to the right spot and have a good 1-2 range user. Or, if needed, someone with a Longbow (Rebecca, Lyn). Plus, if you plan on sending anyone to the right through there, they'll almost definitely need to kill him to get by. Recall that in there is where a good deal of reinforcements come from. There's a Bolting Mage there in some modes as well, not sure if it is in HHM.

[dondon151]

Second alternative: sleep the general and kill him after you recruit Harken, or plant a Light Rune at the entrance of the room and run away.

[Florete]

Second alternative: sleep the general and kill him after you recruit Harken, or plant a Light Rune at the entrance of the room and run away.

For Sleep: Do you not care about Merlinus? If you do, you will need to use two uses of Sleep to stall him long enough, which I hardly doubt is worth it, and leave someone behind (granted you may do this anyway for the Wyvern reinforcements). Whether or not you care about Merlinus is arguable, though there are 3 Chests in the map and I believe Kenneth drops his weapon (and Aura is worth a stat booster). I think he can be promoted, though you'd need to have kept him alive on every single map to this point, which isn't the easiest in some of the earlier ones.

Light Rune: How long do these last? I honestly have no idea because I never think to use them.

[Raven]

This is actually not such a great idea. A level 2 Matthew has many problems in early HHM. Raising him just to 5 or 6 will help a lot and shouldn't hurt much in the long run.

Hurm, decisions. I'll see what I can do with him for the remaining 5 chapters in LHM. I can get him to Lv5 I reckon, though I don't want to go much higher.

Light Runes last 5 turns if I remember right.

Edited February 25, 2011 by VanguardRaven

[General Horace]

Have him beat up on the bandits in chapter 9 and he'll gain at least two levels there.

[dondon151]

For Sleep: Do you not care about Merlinus? If you do, you will need to use two uses of Sleep to stall him long enough, which I hardly doubt is worth it, and leave someone behind (granted you may do this anyway for the Wyvern reinforcements).

Move him away? You won't be able to protect Merlinus adequately anyway unless you left behind 2 units who can reliably ORKO the reinforcement WKs.

I think he can be promoted, though you'd need to have kept him alive on every single map to this point, which isn't the easiest in some of the earlier ones.

Merlinus can afford to be driven off one map up to that map, but that's beyond the point - keeping Merlinus alive in every map is easy as pie, particularly in ranked where there's enough of a turncount buffer that you can basically do every map at a leisurely pace.

Light Rune: How long do these last? I honestly have no idea because I never think to use them.

3 turns. Enough for Merlinus to GTFO.

[Raven]

3 turns? Well, still useful in some situations.

[Florete]

Move him away? You won't be able to protect Merlinus adequately anyway unless you left behind 2 units who can reliably ORKO the reinforcement WKs.

That's actually not quite true. I've found that those Wyverns will sooner go for a frail, dodgy unit than Merlinus. Priscilla and Serra are great for this, and you have no shortage of Forests.

Merlinus can afford to be driven off one map up to that map, but that's beyond the point - keeping Merlinus alive in every map is easy as pie, particularly in ranked where there's enough of a turncount buffer that you can basically do every map at a leisurely pace.

That's really player-dependent. I've had problems keeping him alive - especially in ranked, actually, due to lower PC levels and not wanting to overuse Marcus - in 14, 15, 16 (if you either don't beat it fast enough or don't leave someone adequate enough behind for the Cav reinforcements), sometimes 18, and 19x. There are others that will be problematic as well if you don't finish fast or don't leave someone behind to defend him (17, 20, 21, and 22x all have this problem). Even 26 can be an issue if the reinforcement Wyverns AI leads them that way, which I've had happen more than once.

I don't know if VanguardRaven plans on going to 19xx (level 7 Nils suggests he does, but killing Kishuna is another can of worms), but without it that's just one fewer.

[Raven]

I don't know if VanguardRaven plans on going to 19xx (level 7 Nils suggests he does, but killing Kishuna is another can of worms), but without it that's just one fewer.

Due to tiredness I had forgotten that you don't need Nils on Lv7 in LM to get to 19x, which is as far as I plan on going. Scrapping the plan to get Nils to Lv7.