Let's Play Rondo of Swords

[Haze]

So to ease my boredom somewhat, I've decided to do a Let's Play of Rondo of Swords.

Rondo of Swords is a TBS akin to Fire Emblem for the DS, however it has a vastly different approach to the combat system, as well as a branching storyline.

With regards to the combat system, as opposed to walking up to an enemy and selecting attack players move their units through allied and enemy units to gain buffs(supports) and attack, respectfully, thus combining movement and attacking into one action(except for archers, more on them later), and allowing you to strike waves of enemies at once(this is kind of where mounted units shine.) Characters also have skills available for use, however using an active skill will prevent you from moving that turn. All characters also have Overbreaks(OBs), these consist of gauges that fill up and can be used for their Overbreak itself which varies from character to character(The main character shoots a sword beam in a straight line, your early tank distributes his hp to nearby allies, etc.)

Before I actually get into the game proper(I need to decide on which method to tackle the first chapter with, odd as that may sound), here's a preview:

[spoiler=Tutorial 2: Support Skills]

This is Igraine(Raine), she's the obligatory tutorial girl whom I believe joins you midway through the game.

Gladly!

Please ignore the text errors, I'll find a way to fix them. Also elipses.

This is what you want me to do right? Because I'm pretty sure that's what you told me to do.

But you said just to pass through you!

No I'm pretty sure it was.

...

Let's try this again.

Shut up Raine! You're not helping!

[spoiler=Tutorial 5 - Zone of Control]

If it's anything like the last four lessons I'd like to leave the course please.

This is a bastard skill by the way, just throwing that out there.

Oh thank god for that.

...

,

[Anouleth]

Cool, I remember playing this game for a little bit and finding it quite fun! I will definitely read this LP :3

[Snike]

Cut and run, or wipe the whole map out for CH 1? That's what I love about this game: You can win even the most hopeless of battles.

[Haze]

Okay Chapter 1, decided to run, maybe I'll go back and do it the "kill everything" way as a bonus later.

This text scrolls way way too fast, not even kidding.

Yeah, that's how convince people to surrender, threaten them!

No offence Margus but I don't think running out of the city on the main road when it's being invaded is the best of ideas.

Okay that works but can't we leave Kay here? His overbreak is terrible.

Margus on the other hand, is awesome.

One other thing I like about this game is that if you have certain units next to eachother after someone's moved(including themselves), they'll have short conversations, like support conversations without the bonuses.

I don't believe this for a second.

I agree, the city's in ruins, citizens are dead, most of our army is gone, everything's just perfect.

Oh you mean for them. Okay.

He'll have them spayed if someone ruffles his hair.

This is why the main road was a terrible idea.

Better.

The enemy have moderately competent commanders, we're doomed.

Some people actually fight all that.

I opt for the safer and less annoying method. Also Complete Victory, not that that's difficult to get for this chapter.

Flashback to a few hours earlier.

Spiffy threads on Serdic.

Am I the only one who thinks this guy looks incredibly slimy?

Plot twist! Also Serdic cuts out on his own father's funeral, what a dick.

Well, shit. If only you'd been at the funeral like you were supposed to be.

Fake Serdic's new name is James.

He can't do both man, make up your mind, save the Kingdom or die in a blaze of glory.

He's dead, Jim.

Chapter 2.. I dunno maybe later today or tomorrow, it's shorter than Chapter 1 anyway.

[Anouleth]

I think I want to play this again now :)

[Celice]

This game is playable? It thought it was god-awful when it first came out >.>

[Snike]

It's pretty difficult, yes, but it is playable. And awesome.

[Haze]

It's pretty difficult, yes, but it is playable. And awesome.

The first game I've played in a long while where the tutorial kicked my ass.

[Salad Utensil]

It's pretty difficult, yes, but it is playable. And awesome.

I was under the impression it was unplayable due to the lag on enemy phases that made battles simply overly long and irritating.

[Esau of Isaac]

I fucking hated this game. It felt like a bad Fire Emblem ripoff of sorts. Still, after trading it in I totally regretted it and wished I still had it to go through again and level up my characters. The progression for them was cool.

I'm looking forward to more of this one.

[Anouleth]

You need to post turncounts.

[Haze]

I probably could do that. I'd hazard a guess that Chapter 1 was around 6 or 7 turns.

Imagine if I killed everything instead of going for the like 6 turn escape and posted the turncount. Poor dondon would have a stroke if he ever saw it.

[Anouleth]

I probably could do that. I'd hazard a guess that Chapter 1 was around 6 or 7 turns.

Imagine if I killed everything instead of going for the like 6 turn escape and posted the turncount. Poor dondon would have a stroke if he ever saw it.

I think that a 6 turn isn't possible even if Serdic moves his maximum move every turn. 7 turn is as good as you can get.

Also, you should probably post levels. I mean, I don't really care about Chapter 1, but just something to keep in mind when you have more units.

[Haze]

Chapter 2 done.

Bandits!

Hey woah slow down there Jimmy didn't you have two last requests to fulfill?

This is Ansom, he is an Archer(the very one from Tutorial 5), and a childhood friend of Serdic's.

This is his somewhat witty servant, Sasha.

No I haven't actually, have you heard of the Bolm Mountain Bandits? No? Damn.

Wait what.

Damn it Jim make up your mind what you want to do with your life.

First order of business: Kay's +2 Atk ring was taken and given to Serdic, his support skill(Will of War: Increases hp for units that pass through you) was leveled up once.

Rout, nothing exciting.

Margus oneshotting people, this will become a common sight soon.

Wait do we know you or are you just some random Feddie Bro? I could go over and talk to you but it'd be a massive waste of time since you stay NPC anyway.

Kay baits and Serdic does his best Margus impression.

Yeah isn't that kind of an oxymoron?

... What.

Well I'll be damned. He was right!

In retrospect I should have just hit him with the level 3 overbreak.

Overwhelming Victory. 9 Turns. I could have had 8 but I sent Margus in the wrong direction towards the end so it took an extra turn to down the Gentleman Thief up there.

Notable loot is the Amber Amulet, a +2 defence accessory, of which I have quite a nice stock already.

Yeah they weren't really much threat when all but one of them died to anything stronger than a stiff breeze being sent at them.

Levels:

Serdic: 4.81

Kay: 3.38

Margus: 4.87

Selmer: 5.19

[spoiler=Chapter 2 Margus/Selmer]

No Margus, don't do it! It's a trap!

Bombshell in 3... 2... 1...

0.

And you don't have to wear lipstick and a giant loopy earring.

I'll probably do chapters 3 and 4 tomorrow, 3 is incredibly short regardless.

Edited May 8, 2011 by Ceadeus

[eclipse]

My biggest issue in the game:

Stupid "Use Magic" or "Move" rule, not both. It meant that the later maps were a bitch because you had to go into range of the enemy mages, who had a free turn of magic potshots on your army, while YOUR mages were nowhere near as useful.

[Maji]

I could have sworn I was the only one to ever play this game, good to know I'm not. Ah, the memories of not knowing that resetting a level means you maintain your levels and when you die you don't die, such unnecessary rageresets. You should have kick everyone's ass in the first chapter, or at least that slimy Alberich's.

[Excellen Browning]

The first game I've played in a long while where the tutorial kicked my ass.

Happened to me as well <_<"

I suck so bad at it I can't beat chapter 4(?)

[monkymeet]

Yeah, my issue was the massive problems with Magic users (except Cotton, who was completely broken)

It did have a cool thing where experience is saved when you restart a map, so it allowed for grinding if one kept failing.

[Haze]

Chapter 3 done.

An unwelcome shadow eh? I wonder who that could be.

Oh my god it's Marie, she's going to ruin everything!

Excellent! You look like a reliable man Jaglat, arrest her!

..Wait a second... ... SONUVABITCH!

Margus already covered this Kay.

Can I just say for a nameless npc this kid looks pretty awesome?

..Yeah, about that...

Now now Kay, it's a perfectly legitimate question.

Good man Margus.

(No one cares about Kay.)

Kay's Will of War is leveled again. Serdic cannot be deployed.

I question why "Death of Marie" is even on there tbh.

Since this is a scouting mission, Kay can actually do something useful and head to the scouting point with his superior movement.

While Kay does that, Margus gets to kill things.

If you wanted to avoid being spotted, maybe you shouldn't have been shouting at him like that.

Victory condition changes to escape here. The enemies aren't anything special really, and thoroughly not worth the time.

7 turns. Could have had 6, but again, moved Margus wrong. I think 6 is about the lowest you can get by rushing the scouting point at back with Kay.

No real notable loot.

Let's take a moment to remember who blew the earliest chance at rescuing her by yelling at Jaglat while trying to be stealthy and scout.

Oh yeah!

Kay.

Levels:

Serdic: 4.81

Kay: 4.09

Margus: 5.59

Selmer: 5.79

4 later, Anouleth wants me to go back and get a conversation between Selmer and Margus in Chapter 2.

Edited May 8, 2011 by Ceadeus

[Haze]

Margus/Selmer added to Chapter 2's post.

Chapter 4:

I dunno, maybe because you're causing an intertribe incident or something?

She's just mad because her not-boyfriend's not-actually-childhood friend's not-sister has been kidnapped.

Okay to be fair he kind of has a point here.

Oh the irony.

Haze!

Role reversal?

I guess he knows Sasha has shitty defence.

It's true it is, I saw it with my own eyes I did.

No, Serdic, it's all part of an incredibly elaborate practical joke(!)

But.. he's dead.

Oh yeah I forgot about her.

Sasha joins here at level 5, her attack is decent but she's incredibly fragile, to try and mitigate that, she gets my full stock of amber amulets(3) and Kay's original copper ring(+2 attack) from Serdic.

From what I've seen, Sasha starts out slow, but can become astoundingly good when trained.

I actually hate this chapter, archers are annoying as hell. Kay will be charging the closest one, Margus and Serdic will deal with the two later Archers. I'm also going to try and get Sasha leveled up as much as possible here, her overbreak is a single target defence piercing nuke, which will be incredibly helpful for Chaper 5's boss.

Like so.

4 move is pretty terrible.

7 move is pretty awesome.

Fortunately, I have at least one way of countering Archers being annoying.

Margus.

You get inside so that archer can't kill your frail ass.

Victory. I've never gotten any better than a Victory on this chapter, I don't even know if it's possible to. Didn't bother counting turns because I hate this chapter.

Notable loot includes the Hawk Proof(Used for promoting) and the Hawkeye Medal(+Accuracy).

You'd think he'd met her at least once in your years being Serdic's double.

Levels:

Serdic: 6.46

Kay: 5.08

Margus: 6.86

Selmer: 6.58

Sasha: 6.85

[spoiler=Chapter 4 Serdic/Sasha]

You've been talking to Margus haven't you?

I knew it.

[spoiler=Chapter 4 Margus/Sasha]

Smooth.

Okay where is he going with this?

I retract that "Smooth."

Ouch.

Let's see...

Nail. Head.

And I'm probably done for today.

[Anouleth]

It looks like Serdic is a little bit more desperate to get laid. Although, Margus did try to chat up Selmer. I think Margus wins this one.

All cases are hopeless for Margus.

[Haze]

Chapter 5.

No Kay, we're not letting you charge in to get exp.

Good point, Margus. You take the lead.

Jaglat's minions are smarter than he is.

Margus is given the Hawkeye Medal since he's been missing lately and it's getting annoying. He also levels Knight Codex to 3, Rook to 2 and Invoke Life to 2.

Selmer learns level 2 Ignite Lore.

This is an interesting chapter, there are two paths to Jaglat, the more populated(and therefore better for exp) left side, and the less populated cellblock on the right. Despite the exp advantage of the left, it's best to go right to rescue Marie and Ansom(who will not join unless let out of his cell), so they can assist when Jaglat charges. As well as to obtain the hidden item in an empty cell.

Margus laughs at their offence.

Kay meanwhile, despite being horridly mediocre except for his movement, does an adequate job chipping.

Apparently Jaglat thought that an archer would be good to block a chokepoint with.

Rather important that Kay gets that cell open now, so he can go back for the treasure later.

Also, see those two guys following? I forgot to screenshot so I may as well just say now that Selmer kicked the shit out of them with an AOE spell.

And Jaglat is on the move, best hurry with those cells.

And behind Door #2 is...

[spoiler=Chapter 5 Serdic/Marie]

Marie has a sort of common sense that a lot of FE royalty lacks when they're being held hostage: Threaten to kill yourself, they'll shit themselves.

SHE KNOWS. RUN JAMES, RUN!

"IMPLIED INCEST!!!"

Marie's healing proves remarkably useful.

Now let's see who's behind Door #3!!

[spoiler=Chapter 5 Sasha/Ansom]

That's right, Sasha! ..Wait hang on.

Ansom is badass.

Probably not but you made sure everyone else did.

Ansom didn't want Jaglat touching his girlfr-

-bodyguard.

Also I like how they don't specify what look she's giving him.

Marie and Ansom will join the battle as npcs, providing healing support and arrow support. Ansom notably does quite ridiculous damage, doing on average 120 to the fairly well armoured Jaglat, making him far easier to bring down. Ansom will only join after this chapter if he's let out of his cell and spoken to here.

Jaglat's entourage can be fairly annoying, with the notable exception being the Guardian, he's a pussy. He won't charge in on you unless he can attack someone, unlike the Knights, who are fairly easy pickings.

I killed the first two knights shown in that picture, Jaglat charged in, Ansom sniped him, Selmer weakened him with an ice spell, Margus weakened him further and:

Serdic finishes.

But just before:

Kay gets the loot.

Overwhelming Victory. I still can't be assed counting turns. Notable loot is the Jade Amulet(+9 Defence) and the Hunter Proofs(more promotion items for Ansom). The Coral Amulet from the hidden cell gives a massive +11 defence, definitely worth grabbing.

And while they mourn...

Everyone else cracks jokes about Kay's eternal mediocrity.

This pleased Ms. Top Tier greatly.

Ansom and Sasha on the other hand, were notably less amused.

To expose you and take the crown for herself, duh.

IT'S A TARP! (Maybe, I'm almost at the point where I'm playing blind)

How does one corrupt a sword?

Holy crap Selmer has dialogue. Thanks to his advice we are off to...

Levels:

Serdic: 8.73

Kay: 6.49

Margus: 8.01

Selmer: 8.10

Sasha: 8.08

Marie: 3.48

Ansom: 5.68

Now I'm really done for the day.

[Maji]

Just throwing a request out there, but when you get to the boss who's battle cry is: "OH GOOOOOOOOOOD", mind making a video to it? I enjoy it immensely and wish for everyone to hear it.

[Paperblade]

This is much better when you imagine that Kay is the SF user rather than some goober knight.