Question about difficulty scaling. Should I just move up to Lunatic already?

[BatmanWannabe]

Righto, gents. So, I'm loving Awakening to death atm. I'm on Chapter 13 so far.

So the thing is, this FE game is pretty atypical from other games. The change seal mechanic as well as skirmishes (reeking boxes) or spotpass encounters seem to encourage the player to essentially grind their units into powerhouses.

After all, change seals will reclass a unit back down to level 1, allowing them to get more stats and skills. This takes a lot of getting used to since it's not like every other FE game where you just promote them once and that's it, you're done.

So anyway, my actual question. I've messed around a few times with reclassing and stuff, and getting everyone married. This has resulted in my army being pretty powerful. I'm playing on Hard mode, and story missions are becoming quite laughable to complete now. I know for a fact skirmishes scale by location, but even those aren't too much trouble.

So given that this game kind of encourages you to reclass a bunch of times to get skills and the best stats, (after all, how can I complete the higher level spotpass DLC without insanely good guys) I'm wondering if I should just jump up to Lunatic at this point. I make it a point to never use arenas or tower or valni or anything like that when I play FE games, but Awakening is different. It's cool to be able to have units with nice skills and great stats, but it's making the game too easy. I guess you could say that's the meat of the conflict. I feel compelled to reclass and obtain a number of skills, but it creates units that are essentially on steroids.

So yeah, sorry for the long ass post. Any insight would be appreciated, my fellow Fire Emblem fanatics.

EDIT: when I say jump up I obviously mean start over just on Lunatic. What do you guys think? Do you guys also have a similar issue?

Edited February 11, 2013 by BatmanWannabe

[Peppy]

I hear the jump between those two difficulties is tremendous.

Beat it on Hard first so you can get a feel for the game, i'd say...

Edited February 11, 2013 by Peppy

[shadowofchaos]

I hear the jump between those two difficulties is tremendous.

The enemies are complete and utter badasses on Lunatic. Remember those soldiers you just blasted through on Hard Mode while paired up?

Yea...no you're not doing that on Lunatic without proper thinking beforehand.

Unless you're Frederick. At least the first 3 chapters in Lunatic Mode is called "Frederick Emblem".

Edited February 11, 2013 by shadowofchaos

[Othin]

I don't think it's physically possible to complete Lunatic as a first playthrough without stabbing out both your eyes.

You want a challenge? Don't do the grindy stuff you just did. You have your policy of not using arenas or towers or whatever else: stick to it here. That simple.

[Aisuko Lyrical]

NO I will do it cause I want to be a bitch to Rey but if you like your sanity you will NOT DO IT it WILL make you go INSANE you must use Fredrick at the beginning it demands

you use the Jagen yes it is that bad his sliver lance will have like 7 uses left when you have to grind and that is chapter 5 which is the first time you can grind by the way

[Peppy]

The enemies are complete and utter badasses on Lunatic. Remember those soldiers you just blasted through on Hard Mode while paired up?

Yea...no you're not doing that on Lunatic without proper thinking beforehand.

Unless you're Frederick. At least the first 3 chapters in Lunatic Mode is called "Frederick Emblem".

I'm honestly expecting the difficulty to be like that. I think it will take me a good while before i even beat it on casual (Cuz honestly... i really don't wanna resort to Grinding...).

Edited February 11, 2013 by Peppy

[BatmanWannabe]

That makes sense. I got a little carried away with how easy it is to gain EXP in this game. I can always go for a more traditional approach.

Thanks for your input guys.

[Zera]

Don't complain about easiness on Chapter 13, because the game gets much more difficult later on. From Chapter 18 onwards, you will face swarms of promoted units with silver weapons and high level magic. In fact, I find the game to be plenty challenging on Normal/Classic. Lunatic mode scares me.

Also, it seems to be more difficult to gain exp after multiple reclassings. Maybe it's just me.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Zera

[Comet]

Just play hard mode and don't grind. Then it's actually HARD. Now for lunatic, I don't like the idea of enemy reinforcements with forged silvers that appear where you spawn, or maybe that's lunatic+.

[Crimson Red]

He pointed out that he wants to reclass etc. and that it's like natural grinding

but regardless I'd suggest you just take it as it is and if it's a little too easy, oh well, just enjoy it for now. Lunatic mode makes it near impossible to grind off of Spotpass or Skirmishes because they either give you 0 EXP and are super hard (Spotpass) or are pretty much impossible (skirmishes--e.g. after chapter 5 the boss of an enemy skirmish had a forged Silver Sword with stats in the 30's and a rating of like ~184 while my highest rating was about... 84 >_>').

If you feel like you want a challenge later, then start a new playthrough later... that's just my suggestion, anyhow...

[Balcerzak]

I jumped straight in to lunatic, and plan a no-grind run-through. Paralogues are OK, but no DLC grind, or skirmish grind. So far I've cleared through Ch5, and it really wasn't that bad. Except for Chapter 2. Fuck that chapter with rusty nails.

[shadowofchaos]

Except for Chapter 2. Fuck that chapter with rusty nails.

Chapter 2 wasn't that bad.

My struggles lie on Chapter 6.

[Paperblade]

I don't think it's physically possible to complete Lunatic as a first playthrough without stabbing out both your eyes.

hi

[Jolly Himawari]

So the thing is, this FE game is pretty atypical from other games. The change seal mechanic as well as skirmishes (reeking boxes) or spotpass encounters seem to encourage the player to essentially grind their units into powerhouses.

The Reeking Boxes on Lunatic mode cost 4,800 gold, so it's pretty much impossible to effectively level grind, at least until lategame when you've gotten rich off the story missions.

[Othin]

hi

you're Paperblade you don't count

[eclipse]

[/size]

The Reeking Boxes on Lunatic mode cost 4,800 gold, so it's pretty much impossible to effectively level grind, at least until lategame when you've gotten rich off the story missions.

That's their cost on Hard, too.

Get through the game on Hard Mode first, then worry about Lunatic.

[Quick]

One of the problems with this game IMO is the difficulty scaling. Hard mode is easy and Lunatic mode makes me scared to play Threcia 776. The first four chapters start easy...and then chapter 5 makes you extremely salty. I really hope this game gets easier later on like in FE10 otherwise this might be one of the hardest FE games I have ever played. (Don't get me wrong I love challenges, but this game right now in Lunatic is making me look like the biggest idiot on the entire planet)

Edited February 11, 2013 by Quick

[Fruity Insanity]

EDIT: Whoops wrong place.

I don't think it's physically possible to complete Lunatic as a first playthrough without stabbing out both your eyes.

EDIT 2:

I don't think it's physically possible to complete Lunatic as a first playthrough without stabbing out both your eyes.

Maybe I'll do that... Lunatic as a first playthrough...

Wait. No. It depends.

Question:

Is Lunatic in Awakening harder than Lunatic Reverse in New Mystery of the Emblem?

If it is, I won't start with Lunatic. If it isn't, then maybe I will...

Edited February 11, 2013 by fireemblemfan4ever

[Shinori]

One of the problems with this game IMO is the difficulty scaling. Hard mode is easy and Lunatic mode makes me scared to play Threcia 776. The first four chapters start easy...and then chapter 5 makes you extremely salty. I really hope this game gets easier later on like in FE10 otherwise this might be one of the hardest FE games I have ever played. (Don't get me wrong I love challenges, but this game right now in Lunatic is making me look like the biggest idiot on the entire planet)

I actually thought some of the earlier chapters on lunatic were much harder. Once you had a decently good avatar and had unlocked paralogue 1 to train 1-2 of your other units the game got a lot easier.

In regards to the other person I actually didn't play Lunatic reverse on 12. I think it has a bit that is easier than it and a bit that is harder than it though.

All enemies start with A in weapons and at chapter 1 nothing uses iron weapons. Everything is steel. Handaxes don't exist and all spells are 'el' or higher. I'd say if you want, go ahead and try lunatic first, if you don't like it swap to hard.

[PKL]

Lunatic Chapter 2 is pretty cheap I find. The rest isnt that hard. Heck, even Frederick was struggling in Chapter 2...

[shadowofchaos]

All enemies start with A in weapons and at chapter 1 nothing uses iron weapons. Everything is steel. Handaxes don't exist and all spells are 'el' or higher. I'd say if you want, go ahead and try lunatic first, if you don't like it swap to hard.

I pretty much had my first playthrough on the English version to read the localization and have fun with it first.

But anyways, they're also quick to switch to silvers as you progress.

[Mighty Kamina]

I'm only about halfway through Lunatic, but I found chapters 2-3 to be the hardest so far, but then again I started buying brave weapons and killing edges from Eliwood's SpotPass team the moment it became possible.

Why I felt Chapters 2-3 were the hardest? Your units are still weak because you haven't had any time to level them up via story chapters/paralogues or DLC, (skirmishes are basically impossible on Lunatic mode) meaning Frederick and maybe the Avatar or Chrom will be the only units that can't be killed in one round.

BTW I find Thracia 776 easier than Lunatic mode.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Zelos

[Quick]

I'm only about halfway through Lunatic, but I found chapters 2-3 to be the hardest so far, but then again I started buying brave weapons and killing edges from Eliwood's SpotPass team the moment it became possible.

Why I felt Chapters 2-3 were the hardest? Your units are still weak because you haven't had any time to level them up via story chapters/paralogues or DLC, (skirmishes are basically impossible on Lunatic mode) meaning Frederick and maybe the Avatar or Chrom will be the only units that can't be killed in one round.

BTW I find Thracia 776 easier than Lunatic mode.

I ended up almost Frederick soloing 1-4 with Chrom and MU only gaining 2 levels and Lissa gaining 5. I think I just need to redo the first few chapters to raise up everybody's level. I also heard Virion is very useful in Lunatic mode.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Quick

[Othin]

Yeah, Lunatic mellows out for a bit. Then the enemies all promote and you're fucked.