How do you play Fire Emblem?

[Shadow Mir]

I'll open my post with a quote from Karen of Johto's Elite Four.

"Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with their favorites.'

That's an awesome line.

[Mighty Kamina]

I play to play the games, so casual.

Except for FE6 I generally go for hard mode, but I have beaten both Lunatic Casual and Lunatic Classic in Fire Emblem Awakening.

I almost always reset for a character death, except for when the recruitment requirements for said characters are ridiculous, (Xavier) then I will try three times before killing them and moving on, or if they are a character in gen 1 of FE4 who I'm not pairing because they get killed in the end of gen 1 anyways. (Lex, Jamka, Beowulf, Arden, Alec, and Noish)

I mostly use characters based on personality/backstory and growth rates.

My favorite Classes are:

The Lords aside from a select few, (Micaiah can go die in a fire, and Roy would be good if he promoted earlier) Mercenaries/Heroes, Myrmidons/Swordmasters, Thieves/Rogues/Assassins/Tricksters/Thief Fighters (especially FE5 thieves), Mage knights (Olwen specifically because ambush + Daim Thunder is awesome), Free Knights (especially Fergus), and in FE5/FE9/FE10 Fighters (I've had Nolan cap every stat multiple times as a Reaver, and Othin and Boyd usually turn out great for me).

Edited February 26, 2013 by Zelos

[viyut]

I almost never impose rules when i play, so casual it is.

I'm sort of a perfectionist so i usually reset when a character dies(unless i don't care at all about said character).

I Usually play the games on the lowest difficulty since my idea of fun in FE is stormtrooping through the enemy lines(unless i'm playing FE8/FE10, i play the former on Hard and the latter on Normal).

And my favorite classes are Myrmidon and Dark mages.

[Kon]

I'm mostly casual, but I do like doing gimmicky runs every now and then.

My default difficulty is Normal, but I will drift into Hard mode on certain games, like FE8 and FE13.

No one ever stays dead for me. Ever. Except for Orson because he's a turncoat and never officially joins your party anyways.

If I like characters, I'll use them. Even if they never like me too much (Erk, I'm looking at you ;~;).

I tend to use a lot of classes overall, but I will always have some Mages, Archers, Cavaliers, and at least one Mercenary.

[Tamanoir]

I play casually. however, I try to train different units on my differents playthrough to add variation.

I like to be able to turtle, especially if there are no world map, because it makes training easier for not that strong units, and Mage/Archer, and because I prefer to play carefully.

I tended to Arena Abuse, but i'll think I'll stop in next playthrough.

I restart every time a unit die. That's why I choose Casual mode when available. Restarting when you're near victory because off some stupid circumstances is the most frustrating thing ever...

I use characters based on their personality and how good they are. I favor more base stats if they are prepromote, and growth if they are unpromoted. I'm more open toward Prepromote now, because they may be pretty good at their job.

By appearance, I mean especially the unique attack animation, that may play a role. (That's why I may Favor Lilina over Lugh, for example...)

This is also why I generally don't like the Lords, because they are the less interresting and/or funny.

My favorites class are Flying units, especially Peggies (And they seems even greater in Awakening...). I also like mages, especially Dark Mages. I really love the Troubadours, and the Valkirye/Mage knigt are usually pretty great as well.

Healers generally are absolutely essential. Thiefs being Utility Masters, I obviously like them.

I don't like the Fighter Class, but I lovePirate/Brigand/Berserker.

I try to use one of each class, so I always use Archers as well.

Cavalier and Mercenaries are always great, obviously.

...Also, it could be interresting to add Favorite/Less Favorite Stat(s)

[Troykv]

What's your personal favorite play style?

Normally I prefer to play casually. Although sometimes I get my own rules when playing xD.

What's your favorite difficulty setting?

Normal or Hard

Do fallen allies stay dead?

Always restart if they die

What sort of characters do you prefer? (You can pick more than one answer)

I like to use several of those five same reasons, especially the fifth xD

What are your favorite classes? (You can pick more than one answer; promoted classes are grouped with their unpromoted counterparts)

Mages, Shaman/Dark Mages and related

[Topaz Light]

...Also, it could be interresting to add Favorite/Less Favorite Stat(s)

You can only make up to five questions per poll. While I admit it didn't really cross my mind at all when making it, I think what I already have up has more bearing on how many players play Fire Emblem, and with the votes having already been counted anyway, I don't think it'd be worth changing it.

That would be a good idea for a theoretical sixth question, though, although it would likely just be "Which stat is most important to you?" or something along those lines.

[Gcubedude]

I usually play casually, although I've played some drafts a long time ago, and they were fun. It's interesting to use different units and not your usuals.

My favorite difficulty setting depends on the game. For most, it's usually the default setting (whether it's called Normal or Hard), but I prefer FE7 and FE8's Hard modes instead of Normal Mode.

I refuse to even see my characters die. When I see that fatal blow struck, I shut my game off immediately and reset the chapter. The only exception was FE11 of course because I'm a perfectionist and wanted to play the Gaiden chapters.

I often pick which characters I use based off of initial impressions based off of their personalities and looks, although I won't always keep using a character if I determine there's someone better for the job, or if they just aren't doing well, I'll bench them. A recent example was Virion in Awakening. I got him to Lv 3 with 70 Exp, then realized his Spd sucked so much, and that Miriel was just as tough at the time but with superior offense, so I benched Virion.

I like all mounted units as well as Lords, Mercenaries, and Soldiers because they're well-rounded for the most part. I also like Shamans/Dark Mages because spells like Luna and Nosferatu are usually really good, and I like Trainees because I'm patient enough to wait for them to become good, and I love when they reach the point where they can solo entire sections of a map.

[nocturnal YL]

Hey look I'm making posts outside of the FE13 board

Let's see. Self-imposed challenge for me. Usually that involves not using prepromotes (rather easy to do in some games), make useless units at least score some kills, reach a certain number of kills with herons, and so on.

Difficulty setting... between Hard and higher. Hard when I feel casual enough.

Fallen allies will not stay fallen. I always reset.

I tend to use characters with good growths and/or look good. That's usually the children. Child labour yay.

Class, ummm... It's game-dependent, but I tend to like myrmidons, mages, shamans (but not dark mages, since they don't look cute), and the trainee units. This mostly applies to the GBA games, and in FE12 I like to use paladins instead, even though their speed is way too low.

[Dragrath]

My playstyle is generally based around flyers(usually as many as I have/can deploy... unless the enemy is 90% archers...) I also have a fondness mounted units for their mobility(always have at least 1 good one), 1 or 2 mages for their utility (use varies by how games handle magic), or transforming dragons/beasts (as I like their forms and they generally are pretty good with exceptions sadly aka useless growths or irreplaceable limited item to allow them to transform after which they become deadweight...-_-)

the remaining units in my army aside from the mandatory lord include a healer(eventually this duty is given to a sage as well for back up) followed by some units with good stats growths and reliability.

I focus on eliminating threatening units usually enemies w/ bonus damage such as any w/ bows, wind magic, anti beast weapons etc.

In Awakening I have fallen for the hybrid classes able to fight w/ tomes and weapons they have such utility

I will usually try and save a unit except in shadow dragon... though I have noticed the tendency to let armors and archers fall behind if a game lacks defense levels as they are really only effective in defending and I have a very mobile play style... thus I only really use these classes early on unless they turn out really well in which case I will often continue to use them...

I normally play on normal difficulties though I will just as often play on harder difficulties as long as they don't cut into the mechanics (main reason I avoid these difficulties they shouldn't have to restrict your options to make the game a challenge)in which case I refuse to play those difficulties

[Snowy_One]

Playstyle: Casual. I'm not out to prove anything to anyone. I just wanna have fun.

Mode: Easy. Why? Cause it lets you be awesome. I'm gonna win anyways, so why make it hard? Why not just have fun and watch as Nino mangles people with magic?

Allies never stay dead. Just doesn't sit right with me.

I prefer personality and appearance, as well as utility as it makes things more interesting.

Classes? Swordmasters (critical), mages (magic and staves), Monks (I just really like them), and archers (Yea, they suck, but I like bows too much).

[I don't play for turns]

the answer to my first is quite obvious based on my name

to the second, normal, considering there is only easy on the two easiest FE games and Radiant Dawn, which I play on normal

I let nobody die. I have slain Thanatos with the power of my constantly-dying Micaiah!

I used to go by personality, but I have been corrupted by the numbers. I go by stats.

I like Lords, Heros, Wyverns, and Zerkers. Hector, Chrom, and FE9 Ike are lords, FE10 Ike and Raven are heroes, Cormag and my Lon'qu are wyverns, Dart is a berserker. Also, these guys have just seemed offensively balanced a lot of the time, although I'm probably wrong.

[Persian]

What's your personal favorite play style?

I'm a casual player.

What's your favorite difficulty setting?

Easy, Why? Because I'm not such a good player and if the game get too hard, I become bored of re-trying again and again very easily

Do fallen allies stay dead?

Thankfully, I don't have this problem anymore in Awakening with Casual mode... But for the others, they stay dead unless they are one of my favorite unit... and since my favorite units usually end up being strong, they don't die much.

What sort of characters do you prefer? (You can pick more than one answer)

I usually like character because of their backstory, personality or look, but I also like characters that become very strong!

What are your favorite classes? (You can pick more than one answer; promoted classes are grouped with their unpromoted counterparts)

I'm quite fond of Laguz, Tagels and Manaketes. Anything on a wyvern is pretty cool to. Dark mages are great since they usually have more defense than the regular mages. To be honest, I have favorites characters in pretty much all the classes so...

[Refa]

What's your personal favorite play style?

I'm easily distracted and it's hard for me to pay attention to slower games (although FE wins points for me for being like, the fastest SRPG ever and also well, being pretty well paced) even the first time through, so while casual is fun every once in a while, I wouldn't constantly be playing FE if slow and plodding was my only option. So I'm more into challenge runs, making them new playthroughs more interesting and discovering new things to enjoy about the games. Also drafts are pretty fun too I guess.

What's your favorite difficulty setting?

I've always thought Easy Mode was for chumps, and this was when I a) sucked at FE and b) picked Easy Mode in literally every other game ever. So yeah....NM is all well and good, especially for drafts, but HM is where you really get the blood pumping and become more invested in your units.

Do fallen allies stay dead?

Most of the time, no, but there is that odd time....

What sort of characters do you prefer? (You can pick more than one answer)

Good bases and good growths and utility and that are great and all, especially for the HM runs. But the ones that I prefer are in all honesty the ones that look the best. I'm not shallow, I'm deep!

What are your favorite classes? (You can pick more than one answer; promoted classes are grouped with their unpromoted counterparts)

Lords: I use them because I have too, but the ones I like using the most are few and far between. There's like Sigurd and Celice and Leaf and uh...Ike from both games. Ephraim and Hector are pretty cool too, I guess.

Cavaliers: The best ones are the ones who can't actually use both weapons, like Fin and Oscar and Carrion even though he can but shut up. I like to field a couple of these guys every game.

Armor Knights: Cool in concept, but that 4 move...such a turnoff.

Archers: They're OK...I guess. I like Snipers way more, Snipers are the shit.

Pegasus Knights: I usually use one or two in each game, but besides like Tana and Fee and Karin, they're not the bestest things ever for me. So why? OK I lied before, because of FE9! Marcia and Tanith, they're the best. Not only are these some of the best units in the game, but the capes...so cool. Seriously, that's my reason. FE9!Falconknights have badass capes.

Clerics: I use 'em...They're pretty boring.

Mercenaries: They have the coolest animations ever, how could I not like them? And heroes are the best.

Fighters: Their worth fluctuates too much from game to game for them to be one of my favorite classes.

Soldiers: Nephenee is cool, I guess.

Thieves: Necessary, but until like Sothe and Volke, not units I particularly like too much.

Myrmidons: Some of them like Mia, Ayra, Lachke, and motherfucking Shanan I love, others I'm eh...not so fond of.

Mages: These guys are kind of like archers for me. They're OK (except Asvel he's the man), but it's their promoted form that I'm more interested in.

Hunters: Land archers with more move and promote to horse(bow)men? These guys are pretty alright with me.

Troubadours: Ethlin and Nanna. 'Nuff said. OK fine, Janne too.

Shamans: I don't use these guys too much, they're too slow...but Canas is pretty bro.

Wyvern Riders: The shit. The fact that you could reclass everyone (on your team, if you knew what you were doing) to Dracoknight in FE11 basically made it the best thing ever, at least when I found that out.

Trainees: Too much work to use, give me Sara or Julia any day.

Dancers: Make the game waaaaaay easier for me 10/10.

Manaketes: Not that interesting to use, but I do like Myrrh and FE3!Tiki.

tl,dr; I have opinions about things.

[Batter the Beast]

What's your personal favorite playstyle?

Sorta a mix between casual and LTCing, I don't heavily invest time into planning, I just wing the game and try to finish chapters as fast as I can

What's your favorite difficulty setting?

Hard, but I will usually do a Lunatic playthrough as my second one. Then I ragequit and go back to hard

Do fallen allies stay dead?

Nope, I like the characters in FE too much, the only time I let a unit stay dead were the FE5 generic knights that you get for free irons some odd reason

What sort of characters do you prefer? (You can pick more than one answer)

Utility and/or good bases, since I don't need to spend time on them. It also helps if they have a likable personality and I always have to use the green knight of the Christmas duo

What are your favorite classes? (You can pick more than one answer; promoted classes are grouped with their unpromoted counterparts)

Clerics/Priests because staffhax

Pegasus Knights even though they are usually relegated to carrying positions

Cavaliers cause I like horseback units in general

Dancers/Bards/Herons make everything easier, especially staff spamming

[Sundus64]

What makes a good FE game is story like Radiant Dawn. But what I like about awakening is Chrom cuz he's so damn dreamy........

[MacLovin]

I play whatever way I want.

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

I play casually, I suppose.

Normal mode.

Since I'm a Time Lord, I can save people from dying.

I pick characters based first on looks, then on personality, then on utility. I make sure my favorites max as many stats as possible.

If it flies, uses magic, or turns into a dragon, I like it. If not, it'd better be damned cool to make up for the disappointing lack of the aforementioned three attributes. Lol, my ultimate unit would be a Nosferatanking dragon-riding dragon.

[Lord Sage]

I am a casual player who mostly plays the easier modes but sometimes i like throwing

limitations[gendered run, one weapon type only run, one class only run] and i always

challenge the harder mode the game can offer once because i want to face the tougher

challenge the game can present to me and the harder it is the more pride i take

in beating it. I also always refuse to allow a unit to die even if i am not using it

because fe characters are not generic soldiers and have their own personality

and that's also one of the things i mostly like in FE.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Lord Sage

[Murdok Dracul]

I picked 'self-imposed challenge'...the challenge being to unlock every sidequest and character, and keep every character alive (except in Shadow Dragon, in which the goal is to recruit and then sacrifice every character except my favourites in order to unlock all the sidequests and more characters), no matter what difficulty I'm playing on.

Interestingly, I used to neglect all my prepromotes (except Saleh because he's cool) until discovering that Sirius and Minerva are mandatory in the Endgame of FE12 in order to recruit the last few characters. Now I'm cool using any characters, as long as they're not fuck-ugly Bandits.

Or Moulder.

Edited March 12, 2013 by Murdok Dracul

[Liz]

my first playthrough is always casual, at lowest difficulty, whatever whatever

once i'm done with that, i usually have two simultaneous files, one a casual file at lowest difficulty for when i just feel like wrecking the bad guys, and another with a challenge or other that i decide to do on a higher difficulty. sometimes i'll even make a third file for some of the weirder stuff i feel like experimenting on just for shits and giggles.

[DomesticHausCat]

I tend to play casually, and will only allow a character to remain dead if I am close to the end of a frustrating as hell chapter. My favorite classes are Lord, Hero and Wyvern Riders. And characters with cool personalities and designs are the ones I like and use.

[azurrys]

I play casually, most of the time. I don't tend to care about turncount unless I'm getting something out of it (like BEXP, in which case I'll play self-imposed 'within max BEXP limit' challenges). But otherwise, I'm happy to waste time grinding out levels in the arena, building supports, or killing extra reinforcements. I love powering my units up and watching them curbstomp everything.

I always play on Normal, even on replays (except for FE7, for some reason).

Nobody ever dies in my games, even if I don't care about them!

Character-wise--I'm all about the appearance. Every game, I always pick several biases and baby them like no tomorrow, just about completely based on appearance. Unless they're prepromotes, because I never use prepromotes (unless they're named Etzel, because for him my appearance bias > my prepromote bias). Or unless they're Lords, because no matter what my Lords look like, I baby them because I'm of the opinion that I'm going to be forced into them anyway--I might as well make them as good as possible. But the Lords tend to look good, anyway. (Though there's a distinction. I'm much more likely to save/RNG/BEXP/whatever scum my male Lords' level-ups as compared to my female Lords, due to appearance bias--I'm still female in the end.)

Wyvern Riders are definitely my favourite class, though. They fly, they look cool, they hit hard, they don't die easy, they can solo herds of enemies (sometimes), and they're all round awesome. But I have a special bias for Mages because they tend to be prettyboys (my favourite type forever) and I haven't found a Wyvern Rider I've loved as much as Heath yet. No, not even Haar. And honourable mentions for Cavs because of their amazing util and because they're sort of non-flying Wyvern Riders to me, and Pegasus Knights because... they fly and I love flying things. And Pegasi. Even if they're not nearly as cool.