Importance of 1~2 range

[Espinosa]

I remember discussing this with Othin months before the game was available to most people but nearly everybody has got enough experience with the game by now, so this discussion could be brought back again.

In games like FE7 and FE8, your best characters (Marcus, Sain, Raven, Seth et al) can obliterate large armies of enemies by holding a Javelin or Hand Axe during enemy phase, doubling and 2HKOing much of the opposition. In games like FE4, a Javelin is a bit too heavy. In FE6, the 1~2 range weapons are effective in the hands of Marcus and to a lesser extent Zealot in the early maps; however, later on you better equip killer or silver weapons for optimal EP performance to kill at least some enemies rather than inflicting minor wounds to everyone and not advancing much on player phase. FE9-10 introduce forges, turning Paladins and fliers into ORKO machines. There's also Sothe with his Knives in part 1 and Ike. In SD, most damage on higher difficulties is done by co-operation and effective weaponry, though 1~2 range hasn't been nerfed yet, due to the nature of the game functions mostly as inaccurate chip inferior to bows in accuracy. In FE3 DS, the power has been nerf'd, but characters like MU and Paola manage to make some of the best use of these weapons than in any other game due to how much strength they accumulate in no time.

Where does Awakening stand in comparison? MU's overpoweredness and Nosferatanking are known game-breakers on lower difficulties and dependable on higher ones, but what about other means of 1~2 range, which also apparently include swords? Are there enough funds to make up for the loss in power through forging, or would one rather forge Hammers and other effective weapons extra Mt instead? The effectiveness of 1~2 range has effect on bow uses, something also observed in FE6 and FE12 where meaty bow chip is highly valuable.

And then of course there's the issue of lacking weapon rank when reclassing into something that uses Javelins and Hand Axes, like Paladin Chrom or a Great Knight trying to use the more powerful axes.

[Paperblade]

It's very easy to get high powered 1-2 range characters due to Pair Up etc. I've used Hero Morgan w/Bolt Axe, Hero Vaike w/Hand Axe, and MU in pretty much every magic class sans Dark Flier.

[Crimson Red]

Certain classes like Tricksters and War Clerics can benefit from forged Levin Swords and Bolt Axes, though lance and axe-users have javelins, short spears, spears, handaxes, tomahawks, etc. as it is, so it isn't as big a deal for them

I find forging javelins to have 7 might relatively cheap, at least IIRC, but assuming you aren't doing any money-grinding it could definitely be worrisome

...

I'm not even sure where I'm going with this but uh

we need moar Ragnell, Ragnell OP Amatsu ain't terrible either

the end

EDIT: i might make a more intelligent/redeeming post later not sure

Edited March 4, 2013 by Burning Gravity

[hinode]

Dual Strike is a big difference between Awakening and other games with weakish range 1-2 weapons: even if your javs/hand axes aren't doing a lot of damage, they have a 70%+ chance of activating an additional attack from an S-rank partner that should be quite strong, assuming you're optimizing your pairings effectively. Chrom makes for especially good backup thanks to Dual Strike+, or you can feed him an Arms Scroll after promoting to make good use of Javs if his partner isn't a weak damage dealer like Sumia. Lucina is even better with her free infinite use 12 MT weapon and sky-high skill stat assuming she has an S rank partner who can hold his own in combat.

Being able to hit the alternate defensive stat with a Dual Strike is also nice when tanking mixed mobs of enemies. Mages with a speed or defense boosting partner might have some trouble reliably one-rounding enemies mages normally, but you'll generally get two shots at activating Dual Strike and one physical attack is enough for the ORKO. Magical backup is similarly helpful for physical attackers against high defense targets if you don't have a weakness-hitting weapon handy or can't afford to equip one while facing a tough mixed mob.

[kryptonite]

Forging is unecessary. I didn't forge til post-game when I'm trying to make a decent streetpass team.

That said, I usually have mages in the frontline, since they can counter 1~2 range, and then I can put melee as pair up, usually for +Spd/Def bonuses and they can attack too. It's not optimal for stats/kids, but it gets the job done even on hard, and they can counter range. It's funny seeing melee units walk through walls thanks to dual striking. >_>

Otherwise I just use Javelins/Hand Axes as the main unit and have the backup use more powerful weapons.

[nocturnal YL]

1-2 range is more imporant, with more fights in general and enemies getting random weapons (skirmishes, Infinite Regalia) will often end up with Tomahawk or Spear (or, in Infinite Regalia, Ragnell, Gradivus and the like) and it's much easier to obtain 1-2 range weapons (early shops have Hand Axe and Javelin, and you can call SpotPass teams for Spear, Tomahawk, Levin Sword, etc). On that note, I miss those run-of-the-mill ranged swords featured in Radiant Dawn.

That is when you fight enemies, anyway. In StreetPass fights, the hit rate of ranged weapons may not be high enough. For this reason, some may recommend initially equipping a ranged weapon and have a more powerful melee weapon ready to switch to.

[sunshineYON]

1-2 Range isn't as crucial in Awakening due to the fact that the partner can somehow fly over to the enemy and wack them with a Range 1 weapon... even between walls :|

[Folt]

It's crucial in that the one with the 1-2 Range weapon has to be the main attacker.

[Shadow Mir]

IMO, I generally didn't bother much with javelins or hand axes - they just aren't powerful enough to be worth it unless forged, and I'd rather forge a Hammer or some other effective weapon to dispose of the units that are weak to such weapons much more effectively.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Levant Fortner

[monkymeet]

It's crucial in that the one with the 1-2 Range weapon has to be the main attacker.

Pretty much, I have the tanky main with 1-2 range and then a glass-cannon/high attack paired up. That way it's pretty high chance to take advantage of a strong 1-range weapon at any range.