What do you think on grinding?

[Vashiane]

I hate grinding.

also it's too expensive

Depends on how you play. I haven't spent a cent on the game outside of its initial purpose yet and I grinded a LOT when I first started. A. LOT. By tie I got to the endgame I'd spent like 60 hours on the game.

[Dai]

I grind. A lot. I grind EVERYWHERE.

[Dark Sage]

I feel kind of bad for the developers of these types of games because it becomes harder to design maps. In a game that lacks grinding and possesses simpler mechanics like FE12, it's relatively easy to estimate the power level of the party on any given map but in FE13, you have to take grinding into account, including how much grinding is done, while still making sure the maps are beatable by non-grinders.

[NinjaMonkey]

Given that I grind whilst playing Pokemon, I don't really mind doing it here.

[Saint]

I typically only grind for relationships, filling up MU's support log isn't a quick finish. Though, if someone is close to a good skill or promotion level I may give in to light grinding. Otherwise, I feel like I'm cheating...

[Othin]

I don't make use of it in the main story, but I like using it in postgame, so I'm quite glad the option is there.

[Junkhead]

Given that I grind whilst playing Pokemon, I don't really mind doing it here.

This reminds me, another reason why I don't like it because it makes it feel more like those games and less like...FE, even if most FEs had a granding/abuse tactic, they at least didn't have ginormous caps to top it off coupled with other broken mechanics.

The first time I saw a video of FE13 gameplay, I saw the characters have all capped stats, with 80 HP and everything...and at first, that made me a little hesitant, thinking the game was going to be like other RPGs where they have huge numbers and all that.

[Ϲharlie]

I like putzing around with characters who sit on the bench during the main story, so I'm a-okay with grinding. I really don't see how anyone can object to the option being there so long as there aren't any absurd leaps in difficulty that require grinding.

[Loki Laufeyson]

As far as i can tell, its only the DLC that has maps with grinding in mind. And its likely that many people wont even buy those maps.

[Junkhead]

I like putzing around with characters who sit on the bench during the main story, so I'm a-okay with grinding. I really don't see how anyone can object to the option being there so long as there aren't any absurd leaps in difficulty that require grinding.

I have to admit...those battle nuns are rather tempting.

As far as i can tell, its only the DLC that has maps with grinding in mind. And its likely that many people wont even buy those maps.

Why not? They're pretty cheap at $3-5 dollars, aren't they?

[Thor Odinson]

buying 1-2 maps or even sets maybe but I don't think many actually have the funds to get more than that at least in a short period of time I mean it adds up really fast

I mean I'm already going to be down $160 for the system and the game and that's getting the system p much secondhand and out of my own wallet of and my income is unstable at best nonexistant at worst so I won't be getting dlc for a long time, not until i get paid enough to more than make up for the money I spent at least

and you realise there's a lot of underage fans who are even more unlikely to have an income and may depend on parents to get additional stuff etc especially if they have no means of online payment

Edited April 30, 2013 by Thor Odinson

[mewyeon]

I get way too bored and begin feeling like I'm putting too much into it. So I never grind on any of my runs.

[Spirit]

I grind in any Fire Emblem game where it is available. I grind a lot in Awakening, too. I find it quite fun getting all the supports and skills. In previous Fire Emblem games I always grinded up my party until they were all the same level and then continued playing the game. I find it quite entertaining.

[Bryan]

I don't see how you can complain about the feature being there, it's optional.

That being said, I fucking love grinding. It's amazing and I'm so happy its back. Yay FE2 features.

[shadowofchaos]

Some people grind because they... you know... want to just play the game and see the story for what it is?

And not have to worry about it?

Some people have fun with it. Some people hate it.

And some people had a maxed out MU on Day 1 just to screw with people on streetpass.

And some people grinded on Lunatic to unlock Lunatic+ on the same game with a different region as not to go through the same pain they did before.

Your definition of "taking fun out of the game" might not be so accurate for other people.

And then there's some people that want a "practical" Lunatic+ playthrough and grind slightly to match up to have a fighting chance without being as high tier as some of the people in the Lunatic Club thread:

Whatever the case, do whatever floats your boat.

And then there's people like me... who grind for the good of the Serenes Forest Mainsite:

http://www.serenesforest.net/fe13/cg3.html

Edited April 30, 2013 by shadowofchaos

[Batter the Beast]

I generally don't care about not grinding on my first run. I'll do each DLC once when I can and fight some risen here or there.

Once I know more about the game, my next runs are generally "no grind runs" on higher difficulties and I'll just grind on my previous file for a bit when Lunatic proves to be a bit much for me to handle

When it comes to how others play it, play it however you want, but if you get into a character based argument, I'll assume that we both assume that no grinding/minimal grinding will be taken into account

Edited April 30, 2013 by The Batter

[Drgnquester]

I love grinding, it's fun. Whenever there's an RPG that allows it, I will do it. EXP Scaling, and other Anti-Grind measures be damned!

[HeroMystic]

I don't mind grinding, and I certainly don't mind the option, especially for Postgame. I just wish there was an option to turn off DLC for a save file so I couldn't be tempted by it.

For instance I'm on my first Lunatic Run, and I get the feeling I've spread my EXP too thin, especially after reading the Lunatic Club thread (Optimal party seems to be 6 units). So right now I'm kinda thinking "fuck" and wondering if I should restart my run or grind.

[euklyd]

I'm ambivalent about grinding. It can be fun, but I generally have one or two playthroughs where I try not to grind.

Postgame is a whole different story, of course.

Also, I really like being able to re-play the final chapter (unlike FE8) with my maxed out units, just to pound the final boss's face in with whoever I choose.

[Vorena]

I have never finished all of the children paralogues yet, so I decided to attempt a normal run and get everyone maxed up through the skirmishes.

I'm getting bored with it.

[Fruity Insanity]

Soul has already mentioned my only complaint:

I find it annoying when people say, "Oh, I beat Lunatic+. Heck, it wasn't that hard!"

...And then they say they ground their units...

Seriously, it takes the fun and strategy out of a Fire Emblem game!

Granted, post-game is entirely different.

IS should've made it so that people could only go through each DLC once until post-game, where they could then grind.

A lot less people would be playing Lunatic+, though, if that were to happen...

Edited April 30, 2013 by FranticforFreeFruityFruit

[BrightBow]

As far as I am concerned, grinding is just a cheap way to artificial pad out the game.

Not to mention, I think that they really don't go well with Fire Emblem's mechanics in particular because a few stat points make a world of difference. You can get very quickly get to the point where enemies can't scratch or hit you.

I could properly understand the presence of the mechanic if there was some sort of versus mode or proper co-op mode.

So that there would be some point to further optimize your team after the end of the game.

But since there isn't, I think that all post game challenges should simply be designed to be beatable by an endgame party.

I don't see a difference between fighting capped enemies in a game where stats go up 50 and fighting capped enemies when stats go only up to 30. The former just makes it a necessity to grind before strategy even becomes a factor against the raw power of numbers.

Admittedly, I am most likely heavily biased against it because of playing so much Castlevania and Dragon Quest IX.

They really abuse this kind of stuff.

But either way, I see a huge appeal of Fire Emblem is it's linearity. Which demands efficient and clever use of limited resources.

If I can just farm anything anywhere and have an unlimited pool of money, then those items loose value.

So there is neither that much of an appeal to risk your neck for rare items or a sense of accomplishment if you do manage to pull it off.

[Othin]

Funny, most of the time when people talk about linearity in video games it's because they think a game is too linear. I'm sure as hell glad to have more options, at least on the runs where I choose to go for side chapters.

[BrightBow]

Funny, most of the time when people talk about linearity in video games it's because they think a game is too linear. I'm sure as hell glad to have more options, at least on the runs where I choose to go for side chapters.

Personally I consider linearity mostly a strength. That way it's easy to predict what the player is capable of and design the game accordingly.

Not that I consider this even close to universally true. I love open games like Morrowind for example. Something that feels like an actual world in which the player has to prevail, even if it means that said world can't challenge you at times.

But especially now that I was able to play both ways back-to-back in Tear Ring Saga, I can definitely say that I prefer Fire Emblem to be linear.

Edited April 30, 2013 by BrightBow

[Othin]

You would rather make it easier for the designers to choose what to force the player into rather than make it easier for the player to adjust the difficulty as they see fit?

Funny, I wasn't aware that the game was made for the developers.