Eirika's Route vs. Ephraim's Route

[UberJoshua]

Hi guys, for those of us who have played Fire emblem sacred stones, we know that after chapter 9 is completed, you have to choose whether to pick Eirika as you main lord, or Ephraim as your main lord. You then travel with them through their route (until chapter 14) and the other lord go's there seperate ways. The question is, what lord do you choose? I usually choose Ephraim because i find his route more difficult and interesting. What do you guys think?

[Shin]

I've played through FE8 twice, once on each route. Personally I think Ephraim's route's a little more interesting, Eirika's maps are all fairly tame in comparison. Although you do get a little more story from the Eirika route.

[JSND Alter Dragon Boner]

In Eirika route, I get Seth having his way with his princess

In Ephraim route, I can see Seth going Yaranaika with Franz on a nice boat in a monster sandwich

I prefer Ephraim route because Yaranaika is superior, but thats just me

Edited December 27, 2013 by JSND

[Magical Glace]

Personally prefer Ephraim as a unit and Eirika as a character, so I can't really decide. I've played both, and you need to play both for the whole expirience, so I say... just play the game twice. Niether wins.

[Roy: Marquess of Pherae]

You can probably beat the game twice (especially on normal mode) relatively quickly. Play both and run wild.

[Irysa]

Eirika beacuse father and son is a really boring map and Ephraim's route isn't even really that much harder.

Seriously fuck Ephraim 14, it's just so damn tedious if you want to get everything.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Irysa

[UberJoshua]

I've played through FE8 twice, once on each route. Personally I think Ephraim's route's a little more interesting, Eirika's maps are all fairly tame in comparison. Although you do get a little more story from the Eirika route.

Yeah, especially the Serena map, i found that one somewhat tricky.

[Nicolas]

I prefer Ephraim Route.

Better maps design, have Duessel earlier.

Father and Son is awesome chapter!

[Rapier]

Eirika's chapters are the easiest and most chapters are lame. Ephraim's are slightly harder, with the exception of Ghost Ship and Selena's chapter, which I found to be tough. You miss out a lot of important stuff if you go with Eirika (like invading Grado), imo, so that's why I prefer Ephraim.

[Silver Lightning]

I prefer Eirika's route; gameplay wise, Ephraim's route is more tedious, and story wise Eirika's route makes the most sense. Plus, I like how Eirika grows in her story while Ephraim just remains static throughout his. She's more interesting.

[Shadow Mir]

I'd say neither wins overall. Eirika allows me to get earlier Gerik (and makes Tana easier to use as well), but Carcino's story relevance is questionable at best, and Eirika's version of chapter 18 makes me facepalm so fucking hard. Ephraim, while having more relevance to the story overall, also forces me to go through the game's more annoying maps, and the characters I get earlier are ones I don't particularly care for *coughDuesselhack*.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Levant Fortner

[The Marty Party]

Go Ephraim's route, it has GHEB!

[Jedi]

Eirikas route is more story driven. And has Joshua's tearful reunion

Ephriam has Seth critizing his every move and massive war

Both have their fun. Both should be played and honestly I feel Sacred Stones would have been more solid with an fe2 or Fe10 split party approach to it

[The Marty Party]

I feel like Sacred Stones would have been more solid if you could recruit Gheb.

[Ryuke]

Eirika. Though I like both routes.

[The Envoy of the Beginning]

Ephraim's route has the Phantom Ship. Fuck that chapter.

Eirika's route it is for me.

[PKL]

I find Ephraim chapters very boring. So I always go Eirika Route. Hell, my hack concentrates on improving Eirika's Route.

[Nobody]

I prefer Eirika's.

[Jedi]

I find Ephraim chapters very boring. So I always go Eirika Route. Hell, my hack concentrates on improving Eirika's Route.

Are you at some point gonna do Ephraims or do you want someone else to help with that.

[ZemZem]

Ephraim's route has superior chapters that both interest and challenge me, so that.

[PKL]

Are you at some point gonna do Ephraims or do you want someone else to help with that.

Not sure. Gotta concentrate on making Eirika Route as good as possible first :P

[Jedi]

Not sure. Gotta concentrate on making Eirika Route as good as possible first :P

Well the reason I asked is because I like Ephraims route more and I probably could make some interesting design changes to some of those fights.. Phantom Ship in particular

[Atmey]

I prefer Eirika Route for the story which implied Joshua. What a great sensation to slain Caellach after what he did .

[Genarog]

I like Eirika route the most, because the plot is explained better (imho) and you get Gerik earlier.

Oh, and I really dislike Father and Son. Dunno why. The only reason I would go Eph. route is early Cormag (<333), but that's it.

[baticeer]

I prefer Eirika's route. I like her as a character more than I like Ephraim, and it just feels more natural to me for the storyline to follow Eirika as the main protagonist throughout the entire game

I don't think you can say that one of them has a more complete or relevant story than the other one does, though... each leaves out some content and covers some content that is relevant to the overall plot. I mean, I love seeing Joshua's backstory with Eirika, but I also like learning more about Grado's downfall with Ephraim. You have to play both to get the whole story, that's just how it is.

I usually tell new people that Eirika's route is a better one to play first, but maybe that's just because I did it that way and can't really imagine it otherwise, haha.