(FE4) Planning for my second (maybe Ranked?) playthrough

[isetrh]

I guess Wind Sword to Patty would make more sense than Light Sword. Derp.

I'm not too sure about Azel x Lachesis. The Strength is fine, but the Skill and Defense are hurt a bit.

I know both Johan and Johalva suck, but they have some differences, so I want to try the one I haven't yet.

Who would be good candidates for the Shield and Barrier rings?

[General Horace]

I'm not a huge fan of Azel/Lachesis, it's definately not bad, but he's totally screwed if you get on the wrong side of his magic (or strength) growth. The defence or skill isn't a huge issue, he gets +9 skill on promotion, and his defence is only 10% worse than most standard parirings.

I like giving the shield ring to Leaf personally, but Patty could also take them for some cash to distribute.

[momogeek2141]

Honestly, half my rings go to Seliph, including the barrier ring. Sometimes I give it to a unit that needs to withstand sleep, however. Defense ring should go either to Seliph or your tankiness unit.

Azel Lachesis I've only tried once and I didn't like it, but in general they turn out good. Especially Nanna, who can actually heal now.

[Refa]

Claude Nanna is definitely way better at that!

[Zasplach]

^yes, but then Delmud is all but unusable.

Azel!Delmud, will on average still cap strength and skill can be tided over with a skill ring until his whopping +9 at promotion. It's a flex pairing, it's not her best, but if Beowulf is occupied, it's not bad and makes Nanna have her best magic growth.

Serlis, in a ranked run, is in theory king of all the rings at the beginning, but I like to distribute them to whatever characters are going to come in particularly lacking in.

[momogeek2141]

For ranked, I doubt Serlis's is merely "king" of rings in theory. Ranked runs give him the leg, power, elite, barrier, defense, and speed ring so that he can promote really easily. Although I too like to distribute them rather than dump them all on Serlis.

[General Horace]

honestly for ranked I give Celice a the leg, elite and magic rings, nothing more, every other ring he gets is superfluous

[Zasplach]

^His speed is pretty awful in the beginning. I always let him have elite and a speed ring in the beginning, at least.

[isetrh]

I've started my rank attempt now. I don't expect to meet AAAA or most if my secondary goals, but hopefully it will be a learning experience.

I noticed that I never actually came back to give thanks for the last advice on Rings. Sorry about that, and thanks.

I never actually finished my first playthrough. I tend to just end up starting over if I take a vreak from a game for too long, and that's what happened here. That means things will get interesting three quarters of the way through the game, though I won't go in blind.

I've started to reconsider Azel x Lachesis. The movement is similar, and tendency toward RNG screwage shouldn't be a problem since I don't intend to let the RNG do as it pleases anyway. Also, if I switch to Jamke x Aira too, all lands are inherited.

I think my big grinding chapter will be Chapter 3. Grinding against Shagaal gets Cuan to max level and gives Dew time to move all the way across the map after Light Sword-ing Cross Knights. It should also take enough turns so that player Fin doesn't get a girl pregnant before turn 50. Grinding at Orgahill gives me time to get Fin to promotion level if he doesn't quite make it before, and Levin x Tiltyu can get a few easy +5s. Dew and Arden could build up kills on the Light and Hero Swords respectively.

I just finished the Prologue in 12 turns. I used similar strategies to Balcerzak, identical for 5 turns but deviating on turn 6 when there is an opportunity to give Alec a +Str +Spe level. I can post character stats and write down more in the future if anyone is interested

My phone wants to change "Tiltyu" to "Filthy."

[momogeek2141]

Why use light sword! Dew when you can use Pursuit Ring!Levin? Dew can get experience from the Orgahil Pirates (along with a TON of money.)

[isetrh]

Why use light sword! Dew when you can use Pursuit Ring!Levin? Dew can get experience from the Orgahil Pirates (along with a TON of money.)

Dew should have time to move across the map while Cuan is grinding, especially if Ethlin Returns him, so he can level on both Cross Knights and Pirates. Unless you mean that with the exp from Pirates he doesn't need Cross Knights?

[Moishe Oofnik]

I still have a ways to go before I'm done with my first playthrough of this amazing game, but I git a bit bored after multiple failed attempts to recruit Altenna, Hannibal, and Corpul. I started planning my next playthrough, because eugenics is so much fun.

I'm thinking of attempting Ranked. I watched Balcerzak's playthrough, and if it's any indication, this game's Rank requirements are conducive to a very elegant and efficent playstyle, without being too ridiculous. Even the exp requirement appeals to me, since I enjoy making units strong for the sake of it. I might not get AAAA on my first try, but I'd still like to aim for it.

Balcerzak got all but five possible levels in his playthrough if I'm counting right, which makes me wonder about the feasibility of getting absolutely everyone to level 30. I'd like to try it in addition to going for ranks. The only problem character is Cuan. Of course he can abuse Shagall, but that just seems... inelegant. I don't know if there's a better way. Maybe it's best to give up on perfect levels, or calculate the highest "reasonable" level for Cuan, aim for that, and get everyone else to 30.

I saw in FionordeQuester's experimental run that he ultimately managed to get a 100-kill Slim Sword in Chapter 1 going about 20 turns over the usual. Since I'll be manipulating the RNG in arenas (his goal was to increase reliability; mine is not), 50 kills should be plenty, so I could cut down further on the turn count. Would this be a giid idea?

Now for the eugenics. Though I haven't finished, I think I have a decent idea now of how all the children work, besides lolCorpul. I'm sure I'll gain more understanding as I play the last three chapters, but I think I can at least start planning.

My pairings in my current run

Aideen x Midir

Bows and Pursuit, pretty standard I think. For a bit it seemed like Lester had inherited his dad's mediocrity too, but he sorted himself out, and he hasn't even promited yet. Lana really doesn't care. She might have liked A Staves a little bit better before promotion, but now that she's promoted she enjoys Pursuit on the rare occasion she gets into combat.

Aira x Lex

The kids are beasts (when they reach enemies) and Skasaha never noticed the lack of inheritance. However, they never use Ambush and I'm not sure they wanted Elite more than most of the other kids. The Defense is nice since dodgetanking is unreliable at existent hit rates in this game, but overall I think this pairing could be improved.

Lachesis x Fin

Prayer and Pursuit are both pretty great, and the +5 Speed conversation changed Nanna from okay to great. Fin may have come with a lowly Iron Lance, but he was the most badass Iron Lance user to ever grace any of my FE playthroughs.

Sylvia x Claud

I can't say a lot about this one yet. Leen pretty much doesn't benefit. I imagine Corpul will be like his dad but underleveled.

Fury x Levin

Fee and Levin have both been killing machines, but in Fee's that might have less to do with Levin being the dad than the fact that my Hero Lance somehow git 87 kills in Gen 1. Sety hasn't been around that long yet, but he is ridiculous. I don't forsee him pulling out Holsety until harder bosses like Alvis and the Dark Warlords. Anything more than his Lightning tome would be overkill.

Briggid x Dew

Patty is enjoying the growths more than the skills. Partly I think I just haven't been using Bargain very well on her though. Faval on the othe hand loves Bargain.

Tiltyu x Azel

Pursuit and Magic. Generally this has been working well without any obvious flaws, though obviously Arthur would like Holsety.

Johan (not a pairing, but whatever)

His higher Speed growth isn't particularly useful, though his mount is. He has the Pursuit and Speed rings, which allow him to double... Armours. If they have Lances or Axes. Still a mounted Hero Axe though.

Pairings I'm considering

Aideen x Midir

It's a bit vanilla and I've already done it once, but it seems like the best option. As far as I can tell Lana doesn't care who her dad is unless she's getting Claud, so I'm basing this on Lester. Anyone besides Midir deprives him of either pursuit or starting with the Hero/Killer Bows.

Aira x Noish

Nearly zero-demand father who gives them two more offensive skills. Normally I would be worried about Charge backfiring, but if I'm going to trust anyone in this game to nit die a stupid death, Swordtwins are second only to Sety.

Lachesis x Beowulf

Not as good as Fin, but easier to get and lets Fin keep whatever Fury->Fee doesn't want. I don't trust Delmud and Nanna with Charge as much as I do the Swordtwins, so that's one issue. I'm not quite sure about this one.

Sylvia x Dew

Leen can have an easier time cycling the Elite Ring and buying the Leg Ring from Celice. Plus she gets the best griwths she's going ti get without Neir blood. I haven't met Corpul yet, but I assume he has money issues.

Fury x Claude

Higher Staff ranks and hax Res growths. Fee should use Magic Swords even better.

Briggid x Lex

My logic is that the fadter Patty becomes good, the better she'll do at giving everyone money. I'm sure Faval won't mind promoting earlier either.

Tiltyu x Levin

Whereas Holsety is overkill on Sety, Arthur would really appreciate it. Sety can share the brokenness a little. Tiltyu gets Elwind and Tornado instead if Elthunder and Tron. She can always take the Pursuit Ring too, though maybe not for very long since she has to wait for Leif to promote, and then once she promotes she will see less combat due to Staves.

Johalva

Since neither brother is obviously better than the other, I might as well try the one I haven't used yet. Compared to Johan, Johalva has a riskier skill in Charge. Bows are nice, but foot movement is not. Johalva saves a small number of turns iver his brother. With Johalva's 10% Speed growth, it might make sense to just nit even bother trying to double, especially since he has Pursuit Ring competition this time around.

And then for item inheritance. I have no idea what I'm doing, especially here.

Celicestomp sounds fun, and saves a pretty significant chunk of turns while making efficient use of the Elite Ring. That means Hero Sword, Wind Sword, Elite, Life, and Leg unless I'm forgetting something.

Swordtwins can take a Silver Sword each, I suppose. If I decide to go with Fin x Lachesis after all then Lakche can take Prayer instead.

Lana takes all the Staves she can carry.

Delmud could go with Silver Blade and Thunder Sword. It's what I did first time around, and it worked. IIRC it's similar to what Balcerzak did too, but with Wind Sword instead. He doesn't exactly need a Speed Ring, but his swords are a little heavy and there aren't a whole lot of people who absolutely need Speed.

Lester gets all the bows besides Briggid's. Maybe a Skill Ring too.

Arthur gets HOLSETY. Does he really nees anything else? Fine, maybe a Bargain Ring. And a Magic Ring.

Fee takes Hero Lance, Thief Sword, and a bunch of Lances to sell. She can buy the Flame Sword by the time she needs range. A Power Ring might suit her.

I'm thinking Leif can take the Pursuit Ring, Light Sword, and Armor Cutter. Pursuit and Cutter should make him pretty good at dispatching Armors in Ch 7, and before promotion he seems like as good a candidate for a Magic Sword as anyone else.

Nanna can take Prayer and Relive, unless I decide to have her dad be Fin after all in which case she can have Silver instead if Prayer.

Assuming he doesn't father Lachesis's kids, Fin can bring Silver and Javelin.

Patty gets nothing, because her dad is Lex.

Leen gets Knight Ring and her mom's Slim and Defense swords.

Tinny can have Elwind for actually using, and whatever other tomes she can inherit for money.

Faval should be good with just his mom's Bows.

Sety takes A rank Staves. He gets freaking Lightning, he doesn't need any more books.

Corpul can't inherit anything besides rings, and I don't want those to dissappear for half the generation.

Altenna doesn't really need more rhan her Gae Bolg, does she?

Comments and advice are appreciated.

Your pairings are kinda optimized for ranked (apart from like azel!tiltyu)

The only rank that is a problem is exp your level average needs to be 24

[momogeek2141]

Dew should have time to move across the map while Cuan is grinding, especially if Ethlin Returns him, so he can level on both Cross Knights and Pirates. Unless you mean that with the exp from Pirates he doesn't need Cross Knights?

The cross Knights are TOUGH. Dew would have a hard time not dying against them. Levin can clear them fairly fast though. Dew can get a few kills there but Levin will be doing most of the heavy lifting.

[isetrh]

The cross Knights are TOUGH. Dew would have a hard time not dying against them. Levin can clear them fairly fast though. Dew can get a few kills there but Levin will be doing most of the heavy lifting.

Huh, I thought I had read about Dew dodgetanking the Cross Knights in drafts. Oh well, he can still eat pirates.

I just had an idea. Can you access the Pawn Shop at green castles? Because if so, I could have Leif inherit the Iron Cutter; Pursuit, Defense, Resistance, Skill, and one Return Ring; and a near-fresh Steel BladeDefense or Earth Sword; then sell the latter four to immediately afford the Elite Ring and get swole in his joining chapter.

Edit: Realized that a Steel Blade wouldn't cover it.

Edit 2: Storage exists. I could cut down on the number of useful items he inherits by substituting large quantities of crappy Swords.

Edited March 20, 2015 by isetrh

[Baldrick]

When I have Dew handle the Cross Knights, he hangs out in the forest, and don't get too close to Eltshan to maximise his evasion.

You can't access the shop at Lenster in chapter 7. So if you want him to have Elite while defending Lenster you'll have to give it up for chapter 6.

[General Horace]

Just give Leaf the bargain ring, and a couple of rings, and he has no issue affording Elite.

[isetrh]

Of course it wouldn't be that easy. I'll calculate what level he has to be before the Chapter 7 Arena to promote after it, and hope I can get him there on the Knights. I don't think I'll let him have the Bargain Ring though; Lana probably wants that. Thanks.

And thanks for the advice on killing Cross Knights, Baldrick.

Edit: Leif has to reach 17 :/

Edited March 22, 2015 by isetrh

[sirmola]

When I have Dew handle the Cross Knights, he hangs out in the forest, and don't get too close to Eltshan to maximise his evasion.

You can't access the shop at Lenster in chapter 7. So if you want him to have Elite while defending Lenster you'll have to give it up for chapter 6.

You can always give nana the return staff and ring, but that might be a bad idea in an LTC, becuase lief has to compete with everyone else for exp.