Weapon durrability

[ClassyWolf]

So, I've expected this come up as it's own topic, and kinda waited for it to get peoples opinions on it, but since it hasn't I'll do it myself.

I'm mixed about it, it can be done well, as Gaiden did it, that everyone has a weapon and there is a very limited amount of better weapons, like steel and holy, but as I said, there still was a limited amount of them, together with other equipment which makes you choose if you want your character to equip a weapon or a piece of armor.

If just seems to have an unlimited amount of weapons you can purchase.

However, they still can balance it since as it says in the key information's here in Serenes :

With durability gone, the developers have tried to make players think hard about which of the various weapons they should use in a given situation. For instance, some weapons may reduce the enemy’s critical rate, while others may be extremely powerful, but difficult to attack twice with.

(link: http://serenesforest.net/fire-emblem-if/key-information/ )

Can this mean the return of weapon weight or do they mean some new condition that can potentially reduce the amount of attacks that is bound to the weapon?

How do you feel about them removing durability? And how do you think they will balance it?

[Thane]

I like it.

I would have been a bit miffed if they just removed it just to simplify the game, but to me it seems like there's a lot more strategical to choose weapons based on pros and cons rather than durability.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Thane

[Duke]

From what I've seen so far I'm liking it, although I'll obviously pass the final judgement once I get to try it out for myself...eventually.

[ENS]

Yes. The counted uses weren't really a thing. In all the FE I've played (FE7-8-11-13) it was just a question of re-buy again the weapon in a comfortable shop. In mass. I'm playing FE4 and there is even worst. Instead of this nonsense, they gave at every kind of weapon material some influence on the stats and abilities. Well done.

Edited June 1, 2015 by ENS

[mimgrim]

I'm still not quite sure yet.

They've been able to balance out stuff like Javelins with the new system it seems like but then I see something like that Iron Shuriken that was shown and I'm worried again because it looks broke as all hell. I'm still mostly 50/50 on it and could go either way still.

[Neoleo21]

I have no clue how this could turn out, gaiden weapons were ridiculously scarce, and that isn't the case here, however there is a progression to obtain better weapons (and that's a trade off to build something like the baths which can build supports which is very valuable or even getting/upgrading other shops and structures which can be helpful). The weapons are also very expensive, you're not going to buy much probably even in the mid game. Also each weapon has stat changes which is probably the most interesting part of the system and the hoshido weapons have even weirder effects like the warrior katana alongside specialized weapons becoming more specialized such as the armorslayer losing something against non armored units. Even then we don't know how enemies will use these weapons and magic also might have changed. Perhaps the only worrying part is the iron shurikens because that thing is going to be a nightmare for nohr defend against hoshido missions (you KNOW it's gonna happen). But at least they have WTA against them. It could turn out super awesome, it could not, but it is substantially different from previous games and even the game where the infinite durability comes from.

[Wayward Alchemist]

I like the way they're pulling it off, but I wouldn't want it as a series mainstay.

[Ambulz]

One part of me likes it, but another part of me that hates clutter I feel is going to loathe trying to remember the unique effects of every weapon. Oh, well.

[Trickster]

Eh it seems interesting but until I can play it I just can't be certain, it seems to be a bit more complicated than just having weapon uses but I suppose it just adds another layer of strategy onto the game.

[BlizzardWolf95]

It was my favorite point of Gaiden, and durability has always annoyed me tbh

I want to finally be able to use the weapons I want to use, when I want to use them.That's why I set all of my Awakening units, when I can, with Armsthrift and Limit Breaker so I can set them up how I please.

[Gradivus.]

I'm not fond of it. I prefer having to manage valuable weapon usage because it makes them feel more balanced. There's a reason why Armsthrift is only efficient when allocated on a very high-luck unit. It's a means of in-game balance. I predict it will feel cheap to me but oh well.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Gradivus.

[Cerys]

How could I hate a feature from a game that included my precious magic back in some form of triangle?

Considering the extra tactical features they gave the weapons this time around I'll give it a pass. Mainly because durability doesn't fit with the ideal of one weapon not being better than another since they all have their strengths and weaknesses. Though they do seem to add durability to certain weapons from My Castle for either the sake of balance, rarity, or a combination thereof.

[HeroMystic]

It's not a bad thing.

Other TRPGs like Valkyria Chronicles have infinite use weapons and focus more on terrain and enemy stats themselves. It's more complicated than FE as a whole, but it shows game balance doesn't have to depend on weapons.

That said, IS has gradually been nerfing the importance of weapon weight and eventually got rid of it completely, and it made FE11 onwards lack any dynamics. Awakening showed FE's game balance at it's worst pretty much (Forged Brave weapons EVERYWHERE), so this is better than nothing.

[Pretty_Handsome]

Yes and it seems removing it has given them inspiration to try new things with weapons.

[Luninareph]

I like it a lot. "This weapon can't counter" or "this weapon can't double" is a more interesting footnote to me than "you can only use this weapon ten times." I'd rather have situations where certain weapons are better suited rather than trying to parcel out a use here and three uses there. Even if it ends up being implemented badly, I still like the concept better than the durability system.

[Cyan1456]

I'm quite fine with durability gone. In previous games, (and in franchises out of Fire Emblem too), I'd always hoard a bunch of strong or valuable items just in case one of them were to break, but what ends up happening is that I tend to push them off to the side in favor of using cheaper, but weaker items, so I never end up using them. (But I guess that's just my overly-preservative mindset working)

With this feature, I think it would make weapons a lot more flexible to use, and with the added bonus each weapon is said to grant their user, I'm positive that it'll allow some neat experimenting in the hands of multiple units.

Oh, and in relation to this, would staves and certain healing items have certain added quirks like weapons do in IF?

[ZomBurt]

I personally love that I don't need to buy 50 bronze swords just to train all my sword user's, now I can just pass it on to someone else. Also now Marx and lobster man's swords will never break! And man do their swords look sick.

[NekoKnight]

Some of the effects are interesting but I feel like item management is an important element of the series. I predict that a number of weapons will be so good, regardless of their debuffs, that they will still be used the majority of the time. Silvers and Warrior Weapons on high defense units will be very powerful.