FE14 Fire Emblem If Character Spotlight ~ Week #01: Tsubaki

[Xenomata]

Really? I've heard that Hinoka is one of the best mothers for Matoi and also gives her Lance Fighter as a better alternate.

In terms of stat modifications, Matoi is getting very little from Hinoka.

Str 1

Mag 0

Skl 2

Spd 0

Luk 0

Def 3

Res 2

Yeah her Strength, Speed, and Resistance are patched up, but the stats that Tsubaki capitalizes on (Skill and Defense) are left unaltered, and Magic is left alone completely. In terms of classes, I'm sure that there is nothing wrong with Lance Fighter classes, but Hinoka!Matoi I feel doesn't really give much of anything Matoi would really want. In my opinion, it is easier to focus on Matoi's magical ability than her physical, which if going by the logic that "large area of mobility", makes Felicia a great mother for Matoi if you don't wish to give Matoi Dark Falcon.

Looking at her stats, like I said before, Felicia doesn't do much for her stat mods. Magic, Skill, and Defense are all left at 3, Resistance is left at 1, Strength is left at -2, and Speed/Luck are left at a clean 0. Since Felicia gives the Rod Knight classline and Matoi can Buddy Seal with Mitama or Syalla, Matoi can be left in Strategist and become a more than capable offensive threat AND Staff user. Of course, Dark Falcon is a viable choice to, but I checked this assuming that you aren't giving Matoi Dark Falcon, so MAYBE there is a better mother for Matoi to have if going Dark Falcon...

How about we start moving on to Tsubaki's supports and personality, such as the fact he was drilled to be perfect and sees himself as a perfectionist.

He couldn't sound more like Cordelia if he gave birth to Corde- oh wait.

I mean, Cordelia was mostly doing it to herself, but while I can't quite remember clearly, it felt like she was feeling some level of pressure from the Pegasus Knights before Plegia killed the ones Cordelia was close to.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Xenomata

[astrophys]

In terms of stat modifications, Matoi is getting very little from Hinoka.

Str 1

Mag 0

Skl 2

Spd 0

Luk 0

Def 3

Res 2

Yeah her Strength, Speed, and Resistance are patched up, but the stats that Tsubaki capitalizes on (Skill and Defense) are left unaltered, and Magic is left alone completely. In terms of classes, I'm sure that there is nothing wrong with Lance Fighter classes, but Hinoka!Matoi I feel doesn't really give much of anything Matoi would really want. In my opinion, it is easier to focus on Matoi's magical ability than her physical, which if going by the logic that "large area of mobility", makes Felicia a great mother for Matoi if you don't wish to give Matoi Dark Falcon.

Well, I admit that I was hyped on Hinoka!Matoi at first because of "redhead waifu bias" and also placing a high value on the ability of Hinoka to pass down her Lance Fighter class to a kid instead of the Pegasus Warrior. That and higher growths +Dragon's Vein.

Although considering Shephen's arguments and reflecting on things, Oboro might be a better choice, both from practicality but also from stat mods:

Oboro!Matoi

Str 1 [same as Hinoka!Matoi]

Mag 0 [same as Hinoka!Matoi]

Skl 4 [+2 compared to Hinoka!Matoi; punctuates Tsubaki's SKL mods]

Spd 0 [same as Hinoka!Matoi; both fix SPD]

Luk -1 [-1 from Hinoka!Matoi; overlaps with Tsubaki's LCK weakness]

Def 5 [+2 compared to Hinoka!Matoi; punctuates Tsubaki's DEF mods]

Res -1 [-3 compared to Hinoka!Matoi; overlaps with Tsubaki's RES weakness]

So Oboro!Matoi has a bit more min-maxed stats, I suppose, with the stats that were focused on by Tsubaki (SKL, DEF) stronger and some of his weaker stats [Lck, RES] weaker.

Lance Fighter actually can help her with her magic, as a tree….. Lancefaire gives her +5 damage with Lances, including the Shinrai Naginata (Shockstick). Basara has a higher base magic stat than does Falcon Warrior [5 vs. 4] and equal growths, so it will also always be at least 1 magic ahead of Falcon Warrior; Basara can use actual spells/tomes too. EDIT: But its also slower and gives different pair-up bonuses, so there's that…

And even if you don't go magic, its an easy reclass that preserves weapon rank.

Note that Matoi's natural growth rate is 15% magic by default. Her strength growth rate is 35% by default. She also has something like 8 as a personal base Str but only 3 as a personal base magic. So Matoi naturally leans towards STR for in-mage usage. Even if you give her a heavily magic mother, the highest she'd ever reach growth rate would be 40% or less [depending on how the calculations work], which is less than characters like Sakura, Nyx, Syalla, Orochi, Elise, +MAG Avatars (even +MAG/-LCK Avatars)….. although she does at least have Prodigy.

Edited October 20, 2015 by astrophys

[Shephen]

A thing to keep in mind with Magic on a peg is that you don't actually need a whole lot. Hinoka is pretty much the best shockstick user in the game for Hoshido, but she only has base 4 and a 15% growth as a peg(25% as a Falcon). The primary reason is because a forged shockstick(which happens after chapter 19) is 13 mt, same as a Silver Naginata, and Falcon knight gives +4 mag on promo. Enemy res isn't to high aside from Paladins, Maids, Adventurers, and Sorcerers. But being able to bop Generals, Great Knights, Wyvern Lords, and to an extent Beserkers.

[astrophys]

Hinoka is pretty much the best shockstick user in the game for Hoshido

Wouldn't this be some variants of Matoi once she's recruited? Yes, she has slightly less base magic, but they have identical (default) growths and Matoi gets Prodigy for +4 damage situationally, which should more than outweigh the magic difference. Plus, Matoi has multiple ways to get Lancefaire in the late game: Hinoka/Oboro as her mother, marrying a Lance Fighter male Avatar, marrying a Lance Fighter male Kanna, or marrying Shinonome.

[Duke of Dozel]

But in all honesty, the shock sticks' not that special anyway and with great naginatas such as a forged steel or Guard, it pretty much makes all pegasus in the game not named Sakura physical. Pairing Orochi with Tsubaki would give Matio the magic she needs at the cost of that disgusting -3 speed mod. At least she gives good pair up bonuses in magic, and Orochi would love Swallow Strike

[astrophys]

Well, if we assume [child + parent]/2 (unconfirmed), Tsubaki x Orochi would give her a 40% growth in magic, whereas Tsubaki x Hinoka would give her a 15% growth and Tsubaki x Oboro would give a 17.5 growth.

Now, 20/20 is that likely, so I'm told… maybe 20/15 is a better guess… I'll still use 20/20 anyways for convenience…. let's compare the lead each character gets form growths over the lowest of these examples, Hinoka!Matoi:

20/20 stats:

Orochi!Matoi: +7.25 MAG over Hinoka!Matoi

Oboro!Matoi: +0.725 MAG over Hinoka!Matoi

Hinoka!Matoi: +0 (used as a baseline)

But skills is also a point….. Orochi gives MAG+2, Oboro and Hinoka give Lancefaire, which is +5 damage (although you lose 0.1 x 2 at minimum for the two levels you must be a Holy Lancer to get it; loss of 0.4 is you spend all four in Holy Lancer instead of Basara; so that's a 4.6 - 4.8 damage gain; Orochi gains 2 from Mag+2, so Oboro/Hinoka can gain on her a bit.)

[Shephen]

Wouldn't this be some variants of Matoi once she's recruited? Yes, she has slightly less base magic, but they have identical (default) growths and Matoi gets Prodigy for +4 damage situationally, which should more than outweigh the magic difference. Plus, Matoi has multiple ways to get Lancefaire in the late game: Hinoka/Oboro as her mother, marrying a Lance Fighter male Avatar, marrying a Lance Fighter male Kanna, or marrying Shinonome.

The problem is Matoi may not exist for everybody so we can't really say she is the best when she may not exist for some players. Not everyone will use Baki or even pair Baki off so there is a pretty good chance Matoi won't exist.

But in all honesty, the shock sticks' not that special anyway and with great naginatas such as a forged steel or Guard, it pretty much makes all pegasus in the game not named Sakura physical. Pairing Orochi with Tsubaki would give Matio the magic she needs at the cost of that disgusting -3 speed mod. At least she gives good pair up bonuses in magic, and Orochi would love Swallow Strike

The Shockstick is pretty incredible since it is the only good 1-2 range option for Lances. Steel has the -3 to doubling which hurts enemy phase a bit and the Guard Naginata is still pretty weak when forged(only has +1mt on iron and 25 less hit). The mag isn't that big an issue because of mt of the shock stick is really good and Falcons get +4 and a growth increase. And mods don't matter for main game purposes since enemies don't get near caps.

[Duke of Dozel]

The problem is Matoi may not exist for everybody so we can't really say she is the best when she may not exist for some players. Not everyone will use Baki or even pair Baki off so there is a pretty good chance Matoi won't exist.

If you're focusing on tsubaki like this thread suggests, you're gonna want to maximize his potential, as well as go with pair ups. Hana and Rinkah are available right off the back for him.

But yeah, you can just forget about Matoi

[Xenomata]

And mods don't matter for main game purposes since enemies don't get near caps.

I know they typically don't make much, if any, difference, but they're much easier numbers to remember than the percentages that are growth rates, and typically maximum stat mods reflect the growth rate modifications of the unit, so usually it's a pretty good guess what the numbers look like, or if not exact then within the area.

One thing I would like to make light of, like I said earlier taking advantage of Tsubaki/Matoi's magic is easier to do than their strength, but while their personal growth rates do have higher Strength than Magic, a units personal growths and a classes growth rates are added together for the total growth rates of the unit, so it IS plausible to make either one more magical based without sacrificing anything: they will just have more chances to increase Strength than natural magic users like Orochi and Tsukuyomi.

Besides, we are talking about Fire Emblem here, a game which has to have seen more resets in a single title than all games combines, by the sheer influence of keeping units alive, forcing good level ups, and making sure thieves can't run off with treasure chest items (I've had that problem a few times when I first began playing Fire Emblem myself). Forcing Magic to level up on a unit who only has mediocre magic growths is something that players do when they're bored.