Opinions on Branching and Personalized Promotions in Fire Emblem

[Robert Stewart]

See topic title/poll. Do you prefer promotions to be branching or linear? Also, what do you think of characters having a unique promoted class à la FE4/5? Of course, if your opinions are more complicated, please elaborate.

Some definitions for clarity:

-Branching promotions refers to instances where characters have a choice between two or more classes upon promoting. E.g. FE8, FE13.

-Linear promotions are where characters don't have a choice upon promotion. e.g. FE1-7, 9-10.

-Personalized promotions are where two characters of the same class don't share the same promoted class. For instance, in FE4 Ayra and Holyn are both Myrmidons, but they promote to Swordmaster and Hero respectively.

[Fire Emblem Fan]

I generally prefer linear promotions. I feel that it makes it more unique, and I feel that branching promotions don't fit every character. However, I do like the branched promotions in The Sacred Stones, I think that handled branching promotions well. I do appreciate and like the variety and resulting gameplay impacts of the branches in Awakening, but at the same time I feel that a lot of it doesn't make sense. For instance, why would Panne be Wyvern Rider? That doesn't make sense to me.

As for personalized promotions, yeah I like them. The Lord characters already have those, right? Lyn has Blade Lord, Ike has Vanguard, etc. I don't think every character should have them though, only a very select few. It makes those characters a little more unique.

[Robert Stewart]

For instance, why would Panne be Wyvern Rider? That doesn't make sense to me.

Oh, I should clarify, I'm just talking about promoting, not reclassing. That's a whole other can of worms topic.

[Solkia]

I feel like giving a player choices is never a bad thing.

[Fire Emblem Fan]

Oh, I should clarify, I'm just talking about promoting, not reclassing. That's a whole other can of worms topic.

Ah, right. Sorry.

[Shadow Mir]

I prefer branching promotions, though personally, I thought Sacred Stones did it poorly. Personalized promotions, though, not so much, aside from Lords.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Levant Colthearts

[Dwlr]

I can't answer the latter having only played the English releases, but I like to keep my characters in their native classes even if there is a better option so I preferred linear since to me that was what they were supposed to end up as. In the end I like my units to be 'unique' and anything that adds to that uniqueness would be a plus in my book even if they had to say pick one skill (that the other character can learn themselves) from each character they can A rank or something leaving units with low support options with low skill options, that'd be preferable to me.

[maybe]

i prefer branching promotions because choices are nice

personalized promotions are a pretty cool idea, although I'd only really like it if I knew ahead of time what they promoted to

also, one more thing you could mention is the fe9 promotions

they were generally not very good since there would pretty much always be one better than the others (seriously who gives a mage a knife), but it could be done better

[Robert Stewart]

also, one more thing you could mention is the fe9 promotions

they were generally not very good since there would pretty much always be one better than the others (seriously who gives a mage a knife), but it could be done better

Aw, drat. I knew I was forgetting something. Other than item-based promotions.

Tbh I wanted to keep things simple rather than having separate options for every edge case in the history of FE.

[Gradivus.]

Linear because branched promotions are usually inclined towards one option more than the other.

And yes to personalized ones, although I think it should only be done for lords (FE5 Lara is kind of neat too), because optional units getting promoted way later than the rest usually gimps them more than it helps. Gender-based differences in weapon( rank)s is a cool idea though imo.

[Robert Stewart]

And yes to personalized ones, although I think it should only be done for lords (FE5 Lara is kind of neat too), because optional units getting promoted way later than the rest usually gimps them more than it helps.

Uh, having a special promoted class doesn't necessarily mean getting promoted later, though? Using the example I gave in the OP, Holyn and Ayra can both promote when they reach lv20.

[Azz]

I don't mind branching promotions, but I much prefer them to be linear.

I do like personal promotions. It gives you a reason to use characters of the same base class.

[secondworld]

Branching promotions for sure, more opinions and more replayability. People argue that one option is usually better than the other as a negative about it, but I don't really see why that's such a big deal? If one option is clearly better and you prefer linear promotions then aren't you just going to pick that one option every time anyway? Besides, one choice just being better is really indicative of class imbalance, and every FE has that, linear promotions or otherwise.

Yeah I like personal promotions. Adds more uniqueness to the different characters. I think it could actually help character balance if used properly.

[Gradivus.]

Using the example I gave in the OP, Holyn and Ayra can both promote when they reach lv20.

Sort of just posted immediately and didn't read anything, I was thinking about classes being unique to a character. Personally, I don't mind the concept you mentioned, but I don't really care much for it either. Probably because I have yet to make any real use of it.

People argue that one option is usually better than the other as a negative about it

I'd just rather add the comparatively worse class in an individual class tree than tacking it on an unpromoted class that doesn't need it. I prefer (for example) Cavs always going Paladin and Axe Knights always going Great Knight over Cavs having both options and almost always choosing Paladin anyway.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Gradivus.

[Agro]

Personalised promotions were/are cool but I do feel like they are things that belong to the Judgral saga. Especially in FE5, where unit function is tied heavily to story function (for the most part).

[LB44]

Personalised, branching promotions would be the bestest

Branched promotions are what I would prefer as for the most part they stay related to what the unit started out as in the first place, and it also provides at least one more playthrough (if you don't reclass, or are playing SS at least).

But really, I don't mind any of the options because its always good to change up the way things are done every few games and favouring one method over the other isn't really a huge factor that deters most people from enjoying fire emblem anyways.

[NekoKnight]

Branching and non-personal (barring special characters such as the lord, dancer, etc) promotions for me. As someone said above, I like having choices and it improves replayability. I would like it, however, if each base class had a unique promotion, such as Swordmasters being unique to Mymidons.

[Enaluxeme]

I would love a Fire Emblem with fixed personalized promotions.

Like 2 mercenaries, one promoting to hero and the other promoting to arch knight, the pegasus sisters promoting in Falco knight, Seraph knight and Dark flier and so on.

[Jotari]

Damn, why didn't I see this thread earlier. I love branched promotions. It adds so much variability into the game at so little cost. I dream of a Fire Emblem that gives me branched promotions split over three tiers. Just think of the possibilities.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Jotari

[Axie]

the first fire emblem to give us branched AND personalised promotions will surely dethrone fe6 as my favourite. there would be so many possibilities <3

[X-Naut]

Personally I'd like to see one standard option while the second "branch" is a personal option available under... specific means. For now I'll say using a Master Seal to promote when promotion by hitting the level cap is possible and Master Seals are finite and rare.

[Kyea]

I definitely like the options that branching promotion gives. As far as personalized promotions go, yes I guess? In general I like more options, but I've never played FE 4 / FE 5. I did like the different variations of Lord in FE 7 though.