Well, I guess I'm done for now...

[Thane]

Duh, I've been saying I'm grinding.

Well, Jakob and Azura ended up that high leveled because their healing and singing abilities were very useful. I don't see what's wrong with that.

My units aren't THAT low leveled, come on... You act like I have nobody promoted. They're only somewhat underleveled. I had two challenges on my map, and I completed one of them. The other I keep failing at though, but mainly because I wasn't paying enough attention. Like, how come I didn't know until now that hammers are effective against Great Knights as well as Generals? That's just pathetic... (that I didn't know this, I mean)

I have no idea what the mess hall is supposed to do, so no thanks. I said I'd consider tonics. Forging weapons is a no since I don't have many resources. Just about every castle I go to has pretty much the same things, so I get a LOT of just a few resources and none of a whole bunch.

Come on man, you're always telling people to mind their tone, but now you're acting sassy towards people who are trying to help you.

[Anacybele]

Come on man, you're always telling people to mind their tone, but now you're acting sassy towards people who are trying to help you.

...Uh, what? Sorry, but I have no idea what you mean.

Also, of course they're trying to help. It just happens that people are suggesting mostly things that I can't/don't wish to do.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Anacybele

[Jave]

...Uh, what? Sorry, but I have no idea what you mean.

Also, of course they're trying to help. It just happens that people are suggesting mostly things that I can't/don't wish to do.

Well, you'll probably be stuck forever then.

I mean, I would suggest to unlock the Paralogues and do those for the extra EXP and items (you don't have to use the kids either way), but you'll probably say no to that as well.

[Aestury]

Duh, I've been saying I'm grinding.

Oh well sorry?

Well, Jakob and Azura ended up that high leveled because their healing and singing abilities were very useful. I don't see what's wrong with that.

There is nothing wrong with them being high leveled, the issue is that everyone else is at a lower level.

My units aren't THAT low leveled, come on... You act like I have nobody promoted. They're only somewhat underleveled. I had two challenges on my map, and I completed one of them. The other I keep failing at though, but mainly because I wasn't paying enough attention. Like, how come I didn't know until now that hammers are effective against Great Knights as well as Generals? That's just pathetic... (that I didn't know this, I mean)

At this point in the game they should at least be 5+, you're only a few chapters away from the final chapter.

I have no idea what the mess hall is supposed to do, so no thanks. I said I'd consider tonics. Forging weapons is a no since I don't have many resources. Just about every castle I go to has pretty much the same things, so I get a LOT of just a few resources and none of a whole bunch.

The mess halls allow for stat boosts to half your army, if you gave the cook wheat and milk you'd get a spd/def+ meal to half your army, with randomized flair to add extra boosts.

Responses in bold

[Anacybele]

Yeah, see, I don't have milk because hardly anyone plays Conquest. Nearly every castle I've visited is a Birthright castle.

5+ levels? Yeah, probably. That's going to take time to get...

Well, you'll probably be stuck forever then.

I mean, I would suggest to unlock the Paralogues and do those for the extra EXP and items (you don't have to use the kids either way), but you'll probably say no to that as well.

I guess I will be then. I don't really care. Normal mode shouldn't be this hard anyway. I like a challenge, don't get me wrong, I just don't like it when it's so hard that it makes me want to pull my hair out.

And yeah, I don't even want to recruit the kids, because I want to pretend they don't exist.

[Aestury]

Yeah, see, I don't have milk because hardly anyone plays Conquest. Nearly every castle I've visited is a Birthright castle.

I guess I will be then. I don't really care. Normal mode shouldn't be this hard anyway. I like a challenge, don't get me wrong, I just don't like it when it's so hard that it makes me want to pull my hair out.

There's a hoshido counterpart to milk. When you select the ingirdiants you want to give it should say at the bottom what it does.

Also normal mode is not very difficult, but to each their own I guess. taking use of all your resources would probably make the game a cakewalk, especially Hoshido.

[SaMaster14]

I haven't gotten there yet, just finished Ch 21. I've done a lot of grinding in the game, and also have just about all of the children. I found that many of the children are better than their parents and have been using them instead. Many of the children also came with the Seal that allows them to be promoted to a master class at level 4 (offspring seal). I'll have to report back once I make it to ch 24, but I've been having a pretty easy time so far. Also playing casual and I've never lost more than 1 or 2 characters in any chapter, and if I do, it's usually from a tactical error I made, not that the enemy was too strong.

Also, if you don't have many of the children yet, just scout for challenges and you can kill three birds with one stone, exp grind your units while gaining supports and creating children! haha

Good luck!

Edited February 29, 2016 by SaMaster14

[Fallaner]

The closer you are to Chapter 27, the higher the child will promote.

At chapter 27, they will promote to a level 18 promoted class.

I have milk in my Revelation save (along with a fully upgraded Mess Hall), if you want it, Anacy. That will probably help you out a bit. I can send the castle code to you if you want it.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Fallaner

[Aestury]

Also I forgot to mention this but are you by chance using the rating system instead of showing the units stats? Thats also a very huge thing that can keep you back.

[Anacybele]

I haven't gotten there yet, just finished Ch 21. I've done a lot of grinding in the game, and also have just about all of the children. I found that many of the children are better than their parents and have been using them instead. Many of the children also came with the Seal that allows them to be promoted to a master class at level 4 (offspring seal). I'll have to report back once I make it to ch 24, but I've been having a pretty easy time so far. Also playing casual and I've never lost more than 1 or 2 characters in any chapter, and if I do, it's usually from a tactical error I made, not that the enemy was too strong.

Also, if you don't have many of the children yet, just scout for challenges and you can kill three birds with one stone, exp grind your units while gaining supports and creating children! haha

Good luck!

I've said multiple times already that I don't want to get any children. I shouldn't HAVE to use them anyway since they're supposed to be optional. I'm not playing casual either, I'm playing classic, like I always do.

There's a hoshido counterpart to milk. When you select the ingirdiants you want to give it should say at the bottom what it does.

Also normal mode is not very difficult, but to each their own I guess. taking use of all your resources would probably make the game a cakewalk, especially Hoshido.

Oh, there is? Huh, that's nice to know, thanks. I wanted to use my resources, but I keep finding that I don't have enough...

I think once or twice I looked at ratings... I didn't know they were helpful. Thanks again.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Anacybele

[eclipse]

Go to the Mess Hall, and scroll down through the ingredients. Since you're on Hoshido, here's what you can get:

Fish - Speed

Daikon - Resistance

Peach - Magic

Rice - Defense?

Beans - Strength?

(I may have reversed Rice and Beans, but I'm absolutely certain on the rest)

From there, you can choose to cook stuff. For Chapter 24, I went with Defense/Defense (as I had some Nohr ingredients). Pair that with tonics, and it should help to alleviate the damage a little bit. Though only once per turn, Azura's song should also give your units some much-needed stats.

If you want to do this no pair-up, good luck with that (not being sarcastic, it really is difficult). You'll want to position your hidden weapon users carefully, so that you can use them as attack stance partners to soften up the enemies. Then, you can have someone more competent take the kill.

[Skarthe]

Fish - Speed

Daikon - Resistance

Peach - Magic

Rice - Defense?

Beans - Strength?

(I may have reversed Rice and Beans, but I'm absolutely certain on the rest)

Nah, you got it right.

[Jave]

I've said multiple times already that I don't want to get any children. I shouldn't HAVE to use them anyway since they're supposed to be optional. I'm not playing casual either, I'm playing classic, like I always do.

You could switch to Casual if you're really stuck. You can still reset if someone dies, but you get the option of saving at the beginning of a turn.

[Anacybele]

I know, but I prefer classic.

And yeah, I'm pretty sure rice is defense because rice is what I have and Lilith kept getting defense every time I fed it to her.

But thanks for the tips. I guess maybe until now, pair-up isn't very good and then suddenly it becomes helpful given how many people are suggesting it. I guess I have no choice...

[Thor Odinson]

Pairup simply isn't ridiculous anymore, but it's still very good and very helpful, especially since the enemy can and will attack stance you. It's still a strict boost to stats as well. I mean, Any Onmyoji will give +4/+4 mag/spd to their partner, and that itself can boost say, Saizo (my mage of choice) over doubling thresholds while also boosting damage and that can spell the difference between a 3RKO and an ORKO.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Thor Odinson

[eclipse]

Another plus to pairing up is that any blocked attack (ten shields) nets experience for the pair-up partner. So if you have someone that's about to die, and can't heal them, use them as a pair-up partner on someone who's front and center.

I THINK supports influence how many stats you get on pair-up. I know I turned Rinkah into Something Decent thanks to Silas.

[Skarthe]

I THINK supports influence how many stats you get on pair-up. I know I turned Rinkah into Something Decent thanks to Silas.

This is correct. Stats from Guard Stance are the sum of the character's personal Guard Stance bonus and the bonus from their class; support level increases the personal bonus.

[Xaos Steel Wing]

I noticed that Chapter 24 Birthright was significantly more difficult than the previous several chapters which were rather easy. I love it. It really made think.

Staying out of enemy range and forming a strong defensive formation to start with then choosing the appropriate moment to move out is crucial. Then you have the constantly respawning wyvrens to keep you on your toes. At least the boss isn't too hard.

I really enjoy the chapters that make me think to develop a strategy.

[Avalanche]

I know your adverse to using the kids, but would you mind just doing their Paralogues? There are some that are nice for the Exp, especially now that your late game. Jakob's sons in particular is nice, since you can kill the boss on turn 1, so you can control when you want to end the map.

[Anacybele]

I wouldn't mind doing the paralogues if some of them didn't automatically recruit kids upon beating them. And besides that, I've only unlocked two, those being Kana's and Sophie's.

I have actually gotten a lot of supports though, particularly a lot of C and B ones.

Also, who the hell makes Saizo a magic user? His magic is as bad as that of anyone else who isn't magic-based. He only has 10 magic in my game yet 22 strength.

[Skarthe]

Also, who the hell makes Saizo a magic user? His magic is as bad as that of anyone else who isn't magic-based. He only has 10 magic in my game yet 22 strength.

Saizo actually has a 45% personal Mag growth to 50% Str.

[Anacybele]

Huh. Well, he must've gotten kind of magic screwed for me...

[PuffPuff]

The Hoshido endgame is when you should start getting 1-2 turn clears by just assassinating the boss straight away.

Not forgetting the S ranked weapons either since you cannot obtain S ranked weapons in the weapons DLC episode.

No, I hardly use pair-up because I felt it got nerfed to hell in this game. I mean, I wanted it to be nerfed just like pretty much everyone else on this forum did, but I didn't want it to be nerfed THAT much. Now I see that units don't dual-strike or dual-guard when you pair them up, only if they're just standing right next to each other. At least this is how it's been going for me. And the dual-strikes and dual-guards have been really handy. I only use pair-up to protect a weaker unit if necessary.

Simply put, pair-up sucks now and feels pointless to me.

It did get nerfed. It no longer triggers during a support level.

It now only happens all the time with...

http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/Guard_Stance

this...

Seeing this...they are right. As doing this will negate attack stances that they do which always will get blocked! Of course it's even greater if you have the lv25 skill of the Lodester class which you can get in the free episode, so this point is valid! Any that are paid...well are not.

I always did find that map unnecessarily hard; Birthright is supposed to be the easier route, but this one feels harder than many chapters in Conquest. I simply don't understand what happened there.

Not to mention that the skirmishes are even more dangerous in their late game chapters as they are often packed with deadly skills. But...have to deal with since your EXP gains will suck if you don't.

I just finished Conquest on Hard. I would have lost if it weren't for Guard Stance. I accidentally placed Soleil in Takumi's bow range, then Takumi initiated the battle and would have one-shot Soleil (she's a Falcon Knight).

So Guard Stance/Dual Guard is not pointless! It is very useful for tanking or for stacking speed. It helped a lot in the Endgame chapter.

And note, not having Guard Stance would allow the enemies to Dual Attack on your unit.

Giving you attack and Duel Guard skill as well that Takumi has which is nerfed since it gives this to foes as well.

Sure, that's true, but I don't see a single reason for you to be so condescending about it.

Yes, Pair Up is insanely useful, and the stat boosts alone would be worth it. It also negates Tag Teams. However, if you really don't like it, then just try some more.

I also dislike it when people suggest grinding just because it's Birthright and not Conquest. It's not exactly like people utterly abuse extra opportunities just because they aren't playing Conquest.

You can't anyway. EXP by level system.

Um, they ARE higher leveled than Azura and Jakob. You seem to be forgetting that I have those units promoted...

I refuse to use any child units. I don't like them being in the game at all.

They did get carried away with that system. But...it will suck if all future games end up like that.

Yeah, see, I don't have milk because hardly anyone plays Conquest. Nearly every castle I've visited is a Birthright castle.

5+ levels? Yeah, probably. That's going to take time to get...

I guess I will be then. I don't really care. Normal mode shouldn't be this hard anyway. I like a challenge, don't get me wrong, I just don't like it when it's so hard that it makes me want to pull my hair out.

And yeah, I don't even want to recruit the kids, because I want to pretend they don't exist.

I did state sometime ago that this game's mechanics are set to make this a harder game than anything else. Other than Thracia, I haven't seen no other Fire Emblem game being this difficult.

Let's see...some

-EXP gains are reduced as you level up as it is done entirely by level.

-Certain skills and weapons are nerfed.

-You have no way to cancel out Poison strike.

-HP growths are badly nerfed.

-HP caps are badly nerfed.

-Caps are lower.

-No more than one draining skill can activate.

-Counter no longer triggers during opposite phase.

-Growth rates are about halved overall.

-----

If you don't pair up some troops, the enemies that are paired will be a problem.

Edited February 29, 2016 by PuffPuff

[Avalanche]

I wouldn't mind doing the paralogues if some of them didn't automatically recruit kids upon beating them. And besides that, I've only unlocked two, those being Kana's and Sophie's.

I have actually gotten a lot of supports though, particularly a lot of C and B ones.

Also, who the hell makes Saizo a magic user? His magic is as bad as that of anyone else who isn't magic-based. He only has 10 magic in my game yet 22 strength.

I don't think any of them will just not recruit themselves, but I think you can let some of them they come as NPCs die? I never really tried tbh. If it's really that big a sticking point for you, I agree that Guard Stance is a life saver and shouldn't be underestimated. It saved my butt plenty and I beat Birthright on Normal too.

[Chaotix]

I got through most of Hoshido using mostly Attack Stance and maybe only pair up a couple of times for tough enemies.

But around the time where I got to the chapter that Anacybele is struggling with, I realized that not-paired up units just weren't cutting it any more. The Nohrian units (especially the Berserkers) have Strength much too high for Birthright's flimsy characters to handle if you don't use Guard Stance. Sure it's not as good as it was in Awakening, but in my experience it is absolutely crucial if you don't want to die. Being able to avoid every single enemy Dual Strike is just as useful, if not more so, than the extra block you get when the shield meter fills up.

From that chapter until the final chapter and endgame my standard procedure was to have all of my units paired up except for a couple of healers.

I highly suggest you give it a try; after a certain point not even grinding is going to save you, because your experience gains will drop off around the same level as that chapter's enemies. But Guard Stance will absolutely save you if you use it correctly.