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So... Which route do you prefer?


Which route do you prefer?  

39 members have voted

  1. 1. Eirika or Ephraim?

    • Eirika
      22
    • Ephraim
      17


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I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, but I can't seem to find a current topic about it and I'm having trouble picking between the siblings for my run. So once and for all, which route do you prefer?

Edited by MissShake
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Eirika's route is easier comparatively and shows more background of the characters (like Joshua).

Ephraim's is harder, but tells more about future events.

...I like Ephraim as a character better, so going with Ephraim.

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Eirika's route has better plot while Ephraim's route has more challenging and interesting map design.

Also I mainly go for Eirika's route because of Joshua's and Cormag's special conversation with Caellach and Valter and the fact that she needs more training than Ephraim. Even an untrained Ephraim can catch up fast and easily in chapter 15.

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Eirika. I find the story quite a bit better. Almost every character has a more sensible/narratively satisfying reason for joining on Eirika's route (particularly Gerik and co. and Cormag), or at least equal in cases like L'Arachel. The main advantage Ephraim route has is a different take on Lyon which is very neat and absolutely makes both routes 100% worth playing even if the gameplay differences didn't.

People often say that Ephraim route is harder but I don't really see it myself; they seem about equal to me. And for actual map design I think Ephraim 11 is probably the worst-designed map in the game.

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I much prefer Lyon's characterisation in Eirika's to Ephraim's; he comes across as an idiot to me in Ephraim's.

I prefer the characters you get in Eirika's; Saleh and Innes are much more interesting to me than Duessel and Knoll (though I'll give Knoll the award for best aesthetic design of the four). Eirika's route taking a small detour to deal with Carcino was cool in my opinion, and the level where you raid Jehanna's palace is excellent.

So yeah, put me down for Eirika's.

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Eirika's. I like her much more as a character (considering shes my favorite lady lord) and the Jehanne arc is A+ goodshit.txt. Ephraim's maps are kinda fun and a bit challenging, but he comes off as a bullheaded prat that can do no wrong, and the story seems to have less heart on his route. The only thing i really like about Ephraim's route is the more thorough explanation as to why Lyon wanted to use the Stone of Grado so badly.

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Ephraim.

The maps require a lot more thought, except the two that are outright unfair (9 and 14, the former due to not having Restore staves for sale, and the latter because of the sheer number of status staves, never mind the boss). However, Lyon has a spine, something that was sorely lacking in Eir's route. As for the twins, I'm equally apathetic towards them.

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They require different strategies. For example, you really want to steal the Pure Water in Chapter 7 if you go Ephraim route, while Eir doesn't really care about it.

EDIT: And your sig is literally two pixels over SF's sig length limit, but I think it would be one of the lamest warns I've ever given. . .so crop a couple when you can!

Edited by eggclipse
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EDIT: And your sig is literally two pixels over SF's sig length limit, but I think it would be one of the lamest warns I've ever given. . .so crop a couple when you can!

Haha, done! I dunno how I missed the dimension limits, maybe I shouldn't make edits when it's two in the morning X)

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Eirika's route has the better story from chapters 9 to 15, but Ephraim's route has the better story from chapters 16 to endgame. In particular, Lyon is a much more interesting character in Ephraim's route than Eirika's.

And for me, the endgame and the main villain are more important, so I vote Ephraim.

Besides, almost all of the plot points of Eirika's route are at least hinted at in Ephraim's: In particular, Glen's death and Joshua's secret identity are both mentioned in chapter 15.

Edited by Paper Jam
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I've always picked Ephraim's, so I've never tried Eirika's. I hate Eirika as a character and I love Ephraim. Eirika is just so naive and idiotic it's dumb. Ephraim, meanwhile, is a badass and effective and awesome leader. Plus, his battle animations, man.

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Plus, Lyon's more realistic on that route than in Ephraim's.

I disagree. Going insane from a sudden increase of power (as Lyon clearly did in Ephraim's route) seems pretty realistic to me, even without outright demonic possession.

Edited by Paper Jam
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I'll start off with this. Both are definitely worth playing. You're missing a hefty chunk of FE8 if you only play one route and then never look at the game again.

Personally I prefer Eirika's route because I like her as a character, she can already realistically have supports at this point ((you can have Ephraim support Kyle/Forde at C but that's nothing on Eirika)), and the maps are better. But really the Ephraim route isn't awful in comparison. Yeah, it feels a little more forced and the maps aren't as good, but I'd definitely play Ephraim's route at least once too.

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IMO Lyon's basically the same character on both routes, you're just seeing different sides of him. So... yeah, you're missing out in a big way if you only play one route, I don't think you can properly understand him without seeing both. Not to mention missing out on six maps! And some of 'em are quite cool whichever route we're talking about.

Even if you really dislike one of the lords you're doing yourself a disservice to not try both at some point (assuming you like the game enough to play it twice or more of course).

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Eirika, generally, although I try to switch it up and go Ephraim from time to time. I just like the chapters more, honestly, although that might be partly because I still have a lot of residual bitterness towards Phantom Ship from my childhood.

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Ephraim. I like Ephraim himself I feel he's one of the better lords in the series. I also like a lot the music in his maps, the challenge, and the idea that while Eirika was achieving little of relevance on her maps Ephraim conquered Grado before even promoting.

I didn't felt the Phantom ship was unfair or hard at all. You just got Duessel two maps ago, use him! He takes no speed penalty from Steel Axes and tanks very well. You can always unequip him to make him a decoy or a choke point.

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Ephraim. I like Ephraim himself I feel he's one of the better lords in the series. I also like a lot the music in his maps, the challenge, and the idea that while Eirika was achieving little of relevance on her maps Ephraim conquered Grado before even promoting.

I didn't felt the Phantom ship was unfair or hard at all. You just got Duessel two maps ago, use him! He takes no speed penalty from Steel Axes and tanks very well. You can always unequip him to make him a decoy or a choke point.

Phantom Ship isn't hard but it is one of the worst maps in the game. The initial skeleton rush is one of the most braindead uses of enemy placement I have ever seen (and as you note just encourages brainless use of Duessel or some other PC who can play a similar role), and then after that the map just tries to kill you with reinforcements from the fog that you aren't aware of ganging up on someone.

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