"Ask Fire Emblem Heroes Questions and Get Them Answered Here" Thread

[Junkhead]

Is there any real value to running a "in the middle" type of unit? You know, not exactly a full-on glass canon 1RKO machine (which seems to be the direction the meta is heading) or a tanky character that can just tank hits? I feel like if you're not exactly super fast, you're kind of forced to run either Braves or Triangle Adept + super strong weapon.

Edited June 28, 2017 by Soul~!

[DehNutCase]

22 minutes ago, Soul~! said:

Is there any real value to running a "in the middle" type of unit? You know, not exactly a full-on glass canon 1RKO machine (which seems to be the direction the meta is heading) or a tanky character that can just tank hits? I feel like if you're not exactly super fast, you're kind of forced to run either Braves or Triangle Adept + super strong weapon.

That depends on what you consider 'in the middle,' Camus' stat spread is pretty much on the level of only slightly above average in hp/atk/spd/def and very below average (one of the lowest in the game) for res, yet he's very good. Move, say, 6-8 of those stats from hp/atk/spd/def to res, and you have almost a perfectly average unit, yet he'd still be decent. Just imagine Camilla with Minerva or Hector's Prf, for example. She'd be pretty good even though her stat spread is basically the definition of 'perfectly average.' The reason she's not very commonly used is because her base skill set stinks when you consider her stats---her brave weapon gimps her passable speed and atk, whereas, say, something like Silver would both make use of her good defensive speed tier and also allow doubles when attacking via Darting Blow.

Edit: Another example, imagine if Camilla had L&D and Minerva had Darting blow, while everything else stayed the same. Suddenly Camilla just got a lot better as a low investment, yet very good brave unit, while Minerva remains decent thanks to her absurd bulk, passable offenses, and excellent Prf. Camilla is the textbook definition, almost, of 'gimped by starting skillset.'

 

Low speed is a entire separate issue from being average, since 'average' speed should be around 28-32, and that's a decent defensive speed tier: Everyone who can double you either deals pitiful damage or are glass cannons even an 'average' unit can KO without issue. If you're below average in speed, you better hope your speed is very below average so your stat spread is min-maxed enough to compensate for only hitting once per combat, and getting doubled in most fights.

Edited June 28, 2017 by DehNutCase

[SatsumaFSoysoy]

10 minutes ago, DehNutCase said:

That depends on what you consider 'in the middle,' Camus' stat spread is pretty much on the level of only slightly above average in hp/atk/spd/def and very below average (one of the lowest in the game) for res, yet he's very good. Move, say, 6-8 of those stats from hp/atk/spd/def to res, and you have almost a perfectly average unit, yet he'd still be decent. Just imagine Camilla with Minerva or Hector's Prf, for example. She'd be pretty good even though her stat spread is basically the definition of 'perfectly average.' The reason she's not very commonly used is because her base skill set stinks when you consider her stats---her brave weapon gimps her passable speed and atk, whereas, say, something like Silver would both make use of her good defensive speed tier and also allow doubles when attacking via Darting Blow.

Edit: Another example, imagine if Camilla had L&D and Minerva had Darting blow, while everything else stayed the same. Suddenly Camilla just got a lot better as a low investment, yet very good brave unit, while Minerva remains decent thanks to her absurd bulk, passable offenses, and excellent Prf. Camilla is the textbook definition, almost, of 'gimped by starting skillset.'

 

Low speed is a entire separate issue from being average, since 'average' speed should be around 28-32, and that's a decent defensive speed tier: Everyone who can double you either deals pitiful damage or are glass cannons even an 'average' unit can KO without issue If you're below average in speed, you better hope your speed is very below average so your stat spread is min-maxed enough to compensate for only hitting once per combat, and getting doubled in most fights.

Though, doesn't Camus get sort of carried by Gradivus and being Cavalry? Maybe Gradivus isn't absolutely vital, but I feel like being a Cav is a huge plus, such that an infantry version of him wouldn't perform nearly as well.

Every time I have to download a patch, and see that Camilla's sprite in that screen is holding a Silver Axe, I cri.

[DehNutCase]

Just now, SatsumaFSoysoy said:

Though, doesn't Camus get sort of carried by Gradivus and being Cavalry? Maybe Gradivus isn't absolutely vital, but I feel like being a Cav is a huge plus, such that an infantry version of him wouldn't perform nearly as well.

Every time I have to download a patch, and see that Camilla's sprite in that screen is holding a Silver Axe, I cri.

Prf carry everyone---Hector wouldn't be half as good with a Silver Axe. +1 Atk and a free skill-slot is absurd. Being Cavalry doesn't matter as much because fliers have more BST and access to buffs that are just as good. I use Camus without having any horse specific buffs at all---rest of my team is a flier and 2 infantry---yet his spread still does work.

Camus has: Good spread, good prf, good color (blue is the best color because red is the biggest color and green the smallest). Him being good is a combination of all of these things going for him, rather than any one particular aspect 'carrying' him. Just look at Sully or Jagen, for example, being on a horse is not going to carry those two out of being bad.

[mcsilas]

Is there anyone who would want to use Clarisse's Bow?

Maybe Niles because of Killer Bow's low might? Although he likes the burst damage from Iceberg. What about Setsuna or maybe Rebecca to go with her Seal Attack?

[mcsilas]

meh double

Edited June 28, 2017 by mcsilas

[JSND Alter Dragon Boner]

1 hour ago, SatsumaFSoysoy said:

Though, doesn't Camus get sort of carried by Gradivus and being Cavalry? Maybe Gradivus isn't absolutely vital, but I feel like being a Cav is a huge plus, such that an infantry version of him wouldn't perform nearly as well.

Every time I have to download a patch, and see that Camilla's sprite in that screen is holding a Silver Axe, I cri.

Honestly i feel like a generic unit with Camus spread would be pretty ok-ish. 32/33 offensive spec on Horse is equal to 34/35 which make him a solid Brave Lancer

[Junkhead]

Isn't Triangle Adept kind of moot, on Sanaki? I find she 2HKO's an important amount, and just about seals the deal on color advantage if you give her another form of Atk boost (in my case, L&D). Triangle Adept also completely destroys her ability to deal damage against the opposing color, which she doesn't do terrible against unless they have a ton of Res.

[SatsumaFSoysoy]

24 minutes ago, Soul~! said:

Isn't Triangle Adept kind of moot, on Sanaki? I find she 2HKO's an important amount, and just about seals the deal on color advantage if you give her another form of Atk boost (in my case, L&D). Triangle Adept also completely destroys her ability to deal damage against the opposing color, which she doesn't do terrible against unless they have a ton of Res.

It sort of depends on the rest of your team. If you run Raudhraven (a pretty good idea since Cymbeline isn't that good aside from 16 Might), Triangle Adept allows you to reach absurd levels of firepower against both Green and Colorless. More importantly, it greatly reduces the damage Sanaki takes from those two colors to negligible/nonexistent levels, which improves her sustain. Losing damage against Blue doesn't really hurt her, because she's not supposed to be fighting them anyway; when building your team, you're supposed to have a separate and dedicated Blue counter on board anyway. Some people build an entire team of three TAs with one Dancer and it works great.

Of course, if you don't find the need for this sustain (due to your team comp, or whatever reason), or you wish to run Cymbeline instead, Death Blow 3 is an alternative. L&D doesn't help her too much since her Spd doesn't get that much better, and she likes having huge Res.

[Rinco]

What is a good A skill for Xander?

I'm still with Armored Blow on him. I don't know if Fury is good with Quick Riposte, since it makes him fall out of QR faster.
I thought about Deathblow, but he has low speed and doesn't double, so it would only be +6 dmg on player phase.
Is Attack +3 viable? It would be +3 dmg on player phase and +3 (or +6, if QR is on) dmg on enemy phase.

[Ice Dragon]

1 hour ago, SatsumaFSoysoy said:

(a pretty good idea since Cymbeline isn't that good aside from 16 Might)

14 because it's ranged.

 

3 minutes ago, Rinco said:

What is a good A skill for Xander?

I'm still with Armored Blow on him. I don't know if Fury is good with Quick Riposte, since it makes him fall out of QR faster.
I thought about Deathblow, but he has low speed and doesn't double, so it would only be +6 dmg on player phase.
Is Attack +3 viable? It would be +3 dmg on player phase and +3 (or +6, if QR is on) dmg on enemy phase.

Fury or Triangle Adept.

For Fury, the 6 damage he takes after combat is the same 6 damage he takes from having 3 less Def or Res from a double attack. If you aren't getting double attacked, that's just 3 extra damage. He's not staying in Quick Riposte range for more than two rounds of combat regardless unless you're fighting a team of all axes.

Triangle Adept makes him demolish green units and helps shore up his low Res against green tomes at the cost of slightly weaker match-ups against red and colorless and much weaker match-ups against blue.

[mcsilas]

2 hours ago, Soul~! said:

Isn't Triangle Adept kind of moot, on Sanaki? I find she 2HKO's an important amount, and just about seals the deal on color advantage if you give her another form of Atk boost (in my case, L&D). Triangle Adept also completely destroys her ability to deal damage against the opposing color, which she doesn't do terrible against unless they have a ton of Res.

If you ever have to face Veronica again in Tempest Trials, Triangle Adept is excellent on Sanaki especially on Lunatic.

She shrugs off Veronica's attacks even with the inflated Lunatic stats (she can take 1 Bonfire hit at least if that skill activates).

[SatsumaFSoysoy]

7 minutes ago, Ice Dragon said:

14 because it's ranged.

Celica must be disappointed in me now.

[XRay]

5 hours ago, Soul~! said:

Is there any real value to running a "in the middle" type of unit? You know, not exactly a full-on glass canon 1RKO machine (which seems to be the direction the meta is heading) or a tanky character that can just tank hits? I feel like if you're not exactly super fast, you're kind of forced to run either Braves or Triangle Adept + super strong weapon.

My philosophy is to maximize wins in the calculator, and I only limit losses to the extent that it does not compromise my wins. The following are more opinions rather than "facts" since different builds may better suit different people's play styles.

I primarily run player phase glass cannons, with Xander, Camus, and Olivia being the only enemy phase units I use frequently. If you have a dancer and a lot of positioning Assists, glass cannons do not care about survival. Dancers and positioning Assists are there to allow allies to get out of enemy range, removing them from combat completely. In effect, they allow their allies to be "invincible," since if the enemies cannot get into combat with them, they cannot damage them at all.

My EP units are also more like one-use landmines than durable stone walls; they are built to counter kill as many types of enemies as possible in one round of combat rather than soaking damage. I do not find traditional tanks, ones that soak damage and do negligible damage, to be very useful outside of healers. In my opinion, it is safer to maximize kill count over survival, since enemies that survive have the potential to fully charge their Special and kill someone, and there is no point in using an EP unit against a color they are weak against in the first place. Enemies that EP units are weak against should be dealt with using glass cannons.

With that being said, however, if the team's glass cannons can handle everyone except a particular color or enemy, the EP unit should focus on countering that particular color or enemy with TA rather than Fury (which is more general purpose). You can also preferably use another glass cannon to counter that color or enemy.

As for balancing a unit between PP and EP, again I do not find that very useful since it makes PP units feel less "cannon," and EP units have no business in initiating combat unless there is no one dangerous they need to counter kill.

[Xenomata]

So what can Clarisse do that other Archers can't? It looks like she is inferior to Bridal Cordelia, Cordelia being able to utilize natures and trading bulk for power and speed compared to Clarisse's slightly bulkier but slower and less powerful build, and her weapon is a ranged Dark Breath, but that's about the only thing setting her apart from everyone else. I can only really think she is a crippler over all else, maybe give her a Seal skill in place of Poison Strike and possibly Death or Darting Blow to ensure she can weaken or kill the enemy as best possible, but I'm not really sure otherwise.

I'd like to utilize one of these Grand Hero units one day, but the only one I'm slightly interested in is Legion and Clarisse, both whom seem outclassed by other units.

[XRay]

30 minutes ago, Xenomata said:

So what can Clarisse do that other Archers can't? It looks like she is inferior to Bridal Cordelia, Cordelia being able to utilize natures and trading bulk for power and speed compared to Clarisse's slightly bulkier but slower and less powerful build, and her weapon is a ranged Dark Breath, but that's about the only thing setting her apart from everyone else. I can only really think she is a crippler over all else, maybe give her a Seal skill in place of Poison Strike and possibly Death or Darting Blow to ensure she can weaken or kill the enemy as best possible, but I'm not really sure otherwise.

I'd like to utilize one of these Grand Hero units one day, but the only one I'm slightly interested in is Legion and Clarisse, both whom seem outclassed by other units.

Legion has nice stats, but he is melee ranged. He is not bad, but I prefer ranged units. There is nothing special about Clarisse besides her bow.

Both are outclassed, but that does not mean they are not usable. If you really like those characters, there is nothing wrong with prioritizing them over others out of favoritism.

[Robert Stewart]

How valuable/useful would a Panic Ploy + Clarisse's Bow Virion be? I have a friend who's a really big Virion fan that's thinking this build would be very useful, but to me it seems like it's rather situational. So I came here to get advice from the experts.

[Vaximillian]

2 hours ago, Xenomata said:

It looks like she is inferior to Bridal Cordelia…

But every other archer and many ranged units at all are inferior to Bridal Cordelia.

[Vaximillian]

2 hours ago, Xenomata said:

It looks like she is inferior to Bridal Cordelia…

But every other archer and many ranged units at all are inferior to Bridal Cordelia.

[Xenomata]

21 minutes ago, Vaximillian said:

But every other archer and many ranged units at all are inferior to Bridal Cordelia.

Well Setsuna I feel is still relevant since she is faster than Bridal Cordelia, if weaker.

[Lushen]

23 minutes ago, Vaximillian said:

But every other archer and many ranged units at all are inferior to Bridal Cordelia.

Yea...Gaius has a chance to sit on the throne with her.  I don't think he will be better, but a perfect substitute. 

[Vaximillian]

4 minutes ago, Xenomata said:

Well Setsuna I feel is still relevant since she is faster than Bridal Cordelia, if weaker.

Setsuna is relevant at 0×4.

[Arcanite]

2 hours ago, Robert of Normandy said:

How valuable/useful would a Panic Ploy + Clarisse's Bow Virion be? I have a friend who's a really big Virion fan that's thinking this build would be very useful, but to me it seems like it's rather situational. So I came here to get advice from the experts.

Virion as a unit isn't that great, let alone something like that. If you're going with a ploy skill, I personally would prefer attack ploy since that's a guaranteed -4 Atk as opposed to panic where the buffs aren't always controlled to your favor

That kind of set could also overlap a little bit if the enemy only has hone speed and hone attack anyway, which are usually the two buff skills you'd see in the first place. 

[XRay]

2 hours ago, Robert of Normandy said:

How valuable/useful would a Panic Ploy + Clarisse's Bow Virion be? I have a friend who's a really big Virion fan that's thinking this build would be very useful, but to me it seems like it's rather situational. So I came here to get advice from the experts.

Panic Ploy and C's Bow sounds redundant together. The most common buffs are Hones, so when Panic Ploy activates, C's Bow is not going to be doing much debuffing.

[MrSmokestack]

41 minutes ago, Xenomata said:

Well Setsuna I feel is still relevant since she is faster than Bridal Cordelia, if weaker.

Setsuna is like the least relevant archer thanks to dealing 0x4 damage. Fort Tiles also ruin her. With Brave Weapons, Atk is always the most important stat--which just so happens to be the one Setsuna forgoes.

Firesweep is nice for her at least, but she remains outclassed there too.