What's Your Favourite Shop System?

[bethany81707]

Lunatic-4 on the FEH quiz was about shops (specifically, Secret Shops), and I figured, well, why not ask how you like to do your shopping in Fire Emblem?

These appear to be largely battle shopping, overworld shopping, base shopping, and mixtures of the three depending on the game. For example, FE7 is entirely battle, while FE9 is entirely base. FE8 has a little of all three.

My personal preference is towards base shopping- honestly, the process of kitting my units out is something I prefer to do in a clearly 'Preparations Phase', and base shopping helps me do that. Overworld shopping comes close, but is limited in store-to-store availability and what enemies hang around. And battle shopping requires some kind of pack mule, especially when the Member and Silver Cards get involved.

[Magical Glace]

FE7's system made durability feel relevant.  So yeah, I prefer it being in battle in games with durability.  On top of that, it gave you more reason to protect Merlinus.

That said, I do like FE6's way as well.  For those unaware, FE6 is mostly like FE7, however, on Normal only, you can buy basic equipment for a higher price when preparing.  This helps ease in FE6 beginners if they accidentally under-prepared due to not knowing when the shops will be, while people with experience with the game don't need this extra help and can safely ignore it.

In games without durability, base is definitely better.

[maybe]

the way fe6 (and i think shadow dragon?) did it

you can buy new stuff from the shops in chapters but you can get basic stuff at the base

[Refa]

^.  To add to the above, I didn't like how you couldn't buy some basic weapons including Fire tomes late game in FE7.

[Jedi]

Yeah the FE6/11 method is my favorite as well.

[Tetragrammaton]

FE4's pawnshop is funny. You can't give your sword to a friend directly, you'll need a middle man for that, with an extra cost.

[Interdimensional Observer]

The Tellius approach seems more realistic than "shop in the middle of a battle". Plus for a first time player, you might overbuy/underbuy due to not knowing when the next shops are going to be in the "middle of the battle" approach. Though the Normal FE6-FE8-FE11 approach does counteract this.

Fates's is basically RD with a 3D base and most things being limited quantity Bargains. Awakening's world map shop system breaks immersion, and also lets you buy everything in unlimited quantities all the time.

So my favorite? I'll say RD's, minus the Japanese version of the forge system. It's the same as PoR's, but I do like the Bargains/Rare Items section addition.

[NinjaMonkey]

Base shopping.

[Thinks Their Own Way]

Base makes the most sense, I also like Awakenings and FE8's shopping system as well. I really like the connivance that over-world and base shopping provide. I find the FE7 system ridiculous because in the middle of battle, shopping is the last thing you so be doing.

[Zapp Branniglenn]

I don't know about you guys, but if I was a shopkeep and there was an army of wyverns crossing the mountains to the west and a band of charismatic teenagers with swords to the east, I'd close up shop. After all, if I sell to one side, and that side loses, my head's going on a pike. Plus either side would probably be content with robbing me rather than paying. What kind of soldier carries pounds of gold into battle? 

 

[Extrasolar]

I'm definitely in the "Base Shopping" camp. It makes the most sense logically, and I'm all for that.

[NekoKnight]

Base shopping, just because battle shopping is an unnecessary distraction. I do think, however, that a changing stock (outside of basic equipment) makes the base shopping more interesting.

[Lord Tullus]

I like the base shopping, but I'd have to go with how FE 11 and normal mode FE 6 did things. You might be able to buy the normal stuff, but the shops and anrmories around the world in different maps made the world feel more alive and thriving with business.  Plus you still had to manage your items and inventory based on what you needed, and you couldn't just go back and grab the nosferatu tome or killing edge that you needed from 5000 kilometers away.  You had to make due with the funds you had.  and Shadow Dragon gave you enough money so you could still buy as much as you needed.

 In fact, the game gave you so much money, you could survive battles and beat the game using only items that are on recruitable characters, drops, chests, and story rewards.  The rest of the gold could go into forging the weapons you get or buying staves.  Staves were something you REALLY needed to buy.

RD and PoR were nice with their shopping, too.

[Thane]

The first Fire Emblem, obviously. I spent more time with the inventory than I did strategizing and moving my units!

[Slumber]

Get rid of the pawnshop, and FE4's is my favorite. The idea of the armory, shop and arena all being available in castles is a nicer version of FE9/10's base shops, IMO.

But since FE4's shop includes pawnshops, I like the FE5-7 style, where you have to visit shops mid-battle. Adds a bit of strategy, even if it can be a bit inconvenient at times.

[X-Naut]

Echoing what people said about FE6/8, although I'd love to see one that expands beyond E-ranks past a certain point. There are a few things that shouldn't be in the base shop but I'd like not having to store basics in the convoy to have a good supply, please and thank you.