The power of mage edelgard

[ThatsEnoughBackTalk]

So, after 3 complete runs of crimson flower, I've been quite disappointed in Edelgard and the emperor class. I noticed that edelgard has a budding talent in reason and a higher magic growth than dorothea, so I decided to give it a try. I must say that it went amazing.

Edelgard is different to all other mages in the fact that she uses black magic and dark magic (fire, bolganone, luna, hades), meaning that she would be a great fit for the valkyrie class, which increases on her already impressive bulk and also buffs her magic to 50% (it might be 55%). It also increases both black and dark magic range by one, adding to her versatility. Combined with any staff (I prefer the cadaecus staff for its health regen and +1 range), Edelgard can become a 4 range monster who hits ridiculously hard and can also be on the frontlines. Due to her boon in axes, she can also use bolt axes, being one of only two mages who can actually use them (the other being annette).

Abilities I find useful: fiendish blow, armoured blow*, uncanny blow (helps with luna and hades hit rate),reason prowess 5, axe prowess 4/5,

You can use any ability on her but these are the ones i find useful

*despite the misconception, you can actually master armour knight without leveling her once. Just unequip 2 range weapons (equip axe) and put her on a 40 avoid tile with a knowledge gem (optional). It would be good to keep a healer at hand.

[haarhaarhaar]

Mage Edelgard does look like fun, although her Faith weakness is a little frustrating. 

Out of interest, why do you find Armoured Blow useful? Especially if she's a mage.

[ThatsEnoughBackTalk]

it just helps with her overrall bulk. I wouldnt normally put it on a mage or even consider it, but edelgard is far more bulky than other mages and its also easy to get because of heavy armour boon.

It really depends on if you want to use mage edelgard as a frontliner or if you just dont like turtling

[Rose482]

I also made Edelgard a mage when I first played Three Houses. Didn't regret it.

I'm still bitter actually they didn't make her cannon class magic based. I guess god forbid IS gives us another mage lord. 

[Punished Dayni]

I was highly disappointed when Emperor didn't use magic, honestly I think that'd be a worthwhile hack.

On paper it has potential, she has more mage than most non mages and while Bolganone ain't saying much, Luna and Hades are nice, while she sadly lacks Physic but gets Seraphim too, which is good for certain combats but she has Ragin Storm for the final boss (and everything else. :D), so it is a niche option for her with the regular classes.

I assume it'd be better for he to use DLC classes for it though, but Gremory and Dark Knight are available to her.

[ThatsEnoughBackTalk]

I agree, me myself using her in valkyrie due to it helping her in every way

[Barren]

I think the only reason they gave her emperor class a magic growth of +10% is because of her using Bolt Axe and the Lightning Axe combat art which deals magic damage instead of physical. I can see where Valkyrie or Dark Knight can be an interesting class for her if you're not going to do Wyvern Lord. Yes Wyvern Lord is her most powerful class but for some it can be boring and on that front I can understand why.

But yea, if I were to do a Valkyrie/Dark Knight class since DK carries Black and Dark Tomefaire, I would probably do Reason Prowess, Axe Prowess, Fiendish Blow, Uncanny Blow, Death Blow. I know triple blow sounds a bit overkill but hey it's a fun set right? Other options worth considering would probably be Lancebreaker, Movement +1, Magic/Strength +2, or maybe even Dark Magic Range +1 if you're committed enough. Though I like Thyrsus better since it would grant her 2 extra range to her spells

[ThatsEnoughBackTalk]

Thyrus is great on any crest bearing magic user, but is probably better suited to being kept on lysithea or lorenz (lorenz less than lysithea).

Lorenz would play the same role as edelgard, but he could use thyrsus better because of pav/aeg 

[Garsoba]

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Edited October 16, 2020 by Garsoba

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

I could see Edelgard working as a Dark Flier, too. The class offers great mobility, and Black Tomefaire means her fire spells will be doing great damage. She does lose out on the range-boosting skills, unfortunately, but this can be replicated through Caduceus or Thyrsus. I'd have her go Monk -> Mage -> Pegasus Knight -> Dark Flier, with a skillset of Fiendish Blow, Darting Blow, Reason Prowess, Magic +2, and... Authority Prowess, maybe? Axe Prowess, if I still want her using Amyr for Raging Storm? Bowbreaker, if I manage to moonlight her as a Warlock?

[Barren]

8 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

I could see Edelgard working as a Dark Flier, too. The class offers great mobility, and Black Tomefaire means her fire spells will be doing great damage. She does lose out on the range-boosting skills, unfortunately, but this can be replicated through Caduceus or Thyrsus. I'd have her go Monk -> Mage -> Pegasus Knight -> Dark Flier, with a skillset of Fiendish Blow, Darting Blow, Reason Prowess, Magic +2, and... Authority Prowess, maybe? Axe Prowess, if I still want her using Amyr for Raging Storm? Bowbreaker, if I manage to moonlight her as a Warlock?

I always bring Bowbreaker on a Dark Flier class since they always use magic anyways plus it serves as a nice layer of protection. Plus fiendish blow along with axe prowess adds accuracy and damage for Edelgard's Lightning Axe combat art. Though she learns it at Rank A as opposed to Annette at Rank C+. Of course her only battalion option would be the Nuevelle Flying Co since it adds magic

[Dark Holy Elf]

On 9/28/2020 at 10:12 AM, ThatsEnoughBackTalk said:

So, after 3 complete runs of crimson flower, I've been quite disappointed in Edelgard and the emperor class. I noticed that edelgard has a budding talent in reason and a higher magic growth than dorothea, so I decided to give it a try. I must say that it went amazing.

Mage Edelgard is fun, but if your only point of comparison is Emperor, then I gotta say: this is less mage Edelgard being good and more Emperor being, sadly, quite bad. For some reason 3H decided armour classes shouldn't even get decent strength this time around.

45% mag growth is good, but 6 base is not (you compared to Dorothea, whose +5 base is easily worth having -5% growth), and the faith list is definitely a bit of a dud, unlike units like Ingrid and Sylvain who can do similar "red mage" builds. I don't really think magic is a particularly great choice for her, but it's serviceable, especially since magical axes have very high might, and picking up Fiendish Blow and some improved magic growth will help those out. It'd be nice if there were an Axefaire+Tomefaire class similar to Mortal Savant (Malig Knight? Or, I dunno, Emperor itself?) but that's life.

[Barren]

8 hours ago, Dark Holy Elf said:

Mage Edelgard is fun, but if your only point of comparison is Emperor, then I gotta say: this is less mage Edelgard being good and more Emperor being, sadly, quite bad. For some reason 3H decided armour classes shouldn't even get decent strength this time around.

45% mag growth is good, but 6 base is not (you compared to Dorothea, whose +5 base is easily worth having -5% growth), and the faith list is definitely a bit of a dud, unlike units like Ingrid and Sylvain who can do similar "red mage" builds. I don't really think magic is a particularly great choice for her, but it's serviceable, especially since magical axes have very high might, and picking up Fiendish Blow and some improved magic growth will help those out. It'd be nice if there were an Axefaire+Tomefaire class similar to Mortal Savant (Malig Knight? Or, I dunno, Emperor itself?) but that's life.

Indeed. And the Emperor Class while on it's on may be fine, but when you know Wyvern Lord exists it makes the Emperor Class obsolete. Sure Emperor might have higher defense and charm but WL trumps it in every other category. Not to mention that Avoid +10 + Alert Stance + is a really strong combination even on the higher difficulties it's viable. Hell, Edelgard has access to Battalion Vantage and if you like to do cheeky shenanigans like luring in enemies and then getting the jump on them with little to no fear of retaliation then she can do it.