Manual Discussion

[SlippyToasterTrooper_UK]

Firstly, I must apologise if I got anybodies hope up for a discussion of an instruction manual but I'm talking about different manuals. The skill Manuals.

Throughout the course of the game you can get seven of them they are:
Elite, Duel (Charge if you will...), Ambush, Wrath, Continue, Awareness, Sun Hit and Moon Hit.
I know I just wrote down 8 but I'll get to it...

Let me explain where to get the manuals first (thanks to The location guide of serenes forest):

*Elite. Village in chapter 6 (Condition: Bowy escaped in Ch 4x)
*Wrath. Chest in Chapter 8 Gaiden
*Ambush. Enemy in Chapter 12 (Colho?)
*Duel. Chest in Chapter 12x
*Sun Hit. Eyrios is carrying this in 16A
*Moon Hit. An enemy Swordmaster has this in 16B
*Awareness. Steal from Conomore on 16A
*Continue. Enemy in Chapter 18 (Gatsuf?)

Now you see why it is only possible to get 7 despite there being 8...I swear B route can get Awareness but I've forgotten how...any ideas?

As for how I use them I tend to go with a chaotic approach of doing what I feel like but there is some simple logic I use to help make decisions:

*Duel is an odd one. To get maximum use out of it give it to one with high HP and attack speed but in doing so the unit becomes frail in the enemy phase due to activation occurring in the enemy phase. Though the activation does mean that it will stop if you get lower HP than enemies (and/or they are faster).

*Wrath. Wait, does this override counter critical of zero or not? Typically front line fighter gets this to take advantage in enemy phase. Though that can be a bad thing of killing more than you can chew and so having multiple enemies attack you leading to death...

*Ambush seems to effect Wraths activation but I've never found it too hany. It just ends up hoping for a lucky critical or an enemy starting on low health to see any different outcome (and therfore purpose) to without it.

*Elite. Usually I save this for mid-game so I can see anybody is lagging behind or just give it to Linoain. Early-game could be handy though (if you want to try and build one unit up). And one last point. I try to make it a non-sword user if I've still got the elite sword banging about (as they could use that).

*Awareness and Continue are two I find hard to a use. Awareness I've never seen much use for except in specific situations...similar for continue really. Its nice to have (combining it with ambush and it activating may be another way to change an outcome of without ambush...), though its the most common skill out there for the playable side (with 9 playable characters starting with it...though three of those have it as a class skill and another promotes into a class that has it) but it is still 20% max chance of attacking again.

*Sun Hit/Moon Hit. I really love the concept of Moon Hit being used by a mage but in reality a physical unit is probably better though. Sun Hit is physical unit and front line all the way.

How do other people use them perhaps you sell them(8000 Gold is quite a bit) to buy something from a shop or you have calculated plans as to who should get what scroll.

[Mekkah]

Elite candidates is anyone who is behind, or Lara if you want to level her literally all the way I guess. Kain, Alba, Roberto, Linoan, I guess they all work.

Wrath I put on Leaf last time I played to let him play catch up in offense. Made fun of Leidrick pretty well. Anyone with low countercrit should work I guess, I suppose Kain/Alba or perhaps Karin does the trick.

Ambush indeed seems shaky, I usually find it most handy when Machua or whoever gets lucky and first-turn crits, or if an enemy is left alive on low health on enemy phase. I don't exactly know how Ambush + Wrath works on this game (heard one weakens the other) so I didn't put it on Othin. I went with Asvel instead as he counters 1-2 range always, so he has the most chance of getting anything out of it.

I would say that if you're going to use Duel, it should be on someone with good Magic, because you'll be getting yourself doubled by Bolting and friends. Mages really are fit for this one, both because of the Magic, and because they are able to attack without a counter quite often so the enemy does not get an extra hit in. Their Spd is cut down a bit by magic as opposed to melee people who can use their build though, and for that reason Robert should be alright with it as long as he emphasizes on the "run" in "hit and run".

I never played the Eyrios route and I could never kill off Olwen or leave her in the dungeon like that. Not that I rate Sun Hit very highly - I found it the most useful on Shiva when he was in the arena so I didn't have to heal him, he would just heal himself with massive critical. Someone with high PC like Carrion or Fergus or Wrath like Brighton would really get the best out of this, I think.

Moonlight Hit I put on Dean for no other reason that he was behind on offense while everyone else kicked ass. It's essentially a boost to your Atk equal to your opponent's Def when it happens. I suppose Mages would find this useful to be able to hurt other Mages, moreso than melee units needing it for Armors because there's Rapiers and Armorslayers for that. But generally I say it should go to a melee unit either way.

Awareness...I guess it should go on someone who will fight an opponent with annoying skills or high Crt. Reinhardt seems one of these opponents, but he likely needs teamwork anyway. To be honest I never got this one.

Continue on someone who needs it the most and triggers it the most. One of these mid-lowish units with high Spd should be it, then...but its activation rate just plain sucks. As long as it's not Fin, Olwen or Dean (who have 100% Continue weapons anyway) I think anything is fine. Wouldn't mind selling this one.

EDIT: Ambush is on that walking boss in 12 that Parn has a disagreement with.

[Neofox]

Now you see why it is only possible to get 7 despite there being 8...I swear B route can get Awareness but I've forgotten how...any ideas?

I believe that in the A-route you can steal it from Conomoore when he appears as an enemy, and in B route you recruit him to get it (although it might be the other way around...).

[Pukachi]

You can't get the Awareness manual in the B route.

Anyway, most of the optimal manualgivings have been said, but I'll list my choices:

Elite: Random, though I usually give it to Karin or Machyua.
Wrath: As said, someone with low counter crit or someone I'm faving at the moment.
Ambush: As usual, the best option for Ambush is always a magic user. Whether attacked from in front or two spaces away, they'll attack first.
Duel: I don't really like Duel. I usually give it to a Swordmaster/Mercenary.
Sunlight Sword: Karin or someone with medium to low HP but good skill.
Moonlight Sword: It's alright I guess, I usually give it to an axe-user.
Awareness/Continue: These skills aren't too good, I usually just flip a coin and give it to someone random.

[Somewhat Overcooked Cheese]

My two cents on the subject:

Elite: I think I gave mine to Linoan.
Wrath: Eyrios.  The others with 0 countercrit either already have it ( Xavier, Sara ) or have other uses than fighting ( the rest ).
Ambush: Easily a magic user or maybe Othin with his Pugi.  I gave mine to Salem.
Duel: Pretty good with Shiva, Mareeta or Galzus ( Shiva had mine ).
Sunlight: Usually to someone frail.  I gave mine to Salem.
Moonlight: I didn't get it on my playthrough.  I probably would have given this to Shiva or Othin.
Awareness: Rivis.  Levelling him with the Hezul scroll never gives him luck so I gave him this just in case.  I'm well aware any scrolls can negate criticals, but I usually trained other people with them.
Continue: Gave it to Othin.

Wrath. Wait, does this override counter critical of zero or not?

Somewhat.  Wrath works on counters, giving 100 % unless the enemy negates criticals, while counter critical ( which is more of a pursuit critical ) works when you strike a second time, without using Continue or Starlight.  That's why I gave mine to Eyrios.

[SlippyToasterTrooper_UK]

[qoute=Mekkah]I would say that if you're going to use Duel, it should be on someone with good Magic, because you'll be getting yourself doubled by Bolting and friends.[/quote]
That is a very valid point and makes me realise a purpose to Duel I had not seen before. Draining long range attacks. Shame Dagudar probably doesn't have the defence to be too handy for any kind of long arch or time

Awareness: Rivis.  Levelling him with the Hezul scroll never gives him luck so I gave him this just in case.  I'm well aware any scrolls can negate criticals, but I usually trained other people with them.

That and the fact that idealy a thief would want to have its hands free for stealing (though inventories are large I'd prefer to have a Wind Sword for those emergancy "don't have enough speed" moments* than a scroll).

*-At least I seem to remember the Wind Sword helping me steal from foes I was slower than the opponent (or had 20 speed).

[Mekkah]

That is a very valid point and makes me realise a purpose to Duel I had not seen before. Draining long range attacks.

Dagda learned it the hard way in Ch3 against that Bishop that opens the Meteor chest.