FE 10 to FE9

[j1mb0x99]

Hello,  I just completed FE10 a few days ago and thought it was such a good game I went out and bought FE9 and a memory card.  This has been my only fire emblem experience so far, but feel I got decent at it by the end.  I played at normal mode and had most of my final team at 20/20/20 and even had a few chars with maxed stats due to using bexp for their last levels.  (yeah, a little bragging, but it was a good game with decent difficulty and I am proud of how I did)

So now for Path of Radiance I have a question.
What differences can I expect now that I am used to playing Radiant dawn?

-JiM

[Aori Radidjiu]

Well, first off, in Path of Radiance you only promote once, because second promotion was a special gimmick for Radiant Dawn.  I think Laguz's transformation bars move at different rates from RD, but I could be wrong.  Mounted units work fine indoors in PoR, and Ike can only use Swords in PoR.  I think there are some differences in the skill system too.

Can't think of anything else, I only played PoR out of the two and only heard about the changes in Radiant Dawn.

[Neofox]

I think Laguz's transformation bars move at different rates from RD, but I could be wrong.

There's quite a few differences, actually. The most obvious is that they don't simply double their stats anymore. Rather, they have decent stats while human and gain bonuses when they shift forms at the cost of not being able to attack at all while human. They also can't make their weapons stronger.

All laguz use the same transformation bar rules in Path of Radience, as well: Gain 4 points at the start each turn and go up 2 each time they are attacked until the meter hits 20. They can survive a lot better than in RD, so getting attacked isn't such an issue here. After the meter hits 20 they shift forms automatically instead of at will and will drain it by 3 points at the start of each turn and 1 each time they got into a battle. Most laguz start each mission with a different amount of their meter already filled (for example, Mordecai starts with an empty meter at the start of each mission while Lethe starts each mission with 16 so that she transforms on turn 1).

I think there are some differences in the skill system too.

Specifically, a character's innate skills still take up skill capacity (for example, Soren's Adept will take up 15 points of capacity despite starting with it) , so most of the time they will only have one decent skill or two. Also, if you remove a skill, it's gone forever, so you can't transfer skills to other characters.

[theshim is the shimiest shim of all the shims that ever shim]

Bonus EXP now acts like a regular level up, rather than a set 3 points.  Also, you can abuse BEXP by adding only one or two (or even three at low levels) and get a level up for cheaper than spending it all at once.

Weapons cap at S, rather than at SS.  The third promotion and SS were things added only for Radiant Dawn; in all other Fire Emblems, units only promote once (though I'd been playing with the idea myself for over a year before that - fun with balance!).

[Neofox]

Weapons cap at S, rather than at SS.  The third promotion and SS were things added only for Radiant Dawn; in all other Fire Emblems, units only promote once (though I'd been playing with the idea myself for over a year before that - fun with balance!).

I doubt the OP will ever play it since its so old, but I'd like to point out that the second FE game, Fire Emblem Gaiden, also had units able to promote twice.

[theshim is the shimiest shim of all the shims that ever shim]

Did it?  Damnit!  I really have to play that game!

Alright.  I stand corrected then.  And, technically, the trainees in Sacred Stones were also able to promote twice, but...

[Shirona]

I don't think that this was added, but Dark magic is not present here. Because of that, Light magic is neutral as Bows are. Also, Crossbow weapons aren't here as they were also something special to only FE10.

[Neofox]

Alright.  I stand corrected then.  And, technically, the trainees in Sacred Stones were also able to promote twice, but...

FE2 also was the first game to have trainee units (which meant that they were allowed to promote thrice)... AND the first to have branched promotions... ._.

[j1mb0x99]

ah, thank you all very much.  A few things really caught me by surprise and I'm glad I know now, like non-transferable skills and the laguz differences. In Radiant Dawn I really did not care for the laguz much at all and used them as sparingly as possible.  I may have to give them another chance in PoR. : )

I went to play last night and unfortunately I put too much trust into what I read on the internets.  I am going to be playing this on the wii and had read that you could use the classic controller on gamecube games.  I found out that is definately not the case.  I'll be looking for a controller this afternoon.

-JiM

[Celice]

FE2 also was the first game to have trainee units (which meant that they were allowed to promote thrice)... AND the first to have branched promotions... ._.

If you could call them that--Villagers were the closest you'd get to a Trainee.  I think if you went a Sword Fighter path, not only can you promote technically an infinite amount of times, but also, there's more than three selections if memory serves (Villager->Sword Fighter->Hero-ish->Ninja-ish).  Also Villagers->Archers->Snipers->Bow Knights, or something

Been awhile since that game~

[Cold Popcorn]

Don't forget Lara in FE5, she could promote three times.

Other major differences:
- Occult skills are not automatic
- Not all S-rank weapons available
- Forging works a bit differently, simpler
- Paladins/Sages have choices for weapons upon promotion (I might point out here only one Mage has stats that would warrant the choice of Knives over Staves, and he's pre-promoted with that choice)
- No separate Armourknight types
- The top weapon rank is not locked to a specific weapon for each character (good thing too, since only Rexbolt is available for Mages)

And make sure you've picked up a GC memory card too, it can't save to the Wii's internal memory.

[j1mb0x99]

Well, I finally got to play some, up to chapter 8 so far.  It is cool seeing all the back story that was referenced in RD.  This game seems easier so far than RD.  The lack of battle saves makes it a bit tougher, trying different things out is alot riskier now.  It is still very fun though.  I might have to look for the GBA games next.  Maybe, even the earlier ones.

-JiM

[Black Knight]

Another small difference (since I don't think you have gotten to this point yet) are magic weapons, such as the Flame lance, Bolt axe, and the Sonic sword.
In Radiant Dawn, magic weapons (if I recall correctly there are only swords) get their power from the Strength stat, but in Path of Radiance their power comes from the Magic stat, so it essentially gives the wielder a magic attack. This means for most physical units, except for ones with higher magic powers, the weapons are useless. But if you needed any purpose to train Mist, its here, because she classes up into a sword wielder with an eventual magic of 29 (with luck), making the Sonic sword one of the most powerful weapons in the game because with Mist's speed it gives her a double 39 power magic attack, enough to fell most physical units in one turn, and if she encounters a magic user she can just switch over to a Silver sword and take no damage because of her incredible resistance. And with Sol she can heal herself, and use her staffs to heal others (speaking of staffs, I'm sure you've noticed that staffs don't stay equiped in this game, so you don't have to worry about having a magic user weilding a staff being attacked, because they will just switch over to their first magic tome and attack with that.)


So what I'm basically saying is Mist rocks and you should be sure to use her. 

[j1mb0x99]

Thanks for the tip.  I'll have to remember that.

-JiM

[Neofox]

[Mist] classes up into a sword wielder with an eventual magic of 29 (with luck), making the Sonic sword one of the most powerful weapons in the game because with Mist's speed it gives her a double 39 power magic attack, enough to fell most physical units in one turn, and if she encounters a magic user she can just switch over to a Silver sword and take no damage because of her incredible resistance.

Mist's magic cap in FE9 is 26 with an average of 25 (which means it's not too unlikely that she'll hit it). You're probably thinking of Rhys's magic cap with that 29.

As for using the Sonic and Silver sword? She starts with either an E or D in swords after promotion (can't remember), and she can't use the Sonic Sword until she hits a B, nor can she use Silver swords until she hits an A. This is bad because FE9 is notorious for being one of the hardest games to increase a unit's weapon levels. Yes, it's certainly possible, but even with her decent strength growth, she still starts with a horrific base of 1, which means that fighting isn't exactly going to be one of her strong points until near the end of the game if you really want to put all that effort into helping her sword level...

And with Sol she can heal herself

Unfortunetly, Sol activates on Skill% (or was it skill/2%? one of the two), and skill happens to be one of Mist's worst stats...

I'll admit that Mist is good, but she's not THAT good.

[YokaiKnight]

As for using the Sonic and Silver sword? She starts with either an E or D in swords after promotion (can't remember), and she can't use the Sonic Sword until she hits a B, nor can she use Silver swords until she hits an A. This is bad because FE9 is notorious for being one of the hardest games to increase a unit's weapon levels. Yes, it's certainly possible, but even with her decent strength growth, she still starts with a horrific base of 1, which means that fighting isn't exactly going to be one of her strong points until near the end of the game if you really want to put all that effort into helping her sword level...

She's a leading candidate for Arms Scrolls, and you're swimming in cash to forge custom weapons with, so giving her a Sword level boost and a custom sword is qutie easy.

To be fair, though, the Sonic Sword thing is kind of overrated.

[Haken]

She's a leading candidate for Arms Scrolls, and you're swimming in cash to forge custom weapons with, so giving her a Sword level boost and a custom sword is qutie easy.

To be fair, though, the Sonic Sword thing is kind of overrated.

To be fair, Mist's only use is to heal Ike when facing the BK, she's no uber-startoff fighter. As for the arms scrolls, it would be much more productive to give them to either Rolf or Nephy if you are choosing to use them.

Oh, and yet another change was brought up- you get a helluva lot more gold than in RD, especially the 50k in Ch.19, so feel free to spend, spend , spend.

[Neofox]

Oh, and yet another change was brought up- you get a helluva lot more gold than in RD, especially the 50k in Ch.19, so feel free to spend, spend , spend.

Erm, that's a heafty exaggeration. You get 20k, and you only get large scores of cash at specific times in the game. Yeah, if you're spending only on iron weapons and don't forge much you'll be swimming in cash, but forge a lot and use steel weapons where available, and you suddenly won't be so rich.

[Haken]

Erm, that's a heafty exaggeration. You get 20k, and you only get large scores of cash at specific times in the game. Yeah, if you're spending only on iron weapons and don't forge much you'll be swimming in cash, but forge a lot and use steel weapons where available, and you suddenly won't be so rich.

(I think you mean hefty)

Umm, steel weapons don't exactly cost that much (One Steel Lance-430 gold), forged weapons aren't as seriously recommended as the units which you start off with (Ike, Boyd, Oscar) can clearly level up without them and, though Titania isn't a Jeigan per se, you can use her with an iron axe to weaken units like the usual ramble about startegy. Moreover, you still find or the enemies drop some useful weapons on the map, so I wouldn't say there's a need to exhaust all your finances. Oh, and those "large scores of cash" do come around pretty often (you start off with what 10, 00 and then Ranulf gives you another 10,000 in the chapter right after you get to utilise your base?).

On a side note, are the weapon costs identical or the same in comparison to FE9. I'd check, but meh.

[YokaiKnight]

To be fair, Mist's only use is to heal Ike when facing the BK, she's no uber-startoff fighter. As for the arms scrolls, it would be much more productive to give them to either Rolf or Nephy if you are choosing to use them.

She can also heal any other unit in your army/ally... ._. Rolf and Nephenee are strong competition for that, yes, but it's not clear cut--Rolf has a good custom bow and his weakness can be solved with BEXP, unlike Mist's weapon levels. Nephenee probably is a better choice.

Erm, that's a heafty exaggeration. You get 20k, and you only get large scores of cash at specific times in the game. Yeah, if you're spending only on iron weapons and don't forge much you'll be swimming in cash, but forge a lot and use steel weapons where available, and you suddenly won't be so rich.

Things are only "tight" up until Ranulf's donation early on. I'm swimming in cash after buying three or four weapons a chapter, forging here and there, and typically buying stronger weapons along with iron stuff. I'm a compulsive spender (my caravan is near full by the end of the game) and I have money left over still. I buy things fairly similarly and still manage early game.

Also, I'm pretty sure that the 50K amound is right, as the only guide that gave me a number claimed 70K (-20K if you keep Volke).

If you're not an impulse buyer like me, then money is even less of a problem.

EDIT: You also get paid thousands for those errands you do for Sanaki, though the exact amounts escape me.