To all jaded number crunchers

[Tino]

Tino: having one healer is not bad when all your unit have so amazing durability they never die (be it Sol, Aether, massive HP or avoid or whatever)

You have a point there. But one extra healer is no superfluous luxury, especially if that healer is also a decent attacker.

You talk about how great sages are all the time, so you should know already. Especially when the ones in this game are all statistically impressive.

The Sages in this game are generally okay, but nothing too great. Soren has pretty impressive stats, but Ilyana, Tormod and Calill have only 'nice' stats. Nothing too special. Bastian is simply the epitome of failure.

Paladins also have great stats. So have the Wyvern Lords and Falcon Knights except for Haar, who is still a pretty good unit. Then Paladins also have great move and the ability to move again after any action. Those two attributes are invaluable, because they help a hell lot.

I don't want to turn this into a debate, but you overrate the importance of movement. If you really think movement matters most, perhaps we should start another topic to argue this...

9 Move, Re-move and good stats > 6 move and good stats. It's as simple as that.

[Neofox]

The Sages in this game are generally okay, but nothing too great. Soren has pretty impressive stats, but Ilyana, Tormod and Calill have only 'nice' stats. Nothing too special. Bastian is simply the epitome of failure.

What are you talking about? Talking rough averages, Soren, Calill, and Tormod are tied for "statistically best mage". Soren and Calill have the luxury of being easy to pick up and use, while Tormod requires some handholding, but comes with Celerity (although since Makalov is on that "best team" list, despite being even more difficult to raise than Tormod, how much handholding a unit needs apparently isn't that important).

And while we're at it, Bastian doesn't suck. His only real poor stat is speed, he's just unlucky enough to come at a time when your other mage(s) are already pretty well-trained.

9 Move, Re-move and good stats > 6 move and good stats. It's as simple as that.

Shame FE isn't as simple as that.

Hitting resistance over defense, effectiveness against units that gradually become more common as the game goes on, healing staves for the unpromoted ones... There's lots of things mounted units can't do that mages can.

[Tino]

What are you talking about? Talking rough averages, Soren, Calill, and Tormod are tied for "statistically best mage". Soren and Calill have the luxury of being easy to pick up and use, while Tormod requires some handholding, but comes with Celerity (although since Makalov is on that "best team" list, despite being even more difficult to raise than Tormod, how much handholding a unit needs apparently isn't that important)

And guess what, rough averages don't make a character. It's a combination of averages, joining conditions, supports and possible more. Soren is indeed the best Sage, followed by Ilyana. Tormod joins halfway through the game and pretty underlevelled. He's not that easy to level. And then his stats won't be as high as those of your other Sages, because they have a level lead over him. Calill joins pretty late and with Knives, which means she has less utility than your other three Sages. Bastian has decent stats, yes. However, he also has Knives for less utility, and his low Speed doesn't help him. Plus, he has no good supports. He might support Volke, but Volke and Bastian are no characters who are likely to be with eachother a lot, which means he doesn't have his bonuses all the time. Then Lucia isn't likely to be played and Makalov has Astrid and Haar.

Makalov might need a bit more handholding, he does have great stats and with some Bonus Experience and the Knight Ward in the base, he can easily gain good Speed and some levels. And of course that is assuming that you share your Bonus Experience. And Paladin is a great class. Weapon Triangle Control, massive Move and a great Mastery Skill.

Shame FE isn't as simple as that.

Hitting resistance over defense, effectiveness against units that gradually become more common as the game goes on, healing staves for the unpromoted ones... There's lots of things mounted units can't do that mages can.

Sages have 3 less move than Paladins, save Tormod. Paladins have a great Mastery Skill. Paladins are great at resquing (spelling?). Paladins can actually wield any weapon with losing AS most of the time. Especially Soren has trouble with this, but most of the Sages have this problem. Paladins can move again after attacking. There are lots of things Sages can't do that Paladins can.

[Tylandras]

Good lord what have I done... all I wanted was to find a challenging play-through...

[Neofox]

I tried to avoid de-railing this topic best I could... x.X

Tino, if you wish to debate me on this, let's make another topic. We've already caused enough damage to this one.

[Tino]

A Paladins vs. Sages debate, eh? Interesting.

Good lord what have I done... all I wanted was to find a challenging play-through...

Want a real challenge? Here are some challenges.

[list=1]

• Use Thieves only
• Let one character die every chapter
• Use your 'newest' characters only
• Use Iron and Slim weapons only
• Use Archers only

[Lord Kratos]

Good lord what have I done... all I wanted was to find a challenging play-through...

Taking the team at the first post as a base, if you want a challenge I suggest:

-No Reyson
-Replace Boyd with Largo
-Marcia or Astrid: pick one
-Replace Brom with Tauroneo and Mordecai with Lethe.

Choose 2 of the following:
Calill
Ranulf
Haar
Gatrie
Devdan
Lethe
Ulki
Rolf
Janaff
Shinon
Elincia
Lucia
Bastian

[YokaiKnight]

Taking the team at the first post as a base, if you want a challenge I suggest:

-No Reyson
-Replace Boyd with Largo
-Marcia or Astrid: pick one
-Replace Brom with Tauroneo and Mordecai with Lethe.

Choose 2 of the following:
Calill
Ranulf
Haar
Gatrie
Devdan
Lethe
Ulki
Rolf
Janaff
Shinon
Elincia
Lucia
Bastian

Hmm, no Boyd, or Reyson'll  make things tougher (no Boyd earlygame=pain)...but otherwise a lot of your "challenge" ideas won't make things more difficult at all. >__> Marcia or Astrid doesn't change too much...I'd pick Marcia cause I don't really like Jill, but meh.

Also, replacing Brom isn't a big deal since Gatrie is one of your replacement options, and lacking a knight for chapters 11 and 12 isn't a killer, especially if you don't BEXP Brom much in the first place.

Lethe over Mordecai can make some utility operations annoying, also, but isn't going to drastically harden anything.

And if you really have a harder time beating the game because you picked two of the characters from your low-tier list or whatever it is, then...D:

One challenge that'll slow things down, if nothing else, is no mounted units or flyers. Laguz included, so no Reyson.

[Lord Fuckboy]

Am I the only one that can easily go through the game without Reyson?

[YokaiKnight]

Am I the only one that can easily go through the game without Reyson?

On second thought, I guess it shouldn't be that difficult, but I always use him so I wouldn't know.

[Tino]

The game is still easy without Reyson. When I don't use him, the game is just as hard (or easy, whatever you want) as when I do use him.