its a good idea, but only if you can give them like 6 of then. Because then it will actually make a difference 😆 (also, the idea of a well-levelled FE8 lute with 6 draco shields is scary)
A pretty important topic about some of the strongest items in these games. You definitely need to think about when and which boosters to give to the player. There will always be a unit that will make more use of it than another unit. Most players will probably choose to give the boosters to the units they like or that are on their team and kinda lack of this stat (which sometimes is a pitfall, but the way some players do it). Generally I don't think the majority of players plays in "the perfect way possible." But it's important to not give an option that is WAY too good. It maybe is a good idea to encourage the player to use stat boosters on multiple units, in certain situations. Jill, or generally the whole Part 1 squad of Radiant Dawn is a good example for that. Jill is probably the best unit to feed stat boosters to in Radiant Dawn. She can fly and has good potential to become as strong as Haar and overall has the best mobility in the Dawn Brigade. However there are also some pretty stupid chapters in Part 1, like the Micaiah Solo Chapter. Since Micaiah is very frail from the beginning and players tend to take care of their lord (because many automatically think of them as a good unit), many players will probably feed some Bonus Exp into her and also give her the Draco Shield, as well as the angelic robe to her to boost her overall survivability. Even as an experienced player, you might wanna give her one of these items, because you know of that very very annoying chapter where only Micaiah and the Black Knight are present. To increase the chance of Micaiah to survive more than one hits, you also get Elite earlier on. This moves away from the topic and also points out that it isn't a good decision to force the player to train a certain unit that can be screwed due to the game mechanics, if they don't want to deal with being screwed over by the rng... BUT she is kinda a good and a bad example. Good to show that the player can have a better time, if he takes care of a unit that always has to be around. But also bad because it's the only way to fix what the developers messed up. But no matter if you call it good or bad, it is the way the developers decided o balance out some stat boosters and Bonus Exp in the early game. This would probably work better if the BK-Micaiah chapter wouldn't exist in the first place or if it would've been designed in a better way (let other units like Sothe join in later on, give you more units to work with right away, no fog...). It would probably not fix the "issue" that it is the best decision to give Jill or one of the other units (like the prepromoted Zihark, or the Early Game Tank Nolan) these stat boosters. But at least it provides the player with a wonderful thing: A choice. You could have one pretty strong unit which is usually the best way to solve many FEs on normal difficulty. But, especially on higher difficulties, it would be better to have multiple good units or to cover the weaknesses of certain units, that you want to have around. Of course, it depends on the player if it's a good decision to give the frail micaiah more hitpoints and the draco shield. But it definitely adds something to the gameplay. Especially since these boosters are good rewards for side objectives that are dangerous to approach, chests or as items that can be stolen from the enemy. Overall I think it comes down to three things: -Having multiple options that would be good on an objective note (aside from the obvious option that every unit can consume these items, the best example would be the problem that the Jagen Character could become more than just a Jagen) -Conveniently placing Stat Boosters that would benefit certain units in the current army (maybe there is a unit with a weak speed base and/or growth (not terrible, but around 30-40% or just a little bit slower than the average) and you obtain a speedwing in the chapter this unit joins (or even in it's inventory). Which would give you the option if you want to invest it in that unit, or to give it a faster unit to make it even faster) -Balance out the amount of stat boosters (2 to 3 of one item in a playthrough should be the maximum (not counting secret shops or other ways to buy these items). Also items of the same type should generally not be placed to close to each other because of the "these are effectively +6 in this stat"-problem you addressed.)
I'm playing a hack that uses stat boosters really well: The Eligor's Spear. Boosters have 2 uses so the player can split gains between 2 characters (ie Dragonshield has 2 uses, each use gives 1 DEF). The more useless boosters for skill and luck give +2 each use. Finally, they sell for a mere 50 gold to encourage the player to use them instead of chucking them for money.
I'm trying to use passive items you can keep in your inventory in my romhack, nothing crazy other than giving up inventory slots for some minor stat boosts (and debuffs depending on how strong they are)!
Thoughts on FE 1/FE 3 stat boosters? I find them super wacky and fun to use in those games, the sheer severity they have can create some really funny units, save for the boots always going to Marth. Also thoughts on Arms Scrolls? I know they don't really exist in GBA but they're still interesting to me and probably won't be relevant at any other point
Yeah they're wild in context - lots of fun if a bit gamebreaking. Those games are super iron man oriented so I think it adds a fun risk/reward element when you invest something so important into a single unit. Arms scrolls are neat, but often times WEXP hardly matters. FE9 Mist is fun to give sonic swords too with 2 arm scrolls post promo, but otherwise I never found much use - maybe in an LTC context they're neat, but most games don't give you items you cannot use, so arms scrolls feel superfluous. If you were inclined to give the player cool items early, I could see arms scrolls being more interesting to consider (ie I got a silver sword in chapter 3, do I use the arms scroll to get someone's rank there now?)
I think it's fine to make stat boosters cost more because it forces a decision. Do I want my General or Wyvern to avoid doubling threshold or do I sell it to buy another Silver Lance or Horseslayer? Also, why do people rag on Secret Books? They're good in FE6 where you have sub 50 hit every time a boss is on a throne.
Usually because you'll still have sub 50 hit after the secret book. I believe 1 point of skill gives 2 hit which means 1 secret book to someone with 37 hit brings them up to 41 which is really small. Still better but not good
In fe6 you only need rutger to hit bosses, and he has enough hit. But I agree that secret books aren't as bad as ppl say. +4 hit feels pretty good sometimes.
they rag on them because if you have sub 50 hit without a secret book, you probably still have sub 50 hit with the book. They only give +4 hit! Although they have definitely grown on me. The +4 hit is usually more than 4 hit in cases where it matters due to the 2RN system. While it is still not that much, it does still matter enough to be relevant over the course of many rounds of combat.
For me, buying angelic robe’s is much better than buying dragonshields and tailsman’s it’s pretty much +7 to both Def and Res instead of +2 to either stat
depends a lot on the bulk of the character. Because dracoshields give you +2 effective HP *every time you take physical damage* . So on a unit that already can take a few blows, draco shields are better. Angelic robes are pretty good in general though, that much is true.
Stat boosters are evil. Str/mag, speed, def, move, maybe res boosters are only good on good units, better served on making a single unit -Lera- invincible, and should be purged from the game.
everything that is in the game is only good on good units. By that logic, should eveything be purged from the game? Or should good units be purged from the game? Maybe both?
The best way to use stat boosters is give the speed wings to the armor knights and give the mages the draco shields
its a good idea, but only if you can give them like 6 of then. Because then it will actually make a difference 😆 (also, the idea of a well-levelled FE8 lute with 6 draco shields is scary)
A pretty important topic about some of the strongest items in these games. You definitely need to think about when and which boosters to give to the player. There will always be a unit that will make more use of it than another unit. Most players will probably choose to give the boosters to the units they like or that are on their team and kinda lack of this stat (which sometimes is a pitfall, but the way some players do it). Generally I don't think the majority of players plays in "the perfect way possible." But it's important to not give an option that is WAY too good. It maybe is a good idea to encourage the player to use stat boosters on multiple units, in certain situations.
Jill, or generally the whole Part 1 squad of Radiant Dawn is a good example for that. Jill is probably the best unit to feed stat boosters to in Radiant Dawn. She can fly and has good potential to become as strong as Haar and overall has the best mobility in the Dawn Brigade. However there are also some pretty stupid chapters in Part 1, like the Micaiah Solo Chapter. Since Micaiah is very frail from the beginning and players tend to take care of their lord (because many automatically think of them as a good unit), many players will probably feed some Bonus Exp into her and also give her the Draco Shield, as well as the angelic robe to her to boost her overall survivability. Even as an experienced player, you might wanna give her one of these items, because you know of that very very annoying chapter where only Micaiah and the Black Knight are present. To increase the chance of Micaiah to survive more than one hits, you also get Elite earlier on. This moves away from the topic and also points out that it isn't a good decision to force the player to train a certain unit that can be screwed due to the game mechanics, if they don't want to deal with being screwed over by the rng... BUT she is kinda a good and a bad example. Good to show that the player can have a better time, if he takes care of a unit that always has to be around. But also bad because it's the only way to fix what the developers messed up. But no matter if you call it good or bad, it is the way the developers decided o balance out some stat boosters and Bonus Exp in the early game.
This would probably work better if the BK-Micaiah chapter wouldn't exist in the first place or if it would've been designed in a better way (let other units like Sothe join in later on, give you more units to work with right away, no fog...). It would probably not fix the "issue" that it is the best decision to give Jill or one of the other units (like the prepromoted Zihark, or the Early Game Tank Nolan) these stat boosters. But at least it provides the player with a wonderful thing: A choice. You could have one pretty strong unit which is usually the best way to solve many FEs on normal difficulty. But, especially on higher difficulties, it would be better to have multiple good units or to cover the weaknesses of certain units, that you want to have around. Of course, it depends on the player if it's a good decision to give the frail micaiah more hitpoints and the draco shield. But it definitely adds something to the gameplay. Especially since these boosters are good rewards for side objectives that are dangerous to approach, chests or as items that can be stolen from the enemy.
Overall I think it comes down to three things:
-Having multiple options that would be good on an objective note (aside from the obvious option that every unit can consume these items, the best example would be the problem that the Jagen Character could become more than just a Jagen)
-Conveniently placing Stat Boosters that would benefit certain units in the current army (maybe there is a unit with a weak speed base and/or growth (not terrible, but around 30-40% or just a little bit slower than the average) and you obtain a speedwing in the chapter this unit joins (or even in it's inventory). Which would give you the option if you want to invest it in that unit, or to give it a faster unit to make it even faster)
-Balance out the amount of stat boosters (2 to 3 of one item in a playthrough should be the maximum (not counting secret shops or other ways to buy these items). Also items of the same type should generally not be placed to close to each other because of the "these are effectively +6 in this stat"-problem you addressed.)
step 1: recruit haar
step 2: poke that halberdier in 2-3 and get the speed wing
step 3: give speed wing to haar
step 4: instant profite
@@IschmarVI But... but Jill is an investment unit and not just favoritism.
Welcome back!!!
Thank you!
I'm playing a hack that uses stat boosters really well: The Eligor's Spear. Boosters have 2 uses so the player can split gains between 2 characters (ie Dragonshield has 2 uses, each use gives 1 DEF). The more useless boosters for skill and luck give +2 each use. Finally, they sell for a mere 50 gold to encourage the player to use them instead of chucking them for money.
I'm trying to use passive items you can keep in your inventory in my romhack, nothing crazy other than giving up inventory slots for some minor stat boosts (and debuffs depending on how strong they are)!
That is like FE12 with the star shards. It is a good idea.
Thoughts on FE 1/FE 3 stat boosters? I find them super wacky and fun to use in those games, the sheer severity they have can create some really funny units, save for the boots always going to Marth.
Also thoughts on Arms Scrolls? I know they don't really exist in GBA but they're still interesting to me and probably won't be relevant at any other point
Yeah they're wild in context - lots of fun if a bit gamebreaking. Those games are super iron man oriented so I think it adds a fun risk/reward element when you invest something so important into a single unit. Arms scrolls are neat, but often times WEXP hardly matters. FE9 Mist is fun to give sonic swords too with 2 arm scrolls post promo, but otherwise I never found much use - maybe in an LTC context they're neat, but most games don't give you items you cannot use, so arms scrolls feel superfluous. If you were inclined to give the player cool items early, I could see arms scrolls being more interesting to consider (ie I got a silver sword in chapter 3, do I use the arms scroll to get someone's rank there now?)
I think it's fine to make stat boosters cost more because it forces a decision. Do I want my General or Wyvern to avoid doubling threshold or do I sell it to buy another Silver Lance or Horseslayer?
Also, why do people rag on Secret Books? They're good in FE6 where you have sub 50 hit every time a boss is on a throne.
Usually because you'll still have sub 50 hit after the secret book. I believe 1 point of skill gives 2 hit which means 1 secret book to someone with 37 hit brings them up to 41 which is really small. Still better but not good
In fe6 you only need rutger to hit bosses, and he has enough hit. But I agree that secret books aren't as bad as ppl say. +4 hit feels pretty good sometimes.
they rag on them because if you have sub 50 hit without a secret book, you probably still have sub 50 hit with the book. They only give +4 hit!
Although they have definitely grown on me. The +4 hit is usually more than 4 hit in cases where it matters due to the 2RN system. While it is still not that much, it does still matter enough to be relevant over the course of many rounds of combat.
For me, buying angelic robe’s is much better than buying dragonshields and tailsman’s it’s pretty much +7 to both Def and Res instead of +2 to either stat
depends a lot on the bulk of the character. Because dracoshields give you +2 effective HP *every time you take physical damage* . So on a unit that already can take a few blows, draco shields are better. Angelic robes are pretty good in general though, that much is true.
the best way to use stat boosters is to turn them into 5k gold and buy more killer / silver.
Stat boosters are evil. Str/mag, speed, def, move, maybe res boosters are only good on good units, better served on making a single unit -Lera- invincible, and should be purged from the game.
everything that is in the game is only good on good units. By that logic, should eveything be purged from the game? Or should good units be purged from the game? Maybe both?