Part 4: Update IV - Eirika Lacks The Strength To Carry On
Update IV - Eirika Lacks The Strength To Carry On
Welcome back! So, Eirika got some stuff yoinked and we're getting it back now.
This chapter's map has seen quite the overhaul again.
This map has been drastically expanded from the original. Lots more enemies. This hack has a lot more EXP to go around.
Now, we have a new party member!
Neimi - Archer:
STATS:
LV: 1
HP: 20 (+3)
STR: 5 (+1)
SKL: 5
SPD: 6
LCK: 5 (+1)
DEF: 3
RES: 2
MOV: 6
CON: 6
GROWTHS:
HP: 50% (-5%)
STR: 45%
SKL: 50%
SPD: 60%
LCK: 55% (+5%)
DEF: 20% (+5%)
RES: 40% (+5%)
Not a lot has changed here. Neimi got ever so slightly more survivable in the early on by getting a few points of HP but losing it in the long term because of growths. She also has a very slight boost to defensive stats. Meh. As for the weapons...
Iron Bow: Rank E. Range 2. Weight 5. Might 5 (-1). Hit 90 (+5). Crit 0. 50 uses.
Slim Bow: Rank E (formerly D). Range 2. Weight 3. Might 3 (-2). Hit 100 (+15). Crit 15 (+5). 50 uses.
The slim bow stats are relative to the short bow, in case you're wondering. It seems low level bows are being made more accurate here. Not sure the slim bow fills a real niche here since nobody needs a super low weight bow to not be weighed down, but I guess the 15 crit makes it interesting as a smaller brother to the killer bow.
The welcoming committee is dispatched relatively easily, though the mage gets to attack one more time. However, his magic stat is pretty low (2), so he's not a real threat either.
Some brigands show up next and are dispatched by their arch nemesis: People With Swords.
Franz apparently shit his pants at seeing that mage and decided he needs to prepare for magic above all.
Colm shows up after the next enemy phase, but with the camera at his previous spawn point.
However, he starts in the completely opposite corner.
Next, some soldiers try their luck and don't fare much better than the brigands.
While moving up, we pick up Colm. And with that, let's take a look at him.
Colm - Thief:
STATS:
LV: 2
HP: 20 (+2)
STR: 4
SKL: 4
SPD: 10
LCK: 8
DEF: 3
RES: 1
MOV: 6
CON: 6
GROWTHS:
HP: 60% (-15%)
STR: 40%
SKL: 40%
SPD: 60% (-5%)
LCK: 55% (+10%)
DEF: 25%
RES: 20%
...well. Those sure are some stats, I guess. I mean, that's really not a lot changed. At least Neimi had it spread around a bit more.
Iron Sword: Rank E. Range 1. Weight 5. Might 4 (-1). Hit 90. Crit 0. 50 uses.
Iron sword nerf! Alrighty then. That's not going to help Colm get levels. I guess he doesn't really need them?
Ross gets some more speed whacking around those stationary soldiers since he needs the training.
We spend two turns getting everybody caught up to move into the next room with these stationary enemies. Sword guys are more fearsome than axe guys or lance guys right now, though a coordinated assault is probably still more than they can handle.
Neimi gets some strength taking out the myrmidon.
A myrmidon comes and joins the fun, and while the archer does move, the mercenary stays put.
Franz misses a 94 because he can.
Still, the barrels do give us a lot of opportunity to keep vulnerable units safe - not that the mercenary would have moved if he had the opportunity to smack Neimi around, but whatever.
Gilliam gets to hit even harder after the myrmidon suicided on him by way of doing no damage.
We start moving forward again, with Vanessa taking some snipes at a myrmidon because she can. Again, not a lot of movement on these guys. This will change fairly soon.
Vanessa gets some strength, and really, that's all she needs this early.
We steal the gold the archer would've dropped anyway. I now know that stealing gives 20 EXP.
A bit of splitting up ensues to go and grab all the chests.
Eirika lures out a brigand, and... STRENGTH! STREEEEEEEEENGTH! FUCKING GET IT!
Anyway, Franz kills the brigand with Bazba, so let's see how Franz does against Bazba himself.
...could be a lot better, honestly. Let's take a look.
Steel Axe: Rank D (formerly E). Range 1. Weight 11 (-4). Might 10 (-1). Hit 70 (+5). Crit 0. 50 uses (+20).
Dang. Bazba gets +7 HP, +1 STR, +2 SKL, +3 LCK and +5 RES compared to his vanilla hard mode counterpart, and more importantly, the steel axe doesn't weigh him down any more, so that makes him a bit harder to double, as Franz has just realized. And that addition to his HP will make him harder to whittle down too. Let's just let Franz wait and see what happens.
...I don't think this is sustainable.
Franz gets another attempt after getting healed up while Ross and Eirika clear the way for Colm to rob those chests, and, uh, not going well.
At least he'll hit harder.
Ross gets faster.
While Franz gets healed, I check how Garcia does, and, uh, no. Eirika might be our best bet here.
Meanwhile, Colm pilfers chests.
And he finds this!
Dragon Tear: Adds +10% to every stat growth rate.
Oh yes. Double Metis's Tome. This is very handy. Also, this won't be the only one of these we find in the early game. This will let us choose a few units to turn into real shit wreckers.
As such, Vanessa is the one that gets the first of these.
Thing of beauty.
Also, meanwhile, Franz is like one for four on dodging these steel axes.
So because Franz is incompetent, Eirika picks up the slack. Even without getting strength.
And being incredibly gracious, she even sets up the kill for Franz.
Double digit strength and speed, that's pretty good.
Colm nabs an angelic robe as well.
Angelic Robe: Raises maximum HP by 5 (-2).
Huh. Angelic robe nerf. Not sure why that's a thing, but OK, whatever.
I stick it on Ross, since he's got the lowest HP in the crew right now, and so he can use an early boost.
And that'll be it for this map!
See you next time, when we get to fight some monsters and see to it that we do not become monsters.