Part 72: Chapter 23 Hard Mode

Chapter 23: Back to Basics


This is going to be a rather short update, and I apologize in advance if my strategy is boring as hell. This is my second playthrough of this chapter, on account of over half my screens from try number one being all black.


First order of business: fix Roy's sword.


So IntSys apparently had no clue how to up the stakes in hard mode after chapter 21, so now the Wyverns are just cheating. Fuckin' 63 HP...


The dragons are annoying, but we have a bunch of legendary weapons created for the sole purpose of slaughtering them, so no worries.


There are two of these guys.


And one berserk asshole. Naturally, they have max magic and can thus hit us from across the known universe.


Brenya is legitimately terrifying. If normal mode Brenya is Lilina-light, Hard mode is Lilina Classic. We wreck her in a turn.


Let's go.


Like I said: first order of business.


I don't have any more berserk staves, so I opt to sleep instead.


Pictured here is Karel, who I will not be recruiting.


The first enemy phase consists of lots of wyverns shuffling towards us and one druid tussling with Rutger.


Ellen finishes the job for more magic.


Seriously, why do the dragons have no range? This is the stupidest shit.


Whatever. Gonzales tries out his new toy.


Well Armadas is heavy.


Lookin' good there, Rutger.


Lots a Wyverns in every direction.


The south is cleaned up by team flying.


Meanwhile, every Wyvern to the north dives for Ellen, despite having less than spectacular odds of hitting.


It continues for awhile. Ellen actually benefits from having 4 defense: the AI only factors in the fact that it CAN gang up and kill her, not the odds. Her low defense draws every enemy in range to her, yet she has hilariously high luck that adds a flat 30 to dodge and avoid, making her a crazy dodge tank.


Rutger gives no fucks about your weapon triangle.


Seriously, more speed. That's all that matters after this chapter.


Forward area clear.


I pick up a few extra physic staves, since all of mine are looking a little worn.


The fuckin' ballista guys keep getting on my tits.


So I kill the one sleeping. What?


See? The others were out of ammo!


Roy goes old school and busts out a silver sword.


Okay, moving up.


Tate does not have the dragon slaying powers of Gonzales.


Shin fares better.


And Ray brings it- Is he doing 70 damage per hit?!


Seems we've finally stepped in range of the status assholes. Their hidden range, that is. The party has been in these guy's range for most of the map, but only now are they enough of a threat to use the staves on.


A glimpse at how dangerous these guys are.


Er... were.


The big ball that is my party rolls forward.


Berserk guy has joined us too, only now the two sleep guys are done. So from here on we're pretty good to go.


I'm sorry OFS? What was Ellen's magic average?


Two enemy phases, two paladins getting berserked. How lovely.


Right, no more status.


Dragon killing time.


Oh right, Brenya has bolting. I almost forgot since she waited until we were like 10 feet from her to bust it out. Okay.


I just... what? The AI just moved two snipers and a druid next to my guys, and did nothing. No attacks, not even from the druid.

I repeat:


Clarine totes her newfound ability to use Thunder magic with a crit.


Hell. Yes.


Considering Gonzales is somehow strength screwed, I am okay with this.


Nothing left but the boss.


Who keeps slinging around her bolting tome.


This is to be the end of her, since she can't counter while holding it. It also weighs her down quite a bit.


Tate finishes.





I hope you enjoyed those human enemies, because that's the last you'll see of them.


Next Time: There be dragons... so, SO many dragons.

Karel: Artix pretty much summed up Karel nicely. His closest parallel gameplay-wise is to Stefan: not as good as a fully trained or blessed swordmaster, but quite serviceable if your own swordmasters got RNG screwed. Of course IntSys couldn't resist trolling the shit out of the player and giving him the best growths in the game with only a level to use them. Then again this is the same company giving us a promotion item two turns from the ending, so I should have seen it coming.