Part 63: Lagdou Ruins 8: Where Do The Walkways Even Go?

Lagdou Ruins 8: Where Do The Walkways Even Go?







So many flying units that have already hit their prime, but we're going to need them, because...



This map is somewhat self-explanatory. Arch Mogalls and Deathgoyles, with an odd assortment of other kinds. If you aren't a flier, you're going to be stuck going wherever the map sends you.



That's because there are pathways appearing and disappearing between the platforms on the water. You may remember this from FE6 and FE7 as well. I guess they wanted to have another map like the two previous games, but they didn't know where to put it, so they just threw it in an optional dungeon.



Of course, when most of the team is fliers, it becomes a lot less of a problem.



Since the grand majority of the enemy team is spear users, having a Phantom on the field is a very good idea.



And Tana is her untouchable self, as always.



You won't be seeing too many levels this map, considering that most of the team is either full up or close to it.



They still pop up here and there, though.



As with a lot of maps of this type, most of the enemies will just hang back and let us approach them at our own pace. I guess the game designers figured that we'd be rushed along by the shifting walkways.



Nope. We're taking this slowly, and there's nothing they can do about it.



I can't even summon the emotion to get angry anymore. I've seen so many bad levels, I guess I've become jaded.



Alright, time for Knoll to kick some-



...ass.



Oh well, at least he doesn't get whacked in return.



Innes doesn't get a lot of opportunity for killing in this map, but he has his moments.



Also, guess who left his axe-killing gear at home. That's a little awkward when you're fighting cyclopes.



That's fine though, Tana can handle it herself.



The pathway shenanigans continue. I won't be chronicling every single change unless it's important, but imagine that three or four walkways appear or disappear each turn. It's a set pattern, but it might as well be random with the sense it makes.



Don't think that Fado's a complete load on this chapter.



He's only mostly a load.



Get ready, folks. We're about to hit 20/20 with another character.



And in typical form, it's not excellent. Though to be fair, L'Arachel's last level was as good as it could get.



Since we're on Floor 8, might as well be liberal with Gleipnir. You'll see why next chapter.



There's a treasure chest on this map, and what's in it?



Wyrmslayer: 30%
Dragonspear: 30%
Dragon Axe: 40%

I think they're trying to tell me something.



One nice thing about this section here is that you can make a solid defensive line. Yes, I'm calling Knoll and Tana a defensive line.



Do I even need to tell you why?



Innes is just about as dodgy, but for some reason, it doesn't take. Sort of a bummer. I was wanting him to go on his own separate rampage.



Fado is surprisingly able to double the Arch Mogalls. How much is that eyeball slowing them down?



I mean, really, look at this. It's an impressive level, to be fair, but he's still not good.



And then Innes gets stranded on this island. What joy.



Seriously Fado, get some skill.



Honestly, there's not much else to this map. Everything just waits for you to come close, and this whole map is kind of dull. There's no real progression since everything appears and disappears with no rhyme or reason, so the flow is rather off.



I think, if I were to change it, I would add some additional pathways and make them go away slower, so that there's actually a degree of urgency. The map in FE7 was pretty well put together, and most of the time, you'd have something to do while waiting for pathways to pop up.



While I'm talking about this water level, let's look at an interesting facet of this game's pathing system.



Normally, characters like Innes can't walk on water. But if they happen to have solid ground next to them, they can move to that solid ground no problem. Curiously, this also happens if the characters are stuck in the environment, as shown in the romhack thread when a character started in a wall. Just another example of good programming, I guess.



As always, Void is here for whenever you need to soften up an enemy.



Or, you know, crit and kill them in one hit. That's good too.



By the way, even with his point of speed, Fado is being doubled by this cyclops. A cyclops, ladies and gentlemen. 13 speed is just not good enough in this stage of the game.



Oh, I should mention that there are reinforcements on this map, but they're few and far between. Some of them don't even spawn until you stand in a certain spot.



And you know what, the only people on this map who still can level are Glen, Fado, and Vanessa, so why not?



Speaking of Glen, this kill will put him at 20/20 as well.



Well, it's more spell-proofing. It could be worse.



How Vanessa has grown. She's actually on par with a Gwyllgi for speed. That's pretty impressive.



I like these odds.



At any rate, she can take out the small fry pretty decently. Not everyone has to defeat a cyclops.



Interesting thing about Phantoms: they can't rescue characters directly.



Buuuut, they can take characters or have them passed to them. If you've got nothing better for the little guy to do, why not have him be a taxi service?



There's a monster reinforcement that pops in when someone stands on the platform, but he's not that tough.



One other fun thing about having a Phantom carry people around:



When the Phantom dies, the character he was holding just bounces into view like they're hopping on a trampoline. I don't know why that makes me laugh.



Cormag may be ill-suited to fighting axes, but against lances, he's the best.



I'm very thankful for having Physic on this map, since Riev can't exactly chase after the flying units.



Another level for Vanessa.



And one more stat.



If he's not summoning a minion or sucking the life out of enemies, Knoll can always heal. He's very versatile.



It's multiple turns in, and Innes has finally caught up with the rest.



And with some passing of hands, he's in the boss room.



I love some of the frames in these magic animations.



Vanessa, meanwhile, is finishing what Innes started.



And getting an S rank in lances in the process. I don't believe I've mentioned this, but using a weapon you have an S rank in gives you +5 to crit.



Being stuck in the left side gives Fado an opportunity to clean up the last cyclops, with some help.



While everyone else deals with the right side.



There are some reinforcements in Vanessa's segment, but she's surprisingly able to fight axes just fine.



To be fair, it's one of the least accurate axes in the game.





I hope she gets some strength when she caps speed, but it doesn't typically work that way.



Last four units, and I can just plink away at them from safety.



Sure, one of them has a door key, but what are the odds that-



Oh.



Well, this is bad.



Hey spider guy, you've got something I need.



Thanks.



And Riev finishes off the last enemy. Now, he was going to give us that door key, so...



Yup. Not like I'd use it, since all of my axe users are unlucky saps, but hey, it's a special axe.



Well, at any rate, we're done with Fado.

Next Time: From water to fire. Hey, at least there's finally some color.