Part 42: The Better Main Character Returns

Double update today because I'm busy tomorrow.



Back in Banner Village, provided you have a final save from Suikoden I, you'll run into your old fathermotherfriendlover, Gremio. This is an optional sidequest.



Ko believes that someone else is us, and so he's going to provide a distraction to get Gremio out of the way. The weird part is that he dresses up like us but doesn't realize that Azure is his idol.







The much cooler, way more awesome, so ridiculously cool Miles McDohl is just chillin' fishing. If you brought anyone else from Suikoden I, they'll come out and say something. The most substantial responses will come from Kasumi, provided you recruited her, due to her previous love for him. We ask to talk to him elsewhere.





Ko's not in the inn... he apparently ran off into the woods (or was captured)







The burden of bearing the Soul Eater has grown larger...

: Ted and his grandfather both gave their lives to protect the Soul Eater... I don't think the Rune itself is evil, so please, Young Master, let's go.



“you will never be as awesome as me and my game is better than your game"



Gremio joins our convoy, and Miles McDohl joins our party. He is not a Star of Destiny, he is completely optional. He is, however, the best character in the game by a wide margin, like he was in the first game. The Soul Eater is still stupid powerful, also. In the NA version, if you had a name that didn't start with M, or had caps in it, it would take the original name (“McDohl”) and then modify it, as the programming made Suikoden II unable to recognize the name you used in the first game. So if you had “Thomas” as the main character's name, he would be “TcDohl” in this game. It was stupid, so I'm playing the PAL version.

Also, if you had the Master Garb and Earth Boots equipped to him in the first game, they transfer over.





The Double Leader Attack is the same as the Master Pupil Attack from the first game, but instead of a 1x multiplier, it's only 0.75x. It's still stronger due to both leads being more powerful.









How did the Soul Eater acquire another two souls? Hmm.







That's Karen's Twin Ring Rune, it's pretty fucking awesome looking. It deals 2x damage and may ruin her balance, so again pair it with a Balance Rune. You'll notice in some screenshots that Karen is in her regular outfit, and some she's not. The moment the first turn starts, she pulls off her normal dress to turn into dancer Karen.





The bandits initially laugh and mock us, but, upon seeing Azure and, coincidentally, the way more badass McDohl, they shit their pants.





The bandit tells us that a monster up ahead has Ko.





Ko's been poisoned... by the worm from before.



Now you could just win the battle...



But that's not as interesting.



Beat the shit out of the worm, though.



Because it then turns into the much tougher Poison Moth.



A strong party could still take this guy out, but that magic attack does 200+ damage and it can use it twice. The moth is also no longer able to be unbalanced.











The game wants you to fail so that the two leads can combine their Runes, which is basically them using the fourth-level spell of their particular Runes one after the other. What we are given here is an early preview of Forgiver Sign, the final Bright Shield Rune spell, one that we aren't supposed to have access to yet. It basically uses the power of CGI movies and obscure imagery plus the cosmos to cause over 2,000 damage to the enemy. However, this damage is subtracted by how much it heals, based on how hurt the party is (as it initially does a Great Blessing-type party heal). So Forgiver Sign's damage total is 2,000 + (whatever the Magic stat adds) – (total damage done to the party). It's a good spell to break out in the first round of a boss battle, but not one to use in the middle of the battle.

McDohl then uses Judgment to finish off the moth.



Now we head to Gregminster.



yeah but just because this bro over here interrupted my fishing



Liukan's also not important enough to get a redone portrait





Dude, I'm dying from the Soul Eater. I would make a terrible president.



Of course, Lepant still doesn't understand.



ah, yes, that is the reason, US BOYS you know



I dunno maybe in suikoden VI just kidding that's not coming out





: Oh come on, Pahn. You only came back because you ran out of money.

: Ah. P, please don't mention that in front of the Young Master...



I mostly fished



go back to doing laundry



Suikoden 2 Tunes – Gremio's Special Stew

TO MY SON, TO THE EMPIRE



but really I can't stop thinking about you



: 3 years ago, the Young Master, I mean, Lord Miles, fought as an army leader... he brought many things to many people... but I've been thinking. Lord Miles, what do you, personally, gain from this war?



Arguing with Suikoden II fanboys, honestly



nope... no.... one... can...



: It's... it's been three years... we've rebuilt Rokkaku. It's almost like the war never happened... everyone is leading new lives... Kirkis has rebuilt the Village of the Elves, and Kuromimi's become chief of Kobold Village. And I... I've grown a bit, but... Lord Miles, you... you haven't changed at all...



: A life without end... I... forgive me... forgive me... I am such a fool... please, forgive me.



I know, it must be hard confessing your feelings to a silent protagonist.



Pahn stop dreaming about me



: Young Master... even though this place holds painful memories, it's still our home.



yes





Gremio tells us to walk the road we've chosen unafraid, as they both leave our party.



Both of them return to Gregminster. If you want McDohl in your party, you'll have to trek all the way there. Best go buy a Champion's Rune! One problem with McDohl is that he can't be accessed at the tavern. If you boot him out, or if the game boots him out of your party, you'll have to come back here to put him back in. We'll be making another stop there to acquire a recipe after we've done the cooking duels (which is why you should WAIT to do any of them until you complete this sidequest).

This is probably the only set of Suikoden I references that don't feel shoehorned into the game, and I enjoy the sidequest a lot.

Artwork:



Tir McDohl

The coolest main character in the series.