Part 33: Chapter 2 [Camille] (2)
We have two new guests, so let's see what they're made of.
Earnest is a Lancer. He starts off with three attacks and a Soul Crush, so he's usable right off the bat. Earnest is perhaps the 'truest' Lancer in that he actually uses a lance - more specifically, a jousting lance - rather than other variants of the spear or polearm that the other Lancers of the game use.
However, Earnest is a pretty mediocre character. He does enough damage, but his attacks have few hits, don't have great vertical range and are just slow enough (or rather, have very short active frames) that they can't be chained fluidly without help from other characters. Soul Impaler is his 'big' attack, in that it does four hits instead of one like his other two attacks, and knocks the enemy back (which isn't really a good thing). Earnest isn't a terrible character, per se, but chances are that if you're using Earnest, it's because you need a Lancer, and not because you need Earnest.
Natalia is the only playable Rogue, so at least you know who all the Daggers in the C path were for. As a reminder, she has low HP and ATK, but high AVD and RST. Natalia has the same equipment options as Cheripha, Rosea and Reinhilde, and like Auguste, has a movement of five but can't attack diagonally. Natalia starts with three attacks, but no Soul Crush. Her main merit is that her equipment selection is actually pretty good.
Natalia's multipliers are actually pretty solid, though her low ATK hurts her a little. Dawnstar Rising launches, and Edge of Light is slow and hits enough times enough for it to be okay for crystals and gems. Sword Dance is surprisingly strong and fast to execute, but it should be noted that it has very long active frames and if you mash the attack button while she still has attacks queued up, she will skip the final strike of it and miss out on some damage.
While she does have a Siege technique, Natalia has arguably the worse one of them all. Gold Rush increases OTH earned, but decreases experience gained. You'll never have a time when money is more important than experience, so Gold Rush is garbage.
Finally, Natalia has an innate trait that allows her to always see hidden treasures on the map, even if nobody has Treasure Hunter equipped.
Easy picks this time. Earnest is more useful than Natalia right now, Cheripha has more ATK than Wylfred thanks to her shiny new bow and adds another Soul Crush, and Lockswell is useful for knockdowns.
A potentially easy Sin quota as long as you don't mess up combos. We start off surrounded by enemies and they'll all start charging at us, but Darius and another Lancer will hold back for now. Again, the purple water is poisonous.
We start with Lockswell and Cheripha nearly annihilating the Warrior to the north.
Our primary target is the Cutpurse right near the bottom.
Fear is the true test of courage!
Cheripha Soul Crush
Cheripha's Soul Crush is the weakest in the game (its multiplier beats Sorcerers', but they have better weapons). However, the generous twenty hits it supplies make it a good supporting Soul Crush.
...How is this girl a trained assassin again?
Also, now that we've seen her lines, at least I can link to Cheripha's Voice Collection.
Cheripha is voiced by Hana Takeda in Japanese, who honestly hasn't done much that would be familiar to an English-speaking audience. In English, her voice is given by Hunter Mackenzie Austin, who did Porom in Final Fantasy IV and Hsien-Ko in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
Earnest Soul Crush
Earnest does have one merit - his Soul Crush is very strong, only really topped in the main game by Reinhilde and Wylfred because they deal more hits.
Our next turn, after Lockswell takes a hit from the Sorcerer and the other Cutpurse moves in, we finish off the Warrior.
The Elemental Edge drops off him, but we have no Warrior anyway.
Earnest then moves in to attack the other Cutpurse.
The enemy Sorcerer gets in a nasty hit on Lockswell.
Cheripha returns the favour by sticking twenty arrows in his face.
If only Darius fought alongside us...
Small armour upgrade for Cheripha or Lockswell.
Cheripha baits the Lancer closer. By the way, Cheripha's third attack, Threefold, is incredibly difficult to use. It fires two sets of three arrows that fan out - this means that to get all six hits to land, Cheripha needs to be quite close to the opponent, which defeats the purpose of an Archer. At her best range, only two arrows land. It's not a bad attack for gems if you can manipulate it, but even if all six shots land the damage is worse than Sharpshot, so make of it what you will.
He takes the bait.
Wylfred will appreciate this.
Following Lockswell healing himself up, Cheripha again baits Darius closer from range.
Darius honestly isn't that much of a threat because of the characters you have - while he has Diminish Missile to neuter Cheripha and his Ice reistance means Lockswell isn't doing diddly squat to him, with three characters that can attack him without retaliation (Cheripha, Lockswell, Earnest), you can do far more damage to him than he can do to you.
Wylfred moves in closer, and powers up...
And that's how we kill Darius without him getting a single attack off.
I think that's the first time we've done a map where we get 100 Sin off every enemy, by the way.
Familiar but useful rewards. Wylfred appreciates the Flame Pallasch, and Lockswell the Infinity Rod and Magic Bangle.
---
I have merely done as I was ordered, Earnest. It is Villnore that betrays you. It is they who will quash the rebellion.
That cannot be!
Villnore are our allies!
That's absurd! What good would it do? It would further stir the unrest brewing in Artolia. Our leaders seek a divided Artolia, ripe for the picking. The serfs' plight means nothing to them. ... Heed my words, old friend. After I die, there will come another seeking to succeed where I have failed.
Fool! What have you done! Better to die a failure... than live a traitor.
I pity poor Sir Darius... Forced to choose between friendship and duty. Sir Earnest, you must leave before word of this spreads. Your life is in danger. But the rebellion-! Long I trusted the support of your crown to be in good faith. This night has opened my eyes. Though we despise Artolia's oppression, never was it our intent to be pawns in its demise. And so, the rebels must hereby disband.
Lady Natalia, no! You'll be executed!
...
...---
Where will you go next? Back to Villnore? Or onward to the Artolian encampment? I go to Lady Natalia. Even were you able to save her, what would you gain? It is not what I stand to gain, but to lose. I have lost one close friend already. I would forsake my homeland before I lose another.
Though it would appear my homeland has forsaken me first. I shall join you. I can offer no reward...
You're a strange one.---
Natalia leaves the party, obviously. Before we go on, let's do the optional battle since Earnest is still with us.
A Battle Beetle, two Ghosts, and two Aelios. Nothing too remarkable otherwise except the Aelios are as troublesome as always.
Beetles are a joke in the later chapters but here they can still be a threat. At least Lockswell is getting good mileage out of his upgrades.
The Ghosts know Dark Savior, which isn't a big threat unless they Silence Lockswell with it - you'll want to use a Bragi's Song afterward so he doesn't become useless.
Cheripha and Earnest sync surprisingly well when they can get gems together. I'm not sure why Soul Impaler isn't knocking back the Aelio here - either it's because it's already dead or because it's a flying enemy.
The battle is pretty boring actually, so let's just move past it.
---
So noble and stoic in the face of peril. Little wonder Sir Earnest fancies her so. Nay, Master Wylfred? It is not love they share. What causes you to say that?
So they are merely friends? Friends of hearts so pure, it shames me. And you come here to atone for that shame?
No deed can atone for what I have done. If that is how you truly feel...
Heugoe is the executioner? To meet again under such circumstances... Fate is indeed a cruel mistress... Master Wylfred! Sir Earnest moves to strike!
Come no closer! Sir Earnest! Release Lady Natalia to me at once!
Do you honestly expect me to hand over a prisoner simply because you demand it? No, but I thought I would give you the chance to live.
Wylfred! You stand with these dogs? I do as I must.Age: 25
Gender: Male
Homeland: Villnore
Height: 178cm
Weight: 73kg
A loyal knight of Villnore descending from a noble and distinguished line, idealistic and sincere Earnest was dispatched to Artolian territory in order to gain trust of downtrodden serfs waging a rebellion.
He and the rebel commander, Natalia, have come to share a bond of friendship that transcends affection. As dear to him is Darius, an underclassman from the Officers Academy with whom he holds a candid rapport.
Earnest official render.