Playing without a elemental magic user for the first time

[Gumi]

Hello everyone.

I'm not new to EO, as I've played II and III prior to this (and played through about 98% of the way in each, as in I didn't complete the optional bosses). However, in both of the past installments, I've always played with an elemental magic user of some kind.

For some reason this time around, I just wanted to try something else, so I decided to go with Nightseeker instead of a Runemaster. It's been working out for me pretty well so far, but I had a few questions for some of the more creative party builders out there (since I tend to be rather formulaic in my opinion):

1. Do the later strata REALLY require you to have a mage to defeat the bosses? I was thinking that I could just add elemental attributes to get around this problem for EOIV, since you can basically reforge your weapons as many times as you want.

2. Would sub-classing help? Normally, I'm very reluctant to subclass with a mage-esque class, since the TP investment is just too high for me. Any suggestions?

So yeah, that's all. I'll be posting my guild card in the coming days.

[Dangerus]

[Wolkenritter]

Like in every other EO game, they're not mandatory. They're helpful to have but the game is perfectly beatable without one. Granted though, Runemasters are probably the most useful version of the elemental caster in the series IMO.

Runemasters are a powerful sub choice for a lot of classes. In particular, characters with elemental attacks (Landsknects and the 3rd hidden class in particular) favor a Runemaster sub to boost their elemental attacks with Runic Flare and Runic Precision.

[BlueMortimer]

[Garlyle]

You don't necessarily need an elemental caster Runemaster, no. However, you do need ways to deal elemental damage - there's enemies early on who are resistant to all physical elements; later, there's some that are extremely dangerous if not dealt with quickly, and doing so with physical moves is out of the question, beginning around stratum which also .

So you will need an elemental damage dealer, but it doesn't have to be a Runemasters. Landsknechts using elemental links are extremely powerful once they set up (but aren't quite as potent in random encounters as Runemasters); meanwhile, Fortress, Nightseeker, and each of the three unlockable classes have ways of dealing non-physical damage (the first does Non-elemental damage to be specific; the final actually has massive elemental damage output, though with a caveat). Also, Sniper has a skill (Silver Arrow?) which ignores enemy defenses/resistances/buffs completely, including enemy resistances to Pierce.

You can also subclass Runemaster onto any of those to enhance their elemental abilities (whether through direct passives or the elemental defense/weakness-enhancing Runes, or actual spells if you're a Medic or the first unlocked class due to good TEC) if you really want, among other ways/benefits which the post before me talks about a lot better.

So yeah, having elemental damage available is highly suggested at least somehow in your party; but how you get it is something you have a lot options for.

[Liferake]

On early enemies the Nightseeker will have enough raw power to deal with them, however later on you'll have to rely on assassinate (Which can't be used on bosses very well) if you're going pure physical. Otherwise, like others have said, just rely on other character's access to magical/elementally typed skills, since they are very helpful.

[Wolkenritter]

[emailboxu]

IMO Elemental Damage is the cheapest and hardest-hitting form of straight up damage output... A lot of enemies later on block physical damage, and there aren't many "untyped" physical damage skills.

Because a lot fewer enemies are weak to physical damage, it needs a lot more optimizing and specializing in your characters, which is unavailable for a long time, simply because the lower-level skills don't have them.

Could make an interesting "challenge" run, though.

E: And also at above, Shadow Bite IMO isn't as reliable in terms of damage as, say, Bushi, or a (physical) Landsknecht with Tempest Sword, simply because you have to land the status effect first.

I think we're also forgetting how useful an RM with the basic runes is against element-based bosses (end-dragons, post game, hell, even starting from the 3rd stratum), at blocking their elemental damage. Even if you're not planning to deal Elemental damage (no idea why), you'll need to block it.

[Dangerus]

[Wolkenritter]

[eloquentrave]

I am eccentric enough that the team I run consists of precisely 0 caster primaries.

I say eccentric, because it works.

[Gumi]

In hindsight, I realized I meant skill points, not TP. Sorry everyone (although TP was still a relevant factor for me at the time I posted, and that was probably why I made that mistake).

In terms of having this as a challenge run, that actually sounds like an appealing idea I'm a bit bored with the traditional mage/healer/sword user + whatever else I like sort of set up I usually have with EO, so this is probably my opportunity to experiment with some subclassing configurations I've never tried before. That being said, I'll probably crack halfway through the fourth strata (I'm in the third strata right now) and start training a Runemaster, which is how I usually roll...

Thank you for all of your help, everyone! ^_^