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Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:06 am
by Wolkenritter
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:23 am
by Snowdome
Now I am confused. Even if your Landsknecht is replaced by a backrow Dancer, how will it help to add an Imperial to your party? (You can't have 6 members in a party, you know)
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:02 am
by Wolkenritter
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:12 am
by Snowdome
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:29 am
by Snowdome
Actually I meant a sub R in anyone other than I/R. From what I heard, I/R maybe self-sufficient, but you won't want him to do that alone since he got more things to do. (Either Charge Edge route or Heat Sink route).
Elemental Runes and Hawkseye use two very different mechanism. Rune reduces elemental resistance while Hawkseye (and other similar skills) increase the corresponding damage taken. Outcomes in some cases are the same, but they are different.
Edit: are you sure you want a Samba Dancer in a row with only one other member in the same row?
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:49 am
by Snowdome
Rush Dance is ok but you will need the best ELE weapon and, more importantly, a subclass that can increase passive damage to support it. The question is, what do you want your back-row D/M to do? Damage? Support? Heal?
Bushi works on any physical damage dealer, but it's not helping him in Bind aspect.
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 4:56 pm
by Merkoth
Halp.
I'm still at the early stages of the game (just finished the first level of Misty Ravine), but I'm a little concerned that I might've screwed up my party and character builds. EO4 is pretty much my first EO and I don't want to get to a point where I can't progress because I screwed up. My party just got to level 21.
My party as follows:
L | F | N
M| | S
Land: I don't know, I use it mainly for Power Break (mastered) and Mind Break (lvl 4). I spent 5 points in Sonic Raid but I never end up using it that much. I also put 3 points in Blazing Link but it isn't really useful so far mostly because my other characters end up hitting before the L. I put 2 points in Vanguard, but I usually avoid it using it because of the reduced defense :S. Two remaining points went to Proficiency and Expertise. Not really sold on this character, but maybe I'm using it wrong.
Fortress: I really feel like I screwed up this one. I put 3 points in Bolt Strike and 1 in Holy Smite, but I never end up attacking much with this char. Strike Guard is mastered and it's pretty much what I end up using this character for. 1 point in element guard that doesn't seem to be really useful at that level, 5 points in Iron Wall that seems too few and my main concern, just 2 points in Taunt and only 1 in Auto-Taunt. The remaining point went to Proficiency.
Night: So far, one of the most useful characters of my party, Sand Throw (mastered) has saved me too many times. 4 points in Blade Flurry ( leg binding dagger as main, poisonous dagger as secondary), 2 points in Shadow Cloak and 2 points in Auto-Cloak. She doesn't really sustain much damage as it is, but the lack of more auto-cloak makes Biding Slice (lvl 2) useless unless I waste a turn using Shadow Cloak. Also, Biding Slice uses too much TP for my taste, just like Ice Knife (lvl 3). Proficiency and 2 points in Nerve Throw complete my points. I don't mind the character as it is right now, but I'm unsure if the Ice Knife branch is really all that useful.
Medic: Healing lvl 5, Line Heal lvl 6, Steady Hands lvl 1, Refresh lvl 4, Treat and Recovery lvl 1, Patch Up lvl 2. Not too concerned about this one, but I haven't used Steady Hands too much so far, would be much more useful if I had a Dancer I guess. I'm not sold on the Treat & Recovery branch just for Group Therapy and Full Refresh. Prof & Expertise get the 2 remaining points.
Sniper: Controversial character, Arm Snipe (5) has proved useful in more than one fight and I love Steel Arrow and Flank Shot. I don't remember what level of Long Shot (3) was required for those, but I don't use it much. Lock On (3) and Spotter (1) have seen very little use. Prof & Exp complete my 2 remaining points.
Now, the truth is that I'm not having serious issues progressing with this party. My main concern is that it has very little elemental capability. It wasn't a problem in Lush Woodlands and the Blind + Binds + Phys Debuff and Phys Def Buff worked really well against the bears, but as the game progresses I feel I'm falling short in other areas.
So, opinions / ideas? Should I rest some characters / all? Should I power through my way to lvl 30 and retire and use that moment to respec?
PS. Sorry for the wall of text. Also, should I open a new thread instead for cases like this one?
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:12 pm
by Snowdome
L: I am not too sure on how to play a non-Link L, so I will let others to answer. Vanguard is great to use with Links (esp in late-game).
F: Get maxed Taunt and Auto-taunt, and his main purpose will then be fulfilled.
N: Save, retire and try a max Poison Throw to see if you like it. If so, get the spread and mass throw skills later on.
S: Long Shot (3) is the basic requirement. You don't have to use it at all if you don't feel like it, since it is just a very ordinary attack skill.
Any balanced party should work for this game, even without elemental affinity. It just makes the game a bit more challenging and time consuming on random encounters.
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 6:19 pm
by Wolkenritter
Landsknect: Links are not very useful unless you have Vanguard and Improved Link. Vanguard is pretty much the most important skill for a Land since a lot of their abilities rely on them going first. Their profciency ability, the Links, Initiative... etc etc...
The defense drop isn't really that bad since their defense stat is high to begin with. Swordbreaker can also help reduce the damage the Land (And his allies on the same row) takes. You also have a Fortress as well, so no excuses really for not getting Vanguard! The Fortress can defend the Land with Ally/Line/Party Shield and make sure no harm will come to him!
The other problem with your Land though, is that you lack a Runemaster. Link-based Lands work best if there's a Runemaster in the party since they can lower elemental resistances, making their links much more powerful. Runemasters also have moves that hit multiple times as well (Glacier Rune and Galvanic Rune) which can help generate extra hits for the links. It may better to Rest your Land and focus on the non-Link skills instead. ... Though like Snowdome, I can't really offer any advice for a non-link Land.
Nightseeker: The knife branch isn't useful until Shadow Bite is unlocked, which is one of the best attack skills in the game. Paired up with Nightseeker's damage mods, it can deal an insane amount of damage to an ailing enemy. Later on you'll get Swift Edge, which will compliment your party better, since it can generate multiple hits for the Link skills. Though, if you choose not use the Link skills in the end, it may better to stick with Shadow Bite instead since it does comparable damage and costs much less TP.
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 8:49 pm
by Merkoth
Thanks for the comments guys!
I'm still not 100% sure on how I'm going to carry on with this, I'm even tempted of adding a Runemaster (replacing my Sniper), although I don't know how I'd be able to level it up without getting the rest of the party too far ahead while doing so

Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 9:45 pm
by Doktor_Q
Use a script, hunt golden sheep, rest party members who get too far ahead if it bothers you.
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:28 pm
by Merkoth
Stupid OCD, but yes, I'll probably go that way. One question though: what do you mean by script?
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:31 pm
by Doktor_Q
The scripts- Bushi Script, Deepwood Lore, whatever the third one was. Raise a party member to a specific level. Two uses, but handy for skipping grind when you just want to introduce a new party member.
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 12:31 am
by Merkoth
Thanks for the info guys, and sorry for the late reply!
Re: Character/Party Build Ideas?
Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 3:40 pm
by Snowdome
Auto-surge is a must, and I suppose you should have done it long time ago...
Get Silver Arrow. It helps a lot in the 4th and 6th stratum. Impact Arrow is also nice to have even with the cooldown.
I dunno how often you use Lock On, but you should get Snipe Mastery and a binder in your party, because 30% passive crit rate is awesome (or 10% for the 1st SP).
Get binding shots if you really have too many points to spend, which you should since you haven't get any of it.
At least 1SP on Chase Bind is nice because the first chase is relatively stable as far as I can remember.
As a friendly note, 3SP on Power Boost<S> and 3 on Power Boost<B> is better than 1 and 5.
And forget about Scavenger: I have never even considered spending SP on it and I am not concerned with rare drop or en (in fact my bag is often too full when I leave because of my play style).