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Ogre Battle 64 - Strategy Guide
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ogrebattle64_strategy_guide
Ogre Battle 64
Strategy Guide
by asimpkins00@hotmail.com
January 29th, 2005
Version 1.0
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Terms
3.0 Magic, Status Effects, & Stats
4.0 Alignment
5.0 Soldier Promotion
6.0 Training
7.0 Legions
8.0 Playing The Game
9.0 Cockatrices & Gorgons
10.0 Chaos Frame Walkthrough
11.0 Classes
12.0 Units
13.0 Charts
|=============================================================================|
I N T R O D U C T I O N 1.0
|=============================================================================|
- What's So Unique? -
Since there are already a few Ogre Battle 64 FAQs out there that contain
nearly all the raw information you'd ever want about this game, I didn't
bother to attempt anything similar here. What I made an effort to cover in
this FAQ was the actual strategy of playing the game. Having all the
necessary information and statistics available is only the first step. How
you analyze this information to make decisions is just as important. This
second step is what I've tried to map out in this FAQ, both from my own
observations and from ideas I've picked up from other players. For that
reason I've tried to avoid duplicating these other FAQs as much as possible.
When information has been duplicated it is only because I felt that it was
immediately essential to grasping whatever concept was being discussed.
If you are looking for a large FAQ of raw data about this game I'd advise
taking a look at CyricZ's FAQ (which I drew upon heavily when memory failed
me) at:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/n64/file/ogre_battle_64_a.txt
A more concise alternative would be bearsman6's FAQ, which gets more to the
point regarding the main questions:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/n64/file/ogre_battle_64_e.txt
And for any information regarding the world of Ogre Battle itself, take a
look at The Ogre Battle Encyclopedia at:
www.ogrebattle.vze.com
- Contributions! -
Strategy guides are by nature subjective. Problems usually have multiple
solutions, especially when it comes to a well made strategy game. For this
reason there can be no final word in this guide, unlike with the raw data that
other FAQs deal with. The bulk of this FAQ is filled with my opinions on the
best way to go about things (usually backed by some numbers). However, in
order to flesh this guide out more, I'd like to fill it up with the ideas of
others, particularly those that disagree with me. If you have an interesting
strategy (or subject) that I overlooked, perhaps a way to use a certain class
or a unique unit formation, then email me. I'd prefer to just cut and paste
your message in and give you credit, so try to be as eloquent as possible and
yet brief. And please attempt to offer reasons behind your thinking when
applicable. Just your pure opinion, backed up by nothing else, won't get very
far.
- Update -
I started work on this a long time ago. I always thought I'd come back and
finish it. Turns out I didn't. I figured I'd post it up incomplete anyway.
It's still got a lot of stuff I think people will find useful, even if it
isn't everything I envisioned. So don't be surprised to find unfinished
sections, awkward wording, things that make little sense, and crazy spelling
errors. Maybe I'll catch the flu sometime, start playing OB64 again, and get
motivated to finish this guide. Until then, enjoy it for what it's worth.
It's probably about 85% of the way there.
|=============================================================================|
T E R M S 2.0
|=============================================================================|
- Introduction -
Some of these terms are standard in the game. Some of them I've made up. I
included this section to free myself from the burden of worrying about
defining my terms in the midst of some other dissertation.
- Character -
Refers to the individual creature/person in your battalion. A character is
further defined by its class which will usually be changed during the course
of the game. (But not always, as some characters will be bound to their
class.)
- Class -
The abstract attribute that defines your character. A class will dictate the
character's combat actions, what equipment it can use, and how it will
strengthen after gaining levels.
- Unit -
An organized group of 1-5 characters.
- Battalion -
Your whole army. Includes characters both in and out of units.
- Blocker -
A strong physically defensive character placed strategically in front of a
physically weak character in order to protect them.
- Filler -
Refers to a character that is less than ideal for his unit role yet is used
anyway due to the lack of a better option and the necessity to get the unit
out on the field.
- Armored Spellcaster -
Refers to a class that has weaker magic yet superior physical defense than
that of a pure spellcasters, making them ideal for back row positions that
lack blockers.
- Melee -
Refers to classes that are designed for hand to hand combat, usually from
the front row.
- Melee Casters -
Any melee class that has the ability to cast magic from the back row. The
magic is usually determined by the element of the character's weapon.
- Healers -
Any character that can restore Hit Points. This obviously includes the
Cleric and the Priest, but could also include melee casters equipped with a
virtue weapon in the back row.
- Spellcasters -
Any character that can cast offensive elemental magic and therefore has the
potential to combine with other spellcasters. This includes both pure
spellcasters such as Sirens as well as melee casters. This does not
include Healers, Witches, or characters with special attacks such as most
beasts and dragons.
- Grooming -
Refers to the carefully planned process of moving a character through
specific classes for specific periods of time in order to maximize their
potential.
- Foundational Classes -
Refers to the basic human classes that all human characters must pass
through on the way to higher classes. They include the Soldier, (male)
Fighter, and (female) Amazon.
- Basic Classes -
Refers to the next level of human classes after the foundational classes.
These are roughly the classes that will be used in the first two chapters.
- Advanced Classes -
Refers to the final level of human classes. Many, but not all, advanced
classes have a corresponding basic class that they represent an improvement
upon.
- Large Class -
Any class that takes up 2 spots in a unit, and does not allow any other
characters to take position next to them.
- Level-Ups -
Refers to the set of numerical averages that a particular class increases
its character's stats by whenever a new level is reached.
- Status Effects -
Conditions that can be placed on characters such as Petrification or Sleep
that affect their ability in combat.
- The Grid -
The 3x3 grid that all units are constructed upon.
- Overkill -
Refers to the practice of putting more offensive power into one unit than
you'll ever be able to use.
|=============================================================================|
M A G I C , S T A T U S E F F E C T S , & S T A T S 3.0
|=============================================================================|
---------------------------------->
Magic Attack Types
---------------------------------->
- "A" Magic -
This is the basic magic attack of the Wizard and Sorceress and a few other
classes. It only inflicts damage on the single grid that it targets.
- "B" Magic -
This is the type of magic attack that occurs when two "A" Magic attacks
combine. It inflicts damage on the square that is targeted as well at the
squares directly above, below, left, and right of the targeted square,
forming a sort of "plus sign". Unless this attack is targeted at the center
of the unit grid, one or two "branches" of the plus sign will normally be cut
off. The most damage is usually inflicted on the originally targeted
character at the center of the plus sign.
- "C" Magic -
This is the basic magic attack of the Archmage and Siren and a few other
classes. It inflicts damage on a 2x2 portion of the unit grid. Being that
the unit grid is 3x3, this means this attack can take on four basic forms:
back left, back right, front left, or front right. It will always hit the
center square.
- "D" Magic -
This is the type of magic attack that occurs when two "C" Magic attacks
combine. It is also performed by Venerable Dragons and spellcasters with
Drakonite Books. It inflicts damage on all 9 squares in the grid,
effectively hitting every enemy character. It usually inflicts the most
damage on the center square, followed by the center row/column squares, and
doing the least amount of damage to the corners.
---------------------------------->
Status Effects
---------------------------------->
- Petrification -
This ability used by Cockatrices, Gorgons, and any characters wielding
Ji'ygla's Bow effectively removes a character from combat and perhaps the
whole mission. It doesn't kill the character, and thus no experience will
be handed out for petrifying enemy characters (though you can still attempt
to kill them while they are petrified). Friendly characters will return to
normal at the end of the mission or if taken to a Witch's Den or treated
with a Revive Stone. Golems are naturally immune to this effect as are any
characters equipped with the Hallowed Shield or the Celestial Veil.
- Power Down and Poison -
Power Down and Poison do essentially the same thing: temporarily drop the
level of the targeted character. This means they will deal out less
damage and take more damage in return. However, at the end of battle the
character's stats return to normal. This ability is not very effective
unless you are in a training battle or have a character that can Power Down
multiple enemies at once - like the Ahzi Dahaka. This status effect is
usually associated with the Fire and Earth elements.
- Power Up -
Power Up is a very rare ability that does just what you'd expect. It
temporarily raises the level of the targeted character. It is usually not
worth your time.
- Sleep -
A status effect usually associated with the Water and Bane elements. Sleep
will take its victim out of the battle, causing them to miss their attack
opportunities. However, slumbering characters seem to wake up fairly often,
particularly when being attacked, making this status effect not quite as
valuable as Paralysis.
- Paralysis -
Perhaps the most valuable status effect, Paralysis is usually associated with
the Wind element. Like sleep, it prevents its victim from attacking, but
unlike sleep it seems to wear off much slower.
- Virtue Attacks -
While not a true status effect, Virtue damage has a special property that is
worth mention here. Most Undead classes will regenerate back to life after
a battle when killed. However, if these same Undead classes are slain with
a Virtue attack they will become "Lost" and be completely removed from the
game. This means that you won't be able to resurrect them through any
method.
---------------------------------->
Stats
---------------------------------->
- Hit Points -
- Strength -
- Vitality -
- Intelligence -
- Mentality -
- Agility -
- Dexterity -
- Physical Resistance -
- Magical Resistance -
|=============================================================================|
A L I G N M E N T 4.0
|=============================================================================|
- Why Does Alignment Suck? -
Simply put: the game designers screwed up. The alignment system in this game
is highly frustrating to work with. Unless you are willing to put enormous
time and effort into performing tedious and trivial tasks you'll likely find
that all your characters will gravitate to one alignment extreme. This is a
serious problem because the proper alignment is a requirement for all of the
classes in the game. You will likely find yourself locked out of a huge
number of classes.
- Peer Pressure -
One of the main things that affects alignment is the alignment of the other
characters in a character's unit. After each battle, every character's
alignment will shift in an attempt to equalize with the alignment of those
around him. This can be the most useful way to drastically change a
characters alignment. Simply put a Chaotic character with a bunch of Lawful
characters or vice-versa and there alignment will start to head towards
neutral.
- Competition -
Another factor in alignment is the character's level relative to the enemy's
level. Basically, if you have a much higher level than your opponents then
your alignment will swing towards Chaotic. Or if you have a much lower level
than your opponents then your alignment will swing towards Lawful. Players
that use many units usually have a lower average level and end up with lots
of Lawful characters. Likewise, players that only use a few units usually
have a high average level and end up with Chaotic characters. The amount of
training you do can also affect this.
- Fair Play -
Allegedly a unit's battle strategy might play a factor in alignment. Battle
strategies like "Attack Strongest" may make your characters more Lawful,
while conversely "Attack Weakest" may make your characters more Chaotic.
- One On One -
The final factor that plays a role in alignment is an individual one. If a
character kills an enemy that is more Lawful than him he will become more
Chaotic, and if he kills an enemy that is more Chaotic than him he will
become more Lawful. Since this system is relative it causes a real
problem. Essentially, a character will get to the point that he is so
Chaotic or Lawful that every character he kills will push him further in
the direction he is already headed. This is probably the main reason that
characters seem to swing to extreme alignments.
- What Would You Do About This? -
After researching this problem and considering all the possible solutions I
decided to just use a game glitch, known as the 55-item cheat, to get around
it. Personally, I see this as a poorly designed aspect of the game and I
highly prefer cheating to the laborious alternatives. To get around this
problem you need to get ahold of an Urn of Chaos or a Scroll of Discipline
and use the 55-item cheat to make a large number of them. Then use these
items on your characters to tweak their alignment to the necessary levels.
Information on the 55-item cheat can be found in bearsman's OB64 FAQ at
www.gamefaqs.com
- I Can't Cheat Though! -
Well the alternatives aren't very pleasant. Basically, your best strategy
would be to break up your units. Mix up your Lawful and Chaotic characters
so that their alignments will balance out. If you are missing Lawful or
Chaotic characters then you'll need to go out and recruit characters with
the desired alignment from neutral encounters. And try to use training to
raise the level of characters you want to be Chaotic and avoid using
character you want to be Lawful so that they'll fall behind in level. It's
really a pain in the ass. Trust me, just cheat. It's a video game. It's
supposed to be fun not tedious.
|=============================================================================|
S O L D I E R P R O M O T I O N 5.0
|=============================================================================|
- Should You Promote? -
To be blunt, it's very possible to finish this entire game without promoting
a single Soldier. Throughout the game a wide assortment of special characters
will offer to join you, often bringing along a full unit of characters with
them. If you don't lose many characters to death nor require a large number
of units you can completely disregard this aspect of the game. Remember, you
can only dispatch a maximum of 10 units on the field anyway.
- When To Promote? -
If you do decide to promote Soldiers then do it early in the game. This is
because a promoted Fighter or Amazon will take the level of its unit leader.
Early in the game this number is likely to be low, while later in the game it
is very likely to be high. Promoting a Fighter or Amazon to a high level is
bad because those classes have terrible level-ups. You'll only be creating
stunted characters.
So start promoting right away. Estimate how many human characters you are
going to want and get them all done immediately. If you choose to wait a
little while, at least keep a character at low level so they can be the
Soldier promotion unit leader. But don't wait too long because the enemy
might become too difficult to defeat.
- Soldier Promotion Unit -
The first key to a effective Soldier promotion unit is to have as many
Soldiers in it as possible. The more soldiers in the unit, the faster they
will promote. Fill your unit with four groups of three Soldiers a piece
and a leader.
The second key is to design a unit that will win battles yet take a large
number of battles to complete kill off the enemy unit. By having four
Soldier groups in the unit, you're halfway there. In addition, choose a
unit leader that does no damage and offers purely defensive protection.
Clerics, Priests, and Witches are ideal choices. The Cleric or Priest
will keep everyone healed, while the Witch will deny the enemy a chance to
even attack. Set up your unit something like this:
___ Sld ___
Sld Cle Sld
___ Sld ___
- Attack the Left-Overs -
Don't send your Soldier promotion unit after full-strength enemy units.
Rather, keep the unit behind your main combat force and have your main
combat force cripple enemy units down to one survivor. (Retreat if
necessary). Then send in your Soldier promotion unit to rack up wins
attacking the single enemy character over and over until he finally dies.
You should consider disabling several enemy units in single mission this
way.
- Ansate Cross -
Be sure to occasionally equip your Soldier promotion unit with the Ansate
Cross in order to get humans of both gender.
- Medal of Vigor -
At the beginning of Chapter 2, return to the town of Edepar in Alba with
Magnus to receive the Medal of Vigor. Equip this item on your soldier
promotion unit and it will double to Soldier promotion rate.
|=============================================================================|
T R A I N I N G 6.0
|=============================================================================|
- Should You Train? -
Much like Soldier promoting, the game can easily be completed without
training. If you keep your number of units from getting too high, kill all
of the enemy characters on each map, and spread the experience out evenly you
should never have to train. However, if you have a problem with any of those
items then feel free to train about as much as you want. You'll most likely
be loaded with Goth and there are unfortunately very few other things to spend
your money on.
- Where to Train? -
The best place to train seems to be at Alba. While the levels of your
opponents adjust to match yours, the classes you face are strictly defined by
the training location. Alba will offer you Basic classes such as Amazons,
Clerics, and Fighters which translates into quickly and easily won battles.
- How to Train? -
The level of your opponents will equal the level of the highest level
character in the unit being trained. With this in mind, the most effective
way to train would be to pair up 4 medium level characters with one character
that is of much higher level. This way your 4 medium level characters will
get the maximum experience from defeating higher level opponents, likely
gaining a level every training session until they catch up to the high level
character. However, it can be a lot of work to rearrange your units like
this, so it's often just simpler to train your units as they are.
|=============================================================================|
L E G I O N S 7.0
|=============================================================================|
- Why The Negativity? -
Okay. I stand with the majority of players that find Legions to be incredibly
disappointing. Except for one minor tactic, I find them completely useless --
a handicap even. There are the occasional advocates here and there, and I
plan to post some of their articles in this FAQ so you can make up your own
mind on the issue. However, for my contribution to the matter I shall only
discuss why I think they suck and then explain their sole use.
- The Legion Core -
The primary drawback of the Legion is that every Legion needs to have a Legion
core. For every additional unit you want to add to the Legion (1-4) you have
to have a corresponding Soldier in your Legion Core. The problem should be
self-evident but I'll explain anyway. The Soldier is arguably the weakest
character in the game. Thus you unavoidably have a Legion built around an
extremely inferior unit composed of Soldiers. That's one less unit on the map
that you can use in a fight. If you successfully avoid confrontations with
your Legion Core is only means that you are denying experience to the
characters in that Legion Core, making it even weaker. And if your pitifully
weak Legion Core does get attacked it will most likely get slaughtered,
causing your whole Legion to fall apart.
- Supportive Attack -
This should be an advantage but it is really just a joke. The Legion Core can
provide one supportive attack to any of the other Legion units in a fight.
Basically, the pathetically weak soldiers from the Legion Core appear and do
about 1 point of damage to the enemy characters. Yeah.
- Lack of Mobility -
Another problem with the Legion is that it is really slow. The Legion must
stick together meaning that units spend lots of time waiting for other units
to take wide corners and stay in formation. It's also difficult to manage
how a unit is facing, meaning that units can often be flanked or attacked
from behind. And ultimately, you can only have 10 units on the map at a
time. With a Legion it is difficult to spread your troops across the map
as needed because Legions are by definition concentrated. The ability of 10
separate units to quickly move and shift positions around the map as needed
is completely lost with the densely packed Legion.
- The Practical Use -
The one undeniable practical use for Legions is just this: searching for
neutral encounters. It's much easier to form two 5-unit legions and issue
orders to walk around the map than to continually issue orders to ten
separate units. Keep Legions in mind when searching for those neutral
encounters.
|=============================================================================|
P L A Y I N G T H E G A M E 8.0
|=============================================================================|
- Equipping & Upgrading -
In between scenarios remember to take the time to browse through your various
characters and make sure they are using the best equipment possible. Also,
remember to routinely check your characters for the possibility of being
upgraded into a superior class. It's to your advantage to start using higher
level-ups as soon as possible.
- Leave No Survivors -
During every mission you should make the maximum effort to completely kill off
every enemy unit on the map. Send your units to chase down fleeing enemies.
Leave no survivors. There are two reasons for this. The first is that you'll
want to collect as much experience for your characters as possible. Every
surviving enemy is experience lost. The second reason is that completely
defeated enemy units often drop items. Kill off ever enemy unit to ensure
that you don't miss anything important. It's rare, but sometime enemy units
will retreat from the map from their main stronghold. Try to get a unit near
the main enemy stronghold as soon as possible to cut them off.
- Take Every Stronghold -
At the end of the mission the amount of Goth and Soldiers you receive is
related to how many strongholds are under your command. For this reason you
should attempt to bring as many strongholds under your command as possible.
On the low Chaos Frame path you should take every stronghold on the map, but
on the high Chaos Frame path you'll have to leave neutral strongholds alone.
- Shopping -
Every time you encounter a new map, be sure to stop by any shops it may have.
At the shops you should buy any piece of equipment you don't already have at
least one of. New classes won't become available until you have collected all
of the required equipment. If you keep your battalion updated with all the
new equipment you'll be able to access the new classes as soon as possible.
- Use The Witch's Den -
At the end of the mission there's a chance that any dead human characters
could turn into Zombies. You most likely don't want this to happen. If you
don't have (or don't want to use) an Altar of Resurrection, be sure to find
the Witch's Den on the map and resurrect your characters before you complete
the mission. Petrification can also be cured at the Witch's Den, but unless
the character is immediately vital you shouldn't worry about it. The
petrification will wear off at the end of the mission naturally.
(Characters leading a unit cannot be turned into Zombies.)
- Expendables -
Make a habit of equipping all your units with a well rounded batch of
expendables. You'll want healing items like Heal Leaves, Heal Seeds, and
Heal Packs. The healing items you carry should be determined on the total HP
of your average character and whether or not you have a healer in the party.
Also remember to bring one or two Power Fruits or Angel Fruits. You never
know when your unit may get caught near an enemy unit with low stamina. If
you have the funds, carrying a Quit Gate, Revive Stone, and Altar of
Resurrection can also be useful. Finally, remember that you have these
items and be able to determine when you should use them. It's pointless to
stock up and carry these items if you never use them. In general, they are
all fairly cheap, so you shouldn't be too hesitant to use them.
- Stay Healthy -
Keep track of the HP and stamina of your units. Don't send them near enemy
units when they are tired or badly injured. The enemy doesn't move much in
this game, so take your time and move when you are ready. Have your
characters rest at strongholds before moving again. And don't forget to
use expendables in emergencies.
- The Buddy System -
Whenever possible, try to send your units out in at least groups of two. If
one unit ever gets in trouble you always have another unit nearby to hold the
enemy off while the injured unit retreats. Occasionally, you'll also run
into particularly strong enemy units and it's necessary to have two units
take turns attacking to wear it down.
- Guard Your Base -
You don't want to go overboard with this, but get in the habit of leaving a
unit or two at your main stronghold. Sometimes the enemy will attempt a
sneak attack, often with flying units, on your main stronghold. If you
didn't leave anyone behind you will quickly lose the mission. A Quit Gate
can often come in handy in this situation.
- Scout -
Remember you can click on enemy units and view their contents and formations.
If you find yourself having a hard time, try to do some scouting first and
adjust your strategy accordingly.
- Flank -
Sooner or later you'll come across especially strong enemy units. Often this
will be the final boss unit. Attacking with multiple units is often helpful,
but try to flank the enemy unit as well. Usually you can find a direction
that the enemy unit is much less effective from. If the enemy unit is using
petrification, attack from an angle where they can't. If there's a
particularly strong melee character protecting the leader, attack from
behind. The leader will be vulnerable and the strong melee character will be
much less effective. This is usually easy to do against boss units as they
stand still in the main stronghold. Mobile units are a bit tougher, but try
using one unit to get it's attention while another unit moves in from behind.
(Remember not to be flanked yourself as most of your units will probably be
designed to be highly effective only from the normal direction.)
- Attack Them While They're Sleeping -
Another way to gain a huge advantage against the enemy unit is to catch them
camping out in the wilderness. If you attack, all their characters will be
asleep allowing you to inflict lots of damage while taking little in return.
Enemy units rarely get stuck camping in the wilderness unless they are
running from you, so this strategy will only be somewhat useful. (In the
same way, don't let your guys get caught camping. If you see an enemy unit
approaching try to use the break camp command to quickly wake everyone up.
Eat an Angel or Power Fruit if you need to.)
- Change Formations -
Remember that you can change your unit's formations in between battles. You
can sometimes rearrange your unit to make it more effective against a
particular enemy unit. Move injured characters out of a dangerous position.
Switch rows for a character to change his attack type. Rearrange to
compensate for a slain blocker. Move your characters to one side to better
target the enemy unit leader.
- Kill The Leaders -
The "Attack Strongest" battle strategy can be useful when you have
Pumpkinheads, and the "Attack Weakest" is always useful to quick outnumber
the enemy, but the "Attack Leader" is probably the most useful battle
strategy overall. Firstly, it provides the most effective way of focusing
your offensive power on one character. You'll probably find that your
spellcasters perform combo-magic more frequently. Secondly, a leaderless
unit is essentially out of the game. By killing on character you have
disabled the whole unit. The enemy doesn't have the ability to assign a
new leader, and after the battle the enemy unit will just run away from
you, allowing you to come back and mop up at your leisure.
- Retreat -
Remember that you have the retreat option during combat. Run away if you
get in over your head. Sometimes your characters will be quicker than the
enemy. In that case, wait for your characters to attack and then retreat
right before it's the enemy's turn to attack. You can then engage the enemy
again and repeat the tactic until you have worn them down.
- Pedras -
You won't gain the ability to use the Pedras until later in the game. But
when you do, remember to use them when you get in trouble. Pedras take a long
time to recharge, but if you gather all six of them you'll be able to use them
much more frequently.
|=============================================================================|
C O C K A T R I C E S & G O R G O N S 9.0
|=============================================================================|
- Introduction -
The most difficult battles you will likely face in this game involve enemy
Cockatrices and Gorgons and their devastating ability to petrify your
characters. This is such a standout issue that it warrants its own section.
I will discuss a few strategies for dealing with this below.
- Know When It's Coming -
The first key to dealing with this problem is to know when you will actually
run into a Cockatrice or Gorgon unit in the game. Fortunately it's rather
rare -- a total of eight units in the whole game. (Note: there are a few
more Cockatrices in the game, but they are placed in the front row and
shouldn't be a problem if attacked normally. For that reason, I didn't
bother to mention them here.)
Your 1st encounter will be near the end of Chapter Two at Mount Keryoleth.
A unit lead by a Freya with two Cockatrices in the back row will be found up
north, southeast of Dolbo.
Your 2nd encounter will be the first mission of Chapter Three at Dardunnelles.
A unit lead by a Freya with two Cockatrices in the back row will be part of a
legion guarding Bungasue.
The 3rd encounter will also be in Chapter Three at Fair Heights. Yet another
Freya lead unit with two Cockatrices in the back row will be guarding Rajisk.
The 4th encounter will also be in Chapter Three at Capitrium. As the pattern
goes, a Freya lead unit with two back row Cockatrices will be found south of
Castle Eundel.
The 5th encounter will be in Chapter Four at Gules Hills. This is a single
Cockatrice in the back of a flying unit lead by a Raven that will suddenly
appear with a few other units in an ambush. The ambush is west of your
starting point.
The 6th encounter will be at Barpeth, also in Chapter Four. This time you
are facing a front row Gorgon that also happens to be the final boss for
that level.
The 7th encounter will be at Tybell, also in Chapter Four. Another Gorgon
lead unit will be guarding Tricaeze.
The final encounter will be on the Aura Plains only if you access the bonus
low CF mission. Two back row Cockatrices lead by a Black Knight will be
guarding Albesta.
- Become Immune -
The most solid strategy to dealing with petrification is to send units that
are immune. Golems are a great class to use as they are not only immune to
petrification, but can sometimes use petrification to upgrade to a stronger
class. There are also two items in the game that will make their user immune
to petrification. The first is the Hallowed Shield, which you can get at
Elgoria, Mylesia with Troi. The second is a piece of headgear known as the
Celestial Veil which may be dropped by a Sword Master lead unit guarding
Murau at Romulus (enemy item drops are random so you might need to play the
mission several times.) Gorgons are even easier to deal with as any character
with a shield is immune to their gaze. Also, Cockatrices in the back row will
usually attack your back row. Sometimes it is good enough to only make your
back row immune to their petrification (like placing a lone Golem back-center)
and then not worrying about your front row.
- Flank -
Cockatrices can only petrify in the back row and Gorgons can only petrify in
the front row. If you can attack these units from behind you will have
eliminated this threat. It is particularly easy to sneak around behind when
the unit is guarding a city or part of a legion.
- Fight Fire With Fire -
You could always try to bring your own Cockatrice or Gorgon to the fight.
Just make sure that they are lined up with some high Agility characters so
that their petrification attacks happen first. Remember, you don't get any
experience if the enemy is petrified by not killed.
- Charge In Desperation -
Sometimes it's easiest to just line up a bunch of units and try to overwhelm
the Cockatrice/Gorgon unit. Try to fire off a few Pedras if possible. You
may lose many characters to petrification, but that can always be reversed
with a Revive Stone or a trip to the Witch's Den. Or even better, if you
don't need them to finish the mission, petrification wears off when the
mission is complete. Just use a few expendable units. This strategy can be
particularly effective if you can catch the enemy unit asleep.
|=============================================================================|
C H A O S F R A M E W A L K T H R O U G H 10.0
|=============================================================================|
- Introduction -
Chaos Frame is one of the most important aspects of this game. It will
determine how the story flows, which characters will offer to join you, and
how the game will end. It is affected by two things: decisions you make in
the game and your town Liberate/Capture record. While a high CF could be
equated with 'good' and a low CF could be equated with 'bad', high CF should
not be equated with winning and nor should low CF be equated with losing.
It's two different ways to play the game -- each with a unique story and
unique characters. The game is worth playing through twice just to
experience both paths.
It's important to decide before you begin playing which path you want to take.
This way you can make the right decisions so as to not miss anything
important. If you aren't decided on this matter and strike down a middle road
you'll miss out on much of the game. It's the two extreme paths (high CF and
low CF) that have the most to offer.
- Liberate/Capture -
Your town Liberate/Capture record has the largest impact on your Chaos Frame.
When you liberate a town you get +0.5 CF. When you capture a town you get -2
CF. So in essence, you have to liberate 4 towns to make up for one captured
town. To liberate a town you must enter it with a unit who's average
alignment is +/-20 of the town's morale. Otherwise you will Capture it. You
cannot Liberate neutral towns. If you or the enemy enters a neutral town it
will count as a Capture. If the enemy takes back one of your towns it counts
as a Capture. Due to a few bugs, there are a few towns in the game that you
will always Capture. As you can see, it's much easier to have a low CF than
a high CF.
- High Chaos Frame -
The High Chaos Frame path offers the larger number of recruitable special
characters (Aisha, Saradin, Ankiseth, Debonair, Destin, and Gilbert). It is
also the more difficult of the two paths to stick to due to the huge burden
of having to Liberate (and not Capture) the large majority of strongholds in
the game. In addition to understanding the needs of the masses by Liberating
their towns, you will also need to make highly moral decisions throughout
the game. This seems to involve choosing non-violent paths, disobeying your
orders, and following your heart (unless of course it violates the previous
standards).
You'll need to remember not to Capture neutral towns and you'll need to avoid
letting the enemy re-Capture towns you have already Liberated. In some cases
you might need to avoid a town altogether because you don't have a unit that
has an alignment that matches the town's morale. But don't worry if you
occasionally capture a town. In the long run it won't matter too much, just
don't make a big habit of it. Sometimes a stronghold will have such
strategic importance that it'll be worth capturing it.
Mentally keep track of your high alignment and low alignment units. At the
start of a mission take a look at all the strongholds and see what their
morales are like. Then send your units out accordingly: your high
alignment units to high morale strongholds and your low alignment units to
low morale strongholds.
- Neutral Unit -
Since it's a usual pattern for units to become aligned either extremely high
or extremely low, it's a good idea to create a neutral unit when attempting
the high CF path. Basically, make a unit of one or more neutral aligned
characters and then never use them in battle. This way their alignment will
never change. Keep this unit behind the rest of your 'combat' units and
have them Liberate all the strongholds that have a neutral inclined morale.
It can be helpful to make this unit a flying unit so they can get around the
map quicker. Consider recruiting a neutral hawkman or two for just this
purpose.
- Low Chaos Frame -
The Low Chaos Frame path offers a lesser number of recruitable special
characters (Biske and Carth), although you could argue that the low CF
characters are somewhat more interesting. It provides an opportunity to
lose Dio from your battalion, yet he still remains to play an important part
in the story line. It also boasts a bonus level at the end of the game and
perhaps a more interesting story line overall. And most importantly, it
frees you from the high CF hassle of Liberating all those damn strongholds.
Low CF players care not about the fickle wishes of the masses.
You shouldn't have to worry much about Capturing strongholds. You'll do it
enough without even paying attention to ensure a low CF. In fact, most
players who don't know anything about CF will end up with a low CF. To be
on the safe side make sure you capture any neutral strongholds and maybe
even let the enemy Capture your strongholds occasionally. Remember that
Capturing a stronghold is 4x worse than Liberating one, so it's not that
hard to achieve a low CF.
- "Neutral" Characters -
Most special characters can be acquired on both the high CF and the low CF
paths. These include Dio, Leia, Troi, Katreda, Asnabel, Vad, Meredia,
Europea, and Paul. Liedel and Sheen can also be acquired on either path,
but they take a bit of extra work. Liedel will join you at the end of the
Sable Lowlands mission if your CF is high enough. If you are going the
high CF route then this shouldn't be a problem, but if you are going low CF
and want Liedel in your party then you'll need to raise your CF before you
meet her and then start dropping it immediately after she joins. The
reverse is true for Sheen who is found in the Azure Plains level. Sheen
requires a neutral to low CF. So if you are on the high CF route and want
Sheen in your battalion, keep your CF near neutral until he joins you and
then start to raise it afterwards.
---------------------------------->
Decision Points
---------------------------------->
- Confrontation with Dio -
Near the beginning of the game Dio will challenge you to a fight. Refuse if
you are on the high CF path and accept if you are on the low CF path.
Optionally, you could refuse even if you were on the low CF path if you would
like to keep Dio for some reason.
- Mylesia/Zenobian Border -
Early in chapter one you will be given a choice between Mylesia and the
Zenobian Border. You will have to complete both missions and the order that
you do them in most likely does not affect your CF in any way.
- Frederick's Execution -
Midway through Chapter 1 you will be ordered to execute Frederick. Refuse if
you are on the high CF path or say "..." if you are on the low CF path. This
decision is crucial to determining how many of the Zenobians will join up
with you. If you agreed to fight Dio and you say "..." then Dio will leave
your battalion at this point.
- The Slaves -
Midway through Chapter 2 you will be given an option to travel three different
directions. You can travel north to Mount Ithaca, but that will cut out the
other scenarios, so save Mount Ithaca for last. If you are on the high CF
path I'd go to Audvera Heights, then the Sable Lowlands, then Mount Ithaca.
On the low CF path I'd go to the Sable Lowlands, then Audvera Heights, and
finally Mount Ithaca. On the high CF path you should be able to pick up Aisha
in Audvera Heights.
- Mount Keryoleth/Azure Plains -
Near the end of Chapter two you will be given a choice between Mount Keyoleth
and the Azure Plains. After finishing either one, the path to Wentinus will
open. I would recommend finishing both missions before going to Wentinus as
going to Wentinus will cause any unfinished missions to close. Your decisions
here most likely do not affect your CF in any way.
- The Western Division -
Near the end of Chapter 2 you will be given a choice to follow orders and
attack the Western Division or disobey orders and make peace with them. For
high CF you should make peace (and eventually bring Ankiseth on board), for
low CF you should follow orders. Optionally, you could make peace on the low
CF path but make sure to not recruit Ankiseth afterwards if he offers. You'll
still be able to acquire the low CF characters, but Ankiseth will meet his
demise in a different fashion.
- The Eastern Orthodox Church -
About midway through Chapter 3 you will encounter another fork in the road.
There will be three paths to choose from: Vert Plateau, Capitrium, and the
Tremos Mountains. In reality there are really only two choices as the Vert
Plateau and Capitrium lead into each other. If you are on the low CF path
you'll most definitely want to choose the Vert Plateau/Capitrium path (either
one will do) as that leads to Biske, one of the great low CF characters. On
the high CF path the choice is not so clear. Vert Plateua/Capitrium offers
you the change to pick up Europea, and offers more missions which means more
equipment and experience. The path through the Tremos Mountains offers you
the chance to pick up Paul and a Ring of the Dead which means you can make a
second Lich. I would recommend going through the Tremos Mountains though,
because if you know that you'll always take the other path on low CF (to get
Biske) then going the other way lets you experience all aspects of this game
in just two play throughs.
- The Central Region -
A few missions into Chapter 4 you will be presented with a several choices.
Basically, you can march directly to the capital and free the surrounding
territories afterwards, or you free the surrounding territories first and
then attack the capital. For the high CF path I'd recommend clearing out
the surrounding territories first. For low CF I'd recommend first going to
Ptia to pick up Carth, then attacking the capital (Latium), and then freeing
the surrounding territories. Optionally, if you wanted to face Carth in
battle (and Leia's father in the Tundra of Argent) just make sure you save
Ptia (and the Tundra of Argent) until after finishing Latium on both the
high or low CF path.
|=============================================================================|
C L A S S E S 11.0
|=============================================================================|
---------------------------------->
General Thoughts
---------------------------------->
- Gender Principle -
The way the rules are defined for this game you'll find that male classes are
usually more effective as front-line melee fighters, and females are better
used as spellcasters, healers, or ranged attackers in the back rows. There
are a few exceptions to this principle, but it should work as a general
guideline. Female front-line characters are usually not going to be as good
as their male counterparts, so avoid them. And don't waste your male
characters on back row jobs, leave that to the female characters.
- Diversified Armory Principle -
One main reason to have a diversity of classes in your battalion is to take
advantage of the diversity of weapons you'll find as you progress along the
way. For instance, it might make sense to have a Beast Tamer/Master around
just to use the few high powered whips you may come across. No one else can
use them. From the reverse perspective, you might not want to make too many
Paladins because you'll run out of quality equipment for them. It's best to
have a nice mix of Paladins, Black Knights, and Swordmasters so all your
characters can be equipped with great stuff. Of course, you don't want to
take this too far. A Cataphract with a great spear still might be worse than
a Swordmaster with an average greatsword.
- Large Class Principle -
When considering the merits of a large class it is important to remember that
they take up 2/5 of the unit's capacity as opposed to the 1/5 taken by normal
sized classes. That understood, it is not enough for a large class to simply
be better than a normal sized class. It must be at least twice as good! For
every large class you can have two normal classes in it's place. And simply
put, most large classes do not compare to two normal classes. Two normal
classes will usually have more total attacks, inflict more damage, have more
total Hit Points, and can block two columns while the large class can only
block one. This pushes most large units out of strategic consideration except
for filler.
- Grooming -
Effective grooming for most human characters is fairly straightforward. Most
basic classes have a corresponding advanced class. While you don't have to
advance to an advanced class from its corresponding basic class, it's usually
a good idea to always do so. This will ensure that the important stats will
be increased through similar level-up numbers and the advanced class stat
requirements will be met as quick as possible, thus allowing you to evolve as
quickly as possible. In other words, Paladins should come from Knights and
not Wizards, and you shouldn't make your Dragoon from an Archmage. Define a
character's role early and avoid dramatically changing his class path.
One rule of grooming that applies to all human characters is to get them out
of the foundational classes as soon as possible. The foundational classes
have bad level-ups compared to basic and advanced classes, and every level
gained in a foundational class means lost stat points. For this reason,
special care should be taken when training new soldiers (this is discussed in
the training section).
---------------------------------->
Foundational Classes
---------------------------------->
--------
SOLDIER|
--------
- Equipment -
The Soldier has non-standard equipment that cannot be changed.
- Level-Ups -
?????????????
- Special -
The Soldier CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Soldier is the basic human class from which all others are derived.
(Except, of course, those characters that join your battalion already
evolved.) Their primary function is to act as the source for human
reinforcements (both male and female), and therefore they have little other
strategic value. Both offensively and defensively weak, they should never
be placed in a unit that you expect to use in actual combat. They should be
kept to specially designed 'Soldier Promotion Units' or left off the battle
field entirely.
They could possibly be used as defensive filler in the case of a character
shortage. If you are short characters yet desperately need to send a
particular unit into battle, a group of soldiers could be used to block for
defensively weak back row characters. However, almost any 'evolved'
character would serve this purpose better, so this strategy should be
considered as a final resort.
- Placement -
Soldiers can be placed just about anywhere. They'll do the most damage from
the front row, although the difference is slight. The most important
consideration is to place Soldiers in the same row as other Soldiers to take
advantage of their combination attack. Other than that, depending on
circumstance, you can place them behind other characters to protect them.
Or you can place them in front of other characters since they are so easily
replaced.
--------
FIGHTER|
--------
- Equipment -
Sword -> Short Sword
Small Shield -> Round Shield
Light Armor -> Chain Mail
Helm -> Iron Helm
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +4 +3 +3 +3 +2 +3
- Special -
The Fighter CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Fighter is the male foundation class. There's nothing spectacular about
this class, and you should seek to evolve them as soon as possible.
- Placement -
Due to their two attacks from the front row, Fighters should almost always
be placed there. The only exceptions to this would be if your front row was
already full with better characters, or that the current battles were so
vicious that you needed to protect your Fighter until he evolved.
-------
AMAZON|
-------
- Equipment -
Bow -> Short Bow
Light Armor -> Leather Armor
Headgear -> Bandanna
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +2 +3 +3 +3 +3
- Special -
Forest Movement. The Amazon CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Amazon is the female foundation class. There's nothing spectacular about
this class, and you should seek to evolve them as soon as possible.
- Placement -
Due to their two attack from the back row, Amazons should almost always be
placed there. In addition, because the Amazon has rather low HP and VIT you
should try to place a blocker in front of her whenever possible.
---------------------------------->
Basic Male Classes
---------------------------------->
-------
KNIGHT|
-------
- Equipment -
Sword -> Baldr Sword
Large Shield -> Kite Shield
Full Armor -> Plate Armor
Helm -> Armet
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +4 +3 +4 +4 +3
- Overview -
Of the primary three male front-line classes (Knight, Berserker, and Fencer),
the Knight will probably be the most effective. This is mainly due to his
ability to use better equipment than the Berserker or Fencer. You'll want to
make a bunch of these. The Knight most naturally evolves into the highly
useful Paladin.
- Placement -
Two attacks in the front row, and stats and armor designed to soak up
damage... the Knight was made for the front row. Try to place him in front
of weaker characters to protected them from melee damage.
----------
BERSERKER|
----------
- Equipment -
1h Axe/Hammer -> Francisca
Light Armor -> Leather Armor
Helm -> Iron Helm
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +5 +3 +4 +4 +3
- Overview -
The Berserker has the best physical resistance stats of the basic male
classes. However, the numerical advantage is only slight and level-up stats
play a minor role in the early game. The lack of quality equipment makes
this class rank lower than the Knight in effectiveness. But due to their
alignment and level-up stats they make excellent candidates for Black Knights,
and for this reason alone you should make two or three.
- Placement -
Once again: Two attacks in the front row and damage absorbing stats. These
guys definitely belong in the front row, blocking for weaker characters.
-------
FENCER|
-------
- Equipment -
Greatsword -> Bastard Sword
Light Armor -> Cloth Armor
Headgear -> Jin-gasa
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +5 +3 +3 +5 +5 +5
OVERVIEW
The Fencer has the best offensive stats, yet is tied with the Ninja for the
worst defensive stats of the basic male classes. The Fencer also has awful
equipment making it a serious defensive liability. You'll want to be
slightly protective of these guys. Try to team them up with a healer as soon
as possible. However, they are one of the fastest classes (second only to
the Ninja), and once they have the time to take advantage of their level-up
stats and evolve into the Swordmaster they'll be capable of more damage than
any other normal melee class.
PLACEMENT
A little more consideration should be taken as they won't absorb damage as
well as the Knight and Berserker, yet because of their two attacks in the
front row it's doesn't make much sense to put them anywhere else.
--------
PHALANX|
--------
- Equipment -
Spear -> Spear
Large Shield -> Large Shield
Half Armor -> Plate Mail
Helm -> Iron Helm
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +4 +5 +3 +4 +3 +3
- Overview -
There really isn't much reason to use these guys. They have good equipment,
but not as good as the Knight's. They have good defensive stats, but not as
good as the Berserker's. Their offense is mediocre and they are really slow.
It might make sense to have a few to use any good spears you find, but my
advice is to avoid this class entirely. And change Troi to something else
when he joins up. Their upgraded form of Cataphract is equally atrocious.
- Placement -
If you do decide to use these guys, put them in the front row for their two
attacks and to block for back row characters.
------------
BEAST TAMER|
------------
- Equipment -
Whip -> Leather Whip
Light Armor -> Leather Armor
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +4 +3 +3 +4 +4
- Special -
Mountain Movement.
- Overview -
These guys have some nice, well-balanced stats. Perhaps even better than the
Knight's. However, they lack good equipment. Great whips are hard to come
by. If they lead a unit with beasts in it, the beasts will get a 15% bonus.
But this bonus really isn't that impressive, and does little to justify their
use. The Beast Tamer also has a Mountain movement type, but again, it really
isn't that effective. The Beast Tamer is not a bad character, but you could
probably do better.
- Placement -
Beast Tamers get two attacks in the front and middle rows, so they are
effective in either location.
------------
DOLL MASTER|
------------
- Equipment -
Doll -> Marionette
Accessory -> Amulet
Robe -> Robe
Headgear -> Bandanna
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +4 +5 +4 +4 +5
- Overview -
The Doll Master has great physical attack numbers and great magical defense
numbers, yet bad physical defense numbers and bad equipment. They give a
bonus to Golems if they lead the unit, yet the merit of that bonus is slight.
It might be worth making one or two to use any good dolls and to lead a Golem
unit (if you plan to make one), but other than that this class is best
avoided.
- Placement -
Doll Masters get two attack in the front and middle rows. But due to their
poor physical defense numbers and armor, they are probably best used in the
middle row behind a stronger character.
------
NINJA|
------
- Equipment -
Claw -> Iron Claw
Light Armor -> Ninja's Garb
Headgear -> Hachigane
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +5 +3 +4 +4 +6 +4
- Special -
Forest Movement. The Ninja CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Ninja has one thing going for him: Speed. Ninjas (and Ninja Masters)
are the fastest human characters in the game. When their level-up stats are
given enough time to take effect they will almost always strike first, along
with other characters that happen to share a row with them. This can be an
effective strategy if you can kill your opponent before they get a chance to
strike back. Most battles however won't end so quickly, so be careful not to
get out-matched as the Ninja has poor defensive stats and poor equipment.
Ninjas cannot lead a unit and have Forest movement type, both of which
probably won't play too big of a factor in this game.
- Placement -
Ninjas have two attacks in the front row and should probably be placed there
despite their defensive shortcomings. But the most important consideration
with Ninjas is who they share their row with. Their high speed often allows
them to get the initiative, as well as their allies that share the same row.
For this reason, it's a sound strategy to mix up a Ninja or two with slow yet
powerful characters in any row, in order to kill the enemy before he has a
chance to attack.
-------
WIZARD|
-------
- Equipment -
Staff -> Scipplay Staff
Spellbook -> Spellbook
Robe -> Robe
Accessory -> Amulet
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+3 +3 +3 +6 +4 +3 +3
- Overview -
The Wizard is an effective back row spellcaster, but you'll probably not use
many of them because of a basic gender principle present in this game:
Males have better front row characters and females have better back row
characters. The Wizard is an exception, as he is just as effective as the
Sorceress. However, you'll probably find it's better to concentrate on using
your males for the front melee lines and using your females to take care of
the rear spellcasting. That aside, there's nothing wrong with using them.
Spellcasters, like the Wizard and Sorceress, using combination-magic will be
your most effective offensive weapon.
- Placement -
Wizards should always be placed in the back row with another character
blocking it from melee attackers. There they'll get two attacks and you'll
not have to worry about their poor physical numbers and lack of armor. The
other important consideration is to have them share a row with one or two
other spellcasters (with complementary elements) in order to take advantage
of combo-magic. Combo-magic has the potential to hit a larger number of
enemies, it can help to focus damage on an opponent, and it has the potential
to inflict status effects which offers defensive assistance. Combo-magic is
an incredibly effective tactic and your Wizard should be placed to take
advantage of it.
---------------------------------->
Basic Female Classes
---------------------------------->
-------
ARCHER|
-------
- Equipment -
Bow -> Great Bow
Light Armor -> Leather Armor
Headgear -> Leather Hat
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +4 +3 +4 +4 +5
- Special -
Forest Movement.
- Overview -
The Archer is an effective non-frontline attacker. She'll need a blocker,
but she can dish out damage well. There's really nothing wrong with using
her, it's just that spellcasters (particularly when they are using
combo-magic) are generally more effective. For that reason, I advise
making Sorceresses instead. The Archer also has the largely insignificant
Forest movement ability.
- Placement -
The Archer works well in the middle or back row but will do slightly more
damage in the middle row. Most of the time you should place her there. And
she should not be without a blocker.
-------------
DRAGON TAMER|
-------------
- Equipment -
Thrusting Sword-> Rapier
Light Armor -> Chain Mail
Helm -> Bone Helm
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +5 +4 +4 +3 +4
- Overview -
The Dragon Tamer has the best stats for female front-line fighters. Of
course, that's not saying much as she has only bested the mediocre Valkyrie.
The bottom line is that females don't make good front-line fighters and thus
this class is of limited use. Her 15% dragon bonus (for units she leads) is
also useless because early game dragons are rather weak. However, it might
be worth making one or two to upgrade into the more effective Dragon Master
which can lead the more effective Venerable Dragons. This is also an
excellent class for Angel Knight candidates.
- Placement -
She gets two attacks from the front row, so it's probably best to place her
in the front whenever possible.
---------
VALKYRIE|
---------
- Equipment -
Spear -> Spear
Small Shield -> Round Shield
Half Armor -> Breastplate
Headgear -> Plumed Headband
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2 (magic)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4
- Special -
Snow Movement.
- Overview -
With rather mediocre stats, the Valkyrie will never make it as a great
front-line fighter. Once again, this job should be relegated to male
characters. The Valkyrie also has the interesting ability to cast magic in
the back row, yet their stats will once again keep them perpetually inferior
to a Wizard or Sorceress. The Valkyrie is a class that can do lots of
things, yet can do nothing really well... except perhaps move through Snow
quickly (which plays an extremely minor role in this game). My advice is to
stay away from them, but there is one situation where they may prove useful.
The Valkyrie has the ability to combo-magic with other spellcasters. Now
normally you'd always want to use a Sorceress due to their better magic
stats, but in the case where one spellcaster must be exposed to physical
attack it could be prudent to use the slightly more defensive Valkyrie rather
than the weak Sorceress. You'll have a character that can take physical
damage and still perform combo-magic.
- Placement -
Valkyries should be placed in the front or back rows where they'll get two
attacks. Because of this versatility, Valkyries work well in the corners
because no matter what direction the unit is attacked from they will always
have two attacks.
------
WITCH|
------
- Equipment -
Staff -> Scipplay Staff
Spellbook -> Spellbook
Garment -> Witch's Dress
Headgear -> Pointy Hat
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +3 +3 +6 +5 +4 +4
- Overview -
The Witch is a defensive class. She deals no damage but contributes by
dealing status effects to the enemy which prevents them from attacking and
makes them vulnerable to your attacks. Witches can also combo-magic with
each other to hit a group of opponents. Ultimately though, the Witch has a
hard time earning her spot in most units. Status effects wear off, do no
damage, and battles aren't long enough for them to make a big difference.
And besides, a pair of Sorceresses can provide status effects through their
combo-magic. Except for a few circumstances it seems to be more profitable
to use characters that can inflict damage instead of the Witch. One such
circumstance is in Soldier training units. Also, in a weird twist, Witches
can use Drakonite books that are found near the end of the game to become
offensive juggernauts. However, it would seem odd to keep a Witch around
that long just for that purpose.
- Placement -
With their two attacks in the back row you'll definitely want to place them
there, preferably behind a blocker. And if you happen to have more than one
make sure they share a row so they can take advantage of combo-magic.
- Grooming -
While there is no grooming necessary to make a Witch, it's important to note
that the Witch class can be used to effectively groom a female to be a strong
spellcaster. This is because the Witch class has better level-ups than the
Sorceress. It's not in any way crucial, but if you can find a way to work
Witches into your army then your future spellcasters can be a bit stronger
because of it.
----------
SORCERESS|
----------
- Equipment -
Staff -> Scipplay Staff
Spellbook -> Spellbook
Garment -> Witch's Dress
Accessory -> Amulet
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+3 +3 +3 +5 +5 +3 +3
- Overview -
This should be your primary back row class. When teamed up together to
utilize combo-magic, Sorceresses will become your strongest offensive force,
inflicting status effects as well. Of course, they can also be teamed up
with Wizards or Valkyries to achieve combo-magic. You'll want to protect her
as much as possible though, with blockers and possibly healers. The
Sorceress naturally evolves into the highly effective Siren.
- Placement -
Put them in the back row to get two attacks. Put them behind blockers to keep
them safe. And put them in the same row to use combo-magic.
-------
CLERIC|
-------
- Equipment -
Mace -> Light Mace
Robe -> Cleric's Vestment
Accessory -> Rosary
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +3 +4 +5 +5 +3 +3
- Overview -
Like the Witch, the Cleric is a defensive class. However her defensive
contribution is a lot more effective. She can heal your characters, keep
them alive and fighting, and nullify the enemy's offense. My recommendation
is to put one of these in every unit possible (although some specialized
units won't be able to fit one in). Of course you don't need them, and many
players prefer to carry around heal leaves and rest in strongholds instead.
But I prefer being down one attacker in order to have constant protection and
to ensure that my units will always be ready to move. Another strategy is to
place two Clerics in one unit in order to make near invincible unit. The unit
won't cut through the enemy very fast, but you won't have to worry about
anyone dying. This is a sort of "slow and steady wins the race" strategy.
It's also good to remember that Clerics can combo with each other to do
mass-healing spells. Clerics will also upgrade into the even more valuable
Priest.
- Placement -
They get to heal twice in the back row, so you'll definitely want them there.
And like most back row classes, you'll want a blocker if at all possible.
However, the Cleric has more Hit Points and Vitality than the Sorceress, so
in a bind you might choose to leave the Cleric exposed instead of the
Sorceress.
-------------
ANGEL KNIGHT|
-------------
- Equipment -
Thrusting Sword-> Needle of Light
Large Shield -> Kite Shield
Half Armor -> Plate Mail
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1 (special)
Back -> x2 (special)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +4 +3 +4 +4 +5
- Special -
Sky Movement.
- Overview -
- Placement -
- Grooming -
Angel Knights exist to become Seraphim, and the Seraph's primary attack is
Jihad which is based off of Dexterity and Vitality. So you want to groom
your Angel Knight potentials with classes that have a high DEX/VIT
combination. Dragon Tamers or Archers are the best candidates with Dragon
Tamers offering more physical defense and Archers offering more speed. With
their high Dexterity, Dianas are the ultimate choice when available.
---------------------------------->
Advanced Male Classes
---------------------------------->
--------
PALADIN|
--------
- Equipment -
Sword -> Blessed Sword
Large Shield -> Kite Shield
Full Armor -> Baldr Armor
Helm -> Baldr Helm
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (magic)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +5 +4 +5 +4 +4
- Overview -
Of the primary advanced front-line fighters, the Paladin will be the most
initially useful. With three attacks and quality equipment they excel in
offense and defense. Until the superior level-up stats of the Black Knight
and Swordmaster allow them to pass the Paladin up, Paladins will be the
backbone of your army. They also gain the ability to do magic in the back
row, but there's really not much reason to make use of it. Like Knights,
it's nice to have a lot of these guys around.
- Placement -
You'll pretty much want to put your Paladins in the front where they can get
three attacks. Unique circumstances might suggest that you place them in the
back row to perform some magic attack (or heal with a Virtue weapon), but
those situations should be quite rare.
-------------
BLACK KNIGHT|
-------------
- Equipment -
2H Axe/Hammer -> Satan's Bullova
Accessory -> Valiant Mantle
Full Armor -> Baldr Armor
Helm -> Armet
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (magic)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +7 +6 +5 +5 +4 +4
- Overview -
The Black Knight is initially constricted due to his mere two attacks while
most of his counterparts have three. This means a serious difference in
offensive power. However, as time progresses the Black Knight's incredible
stats will make up this difference until it eventually does in two attacks
what a Paladin does in three. The Black Knight also has better defensive
stats than the Paladin and does not suffer from the lack of armor it's
previous incarnation, the Berserker. Without L&P'ing or recruiting Carth
you can only get ahold of three Valiant Mantles, thus you can only make
three Black Knights. I suggest making that many. (The Black Knight also
has magic ability in the back, but like the Paladin you should rarely use
it.)
- Placement -
The Black Knight has two attacks from every row. However, the back row is a
magic attack and should probably be avoided. The Black Knight is a
potentially great middle row character, however due to its great defense it
should usually be placed in the front row to block for other characters. It
will also do slightly more damage in the front row.
-------------
SWORD MASTER|
-------------
- Equipment -
Greatsword -> Claymore
Light Armor -> Cloth Armor
Headgear -> Hachigane
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (Sonic Boom)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +4 +4 +4 +5 +7
- Overview -
Like the Fencer, its previous incarnation, the Sword Master is a mix of
incredible offense (damage and speed) and pathetic defense. The Sword Master
has the potential to become the most damaging melee attacker in the game, but
only given enough time for his level-up stats to take effect. Until then he
will be somewhat of a defensive liability compared to the Paladin and Black
Knight. Build a bunch of these for their offensive potential, but be
protective of them until they achieve it.
- Placement -
Despite their defensive shortcomings, the Sword Master should be placed in
the front row for their three attacks. Avoid putting them in the back row
as Sonic Boom hurts the Sword Master as well as his target.
-----------
CATAPHRACT|
-----------
- Equipment -
Spear -> Baldr Spear
Large Shield -> Tower Shield
Full Armor -> Heavy Armor
Helm -> Armet
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +5 +7 +3 +4 +3 +4
- Overview -
I don't find this unit anymore useful than the Phalanx. It has good
defensive numbers, yet still worse than the Black Knight, and it's equipment
isn't that spectacular. Its offensive abilities are disappointing. It's
slow with only two attacks and low damage. Like the Phalanx, the only reason
to consider using one or two of these would be to take advantage of any great
spears you have lying around. But I'd just stay away from them.
- Placement -
With two attacks from any row you can put them pretty much anywhere, but I'd
try to put them in front of weaker units in order to block for them. That's
about all they're good for.
-------------
BEAST MASTER|
-------------
- Equipment -
Whip -> Rupture Rose
Light Armor -> Hard Leather
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +6 +3 +4 +4 +4
- Special -
Mountain Movement.
- Overview -
The Beast Master is not particularly exceptional in any aspect. They only
have two attacks, bad equipment, and merely decent stats. They can be
somewhat useful if teamed up with two Sphinxes, but for the most part they
are best avoided. At this stage in the game most beasts are obsolete and
the 15% bonus has a hard time making up for other deficiencies.
- Placement -
Beast Masters fight pretty much the same from anywhere making them a good
middle row candidate. Place them behind a blocker if possible or use them
as a blocker if necessary.
----------
ENCHANTER|
----------
- Equipment -
Doll -> Fool
Accessory -> Amulet
Robe -> Magician's Robe
Headgear -> Bandanna
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +4 +4 +5 +5 +4 +5
- Overview -
The Enchanter is an upgrade for your Doll Master. He's still not
particularly good at anything (except maybe magic defense). It might be
worth having one or two to use your good dolls and lead a Golem unit if you
happen to have one.
- Placement -
Enchanters get an extra attack in the front row compared to their Doll Master
counterparts. However, you should be hesitant to place them there as they
aren't very strong and you're likely to have something that can fit that
position better. You could always opt to still use them in the middle row
like you did the Doll Master. Both approaches seem to have their drawbacks.
-------------
NINJA MASTER|
-------------
- Equipment -
Claw -> Baldr Claw
Light Armor -> Ninja's Garb
Headgear -> Hannya Mask
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (Ninja Art)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +4 +4 +5 +4 +6 +5
- Special -
Forest Movement.
- Overview -
The Ninja Master is a slight upgrade on the Ninja. He doesn't get anymore
Agility than before, but he's still the fastest human class in the game. The
Ninja Master also gains the ability to lead units, and like many other melee
classes he gains the ability to use magic from the back row. This Ninja Art
is unique in that it chooses the element that the enemy is weakest against
(which seems to most often be Bane). Their three front row attacks keeps them
in pace with other melee fighters, but like the Ninja, the Ninja Masters will
never be your strongest fighters. Their advantage lies in their speed and
using their speed to help you kill another unit before they can attack.
- Placement -
The three attacks in the front are an obvious incentive to place them there.
The more Ninja Masters you place in a row, the more you are assured to have
the first attack. However, it's also a good idea to mix them up with other
more powerful units to make the 'first attack' all the more powerful. With
the addition of back row magic another option presents itself. Place your
Ninja Masters in the back row with your spellcasters to ensure that your
powerful late game combo-magic or Drakonite magic fire before the enemy gets
a chance to attack. Ninja Masters can even contribute to the combo-magic
themselves. You essentially have a spellcaster that doesn't require a blocker
that helps his fellow spellcasters attack much faster.
---------
ARCHMAGE|
---------
- Equipment -
Staff -> Arc Wand
Spellbook -> Spellbook
Robe -> Magician's Robe
Accessory -> Amulet
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (area effect)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +3 +3 +7 +5 +3 +3
- Overview -
Like the Wizard, the Archmage is a great class that you may not use too much.
Most males will be committed to becoming strong front-liners, leaving the back
row spellcasting to the females. But if you find it convenient to use an
Archmage, then never hesitate to do so. Their back row spellcasting is quite
formidable, particular in the form of combo-magic which will hit every enemy
character and inflict status effects. Spellcasters are an offensive
necessity.
- Placement -
You'll want to put these guys in the back row with other spellcasters to take
maximum advantage of their magic as well as to keep them safe from melee
attackers. They have two attacks in the middle row, but their magic there is
not area-effect in nature.
--------
DRAGOON|
--------
- Equipment -
Greatsword -> Sword of Tiamat
Full Armor -> Dragon Armor
Helm -> Dragon Helm
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +6 +3 +4 +4 +4
- Overview -
You can only have one of these and it takes a bit of questing to achieve, but
I'd say it's worth it. They're kind of like Paladins except with a
Greatsword. They get some extra Vitality but lose some magic resistance and
a shield. They're a great front-line fighter and they can add some character
to your battalion.
- Placement -
Pretty much a no-brainer. They have three attacks in the front row. Put them
there.
- Grooming -
Use can use either a Paladin, Black Knight, or Sword Master. Personally, I'd
go with a Sword Master as their level-ups offer the highest damage potential.
--------
VAMPIRE|
--------
- Equipment -
Robe -> Count's Garment (permanent)
Accessory -> Bloody Emblem (permanent)
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +4 +4 +5 +5 +4 +4
- Overview -
For all the work you have to do to get them and the legacy surrounding the
Vampire concept, these guys are rather disappointing. Their stats are rather
bland and they can't move during the daytime. On the positive side they are
nearly invincible while in their coffins during the day, and they heal
themselves with their Life Drain attack. To make your Vampires as powerful
as possible, groom characters with high Vitality and Dexterity to make their
Life Drain as effective as can be. I'd choose a Sword Master for the
improved speed, but a Cataphract will also work and have more hit points.
- Placement -
With two attacks in every row you can basically place him wherever you see
fit. Either behind people or in front depending on the caliber of the rest
of his unit. But don't forget that his attack heals himself, so it is
often wise to put him in a place where he can soak up damage.
- Grooming -
The Vampire's Life Drain is a special attack meaning it is based off of
Dexterity and Vitality. To make a strong Vampire groom a male character in
a class that gets high level-ups in these areas. From the basic male classes
the Doll Master has the highest DEX/VIT combination. But once advanced
classes become available you'll want to switch him to a Sword Master or
Cataphract. The Sword Master offers more speed and magic resistance while
the Cataphract will give you more Hit Points and physical resistance. The
Vampire's level-ups are unimpressive in comparison so try to convert a high
level character over rather than a low level character.
---------------------------------->
Advanced Dual-Gender Classes
---------------------------------->
-----
LICH|
-----
- Equipment -
Staff -> Kerykeion
Spellbook -> Book of Bane
Robe -> Bloodstained Robe
Accessory -> Ring of the Dead (permanent)
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x3
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+3 +3 +3 +8 +5 +3 +4
- Overview -
Both a male and female character, the Lich is the strongest spellcaster in
the game. The Lich has the best magic stats in the game, does area effect
magic from every row, and has three magic attacks in the back row. You can
only get one or two of them however depending on which path you choose through
the game. But you'll definitely want to start using these guys as soon as
possible.
- Placement -
Without question, put Liches in the back row to take advantage of their three
attacks. They are also extremely weak to physical attacks so make sure they
are behind a strong blocker. And don't forget that Liches can do combo-magic
like any other spellcaster, so remember to team them up with Archmages,
Sirens, etc.
- Grooming -
Liches have low class stat requirements meaning that you can convert a
character to a Lich at a rather low level. Make sure to do this to take
advantage of the huge Intelligence level-up the Lich class offers. Near the
beginning of the game, it's a good idea to set aside a character at a low
level and save them for when you later get the Lich equipment. Then convert
them to a Lich and use training to catch up their levels. Your Lich will be
an offensive powerhouse.
----------
CENTURION|
----------
- Equipment -
(male version)
Sword -> Baldr Sword
Large Shield -> Kite Shield
Full Armor -> Plate Armor
Helm -> Armet
(female version)
Sword -> Baldr Sword
Small Shield -> Buckler
Full Armor -> Plate Armor
Helm -> Baldr Helm
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Special -
Can lead a Legion.
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +4 +4 +5 +4 +4
- Overview -
Centurions aren't that great. Two attacks, measly stats, and a lot of work
to make them. A character needs to promote seven soldiers before the
Centurion class becomes available to them. Their main advantage is that they
can lead Legions. This is anti-climatic for two reasons. Firstly, legions
aren't all that useful. Secondly, there are many special characters in the
game that can perform the same job. For those reasons, I'd stay away from
them. (The Centurion class is available to male and female characters, the
only difference being the size of shield they can equip.)
- Placement -
With two front row attacks you should almost certainly place them there.
Europea is a special Centurion, with two attacks in the middle row. In her
case, you could consider placing her there.
---------------------------------->
Advanced Female Classes
---------------------------------->
------
DIANA|
------
- Equipment -
Bow -> Ytival
Light Armor -> Hard Leather
Headgear -> Plumed Headband
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x2
Back -> x3
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +5 +4 +4 +5 +6
- Special -
Forest Movement.
- Overview -
The Diana is the ultimate back row physical attacker. She's fast and has
offensive statistics on par with the best male front-liners (as well as three
attacks). The only problem is that she can only attack one character per round
while spellcasters can attack everyone per round. Like the Archer, the Diana
is pushed out of the back row by the more effective spellcasters. It still
remains a great class though, and it might be worthwhile to make a few anyway.
- Placement -
Dianas should be placed in the back row to take advantage of the three attacks
there. However, if your back row is full they can still work well in the
middle row.
--------------
DRAGON MASTER|
--------------
- Equipment -
Thrusting Sword-> Estoc
Light Armor -> Scale Armor
Headgear -> Plumed Headband
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +5 +3 +4 +4 +4
- Overview -
The Dragon Master is a decent yet still inferior front-line fighter. There's
really not much reason to use her except to team her up with Venerable Dragons.
By leading two Venerable Dragons in battle, she finds her little niche. The
Dragon Master is also able to fight well from any row, a welcome improvement on
the Dragon Tamer.
- Placement -
The Dragon Master has two attacks from every row so place her wherever you need
to. She's not the strongest fighter around, so if you can squeeze her behind
someone in the middle or back row, she'll be much safer.
------
FREYA|
------
- Equipment -
Spear -> Thunder Spear
Small Shield -> Buckler
Half Armor -> Baldr Mail
Helm -> Armet
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (area effect magic)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +4 +5 +5 +4 +4
- Special -
Snow Movement.
- Overview -
The Freya is a slight improvement on the Valkyrie. She has slightly better
defensive numbers, her back row magic is now area effect, and she gets two
attacks in the middle. However, none of this is enough to make her any more
useful than her Valkyrie counterpart. There are a few situations though, and I
outline those in the Valkyrie section.
- Placement -
The Freya has two attacks in the middle which make them a little more versatile
than the Valkyrie. So you can pretty much place them anywhere as you see fit,
although the corners are still a good idea.
------
SIREN|
------
- Equipment -
Staff -> Arc Wand
Spellbook -> Spellbook
Garment -> Fur Coat
Accessory -> Amulet
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (area effect)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +3 +3 +7 +5 +3 +3
- Overview -
Like the Sorceress, the Siren will most likely be your standard back row
spellcaster. Put them together with other spellcasters in the back row,
protect them with blockers, and let their combo-magic decimate your enemies.
Pretty standard stuff by now.
- Placement -
You'll want to put your Sirens in the back row with other spellcasters to take
maximum advantage of their magic as well as to keep them safe from melee
attackers. They have two attacks in the middle row, but their magic there is
not area-effect in nature.
-------
PRIEST|
-------
- Equipment -
Mace -> Baldr Mace
Robe -> Robe of the Wise
Accessory -> Rosary
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +3 +4 +5 +6 +3 +3
- Overview -
Just like I recommended with the Cleric, you'll want to put a Priest in every
unit possible. Priests can now heal multiple units that are placed next to
each other. This ability should not be undervalued. And also like the Cleric,
you can team together two Priests in a single unit to make a nearly invincible
unit. Two Priests doing combo-magic will heal the entire party as well as
remove any status effects (including petrification).
- Placement -
Put them in the back row, of course, to take advantage of their two heals.
However, you'll want to take some time to consider how you place the rest of
your characters. When Priest heal a particular character, the characters next
to them can also be healed. For this reason try to set up your unit so the
Priest can heal as many characters at once as possible.
---------
PRINCESS|
---------
- Equipment -
Fan -> Battle Fan
Spellbook -> Spellbook
Garment -> Pure-White Dress
Headgear -> Dream Tiara (permanent)
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (area effect)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +3 +2 +5 +5 +3 +3
- Special -
One bonus attack to every character in a unit she leads. Does not apply to the
Princess herself.
- Overview -
You can only get one these after a long quest and at first glance she doesn't
look very impressive. Her stats are rather awful. She's not nearly the
powerhouse spellcaster that the Lich or even the Siren is. Her advantage,
however, comes from how she can assist her teammates. If she is leading a unit
then every other character (besides her) gets an extra attack. The damage
potential in this is immeasurable. She is definitely worth getting.
- Placement -
The Princess is probably best placed in the back row to take advantage of her
area effect magic. However, if she is equipped with a Drakonite book then this
no longer matters and she'll work just fine in the middle row if need be. Like
all spellcasters she'll need a good blocker. The most important point though
is to make her the leader of the unit she is in. Otherwise her advantages are
wasted and she's just a second-rate spellcaster.
- Grooming -
The Princess provides somewhat of a unique situation. Since her level-ups
aren't very good you want to avoid gaining too many levels with this class.
The ideal is to find a character that is already at a high level and already
possess impressive stats and turn her into a Princess.
-------
SERAPH|
-------
- Equipment -
Thrusting Sword-> Needle of Light
Large Shield -> Kite Shield
Half Armor -> Baldr Mail
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2 (special)
Back -> x2 (area effect special)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +6
- Special -
Sky Movement.
- Overview -
- Placement -
- Grooming -
Like with the Angel Knight, you'll want to groom your Seraph potentials with
classes that have a high Dexterity + Vitality combination in order to have the
strongest back row special attack possible. Dragon Tamers or Archers are the
best candidates with Dragon Tamers offering more physical defense and Archers
offering more speed. With their high Dexterity, Dianas are the ultimate choice
when available.
---------------------------------->
Undead Classes
---------------------------------->
-------
ZOMBIE|
-------
- Equipment -
Garment -> Old Clothing
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +4 +3 +2 +3 +3 +3 (male)
+4 +4 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 (female)
- Special -
Marsh Movement.
- Overview -
Like most of the Undead the Zombie is not a very useful class. It's bad at
pretty much everything. It's only advantage is that it can regenerate to full
health if killed in battle, but this advantage must be weighed with the fact
that if the Zombie is killed with a Virtue attack it will be Lost forever.
Zombies work well as filler for your units, Blockers that regenerate after
being killed. Also notice that the male Zombie is superior to the female
Zombie due to its slightly higher stats.
- Placement -
Zombie's should be placed in the front row to get the maximum damage out of
them, and to block for more valuable characters.
---------
SKELETON|
---------
- Equipment -
1h Axe/Hammer -> Halt Hammer
Robe -> Torn Cloth
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +5 +2 +2 +3 +4 +4
- Overview -
Skeletons are formed when a Zombie is struck by a fire attack. Skeletons are
both faster than Zombies and inflict more damage due to their stats and ability
to use a weapon. Yet they have weaker physical defense. Pretty much what I
said about Zombies applies to Skeletons as well.
- Placement -
Like the Zombie, the Skeleton should be placed in the front row to maximize
damage, and block for more valuable characters.
------
GHOST|
------
- Equipment -
Robe -> Torn Cloth
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+3 +3 +2 +5 +3 +3 +3
- Special -
Sky Movement.
- Overview -
Ghosts are formed when a Skeleton is struck by a fire/wind attack. Ghosts are
probably the weakest form of Undead. They have an intelligence boost, but the
rest of their stats are poor. In addition, they don't actually do damage with
their attacks, they merely put an enemy unit to sleep. Like the other Undead
they can regenerate when killed but will become Lost when slain with a Virtue
attack.
- Placement -
Place them in the back to get two Sleep attacks. They really aren't useful for
much else, although I suppose you could use them as a Blocker due to their
regeneration ability.
---------------------------------->
Demi-Human Classes
---------------------------------->
--------
HAWKMAN|
--------
- Equipment -
1h Axe/Hammer -> Halt Hammer
Light Armor -> Leather Armor
Headgear -> Bandanna
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +3 +3 +3 +4 +3
- Special -
Sky Movement.
- Overview -
Hawkmen don't compare well with most of the human classes when it comes to
stats. The Hawkman's advantage is that he is a flying class, and that he is
one of the few flying classes that can lead units. The second point is
important because in order to have a flying unit, every character including the
leader must be of flying terrain movement type. If you recruit Hawkmen make
sure you construct flying units with them, otherwise there is little point.
- Placement -
Hawkmen work best in the front row where they get two attacks. And of course
use them to lead flying units.
-------
VULTAN|
-------
- Equipment -
1h Axe/Hammer -> Baldr Club
Light Armor -> Hard Leather
Headgear -> Hachigane
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +4 +3 +4 +6 +4
- Special -
Sky Movement.
- Overview -
The Vultan is the Lawful upgrade to the Hawkman. When compared to the Raven
the Vultan is faster. In fact, it has the same Agility level-ups as the Ninja
Master. However, his front and back row offense is weaker and he has an
inferior set of armor. For this reason, unless you have a particular need for
speed it's probably a better idea to make more Ravens than Vultans. Sometimes
due to alignment though, you won't have a choice.
- Placement -
Vultans can work well in the front or back row, although they will usually be
slightly more effective in the front. Place them as needed, with a preference
for the front row. And don't forget that their extremely high speed can help
other characters in their row attack quicker.
------
RAVEN|
------
- Equipment -
1h Axe/Hammer -> Baldr Axe
Light Armor -> Hard Leather
Helm -> Armet
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +4 +3 +4 +5 +5
- Special -
Sky Movement.
- Overview -
The Raven is the Chaotic upgrade to the Hawkman. Compared to the Vultan he is
offensively stronger, possess better armor, and is only slightly slower. The
offensive and defensive boosts are usually more valuable than the slight edge
in speed of the Vultan, and so it's usually ideal to turn your Hawkmen into
Ravens instead of Vultans if alignment allows.
- Placement -
Like the Vultan, the Raven can work out well in the front or back row but will
usually be slightly more effective in the front. Keep that in mind and place
them where you need them.
------------
PUMPKINHEAD|
------------
- Equipment -
Garment -> Plain Clothing
Accessory -> Glass Pumpkin (permanent)
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1 (special)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +6 +2 +3 +4 +2
- Special -
CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
This is one of most unique classes in the game. They have two unusual attacks.
The first type from the front and middle rows is called the Pumpkin Smash.
The Pumpkin Smash cuts its target's current HP in half. Depending on the
current Hit Points of the target this could be a huge amount of damage or as
little as 1 point. The second type of attack is used from the back row. It's
called the Pumpkin Shower. It's essentially a half dozen or so Pumpkin Smashes
executed in a row. It will most often leave it's target with just a handful of
HP, but it also cuts the Pumpkinheads current HP in half. The Pumpkinhead is
such an odd class that you will find them extremely useful in some situations
and high liabilities in other situations.
- Placement -
Pumpkinheads should be placed in the front or back row. In the front row they
will get their two Pumpking Smash attacks, but they will be very vulnerable to
melee attacks as they will have no Blockers. Pumpkinheads have a high amount
of Vitality, but with their low HP and lack of armor they cannot achieve the
physical defense of most melee classes. The other option is to place them in
the back and use their devastating Pumpkin Shower. However, this will use up
half their HP and make them easy targets for an enemy Diana or spellcaster.
When placed in the back row you want to be sure to provide a Blocker and a
healer. Pumpkinheads are such unique classes that it's usually best to design
special units just for them.
--------
GREMLIN|
--------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2 (special)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+3 +2 +3 +5 +6 +6 +6
- Special -
Sky Movement. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
Not an extremely useful class to have, but could be useful as filler. Despite
their low defensive stats they are able to dodge physical attacks and resist
magic attacks fairly well, allowing them to live longer than you would expect.
Their front and middle row attacks Power Down the enemy, while their back row
attack does some damage and puts an enemy to sleep.
- Placement -
Due to the damage and sleep effect, the Gremlin is probably most useful in the
back row. However, due to their great dodging ability they could also be
useful as a Blocker if you were desperate.
-------
FAERIE|
-------
- Equipment -
Garment -> Tiny Clothing (permanent)
- Attacks -
Front -> x1
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2 (special)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+3 +2 +3 +4 +6 +6 +5
- Special -
Sky Movement. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
Even less useful than the Gremlin, the Faerie can Power Up your characters or
attack with the pitiful Magic Missile from the back row. The Magic Missile is
one of the few Virtue based attacks though, so a Faerie might have a place in
an Undead killing unit. Like Gremlins, the Faerie seems to have a knack for
dodging.
- Placement -
They really aren't useful anywhere, which makes them equally useful everywhere.
---------------------------------->
Dragon Classes
---------------------------------->
-------------
YOUNG DRAGON|
-------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +4 +5 +2 +3 +2 +3
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
Raising your own dragon from scratch can seem like a fun idea, but in reality
all the dragon stages except for their final Venerable stage are kind of
useless. The Young Dragon is the first dragon stage and is no exception. It
might seem like his stats and attacks are adequate, but you have to remember
that the Young Dragon takes up two character slots in a unit. How does a Young
Dragon compare to two Knights? Not at all. With that in mind, the Young
Dragon is something you want to stay away from.
- Placement -
If you really want to use one, use them in the front for their two attacks and
have them block for back row characters.
---------------
THUNDER DRAGON|
---------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1 (breath)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +5 +5 +3 +4 +4 +5
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Wind version of the basic dragon. Like all the basic dragons, the Thunder
Dragon has a nice increase in stats from the Young Dragon as well as a breath
attack in the back row. However, it still does not compare to two Knights (or
two Paladins) and should be avoided. The Thunder Dragon eventually evolves
into the Quetzalcoatl, which is one of the best Venerable Dragons.
- Placement -
Due to their newly developed breath attack, the Thunder Dragon can work well in
the front or back row, yet the front row is probably ideal.
-----------
RED DRAGON|
-----------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1 (breath)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +5 +3 +4 +4 +4
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Fire version of the basic dragon. Like all the basic dragons, the Red
Dragon has a nice increase in stats from the Young Dragon as well as a breath
attack in the back row. However, it still does not compare to two Knights (or
two Paladins) and should be avoided. The Red Dragon eventually evolves into
the Flarebrass, which is one of the worst Venerable Dragons.
- Placement -
Due to their newly developed breath attack, the Thunder Dragon can work well in
the front or back row, yet the front row is probably ideal.
-------------
EARTH DRAGON|
-------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1 (breath)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+7 +5 +6 +3 +4 +3 +4
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Earth version of the basic dragon. Like all the basic dragons, the Earth
Dragon has a nice increase in stats from the Young Dragon as well as a breath
attack in the back row. However, it still does not compare to two Knights (or
two Paladins) and should be avoided. The Earth Dragon eventually evolves into
the Ahzi Dahaka, which is one of the best Venerable Dragons.
- Placement -
Due to their newly developed breath attack, the Earth Dragon can work well in
the front or back row, yet the front row is probably ideal.
------------
BLUE DRAGON|
------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1 (breath)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +5 +5 +3 +5 +3 +5
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Water version of the basic dragon. Like all the basic dragons, the Blue
Dragon has a nice increase in stats from the Young Dragon as well as a breath
attack in the back row. However, it still does not compare to two Knights (or
two Paladins) and should be avoided. The Blue Dragon eventually evolves into
the Hydra, which is one of the better Venerable Dragons.
- Placement -
Due to their newly developed breath attack, the Blue Dragon can work well in
the front or back row, yet the front row is probably ideal.
----------------
PLATINUM DRAGON|
----------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1 (breath)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +5 +6 +4 +4 +3 +4
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Virtue version of the basic dragon. Like all the basic dragons, the
Platinum Dragon has a nice increase in stats from the Young Dragon as well as a
breath attack in the back row. However, it still does not compare to two
Knights (or two Paladins) and should be avoided. The Platinum Dragon
eventually evolves into the Bahumut, which is one of the worst Venerable
Dragons.
- Placement -
Due to their newly developed breath attack, the Platinum Dragon can work well
in the front or back row, yet the front row is probably ideal.
-------------
BLACK DRAGON|
-------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1 (breath)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +5 +4 +4 +3 +5
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Bane version of the basic dragon. Like all the basic dragons, the Black
Dragon has a nice increase in stats from the Young Dragon as well as a breath
attack in the back row. However, it still does not compare to two Knights (or
two Paladins) and should be avoided. The Black Dragon eventually evolves into
the Tiamat, which is one of the better Venerable Dragons.
- Placement -
Due to their newly developed breath attack, the Black Dragon can work well in
the front or back row, yet the front row is probably ideal.
-------------
QUETZALCOATL|
-------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (full-area)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+7 +6 +6 +4 +5 +4 +5
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Venerable Dragon of Wind. The Quetzalcoatl is one of the best Venerable
Dragons. Their back row attack will hit every enemy character and Paralyze the
majority of them. They are also the quickest of the Venerable Dragons, matched
only by the Flarebrass.
- Placement -
While moderately effective in the front row, the Quetzalcoatl like all
Venerable Dragons is most effective using it's back row attack. Place them in
the back and you have the equivalent of two Sirens doing combo-magic. In
addition, Venerable Dragons actually have some good physical defense numbers
and don't require a blocker, making the Quetzalcoatl the ideal armored-caster.
-----------
FLAREBRASS|
-----------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (full-area)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+7 +6 +6 +4 +5 +4 +4
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Venerable Dragon of Fire. The Flarebrass is the worst of the Venerable
Dragons. The powerful back-row attacks of the Venerable Dragons is determined
by Vitality and Dexterity. All of the Venerable Dragons have a total of 11
points in Vitality and Dexterity except the Flarebrass. The Flarebrass only
has a total of 10 points. In addition, the Power Down status effect of the
Flarebrass seems to be particularly weak. However the Flarebrass is quick,
tied only with the Quetzalcoatl, and possesses a Mountain movement type which
makes him ideal for a Mountain unit.
- Placement -
Like all Venerable Dragons, the Flarebrass is ideal in the back row despite his
stunted attack.
------------
AHZI DAHAKA|
------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (full-area)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+8 +7 +7 +4 +5 +3 +4
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Venerable Dragon of Earth. With incredible physical defense numbers and a
devastating Power Down status effect, the Ahzi Dahaka would be the clearly
superior Venerable Dragon if it was not for one thing. The Ahzi Dahaka's back
row attack does not affect flying characters. How much of a detriment this
actually is depends on the situation, but either way the Ahzi Dahaka is still
one of the best Venerable Dragons.
- Placement -
The Ahzi Dahaka belongs in the back row normally. However, due to the
limitation of his back row attack versus flying characters it can sometimes be
helpful to temporarily move him to the front row where his attack will not be
inhibited. You'll have to determine how much a threat the flying characters
pose. Other options include just avoiding units with flying characters or
teaming the Ahzi Dahaka up with a Quetzalcoatl. The Quetzalcoatl's Paralyze
will bring flying characters to the ground where your Ahzi Dahaka can hit them.
------
HYDRA|
------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (full-area)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+7 +6 +6 +5 +6 +3 +5
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Venerable Dragon of Water. The Hyrda is one of the better Venerable
Dragons. It has the strongest magic resistance out of all the Venerable
Dragons. This can be particularly valuable in the back row. However, the
Hydra's Sleep status effect seems to be much less effective than the Paralyze
of the Quetzalcoatl making the Hydra an okay choice but probably not the best.
- Placement -
The Hydra should be treated fairly similar to the Quetzalcoatl and be placed in
the back row.
--------
BAHUMUT|
--------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (full-area)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+7 +6 +7 +5 +5 +3 +4
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Venerable Dragon of Virtue. The Bahumut has the second best physical
defense numbers and is bested only by the Hydra in magic defense. However, the
Bahumut has no status effect attached to its back row attack. In its place is
one of the few natural Virtue attacks which can permanently destroy the Undead.
This could be valuable in some situations, but the Undead classes are some of
the weakest in the game, making the Bahumut not highly necessary. Ultimately
the Bahumut is one of the worst Venerable Dragons.
- Placement -
The Bahumut should be treated fairly similar to the Quetzalcoatl and be placed
in the back row.
-------
TIAMAT|
-------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (full-area)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+7 +6 +6 +5 +5 +3 +5
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
The Venerable Dragon of Bane. The Tiamat is tied for second in magic defense
with Bahumut. The Tiamat has a Sleep status effect. All things considered
though, the Tiamat is pretty average for a Venerable Dragon. You could
probably do better.
- Placement -
The Tiamat should be treated fairly similar to the Quetzalcoatl and be placed
in the back row.
---------------------------------->
Beast Classes
---------------------------------->
-----
WYRM|
-----
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +5 +5 +3 +3 +5 +4
- Special -
Sky Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
Wyrms have slightly better stats than your average basic human class but they
take up two spaces. They aren't really better than two individual small
characters, so I'd stay away from them unless you need to quickly fill your
unit out.
- Placement -
They'll be best in the front row but the differences are so slight you can
really just put them anywhere that it's convenient. They can fly so you could
consider them to fill up a flying unit if you're short on Hawkmen.
-------
WYVERN|
-------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (area attack)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +5 +3 +4 +6 +4
- Special -
Sky Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
Wyverns are upgraded Wyrms and have the same problem their previous form had.
They simply do not make up for the two unit spaces that they require. However,
like most flying classes they are extremely quick. And they do get an mediocre
area effect attack in the back row.
- Placement -
They'll probably be the best in the back row to take advantage of their area
effect attack. And they are a decent candidate for flying units although
Ravens, Vultans, or Seraphim are probably better.
--------
GRIFFIN|
--------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +4 +3 +4 +6 +4
- Special -
Sky Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
Griffins are slightly weaker than Wyrms but a bit quicker. They also fly, and
they also suffer from the same drawbacks as Wyrms.
- Placement -
If you decide to use them, but them in the front or back of a flying unit.
----------
OPININCUS|
----------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2 (area attack)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +5 +4 +4 +6 +5
- Special -
Sky Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
Slightly stronger than its Wyvern counterpart, it's still not strong enough to
make itself worthwhile except as good filler. They're fast and they have a
mediocre area attack in the back row, but they still aren't as good as two
small characters.
- Placement -
Like the Wyvern, place the Opinicus in the back row to take advantage of its
area attack.
-----------
COCKATRICE|
-----------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2 (petrify)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +5 +2 +3 +6 +6
- Special -
Sky Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
With its ability to Petrify, the Cockatrice could be one of the most powerful
members of your battalion. You'll certainly appreciate their ability after you
have to fight against them. The only problem is that petrifying enemies
doesn't give you experience unless you also kill them. With a Cockatrice in a
unit it's inevitable that you'll lose experience, hurting your party in the
long run. You could make this up with extra training if you wanted or just
decide not to use them at all. The Cockatrice is also fast and particularly
good at dodging attacks but has poor magic defense.
- Placement -
In the back row, the Cockatrice is useful in flying and non-flying units.
Petrification will tear through any units that are giving you trouble. You may
even want to keep a Cockatrice around but not use it normally, just bring it
out for particularly difficult missions. You could put a Cockatrice in the
front row, but if you don't want to use its Petrification there's really no
point in using them at all.
-------
SPHINX|
-------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1 (magic)
Back -> x2 (magic)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +4 +6 +5 +5 +5
- Special -
Sky Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
The Sphinx is the most useful flying creature and the most useful large
creature in the game. With it's incredibly high magic stats it can inflict
some of the most devastating back row attacks you'll see. Unfortunately, you
won't be able to recruit these characters till near the end of the game, but
when you get the chance it is certainly worth it.
- Placement -
They should definitely be placed in the back row. For maximum effect, try
placing two in the back row together. Because of their flying movement type
they work great in nearly any kind of unit.
----------
HELLHOUND|
----------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +5 +5 +4 +3 +4 +3
- Special -
Mountain Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
With its three front row attacks and decent stats the Hellhound can be an
extremely useful creature near the beginning of the game. If you come across
any, you'll find that you can put them to good use. However, as time goes on
and your human characters get more powerful (and get three attacks themselves)
you'll find that the Hellhound will start to become obsolete, despite even his
evolution into a Cerberus. For this reason you might want to consider not
putting too much effort and experience into a character that won't be useful
for the entire game. But don't hesitate to use them as an excellent source for
filler.
- Placement -
Hellhounds should always be placed in the front row to take advantage of their
three attacks.
---------
CERBERUS|
---------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (area attack + sleep)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +5 +5 +3 +4 +3
- Special -
Mountain Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
By the time your Hellhound evolves into a Cerberus you'll notice that your
canine is not as effective as he once was. As you get access to more and more
advanced classes the three attacks and stats of your Ceberus will seem
unimpressive. Keep using them as long as you must, but plan on replacing them
with something else as soon as possible.
- Placement -
Cerberuses can work out well in the front or back row. Put them wherever it
best suits your unit.
---------------------------------->
Golem Classes
---------------------------------->
------
GOLEM|
------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +6 +3 +3 +3 +4
- Special -
Mountain Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
Golems are strong, notoriously slow, they can soak up damage, they are
resistant to most kinds of magic, and they are immune to status effects. This
is the basic form of the three Golems. Golems have three attacks which can be
useful at the beginning of the game, but will quickly drop in importance.
Golems make decent filler but are probably most useful for their resistance to
status effects. They are ideal to use against enemy characters that have the
ability to petrify. In fact, being petrified is what allows a regular Golem to
become a Stone Golem.
- Placement -
Golems are ideally placed in the front row for their three attacks and to block
for other characters. However, you'll want to place them in the back row when
going up against Cockatrices as their petrification usually targets the back
row.
------------
STONE GOLEM|
------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +7 +3 +4 +3 +4
- Special -
Mountain Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
The Stone Golem is a slight improvement over the normal Golem. They are still
strong, slow, immune and not much different than their normal counterparts
except that they've been petrified. Okay, there are slight stat increases.
- Placement -
Stone Golems should be treated exactly the same at normal Golems.
------------
BALDR GOLEM|
------------
- Equipment -
NONE
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +6 +7 +3 +4 +4 +4
- Special -
Mountain Movement. Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
The Baldr Golem is similar to the other two Golems except a bit stronger and a
bit faster. If you want to make one of these yourself you need to have your
Golem get hit by a Wind and Fire combination attack. This is no easy task.
It's a far better use of your time to just find one in the wild.
- Placement -
Baldr Golems should be treated exactly the same at normal Golem and the Stone
Golem.
---------------------------------->
Netherworld Classes
---------------------------------->
-------
GOBLIN|
-------
- Equipment -
Sword -> Short Sword
Half Armor -> Plate Mail
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +3 +2 +3 +4 +2
- Special -
CANNOT lead a unit.
- Overview -
These guys are like weak versions of Knights. They have less armor and do less
damage than a Knight. They can't evolve into anything better. There is really
no reason you should allow one into your battalion.
- Placement -
Put them in the front row where they get two attacks... and maybe the enemy
will do you a favor and kill them off for you.
-----
OGRE|
-----
- Equipment -
2h Axe/Hammer -> War Hammer
Light Armor -> Leather Armor
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+7 +6 +5 +3 +4 +3 +3
- Special -
Large class. CANNOT lead a Unit.
- Overview -
These guys have a lot of HP and are fairly strong. Give them a good hammer and
they can deal out a good amount of damage. However they are extremely slow and
have a pathetic amount of Dexterity. They seem to miss a lot. In the end,
they probably aren't as good as two normal-sized characters.
- Placement -
Absolutely put them in the front row for their three attacks and for blocking.
--------
SATUROS|
--------
- Equipment -
1h Axe/Hammer -> Evil Axe
Light Armor -> Hard Leather
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (magic)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +3 +5 +4 +4 +4
- Overview -
These guys have completely pathetic level-ups compared to the advanced classes
you'll have by the time you see them. They have two attacks from every row,
with magic based on their weapon in the back row just like a Black Knight. But
their stats are not comparable. You can't find these guys in the wild by the
way, the only way to get them is to use a Love & Peace. You shouldn't want to
bother with that though.
- Placement -
They can really kind of go anywhere. The front row is probably the ideal.
-------
GORGON|
-------
- Equipment -
Bow -> Baldr Bow
Light Armor -> Leather Armor
- Attacks -
Front -> x1 (petrify)
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +3 +3 +4 +5 +5
- Overview -
Like the Cockatrice, the Gorgon has the natural ability to Petrify. The
Gorgon's ability works a little differently though. Her Petrify attack hits
every character in the unit and will Petrify any character without a shield or
some specific resistance to Petrification. So depending on what you're facing,
this can be powerful or useless. Other than that, she's a relatively weak
class.
- Placement -
You really shouldn't have a Gorgon for any other reason than to take advantage
of her Petrification ability. For that reason, she should be put in the front
but probably to one of the corners as she isn't very strong against melee
attackers. Ideally, you should put her with some other fast characters in the
same row so that she can use her Petrification as soon as possible. If for
some reason you don't want to use Petrify or it's ineffective against a
particular unit, move her to the back row and use her as an archer. Or even
better, equip her with Ji'ygla's Bow and Petrify from the back row as well.
---------------------------------->
Special Classes
---------------------------------->
----------
GLADIATOR|
----------
- Equipment -
Sword -> Short Sword
Accessory -> Blue Sash (permanent)
Half Armor -> Plate Mail
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1 or x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +3 +4 +3 +3 +3
- Overview -
Magnus and Dio both start with this class. It's essentially the same except
that Dio gets two attacks in the middle row instead of just one. For a special
class tailored for important characters it has rather poor level-up numbers.
However, the characters themselves start with pretty good stats so you'll find
Magnus and Dio both very useful.
- Placement -
Dio can go anywhere; Magnus is best in the front or back. Remember to keep
Magnus somewhere safe, because if he dies then the game is over. You'll
probably find yourself putting them in the front where they can block for back
row characters.
- Grooming -
Because of the awful level-ups for the Gladiator class, you might want to
consider not gaining too many levels while Magnus and Dio are at this stage.
They will both automatically upgrade at the start of Chapter 3, at which time
you can use training to catch them up and ultimately end up with more powerful
characters.
---------
VANGUARD|
---------
- Equipment -
Sword -> Baldr Sword
Accessory -> Blue Sash (permanent)
Half Armor -> Baldr Mail
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +3 +4 +4 +3 +4
- Special -
Can lead a Legion.
- Overview -
Magnus switches to this class at the beginning of Chapter 3. Unfortunately,
it's not a big step up. He gains an attack in the middle row, the ability to
command a legion, and a slight improvement to his level-ups.
- Placement -
He can work well anywhere. He now has two attacks from the middle row and you
might want to consider placing him there. This will leave the front row open
for melee characters with three attacks and protect Magnus at the same time.
But really, anywhere will work.
- Grooming -
Like with the Gladiator, Magnus is still stuck in a mediocre class. If you
want, try to avoid leveling him up too much until he becomes a General at the
beginning of Chapter 4. Then use some quick training to catch him up.
--------
GENERAL|
--------
- Equipment -
(Magnus)
Sword -> Baldr Sword
Accessory -> Blue Sash (permanent)
Full Armor -> Baldr Armor
(Debonair)
Greatsword -> Sonic Blade (permanent)
Accessory -> Tunic (permanent)
Full Armor -> Breidablick
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (blast)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +4 +4 +4 +4 +5
- Special -
Can lead a Legion.
- Overview -
This is both Magnus' Chapter 4 class and Debonair's class. The stats are
decent and there's three attacks available. Unfortunately, both Magnus and
Debonair have rather limited equipment choices and Debonair is stuck with the
same sword.
- Placement -
Put them in the front to use their three attacks.
--------
WARRIOR|
--------
- Equipment -
Sword -> Blessed Sword
Accessory -> Blue Sash (permanent)
Full Armor -> Baldr Armor
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +5 +4 +5 +4 +4
- Special -
Can lead a Legion.
- Overview -
This is the class Dio assumes at the beginning of Chapter 3. It has decent
stats and allows him to command a legion. Rumor has it that this class conveys
a 15% bonus to all the characters in a unit that it leads. I haven't confirmed
this, but I thought I'd mention it.
- Placement -
Put him in the front to use his three attacks.
-------------
BLAZE KNIGHT|
-------------
- Equipment -
Spear -> Spear
Small Shield -> Round Shield
Half Armor -> Breastplate
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4
- Overview -
Leia's custom class is pretty much identical to a Valkyrie. What I said about
Valkyries applies here.
- Placement -
Check out the Valkyrie section.
------------
RUNE KNIGHT|
------------
- Equipment -
Spear -> Thunder Spear
Small Shield -> Buckler
Half Armor -> Baldr Mail
- Attacks -
Front -> x2
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +5 +4 +5 +5 +4 +4
- Special -
Can lead a Legion.
- Overview -
Leia's advanced custom class which she assumes at the beginning of Chapter
Three is pretty much identical to a Freya. What I said about Freyas applies
here.
- Placement -
Check out the Freya section.
---------
GRAPPLER|
---------
- Equipment -
Claw -> Touelno
Light Armor -> Thunder Chain
Headgear -> Hachigane
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (fatal dance)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+5 +4 +4 +4 +4 +6 +4
- Overview -
Vad's Grappler class is somewhat comparable to the Ninja Master. But the Ninja
Master has more Intelligence, more Dexterity, and the ability to do magic in
the back row. Vad has unique graphics. Overall, the Grappler is not a bad
character though and will make a solid addition to your battalion.
- Placement -
Vad will work out about as well in the front or back row. Place him according
to how many blockers your unit may need.
--------
WARLOCK|
--------
- Equipment -
Staff -> Hemlock (permanent)
Spellbook -> Spellbook
Robe -> Magician's Robe
Accessory -> Amulet
- Attacks -
Front -> x1 (paralyze)
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (area effect)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+4 +3 +3 +7 +5 +3 +3
- Overview -
Saradin's Warlock class is almost identical to the Archmage class. The main
difference is his ability to Paralyze from the front row. However, there's
really no reason to ever put him in the front row so you really shouldn't waste
much time thinking about it. Just treat him like another Archmage.
- Placement -
Check out the Archmage section.
-----------
SOLIDBLADE|
-----------
- Equipment -
Sword -> Blessed Sword
Accessory -> Blue Sash (permanent)
Half Armor -> Plate Mail
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x2 (clay assault)
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +6 +5 +5 +4 +5
- Special -
Can lead a Legion.
- Overview -
Ankiseth's Solidblade class is perhaps the best melee class in the game. Only
Biske's Lycanthrope could be argued to have better level-ups.
- Placement -
While the back row Clay Assault is nice you really should put the best melee
class in the game in the front row.
------------
LYCANTHROPE|
------------
- Equipment -
Sword -> Baldr Sword
Full Armor -> Plate Armor
- Attacks -
(Human form)
Front -> x2
Middle -> x1
Back -> x1
(Werewolf form)
Front -> x3
Middle -> x2
Back -> x1
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +6 +4 +5 +5 +5
- Overview -
While possessing slightly more speed than the Solidblade and wearing superior
armor, the Biske's Lycanthrope has one huge weakness. During the day Biske
must return to human form where he only has two front row attacks. If it
wasn't for this handicap, the Lycanthrope would be the best melee class in the
game.
- Placement -
Second best melee class isn't bad. Put Biske in the front row.
-----
LORD|
-----
- Equipment -
Greatsword -> Sigmund
Accessory -> Tunic (permanent)
Half Armor -> Phoenix Mail
- Attacks -
Front -> x3
Middle -> x3
Back -> x2
- Level-Ups -
HP STR VIT INT MEN AGI DEX
+6 +6 +6 +4 +5 +4 +4
- Special -
Can lead a Legion.
- Overview -
After the Solidblade and the Lycanthrope comes Destin's Lord class -- the third
best melee class in the game. Destin places third due to his slightly inferior
(yet still great) level-ups. Destin does have the unique ability of being the
only character to have three attacks in the middle row.
- Placement -
Destin works best in the front row, but his three middle row attacks could be a
reason to place him there as well. This could be because the front row is
already full, or he's a unit leader and you want him behind a blocker. You
could even decide to put him in the center square of the grid and ensure that
he'll have three melee attacks no matter what direction his unit is attacked
from.
|=============================================================================|
U N I T S 12.0
|=============================================================================|
---------------------------------->
General
---------------------------------->
- The Corners -
The four corners of the unit grid are the safest spots for your characters.
Magic and special attacks that hit every square in the grid will do the least
amount of damage to characters standing in corner positions. In addition,
characters placed in corner positions will generally be open to less attackers
than characters placed in the center column. It's also useful to remember that
classes with good front and back row attacks work particularly well in the
corner positions as they will never end up in the middle row no matter what
direction the unit is attacked from.
- The Center Column -
The center column and (to a much lesser extent) the center row are the most
defensively vulnerable positions in the unit grid. The game mechanics are set
up so that the center column can be attacked by any column at any time, while
the left and right columns can only be so widely targeted when certain
conditions are met. For instance, if you have Magnus placed front row center
he could potentially be attacked by all three front row attackers, adding up to
huge amounts of damage very quickly. But placed to either side it would be
much more rare for him to be attacked that intensely.
- The Center Row -
The same is true for the center row when compared with the front and back row,
but with the addition of Blockers it plays a less significant role. Melee
attackers must always destroy blockers before they can attack characters behind
the blockers. Spellcasters and ranged attackers however don't need to worry
about this.
- The Center -
Particularly if no Blocker is present, the absolute worst location on the unit
grid is center column, center row. A Blocker can make this spot safe from
melee attackers, but it's still a poor choice due to its vulnerability to magic
and ranged attackers. "C" Magic attacks will always hit center-center and "D"
Magic attacks will do the most damage to center-center. It's usually a good
idea to leave this square empty in most of your units.
- Thinking About The Center Offensively -
On the other hand, the Center-type positions could be viewed from an offensive
perspective. A character placed in the center column would have the ability to
attack any column. A character placed in center-center would retain his
positioning no matter what side his unit was attacked from. (Unfortunately,
there are few units that are highly effective from the middle row, but Destin's
Lord class would fit this position nicely.) However, I think it is usually
more important to view the Center-type positions from a defensive perspective
as the offensive edge you might muster does not outweigh the amount of
defensive anguish you will receive if you place your characters carelessly.
- Leaders -
It's important to think defensively in placing (or choosing) your unit leaders.
Many enemy units will operate on the "Attack Leader" battle strategy and try
to focus fire on your leader. If your leader is placed in the center this
could lead to you losing a character very quickly. Whenever possible, try to
locate your unit leaders in the corners. This is all especially true of
Magnus, as his death ends the game.
- Blockers -
Spellcasters will often come to form the offensive core of your army, but they
are ultimately defensively weak characters, particularly to melee attacks. For
this reason, it's important to use blockers. Whenever possible, have a strong
physical character in front of any back row character. With only five
normal-sized characters per unit it's possible to come up with a shortage. In
this case, make sure your exposed back-row character is to the side and not in
the center column.
- Maximizing Your Attacks -
When all is said an done, the most important rule of unit formation is probably
placing all of your characters in the row that will give them the maximum
amount of attacks. Melee characters with three attacks in the front row should
always be in the front row. Your spellcasters and healers should always be in
the back. You will probably find that your middle row is usually empty. The
only time you should consider breaking this rule is if you are in overkill
territory and don't particularly need the surplus offense.
- Combination Magic -
One of your most potent offensive weapons is Combination Magic. Combo-Magic
can hit a wide array of characters for high damage and often inflicts Status
Effects as well. You'll want to design many of your units to take advantage of
this ability. The first rule is to put your spellcasters in the same row,
usually the back. Spellcasters simply cannot perform Combo-Magic from
different rows. The second consideration is to make sure that your unit's
spellcasters don't have contrary elements. Fire/Water, Wind/Earth, Bane/Water,
and Bane/Earth will not combine. Make sure your spellcasters have compatible
elements or give them the spellbooks that will make them compatible. The third
step is a simple one. Leave your spellcasters in the same unit long enough for
their Morale to build up. When the morale is high enough, your spellcasters
will start performing Combo-Magic.
- Overkill -
While you most likely won't need to worry about this at the beginning of the
game, it will become more of a concern as your battalion grows more and more
powerful. Overkill is the practice of putting more offense into a unit than it
will ever be able to use. An extreme case of this would be putting four
Drakonite Books in one unit. Generally, it's a better idea to spread your
powerful characters out evenly across your battalion rather than concentrating
them into one or two units.
---------------------------------->
Formation Templates
---------------------------------->
Mel - Melee Attacker
Spe - Spellcaster
Hel - Healers
Lar - Large Unit
Tra - Trainer
- Standard Units -
Mel Mel Mel
___ ___ ___
Hel ___ Hel
Mel Mel Mel
___ ___ ___
Hel ___ Spe
Mel Mel Mel
___ ___ ___
Spe ___ Spe
___ Mel Mel
___ ___ ___
Hel Spe Spe
___ Mel Mel
___ ___ ___
Spe Spe Spe
- Pumpkinhead Units -
___ Mel Mel
___ ___ ___
Hel Pum Pum
- Large Class Units -
___ ___ Tra
___ ___ ___
LUn ___ LUn
___ ___ Mel
___ ___ Tra
LUn ___ Hel
LUn ___ LUn
___ ___ ___
Tra ___ ___
- Terrain-Specific Units -
- Training Unit -
___ ___ ___ Sld ___ Sld
Sld Sld ___ Sld ___ Sld
Hel Sld Sld ___ Hel ___
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