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Go with Staves, as great as Swords are, it'd be boring having them on two people at once, unless you divvy up the skills so there's no overlap. In which case, Swords.
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Apr 16, 2015 05:08
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Really, we've kind of seen lots of swords and sword users, so I'm up to see what Staves can do.
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Apr 16, 2015 05:09
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Why not both? You've got two slots. Oh wait the last dungeon  Staves definitely.
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Apr 16, 2015 05:09
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Shoulda ground out that granite staff  Sad thing about the guy with slot locked swords: he's awful with them other than his high starting level and would actually be one of the better spearmen if the game would let you.
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Apr 16, 2015 05:20
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I'm voting Staves, because I want to see those ridiculously high damage combos.
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Apr 16, 2015 09:17
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Final party either doubles on staves or doubles on swords, so it shouldn't be THAT big of an issue.
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Apr 16, 2015 09:20
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dis astranagant posted:Final party either doubles on staves or doubles on swords, so it shouldn't be THAT big of an issue. From a minmaxer standpoint, staves combo better in multiples than swords do, and no staff will utterly gimp your spellcasting ability for what little it matters. The Cinderforge is really just a giant trap to make you force people into swords when they're really, really kind of poo poo in SGF2.
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Apr 16, 2015 09:41
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That doesn't seem like a plan as much as the Egg just out for a holiday.
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Apr 17, 2015 18:03
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Deadly Battle With the Egg (1291) Rich and the Egg, the final battle. 1291 Virginia Knights is born Richard Knights' daughter is born. 1291 Rich battles the Egg for the last time Rich takes his own life when the Egg almost possesses him.   (Feigned Devotion) Make sure to listen to this, it doesn't show up anywhere else and it's very important to the mood.    Rich has aged from 35 to 36 and gained +4 HP (496->500) and +1 SP (132->133).       The scenario starts with Rich standing on the pier--escape--having turned away. Even as he's walking towards the confrontation, he's trying to talk himself out of it. The return of the Egg exposed his original reaction to it as one ultimately rooted in cowardice, and even now he's still having difficulty finding his courage. But he keeps going.     The inland settlement is small; there's not much here, aside from another Pocketstation thing and a shop/inn.  The shop is also nothing special.   Isn't it refreshing? It's fresh water taken from a nearby spring. Very good for your health and beauty! Yes, she did. Are you Sir Richard?  That's me. She left a message saying that she'll be going further inland, so go and follow her. We told her to stop because it's dangerous, but she didn't listen. What's her relation to you, anyway?  Um, thanks. By the way, can you tell me what's beyond this point? There's something like a big ruin type of place, but it's very dangerous. Monsters have made a nest there.   (Stubborn Man)  And in pursuing the Egg, Rich takes his first step into a Megalith... Places he's deliberately avoided all of this time. I really love the progression in the track names here. Rich is dedicating himself to this, more because he feels he should than because he's resolute... But by the time he gets here, he's made up his mind once and for all. He'll see this through to the end.   The Insect Megalith is fairly simple. As with previous scenarios, Rich being alone means it's primary duel-based. There's only one dangerous enemy here, and it's optional and out of the way.  The lower-left edge here is a screen transition, even if it doesn't look like it.    This bug is one of the area's three big treasures. No, not the chest, the bug. Seriously.  The Big Horn has the single largest Flash Skill rating available in a duel, and it's a one-time fight. It's a 44, compared to the 36 of the Blue Skeleton in Hahn. If you want to learn the really high-end Duelable stuff, you want to do it here... But it only has a little less than 4000 HP, so you need to choose wisely. You only get one shot at this, second or third generation; kill it now and there won't be a Big Horn to fight later. If you want to use Martial Arts, then you need the ones you can get here, and you should hold off. If you want Sword or Spear techs, though, Rich is good enough... Mostly.  The big problem is that Thunderbolt does pitiful damage but nearly always does LP damage, the Big Horn can do it multiple times a round, and Rich doesn't have much LP. It's a very good idea to bring Dead Stones here.  Especially since it can also just hit you for ~130-170 damage 3-4 times a round, so you want to use LP to heal afterward. The really annoying part about this attack is that the Big Horn has a tendency to wade into extreme melee and park itself there. I mentioned ages ago that weapons have optimal ranges, and the Mother Grendel fight in Life Tree Island is a good example of what happens when an enemy nails you down to a bad range: you don't connect anything, you don't spark anything, and fights take goddamn ages. So if you want to learn with a weapon that doesn't work well very close--spears, for example--odds are that you'll have to do it first-round. Martial is just fine, though, because that's optimal range for Martial, and Swords also spark decently here; it's not too penalized at extreme close, and if it starts a round with Horn Swing instead (slightly more damage, still takes one action), then it jumps back to optimal Sword range afterward. This fight also makes me swear that the duels have some small hidden Action Command component somewhere, because I've gone entire rounds pressing buttons and getting 3-4 Windmill deflects, even at extreme close range. Half the time these get Timely Action pop-ups, even though that's supposed to be a range-based thing and extreme close range is not optimal spear range; this is especially notable against the Big Horn, because its normal attack has a very easy timing tell. No one understands Saga Frontier 2. I picked up three Arts here.     Fearless Triple is the ultimate (non-Hybrid) Spear Art. It's actually quite easy to learn here, so long as you do it on the first turn.     Multi-Way is the ultimate (non-Hybrid) Sword Art; it has high power, and as I recall it also combos pretty well.     Thousand Cross is the penultimate Spear Art, and its anti-Undead properties make it useful for fighting the Lich... If, you know, you don't do that ages before you can reasonably spark Thouand Cross. It's a good technique to try to learn when you've learned everything else important, because the command breaks down into two Double Thrusts if you fail to spark Thousand Cross. With that, I've learned all of the Sword and Spear Arts, outside of two Hybrids that never see much use.   The Big Horn has no notable drops, but it does guard the Silver Gloves. -10/-2 SP/SPR, +9 to physical defenses, +7 to magical. They're not really strong enough to justify the SP/SPR hits and lack of Anima, especially considering Obsidian Gloves are purchasable (and Bone Gloves will be soon), and the fact they're Steel means you can't even convert them to Chips... But hey, free stuff.  Slayers are most easily found in the first fight right outside the Big Horn's area; they can drop the same Lobster Mail as the Mother Grendel, and Rich can drop them in one Hybrid. It's probably the best place to get one, if you're somehow lacking in mediocre body armor.  Back in the starting room, one level down from the path to the Big Horn's side area, is another little nook. This one's much shorter.   The Stardust Robe is the game's best armor, granting +20/+2 SP/SPR, +18 to physical defenses, and +28 to magical defenses, plus immunity to the Sleep and Cripple (damage down) statuses. The +SP/SPR in particular is very important in the third generation, when a lot of characters want high-end Steel weapons and you need to offset the SP losses--the Cinderforge in particular is -50/-3, even if the Paladin weapons are only -30/-3. It's great for anyone who already has Water access. Back and down a level.   You initially get the zoomed-out view, but then get zoomed in as you move forward. This area's just kind of a monster-filled clusterfuck, between enemies that jump down, enemies that fly, enemies that are already there...     The Eternity Staff is intended for the third generation protagonist, especially if they actually use Swords instead--it adds a hefty +30/+1 SP/SPR, more than any other weapon. If you're using Swords, Cinderforge Sword/Eternity Staff will almost always occupy the first two slots, since it compensates for the Cinderforge while also giving access to Turtle Killer for defense-lowering. The thread seems to be interested in Staves, though, so this will be a primary weapon instead. It's a good weapon, even if the Megabolt spell on it will see very little use.    This might just be the only time the Egg or a host addresses Wil or Rich without using "Knights." Wasn't I just scum to you?  I've changed my mind. Something occurred to me when I saw how powerful you were.  What kind of ridiculous statement is that? What are you really up to?  It's beautiful. Didn't you want to fight? Forget all this gibberish and come get some. Heh...   You duel two Land Krakens. They're not any stronger than the ones throughout the area, and they're not even the strongest random enemy here.  Select the wrong choice and she'll keep throwing bugs at you. This moment is almost fifteen years overdue. The music stops.      The trap is sprung: she uses the last of her power to force the Egg into his hands.       Rich spins slowly in place as he falls... And as he falls off-screen, there's a very, very, very long pause, hanging there in the blackness.  (Interlude) Saga Frontier 2 is a drat big soundtrack, and of all the songs in the game, this is the most underutilized; even if you've played the game, odds are you haven't heard more than 30 seconds of it. You know what I like about the song? It's cheerful, but something about it feels like it's trying way too drat hard.    The third generation starts as the game itself did: with the birth of a child who will change the world.  (The Outside World)  1291 Virginia Knights is born Richard Knights' daughter is born. 1291 Rich battles the Egg for the last time Rich takes his own life when the Egg almost possesses him. No interludes. One way or another, Rich Knights died in the Insect Megalith.  Final stats. It'll be five Gustave-side scenarios before we see Virginia Knights again. Next (LP order): Death of Cantal (1288) Next (chronological): Kelvin's Last Battle (1292) Next (Knights): Ginny's Departure (1305) Einander fucked around with this message at 01:42 on May 1, 2015 |
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Apr 19, 2015 00:34
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Einander posted:
There really is something frantic about this song. I think it's kind of interesting how despite trying to avoid the egg most of his life, in the end Rich makes sure to take it down with him. Contrasting his father, who went after it at every chance and did not in fact go down with the ship. I really like Rich as a foil to Will, and as the middle generation of the Knights family. Maybe it's due to the smaller parties, especially when you go down to just him, but his scenarios seem more personal than Will's or the third gen. More like the early Gustave action chapters really.
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Apr 19, 2015 02:27
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Ayana posted:There really is something frantic about this song. I like Rich's stories for the same reason, Wil's stories have a great supporting cast in Narcisse, Cody, and Tyler, but Rich ends up standing on his own rather wonderfully. I mean, Eleanor is also great, but for the most part she's in more of a peripheral role than anyone in Wil's arc. EDIT: In addition, Rich's stories end up being a little sadder. He never ends up as wealthy or renowned as his father, and he has no idea how to deal with the Egg. Even in the end all he can do is throw himself off a cliff to avoid being consumed, retaining his pride as he falls. TARDISman fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Apr 19, 2015 |
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Apr 19, 2015 02:48
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Ayana posted:There really is something frantic about this song.
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Apr 19, 2015 03:25
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It's pretty raw that Diana's probably going to think Rich abandoned her and their kid to be with some other woman 
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Apr 19, 2015 03:28
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GunnerJ posted:It's pretty raw that Diana's probably going to think Rich abandoned her and their kid to be with some other woman He told her to ask Wil about the egg, so she probably knows the gist of it.
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Apr 19, 2015 03:30
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Clarste posted:He told her to ask Wil about the egg, so she probably knows the gist of it. Yeah thinking about it, the "promise" he won't be able to keep is to come back alive when he's done egg hunting.
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Apr 19, 2015 03:31
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Seiren posted:Speaking of all that, I wonder if Wil will somehow "know" that this happens. I'd expect that if he did know what was happening, Wil would be very proud of his son for...in a sense, "continuing" his life's work in locating and disabling, removing, or destroying the Egg so its dangerous powers can't be wielded. Considering Rich sent Diana off suddenly with instructions to ask his dad about the egg, it's a pretty good bet that Will knows exactly what happened when his son never came back. And even if he is still walking around, he's not Rich anymore.
Ayana fucked around with this message at 16:43 on Apr 19, 2015 |
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Apr 19, 2015 16:39
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Does nobody else notice the Egg besides the Knights family? Or was Misty deliberately hiding out?
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Apr 21, 2015 11:20
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Glazius posted:Does nobody else notice the Egg besides the Knights family? Or was Misty deliberately hiding out? I think other people might notice it, or even feel its distinctive aura, but they don't have any reason to consider it important so they pay it no mind.
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Apr 21, 2015 11:23
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That's a pretty downer end for Rich. He had his faults, but he was so determined to do the right thing, and all it got him was killed and maybe a period of time where the Egg needs to find someone else to possess. "Trotzkopf" is such a German word, I love that the track is called that  . "Trotz" is pretty much determined stubbornness, but usually that of a child. "Kopf" just means head, the compound is common though.I am surprised you got "Andächtelei" correct, as I just had to google it  . Found the definition in an ancient philosophy encyclopedia, to quote-translate:"Andächtelei, devotio spuria, bigottery. Is the habit of, instead of putting forth actions which God favors, in the immediate preoccupation with God instead the "practice" of piety through show of devotion." Roughly, because the original German is, as said, antiquated (and as awkwardly worded). So you only pretend to be pious, but don't actually do anything.
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Apr 21, 2015 11:56
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Death of Cantal (1288) At long last, the Anima of Kelvin's worthy rival departs on its journey. 1288 Cantal dies The man known as the Mephistopholean hero finally dies.  It's been a while, hasn't it? It's been an entire Knights generation since we've seen the Gustave side of the storyline; this scenario and the next largely go together, so it seemed a better fit to group them this way. In light of that, let's review events real quick. Gustave XIII (the Steel) died for unspecified reasons at the Southern Fort, which background materials suggest were related to the Scorpion assassins; based on how quickly Cantal of Otto capitalized on it, he may have been the client. Cantal coerces many other lords to joining his cause, and they advance on Hahn Nova; those that don't join him are unable to band together, and Kelvin is ultimately forced to abandon the city. Kelvin and Marie's second son, Phillippe III, inherited the Firebrand and the Finney throne, and he ventures back to Hahn Nova to stop monsters and bandits from burning it down. He nearly dies in the fire, but he's saved by his uncle Phillippe, who was transformed into a dragon by the Firebrand years ago. After that, as To the Monster Nest revealed, Kelvin and Cantal spend nearly two decades fighting for control of the Eastern Continent. Cantal wants to rule it, Kelvin wants to preserve the legacy of his best friend, and there may be some mutual ill-will over Marie divorcing Cantal for Kelvin. We're resuming the story in 1288, when Cantal dies.  (The Battle-Ruler)    They move down the street in a stop-and-go fashion; the swordbearers close their eyes every time they step. I'd never actually seen the coffin before this, on account of this animation taking place over two textboxes. After the second set of swordbearers behind it, you get a trickle of normal soldiers until you move on.   Old Kelvin is one of my favorite sprites, because he just looks so ancient. Life's been hard on him.  (Question)   See the way the chair just kind grows out of the floor? That is one awesome throne.   Your Excellency, I am opposed to meeting with the daughter of Cantal at a delicate time like this. What are we to do if the Count of Jade finds us!?  The Count of Jade will not be able to touch us out here. And I hear that this daughter of Cantal, Nicolette, has inherited much land. I am still unmarried, you know.  Your words are harsh!! (The translation's pretty excellent by the standards of the time, but there's still points where it gets a bit awkward.)    I am at a loss for words at being granted the honor of an audience for the first time. My name is Nicolette Drangueforde. I believe things will flow much more smoothly if I mention that I am the daughter of the late Cantal. Lady Nicolette, let us do away with the stiff formalities. We are both young, so we shall speak to each other openly. Thank you. I shall accept your kind offer. Duke Edmund, do you have no intention of advancing into the plains?    To begin with, who is this Kelvin that is currently taking control of the plains? He is only the Count of Jade. He was once Lord Gustave's closest ally, but does that give him the right to rule over Gustave's lands? A ruler must have the proper qualifications. The Count of Jade was insignificant when my father was still alive.  No. Our country has plenty of resources.   No. His Excellency is a very wise master. He is much younger, and has more vigor than the Count of Jade.  As powerless as I am compared to my father, I believe that I can be of service to Your Excellency. Lady Nicolette, why are you so concerned about the Count of Jade? It is because I do not think that the Count of Jade and his heir are worthy to rule the Eastern Continent. Your point is well taken.   We must prepare the troops for battle at once! I must begin arrangements to gather funds and supplies!!  (thinking) But, I wouldn't like to marry a girl who's that feisty.   Your Majesty, it has been a long time since I saw you last.  Oh, if it isn't Nicolette.   Each time he gestures to her, she moves a little further forward; after the second time, she's standing at the steps.  'Your Majesty' is so formal. Call me what you used to call me. Well then, Grandfather Sho, I have come to inquire about something.   Grandfather, why do you permit the Count of Jade to do as he pleases? Is not the Count of Jade one of your vassals? Yes, but in form only. Also, Kelvin has treated me with ample courtesy and respect. It may be so, while Lord Kelvin is still alive. However, you don't know what attitude the next Count of Jade will have. Additionally, I know I shouldn't think this, but what will become of this country when you are no longer around, Grandfather Sho?  I could not bear seeing you and your loving family suffer. I believe it would be best to prevent that suffering by doing something about it now. Possibly. I greatly appreciate the time you have spent listening to a foreign girl like me. I look forward to visiting Gruegel once again.       (News) The usual Gruegel music.  My name is Nicolette, daughter of the Marquis of Otto, Cantal.  How old have you become, Miss Nicolette? I am fifteen this year. I have been sent here by my father to learn proper etiquette from the Court of Na.  Oh, how young. How I envy you!          Pardon?  Yes, it certainly smells like an ill-bred animal.  Music stops.  (Question)  (The Outside World)  1288 Cantal dies The man known as the Mephistopholean hero finally dies. I mentioned this earlier, but... Both Kelvin and Marie are a very light blond, and so is Phillippe III. Charles is brown-haired, and so is Cantal. The one time we see Charles interact with any of Cantal's family, he's extraordinarily hostile, considerably more than merited by the bad blood between Jade and Otto. I really do think he's Cantal's, at least by blood, and not very happy about it. A little insecurity about his place in the world, a need to prove that he's worthy, explains a lot about his behavior here onward. Next (LP order): Kelvin's Last Battle (1292) Next (chronological): Return of the Egg (1290) Next (Gustave): Kelvin's Last Battle (1292) Einander fucked around with this message at 02:10 on Apr 24, 2015 |
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Apr 22, 2015 01:06
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I'll be going back to three days 'til next update after combat scenarios and two days after talky ones, so update Thursday.Ayana posted:I think it's kind of interesting how despite trying to avoid the egg most of his life, in the end Rich makes sure to take it down with him. Contrasting his father, who went after it at every chance and did not in fact go down with the ship. TARDISman posted:I like Rich's stories for the same reason, Wil's stories have a great supporting cast in Narcisse, Cody, and Tyler, but Rich ends up standing on his own rather wonderfully. I mean, Eleanor is also great, but for the most part she's in more of a peripheral role than anyone in Wil's arc. Definitely agreed with this. Rich's story really does feel like Rich's story; it's very self-contained and very personal. It's one half of why it's my favorite part of the game. Simply Simon posted:That's a pretty downer end for Rich. He had his faults, but he was so determined to do the right thing, and all it got him was killed and maybe a period of time where the Egg needs to find someone else to possess. The other half relates to this. I actually disagree with one part here: Rich doesn't strike me as someone really determined to do the "right thing." Together, Life Tree Island and Return of the Egg suggest that Rich didn't go after the Egg because he was afraid--not necessarily of death or worse, but of what it did to Wil. That fear shows through in the two scenarios that follow Return, over the course of months: even when he doesn't doubt that the Egg is malicious, even when it's actively hurt people in town, he still hesitates to take serious action against it, because he doesn't want to become like his dad. He doesn't really commit to Diana until situation presses him into it, he has a midlife crisis in one scenario related to the same (Julia!), he doesn't ever enter Megaliths... Richard Knights spends most of his life in thrall to his little fears. Between that and his awful growths, Rich is probably the single least heroic main character of the cast. But at the end, he still finds enough courage to overcome it for just one day, and when it comes down to it, he gives up his life for the world. It's a good tragedy narrative arc. Edit: Realized that both Rich and Virginia Knights have birth notices in the Chronicle (but Rich's doesn't show up until Life Tree Island, to preserve the twist). Added those to the respective updates. Einander fucked around with this message at 03:20 on Apr 22, 2015 |
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Apr 22, 2015 01:34
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So here we have someone who is trying to incite war for vengeance. I love the feel of major history being pushed by someone with a petty vendetta like that.
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Apr 22, 2015 05:50
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loving Gavelkind! 
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Apr 22, 2015 06:25
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Honestly, I would probably start a world war to wreck people who would pull that sort of poo poo on a teenager.
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Apr 23, 2015 03:51
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Glazius posted:Honestly, I would probably start a world war to wreck people who would pull that sort of poo poo on a teenager. Oh I agree, that's an amazingly lovely thing that Charles did to Nicolette, and I can definitely understand why she's acting the way she is. But on the grand scope of things, this insult isn't motivation on par of your cities being burned down or some other reasons for starting wars (Hahn Nova in flames comes to mind). It's very human though, and I'm very interested to see the progression of events.
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Apr 23, 2015 06:15
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It smacks of a fair bit of narrative convenience, since this is a character we literally were just introduced to, so her motivation is sudden and not particularly organic in developing with the story. Cantal was set up far better than this even when he wasn't actually present in the story, particularly in the Gutsave parts where his struggle with Kelvin wasn't even a factor yet. The story's asking us to care about a character and an insult that just got dropped into our laps. I find it kind of hard to do that, which weakens this part of the Gustave-side storyline.
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Apr 23, 2015 06:38
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Nakar posted:It smacks of a fair bit of narrative convenience, since this is a character we literally were just introduced to, so her motivation is sudden and not particularly organic in developing with the story. Cantal was set up far better than this even when he wasn't actually present in the story, particularly in the Gutsave parts where his struggle with Kelvin wasn't even a factor yet. I think it works better when you don't really care. It's such an incredibly petty thing, but it's going to kill quite a few people, even if you just consider the battle itself. (The aftermath is worse.) Then, if you're especially reflective, you think about Gustave's conversation with Kelvin in Landing (and Kelvin's cheerleading for that particular war) and this whole thing becomes a kind of black comedy. What goes around comes around, even if it takes a while. The difference is that we were invested in Gustave but we're not invested in Nicolette. That symmetry, and how it changes perception, isn't a bad point to get across, especially in a game about history.
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Apr 23, 2015 06:47
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Kelvin's Last Battle (1288-1292) Kelvin is attacked by both King Sho of Na and Duke Edmund of Laubholz. 1288 Edmund, Duke of Laubholz, intervenes in the Heir War The daughter of Cantal, Nicolette, convinces Edmund to begin military intervention. 1289 King Sho of Na summons Kelvin King Sho, doubting his intentions, summons him. 1290 Battle of Salisbury Kelvin defeats Edmund's army. 1292 Kelvin dies Kelvin, Count of Jade, is 71.   (Disgrace)    He's on the terrace. He's quite concerned about the summons from King Sho.  He should just ignore them.    That geezer needs to be taught a lesson.  (I'd actually forgotten about this line when I made that FFT joke last time.)  Unwittingly, Charles is mirroring Cantal's own perspective on Kelvin.    But I must go to Gruegel. I cannot disobey King Sho's orders.  I will go to Gruegel as your representative. Father, please stay behind and stand against Laubholz's army. Would that be acceptable, father?  uh, Kelvin, you haven't spent much time around Charles, have you Certainly.    I think the developers pretty much made the Gustave side of the story, then came back and did the Knights side later in development, when they had less time and money. There's a lot more in the way of little spriting touches, like Charles's gestures, Kelvin's lowered head and crossed arms, and Philippe's nod, in Gustave's side of the story.  (Underground)  (Field of Battle III)   So, people who haven't played the game before, had you pretty much forgotten this was a thing? It's back! Now featuring much more serious music. The vast majority of the war battles take place in the post-Gustave section. Steel troops and named characters were crutches, and we aren't going to get either this go-round--old Kelvin's unit is a generic Archer troop, and Philippe's is normal infantry. (Shame, really. It'd have been cool to throw him in there with the Firebrand, wouldn't it? I guess they just didn't want to make a battle sprite for it.) That said, the objective's simple and none of the enemies are impressive--the only group not comprised of Laub Soldiers is the Duke's (Laub Guards instead) and there's no requirement to defeat them. This is just a gentle reintroduction to the concept: we still have a little while before the game expects you to take them seriously.  A reminder on battle tactics: if you start the battle with an allied Archer adjacent to an allied unit (any of the eight directions, doesn't have to be one of the four cardinals), you get a 30-damage arrow rain on all enemies. Kelvin is an archer unit, so the troops on his side stick close to take advantage. I attack a unit on the other side--every unit except Nebelstern has 2 Move, so his ally can't attack; the other allied unit on that side moves up, but not close enough to be attacked next round. I'd like the side with archer support to do most of the killing.   Another refresher: Generic soldiers and your generic soldiers all have 100 HP; you have Light Spears, they seem to have Wood Spears, so you get a slight damage edge. Flame Spear kills outright about 80% of the time, Lawnmower kills rarely but is much faster, you have no reason to use Double Thrust unless you're trying to combo. Your units also have Bucklers, so they'll sometimes block attacks, and Windmill still works.   Like so. It's not anything to rely on, at least if you're not Defending (that does raise shield chances), but hey, bonus. I spread all of my attacks out, just to see what happens. Between my units stunning and the unit at the front blocking both attacks that came his way, no enemies die and I'm totally unscathed.   Units USUALLY retreat in roughly the direction you attacked them from, kind of like two colliding balls... But sometimes it gets weird.   War battles are one of the few places where optimal attack ranges really matter: everyone's using spears, targets are scattered, and damage is respectable relative to HP, so attacking targets who are in the right position is actually pretty important. Another small but useful detail: the way enemies are facing can also tell you which units they plan to attack. My two leftmost units go for the leftmost enemy, my two rightmost units attack the guy to the right (my right) of him.  The end result being that three of my four units move before the enemy, and both of the targets go down smoothly. The two surviving soldiers do Needle Shot one of mine to death, but that's fine--all units get one reinforcement unit at the start of the player phase, so I'll still have four soldiers next round. (It's odd that enemies change facing to reflect their targets, like player characters do, but always have their weapons out, even if they're using spells--player characters who cast always put their weapons away.)    There's no particular advantage to being the one to inititate an attack, so having Archers in place is more important. Three enemies defeated is the win condition and there are three enemies on the left, so I have the right side retreat.   The Laub Guards are much tougher (around 2/3 damage taken compared to Soldiers), and we no longer have a weapon advantage. The leader has a sword, but if anything, he's actually weaker than the others--he does similar damage, but he's using a sword and he's at the back of the enemy formation. Optimal ranges mean he'll almost always go last.   We do have archer support, though, so they're pretty much screwed.   The Duke retreats back to where he started.    The Successive Battle lowers Phillippe's units to 88 HP, but I still have Archer support. It's no big deal.     That battle and the next one both go the same way: three enemies down and all of ours intact.  I wipe out two of the required three enemies for the win and end turn.   The Duke goes after Philippe again. Last time counts for all!   This time, I use Flame Spear. Between the higher damage and archer support, there are no survivors.   Both win conditions achieved simultaneously!  (Reminiscensce) Make sure to listen to this. It'll show up again during the final credits, but it's probably the game's best variation on this particular leitmotif.   Gustave and Kelvin is a very minimalist relationship--we don't see it so much as we see the marks it leaves on the world around it. All the same, I think it's very well-done. (The Outside World)  1288 Edmund, Duke of Laubholz, intervenes in the Heir War The daughter of Cantal, Nicolette, convinces Edmund to begin military intervention. 1289 King Sho of Na summons Kelvin King Sho, doubting his intentions, summons him. 1290 Battle of Salisbury Kelvin defeats Edmund's army. 1292 Kelvin dies Kelvin, Count of Jade, is 71. Next (chronological/Gustave):  (1300) Einander fucked around with this message at 00:47 on Apr 26, 2015 |
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Apr 24, 2015 02:09
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With the death of Kelvin, the second generation of SaGa Frontier 2 officially comes to an end. At first there was Gustave the Steel and Tycoon Wil Knights. Then Kelvin and Rich were left to pick up the pieces of their friend/father's legacies. Now comes the new generation, who knows what the future holds? These are also probably the two saddest text boxes in the game. Poor Kelvin...
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Apr 24, 2015 02:51
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The relative minimalism at the end there gets me every time. Between the track and the line "His life has been one long, gruelling battle". They really nail the solemnity of it, I think.
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Apr 24, 2015 02:53
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I've always liked that last line about Kevin for some reason: 'His life has been one long, grueling battle.' It almost seems like the game/history wants you to pity or have remorse for his life when really Kevin had a pretty good one. Nicolette starting things for a petty reason is interesting not in that we care about her, but in that she's getting a conflict started for such a petty reason.
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Apr 24, 2015 02:55
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EponymousMrYar posted:I've always liked that last line about Kevin for some reason: 'His life has been one long, grueling battle.' It almost seems like the game/history wants you to pity or have remorse for his life when really Kevin had a pretty good one. The first 20-30 years, maybe. Then he gets brought along on Gustave's wars, and after Gustave's death, he's left trying to hold his alliance together and between Cantal's ambition, Charles' hardheadedness, and Nicolette's schemes, he ends up dying an old, depressed, tired man who's efforts were ultimately for naught because war broke out regardless.
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Apr 24, 2015 03:04
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Just read through the LP. Great job so far!
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Apr 25, 2015 02:01
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quote:Gavelkiiiind (It is a Crusader Kings joke) e: Deceitful Penguiiiin
Dareon fucked around with this message at 08:06 on Apr 25, 2015 |
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Apr 25, 2015 08:02
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While i agree that Kevin life may not have been the easiest, His friendship with Gustave was great. Not only that but He did meet his eventual wife in Sophie. I like the presentation of the whole thing, I mean Saga Frontier 2 is a game about history and not about specific people, Which is why if you look at the grand scheme of thing Kevin life Is a long series of battle . It very well presented.
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Apr 25, 2015 17:18
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So do we get to see how badly Charles hosed up the talks with King Sho, or is the dissolution of the pact meant to reflect that?
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Apr 25, 2015 18:20
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Lotish posted:So do we get to see how badly Charles hosed up the talks with King Sho, or is the dissolution of the pact meant to reflect that? We'll see a bit of Charles' continued failures at diplomacy shortly but for the most part politics are soon to be lost in the Budget Zone. dis astranagant fucked around with this message at 19:44 on Apr 25, 2015 |
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Apr 25, 2015 19:09
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Lotish posted:So do we get to see how badly Charles hosed up the talks with King Sho, or is the dissolution of the pact meant to reflect that? The talks with King Sho were pointless to begin with, thanks to Nicolette, war was going to break out regardless, the only thing keeping it together was Kelvin.
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Apr 25, 2015 19:36
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dis astranagant posted:We'll see a bit of Charles' continued failures at diplomacy shortly but for the most part politics are soon to be lost in the the Budget Zone. Ah, the Budget Zone, the real Saga begins here.
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Apr 25, 2015 19:37
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Fake Gustave Arrives (1300) A man appears in the war-torn Lordless Land. Is he a hero, or... 1300 First appearance of Fake Gustave Among all the imposters, the most famous fake Gustave appears.  The moment you select it, you get a battle transition. Gustave Born did the same thing... And just like then, it also starts you off in a war battle. (Field of Battle III)            (The Homeless)  He slowly, haltingly limps his way across the screen... The same hill where Gustave XII stood, just before he learned of the birth of his son.     This... is... my... proof...Long pause.   It's actually conclusive proof against his claim, since Gustave didn't have low Anima, he had no Anima at all. None.    Imposter or not, I just want someone to bring us peace.    Ha ha ha, that was a pretty good joke! Not bad, pal.  Why is it a joke? What's wrong with that?  Ho ho ho. Lord Gustave had blonde hair. At the least, you need to have the same color hair before you start calling yourself Gustave.      Hey, what else do I need to become Gustave? Uh, umm. Y-You need, a strong army... No, you need good men that you can depend on. People like Count Kelvin and General Nebelstern.  Subordinates, eh... Yet, I see that none are suitable here...   Unfortunately, it seems Rich's sacrifice didn't even buy the world ten years. (The Outside World)  1300 First appearance of Fake Gustave Among all the imposters, the most famous fake Gustave appears. Next (chronological): Edelritter (1301) Next (Gustave): Edelritter (1301) Einander fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Apr 28, 2015 |
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Apr 26, 2015 00:46
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