#[ class mastery: dancer ]

[allegreta]

galdr of remembrance (dancer mastery drabble, 453 words)

Anniversaries, celebrated upon the year, are of less consequence to laguz than beorc. Years in and of themselves, while recognized, happen in far greater number to a laguz than a beorc, and thus are less significant.

When one follows the seasons as all living things do, though, times of year get associated with certain things. And the nightmares of fire and smoke and screams signify to Leanne that around now is the time of the Serenes Massacre, some twenty-six years ago. It is something she lives with, a scar that has closed and been soothed but aches from time to time, as is the nature of such a trauma.

She is no longer in Serenes to commemorate this as she has each year since she awoken from her slumber, but the woods by the monastery will do. The same moon shines upon them.

In the dead of night, she takes flight, quickly alighting as she reaches the forest grounds. The half moon flickers, nary a cloud in sight, and the chorus of crickets and owls welcomes her.

Slowly, quietly she joins them, her voice a low tone adjacent to sorrow. But not quite. It is melancholy, it carries sadness, but there is a life to it as well, a bittersweetness, as one might say.

The forest has gone silent, but slowly begins to raise its voice again--some in tune with Leanne. It is a mournful song, a remembering song, a song to honor the dead and grant strength to the living. Though the galdr is sung in ancient, its message is in a language universal.

It is about white wings raised in play and the crooning of loving parents. It spans arguments, festivals, and poetry in equal measure. Thousands of wings, thousands of beautiful minds and caring hearts are honored here, released into the wind with each breath. There is space for anger, space for the acrid smoke on the wind and the smell of charred feathers, blood in one's mouth and indignity at the senselessness of the world. But first and foremost, this is a galdr of remembrance.

Leanne carries this energy in her heart, releases it to the forest, to the spirits of those long passed. With the power of galdr, imparted upon her by the very people she honors in this night, she can bring joy and peace--and if it is necessary, utilize it in battle to protect those dear to her. This she promises to those who have gone before her, lost to time or tragedy. It will not end here. It will not end here. We will love and laugh and celebrate your lives, tell stories to our children and our children's children. It will not end here.

[knighteclipsed]

until your eyes are closed.

a drabble: for valter’s dancer mastery. word count: 767 words

Place your hand in its—no, don’t shy away, it is safe to you. Though it is harsh and unyielding to so many around you, you will find no harm will befall you. It is safe. It is safe. Allow it to guide you as you stand, as you walk. One step, then another. You can begin to run now.

Run like the wind does, invigorating your senses and your breath. Walk at your heart’s pace, every beat the tempo to your rhythm. Stand unbending, unbreaking in the face of it all. You have learned to move, to live, to love?

Perhaps not that last one—not that it ever mattered. They say dancing is a communal thing; a thing that is with or for others. You are wiser than that—let it show you to dance: to guide your footsteps, your hands, your weight. One step, then another, until it is all one fluid motion. You have learned to dance now—alone. It suits you.

And what about props? They are not uncommon. If you must dance alone, you may stylize it as you wish. Weapons, though unconventional, work wonders for the task—you have heard of a sword dance, haven’t you? Why not fashion your own with a lance?

Twist like the wind does. (Mind your breathing and keep it steady.) Step at your heart’s pace. (The tempo is even, just follow along.) Pose at appropriate intervals. (This is all a show, after all.) Let your weapon be an extension of yourself and use it to protect yourself, keep your distance from them.

It is by your side, after all—Death, that old friend of yours. Taking your hand and guiding your every step. It is harsh and unyielding, even cruel—to those around you. You are safe from it, so long as you continue to learn.

Death is not a kind teacher, you know. You may suffer one mistake—and it is fatal; you are through. Some lessons are easier to be learned: how to stand, walk, run. Others, you must witness—you must learn from the mistakes of those before you.

Death is not a kind teacher, but it teaches you all the same.  (Twist, step, pose.)

And at last, it releases your hand—you have learned much now, what with your dances. You have learned from Death and so, too, do you now emulate it. It focuses in your eyes, lights dancing in them like upon the tip of a lance. Death is your teacher, and you are its disciple. Were, now you suppose. You are left to fend on your own.

When again you cross paths, that familiar face has not changed—but yours has, worn by years of isolation and contempt. One lesson you learned, however, was to keep fighting for your survival—even against unfavorable odds. Perhaps you were no longer wanted, but if your will died, so, too, would you with it. Step, step—into the next chapter. Tighten your hands ‘till they are naught more than fists.

You see its silhouette again in the eyes of those that you fell: soldiers and knights, common blood and noble. Its tokens are taken gracefully, with all the skill and elegance of an artisan’s dance. You do not face it head-on just yet, however—you only see its traces. (You are untouchable, after all.)

Your final reunion comes upon sandy dunes—the sand is unstable and unfavorable to dancers. Death is a master and is not impeded—it has had much time to learn. You are but a human, and you do not have that same wisdom. You fight for your survival all the same.

Run like the wind does until you are out of breath. Walk at your heart’s pace through the motions—you are growing slower. Stand, if that is possible, but you have grown weary from your dancing. You never quite learned how to take a break, did you?

You may learn that now, first-hand, from an old friend. Place your hand in its—no, don’t shy away. It is futile all the same. (It is harsh and unyielding and would never have spared you.) Allow it to guide you to the after.

One step, another—until your eyes are closed. You do not hear your footsteps, your heartbeat, your breath.

…And then its hand slips away, and you are in a place unfamiliar—to begin the dance anew. Death was not a kind instructor, but it did not lack its own sense of humor. Though it took with it much of what you recalled of dancing, it was not as if you could not relearn it. You can begin to run now, if you so choose.

[ultrakdramamama]

To size up the impact South Korean superstars SHINee have had on music is a difficult task. With a panorama that spans both K-pop and the world’s stage, the band’s dominance has grown exponentially since their debut 15 years ago. With their latest album, it’s also clear that SHINee’s future could only get even brighter. 

When someone goes around muttering, “Hard like a criminal, hard like the beat” under their breath for about two months straight, it’s bound to attract a few stares at the workplace. Especially when you yell, “We go HARD” when your colleagues enquire about your state of mind. But that’s SHINee’s effect for you. The lyrics from the title track of the legendary band’s eighth Korean language studio album, fittingly titled HARD, tend to imprint themselves on the listener’s temporal lobe. But this isn’t a new phenomenon for SHINee. Fifteen years since the band’s debut, it’s safe to say that they have created K-pop’s (and pop in general’s) most satisfying earworms and anthems, from Replay (2008) to Ring Ding Dong (2009), and Amigo (also 2008) to View (2015), to name a nanoparticle of songs off a daunting discography. ONEW, KEY, MINHO, TAEMIN – and the late beloved JONGHYUN – together form one of the finest, most well-rounded groups to emerge from South Korea’s competitive music industry, and their longevity speaks volumes about their talent and relevance. This includes solo projects, too – each of their individual offerings is a class apart.

So, how does one even begin to dismantle SHINee’s hypnotic hold on both their Korean and global devotees? To be honest, there is no need to divide them because once a ‘SHINee WORLD’ (the name given to the band’s beloved fanbase), always a SHINee WORLD regardless of age, gender or geographic distinction. With their vocal prowess, stage mastery, and dexterity of movement, they’ve filled stadiums worldwide through the course of a 15-year-long juggernaut. ONEW possesses one of the most iconic voices known to this oeuvre, with a dominant baritone and operatic tenor. KEY’s aura and presence is impossible to translate into words. MINHO’s a towering personality in terms of both talent and charisma. It’s also not hyperbole to state that TAEMIN is the king of movement – an unparalleled dancer, and a star. Together, they’re extraordinary. Solo, their personalities jump off the screen too. They’re each lovable matrixes of sass, humour, gravitas... clumsiness (the fans will attest to this). If one were to sum them up, ‘real’ would be the word to choose. Even though they’re revered in the industry, and active in all its different aspects – variety shows, musicals, performing on OSTs, solo projects, etc – they’re as humble as the day they started.

In this email interview, three of the band members dive into their music, providing perspective on the landscape they inhabit. ONEW, the leader of the band, is currently on hiatus for health issues. (However, he did send out a message to fans to reassure them of his rest and recovery and his imminent return.) One thing is for sure – it’s SHINee’s world, and we’re happy to be living in it.

You’ve always been completely ahead of the curve when it comes to genre, often blending several sonic elements in one album. In this album, for instance, you have wobbly drum and bass and soulful vocals on The Feeling, a really fresh take on the clear drum breaks of ’90s hip-hop on HARD, and dance-pop on Identity. Yet, you can tell a SHINee track from a mile away. How do you connect so many diverse sounds to the SHINee colour, and what – in the first place – would you say is SHINee’s colour? KEY: Rather than defining SHINee with one colour, I believe SHINee’s colour consists of all the colours each one of our fans sees us as. MINHO: SHINee is quite an interesting team because we have the ability to make any song into SHINee’s own colours. It’s our biggest weapon. We’ve built up this skill since our first album, and it only strengthened as we tried out various genres and concepts. Now, all our members know how to make any track SHINee-like. TAEMIN: SHINee’s colour is a combination of the various music styles we’ve experimented with. Without being limited to a specific genre, we capture several different colours and find SHINee’s own way of uniting everything into one.

Having said that, can you reveal the most “SHINee” song on this album for you, and explain why that would be your pick? KEY: For me, that would be the title track Hard, because it shows best all the efforts we’ve put into the visuals, performance, and recordings to demonstrate the genre of hip-hop. MINHO: It’s hard to select just one track. Many might say The Feeling but, rather than selecting one, I’d like to say this album in itself is “SHINee”, and it opens up our new chapter. TAEMIN: I’d say Satellite, because it shows the harmonious vocals of SHINee.

SHINee has a way of tapping into a collective sense of nostalgia – whether we go back to View, Married To The Music, or 1 of 1 even. Yet, you somehow manage doing this in a future-forward way with both your look and sound. How do you access and communicate a wide spectrum of emotions for people across borders and gender? KEY: Songs and melodies are very effective in expressing emotions and conveying messages to different people and genders. Though the lyrics might be interpreted differently depending on one’s culture, I believe a melody has a relatable power for everyone. MINHO: We try to convey emotions directly instead of hiding them. One of those characteristics is being upfront about how one feels and not hiding one’s emotions. TAEMIN: Even if we do not speak the same language, it’s the energy we’ve poured into this album that makes it possible for us to connect and communicate with those who listen to it.

Often, when you’re with a group of people who end up knowing you inside out, it helps you to see yourself more clearly. How would you say the close bond that exists between all of you has affected or changed you? TAEMIN: I was able to learn a lot from my (fellow band) members since they are all very talented. The bond we’ve formed through our time and experiences together is such a valuable gift to me.

People say there is always one side of the brain that’s more dominant. The left brain vs right brain – largely the analytical vs the creative. The artistes in you must make use of the right brain, but, to navigate this industry and learn from it, the left brain has to come into play. Given your successful ongoing careers, how do you balance the two sides? KEY: Balance is something I’m constantly thinking about not only as SHINee’s KEY, but also as an entertainer on variety shows so that I can continue to better myself and grow. MINHO: This is an interesting question that I’ve never thought of before. I probably use my left brain more since I’m always thinking about things that others might not have done yet or tried before. TAEMIN: When I tested myself, I found that my right brain functions better than my left!

Is it possible, as an artiste, to be happy and satisfied at the same time? MINHO: I’m not quite sure if happiness and satisfaction can be felt at the same time, though it’s different for each person. Even if I’m happy, I might not be satisfied, but I think that’s because I’m a bit of a perfectionist [laughs].

Can you talk about how the performance aspect of music has evolved for you over the years? Does it feel more poignant being on stage together again after a break? [The members of SHINee fulfilled their mandatory military enlistment duties, staggered, over the last five years.] KEY: I’m not sure if this properly explains it, but I’d like to think of our growth as ‘still strong’. As the years add on, there is a sense of pressure from wanting to show our best selves and great performances but, through this album, SHINee was able to show persistence and strength. Whenever I step on stage, it’s an overwhelming feeling. MINHO: You can see just how much we’ve grown through our performances. Compared to before, we’re more experienced so there’s a sense of ease. Yet we do feel more nervous when we return to the stage after a long time. ‘Will I be able to perform well on this stage? What if I make a mistake?’ These are the kinds of thoughts that run through my mind but that’s what brings out a perfect performance. The most important thing in all of this is to look as if you’re not nervous! [laughs] TAEMIN: The K-pop market has grown, and we’ve also benefited from that. The lifespan of K-pop idols has also increased compared to before, but I believe it’s (everyone’s) hard work that’s made this possible.

What sort of music are you gravitating towards right now? Do you connect music and movement given how proficiently you link the two? TAEMIN: I usually listen to calm music. I also enjoy humming or dancing along to whatever I’m listening to.

Fifteen years down the line, what is something you know now that you wish you had known then? KEY: That I don’t need to have any regrets because I’ve done my best throughout. MINHO: There are many things I wish I had known but, since I didn’t know anything at that time, I’d want to keep them a secret [laughs]. TAEMIN: What we’ve learned throughout holds greater value and meaning because of the process. If I were to say one thing to my past self, it would be to travel around the world more and study English.

Does the desire to experiment and the ability to actually be able to follow through with ideas become easier with time? KEY: It becomes harder with time but that’s why I make sure to put in more thought and effort to bring out the best I can.

As the world evolves at an almost breakneck speed, music evolves with it; you’ve also been witness to the shift in the influence of K-pop. How would you say the K-pop industry has also changed over these years as it has become a global phenomenon? KEY: From training to performing, everything has become very systemised and specialised. There’s also a wider variety of messages that can be delivered through performances. MINHO: K-pop has changed rapidly and, as a part of the generation that has seen that process of change, it is quite fast. The best development is the fact that the whole world can see what I’ve uploaded in seconds! TAEMIN: As a person who has been in this field for quite some time, I am amazed by K-pop. There have been a lot of changes through the years, changes that I did not realize at the time!

Looking back to when you started, would you say you are where you want to be as an artiste at this stage of your life? MINHO: I’m getting closer to where I dreamed I’d be when I debuted, but there’s still quite a way to go to get there.

How does the future look? KEY: SHINee will always remain the same. MINHO: The future will always be SHINee. TAEMIN: I’d like to live a happier life by giving back to our fans with good music and maintaining the precious relationships we have together. And I hope to perform overseas more often.

Would you please send a message to SHINee WORLD in India – any thoughts you’d like to share? KEY: I’m very much looking forward to the day we’ll get to meet our fans in person. Thank you for always showering us with love. MINHO: I’ve been to India before, but have not had the opportunity to perform. I hope that chance will come sometime soon, so please wait for us! TAEMIN: I really want to meet our fans in India and I’m sorry we haven’t been able to visit. I promise you we will create precious memories together!

[theofficersacademy]

Fans flutter, jewels sparkle as they catch the light, and the air buzzes with students’ conversation, nervous and hopeful all at once. The Ethereal Ball has at last come to the monastery’s halls and the rumors that have been whispered all around the academy and beyond — they were all right: the glitz and glamor is a sight to behold.

Tapestries hang from the ceilings, depicting scenes of Fódlan’s most famous tales of chivalry: Wilhelm’s devotion to Seiros, Loog’s faithful service to the Maiden of Wind, the Lion of Riegan’s sacrifice to save Leicester from Almyran hordes, stories of love and loyalty to inspire the students on this unforgettable night. The music grows louder as you approach the Main Hall — the orchestra has already begun playing the first song of the night! You pick up the pace, squeezing past crowds, unwilling to miss a second more.

You're stopped at the door, however, and handed a brooch decorated with one of five kinds of decorations: black feathers, white feathers, strings of pearls, small bells, and teardrop crystals. "Trade your decorations with the other guests," says the door attendant, and sends you inside to socialize.

You’ve been formally invited to the Ethereal Ball

A once in a lifetime experience for students of the Officers Academy, this time an even more magical night full of excellent food and drink, endless dancing, and the highlight of the year for would-be couples and longtime lovers alike.

Not only have the party organizers upped the glitz and glamor this year, but in an effort to study Pasithee's illusion magic, a handful of the church's bishops have set up a magical ballroom separate from the main room where a mystical masquerade will take place.

What’s This Brooch?

Each attendee of the ball finds themselves with a brooch decorated in one of five decorations. See this list to find which one your muse has.

Note: all muses in TOA have been assigned a decoration for ease of randomizing them, but this does not obligate a muse to participate. BOLD your muse’s name on the list if they are participating.

How to Play

The goal is to gather one decoration for each of the 5 decorations represented at the ball, presumably after you’ve had a favorable conversation with the attendee and earned their approval and / or friendship (note: IC interactions do not actually have to be favorable to count toward the goal).

YES: A approaches B with the express intention of making a good impression and trading decorations

NO: A and B decide to ditch the party and make out in the surrounding forest (no mention of the brooch)

YES: A and B decide to ditch the party and make out in a beautiful clearing in the woods, and decide they might as well trade decorations from their brooches while they're at it

YES: A asks B to trade decorations, but B hates A and a fight ensues.

NO: B starts a fight with A for the hell of it, and neither of them mentions their brooch decoration.

Please tag your posts with #toaball2024

A Note on Interactions

This year, do not reblog any of the inbox memes or prompts.

Bold your muse’s name on the decorations designations list to signal to the rest of the group that they are open to ball-related interactions. 

A bolded name means that you are welcome to send any of the memes or prompts without asking beforehand.

You may unbold your muse’s name at any time. This will not affect whether or not they can claim their prizes at the end.

Schedule

New prompts will be released at the beginning of every week until the end of the month. The masquerade will run alongside the main ball for the entire duration of the event.

Prizes

Once you've filled your brooch out with all 5 decorations, you will be eligible to pick one prize from the Spring tab of our prize list!

You will also be eligible for exclusive access to the Dancer class! It will be treated as a Unique class with its own mastery ability. Mastering the class will also grant the character Refresh.

All characters who collect 5 different brooch decorations will receive the prizes.

Prizes can only be claimed after the event’s conclusion.

Please track your decorations somewhere, with the name of the other character (if unmasked) and a link to the interaction. Whether you do it on your blog or somewhere private is up to you, but you will be submitting this to claim the prize at the conclusion of the event

And that’s it! If you have any questions or concerns, please let the mods know!

The Ethereal Ball will run until May 31st at 11:59PM EST! We hope you have fun, and that your characters make a lot of new friends!

- The House Leaders

[homebrew-a-la-traumaverse]

Inspired by this post by @real-fire-emblem-takes, but in reverse.

(Detailed descriptions under the cut!)

(Only 12 poll options, no vanilla extract today :V)

Archer: Rarely get the spotlight, given that they aren't meant to frontline, but they have their moments - 3-13 can attest to that. Fliers are especially vulnerable to their arrows. Usually has the choice of upgrading to the mounted Bow Knight class, which gives it high mobility and swords for self-defense, or the Sniper class, to volley enemies with critical hits.

Barbarian: Fighter, Pirate, and similar classes are lumped with this as well - all being axe-wielding units whose low defenses are offset by massive HP. This is further emphasized by them promoting to the Berserker class, which ramps up their crit rate as well as giving additional skills that play into getting hit, such as Wrath (increases crit rate at low HP), Defiant Strength (increases damage dealt at low HP), or Counter (reflects physical damage taken).

Cavalier: All-around units with good mobility, they're usually reliable choices to invest into. Promotion options include the Great Knight class, which boasts mastery over every physical weapon, or the Paladin class, which gains powerful anti-magic abilities.

Cleric: The classic uwu squishy healer that you need to protect. Some variants also get horses or even flying mounts. Their magic staves provide powerful utility, from healing to teleportation to damage mitigation. They usually get over the whole pacifist thing when they promote, whether it's to the Sage (which gains the ability to blow enemies up with magic), Bishop (which gains the ability to smite monsters with lasers), or War Cleric (which just starts hitting enemies with axes).

Dancer/Songstress/etc: One of the more unique support classes. Combat abilities usually range from minimal to nonexistent, but that rarely matters when you can let your strongest unit take twice as many turns, sometimes with other benefits like healing or stat buffs as well. A special class, most games only ever let you have one. Generally don't promote.

Dark Mage: More durable than your usual mage, but lack the raw offensive power - sometimes due to their combat stats being lower, sometimes just because dark magic comes with significant penalties. Dark Magic has many unique spells, such as Nosferatu (leeches the lifeforce of enemies to heal you), Mire (blasts enemies safely from across the map), Luna (ignores enemy resistance), Eclipse (instantly halves the target's HP)... There's a lot of interesting options for them. Promotion options include Sorcerer, which goes all in on combat abilities, Summoner, which summons phantoms to fight for you, and Dark Knight, which ditches dark magic for some reason to ride a horse and hit things with swords.

Knights... Heavily armored units, but with low speed and mobility. Usually get ignored in favor of flashy, fast units, but there's something to be said about being an invincible wall. Watch out for mages, though. And armorslayers. And poison, and stat debuffers, and true damage, and turn-based reinforcements... Anyways - their promotions include the Great Knight (detailed above) as well as the General, which gets even more defense as well as skills like Rally Defense to bolster that even further.

Mage: The glass cannon of magic builds. High speed and offensive abilities, but unlikely to take many hits, especially on the physical side. Promotion options include the Sage, which further bolsters their magic and gives them access to staves, Dark Knight (though they don't lose dark magic in this case because they dont have dark magic to begin with), and Mage Knight (which I'm pretty sure is also basically the same thing? Magic sword guy with a horse.)

Mercenary/Myrmidion: Two flavors of "person with sword." The Mercanry tends to be more durable and hard-hitting, while the Myrmidon has greater speed and skill for critical hits. The Mercenary can expand ther repertoire on promotion to Warrior, which also gains bows, or Hero, which gains axes; either way, they gain powerful options at range. Meanwhile, Mymidons promote to Swordmasters, with peerless speed and crit rate, or Assassins, who can instantly kill enemies. Occasionally.

Pegasus Knight: Highly mobile due to the horse with the wings, and also boast high speed; however, their strength and durability leave much to be desired. Obviously an inspiration for my own Skywatcher class (though it's not the only one, as it also draws from Fate's Rider class). A favorite choice for speedrunners due to their mobility, being able to outrun just about everything while also flying over obstacles. Some games have them change out their steed on promotion, such as to Griffon Rider, Wyvern Knight, or Dark Flier, while others further empower the pegasus knight as a Falcoknight or Seraph Knight. Also notably are the main source of Galeforce and therefore may or may not have caused an entire generation of eugenics simulators.

Shifter: This is where I'm lumping together all the transformation classes. Laguz, Manaketes, Taguel, Kitsune, Wolfskins, all of them go here. Usually gain massive stat boosts on transformation, but are extremely vulnerable when untransformed. These are also an inspiration for one of my own classes, being the Shifter.

Theif: 90% of the time, they're shady dudes who steal your loot and run away. Weirdly enough, they often lose this ability when they promote - usually to an assassin capable of instantly killing foes, but some games have other options like the Trickster, which also gets support magics like the Cleric.

There are other "base" classes, but most of them are either unique special classes or can be folded into one of the above options.

[fragmentofmemories]

what's your opinion on subclassing in eo? i know you like to experiment with party composition and strategies so i'd like to know if you have any favorite unconventional class/subclass combos

Thanks for the ask! and honestly I don't really have an opinion that much different from other people.

It's a great mechanic that lets you essentially fill any hole you might have in your party, or minmax a character's best features.

Lack a healer or tank? Turn your character into one. Want to squeeze an extra bit of damage, dodge rate or whatever? Subclass into something with the one self-buff or passive you need.

But sadly, many people tend to focus only on the minmaxing part, to the point I often see tips like "subclass into gladiator/bushi, everything else is worthless."

And I feel that is really reductive of what subclassing can be capable of. Let's take EO3 as an example.

A fun thing I like to do is doing a Monk/Zodiac build.

"Because monks have high TEC right?"

No, because Fire Mastery, Singularity and Ethereal Charge affect Breakfire Fist.

Combine STR accessory stacking alongside any other buff/debuff, and you'll have your monk potentially deal tens of thousands of damage per hit with the right setup.

I see people often focusing only on a monk's supportive aspect, that with subclassing them into sovereigns and such.

But just like any other healer in EO (except herbalists who do not exist), leaving them to only healing duty is genuinely a waste of their true potential — as weird as that sounds.

And before you ask, you don't need the weapon exploit to make monks good. In fact, if you know how Fist Mastery works, you'll soon realize the exploit actually makes them worse (At high STR and Lv10 FM, their ATK stat is lowered if they equip a weapon).

Monks in EO3 are in the same place as EO1 Alchemists and EOX pugilists, as one of the most misunderstood classes. In the sense that people don't really know how to use them.

Other fun builds I'd like to make are Ninja/Buccaneer. Combine skills like Lady Luck (extra Crit chance), Swashbuckling (Multihit chance with normal attacks) and Kubikiri (Instakill chance with normal attacks). It only takes around level 50 or so to get all these skills maxed, and when you do it's pretty fun.

Knives also happen to have a high amount of forge slots, so you can further customize your character by either increasing their ATK, stats like HP, or even adding an extra effect on top. Combine that with accessory stacking and/or cloning, and you can actually deal plenty of damage even if the instant kill doesn't trigger.

After all, it wasn't until eou that they nerfed normal attacks (of course).

Lastly, though it has nothing to do with combat, I ocassionally like subclassing everyone into farmers. In doing so, I can give them the Waste Not skill for up to a 25% drop rate increase.

The reason for this is to more easily farm stat books from the enemies that drop it. It's a slow process, but being able to more easily get stat boosters — especially early on — is really helpful.

Formaldehydes and Lucky Hammer exist, of course, but those aren't easily available until the late/postgame. And the ones you do get early on are usually reserved for stratum bosses.

Moving onto other games, EO4 I admittedly kinda rushed over it gameplay-wise, and I've long since lost my 100% save. So I can't for certain give any build ideas.

I do believe dancers' normal attack and dodge skills are generally useful on anyone, as is landsknechts' Vanguard on medics. Not for healing, but for Star Drop and other attack skills (of course).

Nexus I did replay recently, so in quick succession (since this post is getting too long):

Survivalist/Ninja. Using it to further increase the former's Dodgetank abilities (meaning extra Hazy Arrows, and general survivality).

Pugilist/Shogun for Peerless Demon (More damage the more hits per turn) and Bloody Lance (More damage per enemy killed.) Conveniently enough, a pugilist's best weapon has an AOE skill, and it can actually be acquired near the start of the game if you farm enough. So...

Medic/Protector entirely for yuri reasons /j (actually because of anti- skills, and Shield Flare. Calling back the whole "subclassing to fix holes" thing.)

Technically EMD2 also has subclassing, and the idea of a protector with AOE skills is very enticing. But it's Japan-only (of course).

Funnily enough, I don't think I experimented much with subclassing myself. Once I get to 3 HD I am thinking of maybe doing something like, idk, Farmer/Gladiator for a meme Stun Attack build (lol).

[ninesnowfang]

Ramble about Sniper in EO4

So i've been thinking more about Sniper in EO4 and how it's one of the most fun classes to use personally. It's an incredibly niche class that works on its own but (like Nightseeker) really enjoys having arcanist around for binds but for a whole different reason, sniper wanting the binds while nightseeker wants the ailments for their boosts. It being based on crits and letting their skills crit is stronger than people give it credit for, especially if you look at how high of a critrate you get just from one buff and a passive, 60% from lock-on and 20% from bullseye alone almost guarantees that you crit and with enlightenment it's just straightup double damage which stacks wonderfully with every normal buff since it's a damage modifier. Then you add snipe mastery which gives you additional crit rate per bind 30% at max level which could let you skip lock-on completely if you have a good enough setup to full bind the enemies, that also boosting divine shot technically but imo it's a waste to get rid of the binds when squall volley does the job just as well for LESS setup. If you do end up using lock-on with snipe mastery you only need two points for max crit rate with a single bind, the bind of choice usually being leg binds so squall volley surely hits even if the base damage% of squall volley is only 50% for a multi hit it's strong enough especially if you consider that the damage gets doubled from enlightenment crits, which a low roll squall volley's damage% outperforms a bushi's max hit multi slash at full HP (low HP bushi outdamaging it however but that's just bushi being bushi) The main Issue i have with sniper is that it really takes until level 20 for them to become decent, unlike other classes that come out swinging right away (nightseekeer, dancer, medic and fortress, Bushi and Arcanist if you do NG+) but that's still not too bad thanks to it being able to fulfill a utility role until then with the bind skills, they just won't do much damage wise at the beginning. IG what i'm trying to say is that i love how weirdly good Sniper is even if it's a little one note if you go for pure damage since you only really go for a bushi subclass and then just have the amazing utility of bushi subclass, while a supportive sniper goes for arcanist where having a main arcanist is just plain better

[optimismxmagicism]

Happiness, to share

Dancer mastery Word count: 1150

“Hum-dee-dum, A market full of food, it all smells so goood~! Shopping’s what I do, classes, I’ll make it through~!” Full of energy, Ewan was strolling down the busy streets of the local market and singing a little song to himself. It was the tune he’d been practicing on during dance classes, though the lyrics were a silly creation of his own. While dancing was his sister’s thing, with him being more about blowing up the bad guys, the ball that happened a while ago inspired him to try something new. Plus, he was the little brother of the best dancer ever, it was practically in his blood! How hard could picking up this new skill be, right?

The answer to that, would be very very hard. From missteps, slipping over his shawl or just losing his balance, it seemed as if he left every session with a new bruise somewhere on his body. It really put into perspective how much effort Tethys puts into her routines, huh? By now it seems as if dancing was like a second nature to her, every movement effortlessly graceful and beautiful. A part of him wanted to give up, it wasn’t like dancing was something he was particularly passionate about, but.. Something piqued his curiosity. A few days ago, when he felt he had perfected his routine, yet the coach failed him regardless. It led to an interesting conversation. “Ewan. Why do you dance? What goes through your mind when you’re on stage?” She asked. “That’s easy! I think about everyone watching me, and It motivates me to do my best! To be like my big sis!” Was his answer. In response, the coach only sighed. “And that’s where your problem lies. Until you figure out a true reason, your dancing won’t rally anybody. Think about it, give it some time.”

He thought about it several days now, yet his answer remained the same. He didn’t even know what was wrong about it! It really stumped him… Suddenly, his expression shifted to the sound of drums. Looking to the side, he saw a group of musicians, all putting on a performance. Hmmm.. He wondered what motivated them.

As he moved to look more closely at the performance, yet another sound drew his attention. This time, it was the crying of a small child. He was all alone, with seemingly no adult with him. Poor guy.. Ewan decided to forget the musicians for a little while, and instead moved to chat with the little boy. The mage stepped up to the child, a friendly smile on his face. “Hey there little guy, what’s the matter? Why are you crying?” He asked, as gentle as possible.

“Uuuuh… M-Mommy… I can’t find her anywhere.. She told me to w-wait, and She’d come back… But she hasn’t yet! Waaahhhh! What if she doesn’t like me anymore, so she left me?!” The child wailed. So, he was waiting for his mom, and she took a while.. Ewan could sympathize, even if he couldn’t really understand.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure your mommy will be right back! No mom would ever abandon their child, I promise!” Though the words were meant to be comforting, he couldn’t deny how bitter they felt on his tongue with how badly he wished those words were true. At least the boy took some comfort in it, from how sobs turned into quiet sniffles. “Y..You.. Are you really sure?” He asked, looking up to Ewan with teary eyes. “Yeah, definitely!” The mage quickly confirmed.

“O..Okay..” The boy still seemed upset, his eyes downcast. Though he stopped crying, his mood hadn’t improved much. 

“Hey, how about we wait together?” Ewan offered. He couldn’t leave this kid alone, not now. Perhaps staying with him would help him feel better too. “Oh, I know! How about we do something fun while we wait? Something like…” 

He wanted to reach for the tome in his bag, for a fun magic trick! ..Unfortunately, he had left his bag at the monastery, thinking he wouldn’t have needed it for minor shopping. Darn it! Then.. then..

He remembered, as well as heard, the sound of drums and wind instruments behind him. “How about we dance?” He offered. Though not his preferred method of cheering someone up, it was the best he could think of at that moment.

The boy seemed curious, though a little unsure. “Dance..? I don’t know how to dance..” Ewan gave him a comforting smile. “No worries! We can dance together, and it’s all about having fun! There’s no need to be perfect. Here, I’ll show you!” 

On the beat of the music, Ewan began to move. Though this wasn’t a routine like he followed during classes. He simply let his body move however it wanted, with large movements, bubbly steps and a lot of smiling. It wasn’t the most elegant of dances, but It didn’t need to be. Tethys was elegant, Ewan’s thing was more conveying high energy and cheer, a style much more focused on cute over beauty.  As this entire time, his movement was guided by one thought. “I want to make him smile again.”

Led by that selfless desire, his cheerful steps were like magic. People were staring, But he didn’t care. The audience that had their eyes on him, mesmerized, didn’t matter at all. All he wanted to do was make that lonely little boy happy.

Sad eyes turned into surprise. Before slowly, they turned into delight. The boy, who had been nothing but tears up until now, slowly began to smile. Laugh, even. A twinkle appeared in his eyes, one born from genuine happiness. He began to clap along to the melody, swaying his body to the rhythm. A little dance of his own.

Emboldened by the other’s joy, Ewan began to dance with even more fervor than before. He was determined to see the song through to the end, together with his little partner. The music swelled for one last moment, before finally dying down. And with that, so too did he make his last movement, striking a pose as the big finale.

Applause erupted from all sides, much to the young mage’s surprise. He hadn’t even noticed the fact everyone was watching, so focused on  the boy’s smile…

Then it struck him.. This was what the coach meant, wasn’t it? This entire dance, he didn’t think about recognition, or being like his sister. He never needed the eyes of a crowd.. What he wanted, what his dance conveyed, was that he wanted to make someone happy. This dance wasn’t for himself, it was for the little boy that needed cheering up. This dance.. Was wholly selfless.

And what was the result?

A little boy, who found himself with renewed joy, courage and energy. Who could smile again after having lost it. A little boy, refreshed.

[ashes-of-ailell]

Unit Info - Lucien O'Luain

An ex-noble from House Duval who now wanders Fodlan as a merchant. Armed with a sharp wit and a silver tongue, alongside some frustratingly good luck, he's very good at getting what he wants. Originally trained as a healer to help the many people who made pilgrimage through Duval Territory to Lake Teutates, but an incident within his House caused him to flee.

Preferred Class: Trickster (or Dancer)

Birthday: 21st Garland Moon (18/19 - 24/25)

Strengths - Sword / Reason / Faith / Authority

Weaknesses - Heavy Armour / Axes

Budding Talent - Bows

Unique Ability: Snake Eyes - Unit has a chance to reflect half the damage dealt by a foe back to them. Triggers based on Luck/Charm stat, whichever is greater.

This unit possesses the Major Crest of Macuil (A symbol of magic and mastery of the wind. Raises Might by 5 during Magic attacks).

Status - Wandering Merchant from Kingdom Territory.

Personal Profile:

Interests - Reading / Exploring

Likes - Books / Cats / Rare Finds / Sunflowers

Dislikes - Fire / Iron / Citrus

Personal History:

1161 - Born a noble child in House Duval.

1171 - An incident causes him to flee Duval, adopts a new identity.

1179 - Finds Lunaris in Phlegethon Territory, decided to travel to Garreg Mach.

1180 - Enrolls in the Officers Academy at Seteth's suggestion.

Supports:

Lunaris / Maxwell / Tyler

Hubert / Bernadetta / Linhardt / Dorothea

Dimitri / Mercedes / Ingrid / Sylvain / Felix

Claude / Hilda / Lorenz / Ignatz

Yuri / Balthus

Byleth / Seteth / Manuela

Learnable Skills:

Sword: Wrath Strike - D / Grounder - C / Hexblade - C+ / Finesse Blade - A

Lance: Tempest Lance - D / Knightkneeler - C / Vengeance - C+ / Swift Strikes - A

Axe: Smash - D / Helm Splitter - C / Focused Strike - C+ / Lightning Axe - A

Bow: Curved Shot - D / Deadeye - C+ / Break Shot - C+ / Point-blank Volley - A

Brawl: Fading Blow - D / Rushing Blow - C / Nimble Combo - C+ / Healing Focus - B

Authority: Rally Luck / Rally Charm / Battalion Vantage

Reason: Wind / Cutting Gale / Excalibur / Thoron

Faith: Heal / Physic / Fortify / Seraphim / Abraxas / Rescue

Usual Class Path:

Noble -> Myrmidon -> Thief -> Trickster

Favoured Gifts:

Owl Feather

Sunflower

Board Game

Dapper Handkerchief

Ancient Coin

The History of Fodlan

Book of Crest Designs

Tea Leaves

Coffee Beans

Legends of Chivalry

Disliked Gifts:

Monarch Studies Book

Training Weight

Riding Boots

Goddess Statuette

Lost Items:

Blue Stone Pendant - A pendant set with a shiny blue stone, engraved with the Crest of Macuil. Inside is a folded up piece of paper, presumably a note of some kind. It seems very important to someone.

Tiny Cat Cape - A cat-sized cloak, clearly handmade. Has a small green ribbon as the fastener.

Favourite Tea Blends:

Sweet Apple Blend

Rose Petal Blend

Albinean Berry Blend

Mint Tea

Favourite Meals:

Vegetable Pasta Salad

Sweet Bun Trio

Peach Sorbet

Derdriu-style Fried Pheasant

Grondor Meat Skewers

Two-Fish Saute

Super Spicy Fish Dango

"Take a bow!" - Lucien, critical hit quote (Post-timeskip)

[quartzhearted]

ACTIVITY CHECK: MAY

-> passed!

total skill points: 6 -> 7

monthly point (authority e -> authority e+)

classes accessed:

dancer (pending)

classes mastered:

none

rank up / mastery / event rewards:

white beard disguise (pending)

[sayhwaet]

May 2024 Activity Check 

-PASSED- 

Skill Points Earned:   Monthly +1 Sword +1 (x) 13 -> 15

Allocated:  Sword C -> C+

Rank Rewards Earned:  Starry Saddle Blanket (Ethereal Ball) Desperation (Cavalier mastery)

Classes Accessed:  Dancer

Classes Mastered:  Cavalier

[furrylibrarian]

Alright so here's the team I'm taking into endgame for my Fire Emblem Engage Hard Mode run. I don't think any of my class picks are too weird, but I barely did any reclassing on my first run, so it feels significant to me. Units are listed in order of recruitment. I'm putting down a "read more" in case people are worried about getting late-game recruits spoiled, any also just so this big long post doesn't clog up people's feeds too much.

I hope you like Canter, because I sure do

Alear (I named her Syldra)

Sword Griffin Knight; S-Rank Xander; Sword Power 4, Canter

Since Alear gets her Emblem form, I was comfortable switching her off an Emblem Ring. I consider this a pretty straightforward build; Flyer mobility and Canter enable her personal skill very well, and then Sword Power and Chivalry ensure that she'll do solid damage. My only complaint is that I didn't think of reclassing to Griffin (and necessarily unlocking staff proficiency) or of using Sword Power until after losing the first batch of rings, so I didn't get to use Alear in her final form until the lategame.

Clanne

Lance Hero; Sigurd; Dual Assist+, Reposition

I like this setup a lot. Brave Assist, Dual Assist, and the movement boost from Sigurd make Clanne effectively a damage boost for the rest of my army.

Framme

Martial Master; Lucina; Canter, Staff Mastery 5

First and foremost a utility setup. Debilitate with staffs, protect allies with Chain Guard/Bonded Shield, and occasionally bash some kneecaps with Flashing Fist Art.

Anna

Sword Mage Knight; Byleth; Canter+, Momentum

I like Byleth on a mounted character because more movement is good for Goddess Dance. Plus, the big Luck boost helps trigger Make a Killing, which is helpful for me specifically because I am not good at making financial decisions in video games nor in real life.

Yunaka

Thief; Corrin; Canter, Gentility/Bravery+

Daggers+Draconic Hex can cripple most targets, and Fog Dragon Vein+Trained to Kill with a crit-boosting engraving on her weapon means she is occasionally really good at securing kills. Bravery ensures that she can always deal some damage, therefore ensuring that her daggers properly debuff things.

Diamant

Successor; Roy; Canter, Speed +5

Honestly kind of a filler pick when I realized that I had 14 deployment slots for the last few maps and not 12 like I thought. I went with Diamant because he can use S-rank swords and I wanted to start using my legendary weapons.

Ivy

Lindwurm; Celica; Canter, Speed +4

The other character I added to my lineup to fill a newly-acquired vacancy, but unlike Diamant she fills a genuine niche, since I didn't have a good fit for the Celica ring on my lineup that didn't have a different Emblem I really wanted on them.

Kagetsu

Sword/Axe Wyvern Knight; Lyn; Canter, Gentility/Bravery+

Very much a meta pick. I took who seems to be considered the best physical combatant and put him into what seems to be considered the best physical combat class. Lyn ensures that he can double enemy speedsters like Swordmasters and Wolf Knights.

Fogado

Cupido; S-Rank Leo; Canter+, Bow Focus 5

Fogado exists for one purpose and that is to annihilate flyers with the Radiant Bow. Ideally I would have a Claude bond ring for Wind God, but the RNG just didn't pan out.

Panette

Warrior; Ike; Vantage+, Pair Up

Blood Fury+Wrath+upgraded Killer Axe=consistent 100% critical rates. Vantage and Pair Up help to prevent my hubris from killing her.

Hortensia

Sleipnir Rider; Micaiah; Canter+, Staff Mastery 5

Here pretty much exclusively for wacky staff shenanigans, using Micaiah to warp and debilitate en masse. My only regret is that I used up most of my Freeze staffs, and the shop never got them in unlimited supply like I thought it would.

Seadall

Dancer; Leif; Canter+, Quality Time+

Just straight grooving. He gets Leif because I struggle to find another unit that really wants his skillset more than another Emblem's, and Arms Shield protects Seadall from bows and tomes, which are most of the weapons directed at him whenever I fail to move him out of the danger zone.

Mauvier

Royal Knight; Eirika; Canter, Lance Power 4

I gave him a Brave Lance to take advantage of Lunar Brace. I've moved him and Alear to healing duty so that Framme and Hortensia can devote more of their inventories to wackier status staffs.

Veyle

Sword Wolf Knight; Marth; Canter, Gentility/Bravery+

Levin Sword Lodestar Rush goes brrrrrrrrrrr. She can't debilitate as well as Yunaka, but she still can add to poison stacks, which is neat. I also made her Alear's S-Support, and the two of them have tag-teamed a healthy amount of chapter bosses so far.

[lindwyvrm]

may activity check. — passed

SKILL POINTS. 5 → 6

faith e+ → d (2)

INVENTORY & MASTERIES.

accessed dancer class. learned faith spell heal. obtained whisper of ivy.

COMPLETED THREADS.

vine through the cracks. & diamant; 907 words masquerade thread 44. & quan; 628 words

[theofficersacademy]

As the dying candles begin to fade and the masks begin to fall, the orchestra plays a slow, gentle song for their last performance of the night. While some students take advantage of the final dance, others already stumble towards the exit, dreaming of their warm beds and the chance to finally take off their shoes. Your unfinished assignments await you in the morning. But for now, let your memories of dancing and eating occupy your mind as you drift off into a deep slumber…

We hoped you enjoyed the Ethereal Ball! Now, please read the following carefully:

How To Claim Your Prizes

Your muse may keep the brooch as a memento of the event.

As per the event rules, you must have a separate post, page on your blog, or Google Doc with all of your collected brooch decorations. Mention of the brooch or the corresponding decoration in the interaction is all that is needed for it to count towards your total. Each brooch must have a link to the corresponding interaction. Please double-check all of your links!

Send an ask to this blog. This should include a link to your brooch tracker/doc and the prize you’re claiming for your muse. If you have at least one of each brooch decoration, you can choose one prize. You can find the list of Ethereal Ball prizes here (Spring tab, includes Fleeting Snow!).

Additionally, if your muse qualifies for the above, they will also be granted access to the Dancer class. This class will be treated like a modified Intermediate class, and will require 5 threads that are 400+ words as well as a drabble reflecting your muse’s journey to becoming a dancer in order to master this class. This class will grant the abilities Refresh and Dazzle upon mastery.

Please submit your Ethereal Ball prizes separate from your monthly claims.

You will have one week (until June 7th at 11:59PM EST) to claim your Ethereal Ball prizes.

Lastly, Ethereal Ball interactions may continue past the end of the event, but only exchanges that were made during the month of May will be counted for prizes.

Wrapping Up the Masquerade

We hope you enjoyed our somewhat-experimental mini event within the Ethereal Ball! Now that the event is over, the mystical ballroom has been closed. The mods will no longer be posting submissions to the masquerade blog, but you can reveal your muses and/or continue threads on your own blogs.

Let us know if you have any questions or concerns!

- The House Leaders

[broadraiwrites]

Whumpuary 2024 January 5-6, 2024 Used as bait / Stumbling / "This is gonna hurt" Sadie Cullen Trigger Warnings: Mentions of domestic violence, disordered eating

One year, she had only been prima ballerina for one year when the world went to shit. Hell, it hadn't even truly been a year. Sure, the calendar had changed over to 2020, but Sadie had only been declared the principal ballerina, also known as prima ballerina, in October of 2019. She got to enjoy five short, simple months of the title that she had worked so incredibly hard for before the universe decided that everything was going to stop and that joy was going to be taken from her. Granted, the one thing that Sadie was grateful for as the world seemed to be on a long pause was that she no longer had to hide the bruises that were left all over her whenever her husband was home.

She hadn't seen him often since she made the decision to move to New York City to devote herself to the New York City Ballet, but when he did make time to cross the pond to see her, he made sure there was evidence of it. She no longer had to take the time to explain the bruises to directors and fellow dancers, and she didn't have to worry about Danny coming to see her anytime soon with the travel ban in place. As much as she hated the situation that she currently found herself in, she also realized that this may be her way to get out of a marriage that she realized early on just wasn't working anymore. If he couldn’t see her, he wouldn't be able to beat her, and if he wasn't able to beat her, he wouldn't want anything to do with her. She knew right now, with even the courthouses being completely shuttered, that she wouldn't be able to file for divorce, but it was certainly something she was considering the first chance she had.

Her only other concern at that moment was keeping the title that she worked so incredibly hard for. She needed to stay in stage-ready shape even if she didn't know the next time she would see a stage. If she didn't keep mastery of her technique, and the figure expected of those in her industry, the five months as prima ballerina that she had before the pandemic might be the only five months that she would ever have. She made the decision a few weeks into the stay-at-home order to move all the furniture in one of her spare bedrooms and turn it instead into a small studio space in her apartment. It would be the most access to a dance studio that she would have for the foreseeable future, so she would have to make the best of it.

Usually when she was running through a piece, she would be running through it with a group of girls from her company, and they would keep an eye on each other and make sure that no one was working harder than they needed to. Being locked away in her apartment on her own, however, there was no one to make sure that Sadie was taking care of herself other than Sadie, and historically, she hadn't been very good at that. The first episode in which she fainted after forgetting to eat happened when Sadie was sixteen years old. She had stayed over in the studio where her classes were held for several hours working on a routine that she felt like the other girls in her company were better at mastering than she was. She had skipped lunch earlier in the day and hadn't yet made it home for dinner, so she hadn't had anything to eat since around 7:00 a.m. that morning.

These episodes would continue from there and only seemed to get worse as she got older. Once she didn't have another group of people monitoring what she was doing or someone she felt she was accountable to, she would often go without eating for an entire day. Disordered eating wasn't uncommon in dancers, so it was something the girls often spoke about together and tried to keep an eye on those they may be worried about, but with no one to reach out to and no one to hold her accountable, no one knew that the only thing that Sadie had had at 6:00 AM that morning was a banana protein shake, a bowl of granola, and a handful of strawberries.

She had been in her makeshift studio space bedroom for several hours, sweat pouring off her, when she started to realize that some of the steps that she knew simply from muscle memory alone were becoming too difficult for her to perform. She was stumbling over sections of the routine that she had been able to get down without a single error the day before. She paid no mind to it at first; these sorts of things just happen when you aren't used to dancing as regularly anymore. At least that's what Sadie told herself, even though it hadn't been that long since she had last been on the stage.

She stepped out of the bedroom to go and make herself a glass of water; maybe that's all she needed to pull herself together again. She couldn't remember the last time she had had a glass of water that day after all. When she moved to pick up her favorite water bottle off the counter, she noticed that she had left her cell phone sitting down beside it and that she had missed a text message from her mother.

I haven't heard from you today, Sadie Jo. Make sure you eat something. I know you better than that. Don't work yourself too hard. I love you.

Maybe even in an isolating time like this, Sadie wasn't as alone as she thought she was.

[gascon-en-exil]

@deathbirby said

I'm trying to 100% Hopes and trust me it is a living hell. Good on you for saying no to that!

Oh, I did finish Hopes 100% about a year ago, at least by filling out the support log and event gallery and doing all the achievements. I was thinking about doing what I'd done with Houses and mastering all classes with all characters (all skills too, but those are auto-leveled in Hopes so they're not really relevant), but I eventually lost interest.

Unnecessarily analytical breakdown of gameplay in a way that only I would ever possibly care about below.

Hopes being less restrictive makes it less feasible to pursue 100% completion. This isn't that weird when talking about games as a whole - even within FE, Engage is more open-ended still while offering basically zero incentive to completionists - but it's the specific ways in which Hopes is less restrictive that let it down.

Houses limiting you to one dancer per playthrough forces a hard minimum of 29 runs to master all classes with all characters. That restriction doesn't exist in Hopes, leaving the only realistic one to be the number of runs needed to fill the event gallery. That's just six: two of each route, one where you recruit Byleth and one where you don't. Skill ranks may not be an issue and there are slightly fewer classes overall than in Houses, but there's still no way that you can have everyone master everything in just six runs. Byleth on their own is a nightmare since they have some of the worst availability, they can't be recruited in half of the mandatory runs, and like Shez their gender variability gives them more class options than other characters. There's also the Renown characters if you want to include them, where Sothis and Rhea can literally never be used outside the Record Keeper (which I'd consider grinding and therefore off-limits if you want to be efficient) and Arval is only available in a single paralogue that you won't want to access more than once since it's mutually incompatible with Byleth's recruitment. You could try building those characters up in base training alone...but I have no idea how many runs that would take.

Oh, and then there are combat arts and spells! Those aren't relevant to Houses 100%, but in Hopes they can be trained and maxed out...and there's a ton of them. Characters learn something like 50-60 arts/spells, there's around a dozen more from relics, and the incredibly obscure peer training mechanic technically allows units to learn almost all of 100 or so regularly-available arts/spells. Some of the white magic spells will also require you to do some obnoxious grindy stuff on maps to max them out, especially Restore. There is no way any of that is happening in a timely fashion, and it won't be remotely enjoyable even for someone like me.

Hopes being more clever about availability than Houses and suggesting an overall less daunting number of runs for class mastery - the 10-12 I'd estimate is still less than half that of Houses's 29 - is appealing, but I don't think that'd ever be enough for me to consider seriously giving it a go.