#idk what it is but I specifically and personally get such awful drops from Stalker re: weapon blueprints

[windrunner]

finally got a Despair blueprint drop from Stalker (in the middle of cracking void relics solo. as you do) so now i only have to wait another.... 3 years for him to decide to drop Hate and Broken War

[elkian]

Chapter 15, Eirika’s side, Part 1

Here’s an LP to follow along with (reminder that I am using the Restoration Queen mod, which changes the dialogue - i’ll document the changes as I go)

Immediately following Oh... Seth...“ are these shots

text got auto-skipped, I think it said: 

“Rausten’s knights are scattered and worn“

End scene.

So a lot of the bulk got rewritten here, so it feels more like a conversation than a tutorial.

Valter’s creepy mooning is retranslated into Worthy Foe territory. It works pretty well and makes Eirika feel like an actual person he’s interacted with rather than a set piece.

This line is new.

“You care nothing for friend or foe” -> “You care nothing for friends or kings“, which makes... way more sense, in context. Otherwise the entire paragraph reads as ‘you don’t actually care about fighting, all you want to do is get off’.

 This follows immediately, cutting out some text.

This is the last part changed, “Come to me!” -> “Come, face me!”

Overall they’ve done really well at keeping Valter creepy and unhinged while making him more of an opponent and less of stalker.

Now we get into gameplay.

Sadly Amelia is going to be absolutely useless on a desert map, and Rennec is going to be essential for treasure-picking.

Oh lord, I forgot I have to kill Valter and Caellach this map. Good times.

Thank God there’s a Vendor right next to the starting point, because Artur and Ewan are both down to a used tome apiece.

Ewan has to do two shots to kill either of these Mercs ;_;

That Berserker has a Hand Axe and a Dragon Axe, and whichever they’re not wielding on death will be dropped. So Rennac is going to go sit on a tree and hopefully dodge.

(Love yourself and look up a treasure map before doing this chapter)

I’ll take it.

...I just realized Ewan is two points away from capping Magic.

Tethys encourages him to do a repeat performance - he can now one-shot the other Merc, which Rennac could not and had a 1% chance to get critted by.

How in God’s name did that hit you.

Well, he’s a point away from capping both Skill and Speed.

Colm is surprisingly battle-worthy. (With Neimi’s Support bonus, of course)

Oops.

Perfect.

This is a huge Rout map with a lot to get, so I’m going to try to take it slow.

Ewan wastes the Berserker for an acceptable level. Frankly I’m thrilled to see HP on him because the boy is squishy.

End of the second player turn, and the prodigal brother appears. Fairly minimal changes to this text.

Ow. Fortunately, Ewan can double, even if he can’t dodge.

At first I was scared of this Shaman with their (droppable) Luna... and then I noticed their attack was 8.

This is just sad.

All three Fighters on the left come for Artur. He dodges and doubles all of them, but only for about 10 EXP apiece. Hmm.

Peg reinforcements appear in the upper right, but Cormag, who’s been in mothballs for like 4 chapters, can handle them in his sleep. The Steel Lance negates their Speed and he can double them with ease.

He also gets more than 10 EXP a kill, which is good, cause this is a level that’s not going anywhere fast.

Aw yisss.

Luna’s weight is a massive 12 (that Shaman had 5 Speed and 7 Con, meaning their Attack Speed was 0) to offset the fact that it straight up ignores Resistance. And Ewan is on the fast track to capping Magic. Good times.

This is just hilarious.

Tana’s dealing double with Iron what they do with Steel, AND can attack them twice. God.

Garcia looks at a Peg funny and it dies. He gets a pretty nice level for his efforts.

The LPer doesn’t comment on the houses, so idk what they normally say, but this one adds “Hm? How do I know this? It’s my job.” so good lampshading here.

Natasha tops Josh off for a pretty okay level.

Colm nicks a Mymidon for an excellent level.

I’m glad their AS is a joke because this is a little nerve-wracking.

REALLY glad he dodged the first one.

At this point I’m starting to wish I’d fielded a second healer instead of Tethys. Too late now.

Aw siiiiiick. The Silver Card halves the cost in every shop, even Secret Shops.

One thing I do really wish this game had is the ease of inspection later titles introduce - a button to display every enemy’s danger zone, the ability to select specific foes so you can keep an eye on their zone, and the ability to sweep over a unit and check their loadout at a glance.

For example, Knoll here is at actual risk of being slaughtered by this cavalier, who has a javelin. I moved Duessel up and healed Ephraim, so they’re performing wall duties while Knoll hides.

Knoll has a Nosferatu tome, but its Weight is 14, 2 higher than Luna, and the Cav is guaranteed to double him if I equip him with it for countering. The cav’s javelin can knock Knoll down to 1 HP on the first hit, and there’s no way he can heal that back.

How in the fuck do you keep getting hit on these odds? Do you just want Natasha to spend time with you instead of Cormag??

... wow, even with WTD Rennac is outdamaging these Pegs with a lower-tier weapon.

I love -Reaver weapons. She crits on the first attack, too, saving me a use.

I feed Neimi a kill that probably should have gone to Artur. She makes the most of it, though.

I should have left the Lancereaver equipped. Oh well, she still doesn’t take a scratch and even crits one (sadly the Rapier’s killing power is a bit lacking vs wyverns).

All the fucking southern Cavaiers are coming for my trio, and one loops around my defensive wall to take most of Knoll’s newly-restored HP off. We have 1 vulnerary left, so my plan is to have Duessal grab him and he and Ephraim make a beeline for the north.

...savestate. I took a savestate before I ended the turn.

After reseeding the RNG three or four times, he finally survives. Artur also picks up a level laughing in the Thunder Mage’s faces.

Also, it’s really helpful on every attempt that Eirika dodged at least one of the Wyverns, because two hits would kill her.

We don’t do this. Thank goodness Caellach doesn’t move. Can you imagine this level if either or both the bosses moved?

Duessal gives 0 shits about ‘Rescue Penalties’.

Cormag gives 0 shits about ‘Siege Tomes’.

...it’s a good thing we started running, cause a whole mess of reinforcements start popping up.

Whatever.

Apparently, Rescuing someone makes you a magnet for all enemy attacks. I should have traded him one of Ephraim’s Steel Lances ;_;

...

Oh Lord this was a bad idea. Thankfully Colm dodges and gets a pretty nice chunk of EXP for nicking the guy.

Even Paladins cannot pierce his unbreakable hide.

I almost forgot about you.

Cormag dodges and slaughters this poor Troubadour for a dropped Mend stave and an okay level. Faster, more accurate, dodgier? I can live with this.

I had to reload because I put Cormag all alone in the middle of a bunch of mages and axe users. Josh gets this level instead of his Speed-Luck one. I am very happy.

I’m a genius. None of these Shaman can get around Ewan to attack his sister. Not that they’d do much damage, but it’s hard to counter-kill them when they do.

This was vs a Cavalier, not a Peg Knight. I love Cormag.

Duessal takes damage from something other than a mage. Too bad for these chumps that he’s almost met up with the rest of the group, and Tana’s all ready to swoop in and Take Knoll next turn.

Look at this. Shit’s ridiculous.

Colm nicks a Cav for a great level.

Tethys boosts Natasha.

And Natasha heals Knoll.

Pffft! Dream on, you wouldn’t have a chance even if Neimi was on the other side of the map.

ow

Gettin’ a little hairy. Fortunately he dodges, and the last Cav can only deal 15 damage. Putting him here was not the best idea, though.

ow

 C’mon, Tana, let’s keep those Murder Levels up.

Oh hey, I totally forgot these two had a conversation. The LP fails to mention it, it seems, so I have little to compare to.

nice

Uh-oh. Fortunately the only other enemy in range is a Mage who Artur crits with impunity.

Ephraim+Eirika’s meeting conversation also isn’t documented for some reason -_-. It doesn’t seem changed in any way though.

Neimi chips the remaining Cav for STRENGTH!

Just for funsies, I have Ewan take a whack at one of the bosses. It works out beautifully. Sadly, the space Caellach’s on will refill 9 of that 12 damage.

Amazingly, on the next turn, Knoll lands as well. Artur, with 56%, does not.

I drop a savestate and try this.

Their conversation has no changes, except maybe a comma to an ellipses.

Not bad, buddy.

I try several takedowns, but ultimately...

Tana, Artur, and Knoll all missed on their attempts, but somehow Neimi and Colm got it done. Good job, kids.

I wanted to use Tana so she could hit level 20, but this is okay.

Since this map is huge, I’m going to followup.