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ajentmm · 2 years ago

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A Star is Born Refine Theorycraft

♫ Kowashitai ♫

♫ Daijisou ni kakaeta watashi o zenbu ♫

♫ Kimi ga kono kodoku o ♫

♫ Itami o iyasu no ♫

A Star Is Born is the one and only banner for Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE (specifically the Encore remake cuz no one had a Wii u). Everyone argues if Warriors or Heroes or BS are “Fire Emblem Canon”, but everyone agrees, “This game ain’t Fire Emblem.” Not only was this a reskin of Atlus’s Persona formula, it’s the weebiest game to exist. Even Love Live doesn’t want to sit next to this game in the school cafeteria. And yet, these idols got into Fire Emblem Heroes (while the Banana Twins are forgotten to time).

I do joke about this game, but I enjoy diversity in a gacha game's cast. There's only so many mediaeval fantasy human you can take before pleading for a the cliché ninja. And of course, I respect idol culture. I own this game, I just quit after getting the last party member. And that's ends my disclaimer.

Before I get to our idol heroes, I wanna talk about the big mechanic from TMS#FE, sessions. In TMS#FE, when using an attack that is effective against a foe, all the other allies can attack in a chain if the that ally also hits with an effective attack. If that foe falls, the session can continue to another target. And for added difficulty, the foe’s can also perform sessions when they attack your allies when they attack with an effective attack. When this mechanic was put into Heroes, we got the Blade Session and Shield Session skills.

Blade Session 3: If unit initiates combat, grants bonus to unit's Atk/Spd during combat = 3 + number of allies who have already acted × 3 (max value of 9).

Shield Session 3: If foe initiates combat, grants bonus to unit's Def/Res during combat = 9 - number of foes who have already acted × 3 (min value of 3).

Blade Session grants more Atk/Spd the more allies have acted, like when a session works for the player. Shield Session grants less Def/Res the more foes have acted, as if they are taking more damage from the foe’s attacks. There are three levels to this skill that grants, +3, +6, and +9. Now, I’ve been thinking about a tier 4 version of these skills. They could have more Damage Reduction, True Damage, or Self-Healing. But the best outcome I can think of, is just more stats. This skill has no restrictions, it can be inherited by anyone. If we give it DR or Self-Healing, we’re giving it to Armored units, which would be great, but maybe overpowered. If we give it True Damage, we’re giving it to ranged cavaliers, which would also be overpowered. And of course, staff units aren’t allowed any fun toys. So, I’m looking at a tier 4 A-Slot skill that anyone can inherit, AR-D Atk/Spd 4 and AR-D Def/Res 4.

Blade Session 4: If unit initiates combat, grants bonus to unit's Atk/Spd during combat = 5 + number of allies who have already acted × 2 (max value of 11).

So, these skills grant between 5 – 11 to the given stats. The minimum has been raised to 5, it now has four levels, as it has gone up by 2 for every unit that acted. That’s +5, +7, +9 (the old max), and +11 when you have 3 units that acted. Blade Session 4 would be better Swift Sparrow 3, but won’t provide the survivability that Surge Sparrow or Remote Sparrow have, nor the consistency of stats. On a team of four, you’re the last to act to get the max value, which isn’t the easiest situation to occur. Additional, we have skills like Ideal, Catch, Clash, or Finish, that all give about +7 to two stats, in both phases. Even AR-D skills have this advantage. What would be better is using a more reliable A slot skill and putting Blade Session 3 in the seal slot.

But what would a more accurate adaption of the session mechanic look like? To fulfill this niche need of mine, I figured refines of the only heroes from the game would be a good jumping point.

Tsubasa: Madcap Idol

Lvl. 40 5 ☆ 39/32/40/26/30 Max Invest 47/40/48/33/35

Mirage Feather: Effective against armored and cavalry foes. Grants Spd+3. If unit initiates combat after an ally has already acted, grants Atk/Spd+6 during combat and unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack.

Moonbow – Blade Session 3 – Chill Spd 3 – Hone Fliers

So, Tsubasa is already a great two type effective weapon that grants a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack, so long as you meet the condition of a session. This can mean following up on an ally’s attack, or having an ally assist her (with a rally or movement skill). This is great, but I’m just going to modernize it a bit.

Mirage Feather: Effective against armored and cavalry foes. Grants Spd+3. If unit initiates combat or is within 2 spaces of an ally, grants Atk/Spd+6 during combat. If unit initiates combat after an ally has already acted, unit can make a guaranteed follow-up attack before foe can counterattack.

I’ve now moved the Atk/Spd outside of the condition, so it works in more combat situations. Then, I made her desperation effect a guaranteed follow-up, just like B!Lysithia. She can now always get desperation from “performing in a session”, so long as the foe isn’t faster and has NFU.

If unit initiates combat grants Atk/Spd+6 to unit during combat and unit deals damage = 15% of unit's Spd, and also, and after combat, if unit has weapon-triangle advantage or deals effective damage to foe, inflict [Exposure] and "foe cannot counterattack" on target and the nearest foes within 3 spaces until the end of their next action, and grant unit [Pathfinder] for 1 turn.

For starter, this is another Atk/Spd+6 and True Damage based on 15%, but only when inisating combat. For every 7 Spd she gets, it 1 true damage. She can get 2 in this weapon allow (include the +3 from equipping). At 40 + 15 Spd, she would then get a total of 8 true damage, and with 48 + 12 Atk, she can do 68 damage, not include any skills, weapon advantage, or effective damage. Speaking of which, if she initiates combat against an armored, cavalry, or red foe, then the true session starts. It inflicts Exposure and Flash on that target, making them defenseless against another attack, and inflict the same penalties and nearest foes, in case the target is defeated. Additionally, Tsubasa gets [Pathfinder], the bonus that allows allies to move through your tile as if it had zero movement cost. An infantry ally that’s two tiles away, can move to the opposite side of her like warp, or an infantry ally that’s adjacent can move through her tile to effectively get 3 movement (4 if they have a movement boost). This effect is identical to Def/Res Smoke 3, which applies a debuff to defenses, which provides pathfinder to the unit. The difference is the condition to trigger it, and the tradeoff of 6+Atk to allies for Flash. While you can’t have two Pathfinders, she can still inherit that skill for more frequent triggering and for +12 damage for yourself and allies. Another skill you can inherit is Spd Smoke 4 for more True damage and Dodge in enemy phase, as well as a Trace skill to reposition for better use of Pathfiner.

Kiria: Cool Façade

Lvl. 40 5 ☆ 38/41/20/29/34 Max Invest: 46/49/27/36/42

Mirage Rod: Grants Atk+3. Inflicts Atk/Res-6 on foes within 2 spaces during combat.

Iceberg – Atk/Res Solo 3 – Lull Atk/Res 3

The queen of cool, Kiria, is a unit that stats Atk and Res with no room for HP, Spd, and Def. Her Mirage Rod is just Atk/Res Rein, just like Tharja’s perftome (since Tharja is her Mirage partner). With the debuff, her and her allies Def/Res is 6 higher and her and her magic allies have 6 more Atk. She futher increases the

Mirage Rod: Grants Atk+3. Inflicts Atk/Res-6 on foes within 3 spaces during combat. If unit initiates combat or is within 2 spaces of an ally, grant Atk/Res+5 to unit during combat, restore 7 Hp to unit per attack (even if attack deals 0 damage), and if unit’s Res > foe’s Res, reduce damage from foe’s attack by a percentage equal to the difference x 4 (max 40%).

So, we have increased the Atk/Res Rein to Hold to increase the range. Then, we have the Player Phase Standard condition to be more Atk/Res, self-heal, and Dragon Wall. If would be more likely that she would get a follow-up, but for this refined, she’s going to be more supportive, mage tank and nuker, not a Mage tank buster thou. I also wanted her to survive a counterattack so she can provide the after-combat buff in the next part. I also gave her PPS instead of Solo because fighting a mage with damage reduction and HUGE attck when they are the last one on the enemy team is a bit unfair. If that Kiria had Close Counter, gg. For now, she gets 39 Res, but with the Hold, it’s 45 Res diffrence. Any foe with 35 less Res will have their damage reduced by 40%.

If unit initiates combat, grant Atk/Res+5, grant damage = 20% of unit's Res, and after combat, if unit has weapon-triangle advantage or unit's Res > foe's Res + 10, inflict [Exposure] and "foe cannot counterattack" on target and the nearest foes within 2 spaces until the end of their next action, and grant unit [Pathfinder] for 1 turn.

So again, she is going to nuke when initiating combat based on her Res. Her Res, no investment and with weapon, is now 44, which gives 8 true damage again. Iceberg is of course going to give her even more. She than gets the same effects as Tsubasa if she fights a green unit, or she has 10 more res than her foe, so foes that have 40 more in-combat res than her (because the difference is 50 thanks to Atk/Res Hold) and aren’t green, are fine. Although, then need to deal with her total 82 Atk stat and 8 true damage.

Mamori: Microwavin' Idol

Lvl. 40 5 ☆ 43/37/24/42/33 Max Invest: 51/45/31/50/38

Mirage Axe: Grants Res+3. If unit is within 2 spaces of an ally, grants Def/Res+6 to unit during combat and foe cannot make a follow-up attack.

Bonfire – Shield Session 3 – Vengeful Fighter

Next, we have Mamori, a reliable axe armor, who’s axe already gives her the ideal effects for Near Saving before that was a thing. Infact, in TMS#FE, she already blocked enemy attacks that targeted her allies. She couldn’t counterattack, but if the foe was going to do zero damage, it’s a win. However, she was also suspected of sessions, so a foe’s sword attack could send the whole enemy team against her. That reminds me, I’ve held back the new Shield Session, just for her.

Shield Session 4: If foe initiates combat, grants bonus to unit's Def/Res during combat = 11 - number of foes who have already acted × 2 (min value of 5).

Shield Session function similarly to Guard Bearing, where the first encounter in enemy phase is the best, it can be, but if you need to survive more than one fight, you will want consistency. Also, the foe can lower that number by having one unit attack a different unit, use an assist, or wait, and that can lower your stats by 2. Now if this is on an armored unit with save, the first solution wouldn’t work. This skill is either for your tanks to soak damage (if they have other tools to selfheal or protect from Specials, or your support units that may be in range of one foe and needs that protection, not that you should put your healing is range of any foes.

Anywho, back to Mamori.

Mirage Axe: Grants Res+3. If unit is within 3 spaces of an ally, grants Atk/Def/Res+6 to unit during combat, foe cannot make a follow-up attack, and restore 7 Hp to unit per attack (even if attack deal 0 damage).

If foe initiates combat, inflict Atk/Def-6 on foe during combat and reduce damage from foe's first attack by X%. (X = 60 - number of foes who have already acted × 20 (min 0), and also, if unit has weapon-triangle advantage or unit's Def > foe's Def + 10, inflicts Special cooldown count+1 on foe before foe's first attack during combat, and Special cooldown count +2 on foe after combat. (Cannot exceed foe's maximum Special cooldown.)

Oh look, it’s that self-healing I mentioned, plus more Atk is helpful. In an invert of our other heroes, Mamori’s skill actives when the foe initiates combat and it reduces the foe’s Atk/Def and damage reduction. This works like Shield Session, giving her a whopping 60% when hit by the first foe, 40% from the second, and 20% from the third. In addition, if she has weapon effectiveness or more Def than her foe, the foe gets their pre-charged Special uncharged, and then further uncharged after combat, in case that foe survives and has Special Spiral (if the foe doesn’t have Special Spiral, it can reset their Special countdown. This can protect her against mage tank buster, lance or blue physical weapon foes, but not the other colored tank busters that can out Def her by 10, like Val!Chrom. Val!Takumi is a better fit for that.

Eleonora: Shooting Starlet

Lvl. 40 5 ☆ 42/37/38/25/24 Max Invest: 50/45/46/32/29

Mirage Longbow: Effective against flying foes. Grants Spd+3. If unit's Spd > foe's Spd, foe cannot counterattack.

Rally Atk/Spd+ - Atk/Spd Push 4 - Spd/Def Ruse 3

Here we have Eleonora, an archer with a niche of not being counterattacked if they out speed the foe. That’s it. Now to add the fancy stuff.

Mirage Longbow: Effective against flying foes. Grants Spd+3. If unit's Spd > foe's Spd, foe cannot counterattack. If unit initiates combat or is within 2 spaces of an ally, grant Atk/Spd +6 to unit during combat

If unit initiates combat, inflict Spd/Def-6 on foe, grant damage = 15% of unit's Spd, and after combat, if unit deals effective damage against foe or unit's Spd > foe's Spd +10, inflict [Exposure] and "foe cannot counterattack" on target and the nearest foes within 2 spaces until the end of their next action, and grant unit [Pathfinder] for 1 turn.

So, she has Spd+12 difference to the foe for her Spd check and +12 damage and +7-9 true damage to make it count. She then has the same effects as Tsubasa and Kira, when she fights a flier (without Iotes Shield) or out speeds by 10. Phantom Spd could have been helpful here, but I’d imagine IS wants to keep that for melee units. Either way, she’s able to initiate safely, and then allow her allies to pick off the rest.

Itsuki: Finding a Path

Lvl. 40 5 ☆ 41/37/30/33/32 Max Invest: 49/45/37/41/37

Mirage Falchion : Effective against dragon foes. Grants Def+3. If unit initiates combat, grants bonus to unit's Atk/Def during combat = 3 + number of allies who have already acted × 2 (max value of 7). If foe initiates combat, grants bonus to unit's Atk/Def during combat = 7 - number of foes who have already acted × 2 (min value of 3).

Swap – Sol – Atk/Def Link 3 – Drive Def 2

And just to finish off all the TMS#FE heroes, our last hero is Itsuki. Itsuki got a raw deal for the lead protagonist of the game. He was a Tempest Trial unit, with a perf that gave him effective damage against dragons and a variant of Blade Session and Shield Session that granted Atk/Def to himself. Seeing as he is the leader and . . . talent agent(?), I wanted to give him a more supportive weapon that increases the potienal use of my new Session mechanic.

Mirage Falchion: Effective against dragon foes. Grants Def+3. If unit or allies within a 2 tile radius of this unit initiates combat, grants bonus to unit’s or allies’ Atk/Spd/Def/Res during combat = 4 + number of allies who have already acted × 2 (max value of 8). If foe initiates combat against this unit or allies within a 2 tile radius of this unit, grants bonus to unit or allies’ Atk/Spd/Def/Res during combat = 8 - number of foes who have already acted × 2 (min value of 4).

With this change, Itsuki get a boost to all his stats, from moderate +4, acceptable +6, and remarkable +8, while then giving this bonus to his allies too, within a 2 tile radius.

If unit initiates combat, grant Atk/Spd/Def/Res+4, and also, if unit has weapon-triangle advantage or unit deals effective damage, "foe cannot counterattack" on target and the nearest foes within 2 spaces until the end of their next action, and grant unit [Pathfinder] for 1 turn.

Now, Itsuki is a grail unit so I did nerf his ability to set up sessions like the rest. The is no [Exposure] and he doesn’t get true damage when initiating, but his base effect can elevate this, and [Pathfinder] on a free unit is still really good. For many, Itsuki is their only TMS#FE unit, so when a game mode requires these units, I want him to be the best support unit you could ask for.

Well, out of all the refined batches I’ve done, this is the one I will be the most disappointed in if this not anywhere close my goal. They could just one effect from Def/Res Smoke 3 or Flash+ in their unique effect, I’ll be happy. If they give them [Triangle Attack] or [Dual Strike], I’ll be happy. If they use weapon effectiveness or weapon triangle advantage as a condition, I’ll be happy.

If IS makes them just another functional unit that will be out classed in a year, I will become the Joker.

Not that one.

Yeah, that one.

#Fire Emblem Heroes #Theorycrafting #refines #game design #tmsfe #banner refines

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