Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon Part 14: Shape-shifting for fun and profit

In which we free the lands of Altea and meet an intriguing new member of the army. Also arena grinding.



Chapter 16: The Battle for Altea

Sounds like we're going to go back and liberate Marth's homeland after we failed to retrieve Falchion from Gharnef last chapter.

Yes introductory text, I AM still smarting from the bitter experience with Gharnef and the dark magic Imhullu. How did you know?

Marth and co head back south to Altea, once a beautiful land blessed with rich soil and clear waters. Now however the army notices baron farms, ruined buildings and people with forlorn stares. Got it, we're fighting the evil guys.

There's a named enemy, Xane, with an unfamiliar job "Freelancer". I can probably recruit them. I think I'll look up who recruits them so I don't accidentally miss out... and it's Marth. Ok, I had a few chapters where it was Caeda, and I think Minerva once? But we're back on form.

Level 1, stats aren't amazing or anything. We'll see I guess.

I also see two villages to visit with Marth, just south of 4 not at all a trap where enemies spawn from forts. I also see an arena... tempting.

Not ominous at all.

I only get 13 people this map, so I'm going to leave Minerva behind (she's already promoted) and bring Catria along, I want to see how she does. I'll also bring just one healer, and it will be Maria (Lena is already a master of the craft, and I want options in case I need to split the team again in another map). So that leaves me with my core team of Marth, Abel, Cain, Ogma, Barst and Caeda, along with Maria, Gordin, Merric, Julian, Linde, Catria and Athena. Athena will go back to being a Myrmidon instead of Pegasus Cavalry, but I'll leave Caeda as a dracoknight. She looks awesome as a paladin but I feel weird taking away her wings.

Nyna and Marth discuss Marth's return to Altea, and how Marth would not have survived without the sacrifice of his sister Elice.

Marth does not know if his mother and sister still lives, but pledges that if they are prisoners of the enemy he will rescue them. Malledus says we're ready to go, and Marth gives a rousing speech to the army.

Are we not your people to Marth? Aren't we going to endure more fights to get Falchion and end the Shadow Dragon?

I start by heading west across a bridge. The enemy begins moving from the castle to meet us. It looks like a big circular map surrounding the castle. Three dracoknights fly across the river at me though, I should have paid attention to that. Ogma and Merric meet and defeat the first dracoknight (Gordin is too far out of the way, I should have reorganized my deployment...) with Ogma dodging the retaliatory strike, so one down with no worries. Barst brings the second to a single hit point, again dodging the retaliation (Barst and Ogma man, I tell you) and Athena finishes off dracoknight number two, leveling up to 15 in the process. She only gains Skill though.

Catria throws a javelin at the third dracoknight just for the experience, and hits level 7, gaining HP, Strength, Skill and Speed. Nice one! Cain finishes it off, and also goes up to level 15, gaining HP, Skill and Speed.

A villager tells me about the two villages. In the westerly village lives a paladin named Arran, and the easterly village has the hero Samson, both fine men and fine warriors. But the villages have a longstanding feud, so I can only recruit one of the two. Hmm... I think Paladin, I just like the mobility of the mounted units (not that I'm likely to use him unless I somehow let Cain or Abel die and keep playing...)

Arran has purple armor, I made the right choice! Also the most interesting haircut of the game so far...

That one spike of hair over his left eye is fantastic

His dialogue is just "I used to lead knights, but I retired back here. But I'm willing to fight again for your sake Prince Marth. Oh, the neighboring village probably closed their gates as soon as they saw you come here..." and sure enough, the other village is unaccessible.

Abel kills an oncoming thief, and I pause to let the rest of the army catch up. Why do you have to be so slow Gordin!? Still nothing from the ominous forts up North though...

Abel meets the incoming enemy cavalry, dodges a riders bane (whoops! Missed that one too!) and levels up to 16, gains HP, Skill and Speed. Cain, Catria and Caeda back Abel up though and we quickly defeat the two cavalry and two horse archers. Marth equips an armors layer sword and dispatches the enemy general who lagged behind the cavalry, leveling up to 13 and gaining HP, Skill, Speed and Luck. (I realized Marth himself has fallen a bit behind everyone else, and needs to start catching up a bit...)

Catria flies across the river and starts visiting the villagers. One of them gives some information on Elice; instead of having her killed, Gharnef spirited her off somewhere. Hmm, so she's still alive at least...

Oh, another villager tells me that Xane has been locked up in jail. I was starting to wonder about that odd structure... apparently he has some sort of amazing power. Presumably the reason he's locked up?

Alright, so I've been SLOWLY moving around this circle, I was sure reinforcements would show up at those forts, so I'd left a few people back there, but nothing, nothing, so I moved everyone up. We're on turn 11 of the battle, and NOW enemy reinforcements spawn. Oh well, they'll have to catch up to me now! Pretty standard 2 cavaliers and 2 horse archers behind me, and a cavalier and a knight on forts ahead of me. I'll just have to try and be careful with the rear guard, those archers can be nasty if I'm not... Let's see, Cain, Gordin, Ogma and Linde stay behind and deal with incoming cavalry, the rest of us will press onward. Starting to wish I'd brought Lena after all though.

The last villager reminds me about VIP cards and secret shops, but still insists on the shop locations being secret. Do I have a VIP card? Julian has the Silver Card which gives me 1/2 off...

I just looked at Arran's stats. He's a level 10 Paladin, the equivalent of Abel going to level 20, promoting, and gaining 9 more levels, or basically a level 30 Abel... but he has less strength, less skill, less speed, less luck, and the same defense as Abel. The only improvement is 1 magic point he doesn't need and 6 resistance. Wow. Definitely going to sit this war out after this fight, but I thank you for your silver and killer lances Sir.

The cavalier and knight reinforcements coming at me from the front are joined by three previously stationary cavaliers as I draw near. Barst easily kills one of the cavaliers, saving Abel from facing another Ridersbane lance. Lot of those this map... Barst then hits level 15, gaining HP, another point in strength (putting him at a massive 16 strength!) and a point of luck. Merric and Athena team up to take down the second, and Abel scores a critical hit and eradicates the third. Marth and Catria finish the fourth and final cavalier. The enemy knight is too slow moving to even reach us next turn, and otherwise the way forward looks pretty clear.

In the north, Cain kills the first horse archer, and goes to level 16, gaining HP, Skill and Luck. Still lagging behind Abel in strength, but his speed is higher and his skill is on par, that's good. I'd actually generally rather have a high speed, since a decent strength gets double damage if you're fast enough to double attack the enemy. Ogma kills the second horse archer and finally reaches level 14 (I feel I've been under-utilizing him...) gaining HP, Skill and Defense. That's solid. Gordin and Linde are able to tag team one of the cavaliers, but one remains alive and a threat (though the lowest threat, as he only has an iron lance.) Linde goes to level 15, gaining HP, Magic, Luck and Resistance. Hmm, she's high damage but relatively low accuracy, with high magic but only middling skill...

Another wave of enemy reinforcements appear. Is the arena even necessary this map? If they feed me enough foes I'll get all the levels I need that way...

Ogma hits level 15 fighting in the north, gaining HP, Skill, Speed and Defense. Gordin gets to level 15, gaining HP, Speed, Luck and Defense. He needed that speed, the enemy horse archer was doubling him, and I have to be careful not to let Gordin get shot to death here... I've sent Barst back up to help out though, so that will be good.

Caeda goes to the Arena with Athena just for fun, and levels up to 3 as a Dracoknight. She gains Strength, Skill, Speed and Luck. Athena reaches level 16, gaining HP and Defense.

I accidentally pull a cavalier, horse archer and enemy paladin before I'm ready. Marth takes some hits, but Abel sacrifices 13 HP to kill the paladin with Gae Bolg, and Marth levels to 14 killing the horse archer, gaining HP, Luck and defense. Catria and Merric team up on the cavalier, and Catria achieves level 8, gaining HP, Strength, Skill, Speed and Luck. I like her levels ups... Maria heals Marth up and gains level 9, gaining HP, Skill and Luck.

And then I restart because the enemy cavalier that just spawned had a Javelin, which I forgot to check, and kills Maria. Look, if it had been Arran, or Abel, even Catria, I'd have considered it, but my healer? No, that's just rude. Fortunately, I used a save point just before Athena used the arena the first time...

I need to be more cautious this time, I'm close to the end of the map and I don't want to have to do this again. Ogma in the north levels up to 15, gaining HP and Strength and Gordin also hits 15, gaining HP and Skill, as they fight off the cavalry. Marth kills the knight in the south, and Maria levels up from healing him to level 9, gaining Luck. I'm going to try to lure the paladin's group out with Abel, I think he can take the hits... Not only can he take the hits, he gets a critical reaction to the horse archer on his reaction shot with a javelin, kills the horse archer in one blow and levels to 17. He only gains skill, but that takes a lot of pressure off me! Thanks Abel! Julian follows this up with a critical on the enemy cavalier, leveling to 13 and gaining HP, Skill, Speed, Luck and Defense. Now that's a level up!

Marth will be a brave leader and block the bridge so the enemy cavalier that just spawned with the javelin can't kill Maria this time. Or Abel, who is down to just 8 HP after taking hits from the first cavalier, the horse archer, AND the paladin just before he murdered the paladin.

Marth holds the bridge admirably, killing the knight with his armors layer sword, and taking a hit from the javelin at range but surviving. Caeda and Catria team up to take out the cavalier, with Caeda hitting level 3 and gaining HP, Speed and Luck while Catria hits level8 and gains HP, Skill, Speed and Luck.

My northern contingent starts pulling south, I'm trying to get a better defensive position to take on the enemy reinforcements, since one horse archer nearly killed Gordin before. Catria goes and kills the extremely long range healer that has been a thorn in my side for a few turns. I don't want them around when I try to free Xane, the two heroes guarding that prison worry me. Speaking of...

Abel is going to throw javelins at the first hero through the door. The hero has a Levin Sword, which is a magical sword that gives him a two square range, so he can hit back. Abel isn't fast enough to double this guy, but he can take two hits before i need to pull him back... and maybe Merric can finish it off after that. Here goes! ...AND ABEL GETS A CRITICAL HIT! EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL! THE HERO GOES DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT!

In the west, Ogma takes out the first horse archer, and Barst weakens the second enough for Gordin to finish it off. Cain weakens one Cavalier so that Linde can finish him off, leaving a single cavalier remaining. Reinforcements haven't spawned in a few turns. The remaining cavalier attacks Linde, who leaves him weak with her return blast of fire. Gordin finishes him off and levels to 16, gaining skill.

Meanwhile, Athena's in the Arena, and levels to 16, gaining HP, Strength, and Speed. That's good, she needs the strength, and I want her doubling as much as she can. Her 15 skill is already high too, so not such a big deal not to gain it this time around. In the east, I prepare to rush the jail; positioning Julian to unlock the door, with Abel, Caeda, Merric and Marth ready to rush in and kill the second hero as soon as he does...

When Julian says go, we go!

This second hero only has a silver sword. Abel softens him with a javelin and Caeda swoops in and finishes him off. Marth runs in to talk to Xane.

Heh, "Princey". Delightfully irreverent.

Xane: "I hail from a land few have heard of and even fewer have seen. I won't trouble you with the details. Me and my folk have the power to transform into other people. We can shape-shift, you see."

Dohlr tried to force him to join their army when they learned of his talents, but he "wasn't about to waste my considerable talents on those evil coots! You on the other hand... You've got character." Xane, if you can see that without Marth even saying a word, you're better at reading people than I am. I've played Marth for 16 chapters now, and I barely know his character.

Ha "I think you'll find my considerable talents are quiet... considerable." Xane I like you. You're in.

Oh my god I have him imitate Abel, and he... he becomes Abel! Stats, portrait, everything! That's fantastic! Although he only has the iron sword he started with. Hmm, actually this could be an interestingly tactical ability... I need to plan who Xane will be imitating the most in a battle and make sure he's equipped properly.

He's not a mimic like FFVI's Gogo, he literally becomes the other person!

The enemy General, Hollstadt, is a bit terrifying. 37 HP, massive defense (though I have Armorslayer swords) and TWO Killer weapons, a lance and a bow. I could kill him with Merric softening him up, then Marth hitting him, but Marth takes one blow in return before he kills Hollstadt, and Hollstadt has a 5% critical chance on the hit. Which is 5% chance of outright killing Marth. I decide not to take the risk, and walk Linde over.

Friendly man. Don't insult Linde, she will burn you.

Her fire combined with Merric's thunder leave Hollstadt on only 10 HP, so Marth should get the killing blow with no retaliation. This is not a boss I can just sit back and flame to death either, because he could switch to that killer bow at any time and critical one of my mages to death if he gets even a single turn to respond. So it needs to be all in. He goes down. Although I noticed a flaw in my plan at the last second: Marth only had a 59% chance to hit. So... Marth missed the first shot, but then I got lucky and Hollstadt missed his retaliation strike, and Marth managed the second hit to finish him off. Phew!

Another mention of this General Camus. Hmm...

Marth levels up to 14 from the ordeal, gaining HP and Luck.

Arena grinding: 

Ogma -> 16 -> HP, Speed, Defense.
Catria -> 9 -> HP, Skill, Luck, Defense
Maria -> 10 -> Skill, Speed, Luck, Resistance
Cain -> 17 -> Strength, Speed, Defense
Barst -> 16 -> HP, Speed
Catria -> 10 -> HP, Speed, Resistance
Maria -> 11 -> Magic, Skill, Luck, Resistance
Julian -> 14 -> HP, Strength, Skill, Speed, Defense
Maria -> 12 -> HP, Magic, Luck, Resistance
Julian -> 15 -> HP, Strength, Speed, Luck, Defense
Catria -> 11 -> Strength, Skill, Speed
Maria -> 13 -> Skill, Luck
Athena -> 17 -> HP, Speed
Julian -> 16 -> HP, Strength, Luck, Defense
Catria -> 12 -> HP, Strength, Skill, Speed
Catria -> 13 -> Skill, Speed, Defense
Maria -> 14 -> Speed
Catria -> 14 -> Strength, Skill, Luck, Defense
Catria -> 15 -> HP, Strength, Skill, Speed, Luck, Defense
Catria -> 16 -> HP, Strength
Maria -> 15 -> Speed, Luck, Resistance
Maria -> 16 -> Resistance
Athena -> 18 -> HP, Speed and Luck
Linde -> 16 -> Magic, Skill
Athena -> 19 -> HP, Skill, Defense
Merric -> 16 -> HP, Speed, Luck, Resistance
Athena -> 20 -> Skill, Speed, Defense
Athena -> Level 1 Swordmaster -> HP +6, Strength +2, Magic +1, Skill +2, Speed +2, Defense +2, Resistance +3, Movement +1
Maria -> 17 -> Luck

Grinding gets easier as my units gain levels, because they can take on more difficult arena challenges, and do so more frequently on their turn. I was able to get two or three fights in each turn before the fighter's health got too low to continue safely.

Also, what can I say, I like Athena (I had a cat named Athena from middle school through college, so I might be biased...) and I figured she deserved to be a sword master in name as well as in skill.

I love the promotion effects.

It feels very DBZ transformation-ish

SWORDMASTER!

22 SPEED! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

After an hour and a half of grinding, I call it quits and seize the throne. Malledus congratulates Marth on the victory, as does Nyna. Marth points out that we haven't freed the castle yet. Malledus asks if Marth would give a speech.

Sometimes I forget Malledus. Like that he exists...

Marth thanks everyone for giving his homeland back to him.

Well, I do like evicting the oppressors...

"Let's send these varlets scurrying!" - Marth

More inspirational than I'd expected!

Next time, Chapter 17!