SS Chapter 20 Eirika: Forest of Misery

Finishing Chapter 19 has the biggest amount of mapwork in a single go. First, we spawn the Lagdou Ruins, the second optional dungeon (Tower of Valni being the first) and the place to go for ultimate endgame content. We will not be touching it.

Second, we spawn Melkaen Coast, and a route from it to Port Kiris. This is Eirika's originally intended route to Rausten, but the Ghost Ship and "Innes being in danger" sent her south to Jehanna instead. Skirmishes that happen to be on Melkaen Coast are far harder than those on the maps we've already played.

And finally, Darkling Woods, the final area of the game. Once you enter that place, you can never leave until you beat the game. Prepare wisely.

And of course I get stuck at Rausten Hall. There's a Melkaen spawn, and I considered showing it, but it's not really that worth it.

I start off by selling anything that's not seeing use. Vulneraries are long outclasssed by enemy risk and I'm amazed I never got rid of them sooner, but right now they're just filling the convoy up.

Now is also the time to sell your anti-armour and Swordslayers. Chapter 19 was the last hurrah of the human classes, and whether you play the postgame or not, the only thing you have left to fight are monsters and the two named character mages. No monsters have the Armour trait, so anti-armour weapons are pointless. Anti-cavalry is still good for Tarvos.

(You can find Thieves in Lagdou Ruins, but usually only, like, one per map.)

SS Supports: Chapter 19

Today's Supports:

• Syrene/Vanessa B
• Eirika/L'Arachel A
• L'Arachel/Dozla A
• Innes/L'Arachel A
• L'Arachel/Rennac A
• Tana/Syrene A
• Innes/Tana A
  
• Joshua/Natasha A
• Joshua/Marisa A
• Duessel/Knoll A
  
• Eirika/Forde A
• Natasha/Cormag A
  
• Joshua/Gerik A
• Gilliam/Syrene A
• Ross/Amelia A
• Ross/Ewan A
• Ewan/Tethys A
• Ewan/Dozla A
• Eirika/Saleh A
• Colm/Rennac A
• Colm/Kyle A
  

SS Chapter 19 Ephraim: The King's Second Wind

Ephraim got hit by an enemy from the back too. Anyway, getting a Speedwings on Eirika route reminded me to use my statups before this map this time: All those promoted enemies that died like chumps on Eirika route are going to be stronger here.

The Robes are going to these two. Robes are best used on people with low HP, and these two had the lowest HP for frontliners.

Innes gets both Rings you can get on Ephraim route. He needs the extra damage badly, he only gets one good kill a turn.

Knoll and Cormag take the Books. They have the most need of landing their hits of the low-end Skill, and also Knoll's Dark tomes are on the inaccurate end.

Cormag and L'Arachel take the Wings. Being slow inhibits Cormag's ability to tank, while L'Arachel is just strangely slow. I don't know why, but she can pick up some extra Speed from this next mission anyway.

Only one Icon? Turns out that's legitimately the case: There are two Icons in the whole game, and the second one is in Chapter 19. You have to steal it from an archer, and it's kind of hell to keep track of that in Fog of War. Cormag might've ultimately been the better call, but Luck helps everything out a little bit, not just Dodge.

You get three of these on Ephraim route (the Energy Ring/Dracoshield Ewan starts with is the one that isn't matched on the opposing route). Tana grabbed the second one. You don't want to use Shields on low-Defence units: If your Defence is too low, -2 damage isn't going to save you. If your defence is higher- say, you're taking 5 damage- -2 damage reduces your incoming injuries by a higher percentage.

Not that Tana is getting hit much anyway, but...

Contrary to this earlier assertion, Cormag gets both Talismen as opposed to the higher-Res Joshua and Ross. I'm worried about Shadowshots and such, especially since the alternatives can dodge those.

I don't know why, this feels brighter in Eirika route compared to Ephraim route. Maybe it's just Ephraim's more muted hues.

So how's that ultimate onslaught of Grado's last army when those soldiers have actual stats?

SS Chapter 19 Eirika: The Queen's Guiding Light

Time to go to the final castle in Rausten.

...All right, all right, I'm on it.

And also the lack of a white line to follow on the map.

So let's grab ourselves the final Sacred Stone and figure out which of our party members is most immune to Lyon's bag of tricks. I'm thinking L'Arachel herself this time, or perhaps Myrrh.

At least someone's cheerful...

Welcome to fun.

SS Supports: Chapter 18

Today's Supports:

• Tana/Syrene B
• Ephraim/Myrrh B
• Syrene/Gilliam B
• Dozla/Myrrh B
• Saleh/Myrrh B
• Syrene/Moulder B
• Syrene/Kyle B
• Tethys/Rennac B
  
• Eirika/Tana A
• Marisa/Tana A
• Ephraim/L'Arachel A
• Joshua/L'Arachel A
• Gerik/Marisa A
• Gerik/Tethys A
• Innes/Gerik A
• Colm/Marisa A
• Moulder/Vanessa A
• Vanessa/Forde A
• Lute/Knoll A
  

SS Chapter 18 Ephraim: Face of a King

Time for Ephraim to engage in the same hunt.

And time to see the other side of the coin.

Ephraim, in sharp contrast to Eirika, is making no effort to try and help Lyon.

He knows the Demon King's got to go down, no matter what.

L'Arachel knows he hasn't entirely worked his way through his grief about Lyon. He may be able to set that aside, but who knows how bad it'll get when he finally decides to check in on it.

SS Chapter 18 Eirika: Face of a Demon

Next stop: Probably in Rausten, but not exactly territory every nation is champing at the bit to own.

Proof of concept: We get Killers (and Longbows), but not Reavers and Nosferatu.

I suspect we've found him.

Considering Lyon teleported away, this much is impressive, although this may just also be "we control everywhere else in Magvel and while Lyon can cause problems, it's not in his interest."

Welcome to the volcano. Because apparently, fighting in an active volcano is Fire Emblem tradition.

The narrative: "This place is horrible and no one wants to be there."

The mechanics: "EXP haven!"

This is such an awesome title for this chapter, but this works best if you consider both routes.