SSSSSS H H
S H H
S H H
S H H
S OO HHHHHHH
S O O H H
S O O H H
S O O H H
SSSSSS OO H H
Game: Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya
System: Sega Game Gear
FAQ: Character Guide
Written by: NoWorries
Allowed Websites: www.gamefaqs.com
www.neoseeker.com
*If you have a website you would like to post this at just shoot me an email*
**As always, the most up-to-date guide will always be found at gamefaqs**
Version History: 1.0 Submitted 25 of May of 2016
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Forward
As I may use symbols one may be unfamiliar with, I hope this short list makes
sense of what I mean to say in the guide.
**...** is used to bold something
-...- is likewise used to bold
<>...<> is used to bold (and all such symbols to grab your attention)
37> means a number less than 37
37>= means a number less than or equal to 37
37< means a number greater than 37
37=< means a number greater than or equal to 37
== means equal to
= also means equal to (the above is a computer programming difference)
AoE means Area of Effect, it means hitting more than 1 target at a time
SFI means Shining Force One
SFII means Shining Force Two
SoH means Shining Force Sword of Hajya
[X] symbolizes a Halmus Bar. What's that exactly? When proving somthing,
it is customary to put a Halmus Bar when you are finished with the
proof
That's about it. If something is confusing you, don't hesitate to ask me by
shooting me an email (located at the end of the guide)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Disclaimer-
I am not responsible for any emotional, physical, etc etc damage caused by
the misuse of this guide under any circumstances
Also, when I use the term 'newb' it makes reference to a NEW PLAYer. A newb
is someone who is unfamiliar with the game. A Noob is someone who sucks and
ruins games. Know the difference.
I. Introduction [1000]
II. Detailed Stats [2000]
III. Some Extra Analysis [3000]
IV. Speedrunning? [4000]
V. Contact Info [5000]
-Hit [ctrl]+F then the number to skip quickly-
----------------
| Introduction |
----------------
[1000]
It's been defeated. This is a project I started a loooong time ago as a
"finisher" for my detailed character guides for the SF games that I grew up
with. While there are more than just the 3 I remember, SF1, SF2, and SoH were
the 3 that I actually owned and played growing up. Other games such as SFCD,
SF3, and even later installments like Neo or Shining Tears are perfectly valid
SF games; but not what I had. In some cases like SF Gaiden, Final Conflict,
that was never even released to the USA so naturally I wouldn't play it. The
Internet is a brave new time allowing all kinds of new material to be
discussed and one of those things is translations for these old games such as
Final Conflict and even the missing SF3 scenarios. But I digress...
SoH is an interesting title in the SF Series. It takes place directly
after SF Gaiden which takes place roughly 20 years following SF1. The new hero
of the game is Deanna, a swordsman of mysterious origin who is taken care of
by Cypress, one of two kingdoms in this game. Being a mobile game, it is
possible that they never intended for it to be a serious title, but no matter,
the game features 18 playable characters, 2 secret characters, a delightful
soundtrack, and familiar gameplay.
The game follows SF2 much moreso than SF1 in nearly every way. The level
ups, the way spells are learned, and even the names as many of the names are
recycled from SF2. What does this mean for us?
Because of how spells are learned, in a casual run, taking Mages up higher
doesn't provide that much benefit outside of some extra stats due to the gap
in learning new spells. Speaking of which, you can promote at 10 and level up
to 20 unpromoted. Statistically speaking, the growths are not great post level
10 and the data below reflects that. Due to the nature of this game, I've done
a different approach in terms of how I'm providing analysis. With only 18
characters to choose from, that means 66% or 2/3 of the pool will be in our
party at the end of the game. Considering also that our first secret character
is in the last battle of chapter 3 (in a 4 chapter game) our party won't be
too large until around chapter 3 to begin with. This means that there is not
nearly as much diversity to be had amongst the characters.
This is not a bad thing, as it allows for a consistent playthrough; which
is why I will be doing a two-fold analysis for the most part on all the
characters. I'll be looking at the "casual" side of the hero; how strong will
they be and will you as a casual player enjoy using this hero? I'll always be
evaluating them on a "speedrun" side; how effective are they at beating the
game quickly? This is interesting not just because I do speedrun the game, but
because it's almost how the game was intended to be played. It's short, only
about 24 battles with roughly 25 levels available to your starting heroes
unless serious grinding is done. Some of your strongest characters are picked
up at the very end of the game when grinding for levels is almost a non-issue.
Right, you have to have Nick in your party in order to beat Iom thanks to
the Sword of Hajya. So that aside, let's go ahead and get into this.
------------------
| Detailed Stats |
------------------
[2000]
So before we get into this, a few things to note...
*There are no alternate promotions
*I took people to level 20 unpromoted, I separated their growths accordingly
*This section is factual information only, opinions are the next section
*Variance is largely not an issue here, and I've noted in those spots for you
*Most often it seems that past level 10 promoted there was little to no change
------------------------------------------
Deanna
Swordman SDMN --> Hero HERO
Deanna is the main hero of the story. He starts off with the classic spell
Egress, that all heroes of SF know. Later on, he will learn the powerful Bolt
spell as well at levels 16, 20, and 25, though Bolt 3 can only be learned at
level 15 promoted. He does learn Bolt 4 at level 30 (20) though you will
likely NEVER learn it even in a casual playthrough. Regardless, Deanna is a
solid hero, known for gaining tons of defense early and dealing a reasonable
amount of damage later on.
Starting Stats
12-8-7+5-6-4 6 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 10
03 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
04 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.367 | 0.756 | 1.7 | 1.567 | 0.867
Level 10 Stats 25-15-36-20-12
11 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 10
12 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 10
13 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 10
14 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 10
15 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
16 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 10
17 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
18 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 10
19 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 10
20 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 10
Avg (11+) 1.01 | 0.42 | 0.9 | 0.95 | 0.45
Level 20 Stats 38-20-60-29-18
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 10
03 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 10
05 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
14 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
Avg 1.828 | 0.721 | 1.242 | 1.714 | 0.564
Level 15 Stats 64-31-54+33-56-31
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Natasha
Mage MAGE --> Wizard WIZD
Natasha is an immediate friend to Deanna and our initial caster. She also
knows Egress as she will be our leader for a few battles later on in the game.
She starts with Blaze and will gain a full four levels of it as well as
learning three levels of Freeze. Unfortunately, she'll likely never learn
Blaze 4, or her last spell, Boost, as those spells come so late in her
leveling career. Getting her to level 12 promoted is absolutely essential
as she learns Freeze 3, an interesting spell that is broken beyond belief.
This is a good time to note the magic is a bit different in this game, with
rank 3 having the area of effect similar to bolt 2. However, in Freeze's
case, the spell is bugged and does Freeze 4 damage at Freeze 3. This is an
obvious exploit that needs to be taken advantage of as several enemies in the
game also use Freeze 3 which makes the game quite a bit harder.
Egress {starts}
Blaze {starts, 8, 17, 30}
Freeze {4, 13, 22}
Boost {26}
*Freeze 3 at 12 only, Boost at 16 only, and Blaze 4 at 20 promoted only
Starting Stats
9-8-6+3-6-6 5 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 10
03 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 10
04 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 10
05 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 10
10 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.378 | 2.233 | 0.922 | 0.856 | 0.9
Level 10 Stats 24-29-23-16-13
11 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 10
12 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 10
14 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
16 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 10
17 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 10
18 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
19 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 10
20 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 |0.0 | 10
Avg 0.92 | 1.1 | 0.39 | 0.31 | 0.20
Level 20 Stats 34-44-29-27-22
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 10
03 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 10
06 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 10
07 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
13 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 10
Avg 1.136 | 1.292 | 0.686 | 1.386 | 0.714
Level 15 Stats 54-64-30+20-42-28
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jaha
Warrior WARR --> Gladiator GLDR
Jaha is an absolute tank, no questions asked. He starts with an insane
9 defense as well as a hefty attack to boot. He suffers from 5 movement which
is something I'll go ahead and note now: the major difference between a casual
and speedrun character is this distinction: If they don't have more than 5
move, then they need to have something special about them to make it worth
using them. Which brings us to Jaha... he's an absolute BEAST in casual,
though he would really enjoy having a movement boosting item (either the Ring
or the Pepper). One last thing to consider is that his final weapon, the Atlas
grants Blaze 3 which retains it's Bolt 2 area of effect. For a speedrun though
Jaha is a bit too slow to be useful.
Starting Stats
9-0-8+6-9-4 5 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 10
03 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
05 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 10
09 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.678 | 0.0 | 1.556 | 1.456 | 0.867
Level 10 Stats 25-0-38-22-12
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 10
16 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 10
17 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
18 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 10
19 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 10
20 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
Avg 0.94 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.91 | 0.31
Level 20 Stats 35-0-55-33-14
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 10
03 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
07 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 10
09 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
13 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
Avg 1.871 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.786 | 0.628
Level 15 Stats 63-0-55+30-59-23
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dawn
Knight KNTE --> Paladin PLDN
Dawn is the first of three Knights that we'll be looking at today. With
just one Valkyrie and one Halberd to go around, we really cannot afford to
bring all three Knights with us due to a lack of powerful weapons in the end
game, so it'll be up to you to decide which one(s) are stronger. Dawn is very
much like Mae from SF1 in her ability to absorb damage through most of the
game. She will likely have the most defense of all the Knights through most
of the game. For a speedrun, Dawn is essential at least into the final chapter
thanks to her 7 movement (a trend we'll be seeing quite a bit).
Starting Stats
12-0-6+6-6-5 7 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 10
03 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 10
04 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.511 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 1.289 | 0.911
Level 10 Stats 26-0-33-18-13
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 10
16 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
17 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
18 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
19 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 10
20 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 10
Avg 0.99 | 0.0 | 0.74 | 0.98 | 0.34
Level 20 Stats 37-0-48-28-18
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
03 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 10
04 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 10
05 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
06 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 10
09 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 10
Avg 1.464 | 0.0 | 1.464 | 1.864 | 0.671
Level 15 Stats 58-0-50+28-54-27
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric
Knight KNTE --> Paladin PLDN
There's not much to be said about Eric that is different from Dawn. He's
the second Knight that we get (and start with) and he's pretty strong to
start off: he'll definitely be one of the primary damage dealers in the
beginning. Whereas Dawn gains a bit more Def early, Eric will gain more more
attack. While for a casual run, it's up to the runner to determine whom they
enjoy more, for a speedrun, Eric nearly always is the better lategame option
due to having more attack which is very important.
Starting Stats
13-0-7+6-6-5 7 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 10
03 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 10
04 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 10
05 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
08 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 10
10 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.189 | 0.0 | 1.444 | 1.478 | 0.811
Level 10 Stats 26-0-36-20-13
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
12 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 10
16 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 10
17 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 10
18 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
19 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 10
20 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 0.99 | 0.0 | 0.87 | 0.77 | 0.35
Level 20 Stats 36-0-47-29-20
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 10
03 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 10
05 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 10
06 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 10
09 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
13 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.928 | 0.0 | 1.386 | 1.228 | 0.778
Level 15 Stats 63-0-55+28-47-31
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luke
Monk MONK --> Master Monk MSMK
Luke is our first and only healer for a few battles which is unforunate,
as Luke is very much like Gong from SF1, meaning that he will gain quite a bit
of attack but lack the magic points (my endgame Luke has only 30 MP). As such,
Luke is not the best full time healer. Really, unless you want him around to
fight (his best endgame gloves only provides +18 attack) Luke will probably
not cut it for an endgame casual run. He'll be replaced by the much better
Slade who will be replaced by the superb Sarah later on. No Worries though,
as Luke could be a fighter if you want. In a speedrun, Luke has no place being
a part of it.
Heal {starts, 3, 17, 25}
Detox {6, 22}
Sleep {10}
Dispel {13}
*Detox 2 at 12 and Heal 4 at 15 promoted only
While there is no Fairy Forest battle, there is a nice spot to easily level up
Luke if you want. Battle 15 has no visible enemies at the start, meaning that
if you can manage a near-party wipe at 14 (retaining just Luke and Natasha)
you can Heal with Luke to gain EXP and repeat as much as you like.
Starting Stats
13-6-5+5-4-5 5 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 10
03 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.4 | 1.089 | 2.311 | 1.378 | 0.967
Level 10 Stats 27-16-37-17-14
11 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 10
14 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 10
16 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
17 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
18 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
19 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
20 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg (11+) 0.78 | 0.23 | 0.45 | 0.84 | 0.57
Level 20 Stats 37-21-41-26-20
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 10
03 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 10
06 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
07 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.221 | 0.642 | 1.928 | 1.914 | 0.492
Level 15 Stats 56-31-58+18-53-29
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slade
Healer HEAL --> SRBN (we don't know what that is)
Ah much better! Slade will be our first full time healer and for a casual
run, he is definitely needed until Sarah joins our party later on. He gains a
full range of supporting spells as well, making him a reasonable healer in
general. He doesn't learn Aura, which stinks, though I've found that isn't as
big of a deal as you might think. That being said, Slade will still likely not
be in your final 12, as Sarah simply does everything you might need anyway.
For a speedrun, Slade pretty much exists until Sarah shows up anyway.
Heal {starts, starts, 18, 27}
Muddle {7, 15}
Quick {10, 21}
Blast {12, 24, 30}
*Quick 2 at 11, Blast 3 at 14, Heal 4 at 17, and Blast 3 at 20 promoted only
Similar to Luke, here is another trick for leveling Slade. Battle 12 is a great
spot to level in general with your team. However, Slade can easily get to
level 20 promoted in about 20-30 minutes as he can cast Quick on your entire
team for huge EXP, and Deanna can promptly Egress back to town. If playing
casually, I would strongly suggest doing this as it will pump Slade up to at
least 40 MP which allows four 4 Heal 3's which will come in handy as the enemy
begins to deal quite a bit of damage in the coming battles.
Starting Stats
12-12-7+6-7-8 5 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
04 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 10
09 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 0.728 | 2.028 | 1.571 | 0.7 | 0.928
Level 10 Stats 18-27-19+9-12-15
11 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 10
12 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 10
13 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 10
14 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 10
15 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 10
16 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 10
17 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
18 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
19 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
20 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
Avg (11+) 0.3 | 1.24 | 0.72 | 0.45 | 0.39
Level 20 Stats 22-41-27+16-18-20
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
03 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1*
06 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1
07 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1
08 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1
09 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1
10 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1
11 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1
12 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1
13 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1
14 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1
15 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1
Avg 0.928 | 1.357 | 0.714 | 1.286 | 0.786
Level 15 Stats 35-59-37-36-30
16 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1
17 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1
18 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1
19 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1
20 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1
*Since his unpromoted level 18, Slade has had 0 variance in level ups so I've
stopped taking multiple samples to save myself time. As such there is always
a possibility that I've missed obscure level ups though his stats are pretty
set in stone and seem to not vary much at all
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Graham
Ranger RANG --> Bow Knight BWKN
Graham is our first archer to get and he's a pretty good one. You might
find him to be a little weak when he first joins, but I assure you that his
damage grows quickly and he will likely be in your final party, regardless of
a casual run or not. He has good movement which allows for even better reach
due to him being an archer. Later on, he can attack stationary enemies that
are unable to fight back as he outranges them, very cool! While other people
struggle to gain stats 11+ unpromoted, Graham consistently gains ATT so I'd
try to delay his promotion at least until 15 or so.
Starting Stats
18-0-16+8-12-9 7 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
07 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 10
08 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 10
09 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.65 | 0.0 | 1.475 | 1.0 | 0.55
Level 10 Stats 25-0-33-16-13
11 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 10
15 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
16 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 10
17 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
18 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 10
19 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 10
20 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 10
Avg (11+) 0.91 | 0.0 | 1.03 | 0.24 | 0.58
Level 20 Stats 38-0-48-25-20
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 10
03 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.336 | 0.0 | 1.378 | 1.192 | 0.85
Level 15 Stats 55-0-55+26-40-32
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chester
Archer ACHR --> Sniper SNIP
You might think how we just got Graham, that getting another Archer is
pointless. You'd be mistaken. Chester joins with a hefty 15 DEF which is
very appreciated at this time; he also gains DEF like a Warrior might (look
at his promoted growth!) Similar to Graham, Chester is a very powerful ally
regardless of a casual run or a speedrun and I'd think you'd be very happy
keeping him around. Unfortunately there is only one best Archer weapon at
the end of the game, but both of them are strong enough who cares.
Starting Stats
20-0-18+11-15-10 6 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
08 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 10
09 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.567 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.7
Level 10 Stats 23-0-34-20-13
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 10
16 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 10
17 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 10
18 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
19 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 10
20 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
Avg 0.92 | 0.0 | 1.01 | 0.86 | 0.47
Level 20 Stats 33-0-52-30-18
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
03 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.714 | 0.0 | 1.857 | 1.986 | 0.642
Level 15 Stats 57-0-53+26-58-27
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May
Mage MAGE --> Wizard WIZD
May is a contender for best character in the game. Why you may ask? She
learns Freeze 3 at level 12 (2)! Yes, the same spell that does 40-50 damage in
a GIGANTIC AOE, she learns just 4 levels after she joins your party. Yes, May
makes the game much easier thanks to this spell, I would suggest you do just
that. She does learn some other spells (a crappy Slow and Desoul) as well as
Bolt which you'll likely never use but either way. While she does learn Bolt 4
at a stupidly high level, you'll likely never USE it even if you did learn it
as Freeze 3 does similar damage in a huge range. Yes, May is very strong. She
IS very vulnerable early on though with her low DEF, making her a good
candidate for the Protect Ring or a Protect Milk.
Freeze {starts, starts, 12}
Slow {starts, 9}
Bolt {15, 20, 25, 30}
Desoul {18, 23}
*Desoul 2 at 13, Bolt 3 at 15, and Bolt 4 at 20 promoted only
Starting Stats
18-23-11+9-13-13 5 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
09 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.45 | 1.0
Level 10 Stats 21-26-22-16-15
11 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 10
12 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 10
16 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 10
17 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 10
18 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 10
19 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
20 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
Avg (11+) 1.2 | 0.81 | 0.55 | 0.99 | 0.29
Level 20 Stats 30-36-33-27-21
---------
Promoted Stats
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
02 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
03 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 10
05 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 10
06 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 10
07 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
11 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 10
12 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
15 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 0.686 | 1.228 | 1.35 | 1.271 | 0.707
Level 15 Stats 40-56-40+20-46-32
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claude
Sky Warrior SKYW ---> Already Promoted
Claude is another contender for best character in SoH. He's out only
flyer, but unlike other birdmen of the SF Series, Claude is an absolute beast,
gaining loads of attack and even a substantial DEF making him pretty tanky. He
does have only 6 move, and I find myself giving him the Running Ring to
elevate that up some as I tend not to use Warriors (my choice though). He can
grab hard to reach treasure for you, he can always be where you need him...
Simply put, there isn't a playthrough in which you wouldn't want this monster
on your side. Did I mention enemies love to attack him as well? This makes
raising up his DEF even better as they'll hit from for only a few points of
damage. The only downside to this truck is that his HP, while good, will only
BARELY get high enough to survive a Freeze 3 from a Master Mage, meaning you
must tread carefully around them with Claude.
Starting Stats
31-0-22+21-23-14 6 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
03 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 10
04 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 10
07 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
12 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
Avg 1.423 | 0.0 | 1.746 | 1.408 | 0.592
Level 15 Stats 52-0-46+26-42-21
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Randolf
Paladin PLDN ---> Already Promoted
Randolf is our last Knight to join our party, so when he joins you'll
have a good idea of how Eric and Dawn are shaping up for you. Randolf joins
rather weak to be honest, but he starts gaining stats pretty quickly, nearly
doubling his defense after 4-5 levels. In my speedrun, I find Randolf to be
the most useful Knight due to his explosive growth, but for a casual, there
might be a better choice. Like I said, when he joins, just see how well your
others are stacking up. As Randolf joins promoted, he cannot double dip on
levels like others, meaning that he might miss the boat for the final party.
Starting Stats
28-0-25+18-22-13 7 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
03 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
04 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 10
05 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 10
08 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
12 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
Avg 1.977 | 0.0 | 1.284 | 1.762 | 0.746
Level 15 Stats 56-0-44+28-44-23
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rohde
Gladiator GLDR ---> Already Promoted
Another pre-promoted hero, Rohde offers virtually nothing to a team that
is already starting to get fairly full. His stats are not as good as Jaha's
potential, his movement is only 5, and he is pretty gosh darn slow. With only
one Atlas to go around, I'd let Jaha wield that beast unless for some reason
you have forgotten to level Jaha at all in which case Rohde can become a
reasonable ally, pending you let him catch up to your party.
Starting Stats
29-0-25+20-25-13 5 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------
04 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 10
05 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
06 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
11 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 10
13 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 10
14 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
15 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.43 | 0.0 | 1.12 | 1.72 | 0.775
Level 15 Stats 49-0-41+30-46-23
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sarah
SBRN (Unknown Translation) ---> Already Promoted
Sarah is the best Healer in the game. She'll learn four ranks of Heal and
Aura (learning Aura one level after she joins). She even gets Blast up to 4
which can deal some decent damage. Casting Aura 1 on 3 people will also net 25
EXP for you, allowing her to level up as she must hit level 20 promoted to
learn the almighty Aura 4, which for a casual run, I HEAVILY suggest you do
that. Her only downside is her low HP and DEF, but who cares, she's a HEALER!
Don't expose her to the front line and you'll be fine.
Heal {starts, starts, starts, 12}
Blast {starts, starts, 14, 18}
Muddle {starts, 8}
Aura {6, 10, 16, 20}
*As Sarah is promoted, all these spells reflect "promoted only"
Starting Stats
24-34-14+20-19-17 5 Move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
06 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
07 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 10
12 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
13 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 0.56 | 1.9 | 0.61 | 1.66 | 0.65
Level 15 Stats 30-51-20+20-37-24
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Higins
Ninja NINJ ---> Already Promoted
Higins is our first of 2 secret characters. In the battle of the fort
(where you engage Solo) search the center of the wall from where you start
(basically directly up from Deanna) and you'll find Higins. He's a Ninja, and
a pretty powerful one at that. He learns "Sarah" or Katon or "Blaze 2" after
one level as well as "Randolf" 1 and 2 or Raijin or "Bolt 2 and 3" a few
levels later. He also has some magic resistance, which is pretty essential to
tank up the Master Mage and the dangerous Freeze 3. That being said, he has
only 5 movement. While I think Higins is very cool and very useful for a
speedrun (that resistance... and the Critical Sword...) he isn't always the
best for a casual run. We only get 2 movement items in the game, and there
are generally better choices for them (Jaha, Claude, Rush...) and Higins
ends up a bit shafted. That being said, you might really enjoy the Ninja, so
give him a go and see what you think.
Sarah {7}
Randolf {11, 15}
*Again, Higins is promoted so his levels reflect "promoted only"
Starting Stats
36-21-25+26-29-17 5 move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
07 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
08 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
09 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
13 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.04 | 0.45 | 1.46 | 1.43 | 0.67
Level 15 Stats 47-27-39+26-43-24
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gyan
Berserker BSKR ---> Already Promoted
The last of Nick's army to join us, there are few words to describe Gyan.
This worthless piece of garbage joins at a very bad time for leveling and he
lacks damage or hit points to be of any value to ANY kind of playthrough. His
small 55 attack will likely be outshined by any of your major damage dealers
(literally, most of my fighters have about 55 attack with no weapon) and Gyan
gets no weapon to use, reserved to only gaining a level or two, and going into
the final battle with maybe 60 attack. Being melee and only 5 move, Gyan is
too slow to make it anywhere and even if he could, wouldn't do any damage. He
also cannot equip ANY rings, meaning that his low speed and defense will
always be a liability and unless you Turbo Pepper him, he's stuck at 5 Move.
I don't usually make this strong of a stance, but seriously, Gyan isn't worth
your time casually or for a speedrun.
Starting Stats
38-0-55-35-17 5 move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
09 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
15 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 10
Avg 1.428 | 0.0 | 1.571 | 1.142 | 0.714
Level 15 Stats 48-6-0-66-43-22
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rush
Samurai SMRI ---> Already Promoted
Rush is our last secret character to join and he joins in the fight
against Barbara (he's hiding in the immediate center pillar). Like Higins, he
has some magic resistance as well. Unlike Higins, Rush is quite powerful and
he has arguably the best growth of all the characters in the game. He is
restricted to 5 movement, so it is at this point that I hand him the Mobility
Ring usually as Claude doesn't need 8 movement anymore. One huge upside about
Rush compared to Higins is in the starting stats. He just has more life and
DEF, and Higins isn't catching that after just a few levels. Regardless of
your playstyle, Rush will likely be involved.
Starting Stats
45-0-32+28-37-19 5 move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
11 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
12 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 10
14 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 10
Avg 1.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.167 | 0.5
Level 15 Stats 53-0-44+26-50-22
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nick
Prince PRNC ---> Already Promoted
The only one able to use the Sword of Hajya, yeah, that weapon you've
dragged around for about 20 battles now, Nick forces himself into your party
just like Frayja, by kicking out your lowest level member. That might upset
you, but luckily, Nick is very strong (maybe not as strong as a 20/15
character), but definitely enough to hold his own. He joins at a modest level
12 with only 5 movement, but as you get him for just one battle (the last one)
there is little point in even trying to level him. His growth is minimal, and
it's the end of the game. He does learn Bolt 3 after a few levels, but frankly
my dear, I'd just beat the game already.
Bolt {starts, starts, 15}
Starting Stats
47-20-31+33-41-20 5 move
Lv | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Agi | Samples
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10
14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
15 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10
Avg 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.33 | 0.33
Level 15 Stats 50-20-34+33-42-21
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------
| Some Extra Analysis |
-----------------------
[3000]
So let's look at what we just learned and see what we can draw from it.
First though, here are some simple and easy to read charts, comparing some of
the numbers that we just looked at.
Average Unpromoted Growth (1-10)
(grouped by role)
---------------------------------------------------
Character | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Spd |
---------------------------------------------------
Deanna | 1.367 | 0.756 | 1.700 | 1.567 | 0.867 |
Jaha | 1.678 | 0.000 | 1.556 | 1.456 | 0.867 |
Eric | 1.189 | 0.000 | 1.444 | 1.478 | 0.811 |
Dawn | 1.511 | 0.000 | 1.400 | 1.289 | 0.911 |
---------------------------------------------------
Graham | 1.650 | 0.000 | 1.475 | 1.000 | 0.550 |
Chester | 1.567 | 0.000 | 1.100 | 1.400 | 0.700 |
---------------------------------------------------
Natasha | 1.378 | 2.233 | 0.922 | 0.856 | 0.900 |
May | 1.500 | 1.500 | 1.000 | 1.450 | 1.000 |
---------------------------------------------------
Luke | 1.400 | 1.089 | 2.311 | 1.378 | 0.967 |
Slade | 0.728 | 2.028 | 1.571 | 0.700 | 0.928 |
---------------------------------------------------
Average Unpromoted Growth (11-20)
(grouped by role)
---------------------------------------------------
Character | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Spd |
---------------------------------------------------
Deanna | 1.010 | 0.420 | 0.900 | 0.950 | 0.450 |
Jaha | 0.940 | 0.000 | 1.000 | 0.910 | 0.310 |
Eric | 0.990 | 0.000 | 0.870 | 0.770 | 0.350 |
Dawn | 0.990 | 0.000 | 0.740 | 0.980 | 0.340 |
---------------------------------------------------
Graham | 0.910 | 0.000 | 1.030 | 0.240 | 0.580 |
Chester | 0.920 | 0.000 | 1.010 | 0.860 | 0.470 |
---------------------------------------------------
Natasha | 0.920 | 1.100 | 0.390 | 0.310 | 0.200 |
May | 1.200 | 0.810 | 0.550 | 0.990 | 0.290 |
---------------------------------------------------
Luke | 0.780 | 0.230 | 0.450 | 0.840 | 0.570 |
Slade | 0.300 | 1.240 | 0.720 | 0.450 | 0.390 |
---------------------------------------------------
Difference from (1-10) and (11-20)
(grouped by role)
----------------------------------------------
Character | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Spd |
----------------------------------------------
Deanna | +0.3 | +0.3 | +0.8 | +0.6 | +0.4 |
Jaha | +0.7 | 0.00 | +0.5 | +0.5 | +0.5 |
Eric | +0.2 | 0.00 | +0.6 | +0.7 | +0.5 |
Dawn | +0.6 | 0.00 | +0.7 | +0.3 | +0.6 |
----------------------------------------------
Graham | +0.7 | 0.00 | +0.4 | +0.8 | 0.00 |
Chester | +0.6 | 0.00 | +0.1 | +0.6 | +0.2 |
----------------------------------------------
Natasha | +0.4 | +1.1 | +0.6 | +0.5 | +0.7 |
May | +0.3 | +0.5 | +0.5 | +0.5 | +0.7 |
----------------------------------------------
Luke | +0.7 | +0.8 | +1.9 | +0.5 | +0.4 |
Slade | +0.4 | +0.8 | +0.8 | +0.3 | +0.6 |
----------------------------------------------
This last table is interesting, as it reflects the difference between ones
normal stat growth (1-10) and their "double dipped" levels (11+). As you can
see, no character gains more stats 11+ than they would from (1-10), though
Graham has no real decrease in Speed. The way to use this chart is simple, see
where your hero has the SMALLEST number and focus on that stat. For instance,
a box marked +0.8 means that the growth was on average, 0.8 less attack per
level. Using Deanna as an example, we can see how he average 1.7 Atk/level
until (11+) in which is slowed dramatically to 0.9 Atk/level. In some cases
like Natasha, despite the difference being +1.1 (a literal loss of MP each
level) she still gains on average +1 MP each level (11+) so that can be
helpful as well. Other people, such as the Archer's rather low differences,
show that they benefit rather largely from the double dips, whereas someone
like Luke has no real benefit to the double dip, losing a ton of stats as he
goes into the (11+) level ups. Basically, combined this table with the
previous (11+) chart to see who benefits from the double dipping. Generally,
you want to go to level 15 or so, but I will say that of all the characters,
Natasha probably benefits the least from double dipping, though this is
largely because she cannot learn Freeze 3 until level 12 promoted so we
basically want that.
Average Promoted Growth
(grouped by role)
---------------------------------------------------
Character | H/P | M/P | Atk | Def | Spd |
---------------------------------------------------
Deanna | 1.828 | 0.721 | 1.242 | 1.714 | 0.564 |
Jaha | 1.871 | 0.000 | 1.200 | 1.786 | 0.628 |
Rohde | 1.430 | 0.000 | 1.120 | 1.720 | 0.775 |
---------------------------------------------------
Eric | 1.928 | 0.000 | 1.386 | 1.228 | 0.778 |
Dawn | 1.464 | 0.000 | 1.464 | 1.864 | 0.671 |
Randolf | 1.977 | 0.000 | 1.284 | 1.762 | 0.746 |
---------------------------------------------------
Claude | 1.423 | 0.000 | 1.746 | 1.408 | 0.592 |
Higins | 1.040 | 0.450 | 1.460 | 1.430 | 0.670 |
Rush | 1.500 | 0.000 | 2.000 | 2.167 | 0.500 |
Gyan | 1.428 | 0.000 | 1.571 | 1.142 | 0.714 |
Nick | 1.000 | 0.000 | 1.000 | 0.333 | 0.333 |
---------------------------------------------------
Graham | 1.336 | 0.000 | 1.378 | 1.192 | 0.850 |
Chester | 1.714 | 0.000 | 1.857 | 1.986 | 0.642 |
---------------------------------------------------
Natasha | 1.136 | 1.292 | 0.686 | 1.386 | 0.714 |
May | 0.686 | 1.228 | 1.350 | 1.271 | 0.707 |
---------------------------------------------------
Luke | 1.221 | 0.642 | 1.928 | 1.914 | 0.492 |
Slade | 0.928 | 1.357 | 0.714 | 1.286 | 0.786 |
Sarah | 0.560 | 1.900 | 0.610 | 1.660 | 0.650 |
---------------------------------------------------
Level 15 Promoted Stats
(leveled to 20 first, best weapon equipped)
------------------------------------
Character | HP | MP | At | De | Sp |
------------------------------------
Deanna | 64 | 31 | 87 | 56 | 31 |
Jaha | 63 | 00 | 85 | 59 | 23 |
Rohde | 49 | 00 | 71 | 46 | 23 |
------------------------------------
Eric | 63 | 00 | 83 | 47 | 31 |
Dawn | 58 | 00 | 78 | 54 | 27 |
Randolf | 56 | 00 | 72 | 44 | 23 |
------------------------------------
Claude | 52 | 00 | 72 | 42 | 21 |
Higins | 47 | 27 | 65 | 43 | 24 |
Rush | 53 | 00 | 72 | 50 | 22 |
Gyan | 48 | 00 | 66 | 43 | 22 |
Nick | 50 | 20 | 67 | 42 | 21 |
------------------------------------
Graham | 55 | 00 | 81 | 40 | 32 |
Chester | 57 | 00 | 79 | 58 | 27 |
------------------------------------
Luke | 56 | 31 | 76 | 53 | 29 |
Slade | 35 | 59 | 57 | 36 | 30 |
Sarah | 30 | 51 | 40 | 37 | 24 |
------------------------------------
Natasha | 54 | 64 | 50 | 42 | 28 |
May | 40 | 56 | 60 | 46 | 32 |
------------------------------------
Top 3 Promoted Growths
---------------------
| Character | H/P |
---------------------
| Randolf | 1.977 |
| Eric | 1.928 |
| Jaha | 1.871 |
---------------------
---------------------
| Character | M/P |
---------------------
| Sarah | 1.9 |
| Slade | 1.357 |
| Natasha | 1.292 |
---------------------
---------------------
| Character | Atk |
---------------------
| Rush | 2.0 |
| Luke | 1.928 |
| Chester | 1.857 |
---------------------
---------------------
| Character | Def |
---------------------
| Rush | 2.167 |
| Chester | 1.986 |
| Luke | 1.928 |
---------------------
---------------------
| Character | Spd |
---------------------
| Graham | 0.85 |
| Slade | 0.786 |
| Eric | 0.778 |
---------------------
Top 3 Stat
------------------
| Character | HP |
------------------
| Deanna | 64 |
| Eric | 63 |
| Jaha | 63 |
------------------
------------------
| Character | MP |
------------------
| Natasha | 64 |
| Slade | 59 |
| May | 56 |
------------------
------------------
| Character | AT |
------------------
| Deanna | 87 |
| Eric | 83 |
| Graham | 81 |
------------------
------------------
| Character | DE |
------------------
| Jaha | 59 |
| Chester | 58 |
| Deanna | 56 |
------------------
------------------
| Character | SP |
------------------
| May | 32 |
| Graham | 32 |
| Deanna | 31 |
| Eric | 31 |
------------------
Obviously those who come pre-promoted will suffer in the final stats.
These chosen "top 3" are to see who is the best of the best. Now, I'm going
to have an unusual list. The following tables will be "elimination" style
tables; you'll see what I mean.
Able to survive Freeze 3?
------------------
| Character | HP |
------------------
| Deanna | 64 |
| Jaha | 63 |
| Eric | 63 |
| Dawn | 58 |
| Randolf | 56 |
| Claude* | 52 |
| Higins | 47 |
| Rush | 53 |
| Graham | 55 |
| Chester | 57 |
| Luke | 56 |
------------------
*Claude only just barely by level 15, in other words, not really
Nick is left off because he never has to face Freeze 3. This list is
important as it is clear that some people are rather weak/not valid due to
their inability to tank a Freeze 3 hit. Granted, this is full health and at
max level, but you do see what people are "tending" to be able to tank a hit;
Higins and Rush obviously surpassing expectations. Randolf, Dawn, Graham, Luke
and Chester will likely fall into the "Claude" category of not quite having
enough HP at the time, though there is still Freeze 3 in the second to last
battle so don't fret it.
The Final Verdict
Rush (1/18)
Rush is the best character in the game. His ability to withstand damage
both magical and physical whilst dealing good damage (70+ attack at the end)
means that there really isn't a time in which Rush doesn't belond in your
party. His only downside is his low movement, which is easily fixed especially
when you compare against the other slower characters.
May (2/18)
May is the second best character in the game. She loses to Rush because of
her low HP and inability to cope with physical damage until much later (she
does get very tanky, averaging 40 DEF or so). She's better than Natasha purely
thanks to learning Freeze 3 so much earlier. May will be a wrecking ball from
moment one until you beat Iom. Her low movement is offset by her great range.
Natasha (3/18)
Natasha is easily top tier, filling in the top three seeds, thanks to her
magic. Freeze 3 comes a little late, and you might not ever get Boost (which
is awesome by the way) but nevertheless, she packs a huge punch. Freeze 3 does
HUGE damage against bosses (and full against Iom, handy eh?) meaning that
despite resistances, your mages will likely dish more damage than your best
fighters. Natasha even is able to tank a Freeze 3 towards the end of the game,
which is handy.
The next batch, cannot be evenly ranked in a simple order, due to the
complexity involving different roles. As such, here are the next few heroes.
Deanna (4/18)
Deanna isn't the top tier, but he's definitely mid-top tier. He is knocked
one because his damage suffers a bit until he gets his end-game weapon, and
two because if he dies the battle is over. He does gain enough HP to survive
Freeze 3 but not until later in the game. His MP never gets high enough to
take full advantage of his Bolt either.
Sarah (4/18)
Sarah will likely never throw a punch the entire run, but that doesn't
mean she isn't doing something. Her healing magic is an absolute godsend, but
what prevents her from being top tier as opposed to this position, is that
there are two Healing Rains in this game and for my speedrun, I don't need
Sarah but to provide some supportive heals.
Graham|Chester (4/18)
There isn't a best archer in the game. Graham and Chester are simply two
sides of the same coin. They both hit hard, move well, and can always hit
bosses thanks to their range. One has 7 move, the other has 6. One gains an
obscene amount of DEF, the other gains enough DEF. Yes, Graham and Chester are
excellent heroes that pair even better together.
Eric (4/18)
When it comes to a casual run, Eric will likely be your best Knight, no
doubt. His damage is just unmatched compared to the other Knights and it's
very high when compared to your other heroes. He also gains a ton of health
and despite his DEF not being the toppest of tiers, it's more than enough to
not worry about him perishing after a few good whacks. In a speedrun, he may
be outclassed for a run due to lack of EXP, but that doesn't change the fact
that Eric is a substantial ally.
Claude (4/18)
Rounding out our mid-top tiers is Claude. Much of what I said in his bio
still holds true here. He's just very powerful and the sheer fact he flies
puts him very high in our priority list (only one melee person can hit Iom,
but Chester can fly behind the head). He's not the toppest of tiers due to
his lower health, defense, and not best of damage, but he's definitely going
to help out any run that you may do of this game.
Jaha (10/18)
As we get into our mid tiered heroes, we see that our party is looking
pretty full (bear in mind that Nick MUST occupy a spot in the final battle,
but regardless) we now have Jaha. As I said earlier, he is an absolute beast
that tears up enemies and tanks with little fear. But Jaha is slow, and the
lack of the Heat Axe or Atlas until the end of the game mean that Jaha will
struggle to keep up. Compared against Rush, there really isn't a contest, as
Rush deals similar damage, receives similar damage, but resists magic at a
much higher caliber. Rush also joins at a higher level, meaning that he
doesn't need the focus and care that someone like Jaha requires to becomes
great. That being said, if you take the time to level Jaha, he'll be as strong
if not stronger than Rush. Just remember that key phrase "take the time"
Higins (11/18)
Higins is a decent ally and he definitely deserves a spot in the mid
tier of our list. It's towards the bottom of the mid tier, but nevertheless,
Higins is an interesting hero, who unfortunately gets outclassed by the others
around him that are too similar. His damage won't be as good as others, his
DEF won't be as good as others, his HP despite resistance won't be as good as
others, and his MP suffers just like Deanna, not really getting to take
advantage of Randolf 2 (or Bolt 3) but maybe for a single cast. That being
said, Higins can be a powerful ally, certainly being high enough on this list
to survive being booted by Nick, as that gets reserved for Dawn/Randolf.
Dawn|Randolf (12/18)
The reason that these two are paired together is due to the nature of how
you might casually play the game. In a speedrun, Dawn will likely last through
chapter 2 before falling off towards the end of chapter 3 and being axed.
Randolf on the other hand, excels and is a welcome addition. In a casual play
through, Dawn will likely be better than Randolf, the stats don't lie, but
even casually, a level 10-12 promoted Dawn will probably be outclassed by
Randolf in each stat (their final level 15 stats from my playthrough yield
a rather close call between them, Dawn only really being better in DEF). As
such, it is your call. It doesn't matter much though, as Nick is the breaker
here towards the bottom tier and will boot out one of these horses most
likely for the final battle.
Nick (14/18)
Nick himself doesn't have a spot, he's the barrier separating the mid
from the bottom tier. He almost doesn't deserve a ranking as you must have him
but regardless, he is a nice addition to have. As Eric gets the Valkyrie, and
Nick must hit Iom first before anyone else can, it makes sense to have a
strong ally attacking and Nick does qualify. His damage will be 60+ and he
can survive a good Demon Breath, but that's about it. Like I said in his bio,
he joins for the final battle only, so don't fret about trying to level him
as it's pretty pointless, though Bolt 3 is cool, I will give you that.
Slade (15/18)
There are 4 heroes in the bottom tier of this game and our first one is
Slade. First though, I have to say, I'm glad that over 60% of the characters
of this game fall into what I call "mid to top tier" as that shows each
character is mostly viable. So let's review these 4 whom I would call not so
viable regardless of how you play the game. Slade doesn't have Aura, a clear
cut disadvantage from Sarah. But his spells are also lame. He never learns
Blast 4 unlike Sarah which deals much better damage over Blast 3, and Quick
in this game sucks pretty hard as it lasts just a single turn. That rounds out
with Muddle, again, a spell that just sucks hardcore. All those things add up
to a hero who dies to magic, physical attacks, and can't attack himself. He
can heal 4 twice though, but c'mon, that's pretty bad, and that's really only
if you take time to level him like I described earlier. At the end of the day,
Slade will be helpful until you get Sarah, but then you can send him packing.
Luke (16/18)
Luke has insane growth! Just look at the top 3 charts! That being said
though, Luke falls into the same hole that all Monks do: good at everything
but a Master of nothing. His MP just kills it; he cannot be your only healer.
He does learn Heal 4, but he'll never be able to cast it twice. His other
spells hardly matter, as what little MP he does have needs to go towards the
Healing mantra. His attack levels like mad, but his final weapon is a measly
+18 attack while most others are at least 10 higher than that, meaning he
must gain 10 more attack through levels at a minimum to be able to compete.
He's also melee, meaning that Nick will win the day against Iom while Luke
stands back with no MP unable to heal. Through much of the game, despite Luke
leveling like mad, you'll find that it's just never enough, and you'll be
begging for more stats only in the next battle for it not to be enough. Really
at the end of the day, Luke is an awkward hero in this game that should be
replaced just as soon as you can. Slade isn't great, but you'll welcome that
stubby little waste of space with open arms since he can at least HEAL, hence
the class he has. Really, don't waste your time with Luke.
Rohde (17/18)
We are nearly at the end, and we find Rohde. While other SF2 names are
redeemed somewhat here (like Higins the Ninja as opposed to the Paladin) Rohde
seems to suck regardless of what game he's in. Here, he's just a slower,
weaker version of the far superior Jaha. Maxed out, Rohde dies to magic way
too quickly and he doesn't do enough damage to compensate. His movement is a
small 5, and his defense, despite beind a Gladiator, isn't all the impressive.
I really don't know why Rohde exists in this game, as he does nothing better
than anyone! Except Gyan I guess, but c'mon, Gyan is trash-tier.
Gyan (18/18)
Which brings us to Gyan, so might as wrap up this list with the worst
character in this game, Gyan. Where should we even start? I guess at the
beginning. Gyan joins our party before battle 20, one battle before Rush joins
(that's not a good omen). Gyan's battle of joining is the Statue of Iom battle
which besides being a long trecherous path of difficult movement, also
features our very first Demon Master. So right away, why would we want to use
Gyan? His small 55 attack doesn't really hurt any of these enemies, whose DEF
values range from 27 (on Cerberos) to 36 on the Brass Gunner, with most
averaging around 30. The enemies have 40+ life, meaning that ideally, Gyan
can almost deal half of an enemy's life total if he hits Cerberos, and that's
about it. It's not a good start.
His defense isn't great either. With 35 DEF, he resists some, but not all
of the enemies. Like if he had enough DEF to tank all the damage except maybe
one or two enemies, THAT's a reason to use him. But he only resists the Evil
Cleric, who doesn't even fight, so what's the point? His HP is also pathetic,
and besides the obvious nightmare of Freeze 3, there's also Fire Breath, Bolt,
and the Statue's piercing attack. Basically, Gyan goes down very quickly to
nearly everything.
Gyan can't even keep up with your party. His low movement of 5 renders him
unable to move anywhere, and he has no ability to attack from a distance.
Literally, he cannot equip rings, meaning to make him useful, you have to
pepper him, and that only gives him a marginal chance. The next two battles
feature Barbara and Death Walldol, battles that have even more Freeze 3 but
also, even more strong magic damage. Gyan's low 38 HP starting amount and no
resistance to magic is looking very fragile now.
Maybe Gyan has nice growth though (like Zynk from SF2!) No, Gyan has some
of the worst level ups compared to his fellow force members. Not using a
weapon (the only one in SoH to do so) you'd think he averages AT LEAST 2
attack per level, to try and compensate for never receiving a damage boost
from a weapon. The answer is a resounding NO. Gyan's mediocre 1.57 attack
per level ranks him fifth on the overall list of attack growth. The problem
with being fifth on this list (besides not being first for being a non-weapon
user) is that fifth isn't that much higher than say, tenth, is like 0.3 attack
per level, or in other words, no difference. There are only 3 characters I
tracked with growths less than 1 per level, that's 1 Mage and 2 Healers. So
when you compare Gyan versus say Deanna who sits at ~1.2, Gyan does gain 0.3
more attack per level, but Gyan also joins at level 8, meaning that in the
best case scenario, he will level 7 times and gain 10 attack, putting him at
about 65 attack by level 15. Deanna on the other hand, leveling some 14 times
with his 1.2 attack per level will have gained 17 attack by level 15. Even if
promoted at level 10, Deanna would still average about 40 attack by level 15.
Mind you, that's 40 attack WITH NO WEAPON. Deanna would actually have over 70
attack in this situation; and that's promoted at level 10 which frankly, is
not the best to do unless we're talking Natasha.
I could go on, focusing on his health pool being lower than most, or his
Def being lower than most, or his speed being pretty bad, but I think you get
the point. I don't mean to go on, but Gyan just really upset me, because I
wanted him to be good. I saw him for my speedrun and went "wow garbage, maybe
he's better in a casual" and well no. Gyan isn't good for a speedrun nor is
he good for a casual run. He's slow and can't reach anything. Even if he could
reach something, he won't hurt it. He'll likely die to Freeze 3 before
reaching anything anyway. Considering a Demon Master has reach 9 and could
potentially hit Gyan from 11 spaces away (6 move, 3 range spell, 2 spaces due
to huge AOE), Gyan could literally be 3 turns from attacking the Demon
Master and just die in a single fell swoop. Save yourself the trouble, don't
use Gyan!
----------------
| Speedrunning |
----------------
[4000]
I've mentioned this a couple of times, so I figure I'll bring it up here
rather than write an entirely separate guide for a game that isn't wildly well
known the way SF1 is. I've speedrun this game a couple of times. It's rather
enjoyable; a little slow due to Game Gear processing instead of the better
Genesis, but still, the music is nice, the gameplay is simple, and people like
May are so strong, that despite being way underleveled you can beat bosses
without too much difficulty.
So let's jump right into it. I want to keep this brief, because like I
said, this is a character guide and not a walkthrough for speedrunning, but
here are the brief notes for the "how to".
Chapter 1
-Natasha is the main focus here. She learns Blaze 2 at 8 and it is
essential that she gets there just as soon as possible. I'd also strongly
suggest promoting her very early, if not at 10, then at least by 13 for
Freeze 2, though 10 is probably best, because she needs to tap into Blaze 3
and Freeze 3 as soon as she can.
-Both Dawn and Eric are important. Eric will likely be the best Knight
unless he suffers some bad level ups, but that doesn't mean disregard Dawn,
as the enemies rapidly gain HP and we don't rapidly gain Atk to match that.
-Deanna, unlike Max or Bowie, has no "special" battle that requires him
to be strong. That being said, Deanna is a decent member and can deal good
damage as well.
-Jaha and Luke need to die as soon as possible, they're going to just
take time away from beating the game quickly.
Chapter 2
-We're picking up some very essential heroes here. Graham, Chester, and
May are all joining within a few battles of each other, and they're all
going to be in the final party. May in particular just STEAM rolls the enemy
the moment she hits Freeze 3 which is at 12 (I'd promote her once she knows it
by the way). Graham will be your stronger Archer most likely, but don't forget
about Chester, as both can hit Iom from a distance and rather safely.
-I should note that Slade is garbage but we need a little healing until
we get Sarah, so keep him around. By having someone fragile as well, the
enemy will focus him meaning you an abuse that.
-At the end of this chapter, we gain Randolf and Claude, both of which are
very handy. I'd also promote everyone at the end here (or at the beginning of
Chapter 3). We shouldn't have had to redo any battles yet, but will likely do
a little farming for EXP here soon
Chapter 3
-We start with Deanna's group, which is looking a bit sparse I'd say.
Needless to say, Eric and Claude are the more important people, though May
and Chester will probably steal everything anyway. I find Claude to be very
useful for both grabbing items, but also for being anywhere you need him.
Deanna will likely start to teeter off here just because of his allies being
so much better. Try to save Freeze 3 for formidable enemies, meaning that May
shouldn't just run down her MP by turn 2
-Natasha's group is pretty scary. She likely won't know Freeze 3 until
Chapter 4, so hopefully she has Blaze 3, which deals great damage to Wight,
a boss coming up. The first battle is rough, just try to get through it. This
next battle (where Rohde joins) is ideal to grind once, maybe even a second
time, to get EXP onto Natasha and Randolf. Natasha NEEDS Blaze 3 before Wight
and Randolf grows exponentially in the first few levels so take the time to
feed em. Graham will likely be doing fine, and Dawn can hang in there. Rohde
is trash and don't worry about him.
-I'll note that these battles are where things start to feel rather
difficult because of our speeding through the game. Don't worry, it gets
easier.
-Once our parties join up, I'd make sure we have everyone that we want.
Deanna, Natasha, Dawn, Eric, Graham, Chester, May, Claude, Randolf, and Sarah
are going to be our actives. That leaves Luke, Jaha, Slade, and Rohde as the
potentials. Kick Rohde and Jaha, leave Slade and Luke dead in our party.
-We get Higins at the end here with Solo, I'd recruit him, but not put
him in until later mostly because he won't do much now. Solo can be beaten
by casting Freeze 3 over the wall at him be going left instead of right. One
or two Freeze 3's supported by Claude's damage is enough.
Chapter 4
-And already we're at the end. Ignore Gyan cause, well, he's Gyan. Higins
is going to be useful here, I'd go ahead and swap him in after 4-1. You could
replace Luke/Slade, but frankly, I'd replace your weakest Knight, it'll likely
be Dawn but if Eric or Randolf are doing poorly, get rid of them instead. Of
our current party, Deanna, Natasha, Graham, Chester, May, Claude, and Sarah
will all be in the final party, alongside Rush and Nick (that's 9) meaning
that our last 3 spots will likely be Higins, Eric, and Randolf. Even if Higins
never levels (which one level does wonders as he learns Blaze 2) he is still
super useful for soaking up magic damage
-In each battle with a Demon Master, make sure that you minimize
casualties by using expendable people to get hit. Higins is great for this and
will even survive. You need to be able to swoop in, so make sure your people
are spaced properly but not too far away.
-When you get Rush, I'd likely Egress (revive from the previous battle)
and put him in your party. Leave either Slade or Luke dead in your party, as
Nick will replace them when he joins. Barbara's battle is honestly pretty
easy as the Demon Master is right in the front, so you can defeat it right
away or reset because you lost half your party to Freeze 3
-The battle with Death Walldoll is the hardest in the game as there are
two sources of Freeze 3. Luckily the treasure doesn't matter. This is where
you will LOVE having Higins and Rush. Death Walldoll is tough, but he'll go
down. Freeze 3 does a ton of damage to him.
-Warderer's battle is a total sham, but that's because of the Freeze bug.
Enemies here hit pretty hard during a speedrun.
-You'll likely need to Egress before Iom, that's OK. Make sure your stuff
is set up properly.
-For the actual Iom fight, use Chester and Graham to blow the right Iom
figure (it can hurt us while attacking the main Iom) so we can ignore the
left one. The dolls respawn just like Armed Skeletons, so we have to address
them mostly. Actually, we don't. Higins can easily distract the one on the
left and should survive most of, if not, all the battle, as two Healing Rains
should come out basically after each Demon Breath from Iom. The healer on the
right drops a Healing Rain, that we need to go after (put em both on Deanna
I think) and let Deanna block the Doll (so kill this one). One or two Freeze
3's make short work of it. Iom has a ton of health, but Nick can get up there
and stab (for this reason, leave the Sword of Hajya on someone like Sarah who
won't be needing to do anything her first turn) (also, Sarah learns Aura one
level from when she joins, so try to get it). Regardless, Rush, Claude, and
Deanna can go right and deal with that while Higins stalls left. Your Archers
clear the way, while your Mages and Nick set up to go after Iom. Claude can
attack from behind, and once you can get in there, do so. Don't go in until
the right Iom is down though, as double Demon Breath makes short work of our
party. Freeze 3 does a TON of damage, so drop it from afar with May and
hopefully Natasha has it as well. Her having it or not makes this battle
about 200% easier. And whambam, that's speedrunning SoH. My current best is
5 hours, 45 minutes, but I've only ran it a few times, so I'm sure it can go
lower.
----------------
| Contact Info |
----------------
[5000]
--------------
| Copyrights |
--------------
This is copyright me, Todd Lesinski AKA NoWorries. As such, you cannot use
copy any part of this guide and claim it as your own. I'm not a stickler so
long you make a reference somewhere saying that this guide was so helpful for
whatever purpose you are using this for that would be great. If you are a
cheat bastard then may a ball-eating plague be struck upon you and all
consequent men in your family until you right this wrong. Note I am also known
as tskisoccer (since it's my email)
-----------
| Contact |
-----------
If you feel the need to contact me about ANYTHING pertaining to THIS guide;
you may contact me at (AT) [.]
[email protected]
PLEASE PLEASE in the title of the e-mail put SFII GUIDE; where then in the
body of your email you can put your praises/concerns/blasphemy. If it does not
follow that format it will probably get deleted and your e-mail blocked. Cool?
--------------------
| Acknowledgements |
--------------------
Gamefaqs - For inspiring me to write guides as well as publishing them
Frolki - For getting me addicted to the SF Series
Myself - For doing all the testing, recording, writing, and analysis for
no monetary gain
You - For reading this. To date, my guides have been viewed over 100,000
times on Gamefaqs alone, which simply blows my mind, and you are
the reason that I do this, because I know that out there, people
greatly appreciate the time and effort that goes into this
Alright, that's it for now. Have a nice day now!
Length - 79386
END TEXT
