Jump to content

How ould you rate Ricken?


kdports
 Share

Recommended Posts

I've been thinking about using Ricken on my Hard Mode file lately. I've played Awakening before but never used Ricken. How is he as a unit? His main competition is Miriel.

EDIT: Wow spelled would wrong. I'm so proud.

Edited by kdports
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In game: Either Bad, or he gets an Arms Scroll and is fed Chapter 5 and 7.

Postgame: Fairly solid kit for either Magic Support or a Male Lead Unit. Outclassed by the kids, but most parents who aren't MU are.

As a parent: Passes Luna/Tomefaire and generally good mods for a mage. If his kit doesn't make him valuable, his mods do. One of the Galeforce boys takes him usually.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His main issues are that his class set doesn't suit his growths at all, except for Mage. While he can run as an archer or Cavalier if you reclass early, he's still going to be very mediocre, thanks to low STR and his SPD never really catching up from it's awful base, with only a 50% growth. And a Cavalier with mediocre STR, SPD and DEF isn't exactly an impressive unit. Good other stats don't make up for the big three lacking.

So that really means he's going to be running Mage and it's related classes, pretty much. And in my experience, he does those okay, except he lacks in speed, meaning you really want to give him a +SPD pair up. But still, the lack of reclass options really hurts, since reclassing is such a powerful mechanic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His main issues are that his class set doesn't suit his growths at all, except for Mage. While he can run as an archer or Cavalier if you reclass early, he's still going to be very mediocre, thanks to low STR and his SPD never really catching up from it's awful base, with only a 50% growth. And a Cavalier with mediocre STR, SPD and DEF isn't exactly an impressive unit. Good other stats don't make up for the big three lacking.

So that really means he's going to be running Mage and it's related classes, pretty much. And in my experience, he does those okay, except he lacks in speed, meaning you really want to give him a +SPD pair up. But still, the lack of reclass options really hurts, since reclassing is such a powerful mechanic.

I'll have to agree with this, really - though honestly, there's not much worth grabbing from his other reclasses anyhow (the best you could do is Luna). Also, that base 5 speed bites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll have to agree with this, really - though honestly, there's not much worth grabbing from his other reclasses anyhow (the best you could do is Luna). Also, that base 5 speed bites.

I'd say the other reclasses do have some better options, it's just the issue is actually switching out in the first place. Cavalier gives lots of very useful skills - Discipline, Aegis, Luna, Dual Guard+ all potentially are very useful skills. And Archer is notoriously bad for it's skill options, but at least Bowbreaker can be nice while Hit+20 is good if you're going support. And considering what he can get in Mage - Tomefaire and Lifetaker are nice, but Slow Burn is bad and Rally Magic as his only rally isn't good, and MAG+2 and Focus are pretty much just filler level strength. If he could get the skills from Cavalier, I'm sure it'd be very worthwhile, it's just that being not in a magic class is really not what you'd want Ricken to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Based on this evidence I would rate Ricken 10/10

Without that evidence though:

His bases are pretty bad for the point he joins in though he can at least be fed some wyverns fairly trivially in his join chapter thanks to Elwind. And his magic usually does enough damage to where it isn't too hard to finish off weakened enemies to get him some kills. The only reason to actually use him is because he's got the most potential magic for Rescue. A tomefaire-powered Ricken can rescue a unit from pretty far, which is pretty useful for rescue chains. Aside from Rescue (and the potential Celica's Gale), he's really mediocre. Having spd problems without a spd pair up and sometimes even with the pairup. For example, my latest Lunatic Sage Ricken could only double C16 Heroes (28 Spd) after Rally Speed from Cordelia and Rally Spectrum from the Avatar + spd pairup. He's a mediocre unit that's fixable due to circumstances. He's not too bad as Cavalier imo, the cavalier reclass str and def bonuses are pretty big and i think it also gives him some spd, as well as discipline so that he gets out of bronze soon enough. Archer is atrocious until he gets to Bow Knight though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ricken can be a decent primary combat unit in-game, if he gets a +Spd Pair Up (Gregor also gives +Def, which is nice). Compared to Miriel, he can probably go Dark Knight and have more move than her, while also being a passable tank with actually decent Def. I think Miriel typically likes going Dark Mage to cover her durability? Compared to many other units, attacking Res can be quite useful against Knights/Wyverns, combined with the fact other people are using 2 mt Javelins for their 1-2 range while Ricken can have 10 Mt Arcthunder or 18 Mt Arcwind against fliers. In my experience, he doesn’t actually require that much investment to get going and could have Celica’s Gale from Renown or Spotpass to help him along.

Cavelier!Ricken is pretty funny and it does work because that class tree is so strong ingame (just give him Sully or Panne support, something with Str/Spd), but obviously he’s outclassed (by a lot more characters. Avatar obviously always outclasses).

I suppose it may be notable that Ricken requires less exp to promote than Miriel and has more Magic/faster leveling than Lissa/Maribelle, making him a good candidate for another Rescue Staff user, after Libra/Anna. He also has very accurate and decently strong chip damage, as well as full move in the desert, which makes him decent filler. So he has some niches there.

Edited by XeKr
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say the other reclasses do have some better options, it's just the issue is actually switching out in the first place. Cavalier gives lots of very useful skills - Discipline, Aegis, Luna, Dual Guard+ all potentially are very useful skills. And Archer is notoriously bad for it's skill options, but at least Bowbreaker can be nice while Hit+20 is good if you're going support. And considering what he can get in Mage - Tomefaire and Lifetaker are nice, but Slow Burn is bad and Rally Magic as his only rally isn't good, and MAG+2 and Focus are pretty much just filler level strength. If he could get the skills from Cavalier, I'm sure it'd be very worthwhile, it's just that being not in a magic class is really not what you'd want Ricken to do.

Huh. Though this is Ricken-centered, Tharja also has the same problem, only she has even less that'd be useful - Luna, Dual Guard+, and Pavise are about all that's worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Huh. Though this is Ricken-centered, Tharja also has the same problem, only she has even less that'd be useful - Luna, Dual Guard+, and Pavise are about all that's worth it.

I was replying to that

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Based on this evidence I would rate Ricken 10/10

Without that evidence though:

With any of the children, or other units, that is also possible, you just need maxed out stats, the correct skills, and then a Luna Critical combo.

Also, that can easily be normal mode which has a weak Grima. (and it certainly isn't Lunatic)

Edited by ......
Link to comment
Share on other sites

With any of the children, or other units, that is also possible, you just need maxed out stats, the correct skills, and then a Luna Critical combo.

Also, that can easily be normal mode which has a weak Grima. (and it certainly isn't Lunatic)

It was a joke...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've solo'd Hard Mode with Ricken (Avatar til then). I don't see that much negativity in the thread towards Ricken, so idk why the Original poster made up his mind that way.

Hard mode could probably be solo'd by probably most people who join early on, though (except like Donnel). It maybe depends on how much extra stuff you allow like pair ups, renown, bonus box etc. though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hard mode could probably be solo'd by probably most people who join early on, though (except like Donnel). It maybe depends on how much extra stuff you allow like pair ups, renown, bonus box etc. though.

I tried it with Virion and I couldnt either. Ragequit really quickly haha though it might actually be possible with an early second seal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reason I made up my mind is because basically what I saw was a lot of negativity towards Ricken.

I quote:

PKL: Aside from Rescue (and the potential Celica's Gale), he's really mediocre.

Tables: His main issues are that his class set doesn't suit his growths at all, except for Mage. While he can run as an archer or Cavalier if you reclass early, he's still going to be very mediocre, thanks to low STR and his SPD never really catching up from it's awful base, with only a 50% growth. And a Cavalier with mediocre STR, SPD and DEF isn't exactly an impressive unit. Good other stats don't make up for the big three lacking.

Airship Cannon: In game: Either Bad, or he gets an Arms Scroll and is fed Chapter 5 and 7.

Postgame: Fairly solid kit for either Magic Support or a Male Lead Unit. Outclassed by the kids, but most parents who aren't MU are.

Really all I see on this thread is either negativity towards Ricken and/or that he is a mediocre unit. Now that I've made up my mind, your gonna have a hard time changing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...