Rate the Unit, Day 3: Alan and Lance

[Integrity]

Dat Rules

- Ratings are assumed to be on Hard Mode.

- Votes need some explanation regarding their gameplay performance to be counted. If somebody has already given good reason for a score +/- half a point from yours, you can decide not to explain your score, but I always encourage personal reasoning. Incredibly low scores or high scores without proper justification will not be counted. Don't put in some random text thinking it'd count as justification. Put in at least a little thought and give REAL reasoning.

+/- ≤1 point extra regarding personality/appearance is encouraged, but no more. If you exercise your bias privileges, please do so explicitly.

- Numerical votes out of 10, or something proportional to it. Make it easy to calculate for my sake.

- Every ranking phase ends whenever I get out of bed, between 0700 and 0800 EST. Do the math for your timezone, Brits.

- I will insist you do not use the "Not X" reason on any character, where X is another unit. If you do, your vote will be thrown out.

- Ratings for characters should always assume the gameplay route YOU judge them best on. If I see "doesn't exist in sacae" ANYWHERE in your rating for Juno I will be very cross and will probably throw out your vote out of spite.

- I withhold the privilege to tell you your rating is bogus and demand you revise it if it breaks any of the above. I will not throw out votes anonymously, you will be informed and given a chance to revise.

AVERAGES

Roy: 3.54

Marcus: 8.77

why have separate days for them anyway, most people will probably give them the same score differentiated by bias points or osmethne

may do the same for lot and ward just for thematic reasons

Edited March 6, 2012 by Integrity

[Shin]

Ponies with great stats and availability. One doubles earlier, one ORKO's earlier, there's not much else to say. You'd have to be a mad horse hater to not like them!

8.5/10 each.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Dokutayuu

[Frosty]

DAT AWESOME DUO!

I like them! They're already available at the beginning of the game; like Shin stated Lance doubles enemies earlier while Alan smashes stuff earlier.

They also have an insane support pool; housing a variety of decent to good bonuses! Being that one is the Roy/Lance/Alan support triangle which gives them both insane offenses! RIDICULOUS! The madness doesn't stop there once they promote; they can have the option to use Axes and pair that with that support bonus they have already! Problem is that they kinda lose a bit of AS to some of the Axes.

Let's say, you'll end up with a duo that are already obtainable at the start and becomes some of the best in-game units as they have great combat flexibility and awesome stats altogether!

Of course, I'll rate them separately since I'm kinda leaning towards the latter one.

Ahh... screw the edits! Since some people are split rating em'...

Alan: 10.0, Lance: 9.5

P.S That glaring rating at Alan is due to bias powers especially Axes upon promotion. DO WANT PLZ!.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Frostbite

[Baldrick]

I'd point out that this is unfair on the str/def cav, but skill is actually important in this game, so...

These guys are pretty solid for the whole game. They have two weapons, are above-average at combat, and can move far. They're best used as a team. But, they're pretty bland character wise, and don't really do anything spectacular, so they have trouble standing out enough to get a shot at a legendary weapon. 8/10 sounds about right.

So:

4 for Alan

4 for Lance

[PKL]

Horseas with great availability. Can support eliwood. Oh wait, no thats not eliwood...and can support each other. I prefer the green cavity in every game myself since they seem to better. So lance gets a slightly higher vote from me. 9/10 (5 for lance and 4 for alan)

[Elieson]

Max availability cavs with very expected stats. Good support chain, especially with the delicate little lord.

WTControl. Horses. Overall above average growths.

But Alan has worse skill in a game where it's necessary. It's not that much, but this is a game where it counts.

Alan gets a 8+1 from me. I love his hair.

Lance gets a 8.5-1 from me. I hate his pallettes.

[Refa]

If Marcus gets 10/10 for being awesome for the first half of the game and good for the 2nd half of the game, surely Alan/Lance should get the same for being the opposite.

10/10

Edited March 6, 2012 by Refa

[Integrity]

Baldrick, PKL: you're rating each separately, not the two as a team. Unless your votes are actually 4/10 for Alan and 4/10 for Lance, in which case I'll request a bit more justification for why they're so low.

[PKL]

Oh, sorry. Alan gets a 8/10. Lance gets a 9/10. I prefer the green cavvy in every game and lance seems to have more skl and spd, so he gets to doubling faster. Alan may have trouble at the beginning at ORKO'ing things with his meh spd. Both will probably turn out fine though.

[Duff Ostrich]

I used to argue that Rutger (or even Dieck) was the best unit in the game, though I no longer believe that. I now give that distinction to Lance, so he'll get my one perfect score.

The only meaningful difference between Alan and Lance is starting speed, which is separated by two points. This gives Alan the potential to be doubled by early game mercs and nomads, and more importantly makes it considerably more difficult to double axe fighters early on. The skill difference matters as well, if only for a few chapters. I give Alan Thany's slim lance as a result, and I'd argue that's the best use of it. He at least has the strength and con to hit double digit attack without weighing himself down.

They've both got some of the easiest and best supports in the game, and they can form a triangle with a required unit. Fire/Anima supports are the gold standard.

It's impossible to rate these guys without gushing. They're the second and third best units in chapter 1 and the first and second best units in chapter 21. Who compares? Rutger, Dieck, Percival, Clarine, the dancers, maybe Miledy? No one quite measures up. High stats, move, supports, availability, and unbeatable weapon versatility. The worst thing about them is the relative lack of knight crests, though the second one you get after chapter 15 will almost certainly go to whichever cavalier didn't get the first one. I will not hold it against either of them.

10.0 (Lance)

9.5 (Alan)

Edited March 6, 2012 by Duff Ostrich

[Peppy]

Alan:

This guy is awesome, just awesome...

His HP, Strength and Defense have good bases and decent growths. He can do great damage to enemies and once he actually doubles, it just gets better...

Alan gets a 9.5 from me and that includes the +1 Bias Point!

Lance:

This guy doesn't really appeal to me as much but he is still cool!

He is more focused on Skill and Speed. His growths are a bit more balanced that Alan's. He can Double things more easily but his Strength is just slightly mediocre in the beginning. If strength doesn't go good for you, i tend to use Axes for this guy if his skill is up to par...

Lance gets a 8 from me. No Bias!

Edited March 6, 2012 by PeppyHare4000

[Elieson]

Peppy, what about lance?

[Peppy]

Peppy, what about lance?

Didn't notice the title, Just edited it now!

[I.M. Gei]

9.5/10 for both from me.

[tiff]

Don't really think the differences between the two are significant enough to warrant different scores so 9/10 for both.

[Renall]

I'm going 9.5/10. For either, for both, whatever. As far as I'm concerned, they're the same guy, and more critically, they're a team. There will be subtle differences between them that can amplify or change between playthroughs, but one thing that never changes is that the two of them build up into a very solid, very awesome killing team that eventually becomes an overpowering steamroller.

Most notably, and why I can't rate each separately, is their support with each other. They're the best and most obvious choices for one another, and Fire/Anima gives delicious full Attack and Avoid plus a bit of everything else. Even a C, which they will get in just a couple maps, is great, and since they match movement and work so well together getting up to B or A is hardly impossible. They also have a great support with Roy, yet another Fire; if they can build him to at least a C for each, and if they stick around him (not always likely or compatible with playstyle, of course), he gives them yet more Attack.

They have WTC and they leverage it well; at 9 CON, they can get slowed a little by some Lances, but on promotion they'll get +2 and be able to wield Javelins without AS loss, plus decently wield Axes. Hit actually matters in FE6, and the weapon triangle has some teeth (+/- 10 isn't the most it's ever been, but it's not meaningless in this game either), which is a point in their favor for sure.

[whase]

I don't quite feel like explaining myself right now, might give an explanation later today.

8/10 to both of them

[General Horace]

I'll give Lance an 8 for earlier doubling, and Alan and 7.5 for being slightly worse offensively until much later on, when it doesn't matter as much.

They're both pretty mediocre in HM, you pretty much have to choose one of them and run with them

[Ein]

They both get a 8/10 from me. Saying why they're so great is redundant.

[Raven]

Of the two, I've only used Lance once, and Alan not even once.

Lance did not impress. He couldn't ORKO anything, even as a promoted Paladin. I suppose his high movement saves his score from going lower.

Lance = 60%

Alan, haven't used him, but he doesn't look all that different at all to be honest. A bit stronger than Lance thanks to a higher base str, but also a bit slower.

Alan = 65%

[Duff Ostrich]

They're both pretty mediocre in HM, you pretty much have to choose one of them and run with them

Mediocre? They hit the top of every tier list (rank, efficiency, whatever) thanks to an unbeatable combination of everything going right for them. Plus they are most effective when played together. Even an unpromoted level 20 Alan (waiting for a knight crest from chapter 15) will be more of a contribution to the team than most other people thanks to strong stats and supports. Once promoted they get immediate access to a variety of axes and can crush the weapon triangle under their boot. They fill the roles of mounted units, offensive powerhouses, and tanks both in the sense of physical bulk and avoid. If these guys aren't phenomenal, then who in this game is?

[dondon151]

extremely mediocre in HM, 6 for both

@Duff: they have trouble gaining exp at a rate that will let them actually good when you're playing for low turn counts. they are outclassed at every point in the game: early on by marcus, then zealot, then miledy, then percival. even a noah that sprints to promotion has better short term utility (and will likely reach L10 before either allen or lance), and their long term potential is arguably not sufficient to warrant consideration of the knight crest over noah.

granted there are a fair number of merits for both, and their ability varies greatly based on playstyle, which is why they're not bad. but lately they have been dropping in the HM tier lists.

also they are arguably the least effective when used together in LTC play. it is very likely that they will not even be able to make 1 gained level per chapter.

Edited March 6, 2012 by dondon151

[Raven]

There are only a small number of units that are great in this game. I can probably count them with the four fingers, and maybe one thumb, on one of my hands. Alan and Lance are just top of the shit pile, in my opinion.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Raven

[Caliban of Sycorax]

They're both on horses, are the two best horses in the game barring HM!Percival, and kick some serious ass. Not to mention their awesome and fast supports with Roy and each other.

9.5/10 for both Alan and Lance.

[Thor Odinson]

I'll give Lance an 8 for earlier doubling, and Alan and 7.5 for being slightly worse offensively until much later on, when it doesn't matter as much.

They're both pretty mediocre in HM, you pretty much have to choose one of them and run with them

This pretty much. Especially since Alan has trouble doubling earlygame and Lance doubles faster but has low damage output. They never impressed me on HM much, tbh. They were still good, but not great. On NM they're fucking awesome and both would get 10s were this NM, but NM is not the premise of what we're rating here.

Except 7.5 for Lance too as a negative bias point since he doesn't want to get str like ever on most my pts. He ends up being more of a myrmchick than Fir except without the crit. Pisses me off.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Luminescent Blade