Weapon Type Limits

[Von Ithipathachai]

So I've been trying to find ways to improve my personal class tree.  One way relates to promotions; it involves splitting Cavaliers into Light Cavaliers (Swords+Lances) and Heavy Cavaliers (Lances+Axes).  I considered having their shared promotion be Gold Knight (Swords+Lances+Axes), but then I thought Generals would need another weapon to set them apart (Swords+Lances+Axes+Bows?).

Which got me thinking.  Up to how many weapons should a single class be able to access in FE Switch?

Edited October 2, 2017 by Von Ithipathachai

[Magical Glace]

I'd say no more than 3, but it really depends on how many weapon types are available.

In Awakening, for instance there are less weapon types than in Radiant Dawn, so I feel it makes some sense for RD classes to use more weapons than Awakening ones.  If that makes sense.  If an Awakening class used 4 weapons, lets say, Swords, axes, lances and bows, they'd use over half the stuff in the game.  Not so much in Radiant Dawn, though the only classes that used more than 3 were magical in that game.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Glaceon Mage

[Rezzy]

I think most classes should have no more than 2, to be honest, with an exception being made for Generals (or even Great Knights, but that's more iffy), to make Generals more viable, since they tend to be underpowered otherwise, since movement is often a big part of a unit's power level.

 

That being said, if you divide magic up into Wind, Fire, Lightning, like Tellius, that could make a unit have more than 3, since I tend to lump Anima magic into one category anyway.

[Emperor Hardin]

Why should there be a limit, it kinda loses fun when there's a limit.

I like it when Generals can wield all physical weapons, gives them a niche. At the very least, they should have the whole weapon triangle.

[Rezzy]

9 minutes ago, Emperor Hardin said:

Why should there be a limit, it kinda loses fun when there's a limit.

I like it when Generals can wield all physical weapons, gives them a niche. At the very least, they should have the whole weapon triangle.

I agree that Generals should get Swords, Lances, and Axes, but Bows are more iffy.  Maybe a bigger history buff than me can say, but I don't think I've ever see a historical example of archers in full plate armor.

[Emperor Hardin]

5 minutes ago, Rezzy said:

I agree that Generals should get Swords, Lances, and Axes, but Bows are more iffy.  Maybe a bigger history buff than me can say, but I don't think I've ever see a historical example of archers in full plate armor.

It depends on the armor armor, yes. Arms need to be flexible and strong to use bows, too much armor on the arms can impede bow usage.

But then again FE isn't realistic a lot of the time.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Emperor Hardin

[bethany81707]

4 hours ago, Rezzy said:

I agree that Generals should get Swords, Lances, and Axes, but Bows are more iffy.  Maybe a bigger history buff than me can say, but I don't think I've ever see a historical example of archers in full plate armor.

Not like Warriors look any better with bows. I'm worried those guys are going to snap the poor thing.

[Interdimensional Observer]

5 minutes ago, phineas81707 said:

Not like Warriors look any better with bows. I'm worried those guys are going to snap the poor thing.

If it snaps, they get really angry and just run up and punch the damn foe right in the kisser! At least the bows they use in the GBA games look visually larger than the ones used by Archers- now those would break for sure.

 

The rule should be 2 weapon types per class, with 1 for unpromoteds and monomasters. 3 or more should be the exception, and a balanced exception- no Paladins with full WTC as in the GBA games. Generals getting 3 or 4 physical weapon types is fine by me (and if normal bows are a no, then give them Crossbows- that wasn't a bad idea).

[UNLEASH IT]

For me, weapon ranks are more important. If I promote a unit from Mercenary to Hero, don't stick me with an E-rank in axes. The same goes for class changes.

[X-Naut]

I agree with keeping it down to the standard 1->[1 or 2] formula with a few exceptions that's been maintained throughout the series since FE9, too many weapon types create an overload effect and far more redundancies. Just be sensible with who those exceptions are.

[Rezzy]

25 minutes ago, phineas81707 said:

Not like Warriors look any better with bows. I'm worried those guys are going to snap the poor thing.

To be fair, pulling an actual bow requires a fair bit of strength.  It's not as easy as it looks.

[bethany81707]

4 minutes ago, Rezzy said:

To be fair, pulling an actual bow requires a fair bit of strength.  It's not as easy as it looks.

I've read Ranger's Apprentice. I'm just thinking there's a slight difference from 'Halt-strong' to 'Horace-strong': and Garcia, Boyd, Bartre, etc look like they've got much more muscle and bulk than Horace. Also, when I saw their animations, the bows looked small to me, but I haven't seen those animations that recently...

[Acacia Sgt]

I'd say, 3 sounds like a good max limit. But well, it really depends on the amount of weapon types overall. But 3 still sounds like a good number. But it should probably be limited, with most classes sticking to 2 or so.

Alternatively... use all!

Okay, maybe not like this.

Also, with the topic about bows and armor. FE Archers began armored (not in the "weak to the armourslayer" sense, though). Can be seen in their NES sprites.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Acacia Sgt

[NekoKnight]

For promoted units, I think it should be 1 weapon for specialists (Sniper, Swordmaster, etc.), 2 for most classes and 3 for a few select "weapon masters" (Master of Arms, Great Knight, etc). Letting units use too many weapon types makes them overlap with other classes too much.

I like what Fates did by having weapon ranks set at A for the main weapon and B for the secondary. The only thing I would change is ensure that units will only promote to classes that use their starting weapon as the main weapon (Fighter!Heroes had Axes capped at B, which was a problem). Alternatively, a character's starting weapon would determine their max weapon rank.

Edited October 2, 2017 by NekoKnight

[SavageVolug]

For most classes I think 3 types of weapons is fine especially those that have average or more movement. In the case of Generals though who have less than average movement I think giving them bows helps to bypass this hindrance, it also gives players more of an incentive to select the General class over Great knight. For most other classes though I feel up to 3 is fine. Say for instance- Pegasus get Lance, Sword, Staff Wyverns- Lance, Axe, Sword, Gold Knights and Great Knights get Sword, Lance, Axe etc Mages get to wield an additional magic element and wield staves. I would like to see Great Knight restricted to the Armor knight class line. I would like to see classes that wield multiple weapon ranks be able to at least achieve A for all weapon types although I personally think that there's no reason why all classes cannot achieve S rank in at least one weapon type.

[goodperson707]

I think it's tied up in how they handle classes and other factors but generally 2 and at most 3 is the way I think they've been going for quite a while. (More 3s seems achievable, any more would probably need change in other areas)