Leveling up Mist?

[NegativeExponents-]

Ok so I decided to go back and finish PoR, which I started a couple months ago and just left on hold, and I was wondering if I should bother leveling up Mist.

I’m currently on chapter 12 and Mist is 10 meanwhile Rhys is at 17. The reason Rhys is over-leveled is because I took advantage of the bexp since I hate leveling up healers so I just dumped most of it on him before I got Mist.

Should I just stick to Rhys and bench Mist or is there any reason I would want to keep Mist around?

[Vaximillian]

There will be a Major Fight™ where you’ll only have Ike and Mist, so having Mist at least somewhat levelled up won’t hurt. The fight is escapable though, however you get a different “reward” for doing so.

[Refa]

You can just promote Mist at level 10 for that fight TBH.

[redlight]

Mist becomes a mounted healer upon promotion. It's the reason why I use her over Rhys. Plus you're probably going to give your sages staves anyway

[Logjam]

I used both, but Mist is definitely worth using and even using over Rhys because her promotion is mounted and required for that battle later on.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

Mist's only usage is really for this mentioned battle besides being mounted while Rhys is the only unit in the game who's able to use light magic which sucks btw because
1. light tomes weigh too much for him
2. it has no weapon advantage since dark magic doesn't exist

Otherwise you can get along without any locked staff users. The best healers are actually the mages (Soren, Ilyana...) 

When you Mist promote at level 10 - what I highly recommend because leveling takes forever - don't expect from her being good in combat. She can become a really damn good magic weapon user, but then you have to sacrifice lots of bexp. in her. And honestly it's not worth the effort imo.

I'm not a fan of both, but Mist helps in this battle which can be done without her just with pure luck.
 

[thecrimsonflash]

Mist is pretty good, she can serve some different niches that wrys can't like killing mages, then comes the duel, I'd just say have mist heal at every opportunity with the best staff she can use, also throw some bexp at her when you can, I typically don't bother with early promotions but you could go for that to.

[Interdimensional Observer]

Mist is stuck with Swords on promotion, but she can deal decent magic damage in a pinch if you get her to B Swords (she starts with D) to use the Sonic Sword. The Arms Scrolls or a Steel Sword forge would help here.

If you don't want to use Mist, consider fielding Volke and having him steal a few Physics for Rhys, though Mist can use them too, which offer 22 EXP per use, double a Heal's. If you're on anything less than Hard, you can also buy Ward staffs in Chapter 17, which you can spam without needing anyone nearby to heal.

I typically use Mist, but the difference between her and Rhys isn't big if you're just using them as healers.

[NegativeExponents-]

I suppose it’s time to start using Mist and spamming staffs then because my Ike happens to be Strength screwed (only 9 str at level 14) and I’m not sure how difficult said battle will be.

any other tips that might be useful for a beginner would also be appreciated.

Edited February 19, 2018 by NegativeExponents-

[Aircalipoor]

Quote

any other tips that might be useful for a beginner would also be appreciated.

Ike promotes after chapter 17, so have him at  high level. Only three of your units can damage the final boss and Ike is your best bet. If hie Strength is still low, then teach him Resolve (obtainable in chapter 27) and Wrath for the best results.

[Interdimensional Observer]

1 hour ago, NegativeExponents- said:

I suppose it’s time to start using Mist and spamming staffs then because my Ike happens to be Strength screwed (only 9 str at level 14) and I’m not sure how difficult said battle will be.

any other tips that might be useful for a beginner would also be appreciated.

That Ike is 2.5 points below average on Str. If you want to, there are two Energy Drops in the game you could give him.

The battle requires that Ike defeat a certain enemy before so many turns pass (I forget the exact number). If he does, you recruit a certain character, if he doesn't or you opt to have Ike escape the battle, you get a different character that has more potential to grow, but starts weaker. You only have two fights left at that point, so you might as well try for the former. The ending is also a bit happier if you get the stronger character.

Strats for this fight are:

1. If Ike lands every hit with max Str, he should be able to kill the enemy just in time.
2. Wrath and or Adept.
3. Aether.

All require some luck. In addition, a few enemy reinforcements will eventually show up, including a Bishop with Physic (two on Hard I think) who will heal the enemy you must kill sometimes. Mist with a Steel forge or Brave Sword might be able to kill it though, it shows up in the northeast on that map.

 

Path of Radiance isn't that difficult on any difficulty below the Japan-only Maniac. Pretty much anyone is usable, even if, assuming no stat screwage, the mounted units are best. So have fun, pick whoever you like.

 

For the final boss, well they're a cinch on Easy and Normal, but on Hard, enter their movement range and they will move, which they will also start moving on Turn 9 if you haven't entered their range yet. Ike, a Gotoh-type character you can select from one of three, and the character you recruit from the aforementioned luck battle are the only ones that can hurt it. On Hard, you can't get your Gotoh until after a certain point in the fight with the final boss, so before that, you'll need Ike or the luck battle character to defeat them.

If Ike is really terribly screwed statistically beyond all hope by that point, just remove some skills from the luck battle character to give them Resolve let them handle it.

 

By the way, if you aren't using a guide, there are two characters that aren't easy to recruit. The first is getting Shinon back, when you see him again, talk to him with Rolf, and then "kill" him with Ike, don't worry, he won't die. The other is recruitable in the desert chapter:

Spoiler

You see the space marked with the Vague Katti? Step on that space with Lethe or Mordecai to recruit the character in question- make sure no other playable steps on that space beforehand, or you don't the character. 

 

For Chapter 19, make sure that when you were given the choice in Chapter 18, you recruited the three characters offered to you before the battle begins (there is very very very little reason not to, all you get is a crappy Renewal scroll). Then in Chapter 19, you will see one very powerful enemy on the map, who is accompanied their distinctive troops. Have one of the two units not so fragile you got in the C18 choice talk to that enemy, and make sure you field the fragile unit as well. The deadly foe in question has a relatively weak range 2 attack you can bait them safely with. Once talked to, the enemy will stop attacking you on their phase and move towards the fragile character and if possible talk to them, or you can have the fragile unit talk to the enemy in question. Once done, the enemy and his forces will immediately turn into NPCs and begin leaving the battlefield. If you didn't hurt/kill any of that bad guy's troops-now NPCs, they will give you the Knight Ring, the only one in the game, plus a bunch of BEXP.

 

Lastly, in another fight, you will see many many Priests, and also a few Bishops- do not kill a single one of them (the chapter is a boss kill), and you'll be given the S ranked Ashera Staff afterwards, alongside a large amount of BEXP. The desert chapter also gives BEXP for every enemy you spare, but it will be hard saving everyone if you want all the treasure too. Just save a few of them if you can.

 

Actually, one more thing. Jill should not engage in battle with the, stationary, boss of Chapter 20, unless they have a A Mist or B Lethe Support (or both). Failure to heed this warning will result in Jill betraying you permanently. You won't be able to get them back at all. And speaking of Jill, make sure to field her in Chapter 23, but leave her in the starting area with a few other allies who handle a couple of reinforcements.

[NegativeExponents-]

@Aircalipoor thanks, I’m nearing chapter 17 (currently ch 14) so I’ll try to get Ike some more levels before then.

@Interdimensional Observer Wow, some of that seems terribly arbitrary. Outside of the BEXP guide on Serenes I’m not really using a guide so I would’ve never even considered to “kill” a character to recruit them or a Jill a permanently betraying us.

Also, it’s true that PoR hasn’t been terribly hard but it was a struggle to get all the treasure on Ch 13 thanks to the birds and the Black Knight caught me by surprise Ch 11 and killed Zihark (worst part was I expecting him due to that Heroes map I just didn’t know when)

[Interdimensional Observer]

2 hours ago, NegativeExponents- said:

 Wow, some of that seems terribly arbitrary. Outside of the BEXP guide on Serenes I’m not really using a guide so I would’ve never even considered to “kill” a character to recruit them or a Jill a permanently betraying us.

It's only engaging the boss that triggers the Jill betrayal, very easy to avoid, you'll understand how it could happen when you get to the chapter. If you're using her as a normal part of your team and she happens to have the A Mist or B Lethe, it might be worth having her fight the boss, it's a good conversation.

Likewise, you'll understand most of the other things when you get there. The Shinon re-recruitment is obscure, but the dialogue of Shinon's "death" if properly done explains why he lives, albeit it isn't said why Rolf is directly necessary- Ike never even learns Shinon is Rolf's mentor.

As for the desert recruitment, you do get the littlest of hints for that, and if you step on the one tile with the wrong character, you do get to see the character, they're just not interested in joining. I only have recruited them on a normal basis because I had the good old Nintendo Power guide when I started PoR, but otherwise it is really really really luck-based that anyone would stumble on the character blindly. Which is probably why said character isn't half bad, they're a reward for being so lucky. They return of course in RD, just as much a pain to recruit.

 

I forgot to mention there are two other separate characters whose recruitment that isn't hard, the characters are impossible to miss, but you get no hint at all as to who you're supposed to use. Fortunately, I believe if you flip through the unit list page after beginning a battle (the one where everyone is listed vertically with Level, EXP, and HP shown to the right), you should be able to toggle the information to show who can Talk to who in that fight. Using this, you can figure out who you need to chat up with these two characters.

 

2 hours ago, NegativeExponents- said:

Also, it’s true that PoR hasn’t been terribly hard but it was a struggle to get all the treasure on Ch 13 thanks to the birds and the Black Knight caught me by surprise Ch 11 and killed Zihark (worst part was I expecting him due to that Heroes map I just didn’t know when)

Heads up, the BK does make a sudden appearance in another chapter, but not until much much later. Just don't linger in the starting zone for that fight (you have no reason to really). You can leave him alone, or you can have Ike fight him once to force his retreat, it has an effect on the post-chapter dialogue, but no reward or anything. 

Edited February 20, 2018 by Interdimensional Observer

[Emperor Hardin]

Personally I prefer Rhys as Bishop has better caps and isn't stuck with swords for offense.

[Samias]

Rhys is fine, but Mist has a distinct mobility advantage (horse, including canto after actions) and has way better speed and a little better luck, which translates to about a 10 more avoid (or more, if Rhys uses anything heavier than Light) if both units are around the same level. Both are extremely bad at combat, as Light tomes have low MT and too high weight for Rhys to use them effectively, destroying his avoid and attack speed in the process and leaving him open to getting doubled. Mist has anemic offense with swords unless she gets enough WEXP to use the magic swords, but won't have weight issues with the Sonic Sword if she gets to use it. Still, the sword only has so many uses and Mist doesn't really have offense without it.

I feel Mist is the better unit, but if you've heavily invested in Rhys already it's fine to bench Mist.

[Shadow Mir]

12 hours ago, Emperor Hardin said:

Personally I prefer Rhys as Bishop has better caps and isn't stuck with swords for offense.

Bishop has better caps in what, magi and resistance, and that's it..??? Bah. And I don't think being stuck with the awfulness that is PoR light magic is any better, FYI.

Edited February 20, 2018 by Levant Mir Celestia

[Snowy_One]

First off... You don't need to level Mist up for said fight. Unless you're looking for 100% completion/carry over it's okay to run. Even without it you can still win said fight without Mist. It's just less RNG-based (though it still kind of is).

Anyways. The main issue with this situation is that Rhys is already leveled up while Mist is not. It sounds like Rhys is going to promote soon and you're starting to near the promotion point. So here's what I'm going to say.

1) What mages are you going to use? Soren, Ilyana, and Tormod can all pick up staffs on promotion (and knives blow). If you're using two, or maybe even one, of them, it may not be worth leveling up Mist and, instead, focusing on getting one them them to promote instead.

2) What's your team comp? Both of them can offer good supports to good units (Titania, Mia, Keiran for Rhys and Titania, Boyd, Jill for Mist). Mist's element is better but that's all for naught if you're deploying Keiran. There's a whole lot of philosophy involved in the supports but 'which units are you actually using' is near the top.

3) Mist relies on swords to attack. This means that she's either going to need attack-boosting supports (her 20/20 STR is only 16) or the Sonic Sword (which has limited uses and will need mending via Hammerine). Rhys relies on Light tomes which are terrible and he's not fast anyways (20/20 speed of, like, 21), but he's also the only unit who can use Purge and his weapons are easily replacable/he won't rely on supports.

4) How keen are you on speed completion? Mist's mount makes her easier to use in people gunning for low turn counts, but that doesn't matter anywhere near as much if you're not moving as fast.