Optimal way to spread out exp in chapters 1-6 for each path?

[Faellin]

Should I just funnel all the exp into Corrin during this time? I know thats the optimal thing to do for conquest since the only characters from this part who rejoin are Corrin, Azura, and Kaze.

But what about birthright and revelations? Is it still best to give Corrin that strong exp lead?

All I know is don't funnel any exp onto Gunter due to him being gone entirely in BR, and conquest he joins so late that it shouldn't be bothered with (Also those growth rates)

[BAC_BAC]

For Birthright, it doesn't really matter as all the characters from chapter 5 will immediately carry over. Feel free to give exp to all the units you want to use.

Things are similar for Revelations as all characters will eventually be playable again, though some rejoin later than others. Again, fell free to give exp to units you plan to use.

If you REALLY want to maximize exp gain, you can have Jakob or Felicia use up their Heal staff since they rejoin with a full staff in chapter 6, even if it broke earlier. You can do the same with Sakura in chapter 5 but only if you're playing Revelations.

[starburst]

I only play Conquest, and when I play as female Corrin I do not use Jakob (he is at level 6 by the end of the game.)
The goal here is to level-up Corrin to level 10, the servant to level 5 and Kaze to level 8 by the end of Chapter 6.
 

Chapter 2
- Corrin reaches level 5 by defeating all units, in particular, Kaze and Rinkah, who grant over 50 Exp points each.
- The servant should end close to level 2 by healing (even if it is 1 HP) and weakening (but never defeating) units.
- Gunter is only there to protect the servant through positioning. Kaze should be defeated before he attacks (and weakens) him, or the samurai will suicide on him. Make sure that he does not steal Exp.
 

Chapter 3
- Corrin reaches level 8 by defeating all units bar the Falcon Knights. On the northern castle, I do not grind with the self-healing archer, but I do not attack with Gunter either. Corrin, paired-up with the servant, attacks and retreats for healing.
- The servant is a backpack and a healer on the way north, and then takes care of the reinforcement Falcon Knights in the south. They reach level 4.
- Gunter is there for distraction, for example to take some arrows on the way north.
 

Chapter 4
- Ignore Rinkah.
- Corrin uses Kaze as a backpack and reaches level 8 or 9 by killing all enemies bar the four Faceless on the mountain.
- Kaze gets one or two levels by defeating two or three 'mountain' Faceless.
· When attacking the 'mountain' Faceless, remember that you can retreat and be healed by Sakura. Just make sure to be out of their attack range when retreating, and to reach the Dragon Vein tile when re-entering, so that the Faceless do not follow you and get killed by Ryoma or Hinoka.
- Ryoma is a fucking Exp stealer. Defeat everyone before he arrives.
 

Chapter 5
- Kaze uses Rinkah as a backpack and reaches level 8 by defeating every enemy bar one mercenary (the one east at the start of the mission) and the boss.
· He will join your party exactly six levels above his level at the end of this chapter. And even if you will not use him, Corrin only gains a couple of Exp points per kill now, and there is no fun in killing everyone in one hit with Dragon Corrin.
- Azura sings to Kaze or Sakura on every turn and gains one level.
- Sakura heals everyone (mainly Kaze), even if it is just 1 HP, and gains one level.
· Keep in mind that both Sakura and Azura can sustain one hit, either magical or physical. Use this to feed Kaze as much Exp as possible.
- Dragon Corrin should only defeat one mercenary and the boss, and be at level 9 by the end of the chapter.
 

Chapter 6
- Xander just runs in circles (Ryoma needs three turns to reach him anyway.)
- Lure Hinoka/Takumi into Leo, then defeat Takumi with Corrin.
- Attack Hinoka with Camilla alone, then defeat her with the servant in attack stance.
- Lure Yukimura into Leo, then defeat him with Corrin (or the servant, if Corrin is already at level 10.)
- The servant defeats Sakura.

Corrin should be at level 10, the servant at level 5 and Kaze at level 7-8.

Edited March 27, 2018 by starburst

[Johnnie]

I fail to understand why you don't use Jakob in Conquest. He's arguably one of the best units in the game.

 

As for the other units, having Kaze around level 5 or so makes him useable in any path, and Rinkah doesn't need any levels before level 7 in Birthright.

[starburst]

6 hours ago, Johnnie said:

I fail to understand why you don't use Jakob in Conquest. He's arguably one of the best units in the game.

I assume that this comment was directed towards me and not to the original poster. If this is not the case, I am sorry.

I focus on 12-14 units and ignore the rest. The thing here is that Jakob never makes the cut because I do not like him as a character.
In this campaign, Arthur, Nyx, Laslow, Peri, Charlotte, Benny, Felicia and Shura have zero Exp points. While Selena, Beruka, Keaton and Gunter gained only some Exp points because they were used in guard- or attack-stance during their recruitment chapters, but were never deployed afterwards.

Even if one ignores his 'personality', Jakob is in my experience a bad 'leveller.' Granted, Niles, Xander and even Silas are bad 'levellers' too, but I find them (way) more useful than Jakob. Not to mention that when people praise Jakob, they usually mean 're-classed Jakob', either through a Heart Seal or after marrying Corrin.
Does Paladin Jakob (or any class you want to grant him) ease early game? Sure. Do I need it? Nope. Not in Lunatic, and certainly not in Hard Mode.

Jakob is redundant in Chapter 7 (where Effie can sustain any choke point indefinitely as long as Elise is behind her); not needed in Chapter 8 with Archer Mozu (I either do not deploy Jakob or only use him to help Effie cross the lake), and again redundant in Chapter 9. Whatever it is that re-classed Jakob does, can be done by somebody else just as effectively.

In Chapter 10, where every unit comes in handy, I fail to see the niche of re-classed Jakob. Repel the Oni gangs? Silas and Odin do it. Repel the archers? Effie does it. Hold the south-west position? Camilla does it. March south-east? Corrin with any pair-up does it. Take care of the pesky Falcon Knights? Mozu and Beruka do it.
And I am every careful of support-building during this chapter, where I usually keep pairing-up Effie & Niles, Silas & Mozu, and Corrin & Odin, so that their daughters are 'unlocked' as early as possible. Thus, it is not that I am super efficient or anything. I simply do not need a re-classed Jakob.
Chapter 11 is free Experience.

I usually sweat more in Chapter 12 than in Chapter 10, but panic-button Camilla is always there. I mean, she usually gains her first level-up in Chapter 16 or so, thus it is not that I rely on pre-promotes. And if a daughter is present (say, Sophie), the mission is even easier.

I am not sure where 'early game' ends, but you get the idea.

 

I did not argue about which unit 'deserves' the early Hear Seal or Partner Seal because it is a matter of choice. I, for one, like Odin and invest on him (he has been an amazing Fighter » Berserker on this campaign.) If you like Jakob, that is fine; I simply fail to see his greatness. But it may all be that I dislike him.