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13: Finally, Nidhogg

All right, with the zombie wife diversion behind us i think it's about time we get started on the whole "save the world" bit of the quest.

"Or they did before some assholes allowed the bad guys to start smashing them OOPS hope you didn't have plans because the apocalypse's any moment now"

hey look it's a map!

I have dreaded this one more than even the desert map but, you know, my expectations have turned out to not mean much in the grand scheme of things so...

Syrene is our ferrybot for the last few maps, she is kind of bad compared to a properly raised unit but also so much better than Tana or Vanessa's starting-level unpromoted wastes of space.

I would like to steal the dragonshield off this guy, and he has 14 speed so Rennac can do it.

On a normal run i'd be excited about this guy since he drops a brave axe, but as is it's just worth money. Which isn't bad, mind...

I am Afraid of this map so let's get serious.

God Moulder your magic sucks so much

and i missed the pop-up that told me if it got any better anyway also i don't care

Anyway, the plan is Innes goes up here,

and then Tethys dances for him so he can get to Syrene turn 2, the end, i'm sorry if i made that look like it was going to be an impressive strategy or anything.

Meanwhile, the warriors are going this way because i'm pretty sure the enemies are going to come for us even if we don't so we may as well attack first.

Some of these are promoted units, so they're kind of tough! Can't even tworound this guy.

I don't expect the paladins (or fighters) to be a huge threat, but the valks on the forts could hurt. But hopefully the physical units will wall up so they attack at range and get arrowed for it.

The... the wyverns are... heading south...

...

Leaving only a handful of druids coming for the island with the npcs on it...

...

I don't think i've actually managed this before. I figured they were programmed to go for the greenies no matter what, but... apparently you just need to throw someone up far to the left and they'll go for the closer target.

The druids are still more than enough to murder everything here, make no mistake! So we'll make sure to pick them up.

I mean literally, yes.

Can't get close enough to heal without being targeted? Try a refreshing Physic™!

Rangers can cross streams! They are the only horse units who can do so, which ties into the One Reason not to promote the twins - they can cross water, but only before promotion. I told you it was a bad reason, ok! Anyway, Gerik is bad at killing them but will distract these guys for most of the map. I'll keep fishing for shortbow crits, and some of them will land, just... not enough.

C'mere you!

Moulder is here as a healing battery, and for some reason the heroes won't think to go around (because the movement cost is so high, presumably?) so this is super safe.

The mages will start breaking the snag and charging in based on... something?? I'm not sure if it's turn or proximity; if it's the latter we should probably have triggered them last turn. It's not really important, though.

These are a bigger threat, but not a very big one.

Voila.

Easy peasy.

Nosferatu makes it a bit of a dice roll if they'll actually die, but this guy's just got Luna and not enough crit to worry me.

This is just for staff rank and experience points. I don't think Saleh's getting to S staves, but why not? He doesn't have anything better to do.

We can't leave these guys alive because they will move on to softer targets.

And new one will keep spawning for like... forever.

...couldn't get rid of all of them, though... but L'Arachel will save the npc, and even Tethys will survive a hit.

In the end, though, he went for Ephraim

who can also survive a hit, or indeed even two.

Scary!

Garcia's scarier, though.

Still working on those heroes.

Even with the steel bow, Ross can't quite finish this wyvern lord! That's a first. Still, he'll definitely be in heal mode after this, so he shouldn't be a problem.

And this guy's just out of luck.

Mages aren't a problem, they can't get past Neimi fast enough to be a threat.

This does look a little unpleasant... I'm worried he'd take the kill on Ephraim, but it's just two tiles to get him out of range.

Siiiighhhh.

Wyverns aren't the only reinforcements that'll keep pouring in - there's cavs from the forts, too. Still not as big a problem as the lizards!

Duessel feels this, he just doesn't care.

And that guy plugged up the path so the sage has to target Neimi, and we all know how that ends.

Money!

She danced for Garcia. Too bad she can't promote - another point of move alone would be worth it.

And then we get her out of range, of course.

Come at me!

More druids are coming, because they also keep spawning for several rounds, but we're almost done here so it should be easy to handle for the snipers.

Money.

Sssiiiiiiighhhhhh.

No problem.

The wyvern lord parked on a fort and i think he blocked one of their reinforcements

The brave axe is heavy, and hey! That's a shortbow crit!

No, we're still not done.

Ross' def is starting to look up, he's closing on Garcia's lead.

Managed to roll a 5% crit chance with the iron bow, and that's two heroes down!

Next wave of druids not looking too hot either.

More better more tanky.

We're pushing them back now. Just want this guy gone before he starts flying around.

We could totally end this map here, but there's still a dracoshield to nab.

And more wyverns.

And now, promoted horses!

I wonder if these are intended to be a punishment for taking too long on this map, but... they're not strong enough to matter against the warriors.

Tanky, though!

And still more!

I'm going to lure this guy in so he can't run if he gets low on health. He only gets one step across the water so i'll get one turn to shoot him before he gets away.

And while we're doing that, i'm going to draw in the swordmaster as well.

That crit looks scary... until you remember that Neimi has the hoplon guard.

More promoted horses from the forts!

Garcia could use the Nidhogg now... if they gave it to me!

Apparently the last hero decided it was smarter to take the long way around?

The one on the other side decided to attack Moulder, and his fate is sealed.

...come to think of it, that 6% crit was... a little troubling...

Well then, let's get this guy out of here before the hero arrives.

This is a perfect level, Neimi's strength is already capped.

And now, we just have to

shit.

...

...

...

The solution is easy though, he can't actually kill Innes even if he does crit because his base damage is like 12.

Ross is still working on it.

And... swordmaster goes for Neimi? Who cannot be crit??

This guy's here, too.

We've just about mopped up, but then warriors start spawning!

I don't have the silver card with me but the shop up top is too tempting to ignore. Killer bows!!!!

You'll get one too!

not you

Neimi's not just there to shop, she's there to draw this guy (because, again, she cannot be crit).

Almost there...

Uh, ok. I do think this is supposed to be a "hurry it the fuck up asshole!" message from the devs, but you know what? I don't speak japanese, and it sounds a lot like "I see you like being thorough, so here are some nice juicy bags of experience as a reward" to me.

Yoink!

Boink.

The warriors aren't too threatening. They can't double anyone important, and aren't too accurate.

But there are a lot of them!

And they're tough.

I think i have a solution to that, though.

You're too kind.

...now move back like six tiles because i'm afraid just being in the same post code as this thing might cause you to spontaneously explode...

We only oneround with a crit, but with a 40% crit rate that's pretty likely!

Suck iiittttt!

We're finally done with the horses, so now we're just waiting for the warriors to stop coming.

Those swing and dodge animations are not playing well together.

I mean, or you can imagine Innes does the anime "stand on the opponent's weapon" thing, that makes it cool.

Do you... have enough warriors... you think...?

Well anyway, we can use them to get our stats up a bit, which is always nice.

We killed a lot of these, but one finally managed to not get crit.

He didn't last long, though.

They are promoted units, so they're worth a good chunk of exp even for people like Innes.

And then, there was only Lyon.

Nah, i think that's pretty consistent actually.

Despite being left at like 3 hp, he refuses to switch over to Nosferatu. I'm not sure why he even has that. Just so he'll drop it, i guess?

It wasn't quite as impressive as the last, but Innes is Pretty Damn Good now.

I'm not sure you'll be more threatening next time,

because behold, motherfucker!

We also saved the greenies! I wasn't sure we'd manage that, or even Syrene, at the start of this. But!

I guess i'm better than i give myself credit for

This will help.

And this? Oh, you had better believe it will help.

But not until the next map. Before that, though? Since Ross has decent def now, i decided he can get the next dracoshield too. Still not up to Garcia's level, but getting closer!

Well then, onward... to eggs.

AAAAAAAAAAA

egg.

I fucking hate this minimap it is so ugly

and these guys aren't much prettier.

That's like 40 magic damage, with 10 range... and it has fucking crit! This is so bullshit!

(I mean Stone is also pretty bullshit but)

All that loot from last time sells for a pretty penny, at least. And that shop from last chapter is available from the world map so now we can go back and buy even more killer bows with the silver card.

I was figuring i'd save these for Syrene but i realized i am not good enough to make proper use of a 10 move flying unit but i am certainly going to appreciate Tethys being able to keep up with people so this is what we're going with.

Also holy shit she has 20 speed, i didn't even notice.

L'egg.

As noted though, 40 magic damage so we should probably keep some barriers up.

That's fine.

And this misses, so that's fine too!

Ross is pretty respectable, hard to believe what a weenie he used to be.

Garcia got a level too, but i missed the arrows.

Yikes! L'Arachel needs barrier too, immediately!

And this critter needs to die.

Longbows are so nice.

Lights out?

Ow fuck right on one of the flame tiles, of course.

Ross is going south to make an omelette.

And Neimi can't oneshot this thing so let's finally break out that legendary bow!

DRAMATIC.

Innes is heading up on the left side. Ideally we can break as many of these eggs as possible before they hatch, not only because it means we don't have to deal with all those assholes,

but also because they give like 50 exp a piece.

That's a lot of exp.

Also a lot of barrier spam, and on this map it might actually be useful. Saleh is close to A rank now and it would be nice if he could use Warp.

Stone is such garbage. Such garbage!!

A couple rounds in, reinforcements spawn because the eggs hatching wasn't enough.

Taking out the ones with poison weapons is going to be top priority. Fortunately i think there's only this one?

Gerik rolls another coin flip

and kills this gorgon, but he rolls badly on the other things instead.

Oh well, he's still pretty good.

Maybe even good enough to go up here and start fucking shit up!

Nice, nice. Even gets A bows out of it.

Sharp claws are, well, sharp, but not too accurate.

Uuuuhhhh that is a lot of monsters.

Not much to do other than just shoot things, though! They're blocking his escape route.

Shadowshot looks pretty rad when it hits, too bad i'm busy hating it and everything it stands for!

It wasn't shadowshot that ended Gerik but a regular old eyeball, though. Lesson learned: he's not good enough to go up here and start fucking shit up!

SO INSTEAD.

We start by barriering up again, because fucking shadowshot.

Eggs still very nutritious!

Trying Garcia on the left side this time.

...but i forgot to barrier L'Arachel, godfuckingpiss

SO INSTEADER.

Here, you take one too! You get a barrier! And you get a barrier!

Eh.

Eh!

Glowy staff effectiveness icon! ...let's just ignore that there's a 1/10 chance that this would have crit because A moulder sucks and B shadowshot is Incredibly Good Game Design.

No more. None!

Took Neimi south this time.

These levels are so bad i'm almost wishing someone would die again!

That's not a kill, but more than half his health.

Oh yeah, this is definitely the winning run.

or is it

Syrene landed on a fire tile and i forgot that they keep firing if you don't move off.

Fire tiles are actually an important part of soloing this if you're insane enough to do it legit. Because enemies will just go "this is fine" and sit there until they burn to death if they can't think of anything better to do so if you can lead them to the traps you can save yourself a lot of trouble. Or you can abuse savestates! Which is what i would recommend.

Syrene can think of something better to do so she's leaving.

And getting some heals.

Well, strength is nice at least.

Got the stone out of the way,

and a Good Bad Level

and things are looking up i guess.

Gave L'Arachel a restore and danced her up to Gerik. We're in good condition, shitty levels aside!

And i'm still going north but considerably less so than last time, so Gerik doesn't get surrounded again.

Here we go again.

I'll take def on Neimi, sure.

It's Ross on anti-poison duty this time.

And since Saleh managed to get his B rank staves,

...i was hoping i could get him to reach Neimi since he actually has a mag stat, but alas no, it's not that good.

She's not in that much danger, mind, i just want to get it patched up for my peace of mind. Saleh manages next turn.

They're really starting to pop now.

And some of them come with fucking shadowshot

Huh, Saleh could actually have died there.

Neimi dodged 83 attacks and of course it's the poison lance that hits.

Well, she can worry about that after this thing's gone, it is far more dangerous than the FE poison status.

Gerik continues his slightly-less-northern adventure,

but the spiders are getting worryingly numerous so

it's time to retreat.

Gorgons are starting to get too many, too!

Oh shit.

Oh shit!

So stone status nixes your evade

and makes all attacks against you

have a lot of crit rate!

And of course you can't move and no one can lift Garcia. He got lucky no one crit him but he is still so incredibly dead.

Unless.

Well Saleh can't reach him with rescue from here.

But i do have a dancer!

(Who gets rewarded for her hard work.)

And now Saleh is in range!

This is as far away as he can be.

GET OVER HERE!

And heeeyyyy that's A staves, so now he can send Garcia right back if we give him the warp staff!

First though, need to clear that stone status. You can smoke when you're off the clock.

And then, let's get those magic burns and spider bites patched up.

L'Arachel has officially made Moulder obsolete.

Now then, how to tackle these shitheads...?

I'll draw the eyeball with Innes, that's easy enough.

That's way too many gorgons! Put some back!!

Guess what!

...Geric dodged.

Innes did his job, time to retreat.

It's nice watching it happen to other people.

This gorgon

is fucking scary.

Go away please thanks.

Cha-ching!

And now,

we rescue him back to safety!

Rescue only has three charges, though. Gotta hammernenene it up so it doesn't break. I'm not sure there's anything better to use this thing on anyway.