Believe Sword (Free SRPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

This is an article introducing "Believe Sword," a game created using SRPG Studio.
This is a serious and orthodox work that focuses on the conflict between the people of light and the people of darkness.
As you progress through the stages, the difficulty level increases, and I feel it's quite challenging.
The story itself is interesting with an intriguing plot that keeps you wanting to know what happens next, and each character is developed in just the right amount of detail.

My completion time was approximately 13 hours on hard mode.

Game Overview

The story begins with the encounter between Jeanne, a holy swordsman who leads the volunteer army of the people of light against the dark empire, and Slade, a magic swordsman who, despite being a member of the people of darkness, opposes the dark empire.
The story unfolds against the backdrop of a long-running ethnic war, focusing on two main characters.

Two difficulty levels are available: Hard and Easy.
I haven't played on easy mode, so I can't really say for sure, but I think people who aren't confident in their SRPG skills should choose easy mode.

Hard mode is a difficulty level where both allies and enemies are easily defeated, so you may find yourself in situations where your allies are easily taken out, making it challenging.
However, you won't lose your units if your allies are defeated (though you may lose depending on the number of allies), and you can save at the start of each turn.

You can also change the difficulty level to easy during the game.
However, this is an irreversible change, so once you switch to Easy mode, you cannot switch back to Hard mode.

The system involves a rock-paper-scissors dynamic between swords, spears, and axes.
Furthermore, many systems, such as the ability to rescue other units depending on the class, are also found in other SRPGs, so those familiar with such games should be able to jump right into it.
However, the game incorporates many unique features, such as fire-type attacks being effective against mounted units and shooter attacks not being effective against flying units, resulting in a fresh gameplay experience.

Class changes are possible once you reach level 15 or higher.
Since your level doesn't reset to 1 when you change classes, there's no problem with changing classes frequently.

The instruction manual, which can be viewed under "Extras," provides a very detailed explanation, so those who are interested should take a quick look at it.

Furthermore, the character descriptions are updated as the game progresses and are explained in detail.
During gameplay, updates are displayed on the screen, which I thought was a thoughtful design.

Review (no spoilers)

I somehow managed to clear the game on hard mode and see both endings.
The ending branches based on your actions in the final chapter, so there's no need to replay the game from the beginning.

I think hard mode is quite difficult as a game.
You probably won't find it too difficult at the beginning, but the difficulty level will noticeably increase from the middle onwards.
Especially from Chapter 11 onwards, the enemy starts using skills that change our positions frequently, so formations that we thought were safe can be easily dismantled, and I felt a new kind of challenge.
In the later stages of the game, it can sometimes take 1 to 2 hours to complete a single stage, so you need to be prepared for that.

It is challenging, but there are few stages that rush your advance, and you can frequently use save and load, so I think it was good that you could take your time and carefully complete the game.
There are many situations where adjusting your position during combat with the enemy can make things much easier, so I think this is a game that offers plenty of opportunities for strategic thinking.
The maps are a bit large, and the long travel distances for friendly units are a little annoying, but on the other hand, it has the advantage of allowing you to choose terrain that is advantageous to you.

I'm rather frugal with money, and I don't feel like I can go on shopping sprees.
However, enemies drop items fairly often, and perhaps because both allies and enemies deal significant damage with a single hit, weapons tend to last quite a while.
By diligently using your thief skills to steal gold from enemies who are carrying it, you'll gradually accumulate more money.
I don't usually run out of weapons to the point where I need to constantly replenish my everyday weapons, so I think it's fine to focus on buying bargains or weapons for tougher enemies from the shop.

As stated in the Extras instruction manual, the system is designed in such a way that boss-chicking is not possible.
However, since you gain a lot of experience points by defeating enemies that are higher level than you, I didn't have much trouble leveling up.
You can level up by allocating bonus points, but the required points are quite high, so it's probably not very practical.

Overall, I think it was a hardcore game with an interesting story, appealing characters, and a challenging gameplay experience.
Playing on hard mode without a serious commitment might lead to getting stuck, so if you start feeling stressed, it's best to simply switch to easy mode (the most important thing is to enjoy the game).

However, I would like to mention that while the story concludes, it ends in a way that leaves you eagerly awaiting a sequel.

Strategy Notes - Hard Mode (Spoiler Warning)

Ultimately, it will be difficult if you don't raise all of them, so try to raise them all evenly.
Class change items become available for purchase in Chapter 19, but be mindful of the priority you place on using them.
Personally, I think Cathy and Croa are units whose class changes can be postponed without any problems, as they aren't heavily involved in combat.

When it comes to magic books, prioritize purchasing those with special attack bonuses, such as Fire and Thunder spells.
Also, javelins and axes are quite useful, so it's convenient to equip them on all units that can equip them.

The Weapon Curse and Armor Curse staves have minimal effects, so I think it's fine to sell them for money once you acquire them.
Even if the enemy uses these items, I feel they pose little harm, so I don't think you need to buy a healing wand.

Prologue: The Holy Swordsman Jeanne

There's nothing particularly difficult about it.
Let's experience the strength of Joan of Arc.

Chapter 1: The Magic Swordsman Slade

Charging in is fine, but your HP will likely decrease due to enemy attacks.
In that case, using medicinal herbs to heal the problem should solve it.

Chapter 2 Volunteer Army

It's quite a long road ahead.
You can easily lure enemies one by one into battle while keeping your allied units within Jeanne's command range.
When luring them in, don't forget to use mountains and forests to your advantage.
Also, since the rock-paper-scissors effect is significant, you should equip weapons that are not at a disadvantage against your opponent and use them to counterattack.
When luring enemy archers, use Luce, or if that's too much trouble, you can just use Jeanne to lure them out more casually.

When you reach about the middle of the map, an ambush will suddenly appear.
Be careful, as it can get quite dangerous once most of your units have finished their actions.

Chapter 3 Conspiracy

Emil has been withstanding enemy attacks since the start of the stage, but since he has herbs, I think he can hold out for about 10 turns.
Enemy reinforcements will appear from behind, so either way, let's advance as quickly as possible.

On the enemy's fourth turn, eight enemy cavalry units will appear as reinforcements near the entrance.
Furthermore, on your 7th and 8th turns, four more enemy cavalry units will appear from the entrance.
You could leave it all to Jeanne, but it will be a little easier if you intercept them around the position shown in the image above.

Lili's Fire spell is especially effective against mounted units, so she can take down all enemy cavalry in one hit.
However, its defense is very weak, so it's best to only participate in attacks from behind a wall unit.
If there are two archers nearby, you might lose the battle during the enemy's turn.

Once you've recruited Emil and his group and dealt with the reinforcements, all that's left is to slowly advance.
The boss, Gale, is quite tough and strong, so I think the easiest way to defeat him is with Jeanne.

Chapter 4: Surprise Attack

The two Beast Tamers at the start of the stage will be difficult to catch up to if you let them escape initially.
Let's put the cavalry units and Samantha at the front and pursue them as far as we can.
If you return to your main camp, it's likely that the surprise attack effect that occurred when you reached the fort will no longer be triggered.

If you visit the village in the lower center of the map, Carlos (Guardian) and Natasha (Archer) will join your party.

Entering the fort will trigger a surprise attack, reducing all enemy stats by 3.
Since we want to defeat them all at once, let's have everyone wait right at the entrance before charging in all at once.
The enemy's abilities have been significantly reduced, so I don't think it will be too dangerous to attack somewhat roughly.

You can get 500G by waiting on the flowers outside the castle walls.

Chapter 5: Van the Storm Swordsman

Before the stage begins, you'll be given the option to choose whether to split your forces into ground and air units.
However, unless you have a very well-developed character, I think it's safer to attack only from the ground.
While having three players starting from a high ground provides a momentary advantage, this strategy relies on having units capable of handling the surrounding enemies.
*By the way, Shooter and Wind magic are not effective against flying enemies, so Samantha will not be defeated in one hit.

When advancing from the ground, it's best to mark the attack range of enemy long arches by clicking on them and then proceed while avoiding those areas.
Once you reach the second level, you can attack indirectly, allowing you to safely eliminate enemies as you progress.
I think you can fight safely if you have Carlos escort Lili and the archers as you advance.

Along the way, you can buy some slightly rarer weapons at the shops, so it's a good idea to stock up on spears and axes.
Don't forget to have Cathy, who has bargaining skills, do the shopping.

You can talk to Walter in Croa, but he won't join your party right away, so defeat him after the conversation.
Since Van doesn't have a weapon with a range of 2, weaken him with ranged attacks first, then finish him off with Slade.
It may seem a little cowardly, but that's what war is like.

Chapter 6: The Empire's Trap

This map is cleared after 8 turns.
Victory would be easy if we just defended, but since we have the opportunity, let's try to defeat Gottfried.
Flying units will continuously appear from the left of your starting position, so send Luce, Natasha, and Lili (equipped with Thunder) towards the left as far as you can.
I think you can defeat them in almost one hit.
If you can launch indirect attacks against enemies below the cliff, provide support as needed.

The other units descend the cliff.
With Carlos, equipped with a spear, leading the way, let's proceed cautiously, keeping an eye out for enemy mages.
As for magicians, don't hesitate to use someone as tough as Jeanne.

On turn 4, Cipher and Anya will appear as reinforcements from the bottom right.
I think it would be best to charge in without hesitation, aiming to defeat Gottfried.
However, since Cypher may be defeated, have Samantha provide support or have Croa heal him while he advances.

It seemed like Cipher and Anya alone wouldn't be able to defeat the enemy, so I'd like to somehow get others to participate in the attack as well.

If you wait on the flower in the upper left corner, you will receive a certificate of mastery (a class change item).
Class change items are an important way to boost your combat power, so you'll want to make sure you don't miss out on any.

Chapter 7: Before the Decisive Battle

On the enemy's sixth turn, skeleton reinforcements will appear from three directions and will continue to appear for a while afterward.
The bandits that are positioned from the start won't act unless you get close, so focus on intercepting the skeletons.
Skeletons have high HP and defense, but their movement speed is low at 3, so try to ambush them and take them down in one go.

Chapter 8: The Plains of the Decisive Battle

This is a challenging map where both sides face each other, making it difficult to bluff your way through.
On the left, have Carlos escort Lili and head out to eliminate the enemy.
I think Carlos can only withstand one Thunderbomb attack, so if we can just survive the turn Lili unlocks the door, we can rejoin the main force afterward.
After opening the door, Lili will not be attacked if she moves between the shooters, so attack and defeat her with a magic sword or similar weapon.
If Samantha can withstand two attacks from the shooter on the right in just one turn, I think she can wait between the shooters and defeat it in the same way.

Now, when engaging Doris, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, head-on, make sure to stack up on support effects and position yourself to deal as many counterattacks as possible during the enemy's turn.
An event will occur if you deliver the final blow with Emil.
(This may be a condition for the event that occurs during information gathering at the base in Chapter 11, which increases Emil's stats.)

Once you defeat Doris, Setina's troops will come after you.
We could either engage them head-on, or we could hole up in the fort on the left where the shooter is located and fight back from there.
If it's too much trouble, you can just fight back the same way Doris did.
An event will occur if you deliver the final blow to Setina with Lionel.
(This may be a condition for the Lionel stat-boosting event that occurs during information gathering at the base in Chapter 11.)

Once you defeat Setina, a unit of Pegasus Knights and the Grünritter, led by N's, will come towards you.
First, you'll encounter the Grünritter, so quickly eliminate them with your bow and lightning magic.
After that, you'll face off against the Grünritter, but you only need to defeat two of them to clear the stage.
Since defeating N's is difficult, let's focus our attacks on Grünritter instead.

Chapter 9: The Retreat

This map is an easy way to earn money if you have Natasha and Lili Croa equipped with Thunder.
Use vanguard units like Carlos to lure them in, then quickly defeat them with flying attacks.

On your turn 6 and 8, two Dragon Tamers will appear from the bottom of the map.
Be careful, because if you hesitate, you might be attacked from behind.

The enemy commander, Heath, will withdraw after engaging in combat once.
Since Schwalt will also retreat, if you want to defeat him, lure Schwalt out first.

Chapter 10: The Gears of Fate

This map isn't particularly difficult either.
If you use Anya and Walter's long-range attacks to whittle down the enemies, and then have the other members finish them off, you shouldn't have too much trouble.

Each Grünritter is a formidable opponent, but their low movement speed makes long-range attacks effective.
Let's fight by chipping away at their health from a distance and then finishing them off.

Chapter 11: The Rebel in the Gap

On this map, the enemy will use a skill that moves your units at the same time as they attack.
If you think you're only being attacked by one enemy, you'll often find yourself being drawn into their ranks and ganged up on at the same time as the attack.
Be aware that the difficulty level will increase considerably.

Enemy cavalry units are approaching from the north and south, so it will be dangerous unless we eliminate the infantry in front of us as quickly as possible.
As mentioned earlier, getting drawn in is dangerous, so aim to counterattack with units that can withstand being drawn in to some extent.

Since it's difficult to defeat the cavalry units on both the top and bottom in one go, try to fight by placing units with the ability to move again at the front and retreating, using Carlos to protect units that remain within the enemy's attack range, and using Jeanne Luce's command effect to somehow hold out.
To prepare for the boss battle, you'll want to keep the number of allies who have retreated at this point to just one.

When you reach the gate in the city wall, it opens, and enemy reinforcements attack from three directions.
The level is cleared by defeating one of the bosses, so it's best to concentrate your attacks on Flam in front of you.
Flam is a very tough opponent, so make sure to eliminate the surrounding enemies before approaching him.
It's still somewhat endearing as long as they're using long-range attacks like Blizzard.
We surround the enemy and attack, chipping away at its health, but I think we often get defeated in return.
Make the most of support effects and weapon synergies to defeat them.

You can obtain Skill Orbs by waiting on the flowers on the map.

Chapter 12: Hope in the Darkness

This map requires you to fight your way through with only 5 units.
Ideally, we'd like to give experience points to Slade and Schwart, but I think the difficulty level makes that difficult, so let's make good use of Seticia and Doris.

Charging into a group of enemies will only lead to you being pulled in and beaten to a pulp, so try to keep your distance and fight from a distance.
Since the opponent's movement speed is low, even if they appear to be quite close, there should be little to no risk of being surrounded.

Chapter 13: Despair in the Light

This map offers two routes: a direct assault or a roundabout route from above.
While advancing head-on isn't impossible, it would be extremely difficult considering the enemy commander, Shino, possesses Heal All.
Even when stealing gold bars from enemy shooters, it's best to first defeat the boss from above, and then break down the enemy's defenses from the opposite direction.

On the upper route, in the initial straight stretch heading north, enemy cavalry will appear after a certain distance.
If there are friendly units nearby, this number is enough to wipe them out in one go.

Next, after traveling a certain distance along the east-west route, several Beast Tamers will appear in the mountains.
Stay calm and eliminate them with archers or other units.

You can get 5000G in the village.
You can buy three certificates of mastery at the shop, so buy them all with Lili.
As you approach the village in the upper left, three infantrymen will appear from both the right and the bottom, surrounding you.

Seeno can approach, prepared for Blizzard and Thunderbomb attacks, as long as he's careful of nearby Graviton-wielding shooters.
For Thunderbomb shooters, luring targets with Natasha, who has a special skill, will thin out the barrage of bullets.

Once you've defeated Seeno, you can gradually take down the rest of the enemy.
If you have the guest unit Social Knight, you can send Jeanne in and use her as a decoy.
While acquiring as much gold as possible, let's also aim to obtain the Windcutter in the center.

If you wait by the flower in the middle of the enemy shooter group, you can obtain a certificate of mastery.

Chapter 14: Alicia the Holy Swordsman

This is mostly an event map.
Let's leave it to Alicia and relax.

Chapter 15: The Traitor

The first cavalry unit should retreat while deliberately entering the enemy's attack range to counterattack and wear them down, eventually defeating them.
As you approach the final exit point, four flying units will appear just above it.
The flying troops' attack power isn't that great, so ignore them and secure an escape point.
Luce's gnomes are powerful, so I think it's best to avoid engaging them and focus on escaping.

If you wait on the flower in the bottom right, you can obtain the Rescue Staff.

Chapter 16: Each Person's Thoughts

In the decisive battle map against the enemy, even the regular enemy units are formidable opponents.
This will be quite a long and arduous process, so be prepared.

First, calmly intercept and eliminate the approaching enemy cavalry and flying units.

On turn 3, Slade and his group will appear near the shooter at the bottom of the map.
Let's eliminate the shooters right away.

Rotritter and Blau Ritter, who are positioned in the forest, are difficult opponents to face in a forest setting.
If you retreat to the position shown in the image above and block the bridge, the battle should become much easier.
The two High Priests of Rotritter are isolated in the forest, so after defeating Doris and Seticia, you can safely steal their items.

Defeating Doris with Emil will allow you to obtain a Salamander and gain a support relationship with him.
(If Emil is defeated, only support relationships will be established.)
Similarly, defeating Seticia with Lionel will allow you to obtain Undine and gain a support relationship with her.
(If Lionel is defeated, only support relationships will be established.)

After defeating Doris and Seticia, the Grünritter will begin to move, and a few turns later, Ns will also begin to act.
Since N's uses the Swift Strike skill, it can act twice per turn, so be careful when fighting it.
Fortunately, since it doesn't have any ranged attack weapons, you should be able to defeat it surprisingly easily by whittling it down with powerful magic attacks.

Once you defeat N's, Rolf, Matilda, Flam, and Gustave will appear from three directions.
If you are fighting near the bridge mentioned above, Matilda will be quite close, so it's a good idea to position your units so you can defeat her as soon as she appears.
If Walter and Natasha can use their additional attack skills, they can realistically defeat four enemies together.
Matilda can be safely defeated by surrounding her.

Seticia and Doris will appear as allied reinforcements, but if you are engaging them near the bridge, it will be difficult for them to join you.
It might be better to avoid forcing a rendezvous and instead move to the bottom left of the map and stay there.

Rolf Gustave Flamm can also be easily defeated if you fight him near the bridge.
However, Flam will attack from a distance with Blizzard.
If Natasha is within its attack range, it will prioritize attacking her for its attention skill, so try to draw its target effectively.
However, if Jeanne or Luce, who are directly related to our defeat conditions, are within Flam's attack range, he will prioritize burning them with Elfire.
Just be careful about that.

If you wait on the flower in the upper left, you can obtain the Gem of Agility.

Chapter 17 Princess Anastasia

This is a map for events only.
While it is technically possible to attack enemy units, the attacks will not hit.
Once an enemy is attacked, they are treated as an ally and cannot be attacked a second time.

Chapter 18: Revenge begets revenge

Since your initial position puts you within the shooter's attack range, retreat closer to the fort you're defending and intercept the approaching cavalry.
You might be tempted to eliminate the shooters with Walter, but since they're protected by enemy armor, it's difficult to take them down completely in the early stages anyway.
Furthermore, since the enemy heals themselves with Heal All at the end of their turn, half-hearted attacks won't be effective.

Once you've overcome the cavalry, it's time for the flying units: Pegasus and dragons.
You should be able to defeat them without much trouble by shooting them down with Walter while attacking them from nearby with Natasha and Lili.

If you step into the area beyond the bridge, enemies will be teleported to the location shown in the image above.
Fighting within the enemy shooters' attack range will be difficult, so it's best to fight near your starting position, just like in the first wave.

It's difficult to stagger Reynard's advance against other enemies, but if you can manage it well, the battle becomes much easier.
Reynard is tough, but he doesn't have any ranged attack options, so if you equip Natasha with a Gnome and give her support effects while she repeatedly attacks, you should be able to defeat him surprisingly easily with lots of critical hits.

Regarding the shooters on the other side of the river, you can safely send in your forces by having strong infantry like Slades transported by flying units, and then using the Rescue Staff to pull the flying units closer.
After that, if you provide support from a distance with a healer and eliminate the shooters, there's nothing to fear.

Once you defeat the enemies guarding the castle walls and approach the exit, enemy reinforcements will suddenly appear all at once.
Since the objective of this stage is to defend a fort, you need to gather your units near their starting positions.
The enemy platoon will approach slowly, so I think it will be easy to deal with them.
Also, if you use Walter to attack from a distance while he's on the other side of the river, you should be able to whittle down his health considerably before he reaches your side.

Anastasia will use Blizzard to attack from a distance.
Since we don't like the situation where we don't know who will be attacked, let's position Natasha, who has a focus skill, so that she will draw the enemy's attention and make them use up their Blizzard.
When Anastasia's HP drops below 50%, her Ambush and Rage abilities activate, making her incredibly powerful and almost unstoppable.
Either attack with a character like Slade who has the Evasion skill, or try to whittle down its health as much as possible before defeating it in one go.
I think it's also a valid strategy to just keep attacking with shooters.

Waiting on the flower in the bottom right corner will increase your luck by +5.

Chapter 19: Turning Hatred into Strength

This is a challenging map where you must divide your forces into three groups to invade.
It took about 90 turns, and just under two hours to complete.
Having some keys for the doors ready will give you peace of mind as you proceed.
You can also purchase a certificate of mastery at the base before the stage begins, so be sure to use any units that haven't class-changed yet.
Also, since you'll likely be short on healers, make sure that any members who can wield healing staves are equipped with Heal or High Heal spells.

As a basic rule, stepping on a magic circle will inflict significant damage, so try to avoid stepping on them as much as possible.
Also, if you pass the area where the candlesticks are placed and enter the room, the door will close on the next turn, and reinforcements will appear from the stairs inside the room.
Therefore, when entering, try to do so with as many people as possible, or prepare the key to the door so that other members can enter quickly.
If you don't have the key, your only options are to defeat the person with the key inside the room or unlock it with Cathy.
It is also possible to rescue them using a rescue stick.

Defeating the central shooter will open the stairs to the throne, and reinforcements of cavalry and flying units will appear.
You could use the narrow passages to intercept them, but be careful as flying units have the "leap" skill and can slip past your defensive units.

Defeating General Cipher will cause a teleportation stone to appear, allowing you to take a shortcut to the area in front of the throne room.
If you eliminate the enemies in the corridor beforehand using shooters or similar weapons, you should be able to teleport safely.

Before fighting N's, it's a good idea to deplete Gottfried's Blizzard so you can fight with peace of mind.
We're almost there, just one more step to go, so let's keep going!
Since N's has the Swift Strike ability, be aware that it will act twice.

Gottfried's Darkness is powerful, and I think most units will be defeated if they are attacked twice.
Let's fight while supporting Slade as a group.
After defeating Gottfried, he transforms into a Hydra.
Be aware that even if you've used up all your Blizzards, they will revive at this point.

The treasure chest in the bottom right room contains the Grimoire of Darkness, the treasure chest in the bottom center of the map contains the Staff of Rescue, and the treasure chest in the top left room contains the Staff of Heal All.

Final Chapter: The Holy Sword and the Demonic Sword

The ending branches depending on whether you complete the game without Jeanne and Slade ever fighting each other, or whether you complete it after they have fought at least once.

Jeanne is the only one who can fight Slade on equal terms.
If you have Jeanne attack Slade, I think you can clear the stage without the other units having to participate in the attack; they only need to heal Jeanne.

Clearing the game without having Jeanne participate in combat is extremely difficult.
In my case, the only attacks that can deal decent damage are Emil's Master Axe, Walter's Graviton, Natasha's Moore, and Lili's Darkness (Punisher).
Since indirect attacks are highly likely to be dodged, try reloading the game multiple times to see if you can succeed.

First, since Lili's magic attacks deal the most damage, we'll try to get Lili's attacks to pass right through the parry.
Next, we'll use Walter's Graviton and Natasha's Moore for additional attacks, trying our best to inflict as much damage as possible.
Use Encouragement on Lili and perform a magic attack while adjacent to her.
Lili will be defeated by the counterattack, but since she is adjacent to you, the parry will not occur, so you can definitely land the second magic attack.
After that, attack with Emil, and if you are counterattacked, two characters will be injured. If one more character is injured, it's game over.
Use anything you have, like axe or spear, and let's all attack and try to defeat it.

Unit usage impressions (spoiler alert)

Jeanne

This is a helpful unit with a useful command effect.
In the early stages, I tried to avoid relying on him as much as possible and instead focused on giving experience points to other units.
The ability to act twice with the Swift Strike skill was very useful, especially when going to take down enemies that were far away.
I couldn't level him up because he left the party towards the end, but he's incredibly strong thanks to the Holy Sword's enhancements.

Slade

While not particularly strong in the early stages, the character benefits from numerous enhancement events, allowing their stats to increase rapidly.
Because of the evasion skill, you can fight even tough enemies with relative ease.
In the second half, he displayed undeniable strength with his signature weapon and played a crucial role as the vanguard.

Luce

Individually, she's not particularly strong, but once she acquires her command ability skills, her combined support with Jeanne becomes powerful and reliable.
Once you acquire the Gnome Bow, your offensive capabilities will also improve.
There are more stages where you lose if you are defeated, but be careful as the enemies aren't very tough.
Towards the end, he handed over the gnome to Natasha and focused on supporting his allies by encouraging and motivating them.

Although there seems to be a significant age difference between her and Matilda, their character portraits all depict them with youthful faces, making them look like sisters.

Alfred

While neither particularly strong nor weak, he proved useful as a cavalry unit capable of using both spears and axes from the early stages of the game.
In the latter half of the game, he also took on the role of healer, and while not flashy, he consistently made a significant contribution.
It's a little disappointing that he's not as blessed with events or weapons as Lionel, but his pull-in skill was safe and useful.

Lionel

It was used in the same way as Alfred, but with Undine, it seemed superior offensively.
I didn't have many opportunities to use the slamming technique, so Alfred, who had the pull-in technique, was a little more convenient.
I also learned the technique of reeling in, but unfortunately, it was too late.

Neil

Although I couldn't use high-level staves, the ability to heal and move again from the early stages of the game was extremely useful.
Since my magical power wasn't very high, I felt like I was running out of breath even when using high heels in the later stages of the battle.
That said, the healing mounted units were useful, and I remembered them being useful until the very end.

Emil

While the charge skill certainly played a role, my impression was that their paper-thin armor meant they were quickly taking fatal damage.
However, its HP and strength increased dramatically, so it grew into a unit with very powerful attacks.
While the Salamander is powerful, it's difficult to counterattack, so the Master's Axe seems easier to use.
This unit is incredibly powerful even with just a hand axe.

・ Cathy

Aside from opening doors and stealing gold bars, he played an important role in combat.
Bloodfang is a powerful weapon that can't be countered, but it's definitely acquired way too late in the game.
Bargaining skills were also useful for shopping, making this a key unit that controlled the economic aspects of the game.

Samantha

Because it has the ability to move again, it seems easier to use than Schwalbe.
He excelled in various situations, including taking out shooters, collecting items, and acting as a skirmisher.
I made him a Beastmaster to distinguish him from Schwart, but I could have made him a Dragon as well.
However, it was useful as a second healer that could move again.

Lili

This is a magic attacker with extremely high magical power.
I used Fire to take down mounted units and Thunder to take down flying units.
While a Merge Fighter would make you tougher, your magical power would be mediocre, so I think Sage is the right choice.

Natasha

While its mobility is inferior to Luce's, its final combat power is quite high.
It possessed a wealth of offensive skills, continuously shooting down flying units like dragonflies.
Its attention-grabbing skill also made it useful in protecting other units by becoming the target of long-range attacks.

Carlos

His defensive capabilities were quite high, and he was useful as a tank in the early stages of the game.
I often used my escort skills to protect teammates who were going to take down shooters.
However, I wasn't fortunate enough to have the opportunity to deliver the final blow to the enemy, so I wasn't able to level up as much as I'd hoped.
Even so, its defensive capabilities were quite impressive, so I felt safe against attacks other than magic.
I chose General because I didn't want my escort skill to disappear, but if you're not going to use escorts, I think Black Knight would be more useful.

・ Croa

I mainly excelled with healing and rescue staves using advanced staves.
Healer staves that allow for long-range attacks are convenient, and it's easy to overuse them.
Although I did give him a magic book, he doesn't have the skills to deliver the finishing blow, so there weren't many opportunities to use it.

Although she appears to be an adult, she looks like a young girl, which makes Van seem like he has a thing for little girls, and that's a bit of a problem.

Walter

It was a strategically important unit and played an active role in various situations.
With its wide attack range, it's constantly busy, whether it's intercepting flying units, taking out shooters with thunder bombs, or simply whittling down regular enemies.
Although its movement speed is low, it can move again after attacking, making it a much easier-to-use shooter compared to other SRPGs.

Van

This unit is fairly strong from the start, and has a wealth of offensive skills relative to its stats, making it highly capable of securing kills.
In my playthrough, this was the first character to change classes.
While it has the disadvantage of only being able to use swords, its high attack rate and high critical hit rate give it destructive power that doesn't depend on weapon compatibility.

Doris

It's like a more balanced version of Emil's performance, which is usually quite finicky.
Emil has higher attack power, but due to the axe's inherently high attack power, they have roughly the same destructive power.
Her rage skill is also powerful, so letting the enemy attack first and then counterattacking is very effective.
Since she has bodyguard skills, it might be a good idea to make Carlos a Black Knight once she joins the party.

I love the interactions between Emil and the other character; they're full of older-sister-like charm.

Seticia

This ability is like the perfected version of Alfred and Lionel's abilities.
He has the skills to be an immediate asset, so let's equip him with good gear and let him fight.
Being fast is surprisingly useful.

Schwald

Compared to Samantha, she should be more powerful overall, but the lack of repositioning made her feel less user-friendly.
Thanks to the axe's high attack and defense stats, it was reassuring to know that it could also be used as a tank.
Because of my low skill level, I'm worried about my accuracy unless I have a weapon that's advantageous to me.

Zenon

Overall, its performance was mediocre, and it didn't really perform well.
However, I realized after clearing the game that Sylph isn't a unique weapon, so I think it's best to give it to someone like Van.
And by changing her class to Sage, I think she can become a powerful magic attacker like Lili.