Grandseal Chronicles (Free SRPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Walkthrough

This article is about a game called "Grandseal Chronicles," which was created using "SRPG Studio."
It's a classic story, and the details are incredibly well-crafted.
This time, I'd like to introduce this work.
The second half of this article discusses strategies for each map, so please be aware if you don't want to see that.

Game introduction and impressions, etc.

Game Overview

It's a fairly standard simulation RPG.
In the early stages of the game, you'll receive thorough explanations of the controls and basic gameplay.
I think even people who aren't familiar with SRPGs and are playing for the first time will be able to jump right in.

Depending on the route you choose, the story will branch along the way.
While the story ultimately converges on the same route, there are elements such as different characters joining your party, so you can enjoy the game even on multiple playthroughs.

In the gameread meIt says "It's a fairly ordinary RPG," but it's actually quite fun.
Certainly, there's nothing particularly quirky or innovative about it in terms of its system.
However, I think the reason it's interesting despite being ordinary is because all the elements are well-crafted.

In my case, it took 25 hours to complete the game (on hard mode).
The recording time is a bit longer than usual because it includes periods when I left my seat.
However, if you include the time for resets and other processes, it should take much longer.

Game balance

Since I'm used to SRPGs, I chose the hard difficulty setting.
It was challenging and fun, as expected from a hard game.
I had to reset the game quite a few times, so ideally, I would have liked to be able to save freely in the middle of a map.
Although it was inconvenient, it created a sense of tension, and I felt a great sense of accomplishment when I cleared difficult maps.

I felt that the difficulty level jumped significantly when trying to collect all the treasure chests or visit every single house on maps with turn limits.
For someone who aims for perfection in every single playthrough, this might become stressful.
I think the key to enjoying the game is to play with a relaxed attitude, like, "Well, as long as I can clear it, that's fine."

Also, the way reinforcements appeared was varied and quite troublesome.
Some reinforcements appear as turns pass, while others are triggered by entering a specific area.
The sheer number of reinforcements meant there were many situations that required careful consideration, such as how to set up defensive lines and where to fight.

character

A considerable number of characters can become your allies.
I felt that playing on hard mode, with a few players dying, was just about right in terms of the number of players.
I inevitably become attached to the characters I've been raising from the beginning, so even if a strong character joins later, I find it difficult to deploy them in battle.
I'll save that for my second playthrough.

Furthermore, there are a considerable number of support conversations between characters, and they are quite in-depth.
In some cases, unexpected support relationships may develop with certain characters, and you can also learn about their pasts.
While many characters appear, I think the reason why it's easy to feel drawn to and become attached to each one is because their backgrounds are well-developed.
Thanks to that, I feel like I want to play through the game again in order to use the characters I haven't used yet.

Other comments, etc.

One inconvenience I found was that it would be helpful if there was a way to distinguish between equipable items and non-equipable items when retrieving equipment from the transport unit.
You can tell if it's usable by having a character hold it, as it will either show up as a bright or black display, but I found that a little inconvenient.

However, considering the sheer volume of content, the fact that there are so few complaints is truly remarkable.
As far as I could tell, there were no typos or grammatical errors in the text, so it seems like they've done a lot of thorough playtesting.
I think this is a game that can be enjoyed by a wide range of players, from beginners to advanced players.

Hard Mode Strategy Guide

This is for those attempting to complete the game on hard mode, and I'll be writing about things I noticed while playing.
There are many ways to approach this, but I hope this serves as just one of them and is helpful as a reference.
Some details, such as the conditions for joining a party, may not be entirely accurate.

Morale-boosting skills and countermeasures

First of all, the biggest challenge in hard mode is the "Morale Boost" skill that the bosses possess.
The effect is that the hit rate of all enemies increases.30%It means uploading.
This means that enemy attacks will hit you quite often, making tactics that rely on dodging difficult.
Therefore, characters with high agility and evasion skills are difficult to use, while characters with high defense skills and defensive skills are easier to use.
In the early stages of the game, characters like Hormel and Vine, who serve as support characters, are very reliable.

In particular, Vine has a "diversion" skill that attracts enemy attacks, which is extremely useful.
For example, even if there is a unit that would die if attacked, placing a Bind nearby will cause the Bind to be prioritized for attack (although there seem to be exceptions).
If there is no more space to attack Vine, the attack will switch to another unit.
Therefore, by leaving 4 squares open around Vine, you can attract more enemy attacks.

Utilizing Refill

Refillate, which allows for long-range healing, is a very useful spirit stone.
Since it can be purchased for a relatively low price of 600BP, let's make good use of it.
It comes in handy in many situations, such as when a unit has unexpectedly lost a lot of stamina.

Thieves are better than keys

Whenever I see doors or treasure chests on the map, I feel like sending out a thief.
However, bandits are not a very effective fighting force.
Hard mode presents many challenging situations, so it's recommended to use other units instead of deploying thieves.
Either way, having one thief open all the doors and treasure chests will be a lot of work.
Therefore, it's sufficient to buy several keys for doors and treasures, so that you can retrieve them from the transport unit in the worst-case scenario.

Let's develop an ace player.

SRPGAs is a standard tactic, it is extremely important to develop your own ace player early on.
The ace has many responsibilities, including charging into enemy lines, drawing enemy attention, acting as a shield, and dealing with powerful enemies like bosses.
The difficulty of the later stages of the game will vary greatly depending on how many of these ace players you ultimately develop.
Up until about the middle of the season, there will likely be many times when we struggle because we don't have a clear ace player.
In such situations, don't be stubborn and rely on Hormel.
While its growth rate is poor, it's undoubtedly a powerful unit in the early stages of the game.

Map-specific strategy notes

Chapter 1: An Ominous Shadow

This is a tutorial-style map.
Although there are quite a few enemies, it's not a problem if you take them on one at a time.
You can heal not only at forts but also on top of houses, so conserve your healing potions, as they are your only means of recovery.
You just have to be patient until you get a healer in your party.

Chapter 2: The Broken Sword

This is an indoor map.
Due to an event on turn 2, the central path will be blocked, so you will have to advance from either the left or the right.
It doesn't make a big difference which way you go, but you should collect both treasure chests in the end.

Since the only means of healing is healing potions, let's use the rock-paper-scissors system and Saias's command effect to fight in the most advantageous situation possible.
If you're worried about recovery options, use Hormel.
Relying on them a little in the early stages won't result in a significant loss of experience points.

Chapter 3 Today

With the transport convoys joining the fight, it's becoming a full-scale battle.
Since this is an escape map, if you try to fight head-on, your weapons will be depleted and you won't be able to keep up with healing.

The mage Yuria will join your party in the red-roofed house just to the left of the starting point.
While recruiting Yuria as a companion, head towards the exit point in the lower left by taking the counter-clockwise route.
At the weapons shop, it would be a good idea to buy two types of magic for Yuria, a weaker weapon for Hormel such as an iron spear and an iron axe, and an iron bow for Rim, who only has one weapon.

After defeating the enemies guarding the escape point, just take out any remaining enemies and clear the mission.
If you have the time, it's a good idea to use the hammer you can get in the village to try and defeat the boss and obtain doping items.

Chapter 4: Double Diversion

If NPCs are engaged in combat, advance from the rear to provide support.
I think the NPCs will be defeated quickly while we're talking to Katz, so let's quickly set up a defensive line.
Since the enemies at the beginning all use axes, push your sword-wielding units to the front and keep Katz, who uses spears, at the back.
When chipping away at their health, it's best to use units that can perform indirect attacks to minimize the chances of taking counterattacks.

Once the initial offensive subsides, keep an eye out for the swordsmen wielding the zanbatō (horse-slaying swords) and gradually lure the enemies in and defeat them.
Buying an iron sword for Ceres at the southern weapons shop will save you money on sharp swords.

Chapter 5: The Sunset of Huntier

The objective is to clear the stage after 8 turns.
Trying to collect all the treasure chests, defeat all the bosses, and complete all the dialogue events will significantly increase the difficulty, so it's important to compromise.
The Queen will only engage in conversation and won't become your ally if you talk to her, so you only need to talk to her if you have the time.

For now, the recommended route is to open the door to the left from the starting point, then open the lower door to Luzelio and recruit him as a companion.
The treasure chest on the south side of that door is guarded by an Armored Knight, but you can defeat him with one hammer hit, so quickly take him down and open the treasure chest (which contains a Knight's Medal; a class change item for Knight-type characters).
Assuming that the treasure chest in the upper right (Book of Regeneration; Skill Acquisition) can be obtained using the Door Key/Treasure Key dropped by nearby enemies, Duran will head for the treasure chest in the lower left (Brigid's Hair; Skill Up).
I think the Book of Regeneration is good to use on Luzelio, who becomes stronger when acting alone, or on Bain, who acts as a sturdy tank (I used it on Bain).
Since going around might mean missing the deadline, Duran should cross the front row of NPC armored knights.

Once you've recruited Vine, send him down the left corridor to hold off the swordsman reinforcements.
Since you won't take any damage, you can hold it off by yourself.
More and more reinforcements keep arriving, and the area in front of the Queen's Chamber becomes a fierce battleground.
Use your NPC allies effectively to create a wall.

It seems that Vine, Luca, and Fanali will join your party after clearing this map, even if you don't talk to them during this map.
(Even if you forget to talk to Fanali, she will become a party member when you complete the game.)

Chapter 5 Fragment: The Stirrings of Evil

This is the first fragment map.
Having Luca, who has an elemental weakness to skeletons, and Duran, who is in charge of collecting treasure chests, would be very helpful.

Opening the treasure chest (containing an Anti-Sword) near the starting point will cause enemies with bows to appear on both sides of the passage.
In addition, reinforcements will gradually appear as you progress.
Let's proceed cautiously to prevent our weakened allies from being attacked.

The reinforcements in the bottom left treasure chest include units wielding Zanbatō and Zantetsuken, so mounted units and armored knights should be careful.

Chapter 6: The Beast of Twilight

This map, too, is one where the objective is to escape.
Vama will start making moves from turn 13, so you need to be prepared to clear the stage by then.

The boss, Gadolus, is located just below the starting point.
In hard mode, the boss's morale boosting skill (all enemies hit +30Since they are troublesome, defeating them all at once at the beginning will make things easier afterward.
However, be careful, because if you don't move to the right soon after, reinforcements will come from the forts above and below.
Defeating it will reward you with the Sage's Red Stone (Aja's Stone), a class change item for magic users.

The weapons shop sells steel-based equipment and pyramids.
From the next chapter onward, you will be able to purchase basic supplies from traveling merchant caravans.
When shopping on the map, I think it's most efficient to focus on purchasing rare weapons.

Chapter 7 The hand that was hidden

This map becomes quite difficult if you try to defend both the northern and southern villages.
I had Hormel in the south carry healing items and went to rescue him alone (but I didn't make it in time).
The remaining members focused their main battle slightly above their starting position, holding out to defeat the bandits who were destroying the village.

On turn 5, Ashley, Andreal, and Windsor will appear as NPCs from the north of the map.
Note that even if you talk to them, they won't immediately turn into allied units.
Then, on the 6th turn, the boss, Ways, will start coming towards you.
The guillotine axe is powerful and formidable, but if you let it attack with a hand axe and fight while it's equipped, it's not that strong.

Chapter 8: The Human-Faced Beast

This map's objective is to survive for 10 turns.
I wanted to collect the treasure chest, but I was too busy just trying to withstand the enemy's attacks to do anything else, so I gave up.
We decided to use the three squares in the central passage to hold out in a siege.
Place a decent wall on top of the pillars that increase evasion, and a tough wall character like Bind in the center to hold them off.
To stop enemies coming from above, place Hornels or similar units in the one-square-wide area with candlesticks on either side.
Bean's skill "Diversion" is a skill that prioritizes drawing attacks from other enemies if Bean is within the attack range.
Thanks to this, the walls on either side of the vine can withstand attacks even if they aren't very durable.

Since Rera alone isn't enough to heal, you'll need to make full use of items like healing potions.
Instead of prioritizing defeating the enemy, it's more effective to aim for a stalemate.

For my second playthrough, I tried again, this time aiming to collect all the treasure chests.
First, from your starting position, go through the central passage and head towards the upper left.
For now, ignore any nearby doors or treasure chests.
In the center, Vine will act as the rearguard, carrying plenty of Pirams, and retreat while wearing down the enemy.
Once you reach the upper left, head south a little and obtain the Holy Silver Arrowhead.
After that, we retraced our steps and met up with Vine near the central T-junction, then took down the enemies that were chasing us.
Then, the thief who has been collecting treasures from the right half of the map will come right around here, so defeat him and collect the treasures.
I'm not sure if this method will always work, but I managed to collect all the treasure chests this way.
I thought the key was to let the enemy thieves handle some of the treasure chest retrieval.

Chapter 9: A startling shadow from the azure sky

This map requires you to split your troops into two groups for the first short portion of the game.
Since Henrietta will join Saias's side as a healer at the start, let's put Lera on Ashley's side.
Also, since many enemy Dragon Knights will appear, be sure to deploy archers and wind mages.
Once you can get past the first cavalry unit, you'll be able to regroup, so after that, head south along the path slightly to the right.

If you enter the attack range of the enemy ballista to the south, 10 Dragon Knights will appear.
They move in teams of five, and because they are so close together, it's dangerous to try and take them all on at once.
In my case, I sent the highly defensive Vine ahead alone and had him wait on top of the fort.
If you're surrounded on all four sides, you'll only take four attacks, so it's easy to withstand.
For enemy units that cannot attack Vine, you can lure them in little by little by entering their attack range, thus avoiding having to deal with too many at once.
This strategy relies quite heavily on using the Binding Machine, but this is how I managed to complete it.

After clearing the main story, you can choose whether or not to proceed to the side stories.

Chapter 9 Fragment: The Retribution of Arrogance

"Kyogou" - being proud and arrogant; haughtiness.
Here too, the troops will be divided into two groups, using the front entrance and the side entrance.
You can obtain the key to the door, but you won't get the key to the treasure, so you should either send Duran out or recruit Ciel.
There's no need to rush on this map, so let's proceed carefully and slowly.

The thief Ciel, who appears along the way, should be recruited by either Saias or Duran.
The membership card Ciel possesses is an item necessary to enter the secret shop.
Lieshe and Alma are imprisoned in a cell, but anyone who opens the door will become your ally.

In the boss's room, lure the enemies in little by little and steadily reduce their numbers.
If you get lazy, you'll be subjected to a concentrated attack and quickly defeated.
Also, once Lorenzo is attacked, he will start moving, so be careful to prevent your non-combatants from being killed.

Chapter 10: The Summoner of Evil

This map is mainly inhabited by monsters.
That said, the rock-paper-scissors system applies to opponents who are equipped with weapons, so there shouldn't be any problems if you proceed cautiously.
However, opponents with the added effect of poison can be troublesome due to the continuous damage they inflict, so be prepared to use Panacea.
You can defeat the bosses one by one by luring them out.

After clearing this section, there will be a branching point in the map.
Choose carefully.

Chapter 11A: Guardian of the Silver Realm

This is the route that Saias and his group will take to deal with the enemy from the north.
Make good use of the NPC "Guardians" to distribute the attacks and fight effectively.
Because there are many monsters, we will proceed in the same way as in the previous map.

Since Stillbalt is within range of the enemy's ranged attacks, advance your allies quickly and have Saias or Rosalie talk to him.
Additionally, if you have Yuria visit the northern ruins, she will learn the skill "Water Spirit's Blessing" (increases critical hit rate when using water-element attacks).
However, be careful about when you visit, as two enemy gargoyle reinforcements will appear near the northern ruins on turns 6-7, and two more will appear from the northern part of the isolated island on turns 9-10.

Also, there's a secret shop on a small island with a forest near the center of the map.
There are many pieces of equipment you'll want to buy if you have the money, such as anti-type rock-paper-scissors weapons, special attack weapons like the Zantetsuken, the Phalanx with the "Defensive Formation" skill, the Longbow with a range of 3, and the Refillate for long-range healing.
It's a good idea to prepare some funds at your base before the map starts.

If you step to the right from the center of the map, the waiting enemies will begin to advance, and reinforcements will also appear near the enemy base.
Let's ensure all members are on the same page before proceeding cautiously.

The boss, Inero, is a dangerous enemy who attacks twice at all times with the Master Sword.
If possible, lure them to a location other than the forest and defeat them all at once.
Be aware that the damage from indirect attacks will be halved due to the skill.

Chapter 12A Kasumifune

The clear condition is to survive for 10 turns.
A lot of flying units will spawn, so prepare plenty of archers.
You don't need to deploy any allied flying units, as one or two of them won't be enough to deal with the enemy.

Around turn 5, a bridge will appear to the boat in the lower right, and enemies will start to invade.
Furthermore, reinforcements arrive from the stairs, and Griffon Riders appear one after another from the sea to the north and south.
To deal with this, board the boat on the left and try to gather as many enemies as possible on one side.

After that, gather north or south of the ship on the left, and use tough defensive units to hold off the enemy foot units.
Although enemy flying units only have iron armor, they are also vulnerable to attacks on non-combatants, so surround and protect them with your allies.

Just clearing the level was tough, so I gave up on getting the treasure chest in the bottom right.
The treasure chest on the left boat contains the Spirit Silver Sword.

Chapter 11B: The Siege of Fort Mardar

Leaving the enemy in the north to the Listia army, Saias and his men will take a route southward.
On this route, you'll recruit Joshua the Grassrunner as a companion.
By the way, after clearing the next map, Clef from Equites will join your party.

On this map, you will split your forces into two groups and advance.
When positioning your characters, be mindful of their roles: healers, ranged attackers, and tanks.
You might think it would be better to merge, but the road is narrow, so we can fight effectively even if we split up.

Starting from turn 4 in the upper right corner of the map, two spearmen will appear as reinforcements for a while.
If you linger near your starting position, you'll inevitably run into them.
Partway through, archers will appear from the stairs below.
From turn 11 onwards, two Curseists will appear from the lower left passage.
If your team is made up of characters with low magic defense, be careful how you deal with them.
From turn 14 onwards, three spearmen will appear at a time from the bottom center of the map.

If you utilize the narrow paths and take on small groups of enemies at a time, this map isn't particularly difficult.

Chapter 12B The Beacon of Counterattack

In contrast to the previous map, this map depicts a vast, open plain.
First, we'll take care of the units on the left and below.
After dealing with the left-hand unit, we'll advance until we've taken out the ballista, and then head south to join forces with the Amadan army.
Furthermore, by using the Amadan army, which has established a defensive line in the south of the map, as a shield, you should be able to more easily withstand the enemy cavalry's charge.
It's a little cruel, but this makes fighting much easier.

Reinforcements will keep coming, but if we form a united front, I think we can defeat them without taking too much damage ourselves.
Since the Amadan army doesn't move, it's easier to control the enemy's targeting.

Chapter 13: In the Shadow of War

Be careful, as there are NPCs like Iteha and Endain who may be defeated if you don't talk to them early.

If you talk to Endine in Orpheus, the children will disappear.
However, since they cannot advance south where there are many enemies, they end up staying put.
Endine is fairly tough, so there's no need to rush; you'll be fine.

The boss is positioned on the other side of the bridge, so you can fight him safely if you block off the bridge.
However, the boss will cross the river, so be careful.
If you defeat the boss first, its morale-boosting skill will disappear, making things much easier.

If you have Endine in your party, you can choose whether or not to proceed to the side story after clearing the map.
If you haven't made her your ally, Endine will swiftly depart after helping the children.

Chapter 13 Fragment: The Nest of Vice

This map features many enemies in narrow passages.
Since the number of people who can be deployed is not very large, let's choose carefully.
However, it's not that difficult, so if there's a character you want to raise, this is your chance.
Also, it might be a good idea to stop sending out thieves you don't intend to train just to open treasure chests, as it's a waste of a unit slot.
In my case, I had the dancers carry keys and used them as substitutes for thieves.

Chapter 14: The Bloody Peak

With densely packed enemy formations, flying units, and ballistas, this map is quite tricky.
Advance carefully, paying attention to the ballista's attack range, to avoid accidental deaths.

On turn 4, bandits will appear from the mountain on the right side of the map and destroy the village.
Due to the limited attack range of the ballista, it's difficult to get flying units that far ahead, so let's have our ace units go first and try to take care of them somehow.

On turn 5, Ellis, Marisol, and Sharon will appear near the starting point.
If you talk to Ellis with either Saias or Henrietta, all three will join your party.
Since Ellis will be joining your party, you can limit the number of healers you deploy.
Also, during the enemy's turn, the boss, Helyus, will begin to move.
If you can defeat it quickly, you can negate the effect of its morale-boosting skill, so lure it to the bottom of the map and defeat it there.

On turn 6, two Dragon Knights will appear from the bottom right and bottom left of the map.
If we hesitate, we'll be ambushed, so let's have the units that can handle it prepare.

Furthermore, in subsequent turns, Dragon Knights will continue to appear from the top edge of the map for a while.
It's difficult to engage all the deployed units at once, so it's best to drop your front line a little further down, calm down, and then advance.
Since you can defeat the boss with the morale-boosting ability first, the battles after the boss should be much easier.

Chapter 15: The Dragon's Claw, the Tiger's Fang

While the boss is a formidable opponent, this map is extremely difficult due to the sheer number of enemies.
The key question is how well they've developed their star players.
Since advancing with the initial deployment will be difficult, let's concentrate our forces before moving forward.

From the very first turn, reinforcements will appear in droves from deep within the enemy's territory.
In my case, I positioned my main force near the northern hill and ambushed the enemy from there.
The strategy involves sending out the highly defensive Bind units, then using the main force to finish off the enemy units that have been weakened by the Bind units.
The diversion skill means that all enemies capable of attacking Bain will head towards Bain, and only enemies that cannot attack Bain will attack the main force.
Since being attacked by multiple enemies at once is dangerous, I managed to survive by accumulating enemies near the protruding Bind and then defeating the stragglers.

If you talk to Gladius with Orpheus, you can obtain his exclusive spear, Mistilteinn.
At the same time, Gladius is transformed into an iron spear, which reduces the level of danger.
That said, bow attacks are effective against them, so let's take them down in one go.

Eskbein, who wields the Reginleif, a weapon capable of both close-range and close-range combat, is also a dangerous opponent.
The enemy's HP-absorbing skill, "Demonic Impact," can be troublesome when activated, so you'll want to whittle it down with counterattacks during the enemy's turn and then finish it off with attacks during your turn.
Since he wields an axe, you'd ideally want to attack him with a special weapon like a horse-slaying sword to gain an advantage, but he also has anti-sword skills, which makes him even more troublesome.
Given the circumstances, we don't have time to waste on Eskubein alone, so this is going to be a tough challenge.

Chapter 16 Signatories

This map is filled with various traps designed to deceive the player.

The Assassins are heading towards King Segley, so we must advance quickly to stop them at all costs.
Since Duran is near the king, as long as Duran has grown up, you don't need to worry about time.
If you haven't grown strong enough, retrieve a life-saving ointment from a nearby treasure chest and try to hold on.
The door will buy us some time, so let's not let Duran unlock it.
Assassins have low attack power, but a high critical hit rate.
Let's endure this while being careful not to get into an accident.
If you have a longbow, you can provide covering fire from the lower passage.
Also, if you can get Duran within the range of your own characters' Refile ability, you should be able to withstand it for the time being.
On turn 14, a Skeleton Mage will appear near the prison, but it will not move.

The unit starting in the lower left has a Curseist nearby who uses the long-range magic Hypno.
Being put to sleep is troublesome, so either use Panacea to recover or just get through it quickly.
If you fall asleep, carry them in your arms and advance during the rescue operation.

The units starting from the bottom right will have enemies that immediately launch indirect attacks from behind walls, so be sure to prepare plenty of archers and other units capable of indirect attacks.

You can avoid combat with Vama by talking to him in Hormel, which will cause him to leave the party.
They are tough opponents if you fight them normally, so try to avoid them if possible.

If you obtain the "Blessing Seal" from the treasure chest in the bottom left, two Skiars will appear nearby, so it is dangerous to open it with a weak character.
In the room above, which contains two treasure chests, four enemies will appear once you enter the room.
Also, along the way to the king's prison, Skiar will appear from behind a suit of armor.
Let's not let our guard down.

After that, reinforcements of skiers and hellhounds will appear from near the throne.
Skiers aren't particularly strong, but they have a skill that allows them to pass through walls, so be careful as they can slip through them.

Chapter 17 The Demon Laughs

At first glance, this map looks easy because there are many NPCs.
You can proceed to the next chapter if Saias leaves the northwest exit point within 10 turns.
However, after a while, monsters will be placed in large numbers all over the map.
Furthermore, the exit point will be changed to the forest in the northeast, so you'll be fine if you prepare in advance.
However, if Segley is defeated, it's game over, so be careful as you proceed.
Have Saias wait near the exit point, and clear the area when it becomes dangerous.

In the red-roofed house in the north of the center, you can recruit the berserker Won Franz as a companion.
Because they have bargaining skills, they are very useful when shopping.

Chapter 17 Fragment: The Demonic Realm of the Unlit Sun

Since most of the map is forest, we can't advance as we'd like.
Be careful, as attacks tend to hit less often for both you and your opponent.

On turn 4, two reinforcements will appear near the starting position.
From turn 6 onwards, in addition to the above, one gargoyle will also appear from each side.
On turn 7, Felicius will appear from the right of the starting point, so use Orpheus to persuade him.
As reinforcements will appear from the rear, it might be best to wait near the starting point for a while.

When you reach about one-third of the way through the map, Luard will appear behind you and summon Dragon Zombies to the lower left and upper left.
Having weapons that are effective against dragon and undead enemies will give you an advantage in battle.
2The fangs dropped by the dragons, "Galanas's Fang" and "Marito's Fang," can be sold.4000EHowever, if stored in a transport unit, it becomes a material for a powerful axe.
"Galanthus," made from the tusks of the Galanas,2Since it has a skill that allows for multiple attacks, it's useful to create this one alone.

Chapter 18: The Antlion

Antlion... an antlion.
An event at the start of the chapter causes Henrietta to change her class to Apostle.
It's most efficient to level up Henrietta to level 20 by this point.

Now, this is a 15-turn survival map.
This is a survival map, and if your goal is to visit every house, it's best to charge forward and fight your way through each block.
However, it's a very difficult path.
An extraordinary number of reinforcements will appear, so you'll need healers, as well as the ability to kill enemies.1The key to victory lies in how many units you can reliably defeat in a single attack.
If all your regular members aren't at least at the advanced class level, you might find it difficult to eliminate enemies quickly enough.
Don't hesitate to use effective special attack weapons such as the Zanbatō and the Demon-Slaying Spear.

At the start of turn 3, Vama and Helyus will appear at the starting point as reinforcements.
They're reliable and immediately useful, so don't hesitate to use them a lot.
If you decide to give up on visiting private homes, I recommend positioning yourself outside the castle walls in the upper right or upper left corner, as this makes you less likely to be surrounded by enemies.
In both cases, the forest to the south will slow down the enemy's advance.

Chapter 19: The Sword Will Not Break

If you talk to Shien in Iteha, he will join your party.
The four thieves in the upper left all possess valuable items.
The enemy will flee towards the upper right of the map, so send your units towards that direction.
In particular, the "Sval's Guardian Stone" (which negates special attacks) is very valuable, so be sure to get your hands on it.
Being able to neutralize flying units' suicide attacks would be of considerable strategic value.
However, be careful, as reinforcements will appear from the right multiple times as turns pass.

The boss, Gazelle, will attack you if you enter his movement range.
Master-level weapons allow for powerful double attacks, so be careful not to get too close carelessly.

After clearing the map, Saias will change his class to Divine Lord.
Your level will reset to 1, so it's most efficient to reach level 20 by this point.
After that, there's a fork in the path, so think carefully before you choose.

Chapter 20A: The Poisonous Cave

This is the western route.
You must eliminate all enemies within 12 turns, so choose members who prioritize offense.
Many monsters will appear, and if you don't send your ace units ahead quickly, you risk running out of turns.
Many enemies have fairly high attack power, so be careful of counterattacks.
Since there are enemies that use Mute to silence you from a distance, make sure you have at least two healers in your party.

Try to avoid the floor from which miasma is emanating while you wait.
Even if you have to avoid them and wait a bit, there's still a little leeway in the number of turns, so it's not a problem.

Chapter 21A Fugitive

The isolated NPCs, Diasul and Benedict, are subjected to relentless enemy attacks from the very first turn.
It will finally be within range of Refillate on our second turn, so I think we'll be able to heal somehow.
If you're unlucky, you might be defeated on the very first turn without being able to do anything, so be careful.
They won't immediately join your party just because you talk to them, so you can wait until you have some free time before talking to Saias.

Reinforcements of mounted archers will appear from the fort on the left for a while, and dragon knights and other units will appear from the south.
If you have players with strong defensive skills, there shouldn't be any particular problems.
However, cavalry units that use magic can inflict significant damage, so it's important to be careful not to overextend.

Chapter 22A: The Roaring Mad Wolf

You can persuade Georg in Diasul, so talk to him well and recruit him as an ally.
In addition, reinforcements will appear from the fort as usual, and Dragon Knights will appear from the south.
By this point in the map, you should have assembled quite a few ace units, so I think things should be getting a bit easier.

There's a secret shop down the suspicious-looking road in the bottom left of the map.
2A variety of useful weapons are available, including Master-type weapons that allow for multiple attacks.
It's a bit expensive, but it'll make things easier if you buy it, even if it means using up some of your accumulated cheaper equipment.

Chapter 20B: The Battle of the Border

This is the southern route.
You can either charge straight in while being wary of the ballista, or go around through the monster forest.
If you can patiently work your way out of the ballista's ammo, the rest of the map is easy.

Even if we go through the forest, the terrain is difficult to fight in, and ultimately, we can't completely avoid fighting the soldiers.
There are no turn limits, so let's take our time and strategize carefully.

Chapter 21B: The False River

This map is structurally similar to the one we saw earlier.
Barricades have been erected on the bridge, and enemies that use ballistas and long-range status-inflicting attacks are positioned in a rather unpleasant way.
Let's prepare some Panacea to cure status ailments.

From turns 4 and 5 onwards, three Dragon Knight reinforcements will appear from both the top and bottom of the bridge.
From turn 6 and turn 7 onwards, four units will appear from the left edge.
The terrain is difficult to fight on, so position your units to protect your weaker ones.
If you're worried about enemies or ballistas in front of you, it's a good idea to retreat back to near your starting position.
Additionally, since all reinforcements are equipped with weapons that can be used both at close and long range, you can reduce their numbers by placing archers or wind mages just outside their attack range and counterattacking.
If the number of enemies becomes too large to handle, try making effective use of counterattacks during the enemy's turn.

Chapter 22B The Roaring Bull

If you capture the castle and clear the stage without defeating Billgrant, he will become your ally.
This reminds me of Hannibal from Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War.

Let's divide the troops into a diversionary force advancing westward and the main force aiming to capture the castle.
Move the diversionary force, mainly consisting of mounted units, to the vicinity of the platoon located north of Billgrant.
Around the time they begin engaging the platoon, Billgrant starts moving north.
Let's lure Bill Grant out while visiting the village.
Since they're all heavily armored knights, we should be able to pull them with ease.
If you manage to lure them out, move past the starting point and follow the main group.
The main force should aim to seize control of the area as soon as Billgrant moves north.
Be careful not to get too close at this time, as Bill Grant will come towards the main force.

On turns 7 and 8, Dragon Knight reinforcements will appear from various locations.
It's dangerous to move while Billgrant is being repelled, so it might be safer to wait until all the reinforcements have appeared before taking action.

Also, there's a secret shop in the vacant lot surrounded by the river at the bottom center of the map.
We sell various Master-type weapons, weapons with high critical hit rates, class change items, and Refilet items.
If you have the money, buying Master-level equipment will be very useful.

Chapter 23: The Sea of Scorching Sands

This is a desert map similar to Henri's Path, where movement is greatly reduced (from Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem).
Buying a demon-slaying spear or a demon-repelling sword at the previous base will make things easier.
Flying units that can move normally, mages, and thieves will be useful.
Also, since this map is full of status ailments such as poison and paralysis, be sure to prepare Panacea.
If you are poisoned and your HP is reduced to 1 by Sarakael during the enemy's turn, you will definitely die.
Be careful with this combo.

The entrance to the underground ruins is located in the one-square area of bone surrounded by cliffs in the lower left of the map.
Once you find this, you can proceed to the next section.

Treasure is buried all over the map.
There are usually bone markers near where the body is buried.
If you wait around the bones, you can collect the items.
Think of the bones as treasure chests that don't require a key.

- Secret Technique Scroll: Bones in the two squares near the starting position
- Ruby: A single block of bone surrounded by cliffs near the starting position.
- Book of Foresight: The bones in the upper right corner of the map, two squares to the left and right.
- Anathema: The bones in the upper right corner of the map (1 square)
- Melos's shoelaces: The bones in the two squares in the bottom right of the map
・Messiah: A bone located in the bottom center square of the map.
- Tyrfing: The bone in the bottom left square of the map

On turns 6 and 7, two gargoyles will appear from the top of the map.
Isolated units are dangerous.
On turns 9 and 10, Antares will appear from various cliff areas on the map.
On turn 11, in addition to Antares, gargoyles will also appear from the bottom of the map.
Until around turn 16, reinforcements will continue to appear in various locations, so it's a good strategy to simply wait until they stop spawning.

While flying units can move relatively freely, they are in great danger if they are paralyzed by a basilisk, as they become isolated and unable to fight.
Even if you're going to send someone ahead, it's safer to have at least two people acting together.

Chapter 23 Fragment: The Realm of the Fire God

After playing the desert map, this indoor map feels wonderful because you can move around normally.
When you enter the room containing the treasure chest, a durable entrance closes, trapping you from leaving until you defeat the enemies inside.
It's dangerous to send in strong units first and have the treasure chest collectors join later.
The room in the upper right is particularly dangerous because it contains an enemy with the Sarakaeru ability that can reduce your HP to 1, so be careful if you get trapped inside.

When you get close to the boss's room, reinforcements will appear from the back of the room over several turns.
The goal is to defeat the boss, so if you find it troublesome, just push through.

Chapter 24 Truth

This map is one where only five people, including Saias, will progress.
Moreover, from the start, Saias is isolated, while the other members are advancing in pairs.
Having a long-range healing ability like Refill will allow you to proceed with peace of mind.
Since Saias has a transport convoy, he doesn't really have any trouble recovering.

The unit on the right should be wary of the guaranteed kill combo of Saracael + Venom.
Unless you have a way to defend against the poison, you will be killed.

Since many dragons appear here, having a weapon that is effective against dragons will make the battle much easier.
You can get one in Saias's route, so there's no problem.
However, the dragon's breath attack ignores defense and is painful, so be sure to provide solid support from both sides with Refill.

Chapter 25 The Plains are Stained Red

This map is perfect for an all-out battle.
Since we have plenty of members available to deploy, let's not hold back.

After speaking to Indra with either Vama or Helyus, you will enter combat.
As a result of the battle, Indra will take some damage, but Vama will also take some damage, so heal her immediately.
After likely having a conversation with one of them, if you deliver the final blow, they will join your party after you clear the map.

Reinforcements from a variety of classes will appear evenly.
Make sure you're prepared to deal with any type of opponent, whether they're flying, heavily armored, mounted, or magic users.
Reinforcements will appear from various directions on the map, including the upper right, upper left, and lower left, so move carefully and stay close to the edges of the map to avoid being surrounded.
There is no particular need to rush into the advance.

Chapter 26: The End of War

We will divide the troops into three groups and proceed.
It will be tough if you don't include a healer (mainly for status recovery) in any unit.

Be careful, as there are places throughout the corridors where Skiers will appear if you enter.
Furthermore, there are many monster reinforcements, and the basilisk, which has a paralyzing attack, is particularly dangerous.
Make sure to give them Panacea or Panacerate.

Let's postpone opening any treasure chests or unnecessary doors along the way and focus on getting the three units together.
If you can get close enough to support each other with long-range magic, you can fight with a bit more stability.

Final Chapter: Liberation

The final chapter consists of multiple maps.

・1st floor
This map also features many monsters.
The basilisk's paralysis remains a troublesome ailment, so be sure to have a way to cure status ailments.
You don't need to fight all the enemies, as you only need Saias to reach the designated point.
In particular, the enemies guarding the treasure chests won't move even if you enter their attack range, so just ignore them and move on.
The contents of the treasure chest aren't particularly necessary, but if you don't want to fight enemies, you can just use the Rogue's Spirit Stone to retrieve them from a distance.

2nd floor
In the isolated room in the middle, Saias is engaged in a one-on-one battle with Furon, while the other four companions are isolated on either side.
The left and right units should move downwards, where the enemy numbers are relatively small, and hold their ground there.
The stage is cleared once you defeat Furon, so use Refillate or similar to heal Saias.

Furon is difficult to damage, but thanks to the effect of his skill, neither side performs follow-up attacks, and they attack directly, allowing you to reliably deal damage with counterattacks.
Actually, if you don't deploy anyone other than Saias, it becomes a pure one-on-one duel, which is easy.
In that case, you'll have to rely on items for healing, but if you've taught Saias useful skills using ultimate skill books or similar, the battle will be considerably easier.

3rd floor
Finally, we face off against Luard.
There are summoning talismans in the four corners of the map, which will cause a large number of enemy reinforcements to appear, but completely ignore them and concentrate your attacks on Luard.

The first dragon you'll fight has high attack power and is dangerous, so deal with it carefully.
You can send only Saias to confront Luard.
Luard will also attack Saias.
His attack power is high, but if Saias can defeat Furon, he shouldn't have too much trouble.

4th floor
In the next map, you'll finally face the final boss.
While you might want to defeat it in one go, its HP recovers every turn, making it a long battle. So, first, eliminate the surrounding dragons.
By carefully destroying each summoning talisman one by one, you can calmly fight the final boss once it's all down.

The final boss has high attack power and ignores defense, so your units cannot withstand more than two attacks.
However, attacking with only Saias would be difficult, so let's have other units participate in the attack as well.
In that case, if you have one healer equip an area-of-effect heal and both of them use it at the end of the turn, I think everyone's health will be fully restored.
We're almost there, so let's fight with all our might and give it our all without holding anything back.

About what happens after clearing the game

After clearing the game and watching each character's epilogue, you can create a save file.
Loading that data will unlock four extra maps.
You can also use traveling merchants and buy and sell items, allowing you to fully engage in the game by raising all your characters.

Additionally, you can earn bonus points depending on the difficulty level you clear (2500 BP for Hard mode).
After starting the game, you can purchase items at the shop that offers New Game Plus bonuses after selecting the difficulty level.
You can only purchase items with the bonus points you earn upon clearing the game, but they include equipment that can be used infinitely and class change items, making subsequent playthroughs much easier.
Personally, I think a gold card that halves the amount the owner spends on purchases is better than any infinite-type equipment.
If you're going to play extensively, the World Bracelet, which grants unlimited class changes and increases all growth rates, also seems like a good option.

Useful Character Introductions

This guide will mainly focus on the members I deployed during the final map of my first playthrough on Hard Mode, but I will also introduce characters that proved useful during gameplay.
There are many other characters I want to raise, so I'll try out various approaches in the future.

Saias

In the early stages, the special attack effect of the exclusive weapon, Levantia, proved useful at crucial moments.
His class change is a little late, but his growth rate is impressive, as expected of a protagonist.
He's finally grown into one of the strongest characters, and his exclusive weapon is quite powerful as well.
Thanks to the "Shining Heaven" technique I learned from the Secret Technique Scroll, I was able to defeat Furon in a one-on-one battle.
This unit's popularity skyrocketed towards the end of the game.
If I had been able to change classes a little earlier, I think I would have had a much greater presence.

Vine

It's no exaggeration to say that we couldn't have cleared Hard Mode without him; he was the most important unit.
This character is reliable, as they drew the early-game enemy attacks with their high defense and diversion skills.
Its strategy of taking the full force of enemy attacks made it an excellent match for regeneration skills.
If given first-aid supplies and holy water, he could perform like a full-fledged army as a one-man unit.
Its agility is low, making it difficult to pursue enemies, but it excels at chipping away at enemy health.

Fanari

I raised it because I thought, "This one will definitely get strong if I raise it..."
After changing classes, I fought on the front lines as the ace pilot, always keeping an eye on Vine's back.
I raised the character while giving him various items that increase growth rates, but surprisingly, none of his stats reached their maximum potential.
However, it proved to be quite useful as a stable unit that could be entrusted with the front lines in any situation.

Rera

Since she's the first healer to join your party, she leveled up on her own.
Changing to the Valkyrie class increases her movement speed, making her significantly more useful.
As an attacker, his magic power and skill were somewhat lacking, but I would give him a light as a backup in case other units couldn't finish off the enemy.

rim

I wanted to raise at least one character who uses a bow, so I did.
Since there were many enemy flying units, it proved useful in various situations.
However, due to its low HP and defense, it was often targeted and frequently died.
However, range3The Longbow, Arc-en-Ciel, was a strategically important unit, particularly useful in indoor maps.

Henrietta

Upon class change, it becomes a top-tier magic attack unit.
However, since their skill level is low, persistent proficiency grinding is necessary to make them effective.
Even without grinding for proficiency, the lowest level magic spells can deal considerable damage.
While weak against physical attacks, it makes an unparalleled tank against magical attacks.

Yulia

She joined the party early on and, as a valuable mage, became a source of damage against tough enemies.
However, since it was difficult to raise its level without consciously working on it, I feel a strong sense of accomplishment from having nurtured it.
After class change, she gained impressive stats as a magic user and proved to be a valuable unit capable of healing.
However, perhaps because I often used wind magic, which is light and particularly effective against flying enemies, even after acquiring the most powerful water magic, I hadn't reached the proficiency level to use it effectively.
That's something I regret a little.

Ashley

If Vine was the defensive ace, then Ashley was the offensive ace.
With its high attack power and abundant special attack weapons, it easily defeated powerful enemies.
He's not a swordsman who relies on dodging, but rather one with high defensive capabilities, so he's well-suited to hard mode, and I could confidently entrust him with leading the front lines.
Our team's standard formation was to have Fanaliye Ashley as the two strikers behind Bain.
The techniques learned from the secret technique scrolls also absorbed the damage dealt, making them quite useful.

Orpheus

While its high growth rate made it a potential ace unit, its weakness to bow-type weapons meant it wasn't a unit that could be used with confidence.
However, once equipped with Subal's Guardian Stone, which ignores suicide attacks, it became a highly mobile fortress, a very useful unit for supporting a crumbling front line.
To maximize my movement capabilities, I changed my class to Sky Ruler and also used movement-boosting items.
I've become a jack-of-all-trades, capable of handling anything from skirmishes and treasure chest retrieval to rescuing allied units.
Its high defensive capabilities despite being a flying unit are also highly commendable.

Lieshe

This is a dancer, a familiar character in SRPGs, whose role is to allow the enemy to act again.
It's a unit that isn't strictly necessary, but having it or not makes a huge difference in convenience.
There are many things you can do, such as giving your ace unit another turn, giving your healer another turn, or giving a turn to a unit whose advance is lagging behind.
However, until your defensive and magic defense levels increase to a certain extent, you still need to be careful as accidental deaths from ballistas or long-range magic are possible.
Additionally, by giving them a key, you can make them act like a thief.

Marisol

Marisol and Sharon have taken the regular spot from the Albert and Tobias duo.
Compared to the two red and green characters, this one has a better balance of stats, and its defensive capabilities have grown reasonably well, making it easy to use.
Furthermore, the Swallow Reversal skill is a welcome feature, as it allows you to inflict significant damage on flying units.
They have high levels in their lower-level classes from the moment they join, and can even be used as a fighting force if you change their class immediately.

Sharon

This is the duo that took the regular spot from the red-green duo.
Like Marisol, she has a good balance of stats and decent defensive capabilities, making her easy to use.
In my playthrough, Albert's defense was low at level 20 in his lower class (9), and Tobias's was also low at 12. In hard mode, where enemies land hits relentlessly, they couldn't remain in my regular party.

Georg

With abilities comparable to a fully grown Marisol Sharon, and high proficiency in both sword and spear, she was very useful as an immediate asset.
I was deeply moved by the interactions with Diasul, and I really liked him as a character.
Since he only joins your party towards the end of the game, if you have other characters that are already leveled up, there's no need to force yourself to use him.

Bonard

I used it when I had extra deployment slots.
Despite being a magic-user class, they have fairly tough stats and high firepower.
Given its fire attribute, the hit rate is a bit of a concern, but it was effective against the monsters in the later stages of the game.

Other comments

S-Class (Undisputed Regulars): Vine, Ashley, Orpheus, Fanalier
A-Class (Starting Lineup): Sias, Henrietta, Rera, Lishe, Lim
B-list (semi-starters): Marisol, Sharon, Georg, Vonard, Yulia

Overall, the archer characters were quite fragile and difficult to level up.
In SRPGs, archer characters tend to be overpowered, so I think this was a good adjustment.

Also, from the mid-game onwards, there were many maps with ballistas, which often made it difficult to deploy flying units.
Well, flying units have a huge advantage in terms of mobility, so I think it's unavoidable that they'd be too powerful otherwise.

In my case, Tobias was the only unit I raised that primarily used axes, and even he was dropped from the starting lineup midway through, so I felt it was a waste that I didn't have anyone who could wield powerful axe equipment.
When leveling up units, I think it's important to consider the type of main weapon they use and develop them in a balanced way.