Seiken Densetsu III

Lazzie

I decided to play it again. Probably a mistake, since I was obsessed with this game around ~10ish years ago and I don't really need another distraction. Despite having beaten this game at least 5 or 6 times, I've never explored Hawk's light classes or Lise's dark classes, so I'm going to roll both of those. Plus Kevin, because Kevin's a beast (man).

My all-time favorite setup is Kevin (Death Hand), Hawk (Nightblade), and Carlie (Bishop), but the characters and class variety are fantastic. It's one of those games that has me coming back again and again. So, anyone else play this game? Got a favorite character or favorite party?

Kitsune Inferno

I love you. So hard.

I'm at the Moonreading Tower in a Lise-Hawk-Kevin game. Haven't played in a while though.

Silence

Best game.

I feel like putting Kevin and Hawk in the same party is unfair though, hahaha.

I remember loving a Duran (Swordmaster), Angela (Rune Master), Riesz (Star Lancer) setup, for the huge variety of full-party buffs. I had to rely on items for healing, but being able to handle basically any situation thanks to having All the Sabers, the OP Level 3 Elemental spells, and the full suite of Status UP spells was pretty potent. It probably wasn't the most efficient party though.

Lazzie

@Silence:

Best game.

I feel like putting Kevin and Hawk in the same party is unfair though, hahaha.

It really is. Even more unfair when Carlie gives them sabers. That party just wrecks EVERYTHING. You can kill some of the God-Beasts in under 25 seconds without being overleveled. If you are doing Kevin and Carlie's storyline, then making her a Bishop is broke. Honestly, though, the characters in this game are all powerful, and it isn't hard to make a devastating setup with any of the six characters.

I only just started this new game, but I think it's going to be God Hand, Rogue, and Dragon Master. Basically Kevin is point man / healer, and I'll treat Hawk and Lise as mages that can throw it down physically a little as well.

But, just for fun, three theme parties I did way back in the day:

All-Offense Man Party - Death Hand, Night Blade, Sword Master or Duelist. No healers allowed. Just sabers and hitting. Duelist is a better fit for the theme. but Sword Master can multitarget sabers. Be prepared to use a lot of items.

Magical Girl Party - Star Lancer, Evil Shaman, Angela (in anything). Spam Magic Up, Demon Breath, and whatever spells Angela has. Demon Breath is worth it over Black Curse because it can damage and multitarget in addition to lowering Magic D. Grand Devina Angela is my favorite, since she's the physically strongest and still great magically, but you could go Magus for Ancient or Rune Master for those broken level 3s.

Level 3 MTA LL Party - God Hand, Vanadis, Paladin. I thought this party was lame at first, but I eventually loved it. It seems silly to have two healers and no MT spells, but you have three characters with great Level 3 MTAs and Kevin using Aura Wave all the time. Duelist or Sword Master probably makes more sense than Paladin, but I just liked having every character go Light-Light. And this was the first time I used Vanadis - I usually just always make Lise a Star Lancer, but the increase in offense with Vanadis is very noticeable.

Silence

I don't think I ever did Kevin's story, because I heard it was the easiest. I did Duran/Angela and Hawk/Reisz but never Kevin/Carlie. But I did do a run with a Hawk Kevin Reisz (don't remember the setup) party and it was just BROKE. I love pretty much everything about the game and its class system - it's a real crying shame that they haven't made a Mana game like it since (excluding Sword of Mana, I guess, which used a scaled down version of the same class system).

Nobuteru Yuki's character designs, Kikuta's music, and the jaw-droppingly amazing graphics made this one of the best RPGs I've ever played.

(And you're making me want to start all over again. Damn you!)

Lazzie

Kevin's is the easiest, ESPECIALLY if Carlie's in your party. The final dungeon is medium-challenging, but almost every enemy in it is undead or a demon, and therefore weak against Wisp. Carlie's Turn Undead and Saint Beam spells will positively annihilate it. The final three bosses all use a lot of magic attacks, so if your INT is low then you're in trouble, but probably not. Magic Up, Counter Magic, etc. all take care of that.

Kitsune Inferno

I did a Hawk-Angela-Duran party my first time through, but I only got to the Holy Land and lost my save D:

Lazzie

my first party was Hawk-Angela-Lise. I went Nightblade / Star Lancer / Arch Mage. Each class change I 100% went with the name that sounded cooler, but I feel kind of lame for going what I feel is the weakest Angela class.

V-time

God that game takes me back. Still love Hawke as a Ninja Master : Shuriken spam against all enemies for a ridiculous low amount of mana ? Yes please !

First time around though the Black Knight whooped my ass. Even though i was overleveled… oops shrug

Still never played with Carlie since i tend to avoid kids in JRPG (an impossible feat as you might guess) despite them being ridiculous powerful most of the time.

Kitsune Inferno

Gonna do a Angela-Duran-Carlie run next. Then a Kevin-Carlie-???? afterwards… dunno who to make the third player in that party, though...

RuNa

Here is the team I beat the game with (best team):

Hawkeye (Nightblade)
Kevin (God Hand)
Lise (Vanadis)

I also really like the pairing of HxL. The have some really great dialogue together.

My original team back in 2000 (that I never finished the game with) was:

Hawkeye (Wanderer)
Angela (Arch Mage)
Lise (Star Lancer)

My brother possibly chose the worst team (couldn't kill the Light God Beast).

Charlotte (Priestess)
Angela (Delvar)
Duran (Gladiator)

His team was really under-leved and the only one who was useful was Duran but he died every 5 seconds.

Lazzie

Duran's the hardest character to use in the game. you have to keep your distance and attack/retreat/attack/retreat. Your brother's party isn't such a bad one, really, but kind of redundant, with the Priestess knowing the same sabers as the Gladiator. I'd have gone dark with Charlotte for that team.

But seriously, he couldn't kill the Light god-beast when he has Dark Force and Charlotte's multi-target Heal Light? Maybe your brother just sucks.

RuNa

^
I think it may have to do with him being under-leveled. I still have his safe file so if he ever wants to try again he might be able to.

Lazzie

Probably not. I usually beat the god-beasts at three to four levels under the enemies in the area. Especially the last few of them. And if you're under-leveled the bosses are easier than the regular enemies 99% of the time.