Has anyone here used Lazlo as a Water Mage?

[ninjaluc79]

Haven't played this game, but I'm just curious.

I see in the magic affinities guide that Lazlo has a better affinity to Water (3/4) than to any other element (2/4). But I do understand that since RoP is a Magic Rune of Pain that you don't want to use unless absolutely necessary, it's better to stack offensive magic runes like Fire (or maybe because it's the easiest to obtain in the game, unlike Water which can't be obtained until mid-game) as I see in a lot of playthroughs on YouTube.

I also understand that Breath of Ice from S3 onwards sucks in general (maybe they don't have too many fire-element enemies?), they could have at least made it a more powerful level 3 spell instead of a weak level 2 spell.

But it's probably me using Riou as a healer in S2 one too many times. I mean, why not? Most heroes in RPGs are offensively-oriented anyway. Why not try a healer-type hero? That doesn't get done a lot, save probably the FF series.

So basically, I can understand the need for offensive runes early in the game, but why not a Flowing Rune on Lazlo by the end-game?

Again, just curious.

[mpieco]

Water is actually quite easy to obtain early.

1. Remove it from snowe.
2. There's one in a chest in razril somewhere.
3. Remove it from jewel (assuming you pick her).

I actually use water as lazlo's second rune for a long time. With only 4 party membrs in this game, i like as much healing as possible.

[ninjaluc79]

Is it true that Breath of Ice sucks in this game?

[EstrangedIX]

I usually give him a Flowing rune as soon as it's available, mostly for the ability to use Silent Lake in the training room. Breath of Ice might be a little better in IV than III, but I almost never use it anyway given my preference for physical attacks. If you don't want to put it on Lazlo, try giving it to Sigurd

[ninjaluc79]

Haha, I see. I'm a fan of spamming magic though, but most of the time I prefer a balance between physicals and magic. Though in Suikoden physicals always trump magic by the end game, and I thought S4 had this particularly bad.

I heard that True Friends has the potential to take out the FREAKING GIANT TREE in ONE HIT, whereas in some playthroughs I have never seen Ted deal no more than 2000 damage with his Soul Eater, maybe 2500 with a Wizard Rune, Guardian Set, and 3 Magic Rings.

MP restoring items made S4 too easy, I think, unless these items are limited. Maybe it's just me getting used to S1 and S2 not using healing items (but Riou with Magic Drain on weapon did allow for heal spam).

But anyways, back to topic. Well, at least Silent Lake seems to be very useful in this game, because mages are your worst nightmare inside the training hall. Now I finally understood why Viki's teleportation would be so overpowered if only she can control it efficiently.

Teleporting guys from Point A to Point B would be piece of cake, now try teleporting your entire army straight inside the enemy lines. That would be the ULTIMATE HAX in war battles.

[sticky-runes]

I never did. I always gave him a medicine rune for his second slot (it doesn't cancel your chosen action like it does in S2) but I might try something different next time I play.

And MP restoratives are very rare in S4. You can probably get them from doing the mint/mushroom thing with Mao and Nao, but I never bothered.

[EstrangedIX]

I did the mushroom thing a lot just for the mini S1 battles. I also avoided the Medicine rune because of how it was in S2. Might have to try it out in a replay (which I need to do for Tactics).

[Punkaiser]

whereas in some playthroughs I have never seen Ted deal no more than 2000 damage with his Soul Eater, maybe 2500 with a Wizard Rune, Guardian Set, and 3 Magic Rings.

I dont know since when the tale of Ted being the best mage begins, but seriously in this game Jeanne doesnt even need alert status to deal that amount of damage with heavenly thunder + 3 lightning rings.

[sticky-runes]

I did the mushroom thing a lot just for the mini S1 battles. I also avoided the Medicine rune because of how it was in S2. Might have to try it out in a replay (which I need to do for Tactics).

The medicine rune is not bad in S4, the user isn't restricted to equipped items because it takes medicine and mega medicine from your main inventory. You can even buy as many of them as you want in your rune shop, but only one will work if you have more than one equipped in your group, so I always gave it to the hero. It allows him to auto-heal anyone who is low on HP at the end of a round.

[gildedtalon]

So the medicine rune uses Medicine or Mega Medicine?

[sticky-runes]

Yes, it takes medicine and mega medicine from the top of your inventory (and you can carry up to 99 of each item in this game, so you're hardly likely to run out fast). So, when you reach higher levels, you might want to get rid of all your regular medicines because they only recover 50HP, and make sure you're got mega medicine on top to recover 250HP. I don't think food items will work, you have to use those manually.

Of course, some people might not like using medicine rune and prefer to give Lazlo extra spells or something to help clear battles faster, but that's just how I got comfortable playing. Any rune that has uses which don't cost MP is OK with me.

[gildedtalon]

So the character doesn't have to waste a turn? How neat! Healing and attacking at the same turn?

[sticky-runes]

yep. And if you have a character who is low on HP when you use "rush", then that character will be healed afterwards without the party receiving any enemy attacks.

[ninjaluc79]

whereas in some playthroughs I have never seen Ted deal no more than 2000 damage with his Soul Eater, maybe 2500 with a Wizard Rune, Guardian Set, and 3 Magic Rings.

I dont know since when the tale of Ted being the best mage begins, but seriously in this game Jeanne doesnt even need alert status to deal that amount of damage with heavenly thunder + 3 lightning rings.

Well, I guess people like Ted for his Soul Eater Rune and the fact that he belongs to the unique class of Rune Archer. There were a lot of Suikoden mages who use ranged weapons, but Ted is the only one I know who uses a bow.

There are also bow-users in Suikoden, but they're usually physically oriented.

[dinit]

I actually find it better to steal Keneth's Lightning Rune and give it to Lazlo.

It lets me finish battles in a single turn when I have to use Lazlo by himself.
I hate those random encounters against multiple crabs on the desereted island with a solo Lazlo.