Duel - Which series has the best duel?

[sticky-runes]

No, I mean from your point of view, not Chuck's. I totally understand Chuck defending it, but why is only the prince forcing his way into the storeroom? Why is Kyle just standing there watching, knowing if the Prince loses they lose the rune?

Well, if the prince is willing to take on Chuck himself without having his knights do it for him, then that's his decision.
Also, Chuck was under the impression that the prince was a suitor for Luserina, so he kind of had a personal grudge - like the prince was gonna take the little lady away from him, so they settled it like men. They probably could have given us the option to set Kyle on Chuck, but maybe the prince wanted to prove he's not like Barows or Godwin, who get henchmen to do their dirty work for them!

[sticky-runes]

No, I mean from your point of view, not Chuck's. I totally understand Chuck defending it, but why is only the prince forcing his way into the storeroom? Why is Kyle just standing there watching, knowing if the Prince loses they lose the rune?

I guess you could say the same for the Duel between Riou and Luca when he is at the tree after being shot with arrows. The whole party was there, yet he attacked you, and no one else joined in. Riou's life was at stake, which is just as important...

we just had 3 group battles with Luca - a 4th one would have been tedious. And I think they wanted to make it so that Luca ultimately dies by YOUR hand. Just imagine - you have another group battle, and one of your allies strikes the finishing blow. From then on, everybody celebrates you as the hero who defeated Luca Blight. "Yes I am! That's me!!" (Actually, no. It was Nina who took him out with her book case.)

[sticky-runes]

Worst duel in the series? Thomas vs Guillaume. I had a whole bunch of people with me, in a town packed with guards, why was Thomas the only guy rescuing Shabon from some dirty ol' pedo??? Why didn't my allies join me in kicking his head in? A little girl is being hassled in the street, do you really just leave some scrawny little lordling to sort him out? that was one of the most badly done events in Suikoden history.

[Aerolithe Lion]

I disagree, it's just JRPGS/anime mechanics. When you go out into the forest, why do you always encounter exactly 1-3 rabbits, when innumerable others exist there. Speaking of which, you could exterminate them for months and they'll neve become even remotely endangered. Just like battles in cities, people won't interfere until its concluded.

A little aloof, sure. But calling it 'one of the most badly done events in Suikoden history' is a bit of a stretch. Especially when there architects who decide castles need jail cells that have back doors (which apparently Gizel knew about because he set up the meeting with the Armes guys, but was shocked to find out a slave was using it to escape at night....) or the fact that 5 different people all across the continent have now 'discovered', 'invented' or at least 'maintain' elevators, yet none exist outside of SoD castles. Or better yet, the only town on the planet that has a rat infestation problem is inhabited by cat-people.

And the Zexen knights don't break up a scuffle in the street? Ehh...

[Eltaire]

I think that there was great significance in Riou slaying Luca Blight in a duel.

Not only did Riou have Bright Shield Rune, but he was the leader of the Liberation movement. To boost morale within his army it was his duty to step in and take out Luca. If Viktor or Flik had just stepped in and done it, it would have demeaned Riou's position as the army's leader.

Personally, I liked the duels in Suikoden V.

I thought a certain duel between Tir's father, and a certain someone in Suikoden I was pretty well done though... especially if you lost.

[sticky-runes]

well it was at least one of the most badly done duel-related events, since a lot of the other duels in suikoden games are a bit more "excusable", for example the prince accepting to take a foe one-on-one, as the prince is a bit more serious about martial arts and does actually become leader of the resistance, whereas Thomas is someone who is not in great shape and admits he's not that much of a fighter, but he challenges a creepy guy with a massive spear by himself while his companions apparently do nothing. At least when Melville took on Guillaume, most of his group was trapped behind a gate, and it wasn't game over if he lost, because he ends up providing a distraction while his friends opened the gate.

[Aerolithe Lion]

Well also, that's an optional event with any of the 4 major party leaders. You just happened to do it with Thomas

[sticky-runes]

yeah, but my complaint about that duel was better than your complaint about the duel with chuck

[Aerolithe Lion]

I don't know, your complaint was about exterior forces not breaking it up, my complaint was about the point of the duel itself

[sticky-runes]

Nope, thats just one part of my comment that you focused on - my comment was also about how Thomas' buddies could have all ganged up on Guillaume and beat the crap out of him, instead of letting Thomas do all the work.

[Hirathien]

There's always been duels though, in movies and games. "Stand down, I'll take care of this myself!" has been uttered so many times.

Still, it's always better if there's a reason for a duel than just throwing it out there for good measure.

[LadyCyclone]

Jowy and Tom! (I called him Tom.)

[Piisuke]

Wasn't really a duel though, was it?
It was Riou just standing there taking a beating until Jowy stopped.

[sticky-runes]

Unless Tom wasn't aiming for the happy ending, and chose to beat the crap out of Jowy anyway!

[Piisuke]

Fair point, I was referring to the canon ending, so I didn't take into account the idea that you can fight him, lol