Getting Humphrey and Futch Early

[Siu Lofu]

Does this effect your game at all? Aside from the fact that you dont get them later? Does it mess up the story?

Likewise, when you get them you're supposed to go save Kent, yet, that's impossible because the rest of your party will be around lvl 10. Will anything mess up the flow of the game by not saving him until you're lvl 30-35 like you're supposed to be? Waiting until you're SUPPOSED to save him? As this is not real and he wont be eaten...im sure it wont matter when you save him, correct?

[Shirofan]

Since recruiting Futch and Humprey is technically a side quest then it does not affect the main story when it happens.

The oddity that occurs is you can get the Bright Shield Rune to appear before you obtain it in Toto; but that is ignored by the game and it continues as normal.

You can happily start the sidequest early, leave it until you get there in the plot and find Humphrey and Futch waiting for you at the base of Mt Rakutei until you wish to finish it.
They do not join your party until you finish the sidequest so if you change your party, or it is changed for you they will revert back to the base of Mt Rakutei until you do beat the harpy.

You can do so even early on if you train up to higher levels in the Matilda Region using Futch and Humphrey to help. You are limited by runes available so some people advise waiting until after you have the Bright Shield and Black Sword Runes.
It helps to take the path towards Greenhill and pick up the Dragon Armor from the chest there; also you may want to consider Shiro and Mukumuku, as they are not limited by the fact that the best blacksmith available at that point can only sharpen weapons to level 5, and that you have limited equipment options.

If you do manage to finish the sidequest early and recruit Futch and Humphrey then it does not seem to affect the game at all: except for one line of Futch's in Greenhill, any random text said by the character due to their party position will be translated.

The plot does not register their presence though so Humphrey will not appear in any war unit set up by the story, even if you have a gap.

[Siu Lofu]

Thanks, very helpful.
By the way, Im thinking this is either as a result of my having all 108 stars in Suiko1 or just that fact that Hump is bad ass, but, why is it that he take anywhere from 0-3 dmg (yes, 0) from the monsters in Matilda field when Futch, even, takes 50-80. They were the same lvl. This cant be sctrictly armor...unless its Suiko1 armor he still has on...or something of that nature.

[Soul Eater]

Thanks, very helpful.
By the way, Im thinking this is either as a result of my having all 108 stars in Suiko1 or just that fact that Hump is bad ass, but, why is it that he take anywhere from 0-3 dmg (yes, 0) from the monsters in Matilda field when Futch, even, takes 50-80. They were the same lvl. This cant be sctrictly armor...unless its Suiko1 armor he still has on...or something of that nature.

If he had it equipped at the end of suikoden 1 then he will have Windspun armor fixed in suikoden 2. This armor is the strongest in the game. If you take that into consideration along with the fact he naturally has high defense, and will probably be on a high level then its easy to see why he is so strong. My Humphrey was on lvl 99 in suikoden 1 and started on about 55 in S2. Because of this all the enemies did 0-1 dmg to him.

Futch has average-ish defense, worse equipment, and is usually on a lower level, so thats why he takes so much more damage.

I got them both to join me, then got the hero and jowy each 3 fire emblems to boost their power. I had all the basic character's weapons on lvl 5. Nanami had a technique rune in her weapon to get more even more potch to buy the good equipment early on, and hero and the hero had double beat runes to do extra damage. You can also use blue ribbon on Nanami and another rune to reduce the chances of weaker characters being attacked. Early fights were hard, but once the hero and jowy got their levels boosted their unite became very good and sometimes killed all enemies. I got them to level 40 and beat the Harpy with ease. It only got a few weak attacks in on futch.. I didn't have to heal at all. All I did were physicals and the earth spell which blocks out the next magic attack, which I used twice.

[Siu Lofu]

Ah...haha, okay that all makes sense. Yet, I'm upset at myself now because i HAVE the Windspun in Suiko1 but i didn't put it on Humphrey before i started Suiko2, haha.
Oh, well. Not the end of the world...or is it @_@!?

[Pyro]

speaking of hump being at a higher level cause of s1 are viktor,flik,luc,and others affected?

[Blasphemy000]

speaking of hump being at a higher level cause of s1 are viktor,flik,luc,and others affected?

Viktor and Flik will have a bonus, but it's nothing huge. I think it's something like `((Flik's Level - 60) / 2) +20 = Flik's new level` So in my game, I think (can't remember) he finished at 64 when I imported him he started at 22 with a weapon level of 10. Viktor's was the same but had a weapon level of 9 IIRC.

I can't remember off-hand what Luc's bonus is, but it might be a direct level transfer... not sure.

[HolyPaladin]

I can't remember off-hand what Luc's bonus is, but it might be a direct level transfer... not sure.

I don't know what Luc's level bonus is but I think his permanent Speed Ring from S1 carries over. Also, if Tir (Hero I) is equipped with a Silver Hat, a Master Garb, a Crimson Cape, and Earth Boots, these will transfer over with the Earth Boots replaced with Winged Boots.

[Soul Eater]

I can't remember off-hand what Luc's bonus is, but it might be a direct level transfer... not sure.

I don't know what Luc's level bonus is but I think his permanent Speed Ring from SI carries over. Also if Tir (Hero I) is equipped w/ a Silver Hat, a Master Garb, a Crimson Cape, and Earth Boots, these will transfer over w/ the Earth Boots replaced w/ Winged Boots.

I think the Wing Boots are automatic, as mine had 2 x Power Gloves at the end of S1 and still had Wing Boots in S2... didn't have the cape though.

I got everyone to level 99, with level 16 weapons, and my returning characters in S2 were as follows:

Flik, lvl 33, wpn 10
Viktor, lvl 33 wpn 9
Humphrey, lvl 57 wpn 12, Windspun armor equipped
Futch, lvl 42, wpn 10
Luc, lvl 42, wpn 7
Tai Ho, nothing seems to get carried over
Clive, level is unaffected by S1, wpn 10
Stallion, lvl 48, wpn 10
Hix, lvl 42, wpn 8
Meg, lvl 48, wpn 8, Some runes carried into S2
Tengaar, lvl 42, wpn 11, Some runes carried into S2
Sheena, lvl 58, wpn 11
Lorelai, lvl 58, wpn 9
Valeria, lvl 58, wpn 9
Kasumi, lvl 58, wpn 10
McDohl, lvl 58, wpn 14, Silver Hat + Master Garb equipped.

One of my characters may have got a 5 level extra boost, I've heard that happens to your highest level character, and if characters are tied for the #1 spot then one is chosen at random for the 5 level bonus.