Seeking Rune Setup Advice

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knight85
Posts: 123
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 3:24 pm

Seeking Rune Setup Advice

Post by knight85 »

Normally when i play suikoden 2 and 5 my rune setup is pretty simple in the end stages

the hero gets a cyclone or rage rune to go with their true rune and either the blue gate or thunder rune

then u add on a warrior
a long range mage (like rina or zerase) for magic attack
a warrior mage with 3 rune slots for offence/support (usually with a flowing rune alongside something offensive)
in suikoden 5 i also add on a warrior mage with an earth rune (not mother earth, the lower level earth rune for the level 1 defence boost)

then it's usually a case of adding on a heavy hitter and a warrior mage and then just nuke my enemies until they wish they'd never attacked me.

but in suikoden 3 it's different.

not only do you have to consider elemental affinities and skill settings, you also need to think about the time aspect and the fact that a misplaced fire spell can wipe out your own team.

and things arent made any easier by the fact that aside from the wind rune you dont get any true offensive runes until chapter 3.

so with all these things in mind and my rant over. i'm here tonight looking for some advice on the best way to go for setting myself up with runes on non mages like hugo and geddoe

based on magic affinities i can tell which characters are better suited for life as support mages and who could be used for single element offensives.

my issue is what to do with characters like hugo and geddoe.

do i just focus on a single element and add in buffer runes like killer and fury? or is there another approach?
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gildedtalon
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Re: Seeking Rune Setup Advice

Post by gildedtalon »

Geddoe is a mage, focus on his Lightning or Fire.
The best approach is rune setup that maximizes unite attack power so you don't need spells
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knight85
Posts: 123
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Seeking Rune Setup Advice

Post by knight85 »

so for warrior mages it's 1 offensive rune and then use the other slots for buffing runes? got it

now if i can just get the treasure boss on the mountain path to cough up a lightning magic ring for geddoe i'd be set.

unfortunately i've already fought the stone golem twice (once in chapter 1 and then again on my way across the mountains to the other 2 bosses in zexen and the grasslands and it's being stubborn.

any thoughts on how i can make it more cooperative? or is it just a case of using the soft reset until i get what i desire?
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gildedtalon
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Re: Seeking Rune Setup Advice

Post by gildedtalon »

One theory I know is to wait longer, usually you will get better items from the treasure chest.
I've never actually bothered collecting more than one of a specific item so I really have no idea
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knight85
Posts: 123
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Seeking Rune Setup Advice

Post by knight85 »

yeah i was actually considering that myself.

i need to fight the golem to get into le bique but i wouldnt actually open the chest. just take the exp and run. it's not like i need the money right now. i have 999,999 potch thanks to selling 4 bars of gold in zexen in this chapter.

but leaving the respawn for a long time will have to wait until the next chapter. when i'm not in need of going in that direction.

that'll be especially handy for chris and hugo since i can use the time between treasure bosses to grind their recruits.

but what i'll do is rather than refighting a treasure boss as soon as it respawns. i'll double the wait time after the initial fight.

on a side note i've saved outside the rock golem's area on the mountain path and i'm gonna test a theory on whether the treasure boss items are set when you enter the room or beat the boss. last nite i made a second save after beating the boss and the items locked. now i'm gonna find out if they lock upon entering the room.
knight85
Posts: 123
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Seeking Rune Setup Advice

Post by knight85 »

ok guys new question.

i have a plan locked in where warrior mages will focus on one element (unless they're going to be support mages like aila and sgt joe.

but that still leaves normal skills.

the faq i'm following lists skill paths and makes recomendations in some places but for the most part i'm in the dark on the best course of action to take.

especially since i was able to get a hunter rune from the mount senai treasure boss today and i know that using it will kill my accuracy.

any ideas on a work around? or at the very least a suggestion on what to do in regards to skills
Toasticles
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Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 9:36 pm

Re: Seeking Rune Setup Advice

Post by Toasticles »

I've always left Hugo as a plain old attacker. He does way too much damage to ever consider using any of the True Runes on him given his low magic affinity and lack of mage skills. That makes the True Fire rune perfect for him since anyone without a high rank Precision should never use fire and you can't give it to anyone that has that skill.

Geddoe makes an amazing lightning mage so I always leave the True Lightning rune on him.

Chris is in the same boat as Hugo but less useful imo because of her lower damage output and low magic therefore I always give her the True Water rune and let her take a bit of a back seat. The level 99 trick makes her a lot more powerful though if you use it.

As for other True rune users you really only have Sasarai and I do always use him.

Rody is my next go to mage.

Melville can hit very hard and Alanis makes a pretty decent mage and they do have a decent combo as well if you don't mind taking up two slots with them both.

Juan can be an absolute beast and between he and Hugo the rest of my party never even gets to draw their weapons.

as for runes I like going with Gale on my fighters if I have the space for it and Killer runes are also pretty good imo. It makes the Continual Attack + Heavy Damage combo hit even harder.

With the mages I usually try to specialize them in one magic type as much as I can and boost those abilities.

I usually don't have anyone who is specifically focused on being a healer but wherever I have slots I'll toss in some water or shield runes so that I have a few people who can do a bit of healing if necessary. That means i don't have to worry about losing my healer unless I lose half my party and if I lose half my party I'm probably in a fight I shouldn't be in. :P
knight85
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Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Seeking Rune Setup Advice

Post by knight85 »

these days in suikoden 3 and 5 i usuaally try to have at least 2 mages on hand with healing and buffing runes (in suikoden 5 it's uasually paired with something offensive like a fire or lightning.
Algus
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Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 3:29 am

Re: Seeking Rune Setup Advice

Post by Algus »

99% of the time you want accuracy maxed. I believe swing is only beneficial to quick attackers (usually who I use...I like fist attackers like Nei, Joker, etc. especially Nei and Joker as they are good casters too!) so I go accuracy->swing->damage

Most characters can only add a couple skills so that does it for me. You can tinker with their magic skills to make sure they have the skill that matches their rune. This is vital for any of the spell runes as otherwise chanting takes to long.

I don't mess with fire. If they are doing damage it is a lightning rune. If they are support it is some combo of Water/Shield/Earth (I don't like Mother Earth rune as I want basic Earth Rune defense buff). Honestly Geddoe's team is my ideal party though I think I underuse Joker since I end up having him do support so I can blast things with Geddoe's lightning magic.

I have a high opinion of Sword of Magic. Even with no skill it is a quick cast + attack in the same round. It might only add 50 damage but that's still extra damage. If Hugo is mounted on Fubar his Sword of Magic will hit both characters. If I am going to have a physical attacker buff himself, I try not to put him in front of my lightning mage because I am going to be casting a lightning spell every round.

Honestly rune setups in this game are simpler than in the other games. You have to guard your casters as even with high skill they will spend time chanting the good spells so just put passives on your front row.
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