Questions before I start my run

[ConantheContrarian]

For reference, I am planning to go Law Route. I have finished the PS1 version on Chaos Route and only played a little bit of Reborn in the past.

1: I am planning to run Denam as a mage this time, eventually going for Warlock and Lich. How viable is this?

2: In other SRPGs like FFT and classic TO, I usually run mostly generic units. How viable is this in Reborn? All the guides I look at basically say that generics are mud after chapter 4. I know this is not optimal, but is it still reasonably possible to win with these units? I am planning to use a few specials like Canopus, Hobyrim, Vyce, and Deneb. The generics I intend to use are: Two Wizards/Warlocks into Liches, Terror Knight, Dragoon, Melee Ninja, Ranged Ninja, Cleric.

3: It sounds like a unit with lobber for debuffs is basically a requirement for this version. Is it possible to use Canopus to fill this role? I am considering swapping him to beast tamer.

[Zoid13]

1- its fine. casters tend to start out weaker than melee. they get power later on with higher rank spells and mana granting items.
one thing to note, Bosses in this version of the game are a lot tougher and theres 1 particular battle being a squishy on denam might give you trouble :P

2- unique characters are obviously better. some bring some unique skills that arent available to generic units. but generics are perfectly fine, in particular Sara and Voltaire which you get at the beginning of the game. they are "named generics" that have some dialogue throughout the game and as such have slightly better stats than other generics. (similar to Alicia, and Lavian, Agrias' 2 female knights in FFT)
in all my play throughs ive used them both for the entirety of the game every time.

3- lobber handy, not needed, ive only ever used them once to see what they were like and swiftly went back to my normal setup. i tend to almost never use consumables for anything, i get the debuffs and buffs i want from skills and on hit items. and if you really need to, any character can use said items for debuffs in melee range.
lobbers can make decent ranged aoe casters with the elemental bombs if you don't want to throw items with them.
and since you wanna use Vice. he ends up having the lobber skill as a ranger once you recruit him.

[Pickleton]

1 - It's not optimal considering Denam would have lower HP growth and if he dies (and bleeds out) it's gg, and some of the 1v1 fights might be more difficult, but it's definitely doable. Stat growth is only very slightly skewed based on your class at level up aside from HP/MP, so if you're REALLY stuck, you can swap Denam to a Knight or Rune Fencer or whatever for just that one battle and revert after.

2 - Uniques tend to come with a few levels worth of bonus stats, so they make things easier, but again, it's definitely doable. The biggest strength in Reborn comes from skill combinations and buffs/debuffs, which far beats out 3 or so levels worth of bonus stats.

3 - Lobber with debuff items is a good way to apply debuffs, but most debuffs can be applied with class skills, weapon on-hits, monsters, casters, etc. In fact, one of the things I really like about how they handled debuffs and monsters in this game is that monsters are a good way to apply debuffs, but seeing those monsters in the enemy composition using the scout feature lets you know ahead of time "oh, they have fairies. Maybe some anti-charm items would be good"

[ConantheContrarian]

Thanks for the response! I will probably keep Canopus in Vartan then and use Vyce and my Terror Knight for debuffs. I may look into adding a water or dark dragon later as well.

[Pickleton]

Note that you don't get an undead ring for making a lich until PotD (Hell Gate in OG) in PSP/Reborn. No more early undead ring from that cockatrice at Qadriga.
Thankfully they removed all "must be on x floor of x dungeon" restrictions on the transformation items in Reborn, at least.

You can recruit generic liches in Ch4 as early as Pirate's Graveyard unlocks (added in PSP), where they recruit just like any other humanoid. The last map you can access there without recruiting the optional added character has a male and female lich, and I think is repeatable if you want several. Note that since they'll be considered to have leveled as a lich from lvl1, their HP will be pitiful. Hit like trucks, tho.

[Zoid13]

you can also compensate any stat disparity with the (whatever they are called) items you get from each battle that grant a unit permanent stats on use. these are also infinitely farmable in the endgame.
so if you funnel it all into wizzard Denam. he might not be as fragile as you'd imagine :)

[Zoid13]

i beat Pickle to post a help response /flex

[Pickleton]

Originally posted by Zoid13:

i beat Pickle to post a help response /flex :er_heart:

No fair, timezone advantage :((

[Zoid13]

haha!