Is it just me or did Garr, Lian and Mio get shafted

[Doc]

Considering they're the OG crew that has been there since the beginning of the game, their Rune-Sphere slots and effectiveness in combat in general seems to be completely early game. But even further than that even their cards in the cardgame are low rarity trash.

Aside from Mio who doesn't have that much screentime, at least Garr and Lian are more important to the story and the Alliance than the Guardians. In fact Marisa is given so much for being a completely useless character storywise. She's part of the "Heroes Combo" and the "Complete Heroes Combo", putting her on one level with Nowa, Seign and the Rising protagonists.

(The same is the case with Seign, but he has a lot more relevance to the plot and is basically the "Rival" to Nowa, so it makes sense for him.)

Both of these things have been bothering me, as it seems like some random side characters get given a place that the OG crew would have been way more deserving to.

(And there's more examples, like Marisa, but I feel like she's juist the worst offender. You could call the same thing about Milana or Mellore in terms of their rune-spheres, but at least they don't get forced into every story scene with no significance whatsoever)

[Kerghnax]

Marisa isn't as well off as you think, only one rune slot is universal. But yeah, it's obvious her status as a MC was a last minute decision. As gimped as he is, Garr is still strong. Momo is the most absurd one, your inner minmaxer is screaming at you if you use any other mage.

[Doc]

Originally posted by Kerghnax:

Marisa isn't as well off as you think, only one rune slot is universal. But yeah, it's obvious her status as a MC was a last minute decision. As gimped as he is, Garr is still strong. Momo is the most absurd one, your inner minmaxer is screaming at you if you use any other mage.

Well, Marisa also comes with 2 unique rune spheres (One which hits all enemies for an SP cost, which is kinda rare and pretty usefull) and has 2 more in total. And her hero combos basically saying: "This is one of the three protagonists of this game".

Didn't really do anything with momo yet, except his quest to get him, on account of how late you get him. But yeah, he'd probably be on the same level as Milana.

Maybe I'm just salty, that the characters that you spend the longest time with get random NPC treatment, while someone who feels like little more than an NPC is a protagonist for no reason.

I think you nailed it on the head btw. calling it a last minute decision.
Feels like they looked at the western market and quickly put in a black female side-protagonist. (Or more likely promoted her to one)
I feel like I should put a disclaimer here: I do not think she was put in to be "woke", I think it is the result of market research of a foreign audience.

[archonsod]

Originally posted by Doc:

In fact Marisa is given so much for being a completely useless character storywise.

Her, Seign and Markus have their own chapters - coming as DLC.

[Nightshade]

I didn't Mind Marrisa at first but she just sort of Replaced Seign and Nowa's arc as soon as she showed up..I just kind of wish she would go away, every cool story point seems to involve her now, I won't get into it due to spoilers but I think people know which parts I speak of.

[WeissRook]

I'm at late game (and got irritated waitng for the chefs to spawn for the last character I needed when I was at the cutoff for Leene, so I spent the time in the Hero's Trial leveling people to around 90), and Mio is flat out awesome for single targets with her rune skill. I don't even let her out of my party if I have to at this point. She usually attacks before anything and hits for around 1700+ with her rune skill if she doesn't outright kill something.

[Chief Spreading Bull]

Originally posted by Doc:

Considering they're the OG crew that has been there since the beginning of the game, their Rune-Sphere slots and effectiveness in combat in general seems to be completely early game. But even further than that even their cards in the cardgame are low rarity trash.

Aside from Mio who doesn't have that much screentime, at least Garr and Lian are more important to the story and the Alliance than the Guardians. In fact Marisa is given so much for being a completely useless character storywise. She's part of the "Heroes Combo" and the "Complete Heroes Combo", putting her on one level with Nowa, Seign and the Rising protagonists.

(The same is the case with Seign, but he has a lot more relevance to the plot and is basically the "Rival" to Nowa, so it makes sense for him.)

Both of these things have been bothering me, as it seems like some random side characters get given a place that the OG crew would have been way more deserving to.

(And there's more examples, like Marisa, but I feel like she's juist the worst offender. You could call the same thing about Milana or Mellore in terms of their rune-spheres, but at least they don't get forced into every story scene with no significance whatsoever)

Its a conceit of the novel that Murayama based the game on. In Water Margin, the main character and his "Bandits of the Marsh" aren't world beaters on their own. Its their ability to bring powerful people together who'd normally be at each other's throats and pointing them at a common threat, the tyrant emperor. They never really do anything spectacular on their own that's why recruiting a tactician like the Silvenbergs or causing one to defect from the enemy, like Kiba, are such major plot points in the game series.

[tankanidis]

I can't understand how Mio according to the lore is a super strong Samurai type / also in conversations

But in-game fighting she's the weakest of the starting 6 characters with 1 hit normal attack that does less then 1/2 of what Lian's 2 hit normal attack does

She doesn't even have a SB attack to begin with and has a rune that provides a useless buff (10% PWR at 5 SB)

Why did they make her so noticeably weak in stats/damage in comparison to what her character is supposed to be in conversation/lore??

[Chief Spreading Bull]

Originally posted by tankanidis:

I can't understand how Mio according to the lore is a super strong Samurai type / also in conversations

But in-game fighting she's the weakest of the starting 6 characters with 1 hit normal attack that does less then 1/2 of what Lian's 2 hit normal attack does

She doesn't even have a SB attack to begin with and has a rune that provides a useless buff (10% PWR at 5 SB)

Why did they make her so noticeably weak in stats/damage in comparison to what her character is supposed to be in conversation/lore??

Its more a statement of potential. If you build her right her DPS is actually the highest the in game, centered on her Iado Slash rune. IIRC You need like three particular runes to do it but they aren't unique and you can buy then in one of the late game towns.

Its damage can go from a pedestrian x2 to a monstrous x 10 (like 1000+ damage per hit) to even one hit killing a boss. Essentially you are playing roulette with her.

[Hassohappa]

In general they did a pretty poor job of balancing. For some reason for Mio they actually made it so that she ends up with good power at level 99 (451 compared to 452 for Nowa, still not the highest as some characters are pushing 500) if the wiki is correct but it is pathetic for most of the game. I assume it doesn't usually end with characters at level 99 and at level 60 she'd still be far behind. Frail defense and poor attack makes it crazy to use her at all unless you're going to try to RNG instant death cheese bosses or something.

[tankanidis]

Originally posted by ChiefSpreadingBull:

Originally posted by tankanidis:

I can't understand how Mio according to the lore is a super strong Samurai type / also in conversations

But in-game fighting she's the weakest of the starting 6 characters with 1 hit normal attack that does less then 1/2 of what Lian's 2 hit normal attack does

She doesn't even have a SB attack to begin with and has a rune that provides a useless buff (10% PWR at 5 SB)

Why did they make her so noticeably weak in stats/damage in comparison to what her character is supposed to be in conversation/lore??

Its more a statement of potential. If you build her right her DPS is actually the highest the in game, centered on her Iado Slash rune. IIRC You need like three particular runes to do it but they aren't unique and you can buy then in one of the late game towns.

Its damage can go from a pedestrian x2 to a monstrous x 10 (like 1000+ damage per hit) to even one hit killing a boss. Essentially you are playing roulette with her.

Thanks for the late game build guide!

If it wasn't for you she would've stayed in my Paldex due to feeling underwhelming at the start, so i appreciate you helping me out

Thanks

[Duradan]

I love Mio, she is a main stay in my party since lvl 1.
If your having trouble with her, focus on 3 stats, Dex/Speed/Luck

Rune wise this is what I'm currently running for her
Peerless - till I find better version
Great Luck
Foresight
Warrior Pinnacle for Fiery Effect
Along with her signature Iaido Rune

For Gear, I use evasion gear and crit, acc, (you can sub in speed or dex item)

At level 50 she getting around

350 dmg on normal hit
500+ on crit, about 75% of the time

on Strike (she will hit about 500+ Normal, and crit for 900+ or more depending on Fiery Rage) she could even insta kill if you get lucky, (for me she insta 3 bosses on 2/3/3rd round)
and will insta a lot of normal mobs

I also party her with Reyna, who I keep mostly in Cover row and counter, and just defence with her, (I stack defense and Hp on her and Rune Firefly on her). Even bosses legit only hit her for 1 hp