Need advice on pulling swords out (confused about what fairy to use) and world crafting

[WickedRequiem]

When pulling a sword out from a statue, do I want to try to match the element/bonus of the sword with the element of the fairy? For example, in the first statue scene, when I have to use Sylph, should I choose the sword that gives +1 bonus to wind (sylph is wind elemental with +1 wind bonus) which, I presume, will give me +2 bonus to wind total? Or should I choose some other bonus that has nothing to do with wind (to increase Sylph's versatility)?

Also, once I stab a sword into the ground, is the sword stuck there forever? Or can I pull the sword out later and stick it in elsewhere at a later point?

[Robodemon]

Removing swords from the gods means that that particular's swords bonuses will be added to the fairy, and then the fairy can be used in world shaping. There's no restrictions, and the godly revival progress is reset on new game+ anyway so you can associate fairies with different swords later.

Swords can be stabbed into the ground and taken out at will. This, combined with levelling up fairies to extend their range, is the key to breaking the game by applying extensive bonuses to the area you're entering

[Asovrix]

I would recommend to associate elemental support from furies with fairies with the same support. Elemental protections also may cancel each other out, leaving you weak to both, so don't mess fire with water, ice with lightning, earth with wind and darkness with light/holy.

should I choose the sword that gives +1 bonus to wind (sylph is wind elemental with +1 wind bonus) which, I presume, will give me +2 bonus to wind total?

That is a good idea, and yes, support and protections stack together.

There are Null [ailment] abilities (mainly located on A class furies), so for those it's good to use a fairy that doesn't learn that when leveling up.
[Weapon] Prowess abilities are best used when you equip a fairy on a character which can actually use it, so for example:
Fang's special attacks rely on Fire and he can't use bows, spears and glaives.
That means it doesn't really make much sense to merge Bow, Spear or Glaive Prowess with fire elemental fairies.
This may be helpful with that:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=505709103
http://steamcommunity.com/app/347830/discussions/0/523898291514265372/

[Enfyny]

You know, i was wondering about this when i just started, and i just make some sort of a list to maximize each fairy's capability. Here is a few main advices:
1) So, you was right about "elemental" thing. If sword have an "Ice Protection +1" ability, you'd better pull this sword with Ice-elemental Fairy to increase it's strength.
2) Few fairies can have a "Silence Null" ability by it's own, so you shouldn't pull out a sword with "Silence Null" ability, since, well... it's waste of ability.
3) Also, if Fairy have a "Post Battle SP+" or "Angel's Luck" abilities, you'd better pull out the sword with same ability (if you have one), just to stack them and make even stronger.
4) Same with "EXP Up+" and "Gold Up+". Fairy have an "EXP Up+" ability? Pull out a sword with same ability to get even more EXP!
5) It's not so important, but anyway. Each charater have personal element and initial weapon type. So, let's say all of the Harley attacks are Earth-elemental, and she uses Guns in battle. So, give her a Earth-elemental Fairy with "Gun Prowess" ability. But as i said, there is some exceptions (one of them - you want to use a different type of weapon with her).

Here is my list for this, but ofc it's all up to you.

Fire Protection +1; Obtained Money +50%; Obtainted WP -10% ~ PXS-04G
Wind Protection +1; P-Atk -10%; M-Def +10% ~ Sylph
Wind Protection +1; P-Atk +10%; M-Atk +10% ~ Reed
Water Protection +1; P-Atk -10%; M-Atk +10% ~ Laives
Gun Prowess; Obtained EXP -6%; Change Enemies ~ Nelly
Gun Prowess; P-Def +10%; M-Atk -10% ~ Daxx
Angel's Luck; Obtained EXP +30%; P-Def -10% ~ Vint
Learning; Obtained EXP -10%; Drop Rate +10% ~ Sayle
Fury B:
Lightning Support +2; Change Enemies; Restore HP Disabled ~ Raijin
Fire Support +1; Obtained Money +50%; Heal Status Disabled ~ Nyx
Post-Battle SP+; P-Atk -10%; M-Atk +10% ~ Sigurd
Axe Prowess; Obtained EXP +30%; Seal ~ Freya
SP Cost Down; Drop Rate +10%; Restore SP Disabled ~ Undine
Adrenaline Rush; P-Atk +10%; M-Atk -10% ~ Light
Paralysis Null; Obtained WP +50%; Damage x2 ~ Grandnarg
Fury A:
Round Guard; Obtained Money -10%; Drop Rate +25% ~ Bowa
Stun Null; Obtained WP +75%; P-Atk -10%; M-Atk -10% ~ Rami
Berserk Null; Obtained EXP +60%; P-Atk -10%; P-Def -10% ~ Gisele
Seal Null; Obtained Money +75%; P-Def -10% ~ Rayknight

Vile God
Fury C:
Lightning Protection +1; M-Atk +15%; SP Consumption x2 ~ Kirin
Earth Protection +1; Obtained EXP -10%; Drop Rate +10% ~ Lif
Ice Protection +1; P-Atk +15%; Silence ~ Crystinger
Spear Prowess; Change Enemies; P-Def -10% ~ Niles
Adrenaline Rush; Obtained WP +50%; SP Consumptuion x2 ~ Shadogan
EXP Up +; P-Def +15%; Heal Status Disabled ~ Elphas
Gold Up +; P-DEF -15%; M-Def +15% ~ Snow
Post-Battle HP+; Obtained EXP -5%; Obtained Money +50% ~ Elgarde
Fury B:
Wind Support +1; P-Atk +15%; M-Def -15% ~ Vervain
Water Support +1; P-Def +15%; M-Atk -15% ~ Naivy
Bow Prowess; P-Atk -15%; M-Def +15% ~ Eigar
Item Sonar; Obtained WP +50%; Silence ~ Kunes
Knuckle Prowess; Change Enemies; SP Consumption x2 ~ Minari
Confusion Null; Obtained EXP +30%; Damage x2 ~ Harpy
Earth Support +1; P-Def -15%; M-Atk +15% ~ Roh
Fury A:
Greatsword Prowess; Change Enemies; M-Atk -10% ~ Dohn
Angel's Luck +2; Drop Rate +15%; Items Disabled ~ Fahn
Silence Null; Obtained EXP +60%, Restore SP Disabled ~ Medis
Escape Artist; Obtained Money +75%; Restore HP Disabled ~ Wesley

I just don't bother about S-fury here, since it's pretty obvious to use Dark-elemntal fairy to pull out S-sword from the Vile God, and Ligh-elemntal fairy to pull out S-sword from the Goddess.

[Robodemon]

That's a lot of strategy and forethought considering how dead easy this game is.

[WickedRequiem]

Wow... thanks for the detailed advice.