Every Character?

[ASaucyDwarf]

Just wondering if any of you have taken every character to the end battle? That is currently the goal I am working towards. I am enjoying playing with every character, and it keeps things fresh and interesting. Any of you completed this task? And if so, who do you use now that you've used everyone? Who is your permanent party?

Thanks

[ASaucyDwarf]

I am also talking about Suikoden 1. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

[Oppenheimer]

There's an "edit" button on previous posts. Please don't double post.

I have certainly not taken every character to the ending. But, I do enjoy playing with non-standard characters, such as the chefs.

[ASaucyDwarf]

Sorry, I didn't see the Edit button...

How are the chefs? Does it make the game more challenging to use them?

[Punkaiser]

I still have around 15-20 chars that never used, mainly those who have average stats and no skill rune or no unite at all. The chefs belong to this group.

[ASaucyDwarf]

I'm using Eileen, Tai Ho, and Humphrey for the final battle this playthrough. And I like them. Eileen has great magic, Tai Ho has great attack, and Humphrey for defense.

[Punkaiser]

I used them. but i won't pick them randomly like that.
If i want to use humphrey i will pick krin too
Same thing with taiho/yamkoo pair
Eileen is good to go with valeria and cleo. In random encounter their unite may cause sleep to enemies while in boss battle valeria can hit whoever she wants while cleo and eileen can start to nuke.

[ASaucyDwarf]

I enjoy making random pairs. I think it's a little more interesting. And I despise everything about Yam Koo, and Krin, so I'll probably save them for last. With Viktor being unbalanced every other turn, it wouldn't help me very much for Tai Ho and Yam Koo to also be unbalanced.

[Punkaiser]

uhm you should try to browse abit more suikoden 1 gameplay section, everyone mentionned many times about using turtle rune on taiho/yamkoo to prevent unbalance from that unite.

[ASaucyDwarf]

I'll look into it, thanks.

[Piisuke]

I enjoy making random pairs. I think it's a little more interesting. And I despise everything about Yam Koo, and Krin, so I'll probably save them for last. With Viktor being unbalanced every other turn, it wouldn't help me very much for Tai Ho and Yam Koo to also be unbalanced.

Also, don't use the Clone Rune on Viktor. Give him the Double Beat, or Killer instead, ideally the Double Beat though.

As for your question, I do too.

I've decided to use a variety of characters and not my usual party (Flik, Alan, Grenseal, Tir, Viktor, Crowley), simply because I wanted to try things differently. I too enjoy making random parties, not giving a hoot if they have unites, or not. It does make things interesting.

Eileen is great though, one of the better magicians in the game and you get her fairly early in the game. Krin's only good asset is really his speed. Sure, he has a unite with Humphrey, but Krin himself still kinda blows. I also like to use Ronnie Bell, good attack and a powerful skill rune (Hate Rune) which she can use every turn. Hix and Tengaar are two other characters I like to use. Together they're quite strong, but alone they pack a decent punch as well, especially Tengaar who's a strong mage.
I prefer Tengaar and Eileen over Luc and Crowley. Luc has fixed armour and both are S range characters. Eileen and Tengaar are L range, so they can still be of use when you don't want to use your Runes. Eileen also has fixed armour (Star Earrings), but that is an accessory, unlike Luc's robe.

Maybe an interesting character for you would be Mina. She has decent magic points, is S range though, which means for her to attack normally, she'd need to be upfront. However, she is stronger in the physical department than Luc and Crowley, if you don't want to use them.

A trio I still want to take with me are the pirates. I have yet to use them, but they're not too shabby, looking at their stats. Varkas and Sydonia is another couple I'd like to try.

[ASaucyDwarf]

No Clone Rune on Viktor? That's so weird to me! Hahahaha. His SKL sucks, so I have him use it. Double Beat would seem so strange! I guess I'll have to try it!

[Punkaiser]

at early stage of the game , clone rune sure is great because it makes sure Viktor won't miss his attack due to low skill and there's not yet any equipment available to fix this problem.

In mid and late game, Viktor will have access to master garb and mangosh which boost his skill stats to be decent enough to attack normally with no worries. At that moment, double beat sure is better choice to deal with regular encounters and golden hydra since it allows viktor to hit 2 targets and critical hit for x3 damage is available while clone rune remains 2x damage per 2 turns with no critical hit option.

[EstrangedIX]

I only tried the clone rune on Viktor once and hated it. I usually put the prosperity rune on him instead until double beat becomes available. I know, I'm weird.

[Piisuke]

I never really use the Clone rune. I just find it annoying, for the same reason I hardly use the Boar Rune when Pahn is in my party, unless I know the enemy is defeated this round.

Most people tend to have the Clone Rune on Viktor though, he's the only that can use it at the time you get it. I've taken it off him and put on Kuromimi when fighting Dragon before Kwanda Rosman and given it to Hix when fighting Neclord.