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How good is the Three Houses Story and What order to play the houses in?
- Thread starter jman1954goat
- Start date
Yes, that's fine. The only exception I'd point out is that you'll definitely want to recruit Caspar on the Blue Lions route in order to unlock Mercedes' paralogue in the second half. It's a very arbitrary unlock requirement, but you should be aware since the paralogue is important to her.
The story is okay but I wouldn't recommend going into it wanting to play all three routes.
Keep in mind that the three routes aren't linked, and are closer to being three seperate alternate stories that slightly inform each other.
Keep in mind that the three routes aren't linked, and are closer to being three seperate alternate stories that slightly inform each other.
You'll be fine if you choose to never recruit anyone. Arguably, the story even works better that way.
@OP, having played most of golden deer now, I can definitely say I recommend Blue lions as the first route.
Ok thanks, was planning a Blue Lions route so will keep that in mind.
The story is alright, I'll echo that it's a genuinely good ride in the first half, but I also feel it falls apart in the second.
I would personally recommend Blue Lions first, and I always recommend away from doing Black Eagles first. I went into the game expecting to play all the routes but the story really isn't good enough, and the repetition really is irritating enough that I could only get through 2.5 before never wanting to hear the words Fire Emblem again.
I would personally recommend Blue Lions first, and I always recommend away from doing Black Eagles first. I went into the game expecting to play all the routes but the story really isn't good enough, and the repetition really is irritating enough that I could only get through 2.5 before never wanting to hear the words Fire Emblem again.
Like others have said, Blue Lion has the better character development, Golden Deer best lore explanation and Black Eagles you get to play from an unique perspective. Sadly, Black Eagles is also the shortest route.
Word of caution, Blue Lion and Golden Deer has many repeated maps with the same objectives. Black Eagles get more unique maps or assembled in a way they are quite different compared to the other routes. And whatever you do, never play Golden Deer and then Silver Snow.
If you want the best final boss theme then go with Golden Deer. There is also another awesome track in the previous map. Otherwise, as an Empire propagandist, go with Black Eagles. You get Bernie Bear, Ferdinand von Aegir, Hubert, Petra and of course, Edelgard. You can't go wrong with the best house.
Word of caution, Blue Lion and Golden Deer has many repeated maps with the same objectives. Black Eagles get more unique maps or assembled in a way they are quite different compared to the other routes. And whatever you do, never play Golden Deer and then Silver Snow.
If you want the best final boss theme then go with Golden Deer. There is also another awesome track in the previous map. Otherwise, as an Empire propagandist, go with Black Eagles. You get Bernie Bear, Ferdinand von Aegir, Hubert, Petra and of course, Edelgard. You can't go wrong with the best house.
I would recruit only Felix if I were to play Crimson Flower again just for make his life suffering.
Go with which ever house speaks to you. There is no universally accepted best route. Some people here are recommending Blue Lions, but that route lives or dies by how much you care about Dimitri, the house leader, since the route primarily concerns him, almost to the exclusion of other plot threads. On the flip side Golden Deer gives the widest view of the story, but less intimate. Black Eagles gives the most unique perspective.
Black Eagles, Edelgard is the true best character and I will not hear otherwise.
OP Three Houses was my first FE, and boy did I love it, the DLC is waaaaaaay harder than the main stuff though, at least in my experience
OP Three Houses was my first FE, and boy did I love it, the DLC is waaaaaaay harder than the main stuff though, at least in my experience
Yes, one's purity will not be tainted and one's experience will remain virtuous.
I bought the game on sale and burned through Blue Lions over this past week.
I skipped pretty much all the story in the second half, I was bored and the gameplay was the only thing keeping me engaged so the faster I got to it the better.
I skipped pretty much all the story in the second half, I was bored and the gameplay was the only thing keeping me engaged so the faster I got to it the better.
This. Playing every route is a good idea for people who buy one or two video games a year, at most.
To answer your other questions, the plot progression of Three Houses is good enough, but its real strength is its character writing. Its easily the series best.
Unfortunately with the difficulty you can only turn the difficulty down mid-game, but not up. For that reason, if you have any experience playing tactical games or other FE games, I'd suggest starting on Hard. You can always turn it down to Normal, but you won't be able to turn it up if Normal is too easy, and Normal seems mostly turned to newcomers. Maddening is strictly replaying once you know the system inside and out.
The DLC with worth getting, I'll say. It comes with a side-story that serves as a mini-campaign of six missions (be warned these missions are a tier more difficult than the main story missions on the same difficulty level.). The other benefit of the DLC is that it gives you four new characters that can be recruited into the main campaigns. These characters are about as fleshed out as the base game characters, and great to add to spice up playing a new route.
Unfortunately with the difficulty you can only turn the difficulty down mid-game, but not up. For that reason, if you have any experience playing tactical games or other FE games, I'd suggest starting on Hard. You can always turn it down to Normal, but you won't be able to turn it up if Normal is too easy, and Normal seems mostly turned to newcomers. Maddening is strictly replaying once you know the system inside and out.
The DLC with worth getting, I'll say. It comes with a side-story that serves as a mini-campaign of six missions (be warned these missions are a tier more difficult than the main story missions on the same difficulty level.). The other benefit of the DLC is that it gives you four new characters that can be recruited into the main campaigns. These characters are about as fleshed out as the base game characters, and great to add to spice up playing a new route.
The biggest problem with Three Houses is that there isn't a ton of internal consistency between routes so people's personalities and actions can fluctuate wildly without much reason and even information of the setting can shift slightly to justify you being 'right' in which route you chose.
That said I think if you want to have a story that kinda slowly unravels the 'plot' to you then I'd go Blue Lions (tells you basically nothing) -> Black Eagles (gives you an idea of what's going on but is limited in understanding and largely biased) -> Golden Deer (more or less tells you everything that's happening; also is probably the 'happiest' ending) and then maybe do Silver Snow if you really feel up for it since it's largely just a more in-depth retread of Golder Deer anyway
That said I think if you want to have a story that kinda slowly unravels the 'plot' to you then I'd go Blue Lions (tells you basically nothing) -> Black Eagles (gives you an idea of what's going on but is limited in understanding and largely biased) -> Golden Deer (more or less tells you everything that's happening; also is probably the 'happiest' ending) and then maybe do Silver Snow if you really feel up for it since it's largely just a more in-depth retread of Golder Deer anyway
I wish they drop this multiple routes thing going forward. Give me some choices along the way that alter the ending and make a stronger and longer story , but having to replay the game four times to see all the story is tedious and repetitive.
Something tell me they will stick with it thought.
Something tell me they will stick with it thought.
So I'm guessing Blue Lions also has the least amount of shonen anime cringe (friendship speeches, female characters being only one character trait, etc).
Can't relate to getting tired of it, the lore and story was so engrossing that I played for like 120 hours and I'm nearly through my final of the four routes. I loved just getting to know all these characters and getting everyone's support convos and trying all the possibilities. It's a phenomenal game
NG+ speeds things up a LOT which also helps
NG+ speeds things up a LOT which also helps
Imo Golden Deer has better character development than Blue Lions. Ignatz, Marianne, Raphael and Lysithea is where it's at.
It's Fire Emblem. Everyone is one character trait regardless of gender.
There is no best story order, I recommend just going with the house with the characters you like best for a 1st playthrough because forming an attachment to them is a big part of the experience.
As someone who has 500 hours in this game and played all routes, I would not recommend playing them all unless you are a massive FE superfan in love with this game. 2 routes is what I'd say is best for most people. You can experience almost everything the game has to offer just by playing Black Eagles+any other route. Playing anymore beyond that would basically be for character interactions and a few new maps.
Difficulty wise I'd say if you're new to FE play Normal. If you've finished an FE before, are familiar with strategy games, or are new but dont mind a challenge play hard. Do not play maddening unless you are an FE vet who knows what they're doing.
And imo, always go classic unless you're only playing for the story and just want to rush through the gameplay parts.
As someone who has 500 hours in this game and played all routes, I would not recommend playing them all unless you are a massive FE superfan in love with this game. 2 routes is what I'd say is best for most people. You can experience almost everything the game has to offer just by playing Black Eagles+any other route. Playing anymore beyond that would basically be for character interactions and a few new maps.
Difficulty wise I'd say if you're new to FE play Normal. If you've finished an FE before, are familiar with strategy games, or are new but dont mind a challenge play hard. Do not play maddening unless you are an FE vet who knows what they're doing.
And imo, always go classic unless you're only playing for the story and just want to rush through the gameplay parts.
I haven't played the game but I suggest:
1. Edelgard route
2. Edelgard route
3. Edelgard route
4. Edelgard route
1. Edelgard route
2. Edelgard route
3. Edelgard route
4. Edelgard route
Yes. You can also do that on maddening, the revival after battle option is separate to the difficulty level.
Honestly, if you grind your Professor Level enough, you'll have enough rewind charges that Classic mode should be no issue.
While I have my own opinions about the plot and which routes are better, ultimately I think people should pick whichever seems the most interesting to them. I hate when people ask about Three Houses and others try to shove their preferred route down their throats like it's the only valid option.
Story and characters are awesome.
Do:
Golden Deer > Crimson Flame > Blue Lions > The boring one
Or switch 1 and 2 out.
Also, do the expansion after finishing your first run.
If you know what you`re doing, play the following difficulty modes:
1st playthrough. hard classic
2nd playthrough. maddening new game +
3rd playthrough. maddening pure
Reminder that Crimson can suck on maddening, though.
Have fun! IĀ“m on my fourth playthrough, prepping for five.
Do:
Golden Deer > Crimson Flame > Blue Lions > The boring one
Or switch 1 and 2 out.
Also, do the expansion after finishing your first run.
If you know what you`re doing, play the following difficulty modes:
1st playthrough. hard classic
2nd playthrough. maddening new game +
3rd playthrough. maddening pure
Reminder that Crimson can suck on maddening, though.
Have fun! IĀ“m on my fourth playthrough, prepping for five.
Golden Deer is the one that's almost identical to the Church, not Blue Lions.
cheers !
I'll look into that rewind charge stuff before I start it up, thanks!
Blue Lions if you wanna be part of the cool kids.
I completely forgot what happens in the Black Eagle path tbh lol and by then I didn't have it in me to play through Golden Deer too which is a pity since I still don't have all those lore answers it supposedly gives
I completely forgot what happens in the Black Eagle path tbh lol and by then I didn't have it in me to play through Golden Deer too which is a pity since I still don't have all those lore answers it supposedly gives
The story's decently good. It's the characters that really shine though and seeing them interact with each other in support convos.
Anyways, I recommend Blue Lions first if you want a more character-driven story plus the reveals are done better there.
Black Eagles fills in what the Blue Lions route didn't say. I'd recommend that next. If you're planning to play all routes but if not then I recommend going straight to Golden Deer since it answers the lore questions you have and Claude is the best house leader even if he's not the most dynamic when it comes to character growth.
Church route should be last and is the most optional of the routes imo
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If you're only going to play one then go Golden deer, because it has the best final boss and also because the route kinda tackles the real villains behind everything
Sure but it depends on how much you care about support convos and getting your faves paired up with the right people.
'cause there's a lot of great support convos that happen between the characters as well as dialogue at the monastery that might be character revealing.
Still, you should probably pick up 2-3 characters in all the routes even if you want your house to be as pure as possible. Just pick characters that make sense and that you're interested in.
But always pick up Marianne because she never shows up past the timeskip so there is no point in leaving her off your team. Might as well grab her.
In the Blue Lions route, you should pick up Caspar(for a certain paralogue) and Dorothea.
In the Black Eagles route, I 100% recommend picking up Mercedes, Felix and Lysithea. In fact, Felix and Mercedes feel like they belong more with the Black Eagles Post-timeskip. Felix, especially, also has some of his best character stuff there if you make him fight certain characters and talk to him at the monastery.
Or if you're in the Golden Deer route, I recommend picking up Petra, Ingrid and Ferdinand.
Remember that Three Houses allows you to decrease difficulty mid-game but not increase it. I'd recommend starting on Hard, and then decreasing the difficulty if you ever need to.
Good info. Thanks!
I wasn't really THAT serious about keeping things pure, its more about redundancy with multiple playthrough's. I concerned that if I focused on unique units for each House, then maybe the later runs will feel more original with their own casts. But it seems in some cases, it is worthwhile to have some cross-over.
If you want some recommended recruits for each route:
CF: Lysithea (Edelgard's only out-of-house support), Felix (really good part 2 interactions and different character development), Mercedes (has a lore heavy support only on this route). For obvious reasons you get the most out of this route by recruiting as few people as possible
BL: Caspar (unlocks a paralogue). Also this is the only route you can encounter Manuela/Hanneman as enemies if you don't recruit them
GD: Ferdinand (unlocks a paralogue), Lindhart (unlocks a paralogue)
Church: Lysithea (unlocks a paralogue)