I've been noticing pretty early just how nice having the statures more or less done (I am on the last two for each) for my second run and how much faster things are going now that I know what I'm doing. Taking my Byleth down the Archery skill this time around just for the lolz, I'll probably take him down the Faith/Reason in my next run. The statues and buying my Professor level to A+ has really changed the game though. What a crazy jump start. I keep forgetting I have another 9 chapters to do before I'm even half way.