Fate/Grand Order III - Protecc those Smiles

[ellenate]

I managed to get the 4 Ishtars with only 1 SQ sank in. Mostly by spacing my attempts long enough for my command seals to renew and having a friend's Okita basically solo Enkidu (though my party having a lot of Invincible to tank his NP helped quite a bit).

The Hessian Lobo was the most annoying because of his high health, his ability to ignore Evade, and I having no one with a Moon Cancer Servant in my friend's list. I almost had two party wipes.

that battle was fun, i finally had a reason to use my BB, and test her skill on tamamo lancer. (like, i knew it was going to work, but still...)

[Velaryon]

I've got all but one of the Ishtars, and have yet to attempt the final one. So far I haven't spent any SQ, but I've largely been carried through by using people's Merlin and Jeanne servants to tank the most powerful hits.

My command seals are charged now so I will make an attempt later today on the last one.

[Leecros]

Well, I managed to make one last desperate 10x roll before the servers went down to maintenance and managed to pull Berserker Nobu.

So that brings my summer servants up to: Fran, Nitocris, and Nobu.

That's way better than I pulled last year where I only managed to pull Lancer Kiyohime.

I was desperately hoping to pull Caster Umu, but I guess I don't need SSR Summer Servants...

[spectralphoenix]

Kind of happy to see a break after all the events. I wish they'd have reduced AP training grounds or something for the folks who are caught up on the singularities though. And my SQ is pretty much spoken for at this point, so the banners aren't terribly interesting. Maybe I'll try a roll on the assassins in hopes of pulling an Avenger.

[Velaryon]

Threw what few SQ I have scraped together at the new banners (even though they're not particularly appealing), and came up with nothing. I really need to learn some more discipline with summoning.

[Resileaf]

Threw what few SQ I have scraped together at the new banners (even though they're not particularly appealing), and came up with nothing. I really need to learn some more discipline with summoning.

Yeah, you really can't expect to pull anything good with only a few single pulls. It's really time for you to take it easy, gather quartz, and wait a few months when you have loads of tickets and quartz to splurge on a given banner.

Unrelatedly, Ibaraki's interlude has taught me that Gilgamesh is the man that is literally too angry to die of the Fateverse.

[HMS Invincible]

I failed to complete nero fest last year, but I had a whole year to learn and now I'm ready to take on her challenge quests.
I know nero fest is coming, but is there anything good to summon?

[Resileaf]

Nero Bride, I think.

[spectralphoenix]

I failed to complete nero fest last year, but I had a whole year to learn and now I'm ready to take on her challenge quests.
I know nero fest is coming, but is there anything good to summon?

Nero fest has Nero, Bride Nero, and Brynhild. In the slightly longer term, the 10M download event is predicted to hit in September, which has Merlin, as well as Salter and Lalter. That's also the event where we get a free 4* of choice from the story summon set.

[ImperatorV]

Illya's new interlude is amazing. That is all.

[HMS Invincible]

Nero fest has Nero, Bride Nero, and Brynhild. In the slightly longer term, the 10M download event is predicted to hit in September, which has Merlin, as well as Salter and Lalter. That's also the event where we get a free 4* of choice from the story summon set.

Any welfare? What are the older ones worth getting? Shiki?

[Hunter Noventa]

Any welfare? What are the older ones worth getting? Shiki?

No, any story servant, those you encounter in singularities. Not welfare servants from events.

Like, I'll be grabbing Gorgon because I lack an Avenger.

[Resileaf]

Old welfares aren't really worth getting outside of their event, seeing as all their ascension materials can only be gotten from those events.

Still, you only need to be patient for Shiki. Her event'll come back eventually. As of right now, Welfare servants that are no longer available are Elizabeth caster, Santa Artoria Alter, Kintoki rider, Oda Nobunaga and Scathach assassin.

[spectralphoenix]

Here's the list.

I'm thinking about getting Avenger of Shinjuku. Gorgon's cooler, to be sure, but he's single target and she's AoE, so I think he's the better option for putting down ruler bosses. Though I'm almost tempted to get a second copy of Emiya Alter or Nursery Rhyme for the NP damage boost. Or Lancer Medusa for sheer cuteness.

[Velaryon]

Whoa, this event sounds awesome! Looking forward to it for sure.

So, Gorgon sounds like a good choice because I also lack an Avenger. However, I am also have openings in the Lancer and Berserker roles, where my best options are Cu Chulainn and Lu Bu respectively. Are there any options I should pay particular attention to in those classes?

[Resileaf]

The absolute best 4* berserker in the game is Heracles, full stop, especially at bond 10. Not only he's super strong, but he's more skilled at surviving than most berserkers.

As far as lancers go, Artoria alter lancer is a very strong AoE farmer.

[ellenate]

Whoa, this event sounds awesome! Looking forward to it for sure.

So, Gorgon sounds like a good choice because I also lack an Avenger. However, I am also have openings in the Lancer and Berserker roles, where my best options are Cu Chulainn and Lu Bu respectively. Are there any options I should pay particular attention to in those classes?

I'd go with spectralphoenix advice and get Avenger of Shinjuku. ruler bosses are a pain.


i think i'm going with caster gil, mainly because of the costume unlock for next summer, and the event bonus. Also i guess for the extra utility.


Yup caster gil, my mind is made up.

[Saambell]

I'm leaning towards a Saber for the gift 4 Star. LAlter tempts me as I have LArtoria and pairing them is nice, but I have plenty of Lancers. Sabers I'm a bit more lacking in, having Nero, Liz, Artoria, and recently pulled Siegfried and D'Eon. Suzuka, SAlter, and Lancelot tempt me. SAlter is one of the best Sabers in the game, being better then Normal Artoria for the same thing, Lancelot being one of the best 4 Stars as well as being Mash's Dad. But Suzuka tempts me with being a cooler design of the three. NP 2 Nero also calls, given I might level mine to 100, with her being already at 90. I could also NP Up one of my existing characters, just to avoid the pain of Ember Grinding which I already have to do SO MUCH of.

[HMS Invincible]

Looking over the list, I'm debating between adding to a third lancer (I have karna, Santa, and Liz,) and np2 on herc. I already have emiya, salter, and nero. I'm drowning in good casters.

[Red Fel]

My first inclination was Gorgon, because my only Avenger is Angry Mango.

Spoiler: Reasoning

Show

In terms of Saber offerings, I have plenty - I actually have six out of the eight they list (only missing Salter and Gawain). Likewise, I'm good on Archers - I have two of the four (EMIYA and Atalante), plus NOBU! And same with Lancers, I'm only missing two of the six, Vlad and Li. Riders, I have all of them, period, as well as two 5-stars; Casters, I have all except Nursery Rhyme, but I also have Casko and Waver so I'm covered; and Assassins, I'm only missing Wu and Yan. Berserkers, I only have four of the seven, but Heracles, Zerkalot, Banana and Fran pretty much have matters under control.

Avenger is the only class where I'm lacking. And while I could face those rare Ruler fights with a Berserker - and probably should, Avengers are basically useless aside from that - I like having my bases covered.

So why Gorgon and not Lobo? Two reasons.

First, mechanics. Gorgon has higher ATK and HP. Her passive NP charge is higher. She has better steroid options. Her NP includes an NP charge for the team, plus Curse for passive damage. Contrast Lobo. While he has an ST NP - which is better for dealing with Rulers, who tend to be solo - the focus of his kit is inconsistent critting, as opposed to raw damage, and the big pull of his NP is Instant Kill, which almost never works on bosses (and you're bringing him for Ruler bosses).

Second, Medusa. Medusa is Best Rider. Medusa Lily is Precious Lancer. Medusa Gorgon, therefore, is Best Avenger Not Named Jeanne. It's not complicated.

As for those who were asking about recommendations, here are my suggestions in each class:

Spoiler: Recommendations

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• Saber: For ST, Lancelot. Once his crit-chains get going, he performs consistently and can moderately spam his NP. For AoE, probably Salter; her skills aren't exceptional, but she's a workhorse.
• Archer: For ST, probably Tristan. He has great party utility, with a party heal and a targeted debuff; an NP charge button, which - with his NP gen - lets him reasonably spam his NP, and he contributes well to crit teams. For AoE, definitely EMIYA - he's solid, versatile, and slots into any team you need.
• Lancer: For ST, probably Vlad. He has a nice niche with his Anti-Evil damage, and while he isn't the most powerful offensively, he's pretty versatile and has some good tricks, like his taunt. For AoE, Lalter; while she needs support to turn out her NP, she's an absolute beast, with solid skills and a potent NP.
• Rider: For ST, there's only one choice - Anne and Mary. Their focus is on a one-turn nuke, but if that's what you need to take down a Caster boss, they're adequate. For AoE, I'd recommend Martha. Although she's mostly support-oriented, she does have a buff remover, and her NP decreases enemy DEF. She's also basically limited to one-turn usefulness offensively (when she unloads her NP), but she's solid otherwise.
• Caster: Taking this in a different direction. For healing, Medea Lily, because obviously. For support, Caster Gil, whose every single skill - and his NP - grants a party buff, or Helena, who's basically budget Waver. For offense, Nitocris - although, like most Casters, she's not an offensive monster, her kit makes her NP pretty spammable. (Honestly, you'll probably get more damage out of Helena, but again, Nito is spammable.)
• Assassin: Honestly, just go with Carmilla. She's a workhorse and pretty solid by Assassin standards. If you have her, then I'd probably recommend Wu, because unlike EMIYAssassin she at least has some team value.
• Berserker: Heracles until it stops being funny. Otherwise, Zerkalot.
• Ruler: There aren't any. Go home, you're drunk.
• Avenger: Lobo for ST, Gorgon for AoE.

[Saambell]

For Lancers, depending on what your character list includes, I could make a case for Liz. Sure, shes not very strong in most ways, BUT she is one of the best support Lancers. Her Def Down skill is very solid, her NP gives passive damage with its Curse, but its her Charisma that really makes a case for her. Sure, when you first get her, its one of the worse in the game. But once you do the upgrade quest, its one of the top charisma skills in the game, dependant on your line up though. It gives a massive boost to Female allies, so if your Chaldea is a Sausage Fest, shes worthless, but if you have a few solid female characters Liz becomes far more valuable.

In a case Against Heracles, I feel I must remind newcomers that 90% of Herc's hype comes from his Bond 10 CE, which takes A LOT of grinding to get. And without it, hes far far less valuable. Sure he deletes most things he looks at, but without that safety net of 3 Guts he melts like butter in a bonfire. However, the other Zerkers lack much to compete with him, as they don't have that many things that Herc doesn't also do. Lancelot has a very solid Farming NP, but he really needs a Kaleidoscope to make use of it. Tamamo Cat is similar, but lacks the damage Lancelot has. The others just do the same Single Target Buster NP and Triple Buster Deck that Herc does, but without the major draw of the CE Herc gets if you grind long enough. Ibaraki has Buff Removal, Beowolf has Ignore Evade, and Penny has her Anti Greek Males thing. But overall, Herc does the Single Target Buster NP best. Just be really warned that its going to be a LOT of grinding before you feel Herc ever lives up to his Hype.

I say this being 200k bond away from said CE. But given how I just today got Nero Classic her Bond 10 CE, its not going to be too long until Herc gets his, as hes taking her place in most of my farming teams for those bond points.

[ellenate]

My first inclination was Gorgon, because my only Avenger is Angry Mango.

Spoiler: Reasoning

Show

In terms of Saber offerings, I have plenty - I actually have six out of the eight they list (only missing Salter and Gawain). Likewise, I'm good on Archers - I have two of the four (EMIYA and Atalante), plus NOBU! And same with Lancers, I'm only missing two of the six, Vlad and Li. Riders, I have all of them, period, as well as two 5-stars; Casters, I have all except Nursery Rhyme, but I also have Casko and Waver so I'm covered; and Assassins, I'm only missing Wu and Yan. Berserkers, I only have four of the seven, but Heracles, Zerkalot, Banana and Fran pretty much have matters under control.

Avenger is the only class where I'm lacking. And while I could face those rare Ruler fights with a Berserker - and probably should, Avengers are basically useless aside from that - I like having my bases covered.

So why Gorgon and not Lobo? Two reasons.

First, mechanics. Gorgon has higher ATK and HP. Her passive NP charge is higher. She has better steroid options. Her NP includes an NP charge for the team, plus Curse for passive damage. Contrast Lobo. While he has an ST NP - which is better for dealing with Rulers, who tend to be solo - the focus of his kit is inconsistent critting, as opposed to raw damage, and the big pull of his NP is Instant Kill, which almost never works on bosses (and you're bringing him for Ruler bosses).

Second, Medusa. Medusa is Best Rider. Medusa Lily is Precious Lancer. Medusa Gorgon, therefore, is Best Avenger Not Named Jeanne. It's not complicated.

As for those who were asking about recommendations, here are my suggestions in each class:

Spoiler: Recommendations

Show

• Saber: For ST, Lancelot. Once his crit-chains get going, he performs consistently and can moderately spam his NP. For AoE, probably Salter; her skills aren't exceptional, but she's a workhorse.
• Archer: For ST, probably Tristan. He has great party utility, with a party heal and a targeted debuff; an NP charge button, which - with his NP gen - lets him reasonably spam his NP, and he contributes well to crit teams. For AoE, definitely EMIYA - he's solid, versatile, and slots into any team you need.
• Lancer: For ST, probably Vlad. He has a nice niche with his Anti-Evil damage, and while he isn't the most powerful offensively, he's pretty versatile and has some good tricks, like his taunt. For AoE, Lalter; while she needs support to turn out her NP, she's an absolute beast, with solid skills and a potent NP.
• Rider: For ST, there's only one choice - Anne and Mary. Their focus is on a one-turn nuke, but if that's what you need to take down a Caster boss, they're adequate. For AoE, I'd recommend Martha. Although she's mostly support-oriented, she does have a buff remover, and her NP decreases enemy DEF. She's also basically limited to one-turn usefulness offensively (when she unloads her NP), but she's solid otherwise.
• Caster: Taking this in a different direction. For healing, Medea Lily, because obviously. For support, Caster Gil, whose every single skill - and his NP - grants a party buff, or Helena, who's basically budget Waver. For offense, Nitocris - although, like most Casters, she's not an offensive monster, her kit makes her NP pretty spammable. (Honestly, you'll probably get more damage out of Helena, but again, Nito is spammable.)
• Assassin: Honestly, just go with Carmilla. She's a workhorse and pretty solid by Assassin standards. If you have her, then I'd probably recommend Wu, because unlike EMIYAssassin she at least has some team value.
• Berserker: Heracles until it stops being funny. Otherwise, Zerkalot.
• Ruler: There aren't any. Go home, you're drunk.
• Avenger: Lobo for ST, Gorgon for AoE.

Healers!

Having my own for so long, i forgot how much of a struggle that was. It's like a whole new game when you finally get one. Plus most stall strategies require them.

[Saambell]

Healers!

Having my own for so long, i forgot how much of a struggle that was. It's like a whole new game when you finally get one. Plus most stall strategies require them.

Very much agree. Medea Lily is one of the best healers in the game, and can get you out of a tight spot. I valued her more then jalter in agartha. Though, mine is NP 3 due to attempts for Illya last year which places her so far beyond Iri as a healer its not even funny. If you cant pick any other 4 star, Medea Lily cant go wrong. Even if you already have her, leveling her NP is very much worth.

[Red Fel]

For Lancers, depending on what your character list includes, I could make a case for Liz. Sure, shes not very strong in most ways, BUT she is one of the best support Lancers. Her Def Down skill is very solid, her NP gives passive damage with its Curse, but its her Charisma that really makes a case for her. Sure, when you first get her, its one of the worse in the game. But once you do the upgrade quest, its one of the top charisma skills in the game, dependant on your line up though. It gives a massive boost to Female allies, so if your Chaldea is a Sausage Fest, shes worthless, but if you have a few solid female characters Liz becomes far more valuable.

This is true. Liz is an incredible force multiplier, if you have the Servants to make the most of her abilities. Salter is, by contrast, her own thing - just put her on the field and turn on the nuke. When you switch from brute force strategies to tactical combat, Liz has a lot of value.

In a case Against Heracles, I feel I must remind newcomers that 90% of Herc's hype comes from his Bond 10 CE, which takes A LOT of grinding to get. And without it, hes far far less valuable. Sure he deletes most things he looks at, but without that safety net of 3 Guts he melts like butter in a bonfire. However, the other Zerkers lack much to compete with him, as they don't have that many things that Herc doesn't also do. Lancelot has a very solid Farming NP, but he really needs a Kaleidoscope to make use of it. Tamamo Cat is similar, but lacks the damage Lancelot has. The others just do the same Single Target Buster NP and Triple Buster Deck that Herc does, but without the major draw of the CE Herc gets if you grind long enough. Ibaraki has Buff Removal, Beowolf has Ignore Evade, and Penny has her Anti Greek Males thing. But overall, Herc does the Single Target Buster NP best. Just be really warned that its going to be a LOT of grinding before you feel Herc ever lives up to his Hype.

Gonna disagree in part. Herc's hype isn't just from his Bond CE. Yes, that contributes significantly - it is pretty unique among CEs, and having multiple charges of Guts on a Berserker is a huge boon - but it's not the only thing great about him. For starters, he has the highest ATK of any 4-star Berserker. And while he has lower HP than most 4-star Berserkers, consider his survival tools - he gets an Evade button and a Guts button. Most get one or the other, if that - Tamacat and Banana get a +DEF button, Beowulf gets a Guts button, and Fran and Lance get nothing. He also has his Valor skill, with a significant three-turn ATK buff. Tamacat gets a weaker buff for 2 turns; Banana gets a weaker buff (but it's for the party); Beowulf gets a weaker buff for one turn; Fran and Lance again get nothing.

So let's review. What are Berserkers known for? First, dealing tons of damage. With his Valor skill and his massive ATK, Herc is better equipped to do that than any other 4-star Berserker. Second, taking tons of damage. With both Evade and Guts, Herc is better equipped to mitigate that than any other 4-star Berserker.

Are there other valid options? Absolutely. Ibaraki has a self-heal and debuff on NP. Lance is a freaking crit machine. Beowulf's NP ignores Evade. But in terms of the basic, Aristotelian ideal of the Berserker, there is only one.

And he is an off-road vehicle.

[Yael]

A Berserker needs to survive, they tend to do high damage anyways (if not, their skills do compensate), so having survival tools is necesary, that's why Ibaraki is also a strong option on the 'Zerker department.

Heracles is, by far, the best 4* Berserker in the game, because his own kit is really strong, two defensive options plus an attack steroid, his NP also reduces DEF so it stacks with attack up, having him deal insane amounts of damage while shielding NPs and surviving unlucky crits. Tier lists aside (where he's A w/o Bond and S with it, using him is really going easy mode, regardless of the CE.

He pack a punch, resists the punch, and punches you again (or kicks you, if you watched Heaven's Feel p2), because that's how mafia Berserkers work.

[HMS Invincible]

If you have most of the free story servants, which one out of this list would benefit most from NP2?

[Hunter Noventa]

If you have most of the free story servants, which one out of this list would benefit most from NP2?

From already having her at NP2, I'm going to put Nitocris forward, since being able to overcharge ups her Instant Death chance even more for farming purposes.

[Nerocite]

I might pick up another Jets, he's really good with Skadi, and extra NP levels help a lot.

[Red Fel]

If you have most of the free story servants, which one out of this list would benefit most from NP2?

NP2 does two things: Increases base effect and increases overcharge. For most Servants, increasing base effect doesn't do all that much, so really it's all about the overcharge.

So, let's see who actually benefits from N2:

Spoiler: NP Level-Up Benefits

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• Salter: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases NP refund.
• Gawain: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Burn damage.
• Sumanai: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Anti-Dragon damage.
• d'Eon: Increases ATK/DEF debuff. Overcharge: Increases Charm chance.
• JK Fox: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases critical strength buff.
• Umu: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases DEF debuff.
• Rama: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Anti-Demon damage.
• Cad Dad: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases damage taken.
• Atalante: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases critical stars.
• EMIYA: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases ATK debuff.
• EMIYA Alter: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases chance to reduce charge.
• Tristan: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases debuff resist decrease.
• Lalter: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Curse damage.
• Vlad: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Anti-Evil damage.
• Liz: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Curse damage.
• Fionn: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases ATK debuff.
• Medusa Lily: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Stun chance.
• Li: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Death chance.
• Astolfo: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases critical stars.
• Anne and Mary: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases low-HP damage.
• Kira Queen: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases party heal.
• Martha: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases DEF debuff.
• Helena: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases assorted debuffs.
• CasGil: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases DEF debuff.
• Presi-King: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases assorted debuffs.
• Nursery Rhyme: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases chance to reduce charge.
• Nitocris: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Death chance.
• Medea Lily: Increases party heal. Overcharge: Increases debuff resist chance.
• Sad Dad: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases critical chance debuff.
• Carmilla: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Anti-Female damage.
• Yan Qing: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases critical damage debuff.
• Spooky: Increases Death chance (and DEF debuff post-Strengthening). Overcharge: Increases Charm chance.
• Wu: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases critical damage buff.
• Banana: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases DEF debuff.
• Penth: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases ATK debuff.
• Cat: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases self-heal.
• Fran: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases critical rate debuff.
• Beowulf: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases critical rate debuff.
• Heracles: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases DEF debuff.
• Mad Dad: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases ATK buff.
• Gorgon: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Curse damage.
• Lobo: Increases base damage. Overcharge: Increases Death chance.

So, in sum, the only Servants whose base ability is impacted by NP level are d'Eon (increased debuff), Medea Lily (increases base heal), and Stheno (increases base Death chance and later base DEF debuff). Everyone else's base ability increases are raw numbers.

With regard to Overcharge, several things to consider. First: Death chance is still Death chance. When it comes to farming, raw AoE damage is better than Death chance, and when it comes to story fights, Death chance isn't worth much. Second: Flat damage (e.g. Burn, Curse) is valuable, in that it triggers even if you fail to deal damage. Third: Charge drain is super useful.

And fourth, and perhaps most importantly: All this is irrelevant if you don't actually use the Servant. Having NP2 on a given Servant is great, even if only because it means extra Arts cards aren't wasted. It's especially useful on Servants with lots of Arts cards for that reason, but even absent that, it's still functional. But if you aren't going to use a Servant (sumanai, Siegfried), getting them to NP2 won't make them suddenly useful.

This doesn't answer your question directly. But there's no specific right answer. There are wrong answers, obviously - getting five extra bonus crit stars is a completely useless Overcharge (sorry Astolfo, Atalante). Likewise, increasing highly situational bonus damage is pointless (sorry, Anne and Mary). But the rest is pretty much a case of as-needed.

[Resileaf]

I don't think it's fair to say that the NP2 base effect increase isn't that useful. Any damage-dealing NP has a damage increase with each NP level, and there is a pretty hefty damage increase from NP1 to NP2 after all, and the stronger the servant, the more noticeable the damage increase is.