Hey everyone, and welcome back to GamingSpeedrun.com! If you're here, chances are you're looking to shave seconds, maybe even minutes, off your Fire Emblem Engage runs, specifically through the notoriously tricky Chapter 9. This isn't just about beating the game; it's about beating the clock. In my experience, Chapter 9 is a significant hurdle, demanding precise execution and a deep understanding of the game's mechanics. Today, we're diving deep into the ultimate speedrunning strategy for this pivotal chapter. Forget brute force; we're talking calculated moves, optimal unit placement, and exploiting every possible advantage. Let's get this done fast!
Chapter 9 Overview: Key Objectives and Threats
Chapter 9, titled "The Grand Elixir" (or whatever the specific in-game title translates to for this part), throws a lot at you. The primary objective is usually to defeat a specific boss or secure a critical location, often under a strict turn limit or while fending off waves of enemies. You'll be facing a mix of elite units, potentially some high-defense fortifications, and often a boss with unique attack patterns or powerful skills. The map layout itself can be a challenge, with choke points, open areas, and sometimes environmental hazards that can slow you down if you're not careful. Understanding these threats is the first step to overcoming them quickly.
Essential Unit Setup and Pre-Battle Preparations
Before even touching the "Engage" button, your pre-battle setup is crucial. For a speedrun, you want units that can quickly deal high damage or debuff enemies effectively.
* **Key Units:** Prioritize units with high movement and combat stats. Units like Alcryst, Lapis, and Diamant are often excellent choices due to their solid stats and combat abilities.
* **Engage Skills:** Equip Engage skills that boost damage, movement, or provide utility. For instance, using Byleth's "Inspiration" to grant an extra turn to a powerful attacking unit, or Leif's "Siegbert" for a damage boost, can be game-changing.
* **Weapons:** Ensure your primary damage dealers have their best weapons equipped. Don't be afraid to use Levin Swords or Killer Bows if they enable a quicker kill.
* **Accessories:** Equip accessories that enhance speed, strength, or survivability where needed, though for speed, offense usually takes priority.
Early Game Strats: Securing the Initial Positions
The first few turns are about establishing map control and taking out immediate threats.
* **Opening Moves:** Typically, you'll want your fastest units to advance and engage the closest enemies. This might involve using a flier to bypass terrain or a cavalry unit to quickly close the distance.
* **Target Prioritization:** Always focus on the enemies that pose the biggest threat or are blocking key paths. Sometimes, it's more efficient to take out a high-defense enemy first to open a route for your main assault.
* **Positioning:** Keep your fragile units safe behind your tanks or engage units. Utilize terrain bonuses if they don't significantly slow down your advance.
My go-to strategy here involves using one of my fastest units, often with a speed-boosting Engage, to bait out the initial enemies, allowing my core damage dealers to set up for a strong follow-up turn.
Mid-Game Maneuvers: Exploiting Enemy Weaknesses
As you push deeper into the map, you'll encounter more coordinated enemy forces and potentially stronger individual units.
* **Exploit Type Advantages:** This is Fire Emblem 101, but in a speedrun, it's amplified. Lance > Axe > Sword. Make sure your units are hitting those weaknesses consistently.
* **Engage Synergy:** This is where Engage really shines. Combining the right Emblem with the right unit at the right time can decimate enemy formations. For example, using Lucina's "Aether" on a critical enemy or Ike's "Great Ether" for massive healing and damage output.
* **Debuffs:** Don't underestimate debuffs like poison or stat reductions. They can turn a tough fight into a manageable one, saving crucial turns.
Late-Game Push: The Final Sprint to Victory
The final turns are all about closing the distance to your objective and eliminating the boss or final threat.
* **All-Out Assault:** Commit your strongest units. This is where you use your most powerful skills and Engages.
* **Sacrificial Plays (If Necessary):** Sometimes, a unit might need to take a hit to allow another unit to reach the objective or land the final blow. This is a calculated risk in speedrunning.
* **Boss Strategy:** Understand the boss's attack range and patterns. Can you bait them? Can you defeat them in one turn with a specific Engage ability? Planning this kill is paramount.
I've seen runs fail simply because the player didn't account for the boss's secondary attack or a reinforcement that spawned just out of reach. Always check those end-of-turn enemy actions!
Potential Glitches and Skips (If Applicable)
While Fire Emblem Engage is generally a stable game, speedrunning communities are always on the lookout for sequence breaks or useful glitches. In Chapter 9, are there any specific enemy AI exploits? Can certain map geometry allow units to pass through impassable terrain? Researching current speedrun.com leaderboards and discussions is vital here. If you discover a new glitch or skip, document it! These discoveries are what push the world record forward.
RNG Management: Dealing with Unpredictability
The bane of every speedrunner: Random Number Generation. Hit rates, crit rates, enemy reinforcements – it's all subject to RNG.
* **Safe Strats:** Develop strategies that have a high success rate even with slightly unfavorable RNG. This means aiming for >90% hit rates for crucial attacks.
* **Resetting:** Know when to reset. If a critical hit is missed early on, or a key unit falls due to bad luck, sometimes restarting is faster than trying to salvage a run.
* **Backup Plans:** Have contingency plans for common RNG-dependent events. What do you do if a specific enemy dodges your attack?
Personally, I try to keep all critical hits above 80% for my primary damage dealers. Anything lower feels like a coin flip I'm not willing to take on a serious attempt.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
* **Overextending:** Sending units too far ahead without support.
* **Ignoring Threats:** Focusing solely on the objective while ignoring enemies that can disrupt your plan.
* **Inefficient Movement:** Wasting turns by moving units unnecessarily or taking longer routes.
* **Poor Engage Usage:** Using powerful Engage abilities on weak targets or at the wrong time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the best Engage unit to use for Chapter 9 speedruns?
A1: This can vary depending on your chosen strategy, but units like Lucina for her synchronized attacks, Byleth for stat buffs, or Lyn for pure speed and damage are often top contenders. Experiment to see what fits your playstyle best.
Q2: How important is unit level in a speedrun for Chapter 9?
A2: While higher levels help, strategic positioning, correct Engage usage, and exploiting enemy weaknesses are often more critical for speedruns. You aim for the fastest possible clear, which might involve using slightly lower-leveled units if they have better movement or skills for the specific strategy.
Q3: Should I focus on defeating all enemies or just the objective?
A3: For speedruns, always prioritize the objective. Only engage enemies if they are directly blocking your path, pose an immediate threat to your objective-takers, or can be defeated extremely quickly with minimal risk.
Q4: Are there any specific skips or tricks for Chapter 9 in Fire Emblem Engage?
A4: The speedrunning community is constantly discovering new optimizations. It's best to check resources like speedrun.com for the latest discovered skips and glitches relevant to Chapter 9.
Conclusion: Perfecting Your Run
Mastering Fire Emblem Engage Chapter 9 in a speedrun is a test of skill, knowledge, and persistence. By focusing on optimal unit setup, precise early-game positioning, exploiting enemy weaknesses during the mid-game, and executing a decisive late-game push, you can significantly improve your times. Remember to manage RNG effectively and avoid common pitfalls. Every second counts in the pursuit of that perfect run!
What are your best strategies for Chapter 9? Did you find any particularly useful glitches or strats? Share your thoughts and tips in the comments below! Let's build the ultimate knowledge base for Fire Emblem Engage speedrunning together. Join our Discord channel to connect with other hardcore gamers and speedrunners!
